South Africa: DIRCO assisting in Egypt bus explosion This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Star College High learners Kiara Chetty and Calden Gounden will represent South Africa in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Annual Stockholm Junior Youth Water Prize (SJWP) at the end of August. The pair from Star College High in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, were announced as the winners of the 20th National South African Youth Water Prize Competitio... See more Giant impact caused difference between Moon's hemispheres WASHINGTON--The stark difference between the Moon's heavily-cratered farside and the lower-lying open basins of the Earth-facing nearside has puzzled scientists for decades. Now, new evidence about the Moon's crust suggests the differences were caused by a wayward dwarf planet colliding with the Moon in the early history of the solar system. A report on the new research has been published in AGU's Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. The mystery of the Moon's two faces began in the Apollo era when the first views of its farside revealed the surprising differences. Measurements made by the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission in 2012 filled in more details about the structure of the Moon -- including how its crust is thicker and includes an extra layer of material on its farside. There are a number of ideas that have been used to try and explain the Moon's asymmetry. One is that there were once two moons orbiting Earth and they merged in the very early days of the Moon's formation. Another idea is that a large body, perhaps a young dwarf planet, found itself in an orbit around the Sun that put it on a collision course with the Moon. This latter giant impact idea would have happened somewhat later than a merging-moons scenario and after the Moon had formed a solid crust, said Meng Hua Zhu of the Space Science Institute at Macau University of Science and Technology and lead author of the new study. Signs of such an impact should be visible in the structure of the lunar crust today. "The detailed gravity data obtained by GRAIL has given new insight into the structure of the lunar crust underneath the surface," Zhu said. The new findings from GRAIL gave Zhu's team of researchers a clearer target to aim for with the computer simulations they used to test different early-Moon impact scenarios. The study's authors ran 360 computer simulations of giant impacts with the Moon to find out whether such an event millions of years ago could reproduce the crust of today's Moon as detected by GRAIL. They found the best fit for today's asymmetrical Moon is a large body, about 480 miles (780 kilometers) in diameter, smacking into the nearside of the Moon at 14,000 miles per hour (22,500 kilometers per hour). That would be the equivalent of an object a bit smaller than the dwarf planet Ceres moving at a speed about one-quarter as fast as the meteor pebbles and sand grains that burn up as "shooting stars" in Earth's atmosphere. Another good fit for the impact combinations the team modeled is a slightly smaller, 450-mile (720-kilometer) diameter, object hitting at a mildly faster 15,000 miles per hour (24,500 kilometers per hour). Under both these scenarios, the model shows the impact would have thrown up vast amounts of material that would fall back on the Moon's surface, burying the primordial crust on the farside in 3 to 6 miles (5 to 10 kilometers) of debris. That is the added layer of crust detected on the farside by GRAIL, according to Zhu. The new study suggests the impactor was not likely an early second moon of Earth's. Whatever the impactor was -- an asteroid or a dwarf planet -- it was probably on its own orbit around the Sun when it encountered the Moon, said Zhu. The giant impact model also provides a good explanation for the unexplained differences in isotopes of potassium, phosphorus and rare-earth elements like tungsten-182 between the surfaces of the Earth and Moon, the researchers explain. These elements could have come from the giant impact, which would have added that material to the Moon after its formation, according to the study's authors. "Our model can thus explain this isotope anomaly in the context of the giant impact scenario of the Moon's origin." the researchers write. The new study not only suggests an answer to ongoing questions about the Moon, but may also provide insight into the structure of other asymmetrical worlds in our solar system like Mars wrote the researchers. "This is a paper that will be very provocative," said Steve Hauck, a professor of planetary geodynamics at Case Western Reserve University and Editor-in-Chief of the JGR: Planets. "Understanding the origin of the differences between the nearside and the farside of the Moon is a fundamental issue in lunar science. Indeed, several planets have hemispherical dichotomies, yet for the Moon we have a lot of data to be able to test models and hypotheses with, so the implications of the work could likely be broader than just the Moon." ### Founded in 1919, AGU is a not-for-profit scientific society dedicated to advancing Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. We support 60,000 members, who reside in 135 countries, as well as our broader community, through high-quality scholarly publications, dynamic meetings, our dedication to science policy and science communications, and our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, as well as many other innovative programs. AGU is home to the award-winning news publication Eos, the Thriving Earth Exchange, where scientists and community leaders work together to tackle local issues, and a headquarters building that represents Washington, D.C.'s first net zero energy commercial renovation. We are celebrating our Centennial in 2019. #AGU100 Notes for Journalists This paper is freely available through June 30. Journalists and public information officers (PIOs) can download a PDF copy of the article by clicking on this link: https:/ / agupubs. onlinelibrary. wiley. com/ doi/ pdf/ 10. 1029/ 2018JE005826 Journalists and PIOs may also request a copy of the final paper by emailing Lauren Lipuma at llipuma@agu.org. Please provide your name, the name of your publication, and your phone number. Neither this paper nor this press release is under embargo. Paper Title "Are the Moon's nearside-farside asymmetries the result of a giant impact?" Authors Meng-Hua Zhu: Space Science Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau; Museum fur Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany; CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, China; Kai Wiinnemann: Museum fur Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany; Ross W. K. Potter: Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Islands, United States; Thorsten Kleine: Institut fur Planetologie, University of Munster, Munster, Germany; Alessandro Morbidelli: Departement Lagrange, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur, Nice, France. AGU press contact: Lauren Lipuma +1 (202) 777-7396 (GMT-4) llipuma@agu.org Contact information for the researchers: Meng Hua Zhu, Macau University of Science and Technology +853 8897 2024 (GMT+8) mhzhu@must.edu.mo, Kai Wunnemann, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science +49 (30) 889140 8857 (GMT+1) Kai.Wuennemann@mfn.berlin This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Pupils have lunch at Dingfan Primary School in Gaocun Township of Wanrong County, north China's Shanxi Province, May 16, 2019. Most of the 110 pupils at Dingfan Primary School are left-behind children, whose parents have become migrant workers in towns or cities. Some of the students came from registered poor families in Dingfan and nearby villages. In September of 2015, school master Zhao Yingjie applied to add the school onto the list of Free Lunch for Children (FLC), the public initiative to offer free meals to students in remote, poverty-stricken areas. From then on students in Dingfan began to enjoy their nutritious lunch at school. In order to guarantee the quality of the lunch and the transparency of the fund spending, teachers in the school take photos of the lunch dishes every day and load them onto the microblog account of the school for the public supervision. (Xinhua/Cao Yang) 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. A wedding dress is exhibited at a museum of broken relationships in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province. (Photo/sxrb.com) Just 20 days after the opening of a museum of broken relationships in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province, its owner joked that it was turning into a blind date site, thecover.cn reported. Since it opened to the public on April 25, the museum has received 500 visitors every day, aged between 16 and 25. The number of its exhibits, ranging from train tickets and an unfinished self-knitted sweater to a wedding dress and a tie with a lipstick mark, has increased by threefold to more than 200. All the objects are left behind from breakups and donated by the public. People seem to find closure for a broken relationship by donating souvenirs from former lover, Kang Shidong, owner of the museum, told Shanxi's news portal sxrb.com. He said a young man brought a bracelet and spent a whole afternoon writing a note, elaborating his love story. Besides closure, what surprises Kang is that some visitors fell in love after coming across each other at the museum. "As far as I know, some have entered romantic relationships," said Kang. "I'm happy to see that. The purpose of establishing such a museum is for people to say goodbye to their old relationship and stride into a new one." The idea of setting up such a museum came to Kang when he visited a museum of broken relationships in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, with two friends in January. They thought it would be a good thing for Taiyuan to have a place for people to bury souvenirs from a failed relationship. They acted fast and opened the museum after three months' preparation. The world's first museum of broken relationships was founded in Croatia in 2006 by two artists, who ended their four-year relationship and got the idea of setting up a museum to house their leftover personal items. China has several museums of broken relationships now, in Nanjing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Wuhan, Beijing, Chongqing, Jinan, Harbin, Changsha, Guangzhou and Changchun. All outdoor activities are banned on Monday at all middle and primary schools, kindergartens and middle vocational schools in Beijing, Beijing Municipal Education Commission said via Sina Weibo on Monday, following at least four dead in strong winds a day earlier. Such activities include flag-raising ceremony, morning exercises and outdoor social practices. At least four people were killed, more than 50 flights were diverted to other airports and two trains arrived late in Beijing on Sunday when strong gales flattened walls, knocked down trees and damaged farms. The capital issued blue alert for strong winds on Sunday, with five suburban districts of Tongzhou, Yanqing, Changping, Huairou and Shunyi upgrading it to yellow alert later. These areas were hit with strong winds as high as 8-9 grades, with gales reaching 10 grade at some places. According to forecast, the wind could still be as high as 7-8 grades on Monday. The gale toppled a wall near Dongzhimen Bridge in downtown Beijing, hitting three pedestrians, two males and one female. Two of them died at the scene and one at hospital, Dongcheng District said via Sina Weibo. Food delivery service Meituan said one of its deliverymen was hit and killed by a fallen tree when delivering food. The speed of wind reached 10-15 meters per second at the Capital International Airport starting from 10 am Sunday, with gales as fast as 20-25 meters per second, the airport said. Due to the strong wind, the operational ability of the airport dropped and remained low until 7 pm Sunday. By 5 pm, out of 1,561 flights scheduled for that day, 856 flew as scheduled, 51 were cancelled, and 51 diverted to other airports. Trains K1190 and Y513 arrived in Beijing late because Beijing-Chengde railway was hit by fallen trees in Shunyi district. At least 13 cars were damaged in a parking lot after being hit by the fallen roof. Have accomplished abstract geometrical artists come out of any demographic in greater numbers than from the women of South Asia? Not when even the most demanding art-school curriculum cant hope to equal the rigor of the kolam, a complex kind of line drawing practiced by women everywhere from India to Sri Lanka to Malaysia to Thailand. Using humble materials like chalk and rice flour on the ground in front of their homes, they interweave not just lines, shapes, and patterns but religious, philosophical, and magical motifs as well and they create their kolams anew each and every day. Feeding A Thousand Souls: Kolam by Thacher Gallery at the University of San Francisco is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Taking a clump of rice flour in a bowl (or a coconut shell), the kolam artist steps onto her freshly washed canvas: the ground at the entrance of her house, or any patch of floor marking an entrypoint, writes Atlas Obscuras Rohini Chaki. Working swiftly, she takes pinches of rice flour and draws geometric patterns: curved lines, labyrinthine loops around red or white dots, hexagonal fractals, or floral patterns resembling the lotus, a symbol of the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi, for whom the kolam is drawn as a prayer in illustration. Colorful Kolam Sivasankaran Own work Kolams are thought to bring prosperity, but they also have other uses, such as feeding ants, birds, and other passing creatures. Chaki quotes University of San Francisco Theology and Religious Studies professor Vijaya Nagarajan as describing their fulfilling the Hindu karmic obligation to feed a thousand souls. Kolams have also become an object of genuine interest for mathematicians and computer scientists due to their recursive nature: They start out small, but can be built out by continuing to enlarge the same subpattern, creating a complex overall design, Chaki writes. This has fascinated mathematicians, because the patterns elucidate fundamental mathematical principles. Kolam by resakse is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 Like any traditional art form, the kolam doesnt have quite as many practitioners as it used to, much less practitioners who can meet the standard of mastery of completing an entire work without once standing up or even lifting their hand. But even so, the kolam is hardly on the brink of dying out: you can see a few of their creators in action in the video at the top of the post, and the age of social media has offered kolam creators of any age and now even the occasional man the kind of exposure that even the busiest front door could never match. Some who get into kolams in the 21st century may want to create ones that show ever more complexity of geometry and depth of reference, but the best among them wont forget the meaning, according to Chaki, of the forms very name: beauty. Read more about kolams at Atlas Obscura. Related Content: Mathematics Made Visible: The Extraordinary Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher New Iranian Video Game, Engare, Explores the Elegant Geometry of Islamic Art The Complex Geometry of Islamic Art & Design: A Short Introduction Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall, on Facebook, or on Instagram. Huawei can only use an open-source version of Google's Android system after the US trade blacklist, according to a Reuters report on Sunday. The report said Google has suspended business with Huawei requiring the transfer of hardware, software and technical services, except those with open-source licenses publicly available. Google China replied via email that the company is "complying with the order and reviewing the implications", The Beijing News said. Updates for the Android operating system will be unavailable to Huawei smartphones that run on the system, and future versions of the company's handsets will not be able to use services from Google, including the Google Play Store, Gmail and YouTube apps, which are not covered by the open-source license and require a commercial agreement with Google, according to the Reuters report. Huawei's existing users who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Huawei said it has been preparing a contingency plan for such a block to Android by developing its own technology, and some of its technology is already being used in products sold in China, said the report. The impact is limited in the Chinese market, as most of Google's services have alternatives offered by domestic competitors like Tencent and Baidu. However, Huawei's European market could be affected as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declares victory in the Federal Election 2019 with his family SYDNEY, May 19 (People's Daily Online / Quanjiao Wang) Australian Prime Minister, Liberal-National Coalition Leader Scott Morrison declared victory in the Australian Federal Election 2019, securing a third term for the coalition government. Australian media regards his win as a shock election victory, reporting that Scott Morrison has defied opinion polls and public expectation for years. The opinion poll before the federal election day suggested that Labor was set for victory on the back of strong swings. Voting results at this stage (counted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) "I have always believed in miracles," Morrison told the Liberal supporters in Sydney at midnight on Saturday, after he received the call from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten conceding defeat. "Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first! We've got a lot of work to do. We're going to get back to work for the Australians that we know to go to work every day, who face those struggles and trials every day", he added. Poster wall outside one of the polling booths in Sydney (photo by Jiahua Wang) Bill Shorten said to those who voted Labor in Melbourne, "I know that you're all hurting and I am too...This has been a tough campaign. Toxic at times." He then announced he would step down as leader of the Australian Labor Party. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, with almost 75 percent of the vote counted, the Coalition had 74 of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives, while Labour, other parties and independent candidates had 66 and six seats, respectively. There are also five seats in doubt. Voters line up to cast their ballots (photo by Chun Xie) In Melbourne, Liberal candidate Gladys Liu and Labor candidate Jennifer Yang are contesting the seat of Chisholm. One of them is poised to become the first female Chinese-Australian MP in the lower house of Federal Parliament and create a new chapter in history. Douze Points Pour Les Pays-Bas: The Netherlands Win the Eurovision Song Contest By Kayleigh Donaldson | Celebrity | May 19, 2019 | The Eurovision Song Contest is over for another year. Pack away the wind machines, hang your sequins back up in your wardrobe and let your geopolitical pettiness fester for a few more months. The competition that simultaneously unites and tears apart Europe (and all the other countries we let in for reasons) took place in Tel Aviv this year, which didnt prove to be controversial in any way at all! But what of the winner? Turns out that the bookies got it right all along. The Netherlands went into tonight as the favourite to take home the trophy and they pulled it off. Duncan Laurence, a 25 year old former contestant on The Voice of Holland, was the big winner with the song Arcade, but for a while it looked like the contest could go any way. North Macedonia were in the lead for a while, but so were Sweden and Italy. This year, the public vote was announced by the ranking on the board after the jury votes, meaning that last place got their scores and first place got theirs last. The UK ended up at the bottom of the board, because of course. But this is big for The Netherlands, as its the first time theyve won Eurovision since 1975. See, United Kingdom, we can do it again! Possibly. Maybe. If the world doesnt fall to pieces. Heres the winning song. See you next year in Amsterdam? 'SNL' Finale Highlights: Paul Rudd, 'Grace and Frankie' Rap, Fancy Party, Leslie Jones On 'Weekend Update' | Trailer Round-Up: 'Batwoman', 'Always Be My Maybe', 'Angel Has Fallen', 'DuckTales', 'Midsommar' Kayleigh is a features writer for Pajiba. You can follow her on Twitter or listen to her podcast, The Hollywood Read. Header Image Source: Getty Images. Like many members of the most socially conscious generation in history, 17-year-old Billie Eilish has a stronger moral compass than many of the grown adults currently legislating away women's bodily autonomy. At the weekend's ASCAP Pop Music Awards, where she and her brother Finneas received the Vanguard Award, Eilish took the red carpet as an opportunity to speak out on draconian abortion bans, like the one recently passed in Alabama, and similar regulations pending in Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia. "Honestly, I can't even look at my phone. I have no words for the bitches in the fucking White House," she told Variety in classic Eilish fashion. She correctly alludes to the fact that, while President Trump has distanced himself from Alabama's abortion ban, he's done nothing to prevent it, and is responsible for the imbalanced Supreme court that the anti-abortion movement is currently dangling these blatantly unconstitutional laws in front of, in the hopes of overturning Roe V. Wade once and for all. Eilish continued: "It's so unbelievable. It makes me, like, red. It makes my ears fucking steam out of my head. Women should say, should do and feel and be exactly what they want. There should be nobody else telling them how to live their life, how to do shit... It just makes me so mad that if I start talking about it, I won't stop. Men should not make women's choices that's all I have to say." She wasn't the only celebrity at ASCAP who, despite that the night was a celebration of music industry achievements, couldn't keep their mind off the ban. "Oh, I think it's criminal," Blondie's Debbie Harry told Variety of the bans. "Individual rights should be respected in every way. Religion was never supposed to be a part of our government." After stunning fans in a custom Chanel couture gown at the 2018 Academy Awards, Margot Robbie has partnered with the brand for their new line of fragrances. The actress, who previously served as the face of the French luxury label's "Coco Neige" campaign, will act as the newest ambassador for their beauty division. With this latest collaboration, Robbie joins ranks of iconic celebrities and fellow ambassadors like Keira Knightley, Kristen Stewart, and Lily-Rose Depp. "It's a dream to represent such a timeless and iconic brand," Robbie said in an official statement. "The history of the Chanel woman is so exciting and the brand has remained such a powerful feminine standard of style." No word yet on the fragrances the actress will lend her face to, though the brand is set to drop a number of new scents later this year. Robbie was also a longtime muse for the late Karl Lagerfeld, and the two routinely bonded over their mutual love for pets. While Lagerfeld's attachment to his cat Choupette was no secret, Robbie too has an adorable little rescue dog of her own named Boo. Related | Mickey Boardman Remembers Karl Lagerfeld After the designer's death earlier this year, the Australian actress posted a beautiful tribute commemorating their bond. "A heavy heart today over the loss of a true icon," she said in an Instagram post. "Karl's creativity, energy and tireless spirit knew no bounds. It was an honor to work with him and to watch him work. I will forever cherish those memories. My thoughts are with his family, friends and our Chanel family." While Robbie's role as official ambassador remains to be unveiled, you can also expect to see her in Quentin Tarantino's highly anticipated film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, alongside Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio that's due this summer. 2019, imma let you finish, but 2009 was the best year of all time. Obama was still president, Taylor was still country, Kanye was still friends with Jay-Z, and Ashton Kutcher was still the most followed person on Twitter. Were we ever so young? Here's what happened this week, 10 years ago. Music This week 10 years ago, the Jonas Brothers embarked on their 2009 World Tour, beginning in Lima, Peru. It would become the sixth highest selling musical tour of the year, following Britney Spears' Circus tour, Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour, U2's 360 degree tour, and Miley Cyrus' Wonder World tour. Guests and openers included Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Korean girl group Wonder Girls. Lady Gaga also had a huge week: her debut single "Just Dance" became the fifth song ever to be legally downloaded four million times. On his now-defunct blog, Kanye West christened Gaga "the new Madonna." (He added that Beyonce was the new Tina Turner, Jay-Z the new Sinatra, Thom Yorke the new Roger Waters, Lil Wayne the new Hendrix, and Justin Timberlake the new Michael Jackson. At least some of that still holds up!) Pitchfork named Grizzly Bear's "While You Wait for the Others" its Best New Track. "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas was still number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Celebrity Gossip Related | Christina Aguilera Is Back With a New Transformation 'American Idol' Finale Kris Allen controversially defeated Adam Lambert in the American Idol season eight finale ten years ago, surprising many viewers, as well as Allen himself. Lambert's performance of "Mad World" did end up charting far better than Allen's rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine." Also in May 2009, Queen guitarist Brian May told Rolling Stone that the band was considering Lambert as a full-time front man. He eventually joined the group in 2011. Cannes The Cannes red carpet was just as star-studded 10 years ago. Brangelina were papped frequently during the festival, where Pitt was promoting Quentin Tarantino's Ingorious Basterds; Twilight hunk Robert Pattinson also caused a commotion. Heath Ledger's final movie the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus premiered on May 22, and Austrian film The White Ribbon picked up the Palme d'Or. Leading Iranian stem cell scientist behind bars in U.S. for 7 months without trial 05/20/19 Source: Press TV Top Iranian stem cell scientist Dr. Masoud Soleimani has been behind bars in the United States without trial for the past seven months. Back in October last year, Soleimani, a professor and biomedical researcher at the Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) in Tehran, was arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) upon his arrival in the US. Iranian stem cell scientist Dr. Masoud Soleimani. (file photo) According to his Atlanta attorney, Leonard Franco, he has since been held behind bars in a jail in Atlanta without bond. Soleimani had been invited by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for leading a research program there, but he was secretly indicted by the FBI, which also canceled his research visa. Neither the FBI nor the US prosecutors have so far officially commented on his detention. BJay Pak, the US attorney in Atlanta, secured Soleimani's indictment on June 12, 2018, just a month after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal, and Soleimani had been fully unaware of such an indictment when he flew to the US. Franco and Page Pate, another Atlanta lawyer, said that they had been puzzled by the federal government's decision to prosecute a renowned Iranian professor and two of his former students - Mahboobe Ghaedi and Maryam Jazayeri - for purported trade sanction violations over eight vials of human growth hormone. Franco said that Soleimani's treatment by federal authorities, the revocation of his visa and the decision to detain him without bond doesn't square with Soleimani's international reputation as a scholar, professor, and doctor widely known in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. Soleimani has no criminal history anywhere in the world, he added. The hormone, which is a form of synthetic protein, was seized from Jazayeri in 2016 by customs authorities in Atlanta when she was heading to Iran to give it to professor Soleimani for research purposes. Jazayeri had received the hormone from Ghaedi. The seizure occurred at a time when Washington was still a signatory to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and anti-Iran sanctions had not been re-imposed yet. The growth hormone is not banned in the US or Iran and was being used "exclusively for medical research", which is still considered largely exempt from US sanctions, Franco said. However, Ghaedi and Jazayeri faced similar federal charges for attempting to supply Soleimani with the growth hormone. Ghaedi is a permanent American resident and an assistant professor at Yale University's School of Medicine. She is free on a $250,000 bond. Jazayeri is a naturalized US citizen and Kentucky resident and has conducted medical research at the University of Louisville. She is currently free on a $200,000 bond. "I truly don't understand it," Franco said of the government's decision to prosecute, adding that it appeared to be "some type of policy argument."Pate, who represents Jazayeri, said his client was "completely confused by all this." Motions to dismiss the charges are pending in federal court in Atlanta in front of US District Judge Eleanor Ross. However, Federal prosecutors in Atlanta have not yet responded to the motions. According to TMU authorities, hearing this case has been adjourned for at least three times since October and his family and the TMU have so far paid $70,000 to his lawyers to prove his innocence, but all to no avail. Almost 50 Iranian nationals are currently imprisoned in the United States under various pretexts, mainly bypassing the US sanctions. Children dont just die, not in this hospital and certainly not in this country was her response when enquired about when Mortality Meetings are held in a hospital in UK. And why did that shock me? I have been so used to the monthly Morbidity and Mortality meetings in my hospital, a kind of mini inquest where stock is taken of disease entities that brought children to the hospital and sadly those that killed them. The column for avoidable deaths- death that could have been prevented if we had certain gadgets to monitor them or certain interventions to help them breathe better, is always full. Children just don't die" I chuckled to myself. A typical day in my hospital begins with the sight of a child who is hanging onto his life by the finest of threads, yanked out of a taxi which has barely screeched to a halt and rushed to the Childrens Emergency Room (CHER). Usually, no call has come through so absolutely no preparation has been made to receive such a sick child. Every attempt is made to revive such a child under the circumstances, sometimes after displacing a relatively stable child from his bed onto the mothers laps. Frantic calls are made to the various intensive care units in the capital, Korle Bu adult ICU, Ridge Hospital, 37 Military Hospital or Police Hospital for a space. Only a few fortunate ones get to find a space to be saved as these centers are usually full to capacity. The Childrens Emergency Room of the Department of Child Health, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has been crying for renovation for years. Constructed in 1964, at a time that the population of Accra was nowhere close to a fraction of what it is now, that small room designated the CHER has seen no expansion and is always full. The sight of sick children with different conditions sharing beds, vomiting and defecating onto each other is the norm. And that was all the emergency room had. No monitors, no HDU and no intensive care unit. As a medical student, I swore never to work in that crowded claustrophobic room. As a houseofficer, witnessing firsthand the miracles that happened even without the gadgets in that small crowded space, I decided to specialize in paediatrics in Korle Bu. It was also around that time that efforts were intensified to get a one-stop shop for a new emergency room, a paediatric intensive care unit and a high dependency unit. Attempts to have a new place constructed to help the teeming children referred to the department produced disappointing results. Because of the vulnerability of children, the care of children is hugely subsidized so an internally generated fund for the project was a big no. What would be the justification to withhold treatment for a child because parents cannot afford? Different methods were employed to put across our problem. Moving real-life documentaries were made and televised on various television stations to showcase our plight and help raise funds for the project. Corporate bodies were approached for help but the huge cost scared them away. Various fund -raising institutions and charities were approached but the situation persisted. Perhaps, the most disappointing of them all was the exploitation of the situation by politicians. As expected, three sod cuttings for the construction of a new unit by various governments were witnessed. It did not help that these sod cuttings happened during election years. The promise was quickly forgotten once the election ended. And so, news of the intention of the First Lady of Ghana, Her Excellency Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Rebecca Foundation to construct a new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) was greeted with well-founded skepticism. Not even the alacrity with which the Mothers and Babies Unit of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital was constructed and handed over could completely erase our lingering doubts. Gladly though, a little over eight months after the old building that housed the CHER was demolished, a newly constructed and furnished PICU stands in its place. Although it is called PICU, it actually houses a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as well. The new first class PICU houses 6 paediatric intensive care beds with ventilators including one isolation unit for infectious diseases. There are 16 High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds for seriously ill children who do not have to be on a ventilator making a total of 22 beds at the toddlers end. The unit also houses 5 ventilator slots for neonates (newborns) who need ventilatory support, 4 incubator slots for newborns with infectious diseases and 12 HDU cots for neonates who are sick but do not require ventilatory support at the neonatal end. This makes a total of 21 space for newborns. This adds up to a total bed capacity of 43 for the unit. As expected of a modern building, there is a counselling room to speak privately with parents of wards confidentially and a breastfeeding cubicle for mothers to either breastfeed or express their milk for their babies. There are also modern nursing stations, a see-through station to give an idea of happenings in the cubicles without entering them, a meeting room to discuss cases, a cashier and IT unit, a pharmacy and a laboratory. In addition, there are staff changing rooms for males and females, a staff lounge and restrooms. There are 4 visitors toilets which are disabled-friendly, toilets and showers for staff as well as offices for doctors and nurses. The whole unit is highly energy efficient with low voltage solar panels installed to augment power supply. It also houses an oxygen room extension, compressor room, water tanks and air housing unit to improve ventilation. A back up generator is also installed to deal with power challenges. The unit is well fitted with monitors for the patients, modern beds and all required gadgets needed to run the facility to international standards. It is absolutely mind-boggling to know that this huge edifice and furnishings were all done by the First Lady, Her Excellency, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Rebecca Foundation. It was commissioned on 15th May 2019. The contribution the PICU would make to the welfare of children is beyond measure. The number of avoidable deaths recorded in our units because of lack of ventilatory support would be drastically reduced when fully operational. It is hoped that the all familiar sight of transporting seriously ill children to other facilities for ventilatory assistance would be a thing of the past. Even though the new unit does not guarantee absence of mortality in children, it does guarantee a reduction to the barest minimum of avoidable deaths. So let us all join the Head of Department, Prof Ebenezer V. Badoe and workers in the Department of Child Health, the numerous children who would patronize the facility, the numerous lives that would be saved by that facility and the entire citizenry to say ayekoo to the First Lady and the Rebecca Foundation. The emotional roller-coaster that greets my inability to secure an ICU care for a child under my care is hopefully over. And even though time is said to erode gratitude, for me, my gratitude for the provision of the PICU will outlive time itself. We cultivate with prayer and deeds that her continuous support for the unit will continue for years to come. Once again, the children of Ghana and their parents say thank you your Excellency Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Rebecca Foundation. Source: Dr Frank Owusu-Sekyere/ email: [email protected] A member of Paediatric Society of 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 To complement effort to address challenges girls face in managing their menstruation, Inspire to Rise, a non-governmental oragnisation has educated two schools on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). The schools were Saint Peters Anglican School and Adenta Community School in the Greater Accra Region. Ms Wendy Laryea, a UNICEF Menstrual Hygiene Influencer who addressed the students in separate sessions said the menstrual hygiene had effect on women and girls' reproductive health, ultimately affecting progress on gender equality under the Sustainable Development Goals. Ms Laryea who is also the Founder of Inspire to Rise, described Menstrual Hygiene Management as the practice of using clean materials to absorb menstrual blood. She advised that the menstrual blood needed to be changed privately, safely, hygienically, and as often as needed for the duration of the menstrual cycle. Touching on some of the challenges women and girls go through, she stated that inadequate water, improper sanitation and lack of hygiene facilities, particularly in public places, such as in schools, workplaces and health centers, could pose a major obstacle to women and girls. Ms Laryea said lack of separate toilets with doors that can be safely closed, or the unavailability of means to dispose off used sanitary pads and water to wash hands affect women and girls. The challenge menstruating girls and women face is often less tangible than simply the availability of infrastructure and it is rooted in social norms and beliefs. In many cultures, menstruating women are considered impure and are systematically excluded from participating in everyday activities, such as education, employment, and cultural and religious practices, she noted. Moreover, the taboos and stigmas attached to menstruation lead to an overall culture of silence around the topic, resulting in limited information on menstruation and menstrual hygiene 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 District Imam for Suaman District in the Western North Region, Alhaji Mumuni, has urged his fellow Muslims and Zongo dwellers to disabuse their minds of the perception that the NPP is anti-Muslims and Zongos. According to him, the various policies and programmes being implemented by the Akufo-Addo government specifically tailored for Muslims and the Zongo communities bear testimony to the fact that the party has no animosity towards Muslims. Alhaji Mumuni explained the turnaround in perceptions about the NPP when the Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, joined the Muslims of Dadieso to pray as part of this years nationwide Ramadan Tour on Sunday, 19th May 2019. Flanked by two of his deputies, Alhaji Mumuni said then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo promised in the lead up to the last general elections that if voted into office, he would show that the NPP does not dislike Muslims, contrary to the propaganda being pushed by the partys opponents. In 2016, when President Nana Akufo-Addo came to campaign, I told him that us Northerners and Muslims dont really like NPP because of what we have been told. But since Nana Akufo-Addo won the election he has really shown that he loves Muslims and Zongos. Until two years ago, we didnt even know that although Government is in Accra, it still thinks about us at Dadieso. Over the past two years, this Government has helped three people to go to Hajj. We are most grateful. Nana Akufo-Addo and NPP have shown that they really care about Muslims. We are grateful to Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. May Allah continue to bless them. The District Imam had high praise for the District Chief Executive for Suaman, Hon Christian Baah, for his diligent implementation of the governments policy directives for Muslims and Zongos in the district. In the past, the people of Dadieso Zongo, including me, did not want to hear the name NPP. We were told that you didnt want to associate with us, that you didnt like Muslims and Zongos and if we come around you will drive us away. We were afraid of the party. But since Nana Akufo-Addo appointed this man as DCE, he has really done a lot to bring all of us together and shown that NPP loves Muslims. Vice President Bawumia urged Muslims to pray for the sustenance of the peace and acceptance of religious diversity Ghana enjoys, and contribute their quota towards nation building. Phase Two of Vice President Bawumias 2019 Ramadan tour began on Friday 17th May 2019 with visits to mosques and chiefs in the Central Region. He has since visited mosques and chiefs in the Western and Western North regions. He has been accompanied by the Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Hon Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid; Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President, Hon Boniface Abubakar Siddique; national Nasara Coordinator of the NPP, Aziz Haruna Futa; the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Pharm (Dr) Audu Rauf, officials of the Zongo Development Fund, and a number of Muslim MPs including Hon Issah Fuseini (Okaikoi North) and Hon Hon Halidu Ali Maiga (Dormaa West). 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 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday rounded up his tour of the Savannah Region, as part of his six-day working visit to the Oti, North East and the Savannah Regions. His two-day visit to the Savannah Region, took him to Daboya, Damongo, Sawla and Yapei. Whilst at Daboya, the President paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Wasipe, Mimuni Anyami Kabasagya II, and interacted with smock weavers at Daboya, who later presented him and the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, with commemoratory smocks. He also interacted with students of Sawla Senior High School, whose Headmaster thanked the President for implementing the Free Senior High School policy. The Headmaster told the President that under the Free Senior High Policy, "we have witnessed improved infrastructural and logistical situation." "I want to mention the 400 capacity girls dormitory, which was completed and commissioned in September 2018, which is currently in use. A 2,000-capacity kitchen and dining hall complex, which is about 85 percent complete, will be completed by September 2019, the Headmaster added. The Sawla SHS Headmaster stressed that since the Free SHS policy of the government was started by His Excellency, enrolment has steadily increased from 37 percent in 2017/2018 academic year, to 39 percent in the current 2018/2019 academic year. President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing construction of a District Hospital at Sawla, which is expected to be completed soon. On Sunday, the President worshipped with the St. Annes Cathedral in Damongo, where he urged residents of the Savannah Region to eschew chieftaincy disputes and live as one people, as the cost of conflicts have had a devastating impact not only on the people of the region but on the country as a whole. He admonished the congregation to join in the fight against the menace of illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, and indicated further that work on the Damongo Water Project will begin soon, with the matter set to be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting. 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 is participating in this years International Tea and Coffee Expo which is taking place in Hangzhou, China. Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto led a 20-member delegation to promote Ghanaian chocolate and other cocoa products to Chinese consumers. The delegation included a strong contingent from Cocoa Processing Company, Ghana Cocobod, Private Cocoa Processor Plotte Limited from Takoradi, MOFA, Ministry of Trade and others. The Ghana stand became the toast of the Expo with hundreds of Chinese visitors streaming through to taste Ghanas cocoa products. The stand was also visited by the Chinese Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mr. Han Changfu and his vice Dr Qu Dongyu. A Ghanaian dancing troupe treated the huge crowds with some traditional tunes - the organisers of the Expo however confirmed Ghana stand as the most popular. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video UNSW taking part in the first CIIE (photo provided by UNSW Sydney) Sydney, May 20 (People's Daily Online /Ningxin Yuan) Just 40 years ago, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) welcomed its first student from the Chinese mainland. Today, thanks to China's reform and opening-up over the past four decades, the university is welcoming more and more students from China. With over 15,000 Chinese students currently studying at the university, China has become the largest source of international students for UNSW Sydney. In November 2018, ten Australian universities, including UNSW Sydney, participated in the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. UNSW taking part in the first CIIE (photo provided by UNSW Sydney) "Over those years, we have seen tens of thousands of Chinese students successfully come to UNSW to study undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees and we see the market from China growing quite substantially," said Laurie Pearcey, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) of UNSW Sydney in a recent interview with People's Daily Online. He believes that the success of the first CIIE showed China's commitment to further openness. Meanwhile, it also provided a high-quality platform for Australian universities to showcase their educational capacities as well as scientific and technological achievements. "CIIE has emerged as a 'flagship' for what we do as part of our engagement in China, and it is a vital vehicle for our broader China strategy," said Pearcey. He sees being actively involved in the CIIE as an important measure for UNSW Sydney to raise its international reputation. He notes that it's an excellent opportunity for promoting academic communication and industrial collaboration between the university and China. Bringing its cutting-edge technology and latest research achievements, UNSW Sydney joined the Australian National Pavilion organized by Austrade at CIIE. Pearcey was quite impressed by this high-standard expo. Mr. Laurie Pearcey, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) of UNSW Sydney taking an interview with Peoples Daily Online (photo by Li Hanyue) As one of the most prestigious universities in the Asia-Pacific region, UNSW Sydney has always attached great importance to collaboration with China. In 2016, with the support of the governments from both countries, the Torch Innovation Precinct was launched in USNW Sydney in partnership with China's Ministry of Science and Technology as the first precinct outside China. This program aims to forge mutually rewarding partnerships and deepen the bilateral economic and technological collaboration. It focuses on utilizing pioneering research capabilities of the university, especially in the fields of photovoltaics, solar energy, quantum computing, materials and so on. "CIIE was an opportunity for us to talk to prospective partners about the precinct and how we can maximize its value to China in the university," Pearcey said. The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. It is also the 70th anniversary of the founding of UNSW. In the interview, Pearcey took a very optimistic view of the broadening of the Chinese market. He pointed out that China's reform and opening-up brought a wide range of opportunities as well as challenges. UNSW future energy research Exhibition (photo by Li Hanyue) Pearcey believes Australian higher education significantly benefits from continuous opening-up. "The Double First Class University Plan that Chinese universities are pursuing presents big opportunities for Australian universities to partner with those universities as they look to rise in quality." "I think it will also bring challenges. You will see more and more Chinese universities enjoying very prominent positions in world university rankings, and this is a good thing because it will encourage everyone to keep on innovating," Pearcey said. The Second Lady of Ghana, Hajia Mrs Samira Bawumia, will address the High-level Panel of the 72nd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland. WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation. Mrs. Bawumia, who is an ambassador for the UN Foundations Clean Cooking Alliance, will be speaking at the High-Level Side Event to launch the Global Health and Energy Platform of Action on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The World Health Organisation adopted the idea to establish a new multi-stakeholder Global Energy-Health Platform of Action in 2018 to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 on health and SDG 7 on energy, starting with a focus on clean cooking. The aim of the platform is to pilot closely linked sustainable energy and health solutions at country-level to create strong multiplier effects to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. WHO believes the interlinkages between energy and health are numerous. Clean household energy improves the health and well-being of all, particularly women and children who often bear the greatest health risk from household air pollution. Improvements in energy efficiency and with an increased reliance on renewable energy is critical for ensuring the delivery of health care services, particularly in remote settings, while at the same time minimizing the climate footprint of the health sector. Other Speakers include Dr. Zulema Tomas, Perus Minister for Health; Ms. Dymphna van der Lans, CEO, Clean Cooking Alliance; Mr. Salvatore Vinci, Deputy Director, Country Support and Partnerships Division, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); Ms. Isabel Raya, Energy Policy and Partnerships Consultant, Division for the Sustainable Development Goals, UN-DESA; Ms. Sheila Oparaocha, International coordinator and programme manager, ENERGIA & Co-facilitator of the SDG 7 Technical Advisory Group. The rest are Mr. Luc Severi, Manager, Energy Access, United Nations Foundation; Dr. Poonan Singh, WHO Regional Director SEARO; Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional Director AFRO (TBC); and Ms. Nathalie Olijslager Jaarsma, DPR/Ambassador, Permanent Mission Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations and other international organizations at Geneva. Source: Office of the Second Lady 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 columnist and a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sued the Attorney General (AG) and the General Legal Council (GLC) over what he describes as a breach of his human rights over bar exams. In his suit filed at the Supreme Court and the Human Right Division of the Accra High Court, the plaintiff is challenging the decision of the GLC asking him and other students to resit all 10 papers before they can be called to the Bar. He said in the suit that he was among a batch of students who were admitted to study Professional Law at the Ghana School of Law after he attained a Bachelor of Law Certificate from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. In his affidavit, Mr. Kuranchie contended that he sat the final examinations organised by the Ghana School of Law and passed five of the papers. He said he finds it unreasonable that he has to rewrite all 10 papers as though he has failed all. The plaintiff asserted that he has every reason to believe that the five passes, as well as the results of the other courses, are commendable scores that should ensure his call to the Bar. The plaintiff has since been told that . . . he has to resit all 10 courses before he can qualify for admission to the Bar. The plaintiff believes that this is an abuse of his rights because by the admission of GSL, a body wholly controlled by 2nd defendant (GLC), he at least passed five courses and should not be asked to endure resitting for courses he has already passed, Mr. Kuranchie averred in the suit. He said this amounts to an abuse of the teaching staff of the school as well as infrastructural resources and an unreasonable discretion. The plaintiff is also challenging the fees imposed by the GLC for student to pay to resit the failed papers and those he has already passed, describing the decision as a gross abuse of economic and human rights. He is therefore seeking, among other things, A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 23 and 296 (a) and (b) of the 1992 Constitution, the Pass Grade employed by 2nd defendants and its officers and assigns, namely the Board of Legal Education and the Ghana School of Law, with regard to the 2017 Intake to the Ghana School of Law, are unknown to L.I. 1296 and constitutes a capricious exercise of discretion and therefore null and void. Mass Failure The petition is to ask the Speaker of the House, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, to set up a committee to look into reasons why the number of students who fail the final bar examinations kept increasing every year. The decision was arrived at by the student body at a forum held on the Makola campus where students deliberated on ways to resolve the situation which they said is worrisome. 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 Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) has condemned recent physical attacks on teachers in the country. George Somuah Bosompem, 57-year-old tutor of Asiakwa Salvation Army Basic School in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region, was recently attacked and killed by some youth. GES in a statement signed by its Head of Public Relations, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, vowed to withdraw teachers and staff from communities where their lives are threatened and the relevant communities are unable to guarantee or cooperate to ensure their safety. According to the statement, Management assures all staff that GES is solidly behind them as they go about their work peacefully and will continue to liaise with the Regional and District Security Councils to ensure that they work in a safe and peaceful environment. It says Management of GES wishes to use this opportunity to remind all teachers and staff of the Service to be law abiding citizens and ensure that they live peacefully with the communities in which they work. 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 Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, Parish Priest of the Christ the King Church on Sunday described the recent attacks on churches in the world as frightening and called for precautionary measures to safeguard churches. People go to church to listen to the word of God and worship, and all of a saddened, you are attacked and killed. It is a very disturbing issue, he said. Rev Campbell, who said this in Accra, urged other churches to work with the security agencies to tighten security to ensure the safety of congregants. As part of new security directives taken by the church in the wake of the recent threats, he said police officers had been deployed to the parish to support other security men. He disclosed that the church together with the securities agencies would train church workers and parishioners on the new security arrangement. Rev Campbell added that new security post equipped with gadgets would be fixed at different locations to mount surveillance at the premises of the church. He stated that certain doors would be closed during Eucharistic celebration and advised parishioners to be vigilant and security officers and report any movement of unsuspected persons. Madam Ama Brago, a Parishioner said because of the relative peace in the country, many people do not consider the threat very seriously. It is very scary so, this morning I saw someone dressed in black with a scarf so I have been monitoring the persons movement, she said. The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed during a visit to other churches that they had also increased security presence. At the Royal House Chapel, some members said they had seen police at the church patrolling and checking vehicles and occupants before entering. 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 governments vision to redevelop and transform Nima and Maamobi into residential areas is likely to meet stiff opposition from the residents. According to some of the residents, the government had failed to meet them and discuss the modalities of how it was going to embark on such a vision. They also said there was the need for the government to seek their views on projects that was going to affect them directly, but that had not been done. At a Meet-The-Press series in Accra on Tuesday, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta-Akyea, reiterated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos vision of transforming Nima and Maamobi into residential apartments. Ghanas housing deficit currently stands at two million units with many facing accommodation challenges in cities. Unawares However, a visit by The Mirror to the two communities proved that a lot of the residents were either not aware or had little knowledge about the redevelopment programme. Even though some said it was welcome news, others stated that it would not see the light of day. The team observed that people were going about their normal duties as usual. While slums were littered at most sections, there were a few which had been well built. As of now, we dont know whether our buildings are going to be demolished and new ones erected or not. Nobody has come to tell us anything. So I dont know how they are going to do that, Masoud Ibrahim said. We like our Nima like that. We do not want to go anywhere, a trader at Nima told The Mirror. We are comfortable in our slums, we dont need any upgrade and development because the government cant give us a place of our choice. This land I have my shop on was bought by my husband. So is the government going to pay me and resettle me before embarking on the project? a shop keeper at Maamobi asked. Maazi Olembey, who is a businessman at Nima emphasised that for some of us, we have secured our businesses here, and I dont see how the government can move us away from here to carry out such a project. Already, our parents have told us that similar exercises took place some years ago when they were asked to relocate to Madina and nothing positive came out. Daniel Etia, a paint seller at the Maamobi Market said there was the need for the President to, as a matter of urgency, meet stakeholders such as land owners and chiefs before implementing the policy. I think this is a laudable initiative that will help all of us. It is my hope that the President will be able to stay focused on this vision. There are some uncompleted affordable housing around. So why is the government not focused on finishing those rather than Nima and Maamobi? another asked. Change mentality According to Mohammed Awal, there was the need for the government to focus on changing the mentality of people living in Zongos, otherwise the same things the government is fighting against will be seen even after the transformation. He also advised those living in such areas to be committed towards that transformation, noting that could help erase the negative impression people had about them. We need jobs Some of the residents also did not understand why the President was not doing much to tackle the unemployment situation and rather focusing on new policies more often. Atsu Shabi, a resident, called on the President to be proactive in solving the canker since a lot of the youth in the area were engaged in social vices. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Ecuador has begun giving the US some of Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assanges possessions left behind following his stay in its London embassy. The countrys foreign minister Jose Valencia authorised the seizure of equipment earlier this month.The material includes manuscripts, legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment. Mr Assanges lawyer said the move was completely unprecedented in the history of asylum. Ecuador is committing a flagrant violation of the most basic norms of the institution of asylum by handing over all the asylees personal belongings indiscriminately to the country that he was being protected from, added lawyer Aitor Martinez. Mr Valencia said last week that the decision to share items with US authorities should be taken by the prosecutors office. Wikileaks Editor-in-Chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, said in a statement that there was no doubt that Ecuador had tampered with the belongings it had sent to the US. The US is seeking Assanges extradition from the UK over his alleged role in the release of classified military and diplomatic material by Wikileaks in 2010. Australian-born Assange faces a charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in the US. He is accused of participating in one of the largest ever leaks of government secrets, which could result in a prison term of up to five years. The 47-year-old whistleblower is already facing moves to extradite him to Sweden on rape charges. In 2010, a Swedish woman accused him of rape after they met at a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm. Assange has always denied the allegations, and sought refuge in Ecuadors embassy for seven years to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden. The charges were dropped in 2017, but on Monday prosecutors issued a renewed request to hold Mr Assange on suspicion of rape a first step towards seeking his extradition. Swedish deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, said in a statement a request had been filed with the Uppsala district court to have Assange detained in his absence. She added that once the court had granted the request, she would then ask British authorities to transfer Assange to Sweden. Mr Assange was arrested on 11 April after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh prison for skipping his extradition order. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) last Saturday 18th May, 2019 moved a step further in its preparation towards the 2020 general election when it successfully conducted elections in all six newly-created regions to elect its regional executives for the party. The National Organizer of the Party, Mr. Sammi Awuku heaped praises on its branch executives for the fruitful organization and execution of elections. The decision to elect new officers for the new regions including North East, Ahafo, Bono East, Western North, Oti and Savannah, was decided on during the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at the party's headquarters. Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Programme, Mr. Awuku expressed his heartfelt gratitude to candidates and delegates for comporting themselves throughout the process. According to him the whole process would not have been successful without their help and support. So far, its been very good and successful with the exception of Savannah Region which was on hold because of President Akufo Addos toouI was particularly impressed with the delegates and candidates high sense of discipline and comportment...," he said. He therefore urged all the newly-elected executives to work together with a firm resolve to promote the interest and welfare of the party at all times. Work extra hard to support the president and NPP to deliver prosperity to Ghanaian people, he stressed. Watch the full interview below; 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 The Minority in parliament has thrown its full weight behind Tuesdays March for Free Expression which is being organised by the Free Media Vanguards. The anti-government march is to call out the Akufo-Addo government and the National Communication Authority (NCA) for closing down some radion stations in the country, including pro-opposition Radio Gold and Radio XYZ. Find below the Minoritys full statement on the march: MINORITY DECLARES SUPPORT AND ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN TUESDAYS MARCH FOR FREE EXPRESSION The Minority in Parliament wishes to declare its full support for the March for Free Expression which is being organised by Free Media Vanguards (FMV) and its allies in Accra on Tuesday the 21st of May, 2019. The Minority is of the firm conviction that the current fascist tendencies of the Akufo-Addo government, which have created a climate of fear, impunity and arbitrariness, require an unwavering and formidable resistance from all those who believe in true democracy and constitutionalism. We reiterate our absolute condemnation of the coordinated and simultaneous May 9, 2019 Gestapo-style raid on Radio Gold and Radio XYZ led by state security operatives armed to the teeth at a time both stations were broadcasting live, a press conference by the NDC Council of Elders to protest the intimidation and harassment of our National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo. The Minority also notes that nowhere in the June 18, 2018 decision of the Electronic Communication Tribunal in the case of Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (suing for and on behalf of Mascott Mulitmedia Ltd & 8 others) versus National Communication Authority presided over by the venerable Prof. Date-Bah JSC (retired) was such an action recommended contrary to the dubious claims of the National Communication Authority (NCA) which, in fact, was rather the losing party. The Minority, similarly, denounces the crude and selective closure of other radio stations across the country in a conduct reminiscent of how brutal dictators operate. We shall like to point out that the fundamental human rights of free speech and the freedom and independence of the media as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana must be safeguarded, and we in the Minority will join progressive forces to ensure that this sinister but determined erosion of our constitutional rights by the Akufo-Addo administration, is defeated. The Minority decries the current situation where journalists such as Manasseh Azuri Awuni and Edward Adeti are on the run due to threats on their lives just because they did stories critical of the Akufo-Addo Government. The unresolved assassination of Ahmed Hussein-Suale after an NPP MP exposed his identity, and the increasing cases of attacks on journalists, which all culminated in Ghana losing its number one place as the freest country for the media in Africa and dropping on the World Press Freedom Index, require that all well-meaning Ghanaians rise up to demand an end to this creeping dictatorship. We are shocked that under a President who styles himself as a human rights champion and one who appeared before our courts in the Republic versus Independent Media Corporation of Ghana and Others [1996-97] SCGLR 258 and New Patriotic Party versus Ghana Broadcasting Corporation [1993-94] 2 GLR 354-393 where he argued in sharp contrast against the very things he and his political appointees at the NCA are currently and unabashedly engaged in. May we afford this opportunity to commend all those, including the Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association and the Media Foundation for West Africa, who have boldly and roundly condemned the orchestrated attacks on media freedom. For the avoidance of doubt, the Minority in Parliament pledges its full support for Tuesdays march and announces its decision to participate in this all-important march, which seeks to confront and defeat the cowardly forces of oppression and tyranny. It is our expectation that many more Ghanaians will stand up to be counted in this defining moment of history. Signed, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu (MP) Minority Leader in Parliament Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concerns over what he describes as the Akufo- Addos administrations penchant for blaming the previous government for its woes. According to Mr. Mahama, the previous governments decision to constantly blame the previous government for its challenges is tantamount to abdicating the responsibility of running the country. It is normal in your first year to blame everything that has gone wrong on your predecessor. Maybe in your second year, you can continue playing the blame game but after your third year if the only thing in your mind is Mahama, then you are abdicating the responsibility of running this country. He can keep blaming everything on me till 2020, the people of Ghana will decide. If in your third year and going into your fourth year, you are blaming everything on the previous government then you need to start preparing your handing over notes because it then means that you are not able to take responsibility, the former President added. Citing examples to support his claim, the former President said he took responsibility for the energy crisis that started under the NPP government when his government came into power. [When] I came into office, there was an energy crisis. It was not my fault that there was an energy crisis. It was a legacy problem. I went to Parliament and said this is the crisis we have, I am the Commander in Chief [And I accepted the responsibility]. The former Presidents assertion comes days after the government blamed the previous government for the importation of arms into the country. The opposition party in a recent statement raised an alarm that the Akufo-Addo administration had authorised the importation of the weapons at a time the country was grappling with the threat of terrorism. But the government said it can confirm that the Mahama Administration under the NDC rather issued a permit for the importation of the arms before leaving office in January 2017. Aside from this allegation, both the President and the Vice President had accused the previous government of running the country down. Source: citinewsroom.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 Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, has been named the Best Performing Minister for the Month of May ,according to a revelations from the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party Bernard Antwi Bosiako. According to Chairman Wuntumi, some of the initiatives by the Minister of Works and Housing especially with regards to the exposure on the fictitious housing deal by the John Mahama administration clearly shows that Atta Akyea is ready to fight against corruption. It will be recalled that ,the former Works and Housing Minister, Collins Dauda has been accused of altering the original agreement for the Saglemi housing project without recourse to Parliament. The Works and Housing Minister, Samuel Atta-Akyea, who made the allegation said after Parliament passed the agreement in October 2012 for the construction of 5,000 housing units at 200 million dollars, the then minister reviewed the contract scaling down the number of units to some 1,500 units and later to 1,024 units after another review in 2016. Mr. Atta Akyea during a press conference on the apparent neglect of the project said the contractor misappropriated $129 million of the project funds. He said the state was shortchanged by 3,498 housing units and lost about $140 million of the contract sum. Speaking at Ashh Fms biggest outdoor event dubbed Peoples Forum at the Fomena Constituency in the Ashanti Region over the weekend, Bernard Antwi Bosiako heaped praises on Hon. Atta Akyea for exposing the corrupt deals that happened under the John Mahama led administration and calls other minister to emulate him. I must say that John Mahama, former president has offended the nation a lot with his crooks and corrupt deals , he has stolen state funds to amass wealth for himself he told the gathering Source: myashhfmonline.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 Egypt's interior ministry said on Monday that police have killed 12 terrorists from the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Hasm group in raids on their hideouts in Giza and Cairo governorates. According to a ministry statement, the raids were carried out based on intelligence received by the National Security Agency that the terrorists were planning attacks upon directives from leading figures of the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood abroad. The ministry said that security forces raided one of the groups hideouts in 6 October city in Giza, which was being used to manufacture explosive devices. When the hideout was raided, the group opened fire against the security forces. Seven terrorists were killed in the shootout, the statement raid. The police seized four automatic rifles, a birdshot rifle, and explosive material used to produce IEDs from the hideout. The security forces also raided another hideout for the militant group in Shorouq city in Cairo governorate. Five terrorist elements were killed in a shootout with the security forces. The police seized five automatic rifles and four explosive devices. The high state security prosecution is currently investigating the case. Search Keywords: Short link: The Akufo-Addo government has wondered why former President John Mahama keeps bastardising the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission with aspersions that cast doubt on the credibility and neutrality of the election management body since it got a new boss. Responding to the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearers demand for explanations about the hacking of the EC system during the 2016 general elections, Mr Oppong Nkrumah wondered why Mr Mahama never made such a request when Mrs Mensas immediate predecessor, Mrs Charlotte Osei, was in office. On the former presidents call, its a bit interesting that that call never came through until there was a new EC Chair, Mr Oppong Nkrumah told journalists on Monday, 20 May 2019, adding: Its just an interesting point that during the tenure of the former EC Chair, we never heard him [Mr Mahama] make this request: that details of their system being hacked, etc., should be put out there. Earlier this month, Mr Mahama demanded answers from the EC concerning the alleged hacking into the election management bodys IT system which prompted a halt of the electronic transmission of results in the 2016 election. Mr Mahama said he believed a full probe into the hacking was needed to enable the EC implement counter-measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future as the 2020 general elections approach. During the last Presidential Election in Ghana, the Electoral Commission directed its staff to stop using the electronic result transmission system to communicate results to the tallying centre because the system had been compromised. The results had to, therefore, be tallied manually, leading to attendant tensions in the delay of the announcement of the final results. As I speak, I am not aware that the Electoral Commission has carried out any investigation into what compromised their IT system. And even if they have, we, the stakeholders, the political parties, have not been briefed on what caused the corruption of the system. In the interest of transparency, it is important for Ghanaians to understand what happened before we go into another election, Mahama said on Friday, 10 May 2019 at the Distinguished Speaker Seminar at the Said Business School, Oxford University, UK. Additionally, Mr Mahama recently told Accra-based Citi FM in an interview that the posturing of the EC Chairperson does not indicate that she will be neutral in the 2020 polls. In his view, Mrs Mensa has acted in ways that suggest that representatives of the political parties are a disturbance to the elections management body, a situation he said was unfortunate. They need to prove us wrong. We have our doubts that they can be neutral and fair The current posture and the way they are conducting things makes us doubt that they will be neutral and fair in 2020, Mr Mahama said in an interview aired on 20 May 2019. He added: The EC is not a secret society. It is not somebodys private closet that needs to be shut, and, [we], not know what is going on there They should open all the process. When the EC starts behaving like the representatives of political parties are a nuisance then this affects the trust and confidence the people have in the EC a neutral arbiter. Touching on the chair of the Commission, Mr Mahama said: Her posture doesnt give confidence that she is going to be neutral in this matter, he stated. In Mr Ooppong Nkrumahs view, however, I think over the years, Ghanas Electoral Commission has often come under attack by opposition parties but has proven itself, very often, up to the task, adding: If anybody, at any point in time feels that he has a substantive matter against the EC or its processes, its also been demonstrated that there are courts in the country that have the ability to listen to whatever claims anybody may have, examine whatever evidence anybody may have and deal with it. But this attempt to bastardise the EC ahead of the election, I think, should be discouraged, and parties should endeavour to play by the rules that the EC is laying out, and if parties feel that those rules are inaccurate or those rules put them at a disadvantage, there are appropriate quarters to channel those ones, Mr Oppong Nkrumah asserted. Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) Presidents, Diana Hopeson and Alhaji Sidiku Buari, have condemned the unfortunate incident between Dancehall artistes Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale that nearly marred the beauty of the 20th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards(VGMA). While Stonebwoy was on stage receiving his award for Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year, Shatta Wale and his SM crew tried going on the stage and that led to a brawl between the two camps. According to Alhaji Sidiku Buari, such incidents should not be encouraged in our music industry. In the history of Ghana music, I have never seen such a thing before. This confusion was not necessary. For a fight to happen on a stage to result in Stonebwoy pulling a gun is too much for this industry. "We have not gotten there yet, if it's in the Western world I would understand but in Ghana when the whole world is watching, it is bad, he told Graphic Showbiz. Alhaji Sidiku Buari said such acts must be condemned outright and the two artistes should be spoken to. These things must stop immediately before things gets out of hands. It started like a joke but see where we are now. This is not good for our country and the music industry. "Whatever problem these two artistes have I believe the two can smoke the peace pipe and more especially talk to their fans because they are the ones at the centre of all these things, he said. He explained that every nominee at the VGMA should be educated about the fact that it is not a do or die affair if you lose and they are all winners. It is very important that education is given to every nominee before the main event. This is the only way to save lives. It is either you win or lose in this music game and I believe if artistes get that in their head, we can move on, he added. Madam Diana Hopeson, who was shocked at the incident told Showbiz that she is disappointed in the two artistes. Is this where we have taken things to? I will personally campaign that these two artiste have a long talk and thrash whatever they have between them. "Such acts cannot happen in Ghana. This is not us. We better take a look at this situation before things get out of hand, she said. According to Diana Hopeson every year, there is controversy with the VGMA but this incident has proven that things have gone out of hand and the time to act is now. I enjoyed the evening but Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale, I want to call on you to lay a track that the young can follow, she said. Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale were arrested on Sunday, May 19,2019 by the Accra Regional Police Command. Source: Graphic Showbiz 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 Deputy Defence Minister Major (rtd) Derrick Oduro has blamed the choatic scenes recorded between supporters of Shatta Wale and Stonebowy at this years Vodafone Ghana Music Awards [VGMA] on the part of the organizers, Charterhouse Ghana. He believes their failure to provide "maximum security" at the venue, led to the unfortunate incident over the weekend. What Happened? There was near pandemonium at the 20th edition of the VGMAs when the "Kpoo K3k3" and "My Name" hitmaker Stonebwoy, pulled out a gun on stage as controversial Charles Nii Armah, known in showbiz circles as Shatta Wale and some of his SM followers, tried mounting the stage during an award presentation to Stonebwoy. The melee nearly marred an otherwise splendid ceremony which celebrated 20 years of Ghanaian music by the Events powerhouse, Charter House. It forced organizers to skip the presentation of two more other awards Most Popular Song Of The Year and Artist Of The Year. The confusion happened when Stonebwoy was announced as the Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year. Shatta Wale and his fans approached the podium to, allegedly congratulate Stonebwoy, but events turned chaotic resulting in a lot of pushing and shoving a situation that prompted Stonebwoy to brandish a handgun. Live Transmission Truncated In the ensuing ruckus, some members of the audience who were pepper-sprayed, stormed the exit. Charterhouse then had to halt proceedings for nearly forty-five minutes for tempers to cool down. Feed to DStv which broadcast the awards to over forty countries, was also momentarily suspended. Who's To Be Blamed? Reached for his comments on the ugly episode witnessed at the country's biggest music awards night, especially in the wake of recent reports of possible terror threats, the Deputy Defence Minister pulled no punches in laying blame squarely at the doorstep of the event organisers. We have to blame Charterhouse for all these. They did not provide maximum security at such a big event, Major (rtd) Oduro said in an interview with Kwasi Aboagye on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. Listen to interview CharterHouse Fires Back One Nominee Did Not Adhere To Arrangement In a related development, Peacefmonline.com is reliably informed that the event organisers have stoutly defended their security protocols for the night. Chief Executive Officer of Charterhouse Ghana, Theresa Ayoade, traced the brawl somewhat to an unfortunate breach in the seating arrangement. All the nominees were supposed to sit at a designated area. But one of them failed to sit there and we couldn't control him, she told Joy FMs Super Morning Show, Monday in an interview. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Hungarian government allocates all available EU funds, then hits the breaks Hungarian authorities allocated no more than 57 billion forints worth of new European Union funds in April 2019, which is one of the slowest paces recorded in the last few years, Portfolios monthly investigation shows. This rate is not surprising in view of the fact that by early April, i.e. in four years time, the government disbursed all EU funds that were made available for a seven-year period. In the meantime, we should also note that the disbursement rate was also rather slow, only" HUF 88 bn worth of funds were paid out in April, versus some HUF 32 bn transfers from Brussels. The cautious payment rate may be linked to ongoing accounting disputes. One of the lowest fiures of the last few years What about the EDIOP/GINOP? Szeged laser centre in focus What about the disbursements? This article is part of the work programme titled "The impacts of EU cohesion policy in Hungary - Present and Future" which is carried out by Net Media Zrt., the publisher of Portfolio.hu, between 1st April 2019 and 31st March 2020 with European Union financing. The views in this article solely reflect the opinions of the author. The European Commission as the funding entity does not take any responsibility for the use of information presented in this article. Portfolios database shows an increase of HUF 57.5 bn in the volume of new EU funds disbursed in April, including the winners of the Rural Development Programme, which is one of the lowest figures of the last few years. This slow pace is completely understandable in light of the fact by early April the government has practically allocated more than 100% of the EU funds available in the current seven-year programming period (at current the current EUR/HUF exchange rate), as disbursement reached HUF 9,211 bn versus the theoretically available HUF 9,184 bn budget.Detailed figures show that a total of 135 winners were announced in the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme (EDIOP/GINOP) after 124 announced in March. In these two months, winners were announced in about a dozen tenders, including one aimed at supporting young people to start a business, another one for the support of renewable energy developments, and one for the assistance of infocommunication and mobile developments. In early May, 135 companies won EU funds in apprenticeship schemes, and another two dozen in other tenders.One of the priority research projects in the GINOP is the Extreme Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS) laser research centre in Szeged, which is to be supported by HUF 32 bn + HUF 40 bn in two programming cycles. Out of the HUF 40.05 bn grant awarded in the 2014-2020 cycle, HUF 33.3 bn have been disbursed so far, as the key equipment of the apparatus is not ready yet.Dispute regarding the ELI-ALPS became heated when three members of the institutions international board resigned in March, saying that the Hungarian government went around the research community and made a political decision on a HUF 20 billion gigantic project. In response, Laszlo Palkovics, Minister of Innovation and Technology, said researchers misunderstood the situation and the motivations of the ministry, and he also urged researchers to choose advocating support for the institution and organising a higher international utilisation of the centre over criticising the measures.The community of physicists of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences remarked that although the ELI-ALPS has not become a project developed with the participation of a wide circle of domestic and international researchers, the reason behind that is that the project is in the hands of local researchers that nurture a good relationship with politicians." Another problem, they said, is that due to failings during the planning and the construction phase the technical content is inferior to what had bene expected, and the most exciting (high repetition rate and the shortest output pulse width) laser beams are not available yet. This endangers the original scientific mission of the ELI-ALPS.It is not only that the volume of newly allocated funds is unusually low, but the rate of new monthly disbursements is also muted; our data show only" HUF 88 bn paid in April. This boosted total disbursement to HUF 5,854 bn by the end of the month, which corresponds to 64% of the HUF 9,184 bn available in the current 7-year programming period.The new support decisions and the deceleration of disbursements may also have to do with caution from the authorities part which might think that until accounting disputes with the European Commission to the tune of several tens of thousands of billions of forints already paid from state coffers take a favourable course, the gap between EU transfers and what was paid from the budget should not widen excessively.One of the accounting disputes dragging out is that in the Environment and Energy Operational Programme (EEOP/KEHOP) and the Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme (TSDOP/TOP) Hungarian authorities have until recently not required interim payments and due to risks relating to the annual conclusion of programmes, and the Commissions objections signalled in relation to the procurement monitoring system have not been remedied satisfactorily.In the meantime, it is seemingly reassuring that the Brussels payment meter ticked up by about EUR 100 million (cc. HUF 32 bn) to EUR 8.3 bn in April, which was related exclusively to the transfer of invoice-based interim payments. The EUR 8.3 bn the Commission transferred is about 33% of the EUR 25 budget available in the current programming period. This puts Hungary in a slightly more advantageous position than the EU average and way ahead of the Visegrad Four countries.The gap between the disbursements in Hungary and the transfers by Brussels are clearly indicated by the two charts below. Whereas Hungary made HUF 5,854 bn disbursements from the 2014-2020 programming period budget, including own funds (15%), the European Commission transferred only" some HUF 2,616 bn. This gives the country a payout gap of over HUF 3,000 bn, although Hungarys own share (over HUF 600 bn) will never be transferred by the EC. Also, the stock of invoices submitted to Brussels depends on the rate at which projects are carried out, and 10% of the invoices do not get paid until the annual closure of the programmes in any case.The graph below shows that at a HUF 9,184 bn 7-year budget the total volume of invited tenders has been over HUF 10,000 bn for a while now, i.e. over-tendering" is currently at around 13%. The total volume of approved projects is slightly above HUF 9,200 bn, i.e. Hungarian institutions have extended a bit over the EU budget. Disbursements are at two thirds of the 7-year budget and EU transfers are at one third. In the early morning hours of April 18, Dearborn Heights police stopped a car near Dartmouth Road. The man driving a Chevy Camaro fled the traffic stop and due to his reckless driving, the Dearborn Heights officers terminated the pursuit. The man, later identified as Corey Reed, drove through Dearborn and made his way to Outer Drive. Reed then ran the red light at Michigan and Outer Drive at an extremely high rate of speed. He struck another vehicle, causing severe injuries to the other driver. He then fled on foot and avoided police. The second driver was transported to the hospital for treatment. Dearborn accident investigators processed the scene and developed a suspect. Later in the day, the suspect turned himself in at the front desk of the police station with his attorney present. The Wayne County Prosecutors Office charged Reed with multiple felonies related to both cities. Reed was arraigned in 34th District Court and turned over to the Dearborn Heights Police Department, which also had felony charges pending for him. On May 5 at the annual board meeting of the Sacred Heart Alumni Association (SHAA), four Sacred Heart Parish grade school graduates received scholarship assistance toward tuition at the area Catholic high school they will attend. The students qualified by participating in an annual essay competition. Sacred Heart School opened in 1918 but high school closed in 1975. SHAA did not start until twenty years later but remains active. The idea of tuition assistance was introduced by the SHAA board members in recent years, as the board members understood the great financial commitment families make when choosing a parochial high school education. This year two $2000 scholarships were made possible by generous funding from the Mall of Georgia. Two $500 scholarships were funded by the SHAA board. Mall of Georgia awardees are Jayne Burke who will attend St. Catherine of Siena High School and Lucas Zelek who will attend Divine Child High school Board awardees were Marco Sultana and Leo Ramseyer. Both will attend U of D Jesuit High school. Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has called on his government to overcome any obstacles which could face US firm Noble Energy as it carries out oil and gas exploration in the country. In a statement on Monday, El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady said the president had met with David Stover, the CEO of the company, and that they had discussed ways to develop the firms activities in Egypt. Stover praised Egypts aspirational vision to accomplish comprehensive economic development, stressing that Egypt tops his companys list of countries in which it may invest more. He added that the energy sector enjoys promising opportunities, in light of Egypts possession of the necessary infrastructure to boost the sector. He also hailed regional cooperation projects to link and transfer gas, according to Radys statement. For his part, the president pointed to the cooperative relationship and special strategic partnership between the US and Egypt, expressing his wish to strengthen the relationship to contribute in achieving joint developmental goals. Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Politician Zhirinovsky challenges dismissal of his suit against FT journalist RIA Novosti, Kirill Kallinikov 14:26 20/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 20 (RAPSI) The Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky has filed an appeal against dismissal of his 1-million-ruble ($16,000) defamation claim against ex-Moscow bureau chief for the Financial Times (FT) Charles Clover, the defendants lawyer Ilnur Sharapov has told RAPSI. Moscows Ostankinsky District Court dismissed Zhirinovskys lawsuit in mid-April. Charles Clover, current correspondent of the Financial Times China and ex-Moscow FT bureau chief, has called Zhirinovsky an agent for the Committee for State Security (KGB) in his book Black Wind, White Snow. Zhirinovsky in his lawsuit asked the court to declare this information discrediting his honor, dignity and business reputation. The lawmaker also demanded 1 million rubles in compensation for moral harm from the defendant and refutation of the said information. The journalist insisted that he had confirmation of the plaintiffs links to KGB citing the 1994 news conference of Kandemir, who told journalists that Zhirinovsky was arrested and deported from Turkey in 1969 for the communist propaganda and espionage. At that time, he also called the leader of LDPR a KGB agent. The books publisher, a third party in the case, and the defendant also stated the disputed statements had a suppositional nature and did not give negative color neither to the MP nor to the LDPR party. During a meeting with the Speaker of the Canadian Senate George Furey on Monday, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed the importance of boosting Egyptian-Canadian relations on all levels, especially in light of Canada's international influence in advancing peace and stability efforts in the region. The Egyptian minister reviewed positive developments at the economic, social and security levels in Egypt, reviewing ways of boosting bilateral relations, as well as economic and investment cooperation. The two officials also discussed giant projects implemented by Egypt and promising investment opportunities available for Canadian companies, as well as regional issues of common interest, including the situation in Libya. Shoukry briefed Furey on the principles that govern Egypt's foreign policy towards regional crises, which aim to achieve security and stability and meet the aspirations of the peoples in the region. Earlier on Monday, Furey met with Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, who expressed the readiness of the world's leading Sunni Islamic institution to boost cooperation and ties with Canada to serve as an example of coexistence and social peace globally. El-Tayeb noted that millions of students attend the Islamic institution, which has been playing a pioneering role for more than 1,000 years, adding that Al-Azhar has succeeded in establishing real communication between the East and West through dialogue with major religious institutions worldwide. Furey said that Al-Azhar's moderate dialogue contributes to confronting terrorism and extremism, expressing his appreciation for its successes in establishing communication with various religions. On Sunday, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed in a meeting with Furey and an accompanying delegation the relations between the two countries, affirming Egypt's keenness to promote the value of citizenhood and the culture of pluralism and acceptance. The Egyptian president expressed appreciation for the good treatment Egyptians have received in Canada, saying he believes this has helped them effectively integrate into many social, economic and political fields. El-Sisi affirmed to the Canadian senate speaker that Egypt could serve as a role model for peaceful co-existence in the region. El-Sisi also reviewed Egypt's efforts in fighting terrorism and extremist ideologies, as well as reforming religious discourse, paying particular attention to upgrading the education system and achieving comprehensive economic and social reform with attention and aspiration to Canada's support in this regard. Search Keywords: Short link: Russian refinery files petition for own bankruptcy flickr.com/ Libelul 16:51 20/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 20 (RAPSI) Russias Antipinsky oil refinery has filed a petition for its own bankruptcy, RAPSI has learnt from the Tyumen Regional Commercial Court. The petition was filed several weeks after the High Court of Justice in London granted a lawsuit by VTB Commodities Trading to freeze the refinerys assets worth 225 million euros. The ruling extended to the Antipinsky property in the Siberian city of Tyumen and petroleum reserves stored at the tanker Polar Rock in the northern port of Murmansk. Moreover, the defendant was prohibited from selling its vacuum gasoil without the sanction of VTB Commodities Trading before the case hearing. As part of this claim, the trading house filed an injunction application with the Commercial Court of Murmansk Region. However, the Russian court refused to seize oil products at the tanker Polar Rock worth 197.1 million euros upon the VTB Commodities Trading petition. Antipinsky is a private, not a state-run refinery which capacity exceeds 9 million tonnes per year. The refinery occupies its rightful place among the largest players of the Russian oil refining industry, forming the Urals and West-Siberian oil refinery market, and is known abroad, the companys official website says. Reportedly, in recent months the refinery has repeatedly halted its operations because of a cash crunch to pay for crude oil supplies. President of All-Russian Society of Deaf to stay detained on embezzlement charges RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 19:06 20/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 20 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld extension of detention for Valery Rukhledev, the president of All-Russian Society of the Deaf who stands charged with embezzling over 50 million rubles (about $800,000), until May 23, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. In May 2018, Moscows Tverskoy District Court ordered Rukhledev be placed under house arrest. This March, the defendant was put in detention because of repeated violations of the house arrest conditions. According to investigators, he attempted to exert pressure on the witnesses. On April 18, detention terms of Rukhledev and ex-employee of All-Russian Society of the Deaf Tatyana Zimbatova were extended till late May. Investigators claim that the defendants stole more than 50 million rubles from the budget of All-Russian Society of the Deaf by selling the organizations property between 2012 and 2014. Zimbatova pleaded guilty in full, according to case papers. Rukhledev was elected as the societys president in 2003. The next election will be held in 2020, the organizations website says. Ukraines language law breaches rights of Russian-speaking people Moskalkova RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:55 20/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 20 (RAPSI) The law on Ukrainian language recently signed by Petro Poroshenko contradicts with the Minsk agreements guaranteeing the right of self-determination and crudely violates the rights of millions of Russian-speaking people, Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova stated on Monday. Adoption of such provisions in the multinational state is dangerous as it tends to polarize people, the human rights commissioner believes. The said law stipulates the exclusive use of the Ukrainian language in every area of life throughout the country, including politics, medicine and education. The language proficiency will be also necessary for obtaining the Ukrainian citizenship, according to the law. On Monday, the UN Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting concerning the law adopted in Ukraine. Moskalkova believes that representatives of international and human rights community will take all needed steps to prevent discrimination and violation of rights of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine. McFarland, WI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/20/2019 --Homeowners who love their home, spend a lot of time in making home improvements and including changes that would go on adding value to the property in the long run. Adding a new bedroom, or remodeling the basement or adding a Sunroom are some of the changes that they welcome into their property. While these are all bigger things, then there are small things as well, which helps to make a difference to the property. Changing the existing doors and windows, for example, is one such requirement. Doors and windows play a significant role in adding to the look of the property as well, apart from keeping one's house safe and secured. Trying to keep the property safe from the harsh weather and rough winds as well as torrential rains, gives it an ugly appearance which turns into an eyesore with time. Being a homeowner, one cannot continue with those wind-beaten doors and windows. Window replacement in Janesville and Madison Wisconsin is, therefore, a job that is a must and Kool View company helps in this regard. Kool View Company has been a trustworthy name when it has concerned looking for windows and doors. Their extensive list of window options includes bay and bow windows, slider windows, casement windows as well as double hung windows. They are a trusted source for vinyl window installation. Apart from installing windows in Janesville and Madison Wisconsin, the company also provides services like installing Sunrooms, pergolas, awnings, as well as porch enclosures. The company is dedicated to making residential properties beautiful and valuable in the long run. With professional and knowledgeable staff, installing doors and windows and other home improvement features is an easy task for them. Call the local number at 608-222-7777 for details. About Kool View company Kool View company is well-known for their choices in windows in Janesville and Madison Wisconsin. They also offer to install Sunrooms, pergolas, awnings, porch enclosures and more. During a meeting with a delegation from the African Union Commission on Monday, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is giving priority to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) agreement under Egypt's current chairmanship of the African Union, affirming that Egypt is looking forward to hosting the headquarters of AfCFTA's executive secretariat. Madbouly stressed the importance of the African AfCFTA agreement due to its positive role in promoting cooperation and integration in the African continent, pointing out that Egypt's capabilities, including logistic and infrastructure ones, enable it to be the seat of the head office of the agreement. The PM said that Egypt was one of the first countries that signed the agreement, which is due to take effect within days after 22 countries have ratified it so far. According to Madbouly, the agreement seeks to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to the member countries' trade in goods and services with the aim of reducing prices and achieving sustainable development in the continent. Members of the African Union Commission delegation expressed happiness over visiting Egypt to review Cairo's plan for hosting AfCFTA's head office, praising President El-Sisi's support for the African Union and issues of cooperation and development in the continent. Search Keywords: Short link: Riga, Latvia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/20/2019 --European audio software innovator Sonarworks announced that is has completed a 5 million Euro Series A round of financing. The financing was co-led by Karma Ventures (Estonia) and Practica Capital (Lithuania), with participation from Revo Capital (Turkey), SuperAngel (Estonia), ProksCapital and Imprimatur (Latvia). Sonarworks, which was founded in 2012, is a global leader in digital sound calibration technologies with customers in over 170 countries. The new financing allows the company to accelerate time-to-market and the development of its cutting edge sound calibration and personalization consumer products. It also allows the company to increase its market presence in key regions, with the goal of driving revenue past the 10M EUR mark within two years. "This is another milestone for Sonarworks, with the new investors onboard, we are now heading in the right direction toward delivering the ultimate sound experience on any device," commented Helmuts Bems, Sonarworks Co-Founder & CEO. "We are now working with companies in music streaming, headphones, smartphones and the automotive sector. Having our team closer to these customers will enable us to deliver even better integration capability." "Currently our technology improves the sound experience of 74% of users within five minutes of learning each individual's hearing capabilities and listening preferences," added Mr. Bems. "Discovering the personal sound driven by machine learning is an engaging experience that leads to rediscovering the original intent of multimedia content." Sonarworks has a database of more than 10,000 measured sound devices and a unique set of AI-based technologies to precisely map individual hearing and sound preferences. By combining digital adjustment of the sound device and individual hearing, the company will be able to deliver a personalized sound experience for every individual on every device. "Sonarworks' large customer base of professional studio engineers was a key proof of the incredible value of the technology when we made our initial investment in 2017. Since then the team has done a lot of work on bringing the same experience to consumers, currently working with a number of top-tier partners on launching the solution to the mass market and we see an interesting growth opportunity that we decided to back with our investment," said Kristjan Laanemaa, partner of Karma Ventures. "The market opportunity for Sonarworks is to have its technology in use by over 1 billion devices globally; the new financing enables the company to execute on that strategy. Practica is thrilled to partner with Sonarworks in their next chapter" commented Donatas Keras from Practica. "Ultimately, this will enable music lovers, movie fans and gaming enthusiasts to have a significantly richer and more fulfilling sound experience" added Mr. Keras. Sonarworks' technology empowers content creators and consumers to hear audio in the most truthful way possible, and in an accurate representation of the original artistic intent, delivering the studio sound personalized to each individual is the way to go. For more information on Sonarworks, please visit http://www.sonarworks.com. About Sonarworks Sonarworks was founded in 2012 when two music lovers met a scientist and embarked on a mission to deliver the ultimate sound experience for anyone creating or listening to music. Sonarworks is the leading sound calibration company in the sound recording industry. The company's technology is in use by more than 30,000 recording studios worldwide, including more than 35 Grammy winners who enjoy and endorse Sonarworks. Now we are on a mission to take this even further - deliver the ultimate sound experience to all music listeners, regardless of the device used, be it headphones, speakers, or car stereo. About Karma Ventures Karma Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on investing in European early stage startups that develop unique technologies and demonstrate proven customer traction. Since its launch in 2016 it has invested in 12 technology companies. The firm is backed among others by Ambient Sound Investments and Baltic Innovation Fund as cornerstone investors. The former is an investment company of Skype's founding engineers and the latter an initiative created by cooperation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania and the European Investment Fund (EIF). About Practica Capital Founded in 2011, Practica Capital is a dedicated and one of the most active Baltic VCs focusing on investments in the Baltic (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and Baltic-origin ventures in Europe. Practica Capital invests from 200k to 2m+ in seed, early and select growth stage ventures as a cross-industrial investor focused on backing great teams behind the tech-driven businesses from the region. To date, the firm has made 40+ investments with 12 realizations. Their latest Practica Venture Capital II fund is implemented from the Business Financing Fund, a fund of funds established by the Ministry of Economy together with the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania, financed by the European Union (EU) Funds under the 2014-2020 Operational Programme for the EU Funds' Investments in Lithuania and managed by Invega. Willoughby, OH -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/20/2019 --Be it a small business or a large enterprise, thefts, and other crimes can occur on business premises. Guards can be used to prevent crime, maintain security, and assist customers and employees. Willo Security is a reliable security company that provides security service in Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio. 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The presence of a security guard at a business can provide peace of mind and a sense of security to the business owner, employees, and customers. According to some studies, employees prefer to work in even high-risk areas provided they are assured with security. Moreover, seeing the guards at the doorstep customers get the feeling that they are at a safe destination. This is the reason why most of the businesses that deal in high-end merchandise keep armed guards posted at the threshold of their commercial units. The security guards at Willow Security are thorough professionals who are highly trained in their job. They undergo rigorous training, preparing themselves for a wide range of assignments. For more information on a professional security company in Columbus and Ohio, visit https://www.willosecurity.com/about-us/. About Willo Security Willo Security is a full-service investigation firm that offers a wide range of services that includes mobile patrol, armed and unarmed guard service, event security and staffing as well as private and corporate investigations. Hyperspectral camera captures wealth of data in an instant Standard snapshots from space don't quite show Earth in all its glory. There's so much more to see. To reveal details impossible to observe with the naked eye, Rice University engineers are building a portable spectrometer that can be mounted on a small satellite, flown on an airplane or a drone or someday even held in the hand. Bioengineer Tomasz Tkaczyk and his colleagues at Rice's Brown School of Engineering and Wiess School of Natural Sciences have published the first results from a NASA-funded project to develop a small, sophisticated spectrometer with unusual versatility. Their paper appears in Optics Express. A spectrometer is an instrument that gathers light from an object or a scene, separates the colors and quantifies them to determine the chemical contents or other characteristics of what it sees. The Rice device, called the Tunable Light-Guide Image Processing Snapshot Spectrometer (TuLIPSS), will let researchers instantly capture data across the visible and near-infrared spectrum, unlike current systems that scan a scene line-by-line and for later reassembly. Each pixel in the hyperspectral images produced by TuLIPSS contains either spectral or spatial information. The "pixels" in this case are thousands of optical fibers, flexible light guides that deliver the image components to a detector. Because they can reposition the fibers, researchers can customize the balance of image and spectral data sent to the detector. The device, for example, can be tuned to measure the chemistry of a tree to see if it's healthy or diseased. It can do the same for a cell, a single leaf, a neighborhood or farm, or a planet. In continuous-capture mode, akin to a camera's motor drive, it can show how the spectral "fingerprints" in a stationary scene change over time, or grab the spectral signature of a lightning bolt in real time. Tkaczyk said TuLIPSS is unique because it works like any camera, capturing all the hyperspectral data - what researchers refer to as a data cube - in an instant. That means an airplane or orbiting satellite can snap an image of the ground quickly enough to avoid motion blur that would distort the data. Onboard processing will filter the data and send only what's required back to Earth, saving time and energy. "This would be an interesting tool in the case of an event like Hurricane Harvey," Tkaczyk said. "When there's a flood and potential contamination, a device able to fly over a reservoir could tell if that water is safe for people to drink. It would be more effective than sending someone to a site that may be hard to reach." In a normal camera, a lens focuses incoming light onto a sensor chip and converts the data into an image. In TuLIPSS, the lens focuses that light onto a middleman: the bundle of optical fibers. In the current prototype, these fibers collect more than 30,000 spatial samples and 61 spectral channels in the 450-to-750 nanometer range - essentially, hundreds of thousands of data points - split by prisms into their component bands and passed on to a detector. The detector then feeds these data points to software that recombines them into the desired images or spectra. The fiber array is tightly packed at the input and rearranged into individually addressable rows at the output, with gaps between them to avoid overlap. Spacing the rows allows researchers to tune spatial and spectral sampling for specific applications, Tkaczyk said. First author Ye Wang, who earned her doctorate this year at Rice, and her colleagues painstakingly built the prototype, assembling and positioning the fiber bundles by hand. They used scenes in and around Rice to test it, reconstructing images of buildings to fine-tune TuLIPSS and taking spectral images of campus trees to "detect" their species. They also successfully analyzed the health of various plants with spectral data alone. Continuous capture images of moving traffic in Houston showed the system's ability to see which spectra are shifting over time (such as moving vehicles and changing traffic lights) and which are stable (everything else). The experiment was a useful proof-of-concept to show how well the spectrometer could filter motion blur in dynamic situations. Co-author David Alexander, a professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Rice Space Institute, said the researchers have begun discussions with the city of Houston and Rice's Kinder Institute for Urban Research about testing TuLIPSS in aerial studies of the city. "Since we need to test TuLIPSS anyway, we want to do something useful," he said, suggesting a hyperspectral map of the city could reveal how the urban landscape is changing, distinguish buildings from parks or map sources of pollen. "In principle, regular flights over the city will allow us to map out the changing conditions and identify areas that need attention." Tkaczyk suggested future versions of TuLIPSS will be useful for agricultural and atmospheric analysis, algae blooms and other environmental conditions where quick data acquisition will be valuable. "The real challenge has been to decide what to focus on first," Alexander said. "Ultimately, we want to be successful enough that the next phase of development pushes us closer to flying TuLIPSS in space." ### Co-authors are Rice research scientists Michal Pawlowski, Jason Dwight and Shuna Cheng, postdoctoral researcher Razvan Stoian and graduate student Jiawei Lu. Alexander is a professor of physics and astronomy. Tkaczyk is an associate professor of bioengineering. Initial funding for the project came through a $2 million, 3-year award to Rice as part of $53 million in grants by NASA's Science Mission Directorate and its Earth Science Technology Office to develop innovative instruments and technologies for future Earth science methods and observations. Read the abstract at https:/ / www. osapublishing. org/ oe/ abstract. cfm?uri= oe-27-11-15701&origin= search This news release can be found online at https:/ / news. rice. edu/ 2019/ 05/ 20/ hyperspectral-camera-captures-wealth-of-data-in-an-instant/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related materials: Rice's spectral eyes bound for the skies: http://news. rice. edu/ 2016/ 11/ 14/ rices-spectral-eyes-bound-for-the-skies-2/ Modern Optical Instrumentation and Bio-Imaging Laboratory (Tkaczyk lab): http://www. owlnet. rice. edu/ ~tt3/ Rice Department of Bioengineering: https:/ / bioengineering. rice. edu George R. Brown School of Engineering: https:/ / engineering. rice. edu/ Video: https:/ / youtu. be/ kihPhuk60-U Continuous capture images of moving traffic in the Houston neighborhood around Rice University shows how the TuLIPSS spectrometer filters motion blur in dynamic situations. The full-color video is a composite of the filtered spectral data captured by the device. The portable spectrometer has proven its ability to capture far more data much quicker than other fiber-based systems. (Credit: Modern Optical Instrumentation and Bio-Imaging Laboratory/Rice University) Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Qatar has not been invited to two regional summits called to discuss attacks on Saudi oil assets, a Qatari Foreign Ministry official said on Monday, but the Arab League said it had circulated invitations to member states. Saudi King Salman on Saturday proposed holding a summit of Gulf Arab rulers and a wider meeting of Arab leaders in Mecca on May 30 to discuss last week's drone strikes on oil installations in the kingdom and attacks on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar since June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism. Qatar denies the charges. "Qatar, which is still isolated from its neighbours, did not receive an invitation to attend the two summits," the director of the Qatari Foreign Ministry Information Office said on Twitter, citing State Minister for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad al-Muraikhi. The Saudi Foreign Ministry and government communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Cairo-based League of Arab States said in a statement that its secretariat had on Sunday "circulated the invitation issued by (King Salman) to Arab leaders to convene an emergency Arab summit in Mecca". Leaders of Arab and other Muslim countries were already due to gather in Mecca at the end of May for a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of ordering the drone strikes, for which Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility. The kingdom said while it did not want war to break out in the region, it was ready to respond strongly. The UAE has not blamed anyone for the sabotage acts against the tankers pending an investigation and said it was committed to de-escalation. Iran has denied it carried out either attack. The UAE on Sunday said that the current "critical circumstances" in the region required a "unified Arab and Gulf stance". * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Governor Ram Naik on Monday dismissed Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his ministerial position on the recommendation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Five other leaders of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who were holding ministerial ranks in commissions, have also been removed with immediate effect. Talking to reporters immediately after his dismissal, Rajbhar said that he welcomed the decision. "I welcome the decision but I wish that Yogi Adityanath had shown the same haste in dealing with issues related to my demand for implementing prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues," he said. He said that he would now work towards exposing the BJP. "I will continue to consolidate my community and tell them how the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits. The BJP never addressed issues raised by me and kept me waiting till the elections were over. "Surely Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections but they did not want to suffer OBC backlash by doing so. However, this is not the end of elections -- there will be more elections in the future," he stated. Rajbhar had claimed that he had sent his resignation to the Chief Minister on April 13 but BJP sources claim that the resignation was "nowhere to be found". "If he had to resign, he should have sent his resignation to the Governor," said Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. Rajbhar had used unparliamentary language for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders during the campaign and had even campaigned for opposition candidates. According to sources, the BJP is now ready to get rid of Om Prakash Rajbhar and would now promote its own Minister of State Anil Rajbhar, a legislator from Sakaldiha Assembly segment in Chandauli district. "We can win over the Rajbhar community through Anil Rajbhar. There are three years to go for the Assembly elections," said a BJP leader Though Rajbhar claimed to have resigned from the Yogi government last month, he continued to enjoy the perks, including bungalow, car and staff, that were given to the cabinet minister. BJP President Amit Shah (file photo) Buoyed by the exit poll predictions, BJP President Amit Shah has convened a meeting of the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on May 21, ahead of the counting of votes on May 23. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) said that Shah is likely to host a dinner for the NDA leaders and would chalk out alliance's strategy. Twelve of 14 exit polls predicted the NDA getting full majority with seats ranging seats from 282 to 365. A party or an alliance needs 271 seats to form the government as Lok Sabha elections were held on 542 of the 543 seats. The exit polls predicted the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance getting 82 to 165 seats. Six exit polls predicted that 'other' parties were likely to get more seats than the the UPA. Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), Ministry of Culture organizes various training programmes for the in-service school teachers and students from all parts of the country with an aim to disseminate Integrated Art Education among students. This year CCRT has organized an All India Annual Cultural Festival- Indradhanush 2019 from May 18-28, 2019 at CCRT, Dwarka, New Delhi under the ancient Indian tradition of Guru Shishya Parampara. The age group of children who are a part of this festival is between 6-16years. The second day of the Summer Festival began with the Craft Sessions which comprised classes on Gond (M.P.), Madhubani (Bihar), Worli (Maharashtra) and many more tribal and folk paintings of India. Madhubani Painting is being taught by Guru Raj Kumar Lal, grandson of renowned exponent Smt Jagdamba Devi, Padma Sri Awardee. He has to his credit many visits to Mauritius and Thailand to spread the art form and its technique. Phad Painting is being taught by Guru Vijay Joshi. Phad is a colourful folk painting of Rajasthan depicting the glory of Rajput folk leaders i.e. Pabuji, Ramdevji etc. The art form originated in Shahpora district under the patronage of King Sujan Singh in early 17th century C.E. Pottery classes are being attended by a group of 25 children on rotation basis of a cycle of three days. Guru Sohan Lal is teaching the art of making flower pots, diyas, animal figures etc. Children are enjoying making vessels with clay. The participants are learning Odissi Dance from Guru Kabita Mohanti, disciple of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She learnt Odissi dance from Kala Vikas Kendra, Cuttack. In this class children will get familiarised with origin, various mudras, taal, and 5 components of Odissi dance i.e. mangalacharan, batu, pallavi, abhinay and moksha. Guru Bhawana Sharma is a freelance puppeteer with know-how of using puppets in education. She has worked with NCERT, World Wide Fund for Nature, Wildlife Institute of India, Delhi University etc. Children are learning how to make glove puppets, finger puppets and hand puppets from waste material. In the learning process they will be developing stories also with the help of these puppets. Guru Nupur Awasthi associated with Lady Irwin College, Modern School and many other educational institutions is an Educator, Communicator and professional Storyteller. The aim of Creative Writing classes is to give children happy environment where they do not compete with each other for marks and in the process unleash their creativity through writing. They are acquainted with poems, cinquain (5-line stanza), diamante (diamond shaped poetry), limerick (5 lined humorous poetry) etc. During the classes on Songs in Indian Languages section, the second day began with the training in Hindi Geet and Oriya Geet. While the training in Oriya Geet has been provided by Ms Alpana Sharma along with her accompanist Shri Brij Mohan, the training in Hindi Geet has been provided by Sanjay Dhyani along with his accompanist, Shri Satish Kumar and Shri Jasraj Singh along with Arun Kumar. The training sessions on these national songs have been carried on gracefully in order to get the children acquainted with the beauty of various Indian languages, tradition and sense of unity. The main purpose of this festival is to give a glimpse of our rich and varied heritage to the children and motivate them to preserve the essence of Indianess through the awareness of our Culture and Tradition. The journey has finally begun and there are interesting as well as creative activities that are to follow in the upcoming days of the Summer Festival, 2019. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Monday held a meeting with Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati to discuss the political situation in view of the exit polls results. The hour-long meeting was held at the BSP chief's Mall Avenue residence here. The two leaders made a seat-to-seat assessment but decided to wait for the results rather than speculate on the exit poll results. Talking briefly to reporters after the meeting, Akhilesh said: "We will talk after the results on May 23. I maintain my stand that we are winning 56 seats in UP." Sources said that the two leaders also decided that they would hold talks with other opposition leaders on May 24, when all results are finally out. "They will have telephonic talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on May 23 and with other leaders, including those of the Congress on May 24," said a source. The Palestinians will not attend a US-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as a preliminary roll-out of its plan for them to make peace with Israel, a Palestinian cabinet minister said on Monday. Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The Palestinians, who have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in late 2017, have shown little interest in discussing a plan that they anticipate will fall far short of their core demands. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that his government had not been consulted on the June 25-26 gathering in Manama. After the cabinet met, Ahhmed Majdalani, the social development minister and a member of the executive committee of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation, said: "There will be no Palestinian particaption in the Manama workshop." He added: "Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel." "We were not consulted by any party on the announced meeting to take place in Manama, Bahrain," Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement. "We have not mandated any party to negotiate on our behalf." US officials have predicted that the event will include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. The economic component discussed will constitute an unveiling of the first part of the Trump peace plan, US officials have said. Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable on political aspects of the plan. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals. Israeli leaders have not commented on the conference. Israel's finance minister, Moshe Kahlon, said through a spokesman on Sunday that he had yet to receive any invitation. Sunday's joint statement from the US and Bahrain called the event a "pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanise support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement". The Palestinians see this as offering financial rewards in exchange for accepting ongoing Israeli occupation. "Attempts at promoting an economic normalisation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected," Erekat said. "This is not about improving living conditions under occupation but about reaching Palestine's full potential by ending the Israeli occupation." Shtayyeh reiterated Palestinians' demands for a two-state peace deal with Israel entailing control of the West Bank and Gaza, as well as East Jerusalem as their future capital. Israel calls Jerusalem its indivisible capital and has said it might declare sovereignty in its West Bank settlements. The Trump administration has said its still-secret peace plan would require compromise by both sides. Since being shunned by the Palestinians, it has cut back on US aid for them, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. "The financial crisis the Palestinian Authority is living through today is a result of the financial war that is being launched against us in order to win political concessions," Shtayyeh told his cabinet. "We do not submit to blackmail and we don't trade our political rights for money." Bashar al-Masri, one of the most prominent Palestinian businessmen who worked with international investors and Israel to build the new $1.4-billion Palestinian city of Rawabi, announced he had rejected an invitation to the conference. "The idea of economic peace is an old one which is now packaged in a different way. As our people have rejected it previously, we reject it now," he said on his Facebook page. "We will not work with any event outside the Palestinian national consensus." Hamas, shunned in the West for its diehard hostility to Israel and locked in a more than decade-old power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah party, also condemned the Bahrain conference. "We reject any economic and political steps that aim to implement the deal of the century or to normalise ties with the Israeli enemy," Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum told Reuters. * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- 3D Cell Culture Market (11 Year Forecast 2019-2030) report provides in-intensity insight of the 3D Cell Culture industry masking all vital parameters along with Drivers, Market Trends, Market Dynamics, Opportunities, Competitive Landscape, New Challenge Feasibility Evaluation, 3D Cell Culture market Share via Region, Analysis and Guidelines on New mission Investment. 3D Cell Culture industry report includes an extensive analysis of competition by topmost prime manufacturers (Corning Incorporated, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. , Merck & Co., Inc., Lonza, 3D Biotek LLC., InSphero, REPROCELL USA Inc., Nano3D Biosciences, Inc., SYNTHECON, INCORPORATED and QGel SA, Lausanne) which providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Key Target Audience of 3D Cell Culture Market: Manufacturers of 3D Cell Culture, Raw material suppliers, Market research and consulting firms, Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers, Organizations, forums and alliances related to 3D Cell Culture. Free Sample PDF (including TOC, Tables and Figures) of 3D Cell Culture Market@ https://www.marketindustryreports.com/pdf/40 3D Cell Culture Market Competition by Manufacturers (2019-2030) 3D Cell Culture Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers, 3D Cell Culture Market by Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers, Revenue and Share by Manufacturers, Average Price by Manufacturers, Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type, Market Competitive Situation and Trends, Market Concentration Rate Instantaneous of 3D Cell Culture Market: A 3D cell culture is an artificially-created environment in which biological cells are permitted to grow or interact with their surroundings in all three dimensions. Unlike 2D environments (e.g. a petri dish), a 3D cell culture allows cells in vitro to grow in all directions, similar to how they would in vivo. These three-dimensional cultures are usually grown in bioreactors, small capsules in which the cells can grow into spheroids, or 3D cell colonies. Approximately 300 spheroids are usually cultured per bioreactor.The global 3D cell culture market is relatively concentrated; the sales of top nine manufacturers account about 68.23% of total global Production in 2016. The largest manufacture of 3D cell culture is Thermo Fisher Scientific; its Production is 252.73 K Unit in 2016. The next is Corning and Lonza Group.North America is the largest consumption region of 3D cell culture in 2016. In 2016, the sales of 3D cell culture is about 470 K Unit in North America; its sales proportion of total global sales exceeds 36%.The next is Europe. Asia has a large growth rate of 3D cell culture.Cancer research is currently the most well established application area and accounts for 40.05% of the present 3D culture market. Drug Discovery has also emerged quite popular with 36.25% of the current market share. Stem cells and regenerative medicine together capture a share of 24.08% in the current 3D culture market and would gradually gain focus as the market matures in the field of therapeutics in 2016. Market Segment by Type, 3D Cell Culture market report displays the manufacture, profits, value, and market segment and growth rate of each type, covers: - Scaffold-based - Scaffold-free Market Segment by Applications, 3D Cell Culture market report focuses on the position and outlook for major applications/end users, sales size, market share and growth rate for each application, this can be divided into: - Cancer Research - Stem Cell Research - Drug Discovery - Regererative Medicine Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert@ https://www.marketindustryreports.com/inquiry/40 The study objectives of 3D Cell Culture Market report are: - To analyze and study the 3D Cell Culture market capacity, production, value, consumption, statusforecast (2019-2030); - Focuses on the key 3D Cell Culture manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, 3D Cell Culture market shareand development plans in future. - Focuses on the key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. - To analyze the key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. - To analyze the opportunities in the 3D Cell Culture market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. - To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individualgrowth trend and their contribution to the 3D Cell Culture market. - To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To Get Discount of 3D Cell Culture Market: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/discount/40 About Market Industry Reports Market Industry Reports is a global leader in market measurement & advisory services, Market Industry Reports is at the forefront of innovation to address the worldwide industry trends and opportunities. We identified the caliber of market dynamics & hence we excel in the areas of innovation and optimization, integrity, curiosity, customer and brand experience, and strategic business intelligence through our research. We continue to pioneer state-of-the-art approach in research & analysis that makes complex world simpler to stay ahead of the curve. By nurturing the perception of genius and optimized market intelligence we bring proficient contingency to our clients in the evolving world of technologies, megatrends and industry convergence. We empower and inspire Vanguards to fuel and shape their business to build and grow world-class consumer products. Contact Us- 502, Sai Radhe, Kennedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune 411 001 Email: sales@marketindustryreports.com Phone: + 91 9673535933 Website: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/ Follow Us- LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The all-encompassing report on the Chromium Oxide Green market projects the prospective growth of the industry. It gives and extensive analysis of the market size, share, demand, trends, gross revenue, total earnings to draw a forecast of the growth in the years 2019 to 2026. The study estimates the potential growth of the industry and the factors responsible for the expansion of the business. The study highlights the driving forces, restrains and hurdles for the growth of the market. Request for FREE Sample Copy of Chromium Oxide Green Market Report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/18490 It highlights the key players in the businesses that account for a considerable market share. The report maps major geographical regions and their placement in the global economy. It predicts the growth of Chromium Oxide Green in the upcoming years. The research segments the market based on product type, applications and end-use. It profiles the key players of the business and discusses investments, business ventures, mergers, acquisitions, collaborations along with the technological developments in the industry. The report gives a competitive analysis by evaluating the market position of the companies. It also examines the upcoming and niche areas in the business. The researcher aims to provide insights into the trends observed in the industry and the sectors that exhibit the most growth prospects. Scope Of The Report The study draws a forecast of the growth of the Chromium Oxide Green market by evaluating the market size, share, demand, trends, and gross revenue of the industry. It also focuses on the positions of the major companies against the competitive landscape and their individual share in the global market. The report segments the industry based on product type, application and end-use. It highlights the recent trends and technological developments in the sector that will potentially influence the industry. The research offers a detailed outlook of the trends observed in the market, the contributing factors, major stakeholders, key companies and prime areas that exhibit a potential for growth. In market segmentation by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies- Elementis, Hunter Chemical, Sun Chemical, Hunstman (Venator), Lanxess, Harold Scholz, Hebei Chromate Chemical, Luoyang Zhengjie, Jirong Chemical Buy Chromium Oxide Green Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/18490 Market Segment by Type, covers - Pigment Grade - Metallurgical Grade - Refractory Grade - Others Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into - Coating - Ceramics - Rubber - Metallurgy - Other The report on the Chromium Oxide Green market gives an in-depth statistical analysis to examine the fastest growing sectors in the market while speculating the demand and supply, consumption power, spending capacity and distribution channel globally. The report identifies the overall growth in the import and export and derives the future trends that the industry might witness. The study also applies primary and secondary research methods to assess the annual and financial performance of the top vendors and insights from market leaders. The researcher also discusses the recent trends and developments including joint ventures, collaborations, investments, product launches and acquisitions and mergers constitute a substantial part of the research on the Chromium Oxide Green market for the forecast period from 2019 to 2026. The report will empower companies to understand the opportunities, adapt to their consumer demands, needs, and concentrate on their best end-users. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What will be the growth rate of the Chromium Oxide Green market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026? What will be the market size and the share occupied by the prominent vendors by the estimated period? - What are challenges and threats faced by the prominent vendors operating in the Chromium Oxide Green market? - Who are the prominent vendors and what has been their business strategy so far to maintain a competitive edge over their competitors? - What are the past, present and emerging trends likely to influence the growth rate of the Chromium Oxide Green market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026? - What are the opportunities prominent vendors can bank on to generate more profits during the estimated period? There are 15 chapters to cover the vital aspects of the Global Chromium Oxide Green Market. The report is distributed over 15 Chapters to display the analysis of the global Chromium Oxide Green shop market. Chapter 1 covers the Chromium Oxide Green Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2016 and 2017; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2016 and 2017; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Chromium Oxide Green, for the period 2012- 2017; Continue Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/chromium-oxide-green-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web. Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com News: https://www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Washington, DC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Commission Express has been helping real estate professionals achieve reliable cash flow for decades, providing commission advances at some of the most competitive rates in the market along with superb customer service. 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Contact: Patrick Conlin or Amy Redcloud Phone: 267-769-0747 email: mainline@commissionexpress.com Website: https://www.commissionexpress.com/mainline Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research, "Global Driver Assistance System (DAS) Market for Locomotive Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026" expanding at a CAGR of 9% during the forecast period. In terms of revenue, the market is expected to reach US$ 18 Mn by 2026. The global driver assistance system (DAS) market for locomotive is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9% between 2018 and 2026, according to a new research report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). According to the report, the global market is likely to be influenced by a range of political, economic, social, technical, and industry-specific factors. Latin America is expected to witness rapid rise in demand for driver assistance system in public transits such as trains, with the market in the region anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 27% during the forecast period. Request a Sample of Driver Assistance System (DAS) Market for Locomotive https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=48240 Human safety is of utmost importance for any industry. Trains are considered to be a risky mode of transportation. Control over a train cannot be achieved within possible time due to its speed and size. This is supported by the statistics on the fatalities caused by train accidents. In 2016, more than 50,000 people lost their lives due to rail accidents. In the 28 nations of the EU, 1,723 persons were killed in train accidents, which is 6% rise from the previous year (2015). India has serious issues associated with rail transportation. Every year, more than 15,000 people in India lose their lives owing to train-related fatalities. There needs to be a system which can monitor the train and improve driving conditions for the driver and traveling conditions for passengers. Driver assistance systems provide greater functionality and effectiveness for trains. Various regulations are imposed by regulatory bodies on the automotive industry and mandated several systems or applications for vehicles to curb the accident rate. Such regulations are likely to be imposed on trains. However, train component manufacturers need to include DAS in old running and new trains in order to comply with such regulations. This is likely to boost the driver assistance system (DAS) market for locomotive. Developing and under-developed countries in Latin America are more focused on implementation of long-distance trains in the region. Governments of countries such as Chile and Argentina are spending more on railways in their budgets. Expansion of the IT sector is providing a boost to the economy in the region. Usage of suburban, monorail, and metro as modes of public transit is increasing in order to commute within urban areas. Monorails are highly preferable in the city with less population and space. Trams are an older mode of public transport. Trams are not suitable for large cities or metropolitan areas. Therefore, the tram segment is likely to expand at a sluggish pace, as compared to other train type segments. Older trams are likely to be equipped with DAS. In terms of revenue, the long distance train segment is expected to reach US$ 3.6 Mn by the end of 2026, expanding at a CAGR of more than 20% during the forecast period. Based on DAS application, the driver assistance system (DAS) market for locomotive can be segregated into emergency braking, automatic door open & closure, switch detection, rail detection, fog pilot assistance system, rail signal detection, and anti-collision system. The DAS has various applications in trains such that one or more than one application is integrated within the train. Rail signal detection system is a recently evolved application and the segment held a minor share of the market in 2017. It is likely to expand at a higher growth rate during forecast period. In terms of DAS component, the LiDAR segment is expanding at significant pace due to its multi-functionality and declining price. Europe held a major share of the global driver assistance system (DAS) market for locomotive in 2017. Countries in Europe exhibit greater awareness about the environment. Therefore, people in the region are more inclined toward using public transport instead of personal vehicles. Increase in public transport is estimated to boost the usage of trains in the region. The human safety body of the European Union has mandated some norms for component manufacturers to include driver safety modules including some DAS applications for trains. This is likely to boost the market. Revised taxes, expansion of business during Brexit, and tariffs imposed by the U.S. on the nations in Europe are expected to hamper the production and sales of components/technology in Europe, which in turn is anticipated to hamper the driver assistance system (DAS) market for locomotive. Governments establish IT zones outside major cities, which increases the border of cities in countries such as India, Large population, large area, increased distance between cities, raising wages, increasing purchasing power, and increased in standard of living are key factors that drive the market in Asia Pacific. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Future of the electric grill market is likely to rely on meat thermometers and grill tongs of Millennials, as consumers between the age-group 25 and 35 are more likely to purchase grills, says a recent Fact.MR study. Grill and relevant accessories are set to perceive a rapid demand growth, with consumer preferences shifting toward high-end, feature-intensive grills. With the trend toward cookouts gaining popularity among young adults worldwide, grill sales are likely to surge significantly, thereby influencing the market for electric grill. Electric grills sales will also be affected from introduction of new products that feature Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity and offer remote monitoring. Fact.MR's study estimates nearly 1,730,000 units of electric grills to be sold worldwide by 2028-end. Growth of the barbecuing and grills industry has remained steady over the past few years, post-recovery from weak economic impact on account of housing market collapse. However, with renewed growth of the residential sector, demand for grills will surge underpinned by rising GHDI of consumers in developed and developing nations. Request Sample Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=781 Portable Electric Grills Emerge as a Key Trend Consumers nowadays seek portable options in all kinds of products and accessories and cooking appliances are no exception. Portable electric grills are increasingly sought by consumers during their family outings and picnics. Manufacturers such as Weber have therefore produced electric grills that are durable and portable, thereby meeting current consumer lifestyle demands. Moreover, portable electric grills integrated with advanced technology are being offered by brands at reasonable costs have further complemented their penetration in the market. Electric Grill Market: Indoor Applications Continue to Spearhead with Bulk Value Share Indoor application of electric grills will continue to spearhead the market with over three-fifth value share. As electric grills depend on electricity as their source for heating grill plate, restrictions pertaining to apartment barbecuing, such as in gas and charcoal grills, are alleviated. Indoor use devoid of smoke issues is a key advantage of electric grills which has been driving their demand among consumers since their emergence. In a bid to leverage the indoor application's dominance, electric grill manufacturers are offering various modalities such as countertop designs for permanent kitchen placement. Browse Full Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/781/electric-grill-market North America's Dominance Prevails, as Barbecuing Becomes Integral Part of Consumers' Lifestyle A promising future has been envisaged for the barbecuing and grilling industry in North America by Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA). HPBA states approximately 30% consumers to utilize grills or smokers, which in turn has led grilling to gain immense traction as year-round passion in the region. Passion for taste and flavor in foods is likely to demonstrate rising vigour in North America, implying positive prospects for barbecuing & grilling industry. Barbecuing has become more of an inherent part of consumers' lifestyle in the region. HPBA states that over one-third consumers in North America eye on purchasing new grill, with electric grills accounting for nearly 10% of the overall grill sales. Although holding a relatively lower share in the industry, electric grills are expected to witness increased demand in the near future in light of their indoor use convenience and energy-efficient attributes. This will significantly influence future growth of the electric grill market in North America. To deliver a seamless understanding of the Electric Grill market, the report is divided into 18 sophisticated chapters whose snapshots are provided below. Chapter 1 Executive Summary The report commences with the chapter of the executive summary which delivers brief yet affluent information of the Electric Grill market. The chapter includes discussion on the market overview, market analysis and market recommendations regarding the Electric Grill market derived based on Fact.MR's proprietary wheel of fortune. Chapter 2 Market Introduction In the market introduction chapter, the Electric Grill market is introduced along with the market segmentation in the form of market taxonomy. The chapter also introduces the Electric Grill in the market definition section. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/781/S Chapter 3 - Electric Grill Market Background In this chapter, macroeconomic factors, market dynamics, a complete value chain and pricing analysis with regard to Electric Grill market is elaborately discussed. Discussion on the market drivers, restraints, trends and opportunities and their impact on the market forecast is also covered in this chapter. Chapter 4 - Global Electric Grill Market Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026 This chapter provides the Electric Grill market size in terms of market volume and value during the forecast period. Market analysis based on absolute $ opportunity and y-o-y growth of the Electric Grill market is also covered in this chapter. Chapter 5 - Global Electric Grill Market Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026, By System Type Based on system types in the Electric Grill market, the chapter elaborates market size of individual systems and analysis by system types and summary of this section is covered in the chapter. Chapter 6 - Global Electric Grill Market Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026, By Application Based on applications, Market size of individual applications, their market attractiveness analysis and summary are also covered. Chapter 7 - Global Electric Grill Market Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026, By End User This chapter elaborates the segmentation of the Electric Grill market based on end users including independent end users, Market attractive analysis by end users is also discussed to fathom relative lucrativeness of different end users of the Electric Grill market. Chapter 8 - Global Electric Grill Market Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026, By Region With the geographical perspective, the Electric Grill market is analyzed on a total of seven regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, South East Asia & Pacific, Middle East & Africa, China and Japan. Historical data and prevailing trends in the Electric Grill market and their influence on the global market performance is discussed in this chapter. And Continue.... Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- 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. Selbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Food service packaging is used to package processed and semi-processed food products. It caters to service sectors such as restaurants, fast-food joints, takeaway restaurants, and catering services. It helps in maintaining the hygiene, quality, and safety of food products. It provides heat resistance, prevents the growth of microorganisms, and helps extend the shelf-life of the food product. Request a sample Report of Foodservice Packaging Market at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/2011108?utm_source=releasewire&utm_medium=SP Currently, there are many players in Foodservice Packaging industry. Amcor, Georgia-Pacific, Berry Global, Graphic Packaging, Huhtamaki, Coveris, Dart Container, Pactiv, Linpac Packaging, WestRock, Novolex, Fabri-Kal and some others are playing important roles in Foodservice Packaging industry. The market is not so concentrated for now and is seeing to be more dispersed. In the past few years, the price of Foodservice Packaging shown a slightly increasing trend and we expect the price may keep the trend in a short period. However, as the improvement of energy, transportation costs, employee wages, and equipment depreciation will play a significant role in promoting the cost of Foodservice Packaging. Therefore, to some extent, the companies are facing a risk of profit decline. In order to keep profit, the price may keep the trend in a short period. Pivotal deliverables encompassed in the Foodservice Packaging market report: Revenue forecast Market trends Market drivers Consumption growth rate Value growth rate Market challenges Market concentration rate analysis Competition landscape analysis Market concentration ratio Competitive terrain Potential industry aspirants Region-wise economic indicators Enumerating the regional landscape of the Foodservice Packaging market: Foodservice Packaging Market Segregation: USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia. Information encompassed in the report include with respect to the industry parameters: Product consumption patterns across the mentioned geographies Valuation which every region holds in the industry Market share that each zone accounts for in the industry Consumption market share with respect to each geography Product consumption growth rate across the regions A detailed segmentation of the Foodservice Packaging market with respect to the product & application terrains: Product landscape: Product types: Flexible Packaging, Rigid Packaging and Others Information encompassed in the report: Market share which each product holds Projected remuneration of each product type Consumption (in terms of the value and growth rate) of each product type Product sales price Application landscape: Application segregation: Take Away/Delivery, Restaurants, Institutional Catering and HMR (Hotel Motel Restaurant Information encompassed in the report: Market share held by every individual application Estimated valuation that every application may account for in the industry Consumption market share pertaining to each application Market Drivers, Challenges, and More: The Foodservice Packaging market report unearths the prime driving factors that are responsible for fueling the commercialization landscape of the industry. The report presents a detailed overview of these drivers that will lead the Foodservice Packaging market to be pegged at an appreciable valuation by the end of the forecast duration. The research study enumerates the various challenges that this industry presents. The list of elucidated challenges in the present market scenario is certain to help potential entrants up their game and come up with better ways of facing the challenges to retain a sustaining position in the industry. The report also elaborates on the risks prevalent in the market and the numerous growth opportunities prevalent in the vertical. What does the report specify with respect to the competitive spectrum of the Foodservice Packaging market? Manufacturer base of the industry: Graphic Packaging, Genpak, Sabert, Dart Container, Georgia-Pacific, Anchor Packaging, Pactiv, D&W Fine Pack, Berry Global, Dopla, WestRock, Huhtamaki, WinCup, Linpac Packaging, Coveris, Novolex, Be Green Packaging, GRACZ, Southern Champion Tray, Amcor, Vegware, Union Packaging, Fabri-Kal, King Yuan Fu Packaging and Hengxin Enviro. Information encompassed in the report: Sales area and distribution Company profile Company overview Product price patterns Product sales statistics Valuation held in the industry Profit margins In addition to the aforementioned pointers, the Foodservice Packaging market research report also boasts of providing details about the market concentration ratio, that would aid potential competitors in determining the exact market structure of this industry presently and how it would be in the future. Table of Contents: 1 Scope of the Report 1.1 Market Introduction 1.2 Research Objectives 1.3 Years Considered 1.4 Market Research Methodology 1.5 Economic Indicators 1.6 Currency Considered 3 Global Foodservice Packaging by Players 3.1 Global Foodservice Packaging Market Size Market Share by Players 3.1.1 Global Foodservice Packaging Market Size by Players (2017-2019) 3.1.2 Global Foodservice Packaging Market Size Market Share by Players (2017-2019) 3.2 Global Foodservice Packaging Key Players Head office and Products Offered 3.3 Market Concentration Rate Analysis 3.3.1 Competition Landscape Analysis 3.3.2 Concentration Ratio (CR3, CR5 and CR10) (2017-2019) 3.4 New Products and Potential Entrants 3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 4 Foodservice Packaging by Regions 4.1 Foodservice Packaging Market Size by Regions 4.2 Americas Foodservice Packaging Market Size Growth 4.3 APAC Foodservice Packaging Market Size Growth 4.4 Europe Foodservice Packaging Market Size Growth 4.5 Middle East & Africa Foodservice Packaging Market Size Growth Ask for Discount on Foodservice Packaging Market Report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/2011108?utm_source=releasewire&utm_medium=SP Related Reports: Global Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Solutions Market Growth (Status and Outlook) 2019-2024 Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a cybersecurity technology that addresses the need for continuous monitoring and response to advanced threats. It is a subset of endpoint security technology and a critical piece of an optimal security posture. Read More: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-endpoint-detection-and-response-edr-solutions-market-growth-status-and-outlook-2019-2024?utm_source=releasewire&utm_medium=SP Contact Us: Corporate Sales, Market Study Report LLC Phone: 1-302-273-0910 Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150 Email: sales@marketstudyreport.com Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The study on the global Formic Acid Market evaluated the historical and current performance of this market, especially highlighting the key trends and growth opportunities. According to the study, the rising demand for this product is driving the global market significantly. The expansion in the various related industry is also expected to reflect positively on the sales of the product over the next few years. Formic Acid Market size should show a significant increase due to rising application usage in agriculture, leather, and feed additive industries. It is also known as carboxylic or methanoic acid, can be produced synthetically and is found naturally in ant venom. It is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor and is known for its anti-microbial property which is the basis for most applications. Request for a Table of Content of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2583 Increasing use of the product in preservatives, its eco-friendliness and high quality is likely to boost formic acid market size. Increasing standard of living has led to a rise in meat consumption, which in turn has stimulated the animal feed industry. Global processed meat market may exceed about USD 1.5 million by 2024 and is likely to boost formic acid industry size. Increasing its application usage in leather & textiles, rubber, agriculture, and chemicals & pharmaceuticals sectors should drive industry growth. Formic acid market size should increase due to its common use as an agricultural pesticide, further boosted by increasing harvest due to rising animal feed demand. Increasing animal feed additives demand should drive formic acid market size Global animal feed additives market demand over USD 17 billion in 2017. Global annual feed production is likely to reach around 1 billion tons which should boost market demand. Rising meat & its product demand owing to increasing consumer per capita income should stimulate industry growth. Silage or grass is stored as animal feed for winter and the product is added to it to prevent nutrient loss. The process of making silage involves the addition of molasses to release energy for lactic acid fermentation, which may further boost industry demand. Asia Pacific, led by Japan, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia and China formic acid market size, may witness fast development due to rapid growth in the textile, leather and rubber industries. China is the largest producer and exporter due to availability of cheap labor and lax regulations in the country. Meat consumption in China may increase to almost 60 kilos per person in the forecasted time frame, which is likely to increase the demand for animal feed and have a positive impact on market demand in the region. Europe driven by Italy, France, Spain and Germany formic acid market size has witnessed a spurt in product demand due to the abolition of antibiotics as growth promoters for livestock by the European Union in 2006. The regional market has matured, especially for silage preservation applications. Europe poultry feed market is likely to exceed about USD 2.5 billion in the forecast period at a rate exceeding around 5%, which may boost formic acid industry size. Request for a Customization of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2583 High product cost to may hinder industry profitability which has led to the emergence of low cost alternatives like urea sulfate which may affect formic acid market price trend. Also, higher toxicity in high grade products can hamper market growth. Uncertain weather conditions may negatively affect silage preservative and animal feed additives market demand. Formic acid market share is competitive and moderately fragmented. The participants in this market include companies like BASF, Eastman Chemical, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals, Perstorp AB, Feicheng Acid Chemicals, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers, Taminco and Chongqing Chuandong Chemical. EPA has approved product use as a MITE TM and Mite-away II pesticide ingredient, which presents growth opportunities for formic acid industry size. 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. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector Market: Segmentation The chapters of segmentation allow the readers to understand the aspects of the market such as its products, available technologies, and applications of the same. These chapters are written in a manner to describe their development over the years and the course they are likely to take in the coming years. The research report also provides insightful information about the emerging trends that are likely to define progress of these segments in the coming years. Request a Sample of this report at: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1010491/global-industrial-rotary-electrical-collector-industry-professional-report- Global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector Market: Regional Segmentation For a deeper understanding, the research report includes geographical segmentation of the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market. It provides an evaluation of the volatility of the political scenarios and amends likely to be made to the regulatory structures. This assessment gives an accurate analysis of the regional-wise growth of the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market. The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt) North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America (Brazil etc.) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector Market: Research Methodology The research methodologies used by the analysts play an integral role in the way the publication has been collated. Analysts have used primary and secondary research methodologies to create a comprehensive analysis. For an accurate and precise analysis of the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market, analysts have bottom-up and top-down approaches. Global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector Market: Competitive Rivalry The research report includes an analysis of the competitive landscape present in the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market. It includes an assessment of the existing and upcoming trends that players can invest in. Furthermore, it also includes an evaluation of the financial outlooks of the players and explains the nature of the competition. Key Players Mentioned in the Global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector Market Research Report: Moog Schleifring Cobham Stemmann MERSEN RUAG GAT Morgan Cavotec LTN Pandect Precision DSTI NSD Mercotac BGB Molex UEA Rotac Ask our Expert if You Have a Query at: enquiry@qyresearch.com Strategic Points Covered in TOC: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product scope, market risk, market overview, and market opportunities of the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market Chapter 2: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market which consists of its revenue, sales, and price of the products Chapter 3: Displaying the competitive nature among key manufacturers, with market share, revenue, and sales Chapter 4: Presenting global Industrial Rotary Electrical Collector market by regions, market share and with revenue and sales for the projected period Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The global lithium market was valued at US$ 2,983.59 Mn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 10.7% from 2018 to 2026, according to a new report titled 'Lithium Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026,' published by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The global lithium market is driven by rise in the demand for electric vehicles. Asia Pacific accounts for a major share of the global lithium market. Request A Sample https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=35285 Increase in demand for lithium for its use in electric vehicles to fuel the lithium market Increase in sales of electric vehicles including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is anticipated to fuel the demand for lithium batteries and thereby, lithium during the forecast period. Low weight and high energy density are major properties of lithium responsible for its use in battery applications. Increase in government funding for research and development activities for energy storage applications is likely to augment the demand for lithium in the next few years. The U.S. government has granted US$ 2 Bn to accelerate the development and manufacture of next-generation electric vehicles. Increasing use of lithium in mobile phones, cordless power tools, laptops, and high-tech devices is anticipated to drive the global lithium market during the forecast period. Increase in demand for lithium for use in air-treatment applications to augment the global lithium market Use of lithium in air treatment applications such as cooling, dehumidification, and air regeneration is on the rise. Rising use of absorption chillers in hospitals, shopping malls, and other institutional facilities is likely to drive the global lithium market in the near future, as lithium bromide is primarily used in these applications. Increasing use of lithium chloride for dehumidification is another factor driving the lithium market. Gelatin manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, breweries, and hospitals employ typical installations wherein lithium is used for the dehumidification purpose. Demand for lithium for use in air regeneration is also increasing. Lithium is used for removal of carbon dioxide in space vehicles, sub-marines, miners, and safety devices. Applications of lithium in the form of lithium-ion batteries in medical and pharmaceutical sectors to offer growth opportunities to the lithium market Benefits such as small size, low weight, high power, long life cycle, and high voltages are propelling the demand for lithium for use in medical device applications. Alkyl lithium chemicals are used as synthetic agents in the manufacture of organic intermediates for drugs and agricultural chemicals. Use of lithium in the treatment of bipolar disorder is also on the rise. Lithium salts are helpful in mental disorders such as schizoaffective disorder and cyclic major depression. Primary lithium batteries have been used for implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, drug pumps, neurostimulators, and cardiac defibrillators. Lithium carbonate and energy storage segments to dominate the lithium market Lithium carbonate is the lithium salt of carbonate used widely in the processing of metal oxides. Lithium carbonate can be used for production of both battery-grade and technical-grade applications. Demand for lithium carbonate for use in lithium batteries is surging, due to its high specific capacity and power density. Lithium carbonate is the first compound in the production chain of Lithium. It is considered a building block for other lithium derivatives. Issues associated with disposal of lithium and concerns regarding toxicity to restrain the global lithium market Careless disposal of lithium batteries is likely to lead to release of lithium into the environment. This lithium, in turn, reaches the food chain. Lithium content inside the human body is toxic in nature. This factor is likely to restrain the lithium market to a certain extent in the next few years. Lithium-ion batteries are subject to aging and they need to be stored in a cool place to reduce the aging effect. Transportation of lithium by air, rail or road has to clear several safety tests and the regulations on transportation of large quantities of lithium vary across the countries Get PDF Brochure for more Professional & Technical industry insights: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=35285 Asia Pacific leads the global lithium market In terms of consumption, Asia Pacific accounted for a major share of the global lithium market in 2017. Asia Pacific has emerged as a hub for manufacture and exports of chemicals and materials over the last few years, with significant consumption of lithium being witnessed by China and South Korea. This has prompted various world-leading companies to strengthen their position in the market in Asia Pacific. Manufacturers such as SQM, Albermarle Corporation, FMC Corporation, and Talison Lithium are leading players operating in the global lithium market. Rapid industrialization and high degree of competition among established players Key players profiled in the report include SQM, Albermarle Corporation, FMC Corporation, Talison Lithium, Tianqi Lithium Corporation, Jiangxi Gangfeng Lithium, Orocorbe Limited Pty Ltd, and Neometals. Manufacturers' strategy of expansion in developing economies is likely to strengthen their business operations as well as their position in the global lithium market in the next few years. Several manufacturers are engaged in the production of lithium in order to meet the demand from applications such as energy storage, glasses & ceramics, and greases & lubricants. Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The global ice cream market was valued at around ~US$ 55 billion in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1%, to be around ~US$ 75 Billion by 2024. With the increasing demand for ice cream, the market for Ice Cream Cabinets has huge opportunities to serve in the near future. A large proportion of ice cream is sold at small outlets worldwide where ice cream is displayed and stored in Ice Cream Cabinets Market. Ice Cream Cabinets use a small hermetically sealed compressor with temperature range from -18oC to -23oC. Request TOC of this Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1906 Ice Cream Cabinets Market Dynamics The Ice Cream Cabinets market is expected to grow at a good rate in the coming years. Increased demand of up gradation or replacement of Ice Cream Cabinets is expected to be a key growth driver for the Ice Cream Cabinets market. Many new forms of ice cream have been innovated in the recent years, such as ice creams made by using nitrogen gas, which need to be stored at very low stable temperatures that can be provided by using Ice Cream Cabinets. These points are expected to act as the growth driver for Ice Cream Cabinets market in the near future. Many other food items that need very low temperatures for storage, such as frozen yogurt and frozen food items are also stored in Ice Cream Cabinets, which is further expected to act as a demand driver for the Ice Cream Cabinets market. There has been an increase in the number of organized ice cream parlors around the world, which is also one of the growth drivers for the Ice Cream Cabinets. The failure of compressors used in Ice Cream Cabinets can render the product useless and spoil the contents inside the cabinet. This is expected to act as a growth restraint for the Ice Cream Cabinets market. Solar assisted Ice Cream Cabinets has been gaining traction in the market. Market Segmentation of Ice Cream Cabinets Market: Ice Cream Cabinets can be segmented on the basis of storage capacity, sneeze guard, utility and type. Ice Cream Cabinets can be segmented on the basis of volume storage capacity in cu. ft. from 2-7 cu. Ft, 8-13 cu. Ft, 14-20 cu. Ft, and 22-30 cu. Ft. On the basis of storage capacity Ice cream cabinets market can be segmented as 3-10 Cans, 12-20 Cans, 21-39 Cans and above. On the basis of sneeze guard Ice cream cabinets market can be segmented as curved sneeze guard, flat sneeze guard and no sneeze guard. On the basis of utility provided by the Ice Cream Cabinets, Ice cream cabinets can be segmented into, dipping cabinet, storage cabinet and merchandizing dipping cabinet To know more about the Ice Cream Cabinets Market Visit the link- https://www.factmr.com/report/1906/ice-cream-cabinets-market Regional Outlook for Ice Cream Cabinets Market North America is expected to drive the demand for the Ice Cream Cabinets market because of the extent of innovation in the ice cream industry and growth of the ice cream markets in the region. Europe and Latin America are also expected to follow the same demand pattern for Ice Cream Cabinets as North America. The growing demand for ice cream parlors and increase in the number of replacement and up gradation of current Ice Cream Cabinets is expected to drive the demand for Ice Cream Cabinets market during the forecast period in APEJ. Rising popularity of ice cream parlors and increasing consumption of ice cream on a regular basis has resulted in the necessity to increase the storage of the dessert, which is expected to aid in the surge in the Middle East and Africa region. Japan is also expected to support the growth of Ice Cream Cabinets market exponentially in the near future. Market Players in Ice Cream Cabinets Market The major market players in the ice cream cabinets market include Unilever, Standex International Corporation, Western commercial refrigeration, Avantco, and Master Bilt etc. The trends in the ice cream market are evolving day-by-day, and the Ice Cream Cabinets are expected to act as a platform for the growth in the near future. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the global ice cream cabinets market in the forecast period. Compilation of authentic and first-hand intelligence, insights offered in the report are based on quantitative and qualitative assessment by leading industry experts, and inputs from opinion leaders & industry participants around the value chain. Growth determinants, macroeconomic indicators, and parent market trends have been scrutinized and delivered, coupled with the market attractiveness for each market segment encompassed. Qualitative impact of growth influencers on the market segments across regions has also been mapped by the report. Request Brochure of this Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1906 About FactMR FactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us FactMR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ Read Industry News at - https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Oklahoma City, OK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- McRay Roofing and Exteriors is a top company in Oklahoma. It is well known for its efficiency and solutions to all the roofing needs.It prides itself in its work by being unique and having a passionate team thus providing quality materials to its clients.It has been a member of the Da Vinci Masterpiece Contractor Program, which is known to offer one of a kind roofing artwork with the use of polymer roofing tiles from Da Vinci Roofs Capes. The company's operational area is across Oklahoma. Jeff McRay, the company owner, said, "Mc Ray Roofing and Exterior offers unique services to its clients. They are ensuring Customer Copper Roofing Service which is hand-crafted with the idea of a personal touch to make a difference. Copper pieces add that special finishing touch to clients home or business.It offers diversity services which are unique and long lasting thus reliable in shaping homes. The firm makes available of their professional crews who have great expertise in installation and design. Their roofing services include storm services making client's life safe." It calls for patience and enough time each of our clients has enabling has to know their expectations from us. We customize the products of our clients to meet their needs. It gives them a sense of ownership in the products, knowing that a particular product is made in a unique way for them.it has taken has a new step by being claimed as caring and listening partners. Our clients have trust in us since we offer efficiency when it comes to roofing since we are the best in the market .If you have been wondering who is the best in commercial roofing contractors near me then consider McRay Roofing and Exteriors. Jeff McRay, the company owner further added, "The roofing company has been offering world-class roofing solutions for some time now gaining an edge of availing brilliance in every project subjected. They have the technical know-how to address any roofing challenges and note down their limitations. By this they stay on top of the evolving industry trends and are a sure bet for anyone looking to shape their home. Through our outstanding performance and uniqueness, we have been able to transform homes and building structures for our client's.We deliver top quality services. We can thus be relied upon in case of need." Oklahoma Roofing contractor is one of our principal concern in making sure our service reach to our concerned client without delay. Provision offered right from the word go. This is how we strive in providing the best. Our firm seems to offer the best roofing solutions without any challenges. Our experts have what it takes to work in attainment of the goals of our firm, in that they are experienced and can be reached out in case of an emergency. About McRay Roofing and Exteriors Jeff Mc Ray found Mc Ray Roofing and Exteriors. It has offered excellent roofing solutions across the city. The company's goal has always been to create a masterpiece of a roof for the clients; this is meant to bring out a good shape of a home. Contact information Company : Mc Ray Roofing and Exteriors. Address: 13412 Railway Dr Oklahoma City, OK 73114. Telephone: 1-405-692-4000. Email: admin@mcrayroofing.com Website:https://mcrayroofing.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, 'Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026.' According to the report, the global therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) market was valued at US$ 1,063.38 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2018 to 2026. Increase in indications of plasma exchange in chronic diseases, cost advantage of plasma exchange over other therapies in certain disorders, and favorable reimbursement scenario are the factors likely to drive the global therapeutic plasma exchange market from 2018 to 2026. Clinical applications of therapeutic plasma exchange are increasing rapidly in terms of scope and number. Plasma exchange is recommended as the first line of therapy in several chronic as well as acute diseases. Therapeutic plasma exchange is considered a promising method in some potentially fatal intoxication. In phalloid mushroom intoxication, plasma exchange was as effective as haemoperfusion in reducing mortality from as high as 30% to 50% with conventional therapy to less than 20%. Plasma exchange is highly effective in the treatment of life threatening intoxications with 4-cyclic (maprotyline) and tricyclic (amitriptyline) antidepressants. It is helpful in removing drugs such as L-thyroxine, diltiazem, verapamil, and carbamazepine from plasma. It has also been used to remove protein-bound heavy metals in plasma and phosphoroorganic intoxications. Request for Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=14072 The report offers detailed segmentation of the global therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) market based on disease indication and end-user. In terms of disease indication, the neurological disorders segment is anticipated to account for the largest market share, as most of the indications in ASFA guidelines in category I and II are for neurological disorders. Hospitals to Account for Major Share The hospitals segment is expected to account for the leading share of the market in 2026. The segment is likely to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Therapeutic plasma exchange is an inpatient treatment that can only be carried out under expert supervision. Moreover, the patient needs to be treated for more than three days depending on the medical condition. This requires significant infrastructure and spending. These factors can be attributed to the growth of the segment during the forecast period. Asia Pacific Market to Expand at Significant Pace Europe held a significant share of the global therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) market in terms of revenue in 2017. The developed health care infrastructure in the region has helped patients undergoing TPE in covering their expenditure. Most of the health care providers in countries such as Germany, the U.K, and France provide full or partial coverage of costs related to treatment, medication, physicians cost, and tests depending on the patient's insurance plan and income. Moreover, Europe is home to several key players, such as B. Braun Melsungen AG and Fresenius Kabi, who lead the therapeutic plasma exchange market. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14072 North America is expected to account for the second largest market share in terms of revenue during the forecast period. High diagnosis and treatment rates of diseases such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis in the region are expected to drive the market. Moreover, high awareness about latest health care technologies and higher purchasing power are anticipated to propel the therapeutic plasma exchange market in North America. Favorable reimbursement policies in the region also enable patients to avail the best of health care facilities. The therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a rapid pace, primarily due to improving health care infrastructure, rise in private and public investment in life science research, and technological advancements in countries such as China and India. Asahi Kasei Medical Co. Ltd., B. Braun Melsungen AG, and Fresenius Kabi AG to Lead Market The report also provides profiles of leading players operating in the global therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) market. These include Baxter International, Inc., Terumo Corporation, Kawasumi Laboratories, Inc., Haemonetics Corporation, Cerus Corporation, Hemacare Corporation, and Medica S.p.A. 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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- Global Thrombectomy Devices Market: Snapshot Globally, the number of people who have experienced a stroke or cerebrovascular accident has increased significantly. According to the data revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO), this accident is considered as the second leading cause of deaths. Adding to it, supportive reimbursement policies and the growing application of ultrasound in vascular treatment have provided a significant push in this market. Changing preference for minimally invasive surgeries and the acquisition of small specialized hospitals has also grown the demand in the thrombectomy devices market. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/thrombectomy-devices-market.html The global thrombectomy devices market is anticipated to rise at a steady 6.1% CAGR throughout the forecast tenure from 2017 to 2022. In 2017, the valuation of the thrombectomy devices market was US$1.47 bn and is expected to reach US$ 1.94 bn by the end of 2022. Growing Preference for Minimally Invasive Surgeries to Fuel Demand for Thrombectomy Devices The global thrombectomy devices market is categorized on the basis of product, application, and end use. The end-user segment is classified into ambulatory surgical centers, clinics, hospitals, and others. Among these, the demand for thrombectomy devices is high in hospitals. On the other hand, the demand for thrombectomy devices is growing constantly in the ambulatory surgical centers as they provide help on an immediate basis. Moreover, increasing need for miniaturized therapeutic devices and growing technological advancements for minimally invasive surgical techniques are also responsible for the growth of this segment. Based on product type, the market is segmented into mechanical, aspiration, ultrasonic, and hydrodynamic. The aspiration thrombectomy devices segment held 28.6% market share in 2017. This segment is likely to be the most profitable segment throughout the forecast tenure by rising at 4.4% CAGR between 2017 and 2022. In terms of revenue, this segment is likely to touch US$521.2 mn by the end of the tenure. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=30911 Thrombectomy devices are used to treat neurovascular, peripheral, and cardiovascular disorders. However, its application is largely seen in treating cardiovascular disorders. This is due to rising preference for minimally invasive surgeries and the growing number of geriatric population where the percentage of cardiac surgeries is high. Growing Healthcare Expenditure to Fuel Demand for Thrombectomy Devices in Asia Pacific On geographical front, the global thrombectomy devices market is segmented into South America, North America, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these regions, North America is expected to lead the market due to increasing adoption of advanced technology used for making thrombectomy devices. Rising demand for thrombectomy devices in North America is likely to rise at 6.4% of CAGR and reach a valuation of US$0.776 bn by the end of 2022. Additionally, developing healthcare infrastructure, rising number of clinical trials, and supportive reimbursement policies in this region has increased the demand in this market. On the other hand, the demand for thrombectomy devices is rising in Asia Pacific excluding Japan. As the use of thrombectomy devices is high in healthcare and growing healthcare expenditure is expected to boost demand in the thrombectomy devices market. Moreover, countries like Japan, China, and India have increased their healthcare expenditure, strengthening of distribution networks via collaborations, and growing awareness among surgeons about the benefits of using these devices is expected to benefit the market's growth. Request a Sample of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=30911 The global thrombectomy devices market could be fragmented in nature due to the presence of significant number of large and small players. Some of the key players of the market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Stryker Corporation, Argon Medical Devices Inc., Medtronic PLC, and Penumbra, Inc. leading players in the market are acquiring smaller players and focusing on innovating their products to get a firm hold in the market at the global level. 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 New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The latest market intelligence study on the Wearable Medical Device Market applies the best of both primary and secondary research techniques to bring to light the growth rate of the Wearable Medical Device Market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2025. The comprehensive study covers hard to find facts about the market landscape as well as its growth prospects in the years to come. Most importantly, the research report includes vital statistics about the major vendors occupying a strong foothold in this industry. Besides this, in order to calculate the market share, the study takes a closer look at the selling price of the product across different regions. Request for Sample Copy of Wearable Medical Device Market Report @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/14811 Scope of the Report: The researcher assessing the Wearable Medical Device Market dive deep to unearth intangible facts related to the key restraints, opportunities, and threats expected to shape the progress of the industry during the forecast period, 2019 - 2025. Significant evaluation of other factors such as demand and supply status, import and export, distribution channel, consumption volume, and production capability play a vital role in offering business owners, stakeholders and field marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the same space. All important data are presented in self-explanatory charts, tables and graphic images that can be incorporated into any business presentation. Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: Abbott Laboratories(USA), MC10(USA), Medtronic (Corventis)(USA), Insulet(USA), Gentag(USA), Kenzen(USA), Nemaura Medical (UK), Flex(Singapore), Proteus Digital Health (USA), Cardiac Insight (USA), UPRIGHT GO (USA), Lumo Bodytech (USA), Biotricity (USA), BloomLife Company (USA), Cardiomo (USA), ZANSORS, LLC (USA), Philips (Netherlands), LifeWatch (Switzerland), Omron (Japan), Sotera Wireless (USA), Intelesens Ltd (UK), Nuubo (Spain), VitalConnect (USA), Monica Healthcare (UK), IRhythm (USA), Chrono Therapeutics (USA) Market Segment by Type, covers: - Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices - Therapeutic Devices Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into: - Home Healthcare - Hospital - Others Buy Wearable Medical Device Market Report@ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/checkout/14811 The study explores in details about the recent trend fast gaining momentum in the Wearable Medical Device industry due to factors including but not limited to growing customer preference and a sudden rise in their spending capacity. Aspects attributed to the gross margin, profit, supply chain management and product value and their considerable impact on the development of the Wearable Medical Device Market during the forecast period, 2019 - 2025 is carefully scrutinized during the research. Estimating the potential size of the Wearable Medical Device industry: Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Wearable Medical Device industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user customers. Data on the entire size of the Wearable Medical Device Market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Wearable Medical Device industry for a specific product or service. Exploring growth rate over a period: Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated size of the Wearable Medical Device Market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2025? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period? - What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions? - Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Wearable Medical Device market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition? - What are the potential opportunities for the Wearable Medical Device Market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? Read More @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/14811/wearable-medical-device-market There are 14 Chapters to deeply display the global Wearable Medical Device market. Chapter 1 covers the Wearable Medical Device Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2019 and 2025; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2019 and 2026; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Personal Emergency Response System/Medical Alert System, for the period 2019- 2025; Continue About Market Growth Insight Market Growth Insight is a one stop solution for market research reports in various business categories. We are serving 100+ clients with 10000+ diverse industry reports and our reports are developed to simplify strategic decision making, on the basis of comprehensive and in-depth significant information, established through wide ranging analysis and latest industry trends. We are striving to provide the best customer friendly services and appropriate business information to accomplish your ideas. Contact 502, Sai Radhe, Kennedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune 411 001, Maharashtra, India Contact No- + 91 8956 049 020 Sales@marketgrowthinsight.com Website- https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com Follow Us:- LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook Time to abandon the Huawei phone? That was what some owners asked after US tech giant Google said it would suspend its business with China's top mobile maker, threatening future access to Gmail, YouTube and Chrome. Google said on Monday it would comply with an order by US President Donald Trump to stop supplying Huawei, meaning it would no longer be able to offer its popular Android apps to buyers of new Huawei phones. The order to US companies could affect tens of millions of consumers in Europe, its biggest market outside mainland China. "I was absolutely shocked," Luna Angellica, the Dutch owner of a new Huawei P smart+ contacted by Reuters in London, said after the Google news. She was already "considering saving up" for a rival model, she added. Trump's move, said to be motivated by spying concerns amid a bitter trade war with China, could at a single blow derail Huawei's ambitions to overtake Samsung as the world's biggest phone maker. "I like the phone so much - I'm just kinda scared one day I'll be forced to buy another phone," said Anthony Chiringa, who lives in Nairobi and bought his Huawei Y7 for $180 two weeks ago. "Buying a new phone to replace another one will be another expense for me. Rather Huawei should come up with a way whereby the current Huawei users can be able to replace their phones for free," he said. Emerging economies such as Kenya are key to Huawei's ambitions as it seeks to sell more low- to mid-priced handsets outside China. India, where Huawei now has only single-figure market share, is also potentially vital. "I was already in two minds about buying the phone," said Sumeet Lyallpuri, 46, a businessman in Mumbai who had been considering upgrading his existing Huawei to the brand's P30. "Now if Google updates are not available for Huawei phones, Google Play or apps such as YouTube are not there I wouldnt want to buy the phone at least for the time being," he said. Manish Khatri, the owner of a smartphone shop in Mumbai, India's financial hub, said some customers had been looking for Huawei phones. "Now with Google deciding to have a limited relationship with Huawei I will direct customers to other smartphones brands such as Samsung or Apple," he said. Users "Punished' Huawei said on Monday it would continue to provide security updates and services for its smartphones and tablets that have already been sold. And Google's team working on the Android operating system told Huawei users on its Twitter @Android account it would comply with US requirements while ensuring "services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device." Replies to the tweet ranged from frustration to worry. "So because of a US law, you actually punish millions of international users by banning them?" wrote Andreas Benjaminsen, who described himself as an open source enthusiast on @photolsen account. Twitter user Ania K. wrote on @kuleczka1983: "I am very worried ... I'm the owner of a P30 Pro". Neither user could immediately be reached for comment. Operators, who tie phones into their networks with mobile line contracts for calls and data, were also racing to determine the impact on their businesses from Google's decision. "We are reviewing the details of the executive order to understand any potential implications for our customers," Spain's Telefonica, Europe's third largest mobile operator. Hutchison's British network operator Three told customers that Huawei's routers and devices would continue working, but also said it was seeking further information. "We are in discussions with Huawei and will provide a further update as soon as we can," the firm said in statement. Huawei, which is also the global leader in telecoms networking equipment, is embroiled in a long-running row with the United States over the security of its systems and devices. The US administration has said Huawei equipment could be used by China for espionage and Washington has pressed its allies to use other suppliers. Huawei denies the US charges. Huawei's founder and chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, had said before Google's announcement on Saturday that growth of the Chinese tech giant "may slow, but only slightly" due to recent US actions. Search Keywords: Short link: Commodities trader Noble Group will supply a single liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to Egypt in late June after winning a closed tender launched two weeks ago, trade sources said. Egypt launched the tender to procure one additional LNG cargo this month but invited only Vitol, Trafigura and Noble Group, one of the sources said. Search Keywords: Short link: Alfa Laval now offers PureBallast 3 crew training courses at dedicated centres in Houston, Manila and Mumbai. These strategically located sites complement Alfa Lavals state-of-the-art facility in Stockholm, forming a network of training locations to serve customers worldwide. Training is integral to success in ballast water treatment, says Anders Lindmark, Head of Alfa Laval PureBallast. Marine authorities have made clear that a lack of crew knowledge is not a valid reason for non-compliance. So Alfa Laval is making convenient courses available where our customers do business. No matter which site they choose, customers can expect well-equipped facilities that are modern and purpose-designed. Likewise, they will encounter knowledgeable and experienced instructors, ready to share insights and best practices developed over years of hands-on work with ballast water treatment. The right training mix Lindmark points out that training is more than a matter of system knowledge. PureBallast 3 is designed for ease of use, which means crews can quickly learn its operation and maintenance, he says. However, ballast water treatment is still a relatively new application. For crew members to get it right, they need to understand not only how, but also why and when the ballast water treatment system should be used. Likewise, Lindmark notes that a range of training forms is needed. Individual crew members have different ways in which they learn best, and there are different advantages to each training situation, he says. Just as our open courses provide a balance between instruction and hands-on work, customers should consider using a mix of different training options within their fleet. Going beyond the classroom In Alfa Lavals training offering for PureBallast 3, customers will find a range of training types. These including training on board, for example at the time of commissioning. Onboard training has the advantage of letting crews work with their own system setup, including the specific ballast pumps and vessel control system in use. Of course, crews frequently rotate, which means ship owners and operators can have difficulty training everyone on board or keeping crew knowledge fresh and up to date. To provide ongoing support, Alfa Laval also offers digital training in the form of PureBallast 3 Computer-Based Training (CBT). PureBallast 3 CBT is a complement to face-to-face training that customers use in different ways, says Lindmark. For crew members who have yet to be trained, it can lay valuable groundwork for understanding. And for customers already familiar with PureBallast 3 operation, it can serve as a reference to keep their knowledge sharp. By providing numerous PureBallast 3 training options at training centres, on board and on screen we make it possible for customers to find the mix that best supports their own operations and compliance, Lindmark concludes. To learn more about Alfa Laval PureBallast 3 training options, visit www.alfalaval.com/service-and-support/service-overview/support-services/training/marine-training/training-for-pureballast/ Press Release May 20, 2019 Gordon wants victory of narco-politicians probed Senator Richard J. Gordon wants an investigation into the victory of 26 out of 35 candidates who ran for various positions in different provinces and municipalities, despite their inclusion in President Rodrigo R. Duterte's narco-list, since there were massive, flagrant and scandalous vote-buying in these areas. Gordon said an extensive investigation should be conducted by different agencies such as the Commission on Elections, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the National Bureau of Investigations and the Philippine National Police. "While vote-buying may have become commonplace to some people, the inordinate, flagrant and scandalous vote-buying in areas where the narco-politicians won must be investigated. A lot of vote-buying occurred and there are affidavits to show that. Where there are massive vote-buying, cash was used. And because so many thousands of pesos were distributed, AMLC should look into that. The BIR should look into their capability, the Comelec should investigate, and the police should also investigate," he said. Gordon said the AMLC should determine if there were large-scale withdrawals from banks and who withdrew money on those days, so that charges could be filed. Otherwise, he added, the strategic areas where the narco-politicians won that are conducive to drug smuggling, could become part of a drug cartel just like the Cali Cartel, a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, which had military, political and legal connections. The senator pointed out that the narco-politicians also fielded other family members to various positions, to have the influence to ensure their protection from harassment. They also forged alliances with local candidates who were also just as desperate to win to protect their graft and corrupt practices. In the case of Zambales, a province with a 272 kilometer coastline which is right next to Scarborough Shoals and near China where lots of smuggled drugs originate from, there was rampant vote-buying from Subic to Sta. Cruz and Olongapo City. The Khonghun's, who were among those named by the President as narco-politicians, engaged in massive vote-buying in Zambales to ensure their victory. They bagged four positions, aside from the local candidates they supported in various municipalities and city who also won. "It is obviously an attempt by the narco-politicians to save themselves by getting positions. They now hold sway over these areas. Now, these people have proven that with just money, they can win, they can buy the Comelec, they can buy votes. I have never seen anything like it in my life, and I blew the whistle on it, four days before the elections. It is dangerous for us now because Zambales is a coastline province right next to Scarborough Shoals. It would be so easy to bring in drugs," he deplored. It can be recalled that Zambales First District Representative Jeffrey Khonghun and his son Mayor Jefferson Khonghun were included in the President's narco-list after a floating shabu laboratory was raided in Subic, Zambales where the younger Khonghun was mayor. Senate oks Sept 8 as special working holiday in celebration of Mama Mary's birth The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to declare September 8 as a special working holiday to commemorate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. House Bill No. 7856, otherwise known as An Act Declaring September 8 of Every Year a Special Working Holiday in the Entire Country to Commemorate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was approved with 19 affirmative votes, zero negative vote and no abstention. The measure was authored by Representatives Rodolfo Farinas, Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Joseph Stephen Paudano, Emi Calixto-Rubiano and Gus Tambunting. In 2017, President Rodrigo Dueterte signed Republic Act 10966 declaring Dec. 8 a special non-working holiday to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A pre-dominantly Catholic country, the Philippines celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception which is also a holy day of obligation. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the belief that Mary was born without sin and that God chose her to be Jesus'mother. A 2-year-old Guatemalan boy apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border died Tuesday night in El Paso after several weeks in the hospital, according to the Guatemalan Consulate and another person with direct knowledge of the case. ...The boy [who was not identified and who arrived at the border with his mother] is the fourth migrant child to die since December after being apprehended at the southern border and taken to the hospital. All have been from Guatemala, a Central American nation experiencing severe drought and poverty, and where smugglers have been offering discounted trips to families traveling to the United States. ...The Washington Post confirmed the death with two sources, including Guatemala's Consul Tekandi Paniagua, who covers the El Paso area. Another source confirmed the death on the condition of anonymity. Paniagua said the boy, who had spent three days in federal custody, appeared to have developed a form of pneumonia, but the death remains under investigation. The El Paso medical examiner's office and the hospital declined to comment. CBP officials are required to notify Congress of a death in custody within 24 hours, and it was not immediately clear whether officials would do that when The Washington Post inquired about the death because the boy had been released from custody. Later, an official said they would notify lawmakers. NEW: A 16 year old Guatemalan immigrant died this morning in a Border Patrol station in the Rio Grande Valley, according to Customs and Border Protection. He was detained on May 13th for processing and was found dead during a welfare check this morning. Cause of death unknown. Zolan Kanno-Youngs (@KannoYoungs) May 20, 2019 [Content Note: Nativism; child abuse; death.]Following the deaths of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin , 8-year-old Felipe Alonzo-Gomez , and 16-year-old Juan de Leon Gutierrez while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a fourth child has now died following a stint in CBP custody.Maria Sacchetti and Robert Moore at the Washington Post report This case is additionally troubling because, once the boy's mother alerted officials that her son was sick after three days in custody, CBP took him to a hospital but then, two days later, "federal officials formally released the family from Border Protection custody with a 'notice to appear' in immigration court."It certainly appears that CBP quickly processed the family out of the system in order to avoid mandated reporting if the child died. Which he did.And now we must wonder how many other families are expedited out of detention because they have sick children for whom CBP doesn't want to be accountable, despite repeated reports of squalid conditions that may facilitate the spread of disease among detainees, a situation in which children are particularly vulnerable. This is not "a blank page in between chapters of American history." It is a page on which we are writing the names of dead children, and questions about how many more there might be about whom we don't even know.My sincerest condolences to this boy's family. I am so sorry.And a fifth child died this morning.That is the fifth childSob. UK's Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Andrew Murrison heaped praise on the notable progress achieved by Egypt's macroeconomic indicators throughout the past period. Such an improvement is a good indicator of Egypt's promising future in the region, the newly-appointed minister said during his meeting with Egyptian Ambassador in London Tarek Adel on Monday. The UK is keen on boosting cooperation with Egypt in all domains, Murrison said. He also underscored his deep appreciation of the Egyptian history and culture, expressing hope to pay a visit to Cairo shortly. Ambassador Adel, meanwhile, congratulated the minister on assuming his new post and expressed eagerness for stronger cooperation to further foster relations between the two countries in a way that meets mutual interests. Bilateral relations alongside the latest developments of a set of Middle East issues figured high during the meeting Search Keywords: Short link: Inland Revenue Commissioner Naomi Ferguson should have asked the courts for twice as much as it was awarded earlier this month against Eric Watsons Cullen Group, according to a University of Auckland law professor. The High Court ordered Cullen to pay non-resident withholding tax of $51.5 million plus interest of $60.5 million and as yet unquantified penalties. Cullen is appealing that decision. Watson-controlled Cayman Island-based trusts had paid only 2 percent in tax under the Approved Issuer Levy, a tax regime aimed at encouraging foreigners to lend more to New Zealanders. But rather than identifying the unpaid tax as tax on interest, IRD should have treated Cullens tax avoidance scheme as designed to avoid income tax, says Professor Michael Littlewood. The commissioner is to be congratulated on her victory and one hesitates to criticise a litigation strategy that has proved successful, Littlewood says in a paper on the case. The aim of this brief article, however, is to suggest that the aim of the scheme was actually to reduce the taxpayers liability to tax not by $51.5 million but by about $103 million, Littlewood says. While its too late for the Cullen case, the issue is worth addressing because it has arisen in other cases in the past," he says. "It will almost certainly arise again in the future and there is every reason to suppose that significant public revenues are consequently at risk. In the words of Justice Matthew Palmer of the Auckland High Court, Watson used a web of entities to avoid paying tax after moving to Britain in 2002. They were set up by his advisor, Campbell Rose, then a tax partner at Russell McVeagh and from 2012 a tax partner at Deloitte. The entities included the Cayman Islands-registered Modena and Mayfair Trusts, River Group, Tower Trust, Elizabeth Equities and The Valley Trust. Using these entities, Watsons equity in Cullen Investments was converted into debt of $291 million loaned to Cullen Group which then paid 16 percent interest on those loans to the Modena and Mayfair Trusts. Justice Palmer noted that Cullen Investments had told third-party financiers in 2002 that the change is an internal reorganisation and has no practical effect on the control of Cullen and its group of companies. While IRD had argued that these arrangements had avoided non-resident withholding tax - NRWT - on the loans, the commissioners analysis seems wrong or, at best, misleading, for the key to understanding the case is that the taypayers aim was not to escape NRWT, charged at 15 percent, but to escape income tax, charged on companies at 28 percent, Littlewood argues. IRD says it cant comment because the matter is still before the courts and because it has to follow tax secrecy rules. However, Tori Sullivan, NZ Law and Tax Controversy Leader at accounting firm EY, says there are many ways of skinning a cat and that IRD was probably wanting to avoid time bars and that it couldnt have gone back as far if it had pursued unpaid income tax. Littlewoods view of the case is understandable from an academic perspective. I can see what his point is, but theres a whole lot of other factors you have to take into account, Sullivan says. The problem is it could cause problems from a time bar perspective if the IRD had gone after unpaid income tax. Income tax would have been time-barred and you couldnt have gone back as far. Littlewood acknowledges that "perhaps there was some procedural obstacle, such as the time bar" that explains why IRD didn't pursue unpaid income tax. But if IRD has lost so much money because of procedural problems, it seems likely that the explanation is either the legislation is deficient or that the commissioners resources are inadequate," he says. "Either the law should be amended or the commissioners budget should be increased. Littlewood says New Zealands tax professionals are likely to find objectionable much of his arguments and to argue that the law should be interpreted to produce a less harsh result. He quotes Lord Wilfred Greene in a 1942 tax case: It scarcely lies in the mouth of the taypayer who plays with fire to complain of burnt fingers." Nothing has changed since, LIttlewood says (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 Hamleys has over 250 years of history of being the oldest and largest toy shop with 167 stores across 18 countries. In India, Reliance is the master franchise for Hamleys and currently operates 88 stores across 29 cities. Mumbai: Reliance Brands has signed a definitive agreement with Hong Kong-listed C Banner International Holdings to acquire 100 per cent shares of Hamleys Global Holdings, the owner of Hamleys brand. "The worldwide acquisition of iconic Hamleys brand and business places Reliance into the frontline of global retail," said Darshan Mehta, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Brands, a subsidiary of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries. Mehta said Reliance Brands has built a significant and profitable business in toy retailing over the past few years under the Hamleys brand. The 250-year-old English toy retailer pioneered the concept of experiential retailing, decades before the concept of creating unique experiences in brick and mortar retailing became the new global norm. "Personally, it is a long-cherished dream come true," said Mehta in a statement issued late evening on Thursday. Hamleys flagship Regent Street London store is set over seven floors with more than 50,000 toys on sale. It attracts over 50 lakh visitors each year. Reliance Industries is a 120 billion dollar (about Rs 8.4 lakh crore) market cap conglomerate with the world's biggest single-location crude oil refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat. It plans to gradually leverage its Jio telecom venture and get into fast-expanding e-commerce besides consumer-facing retails stores. Reliance Brands currently operates more than 420 stores and 350 shop-in-shops in the country. The initiative is planned to produce 12 films a year to be screened in various cities and villages across the countrys governorates at affordable ticket prices The Egyptian Cinema Syndicate, under the helm of Mosad Fouda, has signed a cooperation protocol with Waey NGO, led by Tamer El-Shehawy, to boost an initiative titled 'Baheb El-Cima' launched by director Sameh Mostafa, CEO and founder of a company of the same name. The project, which aims to develop Egyptian cinema production, is planned to produce 12 films a year to be screened in various cities and villages across the countrys governorates at affordable ticket prices. "This initiative, which I started developing four years ago, needs state participation to build a cinema industry that fulfills the ambitions of the people to create work opportunities for the youth and to shed light on new talents," Mostafa was quoted as saying by Al-Ahram Arabic new website. El-Shehawy, who is also a former military general, says he considers the idea a "national project that promotes society's ethics and values across different social classes in light of the political leadership's serious encouragement of the development of Egyptian [film] production to bring it back to its leading role in the region." Last week, a similar project, under the name 'Cima Masr', was launched by another NGO; the Egyptian Foundation for Strategic Studies & Research (EFSSR), with whom director Mostafa had previously worked. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: The winners of the third edition include films from 5 different Arab countries, topped by the Egyptian film Yomeddine The Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) has announced the winners of its third Annual Critics Awards during a ceremony held on the sidelines of the current Cannes festival. The winners are from five different Arab countries and were selected by 75 film critics from 34 countries. The awards are given to feature and documentary films that premiered at international film festivals outside of the Arab world during 2018, and at least one of the production companies must be Arab. The Best Film Award went to Yomeddine by Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky, while Nadine Labaki won best director for her Lebanese film Capernaum. The award for Best Documentary went to Of Fathers and Sons by Syrian director Talal Derki. The Moroccan film Sofia won two awards; best screenplay for Meryem Benm'Barek and best actress for Maha Alemi. Tunisian Mohamed Dhrif won the Best Actor Award for his role in Weldi. The ACC also presented its Achievement Award for Film Critics to Lebanese Film Critic Ibrahim Al-Ariss and American Film Critic Deborah Young, through which the ACC honours Arab and international film critics who have a great impact on the Arab film industry. "The winners of this year's edition of the Annual Critics Awards show diversity that reflects the growing Arab film industry in the past few years, which explains the huge Arab presence in most of the competitions of this year's Cannes Film Festival. This is an indication that the development curve is on the rise," Alaa Karkouti, film analyst, co-founder of the ACC and CEO of MAD Solutions, said in a press release. The Annual Critics Awards was launched three years ago on the margins of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, organised by MAD Solutions and the ACC, a non-profit organisation and an international promotional platform for Arab cinema. Search Keywords: Short link: Judicial sources affirmed on Monday that the Egyptian prosecutor-generals office has issued a decision to release a number of detainees accused of joining a banned group, disrupting public peace and security and spreading false news. The detainees include former diplomat Maasoum Marzouk, economic researcher Raed Salama, academic and geologist Yahya El-Qazzaz and political activist Nermin Hussein. An official security source said that the decision comes in response to pleas by right groups and families of the detainees calling for their release after coordination between security services and the prosecution, which has acquitted the defendants of the charges against them. The source indicated that the detainees will be released within hours. Search Keywords: Short link: Im seriously not a spontaneous person especially when it comes to planning trips everything is sketched out months in advance, booked and spreadsheeted to avoid FOMO and not being able to get sought after reservations. But Mr S suggested I come to Switzerland to meet him as he finished his ski trip for us to have a special Easter weekend together hmmm SwitzerlandEaster chocolateit did all add up quite nicely. I booked flights to Geneva on Wednesday, the hotel on Thursday and I headed on a solo trip to the airport on Friday if you watch me on Instagram Stories youll know our first hotel wasnt exactly as I expected it to be and we made the decision to leave after a one night And Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva was booked the next morning, an hour before we arrive. I mean how much spontaneity can this Type A personality truly take? Anyway, it turned out to be 100% the right decision because as soon as walked into Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, I was truly taken by the place. As a truly dedicated Floralista how could I not be taken by a lobby filled with such magnificent flowers and add to that marble floors, proud duck egg blue pillars, gilt trimmings and dripping chandeliers it is simply the height of elegance. Utterly lavish yet totally tasteful. Dating back to 1834 with a solid 180 years of history, the hotel was actually the very first luxury hotel in Geneva and it was in 2005 after a meticulous restoration that this grand dame reopened as a Four Seasons property. Perfectly placed right on Lake Geneva, its also only a short walk across the bridge to the elegant shops and restaurants of Geneva. We booked into an entry level standard room but despite our very late booking, my travel agent got us a free upgrade to a junior suite. The 115 rooms and suites at the hotel have been designed by renowned French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon who has created a gorgeously soft colour palette with just a touch of French decadence. The spacious room was the perfect place to relax after exploring for the day and had everything you need such as tea and coffee making facilities, packed mini bar, and iPod station. Particularly useful was the subtle leather box by the bed that contained USB ports for phone charging. Its a real bug bear of mine when a hotel doesnt have a socket by the bed. The hotel had left us with a gorgeous array of treats, fresh flowers, stunning cakes from the pastry chef But for me, best of all was this mock-up magazine cover using the image from my Instagram feed that Id used to announce my pregnancy, I thought it showed incredible attention to detail, especially bearing in mind that wed literally booked this hotel an hour before arriving. And for those wondering, this wasnt a press stay, I hadnt even had contact with the hotel, but my agent must have told them I was Instagram 0bsessed! More lovely little touches came in the form of a hand crafted Easter egg left in our room to celebrate the weekends festivities. The room had two gorgeous balconies looking out to Lake Geneva and the fringe of the alps and we could watch the swans gently gliding past. A spacious, marble-clad bathroom with deep soaking bath and Bulgari products finished off the space perfectly. Every public space is sheer gorgeousness and I totally fell in love withe the blue and white porcelain tones of this lounge that can be found adjacent to the foyer also filled with beautiful pink flowers And best of all this huge sculpture made entirely of chocolate as well as help-yourself chocolate eggs! There was also a jewellery shop, where they positively encouraged me to try on their most expensive pieces. Also on the ground floor is iconic Le Bar de Bergues which also boasts Best Bartender in Switzerland 2016, Sophie Larrouture. The interiors are absolutely gorgeous with cosy wood paneling and navy and gold colourways but the bar also has a stunning terrace for alfresco dining and drinking As the hotel is located right on the bank of Lake Geneva, guests are treated to a view looking out across the view. Though unfortunately, building works at the time of our stay obstructed the view but didnt stop us enjoying the gorgeous Swiss sun. One day we stopped for a snack and had the most amazing high quality Balik smoked salmon, whilst Mr S chose a chocolate hen from an ample display of incredible patisseries. Another time we came back for spaghetti for lunch, and while I was very impressed by the food, I was even more impressed by the silver service. All we had was a main course but the whole thing was given a fine dining treatment with an amuse bouche, petite fours and the whole shabang. Opposite the bar is the hotels signature restaurant Il Lago, where a beautiful buffet breakfast of fresh fruit, cereal, breads and charcuterie is served. You can also order a la carte with plenty of options for sweet treats, classics like smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, or healthy set menus such as a Japanese breakfast or Alpine. When I mentioned my pregnancy and the need to have my eggs well cooked, they presented me with this With the swan being reminiscent of the Lakes inhabitants honestly Ive rarely seen a hotel gift so thoughtfuland I had to smile at the thought 0f the kitchen sourcing the swan! Else where there were lots of little touches for Easter, including a resident Easter bunny! By lunch time and in the evening, Il Lago is Genevas most glamorous Italian restaurant, having been awarded one-Michelin star and presided over by native Italian, Chef Sena. Il Lago is just sheer romance and the food is utterly exceptional too. Just outside the hotel is a luxury French bakery Laduree, which is worth a stop for the gorgeous design alone. I mean, does it get more Instagrammable than pink sofa, mint walls and gold fittings. Wes Anderson eat your heart out! And if this particular design does look familiar, its because its by India Mahdavi who designed the family gallery at sketch in London. Its not inside the hotel but its part of the complex and a great stop off for macarons, cakes, coffee and hot chocolate. But thats not where the dining options end, up on the roof, and probably my favourite of all the restaurants we visited is Izumi. The Nikkei restaurant has a gorgeous dining room space but during the summer months, prime position is outside with a panoramic view of the city. Not only was the food great, but the place had a lovely buzzy vibe! Though I was very jealous of Mr Ss champagne and sashimi as I dined on padron peppers, salad and well cooked prawns and sea bass. Also up on the roof is the Mont Blanc Spa, though despite having spa credit we didnt get a chance to book treatments as our stay was so last minute. Theres a gorgeous rooftop pool, fitness centre, hair salon, hammam and steam room and you can book in for a facial massage and body wrap. Some of the treatments use the very best in Swiss skincare for example Haute Couture Skincare by Dr Pauline Burgener. I was lucky enough to meet Dr Burgener herself at an event at Four Seasons Ten Trinity in London, so I was already aware of her skincare. Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva really is a beautiful hotel through and through and where it really stands out is the incredible attention to detail and personal treatment to guests. We tried every restaurant at the hotel and each was truly excellent both in terms of food quality and service and simply flawless place. PIN FOR LATER: Page Content Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Stuart Johnson said the interests shown in the regional tradeshow demonstrates the importance of the event to the service in the region and internationally. SMART offers a unique setting in which useful information can be had by attendees to help them profile the destination. The organizers behind SMART are LAssociation des Hoteliers de Saint Martin, the Saint Martin Tourism Office, the Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau, and the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA). SMART will be held from May 21 to 23 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa Convention Center. The SMART 17th Edition will host visitors from Anguilla, Antigua, the Bahamas, Belgium, Bonaire, Canada, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France, Guadeloupe, Italy, Montserrat, the Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Barths, St. Eustatius, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, St. Kitts, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Tourism and travel form the economic foundation of many of the islands in the Caribbean. We all have the interest to promote our destinations. Inter-regional travel is just as necessary as international tourism and travel. The travel and tourism trade have changed due to technological developments where travelers can access information with their fingertips through the world-wide-web and mobile apps. SMART will allow all those who are attending to learn from each other about travel trade trends and destination developments. It will enable businesses to create new partnerships through networking. We on St. Maarten/Saint Martin look forward to welcoming the visitors to SMART, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Friday. SMART is hosted annually by the tourism authorities of both sides of the island. Considered the most popular trade show in the Northeastern Caribbean, the three-day event offers attendees workshops, masterclasses, mystery dinners, pre-scheduled appointment sessions, activities and festivities. SMART brings together wholesalers and tour operators who conduct business with suppliers of the North and Eastern Caribbean tourism industry. PHOTO: Minister Stuart Johnson. More than 100 organizations in the Hospitality Industry has registered to attend the 17th Edition of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART) which will be held at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa next week. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AGAriana Grande has a song called NASA on her latest album thank u, next, so its only fitting that she got to pay a visit to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas this weekend. She posted a series of videos from her experience on Instagram, showing her trying on an astronaut suit, riding in a roving vehicle and autographing a piece of NASA equipment. She even got to video chat with astronauts on the International Space Station. Thank you for the coolest day of my life @nasa, she wrote. My mind is still processing and devouring every second of what just happened but I cant wait to share more. She added, What a special day and experience. Thank you so so so so much for your generosity and for showing my friends n I around. NASA and the NASA Johnson Space Center also posted a photo of Ariana's visit to their Instagram Stories, along with a play on her NASA song lyrics: "It's like you're the universe and we're N-A-S-A." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Religion should heal our collective and individual wounds by binding us and others. by Zulkifli Nazim Quote: And say: Truth has now arrived, and Falsehood has perished: for Falsehood by its very own nature is bound to perish." Unquote Holy Quran : Chapter 17 Verse 81. Every discussion, debate and discourse that we see and hear over the audio visual and print media, members of the priesthood of various religions and the educated and knowledgeable layman belonging to various communities including the Muslim community, were pointing their fingers at the All-Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama as to why they have not come out as a body, to proclaim and declare that the Niqab/Burqah, must be banned by law why are they silent on this issue, after all this Niqab and Burqah does not constitute part of the religion of Islam. What some of the representatives of the ACJU did was, appealing to the Muslim women not to wear the full face veil, which is actually adding insult to injury. That observation is indeed commendable and praiseworthy. The Truth: The Prophet of Islam conveyed to his followers: When your women folk go out of their homes, make certain that the public recognize them as to whose wife she is, whose mother she is, whose daughter she is and whose sister she is; in order that they may not be molested or harmed. What unparalleled guidance !! This is in addition to the Quranic injunction that they can expose "what must ordinarily appear thereof". A popular interpretation by esteemed and reputed exegetes of this phraseology is, that women are permitted to expose body parts that are necessary for day-to-day tasks. This is usually taken to be the face and the hands. Intelligent, rational and coherent interpretation, which is totally in line with the Quran and the Tradition of the Prophet of Islam. Why was this truth suppressed by this institution - Jamiathul Ulama? This suppression is certainly, due to a narcissistic personality disorder which is closely associated with personality characteristic in which the Religious Leaders see themselves and their interests and opinions, as the only ones that really matter. It is indeed a matter of pride for them. And this trait and mental attitude is imbibed and assimilated in the majority of those who call themselves Ulama , copiously and profusely. The age-old English adage Pride comes before a fall is absolutely true and indisputable, in this current scenario. We think it is time that the majority of those Religious Leaders - the Ulama - get off their high horse and be realistic and know that Islam is a progressive religion. Islam is not something to be stuck with some ancient barbaric tribal practices, which has nothing to do with us. It is clearly understandable why very few Muslims follow these tasteless and garish practices. Most of their mosques and preachers are funded by the radical Saudi regime, and it would be difficult for the common moderate Muslim or even some of the Ulama to raise their voices against them. The religious leaders must know for a fact that recognizing unity in diversity in todays world is inevitable, irrespective of, race, religion, caste or creed. These religious leaders have a major part to play the Ulama must take upon themselves, to stamp out extremism and willingly leave their own comfort zone and be genuinely be comfortable with people from diverse backgrounds. To do just that, their duty is to ingrain and instill in individuals to creatively respond to life's challenges while leading lives of gratitude and acceptance. They, the Ulama should do this through actively reorienting their minds as well as the mindset of their followers from selfish pursuits that generate suffering in ourselves and others, to more wholesome actions of giving, discipline, patience, generating vital energy, contemplation and ultimately the pursuit of wisdom. Religion should heal our collective and individual wounds by binding us and others. When we fail to be tolerant of others, we fail absolutely. The time is ripe for the religious leaders to make known that Religion provides moral codes, brings meaning to our lives, answers our yearning questions and sustains us through challenges. The worlds great faiths - those ligatures to the Divine, speak to the collective good of society. They offer us a code of conduct and moral compass for living, help us exult in profound human love, and strengthen us against hatred, hostility, aggressiveness, enmity and profound human loss. It will be pertinent for me to quote at this juncture - Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spirituality scholar. He said that : The role of religion in larger society should be, that if you set up a church, mosque, synagogue, sweat lodge, etc. then you shall be responsible for the upkeep of the surrounding community in which you occupybetter yet, be responsible and accountable for a community outside of your particular agency, social circles, economic periphery, and belief system. Therefore it becomes a moral obligation on the religious leaders to emphasize that the role of religion should be to establish unity and concord among the people and religion should not be the cause of dissension and strife; but assist in the development and welfare of the country, assist in the tranquility of the people and bring about the much needed peace for all. To achieve the unity and harmony that the world so desperately needs, religion should have us, love each other - expressed in not just in words but in deeds, be the means for engendering and influencing fellowship and light up the world with happiness with obedience to the laws of the country where we have been granted sanctuary. Lastly a quote from Professor Mark W. Muesse of Rhodes College: It is important to accept the fact that Confucius, Lord Buddha, Jesus, and Muhummed were teaching different visions of the ultimate reality leading to different ways of being genuinely human. All four sages indicate that satisfaction or happiness lies at the end of the path for those who practice the way of the noble life. Yet they are equally clear in telling us the noble life is no easy path. Today, we are more likely to be taught to pursue excellence. Nobility involves excelling, but it also involves discerning which pursuits are worth the effort. Police end Greenpeace blockade of BP HQ London, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 London police said Monday they had detained all 10 Greenpeace activists who had blocked the entrances to BP's global headquarters to convince the British energy giant to halt oil and gas exploration. The environmental organisation encased activists in five heavy containers that were manoeuvred into place during the night. Abseilers also set about installing a banner spelling out "climate emergency" on the building's windows. The protest came ahead of BP's annual general meeting in Aberdeen, Scotland, on Tuesday. Greenpeace wants BP to switch to purely renewable energy or close its operations. "BP is fuelling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and the future of the living world," said container occupant Paul Morozzo. "We must stop searching for new oil and gas if we want a liveable planet. BP must clean up or clear out." Six abseilers could be seen on the outside of the building in plush St. James's Square on Monday afternoon, while a couple of activists sat on top of two containers outside the the main doors. The containers were decorated with a brick effect covering and images from photographer Gideon Mendel's "Drowning World" project. The boxes, with two activists in each, had food, drink, toilets, lights, books and games inside. - 'No future in oil' - "We welcome discussion, debate, even peaceful protest on the important matter of how we must all work together to address the climate challenge," a BP spokeswoman told AFP. "But impeding safe entry and exit from an office building in this way is dangerous and clearly a matter for the police to resolve as swiftly as possible." London's Metropolitan Police, who initially made four arrests, said all 10 protesters had been detained by late Monday. "There are no protestors left at the scene although police maintain a presence at the location," the police said in a statement. The stunt came a month after the Extinction Rebellion climate protests brought parts of central London to a halt. "We're seeing it as part of the same wave of campaigning and activism right now because people are very concerned about the climate emergency," Greenpeace campaigner Morten Thaysen told AFP at the police cordon. "There isn't a future in oil. The company has two choices: to go 100 percent renewable or to start winding down the business. All the oil companies need to go in this direction," Thaysen said. "We don't have the luxury to wait around for them to make these decisions by themselves. The transition needs to start now." rjm/zak/bmm Russia air strikes kill 10 civilians in northwest Syria: monitor Kafranbel, Syria, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia have killed 10 civilians including five children in a northwestern jihadist bastion, a monitor said Monday, hours after Moscow announced a ceasefire there. The Russian army said the air raids overnight on the town of Kafranbel, in Idlib province, came after it pinpointed the area as the launchpad for rocket fire on its key Syria airbase of Hmeimim. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, controls a large part of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. The jihadist stronghold is supposed to be protected from a government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but regime and Russian bombardment has increased there since late April. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian air strikes overnight killed five children, four women, and one man in Kafranbel. The raids hit near a hospital in the town, knocking it out of service, the Britain-based monitor said. An AFP correspondent saw five homes on the edges on the town that were destroyed or damaged after the strikes. Survivors picked through the debris to save the belongings they could, the reporter said, while a young man covered in dust from head to toe leant against a wall, shell-shocked after his father was killed. Umm Wasel narrowly missed the air strike on her home after relatives invited her over to break her daily fast of the Islamic month of Ramadan with them. "I came back at night to find my home devastated," said the 72-year-old, dressed in a long red robe and a black scarf covering her hair. People "had thought I was under the rubble", she said. - Children killed at school - The Observatory said six other civilians also died in bombardment by regime forces in other parts of the Idlib region on Sunday. Fighting raged in the north of Hama province between loyalists and jihadists early Monday, the Observatory said, after relative respite in bombardment over the past three days. Russian aeroplanes pounded the south of Idlib province, while government aircraft targeted the north of Hama province with machine guns, missiles, and crude barrel bombs, the monitoring group added. Save the Children said 38 children had been killed in shelling in northwest Syria since April 1, including nine at school, seven at the market and one in hospital. "Schools, hospitals and other vital civilian infrastructure must be protected from attack," the charity's Syria director Sonia Khush said. "Children are particularly vulnerable to the impact of explosive weapons, and warring parties should make a particular effort to protect them," she said. The deadly Russian air strikes come after Moscow on Sunday said Syrian armed forces had "unilaterally ceased fire in the Idlib de-escalation zone" from May 18 at midnight, but that fire of loyalists had continued. Russia and rebel ally Turkey inked a buffer zone deal to protect the Idlib region of some three million people in September, but regime fire has increased there since HTS took control in January. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government protests. Beijing denounces US warship sail-by in South China Sea Beijing, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 China on Monday denounced a US warship sail-by near disputed islands in the South China Sea as a violation of its sovereignty, amid mounting tensions over trade between the two countries. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) organised air and naval forces to warn the USS Preble to leave, said a PLA spokesman, after it entered waters near China-claimed Scarborough Shoal on Monday morning. "The relevant actions from the US side endanger the safety of both Chinese and American ships and personnel, and undermine China's sovereignty and safety," said Li Huamin, spokesman of the PLA's Southern Theatre Command. "We express our resolute opposition," he added. The move comes as both countries adopt toughening stances on a host of economic and diplomatic issues, namely trade and hi-tech rivalry. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, with China announcing it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US merchandise from June 1 in retaliation. Trump has also barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the sea, including on the Spratly Islands, which Beijing calls Nansha. China claims nearly all of the sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's vast claims in the sea. Earlier this month, two US warships entered waters adjacent to Gaven and Chigua reefs in the Spratlys, sparking fury from China. "We strongly urge the US side to immediately stop such provocative actions so as to not harm China-US relations and the peace and stability of the region," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a press briefing. UN team unearths 12 mass graves in Iraq probe of IS crimes United Nations, United States, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 A UN team investigating the massacre of Iraq's Yazidi minority and other atrocities has excavated 12 mass graves and is collecting witness accounts that could be used in Iraqi and other national courts, according to a UN report seen by AFP on Monday. The Security Council agreed in 2017 to establish the UN probe to ensure the Islamic State group faces justice for war crimes in Iraq and Syria -- a cause championed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad and international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. In the report sent to the council, the head of the team, British lawyer Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, said efforts were focused on three initial investigations: the 2014 massacre of Yazidis, crimes committed in Mosul from 2014 to 2016, and the mass killing of Iraqi military recruits in the Tikrit area in June 2014. The team began work in October, with the first mass grave containing IS victims unearthed in March and April in the Murad's home village of Kojo in Sinjar in northwest Iraq. Ahmad Khan said "progress had been slower than hoped" in the investigation and stressed the need to establish "clear and effective channels" to use the evidence in Iraqi proceedings. The Iraqi government had resisted calls for the UN probe despite evidence of more than 200 mass graves in Iraq containing victims of IS, who swept across northern Iraq in 2014. Murad is among thousands of Yazidi women who were taken hostage and held as sex slaves, while hundreds of men and women are believed to have been executed by the jihadists. The United Nations has described the massacre of the Yazidis by IS militants as possible genocide. As well as excavations of mass graves, the 48-member team has "engaged first-hand with survivors and witnesses" and has put in place a witness protection program, said the report sent to the council on Friday. "In Mosul, Tikrit, Dohuk, and elsewhere in Iraq, victims have told harrowing accounts of their suffering, of entire communities erased and of women and girls taken as slaves," it said. The team is negotiating agreements with Iraqi authorities to hand over evidence and is ready to provide material to other courts to hold IS members accountable for their crimes, it said. France trims graft charges against ex-Malaysia PM associate Paris, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 France has dropped some of the charges against an associate of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak over alleged kickbacks paid on a major submarine deal, judicial sources said Monday. Najib himself is currently embroiled in a massive corruption scandal involving the state economic development fund 1MDB in Malaysia where he has also been questioned on the submarine case. His associate, Abdul Razak Baginda advised Najib when the latter was defence minister between 2000 and 2008 on a deal worth some one billion euros ($1.18 billion) to buy two Scorpene-class submarines and one Agosta-class submarine from French naval dockyards unit DCN, linked to French defence group Thales. An investigation into the deal launched in 2010 revealed that Terasasi, a firm whose main shareholder was Baginda, received an equivalent sum for what was billed as consultancy work. Investigators believe it was really a front for kickbacks. Razak Baginda was charged in France in July 2017 with "active and passive complicity in corruption" and "misappropriation of corporate assets." Judicial sources said the Paris appeal court had dropped the charges of "passive corruption" while retaining the remainder of the chargesheet. Baninda's lawyer Caroline Toby indicated she would appeal. Four French defence industry executives have already been charged in the case. They are two former chairmen of DCNI, Philippe Japiot and Dominique Castellan, and two former heads of Thales International Asia, Bernard Baiocco and Jean-Paul Perrier. All four men deny the charges and say they did not have direct contact with Baginda. The French investigators are also looking into allegations that 114 million euros was paid to a purported Malaysia-based shell company, Perimekar, as part of the deal. That company was controlled at the time by Razak Baginda's wife. However, that payment is likely to ultimately fall outside French jurisdiction as it was not made to a French company. Spain judge orders trial over corruption in Angola arms sales Madrid, May 20 (AFP) May 20, 2019 A Spanish judge on Monday ordered defunct state-owned arms company Defex and former managers to stand trial on charges they set up a complex bribery and embezzlement system for contracts signed in oil-rich Angola. In his ruling, Jose de la Mata of Spain's High Court said there was evidence that Defex obtained contracts to supply material to police in the African country by paying "illegal commissions" to Angolan authorities. Some Defex managers are suspected of having collected heft commissions from these contracts. De la Mata ordered Defex and 24 people, including former top company officials, to stand trial for corruption, money laundering and embezzlement. Among those ordered to stand trial is Beatriz Garcia Paesa, the niece of a famous Spanish spy. No date for the start of the rial was set. De Mata is also investigating two other suspected cases of corruption involving the sale of weapons and military equipment by Defex to the governments of Cameroon and Saudi Arabia. Defex was founded in 1972 by the Spanish state to help export products made by the country's defence industry. It was dissolved in 2017. 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. by our London Correspondent In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the ending of the Civil War in Sri Lanka, a new acronym ToL, Tamils of Lanka, has entered the diaspora vocabulary over the weekend. The Tamils of Lanka- a Timeless Heritage Exhibition, a collective and community project organised by volunteers of Tamil Information Centre, TIC, London, was spearheaded mainly by young Tamils and students at UK Universities in collaboration with academics. It was held at the spacious Tolworth Recreation Centre. near Surbiton, Surrey on 18/19 May 2019 on two floors and was well attended with parents bring their families along, together with many interested British residents also being curious. The Exhibition, the first of its kind, was a conglomerate of Ancient History and Heritage, Political Resistance, Consequences of War, Mullivaikkal, and Art, Culture and Architecture of Tamils through the ages, with prominence given to the not forgotten memories of the war. Resilience, restitution and recovery of lost pride featured prominently, with both sadness of a lost generation and resolute vision for a newer generation. One of the highlights of the event was the lecture given by Prof. Peter Schalk on Buddhism among the Tamils on 18 May,2019. He outlined inscriptions in Prakrit written in Brahmi by Tamil speakers dating from 2nd century BC to 3rd century AD, called the early Anuratapuram period by historians with traces of socially engaged Buddhism among the Tamils of that time. Special Guests were Rt. Hon. Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Opposition together with Labour, Liberal and other politicians, with the Mayor of Kingston and many Councillors participating. This exhibition was the brainchild of the Late Mr.V.Varadakumar, Executive Director TIC who passed away in April 2019 before seeing the fruits of his labour. He was a firm believer in uniting the various warring Tamil parties and splinter groups of migrants both refugees and second-generation Tamils in UK and abroad. He believed in enticing the future generation of young diaspora Tamils and by his example spread values of resilience. Dr. Rachel Seoighe. Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Kent ended the last session of the Exhibition speakers with a philosophical note on conflict memory. The recurring themes of this two day event was an incumbent duty to still count the dead, which many feel no body knows the final death toll, but also the need to defend the validity of progress the Tamils have made in their new homes around the world after the episode of war and the destruction of lives, culture and tradition, intentionally or otherwise, coupled with clear signs of hope for a future of reconciliation back home. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. King Edward II will offer a right Royal feast for the eyes, making a return visit from Didcot Railway Centre. (Photo submitted) THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railways annual Cotswold Festival of Steam will feature eight engines over the May Bank Holiday. This years theme is Northern Soul - reflecting two of the three visiting engines from the North - one from Scotland and one from Yorkshire. The event has become one of the most popular in the railways calendar and attracted nearly 6,000 visitors last year the year the railway extended its operation to the Cotswold village of Broadway. A particularly attractive visitor is a sole surviving Caledonian Railway tank locomotive, no. 419, loaned by courtesy of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society, which is painted in an attractive Perth Blue livery bringing a bright splash of colour to the Cotswolds. The other northerner is an LNER B1 class no. 1264, loaned by the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This attractive design was developed during the Second World War when there was a huge demand for new locomotives. Neither engine has ever visited the GWSR before and are likely to be very appealing features of a very busy weekend. The third visitor is making a return visit to the GWSR the Didcot Railway Centres King class no. 6023 King Edward II. It was the most powerful express passenger locomotive to run on the Great Western Railway and the most powerful of its type in the UK. It is finished in the blue livery adopted by British Railways in the early 1950s for express passenger locomotives The Caley tank engine is one of three locomotives running that are a century or more old but, built in 1907, its not the oldest. That credit goes to resident heavy freight engine no. 2807 which was turned out of Swindon works in 1905, and is the oldest operable Great Western locomotive surviving. Cotswold Festival of Steam runs from 25th to 27th May. Lucy Parham and Juliet Stephenson Peter Buckroyd reviews Lucy Parham and Juliet Stephenson, I Clara, Stratford Play House, 29th April After a very successful career as solo concert pianist Lucy Parham turned her hand to writing a series of programmes where she played the piano and a well-known actor or actors narrated a composers biography. The first of these was Beloved Clara, the story of Clara Weicks marriage to Robert Schumann. For the two hundredth anniversary of Clara Schumanns birth Lucy Parham has created a story out of the whole of Clara Schumanns life, and a moving and uplifting tale it is too. Excellent programme notes by Lucy Parham very much enhanced the audiences enjoyment. The programme itself consists of Claras words from her letters and diaries but the programme notes give a rather more dispassionate and less personal appraisal of her life and career. Whichever you lean on Clara was a remarkable woman. She was a outstandingly promising composer; she was an international concert pianist who gave more than 1500 performances in her lifetime; she looked after eight children; she saw four of them predecease her; she made friends who supported and nurtured her while her husband was in a mental asylum, dying there at the age of 4b6; she was the main (to begin with) and then sole bread winner; she remained loyal to the memory of her husband until her death. The narrative was given by the wonderful Juliet Stephenson - almost always measured (except for one wonderfully dramatic moment), never mawkish, always mediating between Claras words and the audience. Lucy Parham played music composed by Clara herself, Robert Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn and Brahms. The music was skilfully chosen to support elements of the narrative and from time to time, as for example in the performance of Brahmss Intermezzo in A Op. 118 No. 1, you could hear the way Clara had described Brahmss combination of shyness and brashness. There was also a lovely moment in the playing of Schumanns Arabesque Op.18, played just after Juliets Clara had said that she didnt think she had ever played it with such a feeling of sadness on the occasion of Claras last concert in London, where Parham brought out perfectly the delicacy, tenderness and underlying sadness of the piece. Clara Schumann gave her last concert at the age of seventy-two. A remarkable career. This was the sold-out premiere of I Clara and a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman from two remarkable and charming performers. National unity through democracy or demagoguery? By Gamini Weerakoon View(s): View(s): Politicians, like astrologers, are keen to predict a quick end to the malefic period that befell the country on Easter Sunday for their usual fun and games to resume. The realisation that it was a fanatical, ruthless attack, the likes of which have devastated some countries has still not dawned on many. There is much debate on whether the impact of the attacks on national security has petered out or been entirely eliminated. President Maithripala Sirisena two weeks ago (on April 7) told parliament that 99 percent of those responsible have been arrested and within the next three days the rest will be taken in. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament the same day: The threat is not over as yet because we are subject to global terrorism. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka also told parliament that it would take a minimum of two years to eradicate the terrorist menace. Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa wished that the Yahapalanaya governments two leaders would speak with one voice on this issue. We will not venture to guess who is correct: Sirisena, Wickremasinghe or Fonseka, but it does strike us that even the countries that have been hit much harder by this variety of terrorism and have better security apparatus to monitor terrorism, no such definite predictions are made on the time that will be taken to eliminate the threat. Certainly it cannot be done within days or weeks as some frenzied political activists with hidden agendas are now demanding. It will be recalled that former American President George W Bush declared the Global War on Terrorism on September 16, 2001 five days after the World Trade Centre was destroyed and the Pentagon attacked. But has the Global War on Terrorism ended even after 18 years? Mahinda Rajapaksas wish for Wickremesinghe and Sirisena to speak with one voice is typical of a politician wanting to score debating points. If there could be no prediction made on bringing an end to terrorism within a specific time in any of the countries affected by this brand of virulent terrorism, could the Yasapalanaya government make a prediction even before one month has passed after the tragedy? Of course, a government has got to express a unified opinion and not divergent views. But the question of when a terrorist movement can be wiped out is anybodys guess and perhaps best left to astrologers, in whom Rajapaksa appears to have great faith. But his cynical critics say he could not predict even the day on which his great victory over terrorism would come. Rajapaksa was abroad at that time and he arrived only days later, running down the gangway of the plane, going on his knees to kiss the Katunayake tarmac. The challenge in predicting the end of terrorism is best illustrated by the strong Western powers being on full alert 24 X 7 even 18 years after 9/11. It does appear that the ISIS terrorism that has infected Lanka should be tackled the way it has been done successfully elsewhere. Nationalists both genuine and fake are already objecting to any foreign input claiming that Sri Lanka defeated a terrorist movement after 30 years of warring, on its own strength. This is a purblind assertion. That war could not have escalated to the heights it reached, had not a foreign powerour friendly neighbour India played a vital role in developing a rag-tag band of youths into a guerrilla force of international standards. It took the creators of that monster to destroy it with the assistance of its allies together with the Sri Lankan armed forces. We are compelled to reflect on the past because emerging trends after Easter Sunday, indicate history appears likely to repeat itself in analogous developments, though some of the extraneous powers that may be involved could be different. In three and a half decades, the two regional powers, China and India, have developed powerful geopolitical and economic muscle particularly China while Sri Lanka, though strategically pivoted in the Indian Ocean region, remains the same poor Third World Country. There are some mighty powers offering their expertise in fighting international terrorism, but already the nationalists are in full cry about Western imperialism using this opportunity to get a toehold. As mentioned earlier Sri Lankas quota of nationalists is heavily weighted to one side of the scale because they see the present situation as a grand opportunity for their strongman in the presidential race. The situation calls for an enlightened leadership encompassing the widest range of leaders in the political spectrum whose prime interest should be to rescue the Sri Lankan people from this terrible plight. We hear the usual call for national unity loud and clear right now. But how serious are these callers? National unity cannot spring out of a vacuum or from sterile political litanies. The hard reality is that Sri Lankan communities have little contact with one another even though they may live together peacefully in neighbourhoods. National Unity has to be strived for, starting with political leaders. Long, long years ago, our civics teacher drummed into us the saying United we stand; divided we fall. In certain instances, like in a rugby team, it worked, but not everywhere and always. The Yahapalanaya government is a good case study in national unity .Two of the most powerful parties in the country, the UNP and the SLFP united to form a Government of Good Governance. United we stand and there is nothing we cannot do was the optimistic cry. Readers know well what happened. United they fell and both parties are now trying to get on their feet by themselves! Divided we will stand, is their hope. To be fair by Yahapalanaya, political coalitions are the most unstable forms all over the globe. Closer home, Sirima Bandaranaikes United Front Government comprising her SLFP and the Marxist parties also collapsed, despite the two-thirds majority it had in parliament. Political shibboleths like National Unity go down well with the masses when demagogues who have no idea about such unity, roar about it to the ignorant masses. In this context, H. L. Menekens classic definition of a demagogue is worth recalling: A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots. What political ideology guides the Sri Lankan people: Democracy or demagoguery? On which political ideology can we explain events in Chilaw and elsewhere this week? Sri Lankan physician honoured in New York View(s): On May 6, the United Hospital Fund (UHF) honoured quality improvement leaders from 51 hospitals and long-term care facilities across the New York metropolitan region at its new annual event, Tribute to Excellence in Health Care. Among this years recipients was Dr. Jessie Saverimuttu, Richmond University Medical Centers infectious diseases attending-and-chief of quality improvement. Dr. Saverimuttu was acknowledged for her commitment to improving patient safety and the quality of care provided throughout the hospital. Dr. Saverimuttu received the Excellence in Health Care Award at a luncheon held at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan. As chief of quality improvement at Richmond University Medical Center, she supervises the medical staff in developing, implementing, and maintaining programmes and policies that ensure the highest levels of quality care for all patients. The Tribute is both a celebration of personal leadership and an occasion to amplify and elevate the vital work underway to make our health care system more patient-centered, safe, and effective, said UHF president Dr. Anthony Shih. The two British men on trial in Malaga in March in connection with the disappearance of Latvian woman Agnese Klavina have been found guilty of coercion and not of kidnapping as the Prosecution Department had called for. The court has sentenced Westley Capper, 41, to two years in prison for after considering it proven that Klavina got into his car under duress in the early hours of 6 September 2014 outside the Aqwa Mist nightclub in Marbella. Craig Ian Porter has been given a six-month (minus one day) sentence for his role as Capper's accomplice. Agnese Klavina. / SUR The young Latvian woman has not been seen since, however the court did not find that the evidence, in the form of CCTV footage, proved that the British pair had kidnapped her. The nightclub's doorman, who was also accused of participating in Klavina's disappearance, has been acquitted. The sentence also establishes a payment of 10,000 euros in damages for Klavina or her legitimate heirs. Hit and run case Capper and Porter were involved in another serious incident in Marbella 18 months after the disappearance of Agnese Klavina. On 9 May 2016, a Bentley, driven by Capper with Porter in the passenger seat, ran over Fatima Dorado, a 40-year-old Bolivian cook, on a pedestrian crossing in San Pedro. The victim died of her injuries in hospital. The two men failed to stop at the scene and were later arrested in a commercial centre in Estepona. In this case the Public Prosecution Department is calling for Capper to be given a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, maintaining that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at 75 km/h in a 40 km/h limit. In the 1950s, Rita Valdes was the star of the Havana hotel at a time when Cuba was home to the biggest cabaret acts in the world. Luck changed, the theatre lowered its curtains and the cabaret building became home to Rita until she was evicted. It was then that Joao, the diva's nephew, organised a show to raise funds to recover the hotel's lost splendour. The Hotel Habana Show was born. This is the story told by the organisers of the show. It is set to arrive in Malaga on 21 May and remain in the city, at the Cortijo de Torres fairground, for five weeks. The show brings together 36 Caribbean performers. "This is a story that proves that if we're united, we can achieve our goals. In life, if you fight for something together, you can achieve it, that's the message of this show," said the director of LetsGo theatre company, Inaki Fernandez. The production, which will be staged in a marquee, combines music, dance and circus and is aimed at family audiences. Fernandez explains that when he visited Cuba he was inspired to create this "renewed and fresh" show and recreate the "energy and magic" with the cast which is headed by Sihara Dolores Balart, who plays Rita, and for two decades was the popular face of Cabaret Tropicana on the Caribbean island. Tickets for a show exclusively for SUR readers on 24 May, 7pm, are available from Oferplan. The most highly regarded day trip to the Swiss Alps from Milan, Italy is via the Bernina Express. While you can visit the Alps more quickly by taking other trains, those trains are not open air, so much of your trip is spent in tunnels. If you want to SEE the Swiss Alps, the Bernina Express is the way to do it. Though you will find lots of ads and postings about Bernina Express tours, it is quite easy to visit the Swiss Alps from Milan by yourself, with more comfort and space than with a tour. About the Bernina Express The following is from the Bernina Express Travel Guide: The Bernina Express travels high up to the towering glaciers of the mountains and deep down into the swaying palms of Italy. The fascinating journey takes you along the UNESCO World Heritage route of the RhB. This is the only line to cross the Swiss alps in the open air, versus traveling mostly through tunnels. The train has both first and second class seating (more on that below), as well as bathrooms and a bar with snacks and soft drinks. The trains also offer WiFi (though it was not working well on our train). They have a free service called InfoT(r)ainment where you can listen to a guided tour/facts throughout your journey on a laptop or mobile device. You will need earbuds to listen, but if you dont have a pair, the train sells them for 2 Euros. The Bernina Express does not offer outlets or USB plugs on the train cars, so plan accordingly. Be sure to have your devices full charged and bring an external charger as a back-up. (This is my favorite external charger.) How to Get to the Alps Via Milan Day Trip From Milan, take the 6:20 a.m. train via TrenItalia to Tirano. The ticket is $11 Euros each way. This will get you to the city at about 8:30 a.m. Then, leave the train station and walk across the square to the Bernina station. There, buy a first-class panoramic ticket to St. Moritz. Id recommend buying first-class for the Bernina Express to St. Moritz, but doing second-class for the trip back from St. Moritz to Tirano. You can also book your ticket online. I read online that one side of the train is better than the other, but both sides have advantages part of the time. Every seat is a good seat! (We sat on the side with single seats, which was very nice.) We did first-class for both legs, but it wasnt necessary. This was the one excursion my husband wanted to do though, so we splurged! The Bernina Express train leaves at 10:07 a.m. and arrives in St. Moritz at 12:36 p.m. (Times valid through October 2019, check website to confirm.) RECAP: You can easily ride the train from Milan to Tirano, then the Bernina Express in Tirano to St. Moritz, stay about two hours, then take the RhB train back to Tirano, then back to Milan the same day. (The RhB is red like the Bernina and operates out of the same station. It just doesnt have the panoramic windows and some of the route is a bit different.) We left Milan at 6 a.m. for the train station and arrived back at the Milan train station at 7 p.m. Bernina Express Review: What to Expect The Bernina Express train winds up the mountain from an altitude of 429 to 2253. The views are spectacular. Words cannot do the landscape justice. You will feel like you are in the middle of a movie like Heidi or The Sound of Music. The experience was one of our favorite of our seven-day Italian vacation. Alp Grum, which is one of the highest points at 2091, is the one stop on the 2.5-hour journey where you will be able to briefly get off the train before St. Moritz. Our stop was about 15-minutes long, which was perfect to take a few photos of the beautiful mountain and stretch your legs a bit. TIP: Grab a Bernina Express travel guide when you get on the train. In it lists partners that if you show your train ticket, you are eligible to receive discounts/free treats. We arrived in St. Moritz at about 12:30 p.m. and had just over two hours to walk through the charming village and eat lunch. We enjoyed a meal at Hauser Restaurant. Dont miss trying a dessert and getting some Swiss chocolate from their dessert shop! Benefits of First-Class on the Bernina Express The most frequent comment I read in group reviews and on message boards about the Bernina was to book a first-class ticket to ensure you could enjoy the full extent of the mountain view. Several personal friends also advised booking first-class, one commenting how much better her familys experience would have been if they had not been in second-class. If you book a tour, you will be seated in a second-class train car. Groups book cars in advance. The fullness of the group determines how full your car is and if you will have restricted views. This was a big reason we chose to book the travel on our own. First-class is definitely more expensive, but provides you with many benefits including: More space: in the second-class cars, seats are four across, while in the first-class cars, the seats are just three across, meaning everyone has a bit more room, not only in your seat, but for your legs as well. More comfort: The black leather seats in first class are wider and more comfortable than the seats in second-class. Less people: Though certainly not always true, in our experience, far less people were on the first-class car than what was in the second car. This meant we could go from side to side in the car, catching the very best views and photos. I read multiple reviews of tours/people who rode in second class and complained about not being able to see well because of crowded cars. Also, because of less seats, even if the train was completely full, you would be able to see better in a first-class car because less people sit in those cars. Train view: First-class is in the last car, which means you often get to enjoy seeing the train itself traveling through the mountain. This is a delightful view to enjoy. We accidentally boarded into a second-class car and sat in what we thought were our seats, so got a taste of the difference. I would definitely recommend doing the way up through the Swiss Alps in first-class. I hope this helps you if you are planning a trip to Italy and want to do a day trip to the Swiss Alps from Milan. It was one of the best experiences of our Italian vacation. You wont regret riding The Bernina Express. Dreaming of Italy? Pin this post! Courtesy of Fearless RecordsA Day to Remember has announced the lineups for the 2019 Self Help Fest, taking place September 7 in Worcester, Massachusetts and October 12 in San Bernardino, California. Falling in Reverse and FEVER 333 will play the Worcester event, while I Prevail, Beartooth and Periphery are on the San Bernardino bill. ADtR themselves will headline both festivals. For the full lineups and ticket info, visit SelfHelpFest.com. Prior to Self Help Fest, A Day to Remember will launch their summer Raisin' Hell in the Heartland tour, beginning June 5 in Columbus, Ohio. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. NGABEZWENI Is courting and proposing love to a woman against the law? This was the most posed question during a lecture to regiments on the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act, at Ngabezweni Royal Residence on Thursday. Over 100 regiments posed this question in retaliation to the information that was given to them. They felt the charge of stalking meant that they could not propose love or court women. Educating the regiments were officers from the director of public prosecutions (DPP) office. The sessions are part of a campaign by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to enlighten the nation on the new law. This is because on a daily basis, local courts address over 50 cases related to the SODV Act. This figure is from various Magistrates Courts in the country. This Act, according to uninformed people is meant to deal with men; however, that is not the case, as women also fall prey to the might of this law. During the interaction with the regiments, the officers from the DPPs office had to respond to a variety of questions seeking clarity on why the traditional way of courting had suddenly become a thorny issue. One of the most common ways of courting locally, include following and pestering a female to give in to the love proposal. This may entail following her, telephonically contacting her and visiting her place of abode without her consent. Pestering However, according to the SODV Act, if a party is not comfortable with the pestering, the courting male may be charged with stalking. To this, the regiments inquired if one could be convicted for proposing love to a woman. In addition, they asked if courting a woman was now illegal, as per the dictates of the Act. This they said was because according to their views, the Act prohibited them from courting women. The DPPs officers were swift to bring clarity to the regiments in connection to their misconception about the Acts clause on unlawful stalking. Unacceptable They disclosed to them that it was not courting women that was prohibited by the Act, but rather, it was courting women in an unacceptable manner that the Act prohibited. This response seemed to have brought clarity to the regiments misconception of the Act, that courting was not illegal if it was conducted in an acceptable manner. However, the regiments still had more questions for the officers. One Nyatsi Dlamini posed a question to the DPP officers yet again. Dlaminis question was structured in an illustrative manner, whereby he illustrated a scenario where he would supposedly be engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor he would have met at a bar, who would be under the age of 18. His contention sprang from the fact that people under the age of 18 were prohibited from entering a bar. He inquired from the officers as to who was supposed to be taken to task in this situation. According to Dlaminis point of view, either the owner of the bar or the minor should be convicted; the owner for allowing the minor into a place that she was restricted to enter, or the minor for being found in a restricted zone. MBABANE Police have uncovered more rot at the office of the Master of the High Court. The latest investigation by the police has unearthed that an amount of over E900 000 was stolen from different estates. Notably, the implicated officers are those who were arrested for allegedly stealing a sum of E682 778.85 belonging to the estate of the late Patrick Bafana Sihlongonyane. The implicated suspects, Thandeka Xondile Maphalala, who is employed at the office of the Master and Thabani Derrick Sibanyoni who are both out on bail, have been fingered as the kingpins in the theft of estate monies. According to a report compiled by the Royal Eswatini Police Service, Fraud and Commercial Unit, further investigations revealed that criminal activity of this nature have been ongoing at the office of the Master of the High Court, since more fraudulent estate claims were discovered. Investigation also reveals that these other fraudulent claims are also linked to the same two suspects arrested. Charges have also been amended to include same, reads part of the investigation report. The genesis of the matter is that, the Royal Eswatini Police Service Fraud and Commercial Unit, conducted intensive investigations on the matter, which revealed that a fraudulent Standard Bank account was opened in the name of Nosipho Siphiwo Sihlongonyane, who was the beneficiary in the estate of her father Patrick Bafana Sihlongonyane. According to the investigation, the money that was to be paid to Nosipho was paid into the fictitious bank account. Nosipho once filed an application at the High Court, where she was seeking an order directing the Master of the High Court, to release and/or pay the proceeds of her inheritance. She alleged that at the Masters office, she was informed that payment had been made into her Standard Bank account. She said she was puzzled because she held an account with Nedbank not Standard Bank. Father In her application, she stated that at the time of his demise, her father was employed at Nedbank Swaziland. The estate, according to the applicant (Nosipho) was duly reported to the Master of the High Court in accordance with the Administration of Estates Act, 1920 and the Masters reference file was EH 192/2004. Nosipho told the court that she was the heir and beneficiary of her deceased fathers estate. She said at the time of her fathers demise, she was a minor. The applicant submitted that she was born on February 18, 1997. In accordance with the law at the time, the Retirement Funds Act, 2005 having not yet being promulgated, the employment/death benefits and other estate monies were deposited to the Guardian Fund. My entitlement at that time was E450 000, submitted the applicant. She averred that she would from time to time, through her mother, withdraw maintenance and school-related fees. MBABANE Former St Marks Primary School Head teacher Chris Davies will soon be on the Interpols list of wanted people. Interpol is the International Criminal Police Organisation, commonly known as Interpol. It is an international organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation. This is in a bid to try and recover about E99 795.26 which Davies allegedly misappropriated from the schools funds following an audit by the auditor general for the financial year ended March 31, 2013. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Dr Sibongile Mtshali presented a progress report before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). She stated that they had received a statement from the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF), which revealed that Daviess contributions with interest, had amounted to a total of E72 433.88. The PSPF further reported that the aforementioned amount would be subject to a tax deduction as would be advised by the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA). However, the fund said it would only deduct the monies owed by Davies once he acknowledged the debt in writing or the Fund was furnished with a court order to that regard. Mtshali said it was in this regard that they considered involving Interpol so that Davies could be traced in order for them to recover the money. The ministry reported that since the benefits were not paid out to Davies, they had written to the office of the attorney general to seek advice on how to pursue the matter. Informing In April 2019, the ministry wrote to the attorney general informing him that the former head teacher was currently indisposed and out of the country and asked for advice on how they could recover the amount as per the statement received from the PSPF. The AG, on May 8, 2019, stated that a deputy sheriff had been assigned to serve summons to Davies. However, it was reported that the last known residential place had been deserted. On a similar note, the ministry also stated that it was struggling to recover about E127 000 from Masalekhaya Simelane who was the Chairman of the School Committee at that time. The PS said numerous attempts had been made to contact Simelane, but he was not willing to pay. As a result, a letter of demand was written to the former chairman. However, a memorandum dated May 8, 2019 from the AGs office stated that in Simelanes matter, it was revealed that summons were issued and pleadings closed. The AG reported that the matter was awaiting a trial date. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with "all strength" and said it was up to Iran to avoid war. The heightened rhetoric follows last week\s attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad\s heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump said in a tweet without elaborating. A U.S. State Department official said the rocket attack in Baghdad did not hit a U.S.-inhabited facility and produced no casualties nor any significant damage. No claims of responsibility had been made, but the United States was taking the incident "very seriously." "We have made clear over the past two weeks and again underscore that attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner," the official said in an emailed statement. "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." Riyadh, which emphasized that it does not want a war, has accused Tehran of ordering Tuesday\s drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemen\s Iran-aligned Houthi group. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. In response, countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) began "enhanced security patrols" in the international waters of the Arabian Gulf area on Saturday, the U.S. Navy\s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said on Sunday. Iran has denied involvement in either incident, which come as Washington and the Islamic Republic spar over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference on Sunday. "It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests." Saudi Arabia\s King Salman on Sunday invited Gulf and Arab leaders to convene emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss implications of the attacks. "The current critical circumstances entail a unified Arab and Gulf stance toward the besetting challenges and risks," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement. The U.S. Navy\s Fifth Fleet said in its statement about increased maritime patrols that GCC countries were "specifically increasing communication and coordination with each other in support of regional naval cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf," with navies and coast guards working with the U.S. Navy. Saudi Arabia\s Sunni Muslim ally the UAE has not blamed anyone for the tanker sabotage operation, pending an investigation. No-one has claimed responsibility, but two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran had encouraged the Houthi group or Iraq-based Shi\ite militias to carry it out. The drone strike on oil pumping stations, which Riyadh said did not disrupt output or exports, was claimed by the Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition in a war in Yemen since 2015. The Houthi-controled SABA news agency said on Sunday, citing a military source from the group, that targeting Aramco\s installations last week was the beginning of coming military operations against 300 vital military targets. Targets include vital military headquarters and facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, as well as their bases in Yemen, the source told SABA. The head of the Houthis\ Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, derided Riyadh\s call to convene Arab summits, saying in a Twitter post that they "only know how to support war and destruction". A Norwegian insurers\ report seen by Reuters said Iran\s Revolutionary Guards were "highly likely" to have facilitated the attack on vessels near the UAE\s Fujairah emirate, a main bunkering hub lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. SAUDI PRINCE CALLS POMPEO Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed the possibility of war erupting, saying Tehran did not want conflict and no country had the "illusion it can confront Iran". This stance was echoed by the head of Iran\s elite Revolutionary Guards on Sunday. "We are not pursuing war but we are also not afraid of war," Major General Hossein Salami was cited as saying by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Washington has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, trying to cut Tehran\s oil exports to zero, and beefed up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats to United States troops and interests. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments, including efforts to strengthen security and stability, in a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Saudi Media Ministry tweeted on Sunday. "We want peace and stability in the region but we will not sit on our hands in light of the continuing Iranian attack," Jubeir said. "The ball is in Iran\s court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be." He said the crew of an Iranian oil tanker that had been towed to Saudi Arabia early this month after a request for help due to engine trouble were still in the kingdom receiving the "necessary care". The crew are 24 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Saudi Arabia and Shi\ite Iran are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars. In a sign of the heightened tension, Exxon Mobil evacuated foreign staff from an oilfield in neighboring Iraq. Bahrain on Saturday warned its citizens against travel to Iraq and Iran and asked those already there to return. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an advisory to U.S. commercial airliners flying over the waters of the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. SOURCE: REUTERS US internet giant Google, whose Android mobile operating system powers most of the world\s smartphones, said Sunday it was beginning to cut ties with China\s Huawei, which Washington considers a national security threat. In the midst of a trade war with Beijing, President Donald Trump has barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. The measure targets Huawei, a Chinese telecoms giant in Washington\s sights that is listed by the Commerce Department among firms with which American companies can only engage in trade after obtaining the green light from the authorities. The ban includes technology sharing. We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications, a Google spokesperson told AFP. The move could have dramatic implications since Google, like all tech companies, must collaborate with smartphone makers to ensure its systems are compatible with their devices. Google will have to halt business activities with Huawei that involve transfer of hardware, software and technical services that are not publicly available meaning Huawei will only be able to use the open source version of Android, a source close to the matter told AFP. Huawei will no longer have access to Google\s proprietary apps and services, such as the Gmail email service. Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Huawei is a rapidly expanding leader in 5G technology but remains dependent on foreign suppliers. It buys about $67 billion worth of components each year, including about $11 billion from US suppliers, according to The Nikkei business daily. Huawei is the target of an intense campaign by Washington, which has been trying to persuade allies not to allow China a role in building next-generation 5G mobile networks. US government agencies are already banned from buying equipment from Huawei. Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said Saturday that We have not done anything which violates the law, adding the US measures would have a limited impact. SOURCE: AFP Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia have killed 10 civilians including five children in a northwestern jihadist bastion, a monitor said Monday, hours after Moscow announced a ceasefire there. Clashes between regime forces and jihadists raged Monday on the edge of the region held by Syria\s former Al-Qaeda affiliate, following the deadly air raids overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Idlib region controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is supposed to be protected from a government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but regime and Russian bombardment has increased there since late April. The Observatory said Russian air strikes overnight killed five children, four women, and one man in the town of Kafranbel in Idlib province. The air strikes hit near a hospital in the town, knocking it out of service, the Britain-based monitor said. An AFP correspondent saw five homes on the edges on the town that were destroyed or damaged after the strikes. Survivors picked through the debris to save the belongings they could, the reporter said, while a young man covered in dust from head to toe leant against a wall, shell-shocked after his father was killed. Umm Wasel narrowly missed the air strike on her home after relatives invited her over to break her daily fast of the Islamic month of Ramadan with them. "I came back at night to find my home devastated," said the 72-year-old, dressed in a long red robe and a black scarf covering her hair. People "had thought I was under the rubble", she said. The Observatory said six other civilians also died in bombardment by regime forces in other parts of the Idlib region on Sunday. The jihadist stronghold includes most of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. Fighting raged in the north of Hama province between loyalists and jihadists from early Monday, the Observatory said, after relative respite in bombardment over the past three days. Russian aeroplanes pounded the south of Idlib province, while government aircraft targeted the north of Hama province with machine guns, missiles, and crude barrel bombs, the monitoring group added. The deadly Russian air strikes come after Russia on Sunday said Syrian armed forces had "unilaterally ceased fire in the Idlib de-escalation zone" from May 18 at midnight, but that fire of loyalists had continued. Russia and rebel ally Turkey inked a buffer zone deal to protect the Idlib region of some three million people in September, but regime fire has increased there since HTS took control in January. Syria\s war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government protests. SOURCE: AFP You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Primary elections: What you need to know By Trend Tourism and hospitality sector may be the most profitable sphere of the Azerbaijani non-oil sector in 2019, and potential investors may provide funds to this sector, Azerbaijani economist Elman Sadigov told Trend. Filling in the gaps existing in the tourism sector like the need for professionals in the service sector and lack of accommodation for foreign tourists arriving in the country may bring big income to those who are ready to invest in this sector, he added. "One may launch activity in the tourism sector by opening a small or medium-sized hostel, a two-star hotel, or a guest house for 10-20 rooms, Sadigov said. One may attract guests and make a profit through good service." The expert thinks that the main task is to satisfy a tourist. "It is important to create a positive image, he added. As far as the client potential grows, profit will also increase. Tourism sector is also a priority for the state. Sadigov added, Many people may work in this sector. In the service sphere, there are not enough cafes and restaurants. The luxury segment, namely five-star hotels and expensive restaurants, is widely spread, but in the service sector there is a need for facilities that meet the requirements of the individuals with average income. In his words, the agriculture segment may also be attractive, but one must understand that this is hard work that requires a special approach. "It is important to be a professional in the agricultural sector, Sadigov said. To invest in this sphere without being involved in it is a wrong approach, because the investor may be unable to understand why and how the investments are lost. Agriculture is a specific sector. Without knowing it, it may be risky to invest in it. This is a profitable sector, but only if a professional approach is taken." According to the expert, the family business is another profitable sphere. "This business has achieved great success in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, as well as across Europe, Sadigov said. Most of well-known European brands were created through the family business, he noted. In Azerbaijan, ABAD project, which mainly supports family businesses, is being implemented, and this is very positive. Every citizen may assess his or her potential and create the small family business by appealing to ABAD centers. It may seem that self-employment is simple, but this is an extremely important issue. The expert also shared his opinion about cryptocurrency. Investing in cryptocurrency, which becomes popular today, may be risky, the expert said. The person who eyes to invest in financial markets in cryptocurrency must be careful. There is a very high volatility in this sector, which means that there is also a high risk of losses. FEB Aqar, a wholly-owned real estate subsidiary of First Energy Bank, said it has awarded the main works construction contract to Kooheji Contractors for its new mixed-use project at Bahrain Financial Harbour. The 27-storey tower, which will come up in a prime location in Bahrain, boasts offices, residential and retail spaces in addition to the high-end building facilities and services, said a statement from the company. The enabling works of the project, comprising the mobilisation and piling works, began in September and were completed last month. The main project is expected to be ready by March 2021, it added. The main works contractor was selected after a transparent tendering process, showing a strong competition between highly reputable contractors in Bahrain, said Mohamed Ghanem, FEB Aqar chairman, and Fawaz Al Jowder, FEB Aqar managing director, after signing the deal with Abdul Raheem Al Kooheji, CCO of Kooheji Contractors, in the presence of managing director and chairman Abdul Ghaffar Al Kooheji. The ceremony was attended by Orabi Mohammed from FEB Aqar, Nasser Kanaan, Khalid Kanaan from Projacs International as well as Thamer Salahuddin and Sushil Keir from Mohammed Salahuddin Consultant and Christian Bojaoude from DG Jones.-TradeArabia News Service Hangzhou, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from China and ASEAN member countries met Saturday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, to further coordinate on the South China Sea, agreeing to continue efforts for peace, tranquility and common development in the area. At the meeting, all sides made in-depth exchanges of views on comprehensive, effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), further pragmatic maritime cooperation as well as consultation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), according to a Foreign Ministry press release. The participants of the 17th Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC agreed to implement the DOC comprehensively and effectively, speed up the negotiation of the COC and strive for an early result, said the press release. They also reached consensus on some new maritime projects of cooperation. Leading regional and international speakers are expected to take part in the upcoming Human Capital Forum in Bahrain, said event organisers FinMark Communications. Human Capital Forum Harnessing the Power of Mentorship will be taking by end of November in strategic partnership with Tamkeen, added FinMark. The event aims to showcase the important role that mentorship can play in accelerating human capital development and the realisation of the development goals of the GCC economies and companies across all sectors. Mentorship has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to drive talent development, but its place in the development and training agenda of most organisations in the Gulf region still remains negligible. The Forum has been designed to highlight the vast benefits that mentorship can provide for all stakeholders and for both emerging corporate leaders and entrepreneurs (i.e. start-ups and SMEs). Themes and topics, to soon be announced, will help build awareness of the need for mentorship, how to harness its power and what effective best practices look like in terms of the mentoring of both entrepreneurs and corporate professionals. Mentorship will be discussed as a way to both advance personal and organisational development and we will bring on board and feature examples of successful programmes and tools for creating impactful mentoring programmes and partnerships. Zahraa Taher, managing director of FinMark Communications, said: Mentoring can play a critical role in the process of accelerating professional and leadership development. It's a proven, low-cost and extremely effective way to prepare future leaders simply through the leveraging of existing human resources within organisations at no or little cost through the development of networks and partnerships. We are confident the Forum can support further thought, investment and uptake of both existing mentorship schemes and encourage organisations themselves to develop internal mentorship programmes of their own. We are grateful for Tamkeens support and the opportunity to leverage and showcase their experience and knowledge of mentoring at the Forum. Chief investment and marketing officer at Tamkeen, Dr Nasser Qaedi, said: With Tamkeens main purpose to support talent development and innovation in the private sector, were pleased to be the Strategic Partner for this important Forum focused on harnessing the power of mentorship. Across all organisations, one of the key concerns is training and succession. Yet, most companies dont have formal strategies for preparing their future leaders or mentorship built into their development plans. With our support for this Forum, we hope to encourage leading organisations across the region to look more closely at mentorship as part of their development and training plans and to utilise the many important platforms, including Tamkeens, that are out there today, he added. TradeArabia News Service GE Energy Financial Services (GE EFS) and Sumitomo Corporation have secured project financing of $1 billion from a consortium of banks and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for an independent combined cycle power project in Sharjah, UAE. GEs flagship 1.8 gigawatts (GW) power project Hamriyah Independent Power Company in Sharjah is expected to be the most efficient power plant in the Middle Easts utilities sector on completion. The team of co-developers includes Shikoku Electric Power Company and Sharjah Asset Management (SAM), the investment arm of the Government of Sharjah. GE EFS worked with multiple private financial institutions including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank Limited, Norinchukin Bank, Societe Generale S.A., Standard Chartered Bank and KfW-IPEX to secure financing, which will be partly insured by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), a Japanese insurance corporation owned by the Japanese government. JBIC will provide a second tranche under its Global Facility to Promote Quality Infrastructure Investment for Environmental Preservation and Sustainable Growth (QI-ESG), a new initiative launched by the government of Japan in summer 2018 to promote infrastructure development projects that are expected to contribute to global environmental protection. Simultaneously, the co-developers have formed an equity consortium for the Project with Shikoku Electric Power Company and SAM. The consortiums role will be to build, own and operate the Project, which will consist of three combined cycle blocks, the first of which is planned to come online in 2021. The Project is expected to reach full commercial operations by the summer of 2023 and will sell its electricity production to Sewa under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Susan Flanagan, GE Energy Financial Services Global Power leader, said: Sourcing financing from the public and private sectors to fund Sharjahs first independent combined-cycle power plant demonstrates the regions attractiveness for foreign investment and GEs ability to connect global capital to significant infrastructure projects. We are proud to partner with Sumitomo to deliver sustainable energy that utilises GEs state-of-the-art gas turbine technology and financial expertise. Norihiko Nonaka, general manager of Global Power Infrastructure Business Division, Sumitomo Corporation, said: Sumitomo remains committed to supporting the continuing economic growth in the United Arab Emirates through the delivery of reliable, cost effective, clean and sustainable power from both our existing and new power infrastructure. GE will supply three 9HA gas turbines, three steam turbines, six generators, three heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) and turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for its flagship power plant in Sharjah. GE will also provide parts, repairs and maintenance services for the power generation assets at the site for a period of 25 years. Joseph Anis, president & CEO of GEs Gas Power Systems and Power Services businesses in the Middle East and South Asia, said: GE has contributed to the growth of the Gulf Cooperation Councils (GCCs) power sector for over 80 years and GE-built technologies generate up to 60 percent of Sharjahs electricity today. This project is another major milestone in our ongoing collaboration with Sewa and we are honoured to provide technological and financial solutions that support the vision of a sustainable, secure energy future for the people of Sharjah. GEs HA heavy-duty gas turbine is the worlds largest and most efficient. The record-breaking efficiency offered by three of GEs HA in combined cycle operation will help Sewa reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to four million tons per year, compared to current levels. This is the equivalent of taking one million cars off the UAEs roads, substantially reducing the environmental impact of power production in Sharjah. TradeArabia News Service A tourist bus carrying 25 South African tourists was targetted by a roadside bomb near the Giza Pyramids, said media reports. The blast wounded at least 16 people, including tourists, reports said. Pictures posted on social media showed a bus with some of its windows blown out or shattered, and a shallow hole in the ground near the bus. The attack comes just as Egypts vital tourism industry is showing signs of recovery after years of political turmoil and violence. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, reports said. No dearth of funds for scarcity-hit villages in Palghar: Guardian Secretary Palghar, May 19 (UNI) There was no dearth of funds for meeting the present scarcity situation in this predominantly tribal district, Principal Secretary of the Tribal Development Department and Guardian Secretary for Palghar district Manisha Verma has said. She toured the district on Friday to take stock of measures being taken to meet the scarcity situation. In the review meeting with the senior officials, Ms Verma said tankers will be made available as per need in the villages. District Collector Dr Prashant Narnavre conducted her trip through various villages in the district and briefed the Secretary of the work being carried out. UW Mortar Board Names Award Recipients The University of Wyomings senior honor society, Mortar Board, has selected the 2019 winners of awards for outstanding advising, service and dedication. Brant Schumaker is the recipient of the Outstanding Advisor Award. Schumaker is an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Sciences and a veterinary epidemiologist at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. The Outstanding Advisor Award recognizes a member of the university community who has performed outstanding academic, career and personal advising. Students are asked to nominate individuals who skillfully, and consistently, provide academic advice, as well as career guidance, and who establish personal relationships with their students. Dr. Schumaker has always gone out of his way to provide advising for students. Whether that is for his class, professional school, career advice or simply about life in general, he will find the time, says nominator Meagan Soehn, a microbiology major from Casper. He is both kind and understanding, while also being realistic with students about any questions or concerns they come to him with. I know that I speak for myself and other students when I say that he has been an asset for our time here at the University of Wyoming. UW President Laurie Nichols is the recipient of the Outstanding Service and Dedication Award. The award recognizes a member of the university community who has exhibited exceptional dedication to students and service to the university for a number of years. Dr. Laurie Nichols has served the University of Wyoming with three years of exemplary leadership, says Mortar Board President Kaycee Fillmore, a chemistry major from Pueblo, Colo. It has always been obvious that the UW students are at the forefront of Dr. Nichols work, and the student body is grateful for her dedication. Dr. Nichols genuinely wishes to see students flourish in their future endeavors. Few are more deserving of this award. Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. It provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. The UW Cap and Gown Chapter of Mortar Board was chartered in 1933. UW chapter members participate in many projects and activities throughout the year, both on the UW campus and in the Laramie community. According to media reports, based on the agreements reached between the US and Japan, the US would transfer part of its marines stationed in Japans Okinawa Prefecture to the US Pacific territory of Guam, probably from as early as October 2024 according to the US officials. Regarding the transfer of US troops stationed in Japan, the US and Japan have been talking about without substantive action for over a decade. Why is this happening all of a sudden now? Military observer Dr. Liang Fang, Professor of Strategies Research Institute in Chinese National Defense University believes that the sudden announcement of transfer is mainly to fortify the military presence in the Western Pacific, while also to ease tensions with the Japanese people. From the US military perspective, the transfer is an important part of the military power adjustment of its Indo-Pacific Strategy. At present, the US troops in Japan mainly cover the Korean Peninsula, while the troops stationed in Australia mainly cover the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. Guam is an important geostrategic fulcrum of the US military in the Western Pacific. The deployment of troops to Guam mainly aims to strengthen its influence in the Western Pacific region. From the Japanese perspective, the US troops stationing in Okinawa have not been welcomed due to their constant incidents and crimes such as abusive drinking, rape, killing, and involvement in drug trafficking, etc., resulting in a serious sense of insecurity in Japan. In addition, the US military airport is located in the center of the city, with the horrendous noise from fighter jets daily take-off and landing being extremely disturbing. The local Japanese people have repeatedly negotiated with the Japanese government, requiring the US military base to be relocated as soon as possible. It seems that the US has made concessions by reducing the number of US troops stationed in Japan. But as a matter of fact, the US military has not announced its complete withdrawal and the US still has its military base in Okinawa. Temporary leaving does not mean leaving permanently. The US military can come back anytime. The transfer may relieve the contradictions temporarily but scratching below the surface reveals a deep contradiction remaining unresolved. The reason why the US wants to transfer the troops to Guam is because Guam is the hub for its strategic initiative. Being in the second island chain and a territory of the US, Guam is the most important strategic fulcrum in the Western Pacific for the US. It is more than 2,700 kilometers away from Taiwan, more than 2,200 kilometers from the Philippines and 6,000 kilometers from Hawaii. This means that if a US B-52 bomber takes off from Guam, it can reach Tokyo and Manila in three hours, Shanghai in four hours, and Pyongyang in four and a half hours respectively. The geopolitical factors make Guam a valuable strategic hub in the Western Pacific, which the US wants to take advantage of. It can control the Tsushima Strait in the north and the Straits of Malacca in the south. In the event of a war, the US can quickly dispatch, deploy, and maneuver troops and can master the strategic initiative easily. This is a very important reason why the US chose to transfer its Marine Corps to Guam. The transfer of some Okinawa-based marines will not weaken the actual US control of Japan. Most of the US troops stationed in Japan will remain, while only 5,000 Marines in Okinawa will be transferred, and some important weapons and equipment will stay too. What does it mean, by contrast, that the US has recently provided Japan with F-35 fighter jets and sold two sets of land-based Aegis missile interception systems? It implies that the US is fortifying its strategic deterrence power in Japan as a pawn and the most important ally of the US in the first island chain, which can still play an important deterrence and containment role at the forefront. Disclaimer: Navy Senior Captain, Dr. Liang Fang is a Professor of Strategies Research Institute in Chinese National Defense University. This article is originally published on CNR.CN, 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. 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. US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Michael Richardson, who just finished an official tour to Japan, India and Singapore, told the media on May 16 (local time) that the US would like Australian and Indonesian maritime forces to have a greater presence in disputed waters in the South China Sea. When asked whether Australia, Indonesia and other states in the region should conduct freedom of navigation operations to challenge Chinas claim of sovereignty, he implied that those countries should take action to monitor the superpower in the region, meanwhile hypocritically saying every nation is going to have to assess the situation and their own approach. On May 15, during his visit to Singapore, the US Admiral said that he did not want the US Navys navigation movements in the South China Sea to draw more attention than they deserve from the media and Beijing. According to US media reports, despite his position as the US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Richardson has no commanding right for the US Navy in wartime. During his visit to India this month, he met with Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Indian Navy Chief. In a statement, the Indian Navy said that Richardsons visit aimed to strengthen relations between US and Indian navies. However, many Indian media deemed by mere coincidence that the purpose of his visit was to persuade India to join in the US camp of suppressing China. Chinese military affairs expert Li Jie noted that the remarks made by Richardson indicated the US directly intends to destabilize the South China Sea and escalate the situation in the region. Through publicly and secretly inciting countries like Australia to intervene in the South China Sea issue, Washington aims to achieve its goal of the so-called freedom of navigation. Liu Feng, a research fellow at Hainan Normal University (HNU), also pointed out that it is nothing new for high-ranking US military officers to make such remarks. The US tries to gang up its allies to make troubles in the South China Sea and escalate the situation in the region. However, he believes that Washingtons attempt to draw in Indonesia wont work because as a major country in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is committed to becoming a maritime power and to some extent opposes external powers interference in regional affairs concerning the South China Sea. Although the US can influence its sidekick ally Australia, the latter isnt a country in the South China Sea region, so it cannot exert much impact. Generally speaking, the US attempt to co-opt Australia to intervene in the South China Sea will be unlikely to make a splash, Liu said. Li pointed out that China needs to strengthen communication and exchange with countries around the South China Sea and those beyond the region to expose the plot of the US. It must be highlighted that China has never impeded the freedom of navigation of any country in the South China Sea, and at the same time resolutely opposes any attempt to stir up the situation of the region. Moreover, the South China Sea issue should be solved by parties concerned through consultation, and countries outside the region, including the US, have no right to intervene, nor should incite other countries to do so. Otherwise, such behaviors will only make the situation of the region more severe and complicated. Disclaimer: 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. BEIJING, May 20 (ChinaMil) -- The US guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88) intruded into the waters adjacent to China's territorial islands and reefs in the South China Sea in the morning of May 20 without permission of the Chinese government, said Senior Colonel Li Huamin, spokesman for the PLA Southern Theater Command Monday. Li said that in response, the PLA Southern Theater Command soon sent naval ships and air force aircraft to conduct identification and verification of the US warship according to laws and regulations and warned it to leave. Under the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea has been steadily improving, Li said. The provocation of the US warship endangered the safety of ships, aircraft and personnel of both sides, undermined China's sovereignty and security, violated the basic norms governing international relations and sabotaged regional peace and stability, he added. China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters, and we are firmly opposed to the provocative behavior of the US warship, Li stressed. The spokesman said that the troops of the PLA Southern Theater Command will be kept on high alert and take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and security, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. The 78th WCO Fellowship Programme, intended for Spanish-speakers, was launched in Brussels on Monday 13 May 2019. This Programme forms part of the WCOs initiatives to develop the management capacities of Member administrations in support of Customs Reform and Modernization programmes. It is designed to provide promising young managers from Member administrations with access to and further familiarization with WCO and international standards, tools and instruments, but also with training in supervisory and management techniques, so as to help them carry out reform and modernization within their respective administrations in a dynamic and sustainable manner. This latest Programme brings together 10 participants who were welcomed on the 13th by Mrs. Brenda Mundia, Deputy Director Capacity Building, World Customs Organization, during a round-table session. This serves as a prelude to a series of conferences given by WCO experts, as well as to the eight-day Leadership and Management Development Workshop, facilitated by two experts from Chile and the WCO. The participants will remain at WCO Headquarters until 7 June in order to prepare an in-depth study on a technical subject of their choice, under the supervision of a WCO tutor, and to make recommendations to their respective administrations for possible subsequent implementation. Lastly the participants will spend a fortnight in one of the Programmes partner Administrations (the Republic of Korea or Japan) to round off their study trip. The Spanish-speaking Fellowship Programme is funded by the Customs Administrations of Japan and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea. List of countries participating in the 78th Fellowship Programme: Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Paraguay y Peru. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. The U.S. State Department has cleared $314 million in possible sales of air defense missiles to South Korea, the Pentagon said, as tensions re-emerge on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea, a key Asian ally of the United States, asked to buy up to 94 SM-2 missiles used by ships against air threats, along with 12 guidance systems and technical assistance, for a total cost of $313.9 million, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on its website. The agency, a unit of the Department of Defense, delivered certification on Thursday notifying Congress of the possible sale. The proposed sale, announced Friday by the Pentagon, comes after North Korea recently criticized South Korea's defense purchases from the United States, including the arrival of the first F-35 stealth aircraft. Holiday shopping up at fastest pace in 17 years By The Associated Press May. 20, 2019 | 05:32 AM | LOUISVILLE Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has lashed out at protesting teachers and ridiculed judges during a tumultuous term steering Kentucky on a conservative course. Now the pugnacious governor faces the first test of his reelection campaign in a race that could offer clues about the electorate's mood heading into a presidential election year. Voters get to speak Tuesday in a state the GOP has recently dominated, but where Democrats see an opportunity to win back the governorship. Three prominent Democrats, including the son of Bevin's predecessor, are competing for the chance to challenge Bevin. The leading Democrats are Attorney General Andy Beshear, ex-state auditor Adam Edelen and longtime state Rep. Rocky Adkins. Beshear's father served two terms as governor. Bevin has three Republican primary challengers, including state Rep. Robert Goforth. 536 swimmers dressed in red and yellow, create the pattern of a huge Five-starred Red Flag. [For China Daily] A group of 536 swimmers from all over the country recently set a new Guinness World Record in the water in Yuncheng, North China's Shanxi province. The swimmers, dressed in red and yellow, created the pattern of a huge Five-starred Red Flag while floating on the city's Salt Lake and held the pose for two minutes. The activity was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest flag pattern made up of people on the water. "I am quite excited to join in the activity," Xu Meijuan, a swimmer from South China's Guangdong province told the local media. "It is a good chance to enjoy the famous Salt Lake and express my love of my motherland." (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) Merseyside Police appeal to trace missing teenager who could be in Wrexham This article is old - Published: Monday, May 20th, 2019 Officers from Merseyside police are appealing for help in tracing a 16-year-old girl who is missing from her home in Liverpool. Chloe Binns was last seen at 3.30pm on Monday, 13 May at Gateacre School, Hedgefield road and we are increasingly concerned about her wellbeing. Chloe is described as white, 5ft 9in tall, with dark brown shoulder length hair and a fair complexion. When last seen, she was wearing a black crop top, jeans, trainers and a jacket. She is known to frequent the Wrexham and Chester areas. Anyone who has seen a girl resembling Chloe or has any information is urged to call 101, DM @MerpolCC or you can contact the charity MissingPeople on 116 000. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 01:13:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The leader of Namibian Genocide Committee on Sunday urged Germany to be remorseful over the 1904 genocide against Namibian tribes. "The issue of the genocide and the killing of our people by the Germans is not a tribal but national issue which should be treated as such by both the Namibian and Germany governments," said Idda Hoffman, chairman of the commission, which is tasked with negotiations to facilitate the repatriation of artifacts as well as human remains of Namibians killed during the genocide. "I am very happy that there is some sort of movement from the Germans on returning our pieces of history for closure, but they need to be remorseful about the issue," Hoffman told Xinhua on Sunday. Hoffman, who is also a member of parliament in Namibia, said there is need for cordial and respectful engagement on the way forward between Germany and Namibia in dealing with the "painful past." The Genocide Committee consists of Namibian tribes of the Ovaherero and Nama people as well as government officials who have constantly engaging the Germans to facilitate the repatriation of human remains that the Germans took from Namibia during the genocide era. According to Hoffman, some of the Namibian human remains and artifacts are still paraded in many German museums despite the two countries' having cordial relations. Namibian political analyst and academic Hoze Riruako told Xinhua that although Germany and Namibia have made progress in dealing with the genocide issue, the Germans should go ahead and apologize publicly. "We are still very far from finding closure from the issue of atrocities committed against the Namibian people by the Germans," he said. Germany needs to pay reparations to Namibian societies that were affected by the genocide, Riruako said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 01:34:00|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The annual open event of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) took place on Saturday and Sunday in Pasadena, California, attracting about 25,000 visitors from across the country. The two-day event, namely Explore JPL, offers the public unique opportunities to learn more about the solar system and beyond. There are 3-D movies, exhibits and shows, as well as multiple spacecraft on display during the event. Visitors can walk through historical buildings, and chat with scientists and engineers. Visitors also have the chance to visit mission control centers and Spacecraft Assembly Facility, where the Mars 2020 spacecraft components are currently being assembled and tested. "The tour has broadened my eyes and mind. It is amazing to learn so many developments and accomplishments in aerospace engineering," Julia Casas, a high school student in Los Angeles, told Xinhua. Casas, on her first tour to JPL, said the experience deepened her interest in science, and enabled her to interact with science in her pursuit of future career. Brandt Buffington, mission design manager for Europa Clipper at JPL, told Xinhua the annual event provides very good opportunities for the public to get close to space science, and learn about JPL's explorations of space and Earth. JPL kicked off America's space age by designing and building the country's first successful satellite, Explorer 1, launched in January 1958. After that, the U.S. Congress established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and JPL became part of the agency. Through the years, JPL spacecraft have visited every planet in the solar system, and the twin Voyager spacecraft - the farthest human-made objects - have crossed into interstellar space, according to an introduction brochure of JPL. More than two dozen JPL spacecraft and instruments are studying Earth and other planets within and beyond the solar system, plus galaxies, stars, asteroids, black holes and other cosmic objects. There are two active spacecraft of JPL on the Martian surface and two orbiting overhead. The JPL teams are currently building and testing Mars 2020, the next rover mission to the Red Planet. Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday that recent U.S. words and actions had harmed the interests of China and its enterprises, and that Washington should show restraint, China's Foreign Ministry said. Speaking to Pompeo by telephone, Wang said the United States should not go "too far" in the current trade dispute between the two sides, adding that China was still willing to resolve differences through negotiations but that the nations should be on an equal footing. On Iran, Wang said China hoped all parties would exercise restraint and act with caution to avoid escalating tensions. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that Pompeo spoke with Wang and discussed bilateral issues and U.S. concerns about Iran, but she gave no other details. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent days, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Earlier this week the United States pulled some diplomatic staff from its Baghdad embassy following attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 02:19:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran traded 13,798 tons of non-oil commodities worth 26.7 million U.S. dollars with Belarus in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2019), Eghtesad Online news website reported on Sunday. The figures registered a 39.7 percent and 20.89 percent decline in weight and value respectively compared with the preceding year. Iran's exports to Belarus stood at 2,009 tons worth 2.76 million U.S. dollars. Iran mainly exported floorings, raisins, medical devices, cucumber and pistachios to Belarus during the 12 months. Belarus exported 11,789 tons of goods worth 23.94 million dollars to Iran. Iran's imports mainly included synthetic fibers, monocular and natural rubber. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 02:49:28|Editor: yan Video Player Close ALGIERS, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Political parties and prominent personnel have announced proposals for edging further toward solving the political stalemate in Algeria after the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The majority of the proposals rejected the presidential election planned on July 4, calling for the end of the current cabinet and the interim president to open the way for a transitional period of at least six months led by reliable personnel ahead of organizing fair and free elections. The latest proposal was announced on Saturday by three figures, including former foreign minister Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, former leader of Algerian Human Rights League Ali Yahia Abdennour, and retired general Rachid Benyelles. The three men signed a common statement urging the army to initiate dialogue with political parties, social forces, unions and representatives of the protest movement, in a bid to reach consensus to the crisis while meeting the aspirations that have been chanted for three months by the people. The statement said that cancelling presidential polls of July 4 and instating a short term transition period are inevitable steps before enabling the people to practice their choice through free and fair elections to build democratic rule of law. The proposal is likely to be adopted by the army given that the majority of the protesters have expressed their rejection to participate in July 4 election. An editorial of the state-run newspaper of El Moudjahed on Sunday noted that there is a consensus over organizing a national dialogue as soon as possible, as the nation has major economic and security challenges to take straight away, amid instability reigning in the region. Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah is intended to address a new speech on Sunday or Monday, during his visit to the fourth military region of in the southernmost province of Ouargla. Observers believe that Gaid Salah could by then respond to the proposal of Ibrahimi, Benyelles and Yahia Abdennour, which could be the starting point toward reaching a way out to the crisis. Algerians have been taking to the streets on every Friday since Feb. 22, as they are claiming radical change and rendering power to the people. They opposed Bouteflika's bid for a fifth presidential term, urged the government to step down and rejected the presidential elections slated for July 4. On April 2, Bouteflika resigned under the pressure and cancelled the presidential election scheduled for April 18. Abdelkader Bensalah, head of the upper house of parliament, was then named interim president for 90 days, according to the Algerian Constitution. Bensalah has announced the organization of a presidential election within three months. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 03:44:46|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close A visitor tries Chinese cuisine at "Taste of China" in Los Angeles, the United States, on May 18, 2019. "Taste of China," organized by the Los Angeles office of China National Tourist Administration, was a buffet featuring many of China's favorite gourmet dishes, including Peking Duck, Meizhou Pork Buns, Spicy Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Dongpo Fried Noodles and Fried Rice, Pot Stickers, Egg Rolls, and Sesame Rolls. The event was held on Saturday as part of the China Tourism and Culture Week in Los Angeles, a week-long series of China-oriented events which runs through May 26. (Xinhua/Li Ying) by Julia Pierrepont III LOS ANGELES, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Like any other weekend, Universal Studios' Hollywood CityWalk was bustling with local Angelenos and tourists from all over the world who came to see the sights, take in a movie, or catch a bite to eat at one of the dozens of restaurants that line the pedestrian mall high on a hill overlooking Los Angeles. On this Saturday, however, while musical groups from around the country performed on the CityWalk Stage, just across the square, one of China's most popular gourmet restaurant chains, the Dongpo Kitchen, was co-hosting the "Taste of China" as part of the China Tourism and Culture Week in Los Angeles, a week-long series of special China-oriented events which runs through May 26. "The Taste of China," organized by the Los Angeles office of China National Tourist Administration, was a delicious buffet featuring many of China's favorite gourmet dishes, including Peking Duck, Meizhou Pork Buns, Spicy Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Dongpo Fried Noodles and Fried Rice, Pot Stickers, Egg Rolls, and Sesame Rolls. Open to the American press and public, the buffet was designed to introduce more Americans to the delicacies of Chinese cuisine. Many passersby were lured into the event by the fragrance of the dishes on offer. Steve Castro, a big guy and amateur martial artist with a panda tattooed on his arm, came in to sample the cuisine. He told Xinhua, "I've been to Shanghai with my wife and we loved the different styles of Chinese food, from all the different areas and regions in China. Chinese food uses a lot of more interesting ingredients and has more flavor." Michael Tiberi, an avowed foodie from nearby Sunland, had heard about the event and came expressly to sample the gourmet fare. He was not disappointed. "I like the combination of the different ingredients they use and how they're orchestrated to make a wonderful symphony of flavors. The Spicy Chicken in particular is delicious and combining it with the slightly sweet taste of the sesame balls for desert is absolute perfection." Jaime, a CityWalk security guard with a lifelong love of good food, sat down to enjoy a heaping plate of Dongpo's finest offers. "I like the different spices and the different way they cook," Jaime told Xinhua. "Chinese food tastes better, the way they use garlic, soy sauce, and a lot of vegetables and condiments like basil to give it extra flavor." Shanna and Kyle, an American couple in Covina, California, came from a good hour's drive away, saying they are big fans of Dongpo. Kyle happily finished chowing down on all his favorites: the Spring Rolls, the Dongpo Fried Rice and the Peking Duck Sliders. "We really like Chinese food and have been here a lot. I'd definitely recommend people to try it. It's much more gourmet than some other Chinese restaurants," said Kyle. "My favorite's the dumplings," said Shanna. "It's got meat, cabbage, and vegetables in it. I love the diversity of flavors." Wang Gang, chairman of the Meizhou Dongpo Restaurant Management (Beijing) Co. Ltd., which owns the Dongpo restaurant chain, explained his almost poetic relationship with food. "Chinese cuisine is the bridge between the rich soil of China and the diners of the world," he told Xinhua. "People say you must never turn away from two things: good food and love." "A meal or a banquet is a great way to begin a friendship and a good meal can solve a lot of problems," he affirmed. Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles, Zhang Ping, attended the event and sat down with his wife to enjoy an informal meal side-by-side with a few lucky locals and visitors to the event. Zhang plans to make "The Taste of China" into a larger, yearly event as part of the Asian-American Cultural Heritage month in May. In much the same way that American's say the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, so do the Chinese who feel the best way to discern a person's character is to break bread with them. Zhang explained to Xinhua, "Cuisine art is a big part of Chinese culture and by launching this kind of cultural exchange, we bring Chinese culture to ordinary people and that helps bring Chinese and American people closer together." "When you eat Chinese food, it gives you a kind of curiosity to explore the Chinese culture and our country," he added. Wu Ning, director of Chinese tourist office in Los Angeles, was the driving force behind the Taste of China's promotional efforts. She was motivated by how sharing a meal and learning more about another country's culture can open people's minds and broaden their perspective, leading to greater understanding and tolerance. She agreed with the Consul General and said, "Food is a very important part of Chinese culture and only when the people of two countries love each other's culture can they have good communication and understanding." Edwin Marroquin, a young man in his twenties who works at CityWalk, proved her point. "I'm really fascinated with Chinese culture. I hope to visit China in the future, but for now, I just enjoy their food," he told Xinhua when explaining how cool it was that people from a lot of different cultures frequented CityWalk. "They can learn from us and we can learn from them," he affirmed. Wu had the last word, "Everyone loves food and many people love Chinese food. We want the American people to know more about China and come visit our country and see how beautiful it is." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 07:37:16|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Gu Qiyue, staff member from Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of Chinese Academy of Science, explains science knowledge to the visiting children during the academy's 15th Public Science Day event in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 19, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Fei) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 07:43:40|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close A hearing impaired staff member (2nd L) narrates culture of coffee with sign language as his colleagues look on in a Starbucks coffee store in Guangzhou, south of China's Guangdong Province, May 19, 2019. China marks the 29th National Day for Helping the Disabled on May 19, the third Sunday of May. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 08:10:39|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were shot dead in a bar in northern Brazil Sunday afternoon when seven masked gunmen attacked, local media reported. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 09:06:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close by Nguon Sovan, Mao Pengfei PHNOM PENH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States' protectionist policies are undermining international trading rules and norms, Cambodian analysts have said. The world economy, especially small economies like Cambodia, would suffer from Washington's trade offensives against China and other nations for a long time, said Mey Kalyan, chairman of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute. "It is even more regrettable that the international trade rules and norms that many countries have built for decades have been shattered overnight by a superpower which gives lessons to poor countries about democracy and human rights," he told Xinhua. Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute, said history has shown that no one would win in a trade war. Both the United States and China, as well as the whole world economy, would get hurt should the current trade tensions between the world's largest two economies continue escalating, he added. "The United States under Donald Trump's administration is implementing unilateralism and protectionism, which seriously threaten multilateralism," he told Xinhua. "Those countries that believe in open and inclusive multilateral system must unite against unilateralism," he stressed. Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the Beltei International University in Phnom Penh, said the Washington-initiated trade war currently poses the biggest threat to the global economy. "The primary losers from Trump's trade war, of course, will be the American consumers," he told Xinhua, adding that the increased prices of goods from China and other countries in the United States would adversely affect the wholesalers and distributors in the United States. In addition, the U.S. government should stop misusing and abusing national security as an excuse for promoting protectionism and unilateralism in global markets, said Matthews. "Protectionism, in this era of free and global market, is a cancer and the top enemy of the world economy," he said. "Connectivity, inclusiveness, and free, fair and even grounds for all the players in the world economy are the key to reducing and ultimately eliminating poverty in the world." Ek Tha, a spokesman for the Cambodian Council of Ministers, said he is a strong supporter of multilateral trading rules and that no one should be allowed to violate the global trading rules. "That's why we have World Trade Organization (WTO) rules in place to ensure the free flows of trade and investments in a fair manner and the WTO rules must be respected and implemented by the stakeholders," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 09:16:07|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Fox News of "wasting airtime" over its coverage of Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg. "Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him," he wrote, referring to Buttigieg, the 37-year-old openly gay mayor of South Bend, U.S. state of Indiana, and the Fox News host. Fox News is scheduled to host a town-hall event with Buttigieg on Sunday night. "They forgot the people who got them there. Chris Wallace said, 'I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance ... fascinating biography.' Gee, he never speaks well of me," the president wrote. Buttigieg, who announced his presidential bid last month, is among two dozen contenders for the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump in 2020. Wallace, 71, has praised Buttigieg as having "interesting, refreshing ideas" and more "substance" than Beto O'Rourke, another White House hopeful. The Fox News anchor is the son of legendary "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace, who died in 2012. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 09:46:17|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BUNIA, the Democratic Republic of Congo, May 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 people have been killed and 11 others missing after a village in the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) came under attack on Tuesday night, local authorities said on Sunday. Assailants from the Lendu community attacked a group of fishermen in Tara village along Lake Albert in Djugu, Ituri Province, said Pilo Kakoraki, a local official. For several months, the group has been operating in the Djugu region and has been hit hard by the army, Kakoraki said. Approximately 50,000 people have fled the unstable Djugu region in the last two years, following recurring conflicts between the two tribes of Hema and Lendu due to land disputes in Ituri Province. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 09:46:22|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NANNING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to two as of 8 a.m. after the roof of a night bar collapsed early Monday morning in the city of Baise, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A total of 85 people have been discovered. Of them two have been confirmed dead, one is in critical condition, seven others are severely injured, and 13 have been discharged from the hospital, according to local authorities. Local police, fire and health departments sent 160 people for the search and rescue after the collapse happened at around 1 a.m. The bar with a space of 700 square meters is located on the top floor of a three-story steel-framed building. The research and cleaning is continuing. A private U.S. think tank has offered yet another guess at the number of nuclear warheads North Korea might possess and has alighted on 20. In a report released last week, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments estimates that North Korea is the world's eighth nuclear-armed state after the U.S., Russia, China, the U.K., France, Pakistan, and India. Israel, which has a substantial nuclear arsenal but denies it, was excluded from the count. The center said North Korea "has produced enough material for 30-60 warheads, but has probably only assembled 10-20 warheads." Grouping nuclear powers into three tiers, the center said the U.S. and Russia have 3,800 and 4,490 nuclear warheads, which make them major powers, while those with 130 to 300 rank in the middle. But it added, "It would not take much for North Korea to develop an arsenal comparable in size to the lower end of the middle tier." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 10:01:37|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were shot and killed in a bar in Brazil's northern state of Para on Sunday, police said. The shooting took place Sunday afternoon in the neighborhood of Guama in the city of Belem when seven gunmen arrived at the bar and began shooting. They killed six women, among them the bar's owner, and five men, according to the Military Police. One person was injured and taken to hospital under police protection. An investigation into the shooting was opened by the Civil Police's Homicide Division, but the motive behind the shooting is still unknown. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 11:07:30|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhu Sheng OSTFILDERN, Germany, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Located in the small, quiet southeastern German town of Ostfildern, Haenchen company is disturbed by the ongoing trade frictions between China and the United States. "When tariffs rise, products become more expensive and usually less are bought," Stefan Haenchen, general manager of the family business, told Xinhua in the wake of the latest flare-up of U.S.-China trade tensions. Earlier this month, Washington increased additional tariffs on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent, and has threatened to raise tariffs on more Chinese imports. In response, China announced that it will impose additional tariffs on a range of U.S. imports from June 1, and "will fight to the end." Established in 1925 and now having more than 200 employees, Haenchen company focuses its production on hydraulic cylinders and drive systems, and makes its products solely in Germany. So far the company has not been directly affected by the U.S.-China trade tensions, but Haenchen said he is concerned. He fretted that as some potential Chinese buyers of Haenchen's cylinders may have to buy valves in the U.S. market to go with the cylinders, the trade row would lead to higher prices of the valves and force the potential Chinese buyers to change their orders or even abandon Haenchen's cylinders altogether. "For us, this means that we cannot sell the cylinder, even though we are not directly involved in the higher customs duties," he said. In addition, Haenchen said his company has established business relations with companies in the automobile industry, where he found the situation has become more uncertain. German carmakers BMW Group and Audi AG, both of which told Xinhua that it is free trade that made their success, are calling for free and fair trade relations. "We are not interested in further escalating the trade conflict between the U.S. and China," said a BMW spokesperson. A spokesman of Volkswagen told Xinhua lately that the trade frictions between China and the United States have yet to exert a direct impact on its supply chain, but they do affect industry climate for consumers. The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, also warned in a recent report that uncertainties brought by trade frictions between China and the United States could have an adverse impact on the global economy. It noted that the uncertainties and the impact on global supply chains caused by the trade frictions are being gradually unleashed, ranging from postponed enterprise investment decisions to easing external demand for some countries due to disrupted supply chains. What concerns Haenchen most is the planning uncertainty incurred by the U.S.-China tariff conflict. "The planning uncertainty is always bad for the economy," he added. His family company, now in its third generation, has businesses both in China and the United States, with a sales volume of 22 million euros (around 24.57 million U.S. dollars) in 2018 worldwide. Independent family business companies like Haenchen's make up about 99.5 percent of total enterprises in Germany, according to statistics of Germany Trade & Invest, an economic development agency. If the conflict continues or even gets worse, Haenchen said, the uncertainty will not only affect his company but the entire German economy. (Xinhua reporters Zhai Wei in Brussels and Li Meng and Moritz Rommerskirchen in Berlin also contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 12:27:54|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump made a fresh threat against Iran in a tweet Sunday, deviating from his fairly reserved tone days ago. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon. The president's new tweet is an escalation of his tough stance on Iran. When asked by a reporter at the White House on Thursday morning about whether the United States was going to war with Iran, Trump replied "I hope not." Trump told his acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday that he does not want to go to war with Iran, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing several anonymous administration officials. Over recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure against Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats, following Washington's year-long campaign against Iran after the U.S. exit from the landmark Iran nuclear deal in May last year. On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department ordered the non-emergency U.S. employees in both the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq. Earlier, the U.S. military said the U.S. forces were on high alert in Iraq and Syria over fears of "imminent threats" from Iran-backed forces in the region. The U.S. measures came amid the tense situation in the region after Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 12:27:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Tripartite 2019 meeting among Auckland, New Zealand, Guangzhou, China and Los Angeles, the United States, was launched on Monday to promote trade and innovation cooperation among the three Pacific cites. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff delivered his opening speech by first acknowledging the importance of the Tripartite Economic Alliance and the sister city relations with Guangzhou and Los Angeles. "The Tripartite meetings are an important platform for exchanging information and opportunities. The Tripartite Economic Alliance has strengthened Auckland's relationships with China and the U.S. It has delivered multi-million dollar business deals for Auckland and New Zealand businesses, created jobs and economic growth for our city," said Goff. Goff also proposed wider range of cooperation among the three cities such as climate change and city congestion. "This cooperation could be more flexible than state to state relations," said Goff. He also invited businesses and partners from Guangzhou and Los Angeles to explore further opportunities in Auckland. Zhang Shuofu, secretary of the Communist Party of China Guangzhou Municipal Committee, in his speech, praised the wonderful platform built in 2014 when the Tripartite Economic Alliance was formed. He believed that the Tripartite platform is a new model for cooperation among global cities. Five years since the formation of the Tripartite Economic Alliance, the three cities have had frequent exchanges in economy and trade. The cities also have signed cooperative agreements in tourism, culture, innovation and education, which are sound evidences of a deepening cooperation and relationship, said Zhang. Zhang also highlighted the opportunities that emerged from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which would open up new approaches and platforms for global cooperation. Zhang encouraged business and investors from sister cities to seize the opportunities and to participate in Guangzhou's vibrant economic progress. Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles Jeff Gorell said that Los Angeles benefited from the Tripartite Economic Alliance, which showcased the vision of leaders from the three sister cities. "The Tripartite Economic Alliance is an important platform for our three Pacific cities to work together for future development. It is also a good example for cities in the world as of how to cooperate. It is also our responsibility to further work together by making avail of respective advantages and share the prosperity for the future generation," said Gorell. Aligning with Techweek'19, one of New Zealand's largest technology events, this year's two-day Tripartite meetings are focused on industrial innovation, digital creativity and big data, attended by over 360 businesses, investors and civic leaders from three cities. Li Chuyuan, chairman of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, delivered a speech at the Food, Technology and Wellbeing penal discussion, sharing his thoughts on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and health. "Many countries in the world are now troubled by the escalating medical costs, and TCM provides a cost-effective solution to this global problem. In order to help more people take advantage of the health benefits of TCM, we now plan to make full use of the advanced technologies and the prevailing marketing approaches to produce the most needed healthcare products to the general public," said Li. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 12:32:58|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were shot and killed in a bar in Brazil's northern state of Para on Sunday, police said. The shooting took place Sunday afternoon in the neighborhood of Guama in the city of Belem when seven gunmen arrived at the bar and began shooting. They killed six women, among them the bar's owner, and five men, according to the Military Police. One person was injured and taken to hospital under police protection. An investigation into the shooting was opened by the Civil Police's Homicide Division, but the motive behind the shooting is still unknown. Local media speculated that the killings could be a revenge for a fight among rival factions. The Guama neighborhood is one of the most populous neighborhoods in Belem and in March it was one of seven to receive reinforcement from the National Armed Forces to put a stop to criminal activity in the city and the metropolitan region. In 2017, a wave of killings hit Belem, killing 28 people in 24 hours following the murder of a military police officer. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 12:38:02|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close DUSHANBE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Three guards and 29 inmates have been killed in a riot in a high-security prison east of the Tajik capital Dushanbe, local media quoted the Justice Ministry as saying on Monday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 12:48:07|Editor: zh Video Player Close HANOI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- African swine fever (ASF) has spread to 34 cities and provinces across Vietnam, leading to the culling of 5 percent of the country's pig population, local media reported on Monday. About 1.5 million pigs or 5 percent of Vietnam's pig herds nationwide have been culled since the first case of ASF was detected in the northern province of Hung Yen on Feb. 1, daily newspaper Vietnam News quoted Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong as saying. Without stronger preventive measures, "the most dangerous outbreak that the husbandry industry has faced so far" may spread to all 63 localities in Vietnam, he said. The minister warned that even localities declared free from ASF, meaning there has not been an incident or suspected sick pig within 30 days, they are not entirely safe as the disease could easily return, as was the case in the central province of Thua Thien Hue. At a working session in the rural district of Dong Anh in the capital city of Hanoi on Sunday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for joint efforts of the entire political system in the fight against ASF. The prime minister underlined the responsibility of heads of concerned agencies in the combat and asked the agencies and localities to double efforts in ASF prevention and control. The veterinary sector needs to monitor and support pig farms that are free from the virus in pork consumption, he said, adding that localities should update agencies and people on developments of the disease. ASF has hit pig farms in all 24 districts in Hanoi, killing 10 percent of its pigs. In Dong Anh alone, 629 pigs, or one-fifth of its total pigs, have been infected. ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and 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| 2019-05-20 13:18:17|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen have emerged as the leading candidates to lead the the Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) after it lost the general election on Saturday. Despite opinion polls and analysts projecting a Labor victory, the party was defeated by the incumbent Liberal-National Party Coalition (LNP) and Prime Minister Scott Morrison in one of the biggest upsets in the history of Australian politics. Conceding defeat on Saturday night, Bill Shorten announced he was stepping down as leader of the ALP immediately. Plibersek and Albanese, both members of the Labor left, have announced their candidacy for leadership and are considered the frontrunners while Bowen is the leading candidate from the party's right faction. Albanese, who ran against Shorten for leadership in 2013 but was narrowly defeated, announced his candidacy, saying that he was "the best person to lead Labor back into government." "We've lost three elections in a row. That has an impact on those Australians who rely upon us to improve their education, to look after their healthcare, to build public transport infrastructure," he said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Albanese served as the deputy PM when Labor was last in government in 2013 and as the party's spokesman for infrastructure under Shorten's leadership. "What you see is what you get with me, for better or worse," he said. "I am a bit rough at the edges, but I think that Australians don't want someone who just utters talking points." Plibersek was Shorten's deputy leader and the spokesperson for education. News Corp Australia reported on Monday that Shorten has thrown his support behind his former deputy. Bowen is one of the highest-profile members of the conservative faction of the party. The leadership ballot process could take up to a month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 13:43:28|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KABUL, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Three members of the Haqqani militant group have been arrested in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, the government said on Monday. "The National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel launched an operation in Police District 8 of Kabul. As a result three members of Haqqani terrorist group were arrested," Presidential Information Coordination Center (Tawhid Center) said in a statement. The statement did not disclose the exact time of the operation conducted by the NDS, the primary intelligence agency of the country. As a Taliban-linked militant group, the Haqqani network, operating mostly in eastern provinces and the capital Kabul, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces. On Sunday night, a police officer was wounded after unknown men hurled a hand grenade on a security checkpoint in Dough Abad, an area in Police District 7 of Kabul, police spokesman Ferdous Faramarz confirmed. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 14:08:50|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official has called for efforts to better inform the people of China's achievements over the past 70 years and its future development plans. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection and research tour to Guangdong from May 17 to 19. Noting that mass activities are being held across China's urban and rural areas to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, he underscored extensive publicity efforts to explain to the people China's situation and policies. The people should be clearly informed of the achievements China has made under the leadership of the CPC, the enormous potential and bright prospects for China's economic development, the plans made by the CPC Central Committee to promote high-quality development and improve people's wellbeing, according to the official. Initiatives designed to promote social etiquette and civility should be community-based and focus on serving communities, and Party organizations of various levels should better play their roles of mobilizing resources to step up ideological work to build consensus among the people and relieve their worries, he said. The controversial Falun Gong spiritual movement that originated in China is spreading quickly in Pyongyang despite a crackdown by an anxious regime, according to sources. Radio Free Asia quoted an unnamed source as saying, "In early April, the police issued a proclamation ordering citizens to voluntarily report their status as believers in Falun Gong. They threatened to impose harsh punishments on those who don't turn themselves in but are found after the reporting period." The Chinese government has been cracking down harshly on the movement, which is widely seen as harmless outside its borders and combines meditation practice with a bland-sounding moral message drawn from Buddhism and Taoism. One source said more than 100 Falun Gong followers were arrested during a crackdown in Pyongyang last month, but the negative publicity backfired and actually sparked interest in the movement, including from the Pyongyang elite. North Korean authorities "can't predict how many more Falun Gong followers they will arrest and since [the religion] is spreading among high-ranking government officials and their families, it is becoming more than a troubling issue for them," the source told RFA. Meanwhile, North Korea will start putting on its queasy mass games next month, where up to 100,000 people are mobilized to hop about in unison and wave colored flags. They have been denounced as human rights abuses by the international community as participants are trained for months under conditions that do not allow the slightest mistake. The title of the performances has changed from "Glorious Country" last year to "Land of the People." They are mainly staged to bring in visitors from abroad who are not automatically offended by displays of large-scale uniformity, and a VIP seat costs around W1.07 million, while a first-class seat costs W670,000 (US$1=W1,196). Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 14:54:41|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close TEGUCIGALPA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Five men were shot dead on Sunday inside a house in Honduras's western municipality of Esperanza, with their identities and the motive behind the homicide remaining unknown, local police said. The incident occurred near a military detachment, local media La Prensa reported, quoting witnesses as saying that two vehicles arrived at the spot with several heavily armed men on board. Police authorities cordoned off the crime scene and began investigation. The shooting brought the number of multiple homicide cases this year to 25 in the Central American country. Many of murders, according to authorities, are the results of disputes over drug distributions and sales between gangs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:09:51|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Mahmoud Fouly BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Since its start in March 2017, the Chinese government's initiative to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) has sought not only to turn the region into a massive cluster for advanced industries, but also to catch up with the world's leading economic hubs. In early July 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of a framework agreement between the National Development and Reform Commission and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao on deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation. The GBA development plan was officially released in February this year as part of China's overall reform and opening up strategy, aiming to build the country's southern region into a model of unique development, an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster. "The building of this area is one of the major national strategies under the 'one country, two systems' policy. We're working hard on it and we're doing our best to catch up with those bay areas of New York, San Francisco and Tokyo in the near future," Tang Shihong, deputy director of Guangdong office for GBA promotion, told Xinhua in Zhuhai city of Guangdong Province. Tang added that the massive project provides a great opportunity to push forward reform and opening up and a new starting point for high growth development in the region. Outlining and guiding the current and future measures for the GBA cooperation and development, the plan covers the period from 2019 to 2022 in the immediate term and extends to 2035 in the long term. The fast-growing bay area consists of nine cities in Guangdong and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and it is expected to become a world-class city cluster by 2022 and an innovation-based region with a complete, comprehensive and integrated economic system by 2035. The GBA development plan is a manifestation of China's efforts to build an open community for coordinated innovation in the region through boosting technology carriers and platforms to enhance an innovation-based environment. The inauguration of the newly-constructed 55-km-long Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) in October last year after about nine years of building, including a 6.7-km-long immersed tunnel, marks a landmark in the development plan of the GBA. "The bridge connects the coasts of Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai together, combining the diversified industrial characteristics of the three areas," said Min Yuntong, executive deputy chief of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Zhuhai Municipal Committee. The HZMB construction used over 400,000 tons of steel and consumed more than a million cubic meters of cement. In the end, it has become the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. The bridge runs between two huge artificial islands, the east island and the west one, with about 400 shuttle buses running back and forth everyday carrying thousands of people between Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai. "The HZMB connects Hong Kong and Macao with the west coast of Zhuhai, which narrows the distance between the east and west coasts and leads a rapid economic development of this bay area," Min told Xinhua. He explained that the GBA is different from other world bay areas like those of Tokyo and New York due to its diversified industrial characteristics, various development bases and larger population. "This integration of these elements will make the GBA a real competitor with the world's top bay areas in the future," Min said. Yu Lie, deputy director of HZMB administration, said that the supergiant bridge will lead to a "balanced development" between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, building an economic belt and a tourism corridor in the region. The massive bridge strengthens exchange and communication between people on both sides of Taiwan Strait and promote cooperation between them in various fields, according to Yu. "It also strengthens the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into China's mainland, economy, tourism and transportation," Yu told Xinhua in a recent interview during a tour on the bridge. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:29:59|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MOGADISHU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's security forces held two suspects including the driver of the explosive-laden vehicle that went off in Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday evening. Zakia Hussein, the deputy police commander, confirmed that the blast which occurred when a parked car filled with explosives detonated at around 7 p.m. (1600 GMT) in Mogadishu's Hamarweyne district did not kill or injure anyone. "We do not have any injury or death. Two people were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the explosion," Hussein said on Sunday evening. The blast came at a time when Mogadishu is on high alert as police forces blocked the main roads of the capital to prevent possible attacks by militants. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest bombing but al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab conducted similar attacks in the past. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:35:01|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Duncan Murray SYDNEY, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The re-election of Australia's conservative government on Saturday came as a relief to many investors and saw financial shares skyrocket in the week's early trading, as economic policies proposed by the defeated Australian Labor party sat dead in the water. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's return to office was a surprise outcome to most, including investors who had begun to price in policies proposed by the opposition, including higher tax revenue and increased oversight of the banking sector. "There were a number of areas of policy that were concerning from an investment point of view -- and given that it was conventional wisdom that it was very likely Labor would form government, investors had started to reposition themselves to defend against those potential changes in policies," CMC Markets' chief market strategist Michael McCarthy told Xinhua on Monday. A number of those policies became key election issues and in the end, may have cost Labor the election -- including proposed changes to the rules regarding franking credits and negative gearing that would see some people, mostly older Australians, paying more in tax. The rejection by the Australian people of the changes, along with a broadly held belief that the economy performs better under a conservative government, saw shares in the country's financial institutions surge as trade opened on Monday, including gains between 5-10 percent for big banks. "I think the multiple policies that would affect bank bottom lines were a major area of concern and saw a lot of people shift away, so I think we could well see ongoing support over the coming days and weeks for that sector in particular," McCarthy explained. The property market was also central to the election battle, with changes to rules regarding negative gearing capturing the interest of many young Australians, who saw it as improving their chances of being able to afford a home in the future, although in the end the changes proved too radical. "There were concerns amongst homeowners that it would affect the value of their homes, and there were concerns among economists that the wealth effect of a big key in the property market could drag the Australian economy down," McCarthy said. "So once again the removal of that potential policy has proved to be a positive for most groups but not all groups." Now it is up to the government to live up to their reputation and deliver the promised prosperity which won them the election. "I think they're more focussed on removing red tape and freeing individuals and companies up to go about their business," McCarthy said of the returning government. "Philosophically, I think that's more aligned with a healthier economy." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:40:03|Editor: ZX Video Player Close FARAH, Afghanistan, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Eleven Taliban militants were killed after NATO-led coalition forces' planes struck Taliban positions in Afghanistan's western province of Farah overnight, local police said Monday. "Up to 11 Taliban terrorist group fighters were killed following airstrikes launched by coalition forces in surrounding areas of Bala Buluk district, Farah province Sunday night," provincial police spokesman Muhibullah Muhib told Xinhua. The strikes also destroyed four militants' vehicles in the restive district of provincial capital Farah city, the police official added. The province has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and Taliban since early this year. The Afghan security forces, backed by the NATO-led coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants within the past few months as spring and summer known as the fighting season is drawing near in the country. The militant group has yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:40:05|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A mega charitable trust has been launched to support education development worldwide, especially in China. The charitable trust is financed by donations of stocks worth over four billion Hong Kong dollars (about 509.6 million U.S. dollars) by Chinese philanthropist Charles Chen. Chen had earlier set aside 2.5 billion Hong Kong dollars in 2016 to establish Yidan Prize, the world's largest international prize in education research and development. The trust will promote the implementation of global premium education projects, in China in particular, as well as support pioneering projects in development and innovation of education in China, according to a statement released Monday by the Chen Yidan Foundation. The foundation will facilitate the application of the prize's projects, with a specific focus on those which can serve Chinese society's needs and support education development, the statement said, adding that quality and effects will be prioritized over quantity and speed during the process. Total donations of the Tencent co-founder so far neared 10 billion Hong Kong dollars, according to the foundation. Different countries have their own traditions and approaches in education, while generally speaking, education should be people-oriented, which is what China advocates, Chen said. When it comes to technology and education, Chen believes that in an increasingly tech-savvy world, it is crucial to nurture people's love and respect toward each other and make them understand their own traditions and culture. Chen, who is convinced that education is a fundamental driving force for social development, decided in 2013 to devote himself wholly to a charitable career focused on education. He has financed the development of many pioneering education institutions such as the non-profit private university Wuhan College. "Education is the slowest social system due to the multitude of its stakeholders. Thus it's important to seek consensus for shared contribution," Chen said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 15:45:07|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, May 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese performing arts show was held Friday at U.S. California State University, Los Angeles to commemorate the achievement of Chinese scientist Rongxiang Xu in advancing regenerative life science. The show, themed "the Light of Regeneration," also celebrated the commencement of Class 2019 of Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services. The arts show was performed by a group of artists from China and drew about 2,000 attendees, including local officials, community leaders and university personnel. "It is significant to bring Chinese culture to the campus named after a Chinese doctor," said Li Li, chairman of the National Rongxiang Xu Foundation, adding that over 2000 students graduate from the college every year. In April 2017, the university officially named the college after Dr. Xu in recognition of his achievement in the field of regenerative medicine, marking the first named college in the university's history of over 70 years. Dr. Xu, founder of Mebo International Group, developed the Moist Exposed Burn Therapy, which has been regarded as a revolutionary regenerative treatment for burns. He passed away in 2015. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 16:05:20|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- In the face of complex domestic and international situations, China has been deepening supply-side structural reform resolutely since the beginning of this year. The country's new progress in reform and opening up and structural adjustment is further consolidating its economic and social stability and promoting the ongoing shift of China's economy toward high-quality development. PRECISE MEASURES PAY OFF To crack the problems of unbalanced and insufficient development, China has increased investment in the supply end to leverage the strong domestic market as a reform approach to stabilize demand. China in February launched a project to offer inclusive elderly care, with the central budget allocating 1.4 billion yuan (about 200 million U.S. dollars) to boost the number of nursing beds for the elderly by 70,000, which stimulates both investment and consumption. "Strengthening areas of weakness both increases high-end supply and meets demands for consumption upgrade, so as to form a virtuous circle of the economy," said Cong Liang, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission. In the financial sector, reform measures are taken to lower risks and enhance the ability to better serve the real economy, with the central bank announcing a targeted cut in reserve requirement ratio (RRR) in its latest attempt of using structural tools to help cash-strained private and small businesses. About 1,000 county-level rural commercial banks will enjoy a favorable RRR, unleashing long-term capital of about 280 billion yuan, which will be used as loans to private, micro and small enterprises. A series of precise measures has created a better environment and channeled energies into stable economic performance, and the effect of supply-side structural reform continues to show. Corporate leverage continued to fall, as the asset-liability ratio of major industrial firms dropped to 57 percent at the end of March, down 0.2 percentage points from a year earlier. Meanwhile, enterprises are seeing reduced cost and improved profit. In March, industrial firms above the designated size reported an average cost of operating income per hundred yuan at 92.9 yuan, a 0.07-yuan decrease from a year ago, yet with year-on-year profit growth of 13.9 percent. It is clear that China's economy is already shifting to high-quality development, said Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund. SOLID FUNDAMENTALS UPGRADED As China has made headway in reducing overcapacity in the past few years, the steel sector now reports improved efficiency, creating valuable opportunities for enterprises to make great efforts in R&D, innovation and product upgrade. In the first quarter, China's steel exports registered growth after falling for three consecutive years. "The mix of export products has shifted significantly toward high-end, as about 60 percent of steel exports are high-value plates and strips," said Qu Xiuli, vice president of China Iron and Steel Industry Association. While the profound evolution of an industry reflects the far-reaching impact of supply-side structural reform, more inclusive tax cuts are offering more space to enterprises. "The money saved and channeled to reproduction will be used for R&D of the fourth-generation nuclear power main pumps and back-end processing equipment for nuclear power plants," said Lu Jinqi, chairman of the Shanghai Apollo Machinery Co., Ltd., adding that the VAT rate cut is expected to reduce corporate tax by 15 million yuan this year. After several years of implementation, China's supply-side structural reform has ushered in an "upgraded version," which is more accurate, effective and flexible. "The focus of reform at present and in the future will shift to expanding effective supply, turning potential demand into a driving force for economic growth and providing prospects for China's economic development," said Kuang Xianming, director of the economic research center at the China Institute for Reform and Development. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:02:06|Editor: ZX Video Player Close A malnourished girl lies on a bed while receiving treatment at a malnutrition care-center in Sanaa, Yemen, on May 19, 2019. With 360,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and 2.5 million - or half of all children under the age of five - stunted, the country is spiralling perilously close to the brink, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Henrietta Fore warned. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:01:11|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close TOKYO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said Monday it is seeking third-party arbitration in a dispute with South Korea over compensation for forced wartime labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Japan's Foreign Ministry is seeking the creation of a panel comprising members from a third country to address the issue and said it urges South Korea to agree to the request to advance the dispute that has soured diplomatic ties since October last year. South Korea's top court has ordered Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. to pay compensation for the forced labor of the plaintiffs during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. A similar judgment was issued by the top court in South Korea for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to compensate two groups of South Koreans over wartime forced labor. Other Japanese companies including, but not limited to Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp. and Mitsubishi Materials Corp., have also been sued by South Korean plaintiffs claiming they or their family members were adversely affected by Japanese firms' forced wartime labor. Japan is seeking arbitration on the issues based on a pact inked between Tokyo and Seoul in 1965. The Japanese Foreign Ministry has claimed that Seoul has been reluctant to show a willingness to advance talks on the matter with Tokyo through diplomatic channels and, hence, is seeking outside arbitration on the issue. Meanwhile, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said that some of the plaintiffs in South Korea said they have begun offloading stocks that have been seized from Japanese firms and have been seeking to liquidize assets from the firms involved. One Japanese advocate supporting the South Korean plaintiffs said that the forced labor during the war by the Japanese companies in question had destroyed the lives of the laborers and as such the companies should admit their culpability and apologize. Credit: Julien's AuctionsSomeone paid $75,000 to own the sweater Kurt Cobain wore in his final photo shoot. Cobain wore the sweater, a green acrylic and mohair cardigan with a geometric pattern design, when photographer Jesse Frohman took his photo in the summer of 1993 for the upcoming Nirvana album, In Utero. The grunge icon died several months later in April 1994. The sweater sold over the weekend at a sale held by Julien's Auctions. It had been expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000. The auction also included a paper pizza plate Cobain used to hand-write a set list for a Washington, D.C. Nirvana show in 1990. That sold for $22,400, well above the expected price range of $1,000 to $2,000. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. China sent North Korea some 1,000 tons of rice and 162,007 tons of fertilizer after leader Kim Jong-un paid his second visit in May last year, according to statistics from China's General Administration of Customs. Yet even as the North has gone to the UN with begging bowl in hand, one official boasted of increased grain production in the failed command economy. China gave the North 1,000 tons of free rice worth US$1.02 million last July, according to the statistics out Sunday, and 162,007 tons of free fertilizer worth $55.03 million until last October. The shipments were mostly made after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kim in Dalian on May 7-8. After the summit, there was widespread speculation that Xi had promised Kim massive economic aid. China's fertilizer shipments to the North last year were equal to the total amount of fertilizer the North imported from overseas in 2016. In 2013, China sent 200,000 tons of fertilizer to the North but in 2017 none as Pyongyang angered Beijing with continued missile tests. One ton of urea fertilizer can produce around 2 tons of food in the North, a relatively inefficient yield but a useful metric to calculate the North's actual food production. But despite calls for international food aid, a North Korean official boasted at UN headquarters of increased food production, Voice of America reported last Saturday. On May 9, Ri Kyong-hun told a UN session that the North's agricultural production continued to increase over the past three years thanks to greater investment and advanced farming technology. He said grain prices dropped each year over the past four years and hit their lowest point so far in 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:06:15|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BRUSSELS, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Wielding a big stick of punitive tariffs, the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned to mislead its European allies into believing that China is to blame for the ongoing trade tensions. But to many European leaders and scholars, Washington is waging a new round of bullying campaign to defend its "America First" policy at the expense of others, including its European allies. DWINDLING CONFIDENCE "The war waged by the United States has made America lose more than money, but the confidence of its allies and Western countries," Mechthild Leutner, a professor with the Institute of East Asian Studies at Free University of Berlin, told Xinhua in a recent interview. The U.S. policy, "especially during the Trump administration, has made it a country that every one knows it only cares about itself," added Leutner. The commonly recognized selfishness of U.S. policy would be dangerous and poisonous to Washington, warned Joseph S. Nye Jr., a renowned professor at Harvard University, in a column published early May. "Reputation has always mattered in world politics, but credibility has become an even more important power resource," he said. In Leutner's eyes, "the European allies right now are somehow caught in the middle of the conflict between the United States and China." "They used to have trust in America but the reality they are facing now is to cautiously side with China, who has held the free trade, globalism flag," he said. In an interview with German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly called the United States a "global adversary" instead of an ally who used to offer "American umbrella" to Europe. For Stefano Silvestri, a former Italian undersecretary of state for defense, trans-Atlantic relations have reached a historic low recently, as the United States keeps accusing European Union (EU) countries, especially Germany, of creating a huge U.S. trade deficit. "Chancellor Merkel is strongly protecting a multilateral system that President Trump despises. The U.S. president is convinced that if he is able to dominate Germany, he will be able to dominate the whole Europe," Silvestri told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. GLOBAL RISKS For the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the ongoing trade row initiated by Washington is putting the global economy at "massive risk," and the "confrontation course" would endanger the world economy. The trade tensions, said BDI Director General Joachim Lang in a recent press release, would "directly affect" European companies with production facilities in the United States and China. The EU also has its own fight with the United States. In mid-February, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on cars imported from the EU if a trade deal could not be reached between the two sides. On Saturday, Trump declared that some imported vehicles and auto parts pose a national security threat, but he delayed a decision on tariffs to allow for more time for trade talks with the EU and Japan. "An escalation would affect U.S. consumers and the U.S. economy as well as the economies of the United States' closest allies," said Lang, whose country would be particularly hit by the auto tariffs. Talking about the U.S. pressure on Europe about its 5G construction, Markus Taube, a professor of East Asian Economic Studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen, said that the German industry is very pragmatic and believes in proof or facts. So far there is no evidence that Chinese company Huawei would spy on its users, said Taube. "The dust will settle and people will see the truth." "Normally when there is a conflict you should respect the mechanism of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)," Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, told Xinhua on Friday. "So we are a little bit afraid of the new policy of the United States, which is a unilateral policy," added Dewit. The U.S. trade bullyism has also raised concern on the other side of the English Channel. "For the first time in decades, the system of free, fair, rules-based international trade which underpins our global prosperity is under attack," said British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox in a keynote speech at The Global Trade Review 2019 Conference on May 8. LACKING COMPROMISE SPIRIT According to Taube, the U.S. government is intent on keeping the trade frictions with China boiling to serve Trump's own purpose. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Taube said he does not see a quick end to the current trade tensions between Beijing and Washington since compromise, a key spirit in any negotiation, is lacking on the U.S. side. However, a potential down-cycle triggered by the tariffs might force Trump to change the course of trade disputes, Taube noted. "The motor industry is suffering, the aluminum industry is suffering, a lot will be happening there," Taube said. "They will really see that the tariff is not working, they are losing jobs, and sales are breaking down." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:11:21|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Modern international trade relations are based on credibility and the spirit of the contract. However,in the year-long China-U.S. trade negotiations, Washington repeatedly reneged on its promises and played "face changing" tricks, leaving stark stains on its credibility. During Chinese Vice Premier Liu He's visit to Washington last May, Beijing and Washington agreed not to engage in a trade war. Only days later, the Trump administration said it will impose a 25-percent tariff on 50 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports which contain industrially significant technology. Soon after the recent setbacks in China-U.S. trade consultations, the Trump administration, in the name of "national security," rolled out measures to hit Chinese tech firms. The White House's executive order will kill many business contracts between Chinese and U.S. firms. The U.S. side is perhaps narcissistic about its "art of deal," yet its tainted records in failing to keep its own words have alarmed the world. As a matter of fact, China is not the first victim of America's acts of bad faith and trade bullyism. Over more than a year, the U.S. side has wielded a "big stick" of protectionism, and coerced many of its trade partners, including South Korea, Canada and Mexico, into re-negotiating their long-existing trade agreements. These bullying behaviors have sent a clear signal: one can arbitrarily tamper with the original contracts regardless of cooperation partners' interests and concerns, as long as it has the power to do so. That is "the logic of gangsters" and "the law of jungle." Such bullying tactic has stirred global opposition, including from Washington's allies in Europe. When Washington decided to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on the European Union (EU) last year, the European Commission rebutted in a tweet, saying that "The EU believes these unilateral U.S. tariffs are unjustified and at odds with World Trade Organization rules. This is protectionism, pure and simple." Also, America's bullying actions have gone far beyond multilateral economic and trade realms. Since the Trump administration took power, Washington has backed away from a string of major international agreements and multilateral bodies, including the Paris climate accord, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, and the Universal Postal Union. These self-serving moves have disgraced Washington's credibility as a responsible major country, and seriously eroded the foundation for international cooperation. In the aftermath of the World War II, the United States helped establish the existing global trade and finance order. As a result, Washington has benefited enormously from such a system that is based on the U.S. dollar's supremacy. However, Washington is in no way justified to abuse its superpower status. Instead, it needs to fulfill its duties as an equal member of the international community. It is worth noting that the U.S.-led global order may collapse once Washington's credibility goes bankrupt. This dangerous prospect is in no one's interests. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:36:45|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official met here on Monday with a group of Tibetan monks who have received a senior academic title of Tibetan Buddhism. You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, called on Tibetan Buddhists to firmly safeguard the national unification and ethnic unity, and to promote the inheritance of Tibetan Buddhism. The group of 40 monks received the senior academic title, one of the highest titles for Tibetan Buddhism, after passing an examination. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:41:47|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Higher Defense Council instructed the country's General Security to send away Syrian refugees who entered Lebanon in an illegal way to curb human trafficking, local media reported on Monday. "We are more concerned of human trafficking practices on Lebanese borders and illegal borders than the smuggling of products," Ola Boutros, advisor to Lebanese foreign affairs minister, was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper. Human trafficking is a very big problem, Boutros added, which leads to prostitution, early marriages and other dangerous practices that impact the safety and security of Syrian refugees. Boutros explained that the entry of Syrian refugees through 163 illegal borders caused such practices. Boutros said that around 1,075 Syrian refugees entered illegally to Lebanon and were registered with the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees to receive donations. This contradicts a decision taken by the Lebanese government in 2015 barring the UN refugee agency from registering Syrian refugees, the advisor added. The government has also placed additional restrictions on the entry of Syrian refugees into the country without guarantors, work visas or visas for transit. Such measures led to a rise in the number of Syrian refugees attempting to enter Lebanon illegally. As a result, security forces have been trying to crack down on smuggling in areas close to the border with Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 17:51:50|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's public sector waged a nationwide strike on Monday amid fears that the 2019 state budget would cut salaries of public employees, local media reported. Public and some of the private schools in different parts of the country, municipalities, public sector employees in multiple administrations and port of Beirut took part in the strike, according to the National News Agency. Meanwhile, over 500 state employees and public and private school teachers gathered in Nabatieh, south of Lebanon, to take the buses to Beirut where they will join in a protest. Nawal Nasr, head of Lebanese League of Public Administration Employees, previously announced that public administration workers would strike indefinitely if the budget reduced their wages. The council of ministers is currently studying the 2019 draft budget, while it is expected to end its discussions of the different provisions included in the budget in the coming two days to transfer it to the parliament for approval. Public sector employees including military personnel have been waging demonstrations in the past two weeks to protest a possible cut in their wages aimed at reducing the state budget's deficit. Endorsing a state budget that slashes the deficit is among the measures the government has pledged to take as part of the key financial and economic reforms recommended at last year's CEDRE Conference. To curb Lebanon's budget deficit, which increased to over 11 percent of GDP, the cabinet will seek to reduce the deficit by 1 percent each year over the next five years by limiting government expenditures. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 18:01:55|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A few weeks after the European Union (EU) agreed to start trade talks with the United States, the White House on Friday delayed slapping additional tariffs on imported autos and auto parts for 180 days. Analysts said such olive branch gesture aims to serve Washington's purpose of reaching voluntary export restraint agreements with its major auto trading partners, which would go against the rule of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Although Washington's announcement signaled a willingness for a truce, at least for now, the prospect of a U.S.-EU trade deal appears slim in the short term, plagued by three major discrepancies. DEADLOCK OVER AGRICULTURE U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed in July 2018 to work together toward "zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods," but trade talks have been put on hold until recently. The lengthy delay can be explained by multiple obstacles, one of which is the division in the scope of the trade talks. The EU wants to exclude agriculture, considering it a sensitive issue, while the United States strongly demands otherwise. In April, the European Council approved mandates for the European Commission to open negotiations with the United States on two agreements, one to cut tariffs for industrial goods, excluding agricultural products, and the other on "conformity assessment" to make it easier for companies to prove their products meet EU and U.S. standards, with the objective of removing non-tariff barriers. "Agriculture will certainly not be part of these negotiations. This is a red line for Europe," said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, noting that the "limited" negotiations are still meaningful and mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers and agricultural groups have demanded agriculture be included in the trade talks, and Congress approval for a deal without agriculture remains a long shot. "Agriculture is a significant piece of the global economy and it simply doesn't make sense to leave it out," said U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a top agricultural state. "Bipartisan members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have voiced their objections to a deal without agriculture, making it unlikely that any such deal would pass Congress," Grassley said. DISPUTE OVER STEEL, ALUMINUM TARIFFS Besides the fundamental disagreement on the scope of trade talks, steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have further driven a wedge between the United States and the EU, complicating the negotiations. On June 1, 2018, the United States imposed steep import tariffs on steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent) from Mexico, Canada and the EU, citing national security concerns. Later in the month, the EU imposed retaliatory tariffs on 2.8 billion euros (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) worth of U.S. goods. According to the European Council, the mandate ensures that the EU will not conclude negotiations with the United States "as long as the current tariffs on EU exports of steel and aluminium remain in place," and that it would be able to "suspend negotiations unilaterally" if Washington were to impose further trade restrictions against European products. In an unexpected move, President Trump agreed on Friday to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico and Canada, removing a major barrier to Congress approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which would replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Despite easing tensions with its two neighbors, the United States continued to maintain pressure on its European allies, who are still not exempt from the steel and aluminum tariffs. Meanwhile, EU members could still be subject to auto tariffs of up to 25 percent, if Trump eventually decides to impose them, should negotiations on export limit break down. RENEWED SPARRING OVER AIRCRAFT SUBSIDIES The United States has recently accused the EU of illegally subsidizing Airbus and the EU has in turn challenged the United States for aiding Boeing Co, ratcheting up a protracted bilateral dispute over aircraft subsidies. In April, Trump, citing EU subsidies to Airbus, said the United States will impose tariffs on 11 billion U.S. dollars' worth of products from the EU. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) also issued a statement saying it has begun a process under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 "to identify products of the EU to which additional duties may be applied until the EU removes those subsidies." About a week later, the European Commission threatened to place additional tariffs on 20 billion dollars' worth of U.S. goods, as countermeasures against what Brussels deems as American subsidies to Boeing. At a two-day public hearing held by the USTR on Wednesday and Thursday, U.S. companies and interest groups representing a wide range of industries lined up to voice their grievances over the potential tariffs Washington is threatening on imports from the EU. "It is American consumers and our heartland that has borne the brunt of America's global trade war," said Hun Quach, vice president of international trade at the Retail Industry Leaders Association. There has been a decade-long fight in the WTO between the two sides over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing, the world's two leading aircraft manufacturers. The WTO has previously ruled that both the United States and the EU provided illegal subsidies to their airlines. "Our ultimate goal is to reach an agreement with the EU to end all WTO-inconsistent subsidies to large civil aircraft," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in the statement in April. "When the EU ends these harmful subsidies, the additional U.S. duties imposed in response can be lifted." The EU also showed it's willing to resolve the issue through dialogue. Brussels doesn't want a "tit-for-tat," Malmstrom said in a statement. "While we need to be ready with countermeasures in case there is no other way out, I still believe that dialogue is what should prevail between important partners such as the EU and the U.S., including in bringing an end to this long-standing dispute," Malmstrom said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 18:06:59|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close TAIPEI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Companies in Taiwan received fewer export orders in April, falling for the sixth consecutive month from the same period last year, the latest data showed Monday. Export orders to Taiwan's firms lost 3.7 percent from a year earlier to 37.66 billion U.S. dollars last month, posting the sixth consecutive month of decline, according to the data by the island's economic affairs authorities. For the first four months, Taiwan's export orders dropped 7.2 percent year on year to 145.64 billion dollars. Month on month, the export orders in April decreased 2.4 percent from March. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 18:22:16|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The anti-terror squad of the Indonesian national police have arrested 72 alleged terrorists since January and have issued warning for terrorist plot during the poll result day on Wednesday (May 22), police said here Monday. Two of the militants were captured on Monday in East Jakarta and Bogor town, an outskirt city of Jakarta, national police spokesman Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo said. Hunt for scores of other alleged militants who are still at large across the archipelagic nation persists, the spokesman said. The two militants are now being questioned by the investigators of the anti-terror squad, he added. The police have warned people that militants have plotted bombs strikes during the poll result day on May 22, another police spokesman Inspector General Muhammad Iqbal said. "For May 22, we call for abortion of the rally as this will be vulnerable to the target of bomb attacks," he said. During the raids, the anti-terror squad has seized scores of assembled bombs prepared for the strikes and high explosive of triacetone triperoxide or TATP also known as mother of satan, Iqbal said. One bomb expert and several others also with skills of assembling bombs, including those with high explosive power, were also among those arrested, and another was gunned down, according to Prasetyo. Most of the captured militants were members of an outlawed Jemaah Anshorut Daulah (JAD), which is an allegiance of the IS terrorist group in Syria, Iqbal said. Members of the JAD had staged in several terrorist strikes in Indonesia, including the multiple suicide attacks in East Java and Riau provinces in May, 2018, and suicide strikes in a police station and Starbucks Cafe in the heart of Jakarta that killed eight people in January 2016, according to the police. Indonesia's presidential and legislative elections were held on April 17. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 18:37:24|Editor: ZX Video Player Close COLOMBO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has called on countries to join hands in sharing intelligence to deal with international terror threats, local media reported on Monday. The call came after the recent terror attacks which killed about 250 people in the island country last month. Speaking at the 10th war heroes commemoration ceremony at the War Memorial in Battaramulla in the capital on Sunday evening, Sirisena said the current threats faced by Sri Lanka are not domestic threats but are international threats which needed to be eliminated. "According to international terror experts, no one can predict when or where these terror attacks would take place despite having all modern technologies. The fire in Paris and since April several other incidents have taken place worldwide. Hence, we need to join hands with the world in fighting these terror threats of today." "I believe with having 30 years of war experience, the government and the security forces are capable of facing these current terrorism threats and eradicating it," the president added. On Sunday evening, Sri Lanka held a war memorial service to pay tribute to the thousands of soldiers and people killed in the country's 30-year civil conflict against the Tamil Tiger rebels which ended in May 2009. Oil lamps were also lit across the country to remember the fallen soldiers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 18:42:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BAKU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan's armed forces started large-scale military exercises on Monday, focusing on defensive night tactics, according to the country's defense ministry. The five-day military drills involve up to 10,000 military personnel, 150 tanks and other armored vehicles, about 200 missiles and artillery systems, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, and 35 jets and helicopters. The troops will practice defensive night tactics and counteroffensive in difficult landscape and radioelectronic conditions and also exercise building coordination among tank, aviation and artillery units, according to the ministry. "In the course of the drills, army units will accomplish various tasks aimed at preparing an offensive operation (against) a conventional enemy," the ministry said in a statement. In March, the Azerbaijani army held large-scale military drills to practice offensive tactics. Lee arrived in Japan last Wednesday and met with top management at Japan's two largest telecoms, NTT DoCoMo and KDDI, to discuss 5G business plans. Samsung said the meeting "will serve as a chance to boost the market share of Samsung's communication equipment and smartphones." Japan hopes to launch full-fledged 5G services when it hosts the Summer Olympics next year, but there is as yet dearth of 5G handsets available there. It also hit a hurdle importing 5G infrastructure due to the U.S. government's crackdown on Chinese tech giant Huawei. Samsung is the only other company in the world that has both communication equipment and 5G-ready phones to sell. Japan has been virtually impervious to Samsung products so far. Even though it remains the world's No. 1 smartphone maker, Samsung ranks a poor sixth in Japan with a market share of just 2.9 percent. Apple rules there with a 57.4 percent market share, followed by Sharp (8.1 percent), Sony (6.2 percent) and Kyocera (five percent), which have no great presence elsewhere. Samsung even omits its own logo on phones it sells in Japan, which bear only the Galaxy brand name. It pulled out its home appliances business altogether in 2007 when its market share shrank to a paltry 0.1 percent. But 5G market could finally turn the situation around. Apple has yet to decide on when it will release a 5G handset, and there are no Japanese manufacturers to roll one out so far. Only Sony has announced plans to launch one. Japan's four major telecoms that were allotted 5G bandwidths in April told their government that they do not intend to use Huawei equipment because they do not want to fall foul of the U.S. government, which suspects Huawei equipment of coming with built-in spy tech because it is part-controlled by the Chinese government. This is where Samsung sees its chance, and it already signed a deal to jointly work on 5G technology with NEC last year. It is also an official sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics. During his trip, Lee visited a Galaxy smartphone showroom in the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo. Lee is focusing on 5G technologies, artificial intelligence, system semiconductors and automotive electronics now that growth in the smartphone market is stalling. He also visited Canada and Europe in March and April to tout Samsung's global AI businesses there. Samsung has set up AI research centers in the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Russia. The company also plans to invest W133 trillion into system semiconductors over the next 12 years, aiming to become the world's No. 1 by 2030. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:22:48|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close Mahai Yangzi (R) and Mahai Quzi, both trainees from Meigu County of Sichuan Province, make glutinous rice rolls at Shunde Culinary Institute in Shunde, south China's Guangdong Province, May 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) GUANGZHOU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Dim sum, boiled shrimp, roast goose, bite-sized wontons, and steamed spareribs with pickled plums are all staples of Cantonese cuisine, or Guangdong cuisine, which has long dazzled world food lovers with its delicious freshness. Steaming, stir-frying, boiling, charcoal grilling, and braising, Cantonese cuisine, one of the four major Chinese cuisines, has been using a variety of seemingly simple methods to keep the natural flavors of the ingredients for hundreds of years. The culinary style is now glowing with new vitality as south China's Guangdong Province is making efforts to promote Cantonese cuisine training as a way to boost employment and fight poverty. THE ROAD TO FORTUNE Lei Kalin, 46, had been working outside his hometown for nearly 20 years. But he decided to return to his hometown of Wangtong Village in the city of Xinyi when he heard about the Cantonese cuisine chef training class last year. He soon mastered the skills of cooking more than 100 Cantonese dishes and 10 local specialties after a one-month course. With the confidence gained from his newfound cooking skills and some of his savings, he bought a share in a local restaurant. The Cantonese dishes made by Lei soon attracted customers to the restaurant, bringing in an annual profit of more than 700,000 yuan (about 101,300 U.S. dollars). This year, Lei has sent the apprentice chefs at the restaurant to take the training course too. Local farmers and laid-off workers are actively participating in the training, said Li Ge, head of the city's human resources and social security bureau. "Those who are registered as living below the poverty line also receive subsidies for food, housing and transportation," Li said. "After the training, qualified students will receive certificates with which they will be able to find jobs with a salary of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan per month, 1,000 to 2,000 yuan higher than what they earned in the past." So far, 147 vocational schools have opened Cantonese cuisine courses in the province, with 56,000 current students. The course has been taken around 15,000 times over the past year. With start-up subsidies and loans, some have also opened restaurants and started businesses of their own and found a way towards fortune. THE POWER OF COOKING Shunde District in the city of Foshan, which is well-known for good food and chefs, is one of the most popular places for Cantonese cuisine. A total of 103 young trainees from three national poverty-stricken counties in southwest China's Sichuan Province -- Meigu, Leibo and Jinyang -- came to Shunde this year, taking a huge step to shake off poverty and change their lives. In a white uniform and a tall chef's hat, Mahai Yangzi gets excited when talking about her chef dream, though it took her more than 30 hours by bus to get here. "In my hometown, there aren't many female chefs because people think we are too weak to lift iron pots. But I want to learn how to cook and become a chef, to give my family a better life," the 25-year-old woman said. Mahai and her classmates will receive free systematic cooking lessons for two months at the Shunde Culinary Institute and will have access to restaurant internships organized by the institute. After the training, they can choose to work in Shunde or return to their hometown, according to Gan Muyi, a senior official with the institute. "Taught by masters in Shunde, the students will not only learn how to cook traditional Cantonese dishes such as stir-fried milk and stuffed mud carp but also innovate techniques combining Cantonese cuisine with Sichuan flavor, which is spicy, helping them become more competitive when going back to Sichuan," Gan said. Guangdong started the Cantonese cuisine training program in 2018. This year, the province will invest more than 20.8 billion yuan to help unemployed people find jobs, with priority given to the cooking program, according to a meeting on the province's human resources and social security. Besides Sichuan, Guangdong also recently signed cooperation agreements with Tibet, Guangxi Zhuang, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions, and Guizhou, Yunnan provinces to train more Cantonese cuisine chefs as part of the pairing-off arrangement for poverty relief. "Programs like this drive big change," said Yang Hongshan, deputy head of the provincial human resources and social security department. "In the exquisite Cantonese dishes, we can also taste the sweet benefits of poverty alleviation." (Video reporters: Xu Jinpeng, Huang Haoyuan, Xiao Sisi, Zhou Ziyang; Video editor: Zhu Cong) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:27:54|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close TOKYO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- "This might be the only color photo of a giant panda," said Chinese photographer Zhou Mengqi, pointing to a photo of a fluffy cub spitting out its pink tongue. Zhou launched a photo exhibition on giant panda Monday in an art gallery in downtown Tokyo, the first of its kind by a Chinese photographer in Japan. The exhibition, with 46 photos, was titled "Giant panda and its hometown." It mainly displays the image of giant pandas, their habitat and living environment. Zhou, 65, spent the past 27 years taking photos for pandas in their habitats in China's Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. "The giant panda is not only the national treasure of China, but also the natural heritage cherished by human beings all over the world. It has been loved by people all over the world," he said. "This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Westerner discovery of giant panda. I hope more Japanese people can understand the cuteness of this animal. I also expect that giant panda can further enhance the friendship between China and Japan," he added. Shohiro Sakagawa, a Japanese visitor who came for the exhibition, was impressed by the photos. He said: "It is difficult to see photos of so many giant panda cubs in Japan. My favorite one is a group of newly born ones. The way the panda babies sleep is very cute." Feng Ge, director of the Japan Giant Panda Conservation Association, believes that the exhibition will help Japanese panda-lovers better understand the living conditions of giant pandas in China. It is also possible to improve relationships of the two peoples through the exhibition, he said. Currently, there are 10 giant pandas living in Japan. Among them, the giant panda named "Xiang Xiang" of the Ueno Zoo is a national celebrity. Feng noted that since the birth of "Xiang Xiang" in 2017, the number of applicants to join the Japan Giant Panda Conservation Association has soared. Many Japanese people are eager to see giant pandas in Sichuan, China. "The giant panda represents peace and calm, that is why it touches people across the world," Feng said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:38:00|Editor: ZX Video Player Close RAMALLAH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat Monday affirmed that no party has addressed the Palestinians about the U.S. economic plan, nor the workshop to be held in Bahrain next month. Erekat said in an emailed statement that "on behalf of the PLO Executive Committee, I would like to confirm that we were not consulted by any party on the announced meeting to take place in Bahrain." The top PLO officials said that reaching peace "is not about improving living conditions under occupation, but about reaching Palestine's full potential by ending the Israeli occupation." A joint statement issued by the government of Bahrain and the U.S. on Sunday night said that Bahrain will host the "Peace to Prosperity" economic workshop in its capital of Manama on June 25-26, 2019. According to the statement, the workshop will "facilitate discussions on an ambitious, achievable vision and framework for a prosperous future for the Palestinian people and the region, including enhancement of economic governance, development of human capital, and facilitation of rapid private-sector growth." Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye also said earlier Monday that "we were not consulted about the economic meeting in Bahrain," and declared that Palestinians reject U.S. Middle East peace deal, saying "resolving the conflict in Palestine will only be through a political solution." "The economic factor is an outcome for the political settlement because the Palestinians and their leadership do not seek enhancing living conditions under occupation," he noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:43:03|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to put in place an agriculture research fund in order to boost food security, an official said on Monday. Hamadi Boga, principal secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation said in Nairobi that despite the bulk of the workforce being employed in agriculture, Kenya is yet to achieve food self-sufficiency. "The fund will help the country to prioritize investments in developing new innovations in agriculture that will boost productivity especially of small holder farmers," said Boga. Boga said that all relevant stakeholders including the public and private sector as well as the local communities will be consulted before the fund is presented to cabinet for approval. He revealed that the fund will help Kenya to roll out high yielding seeds varieties that will enable the country's agriculture sector also tackle climate change. The government official noted that both private and public research with innovative ideas will be funded from the agricultural research fund. According to the country's policy, Kenya needs to spend at least two percent of gross domestic product on research. Boga noted that agriculture research will help Kenya to rely on scientific evidence to guide farmers on how to improve their yields. He added that agricultural productivity on key staples such as maize has been declining despite increased use in fertilizer. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:58:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JUBA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and one was in critical condition following a new wave of violence between two rival tribes in South Sudan's eastern region of Boma, officials said Monday. A local official from Boma State told UN-run Radio Miraya that the clashes happened on May 17 and the situation still remained volatile amid fears of revenge attacks. "This was a very big attack. Nine people were confirmed dead and one person critically injured. Herds of cattle where actually taken, and it looks like a coordinated attack," Natabu Abraham, Boma's state minister of local government, told Radio Miraya. Parts of eastern South Sudan suffered decades of communal and tribal violence, mainly linked to child abduction, livestock theft and rivalry over grazing land. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:08:21|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LILONGWE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it is helpless and can not control the continuing campaign on social media despite closure of the campaign period on Sunday. Official campaign period for the May 21 elections closed 48 hours before polling starts on Tuesday at 06:00hrs local time, but the social media has been awash with campaign messages beyond that time. MEC Chief Elections Officer, Sam Alfandika, confirmed Monday that the electoral body had observed the continuation of campaign on social media describing the situation as unfortunate. "It is very unfortunate that we are still having people trying to campaign through social media yet campaign period ended on Sunday at 06:00; what is happening is unacceptable and illegal," said Alfandika. The Chief Elections Officer described it as a difficult situation for the elections body to control social media saying all they can do is to appeal to political parties to tell their supporters to desist from using the social media to continue campaigning because it is illegal. In his press release Saturday on the end of campaign period, the Chief elections Officer reminded stakeholders in the May 21 elections that it is violation of law to campaign outside the period adding that all those found guilty would face the due process of the law. According to the statement, candidates, supporters or agents are not allowed to campaign, drive around hooting or with loud speakers playing campaign songs or any messages after the deadline. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:13:25|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SUVA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Ministry of Agriculture will assist farmers to commercialize and develop their small agricultural farms. Fiji's Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Mahendra Reddy made the comments while addressing on Monday sugarcane and crop farmers in Sigatoka, a city about 126 km away from the Fijian capital of Suva. They had actively promoted commercial agriculture to farmers interested in diversifying to take agricultural farming as a business, he said, adding that they did not have to worry about markets as the ministry would take care of that. He highlighted existing grants and subsidies which were available and also noted the agriculture ministry's role in providing relevant assistance for farmers. "Be mindful that you should play your part, the ministry will assist farmers only once as you're expected to expand on your own after the first assistance has been provided," he reiterated. The minister said that they can't continuously pour in government resources and money to support leisurely farming in Fiji instead, they want to support farmers realize their potential because there is national interest for the growth of the sector to contribute more effectively to Fiji's economy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:18:31|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MOSCOW, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will not congratulate new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his victory, but will be ready to congratulate him if he succeeds in resolving the conflict in the rebel region of Donbas, the Kremlin said Monday. "President Putin will congratulate President Zelensky on his first successes in resolving the internal conflict in south-east Ukraine, as well as on his first successes in normalizing Russian-Ukrainian relations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that currently Putin has no plans to maintain any contacts with Zelensky. In his inaugural speech on Monday, Zelensky said that his priority task is to put an end to the hostilities in the eastern region of Donbas. He also said that the peace settlement there should begin with the return of the captured Ukrainians, according to the official transcript on Zelensky's presidential website. Zelensky also urged the current Ukrainian government to resign and announced that he is dissolving the parliament. The official inauguration ceremony took place in the Ukrainian parliament, attended by dozens of foreign dignitaries. The 41-year-old Zelensky who gained more than 73 percent of the vote was elected as president of Ukraine on April 21 for a five-year term. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:18:33|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Canada in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Monday launched new projects under two agricultural programs that seek to improve food and nutrition security across Africa and empower women smallholder farmers. The projects under the Cultivate Africa's Future Fund (CultiAF) and the Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund (LVIF) seek to build the capacity of stakeholders to generate practical solutions. Lisa Stadelbauer, Canada's High Commissioner to Kenya said during the CultiAF inception workshop in Nairobi that the LVIF will support the development, production, and commercialization of innovation vaccines against priority livestock diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Stadelbauer said that the portfolio of LVIF projects will focus primarily on empowering women in the livestock vaccine value chain. She added that the main objective of CultiAF is to improve food and nutrition security in eastern and southern Africa by funding applied research to develop and scale up sustainable, climate resilient and gender responsive innovations for smallholder producers. Alison Chartres, Australia's High Commissioner to Kenya, said that with the global population is expected to rise to nine billion by 2050, agricultural partnerships and developments like CultiAF are essential for food security to feed this growing population. Chartres said that Africa and Australia share similar environmental constraints, such as poor soils and climatic variability. She said that Australia has also met challenges to food security, including poor livestock nutrition, weak adoption of new technologies and low levels of farmer value-chain participation. "As a result, Australian expertise and research are highly relevant to Africa, which makes Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research uniquely placed to broker partnerships between Australian and international research institutes and their African counterparts," Chartres said. Actor Ma Dong-seok's latest film "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil," released last Wednesday, may seem just like any other gangster movie, but after 20 minutes it becomes clear that the twisty plot is unique and why it attracted over a million viewers in just four days. The story is simple. A gang leader, played by Ma, and a detective, played by Kim Moo-yeol, secretly strike a deal to hunt down a serial killer. This strange alliance cleverly blurs the boundaries between good and evil, legal and illegal. The movie has already been sold to 104 countries, and a Hollywood remake is already in the works. Balboa Productions, led by Sylvester Stallone, will produce and Ma is tipped to star in it again. The original, meanwhile, will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:38:45|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A group of 24 South Africans who were touring Egypt on Sunday when their bus was targeted with an explosion returned home on Monday, said South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation department (Dirco). Dirco's spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya told Xinhua,"We are happy with the minister of tourism in Egypt came to the airport to send them off and indicated that law enforcement agencies were investigating this." He said four other South Africans who sustained minor injury remained in Egypt for medical care. South Africa's Ambassador to Egypt Vusi Mavimbela was offering support and monitoring the hospitalized. Mabaya said they don't believe the explosion was targeting South Africans in particular. An explosion hit a tourist bus near the Grand Egyptian Museum near the capital Cairo on Sunday, injuring 17 people, This is not the first attack to take place near the museum, as four people were killed in a bomb attack in December last year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 20:43:48|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SOFIA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first quarter of 2019 dropped year-on-year by 201.8 million euros (some 225.45 million U.S. dollars), preliminary data showed on Monday. From January to March 2019, FDI in Bulgaria presented according to the directional principle recorded a negative value of 254.4 million euros, while in the same period of 2018, the figure was also negative but amounted to 52.6 million euros, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said. According to the statistics, the largest net direct investment inflows in the country during the three-month period came from the Netherlands, 174.3 million euros, followed by Ireland (70 million euros) and Britain (52.2 million), while the outflows went to "other", unnamed countries. In 2018, FDI in Bulgaria amounted to 1.533 billion euros, a 10.3 percent growth year-on-year. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:03:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Members of Afghan security force escort suspected militants in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, May 19, 2019. Afghan security personnel have captured four suspected militants during a military operation in Ghanzi province, a local official said on Sunday. (Xinhua/Rohullah) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:04:00|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China is using the experience of foreign countries to improve its public legal services, especially online services, Xiong Xuanguo, vice justice minister, said Monday. Xiong said at a press conference held by the Ministry of Justice that countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain had accumulated experience in online public legal services, such as training for lawyers and legal information awareness. The website China set for legal services for the public, the Legal Service of China, has been taking such experience as reference to improve its own services, Xiong said. The website is also using technologies of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing to provide services for the public in a more accurate and smarter manner, according to Lin Zhenwen, director of the ministry's information center. An intelligent consulting system has provided legal advice over 1.7 million times, according to Lin. Technology is also being used to ensure the security of the website, Lin added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:14:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The 16th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF) will be held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, in June, an official said Monday. As of Monday, 31 countries and regions as well as international organizations had confirmed their participation in the fair, slated for June 24-27, Wang Jiangping, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at a press conference. To better serve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this year's CISMEF will feature new sections for targeted business negotiations and innovation services promotion, according to Wang. Themed "Intelligence, Wisdom, Smart Manufacturing and Energy Conservation," the fair will showcase new technologies in fields including big data, industrial internet and smart manufacturing, encouraging SMEs to seek new opportunities in integrated development, Wang said. Wang added that an online exhibition platform for this year's fair would be put into use, and more efforts are being made to realize online transactions in the future. Launched by the Chinese government in 2004 to promote SMEs' development, the fair aims to enhance exchanges and cooperation between Chinese SMEs and their foreign counterparts. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:14:14|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump made a fresh threat against Iran in a tweet Sunday. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon. The president's new tweet is an escalation of his tough stance on Iran. In an interview the FOX News that aired Sunday, Trump said that he will not let Iran have nuclear weapons. "I don't want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you can't let them have nuclear weapons -- you just can't let that happen," he told Fox News host Steve Hilton. Over recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure against Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats, following Washington's year-long campaign against Iran after the U.S. exit from the landmark Iran nuclear deal in May last year. Also on Sunday, the U.S. Navy announced that it had conducted training exercises in the Arabian Sea. The exercises included air-to-air training, steaming in formation and maneuvering, and establishing joint communications to rapidly enable a command and control environment, according to the Navy. The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said here on Sunday that the Islamic republic is ready to fend off the U.S. war threats against the country. Iran is currently facing threats close to its territory and the IRGC has prepared its resources against the threats, Major General Hossein Salami was quoted as saying on state TV. The IRGC commander said that "although enemies are near the Iranian borders, they do not have the will to wage war and are afraid of fighting with the Iranians." He stressed that "we are not after war but we are not afraid of war either." On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department ordered the non-emergency U.S. employees in both the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq. Earlier, the U.S. military said the U.S. forces were on high alert in Iraq and Syria over fears of "imminent threats" from Iran-backed forces in the region. The U.S. measures came amid the tense situation in the region after Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May. On Thursday, Salami vowed to resist the U.S. pressures, saying that the U.S. will fail to crush Iranian resistance. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:19:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close PARIS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Steve Bannon, U.S. President Donald Trump's former chief strategist on Monday praised "resilience" of far-right leader Marine Le Pen to come back after 2017 defeat and transform the eurosceptic movement to a political power likely to shake the domestic political mainstream on May 26. "I'm really interested in Marine Le Pen, because she is present on (the populist) landscape... and because she has managed to come back from her failure in 2017, and the way in which she has given a new identity to the Front National, everything that she has done to lead her party -- I find it quite remarkable," Bannon told BFM TV news television. Bannon, who represented Trump's nationalistic voice via "America First" approach, expected France to be "at the centre" of nationalist movements following Le Pen's political recovery. In an interview to Le Parisien newspaper at the weekend, Bannon estimated that the due race to the European parliament would be "an earthquake" that would shake President Emmanuel Macron's globalist and open platform. Trump's former chief strategist rejected any involvement into Le Pen's campaign for the European elections, saying he was in France as an "observer". Meanwhile, his visit few days ahead the contests ignited criticism that denounced "an attack on sovereignty." "A European construction and a strong Europe are the conditions of our sovereignty. I can see how much that bother Steve Bannon and Donald Trump ... What I do not understand is that French people who claim to defend the population and the nation are taking over people whose interest is to weaken Europe," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Sunday. On his tweeter account, Culture Minister Franck Riester Culture asked far-right leader "Do you think you are protecting the French when you make alliance with the FPO suspected of collusion with Russia or when you receive advice from the nationalist Steve Bannon?" To Pascal Canfin, candidate of the ruling party to snatch a seat in Starsbourg-based parliament, "Marine Le Pen is the candidate of a new system, the Trump-Putin system." "Today, the National Rally is the useful idiot of this political project... to destroy Europe...The result of this election will only impact France, but also Europe and over the global," he was quoted as saying by local media. Rejecting the criticism as a plot or "crazy charges," the far-right's leader stressed "Bannon has no role in our campaign." "I did not even know he was in Paris for business. It has nothing to do with the campaign. It is you, the media that are dragging him into the campaign," she told France info radio. "The government is putting all its energy to deliver defamation against us...The French are not fooled, and those who think that it will have an influence on the election will be disappointed," she said. Macron's political credentials will be tested during the upcoming European elections, as the momentum of nationalism is increasing both at home and in neighbor countries. Pollsters show Macron's centrist party and that of Le Pen, formerly known as the National Front, would be neck-and-neck. The president's movement, he created in 2016, has been campaigning for stronger eurozone and further economic openness to bolster domestic economy and create business opportunities for millions of people without work. His rival Le Pen proposed the other face of the coin via nationalist project aimed at install internal borders to slash immigration which she said was the main cause of rising security fears and rampant unemployment. With rhetoric hostile to the European Union, the far-rightists topped European elections in France in 2014 with 24.85 percent of the votes, after discontent voters pushed, then the ruling Socialist party at the third place. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:44:47|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A bus driver has been found hanged on a tree after the bus he drove overturned and killed eight people in Welkom in Free State, South Africa, on Monday. Free State police said the bus was travelling to Upington from Durban when the accident occurred on Alma road. Seven people were declared dead at the scene and one died later in hospital. Provincial Spokesman Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said three children and four females were among those who died in the crash. "People injured have been transported to various hospitals. The information we gathered from the scene is that the bus might have lost control and overturned on a circle," he said. The driver was discovered hanging on a tree 300 meters from the accident scene with a safety belt from the bus. Makhele told Xinhua that an inquest into the 32-year-old driver's death would be conducted. "He was found hanging, but we can't conclude that he killed himself. A culpable homicide case and an inquest would tell us how he died," he said. Details coming from the Health Department in the province indicate that when paramedics arrived at the scene, the driver spoke with them. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 21:59:56|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China hopes the U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will have a deeper understanding of Tibet Autonomous Region through his visit, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said Monday. "We welcome Ambassador Branstad to visit Tibet and hope he will have a first-hand understanding of economic and social development, as well as significant changes in people's livelihood over the past 60 plus years since the peaceful liberation of Tibet," said Lu. "We hope Ambassador Branstad will visit Tibet in an objective manner and draw his own conclusion with respect for facts and without prejudice," he said. The U.S. side is expected not to be disturbed and misled by rumors and smearing, especially in terms of the protection of Tibetan culture, religious beliefs and historical heritage, Lu said. When questioned why Branstad received permission to visit Tibet this year while his application was rejected last year, Lu said he had no information of the specific situation. "Whether it is the U.S. ambassador or other countries' diplomatic envoys to China, consulting with relevant parties is necessary before making visits to specific places in China," Lu said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 22:10:07|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian police seized 4,000 kilograms of cannabis on Sunday in the biggest major drug bust in years, local media reported Monday. The cannabis, which was being transported in a freight vehicle, was seized on Sunday morning by police near Adama city, 99 km southeast of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) reported. According to the police, the driver of the freight vehicle and two of his assistants have been in custody, pending completion of investigation into the origin of the cannabis. In recent years, the East African country has toughened its anti-illegal drug laws and cracked down on individuals trading in illegal drugs. Last week, Ethiopia seized 3,300 kilograms of cannabis in another major drug bust. Is North Korea really suffering from a food shortage as it claims? According to the International Trade Center, North Korea imported more cigarettes and fruit than essential food from China in the first quarter of this year. The North imported US$16.44 million worth of flour from China from January to March, down almost 40 percent on-year, but cigarette imports totaled $17.7 million and fruit imports $26 million. Imports of rice and other grains stood at just $1.8 million over that period. How could a starving country buy more cigarettes and fruit than staple foods? Meanwhile the price of rice in open-air markets in North Korea has apparently fallen significantly since the end of last year, suggesting there is no dearth at all. Some foreign experts are also skeptical. One former World Bank executive said, "Considering North Korean trade data and market price trends, there are no signs so far of a food shortage. The current shortage concerns only the spring harvest due to a drought." It is also strange for the North to blame U.S.-led sanctions for its apparent food shortage since they do not cover food imports. One former U.S. special representative for North Korea told the Wall Street Journal that the North may be exaggerating its food shortage situation to amplify the sufferings of its people and blackmail the international community into easing sanctions. The only data the South Korean government is citing for its eagerness to throw free food at the North is a dubious World Food Programme estimate of a 1.36 million-ton grain shortage. But there is a strong chance that the WFP simply used figures provided by North Korea. The WFP estimates North Korea's grain output this year at 4.9 million tons. During the famine of the 1990s, when millions starved to death, North Korea produced 3.5 million tons a year. The New York Times last week wrote, "No report of mass starvation has emerged yet from North Korea." There is an equally strong likelihood that the North is simply trying to cadge free food so it can spend the money it saves that way on weapons. But the government here is completely unwilling to listen to such suspicions. Cheong Wa Dae officials are only interested in creating another North Korea-related event to make political capital. The presidential secretary for national security said the decision to provide food aid to the North "has already been made" and Cheong Wa Dae will convene a National Security Council meeting to decide whether to provide the food through international aid agencies or directly. It wants to spend another $8 million on North Korea in addition to the food aid. What kind of signal will that send to North Korea now it has just resumed missile tests? Surely the timing is absurd. This is not the time to rush to provide food aid to North Korea, but to carefully consider the impact such a move would have when the international community is tightening its sanctions. There is no rush at all. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 22:20:14|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ABUJA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government has condemned attacks Saturday on United Nations (UN) peacekeepers that led to the death of a Nigerian peacekeeper in northern Mali by unidentified assailants. In a statement reaching Xinhua in Abuja on Monday, the foreign ministry described the death of the Nigerian peacekeeper as "an irreplaceable loss." The Nigerian was killed in Timbuktu as the assailants struck in that location and Tessalit on Saturday. One other Nigerian was among four injured peacekeepers. The attacks were perpetrated against vehicles of UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Timbuktu and Tessalit. "As we await further details on the attacks, the (Foreign Affairs) Ministry wishes to express its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives," the statement said. "While wishing the injured quick recovery, the Ministry also wishes to commiserate with the UN Peace Keeping Mission in Mali on the sad incidents," it added. Nigeria remains committed to continuing to support the UN peacekeeping mission in the fight against insecurity in the African continent and beyond, the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 22:35:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The streets of Namibia's capital city Windhoek are bursting with children as more young people flock to the city from rural areas, running away from the serious drought that has hit most parts of the country. The children whose ages range from as young as nine to eighteen years old have filled the city's Central Business District where they beg for a living. The situation in areas where they come from is so bad that most families will not harvest anything this year. The drought that has been dubbed 'one of the worst' in history has seen many farmers not only lose crops but also livestock. According to government figures, over 780,000 people have been affected while over 30,000 cattle have died. The devastating situation is what drove brothers Romeo (17-year-old) and Franz Goeieman (14 -year-old) to Windhoek from a small town that is 210km from Windhoek called Gobabis. The brothers who walked about 200km to get to Windhoek said they moved because life was becoming very difficult at home. "We were hungry at home, there was no food. Our grandmother is old and she cannot take care of us. We relied on the fields and since everything died we had to make a plan. At least when we beg we get money and food every day," Romeo said. Every day the brothers make their way to the street corner to beg for the day's meal. On a lucky day, the brothers can take home up to 50 Namibian dollars (about 3.5 U.S. dollars) that they use to buy bread and sugar. The drought migrants have no homes in the city thus some have made makeshift shelters under bridges. The two brothers sleep under a tree near a clinic in town which becomes very unbearable especially in winter. Authorities on the other hand complain that some of the children end up turning to a life of crime and drugs. "These children become adults while they are on the streets and end up turning to a life of crime. If relevant stakeholders do not get involved and come up with a permanent solution, this will become a very big problem," said the police. Currently, the Namibian government is trying to give assistance to affected communities. The country's president Hage Geingob earlier this month declared a state of emergency resulting in the government allocating 573 million Namibian dollars to assist drought-affected communities in rural areas. The country's Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare says it is aware of the increase in the number of street children currently roaming the streets. The ministry said they are worried that these children will end up turning to a life of drugs. Last month the ministry launched the street children awareness month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 22:50:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Monday stressed that its observers are set to inspect the credibility of Malawi's tripartite elections slated for May 21. The 55-member pan African bloc, as part of its independent election observation mission to Malawi's election, had dispatched Ghana's former president John Dramani Mahama, who arrived in Malawi on Sunday as the head of the AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM). The objective of mission is to "make an independent, objective and impartial assessment of the May 21 tripartite elections in Malawi, in accordance with the national, regional and international standards for democratic elections," the AU said in a statement. The tripartite elections in Malawi, which include presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections, are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, as over 6.8 million Malawians have registered to vote across the country, according to figures from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC). The AUEOM to Malawi is mainly comprised of seven long-term observers, 22 short-term observers, and six technical and training experts, it was noted. Seven presidential candidates and 1,329 parliamentary candidates are contesting in 193 constituencies, while 2,709 candidates are contesting in 462 local government areas, according to the MEC. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:00:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close SHENZHEN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China's southern tech hub Shenzhen on Monday piloted the use of the 5G wireless network to transmit a huge volume of data from the subway train to the station. The test on the Line 11 saw a train, after arriving at the terminal Futian Station, transmit 25 GB of data to the station's control room in just 150 seconds. Wan Jian, a director with the Shenzhen Metro, said that in the past, workers had to manually download data from the train's hard disk after a trip finishes, due to low speed of the wireless network. The speedy transmission of data, including the train's operation information and surveillance video, is thus expected to boost subway efficiency and support futuristic tech applications such as automatic searches for lost luggage. "In times of emergency, the 5G train-station communication will work with facial recognition and intelligent behavior analysis to locate dangerous people and behaviors in the train," said Ren Bo, a manager with Shenzhen Metro's communication center. "In the future, the technology will also help realize functions such as alerts for lost luggage and searching for missing passengers," Ren said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:06:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits Tantou Village in Yudu County, Ganzhou City, during an inspection tour of east China's Jiangxi Province on May 20, 2019. At the home of veteran Sun Guanfa, a descendant of a Red Army martyr, Xi chatted with Sun's family. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) NANCHANG, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited Tantou Village in Yudu County, Ganzhou City, during an inspection tour of east China's Jiangxi Province on Monday afternoon. At the home of veteran Sun Guanfa, a descendant of a Red Army martyr, Xi chatted with Sun's family and local officials, and learned in detail about the production developments and life improvements of people in the old revolutionary base. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:26:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A gunman who allegedly killed one police officer and wounded two others in the U.S. state of Alabama Sunday night was captured, authorities said Monday. The officers were responding to a domestic disturbance at a residence several kilometers from Auburn University, the school's Department of Campus Safety and Security tweeted. The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, was in custody, according to another tweet. Local police said one officer was killed and two others were seriously wounded. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:26:28|Editor: yan Video Player Close MANILA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Two major telecommunication operators in the Philippines on Monday assured local users that their Huawei handsets and devices "will continue to function normally" despite U.S. government issued an order on restricting transferring its technologies to this Chinese technology firm. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and Globe Telecom issued separate statements assuring their users that the U.S. move to ban Huawei, one of the world's biggest telecommunications equipment suppliers and smartphone manufacturers, has no impact on their services. PLDT said in the statement released on Monday that "in light of the recent trade ban of the U.S. government on Huawei products," the company assured its customers "who have availed of Huawei handsets and devices via its official channels that said products will continue to function normally on the PLDT network." It added PLDT "will work closely with Huawei in addressing concerns regarding future firmware and software updates for phones, pocket Wi-Fi units, and other devices." For its part, Globe Telecom said on the same day that "it is aware of the news circulating that some U.S. technology companies are cutting their ties with Huawei." "We wish to assure our customers that the current situation at Huawei will not impact its network services," Globe Telecom said, adding the company has received "assurance from Huawei that the company will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to its device users using the Globe network." The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce on May 15 put Huawei and its affiliates on an "Entity List," which would restrict the sale or transfer of American technologies to the company. According to the data from Philippine Statistics Authority, there are more than 130 million active mobile phone subscribers in this southeast Asian country. PLDT and Globe Telecom, the two largest telecommunication firms in the Philippines, account for around the market share of 75 percent. Both companies use Huawei equipment in their networks and sell Huawei phones to their subscribers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:36:35|Editor: yan Video Player Close RAMALLAH/GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians rejected on Monday an economic workshop announced earlier by the United States to be held in Manama, Bahrain to find financial support for the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Media reported that a joint Bahraini-U.S. statement announced on Sunday night that Manama will host, in partnership with Washington, an economic workshop entitled "Peace for Prosperity" on June 25 and 26. "The workshop is an opportunity for a meeting of government leaders, civil society organizations and the business sector to share ideas and visions and discuss strategies to stimulate investment and possible economic initiatives while achieving peace in the region," the statement said. Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye said as he chaired the weekly meeting of cabinet held in the city of Ramallah that resolving the conflict in Palestine is "political and not financial," adding that "any solution to the Palestinian question much be based on ending the Israeli occupation." "Any peaceful solution should depend basically on ending the occupation and gaining the national rights of the Palestinians, mainly establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital and gaining the right of return," Ishtaye said. He clarified that the PA cabinet hasn't been consulted on holding such a workshop. The PA severed its political contacts and ties with the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump announced in December 2017 recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transferring the U.S. embassy to the city on May 14. Since the declaration, the Palestinians have been calling for an international mechanism to push forward peace negotiations with Israel, which has already been stalled between the two sides since 2014, after nine months of U.S.-sponsored talks that did not lead to any development. Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat Monday said in a statement "on behalf of the PLO Executive Committee, I confirm that we were not consulted by any party on the announced meeting to take place in Manama, Bahrain." He further added that all the attempts to promote an economic normalization of the Israeli occupation "will be rejected." The top PLO official said that reaching peace "is not about improving living conditions under occupation but about reaching Palestine's full potential by ending the Israeli occupation." Jameel Mezher, member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in Gaza, told Xinhua that the PFLP affirms that all the steps, measures and procedures, mainly holding an economic workshop next month, is "an attempt to bribe our people after imposing a siege on them." Israel has been imposing a blockade on the Gaza Strip, home for 2 million Palestinians, since 2007 after Hamas movement violently seized control of the coastal enclave. The Israeli blockade and an internal Palestinian division negatively influence daily life in Gaza. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:51:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close ALGIERS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Algerian army forces seized 552 kg of narcotics in the northern and southern areas of the North African country, according to a press release from the Algerian Defense Ministry on Monday. A military force in the province of Ghardaia, 600 km south of Algiers, has arrested four drug traffickers and seized 448 kg of narcotics in their possession. Another force arrested seven traffickers in Tlemcen, far northwestern Algeria, and seized 104 kg of narcotics. On Thursday, the army seized another 534 kg of narcotics in the city of Bechar, on the Algerian-Moroccoan borders. The operation was part of Algeria's efforts to fight organized crime, as a campaign was launched by army troops who earlier arrested three drug traffickers and seized 1.65 tons of narcotics in Naama province in western Algeria. During the first three months of 2019, Algeria has seized 8.54 tons of narcotics, according to a statement by the country's national office for combating drugs. Algeria identifies drug trafficking as a top national security threat and puts its army in charge of fighting it. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-20 23:56:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's state security authorities arrested on Monday four Syrian nationals who are "members of terrorist groups," local media reported. The four were arrested over charges of attacking the Lebanese army and a police station in Aarsal, northeast of Lebanon, in 2014, according to Elnashra, an online independent newspaper. The arrested people were transferred to the judicial bodies for further investigations and other legal procedures. At the beginning of this year, Lebanon's state security body also arrested Syrian nationals belonging to al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and the Islamic State extremist group. The Interior Ministry has announced that Internal Security Forces succeeded in thwarting nine terrorist attacks in 2018. President Moon Jae-in met Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik to discuss ways to deepen bilateral relations between Korea and the Scandinavian country at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Monday. Prince Frederik and his wife Princess Mary arrived in Seoul earlier that day for their three-day trip to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:06:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Former South African president Jacob Zuma appeared in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Monday to face corruption charges. During a four-day proceedings, a full bench of judges will hear Zuma's application for a permanent stay of prosecution. Zuma's advocate Muzi Sikhakhane argued in court that the case against his client is "politically motivated" and therefore must be dismissed. Sikhakhane said what Zuma had been accused of didn't justify his treatment with less humanity and outside the bounds of the Constitution. Zuma was being targeted because society didn't like what he had been accused of, Sikhakhane said, calling this mob justice. A crowd of people gathered outside the court to show support for Zuma. Zuma addressed the crowd after the first day of proceedings wrapped up. "There is no case against me and there never will be. They failed for 15 years to charge me and they can't. It's clear this is politically motivated," Zuma said. He said his lawyers have argued that what has happened to him is like the way people were charged in the apartheid era. "You can't build a respectable case and in the other hand conspire to charge an innocent citizen like Zuma," Zuma said. In March last year, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reinstated corruption charges against Zuma, which had been dropped in the early 2000s and paved the way for Zuma to become president in 2009. The charges are related to a multi-billion-rand arms deal with European countries in the late 1990s, which Zuma has completely denied. The prosecution alleges that Zuma took advantage of his position in the government to help businessman Schabir Shaik in his commercial dealings. Shaik was convicted in 2008 to 15 years in prison for his involvement in facilitating a bribe for Zuma from French arms manufacturer Thint in exchange for political protection during the investigation into the arms deal. Zuma's supporters argued that the initial decision to scrap the charges against Zuma was correct and should have been upheld. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:06:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Monday foiled a rebel attack on military sites in the northern countryside of Hama province in central Syria amid a faltering truce in that area, according to the state news agency SANA. The report said the Syrian army dealt precise strikes on the rebel positions in the northern countryside of Hama, inflicting a hefty toll on the rebels of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the umbrella group of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. SANA said the army in northern Hama got engaged in heavy battles with the HTS, which attacked safe areas in the vicinity of Hamamyat area. This comes as the army and the rebels of HTS are fighting in the countryside of Latakia, and nearby areas in the countryside of Hama and Idlib provinces in northwestern Syria. On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor group said that a brief truce went into effect in the aforementioned areas. However, battles continued. The army is fighting to defeat the HTS in their last major strongholds in northwestern Syria. Such areas are included in a de-escalation zones' deal established in September 2018 by Russia and Turkey. But the deal didn't materialize and battles escalated since late last month. Meanwhile, the pro-government al-Watan newspaper said Monday that the army abided by the 72-hour truce, which was mediated by Russia and Turkey, but it had to respond to the rebels' violations. The report said that the Turkish side is expected to call for an extension of the truce, which ends by midnight Tuesday. In exchange, the Turkish side would pressure the HTS to abide by the de-escalation zones' deal of last year. The deal was supposed to see the evacuation of the HTS from key areas in the designated de-escalation zone, which includes areas in Idlib, Hama and the eastern countryside of Latakia. However, the HTS expanded and took over areas in the aforementioned places that had previously been controlled by less radical rebel groups. One of the key withdrawals should be from areas around the main road connecting Idlib with Aleppo province as such road is a part of the International Road connecting Damascus in the south with Aleppo in the north. The opposition activists of the observatory said that battles flared in Idlib, Hama and Latakia countryside since late last month coupled with airstrikes by Syria and Russia on the HTS positions. It is worth noting that Russia is negotiating on behalf of the Syrian government while Turkish is negotiating for the rebels in Idlib and surrounding areas, which are regarded as the last major rebel strongholds in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:11:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China's government-run website has provided satisfying legal services to the public via the Internet in the past year, with user satisfaction reaching 90.8 percent. The 12348 website was launched by Ministry of Justice in May 2018, and has seen 170 million log-ins, and more than 6 million registered users, with about 700,000 cases being handled online and around 5 million inquiries made, according to a press conference held by the ministry Monday. A total of 922 people, including lawyers, notaries and legal aid workers, were selected by the ministry to form a team which aims to offer timely and authoritative legal services to the public through the website. The website on Monday also launched an English channel, a new page to offer legal assistance for migrant workers and a map of legal service institutions across the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:16:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close N'DJAMENA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 people were killed in the latest intercommunity clashes since Sunday in the eastern Chadian province of Sila, local media reported on Monday. Twenty-eight people were also injured in the clashes which took place in the three places of Sila, namely Amkaroka, Amsabarna, and Amsiriye, between Ouaddai farmers and Arab herders, according to local media. Last Thursday, in the neighboring province of Ouaddai, 12 people lost their lives in an attack against the village of Katafa by "heavily armed individuals," according to the Chadian news website Alwihda Info. It is difficult by now to determine whether the attack of last Thursday was of the same nature of ethnic violence. Last Monday, the governor of Ouaddai, Ramadan Erdebou, launched a campaign against ethnic cleavages by valuing peaceful cohabitation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:21:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Interior Ministry of the UN-backed government on Monday accused the east-based army of cutting water supply to western and central Libya. The ministry said that gunmen affiliated to the army stormed a water supply location in al-Shwayrif town, some 400 km south of the capital Tripoli, and forced workers to shut down the supply to western and central Libya. The ministry described cutting the water supply as "a complete war crime and an act against humanity". The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government. The World Health Organization said that the fighting so far has killed 454 people, injured 2,154 others, and displaced nearly 60,000 civilians. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 00:57:25|Editor: yan Video Player Close JUBA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia will provide technical assistance to South Sudan's oil sector which is seeking recovery after more than five years of conflict, a senior official said on Monday. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, South Sudan's minister of petroleum, said Juba will be assisted by Saudi Arabia in boosting the youngest nation's oil recovery efforts after he met last week in Riyadh with Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's minister of energy, industry and mineral resources. According to a statement issued in Juba, the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation between the two ministries such as technical assistance in the drilling, enhancing of oil recovery, increase of oil production, resumption of oil production, capacity building programs for South Sudanese engineers and exploration and development of new blocks. The minister said Riyadh pledged to support South Sudan's ministry of petroleum and its national petroleum company Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet) in drilling and exploration activities. The two countries also discussed the stability in the markets and how South Sudan as non-member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could benefit from future support in the oil sector. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:07:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close BELGRADE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Participation at the Belt and Road International Skills Competition is yet another showcase of Serbia's friendly relations with China, said minister of labor, employment, veteran and social affairs Zoran Djordjevic here on Monday, and wished luck to the team of 19 professionals who are heading to Chongqing, China. The team that will compare their skills with colleagues from China and other countries along the Belt and Road was presented at the Belgrade's Kombank Dvorana Hall in front of journalists and sponsors. According to a press release after the conference, Serbian participants will compete in 9 skills: Electrical Installations, Plumbing and Heating, Cooking, Joinery, Restaurant Service, Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy, Health and Social Care and Floristry. Djordjevic expressed hope that some of the participants will come back with medals, and thanked sponsors "for enabling our young people to participate in such an important competition". "We have professional and capable people in which we put our full thrust. Our participation at this competition is yet another proof of the friendly relations between Serbia and China," he said. The competition will be held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from May 26 to 31, where participants from more than 40 countries and regions will display their skills, exchange and compete. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:07:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, on Monday began his five-day visit to Myanmar, the first visit by the UN refugee chief to Myanmar since August 2017. A news release from Grandi's office said the UN official is scheduled to spend the first two days in Myanmar's Rakhine State where he will visit some local communities and meet with state and district officials. Later in the week, the UN refugee chief is scheduled meet senior Myanmar government officials in the capital Nay Pyi Taw. This week's visit to Myanmar comes on the heels of the High Commissioner's mission to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh at the end of April. UN figures showed that more than 900,000 stateless Rohingya refugees currently live in crowded settlements in Bangladesh's border region of Cox's Bazar, of whom an estimated 741,000 fled from Myanmar since August 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:17:39|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close NICOSIA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is preparing for the worst Brexit scenario, a no deal exit of the United Kingdom from the bloc, EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said here on Monday. "We have offered all options to the United Kingdom, from the Single Market to the Customs Union or a Free Trade Agreement. We are now waiting for clarity from the United Kingdom. In the meantime, we keep preparing for a no deal. This is not and will not be the EU's choice. It is for the UK to take its responsibilities," Barnier said after talks with Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides. Barnier's talks in Nicosia came as the deeply divided British parliament is preparing to vote on a reported new bill to deal with Brexit. "Today, the fundamental choices in front of the United Kingdom remain the same: deal, no deal, no Brexit," Barnier said. "Whatever happens and whatever the political situation in the UK, the issues and solutions remain the same," he added. Barnier said that if the United Kingdom still wants to leave, ratifying the withdrawal agreement is the only way to secure a transition period to sort out its negotiations position. "This transition period would also give time to both sides to figure out what specific arrangements are necessary in relation to the Northern Irish border on top of the overall EU/UK relationship," he said. Barnier also met with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades discussing possible arrangements for the areas of Cyprus which constitute British military bases. Britain has under its control two areas totaling 254 square kilometers or 3 percent of Cypriot territory, which are technically British soil, creating a condition very similar with that in Ireland in case of a no deal Brexit. Christodoulides said that what Cyprus wants is to safeguard that the existing arrangements on the bases which have no visible frontiers will not change and that the life of those residing or working in the British areas will not deteriorate. Barnier said that the common objective is to preserve the status quo and avoid disrupting the life of the people living in the bases, adding that all necessary measure will be taken to achieve this objective. Barnier also met with the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, telling the Cypriot parliamentarians that EU will stand in solidarity with Cyprus to deal with all possible effects of a no-deal Brexit. Committee President Giorgos Lillikas told reporters that what he got out of the meeting is that EU has prepared for all possible Brexit scenarios. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:27:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close BELGRADE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Serbia will achieve economic growth of 3.5 percent in 2019 and 4 percent in 2020, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation estimated on Monday in Belgrade, after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The visit of the delegation led by the head of the mission Jan Kees Martijn started on May 10 and will end on May 21. The IMF delegation also met with Serbian government officials and representatives of the National Bank of Serbia. "During the meeting, representatives of the IMF confirmed a stable projection of economic growth of 3.5 percent for this year and 4 percent for 2020," read a press release from the office of the President of Serbia published after the meeting. "President Vucic emphasized that Serbia's goal is to achieve higher growth than projected despite the slowed down economic growth in the countries of the European Union and global challenges," the release read. A special topic of interest for the citizens of Serbia was salaries and pensions, and the discussion confirmed that Serbia's responsible policy and stable economic growth create space to increase them further. Moreover, the two sides stressed the importance of efficient management and better realization of investments in public companies, as well as the privatization of the remaining state enterprises. On May 16, Martjin discussed with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on the implementation of the current Policy Coordination Instrument arrangement between Serbia and IMF, which relates to the reform of tax administration, public salaries, and public companies. President Moon Jae-in will meet former U.S. President George W. Bush, who arrives in Seoul on Wednesday, later this week at Cheong Wa Dae. The presidential office said the two will be meeting on Thursday and discuss ways to improve their countries' ties and promote friendship. Given Bush's experience in failed six-party denuclearization talks with North Korea, the two may also discuss attempts to get the regime to give up its nuclear weapons. After his meeting with Moon, Bush will head to Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province for a memorial service to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of his one-time Korean counterpart Roh Moo-hyun. According to the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, Bush will give a portrait he painted of Roh to his widow. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:27:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Azerbaijan have signed an agreement to expand cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT), Eghtesad Online news website reported on Monday. The agreement was signed by Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Elmir Valizadeh and Iran's Deputy ICT Minister Hossein Fallah during a meeting in Baku on May 15-16. The joint ICT cooperation agreement includes developing communication infrastructures, expanding Internet coverage, space and satellite technologies, radio frequency management, cybersecurity, postal services and mobile network management, according to the report. Based on the deal, the two countries agreed to work on smart solutions to the interference of radio and television signals along their shared border and help promote technological activities by holding joint exhibitions and conferences. They also agreed to form a joint research and development taskforce in space and satellite technologies by exchanging ICT experts, university students and instructors, as well as sharing laboratories, research facilities and scientific experiences. Addressing the meeting, Valizadeh said further negotiations between the two countries can help prepare the ground for increasing cooperation in the field. Also, Fallah said that Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia can cooperate in a wide range of ICT fields. Iran and Azerbaijan will further discuss the scope of cooperation during an upcoming meeting to be held in Tehran. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 01:42:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close RIGA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The China (Ningbo)-Latvia Cross-border E-commerce Hub was launched in a ceremony at the Baltic Container Terminal here in the Latvian capital on Monday. Around a hundred people, including lawmakers, government officials, entrepreneurs and media representatives, attended the ceremony organized by the Chinese Embassy in Riga, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency and the Central and Eastern Europe E-Commerce Hub Development Association. Addressing the ceremony at the terminal in the Freeport of Riga, Sun Yinglai, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, indicated that e-commerce could become one of the keys to deepening cooperation between China and Latvia. "Through cross-border e-commerce platforms, products from Latvia and other Central and Eastern European countries are made quickly and directly accessible to the Chinese market and consumers," said Sun. Andris Ozols, head of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, voiced confidence that the new e-commerce hub will be promoting business exchange between China and Latvia, and with trade turnover growing, more and more Chinese investors would see Latvia as a good place for doing business as they regard Latvia as a springboard for trade with Scandinavia, Germany and Russia. Noting that China is Latvia's largest trade partner in Asia, Eriks Eglitis, state secretary at the Latvian Ministry of Economics, called the launch of the new cross-border e-commerce hub a "rewarding moment". He also voiced hope that the annual trade turnover between China and Latvia, which currently is 640 million euros, will soon grow to a billion euros and beyond. On April 12, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Latvian Investment and Development Agency and Ningbo Municipal Government on the development of the China (Ningbo)-Latvia Cross-border E-Commerce Hub. It was signed during the 9th Business Forum of Central and Eastern Europe countries and China in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 03:28:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close TIRANA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Albanian business representatives urged politicians on Monday to sit down and find a solution for the current political crisis that is seriously damaging the country's economy and business. The representatives made the declaration while attending a meeting organized in the capital Tirana by Albanian Chambers of Commerce and Private Entrepreneurship Associations. All the participants unanimously asked for dialogue and reflection among the ruling and opposition political parties to solve the political crisis. According to the President of Albanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nikolin Jaka, the political crisis has given its first negative effects in the economy. "The effects have been noted in the significant reduction of investments, as well as in tourism, where tourists have started to cancel their bookings," Jaka said. Jaka underlined that the long-lasting political crisis has created a climate of mistrust among the entrepreneurs and citizens. Luan Bregasi, head of "Business Albania", called on the politicians to find a solution. "They should reflect and immediately meet. We don't give any recommendation for the solutions, but it is our moral duty to call on them to meet, reflect and find the best solution. The political crisis has caused big problems, especially in tourism," Bregasi said. In his remarks, head of Albanian Tourism Association, Enver Mehmeti, said that according to the preliminary data registered in the first four months of this year, the tourism market dropped by 9.5 percent compared to the same period of last year. Since mid-February, Albania has been going through a political crisis, with the opposition parties holding several anti-government protests -- some turned violent, asking Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and his cabinet to step down for early general elections. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 03:28:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official has highlighted Libyan women's role in bringing peace to the war-torn country, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said Monday. Stephanie Williams, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Political Affairs in Libya, made the remarks during her meeting on Sunday with the Women Empowerment Unit of the UN-backed Libyan government in the capital Tripoli. "There is no military solution to the crisis in Libya," a UNSMIL statement quoted Williams as saying at the meeting. She also reiterated the urgent need for dialogue while praising women's efforts to find a political solution, the statement said. The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the government. The World Health Organization said the fighting so far has killed 454 people, injured 2,154 others, and displaced nearly 60,000 civilians. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. This photo taken on February 24, 2019, shows a honey bee collecting nectar and pollen from mustard flowers in Qutubgarh village on the outskirts of New Delhi.(Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday warned against the drastic drops in populations of bees and other pollinators. Bees, as major pollinators, are crucial for efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet populations of bees and other pollinators have decreased significantly, Mohammed told an event to celebrate World Bee Day at UN Headquarters in New York. Intensive agriculture and pesticide use are placing bees in ever greater danger. Bees are being exposed to new diseases and pests. And of course, climate change has become a major threat, she noted. The decline and disappearance of bees and wild insects would have drastic consequences for global ecosystems and human well-being, she warned. The senior UN official asked for urgent and wide-ranging efforts to protect bees across wild, agricultural and urban habitats. "This observance of World Bee Day comes at an important juncture. We aim to create a bit of a buzz around this challenge -- but this is no laughing matter. Let us work together to ensure that these hard-working creatures can thrive so that the ecosystems and humans that depend on them can do the same -- today and for future generations." It has been estimated that more than three-quarters of the leading types of global food crops rely to some extent on bees and other pollinators. Moreover, well-pollinated crops have been shown to taste better and have a higher nutrient value, a better appearance and a longer shelf life, said Mohammed. One international study estimates that the annual global food production that depends on pollination is worth as much as half a trillion U.S. dollars, she said. Beekeeping provides an important source of income, especially for people in rural areas, she noted. The UN General Assembly designated May 20 as World Bee Day in December 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 03:39:07|Editor: yan Video Player Close GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement denied on Monday Israeli media reports that Hamas has reached a cease-fire deal with Israel in the Gaza Strip for six months. Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas' spokesman in Gaza, said in a short e-mailed statement that the Israeli media reports about cease-fire are not true. Any cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel should be based on Israel's commitment to implementing all previous understandings, Barhoum added. Meanwhile, Basim Naeem, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, also told Xinhua that no new deal was reached, except the calm understanding brokered by Egypt and the United Nations. Earlier in the day, Israeli television reported that a deal, which was mediated by Egypt and the United Nations to reinforce cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, has been reached. The reports said the deal included the suspension of the weekly anti-Israel protests, better knowns as the Great March of Return, the expansion of the fishing zone off the coast of the Gaza Strip, and an increase in exports and imports of the coastal enclave. The agreement is set for six months and the two sides agreed to discuss other issues should both sides be committed to the deal, the Israeli reports added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 03:39:08|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. father who mistook his daughter for a potential intruder and killed her on Sunday has been arrested on drug charges, authorities said Monday. Deputies of Greenville County, state of South Carolina, said officers responding to the early Sunday shooting found heroin and cocaine in the home of 43-year-old Jermaine Tramone Pressley. Pressley heard someone trying to enter his home, so he shot through a door, according to a statement by Sheriff's Office Lt. Jimmy Bolt. The gunfire, said the coroner's office, fatally wounded his daughter, 23-year-old Nadeja Jermainequa Pressley. An autopsy is set for Monday. Jermaine Pressley is charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, police said. The investigation into the shooting is continuing. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 03:44:11|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Monday rejected a Russian request to discuss the enactment of a Ukrainian language law. In a procedural vote, only five of the 15 members of the council voted in favor of the Russian request. Nine votes are required for the adoption of a contended provisional agenda of the Security Council. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 04:04:23|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WARSAW, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Around 120 guests attended an economic and trade cooperation forum in Warsaw on Monday, aiming to explore expanding commercial links between China's Henan province and Poland. "This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Poland. In the past 70 years, pragmatic cooperation aiming at mutual benefit has always been a solid foundation for friendly relations between the two countries," said Chinese Ambassador to Poland Liu Guangyuan in his welcome address. "In recent years, the two countries have continuously deepened economic, trade and local cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and 16+1 cooperation, bringing tangible benefits for the two peoples," he added, referring to cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). Yu Hongqiu, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Henan provincial committee, said: "For 3,000 years, Henan was a very important political, economic and cultural center. Henan's excellent location means the province constitutes a transport node connecting all parts of the country." She added that Henan Province was looking to become more internationally oriented and expand commercial relations with Poland. "Poland is enjoying a constant development, its people are hard-working, the country's finances are stable and its international position is consolidating," said Yu, adding that Poland was a very important partner for China in the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism. In his turn, Grzegorz Czelej, the Chairman of the Polish-Chinese Parliamentary Group, expressed his excitement about cooperation between Poland and Henan. "Henan Province is at the heart of China and it is becoming its biggest transport hub, so commercial relations with this province are very important for our country," Czelej said. Czelej listed many areas of cooperation between China and Poland, including Chinese companies and banks investing in Poland over the last years, new flights connecting the two countries, and partnerships between institutions of higher education from the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-21 05:45:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close RABAT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan police said on Monday that they arrested a Malian citizen in the northern city of Assilah for suspected mediation of illegal immigration and human trafficking. The suspect was nabbed during a police raid on three apartments, which also led to the arrest of 39 illegal immigrants from Sub-Saharan African countries who wanted to reach Spain by sea, according to a police statement. The Malian national, 35, was held in custody as investigations are underway to arrest the main suspect who organized the illegal immigration operation. According to the Moroccan Ministry of Interior, 88,761 immigrants were prevented from leaving Morocco in 2018. Chilean wine exports flow toward mainland From:ChinaDaily | 2019-05-20 10:06 SANTIAGO - China is a "fundamental" partner for Chile, especially as a market for Chilean wines, according to Mario Pablo Silva, president of trade promotion group Wines of Chile. In 2017, China became the top export destination for Chile's wines, known for their quality and variety, as shown at the recent Santiago Wine Harvest Festival. The April 13 to 14 event drew the country's top 35 wineries to Chile's capital Santiago, offering wine aficionados a chance to learn more about their favorite vintages. Both organizers and participating wineries agreed on China's "fundamental" role for the country's wine sector. In 2018, the South American country exported 55.3 million cases of wine, with some 8.1 million cases worth some $254 million to China. The numbers, said Silva, show China's fondness for Chilean wine, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, a deep purple grape variety from France's Bordeaux region that has flourished in Chile. Angelica Valenzuela, marketing manager at Wines of Chile, said the free trade agreement between China and Chile, in effect since 2006 and updated in March, helped boost wine exports to the Asian giant by between 30 percent and 50 percent a year. "In 2017, China became Chile's leading destination market, representing some 16 percent of sales, with extremely high growth potential, given the low per capita consumption rate in China," said Valenzuela. Clara Cortes, a representative of Siegel, a family-owned winery specializing in premium wines, noted her company's shipments to China grew 16 percent last year. Siegel is Chile's third-largest exporter to China, and expects its shipments to the Asian country to grow between 18 percent and 20 percent this year. "The Chinese are just beginning to grow and are very interested in everything that has to do with learning. They began with varietals (wines made of one grape variety), but we have clients requesting quality vintages," said Cortes. Silva said he takes pride in knowing that Chilean wine is the national product with the "the strongest entry into China with the Chile brand on its label." He is proud to "see that the Chinese in general have a very good opinion of Chile," Silva said, adding "there are very good people-to-people ties." A plecat la Cer Victor Socaciu, un simbol al Romaniei frumoase si cinstite La un ceai, indiferent de forma si continut, cu sau fara amintiri de tanar rebel fumand un chistoc de Camel, cel putin o generatie de romani isi va aminti de Zangra, in versiunea romaneasca. Asa, ca-ntr-o buna tara, cu rea croiala, fir-ar ea de randuiala [citeste mai departe] The enemy did not use the Mink-banned weaponry The Pro-Kremlin militants fired three times without using the Minsk-banned weaponry in the Donbas combat zone over 24 hours. The press service of the JFO HQ reported on Facebook. The occupants fired the positions in Donetsk region. The enemy attacked with anti-tank grenade launchers, heavy machine guns the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Hnutove settlement, with automatic grenade launchers and small armed near Starohnativka village, and with easel grenade launchers near Vodiane settlement. One soldier of the Joint Forces operation was wounded, the enemys casualties have been checking yet. As we reported earlier, Ukrainian authorities have done nothing for the citizens of Donbas and the Crimea felt they are the Ukrainians. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said that in his speech during the inauguration ceremony at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Both the Crimea and Donbas are Ukrainian land. We lost not only territories. We lost the most important people. Today we are not only ought to return their consciousness, but Im sure, they hear us. We lost that consciousness. Over the years, authorities have done nothing for the citizens of Donbas and the Crimea felt they are the Ukrainians. They are not foreigners, they are ours. They are Ukrainians, President Zelensky said. Zelensky added that his first step will be returning of the Ukrainian prisoners of war. The next challenge returning lost territories. The money is allocated for the continuation of the implementation of reforms in Ukraine in 2019 Germany allocated technical and financial support in the amount of 82 million euros to Ukraine. Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk reported this on Twitter. The great present to Germany to the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Berlin allocates technical and financial support in the amount of 82 million euros to Ukraine for the internal reforms in 2019, Melnyk wrote. The regulation was signed in Kyiv today, May 20. On May 20, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with the heads of foreign delegations and ambassadors of other states. Volodymyr Zelensky assumed the office and became the sixth president of Ukraine. The solemn ceremony of inauguration took place in Kyiv on Monday, May 20. The new head of the state greeted the audience that welcomed him at Mariinsky Park in the downtown Kyiv. Zelensky passed the improvised corridor in the park, shaking hands and making selfies with his supporters. The head of the state made the oath the traditional way, with his right hand on Peresopnytsia Gospels and the Constitution of Ukraine. In his bold speech, the new leader announced he would dismiss the Ukrainian Parliament. He also urged the Ukrainian Government to resign if they could not act effectively anymore. gas supplies Open source Postponing the Nord Stream 2 launching for a year is perhaps the last huge victory for Ukraine in this presidency of Poroshenko. One Russian citizen speaks eloquently about this result: If Denmark demands a change of route, Nord Stream 2 will be completed by mid-2020, the operator of the pipeline Nord Stream 2 AG said. For the project itself, this is not fatal: plus or minus six months for such large-scale projects is not a time limit. The problem is purely political. The Kremlin was preparing all projects to bypass Ukraine with deadline - December 31, 2019, when the transit agreement with Ukraine expires. The math is simple: about 80-90 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe pass through Ukraine. So, two bypass routes - South Stream and Nord Stream 2, according to the initial plan, should have deliberately blocked the Ukrainian transit and created additional transfer capacities. Initially, South Stream had a design capacity of 30 billion cubic meters, and then it increased to 63 billion. The capacity of Nord Stream 2 is 55 billion. In total, they gave a transit power reserve of almost 120 billion cubic meters, which made Ukraines position on negotiations transit zero. Then the tale is over. Initially, the South Stream project stopped, and the Turkish project with the same parameters was developed by just two months. Turkey did not agree with that, so it had to urgently start a war in Syria. The war began on September 30, 2015, ended on November 24, when the Turks shot down a Russian plane and Putin darted to hide in the bushes, without risking further direct escalation. Russia lost the war in Syria, leaving only 15 billion cubic meters of transit in the Turkish Stream. 120 billion shrunk to 70. The question arose of the need to conclude a transit agreement with Ukraine. The Kremlin "graciously" allowed pumping about 15 billion cubic meters after 2019. Then the difficulties with the Nord Stream 2 began. It was nevertheless included in the EU Gas Directive, which requires gas transmission system owners to provide at least 50% of their capacity to third suppliers. 55 billion cubic meters of the Nord Stream turned into 27.5. Spreading prosperity, and consumer demand, throughout China From:ChinaDaily | 2019-05-20 09:54 Domestic consumption will have to be the primary demand-driver for the products of China's factories and businesses. For, the nation is transitioning from an economic model based on infrastructure investment and exports made by low-cost labor toward one based on higher wages, upgraded industry, and technology development. In the prosperous big cities, demand for such goods as cars, appliances, electronics and clothing is already high. Many government policies are designed to spread this prosperity and consumer demand throughout the countryside and to smaller cities. Throughout history, megacities have been the engines of growth and productivity. But no nation can succeed if its regional cities and its countryside are not prospering as well. In the 1990-2010 period, China's growth was concentrated in a few large eastern cities. These cities attracted migrants in search of jobs and a better life. At that time, China struggled to get high-quality medical care and education to rural areas and even to smaller cities. Well-paying jobs or opportunities to start businesses were few. So, despite the expense and family-separation involved, many workers felt they had little choice but to try their luck in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Guangzhou. This view of China is outdated by at least a decade. Extensive infrastructure investment has allowed the development of large regional cities throughout the country. Personally, I've spent a good bit of time in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Kunming, Yunnan province, and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. They are all very pleasant and productive cities with great infrastructure offering good opportunities to the people in surrounding areas. In many ways, life in these cities is now better than in the top-tier cities. But still, many people in the countryside and in some county-level towns remain poor. As part of an ongoing policy of promoting productive urbanization and rural revitalization, the State Council, China's Cabinet, on May 5 announced a set of urban-rural integration measures, including relaxing hukou (household registration) barriers, reforming zoning regulations, marketing collective land in rural areas for development purposes and increasing infrastructure spending in the countryside. One way the government is working to spread urban prosperity is creating infrastructure to integrate three major megaregions - Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, known as Jing-Jin-Ji in the North, the Yangtze River Delta centered on Shanghai, and, in the South, the Greater Bay Area, including Hong Kong and Macao plus Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other parts of Guangdong province. For example, the National Development and Reform Commission announced plans to build 1,100 kilometers of new high-speed rail at a cost of 237 billion yuan ($34.3 billion) by 2030 to integrate Jing-Jin-Ji. Economists and urban planners see huge economic returns from the so-called "agglomeration effects" of integrating such regions, which are larger than many European countries. The idea is to allow people throughout these areas to build businesses or careers that share in the prosperity of the region, without actually having to move to the core city. Technology is also a key tool for integrating megacities, smaller cities, and rural areas. China was quick to deploy 4G throughout the country and is expected to deploy 5G more rapidly than any other country. Even today, I'm surprised to get good 4G coverage and broadband availability in rural areas or small towns. According to 2018 data from China Telecom, 83 percent of administrative villages have broadband, and fiber-optic cable has been extended to 500,000 mountain villages. The purpose of this investment in internet infrastructure is not, or at least not primarily, to allow people to watch videos and look at WeChat Moments. The internet and infrastructure connections create business opportunities in remote areas that are luring ambitious young people to return from the big cities to their homes. More than 5.7 million people, including 4.5 million migrant workers, have moved to rural areas to start businesses, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. All these people, plus their workers and suppliers are key sources of increasing domestic demand. For example, I talked with a young man who had returned from working in Shenzhen to start a company in his small home village in a mountainous area of Jiangxi province. By growing Chinese yew trees and selling them online, he's now making good money and has a very nice house. Similarly, another enterprising young man saved money selling flowers in Guangzhou, then moved to Kunming and started what is now a prosperous flower-wholesaling company. Such business would have been impossible just a few years ago before the good physical and electronic infrastructure was built. Though big institutional and business model changes are needed, 5G technology holds great potential to improve medical care and educational quality in China's countryside and small towns. Remote medical consulting or surgery and remote teaching and tutoring could offer first-class education and healthcare to children outside the big cities. Combined with investments in brick and-mortar hospitals and schools, this new technology can be a key enabler for upgrading life outside the big cities. China's farms are very small - less than a hectare in most areas. Such small plots are not able to generate incomes that can match rising wages in other industries. So, the farm population will continue to drop as young people move to urban areas or start non-farming businesses in their hometowns. The falling farm population will push the remaining farmers to adopt productivity-enhancing technologies. At the China Development Forum in March, James Collins, CEO of Corteva Agriscience, a large US agriculture technology company, said he was amazed that farmers even in remote areas of China are already using drones to gather detailed information and optimize the delivery of water and fertilizer to each plant. 5G will be the key to making this "precision agriculture" work throughout the country. China's urbanization process has been very rapid. In 1980, less than 20 percent of its people were urban dwellers, rising to 58 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank. This is a huge transformation in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. And, the urbanization is still not complete. "City clusters are key to the development of a country. The United States, the UK and Japan all have major city clusters that represent 60 percent of the country's GDP, but for China the Pearl River and Yangtze River delta regions and the Jing-Jin-Ji region contribute only 38 percent to GDP," Shao Chunfu, professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, told the website railprofessional.com. As people continue to move to cities, their incomes will rise, driving up consumer demand. Additional infrastructure spending to support these people will also be needed. China has followed a development path similar to that of Japan and South Korea. For all three, exports and imports played a key role during their early, fast-growth periods. Exports were a critical source of demand for their newly developing industries. Plus, the need to compete in international markets forced industries in all three countries to upgrade their products, processes and technologies. Imports and foreign investment were sources of capital and technology. However, China is a much larger economy than Japan and South Korea. In the long term, it cannot rely on foreign demand or foreign technology to drive its economy. Once a country passes into middleincome status, the low-wage, export-driven development model does not work anymore. Wages are too high (a good thing), plus the exports become too significant for trading partners. Long-term growth in China depends on raising the incomes of people throughout the country, thus allowing them to buy consumer goods, which then creates more jobs in a productive development cycle. Policies designed to spread urbanization throughout the country and to revitalize rural areas are key to allowing this cycle to continue. The UN Secretary-General sent Ukraine's president-elect a letter, in which he expressed hope that the UN-Ukraine bilateral relations would remain excellent Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General congratulated Volodymyr Zelensky on taking power as the president of Ukraine. The UN top official sent the president-elect a letter, in which he expressed the organization's commitment to peaceful settlement in eastern Ukraine, and reassured him of the UN support for this country; Ukrinform news agency quoted him. Guterres's congratulation letter to Zelensky, May 2019 Ukrinform As is known, the inauguration ceremony of the sixth president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is about to take place in Kyiv. The solemn event is to start at the session hall of the Ukrainian Parliament at 10 a.m. May 20. After the inauguration at the Parliament, Zelensky will take part in the presentation ceremony of the commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the ceremony of raising the State Flag of Ukraine. Then, together with his wife, he will greet the heads of foreign delegations. In the afternoon, Zelensky is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with these officials heads at the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. In her goodbye speech, Marie Yovanovitch shared her views of the most tangible changes that she witnessed in this country over her cadence U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch Radio Liberty Marie Yovanovitch, the U.S. Ambassador in Ukraine has left her office at the Embassy. On May 20, the authority released a video with the diplomat's goodbye speech. 'There has been so much progress since the last three years, since last five years and the Revolution of Dignity here in Ukraine. I look at all of the things that have been accomplished - for example, stabilization of the economy, sticking with the IMF program. It's been difficult but it means that the fundamentals are sound here in Ukraine or getting to be sounder', she said. The Ambassador reminded that the reforms in Ukraine continue in many areas, such as the education, healthcare and pension provision. She admitted that many years should pass yet to get the reforms completed. 'Ukraine is on its way to its European future, and I think that is hugely important. I see fight in the progress against corruption; again, it's not done, but there has been progress, including this year's establishment of the Anti-Corruption Court', the official stated. Jovanovitch admitted that the results of the recent presidential election showed that Ukrainians aim not just for changes, but for the fundamental transformations in the country. The U.S. diplomat served as the Ambassador in Ukraine since August 2016 until now. The EU emphasized their readiness to carry on cooperating with Ukraine concerning the realization of the EU-Ukraine Agreement Association Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Open source The EU expects that the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada will be fulfilled in accordance with the legislature, and the early elections will be free, fair and trustworthy. The representative of the EU European truth. President Zelensky during his inauguration speech called on to disband the Verkhovna Rada. The further steps are needed for the official decision, the report said. According to the report, the EU recollected about free, fair and trustworthy elections are the backbone of democracy, which also forms the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The EU added that they expect to carry on cooperating with Ukraine concerning the realization of the Association Agreement. The EU hopes for the cooperation with president Zelensky and with the government. In addition, it is important to preserve the speed of reforms and to preserve their stability in this pre-election campaign. As it was reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky invited leaders of the parliamentary factions to discuss the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada. Volodymyr Zelensky assumed the office and became the sixth president of Ukraine. The solemn ceremony of inauguration took place in Kyiv on Monday, May 20. The new head of the state greeted the audience that welcomed him at Mariinsky Park in the downtown Kyiv. Zelensky passed the improvised corridor in the park, shaking hands and taking selfies with his supporters. The head of the state made the oath the traditional way, with his right hand on Peresopnytsia Gospels and the Constitution of Ukraine. In his bold speech, the new leader announced he would dismiss the Ukrainian Parliament. He also urged the Ukrainian Government to resign if they could not act effectively anymore. Vasyl Hrytsak, the Head of Security Service Reuters Head of Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak resigned as the SBU press service reported. I fulfill the promise and inform publicly: today, I file the report on my dismissal from the post of the SBU Head to President-elect of Ukraine. I also report that according to the order established by Military statute, all deputy heads of the SBU and members of my team filed the reports, all of them who defend Ukraine on the most difficult days of the Russian armed aggression, Hrytsak said. He noted that the SBU lost 27 its officers during the Russian aggression; however, despite all difficulties, today it corresponds to the best special services of the world. While President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine do not solve the issue, who is going to head the Security Service of Ukraine, the current personnel of the SBU will continue to defend the security of the society and the Ukrainian people, he stated. Vasyl Hrytsak headed the special service on July 2, 2015. Earlier Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Oleksandr Turchynov officially resigned. Besides, Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin stated that he resigns from his post. He asked the officials to "hang there the pictures of tour children, and look into their eyes before every decision" President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky delivers first speech 112 Agency Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the officials to hang not his portrait in their offices, but the pictures of their children and look into their eyes before making any decision. He said it in his inauguration speech, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine. I would like that you dont have my portraits in your offices. Please, because the President is not an icon, not an idol. The President is not an icon. Hang there the pictures of tour children, and look into their eyes before every decision, Zelensky urged. The inauguration of Volodymyr Zelensky to the post of president of Ukraine took place today, on May 20 at 10:00 Kyiv time. Zelensky dismissed Ukrainian Parliament at his inauguration and announced early elections after he took an oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Related video: Zelensky proposes govt to resign 112 Agency The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky proposed the government to file for resignation. Zelensky voiced this in his inaugural speech on May 20, when he officially assumed the office of President of Ukraine. I want to quote the American actor, who became a great American president: Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem. I do not understand our government, which lifts their hands in dismay and tells me what they cannot do. It is not true you can do something! You can take a paper, take a pen and free your positions for those who will think about the next generations, instead of the next election, Zelensky said. On May 20, Volodymyr Zelensky has officially taken the office of the president of Ukraine. In his address, Zelensky dismissed Ukrainian Parliament and announced early elections after he took an oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Earlier, Peoples Front, left the parliamentary coalition last Friday, on May 17. Thus, the coalition of the Ukrainian Parliament has ceased to be and 30 days provided to form a new coalition, in other words, it is almost impossible to dissolve the parliament in such terms. ZeTeam reacted to the happened and said that it is impossible to leave something that does not exist. Later it was specified that it is still possible to dissolve the parliament and team of Zelensky may use such possibility. President Zelensky meets international delegation, May 20, 2019 Presidential Administration press office On May 20, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with the heads of foreign delegations and ambassadors of other states, as the press office of the Head of State reported. I appreciate the fact that you were able to come to us in a very short time. I am grateful to the international partners for helping us conduct fair elections. Together we have proved that Ukraine is a democratic state. Thank you for your help in combating corruption, economic problems and, most importantly, in the fight against Russian aggression," the President said, opening the welcome reception for the foreign representatives with his wife. He also expressed hope that the number of the international partners of Ukraine will increase, and Ukraine will become a reliable sister who everyone will be proud of in the international community. Zelensky ended his speech in English and promised that Ukraine will have fame all over the world. Guests who arrived in inauguration welcomed President of Ukraine standing up. The inauguration of Volodymyr Zelensky was attended by President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis, President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Hungary Janos Ader. Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic, United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and United States Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, Minister of National Defence of Canada Harjit Sajjan, Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Jacek Czaputowicz, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Tudor Ulianovschi, Chairman of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Oktay Asadov, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Kubera and other distinguished guests, the message reads. Volodymyr Zelensky assumed the office and became the sixth president of Ukraine. The solemn ceremony of inauguration took place in Kyiv on Monday, May 20. The new head of the state greeted the audience that welcomed him at Mariinsky Park in the downtown Kyiv. Zelensky passed the improvised corridor in the park, shaking hands and making selfies with his supporters. The head of the state made the oath the traditional way, with his right hand on Peresopnytsia Gospels and the Constitution of Ukraine. In his bold speech, the new leader announced he would dismiss the Ukrainian Parliament. He also urged the Ukrainian Government to resign if they could not act effectively anymore. Related video: Ukraines Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak resigned, as he wrote on Facebook. In his report, he wrote that he implements the requirements of the law and respects the constitutional right of Volodymyr Zelensky for appointing the Defence Minister. Earlier, on May 20, Ukraines Security Service Head Vasyl Hrytsak resigned. Stepan Poltorak held the post of the Defence Minister since October 14, 2014. Before that he led National Guard. After the Revolution of Dignity, he headed internal troops before they were disbanded. On October 13, 2018 Poltorak resigned form army, implementing the demands of the law on national security, which provides the norm on civil Minister of Defence. According to the document, since the next year, civil minister has to head the Defence Ministry, two people have to be appointed for commanding the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Viktor Muzhenko heads the General Headquarters. He said that he would file the application after the Governments session on May 22 Ukraines Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman will resign on Wednesday, May 22, as he said at the briefing, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine. He said that he would file the application after the Governments session on May 22. I think all of you understand that the Government demits office before the newly elected Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and not before the newly elected President. At the same time, I decided to resign right after another session of the Government. I would like to stress that over three years of the work of our Government I am not ashamed for what we have managed to do and the adequate way in which we reacted to the challenges and crisis we faced, Groysman said. Earlier, during his inauguration speech President Zelensky said that Cabinet of Ministers should resign if it can not do anything. After Zelensky took office, PM Groysman congratulated him and wished success. Groysman headed Ukraines Government since April 14, 2016. Related video: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met the heads of the foreign delegations and ambassadors of foreign states on May 20 as the presidential press service reported. I appreciate the fact that you were able to come to us in a very short time. I am grateful to the international partners for helping us conduct fair elections. Together we have proved that Ukraine is a democratic state. Thank you for your help in combating corruption, economic problems and, most importantly, in the fight against Russian aggression," Zelensky noted, opening the solemn reception of the foreign states representatives along with his wife Olena. He also expressed the hope that the number of the international partners of Ukraine will grow and Ukraine in the international community will become a reliable sister, whom everyone will be proud of. Volodymyr Zelensky finished his speech in the English language, promising that Ukraine will obtain glory all over the world. The guests, who came for the inauguration, welcomed the president of Ukraine. The presidential press service noted that five leaders of the foreign states: President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis, President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite and President of Hungary Janos Ader, visited the inauguration of Zelensky. Besides, Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic, United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and United States Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, Minister of National Defence of Canada Harjit Sajjan, Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Jacek Czaputowicz, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Tudor Ulianovschi, Chairman of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Oktay Asadov, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Kubera and other distinguished guests arrived in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky assumed the office and became the sixth president of Ukraine. The solemn ceremony of inauguration took place in Kyiv on Monday, May 20. The new head of the state greeted the audience that welcomed him at Mariinsky Park in the downtown Kyiv. Zelensky passed the improvised corridor in the park, shaking hands and making selfies with his supporters. The head of the state made the oath the traditional way, with his right hand on Peresopnytsia Gospels and the Constitution of Ukraine. In his bold speech, the new leader announced he would dismiss the Ukrainian Parliament. He also urged the Ukrainian Government to resign if they could not act effectively anymore. Chinese firms in Kenya reward local staff From:ChinaDaily | 2019-05-20 10:05 NAIROBI - Mark Okumu has been a chef at China Road and Bridge Corp for the last two decades and his watershed moment arrived in December 2018 when he learned that he was on the list of local employees selected to visit China as a reward for their tireless devotion to duty. The 42-year-old father of three was in a buoyant mood on a Monday morning in early April when he joined outstanding Kenyan employees working for Chinese companies for a flag-off ceremony before they embarked on the trip to the Chinese mainland. Their itinerary included visits to major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Okumu's towering build made him stand out in the crowd, and excitement was palpable as he braced for a flight to China, where he hoped to learn about the world's second-biggest economy's developing miracle, rich culture and cuisine. "Let me say that everyone in my immediate family is excited about my first trip to China and I thank my employer for granting me this opportunity," said Okumu. "On my part, I look forward to learning new things about China, especially the cuisine and historical sites." Born and raised in a farming village in western Kenya, Okumu is among the pioneering group of local employees who are grateful to their employer for providing them with an opportunity to hone skills and climb the career ladder. "I feel honored to be among local employees selected to visit China and my expectations are that I will be able to interact with the hosts, learn about their culture, technology and cuisine," said Okumu, before the visit. More than 20 Chinese enterprises based in Kenya in December 2018 selected a total of 55 outstanding local employees to visit China for eight days as a reward for their impeccable performance at the workplace, as part of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Okumu was among the first batch of 28 outstanding employees who attended the flag-off ceremony held at the grounds of Chinese Embassy in Kenya ahead of the eight-day trip. Guo Ce, economic and commercial counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi said the outstanding local employees are expected to revitalize China-Kenya cooperation after the trip. "I believe after this trip, you will have a deeper understanding of China and Chinese culture, which will help you more in your future work with Chinese companies," said Guo. The faces of outstanding Kenyan employees working for Chinese enterprises were radiant as they mingled freely at the flag-off ceremony and clad in crisp light blue track suits. Sarah Gacheke, a translator at PowerChina Guizhou Engineering Co Ltd, said that she looked forward to an exciting trip to China's mega cities, technology hubs and historical sites. "As someone who majored in Chinese language at the university, I have a head-start as far as knowledge of the country's rich culture is concerned," said Gackeke. "However, I am keen to mingle with people, sample new delicacies and learn about China's engineering prowess and how it can be applied here in Kenya." The vivacious young female translator joined the Chinese company last year after completing her degree in Chinese language at the University of Nairobi's Confucius Institute. She vowed to leverage her proficiency in Mandarin to promote friendship between Kenyan and Chinese nationals in the coming years. Neverson Mwalimo, a 43-year-old father of three who has been a foreman at CRBC for the last two decades, said that a trip to China will offer a chance for him to forge new friendships and acquire new insights into infrastructure development. "This trip will offer me a chance to make new friends in China and learn about how the country is modernizing its infrastructure, particularly roads. As we all know, Kenya has benefitted greatly from road construction technology from China," said Mwalimo. Miriam Wanjiru, a logistics professional at Twyford Ceramics in her early 20s, said she felt privileged to be the youngest outstanding local employee to take part in the trip to China. "This is my first trip to China and I am excited about the prospect of meeting new people and forging lifelong friendship with them," said Wanjiru. "I feel honored and appreciated by my company for the services that I have rendered with dedication," she said. According to organizers, the second batch of the rest 27 outstanding Kenyan employees working for Chinese companies set off for the tour on April 15 to join their colleagues. The president stated that he is ready to lose popularity, ratings, even his post for the peace President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky delivers first speech 112 Agency President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he is not afraid to make important decisions. He is also ready to do everything to cease fire in Donbas as 112 Ukraine reported. Thus, according to Zelensky, the ceasefire in Donbas is the primary task now. I was asked often: what I am willing to do for the ceasefire? It is a weird question. What are Ukrainians are willing to do for the life of close people? What? I can assure that I am ready for everything to stop the death of our heroes. I am not afraid to make difficult decisions. I am ready to lose my popularity, my ratings and if it is necessary I am ready to lose my post without hesitation to make peace to come, Ukraines President stated. Before the assumption of the presidency, Zelensky took an oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Later, Volodymyr Zelensky officially took the office of the President of Ukraine. As is known, the inauguration ceremony of the sixth president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky took place in Kyiv. The solemn event started at the session hall of the Ukrainian Parliament at 10 a.m. May 20. After the inauguration at the Parliament, Zelensky took part in the presentation ceremony of the commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the ceremony of raising the State Flag of Ukraine. Then, together with his wife, he will greet the heads of foreign delegations. In the afternoon, Zelensky is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with these officials heads at the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. You can learn more about events tied with the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelensky in our online-broadcast. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky delivers first speech 112 Agency President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky made part of his speech in the Russian language. Particularly, he appealed to the citizens of occupied Donbas and Crimea in such way as 112 Ukraine reported. Before the assumption of the presidency, Zelensky took an oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Later, Volodymyr Zelensky officially took the office of the President of Ukraine. As is known, the inauguration ceremony of the sixth president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky took place in Kyiv. The solemn event started at the session hall of the Ukrainian Parliament at 10 a.m. May 20. After the inauguration at the Parliament, Zelensky took part in the presentation ceremony of the commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the ceremony of raising the State Flag of Ukraine. Then, together with his wife, he will greet the heads of foreign delegations. In the afternoon, Zelensky is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with these officials heads at the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. You can learn more about events tied with the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelensky in our online-broadcast. Zelensky ready to give Ukrainians citizenship to all who would work for Ukraine 112 Agency The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said he would grant citizenship to all Ukrainians who would work for the good of Ukraine. He announced this in his inaugural address on May 20. Today, I address all Ukrainians in the world. There are 65 million of us. Yes, do not be surprised - we are 65 million. Those, who were born on Ukrainian land. Ukrainians in Europe and Asia, in North and South America, Australia and Africa. I appeal to all Ukrainians on the planet, we really need you. Everyone who is ready to build a new strong and successful Ukraine - I will gladly grant Ukrainian citizenship to you. The president called on Ukrainians to unite and work for the good of the country. Zelensky also expects that Ukrainians, who return to the country, will bring about their experience and knowledge. As it was reported earlier, in his address, Zelensky claimed to dismiss Ukrainian Parliament and to announce early elections after he took an oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. He also and proposed the government to file for resignation. ________________________ Best in the State Washington Post's The Fix, 2011, 2009 Best in Pittsburgh Region PoliticsPA, 2011 "[W]idely cited as one of the oldest and most-read political blogs in the city" Pittsburgh City Paper, 2007 ________________________ As part of its RESILIENCIA! The Experience of Jewish Communities in Spain and the Americas festival, the National Hispanic Cultural Center (1701 Fourth Street SW) is hosting several nights of documentary film screenings this coming week. On Saturday, May 18 at 3pm theres a lecture on Women of Valor in the NHCCs Bank of America Theater. Following the lecture at 6:30pm you can watch Challah Rising in the Desert, an evocative documentary celebrating the history, influences and people of New Mexicos Jewish Community. Thats followed by a Q&A with the films director, Isaac Artenstein, and producer Paula Amar Schwartz. Tickets are $25 for the lecture and film. On Tuesday, May 21 theres a double-feature of short documentaries starting at 7pm. Persecuted and Saved chronicles the 5,000 to 7,000 Jews who managed to reach the Spanish border, fleeing Europe by crossing the Lleida Pyrenees. Your Wishes in Heaven looks at the life of Rachey Muyal, an 87-year-old descendent of Sephardim expelled from Spain in 1492, as she delivers a handwritten letter to the tombs of Catholic monarchs in Grenada, forgiving those responsible for the ancient expulsion. Director Miguel Angel Nieto Solis is on hand for a post-film Q&A. Tickets are $15 for both films. Finally, on Thursday, May 23 theres a round table discussion about Spains relationship with the State of Israel and the efforts of Instituto Cervantes to promote and preserve Jewish culture. Thats followed by the documentary The Caborca Jew: A Mexican Story. Inspired by the narrators own grandfather, the film tells the story of a Polish immigrant trying to get into the US who inadvertently finds himself the only Jew in the small, heavily Catholic town of Caborca, Mexico. For a complete schedule of other events at RESILIENCIA!including concerts, lectures, discussion and exhibitsgo to nhccnm.org/events. Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Alabama's Jeff Cook is one of the celebrities who'll play in Chris Young's 3rd Annual Th3 Legends Cast for a Cure Big Bass Tournament June 1 on Old Hickory Lake near Nashville. Legendary fishermen Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston and Roland Martin will also be there to help raise money for cancer research. Newcomer Abby Anderson contributes the track "Fearless" to the soundtrack of the new movie, A Dog's Journey, which came out Friday. The debut single from new Warner Nashville artist Trea Landon is called "Loved by a Country Boy." You can check out Toby Keith's new lyric video for "That's Country Bro" on YouTube. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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 Its long been known that testosterone and jet fuel are a potent combination and in the right circumstances thats a good thing. But an investigation by the Navy into the infamous sky penis incident over central Washington in 2017 didnt really reveal anything fresh on that hypothesis and likely added more ammunition for O-Club humor on the already-legendary tale. The Navy Times got hold of the investigation report last week and it pretty much confirmed what most of us already suspected: Give a couple of the Navys best and brightest a Mach 2 jet full of fuel and 90 minutes to burn it and they might not always get best value for Uncle Sams dollar. And if theres a lesson to be learned by pilots its to always pay close attention to the weather briefing even if its CAVU for a thousand miles. It was one of those sapphire days over the desert heartland of Washington State November 16, 2017, when a pilot and backseater, both lieutenants, in an EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron 130 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island hopped over the Cascades for a routine training flight in one of the military areas that dominate the airspace in that relatively sparsely populated area. A massive high pressure system had utterly stagnated the air and the conditions were perfect for voluminous contrails. As they flew over the rocks and trees, the crew members couldnt help but notice that they were at the controls of a high-powered stylus against an unlimited canvas of blue and the rest is the stuff of t-shirts, shot glasses and internet lore. Transcripts from the cockpit communications show concern for the anatomical accuracy of their creation but little cognizance of the impression they were making on the thousands of people who live in the small towns and on the farms that dot the area. Draw a giant penis, the Electronics Weapons Office (EWO) said. That would be awesome. What did you do on your flight? the pilot joked. Oh, we turned dinosaurs into sky penises. You should totally try to draw a penis, the EWO advised. What the young officers didnt count on was the length of time their creation would loom over the good folks of north central Washington and they even tried unsuccessfully to scrub it from the sky with a high speed pass. It was a young mother in Okanogon, Washington, who finally sent pictures to a local TV station saying she was afraid shed have to explain the image to her young children. Others howled in cyber laughter and the images from the ground quickly went viral. Within a few hours the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations had received the illustrated report on the incident as the internet and mainstream media lit up. The report did not include the punishment handed the contrite officers, who received glowing reports from their superiors about their non-artistic efforts on behalf of the Navy. At the time, it was recommended the two lieutenants get non-punitive letters of instruction and there was also no doubt some quality time with their CO. One senior officer told the inquiry the incident was a really bad decision by some really good guys in a really good squadron. Obtained by ABC News(NEW YORK) -- A New Jersey man who sparked widespread outrage by allegedly urinating on a park memorial for a 9-year-old boy said Monday he's sorry for his behavior and that he was so intoxicated he wouldn't have recalled the incident had his friend not taken a video and posted it on social media. Bryan Bellace, 23, made no excuses for the incident that has left him a pariah in the Atlantic County, New Jersey, town of Mays Landing, where he was videotaped relieving himself on the shrine for Christian Clopp, a beloved boy who died in February 2012 after inspiring his community by waging a courageous battle with brain cancer. "It was a big mistake I made. I was intoxicated. I didn't know what I was doing at the time," Bellace told ABC News on Monday when reached by phone. "When I came to my senses the next day, I realized I made a huge mistake. I wish I could take it all back and make things right." Police in Hamilton Township, which encompasses Mays Landing, launched an investigation on Sunday after a video of Bellace allegedly urinating on Christian's memorial surfaced on social media and prompted residents to flood the police with angry complaints. "Following the investigation into the disturbing video, the suspects were identified," police said in a statement. After Christian's father, Mark Clopp, a former Hamilton Township police officer, posted a message about the vandalism on Facebook, numerous residents of the community showed up at Underhill Park and helped clean and disinfect the memorial, which is comprised of a plaque bearing Christian's picture on a large rock in the middle of a raised flower bed and next to a child's playground. "Ive heard from hundreds of people offering assistance. Friends and strangers went to wash the memorial off," Mark Clopp wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. "At the end of the day, the good outweighed and overwhelmed the bad. This is what Christian did during his life. He brought people together and he has accomplished that again." Police quickly tracked down and arrested both Bellace and his buddy who shot the video, Daniel Flippen, 23, of Hammonton, New Jersey. Bellace was charged with lewdness, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and having an open alcoholic beverage in a park. Flippen was charged with having an alcoholic beverage in a park. Reached by phone on Monday, Flippen declined to comment to ABC News. But Bellace said he's reached out of Mark Clopp on Facebook and wants to apologize and "ask for forgiveness from the family." "If he responds back to me, I wouldn't mind calling him and talking to him and give him my apologies. I never meant for this to happen. It should have never happened," Bellace said. Asked if he was aware that he was urinating on a child's memorial, Bellace said, "To be honest with you, I don't even know how I got to the park. I don't remember being at the park. I got way too intoxicated for that." Desmond Walker and Paul Burgan, both of Mays Landing, were among the residents who were angered by Bellace's alleged behavior and showed up Sunday to clean up Christian's memorial. "As a single parent of two healthy kids, I couldn't imagine what that family is going through. I got really choked up," Walker told ABC station WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. Burgan added, "It was a disgusting sight." Mark Clopp said he carefully chose the words on Christians plaque, words he found hard to believe someone could desecrate after reading them: A child who made the world a better place through his courage, faith, smile, laughter and love of others. May your memory and inspiration live on forever. He said he didn't know either Bellace or Flippen but had a message for them: "I have no idea what exists in your life to make you so indifferent to how others feel but I hope this serves as a wake-up call and you get the help you need." He added, "I admit, my initial reaction was to find you and beat you senseless in defense of my sons honor and the distress you caused my family. I am better than that. I hope it doesnt take the heartache my family has lived through to open your eyes. Something is wrong in your life and you need to fix it." Bellace said he got the message loud and clear. "I just have to put one foot in front of the other and try to move on from this and maybe ask for forgiveness and do what I can in my power to make this right," he said. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Four Americans and their Canadian pilot were killed in the crash of a Cherokee Six on the shore of Roatan Island in Honduras Saturday. The U.S. citizens, who have been described as tourists in various media reports, have not been identified but the pilot was Patrick Forseth, a British Columbia resident who sometimes went by the first name of Danny. The aircraft ended up in shallow water just after taking off from Roatan for Trujillo. One passenger survived the crash but later died in a local hospital from internal injuries according to local authorities. The aircraft had just dropped off Toronto resident John Enman and his wife on the island and it crashed about 10 minutes later. It just rocks you to the core, he said. You know,just shocks you just to think that 10 minutes later, hes in the water dead.Enman said Forseth told him he was delayed on the flight to the island because a broken wire from the ignition to the battery had to be repaired. He assured the Toronto couple the aircraft was safe. . . , , , "" . , , - . ... 12:43 | Tambopata (Madre de Dios region), May. 20. Likewise, Ambassador Urs pointed out illegal mining mainly of gold has resulted in the loss of over 9,000 ha of Amazon forests in the Inca nation in 2018, and has created other illegal activities controlled by organized crime groups such as human trafficking , forced child labor, and chemical inputs trafficking. YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has issued a statement regarding the Prime Ministers call for protests against courts, rebuking the move. The Human Rights Defender finds it necessary to address the Armenian Prime Ministers call on blocking the entrances and exits of all courthouses of the country, noting: In a lengthy statement released shortly before midnight April 19, Tatoyan highlighted the separation of powers, and emphasized that all officials are unconditionally bound to respectfully treat one another and be guided solely by the imperative and limits reserved to them by their status. Any interference in the activities of courts and their serving of justice in Armenia is banned, he said. Tatoyan, however, did admit that problems exist in Armenias judiciary, including related to external and internal independence of courts, the low trust of citizens for courts, full guarantees of free trials. He said that based on received complaints, there are even some judges who are damaging the judiciarys reputation with their conduct. The Ombudsman emphasized that the solution of the problems should be reached exclusively through lawful methods, and called for guaranteeing the high value of judicial independence during the process. Therefore, the Armenian Prime Ministers call or statement regarding blocking the entrances and exits of all courthouses in the republic and not allowing anyone to enter the courts, is highly dangerous for the security and stability of the countrys legal system, Tatoyan said. He addressed all governmental officials, strictly demanding to immediately halt the calls or demands to block the entrances and exits of courts. You are obliged to carry out exclusively those functions that are reserved by the Constitution, the law or other legal acts. You have a concrete legal status and you are restricted with this status. Any deviation can lead to accountability. I am asking all citizens of Armenia to refrain from actions of blocking the courthouses any kind of tension must be ruled out. Social media monitoring proves that citizens are demonstrating high intolerance against each other, are insulting and threatening one another, Tatoyan said, calling for discussions of all issues in conditions of mutual tolerance and solidarity, and respect to the rule of law. He said his office will be working from early morning to monitor the situation. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Citizens are blocking courthouses in Yerevan since early Monday morning as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on supporters to do so in the evening of May 19. In Yerevan, the Supreme Judicial Councils building, the Constitutional Court building and the Kentron and Avan courthouses of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction are already blocked by dozens of protesters. Yerevan City Councillors, as well as ruling My Step Alliance Members of Parliament are also participating in the protests. Temporarily suspended Head of the State Oversight Service Davit Sanasaryan, currently under investigation in a corruption-related case, has also joined citizens. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is expected to address the nation at 12:00. There are no reports about similar protests outside Yerevan as of now. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Judges and staffers of courthouses across Armenia are unable to enter their offices as citizens have blocked the entrances to the buildings. Outside the Constitutional Court building in downtown Yerevan, protesters blocked a man, who introduced himself as an accountant, from entering the building. At the Shendavit District Courthouse of General Jurisdiction, Judge Davit Balayan attempted to enter the building through the ground floor window, only to be pushed aside by protesters. He even briefly appeared on the ground. On May 19th, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on supporters to gather outside courthouses early Monday morning and block the entrances. He call came one day after ex-President Robert Kocharyan was freed from custody pending trial. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Lena Nazaryan calls on citizens who blocked the courthouses across the country to show respect to courts and their staffs. After the revolution the judiciary in Armenia has operated without the governments interference and influence over the past one year. This one year was the period during which the judiciary should have reacted to the ongoing democratic process in Armenia. It should have revealed the shortcomings of the system, refused from old traditions and practice. It should have got rid of the corrupted judges who are linked with the old system for personal interests. And it should have started forming a really independent judicial power in Armenia. But this didnt take place. The judicial system didnt react to the peoples demands and principles of democracy and human rights brought by the revolution. Courts remain unreliable for all sides without an exception, this mistrust creates crisis. With todays democratic campaign we want the courts and the entire judicial system to face the fact that democracy is irreversible in Armenia, feel bound to react to our countrys changes with real and deep reforms. I expect this campaign will awaken the judges and will force the judiciary to make serious reforms. I also call on citizens participating in the campaign to show respect to courts and their staffs, not to commit any act of disorder or succumb to provocation. We are building an Armenia where democracy and human rights are a priority, where violence, corruption and injustice have no place, Lena Nazaryan said on Facebook. On May 19 Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called on citizens to block the courthouses across the country starting from May 20 early morning. The PM also announced that he is going to address the nation at 12:00 in a live broadcast. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. 11 people have been killed in the Brazilian city of Belem in Para state when gunmen entered a bar and opened gunfire at the crowd, Associated Press reports. According to G1 news agency, seven gunmen arrived at the bar by three cars and one motorcycle. Six woman and five men have been killed in the what a local provincial official described as a massacre. Other details werent immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Monday morning his supporters who have blocked a courthouse in central Yerevan. On May 19th, the PM called on citizens to block the entrances and exits of all courthouses in the country. He is expected to address the nation at 12:00. I want to thank all those countrymen who reacted to the call and I apologize that I cant visit everyone. Id like to express hope that you didnt get wet, or if you have that you wont get cold, he said, referring to the rainy weather. Ive come to say that I love you all, I am proud of you all, I bow before you all, he said. The PMs call for protests against the courts came a day after ex-President Robert Kocharyan was released from custody pending trial. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, addressed a message on the current situation in Armenia, urging citizens to show calmness and avoid violence, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin told Armenpress. The message reads: Dear faithful, We are deeply concerned over the situation in the Republic of Armenia in the past several hours. The achievements recorded in our country in the direction of strengthening democracy, human rights and legality can be maintained only through strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and love. We appeal to all the children of our nation to show calmness, to avoid violence and to put every effort through peace, spirit of national unity and love for each other to overcome the challenges facing us. Dear faithful, we believe in your conscience and high consciousness of your responsibility towards the future of the Homeland. Our prayer is that through mutual understanding and solidarity in our blessed country, all the existing disagreements and contradictions be solved through Gods support. Heavenly Blessings and Divine Wisdom to Us All. On May 19 Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called on citizens to block the courthouses across the country starting from May 20 early morning. The PM also announced that he is going to address the nation at 12:00 in a live broadcast. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) has called for solving the problems in the judiciary in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual understanding. In a statement released today, the party said in favors the maintenance of lawfulness and constitutional order in the country, and is willing to discuss the truly in depth problems of the judiciary, but at the same time called to refrain from unconstitutional steps and actions, which will directly be a blow to our statehood, Armenias international reputation jeopardizing economic development, protection of human rights in our country and the realization of the announced reforms. We call on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to cancel his call today during his 12:00 live speech and to not obstruct the normal activities of courts, to not endanger the countrys international reputation, to not divide the society and together attempt to solve the truly in-depth problems of the judiciary in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual understanding, BHK, which holds 26 seats at the 132-seat parliament, said in a statement. On May 19th, the PM called on his supporters to stage protests outside Armenian courts, blocking the entrances and not allowing anyone to enter or leave. The call came one day after former President Robert Kocharyan was freed from custody, sparking minor protests. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a telephone conversation with Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I. I presented to him the ongoing processes in Armenia, noting that processes aimed at strengthening the people, meaning the constitutional power, namely having an independent and unbiased court system, the essence and content of which I will talk about shortly in my planned speech, Pashinyan wrote on Facebook shortly before noon May 20th. On May 19th, the PM called on his supporters to stage protests outside Armenian courts, blocking the entrances and not allowing anyone to enter or leave. The call came one day after former President Robert Kocharyan was freed from custody, sparking minor protests. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has explained why he called upon his supporters to block the courts of the country from early Monday morning. In a live televised speech delivered from the governmental headquarters at noon, Pashinyan said the key symbol of the demonstration is that a judiciary that doesnt have the peoples trust cannot exist in Armenia. Otherwise the people will perceive even the most substantiated decision as an insult, because verdicts are delivered for the Republic of Armenia, meaning on behalf of the people of the Republic of Armenia. And these verdicts can be delivered only by the kind of people who have the institutional right to speak on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, meaning the people, Pashinyan said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan highlights the necessity to carry out surgical interventions in the judicial system. Today I inivted you to a meeting to discuss an issue, which, in my opinion, is very urgent and demands an urgent solution. In the past year political changes famous to all of you have taken place in Armenia as a result of which a legitimate government, in other words an executive power, a legitimate Parliament, in other words, a legislative power, have been established in the country that enjoy peoples trust. However, the events of the past one year continue to show that there has not been and is no judicial power enjoying the peoples power in Armenia, and the activity of the judiciary creates turbulence within our public. I cannot and do not want to make judgments on the legality and validity of the decisions made by the judiciary. This is not within my powers, although its impossible to measure all decisions of courts with the same weight and give a similar assessment. Regardless of everything, its obvious that the decisions of the judiciary are deeply mistrusted by the people. And I say this not only as a PM, but also as a representative of the Armenian people who has a political will to speak on behalf of the people, the supreme bearers of power in Armenia. The people of Armenia know that they have formed a legislative power with their free expression of will, a government, an executive power, based on the results of the internationally acknowledged free, fair, transparent and democratic parliamentary elections. But the people of Armenia still view the judicial power as a remnant of the former corrupt system where conspiracy is constantly being planned and implemented against the people. To what extent this presumption is realistic and well-grounded, its another matter, but the fact that the judiciary doesnt have the trust of the people, means that it also doesnt have an enough legitimacy to operate, which today is already a threat to the normal life of our country, its stability and national security. Starting from the first day of my election as PM I have been obliged not to have any interference in the activities of the judiciary, and I kept this duty in a sacred way. But on the other hand I cannot guarantee that the judiciary is not subjected to shadow and illegal influences, mainly by the former corrupt system because these two systems are linked with each other with human, political and other ties, Pashinyan said in his address today. The PM questioned the current objective investigation over the 2008 March 1 case under the conditions of the current judicial system. I can bring only one example on how confident we can be that todays judiciary is capable of conducting an objective investigation over the same March 1 case when dozens of illegal actions have been committed by the executive leadership through the judicial system. And now this is already seen with the decisions of the European Court for Human Rights. This situation also directly affects our fight announced against corruption crimes. Although it has been stated at the highest political level that anti-corruption fight is a priority for us, but due to the absence of trust towards the judiciary the efficiency of the work of investigation agencies is also affected because quite often these agencies work with the presumption that the judiciary will again throw to water all discoveries due to the organic link with that same corruption system. These problems, of course, are not new, and I have understood this from the first day of my election as PM. But relying on the values, of the peaceful, democratic and velvet revolution of the past one year, I considered that everyone should have an opportunity to participate in the process of building Armenia and bringing his contribution, including through political or legal repentance, deserving the peoples trust via concrete actions. Also I hoped that many judges, understanding that their previous judicial activity and value system are not in accordance with the aspirations of new Armenia and do not provide them with a right to make verdicts for the sake of Armenia, will refuse from their status of a judge. However, this didnt happen, and I consider the judiciarys current opportunity to deserve peoples trust already exhausted, the PM said, adding that this situation can no longer be tolerated. We cannot tolerate this situation, because, as I said, this is a matter of the countrys stability, normal life and national security. This is also a matter of future economic development because unreliable judiciary is just an obstacle for improving the investment situation in the country. Therefore, dear colleagues, its time to carry out surgical interventions in the judicial system, he added. On May 19 Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called on citizens to block the courthouses across the country starting from May 20 early morning. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky calls putting an end to the war in the Donbass Region as his first goal serving as the leader of the country, reports TASS. Our first task is the ceasefire in Donbass, he said in his address to the Ukrainian people following the swearing-in ceremony. Vladimir Zelensky said he is ready to take unpopular measures to bring the war to an end. If needed, I am ready to lose my position to reach peace, he said. Vladimir Zelensky has been sworn in as President of Ukraine on May 20. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Ukrainian parliament. I pledge to defend the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine with all my deeds, to take care of the welfare of the Fatherland and the welfare of the Ukrainian people, to defend the rights and freedoms of citizens, to observe the Constitution of Ukraine and the laws of Ukraine, to fulfill my duties in the interests of all compatriots, to raise the authority of Ukraine in the world, the new President said as quoted by TASS. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on his supporters to cease blocking the courthouses in the country from 13:30. Todays campaign served its goal, the process of having an independent judiciary in Armenia has begun and is irreversible. I love you all, I am proud of you all, and I bow before you all. With courage, he said on Facebook. Earlier on May 19th, Pashinyan called for blocking all courthouses in the country. On May 20th at noon, he addressed the nation regarding the issue. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Bright Armenia faction of Parliament proposes to hold an extraordinary session to discuss the current situation in Armenia created due to the blockings of courthouses by the citizens based on the Prime Ministers call, as well as the possibility of judicial reforms, the faction said in a statement. A while ago the Bright Armenia faction made a decision in its session to convene an extraordinary session of Parliament, and for that purpose it has launched a petition. The faction proposes to discuss the current situation in Armenia during the session which was created due to the blockings of courthouses by the citizens based on the PMs call, as well as the PMs statement on the possibility and prospect of making judicial reforms, the statement said. The faction has called on the MPs of the ruling My Step and opposition Prosperous Armenia factions to join the initiative. On May 19 Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called on citizens to block the courthouses across the country starting from May 20 early morning. Thereafter, he explained the meaning and purpose of his call in a live broadcast. Later the PM urged the citizens to unblock the courthouses starting from 13:30. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. All courthouses in Armenia have been unblocked at 13:30, PM Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook. He said he was briefed on the matter by the police. Thank you dear people, Pashinyan said. Earlier on May 19th, Pashinyan called upon his supporters to block access to all courthouses in the country. On May 20th at noon, he addressed the nation regarding the issue, noting that the judiciary requires immediate reforms. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, who is in Kazakhstan on a working visit, met with Prime Minister Askar Mamin in Nur-Sultan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The Kazakh PM thanked the Armenian President for the participation to the 12th annual economic forum and expressed confidence that such visits contribute to developing the relations between the two states. There is a great potential for the development of commercial relations between our countries, but it is not fully utilized. There is a full support from our side to develop the economic ties in all spheres of mutual interest, the Kazakh PM said. President Armen Sarkissian said he is happy to discuss the economic cooperation prospects between the two friendly countries with the Prime Minister. The officials, in particularly, highlighted agriculture, IT, energy, infrastructures, education and tourism as prospective areas for cooperation. The Kazakh PM in his turn said they are interested in the full cooperation with Armenia in the aforementioned and other areas and are ready to thoroughly discuss all opportunities of partnership. At the request of PM Mamin, President Sarkissian touched upon the current domestic political situation in Armenia. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Board of Americans for Artsakh calls on the international community and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to strongly condemn Azerbaijans ceasefire violations in the line of contact. Armenpress presents the AFA Boards statement: May 12, 2019, marked the 25th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement signed by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh), Armenia and Azerbaijan, which laid the historic foundation for peace talks. Noting the importance of this agreement on the cessation of fire and hostilities, Artsakh's Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian, has recently stressed that the termless trilateral agreement of May 12, 1994 is, in fact, the only tangible achievement in the entire process of the conflict settlement. Americans for Artsakh (AFA) is proud that the ceasefire continues to be maintained also by diplomatic means, which involves the U.S. co-chairmanship in the Minsk process peaceful negotiation process. Azerbaijans recent violations of the ceasefire agreement threaten to curtail the recent openness and increased communications between Armenian and Azerbaijani officials, and completely halts the positive momentum toward re-launching the peace process. In another ceasefire violation by Azerbaijans military forces, Aganik Zoroglyan, a 21-year-old soldier in Artsakhs defense force, was seriously injured on May 4, 2019, when he was shot in the head by an Azerbaijani sniper while on duty at the Line of Contact. Zoroglyan was immediately evacuated by air to Yerevans military hospital where he remains in critical condition. Azerbaijans criminal act of aggression requires an appropriate reaction from the international community. Americans for Artsakh implores the OSCE Minsk Group members to strongly condemn Azerbaijans ceasefire violation in a timely manner. In the past, weak admonishments without real consequences have served only as permission to engage in further aggression. Americans for Artsakh demands that the government of Azerbaijan follow the principles of the historic ceasefire agreement. We call on Azerbaijan to cease hostilities and commit to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Anna Hakobyan, spouse of Armenias Prime Minister, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of My Step and City of Smile charitable foundations, on May 20 visited a secondary school named after Jora Yesayan, fallen during the 2016 April war, in Darbnik village of Ararat province, Mrs. Hakobyans Office told Armenpress. Accompanied by village head Davit Gziryan and school principal Nelli Zhiroyan, the PMs spouse toured the school and attended an event dedicated to the memory of the April war hero. In her remarks Anna Hakobyan said its very important that there are boys like Jora. You should study very well and develop every day. The strengthening of our country depends on each of us. Everyone should be in his/her place and contribute to the development of the homeland with his/her work. Thank you for this day, Anna Hakobyan told the school-children. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, 20 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 20 May, USD exchange rate up by 0.31 drams to 480.03 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.06 drams to 535.62 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 7.44 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.18 drams to 611.99 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 155.35 drams to 19767 drams. Silver price down by 4.72 drams to 223.47 drams. Platinum price down by 284.84 drams to 12701.62 drams. YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. May 22, 2019 marks the 95th anniversary of the co-founder of Aznavour Foundation, legendary artist Charles Aznavour, the Foundation told Armenpress. In the eve of the great artists birthday, different events are being organized around the world throughout the year. Among them are exhibitions, concerts, opening of monuments, naming of public places and institutions. Within the framework of these activities, the Paris Municipality, in cooperation with the Aznavour Foundation, organizes the following events in the French capital on May 21st, on the eve of Aznavour's birthday. Opening of the memorial plaque On May 21st, at 11:15am Paris time, a memorial plaque will be inaugurated at the first Paris apartment building of the Aznavour family. The Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, city authorities, prominent figures, and members of the Aznavour family will be present at the event. The memorial plaque will be placed at the 6th district of Paris, 36 rue Monsieur-le-Prince, where the Aznavouryans originally settled and where Charles Aznavour spent his childhood. Concert on the forecourt of Paris City Hall The celebration will continue with a concert next to the Paris Municipality. It will begin at 5pm Paris time, and will be dedicated to the birthday of Charles Aznavour. The concert will feature Andre Manoukian, Joana Mendil, Essai Altounian, Eric Berchot and other musicians. *** The Aznavour Foundation was established by Charles Aznavour and his son Nicolas Aznavour. The goal of the Foundation is to implement development programs in the fileds of culture, education, and social welfare. One of the most important objectives of the Foundations mission is to preserve and perpetuate the immense cultural and humanitarian legacy of Charles Aznavour. YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has met with Kazakhstans First Deputy Prime Minister Finance Minister Alikhan Smailov today during a visit to the country. Issues related to the development of bilateral economic cooperation were discussed, according to a readout published by Sarkissians Office. Sarkissian and Smailov noted that great potential exists for mutually beneficial partnership in a number of sectors, the productive utilization of which will boost economic ties between the two countries and will contribute to growth of trade turnover. Cooperation within the EEU was also discussed. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received a group of about two dozen students from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, who have arrived in Armenia to get acquainted with Armenias system of governance, the ongoing reforms and transformations, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia. The Prime Minister greeted the students and upon their request, touched upon the developments in our country. Nikol Pashinyan underscored that his government is strongly committed to developing and strengthening democracy, which will bring about new real changes in Armenias public life. According to Nikol Pashinyan, it is important that the citizens are participating in the reform process, enabling the government to carry out the proposed changes. We are optimistic and confident in our present day and the future. We are convinced that we will achieve the proposed goals, the Head of Government said. Touching upon todays statement on the judicial system, Nikol Pashinyan noted that it referred to the lack of judicial power in the country. The Premier stressed that Armenia badly needs a truly independent and impartial judicial system. The lack of such a system is the number one threat to our country, and therefore, its soonest possible tackling is a nationwide imperative. The Prime Minister answered a few questions asked by the students concerning the governments priorities, judicial reforms, anticorruption campaign, human rights, civil society, Armenias foreign policy and other issues of topical interest. In conclusion, the students thanked the Premier for audience and for giving detailed answers to their questions. The road from Bulldog to Wau had been constructed by Army engineers in 1942 as a supply route to Wau for a planned assault on the Japanese positions in Lae. Bulldog was a pre-war goldmining centre at the junction of a river system from which it was navigable down the Lakekamu River to the Papuan Gulf. I had three weeks to complete the patrol. My fellow D Company platoon commanders were to patrol the highlands west of Wau. IN November and December 1967, I was instructed by my company commander, Major Greg Warland, to take my 11th platoon of D Coy, 1st Pacific Islands Regiment from Kerema on the south coast of Papua to Wau in New Guinea via the Bulldog Road. Pre-war goldminers had constructed a railway line at Bulldog and I was to find it and report on its condition and on the condition of the road from Bulldog to Wau. Prior to the patrol the company 2IC, Captain Tim Britten, and I were to have been taken on an aerial reconnaissance of the patrol route in an Army Cessna 380 airplane. We flew from Port Moresby to Lae, where we refuelled the plane and the pilots cigarette lighter with aviation gas direct from the planes fuel tank overload outlet, then to Wau where we stayed the night in the Wau Hotel. During the evening, and after a few beers, the pilot, a captain, fell in love with the barmaid. Our early morning start was delayed an hour whilst we waited for our amorous pilot to surface. When he did, he was most happy and in a jovial mood. However high cumulus cloud had begun to form in the mountains surrounding Wau and he expressed his concerns about flying over these mountains, which are in excess of 2,300 metres in height. After a brief discussion, Tim persuaded the pilot to make an attempt to cross the mountains. We took off down the steepest landing strip in PNG and rose gradually to enter the clouds at a height of about 2,000 metres when the pilot did what all daring young men in their flying machines do. He went up tiddly dah and he went down tiddly dah and around tiddly dah trying to find a way around the clouds before he decided it was too dangerous to fly any further and made a welcome and beeline return to Wau. Whilst in the air my knuckles went white from holding my seat too tight. I imagine my face would have been ghost white as well, as we received a real bucket ride. Tim and I spent a long day in Wau without the pilots company. However I did meet a hard bitten, tough looking Australian expat in the bar of the Wau Hotel and filled in the afternoon. The next day we took off earlier and flew west to Menyamya where an Administration sub-district office was located. This was an exciting experience as the airstrip was half way up a mountain and was about 200 metres long. On landing, it felt as if the plane was to fly straight into the mountain. The approach was so slow and as soon as the plane touched the ground the pilot braked as hard as he could. Taking off was worse. Once the plane left the ground it fell into the deep and steep valley leaving your stomach in your mouth before gaining speed and altitude. We never got to Kerema. I presume that because of the previous days joy ride our fuel was low so the pilot made for a mission airstrip east of Kerema and towards Port Moresby. During the flight we entered a magnificent valley that had been formed by an ancient glacier. It was about 150 metres wide and about the same depth. The sides were almost vertical and were covered in light green grass. This part of the flight lasted about five minutes and had me spellbound. Later in the flight the pilot turned to Tim beside him in the front seat and said that we had 20 minutes fuel left. I looked at my watch then and again ten minutes later when the pilot was looking anxiously around at the jungle canopy from his cockpit seat. Out of the windows all I could see was the tree tops of the jungle canopy. I was mentally preparing myself for a crash landing when in another five minutes the pilot said there it is. We landed on the strip and not only did the airplane get refuelled with the help of a local missionary but also the pilots cigarette lighter. An adventurous flight but I came back none the wiser. On the thirteenth day of November, the platoon, an attached signaller and medic left Port Moresby by Caribou aircraft as guests of the RAAF. Seating was side saddle on the floor and with the rear door open for ventilation. The aircraft became only the second Caribou to land on Kerema airstrip (the previous one was a test flight to determine if it was possible) and as the locals were not used to seeing such large aircraft, or it was possible that they thought the war with Japan had restarted, they turned out in force to see what was happening. On disembarking, I looked up at what seemed like a plateau 10 to 12 metres above the airstrip that was lined with people shoulder to shoulder, all talking excitedly. With such an audience it was too good an opportunity to miss, so instead of going off casually in section groups I asked Sergeant Guri, the platoon sergeant, to form the men into columns of three and we then marched into town. I think the locals were impressed.. We were heading into the country where the Kukukuku people lived. These people had a reputation of being the most fierce head hunters in PNG even though they were of a small stature. It was normal at that time for a patrol to demonstrate the power of modern weapons compared to bows and arrows and the might of the Army should they come across a primitive tribe. Every man in the platoon carried 60 rounds of live ammunition for his rifle and I carried a 9mm pistol and 50 rounds to meet any emergency situation with locals or fauna such as wild pigs, cassowaries and crocodiles. My discussion with the Kiap dented my confidence. The prospect of heading off with the responsibility of leading the platoon of 36 men into deep jungle occupied by head hunters and steering by compass was daunting to say the least. Had I not been conscripted I would have been back in Perth surfing and drinking beer. And that is exactly where I wanted to be at that time. I made a decision to ask Greg Warland for permission to go to Bulldog via the easier route suggested by the Kiap. A radio call to Company headquarters, now in Wau, and Greg gave me the go ahead. The kiaps bought me a beer or two that night and a local coconut plantation owner offered the platoon a ride on his tractor wagons for part of the way. You can read this fascinating memoir in its entirety on the Nashos website here. CAROLINE: Both have had a huge impact on my writing. Growing up, I never openly shared my challenges with the people around me. Because most of the poems have been extracted from my Grades 11 and 12 school journals, they are basically my way of expressing my fear, disappointments, hopes and dreams for an envisioned future. My journal was a place for me to confide in, so I wrote and wrote without stopping because I found writing a way of relieving stress. CAROLINE: The book is divided into four parts - Conflicts, Relationships, Hope and Family. In each, you will find poems that resonate with the theme. For example, under Conflict, you find poems that talk about war, doubt and fear and under Relationships there are poems about love and friendship. BETTY: Can you tell us what sort of poems are in this book? CAROLINE EVARI: Nanu Sina simply means my words. I chose this title because, as you read through the book, you will notice most of the poems are basically my own thoughts related to my personal experiences and observations. BETTY WAKIA: Why did you decide to call your recently published collection of poems, Nanu Sina? BETTY: Give us an interesting fun fact about the book. CAROLINE: Most of the poems are a misrepresentation of who I am today. You will find me writing a lot of uplifting poems in contrast with whats found in the book. BETTY: How many drafts did your book go through before publication? CAROLINE: This book went through five drafts. BETTY: And how long did it take to write? Caroline: Most of my poems were written in 2008-09 when I was in secondary school. I started compiling them electronically from 201415. So, it took me approximately 11 years. BETTY: What is your work schedule like when youre writing? CAROLINE: I dont have a schedule for writing poetry. I write whenever a phrase or a sentence pops into my mind. I note it on a piece of paper or in a book. I might even open a separate word document and jot down thoughts throughout the day. I guess thats the beauty of poetry, you dont have to necessarily schedule a time to write. BETTY: How did the book get published? CAROLINE: I contacted Jordan Dean at JDT Publications and he helped me publish the book. BETTY: Where do you get your information and ideas? CAROLINE: The beauty about poetry is that you dont really need to think hard about writing, you just need to use your emotions its about using your full five senses. My inspiration comes from my surrounding and through observation. I write better when I can feel emotion and the book is made up of these expressions. BETTY: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why? CAROLINE: So far, I have written four books, this poetry collection and and three childrens books. The story books have been published by Library for All and, as an author, I contribute by writing stories which they pay for, develop into picture books and publish for distribution in the remote areas of Papua New Guinea. I am still waiting to hear if my other stories have been developed into picture books. My favorite book is Zuki the Crocodile because that was my first childrens story that got accepted by Library for All and has been developed into a picture book. Its also available on Amazon. BETTY: Did publishing your first book change your process of writing? CAROLINE: It gave me a whole new perspective on writing. I try to brainstorm around new topics or projects to work on and think about how I could develop myself at a more professional level. BETTY: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? CAROLINE: One surprising thing is the support I receive from friends and family members and the impact my writing has created. This is a driving force for me to do better. BETTY: Do you hear from readers much? What kinds of things do they say? CAROLINE: One reader was able to relate to the poems which also brought back to her a memory of a poem I had completely forgotten which I wrote and read at her brothers funeral. A colleague of mine pointed out that most of the poems depict sorrow and grief and saw that was me expressing myself. He was very impressed with the book. Another colleague said her daughters seem to enjoy the poems and every night, before going to bed, they read at least two. She says they are now beginning to gain interest in poetry. BETTY: Are there any current projects youre undertaking? CAROLINE: I have a good number of childrens stories I wrote for Library for All which they turned down after their reviewing process, so one of my major aim is try and work with an illustrator to develop them into picture books. Secondly, I have an incomplete pile of positive quotes, thoughts and poems which I am hoping to complete and publish. I do not have a timeline for this. BETTY: How do you market and promote your books? CAROLINE: My current platforms are Instagram, Facebook and Wordpress. I am also in the process of developing a media release to run on PNG Attitude. I am using Rashmiis mentorship in this project and it has been good so far. BETTY: Can you share with us the best way to reach you and where to learn more about your books? CAROLINE: Nanu Sina is available on Amazon for anyone who can buy online. For those within PNG, you can reach me on Facebook or by email caroline.evari@gmail.com BETTY: What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer? CAROLINE: Rashmii Amoah Bell since I connected with her through the My Walk to Equality Project until to date. Jordan Dean since the day I followed him on Facebook. Baka Bina - whose kind words towards my work really motivated me to publish a book. I am also a member of writer groups on Facebook, this is where I learn and try to collaborate with other writers. I also follow other writers blogs and Instagram, this is how I learn. BETTY: Do you have any suggestions to help others become a better writer? CAROLINE: I believe the best way to become better is to be determined to be better. And by being determined, you will begin to do things to improve yourself, such as doing research, approaching the right people, facing your fears and taking risks. Being determined also enables you to not stop until you have reached your goal. BETTY: As a Papua New Guinean female writer and author what do you want to see and achieve in the next five to 10 years? Caroline: Write more than 10 books and explore other genres. I see myself publishing more childrens story books. I would also like to see a ripple effect being created by this achievement and have a solid platform in place for forthcoming Papua New Guinean writers. BETTY: What is your advice for women who want to publish their own book? CAROLINE: Nothing must ever stop you from achieving your dream. The only way to be heard or be recognised is when you choose to rise above every circumstance and fight fiercely until you reach the frontline. It may never be easy for a woman, but what makes you think its easy for a man? Self-determination and discipline is the only difference. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are accessible, low-cost and wide-reaching social-media platforms available for effective online marketing. And PNG Attitude was quick off the mark with a first review of the book which Keith Jackson described as a collection of sublime Melanesian verse from a poet of perception. Amongst all this, Caroline continues to diligently attend to the significant task required of published authors - promoting and marketing her work to engage with a wide audience and, of course, sell books. It is also a joyous time as family, friends, colleagues and fellow writers have been forthcoming in praising and admiring the books publication. In these moments, Caroline created, drafted redrafted and refined her manuscript before submitting it to Port Moresby-based publisher, JDT Publications, run by Jordan Dean. It is an exciting time as Caroline celebrates this success, and in the interview with Betty Wakia that follows, she reflects on how she maximised the sparse moments between the manic juggling of career, life demands and motherhood. BRISBANE - I had the good fortune to mentor Papua New Guinean writer Caroline Evari who has just published a new collection of poetry, Nanu Sina: My Words. And, at Carolines invitation, I offer a few comments about Nanu Sina, focusing my thoughts on her poetry contained within section III of the collection and themed Hope. Perhaps reflective of my own motivation for advocacy writing, I was interested to learn how Caroline would define hope and how she would visualise it within herself, in front of and around her, and how she would convey this through poetic prose. The section begins with a clarion call for Success; believing in oneself, taking ownership and leaving nothing to chance. Such are the daily motivations one might need. But it is Carolines insistence that there are so many dreams waiting to be realised in which hope is crystallised as the universal notion it ought to be. Hope is something for everyone, to be envisioned at any time and in any place. It is especially significant for the Papua New Guinean reader. The gift of parenthood and its blessings are narrated through Words of Life, which offers an insight to Carolines experience as a mother-of-two. I feel only appreciation and admiration for her willingness to share her personal life-changing moments that succeeded in renewing what had been a fast-fading hope. Acceptance is Carolines prescription for active gratitude, an assertion of resoluteness and determination, a marching onwards as the crux of a positive outlook in life. Whilst A Man's Struggle for Survival is every writers anthem (if not hourly mantra) for doing what they do and to keep returning to do it the day after, and all the next days beyond - I write on full speed I write with great heed My work is a need To bring good deed. It is the words of Act in which Caroline provokes the reader to contemplate the potential of both cultivating, but enacting hope. The earth will not rotate unless you speak / The rain will not fall unless you fight, she insists. These words seem indicative of Carolines definition of how we need to take a stand against those who would rob us of feeling of hope, the type of people I distance myself from, in a life driven and navigated through by hope. They are words through which Caroline inspires hope within me. In support of this wonderful book, I invited fellow Papua New Guinean writer and staunch womens rights advocate, Betty Wakia, to interview Caroline. The interview follows below. China blocks Wikipedia in every language. (Photos: Getty) Its well-known you wont be able to access the Google suite or any of your favourite social media platforms if youre in China, among an exhaustive list of other sites about news, human rights, or porn. Now, another top website has been added to the list: Wikipedia. According to the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), the Chinese language version of Wikipedia at zh.wikpedia.org has been blocked for a while, but the censor has now been expanded to include all editions ending in .wikipedia.org. OONI data reveals other language editions of Wikipedia have been available in China up until April. (Source: OONI) According to a BBC report, Wikimedia received no notice of the block. "In late April, the Wikimedia Foundation determined that Wikipedia was no longer accessible in China, Wikimedia said. After closely analysing our internal traffic reports, we can confirm that Wikipedia is currently blocked across all language versions." Having earned the nickname of the Great Firewall of China, China has blocked more than 10,000 domain names as of September 2018, including more than a fifth of the worlds most-visited websites, according to Alexa. You wont be able to read ABC News in China, nor the Taiwanese, Hong Kong or Japanese editions of Yahoo. Where else is Wikipedia blocked? Chinas not the only country to ban the community-edited online encyclopaedia: the site is banned to varying extents in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Venezuela, according to a Wikipedia page on the matter. It should be noted, however, that in most of these countries, Wikipedia has only been banned partially, or in relation to sexually or politically sensitive topics. Western countries such as France and the United Kingdom also have a history of banning Wikipedia, though these pertained to child pornography or political content. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. If you're on holidays in Europe, you need to be careful with how you use your phone. Image: Getty The European summer is just around the corner and Aussie travellers are planning to descend on Santorini, Paris and Croatia before returning home sunburnt and with liver problems. But some travellers will return home with something else: a hefty global roaming bill. If youre on Instagram for an hour, it can cost you up to $2,000 in charges - thats a whole other holiday! finder.com.au travel expert, Angus Kidman told Yahoo Finance. And if youre without a global roaming plan, sending 10 texts back home will cost around $7.50, and a five minute chat will set you back $12.50. The solution isnt to ditch Instagram, however. Heres what you can do: 1. Tack on a travel pack Most telcos like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone sell travel packs that you can pick up before heading abroad. If you buy from Optus or Telstra, its $10 a day with a daily data limit, while Vodafone offers a $5 a day plan which taps into your existing plans value. That means that if you have a 20GB plan but have used up 10GB in Australia already, youll have 10GB available overseas. Some travel passes take two days to activate, so you need to think ahead to make sure you hit the ground running, Kidman added. The daily data limit is often still quite low, so if you're planning to share a lot of photos, consider a different option. 2. Buy a travel SIM Prepaid travel SIM cards can offer greater value data and cheaper rates for calls. These can be good options for travellers heading to multiple countries or continents, with recharging done online. However, youll need to make sure you order the SIM in time for it to be delivered before you leave. If youre doing a Europe trip, youll just need one travel SIM as you hop between destinations. The European Council abolished roaming charges across the continent in 2017. 3. Buy a local SIM While the cheapest option by far, travellers need to be aware that using a local SIM can be tricky if you dont speak the local language or are travelling to multiple countries. Story continues 4. Just take your phone If you think you can stick to free WiFi, this could be an option for you. But if youre not extremely disciplined, this can be a dangerous option, Kidman warned. Taking the phone you use every day without an international add-on is a risky option, he said. You could get lost and need to turn your data on to use maps. Even worse, you could find yourself in a pickle needing to call your insurer or bank. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Hundreds of schoolchildren gave their favourite staff member a send off fit for royalty as 83-year-old Mr John prepared to retire. Sand Hill Primary School janitor John Lockett has turned up to work every day for the past 12 years with a positive attitude and the children in northwest Georgia adore the happy-go-lucky role model. "He's at work every day no matter how bad he feels with a smile on his face," Sand Hill Principal Carla Meigs told US news outlet KHOU11. The children and staff at Sand Hill decided to celebrate "Mr John Day" and treat the janitor like royalty for a day. Source: KHOU11 Ms Meigs described him as the grandfather at school" and says she encouraged Mr Lockett to retire last year due to his health. But he insisted on waiting so he could end the US school year at the same time as the children he works with. The kids refer to him affectionately as Mr John and decided he should be treated like a king on his final day at school. The children lined the hallway and dubbed the janitors final day "Mr. John Day" on Friday (local time). Hes the king Placing a crown on his head and draping a cape around his shoulders, Mr Lockett was accompanied by his wife as he walked through the crowd of cheering children, collecting cards wishing him a happy retirement. Mr Lockett was so overcome with emotion, he couldnt hold back the tears when he saw the surprise What is going on?, yall gonna make me cry, he said. Mr Lockett was given a plaque thanking him for the countless hours of hard work and memories he had given to the children of the two schools he had worked at in the district. You have made a difference in the lives of so many, the plaque read. You have made a difference in the lives of so many the plaque read. Source: KHOU11 Mr Lockett was humbled by the well wishes. "I come here and try to clean their school and I try to do it right because I know germs and disease are out there," he said. Mr Lockett plans to spend more time with his grandchildren, but the students at Sand Hill will not forget him any time soon. "Me and my friends were like, 'He's the king'," third grader Eli Mays said. And Mr John says he will not forget them either. Story continues "These kids mean the world to me, the school is definitely a family to me," Mr Lockett said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. The World Health Organization chief on Monday urged different political factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo to unite in the battle against Ebola, warning that the risk of spread "remains very high". "Ebola does not take sides. It is the enemy of everybody," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of the organisation's annual assembly in Geneva. Nearly 1,200 people have died since last August, when the DRC declared a 10th outbreak of Ebola in the country in 40 years. Efforts to roll back the outbreak have been hampered by fighting in the affected regions and attacks on medical teams, as well as locals who view the international effort at prevention with suspicion. Tedros said he had met with the DRC's president and with opposition leaders "to urge a bipartisan approach to ending this outbreak." "Unless we unite to end this outbreak we run the risk it will become more widespread and more expansive and more aggressive," he said. The WHO chief hailed that efforts to rein in the virus, including the vaccination of more than 120,000 people, have so far succeeded in limiting the outbreak to the conflict-wracked North Kivu province and neighbouring Ituri region of the DRC. But, he warned, "I emphasise 'so far'. The risk of spread remains very high." Tedros described the outbreak as "one of the most complex health emergencies any of us have ever faced", pointing for instance to the dozens of attacks on health facilities in North Kivu since the start of the year. "We are not just fighting a virus," he insisted. "We're fighting insecurity. We're fighting violence. We're fighting misinformation... and we're fighting the politicisation of an outbreak." "Every attack gives the virus an advantage." The current outbreak is the second deadliest on record, after an epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa in 2014-16. During his address, Tedros stressed that Ebola is not the only health crisis facing the global health community, listing recent major cholera outbreaks in Yemen, diphtheria in the Cox?s Bazaar camps in Bangladesh and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria, among others. He urged WHO's member states to endorse the organisation's "ambitious budget", stressing the "moral duty to respond urgently and effectively to outbreaks and other emergencies", and urging more spending on preventive measures. Tedros also announced the appointment of four new so-called goodwill ambassadors for promoting global health, including Cynthia Germanotta, a mental health advocate and the mother of superstar Lady Gaga. "Ebola does not take sides. It is the enemy of everybody," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of the organisation's annual assembly in Geneva, warning that the risk of spread in the DRC "remains very high" Despite a UN embargo, weapons are still flowing into Libya where an assault on the capital by strongman Khalifa Haftar threatens to escalate into a proxy war between regional powers. Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) is allied with an administration in eastern Libya, is supported especially by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On the other side, Turkey and Qatar back the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) which is recognised by the international community. Haftar on April 4 launched an attack on the capital that has ground to a halt on the southern outskirts of Tripoli in the face of GNA forces backed by militias from western Libya. Both sides have called in reinforcements as fresh weaponry arrives despite a UN arms embargo officially still in place since a 2011 revolt that toppled Libya's longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. The GNA boasted on Saturday of new "armour, ammunition and... weapons" for its fighters. It did not specify the source but posted photographs on its Facebook page of dozens of Turkish BMC Kirpi armoured vehicles at Tripoli port. The Moldova-flagged vessel which made the delivery belongs to a Turkish firm and set sail from a port in Turkey, according to navigation websites. Arnaud Delalande, a defence consultant and specialist on Libya, interpreted the delivery as an apparent open show of support for the GNA. In a swift response, pro-Haftar websites on Sunday posted photos and videos of Jordanian-built armoured cars they said were being supplied to the LNA. Such deliveries "show that neither party plans to give in and that it is headed more towards a war of attrition", said Delalande. A military source in eastern Libya, contacted by AFP, declined to confirm or deny the delivery of Jordanian armour but said "there is no halt to the flow of reinforcements" to the front line. - Roughly even in air war - On the GNA side, Turkish support "will help narrow the gap in weaponry between the two sides", said Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. He said: "The large number of UAE-made armoured vehicles had helped Haftar's forces in suburban areas, and they could now lose that advantage." However, "the risk is that such overt support (from Turkey) will prompt Haftar's backers to step up their assistance, and perhaps to intervene even more directly." For Lacher, "this war is now turning into a proxy war between rival Middle Eastern powers". "The more both sides receive arms and ammunition from their foreign backers, the longer the war will last, the more destructive it will be, and the more difficult it will be to resolve," he said. The more than six-week-old battle for Tripoli has already cost over 450 lives and left 2,000 injured and displaced almost 70,000 residents, according to UN agencies. Both sides have ignored international calls for a ceasefire and dialogue. The front lines are largely frozen, although "the balance of power on the ground is in favour of the pro-GNA forces but not decisively", said Delalande. In the air battle, the rival forces are roughly even with around 15 fighter-bombers on each side, he said. But increased air support from the UAE, especially through the Chinese-built Wing Loong drones deployed in eastern Libya since 2016, could swing the balance of power in Haftar's favour, he said. According to a report seen by AFP, UN experts are probing the UAE's possible military involvement in Libya following Blue Arrow missile strikes in April by Chinese-built drones of the type used by the Emirati military. The UN's group of experts on the country noted in a September report an increase in the number of armoured vehicles being supplied to the LNA as well as mortars and rocket launchers. Libyan analyst Jalal al-Fitouri said "secret or public imports of arms have been going on for years" but have now been stepped up by both sides. Turkish-built armoured vehicles unloaded at Tripoli port Map of Libya showing areas of displacement since clashes started on April 4. Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an attack on Tripoli in early April Indonesia on Monday sentenced a French drug smuggler to death by firing squad, in a shock verdict after prosecutors had asked for a long prison term. The three-judge panel in Lombok handed a capital sentence to Felix Dorfin, 35, who was arrested in September at the airport on the holiday island next to Bali, where foreigners are routinely charged with drugs offences. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest drug laws -- including death for some traffickers. It has executed foreigners in the past, including the masterminds of Australia's Bali Nine heroin gang. While Dorfin was eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors instead asked for a 20-year jail term plus another year unless he paid a huge fine equivalent to about $700,000. But Indonesian courts have been known to issue harsher-than-demanded punishments. Dorfin was carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of drugs including ecstasy and amphetamines when he was arrested. "After finding Felix Dorfin legally and convincingly guilty of importing narcotics ... (he) is sentenced to the death penalty," presiding judge Isnurul Syamsul Arif told the court. The judge cited Dorfin's involvement in an international drug syndicate and the amount of drugs in his possession as aggravating factors. "The defendant's actions could potentially do damage to the younger generation," Arif added. - 'Shocked' - The Frenchman made headlines in January when he escaped from a police detention centre and spent nearly two weeks on the run before he was captured. A female police officer was arrested for allegedly helping Dorfin escape from jail in exchange for money. It was not clear if the jailbreak played any role in Monday's stiffer-than-expected sentence. Wearing a red prison vest, Dorfin, who is from Bethune in northern France, sat impassively through much of the hearing, as a translator scribbled notes beside him. After the sentencing, he said little as he walked past reporters to a holding cell. "Dorfin was shocked," the Frenchman's lawyer Deny Nur Indra told AFP. "He didn't expect this at all because prosecutors only asked for 20 years." The lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence, describing his client as a "victim" who did not know the exact contents of what he was carrying in the suitcase. "If he had known, he wouldn't have brought it here," Indra added. In 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran -- the accused ringleaders of the Bali Nine -- were executed by firing squad in Indonesia. The Bali Nine gang's only female member was released from jail last year, while some others remain in prison. The highly publicised case sparked diplomatic outrage and a call to abolish the death penalty. "The death penalty verdict marks another setback for human rights in Indonesia," Human Rights Watch campaigner Andreas Harsono said Monday. "The Indonesian government's many pledges about moving toward abolishing the death penalty clearly meant nothing in Lombok". There are scores of foreigners on death row in Indonesia, including cocaine-smuggling British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford and Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row since 2007. Last year, eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court after being caught with around a tonne of crystal methamphetamine. Felix Dorfin was arrested in September carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms of drugs, including ecstasy and amphetamines Italy's governing populist Five Star Movement appeared to have coalition partner Matteo Salvini on the back foot Monday, as it challenged the strongman over his latest anti-migrant decree. The head of the far-right League is courting votes ahead of the European elections by waging war on refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe by boat, and he wants his bill adopted ahead of the May 26 ballot. But while the bill was slated for debate at a cabinet meeting on Monday, the M5S signalled it was not prepared to pass the law in its present form. The draconian update to Salvini's earlier security decree has drawn fire from his coalition partner M5S, the Catholic Church and even the UN's human rights agency. While the M5S reluctantly passed the initial security law in November, political watchers said it knew it could stand up to Salvini now because he would not risk the government collapsing just before the EU vote. Any large-scale crisis in the government could affect the performance of the League and its plans to head up a nationalist grouping of far-right parties in the Europe parliament. "If (the decree) is just an empty electoral stunt it means they're taking Italians for a ride," said M5S head Luigi Di Maio. "We'll see (at the cabinet meeting). The interior minister hasn't let us read it yet," Di Maio said of the final draft. - 'Cannot last forever' - The League has not appreciated the recent change in the anti-establishment M5S from yes-man to challenger. Cabinet secretary and League member Giancarlo Giorgetti described his party's loyalty to the M5S on Monday as "unreasonable", saying it "cannot last forever". He also said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte -- whose name was put forward by the M5S when the coalition was formed -- could not be a neutral leader. Salvini lashed out at all and sundry on Sunday after discovering live on television that a Sicilian prosecutor had overruled his order to close the ports to migrants rescued by the German charity Sea-Watch. The furious minister said early Monday that the government was not at risk -- "as long as people keep their word". "I wouldn't want, for example, ports to be opened after everything I've done" to close them, he said. "For my part, the government will 100 percent go on... there are two of us though," he said in reference to Di Maio, who insists the draft law is flawed as it fails to properly address the return of migrants to their home countries. UN human rights investigators said Sunday that the decree, which sets fines of up to 5,500 euros ($6,145) for each rescued migrant brought to Italy, violates international law. - 'Good Catholic' - Salvini, whose League has soared in popularity thanks largely to his hardline migration policy, wants the power to prevent any migrants from being brought to Italy by banning ships from entering Italian territorial waters. He insists that those setting sail from Libya to seek safety in Europe should be returned to the crisis-hit country -- an order that is illegal under international law, and which charity-run migrant rescue vessels have repeatedly refused to follow. On Sunday Italian prosecutors impounded the Sea-Watch 3 and opened an investigation into its captain for allegedly aiding illegal immigration after it rescued 65 migrants off the coast of Libya last week and brought them to Italy. The interior minister described himself as a "good Catholic" on Monday following an outcry sparked by his carrying a rosary, which many saw as a gratuitous prop, during a rally of the European far right in Milan on Saturday. He also attributed a decline in the number of deaths at sea to a deal made with the Libyan coastguard. The figures supplied by the ministry however compared the first four months of this year off the Libyan coast with 12 months in previous years across the whole Mediterranean. Critics also said his campaign against rescue vessels posed a high risk of boats sinking and people drowning during the perilous crossing in the Mediterranean with the tragedies going unrecorded. The interior minister described himself as a "good Catholic" after sparking an outcry for holding up a rosary during a rally of the European far right in Milan on Saturday Rescued migrants aboard the Sea Watch 3 in late January off southeastern Sicily The World Jewish Congress on Monday condemned the Polish prime minister for saying that holding Poland liable for the restitution of Jewish property seized by the Nazis during WWII would hand a "posthumous victory" to Hitler. Poland, a victim of the Nazis, would be turned into a perpetrator, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, becoming the latest ruling party member to comment on a US law on the restitution of Jewish properties seized during the Holocaust. Poland, which was invaded by Nazi Germany and lost six million citizens during World War II, insists the matter is closed and says the legislation will have no impact at home. "This unwillingness to acknowledge that the victims of the Holocaust and their heirs are entitled to a modicum of material justice is unfortunate enough," said World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder. "But Prime Minister Morawiecki's contention -- assuming that it was uttered as reported -- that providing restitution to Jews for their stolen property would be 'Hitler's posthumous victory' is alarming in the extreme," he added in a statement. According to Polish state television, Morawiecki made the remarks at a convention of the ruling governing Law and Justice (PiS) party in the central city of Lodz last week. "Whenever anyone says today that Poland must offer someone restitution, we say: we don't consent, and we won't," Morawiecki said, quoted by the television station. "If it were ever to get to that point, where the executioner and the victim are swapped, then it would go against all principles of international law," he added. "It would also be Hitler's posthumous victory." The US Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act -- known as the 447 law -- requires the State Department to report to Congress on the progress of countries including Poland on the restitution of Jewish assets seized during World War II and its aftermath. Pre-war Poland was a Jewish heartland, with a centuries-old community numbering some 3.2 million, around 10 percent of the population. Anti-Semitic concerns regarding Poland have recently resurfaced. Last year, Warsaw passed a law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German war crimes. The move sparked an outcry from Israel, which saw it as an attempt to ban testimonials on Polish crimes against Jews. In response, Warsaw amended the law to remove the possibility of fines or a prison sentence. In February, Israel's foreign minister drew Poland's ire by saying "Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk." Earlier this month Poland scrapped a visit by Israeli officials over their intention to raise the restitution issue. "If it were ever to get to that point, where the executioner and the victim are swapped, then it would go against all principles of international law," Morawiecki said The national koala population has been labelled functionally extinct in a confronting report by the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) who are pleading for the new prime minister to take action. No more than 80,000 koalas exist nationally, the report stated, about one per cent of the eight million that existed before 1927 when the animals were shot for fur. In its current dire state, the koala population is "beyond the point of recovery" according to the scientific meaning of being functionally extinct. The foundation pleaded with Scott Morrison to help save koalas before they were completely wiped out. Source: File/Getty Images Deforestation of the native animals habitat across Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory was largely to blame. Koala numbers have also dwindled as a result of their vulnerability to the threat of disease and climate change, AKF said. The foundation called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to urgently introduce a Koala Protection Act (KPA) to address the extinction facing the species. I have heard every excuse under the sun to not step in and protect habitats. It is time they enacted the KPA and create change for our koalas, Deborah Tabart Chairman of the AKF said. The Australian Koala Foundation said numbers were critically low and required urgent attention from the government. Source: File/Getty Images The act would work similarly to the United States Bald Eagle Act, which successfully saved the species from extinction. It worked with the Federal Endangered Species Act and the Environment Protection Authority in the USA. I know the Australian public are concerned for the safety of koalas and are tired of seeing dead Koalas on our roads. It is time for the Government to respect the Koala and protect its habitat, Ms Tabart said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. When Michelle Bourkes husband died of cancer in 2016, she didnt let their dream of travelling the world together die as well. The Melbourne-based widow has travelled to the United States, Paris, London, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Singapore, all with a cardboard cutout of her late husband, Paul. Ms Bourke told her husband, as his condition deteriorated, that she would take him in cardboard form to all the places they wanted to go but he didnt believe her. He didnt believe her, but Michelle promised him she would, a blog to her website, Travelling With Cardboard Paul, said. Michelle Bourke took photos of herself and her late husband Paul in his cutout form as they travelled. Source: Facebook/Michelle Bourke In May 2017, Ms Bourke booked a nine-week tour for August and October that would cover highlights across the United States and Europe. Despite originally just booking tickets for a Paul McCartney concert in New York, Ms Bourke was seemingly bitten by the travel bug and hasnt stopped since. Her passion to show the cardboard cutout version of her husband to the world was so intense, she wrote about their journey in a book, #TravellingWithCardboardPaul. In May 2018 the two enjoyed 10 days in Phuket in Thailand, relaxing by the pool and indulging in stunning sunsets. The photo of Paul that featured on the cutout was taken on the couple's wedding day. Source: Facebook/Michelle Bourke The evidence of a holiday well spent was written in Pauls cardboard, which had become a little worse from wear and tear. Ms Bourke will replace the cutout before setting off on the couples next adventure to Edinburgh, the British Isles and Paris in August. Her book is available at Ms Bourkes book shop or Amazon. 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. Residents in Central Australia were left shaken when the night sky was lit up by a flash of bright, blue light that was followed by a loud bang. The extraordinary sight was so bright that it could be seen for kilometres just after midnight early on Monday. A concerned woman called police to report the alarming light. Duty Superintendent James O'Brien said police received a call from a woman at Charles Creek town camp about the strange occurrence. The extraordinary site was captured on CCTV just after midnight on Sunday. Source: Twitter/Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services She stated she saw a massive white light like a comet and a meteorite falling, he told NT News. It may sound like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, but luckily it was all captured on police security camera. CCTV vision from Alice Springs on the corner of Wills Terrace and Bath Street show the moment the town below was lit up by the meteorite falling to earth. Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services shared more security vision from another street in Alice Springs that lit up when the meteor shot past, sharing the hashtag #WheresMulderandScully. The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed to police it was the tail end of Halleys comet. Source: Twitter @ntpfes Please summon Mulder and Scully ASAP! one woman responded. Followers jumped on the eerie sighting, sharing they thought they were alone in spotting the spectacular flash of light. It was this, you werent going mad, another person said. Did you guys see it? It was pretty amazing, a third Facebook user added. It rattled our windows so hard we woke up, a local said referring to the loud noise that was reported. One person pointed out how marvellous the light show was, enquiring if it was Thor. Unfortunately there were no aliens or superheroes landing in the NT, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed to police it was the tail end of Halleys comet. One resident felt privileged to have seen the rare sky show. I was outside and saw the whole thing, it was beautiful and I'm happy I saw it. 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. A young woman who was seriously injured while riding a horse in the United Arab Emirates will be stranded there until she can pay off her huge medical bill. Rebecca (Becca) Chisholm, 24, a school teacher from England had been living and working in the Middle Eastern country when her mother had flown over to visit for her daughters birthday. The pair had been having a fabulous time catching up and seeing the sites and on May 10 had gone horse riding, a family friend said on a GoFundMe page. Wendy Skelton, left, with her daughter Rebecca Chisholm. Source: GoFundMe Beccas horse bolted and she was thrown violently from the horse. She landed badly and sustain[ed] serious head injuries, the page read. Her mother Wendy Skelton had found her daughter unconscious. When she eventually did wake up, the 24-year-old told her mum she was dying. After being airlifted to Rashid Hospital in Dubai, scans revealed Ms Chisholm had suffered multiple skull fractures at the base of her skull and a brain haemorrhage. Primary school teacher Rebecca Chisholm was living and working in the United Arab Emirates when she was seriously injured. Source: Facebook She spent the next three days in a coma and in critical condition with her mum never leaving her side. The young woman also needed to undergo emergency surgery on two separate occasions to stem the bleed on her brain and relieve the pressure. Now, the family of two are facing a medical bill of $A110,000. The bills are now mounting and whilst the medical staff are now talking about releasing Becca for a specialised flight back to a UK hospital for continued care, Wendy will not be allowed to leave Dubai until the full bill has been paid, their GoFundMe page read. Rebecca Chisholm suffered serious head injuries and bleeding on the brain when she fell from a horse. Source: Facebook The British Embassy has provided no support whatsoever for these two British nationals now stranded in a desperate state, thousands of miles from home. Ms Chisholm had finally regained consciousness, but the family friend said she likely faced years to recover from the traumatic brain injury, and added that it remained uncertain whether the young woman will ever be able to teach again. Rebecca Chisholm was celebrating her 24th birthday with her mum when she was almost killed in an accident. Source: GoFundMe In addition to the $A110,000 medical bill Ms Skelton faced, in order to fly her daughter back to the UK she also needed an estimated $A55,000. Story continues The page raised more than $A22,000 in the first 24 hours out of the $A55,000 goal, The Sun reported. By Monday evening AEST, the page had surpassed $A30,000. 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. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday declared a state of emergency for eight counties, including Cayuga, affected by Lake Ontario flooding. The state of emergency will allow New York officials to expedite the purchase of aqua dams, temporary dams that can protect the shoreline, and helps with the deployment of resources on private property. With water levels continuing to rise, the state is preparing for a repeat of the 2017 floods along Lake Ontario. "The flooding will come where the flooding came (two years ago)," Cuomo said. "Once the flooding happens, it is too late to put precautions in place." The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board reported Sunday that lake levels were 248.59 feet, which is more than two feet above its historical average for this time of year. The board said Monday that it will increase outflows from the Moses-Saunders Dam to balance high water levels causing flooding along the lake and river. The state has sent more than 1 million empty sandbags and 560,000 filled sandbags to the eight counties Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence affected by rising water levels. Other equipment deployed to the counties includes more than 5,000 feet of aqua dam, hundreds of pumps and 20 sandbagging machines. Cayuga County issued a state of emergency earlier this month. High water levels are affecting the village of Fair Haven and town of Sterling. Cuomo also announced that there will be a 5 mph speed limit for vessels within 1,000 feet of the Lake Ontario shoreline. Local governments have the option of lowering the speed limit. The purpose of the no-wake zone is to limit the effect of waves on shoreline infrastructure and property. Conditions aren't expected to improve anytime soon. Water levels will continue to rise and a lakeshore flood warning is in effect for northern Cayuga, Oswego and Wayne counties. The warning will be in place from 5 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Tuesday. "I hope for the best, but we have to prepare for the worst," Cuomo said. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 3 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. Jane Corwin is ready to get to work. The New Yorker is one of six new members of the International Joint Commission, a bi-national panel responsible for overseeing shared boundary waters between the U.S. and Canada. Each country has three seats on the commission. Corwin, a former state assemblywoman from western New York, will serve as U.S. section chair. She will be joined by Rob Sisson, of Michigan, and Lance Yohe, of North Dakota. The trio was confirmed by the Senate last week. The Canadian commissioners are Pierre Beland, of Montreal, F. Henry Lickers, of Akwesasne, Ontario, and Merrell-Ann Phare, of Winnipeg. Beland is the Canadian section chair. Corwin said in an interview with The Citizen that she's eager to meet the Canadian commissioners to develop a calendar of meetings on governing the waterways within the panel's purview. From those meetings, she hopes to set the commission's priorities. One of the top priorities will likely be the rising water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Corwin, whose former Assembly district included communities along the lake, is aware of the flooding along the lake and river. As a state lawmaker, she opposed the adoption of Plan 2014 a water management plan that determines how the commission will regulate lake levels. Corwin acknowledged last year that it's unlikely Plan 2014 will be abolished, despite calls from federal, state and local officials to ditch the regulatory guide. Last week, she noted that New York isn't alone in experiencing flooding. Water levels have been high along the St. Lawrence River. Flooding has affected several communities in Canada and water levels are high in the Great Lakes. "This issue is touching on several different commissioners, so I'm sure there will be a discussion about it," Corwin said. The other incoming U.S. commissioners are aware of the problem. Sisson, whose sister-in-law lives in the Syracuse area, has followed news coverage of the flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. He said the commissioners received a briefing on Plan 2014 after they were first nominated last year. Sisson said he's been informed that commission staff is planning to brief them on Lake Ontario flooding. "There's some issues all across the border," he said, "but I think the most pressing is what's happening in the Great Lakes right now and the water levels." Yohe agrees with his colleagues that Lake Ontario flooding will be on their agenda. He also noted that there are other areas along the U.S. Canadian border that are experiencing flooding. "Those will probably be the first priorities," he said. President Donald Trump first nominated Corwin, Sisson and Yohe in August 2018. However, the Senate didn't consider their nominations before the end of the year and Trump renominated the trio in January. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced the nominations in April. The Senate confirmed Corwin, Sisson and Yohe by unanimous consent Thursday. Corwin, Sisson and Yohe will replace two holdovers from the Obama administration Lana Pollack, who served as U.S. section chair since 2010, and Rich Moy. The third U.S. seat has been vacant since 2016. With only two U.S. members and no Canadian commissioners, the IJC lacked a quorum. U.S. Rep. John Katko, a leading critic of Plan 2014, said the unfilled seats prevented "any substantive response to the serious threats posed by high lake levels." "I am hopeful that, while this process took much longer than required, the concerns of Lake Ontario residents, property owners, businesses and municipalities will finally begin to be addressed," Katko, R-Camillus said. Now that the commission is at full strength, Corwin is hopeful that progress can be made on Lake Ontario water levels and other issues. While she praised Moy and Pollack, she said the lack of a quorum "makes it very difficult for progress to be made." That's why she was excited to learn that Canada appointed new commissioners to the panel. "It gives you a fresh start, a new beginning, a great opportunity for everybody to come in at the same time and make an impact," Corwin said. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 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. Written by Mark Smotroff 6:00 am Audiophile Music I first caught the bug for a sort of tight vocal harmony music which has roots in Europe in the early 1980s when I became a fan of The Roches (especially their two albums produced by Robert Fripp The Roches and Keep On Doing). I then noticed this sound being hinted at on seminal records by Kate Bush and later quite directly as she employed Trio Bulgurka on some tracks (such as this heart-wrenching stand out from The Red Shoes, Youre The One which features Jeff Beck on lead Guitar and Gary Brooker on Organ). In 1987, Elektra Records came out with a haunting double-hitter reissue-of-a-sort series called Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares (aka The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices) which ultimately won a Grammy Award. I was fully hooked on the form which I learned emanated from Northern European countries. Eventually, I discovered The Pennywhistlers who were singing this sort of music in America in the mid 1960s and had several albums out on Folkways, Verve and Nonsuch Records. So imagine my joy when a friend invited me to a concert by an Oakland, California-based singing group called Kitka Womens Vocal Ensemble which performs this very sort of music here and now in the 21st Century(!). From their website: The women in Kitka are fearless sonic explorers, and you can hear their intrepid spirit in every haunting song. For four decades, the nine-woman Oakland ensemble has developed a vast, breathtaking repertoire of traditional songs from the Balkans, Caucasus and Slavic lands, as well as new material composed for the group drawing on those traditional vocal practices. Traveling to rural communities in Armenia and Bulgaria, Ukraine and Georgia, Serbia and Turkey, theyve gathered songs and communed with elders who are often the last links to centuries-old traditions. The ravishing textures of the womens voices, unearthly cadences, angular rhythms and unfamiliar languages make Kitkas performances an enthralling experience. Indeed, it was quite stunning to see this nine-person group assemble and deliver all these sounds live in the moment. They even sang one of my favorite pieces from Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares (Pilentze Pee)! After the concert I purchased several of Kitkas CDs which I really liked and even sent some to my brother as I thought hed enjoy them. Most of Kitkas albums are streaming on Tidal in CD quality (which you can listen to by clicking here). All, that is, except their latest, so I figured I would review that for you here, Dear Readers of Audiophile Review For me, one of the standout tracks on that album, called Evening Star is the impossibly beautiful Zapovedi blazenstv / The Beatitudes which is as I understand it a church related hymn at its root. The album was issued to support Kitkas Winter tour and is apparently something of a holiday collection but dont let that sway you. If you like vocal and ambient music, you may find this hauntingly beautiful music you can enjoy year round (I do!). Honestly I am not paying much attention to the words at this point (its in Russian I think, anyhow) but the overall vibe. And to that, this song grows like a flower to a point where I really hate to hear it end. Check out the video for the song here Kur bijati ziemasssvetki is a Latvian piece that starts out sounding like an outtake from the Philip Glass Qatsi trilogy by way of a King Crimson-esque meditation. And I find my ear drawn to the Bulgarian titles like Koledna zvezda, a harmonic blend that is just haunting to my ear You can check out some video of the studio sessions for Evening Star here. Generally the standard CD of Evening Star sounds very nice without harsh sonic edges or anything that would get in the way of your enjoyment of the music. Evening Star seems to only be available as an MP3 download on Amazon, alas (so I cannot attest to the sound on that version). But, it is available as a FLAC download via the groups Bandcamp page (click here for that). The album is apparently also available in a bunch of other formats according to the semi-snarky commentary on Bandcamps help page : You can also download in FLAC, ALAC (Apple Lossless), AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WAV and AIFF formats. These options are, as we say in the interface, for audiophiles and nerds. If you aspire to become either, this isnt a bad place to start. Personally as both an audiophile and perhaps a nerd I would love to hear this groups music presented in a very high resolution format and surround sound!! Can you imagine being in the center of a sound like this? I can! (Visited 77 times, 1 visits today) SAN FRANCISCOTreasure Island Media is offering a preview of its latest release, Cum Tunnels, for members of its TIMFuck site. Members can preview the movie now through June 26; Cum Tunnels will be available to non-members starting June 12. TIM porn-prodigies Dice and Damon Dogg created the bareback fuck-film shot entirely on a trip to Palm Springs, where men drink, fuck, and fist away their happy-go-fucky lives under the hot California sun. Sub-twink wonderboy Damian Arca makes his TIMFuck debut, spread ass-to-toe by Silver Steele, JD Daniels, Dean Rogers and 16 other big dick cheek-smackers who answered the gangbang call-to-fucktion. Not one to miss out on the fun, Dice makes a surprise return to the front of the camera for two back-to-back breeding scenes. Parker Logan drunk-fucks Michael Roman after feeding him an entire bottle of tequila. The 8-scene, nearly 3-hours-long getaway is available for purchase June 12th, and until then is rolling out scene-by-scene in the TIMFuck exclusive members-only preview. Members can also download the movie before its released to the public for 40 percent off MSRP via the Member Store. For more, visit TreasureIslandMedia.com. JACKSON, Miss.A group of five African-American strippers last week won a whopping judgment of more than $3 million after a federal jury decided that a strip club in Jackson, Mississippi, had discriminated against black dancers for at least the last eight years, The Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported, in a case that saw the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission representing the strippers, and which proved that employees in any industry, including the adult industry, are entitled to protection from discrimination, the EEOC said. The club, Dannys Downtown Cabaret in Jackson, Mississippias well as its predecessor club, Baby Os Restaurantsystematically discriminated against black strippers by limiting their shifts and subjecting them to racially based verbal abuse, according to the lawsuit. Black dancers at the club were also fined $25 for missing shifts, while white dancers were permitted a higher degree of flexibility with their schedules and were not subject to fines for skipping shifts, according to a Fox News account of the lawsuit. Club owners also required the black strippers to perform at one of their other clubs, Black Diamonds, which was considered a more dangerous place to work, and where dancers were paid lower wages than at Dannys, the suit alleged. In addition, the African-American strippers could have been arrested for dancing at the Black Diamonds establishment because they were not licensed to work at that club," according to the EEOC. But if dancers refused to perform at Black Diamonds, they were fined and sent home, and not allowed to work at Dannys, the federal commission said. Dannys continued its practice of racial discrimination over the past eight years even as the club was charged twice by the EEOC, sued three times, and was subjected to contempt proceedings and three consent decrees, according to an EEOC statement. This case shows the EEOC will sue any employer, operating any type of business, who violates federal anti-discrimination laws, especially those who will not stop discriminating even after being given repeated chances to do so, said EEOC lawyer Marsha Rucker. The EEOC will protect employees in any industry who are subjected to such blatant and repeated discrimination. The jury yesterday sent a powerful message to Danny's and any employer who thinks they are above the law." William Walter, a lawyer for the club, said that his client was disappointed by the jury verdict and was exploring the possibility of appealing the jurys decision, according to the Clarion Ledger. The jury award, totaling about $3.3 million, "included $1.5 million in punitive damages $1.68 million in compensatory damages, and $130,550 in back pay, according to the EEOC. Photo By Gogirl18 / Wikimedia Commons Muhlaysia Booker, a 23-year-old trans performer who used the professional name Cashmere and modeled for the Grooby Productions Black T-Girls site, was found shot to death early Saturday morning, according to a report by The Dallas Morning News. Her murder comes just a month after Booker was the victim of a horrifying assault in a Dallas parking lotan assault that was captured on a bystanders cell phone video and quickly went viral online. But police say that they have no leads or suspects in the murder and are not currently aware of any connection between Bookers slaying and the earlier assault, according to a CBS News report. Police also said that they do not have enough information to classify Bookers murder as a hate crime. One Dallas civil rights lawyer, Lee Merritt, told the Morning News that Bookers slaying also raised concerns among members of minority communities about retaliation over reporting crimes. One man, Edward Dominic Thomas, 29, was arrested and indicted in connection with the parking lot assault on Booker. But Thomas was freed from custody on bond earlier in May. Police have said that others may also face charges in the assault. The video shows Booker on the ground in the parking lot as multiple men punch and kick her, and at one point strike her with a brick. Police in April said that they were investigating whether Thomas had been paid by someone to assault Booker, according to a CBS report. According to the Morning News, a person in the crowd reportedly offered Thomas $200 to beat Booker, who had been involved in a minor fender-bender car accident in the parking lot moments earlier. Witnesses heard the attackers shouting homophobic epithets at Booker during the video-recorded assault, police said, adding they were investigating the assault as a hate crime. Grooby, in a statement posted to the company's site, called Cashmere one of our most popular debut models of last year, adding that the company was shocked and saddened to hear of her death. We have to do better. As a society, as allies, as friends and as family. We have to do better to educate, to inform and to normalize, the Grooby statement said. We have to do better to stop this culture of violence that is being wreaked upon trans persons, and significantly in trans, persons of color. Each and everyone of us needs to look at what we can do to help end this scourge of hate against a group of people, just trying to live their lives authentically. Photo courtesy Grooby. Mark and Mary Schroeder met in high school, he was a junior at Flagstaff High School, she, a sophomore at Coconino. Thirty years later theyre married, have two kids and, as of April 1, run their own business. Java Juice Cafe is the newest addition to the Flagstaff shopping plaza that also houses Bookmans and Sprouts. The shop specializes in all things sweet but healthy. Its also vegan. Schroeder and his wife have chosen to avoid meat and dairy products for 20 years, he said, and everything they sell keeps to that standard; Juices, smoothies, ice cream, crepes, even coffee. Organic food and drink is prominent at Java. We had been looking to do something healthy like this, something that is vegan and designed to keep people on the healthier side of life, Mark Schroeder said. The shops soft-serve ice cream is coconut based, instead of milk or cream, and whipped creams and coffee additives use almond or coconut milk. The juices are made using fresh ingredients, the ice cream is fruit-based. And, nearly everything is made in house, Mary Schroeder said. This includes vegan baked goods, ice cream cones, waffles and the crepes. Plus, I think our Boba tea is the best in Arizona, Mark Schroeder said. In opening the business, the couple has made sure to test all the recipes they develop before they hit the mouths of customers. Even their kids, 13-year-old Eric and 11-year-old Jonathan have helped to create and perfect several of the recipes, fine-tuning them to perfection. I give all the credit to my beautiful wife and kids, Mark Schroeder said. Currently, apart from the Schroeder's children, Java Juice Cafe has six employees. That, and business has been good and steady according to the Schroeders. The positive feedback from customers is that they can enjoy and feel great about themselves. I think we're offering something that can bring joy to somebody, Mark Schroeder said. The crepes are the most popular menu item, he said, especially with kids both his own and those of customers. Second-most popular is the soft-serve, according to Mark. The family is doing its best to make the menu affordable, something that can be a challenge for vegan restaurants, which often require a higher overhead than their meat and dairy alternatives. A lot of times youll go and get vegan things and itll cost you 25-30 dollars just for two desserts, Schroeder said. Were slightly above other dessert places, but are trying to keep it affordable while providing the highest quality product we can. People have been grateful, happy and supportive overall. And, in an homage to Peak Sweets and Popcorn, whose former space Java Juice Cafe is now leasing the couple has kept the puffy, crunchy treat on the menu. There are 20 flavors of popcorn to choose from, and while most of the popcorn toppings are vegan, there are one or two that are not. That's the only item that isn't, however. "But we make sure to mark everything so people know what is and isn't vegan," Schroeder said. The vegan dessert spot is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Starting on Memorial Day, Java Juice Cafe will shift to its summer hours, which will be 9 a.m.-9 p.m. every day. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Earlier this week the European Space Agency (ESA) released a dramatic new image of a crater on Mars officially known as Lowell Crater in honor of Percival Lowell. The timing of the is ideal since we are less than two weeks from the 125th anniversary of Lowell establishing his observatory in Flagstaff to study this planet (to be precise, Lowell arrived in town on May 28, 1894 to begin his research). Lowell lies in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Scientists estimate it was created between 3.7 to 3.9 billion years ago when a chunk of space rock bashed into the Martian surface. The result was not only a crater measuring 127 miles in diameter, but also an interior mountain ring likely formed by surface material that surged upward during the impact. The result is a bullseye pattern punctuated by two smaller, younger craters on or near the craters rim. The bullseye pattern is similar to that of Chicxulub Crater, which formed in Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago when an asteroid measuring somewhere between six and 50 miles in diameter impacted. This is the event many scientists believe caused the extinction of 75% of life on Earth at the time, including the dinosaurs. Since the crater formed, it has undergone erosion that formed gullies and channels and covered the crater floor with sediment. Many of these features are clearly evident in the new image, which is a mosaic of pictures captured over seven orbits of Mars by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the Mars Express spacecraft. Alas, one thing missing from the image is any trace of the supposed planet-spanning linear features Percival Lowell envisioned as canals built by intelligent life to transport water from the polar ice caps to the rest of the parched planet. Mars Express is the ESAs first planetary mission, launched in 2003 and collecting Martian data ever since that, is helping scientists to characterize the geology, atmosphere, historical presence of water, and potential for life on the red planet. The International Astronomical Union officially adopted the name Lowell Crater in 1973. While it has been imaged several times in the past, none of these previous efforts come close in detail to 125th Anniversary Image just released. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Londons Chinatown is to expand its dessert offering with three new outlets due to open this summer. Japanese fusion dessert specialist Kova Patisserie, authentic Taiwanese dessert brand Meet Fresh and Taiyakiya, a new concept from the people behind Cuppacha Bubble Tea, have all signed for units in the area. Kova Patisserie, Taiyakiya and Meet Fresh are all brands that offer a fusion of modern trends with traditions from the Far East, perfectly reflecting our vision for this iconic area of Londons West End, said Julia Wilkinson, head of group restaurant strategy at Shaftesbury. Embracing elements of Japanese culture and French patisserie, Kova Patisserie is due to open later this month in a 240 sq ft unit at 20a Newport Court. This is the brands third site in London it is also found in the Selfridges food hall and St Annes Court in Soho. Its signature mille crepes, made from multiple layers of French crepe with a light custard cream filling between each layer, will feature on the menu alongside a selection of cakes and tarts. These include a matcha tiramisu, souffle cheesecake, chocolate yuzu tarts and a matcha chocolate gateau. Neighbouring Kova Patisserie is Taiyakiya in a 200 sq ft unit. It will be offering up a range of traditional fish-shaped cakes called taiyaki, savoury croissant taiyaki and taiyaki fish-shaped cones with soft-serve ice cream and toppings. Taiyakiya is eager to offer Londoners authentic Japanese flavours, from the traditional flavours to the latest Harajuku trend, said Emily Foo, co-founder of Taiyakiya. As Chinatown is Londons only destination where the East truly meets the West, it is the perfect fit for our brand. Our other concept, Cuppacha, benefits from exceptional footfall on Newport Court so we were confident this is the right location for Taiyakiya. Completing the trio is Meet Fresh which will be opening its UK flagship store in a 1,800 sq ft unit at 100-102 Shaftesbury Avenue. Established in 2007, Meet Fresh has more than 300 sites across China as well as locations in America. The London site will be managed by UK master franchisee Alex Xu, who also owns bubble tea shop Happy Lemon in Newport Court. The dessert brand will serve healthy desserts made fresh daily, including Taro Q balls (pictured right) made by mixing taro with water and sweet potato flour herbal jelly and smooth tofu pudding. I cant wait to bring this popular Taiwanese brand to the UK for the first time, and we cant think of a better destination for our debut than busy Chinatown London. With unique Asian flavours and an exciting feature that can only be found in our flagship stores worldwide, we are really looking forward to launching our London flagship just in time for summer, said Xu. Irish milling business Kells has launched a new doughnut mix designed to deliver consistent results. The Sydney Donut Mix requires the addition of yeast and water and has been developed for a no-time dough production method. The dough is suitable for scaling and moulding, or sheeting and cutting, said Kells. The miler added the mix has minimal oil pick-up, no added preservatives, colours or flavours, and results in a robust and tolerant dough that produces a doughnut with minimal surface wrinkling. Doughnuts remain a consumer favourite and offer bakers and cafes a real retail opportunity, but they can be time-consuming to make and it can be hard to deliver a consistently good result, said Kells managing director Robert Mosse. The new Kells Sydney Donut mix is great example of how we have used our expertise in innovation to create a product that is both easy and relatively fast to make, but with no compromise on the final result. Family-run business Kells operates out of County Kilkenny in a building that was built as a mill in 1501. It supplies mixes for a range of bakery goods including bread, scones and cakes. See here for British Bakers round-up of the latest doughnut trends. Welcome to youth, families and volunteers in the 2019 4-H program. Its great to have you in 4-H! Were fortunate to work with some of the greatest families in Gage County. Its exciting to see youth develop and grow, to become winners in life. Were proud to be green - 365 days a year. Summer 4-H camping Bet you didnt know these famous 4-H alumni attended camp as kids - Julia Roberts, Chevy Chase, Drew Carey, Neil Diamond and Albert Einstein. The summer season promises to be a blast. Nebraska 4-H camping facilities are the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center, Gretna, and the State 4-H Camp, Halsey. 4-H enrollment not required. Website: http://4h.unl.edu/camp/ Locally, we offer two camps at Camp Jefferson near Fairbury - Camp Renegade for 8-10 year old kids, might be their first overnight experience, June 18-19, fee: $40; new this year is Camp Venture, June 20-21, for the next level campers, fee: $60. 4-H membership not required. Contact the Extension Office for registration forms. Dont miss out on this summer fun. Livestock & horse information 4-H & FFA youth are reminded of the deadlines for I.D. sheets, June 1 for horse and June 15 for livestock; bring ID sheets to the Extension Office. Each 4-H and FFA youth exhibiting beef, sheep, swine, dairy, goats, poultry or rabbits at the Gage County Fair or Nebraska State must complete YQCA training each year, on-line or in-person. Jacie Milius offers the course here at the Extension Office on Saturday, June 1, 9:00 am; register online prior to attendance. Deadline for YQCA compliance is June 15; we must have a copy of completion certificate at the Extension Office. New this year is Swine Tagging Day, June 1, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., fairgrounds. All 4-H and FFA hogs to be shown at the Gage County Fair are required to have an EID tag and must be tagged at the Extension Office. Swine exhibitors, dont miss this date; call the Extension Office if you have questions. Horse exhibitors and families, the 3 Gs Horse Show is June 8 at the Extension Office; join in the fun and sharpen up your riding skills prior to the Gage County Fair. Anytime 4-H summer learning Let the summer 4-H learning begin: May 28, 2 p.m. 4-H Cares Workshop sew a Quilt of Valor top, bake cookies for local National Guard and give back to our community; May 29, 9:30 a.m., Macrame Key Chain Workshop; May 29, 1:30 p.m., Virtual Reality Workshop; May 30, 1:00 p.m., Kids Banking Seminar, First National Bank, Beatrice; May 31, 9:30, Upcycled Flannel Shirt Tote Workshop; May 31, 1:30 .pm., Dog Balloon Pillow Workshop; June 4, 1:00 pm, Cake Decorating Workshop, Carolyn Schlakes home. Location for workshops is the Extension meeting room (unless otherwise noted). We have openings; contact the Extension Office for online registration sites. Clover Kids workshops Just for kids ages 5-7 enrolled in Clover Kids May 30, 9 a.m., Good Vibrations; May 30, 1 p.m., Family Celebrations Around the World; June 13, 9 a.m., Plants & Animals Workshop. Contact the Extension Office for online registration sites. In addition, the 2019 Clover Kids packet is ready to pick up at the Extension Office. Available for check-out The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities with fabulous projects and non-competitive fair exhibits. Quote of Note: Success if the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty and persistence. Colin Powell Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. North Carolina's fledgling "raise the age" policy plays a big role in the North Carolina House's justice and public safety budget.Lawmakers, as of April 30, had allocated a $2.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2019-20, a $34 million increase over the previous year. Notably, the budget includes $29 million in allocations to fund the state's Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, a 2017 statute classifying all delinquents with misdemeanors and low-level felonies - up to the age of 17 - as juveniles.North Carolina formerly was the only state to punish 16-and-17-year-olds in the adult system.When passing "raise the age," lawmakers allocated $1 million to implement the plan, and pushed through $13.4 million to build a new juvenile detention facility. Supporters of the law have long said the program's success requires more money, and this year's budget pumps millions into several categories, especially staffing, juvenile rehabilitation programs, and housing at youth development centers.Lawmakers have back-loaded the "raise the age" budget, allocating more recurring money for 2020-21. Some of the biggest ticket items include:$6.5 million recurring and $350,00 non-recurring in 2019-20, and 11.1 million recurring in 2020-21, for contracts with community-based and residential programs for "juveniles who have been adjudicated delinquent." The money also supports one staffing position for contract management.Roughly $3 million recurring and $1.9 million non-recurring in 2019-20, and $8.7 recurring in 2020-21. Will provide for 97 new juvenile court counselors, to be phased in during the first fiscal year beginning Nov. 1, 2019. Juvenile court counselors are "the primary point of contact for all juveniles and their families as they move through the juvenile justice system."$1.7 million in recurring and $200,000 in non-recurring funds during 2019-20 for 17 full-time staffers, including 10 staff trainers, two statisticians, three IT workers, and two human resource workers. The budget allocates $2.1 million in recurring funds for 2020-21.$500,000 in recurring, and $40,000 in non-recurring funds in 2019-20 for seven staffers, including one in facility management and six in field support for operations at juvenile detention and youth development centers.$4.5 million recurring in 2019-20, and $6.7 million recurring in 2020-21. Funds will increase number of beds at youth detention and development facilities.$656 recurring and $1 million non-recurring in 2019-20, and $1.2 million recurring in 2020-21. Will provide 15 staffers and 29 vans to transport juveniles in custody.$1.5 million recurring and $322,000 non-recurring in 2019-20, and $2.3 million recurring in 2020-21. Will fund 38 staffers and operating expenses at the CA Dillon Youth Development Center, which is currently under renovation.$1.2 million recurring and 42,610 non-recurring for 2019-20, and $1.2 million recurring for 2020-21. Will fund 11 new positions, including eight assistant district attorneys, and three legal assistants.Other noteworthy spending unrelated to "raise the age" includes $250,000 in non-recurring funds for an opioid pilot project in Wilmington, which willNorth Carolina's Human Trafficking Commission, a body that meets bimonthly and recommends policies to combat trafficking to the General Assembly, received $227,869 in recurring funds for 2019-20. That number will jump to a recurring $250,000 in 2020-21. The money will coverThe House Appropriations Committee could make changes Wednesday, May 1, when it considers the budget. The numbers could be altered further during House floor debate at the end of the week.The budget package then will head to the Senate, which either will adopt the House budget as is or - more likely - pass a tax-and-spending plan with different priorities.After the House and Senate agree on a plan, Gov. Roy Cooper will decide whether to accept it. n April 11, the administration of the University of Tulsa shocked faculty, students, and alumni by announcing the elimination of 40 percent of the school's academic programs. Undergraduate and graduate programs in theater, musical theater, dance, vocal and instrumental music, English, history, philosophy, religion, chemistry, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Greek, Latin, anthropology, mathematics, and many others were axed. The administration has eliminated all academic departments and dumped professors, now stripped of disciplinary protections and powers, into big new divisions, including one called "Humanities and Social Justice."Administrators at other colleges and universities have recently cut the liberal arts. But TU is the first top-100 research institution, and the first university with a ten-figure endowment-$1.1 billion, to be precise-to have done so. What is more, our administration did all this under a cloak of secrecy and without consulting faculty.The restructuring appears, among other things, to be a hostile takeover of the university by some of Tulsa's richest and most powerful corporate interests. The gory details, already well known to many who follow higher education, are available in my essayat. But what that essay doesn't cover is the wholesale rejection of the ironically named "True Commitment" plan by faculty, students, and alumni, and the administration's highly authoritarian countermeasures to this rejection.After the restructuring bombshell exploded in a slick, highly orchestrated rollout on the morning of April 11, students and faculty moved to protest quickly and decisively. That evening, I wrote to about 50 faculty and 500 students and alumni inviting them to attend a meeting in the Department of Languages the following day, and I pasted into the email an unedited version of myarticle. When I arrived for the meeting, over 400 people were present. We moved into the old theater next door, and I found myself leading a meeting at which we formulated key strategies for resistance to the restructuring.In the days that followed, students drafted a petition on Change.org ("Saving the Heart and Soul of the University of Tulsa") that has 5,600 signatures to date, and formed a Facebook group with over 1,700 members that serves as a vital clearinghouse for information. The College of Law voted almost unanimously-but for one vote by the disgraced president of the Faculty Senate, who was forced to apologize when he said publicly that opponents of the restructuring can-not to implement key features of the "True Commitment" plan next year. The College of Arts and Sciences voted 89-4 not to implement any part of it until it could be thoroughly reviewed by our faculty.Alumni have papered the administration with heartfelt letters of protest, and produced TUplan.org: a clear and concise summary of what is being done to TU, why it matters, and why we must stop it. Sixteen national scholarly societies signed a public statement urging the administration tothe restructuring.The undergraduate and graduate Student Assemblies voted no confidence in the "True Commitment" plan. Students have organized a televised funeral for the liberal arts, published powerful op-eds and letters in the, and spoken out in public forums and on social media. They have been particularly effective in exposing the hypocrisy of the administration's claim to value diversity. Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any state, but TU has eliminated its highly regarded-and to my knowledge unique-L.L.M. program in American Indian and Indigenous Law. Students enrolled in that program have observed that TU grew from the Presbyterian School for Indian Girls, founded in 1882, and that it stands on land that was forcibly taken from indigenous peoples. An African American female whose Anthropology PhD program has been eliminated told president Gerry Clancy and provost Janet Levit at a public forum that they obviously don't care about Tulsa's 1921 Race Massacre, which is her particular area of research.The administration has turned a deaf ear to all of these appeals. Indeed, it has responded with an iron fist, now no longer concealed by the velvet glove.Provost Levit has denied or restricted faculty access to crucial information but has offered no reasons for these restrictions. Faculty are not allowed to see any part of the Higher Learning Commission report to which she and president Clancy regularly refer to justify their actions. Phone calls and emails requesting faculty access to this report have gone unanswered. What is more, the crucial report of the Provost's Program Review Committee (PPRC) that recommended the cuts-a committee that included no one from the humanities and natural sciences, or from any gutted programs-can be viewed only in the provost's office. I recently accompanied two intrepid colleagues to view the report. We were strictly forbidden to photograph it and fumbled to take notes while perching the 100-page document in our laps (no table was provided), all the while under the unblinking eye of our administrative overlords.This is not all. Last week my university email account and that of the director of the musical theater program-also a leader of the opposition to "True Commitment"-were completely and mysteriously shut down for several hours. The director of TU's renowned cyber-security program found the excuses of our IT department highly suspicious and advised me to contact the ACLU. The administration also prevented me from speaking on KWGS, the campus NPR affiliate. They originally agreed to allow me to be interviewed, on the condition that they, too, would be interviewed. But they withdrew their interview at the last minute, and KWGS employees, fearing for their jobs, decided not to air mine.(This proved to be a tactical mistake on the administration's part. Instead of having 12 minutes on KWGS, I was interviewed and took calls for a whole hour on Pat Campbell's morning talk show on KFAQ, a Tulsa AM radio station. That led to an interview on Chicago's "Morning Answer," a program of WIND AM 560.)The restructuring plan makes Arts and Sciences professors teach all matriculating undergraduates across the university in a new "University Studies" program. At a meeting of the university curriculum committee, provost Levit announced the formation of a committee to plan University Studies, to be chaired by the same accounting professor who headed the PPRC. Professors protested that Arts and Sciences faculty should be involved in determining the structure and content of University Studies courses, as they are the ones who teach much of them. Levit replied that she could not trust anyone from our college after our vote to put the brakes on "True Commitment." For all their talk of inclusiveness and transparency, Clancy, Levit, and the Board of Trustees would rather burn down the university than listen to anyone else. Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties? No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer. Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties. CJ photo by Don Carrington Previous discussions Sen. Harry Brown, R-Onslow, is convinced large wind energy projects, such as the Amazon Wind Farm near Elizabeth City, hinder the military's ability to conduct low-level flight training missions in North Carolina. He also thinks construction of new wind facilities could hurt the state in a future Base Realignment and Closing process.Brown and others concerned about the compatibility of industrial-scale wind projects and military training say they recently got vindication from the Department of Defense. The director of the DoD's Siting Clearinghouse in Washington, D.C., which reviews and comments on proposed wind projects near military bases, said the clearinghouse has no influence on the BRAC process. The Pentagon could decide to close a base even if a nearby wind project had been approved by the clearinghouse.Brown's Senate Bill 377 , the Military Base Protection Act, would try to block wind-energy encroachment on military facilities. It bans new wind energy projects shown on a map authorized by the General Assembly and developed with military officials.The district represented by Sen. Jim Perry, R-Wayne, includes Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Perry recently asked Clearinghouse Executive Director Ronald TickleTickle said Perry is correct.Tickle said.said a press release Tuesday from Perry and Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett.Perry and Burgin said.Current state law requires wind energy developers to seek a permit from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. The permitting process requires review and comment from the commanding officer of each nearby major military installation as well as the Federal Aviation Administration.Seymour Johnson operations staff raised concerns about potential wind turbine interference with low-altitude flight training in a September 2012 report House Bill 589, passed in 2017, imposed a moratorium through Dec. 31, 2018, on permits for wind energy facilities. It also called for the General Assembly to conduct a study and produce maps showing the military's land, air, and water-based operations in North Carolina. Brown's bill references those maps.The bill received a received a favorable ruling May 5 from the Senate Commerce and Insurance Committee, and then it was referred to the Senate Rules Committee. It didn't pass the full Senate before the crossover deadline, but the bill isn't dead.Brown toldOpponents continue to question the need for the legislation. Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, sits on the Commerce and Insurance Committee. He says Brown's bill isn't necessary, and the new information Perry shared hasn't changed McKissick's mind.he said.In April, retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gary McKissock told a legislative committee wind energy projects and other encroachments could put North Carolina military bases at risk of closing during a future round of the BRAC process.Col. Donn Yates, commander, 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, told the committee additional encroachments would make it difficult to complete the base's mission. He said his responsibilities include providing 48 new two-person fighter crews each year. The crews need to fly F-15E aircraft day or night at 500 feet or lower.he said.He said he is able to carry out that mission now, but additional encroachments would cause problems for his training resources. They includeThe Navy operates a large bombing range in Hyde County.Two other retired officers said current safeguards protect military bases from the potential negative effects of new wind farms. The Amazon Wind Farm is North Carolina's only utility-scale wind energy project. The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution May 14 celebrating the 20th anniversary of National Charter School Week.National Charter School Week runs from May 12 to May 18 and celebrates the more than 7,000 public charter schools across the country in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Roughly 3.2 million students currently attend a charter school.Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, introduced the resolution congratulating students, parents, teachers, and leaders of charter schools nationally for their ongoing contributions to education.Alexander served as U.S. Secretary of Education under former President George H.W. Bush, while Bennet was superintendent of Denver Public Schools in 2009 when he was appointed to the Senate.Alexander said in a news release Bennet said in the same release.The resolution came with a slew of co-sponsors, Democratic and Republican, including North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr.North Carolina has a long history with charter schools. In 1996, the General Assembly passed the Charter School Education Opportunity Act. The law allowed the creation and funding of public charter schools in the state while capping the number of schools at 100. It wasn't until the cap was lifted in 2011 that charter schools really began to flourish. Today, 184 charter schools operate in North Carolina. Adelia 'Dee' Belle (Leffingwell) Pedersen, RN, passed away in her home May 17, 2019, surrounded by her family after a long battle with cancer. Dee was born Dec. 27, 1937, in Nebraska, the oldest child of Charles and Lettie Leffingwell. Due to her fathers career in the rail postal service, they quickly moved to many different homes, and two years later she was joined by her younger brother, Sanford (Sandy). They continued to move around the country, finally settling in Billings in her teenage years. She graduated from Billings Senior in 1955. She went on to study Nursing and History at Rocky Mountain College, Eastern Montana College, and the University of Montana, Missoula. While at Missoula, Dee met and fell in love with Kenneth L. Pedersen. In 1958 they married and she was overjoyed to have new family whom she adored, his parents Loyd and Thelma, and sister Marla. They settled in Billings and she worked as an RN until they started their family of three children, Evan, Thea and Tawny. They built a home on McBride Street where she became a second mom to many of the neighbor kids. She was active in many community organizations: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Jobs Daughters, and Eastern Star. She was also a member of First United Methodist Church before becoming a founding member of Shiloh United Methodist Church. Patrick Kuntz, the Flotilla Commander, said not wearing life jackets is the most common infraction he sees. Often boaters wont have them, or if they do theyre stowed away making it difficult to grab one quickly. Like seatbelts it bears repeating: life jackets save lives. According to data from the U.S. Coast Guard 76% of victims in accidents involving death drowned and 85% did not wear a life jacket. Accidents are unexpected. For that reason just stowing a life jacket onboard is often not good enough, Kuntz said. If a boat flips, or a person falls out of the boat, digging to find stowed jackets is often too late. Kuntz advises wearing a life jacket at all time, even on calm waters. According to Coast Guard statistics about half of recreational boating fatalities happen on calm waters. Like the Madison is real slow and pretty shallow, but you still have to be careful. Ive floated on that and Ive kept my life jacket on even though it seemed kind of silly, Kuntz said. Another safety issue is drinking and boating. Under Montana law a person with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 is considered under the influence and may not operate a boat or vehicle. Brooke Painters dad is a firefighter. But when the elementary school student mulled over a subject for an art project portraying her heroes, she looked to her other parent. It might be obvious to some people, it might not, but my mom is kind of a hero to me, she said. Painters family drove from Great Falls to attend the Montana PTA Reflections award ceremony in Billings on Friday. It was the 50th year for the national award contest, and was centered on the theme Heroes around me. Painter, a state award winner, had put some thought into what, exactly, makes a hero. She thought of police, or firefighters like her dad. But she thought what her mom did for her as a parent was just as important. She gravitated toward using a smartphone for a film project, and created a five-minute stop-action movie using Legos. It was tedious work, inching her subjects around. But she didnt mind. It was fun, she said. That speaks to the core of the reflections program, said Renee Wizeman, who chairs Montana's program. Note that Riddick called himself a prospector, not a miner. "I've crawled into more holes and accomplished less than any prospector I know," he said in 1967, when he was running for governor for the second time. In 1960 he had finished sixth out of six contenders in the Democratic primary with 1,344 votes. Winner Lt. Gov. Paul Cannon got 44,000. When Riddick announced his bid for the same post in the 1968 election, against the same number of Democratic opponents, he told the Missoulian State Bureau he was sure he'd do better this time. Alas, he placed sixth again, this time with 1,052 votes. In 1972 Riddick switched to the Republican party and ran for U.S. Senate, saying he favored a navigation canal up the Missouri River to Winifred and Fort Benton, and $500 million in dam construction on the upper Missouri River. He took fourth in that race. Out of four. Montana's resident Don Quixote "parlayed his political interests, optimism and sense of humor into an unbroken string of election defeats," Reynolds wrote after Riddick succumbed to cancer at age 93. Toward the end of his military service in 2006, he said, there was a solid argument on why we should stay, keeping a consistent presence to stabilize a region that had suffered from years of war, political upheaval and decades of foreign intervention. Now, its 2019, and I have a 13-year-old who, five years from now, could possibly serve in the same war her dad did. And Jesus Christ, he said. I think weve stretched our legs a little too far on this deal. There are lots of arguments to be made, like bringing democracy to these people but clearly, they dont want democracy. Weve tried. Weve given it to them on a silver platter. And what were doing isnt working. On the national stage, however, Wyoming is among the last place federal policy makers would expect to hear calls for withdrawal. Like her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Rep. Cheney has long advocated for propping up the Middle East through American intervention, often supporting the maintenance of a military presence to stave off the influence of foreign powers like Russia and often calling for increased funding for the U.S. military. WASHINGTON The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just released its latest statistics on U.S. births. Boring, you say. Not so. Historic birth patterns tell us a lot about where the country has been and where it might be going. We are now experiencing some of the lowest birth figures ever. In 2018, U.S. births totaled 3.788 million, the lowest figure in 32 years. Even worse was the so-called replacement rate: the average number of children each woman must have to stabilize the population, disregarding immigration. This is roughly 2.1 children for every woman. The same replacement rate is also expressed as 2,100 lifetime births per 1,000 women. In 2018, the actual number was 1,728. This was the lowest since at least 1909, when records were first kept, and probably the lowest in U.S. history, because women in the 19th century typically had many children, notes statistician Brady Hamilton of the National Center for Health Statistics. Between next weekend and the end of September, about 4 million visitors will pass through Yellowstone National Park. Most of them will stick close to the 400 miles of paved roads that loop through the 2.2 million acre wonderland of geysers and grizzlies. Is the 137-year-old park ready for this crowd? Not as ready as it should be. Park visitation has grown much faster than park staff to ensure safe, enjoyable visitor experiences while protecting Yellowstone's incomparable landscapes and wildlife. Yellowstone's popularity soared even as the federal budget "sequestration" forced across the board cuts during the Obama administration and in past two years as the Trump administration slashed Interior Department spending on parks. Funding for Yellowstone and the other units of the National Park Service has been lagging behind operational and maintenance needs for decades. As a result, there's now an estimated $12.9 billion in deferred maintenance throughout the system. Together, Yellowstone and neighboring Grand Teton National Park have nearly $1 billion in deferred maintenance needs, Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly told a Cody, Wyo., group last week. A man charged with hitting a woman with his vehicle has pleaded not guilty. Karson Arthur Demers, of Bismarck, pleaded not guilty to felony criminal vehicular injury on Monday. At Demers' preliminary hearing, a Bismarck police officer said Demers told him Chaylynn Arntz "had come out of nowhere" when he struck her with his pickup. The crash occurred at about 10 p.m. March 22 on North Third Street just north of East Main Avenue, patrol officer Tyler Mees said Monday. Mees said Arntz was "unresponsive," bleeding and lying in the middle of the road. She was transported to a local hospital, where she remained unconscious the following day while he wrote his report. Ward "Buddy" Hagen, Arntz's brother, previously told the Tribune Arntz broke several bones in the collision and had a collapsed lung and internal bleeding. Mees did not know her current condition on Monday. Mees said Demers took three field sobriety tests, which "indicated impairment under the influence of alcohol." A chemical breath test recorded Demers' blood alcohol concentration to be 0.089%. The legal limit for driving in North Dakota is 0.08%. The speed limit on the street is 25 mph, and a witness driving behind Demers said they were driving about 20 mph, Mees said. Arntz was not in a crosswalk. Demers has been cited at least one other time for drunken driving, court records show. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to an actual physical control citation in Grand Forks. A jury trial has been scheduled for Sept. 11. (Reach Blair Emerson at 701-250-8251 or Blair.Emerson@bismarcktribune.com) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For the last time on Saturday, three seniors crossed the stage in the Wolford Public School gymnasium and accepted their diplomas. On Friday, the small school in northeastern North Dakota closed due to a lack of qualified applicants for open teaching positions and budget constraints. The school, which was established in 1914, served about 40 students this past year. "We've all been grieving the death of a school," said Jeff Slaubaugh, president of the Wolford School Board. "It's been a really tough time for our community." For several months the school board has been contemplating how to best serve the needs of students with teachers retiring and the district struggling to find their replacements. "That was the biggest challenge, finding teachers," Slaubaugh said. Superintendent Larry Zavada said this has been an ongoing issue, and the district at times hasn't received one applicant for an opening. "We have a statewide and nationwide teacher shortage," Zavada said, adding that it is difficult to recruit younger people to work in rural areas. At least one other small school district in North Dakota has closed in recent years. A school board decided last year to dissolve Amidon school district. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction does not keep track of districts that close, according to spokesman Dale Wetzel. Earlier this month, the Wolford School Board made the decision to shut down the school. The district has also been stymied by budget constraints, and this year had to cut busing. The move saved the district about $57,000, according to Zavada. "Had we continued to offer busing this year, we would not have been able to pay our bills to finish the year," Zavada said. Enrollment in Wolford has remained steady in recent years, ranging from about 39 to 44 students, according to state enrollment data. State funding has also remained steady, according to Zavada. "Staying steady is good, but staying steady is not bringing in any other revenue," he said. Zavada said the school had roughly nine full-time employees "a wonderful staff, top to bottom" that have remained dedicated to working at the school for years, despite not receiving health insurance. One such employee is Rhonda Slaubaugh, who has been the school's secretary for 32 years. Slaubaugh and Zavada had desks about four feet apart, and the pair get emotional when talking about the years they've spent at the school. "It's like we're family," Slaubaugh said. "I think that's what's making it even harder." Zavada has been at the school for 36 years, including 17 years as superintendent. He remembers when most of his students were born, and he can recall teaching some of their parents. Now, Zavada is concerned for his students, who will need to find a new school in the fall. He's also worried about his employees, who will be forced to drive 20 to 25 minutes to a nearby town for work. On Tuesday, Zavada said neighboring schools will host an informational session for students and their parents to let them know what their options are. The students could potentially go to Rugby, Rolette or Cando. Wolford teachers, staff and administrators spent the last week of school doing what they've done for so many years: tending to students and preparing for graduation. They also dealt with interviews with other media outlets about the school closing, which Zavada said they welcomed. "People wonder why (we're closing) and we have to let them know why," he said. "The (school) board explored every possible avenue. It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking." But Zavada said the decision to close the school is what's best for students, who deserve to have a good education and "the opportunities they deserve." (Reach Blair Emerson at 701-250-8251 or Blair.Emerson@bismarcktribune.com) Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 12 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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. This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up and thumbs down on the issues from the past week. Up Sanford Health in Bismarck is taking steps to handle the increasing number of births at the hospital. Sanford plans to expand its neonatal intensive care unit and Birth Center. A $500,000 donation from Mark and Claudia Thompson, of Bismarck, in 2016 was matched through an endowment campaign, for a total of $1 million. This will allow the NICU to be moved to the sixth floor of the hospital's downtown building, adjacent to the Children's Hospital. It will be twice the size of the current NICU with 24 beds, including 18 private rooms. This will be a big improvement for staff and patients. Down The South Central Judicial District, which includes Burleigh and Morton counties, remains the busiest judicial district in the state. The South Central Judicial District saw 29,856 total case filings in 2018, including 6,036 criminal cases and 6,280 civil cases. The district has been short of judges for the last 10 years. The just concluded legislative session approved a new judge and court reporter for the district. That will help, but the districts caseload is expected to continue to grow. Up The Great American Bike Race has been a continued success since it started 23 years ago. The Sanford Health Foundation started the stationary bike race that raised $390,000 on April 27. Before the year is over sponsors expect to reach $400,000. The fun helps pay for medical services and to purchase equipment such as wheelchairs, communication devices, adaptive tricycles and home and vehicle modifications for children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other childhood-onset conditions that permanently affect development. GABR has disbursed more than $3.5 million since it started. Calling it a success story is an understatement. Down For two years North Dakota ranked fourth nationally in the U.S. News and World Report comprehensive rankings of states. The rankings were a measure of how states were performing for their citizens. In the latest rankings North Dakota fell to 15th. 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. Washington, New Hampshire and Minnesota were the top three states. South Dakota was 20th and Montana was 29th. Its unfortunate to see North Dakota take a tumble. Up Last week North Dakota honored law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty since 1882. Its fortunate no one died last year serving the public. Law enforcement officers put in long hours in all kinds of conditions. Their jobs can be dangerous, sometimes unexpectedly. They deserve our thanks and respect. Down Oil production increased 4% in March after being in the winter doldrums. Thats good. Natural gas production rose 6.5% in the same month to a record 2.8 billion cubic feet per day. However, operators flared 20% of natural gas produced or a record 555 million cubic feet per day. The North Dakota Industrial Commissions goal is to limit flaring to 12%. The state and oil industry need to do a better job of reducing flaring. Processing plants cant keep up with production, but to waste so much is a shame. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLACK REPUBLICAN BLOG - The Republican Party is the party of civil rights and the four Fs: faith, family, freedom and fairness. The Democratic Party is the party of the four Ss: slavery, secession, segregation and socialism (Quote By Author Michael Scheuer). The Mongol ruler Genghis Khan once asked his generals, What is the greatest happiness in life? When they answered that it was going hunting on a spring day while riding a beautiful horse, Genghis said they were wrong. The greatest pleasure, he said, is to be founding in vanquishing ones enemies and robbing them of their wealth. In other words, to the man who has more living descendants than almost any person in history, happiness was found in looting. The practice of looting has gone by many namessacking, plundering, pillagingand has been practiced as long as mankind has existed. Plundering in wartime was long considered a prerogative of conquerers and was even given sanction by God (under certain conditions) for the ancient Israelites (Deuteronomy 20:14). In the modern era, though, pillaging has been outlawed by the international community and is now considered a war crime. Most looting occurs nowadays by civilians, usually in riots or in other times of anarchy. A prime example is the looting that is occurring in Venezuela as the socialist government continues to collapse. Commenting on the destruction in Venezuela, economist Alex Tabarrok explains why looting is an especially pernicious crime: Ordinary theft is about stealing money or valuable final goods like diamonds or art works. In theory, the thief receives more or less what the owner loses. Looting, however, is a special kind of theft. Looting is theft plus destruction. The person who steals a candy bar is a thief. The person who breaks a store front window and steals a candy bar is a looter. Looters destroy intermediate goods and infrastructure and gain far less than owners lose. Looting is the worst kind of theft. If Venezuelas experience is similar to that of America, the looting in the failed state may have as long-lasting an effect as socialism. From 1964 to 1971, as many as 700 riots erupted in cities across America and led to widespread looting. The large numbers of injuries, deaths, property damage that occurred in predominantly black neighborhoods caused considerable short-term damage on the communities. But the impact over the long run (from 1960 to 1980) was even more severe. As Tabarrok notes, socialism is bad but anarchy is worse. While socialists may steal from the people, their theft is less likely to be as harmful in the long-run than the looting of anarchists. Today is the feast day of St. Bernardine of Siena, a fifteenth-century Franciscan known as the apostle of Italy for his preaching and efforts to revive the faith in his time. So many flocked to hear him preach, in fact, that he had to give his sermons outside. Bernardine is also known, though, for his writings and particularly for his systematization of Scholastic economics, which built on the earlier work of St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, and others and helped pave the way for the later Salamanca school of thought. In honor of the saints feast day, Alejandro Chafuen, Actons Managing Director, International, here offers his thoughts on the work of Bernardine and others. This article originally appeared in the August/September 1987 issue of Reason magazine. During the early 1400s, the city of Siena, Italy, was a leading commercial and industrial center, much like its northern neighbor Florence. And in this cradle of capitalism, the most popular figure was a Franciscan friar named Bernardine. His speeches so enraptured listeners that the towns church could not accommodate the crowds, and listeners had to gather in Sienas largest piazza. The noise of the multitude swiftly faded as Bernardine commenced his homily: Have you heard the story about the donkey of the three villages? It happened in the Valley of the Moon. There was a large shed close to the windmill. In order to take the grain to the mill, three villages agreed to buy a donkey and keep him in the shed. A dweller of the first town went for the donkey, took him to his home, loaded the animals back with a heavy bag of wheat, and led him to the mill. During the milling, he released the ass so he could graze, but the fields had become barren because of heavy treading. When the wheat was milled, he collected the flour, loaded it on the donkey, and returned home. The man unloaded the ass and brought him to the shed, muttering to himself, He who used him yesterday must have given him a lot of grass. Surely, he is in no need now and left the donkey. The following day, a villager from the second town went for the donkey. He took him to his farm, placed on him a heavier burden than the day before, andwithout feeding himled the animal to the mill. With the milling over and the flour already at home, the villager returned the donkey to the shed thinking that yesterdays user must have treated the animal well. And, yes, he left the donkey, saying, Oh, I am very busy today. Two days had passed, and the donkey still did not have a bite. On the third day, someone from the third village arrived for the donkey and burdened him with the heaviest load yet. This donkey is owned by the Municipality, he remarked, so it must be strong. And he took him to the mill. But on the way back, with the wheat already milled, the donkey was sluggish and often halting.The villager had to whip him, and after a strenuous effort, they arrived at the shed. The villager complained, What an ass this Municipality bought to serve three towns! He is a piece of trash! That day also the donkey was not fed. Do you want to know how it ended? The fourth day, the poor beast collapsed and was torn to bits. When the majority of U.S. Catholic bishops voiced their disapproval of the market economy in last years pastoral letter, they exhibited not only a lack of understanding of how markets work but also an ignorance of their own religious heritage. For Catholic teaching includes a vital, though too often ignored, strain of free-market thoughtthat of late-medieval theologians like St. Bernardine. Perhaps St. Bernardines religious education, with its understanding of human imperfections, explains why he never regarded the authorities or the people as angels. He saw private property as the way to ensure that, in a nonangelical community, goods would be used for the betterment of society. Nor was he alone. During the later middle ages, many leading churchmen hailed free market principles. These were the Scholastics, or Schoolmen, part-time priests and full-time academicians who followed the Aristotelian, rationalist tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas. Most Scholastics were, like St. Bernardine, members of religious ordersDominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, or Augustiniansand taught in ecclesiastical schools. For a few years now, I have been puzzled by why Rachel Held Evans remains popular among many younger evangelicals and why the secular media finds her credible. I was struck by Evans recent CNN article Why Millennials Are Leaving The Church. When reading the post it becomes evident that Evans is not talking about the holy catholic church, but a narrow subculture of conservative American evangelicals. The post does not address why young adults in America are leaving the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, broad evangelical, nor mainline churches. Moreover, after reading this opinion piece it became clear to me that what Evans is saying Millennials want from the church is fully found in the United Methodist Church (UMC). Evans rightly argues that conservative evangelical churches will not be able to bait-and-switch young adults with cool gimmicks in order to keep them in the doors. Historically speaking, American Christians have always panicked about teens and young adults leaving the church. For example, anxiety over fledgling youth attendances in churches served as the catalyst for the creation of the YMCA and the Boy Scouts. In the 1960s, making church cool led to the introduction of jazz into youth group culture in many Catholic and Protestant churches. After making this good point Evans claims that Millennials are leaving the (evangelical) church because Jesus cannot be found in it. This is the point where the post takes an odd ecclesiastical turn. Evans says that what Millennials really want from the church is: [N]ot a change in style but a change in substance. We want an end to the culture wars. We want a truce between science and faith. We want to be known for what we stand for, not what we are against. We want to ask questions that dont have predetermined answers. We want churches that emphasize an allegiance to the kingdom of God over an allegiance to a single political party or a single nation. We want our LGBT friends to feel truly welcome in our faith communities. We want to be challenged to live lives of holiness, not only when it comes to sex, but also when it comes to living simply, caring for the poor and oppressed, pursuing reconciliation, engaging in creation care and becoming peacemakers. Without question, all of these things are important to consider in 2013. There was something about this list, however, that sounded vaguely familiar to me. Before joining the Presbyterian Church In America, I spent just over 21 years in the United Methodist Church. I had great years there and know the ethos very well. When I read the CNN piece it hit me: Evans is saying nothing particularly provocative nor even progressive; she simply represents a standard UMC critique of conservative evangelicalism. Given Evans presuppositions, I am not certain she could list a single objection to what the UMC believes and practices. For the record, I have nothing against the UMC, but I do find it odd if Millennials, who are leaving evangelicalism and passionately seeking the kind of church Evans describes, dont join a mainline denomination like the United Methodist Church. The UMC embodies everything Evans says Millennials want. The UMC is outside of the culture wars. It has no conflicts with science and faith and clearly teaches what they are for instead of against. The UMC is a place where LGBT friends are welcomed. Moreover, if anyone knows anything about Wesleyanism, you know that Methodists have a deep emphasis on personal holiness and social action. Again, the Jesus that Evans wants to find is waiting for her and her followers in the UMC. Again, herein lies the core question: Why doesnt Evans, and others who embrace her critique of the church, simply encourage Millennials, who do not believe Jesus is found in their churches, to join churches like the UMC? If someone is passionate about Jesus and is truly looking for him, but doesnt find him in one church, wouldnt it stand to reason that a genuine search would lead that person to another church where it is believed Jesus actually is? It makes me wonder if the Evans critique is not about something else. One of the many blind spots in Evans entire project is that young evangelicals are not leaving evangelical churches to join mainline churches like the UMC, they are leaving the church altogether in many cases. Evans list does not help us understand these phenomena much at all. In fact, even the UMC, with all Evans lauded attributes, is hemorrhaging. The bottom line is that most American Christian denominations are declining across the board, especially among their millennial attendees, and it would require a fair amount of hubris to attempt to explain the decline across Americas 350,000 congregations. I do not have the answer to my original question but I do know that Evans and her fans seem to long for United Methodism and should be encouraged to join the denomination, and other mainline churches like it, since they do not believe the churches they criticize have Jesus. Criticizing evangelical churches on CNN for not being essentially United Methodist seems bizarre and, perhaps, reveals that what Evans actually represents is nothing but American United Methodism in evangelical whiteface. [product sku=1035] Since I won my Emmy Award from CBS Sports NFL Today that helped carve out the most amazing career I could possibly ask for this story caug... PLEASE let us take the gloves off trump! he texted another agent. In Tucson, Arizona, a Border Patrol agent called immigrants "mindless murdering savages" before ramming into one of these people with his truck. Said the agent later in his own defense, this sort of racist hate is simply "part of the agency's culture." Doesn't excuse what he is alleged to have done back in 2017, and I don't doubt him. From the Washington Post, which cites original reporting by the Arizona Republic in Tucson: "PLEASE let us take the gloves off trump!" he texted another agent who, at the time, was facing criminal charges for shooting an unarmed Mexican teenager through the border fence. Migrants, Bowen suggested, are "disgusting subhuman s unworthy of being kindling for a fire." Less than two weeks later, prosecutors say, Bowen hit one such migrant with his truck, coming inches away from running the man over and then lied about the incident in a report. The texts came to light in filings last month in U.S. District Court in Tucson as Bowen's attorney fought to suppress a flurry of messages in which the agent used slurs and made light of violence by agents. But Bowen's views are hardly extraordinary, argued his attorney, Sean Chapman. Rather, his sentiments are "commonplace throughout the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector," Chapman wrote, adding that such messages are "part of the agency's culture." Chapman later clarified in an email to The Washington Post that he intended that argument only to apply to one particular term Bowen regularly used in texts: "tonk," which some agents claim is an innocent acronym, the Arizona Republic reported, and others say is a slur derived from the sound of hitting an immigrant on the head with a flashlight. The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol told the Arizona Daily Star on Sunday its agents are "held to the highest standards, and any action of misconduct within our ranks will not be tolerated." Sure thing. Read more: 'Mindless murdering savages': Border agent used slurs before allegedly hitting migrant with his truck [washingtonpost.com] Betsy DeVos used personal email accounts for her government work as the Secretary of Education in 'limited' cases, the Inspector General said. The report also found DeVos did not consistently preserve her government-related email messages properly, as is required by federal law. Most of the violating emails were people congratulating her on getting a job in the Trump administration. BUT HER EMAILS. From the Associated Press: The agency's Office of Inspector General released a report finding "limited" instances in which DeVos sent work emails from four personal accounts. Investigators say they found fewer than 100 emails to or from DeVos' personal accounts on the department's email system, and found no evidence of "active or extensive" use of her personal accounts. But they found that the emails, which should have been forwarded to her government account, "were not always being properly preserved." House Democrats asked for a review of her emails back in 2017. [PHOTO: Official US Gov portrait via wikimedia.org] Heads up: The clock is winding down on a free-entry contest to win not only one of the best smartphones on the market but a handy pair of earbuds. A simple sign-up is all you need to be eligible to win a 256 GB iPhone XS Max, along with AirPods. And while "free" is tough to beat, it's worth noting that there are some other great deals out there for Apple and iPhone accessories. First up, there's the Syncwire UNBREAKcable, a charging cord that's true to its name. Made with an ultra-high molecular weight polyurethane exterior, it's practically bulletproof and is rated to withstand more than 30,000 90-degree bends. Compatible for iPhone, iPad or iPods, the Syncwire UNBREAKcable is $10.99 more than 40% off its original price of $18.99. For safe and fast charging, wireless is the way to go. This Qi Wireless Fast Charging Pad quick juice to any Qi-enabled phone including the iPhone X, latest Samsung Galaxy models and many more all without cords. Just place your phone on the pad and get a full charge that will actually maintain your phone's overall battery life. And thanks to internal safeguards, there's no need to worry about overheating on either the pad or your device. Originally priced at $21.99, the Qi Wireless Fast Charging Pad is now available at $14.99. The BentoStack Charge is inspired by the feng shui of the popular Japanese lunchboxes, but this miniature unit is more than just looks. It holds charging cables, earbuds, Apple Watch bands, and plugs in their own dedicated compartments, and the box itself doubles as a Qi wireless charger. Right now, you can pick up the BentoStack Charge for $79.95, a price drop of more than $10 from its previous sale price of $89.99. With their wire-free listening, AirPods are all about convenience until they're not there. And once they fall out, they're easy to lose. Enter Earhoox 2.0 for Apple EarPods & AirPods, a crucial accessory that provides a secure fit for any ear. A 2-pack of Earhoox 2.0 for Apple EarPods & AirPods are $14.99, down from the original MSRP of $19.98. A Mississippi abortion ban signed into law by Republican governor Phil Bryant in March says any physician who performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected may lose their state medical licenses. The law only allows abortion if the state decides a pregnancy endangers a woman's life or "one of her major bodily functions," and allows no exceptions for pregnancies induced by rape or incest. "Other states are following Mississippi with heartbeat bills," Bryant tweeted on Sunday. "A new national movement has begun. We now have a President that stands for the unborn. Look for the left to increase their hateful attacks." From the Associated Press: The Jackson Women's Health Organization says the law is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide. Abortion opponents have pushed new restrictions in several states this year the most recent being Alabama, which just last week passed a law banning nearly all abortions in the hopes that a case will make its way to the high court. They are emboldened by new conservative justices on the court appointed by President Donald Trump, who tweeted over the weekend that he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the pregnant woman. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves is scheduled to hear arguments on Tuesday over the clinic's request for him to stop the law from taking effect July 1. It was unclear whether Reeves would issue a decision immediately. If Reeves were to temporarily block the law, he would hear arguments later on the larger question of constitutionality. In 2018, Mississippi enacted a law to ban abortions after 15 weeks, and Reeves struck it down, writing that it "unequivocally" violates women's constitutional rights. Governors in Georgia, Kentucky and Ohio have also signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Missouri lawmakers passed an eight-week ban Friday. Other states, including Louisiana, are considering similarly restrictive laws. None of the laws that have been signed have yet taken effect. All are expected to be blocked while challenges work their way through courts. Guatemalan minor is fourth to have died in custody under Trump campaign In the Texas Rio Grande Valley today, a 16-year-old boy from Guatemala died in US Border Patrol custody, according to a statement from Customs and Border Protection. He is the fifth Guatemalan minor the agency has acknowledged to have died after being apprehended at the southwestern border since December, writes Buzzfeed News reporter Julia Arciga: Officials said they found the boy "un-responsive" during a welfare check Monday morning after he was apprehended in Texas on May 13. The boy was waiting for Office of Refugee Resettlement placement at Weslaco Border Patrol Station on Sunday. His cause of death is not yet known, and the agency is not releasing his identity at this time. The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, the Guatemalan government, and Congress have been notified of the incident. We have no way of knowing if more have died, or what conditions these children live in under Border Patrol detention, because the government of Donald Trump has maintained a blockade of secrecy around the sometimes secret sites where the youth are held. We really don't know. But I do know this. One death was a tragedy. And it was enough. That they've publicly confirmed and announced five dead kids already is an indicator of more grave possibilities. Another Guatemalan Migrant Died In The US Government's Custody The Fourth Since December [buzzfeednews.com] Amnesty International: "This death, which comes days after the admin released a proposal to make it even more difficult for people to seek safety in this country, leads us to wonder how many deaths it will take for the admin to ensure the safety and security of children." https://t.co/Kx6El7S2YO Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) May 20, 2019 Immigration authorities say the Guatemalan teenager was apprehended near Hidalgo, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley a week ago. He was found unresponsive during a routine welfare check this morning at a Border Patrol station. NPR (@NPR) May 20, 2019 Imagine if five US children in the custody of the Guatemalan government had died in the last month. john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) May 20, 2019 At a family detention campI met a suicidal 4-year-old whose face was covered in bloody, self-inflicted scratches[she] would beg her mother to get in the water. She didn't want to swim. She wanted the "crocodillos" to eat them so they could go to heaven and escape that place https://t.co/6thymw3dCP Taylor Levy (@taylorklevy) May 20, 2019 Writing in Fortune, Beth Kowitt gives us a look inside the Googler Uprising, wherein Google staff launched a string of internal reform movements, triggered first by the company's secret participation in an AI/drone warfare project for the Pentagon, then a secret attempt to build a censored/surveilling search engine for use in China, then the revelation that the company had secretly paid off an exec accused of sexual assault, to tune of $150m. Participation in the protests rose and rose, peaking with a 20,000 googler worldwide walkout. Kowitt frames the story as a somewhat inevitable result of Google's years of rhetoric about its transparency and responsiveness, as well as the company's "Don't Be Evil" motto, all of which gave the company a competitive edge in the white-hot techie labor market, which lets potential recruits shop around for more than a good financial package it lets them shop for a good ethical package, too. The company is worth billions, and it is overseen by execs who are to some extent beholden to investors (if not for direct control over the company, which is held by the founders, then for the company's share-price, on which rests the vast bulk of the top execs' net worth), and these leaders have gradually and persistently pushed the company toward profitable work that is in the company's no-go zone of projects that the staff are unlikely to support and may actively oppose. To balance out this tension, the company doubled down on secrecy, hiding its plans from the majority of employees. Inevitably, this backfired spectacularly, because any doubts that googlers had about whether the company was up to no good were erased by the fact that the company did the work in unprecedented secrecy: your boss isn't hiding his plans to outfit military drones with your company's AI code because he knows you'll really love the idea and doesn't want to spoil the surprise. Now, the company is stuck: secrecy inevitably gets breached, and then the employees your company absolutely relies on and can't replace who can get a job across the street in a heartbeat start to quit or threaten to quit. The company is clearly unwilling to abandon high-return ventures even when they're terrible ethical propositions, so it's trying ever-worse tactics to let it keep its workforce and still betray the principles it promised them when they signed on. First, the company illegally retaliated against the Uprising's key organizers (predictably, this sparked another walkout). More recently, googlers were warned in a company-wide memo that any attempts to dig up information on the company's illicit secret projects will be treated as firing offenses. All of this is against the backdrop of waves of far-reaching, poorly constructed internet regulation around the world, passed on the strength of global resentment against the platforms and their monopolies. This is a hell of a moment for Big Tech's poster child to be publicly punishing its whistleblowers. The company is obviously locked in a struggle between people who want to play a long game of burnishing Google's reputation as an ethical, open Big Tech player, and those who want to maximize their net worth and goose their annual bonuses, with the rank-and-file employees holding something like the balance of power, thanks to the tight tech labor market. Google management has shown a willingness to listen to employeesand, in some cases, to change. The company says it had become over-reliant on TGIF and is now too big and sprawling to address every issue in the weekly one-hour meeting. It's experimenting with adding different forums, like town halls focused on single topics, such as its recently published diversity report. "That was a realization that we came to as we started to see people raising their hands and saying, 'My voice isn't getting heard enough,' " says Fitzpatrick. And in an attempt to quell the increase in uncivil interactions on its internal platforms, its new "community guidelines" ban slurs and references to sex acts in any work document and require every online group to have a moderator, who must go through training. The company has also revamped internal reporting channels for issues like sexual harassment. The Google organizers have taken to calling themselves the "entitled vocal majority," after one employee publicly referred to them as the "entitled vocal minority." No matter its size, there's no denying the group has been impactful, playing a role in Google's decision to not renew its contract for Project Maven. The company also has killed Dragonfly, saying there are no plans to launch search in China and that no work is being undertaken on such a project. Google has also pulled out of its sponsorship of the Conservative Political Action Conferenceit irked the company's liberal employees to see the company's logo next to the NRA'sand disbanded its artificial intelligence ethics council after employees published an open letter contesting the appointment of the president of conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation. Google employees have started to flex their power beyond the company too. The one walkout demand Google met was doing away with forced arbitration, which required employees settle their disputes with the company behind closed doors. A group of Googlers has taken the fight to Washington, where it is pushing for legislation that would ban the practice. "Congresspeople take meetings with Google workers that they didn't take with Chipotle workers," says Vicki Tardif, an ontologist at Google, who has been with the company for eight years. If they're able to help push something through, she says, "then we've done that greater good that we came to Google to do." Inside Google's Civil War [Beth Kowitt/Fortune] (via /.) "The Trump administration is ending funding for a network of research centers focused on environmental threats to kids, imperiling several long-running studies of pollutants' effects on child development," report @CorbinHiar & @ArielWittenberg for @EENewsUpdates. The changes at EPA are seen by critics as an attack on science and a green light for polluting industries. Andrew Wheeler, who lobbied for fossil fuel companies prior to randomly being tapped by Trump as the head of the EPA, said earlier in 2019 that "protecting children's health is a top priority for EPA." EPA's budget proposal directs $50 million toward "healthy schools" grants that are about removing lead and rats from school sites. It also ends roughly $220.6 million from four different research programs that work on toxic chemicals in drinking water. Flint, Michigan still does not have clean water. From Corbin Hiar and Ariel Wittenberg, reporting for E&E News: At issue are 13 Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers located at institutions across the country, from UCLA to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Jointly funded by EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) for more than two decades, the children's centers study everything from childhood leukemia to the development of autism spectrum disorders. Grants to those centers have long been considered unique in the public health world for including funding for both research and public outreach. Children's health advocates have been worried about the loss of EPA support for the centers since at least 2017. That December, the agency's Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee urged then-Administrator Scott Pruitt to continue financially supporting the centers. They are "a successful and effective model of multidisciplinary, community-oriented investigations," committee Chairwoman Barbara Morrissey wrote in a letter. "The network of collaborating Children's Centers advances the field of children's environmental health more profoundly and significantly than what can be accomplished with individual studies." Four months later, Pruitt sent a brief reply that made no mention of future funding. "I acknowledge the strong recommendation to continue financial support of the centers," he wrote. "We will honor our existing funding commitments to the centers." More recently, a federal lead action plan from EPA and a number of government agencies described the research centers as "important resources." EPA didn't respond to questions about how industry allies or individual officials might benefit. Read the full article (requires signup): EPA cuts off funding for kids' health research centers Even with the Capitol Putsch of January 6th and with the second year of the Pandemic, a year in which national stories resonated powerfully ... Featured Post Watch now 'Understory: Tongass Forest Documentary' Destruction of Alaskan Coastal Rain Forest "There was a time when the less greedy you are, and the more you can give, the wealthier you are," said Marina Anderson, Haida, tr... Archive Search This Blog Donate to Censored News Please donate to Censored News for travel and equipment for our live coverage. Thank you, Brenda. About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 39 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com Translate News / National by ZimLive Former war veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda, recently re-admitted into Zanu-PF following his expulsion in 2014, was barred from running for the position of Zanu-PF chairman for Bulawayo province last Saturday.Sibanda resurfaced in Bulawayo with campaign posters gunning for the Chairmanship of the Province.Sibanda was fired from ZANU-PF after accusing Grace Mugabe of usurping the powers of the President.He was accused of working with former Vice President Joice Mujuru to remove President Mugabe.Meanwhile, Zanu-PF says it has nullified all but three elections for provincial leaders for the province, with officials overseeing the process saying they were not happy with the calibre of people voted into certain positions.Some of the positions set to be put to contest again include secretary for administration, secretary for finance, secretary for legal affairs and secretary for health.Sibanda was a clear favourite to win the chairmanship, but he faced opposition from some officials in the province who said he was not in their structures.Cephas Ncube, who chairs the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association in Bulawayo province, was declared the new provincial chairman on Sunday and his win stands, said George Nare from the party's commissariat.Nare maintained that Sibanda had not been disqualified but "he was persuaded by fellow war veterans not to contest and allow Ncube, who is chairman of the war veterans in Bulawayo province, to do so which he won resoundingly."Ncube saw off the challenge of Isaac Dakamela, Abednico Nyathi and Cornelius Nyathi to land the position, although the results were not shared with journalists.Rejoice Ndlovu was elected as leader of the Women's League in the province, beating Sihle Thebe, Materina Mutunha, Maidei Mpala and Margret Ndlovu-Malinga.Garikayi Zonde will lead the Zanu-PF Youth League in the province after prevailing over Mthunzi Mabhena, Honest Moyo, Nomaqhawe Makonese, Gwinyai Mucheke and Gacia Ndlovu.All other election results were, however, set aside, Nare said because the people being elected either had criminal records, lacked qualifications to lead specialised portfolios or were considered to lack capacity to hold office."As the provincial executive council elections progressed, we discovered that the people who were being elected didn't have the requisite qualifications and experience to occupy the posts. They're not able to mobilise more people to join the party and lack the capacity to manage affairs of the province," Nare said."We therefore, as the restructuring team, Central Committee members and Politburo members decided that it would be unwise to proceed with the elections with unsuitable people being elected to occupy powerful and sensitive posts at provincial level."Nare appeared to express disappointment with how Zanu-PF supporters were voting, saying the "electorate was not measuring up to the party's expectations.""We've given ourselves another week to put our house in order to come up with a new way to pick suitable candidates for the different posts. We had advised party members to avoid electing people with criminal records but surprisingly those people were being elected but it's totally unacceptable. Dubious characters known for extorting money from people in the name of the party and putting it into disrepute were being nominated. It would be irresponsible of us to allow such to happen in the party."For the legal portfolio, the party says it will only consider nominees with law degrees; for health the party wants doctors or nurses and those running for other portfolios like administration and finance must demonstrate academic competence, Nare said. News / National by ZimLive MDC leader Nelson Chamisa called for a transitional government on Sunday, saying President Emmerson Mnangagwa had "legality" but lacked "legitimacy".Chamisa told thousands of cheering supporters in Chiredzi that Mnangagwa had no solutions to an economic crisis gripping the country, warning that Zimbabwe was now under a "dark cloud" which required intervention by the SADC and the African Union to bring warring parties together.The MDC holds its congress from 24 to 26 May, and Chamisa said he would be giving direction on how he intends to bring pressure to bear on Mnangagwa's regime."For us as a way forward, after congress we must kill and deal with issue of legitimacy. Mnangagwa was not voted by the people, but was imposed by the Constitutional Court, and we were voted by the people," Chamisa said."We need to mix the ConCourt decision and the wishes of the people - legality and legitimacy. We must negotiate and dialogue on that. We need a transitional mechanism to fix this country. Something like CODESA (Convention for a Democratic South Africa); to say we have come from elections and we have a stand-off: those imposed by a court and those elected by the people."Chamisa last Friday boycotted the launch of a political dialogue convened by Mnangagwa, and attended by over a dozen leaders of smaller parties.The MDC has called for an outside mediator to lead the dialogue, whose outcomes should be underwritten by regional body SADC and the African Union.Chamisa says Mnangagwa should realise that his dispute is with the MDC, which is challenging his legitimacy claiming he rigged an election last July before securing the backing of the ConCourt."He (Mnangagwa) will come to the negotiating table, kicking and screaming," Chamisa said, hinting that the MDC planned nationwide shutdowns after their congress to turn up the heat on Mnangagwa.He said the MDC wanted a transitional administration which would focus on economic transformation and pushing through critical political and electoral reforms to ensure greater transparency in the 2023 elections."If we don't fix the economy, we're not going anywhere. We told them long back that if you want to go forward, kill the bond note and introduce the United States dollar. Good money follows good policies. Once you have a clean and hygienic house, money will come. Fix the hygiene of your economics, the rest will follow. That's why we must resolve the political issues, because politics leads the economy," he said at a "thank you" rally to thank supporters for voting for him last July.He also invited regional countries to step in and force Mnangagwa to talk to the MDC, warning that " a dark cloud is hanging over Zimbabwe"."Come and help us. Intervene so that we avert the spilling of blood. I say spilling of blood because the regime responds by killing people every time they face peaceful opposition." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to emulate Former President Robert Mugabe is dealing with corrupt individuals surrounding him.Mliswa was commenting on the ongoing NSSA audit that is being conducted."Let's hope those handling the NSSA audit report don't try implicate Patrick Zhuwao as he was only a Minister for a short time and didn't make any transactions. The housing developments were during (Prisca) Mupfumira's tenure and she was removed by Mugabe because of corruption." Said Mliswa. "Those in ZANUPF Politiburo at that time can attest to that as Mugabe was direct. People like Kasukuwere witnessed it. If we say Mugabe was lenient with corruption what are such people still doing in today's government? Mnangagwa must hear the truth about some of those around him with a tainted background."Mliswa exonerated Zhuwawo and Mugabe from any corrupt activities."PatrickZhuwao like his uncle wasn't corrupt, he was an academic. Mugabe's failure became more apparent when he chose a partner not as rigid in courting diverse options."Turning to the challenges affecting the country, Mliswa urged government to restore the hope that Zimbabweans had in November 2017."Hebrews 13:6-8 On 17-11-17 People marched in unity to remove RGM, knowing Mnangagwa would be coming in. We marched in hope of a unifier and a new Zimbabwean team in Cabinet which would deliver. That unity of purpose was phenomenal and is what will get us where we need to be."People aren't too fussed about who leads when they're able to prosper in their own spheres of influence. When they don't have to fret about the basics, when their quality of life is improved. Problems abound when only a handful prosper at the expense of the majority. There was hope, there was hope and there was hope...... let's revive that hope." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Blocked by the CEO of the biggest money monopoly in the country. God is good. pic.twitter.com/tc6sCu1tka Kuda Musasiwa (@begottensun) May 19, 2019 Dear valued customer. Be advised that EcoCash Agents are not supposed to charge extra for Cash Out and you must not pay extra to Cash Out. Report all cases of Agents charging extra to Cash Out to 114 or on the EcoCash social media pages. pic.twitter.com/1FpVcEtioL EcoCash Zimbabwe (@EcoCashZW) May 20, 2019 Kuda Musasisa the business partner of William Mutumanje has exposed Ecocash agents for charging extra cash for Cash Out transactions.Musasiwa's rant on Twitter forced the CEO of Ecocash Natalie Payida Jabangwe to block him."Did you know Ecocash agents selling you back your cash is criminal and Ecocash paying them a commission on the higher amount is against their terms and conditions. And also that Ecocash pocketing the charges from higher rate is also criminal. Who will join me in a class suit?" Said Musasiwa. "With their infinite pockets and aiding and abetting criminal behavior, Ecocash will pay me back my money. Every cent they have pocketed with their agents. I am not afraid to go to all our war. They are complicit in making our lives unbearable hiding behind their monopoly."The CEO Payida hit back at Musasiwa saying, "Always surprised by wanna-be entrepreneurs who do not understand macro-economics and make all sorts of misunderstood business modelling comments without research or know-how. Shifting blame for their failure to those who are working hard to drive honest business."Musasiwa ho could not stomach being called a failed business person said, "For the record: I have not failed. I will continue to build myself and business despite this millionaires opinion. Her only success is taking over a monopoly. And I will get her and her sponsored criminal agents to answer for their crimes." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu MDC-T Vice President Obert Gutu has scoffed at statements by MDC Leader Nelson Chamisa that he is the legitimate party President regardless of the court order that was handed down recently instructing the party to go for a congress to choose a substantive leader.Speaking to party supporters in Chiredzi Chamisa said there is only one MDC and he is the authentic leader after Morgan Tsvangirai.Said Gutu, "The law is the law! Scream as much as you want, shout as much as you want, the law shall always remain the law! Simple! Musakwidzwa ndenge yamashanga! Zizi harina nyanga! Mutuvi hausi mukaka! All froth, no beer! It's GAME ON."Recently Gutu said no amount of noise made by social media users will change the judgement. He said the law will be used to takeover party assets and funds that are held by Chamisa."With the amount of nauseating noise that they make against the Zimbabwean judiciary on social media, you might think they're not worried about court orders. The reality is that they're damn worried. They're at sixes and sevens. They're caught up in a legal and political conundrum"Legal consequences of noting an appeal that is wholly and totally without merit, frivolous and vexatious can be dire. Appellants run the real risk of having their appeal dismissed with costs on a punitive scale of attorney/client and in exceptional cases, with costs de bonis propriis."The former Deputy Minister of Justice added that Chamisa was clueless and visionless. "We have got them exactly where we want i.e. in a hopeless legal and political cul de sac." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu A ZANU PF Youth activist Kudzai Mutisi has called upon the Zimbabwe Republic Police to arrest MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for driving around in a car that has no number plates.Said Mutisi, "Chamisa is driving around with vehicles without registration numbers... We demand the police put an end to this nonsense. If ZRP can't arrest this thug, we will do it on our own. Apply the law, Zimbabwe must not be a lawless country. Arrest these thugs."Mutisi invited the wrath of social media users who questioned his wisdom to discuss MDC leaders number plates when the country is facing serious issues such as currency shortages, price increase and fuel shortages.One Larry said, "The hatred you have towards Chamisa hmmmm. Is this the new dispensation. Dude Chamisa is not Zimbabwe, may you focus on bread and butter issues. It's enough, your obsession is getting out of hand now."The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority announced in the past months that they have shortage of the metal that is used to do number plates.ZANU PF has in the past days been accused of using the state media to create grounds for the arrest of Chamisa and other opposition activists.Last week The Herald carried a story alleging that Chamisa was working with some civic society activists to plot violent protests that shall be unleashed in June.MDC has since denied the allegations as baseless. News / National by Staff reporter Former Cabinet minister, Ignatius Chombo, who is in the courts fighting for the release of his passport which was illegally confiscated had his case dismissed by the magistrate court as the court has no power to give an order to have the passport released.Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube dismissed Chombo's application for the court to order the clerk of court to release his passport."The accused's passport was released through the right formalities. It was the court's decision to give the accused his passport and some security agent seized it, which is illegal and a contempt of court," said Magistrate Ncube.In dismissing that application Magistrate Ncube however said, "The high court granted the bail application to the accused person and this court has no power to give an order to have the passport released."Last week Chombo was forced to abort his trip after security agents forcibly took his passport at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare.A senior Harare prosecutor, Tapiwa Kasema was arrested on criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly consented to the release of a passport belonging to Chombo, who is facing several corruption allegations.Chombo's passport was released to him after the National Prosecution Authority consented to his application for the release on the grounds that he wanted to seek medical attention in South Africa.During the November 2017 coup which deposed former President Robert Mugabe, Chombo, who is facing several corruption allegations, was Finance minister.Previously, he had served in the Home Affairs, Local Government as well as Higher and Tertiary Education portfolios.Harare magistrate Barbara Mateko had released Chombo's passport and postponed his matters to June 27, with the prosecutor Tapiwa Kasema's consent. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Supreme Court ruling on MDC leadership wrangle is an ex mero motu; cx proprio motu or sua sponte. The substantive matters still need determination. While proving judicial independence beyond doubt, it remains a psychological victory for the appellants. Hon. Energy Mutodi (MP) (@energymutodi) May 20, 2019 The Supreme Court of Appeals has ruled that Advocate Nelson Chamisa's Presidency cannot be decided by courts of law but must be subjected to the people.In a video that circulating on social media Advocate Thabani Mpofu is seen explaining what the Supreme Court said regarding the appeal that Chamisa had brought before the court."The key issue now means Chamisa as President of the party did not lose in High Court after the court of appeal has overturned that judgement. Chamisa triumphed. What the Supreme court has said was that courts do not decide or rule in terms of political leaders but people chose own leaders" Advocate Thabani Mpofu said.Advocate Mpofu further explained that, "Now there are substantive issues the court must dwell on, the issue of party logo, symbol and trademarks, whether Dr. Thokozani Khupe will be allowed to use by the High Court"Watch Advocate Mpofu below: Technology / Motors by Mandla Ndlovu For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device. Android (@Android) May 20, 2019 Google has announced that it has with immediate effect suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing.American media reported on Sunday that the blow to the Chinese company was necessitated by Google's desire to implement the U.S. government policy which seeks to have the company blacklisted around the world."We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson was quoted saying.However the Android Twitter account posted that current users will still have access to Google services."For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply with the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US government requirements, services like Google Play and security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device."America on Thursday added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist. The company is accused of using its products for spying purposes. Champagne poured into a row of flutes Investing should be all about taking calculated risks and maximizing long-term returns. The best strategy is usually a rather boring one. However, its worth every investors time to take a closer look at some of the more exciting stocks floating around the exchange. Most of these exciting, usually technology-driven, companies offer lopsided risk-reward ratios. Many of them fail spectacularly, taking hard-earned shareholder cash with them. But every once in a while, along comes a stock that can offer a return potential thats 10, 20, or even fifty times the original investment. Assuming the original investment is sizeable enough ($10,000 or more), these stocks have the potential to single handedly transform average investors into millionaires. In other words, a single good investment in a high-risk technology stock could more than cover for all the duds in the average investors portfolio. With that in mind, heres a closer look at some of these millionaire-makers and their potential returns over the long-term: Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP) Trading at 34 times annual sales and nearly 20 times book value while making a loss, Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP) may not seem like it has much room left for growth beyond its lofty valuation. However, investors often forget or fail to recognize the colossal scale of global retail and the seemingly limitless potential of e-commerce. According to Statista, the global retail market will be worth a jaw-dropping US$28 trillion by next year. Bear in mind that much of retail is still analogue, while online shopping is still a small fraction of overall sales. According to one forecast, the global e-commerce market could reach $6 trillion by 2022, still only 21% of the overall market. Although its nearly impossible that Shopify will ever dominate this industry given that Jeff Bezos company is firmly in the lead at the moment, it could still snatch up a sizeable chunk of the market within the next decade. Even if the company can expand sales to 1% of the market by 2022, and trade at 10 times sales by then, its stock price could multiply 20 times over. Story continues Lightspeed POS Inc (TSX:LSPD) Point-of-sales technology provider Lightspeed POS Inc (TSX:LSPD) participates in a tighter niche thats more competitive, has thinner margins and less potential than e-commerce. Despite this, Grand View Research estimates that the market for POS terminals is expanding at a compounded annual rate of 7.8% and could be worth US$108.45 billion by 2025. Given that Lightspeeds market capitalization is currently hovering at US$1.2 billion, it seems plausible that investors could experience a multi-fold return over the long-term. HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSXV:HIVE) After the 2017 boom, its hard to deny the fact that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have the potential to create immense fortunes out of thin air in relatively short periods. However, buying volatile and unregulated digital assets directly cant be recommended for regular investors. Instead, crypto mining company HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSXV:HIVE) serves as the perfect proxy. The company has two large server farms in Iceland and Sweden that generate Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies around the clock. A portion of the assets generated are retained by the company, which means the rising market price of Bitcoin has a direct correlation with HIVEs listed stocks. Bottom line The three stocks listed in this article may not be the most stable or predictable, but they certainly have the potential to deliver at least a 10-time return on investment. Regardless of investment strategy, these exciting stocks deserve at least a closer look. More reading Fool contributor Vishesh Raisinghani has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Shopify and Shopify. Shopify is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he walks with his wife Brigitte during a visit to Biarritz, southwestern France, Friday, May 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) PARIS (AP) -- French President Emmanuel Macron sees himself as Europe's savior, and this week's European Parliament elections as a make-or-break moment for the beleaguered European Union. But Macron is no longer the fresh-faced force who marched into a surprising presidential victory to the rhythm of the EU anthem two years ago. His pro-Europe vision has collided with national interests across the continent. And at home, his pro-business policies have given rise to France's raucous yellow vest uprising. Macron wanted the May 23-26 European Parliament elections to be his shining moment to push his ambitions for a stronger Europe but instead, nationalists and populists who blame the 28-nation bloc for piles of problems could achieve unprecedented success. They argue that elitist EU leaders have failed to manage migration and remain out of touch with ordinary workers' concerns. "We have a crisis of the European Union. This is a matter of fact. Everywhere in Europe ... all the extremes, extreme-rights, are increasing," Macron said Thursday, making an unexpected appeal for European unity on the sidelines of a technology trade show. "On currency, on digital, on climate action, we need more Europe," he said. "I want the EU to be more protective of our borders regarding migration, terrorism and so on, but I think if you fragment Europe, there is no chance you have a stronger Europe." In person, the 41-year-old Macron comes across as strikingly, sincerely European. A political centrist, he's at ease quoting Greek playwrights, German thinkers or British economists. France's youngest president grew up with the EU and has been using the shared European euro currency his whole adult life, and sees it as Europe's only chance to stay in the global economic game. Macron has already visited 20 of the EU's 28 countries in his two years in office, and while he acknowledges the EU's problems, he says they can only be solved by fixing the bloc not disassembling it. Story continues Macron won the 2017 presidential election over France's far-right, anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen on a pledge to make Europe stronger to face global competition against the U.S. and China. Since then, he's had to make compromises with other EU leaders and clashed with some nations where populist parties govern, from Poland to neighboring Italy. Four months after his election, Macron outlined his vision for Europe in a sweeping speech at Paris' Sorbonne university, calling for a joint EU budget, shared military forces and harmonized taxes. But with Brexit looming and nationalism rising, Macron has had to reconsider his ambitions. He calls his political tactics with other EU leaders a "productive confrontation." That has strained the Franco-German ties that underpin the EU. In March, Macron sought to draw support for Europe with a written call to voters in 28 countries to reject nationalist parties that "offer nothing." And he proposed to a roadmap for the EU by the end of this year based on discussion with a panel of European citizens. "There will be disagreement, but is it better to have a static Europe or a Europe that advances, sometimes at different paces, and that is open to all?" he asked. Macron can count on cooperation from pro-EU governments but has made a point of not yet visiting Hungary or Poland, two nations led by populist leaders whom Macron accused last year of "lying" to their people about the EU. France has also been entangled in a serious diplomatic crisis with Italy a fellow EU founding nation over migration. Italy's anti-migrant Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has repeatedly criticized Macron and is backing his rival Le Pen's National Rally party in the election this week that aims to fill the European parliament's 751 seats. Macron has little chance to repeat Europe-wide what he did in France: rip up the political map by building a powerful centrist movement that weakened the traditional left and right. The campaign for Macron's Republic on the Move party is being led by former European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau under a banner called "Renaissance." The party wants to associate with the pro-market ALDE alliance to create new centrist group at the European Parliament. But across the continent, the centrists are expected to rank third or even lower behind the parliament's traditional two biggest groups, the right-wing European People's Party and the left-wing Socialists and Democrats group. Even at home, Macron is far from certain of being able to claim victory in the European vote. Loiseau's campaign has been lackluster, and polls suggest their party is in a close race with the far-right National Rally in the election, which takes place in France on May 26. Le Pen's National Rally is determined to take revenge after she lost to Macron in 2017, and the European election campaigning has been unusually personal. Le Pen compared Macron this weekend to "a child king" with "a kind of conviction of superpower." Speaking at a meeting of European nationalist leaders in Italy, Le Pen accused Macron of unfairly using his presidential office to campaign against her, and challenged him to step down if his party doesn't come out on top. Le Pen isn't Macron's only problem. His political opponents across the spectrum are calling on French voters to seize the European elections to reject his government's policies. While he won 64% of the presidential vote in 2017, Macron's popularity has been around half that for the past year. It reached record lows when France's yellow vest movement broke out last fall, demanding relief from high taxes and stagnant wages for French workers, then slightly rose as extensive protest violence in Paris and elsewhere dampened support for the movement's cause. At a farmer's market in southern Paris on Sunday, several shoppers said they'd vote for Macron's party, but few exhibited enthusiasm. A few said they voted for Macron in 2017, but plan to choose other parties in the European election if they vote at all. Part-time construction worker Marc Lambert said that despite tax breaks and other gestures by Macron to quell yellow vest anger, the president "still hasn't understood. He is in his bubble" of rich friends and start-up entrepreneurs. Lambert said Macron had failed to convince regular people that "Europe is the solution." Meanwhile, new yellow vest protests are planned against Macron and his government right up to EU election day. ___ Catherine Gaschka in Paris contributed to the story ___ For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria's armed forces chief said on Monday that elections were the best way to overcome the country's political crisis and avoid a constitutional vacuum. After two decades in power, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika quit last month under pressure from protesters and the army, but demonstrations are still pushing for political reforms and the removal of all officials belonging to the old guard. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah, speaking on state television on Monday also called for more speed in forming a committee to supervise the election, without mentioning a date for the vote. A presidential election has been scheduled for July 4 but a source said on Friday it might be postponed. Algeria has been shaken by protests, mostly by young Algerians, demanding to end the dominance of the elite that has been in charge since independence from France in 1962. Analysts say the army is concerned the crisis will continue at a time when instability is worsening in neighboring Libya, where rival forces are fighting over the capital Tripoli. On Friday, protesters gathered again in Algiers to call for the resignations of the interim president, Abdelkader Bensalah, and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, appointed by Bouteflika days before he stepped down. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy, Maher Chmaytelli, Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed; Writing by Ulf Laessing, Editing by Angus MacSwan) A new Saskatchewan book was started by an elder's wish to collect stories from others. Bill Strongarm made a presentation of the Cree and Saulteaux names of different places in the Touchwood Hills area. He was concerned people who remembered the names would soon be gone. This hit home for a First Nations University of Canada professor and researcher, Andrew Miller. "He began telling stories that pushed things back hundreds of years," Miller said. "It completely changes the depth of history." "It just became a very almost magical kind of experience to see a familiar place become much more." Submitted by Andrew Miller Miller, Strongarm, Miriam McNab and others all collaborated together and have now published The Touchwood Hills People: Our Land. While gathering knowledge for the book, one story that surprised Miller was a camp with different artifacts. Some artifacts dated back as far as potentially 8,000 years, Miller said. "They can identify the style of those stone tools," Miller said. "There's a single camp where there was, it appears, more or less continuous occupation for almost 8,000 years. It just blows your hat in a ditch." Submitted by Andrew Miller The peoples of the time also travelled and had specific places and routes with signs, Miller said. Elder Tom Favel described how when the foxtail grass opened, then was time for people to travel west to a lake with a number of chokecherry bushes and go duck hunting. "There's an environmental signal," Miller said. "They're nice and fat you know getting ready for migration. And that was the time to catch them." The environmental signs that link together are things that not many people know about anymore, Miller said. But they can educate people on how the world is changing. "It's fascinating to hear it from a historical or cultural perspective but it also has a great deal to tell us about environmental change," he said. Submitted by Andrew Miller The stories also hold educational practices to teach the next generation their history. Students were also involved in the book by being present while interviewing elders, transcribing the interviews and creating lesson plans, Miller said. Story continues "Students are gaining experience, professional experience," Miller said. "There's a lot to be really, really happy about with this project." These stories need to be preserved because it's important, Miller said. "If we allow ourselves to be aware of history, it really changes our understanding of who we are and where we stand and the big picture of what Saskatchewan is," he said. Submitted by Andrew Miller Often, the colonial history of English and French settling the area is only told, with First Nations having no history, he said. "It's just not true," Miller said. "There is a fascinating history that goes back hundreds of years thousands of years. But we have to get our heads around it." Touchwood includes members of the Kawacatoose, Gordon First Nation, Muskowekwan and the Day Star First Nation. The book was published by the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre and can be found for $20 at the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council in Punnichy, Sask. Austin Eubanks, who was previously candid about his addiction to opioids after surviving the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, died of an apparent accidental drug overdose. Eubanks, 37, was found in his Steamboat Springs, Colorado home about 6:30 a.m. Saturday by his father, who called 911, Steamboat Springs Commander Jerry Stabile tells PEOPLE. An autopsy was being conducted Monday, but toxicology results were not yet available, Stabile said Monday. The results should be available in two to four weeks, Routt County Coroner Robert Ryg tells PEOPLE. When asked if the cause of death was an unintentional drug overdose, Stabile said, Theres indications, yes, but stated that a final determination would be made once the investigation and autopsy are complete. No foul play is suspected, he said. His family confirmed his death, saying in a statement, Eubanks lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face. Stabile said a return to drug use can be a sadly common reality. About 40 to 60 percent of those treated for substance use disorders suffer a relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Its a terrible disease, Stabile said. It appears that its a lifelong endeavor to turn the corner on it. This is a prime example of that. Austin Eubanks | Austin Eubanks/Instagram RELATED: 20 Years After School Shooting, Current Columbine Students Spotlight Horrors of Gun Violence Eubanks was a 17-year-old student at Columbine when two fellow students entered the school and began shooting people in a reign of terror which left 13 people dead and 23 wounded. The shooters also took their own lives. Eubanks was shot in the hand and knee and witnessed the killing of his best friend, Corey DePooter, as they hid under a table in the library, he told PEOPLE in a 2016 interview. RELATED: Parkland Shooting Survivor Speaks at White House Listening Session He was given painkillers at the hospital, which he said quickly led to an addiction to opioids and other drugs. I learned I didnt have to process emotion. I could keep myself numb if I was on substances, he admitted. Story continues He struggled with dependence for many years and attempted rehab on several occasions, relapsing each time until finding long-term sobriety in 2011 through therapy, in-patient treatment and accountability partners, he said. In 2016, he said he had been clean for five years and was on a mission to help and inspire others, speaking widely as a motivational speaker about his own battle and recovery. He worked at Foundry Treatment Center in Steamboat Springs from 2015 to 2019, serving as Chief Operations Officer, Aubrey Gordon, a spokeswoman for the center and Eubanks family, tells PEOPLE. Austin Eubanks | Laura Rauch/AP/REX/Shutterstock RELATED: On 20th Anniversary of Columbine, Deaths Still Haunt Principal: They Will Always Be My Kids In his 2016 PEOPLE interview, Eubanks said he was divorced and had two children, Caden and Landon, then 10 and 6 years old, and was engaged to be married again. However, that marriage did not take place, Gordon says. No funeral arrangements have been announced as of yet. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Aarohi Pandit flew across the Atlantic Ocean in an ultralight plane and just arrived in Nunavut and she says it was "like I'm riding on a white bird with long wings." The 23-year-old from Mumbai, India, has been flying since the age of 17. She's a commercial pilot at home, but recently decided to fly solo around the world in a year-long campaign to empower women. "I just want girls, not just in India but around the world, to know that if you can dream it, you can do it," said Pandit, after flying more than 3,000 kilometres across the ocean in extreme weather conditions. Pandit started her Atlantic stretch in Scotland, and took off from Nuuk, Greenland, last Monday. It took her about four hours and 40 minutes to land in Iqaluit on Tuesday. "I have seen men doing it. I got the thought that if men can do it, why can't a woman?" Pandit says while four men have made the journey by light-sport aircraft, she's the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in the tiny aircraft named Mahi a Sinus 912, light-sport aircraft, with a single engine, that weighs just over 400 kilograms. "My aircraft is very small," she said. "It's an ultralight, very light aircraft, so there are lots of limitations." Because of its size, it can only endure a few hours of flying at a time. "It's fun," she said. "It's very light. I feel like I'm riding on a white bird with long wings." Rough weather, beautiful Baffin Island Pandit says the journey didn't come without its bumps the weather could change every half hour, she said. I was happy to be on land again. It was quite cold. I was freezing. - Aarohi Pandit, pilot "It was quite difficult to manipulate the winds and the clouds, and fly safe, keep myself and my plane safe over the ocean." But Pandit says she enjoyed the views approaching Baffin Island. "It was beautiful," she said. "Blue water everywhere, open skies. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I'll never forget." Story continues Travis Burke/CBC And upon arrival, she was greeted with a warm cup of coffee. "I was happy to be on land again. It was quite cold. I was freezing." Pandit started in India, then stopped in Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, across Europe to Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and finally Canada. Her longest stretch so far has been the first half of the Atlantic journey from Scotland to Iceland which took five hours and 20 minutes "because of vigorous winds." Now, Pandit is almost halfway around the world. She'll fly to Alaska, then Russia, and eventually back home. She's hoping to break more records in her circumnavigation journey back to India by July 30. BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's army on Monday denied putting pressure on high-ranking officers to sharply increase the number of rebels and gang members killed or captured in military operations across the Andean nation. The denial followed a New York Times report over the weekend, which cited military sources as saying the armed forces leadership had ordered a doubling in the number of dead, captured or surrendered guerrillas and criminals, even though the policy could pose increased risks for civilians. "I haven't done any pressuring," army chief General Nicacio de Jesus Martinez told reporters. "No battalion commander has been relieved (of their duties) because of results." In its report, the New York Times said Martinez had confirmed giving an order to double operational results because of continuing security threats in the country, which is a leading source of cocaine. The newspaper drew parallels between the policy and the so-called "false positives" scandal of the late 2000s, when some army units were found to have killed civilians and then listed them as guerrillas killed in combat to pad casualty numbers and earn rewards from superiors. Dozens of former military officials have been convicted of crimes connected to that scandal. The victims were largely poor young men from slums or rural areas. Defense Minister Guillermo Botero said the military had been pushing for an increase in guerrilla and gang member captures and surrenders, instead of deaths, since 2007. But he denied there was a policy specifically aimed at exerting pressure on commanders, or using incentives such as increased vacation time, to boost arrest and casualty numbers. The armed forces have increased operations 110 percent since President Ivan Duque took office in August 2018, Botero said, linking the surge to a boost in illicit drug production and trafficking. Armed groups are bolstering their ranks and training in neighboring Venezuela, he added. Human rights groups have repeatedly accused military officials of collaborating with right-wing paramilitary groups and of looking the other way when those groups committed massacres, rapes and torture. Armed forces chief Luis Fernando Navarro, speaking at the same news conference as Botero and Martinez, said the military would halt any operation that looked likely to put civilians at risk. "The army metes out punishment when the law is violated or when human rights standards or international humanitarian law are violated," said Botero. Colombia's armed forces battle criminal gangs, many comprised of ex-paramilitaries, Marxist-led National Liberation Army rebels and the remains of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group, which officially demobilized in 2017. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosts; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Tom Brown) Public-private partnerships are about to make a comeback in Alberta. Premier Jason Kenney told reporters May 13 public-private partnerships are the future for infrastructure projects. "We think in the long run, the way we can get more job-creating infrastructure to make Alberta's economy more efficient is through more public-private partnerships," Kenney said. "We're going to be very aggressive about pursuing P3s to bring private sector capital into helping to build public infrastructure. That's one way we think we can get more bang for the taxpayer's buck." Commonly known as P3s, the model often sees the private sector take on the majority share of financing and construction. There are often penalties built into the contract that the private sector is forced to pay if, for example, there are delays. 'Balancing act' Alberta is no stranger to P3 infrastructure projects. For some previous provincial governments, the P3 model has been a way to invest in infrastructure projects while putting most of the risk into the private sector's lap. The coupling of private and public sectors can be a great thing for any province, some experts say. The design of many P3 contracts does put a fair amount of responsibility of public infrastructure into the hands of the private sector, said Teresa Kramarz, associate professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto and co-director of Environmental Governance Lab. "Whenever you contract out, there's a certain degree of slack that the contractor has, interpretation that they have, in order to carry out the contract. You're giving them a certain amount of slack in order to do their job the best they can," said Kramarz. P3s can be the right approach to a project but they are "a balancing act," she says. The government balances its needs through control over the private sector, while still giving enough "slack" to the private sector so they can use their skill set to get the job done, she added. Story continues Scott Neufeld/CBC But sometimes, that balance can falter. "That contracted company is also there to yes, use their expertise. Yes, get more business so to do a good job but also to generate profit. "So if it comes to a point in which it's generating loss, they might cut corners. They might do it in a way that pays attention to their bottom line but doesn't pay attention to a broader public concern." There are other known risks when dealing with the private sector through the P3 model. In Ontario, a report released by the auditor general in 2014, found that 74 P3 projects in that province cost taxpayers $8 billion more than expected over nine years. One of the reasons? Private companies pay much more for financing than governments do, the audit found. Infrastructure Ontario at the time told CBC the $8-billion hole was worth it, since it ensures those projects are built on time and on budget, and saved the province from $18.6 billion in potential cost overruns. Timothy Murphy is a lawyer with McMillan LLP, who has been involved with nearly 100 P3s projects across the country through the private sector. At end of day, the decision needs to fit the needs of the people - Teresa Kramarz He says that it's critical for governments to have the expertise when deciding if a project should go the P3 route. "You only use [P3s] when it's the right answer. If it's not, from an efficiency and effectiveness point of view, you don't use it," Murphy said. Kramarz agrees. "At the end of day, the decision needs to fit the needs of the people," she said. Alberta supporter of P3s historically Several major infrastructure projects in Alberta have been done through a P3 model, including the construction of portions of Edmonton and Calgary's ring roads. Schools and wastewater treatment plants across the province have also been built under the public-private partnership formula. "Alberta has historically been supporters of public-private partnerships," said Mark Romoff, president of Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships, which advocates for innovative P3 projects. "That did change under premier Notley." Evaluating a P3 project For governments that invest in the P3 model, a project's success is often evaluated by finishing on time and within budget, Romoff said. "Those tend to be the sort of measures that international governments look at because citizens want stuff built faster, better and cheaper. It's just the nature of it," he added. By those standards alone, many projects in Alberta have done well, according to government figures. Provincial statistics provided to CBC show 40 schools and Kananskis's water and wastewater treatment plant built using the P3 model were all completed on time and on budget. Experts say those are tangible wins for taxpayers. "When it is the right project and structured in the right way, we have found that public-private partnerships in Canada have really been very effective both in terms of bringing projects in on time and on budget. But more importantly, with significant economic impact," Romoff said. But not every project in the province has met those standards of success. The southeast portion of the Calgary ring road was delayed and the contractor was penalized, according to a provincial government spokesperson. CBC The first portion of the Valley Line LRT, which is still under construction through a P3 model, has been delayed by an unspecified amount of time. School builds also under the P3 model have presented some school boards in the province with issues. Edmonton Public Schools Board chair Michelle Draper said Tuesday there have been some post-construction woes. "We have P3 schools. There's been some challenges and we're working to address those. Different models look different ways, so I'm keen to meet with the premier, the minister of education and minister of infrastructure and look at what we can do to address the infrastructure and space crunch needs of Edmonton Public [schools]," Draper said. In 2007, Alberta announced 18 new schools would be built as public-private partnerships. Nathan Gross/CBC But three years later, the province's auditor general, Merwan Saher, said the government's claim that $118 million would be saved under the partnerships versus traditional builds, was overstated by about $20 million. Romoff says the P3 model doesn't fit every project, which is why it's important the public sector properly identifies projects that will work. "What you want are really well-formed partnerships between government and the private sector and a commitment to getting things built and maintained over their lifecycle in a way that works for you and me. Because in the end, it's us, the taxpayers, that really are focused on this." Former P3 projects in Alberta Here are some examples of previous P3 projects in Alberta. Southeast section of Stoney Trail ring road One of three sections of Calgary's ring road using the P3 model, the southeast section was completed in late November 2013, 52 days past its deadline. The consortium building the 25-kilometre stretch of road was fined a total of $3.64 million for the delay. On time? No On budget? Yes Calgary Composting Facility It's the largest facility of its kind in Canada and processes upwards of 145,500 metric tons of food and yard waste, as well as biosolids, from across the city and turns it into soil. The facility is owned by the city, but operated by AIM Environmental. On time? Yes On budget? Yes Government of Alberta Southeast section of Anthony Henday Drive The government at the time credited the on-time and under budget success of this project to the P3 model. This was Alberta's first highway project built in partnership with a private company. On time? Yes On budget? Yes Evan-Thomas Water and Wastewater Treatment Facility (Kananaskis) Serving a small population and popular recreational area, this $59.6-million water treatment plant in a natural setting faced stiff regulatory conditions. It required Epcor to design, build and then operate the facility for 10 years. On time? No On budget? Yes Northeast section of Anthony Henday Drive The 27-kilometre, $1.81-billion northeast portion of the Anthony Henday Drive completed Edmonton's ring road when it opened to the public in 2016. On time? Yes On budget? Yes (This story contains graphic imagery.) The most dangerous places on the planet exert an irresistible pull on Lynsey Addario. "It's impossible to turn away from this job, it's impossible to stop doing it," the celebrated war photographer says. Over the past 25 years Addario has shot stunning images for publications including The New York Times, Time Magazine and National Geographic. Her photos have earned her a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Fellowship. They have also put her in perilous situations. Albert Leung/CBC Addario has braved bullets and shelling in war zones. She was detained in Afghanistan in 2001 while covering the Taliban. During the Arab Spring in 2011, she slipped into Libya and was kidnapped after covering Gadhafi rebels on the front lines of the war there. She had several close brushes with death in Iraq. "I was so scared," says Addario. "There were mortars shot at us pretty consistently. We were living in bunkers." Still, Addario has never shied away from shining a spotlight on victims of war and oppression. She says the work is her calling: Addario recently published a book of 200 of her photos from the past two decades, called Of Love & War. The collection focuses on women in conflict zones around the world. In an interview with CBC's The National, Addario shared images taken at pivotal moments in her career, and why they hold special significance for her. Transgender sex workers in NYC Lynsey Addario graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995 with a degree in international relations and Italian. With no formal photography training, she started taking pictures a year later. One of her earliest assignments was for The Associated Press, photographing transgender sex workers in New York City's meatpacking district. She spent six months immersed in the community to show the human side of a group of people often sidelined by the city and its services. "I think an image has to be subtle, but it has to tell a story," says Addario. Story continues "I think, you know, we see so many images every single day that most people don't pay attention anymore." Paul Conroy/Reuters Taliban in Afghanistan One of her first forays into a foreign war zone came in 2000, when Addario travelled to Afghanistan while it was still under Taliban control. At the time, photography in the country was illegal and women did not walk the streets alone. She focused her camera on the struggles of women there. It was a theme and a country she would return to many times during her career. She also took pictures of the faces of the conflict. "We wanted to show the nature of the war in Afghanistan. We wanted to understand the battle," she says. Lynsey Addario Iraq In 2003, Addario made her way quietly into Iraq while it was still under Sadam Hussein's rule. Once in, she found herself on the front lines of combat between an Al-Qaeda-backed group and Kurdish fighters. She took photos of civilian casualties, U.S. troops, displaced people, and women mourning their husbands and trying to shelter their children. In a letter to her mother from Iraq in 2004, Addario wrote, "I am still in Baghdad. I almost died yesterday, and the day before, and am tired and stressed " Lynsey Addario Libya In 2011, Addario slipped into Libya to cover the Arab Spring. She ended up on the front lines of combat again, this time capturing photos of the rebels fighting against Moammar Gadhafi's forces. As the fighting intensified, Addario and a group of journalists she was travelling with were kidnapped. They were held for six days in awful conditions, beaten and assaulted before eventually being released. After spending much of her life documenting the abuse and suffering of women during war, Addario said of her own experience: "Over the time of our kidnapping I was touched, I was groped, I was, you know, tied up, blindfolded, beaten up. But for me it was nothing compared to what the women that I documented went through." Sierra Leone Some of her most famous photos are in a series Addario did on birth-related mortality in Sierra Leone. "I wanted to start creating a body of work that mattered, and something that was not assigned to me necessarily," she says. It resulted in a spread in Time Magazine that told the story of one woman, 18-year-old Mamma Sessey, who represented the thousands like her who died during childbirth. Addario was shooting photos of the delivery of Sessey's second twin, and was the one who alerted nurses and midwives at the hospital after the birth that Sessey was bleeding too much. The doctor at the hospital was unable to save her. Addario photographed Sessey's death, and returned to her village to document her funeral. "These are issues that torture me, but they have to be told because people need to respond," says Addario. Lynsey Addario Integrity and responsibility Addario has just had her second son, but motherhood has not slowed her down or affected the passion she has for her work. She says now more than ever, photographers and journalists have a responsibility to cover the world's conflicts. "You know, we have a president in America who says journalists are the enemy of the people, everything is fake news," she says. "I think it's really important as a journalist to show the importance of journalism with integrity. The importance of being there. The importance of calling out leaders around the world who lie." Getty Images Watch Adrienne Arsenault's interview with Lynsey Addario from The National: By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump lashed out on Sunday at the first Republican congressman to call the U.S. president's behavior impeachable, while Democrats warned Trump's stonewalling of congressional probes is strengthening the case for an impeachment inquiry. Trump called Republican Representative Justin Amash "a total lightweight" and "a loser" on Twitter, a day after the Michigan conservative said the Mueller report showed that the Republican president "engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment." Amash's criticism made calls in the U.S. Congress for Trump's impeachment bipartisan, though just barely, with most Republicans still standing by the president at a time of economic growth, turbulent markets and global trade tensions. Saying most lawmakers have not read it, Amash cited Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report on Russian meddling in Trump's favor in the 2016 U.S. election. On Twitter on Saturday, Amash said the report showed Trump had obstructed justice and added, "President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct." A frequent Trump critic, Amash is a part of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction. He has also signaled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020. Counter-punching in his usual style, Trump tweeted: "Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy ... Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!" Trump will have a chance to make his case to supporters on Monday at a rally planned for Montoursville, Pa. Amash's comments echoed the conclusions of many Democrats. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that Trump was moving closer to impeachment with his stonewalling of numerous congressional investigations of him and his presidency. Still, Democrats are divided about impeachment. With 2020 election campaigns heating up, Pelosi said impeachment proceedings would be "divisive" for the country. IMPEACHMENT PROCESS No U.S. president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of the U.S. Constitution's impeachment process. The House of Representatives has impeached two presidents. Both were acquitted by the Senate. The Mueller report, now at the center of an escalating oversight battle between Trump and House Democrats, detailed extensive contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, but did not find that there was a conspiracy with Moscow. The report also described actions Trump took to try to impede Mueller's investigation, but made no formal finding on the question of obstruction, leaving the matter to Congress. Amash also said on Twitter that Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, "deliberately misrepresented" Mueller's report when he oversaw the roll-out of a redacted version. There were no signs on Sunday of other Republicans following Amash's lead. Another Trump critic, Republican Senator Mitt Romney, said on Sunday that Amash made "a courageous statement," yet also told CNN's "State of the Union" program that he did not believe Mueller's findings supported impeachment. But Pramila Jayapal, a Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over impeachment, called Amash's statement "a watershed moment." "Justin Amash coming on board means there is now bipartisan support for really understanding the seriousness of what is in the Mueller report," she said. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, one of six committee chairs leading probes of Trump, said the case for impeachment is being strengthened by White House stonewalling. "If the only way that we can do our oversight is through an impeachment proceeding, then maybe we have to go down that road," Schiff told CBS' "Face the Nation" program. "But I think it'll be important to show the American people, this was a decision made reluctantly, this was a decision forced upon us, rather than something we were eager to embrace" Schiff said. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Bill Berkrot) Gov. Tony Evers and Republican state lawmakers sought Monday to explain their faltering efforts to negotiate the next state budget, with Evers first sidestepping but later appearing to endorse his spokeswomans claim that sexism explains GOP leaders refusal to negotiate with the governors top staffers. Evers initially declined Monday, when asked at a news conference, to concur with his spokeswoman Melissa Baldauffs contention that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald are clearly uncomfortable or simply unwilling to work with the governors all-female leadership team. But Evers seemed to double down on that argument in a subsequent statement Monday. It said that only Vos and Fitzgerald can explain why they wont work with the women who are leading my office. Evers said GOP legislative leaders set a precedent in their negotiations with top staffers for former Gov. Scott Walker, who were men. He said he asked Vos and Fitzgerald to hold budget talks with his chief of staff, Maggie Gau, but they have not. They know how to work with my staff and are choosing not to. So, this is clearly a departure from past practice. You connect the dots, Evers said. Fitzgerald, meanwhile, said Evers initial unwillingness to address Baldauffs comments bolsters their case for meeting with the governor directly, instead of through subordinates. If not even the governors spokesperson can be trusted to speak for the governor, how can he expect us to work with anyone from his staff? Fitzgerald said in a statement. Vos has been particularly emphatic that he expects to hold budget negotiations directly with Evers instead of through subordinates. The exchange shows the rising tensions between Evers, a Democrat, and Republicans who control the Legislature. Both sides are not making progress on a deal for the next state budget, even as the Legislature this week approaches a critical point in the process. The Legislatures budget-crafting Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to take up the state K-12 schools budget Thursday. But GOP lawmakers say there is no agreement with each other, or with Evers, on what the schools budget will include. The controversy first flared Saturday at the Republican Party of Wisconsin convention, when Fitzgerald accused Evers of failing to reach out to lawmakers. Baldauff responded that Fitzgerald and Vos are clearly uncomfortable or simply unwilling to work with a leadership team made up entirely of women. Evers chief of staff and three deputy chiefs of staff Baldauff, Kara Pennoyer and Barbara Worcester are all women. Evers was asked about those comments Monday. Mondays news conference was held by Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. David Crowley, D-Milwaukee, to publicize their push for automatic voter registration in Wisconsin. It was included in Evers budget but removed by GOP lawmakers, and now Crowley and other Democratic lawmakers want to advance it as a standalone measure. The bill requires the state Elections Commission to facilitate the registration of all eligible electors of this state. That would be done in part by directing the commission to reach an agreement with the state Department of Transportation to share information about voters. Democratic proponents of the measure touted it as pushback against what they said is a Republican effort to restrict voting rights. It will streamline the process, making sure that people can vote, Crowley said. Wisconsin had about 3.24 million active registered voters as of May 1, according to the Elections Commission. The state Department of Administration estimated Wisconsins voting age population in 2018 was about 4.5 million. That number includes at least some people of voting age but not eligible, such as those currently incarcerated for felonies or non-citizens. Vos said in a statement that this bill is a solution looking for a problem. Its easy to register to vote in Wisconsin. Vos cited measures the state has adopted to make voting easier. They include online voter registration and Election Day registration the latter of which Vos previously sought to repeal. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 'You know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. Something's wrong with the world. You don't know what, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind... driving you mad. It is all around us... It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes... to blind you from the truth... That you are a slave... Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison... for your mind. You take the blue pill... the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill... you stay in Wonderland... and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. ' The Matrix (1999) The Matrix, the idea that the world we live in is not quite what we think it is, is a deeply powerful metaphor. The 'red pill' meme that came out of this film has permeated our culture for years but never so much as in the last several years in the online world. The red pill journey It is now common to hear people talk about 'taking the red pill' or being 'red pilled'. So what does it mean to be red pilled? Being red pilled means coming to the realization that what one was taught about the world and how it works by the culture and mainstream institutions is not entirely true or even outright false. Through a process of critical thinking and exploration of alternative viewpoints one begins to wake up from the Matrix or 'blue pill conditioning'. For many young people growing up in a liberal progressive age this has meant discovering that often traditional and conservative ideas that have been dismissed as being outdated or even harmful actually have much value, truth and beauty. The new counter-culture In some ways the burgeoning counter-culture the red pill is creating is similar to the counter-culture of the 1960s. In the same way, disillusionment with the culture is creating an unprecedented search for truth and meaning. Ironically today's counter-culture is a rebellion against the legacy created by the 1960s rebellion! What they have in common though is a sense that modern society is shallow, consumeristic and deeply broken. Many can feel that there is something artificial about the values that Hollywood, the media, the education system and corporate advertising are selling them. Realizing that the modern zeitgeist offers little more than self loathing, post-modern relativism, cultural destruction and empty consumerism for young white people the red pill journey is leading them to look for a sense of who they are in the past in their ancestry and heritage. Western Christian heritage and the God pill As I have observed the development of this movement over the last several years I have felt that it will inevitably begin to find its way to Christianity, the heart and soul of western heritage. And this is what is starting to happen now. As the counter-culture moves from superficial critique of social justice warriors to exploring deeper philosophical and spiritual terrain more and more the question of faith in God is on the table. The red pill terminology has taken on some evolution over the years. As the culture goes in a more destructive direction every day the term 'black pilled' has come about to describe the sense of hopelessness that things seem beyond repair and the decadence and decay cannot be turned around. Rejecting the black pill, some commentators have recently started to use the term the 'God pill' to describe the realization that a rediscovery of faith in God is the only thing that will save western civilization. It is only natural that a movement centered around a longing for connection with its ancestors, in the midst of a society that is rootless and seemingly terminally ill, would eventually make the connection with the faith of its ancestors. One example is a You Tuber called Blonde in the Belly of the Beast who recently posted a powerful video about the Notre Dame fire in Paris. She gives voice to what many have felt, that the fire of Notre Dame is deeply symbolic of the modern west. The symbol of western Christendom burning has given her a powerful revelation that Christianity is the heart of the west and must be rediscovered if the west is to survive. This has inspired her to seek a spiritual connection with God. Signs of the times The dissident right is marginalized from mainstream culture and mainstream Christianity but it is a place where God is clearly at work. The West is in a similar time of cultural upheaval as was experienced in the 1960s. In the same way that the 1960s and 1970s spiritual search was an incredible opportunity to engage with people about the Christian faith, it is the same now. The moment opening up before us is similar to the days of the Jesus people movement. The hunger for spiritual truth and meaning led to an openness to the gospel among the counter-culture. Many Christians at the time missed it but there were those like Calvary Chapel in California that understood the times and were very fruitful as they reached out to them with the gospel. In those days many hippies came to Christ in the Jesus People revival that swept the world. The question for us today is will we also recognize the signs of the times and respond with faith, prayer and engagement? Conor is from Adelaide South Australia. He is a gardener and is involved in ministry. He loves God, music, reading and thinking deeply about philosophy and current events in the world. Conor Ryans previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/conor-ryan.html Youve probably seen her, perhaps in the supermarket or the park: she has a baby in one arm and is trying to herd the other children in the right direction. Of course, the toddler is having a meltdown over something trivial: theres a hair on his finger or the zip on his jacket came undone. It seems like someone is always crying. Sometimes everyone is crying, even mum! Inside a mothers mind In the world of the mother with young children, there is constant scrutiny and evaluation and Im not talking about from other people. A mothers harshest critic is usually herself. After all, raising children is a huge responsibility so wed better not mess it up! For me, just in general I am constantly assessing sleep routines, discipline techniques, what my children eat and when, whether or not I am balancing outside play with inside play with screen time. Then there is the all important question of should I really believe my toddler when she says she doesnt need to go to the toilet? The mental load of juggling all these components of child-rearing is enormous. On top of these concerns are deeper and more important issues that come about because of my Christian faith. Am I disciplining my children in a way that honours God? How do I teach them Biblical morals? It is easy to worry that I am lacking in giving my children spiritual guidance in the whirlwind of nappy changes and bedtime routines. I know the importance of leading through example. Yet being a shining spiritual example to my children seems far-fetched when personal Bible reading time is constantly interrupted or when I have to choose between prayer and sleep (sleep wins every time). Gods perspective Things can look bleak from the perspective of a weary, guilt-ridden mother. All we want is a moment of rest and little bit of quiet time. Well, let me tell you that Gods Word has good news for the mum of young children and it speaks directly to my heart. Isaiah chapter 40, verse 11 reveals a part of Gods character that relates directly to how He deals with the worn out mother: He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Let these words sink into your soul. The Good Shepherd looks after his flock, taking special care of those that are weary and need help. God is not harsh or critical of me, a Christian mum who is seeking to please Him. Even as I struggle to stay awake through church, thanks to being up half the night with my little one, my Father, the Good Shepherd, gathers me in His arms. He holds me close and gently leads me. No, God isnt harsh. He is gentle. What a relief! I remind myself of this verse when I am tempted to let guilt or exhaustion wear me down. Let me say to all mums at a similar life stage: rest in this beautiful truth when lies creep into your thoughts. Remember His gentleness when you are being tough on yourself. Rejoice in the Good Shepherd who knows your weakness and holds you close to His heart. Lucinda is a mum to two little girls. She loves baking, reading, and sewing. The first of La Flor Dominicanas releases as a part of the 2019 Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) Exclusive Series will soon be available. Today the company announced the La Flor Dominicana TAA 50th Segunda Edicion Natural will be heading to retailers this week. The La Flor Dominicana TAA 50th Segunda Edicion Natural is based off the La Flor Dominicana TAA Golden Anniversary cigar. It features a Nicaraguan Sun Grown features a Nicaragua Sun Grown wrapper over a Dominican binder and filler. The filler includes Criollo 98 tobacco (the only La Flor Dominicana release to feature this tobacco). The difference is the TAA 50th Segunda Edicion Natural comes in a new size a 6 1/2 x 54 box-pressed toro. The cigars are presented in 20-count boxes with pricing set at $20.00 SRP. La Flor Dominicana says the second cigar, La Flor Dominicana TAA 50th Segunda Edicion Maduro will come later this year, but TAA retailers will get a very small sneak preview of that release. For more details, see our on-going 2019 TAA Exclusive Series coverage: Photo Credit: La Flor Dominicana An Omaha man is accused of bilking Medicare of more than $674,000 in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and a dozen other states, allegedly throwing pizza parties at nursing homes and going to homeless shelters promising them all freebies in order to get Social Security information to further the scam. Nereus Sutko has been charged in U.S. District Court with health care fraud starting Nov. 1, 2010, and continuing into this month. In a 19-page affidavit, Paul Vaccaro, a special agent with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said Sutko submitted more than 1,666 false claims while managing Better Lives MedGroup LLC. Vaccaro said the business has moved several times since it opened in November 2010, but most recently had an address on Millard Avenue in Omaha, moving out at the end of February. During the investigation, he said, agents learned through witnesses that Sutko visited assisted-living facilities, retirement centers and low-income housing complexes in Nebraska and neighboring states and set up pizza parties to show people eligible for Medicare and Medicaid the products Better Lives offered. Vaccaro said Sutko told them they could receive free health care-related products they could pick out from a Better Lives brochure and offered them gift cards for their personal information, including doctors' names, which allowed Sutko to bill Medicare or Medicaid for the products, which he never delivered. Investigators interviewed 16 Medicare beneficiaries, including a Lincoln woman, who identified Sutko in a photo lineup. Vaccaro said she was shown a list of knee, ankle and back braces that his company billed on her behalf between 2014 and 2015 and said she hadn't received any of them. Better Lives billed Medicare $4,359.05 and received $3,120.38. The Lincoln woman said she didn't receive any of the money, either. Vaccaro said investigators talked to another Lincoln woman who recalled Better Lives doing a presentation at her senior living facility. She said company representatives showed her and other residents braces and back pillows they could order. She was having trouble with her knees and was told her doctor could prescribe knee braces. She got them later in the mail. But she never saw the diabetic shoes she was promised by Better Lives. And, she said, it never responded to the messages she left asking about them. Vaccaro said the documents show the company billed Medicare $3,273.19 for the woman's knee, back and wrist braces, the shoes and a heating pad. Medicare paid out $2,351.14. Others in the Kansas City area said a representative of Better Lives came to high-rise complexes, handed out free ice cream sandwiches, got residents' information and ordered diabetic shoes, but billed Medicare for far more. In Iowa, investigators learned about pizza parties at low-income senior housing complexes, where people were promised free items that would be covered by their insurance. Vaccaro said they gave their names, Medicaid ID numbers and doctors' names, and got Walmart gift cards for referrals. In all, Sutko is alleged to have filed 1,666 claims, charging Medicare $1,172,802 and getting $674,106. Many of the claims 700 involved Nebraskans. Vaccaro said after concerns came up that Sutko may have a gambling problem, investigators served subpoenas on three casinos in the Council Bluffs, Iowa, area. Through them, they learned that Sutko had lost more than $350,000 between 2013 and September 2018, he said. Sutko made his first court appearance last week on the allegations. Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 A 4-month-old girl was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 near the Nebraska Crossing Outlets on Saturday. The crash, which occurred at about 4:45 p.m., led the Nebraska State Patrol to shut down the westbound lanes of the interstate for about three hours. The victim has been identified as Amilia Johnson of Scottsbluff, according to a news release from the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office. According to the sheriff's office, Johnson was secured in a child safety seat located in the back seat of a Chevy Cruz driven by 19-year-old Adriana Rodriguez, also of Scottsbluff. The sheriff's office said the Chevy Cruze was eastbound on I-80 when the vehicle crossed the center median and entered the westbound lanes, where it collided with a Chrysler minivan driven by 73-year-old Mary Lynch of Omaha. Rodriguez and two passengers, along with Lynch and one other passenger, were all taken to local hospitals. The crash remains under investigation by the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office and the South Metro Crash Response Team. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram A civil defamation lawsuit filed in a U.S. court by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez against journalist Daniel Coronell is the latest broadside in a long and bitter dispute pitting one of Colombias most powerful politicians against an investigative reporter. Since the early 2000s Coronell has exposed corruption, conflicts of interest and human rights abuses by officials who served in Uribes government or by his political allies and relatives. Much of this reporting has been published in his popular column in the Colombian newsweekly Semana. Coronell is widely considered one of Colombias most influential journalists and has received seven Simon Bolivar national journalism awards, Colombias version of the Pulitzers. However, he has paid a heavy price for his exposes. Coronell told CPJ that he and his family were forced to flee Colombia for the U.S. in 2005 during Uribes first presidential term, after the journalist received death threats from a close political ally of Uribe. Colombian authorities confirmed that Coronell was one of the targets of a massive illegal spying operation by Uribes government, that started around 2004. Uribe constantly insults Coronell on Twitter and has now taken the fight overseas. In the civil suit filed at Floridas Miami-Dade Circuit Court on March 30, Uribe accuses Coronell of juxtaposing facts to falsely suggest that the former president had engaged in witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and other illegal activities. Coronell told CPJ that he stands by his reporting. This is a systematic campaign to silence me, Coronell, a dual U.S.-Colombian citizen, said in a telephone interview from Miami, where he is president of news for Univision. Uribe, he added is trying to shut me up and ruin my reputation. Now a senator, Uribe did not respond to emails from CPJ requesting comment. Pedro Vaca, director of the Bogota-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), told CPJ that he is not aware of any other case in which a Colombian politician has sued a journalist for defamation in a foreign court. But, he said, it shows the lengths that Uribe is willing to go to harass journalists. This has a chilling effect because when Uribe sues Daniel Coronell he is also sending a message to other journalists and news organizations as to just how far their criticism will be tolerated, Vaca said. During his two terms as president from 2002-10, Uribe was popular for leading a military campaign that weakened Marxist rebels and improved security in war-torn Colombia. Banned by the constitution from seeking a third term, Uribe founded a conservative Democratic Center party and was elected to the senate in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, receiving more votes than any other legislative candidate. Uribe remains so influential that his opposition to a 2016 peace treaty negotiated by then-President Juan Manuel Santos to end a half-century-old guerrilla war helped convince voters to reject the accord in a plebiscite. [Congress later ratified a modified version.] Last year, Uribes endorsement helped propel Ivan Duque, a little known first-term senator, to the presidency. For his part, Coronell often examines the abuse of power by politicians. Colombian journalist and president of news for Univision, Daniel Coronell. (Mario Alzate) According to the Colombian news site La Silla Vacia: Coronell has exposed some of the biggest scandals in recent years. His strength is in uncovering the secrets of the executive branch. In another profile, in the Colombian magazine Soho last year, Coronell was quoted as saying, Theres not an SOB whos been born that Im afraid of. His career as a TV journalist took off in the late 1980s when he revealed that an Israeli mercenary was training paramilitary death squads. He reported on how government bungling allowed drug lord Pablo Escobar to escape from prison in 1992, and on links between Colombian President Ernesto Samper and powerful figures in the cocaine underworld. I have been critical of all Colombian presidents and they have all been able to deal with it because they understood it was my job, Coronell told CPJ. The exception is Uribe. Shortly before Uribe was first elected president in 2002, Coronell uncovered evidence suggesting that a helicopter used by Uribes father had landed at a cocaine laboratory run by Escobar. Uribe denied the allegation. Later, he exposed a vote-buying scheme in Congress that opened the door to a constitutional amendment that allowed Uribe to run for re-election in 2006. Two government ministers and Uribes former chief of staff have since been convicted of bribery. He divulged human rights abuses by Uribes military leaders; alleged ties to paramilitary groups by the then-presidents brother, who is still fighting a legal case over the claim; and allegations of sweetheart business deals by his two sons, which the Uribe family denies. Coronell told CPJ that hes got nothing personal against Uribe, but that as long as the former president remains a powerful political figure he will continue to investigate his actions. By contrast, Nelson Fredy Padilla, Sunday editor of the Bogota newspaper El Espectador, told CPJ that due to budget cuts, most Colombian news outlets have cut back on investigative journalism. I feel very alone in this job, Coronell said. He said that rather than following up on his revelations about Uribe, the Colombian news media often focus on the spat between the two men. Vaca, the FLIP director, said that besides the lawsuit, Uribe often uses interviews and social media to slam journalists, while encouraging his nearly five million followers on Twitter to do the same. Vaca said that the often fierce reaction from Uribe and his supporters could dissuade journalists from criticizing the former president Uribe is the champion at stigmatizing journalists, Vaca said. FLIP has documented how on Twitter, Uribe has called Coronell wretched, a money launderer, and a journalist for the mafia, and regularly posts unflattering articles about him. Last year, the Colombian Supreme Court ordered Uribe to retract a comment he had posted on Twitter in which he described Coronell as having a mafia attitude. Through it all Coronell keeps hammering away. Rather than opining on the news of the day, he files deeply reported investigations that sometimes require two or three columns to reach their conclusion. Though he lives abroad, Coronell told CPJ that he often collaborates with the Bogota-based investigative journalist Ignacio Gomez. Coronell is a journalist with complete integrity which is hard to find in this country, Gomez told CPJ. One advantage to living in Miami rather than Colombia is that Coronell and his family feel safer. But now, he says, this judicial harassment from Uribe is bringing a Colombia problem to the U.S. [Reporting from Bogota] Lindsay Varner is not the type of person who tells people what to do. She sees herself more as a facilitator for volunteers and staff members to carry out with passion the mission of the Cumberland County Historical Society. For me, leadership is letting people do what they do best, said Varner, community outreach director. Its important just to have an open door for people to come in, share ideas and see if we can make it happen. Let people do what they love to do and run with it. Born in Chambersburg, Varner moved with her family to Dickinson Township when she was in kindergarten. She graduated from Carlisle High School in 2004 before earning a bachelors degree in history and government/political affairs from Millersville University in 2008. Varner took a year off during which she married her high school sweetheart before heading to England to study at Durham University. There, she earned masters and doctorate degrees in history. The couple returned to Carlisle in 2015. Her association with the historical society began when Varner became director of the Heart and Soul Project, which collects stories from residents to gain an understanding of what is important to the community. An outgrowth of the Orton Family Foundation, the local project receives its funding from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and South Mountain Partnership. As project director, I learned its incredibly important sometimes just to sit and listen, to let people have their say and a voice in something, Varner said. Ive found just being able to be open we seem to be getting a lot done. A collection of stories from Mount Holly Springs uncovered the plight of the old AME Zion Church on Cedar Street that was a ramshackle remnant of a once-thriving black neighborhood. Today, the church is the focal point of a unified effort to bring to the forefront and preserve what was mostly forgotten history. Though Heart and Soul revealed that local residents value history and cultural heritage, it also identified a gap that the historical society filled with the creation of its community outreach department in January 2018. One goal is to focus attention on events and preservation activities. The role of the department will expand in the near future to include marketing and membership initiatives. In recent years, CCHS has developed a Preservation Opportunities Watch List to highlight endangered historic landmarks and landscapes. CCHS has also introduced annual preservation awards to recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations. When volunteers suggested shaping an event around the theme of a speakeasy, Varner gave them the flexibility to coordinate the whole thing. Im very much go with the flow, she said. Weve had some great success in terms of events just by letting our volunteers and staff members have fun and do what they see best. Lindsay Varner Age: 32 Family: Husband, two cats and a dog Profession: community outreach director for the Cumberland County Historical Society Birth place: Chambersburg, grew up in Dickinson Township Where you live now: Carlisle What do you like best about what you do? There are so many things that I love about what I do. I like the fact that I get to be out in the community and see lots of fun places across Cumberland County. I get to meet a lot of people doing fantastic preservation and historical work who are really invested in the cultural heritage of Cumberland County and the surrounding region. What is the toughest challenge you face? There is so much to do. If you look at a countywide organization in terms of community outreach, there are a lot of different places to reach out to and different aspects to the position. There is some program. There is some preservation work. The events and rentals fall within my department as well. Its a lot of different things to juggle. It does take a lot of work to pull them all together. What do you like best about working or living in Cumberland County? I love the history of the area. Its such a privilege to work for the Historical Society and get to not only share that history but research it. What are the key elements you see in effective leadership? For me, its about being willing to listen to other peoples ideas and thoughts, especially when dealing with community outreach. Im working with a lot of different community members and everybody has their own feelings, thoughts and opinions on certain projects and things that are happening in their community. Whats left to do? I would really like to see the county as a whole have a much more active preservation stance. On May 4, CCHS added two more properties to its Preservation Opportunities Watch List. My hope is one day we will not need a watch list, that everyone will see the value of these spaces. Quote "For me, leadership is letting people do what they do best. Its important just to have an open door for people to come in, share ideas and see if we can make it happen." Lindsay Varner 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 common thread through all of the leadership roles Danielle Conway has held can be boiled down to a sense of truth and authenticity about yourself and how you fit into that organization. "You have to assess the needs of an organization or an enterprise. If that organization or enterprise resonates with your authentic voice, then thats a good fit," she said. Earlier this year, Conway found Penn State Dickinson School of Law to be a good fit. She starts her duties as dean of the law school July 1. Conway makes the transition to Carlisle from her position as dean and professor of law at the University of Maine School of Law. Previously, she served for 14 years on the faculty of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law. Her leadership experience includes 27 years in the U.S. Army from which she retired as a lieutenant colonel. Theres a lot of learning involved taking on a new role because leaders dont just land on an organization, Conway said. "Any leader who comes into a well-functioning organization has to quickly become aware of the assets available to her and how to deploy those assets in the most productive and most meaningful way," she said. Conway believes people will adapt to a leader when they know that the leader is being authentic and has not only a clear view of where the organization is headed and what each member of the community can contribute to move the organization forward. Building that community spirit requires a leader with numerous qualities, Conway said. Leaders have to be accountable, transparent and motivating. The leader has a vision, makes sure the vision is spread across the organization, helps people find themselves in the vision and helps people implement the vision. The leader must also have the will and capacity to include people in the successes while taking responsibility for the failures, Conway said. "Leadership is not exclusive. There are many, many ways in which to lead. I find, personally, leading by doing is an extraordinary skill set and the more that a person learns about his or her discipline, the more wisdom one attains, the more prepared one will be for a leadership role, she said. Danielle M. Conway Age: 51 Family: Spouse, Emmanuel Quainoo, and son, Emmanuel Quainoo III. Profession: Dean and Professor of Law Birth place: Philadelphia Where you live now: Carlisle Q. What do you like best about what you do? I love to see the "aha" moment the epiphany on a student's face when s/he gets the point about the information you have conveyed. Q. What is the toughest challenge you face? The toughest challenge I face is convincing people to table their stereotypes and biases so that they can experience, with greater objectivity, the truth of the other. Q. What do you like best about working or living in Cumberland County? I am moving to Cumberland County on July 1, 2019. The best thing about living and working in Cumberland County is that I was able to buy a home in the crazy hot market that is Carlisle! Q. What are the key elements you see in effective leadership? The key elements of effective leadership are transparency, integrity, accountability, authenticity and humanity. Q. Whats left to do? More than can ever be accomplished in one lifetime, which means grooming the next generation of service leaders now. Quote "Leadership is not exclusive. There are many, many ways in which to lead. I find, personally, leading by doing is an extraordinary skill set and the more that a person learns about his or her discipline, the more wisdom one attains, the more prepared one will be for a leadership role." Danielle Conway Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt. 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 United State recently approved Anti-Ballistic Missile sales to South Korea and Japan. The sale is worth more than $600 million and comes in backdrop of mounting tensions with North Korea. Key Highlights Objective: to support national security and foreign policy objectives of United States (US) by assisting its key allies. This will not alter basic military balance in region and will give them capability to defend itself against a growing nuclear and missile threat from North Korea. to support national security and foreign policy objectives of United States (US) by assisting its key allies. This will not alter basic military balance in region and will give them capability to defend itself against a growing nuclear and missile threat from North Korea. Reason: Recently in May second week the North Korea reportedly tested two short-range missiles which is its second launch in less than a week. Earlier in April also North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised test-firing of a new type of tactical guided weapon. These tests come amid halted negotiations between the United States and North Korea, which US President Donald Trump promised would put an end to Norths missile tests. Recently in May second week the North Korea reportedly tested two short-range missiles which is its second launch in less than a week. Earlier in April also North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised test-firing of a new type of tactical guided weapon. These tests come amid halted negotiations between the United States and North Korea, which US President Donald Trump promised would put an end to Norths missile tests. The USs State Department approved sale of- 92 Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), which is worlds premier fleet-area air defense weapon and used by ships against air threats along with 12 missile guidance systems for a total cost of $313.9 million. 160 anti-air AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) missiles and related guidance equipment to Japan for $317 million. US and North Korea In February 2019 second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was held in Vietnam. It ended with a deadlock, when US side refused North Koreas demands of easing sanctions until Pyongyang takes major steps to end its nuclear program. NASA has found evidence of a unique mixture of water ice, methanol, and organic molecules on Ultima Thules surface. This mixture is very different from most icy objects explored previously by spacecraft till date. About Ultima Thule Nomenclature: Its scientific name is (486958) 2014 MU69. The words Ultima and Thule is its nickname. Ultima Thule, is a Greco-Latin term which means a distant unknown world. Its scientific name is (486958) 2014 MU69. The words Ultima and Thule is its nickname. Ultima Thule, is a Greco-Latin term which means a distant unknown world. About: It is a trans-Neptunian object located in Kuiper belt (a circumstellar disc in outer Solar System). It is the farthest world ever explored by mankind. The flyby (close enough to record scientific data) of Ultima Thule is farthest exploration of an object till date. It is approximately 6.4 billion km from Earth. It is a trans-Neptunian object located in Kuiper belt (a circumstellar disc in outer Solar System). It is the farthest world ever explored by mankind. The flyby (close enough to record scientific data) of Ultima Thule is farthest exploration of an object till date. It is approximately 6.4 billion km from Earth. Discovery: It was discovered in 2014 by astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope as part of their search for a Kuiper belt object for New Horizons mission (which was an interplanetary space probe launched by NASA). On 1 January 2019 NASAs New Horizons space probes flyby Ultima Thule making it the farthest object in Solar System visited by a spacecraft. It was discovered in 2014 by astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope as part of their search for a Kuiper belt object for New Horizons mission (which was an interplanetary space probe launched by NASA). On 1 January 2019 NASAs New Horizons space probes flyby Ultima Thule making it the farthest object in Solar System visited by a spacecraft. Significance: The discoveries made about Ultima Thule are going to advance theories of solar system formation. Key Features Relatively recently joined the functional market economies club, although it has multiple pending development (not just economic) issues, Romania looked around and chose a poisonous mix of reduced incomes in terms of GDP share, specific to the Anglo-Saxon area, and expenditures that tend to grow on the European model. Having resulted in recent years in deficits also expanded toward the American model, with the only mention that RON is not a dollar. Eurostat data shows very clearly that relatively small, American type of taxation and relatively large expenditure, on the European model, cannot go hand in hand. The combination does not work because the state budget is heading to an economic slippage even under conditions of sustained growth, as Romania has managed to obtain in recent years. We recall that the 3% of GDP deficit threshold set by the Maastricht criteria must be understood in accordance with its spirit and not just its letter. That is, it has been set as a precautionary measure in the economic crisis, not sustained growth situations. When formal compliance with it ensures nothing but the collapse of public finances at the first sign of an economic slowdown. Proportions of an economic model Now lets say that we are going from the reality of a budget placed both in terms of inflows and financial outflows far below the EU average for reasons of economic development level, a statement confirmed by the position of former Eastern bloc countries also below the EU average which is pulled up by Western countries (but with us ending up at the bottom of the list of new EU members). At least then, on the path of convergence with European usages, we should have maintained the more important achievement of a percentage more consistent with the de facto integration target between countries highly performing in terms of revenue rather than the expenditure. Which it did happen after the ending of the economic crisis in 2014 and 2015 and brought us in terms of balancing the budget even at a budget below one-third of the EU level. * Evolution of revenues, expenditure, and deficit in Romania and the EU average Year RO revenue RO expenditure RO deficit EU revenue EU expenditure EU deficit RO/EU revenue (%) RO/EU expenditure (%) Change (pp) Relative deficit * As of 2016, a premature celebration of success followed, and an obvious rupture in the fundamental economic data of the budget, on the principle of Snow White story with the seven dwarves, four big and four small. As everyone enjoys fairy tales, especially adults having (only) everyday worries, a major development mismatch with the evolutions in the EU and our region has been obtained. On the path of returning closer to the reality of belonging to the single market, the gap between revenues and expenditure relative to the EUs updated requirements has further increased. In fact, Romania started in 2018 to make the maximum spending as a share of GDP reached in 2015, while having budget revenues (suddenly and pointlessly) reduced starting 2016, both flows as compared to the EU average of those years. This resulted in a budget deficit increase more than four times in terms of GDP share, from 0.7% to 3.0%, with low hopes of returning to the balanced area where our neighbour country and EU accession wave colleague Bulgaria, or our pretended economic model (by size and structure) is placed or Poland (which, what a coincidence! generates the biggest trade deficit for us in bilateral exchanges). With taxation down, although expenditure should go up If you only refer to the amounts collected to the budget from taxes and social contributions (excluding the amounts that are unlikely to be collected anymore, as required by Eurostat methodology), in order to see how we stand on the taxation side, without having many years listed, we see how taxation has deteriorated in ten years of EU membership. * Year RO revenues EU revenues RO/EU ratio * However, expenditure will inevitably increase toward the EU average, precisely because we are at the bottom of the list in Europe (with 60% of what would be a decent allocation of euro to both health sector, 4.3% of GDP compared to the EU average of 7% and education, with 2.8% compared to 4.6% of GDP) and, moreover, there are many electoral rounds to come, with potential offers for the future (with 11.7% of GDP, social protection was in 2017, according to Eurostat, also at around 60% of the EU average). In this context, because RON is not a dollar, no one is fighting for our national currency. Far from being an international reserve currency, we cannot afford to have US deficits (the US had a deficit of 3.8% of GDP in 2018 and 5.1% of GDP in the fiscal year 2019, according to us.governmentdebt.us), nor to expect a miraculous attitude change in terms of revenue collection. Aboneaza-te la newsletter aici. Iti multumim ca citesti cursdeguvernare. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly find a solution of fiscal adequacy but (if we want to continue our development) without suffocating the business environment with unexpected bizarre taxes. The first step would be to recover the eight percentage points lost between 2015 and 2018 in revenues relative to the EU average (to be read the return to 36% of GDP or 80% of the EU average). Or, maybe we can improve the collection rate? Cheri Henderson has been named the new executive director of the Desloge Chamber of Commerce. Henderson is the wife of Missouri District 117 Rep. Mike Henderson. Henderson is a Desloge native and she and Mike have lived in the city for nearly 30 years. I love walking through Desloge Park, but raising my children in Desloge, my hometown, was a priority, said Henderson. I love the relaxed hometown atmosphere and close-knit family and friends a true gem. Henderson has 31 years of experience in building relationships and partnering with community members as a teacher at the North County School District. Chamber Vice President Heather Garner said her business education and passion for the community makes Henderson the perfect choice for the businesses the chamber represents. Members of the board of directors called Henderson an avid adventurer and stated that they are excited to see where her passion and enthusiasm lead. "I am thrilled to be working for the Desloge Chamber of Commerce, said Henderson. After just one week I can already tell I am working with an A+ board of directors. Henderson said that Desloge is fortunate to have such a great team embracing the community and called the board innovative, forward thinking, and ready to work hard to better the community and support local businesses. I am ready to jump from the frying pan and into the fire to do what I can to help promote our local businesses and community activities, said Henderson. The chamber will officially welcome Henderson to her position at the noon June 4 meeting scheduled at the Lincoln Street Event Center at 112 N. Lincoln. Matt McFarland is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3616, or at mmcfarland@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. The Village of Caledonia celebrated its bicentennial with nod to its Scottish heritage Saturday. The name Caledonia comes from the Roman Empires Latin term for Scotland and the residents of the small town are still very proud of their heritage. The festivities kicked off with a parade through downtown. After the parade, the festivities continued in the Antique and Vintage Market. City mayor John Robinson said that this is the fourth year of the Antique and Vintage Market and they decided to hold the bicentennial celebration in connection with the market festivities. In the main area of the market there was food, clothing, jewelry and antique vendors. There was also an area for event participants to try out some traditional Scottish games. For the little ones there was even a small petting zoo. Representatives from the World Bird Sanctuary we're also on hand showing off some unique birds. As a special attraction, a free one-hour concert was performed by the Farnum family. Based out of the Ozarks, the group performs in the Branson area and around the country playing their blend of traditional Americana, bluegrass, gospel, western and folk music. The event continued with the Calling of the Clans ceremony by the Scottish American Military Regiment. The Calling of the Clans is a traditional Scottish event held at most Scottish festivals. The mayor said that they had a large turnout inline with what they were expecting. Robinson also displayed letters of congratulations from the British Consulate on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. Her Majesty's Honorary Consul from the United Kingdom, Mark Sutherland, also attended the celebration. Other notable congratulations came from Governor Mike Parson. Parson said that Caledonia, resting in the heart of the Belleview Valley, ignites the curiosity of historians and eco-tourists alike thanks to its recognition as a historical district and proximity to popular Missouri state parks. I am proud that the people of Caledonia are deeply rooted in their history and seek to preserve their legacy for generations to come, the governor's letter stated. Robinson said the town also received framed resolutions as congratulatory gifts from State Rep. Chris Dinkins (R-Annapolis) and State Sen. Gary Romine (R-Farmington), along with several other special letters and gifts from different groups and individuals. Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3628, or at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com. 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. A replica of the Vietnam memorial wall in Washington D.C. was officially unveiled in Perryville at Missouris National Veterans Memorial this past weekend. Missouri's National Veterans Memorial is a complex that features a welcome center, museum, chapel, and now a full-scale replica of the Vietnam Wall. One of the founding members of the facility, Jim Eddleman, is a Vietnam veteran who was involved in the Tet Offensive in 1968. It was during this conflict that Eddleman carried wounded soldiers to medevac helicopters but also witnessed several of his fellow soldiers die. Eddleman made a promise that if he were to survive the battle, one day he would do something to ensure that those who had fallen would be remembered. Eddleman and his wife, Charlene, decided to donate their 46-acre corn field so that such a memorial could be built. The land had been in Eddlemans family for three generations. It has been transformed into the large memorial complex with the help of many donors, construction workers, volunteers, artists and others. I can remember when this land here used to grow corn and now it grows people, said Eddleman, ... and I got a good crop. There are more than 58,00 names etched into the black granite wall. Throughout the day on Saturday names of the fallen soldiers were read aloud through speakers. Among the many people present at the opening ceremony were veterans of World War II, the Vietnam War, Korean War the Iraq War. One Vietnam veteran in attendance said that he had the opportunity to visit the wall in D.C. and this new wall looks exactly like it. It's nice to be able to come to a place close to home and pay tribute to our lost friends and brothers," said the combat veteran. It really means a lot to us. Missouri Governor Mike Parson was in attendance and addressed the crowd. This was his third visit to the site since the project's conception. Because of what this means to our nation, our state, and to all of you, I would not have missed this opportunity to be a part of this formal grand opening the governor said. Repaying our veterans for the sacrifices they made is something we will never achieve. But as Missourians, we can pay tribute by honoring their courage and their commitment to our country. The site also features a 50-foot-long black granite memorial to all the branches of the military known as the Honor Flag Wall Memorial. Farmington area native Kevin Hale, who did the etchings for both the Vietnam Wall replica and the Honor Flag Wall Memorial, explained the idea behind the Honor Flag Wall Memorial. It contains laser engraved illustrations of soldiers from each branch of the Armed Forces in action and tells the history of each branch going back as far as the War of 1812. Each branch is represented on a 6-by-10 foot slab of the wall. Hale worked closely with the Eddlemans and Missouri's National Veterans Memorial board members throughout the memorial construction process. He made special mention of Executive Director Nancy Guth, who was instrumental in putting the project and grand opening together. Missouri's National Vietnam Memorial has many more plans in the works for the future of the facility and hopes to bring people from all areas to pay respects and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3628, or at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com. 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. Maharashtra: In drought-hit Maharashtra, thousands of fishes die as water level in Godavari river drops at alarming rate May 17,2019 | Source: Times Now News A day after exclusive data accessed by Mirror Now revealed that 610 farmers have committed suicide in the state of Maharashtra in the first three months of this year, yet another disturbing state of affairs has emerged from the state. Locals in Nagaon village of Maharashtra have claimed that drop in the water level of Godavari level is alarming and must be looked at by concerned authorities. The state of Maharashtra is currently reeling with a severe drought which has affected everyday life in areas such as Marathwada, Yavatmal, Nagaon, Aurangabad, Amravati, and Nashik among others. Reports from earlier this week have suggested that the state government is likely to seek an additional Rs 300 crore from the centre in order to facilitate the supply of drinking water to drought-affected areas. In the first week of May, a relief fund of Rs 2,160 crore was disbursed by the centre to aid the state. According to a report by news agency ANI, locals in Nagaon village even claim that dropping water level in Godavari river is killing thousands of fishes. There is no drinking water available for humans or animals, they add. Visuals of scores of fishes floating lifelessly atop river Godavari also serve as a warning sign for residents and concerned officials in the state of Maharashtra which is staring at a severe drought. In fact, sections of the media have also reported that only 17.04 per cent of water is left in the dams across Maharashtra as compared to last year when it was 29.55 per cent water. This situation has affected as many as 21,000 villages across the state where people are now being forced to depend more and more on tankers for their basic water needs. The situation has added to the despair of farmers in the state who are relying on rain to not only harvest their crops but also power government schemes such as 'Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan' which was launched by the Maharashtra government. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had claimed to make Maharashtra drought-free by 2019, a promise which is yet to be fulfilled. Bennett Coleman & Company Limited Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh said Wednesday the agency is getting closer every day to acquiring a device needed to resume the death penalty, though theres still no firm date for executions to begin again. Since announcing last year it will replace lethal injection with nitrogen hypoxia, a process which in theory painlessly suffocates an unconscious person, Oklahoma has been unable to procure a device necessary to carry out such an execution. In March, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter told the states District Attorneys Council those difficulties meant we may and in fact we are likely to look to a state manufacturer to develop the machine. Hunter said it would take a device that could regulate the introduction of nitrogen through a tube and into an airtight mask over the face of the to-be-executed inmate. Allbaugh told The Frontier on Wednesday while DOC doesnt yet have someone to make the device, he is sure Oklahoma Correctional Industries will not be involved in the products development. Oklahoma Correctional Industries uses inmate labor to create a number of products, like furniture and outdoor grills, which are then sold to qualifying state and federal agencies. Allbaugh also said DOC would not put the development of the nitrogen induction device out to bid. Shelley Zumwalt, director of public affairs for Office of Management and Enterprise Services, said DOC has an exemption to the bid process when it comes to executions. Zumwalt pointed to state statutes that say the purchase of drugs, medical supplies or medical equipment necessary to carry out (an) execution shall not be subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act. Historically a hotbed for the death penalty, there has not been an execution in Oklahoma in more than four years, dating back to the January 2015 execution of Charles Warner. Oklahoma tried multiple times since then to execute Richard Glossip, who was convicted of a murder for hire plot in 1998. However each attempt was stayed by the courts and Glossip still resides in DOCs Oklahoma State Penitentiary. National and international scrutiny of Oklahomas death penalty exploded in 2014 following the execution of Clayton Lockett. Lockett, 38, convicted of the brutal murder of Stephanie Neiman in 2000, died following an excruciating 43-minute execution on April 29, 2014, in which multiple failures led to an improperly inserted IV. Lockett woke during the execution, writhed and spoke multiple times before DOC officials closed the curtain. Oklahoma used an untested drug mixture on Lockett that day and it was later learned the state had accidentally acquired (and used in Warners case) an unapproved drug in the Warner execution and in the multiple attempts to execute Glossip. The 4-year hiatus between executions is the longest since Oklahoma resumed carrying out the death penalty in 1990. Department of Corrections records show the 1st execution occurred in 1915 and continued on a mostly yearly basis until 1966. There have been 195 executions in Oklahomas history. | 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 Enid News & Eagle, Staff, May 19, 2019 A Lebanon man has died in the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections, according to a news release from the agency. Ovid John Teixeira, 55, was in hospice care in the infirmary at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. Teixeira was sentenced to 30 months in prison in January 2018 after pleading guilty to second-degree robbery in Linn County Circuit Court. Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net, 541-812-6077 or via Twitter @KyleOdegard. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 1 If you're trying to sell, buy or swap items through online marketplaces, your local police department probably has a safe spot for you. Horrifying stories about robberies and killings linked to online purchases make headlines every year, and police departments nationwide have created areas for people to complete transactions away from their homes. Just this week, a missing pregnant woman was found dead in a Chicago home after she met someone from a Facebook group last month to get baby items, authorities said. Here are ways to keep yourself safe during online transactions: Swap items in the lobby of a police station A lot of police departments nationwide allow the use of their lobbies for such transactions. The Fort Worth Police Department in Texas, for example, offers the use of its facilities in different stations during business hours. Just don't bring any weapons, it says. In the Georgia city of Smyrna, the police department has dubbed the effort "Operation Safe Sale." It provides a parking lot or a lobby 24 hours a day, and sellers or buyers can also ask for officers to be present during the transaction, the city says. In Woodstock, Georgia, buyers or sellers can schedule an appointment to meet in the lobby or the parking lot of a police department and request an officer to be present during the transaction. It also provides a number to call to schedule an officer for a transaction after-hours. You can also use designated p arking lots In addition to lobbies, some police stations allow residents to use their parking lots as "internet purchase exchange" locations. The Iowa city of Ankeny is one of them. "Driving those items to the police department parking lot decreases chances of any potential danger to the seller or the seller's family and property and the possibility of an exchange of counterfeit money," Ankeny citysays on its website. The city does not allow sellers and buyers to store such items at the police department or in the parking lot. But it allows the transaction of bigger items such as a vehicle or lawn mower at their parking lot. "Additionally, the area can be used as a safe and neutral site for parents to meet for child custody exchanges," the city says. In Georgia, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office also has such parking lots and has posted signs with a phone number to call if you want a deputy to stop by. While its deputies don't supervise the transactions, it said, the designated parking spaces are under video surveillance. Officers can check to see if items are stolen The efforts are not just limited to keeping buyers and sellers safe. In Smyrna, police officers can check the items being sold before the transaction is complete to see if they are lost or stolen, the city says on its website. The Woodstock Police Department also can check the serial numbers of the items on the Georgia and national databases to ensure they are not stolen. Not all police departments check serial numbers to see if items being sold are stolen. The Fort Worth Police Department, for example, makes it clear that its officers do not. "If you choose to meet at a police station, keep in mind that city employees are generally prohibited from engaging or interfering with private business transactions," the Fort Worth Police Department says. "Police officers and city employees will not participate in or help the transaction by running serial numbers to determine whether a particular item has been reported stolen or missing." Some online marketplaces have meetup spaces Companies such as online marketplace OfferUp have partnered with police stations to create a safe spot to conduct transactions. Sellers or buyers can find the closest location by putting their addresses on its website or app. "These spots are brightly lit and have video cameras. They're great places to meet up with someone else to inspect items and complete sales," OfferUp says on its website. Cameras at such locations are on 24 hours a day and record footage that is accessible to police. As part of its effort, OfferUp provided additional training to detectives from the Dallas Police Department last year on how to detect and stop criminal activity during online transactions. Officers provide tips and alternative meeting spots During the transactions, officers can also provide additional tips. For example, Smyrna officers urge people involved in expensive transactions to conduct their business at a banking facility, where funds can be verified during the transfer for either party. And if meeting at a police station is not your thing, any other public spot will do just fine. "Always meet in a public place such as a restaurant or shopping center or anywhere where there is a high volume of pedestrian or vehicle traffic. Never meet in out-of-the-way locations," the Fort Worth Police Department says. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "This is a weblog that is truly welcome in blogtopia a new blog doesn't seem to be frantically trying to score points for any party. That does NOT mean it's afraid to take a stand or be critical....You really can't predict exactly where The Debate Link will come down on all issues. It's not chanting anyone's mantra." -- The Moderate Voice "[A]n emerging genius in legal scholarship and commentary." -- Jim Chen "It's on my 1st cup of coffee rss feed." -- Hanno Kaiser "I heart this blog.... he referenced Wittgenstein, and it was entirely appropriate and non-pretentious." -- kath.A.rine "[F]unny, thoughtful, acclaimed ...." -- The Core OceanBank to be sold to foreign investor People pass a branch of Ocean Bank located at the Petro Vietnam's building in Hanoi. Photo by Reuters/Kham The central bank plans to sell OceanBank, one of the countrys three weakest lenders, to a foreign investor. The State Bank of Vietnam said it has presented the proposal to the government, but did not disclose the name of any prospective buyer. In 2015 it acquired OceanBank and two other struggling banks for zero dong. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue had said last year that the government would allow foreign investors to fully acquire these weak banks, Vietnam Construction Bank and Global Petro Commercial Jsc Bank being the other two. Under the law, foreign ownership at local banks is capped at 30 percent, except for the "weak banks". The SBV had said in 2017 that an Asian bank "expressed serious interest in restructuring OceanBank" and was taking "necessary steps." Last March Japanese finance firm J Trust expressed interest in acquiring and restructuring the Vietnam Construction Bank. Vietnam has nine foreign banks, four state-owned banks and 31 joint-stock banks. Vietnam is seeing a surge in electricity demand as summer heat intensifies while water shortage constrains power production. Last Saturday, power production topped 36,000 MW for the first time, according to the National Load Dispatch Center (NLDC) under Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the national power utility. Consumption on the same day reached the record-high 756.9 million kWh. Vu Xuan Khu, deputy director of the NLDC said consumption could go up to 800 million kWh a day during May and June as the summer gets hotter. Last month, Vietnam broke its national high temperature record as the mercury hit 43.4 degrees Celsius in central Ha Tinh Province, according to a forecaster at the French meteorological agency Meteo France. Weather experts have warned that Vietnam should brace for more heat waves this summer. But electricity production is facing challenges as reservoirs in the central and southern regions are low on water. With the current water volumes in these reservoirs, the hydropower plants can produce 2 billion kWh , equal to national consumption for three days, Khu said. EVN is also having difficulties in utilizing other sources like gas and coal. The countrys hydropower potential has almost been fully exploited, oil and gas reserves are running low, and in the last few years it has gone from being a net exporter to net importer of coal. As demand surges, EVN has been using oil to produce electricity since last month with a total output of 46 million kWh. The national grid will have its capacity increased by up to 1,400 MW by the end of June with 90 new solar power plants becoming operational. But this is more like a challenge than opportunity, as technical difficulties in the initial period will not guarantee stability and quality, said Nguyen Duc Ninh, deputy director of NLDC. Despite all these challenges, EVN has guaranteed that it will supply enough electricity this year. Vietnams fast economy growth in recently years makes the country hungry for energy. World Bank country director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione said at a recent forum that Vietnam would need to raise up to $150 billion by 2030 to develop its energy sector. Dione added that electricity demand in the country is set to grow by about 8 percent a year for the next decade. Thao Denh Cha, 42, and Thao Na Song, 22, are arrested with packs of ecstasy pills at Vietnam-Laos border, May 18, 2019. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency. Two men were caught on the Laos border on Saturday with 120,000 ecstasy pills as they were seeking to smuggle them into Vietnam. Thao Denh Cha, 42, and Thao Na Song, 22, were arrested following joint efforts by border guards in Vietnams northwestern Dien Bien Province and Lao authorities, Vietnam Plus reported. The two, hailing from Luang Prabang Province, told the police they bought the drugs in the Golden Triangle and were on their way to deliver them to a person in Vietnam. The police also seized two mobile phones and other evidence. The men and the seized items were handed over to Luang Prabang authorities, who are investigating. Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics from the Golden Triangle, an intersection of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, the world's second largest drug producing area after the Golden Crescent in South Asia. Drug trafficking and consumption have persisted and worsened in Vietnam over the last few years though it has some of the worlds toughest laws. A warranty center of Nhat Cuong Mobile on Giang Vo Street, Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Tat Dinh The chief of a Hanoi tech firm has disappeared after police sought to arrest him for alleged cross-border smuggling and concealing revenues. On Saturday, the Ministry of Public Security issued an arrest warrant against Bui Quang Huy, 45, general director of Nhat Cuong Technical Services Trading Co. Ltd., four days after police launched a criminal probe and attempted to arrest him. The ministry's investigators said anyone can make a citizens arrest of Huy and take him to the nearest police station, prosecution or people's committee office. The anti-smuggling police last Tuesday began a criminal investigation into alleged "smuggling" and "violating regulations of law on accounting causing serious consequences" by Huy and eight others. Arrest orders were also issued against the others. Bui Quang Huy, 45, general director of Nhat Cuong Technical Services Trading Co. Ltd. in Hanoi, is wanted by the police for smuggling Huy is suspected of being the leader of an organized crime group responsible for cross-border smuggling, maintaining two sets of accounting books to conceal trillions of dong worth of revenues (VND1 trillion = $42.7 million) and conspiring with foreign manufacturers to illegally import electronic devices. The investigation was launched after the Hanoi police raided nine stores and a warranty center belonging to Nhat Cuong Mobile on May 9 and seized thousands of mobile phones, tablets and other electronic items. Nhat Cuong Mobile belongs to Nhat Cuong Technical Services Trading Co. Ltd., which was set up in 2001 as a phone repair shop. The company also has an enterprise resource planning center in Ho Chi Minh City. Its businesses include trading of electronic and telecommunications equipment and components, mobile phone manufacturing, pawnbroking, and a travel agency. In addition to being Nhat Cuong's general director, Huy is also the legal representative of Nhat Cuong Software Co. Ltd., which has been contracted for a number of technology jobs by Hanoi including a residential data project. The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's vast claims in the sea. Photo by AFP. China on Monday denounced a US warship sail-by near disputed islands in the South China Sea, known as the East Sea in Vietnam, as a violation of its sovereignty, amid mounting tensions over trade between the two countries. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) organised air and naval forces to warn the USS Preble to leave, said a PLA spokesman, after it entered waters near China-claimed Scarborough Shoal on Monday morning. "The relevant actions from the US side endanger the safety of both Chinese and American ships and personnel, and undermine China's sovereignty and safety," said Li Huamin, spokesman of the PLA's Southern Theatre Command. "We express our resolute opposition," he added. The move comes as both countries adopt toughening stances on a host of economic and diplomatic issues, namely trade and hi-tech rivalry. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, with China announcing it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US merchandise from June 1 in retaliation. Trump has also barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the sea, including on the Spratly Islands, which Beijing calls Nansha. China claims nearly all of the sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's vast claims in the sea. Earlier this month, two US warships entered waters adjacent to Gaven and Chigua reefs in the Spratlys, sparking fury from China. "We strongly urge the US side to immediately stop such provocative actions so as to not harm China-US relations and the peace and stability of the region," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a press briefing. Movie stars including Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria celebrated the role of women in cinema at a glitzy gala in Cannes on Sunday. Cannes' film festival, the world's most important cinema showcase, last year signed a pledge to get an equal number of men and women in its top management by 2020 that is gradually gathering momentum at similar European and U.S. events. Actors and filmmakers participating in this year's edition have joined activists in warning that while industry attitudes were changing, progress was still slow. "We have so much work to do and I just think we can't let up," Longoria told journalists at the Women in Motion dinner at Cannes, part of a program set up by luxury group Kering to push for gender equality in cinema. "Whenever we see something improving we can't just say 'Oh OK let's relax, the momentum's going to go that way'. It won't continue to go that way, we have to continue to change the industry for ourselves." Chinese actress Gong Li, the star of "Farewell My Concubine", was awarded a prize for her career at the event. At Cannes, four women are contending for this year's top Palme D'Or film prize, including Franco-Senegalese Mati Diop and France's Celine Sciamma, out of 21 entries - or just under 20 percent of the total. Elsewhere, the proportion has sometimes been higher, with over 40 percent of the films competing at Berlin's festival in February made by women. "We hear a lot about how times are changing and improving, and it's true. The idea is to support that trend. (But) the figures still don't look good," said Delphyne Besse, a film sales specialist and one of the founders of 50/50 by 2020, the collective behind the gender parity pledge signed by Cannes. Of the 47 film festivals that have so far backed the drive globally, 38 percent have female heads, according to the lobby group's figures. Short shrift Eva Longoria poses at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival - Photocall Kering Women in Motion - Cannes, France, May 17, 2019. Photo by Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissierap Industry insiders said the slow progress was reflected in everything from the short shrift female directors still got in the media to their under-representation at industry events. "Women have been making films for 11 decades now," British actress and star of zombie movie "The Dead Don't Die" Tilda Swinton told a news conference earlier this week. "There are countless films by women. The question is why don't we know about them," she said, adding that even obituaries for female filmmakers tended to be dwarfed by those dedicated to men. Cannes' organisers have said they were not planning to introduce quotas dictating the gender balance of the films selected to compete at the festival. "Cannes is only at the end of the chain. This needs to start with encouragement at film schools," festival director Thierry Fremaux said last week. The cinema showcase is looking to include more women its board, however, and the festival jury this year was more balanced. "Atlantics" director Diop said festivals were still a logical starting point to highlight women's work in the industry. "It starts with the films, there is no festival without films, so it is an extraordinary exhibition that will give the films much bigger exposure," she told Reuters in an interview Boats at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are shown in this handout photo provided by Planet Labs. Photo handed out via Reuters The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday. The move is likely to anger Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw Beijing unveil fresh retaliatory tariffs. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. "Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. It was the second such U.S. military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the U.S. Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. The U.S. military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambasts the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan have competing claims in the region. Vietnam, which calls the waters the East Sea, has repeatedly asserted its sovereignty over the waters. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says the United States is responsible for ratcheting up tension in the region by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Last month, China's navy chief said freedom of navigation should not be used to infringe upon the rights of other nations. Photos597/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died Monday at a U.S. Border Patrol station outside of McAllen, Texas, a week after he was apprehended for trying to cross illegally, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The cause of his death was unknown. It marks the third death of a child or teen in the past month after being apprehended at the border. According to the CBP, the child was picked up on May 13 near Hidalgo, Texas and was transferred to the Weslaco Border Patrol Station in the Rio Grande Valley. The teen was awaiting transfer to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an indication that he was traveling without a parent and was among the estimated 13,000 "unaccompanied" minors in government custody. CBP said in a statement released Monday that the teen had been found unresponsive earlier in the day. "The men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are saddened by the tragic loss of this young man and our condolences are with his family," said acting CBP Commissioner John Sanders. "CBP is committed to the health, safety and humane treatment of those in our custody." The U.S. is facing an unprecedented influx of migrant families, including teens and young children, from the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. U.S. officials said Friday that they stopped some 4,500 undocumented migrants at the border in the past week, and more than half a million so far this fiscal year. President Donald Trump has claimed via Twitter that he will simply stop allowing refugees inside the U.S., and there is one plan in place to make some refugees wait in Mexico. But that plan, called the "Remain in Mexico" policy has been limited in scope because of legal concerns. Also, U.S. law guarantees people the right to claim asylum and to plead their case to an immigration judge. The courts have also set a 20-day limit on the detention of minors. A 2-year-old died earlier this month shortly after being released from U.S. custody. Before that, on April 30, another 16-year-old died after experiencing flu-like symptoms. Last December, a 7-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy died in separate incidents. Both autopsies showed signs of bacterial infections. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. ELKO Members of the Marine Corps Motorcycle Club and others traveled to Elko on Saturday for the annual Lance Corporal Raul Bravo Memorial at Elko City Park. Bravo enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2003 after graduating from Elko High School. He served with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, India Company, Marine Corp Expeditionary force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On March 3, 2007, Bravo was killed by an improvised explosive device in the city of Qaim, Anbar province Iraq during his second tour of duty. Several members of the club from Sacramento, California and Northern Utah served with Bravo in the Anbar province. The memorial began with a motorcycle ride to Lamoille. The ride returned to City Park for a ceremony to honor and celebrate his life. Chaplain Lee Foster of the MIA POW Awareness Association gave the benediction followed by several speakers from the Marine Corps Motorcycle Club. The ceremony was followed by a barbecue lunch hosted by the POW*MIA Elko Awareness Association. All proceeds from the event are donated to the Elko High School Lance Cpl. Raul Bravo Scholarship fund. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa Beto ORourke had his. Pete Buttigieg is still having his. So is Joseph R. Biden Jr. But Jay Inslee hasnt had his, nor has John Hickenlooper. And when either Kamala Harris or Amy Klobuchar has hers, watch out. Every four years, a group of presidential candidates have their Moment, a golden intercession when the press and the country discover their virtues, begin to consider them as strong White House contenders, conceive of them as plausible presidents. It happened to Barack Obama in the spring of 2007; he never lost that fairy dust. It happened to Howard Dean of Vermont in late 2003 and early 2004; his magic disappeared by midwinter. It happened to Dick Gephardt of Missouri twice in late 1987 and again in early 2004; he never caught the campaign wind long enough to cruise to the Democratic presidential nomination. These men still live with their Moment, the glory that was in their grasp until it migrated elsewhere, to sturdier, stronger hands able to hold it more firmly, sometimes long enough to propel them to the inaugural platform on the west front of the Capitol. Candidates need to translate their Moments into cash, said Bruce Nesmith, who as a political scientist at Coe College here is a veteran observer of the first caucus state. They then need to translate both cash and fame into building organizations, both here in Iowa and around the country. The Moment was in the youthful hands of Sen. Gary Hart after he stunned the political establishment by upsetting former Vice President Walter F. Mondale in New Hampshire in late February 1984. Hart had the tail winds because he was new and nimble of mind, and was possessed of a sense of destiny that streamed from his intense eyes and from his possession of new ideas. He then streaked through Maine and Vermont, the Mondale mountain wall crumbling like an avalanche in the White and Green Mountains of northern New England. Then Mondales strategists the canny James A. Johnson and the shrewd Michael Berman came up with a gambit for the ages. They looked ahead to Super Tuesday with trepidation, but also with calculation. Hart, they knew, was positioned to win Massachusetts and Rhode Island by prodigious margins, and to capture Florida, the big prize of the day, as well. All that came to pass, to the distress of the Minnesotan and his minions. But the Mondale brain trust began a parallel campaign, not so much for convention delegates as for the conventional wisdom, and they sowed the notion preposterous on its face, and even more so in the rear-view mirror of history that Florida and the New England Democratic strongholds counted for nothing, and that the key to political success was the contest in ... Georgia. Georgia was, of course, the home state of Jimmy Carter, the former president who had chosen Mondale as his running mate in 1976. Carter was in disrepute pretty much everywhere in Democratic circles with one exception, his home state. Mondale had months earlier gritted his teeth and stopped in Georgia to pay respects to his patron. Political pros at the time wondered of the wisdom of that visit to a onetime president who only later enjoyed his revisionism by virtue of his post-presidential good works. But it paid off. Hart won three of the five states contested that day, losing Georgia by only 3 percentage points but losing the momentum he cultivated on the ground though not in the press. His Moment had vanished, forever. Overall, Hart won six more states than Mondale. On the last day of the primary season, he won the biggest prize, California. A day later Mondale claimed sufficient delegates to win a nomination that eventually proved to be more dross than dream. But he also proved how fleeting can be the Moment. Speed ahead four years and there was, as Barbra Streisand sang in an entirely different context, a Moment to remember. It belonged to former Gov. Bruce Babbitt of Arizona, like Hart a cerebral political figure but lacking the Coloradans dash and glamour. Later Babbitt became secretary of the Interior and would have been on the Supreme Court had Western lawmakers not objected to his determination to keep their states free of pollution, and of miners. The Babbitt Moment crystalized in a late 1987 debate, when he challenged Democrats to confront the budget deficit. Babbitt proposed a tax on consumption (a progressive national consumption tax) and a universal means test no farm subsidies for the rich, new taxes on Social Security for the wealthy. The press, as always guilty of focusing on politics rather than policy, sought to right its great wrongs and decided Babbitt was a truth-teller for the times, deeming him a possible hero for the ages. These campaign Moments are coveted X factors, kind of mysterious, in a way fascinating, but often fleeting, Babbitt said in a conversation the other day, in which he avowed that his Moment came because people were casting around for a candidate they liked and werent finding that in any of us. When Babbitt actually said something sensible, at least to Democratic ears, his name was on everyones lips. But not for long. Babbitt has an unusual sense of self-perception for a politician, and perhaps it is best that he tells of the denouement: I had deficient communication skills and couldnt take advantage of my Moment. I couldnt make my policy proposals morph into a personal connection with voters. And so it disappeared like a midwinter thaw in New Hampshire, where Babbitt finished sixth and departed the race. But not all Moments fade forever. Sen. John McCain had a 2007 Moment, then a 2007 collapse, and then mirabile dictum a 2008 revival. He won the GOP nomination, and though he didnt win the presidency, he went to his death respected by nearly everyone in American life the principal exception being the current president, whose Moment, perhaps the unlikeliest of them all, has lasted three years. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A mountain hut, a heavy backpack and a made-up biography: Jose Antonio Urrutikoetxea Bengoetxea, better known as Josu Ternera, was posing as Bruno Marti, a Venezuelan writer who had come to the region to find inspiration. In reality he was a veteran ex-leader of the Basque terrorist organization ETA who had spent 17 years on the run after participating in some of the groups bloodiest attacks. Urrutikoetxea was arrested last Thursday in the parking lot of a hospital in the French Alps. He had spent the last six months in hiding, alone inside a mountain shelter at the foot of the Mont Blanc, at an altitude of over 1,200 meters. Mountains are a land of acceptance. People here are rough, but we dont spend our time wondering about our neighbors, we dont make people take admissions tests Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of Saint-Gervais After spending the first night in a cell in Bonneville, Urrutikoetxea was transferred to Paris on Friday. In 2017 he had been tried in absentia and convicted by a Paris court to eight years in prison for terrorist association. He is also wanted in Spain in connection with a bomb attack in Zaragoza in December 1987 that killed 11 people, including five children. The former ETA leader was also behind a bomb attack against an Hipercor shopping center in Barcelona that same year that killed 21 people and injured 45. And in May 1991, ETA attacked the Civil Guard barracks in Vic, killing 10 people, five of them minors. Four words The arrest was made possible by a conversation that was overheard around two weeks ago by a Civil Guard officer sent to southern France to follow an indirect contact of Urrutikoetxeas. The agent heard four words: Jeudi 16 mai hopital (Thursday May 16 hospital). There was no clear indication that this was an appointment for Urrutikoetxea, or any reference to the specific hospital. But the police deployed patrols at several health centers in the area, as they suspected that he was hiding out somewhere in the French Alps. Josu Ternera before his arrest in France last week. CIVIL GUARD (EL PAIS) Officers stationed at the Sallanches hospital quickly identified him as he stepped out of the passenger seat of a car at 7am. He was noticeably thinner than in the last available photograph of him, dating from 2013. The police said this was likely due to his strenuous mountain walks, not the cancer that he is suffering from. His appointment was for a check-up. Remote hideout Urritikoetxea had chosen his hideout well. There are very few homes in the Plateau de la Croix, located near a ski resort and a stones throw away from the borders with Italy and Switzerland. And most of these dwellings are closed during the low season. Urrutikoetxea in 2001. EFE In order to reach the last inhabited area of Saint-Nicolas-de-Veroce, which has a resident population of 250, it is necessary to drive up a steep one-lane road. And to reach the hut where Urrutikoetxea was hiding, one must hike on foot for 15 minutes on narrow dirt paths. To us he was Bruno Marti. He said he was from Venezuela and that he was a writer, says one of the few residents of this isolated location. The recent events came as no great surprise to Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, a commune that encompasses the tiny Saint-Nicolas. Mountains are a land of acceptance. People here are rough, but we dont spend our time wondering about our neighbors, we dont make people take admissions tests, he says, speaking from his office. That is why this land is well adapted to those who seek discretion. Vivianne, who runs the only general store in Saint-Nicolas that is open all year round, saw a picture of Urrutikoetxea in the local newspaper, Le Dauphine Libere. Even though it was a file photo from 2002, there was no doubt in her mind: Its him. She says she had noticed that friendly, polite customer who always walked into the store with a backpack. He had been coming since February, although lately she had not seen him so much. Another resident of the Plateau de la Croix, some three kilometers uphill from Saint-Nicolas, estimated that Urrutikoetxea had been in the area around six months. Sources at Spanish counter-terrorism services mentioned the same timeframes. The few people who admitted to having had contact with him said he used to travel everywhere on foot, despite the long treks and steep terrain. For longer distances, like the hospital visit to Sallanches that resulted in his arrest, a car was required. A local resident gave him a ride to the parking lot where he was detained despite his attempts at convincing the French intelligence services (DGSI), in a fluent French, that he was not the individual they were looking for. He was not armed at the time of his arrest, and was carrying 4,000 in cash inside his backpack. English version by Susana Urra. Five newly elected Catalan members of Spanish parliament who are in preventive custody for their involvement in the 2017 secession attempt left prison on Monday to complete the formalities to take office in Congress and the Senate in Madrid. At the April 28 Spanish general elections, Jordi Sanchez, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull of the Junts per Catalunya party (Together for Catalonia) and Oriol Junqueras, the leader of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), were elected as deputies in Congress, while Raul Romeva from the ERC won a seat in the Senate. There is no Catalan cause, it is the cause for freedom Newly elected deputy Josep Rull The Spanish Supreme Court last week granted the newly elected members of parliament permission to leave prison to complete the required paperwork at the upper and lower house, on condition that they be guarded by police at all times, and returned to the Soto del Real prison in Madrid as soon as possible. The four new Congress members arrived at the lower house a little after 10am on Monday in a Civil Guard van, and entered through a side door that is inaccessible to the public. A few minutes later, they were inside the building to fill out the documents that all newly elected parliamentarians must complete before they can officially take office, and to be present for the official photograph. The separatist leaders remained in Congress for 70 minutes, even though the process typically takes half an hour. Oriol Junqueras (second right), Jordi Sanchez (l) and Josep Rull (fifth right) complete the paperwork to take office as deputies. J.J. Guillen (EFE) Under the Supreme Courts guidelines, the newly elected parliamentarians had been banned from spending time with family members or speaking to the press at Mondays outing and at the opening session of Congress and the Senate on Tuesday, May 21. Laura Borras, the new Congress spokesperson for Junts per Catalunya, said the restrictions placed on the separatist leaders were regrettable and shameful. The independence leaders were joined by members of their party and lawyers inside Congress, and published messages on social media from within the building. In a video on Twitter, Junqueras, who is facing up to 25 years in prison for rebellion and misuse of public funds for his involvement in the unauthorized referendum of October 1, 2017 and the unilateral independence declaration that followed, said he was proud to be elected as a deputy and called on the public to vote for the ERC at the upcoming municipal, regional and European elections on May 26 to bring freedom to the country. The newly elected parliamentarians were banned from meeting with family members or speaking to the press Newly elected Congress member Rull also shared a video from inside Congress, saying: There is no Catalan cause, it is the cause of freedom. Police stood watch over the Catalan separatists for the entire time they were inside Congress, and also guarded the outside of the building. The five received the technological devices that are provided to all parliamentarians, but were forced to give it to friends for safekeeping while they remain in prison. Meanwhile, Romeva arrived at the Senate at around 9.51am on Monday. He entered the building from the parking garage and finished the paperwork to take his seat in the Senate in seven minutes. All five have also been given permission to leave prison to attend the opening sessions of Congress and the Senate on Tuesday, May 21. Once they have been formally sworn in, the Supreme Court will notify Congress and the Senate that all five have been temporarily suspended from office, under Article 384 of the Criminal Prosecution Law, which automatically suspends any public official accused of rebellion. If, as is likely, the Supreme Court confirms the suspension, it will be up to congressional leaders to decide whether the deputies should be temporarily replaced by others, or if the number of seats in Congress should be reduced to 346. Given that the Supreme Court does not want to alter government majorities, it is expected to let Congress find the best way to apply the suspension. English version by Melissa Kitson. Business society has predicted that there could be the risks of the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada, but in general, political instability does not contribute to improving the business climate, EBA Executive Director Anna Derevyanko has said. "Political instability is not conducive to macroeconomic stability. Howevr, the business community expected such risks to exist. Therefore, Zelensky's statement about the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada is not a big surprise for the business community," she said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on Monday. At the same time, she said that the early stabilization of the political situation can mitigate these risks. "We expect that these political changes will occur as soon as possible, the political situation will settle down. And work will soon take place on the reform, on the introduction of further changes in our country," Derevyanko said. A statement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and the possible resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine would not significantly affect the hryvnia exchange rate in the short term outlook, according to bankers polled by Interfax-Ukraine. So, according to Head of the dealing department of Raiffeisen Bank Aval Yuriy Hrynenko, the hryvnia in the interbank foreign exchange market continues to strengthen. "The hryvnia exchange rate on the interbank foreign exchange market on Monday strengthened from UAH 26.33/$1 to UAH 26.185/$1 at the moment due to the influx of currency from nonresidents. That is, this situation [the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and the possible resignation of the government] predictable and not alarming. These are probably the words they would like to hear, because these are positive messages for citizens. An auction is held on Tuesdays, and nonresidents are preparing to buy government bills at tomorrow's auction," he said. Director of the Treasury at Credit Dnipro Bank Oleh Kurinny said that the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and the possible resignation of the government may have a short-term insignificant destabilizing effect on the hryvnia exchange rate. "Political factors the dissolution of the Rada and the possible resignation of the government may have a short-term insignificant destabilizing effect on the exchange rate dynamics, strengthening the speculative component, but in the medium term, the impact of fundamental economic factors influencing the ratio of currency inflows will be decisive: the volume and schedule of debt payments, the course of cooperation with international financial institutions, the interest of investors in investing in government bonds, the situation in global commodity and stock markets, volumes export earnings and income from labor migrants," he said. JSC Ukrtransnafta hopes to sign a new ten-year transit contract with PJSC Transneft in June 2019, the director general of the Ukrainian company, Mykola Havrylenko, has told Interfax-Ukraine. We're planning to sign a new contract in June for a term of ten years. We don't see any reason it won't be concluded. Transneft has already signed contracts with MOL (Hungary) and Transpetrol (Slovakia)," Havrylenko said. "We've eliminated the overwhelming majority of all the points of disagreement. In June, we're hoping to sign a new contract for oil transit," Igor Demin, the advisor to the president of Transneft, told Interfax. Havrylenko said the sides have already agreed on the transit tariff, which will not change. "The tariff isn't changing. For now, we don't see any reason to change it in either direction. If we compare it with the tariff policy in Belarus and Russia, ours is higher. The tariff policy in Europe is commensurate with ours," he said. Discussions are still underway with regard to what law will be used in the contract, given that Ukraine insists that Russian law not be used. "Russian [law is now used]. We're insisting on English law. Transneft doesn't want that, for obvious reasons. In any event, this won't be the Russian legal field. Most likely, some neutral zone will be chosen so that both parties are comfortable," Havrylenko said. Transneft is the same kind of oil transportation organization as Ukrtransnafta and therefore cannot give guarantees concerning volumes to be transported through Ukraine to Europe, he said. "As unpleasant as this may be, Transneft can't guarantee anything to us, since they're the same kind of transportation organization as we are. In this contract, we specify the possible capacities of oil pipelines to transport oil along a particular route. We absolutely readily guarantee 17 million tonnes a year, but about 15 million tonnes will probably be envisaged in the contract," Havrylenko said. The current ten-year contract between Ukrtransnafta and Transneft was signed in November 2009. In 2018, transit of oil through Ukraine to Europe by pipeline fell 4.3% year-on-year to 13.335 million tonnes, while oil pumped to refineries in Ukraine increased 0.2%, to 2.101 million tonnes. Ukrtransnafta's system of main pipelines, with diameters ranging from 159 mm to 1,220 mm and a total length of 4,767 kilometers, passes through 19 Ukrainian regions. It has an entry throughput capacity of 114 million tonnes and an exit capacity of 56.3 million tonnes. Volodymyr Zelensky took the office as Ukrainian president at a ceremony hosted by the Verkhovna Rada on Monday. Zelensky put his hand on the Ukrainian Constitution and the Open Peresopnytsia Gospel, took the oath of allegiance to the people of Ukraine, signed the oath, and handed it over to Ukrainian Constitutional Court Chairperson Natalia Shaptala. Once the oath was said, Shaptala confirmed that the new Ukrainian president took the oath of allegiance to the people of Ukraine in accordance with Article 104 of the Ukrainian Constitution and took his office. The Central Elections Commission chairperson presented Zelensky with the certificate of the Ukrainian president, and the Constitutional Court chairperson gave him formal symbols of presidential power: the ceremonial mace, the official seal, and the presidential chain. Then Zelensky addressed the nation from the Verkhovna Rada's stage. He said he would dissolve the parliament and invited the government to resign. After the ceremony, Zelensky listened to reports of commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' branches and services near the Mariyinsky Palace, and watched the Ukrainian flag being raised. After that, Zelensky and his spouse, Olena Zelenska, will greet heads of foreign delegations and attend a reception in the delegation heads' honor. In the afternoon, Zelensky will have bilateral meetings with heads of foreign delegations on the premises of the Ukrainian presidential administration. The resumption of obligatory personal vehicle inspection initiated by the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine would not improve their safety, although it could result in the resumption of corruption schemes applied earlier, according to lawyers polled by Interfax-Ukraine. "This bill, in our opinion, is a purely commercial project that will not affect road safety in any way. Infrastructure associated with the passage of MOT tests will appear and quickly develop, including without the inspection of a vehicle. In this area corruption and illegal turnover of cash will develop," says Alexander Keer, managing partner of the DTP Expert law firm. He also predicts that "mandatory inspection will lead to the fact that all cars, including cars with European license plates, will be somehow registered." "In Ukraine at present, according to various estimates, there are several tens of thousands of cars that drive not entirely legally. Cars with foreign number plates are only part of them, and there are still stolen, confiscated and other cars. If mandatory inspection is introduced, then when these cars pass through, they will be identified. Some of these cars were resold, then their owners, who purchased cars as a result of a legal transaction, will be in a difficult situation," he said. The lawyer predicts that "for the inspection of illegal cars will also apply illegal schemes that will not guarantee a good technical condition of the vehicle." "You can also expect a decrease in the number of "clone cars," but the number of fictitious data on the passage of vehicle inspection may increase," he said. At the same time, Keer predicts that "mandatory inspection will improve the detection of crimes related to cars illegally located on the territory of Ukraine." At the same time, the lawyer said that "technical failure of cars is very rarely recognized by the court as the cause of an accident, especially when it comes to commercial vehicles, in particular, heavy trucks, special vehicles and carriers of dangerous goods." Nevertheless, the consequences of such accidents can be very serious both in material terms and in terms of the number of casualties (injured and dead citizens). "Very few road accidents initiated after a technical malfunction of the car reached the courts. In such cases, it is much easier for the parties to place the responsibility on the driver than directly on the technical condition of the vehicle, because if the court recognizes the malfunction of the car, the head of the transporting company will be responsible. The company may lose the license for transportation, therefore, most of the responsibility is shifted to drivers," he said. At the same time, Keer believes that the adoption of this bill could significantly increase the number of appeals to court. In particular, service stations that do not receive the licenses to conduct a technical inspection will file lawsuits. In turn, lawyer of the K.A.C. Group law firm Dmytro Polischuk said that the proposed bill, first of all, is aimed at cars with mileage and will increase the level of protection for buyers of used cars from unscrupulous sellers, which has already been confirmed by the experience of European countries where buying a used car is not a "cat in a bag" purchase. In turn, K.A.C. Group lawyer Hanna Kuznetsova said that in the period from January to April 2019, there were 2,445 road accidents in Ukraine, in which 7,804 people had injuries of varying severity and 822 people were killed. At the same time, the share of accidents as a result of speeding is 35%, violation of maneuvering rules 20%, violation of intersections rules 8%, violation of crossing rules 8% and non-observance of a safe distance 6%. "These data indicate that technical failure of cars is not a very common cause of an accident," she said. For her part, lawyer of Ario Law Firm Natalia Shvets said that the introduction of mandatory vehicle inspection for cars will not cause a burst of lawsuits by car owners and organizations that will conduct this inspection. "For law-abiding drivers, there will be no problem to pass a technical inspection of their vehicle," she said. U.S. Secretary of Energy Perry: Zelensky's speech was very impressive and extremely powerful U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has said the United States will continue to support Ukraine. President Zelenskys speech was impressive and very powerful in what kind of vision for Ukraines future there is presented. The bottom line is that the elections were for the people of Ukraine, not for him, he said after Zelensky was inaugurated. Perry stressed that the United States would continue to support Ukraine. The United States, together with the people of Ukraine, is looking forward to working with the new president and, I hope, with the new parliament, he added, citing U.S. President Donald Trump. Perry said the American delegation to Zelensky's inauguration would have been bigger if more advanced notice had been given. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky declares that he sees as his primary task the cessation of hostilities in Donbas, for which he is ready to make unpopular decisions, even those that will lead to his resignation from the post of head of the Ukrainian state. "Our first task is a cease-fire in Donbas," said Zelensky in his address to the Ukrainian people from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada. "I was often asked what I am ready to do for a cease-fire? Strange question. And what are you, Ukrainians, ready for the lives of people close to you? For what? I can assure you that I am ready to do everything so that our heroes will not die anymore. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity, my ratings, and if necessary, I'm ready to lose my position without hesitation so that peace will come," the sixth president of Ukraine said. He added: "Without losing our territory, never." The dialogue should begin with the release of all Ukrainian captives, Zelensky said. "We didn't start this war, but it is us who must end it. We are ready for dialogue. But I am certain that the first step towards this should be the return of all Ukrainian prisoners," he said. Return of the lost territories is the next challenge, Zelensky said. "To be frank, I don't think that this wording is accurate: we cannot lose what rightfully belongs to us. Both Crimea and Donbas are Ukrainian land," he said. People have been lost together with territories and "we need to win their minds back," Zelensky said, speaking in Russian. Andriy Portnov, ex-Presidential Administration Head under disgraced ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, has said will in the near future issue statements about the alleged crimes of ex-President Petro Poroshenko, ex-Presidential Administration Deputy Head Oleksiy Filatov, and People's Front Party Members of Parliament Serhiy Pashynsky and Maksym Burbak. "Our large legal team plans to start filing applications on the very first day after the inauguration ... The key people are Poroshenko himself, Filatov, Pashynsky, ... Burbak, leader of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko faction (Artur Herasymov), key officials from Poroshenko's circle and businessmen," said Portnov in a video interview posted to the Kyiv-based Strana.ua ezine. Portnov said lawyers have documented more than 10 statements about alleged crimes. In particular, including those linked to Panamanian offshore companies, embezzlement in the defense sector, as well as the defense orders given to Kuznya on Rybalsky, the company formerly owned by Poroshenko. Portnov also said it was necessary to arrest Poroshenko's assets and those of his associates. He said under Poroshenko judges were under a lot of pressure, adding the first petitions sent to court in cases against Poroshenko about preventive measure would be satisfied. Portnov said if the new government wants to be active in the pursuit of Poroshenko, his team will help. "If not, we will exercise public pressure, document, process everything procedurally, appeal against the inaction of law enforcement agencies," he stressed. Portnov added that he knows 'huge' number of businessmen and citizens who also plan to engage in such activities. "We will offer leverage - I mean our team. We will be the headliners and organizers of this work somewhere ... I see that there's a huge field here," he said. Portnov said he does not intend to return to the civil service and does not plan of taking any government post. In 2014, Portnov left Ukraine, lived in Moscow and then in Vienna, Austria. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, completing his term of office, expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian people, again apologized to all whose hopes he had not justified, and also wished President Volodymyr Zelensky a successful cadence, stressing that he remains in politics to prevent deviations from the country's Euro-Atlantic course. "First of all, I would like to thank the great Ukrainian people for the great honor to work for five years at the head of a great country. The country, which impressed the whole world with the force of national spirit, dignity, perseverance and freedom-loving nature. I would especially like to bow to the defenders of Ukraine for the right, opportunity and honor to be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief," Poroshenko said in his address to Ukrainian published on the presidential website on Sunday evening. Summing up his presidency, he noted that the country is in a better condition today than five years ago, and this is evidenced by the main statistical indicators. "This was achieved by the joint efforts, due to the support of the active part of society and the understanding of the majority," he noted. "We saved Ukraine and buried Novorossiya. We stopped the aggressor, which is much stronger than us. We created an army that became one of the strongest on the continent. Relying on the international pro-Ukrainian coalition, it firmly holds the line in the east," the address reads. Poroshenko also said that the Ukrainian authorities "won the diplomatic battle" for the ratification of the Association Agreement and reoriented the economy to the European Union, which can be evidenced by the turnover between Ukraine and the EU increased more than twice. "And in general, we have never been so close to NATO and the European Union. Including due to the visa-free regime launched on June 11, 2017," he said. According to him, in parallel with the movement towards Europe, we also strengthened our Ukrainian identity. "This is our own policy of historical memory, decommunization. This is the tomos, which we received at the beginning of the year. This is the law on the Ukrainian language recently signed by me." At the same time he said about "the areas with less success." "The thing I regret about the most is that we failed to establish peace and restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We started to restore the standards of living after the economic crisis, caused by Russian aggression, too late. I apologize to everyone whose expectations I failed to meet; for whom the reforms were particularly painful; who faced the untruth and did not find justice in those years. I already explained: even if one believes that the president can do everything, he cannot do all at once," he noted. The fifth president of Ukraine also noted that the change of power is a sign of the belonging of Ukrainians to the European civilization. "We have preserved democracy even in the face of Russian aggression. Tomorrow the power goes to the new President whom you chose at fair and free elections. I wish a successful presidency to Volodymyr Zelensky. A month ago, we were opponents in the elections. But it happened so that tomorrow he will be the President of my native country. The country I love and the European future of which I firmly believe in. May the Lord guard Ukraine and help its new leader in his work," Poroshenko said. At the same time, he said that he was worried that positive changes, where they exist, had not yet become irreversible. "Therefore, leaving the office of the president, I cannot leave politics. I remain not for any kind of post. In the end, I have already occupied the highest and most honorable of them and there is nowhere higher to move. My duty is to protect the achievements in the state building process relying on the support of the public... To prevent anyone from retreating from the course for membership in the European Union and NATO, or putting it on the back burner," the fifth president said. In this context, he noted that ritual pro-European and Euro-Atlantic declarations are not enough, and daily hard work is needed. "This is what I will demand from the new government as a citizen and where I am ready to lend a shoulder. And I will give no quarter in case of deviation from the defined course. Any attempts - drastic or creeping, explicit or concealed - to return the country into the sphere of Russian influence will get a decisive rebuff," Poroshenko said, adding that the strategic goal, which he proclaimed during the election campaign, remains in force - until 2023, apply for Ukraine's membership in the EU and receive an Action Plan on NATO membership. Russian President Vladimir Putin will congratulate Volodymyr Zelensky, who has taken office as the Ukrainian president on Monday, after he sees any progress in the normalization of bilateral relations and the situation in Donbas, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "President Vladimir Putin will congratulate Zelensky on first successes in settling the domestic conflict in southeastern Ukraine and in normalizing Russian-Ukrainian relations," Peskov told the press on Monday. While commenting on the inaugural speech by Zelensky, who said that Ukraine would never abandon its territories, Peskov said, "Speaking of Crimea's belonging, we have said on multiple occasions that no such question exists." "Crimea is one of Russia's regions," Peskov said. As for Donbas, he said, "This is an internal Ukrainian problem which can and must be resolved by the Ukrainian president primary on the basis of the clear plan, which is laid down by the Minsk Agreements." As to whether Putin might congratulate Zelensky on his inauguration, Peskov said, "No. We will congratulate him on the first successes." Journalists asked what Zelensky's first successes in normalizing relations with Russia should be. "The first successes will be obvious. If there are any, we will see them with our bare eyes," Peskov said. On Thursday, May 23, at 14.30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference on the launch of the Seat Belt Awareness Campaign in Ukraine under the slogan "Belt or Autopsy." The event is part of the "For Safe Roads" campaign developed in collaboration with AGAMA Communications with the support of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine. Participants include: State Secretary of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine Artem Bidenko; Deputy Director of the Center for Democracy and Rule of Law, coordinator of the Campaign "For Safe Roads" Olesya Holopik; Director for creative services at AGAMA Communications Yulia Yashina (8/5a Reitarska Street). Accreditation of journalists by phone. +38 099 602 6361. KYIV. May 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) The property of debtors in line with the requirements of the new Bankruptcy Code should be sold via the ProZorro.Sales platform, according to First Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Maksym Nefyodov. "It is very important to implement this process of selling the debtors' property through the ProZorro.Sales platform into a high-quality and transparent mechanism," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine. As Nefyodov said, through the ProZorro.Sales platform, similar assets of the Deposit Guarantee Fund worth one billion hryvnias are sold every month. We have built a qualitative process, to which there is not a single claim either from the Ukrainian players, or from foreign ones, or from Ukrainian banks, or from international partners. Therefore, the same process was implemented for small-scale privatization, for the sale of surplus property of state-owned enterprises and municipal enterprises and for issuing subsoil use licenses," he said, adding that the ProZorro.Sales platform brings together more than 50 exchanges and marketplaces. As reported, on October 18, 2018, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Bankruptcy Code (bill No. 8060), and the President of Ukraine in April 2019 signed it into the law. It sets out fundamentally new approaches to bankruptcy, including bankruptcy of individuals and electronic auctions for the sale of property of debtors through the electronic system. An electronic trading system should be two-level, consisting of a central database with an auction module and electronic platforms. The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has begun the development of a procedure for conducting electronic auctions to sell bankrupt property. The choir overcame 20 other choirs with nearly 1,000 artists from 10 countries and territories to take the first place at the biennial event. The five-day event was jointly held by Interkultur, the worlds leading organiser of international choir competitions and festivals, and Hoi An citys Peoples Committee. Twenty-one choirs come from Vietnam, China, Estonia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore and the US to the event. The host Vietnam has six choirs competing in the event. The organisers present 10 sets of medals to category winners. The contributions made by President Ho Chi Minh to Vietnams freedom and independence as well as to the communist ideal and world peace and justice were highlighted at a meeting in Santiago, the capital of Chile, on May 19. Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Ngoc Son spoke about the late Presidents tireless struggle for Vietnams independence and freedom and the happiness of the Vietnamese people, as well as for independence and freedom of all oppressed nations. He announced that the Vietnamese Government has decided to cooperate with the authorities of Cerro Navia, a commune in the capital city where there is a park named after President Ho Chi Minh, to carry out the upgrade of the Ho Chi Minh Park this year. Son told his guests at the event that the Vietnamese Government has decided to partner with Cerro Navias authorities and handed over Geleximco Groups donations to the locality to carry out the project. It is scheduled to be completed ahead of the Vietnamese delegations visit to Chile for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Week in November. Also on May 19, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tao Thi Thanh Huong and the Vietnamese community in the Southeast Asian country laid flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Statue in the Asian Civilisation Museum Park on the occasion of the late Presidents 129th birthday and 50-year implementation of his testament. On the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association Central Committee, the General Association of Vietnamese in Laos and the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association in Khammuon province held a ceremony in memory of the late President on the occasion of his birth anniversary. The embassy in France held a ceremony to mark the late Presidents birth anniversary in Paris on May 17, with the participation of the staff of the embassy and Vietnams representative offices. Following the ceremony, the delegation laid flowers at House No. 9 on Compoint alley in Pariss 17th arrondissement, where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1921 to 1923 as part of his search for the way for national salvation. The embassy has also joined hands with authorities of the outskirts of Montreuil city to organise a similar at the Ho Chi Minh Space in Montreau Park. The Ho Chi Minh Space, which was unveiled on May 19, 2005 at the Museum of Living History, is preserving valuable objects transferred from House No. 9. The space, together with President Ho Chi Minhs monument at Montreau Park, has been seen as a vivid manifestation of the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and France. Meanwhile, officials from the Vietnamese Embassy and representative offices, along with Vietnamese in the UK on May 18 gathered at New Zealand Building in London to celebrate President Ho Chi Minhs 129th birthday and 108 years since he left Vietnam to seek ways for national salvation (June 5). The New Zealand Building was built on the foundation of the famous Carlton Hotel in the centre of London, where President Ho Chi Minh worked during his time in the UK from 1913-1917. The same day, a seminar was held in Okayama prefectures Mimasaka the first Japanese city to place President Ho Chi Minhs statue. Rodriguez tweeted that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro "ratifies and reaffirms the path of dialogue as the only way to achieve understanding among Venezuelans." The vice president attached the official statement issued on Friday by the Norwegian government, which is mediating to facilitate dialogue between Venezuela's government and the opposition. "Norway announces that it has had preliminary contacts with representatives of the main political actors of Venezuela, as part of an exploratory phase, with the aim of supporting the search for a solution to the situation in the country," the statement said, and commended relative parties for their efforts. Also on May 17, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza welcomed the beginning of talks with the opposition in Norway. A commander of Iranian Army's Ground Force says the force has changed its mission to become "a mobile assault force," reported Tasnim news agency on Monday May 20. Tasnim quoted Brigadier Ali Hajilou, the commander of the northwestern headquarters of the Iranian army's ground forces as having said that the army's ground force has left behind its traditional defensive approach and has now changed into a "special mobile assault force." Iran has two separate military forces; the traditional army and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). Hajilou is an army commander. Last January, the both the commanders of IRGC and the army ground forces has announced a change in their approach to adopt a more offensive approach. This comes while the Iranian army's mission has been defensive for decades. He said the change was made following a review of the structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army. Saying that the army has had a major contribution to the war against ISIS, he added that the ground force plays a pivotal role in the army's new structure. Meanwhile, Hajilou said that the United States is not capable of military confrontation with Iran, adding that Iran's influence goes beyond the Mediterranean region. However, he added that Iran does not want to start any war. For the first time in days a top Iranian revolutionary Guard commander has commented about ongoing tensions in the Persian Gulf, saying that Iran does not seek war, but is not afraid of it either. The newly appointed chief commander of the Guards, Hossein Salami, in a ceremony introducing new commanders for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) departments, is quoted by Fars news agency as saying, fear of war is what distinguishes Iran from the United States and adding, America is afraid of war and does not have the will for it. While the U.S. dispatched additional naval and air power to the Gulf region earlier in May to send a signal to Iran, two attacks took place that intensified tensions and raised the alarms of an impending clash. Four civilian ships were attacked in the Gulf of Oman and Yemeni Houthi drones hit Saudi oil installations. Following these events, U.S. President Donald Trump began to talk down the possibility of a war with Iran and the media started to portray a divided U.S. administration; with hawks pushing the course of events towards a military clash, while the president distancing himself from an open conflict scenario. Nevertheless, in recent days both sides have somewhat mellowed their rhetoric and emphasized that war is unlikely. During this period, the often outspoken top leaders of the IRGC were largely silent, avoiding to repeat their usual threats against the U.S. and its regional allies. Irans national information network (ININ) the countrys intranet is 80 per cent complete, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution announced Sunday 19 May, ironically to mark world telecommunications day (Friday 17 May). With the ININ, Tehran hopes to cut the country's dependency on international cyberspace. Saied Reza Ameli, professor of communications at Tehran university, and a mid-ranking cleric, said the government and the private sector have so far allocated nearly 120 trillion rials (approximately $285m), and 70 trillion rials ($166m) to create the national cyber platform. President Hassan Rouhani's government said in August 2016 it aimed to create an isolated domestic intranet (halal internet) that can be used to promote Islamic content and raise digital awareness among the public. The governments official news agency, IRNA, said at the time that the initiative would offer high quality, high speed connections at low costs. It was in 2010, however, that the plan for a national internet platform was first announced it was then expected to be fully operational within five years. Critics insist the real aim is to tighten censorship and the authorities control over peoples use of the internet. Iran has already blocked access to tens of thousands of websites and to overseas-based social media services, including Twitter and Facebook, but many users still have access to them through proxy sites and virtual private networks (VPNs). Initially hesitant about the project, President Rouhani has been lambasted by its conservative advocates, including Irans prosecutor-general, Mohammad Ja'far Montazeri. Comparing internet to a slaughterhouse, Montazeri warned in February: Blasphemy, anti-national security teachings, and destroying the identity of the youth are among issues we face in cyberspace. During the Sunday event the minister of information and communication technology (ICT), Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi boasted of 142 successful tests to weigh the independence of Irans national intranet network, against a possible internet disconnection. Without elaborating on the nature of the tests, Azari Jahromi asserted that, based on his estimation, the Islamic Republic is capable of confronting cyberspace threats. It was announced last February that Iran was set to hold an internet disconnection drill. A day later, however, Azari Jahromi said the plan was delayed. International organizations have frequently blamed the Islamic Republic for censorship, suppressing social media users, and filtering websites and apps. The latest global ranking on media freedom shows that out of 180 countries, Iran has dropped six points to 170th place. Azari Jahromi told reporters on Sunday that the country has succeeded in developing its own firewall to counter cyberattacks. The indigenous firewall is currently installed on all industrial control systems operating under the Siemens brand, Azari Jahromi said. He stressed that the firewall will soon become compatible with all other industrial-control-system brands operating in Iran. According to the state-run Mehr news agency, Azari Jahromi said the computer worm Stuxnet believed to be made by the U.S. and Israel and used in the past to target the Islamic Republic's nuclear program had infected computers that were connected to the countrys industrial facilities. In an Instagram post on Thursday 15 May, the ICT minister said that the national firewall, Dezhfa, has been designed and developed by young Iranian scientists and successfully tested on industrial automation systems. Azari Jahromi added that while 600,000 cyberattacks were dispelled last year, this year 33 million cyberattacks have been neutralized. He said this confirmed the Islamic Republic has become 50 times more potent in defending itself against cyberattacks. Israeli media have given extensive coverage to the rising tension in the Persian Gulf area, fearing wider implications for the region and Israel. Reactions by officials on the other hand have been limited, perhaps deliberately trying not to appear as inflaming existing tensions. Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz was the first Israeli official who reacted to the events in the Gulf immediately after the May 12 attack on four civilian ships in Fujairah, warning that an over-reacting Iran might strike Israel with rockets. Things are heating up, Steinitz told the Ynet news site, I wouldnt rule anything out. Iran may fire rockets at Israel. Meanwhile, according to the times of Israel, Steinitz also said that Iran might activate its regional proxies, Lebanons Hezbollah or Gazas Islamic Jihad, to attack Israel. In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu who has always said his government was the first and only regional player to oppose the nuclear deal with Iran in 2015, called Iran a "vital threat" while also adding that the United States is Israel's closest ally in the region. The New York Times revealed on May 16 that "Israel has been providing Washington with intelligence about potential Iranian attacks." Reminding that Netanyahu is obsessed with Iran's regional ambitions and that he floated the idea of war with Iran as recently as February, the New York Times observed that "analysts and former Israeli military and intelligence officials say the Israeli government is not angling for a full-blown war between the United States and Iran. Such a war, Israeli officials fear, could plunge Israel into a mutually destructive conflagration with Irans ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah." On May 14, while U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman called the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem a shrine that attracts tourists, Maariv quoted Netanyahu as having said that Israel and the United States share the goal of stopping Iran's aggression. He also called on the world community to stand next to Israel and America against Iran. Meanwhile, on Wednesday May 15, Channel 13 of Israeli TV reported that Netanyahu held a meeting same day with his country's intelligence and security officials to discuss the Iran-U.S. crisis, including the possibility of Iran's proxy rocket attacks on Israel. According to Channel 13, Netanyahu advised his aides at the meeting to distance the country from the Iran-U.S. standoff if it gets any worse. According to Channel 13, Israeli officials had informed U.S. authorities as early as late April of intelligence reports about the possibility of sabotage operations by Iranians against U.S. targets in the region. The channel reported that Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shebbat had communicated the reports to U.S. officials in the White House, The Times of Israel reported. "Israels Mossad intelligence agency reportedly tipped off the United States on an impending Iranian attack on American interests in the Gulf, prompting Washington to deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to the region," the report said. Some regional Arab media have quoted anecdotal reports about Pro-Iran Iraqi cleric Ammar Hakim having heard the same in meetings with U.S. official, but those reports cannot be verified. Israel's Channel 13 has also said that Iran has considered attacking Saudi oil establishments." The channel, did not name any source for the report, but added that Iranians have also considered violent attacks on American targets and U.S. allies in the region, but ruled out such attacks for being "too dangerous," while attacks on Saudi oil establishment was less dangerous and could also lead to a rise in oil prices. The Times of Israel also quoted Channel 13 as having said that some IRGC commanders assessed an attack on Israel "tantamount to committing suicide." However, the Times of Israel did not say where did it get the report from. According to Ron Ben-Yishai, an Israeli military affairs correspondent writing for the YNet News, one possible explanation for the acts of sabotage in the Gulf is that hardliners in the Iranian revolutionary guards wanted to say they are serious in their threats. He reminded that any misunderstanding or miscalculation can escalate the crisis, but Iranians will act cautiously as they know a military engagement with Israel will lead to destruction in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. An influential pro-Iranian Iraqi politician has offered to mediate between Iran and the United States in a meeting with Joey Hood, Charge d'affaires of the U.S. Mission in Iraq. Ammar al-Hakim in Baghdad met with Hood on May 19, Irans government news agency IRNA reported on Monday. The two discussed current tensions between the United States and Iran, with Hakim saying that the current situation has worried countries in the region. Hakim also welcomed signs from the two sides indicating their readiness to reduce tensions. He reiterated that Iraq has close ties with both the U.S. and Iran and can play the role of a mediator to try to bridge the gap in the conflicting positions of Tehran and Washington. IRNA makes no reference to Hoods response during the meeting in its news report and it is not clear who asked for the meeting. Hakim who comes from the most influential Iraqi Shiite clerical family was educated in the University of Qom, the theological center of Irans clerics. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Aysham Rustamova Trend: Tourism and hospitality sector may be the most profitable sphere of the Azerbaijani non-oil sector in 2019, and potential investors may provide funds to this sector, Azerbaijani economist Elman Sadigov told Trend. Filling in the gaps existing in the tourism sector like the need for professionals in the service sector and lack of accommodation for foreign tourists arriving in the country may bring big income to those who are ready to invest in this sector, he added. "One may launch activity in the tourism sector by opening a small or medium-sized hostel, a two-star hotel, or a guest house for 10-20 rooms, Sadigov said. One may attract guests and make a profit through good service." The expert thinks that the main task is to satisfy a tourist. "It is important to create a positive image, he added. As far as the client potential grows, profit will also increase. Tourism sector is also a priority for the state. Sadigov added, Many people may work in this sector. In the service sphere, there are not enough cafes and restaurants. The luxury segment, namely five-star hotels and expensive restaurants, is widely spread, but in the service sector there is a need for facilities that meet the requirements of the individuals with average income. In his words, the agriculture segment may also be attractive, but one must understand that this is hard work that requires a special approach. "It is important to be a professional in the agricultural sector, Sadigov said. To invest in this sphere without being involved in it is a wrong approach, because the investor may be unable to understand why and how the investments are lost. Agriculture is a specific sector. Without knowing it, it may be risky to invest in it. This is a profitable sector, but only if a professional approach is taken." According to the expert, the family business is another profitable sphere. "This business has achieved great success in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, as well as across Europe, Sadigov said. Most of well-known European brands were created through the family business, he noted. In Azerbaijan, ABAD project, which mainly supports family businesses, is being implemented, and this is very positive. Every citizen may assess his or her potential and create the small family business by appealing to ABAD centers. It may seem that self-employment is simple, but this is an extremely important issue. The expert also shared his opinion about cryptocurrency. Investing in cryptocurrency, which becomes popular today, may be risky, the expert said. The person who eyes to invest in financial markets in cryptocurrency must be careful. There is a very high volatility in this sector, which means that there is also a high risk of losses. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: The negotiations on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU are underway, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Fikret Yusifov told Trend. The expert reminded that according to several media outlets, one of the main topics of the talks is cooperation in the economic sphere. "Despite the details of the agreement have not been disclosed, taking into account the recent agreements concluded by the EU with a number of countries, one can guess about the requirements set before Azerbaijan, Yusifov said. For example, the agreements signed with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan cover the wide cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, he said. Taking these agreements into account, there is such a conclusion that the EU has gained great advantages in trade with these countries and entering their markets. There are interesting moments in the abovementioned agreements, the expert added. "In particular, according to the EU agreement with Kazakhstan, when setting the prices for the sale of energy and other raw materials to the industrial enterprises, it is necessary to take into account the costs and revenues of the supplier, Yusifov said. In other words, this means the sale of energy and raw materials at the actual market price. If Azerbaijan accepts the agreement, the tariffs for water, electricity and gas sold to the population will increase, he said. But this step is contrary to the countrys social policy and Azerbaijan is unlikely to accept such an agreement." The expert stressed that the EU agreement with Ukraine also attracts attention by its peculiarity. Thus, the export prices for energy resources must not be higher than the prices in the domestic market, Yusifov said. Taking into account the fact that Azerbaijan is a big energy exporter, the EU may put forward the requirements that can not be considered satisfactory for the Azerbaijani citizens. That is, according to the EU requirements, either the prices for energy resources in the domestic market must be raised to the level of the prices in the world markets or the export prices must be lowered, he said. In the first case, one can expect a sharp rise in prices in the domestic market, which, in turn, will lead to a rise in prices for gas, electricity, gasoline and other oil products, as well as goods, work and services in other interrelated spheres within the country. The second scenario will lead to a sharp reduction in revenues obtained by the country." Yusifov thinks that both scenarios are unacceptable for Azerbaijan because the adoption of one of the two scenarios may weaken the social protection of citizens, in general, lead to the restriction of numerous social projects being implemented in the country. I think that this is one of the main reasons for delaying the negotiations," he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: EY Azerbaijan took part in The Finance and Technology (FINTEX) Summit held by Azerbaijan Banks Association. FINTEX summit is the most prestigious banking event in the Caucasus, as it brings together banking industry leaders, top managers from the leading companies and organizations representing financial services and banking sectors. The summit participants discussed current and anticipated trends in the development of financial technologies, digitalization, and payment ecosystems. Oleg Chernishov, Senior Manager at EYs Moscow practice, was one of the key speakers at the event. He said: FINTEX summit has long established itself as a platform for interesting and honest discussions for the industry leaders and various stakeholders. At EY, weve developed an outstanding level of knowledge and expertise in assessing various risks for companies and organizations in the financial sector. EY has been at the forefront of helping companies predict and litigate such risks. In doing so, we are genuinely helping the financial sector, and the business community in general to build a better working world. About EY Azerbaijan - EY made a major commitment to the development of Azerbaijan and the region by opening the office in Baku 25 years ago. Today, in addition to being the leading audit and consulting firm in Azerbaijan, EY is the leading professional services firm in the region. EY has been successful in assisting both domestic and international companies, as well as state-owned entities, to manage the challenges of the international economy. There are currently more than 220 people working in EYs Baku office, serving clients in Azerbaijan. EYs strength in the Caspian Region and the firms commitment of resources are important to the entities operating in the region. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 21 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 20, 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 20 Trend: Azerbaijan's close cooperation with the EU both within the Eastern Partnership Program and in the bilateral format should be emphasized, Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency Lina Vaitkeviciene told Trend News Agency in Interview with Sahil Karimli. EU and Azerbaijan partnership is strategic, she said. Political dialogue, high level meetings and joint projects demonstrate that, she noted. The negotiations on a comprehensive new EU-Azerbaijan agreement are entering into a very important phase. Both sides work hard to achieve a modern agreement that addresses all aspects of EU-Azerbaijan relationship and benefits citizens from both the European Union and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has made a valuable contribution to the development of partnership, particularly in the fields of energy and transport interconnections, she added. Azerbaijans contribution to energy security of Europe is very significant and valuable, she said. Also I would like to emphasize Azerbaijans crucial role in implementing the East-West transport corridor and countrys successful cooperation with the European Union in the field of transport. EU is a key trade partner for Azerbaijan and the EU member states are top investors in the country, she noted. From the other hand, Azerbaijan is playing an important role as investor into European countries as well, she said. Close cooperation with EU, development of joint strategic projects has positioned Azerbaijan as a key EU partner in the region. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service on May 20. It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency my congratulations on the celebration of your National Day, together with my best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the people of Azerbaijan in the coming year, Elizabeth II said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The negotiations on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU are underway in three spheres, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva told Trend News Agency, as part of the Interview with Sahil Karimli. She stressed that the first sphere is connected with politics and security, the second sphere concerns economic and trade issues, the third sphere is called the sectoral cooperation, that is, the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU in various sectors. "The main part of the text of the agreement, about 90 percent, has already been agreed on, Abdullayeva said. Today the negotiations on the remaining issues are underway. The date of signing the agreement is not important. "The Azerbaijani side has expressed its position, and if this is going to be a detailed document, it should reflect the issues that the Eastern Partnership program countries are interested in," she said. The most important issue is related to the territorial integrity, Abdullayeva said. The references to the documents adopted following the previous Eastern Partnership Summits were made in the agreement which is being developed. The respect for Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty was expressed in these documents." She added that the main points of the negotiations, which have been held for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for many years, are known. "Today's main problem is that Armenia does not show concrete political will in this issue, Abdullayeva said. If there is political will, if the Armenian armed forces are withdrawn from the occupied Azerbaijani territories and Azerbaijani internally displaced people return to these lands, as it was stressed in the documents on the conflict settlement adopted by international organizations, then specific progress will be achieved, as well as peace and stability will be established in the region." Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: Azerbaijan has been recognized as a regional force and an active player, contributing to the establishment of the cooperation relations in the system of international relations, the implementation of transnational projects, global security issues and European energy security, Member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Parvin Karimzade told Trend on May 20. She added that the fact that Azerbaijan plays the role of a corridor between Western and Eastern civilizations, as well as the North and the South, enhances its authority as an important country. These achievements have been made thanks to Azerbaijans pragmatic and rational foreign policy, Karimzade said. "Azerbaijan always attaches special importance to the relations with certain countries, as well as bilateral relations with neighboring countries. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs working visit to Belgium testified to the development of the EU-Azerbaijan relations based on mutual interests. The fact that Azerbaijan is a reliable and responsible partner for the EU was confirmed once more, she said. The meeting between President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President Aliyev when Tusk named Azerbaijan as a reliable partner of the EU also testifies to that. The active cooperation within the Eastern Partnership program, the countrys close cooperation both within the Eastern Partnership and in bilateral format with the EU were also highlighted during the meeting," Karimzade said. She reminded that the EU has supported the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project from the very beginning and is interested in further trade relations and strategic partnership with Azerbaijan. "At the same time, the EU supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity, which has been reflected in the adopted bilateral documents," Karimzade said. She stressed that the policy being pursued by President Aliyev serves only Azerbaijans national interests and strengthening the country's position. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: Azerbaijans Public Television and Radio Company (ITV) has appealed to the European Broadcasting Union over the mistakes made on the map of Azerbaijan during Eurovision 2019, Trend reports citing a message on Facebook page of ITV. "During the performance of Azerbaijans representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, it was revealed that Karabakh and Nakhchivan were not marked on the map of the country. In this regard, the Public Television and Radio Company immediately turned with protest to the organizers of the competition and the leadership of the European Broadcasting Union. Currently, an explanation from the opposite side is expected," said in a message. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Martynas Starkus and Vytaras Radzevicius, Lithuanias popular travel filmmakers, have recently visited Azerbaijan for their new project called Uz Kaukazo, which means Behind Caucasus. We started our journey on April 22. We traveled across Poland, Ukraine and then we came to Baku. Our project is called Uz Kaukazo, which means Behind Caucasus. We are trying to show how people live here behind Caucasus and Baku is our last destination. We have a lot of friends after these travels in every country. We still keep relations with them. The point is to show how we see the countries. We have some adventures. We are trying to do some crafts here. I think this program about Caucasus will be very rich, Martynas Starkus told Trend. This is a movie about travel, said Starkus, adding that they meet people, see how they live, try the national food and also try to learn about the national culture. First place was Shaki. Then we went to Gabala and Baku. As we drive, our first impression is that you have good roads. You have very good tea and very good food. The first dish we tried here in Azerbaijan was piti. We enjoyed it very much. We tried everything. We went to the Saribash village high on mountains, almost 2 kilometers above the sea level and we needed to cross the river. But it was raining and that was a fun. It was difficult and local people helped us. Your people are very friendly. When we crossed the river, we went to the village up to the hill and just went to drink tea. We made this difficult way just to drink tea. We had a very nice conversation and met nice people. We drank Azerbaijan tea with jam and it was very nice, noted Vytaras Radzevicius. Starkus noted that they have been traveling almost 14 years around the world. Were making travel documentary program, which is the most popular in Lithuania. We started in 2006. The main goal was to go somewhere with our car. So in 2006 we took our old Mercedes and went to Africa, to Mali. It took about 30 days from Vilnius. We made a four-series documentary and showed in the national network. It became very popular. Thats how the story began. Since then, once in a year, for one month we leave home and go to somewhere. We do documentary and show on Lithuanian TV. We have a lot of followers and fans. We have a good life. We see a lot and we can show people a lot. Sometimes we feel tired, but when you come home, after a few week, you start dreaming about new travel, he said. Starkus said they do about five episodes every year. Every episode is about 45 minutes. Travel is long. We need to shoot a lot of materials. Of course, from the screen we may look travel funs. But it is not easy. We need to drive long distances. This year we drove almost 4,000 kilometers. Last year, when we traveled to Alaska and Canada, we drove 8,000 kilometers in one month. We are not trying to show architecture, cultural places. We are telling stories about travel. We are trying to show the routine, everyday life, because it is more interesting, he added. Radzevicius noted that he has very interesting hobby during travels. I collect recipes of different nations. And I try to make those dishes at home in Lithuania. I bought two books here in Baku about Azerbaijani cuisine, he said. Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 Trend: The Gazelli Art House in Baku hosted the opening of the Labyrinths of Light exhibition by American artist Stanley Casselman, Trend reports. The Labyrinths of Light, a four year survey of the artist Stanley Casselman, is curated by David Anfam. "The simple thought that constantly runs through my head is innovate or die. To keep remaking the same thing over and over, bores me to tears. Thats why my practice is evolving," Stanley Casselman says. This exhibition marks Casselmans second solo show with the gallery and includes a concise selection from the Frequency, Untitled-Presence, Day One and Liquid series. Throughout his career, Casselmans work has been fueled by a fascination with the properties of light. Starting twenty-five years ago, in response to looking at the stained glass windows of Westminster Abbey, Casselman began his artistic practice creating rear-illuminated paintings. He then turned his focus on to his pioneering work with polyester screens. Casselman captures the varied properties of light through his bold, large-scale, abstract paintings full of hills, valleys, peaks and troughs. These colorful labyrinths of works from Frequency and Untitled-Presence series explore surface tension and abstractions in ingenious ways. Using his own handcrafted tools, Casselmans highly labor-intensive process pushes paint through screens layer by layer as in the case of his Day One series too. The results are often both minimalistic and richly detailed capturing subtle changes in colour, line and form. The new compositions [of the Liquid series] involve the industrial process known as spray chroming, a water-based means to apply silver nitrate to a surface, leading to reflective, mirrored finishes, said David Anfam, Senior Consulting Curator at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver. In Casselmans hands the results become a journey through a fantastical, labyrinthine landscape that emanates light. We are eager to present the outcome of this highly-anticipated collaboration at our gallery in Baku, said Mila Askarova, CEO and Director of Gazelli Art House, Since our very first show together in 2014, Stanley has continuously pushed the boundaries of creating and recreating his process-driven works reaching incredible heights with the end result! The exhibition will run until November 2. Stanley Casselman was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1963. His work has been shown and collected by museums around the world, including the Fredrick R. Weisman Art Foundation in Los Angeles, California, the New Orleans Museum of Art in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Borusan Contemporary in Istanbul, Turkey. David Anfam is Senior Consulting Curator at the Clyfford Still Museum, Denver, and Managing Director of Art Exploration Consultancy Ltd, London. Dr. Anfams publications include Mark Rothko The Works on Canvas: Catalogue Raisonne (1998). Recently, Anfam curated the exhibition Abstract Expressionism at the Royal Academy of Arts, London (2016-17). Gazelli Art House supports a wide range of international artists, presenting a broad and dynamic programme to a diverse audience through global public projects and exhibition spaces in London and Baku. Gazelli Art House was founded in 2003 in Baku, Azerbaijan where it held exhibitions with Azerbaijani artists. Having hosted conceptually interlinked off-site exhibitions across London, founder and director of Gazelli Art House, Mila Askarova, opened a permanent space on Dover Street, London in March 2012. In 2017, the redesigned gallery space reopened in Baku, with an ambitious annual program showcasing both local and international artists. Representing artists like Aziz+Cucher, Derek Boshier, Stanley Casselman, Francesco Jodice, Recycle Group, Kalliopi Lemos, Niyaz Najafov and Saad Qureshi amongst others, the gallery has built a consistent and diverse program with artists working in sculpture, photography, painting, video, performance and virtual reality. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Azerbaijan continues to import high-yield potato seed varieties, mainly from Russia, Emin Aliyev, chairman of the State Seed Fund under Azerbaijans Ministry of Agriculture, told Trend. He noted that in December last year, Azerbaijan imported from Russia the newest potato seed variety, which has high yields and reproduction. He said that in 2017, this seed variety was entered into the state register after it passed preliminary registration and certification. The average yield of the imported Russian seed variety is 40-45 tons per hectare. It will be grown in the southern regions, mainly in Jalilabad, and in its environs, Aliyev added. The seeds are distributed among farmers in the southern part of Azerbaijan, they have already sown the new variety and the harvesting is expected within three months. Emin Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan imports over 98 percent of potato seeds. In the future, we plan to reduce imports, and to this end, concrete steps are being taken, he said. In particular, Azerbaijan has begun production of seeds of virus-free potatoes in order to create a productive seed base and reduce dependence on imports to a certain extent. The State Seed Fund was established under the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan by order of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to meet the countrys increased need for new high-yielding and drought-resistant types of seeds and, in general, to strengthen Azerbaijans food safety. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Uzbekistan and Russia could not agree on free choice of frequencies for flights of Russian airlines on contractual routes, Trend reports with reference to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency. The Russian side proposed to give Russian designated airlines the right to freely select frequencies for flights on contractual routes between the two states. In turn, the Uzbek side stated that it was premature to consider this possibility and proposed to establish and gradually increase the frequency of implementation on the appropriate contractual routes for designated carriers. In the meantime, the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan agreed on granting one designated carrier from each side the right to fly under the "triangle" scheme in five cities, which the airlines themselves can choose. The Uzbek side reported that such flights will be operated to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Kazan. The Russian side announced that it will provide its list of cities later. In addition, both sides removed all restrictions on flights to Nukus and Vladivostok in Russia. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: In the current Iranian year (started on March 21, 2019), Iran for the first time imported 500 fertile camels from Qatar, Chairman of the Iran Veterinary Organization Alireza Rafipour said, Trend reports referring to the website of the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture Jihad. A decision was made to increase the number of camels imported from Qatar to 10,000, Rafipour said. He noted that the camels are fertile and imported for races, because camel-breeding is a profitable sector and creates employment opportunities in the country. In the last Iranian year (March 21, 2018-March 20, 2019), permission was given to import 1.3 million sheep, however, only 100,000 sheep were imported, he added. He further noted that in the current Iranian year, permission has been given for the import of 35,000 tons of meat, which is imported on daily and weekly basis now. Due to sanctions against Iran, the country imports meat and livestock from 42 countries, Rafipour said. The US imposed sanctions on Iran in November, 2018. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade Trend: The economic development model of the Republic of Korea is a model for solving problems arising during economic crises, and this experience will help Azerbaijan in solving various economic issues, said Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Azerbaijani Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, Trend reports. He was speaking at an international conference titled Solving Problem Loans: Experience of Azerbaijan and Republic of Korea organized by the Center for Economic Reforms and Communications and the South Korean Embassy in Azerbaijan in cooperation with the Korea Development Institute. Gasimli said that the it the main cause of such an intensive development of the Korean economy lies in the sphere of education and noted that science and education are important factors in economic development. He also stated that Azerbaijan, in turn, pays attention to human capital, which is crucial for successful economic development in the country. Gasimli noted that the exchange of experience with developed countries particularly with the Republic of Korea, a member of the G-20, is extremely important for Azerbaijan at this stage of the country's intensive development. He added that solving the issue of problem loans will strengthen the development of the banking sector within the framework of economic reforms in Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Ministry of Economy and Industry of Uzbekistan estimates that in 2019, 140 objects worth more than $ 3.2 billion are to be commissioned in the country, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry. One of the three major milestones is the commissioning of the Navoi thermal power plant with the construction of a second combined-cycle plant worth $ 547.3 million with a capacity of 4,560 MW worth $ 547.3 million. The commissioning of this facility will ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to the Navoi, Bukhara and Samarkand regions, and additional permanent employment of 112 people. The second large project is the construction of a complex for the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), caustic soda and methanol on the basis of Navoiazot JSC with a total value of $ 500.1 million, which will produce 100,000 tons of polyvinyl chloride, 71,800 tons of caustic soda and 300,000 tons of methanols annually. It will create 903 job places. The launch of the Tashkent metallurgical plant with a total cost of $335 million closes the top three projects. The commissioning of the plant will allow production of 500,000 tons of metal (cold-rolled steel sheet) annually and will provide permanent job to more than 670 people. There were 74 cotton-textile clusters covering 685,200 hectares created to further deepen structural reforms, reduce the states role in agricultural production and stimulate direct investment in the industry. Moreover, mechanisms promoting the widespread introduction of the cluster form of fruit and vegetable production in the country's regions were established as well. As a result of introducing effective methods of growing raw cotton and producing other types of agricultural products, organizing their deep processing and increasing productivity and remuneration in the agricultural sector, more than 40 fruit and vegetable clusters covering 28,000 hectares have been created in the regions alongside a pilot rice cluster of 5,000 hectares. In the territories of 21 free economic zones in Uzbekistan, 670 investment projects are being implemented for a total amount of more than $3.8 billion. The implementation of these projects will create more than 48,000 jobs. In 150 small industrial zones, 1,871 projects amounting to over $969,000, are being implemented. Within their framework, more than 58,000 jobs are being created. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: In the last Iranian year (March 21, 2018-March 20, 2019), Iran's exports to Afghanistan via the borders of Iranian Sistan and Baluchestan province increased by 85 percent compared to the preceding year, chairman of the Industry, Mine and Trade Organization of Sistan and Baluchestan province Nadir Mirshikar said, Trend reports via the website of the organization. In the last year, Iran's exports to Afghanistan through customs and border markets of Sistan and Baluchestan province amounted to $239 million, he noted. He further noted that the exports via customs of the province amounted to $66.3 million, while exports via border markets reached $262 million. Afghanistan accounted for about 35 percent of Sistan and Baluchestan's exports, he said. Main goods exported from Sistan and Baluchestan were building materials, dates, tomatoes, potatoes, fruit juice and tomato paste, he added. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Discussions with foreign investors in Irans petrochemical industry continue, said Hossein Alimorad, director for investments issues at Irans National Petrochemical Company (NPC), Trend reports via Shana news agency. He said that the rules of attracting foreign investors meet international requirements and depend on Irans cooperation with global companies. He added that Irans relations with different countries and companies in Europe and Asia are based on a win-win principle. Foreign companies, particularly Asian companies, considering the opportunities of Irans petrochemicals industry and conditions, are still interested in cooperation, despite the withdrawal of the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he said. He noted that one investment consortium showed interest in re-engagement in Irans petrochemical industry, and the necessary discussions were held with this consortium. This investment consortium stated about its readiness to implement projects in Irans petrochemical industry, and even asked Iran for help to speed up the projects implementation, he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Pipeline installation of the offshore part of Balticconnector, the Estonian-Finnish gas interconnection, will begin today, Trend reports citing the website of Balticconnector. All the offshore pipes more than 6,400 in number with a total weight of 36,000 tons have arrived in the Port of Paldiski from Greece. The ship installing the offshore pipeline, Lorelay, arrived in the Port of Paldiski on 16th of May and sailed from there to the southside of Skammo Island in Inkoo, Finland. The installation work of the pipeline begins today 20th of May 2019 and the pipeline installation will progress at a rate of 23 kilometres per day towards Estonia, reads the message. Reportedly, pipe post-lay intervention work will begin in June and progress in parallel with pipelay operations. The installation work will be ready in July and after that the offshore pipeline will undergo pressure testing after which it will be dried and connected to the onshore pipelines in Finland and Estonia. The construction work of the Finnish onshore parts has progressed as planned. The onshore pipeline welding will be ready in June and mechanical completion will be in August. Inkoo compressor station construction works also progress as planned and mechanical completion will be also reached in August. Test runs with gas will start in September and the onshore parts in Finland will be ready for commercial operation in December 2019, said the message. Reportedly, the construction of the Estonian onshore part of Balticconnector has proceeded in schedule and 92 percent of the welding work and 90 percent of the insulation work has been completed, and 34 kilometres of pipeline has been trenched. The construction of Paldiski and Puiatu compressor stations has commenced. The current progress allows operating the pipeline at a reduced capacity already in the beginning of 2020. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: SOCAR-Dalgidj LLC intends to conclude a contract with Norwegian Equinor (ex-Statoil) in the third quarter of 2019, general manager of the company Rustam Rakhmatulin told Trend on May 20. The contract will be concluded to render ROV-services (submersible Remotely Operated Vehicles) to support drilling operations, he said. Earlier it was reported that the contract will be concluded in the first quarter of the year, however, the conclusion of the contract was postponed due to the technical work. Rakhmatulin also stressed that the company is currently participating in the tenders with UKs BP, Italian Saipem and other companies. He added that the projects in which SOCAR-Dalgidj is participating will be disclosed in the third quarter. SOCAR-Dalgidj company was established in 2015 as a joint venture between Dalgidj LLC and the Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR. The company created a strategic alliance with Oceaneering in 2016 to render underwater services including project management, engineering, inspection, maintenance, repair and diving services in the Caspian Sea. ----- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Aysham Rustamova - Trend: Companies from Qatar and China are interested in participating in a wind power plant construction project in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, Agshin Bekirzade, Chairman of Azalternativenerji company operating under the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources of Azerbaijan, told Trend. He said that negotiations with a number of foreign investors on financing the project continue, and it is not yet known with which company the agreement to be concluded. The industrial type power plant will be located on the sea and will stretch from the Baku settlement of Pirallahi to the island of Chilov. Technical feasibility study of the project has been already prepared. It is expected that the capacity of the power plant will be 200 megawatts. Bekirzade also noted that the Azalternativenerji company intends to increase the capacity of the existing power plants. "Azerbaijan has very significant potential in the field of alternative energy," he said. "I believe that the construction of both solar and wind power plants is of great importance. The work being carried out in this area will show its positive aspects in the future." Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade Trend: South Korea is ready to share its experience with Azerbaijan in solving the issue of problem loans, said Kim Tong Op, ambassador of South Korea to Azerbaijan. He was speaking at an international conference Solving Problem Loans: Experience of Azerbaijan and Republic of Korea organized by the Center for Economic Reforms and Communications and the South Korean Embassy in Azerbaijan in cooperation with the Korea Development Institute, Trend reports. The ambassador said that this conference and exchange of experience will improve and strengthen relations between the two countries. In his words, from November to December 1997, due to the economic crisis, South Korea attracted a great number of loans from the International Monetary Fund. As a result of intensive development and the correct solution of the issue of problem loans, South Korea managed to overcome the crisis, the ambassador noted. In March 2019, the value of problem loans in Azerbaijan decreased by 8.9 percent or 152.2 million manats compared to the same period last year, reaching 1.56 billion manats, according to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. The share of overdue loans for the same period decreased from 14.7 percent to 11.9 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has published new exchange rates, which will be valid from May 21, Trend reports with reference to the Central Bank. The US dollar again added a little this week. The US currency rose by 2.76 soums. Starting from tomorrow, 1 dollar will cost 8460.92 soums. In turn, euro this week seriously "dipped." The value of the European currency fell to 9439 soums, a decrease of 62.5 soums compared with the previous week. The Russian ruble rose slightly. Its cost increased by 1.32 soums and amounted to 131, 6 soums. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend: The Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan will support all participants in the innovation sphere, Azer Bayramov, Executive Director of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies, told Trend. Bayramov noted that the purpose of the agency, which will soon begin its activities, will be the development of innovations in the Azerbaijans non-oil sector. He said that over the past few years, in connection with the development of innovative technologies in Azerbaijan, a number of decrees were signed by President Ilham Aliyev, and they resulted in the creation of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, as well as of the High Technologies Park. Bayramov added that in order to develop innovations in Azerbaijan, the first InnoFest innovation festival will be held, as part of which a set of events will be conducted. He said that the InnoFest festival to be held in Baku May 29-June 4 this year, is aimed at innovative development in Azerbaijan and implementation of new projects. The Executive Director spoke about the large-scale Monex Caspian Summit related to financial technologies, which will be held as part of the InnoFest festival. Bayramov emphasized the importance of the Maintech innovation technologies forum, which will also be held as part of the InnoFest. The purpose of this forum is to widely disseminate innovative and technological products and services, as well as support their export, he added. The Executive Director of the State Fund informed that one of the important events during the forum is presentation of WayRay technological startup company estimated at $500 million. Its founder and CEO Vitaly Ponomarev who was born in Baku, will be among the speakers at the forum. Bayramov added that Ponomarevs speech should inspire young start-up entrepreneurs, for whom new opportunities are created considering the importance of the development of innovative entrepreneurs for Azerbaijan. The overall objective of the Forum activities is to attract the interest of young people to the field of innovative technologies, Bayramov said. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the establishment of the Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan on November 6, 2018. According to the decree, the Agency is a legal entity, which will support scientific research, encourage innovative projects (including startups), finance them via grants, concessional loans and investments in authorized capital (including venture financing), and promote innovation initiatives. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Aysham Rustamova Trend: The region of the Middle East is one of the most promising and successful markets for Azerbaijan, and the tourist flow from this region will continue for years, Kanan Guluzade, spokesman for the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, told Trend. "The Arab market is specific: usually tourists from these countries maintain the same direction for 5-8 years, and with a large flow. Therefore, the Arab market is a promising direction for attracting tourists to Azerbaijan," Guluzade said. To put it into perspective, the arrival of Iranian guests in our country is seasonal, whereas the tourist flow from the countries of the Persian Gulf and the Middle East region has great prospects. In January-April 2019, 142,900 people arrived in Azerbaijan from Gulf countries. In 2018, the number of Arab tourists arriving in Azerbaijan stood at 518,100 people, and every 5th guest in Azerbaijan was a citizen of a country in the Persian Gulf. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 20 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A meeting between the delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan and Paola Albrito, Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Regional Office for Europe, was held in Geneva, Switzerland, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed matters of cooperation, the information reads. The meeting was held on the margins of the 6th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) entitled Progress in achieving sustainability: towards sustainable and inclusive societies. The event was carried out within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), launched a national project for assessing seismic risks, and preventing and responding to potential earthquakes. The project, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, is funded by the Turkmen government and will be implemented by 2020. It is planned to conduct an assessment of the seismic stability of buildings and structures of Ashgabat. Turkmenistan is located in a seismically dangerous zone. On the night of October 6, 1948, a magnitude 10 earthquake occurred in Ashgabat and claimed numerous lives. More than 20 digital stationary and dozens of autonomous, mobile seismic stations monitor the seismic activity in Turkmenistan. One of these mobile seismic stations is located in the Karakum Desert. The territory of the country is characterized by the presence of structurally unstable subsoil bases and, due to climatic conditions, a high corrosivity. High salinity of groundwater, the intensity of solar radiation and other environmental factors are also the subject of study by local seismologists. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 20 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan Amandurdy Ishanow was received in Astana by Kazakhstans Prime Minister Askar Mamin, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. Matters of bilateral relations between states were discussed during the meeting, the report reads. The Turkmen side invited Mamin to a regular meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government on May 31 in Ashgabat. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 12th Astana Economic Forum (AEF), which was attended by delegates from 74 countries. Reports were presented during the event by Chief Economist of the World Bank (WB) Paul Romer, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde, and others. Earlier it was reported that a project is being considered for creating a special zone of border trade on the border of Kazakhstans Mangystau Region and Turkmenistans Balkan Region. Mangystau and Balkan regions are similar. Oil, gas and chemical industries dominate here. Both regions are big transport and logistics hubs, interconnected by sea, railway routes and motorways. The launch of regular flights is also being considered. Both countries stress the need for increasing the trade turnover in such industries as metallurgy, mechanical engineering, building materials, food industry, chemical industry, light industry, and pharmaceutics. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: If there is a disagreement with regards to Iran's cultural, social, and foreign policy, a referendum can be held, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a meeting with youth and students, Trend reports referring to IRNA. According to Rouhani, this issue is covered in Article 59 of the Iranian Constitution. He added that, according to this Article MPs of the Iranian Parliament can decide for an issue to be put to a referendum. "Let no one say that they participate in the voting and give their votes but the problems are not solved. It is true, that problems are not completely resolved, but we can take a new action at every step. It is necessary to make use of the potential of the Constitution," he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Steps should be taken to increase production in Iran, eliminate investment barriers, and develop practical skills to increase productivity and employment, reads the instruction of the Iranian President to ministries and organizations, Trend reports referring to the website of the Iranian government (dolat.ir). Iranian President Hassan Rouhani instructed to simplify domestic and foreign investment processes and remove barriers formed due to additional and redundant regulations. "The attraction of investments by Iranians living outside of Iran, as well as the transfer of economic entities to the non-public sector should be seriously accelerated," Rouhani said. Rouhani also said that the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran shall create favorable conditions for the development of tourism. Under the instruction of the Iranian president, the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad should take steps to achieve self-sufficiency in growing the necessary agricultural products throughout the country. If necessary, the ministry should execute this work with the support of neighboring countries. Tehran, Iran, May 20 Trend: Iran and Iraq have agreed to solve the issue of dredging of Arvand River (Shatt al-Arab) in Khorramshahr during a two-day joint meeting. The officials from two countries have reviewed the technical details to dredging of Arvand River, Trend reports citing Fars News Agency. "It is expected that more technical meetings with Iran and Iraq experts will be held for dredging operations at Arvand river in the upcoming ten days," said Alireza Khojasteh, Director General for Maritime Safety & Marine Environment Protection Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran. Iran's Khatam-ol Anbia Construction Headquarter has also expressed readiness to execute the operation with its dredging fleet. "Khatamol Anbia Construction Headquarter has the most equipped dredging fleet in the Persian Gulf region with the capacity to dredge 2.5 million cubic meters per month," said Saeed Mohammad, commander of the unit. "The unit has been successful in design and construction of maritime structures and dredging operation in ports and deep waters, he added. Touching upon the dredging operations in Chabahr port by Khatam-ol Anbia Headquarter, he said, During the first phase of work at Chabahr port, 16 million cubic meters have been dredged, and we are ready for dredging works to be carry out at second phase of the port." The commander indicated that the second phase of Shahid Beheshti port development in Chabahr requires 6.5 million cubic meter to be dredged. The Iranian Border Guards commander said that the ties and coordination between border guards of Iran and Pakistan and Turkish border guards have been improved and promoted due to the expansion of bilateral relations, Trend reports citing IRNA. Brigadier General Qasem Reza'i said here on Monday that Iran after China and Russia has been ranked third in terms of the number of neighbors in the world, with a total of 8,755 kilometers of common border with their neighbors, of which this amount 2,700 kilometers is the maritime border. In terms of security indicators, we are in good condition. He highlighted, 'No country as the Islamic Republic of Iran is facing peripheral threats, given the characteristics of countering the arrogant power, but with the vigilance of the security forces, military and law enforcement, and especially border guards, we face the least.' The border guards commander noted that one of the main problems of Iran in the border area over the past years was on the borders with Pakistan, because the security dominance of this country in the Balochistan region of the country was low, which has been the factor for infiltration of the terrorists and criminal to this area. The commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Border Guards had said that Iran has no concern over common maritime and land borders with the neighboring countries despite the threats close to the borders. Brigadier General Qasem Reza'i said in Ahwaz last Tuesday that the morale of the border guards in protecting and safeguarding the borders has caused not to have concern about border security, but 'we are still ready to deal with possible contingencies of insecurity on the borders'. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Populist statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the need to change the format of the negotiation process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict show Armenias unpreparedness for substantive negotiations with Azerbaijan, well-known Azerbaijani political analyst Arzu Nagiyev told Trend. Nagiyev was commenting on Pashinyans statement made on May 17 during a meeting with Russian journalists. Pashinyan stated that he does not consider it necessary to speed up the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We will not speed up this process, but we will not slow it down ether, because there is a conflict, and I do not think that one should forget about it, said Pashinyan. At the same time, he expressed the opinion that the Karabakh issue can be solved if Nagorno-Karabakh is involved in the negotiation process. Nagiyev said that by such statements, the leadership of Armenia is trying to maintain the status quo on the conflict. Armenia demonstrates a highly controversial policy, he noted. On the one hand, during high-level meetings, it allegedly agrees with important components of substantive negotiations, for example, concerning humanitarian cooperation. On some other issues, each time after the officials return to Yerevan, they start to voice inadequate statements, the essence of which is to preserve the status quo on the conflict. It is clear that these statements are intended primarily for the internal audience, which in fact led Pashinyan to power. Therefore, the Armenian prime minister is trying to demonstrate his commitment to the promises he gave during the demonstrations in the streets of Yerevan. Nagiyev noted that such statements by the leadership of Armenia as well as the the fact that Armenia has not yet fulfilled a single paragraph of the resolutions of the UN Security Council are contrary to the laws and principles of international law. I believe that the statements and actions of the Armenian side should not remain beyond the attention of the OSCE Minsk Group, Nagiyev said. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in each of the three countries should unambiguously respond to the absurd statements of the Armenian leadership and ensure that Yerevan meets the requirements stated in the documents adopted by international organizations regarding the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. However, unfortunately, the OSCE Minsk Group remains silent not only about the absurd statements by Pashinyan in Yerevan, but also his loud statements during the trips to the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Parliaments impasse over Brexit must not be allowed to hold back Britains financial services, City minister John Glen said on Monday, reports Trend citing to Reuters The financial sectors traditional strengths were in good health, but the slow and frustrating process of seeking a deal on Britains departure from the European Union remained a shadow, Glen said. The City wants and frankly deserves certainty, Glen said, We cant allow the impasse of this parliament to hold the City back. Oil hit multi-week highs on Monday after OPEC indicated it was likely to maintain production cuts that have helped boost prices this year, while escalating Middle East tensions provided further support, reports Trend citing to Reuters Brent crude was up by 34 cents to $72.55 a barrel by 0928 GMT, having earlier touched $73.40, the highest since April 26. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 24 cents at $63 a barrel, after hitting a three-week high of $63.81. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday there was consensus among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers to drive down crude inventories gently but he would remain responsive to the needs of a fragile market. United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei earlier told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not the right decision. OPEC data indicates oil inventories in the developed world rose by 3.3 million barrels month-on-month in March, and were 22.8 million barrels above their five year average. A gathering of the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in Saudi Arabia over the weekend did not make any solid recommendations, leaving a decision on policy for a meeting of OPEC and its allies next month in Vienna. While not explicitly mentioned in the statement (of the JMMC), uncertainty on how many Iranian and Venezuelan oil barrels will be lost due to U.S. sanctions was probably the main reason the group kicked the can down the road, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. OPEC, Russia and other non-member producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1 for six months to try to prevent inventories from increasing and weakening prices. Adding to the bullish sentiment is rising tensions in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the official end of Iran, while Saudi Arabia said it was ready to respond with all strength and it was up to Iran to avoid war. The rhetoric follows last weeks attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone that exploded near the U.S. embassy. Another bullish signal for crude was a second week of declines in U.S. drilling operations, with energy companies cutting oil rigs to the lowest since March 2018. The rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by 3 to 802, General Electric Cos Baker Hughes energy services unit said on Friday. Rumilda Fernandezs indigenous community has long tended its ancestral lands in Paraguay, marking boundaries with an ancient system of names for trees and streams. Now, squeezed by deforestation and farming, the community is going digital to defend itself, reports Trend citing to Reuters Fernandez, 28, is one of the groups first technology-equipped forest monitors, traversing the narrow earthen tracks of the Isla Jovai Teju communitys land to map the area with a smartphone app and GPS. The work is a matter of survival for her Mbya Guarani ethnic group. Their lands have been encroached on over the years by vast surrounding plantations of soybeans and maize in the South American nation that is grappling with widespread deforestation. The forest was our supermarket and we did not need anything more. Now with the clearing, everything has changed, community leader Cornelia Flores, 60, told Reuters. Before, we did not know how many hectares our land was. Now we have the map and the actual size, Flores added. The tech push is part of a project with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, training eight indigenous youths from four Mbya communities in the district of Caaguazu, about 125 miles (200 km) east of the capital Asuncion. The monitors take photographs using a cellphone app of natural landmarks, tagging them with ancestral terms such as yvyra pyta, guajayvi or ygary. These points automatically populate a map to outline the borders of the terrain. It was easy to learn, though the technology element was tougher for me, said Fernandez, who had never used a computer or a GPS (global positioning system) before. The Mbya leaders believe incorporating technology will help them protect lands that in the past have been occupied by large-scale producers or farmers, preserving forests as a critical source of food and medicinal plants. Loss of land and natural resources is a painful issue for the indigenous people of Paraguay, who represent 2% of the countrys total population. The loss has been cited by experts as one of the main reasons 75% of them live in poverty or extreme poverty, according to official data. Paraguays Minister of Social Development Mario Varela told Reuters impoverishment stemmed from the marginalizing of indigenous people who had never been included, nor their original culture respected in Paraguayan society. The problem for the indigenous is that we have been in Paraguay for 500 years and they have never helped us, said Teofilo Flores, leader of the Pindoi community of 750 people in Caaguazu. We need to know how to preserve the forest that remains as a reserve. For example, giving us the tools and support so that we ourselves also dont deforest the lands, he added. ILLEGAL LOGGING Paraguay is divided into two main regions: a large area with industrial farming in the east that has put pressure on forest land, and Chaco, a livestock area where clearing is allowed under certain conditions and where oversight is often lax. The country has lost nearly 2,000 square miles (500,000 hectares) of native forests in the eastern region since 2004, official data shows. That was the year when a Zero Deforestation Law, supposedly preventing the mass cutting of woodland, was approved. Cristina Goralewski, president of the countrys National Forestry Institute, said part of the problem was endemic corruption that meant illegal logging went unchecked. She hopes the use of technology and reliable data will change that. President Mario Abdo, who took office last year, has previously acknowledged government corruption and pledged zero tolerance for officials found guilty of graft. We know that theres ingrained corruption that supports this excessive deforestation, said Goralewski, a 28-year-old engineer. She pointed out that in five years authorities had only stopped 20 trucks with timber from illegal logging. The priority for the government is to stop illegal deforestation in the eastern region and use technology for that because we see that the controls are just not working. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 20 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey will allocate 3.1 billion Turkish liras to support exporters of the country, Turkish Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan said, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. According to the minister, this will increase the country's exports. She added that Turkeys main goal is to increase turnover. According to the Turkish Ministry of Trade, Turkeys foreign trade turnover in April 2019 amounted to $33.377 billion. During this period, Turkish exports increased by 5.38 percent compared to April 2018 and amounted to $15.273 billion. In April 2019, imports to Turkey decreased by 14.62 percent compared to April 2018 and amounted to $18.104 billion. During the reporting period, Turkey imported mineral fuel worth $3.689 billion, equipment and machinery worth $1.909 billion, electrical goods worth $1.354 billion, and steel and cast iron worth $1.572 billion. The remaining share of imports, $9.57 billion, accounts for other types of products. ($1=6.0572 TL on May 20) Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu US President Donald Trump warned against "threatening" the United States amid recent US-Tehran tensions, Trend reported citing Sputnik. Donald Trump has warned in his Tweet that it would be "official end of Iran", if Tehran "wants to fight". Earlier, US warships carried out exercises in the Arabian Sea as part of efforts to build up preparedness for what Washington calls an Iranian threat. Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated earlier this month, when the US imposed more anti-Iranian sanctions and sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a squadron of B-52 bombers and Patriot interceptors to the Middle East to grapple with what Washington describes as a threat emanating from Iran. Last May Trump announced the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with Iran, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reinstating harsh sanctions against the Islamic Republic. US President Donald Trump has signed proclamations that remove tariffs on aluminium and steel imports from Canada and Mexico with effect from Monday, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "Any imports of steel articles from Canada and Mexico that were admitted into a U.S. foreign trade zone under privileged foreign status . prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 20, 2019, shall not be subject upon entry for consumption made after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 20, 2019, to the additional 25 percent ad valorem rate of duty as imposed by Proclamation 9705, as amended," the proclamation on imported steel said. A similar proclamation was published with regard to imported aluminium. It comes after on Friday, the United States and Canada said in a joint statement that they would lift mutual aluminium and steel tariffs within two days. The two countries also agreed to end all pending litigation at the World Trade Organization and prevent the transshipment of aluminium and steel made outside of Canada or the United States. Last year, Washington decided to no longer exempt Canada and Mexico from 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent duties on aluminium imports. Back then, Trump urged Canada and Mexico to ban Chinese steel from entering the US through their territory, stating that the foreign metals posed a threat to national security. The US Department of Commerce has restored Huawei's ability to maintain its networks and provide software updates to existing Huawei handsets within the US, Trend reports citing Sputnik. A temporary general license, which was posted for public inspection, scales back restrictions imposed earlier by Washington on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's ability to buy US goods as a means to help existing customers, according to Reuters. The temporary license lasts until 19 August. Huawei has recently faced global scrutiny over allegations that the company is linked to the Chinese government and has been conducting surveillance on its behalf. Last week, the US Department of Commerce said Huawei Technologies and its entities had been placed on a US trade blacklist for engaging in activities that go against the interests of US national security. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency over telecommunications technologies and services linked to foreign adversaries, prohibiting US companies from engaging in transactions with companies from the co-called adversary countries. Although both Huawei and the Chinese government have firmly refuted the claims, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States banned Huawei from participating in government contracts last year. China's Premier Li Keqiang rejected the espionage charges against telecommunications companies from China, noting that there is no specific evidence to prove the allegations. The roots of the Presbyterian Church trace back to John Calvin, a 16th-century French reformer. Calvin trained for the Catholic priesthood, but later converted to the Reformation Movement and became a theologian and minister who revolutionized the Christian church in Europe, America, and ultimately the rest of the world. Calvin dedicated a great deal of thought to practical matters such as the ministry, the church, religious education, and the Christian life. He was more or less coerced into leading the Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1541, the town council of Geneva enacted Calvin's Ecclesiastical Ordinances, which set forth regulations on issues related to church order, religious training, gambling, dancing, and even swearing. Strict church disciplinary measures were enacted to deal with those who broke these ordinances. Calvin's theology was very similar to Martin Luther's. He agreed with Luther on the doctrines of original sin, justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the sole authority of the Scriptures. He distinguishes himself theologically from Luther primarily with the doctrines of predestination and eternal security. The Presbyterian concept of church elders is based on Calvin's identification of the office of elder as one of the four ministries of the church, along with pastors, teachers, and deacons. Elders participate in preaching, teaching, and administering the sacraments. also read Narad Jayanti 2019: Narad Puran lessons to remove sadness and poverty As in 16th-century Geneva, Church governance and discipline today include elements of Calvin's Ecclesiastical Ordinances, but these no longer have power beyond the members' willingness to be bound by them. The Influence of John Knox on Presbyterianism Second in importance to John Calvin in the history of Presbyterianism is John Knox. He lived in Scotland in the mid-1500s. He led the Reformation in Scotland following Calvinistic principles, protesting against the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, and Catholic practices. His ideas set the moral tone for the Church of Scotland and also shaped its democratic form of government. The Presbyterian form of church government and Reformed theology were formally adopted as the national Church of Scotland in 1690. The Church of Scotland remains Presbyterian today. Presbyterianism in America Since the colonial period, Presbyterianism has had a strong presence in the United States of America. Reformed churches were first established in the early 1600s with Presbyterians shaping the religious and political life of the newly established nation. The only Christian minister to sign the Declaration of Independence, was Reverend John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian. In many ways, the United States is founded on a Calvinist point of view, with emphasis on hard work, discipline, the salvation of souls and the building of a better world. Presbyterians were instrumental in the movements for women's rights, the abolition of slavery, and temperance. During the Civil War, American Presbyterians divided into southern and northern branches. These two churches reunited in 1983 to form the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., the largest Presbyterian/Reformed denomination in the United States. also read The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautam and his life journey in Nepal Description Are you ready to start a new business or expand your existing business? A good business plan is a road map for your business, help you obtain financing, clarify & assess your business goals, and organize your business effectively. Join Business Advisor Gifty Oduro-Ostrander to learn how to write a successful business plan. Registration Required. The House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly passed the SECURE Act, which includes provisions to help people save for retirement. The bill passed 417-3 and is being sent to the Senate. The 116th Congress will not be known for lack of tumult, but retirement is one issue thats been moving methodically and under the radar towards becoming law. The Houses Secure Act may even be merged with another one from the Senate Finance Committee, and sent to President Trump's desk. If lawmakers are successful, it would be the first major retirement legislation since 2006. Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has noted that the bill represents a major bipartisan accomplishment. "The outlook is very kind of ordinary and that's so extraordinary now," says Gordon Gray, a former Republican policy advisor in the Senate and now the Director of Fiscal Policy at American Action Forum. He added we have our bill, the House has theirs and eventually it will get to conference. It's like how a bill becomes a law." Among the changes in the Houses Secure Act is: getting more part-time workers to save for retirement, raising the age to begin required minimum distributions for IRAs, and helping small businesses provide 401(k)s to their workers. Here are 4 of the key ideas likely to be included in the final package that might impact your savings. If you work for a small business, you might get access to a 401(k) The centerpiece (in Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassleys view) of the reform concerns increasing access to 401(k) savings plans for small-business employees. Trump signed an executive order in 2018 to encourage multiple-employer plans noting that only 53% of workers at small businesses are offered retirement benefits. The plans on Capitol Hill would go further and allow small business to join plans with companies in different industries, so-called open MEPs. According to a Senate Finance Committee summary, open MEPs will allow small businesses to obtain more favorable pension investment results and more efficient and less expensive management services. Story continues Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, center, joined at left by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member, arrives for the start of a hearing called "Challenges in the Retirement System," on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Lawmakers on both sides are also pushing provisions to provide tax credits to small businesses to make it more affordable for them to set up their own retirement plans. Another group of workers who might see increased access to retirement savings plans: long-serving part-time employees. There are provisions in the House bill for part-time workers. On the other end of the Capitol, Senators Rob Portman and Ben Cardin are pushing similar provisions. Their plan would allow part-time workers access to their companys retirement plans once they work over 500 hours for two consecutive years. You may be able to save for retirement while paying off your student loans Another idea with support on both ends of Capitol Hill is a provision to encourage young people to save more. The idea is to allow employers to make matching contributions to an employees retirement account equal to the amount of their student loan payment. The proposal is included in the House plan and in a stand-alone Senate bill introduced by Ron Wyden, the ranking member on the Finance Committee. A summary of the Wyden bill describes it working this way: "If a 401(k) plan provides a 100% matching contribution on the first 5% of salary reduction contributions made by a worker, then a 100% matching contribution must be made for student loan repayments equal to 5% of the workers pay." (It would be mandatory if an employer is offering a match, but they can offer whatever match they want.) Shai Akabas, who steers the Bipartisan Policy Centers Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings, noted that allowing people to sort of walk and chew gum at the same time when it comes to both making progress on their student debt but also make inroads on their retirement can be a useful policy goal to have. Others are pushing more forceful measures to encourage younger people to save. Tobias Read, Oregons State Treasurer, testified in Washington recently that the minimum age for investing in an IRA should be lowered. We should be allowing minors as young as 16 to open their own accounts and hold the money in their own names, he said to lawmakers. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., accompanied by ranking member Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Youll be able to contribute for longer (as you live longer) A third area of agreement with a provision in the Secure Act is a plan to eliminate the maximum age for IRA contributions. Currently, you are only eligible to contribute to a traditional IRA if you are younger than 70 . There are no age limits on contributions to 401(k) plans or to ROTH IRAs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate among workers over 70 has jumped in recent years and is expected to continue to rise. In 1996, the rate was 12.5% among Americans aged 70-74. In 2016, it was 19.2%. Lawmakers are also considering increasing the age when IRA and 401(k) holders must begin to withdraw from their account and pay taxes. Currently, required minimum distributions begins at age 70 . The House bill would increase the limit to age 72. On the Senate side, the proposal from Senators Portman and Cardin would increase the age to 72 in 2023 and then up to age 75 by 2030. As Portman noted in a speech on the Senate floor, the trend right now is people are living longer, so we have to ensure that there is longer lifetime savings as people are living longer and healthier lives. Other provisions would increase the ability of baby boomers who have saved too little to catch up and increase their contributions as they near retirement. Lower barriers of entry to retirement plans There are also a variety of provisions in the legislation that would lower some of the barriers for workers to sign up for retirement accounts. A Pew analysis found that among workers employed by companies that offer a defined contribution plan, 28% of them are not participating. There are also provisions to encourage retirees to annuitize and gain more predictability in their retirement income. These are changes that are not going to be as immediately evident to the average American, Akabas said. But they could have important effects down the road when we talk about gradually increasing the access that people have to a workplace retirement account and the structure of those accounts. What isnt being addressed The plan being hammered out focuses on only a fraction of the issues facing the retirement system. Difficult and contentious issues lie ahead and will have much bigger impacts on retirement security if left unaddressed. A sign for the Social Security Administration in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) On Social Security, a recent report by trustees found that the programs reserve fund could be depleted in 16 years with no action. Rep. John Larson of Connecticut has authored a bill keep the program solvent through the end of the century but the bills prospects are uncertain. Larson testified at a hearing recently, noting that he supports efforts to reform private retirement accounts, but added our greatest responsibility here in Congress is to protect Social Security and ensure that it meets the needs of todays beneficiaries and future generations. Another issue is multi-employer pensions. Many such plans could become insolvent in coming years, jeopardizing the benefits of workers who have been contributing for years. As Gray of the American Action Forum noted about both Social Security and multi-employer pensions: those are the big angry problems that stay angry and don't go away. This story was updated on May 23 to reflect the Houses passage of the Secure Act. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. Just over a year ago, T-Mobile, the third-largest wireless carrier, announced plans to acquire Sprint, the fourth-largest carrier. In the Obama era, regulators stepped in multiple times to prevent the U.S. wireless market from shrinking to just three major players via consolidation. But on Monday, Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said he would favor approving the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint deal after the carriers agreed to some fairly stringent conditions, including potential fines of up to $2.4 billion. In light of the significant commitments made by T-Mobile and Sprint as well as the facts in the record to date, I believe that this transaction is in the public interest and intend to recommend to my colleagues that the FCC approve it, Pai said in a statement. This is a unique opportunity to speed up the deployment of 5G throughout the United States and bring much faster mobile broadband to rural Americans. We should seize this opportunity. Sprints s stock soared 25% and T-Mobiles tmus shares rose 5% on the news, which was seen as a clear signal that the conditions are likely to win the support of a majority of the five-member FCC plus the Justice Department. Here are five key reasons why the deal is now likely to be approved in the next few months: 1. Protecting the prepaid wireless market The cheapest wireless phone plans available are from so-called prepaid services, which require customers to pay monthly in advance. Together, Sprint and T-Mobile would have had control of nearly 50% of the prepaid market, according to opponents of the deal. So the two companies on Monday announced that they would spin off Sprints largest prepaid brand, Boost Mobile, as a separate company that would compete against the newly-merged carrier. 2. Faster 5G wireless serviceand in more places One of the main promises the two companies used to gain approval of their merger was that they would be able to offer new, super-fast 5G wireless services in more places, more quickly. FCC officials, speaking to reporters in a briefing on Monday, said the agency agreed with that premise. Sprint has a huge amount of spectrum licensed in the 2.5 GHz band, perfect for 5G, but lacks the financial wherewithal on its own to build a 5G network in much of the country. T-Mobile is just finishing building a new network for 4G using the 600 MHz band. FCC officials said they believed that it could be easily and quickly upgraded to 2.5 GHz 5G. Story continues 3. Trust but verify. And keep a big penalty at the ready The FCC and other authorities have sometimes imposed merger conditions that have turned out to lack teeth. Cable company Charter Communications was recently found to have failed to meet its merger commitments to offer high-speed Internet service in New York, for example. So with Sprint-T-Mobile, regulators added a major financial penalty, too. Sprint and T-Mobile promised to offer 5G service to 97% of the U.S. population within three years and 99% after six years. But the carriers on Monday also agreed to a series of annual, escalating penalties if they miss the targets. The merged company could have to pay as much as $2.4 billion annually for failing to meet its commitments. 4. Price promises The biggest and most obvious reason that many opposed the merger was the possibility that consumers would have to pay more for wireless service in a theoretically less competitive market that had three major players, instead of four. T-Mobile executives from CEO John Legere on down have sought to counter that concern by promising not to raise prices for three years, and promising not to charge more for 5G service. Those promises were enough, said Pai and top FCC officials. Theres no wiggle room for tricky price hikes amid the promises, and the agency is confident that any stealthy attempt to raise prices would be quickly uncovered and publicized by tech-savvy consumers or rival carriers. 5. Real coverage promises Another way the wireless industry has sometimes acted in a shady manner is by disseminating coverage maps that dont truly reflect the signal strength that consumers experience (a 2016 Sprint TV ad carried the small print disclaimer that a coverage map shown in the ad did not actually display coverage). So the FCC wont allow the new T-Mobile to prove it is meeting its coverage promises with maps. Instead, T-Mobile will have to conduct extensive real world tests overseen by an independent third party. Such measurements, known as drive tests, will prove accurately whether the carrier has met its promises, FCC officials said. (Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. has launched many brick-and-mortar experiments in the past few years: bookstores, grocery pickup kiosks, cashierless convenience stores. Yet none of these have shown as much promise as the e-commerce giants unlikely partnership with Kohls Corp., the very definition of an old-school retailer. Two years ago, Kohls agreed to let Amazon customers return packages at stores in Chicago and Los Angeles. Last month, the two companies announced the partnership would expand this summer to more than 1,150 stores. That followed a March announcement that Kohls would feature Amazon devices in 200 locations. Wall Street applauded, sending Kohls shares up sharply. By tying up with Amazon, the department store chain gets more foot traffic from those making returns, enticing them with coupons to browse the store and buy something. For Amazon, the partnership helps solve one of the trickiest challenges in e-commerce: letting customers return products without subjecting them to nightmarish lines at the post office. About 30 percent of all online orders are sent back, triple the rate of store purchases, and Amazon keeps looking for ways to make the process affordable for itself and easy for customers. Eventually, Amazon may add private-label groceries and apparel to the electronics it already sells at Kohls. Founded by a Polish immigrant in the 1920s as a single grocery store, Kohls has largely side-stepped the retail apocalypse. The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based chain has perfected the art of stickiness, keeping customers coming back for its assortment of moderately priced apparel, shoes, accessories and beauty products. The stores race-track layout is designed to get shoppers wandering through other departments in the hopes that even those on a mission for one item will leave with a full shopping cart. A loyalty program based around Kohls Cash coupons gives shoppers another reason to return. But like many retailers dependent on selling clothes, Kohls has struggled to grow. The company, which reports earnings on Tuesday, expects same-store sales to remain flat or increase 2% in 2019. Kohls has avoided mass store closings in part by leasing space to other retailers, including the German supermarket giant Aldi and the Planet Fitness chain of gyms. Now, by expanding the partnership with Amazon, Chief Executive Officer Michelle Gass is hoping to win back online shoppers one return at a time. Story continues Kohls had nothing to lose because people are still going to buy on Amazon whether they return their product to Kohls or not, says David Swartz, an analyst at Morningstar Investment Service. Kohls makes it simple for Amazon customers to return a purchase. Unlike Macys Inc. and J.C. Penney Co., which typically locate their stores in large, indoor shopping malls, Kohls mostly operates detached stores that are easier to access. The company has reserved parking spots for Amazon customers at participating locations near Chicago and Los Angeles and is expected to do the same as it expands the program to all its stores. Prominent orange signs direct people to a counter, where customers show a printed return label or code on their smartphone. In another customer-friendly move, returned items need not be re-packed. One Chicago-area Kohls location can accept the return of more than 1,000 Amazon packages a day, according to a store employee, who says some customers return multiple orders at a time. Most of the shoppers are handed a coupon offering 25% off of any product from Kohls. They may not have shopped at Kohls before or planned to buy anything after dropping off their Amazon package, but the coupon gets some of them to at least start browsing. Christie Booth doesnt consider herself a Kohls customer and would rather just leave her Amazon returns on the front porch. The mother of two teenagers says her family visits Kohls in Huntington Beach, California, about twice a month to return Amazon packages and, armed with a coupon, will occasionally buy something. Booth likes the reserved parking and frequently shops at a Sprouts Farmers Market next door, so she can consolidate trips. Without Kohls, shed have to drive a few more miles to a UPS Store. I live not even a mile from here, she says. So it works out great. Kohls stores near Chicago had a 9% increase in new customers last year; by contrast locations in other parts of the country that didnt accept Amazon returns had a paltry 1% increase in new customers, according to Earnest Research. Sales growth at Chicago-area stores also outpaced locations without an Amazon returns counter. Returns are a considerable expense for Amazon, especially if theyre shipped one by one from UPS stores or post offices. Traditional retailers have a built-in advantage because they have thousands of locations around the U.S. that can double as distribution hubs for pickups and returns. Walmart is a 10-minute or less drive from 90% of the country. With Kohls, Amazon will be within 15 miles of about eight in 10 Americans. Consolidating returns in one location can reduce Amazons cost per package to about $2 from $10 and decreases the likelihood a package is damaged in transport, according to two people familiar with the operation. Amazon declined to comment. Beyond curbing shipping costs, Kohls can help Amazon make more of its own products visible. Kohls has a modest electronics selection, which Amazon is helping to round out in select locations with its Kindle tablets, Fire streaming devices and Alexa-powered Echo speakers. Amazon could also use space in Kohl's to sell its private-label clothing, groceries and household products. In-store shoppers are more inclined to make impulse purchases than online shoppers, a big reason for Amazon to keep expanding its brick and mortar presence. Clothing is the main category in which Amazon and Kohls compete directly. Kohls is hoping Amazon shoppers unhappy with their clothing will find something they like that fits them at a reasonable price at Kohls when they return the Amazon purchase. Amazons decision to deepen its relationship with Kohls is necessary in part because its own brick-and-mortar efforts are faltering. Sales at the companys physical stores have barely grown since the 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods, despite highly publicized price cuts on things like organic asparagus and strawberries. With investors asking pointed questions on earnings calls, Amazon is prioritizing Whole Foods and expanding its AmazonGo cashierless stores, according to people familiar with the matter. That leaves the earlier retail initiatives languishing. Amazon will tell you that its simply experimenting as it does online, where tests come and go without most customers noticing. Its much harder to hide its misfires in physical stores. Every time Amazon opens one of these test stores, its on the front page of the local newspaper, which makes it a lot harder to quietly shut it down, says Erik Morton, senior vice president of Commerce Hub in Albany, New York. Theyre used to doing tests all day every day online. Consider the book stores Amazon began opening in 2015. They get decent foot traffic because they also accept returns, but people dont linger because the stores are a pale imitation of a Barnes & Noble, with nowhere to buy coffee and hang out. In one experiment, Amazon is stocking products bought online by customers who live in the areaa bet that that specific merchandise is popular locally. This can lead to awkward juxtapositions; at the store in hometown Seattle, Melinda Gatess book about empowering women recently sat next to an Instant Pot Mothers Day gift display. During a recent visit to the store, most customers hurried past the merchandise to the returns counter. Amazon vice president Jennifer Cast, who returned to the company with much fanfare to launch the bookstores, shifted to a recruiting role last year. Having opened about 20 bookstores, Amazon is now trying another concept, Amazon 4-Star, which is stocked with products awarded at least four stars by online customers. Curating merchandise this way has inevitably resulted in a random assortment at the three 4-Star locations in in New York, Berkeley and the Denver suburb of Lone Tree. The New York store had about two dozen shoppers browsing on a recent afternoon. As with the Seattle bookstore, more people were returning packages than making purchases, and the shopping baskets by the door were going unused. Amazons two drive-in grocery kiosks in Seattleopened before the Whole Foods acquisitionare getting little use. Again, based on observations, more customers are dropping off returns than picking up groceries. A kiosk outside Starbucks headquarters attracted three people in an hour versus the almost 100 people who visited a taco truck in the same parking lot. The AmazonGo stores are cutting-edge technologicallybilling customers automatically via their smartphones. But plans to open as many as 3,000 locationsthere are now 12have been delayed by technical glitches and the high cost of equipping the stores with all the required cameras and sensors, according to people familiar with the matter. The Kohls partnership provides Amazon a relatively risk-free and low-cost way to expand its physical presence and narrow the gap with Walmart. If the experiment works, who knows: Amazon could even acquire the department store chain. Amazon is approaching $300 billion in annual sales and it knows it can only grow so much online, says Gene Munster, a managing partner at Loup Ventures who has argued that Amazon should buy Target Corp. A big brick-and-mortar acquisition is inevitable. If youre an odds maker, youd say the probability of [it being] Kohls has increased. To contact the authors of this story: Spencer Soper in Seattle at ssoper@bloomberg.netJordyn Holman in New York at jholman19@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Robin Ajello at rajello@bloomberg.net, Jonathan Roeder For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Amazon AMZN is gearing up to disrupt the booming online food delivery market as suggested by its investment in London-based company, Deliveroo. The e-commerce giants acquisition of a minority stake in Deliveroo marks its comeback to the U.K.s food delivery space from which it exited in November 2018 by winding up the operation of Amazon Restaurants in the country. The global online food delivery market has significant potential driven by the fast-paced lifestyle that has created demand for food delivery apps and services. Further, growing proliferation of Internet and smartphone usage is aiding the adoption rate of these services globally. Consequently, the latest initiative of Amazon holds promise as the market is expected to witness a CAGR of 9.3% over a period of 2019 to 2023, per Statista. Further, revenues are anticipated to reach from $94.4 billion in 2019 to $134.5 billion by 2023 with strengthening restaurant to consumer delivery offerings worldwide. Amazon: A Strong Contender Amazons strong retail and cloud computing footprint provides it a steady source of revenue and profits. Further, the companys strong cash flow generation ability is expected to help it to expand rapidly in the online food delivery, where it will need to invest significantly to gain market share. Notably, the online food delivery market is currently dominated by the likes of Uber Technologies UBER division Uber Eats, Grubhub GRUB, Postmates, Takeaway.com, Delivery Hero, DoorDash and Just Eat, to name a few. Further, the search giant Alphabet GOOGL has also forayed into this market with its delivery arm, Wing, and food delivery apps. We believe Amazons distribution strength is a major growth driver that will pose significant threat to incumbents in this fast growing market. How is Google, Grubhub and Uber Placed? Alphabet which carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) is making every effort to bolster presence in the global online food delivery space on the back of its innovative technologies. Recently, its unit, Wing, received permission from Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Australia and launched the food delivery service through drones in the country, marking the first of its kind in the world. Currently, the service is available in Canberra which delivers takeaway food, coffee and medicines. Further, Googles Areo app in India expanded to more cities in the country last year. Areo is a food and services delivery app. Additionally, Grubhub recently added 5,000 enterprise locations by expanding relationships with Dunkin' Brands, Pizza Hut, NTNs and Jersey Mike's, among others. The company also inked new partnerships with Smoothie King, Halal Guys, Golden Corral and Smokey Bones. However, this Zacks Rank #3 stock faces strong competition from Amazon Restaurants and Uber Eats. Meanwhile, Uber has gained traction in the food deliver market with Uber Eats which has a huge network of restaurants across more than 500 global cities. Currently, Uber carries a Zacks Rank #3. Conclusion Nevertheless, the robust restaurant network of Deliveroo and Amazon Restaurants positions it well to provide significant competitive pressure to the above-mentioned companies. Deliveroo delivers meals from more than 80,000 takeaway outlets across 14 countries. Hence, Amazon is well-poised to rapidly penetrate the global online food delivery market. Currently, Amazon carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Grubhub Inc. (GRUB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Apple CEO Tim Cook to the class of 2019: 'My generation has failed you' Apple AAPL CEO Tim Cook challenged Gen Z to clean up the messes Baby Boomers have left behind. "In some important ways, my generation has failed you," Cook said Saturday in his commencement speech at Tulane University in New Orleans, La., at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. "We have spent too much time debating, we have been too focused on the fight, and not focused enough on progress," Cook, 58 and a member of the Boomer generation , said. Generally, college graduates are part of Generation Z . "You don't need to look far to find an example of that failure," Cook said, referring to New Orleans, where he was speaking, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Cook bore down hard on climate change. "Here today, in this very place, where thousands once found desperate shelter from a hundred-year disaster the kind that seem to be happening more and more frequently I don't think we can talk about who we are as people and what we owe to one another without talking about climate change," Cook said. Fixing climate change should not be a matter for political debate, Cook said. "This problem doesn't get any easier based on whose side wins or loses an election. It's about who has won life's lottery and has the luxury of ignoring this issue and who stands to lose everything," Cook said. "The coastal communities, including some right here in Louisiana, that are also making plans to leave behind the places they have called home for generations and head for higher ground. The fisherman who nets come up empty. The wildlife preserves with less wildlife to preserve, the marginalized, for whom a natural disaster can mean enduring poverty." TWEET: Tim Cook quote Tulane A call for coming together, ending corrosive discourse More broadly, Cook called on the class of 2019 to focus on helping others, starting with those who need the most. "When we talk about climate change or any issue with human cost and there are many I challenge you to look for those who have the most to lose, and find the real, true empathy that comes from something shared. That is really what we owe one another," Cook said. Story continues From the Big Easy, the tech executive seemed to be taking a shot at the divisiveness taking root in Washington D.C. and corrupting the fabric of the country. "When you do [find empathy], the political noise dies down and you can feel your feet firmly planted on solid ground. After all, we don't build monuments to trolls and we are not going to start now," Cook said. To reduce that divisiveness, Cook pleaded with the young graduates to resist entrenched thinking and adopting points of view blindly. "There are some who would like you to believe that the only way you can be strong is by bulldozing those who disagree or never giving them a chance to say their piece in the first place, that the only way you can build your own accomplishments is by tearing down the other side," he said. "We forget sometimes that our preexisting beliefs have their own force of gravity. Today, certain algorithms pull towards you the things you already know, believe or like and they push away everything else. Push back. It shouldn't be this way," Cook said. "But in 2019, opening your eyes and seeing things in a new way can be a revolutionary act." Work to understand the perspectives of those who see an issue differently than you do, Cook said. "Summon the courage not just to hear but to listen. Not just to act but to act together. It can sometimes feel like the odds are stacked against you, that it isn't worth it. That the critics are too persistent and the problems are too great. But the solution to our problems begin on a human scale by building a shared understanding of the work ahead, and with undertaking it together. at the very least we owe it to teach other to try." Above all, Cook called upon the graduating class to take action to improve the world they live in. "Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of being too cautious," said Cook. "Don't assume that by staying put, the ground won't move beneath your feet. The status quo simply won't last. So get to work on building something better." See also: Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'Don't work for money ... you will never be happy' This start-up turns pollution from factories into fuel that powers cars and one day planes Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'The world is full of cynics and you have to tune them out' Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! More From CNBC * Lynas only major rare earth minerals producer outside China * Companies to develop Texas rare earths separation facility * Will close supply chain gap for U.S. manufacturers - Lynas (Writes through, adds CEO comments) By Liz Lee KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Reuters) - Rare earths producer Lynas Corp said on Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Texas-based Blue Line Corp to set up a rare earths separation facility in the United States. The move comes as the United States, which is highly reliant on the world's biggest producer China for rare earths, is prioritising the sourcing of its own strategic minerals used in everything from consumer electronics to military equipment. Lynas and Blue Line will cooperate over the next year to develop the processing facility in Texas. The venture will be majority owned by Lynas, the companies said in a joint statement. The deal has been struck as Lynas faces regulatory issues at its processing plant in Malaysia, and fends off a $1.1 billion takeover offer from Australian retail-to-chemicals conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd Chief executive officer Amanda Lacaze told Reuters in a phone interview that the U.S. venture was a specific market opportunity and would complement its operations in Malaysia. The venture would allow Lynas to close a "critical" supply chain gap for U.S. manufacturers. It's "an important reflection of the fact that countries all around the world are keen to have rare earths processing capabilities," Lacaze said. "Electric vehicle manufacturers are looking for security of supply of the heavy rare earths as well as on the light rare earths and this provides that opportunity," she said. Lynas is the world's only major producer of rare earth minerals outside China. The materials produced by the company, such as neodymium-praseodymium, are used in a variety of applications such as electrical components and high-power magnets. The companies did not give any details on the cost of the proposed U.S. facility. Story continues Lacaze said the company was "absolutely committed" to Malaysia, where it has been required to remove years of accumulated waste at its plant in order to have its license renewed. She was confident Lynas could meet a framework outlined by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who said in April that Lynas or any other company will need to clean raw materials coming to Malaysia in order to operate in the country. Lynas has said it is considering initial ore processing near its Australian mine, given the situation in Malaysia. The company last month reported a near 33% rise in its third-quarter production of rare earth oxides, and has rejected the Wesfarmers bid as undervaluing its business.. (Reporting by Liz Lee; additional reporting by Ambar Warrick in BENGALURU; editing by Richard Pullin) A group of banks is planning to invest approximately $50 million to design a digital cash system running on blockchain technology, Reuters writes.The post Banks to invest $50 million in a blockchain settlement project appeared first on The Block. A group of banks is planning to invest approximately $50 million to design a digital cash system running on blockchain technology, Reuters writes. The technology will be used to settle financial transactions. About a dozen financial institutions are investing in Fnalitythe new entity which will run the project. The deal is still in the works. The project was first suggested by Swiss bank UBS Group AG and startup Clearmatics in 2015. The "utility settlement coin" would be used for clearing and settlement in a bid to make the financial markets more efficient. The coin would be backed by cash assets and paired with a fiat currency. UBS, Banco Santander, Bank of New York Mellon Corp, State Street Corp, Credit Suisse Group AG, Barclays PLC, HSBC Holdings Plc and Deutsche Bank AG have been involved in earlier phases of the project. Bittrex is one of the largest exchanges in the cryptocurrency market, competing with the likes of Binance and Poloniex. With a variety of trading pairs and altcoins available plus a relatively easy-to-use interface, Bittrex is an ideal place for both new users wanting to buy altcoins and those who have experience trading cryptocurrencies. Overview of Bittrex The company was founded in 2013 by Bill Shihara and two other business partners. The founders had previously worked as security experts for Microsoft before deciding to open up a cryptocurrency exchange. Bittrex is based in the US but is not regulated by US securities law. The exchange recently had its application for a New York BitLicence rejected. The reasons cited were inadequacies with Bittrex is one of the largest exchanges in the cryptocurrency market, competing with the likes of Binance and Poloniex. With a variety of trading pairs and altcoins available plus a relatively easy-to-use interface, Bittrex is an ideal place for both new users wanting to buy altcoins and those who have experience trading cryptocurrencies. Overview of Bittrex The company was founded in 2013 by Bill Shihara and two other business partners. The founders had previously worked as security experts for Microsoft before deciding to open up a cryptocurrency exchange. Bittrex is based in the US but is not regulated by US securities law. The exchange recently had its application for a New York BitLicence rejected. The reasons cited were inadequacies with its anti-money laundering process something that Bittrex disputes. The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYSDFS) also questioned the due diligence Bittrex conducts when listing new coins. This means that Bittrex is not able to provide a service for customers in New York. Cryptocurrencies, IEOs, and a stablecoin There are currently over 200 cryptocurrencies available on the Bittrex exchange. The firm also announced in January it was introducing an OTC desk for institutional investors, as reported by Coin Rivet. The company has been keen to explore the idea of Initial Exchange Offerings as well. IEOs are seemingly in pole position to replace ICOs following the craze of 2017. However, a recent IEO for the Raid token has since been shelved by the exchange. VodiX is another IEO that is due to take place on May 21. The success of IEOs have not matched the hype of the ICO market though, with many of them failing to keep up their initial launch price, meaning investors have been making losses on their purchases. Like many other exchanges such as Poloniex and Gemini, Bittrex has its own stablecoin known as TrueUSD. According to a recent audit by Cohen & Co, TrueUSD is fully backed by USD, which will ease the fears of many people using the stablecoin. Despite this audit and the audit of the Gemini Dollar, Tether remains the dominant stablecoin on the market. This is even with the controversy currently surrounding Tether and the New York Attorney Generals office. Story continues During the bull run of 2017, it was clear that many exchanges were not prepared for the amount of traffic that they were receiving. Outages on exchange websites were common, and Bittrex was no different. Like Binance, there was a period of time where Bittrex had to stop allowing new members to register due to overwhelming demand. Since then, interest in cryptocurrencies has died down somewhat. It is expected that Bittrex will be better prepared should such a wave of interest arise again, and the system should not slow down to the point where it becomes unusable. Competition For newcomers to the space who have only ever heard of Bitcoin or Ethereum, Bittrex is unlikely to be their first port of call. The exchange does not offer a fiat on-ramp, meaning that if you would like to trade there, you would first need to purchase Bitcoin with fiat currency from a different exchange. Exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken still have these markets fairly tied down. However, for those interested in branching out to different altcoins, Bittrex is definitely an attractive prospect. This is further enhanced when you take into account that the fees for trading are smaller when compared to major exchanges such as Coinbase. Unlike many of its competitors, Bittrex is one of the few exchanges that has yet to suffer from a hack. Whilst this may make Bittrex sound more secure than its competitors, there is always a risk in leaving your cryptocurrencies on an exchange. Past history is no guarantee of protection in the future. Bittrex is in a similar market to both Poloniex and Binance. All three offer a wide variety of altcoins and similar trading fees. Binance has been able to build a large customer base through an impressive PR campaign despite Bittrexs first-mover advantage. Coupled with this, there is less regulatory uncertainty surrounding Binance due to it being based in Malta. Conclusion Bittrex remains one of the major cryptocurrency exchanges in the industry at the time of writing. Whether the issues regarding regulation in the US will bite back is unknown, and it also remains to be seen whether it can make a success of the IEO platform as well. For people brand new to crypto, Bittrex is unlikely to be where you head first, but for those who are beginning to invest in the plethora of altcoins, then Bittrex is one of the safer options. The post What is Bittrex? appeared first on Coin Rivet. A stocks price-to-sales ratio reflects how much investors are paying for each dollar of revenues generated by the company. If the price-to-sales ratio is 1, it means that investors are paying $1 for every $1 of revenues generated by the company. So, it goes without saying that a stock with a price-to-sales below 1 is a good bargain, as investors need to pay less than a dollar for a dollars worth. Thus, a stock with a lower price-to-sales ratio is a more suitable investment than a stock with a high price-to-sales ratio. When considering valuation metrics, price-to-earnings ratio has always been the obvious choice. This is because calculations based on earnings are easy and come in handy. However, price-to-sales has emerged as a convenient tool to determine the value of stocks that are incurring losses or are in an early cycle of development, generating meager or no profits. While a loss-making company with a negative price-to-earnings ratio falls out of investor favor, its price-to-sales could indicate the hidden strength of its business. This underrated ratio is also used to identify a recovery situation or ensure that a company's growth is not overvalued. Price-to-sales is often preferred over price-to-earnings as companies can manipulate their earnings using various accounting measures. However, sales are harder to manipulate and are relatively reliable. However, one should keep in mind that a company with high debt and low price-to-sales is not an ideal choice. The high debt level will have to be paid off at some point, leading to further share issuance, rise in market cap and ultimately a higher price-to-sales ratio. In any case, the price-to-sales ratio used in isolation cannot do the trick. One should also analyze other ratios like Price/Earnings, Price/Book and Debt/Equity before arriving at any investment decision. Screening Parameters Price to Sales less than Median Price to Sales for its Industry: The lower the price-to-sales ratio, the better. Price to Earnings using F(1) estimate less than Median Price to Earnings for its Industry: The lower, the better. Price to Book (common Equity) less than Median Price to Book for its Industry: This is another parameter to ensure the value feature of a stock. Debt to Equity (Most Recent) less than Median Debt to Equity for its Industry: A company with less debt should have a stable price-to-sales ratio. Current Price greater than or equal to $5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher. Zacks Rank less than or equal to #2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment. Value Score less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Value Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best opportunities in the value investing space. Here are seven of the 22 stocks that qualified the screening: Comcast Corporation CMCSA is a media and technology company with worldwide operations. It has three primary businesses, Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal and Sky. The company also provides a wireless phone service under Xfinity Mobile and owns Philadelphia Flyers as well as the Wells Fargo Center arena in Philadelphia, PA. This Zacks Rank #1 company has a Value Score of B. The 3-5 year EPS growth rate for the stock is estimated to be 12.5%. Quanta Services Inc. PWR is a leading national provider of specialty contracting services and one of the largest contractors serving the transmission and distribution sector of the North American electric utility industry. Quanta Services has operations in the United States, Canada, Australia and other selected international markets. This Zacks Rank #2 company has a Value Score of A. Israel Chemicals Ltd. ICL is a specialty minerals company with worldwide operations. The company's products include bromine specialty chemicals, potash, phosphate fertilizers, and specialty performance and industrial products. It markets its products primarily in Israel, Europe, and the Americas. The company has an estimated 35 year EPS growth rate of 9.5%. The stock currently has a Value Score of B and a Zacks Rank #2. Hub Group HUBG is a transportation management company that provides multi-modal solutions throughout North America, including intermodal, truck brokerage, dedicated and logistics services. The company is one of the largest over-the-road brokers in North America. The stock currently has a Value Score of A and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Rocky Brands RCKY is a manufacturer and seller of footwear and apparel in the United States, Canada and internationally. It sells products under the Rocky, Georgia Boot, Durango, Lehigh, Creative Recreation and Michelin brands. The stock currently has a Value Score of A and a Zacks Rank #2. Westlake Chemical Partners LP WLKP operates, acquires, and develops ethylene production facilities and related assets in the United States. It also sells ethylene co-products, including propylene, crude butadiene, pyrolysis gasoline, and hydrogen directly to third parties on a spot or contract basis. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Value Score of A. It has a 35 year EPS growth rate of 16%. Popular Inc. BPOP is a diversified, publicly-owned bank holding company. It engages in providing various retail, mortgage, and commercial banking products and services, primarily to institutional and retail customers. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value Score of A. You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your trial to the Research Wizard today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today. Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance. 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 Hub Group, Inc. (HUBG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Popular, Inc. (BPOP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Westlake Chemical Partners LP (WLKP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Israel Chemicals Shs (ICL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Rocky Brands, Inc. (RCKY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research China Tech Can't Spend Its Way Out of This Mess (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Queen Elsa of Frozen might have some advice for those Chinese technology giants nostalgic for the fairy-tale days of fast growth and fat profits: Let it go, let it go. Recent earnings reports from Baidu Inc., Alibaba Group Holding Co. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. show what happens when management remains desperate to keep the top line climbing. Spoiler alert: profitability plummets. Chinas biggest tech companies are not only battling a sustained economic slowdown, theyre getting to the natural end of a decades-long expansion fueled by the theory that if revenue grows, profit will automatically follow. Baidu is the biggest victim of this folly. The search-engine company was so desperate to juice sales, especially over Lunar New Year, that it doubled spending in the line item that includes marketing. That gambit failed with revenue climbing at the slowest pace in almost two years. As a result, operating margin in this core business fell a staggering 29 percentage points from a year prior to just 6%. In a conference call on Friday, Baidu said it originally planned to boost expenses by 1 billion yuan ($144.6 million) every quarter this year, or about 6.3%. Given broader economic weakness, management said it would have to curtail those projections. Over at Alibaba, where revenue growth has been more robust, margins also took a dive for similar reasons. Alibaba is an e-commerce company that gets most of its revenue from advertising: Revenue from this core business climbed a more-than-respectable 54%. But the price it paid was a steep cut in operating margin at the division to 27.4%, which is less than half the level it was barely two years ago. Tencent, meanwhile, has chosen pragmatism over the blind chase for revenue. In the March quarter, management cut its sales and marketing spending by 24%, the most in four years. That helped boost operating income, despite across-the-board weakness in revenue, which grew 16.3%, the slowest pace on record. After removing the subcategory called other gains, which includes those from investments, the company reported its highest operating margin in a year. As a result, Tencent was the only company of the three to post a rise in operating profit, climbing 11% to a new record.(3) Story continues If Baidu, a 19-year-old Internet giant, is still struggling to get people to download its apps, theres a problem. Alibaba and Baidu both suffer from the mistaken belief that spending money now, in the thick of an economic slowdown, will guarantee future revenue. For more than a decade, tech company executives focused solely on boosting revenue as global investors fell in love with Chinas emerging middle class. As Elsa sings, That perfect girl is gone. (Adds that Tencents cut in spending was the biggest in four years in the seventh paragraph. An earlier version of this column was corrected to fix a currency conversion in the fifth paragraph.) (1) This calculation is based on removing other gains from operating profit. To contact the author of this story: Tim Culpan at tculpan1@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Rachel Rosenthal at rrosenthal21@bloomberg.net This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Tim Culpan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Bloomberg News. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Cities in Europe and Australasia offer the highest quality of life in the world, new research from Deutsche Bank showed. Published Thursday, the report analyzed the costs and quality of living for residents in 56 cities around the world. Zurich, Switzerland, topped the index, despite not being the top-rated city in any of the sub categories. The Swiss city came second in the purchasing power index and was ranked the third safest city in the world. Residents of New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, had the second highest quality of life in the world, according to the analysis. It offers short commutes, low levels of pollution and has one of the world's best purchasing power ratings. Boston and San Francisco were the only U.S. cities to be named among the top 10 cities, coming in eighth and ninth place respectively. San Franciscans had the best purchasing power in the world, while Boston was the eighth best city in the world for healthcare but both cities scored poorly when it came to the overall cost of living. San Francisco climbed 21 places higher over the last five years, which the report's authors attributed to the rapid growth of the U.S. tech sector that helped boost incomes in the city. New York, meanwhile, was ranked 31st on the list, owing to low ratings in healthcare and the living costs. Meanwhile, Lagos, Nigeria, was named the city with the lowest quality of living, followed by Beijing and the Philippine capital Manila. Delving into the cost of living around the world, Deutsche Bank analysts compared the cost of consumer staples in each city. Norwegian capital Oslo which was ranked 7th in the overall quality of life index was the most expensive city for buying two litres of Coca-Cola, where it would cost $4.73 that's 197% more than the cost of Coke in New York City. Meanwhile, an iPhone XS was more expensive in countries where residents generally had less purchasing power. The smartphone model, if bought in Brazil, would be 164% pricier than if it was bought in the U.S., costing $2,050. It was also expensive in Turkey, Argentina and India, costing between 130% to 150% more in those countries than it would in the United States. This according to the Deutsche Bank report. Story continues A pair of shoes made by Nike, Adidas or an equivalent brand, meanwhile, was most expensive in Zurich, at around $150, and the cheapest in Bangalore, India, where they would cost around $58. Dubai, Oslo, Copenhagen and Hong Kong were the most expensive cities when it came to buying a beer in a local bar, while Prague and Manila were the cheapest. More From CNBC Truck driver health & safety study A major study, which recently won the equivalent of a US$412,000 grant, is underway. It is focused on the physical and mental health of truck drivers. The New South Wales Government Centre for Work Health and Safety, Monash University, the Transport Workers Union and major trucking company Linfox have joined forces in the "Driving Health" project. Researchers will interview drivers, employers, contractors and family members. The hope is to develop effective interventions to improve the physical and mental health of truck drivers. There are potentially big outcomes if the study is successful. Between 2004 and 2015 there were more than 120,000 accepted workers' compensation claims lodged by truck drivers from around Australia. Around 17 percent of the burden of disability from injury and disease is caused by crashes. Musculoskeletal conditions, like back pain, account for more than 76,000 working weeks every year. Trucking movements revealed by telematics A year-long telematics study has revealed some fascinating insights into the nature of trucking movements across Australia. The vast majority of trucking movements occur in a diagonal band of the country, which runs to the northwest from Melbourne to Brisbane. This area is the region where the vast majority of the population lives. The study also shows that a relative few number of roads carry large volumes of truck traffic. In 2018 there were 1,417 prime movers of performance-based-system vehicles enrolled in the study. A PBS vehicle is one that has been optimized to carry large volumes of freight. PBS vehicles traveled 116 million km (72 million miles), which is on average of 87,000 km per vehicle. There were 737,000 journeys giving an average journey length of 158 km per journey. About two thirds of PBS vehicles traveled less than 100,000km in 2018 while about eight percent traveled more than 200,000km that year. The vast majority of heavy freight vehicle journeys took place in short (less than 100km) journeys in metropolitan and built-up areas rather than in long-distance inter-state journeys. Just under two-thirds of journeys with semi-trailers were under 100km and just over half with B-Doubles were less than 100km. Story continues Another interesting fact was that the newer vehicles traveled further and more often than older vehicles, suggesting that truck operators are trying to use their newest, most efficient, vehicles as much as possible. The oldest vehicles drove the highest number of the shortest journeys. Rigid vehicles with trailers had the longest journeys, about 225km on average, followed by B-Doubles (200km) then road trains. An interesting data point is that the mean average journey distance for B-Doubles (200km) is radically greater than the median average journey distance (100km). A much greater mean than median tends to imply that there are relatively small numbers of B-Doubles driving very long distances. Suspect arrested after forcing truck driver from cab A South Australian man was arrested last week for "numerous" criminal offenses. He had allegedly forced a truck driver from his cab and made off with the truck. Just before 08:30am last Thursday, a male truck driver was sitting in his Isuzu tip truck. He was approached by another male, the suspect, who threatened the truck driver and forced him from the vehicle. The suspect stole the truck and was shortly thereafter pursued by a police patrol car. The suspect was eventually arrested by police. A 33-year old man has been charged with robbery, failure to stop, driving while disqualified and breaching his home detention order. Truck law reform would bring $1.24 billion of benefits Reform of Australia's Heavy Vehicle National Law, introduced in 2011, would save the trucking industry A$1.8 billion a year by 2050, reduce vehicle operating costs by 3.7 percent and reduce the cost to Australian industry $900m million a year, according to new economic modeling. The Australian Trucking Association says the Heavy Vehicle National Law has "failed" to achieve its economic objectives and that the productivity of the transport sector has fallen steadily since 2011. The Heavy Vehicle Law was enacted to govern the use of vehicles over 4.5 tons gross vehicle mass. A metric ton is equivalent to 2,204.6 U.S. pounds. The purpose of the law was to replace the previous system which worked on a state-by-state basis. However, even though the new system is meant to be a national system, there are still differences and inconsistencies in issuing permits, in decision-making and in time frames between different jurisdictions. Trucking inspection regime finds widespread compliance Australia's National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has welcomed the inspection results of more than 4,400 vehicles across 104 locations in Australia. "Of the fatigue-related vehicles there were 3,272 compliant drivers, which was 93 per cent a similar level to the national operations conducted last year. Those drivers operating under Basic Fatigue Management recorded more than 96 per cent compliance rate while there were no breaches for drivers operating under Advanced Fatigue Management," said NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati. Salvati added that a "lot of the data" was collected via an app that allowed real-time analysis. There was an overall compliance rate of 80 percent. There were 11 severe mechanical- or mass-related offenses that resulted in the grounding of vehicles. The top fatigue offenses were: 18.3% exceeding driving hours (historical) 17.9% not making work diary entries 10.7% exceeding driving hours (current) 8.7% not carrying a work diary 6.3% false or misleading work diary entries Image sourced from Pixabay See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Paris (AFP) - A climber who sparked an evacuation of the Eiffel Tower on Monday was grabbed after clinging to the famous Paris landmark for more than six hours, officials said. The man, who was not immediately identified, "is in the hands of the emergency teams" deployed to the tower, which will reopen to visitors as normal early on Tuesday, the company operating the structure said in a statement. It said firemen who had rappelled down from the tower's third-floor observation deck to near the black-clad climber managed to "talk the individual down". The man "has been grabbed," a police official added. Emergency procedures triggered by the man's unauthorised climb forced an evacuation of the iconic monument, the esplanade underneath it and a large section of the adjacent Champ de Mars park mid-afternoon Monday. The abrupt closure of one of France's biggest tourist draws frustrated visitors who had been planning to go up the 324-metre (1,063-foot) tower. "We're really disappointed, we're only here for a week and this messes with our whole programme," said Sylvie and Celine Forcier from Quebec. Justin and Karen Smith, from Los Angeles, had been hoping to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower after celebrating their wedding a day earlier in front of the monument. "We're disappointed," he said. Police earlier told AFP that, although they had made contact with the climber, they did not know his motive for climbing up its iron beams. - Target for freeclimbers - The tower is often the target of rogue freeclimbers hoping to scale one of the world's most famous structures, often for bragging rights. But police have also been called in several times in recent years to try to thwart suicide attempts. In October 2017, a young man ventured out on one of the beams and threatened to jump before police were able to convince him to come back. In 2012, a British man managed to climb to the very top of the tower before plunging to his death. Story continues Nearly seven million people a year visit the tower, which last week celebrated its 130th anniversary. The first two floors can be reached by either elevator or stairs, but only elevators whisk people to the top observation deck. That did not stop a French urban freeclimber, Alain Robert, from making it one of his first targets in his campaign to scale the world's biggest buildings with no technical climbing gear. He got to the top -- not including the antenna -- in the mid-1990s. RTHK: Swedish prosecution tightens screws on Assange Swedish prosecutors on Monday issued a formal request to hold Julian Assange, currently imprisoned in Britain, on suspicion of rape a first step towards seeking his extradition to Sweden. Swedish deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, said in a statement she had filed a request with the Uppsala district court to have Assange detained in his absence on suspicion of rape. Detaining someone in their absence is a standard part of Swedish legal procedure if a suspect is outside the country or cannot be located. The request follows last week's reopening of a 2010 rape investigation, and Persson added that once the court had granted the request, she would then ask British authorities to transfer Assange to Sweden. "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden," Persson said. The Australian whistleblower, who holed himself up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London for seven years to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden, was arrested by British police on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up. A London court sentenced him on May 1 to 50 weeks in jail for breaching the British order. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump blasted Fox News on Sunday for airing a town hall with Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Trump said he couldn't believe the network was "wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him." ....who got them there. Chris Wallace said, I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance...fascinating biography. Gee, he never speaks well of me - I like Mike Wallace better...and Alfred E. Newman will never be President! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Brit Hume of Fox News responded by tweeting that at least Buttigieg was "willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something you've barely done since you've been president. Oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel." Say this for Buttigieg. Hes willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something youve barely done since youve been president. Oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel. https://t.co/D8yQE2kfYF Brit Hume (@brithume) May 20, 2019 In addition to attacking Fox News for its Buttigieg special, the president also tweeted twice about his own interview, also on Fox News, that was airing at the time. Here's a short clip of Buttigieg that was posted to his Twitter feed: Even though some of these hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network in good faith. Whether its going on Fox or going into places where Democrats havent been seen much, we have to find people where they arenot change our values. pic.twitter.com/xNHoD0uzE4 Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) May 20, 2019 Buttigieg, a 37-year-old voted "most likely to be president" as a high school senior, speaks a half-dozen languages, graduated from Harvard, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and served in Afghanistan with the Navy Reserve. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By Susan Mathew May 20 (Reuters) - Most Latin American currencies weakened on Monday with Brazil's real giving up early gains and Argentina's peso sliding after a surprise twist in its presidential election. The currencies of Brazil, Colombia and Peru traded between flat to 0.3% lower. Mexico's peso, however, firmed 0.1%. Argentina's currency fell 0.9% after the main populist challenger in the presidential election, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, surprised investors by saying she would run as a vice presidential candidate and not for the top job. "We view the market implications of this announcement as net negative," said analysts at Citi Research in a note. "Uncertainty has increased and thus markets will likely remain sensitive to the news flow in coming weeks as the political landscape shifts." "It is difficult to assess the impact of the news on the election dynamics. We therefore expect high volatility as the story develops... (and) expect central bank intervention to smooth peso volatility if the market reaction is ultimately negative," they said. Brazil's real slipped slightly, as concerns over slowing pace of the economy's growth intensified. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took to Twitter to emphasize the government's commitment to wide-ranging economic reforms, as a regular central bank survey of economists showed growth forecasts for this year slumping to a new low. Lower house speaker Rodrigo Maia had said on Friday the house will vote on the government's pension reform bill no later than the start of July. Growth concerns had investors alert for a more supportive policy stance from the central bank and saw the real lose 0.4% last week. Shares in Sao Paulo were up 0.3% at 1402 GMT in a volatile session as financial and energy stocks gained. Stocks in Mexico and Colombia fell, in line with world stocks that fell as concerns mounted about an escalating fallout from a U.S. crackdown on China's Huawei Technologies. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1405 GMT: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 993.90 -0.25 MSCI LatAm 2529.36 0.09 Brazil Bovespa 90958.10 1.07 Mexico IPC 43335.37 -0.25 Chile IPSA 4928.15 0.05 Argentina MerVal - - Colombia IGBC 12214.90 -0.18 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 4.1006 -0.02 Mexico peso 19.1215 0.22 Chile peso 697.1 -0.20 Colombia peso 3331.48 -0.34 Peru sol 3.339 -0.27 Argentina peso 45.3400 -0.66 (interbank) (Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Alistair Bell) By Tom Bergin LONDON (Reuters) - A whistle blower at Swiss asset manager GAM Holding AG who alerted UK financial regulators last year did so over concerns about the purchase of more than half a billion pounds of bonds from commodities tycoon Sanjeev Gupta, according to two people familiar with the matter. The bonds related to a biodiesel-fueled power generating business, the people familiar with the matter said. But the employee who brought his concerns to regulators believed the operation was unlikely to make enough money to repay the bonds partly because of the high cost of the fuel it planned to use, these people said. A Reuters analysis of corporate filings, regulatory documents and market data supports that view. UK-based GAM fund manager Tim Haywood paid more than 550 million pounds in 2017 for the bonds that were due to repay about 1 billion pounds over 20 years, according to the people familiar with the matter and corporate filings. But the assets backing the bonds were generators and related equipment installed at a cost of around 22 million pounds, corporate accounts show. Those generators have largely sat idle for two years, according to public company accounts and Ofgem data. GAM has previously publicly said it suspended and then dismissed Haywood following an internal whistle blower alerting UK regulator the Financial Conduct Authority, but the company has not disclosed which securities it related to or what the concerns were. The details of the bonds, including how much GAM paid and the underlying business, also havent previously been reported. GAM has seen a more than billion-dollar drop in its stock market capitalization and placed restrictions on client withdrawals following a wave of redemption requests. Gupta, an Indian-born British national, is executive chairman of GFG Alliance, which manages the industrial, finance and metals investments of the Gupta family. GFG, which encompasses the company that sold the bonds, said both the company and Gupta declined to comment. Story continues Haywood, via a spokesman, said he disputed GAM's allegations of gross misconduct, is appealing his dismissal to GAM and that he looked forward to clearing his name. LITTLE RED BOXES The business model behind the bonds was to generate electricity from biodiesel that would qualify for UK government-issued green energy credits, according to company filings. The proceeds from selling the green energy credits would be used to repay the purchaser of the bonds. It was a novel plan. No other company was commercially generating electricity from biodiesel, according to industry specialists and data from the UKs power regulator, known as Ofgem. Reuters' analysis is based on benchmark figures from published market data, equipment manufacturers and regulatory information, which it confirmed with at least four industry experts. They said the cost of biodiesel and the sale price of power can vary over time but said the business model was unlikely to be break even due to the high cost of the fuel, let alone generate sufficient profits to repay the bond holder. Diesel generation is not very common because its expensive. Given that biodiesel is even more expensive than diesel, its not really something that has been used, said Prashant Vaze, Head of Policy at advisory group Climate Bonds Initiative. GFG named the bond plan Project LRB, or Little Red Boxes, a reference to the red-painted steel shipping containers that held the generators, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. These had been installed at its factories in Wales, Scotland and Northern England in 2016 and 2017. GFG planned to run the generators on hydrotreated vegetable Oil or HVO, the person added; Ofgem data shows the generators did a short run with HVO. HVO is an expensive way to produce power, say industry specialists. GFG would have to spend around 180 pounds or more on fuel to generate each Megawatt hour unit of power, or MWh, according to a Reuters analysis of data from fuel retailers, Ofgem and generator manufacturers. Guptas generator business could potentially have sold power for as much as about 80 pounds per MWh by selling directly to a commercial customer if they found one willing to accommodate a generator on site, said Diane Dowdell, of energy consultant Ganninon Ltd. Guptas generator business could also have sold power wholesale to the grid, but that price would be lower, according to Ofgem data. Another potential source of revenue for Gupta was the green energy credits, called Renewable Obligation Certificates or ROCs, that the UK government issues to companies that generate power from renewable sources. Guptas biodiesel-fuelled power business could have sold these to electricity retailers on the market for about 64 pounds per MWh, according to data from regulator Ofgem. Based on this analysis, Guptas operation would face losses of at least 35 pounds for every MWh produced even if the power was sold to commercial clients and credits were sold. SILENT CONTAINERS GAM announced Haywoods dismissal in February, saying he didnt comply with due diligence procedures and had signed certain contracts by himself where internal policies required two signatures, but it hasnt specified the transactions that led to his dismissal. The FCA, the regulator, declined to comment on which individuals, companies or assets it might be investigating. U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley acted as placement agent of the bonds. UK-based financing group Greensill Capital structured the notes, according to filings with the Luxembourg corporate registry. Both companies declined to comment. Last week, GAM announced that GFG Alliance had agreed to repurchase the remaining assets in Haywoods funds at the valuation at which they were purchased, without elaborating why. Those assets were the biodiesel business bonds, known as Liberty Industries PPA Ltd. bonds, that GAM purchased almost two years earlier, according to people familiar with the matter. The bond repayments were made with Gupta funding payments from other companies that fall under the GFG group, as he is allowed to do under the terms of the bonds, the two people familiar with the matter said. GFG is now examining ways to allow the generators to operate profitably, according to Kerry McDonald, general manager of the Liberty Aluminium plant in Scotland. Walking across a yard where eleven of the red containers sit silently, McDonald said the group was looking at using less expensive biofuels and selling waste heat to commercial clients. You can produce a cheaper fuel using waste from animal processing he said. (Editing by Cassell Bryan-Low) Kazakh Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Aset Magaulov speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Astana Economic Forum in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan May 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mariya Gordeyeva By Mariya Gordeyeva and Alla Afanasyeva NUR-SULTAN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kazakh oil flowing via Russia to be loaded on tankers at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga has been contaminated and Kazakhstan plans to seek compensation from Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft, a senior Kazakh energy official said. Russia's oil export flows have been disrupted since April, when high levels of organic chloride were found in crude pumped via the Druzhba pipeline to Ust-Luga and other European countries. Six tankers with 598,000 tonnes of tainted oil were loaded at Ust-Luga, Kazakh Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Aset Magaulov told Reuters. "First, companies that sold the oil will talk to buyers about a discount, then ... (Kazakh pipeline operator) Kaztransoil will have separate talks with Transneft," Magaulov said. Neither Transneft nor the Russian energy ministry replied to a Reuters request for comment. Magaulov added that two separate tankers with 199,000 tonnes of clean Kazakh oil were loaded from Ust-Luga between May 10 and May 15. Russia's energy ministry said earlier that clean oil had started to be loaded at Ust-Luga. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said on Thursday that Transneft would compensate all parties for losses incurred from contaminated oil if they could prove the damage, while the first European refinery declared force majeure. "Based on the oil agreement with Transneft, given the fact that we supplied clean oil but it got contaminated ... there should be compensation from Transneft," Magaulov said. Kazakhstan, which produces around 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, is the second-biggest oil producer among former Soviet countries after Russia. Kazakhstan exports around 12 percent of its oil via Russia's Ust-Luga. Magaulov said a preliminary agreement had been reached with buyers under which they would take the contaminated oil at a discount. However, talks on such a discount are continuing and there is no estimate of potential compensation. Story continues ExxonMobil, Chevron, Eni, CNPC and Lukoil are among the international companies producing oil in Kazakhstan. The Druzhba pipeline splits in Belarus into a northern spur to Poland and Germany and a southern leg via Ukraine to Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Only Hungary has resumed test flows to see whether its refinery equipment can withstand the contaminated oil. Druzhba can pump 1 million bpd, or 1 percent of global oil demand. Ukraine and Belarus have said they will ask Transneft for compensation. CLEANING UP On Thursday, Russia's Kozak said it would take 22 days to clean one branch of Druzhba and seven days for the other, without specifying which was which. Meanwhile, Poland has increased seaborne oil imports and Czech refiner Unipetrol will start drawing the second batch of an emergency loan of crude from state reserves overnight. France's Total has suspended operations at some units of its 230,000-bpd Leuna refinery in Germany for technical checks following the Russian contamination. Total said it was trying to manage any long-term supply complications and planned to resume operations on Saturday using crude sent via the Polish port of Gdansk. Russian oil production remained under pressure due to the pipeline debacle. Output from May 1-16 fell to 11.156 million bpd, below the 11.18 million bpd level set in a supply-limiting deal with producer group OPEC, two industry sources said. Before the contamination, sources indicated Moscow wanted to pump more from July along with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which was considering whether to raise output if Venezuelan and Iranian supply dropped further. A panel of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers meets on Sunday in Saudi Arabia to discuss the market and make recommendations. The group, known as OPEC+, gathers in June to decide whether to renew the supply-cutting deal. (Reporting by Mariya Gordeyeva in NUR-SULTAN and Alla Afanasyeva in MOSCOW; Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka in PRAGUE; Gleb Gorodyankin and Olesya Astakhova in MOSCOW; Bate Felix in PARIS; Writing by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Dale Hudson) Startup expert Bernhard Schroeder argues that investors and businesses should ignore the Bitcoin hype and go all-in on blockchain technology. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN: Bernhard Schroeder, an educational director of entrepreneur programs at San Diego State, implores entrepreneurs and investors to focus on the blockchain, rather than Bitcoin. In a new editorial today in Forbes. Schroeder classifies Bitcoin as a speculative investment which may or may not work out long-term, but lauds the merits of blockchain, which he describes as a serious technology. The Resurrection of the Blockchain, Not Bitcoin Brigade Schroeder believes that the real potential for blockchain technology will emerge from the companies who decide to build on it. Hundreds of firms who tried and failed during the ICO boom of 2017 notwithstanding, Schroeder identifies four areas that entrepreneurs should look into, as well as crucial industries for investors to get exposure in blockchain. He says: So why should you as an entrepreneur or investor care more about blockchain than Bitcoin? Bitcoin is still a speculation on a future crypto currency that the world may not yet adopt. Maybe in the future, maybe not. But blockchain is a serious technology that can provide a variety of solutions. Imagine you are an automotive manufacturer and you have a product quality problem. Rather than recall thousands or millions of cars, you can simply recall the cars whose part is potentially defective based on blockchain identification and tracking. All of Schroeders suggested areas for blockchain integration are well-trodden ground in the industry. He lists digital rights management, digitizing real estate, tokenizing other assets, and customer rewards programs. There are, of course, a hundred other use cases for blockchain technology. Schroeder focuses on these, apparently, because he believes they have the most potential. Read the full story on CCN.com. (Bloomberg) -- Although Facebook Inc. doesnt sell robots, its researchers use plenty of them -- and the company said its machines are getting a lot smarter, a lot faster. The social media giant announced in a blog post Monday that its engineers, working with computer scientists from New York University, have reduced the time it takes to teach a robotic arm how to grasp objects to tens of tries, rather than hundreds or thousands. It may seem like a tangential development -- Facebook doesnt sell robots, after all -- but advancements in robotics can lead to improvements in other forms of machine-learning, smartening the software Facebook has begun to use to spot harmful or unfavorable behavior of users on the social network. The company has been under ever increasing pressure to use AI to police extremist violence, hate speech and misinformation on its platform. The company has said it is making progress, but that systems that can reliably block such content without human intervention are still years away. The great thing about robotics is that it takes place in real time, in the real world, Antoine Bordes, co-managing director of the companys artificial intelligence research labs, said in an interview last week in Paris. He contrasted this to research that taught AI to master games, such as chess or Go, which can be run at super-human speeds allowing a software agent to learn from playing millions of games against itself in a period of just a few weeks. Many contemporary AI methods are extremely data hungry, requiring thousands or even millions of labeled examples to learn from, or, thousands or millions of attempts in a simulated environment to equal or exceed human performance. Facebook began working on robots in the past year because it forced researchers to think creatively about how to make machine-learning more efficient, Bordes said, but added that the company has no plans to commercialize its robots any time soon. Story continues In addition to the robotic arm, Facebook has experimented with finding ways for a six-legged robot to teach itself how to walk. It said it eventually hoped to reduce the time needed to train such a skill to hours instead of days or weeks. With computer scientists from the University of California at Berkeley, Facebook has experimented with having robots learn about their world through tactile sensors that give them a sense of touch, rather than relying solely on computer vision. Yann LeCun, Facebooks chief AI scientist, said in an interview Friday that the companys researchers had a responsibility to see around corners to where technology might be heading. If robots did eventually become a popular consumer good and Facebook decided to sell them, he said, it would need to have experts already on staff. Youve got to start early," he said. "Its not just something you can jump into when it picks up. To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Kahn in London at jkahn21@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Nate Lanxon For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Facebook has been unusually quiet about choosing crypto-friendly Switzerland to domicile Libra Networks, a blockchain-fueled fintech play. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN: Facebook has reportedly set up a fintech company dubbed Libra Networks in Switzerland. The move clearly correlates with the social media giants Project Libra. According to Reuters, the focus of the fintech is on the blockchain, payments, data analytics, and investing. Libra Networks, which was registered in Geneva on May 2, will provide financial and technology services. Also in its wheelhouse will be developing related hardware and software. Another Secret Move Famed investor Michael Novogratz recently called Project Libra stunningly important to the crypto space. Given Facebooks history of boasting about its projects, youd think it would be bragging about Project Libra. Thats not the case. The Switzerland move was done with no fanfare such as company press releases or blog posts. This seems to be the way Facebook has chosen to roll out its Project Libra. Its keeping close to the chest even where the project will be launched. In December, it hinted at plans to set up shop in India. Early reports suggest Zuckerbergs cryptocurrency will facilitate overseas remittance payments for Indian WhatsApp users. Facebooks Secret Cryptocurrency Led by PayPal Alumni Just Months Away from India Launch https://t.co/YfEzcEdux3 CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) May 9, 2019 Read the full story on CCN.com. By Ben Klayman DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Monday it will eliminate about 10% of its global salaried workforce, cutting about 7,000 jobs by the end of August as part of its larger restructuring in a move that will save the No. 2 automaker $600 million (471 million) annually. Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett said in an email to employees that the cuts include both voluntary buyouts and layoffs, and a spokesman added it freezes open positions as well. About 2,300 of the affected people are employed in the United States, the spokesman said. "To succeed in our competitive industry, and position Ford to win in a fast-changing future, we must reduce bureaucracy, empower managers, speed decision making, focus on the most valuable work and cut costs," Hackett said in the email. Ford has been restructuring its operations globally to improve profitability and speed product development, making or announcing cuts in Europe, South America and Russia. The automaker also has signed a deal with Germany's Volkswagen AG to join forces on commercial vans and pickup trucks. The companies are also negotiating a broader alliance for electric and self-driving vehicle development. U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed boosting auto sector employment, harshly criticizing automakers, especially General Motors Co for cutting jobs, but has focused primarily on blue-collar cuts at factories rather than white-collar reductions. The White House did not immediately comment on Monday about Ford's salaried cuts. Restructuring work continues in Europe, China, South America and the International Markets Group and the Dearborn, Michigan-based company expects to complete the process in those markets by the end of August, said Hackett, who has described 2019 as a year of transition for the company. Within the cuts, Hackett said it will eliminate close to 20% of upper-level managers, a move intended to reduce bureaucracy and speed up decision making. Before the redesign of its operations, Ford had up to 14 organizational layers, but that will be cut to nine by year-end, Hackett said. Story continues Notification to North American employees will begin on Tuesday and the majority will be completed by May 24, he said. The Ford family are the controlling shareholders. Hackett said it would give those affected by the job cuts a few days to wrap up and say goodbye, emphasising Ford's position as a family company. That stood in contrast to how GM handled layoffs earlier this year where employees were asked to leave immediately. (Reporting by Ben Klayman, additional reportuing by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Susan Thomas and Grant McCool) (Bloomberg) -- Remember Google Glass? The vaunted debut of the company's computerized eyewear six years ago was one of Silicon Valley's more spectacular flops. Deemed too awkward and pretentious, early users were disparaged as "glassholes" by a critical public. Parent company Alphabet Inc. quickly retired the product. Now it seems it was just a case of wrong time, wrong place. If consumers arent quite ready to sport eyewear that uses voice commands to browse the internet or hold video conferences, workers on the factory floor are. Alphabet, along with Microsoft Corp. and a slew of startups, are bringing so-called wearables back as part of a push to make warehouses and manufacturing more efficient with the help of technology.The hands-free aspect is whats really revolutionizing our approach here, said Michael Kaldenbach, head of digital realities for Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Were shifting from the speed of your thumb to the speed of speech. Wearables -- whether taking the form of eyewear, wristwear or headgear -- boost productivity by giving multi-tasking employees more flexibility to do their jobs without juggling a handheld iPad or laptop. The computer-powered accessories give workers a significant advantage. Lockheed Martin Corp. recently adopted Microsoft's HoloLens for manufacturing spacecraft. Donning what looks like a pair of heavy duty safety goggles with a black band wrapping around the head, a technician can use images projected onto the lenses to mark the locations for 309 fasteners to be attached to a curved panel. When the technician or the panel moves, the computer adjusts. The $3,500 HoloLens reduced the task to a two-and-a-half hour job, down from at least two days when using traditional measuring tools, said Shelley Peterson, who leads Lockheed's emerging technologies division. Were seeing a return on investment in the first use, she said. The key to commercial success, say product developers, is to augment reality, not replace it. Users can still see the real world while referencing the virtual world whenever they need it. Once workers become comfortable with -- even reliant on -- wearable computers on the job, they'll carry them over into their everyday lives as well, is the bet. Story continues Qualcomm Inc. makes computing chips that power the hands-free devices made by startup Realwear, which just sold 10,000 of its product to Finnish telecom company UROS Group. Over the next decade, the technology will become compact and powerful enough to replace smart phones as the indispensable piece of personal technology, said Hugo Swart, who heads Qualcomm's extended reality division. ``In the long run, the consumer will drive the volume,'' he said. ``That will be the day when I may not even need my smart phone anymore. My smart phone becomes these glasses.'' There's still a ways to go before that happens, said Nehal Chokshi, an analyst with Maxim Group, who has studied the wearables sector and covers product developer Vuzix Corp.Right now, were in the very, very early innings," he said. Still Limited Current devices are still cumbersome and lack the ability to be truly immersive, which limits their usefulness, Chokshi said. Makers are ramping up production to deliver thousands of the gadgets, but Chokshi sees potential for sales exceeding the 200 million personal computers sold every year, and eventually comparable to the 1 billion smart phones purchased annually. Three years from now, theres a good chance the industry will produce a product that will have the form factor as well as the usability and immersiveness that can tip it toward'' that inflection point, he said. Like a lot of technology, wearables got started in the military. Members of Special Forces wanted to replace the laptops they lugged around and pushed for a wearable computer that resembled sunglasses, said Paul Travers, chief executive officer of Vuzix. He cobbled together his company in the 1990s from makers of computer headgear, including a clunky device that resembles a helmet with opaque ski googles attached. Advances in the sensors, software, screens, batteries and other elements has finally caught up to the vision. Vuzix now sells the Blade: basically, a pair of glasses with a floating screen on one of the lenses. The software has gotten to be cookie cutter, the hardware has gotten to be much more reliable, the form factors are better, Travers said. All of that stuff adds up to where this is becoming super viable. Google has now relaunched its computerized eyewear for commercial use. On Monday, it announced a second version, dubbed Glass Enterprise Edition 2, which can be used to access checklists or instructions, send photos and conduct video calls. Google says the updated glasses, which also use the Qualcomm chip, sport an improved camera, more choice of frames and longer battery life.Glass customers so far include include Sutter Health, DHLs supply-chain unit and farm-equipment maker Agco Corp., according to Jay Kothari, who leads the project. Companies using Glass report efficiency gains of between 20% and 50%, Kothari said. Some product makers are targeting their wearables for heavy industrial users. After field-testing 40 ruggedly designed Realwear devices in its operations around the world, Shell has decided to deploy thousands more at 24 sites in 12 countries. The gadget -- costing about $2,000 apiece before bulk discounts -- resembles a heavy-duty phone headset to be worn around the neck or clipped to a hardhat. A small screen can swivel in front of one eye, projecting an image comparable to a 7-inch screen. But it weighs three-quarters of a pound -- significantly heavier than a normal pair of glasses. Still, wearables are a huge improvement for field technicians who no longer have to balance a tablet on their knees or take their gloves off each time they need to type out a message to a colleague, said Shells Kaldenbach. One example: Workers can use the headgear to video call experts for a consultation on fixing broken equipment in the field -- the expert can "see" through the eyes of the onsite worker, and even project drawings on to the workers' eyeglass screen.Its no longer fluff,'' Kaldenbach said. ``Its actually a practical solution. (Updates with debut of new version of commercial Google Glass in 21st paragraph.) To contact the author of this story: Thomas Black in Dallas at tblack@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Susan Warren at susanwarren@bloomberg.net, Brendan Case For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The impact of the Trump administrations threats to choke Huawei Technologies Co. reverberated across the global supply chain on Monday, hitting some of the biggest component-makers. Chipmakers including Intel Corp., Qualcomm Inc., Xilinx Inc. and Broadcom Inc. have told their employees they will not supply Huawei until further notice, according to people familiar with their actions. Alphabet Inc.s Google cut off the supply of hardware and some software services to the Chinese mobile phone equipment giant, another person familiar said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters. The Trump administration on Friday blacklisted Huawei -- which it accuses of aiding Beijing in espionage -- and threatened to cut it off from the U.S. software and semiconductors it needs to make its products. The ban, which had been anticipated, hamstrings the worlds largest provider of networking gear and No. 2 smartphone vendor. Blocking the sale to Huawei of critical components could also disrupt the businesses of American chip giants like Micron Technology Inc. and retard the rollout of critical 5G wireless networks worldwide -- including in China. That in turn could hurt U.S. companies that are increasingly reliant on the worlds second largest economy for growth. Chipmakers and other companies are under pressure in part because they will lose revenue when they cut off Huawei as a customer. But the tech industry is also poised to suffer in a more fundamental way. Huawei depends on many U.S. companies for components woven into the 5G equipment it makes. Given a dearth of competitors capable of making 5G gear as reliable and inexpensive, any impediment to Huaweis production of this equipment could slow the rollout and adoption of 5G technologies. That in turn could damp demand for smartphones and networking equipment and may also hinder the development of new technology that will depend on 5G, such as self-driving cars. Story continues If fully implemented, the Trump administration action could have ripple effects across the global semiconductor industry. Intel is the main supplier of server chips to the Chinese company, Qualcomm provides it with processors and modems for many of its smartphones, Xilinx sells programmable chips used in networking and Broadcom is a supplier of switching chips, another key component in some types of networking machinery. Representatives for the chipmakers declined to comment. Intel, which gets less than 1% of its revenue from Huawei according to Bloomberg supply chain data, fell 2% in New York Monday. Qualcomm, which gets about 2.6% of its revenue from Huawei, fell 4.8%. Lumentum Holdings Inc. cut its forth-quarter forecast and said it has discontinued all shipments to Huawei, which accounts for about 18% of its sales. Its shares fell 3.7%. Broadcom, with 5.3 percent revenue exposure to Huawei, was down 4.4% percent. In Europe, the impact of the ban was also being felt, though companies there are only restricted from supplying research or products made in the U.S. Germanys Infineon Technologies AG fell as much as 6 percent after the Nikkei reported it halted shipments to the Chinese company in the wake of the U.S. ban. Shares of STMicroelectronics NV and Austrian-based AMS AG were also hit. An Infineon spokesman said that the majority of products it delivers to Huawei are not subject to U.S. restrictions, adding that the chipmaker can "make adaptions in our international supply chain." AMS also said that it had not suspended shipments to Huawei. Huawei is heavily dependent on U.S. semiconductor products and would be seriously crippled without supply of key U.S. components, said Ryan Koontz, an analyst with Rosenblatt Securities Inc. The U.S. ban may cause China to delay its 5G network build until the ban is lifted, having an impact on many global component suppliers. Morgan Stanley analysts wrote Monday that semiconductor investors should reduce their positions, with a prolonged re-escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions not yet discounted by the U.S. equity market. Huaweis $500 million bond due 2027 was indicated 0.3 cents on the dollar lower at 93.8 cents at 2 p.m. in Hong Kong, according to Bloomberg-compiled prices. Thats after it posted a record drop of 2.4 cents on Friday. The bans commencement also walloped shares of Asian tech supply chain companies Monday. Sunny Optical Technology Group Co. was again the worst performer on Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index, while Luxshare Precision Industry Co. dived as much as 9.8% in Shenzhen. To be sure, Huawei is said to have stockpiled enough chips and other vital components to keep its business running for at least three months. Its been preparing for such an eventuality since at least the middle of 2018, hoarding components while designing its own chips, people familiar with the matter said. But executives believe their company has become a bargaining chip in ongoing U.S.-Chinese trade negotiations, and that they will be able to resume buying from American suppliers if a trade deal is reached, they said. The American companies moves are likely to escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing, elevating fears that President Donald Trumps goal is to contain China, triggering a protracted cold war between the worlds biggest economies. In addition to a trade fight that has rattled global markets for months, the U.S. has pressured both allies and foes to avoid using Huawei for 5G networks that will form the backbone of the modern economy. The extreme scenario of Huaweis telecom network unit failing would set China back many years and might even be viewed as an act of war by China, Koontz wrote. Such a failure would have massive global telecom market implications. U.S. spy chiefs have in past days briefed American companies, investors and other important groups on the dangers of doing business with China, the Financial Times reported Monday. The American clampdown also deals a direct blow to Huaweis fast-growing mobile devices division. Huawei will only be able to access the public version of Googles Android mobile operating system, the worlds most popular smartphone software. It wont be able to offer proprietary apps and services from Maps and search to Gmail, said the person, who requested anonymity speaking about a private matter. That will severely curtail the sale of Huawei smartphones abroad, though its unclear when those apps -- which are popular mainly outside of China -- will become unavailable. Huawei, the worlds largest smartphone brand after Samsung Electronics Co., was one of a select few global hardware partners to receive early access to the latest Android software and features from Google. Outside of China, those ties are critical for the search giant to spread its consumer apps and bolster its mobile ads business. Huawei said it will continue to provide security updates and sales services to customers using Googles Android operating system, according to a company statement Monday. The Chinese company will still have access to app and security updates that come with the open-source version of Android. Reuters reported the move earlier. We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications, a Google representative said, without elaborating. (Updates with chart of most exposed companies.) --With assistance from Yuji Nakamura, Gao Yuan, Cindy Wang and Neha D'silva. To contact the reporters on this story: Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net;Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net;Ben Brody in Washington at btenerellabr@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net, ;Peter Elstrom at pelstrom@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Molly Schuetz For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. OFX Daily Market News Posted by OFX USD United States Dollar President Donald Trumps moves against Huawei Technologies Co. are being felt in the tech sector after chip makers are said to have told employees they will not supply Huawei until further notice. Trump said to Fox News hes pleased with the trade war and China wont become the top superpower under his watch. He also added, Were taking in billions ..China is obviously not doing well like us. The US lifted steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico last Friday to enable ratification of the new NAFTA; the USD/CAD pair is falling 0.30 percent (stronger Canadian dollar), at the time of this writing. The Feds Jerome Powell, Richard Clarida, and John Williams may opine about the state of the economy and the trade war later today. Key Movers In Australia, contrary to months of polls showing that Scott Morrison would be headed for a loss, he got a victory on Saturday to secure another term for his conservative government. Australias center-right government is getting straight back to business, pledging to pass signature tax cuts to fortify a slowing economy. Morrison pledged rebates in order to boost consumer spending. The AUD/USD pair jumped 0.80 percent and the AUD/CAD pair increased 0.57 percent at the time of this writing. In the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May is making another push to get her Brexit deal through Parliament. She said that she would make a bold new offer in a bid to pass her Brexit deal on the fourth attempt. However, May is set to leave with a leadership contest on the horizon and Boris Johnson is still leading the polls. On the Labour side, leader Jeremy Corbyn is moving closer to backing a second referendum, saying the public should get to vote on any deal eventually reached. The prospect of a no-deal split also terrifies a big chunk of the Tory party and a group led by Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, who launched a campaign yesterday to try to block Boris Johnson from becoming a leader if he backs no deal. The GBP/USD pair is trading 0.21 percent higher this morning, but the GBP/AUD pair is losing 0.52 percent at the time of this writing. Story continues Expected Ranges USD/CAD: 1.3410 1.3441 EUR/USD: 1.1137 1.1176 GBP/USD: 1.2679 1.2751 AUD/USD: 0.6891 0.6930 NZD/USD: 0.6523 0.6544 Posted by OFX Hyatt Hotels Corporation H announced that its affiliate inked a franchise deal with Realtejo Hotelaria e Turismo, S.A., to develop the first Hyatt branded hotel in Portugal. The hotel named Hyatt Regency Lisbon will likely open in late 2020 and will be situated in a convenient location. The move not only underscores Hyatts relentless focus on expansion but is also the hoteliers way of countering growing competition from the likes of Marriott MAR, Hilton HLT and smaller hotel chains, including Choice Hotels CHH. Backed by strong brand presence, shares of Hyatt have gained 3.8% over the past three months, in line with the industrys rally. Expansion Strengthens Brand Position Hyatt aims to differentiate its brands from one another by providing distinct travel experiences. It is also consistently trying to expand presence worldwide and has expansion plans in the Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Meanwhile, the companys new signings across its brands globally consistently outpaced openings. This trend is expected to continue in 2019. In 2018, Hyatt registered net room growth of 13.6% on a year-over-year basis. For 2019, it expects unit growth of roughly 7-7.5%, reflecting 80 hotel openings. Our Take The lodging industry is gaining from higher consumer disposable income, strong economy and low unemployment. Also, increased average daily rate (ADR) has been driving revenue per available room (RevPAR). Hyatt is trying to cash in on this opportunity through continual expansion. Opening of Hyatt Regency Lisbon is in line with Hyatts efforts to expand and strengthen its brand name. The company plans on capitalizing the growing tourist population in Portugal. The number of tourists visiting Portugal increased for eight consecutive years, with 12.8 million travelers visiting in 2018 alone. Also, we believe that these recent hotel additions will fortify the Hyatt Regency brands global footprint and provide a boost to Hyatts Owned and Leased Hotels revenues. As it is, in the first quarter of 2019, revenues at Owned and Leased Hotels totaled $458 million, down 9.6% from the year-ago figure. Story continues Hyatt currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marriott International (MAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Statistically speaking, long term investing is a profitable endeavour. But that doesn't mean long term investors can avoid big losses. Zooming in on an example, the COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) Co., Ltd. (SGX:F83) share price dropped 56% in the last half decade. We certainly feel for shareholders who bought near the top. And some of the more recent buyers are probably worried, too, with the stock falling 30% in the last year. Unhappily, the share price slid 4.5% in the last week. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Check out our latest analysis for COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. During five years of share price growth, COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) moved from a loss to profitability. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time. It could be that the revenue decline of 60% per year is viewed as evidence that COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) is shrinking. This has probably encouraged some shareholders to sell down the stock. The graphic below shows how revenue and earnings have changed as management guided the business forward. If you want to see cashflow, you can click on the chart. SGX:F83 Income Statement, May 20th 2019 Balance sheet strength is crucual. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time. A Different Perspective While the broader market lost about 4.6% in the twelve months, COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) shareholders did even worse, losing 30%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 15% over the last half decade. We realise that Buffett has said investors should 'buy when there is blood on the streets', but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality businesses. Before forming an opinion on COSCO Shipping International (Singapore) you might want to consider these 3 valuation metrics. Story continues If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on SG exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. (Adds Zuma speech to supporters, Thales statement, more arguments) By Nqobile Dludla JOHANNESBURG, May 20 (Reuters) - Jacob Zuma's lawyers argued on Monday that the former South African president had been treated unfairly by prosecutors in his attempt to have revived corruption charges set aside because he is unpopular in the country at large. Zuma, who was in office from 2009-2018, has applied for a permanent stay of prosecution from 16 charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to a deal to buy 30 billion rand of European military hardware for South Africa's armed forces in the late 1990s. The 77-year old, appearing in court on Monday for the fifth time since the charges were reinstated in March 2018, has previously denied any wrongdoing and has said he is the victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt. On the first day of the hearing, Zuma's lawyer, Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, described the former president's treatment by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as "mob justice" and said Zuma had been charged because the country does not like him. "Suppose we know that he may well have done what we suspect he did. Does he get stripped of human dignity, is there a reason to deal with him in a particular way because he is Mr Zuma?" Sikhakhane said in his opening comments. He accused prosecutors of being biased against Zuma, who was ousted by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in February 2018 after nine years in power marked by graft allegations and economic stagnation that led to credit rating downgrades. Sikhakhane also asked the court to consider transcripts of so-called "spy tapes", which he said provided further evidence of political interference used to charge Zuma. His other lawyer, Thabani Masuku, said the application was not an attack on the NPA, but a defence of Zuma's rights. "They themselves (NPA) in their own words, from their own mouths, (said they) were wrong in the way they've dealt with the Zuma prosecution," Masuku told the court, citing the NPA's affidavits. Story continues LONG DELAYS CRITICISED The defence and the state agreed on Monday morning to postpone the case against Zuma and co-accused French arms company Thales, setting Oct. 15 as a holding date pending judgment on the application for a permanent stay of prosecution. Zuma's lawyers also argued that there have been unreasonable delays to Zuma's case that could lead to him not receiving a fair trial. In a statement on Sunday, Thales expressed a similar view, saying it believed "it cannot obtain a fair trial" because of the very long delay of the case, together with a range of factors beyond its control. Thales reiterated that it has no knowledge of any transgressions having been committed by any of its employees in relation to the awarding of the contract in the 1999 Arms Deal. RIGHTS 'GREATLY UNDERMINED' Zuma later addressed hundreds of his supporters in the city of Pietermaritzburg, saying the case should not continue because it is old and those who were part of the prosecuting team, witnesses and judges have either retired, forgotten the events of 20 years ago, or died. "Also, the rights of Zuma have been greatly undermined and we have evidence to prove that," he told the crowd of people wearing ANC t-shirts and army jumpsuits. Zuma led the crowd in his famous rendition of "Umshini wami", made popular by the ANC's armed wing during South Africa's decades-long struggle against apartheid and which translates as "Bring my machine gun". The charges against Zuma were originally filed more than a decade ago but the NPA set them aside shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009. After his election, his opponents fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated. The case is a rare example of a judicial system seeking to hold an African leader to account for his actions. Zuma, wearing a black suit and red tie, was subdued in court. His son Duduzane, who faces culpable homicide charges in a different case, and a few of his supporters including a former cabinet minister and ANC politicians travelled to Pietermaritzburg to support their former patron. ($1 = 14.4000 rand) (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla Additional reporting by Rogan Ward in Pietermaritzburg Editing by Catherine Evans and Frances Kerry) CABORCA, Mexico, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexus Gold US (MXSG) (Mexus or the Company) is pleased to announce that the company has hired a highly recommended and qualified chemical engineer for its Santa Elena mine. Mr. Roberto Baltierrez Hernandez, who specializes in metallurgical processes and gold extraction methods, will oversee all aspects of the gold recovery systems at the mine. Mr. Hernandez brings over 25 years of experience to the Mexus team. The company is completing a laboratory with all the necessary equipment to assure gold recovery control. The lab will be completed by May 28th in time for the beginning of leaching and recovery to begin. About Mexus Gold US Mexus Gold US is an American based mining company with holdings in Mexico. The fully owned Santa Elena mine is located 54km NW of Caborca, Mexico. Mexus also owns rights to the Ures property located 80km N of Hermosillo, Mexico. This property contains 6900 acres and has both gold and copper on the property. Founded in 2009, Mexus Gold US is committed to protecting the environment, mine safety and employing members of the communities in which it operates. For more information on Mexus Gold US, visit www.mexusgoldus.com . Stan Berk phone # 805-206-5816 William T. Bogard phone # 949-351-0207 Cautionary Statement Forward looking Statement: Statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the failure to complete successfully the development of new or enhanced products, the Company's future capital needs, the lack of market demand for any new or enhanced products the Company may develop, any actions by the Company's partners that may be adverse to the Company, the success of competitive products, other economic factors affecting the Company and its markets, seasonal changes, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results may differ materially from those contained in this press release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any statements in this press release. (Bloomberg) -- Pier 400 in Los Angeles is North Americas largest shipping terminal. More than 1,700 trucks pass through, on average per day, even in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war. All that cargo translates into thousands of miles driven within the facility each day, mostly by diesel vehicles, spewing pollutants. For APM Terminals, the part of global shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S that runs the Los Angeles terminal, the future of cargo handling looks like the future of driving: electric motors replacing gasoline engines, autonomous software replacing human workers. The company says the changes are necessary to meet California rules requiring container terminals to reach zero emissions by 2030 and to keep business from leaving for other coasts. The Los Angeles terminal has already ordered an electric, automated carrier from Finnish manufacturer Kalmar, part of the Cargotec Corp., that can fulfill the functions of three kinds of manned diesel vehicles: a crane, top-loader and truck. With enough of those, APMT could eliminate 65,000 miles driven daily by diesel trucks and cranes. There would be fallout, though. The move to a robotic, emission-free operation may cut the need for workers such as Anthony Armijo, a part-timer who has spent 15 years picking up leftover dock shifts. I just dont understand what were going to be doing in the future, he said. Im an American citizen. You would think they would have a way for us to make a living. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents dockworkers across the West Coast, has gathered support from local, state and federal politicians for its effort to prevent the municipal board running the port from letting the company proceed with its plans. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has set his own emissions targets as part of his Green New Deal, is brokering negotiations for a deal this month. The conflict is one of many pitting progressive clean-energy initiatives against blue-collar jobs threatened by changing technology. Story continues Automation is the path of history, said Dan Sperling, a member of the Californias Air Resources Board and professor of civil engineering and environmental science at the University of California, Davis. The questions are how much automation really makes sense, and how do you deal with the disruption to the workers? Wim Lagaay, president and chief executive officer of APM Terminals North America, sees cleaner, safer systems that meet the demand for quicker shipping as a way to secure the future of the port, which drives billions of dollars in economic activity. If you dont have a competitive port, you dont have volumes, you have nothing, he said. Jobs will change, jobs will be created, jobs will be eliminated. The escalating trade tensions underscore the need for ports to stay competitive amid forces they can't controlespecially the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which moved 46% of Asian imports last year, according to a study commissioned by the Pacific Maritime Association, which handles West Coast labor agreements on behalf of member companies. The ongoing U.S.-China dispute is already affecting business. Exports to China moving through Los Angeles and Long Beach declined by 35%, and imports from China dropped by 11.5% in this year first quarter, from the same period in 2018. We have an exacerbated trade balance now, said Phillip Sanfield, a spokesman for the Port of Los Angeles. We see increased tariffs leading to a reduction in cargo volume, which equals a reduction in economic activity and jobs in southern California. Lagaay said the plans to modernize Pier 400 in Los Angeles are not affected by the current trade negotiations. Automation comes with several advantages: It lowers operating costs, boosts efficiency and allows terminals to run 24/7. A truck dropping off an empty container and picking up another full of cargo can stay in one spot for both transactions, instead of traveling to different parts of a sprawling wharf and idling in wait in a conventional system. A robotic port also avoids the peril of worker slowdowns during contract talks, which crippled West Coast freight in 2014 and 2015. American ports have lagged behind those in Europe and Asia in adopting driverless technology. Of the 44 shipping terminals that are either semi-automated or fully automated, just five are in the U.S., according to data from Moodys Investors Service. Two of them are neighbors of Pier 400: TraPac LLC Los Angeles, a unit of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., and Long Beach Container Terminal in the Port of Long Beach, which in April was sold to Macquarie Asset Management. Shanghai, home to the worlds biggest port, now has the largest unmanned terminal. That yard will eventually employ 26 bridge cranes, 120 rail-mounted gantry cranes and 130 automatic guided vehicles, all built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. The same company also manufactured the automated cranes at Long Beach Container Terminal, where the technology is state of the art, said Moses Kopmar at Moodys Investors Service. Long Beach also uses automatic guided vehicles built by Terex Corp. that move among the ships and stacks of containers, guided by sensors embedded in the ground. Even the terminal facility to replace batteries for the vehicles is automated. The reality is, if you want to be competitive, you do have to go towards automation, said Lee Klaskow, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. West Coast ports more keenly feel the pressure to be competitive, given that their per container costs range up to 165% higher than those of East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, according to the Pacific Maritime Association. Another threat comes from the opening of the wider Panama Canal in 2016, which allows shippers to bypass California. Los Angeles and Long Beach have seen their share of U.S. cargo drop to 37%, from 41% five years ago. When the $1.5 billion fully automated system at Long Beach Container Terminal is complete in 2021, it will handle twice as much freight as before, while cutting pollution. Already, the wharf is showing greater efficiency than its neighbors. In April, the average time it took trucks to complete their assignments at that dock was 34 minutes, compared with 105 minutes at Pier 400, according to data from the Harbor Trucking Association. Paving the way for the Long Beach and TraPac projects was a contract the dockworkers union and terminal operators struck in 2008 and renewed in 2014 that specifically allowed robotics to replace workers. In exchange, full-time longshoremen got higher pensions and guarantees that if the technology displaced them, they would still be paid for 40-hour weeks until retirement. The average full-time worker makes $183,000 a year, with foremen earning $281,555, according to the maritime association. A surge in business has seen the full-time workforce actually increase from last year, to 15,095, said Randy James, a spokesman for the association. Theres been no need to tap the wage guarantee with plenty of work to go around. The union declined to comment for this story. In the plan for Pier 400, APM Terminals would take several years to phase in 100 automated straddle carriers. Humans would still be needed to unload containers from ships and place them onto rail cars, as well as to maintain the robots. Lagaay of APM Terminals declined to say how much the project costs. There are no plans to introduce driverless technology in the companys North American portfolio, he said, but its terminals in the Netherlands, Italy, Mexico and Morocco currently use some form of automation. For Sandy Marchioli, the owner of a neighborhood bar where longshoremen make up more than half of her patrons, the fear is that automation would consume more and more of the workleaving locals jobless and her with less business. Everyones very anxious and nervous, she said. The changes may be inevitable. Technology advances are really a part of our everyday life, said Lagaay. That requires ongoing meaningful dialogue with the workforce as to how this will look in the future. (Corrects details of APM Terminalss plans to adopt driverless technology in the 21st paragraph.) --With assistance from Shin Pei. To contact the author of this story: Romy Varghese in San Francisco at rvarghese8@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Aaron Rutkoff at arutkoff@bloomberg.net, Rob Golum For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Investing.com - Crude prices were volatile on Monday as uncertainty over whether Russia would agree to extend production cuts jostled with fears of conflict in the Middle East - all against the backdrop of a worsening trade dispute between the world's two biggest oil consumers. West Texas Crude oil futures for July slipped 0.2% to $62.82 a barrel as of 8:55 AM ET (12:55 GMT), down from a two-and-half-week high of $63.81 earlier, as traders priced in the latest twists in the U.S.-China trade conflict, widely seen as one of the biggest risks to the world economy. Brent crude futures, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., inched up to $72.22 a barrel. Prices were supported by a consensus at a weekend meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that OPEC, Russia and other exporters would need to keep some sort of output restraint in place after their current deal expires at the end of June. However, they were undercut slightly by reports that Russia had suggested raising the agreed output ceiling by some 700,000 barrels a day. Russian oil minister Alexander Novak told Bloomberg that an extension of the current arrangements is only one of various options under consideration. The group agreed in January to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to stop a new global glut from forming. The fate of the OPEC+ deal is pivotal to global oil market: prices would face a double-whammy if the deal breaks down completely at the same time as global demand weakens due to the U.S.-China trade conflict. Data from the CFTC on Friday indicated that hedge funds had reduced their bets on higher oil prices for the third straight week last week. However, one factor still supporting prices is the increasingly shrill rhetoric from the U.S. and Iran. Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused President Donald Trump of distributing genocidal taunts via Twitter over the weekend, adding that he should try respect. Trump had warned also via Twitter, that If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Story continues Russia is also struggling with contaminated oil in its export pipeline which has caused two major companies in Europe to stop payments to the Russian companies that supplied the oil. In other energy trading, Gasoline RBOB Futures fell 0.7% to $2.0314 a gallon, while heating oil slipped 0.6% to $2.0828 a gallon. Natural gas futures surged 1.7% to $2.675 per million British thermal units. Related Articles Exclusive: Western buyers freeze Russian payments over dirty oil outage Oil rises after OPEC+ says to keep output cuts, Iran tension rises Tainted oil hits Russian revenues but rouble immune for now An employee demonstrates a sample of crude oil in the Yarakta Oil Field, owned by Irkutsk Oil Company (INK), in Irkutsk Region, Russia in this picture illustration taken March 10, 2019. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko/Illustration/Files By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices on Monday rose to multi-week highs before easing later in the session as OPEC indicated it was likely to maintain production cuts that have helped boost prices this year, while escalating Middle East tensions provided further support. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 34 cents to settle at $63.10 a barrel, after hitting $63.81, the highest price since May 1. Brent crude futures fell 24 cents to settle at $71.97 a barrel, having earlier touched $73.40, their highest since April 26. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday there was consensus among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers to drive down crude inventories "gently" but he would remain responsive to the needs of what he called a fragile market. The comments gave an early boost to oil prices on Monday, but futures pared gains throughout the session. "Nothing substantial has gone out further, so the gain is leaking out of the market," said Gene McGillian, vice president of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. "The market doesn't want to get too far ahead of itself. OPEC, Russia and other non-member producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1 for six months to try to prevent inventories from increasing and weakening prices. A gathering of the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in Saudi Arabia over the weekend did not make any solid recommendations. OPEC and its allies are due to meet in Vienna on June 25-26 for their next oil policy meeting. However, the group is considering moving the date to July 3-4, two OPEC sources said on Monday. The date change has not been officially confirmed, the sources said. United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei earlier told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not the right decision. Story continues OPEC data indicated oil inventories in the developed world rose by 3.3 million barrels month-on-month in March, and were 22.8 million barrels above their five-year average. Adding to the bullish sentiment were rising tensions in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, while Saudi Arabia said it was ready to respond with "all strength" and it was up to Iran to avoid war. The rhetoric follows last week's attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the Trump administration would retaliate. For a graphic on U.S. Rig count, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2X8Myf7 (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York; Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London, Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo and Colin Packham in Sydney; Editing by Susan Thomas, Marguerita Choy and Matthew Lewis) May 20 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - OPEC and its allies on Sunday inched closer to continuing their existing production targets through the end of the year, delegates said, as fear of a returning oil glut outweighed apprehensions around Middle East conflict. https://on.wsj.com/2VPYhTQ - The Trump administration is inviting government officials and business leaders from the Middle East and Europe to Bahrain in late June to discuss the economic portion of its plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. https://on.wsj.com/2VP0lv5 - A rocket landed near the U.S. Embassy in the center of the Iraqi capital on Sunday, security officials said, an incident that comes amid already heightened tensions in the region after Washington warned of threats from Iran and its allies. https://on.wsj.com/2VP9l3j - China's anti-corruption agencies are investigating Liu Shiyu, former chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, for allegedly violating the law and flouting Communist Party regulations. https://on.wsj.com/2HQR10f (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom) This article originally appeared on InHerSight.com, a website where women rate the female friendliness of their employers and get matched to companies that fit their needs. Sexual harassment occurs when someone -- a friend, a co-worker, that stranger on the subway -- makes unwanted sexual advances toward you. That includes requests for sexual favors or verbal, physical, or visual harassment. A woman with her head in her hands sits at an office desk with a laptop on it. Image source: Getty Images. In the workplace, sexual harassment can be done by anyone or happen to anyone (manager to employee, intern to CEO, straight man to gay man, woman to man, etc.), and it doesn't necessarily have to occur during a one-on-one interaction. A suggestive joke made among co-workers chatting in the break room counts if it contributes to a hostile work environment. Most women are familiar with sexual harassment in some form or other. (If you've been catcalled, you've technically been harassed.) In fact, according to the Institute for Women's Policy research, it's estimated that almost a quarter to more than eight in 10 women will experience sexual harassment in the workplace at some point in their lifetime. Those stats are bleak, but take heart: You have the legal right to take action if you've been or are being sexually harassed, and more and more often, companies that have covered up sexual harassment claims have faced an onslaught of public criticism. Things are changing, albeit very slowly. While society is sorting its priorities out, let's see what you can do to empower yourself if you experience unwanted advances. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about workplace sexual harassment -- from how to spot it and address it to industries that experience it more often than others. What are my rights? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. Sexual harassment sits beneath the sex discrimination Story continues umbrella in that Title VII protection. Generally, if you're experiencing any kind of unwanted sexual advance (verbal, physical, written), you are protected. It can also include offensive remarks about your sex. The law also protects employees from retaliation from filing a charge of discrimination or for participating in an employment discrimination lawsuit. Title VII applies to all federal, state, and local governments as well as employment and labor organizations. What type of jobs see the most sexual harassment? You can experience sexual harassment in any role, but some jobs lend themselves to more instances of harassment. These are a few scenarios the Institute for Women's Policy Research flags as top contributors to workplace discomfort: Working for tips --Workers in food services and hospitality roles account for 14% of the harassment charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This includes jobs in restaurants, hotels, bars, and the like, and harassment comes from all angles: from managers, co-workers, and customers. Working in isolation -- Vulnerability is a key driver of sexual harassment. If you're working alone (maybe cleaning someone's hotel room or acting as an at-home nurse), there's no one else around to keep other people in check. Lack of legal immigration status or having only a temporary work visa -- The fear of "standing out" and losing their immigration status keeps many undocumented workers from reporting sexual harassment or assault. As a result, workers in agriculture, food processing, factories, domestic jobs, and janitorial services experience high rates of sexual harassment. A male-dominated industry -- The fewer women you have in your office, the more likely you are to experience sexual harassment. The same holds true for traditionally male-oriented industries such as construction, finance, economics, and the military. An office with lots of power imbalances -- Even if you're in a woman-dominated field, if all the managers or executives are men, you're more likely to experience sexual harassment. That's because there's a clear power differential, and women are lower on the totem pole. How can companies prevent sexual harassment? It's important for companies to address sexual harassment clearly and consistently. Here are three steps companies should take: Adopt a sexual harassment policy -- And put it in your employee handbook. It should include the definition of sexual harassment and why the company prohibits sexual harassment, as well as clear repercussions, reporting procedures, and statements regarding your commitment to investigating claims. Train your employees -- This isn't just an onboarding exercise. Revisit the policy once a year, and offer safe scenarios to explain what is and isn't sexual harassment Educate your managers -- Teach supervisors how to deal with sexual harassment claims. Once a year, remind them of the specific steps they need to take and how they should address their employees' concerns. Enforce your sexual harassment policy -- It's not enough to simply document the consequences; you should be consistent and unflinching in your enforcement of the prohibition. It's also a good idea to talk to your employees often to get an idea of how your workplace culture is shifting. And don't forget that all complaints are worth investigating. That's important. How do I know if I'm being sexually harassed? In general, every type of sexual harassment in the workplace can be divided into one of two categories: 1. Quid pro quo harassment -- You're promised an employment benefit if you submit to unwelcome sexual advances, or you're threatened with retribution if you don't submit to unwelcome sexual advances. 2. Hostile environment harassment -- Your work environment is made abusive as a result of harassment. Examples of each can be far-ranging, but it's important to remember that all harassment is harassment. In the workplace, there's no "better" or "worse." There's just "wrong." Here are a few examples of sexual harassment in the workplace we've seen before: Sending suggestive memos or emails Sharing sexually explicit images or videos Telling lewd jokes Making sexual comments about a co-worker's appearance or body Using suggestive hand gestures Commenting on someone's sexual orientation or gender identity Unwarranted touching, like rubbing, brushing up against someone, or massaging someone's shoulders Asking co-workers about their sexual history or sharing your own sexual anecdotes What should I do if I'm being sexually harassed? Address it immediately. If a co-worker makes an off-color comment about your legs once, and you think they've crossed a line, say something like this: Please don't talk about my body that way. It makes me uncomfortable. You're making me uncomfortable, please stop. If the comments continue, however, you need to take more thorough steps to address the problem: Write it down -- Write down the details (time, date, place, witnesses) of each incident. Ask people who saw the exchange to write an account for you, or store a record of any email exchanges you might have had. Protect your job -- Harassers often lash out, defending themselves by slandering your job performance. Don't let that happen. Get a copy of or take notes on your personnel file and performance reviews. Report the behavior -- You should report the harassment to your supervisor and to human resources immediately. It's best to report the behavior in writing, but if you decide to report it only verbally, the employer will still have to investigate. Report it again -- Be prepared to talk to someone higher up if your supervisor or HR ignores your complaint. Again, do it in writing and include the evidence and documentation you gathered (plus your original complaint) to present to senior leadership. If that doesn't work, you have a bigger fish to fry. Keep reading. Will my harasser be fired if my employer takes action on my claim? Not necessarily. Unless the claim shows consistent sexual harassment or is a severe case, your harasser will probably receive special training or will be transferred from your department. What's important to remember here is that whether they are fired from their job or not is not your responsibility. Sexual harassment is wrong, you have the right to be free from such advances. Will I have to be part of an investigation if I report? Yes. It's your employer's duty. Your co-workers might have to answer a few questions. Your harasser might find out you reported them. These are both possibilities. Should that stop you? That's your choice, and there's no fault on you if it does. That's a lot of drama to deal with day-in and day-out. The alternatives aren't great, though: You'll either have to continue dealing with the harasser, or you'll have to start looking for another job to escape them. What do I do if my employer doesn't act on my sexual harassment claim? If you've tried all the internal company routes and your employer still isn't addressing your sexual harassment claim, it's time to talk to the EEOC. They'll investigate your claim in-depth (employers hate that). You should file a claim using the EEOC's online portal. Submit all the information you have about your situation. After that, they'll review your inquiry and interview you to determine whether you can file a harassment charge. After investigating, the EEOC may serve as a mediator between you and your employer to try to get you both to reach a settlement. If your employer refuses to settle or the sexual harassment doesn't stop after the mediation, you should Request a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC. Don't get fed up and skip this step, as it's important to your case: It proves you tried to go the EEOC route and nothing came of it. Once you have the notice, you can sue. Get an employment lawyer who can help you navigate the specific laws of your state. And if you're worried about money? Don't worry too much. Most employment lawyers will take clients on a contingency-fee basis, so they only get paid if they win. (On the flip side, that can sometimes result in a suit simply reimbursing attorney fees and court costs.) What if I report the sexual harassment to my employer and they retaliate? Scroll back up the top, and read your rights again really fast. At every step in this process, you have the right to make a sexual harassment claim. Any employer that fires you, cuts your pay, or finds some other way to retaliate because you spoke to your HR department or got the EEOC involved is in the wrong. You can and should sue them for damages. If this happens, the EEOC can help. What if I really want to quit? You can, but if you're going to sue, you need to wait to quit your job until you go through the EEOC process. Quitting in the middle of a company claim or the EEOC investigation could jeopardize your case because you'll no longer be an employee at the company, and therefore, not protected. That means you likely won't have a lawsuit anymore. What should I do if I witness sexual harassment? Advocate for your co-worker, either in the moment or by taking steps to ensure their safety and comfort in the office. Stop the harassment -- Interrupt or distract from the remarks that are making the environment hostile. Talk to the harasser -- Don't be afraid to call someone out. Sometimes victims aren't ready to talk about what's happening. You can be their voice. Report what you've seen -- Talk to HR or a supervisor about what's been happening. A written account is preferred. Get other co-workers on your side -- You don't need to stage an intervention, but you should get fellow co-workers to work toward a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. If you know someone else has witnessed the sexual harassment you did, ask them to report it as well. There's strength in numbers. We're all adults. This all seems unnecessary. Who cares if I make a sexual joke or two? Quick answer: You don't know who cares, and that's why educating yourself on matters of sexual harassment is important. What's funny or appropriate to you might not be to someone else. (For the record, touching someone without their consent is never appropriate. Ever.) The longer, more wide-reaching answer: Not to discount what men experience (about 40% of men will experience some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime), but women experience sexual harassment in the workplace more often than men do (81%), and the negative consequences are staggering. Women have reported physical and mental health problems, career interruptions, and lower wages. As the rise of the #MeToo movement has shown us, sexual harassment also limits women's opportunities by enforcing a culture of intimidation and discouraging them from pursuing high-paying careers. The gender pay gap is real, and part of the reason it exists ties back to sexual harassment. So, on behalf of all women, it's safe to say, the joke is probably not that funny. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has an ownership interest in InHerSight. Motley Fool CFO Ollen Douglass serves on the board of directors for InHerSight. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. With states from Alabama to Missouri passing laws that would restrict or nearly ban a womens right to abortion, is a womens right to choose at risk of being overturned on the federal level? This week alone, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill into law that, if its implemented in six months time, will serve as a near total ban on abortionexcept in cases where the mothers life is at risk. The bill noticeably excludes exceptions for cases of rape and incest, and a doctor who illegally performs an abortion could face up to 99 years in prison. Meanwhile in Missouri, the state Senate passed a bill that would ban abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy. It similarly only allows exceptions in the case of a medical emergency, and doctors could face five to 15 years in prison for violating the law. Unlike the Alabama law, it still needs to go back through the state House before it can be approved by Gov. Mike Parson. In recent months, a number of other states have passed heartbeat bills, which prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, often as early as six weeks into pregnancybefore many women even know theyre pregnant. The common theme of all of these bills? They are more restrictive than current federal law, as stipulated by Roe v. Wade. The Roe v. Wade Decision After Roe was decided in 1973, the Court divided a womans pregnancy into three trimesters: in the first trimester, the decision to have an abortion would be at the womans discretion; during the second trimester, the state could regulate procedure, but not ban abortion. In the third trimester, when the fetus was considered viable, the state was permitted to regulate or prohibit abortion, allowing for exceptions when the mothers health was at risk. In the years since, states and interest groups have sought to overturn the ruling or further restrict access. One such effort reached the Supreme Court in 1992, a case called Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. The justices ruled reaffirming Roe v. Wade, but upheld a handful of regulations, including a 24-hour waiting period and a requirement that minors get consent of at least one parent before getting an abortionand this ruling has effectively become todays precedent on abortion. Story continues Despite this precedent, states have continued to seek to further regulate abortion at the state level. Mary Ziegler, Florida State University College of Law professor and author of After Roe, explained that states canand dodo things that are technically unconstitutional. Unless someone actually challenges them, then nothing happens, she said. There are many constitutional law cases where a court may even review legislation that the state has passed and decide its not unconstitutional. So what happens when these unconstitutional laws are passedand could they eventually serve to dismantle the precedent set by Roe v. Wade? Its complicated. Abortion on the State Level The Alabama law is unique, as Melissa Murray, NYU Professor of Law, notes that it is intended as a provocation and is therefore purposefully extreme. The Alabama state legislature passed the most restrictive bill with the hope of it being challenged to force the courts to question whether Roe v. Wade is a legitimate precedent. It is widely expected that the bill will be challenged before it goes into effect, at which time the case would go to federal district court. If its litigated, then it could go to the 11th circuit appellate court, and that decision in turn could be appealed by either side, and then make its way to the Supreme Court. Laurence Tribe, professor of law at Harvard University, explains that a law such as that in Alabama is clearly in conflict with Supreme Court precedent. As such, it is likely that it would be struck down by the lower courts, because they are bound by Supreme Court precedent even if they predict that precedent might be overturned by the Court. Even if one or two circuits are outliers and uphold one of the really extreme laws, Tribe added, the Court isnt bound to grant review and probably would avoid doing so at least until after the 2020 election. This is because the Supreme Court is discretionary, meaning it can decide whether or not to hear a caseit requires the support of four justices for a case to be added to the docket. If in this instance the Supreme Court chooses instead not to hear the case, then the opinion of the 11th circuit would become law. Abortion on the Federal Level Experts are largely in agreement that if Roe v. Wade were to be substantially altered or overturned, it would not be through the Alabama case. It is instead more likely that the Court will make incremental changes to the law. Ziegler notes that she thinks theres a pretty good chance that the Supreme Court will eventually change the abortion doctrine so substantially that its no longer recognized in the way it is now. However, she argued that it would be unlikely to uphold the Alabama law as that would entail getting rid of Roe in one shot and the Court wants to not appear to be political. Instead the Court may start by upholding laws that dont go as far, chipping away gradually at Roe and setting the stage for overturning it. Tribe also doubts that laws as extreme as Alabamas would be heard by the Supreme Court, explaining that it is more likely to nibble away at the edges of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey than to toss a nuclear bomb into the law established by those precedents in 1973 and 1992. Carolyn Shapiro, an associate professor at the Chicago-Kent School of Law is confident that other cases that involve significant restrictions to abortion will make their way to the Supreme Courtthere are already several making their way through the courts. In fact, the Supreme Court is expected to decide in the coming months whether to hear one such case, June Medical Services v. Gee, which challenges a Louisiana law that effectively closes most of the abortion clinics in the state. A case such as this one is highly restrictive, but doesnt purport to restrict abortion, Shapiro explains, making it more likely that it would make its way to the Supreme Court and be upheld. It is making access to abortion more difficult by designwithout the public trigger of saying that theyre overruling Roe v. Wade. Plausible deniability, in other words. Overturning Roe v. Wade While these cases likely wont impact Roe on a federal level, they could still pave the way for states to have more freedom in determining abortion law. The Court could overturn or weaken protections that are enshrined in Roe, which would give states leeway to restrict abortion access at the state level. But Robert Nagel, professor of constitutional law at University of Colorado, believes that the importance of precedent will prevent the Court from going as far as dismantling Roe v. Wade. While he notes that the Supreme Court does have the power to go back and reverse earlier decisions, he thinks that there are a good number of people on the Court who regard it as such an important institution and believe respect for it is so important that they would effectively be inclined to repeat what happened in the Casey case. In that case, several of the justices explained in their ruling that while they believed that Roe itself was wrongly decided, there were institutional and political reasons that it would be inappropriate for them to reverse the decision after so many years had passed. Nagel therefore believes that even if some of the current justices similarly dont agree with Roe, their respect for the institution of the Court and precedent outweigh their interpretations of the law. Chief Justice John Roberts has demonstrated the weight he gives to precedent, as evidenced by a concurring opinion in the 2010 Citizens United decision. In it, he wrote, Fidelity to precedentthe policy of stare decisisis vital to the proper exercise of the judicial function.For these reasons, we have long recognized that departures from precedent are inappropriate in the absence of a special justification. He went on to note that stare decisis is not an inexorable command, but rather a principle of policy, meaning that in the unusual circumstance when fidelity to any particular precedent does more to damage the constitutional ideal than to advance it, we must be more willing to depart from that precedent. So for a womans right to abortion to be no longer protectedand the decision in Roe v. Wade reverseda case such as any of those mentioned above would need to reach the Supreme Court. The Court in turn would need to agree to hear the case and revisit its precedents. A majority of justices would then have to rule that the interpretation of the law as set forth in Roe was mistaken and therefore offer a new interpretation of the Constitution and issue a new opinion. A high-profile, landmark case like Roe v. Wade is so etched in the public consciousness, however, that it would take a lot for the Court to decide to overturn it entirely rather than make incremental changes. For the time being, dont expect abortion to suddenly be outlawed. (It is still legal in all 50 states.) Even in the case of the Alabama bill, an injunction is likely while the case is being adjudicated, meaning that the law will not go into effect until the court has ruled on the matter. It could be years before we see any substantive changes to the law, but remembertheres a difference between outlawing abortion and severely restricting it. More must-read stories from Fortune: Alabamas abortion bill is the strictest in the nation. Heres what that means Trump keeps alluding to extending his presidency. Does he mean it? Meet the Republicans likely to challenge Trump in the 2020 primary Is the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization? Trump thinks so Abortion is still legal in all 50 states The mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, has announced the city will launch blockchain and AI initiatives as part of its smart city implementation plan, Queen reports.The post Seoul to launch blockchain-based citizen card appeared first on The Block. The mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, has announced the city will launch blockchain and AI initiatives as part of its smart city implementation plan, Queen reports. Park spoke at the Korea Future Forum 2019 & Blockchain Tech Show. As part of the initiative, the South Korean capital will launch blockchain-based Seoul citizen cards. The cards will provide citizens with easy access to various administrative services. Seoul has already adopted blockchain technology in certain areas. The city's e-voting system is blockchain based, as well as its used car selling system. Moreover, Seoul will also boast 50,000 city data sensors by 2022. The sensors will be used to collect urban and administrative data, which will then be used in conjunction with blockchain and AI technologies. Park believes The value of data has become more important than ever before. BISHOPSGATE, LONDON / ACCESSWIRE / May 20, 2019 / SolGold Plc (LSE & TSX: SOLG) is pleased to announce the release of its Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Alpala Copper-Gold-Silver Deposit, Cascabel Project Northern Ecuador. SolGold holds an 85% registered and beneficial interest in ENSA (Exploraciones Novomining S.A.) which holds 100% of the Cascabel Project (see "ownership" below). Key aspects and findings from this study are summarised below. HIGHLIGHTS Net Present Value ("NPV") estimates range from US$4.1Bn to US$4.5Bn (Real, post-tax, @ 8% discount rate, US$3.3/lb copper price, US$1,300/oz gold price and US$16/oz silver price) depending on production rate scenario (see below). Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") estimates range from 24.8% to 26.5% (Real, post-tax, US$3.3/lb copper price, US$1,300/oz gold price and US$16/oz silver price) depending on production rate scenario (see below). Pre-production Capex estimated at approx. US$2.4B to US$2.8B, and total Capex including life of mine sustaining Capex of US$10.1B to US$10.5B depending on production rate scenario (see below). Payback Period on initial start-up capital - Range from 3.5 to 3.8 years after commencement of production depending on production rate scenario. Preferred Mining Method - Underground low-cost mass mining using Block Cave methods applied over several caves designed on two vertically extensive Lifts. Four mine production cases have been pre-selected and assessed as part of the PEA: Mine Production Cases Case Life of Mine (years) Case 1: 40 Mt/a 66 Case 2a: 50 Mt/a - Staged ramp-up 57 Case 2b: 50 Mt/a Fast ramp-up 55 Case 3: 60 Mt/a 49 Resources scheduled in the PEA block cave designs that account for 2.4Bt @ 0.54% CuEq ROM grade (0.36% Cu, 0.27g/t Au and 1.1g/t Ag), including: o 89% of the MRE#2 Indicated Mineral Resources: 1.83Bt @ 0.61% CuEq ROM (0.41% Cu, 0.31g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag) o 61% of the MRE#2 Inferred Mineral Resources: 0.55Bt @ 0.36% CuEq (0.27%Cu, 0.13g/t Au and 0.8g/t Ag) Annual Metal Production (average for the first 25 years) - Estimated at 207,000t of copper; 438,000oz of gold and 1.4Moz of silver in concentrate per year (based on the 50Mtpa mining scenario). Annual Metal Production (life-of-mine average) - Estimated at 150,000t of copper, 245,000oz of gold and 913,000oz of silver in concentrate per year. High copper (28.2%), gold (22.1 g/t) and silver (65.7g/t) contents in sales concentrates. The high quality of the concentrates and the relatively low arsenic contents in comparison to a number of other major producers are expected to deliver a sales premium for SolGold's concentrates. Activities for rest of 2019 will focus on continued exploration at Alpala, a further update to the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE#3), metallurgy and process design, tailing disposal options and incorporation of further geotechnical and hydrogeological data into the study basis. Permitting and fiscal discussions with the Ecuadorean Government, and financial discussions with third party financiers for SolGold's share of the project costs to commence. The Pre-Feasibility Study is expected to be completed in December 2019 with a Definitive Feasibility Study scheduled for completion at the end of 2020. References to figures and tables relate to the version visible in PDF format by clicking the link below: Story continues http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/4799Z_1-2019-5-19.pdf Commenting on the findings of the PEA, SolGold CEO Mr Nick Mather said: "TheSolGold Board is excited by the opportunity demonstrated for the AlpalaProject, and that it continues to grow. The unusually low operating costsmodelled are due to the relatively soft, fractured nature of the ore, resultingin enhanced caveability, a high degree of fragmentation in the cave and ease ofcrushing and millability, combined with low hydroelectric (consumption andunit) costs. The overall scale efficiencies also assist in the delivery ofmodelled low operating costs. The lowstart-up capex of $2.4-$2.8Bn, high net present value (NPV) range, of $4.1 $4.5Bn at an 8% discount (well in excess of the global cost of capital for aproject of this nature) signifies outstanding financial metrics for a projectof this nature and outstanding modelled internal rates of return of 24.8-26.5%presents an outstanding value proposition for SolGold shareholders. SolGoldlooks forward to delivery of the same blueprint across its 12 other whollyowned projects throughout Ecuador. Thestudy team has been careful to separately identify start-up capital costs($2.4Bn - $2.8Bn) and ongoing sustaining capital costs ($7.5Bn - $7.8Bn overthe life of mine) and has differentiated this from operating costs. Thevertically extensive nature of the cave configurations, the high modelledresource tonnages and production rates also contribute to the high capitalefficiency and returns, low mining costs, and low overall costs of the project. Metallurgicalwork, which is ongoing, indicates that gold contents in the pyrite concentratewill require additional investigation to identify an efficient recoverystrategy, but this represents only 13% of the contained gold in MRE#2 and lessthan 4% of the contained metal value in the base case. Metal values ofUS$3.30/lb copper and US$1300 gold used in the study. Additionalmetallurgical work is expected to identify solutions for recovery of gold andcopper in the pyrite concentrate along with a sulphuric acid product. Highcopper 28.2%, gold 22.1 g/t and 65.7g/t silver contents in sales concentratesover the first 15 years are expected to attract premium values. The highquality of the concentrates and the relatively low arsenic contents incomparison to a number of other major producers are expected to deliver a salespremium for SolGold's concentrates and relatively low tolling and refiningcharges. Inaddition, Alpala's location contributes significantly to the low capitalexpenditures estimated (capex). Situated at a relatively low elevation, Alpalais near to available water and is also close to key transport at landmarks suchas the port of Esmeraldas, Quito International Airport and the regional city ofIbarra, all accessible via sealed roads and highways. The capex outlined alsoincludes an amount of 11% of start-up capex for Engineering Procurement andConstruction Management. SolGold will utilise internal management as much aspossible to reduce costs, improve work quality and expedite delivery by buildinga strong in-house team. Overthe period to the end of 2019 when SolGold aims to complete the prefeasibilitystudy, activities will focus on exploration, a new MRE#3, metallurgy andprocess design, investigation of further tailing disposal options andincorporation of further geotechnical and hydrogeological data into thePrefeasibility Study basis. SolGold will also commence permitting and fiscaldiscussions with the Ecuadorean Government and financial discussions with thirdparty financiers for SolGold's share of the project costs following completionof the Feasibility Study." Summary The PEA study was prepared by independent consultants Wood plc in the role of Lead Consultants with direct responsibility for the Minerals Processing, Materials Handling and Project Infrastructure components of the study, and the participation of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited (Resource Estimation), SRK Exploration Services Limited (Geology), Mining Plus Pty Ltd (Geotechnical, Hydrogeology and Mine Planning), Knight Piesold Ltd (Environmental and Community), and Ernst and Young (Economic Analysis). The PEA addresses findings based on the resource as defined in MRE #2 announced November 2018, of 8.4 Mt Cu and 19.4 Moz Au in the Indicated category & 2.5 Mt Cu and 3.8 Moz Au in the Inferred category with the MRE across both Indicated and Inferred classifications equating to a current 2.95 Bt @ 0.52% CuEq (15.4 Mt CuEq) containing 10.9 Mt Cu and 23.2 Moz Au at 0.2% CuEq cut-off, 79% of which is in the Indicated category (by gold and copper metal content). Alpala Mineral Resource statement effective 07 November 2018* Resource Category Tonnage (Mt) Grade Contained Metal Cu (%) Au (g/t) CuEq (%) Cu (Mt) Au (Moz) CuEq (Mt) Indicated 2,050 0.41 0.29 0.60 8.4 19.4 12.2 Inferred 900 0.27 0.13 0.35 2.5 3.8 3.2 Table 1: MRE 2 Resource Table *Notes: 1. Mr. Martin Pittuck, CEng, MIMMM, FGS, is responsible for this Mineral Resource statement and is an "independent qualified person" as such term is defined in NI 43-101 2. Mineral Resource is reported using a cut-off grade of 0.2% copper equivalent calculated using [copper grade (%)] + [gold grade (g/t) x 0.63] 3. Mineral Resource is considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction by underground mass mining such as block caving 4. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability 5. The statement uses the terminology, definitions and guidelines given in the CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) as required by NI 43-101. 6. The MRE is reported on 100 percent basis. Additional drilling since the data cut off has not yet been modelled for MRE#3 and exploration activities on site with 10 drill rigs continues to define extensions to the mineralised envelope at Alpala, especially to the north towards Trivinio, Moran and Alpala north west at depth. An additional MRE#3 is expected to form (along with further metallurgy, geotechnical and materials handling and storage studies) the basis for the Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") by the end of December 2019. The Production Rate Scenario (see Mine Production Cases table above) proposed as the base case is Case 2b: 50 Mt/a Fast ramp-up. Economic Summary and Sensitivity Analysis The preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realised. Economic Summary and Sensitivity Analysis of the Project (100% ownership basis) Metal Prices 40 Mt/a 50 Mt/a slow 50 Mt/a fast 60 Mt/a Copper ($/t) USD/t 7,268 7,268 7,268 7,268 Gold ($/oz) USD/oz 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,300 Silver ($/oz) USD/oz 16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 Income Copper revenue $m Real 57,698 57,692 57,682 57,687 Gold revenue $m Real 16,180 16,180 16,199 16,215 Silver revenue $m Real 322 319 318 321 Total revenue $m Real 74,200 74,191 74,199 74,223 Expenses Royalties $m Real (3,835) (3,835) (3,836) (3,838) Treatment & refining charges $m Real (3,561) (3,560) (3,557) (3,558) Shipping $m Real (3,122) (3,121) (3,117) (3,117) Underground Mine $m Real (9,607) (9,605) (9,604) (9,605) Process Plant $m Real (14,602) (14,430) (14,333) (14,185) Infrastructure $m Real (843) (842) (842) (842) Port Facilities $m Real (534) (520) (508) (494) Other $m Real (344) (344) (344) (344) EBITDA $m Real 37,752 37,934 38,057 38,240 Profit Share (Labour Tax) $m Real (4,327) (4,274) (4,246) (4,235) Corporate Tax $m Real (5,978) (5,960) (5,949) (5,936) Capex Pre-production Capex $m Real (2,538) (2,448) (2,715) (2,849) Post-establishment Capex $m Real (7,525) (7,798) (7,572) (7,662) Total Capex $m Real (10,064) (10,246) (10,287) (10,511) Closure costs (Opex) $m Real (80) (80) (80) (80) Cash flow Post-tax, undiscounted cash flow $m Real 17,384 17,453 17,574 17,557 Tax rate assumption % 25% 25% 25% 25% Post-tax NPV (discounted) (7%) $m Real 4,922 4,841 5,102 5,329 Post-tax NPV (discounted) (8%) $m Real 4,195 4,094 4,349 4,548 Post-tax NPV (discounted) (9%) $m Real 3,582 3,466 3,711 3,883 Post-tax IRR % 26.5% 24.8% 25.9% 25.7% Payback period (project commencement) Years 8.5 8.8 8.6 8.8 Payback period (production commencement) Years 3.5 3.8 3.6 3.8 Metal Price and Discount Rate Sensitivity Analysis (based on 50Mt/a fast case) NPV of Project Copper Price (base US$3.30 /lb) -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% Discount Rate 6% 4,968 5,484 5,998 6,510 7,020 7% 4,223 4,663 5,102 5,539 5,975 8% 3,592 3,970 4,349 4,726 5,102 9% 3,053 3,382 3,711 4,039 4,367 10% 2,592 2,881 3,168 3,456 3,743 NPV of Project Gold Price (base US$1300/oz) -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% Discount Rate 6% 5,614 5,806 5,998 6,190 6,381 7% 4,763 4,932 5,102 5,271 5,440 8% 4,048 4,198 4,349 4,499 4,649 9% 3,443 3,577 3,711 3,845 3,979 10% 2,928 3,048 3,168 3,288 3,409 TC/RC Sensitivity Analysis (based on 50Mt/a fast case) TC/RC charges Variance -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% NPV US$ M 4,485 4,439 4,394 4,349 4,303 4,258 4,212 Note: A discounted cash flow model was developed to evaluate the economics for the Project on a 100% project ownership basis. Mine Production Scenarios Concept level assessment of mining methods carried out as part of the PEA suggests that mining at Alpala should be conducted using low-cost underground mass mining methods such as Block Caving or Panel Caving for higher grade sections of the ore body. Based on the November 2018 MRE #2 resource base, geological characteristics of the Alpala orebody, grade distribution, geotechnical and hydrogeological characterisation, size of the mining footprint, and other technical and economic considerations, several Block Cave mine production cases were pre-selected and assessed as part of the PEA. These scenarios attempt to provide environmentally sound project development options aimed at optimising the economics of the project while maximising extraction of the Alpala resource. Case 1 - 40 Mtpa mine production rate (life-of-mine 66 years). Case 2a - 50 Mtpa, staged ramp-up (life-of-mine 57 years). Case 2b - 50 Mtpa, fast production ramp-up (life-of-mine 55 years). Case 3 - 60 Mtpa (life-of-mine 49 years). Based on MRE #2 and as reported earlier in the announcement, the Indicated resource at the 0.2% CuEq cut-off grade is approximately 2,050Mt averaging 0.60% CuEq, and the Inferred resource is approx. 900Mt @ 0.35% CuEq. Accordingly, the Resources scheduled in the PEA block cave designs corresponds to about 89% of the Indicated Mineral Resource and some 61% of the Inferred Mineral Resource. Mineral Processing The dominant copper mineral at Alpala is chalcopyrite (33% copper content), with lesser amounts of bornite (63% copper content). In most cases the gold is included as a particulate form in chalcopyrite, bornite or pyrite. Metallurgical test work for the PEA was conducted based on 20 samples averaging 53kg per sample, obtained from 480m of NQ sized half core from five drillholes representing the major geological domain groups from preliminary geometallurgical models. The testwork program for the PEA was conducted at ALS Metallurgical Laboratories in Kamloops, Canada. The laboratory program consisted of sample preparation and composite formation, comminution tests including SMC, Bond Ball Mill Work Index (BWI) and Bond Abrasion Index (AI), flotation optimisation and locked cycle tests on specified composites and rougher concentrate kinetic tests. The copper concentrator and gold recovery circuit proposed for Alpala is based on two parallel lines with one line built for Phase 1 (ramp up to 50% nameplate capacity) and a second line to reach 100% nameplate capacity in the case of the 40 and 50Mtpa mine production scenarios. Three parallel modules are considered for the 60Mtpa scenario. Metallurgical recoveries to the chalcopyrite copper concentrate for the first 30 years of operation are estimated to range between 93.9% and 87.1% for copper and between 85.4% (high grade) and 49.4% (low grade) for gold (50Mtpa staged ramp-up) depending on mill feed grades. Further investigations are underway to further increase copper and gold recoveries to the copper concentrate and improve gold recoveries from the pyrite concentrate. Infrastructure The Alpala deposit is favourably located at low altitude (600-1,800masl), with easy access via a sealed highway from the regional capital (Ibarra) some 90km by road to the south, and in proximity to water and high voltage, predominantly hydroelectric sourced power supply. The deep-water port at Esmeraldas is located some 180 km to the west of the project site. Unlike some other Tier 1 porphyry copper-gold deposits which are located in the high Andes in remote locations and at very high altitude, the low elevation and mild climate year-round in the Alpala area allows exploration activities and mining operations to be conducted throughout the year. Benefiting from these natural advantages is expected to allow significantly reduced infrastructure requirements at Alpala in comparison to many of its peers. The likely infrastructure (on-site and off-site) requirements considered in the PEA study, include the following: Roads and logistics Concentrate pipeline from the process plant to Esmeraldas port and water return pipeline Tailings storage facilities options and associated infrastructure Surface facilities Underground mine infrastructure facilities Concentrate shipping facilities at the Esmeraldas port Water supply system Power supply system Communications, process control and instrumentation system Other Services Marketing Metallurgical testwork carried out to date indicates that the main product from the Cascabel project will be a high-quality copper-gold-silver concentrate with no penalty impurities and medium to high copper and gold grades plus additional silver credits, making it a desirable product for copper smelters worldwide. Average concentrate grades over the life-of-mine are currently estimated at 26% copper, 13.2g/t gold and 49.2g/t silver. Average figures over the first 15 years of the operation are estimated at 28.2% copper, 22.1g/t gold and 65.7g/t silver. The relatively high valuable metal contents and low deleterious elements such as arsenic is expected to attract premium sales values and keep treatment and refining charges low. Environmental and community SolGold has conducted environmental studies in the project area using qualified practitioners for a number of years, which contributes to a defensible baseline data set. An experienced project team is leading meaningful social engagement programs to support appropriate Corporate Social Responsibility programs as part of future studies and any proposed development plans. Current exploration activity is fully permitted and in good standing. Mine development will require the successful conclusion of an Environmental Impact Assessment and permitting from the Ministry of Environment. This is a recognised process with successful precedent in Ecuador. There are no known environmental issues that could materially impact the ability of SolGold to extract the mineral resources at the Cascabel Project. Base line environmental data has been collected at Alpala for approximately four years. Capital and operating cost estimate Capital cost estimates for the cases assessed during the PEA range from US$2.45B to US$2.85B for the pre-production Capex and from US$7.5B to US$7.8B for the post-implementation and sustaining Capex. The operating cost over the life of the project is estimated at between US$25.5B and US$25.9B depending on the production scenario. Unit C1* operating cost over the life of the project is estimated at US$0.90/lb copper after gold and silver credits (50Mtpa, fast ramp-up). C1* Production Cost (average for the first 25 years, 50Mtpa Fast ramp-up case) - Estimated at US$0.23 per payable pound of Cu after gold and silver credits. The capital cost estimate has been developed in accordance with Wood's capital cost estimating procedure (PRJ-340-05) for a Conceptual study to meet the requirements of the National Instrument NI 43-101 for a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study and is consistent with "AACE International" cost estimating guidelines for a Class 5 estimate for the Process Industries. The estimate accuracy range of -/+ 35% for cost inputs is defined by the level of project definition. The accuracy of the total cost estimate has been assessed to comply with the above guidelines. Due to the long mine life, it is not expected that significant salvage values at the end of the ultimate mining resource life will be gained. Note: * C1 Includes all siteoperating costs, concentrate shipping costs, smelting and refining charges,etc, but excludes royalty payments, taxes and profit share. Economic analysis A discounted cash flow model was developed by Ernst & Young from the commencement date of the project to evaluate the economics for the Project on a 100% project ownership basis. The economic modelling was done on a post-tax basis and the results indicate an after-tax Net Present Value (NPV) from US$4.1 Bn to US$4.5 Bn based on a copper price of US$3.30 /lb and gold price of US$1300 /lb at an 8% discount rate for the four scheduled cases. The projects' Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is estimated at between 24.8% and 26.5%, with payback periods after production commencement from 3.5 to 3.8 years. The figure below shows the annual and cumulative cashflows for Case 2b: 50 Mt/a Fast ramp-up case. Sensitivity analysis was conducted on the copper and gold prices as outlined in the range in the NPV output. The model assumes a corporate tax rate of 25% (current Ecuadorian corporate tax rate), a profit share of 15% (Labour Tax) on earnings before tax (12% government, 3% employee), a government royalty of 5% to 8% depending on the type of mineral, and a straight-line depreciation rate of 10%. The model also includes a sovereign adjustment levy where project contributions to government (royalties, income tax, government profit share) fall below 50% of cumulative economic project benefits - noting under the scenarios considered no sovereign adjustments are required. The basis for the Economic Analysis is from the commencement date of the project, and therefore, it does not include sunk costs which will have been incurred prior to approval to proceed to project implementation. Ownership SolGold holds an 85% registered and beneficial interest in ENSA (Exploraciones Novomining S.A.) which holds 100% of the Cascabel Project. Under Ecuadorean law shareholders do not own an interest in the assets of a company and accordingly the project economics are presented on a 100% basis. SolGold is funding the completion of a Feasibility Study and the minority 15% shareholder Cornerstone Capital Resources S.A. (CGP) in ENSA, is obliged to repay its 15% share of SolGold costs (from the time of acquiring its 85% interest) from, amongst other things, their net 15% share of the proceeds of the project. Upon completion of the Feasibility Study, CGP may then elect to contribute to the development costs and maintain at least 10% interest subject to the various provisions of the Earn - in agreement (dated April 2012) and the Term Sheet (dated February 2013 and varied in February 2014) or dilute to a 0.5% net smelter return which SolGold may acquire for $3.5M at any time. There is also a 2% net smelter return which was granted to Santa Barbara Resources Ltd that SolGold may acquire for a total of $4M. Risks and opportunities Project risks and opportunities identified by the consulting team at this PEA stage of the Cascabel project include: SRK is not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties that could be expected to affect the reliability or confidence in the exploration information and Mineral Resource discussed herein. As with all mineral projects, there is an inherent risk associated with mineral exploration. As such, there is no guarantee that additional drilling will grow the model or improve confidence in the model. SRK are confident the Mineral Resource can be further upgraded in confidence with more drilling and that there is some potential to grow the deposit model further. Mining Plus has identified that typical risks for a large block caving project (including seismicity, mudrush and cave performance) exist in this project. However, based on the available data, it is expected that these can be managed to acceptable levels through further study and operation strategies, which would be typical for a large block caving project of this nature. Mining Plus has identified several opportunities to improve the project that should be studied in more detail in a pre-feasibility study. These include: o Campaign mining and stockpiling to expedite further the processing of higher grade o Mechanical ore sorting to remove uneconomic material from the mill feed o Production design optimisation o Footprint layout design optimisation o Materials handling optimisation From a mineral processing perspective Wood anticipate no obstacles being present to hinder the progressing of the project to the next phase. Recoveries and concentrate grades are representative of a copper-gold porphyry deposit of this nature with no deleterious elements reporting to the copper-gold concentrate. Wood see the following mineral processing opportunities for the project: o Production of a gold rich pyrite concentrate that may be sold or processed on site to produce gold bullion, enhancing gold and to a lesser extent copper recovery. o Implementation of ore sorting technology to upgrade the mill feed grade. o Wood see the potential for the generation of additional revenue from the Cascabel Project. To determine what additional revenue may be generated, Wood recommended to investigate the following areas in the next phase of the project. o Flotation test work to date has indicated that it is possible to produce a gold rich pyrite concentrate from the first cleaner scavenger tailings stream, which could be amenable to hydrometallurgical processing to produce gold in the form of dore and to a lesser extent copper in the form of cathode copper. Initial testwork on pyrite concentrate using the Albion Process is currently underway. o Other metallurgical testwork recommended by Wood includes those to assess the potential for commercial production of molybdenum concentrate from some parts of the Alpala deposit, the potential for economic recovery of magnetite ore, and the likelihood of generating revenue (or credits) from the production of sulphuric acid during the normal smelting process. From an infrastructure perspective Wood anticipate no obstacles being present to hinder the progressing of the project to the next phase. During the subsequent phases there are infrastructure opportunities in areas such as TSF design where more detailed work will be required to optimise storage and reduce capital costs associated with this area. Knight Piesold comments indicate that there are no known environmental issues that could materially impact the ability of SolGold to extract the mineral resources at the Cascabel project as currently proposed. Mine development will require the successful conclusion of an Environmental Impact Assessment and permitting from the Ministry of Environment. Ernst & Young have stated that the results of the analysis show the Cascabel Project to be potentially viable, warranting further study. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the current mineral resource base (MRE #2) and other geological, mining, metallurgical, environmental, logistical, and financial information available for the study, this preliminary economic assessment (PEA) suggests that the Alpala copper-gold-silver deposit has the potential to support a large-scale, low-cost underground Block Cave mining operation and associated processing and project infrastructure facilities, capable of sustaining commercial production over a mine life in excess of 55 years depending on the production scenario finally adopted. Additional information and preparatory work required for subsequent study stages include geotechnical drilling and testing, sterilisation drilling in areas currently identified for the location of infrastructure and project facilities, more advanced metallurgical testwork, additional environmental and community baseline surveys, infrastructure and logistics trade-off studies and others, much of which is currently in progress. Based on the findings from this PEA study It is recommended that given the strong fundamentals the Cascabel Project - Alpala Deposit progresses to Pre-feasibility study stage. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. Qualified Person: Technical and scientific information in this report has been reviewed by Mr Jason Ward ((CP) B.Sc. Geol.), the Chief Geologist of the Company. Mr Ward is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, holds the designation FAusIMM (CP), and has in excess of 20 years' experience in mineral exploration and is a Qualified Person for the purposes of the relevant LSE and TSX Rules. Mr Ward consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it appears. By order of the Board Karl Schlobohm Company Secretary CONTACTS Nicholas Mather SolGold Plc (Chief Executive Officer) nmather@solgold.com.au Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0665 +61 (0) 417 880 448 Karl Schlobohm SolGold Plc (Company Secretary) kschlobohm@solgold.com.au Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0661 Anna Legge SolGold Plc (Corporate Communications) alegge@solgold.com.au Tel: +44 (0) 20 3823 2131 Gordon Poole / Nick Hennis Camarco (Financial PR / IR) solgold@camarco.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 3757 4997 Andrew Chubb / Ingo Hofmaier Hannam & Partners (Joint Broker and Financial Advisor) solgold@hannam.partners Tel: +44 (0) 20 7907 8500 Ross Allister / David McKeown Peel Hunt (Joint Broker and Financial Advisor) solgold@peelhunt.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7418 8900 James Kofman / Darren Wallace Cormark Securities Inc. (Financial Advisor) dwallace@cormark.com Tel: +1 416 943 6411 Follow us on twitter @SolGold_plc CAUTIONARYNOTICE News releases, presentations and public commentary made by SolGold plc (the "Company") and its Officers may contain certain statements and expressions of belief, expectation or opinion which are forward looking statements, and which relate, inter alia, to interpretations of exploration results to date and the Company's proposed strategy, plans and objectives or to the expectations or intentions of the Company's Directors. Such forward-looking and interpretative statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the control of the Company that could cause the actual performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from such interpretations and forward-looking statements. Accordingly, the reader should not rely on any interpretations or forward-looking statements; and save as required by the exchange rules of the TSX and LSE or by applicable laws, the Company does not accept any obligation to disseminate any updates or revisions to such interpretations or forward-looking statements. The Company may reinterpret results to date as the status of its assets and projects changes with time expenditure, metals prices and other affecting circumstances. This release may contain "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forwardlooking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans for developing its properties. Generally, forwardlooking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forwardlooking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forwardlooking information, including but not limited to: transaction risks; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages and other risks of the mining industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forwardlooking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company and its officers do not endorse, or reject or otherwise comment on the conclusions, interpretations or views expressed in press articles or third-party analysis, and where possible aims to circulate all available material on its website. The Company recognises that the term "World Class" is subjective and for the purpose of the Company's projects the Company considers the drilling results at the growing Alpala Porphyry Copper Gold Deposit at its Cascabel Project to represent intersections of a "World Class" deposit. The Company considers that "World Class" deposits are rare, very large, long life, low cost, and are responsible for approximately half of total global metals production. "World Class" deposits are generally accepted as deposits of a size and quality that create multiple expansion opportunities, and have or are likely to demonstrate robust economics that ensure development irrespective of position within the global commodity cycles, or whether or not the deposit has been fully drilled out, or a feasibility study completed. Standards drawn from industry experts (1) Singer and Menzie, 2010; (2) Schodde, 2006; (3) Schodde and Hronsky, 2006; (4) Singer, 1995; (5) Laznicka, 2010) have characterised "World Class" deposits at prevailing commodity prices. The relevant criteria for "World Class" deposits, adjusted to current long run commodity prices, are considered to be those holding or likely to hold more than 5 million tonnes of copper and/or more than 6 million ounces of gold with a modelled net present value of greater than USD 1 Billion. The Company and its external consultants prepared an initial mineral resource estimate at the Cascabel Project in December 2017. Results are summarised inTable B attached. The Mineral Resource Estimate was completed from 53,616m of drilling, approximately 84% of 63,500m metres drilled as of mid-December 2017, the cut-off date for the maiden resource calculation. There remains strong potential for further growth from more recent drilling results, and continue rapid growth of the deposit. Any development or mining potential for the project remains speculative. Drill hole intercepts have been updated to reflect current commodity prices, using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.63, determined using an updated copper price of USD3.00/pound and an updated gold price of USD1300/ounce. True widths of down hole intersections are estimated to be approximately 25-70%. On the basis of the drilling results to date and the results of the Alpala Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, the reference to the Cascabel Project as "World Class" (or "Tier 1") is considered to be appropriate. Examples of global copper and gold discoveries since 2006 that are generally considered to be "World Class" are summarised in TableA. References cited in the text: 1. Singer, D.A. and Menzie, W.D., 2010. Quantitative Mineral Resource Assessments: An Integrated Approach. Oxford University Press Inc. 2. Schodde, R., 2006. What do we mean by a world class deposit? And why are they special. Presentation. AMEC Conference, Perth. 3. Schodde, R and Hronsky, J.M.A, 2006. The Role of World-Class Mines in Wealth Creation.Special Publications of the Society of Economic Geologists Volume 12. 4. Singer, D.A., 1995, World-class base and precious metal deposits-a quantitative analysis: Economic Geology, v. 90, no.1, p. 88-104. 5. Laznicka, P., 2010. Giant Metallic Deposits: Future Sources of Industrial Metal, Second Edition. Springer-Verlag Heidelberg. Deposit Name Discovery Year Major Metals Country Current Status Mining Style Inventory LA COLOSA 2006 Au, Cu Colombia Feasibility - New Project Open Pit 1 469Mt @ 0.95g/t Au; 14.3Moz Au LOS SULFATOS 2007 Cu, Mo Chile Advanced Exploration Underground 2 1.2Bt @1.46% Cu & 0.02% Mo; 17.5Mt Cu BRUCEJACK 2008 Au Canada Development/Construction Open Pit 3 15.6Mt @ 16.1 g/t Au; 8.1Moz Au KAMOA-KAKULA 2008 Cu, Co, Zn Congo (DRC) Feasibility - New Project Open Pit & Underground 4 1.3Bt @ 2.72% Cu; 36.5 Mt Cu GOLPU 2009 Cu, Au PNG Feasibility - New Project Underground 5 820Mt @ 1.0% Cu, 0.70g/t Au; 8.2Mt Cu, 18.5Moz Au COTE 2010 Au, Cu Canada Feasibility Study Open Pit 6 289Mt @ 0.90 g/t Au; 8.4Moz Au HAIYU 2011 Au China Development/Construction Underground 7 15Moz Au RED HILL-GOLD RUSH 2011 Au United States Feasibility Study Open Pit & Underground 8 47.6Mt @ 4.56 g/t Au; 7.0Moz Au XILING 2016 Au China Advanced Exploration Underground 9 383Mt @ 4.52g/t Au; 55.7Moz Au Source: after MinEx Consulting, May 2017 1 Source: http://www.miningtechnology.com/projects/lacolosa 2 Source: http://www.angloamerican.com/media/pressreleases/2009 3 Source: http://www.pretivm.com/projects/brucejack/overview/ 4 Source: https://www.ivanhoemines.com/projects/kamoakakulaproject/ 5 Source: http://www.newcrest.com.au/media/resource_reserves/2016/December_2016_Resources_and_Reserves_Statement.pdf 6 Source: http://www.canadianminingjournal.com/news/goldiamgoldfilescoteprojectpea/ 7 Source: http://www.zhaojin.com.cn/upload/20150531/580601981.pdf 8 Source: https://mrdata.usgs.gov/sedau/showsedau.php?rec_id=103 9 Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/201703/29/content_28719822.htm Table A: Tier 1 global copper and gold discoveries since 2006. This table does not purport to be exhaustive exclusive or definitive. Grade Category Resource Category Tonnage (Mt) Grade Contained Metal Cu (%) Au (g/t) CuEq (%) Cu (Mt) Au (Moz) CuEq (Mt) Total >0.2% CuEq Indicated 2,050 0.41 0.29 0.60 8.4 19.4 12.2 Inferred 900 0.27 0.13 0.35 2.5 3.8 3.2 Table B: Alpala Mineral Resource Estimate updated effective 16 November 2018. Notes: Mr. Martin Pittuck, MSc, CEng, MIMMM, is responsible for this Mineral Resource estimate and is an "independent qualified person" as such term is defined in NI 43-101. The Mineral Resource is reported using a cut-off grade of 0.3% copper equivalent calculated using [copper grade (%)] + [gold grade (g/t) x 0.6] based on a copper price of US$2.8/lb and gold price of US$1,160/oz. The Mineral Resource is considered to have reasonable potential for eventual economic extraction by underground mass mining such as block caving. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The statement uses the terminology, definitions and guidelines given in the CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014). The MRE is reported on 100 percent basis. Values given in the table have been rounded, apparent calculation errors resulting from this are not considered to be material. The effective date for the Mineral Resource statement is 16 November 2018. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: SolGold Plc View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545928/SolGold-PLC-Announces-SolGold-Announces-Positive-PEA-Study-Results View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545928/SolGold-PLC-Announces-SolGold-Announces-Positive-PEA-Study-Results SpaceX is the No. 1 rocket company by revenue, with $2 billion last year, Jefferies estimates Jefferies broke out the estimated 2018 revenues for eight "heavy launch" companies in a report on Sunday. SpaceX logged $2 billion in launch revenue last year, the report said, more than any other rocket company. Jefferies said SpaceX, as a relatively new entrant, has helped introduce "a level of price competition, which is a positive for launch market customers." SpaceX has hurtled to the top of the launch industry over the past decade, last year bringing in more revenue than any other rocket company, according to Jefferies on Sunday. "While SpaceX is newer to the market, their lower price point has allowed them to outpace peers in estimated annual launch revenues," Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu wrote in a note to investors, in a "deep dive" report. Jefferies broke out the estimated 2018 revenues for eight "heavy launch" companies, which compete in the most expensive part of the rocket market. The massive rockets, standing as tall as skyscrapers, cost anywhere between $62 million to $350 million. Jefferies charted last year's launch revenues for SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (also known as "ULA," a joint venture of Boeing BA and Lockheed Martin LMT ), Northrop Grumman NOC , Europe's Arianespace, Russia's Khrunichev, India's ISRO and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Jefferies also included Blue Origin as a competitor, although its New Glenn rocket is not expected to launch before 2021. SpaceX logged $2 billion in launch revenue last year, the report said. In total, Jefferies estimated these companies' rockets brought in about $8 billion in revenue in 2018. Jefferies said SpaceX, as a relatively new entrant, has helped introduce "a level of price competition, which is a positive for launch market customers." These rockets largely cater to "a government market," where ULA and the internationally-backed companies have previously dominated. Story continues SpaceX is also the front-runner, in Jefferies' view, for lucrative Air Force contracts expected in 2020. Under the military's National Security Space Launch program, officials will name two companies to launch five years of government satellites. SpaceX, ULA, Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin are all competing for the contracts. The money means the winners will "also have a leg up in developing a new launch system that could have applications for commercial uses," Jefferies said. With 25 launches up for grabs, the Air Force has said one company will win 15 missions, while another will win the remaining 10. "The biggest strength for SpaceX likely lies in its price and track record," Jefferies said. "Given the current launch cadence, their business case is likely to be strongest given the ability for overhead absorption." More From CNBC (Bloomberg) -- T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp. jumped as Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said hell recommend his agency approve the companies $26.5 billion merger, turning attention to whether the deal also will win a needed clearance from antitrust regulators. Approval from the Justice Department antitrust division seems likely since it never has diverged from the FCC on a merger, said Paul Gallant, a Washington-based analyst for Cowen & Co. Its now almost assured the deal will win FCC approval, Gallant said in a note. The deal announced last year to combine the third- and fourth-largest U.S. wireless service providers needs approval from both authorities to succeed. The companies told the FCC they would sell Sprints Boost prepaid brand, build an advanced 5G network over three years, and pledge not to raise prices while the network is being constructed. Sprint shares surged 24% to $7.66 after rising as much as 28% while T-Mobile rose 6% to $79.67 at 11:48 a.m. Two of the FCCs top priorities are closing the digital divide in rural America and advancing United States leadership in 5G, the next generation of wireless connectivity, Pai said in a statement Monday. The commitments made today by T-Mobile and Sprint would substantially advance each of these critical objectives. The deal needs votes from at least three commissioners on the five-member FCC, where Pai leads the Republican majority. He said he would prepare an order in coming weeks. Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr offered support, saying Americans across the country will see more competition and an accelerated buildout of fast, 5G services in an emailed statement. Republican Commissioner Michael ORielly didnt immediately issue a statement. Jessica Rosenworcel, the agencys senior Democrat, in a tweet said she has serious doubts about further consolidation in the wireless industry. The deal stoked concerns of reduced competition in the wireless industry because the number of major players would fall from four to three. Story continues The Justice Departments antitrust division, which is also examining the deal, hasnt indicated whether the concessions will be enough to pass muster. The department declined to comment. State attorneys general are also investigating. Selling off part of the prepaid business -- where wireless customers pay as they go rather than taking out subscriptions -- might help soothe concerns raised by the state attorneys general. They fear that a consolidated, three-carrier market would harm low-income customers by curbing choices and raising prices. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last week that the companies were considering the separation and potential sale of the prepaid business. Under the newly agreed plan, the companies would spin off Sprints Boost brand while keeping their Virgin Mobile and T-Mobiles Metro labels. The three together make up the largest segment of the U.S. pay-as-you-go market, with about 42% share. These services are popular among people with little or no access to credit. FCC staff had frank discussions with the companies, which listened to agency concerns, one senior official said in a conference call with reporters. The official emphasized the potential to spread fast 5G networks, and price guarantees offered by the providers. The senior FCC official declined to discuss the status of the deal before antitrust regulators at the Justice Department. These concessions and Pais announcement is based on a lot of behind the scenes work to get this deal done, Kevin Roe, an analyst with Roe Equity Research LLC, said in an telephone interview. The FCC Chairman wouldnt stick his neck out if he wasnt confident that his antitrust counterpart wasnt onboard. T-Mobile Chief Executive John Legere in a tweet said Pais support was a very important step and that I couldnt be more optimistic. Larger rivals Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. also rose on the indication that further industry consolidation might be well received. Verizon was up as much as 4.2%, and AT&T gained as much as 4%. Going the other way were makers of cellphone towers, who face the loss of a big customer. American Tower Corp. fell as much as 1.9%, Crown Castle International Corp. lost as much as 3.2% and SBA Communications Corp. was down as much as 4.5%. Deutsche Telekom AG shares rose as much as 1.2% in Frankfurt on Monday. Shares of SoftBank Group Corp., which owns Sprint, rose 0.4% as of 4:20 p.m. in Tokyo. Among the commitments the company made is to build a 5G network that covers 97% of the U.S. population within three years, including 85% of rural areas, according to a letter the companies sent to the FCC. Within six years, the network is to cover 99% of the nation and at least 90% of rural areas. The company also said it will offer in-home broadband service priced significantly below incumbent provider prices. If regulators find that the company missed its commitments, the companies agreed to pay penalties ranging from $10 million to $250 million, according to the filing. A Boost Mobile founder, Peter Adderton, whose business was acquired by Sprint when it merged with Nextel Communications in 2006, has urged regulators to have the newly merged company sell one of the brands to preserve competition. He said last year he would like to bid for the divested brand. The companies have said their wireless in-home broadband service will better serve rural customers. They will deliver 100+ Mbps speeds for wireless broadband to 90% of the population and in-home service to over half the countrys households by 2024. Legere last month disputed a report that regulators told the companies that the deal, as structured, would be opposed. Since then, Legere and Sprint Chairman Marcelo Claure have visited officials in Washington pitching the deal. They argue the new company could provide competition to cable companies with in-home broadband, as well as beat Verizon and AT&T in developing a nationwide 5G network. For T-Mobile owner Deutsche Telekom, the takeover would add scale to the German carriers fastest-growing unit, giving it more clout to challenge AT&T and Verizon. Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges has argued that T-Mobile would still be well positioned if the deal is rejected. We view this as a significant positive for the prospects of the deal, Wells Fargo analyst Jennifer Fritzsche wrote in a research note Monday. While the state attorneys generals could still object to the deal, the divestiture of Boost Mobile should help with any AG objection, as the concentration of New T-Mobiles combined prepaid business was a major hot-button issue for them, Fritzsche wrote. (Updates with Justice Department approval prospects in second paragraph.) --With assistance from Nabila Ahmed and Liana Baker. To contact the reporters on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net;Scott Moritz in New York at smoritz6@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Elizabeth Fournier at efournier5@bloomberg.net, ;Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Sara Forden, Elizabeth Wasserman For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Mayor Bill de Blasio wrapped up his first road trip as an official presidential candidate on Sundaya 3,000 mile whirlwind with eight campaign stops in Iowa and South Carolina. Along the way, he field-tested his stump speech, ramped up his attacks on President Trump and even showed off a new campaign casual wardrobe. For the newest entrant among two dozen Democratic candidates seeking the 2020 nomination, de Blasio spent most of his time in small settings listening to voters and benefiting from the built-in media coverage that comes with being the mayor of Americas largest city. It was very patient, it was very grassroots, de Blasio said at the end of the weekend. Lot of listening to people, lot of connecting on their issues, finding new friends a supporters and building consistently. That's how I've done it before and I believe that works. He made no major gaffes, but the trip also highlighted the challenges his nascent campaign faces if hes to move from underdog status to contender. Listen to Brigid Bergin discuss Mayor de Blasio's campaign swings in Iowa and South Carolina on WNYC: De Blasio kicked things off traveling straight to the heartland. He zig-zagged across Iowa, touring an ethanol plant and bio-refinery in the middle of a vast field of farmland, before finding a welcome audience at the home of George and Patti Naylor, organic farmers who are both active in the sustainable agriculture movement. The setting looked tailor-made for the mayor, with a book about Nicaragua on the couples coffee table, along with a mug from Zabars they picked up on a recent trip to the city. The Naylors supported Senator Bernie Sanders in 2016 and introduced him at recent rally this cyclebut theyre still shopping for a candidate and using their first caucus state advantage to bring visibility to agriculture policy. Heres a little of that conversation Please note the Zabars mug in the corner pic.twitter.com/yJ6WjjJn4o Brigid Bergin (@brigidbergin) May 17, 2019 Farmers at the meeting gave the mayor high marks for trying to learn the issues facing rural America. I thought that he was very engaged in what we had to say, that he asked a lot of good questions, that he listened well, which is important for a city boy, said Barbara Kalbach, who farms corn and soybeans in Adair County with her husband on 600 acreshalf the size of what they used have when they still raised cattle, hogs and sheep. They scaled back, she said, because they couldnt afford to compete with corporate farms three times their size. The mayors central theme, focused on how the government can do more to lift the burdens on working people, resonated with the farmers struggling to hold on their land in Iowa as much as it did with residents trying to hold on to their homes in South Carolina. We cant afford to live, said Aysa Marshall, who was part of meeting with the mayor about affordable housing. Shes a resident of Apple Valley, a neighborhood of largely low income tenants in Columbia, S.C. But his evolving campaign style, including aggressively calling out Trump as a bully and flipping the script by giving him a nickname, garnered mixed results on the trail. A group of roughly 20 local Democrats at a dinner in Sioux City, IA greeted the mayors Con Don label for the president with enough laughter and applause that de Blasios skeleton campaign staff made posters and offered people a chance to snap a photo with the mayor holding one. While in South Carolina, people repeatedly urged de Blasio to drop the Trumpian tactic. At a meeting with the Black Caucus of the Richland County Democrats, one woman raised her hand to offer the mayor some unsolicited advice. Beverly Frierson speaking to Mayor de Blasio in South Carolina on Saturday. (Brigid Bergin / WNYC) I know you cant be afraid to take it to him, said Beverly Frierson, referring to Trump, but I dont respect the tit for tat and I dont want our [political] system this time to become a sideshow, she added. Joyce Dickerson, a Richland County Councilwoman, also urged the mayor to cut the name-calling and focus on the issues that matter to her constituents. When they can't stay in their homes, their water billsthese are the kind of things that are important to the voters. At his final stop in South Carolina at an historic African American church on Sunday, he never once used his Con Don line. The first hurdle for the campaign comes up quickly. The first Democratic debate is set for two nights on June 26th and 27th in Miami, FL and only 10 of the 23 Democrats running for president will make the stage each night. The Democratic National Committee created two sets of criteria for candidates to qualify: either a candidate needed to poll 1 percent or more in three qualifying polls or raise money from at least 65,000 supporters across 20 states. Candidates must submit their strongest poll numbers and fundraising details to the DNC by June 13. While its not clear if de Blasio would clear both hurdles (some polls show him with 1 percent, but his campaign has not released any fundraising numbers), the mayor brushed off any suggestion that his campaign was getting a late start. The first voting doesn't happen until February. We've got to go through the rest of the spring. Then the whole summer, then the whole fall, then the whole winter. And then people are voting, de Blasio said. You have to see it in the perspective of real people. Brigid Bergin is the City Hall and politics reporter for WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @brigidbergin. WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to instruct former White House counsel Don McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena by failing to show up on Tuesday to testify before a U.S. House panel investigating whether Trump illegally obstructed the Russia probe, the New York Times reported on Monday. The Times cited an unnamed person briefed on the matter. McGahn figures prominently in the part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe that examined whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation into whether his 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia. (Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by David Alexander) By David Lawder and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Worries that the United States and China were digging in for a longer, costlier trade war weighed on financial markets on Monday as Beijing accused Washington of harbouring "extravagant expectations" for a deal to end their dispute. Investors added up the costs of higher tariffs on Chinese and U.S. goods as well as the effects of severe U.S. restrictions on China's Huawei Technologies for the U.S. technology sector, sharply driving down shares of suppliers Qualcomm, Micron Technology and Broadcom Inc. Apple Inc shares fell 3.3 percent, hurt by a warning from HSBC that higher tariffs on Chinese goods would force the tech company to raise prices, with "dire consequences" on demand for its products. Morgan Stanley analysts warned that a collapse of the trade talks and a lasting breakdown with higher tariffs on all U.S.-China trade would push the global economy towards recession. In a note to clients, they said such a scenario would prompt the U.S. Federal Reserve to slash interest rates back to zero by the spring of 2020, but lags in policy transmission "would mean that we might not be able to avert the tightening of financial conditions and a full-blown recession." SOURED TONE Negotiations between the United States and China have soured dramatically since early May, when Chinese officials sought major changes to the text of a proposed deal that the Trump administration says had been largely agreed. A subsequent round of talks ended with no movement as U.S. President Donald Trump increased tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened to impose duties on all remaining Chinese goods sold in the United States. China imposed a retaliatory tariff increase and the Trump administration followed up on Thursday by adding telecom equipment giant Huawei to a trade blacklist that restricts its ability to purchase American components and software and do business with other U.S. companies. No new talks have been scheduled, and a sterner tone from Beijing suggested that negotiations were unlikely to resume soon and raised questions about a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month at a G20 Summit in Japan. Story continues WHAT AGREEMENT? In an interview with Fox News Channel recorded last week and aired on Sunday night, Trump said the United States and China "had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said 'that's OK, we're going to tariff their products.'" U.S. officials had previously said that China had given ground on some core "structural" issues, including U.S. demands for improving intellectual property protections, ending forced technology transfers and increased access to China's markets. Curbing state subsidies has proven a more difficult issue. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang denied on Monday that China had agreed to anything. "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about. Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to," he told a daily news briefing. The reason the last round of China-U.S. talks did not reach an agreement is because the United States tried "to achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure", Lu said. "From the start this wouldn't work." HUAWEI CUT OFF The U.S. restrictions on Huawei began to bite hard on Monday. Alphabet Inc's Google suspended business requiring the transfer of hardware, software and technical services to premier Chinese technology firm, except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday. Shares in European chipmakers Infineon Technologies, AMS and STMicroelectronics fell sharply on Monday amid worries the Huawei suppliers may suspend shipments to the Chinese firm. The official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial that the U.S. government had "revealed all its ugliness" in the restrictions on Huawei. "It seems as if the U.S. takes it for granted that it has the absolute say over everything in its dealings with the rest of the world, which has to take whatever the U.S. dishes out no matter how arbitrary and despotic that is," China Daily said. "But China will not take it and neither will Huawei." Adding to U.S.-China tensions, the U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, the latest in a series of "freedom of navigation operations" to anger Beijing. (Reporting by David Lawder and Ben Blanchard; Writing by Tony Munroe; Editing by Robert Birsel, Mark Heinrich and Susan Thomas) (Recasts to include Trump warning to Iran, paragraphs 1-3) * U.S. suspects Shi'ite militias of rocket attack, unclear on Iran's role * U.S. trying to establish which militia may have fired rocket * Iran increases the rate of production of low enriched uranium By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would be met with "great force" if it attacked U.S. interests in the Middle East, and government sources said Washington strongly suspects Shi'ite militias with ties to Tehran were behind a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone. "I think Iran would be making a very big mistake if they did anything," Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Monday evening for an event in Pennsylvania. "If they do something, it will be met with great force but we have no indication that they will." His comments came as two U.S. government sources said the United States strongly suspects Shi'ite militias with ties to, and possibly encouragement from, Iran fired a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. The sources, who are familiar with U.S. national security assessments and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States was still trying to establish which militia fired the Katyusha rocket on Sunday and the extent, if any, of Iranian involvement. The rocket fell in the Green Zone which houses government buildings and embassies and caused no casualties, the latest in a series of regional attacks the United States believes may have been inspired by Iran. Iran has rejected allegations of its possible involvement in attacks last week and Iran's Iraqi allies rushed to condemn Sunday's rocket blast. The attacks include what Saudi Arabia described as armed drone attacks on two oil pumping stations within the kingdom on May 14 and the sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on May 12. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for attacking the pumping stations. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the attack. Tensions between Washington and its Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab allies on one side and Tehran and its Shi'ite Muslim proxies on the other have been flaring for weeks. Story continues European and U.S. government sources believe Shi'ite militias based in Yemen or Iraq carried out the attacks in Saudi Arabia and near the UAE, likely with Iran's encouragement. The two U.S. sources said they are still trying to establish whether the rocket attack, if inspired or directed by Iran, was designed to send a specific signal to the United States. The incidents all took place after Trump decided to try to cut off Iran's oil exports, roughly a year after he withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers. Trump's decision to abandon the deal that restricted Iran's potential pathway to developing a nuclear bomb in return for relief from economic sanctions angered Tehran, which accuses Washington of breaking its word. Iran denies ever having a nuclear weapons program. LOW-GRADE URANIUM ENRICHMENT In what may be a sign of Iranian displeasure, an Iranian news service reported on a fourfold increase in Iran's rate of production of low-grade uranium enrichment. Quoting an official at the Natanz enrichment plant, the semi-official Tasnim news service said Iran was accelerating the rate of production at which it refines uranium to 3.67% fissile purity, suitable for civilian nuclear power generation. Two weeks ago, after Trump sought to block all Iranian oil exports, Iran said it would relax some of its commitments under the accord it struck with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Under the deal, negotiated by the administration of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Iran was allowed to stockpile up to 300 kg of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and ship any excess out of the country for storage or sale. Iran said this month that cap no longer applied in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the deal. It was not clear how far Iran's LEU stock was from the 300-kg limit. Under the deal Iran can enrich uranium at 3.67%, well below the 90% purity required to make bombs and the 20% level to which Iran enriched before the deal. Former U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, speaking to BBC World News television, played down the uranium announcement, saying "I don't know that it's necessary to go into the panic mode yet." Clapper stressed, as have some other analysts and diplomats, the danger of an accidental escalation, particularly when opposing forces are close to one another. Both U.S. and Iranian vessels patrol in the Strait of Hormuz. "The thing I would be concerned about is some inadvertent incident that could go incendiary," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had warned Iraqi leaders during a surprise visit two weeks ago to Baghdad that if they failed to rein in Iran-backed militias, which are expanding their power in Iraq and form part of its security apparatus, the United States would respond with force. A U.S. State Department official noted on Sunday that there had been no claim of responsibility for the rocket attack, and that no U.S.-inhabited facility was affected, but said "we will hold Iran responsible" if such attacks were carried out by proxy militia forces. On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran in a tweet, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" he tweeted. Critics accused Trump of sending mixed signals. Last week three U.S. officials told Reuters that Trump had told his top advisers he does not want war with Iran. Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Trump "bluffs about going after Iran" and said the consequences of being drawn into a war would be "tragic." Iran's U.N. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi warned U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter made public on Monday that "if unchecked, the current situation might sooner or later go beyond the perimeter of control and thereby lead to another unnecessary regional crisis." (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle and David Brunnstrom in Washington; John Davison, Ahmed Rasheed, and Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad, Raya Jalabi in Erbil and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Arshad Mohammed and David Alexander; editing by Grant McCool and Phil Berlowitz) A helicopter that crashed last week into the Hudson River took off from a controversial heliport that Hudson River Park advocates have been trying for more than two decades to shut down for safety and environmental reasons. New York City has three commercial heliports, all in Manhattan. But unlike the heliports at Wall Street and East 34th Street, the one at West 30th Street is located within the boundaries of a public park Hudson River Park and which operates in close proximity to a heavily used bike and pedestrian path along the river. No one was seriously hurt during last Wednesdays accident, which saw a pilot escape with minor injuries. But the accident has raised safety concerns about helicopters and their increasing use by tourists as well as Hamptons-bound New Yorkers, who pay as much as $795 each way for a ride that takes less than an hour, according to the New York Times. In the case of the West 30th Street heliport, the helicopters land and take off roughly 20 feet from a well-traveled greenway pedestrian and bike path. The heliport is also the only one that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It appears to be the second busiest of the three facilities in New York City, recording 12,000 flights last year, all of which were corporate, according to a Wall Street Journal story last November. Weve just narrowly averted disaster, said Adrian Benepe, the former city parks commissioner who served under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Its terrible public policy. Benepe is a member of Stop the Chop, a group that calls for banning all commercial flights over the city. In March 2018, a helicopter crash in the East River killed all five passengers, with only the pilot able to escape. The helicopter was owned by Liberty Helicopters, which ran "doors-off" sightseeing tours. Such flights have since been banned. Along with safety hazards, helicopters are notorious polluters. Each helicopter produces 950 pounds of carbon dioxide per hour, according to Stop the Chop. By comparison, the average car produces 22 pounds per hour. Its a horrible act of hypocrisy for the de Blasio administration, he said. The supposedly most environmental city is subsiding the most polluting industry. A City Hall spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. West Side residents and park advocates have over the years tried unsuccessfully to remove the heliport, citing the noise generated by the aircrafts as well as the toxic fumes. In 2007, Friends of Hudson River Trust, a fundraising arm for Hudson River Park, sued Hudson River Trust and the heliports operators to remove the facility on the grounds that its presence violated the state act that created the park in 1998. In 2008, the two sides reached a settlement that guaranteed that the heliport would be relocated or closed by 2010, with an ultimate deadline of 2014. However, in 2013, the state passed a bill that enabled the heliport to stay in place in perpetuity. The West 30th Street heliport is currently operated by Air Pegasus. On Monday, after Gothamist asked to speak to someone about longstanding issues regarding the heliport, a representative on the other end hung up the phone. In 2017, Air Pegasus was ordered to pay $250,000 to the Hudson River Park Trust for violating a ban on tourist flights. Over the years, the Hudson River Trust has been reported to be working with Air Pegasus to relocate the helipad. One of the options floated under the 2013 state amendment was moving it to a barge 1,000 feet off the parks shore. The Trust's board of directors consists of 13 members. Five are appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, five by Governor Andrew Cuomo and three by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. The board has long been chaired by Diana Taylor, a former state aide and the longtime companion of former mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is known to be an ardent fan and pilot of helicopters. A representative for the Hudson River Trust declined to comment. One longtime resident of Chelsea, who asked not to be identified for privacy reasons, said he has unsuccessfully tried to get in touch with the Trust to speak about the matter. A 65-year-old bike commuter, he said he passes the heliport regularly and recently shot a video to show how close the helicopters are to cyclists and pedestrians. What they are doing is crop dusting the Hudson River and park, he told Gothamist, referring the helicopter exhaust circulated by the aircrafts blades. He said he also routinely sees black SUVs idling as they await passengers. Benepe urged the city and state to take swift action, something he said they could easily do at all of the heliport locations. The more and more you have these flights, I guarantee that something will go wrong," he said. "Theres nothing in the public interest in having these helicopter flights. UPDATE: The original version of this story misstated the age of the Chelsea resident who spoke to Gothamist. (Adds Chinese ministry comment) By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw China unveil new retaliatory tariffs in response to a U.S. decision to raise its levies on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25% from 10%. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. "Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the ship had entered waters near the shoal without China's permission, and the Chinese navy had warned it to leave. "I must stress once again that the U.S. warship's relevant actions have violated China's sovereignty and undermined the peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas. China is firmly opposed to this," Lu told a daily news briefing. The United States was trying to disturb regional peace and stability by using the issue of freedom of navigation and flight, he added. "We strongly urge the United States to immediately stop such provocative actions so as not to undermine Sino-U.S. relations and regional peace and stability." CONSTRUCTION It was the second such U.S. military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the U.S. Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. Story continues The U.S. military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defence and says the United States is responsible for ratcheting up tension by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Last month, China's navy chief said freedom of navigation should not be used to infringe upon the rights of other nations. (Reporting by Idrees Ali Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel) TOKYO, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will visit Japan on May 24 to meet with Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to accelerate trade talks ahead of a summit meeting scheduled a few days later, two sources with direct knowledge of the plan said on Monday. After a late-April meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump had said it was possible for the two countries to reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in late May. On Friday, Trump angered foreign automakers including Toyota Motor Corp by declaring that some imported vehicles and parts posed a national security threat, while delaying a decision for as long as six months on whether to impose tariffs to allow more time for trade talks with the European Union and Japan. (Reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto Writing by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Chris Gallagher) (f) Disclosure to Committees of Congress (1) Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation House of Representatives , the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate , or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, theshall furnish such committee with any Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure. The power of the Congress to conduct investigations is inherent in the legislative process. That power is broad. It encompasses inquiries concerning the administration of existing laws as well as proposed or possibly needed statutes. It includes surveys of defects in our social, economic or political system for the purpose of enabling the Congress to remedy them. It comprehends probes into departments of the Federal Government to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste. except that any or which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such otherwise consents in writing to such "...legitimate legislative purpose..."Those are the words that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin used once again in his letter of May 17, 2019 in response to a House subpoena for copies of the tax returns of the #LiarInChief. In that letter, Secretary Mnuchin cites Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code.There are two problems with citing that section of the IRC. One is that the words legitimate and legislative do not appear anywhere in its text. The second problem is this portion of that code section:The bolding in that excerpt is mine. The word shall does not leave room for interpretation.Now if the only job of the Congress was to pass legislation, this requirement for a legitimate legislative purpose might make sense. But that isn't its only job. One of its jobs is to investigate. That power of the Congress has been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1957, then Chief Justice Warren wrote the following in an opinion:Conservatives had no problem with spending millions on investigating the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi.The longer that Mr. Trump refuses to open his tax returns to examination, the more we must wonder just what secrets are inside of those documents.As to the specious statement that the privacy of Mr. Trump is at risk, a repeat of a portion of the excerpt from that IRC Code section seems appropriate:That is sufficient protection of the privacy of the information, while allowing the investigation to move forward. A Brooklyn grandmother says NYPD officers stole her late husband's ashes during a no-knock raid last year, then falsely arrested multiple family members, including the widow herself, after mistakenly concluding the remains were heroin. Those charges were tossed over a year ago, but the police department still isn't saying what happened to the ashes. According to a federal lawsuit filed earlier this month, roughly a dozen police officersone of whom has a lengthy history of alleged misconductraided 65-year-old Lucia Santiago's Bushwick home last February. With guns drawn, the officers roused Santiago from her bed, then cuffed her, as well as her two sons and 17-year-old grandchild, who was playing video games. After allegedly demanding to know where the "guns and drugs" were, the cops proceeded to ransack the apartment"breaking furniture, kitchen cabinets, bed springs, among other things," per the complaint. While the officers did not locate guns or drugs, the suit states, they did find an "urn and vials containing the ashes of the late Miguel Santiago." The cremated ashes of the patriarch, who died three years ago, had been placed in capsules so that his loved ones could wear them in a necklace and keep him close to their hearts, according to the family. Ms. Santiago says that even as she explained this to the officers, they insisted the remains were evidence that her son was selling heroin. The capsules were confiscated, and the family hasn't seen them since. "It's like desecrating the grave of a loved one," attorney Phillip Akakwam, who is representing the family, told Gothamist. "It can be very emotional. Ms. Santiago starts crying whenever she talks about." Compounding the frustration, officers also allegedly stole $1,600 in rent money from the widow; cops in New York City routinely seize cash they find during an arrest, as part of a controversial practice known as "civil forfeiture." Additionally, Santiago's son Nelson, an insulin-dependent diabetic, was suspended from his job at the Department of Education as a result of the arrest. He lost his health care pending the outcome of the case, and ended up pleading guilty to disorderly conduct because of "pressure to restore his job and health benefits," per the complaint. Each of the charges against the other family members were promptly dismissed by a judge. But more than a year after the initial raid, the family says the city and the NYPD are stonewalling about what happened to the stolen remains. In an interview with the Post, Nelson Santiago said cops initially told them "evidence they don't use is discarded," but has yet to confirm whether the ashes were trashed. The attorney for the family added that they were "disappointed and frustrated by not being able to get back the ashes, or at least have some definitive answer from the police, or whoever it is that has custody of them." A spokesperson for the NYPD told Gothamist that the officers executed a legal search warrant on the home and that the family may file for a release of non-contraband evidence that has been vouchered. The family says they have attempted to do this multiple times without success. The police spokesperson did not respond to follow up inquiries about the status of the ashes, or if they intend on returning Ms. Santiago's rent. The family is seeking unspecified damages from the city of New York, alleging a host of civil rights violations, and accusing the NYPD of a pattern of racist searches that baselessly regard the homes of minorities as "drug and gun-infested." The suit names Detective Allan Ward, as well as fifteen unnamed officers who allegedly participated in the raid. According to a Legal Aid Society database of police misconduct lawsuits, Ward has a history of bringing false drug charges against Brooklyn residents, and has been the subject of at least four lawsuits. The city has settled two of those suits at taxpayer cost of $365,000. Leaked internal records show that Ward was found guilty in 2014 of crashing a police department vehicle while intoxicated, then interfering with an official investigation into the incident. He was docked 10 vacation days as a result of the incident. Last year, Ward received a salary of $94,080, with an additional $43,987 collected in overtime and other pay. A spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio declined to comment on either the specific officer or the case at large, and referred us to the NYPD. If you write a book in Manx Gaelic, a Celtic language thought dead until recently, you can use Amazon's self-publishing service to get your book to the estimated 1,800 people who can read and speak Manx, most of them on the Isle of Man. If you write in Persian, on the other hand, a language spoken by more than 100 million people around the world, you can't get onto any e-readers through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Thanks in part to Amazon's decision to merge its Kindle Direct and CreateSpace services last year -- but by some accounts also due to fear of U.S. financial sanctions aimed at punishing Tehran's behavior and its weapons programs -- Amazon's self-publishing services don't currently support Persian, also known as Farsi. The resulting exclusion catches Iranians around the world in the crossfire of a diplomatic dispute, say critics trying to get Persian onto Kindle, and misses a chance to encourage free speech at the same time. Amazon, the world's largest book retailer, allows authors to publish books through Kindle Direct, which boasts "hundreds of thousands of authors" since its launch in 2007, making books accessible within a few days to tens of millions of potential buyers and readers worldwide. A representative for Amazon, which had a market capitalization of around $921 billion on May 15, told RFE/RL via e-mail in response to a question about its Persian policy, "We are actively reviewing author and reader feedback to evaluate which features and services we offer in the future, including expanding KDP's supported languages." For Freedom? Persian is thought to have around 110 million speakers worldwide, including in Iran, Tajikistan, and much of Afghanistan. Its alphabet is a modified form of Arabic script. Amazon lists 40 languages for Kindle books and content and removes content in languages that are not supported. Until about a year ago, people could publish their own Persian-language texts, as a paperback or e-book, through an on-demand service owned by Amazon called CreateSpace. But Amazon merged CreateSpace with Kindle Direct in 2018. An online petition launched in Canada and signed by more than 14,000 people calls on Amazon to once again support Persian. It cites Persian culture and literature's place as "one of the greatest throughout history." Its organizer, Ottawa-based Iranian poet and translator Mahyar Mazloumi, also argues that establishing Kindle Direct in Persian would be a "huge step to fight censorship and promote freedom of speech." He tells RFE/RL he's planning to publish poems on Kindle Direct to evade Iran's tough censors, whose written and unwritten rules are a major hurdle for authors and translators. Iran's Culture Ministry regularly vets books and translations of foreign books before their publication and allows itself considerable discretion. Censors routinely ban books that are deemed immoral, anti-Islamic, or harmful to national security. In some instances, books have been banned weeks or months after their publication. Tiny passages -- a sentence or a paragraph -- are often censored. And the words "Israel," "alcohol," and "dance" are frequently cut. Poet Fatemeh Ekhtesari told RFE/RL in 2016 that in order to get her first book of poetry published, she used dots for words and sentences she thought would not get past Iranian authorities. Petition organizer Mazloumi says that "some of the books published in Iran are so heavily censored that they're not worth reading." "I didn't want a single word to be touched [by censors]," he says. "Those outside the country who want to publish their books independently and escape the censors' razor can't do it [on Amazon] because Persian is not available." Evading The Censors Mazloumi has posted poems that touch on erotic, social, and political themes, including the arrest of labor rights activist Esmail Bakhshi, via the cloud-based messaging app Telegram, which is said to remain popular among Iranians despite a decision by the authorities to block it in 2018. He has also published a selection of English-language poetry on Amazon. The Internet has become a crucial platform for Iranian writers who have little chance of being published inside the country. Some have posted digital books independently, while others have used the services of publishers based outside the country. Millions of Iranians access banned sites and applications through so-called virtual private networks (VPNs) or other antifiltering tools. Malta-based Afghan writer and publisher Aziz Hakimi says his and other publishing houses also sell books that have been written and published outside the countries where Persian is an official language. Hakimi, the founder and editor of online literary magazine Nebesht.com and Nebesht publishing, suggests that Amazon might be concerned that revenues from books sold online could end up in Iran, which could be a violation of recently reinvigorated U.S. financial sanctions. "This could be an issue for Amazon," he says. As part of its high-profile efforts to challenge Tehran over its missile program, its use of armed fighters and other alleged proxies in the region, its rights record, and its disputed nuclear program, the United States has recently doubled down on its punishments for international transactions with banks and other entities in Iran. Asked by RFE/RL about the refusal to offer self-publishing in Persian, the Amazon representative did not mention sanctions. "Amazon has to find a way so that all Persian speakers, even those who are not based in Iran, do not become victims of sanctions," Hakimi says. He also suggests that the U.S. administration make an exception for cultural products, like books, when it comes to sanctions. Despite sanctions, Kindles are sold in Iran, where their pros and cons are debated in online forums. It is unclear how Kindle owners inside the country download books onto their device. Millions of ethnic Iranians and Afghans live abroad, where they can easily purchase books from Amazon's online store. Hakimi says he believes that due to its popularity, Kindle could revolutionize book readership among Persian speakers by making books in Persian easily accessible to a vast audience. "We have to be ready for the future," he says. "We already publish books that can't be published inside the country due to censorship." Several writers, including British author Salman Rushdie, who was forced into hiding following a death sentence proclaimed by Iranian revolutionary and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, have agreed to let Nebesht make electronic versions of their books available to readers inside Iran for free. Acclaimed Iranian writer Moniro Ravanipour, a supporter of the campaign for Kindle Direct to support Persian, tells RFE/RL she previously published several of her books through CreateSpace. "It was the only way for us. I would publish my books without censorship and I had readers," Ravanipour, who has faced state censorship in Iran, says. "As a matter of fact, I would celebrate with every book that was published. It made me feel that the Islamic republic [of Iran] has not defeated me." LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- Lawmakers and locals in a southern Afghan province say the illegal mining of gold and other precious minerals has dramatically increased in Taliban-controlled regions close to the border with Pakistan. Attaullah Afghan, head of the provincial council in Helmand, says the exploitation of existing mines and the excavation of new mines have accelerated to unprecedented levels in the restive region. He told Radio Free Afghanistan that the mining of gold, marble, lithium, and rare-earth minerals in Helmands southern districts of Deshu and Khanishin has increased dramatically. He says the Taliban have complete control over the two districts, which border Pakistan. Anyone can take as many raw materials from these regions as they wish, he said, adding that neither the government nor local civilians have any role in the excavation or transport of raw materials from the remote region. Nobody has even bothered to stop this exploitation. Tribal leader Najibullah Baloch was the former district governor of Khanishin, and he knows the inner workings of the expanding illegal trade. He says that, once excavated, the raw materials are smuggled into neighboring Pakistan, where they are processed. He says the people involved in the mining, excavating, and trade clearly know how to utilize the services of Pakistani experts in choosing the right stones and soil. The Taliban are taxing each truck about 80,000 rupees ($550). They are also handing out contracts for the excavation and exploitation of existing mines, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. Baloch estimates the Talban are racking up millions of dollars from mining in Helmand. He says the Taliban are now allowing the excavation of gold in Deshu, which is near the Siandik and Rico Diq copper and gold mines in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan Province, which borders Helmand. The Taliban, however, say they are not allowing anyone to exploit Helmands natural resources. We have not allowed any Pakistanis to exploit or smuggle the marble and gold mines in Helmand, purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said in a message sent to Radio Free Afghanistan. Some 200 kilometers away in Lashkar Gah, Helmands provincial capital, Governor Mohammad Yaseen is waiting for Kabul to approve his plans to protect Helmands mines. We have given them [the central government] three options. If they approve any of those, we will be able to protect these mines, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. Afghan, the head of Helmands provincial council, however, says Helmands residents are responsible for protecting their natural resources. This our national wealth, and every Afghan is responsible for protecting it, he said, alluding to the possibility of mobilizing local communities. Helmand, the size of Switzerland, is Afghanistans largest province. Since 2014, the Taliban have captured large swathes of the region. They currently control or contest 12 of Helmands 14 districts. The fertile agricultural region is the leading global producer of illicit opium, which is also processed into heroin. The insurgents benefit from the trade, and Helmand has also provided the Taliban with a steady stream of recruits. Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Mohammad Ilyas Dayee's reporting from Lashkar Gah, Helmand. 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. This video footage shows a black SUV driven by suspects who broke into Mr. Rooter Plumbing, 1508 Dustry Dr., on May 8. Owners Charles and Dee Hall are asking for the public's help in identifying the people who stole a safe that included checks, credit cards, and titles and registrations to the company vehicles. An Air Force special operations pilot denies charges that he raped a woman and a young girl and is eager to clear his name at trial, his attorney said Monday at a military court proceeding. Allegations against Maj. Travis J. Burns grew out of an extremely vicious custody battle and are without merit, said his attorney, Benjamin Beliles. Hes never been in trouble with the law his entire life, Beliles said, saying the charges had tarnished Burns sterling military career. Burns, who is based at the Air Force Academy, is charged with offenses that could lead to a lengthy sentence in a military prison. He remains on normal duty, his attorney said, barred from contacting either accuser. He is assigned to Cadet Squadron 23 at the academy, serving as chief of plans and programs, military records show. A girl under the age of 12 told authorities he abused her repeatedly in 2017 and 2018 in Colorado Springs. A woman said she was raped in December 2013 near Clovis, N.M. Their names are being withheld by The Gazette to protect their privacy. A hearings officer will review the evidence and recommend whether prosecutors have established enough proof for a court-martial. The officer could also recommend that charges be dismissed or addressed through disciplinary action. The decision on whether to try Burns ultimately falls the academys superintendent, Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria. During a brief Article 32 hearing Monday, military prosecutors entered numerous items of evidence, including investigative reports and a recorded phone call between Burns and the stepfather of a girl who accused him of sexual abuse. None of those materials were made public, however, and no testimony was heard. During arguments in court, a military prosecutor said both victims provided consistent accounts of crimes against them, and that investigators found an item the girl said was used in the abuse. Its clear that this offense was committed, said prosecutor John Ippolito. Beliles said the accusations of child sex assault were previously investigated by Colorado Springs police, who he said found no probable cause for arrest. A police representative couldnt immediately be reached to discuss the case. Burns attorney said the allegations originated with a custody battle waged partly in Texas with Burns ex-wife. Beliles claimed the woman lodged a rape allegation only after learning that police wouldnt take action in alleged crimes against the girl. 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: Theres always a backstory. Thats one thing Ive learned from a lifetime in journalism. Whenever something significant or unusual happens, there are usually larger forces at work. Its a journalists job to ferret out these forces and illuminate the backstories behind the headlines. The backstory is usually where the ultimate truth resides. Take Oprah Winfreys commencement speech Sunday at Colorado College, which caps an interesting, challenging year for the small, overachieving institution in our midst, and a fascinating backstory that the whole town can benefit from. Her speech is one of many cairns in a ongoing effort by CC to become a more inclusive school, and, perhaps, a beacon of inclusivity in our community. Hers follows speeches by several other prominent African Americans at the school this year, including Ta-Nehisi Coates, the author and activist who won the National Book Award for Between the World and Me and who also writes storylines for Black Panther and Captain America comic books. His visit came on the heels of a talk by Shaun King, writer and civil rights activist and a driving force behind Black Lives Matters, and before that Ron Stallworth, the former Colorado Springs police officer and author of the book that inspired Spike Lees Oscar-winning movie, BlacKkKlansman. The string of speeches is no accident. Oprah, Coates, King and Stallworth all came to the campus during a very deliberate anti-racism, pro-inclusivity campaign that was launched by the school last fall. The initiative came in response to racist emails that were sent out to the student body boasting of the superiority of whites and the economies of majority-white countries. The pain and damage resulting from last years anonymous anti-black, racist, trans-antagonistic email made it very clear that we have a lot of work to do to be the community that we aspire to be, President Jill Tiefenthaler told faculty, alumni and students. She didnt mince words. An important step to becoming an anti-racist campus is acknowledging that racism exists right here. We cant address racism if we dont talk about it. We cant be an equitable and inclusive community if we arent honest that we are not there yet, and that making progress is an active and ongoing process of engagement. CC brought in consultants, launched a study and added professors to help diversify the curriculum. The Class of 2019 even adopted as its motto a statement uttered by Black Panther Party activist Angela Davis: You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time. Of course its one thing to invite speakers like Oprah, hire inclusivity experts, do special classes. Its another thing to daily make people of different backgrounds and stories feel comfortable in our schools and city. Some CC students complained to me that the schools anti-racism efforts are all very structural and academic, and that on the ground, minority students still feel pretty isolated. But I give credit this year to CC for starting more conversations about race, for widening our horizons. The specifics of what these speakers have to say I think we can all take to heart, even in a privileged, elite place like CC (full disclosure: Im an alum). At the very least, such visits prod us to think outside our boxes. "When we have an event at CC, people sometimes think of it in terms of a venue -- but it's more than that," said Steven Hayward, chair of the English Department and director of the school's Journalism Institute. "It's the institution itself and what the college stands for, and stands behind. We bring to Colorado Springs visitors who are part of the national conversation in order to foster a community-wide anti-racist conversation." When King was here in February, I had a chance to sit down with him for an hour, talking about journalism, race, polarization, and his effort to revive Frederick Douglass seminal newspaper, The North Star. The conversation made me wish for more such conversations, and beyond that, more such friendships. One of his best observations, I thought, was that its easy to ignore or misunderstand people on two levels when youre not in relationship with them, and with the way stories are told, if you dont know their names or their humanity. Those of us from different cultures and different viewpoints, we need to know each other better. We need to have more face-to-face conversations. Its not enough, King told me, just to sit back and say were not racist or were post-racist, we have to be actively inclusive, have to actively intersect and become friends with people outside our own insular cultures. Colorado is a complex place, King bluntly told his audience at the college. Clearly its not perfect, this campus is not perfect. But there are brilliant beautiful things going on on this campus. Some brilliant beautiful things going on in Colorado. But there is some equally problematic things going on here as well. And I think thats indicative of our country. With our divisiveness and the rise of hate speech and hate crimes, King believes were at a dip in the development of human moral behavior and it will require concentrated action to get out of it. Were at a problematic point in the life of our country. Its not a partisan statement. Its not even a political statement. We confuse the steady improvement of technology with the steady improvement of humans. So how do we get past this divisive moment to someplace better? How does CC do this better, how does Colorado Springs, with its often monotone culture, do this better? Change is hard but it comes best out of relationships, King believes in his gut. The people Ive gotten the best work done with are people that have become my friends. Im talking about real friends. King, who has a million Twitter followers, tells a funny story about a high school orientation he went to in New York. He heard people 5 feet from him whispering, theres @shaunking. They still see me as my social media handle even in person, said King. It was an awakening moment. Social media has changed the way we see and think about each other. And some of what is ailing us in the age of social media is we have redefined friendships to a heart emoji on your Instagram page. He reminded me of one of Martin Luther King Jr.s best quotes: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. My life has changed when I have had friends who are deeply different than me. For the first 34 years of my life, most of my friends were black and heterosexual. I started feeling like I was not honestly living that quote out. By and large, King said that, like most of us, he primarily fought for people in his small little circle. But then, because of that King quote, he purposefully started developing meaningful friendships outside his circle. Im Christian, but over the past six years, some of deepest friendships have been developed with devout Muslims so when the Muslim ban was announced, I took it personally. Why? Because it affected friends. When you have friendships with people who are not like you it will cause you to have a deeper sensitivity to their pain and their issues. Most of the time we are ignorant to our own privilege, were Kings parting words. Some of us have a whole toolbox full of privilege. Some of us only have a little screwdriver. Whatever tool you have, use it to empower the people who dont have it. Its our job and our duty to constantly say, How am I using the privilege that I have to bring other people along, put people in front of me, to give other people access. And keep on doing it, he urged. A little more justice anywhere improves justice everywhere. Noah Finkelstein is a professor of physics and a Presidential Teaching Scholar at the University of Colorado. He is also involved in various state and national STEM education initiatives. 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. A police officer assigned to a Queens precinct is accused of plotting to kill two peopleher estranged husband and her current boyfriend's teen daughteraccording to federal prosecutors. Valerie Cincinelli, 34, is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. According to the federal complaint, she suggested that a hitman "run" the teen "the fuck over, how about that." The teen's father, and Cincinelli's boyfriend, John DiRubba, apparentlycontacted the FBI about the plot. "My heart is destroyed," DiRubba told the Daily News. "You think youre in love with someone, but its not what you think. You try so hard to overlook things, but you cant." He also said, "I cant even think straight now. I cant come to terms that a mother of two, a police officer... wanted to harm my daughter." Cincinelli apparently did not like how the girl was getting in the way of her relationship with Dirubba, while Cincinelli was in the middle of divorce proceedings with her husband, Isaiah Carvalho (the pair have a son together). The federal complaint outlines how DiRubbareferred to as a cooperating source [CS]told Cincinelli that he knew a hitman who could carry out the murders for $7,000: "Cincinelli made a cash withdrawal of $7,000 from a TD Bank branch in Wantagh, New York and bank records confirm the cash withdrawal. Cincinelli gave $7,000 in cash to the CS to give to the hitman. The CS informed Cincinelli that the CS would convert the $7,000 cash to gold coins and pay the hitman in gold coins. Records obtained from a coin dealership in Massapequa Park, New York confirm that, later that same day, the CS purchased five ounces of gold coins for $6,935." From the complaint: When the CS expressed concern over the murders of John Doe and Jane Doe happening over the same weekends, Cincinelli told the CS to have the hitman kill Jane Doe over the weekend and then wait a week or month to kill John Doe. Cincinelli also told the CS that the CS should not worry because John Doe would be murdered in one location and Jane Doe would be murdered in a separate location. Cincinelli stated that Jane Doe as in New Jersey during the week and in New York on the weekends. During the conversation, Cincinelli, using a cellular telephone, checked Jane Does social media to find out where Jane Doe was located. Cincinelli further stated that, if questioned about the murders, she would have nothing to worry about because she would be at home at the time of the murders. Cincinelli also questioned the CS why the CS could not carry out the murders him/herself. Cincinelli also allegedly claimed that Carvalho's murder, which was planned near his place of work in Holtsville, New York, "would not look suspicious because the murder would take place in 'the hood' or the ghetto... Cincinelli stated that John Doe sells fireworks and that it could look like he was killed over the money John Doe had on his person as a result of selling or fireworks." Last Friday, May 17th, Suffolk County police, at the direction of the FBI, told Cincinelli that Carvalho had been killed, and DiRubba showed her a photograph, purportedly a text from the hitman, of Carvalho's dead body. Cincinelli then allegedly told DiRubba they needed to scrubs texts and photos from their phones. Cincinelli, a 12-year NYPD veteran who worked at the 106th Precinct, has been suspended from the NYPD without pay. The NY Times reports, "A police official, requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive internal investigation, confirmed that the departments Internal Affairs Bureau assisted the F.B.I., but said the department was not contacted until the last stages of the case." Carvalho's divorce lawyer said, "Hes doing OK. Hes obviously shaken up but hes doing OK, all things considered." The Post points out that Black Star News had reported about Cincinelli's 2018 threats against DiRubba: "Cincinelli was accused of calling DiRubba on the phone in violation of an order of protection from Queens Family Court, and was arrested for second degree aggravated harassment and criminal contempt in the first degree, the outlet reported at the time." She allegedly said to him, "You ruined my life. Youll see what happens to you. You better keep your mouth shut. I hope your daughter dies." Cincinelli's father told the Post that he thinks DiRubba made the whole story up: "He just about put the words in her mouth and recorded what he wanted when he wanted... I think it will all end up boiling out in the water and coming clean. The guy is a psycho, hes a nut." Two Mason City residents were honored on Monday for their long-term commitment to the community. At the Mason City Noon Rotary Club meeting, Jay Hansen was given the General Service Above Self Award, and Bob Berggren received the Service Above Self for Government Employees Award. Hansen began his professional career as an outreach social worker. He was appointed as the executive director of what was to become Prairie Ridge in 1977, where he served until he retired in late 2018. The agency has been recognized as one of the pre-eminent behavioral healthcare facilities in Iowa. Hansen was nominated by John Lander who wrote, "As a mentor, Jay walks among his troop. Mentoring those around him Jay created an environment wherein each employee begins to understand their part in the bigger picture. Jay creates an environment where the employees thrive because each is doing work that matters." Berggren is Mason City's street and parks superintendent, and has worked for the city nearly his entire career. He has served on the North Iowa Band Festival Committee and received the Klempnauer Award that recognizes a behind-the-scenes worker who contributes to the event's success. In his work for the city, he has partnered with the DNR to train his staff on maintenance of trees in the city's right-of-ways. He works with all ages of students and service clubs on city beautification projects. In 2014, he received the "Outstanding Professional" award by the Iowa Urban Tree Council. "He approaches all these tasks with a sense of service ... and fun, which is a contagious and effective means of getting things done," wrote Robin Anderson, who nominated him. "Our community has certainly benefited from his presence and participation." Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 We are writing to urge you to oppose the recent proposal from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce the protection of the six protected classes of drugs administered under Medicare Part D. Every patient is unique which requires individualized approaches to treatment. It is vital that we protect the access to these treatments for Medicare patients with the most complex conditions to provide them with the greatest opportunities to improve their health and heal. Part D currently provides patient safeguards that allow them to utilize all options on the marketplace to receive the right individualized treatment. Any proposal to reduce the availability of medications would impose pre-authorization and step therapy to the already complicated and challenging health care regimen. These patients should be focusing their time and energy on fighting their already difficult disease on their road to recovery, not figuring out how they can survive through a new system with restrictive access to critical treatments. Furthermore, this type of proposal is a government overreach in personal health care decisions. This is a type of rationing policy that threatens to limit access to drugs on the marketplace leads down the road of a government-run health care system. As conservatives, we not only advocate to protect the life of the unborn, but also for the care of our seniors and those facing the most difficult health conditions. Fighting for the life of our seniors means ensuring they have access to the best quality health care possible. Denise Bubeck, Christian activist; Ginny Caligiuri; Naomi Corrie, Pottawattamie County Republican executive member; Caitlyn Dixson, executive director, Iowa Right to Life; Tom and Barbara Hovland; Gloria Mazza, president, Iowa Federation of Republican Women; Sue Martinek; Kathy Pearson, small business owner; Marlys Pompa, GOP consultant and pro-life advocate; Stephen Scheffler, president, Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition Republican National Committeeman for Iowa Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Iran Threat Debate Is Set Off by Images of Missiles at Sea Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the United States Embassy in Baghdad earlier this year. The order for a partial evacuation of the embassy adds to the rising tensions between the United States and Iran. By Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt, Nicholas Fandos and Edward Wong Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the United States Embassy in Baghdad earlier this year. The order for a partial evacuation of the embassy adds to the rising tensions between the United States and Iran.CreditCreditAndrew Caballero-Reynolds/Agence France-Presse Getty Images WASHINGTON The intelligence that caused the White House to escalate its warnings about a threat from Iran came from photographs of missiles on small boats in the Persian Gulf that were put on board by Iranian paramilitary forces, three American officials said. Overhead imagery showed fully assembled missiles, stoking fears that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps would fire them at United States naval ships. Additional pieces of intelligence picked up threats against commercial shipping and potential attacks by Arab militias with Iran ties on American troops in Iraq. But just how alarmed the Trump administration should be over the new intelligence is a subject of fierce debate among the White House, the Pentagon, the C.I.A. and Americas allies. The photographs presented a different kind of threat than previously seen from Iran, said the three officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about it publicly. Taken with the other intelligence, the photographs could indicate that Iran is preparing to attack United States forces. That is the view of John R. Bolton, President Trumps hard-line national security adviser, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But other officials including Europeans, Iraqis, members of both parties in Congress and some senior officials within the Trump administration said Irans moves might mostly be defensive against what Tehran believes are provocative acts by Washington. Either way, the questions about the underlying intelligence, and complaints by lawmakers that they had not been briefed on it, reflect a deep mistrust of Mr. Trumps national security team. Working off the new intelligence, the State Department on Wednesday ordered a partial evacuation of the United States Embassy in Baghdad and a consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan, a move that one senior American official said was an overreaction to the intelligence and could possibly do more to endanger diplomats than to keep them safe. Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, in a closed-door meeting of House Democrats, criticized the administrations lack of transparency on the intelligence, according to a Democratic aide. Ms. Pelosi also said that the administration must consult Congress before taking any action. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer both raised concerns over the lack of transparency from the Trump administration about the new threats from Iran.CreditErin Schaff/The New York Times Ms. Pelosi spoke hours after the evacuation of embassy personnel was ordered by Mr. Pompeo, who as a congressman was one of the fiercest critics of the Obama administrations handling of the 2012 attacks on the American diplomatic mission and annex in Benghazi, Libya. But the senior American official said Mr. Pompeo was overreacting, and Iraqi officials said the threat level portrayed in the intelligence was not urgent enough. Intelligence officials are set to meet on Thursday with senior congressional leaders for a briefing on the new intelligence about Iran. Nine American national security and congressional officials discussed the intelligence and the closed-door talks about it on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about them publicly. Until recently, American government officials had said that Iran was continuing its usual support to Arab militias in the region, but was not seeking a fight. That shifted with the new intelligence on May 3, changing the Pentagons assessment of the immediacy of the threat. Reacting to that information, the militarys Central Command asked that an aircraft carrier and bombers be sent to the Persian Gulf, rebuilding a show of deterrent force that some officials believed had been eroded by recent troop drawdowns. On May 5, the White House sent Mr. Bolton to announce that the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln would sail to the gulf sooner than expected. Choosing Mr. Bolton, who is a longtime advocate of regime change in Iran, to deliver that message fueled skepticism among allies and congressional Democrats. As military officials struggled to show that the threat from Iran was growing, intelligence officials declassified a photograph of one of the small boats, called dhows, carrying what was described as a functional Iranian missile. The Pentagon has not released the photograph. On its own, two American officials said, the photograph was not compelling enough to convince the American public and lawmakers, or foreign allies, of the new Iranian threat. But releasing other supporting images could compromise secret sources and methods of collecting intelligence, the officials said. Mohammad Bagheri, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran last month in Tehran.CreditAbedin Taherkenareh/EPA, via Shutterstock The other photographs, which remain classified, show the Revolutionary Guards loading missiles onto the boats at several Iranian ports, the two American officials said. It is believed the boats are under the Revolutionary Guardss control. CNN first reported that Iranian missiles were being moved onto ships last week. But new details have emerged in recent days, and American officials have concluded that Iran did not intend to transfer the weapons to a foreign militia. Combined with other intelligence, the photographs signaled a troubling Iranian mobilization of forces that officials said put American ships, bases and commercial vessels at risk. Adding to that concern, the United States recently learned of conversations between the Revolutionary Guards and foreign militias discussing attacks on American troops and diplomats in Iraq. The conversations themselves are nothing new, but the recent discussions were held with unusual frequency and included specifics about strikes on American targets. American officials said they have also collected intelligence about Iran targeting commercial shipping, prompting a warning to mariners issued last Friday. That was one of the reasons that led American officials to suspect Iran was behind this weeks sabotage of four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The officials said they do not have conclusive forensic analysis that shows Iran was to blame. It was a humbling experience for Conor Coutts when he was chosen by his fellow Carroll College graduates to speak at graduation last Saturday. The Enumclaw, Washington, native had 14 members of his family in town to watch him receive his degree in political science with minors in philosophy and theology. His speech was finalized with a mix of wisdom, encouragement and personal trials and triumph. And he would start his day in one of his favorite places: as an alter server at baccalaureate mass at the Cathedral of St. Helena. But during the homily, Coutts began to feel ill and the words started failing to make sense. He exited to the hall, sat on a stool and put his head between his legs. His memory fades at that point, as he collapsed on the floor and started convulsing. It was probably a seizure the paramedics came quickly and I dont remember a lot of that, he said a few days later. That mustve been just a few hours before I was supposed to give my speech. Coutts words to the Carroll community were meant to cap off a trying semester on a positive note. Earlier in the year while in Washington with the Talking Saints debate team, he suffered a brain abscess and underwent two brain surgeries in Seattle. That experience, and especially the support of Carroll professor Brent Northup, who stayed with him for a week in the hospital, was one of the cornerstones of his speech. It was very recent and very personal, and this was really a semester defined by medical events, he said. It also really summed up the service and love that Carroll exemplifies, especially with Brent being there with me. When asked what brought him to Carroll, Coutts replied, "the Holy Spirit." He initially wanted to pursue nursing at a small, Catholic liberal arts college, and a personal call from a professor convinced him his path was in Helena. His strong interest in political science dates back to his elementary school days and memorizing every member of the Senate in fourth grade. His passion for politics and especially Montana politics spurred his degree choice, which included work at the Montana Legislature through the Montana Catholic Conference. Seizures are not uncommon following brain surgery, Coutts learned, but doctors hope his first will be his last. With graduation approaching, stress levels naturally ran high, and his sleep could have been better, he added. It sounds like this is an isolated thing and I dont expect to have another seizure, he said Wednesday. Im on antiseizure medication and doing fine now. Following the seizure, Coutts was taken to the hospital for tests and recovery. With the graduation slated for midafternoon, he still hoped to deliver the speech. Id been trying to memorize it for the last few days. I said maybe I could read it, he said. I thought, Im here, Im alive, even if it was a little rocky in my mind. I was wanting to read it and not let it hinder me. Coutts describes himself as a bit of a nonmedical interventionist when undergoing surgeries in Seattle he asked when he could leave but acknowledges he was probably in rougher shape than he realized on Saturday. Finally, following medical advice, he asked Northup to read his speech for him. Northup told the graduation crowd that Coutts instructions were to not change a word, and to carry the message of thanks to his class for choosing him. I am honored, Northup said, and then described Coutts as a man of faith who not only talks the talk but walks the walk of his convictions. The choice to hand over the speech was a difficult one, Northup said, but he joked that Coutts also needed to save up strength for his graduation party. Northup followed the instructions and read Coutts words, describing the highs and lows of the college experience along with the achievement of graduating. The suffering we experienced at Carroll made us better people because they ended in the accomplishment of something, and prepare us for the much tougher and intense opportunities in the future where we will have to sacrifice greater and love more deeply, he wrote. When Coutts was discharged from the hospital later that evening, Northup said in an interview he was able to track down a cap and gown for photos. By the next day, Coutts was busy again, even attending Sunday mass. It was a really nice time and we had a lot of people here, Coutts said. Since then, he has been approached or received calls from a number of people praising the speech and wishing him well on recovery. Coutts plans to stay in Helena for the time being and take a teaching job at St. Andrew School. What Im going to miss at Carroll is the community, the routine of being with friends and working diligently in school, he said. College life in a way is challenging but also has its conveniences and Ive really become accustomed to professors as friends. Coutts says he wants to teach for a year or two before pursuing more schooling. Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin Love 13 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 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 state program that would have offered professional workers grants and tax breaks to settle in rural Montana didnt pass muster at the state Legislature this year. However, the bills sponsor, Rep. Joel Krautter, says hell take another run at the idea dubbed the Catch and Keep Act in 2021. And, as Montana leaders and lawmakers look at ways to help rural communities draw in skilled workers, it isnt the only incentive program in play. Lawmakers, for example, did fund a program geared toward addressing rural teacher shortages by offering educators help to pay off student loans when they take jobs in small districts. In health care, the Montana University System has had a loan repayment program for rural Montana doctors since the early 1990s. The recruiting challenge for small-town employers is that they often cant compete with the wages and benefits offered in cities. Rural positions can also be a tough sell for 20-something college graduates where the obvious career path leads to urban areas with a more vibrant nightlife and more job options. The key, said former Lt. Gov. Angela McLean, is figuring out how to get young professionals to take that bite at the apple to encourage them to try out rural living so they can experience the community intimacy that makes it special. Small-town Montana has opportunities and it has I think a great deal of magnificence about it, said McLean, now the chair of the states Rural Educator Recruitment and Retention Task Force. The opportunities are certainly there, but they may be different than they would be in a big district. Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program Montanas Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program aims to tackle one of the hurdles between young teachers and small-town jobs student debt that can make it harder to resist higher urban salaries even if for teachers interested in working in rural areas. Before it was defunded by the 2017 Legislature, the program had 170 participants and provided about $492,300 in annual assistance, according to the state Office of Public Instruction. This years renewal bill, House Bill 211, restored $500,000 in annual funding and tweaked the programs structure. Gov. Steve Bullock signed it into law May 7. As the quality educator program sits now, licensed teachers at schools with recruiting struggles are eligible for state-funded loan repayment aid for three years after their first year teaching $3,000 after their first year, $4,000 after their second and $5,000 after their third. School districts also have the option of drawing on their own budgets to offer $5,000 of assistance for a fourth year. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, who sponsored the renewal bill, said the intent is to not only draw teachers to rural areas but to encourage them to stick around for three or four years. Young people who stay in a small town that long, he said, generally grow roots strong enough to keep them there long term. Its getting that initial step, he said. Theres plenty to do in a rural area, but it requires more relationships. Catch and keep shot down at Legislature Krautter, a first-term Republican from Sidney, describes the catch and keep bills intent in similar terms. The difference, he said, is that Montanas rural areas are hurting for professional skills beyond just teaching and medicine. Lawyers and accountants, for example, provide services necessary for anyone who wants to start or grow a business. If would-be entrepreneurs in Sidney have to drive four hours to Billings to get that help in person, he said, that becomes a major drag on the towns ability to support new businesses. As introduced this session, the catch and keep bill, House Bill 405, would have let county commissions designate high-priority professions for local recruiting efforts, which would let degree-holding workers in those fields qualify for grants and property tax credits. I was trying to build in flexibility, knowing that each county, each community, might have different professional needs, Krautter said. Catch and keep grants would have come to as much as $15,000 for participants with recent graduate degrees who committed to living and working in a participating community for five years. Recent graduates with four-year or vocational degrees would have been eligible for smaller grants and grantees would also have been eligible for as much as $10,000 in property tax credits over five years. The catch and keep bill was killed last month by the Senate Finance and Claims Committee, where lawmakers worried about some implementation details and its projected cost, roughly a half-million dollars per year. Its a good idea, but its not ready for its time, said Sen. Al Olszewski, R-Kalispell before the committees vote. Focus for the future Krautter said he was pleased with how much support there was for the catch and keep idea, which did pass the House with bipartisan support before its demise in the Senate committee. He said he plans to fine-tune the legislation and bring it back for a second attempt in the 2021 session. Until then, McLean said she thinks it makes sense for the states rural recruiting efforts to focus in large part on helping pull talent into public education, since schools are both major employers and social hubs in much of rural Montana. The core of the community is the school, she said. If we can create stability for K-12 schools, we can go a long way toward creating stability as a whole. This story is published by Montana Free Press as part of the Long Streets Project. This work is supported in part by a grant from the Greater Montana Foundation, which encourages communication on issues, trends, and values of importance to Montanans. Reach Lead Reporter Eric Dietrich at eric@longstreetsmt.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest grew by 620 acres following the acquisition of a section of land along the southern Rocky Mountain Front. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation conveyed ownership earlier this week of the Green Mountain National Trails property located about 35 miles east of Lincoln. The section, which was owned by the Ingersoll family, was surrounded on three sides by federal land. Foundation CEO Kyle Weaver described the property as an important and scenic stretch of wildlife habitat, and thanked the Ingersolls for working with them to open the area to hunters and hikers. "This land provides crucial year-round habitat for elk, mule deer, whitetail deer and other species, plus it lies within the Continental Divide Grizzly Bear Recovery Area," said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. "It is also important to hikers since it contains a portion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and is within the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail corridor." A portion of the Continental Divide trail that had run through the property was relocated to public land several years ago. According to the elk foundation, the trail will be returned to its historic route. With its proximity to adjacent national forest, officials will manage it similarly. The property, which partially burned in the 2017 Alice Creek fire, will not have any significant designations other than being part of the grizzly recovery area, said Kathy Bushnell, Forest Service public affairs officer. Purchase price of the property was $837,000, of which $745,000 came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The remainder came from the elk foundation, she said. The fund, which recently saw permanent authorization, uses offshore oil and gas royalties for a variety of land acquisitions with conservation goals. The property opens up public access and also improves access from east of the Continental Divide to about 2,000 acres of additional public lands, according to RMEF. It is dominated by ponderosa pine and features small grass meadows, aspen groves and holds springs that serve as headwaters for Green Creek and the middle fork of the Dearborn River, the elk foundation said in a news release. The Montana Wilderness Association is especially interested in the Continental Divide trail as a wild corridor, said the associations John Gatchell. Its a remote, quiet and lovely area with fantastic views to the north into the Scapegoat Wilderness and onto the prairie, he said. Its not the biggest piece of property but it is extremely valuable, so a big thanks to the generosity of the Ingersoll family and the good work of the Forest Service and RMEF. The propertys proximity to where Lewis and Clark as well as Native Americans crossed the Divide makes it historically significant as well, he said. That area for thousands of years has been a crossroads for hunters. And its a place that you go up to the top of the Continental Divide and pretty much see what Meriwether Lewis saw, Gatchell said. Its a really rich historic site. Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPRINGFIELD After weeks of untimely rain stymied his plans, a window of opportunity finally opened late last week for farmer Marty Marr to resume planting. "We're finally getting things opened up and dry a little bit," Marr said. "We just need some warm temps and sunshine to get better planting conditions to work with." Marr, who farms corn and soybeans in Logan, Morgan and Sangamon counties, is among many farmers in Illinois and across the Midwest who have dealt with soaked-out fields that have made planting difficult to near impossible. Now, Marr and his fellow farmers are in a race against time to get their crops planted as the planting season wanes. "We're going to get close on corn, but I don't think we'll quite get it with the weather that's coming in on us," Marr said, referring to the rain forecast for Sunday. "Hopefully the rain is not as heavy as they forecast and we can get this crop in and move on with the summer." According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent crop progress report, released on May 13, Illinois farmers are far behind where they normally are in the growing season. Just 11 percent of corn has been planted compared to 88 percent last year and only 3 percent of soybeans have been planted versus 61 percent last year. For Illinois farmers already dealing with the consequences of 25 percent tariffs China has placed on soybeans, Mother Nature's lack of cooperation is frustrating. "There's not a lot of optimism out here by farmers today because of the tariffs and the weather challenges that we do face," said Illinois Farm Bureau president Rich Geubert, who farms in Randolph County. In the near term, Illinois farmers are under pressure to get their crops in by the crop insurance final planting date, which is June 5 for corn and June 20 for soybeans. Acres planted in the late planting period that follows will receive 1 percent less coverage each day. And long term, every day that goes by without planting increases the likelihood of a less plentiful crop yield in the fall. Lee Curby, who farms corn and soybeans in the watershed of Lake Springfield, said he's normally "done for about three weeks by now. But it hasn't worked out that way this year so far." Hoping to take advantage of the same window as Marr, Curby was in his second day of planting on Saturday. He said he had started to make some progress on Friday but still hasn't "even scratched the surface of what we have to do yet." Geubert said this past week has been a mixed bag across the state, with farmers near the Mississippi River still dealing with the aftereffects of flooding while some areas have escaped rain for a few days. "Now, you get into the Quincy area and north along the I-80 corridor, (Wednesday) and the day before, corn planters were running," Guebert said. "They had missed the rain that we got over the weekend down here. So there is isolated spots around the state that corn planters and bean planters are running. We'll just have to see how things proceed and if we can miss a couple rains here and there." Yet another factor weighing on the minds of farmers all across the state is the impact of the trade war between the United States and China. With 25 percent tariffs still in place on soybeans, farmers are left feeling the pinch. "The big problem for us right now is that we're sitting on a pretty big surplus of grain from two really good years of crop production," Curby said. "And then we had the tariff war go on. So that's really driven soybean prices down. That's kind of frustrating." And the evidence of tariffs harming farmers is not just anecdotal. Though Illinois' overall exports slightly increased in 2018 to $64.4 billion, agricultural exports saw a more than 24 percent decrease from 2017. Not surprisingly, the largest year-to-year drop in trade between Illinois and one of its major trade partners was with China. In 2018, Illinois exported 34 percent less to China than the previous year, the largest drop of any state. With the state's strategic advantages -- a central location in the United States, a global city in Chicago, a major international airport, direct access to key markets through the Mississippi River and the Port of Chicago, seven Class 1 rail lines and several interstate highways -- giving it more exposure to the international market, farmers here have been hit more so than other places. After all, China accounted for 25 percent of the state's agricultural exports in 2017, including $1.75 billion in soybeans and more than $500 million in corn. "Sangamon County, Illinois was the highest-yield soybean-producing county in the entire nation last year; this county right here," said Sangamon County Farm Bureau executive director Jim Birge. "So we're very good at what we do. But we have to have those markets. We raise considerably more than what we consume here in the United States, therefore, if we're out there feeding the world, we have to get it out to the world. It doesn't feed the world if it sits here." Perhaps an unintended positive consequence to the troubles facing farmers is that the price of corn has seen a resurgence in the past few weeks, closing last week at $3.83 per bushel, nearly 40 cents higher than it had started. This could give farmers who have been holding on to corn from last fall's record crop yields a better price to sell. Still, local farmers are hoping for a little luck with the weather and a breakthrough on trade. "There's no doubt that everyone agrees that some of this needed to be altered a little bit and revisited and retweaked," Marr said. "But it needs to be resolved right away so we don't lose any more market share than we already have." And when it comes to Mother Nature, Marr believes farmers just need a window. "I've always said if we can just get a window, we can get a lot done" in a short period of time, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Boys & Girls Club of Decatur Executive Director Bruce W. Jeffery is leaving to take a position with the Greater YMCA of Louisville, Kentucky. Jeffery said in a statement that his last day with the Boys & Girls Club will be June 28, after of 11 years of service. Jeffery has been the executive director since 2012. During his time with the agency, he helped lead construction of the new teen center, which was financed with a $710,000 donation from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and opened in December. Leading the club has never been about me, but more about serving the youth and providing hope, opportunity, and expectations, he said. Over the years, I have learned so much about helping others, and have always known deep down that we are making a difference in a childs life. Jeffery credited many people and mentors for helping him develop into a leader during his tenure. "Decatur holds a special place in my heart, as I spent my early days as a Millikin student, and now working in the community that I love and care for so dearly," he said. Boys & Girls Club of Decatur celebrates teen center 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. For the past week, reporters and members of the public have been lining up outside One Police Plaza early in the morning, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the administrative trial of NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, whose violent arrest of Eric Garner on Staten Island in 2014 resulted in Garners death and turned Garners last wordsI cant breatheinto a rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement. In the absence of state or federal criminal prosecutions of Pantaleo, this administrative trial represents the closest thing to a public inquest or justice process that Garners family is likely to get. And for an ostensibly open hearing, it has proven to be surprisingly opaque. You've got this weird patchworkweird is the wrong wordan unsettling patchwork, where you get a window into some things, and then some really significant things, no one can see it, said Alvin Bragg, a visiting professor at New York Law School who previously headed the unit of the New York Attorney Generals office charged with investigating officer-involved deaths. It's not good for the public confidence in the administration of justice. It really undermines the faith in the system. While disciplinary trials for other city departments are conducted by the Citys Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, the NYPD tries its cases in-house, on the fourth floor of its fortress-like headquarters. The room in which the trial is conducted seats around 70 onlookers, but NYPD press officials have been curating the audience allowed into the room. NYPD officials, police union bosses, Pantaleos closest supporters, Eric Garners family members, the mothers of other unarmed men killed by NYPD officers, and the occasional VIP (Al Sharpton, City Council President Corey Johnson), are all guaranteed seats. That leaves a handful of seats free for the otherwise unaffiliated public, and room for about a dozen reporters. On several days, reporters seeking to cover the trial have been turned away for lack of space. In New Yorks state and federal judicial courtrooms, when public interest exceeds the capacity of a courtrooms gallery, the courts generally set up an overflow room where the proceedings are simulcast. The NYPD makes no such accommodation. Its a space that they control, and theres no reason that these proceedings have to be there, said Christopher Dunn, a lawyer with the New York Civil Liberties Union who focuses on police issues. Moving the proceedings outside of One Police Plaza would be an important symbolic step as well, Dunn said. Theres already a concern that the process is not an objective process, that its controlled entirely by the police department, and the judge is actually just a puppet. When the court proceedings take place inside the Police Department, that just adds to that perception. An NYPD spokesperson, Sergeant Jessica McRorie, gave us this statement: "NYPD administrative trials are held at One Police Plaza and are open to the public. Seating is limited. Rules governing administrative trials are the Rules of the City of New York, Title 38, Chapter 15. DCPI assists credentialed members of the press in filling those seats available to the press." NYPD Headquarters at One Police Plaza (Katie Sokoler / Gothamist) NYPD Headquarters at One Police Plaza Judicial courts publish transcripts of their proceedings. A court reporter is making a transcript of Pantaleos trial each day, but its kept secret by the Department. (Buzzfeed is currently suing the NYPD for access to transcripts in another administrative trial, but the City is arguing in court the press has no right to them.) The NYPD also bars any audio recording of the proceedings, so only the people selected to be in the room at the time can know for certain what is said. Even those inside the room can only be as certain as their ear and hurried note-taking allows. During pauses in the proceedings last week, reporters often huddled to compare notes, hoping one of their colleagues had caught the snatch of testimony they had failed to transcribe. TV and still cameras arent allowed inside the building, nor is any sort of cell phone documentation allowed. The Departments media minders reminded reporters last week that police headquarters is often visited by witnesses, crime victims, confidential informants and other vulnerable people. Judicial courts too often restrict cameras, but they do generally allow courtroom artists to sketch the proceedings. Not so at the NYPD. Last week a professional courtroom artist, informed that she would not be allowed to sketch inside the courtroom, was reduced to trying to commit the scene to memory, then racing out to her car to try to record what she had witnessed before the memory faded. Such is the opacity of the Pantaleo trial that no public documents even lay out the departmental charges hes facing. Press accounts have reported that he is charged with violating the NYPD Patrol Guide prohibition on chokeholds and the prohibition on intentionally restricting breathing, and the NYPD now confirms these charges. Before the trial began, Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado, who is acting as judge in the case, ruled on a motion by Pantaleos lawyers to dismiss the case. That ruling too was secret, though it gave rise to dueling accounts from the Police Benevolent Association, Pantaleos union, and the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the agency acting as prosecutor in the case, as to what the ruling meant and how, if at all, it would shape the trial to come. Gwen Carr, Eric Garner's mother, outside One Police Plaza during Daniel Pantaleo's administrative trial last week (M Stan Reaves/Shutterstock) The idea that the public and the press should be able to observe governmental proceedingswhether they concern unemployment benefits or the possible presence of reckless killers on our police forceis enshrined in a 1983 ruling of the New York State Court of Appeals. In that case, Herald Company v. Weisenberg, the court noted that All judicial proceedings in this state are presumptively open to the public and the press. This is so because public access to judicial proceedings promotes public participation in government and provides a safeguard for the integrity of the judicial process. The ruling states that it applies with equal force to quasi-judicial proceedings like Pantaleos administrative trial, where the process of government is similarly at work and the integrity of the decision-making process is equally essential to citizen confidence in government. When it comes to matters concerning police, though, this presumption of transparency runs into Section 50-a of New York States Civil Rights law, which dictates that All personnel records used to evaluate performance toward continued employment or promotion, under the control of any police agency or department shall be considered confidential and not subject to inspection or review. The collision of these two legal imperatives has made Pantaleos administrative trial a confusing and frustrating jumble of secrecy and transparency. Originally intended when it was enacted in 1976 to protect police officers serving as witnesses in court from being embarrassed on the stand by minor disciplinary matters, a series of court rulings in the years since has expanded the scope of the law to make a broad swath of police information secret from the public. The result is that we don't have the ability to know whether a police officer has been found to have engaged in misconduct, said Bob Freeman, the executive director of the New York State Committee on Open Government, who has called for the repeal of 50-a. It's ironic that the public employees who have the most power over people's lives are the least accountable. It should be the reverse. Under Mayor Bill de Blasio, the City has adopted an especially restrictive interpretation of what information section 50-a permits the NYPD to disclose. Both de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James ONeill have called for changes to 50-a, but insisted that in the meantime, the law ties their hands. In February, after a commission convened by ONeill found almost a complete lack of transparency and public accountability in the NYPDs disciplinary process, the Commissioner pledged to support efforts to change the law and to institute incremental reforms, including publishing the calendar for departmental trials and ceasing the practice of invoking 50-a to deny public requests for body camera footage. Assembly Member Dan ODonnell and State Senator Jamaal Bailey are sponsoring state legislation to abolish 50-a entirely, and other bills seek to narrow it, but progress on the issue has been slow and some observers wonder if the Mayor and his Commissioner are doing all they can to help. New York Attorney General Tish James, who campaigned calling for the repeal of 50-a, has seemed to tempered that position since being elected. A spokesperson for the Attorney Generals office told Gothamist today that James supports the repeal of 50-a, but did not answer a question about what, if anything, she is doing about it. The Mayor's Office pointed us to de Blasio's testimony at a budget hearing in Albany in February, when mentioned the need for reform to 50-a. Close observers havent been impressed with his follow-through. There has been no evidence in the last several years that the de Blasio administration has put any political capital into repealing 50-a, said Joo-Hyun Kang, the director of Communities United for Police Reform, one of more than 100 organizations calling for the repeal of the law. Dunn of the NYCLU agreed. Its now almost June, and 50-a is still on the books, he said. I have not seen a lot of effort from the cityand it is the Citys responsibilityto push on 50-a reform. At this point it feels like an unfulfilled promise. Pantaleo's trial continues on Tuesday. When the arguments conclude, as they are expected to this week, Deputy Commissioner Maldonado will make a decision about what disciplinary recommendation she makes to Commissioner O'Neill (though the very worst possible outcome for Pantaleo is that he will need to find new employment and that he no longer has a pension). That recommendation will be entirely secret. The Commissioner will then make a final decision on what departmental discipline, if any, Pantaleo should face. That decision too, may well be secret. If Pantaleo leaves the force, the publicly available City payroll will ultimately reflect that fact, but we might not learn it from the NYPD. TAYLORVILLE A 20-year-old Palmer man has pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a child after prosecutors said he injured his 1-month-old daughter by throwing her to the floor multiple times at her mother's home. Darrel H. Sanders appeared in Christian County Court on Friday and entered his negotiated plea, according to court records. A sentencing hearing in his case has been scheduled for July 30. Aggravated battery of a child is a Class X felony in Illinois, and typically carries a six- to 30-year prison sentence. In Sanders' case, the court records show, the state and court agreed to cap his potential sentence at 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Sanders was arrested in February 2018 after medical personnel contacted the Christian County Sheriff's Office about his daughter's severe head injuries. The infant was later transferred to St. Louis Children's Hospital by a critical transport team, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Christian County State's Attorney Mike Havera previously said a medical exam revealed the baby had multiple skull fractures and bleeding on the brain. Sanders initially waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he appeared in court in March 2018. During a hearing last year, Havera said Sanders admitted during a video-recorded interview with law enforcement that he threw the baby to the floor multiple times from Feb. 15 to Feb. 18. 2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review Contact Jaylyn Cook at (217) 421-7980. Follow him on Twitter: @jaylyn_HR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Donnette Beckett "Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter Together Decatur columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois. Follow Donnette Beckett Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today DECATUR Gloria Johnson knows she is blessed and wants to pass on her good fortune. Her desire to help others drew her to accept a job 11 years ago with Community Home Environmental Learning Project Inc., or CHELP, a Decatur agency offering private home care and services. Well, look at me, she said, comparing herself to her clients. Im getting there. Johnson, 60, will be rewarded for her passion and work in the community when she is awarded the 2019 Mary I. Hill Award in the Central Illinois division. Johnson will receive her award during a special luncheon on Thursday, May 23, at the Inn at 835 in Springfield. Other state recipients include three women from the northern region and one from the southern area. The Illinois Association of Community Care Program Homecare Providers established the award 25 years ago in honor of Hill, a past bureau chief, field operations for the Illinois Department of Aging. The association selects Home Care Aides of the Year based on their performance and ability to care for their clients. Really the focus is on going above and beyond what they normally do, said Julie A. Walker, executive director for CHELP. The impact and work they have done, not only on the clients but on the community, is helping people stay safe and in their homes, giving them the most independence for as long as they can. Bob Thieman, IACCPHP executive director, said the home care aides are important to their clients daily care and health. They become so attached to the clients, they are almost like family, he said. It is amazing to see what these folks do. Its our way of saying thank you and to show how much we appreciate them. Opal Rages, 74, and her husband Kenneth, 90, are two of Johnsons nine clients. She visits the couple an average of twice a week. She does everything that needs to be done around here, Opal Rages said. She just automatically knows it. She even takes us to the doctor, Kenneth Rages said. After Opal Rages had a brain tumor removed in 2010, the family contacted CHELP for assistance. She never regained the self she was before the operation, Kenneth Rages said about his wife. He had to feed me and clean me until we got a person like Gloria to help us, Opal Rages said. The Rages said they are happy their home care aide will receive an award. I think it is wonderful, Opal Rages said. They should have gave her an award before now. CHELP provides in-home care, such as household cleaning, errands, personal care and companionship. Walker is aware of the valuable aides the Decatur agency has employed. The home care aides that we have are the most caring and compassionate people. People couldnt be in their homes without their care, she said. Because of state rates and state government, we cant pay what these folks are worth. According to CHELP staff, Johnson is the only home care aide in the area to be given such an award in several years. She has been employed with the agency since 2008. Johnson was nominated for the award by her supervisor Andrea Soria. The submission included descriptions of her work as well as clients stories. Soria said she appreciates all of her employees, but has a special admiration for Johnson. She helps out wherever she can, morning or night, Soria said. When we have nobody, she will even go and help, even on her time off. She dedicates her life to her job. Soria said some clients ask for specifically for Johnson. She doesnt ever say no, Soria said. And she has that right. But she doesnt, because her heart is in it. That aint no lie, Johnson said. Johnsons job before she became a home care aide was working on an assembly line at Agri-Fab in Sullivan. I got tired of driving back and forth, she said. Johnson now has nine clients she visits on a regular basis. Her job consists of cleaning, cooking, running errands, helping her clients get dressed and other daily chores. I try to do the best I can for everybody, she said. I love helping people out. Some of her clients can be demanding, but Johnson is understanding of their conditions and struggles. You do the best, the best way you can, Johnson said. 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. DECATUR Trevor Stout learned to play the trumpet in fifth grade. Twelve years later, he still plays the instrument and graduated from Millikin University on Sunday with a bachelor's degree in music performance. Stout's love for music, specifically jazz, will continue at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he is seeking a master's degree in jazz studies. "You try not to look at college in a negative way, because it's the time where you grew and the time where you really became an adult," said Stout, of Decatur. "I think for me, it was kind of like managing social time, money, all that kind of stuff." Stout was among hundreds of students who walked across the stage to receive their diplomas at the Decatur Civic Center for Millikin Univeristy's 115th commencement ceremony. Lisa Holder-White, appellate justice for the Fourth District Appellate Court, gave the commencement speech Sunday, advising students to serve others in their community, to use their knowledge to help improve the world and to understand with power comes responsibility. "Now is your time," said Holder-White, a Decatur native. "Now is your time to utilize intrinsic, unique qualities of your generation to make the world a better place." Holder-White said graduates will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the nation and world. "Your extensive racial and gender diversity, along with your willing acceptance of others, creates the perfect environment to solve the current climate of divisiveness that threatens to destroy our fundamental core values of human decency and respect," she said. Holder-White encouraged the crowd of recent graduates to give back to their community, as it is "imperative to give back and pay it forward." Breana Bagley, of Decatur, graduated Sunday with a bachelor's degree in communication. In three weeks, she will compete for the title of Miss Illinois. This fall, she plans to attend law school. Bagley said she "did a little bit of everything" while she was studying at Millikin. She always knew she wanted to be a lawyer and has worked at a local law firm since she was 15. But Bagley was unsure of type of law she wanted to practice. "My mother was diagnosed with a chronic illness, and that's when I decided I wanted to do disability law," Bagley said. She'll be doing as Holder-White advised helping people like her mother and giving back. Bagley will continue this path in the fall at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Student speaker Gabrielle Catlin asked the class of 2019, "What legacy are you leaving behind?" Catlin was the first student identifying as female to be a resident assistant in the all-male dorm Aston Hall. She said she wants to be known for caring about the people around her. Many of Catlin's residents were athletes, so she would make it a point to go to at least one of their sporting events. "Today I leave behind a legacy of firsts here at Millikin. Not only the first female resident assistant in Aston Hall, but more importantly as the first person to have shown public care for some of these gentlemen," Catlin said. That is her legacy, "leaving a legacy of love," she said. Holder-White told the students that now is their time. "You, not the buildings on campus, are Millikin," she said. "Take care of her, and make her proud." Editor's note: This story has been edited to reflect that the final quote should be attributed to Lisa Holder-White. Contact Kennedy Nolen at (217) 421-6985. Follow her on Twitter: @KNolenWrites Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD Illinois would enact one of the nation's most comprehensive plans for expunging marijuana-related convictions if a bill pending in the General Assembly and supported by Gov. J.B. Pritzker becomes law. Out of the 10 states that have legalized recreational marijuana, only California has a plan similar to Senate Bill 7 in Illinois to streamline the scrubbing of records for large numbers of marijuana convictions, according to Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project. Illinois would go farther than California in at least one respect when it comes to helping people clear records and reduce barriers to employment, education and housing, O'Keefe said. The current proposal in the Illinois General Assembly would allow for expungement of records involving convictions involving possession of far more than 1 ounce of marijuana. The bill would legalize possession of not more than 1 ounce. Among convictions eligible for expungement in SB 7 would be misdemeanor possession of up to 3.5 ounces of cannabis and Class 4 felony possession of up to 17.6 ounces, or more than 1 pound. On the other hand, a California bill signed into law last year sets in motion an automatic system of downgrading convictions and expunging marijuana conviction records, but only involving up to 1 ounce of marijuana, the legal limit authorized by voters in that state in 2016. The broad level of expungements offered in the Illinois legislation has been one of the most controversial parts of the bill, which is expected to be amended by its sponsors this week. No votes have been taken yet in the Illinois Senate or House. Erasing records of past convictions for conduct that would remain illegal after legalization "doesn't seem to make sense," said Ed Wojcicki, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, which opposes the bill. But the bill's sponsors and O'Keefe defended the concept to repair damage done by the nationwide "war on drugs," which resulted in disproportionately high levels of arrests and convictions of blacks compared with other ethnic and racial groups. O'Keefe said there are indications other states will pursue the Illinois bill's approach as legal sales of vast amounts of marijuana proliferate and create more moneymaking opportunities for wealthy entrepreneurs. "The racial-justice component is becoming more a part of the national discussion," said O'Keefe, whose employer describes itself as a not-for-profit marijuana policy advocacy and education organization. "People shouldn't be branded for life for conduct that others are making millions of dollars from now," she said. Sen. Heather Steans, the Chicago Democrat sponsoring SB 7 in the Senate, said dealing with the expungement issue will be important to ensure passage in the General Assembly. Steans said after a three-hour hearing on the legislation last week that she plans to make changes to the bill this week in hopes of securing votes and clarifying issues raised during the hearing. She said she was aware of concerns by the Illinois State's Attorneys Association that the proposed expungement system may be illegal under the Illinois Constitution unless the governor issued a mass pardon for the offenses. Pritzker, a Democrat, hasn't commented on whether he is willing to use his broad pardoning authority in concert with the legislation. Steans also heard concerns at the hearing that the bill, as currently worded, would allow for swift expungement of future convictions for marijuana-related misdemeanors and felony offenses that would remain as crimes under Illinois law. Steans wouldn't say Friday what changes are being considered for the bill regarding expungements. "We're looking at how we can make it work but still allow people to clear their records," she said. She added that clearing felony convictions would allow more people to work in the state's legal marijuana industry -- a goal of hers and the bill's other sponsors. Some have estimated that up to 800,000 people could benefit from the proposed expungements, which are part of what Steans and her lawmaker colleagues called the bill's "social equity" benefits. Sales of legal pot eventually are expected to generate up to $500 million for state government annually. The bill says one-fourth of the money, or $125 million, would go to a "Restoring Our Communities Fund" for grants to parts of the state harmed economically by the drug war. The other social-equity component of the bill includes a low-interest loan program and other efforts to spur minority ownership among dispensaries, cultivation centers, processors and "craft growers." Such tactics are admirable but aren't guaranteed to change a U.S. industry owned and controlled almost exclusively by white men, said Adam Orens, founding partner of the Denver-based Marijuana Policy Group, a consulting business. No state has done a good job at promoting social equity through marijuana policy, Steans said. But she said no state except Illinois has developed such an in-depth plan. "I think we're going to set the standard for being a model on the social-equity piece," she said. Nine of the 10 states that have legalized marijuana (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Washington) accomplished it through voter initiatives of the sort that aren't allowed under the Illinois Constitution. Vermont did it through legislation. Alaska and Michigan haven't put in place any path to expunge records. But Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has said she plans to use her clemency powers to free some of the thousands serving time in state prison for marijuana-related convictions. She also says she wants an expungement system put into place. A Washington state bill recently signed into law would allow people to apply to have convictions wiped away for misdemeanors before 2012, when legalization was approved. Some of the convictions could involve possession of more than the current legal limit of 1 ounce of cannabis, said Aaron Sherman, a spokesman for Washington Senate Democrats. Colorado, which authorized adult use and sales of cannabis through a 2012 statewide legalization vote that paved the way for sales beginning in early 2014, hasn't passed any laws dealing with expungement. District attorneys in Boulder County and Denver created programs on their own over the past year to invalidate convictions and seal records involving the legal limit of between 1 and 2 ounces of marijuana. "We did it because it's a matter of fundamental fairness," said Boulder County assistant district attorney Ken Kupfner. Neither program has attracted much interest. Since early 2019, only 11 people qualified for Boulder County's "Moving on from Marijuana" program out of the 23 who applied. Kupfner estimated that hundreds of people convicted of marijuana offenses could qualify for the program if they applied. In Denver, 273 people applied to have convictions vacated, and 65 were granted, according to Carolyn Tyler, spokeswoman for the Denver DA's office. She estimated that at least 10,000 people are potentially eligible for Denver's "Turning Over a New Leaf" program. The weak interest isn't surprising when clearing records isn't automatic and people need to be both aware of the programs and have time to apply, said Shawn Coleman, a marijuana industry lobbyist in Colorado. State Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields, one of four lawmakers guiding SB 7, said she wants Illinois to take a more comprehensive approach when legalizing cannabis. She is working with Steans and state Reps. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, and Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria. Hutchinson, president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, said the bill is the result of "the most robust, comprehensive debate about this in advance of legalization that has happened in this country." Luke Niforatos, senior adviser at Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a Virginia-based group that is fighting marijuana legalization in Illinois, said efforts to legalize and regulate the drug so far have been "the opposite of social justice." "It is totally a white man's game," he said of the legal marijuana industry. He pointed to an analysis by the Denver Post that found marijuana businesses often clustered in Denver's poorer, minority neighborhoods. Steans said the regulated growth envisioned under her bill for the recreational-marijuana industry would prevent low-income neighborhoods from filling up with dispensaries. Gordon-Booth said there is cynicism among the public that the bill's tools to achieve social equity won't work, but she said she has faith in the bill's potential. Gordon-Booth said she, Steans, Hutchinson and Cassidy will monitor its impact after passage and push for adjustments, if necessary. "You have four moms at the table who are all friends and are not going to leave this issue anytime soon," Gordon-Booth said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This is the blog of comics critic Rob Clough, who also has a column of the same name over at The Comics Journal website (TCJ.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 Iran is now threatening nearly one-third of the worlds ocean-shipped oil that passes through the Straits of Hormuz. The White House decided to deploy U.S. forces to protect this critical waterway. The USS Abraham Lincoln, along with a group of B-52 bombers have recently been deployed to the Middle East. Iran consistently puts our interests and those of our allies at direct risk. For instance, Iran has funded Hezbollah, a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans. As well, Iran supports the Syrian regime has made that conflict one of bloodiest experienced in recent times. Irans meddling in Yemen has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. While Irans cyber efforts are a more recent development, they continue their efforts to perfect them. In the last decade, Iran has repeatedly struck the United States and our allies, like the Saudi Arabian oil industry, with relative impunity. Irans hackers deny involvement in the distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks on U.S. banks between 2012 and 2013, the destructive attacks targeting the Las Vegas Sands corporation in 2014, the major intrusion campaign targeting U.S. companies and others between 2016 and 2017, and more recent activities targeting the global domain name service infrastructure. Irans cyber activities grow more aggressive, while the United States makes little to no response. With tensions rapidly increasing in the Middle East, a look back should show us that a low-level war waged against us and our allies is inevitable. This war will likely occur soon, in cyberspace, and these attacks will seek to exact a very real price on American companies. In preparation for this attack, the government must share information with the U.S. private sector, and with industry. Our allies in the Middle East, such as our friends in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, are on the front lines of Iranian attacks. Government should share information about potential cyber threats with them. It must be made clear to Iran that our government will to respond to a cyber-attack just as we would a physical attack, just as Israel recently responded to Hamas attacks. Our own cyber warriors should be free to start taking action now to prevent the Iranian threat. Congress recently provided the president and the Department of Defense (DOD) with clear authority to take action to disrupt, defeat and deter cyber-attack campaigns by Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, and DOD has made clear that its new policy is to defend forward and persistently engage our cyber enemies. BLOOMINGTON Central Illinois farmers have had fewer than 24 hours in May suitable for fieldwork, putting them behind schedule in getting crops in the ground but more time to think about the failure of trade negotiations with China. As farmers, we are used to working with several moving targets, but with the whole uncertainty about the trade deals, it seems like it adds another one, said Gene Whitaker, who farms near Decatur. Between the tariffs and the rain, it just feels like a bad start to the planting season, added Tom English, a Logan County farmer near Emden. As of last Monday, only 11 percent of the corn in Illinois was in the ground, compared to 88 percent last year and 82 percent over the past five years. Wet ground due to heavy rain in the first two weeks of the month has stalled planters. Some farmers, like Ric Strum of rural DeWitt County near Clinton, got back into the field Thursday. Once we get started, assuming it stays dry, you may not see me again for six weeks, he said. It is still pretty muddy, and some fields still have standing water. While that is a short-term problem, farmers also are concerned about the ongoing trade war with China and worry that the damage inflicted on the soybean market will continue to grow. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods and taking steps to tax nearly all of Chinas imports as punishment for what he said was Chinas attempt to renegotiate a trade deal. Soybean farmers are among the hardest hit and most vulnerable to the continued tensions, said Lynn Rohrschieb, president of the Bloomington-based Illinois Soybean Growers Association. Despite assurances from Washington, D.C., the trade war between the U.S. and China lingers, she said. "We continue to see missed deadlines and unbrokered deals. As this persists, we face more pain and uncertainty at the time when we must take the risk of planting another years crop. Rohrscheib noted this is the second year in a row that soybean farmers have been affected. "When Chinas reciprocal tariffs hit our soybeans last summer, we lost nearly one-third of our market overnight, she said. "It was a predictable and preventable blow that no other major U.S. company or industry has had to endure. It seems like when it rains, it pours. Illinois soybean producers face greater challenges each day without a deal. We see no end in sight. There must be a better long-term strategy to remain viable and win the trade war. The only soybean farmers not scared are our competitors. Soybean futures dropped to their lowest prices in 10 years last week and are down about 20 percent compared to a year ago. Farmers are concerned, agreed Todd Sage, general manager at Bloomingtons Ag Rail, a high-speed rail-loading facility built in 1999 by a joint venture of eight Central Illinois grain elevators. The facility originates grain by truck and then ships shuttle trains to domestic destinations and Mexico. At Ag Rail, we have not seen much of a change because our shipments are all domestic and so everything has remained pretty stable," he said. "But it is on the minds of our farmers, I know. Bloomington-based Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr. is frustrated that farmers continue to bear the brunt of the trade war. We are deeply concerned about the imposition of the retaliatory tariffs that could further impact agriculture, he said. Tariffs historically have not been good for the farm economy. Farmers are on the front lines of this trade war and are sacrificing their livelihoods and it hasnt gotten better. We are sitting on a huge inventory of grain while our export markets are diminishing. And, it is starting to hit farmers in the pocketbook, he added. Corn and soybean prices are depressed, combined with a delayed 2019 planting season due to heavy rains, and farmers are facing their sixth straight year of declining net farm income. Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Earnest named partner of West & Company MATTOON -- Nathan L. Earnest has been named a partner of West & Company, LLC. Earnest is a native of Newton and a graduate of McKendree University. He resides in Wheeler with his spouse, Nikki and their four children. Earnest joined the firm in 2004. His duties include the provision of accounting and tax services to individuals, partnerships and closely-held corporations. He will also serve as the partner-in-charge of the firms Bank Services Department. Swearingen named Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors CHARLESTON -- Gary Swearingen, managing directorcomplex manager, of Wells Fargo Advisors in Charleston, has been recognized on the 2019 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors by Forbes. This accolade represents a list of professionals that come to work with one goal on their mind helping their clients succeed. Its an honor to be recognized by Forbes as one of the Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, said Swearingen. As investment planning has become more complex, my top priority is to work with my clients to develop strategies to help give them confidence around all facets of their financial lives and achieve their short- and long-term investment goals. Swearingen has more than 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and earned a bachelor in finance and a masters in science in personal financial planning from the College for Financial Planning. JC Penney manager earns Founder's Award MATTOON -- Tricia Murdock, general manager of the JC Penney at Cross County Mall, was recently awarded the companys prestigious Founders Award for outstanding accomplishments in 2018. The Founders Award highlights store leaders excelling in the areas of financial performance, customer and client service and business expertise. The 2018 Founders Awards recipients have played a key role in driving the JCPenney business, embodying our Warrior values of loyalty, passion, service and courage, said Kim Dowgielewicz, Midwest regional vice president for JCPenney. The Founders Award is the Companys highest honor, recognizing leadership excellence. Im proud of our talented group of associates who earned this special recognition, and look forward to another successful year in Illinois. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SHERMAN The debut of a 5K race and 1-mile fun run June 8 at the village park in Sherman will benefit a foundation based in Texas that offers retired military and law enforcement dogs slated to be euthanized a place for retirement and rehabilitation. The first Doggie Dash 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run will benefit the Warrior Dog Foundation based in Dallas. The race and fun run will begin at 8 a.m. at the park, 1209 Rail Fence Road. Prairiehaven Animal Hospital in Sherman is hosting the event. Jackeline Nelson of Prairiehaven Animal Hospital is coordinating the event. The goal is to have at least 250 people entered. "We just wanted to get together and raise money for the Warrior Dog Foundation, which is to help the dogs out that went overseas that maybe have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or can't be handled by any other owners and can't be re-homed but are still healthy enough to live out their full lives," said Nelson, who researched animal-related organizations in which to donate. "We donate a lot to the Animal Protective League and Sangamon County Animal Control, and we just wanted to go out of our comfort zone and donate to something a little bit bigger and that really needs the help as well. ... "I've been in contact with them as well, so they know exactly what we're doing over here." Mike Ritland, former Navy SEAL (special operations force), founded the Warrior Dog Foundation as a place for retirement and rehabilitation of retired "Warrior K9s" slated to be euthanized. The foundation helps transition the dogs from an operational environment into a state-of-the-art kennel facility in Texas. Laura Sellards, president and executive director of Warrior Dog Foundation, said Ritland's service of several years in the special ops community allowed him to see a need for a foundation that helps retired dogs that for whatever reason can't continue with their handlers. "So then he stepped in and started caring for them, and through that the foundation was formed," Sellards said. "Unfortunately, there's a need for it. We're currently caring for 19 retired canines. ... "If the Department of Defense or the law enforcement office that has them doesn't have another option for them, then they reach out to us, so it's mostly word-of-mouth within a very small working dog community that sends them to us." Sellards said the dogs that come to the foundation are strong-willed. Some suffer canine PTSD. Some have physical injuries. "Our goal is to rehabilitate them both mentally and physically, and then whenever possible, we will adopt them out to a forever home," Sellards said. "Sometimes they might stay with us for a couple of months. Sometimes they stay with us for a couple of years. It just varies canine to canine." Among the foundation's success stories is Nico, a retired Navy SEAL canine who served two tours in the Middle East with the SEALs. "He retired to the Warrior Dog Foundation with canine PTSD, and he spent about three years at our facility in Texas rehabilitating, and then he was adopted out to one of his former handlers," Sellards said. "Now, he's actually living in California with his former handler, lounging in a pool and enjoying the retired life." Warrior Dog Foundation is funded through donations and is a mostly run by volunteers. The cost for the specialized care and rehabilitation ranges from $70 to $90 per day per dog. "We're so thankful for groups like them (Prairiehaven Animal Hospital) that they're really passionate about the working-dog community, and they reach out to their communities to raise money for us on a national level," Sellards said. "We would not be able to give these dogs the retirement they've earned without their help." The Doggie Dash 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run will include a family friendly kids' zone from 8 a.m. to noon with bounce house, face painting, activities and games, coffee and doughnuts and water. Pre-registration fee is $40 or $45 day of the race. One leashed dog can participate with a runner on race day. "We definitely want the dogs there. It is for pets, and it's a good way to get active with the dog and the client," Nelson said. "I hope this turns out to be a really good event because the Sherman park is a brand-new park, so it's also good to get people active and kind of see exactly where that's at, too. It's fun for all ages, even if you can't run." To register for the Doggie Dash 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run, go to Prairiehaven Animal Hospital, 208 Village Center Road, Sherman; call 689-4960 or visit www.iwantregistered.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHARLESTON -- A man faces first-degree murder charges after a fatal shooting at a Mattoon apartment building last week. Keith McGrew III would be sentenced to at least 45 years in prison if convicted in the Friday shooting of Mark A. Currie at Sunrise Apartments. The shooting apparently resulted because of Currie's sexual advances toward McGrew's girlfriend or toward McGrew himself, according to police records in his case. McGrew, 26, is a Chicago resident and was visiting a woman who lived at the apartment building at 1817 S. Ninth St. when he became involved in a dispute with Currie, 29, another resident of the apartment building, police indicated at the time of the arrest. He fled from the scene after the early morning Friday shooting but he was located on foot on Lake Road southwest of Mattoon later that day, according to police. During a court hearing on Friday, Coles County Circuit Judge James Glenn reviewed an affidavit about the shooting and arrest from Mattoon police Detective Ryan Hurst. The judge determined that the account was sufficient to order McGrew to remain in custody. Glenn set bond at a level that would require $100,000 to be posted for release from jail. A condition for McGrew if he does post bond is that he not return to Sunrise Apartments. Glenn also appointed county Assistant Public Defender Stephanie Corum to represent McGrew and scheduled his next court hearing for Thursday. The charges against McGrew accuse him of shooting Currie intending to kill or greatly harm him or knowing the shooting "created a strong probability" of death or great harm. Also among the allegations in one of the three counts against him is that the shooting was "committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner" as part of a "preconceived plan, scheme or design." A conviction for first-degree murder requires a prison sentence of at least 20 years but 25 years is automatically added to any sentence if a firearm is used. According to the affidavit, witnesses at the apartment building told police that McGrew was angry with Currie for making advances toward his girlfriend, who lived in the building. They said they heard McGrew say that he "popped him" and "smoked him" and saw a red stain on his shirt after a commotion about 1 a.m. Friday, just before the call to police that led to the discovery of the shooting, it says. McGrew's girlfriend also said he told her he was angry with Currie for making sexual advances toward him, the affidavit also says. McGrew also gave that account during police questioning, it says. It says McGrew said he got a gun from his girlfriend's apartment then went to Currie's residence, where they fought after Currie made another advance toward him. McGrew said he threw Currie to a couch then shot him at least two times before fleeing, according to the affidavit. Currie was pronounced dead at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. On Friday, county Coroner Ed Schniers said he was shot in the torso. Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 MATTOON -- Lake Land College's campus is usually a quiet place during the summer, but the Luther Student Center will be a hub of activity in coming weeks as its expansion/renovation accelerates and various offices move into new quarters there. Construction work began last summer when college administration offices moved out of the student center's southeast side and renovations began there. Business Services Vice President Bryan Gleckler said now that the renovations are almost done, the campus police, financial aid and accounting offices will soon move into the southeast side. Ongoing work on the addition to the southwest side is set to be completed by mid-July, Gleckler said. The admissions, career services, counseling, student life and TRiO Student Support Services offices will then move into this new wing. "The rain has pushed us behind a couple of weeks on the building addition," Gleckler said. "We are working to make that time up." Gleckler said the addition's opening will allow for renovations to begin on the northeast side of the student center, work that is set to be finished by late September. He said the campus bookstore, food pantry and nurse's offices will move into the renovated northeast side, along with a new veterans lounge. The student center Subway has closed for the summer due to construction, as it did last summer. Gleckler said there are fewer students and a lower demand for food service on campus in the summer. He noted there is also a Subway in the gas station next to campus. He said the student center Subway and the adjacent dining area will be renovated. "We are hoping to create more of a space that students can hang out in, rather than just eating and going about their day," Gleckler said. Lake Land's goal is to have all of its student services offices in one building. The bookstore is currently located west of the student center, financial aid and TRIO offices are located in Webb Hall, and the police office operates out of a house on the southwest edge of campus. Gleckler said the college is still developing plans for these spaces after they are vacated. Paula Carpenter, director of financial aid and veteran services, said once the student center project is done, students will be able to get all their support services in one place instead of having to seek out these offices in different buildings across campus. Carpenter said she and her staff also look forward to collaborating more closely with other offices in this center. "We are busy packing right now. We can't wait. It's like Christmas," Carpenter said. The Lake Land Board of Trustees voted in June 2018 to issue $17 million in bonds to fund the student center project and related construction work. Officials have said that Lake Land plans to pay off the bonds over several years without increasing the colleges share of local property tax bills. Other projects on campus this summer include the construction of new wells for the campus geothermal heating and cooling system, construction of a building trades workshop and file storage building, roof repairs at the Field House and Power House, light pole painting, sidewalk repairs, and parking lot island work. Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRobStroud 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. SPRINGFIELD A push to ban privatized immigration detention centers across Illinois is headed for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. The state Senate approved House Bill 2040 this week, advancing the measure that would prohibit any unit of local government from entering into an agreement with a private company to operate a detention facility. The bill passed the Illinois House in April. The measure was in large part a response to a controversial proposal by private, Virginia-based Immigration Centers of America to construct a detention center in Dwight, Ill., about 80 miles from Chicago, that would house detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local leaders opened the door for the proposal earlier this year, but the company would have to secure a federal contract before starting construction. A spokesperson for Pritzker did not say if the governor plans to sign or veto the bill. His office issued a statement saying Pritzker believes Illinois "should be a welcoming state for immigrants and looks forward to reviewing the bill." The bill comes as immigration continues to be at the center of a polarizing national debate. President Donald Trump for years has rallied for the construction of a wall along the southern border with Mexico. In recent days, Trump has taken a different approach to immigration by calling for a "merit" system that would give preference to people considered to be high-skilled workers. A spokesman for Immigration Centers of America could not be reached for comment. ICE, which is under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is currently seeking proposals for a company that would be able to house within 80 miles from Chicago's immigration court up to 1,000 men and women who are facing deportation. The deadline for submissions to obtain the contract was recently extended to June 25. The Illinois bill, if it becomes law, will amend the Private Correctional Facility Moratorium Act. It would prohibit the state or any local government agency from entering into an agreement with a private company over the detention of individuals. The state for decades has already had a law that prohibits local, county and state governments from hiring private companies to incarcerate people in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice or a sheriff. The bill awaiting Pritzker's consideration would expand that to include civil detention, which includes when immigrants are detained while facing deportation proceedings. Fred Tsao, the senior policy counsel with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said immigration advocates have been talking with representatives from the governor's office to see how quickly the bill could be signed and become law, particularly because of the proposal in Dwight. "We hope this bill sets an example for other states and other communities to say no to for-profit prison and immigration detention," Tsao said. The effort in Dwight is the latest attempt within the last decade to construct a private immigration detention center in the Chicago area. Private companies have tried to build facilities to house detained immigrants in Crete and Hopkins Park in Illinois; and in Elkhart County, Gary and Newtown County in Indiana. Opposition from immigration advocates and the community has followed the failed attempts. Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, was a sponsor of the bill and called private detention centers a "serious problem." "I look forward to Gov. Pritzker signing this into law and putting an end to this inhumane practice once and for all," Peters said in a prepared statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 WASHINGTON Activists in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have been pushing for statehood for decades. But they aren't the only ones who aspire to create a 51st state. Some rural and conservative residents of large Democratic-controlled states are tired of being overshadowed politically, culturally and economically by big cities. They've tried legislation, elections and even redistricting. The problems can't be solved by traditional means, they say. So why not use a tool built into the U.S. Constitution: create a new state out of an existing state through approval of both the state legislature and Congress? It happened when Maine split from Massachusetts in 1820, and again when West Virginia split from Virginia in 1863 during the Civil War. Could Chicago split from Illinois now? To be sure, creating a new state is a significant undertaking and unlikely to succeed, political scientists say. But long odds haven't extinguished momentum for these quixotic movements. In Illinois, a resolution calling on Congress to declare Chicago the 51st state has eight Republican co-sponsors in the state House (there are 44 Republicans in the lower chamber) and support among many of the state's conservative activists. It's the second such bill in as many years. State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, the bill's author, cites the many issues tearing the state apart. He listed Democrats' "overreaching" stances on abortion, guns, immigration, debt, pensions, Medicaid spending, property taxes, green energy and workers' compensation as just some of the reasons Chicago and Illinois should go their separate ways. Recent polling from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale shows two-thirds of Illinois voters think the state is moving in the wrong direction. That same March poll from the Simon Institute shows "significant regional differences" in responses. The state division hit a breaking point several years ago, when Illinois was mired in the longest fiscal stalemate in the United States since the Great Depression. The budget battle between Democratic lawmakers and then-Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner lasted more than two years, threatening public university accreditation, statewide road construction and "junk" credit ratings. Halbrook blamed the impasse on Chicago-area Democrats. "Everywhere I go, people say we just need to get rid of Chicago," he said. "It gets rid of all of our problems. My constituency is serious about it. I'm trying to save the state." Halbrook has a small family farm in Shelbyville. Forty percent of the Prairie State's 12.7 million residents live in Cook County. The broader Chicago metropolitan area consists of 9.5 million people. Without the Chicagoland area, Illinois would have fewer people than Connecticut. Democrats control both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor's office, and most of them are from Chicagoland including 62 of the 74 Democrats in the House. The rest of Illinois is largely agricultural and conservative. A July 2018 paper from the Simon Institute found that Illinois' politics "are marked and marred by regionalism." The idea of dividing Illinois has been around throughout Illinois' history, the paper says, despite "how impractical it is." While these regional divides are prevalent in other states across the country, it's exaggerated in Illinois because of "the extent to which many Illinois leaders emphasize, exploit and exacerbate these regional differences for their own advantage," the paper claims. The Windy City has all the political power, the money and the economic growth, said G.H. Merritt, who runs New Illinois, a separation group that has begun starting chapters in counties throughout the state to build grassroots support. Merritt, a former nonprofit administrator, lives in Lake County, north of Chicago. So far, she has 26 county chapters that want to split the rest of Illinois from Chicago. When forming her organization, Merritt sought advice from other state separation organizations, like New California. The group, which is run by a conservative radio talk show host, advocates for the creation of a new state split from the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas "to throw off the bonds of tyranny." Activists such as Merritt blame state Democratic leaders from Chicago for creating a "systemically corrupt climate" and many of the problems Illinois currently faces, like the $134 billion in unfunded pensions and other fiscal problems despite the fact that these problems grew through both Democratic and Republican governorships. "It's not that we have anything against Chicago," she said. "My gosh, my daughter lives there. But if you're going to have a situation where a corner of the state is dominating everything, you're going to have a case where the rest of the state is disenfranchised." But downstate Illinois gets disproportionately more state funding than Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, according to an April study from the Simon Institute. Based on 2013 data, researchers found that Southern Illinois receives $2.81 in state funds for every dollar its residents pay in taxes, while Cook County receives 90 cents for every dollar paid in taxes. Merritt, though, rejects the study, saying funding to the many downstate public universities were unfairly included in the analysis. Plus, she said, the findings may be biased since the authors of the study have spoken out against state separation. John Jackson, one of the study's authors and a visiting professor at the Simon Institute, does believe that state separation is unrealistic. But, he said, that doesn't mean he thinks the movement is just a fool's errand. It's about broader resentment. "This represents a long-standing rural and urban divide that is serious in this state and prevents things from getting done," Jackson said. "It's the same phenomenon all over the county and drove the Trump vote in 2016 and will again in 2020." There have been efforts to mend that divide. Halbrook said he was encouraged when Chicago's incoming Democratic mayor, Lori Lightfoot, visited the General Assembly in April and declared in a speech to the Illinois House, "Working together, regardless of party or geography, I see new opportunities for all of us." A visit to the statehouse from a Chicago mayor is rare, he said. As a resolution, Halbrook's measure is merely a statement supporting the state separation and not a bill that would actually create a new state. Steve Brown, a spokesman for Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan, said the effort is being led by "only a handful of backwards-thinking legislators." Brown said he hasn't seen broad support for the bill, and he doubts it will go anywhere in the General Assembly. Halbrook doesn't expect his bill to even get a committee hearing either, but he still wants to continue speaking out and gaining supporters among his colleagues. Not every co-sponsor of the separation legislation really wants to leave Illinois, though. Republican state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer said his primary interest is talking about the economic diversity of the state, as opposed to splitting it. Left-leaning policies crafted so Chicago can be competitive with other major metropolises such as Los Angeles and New York City get in the way of rural Illinois competing with rural Indiana and rural Missouri, because they are not "business-friendly," he said. "At the end of the day, I don't think that the state of Illinois should be separate," he said. "There's a general frustration everywhere, especially in our liberal states dominated by the socialist, Democrat movements, where people are seeing the government take more." Not willing to wait on the state legislation, some activists, such as Athens resident Collin Cliburn, are turning to Illinois' 102 counties to pass referendums that call for Chicago's separation. "There's a huge awakening going around now in rural Illinois," he said. Cliburn goes from county to county, speaking at Libertarian Party and conservative group events, spreading the word and getting residents to sign petitions that call for county referenda. Illinois Separation, Cliburn's group, has more than 20,000 supporters on Facebook. He's already seeing success. The Effingham County Board, representing a Southern Illinois county of 34,000 residents, voted in April to allow a referendum on the March 2020 ballot that would ask voters whether the county should coordinate with others about forming a new state. Effingham County has been on the forefront of resisting the state legislature. Last year, it became the first county in the United States to use the "sanctuary" label to signal its determination to resist new state gun laws. Cliburn said he's gathered enough signatures in two other counties, Cumberland and Edwards, to qualify for a similar referendum. County officials still have to confirm the signatures, though. Separation movements aren't just gaining steam in Illinois. There are at least three bills before the New York legislature that deal with splitting up the state. Several Republican lawmakers, upset with years of progressive immigration and gun control legislation, are advancing a bill that calls for a non-binding referendum on the matter. Other Republican lawmakers want to pass legislation that calls for a 17-member working group within the Office of the State Comptroller to study the short-term and long-term economic ramifications of a split. The author of that bill, Republican state Sen. Daphne Jordan, said she wonders whether upstate and downstate would be better off divided. "New York has become a tale of two states," she said. Her proposed study would examine where the border would be. In Washington state, Republican Rep. Matt Shea introduced legislation earlier this year to divide the state at the Cascade crest, creating the state of Liberty to the east. Seattle and coastal areas of Washington are more politically progressive than inland regions. In California, the state Supreme Court last year removed a referendum from the ballot that would have allowed residents to vote on whether to split California into three states: California, Northern California and Southern California, separating the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco metropolitan areas. The court cited "significant questions regarding the proposition's validity" and ongoing constitutional challenges. The rural-urban divide that fuels these movements isn't just a problem for Republicans in Democratic-dominated states such as California, Illinois, New York and Washington. Gerrymandering efforts in states such as Ohio and Wisconsin have prevented urban Democrats from wielding power in those legislatures. In early May, a three-judge federal panel tossed out Ohio's congressional map for being unconstitutionally gerrymandered to dilute Democratic votes. In many red states, there have been clashes between conservative state governments and liberal cities on issues including guns, minimum wage, paid family leave, plastic bag bans and tree ordinances, among others. Most recently, the Republican legislature in Florida moved this month to prohibit cities from declaring themselves to be "sanctuaries" where local officials would refuse to assist federal immigration enforcement. Jurisdictions in both red and blue states are "chafing under the dominance of state governments," said Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University. There might be benefits to breaking up big states, he said, including more interstate competition and giving more people political leadership that aligns with their own views. But getting through state legislatures and Congress remains a long shot. It could make secession slightly easier, Somin said, if one of the new states had the current capital and the other had the largest city. Will Democratic members of Congress approve a new state that guarantees two new Republican seats? Republicans already oppose D.C. statehood because the two new senators who would join the chamber would almost certainly be Democrats. The only way to get a new Republican-leaning state out of Illinois would be to pair it with a new Democratic state out of, for example, Texas, Somin said. While it's "highly unlikely" to succeed, Somin said, it's still a debate worth having and a movement not to be dismissed. "It's not just a few disgruntled people," he said. "It's not isolated. It's reflecting a broader issue of polarization within the states, and this might be one solution." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Monday, May 20, 2019 From Rags To Riches; Oil Boys Report State Stands To Be In Black For Years As Permian Gusher Grows, Plus: State Cops In ABQ Fire And That Backfires We're going from years of austerity to what will be years of plenitude that could conceivably change the long-term outlook for our perennially last placing state. The ExxonMobil investments in New Mexico could kick up a $64 billion tidal wave of benefits for the state over the next 40 years, according to a new study by the oil giant. "The Permian Basin is the engine of Americas energy renaissance and New Mexico residents will see direct economic benefits and opportunities from our planned investments, ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods said. "We will be a significant, long-term economic contributor to the state of New Mexico and will work hard to be a trusted member of the community. The state is already seeing billion dollar surpluses and the challenge of effectively spending that cash haul now confronts lawmakers. For example, the notoriously ineffective method of doling out billions in capital outlay for construction projects such as dams, roads and bridges is not prepared to handle this cash tsunami and needs reform. The dormant idea of a state capital outlay planning commission to take the politics out of the process now has And the Legislative Finance Committee reports we are still not getting the construction money put to work efficiently because of flaws in the system: . . . As of March, the state had $737 million outstanding for more than 1,600 projects. More than half of that funding--$480 million--was authorized last year, but $174 million dates back to 2017 and about $66 million is older than that. The Exxon study is based on an average oil price of only $40 a barrel. If it goes higher (it is currently over $60) the cash coming into the state soars, not only from Exxon but other companies fracking the Permian. This study should once and for all bring down for a landing the austerity hawks circling the Roundhouse as it is evident our fortunes have turned for the better and for the foreseeable future. The time for investment--not retrenchment--is finally here. One no-brainier now is to NO-BRAINER II Another no-brainer as the fates smile on the state is to once and for all end the endless debate over whether the pension funds for state government workers (including educators) have enough cash in the bank. We think they do, but the bean counters on Wall Street (who love those investment dollars) don't think so. One of the solutions offered is to have LEAPING VS. LOOKING The old adage "look before you leap" certainly comes into play in the wake of the Governor's decision last week to send 50 state police officers to ABQ to help quell the crime epidemic. Already they have FOR REAL? The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority typically connects from 400 to 450 homes a year, chipping away at the 15,000 scattered, rural homes without power on the 27,000-square-mile (43,000-square-kilometer) reservation that lies in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. At that rate, it will take the tribal utility about 35 more years to get electricity to the 60,000 of the reservations 180,000 residents who dont have it. Hooking up a single home to electric power can run $40,000 on the far flung Rez. It's crazy. If Senator Udall is looking for something consequential to do while he 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 But once they figure it out they will be more than welcome. Meanwhile, welcome Governor to the political sinkhole known as the ABQ crime wave. Uh. . .watch your step.This in 2019? Really? Hooking up a single home to electric power can run $40,000 on the far flung Rez. It's crazy. If Senator Udall is looking for something consequential to do while he prepares for the exits there's an idea in there somewhere. Ya think?This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) The state cops don't fall under that decree so you get two different law enforcement standards--and a bunch of confusion. The decision to send the NMSP in without further preparing them now looks rash. From rags to riches. So goes the story of the New Mexico treasury.We're going from years of austerity to what will be years of plenitude that could conceivably change the long-term outlook for our perennially last placing state. The news The state is already seeing billion dollar surpluses and the challenge of effectively spending that cash haul now confronts lawmakers. For example, the notoriously ineffective method of doling out billions in capital outlay for construction projects such as dams, roads and bridges is not prepared to handle this cash tsunami and needs reform. The dormant idea of a state capital outlay planning commission to take the politics out of the process now has a new sense of urgency And the Legislative Finance Committee reports we are still not getting the construction money put to work efficiently because of flaws in the system:The Exxon study is based on an average oil price of only $40 a barrel. If it goes higher (it is currently over $60) the cash coming into the state soars, not only from Exxon but other companies fracking the Permian.This study should once and for all bring down for a landing the austerity hawks circling the Roundhouse as it is evident our fortunes have turned for the better and for the foreseeable future. The time for investment--not retrenchment--is finally here.One no-brainier now is to ask voters to finally approve a one percent annual drawdown of the state's $18 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood education to attack the underlying generational problems causing New Mexico to languish. That fund, along with the state's General Fund for annual expenses, is set to explode to new heights in the years ahead as the Permian oil boom roars.Another no-brainer as the fates smile on the state is to once and for all end the endless debate over whether the pension funds for state government workers (including educators) have enough cash in the bank. We think they do, but the bean counters on Wall Street (who love those investment dollars) don't think so. One of the solutions offered is to have a cash infusion of up to $200 million into the funds, instead of cutting cost of living adjustments for retirees. That can easily be done now, even if it is over a four or five year period. So do it (or a bit less) and stop the needless gnashing of teeth over the funds being depleted in the year 2055 or something.The old adage "look before you leap" certainly comes into play in the wake of the Governor's decision last week to send 50 state police officers to ABQ to help quell the crime epidemic. Already they have fired shots at two suspects in apparent violation of the federal consent decree regarding the use of force by APD. When Jon Camp was first elected to the Lincoln City Council in 1999, one of his goals was to get the South Beltway done as quickly as possible. "When I came on, that was one of my themes: Get the South Beltway done in six years. This was 1999," Camp said. "I swore I'd stay in office until it's done." He didn't quite make it, as construction of the freeway that will funnel Nebraska 2 through traffic south of the city is set to start next year and be completed in 2023. But he did get to see a lot of progress during his 20 years on the council, including completion of the Antelope Valley flood-control project, opening of the Pinnacle Bank Arena and development of the West Haymarket area. "Being born and raised here, I can remember so much of what Lincoln was 50, 60 years ago, and I know the history, and this is really fun to see the progress and still keep a perspective on the history," Camp said. Fellow City Council member Roy Christensen said that vast historical knowledge is one of Camp's strengths. "Jon has an incredible institutional memory," Christensen said. "If it happened in the past 20 years, he remembers it." Complementing VetCompass is MyBreedData, a Finland-based website that collects the results of genetic analyses from huge numbers of dogs to identify mutations known to cause particular inherited disorders. Among other things, this information provides early warning signs of which breeds contain which harmful mutations. What about hybrid vigour? Hybrid vigour for a particular trait is the extent to which, on average, the puppies from the mating of a purebred female from one breed with a purebred male from another breed, are better for that trait than the average of the two parental breeds for that trait. Evidence from other species suggests that hybrid vigour in dogs could occur to a limited extent in traits related to health, welfare, and fitness for purpose. The greater the genetic difference between two breeds, the greater the hybrid vigour is expected to be in first-generation offspring between those breeds. An inmate serving time for burglary didn't return to the Community Corrections Center-Lincoln after having permission to attend a local church Sunday, authorities say. Antonio Collier, 36, went missing earlier in the day after leaving to attend church and didn't return, according to a Department of Correctional Services news release. Collier is serving a four- to five-year sentence for burglary, with a tentative release date of August 2020. Inmates at the Community Corrections Center-Lincoln are allowed to work and go to school or religious services with prior approval and supervision. Anyone who knows Collier's whereabouts is encouraged to contact law enforcement. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 1 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 man shot and killed in broad daylight steps from a police station last week was running behind the suspect's vehicle after a disturbance involving the Lincoln men moments earlier a couple of blocks away, police said in court documents. Lancaster County Court Judge Timothy Phillips set Michael D. Dewey's bond at $2 million in an initial appearance by video Monday from the county jail. Dewey, of 2509 B St., faces charges of second-degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and attempted escape from detention while under arrest. Dewey, 22, is accused of shooting and killing 47-year-old Desmond L. Fowler on the sidewalk at 27th and Holdrege streets at around 9:40 a.m. Thursday. In court Monday, Deputy County Attorney Jan Lipovsky said Dewey shot Fowler "intentionally, but without premeditation." In court documents, police said Dewey and another man went to 27th and Potter streets, two blocks from where the shooting took place, to buy drugs earlier that morning. But the man with the drugs wasn't there, and Fowler, a resident of 2828 Potter St., began yelling at the man with Dewey, police said. Three men and five women were arrested in Lincoln over the weekend in a joint police detail targeting human trafficking. Fernando Paz, 33, of Omaha was arrested for electronic child enticement after he communicated online with an investigator posing as a 15-year-old girl. Paz agreed to travel to Lincoln to pay for sex with the girl, according to police. A 36-year-old Lincoln man was arrested for pandering and tampering with physical evidence. And another 49-year-old Lincoln man was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. None of the people arrested had been charged as of Monday afternoon. In total, eight women were contacted during the operation and five were arrested. Police said they are providing resources to the women and working to determine whether any of them were victims of human trafficking. The police detail included officers from the Lincoln, Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa, police departments, Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the FBI. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 LUDRES, France (AP) After decades of searching, Andre Gantois had lost hope. The retired French postal worker figured he'd likely go to his grave without ever knowing who his father was, unable to identify the U.S. serviceman who had fought his way across France after the D-Day landings, taken a bullet to the skull and been nursed back to health in a military hospital by Gantois' mother. Into his 70s, Gantois still had no clues to pursue, no name to work with, no paper trail to follow. As a consequence, he also had no peace. "Throughout my life, I lived with this open wound," he says. "I never accepted my situation, of not knowing my father and, most of all, knowing that he didn't know about me, didn't know of my existence." Even as Europe, the United States and their allies mark 75 years since 160,000 Allied troops stormed a heavily-fortified 50-mile (80-kilometer) stretch of Nazi-occupied coastline in Normandy, the history of D-Day and its aftermath is still being written. The big picture, of course, is well known, meticulously documented and preciously conserved to be told and retold for generations to come. The greatest-ever amphibious landing, a triumph of soldiering and seafaring, of industry, ingenuity and logistics, and upon which a new world order was built, will again be commemorated June 6 with respect for the ever-smaller group of surviving veterans and awe for their heroics on the landing beaches: Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold. Yet all these years later, there are enduring holes in the narrative, too. Among the thick Normandy hedgerows where German troops dug in and the Allied advance bogged down, soldiers' bones are still regularly disinterred. So brutal and chaotic was the fighting in France that thousands went missing or couldn't be identified before they were buried in graves still marked, "A comrade in arms known but to God." Soldiers on all sides also fathered tens of thousands of children, some of them unable to ever answer that most existential of questions: Where did I come from? Until a few months ago, when what he calls an unexpected "miracle" changed his life and filled in one of these missing pieces of wartime history, Gantois was among them. Growing up as a post-war kid in eastern France, he would simply draw a line on forms at school that asked pupils for their fathers' names and other family details. His mother and grandmother told him his father was killed in France's war in Vietnam that broke out in 1946, the year Gantois was born. The grandmother said his father's name was Jack. A trusting child, Gantois couldn't know these were lies. He didn't pay much heed to elderly neighbors who called him "the young American" or "the American's kid." Only at age 15, when Gantois was mourning the death of his mother, taken by tuberculosis at age 37, did he get the truth. "'Listen, Andre, I have to tell you,'" the 73-year-old Gantois recalls his grandmother confessing to him. "'Your dad was an American, in the war.'" At first, Gantois was lost. Later, in his twenties, he became determined to find out more. Having married and with plans to start a family of his own, Gantois felt compelled to put a name, a face, to the patchy story and to fill what his wife, Rosine, now says was "a huge hole" in his life. "He had no name, nothing to go on," she says. "He told me, 'I'll die without ever knowing who he was.'" Visits to U.S. offices in France produced only frustration. Gantois recalls that an embassy official told him: "'A lot of people are looking for their fathers, because they want money, they want to be compensated by the U.S. government. But you have to have proof.' I had no proof." Other avenues also proved to be dead ends. Until last June. Urged on by his daughter-in-law, Gantois took a DNA test. Weeks later, in the middle of the night, she called him with the earthshaking results. "'You have an American brother, a sister, a whole family,'" Gantois recalls her telling him. "I didn't know what to say." His dad, the test helped reveal, had been Wilburn 'Bill' Henderson. From Essex, Missouri, the infantryman landed on Omaha beach seemingly just after D-Day, fought through Normandy, suffered a head wound in the closing months of the war and met Irene Gantois at a hospital in occupied Germany. After Germany's surrender in May 1945, when the soldier came to visit her at home in eastern France, she apparently didn't tell him that she was carrying his child. He returned to the United States, started a family and never spoke to his children about her before his death in 1997. The trail would have ended there for Andre Gantois had his American half brother not also taken a DNA test. By chance, they both picked the same testing company, enabling it to put them together. The two men and Gantois' half sister, Judy, met for the first time last September in France. Allen Henderson took the test on a whim, because the company had a special offer on its prices and, he says, because "I thought, well, that would be interesting." Both Gantois and Henderson acknowledge how lucky they are not only to have found each other but also that their father survived Normandy and its aftermath. "When I was little, he was always telling me stories about being in France and he'd speak a little French and kind of talk about how it was like to lay in a foxhole and guns, bullets flying over your head and guys dying all around you," says the 65-year-old Henderson, who lives in Greenville, South Carolina. "Amazing that he survived." Henderson says he knew straight away when he saw Gantois that they were brothers because the resemblance is so striking. "You know, Andre actually looks more like my dad than I do," Henderson says. "Your mannerisms, your smile, your face, I feel almost like I'm talking to my dad." Other wartime families' histories remain unresolved. They're only more likely to stay that way with each passing year. Posting on a French electronic bulletin board in 2016, for example, Jeannine Clement appealed for information about her biological father, a German soldier who was stationed in France before being sent to the Russian front in 1942. Her mother waved goodbye to him at a train station, "in tears and pregnant," Clement wrote. "She never heard from him again." Now at 76 and in poor health, Clement is still waiting. Andre Gantois says he feels sorry for those without answers. "It is not easy to live like that," he says. "I've got closure. The whole issue of my father, that's it, it's done. I'm no longer in a fog." ___ Associated Press writer Sarah Blake Morgan contributed from Greenville, South Carolina. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MEAD Authorities have identified a woman who was killed Monday in a collision between a cement truck and her car in Saunders County. Johanna Benting, 48, of Fremont was killed in the crash, which occurred just before 7 a.m. Monday on Nebraska 92, about 2 miles west of Mead. Authorities say Benting's westbound car crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the truck. The truck driver, William E. Schliefert, 79, of Wahoo was taken to a hospital. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 2 The love affair between President Donald Trump and rural America has always made sense to me. When I covered the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump often went to remote farm communities where Democrats, and even other Republican candidates, never bothered. The image of a New York billionaire holding a rally down the street from an Alabama Dollar General might have seemed hilarious to some reporters, but to the farmers and their families at those rallies, a rich, television celebrity coming to their hometown made them feel important and even hopeful that someone like him would value a place like theirs. The details of his policies weren't important at those rallies. It was about the way he made them feel. But that feeling is being tested in ways even American farmers never imagined, despite the fact that Trump, as a candidate, told them exactly what he would do as president when he was elected. "You know, China?" he asked a rally in Clear Lakes, Iowa, in 2016. "What they're doing to us in trade is unbelievable. They're killing us. It's one of the great thefts in the history of the world." By directing the attorney general, the justice department, the FBI and the secretary of the treasury to act in his own personal interest rather than in the interests of the American people, Trump is saying that a president can run the government on his own. Adios, Constitution. By unilaterally threatening to cut off trade with the second-largest economy in the world, Trump is saying he has sole authority to endanger the entire American economy. (Make no mistake: If he goes through with his threat, the U.S. economy will go into a tailspin.) By doing whatever he could to stop an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including firing the head of the FBI, Trump has told America it's OK for a president to obstruct justice. Goodbye, law. The core purpose of the U.S. Constitution is to prevent tyranny. That's why the framers of the Constitution distributed power among the president, Congress and the judiciary. That's why each of the three branches was designed to limit the powers of the other two. In other words, the framers anticipated the possibility of a Donald Trump. That's manifestly the case here. The Mueller report itself leaves no ambiguity about where it left the judicial process regarding obstruction of justice on the part of the president: in Congress' hands. To make a just decision about impeachment or other constitutional remedies for the misconduct of Trump and his circle, Congress needs to see, and in some cases hear, the evidence. For now, though, "protective executive privilege" is another key brick in Trump's tweetering wall of words. The Supreme Court's Watergate ruling made it clear that a president must comply with subpoenas in criminal matters; it was silent on congressional investigations, where no indictment has been made. This lacuna suggests we may see a U.S. vs. Trump sooner rather than later. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin offered a sideshow "tell" previewing Barr's snub of the House Judiciary Committee and Trump's flat defiance of Congress in April. He at least showed up to testify before the House Financial Services Committee, but he did so all but sneering at the committee chair, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles). He had more important places to be, he said. KENOSHA While the southeastern Wisconsin economy has been in a growth mode, future economic and workforce progress may depend upon policymakers who set the tone for expansion and employers who embrace new ways to recruit and retain workers. That was the word from Brian Andrew, chief investment officer with the Racine-based Johnson Financial Group, who said Wednesday morning that the economy is growing faster than it normally would. Speaking at the annual State of the Region Economic Forum at the Club at Strawberry Creek in Kenosha, he said, Were not likely to see a recession anytime soon. While thats good news to business leaders and employers, he cautioned that continued growth will depend upon the policymakers. Nationally, that could mean how trade and tariff actions are imposed and locally, what constraints and levies are imposed. Andrew talked about the $620 billion trade deficit and noted that two-thirds of that amount comes with China, the No. 2 economy in the world. He said fourth-quarter profit margins for U.S. companies were 11 percent. He said companies are likely to see positive earnings growth to continue this year. He said the trend of U.S. companies outsourcing manufacturing overseas for lower labor costs may be reversing because customers want shorter delivery times. We have to shorten the distance in the supply chain, he said. Panel discussion During a panel discussion after Andrews talk, Kenosha Area Business Alliance president Todd Battle said the region had nearly 5 million square feet of industrial space under construction at the end of 2018, and theres still room to grow. Theres still a lot of runway left, he said, citing the Chrysler site, downtown Kenosha and the former We Energies power plant in Pleasant Prairie. Health care is part of the areas building boom, with Froedtert and Advocate Aurora in the midst of major projects in Kenosha and Racine counties. Its changing landscape, said Susan Ventura, executive vice president with Kenosha-based Froedtert South. Were doing all we can do to adapt to the changes. Building and maintaining a steady workforce is a challenge, she said. She said 50 percent of Froedterts workforce will be retiring in the next five to 10 years, and human resources personnel have embraced new methods of finding people. Its an ongoing effort, she said, noting Froedtert has partnered with Gateway Technical College and other institutions and has a training facility in its hospital. Gateway President/CEO Bryan Albrecht suggested employers need to change how they recruit if they are to find the workers they need to fill jobs. He said some companies have formed partnerships with Gateway and other institutions to train people and build a pipeline. He said students have changed their job-seeking methods, and he suggested employers need to do the same by using various job search networks. If youre looking for employees the traditional way, youre at the back of the line. If youre looking for employees through LinkedIn, youre near the back of the line. Albrecht said. You have to know where they are. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 RACINE After Saturdays Post Prom ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and nearly 1,100 high school students and their dates returned home, cleanup quickly began inside Festival Hall. Outside, the red carpet stayed put for the second prom of the weekend. On Sunday evening, more than 100 other young people, along with 200 volunteers, refilled Festival Hall for A Night to Remember, a prom for people with special needs. Thats whats so special about both of these proms; I think Racine really understands how special both proms are for their communities, said Sara Luther, one of the events organizers. All high school seniors, including those with special needs, are invited to the traditional promenade on Saturday. But this second event, established by Great Lakes Church in 2014, caters to people with special needs and ages 13-30. Mike Klug has quickly developed a deep appreciation for what A Night to Remember offers. In photos: Red carpet, retro rides rolled out for A Night to Remember special-needs prom More than 100 young people, joined by more than 200 volunteers, attended the sixth annual A Night to Remember prom Sunday afternoon at Festival Hall. His son Kevin who has been diagnosed with epilepsy, a brain injury and autism went to the traditional prom twice in high school. But A Night to Remember has become a highlight of his year, every year, for the past six years, he said. Theyre kind of on stage and feel proud of who they are and being part of the community, and that doesnt always happen, Klug said. That specialness lasts longer than one night. It builds confidence and makes them feel like theyre part of the community. Changing of the guard After 2018, Great Lakes Church handed over A Night to Remembers reins to Racine Rotary clubs, which have operated Post Prom since 1953. The event made such a big impact on his son that Klug, who is a RE/MAX realtor based in Racine, decided to become a co-sponsor this year. In this transition year, I heard they could use some extra support it kind of worried me that it might go away, Klug said. These guys dont always get an invitation to things, so to get an invitation and roll the red carpet for them is incredible its their night, a special night for them. By having the events back-to-back, Racine Founders Rotary Club is able to save on resources and planning. But thats not the important part. Do you need two proms? Yes and no, Luther explained. By having a second, special needs-focused option, guests are able to get the special attention they might need. It also makes it easier for guests to escape the overstimulation that becomes possible with Post Proms flashing lights, loud music and crowded dance floor. Theres a separate quiet room available where guests can just talk or play games and draw, sheltered from the hectic nature of the dance floor. Every attendee is partnered with a host throughout the night as they go from motorcade (with classic cars, limousines and wheelchair-accessible vehicles) to dinner buffet to dance floor. Ron Tatum, one of the guest hosts, said: Any time we can bring attention to these individuals is spectacular. Unwinding at Uncorkt Hosts like Tatum allow parents to take an often-needed break for the evening. Simultaneous with prom, Klug hosted a parents-only watch party (the event was livestreamed on Facebook) at Uncorkt Wine Bar, 240 Main St. There, parents will be able to connect and network, which Klug hopes will build a stronger community with increased access to and knowledge of services their kids need. The parents feel that their young folks are safe, Luther said, noting that there were care teams staffed with medical professionals on site to help out as necessary. Its a great chance for (parents) to have their time away and celebrate, Klug added. Theyve successfully brought up individuals who can go to prom on their own. Thats whats so special about both of these proms; I think Racine really understands how special both proms are for their communities. Sara Luther, Post Prom co-chair Love 9 Funny 1 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. Watch the moment a tornado slams into a Kentucky bank, power is finally being restored to parks of Kentucky nearly two weeks after the devasta Amid reports of outbreaks across the United States of measles a disease declared eradicated here by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000 comes news of a disturbing prospect in Wisconsins largest city. More than 11,000 students in Milwaukee Public Schools alone did not receive all required vaccinations this school year including those to prevent measles, polio, diphtheria and hepatitis B, according to state health records, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported May 9. Thats nearly 15% of MPS students, which means there could be too few vaccinated students within district boundaries to sustain herd immunity, which prevents newborn babies, unvaccinated children or adults in poor health from contracting diseases that could disable or kill them. Its like you have a can of gasoline and youre just waiting for someone to drop a match, said James Conway, a doctor who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases and associate director for health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. State Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, has written a bill that would make it difficult for unvaccinated children to attend school: Were going to increase vaccination rates one of two ways: Were going to pass this bill ... or were going to have a measles outbreak, he said. Given the Milwaukee statistics, Hintzs statement doesnt sound like hyperbole. Hintzs bill is not receiving support from Republicans. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he is opposed to mandatory vaccination. I dont think that anybody should have that the government should have the ability to mandate that something has to happen to your child, Vos said. Now, would I support an education campaign because I think vaccination is right? I would. Then lets have it. Lets have the bill, with bipartisan support, to fund a pro-vaccination campaign throughout Wisconsin. The United States achieved measles eradication in 2000 because two generations of Americans the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963 were raised by parents who had seen the painful effects of the highly contagious rash. In the decade before 1963, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years of age, the CDC reports on its website. It is estimated 3 to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year; an estimated 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 suffered encephalitis swelling of the brain from measles. So by 2000, measles had been eradicated; less than 20 years later, we have measles outbreaks. Some cases of unvaccinated children in Milwaukee, and elsewhere in the nation, are a matter of insufficient access to vaccinations. However, we note that in the year 2000 American adult internet use reached 52 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. More than half of the adult population. The internet spreads misinformation, and outright lies, just as fast as it spreads accurate information. Not everyone can discern the difference between an informed opinion and an uninformed opinion. Although we would have thought everyone accepts that a physician knows more about diseases than, say, someone with no evident medical degree posting something in opposition to vaccinations on social media. This is what a Wisconsin pro-vaccination campaign would be up against. Were going to need a widespread, well-funded campaign print, TV, radio and billboards to push back against the nonsense being spread on the internet. We look forward to watching Wisconsin Republicans and Democrats come together to put their shared knowledge of the effectiveness of vaccinations into action. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 - JV Ejercito said that he does not feel any bitterness towards the election results - He added that he does not want to concede just yet - Ejercito landed at the 13th spot in the mid-term elections PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito said that he will not be conceding after landing at the 13th spot in the recent elections. KAMI learned that Ejercito does not also feel bitter despite not making it to the Magic 12. Through a tweet, Ejercito has expressed his feelings about the election results. I do not feel any bitterness or even be depressed about the possibility of not making the Top 12 its because of the outpouring of support from the public has been overwhelming, Ejercito said. Deep inside I know I won. But it has never been my nature not to be an obstructionist, he added. In an interview on CNN Philippines The Source, Ejercito said that he is not conceding just yet. The reason why I do not want to concede is because I owe it also to the people who worked very hard for me, Ejercito said. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! As previously reported by KAMI, Ejercito posted cryptic tweets after his half-brother Jinggoy Estrada mocked him and conceded his defeat. JV Ejercito is the son of incumbent Manila Mayor Erap Estrada and Guia Gomez. Ejercito used to serve as the mayor of San Juan and a congressman. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Halo-Halo is a popular Filipino dessert. But it's so hard to choose the best one. Right? So we are helping you out with this! Our host Joy is tasting the product by several producers and giving her verdict. Check out all of our videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh - The Palace recently dismissed the rumors about President Rodrigo Dutertes health - Senator Ping Lacson also commented on the controversies - Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the President was in his residence PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Recently, the Palace has shut down the rumors that President Rodrigo Duterte suffered from cardiac arrest and was admitted at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City. KAMI learned that Senator Panfilo Ping Lacson also commented on the rumors through a social media post. Sa mga hindi nagsasawa sa paulit ulit na kamatayan ni Rodrigo Duterte, pahinga muna kayo, Lacson said. May kasabihan - ang taong napapabalitang namatay na, lalong humahaba ang bahay, he added. On Saturday, the Palace denied the claims that President Duterte was at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, as reported by the CNN Philippines. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the President was in residence and that he was neither confirming nor denying that he went to the hospital. "The President is in his residence at the Palace signing papers. I just talked to him, he is neither confirming nor denying that he went to the hospital," Panelo said. 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! President Duterte had not been seen from the public eye since he cast his vote in Davao City, according to a previous report by KAMI. Born on March 28, 1945, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the only septuagenarian to ever assume the post. Many controversies had been spread with regard to his health, but the Palace dismissed these. POPULAR: Read more news about President Rodrigo Duterte! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Halo-Halo is a popular Filipino dessert. But it's so hard to choose the best one. Right? So we are helping you out with this! Our host Joy is tasting the product by several producers and giving her verdict. Check out all of our videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh - Ryan Bang got irritated due to the actions of Hashtag Wilbert - He confessed about this during the recent episode of the noontime show Its Showtime - Anne Curtis and Vhong Navarro also reacted to the statement of the Korean PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Kapamilya actor Ryan Bang fearlessly exposed to public the trait that he does not like about Hashtag Wilbert. KAMI learned that this happened during the recent episode of Its Showtime where the said Hashtag member momentarily served as Kuya Escort. Wilbert first greeted the madlang people using a very manly voice as the other hosts of the show were trying to boost his confidence. Because of this, Ryan claimed that the gentleman always acts like he is the most handsome guy in the world. The Korean heartthrob, however, admitted that Wilbert is a good-looking man but he often gets irritated by the way the Hashtag member acts in front of many people. Naiinis ako sayo. Alam mo [kung] bakit? Alam kong mas gwapo ka sa akin pero yung feeling mo, parang ikaw ang pinaka-gwapo sa buong mundo the foreigner quipped. Nakaka-irita ka kapag ganon! he exclaimed. 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! Wilbert then explained that he is just showing his self-confidence so that other people will appreciate him more. Anne Curtis also made a remark about the statement of Ryan and she stated that the Korean actor seemed really affected by his claims. Watch the video below: In a previous article by , Ryan made Mariel Padilla emotional after telling a touching story about his father. Ryan Bang is a famous celebrity in the Philippines. He gained popularity after joining the reality competition entitled Pinoy Big Brother where James Reid was hailed as the winner. POPULAR: Read more news about Ryan Bang! 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. In this video, we have included the funniest moments that will definitely put a smile on your face. Do you want to have a good laugh? on HumanMeter! Source: KAMI.com.gh Long wait for loved onesand for justice On a chilly evening on January 3, 2004, about a dozen police officers in civilian clothing came to the Bhotahiti-based shop of Hira Bahadur Roka and asked him to come along for questioning. They didnt tell him what it was about or where he was being taken, but they assured him that hed be released within a few hours.Fourteen years later, Rokas family is still waiting for him to return. Following months of search, the family discovered that Roka had been taken to Maharajgunj-based Bhairavnath Battalion of Nepal Army, after he was held inside a few police stations within the Valley. stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. The organization champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Its mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Its strength is our Membershipa nationwide community of more than 7,200 novelists, journalists, nonfiction writers, editors, poets, essayists, playwrights, publishers, translators, agents, and other writing professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN Americas mission. Because PEN America celebrates writers at every stage of their career, the organization takes great pride in its . As you may know, submissions for the 2020 cycle are currently open. Here are some of the grants and fellowships you may consider: The Idea Fund of La Crosse has created a new company to oversee the production of SwallowSTRONG, a medical device designed to help stroke, cancer and other patients retain their ability to swallow. The Idea Fund, a venture capital fund with nearly $13 million invested in Wisconsin startup companies, announced the move Monday. Jonathon Horne, managing director for the Idea Fund, said the company will be called Swallow Therapeutics, will be based in La Crosse, and will eventually have more than a dozen employees. Were excited to bring this cutting-edge health care company to La Crosse, said Horne, noting the citys reputation as a regional leader in health care. Theres Mayo, Gundersen this is what were strong in. The Idea Fund acquired the rights to SwallowSTRONG for $500,000. The device was previously owned by Swallow Solutions, a Madison company that recently folded. Horne said he believes the device will be not only profitable from a business standpoint, but revolutionary from a medical standpoint. Dysphagia, the medical term for difficulty swallowing, affects as many as 20 million people in the United States. It is particularly common among people recovering from strokes, and it has been known to cause a litany of other health problems, including aspiration pneumonia. Severe cases can require surgery or the use of feeding tubes, but SwallowSTRONG offers a less invasive option. Patients use a custom-molded mouthpiece to build tongue strength and regain their ability to swallow. Its really innovative in that theres no surgery, no feeding tube, nothing invasive, Horne said. Other forms of treatment create a huge cost for the health system and a major quality of life issue for patients. Don Weber, founder of Logistics Health Inc. and an investor with the Idea Fund, said the device has great potential for growth, especially in a place like La Crosse. The large number of health-care organizations in our region and the strong health-care talent in this area, will help support this emerging company as it continues on its path to success, he said. Horne said the Idea Fund is searching for a CEO to oversee Swallow Therapeutics, and that a hire should be made soon. The company will be the Idea Funds first investment headquartered in La Crosse. What is a venture capital fund? A venture capital fund manages money for investors seeking private equity stakes in small or startup companies with the potential to grow. The Idea Fund of La Crosse manages money for nearly 30 investors. It was established in 2016. Kyle Farris can be reached at (608) 791-8234 or kfarris@lacrossetribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Kyle_A_Farris. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Xcel Energy announced plans Monday to shutter its last two Midwestern coal plants a decade earlier than scheduled. The plan, which is subject to approval by Minnesota regulators, calls for major additions of wind and solar generation along with natural gas and the Monticello, Minnesota, nuclear plant. Xcel said it will close the 511-megawatt Allen S. King station in Washington County, Minnesota, by 2028 followed by the 939-megawatt Sherco 3 generator by 2030. Two other units at the Sherco plant in Sherburne County, Minnesota, were previously scheduled to close by 2024. The replacement portfolio includes more than 3,000 megawatts of new solar generation across the companys Midwestern footprint, which includes Minnesota along with western Wisconsin and parts of the Dakotas . Xcel says by 2030 more than half the energy it provides to customers in the Midwest will come from renewable sources and will result in an 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to 2005, which it calls a key stepping stone to providing carbon-free electricity by mid-century. The company said the plan, which is expected to be submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by July 1, ensures reliable and low-cost service for customers. Xcel said it worked with a coalition of environmental and labor groups on the agreement, which includes the purchase of the Mankato Energy Center natural gas plant from Southern Power Co. Spokesman Randy Fordice said the plan includes construction of a previously announced 786-megawatt natural gas plant in Sherburne County. The agreement also calls for the Monticello nuclear plant to continue operation through at least 2040. The plants current license expires in 2030. Xcel also operates two nuclear reactors at Prairie Island, which are licensed through 2033 and 2034. Fordice said those plants would be addressed in future resource plans. Headquartered in Minnesota, Xcel serves about 250,000 customers in Wisconsin. It was the first large investor-owned utility to promise carbon-free electricity by 2050. Last week, Madison Gas & Electric announced a similar goal of net-zero carbon electricity by the same deadline. Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 2 FORT McCOY U.S. Army Command Sgt. Major Ronnie Farmer vows to bring energy to his new job. Im big on motivation, he said. If you can wake up in the morning and put on the Army uniform, life is good. Farmer is now the highest ranking non-commissioned officer for the U.S. Army Reserves 88th Readiness Division after a Change of Responsibility ceremony Sunday at Fort McCoy. After a solemn ceremony that marked the change, Farmer delivered brief but lively remarks to begin his new responsibilities. Were going to have fun, were going to get back to basics and were going to take this team to the next level, Farmer said. Farmer replaces Command Sgt. Major Jeffrey McGlin, who took the assignment on a temporary basis after his predecessor, Command Sgt. Major Earl G. Rocca, had to step aside due to health issues. McGlin, who will retire in August, has worked with Farmer and said he deserved the promotion. Hes a great non-commissioned officer, and hes going to do great things here, McGlin said. Im comfortable and happy he was selected for this position. Farmer, a Georgia native, began his military career with the Army Reserve in 1988 and earned numerous awards, including a Bronze Star, as he rose through the ranks. He holds a masters degree from Webster University. He was introduced during the ceremony by Major Gen. Jody J. Daniels. He brings a wealth of operational and institutional training and administrative expertise that we couldnt have found elsewhere, she said. Hes also fit, energetic and a terrific mentor to all. The 88th Readiness Division is based at Fort McCoy and trains 52,000 Army Reserve soldiers annually. It operates 700 facilities in 19 states stretching from Ohio to Oregon. In a separate interview, Farmer said its the divisions responsibility to maintain training facilities and make sure all our resources get out to the field and get taken out to our soldiers. He looks forward to starting his new duties. Its an amazing opportunity, he said. Any time you can impact soldiers lives and their families, its a great day for us. Tomah Journal editor Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Driftless Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization promoting Crawford County, Vernon County and the Kickapoo Valley as a tourism destination, will unveil its newly developed website at two events in the region. Locations and times include: the Crawford County Administration Building in Prairie du Chien, Room 236, Wednesday, May 29 at 5 p.m.; and Western Technical College in Viroqua, Room 126, Thursday, May 30, at 5 p.m. A social with snacks and beverages will commence at 5 p.m., with the presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Businesses that attend will be offered a free basic listing on the new website for the remainder of 2019. Small businesses that currently do not have a website will have the opportunity to establish a presence on the internet. Existing advertisers of Driftless Wisconsin that attend will be offered a free upgrade from their current website listing for the remainder of 2019. The educational event will feature Amy Gabay and Brent Hanifl of River Travel Media, who will walk attendees through the new Driftless Wisconsin website and also offer businesses a tutorial on how best to use the internet and digital marketing strategies in the expanding internet economy. The new website at www.DriftlessWisconsin.com offers content designed to attract visitors and screen-wide photography to visually engage visitors. Homepage navigation will allow travelers to easily find area businesses and attractions, while a calendar of events and blog will highlight area activities. The website focuses on outdoor recreation, one of the primary draws of the Driftless area. The website also features improved rendering on mobile platforms, offering a one-stop information center for visitors using smartphones while traveling through the region. Driftless Wisconsin has contracted with River Travel Media to implement a digital advertising campaign including native website advertising, Google Adwords, and blogging to drive visitors to the new website. The website was funded by a $5,000 Vernon County Community Grant award presented by the Tourism, Promotion and Economic Development Committee; and a $5,000 investment for tourism promotion from the Finance Committee of Crawford County. Driftless Wisconsin began as a partnership between Crawford and Vernon counties, and we are very grateful for their generous and continued support, said Driftless Wisconsin Administrator Eric Frydenlund. Driftless Wisconsin was formed in 2008 as a collaboration of the Crawford County Tourism Council, Vernon County Tourism Council and the Kickapoo Valley Association. It published its first website in 2009, its first Driftless Wisconsin Map in 2011 a very popular tool for visitors navigating the area and officially incorporated in 2012. Any questions about the website unveiling or Driftless Wisconsin, can be directed to Frydenlund at Admin@DriftlessWisconsin.com or calling 608-326-6658. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A 94-year-old retired La Crosse priest will appear in court June 3 after accusations of sexual assault. Msgr. Bernard McGarty of La Crosse was arrested on charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and released on a signature bond, according to the police report. According to the incident report: On May 15, the victim told La Crosse Public Library security about an incident that took place on May 11. She said it happened at one of the benches behind the library about 5 p.m. On May 16, library security reported the incident to La Crosse police. The victim told police the man said his name was Bill and offered her money for sex. He also took her hand and put it on his genitals, and tried to kiss her. Library staff was able to identify McGarty from security footage because they recognized him from the news. In 2014, McGarty was fined for disorderly conduct in Wausau, Wis., for exposing himself during a massage and asked the masseuse to rub his genitals. Video surveillance showed McGarty sitting with the victim on the bench. McGarty handed her something, later discovered to be $20, and then pulled her hand onto his lap. Police located McGarty at his residence for questioning. McGarty said he had a brief conversation with the victim but nothing else happened. McGarty said he gave her $20 because she was homeless and denied any physical contact with her. Police told him a surveillance video revealed there was physical contact and asked McGarty why he put the victims hand on his genitals. McGarty continued denying doing so. Police arrested McGarty on charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and issued McGarty a signature bond. Jack Felsheim, director of communications and public relations from the Diocese of La Crosse, issued a statement: On May 16, 2019, the Diocese of La Crosse learned of a recent situation at the La Crosse Public Library involving Msgr. Bernard McGarty, 94, a retired priest of the Diocese of La Crosse. According to diocesan policy Msgr. McGarty, from this moment forward, is on a leave of absence from public ministry while this current situation is being investigated. Due to this being an ongoing investigation, the Diocese of La Crosse has no further comment at this time. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Counties, hospitals and care centers specializing in suicide prevention need all the help they can get. That was the prevailing theme when the Speakers Task Force on Suicide Prevention gathered for a hearing in La Crosse on Monday a chance for lawmakers to learn from mental health professionals and find ways to improve the system. Suicide is not just an urban or rural issue, not just an old or young issue, and not just a rich or poor issue, said Rep. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, who serves as vice chair of the task force. We want to hear from everybody in the state. We want to hear what gaps can be filled. Mondays hearing focused on the mental health facilities in the La Crosse area what they do, how they do it, and why they need more support. Donna Christianson, who oversees La Crosse Countys crisis program, works with people in the midst of a mental-health crisis. Her team tries to stabilize the situation, ensuring that patients are safe during the first few days after an event or episode. Then, once the crisis passes, the team helps patients develop coping mechanisms and refers them to long-term mental-health resources. Even then, the battle is not won. Christianson said the facility where a patient ends up can make all the difference. Juveniles who spend time in an adult facility, or anyone who spends time in a facility thats far from their home, typically have poorer outcomes. That issue is compounded by the fact that most counties, including La Crosse, have more patients than they do beds. One of the main reasons people go into the hospital is theyre feeling loneliness and isolation, Christianson said. We want to make sure theyre feeling connected to other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate in Wisconsin rose by nearly 26% between 1999 and 2016, mirroring a national trend. In Wisconsin, suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 34, and the third-leading cause of death among people 35 to 44. While young people are more vulnerable than ever, suicide is increasingly prevalent among nearly all demographic groups. Veterans, farmers and first responders are at particularly high risk, experts say. Christianson and Emily McGonigle, who oversees La Crosse Countys Comprehensive Community Services program, called for the state to ramp up its investment in mental health services. They asked that the Legislature fully fund crisis services through Medicaid and require private insurance companies to reimburse patients for these services. They also requested that lawmakers take a closer look at firearms, the most common means of suicide by a wide margin, according to the CDC. The Task Force on Suicide Prevention, created by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, is a bipartisan group comprised of 15 members and chaired by Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan. Monday was the second of six hearings across the state as the group seeks feedback from people who treat mental illness or have been touched by suicide. Theres so much partisanship in Madison and even more in Washington but we want to work together to come up with a solution to this problem, Doyle said. Were not looking for Republican ideas or Democratic ideas. Were looking for the best ideas. 052119-lt-nws-bpw/Jourdan (15 inches): 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 1 Angry 0 Utility companies seeking to build a $500 million power line across southwestern Wisconsin want to know whats motivating one opposition group, prompting a rebuke from the American Civil Liberties Union. The Driftless Area Land Conservancy is fighting efforts by three utilities to build a high-voltage transmission line between Dubuque and Madison. Attorneys for the utilities have sought to question DALC executive director David Clutter and to force the land trust to turn over eight years of internal communications regarding the line and to identify the individual/s that first proposed having DALC oppose the Project. They also want to question Clutter about discussions between DALC representatives and other opponents as well any conversations he had with his board of directors regarding two already constructed power lines. ATC is clearly seeking to harass the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and penalize people for participating in the process, said Howard Learner, an attorney representing DALC. This is an attempt to punish an individual and a group and to send a warning message to everyone else: If you intervene were going to seek your hard drives. The ACLU, which is neutral on the power line proposal, said the inquiries into the internal communications can chill the exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment. The two sides are expected to argue their cases in front of an administrative law judge on Tuesday. A joint venture of American Transmission Company (ATC), ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative, the Cardinal-Hickory Creek line would stretch across more than 100 miles of the Driftless area. The costs and any possible benefits would be shared by ratepayers in 12 states. Wisconsins share is about $70 million. The utilities and some environmental groups say it would deliver cheap, clean wind energy from Iowa, saving ratepayers money. Opponents question the public value, saying it would enable little new wind energy and damage important conservation areas. DALC, which protects land in and around the proposed power line corridor, is represented in the case by the Environmental Law & Policy Center. The legal firm has assembled a team of experts including a former head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to testify against the project. In legal briefs, the companies argue that DALCs motivations bear on the credibility of any evidence DALCs hired experts might present to the Public Service Commission, which will decide if the project is in the public interest. The companies say public statements by DALC members about the project entitle them to see evidence about the groups internal communications. ATC spokeswoman Alissa Braatz declined to say Monday why the company believes DALCs motivations are relevant but said more information would be revealed at Tuesdays hearing. DALC argues that information is irrelevant because neither Clutter nor any of its members are testifying as experts in the case and the motivations of any individuals have nothing to do with whether the utilities can prove the project meets statutory requirements. The conservancy points out that the utilities did not object to or question its interest in the case when the group sought to intervene in the proceedings. DALC is among dozens of organizations and individuals with intervenor status. DALCs attorneys argue granting the utility companies request would establish a new precedent that would make it harder and more expensive for citizens and non-governmental organizations to participate in such cases, giving utilities an even greater advantage. To do so would open a huge door, Learner said. It would greatly expand proceedings. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gov. Tony Evers and Republican state lawmakers sought Monday to explain their faltering efforts to negotiate the next state budget, with Evers first sidestepping but later appearing to endorse his spokeswomans claim that sexism explains GOP leaders refusal to negotiate with the governors top staffers. Evers initially declined Monday, when asked at a news conference, to concur with his spokeswoman Melissa Baldauffs contention that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald are clearly uncomfortable or simply unwilling to work with the governors all-female leadership team. But Evers seemed to double down on that argument in a subsequent statement Monday. It said that only Vos and Fitzgerald can explain why they wont work with the women who are leading my office. Evers said GOP legislative leaders set a precedent in their negotiations with top staffers for former Gov. Scott Walker, who were men. He said he asked Vos and Fitzgerald to hold budget talks with his chief of staff, Maggie Gau, but they have not. They know how to work with my staff and are choosing not to. So, this is clearly a departure from past practice. You connect the dots, Evers said. Fitzgerald, meanwhile, said Evers initial unwillingness to address Baldauffs comments bolsters their case for meeting with the governor directly, instead of through subordinates. If not even the governors spokesperson can be trusted to speak for the governor, how can he expect us to work with anyone from his staff? Fitzgerald said in a statement. Vos has been particularly emphatic that he expects to hold budget negotiations directly with Evers instead of through subordinates. The exchange shows the rising tensions between Evers, a Democrat, and Republicans who control the Legislature. Both sides are not making progress on a deal for the next state budget, even as the Legislature this week approaches a critical point in the process. The Legislatures budget-crafting Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to take up the state K-12 schools budget Thursday. But GOP lawmakers say there is no agreement with each other, or with Evers, on what the schools budget will include. The controversy first flared Saturday at the Republican Party of Wisconsin convention, when Fitzgerald accused Evers of failing to reach out to lawmakers. Baldauff responded that Fitzgerald and Vos are clearly uncomfortable or simply unwilling to work with a leadership team made up entirely of women. Evers chief of staff and three deputy chiefs of staff Baldauff, Kara Pennoyer and Barbara Worcester are all women. Evers was asked about those comments Monday. Mondays news conference was held by Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. David Crowley, D-Milwaukee, to publicize their push for automatic voter registration in Wisconsin. It was included in Evers budget but removed by GOP lawmakers, and now Crowley and other Democratic lawmakers want to advance it as a standalone measure. The bill requires the state Elections Commission to facilitate the registration of all eligible electors of this state. That would be done in part by directing the commission to reach an agreement with the state Department of Transportation to share information about voters. Democratic proponents of the measure touted it as pushback against what they said is a Republican effort to restrict voting rights. It will streamline the process, making sure that people can vote, Crowley said. Wisconsin had about 3.24 million active registered voters as of May 1, according to the Elections Commission. The state Department of Administration estimated Wisconsins voting age population in 2018 was about 4.5 million. That number includes at least some people of voting age but not eligible, such as those currently incarcerated for felonies or non-citizens. Vos said in a statement that this bill is a solution looking for a problem. Its easy to register to vote in Wisconsin. Vos cited measures the state has adopted to make voting easier. They include online voter registration and Election Day registration the latter of which Vos previously sought to repeal. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 OSHKOSH At an annual convention where Republicans fumed against the growing threat of socialism and wacky ideas from the left, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said Democratic presidential contender and former Vice President Joe Biden is the biggest threat to a Republican victory in Wisconsin next year. Hes a likable guy, Johnson told reporters here Saturday. I think hes developed a fair amount of positive political capital, but at the same time, hes also been wrong policy-wise on so many foreign policy as well as domestic policy issues. Johnson, R-Oshkosh, made the comments as about 650 of the party faithful gathered to move past their 2018 statewide losses and gear up to defend President Donald Trump in his 2020 re-election bid. Johnson, who is a manufacturer, said his belief Biden is the top Democratic presidential candidate is obvious given his name recognition and personality akin to a sales manager but said hell be proud to compare Trumps agenda against that of former President Barack Obama and Biden, especially given growth in business investment. The annual convention comes less than a week after the release of the partys self-assessment showing the state GOP in 2018 spent vastly beyond its means, relied too heavily on consultants and failed to connect with the partys grassroots activists and volunteers. Abortion stance The convention also comes on the heels of Republicans in a handful of states passing highly restrictive abortion bans, such as in Alabama, where Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law making it a felony in nearly all cases to perform an abortion. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans in the state Assembly earlier this week approved a slate of bills to restrict abortion. One of the measures, coined the born-alive bill, would make intentionally causing the death of a child born alive as a result of an abortion or an attempted abortion a felony with a penalty of life imprisonment the same penalty as first-degree intentional homicide. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said the Senate would take up the legislation in June, and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers previously said hed veto it. Johnson told reporters on Saturday he is opposed to laws as restrictive as Alabamas, and said he is skeptical of fetal heartbeat laws that ban abortions as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Thats pretty early in the process, Johnson said. Johnson, however, said he regrets the U.S. Supremes Courts landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that affirmed the legality of a womans right to have an abortion. He said he would have preferred each state to make its own rules on abortion and said the fallout from such a scenario a patchwork of abortion laws across the U.S. is preferable to the current framework. I think wed protect life in the womb of the mother far earlier than we do now, Johnson said. Johnson said he supports a federal bill that would ban abortion after about 20 weeks after fertilization. Gearing up for 2020 On Saturday, party leaders were looking to drum up support for Trump ahead of 2020, something theyll need to do among women and other demographic groups Republicans had trouble with during the 2018 midterms. Republican members of Wisconsins congressional delegation warned against what they see as the rising tide of socialism and urged their supporters to take a message of economic opportunity to demographic groups that dont hear it as often, such as those in the African American community. Conservative ideas help all of us, said first-term U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville. Were fighting for people to live out a life of the American dream. U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wausau, urged Republicans and supporters of Trump to drum up support for the president among their own social circles to combat the threat of socialism, which Duffy said could lead the U.S. down the road of a country like Venezuela, which has suffered economic collapse in recent years. If we go by the way of Venezuela, there is no America to save us, Duffy said. Duffys comments were accompanied by those of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who railed against Evers Democratic proposals as wacky ideas pedaled by those in Dane County. Vos complained Evers is not learning from his predecessors, former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who Vos said worked with Legislatures controlled by the opposing party. Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said Republicans are ignoring the will of the people of Wisconsin. Only a party in complete disarray would attack investments in special education funding, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, and lead poisoning prevention and treatment as wacky and crazy, Baldauff said in a statement. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Glenbeulah, said highlighting what the GOP views as extreme rhetoric on the left will be a theme to carry them through next years presidential election. Democratic stances to highlight, he said, include those on border security and gun control. Every day one of their 23 (presidential) candidates is selling something crazy, Grothman said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This week's IP news includes a list of forthcoming IP events, calls for papers, and even an opportunity to have your say on how to implement Article 17 of the Digital Single Market Directive (DSMD)! Events AI: Decoding IP event in London on June the 18th to 19th. If you cannot make it in person, then feel free to register for its live stream here. A friendly reminder to all readers that there is still time to reserve a place at theevent in London on June the 18th to 19th. If you cannot make it in person, then feel free to register for its live stream here and here. The next WIPO Roving Seminars will take place in Braga, Portugal on May 21st-22nd and in Finland on May 27th and May 29th, at Helsinki and Oulu respectively. The seminars are free to register and attend, and will be conducted in English. More information on the seminar programs, and links to register for each respective seminar can be found on the WIPO siteand here to register and here for more information. On 21 June 2019, Fashion, Law and Business is hosting its 8th annual Summer Fashion Law Masterclass at the Conde Nast College of Fashion & Design, in Central London. Designed to help participants understand the law as it applies to the business of fashion, this one-day course will offer a practical understanding of the law of intellectual property and will explore the essential legal issues faced by a fashion business as it grows from a start-up to luxury fashion phase. Clickto register andfor more information. How to Implement Article 17 DSMD? Have Your Say! On 13th of June, the European Copyright Roundtable will take place in Brussels. It will focus on Article 17 (ex-13) DSMD that regulates online content sharing service providers. Academics and industry representatives will discuss interpretations and possible implementations of Article 17 DSMD and its various components. The event is structured into four panels: (a) General issues; (b) Licensing issues; (c) Preventive obligations; (d) Over-removal of the legitimate content. The event is organized and funded by Tilburg Law School (Martin Husovec) and CREATe, University of Glasgow (Martin Kretschmer). EU Law? I'm on it! The organizers need your help. To make this an informed debate, they would like to ask you all to send them: (1) questions about Article 17, which you cannot find answers to or just think are far from obvious, (2) your own remarks or solutions on any of the issues in Article 17, which you think should receive attention during the debates, and (3) your own scholarship on Article 17, regardless of the language in which it is written. The organizers want to incorporate your input into the debates within the panels and catalogue it for future reference. They might also invite some of you to join in and be part of the panels. this form to share the information with them. Interested? If so, please useto share the information with them. here; note that seats are limited). For those who cannot come in person, the organizers will endeavor to document or web-stream the event. If you are able to attend in person, please registernote that seats are limited). For those who cannot come in person, the organizers will endeavor to document or web-stream the event. Other: CREATe, the University of Glasgow is offering two PostDoc positions and one IP lectureship. Applications close on the 6th of June and the 13th of June respectively. For more information and to apply online please click martin.kretschmer@glasgow.ac.uk. Three opportunities have opened up at the University of Glasgow! With, the University of Glasgow is offering two PostDoc positions and one IP lectureship. Applications close on the 6th of June and the 13th of June respectively. For more information and to apply online please click here . Informal enquiries can be made to Professor Martin Kretschmer at here. Gikii is inviting readers to submit abstracts for their Call for Papers (Gikii XIV - The Purry Road). Submissions of abstracts no longer than 500 words are to be sent to the School of Business and Management, and the Department of Law of Queen Mary University at gikii14@qmul.ac.uk by 8 July 2019. More information on this can be found Image Source: Dr Marina Perraki John Adams, our second president and a principal guide in the writing of the U.S. Constitution in addition to his work on the Declaration of Independence, also defended British soldiers who killed American colonists in the Boston Massacre. Dont do this unpopular thing, friends warned him, but he did it anyway because of a belief in justice that may have derived in part from his Harvard education. Sadly, this university is now snubbing justice by going after a faculty member whose central mistake was not planning to defend foreigners in red coats, but the equally despised Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. This African-American law professor, Ronald Sullivan, and his wife, a lecturer, have also been faculty deans who have mentored and counseled some 400 students in living quarters and a community center know as Winthrop House. Thats ending, theyve been told. You see, some of the students in that abode said that every time they would see him they would think of Weinstein and his dozens of sexual assaults. They could hardly believe that a dean that close to them would be that close to him. They were horrified, in tears, motivated to write objections in graffiti. And so a higher-ranking dean concluded that the climate at Winthrop House meant the deans must go even as they kept their other positions. The Harvard Crimson sided with the students even though 52 law professors said this was awful, explaining that every criminally accused person was entitled to a defense from the best lawyers available. Diminishing supply through nasty regards would not improve the human condition or serve the community. Sullivan himself tried to explain that he took the case not because he approved of what someone did, only that procedural fairness should be assured. Some of the students said they were thereby traumatized, which is to say, in shock maybe forever, as emotionally damaged as a soldier with part of his body shot off. I wont claim to be traumatized, but I am hugely upset with these super-spoiled, self-absorbed crybabies refusing to deal with realities they will confront for the rest of their lives even in lavish, well-protected, communications-free survival huts in the wilderness. Its akin to those never wanting to hear anything contrary to what they might believe, thereby reducing a world of ideas to a crib of ideas. I really, truly fear for what these young people may do when they grow older and possibly become leaders. Are we to be inundated by the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez whose autocratic Green New Deal could ruin millions of lives and not save a single one? Yes, these angry students are a minority, but we also know what is happening generally, and all right, play with socialist imaginings, dear students. But also try to look around the curves and, at Harvard, understand that guilt should not be determined by popular opinion and stop and read up on Sullivan. Are you aware that he worked with criminal justice agencies throughout the country to help free as many as 6,000 wrongly imprisoned citizens? Do you think wrong convictions are just accidents or that they may also related to the kinds of defense Sullivan understands so well? Will you ever do as much for just a few lives as he did for 6,000? Lets get back to Adams, who was not a loyalist and planned on seeking public office as a patriot. He said to the jurors that he wanted them to forget who was British and who was a colonist and focus on facts. They did. They exonerated six of the British officers accused of murder while finding two guilty of manslaughter. I dont think Weinstein is going to escape prison, but justice deserves a chance, and lets dont blame the Sullivan episode entirely on the students. With prestige roughly the equivalent of its net worth of something like $43 billion, Harvard the institution was the main actor and earned itself an elevator ride to the basement. Tribune News service columnist Jay Ambrose can be reached at speaktojay@aol.com. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Joe Biden polling surge has raised the frightful specter of Democratic rationality. What if Donald Trump hasnt driven Democrats insane, sending them into a spiral of self-defeating radicalism, but instead made them shockingly pragmatic? Bidens early strength suggests it may be the latter, that the reaction to Trump is so intense that it has crossed some sort of event horizon from fevered fantasy of his leaving office early via resignation or impeachment to a cold-eyed, win-at-any-cost practicality. If this is true, one of the exogenous factors that could appreciably increase Trumps odds of reelection a zany Democratic nomination contest leading to a nominee much too far left for the American electorate may not materialize. The commonsense play for the Democrats has always been to nominate a nonsocialist with appeal to Obama-to-Trump voters in former Blue Wall states if not necessarily Biden, then someone with a similar, relatively moderate profile. If hardly dispositive, Bidens robust numbers at least suggest that this play is more likely than it seemed in the very early going, when candidates were stumbling over one another apologizing for sundry alleged offenses in the Woke Olympics. If thats not going to be the true dynamic of the race, Im as surprised as anyone. Whats extraordinary, though, is that almost every Democratic candidate might have been misreading it as well, and chasing the wrong rabbit down the track. Certainly, Bernie Sanders dominated the intellectual and policy debate in the wake of his 2016 run, driving other presidential candidates to embrace his signature proposals. And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a genuine political star. Its only because the center of gravity of the party has clearly moved left that Biden, always a standard liberal, now sounds like a centrist when he calls himself an Obama-Biden Democrat. But, as Harry Enten of CNN, among others, has been insisting for some time, the average Democrat is older, more moderate or conservative, and less likely to have a college degree than youd guess from following Twitter or cable TV. These voters were underserved by the rest of the field, and Biden is taking dead aim at them with the simple message that he can beat Trump. Electability is usually a wan, uninspiring rationale for lackluster establishment campaigns, but Trump may have transformed into something more urgent and exciting for Democrats in 2020. In this scenario, fear and loathing of Trump doesnt drive Democrats into a politically risky dead end like impeachment although thats still possible but a sensible appraisal of how to beat him at the ballot box. In a recent CNN poll, about half of Democrats said its extremely important that a candidate have a good chance of beating Trump, much higher than any other candidate quality. Journalists on the trail have reported hearing the same thing from Democratic voters. Of course, if we learned anything from 2016, its that pundits know much less about electability than we think. Bidens paper strength may dissipate. How often in American politics has the old candidate promising a restoration won? History shows that Democrats have had better electoral luck when they fall in love with a youthful candidate promising a fresh start. Think Bill Clinton, not Walter Mondale; Barack Obama, not Hillary Clinton. Bidens long record has plenty for Trump to shoot at, and after he gets beaten up over his past positions on busing and crime, he may have some of the same trouble as Hillary turning out the Democratic base. Bidens electability will have to be proven not just in general election polling matchups with Trump, but day-by-day campaigning during the primaries with more incoming than hes experienced to date. All that said, Bidens level of support out of the gate has already changed the narrative of the race. It may be that hes understood how Trump is shaping the 2020 landscape better than his more with-it and current Democratic competitors. Syndicated columnist Rich Lowry can be reached at comments.lowry@nationalreview.com. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 Turnout was depressingly low in last Tuesday's special election for an open seat on the Los Angeles Unified School Board -- which surprised precisely nobody, least of all Lewis Myers. And who's at fault for a turnout rate of 8.72%? Myers, an operative who helps run political campaigns, says it's not the voters; it's the political class. "We community activists, political consultants and candidates should be embarrassed," Myers wrote in a scathing open letter last week, "at the lack of participation despite millions spent." After doing consulting work for four of the race's 10 candidates during the LAUSD Board District 5 race, including a brief stint with runner-up Heather Repenning, Myers concluded the way candidates conducted their campaigns ensured "unactivated" residents would not turn out to vote -- not in last Tuesday's race, and perhaps not ever. "Our community," his letter continued, "is blind and those of us who can see are not helping those who require sight." Myers' letter isn't an abstract exercise in assigning blame, he explained in a follow-up interview with KPCC/LAist. During the LAUSD race, he observed campaigns falling back on a common habit: focusing on reaching voters who have reliably turned out to vote in the past. Even school board campaigns have access to sophisticated data showing individual voters' turnout history. But in targeting the people who vote most consistently, they're ignoring residents with less-reliable voting records -- who are now likely to be ignored in future races because of their history of not voting. This "unactivated" voter "will never vote because he has never been engaged," said Myers, "and we will never engage him because he never votes." A dismal 6%. A decision was made last night and the vast majority of stakeholders have no idea what happened. Millions spent and fortunes made in a matter of months & the community is none the wiser. @kystokes @howardblume @MarkDuplass #LAUSD #HeatherRepenning #JackieGoldberg pic.twitter.com/NpuLYBBa3C Lewis Myers, We fight because we must. (@LewisMyersM) May 15, 2019 EQUITY AND TURNOUT Political scientists and fellow consultants say the vicious cycle Myers is speaking about is a real problem -- and low turnout numbers are only the most obvious of the consequences. "The political science data is overwhelming," said Loyola Marymount University political scientist Fernando Guerra, who also directs LMU's Center for the Study of Los Angeles, "that if you contact people, they're going to turn out." "By only focusing on these so-called likely voters, [campaigns] are exacerbating the gap between lower socioeconomic status, minority voters and perhaps higher-socioeconomic status white voters," said Matt Barreto, a UCLA professor of political science and Chicano/a Studies. LAUSD Board District 5 is a particularly stark example of this finding. Solid majorities of students in the district's public schools are Latino. Roughly 56 percent of the registered voters in BD5 are Latino, according to publicly available counts from Political Data, Inc., a firm that sells voter history data to campaigns. But in BD5's last election -- in 2015 -- voter turnout was highest in neighborhoods in the district's northern portion: whiter, gentrifying, higher-income neighborhoods like Silver Lake, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and Los Feliz. If voter history is the biggest predictor of whether a campaign makes contact, Myers said that meant there would be little outreach to voters in the more-heavily Latino southern portion of BD5, which includes the "southeast cities" of Bell, Huntington Park, Maywood and South Gate. "If we don't go out there and engage," Myers said, "we're just going to have this conversation over and over -- and we're only going to focus on that engaged higher-income voter who will dictate what's going on with a majority[-Latino] population." Cynthia Gonzalez, a principal at a high school at the Diego Rivera Learning Complex in South L.A., speaks to a meeting of the East Area Progressive Democrats on Nov. 27, 2018. Gonzalez ran for the vacant L.A. Unified School Board seat once held by Ref Rodriguez. She received roughly nine percent of the vote in the March 2019 primary. (Photo by Kyle Stokes/KPCC) WHY THIS MATTERS Candidates' ethnicities received much more attention than voters' racial backgrounds during the LAUSD Board District 5 campaign. In December, several Latino candidates went on the record with KPCC/LAist to complain that major endorsements in the March primary race for a "Latino seat" in BD5 seemed destined for white candidates. During the May runoff, the L.A. Times wrote a story noting both of the candidates who advanced to the runoff -- Repenning and eventual winner Jackie Goldberg -- were white women. But Guerra and Barreto say the racial dynamics of who casts a ballot inevitably impact the race of the candidates on the ballot. If this school board race was down-ballot from the November 2020 presidential race, Barreto said a non-Latino candidate "will look at that and say, 'I'm probably not going to beat one of the well-known Hispanic candidates who lives in this neighborhood.'" "In a low-turnout election, a non-Latino candidate probably has a better chance," said Barreto. Guerra said that makes selecting "a weird Tuesday" for an off-cycle special election highly problematic: "To me, that is voter suppression as bad as you see anywhere in the south." "People are always cool about saying 'well, ethnicity doesn't matter in terms of representation,'" Guerra said. "Why can't a white elected represent a mostly Latino constituency? In theory, I'm totally agreeing with that. The issue is that it hardly ever happens the other way around. A California primary voter shows the Spanish language I Voted sticker outside a polling station June 7, 2016 in San Diego. (Bill Wechter/AFP/Getty Images) WHO BREAKS THIS CYCLE, AND HOW? The best way to increase turnout, said Barreto and Guerra, is to make it much easier to vote. In March 2020, L.A. County will ditch neighborhood polling places in favor of "vote centers." County residents will be able to vote in any one of these centers -- not just the one closest to their home -- for 11 days prior to Election Day. Same-day voter registration will also be available, Guerra said. Also certain to improve turnout somewhat: starting in 2020, LAUSD elections will line up with even-year primary and general elections -- meaning the presidential vote in November. (The BD5 seat will be up for grabs again.) "We've changed every law, we're going to have a competitive election," Guerra said. "If this election cycle doesn't get you to turn out, we have to go back to the drawing board and figure out what it would take." Veteran political consultant Michael Trujillo is a little less optimistic, noting that previous moves to lift barriers to voting -- from making absentee voting easier to providing stamps for mail-in ballots -- have had only modest results. "Do all of these things help in terms of turnout? Yes," Trujillo said. "But the silver bullet for turnout -- I think we're still mining that mine just to find the silver to put it on the bullet." Trujillo places some of the onus on media outlets and news organizations to inform voters what's at stake in an election. And in LAUSD, where most of the actual political spending comes from independent expenditure organizations that aren't constrained by tight campaign finance limits, Trujillo said some of the responsibility rests with the biggest spenders -- United Teachers Los Angeles, SEIU Local 99 and the California Charter Schools Association -- to inform voters that an election is even happening. Though Myers criticized campaigns for sliding into habits of engaging only the likeliest of voters, he also said it's unrealistic to expect campaigns to engage low-propensity voters in high numbers. "We're not getting paid to empower people," he said. "We're getting paid to win." Adding to the challenge in L.A.: school board elections take place on a massive scale. Around 315,000 registered voters live in BD5. California's U.S. House candidates must speak to similarly sized constituencies -- but are much less-constrained in their ability to raise money than LAUSD candidates. But Barreto said campaigns can't be let off the hook. "When we do low-propensity voter outreach, at least half of those people are like, 'You're the first person who's ever knocked on my door. This is amazing. I'm inspired. I'm going to vote,'" said Barreto, who also runs a polling firm called Latino Decisions. "It's a myth that these voters require that much education," he added. "You have to go out and interact with them and tell them that you want their vote." 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 Emily Elena Dugdale and Mary Plummer In case you hadn't already heard, L.A. County residents won't be voting at neighborhood polling locations much longer. Back in 2016, former Gov. Jerry Brown signed a major voting overhaul into law aimed at updating aging and outdated voting systems across the state. The changes, which are being rolled out by counties that opt in, include doing away with traditional polling places and replacing them with something called voting centers. Don't panic. There's still some time before this happens. L.A. County will make the shift for the presidential primary in March of 2020. County officials are holding dozens of meetings across the region to try and educate voters on the changes ahead. What's going to happen? Many local polling places will be replaced by voting centers where eligible voters can cast their ballot regardless of where they live. The centers will be open for 11 days, and feature new voting equipment and extra services like voter registration. Some critics worry the changes could hurt voter participation -- under the plan a few thousand neighborhood polling locations will close and be replaced with a much smaller number of voting centers. L.A. County Registrar of Voters Dean Logan told KPCC/LAist in an interview last October that in 2020, the number of polling locations would be cut by about 75 percent. Over 30 community meetings have taken place so far during county officials' first outreach phase to help determine where the new voting centers should be located. They're now running a second series of meetings aimed at getting input on a list of potential vote center locations and educating residents on the upcoming changes -- there are 26 meetings left. Community members in Culver City watch a presentation from County staff about the upcoming changes to the voting system. (Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist) Michael Sanchez, a spokesperson with the L.A. County Registrar, said in an email that meeting attendance has varied from as few as 15 people to as many as 80. "Timing and location plays a role, but overall we're seeing a healthy turnout," he said. A community meeting held Friday at the United Cerebral Palsy Center in Culver City focused on how the new changes may affect voters with disabilities. .@LACountyRRCC is holding meetings across the region to update voters on new changes coming in 2020. Im at a meeting at @UCPLA in Culver City aimed at voters with disabilities. @LAist @KPCC pic.twitter.com/DCZ3Fz8LmM Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) May 17, 2019 White vans with ramps helped unload community members who told stories of accessibility issues they'd encountered when trying to access their local polling places. Nearly 50 people filled the room -- and there were more motorized wheelchairs than folding chairs. Most wanted to know how the new voting system will work for them. Kim Hudson, a social worker with Cerebral Palsy, said her assigned polling place is at a local middle school, but she hasn't been able to cast a ballot there. "The auditorium was inaccessible, so I could never go to my own polling place," she said. Hudson was one of many meeting participants who called for the new voting centers to be designed inside and out with disabilities in mind. Kim Hudson, a social worker who has Cerebral Palsy, says she's looking forward to changes in the voting system. (Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist) Yael Hagen uses a wheelchair and said building accessible spaces means you have to think beyond just making sure a building doesn't have steps. "When thinking about accessibility, would somebody really think about privacy?" she said. "Or where they would go, or where would they sit?" County officials said they're gathering feedback to make the voting centers accessible to everyone. They're looking at making sure buildings can accommodate wheelchairs, and that the technology for new voting devices is user-friendly for voters with movement limitations as well as visual and hearing impairments. Hudson said she welcomes the change. "I'm really excited that hopefully, for the first time in a long time, I'll be able to go to my polling place and vote as a part of my community," she said. The County is organizing a mock election Sept. 28 and 29 to test out the new voting devices with the public for the first time. A pilot launch of the new system will take place during elections in November. The new voting technology must pass a state certification process in December. Interested in attending an upcoming community meeting in L.A. County? Here's a list. Many community members with disabilities told stories of accessibility issues they'd encountered when trying to access their local polling places. (Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist) Where else in California is this happening? Counties are not required to make the switch to voting centers. Officials in 12 counties across the state have signed on for 2020. The counties are: Amador, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo and Santa Clara. "This is a heavy lift. There is a tremendous amount of work ahead," said Orange County Registrar Neal Kelley. "Voters have been voting in Orange County the same way for decades." Kelley described the upcoming changes as exciting but challenging. On Friday at the Irvine Civic Center, Kelley was joined by Secretary of State Alex Padilla to announce a community workshop outreach program to help Orange County voters learn about the upcoming changes. In Orange County, every registered voter will automatically receive a vote by mail ballot as part of the shift. In 2020, that won't be the case for L.A. County voters. During the initial rollout voters in L.A. County will need to proactively request a mail ballot if they want to vote by mail -- voters who previously signed up as permanent vote by mail voters will still receive ballots in the mail. (To sign up to vote by mail in L.A. County go here.) Brianna Flores contributed reporting. TILTing Perspectives 2019 Conference . How time flies! This Kat can hardly believe it has been two years since attending her last TILTing Perspectives Conference! Again in a lovely vernal day, the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT), for the 6th time, has brought together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and civil society at the intersection of law and regulation, technology, and society to share insights, exchange ideas and formulate answers to contemporary challenges related to technological innovation, at the Opening speech The conference was very well-attended. Prof. Emile Aarts (rector TU), Prof. Geert Vervaeke (dean TU) and Prof. Ronald Leenes warmly welcame the participants. With regard to Regulating a world in transition, namely the theme of TILTing Perspectives Conference 2019, they pointed out that currently we are all at a stage in which we need to clean up the 'mess' created during the process of innovation. They encouraged the audience from different disciplines to work together, to achieve something that would bring all of us further ahead, in an age where behaviour and normative science are more and more important to answering the question as to what kind of world we would like to live in. Karen Yeung (Birmingham Law School) delivered the first keynote speech on Law, Regulation & Technology: Prospects and pitfalls for a fledgling field. Given that much of the materials she discussed are unpublished, an in-depth summary of her talk is not possible. The main message, however, was that normative researchers should really make efforts to understand how the technology works. Further, we should be aware of what we do not know, and avoid using problematic interchangeable terms. Besides the plenary sessions, the conference features six parallel sessions, respectively on data protection, IP, digital clearinghouse, AI, justice and data market, and on health and environment. Below is the report of the IP Track which this Kat attended on the first day. Morning Session IP Track 1: Data sharing, ownership and governance 1. The first to present was Prof. Michal Gal (University of Haifa) on the Chilling effects of governance-by-data on innovation. Big data has become an important resource, not only for commerce, but also for governance (i.e. the dual use of data). Governance-by-data seeks to take advantage of the bulk of data collected by private firms to make law enforcement more efficient. So far, literature has generally overlooked the implications of such dual use of data for data markets and data-driven innovation. In Michals view, governance-by-data may create chilling effects that could distort data collection and data-driven innovation. She mostly challenged two assumptions, namely that (1) data would be shared with the government at low, competitive prices; and (2) incentives to collect data are given, and that firms would continue to collect data, notwithstanding governmental access to such data. It has been shown that in some instances an inverse relationship exists between incentives for collecting data, and sharing it for the purpose of governance. Moreover, the incentives of data subjects to allow the collection of data by private entities might also change, thereby potentially affecting the efficiency of data-driven markets and subsequently, data-driven-innovation. As a result, data markets might not provide sufficient and adequate data to support digital-governance. This, in turn, might significantly affect welfare. The bottom line is, she concluded, that governance-by-data creates inherent tension with data markets. * This presentation was mainly based on the paper co-authored by Prof. Michal Gal and Prof. Niva Elkin-Koren which is forthcoming of University of Chicago Law Review (2018). The SSRN source is accessible here 2. Natasha Tusikov (Assistant Professor, Criminology Program, Department of Social Science, York University) presented on You dont own your tractor: redefining ownership in the Internet of things. A vehicle owner does not acquire copyrights for software in the vehicle. And therefore the consumer cannot properly be considered as an owner of the vehicle software Natasha started her presentation on precarious ownership by referring to the claims of John Deere submitted in a government policy review to the U.S. government in 2014, in which the companys argument rested on the claim that tractor buyers do not own the networked software systems that are integral to the operation of modern tractors. Tractors, like many other vehicles, household appliances, and common electronic devices are increasingly no longer just mechanical devices: many depend on software for their functionality. Today, the fast growing Internet of Things (IoT)internet-connected software embedded within physical productshas the potential to shift fundamentally traditional conceptions of ownership and the ways people can access, use, and control information. Drawing upon a knowledge regulation framework influenced by Susan Strange, Natasha opines that the IoT industry exemplifies the central role that knowledge governance now plays in the global political economy. She explains how companies that own the knowledge integral to the IoTs functionality (the software) control that knowledge through IP laws, especially copyright, and the ubiquitous surveillance of their customers. These companies retain control over the software even after its purchase, meaning that they have a newly expanded regulatory capacity to monitor and control how their products are used. The private post-purchase control that IoT companies exert over smart goods represents a significant change in private actors regulatory capacity to set rules governing knowledge. Natasha contributed to a chapter to a forthcoming book on this topic: see more information from here . 3. Begona Gonzalez Otero shared her thoughts on Evaluating the EC private data sharing principles: setting a mantra for artificial intelligence nirvana? On April 25, 2018, the European Commission published a series of communications related to data trading and AI, including one called Towards a Common European Data Space that came with a working document: Guidance on Sharing Private Sector Data in the European Data Economy. Both documents introduced two different sets of general principles addressing data sharing, contractual best practices for B2B and B2G environments. On the same day, the EC also published a legislative proposal to review the Public Sector Directive. These two simultaneous actions are part of a major package of measures, aiming to facilitate the creation of a common data space in the EU and foster European AI development. Begona focused on the first action, namely the Guidance on Sharing Private Sector Data in the European Economy, because (1) it is one of its kind; (2) although these principles do not qualify as soft law, the Commissions communications set action plans for future legislation; (3) the ultimate goal of these principles is to boost European AI development. However, do these principles set a viable legal framework for data sharing, or is this public policy tool merely a naive expectation? Would these principles set a successful path toward a thriving European AI advancement? To which, Begona concluded in an earlier article ( here ) that, We need a normative approach with strong regulators, in order to protect both parties freedom of contract. But at least for now, similar to Buddhism, these principles set the right mantra for a potential AI nirvana. In the presentation, she discussed the new developments at both B2B (national legislation in Belgium on unfair terms for B2B) and B2G levels (the mandates to the new expert group on B2G) and conclude with some open questions: How do we balance the public interest in developing a data economy (and foster AI) and the fundamental freedom to conduct a business in the context of data sharing? Is self-regulation the best approach for the data sharing problem in B2B and B2G? Should Europe move away from discussing a regulatory approach to data ownership and rather focus on elaborating on the problem of how to foster data sharing and data collaboration to find better solutions (access to data)? Do we need to consider new instruments within the context of freedom of contract in B2B aiming at protecting the weaker party from unfair exploitation? But are guides, models, and recommendations enough to foster a competitive data sharing economy? Further, she questioned whether there are any data regarding the use of these principles by undertakings since their publication, as in her own experience as a consultant, most of the companies across different sectors keep coming with questions about how to deal with B2B data sharing and there is no awareness among companies of the existence of these principles. ( Begona told this Kat that i n a later session, a member from the EC, Diana Vlad-Calcic who is part of the team responsible for these principles confirmed that they have not disseminated them and that they are using them only as an embryo project.) Keynote speech As Dr. Martin Husovec noted in his introduction, Prof. Niva Elkin-Koren is a shining star in the academic world, shedding light on lots of important issues, e.g. AI, innovation policy, access to knowledge, governance. She is on all kinds of boards, all kinds of journals, she is one of those people who really think to the future, and always think of the problems ahead. Prof. Niva Elkin-Koren presented her insights on Contesting Algorithms. Her excellent talk can be watched on the Tilt Livestream platform (hats off to the organizers consideration). In her Keynote Speech,presented her insights on. Her excellent talk can be watched on the(hats off to the organizers consideration). On a lovely sunny Wednesday afternoon, in the Dante building of Tilburg University the afternoon session started Words of Dante in the Dante Building. Photographer: Jingze Li Afternoon Session IP Track 2: AI, copyright and press publishers 1. Pavel Koukal (Masarykovy University) presented on the General freedom of action and the new right for press publishers. In the see of freedom, he started, the use of intangible assets in their natural state is based on the principle of the public domain. From the constitutional law perspective, the public domain is based on the general freedom of action. In several Central European countries (Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), the general freedom of action (Handlungsfreiheit) is a human right that can be protected against state authorities, including the legislator. He pointed out that the problem we face, however, is the subsidiary nature of general freedom of action. In principle, in most of the Central European jurisdictions, the conclusion of the German Constitutional Court re general freedom of action is applicable in cases where no other fundamental right protecting human personality is available. Thus, general freedom of action is systematically consumed by other fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression, freedom of scientific research, or freedom of the press and the media. Therefore, if we are to consider whether the introduction of a new right for press publishers is in line with the human rights protection, we must address the freedom of expression, which in Europe is guaranteed mainly by Art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and by Art. 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Author: Zuzana Vlachova Even though we know from the Ashby Donald v. France and the Pirate Bay ECtHR cases that intellectual property rights can limit freedom of expression and that states have a wide margin of appreciation in that respect, we must also consider, that it is always essential to assess whether the restriction of freedom of expression (1) pursues legitimate aim and is a (2) necessary measure in a democratic society. 2. Prof. Teresa Scassa (University of Ottawa) presented the article she is currently writing together with Adam Basanta (yes, the Montreal-based artist) titled Art at the intersection of AI and copyright law, in which she took a deep dive on how the relevant technology actually works . A brief introduction of the case written by Prof. Teresa Scassa reads as follows: A law suit filed in Montreal this summer (2018) raises novel copyright arguments regarding AI-generated works. The plaintiffs are artist Amel Chamandy and Galerie NuEdge Fine Arts (which sells and exhibits her art). They are suing artist Adam Basanta for copyright and trade mark infringement. Mr Basanta is a world renowned new media artist who experiments with AI in his work. (See the Globe and Mail story by Chris Hannay on this law suit here). The presentation offers a critical perspective on the intersection between art and copyright law. She used the context of the lawsuit brought against the artist for copyright infringement related to his AI-enabled art project All We Ever Need is One Another to tease out some of the complex issues raised by artistic expression in the digital realm, e.g.: Is data scraping of images on publicly accessible web sites to create a data bank of images a breach of copyright in those images (or merely fair dealing)? Is this commercial exploitation? And how should statutory damages be calculated in a text and data mining (TDM) context? 3. Ula Furgal (PhD candidate at European University Institute) delivered a presentation on Author MIA. Place of journalists in the post-press publishers right world. In the battle over investment in news and platforms (supposed) parasitism, journalists have been largely left out of the discussion on the press publishers right. To address this gap, her contribution explored the possible effects of the press publishers related right on journalists copyright. Ula explained the discussion on press publishers right, with observations concerning its nature of highly controversial, high level of polarization, variety of actors, active discourse between actors, from particularities to generalization, etc., the changing notion of journalist and journalists concerns. With regard to the safeguards which the press publishers right currently includes, ie that (1) the right shall leave intact and shall in no way affect any rights provided for authors in respect of the work incorporated in a press publication; and (2) authors shall receive an appropriate share of the revenues received by press publishers, she opined that they are not enough to address journalists' concerns (and safeguard their interests). Journalists mostly fear about the contractual relationship with the publishers, and the fact that a new right would further strengthen the position of publishers, who will be incentivised to require a transfer of copyright in full by journalists. And this goes back to the nature of press publication as the subject matter of the EU press publishers right, and the fact that independent use of a work incorporated into a press publication is bound to infringe upon the press publishers' right. This, in turn, incentivises publishers to ask for a full transfer of copyright, so that they are not limited in any way. IP Track 3: Copyright exceptions and design protection 1. Prof. Estelle Derclaye (Nottingham University) shared her Empirical study of the design protection in Europe. The Design Directive and Design Regulation are now over 15 years old. So far, little legal empirical research has been done on the EU design legal framework, especially on how the national courts have interpreted the substantive law. This said, after 15 years, there is enough litigation in the Member States to evaluate the EU legal system empirically so, Prof. Estelle Derclaye performed an empirical evaluation to fill the gap, by using descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse data from design litigation using several factors. She empirically examined the substantive decisions on all types of design rights from the courts of the Member States since the Design Directive and Design Regulation entered into force until August 2017. Specifically, her research tested several hypotheses. First, it used descriptive statistics to examine claimants relative use of the type of design right and the relationship between the type of design right as a function of the dimension of the design litigated upon. Secondly, the article uses inferential statistics to analyse the presence of differences in the proportion of designs found valid and infringed as a function of the level of the courts, the type of design right, the dimension of design and the level of specialisation of the judges. In conclusion, the research finds that, overall, the EU design system has been functioning well, and some further improvements are highlighted after careful analysis. * The speakers presentation is based on her recent publication which can be accessed here 2. Nicolas Jondet (SCRIPT Centre, Edinburgh School of Law) addressed The text and data mining exceptions in the EU: unfinished business? Text and data mining (TDM) is a process by which computer algorithms analyze large amounts of data to identify new patterns and discover new knowledge. TDM is often presented as a new frontier in research and innovation, opening new avenues of intellectual inquiry and of business opportunity in a wide range of fields such as medical research, artificial intelligence, linguistics, marketing or finance. Nicolas explained that the EU has just modified its copyright framework to include new copyright exceptions for TDM. The aim is to help the EU better compete in Big data analysis and AI. Nicolas assessed the TDM exceptions included in the newly adopted Directive for copyright in the digital single market. He looked at the legislative history of the EU exceptions, pointing at the interaction between legislation at national level and EU level. Building on the article he published in 2018, he described the TDM exceptions adopted by UK (a EU trailblazer), France (a reluctant second (or third)), Estonia, Germany and Ireland before the adoption of the EU directive and explained how those national experiences have impacted the debate at EU level. Nicolas reviewed how the EU came about to adopting two mandatory exceptions for TDM, one strong TDM exception in favour of research, especially for research institutions, which cannot be overridden by contract and another TDM exception open to everyone, but which can be overridden by contract. Although he wished the EU had gone further still by adopting a single broad exception, he generally welcomed the new EU framework for TDM and described how the framework has been improved through the EU legislative process. Nicolas concluded by identifying potential issues going forward. He asked whether we can expect some differences in implementation in national law (and also whether the UK would keep pushing for a broader exception, especially in a post-Brexit scenario). He raised the practical issues for right holders and content platforms which will need to implement a granular approach to distinguish those users who can benefit from the research TDM exception from those who can only benefit for the more general, overridable, TDM exception. He also highlighted potential issues when stakeholders would attempt to set best practices on both the obligation on beneficiaries of the exception to secure the processed copies and on the right holders to implement appropriate security measures on their databases and networks. 3. Matej Myska (assistant professor at Masaryk University) elaborated on Reconciling user-rights approach in copyright with the current EU copyright framework and CJEU case law . The user is one of the subjects, whose rights and interest should be balanced against the rights and interest of rights holders. The fair balance should be inter alia achieved by exceptions and limitations that are however regarded by the courts as mere defences (or privileges), not actionable rights. The current doctrine offers a different user-rights approach, i.e. the user should have certain rights in regard to the protected subject matter. Matej explored whether this approach could be actually reconciled with the current EU copyright framework a CJEU case law. To that end, he adoptd a neat matrix of 3x3 Rs of the user-rights to structure his speech, namely: I. Rhetoric: role, rights, review - in this part he described the rhetoric of user rights, i.e. how the doctrine perceives the changing role of the user in the system of copyright law and how this should be reflected in the area of permitted uses with the protected subject-matter - namely by creating actionable user rights. II. Reality: regulation, rulings, rights management - this part reflects the actual state in the regulative instruments and case law concluding that they actually do not employ the rhetoric of user rights, nor do they regulate it. Moreover, the exceptions and limitations might be also phased out by contract and/or digital rights management. III. Reconciliation: rejection, reinterpretation, revision - in this part Matej presented approaches how to reconcile the rhetoric of user rights with reality. Namely to a) just ignore it; b) try to re-establish the "fair balance" by reinterpreting the exceptions and limitations (incl. the more flexible interpretation of the three-step test); c) positively codify user rights. Donald Trump Loses Battle in Court, Judge Rules Trump Cannot Block a House Subpoena of Financial Records WASHINGTON (AP) A federal judge in Washington ruled Monday against President Donald Trump in a financial records dispute with Congress. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, said Trump cannot block a House subpoena of financial records. He said the Democratic-led House committee seeking the information has said it believes the documents would help lawmakers consider strengthening ethics and disclosure laws, among other things. The committees reasons were valid legislative purposes, Mehta said, and it was not for him to question whether the Committees actions are truly motivated by political considerations. ADVERTISEMENT The decision comes amid a widespread effort by the White House and the presidents lawyers to refuse to cooperate with congressional requests for information and records. In the case before Mehta, Trump and his business organization sued to block the subpoena issued in April to Mazars USA, an accountant for the president and Trump Organization. Trumps lawyers accused Democrats of harassing Trump and said the subpoena has no legitimate legislative purpose. Trumps lawyers, in suing in both Washington and New York in attempt to beat back congressional subpoenas, said congressional investigations are legitimate only if there is legislation that might result from them. In the New York case, Trump, his business and family have sued Deutsche Bank and Capital One to prevent the financial companies from complying with subpoenas from the House Financial Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee for banking and financial records. A Wednesday hearing is planned in that case. Even before the ruling, scholars had said Trumps legal argument had little merit and that Congress has broad powers to investigate. Iran has increased production of low-enriched uranium at a time of tensions with the United States over Irans nuclear deal with western powers. Two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported Monday that Iran now produces four times as much low-enriched uranium as before. Enriched uranium can be used to produce nuclear power. It also can be used to make nuclear weapons. The news agency reports appeared just after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran it would face its official end if it ever threatened America again. His warning comes after days of increased tensions between the two sides. The tensions were fueled by the Trump administrations deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf. U.S. officials have defended the move, saying it was to answer threats from Iran. Administration officials plan to inform U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday about the threat they say that Iran poses to the country and U.S. interests. Earlier this month, officials of the United Arab Emirates claimed that four oil transport ships were sabotaged. Yemeni rebels allied with Iran used drone aircraft to launch an attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. And U.S. diplomats said airline companies could be mistakenly attacked by Iran, an idea Iran has dismissed. Timeline of Irans nuclear program The tensions between Iran and the United States come one year after Trump decided the U.S. would withdraw from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Both the United States and Iran say they do not want war. Yet many observers worry any mistake by either side could lead to events out of their control. Both the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported on the increased production of enriched uranium. They said the information came from a spokesman for Irans nuclear agency. The official said Iran in weeks would reach the 300-kilogram limit set by the nuclear deal. He added that the government had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency about its move. Trumps comment came just hours after a Katyusha rocket fell in Baghdads Green Zone, about 1.5 kilometers from the U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported. An Iraqi military official told the Associated Press that the rocket was fired from East Baghdad. That area is home to many Iran-supported militias. Trump wrote on Twitter, If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Trump was making genocidal taunts. He ended his tweet with Try respect it works! Other developments Trump ordered the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and strengthened sanctions against Iran. The U.S. government also has warned of actions against other nations if they import Iranian oil. Iran just announced it was backing away from the nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium if sanctions were removed. Iran has given European countries 60 days to come up with a new deal or it will begin enriching uranium at a higher level. Iran has always said it does not seek nuclear weapons. But Western nations have questioned this claim. Appearing on Fox News television on Sunday, Trump called the 2015 nuclear deal a horror show. I just dont want them to have nuclear weapons and they cant be threatening us, he said. Yet the nuclear deal had prevented Iran from getting enough highly-enriched uranium for a bomb. United Nations inspectors repeatedly said that Iran was honoring the deal. On Sunday, the U.S. Navy announced it would begin security patrols in international waters along with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The council includes many Gulf States. VOANews.com and The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words In This Story pose v. to offer for consideration; to come to attention as taunt v. to say insulting things to someone to make him angry sanctions n. an action taken against a country to force it to do something or stop something patrol n. the act of moving through an area to make sure it is safe We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. The American military has carried out an exercise with Philippine forces in the South China Sea. The exercise on May 14 involved the United States Coast Guard cutter ship Bertholf and two Philippine coast guard ships, the U.S. military reported online. Military officials said it was the first time in seven years that a U.S. Coast Guard ship had visited the Philippines. The training activities included search and rescue, maritime security and law enforcement capabilities, the Indo-Pacific Command said. The officers and crew were excited to visit Manila and work with our counterparts in the Philippine Coast Guard, Bertholfs commanding officer Captain John Driscoll said in a statement. While there, the American crew also had the chance to learn about Filipino culture and meet local people through organized events, military officials said. Driscoll told reporters during a briefing in Manila that two Chinese coast guard ships were seen in the area of the exercise. Philippine media reported the Chinese ships were in a disputed area of the South China Sea west of the main Philippine island of Luzon. China and the Philippines have competing territorial claims to the area, which includes a small island called Scarborough Shoal. China claims most of the South China Sea, an important waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes each year. The area contains rich fishing waters and is believed to hold oil and natural gas. The Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia also claim ownership to parts of the sea. The Philippines and others have criticized China for using undersea landforms in the South China Sea to build islands. China has placed military structures and equipment on some of these artificial islands. Security experts say the coast guard ship was sent to show a new form of U.S. resistance against Chinese expansion in the South China Sea. Stephen Nagy is a professor of politics and international studies at International Christian University in Tokyo. Thats a message to Beijing that the United States is engaging in the region at four or five different levels, not just a military level, he said. The United States makes no claim to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. But U.S. officials say they want to keep the waterway open internationally. With this goal in mind, the U.S. Navy has sent ships into the sea 11 times since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. The most recent was Sunday, when the USS Preble passed within 22.2 kilometers of Scarborough Shoal. A top American military commander said last week that U.S. Air Force planes also fly over the South China Sea daily in an effort to protect freedom of overflight. We fly on a daily basis in and around the South China Sea and really across the region, the commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces General Charles Q. Brown Jr. told reporters. Brown said the U.S. Air Force flights are not offensive and aim to ensure that all nations can fly where international laws permit them to. Its something that I think all nations should be able to do, he said. I realize that, sometimes, you know, China does not like that fact. China has repeatedly criticized U.S. military sea and air activity in areas of the South China Sea it claims as its own territory. Im Bryan Lynn. Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English, with additional information from the Associated Press and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story maritime adj. relating to ships and sea travel counterpart n. someone who has the same job or position as someone in a different place or organization engage v. interest someone in taking part in something region n. particular area in a country of the world scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history Free speech is dangerous. The right to petition our government and to own guns is dangerous. Those rights are particularly threatening to entrenched politicians and the special interest they represent. Besides being dangerous, those rights are also the safest way to organize a society. It is time we defended them, not because they are safe, but because they are virtues. Virtues are how we do good things. Defending your community, the right to bear arms in public, is how you ensure public safety when the police arent there. The police are rarely there when youre attacked by a criminal. Weve lost much of our right to bear arms. We surrendered it to public safety. The right to bear arms was never meant to be convenient for politicians. Your gun might be safer if it was under lock and key. It is also less useful that way. You cant use your gun to protect yourself and your family if it takes you minutes to put to use. ..... Guns Ownership is a Dangerous Virtue.. and we need to defend it By Rob Morse. May 14th, 2019 Original Source Free speech is dangerous. The right to petition our government and to own guns is dangerous. Those rights are particularly threatening to entrenched politicians and the special interest they represent. Besides being dangerous, those rights are also the safest way to organize a society. It is time we defended them, not because they are safe, but because they are virtues. Virtues are how we do good things. Defending your community, the right to bear arms in public, is how you ensure public safety when the police arent there. The police are rarely there when youre attacked by a criminal. Weve lost much of our right to bear arms. We surrendered it to public safety. The right to bear arms was never meant to be convenient for politicians. Your gun might be safer if it was under lock and key. It is also less useful that way. You cant use your gun to protect yourself and your family if it takes you minutes to put to use. We forget that. We forget that in your hands, guns save lives. Making firearms safer and less accessible means we save fewer lives. I see that every day. I study self-defense week after week, year after year. I also study the statistics of armed defense. I report the stories where ordinary people like you stopped a violent assault. You saved your life. You also saved the lives of your family and other innocent parties. I see it. Unfortunately, you cant protect the people you love once youve made your tools of self-defense safe. Like the police, you will probably never need to press the trigger. Unlike the police who see violence every day, your family will probably see violence once in your lifetime. That is what the FBI statistics tell us. There are about 70 million families in the USA, so the numbers add up. We defend ourselves about once every 30 seconds. You protect yourself when you go buy groceries and when you fill up your car with gas. You protect yourself at work and at home. You protect yourself on your way to the gym, to school and to church. When the attack is over and youve defended yourself and others, then you call the police. That is what good people do. The police show up minutes later and take a report. The fact that you go armed, that you have your self-defense tools with you, that makes all of us safer. Thank you. About 20 million of us have permits to carry a concealed weapon in public. That is about one-in-ten adults. The number of us carrying in public increases to about one-in-five adults when the government gets out of the way. Government fees and licensing requirements disarmed about half of us. That is bad. Disarming the good guys makes us less safe. 'Gun-control' disarms us by inches. As weve seen in the news, there is no such thing as a gun-free zone. Politicians said that honest people should be disarmed so that only criminals would be the only ones with guns. Politicians dont want your gun to be too big or too small, too old or too new.. except for their bodyguards, of course. Politicians want you disarmed. For many reasons, disarming you is safer for them. Being disarmed is not safer for you and me. Good women with guns and good men with guns make their families safer and their communities safer. You cant be a force for good if you dont have your self-defense tools, and the training to use them. I have to address a comforting myth about owning a gun. The average defense takes place in seconds. That isnt enough time for you run to your gun safe, get your ammunition that you stored separately, load a magazine, and protect your family or your employees. Time yourself.* Youll see that Im right. A gun you cant use is dangerous. We defend ourselves a million times a year with a firearm. We also have thousands of firearms accidents each year. Criminals put their guns under the front steps. Thugs leave their guns under the couch cushions in their girlfriends house. That is where children find them and where children get hurt. I want you to own your firearms responsibly, but I also want you to keep them accessible so you can use your rescue tools when you need them. For many of us, that means you carry your gun on your body and then put it in a small, quick-access, gun vault. That is careful storage of a dangerous tool. That is what good men and good women do. I thank you. I mean you, the average citizen of the USA. I want you to exercise your rights. I want you to have dangerous freedom because I trust you. You have more common sense and honesty than the politicians paraded before us on the news. I trust your wisdom and your motives far more than I trust theirs. Back to Top The global battle against climate change suffered another blow with the unexpected re-election of Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, a conservative notorious for his anti-environmental policies. Goodbye, Great Barrier Reef. Like the Amazon rain forest, threatened by Brazil's hard-right president, you're going down. Morrison's election had the Wall Street Journal's editorial page chortling Monday. Australian native Rupert Murdoch's newspaper seemed giddy over Morrison's unexpected win over the Labor Party. Polls had consistently predicted a victory for Labor and its anti-climate change policies. A WSJ news story called Morrison a "coal-hugger." Like Brazil, Australia is a sensitive flashpoint for the world's environment. Its Great Barrier Reef shelters a multitude of oceanic species. The reef's slow death is a barometer of the rapidly intensifying effects of global warming. Media reports claimed that Australian voters were worried that Labor's green intitiatives would hurt the economy. Voters don't appear to understand the economic devastation of extreme weather, drought, loss of wildlife habitat and other climate change disasters. The Australian election is another sign that the world is refusing to heed a rising chorus of climate change alarms. On Tuesday, some of Pennsylvanias voters will participate in our electoral process by casting their vote in the 2019 Primary Election. These voters will decide which candidates names will appear on the ballot in the November General Election. But 1.2 million of Pennsylvanias tax-paying voters will have to sit this one out, just as they have for every primary election in Pennsylvania. Why? Pennsylvania is one of nine states that have closed primaries, meaning that only Republicans and Democrats can cast a primary ballot. Non-affiliated voters, who make up more than 9% of Pennsylvanias electorate, are left out of this supposedly democratic process. In a state where primary election voter turnout hovers around 18%, clearly something is amiss. To make matters worse, many people dont realize that ballot measures, for which all voters can vote, may appear on primary ballots. Since 1996, 16 ballot measures have been certified, four of which appeared on primary ballots. How many eligible voters stayed home on Primary Election Day in 2016 without realizing that their voices could have been heard? As Pennsylvania works on much needed election reforms that include amendments to Pennsylvanias Constitution, some measures may appear on primary ballots. If we want to live up to the promises of a fair and just society, we need to ensure that all qualified voters are able to cast their ballots in all elections. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania applauds State Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnatis (R-25) proposal to make Pennsylvanias elections fairer, and we encourage his fellow senators, Republicans and Democrats alike, to support SB 300. We are also pleased to see that Rep. Christopher Quinn (R-168) has proposed an identical bill in the Pennsylvania House, HB 192, and extend the same sentiment to Pennsylvanias representatives. These bi-partisan bills will bring a much-needed and long overdue change to Pennsylvanias elections. All voters deserve the chance to have their voices heard in every election. Granting some voters privileges that are denied to other voters is unfair, un-democratic, and un-American. We call on Pennsylvanias voters to contact your legislators and voice your support of SB 300 and HB 192. Whether youre a Republican, a Libertarian, a Democrat, a Green, or non-affiliated, if you value fair play and you believe that every vote should count, lend your voice to this effort. Jill Greene is the Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After being closed more than two months because of flood damage, West Dodge Road reopened to traffic Monday afternoon. Drivers blared their approval by honking their car and semi horns as officials announced the reopening on-site. With traffic just past 228th Street quickly reverting back to form, officials recognized the efforts behind an intense project that finished three weeks ahead of schedule. Its gratifying to see the traffic back on there, said Chris Blume, the on-site superintendent on the project for Hawkins Construction Co. of Omaha. The Nebraska Department of Transportation hired Hawkins to undertake the emergency repairs on the highway just west of Elkhorn. According to the State of Nebraska, repairs have cost $2.2 million. In all, the highway was closed 66 days. Stratford University will keep its campus in western Henrico County and two others in Virginia temporarily open with live classroom instructors but only until all of its currently enrolled students have completed their coursework. The Fairfax County-based private educational college had announced this month plans to close its campuses at 11104 W. Broad St. in the Short Pump area and ones in Newport News and Virginia Beach when the current term ends Friday. Stratford said then that it would continue operating a minimal number of hands-on lab classes for students in medical and culinary programs at the Henrico and Virginia Beach locations until October so students can complete certain classes. The rest of the students were encouraged to either complete their coursework online, attend one of Stratfords four U.S. campuses in Falls Church, Woodbridge, Alexandria and Baltimore, or transfer to another university. But now Stratford will keep the Henrico campus and the two others open for other live instruction until the currently enrolled students complete their degree work, said David Brand, the schools vice president of academic affairs. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. In 2012, Waupaca County's health and human services department was hemorrhaging employees, particularly within its child protection and juvenile justice programs. "There was just a lot of turnover," said Chuck Price, who took over as director of the department around that time. "We needed a culture of change." Price and his colleague, deputy director Shannon Kelly, recalled a culture that seemed to place a higher value on bureaucratic outcomes than on fostering positive human connections. Such a mindset was not unique to Waupaca County, they added. Rather, it reflected a distinctly harsh form of human services that, in their view, had been baked into public agencies nationwide over decades. "Human services [and] child welfare were initially set up to sustain the system," Kelly said, referring to the laws and regulations on which these services are built. "[They] were not necessarily built to support people." That reality was starkly evident to Price, who watched as stressed and burned out employees called it quits with disturbing regularity, while the county residents they served continued to require high levels of care. "I knew we were going to have to make some changes in Waupaca County," he said. "We needed to bring the 'human' back to human services." This desire fit into a sweeping shift over the past few decades in the practice of behavioral health that has come to be known as trauma-informed care. Put simply, trauma-informed care is a concept and practice used in professions ranging from child welfare to criminal justice that is grounded in behavioral science and recognizes that traumatic experiences can powerfully shape an individual's behavior for years or even decades. Price summed up the concept in an oft-used mantra of trauma-informed care practitioners. Trauma-informed care "changes the question [we ask] from 'What's wrong with you?' to 'What's happened to you?'" he said. A new approach to human services takes hold Health and psychological researchers have investigated the lasting physiological effects of trauma since the Vietnam War, when a flood of soldiers returned to the United States with complex mental health symptoms, many of which were eventually diagnosed as part of post-traumatic stress disorder. In the ensuing decades, researchers and practitioners found that symptoms of trauma were common in the civilian population as well. In the 1990s, a study of 17,000 people linked adverse childhood experiences, which can often be traumatizing, with health risks in adulthood. This research, commonly known as the ACE study, was a watershed moment in the public understanding of adversity and trauma and their effect on public health. Meanwhile, advances in neuroscience showed that children who have suffered severe neglect or abuse during critical stages of brain development essentially any point during childhood often have differently-structured brains than their peers. These brain changes are linked to a range of behavioral challenges, including aggressive outbursts, dissociation, depression and anxiety, though there is no uniform response to trauma. Armed with the scientific evidence that trauma is common, that it affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees, and that it can lead to behavioral challenges common in child welfare and criminal justice settings, advocates of trauma-informed care have called for expanding its use, including in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Public Television's May 2019 documentary Not Enough Apologies delves into the effect of trauma on Wisconsinites and the caregivers who serve them. A segment from the documentary discusses how the ideas behind trauma-informed care required a shift of perspective among the professionals who serve traumatized individuals. Under the administration of former governor Scott Walker, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has devoted considerable resources to promoting trauma-informed care. Since 2012, these efforts have included a public campaign called Fostering Futures, as well as funding for a statewide coordinator devoted to disseminating trauma-informed principles among state and county agencies. Tonette Walker, then the First Lady of Wisconsin, conducted listening sessions around the state in 2014 that centered on a different approach to providing human services. She asked Price to hold one such session in Waupaca County. Improving school outcomes by confronting personal and historical trauma Another Wisconsin community that has embraced trauma-informed care principles is the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Wendell Waukau, superintendent of the Menominee Indian School District, said that in 2011 the district took a close look at data regarding suspensions and expulsions. These figures showed that the district was suspending and expelling students at rates above the state average, and that prompted the district to investigate the root causes of the behaviors leading to discipline. "I started to learn about the pain and suffering that was behind these behaviors," Waukau said. "It put me on a quest for knowledge about a different type of system to meet our kids' needs." Around the same time, the Menominee tribe became a pilot community for the Fostering Futures initiative and received a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to promote safe schools and healthy students. It marked the opening of a multi-year effort to engage the local community in conversation and action surrounding mental health and trauma. "We took that money and didn't do simply school reform," Waukau said. "We did comprehensive school and community reform." Through community dialogues, Waukau said it became clear to district officials that many students were feeling the effects of personal pain and longstanding community-wide traumas. "What helped me was understanding that these traumas happened over time and were passed on from generation to generation," Waukau said. "In our tribal community, our wounds that need healing go back far." Among the historical traumas Waukau cited were the American Indian boarding schools of the 19th century and the U.S. government's Indian termination policy of the mid-20th century. "A lot of our challenges in schools and health issues stem from those traumas," Waukau said. "Trauma-informed care gave us the understanding that this trauma was passed on, and it also gave us hope to heal." The reforms implemented by the school district include a new student health center affiliated with the tribal clinic. The Menominee Indian School District is also working with tribal social services and the county to bring in a rotation of therapists for on-site mental health services. Waukau said more than 270 students now receive school-based mental health care. Additionally, elementary students begin their days with 15 minutes of mindfulness exercises, which Waukau said helps prepare them for the day's lessons. Teachers across the district are also checking in with their students daily to assess their emotional readiness to learn, and newly created "wraparound" services provide after-school activities and supplemental nutrition "In order for kids to do well in school, we have to make sure their social and emotional needs are met," Waukau said. "If we build the right conditions, then we build hope for kids." A trauma-informed judicial system Judge Mary Triggiano is no stranger to trauma. Presiding over cases in Milwaukee County Family Court over many years, she has witnessed countless times the lasting behavioral effects that trauma imparts on children. Triggiano's interest in the effects of trauma took root in the late 2000s, as she attempted to make sense of the wrenching cases before her. "I was at children's court handling very, very difficult cases," Triggiano said. "Cases that involved child abuse and neglect, kids committing crimes, and I was just trying to understand what was going on and asking myself 'Why do we have this type of behavior? If we could understand this better, we might have better solutions.'" At the time, Triggiano said she was vaguely aware of research connecting trauma in children to the types of behavior she was seeing. That hazy awareness crystallized in 2009 when Triggiano was asked to take part in a panel discussion that included one of the lead authors of the ACE study. She looked up the research and read about the potential power of adverse childhood experiences to alter behavior. Triggiano then applied the ACE study's findings to four of her cases and realized that the people involved in each all at different stages of life and dealing with different behavioral problems had faced adversity of the type that can alter brain structure and affect behavior. This revelation spurred her to delve into the subject matter more closely, and she began talking to her colleagues about how the local courts could apply trauma-informed practices in the pursuit of better outcomes. "It was sort of new in the community, so we started having more conversations about the impact of adversity and toxic stress on adults and kids in the justice system," Triggiano said. Research into the effect of toxic stress on infant brains was of particular interest to her. Triggiano's been spreading the word within the justice system ever since. She said all parts of this system law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, defenders and correctional staff can improve criminal justice outcomes by heeding lessons at the core of trauma-informed care, in particular creating conditions that minimize re-traumatization. "The environment we create in our courts and systems is really important for reducing recidivism and holding people accountable,' Triggiano said. "We started to do more training including for parents in court because we realized if we were trauma-informed, we'd have better outcomes." Perhaps the most prominent result of this trauma-informed approach is Milwaukee's Healthy Infant Court, which was created to help make sure that infants with caretakers in the criminal justice system have a better chance at healthy brain development. "We did a pilot with a woman from the family drug treatment court who was struggling interacting with her baby," Triggiano said. "And we had some really tremendous results and were invigorated by that and launched the court." Triggiano no longer presides over the Healthy Infant Court, but she is continuing to advocate for the trauma-informed practices together with many colleagues, and has trained over 500 people in the criminal justice system on how to apply these approaches to their work. Reducing burnout and improving human services Chuck Price and Shannon Kelly said trauma-informed care has been a game-changer in their department in Waupaca County, providing benefits to patients, providers and the entire human services system. In 2019, Waupaca is one of 58 counties and half a dozen tribes that have formally taken part in some part of the state's trauma-informed care training, called the Wisconsin Trauma Project. Seven state agencies, including the state justice and corrections systems, have also embraced the approach, as have many school districts, nonprofits and hospitals. Shannon Kelly said trauma-informed care benefits not only the victims of trauma by better treating their symptoms, but can ease the emotional and mental toll on caregivers and support a stronger social fabric. "We've had a decrease in job turnover, increase in job satisfaction and decrease in burnout and secondary traumatic stress among our employees, and a lot of that is because we're able to do the work in a more human way," she explained. "When you flip the lens in human services to be trauma-informed, a level of heavy-handedness goes away because you're trying to be a partner to your clients." As an example, Kelly compared a commonly used punitive system in the mental health arena, whereby a patient would be cut off from services after a certain number of missed appointments, with a trauma-informed system. "Instead of 'three strikes, your out,' trauma-informed care means understanding there's something going on that's hindering someone from showing up," Kelly said. "Instead of becoming frustrated and taking it personally, you shift your thinking to 'this person is clearly not in a good spot, so how can I support them?'" Another segment from Not Enough Apologies further explores the ideas Kelly described. This less adversarial approach has not been free of controversy in some arenas where trauma-informed care has taken hold. For instance, in 2016 some staff blamed newly instated trauma-informed care principles for contributing to problems, including allegations of abuse, at the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake juvenile prisons, though others said the principles were not properly followed. In Kelly and Price's view, trauma-informed care has led to only positive change in Waupaca County. In addition to increased job satisfaction among their employees, Price said the county has seen a marked reduction in costly mental health hospitalizations since adopting trauma-informed care approaches. He said in 2017 alone the county was able to reallocate $250,000 to prevention and intervention services that had originally been allocated for hospitalizations. It's in these prevention and intervention services that Price and Kelly believe their work can be most effective. Price acknowledged that trauma-informed care cannot keep every child out of the system, but he contended that it can keep many out, and that a local government agency grounded in its principles can reduce harm by providing a more thoughtful touch. "The current child welfare system is traumatizing in itself," said Kelly. "It's designed to separate children from their connections. We know that one night away from your family can cause lifelong traumatic responses for our children. That's what the system was designed to do, and it traumatizes children over and over again." Why Trauma-Informed Care Is Creating Hope For Kids In Wisconsin was originally published on WisContext which produced the article in a partnership between Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television. Of course we all care about what our government does to help or hurt us but apathy creeps in when we feel powerless. Thats understandable, yet if were too apathetic and cynical to speak up, how can we make Congress listen? In June, I will speak up, along with 57 of my fellow Wisconsinites. More than 1,200 Citizens' Climate Lobby volunteers from almost every congressional district in the country will lobby Congress for bipartisan action on climate change. Why? We believe our leaders will act if enough of us speak up, respectfully and urgently. Our senators and representatives need to hear from ordinary Americans of both political parties, not just deep-pocketed special interests. Just as he has every year for the past nine years, Madison artist Dan Slick is heading to Capitol Hill to speak up, too. Often he travels with Wisconsins eight members of Congress that is, his life-sized portable portraits of them. His cardboard cutouts frequently show up at local coffee shops or at public events, where they are unfolded and pieced together, including the table. Last year they posed on the National Mall, attracting lots of curiosity and picture-takers. APPLETON Residents here have paid their final respects to a firefighter killed in the line of duty. Hundreds lined a procession route for Mitch Lundgaard, 36, that wound through Appleton on Monday, starting at a funeral home and ending at Appleton Alliance Church, where a public visitation was held. Lundgaards body was taken back to the funeral home following an evening service, which was not open to the public. Lundgaards family released a statement saying the outpouring of support from the community in the past week has been astonishing to us. Sheila Stojak of Grand Chute told the Post Crescent she came to honor someone thats given his life for all of us, so that we can be safe. Retired firefighter Linda Femal said the death of Lundgaard, a 14-year veteran of the Appleton Fire Department, hits close to home. You think maybe you can die in a fire, but not a shooting. Youre just going to a medical call and he ends up losing his life, said Femal, who attended the procession to show her support. About 90 minutes after the public visitation began, the city reported the church was at capacity and asked the community not to go there because there was not enough time to get everyone through. The husband and father of three was killed in the crossfire of a gunfight between police and a Wausau man who also died in the exchange of gunfire. Lundgaard was the first Appleton firefighter in 86 years to die in the line of duty. Madison firefighters were among those who paid their respects and helped their Appleton counterparts Monday. A Madison Fire Department engine with a crew of five was in Appleton to provide coverage out of Fire Station One, so the local firefighters could pay their respects. The Madison unit was one of six from across Wisconsin that provided coverage to Appletons six fire stations. The crews were working a 12-hour shift that began Monday morning. A busload of Madison firefighters also went to Appleton to pay their respects. The companies all filed motions to dismiss the lawsuits, which Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn denied Monday, though she said the companies could revive the motions later in the case after both sides gather more facts. Precedent-setting cases in which the Firefighters Rule was invoked generally have been dismissed at a much later stage, she said. In all the cases I looked at, in every single one of them, it was either a summary judgment decision or later in the proceedings, Bailey-Rihn said. Here, were on a motion to dismiss. I find that in complex cases such as this, the public policy considerations are too important to decide on a motion to dismiss. There are factual and other issues here that should be fleshed out. The public policy questions raised by the dismissal motions, she said, are simply not suitable for a motion to dismiss. If the parties want to revisit this issue after discovery on a fuller factual record that this court can evaluate, I will allow them to do so, she said. But at this stage of the proceedings, I do not have enough information to make a public policy decision, because one way or another I have a feeling that its not going to end with me. Kelli Chelberg, who received her doctor of education, also had lessons to share with graduates. She is now a faculty member at the College of Menominee Nation. Chelberg, who wrote her dissertation on ways to connect with tribal students to improve their education, said she never expected her work to have the impact that it does because she wasnt the most innovative or at the top of her class. If I can do it, anyone can, she said. She told them to seek Gods direction, take risks and embrace opportunities. We dont grow when things are easy, Chelberg said. We grow when we face challenges. Caps for the undergraduates bore messages such as: Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world, Do small things with great love, Defied the odds and Be brave. Others read, You can call me Ms. Flor and Nurse Katie, for the aspiring teacher and nurse. Passion for justice For Jawo, he wants to create change by becoming a criminal defense attorney or judge. Now with a degree in criminal justice, Jawo will attend the UW-Madison law school in the fall. TWIN FALLS The suspected shooter in the 2016 drive-by murder of 15-year-old Canyon Ridge freshman Vason Lee Widaman has requested to withdraw his guilty plea. During a brief hearing the afternoon of May 20, Gerardo Raul Chavezs attorney Dan Brown explained the decision to District Judge Benjamin Cluff. This is a very serious decision, Brown said. Brown is new to the case and said hes spent much of his time doing research regarding case law and discovery in Chavezs case. Cluff gave Brown 14 days to file the motion to withdraw the guilty plea, and will rule on the motion June 17. Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said he had no objection to the time-frame for filing the motion. Loebs said he did not yet know how he will respond to the motion. Chavez, wearing wrist and ankle restraints, sat beside Brown during the hearing but did not speak. Chavez pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder. The shooting took place in May 2016 and was the result of a drug-related dispute. Jose Daniel Alvarez was also charged with first-degree murder in the case and a date for his jury trial remains pending. Chavezs sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 6, but a series of motions and the withdrawal of Chavezs attorney caused delays. Previously, prosecutors agreed to ask for 20 years to life in prison and dismissed a charge of intimidating a witness. Return to Magicvalley.com for more on this story. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 12 TWIN FALLS Mary Ande learned a new language and a new culture to become a first-generation college student. Andes father, Yemane, was forced to leave her family in their native Eritrea for a refugee camp when she was 3. She saw him for the first time in nearly a decade after they were given the option to move to the United States. I was happy to meet my dad, she said. I didnt even remember his face. Ande moved to Twin Falls in 2015, but the transition was not always easy. In addition to adjusting to a new country, she understood little English and had trouble communicating with others. School was a priority for Ande and her family, and Canyon Ridge High School was a crucial part of her acclimation to Twin Falls. Going to classes and spending time with friends allowed her to become more confident speaking English, to the point she now rarely needs to ask for help. The more you communicate with people, the more you learn, Ande said. Teachers were always willing to help, she said. Often she would stay after school in the English Language Learner class with teacher Sara Toledo. Andes work ethic made her eligible to join the Honors Society during her sophomore year and helped her to make considerable progress from being a shy freshman to a confident woman, Toledo said. She has the tenacity to accomplish anything she has in mind for herself, Toledo said. Im lucky to have gotten to know her and teach her. Toledo said she was also impressed with Andes leadership abilities. After a recent drowning of a Congolese man at Dierkes Lake, Ande sought out other students to let them know she was there for them, Toledo said. That leadership extends outside of school. Ande said she often works with kids at the refugee center at the College of Southern Idaho. Its kind of cool to help new people, she said. The combination of diligence and direction allowed her to get into her choice school at Boise State University. She plans to study business and to one day be an accountant. She said shes excited for college and to learn how to cook and clean for herself. College was not something she thought would be a possibility when she first came to America, she said. I feel like I grew up. Love 11 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Eldon Leon Doman RUPERTA celebration of Leons life will be held on Monday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Unity Second Ward, 275 South 250 East, Burley, Idaho. Friends may call at the church Monday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.Arrangements are under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home, 188 South Hwy 24 in Rupert. Chalmer JR Strunk BURLEYFuneral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 20, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends may call from 5:007:00 p.m. Sunday, May 19, and one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery where military rites will be provided by the Mini-Cassia Veterans Group. Sreto Predojevic TWIN FALLSFamily will receive friends on Monday, May 20, 2019 from 5:007:00 p.m. at Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home 2551 Kimberly Rd. in Twin Falls. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at 10 a.m. at Parkes Funeral Home. Burial will follow at the Twin Falls Cemetery. Betty Alice Aasa TWIN FALLSThe family invites everyone to attend a celebration of Bettys life at 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 20, 2019 at Rosenau Funeral Home at 2826 Addison Ave E. Twin Falls, Idaho. Dennis Gene Newlan JEROMEA Celebration of Dennis Life will be held at 1:00 p.m., Monday, May 20, 2019 at the First Christian Church, 279 E Ave B, Jerome, Idaho.In lieu of flowers the family requests monetary donations be made to Olna Newlan. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Dennis memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com. Betty Perry BURLEYFuneral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, prior to the service. Douglas John Megargle JEROMEFuneral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 216 2nd Ave E, Jerome, Idaho. Ralph Mitchell AMERICAN FALLSServices for Ralph will be held at the First Baptist Church in Shoshone, Tuesday May 21, at 11:00 a.m. under the direction of Davis-Rose Mortuary, American Falls, Idaho. Friends may visit family members one half hour before service. Final interment will follow at the Shoshone Cemetery. Loyd Estel Overlin GARCEGraveside service will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 22 at Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls. Pamela Ann Grace BURLEYThe funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley. Michael Mick Dennis Nash WENDELLA graveside memorial will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 23, 2019 at the Wendell Cemetery, Wendell, Idaho. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Micks memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com. Sharon Raye Greenmyer Brooks IDAHO FALLSGraveside services will be held on Friday, May 24, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Fielding Memorial Cemetery. The family with meet with guests prior to the service at the graveside at 1:30 p.m. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Eckersell Funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com. Its a testament to the strength and resilience of the national economy that it keeps surging ahead despite the relentless efforts of Republicans and Democrats to derail it. The recent economic numbers are fantastic, and add to two years of strong growth during the tenure of President Donald Trump. In April, the jobless rate hit its lowest level in five decades, dropping to 3.6% on the addition of 263,000 jobs. And workers are bringing home more money, thanks to both the middle-class tax cuts and a 3.2% hike in wages over the past year. That performance reset the Recession Clock for at least another 11 months out, or longer if unemployment falls further. And contrary to the false claim by Democratic presidential candidate and California Sen. Kamala Harris in Detroit over the weekend, the rise in household income is not the result of most Americans working multiple jobs. Just 5 percent of workers hold more than one job. Orders for durable goods rose 2.7% in March, signaling business is bullish on the future. That sentiment is shared by consumers, whose confidence in the economy rose again in April. Equity markets were shaking off their 2019 sluggishness, steadily gaining ground until this week, when Trump mused that he might impose an additional round of tariffs in the ongoing trade war with China. That sent the Dow tumbling 600 points on Tuesday and was a reminder of the biggest dangers to the economy politics and policy. Who knows how high the stock markets might have risen over the past year had Trump not delved into protectionism. Each new round of tariffs, or tariff threats, has sent stocks tumbling and raised doubts about whether the long bull market is waning. Uncertainty about trade has also impacted investment, particularly by the domestic automobile industry, which has been hit hardest by the levies. Some financial experts are warning that if Trump goes ahead with his threatened 25% tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods, it could send the S&P 500 into a 10% plummet. Thats what the president is doing to himself, and the country. Democrats, meanwhile, are all but openly rooting for a recession, recognizing that the strong economy is the best hope Trump has of winning reelection. Not content to simply distort economic reality, theyre stalling on measures that could further boost the economy, most notably passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Settling the rules of future trade on this continent would unleash investment dollars. As would some measure of political stability. The report from special prosecutor Robert Mueller clearing Trump of colluding with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign and failing to build a definitive case for obstruction of justice should have taken impeachment off the table. Instead, Democrats are launching what the Wall Street Journal called a pseudo-impeachment, an investigative flurry aimed at keeping the dark cloud of suspicion over the Trump presidency without taking the political risk of an actual impeachment vote. Times are good, and appear to be getting even better. But youd never know it from whats going on in Washington, where our political leaders are doing their best to derail the gravy train. Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, founder of Free-Range Kids and author of Has the World Gone Skenazy? She may be reached at lskenazy@yahoo.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When John Mellencamp (then still under the John Cougar label) in 1980 released an album called Nothin Matters and What if it Did, he did at least have the advantage of appending a phrase that saved the idea from complete nihilism. No such luck a few decades later. Sometime probably in early 2013 an animated gif image, consisting only of rotating letters, was designed to say lol nothing matters. An advocate soon responded, So try responding to someone with the lol nothing matters gif the next time you are in an internet fight. You will automatically win so hard your opponent will probably disable all of their social media accounts and move to a remote mountaintop. And there it might have stopped but, in the nihilistic spirit of the age, it did not. It was in fact widely used as an image in commenting on all manner of subjects but then it forked into new, curious and eerie meanings. A writer in Slate reported about the indifference of many people to checking whether purported facts were actually truthful (the article was discussing a professional fact-checker). One subject concerned the false report that weapons of mass destruction were stockpiled in Iraq before the American invasion there. A correction on that report was issued, but for students inclined initially to believe in the WMD report, the correction only caused them to defend the idea more fiercely. The resulting thesis was that the internet divides us, that facts will make us dumber, and that debunking doesnt work. These ideas, and the buzzwords that came with themfilter bubbles, selective exposure, and the backfire effectwould be cited, again and again, as seismic forces pushing us to rival islands of belief. In other words, nothing matters next to ones belief. The article concluded with the suggestions that the concern may be overstated, but by how much remained unclear. The nothing matters idea was picked up by Donald Trump, on more than one occasion. Back in 2004, speaking on the Larry King show, he answered a question on coping with stress by saying, I try and tell myself it doesnt matter. Nothing matters. The theme popped up in his presidency, an arena where nearly everything said and eon is cloaked in a mantle of significance. In September 2018 he said Well see what happens with Iran. I will always be available, but it doesnt matter one way or the other. In October 2018, he answered a question about the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court appointment of Brett Kavanaugh by saying, It doesnt matter. We won. Tim OBrien, who wrote the book TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald, suggested the slip into the concept is natural for him: He profoundly believes nothing matters because he usually isnt the victim of his own mistakes. A headline over a Michelle Goldberg column [New York Times, August 28, 2018] said: Motto for the Trump Age: Lol, nothing matters. The context for the piece was a recitation of the problems of the Trump Administration, noting that very little effective blowback to those issues had materialized. So endless scandals and legal issues are reported: Does any of it matter? Or, put another way, The watchwords of Trump-era politics are LOL nothing matters. If youre in a jam, you just lie about it. What does matter? Randy Stapilus is a former Idaho newspaper reporter and editor and blogs at www.ridenbaugh.com. He can be reached at stapilus@ridenbaugh.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Corporate houses are becoming more accommodating to women: Punam Singh Nowadays, the corporate houses are becoming more accommodating when it comes to looking after new mothers. Companies have started providing six months maternity leave. 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. CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Read More 9 hours ago 3 Stocks That Are Ready to Rip in 2022 These 3 Stocks Could Outperform in 2022 With the new year right around the corner, investors might want to start thinking about the companies with the strongest prospects for 2022. Theres no better way to start off the year than by adding a few potential winners to your portfolio, but finding those types of stocks is easier said than done. Read Article iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWU shares have increased by 29.3% and is now trading at $33.10. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Almost 70 per cent of drivers would be willing to install smartphone apps that block texting and browsing according to new QUT researchbut only if they can still do hands-free calls and listen to Bluetooth music. QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland (CARRS-Q) surveyed 712 drivers for a national study into voluntary apps that restrict certain phone uses to combat distracted driving. Study leader Dr. Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios said 68 per cent were willing to use an app that blocked text messaging, web browsing and email features, so long as it still allowed hands free calls. But only 37 per cent were prepared to embrace the idea if calls were blocked completely. Retaining the ability to use music-playing functions was also important to app acceptance. When it came to how they already used their phones in the car, the survey found most drivers stuck to hands-free conversations. But 17 per cent confessed to doing 'visual-manual tasks' that involved touching their phone, such as texting, browsing and emailing. Fifteen per cent reported occasionally looking at their phone for more than two seconds, and 19 per cent said they occasionally monitored/read conversations without writing back. "Mobile phone use is so ingrained in our society that completely stopping people from using their phones while driving is an extremely difficult task," Dr. Oviedo-Trespalacios said. "Using voluntary apps that restrict some phone functions is emerging as a practical new countermeasure to limit distracted driving. "Existing studies have shown that mobile phone use behind the wheel is a significant contributor to road trauma. Police crash reports in the USA have estimated that phone distraction contributes to 18 per cent of fatal crashes." Only 40 per cent of drivers surveyed in the CARRS-Q study had heard about voluntary apps to prevent mobile phone distracted driving, and 10 per cent said they had already tried the technology. The most common app already in use was iPhone's Do Not Disturb While Driving, with a few people also using Android Auto, Waze, Truemotion Family, RoadMode or a vehicle interface that restricted phone functions. "Overall, our study found that familiarity and actual use of these types of apps was low, which means a lot more work is needed increase public knowledge and acceptance of these technologies," Dr. Oviedo-Trespalacios said. "The good news is that once drivers learned about these apps, there was a willingness to use them. "But for the apps to gain acceptance, it's important that they retain hands-free calling and music functions, while still limiting the most dangerous actionsactually touching the phone to text, email and scroll. "I would also advocate an opt-out system, rather than opt-in, for pre-installed driver safety apps on phones as this would encourage greater use." Explore further It can wait: Apps aim to stop deadly phone use More information: Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios et al, User preferences and design recommendations for voluntary smartphone applications to prevent distracted driving, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour (2019). Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios et al, User preferences and design recommendations for voluntary smartphone applications to prevent distracted driving,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2019.04.018 Teresa and Jamie Purzner came to Stanford to study medulloblastoma and search for a way to better treat the brain cancer. They faced many challenges, including the myriad difficulties of escorting a basic science finding through preclinical studies to testing in humans. Credit: Ethan Hill In 2012, a pair of neurosurgery residents traded their scrubs for lab coats in an effort to understand, at the most basic level, what causes medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain cancer. Teresa Purzner, MD, Ph.D., is a hands-on, all-in physician. As a neurosurgical resident at the University of Toronto in 2009, she rotated through a variety of specialties, including one in pediatric neurosurgery. During the three months of her pediatric rotation, she dealt with desperately ill children and their parents on a daily basis. Often, she participated in conversations that involved delivering bad newstelling parents, for example, that their child, suffering from a deadly brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, might have a chance of being cured, but the chemo and radiation treatment was likely to cause permanent cognitive and neurological damage. "It is a devastating conversation," she recalled. "You're basically delivering, and living in, every parent's worst nightmare. One mother who lost her son shortly after diagnosis told me that she was thankful not to have had to put him through the treatment we were recommending." When it all got to be too much, she and her husband, Jamie Purzner, MD, also a neurosurgical trainee, just walked away from their residencies. Frustrated with the challenges of treating children with the tumors, they put their clinical careers on hold to tackle the root of the problem: the cells in the brain that run wild during the tumor's development. "A few brief conversations with the experts around us really sealed the deal," Teresa Purzner said. "It was clear that medulloblastoma was a tangible and interesting problem, and that amazing strides had already been made in understanding the link between developmental biology and medulloblastoma development." The time was ripe, they felt, to bridge the gap between this new, conceptual understanding of the disease and the desperate need they'd witnessed in the clinic. But they needed to find the right place to do the necessary research. The pair considered hundreds of laboratories in the United States and Canada. But rather than seeking out labs and investigators experienced in translating existing research results into clinical applicationsa bench-to-bedside approachthey focused on laboratories drilling into the nuts and bolts of biological processes. "Basic science is where fundamental discoveries occur," Teresa Purzner said, "and basic science can tell you whether a specific potential treatment is likely to be successful. But basic scientists often underestimate their value. They are at least as well-positioned as clinicians to figure out what the best target is from a biological perspective." Trading scrubs for lab coats The couple shed their scrubs for lab coats in 2012. During the next six years, they worked as graduate students in the Stanford School of Medicine's Department of Developmental Biology to understand, at the most basic level, what causes the brain tumors. Their unconventional career rewind has been uncommonly successful. The pair identified a potential new drug treatment for the disease, and with the support of Stanford SPARKa program launched in 2006 to advance promising discoveries from the lab to the clinicTeresa Purzner went on to test it in mice and to coordinate the launch of a phase-1 clinical trial that recently began enrolling patients. The two published their findings in Science Signaling in September 2018. "This was completely unbiased discovery science," said developmental biologist Margaret Fuller, Ph.D., who advised the Purzners during the latter part of their graduate work. "Teresa and Jamie used an unbiased screen to identify a new component of a well-known developmental pathway, identified where in the pathway it functions and then showed that blocking this step can kill medulloblastoma cells implanted into mice. It's a remarkable achievement." Along the way, the pair faced many challenges, including the myriad difficulties of escorting a basic science finding through preclinical studies in animals to testing in humans. Teresa Purzner took charge of marshaling support from funding agencies, national research consortiums and drug companies often wary of the fraught arena of clinical trials that enroll terminally ill children. The couple also started a family; their three children were born during their graduate school careers. Not bad for some seemingly misplaced neurosurgeons. "There are 101 valid reasons to not do what we did, and 100 more reasons why we should have failed once we decided to do it," Teresa Purzner said. "But we benefited from an amazing cast of collaborators at Stanford and elsewhere who spent hundreds and hundreds of hours helping to overcome many hurdles in the path to this trial. We were all very dedicated to doing everything possible to help these kids." In the lab (and home) of Matthew Scott Matthew Scott, Ph.D., now professor emeritus at Stanford, was a developmental biologist in January 2012 when he received an email from Jamie Purzner inquiring about research positions. Scott was taken aback. "It's not often that neurosurgeons want to come train in my lab as graduate students," he said. "I thought, 'These people are doctors; they don't really want to do research full time.' It was totally unbelievable, and unprecedented, for people with their training and skill." Scott, who is married to Fuller, is known for his 1984 discovery in fruit flies of a short DNA sequence called a homeobox. Homeobox genes coordinate the activities of sets of other genes, acting within cells or groups of cells to control development. Proteins made from homeobox genes bind to specific DNA sequences throughout the genome to control genes used during early embryonic development to determine body patterningensuring that the wings, legs and abdominal sections fall neatly into place to generate the tiny flies drawn to the overripe fruit on your kitchen counter. At first blush, none of this seems like something that would have especially interested pediatric neurosurgeons intent on discovering a new cancer treatment. But Scott also was known for identifying and studying signaling systems that allow groups of cells to communicate with one another during development an area with more obvious relevance to the couple's interest. Mutations in some of these pathways, Scott found, are linked to the development of some types of cancers, including medulloblastoma. In the early 1990s, the Scott lab began working on an important system called hedgehog signalingfirst in fruit flies and later in mammals. It's named hedgehog because a mutation in the gene for a key protein in the signaling system results in fruit fly embryos that are spiny, like hedgehogs. The hedgehog protein is produced and secreted by particular cells in the fruit fly embryo. When it binds to a receptor protein called patched on the surface of a cell, a cascade of activity is triggered that begins with proteins on the cell surface and ends with other proteins entering the nucleus. There, they stimulate the process by which genes lead to the production of proteins that govern how cells multiply and develop. In the absence of hedgehog binding, patched keeps the pathway turned off. In 1996, Scott's research into the pathway revealed that mutations in patched are often found in people with an inherited condition associated with frequent skin cancers and skeletal abnormalities called basal-cell nevus syndrome. When patched is missing or mutated, the hedgehog pathway is constantly active, and the cells receive ongoing signals to grow and divide. Carriers of patched mutations not only develop frequent basal-cell skin cancers, but they also often develop medulloblastomas. The Scott lab then showed that during normal development, hedgehog signaling triggers growth of the cerebellum, the portion of the brain at the back of the head near the spinal cord. Loss of patched lets the normal growth signal happen when it should not. This explanation for the development of medulloblastomas piqued the Purzners' interest. But choosing to come to America to work as graduate students put the Purzners in a funding gray area. They could no longer apply for grants meant to support Canadian clinicians doing research in Canada. They also couldn't qualify for funding meant for Americans. Although they eventually secured enough money to support themselves and their growing family, including funding from Stanford Bio-X, their financial stability was far from certain when they arrived at Stanford in June of 2012 in a truck packed with boxes they loaded the day after their last neurosurgical calls ended. "We had no American bank account or credit cards and no plan for where we were going to live," Teresa Purzner recalled. "Matt and Margaret realized this and insisted we live with them until we found a place to rent." Teresa Purzner with developmental biologist Matthew Scott, whose lab she and Jamie Purzner worked in. Timothy Archibald Most common childhood brain cancer About 350 people a year in the United States are diagnosed with medulloblastoma, which develops in the cerebellum. It is the most common brain cancer in children. Even with the best treatments, only about 70 percent will live five years or more after their initial diagnosis and the prognosis for those who experience a recurrence is dire. Frequently, the tumors spread to other parts of the brain and central nervous system. Treatment options are bleak and include whole brain and spinal radiation in combination with chemotherapy for as long as a year. Children are particularly susceptible to damage from these therapies because their brains are developing. About 25% of all medulloblastomas are caused by mutations in genes for proteins involved in the hedgehog pathway, including patched. Although drugs that inhibit the pathway can often temporarily shrink tumors in patients, the cancer cells rapidly become resistant to the treatment when the cells develop mutations that reactivate the pathway. Targeting the very last stepthe moment when the proteins reach the nucleus and bind to the DNA to turn genes onshould leave the cancer cells fewer options to wiggle out of the treatment, researchers believe. But how to do that? The Purzners focused on the granule neuron precursor cells in the brain that give rise to hedgehog-associated human medulloblastomas. In mice, GNPs rapidly multiply between day one and day seven after birth in response to hedgehog pathway signaling. Between day seven and day 14, the proliferation rate slows and the cells begin to become granule neurons. After day 14, any remaining GNPs mature into granule neurons, which are the most common type of neuron in the brain. Occasionally, however, GNPs ignore the normal developmental signals and keep multiplying after day 14. This increases the chance that the cells will accumulate additional mutations and become cancerous. Learning why this happens might be the key to stopping the rapid increase in medulloblastoma cells, the Purzners reasoned. A chance encounter with Joshua Elias, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemical and systems biology, whose laboratory was one floor above Scott's, gave the Purzners an idea of how to start. The Elias lab focuses on proteomicsthe study of all aspects of proteins in a cell or tissue to learn how cells and tissues develop and function.For example, a cell often adds or removes small chemical tags, called phosphate groups, from proteins to control their function. For example, a phosphate tag in one location on a protein may cue it to bind to a second protein, move to another part of the cell or latch onto DNA to activate certain genes, whereas a tag in a different location on the same protein could trigger another set of biological outcomes. Conversely, removal of these phosphate groups can quickly inhibit the protein's activity. The cell's ability to toggle a protein's activity in this way allows the cell to react quickly and appropriately to changing conditions or developmental stages. For researchers, the ability to chart changes in the patterns and locations of phosphate tags across a panel of proteins over time can provide an intimate look at the workings of a cell during development or disease progression. Combining expertise Teresa Purzner decided to compare the pattern of phosphate tags, or protein phosphorylation, on GNP proteins isolated from the brains of newborn mice at day seven with those of GNPs isolated at day 14 and day one. Jamie Purzner, in contrast, focused on sussing out changes in which proteins are produced at different cell stages. Although Teresa Purzner's approach yielded more immediately promising results, they remained closely involved in each other's projects. "It was pretty darn fun combining our expertise and thinking over the problems together from two perspectives," she said. The Purzners found that the protein phosphorylation pattern of the rapidly dividing day seven GNP cells more closely resembles that of medulloblastoma cells than that of GNP cells on day one or day 14. Further detective work homed in on a phosphate-adding protein called CK2 that is likely responsible for many of the phosphate-tagging events observed in day seven cellsincluding some that are critical to the last steps in the hedgehog pathway. Blocking CK2 activity in mice during days three to seven left the animals with significantly fewer granule neurons than control animals had, the Purzners found. Furthermore, a CK2 inhibitor slowed or stopped the growth of mouse medulloblastoma cells implanted in miceeven cancer cells resistant to other hedgehog pathway inhibitors. "We'd put these angry medulloblastoma cells into the flanks of mice and see complete tumor regression when CK2 was inhibited," Teresa Purzner said. "When we transplanted the medulloblastoma cells into the cerebella of mice, we found that, although the control animals had to be euthanized within 17 days due to cancer progression, 43 percent of mice treated with a CK2 inhibitor for 30 days lived past 100 daysbasically until the experiment was terminated." "This was astonishingly effective," Scott said. "The kinase acts very late in the hedgehog pathway, so it's difficult for the cancer cells to mutate around it. It's really a triumph of the application of basic science. The Purzners didn't start off looking for a protein involved in the hedgehog pathway. But once they did, Teresa Purzner embarked on shepherding this finding all the way from a basic science investigation to preclinical tests that have now launched a clinical trial." Getting to the clinical trial wasn't easy, however. What to do next "I had this beautiful, targeted small molecule inhibitor of CK2 that works in animals," Purzner said. "But I had absolutely no idea how to go from there to get it to patients. This was far outside my realm of experience." Enter Stanford SPARK. The program matches academic researchers with volunteers from the pharmaceutical, biotech and financial industries to streamline drug development and make it faster and cheaper. SPARK was founded in 2006 by Daria Mochly-Rosen, Ph.D., professor of chemical and systems biology at Stanford, who co-directs the program with Kevin Grimes, Ph.D., professor of chemical and systems biology. "They started setting me up with world leadersexperts in every part of the drug development process to help me understand step-by-step what would be required to go from my discovery in the lab to a patient in the clinic," Purzner said. "It went from a seemingly impossible task to something difficult but achievable. And then we started just tackling each milestone one after the other." Important steps included convincing a Taiwanese company called Senhwa Biosciences Inc., which was producing the only human-tested CK2 inhibitor, CX-4945, for use in a trial of basal-cell carcinoma, to agree to provide their drug for a pediatric clinical trial. Purzner was also able to secure the involvement of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, formed by the National Cancer Institute to improve the care of children with brain tumors across the country. The FDA approved the phase 1-2 clinical trial of CX-4945 in children with hedgehog-pathway dependent medulloblastoma on Jan. 4, and the consortium's Central Institutional Review Board signed off on Feb. 28. The study opened on March 1. 'An absolute triumph' "It's so exciting," Purzner said. "This took hundreds of hours and dozens of people to accomplish because in many ways it was not a typical trial to put together. There were at least two or three times I thought, 'This could be the end. All of our work could be for nothing, and these kids are never going to get to see this drug.'" Scott said, "This was an absolute triumph of the translation of a series of basic scientific discoveries into a clinical trial. In 1980, we identified the first mutations in hedgehog and patched in fruit flies. "Sixteen years later we reported a connection with cancer; 16 years later we had our first FDA-approved drug targeting the hedgehog pathway in basal-cell carcinoma. So it took 32 years from pure, curiosity-driven 'Huh, that's interesting'when we found some genes that control patterning in fly larvato a point where patients were being treated. Now, 32 years is either way too long, or not too bad in the big picture of drug development. But Teresa did it in five," he said. The Purzners have returned to Canada to complete their neurosurgical residencies. It remains to be seen whether the CX-4945 will be safe and effective in children with hedgehog-dependent medulloblastoma. A success in mice doesn't always translate to humans. But Teresa Purzner'sintensive approach to solving the problem has led to a promising new target in the field. "Having my own children gave me a very sobering perspective about what these families are going through," she said. "I didn't fully grasp just how heart-wrenching it would be to have a child with a serious medical issue until I had my own children. Getting to this clinical trial has been very emotional. And I'm not an emotional person. It is just such a huge relief to get to this point and know that I did what I came to do." Canada's federal government is currently working to pass a bill that would provide pardons for people convicted of minor cannabis possession. With a federal election around the corner, it may be too little, too late. As a result of mounting pressure, Canada's federal government is now struggling to pass this bill before politicians leave the capital for the summer break. If the bill does not pass, it is unlikely to do so before a national election this fall, leaving tens of thousands of lives hanging in the balance. Racialized law enforcement It has been a little over six months since Canada legalized recreational cannabis, and by most accounts this national experiment has been a relative success. What Canadian legalization still lacks, however, are the important measures needed to repair the damage caused by almost a century of prohibition. American legislators should take note. As is the case in many other jurisdictions, Canadian drug law enforcement is heavily racialized. Data gathered from Toronto and other major Canadian cities show that Black and Indigenous people have been arrested for minor cannabis possession at rates as high as five and nine times that of whites, respectively. This means that Black and Indigenous people have been disproportionately burdened with the outcomes of a criminal record reduced educational and employment opportunities, poorer housing prospects and travel restrictions for engaging in an activity enjoyed by a significant proportion of the Canadian population. Prof. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah presented a TEDx talk, The Untapped Promise of Cannabis Legalization, as part of their Mississauga series. A lesson for the United States Unlike the narrative now dominant among the U.S. 2020 Democratic hopefuls, Canada's move towards legalization was never about social justice or reparations. Having promised recreational cannabis as part of his campaign platform, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government rushed to draft and pass the Cannabis Act in time to help them secure a political win. Addressing the racialized harms of cannabis prohibition barely featured in political debates over legalization in Canada. Instead, the focus was on promoting public health and diverting profits away from the illicit market. While we dither over whether to provide pot pardons, equally substantive equity measures such as the reinvestment of cannabis tax revenue into the communities most harmed by prohibition, and the incorporation of the drug war's victims into the legal cannabis industry go largely unrealized. For legalization to be a true success, these measures must be forthcoming. Opponents were right to derail legalization in New York state last month because the proposed bill failed to adequately address social justice issues up front. Given the nature of the political process, it can be all too easy for politicians to satisfy themselves with half-baked policies. If there is one thing that American lawmakers can learn from the Canadian example, it is that cannabis equity must be incorporated into legalization from the outset. Given the lack of racial and economic diversity in established cannabis industries, not doing so is likely to further entrench the inequalities created by the war on drugs. Explore further If cannabis use increases after legalization, government must alter the act About 16 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe millions more have it but haven't yet been diagnosed. Credit: Intermountain Healthcare Are electronic health records and computer calculations a better, more accurate way to predict clinical outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? According to the results of a new study by researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, the answer is yes. Traditionally, patients with COPD have had the severity of their disease rated by scores that are easy for busy clinicians to calculate, even if those scores aren't optimal at accurately predicting the likely outcome of a patient's disease. About 16 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe millions more have it but haven't yet been diagnosed. It's a leading cause of death in the U.S., and 3.2 million people die of COPD worldwide every year. "The benefit of a calculated, objective score for physicians is that they can look at the score and get a quantified, repeatable value that will indicate where the patient is as far as their health," said Benjamin D. Horne, Ph.D., director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at Intermountain Healthcare. "That can help indicate to a clinician whether they should give the standard of care or if they need to be a little bit more aggressive." "Current risk scores help guide care, but the scores that are typically used are easy to remember and based on simple, often inexact calculations you can do in your head," Horne said. "They're not terribly useful and they don't do all that well at predicting a prognosis." The Summit Score, the name of the electronically-calculated system evaluated in the study, uses patients' electronic medical records to take a range of risk factors into account, including age, body mass index, smoking history, prior COPD hospitalization, history of heart attack, history of heart failure, diagnosis of diabetes, and use of antithrombotic medications such as clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor and antiarrhythmic medications such as flecanide, sotalol, or procainamide. The Summit Score predicts patients' risk for things like a sudden exacerbation of COPD symptoms, repeat hospital visits, and mortality on a scale of 0 to 30. On the scale, 0 to 13 is low risk, 14 to 19 is moderate risk, and 20 to 30 is high risk. The score was validated twice: first from a set over 16,000 patients enrolled in the SUMMIT trial; and second on three different groups of patients (totaling almost 44,000 people) at Intermountain Healthcare. Results of the study will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's international conference in Dallas on Monday, May 20. Dr. Horne believes the Summit Score will help doctors better know how to plan and administer patient care. "Instead of using a risk score that doesn't work all that well, you can use a risk score that's consistently better at predicting outcomes where the computer does the work for you," he said. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Measuring the blood plasma levels of an enzyme called PDIA1 could one day become a method of diagnosing a person's predisposition to cardiovascular disease even if they are not obese, diabetic or a smoker, and with normal cholesterol. This is suggested by a study published in the journal Redox Biology by Brazilian researchers affiliated with the University of Sao Paulo (USP), the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and Butantan Institute. The investigation was conducted under the aegis of the Center for Research on Redox Processes in Biomedicine (Redoxome), one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) funded by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). Redoxome is hosted by USP's Chemistry Institute. "This molecule belongs to the protein disulfide isomerase [PDI] family. Our study showed that people with low plasma levels of PDIA1 have a more inflammatory protein profile and hence run a higher risk of thrombosis. On the other hand, people with high levels of PDIA1 have more 'housekeeping' proteins associated with cell adhesion, homeostasis and the organism's normal functioning," said Francisco Rafael Martins Laurindo, a professor at the University of Sao Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) and principal investigator for the study. The study was conducted during the Ph.D. research of Percillia Victoria Santos de Oliveira with a scholarship from FAPESP. The group analyzed blood plasma samples from 35 healthy volunteers with no history of chronic or acute disease. None was a smoker or a user of recreational drugs or chronic medication. Plasma was collected 10 to 15 times at intervals of days or weeks during a period of 10 to15 months. Circulating PDI levels were within a small range for most individuals. Moreover, in a cohort of five individuals, PDIA1 levels were measured three times in a nine-hour period. The variability of the results was again negligible. "However, the measurements showed that some patients had high levels of PDIA1, while the levels were very low, almost undetectable, in others. When the tests were repeated for the same person over time, these values hardly varied at all," said Laurindo, who heads the Translational Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory at the Heart Institute (InCor) attached to FM-USP's teaching and general hospital (Hospital das Clinicas). The researchers also measured the levels of PDIA1 in 90 plasma bank samples from patients with chronic cardiovascular disease. The analysis consistently showed low levels of the enzyme. They then conducted several additional proteomic studies to investigate how the plasma levels of PDIA1 correlated with an individual's protein signature. The adhesion and migration of cultured vein endothelial cells treated with PDIA1-poor plasma were impaired in comparison with those of cells treated with PDIA1-rich plasma. These results led to the hypothesis that the plasma level of PDIA1 could be a window onto individual plasma protein signatures associated with endothelial function, which could indicate a possible predisposition to cardiovascular disease. The study also showed no correlation between PDIA1 levels and well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as triglycerides and cholesterol. The next steps for the research group include studying PDIA1 levels in conditions such as acute coronary disease, as well as other members of the protein disulfide isomerase family (there are more than 20 PDIs all told), to compare results and confirm whether all these enzymes are potential markers of vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. Inhibitors Clinical trials of inhibitors of other PDIs are being conducted by groups of researchers in several parts of the world. Because these enzymes play various essential roles in cell survival, Laurindo explained, it is important to understand their specific interactions in the cancer context to design inhibitors capable of eliminating tumors with a minimum of toxicity to normal cells. In another study, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, the researchers used an antibody to inhibit PDIA1 on the surface of vascular cells and observed the effects of stimulation with several different mechanical forces, such as stretching and alterations to the rigidity of the extracellular matrix. Resulting from research conducted during Leonardo Yuji Tanaka's postdoctoral internship with support from FAPESP, the study concluded that surface PDIA1 inhibition affected the cytoskeleton, an intracellular framework of filaments, thereby hindering cell migration. "PDIA1 is fundamental for the ability of cells to migrate within the organism, and so it mustn't be completely inhibited. When the surface portion, which corresponds to less than 2% of total PDIA1, is silenced, the cell survives but loses fine regulation of cell direction during migration. This can be leveraged in the search for new disease mechanisms and drugs," Laurindo explained. Explore further New targets found to reduce blood vessel damage in diabetes More information: Percillia Victoria Santos de Oliveira et al, Protein disulfide isomerase plasma levels in healthy humans reveal proteomic signatures involved in contrasting endothelial phenotypes, Redox Biology (2019). Percillia Victoria Santos de Oliveira et al, Protein disulfide isomerase plasma levels in healthy humans reveal proteomic signatures involved in contrasting endothelial phenotypes,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101142 Leonardo Y. Tanaka et al. Peri/epicellular protein disulfide isomerase-A1 acts as an upstream organizer of cytoskeletal mechanoadaptation in vascular smooth muscle cells, American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (2018). DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00379.2018 In Makwanpur, Chepang households turn to beekeeping but see little returns Without a direct farm-to-market connection and government support, most bee farmers remain at the mercy of traders Credit: CC0 Public Domain After 20 years of rapid increases in life expectancy at birth, the rate of growth in Australia is now falling behind most other high-income nations, meaning better control of health risk factors such as obesity will be needed if further life expectancy increases are to be achieved, research shows. Published today by the Medical Journal of Australia, researchers from the University of Melbourne School of Population and Global Health have analysed data for Australia and 26 other high-income countries from 1980-2016. Researchers found from 1981 to 2003, life expectancy at birth increased rapidly in Australia, both in absolute terms, and in comparison, with other high-income countries. For males, the difference in life expectancy between Australia and the other 26 countries increased from +0.7 years to +2.3 years over this period. For females, the difference in life expectancy increased from +0.9 years to +1.3 years. University of Melbourne Rowden-White Chair of Global Health and Burden of Disease Measurement Alan Lopez said the main contributor to greater increases in life expectancy for males in Australia than in western Europe was lower mortality from ischaemic heart disease. "Compared with the United States, mortality from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and transport-related injuries was lower," Laureate Professor Lopez said. Since 2003, researchers found life expectancy has increased more slowly for both sexes than in most other high-income countries, mainly because declines in mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer have slowed. For males, it was +2.3 years in 2015, and females, +1.1 years. "Together with the high prevalence of obesity, this suggests that future life expectancy increases will be smaller than in other high-income countries," Professor Lopez said. University of Melbourne researcher and co-author Tim Adair said this slowing should concern public health policy makers. "Life expectancy in Australia is among the highest in the world, a testament to boldly progressive public health interventions over several decades," Dr. Adair said. "However, there are several major barriers to marked increases, including the notably higher mortality of more recent birth cohorts and the comparative failure of efforts to reduce levels of overweight and obesity. "Other high-income countries have greater scope for reducing the prevalence of smoking. As a result, our high global ranking with regard to life expectancy at birth is unlikely to be maintained unless new strategies for reducing mortality associated with specific behaviours are developed and deployed effectively." Explore further The rich are outliving the poor in both Norway and the U.S. More information: Alan D Lopez et al, Slower increase in life expectancy in Australia than in other high income countries: the contributions of age and cause of death, Medical Journal of Australia (2019). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Alan D Lopez et al, Slower increase in life expectancy in Australia than in other high income countries: the contributions of age and cause of death,(2019). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.50144 Rachel Moon, MD, is a pediatrician at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. She was part of a research team that reviewed infant deaths that occurred while the children were in sitting devices such as car seats. Credit: UVA Health System Car safety seats are vital to protect children while traveling, but a new infant death study underlines the need to follow the seats' instructions and to use them only for their intended purpose. In a review of infant deaths that occurred while children were sleeping in sitting devices, researchers determined than more than 60% of the deaths were in car seats. The car seats were used as directed in less than 10% of those cases. "While car seats are important when you're traveling with an infant, it's best not to have the infant sleep in the car seat when you're at home," said researcher Rachel Moon, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. "The safest place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface." Sleep-Related Infant Deaths in Sitting Devices Moon and colleagues set out to shed light on a poorly documented category of infant deaths: deaths while sleeping in sitting devices, such as car seats and strollers. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages allowing children to routinely sleep in such devices. Of almost 12,000 infant sleep-related deaths reported between 2004 and 2014, approximately 3% - 348 deathsoccurred in sitting devices, the researchers found. Car seats were the site of 62.9% of these deaths, but in the "great majority" of cases, the infant was not traveling in a car, the researchers report. Out of the total deaths in a sitting device, only .2% occurred in a vehicle that was in motion or temporarily parked. More than half of car seat deaths occurred at the child's home. While the researchers did not establish why the infants were in car seats when not traveling, they note that some parents may not be able to afford a crib or bassinet, or people may use the seats to hold the child while doing other tasks. After car seats, the most common site for sleep-related infant deaths while sitting were bouncers, swings and similar devices (122 deaths, 35.1%). Strollers were the site of only 2% of deaths (seven of the 348). Overall, nearly two-thirds of the deaths in sitting devices occurred while the devices were not being used for their intended purpose and in compliance with their instructions, the researchers report. The researchers emphasize that their findings in no way call into question the safety of car seats when used as directed. Car seats are a "safe and effective way of transporting an infant and should always be used when transporting an infant in a motor vehicle, whether the infant is awake or asleep," the researchers write. Explore further Cribs are for sleeping, car seats are for traveling More information: Peter Liaw et al, Infant Deaths in Sitting Devices, Pediatrics (2019). Journal information: Pediatrics Peter Liaw et al, Infant Deaths in Sitting Devices,(2019). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2576 (HealthDay)Juul became the dominant brand of e-cigarettes in the United States by targeting teens with its clever use of social media, a new study suggests. Nearly 70% of U.S. e-cigarette sales are Juul products, and most vapers are teens and young adults. The study determined that nearly half of Juul's Twitter followers are under age 18, with the majority of followers 24 and under. "The rise of e-cigarettes and the lack of regulation around marketing with its appeal to youth is now addicting a whole generation of youth on nicotine," said lead researcher Annice Kim of the Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research in Research Triangle Park, N.C., who noted that nicotine is not healthy for developing brains. She said Juul's initial marketing aimed to corral a group of influencers on Twitter and other platforms to push its flavored vaping system to teens and young adults. More needs to be done, Kim added, to limit exposure of age-restricted products to underage youth. Juul said in a statement that it voluntarily shut down its Facebook and Instagram accounts last year. Its Twitter account no longer contains promotional material, the statement added, only such information as study results, executive hires and the company's support for policies to reduce youth access to tobacco products. "We don't want youth using our product," the company said. "As a result, we share the researchers' stated interest in restricting underage engagement with our limited social-media activities." Kim said Juul's previous social media marketing has had an effect. For the study, her team collected data on people who followed Juul on Twitter. Of nearly 10,000 individual Twitter followers, researchers estimated that 45% were 13- to 17-year-olds and 44% were 18- to 24-year-olds. Under 12% were 21 or older. In its statement, Juul questioned the study's methodology. It said the findings differ "significantly from data Twitter made available to us," which show that 13- to 17-year-olds made up 3.9% of the company's followers on the platform in May 2018. But Vince Willmore, a spokesman for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the study is further evidence that Juul's social media marketing helped fuel the youth e-cigarette epidemic. He said the company did too little, too late to stop it. "Young customers continue to do the marketing for them through their social media posts," Willmore said. He called on social media platforms to prohibit marketing of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, and for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop regulations to prevent their marketing on social media to young people. Meanwhile, Stanton Glantz, director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, said e-cigarette makers have responded to the marketing backlash by targeting adults. Unfortunately, he added, they have already gotten their youth message across. "It's like they set a forest fire, they don't need to keep going around lighting trees," Glantz said. "They're continuing to addict kidswithout fingerprints." Glantz called on the FDA to make Juul and other e-cigarette makers to submit the products for approval. The FDA has said it will begin enforcing the requirement in 2022, but a federal court in Maryland last week told the agency to start now. Experts expect that ruling to be appealed. Rather than waiting for the FDA to act, some states and cities are already restricting sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to kids, he said. The report was published online May 20 as a letter in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. Explore further North Carolina sues electronic cigarette maker JUUL More information: Annice Kim, Ph.D., senior scientist and director, Health Media Impact and Digital Analytics Program, Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Vince Willmore, vice president, communication, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; Stanton Glantz, Ph.D., director, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco; May 20, 2019, JAMA Pediatrics, online. Annice Kim, Ph.D., senior scientist and director, Health Media Impact and Digital Analytics Program, Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Vince Willmore, vice president, communication, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; Stanton Glantz, Ph.D., director, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco; May 20, 2019,, online. The Center on Addiction has more about e-cigarettes. Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Over one-third of all FDA-approved drugs act on a specific family of proteins: G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Drugs to treat high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, diabetes and myriad other conditions target GPCRs throughout the bodybut a recent study shows what happens next. In results published in Cell, researchers outline the timeline of events, including precisely when and how different parts of a GPCR interacts with its G protein signaling partners. The findings provide new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of drug-induced signaling in cells, including ways to identify the most critical portions of GPCRs for targeting development of novel therapeutics. "We're able to seefrom millisecond to minutes timescalesthe detailed sequence of events where a GPCR encounters its downstream signaling partner and catalyzes a change in its structure, providing the basis for understanding its signaling," said corresponding author David Lodowski, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "The most exciting part is that we can follow the signaling in a time-resolved manner. We first rapidly mix the activated GPCR and its G-protein signaling partner, and then capture time-resolved details along the natural signaling pathway." The researchers observed the formation of the GPCR signaling complex using a powerful technique called "radiolytic footprinting" that couples chemical labeling of proteins with mass analysis. In this technique, high intensity X-rays are used to generate highly reactive chemical labels from the water surrounding proteins, enabling a "snapshot" of the protein's regions of interest. This x-ray footprinting technique was pioneered by Mark Chance, PhD, vice dean for research at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a coauthor on the manuscript. "Our footprinting approach efficiently labels the outside of proteins," Lodowski explained. "If a protein in isolation is labeled on one side, and then in complex is no longer labeled there, we know that's most likely the interaction surface." This approach helped the researchers understand how a GPCR uses its different parts of its surface to engage with the G protein. Previous studies have shown what GPCRs look like at rest (before activation) and long after they've formed complexes with other proteins (and signaling is over). The in-between steps have been more elusive. Said Lodowski, "We are now moving into the fourth dimensionthe temporal dimensionof how these complexes form." Activated GPCRs form a complex with particular G proteins inside cells that control cell functions. The process transfers information (e.g. the signal) from the GPCR to the signaling partner. The study reveals specifics in this process, called the "G protein cycle." In milliseconds to seconds, GPCRs identify a signal (such as a hormone or drug), reconfigure themselves, recruit specific G proteins inside cells, and activate cellular signaling cascades. The new analysis technique can identify when a certain portion of a GPCRindividual amino acids, for examplelocks in with target amino acids inside a G protein. It thus reveals precise amino acids most central to GPCR function. If applied to GPCRs known to cause disease, such a detailed analysis could potentially uncover new sites for precision drug targeting. "We can use the same techniques to identify precise regions on GPCRs to target therapeutically," Lodowski explained. "If we know site A gets touched before site B in the cycle, then we can design better, more effective drugs." GPCRs are not easy subjects to study. They are embedded in cell membranes, a natural location that facilitates their ability to transmit information from outside to inside the cell. However, this location complicates their isolation, purification and analysis. Due to these difficulties, structures of GPCRs and their complexes have been exceedingly difficult to solve, with the first structure of a GPCR only determined in 2000. Extensive GPCR structure determination efforts over the past 20 years have enabled the structure determination of a number of GPCRs, including the first GPCR-G protein complex structure in 2012, which earned Brian Kobilka, MD, of Stanford University the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Kobilka was also a corresponding author on the new Cell publication. "This work would not have been possible without our world-class team of investigators including collaborators at Stanford, Sungkyunkwan University in Korea, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the scientists and engineers at the Case Center for Synchrotron Biosciences at Brookhaven National Laboratory," Chance said. The Case Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, located at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven laboratory, operates the custom footprinting beamline (BM-17) the researchers used in the new study. Going forward, the researchers plan to use the beamline at NSLS-II to further analyze activation of GPCRs and their complexes. They'll combine their findings with existing GPCR structural data to better understand how GPCRs work. The results could lead to better beta-blockers, chemotherapy drugs, even drugs to treat vision or cognitive deficits. "GPCRs are critical targets for a variety of new drugs," Lodowski said. "We've had some ideas of how GPCRs and their signaling complexes come together, but not the sequence of events with molecular detail. It's exciting that this novel time resolved approach allows us to extract more meaning from these structures." Explore further The arrestin-GPCR connection More information: Yang Du et al, Assembly of a GPCR-G Protein Complex, Cell (2019). Journal information: Cell Yang Du et al, Assembly of a GPCR-G Protein Complex,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.022 People with benign hyperpigmentation (the darkening or increase in the natural color of the skin), are willing to pay (WTP) nearly 14 percent of their monthly income and approximately 90 minutes a day to cure their condition. The study involved 85 adults with skin hyperpigmentation who were surveyed on the number of hours per day they would be willing to give up as well as how much money they were willing to spend to potentially be cured of a condition. "Our findings highlight the substantial effect that benign hyperpigmentation has on quality of life as measured by the amount of time and money patients are willing to give up to rid themselves of disease," explained corresponding author Neelam Vashi, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine and director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Center at Boston Medical Center. Hyperpigmentation disorders comprise a large group of benign skin conditions and their prevalence may vary with race and ethnicity. Despite often being considered a cosmetic condition, Vashi has shown in her previous research that this common clinical complaint has been shown to negatively impact quality of life and psychosocial well-being of patients, especially when facial skin is involved. According to the researchers these findings suggest that disease burden was overall severe in patients with hyperpigmentation disorders, and measuring WTP and TTO may be useful in determining the daily impact of disease and treatment preferences. "We found that the WTP for a curative treatment was greater than that previously observed among patients with other skin diseases such as rosacea and vitiligo. This may suggest that hyperpigmentation disorders have a greater impact on daily life or that patients expect to pay more out of pocket for conditions that are often considered cosmetic." The researchers point out that although the study is limited by sample size and design, the information collected on WTP preferences allow physicians to gauge the impact of hyperpigmentation disorders on patients' lives and may be useful to guide therapeutic decisions. These findings appear as a Brief Report in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. Explore further Dermatology scale validates quality of life A new laboratory-based method of estimating outcomes for patients with a severe pulmonary disorder that has no cure may help physicians better provide proper care, referrals, and services for patients at the end of life, according to a new study of more than 17,000 patients from Intermountain Healthcare. Credit: Intermountain Healthcare A new laboratory-based method of estimating outcomes for patients with a severe pulmonary disorder that has no cure can help physicians better provide proper care, referrals, and services for patients at the end of life, according to a new study of more than 17,000 patients from Intermountain Healthcare. The Laboratory-based Intermountain Validated Exacerbation (LIVE) score is a prediction model that predicts all-cause mortality, morbidity, and hospitalization rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic, progressive lung disease that gradually makes it hard to breathe. COPD affects roughly 16 million Americans, or just under five percent of the U.S. population. It's estimated that millions more have the disease, but are undiagnosed. The LIVE score combines a patient's simple laboratory values (levels of hemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, chloride, and potassium) to identify patients who are at high risk of death or further disease advancement, and who may most need referrals to palliative care and advanced care planning resources. In the study, Intermountain Healthcare researchers calculated the LIVE scores of 17,124 patients with COPD from the Kaiser Health System Northwest Region. They found that patients with high-risk LIVE scores had the highest one-year mortality rates (39.4%) and the highest rate of palliative care referrals (41.7%). In comparison, patients with the lowest risk LIVE scores had 0.7% all cause one-year mortality and 0.7% palliative care referral rate. "We found the LIVE score helps personalize therapy to patients beyond the COPD diagnosis alone and provides additional risk information to both patients and their doctors. From a population health perspective, the LIVE score allows for designing pathways of care that identify and treat patients based on individual risk beyond a single diagnosis label alone," said Denitza Blagev, MD, the study's lead author, and a pulmonary and critical care physician at Intermountain Medical Center, who serves as medical director for Quality, Specialty Based Care at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City. Results from the study will be presented at the annual international conference of the American Thoracic Society, in Dallas on May 19. Unlike other COPD risk scores, the LIVE score is entirely based on blood tests and assesses rates of other diseases in COPD patients rather than lung function specifically. While diseases such as heart disease and kidney disease contribute to the risk of death, hospitalization, and symptoms in patients with COPD, there has been no systematic way of incorporating these diseases in determining overall risk for patients with COPD, until now. Researchers say the findings can help physicians determine which of their COPD patients are at highest risk, and who may benefit from palliative care and appropriate end-of-life services. Palliative care focuses on relief from the symptoms of a serious disease, rather than on a cure, and is often provided in the final stages of a patient's life. While patients with COPD in general are considered high risk, there is a lot of variability in the risk of death for a particular patient with a COPD diagnosis. By using the LIVE score clinicians can design health system interventions that assess high-risk patients for palliative care evaluation. "By exploring the association of palliative care referrals and LIVE score risk, this study is a step forward in understanding how the LIVE score may be used to target appropriate patient care," said Dr. Blagev. "Our findings lend more insight into how we can use these laboratory-based scores at the bedside to ensure that patients are receiving the most appropriate care," she said. "This doesn't mean everyone with high risk needs to be referred to palliative care, but it shows potential opportunities to improve care for patients in that highest risk group," said Dr. Blagev. For example, for a COPD patient with a low-risk LIVE score, interventions aimed at optimizing COPD management may be most effective, as the risk of other diseases and death is relatively low. In contrast, a patient with a high-risk LIVE score may see benefit from COPD-directed therapy, but may find even more improvement with management of their other diseases, which contribute to the risk of death. Researchers note that the LIVE score model has already been validated in more than 100,000 COPD patients at several diverse health systems, so these new study findings further demonstrate the effectiveness of using the model to enhance care and planning for patients. Explore further Innovative risk score tool effectively predicts future risk of hospitalization for COPD patients Dr. Moss is the Roger S. Mitchell Professor of Medicine and head of the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado's Department of Medicine. Credit: University of Colorado Reversibly paralyzing and heavily sedating hospitalized patients with severe breathing problems do not improve outcomes in most cases, according to a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial conducted at dozens of North American hospitals and led by clinician-scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Colorado schools of medicine. The trialwhich was stopped early due to futilitysettles a long-standing debate in the critical care medicine community about whether it is better to paralyze and sedate patients in acute respiratory distress to aid mechanical ventilation or avoid heavy sedation to improve recovery. The results, presented today at the American Thoracic Society's Annual Meeting, will be published in the Thursday issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "It's been a conundrumon the one hand, really well-done studies have shown that temporarily paralyzing the patient to improve mechanical breathing saves lives. But you can't paralyze without heavy sedation, and studies also show heavy sedation results in worse recovery. You can't have bothso what's a clinician to do?" said senior author Derek Angus, M.D., M.P.H., who holds the Mitchell P. Fink Endowed Chair of the Pitt School of Medicine's Department of Critical Care Medicine. "Our trial finally settles itlight sedation with intermittent, short-term paralysis if necessary is as good as deep sedation with continuous paralysis." The Re-evaluation Of Systemic Early neuromuscular blockade (ROSE) trial is the first of the new National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) Prevention & Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) Network. PETAL develops and conducts randomized controlled clinical trials to prevent or treat patients who have, or who are at risk for, acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome. The trial network places particular emphasis on early detection by requiring every network member institute include both critical care and emergency medicine, acute care or trauma principal investigators to ensure that critical health issues are recognized and triaged as fast as possible to improve patients' odds of recovery before they are even transferred to the intensive care unit. From January 2016 through April 2018, 1,006 patients at 48 U.S. and Canadian hospitals were enrolled in ROSE within hours after onset of moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Half were given a 48-hour continuous neuromuscular blockadea medication that paralyzes themalong with heavy sedation because it is traumatizing to be paralyzed while conscious. The other half were given light sedation, and the clinician had the option of giving a small dose of neuromuscular blockade that would wear off in under an hour to ease respiratory intubation. "This is the kind of important question that the PETAL network was designed to answer efficiently," said James Kiley, Ph.D., director of the Division of Lung Diseases at the NHLBI. "These results will help practicing clinicians make decisions early on in the care of their patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome." The trial was needed because a French trial found in 2010 that neuromuscular blockade reduced mortality. However, in that trial all participants were heavily sedated, regardless of whether they received the neuromuscular blockade or not. In recent years, particularly in North America, clinicians have trended away from heavy sedation, which is associated with cardiovascular complications, delirium and increased difficulty weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. In the ROSE trial, the patients who received the neuromuscular blockade and sedation developed more cardiovascular issues while in the hospital, but there were no significant differences in mortality between the two groups three, six or 12 months later, said David Huang, M.D., M.P.H., who oversaw clinical implementation of the trial and is an associate professor of critical care and emergency medicine at Pitt's School of Medicine. "Due to the exceptional work of our research coordinators, the study completed enrollment ahead of schedule, a rarity in multicenter clinical trials," said lead author Marc Moss, M.D., The Roger S. Mitchell Professor of Medicine and head of the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado's Department of Medicine. "Therefore, these important findings are available to health care providers sooner and should result in more rapid implementation of enhanced care for our patients." Angus, who also directs Pitt's Clinical Research, Investigation, and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness (CRISMA) Center, said the trial results make him confident when he says that avoiding paralysis and deep sedation is the best practice for most patients hospitalized with breathing problems. However, he notes that future trials will be needed to tease out whether there is a subpopulation of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who still benefit from neuromuscular blockade. Explore further Azithromycin appears to reduce treatment failure in severe, acute COPD exacerbations More information: Early Neuromuscular Blockade in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, New England Journal of Medicine (2019). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Early Neuromuscular Blockade in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome,(2019). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1901686 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Scientists from the University of Adelaide's Research Centre for Infectious Diseases have developed a single vaccination approach to simultaneously combat influenza and pneumococcal infections, the world's most deadly respiratory diseases. The researchers say a single vaccinationcombining vaccines from the new class of vaccines they are developingwill overcome the limitations of current influenza and pneumococcal vaccines used around the world. Published today in the prestigious journal Nature Microbiology, they have shown that the new Influenza A virus vaccine under development (based on inactivated whole influenza virus) induces enhanced cross-protective immunity to different influenza strains, when it is co-administrated with the new class of pneumococcal vaccine. They showed the enhancement in immunity is associated with a direct physical interaction between the virus and the bacterium. Led by Dr. Mohammed Alsharifi and Professor James Paton, this latest study builds on previous research on the development of a new class of inactivated vaccines that target components of both the virus and the bacterium that do not vary from strain to strain. Current influenza vaccines target surface molecules that are affected by mutations and so an annual update is required to match newly emerging viruses. Existing pneumococcal vaccines provide longer lasting protection, but cover only a minority of disease-causing strains. The researchers say there is a clear need for better vaccines capable of providing universal protection. "Influenza infection predisposes patients to severe pneumococcal pneumonia, with very high mortality rates," says Dr. Alsharifi. "Despite this well-known synergism, current vaccination strategies target the individual pathogens. "We're investigating combining our novel influenza and pneumococcal vaccines into a single vaccination approach and have demonstrated a highly significant enhancement of immune responses against diverse subtypes of influenza." Previously published work from the team show a similar boost in efficacy of their pneumococcal vaccine when co-administered with the flu vaccine, so there is bi-directional enhancement of pathogen-specific immunity. "Our findings challenge an age-old immunological dogma about mixing viral and bacterial vaccines in a single injection", says Dr. Alsharifi. "Influenza virus and pneumococcus worked together to cause up to 100 million deaths during the great 'Spanish flu' pandemic of 1918-1919," says Professor Paton. "A century later, we have shown analogous, but this time highly protective, synergy with our novel vaccination strategy that targets both pathogens simultaneously." Commercial development of the new class of vaccines is being undertaken by two University of Adelaide-associated Biotech companies, Gamma Vaccines Pty Ltd and GPN Vaccines Pty Ltd, respectively. Explore further New research examines barriers to vaccination in immunocompromised children More information: Direct interaction of whole-inactivated influenza A and pneumococcal vaccines enhances influenza-specific immunity, Nature Microbiology (2019). www.nature.com/articles/s41564-019-0443-4 Journal information: Nature Microbiology Direct interaction of whole-inactivated influenza A and pneumococcal vaccines enhances influenza-specific immunity,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0443-4 In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Gator Lanphear poses for a photo with his twin 6-year-old daughters Scarlett, left, and Leilani in Vashon Island, Wash. Lanphear said he not only immunizes his twin daughters but instills in them the importance of getting their shots as a heroic act. The number of philosophical exemptions in Vashon has decreased dramatically, but overall, there are still 11.6 percent of students whose families elect not to vaccinate. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Sarah Day is a school nurse with "street cred" when it comes to the polarizing issue of vaccines on an idyllic island in Washington state known for its rural beauty, counterculture lifestyle and low immunization rates. Since she began communal living on Vashon Island more than 20 years ago, the registered nurse has advocated for getting kids their shots against a loud contingent of anti-vaccine parents in the close-knit community of about 11,000 that's accessible only by ferry, a serene 20-minute ride from Seattle. And it may now be working, thanks to a "perfect storm" of changes being felt on the island, Day said. The Vashon Island School District has seen a significant increase in fully immunized children. The number of kindergartners who received the required set of state-mandated vaccines jumped by 31% in the past six years, from 56% to nearly 74% in the 2017-18 school year, according to the King County Public Health Department. Amid the nation's largest measles outbreak in 25 years, pro-vaccine advocates are cheering this apparent shift that challenges Vashon's reputation as a hotbed of highly educated, anti-establishment parents who choose not to vaccinate their children from preventable and potentially devastating diseases. In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Vashon Island High School nurse Sarah Day holds information about measles vaccinations as she poses for a photo in Vashon Island, Wash. Since Day began communal living on Vashon Island more than 20 years ago, the registered nurse has been advocating for getting kids their shots against a loud contingent of anti-vaccine parents in the close-knit community of about 11,000 that's accessible only by ferry, a serene 20-minute ride from Seattle. And it may now be working, thanks to a "perfect storm" of changes being felt on the island, Day said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) "We've been the poster children for the anti-vaccine or vaccine-hesitancy movement for so long," Day said. She attributes the rising numbers to increasingly visible pro-vaccine information, expanded access to shots and media coverage of measles outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest and New York this year. The island town with deep roots in organic farming has long drawn those who want to escape urban sprawl and others wary of putting chemicals in their bodies, whether in their food or medical care. Kids run barefoot through untamed forests and families still raise fruits and vegetables without pesticides to share over meals in communal houses. Today, it also has its share of city commuters, tourists and million-dollar vacation homes with sweeping views of Mount Rainier, as well as locals pushing the science that vaccines are safe. While the gains are notable, the Vashon school district still has one of the lowest vaccine rates in the U.S. It is far below the 95 percent target that a majority of schools across the country hover around and is needed for herd immunity, which protects those who haven't been vaccinated for medical reasons or because they are too young. In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Vashon Island High School nurse Sarah Day poses for a photo in Vashon Island, Wash. Since Day began communal living on Vashon Island more than 20 years ago, the registered nurse has been advocating for getting kids their shots against a loud contingent of anti-vaccine parents in the close-knit community of about 11,000 that's accessible only by ferry, a serene 20-minute ride from Seattle. And it may now be working, thanks to a "perfect storm" of changes being felt on the island, Day said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) The majority of Vashon parents say yes to some vaccines, particularly the tetanus shot for their kids who play outside on the forested island. But many still buck the formal schedule of shots recommended by health officials. They may select some but not all and space them out over a longer period of time. Nicky Wilks, who grew up on Vashon and has three young children, said the changing attitude has led some pro-vaccine parents to exclude from gatherings kids who may not have their shots, while teenagers openly mock those who aren't vaccinated. "That's the worst-case scenario, when we are creating physical barriers in our community," Wilks said. He declined to say if his family is fully immunized but said he doesn't agree that dozens of shots starting at birth are necessary despite health officials' insistence. Gator Lanphear says he's "very judgmental" about parents who don't vaccinate. He said he not only immunizes his twin 6-year-old daughters but instills in them the importance of getting their shots as a heroic act. In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, a dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is displayed at the Neighborcare Health clinics at Vashon Island High School in Vashon Island, Wash. School nurse Sarah Day has worked closely with the new Neighborcare Health clinics, the single largest medical provider on the island. Together, they aggressively remind families when they're due for vaccines and counsel them on their concerns, whether rooted in scientific evidence or not. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) "They understand that what they did benefits humankind. Yeah, they got their ice cream for it, but they're also eradicating polio," Lanphear said. The number of philosophical exemptions in Vashon has decreased dramatically, but overall, there are still 11.6 percent of students whose families elect not to vaccinate. That's five times higher than the median rate nationally. Still, Vashon's progress can't be discounted because it's unusual for immunization to increase this steeply in a few short years when there is deep-rooted anti-vaccine sentiment in the community, said William John Moss, an epidemiology professor at Johns Hopkins University. "That's an important increase, but they still have a ways to go," Moss said. "That's a vaccination rate lower than in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa." Day, the school nurse, has worked closely with the new Neighborcare Health clinics, the single largest medical provider on the island. Together, they aggressively remind families when they're due for vaccines and counsel them on their concerns, whether rooted in scientific evidence or not. In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Dr. Jessica Wesch, MD, family medicine physician and the site medical director for Neighborcare Health at Vashon, displays an immunization schedule that she uses to show parents, on Vashon Island. School nurse Sarah Day has worked closely with the new Neighborcare Health clinics, the single largest medical provider on the island. Together, they aggressively remind families when they're due for vaccines and counsel them on their concerns, whether rooted in scientific evidence or not. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) "The message is really getting through. I feel like the tide is really turning on the island," Day said. A two-year-old health center at the high school has been especially successful. The nonprofit clinic is funded in part by a grant from the county, which allows it to cover free shots and services for all low-income or uninsured students on the island. Today, about half of the school system's 1,615 students are registered patients and an additional 43 children who are in private school or homeschooled also use the clinic. Manager Stephanie Keller said the center has received a spike in calls from concerned parents as Washington state struggles to contain a measles outbreak that's affected at least 78 people, including seven reported near Vashon. As of May 10, 839 people have contracted measles in 23 states this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The outbreak prompted Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency and sign a law that eliminates personal or philosophical exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that's needed before attending a day care center or school. Parents, however, can still claim a medical or religious exemption. Some critics say the Vashon school system's data isn't representative of the population because the island is home to many families who live off the grid. Vaccine advocates argue it's an important benchmark because numbers from a previous islandwide survey did align with public school data. In this photo taken Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Neighborcare Health clinic manager Stephanie Keller, left, stands with Vashon Island High School nurse Sarah Day at the school campus clinic, where top service provided at the student-based health center is vaccinations, in Vashon Island, Wash. The idyllic island near Seattle known for its counterculture lifestyle and low immunization rates is seeing an increase in the number of children vaccinated for measles and other diseases. Keller said the center has received a spike in calls from concerned parents as Washington state struggles to contain a measles outbreak (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) And there are other signs, too. The top service provided at the student-based health center is vaccinations, Keller said. "That surprised us," Keller said. "You think of Vashon as being this hippie place where nobody vaccinates." Explore further Washington state limits exemptions for measles vaccine 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A woman has given birth to Poland's first sextuplets with each newborn weighing about one kilogram (2.2 pounds), physicians at the University Hospital in the city of Krakow announced on Monday. "This is the first birth of sextuplets in Poland and one of the few in the world," University Hospital Professor Ryzszard Lauterbach was quoted as saying by the Polish PAP news agency. The four girls and two boys, ranging in weight from 890 grammes to 1.3 kilograms, were delivered by caesarean section at the 29th week of pregnancy, he added. Their mother is "very involved, smiling and happy", according to the physician who said that the 29-year-old woman already has one two-year-old boy at home. Doctors in the southern city of Krakow said the birth of sextuplets, was an extremely rare event. Polish President Andrzej Duda congratulated the parents and thanked medical staff on Twitter. Explore further Houston hospital helps woman deliver 6 babies in 9 minutes 2019 AFP Arjun Poudel is a health reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, he worked for Sagarmatha Television, Naya Patrika, Republica and The Himalayan Times. Dance students from Missoula twisted their way through a new routine in the PAR/TV Building at the University of Montana Sunday. Amber Moon Peterson, one of three choreographers for the Cohesion Dance Project, led them through a warm-up in preparation for a class that was part instruction and part audition. You all looked great, Peterson said after a series of leg swings, balances and foot arches. You look scared, but you shouldnt be. The Cohesion Dance Project, a nonprofit production company founded in 2012, will present Resonance An Evening of Art Inspiring Art Thursday at the Dennison Theater. Those attending the class Sunday have an opportunity to join the six professional dancers at Thursdays performance. Resonance consists of contributions from 11 artists from around the country, and debuted in Helena last spring. Cohesion Dance Project founder and director Tanya W. Call developed the show over a period of six months, stemming from steel sculptures created by Helena-based artist Richard Swanson. Call, who is also one of the choreographers, asked Swanson to create pieces that the dancers could interact with on stage, that could be rocked back and forth, and could hold their weight. The sculptures were the foundation, Call said. But then we asked all of the artists to create something original, but inspired by the other artists. The result is a combination of dance, music and poetry, all centered on the three looping steel pieces provided by Swanson. For this years show, we've expanded a little bit of the choreography, and expanded on the music, Call said. For the shows second year, Call decided to take the production company on tour for the first time, with shows in Helena, Missoula and Great Falls. She, Peterson and third choreographer Julynn Wilderson also decided to open up five to six dancing roles to local artists who wanted to apply. It adds an extra bit of excitement to the project, especially since they only have a few days to learn it, Peterson said. Call said it also embraces inclusion, which stemmed from her experience of leading an adaptive dance program in Albuquerque, where people of any age and any ability had the opportunity to express themselves through dance. Shira Greenberg's Nutcracker on the Rocks, the companys annual flagship production, combines a cast of 80 dancers, ages 7 to 77. It all just goes to dance being a universal language that lets anybody speak, Peterson said. Seven people came to the master class and audition Sunday, with the majority either majoring or minoring in dance at the University of Montana. Call hopes to be able to use six of them for Resonance. If this works out, Im really excited to meet the other artists. Its pretty rare for a touring dance production to come to town, said 22-year-old Ruby Roberts. Local musician Nathan Zavalney will also contribute to the shows music composed by New Mexico artist J. Stuart Smith, which combines guitar, keyboard and percussion. The chosen dancers will have three more rehearsals until show time in the Dennison Theater at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.umt.edu/griztix/ or at the door. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 At 4 in the afternoon, the unmarked bar on North Higgins is full. Customers found their way in and took their place along a wooden stretch that extends from the entrance to a kitchen known as the Dino Cafe. A man on a date with his wife took off his hat, showing his gray hair. He asked the bartender for a beer and a vodka cranberry. The couple managed to find two empty stools near the pool table, where a man racked billiard balls for another game by himself. Some sipped their drinks alone, and others leaned over the bar to tell the bartender about the latest national news. Music on the stereo mixed with the conversations like bitters in a glass of bourbon: Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band and Stevie Ray Vaughn. The regulars of Charlie Bs enjoy themselves. Across the walls of the bar, rows of gray faces stare at their backs. The portraits show regulars of the bars past, spanning five decades, two owners and hundreds of patrons. They form a black and white ring that documents who called the bar home. Across from the Dino Cafe, a break occurs in the ring. Photographer Erin Berzel has taken down the larger 16x20 portraits from their usual spot and has them laid across the bar. Working with Windex and a razor, shes removing the paint spots and giving the frames a shine. Shes preparing them for new neighbors. In December 2018, Berzel started taking portraits for a new class of regulars to be added to the hundreds of faces captured by photographer and bartender Lee Nye. Now that she has her 66 photos framed and ready to hang, she wanted to make sure the rest of the regulars looked their best. Its what these photos deserve. It's what Lee deserves and each of his subjects, too. They are sparkling now and I feel like people will see them in a whole new light, she said. The new portraits will be showcased Saturday in an event at Charlie Bs called The Regulars. No new portraits made it into the collection without the approval of the bars owner, Charlie Baumgartner. When he decided to make new additions, he didnt want just anybody on the wall, and he didnt want just anybody taking the photos. Baumgartner, the owner since 1980, commissioned Berzel, who has been coming to the bar since she worked next door at Break Espresso as a student at the University of Montana. She moved to Oregon after graduating in 2002, running a photography business for 15 years before she returned to Missoula with her husband. She brought the idea of adding new portraits with Baumgartner over a beer at the bar. After he agreed, Berzel carried on what Lee Nye started, using a Nikon D810 instead of a Rolleiflex. To be photographed requires a certain vulnerability, but so does being an artist. I have so much respect for Lee Nye and the legacy he created. Photographing this new generation of regulars at Charlie B's and seeing this project through is probably my greatest achievement. I've never felt so proud, she said. Also, I thank Charlie for giving me this opportunity and trusting me. John Harrigan, who worked for Republic Services for 27 years before retiring, will be one of the newest portraits. Hell be joining his brother, George Daly, who earned the distinction in the early '90s. He arrives at Charlie Bs at opening time. He said thats the time for the retirees. In the afternoon, the working men, like he used to be, will take their spots until dark. From then until closing, he said, the kids take over. Hell be bringing George, who recently went through surgery, to the gallery Saturday. He and his brother came to Montana and refined gold and silver for several years. For the past few weeks, Charlie, the bartenders and the other regulars have asked about George, who has been missing from his corner seat at the bar. Hey, Goody, Harrigan said, shouting down the bar. What do you think of my brother George? A goateed man in flannel looked up. I love him! Harrigan and his brother also have friends, gone now, but remembered on the wall. He pointed away from the bar, where three rows of portraits spread from the entrance, and he listed names as he moved his finger along: Rob, Earl and Irv. Everybody was a character, has a story set in old Missoula, he said. He said its an honor for his portrait to be hung at Charlie Bs, because he knows how exclusive it is. It means the world to me to earn that man, Mr. B, he said. The photo of his brother, George, has remained his favorite portrait since it took its place. But his favorite memory took place years ago, when Baumgartner decided to cook steak and eggs for everyone who remained in the bar after closing. Doug Grimm posed in front of Berzel as her first subject. It took him 52 years to make it onto the walls of the bar. Despite being friends with Lee Nye, Grimms youthful looks didnt fit in with the cracked, hard faces that made up Nyes portfolio. He told me, I want interesting faces, Doug. And you look like a kid,' said Grimm. Now 80, Grimm has a face that fits in with the writers, railroad workers, painters and loggers. While his contemporaries of the 1960s drank cheap beer and tore into the wall of liquor behind the bar, he sipped on Pepsi. I really cant stand the taste of alcohol, said Grimm. That didnt stop him from being immersed with the artists that filled the bar in 1960s and '70s, or meeting the woman who would become his wife. During his nearly 50 years of teaching ceramics, Grimm came to what was Eddies Club, and then Charlie Bs, to get a break from his students. When you teach ceramics, you get a constant line of a dozen people who all have questions. I could come here in between classes to regain my sanity, he said. Grimm now spends his afternoons with the rest of those who make their way in at 4 oclock. He sips his Pepsi, thumbs through a newspaper and watches one of the three flat screens. Born in Butte, Grimm came to Missoula in 1946 with his mother and father. They built a house on a lot in the Rattlesnake, with the creek running through the backyard. Ive sat outside and listened to that creek for 73 years, he said. While Grimm sat a table near the entrance to Charlie Bs, a man sitting across from him mentioned a video posted online that showed the bar, then Eddies Club, on a packed Saturday in 1972. He asked Grimm if hed seen it. I was in that video, said Grimm. One man has stayed off the wall, but keeps his place at a stool at the bar. A 41-year-old Bob Hayselben walked into Charlie Bs and immediately found his place at the bar. August 1, 1986, he said, remembering the day he entered the bar after moving from Seattle. Hayselben, now 71, has worked as a chef, painter, sculptor and musician. He comes to Charlie Bs because its where he can find his friends. Theres Reuben, Dennis and Sloan. Even that guy at the end of the bar, who I kind of want to punch right now, theyre all my friends, he said. Hayselben resisted offers from both Baumgartner and Berzel to have his portrait taken. He said his pride keeps him from joining the immortalized regulars, but hes happy to see more of his friends, like Doug Grimm, join the old ones. Theres Pete, he said, motioning with his scotch and water to a portrait of a balding and bearded man with a wide smile. He played guitar with the Vietnam veteran. Then theres these two old cowboys, he said, directing his finger to a shot of two men on a ranch. Next to the cowboys, a man stood in a frame next to a felled tree that came up to his shoulders at the trunk. And Ray, another Vietnam vet. A real hero, he said. Hayselben and the rest of the regulars filter in and out of Charlie B's, open from 8 in the morning until last call at 2 a.m. Like the portraits that hang around them, they have earned their permanent place at what one regular called "a corner of space and time." "They feel part of something truly unique," Berzel said. "Every single regular here contributes to making this the unique microcosm that exists 'on the corner of space and time.'" You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Recently, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines introduced the Citizens Count Census Act of 2019 in the U.S. Senate. If passed, this act would include a citizenship question on all government census forms. Adding a citizenship question to the census would jeopardize the accuracy of the census in every state and every community. It will have a chilling effect on participation and depress response rates for all immigrants and mixed status households, not only among undocumented residents. The census is the foundation by which funding is allocated for programs that we all depend on programs like the National School Lunch Program, support for low-income housing, or funding for critical infrastructure improvements. An analysis by the George Washington Institute for Public Policy shows that if just 1% of our population is undercounted, we could lose $9 million over the 10 years for which the 2020 Census applies. As a young Montana, Im deeply disappointed, though unsurprised, that Senator Daines would threaten representative democracy and our community's livelihoods by introducing this legislation. Im disheartened that rather than advocating for immigration reform that ensures the dignity of those moving through the immigration process, Senator Daines is choosing to ignite unnecessary fear in peoples lives. Kiah Abbey, Missoula You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 The Missoulian believes that the City of Missoula should be allowed to enact gun control ordinances notwithstanding the Montana and U.S. constitutions' reservation of the right to keep and bear arms to individual people (Missoulian editorial, May 16). The particular gun control ordinance the Missoulian supports under this "laboratory of democracy" theory requires that individuals seek and obtain prior government approval before they may legally transfer a firearm. Given this Missoulian position, one supposes that the Missoulian would also support a Missoula ordinance requiring prior government approval before publishing an editorial or news story, despite the freedom of the press mentioned in our constitutions. There are many good reasons for such an ordinance. Dangerous people and activities can be inflamed by irresponsible media. It could save lives, maybe even children's lives, if a committee of the city council had a week to ponder the content of an editorial or news story before granting or withholding permission for publication. I would oppose such an ordinance as a violation of reserved constitutional rights, but it appears that the Missoulian has tacitly agreed to step out onto that slippery slope with its poorly considered support for local gun control. Good luck with your First Amendment, Missoulian. Gary Marbut, president, Montana Shooting Sports Association (www.mtssa.org), Missoula You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Conservatism makes good sense when it supports practices and policies that continue to work. Yet, when climate change and related human activity threaten the survival of a million species, the Republican Party doubles down on efforts that make the crisis worse. Perpetuating fossil fuel industries under the cover of saving jobs is both harmful and dishonest. That Republican intent to preserve is not jobs; it is the profits of the status quo. Republican state legislators tried to saddle the public with the unregulated expense of NorthWestern Energys purchase of Colstrip facilities. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte seek to extend tax credits on refined coal. Congressional Republicans lack the spine to resist the White House, where regulations to lessen environmental damage are systematically dismantled. Republicans approach to governance nowadays consists of maximizing corporate profits at any cost while shielding wealthy owners from paying taxes. Bill Ferguson, Missoula You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 14 dead, 32 hurt in separate road accidents At least 14 people died and 32 others were injured in three separate road accidents in Dhading, Baitadi and Udayapur districts on Sunday. Former state Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, a Republican from Culbertson, announced Monday he's running in the 2020 election to be attorney general. The position is open as Attorney General Tim Fox, a Republican, is termed out from running for reelection and launched a bid for governor earlier this year. Knudsen joins Republican Jon Bennion, the chief deputy attorney general under Fox, who said in February he was running for AG. Knudsen made the announcement in a Facebook post Monday morning. He is the Roosevelt County attorney, a job he ran for after being termed out of the state House, where he spent four sessions. Knudsen was Speaker of the House in both 2015, when he was the youngest elected to that position, and 2017. Knudsen grew up outside Bainville on his family's farm and ranch and attended Montana State University, followed by law school at the University of Montana. After law school, he was employed at a law firm in Plentywood and later opened his own own practice in Culbertson. Knudsen and his wife, Christie, have three children. Two Democrats have announced their bids for the office, state Rep. Kimberly Dudik of Missoula and Raph Graybill, Gov. Steve Bullock's chief legal counsel. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana Gov. Steve Bullock was in corn country last week, cultivating his long shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. According to a Bullock for President news release, the governor was scheduled for meet and greets in eight Iowa counties in three days, making his seventh visit to the state that holds the earliest 2020 primary contest. The national publicity bump Bullock got for announcing on Tuesday as the 22nd Democratic candidate was soon eclipsed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio becoming primary candidate No. 23 on Thursday. De Blasio has 8.3 million constituents eight times the population of Montana. Are there 8 million Americans who know who Steve Bullock is? It's hard to stand out in such a crowded field despite being being Montana's two-term governor and the only Democratic governor elected in a red state in 2016. A Washington Post columnist opined that Bullock's best hope may be for former Vice President Joe Biden to stumble. Biden, named the Democratic front runner in recent polls, has staked out the moderate territory that Bullock and most of the other announced candidates also claim. Bullock does have a key supporter on the Iowa campaign trail. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who has been in office for 37 years, endorsed Bullock, who served four years as Montana AG before being elected governor. Miller was scheduled to campaign with Bullock at a brewery in Des Moines, coffee houses in Newton and Independence, a tribal community in Tama and several stops along the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa. Logically, our term-limited governor should be considering a challenge to Sen. Steve Daines whose first six-year U.S. Senate term ends in January 2021. So far only first-term Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins has announced a bid for the Democratic nomination to run against Daines next year. Montanans have already elected Bullock to statewide office three times in 12 years. His chances on a Senate bid look a lot better than on a White House run. Bullock said his first priority as president would be "to break the leash that dark money and corporate money has on the political system. Everything else can't be addressed until we can do that," he said in an interview with Lee Montana Newspapers. "When we start to curb the incidence of outside money in campaigns, it will make everything easier." As attorney general, Bullock defended Montana's century-old corrupt practices act that was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court under the Citizens United decision, flooding elections with third-party spending. As governor, Bullock championed campaign finance disclosure and got bipartisan support for a tougher law that now allows the public to search online to find out who is spending what to influence Montana elections. In pursuit of information about secretive political spenders, Montana became the first state to sue the IRS when the agency stopped requiring certain tax-exempt organizations to report their major donors. New Jersey joined the lawsuit, which is pending in U.S. District Court in Helena. Bullock recently signed a new state law banning foreign individuals and entities from contributing to Montana election campaigns. We have applauded Bullock's campaigns against dark money, but it will be harder to wage a national campaign against it. We expect Bullock to keep doing his job of governing Montana while he is on the hunt for votes in Iowa and elsewhere. He should strive to boost Montanas image nationally. The Billings Gazette Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Republicans countered that Miller was less aggressive in challenging federal policies under the administration of President Barack Obama, a Democrat who won Millers early endorsement. Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, a justice-systems appropriations subcommittee co-chairman who favored the restriction, noted the issue was political but that sword cuts both ways. Its political because this attorney general has taken part in out-of-state lawsuits completely contrary to actions taken by the Legislature and signed by the governor, Worthan said during the House floor debate. Those are the types of action we are trying to restrict because its the governor and Legislature that sets the agenda for the state, not the attorney general. Miller said he believes he has a special obligation to protect the powers and duties of the attorney general but he called it premature to say whether he would bring a legal challenge should the governor sign the restriction into law. Thats something we would look at a little later on, Miller said. We would want to be secure on the law. There are arguments both ways that we would consider. Standard Bank is launching a new bank account, with a monthly fee of R4.95. The account is called MyMo, and can be opened online by individuals with no monthly income. Open this account right now and get free data as you do your banking. No documents and no need to queue at a branch, states the account page. Users must be over 18 years old to open an account and be a South African citizen living in the country. The MyMo account page states that users will receive the following benefits with the account: Free airtime or data, and a Standard Bank Mobile SIM. Free unlimited swipes on your Gold card. Reduced rates when you withdraw money. Zero data fees on the banking app. Monthly email statements. SMS notifications when theres activity on your account. In addition to the R4.95 banking fee, users will pay the following for transactions: Till point withdrawal R1.40 Standard Bank ATM withdrawal (under R1,000) R6.50 Other bank ATM withdrawal (under R1,000) R12.00 Debit orders R3.50 Electronic payments R1.20 Prepaid electricity R1.50 Payment notifications R1.00 per month Free data Part of the value proposition of the account is the free data users will receive, which can be accessed through a Standard Bank Mobile SIM. Users will receive 1GB of free once-off data on a SIM when applying for the MyMo account via the Standard Bank app. If users swipe their card four times per month, they will also receive R50 in airtime or 500MB of mobile data. 1MB of data will also be allocated for every R20 swiped on their card. Now read: Expect exciting new features from Luno in 2019 The United States has imposed strict limitations on its technology trade with China, with Huawei directly affected by the crackdown. As a result of this trade war, Google announced it has cut off Huaweis Android licence a move which would have serious implications for the manufacturers smartphone business. Google released a statement which attributes the revocation of the licence to compliance with US government policy. We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications, the company said. For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices. Implications The immediate consequence of this decision will be Huaweis loss of access to Android updates, which means that existing Huawei smartphones will not be able to receive any official Android OS updates going forward. According to a report by Reuters, Huawei will only be able to use the open-source version of Android and will lose access to proprietary apps and services from Google. The services and applications which will be limited by the implementation of this suspension are still being discussed within Google, the report said. Huawei has stated that it is examining the impact of the US trade blacklist on its products. While the Chinese manufacturer will be able to use the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) licence to develop its software, this licence does not encompass applications such as Gmail, YouTube, and the Chrome browser. These applications require a commercial agreement with Google and are available to download through the Google Play Store. Local effect It remains unclear how Huawei will alter its platform following the suspension of its Android licence, but South Africa and other Western markets could be caught in a potentially compromising position. Huawei may choose to migrate its devices to its own proprietary operating system, which it confirmed it has been developing in case it loses access to Android. Moving to this new operating system would have a minimal effect in China, where most Google applications are banned and users have adopted Chinese equivalents. However, the loss of access to YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, and other popular apps could have a devastating effect on users in the Western markets where Huawei operates. Huawei has greatly expanded its presence in the South African market, with its devices proving extremely popular due to their lower prices and solid design. However, regardless of whether Huawei decides to migrate to its backup OS or stay with an open-source version of Android, its Android licence suspension will have a significant impact on Huawei users in South Africa. The loss of access to popular apps and services is yet to be officially confirmed by Google. Huawei will support devices Huawei told MyBroadband that it has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android. As one of Androids key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry, said Huawei. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem in order to provide the best experience for all users globally. Now read: Lenovo denies speculation it stopped supplying to Huawei When selling real estate, most buyers and sellers in my locale of Northern California hire an escrow company to handle the escrow and also provide title insurance on the transaction. In other areas, the escrow and title companies could be separate, and an attorney could also handle an escrow. Title companies are third-party to a transaction and facilitate the parties involved via the purchase agreement and escrow instructions. Escrow and title companies have considerable oversight and state and federal laws to follow and often will run into an obstacle that could delay the transaction. For example, I am currently working on a transaction that has an obstacle on the title. My client, the seller, sold a property years ago to a group of investors. As part of the deal, he gave the investors a first-right-of-refusal to purchase his adjacent land if he ever decided to sell. Today, we are close to closing escrow on the land with a different buyer and now have several individuals, the group of investors, on the title called grantees who retained the first right to purchase the property. Having a recorded first-right-of-refusal creates a title obstacle that needs to be cleared up so the title company can close escrow and provide title insurance. Without the required documentation showing the grantees do not intend to purchase the land, we cannot close escrow. The title officer and attorneys are tackling this obstacle. But since the grantees are not interested in purchasing the land, they had relinquished their first-right-of-refusal. Now it is just a matter of having the proper documentation showing this so we can close escrow. Several common title obstacles could potentially delay a closing until the proper documentation is secured. Every transaction is unique, so it is good we have qualified and detail-oriented escrow officers to review a transaction for any additional documentation that may be required. Here are several title obstacles that could potentially delay closing an escrow: Bankruptcies, probates, and foreclosuresall can complicate a transaction and require additional documentation. Establishing the fact of death in a joint tenancythis is the right of survivorship. Use of proper execution of a power of attorney. Family or business trustthere are several types such as: revocable, irrevocable, charitable. Recent constructionpotential mechanics liens or subdivision map issues may exist. Discoveries during physical inspections such as encroachments or off-record easements. Clearing liens or judgmentsthere could be blanket liens or property specific. Clearing child or spousal support liens. Proper execution of documentsthere could be errors, illegal deeds or even forgeries. Proper juratswhen a signer appears in person and affirms their identity under oath. Proper notary seals. Transfer of loans involving corporations or partnerships. Last minute changes to the purchase agreement by the buyer or seller. Last-minute changes in title insurance coverage. Several obstacles exist that could complicate and delay a transaction. It is good to let your broker and escrow officer know of any of these potential obstacles at the beginning of an escrow. Burt M. Polson, CCIM, is an active commercial real estate broker. Reach him at 707-254-8000, or burt@acresinfo.com. Burt M. Polson, CCIM, is an active commercial real estate broker. Reach him at 707-254-8000, or burt@acresinfo.com. Early pioneers established some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley more than 150 years ago. George Calvert Yount was first credited with planting wine grapes in the valley in 1839. More recent entrants have been Inglenooks John Daniel Jr. and Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour, who purchased and reinvigorated languishing vineyards after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Other names, too Patchett, Crabb, Tchelistcheff, Mondavi, Beckstoffer, Hill have had lasting impact on the valleys agricultural profile. Yet behind each have often been lesser-known names who acted as guides. Some call these often-secretive prophets vineyard whispers. Meet one of them Richard Brockmeyer. Owner of Wine Industry Investment Consultants, Brockmeyer grew up in Bakersfield, where his father was a high school agriculture teacher and his grandfather, Cederquist, was a farmer with 80 acres of vineyard that included a small section of old-vine Grenache vines, some of which had been planted in the late 1800s. Looking back, my entire life has had a central theme understanding the land as it relates to farming, he said. As a kid Id drive out to some remote ranch with my dad and check in on some students project. Those were some great memories, and it just seemed to fit what I wanted to do with my life. As he walked through the vineyards with his father and grandfather, they would point out how the soil, water and sun associated with a certain piece of land were intricately linked to the quality, longevity and sustainability of the crops grown or the basic equation, as Brockmeyer puts it. The college years After obtaining a bachelor of science degree from Fresno State University in agriculture, he had plans to enroll at UC Davis and continue on as a farmer, but an influential Fresno professor Douglas Cords suggested he apply to Stanfords MBA program. Im not exactly sure what Dr. Cords saw in me, but when I got to Stanford I was one of two Ag majors in a class of 300. So for a while I was scratching my head and asking how Id gotten there and why, Brockmeyer said. One of the lessons I eventually learned was that building a team with a mix of experiences and backgrounds lends itself to help solve complex problems. After the first year at the business school, he noticed an ad on a bulletin board asking students to apply for a summer internship. William Hill wanted to hire five students that summer, and one of them ended up being Brockmeyer. This is before Bill had fully gone into the wine business, and my project that summer was titled Supply and Demand Analysis of North Coast Premium Wine Grapes, Brockmeyer said. Bill had this economic hunch that agriculture and especially premium wine grapes would provide whats known as a scarce-resource investment opportunity, which at the time was a novel idea. Hill, a Stanford graduate from a few years prior, had become enamored with wine while traveling in Europe and had decided to explore the economics behind the grape-growing and wine businesses. What Id learned is that the primary determinant for wine quality is the vineyard where the grapes are from, Hill said. Brock was one of four or five students I had look at the variables behind what makes a quality vineyard and just how much such land was out there and there wasnt much. We also looked at the demand for wine in the U.S., which to my surprise was growing faster than I expected. Brockmeyer would go on to work with Hill after graduation. One of his first projects was helping develop a Napa Valley vineyard called Diamond Mountain Ranch. The development of that vineyard was an eye-opening experience, Brockmeyer said. No. 1, Id never spent much time in the Napa Valley and it was beautiful. But it also seemed like all the pieces were starting to come together. Hill had found the vineyard an abandoned prune orchard but he understood that the land and distinctive microenvironment could have a direct impact on the production of quality wine. They cleared and planted vines, and a few years later Sterling Vineyards purchased the property at a significant profit. Bills plan was to keep the property for longer, but the offer was the proverbial cant pass it up type, Brockmeyer said. I think all those who were involved in that project felt like we were on to something pretty special. CalPERS and Premiere Pacific Vineyards (PPV) By the early 2000s, some of the largest professional investment funds on the planet had noticed the lofty returns coming from the premium wine grape-growing real estate sector. In what might have been the largest of such investors at the time, in 2002 the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS ) invested $200 million a drop in the bucket for the nations largest public pension fund with totaling $165 billion at the time to fund the development of premium vineyards in California, Oregon and Washington. The company they chose to lead the acquisition and development efforts was Premier Pacific Vineyards Inc., which had been co-founded by Hill a few years earlier. I wanted Brock to be a part of the PPV team because over the years of working together I knew he had the skills to help find the highest-quality vineyards, Hill said. He never would come to me with a bad property. Over the next half-dozen years, Brockmeyer and the PPV team found and developed more than 30 vineyards. And although CalPERS was one of the first to see premium vineyards as a sound way to diversify its investment portfolio, it was not the last. Today, there are hundreds of endowment funds, private equity firms and state pension funds that have invested in the world of high-end wine, often with the Napa Valley a potential target. What PPV showed was that what Bill had us evaluating back in 1974 was correct quality vineyards are a scarce resource and, as such, provide a significant long-term investment opportunity, Brockmeyer said. Long-term investment Brockmeyer has continued to work with companies looking to find and develop the finest vineyards. Over his long career, he has worked with some of the regions luminaries. Hes learned the value of understanding a propertys soil type, drainage, depth, orientation to the sun and microclimate as ways to know if and what type of grapes will thrive. But he has learned something else, too that, if done correctly, creating (keep creating) a new vineyard that grows premium wine grapes ensures that the piece of land is never bulldozed and covered with houses, a parking lot or a strip mall. I am proud that some of the vineyards Ive help to uncover have gone on to produce some of the most coveted wines on the market, he said. It makes me smile to read the Wine Spectators Top 100 Wines and see a few of the vineyards mentioned at the top. That means theyll be there for a while. Beyond continuing to advise clients on finding and developing high-end vineyards, Brockmeyer, his wife, Cindy, their son, Brett (associate winemaker at Cade) and his partner, Brianna, are launching their own wine brand a rose that comes from the ancient vines of his grandfathers vineyard in Bakersfield. The grapes from the vineyard have been sold off for years, but a few years back we started making some wine and found that they made pretty special wine, Brockmeyer said. Its rare to taste a rose from 125-year-old vines. The pale-pink 2018 Brockmeyer Cederquist Vineyard Rose ($22 a bottle and 150 cases made) comes from his grandfathers old-vine Grenache vineyard in Fresno County and is perfectly balanced with complex aromas of crushed strawberry, rose petal and white peach. On the palate the flavors are of cranberry and crunchy watermelon finished with raspberries and a wonderful earthy, slightly saline note. Brockmeyer paused as we talked. We stood on a hill overlooking the Napa Valley. Well-kept vines formed long rows that slipped westward toward the San Pablo Bay. The earth was rocky and dry, surprising seeing as how 3 inches of rain had fallen the night before, highlighting its well-drained characteristic. He bent down and picked up a handful of gravelly soil. Maybe Im getting a little sentimental, but the longest-lived vines have seen their share of challenges and I have a greater appreciation now, he said, letting the soil slip through his hands. You cant create a great vineyard overnight. Vineyards, the finest of them, are a heritage, something much more than just an investment. The best allow that particular piece of earth to speak. All we have to do is learn how to listen. 36 rhino poachers and wildlife parts smugglers on pardon list The Chitwan District Prison has recommended 36 inmates convicted in rhino poaching and wildlife parts smuggling cases for amnesty. Five St. Helena students recently graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson. From left, are Julia Scibetta, Christian Saladin, Marcela Hernandez, Davon Browne and Alex Farrell Skupny. All are members of the St. Helena High School Class of 2005 except Hernandez, who attended Justin-Siena High School in Napa. To many, he was the homegrown face of terrorist treachery who left a comfortable Marin County life to train for jihad with Osama bin Laden and fight for America's foes in Afghanistan. To others, he was a wayward teenage spiritual seeker swept up in the Global War on Terror. This week, a generation after 9/11, the "American Taliban" will be a free man. On Thursday, John Phillip Walker Lindh, whose haunting image captivated America after his 2001 capture in Afghanistan, is set to be released from an Indiana federal prison after serving most of his 20-year sentence. "I guess the question we have to ask is, does he represent a threat?" said Alice Hoagland, of Los Gatos, whose son died a hero in the bin Laden-directed Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. That remains the unsettled question, as Lindh, now 38, remains as much a mystery as when he first appeared bearded, dazed and disheveled on TV screens in December 2001, an odd footnote in America's ongoing battle against radical Islamic terrorism. Lindh denounced terrorism when he was sentenced as contrary to Islamic teaching, but has avoided public comment since. He, his family and his lawyers have refused recent interview requests. Federal prison officials would not say to which community Lindh will be released without his permission or discuss other details of his release, which comes a few years short of his 20-year sentence due to credits for good conduct and time served before his sentencing. Lindh will be under three years of supervision following his release, which will include special conditions. He cannot have online communications in any language other than English, cannot communicate with any known extremist or possess or view extremist or terrorist material. He also cannot leave the country without permission and must undergo mental health counseling. Hoagland is unsure what to make of him and his looming release. Her own son, Mark Bingham, died when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field while he was fighting hijackers who planned to smash the plane into the White House or U.S. Capitol building. "There are so many more people who have more blood on their hands," Hoagland said, referring to bin Laden associates like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, facing charges from a U.S. military commission at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay of plotting the 9/11 attacks. Lindh, by contrast, proved "ineffective," she said, adding, "I just hope he does not align himself with terrorists one more time." Lindh's divorced parents and legal defense team have, in rare interviews over the years, portrayed him as a devout young man who just wanted to help the Taliban fight injustice by their Afghan enemies, not kill fellow Americans. "He's a really good person; I'm proud of my son," his father, Frank Lindh, said in a 2009 GQ article written by an Afghanistan war veteran that asked "Can John Walker Lindh Go Home Now?" J. Wells Dixon, a senior attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights who specializes in challenging detentions at the Guantanamo prison but was not involved with Lindh's case, said he "was very clearly a victim of the times, the post-9/11 era, and that climate of fear." But others offer a darker picture of Lindh. The family of Johnny Michael Spann, a CIA officer who became America's first Afghanistan war combat casualty when he was killed Nov. 25, 2001, in a Taliban detainee revolt after questioning Lindh, opposes his release. "John Walker Lindh had the opportunity to tell Mike right there, 'You're an American, I'm an American. ... We've got weapons in this building and we're going to overtake this fort,'" Spann's mother, Gail Spann, told Alabama lawmakers in March. "He chose not to because he was a Taliban. He's a traitor to our country." The Alabama Legislature approved a resolution opposing Lindh's release, citing accounts in recent years of government reports casting doubt on the sincerity of Lindh's rejection of terrorism and suggesting he remains a threat. America was introduced to Lindh in December 2001, when the country was reeling from the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., that killed nearly 3,000. The U.S. had invaded Afghanistan that October after its ruling fundamentalist Muslim Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group, who claimed credit for the attacks and were encamped there. Lindh was among captured Taliban fighters who surrendered after the revolt that killed Spann. Initially identified as "John Walker," his mother's maiden name, Lindh spoke in an Arabic accent to a CNN reporter from a hospital where he was being treated for a gunshot and other wounds. Though he didn't talk of fighting Americans, he expressed an affinity for the Taliban and its holy war. Video later surfaced showing Spann questioning Lindh, who refused to respond, shortly before Spann was killed. He was the middle child of a Buddhist convert mother and a lawyer father who was raised Catholic and later married a man. Lindh embraced Islam at age 16, inspired by black Muslim leader Malcolm X, and went to Yemen at age 17 to study Arabic and the Koran. After half a year back home, Lindh returned to Yemen in 2000 and later that year traveled with his father's permission to Pakistan to study at an Islamic religious school. There, he was drawn to the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan and its quest to form an Islamic nation and fight secular enemies he believed were raping Muslim women and killing children. Lindh was among 86 Taliban who surrendered Dec. 1, 2001, from a Qala-i-Janghi fortress basement where they had fled during the attempted breakout after being flushed out with cold water and grenades. After his capture, a federal grand jury indicted Lindh on 10 counts, including conspiring to kill U.S. nationals and providing support and services to Al Qaeda and the Taliban for which he could have faced multiple life sentences. But in July 2002, prosecutors struck a deal with Lindh and his lawyers. He would plead guilty to supplying services to the Taliban and to carrying an explosive device -- a rifle and grenades -- while fighting for the group. The deal came amid concerns that Lindh's treatment by his U.S. captors -- including being bound naked to a stretcher with tape -- and interrogation without a lawyer might hurt their case. Lindh's last public statements were tearfully delivered in a Virginia courtroom at his sentencing in October 2002, during which he denounced bin Laden, called joining the Taliban a mistake and condemned terrorism "on every level, unequivocally." Lindh briefly met bin Laden, who visited his Taliban training camp three times. But according to a 2003 New Yorker article, Lindh told a terrorism expert he wasn't impressed by bin Laden, whose only remark to him was "I am glad you're here." He said he turned down a private request from an Egyptian Al Qaeda trainer for a martyrdom operation against U.S. or Israeli targets, and was horrified by 9/11, but feared for his life if he deserted the Taliban. But a 2017 article in Foreign Policy magazine based on leaked government reports suggested Lindh remains a terrorist threat. It cited a Jan. 24, 2017, report by the National Counterterrorism Center, established after 9/11 to coordinate the nation's anti-terrorism efforts, saying Lindh is among more than 90 incarcerated "homegrown violent extremists" due to be released in the next five years. A Jan. 11, 2017, Federal Bureau of Prisons Counterterrorism Unit summary indicated Lindh's father was trying to help him resettle in Ireland after his release but that he would need to "mend fences" with his former lawyer who had dropped him over "pro ISIS statements." Lindh's response to his father, according to the document, was that he was "not interested in renouncing my beliefs or issuing condemnations" and that after his release he would "deal with the lynch mobs as best I can." The National Counterterorrism Center and Bureau of Prisons would not comment on the documents but didn't dispute their authenticity. The counterterrorism center said in a statement that "we have observed the numerous terror acts round the world committed by former terrorist prisoners after their release" and that "recidivism and radicalization continue to be persistent problems." Much has changed since Lindh's capture. A new skyscraper has replaced the World Trade Center's twin towers destroyed on 9/11. U.S. forces killed bin Laden in 2011. Fighting continues in Afghanistan amid negotiations with Taliban remnants and the U.S.-backed Afghan government. "I'm going to try to keep a happy thought about Mr. Lindh," Hoagland said. "I hope he goes into the bosom of his family and marries and lives an uneventful life." Jocelyn Vega Robledo grew up in a home filled domestic violence, which culminated when she witnessed her father stab her mother to death. Today, as she prepares to graduate from Napa High, her goal is to become a defense attorney, to help women like my mother. Robledo is one of seven graduates of the class of 2019 who will get a helping hand towards achieving her dream from If Given a Chance, a Napa non-profit that identifies and supports high school students who have overcome staggering odds, showing resilience and promise, as they go to college or trade schools. The group, founded in 1995, provides both financial support and mentoring for the students. Our pain is our power and hardships prepare people for extraordinary lives, Robledo told the audience at If Given a Chances annual awards dinner on Friday at the Embassy Suites hotel. We are here to welcome the newest members of the If Given a Chance family, said Bruce Miroglio, serving as master of ceremonies for sold-out event. The evening began with a lilting note as the Napa High Chamber Choir performed under director Duncan Cooper. Its my favorite event in Napa County, said Allison Haley, Napa County District Attorney, who shared her own story of growing up as the daughter of a father in prison, debilitated by drug and alcohol abuse. Growing up in an unstable, unpredictable environment, I spent a lot of time visiting hospital rooms and jails, she said. My mother had so many problems, I became Not a Problem, said Haley, who worked her way through college and law school. Its not only hard to navigate those traumatic effects, but the effects of such a childhood are felt for a long time. I am a child of trauma and I often think its all going to crumble around me, she said. I still get a surge of adrenaline when I hear a knock at the front door, thinking it might be the cops. And because she is now District Attorney, she added, it often is. I am not the person I would have been if I had not had these hard experiences growing up. To the students, Haley said, We saw that you have resilience and that you are ready. All we ask is that when we are too old and tired to keep up this work, you will take it up. Then the soon-to-graduate students told their own riveting stories, both of the harrowing circumstances of their youth and the goals they are determined to achieve. Ilenna Brown, graduating from Napa High, was born to drug users. She was placed in a foster home and adopted at 7. She found herself on her own at 17. Heading to Napa Valley College, she wants to be a journalist and work for The New York Times. Sometimes life may fail us, but we cant fail ourselves, she told the audience. Lillie Leon, also a Napa High senior, was dealt with a heart condition as a child, which inspired a dream to become a thoracic heart surgeon. I was thrust into adulthood without support, she said, but she came up with a plan to finance school by enrolling in ROTC. The same day she was accepted to the program, she was struck by a truck. I missed three months of school but I am still standing, she said. Thank you for supporting my dreams, and one day I will be able to support others. Oscar Loyola, graduating from Vintage, described his first day of school. I didnt want to leave my mothers side. Eight years later, he was at her hospital bedside as he learned that she was going to die. And it was she who left me. He told of having to adjust to being alone, with no one to make breakfast, help him study or cook dinner. Still, he said, he takes inspiration from his hard-working parents, both immigrants. He plans to study business and finance. Allyson Jose Martinez Saenz, from Napa High, fled Nicaragua with her family when her father began receiving death threats. They made it to Mexico where at school she encountered taunts about being from Central America. They were finally able to come the U.S. four years ago. Today, her mother, a doctor, is working as a housekeeper, and her father, an engineer, is working in a deli. The ability to go to school has fired her ambition to earn a Ph.D. in finance. I knew when I arrived in the U.S., things would change, she said. School is not just my passion, its my lifeline. Jaime Santos, a valedictorian for American Canyon High School class of 2019, told the audience that his alcoholic father abandoned his family when he was a year old, and he grew up with an abusive, hostile stepfather. My mother protected me, he said. She was my mother, my father and my friend. The first in his family to attend college, he want to be a physical therapist or a corporate director at Nike. Paloma Wood-Assemian moved to Richmond with her mom after rising rents pushed them out of Oakland. She began commuting to New Technology High in Napa for the quality of education but she told the audience, the racism Ive encountered in Napa has been like no other. The only African-American in her graduating class, she said, she has been repeatedly called the n-word. One classmate sent her an email in which he said he would like to revoke the 13th amendment and make me a slave again. I couldnt make sense that I was driving two hours each way each day to be hated, Wood-Assemian said, adding that her experiences drove her to excel. She is graduating with both her high school diploma and enough college credits for an AA. She is heading to Howard University in Washington, D.C., with a goal of becoming a molecular biologist. I know we have to have Kleenex on hand, said Janna Waldinger, who has just joined If Given a Chance to coordinate the support services for the students and who was on the stage with the students as they told their stories. But next year, I think we have to have Kleenex on the tables as well. Retired Napa County Superior Court Judge Ron Young, who had introduced each student, recalled that when he was on the bench, he would see people come before him and wish them well but also wish that more could be done for them. Thank you for letting more be done, he told the audience. Barry Martin, radio show host and co-founder of Lucky Penny theater, led an fundraising effort he described as, fund a need, fund a hope, fund a dream. Despite everything thats happening in the world, he asked the audience, I wonder how many of you still believe that people are fundamentally good at heart? When most of the room raised their hands, he said, I thought thats the kind of people who would be here tonight. Support that poured in from the audience including many tributes to Harris Nussbaum, 84, a retired teacher who was instrumental in launching If Given a Chance. Former students who were helped by the program were also on hand to give something back. This year, the If Given a Chance program is expanding to include six high school juniors who will get counseling as they begin to prepare to make decisions about their futures. In addition to mentoring, each will get $1,000 to help with the cost of applications and school deposits. The program is also establishing a scholarship in memory of Bob Almeida and Harry Price, supporters of the program. Waldinger said If Given a Chance learns of students from a variety of sources, including high school counselors and teachers, as well as probation officers and organizations like Voices, which supports young people transitioning out of foster care. The hope, she added, is to spread the word about their work both to students and to potential supporters, who might want to donate or mentor or provide a room for a homeless student. So they know they are not alone, she said. Editor's Note: This has been updated to correct details Allison Haley's early family life. Also, one of the student's biographies has been modified. 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 Napa Valley vintner has sued its insurer for failing to pay compensation for $1.14 million worth of wine grapes tainted by smoke during the 2017 wildfires in that region. Levensohn Vineyards LLC, of St. Helena, filed suit May 14 In U.S. District Court, Northern California division, against Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Co. of Des Moines, Iowa. According to the suit, Levensohn was insured during the October 2017 period during which the winery suffered a covered loss, namely damage to grapes used in winemaking as a result of smoke taint from fires in Napa County and the surrounding areas. In its complaint, the winery, owned by Pascal and Melanie Levensohn, says Nationwide breached the conditions of the insurance policy by rejecting the claim on or about April 22, 2019, and refusing to pay damages for the losses. Representatives of the insurance company said they could not comment on the lawsuit because they had not seen a copy of it. The winery owners did not respond to a request for details about the extent of their losses, and their longtime attorney, Gregory A. Blue of Lachtman Cohen in New York City, said he couldnt comment on pending litigation. According to the Levensohn website, the couple acquired and replanted a 3.5-acre St. Helena vineyard in the year 2000 and produced their first vintage in 2004. Today, the winerys limited production of cabernet sauvignon is made by winemaker Benoit Touquette of Napa Valleys Realm Cellars. Paving work on two major Napa County roadways Highway 29 in American Canyon and Highway 121/Imola Avenue in Napa will require overnight lane closures from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Friday, Caltrans said Sunday. The right-hand lane of northbound Highway 29 will close at 8 p.m. Wednesday between American Canyon Road and Donaldson Way within the city of American Canyon. It is scheduled to reopen at 4 a.m. Thursday. The left-hand lane of northbound 29 is scheduled to remain open during the paving work. The left-hand lane of southbound Highway 121/Imola Avenue between South Coombs and Minahen streets within the city of Napa will close at 8 p.m. Thursday, and reopen at 4 a.m. Friday. The right-hand southbound lane will remain open during that paving work. Drivers should expect delays overnight, Caltrans cautions. For traffic updates any time, visit 511.org or https://twitter.com/511SFBay. Will the state Attorney General or the Butte County district attorney file criminal charges against Pacific Gas & Electric now that state fire investigators have found the utility giant responsible for causing last year's deadly Camp Fire? The answer may hinge, legal experts say, on whether PG&E was reckless in failing to replace aging or damaged equipment and on whether prosecutors feel they can prove that in court beyond reasonable doubt. The Camp Fire was the worst wildfire in state history, killing 85 hillside residents in Butte County and destroying nearly 19,000 buildings. Cal Fire officials have declined to make their Camp Fire investigative report public, or issue any detailed comment on it. But the fact that the fire agency forwarded its investigation to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey may be telling. The state in recent years has typically sent an investigative report to county district attorneys when state fire investigators believe a state statute has been broken. The Sacramento Bee has filed a formal public records act request for the document. Butte DA Ramsey said his office and the Attorney General already have been looking for months into whether criminal charges are appropriate. That includes ongoing communication with Cal Fire investigators. Ramsey declined, however, to comment on what he is looking at and when he will decide what steps to take. "It may be some weeks or months before we have a final answer," Ramsey said. "Just like any other investigation, we don't want to reveal our cards." If prosecutors take action, it won't be the first time in recent years that criminal charges have been filed against PG&E for a deadly incident involving its infrastructure. The federal government successfully prosecuted PG&E in 2016 on felony charges of failing to properly inspect and repair gas pipelines after a line exploded in residential San Bruno in 2010, killing eight people. The company was ordered to pay a fine and advertise its culpability in news media. The criminal fine, at $3 million, was far less than civil payouts PG&E has made for the explosion. No individuals were charged. Local county prosecutors have been reluctant to charge the utility for causing wildfires, even when Cal Fire indicated that PG&E may have violated state statutes by failing to adequately maintain its electrical power system. Two months ago, prosecutors in four North Bay counties announced that they had declined to pursue criminal charges against the utility for equipment failures that triggered a series of wildfires in 2017, saying they determined "insufficient evidence exists to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that PG&E acted with a reckless disregard for human life in causing the fires, the standard necessary to sustain criminal charges." The Tubbs Fire, which burned whole neighborhoods in Santa Rosa in 2017, was not among the fires under review by the DAs in those counties. That is because the Cal Fire investigation of the blaze, which killed 22 people, determined it was caused by an electrical failure on private property near Calistoga. The Attorney General's office also declined comment on the Camp Fire investigation. But a December court brief from the Attorney General in the San Bruno case offers insight. Before filing criminal charges, prosecutors would have to decide that PG&E engaged in reckless operation of its power equipment. Prosecutors also would gauge PG&E's "mental state." The charges could range from misdemeanor negligence to murder, according to the brief. PG&E might be viewed unsympathetically by a criminal jury. Former state Attorney General Bill Lockyer says prosecutors generally do not consider public opinion when determining whether it is appropriate to prosecute an entity. Lockyer, who has consulted for PG&E, declined to speak about the utility company, but said prosecutors in general stick with legal questions. "Their discipline is to be very careful about separating politics and public opinion from what they are doing and look in a rigorous, factual way about assessing the right thing to do," he said. Nevada County set a legal landmark in the 1990s, winning a wildfire criminal conviction against PG&E on hundreds of charges. The utility's actions were egregious back then, District Attorney Clifford Newell said. In recent years, however, he's seen utility crews doing maintenance around the county leading up to fire season, acts that potentially reduce their criminal liability in case of fire. "Criminal negligence is one of the toughest standards to meet," Newell said. This isn't the first time Butte DA Ramsey has dealt with PG&E on potential criminality involving a wildfire. Ramsey decided last year not to file criminal charges for a small wildfire near Paradise, instead working out a deal with the utility to fund fire safety. PG&E pledged $1.5 million to pay for four new fire safety inspectors, and to allow those inspectors to look at PG&E's power lines. If inspectors find a fire safety hazard, PG&E agreed to correct it within 24 hours. The fire that prompted the deal, the 2017 Honey Fire, occurred when a tree limb hit PG&E power lines, sparking a fire that burned 150 acres of brush a half-mile from Paradise. Cal Fire determined that PG&E had failed to follow state public resources code that required it to trim a decaying limb close to the power line. The Butte safety inspectors agreed upon in that settlement had not yet been hired when the devastating Camp Fire hit in November. PG&E failed to report that settlement to the federal court overseeing the San Bruno case. The judge in that court recently ruled that PG&E had thus violated terms of its probation. The judge last week ordered the PG&E board of directors to take a tour of Paradise to see the devastation, and also to go to San Bruno, to meet with city leaders. Gavin Newsom has spent the last four months telling Californians that he could and would cure some of Californias most pressing social ailments. Among those he has cited are a deplorable shortage of housing for working families, rampant homelessness, the availability and cost of medical care, the nations highest level of poverty, reliable and safe water supplies, shortcomings in early childhood education, and wildfire prevention and protection. Unusually, he has folded virtually all of his prescriptions for these societal ills into the state budget, a final version of which must, by law, be enacted by June 15. In other words, the time for talking is over and the time for doing is nigh. Newsom is blessed with a fat state treasury, thanks to the states full-employment economy and the prosperity enjoyed by those at the top of its economic ladder, who generate most of its tax revenues. Newsom unveiled a revised version of his 2019-20 budget last week. He reported having several additional billions of unanticipated dollars, which he divvied up between spending on his agenda and pumping up the states reserves against a recession that is bound to occur, although when is uncertain. We are preparing for a much different climate, Newsom told reporters as he boasted of having dozens and dozens of reserves. State budget officials believe that even a moderate recession would slash revenues by about $70 billion over three years, mostly due to declines in taxable incomes among the wealthiest Californians or roughly three times the states rainy day funds. Nevertheless, Newsom contends that if he could squirrel away another $10 billion, the state could weather a recession without deep slashes in spending. So, one might ask, can Newsom deliver a state budget that would make measurable progress towards resolving the big problems hes cataloged? Having more money to spend makes the task easier, certainly, but there are some fairly controversial aspects to Newsoms approaches. Despite having billions of extra dollars to spend, for instance, he wants to impose a new tax on consumers water bills to pay for upgrading local water systems, especially those in the San Joaquin Valley, that have pollution problems. The need is clear. But taxes on consumers, even relatively small ones, are politically dicey for legislators, and thats especially true when the commodity being taxed is a necessity like water. They remember that one Democratic state senator representing a conservative Southern California district was recalled after voting to raise gasoline taxes. Likewise, many legislators are leery about Newsoms proposal to fine Californians who dont buy health insurance reinstating the individual mandate that President Donald Trump has lifted from the federal Obamacare program. Newsom would use the proceeds to pay for health coverage for those who dont have it now. Interestingly, Newsom contends that imposing fines on those who dont purchase health coverage is not taxation, even though the U.S. Supreme Court, in upholding Obamacare declared that the federal individual mandate was constitutional precisely because it reflected the governments power to lay and levy taxes. Legislative foot-dragging on these and other issues could be offset by Democratic supermajorities in both legislative houses, allowing leaders to let some members off the hook while still having enough votes to pass a water tax or other controversial proposals. Also, by folding his agenda into the budget, Newsom can use a quirk in the law that allows budget-related bills to be quickly enacted with simple majority votes, although any new taxes still require two-thirds legislative margins. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. The Trump administration's top foreign affairs officials are issuing threats against Iran, and the media is suddenly focused on the possibility of a war with the Islamic republic. The regime in Tehran, not to be outdone, makes counterthreats that only fan the rhetorical flames. But, as tensions rise, the voices of one crucial group are missing: the Iranian people. Most Americans know war through their television screens or perhaps the military service of a relative or friend. Firsthand knowledge of armed conflict on our own soil is an experience that, thankfully, few of us have. For Iranians, though, it's different. Any military strike will almost certainly take many Iranian lives on Iranian territory. And those who will suffer most have little say in the matter. It's the Iranian people who have borne the brunt of 40 years of enmity between the United States and the Islamic republic, and in the current standoff, they stand to lose the most yet again. Unlike Americans, Iranians have already endured a vicious war in their homeland in recent memory - the war with Iraq, from 1980 to 1988. Every Iranian knows someone who died in that war. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives. Murals of many of them adorn public spaces, and throughout the country - in big cities and small towns - streets were renamed after kids who grew up on them and then paid the ultimate price in a battle. Those memorials serve as a constant reminder to survivors of the toll of war. Turn on the television in Iran and you can't avoid grainy footage from the front lines of that war. The state attempts to glorify the national sacrifice, but no one wants to endure that again. Despite a range of political opinions and future aspirations among the Iranian public, the desire for long-term peace and stability is one point that binds them. At the moment, though, Iranians are confused and unsure how to react to the escalating tensions. Should they prepare by hoarding nonperishable food? Convert their money to dollars as the Iranian currency tumbles in value? Or flee the country? These are the questions Iranians are nervously asking each other and their relatives abroad as they brace for the next piece of bad news. There is little evidence of Iranians rushing to defend the current regime. But there is equally little evidence that Iranians welcome the form of armed regime change evidently being planned by John Bolton. They simply don't want war. Yes, the people of Iran have made it amply clear that they want to live more like we do in the West, with fewer restrictions on their personal freedoms. They've expressed this view through countless protests, through private conversations and even through the vast numbers of satellite antennas they've installed on their roofs so they can receive information from the outside world. The clearest example is the sustained and dramatic rejection by many Iranian women of the main symbol of the Islamic republic's state-sponsored gender apartheid. For the past 18 months, a growing number of women have been going out in public without wearing the compulsory hijab. Such defiance was unfathomable when I arrived in the country in 2009. While women's demands for fairer treatment have been growing for years, they still have a long way to go. There have been many moments over the past decade when the United States could have engaged directly with Iranian civil society and the Iranian people. Many such projects were planned - and then shelved. Some of the plans included exchange programs that would have given Iranian journalists the opportunity to report from the United States for domestic audiences. Others would have allowed scientists to share information about looming environmental crises, or given tech entrepreneurs access to top IT college programs or partnerships with Silicon Valley start-ups. Instead, resources that could nourish internal agents of change were diverted toward poorly conceived and underinformed efforts to promote our goals from outside Iran's borders. Today, State Department programs have little measurable impact on Iranian civil society. Indeed, U.S. policies over the past few decades have always seemed out of touch with aspirations of the Iranian people. Perhaps by design? The United States - this administration and previous ones - has consistently rejected engaging with Iranian civil society. The White House remains fixated on the regime and does nothing to support the actual aspirations of the Iranian people. Our harsh sanctions have only made things worse by lowering living standards and conveying a sense of implacable hostility toward the general population. Meanwhile, threats of military action merely force people into a corner, giving them the unenviable choice of rallying behind a regime that enjoys little popular sympathy, or watching powerlessly as a great foreign power inflicts great pain and suffering on them. How can we declare having the Iranian people's best interests at heart and then threaten them with overwhelming force? We can no longer credibly claim to not know better, and we can't have it both ways. Supporting Iranian democracy is a noble endeavor, but not if we kill innocents in the process. Jason Rezaian is a writer for The Washington Post's Global Opinions. He served as The Post's correspondent in Tehran from 2012 to 2016. He spent 544 days unjustly imprisoned by Iranian authorities until his release in January 2016. I was so inspired by the letter to the editor by Mr. Fernandez III ("Act now to stop global warming," May 16). His calm, well-reasoned plea for action in the climate crisis should also inspire his elders to careful consideration. What are the means available to limit further climate trauma? We may have learned by now, that it is "pay now, or pay later." In 2017 for example, Americans shelled out over $300 billion in losses due to extreme floods, like the Hurricane Harvey that put 100,000 homes under water. And the personal suffering from this and other disasters cannot be tallied. These extremes have been predicted by scientists for many decades. What of solutions? There is, for example, legislation similar to that in British Columbia, Canada that lowered emissions 19 percent while the economy grew. It puts a price on carbon and rebates those fees equally to citizens. The fee gradually grows and would lower emissions 90 percent by 2050. This would be a huge step towards the zero emissions needed. Citizens are protected from higher energy costs, and in fact, those rebates act as a stimulus that creates millions of jobs. Because carbon costs increase, renewables out-compete dirty energy. Simple market forces are used to avoid large federal budgetary solutions and regulations. Would this work? Dozens of Nobel Prize-winning economists and the National Academy of Sciences think so. The act is HR 7763. Google your senators and representatives and tell them you want action. The future of clean energy is bright and needs such a legislative boost. When carbon corporations pay for their own damages through these fees, hundreds of thousands of lives will be saved. We must not squander the blessings of Creation and endanger the million species that will be part of the next extinction if we fail to act. One of those species might be ours. Jan Freed Los Angeles NEW YORK Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced Wild Escapes, a collection of 11 action-packed shorter voyages to experience wildness, wellness and wonder in less time. The Wild Escapes adventures, including four new itineraries, range from five to nine days and explore many of the same regions Lindblad has explored for more than 40 years with their traditional programs. With most Wild Escapes offering programs of seven days or fewer, these shorter programs are more convenient for travelers without the luxury of time to commit to an extended sojourn, but who dont want to sacrifice their ability to explore a region. The demand was evident when we introduced the shorter voyage concept in Galapagos and Alaska, with most departures selling out. In 2020, we will have over 100 Wild Escapes departures and have expanded the concept into regions where we have been operating for decades such as Iceland, Baja and Costa Rica, as well as relatively recent additions including as Belize and California, said Phil Auerbach, Lindblads chief commercial officer. In five days, guests can explore the Channel Islands or see the creatures that inspired Darwin on a week-long cruise in Galapagos. Add two days and visit Machu Picchu, too. Go beyond Icelands Blue Lagoon or close-up encounters with gray whales and their calves in Bajas Magdalena Bay all in the company of Lindblads expedition team, expert naturalists, Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructors, undersea specialists, and a wellness instructor. Highlights for each Wild Escape below; all rates are per person based on double occupancy in a category 1 cabin. Save 10 person when traveling as a group of 6 or more people on select departures. Wild Costa Rica Escape: Guanacastes Dry Tropical Forest: Discover one of Costa Ricas richest regions on a six-day voyage. Snorkel and kayak among untouched corals and palm-lined beaches in the Guanacaste Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hike, horseback, and zipline amid volcanic peaks in Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Explore uninhabited isles to wildlife-rich jungles and surf towns in this ecologically-rich country. November and December 2019; January, 2020. Rates begin at $3,740. Wild California Escape: San Francisco to Monterey Bay: Cruise from San Francisco to Monterey Bay on a six-day voyage exploring Californias coastal cities and ecosystems. Delve into the states dynamic history at an immigration station on Angel Island, taste your way through the hills of wine country, meet sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and observe mysterious kelp forests in the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. November and December 2019. Rates begin at $3,770. Wild Baja Escape: Serenity & Sea Life in the Sea of Cortez: Explore the Sea of Cortez on a five-day voyage with the rigor of an expedition and the transformative well-being of a retreat. Wake each morning to yoga on deck or a boot camp beach workout. Snorkel among sea lions, explore the coastline by kayak and stand-up paddleboard, challenge body and mind through well-being activities, and enjoy evenings with beach-side bonfires and barbecues. December 2019 and January 2020. Rates begin at $2,780. Wild Alaska Escape: Sitka to Ketchikan: On this six-day adventure, voyage deep into the fjords and narrow, wildlife rich channels; encounter abundant and varied wildlife; and experience the colorful undersea through video shot by an undersea specialist; kayak amid glacial ice, by special permission hike in the Tongass National Forest and explore Misty Fiords. June, July, August 2020. Rates begin at $4,420. Wild Alaska Escape: Sitka to Juneau: Explore Alaskas wildlife and landscapes on this six-day adventure. Take long hikes through forests of towering trees, kayak long routes deep into glacially carved fjords, and raft to an ancient Alaska native village. Explore Haines, the adventure capital of Alaska, via raft, bicycle or hiking. June, July, August 2019 and 2020. Rates begin at $4,390. These Alaska Escape itineraries can be combined to extend the adventure north, saving 10 percent on the overall combined price. Wild Galapagos Escape: Pack a ton of activities into one week to discover the wonders and wildlife of this magical place, with departures on Saturday and Thursday. This Galapagos expedition features five days in the archipelago exploring the islands, with one-night pre-voyage in Guayaquil. July, August, September, October and November, 2019. Rates begin at $5,730. Wild Galapagos & Peru Escape: The best of Galapagos and Machu Picchu on a nine-day adventure. Starting in Lima, stay two nights in the Sacred Valley, visit Machu Picchu and see Cusco, the imperial capital of the Inca. Then journey to Galapagos for a five-day voyage, with adventures every day on land and undersea. July, Aug, September, November, December 2019. Rates begin at $6,570. Wild Baja Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay: This is where gray whale mothers, calves and juveniles end the longest mammal migration on earth and guests will be living among them with exhilarating up-close encounters. On this six-day voyage, explore the mangroves by kayak or paddleboard, mountain bike over Sahara-like dunes and walk endless sand dollar-filled beaches. January, February and March, 2020. Rates begin at $3,740. Wild California Escape: Channel Islands National Park: A five-day wildness and wellness adventure that will voyage to the seldom seen Channel Islands National Park. Part safari, part adult camp, explore the area with visits to three of the five wildlife-rich islands that make up the National Park, plus Catalina Island. Actively explore unmarred landscapes, revel in pure nature, and rejuvenate mind, body, and soul with well-being programs. September, October, December 2019; April, September, October, November, 2020. Rates begin at $2,620. Wild Iceland Escape: Explore Icelands pristine fjords, fascinating tundra and waterfalls on a six-day voyage along the western coast. Soak in geothermal hot springs, hike over cooled lava fields, and view Icelands newest isle, Surtsey. Discover historic villages and the rich biodiversity of the Westfjords, spot nesting puffins on the Latrabjarg cliffs and watch for humpback and minke whales. June and July 2019. Rates begin at $5,030. Wild Belize Escape: Wildlife, Reefs & Rivers: A six-day voyage along the remote southern coast. Snorkel or dive the colorful corals of the Belize barrier reef, skirt the shores of white-sand islands by kayak and paddleboard, swim in turquoise lagoons teeming with marine life. Inland, explore lush coastal rivers seeking out howler monkeys and toucans in the rain forest canopy. February and March, 2020. Rates begin at $3,970. For reservations or additional information on Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic voyages, visit www.expeditions.com, call 1-800-EXPEDITION (1-800-397-3348), contact your travel adviser. In Napa, contact Thompson Creekside Travel, 1016 Clinton St, Napa, (707) 255-8737. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. Nagaland will join the Himalaya Cleanup campaign, a cleanliness drive on May 25 to focus attention on the problems of waste in the mountains. The social work will be conducted in five districts of the State viz Kohima, Mokokchung, Dimapur, Mon and Zunheboto district, according to reports. Addressing the media at Kohima Village Youth Organization (KVYO) office, the Himalayan Cleanup (THC), Nagaland Chapter convenor, L H Thangi Mannen said since mountains are fragile and there was no means to tackle plastic pollution, the clean up was initiated to beat plastic pollution by segregating waste. The waste collected will be assessed by its quantity and types of waste. A report on the assessment will also be sent to Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) for further procedure, she informed. She also expressed gratitude to Kohima Village Council for coming forward to support the event and entrusting the KVYO. In Kohima, the cleanliness drive will be at Kohima village along the Sonuoru River headed by KVYO, along with KVC, Green Team Kohima, Project 72, The Coming Generation, YARD and Individuals, KCCI, and KMC. KVYO president Dzuvinguzo Mepfhuo said that a social work will be conducted starting from T Khel gate to Sonuoru Bridge. Around 500 volunteers are expected to come, with 350 from Kohima village and 150 from different colonies in Kohima. In Mokokchung, the social work will be held at the Public ground complex headed by Clean Mokokchung Campaign, along with YWCA Mokokchung, MCC, and schools. In Dimapur district, it will be held at Padumpukhri headed by North East Welfare Society, along with Natures Ambassador, Can Youth, Padumpukhri Village Council, Nagamese Baptist Church, Padumpukhri and in Chumukedima it will be held at three locations headed by EAC and admin CTC with ECO Squad and CTSU. Mon will be headed by Grace Ministry, with ADC and admin- MTC. Zunheboto, Town Area headed by Green Club, Zunheboto along with Step by Step School, Olympic HR Secondry School, Cornerstone, Merryhill, Bloomfield Higher Secondary School. The Himalayan Cleanup (THC) is an annual event conducted on May 26 across the Himalayan states of India. It was initiated in 2018 in conjunction to the beat plastic pollution theme of World Environment Day. The main objectives of the mass clean up was to bring attention on the problem of waste in the mountains, especially single use plastic waste. US President Donald Trump said he would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, but confirmed his unwillingness to unleash a war. I will not let Iran have nuclear weapons, he told Fox News host Steve Hilton in an interview on Sunday. I dont want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you cant let them have nuclear weapons -- you just cant let that happen, he said. With all of everything thats going on, and Im not one that believes -- you know, Im not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly -- by far most importantly. Trump once again called on Iranians to sit down at the negotiating table. I ended the Iran Nuclear Deal, and actually, I must tell you -- I had no idea it was going to be as strong as it was. It totally -- the country is devastated from the standpoint of the economy, he told Hilton. Armenia PM visits Constitutional Court NEWS.am daily digest: 27.12.21 Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to hold press conference in 2nd half of January Dollar gains value in Armenia 26 MPs of pro-Kurdish party charged with 'offending Turkish state' after calling for Armenian Genocide recognition Armen Sarkissian sends condolence telegram over death of ex-President of Greece Cavusoglu: Turkish-Armenian Protocols of 2009 have lost their significance Bayramov: Azerbaijan will file two more claims against Armenia in international arbitration Bayramov: There is no alternative to delimitation of Armenia-Azerbaijan border Bayramov says the question of enclaves is a reality that no one can deny Artsakh parliament expresses outrage at distorted formulations of Armenian PM MFA: Possibility of meeting of special representatives of Armenia and Turkey in Moscow is being discussed Baku supports normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan Azerbaijani MFA says tension between Baku and Tehran eliminated How Karabakh was left out of peace talks? Ex-President Kocharyan on international communitys disproportionate reactions: Does Armenia want that not to happen? Robert Kocharyan: If West-Russia relations escalate further, this may cause harm to Armenia Cavusoglu says Armenia-Turkish's representatives 1st meeting to be held in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: These authorities will throw Karabakh issue into Russias 'pockets' Magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits Iran Armenia ex-President Kocharyan on reopening railway link: We will have only 45 km via Meghri for transit Armenia 2nd President: These authorities serve foreign interests on Artsakh issue Ex-President Kocharyan to incumbent Armenia authorities: You have fulfilled all preconditions of Turkey Ibrahim Kalin: Armenia-Turkey process will destroy arguments of Armenian diaspora in US Zas assesses situation on border of Armenia and Azerbaijan Armenia 2nd President on Meghri option: Azerbaijan president refused to sign at last moment in Key West Kocharyan: Armenia has washed its hands of Karabakh Armenia 2nd President: We continue losing propaganda war to country where power is hereditary Copper is getting cheaper UN Secretary General Guterres urges to prepare for a new pandemic Opposition MP: Armenia authorities attempting to create internal political crisis in Artsakh Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We lost control not only over those 40-45 km but over ten times larger areas 59 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia At least 13 people killed in Bolivia floods Armenia 2nd President Kocharyans year-end press conference World oil prices fluctuate Armenia premier: Discussions that followed my interview on Karabakh peace process revealed some falsifications Armenia ex-President Kocharyan to hold year-end press conference today starting at 11am Russian peacekeepers ensure entry of about a thousand vehicles into Nagorno-Karabakh Researchers report aurora borealis at equator Armenia PM Pashinyan will rule for another 10 years if opposition does nothing, says political scientist Peskov labels topic of NATO's security guarantees as 'a matter of life and death' for Russia Armenian political party: Artsakh can never be a part of Azerbaijan, no govt can subordinate will of people Armenia PM responds to criticism from Karabakh officials in regard to his statements Armenia and Karabakh Ombudspersons issue statement on Nikol Pashinyan's statements Karabakh President responds to Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan Taliban advise US to not interfere in Afghanistan's domestic affairs Karabakh Parliament Speaker: We are in a sad situation, sirs Armenia opposition MP: Nikol stole from Karabakh-Armenians their small homeland, did he steal their dignity too? 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 By the request of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, people on Monday morning have blocked the entrances and exits of the courts in Armenia. The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed that three demonstrators assembled outside the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) building. SJC Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan arrived there a while ago, but he did not respond to the query on whether he will resign in this capacity. Demonstrators have closed off the entrance to the Constitutional Court, too. Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday made a post in his Facebook page calling on people to close off the entrances and exits of all the courts in the country at 8:30pm, so that no one would enter them. In an earlier post, he had announced that he will speak live at noon, and with respect to the present-day situation in the judiciary of Armenia, and establishing the peoples power in this domain, too. Several NGOs have assessed this call by Pashinyan as a breach of the constitutional order in Armenia. A number of political parties have issued statements in this regard. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, also issued a statement noting that this call by the PM is extremely perilous for the security and stability of the countrys legal system. According to media reports, a working discussion was held earlier at the building of the ruling Civil Contract Party, and led by Nikol Pashinyan, and in connection with the courses of action to be taken as of early Monday morning. Also, the MPs from the ruling majority My Step faction in parliament on Monday morning have been outside various courts. Controversial ascetic Bomjan resurfaces in Sindhuli ashram Ram Bahadur Bomjan, who is wanted by the police for the disappearance of five of his followers, appeared from hiding at his ashram in Kamalamai Municipality-8, Sindhuli, on Friday. In 2016 and 2017, Deutsche Banks anti-money laundering specialists recommended reporting on multiple transactions involving organizations controlled by President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to the US Federal Financial Crime Supervisory Authority, New York Times reported referring to five former and current employees of Deutsche Bank. According to the source, the German bank staff, which provided loans of billions of dollars to the companies of Trump and Kushner, rejected the recommendations of its employees. Such messages have never been transmitted to the government. The transactions, some of which related to the trump fund that no longer existed, triggered warnings on a computer system designed to detect illegal activity, former bank employees told The New York Times. After that, bank employees on financial monitoring, who analyzed these transactions, prepared so-called suspicious activity reports, which should have been sent to the Justice Ministry department to combat financial crimes. The New York Times notes that bank employees believe that the decision not to report on transactions is the result of a permissive approach to compliance with money laundering laws. According to them, the banks management regularly refused to send reports in order to maintain relations with profitable customers, the newspaper said. One employee who analyzed some of the transactions reported that she was fired last year after she expressed concern about the practice of the bank, reports the New York Times. The newspaper quotes the official spokesperson for Deutsche Bank, who said that the investigators were not prevented from raising questions about actions deemed potentially suspicious. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, which oversees many of Trumps business interests, said the company was not aware of any flagged transactions and currently has no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank, according to the Times. The New York Times tries to create scandalous stories which are totally false when they run out of things to write about, a spokeswoman for Kushner Companies said in a statement to Reuters. Officials at Deutsche Bank and the Trump Organization were not immediately available to Reuters for independent comment. The New York Times writes that the nature of the transactions in question is unclear. At least some transactions were related to cash flows, the recipients or senders of which were foreign organizations or persons who were considered suspicious by bank employees. The publication appeared at a time when Congress and the authorities of the State of New York are investigating the relationship between Trump, his family and Deutsche Bank and demand that documents related to suspicious activity be submitted. Trump has sued in court in an attempt to block U.S. House of Representatives subpoenas for his financial records that were sent to Deutsche Bank, Capital One Financial Corp and the accounting firm Mazars LLP. Dadeldhura Multiple Campus beset by cronyism and political interference Cronyism and political interference weighs heavily on the Dadeldhura Multiple Campus, one of the influential educational institutes in Sudurpaschim Province established some 25 years ago. The revolutionary message to the judiciary could be conveyed without an action to block entrances to and exits from courts. This is stated in the statement by the political council of Republic Party. The statement particularly reads as follows; Over the past year, Republic Party has supported the achievements made following the velvet revolution in Armenia and the constructive actions of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Throughout the past year, we have also constantly spoken out about the unacceptable actions that have been taken in the Republic of Armenia. Analyzing the situation that has been created, the political council of Republic Party deems it necessary to record the following: 1. Nobody denies the fact that the judiciary in the Republic of Armenia is imperfect and there is a certain lack of confidence in the judiciary and judges, but this, by no means, does not mean violation of the Constitution, which guarantees exercise of state power in compliance with the Constitution and laws, hinged on separation of powers and checks-and-balances. 2. It is impossible to establish the independence of the judicial authority by hindering the activities of courts. The revolutionary message to the judiciary could be conveyed without an action to block entrances to and exits from courts. 3. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is acting like an opposition member and is taking actions that are making the Republic of Armenia vulnerable in the international arena and will have an impact on the countrys reputation, calling into question the countrys loyalty to democratic values. 4. The Republic Party considers the change of the preventive measure for Robert Kocharyan unacceptable, to say the least, but it also finds that release from custody doesnt mean acquittal at all. On the contrary, Kocharyan cant claim that he is a political prisoner. These actions fully serve as grounds for Robert Kocharyan to declare that this is all a matter of personal revenge, not justice. We cant give him that winning card, much less through the Prime Minister. 5. We view the allegations of betrayal and conspiracy fired at the government of Artsakh and the threats to Artsakh as extremely dangerous and call on the Prime Minister to not give in to emotions. People in both Armenia and Azerbaijan are listening to his every word. Escalation of the situation in Artsakh ahead of the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections may lead to unpredictable consequences, taking into consideration the external danger. 6. Republic Party is ready to participate in all the necessary steps to solve the situation and get things back on track. YEREVAN. If there are judges who have made judgments in violation of the law, and if there is a case of bribery, they should be punished according to the law. Gevorg Gorgisyan, secretary of the opposition Bright Armenia Party faction at the National Assembly (NA), on Monday told this to reporters. When asked if the judges who have made wrong decisions should resign, he responded that this matter should be discussed. Those bodies should be independent, he added. The National Assembly elected them. Now the makeup of the NA has changed, but the National Assembly is an institution; change of power there should not affect continuity. Also, reporters asked Gorgisyan whether he agrees with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans statement that the judicial power in Armenia also belongs to its people, and the latter have the right to express their grievance with it in that way. Tell me, who are the people? he asked, in turn. Who decides who the people are? What amount of citizens do we consider people? The MP stressed that obstructing justice is criminally punishable, but the law enforcement should assess whether or not blocking the entrances and exits of courts was constitutional. As reported earlier, PM Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday evening called on people to on Monday close off the entrances and exits of all courts in Armenia, as of 8:30am. In an earlier post, he had announced that he will speak live at noon, and with respect to the present-day situation in the judiciary of Armenia, and establishing the peoples power in this domain, too. Several NGOs, however, have assessed this call by Pashinyan as a breach of the constitutional order in Armenia. Also, a number of political partiesincluding the Prosperous Armenia and the Bright Armenia Parties that are represented in parliamenthave issued statements in this regard. But at 1pm, and again upon Pashinyans call, people began to reopen the entrances and exits of the courts. Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues. The the Senate of Kazakh Parliament speaker, Dariga Nazarbayeva, held a meeting with the Armenian President, Armen Sarkissian, Kazinform reported referring to the press service of the upper house of Parliament. The Armenian president highly appreciated the successes of Kazakhstan achieved under the leadership of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, highlighting the wisdom of Elbasy for his important decisions and his desire to lead his people forward. Nazarbayeva thanked Sarkissian for active participation in the Astana Economic Forum and constant support of the Eurasian Media Forum. The Armenian President told the speaker about the internal political situation in the country, noting that the people of Armenia have enough wisdom to overcome the existing problems and reach a new path of development without turmoil. The speaker expressed hope that Armenia will overcome the transit period and informed Sarkissian about important political events in the country, noting that the people of Kazakhstan are optimistic about the future. The Speaker expressed interest in further promoting cooperation with the Armenian Parliament. The parties discussed promising areas of cooperation. Armenian President noted that Yerevan is ready to share experience in the development of artificial intelligence, IT-technologies, ensuring food safety. Speaker invited the Armenian foreign diaspora to invest in Kazakhstan, using the advantages of trade with the third neighboring countries - China, Russia and others. Youth engagement in agriculture If there are high-paying jobs in the country, youths will have no reason to go abroad. Yerevan will host the session of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the CSTO plenary session in Yerevan this year, as reported the Department of News and Public Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia. The delegation led by Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan participated in the outgoing session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. Before the session, the heads of parliaments of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly were received by President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Zheenbekov. The delegations of the parliaments of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, as well as of the Parliament of Serbia (with the status of observer) were represented during the session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. The session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly was moderated by President of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin. At the outset of the session, President of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin congratulated Ararat Mirzoyan on being elected Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia and on the occasion of participating in the session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly for the first time. He offered to hold the session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the CSTO plenary session in Yerevan in the fall of 2019 at the invitation of Armenia. The proposal was accepted by all members of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, and a relevant decision was made. Several issues were considered during the session. Among the items included in the agenda were the priorities of the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in the CSTO in 2019, the establishment of joint approaches to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, the amendments to the 2016-20 working plan of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, as well as organizational issues. 1. Yes. The economy is strong and unemployment low. Thats a good basis for a solid year. 2. Yes. Health experts are getting a handle on COVID. 2022 should be a better year. 3. No. If any large-scale COV ID-related shutdowns take place, it will hit the nation hard. 4. No. Inflation is still too much of a wild card. It could really cause a drag on the economy. 5. Unsure. There are too many variables at play to predict with any degree of certainty. Vote View Results Story Highlights A record-low 19% of Libyans are "thriving" 43% say they have lacked money for food, 37% for shelter in past year Record-high 34% would like to migrate to another country WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Libyans' lives were already getting worse before being plunged into turmoil again in April, when renegade Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army began targeting the country's U.N.-recognized government and its capital, Tripoli. Before the recent fighting, the percentage of Libyans rating their lives positively enough to be considered "thriving" had dropped to a record-low 19%. Gallup asks adults worldwide to evaluate their lives on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, where zero represents the worst possible life and 10 represents the best possible life. Gallup classifies people as "thriving" if they rate their current life a 7 or higher and their life in five years an 8 or higher, and "suffering" if they rate both their current and future life situations a 4 or lower. Those in the middle are "struggling." The one in five Libyans who were thriving in the July 27-Aug. 11, 2018, survey is well below the 31% who rated their lives this well in 2012, after the toppling of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. It is also well below the 26% who said they were thriving in 2015, early in the country's civil war. Economic Outlook Bleak as Libyans Struggle to Afford Basics Protracted fighting could further damage the already bleak picture that Libyans paint of their economic situation. A majority (52%) say their local economy is getting worse, essentially tied with the record-high 53% recorded in 2015. In 2012, in the post-Gadhafi optimism, 13% of Libyans had said their local economies were getting worse. While Libyans are just as pessimistic about where their economy is headed as they were in 2015, they are more likely to be struggling to afford the basics than they were then -- probably making them even more vulnerable now. A record-high 43% of Libyans in 2018 reported being unable to afford food at times in the past year, and a record 37% said they struggled to afford adequate shelter. Roughly a Third of Libyans Would Like to Migrate Amid the worsening economic conditions and the instability in the country, a record 34% of Libyans in 2018 said they would like to leave Libya permanently. In 2012, before the country's civil war, 11% said they would like to migrate. This jumped to 29% in 2015, and has stayed at or above 25% since. Bottom Line The latest instability in Libya comes as economic conditions were already in decline. Haftar has attempted to cast himself as the defender of the country in the past, helping to defeat extremist forces operating in Libya earlier in the country's civil war. However, the current struggle appears less ideological than an effort by Haftar to secure the country's resources. As such, it seems likely to exacerbate declining conditions in the country over the short term. However, Haftar does have some international support and has met with the Italian prime minister concerning a potential truce. Additionally, the French government has expressed its interest in meeting with the former Libyan general to negotiate a cease-fire. It is unclear if this meeting will result in a cease-fire or if that truce will hold, despite support from the U.N. and other international parties. Regardless, it does not appear likely that the situation in Libya will improve in the near future. Continued violence in Libya is likely to only further exacerbate the declining conditions in the country, encouraging further migration and instability. This instability may also spill over into Libya's neighbors, which are ill-equipped to deal with large numbers of refugees or violence related to armed groups operating within Libya. For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. Posted by PickupTrucks.com Staff | May 20, 2019 Cars.com photos by Evan Sears and Angela Conners By Aaron Bragman We hear a big redo of the Toyota Tundra is coming soon, but there's no word on where or when it might be arriving. So perhaps there's still time to get word to Toyota on what we think should be improved for the next-generation truck. 'Cuz Lord knows, it needs some help. We did a roundup of the latest 2018 full-size trucks last year with the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford-150, GMC Sierra, Ram 1500 and Nissan Titan but didn't include the Tundra because it hadn't been significantly updated in years and didn't do so hot in our last big comparison test. Related Video: The Tundra is receiving a slight refresh for 2020, but it's still a far cry from anything meaningful. An 8-inch touchscreen is optional (not even standard equipment), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have finally arrived, and the top TRD Pro off-road model can now be had in the big CrewMax cab style. Thus endeth the list of improvements for 2020. For the next Tundra, here's where it needs to improve: 1. Engine, Transmission ... and Electrification? You can currently get one of two V-8 engines in the Tundra, but they're nothing special a 4.6-liter making 310 horsepower and 327 pounds-feet of torque or an optional 5.7-liter pumping out 381 hp and 401 pounds-feet of torque. No V-6 engine (turbocharged or otherwise), no turbo four banger, no light-duty diesel. Nothing electrified either, which may become increasingly important as Ram now offers a mild hybrid system and Ford is working on hybrid and electric full-size versions of its F-150. The Tundra's only transmission option is an ancient six-speed automatic that has been uncompetitive for years nearly everyone else in the industry has gone to eight- and 10-speed automatics as at least optional, often standard equipment. We'd like to see some improved power and torque numbers for sure, seeing as how everyone else has outgunned Toyota's engines in that department. Eight gears seem to be the minimum for transmissions if Toyota is concerned at all about fuel economy, so that's also on our wish list. Electrified powertrains are still questionable for full-size trucks, and we'll wait to see if the delivered performance and fuel economy offset the additional cost before saying that Toyota must have one as well. But just getting new engines, a variety of them, and an improved modern transmission will be a big, big help in the Tundra's case for relevance. 2. Lighten It Up The current Tundra is not only outgunned in the power department, it's porky. The truck weighs anywhere from 5,100 pounds to 5,680 pounds, significantly more than any of the Detroit Three trucks by several hundred pounds (the Nissan Titan remains just as hefty as the Toyota). Undertaking a light-weighting program for the next Tundra is a must and is likely to pay dividends from fuel economy to handling to boosted payload. 3. Class It Up The full-size Tundra's interior is a decidedly weak point. While switch and button layout still shows thoughtfulness on Toyota's part, material quality was surpassed by competitors years ago. And the latest Ram 1500 has put everyone else in the industry on notice cheap plastics and chintzy switches will no longer be acceptable. Can't complain about the room in the Tundra, it still features one of the biggest cabins available, but if Toyota is going to take on the latest Rams, the dash, doors, buttons, trim all of it need a big upgrade for the next generation. 4. Upgrade the Onboard Technology This is an issue for most Toyota products and has been for years the multimedia systems feel a generation or two behind the best in the industry. Only recently have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto become available in the first Toyota products, and they finally join the Tundra for 2020, in either the 7- or 8-inch display screens. Bigger display screens are always welcome in a bigger vehicle, which is partly why Ram has gone to a massive, vertically oriented available 12-inch display. While this is partly a gimmicky gee-whiz feature, bigger and clearer displays throughout the Tundra would be welcome. 5. Touch Up the Tailgate Tech This seems to be the new battleground for the big pickups, along with trailer towing apps and more cameras. Ram has its interesting split tailgate, GMC has its MultiPro tailgate and Ford has its useful tailgate step. Seems that in order to be competitive, once you've got the basics of capability, utility, comfort and technology down, the extras are where it's at. Ram has made a splash with some left-field interior technology, and it's paid dividends. There has to be something other than unquestionable reliability to make the Tundra compelling in a field loaded with compelling product. If the next Tundra is going to do any better than the current one, it needs to find standout features to get it there. More From PickupTrucks.com: 2020 Locust St., #2R. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Rittenhouse? According to Walk Score, this Philadelphia neighborhood is a "walker's paradise," is very bikeable and boasts excellent transit options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Rittenhouse is currently hovering around $1,725. So, what might you expect to find if you don't want to spend more than $1,400 / month on rent? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 2100 Pine St. Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom situated at 2100 Pine St. It's listed for $1,395/month. In the unit, there is hardwood flooring, a ceramic tile bathroom, designer lighting, central heating and air conditioning and a fully-equipped kitchen. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate assigned parking, on-site laundry, on-site management and extra storage space. Cats and dogs are not permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Take a gander at the complete listing here.) 2020 Locust St., #2R Here's a 370-square-foot zero-bedroom, one-bathroom condo at 2020 Locust St., #2R that's also going for $1,395/month. In the apartment, there is hardwood flooring, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and central heating and air conditioning. When it comes to building amenities, expect on-site laundry and outdoor space. Pets are not welcome. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. (Check out the complete listing here.) 1934 Waverly St., #A300 Located at 1934 Waverly St., #A300, here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom that's listed for $1,375/month. In the apartment, you can anticipate hardwood floors, a new kitchen, a modern bathroom and large closets. The building offers on-site laundry, outdoor space and extra storage space. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. (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. (Adds context on 737 MAX-related cancellations, downgrade by Morgan Stanley) By Tracy Rucinski CHICAGO, May 20 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc has filed a lawsuit against two unions representing its mechanics, asking the court to halt what it called an illegal slowdown that it said on Monday threatened to disrupt U.S. summer travel. The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Texas federal court, accuses the mechanics unions of directing a slowdown aimed at disrupting operations to improve their position in labor talks, which began in 2015. The unions did not immediately return a request for comment. American, the world's largest airline by passenger traffic, said the mechanics' action had intensified in recent weeks after causing 650 flight cancellations and more than 1,500 maintenance delays since February. "American estimates that, for each day that the slowdown continues into the summer, it will disrupt the travel plans of approximately 3,400 additional passengers per day," the airline said in the filing. American cut its 2019 profit forecast in April, blaming an estimated $350 million hit from the worldwide grounding in March of Boeing 737 MAX planes, forcing thousands of separate flight cancellations during its busiest travel season. A prolonged MAX grounding coupled with mechanic-related disruption could further hurt profit, analysts said. Shares of American closed 2.5 percent lower at $30.96 on Monday after Morgan Stanley warned of higher labor costs and downgraded the stock to "equal-weight." American is also in contract talks with unions representing its flight attendants and pilots, whose contracts become amendable in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The airline said it has offered its mechanics unions Transport Workers Union of America and the International Association of Machinists an industry-leading proposal in all key respects, including pay and benefits. The unions have complained that American is trying to outsource more maintenance jobs, a move American has indicated is necessary to cover increased wages. Fort Worth, Texas-based American last year asked the National Mediation Board to help negotiate an agreement with the mechanics unions, but it said discussions were paused after the last session on April 25. Since then, it said union action had caused 14 flight cancellations per day, versus an average eight daily union-related cancellations previously. Low-cost rival Southwest Airlines Co recently reached an agreement in principle with its mechanics union after the Federal Aviation Administration warned that their prolonged contract dispute could pose safety concerns. (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Matthew Lewis) * Far-right vice chancellor quit over video sting * Conservative Kurz pulled plug on coalition * Early election expected to be called for September * Ruling parties squabble over what to do until then (Adds detail on FPO ministers, paragraph 7) By Francois Murphy VIENNA, May 20 (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz proposed on Monday sacking his interior minister, escalating a battle triggered when a video sting took down the longtime leader of his far-right coalition partners. Kurz, a conservative, ended his coalition with the nationalist Freedom Party (FPO) on Saturday after leader and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was caught in the apparent sting operation offering to fix state contracts for a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece. The fight took a new turn when Kurz told reporters he would propose to Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen removing Interior Minister Herbert Kickl from office after Kickl refused to go voluntarily, as Strache did. The FPO had announced that it would vacate all its ministerial posts if Kickl, a mastermind of the FPO's ascent to power, were forced out. "I agreed with the president that we want to guarantee stability until the new elections. That's why we'll fill the vacant jobs in the ministries with experts or senior government officials," Kurz said. He said this would keep the government operating effectively until snap elections due in September. Opposition parties readied a vote of no confidence in the government, and it was not clear that the FPO would side with Kurz in the vote. Austrian news agency APA reported that the FPO's ministers quit in unison on Monday. But in an interview with national broadcaster ORF later in the evening, Norbert Hofer, the new head of the Freedom Party, only repeated that its ministers would step down if Kickl were forced out. FPO spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. German media published the video on Friday, a week before a European Parliament election and a year-and-a-half after Austria once again became the only Western European country with far-right cabinet ministers. It has since been joined by Italy. Story continues The video showed Strache meeting the woman in 2017, shortly before the election that brought him into government. So far, nothing has come to light suggesting how or why the two news outlets came to publish it now. In the footage, Strache discussed rules on party financing and how to work around them. Describing the footage as "targeted political assassination," he said he has done nothing illegal and never met the woman again. Niki Fellner, editor in chief of the Oesterreich tabloid newspaper, said by openly discussing what he called corruption and dirty tricks, Strache had tarnished Austria's image: "From Germany to Hungary, we are seen as of now as a banana republic." Kurz has argued Kickl could not oversee an investigation into the sting that snared his party leader. Kickl accused Kurz of attempting a power grab for his OVP party. "This ministry was for many ... years the linchpin of the engine of a ruthless OVP power system in this republic," Kickl said, adding that for Kurz: "It therefore had to come back under the OVP's control, no matter the cost." Kickl's position is especially sensitive given the FPO's ties to Russia. It has a cooperation agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. (Additional reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich in Vienna and Michael Shields in Zurich; Editing by Alison Williams and Phil Berlowitz) Dirt Lovers of schadenfreude are rejoicing, as its the end of an era in Bel Air and blessedly so, if you ask the neighbors. After years of legal wrangling, Mohamed Hadids much-maligned Bel Air mansion project has sold at auction for exactly $5 million to local developer Sahara Construction Co. As per the agreement, Sahara [] * Lambert completely paralyzed since 2008 accident * "They are monsters," his mother cries outside hospital * Macron says experts agree Lambert's condition irreversible (Recasts with appeal court ordering care be resumed) By Gilbert Reilhac STRASBOURG, France, May 20 (Reuters) - A French appeals court on Monday ordered doctors to resume giving food and water to a French quadriplegic, lawyers said, some 12 hours after medics switched off the man's life support against his parents' will. The fate of Vincent Lambert has renewed a fierce debate over the right to die that has split his family and the country. "The feeding and hydration of Vincent must be restarted without delay," declared Jean Paillot, a lawyer for Lambert's parents who launched multiple legal bids to keep his care going. "It's a huge victory, and only the first." The 42-year-old former psychiatric nurse has been in a vegetative state since a motorcycle accident in 2008. He has almost no consciousness, but can breath without a respirator and occasionally moves his eyes. His wife, Rachel, and some of his siblings say care should be withdrawn. But Lambert's Catholic parents, backed by other relatives, say he should be kept alive and have launched a series of legal bids to keep his care going. His doctors in the northeastern city of Reims said earlier this month that they would start withdrawing care after all legal avenues had been exhausted. Earlier on Monday, the medical team stopped feeding Lambert food and water through a gastric tube and was administering sedatives. Lambert's mother, Viviane, branded them "monsters." Lambert's parents filed a last-ditch legal bid to keep him alive at the European Court of Human Rights and appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene. "LET HIM GO" The Strasbourg-based tribunal declared there was no violation of Lambert's right to life in the medics' decision while the French president said the decision on Lambert's fate did not rest with him. Story continues "But it is for me to hear the emotion that has been stirred and to respond," Macron added in a statement on Facebook. "All the medical experts have concluded that his condition is irreversible." However, in a stunning twist, the Paris Appeal Court ruled that doctors must respect a May 3 request made by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the French government that it prevent the euthanasia of Lambert while his case is examined. Euthanasia is illegal in France, but in 2016 a law was introduced giving terminally ill patients the right to be put into continuous deep sedation (CDS) by doctors until death. The law draws a distinction between euthanasia and CDS, making France the first country to legislate in such a way. Lambert's case has divided opinion in France. "We cannot keep him like this, as a vegetable for decades," said 70-year-old Parisian Marie-Laure Jean. "There have been court rulings, the doctors have given their advice. We have to let him go." But pensioner Caroline Lorsin saw the other side: "I'm putting myself in his parents' shoes. It must be hard for them." Euthanasia is permitted in various forms in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg and Canada, while assisted suicide, which involves a doctor helping a patient to end their own life, is permitted in several U.S. states. (Reporting by Gilbert Reilhac Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Richard Lough; Writing by Luke Baker and Richard Lough; Editing by Leslie Adler) (Refiles to drop headline tag) By Angela Moon NEW YORK, May 19 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world. Holders of current Huawei smartphones with Google apps, however, will continue to be able to use and download app updates provided by Google, a Google spokesperson said, confirming earlier reporting by Reuters. "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," the Google spokesperson said. "For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices," the spokesperson said, without giving further details. The suspension could hobble Huawei's smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Google's Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services, including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps. "Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google," the source said. The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with U.S. counterparts. On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department said it was considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to "prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment." It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether Huawei's access to mobile software would be affected. Story continues The extent to which Huawei will be hurt by the U.S. government's blacklist is not yet known as its global supply chain assesses the impact. Chip experts have questioned Huawei's ability to continue to operate without help from the United States. Details of the specific services affected by the suspension were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the blacklist, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment. Chipmakers including Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc , Xilinx Inc and Broadcom Inc have told their employees they will not supply critical software and components to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reported https://bloom.bg/2VLT5QK late on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the Bloomberg report. Representatives of the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately comment. POPULAR APPS Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), that is available for free to anyone who wishes to use it. There are about 2.5 billion active Android devices worldwide, according to Google. However, Google will stop providing Huawei with access, technical support and collaboration involving its proprietary apps and services going forward, the source said. Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said. In an interview with Reuters in March, Eric Xu, rotating chairman of Huawei, struck a defiant note in anticipation of retaliatory actions by U.S. companies. "No matter what happens, the Android Community does not have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license," he said. Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google. But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect, the source said. The impact is expected to be minimal in the Chinese market. Most Google mobile apps are banned in China, where alternatives are offered by domestic competitors such as Tencent and Baidu. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the ministry had noticed the report and would look into it and pay attention to developments. "At the same time, China supports Chinese companies to use legal weapons to defend their legitimate rights," he added, but did not elaborate. Huawei's European business, its second-biggest market, could be hit as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe. "Having those apps is critical for smartphone makers to stay competitive in regions like Europe," said Geoff Blaber, vice president of research, CCS Insight. (Reporting by Angela Moon; Additional reporting by Georgina Prodhan in London, David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Clarence Fernandez) * Greenpeace activists block BP HQ * Say they can block BP HQ for at least a week * BP under pressure over climate goals * BP AGM on Tuesday in Scotland (Adds arrests) By Guy Faulconbridge and Ron Bousso LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Greenpeace activists blocked the entrance to BP's London headquarters on Monday, demanding one of the world's biggest energy companies ends all new oil and gas exploration or goes out of business. Greenpeace activists arrived at the building in St James' Square in central London at 0200 GMT and encased themselves in specially designed containers to block all of the main entrances. A team of activists abseiled from the top of the building and placed huge letters over the windows reading 'CLIMATE EMERGENCY'. "BP is fueling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and the future of the living world," said Paul Morozzo, a Greenpeace activist. "The science is clear - we must stop searching for new oil and gas if we want a liveable planet. BP must clean up or clear out," Morozzo said. BP said that impeding safe entry and exit from the building was dangerous and "clearly a matter for the police to resolve as swiftly as possible." "We welcome discussion, debate, even peaceful protest on the important matter of how we must all work together to address the climate challenge," the BP statement added. London's Met Police later said four people had been arrested for aggravated tresspass and that police remained on the scene. BP is due to hold its annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders on Tuesday in the Scottish oil city of Aberdeen. Greenpeace said it would keep the London HQ closed for at least a week. "At their AGM tomorrow BP's Bob Dudley has a choice - he can immediately end oil exploration and start switching to 100% renewables or wind down the company," Morozzo said. BP this year backed a resolution being put to investors on Tuesday for it to be more transparent about its emissions, link executive pay to reducing emissions from BP's operations and show how future investments meet the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global warming. Story continues But as BP's 2018 carbon emissions rose to their highest in six years, the London-based major is being lobbied by activists and an increasing number of shareholders to ensure its operations are in line with goals set by the 2015 Paris climate deal to curb global warming. Environmental activists led by British climate group Extinction Rebellion last month scaled scaffolding at the London headquarter of rival Royal Dutch Shell, painting slogans in red while activists glued themselves to the building doors. Shell has agreed to the industry's most ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. BP, which employs 73,000 people, produces 3.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day - more than OPEC members such as United Arab Emirates or Kuwait. BP has said it aims to keep emissions from its operations flat in the decade until 2025, despite strong growth in its business which has been rebuilding after facing $67 billion in fines and clean-up costs following the disastrous 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. (Editing by Michael Holden, Keith Weir and David Evans) (Adds details from CBP official) By Yeganeh Torbati and Kristina Cooke WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died on Monday in U.S. Border Patrol custody in Texas, U.S. officials said, making him the fifth Guatemalan minor to die after being apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border since December. The boy, Carlos Hernandez, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on May 13 after crossing the border illegally near Hidalgo, Texas, with a group of 70 others, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol. Early on Sunday morning, Hernandez told staff at the central processing station where he was being held that he was not feeling well, a CBP official told reporters. He was diagnosed with the flu and transferred to the Weslaco Border Patrol Station in south Texas later that day to separate him from others at the processing station in the Rio Grande Valley, the official said. He was due to be transferred to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the care of minor migrant children who cross into the United States without adult family members, the official said. But on Monday morning, during a "welfare check," the boy was found unresponsive, according to a CBP statement. The statement said the cause of death was not yet known, and that the Department of Homeland Security's watchdog and the Guatemalan government had been notified. "The men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are saddened by the tragic loss of this young man and our condolences are with his family," said Acting CBP Commissioner John Sanders. "CBP is committed to the health, safety and humane treatment of those in our custody." The Guatemalan foreign ministry requested that U.S. authorities urgently explain the cause of death. Local and federal law enforcement are investigating Hernandez' death, the CBP official said. The boy was the fifth Guatemalan minor since December to die after being apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. Four of them died while in U.S. custody. A fifth child, who crossed the border with his mother in April, died this month after weeks in the hospital, but had already been released from U.S. custody at the time of his death. Story continues Record numbers of families from Central America are traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border and asking for asylum in the United States, fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries. From October 2018 through this April, nearly 293,000 unaccompanied children or people traveling in families were apprehended at the southern U.S. border - nearly four times the number during the same period the prior year. That has in turn strained U.S. border facilities, which are the first stop for migrants after they are detained. Reuters photos taken last week showed adults and children outside the U.S. Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, sleeping on the ground and rigging up makeshift awnings with reflective blankets to shelter form the sun. One Guatemalan man told Reuters that he and his 9-year-old son had spent nearly two weeks in Border Patrol custody in Texas, sometimes sleeping on the ground. Since Dec. 22, CBP has transported about 69 people a day to higher level of care facilities, including urgent care and hospitals, the official said. The Trump administration has asked Congress for $4.5 billion in immediate emergency funding, which would represent a 44% increase in spending for programs that house, feed, transport and oversee the migrants. But immigrant advocates say the administration's policies, including making it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum at official ports of entry, contribute to making their journeys more arduous and drive migrants to seek out remote border outposts badly equipped to care for children. Julie Linton, co-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Immigrant Health Special Interest Group, said she was concerned about sick children potentially being housed in bare-bones Border Patrol facilities for extended periods of time. "There certainly need to be conditions that do not include lying on a mat with a Mylar blanket on a floor that is cold, and cage-like fencing that extends to the ceiling," she said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. "We absolutely need pediatric health experts at the border." (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Kristina Cooke; additional reporting by Sofia Menchu and Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Ritah Kemigisa. Civil society organizations have slammed members of parliament for heavily burdening Ugandans by making them pay for their social media taxes and bundles. Last week parliament awarded a multi-million contract to MTN Uganda to supply the 458 MPS with monthly data bundles of shs 30,000 and OTT of shs 6000. Speaking to KFM, the Uganda Debt Network Programs manager Imelda Namagga says the move is a waste of public resources. She adds that the decision should be withdrawn because MPs are among the highly paid and as such can afford paying for themselves. However, in a dramatic twist of events, the Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has distanced herself saying she was not only opposed to it but was not aware of the said deal. Related Stories. Kadaga to block OTT For MPs * BJP meeting with coalition partners on Tuesday - sources * Center-right coalition led by Narendra Modi to form next govt - polls * Indian stock markets enjoy best day in nearly six years * (Updates markets, adds CNX and RSS quotes) By Alasdair Pal and Nigam Prusty NEW DELHI, May 20 (Reuters) - India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is to meet coalition partners to discuss a new government, two BJP sources said on Monday, after exit polls predicted a clear general election victory for the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the delight of Hindu groups. The talks will be on Tuesday at the BJP's headquarters in New Delhi and will be led by the party president, Amit Shah, one of the party sources said. The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorized to speak about the meeting. Nalin Kohli, a spokesman for the BJP, declined to comment. India's seven-phase general election, billed as the world's biggest democratic exercise, began on April 11 and ended on Sunday. Votes will be counted on Thursday and results are likely the same day. Modi's BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is projected to win anything between 339-365 seats in the 545-member lower house of parliament with the Congress-led opposition alliance getting only 77 to 108, an exit poll from India Today Axis showed on Sunday. A party needs 272 seats to command a majority. The predicted BJP margin of victory is bigger than opinion polls indicated in the run-up to the vote, when most surveys showed the NDA would be the largest alliance but would fall short of an overall majority. Arun Jaitley, finance minister in the BJP government, said he was confident in the exit polls. "When multiple exit polls convey the same message, the direction of the result broadly would be in consonance with the message," Jaitley said in a blog post on Monday. MARKET BOUNCE Indian stock markets and the rupee were sharply higher on expectation the business-friendly Modi would stay on at the helm. Story continues The benchmark NSE share index closed up 3.8%, its best single day since September 2013. "I expect another 2-3% rally in the market in the next three to four days based on the cue," said Samrat Dasgupta, a fund manager at Esquire Capital Investment Advisors. Congress spokesman Sanjay Jha cast doubt on the exit polls, saying on Twitter he believed they were wrong. "If the exit poll figures are true then my dog is a nuclear scientist," Jha said, adding he expected the next prime minister would come from outside the BJP alliance. Predicting the results of an election with around 900 million voters is notoriously difficult. In 2004, exit polls expected an NDA government, only to see a Congress-led alliance sweep to power when votes were counted days later. Pollsters said they were confident they had picked the correct result this time around. "We expect change within the margin of error, but as all polls are in one direction, it is unlikely the results will be completely in reverse," Bhawesh Jha, the founder of polling company CNX, told Reuters. His firm expects the NDA to win 290-310 seats. NATIONALIST FIGHT BACK Modi and his BJP faced criticism in the run-up to the election over unemployment, in particular for failing to provide opportunities to young people coming on to the job market and for weak farm prices, all of which will be pressing issues for any new government. But Modi rallied his Hindu nationalist base and made national security a central theme of the campaign after a surge in tension with Pakistan in February following a suicide bomb attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir by Pakistan based militants. Modi ordered air strikes on a suspected militant camp in Pakistan, which led to a surge in tension between the nuclear-armed neighbors. But many Indians applauded Modi's tough stand and he was able to attack the opposition for being soft on security. Hindu groups, which largely reined in their rhetoric during the campaign, are now expected to press the BJP for several demands, including a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Ram on a disputed site, life in jail for killing cows and ending the autonomy of India's only Muslim-majority state. "We did not want the opposition to make it an issue against the BJP, so had stopped our agitation," Mahendra Rawat, the Delhi head for the BJP's parent organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, told Reuters on Monday. "The Ram temple is the biggest issue for us Hindus." Ram Madhav, a senior leader in the BJP, told Reuters partner ANI the results would be even better for the party than the exit polls were suggesting, particularly in West Bengal state. West Bengal has the third largest number of members of parliament and has been hotly contested between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, one of the most powerful parties in the coalition trying to unseat Modi. "Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there," Madhav said. "Everyone has seen the tremendous support for PM Modi and the BJP in Bengal." (Reporting by Alasdair Pal and Nigam Prusty, additional reporting by Krishna N. Das in NEW DELHI and Arnab Paul in BENGALURU Editing by Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie) * Replies to Trump saying war would mean "end" of Iran * Says it's speeding up rate of low-grade uranium enrichment * Tehran says it does not want war with longtime adversary * Relaxed some nuclear curbs a year after U.S. ditched deal (Adds "production" to para 2, 13, 18 for clarity) LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Iran urged the United States on Monday to address the Islamic Republic with respect, not threats of war, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump stoked concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. But in a sign of brewing confrontation a year after Washington quit world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions on it, Tehran announced a fourfold increase in its rate of production of low-grade uranium enrichment. Tensions between Washington and its Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab allies on one side and Tehran and its Shi'ite Muslim proxies in the region on the other have been flaring for weeks. On Sunday, Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied on his twitter account "NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectit works!" Zarif, who was educated in the United States, actually praised Trump for earlier remarks seen as cautioning hawks in his administration who were encouraging conflict. The president "rightly deplores 'military-industrial complex' pushing U.S. #ForeverWars," Zarif wrote on Twitter. But he said Trump had allowed a "B-team" of aides led by National Security Advisor John Bolton to "trash diplomacy." He accused them of "milking despotic butchers via massive arms sales," an apparent reference to Iran's main regional foe, Saudi Arabia, Washington's biggest arms buyer. Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, and his administration says it has built up the U.S. military presence in the region. It accuses Iran of posing threats to U.S. troops and interests. Tehran has denied this, describing U.S. moves as "psychological warfare" and a "political game." Story continues Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the Trump administration would retaliate. The foreign minister of Oman, a Gulf Arab state that in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday. Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah addressed regional and international issues with Zarif, Iranian state news agency IRNA said, without elaborating. NUCLEAR DEAL Quoting an official at the Natanz enrichment plant, the semi-official Tasnim said Iran was accelerating the rate of production at which it refines uranium to 3.67% fissile purity, suitable for civilian nuclear power generation. The move came two weeks after Iran, acting after Trump reimposed sanctions aimed at blocking all Iranian oil exports to cripple its economy, declared it would scale back some commitments under the accord it signed with six world powers. Under the 2015 deal, the Islamic Republic was allowed to stockpile a maximum of 300 kg of low-enriched uranium, and ship any excess out of the country for storage or sale. Iran said this month that cap no longer applied in response to the unilateral U.S. withdrawal from the deal. Trump has condemned the accord, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Iran's ballistic missile program and role in conflicts around the Middle East. Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told Tasnim that the U.N. atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), had been notified about the move to step up the production rate of low-enriched uranium fourfold. "It won't be long until we pass the 300-kg limit of low enriched uranium. So it's better for the other side to do what it's necessary to be done," Kamalvandi said, alluding to steps by other powers to shield Iran's economy from U.S. sanctions. He said the acceleration of Iran's centrifuge enrichment machines remained within the bounds of the nuclear deal, and Tehran had no intention to exit the accord. It was not clear how far Iran's current stock of low-enriched uranium was from the 300-kg limit. Under the deal Iran may enrich uranium to 3.67% purity - far below the 90% of weapons grade, and also below the 20% level to which Iran refined uranium before the deal. Iran has threatened that in 60 days it would resume enrichment beyond the 3.67% level unless remaining signatories of the deal - Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - find a way to safeguard its vital oil and banking sectors. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Mark Heinrich) (Adds comment from Mexico's president, background) By Diego Ore MEXICO CITY, May 20 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday he had ordered his foreign minister to seek a pact with the United States, Canada and other nations in support of a development plan for Central America to control immigration. Lopez Obrador said U.S. President Donald Trump had made a commitment for U.S. investment in Central America and Mexico, and had shown interest in his push for economic development over security aid, but that the next step was to sign an agreement. "We no longer want cooperation for security forces. We don't want the Merida plan, we don't want helicopters mounted with machine guns. We want cooperation for development," said Lopez Obrador, reiterating his view that only economic development will tackle the root causes of immigration. Lopez Obrador has said he wants the United States to ditch the Merida Initiative that deploys millions of dollars for security programs in Mexico in favor of more development assistance. However, Trump earlier this year ordered an end to U.S. aid to Central America over rising numbers of immigrants. He threatened to impose tariffs if Mexico does not do more to stop the flow of mostly Central Americans reaching the U.S. southern border, the biggest wave in a decade. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in December that Washington was committing $5.8 billion to development in Central America and increasing public and private investment in Mexico via the Overseas Private Investment Corporation by $4.8 billion. In a partial rollback of the aid cut last week, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Washington would continue funding police forces in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. (Reporting by Diego Ore; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Jonathan Oatis) (Updates with details, comment from launch event) By Emma Batha LONDON, May 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Tens of thousands of North Korean women and girls - some as young as 9 - are being trafficked into sexual slavery in China as they try to flee poverty and oppression in their homeland, experts on the reclusive state said on Monday. The sexual exploitation of North Koreans generates at least $105 million in annual profits for the Chinese underworld, according to a report by the non-profit Korea Future Initiative, which includes harrowing accounts from trafficked women. "Victims are prostituted for as little as 30 Chinese yuan ($4.30), sold as wives for just 1,000 yuan, and trafficked into cybersex dens for exploitation by a global online audience," the report's author Yoon Hee-soon said. "Many are sold more than once and are forced into at least one form of sexual slavery within a year of leaving their homeland." An estimated 60% of North Korean girls and women in China are trafficked into the sex trade, according to the report, launched at an event at Britain's parliament. Nearly half are pressed into prostitution, about a third sold into marriage and most others pushed into cybersex, researchers said. No one at the Chinese embassy in London was immediately available for comment. Gathering information in North Korea is notoriously difficult. Many North Koreans are enslaved in brothels in districts in northeast China with large migrant worker populations, the report said. Trafficking survivors said prostitutes further south, in Shanghai, were branded with tattoos such as lions and butterflies to show ownership and deter abductions by rivals. Interviewees told of women dying from sexually transmitted diseases and abuse. FORCED ABORTIONS Girls and women enslaved in cybersex dens are usually aged between 12 and 29 but are sometimes younger, the report said. They are forced to perform sex acts or sexually assaulted in front of webcams. A live-stream featuring a young girl can cost $110, researchers said, adding that many subscribers appeared to be South Korean. Story continues One woman, referred to as Ms Choi, told how she was taken to an apartment where she was shocked to see pre-pubescent girls. "(There) was a bed in front of a table with a computer and webcam. Four men ... gang raped me. When the third man began raping me (I) was bleeding ... I cannot remember any more." The report said women forced into marriage were mostly sold in rural areas for 1,000 to 50,000 yuan, and were raped and abused by their husbands. Estimates of the number of North Koreans in China vary between 50,000 and 200,000. China's policy of detaining and repatriating North Koreans forces them to live in the shadows, placing them at high risk of exploitation, Yoon said. Some are sold by policemen after arrest, while others are duped by traffickers offering to get them to countries where they can claim asylum, the report said. Abductions are also common. Researchers said some trafficking networks stretched into North Korea where "sub-brokers" scour markets, villages and transport hubs for destitute-looking girls to fulfill orders from Chinese pimps and madams. David Alton, co-chairman of Britain's All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea, said the abuse uncovered by the two-year investigation was "horrific." He said the trafficking of North Korean women was tied to China's one-child policy, which has distorted the country's gender balance due to the preference for boys. One trafficking survivor, who was repatriated three times before finally escaping to South Korea, told the launch event how pregnant women sent back to North Korea were forced to undergo abortions. The woman said she was sent to a concentration camp where a doctor ripped her baby from her body - without anesthetic - and tore him limb from limb. The London-based Korea Future Initiative urged all states to help North Koreans in China escape and said embassies should accept asylum seekers as refugees. ($1 = 6.9182 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Emma Batha @emmabatha; 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) * June 25-26 event meant to help W.Bank, Gaza investment * Seen as preliminary announcement of Trump peace proposal (Adds comments by Palestinian businessman, Israeli deputy FM) By Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 20 (Reuters) - Palestinians will stay away from a U.S.-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as an overture to its own plan for peace between them and Israel, a Palestinian cabinet minister said on Monday. Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians, who have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017, have shown little interest in discussing a plan on which they had no input and that they anticipate will fall far short of their core demands. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that his government had not been consulted on the June 25-26 gathering in Manama. After the cabinet met, Ahhmed Majdalani, the social development minister and a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation executive committee, said: "There will be no Palestinian participation in the Manama workshop." "Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel," he said. Shtayyeh reiterated Palestinians' aspirations for a two-state peace agreement with Israel entailing control of the occupied West Bank and Gaza - currently run by the Islamist group Hamas - as well as East Jerusalem as their future capital. Internationally-mediated talks to that end have been stalemated for years. Israel calls Jerusalem its indivisible capital and has said it might declare sovereignty in its West Bank settlements, which are deemed illegal by the United Nations and most foreign goverments. U.S. officials have predicted the Manama event will include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. Story continues The economic component discussed will constitute an announcent on the first part of the Trump peace plan, U.S. officials have said. But Bashar Masri, a Palestinian businessman and the founder of Rawabi, the first Palestinian planned city in the West Bank, said he had turned down an invitation to speak at the conference. "We will not engage in any event outside the Palestinian national consensus," Masri wrote on social media. "The idea of an economic peace is an old one now being asked in a different way, and just as our people have rejected it in the past, we reject it now." Israel's finance minister, Moshe Kahlon, said on Sunday he had yet to receive any invitation to the Bahrain meeting. On Monday, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said Israel was open to attending. "We have no problem sending representatives to Bahrain, but the problem, as always, is that the Palestinian side is not genuinely interested in economic benefits," said Hotovely, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party. The Trump administration has said its still-secret peace plan would require compromise by both sides. Since being boycotted by the Palestinians, it has cut back on U.S. aid for them, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza's ruling Hamas movement, shunned in the West for its hostility to Israel and locked in a power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah party, also condemned the Bahrain conference. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Rami Ayyub and Jeffrey Heller Writing by Dan Williams Editing by Mark Heinrich) (Adds Arab League statement) DUBAI, May 20 (Reuters) - Qatar has not been invited to two regional summits called to discuss attacks on Saudi oil assets, a Qatari Foreign Ministry official said on Monday, but the Arab League said it had circulated invitations to member states. Saudi King Salman on Saturday proposed holding a summit of Gulf Arab rulers and a wider meeting of Arab leaders in Mecca on May 30 to discuss last week's drone strikes on oil installations in the kingdom and attacks on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar since June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism and is cosying up to regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the charges. "Qatar, which is still isolated from its neighbors, did not receive an invitation to attend the two summits," the director of the Qatari Foreign Ministry Information Office said on Twitter, citing State Minister for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad al-Muraikhi. The Saudi Foreign Ministry and government communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Cairo-based League of Arab States said in a statement that its secretariat had on Sunday "circulated the invitation issued by (King Salman) to Arab leaders to convene an emergency Arab summit in Mecca." Leaders of Arab and other Muslim countries were already due to gather in Mecca at the end of May for a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of ordering the drone strikes, for which Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility. The kingdom said while it did not want war to break out in the region, it was ready to respond strongly. The UAE has not blamed anyone for the sabotage acts against the tankers pending an investigation and said it was committed to de-escalation. Story continues Iran has denied it carried out either attack. The UAE on Sunday said that the current "critical circumstances" in the region required a "unified Arab and Gulf stance." Yemen's Houthi movement on Monday denied Saudi media reports that it had fired a ballistic missile towards Mecca, Islam's holiest site. (Reporting by Stephen Kalin in Riyadh, Lisa Barrington and Asma Alsharif in Dubai and Mahmoud Mourad in Cairo; Editing by Alison Williams, William Maclean) * Pollsters review their methods * Polls have prompted parties to remove four sitting leaders * Billionaire candidate added complexity to election result (Recasts) By Tom Westbrook and Jonathan Barrett SYDNEY, May 20 (Reuters) - The group responsible for Australia's top opinion poll and an industry body for market research will review their methods to uncover how pollsters came to wrongly predict a victory for the opposition in the general election, they said on Monday. Saturday's win by Australia's Liberal-led conservative government defied years of unfavorable opinion polls and bruised a Labor opposition that had widely been expected to triumph. The miracle, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the victory, is the latest political event to confound media and forecasters, following the Brexit referendum and the 2016 U.S. election in catching markets on the wrong foot. "I think we need to re-establish public confidence in the usefulness and credibility of polling," said Craig Young, president of the Association of Market and Social Research Organisations. "We will be conducting a review of the election polls, and particularly the methodology and sampling practices undertaken, with a view to working out why did they all call it incorrectly," he told Reuters. Newspoll, the country's most widely-watched opinion poll, is also reviewing its incorrect forecast for a narrow Labor win, said David Briggs, the managing director of YouGov, which runs Newspoll's surveys. "For the first time ever in my 30-odd years of doing this we now have to say we're really sorry we weren't as accurate as we could be, but hey, we're looking into it," he said by telephone, but added the poll's seat-by-seat predictions proved right. UNPLUGGED Opinion polls, particularly Newspoll, have played a key role in recent politics, prompting parties to remove four incumbent Australian prime ministers in eight years. Story continues All the polls forecast a win for Labor on Saturday and so strong was the expectation the government would fall that one betting agency paid out on a Labor win days before the election. Australia's conservative coalition is now poised to secure an outright majority, allowing Morrison to further his legislative agenda without support from independents. Martin O'Shannessy, who ran Newspoll for a decade until 2016, attributed the problem to the decline of the landline telephone, mostly. That robbed researchers of their most powerful tool, the telephone book, just as automated calls and cheap online surveys took off, he said, with the latter lacking the depth or statistical rigor of phone interviews. "The kind of approaches that are acceptable in the commercial environment are the kind of ones that give us surprises at a political level," he added. Although Australia's compulsory voting means pollsters don't need to weight results against turnout, the task is complicated by the system of preferential votes that can flow to another candidate if a voter's first choice is not in contention. Billionaire Clive Palmer poured tens of millions of dollars into a largely anti-Labor advertisement drive, snatching a small but significant cohort of first preferences in most electorates. Those preferences generally flowed through to the coalition, according to analysis of Australian Electoral Commission data, adding a variable for pollsters. FRINGE POLITICS Early vote-counting from the resource-rich state of Queensland showed Morrison had much more support than expected in the urban fringes and rural townships, a trend that proved decisive. Just as U.S. President Donald Trump offered a nod to the "silent majority" for his unexpected victory of 2016, Morrison credited "quiet Australians" for his success. Colin Dunne, a grains and cattle farmer at Duringa in Queensland, said automated polling calls he received did not tap into local sentiment. "They just want you to say, 'Yes, No, Press one for this, Press two for that,' and then you're gone," Dunne told Reuters. "I thought it'd be a bigger swing, to be truthful. From where I go round, everyone I talk to is not voting Labor." (Reporting by Tom Westbrook and Jonathan Barrett in SYDNEY; Editing by Robert Birsel and Clarence Fernandez) (Adds quote from candidate, paragraph 11) By Tom Polansek DUBUQUE, Iowa, May 20 (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg asked a crowd of supporters packed into an Iowa brewery this weekend whether the United States has a plan to win the ongoing trade war with China. "Nooo," was the response. The world's two largest economies have been locked in a 10-month trade war that has roiled global supply chains and rattled financial markets. U.S. farmers, who helped carry Trump to his surprise 2016 election win, have been among the hardest-hit as China has imposed tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans, pork and grain sorghum in response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Now, increasing frustrations over the prolonged dispute are prompting some rural residents in Iowa, home of the first presidential nominating contest in February, to consider candidates other than President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Their desire for alternatives highlights the deep financial pain the trade war is causing in the agriculture sector, a backbone of Iowa's economy. Farm incomes have also suffered from years of overproduction and low commodity prices. The United States and China appeared on track for an agreement before relations soured this month, pushing U.S. soybean futures to their lowest in more than a decade. Virgil Murray of Bellevue, Iowa, a city of about 2,000 people, voted for Trump and considers himself a Republican. But the 72-year-old retired school superintendent attended the rally for Buttigieg in Dubuque on Saturday with his wife, a Democrat. Murray said he is open to voting for a Democratic candidate. "A lot of the farmers voted for Trump. Now they're feeling it," said Murray, who lives near the Mississippi River, a key pipeline for moving grain from Midwestern farms to export terminals along the Gulf Coast Trump has pledged to help farmers with direct payments and says the China trade war will benefit them in the long run. Story continues Other Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden, who leads primary polls, have also criticized Trump's trade policies. Rival John Hickenlooper, the former governor of Colorado, called Trump's trade policy "reckless" at an event in Chicago on Monday, calling the trade war "a tax on the American people." Farmers worry that a deal to end the trade dispute will take much longer than expected after Trump on May 9 increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. China quickly raised tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods in response. "We were optimistic. That blew up," Ken Ries, a farmer who raises soybeans, corn and hogs, said in an interview at his home in Ryan, Iowa. SOY FARMERS SUCKING AIR Ries, 69, voted for Trump in 2016 and said he will not vote for a Democrat in 2020 but would consider a candidate other than Trump if there is a Republican primary. "The soybean farmer is sucking air," Ries said. Some farmers are wary of Democrats who have expressed opposition to "Big Ag" and support for the Green New Deal, a proposal that aims to cut carbon emissions in agriculture and other parts of the economy, said Kirk Leeds, chief executive of the Iowa Soybean Association. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, another Democratic presidential contender, has advocated breaking up large agribusinesses that dominate dealings in the meat and grain sectors. "I think you're going to see the support for the president stay pretty solid, based on no clear alternative," Leeds said. But some farmers who are unhappy with Trump and dislike Democrats could not vote at all during the next election, Leeds said. $20 BILLION IN AID The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing a second package of aid worth up to $20 billion for farmers hurt by the trade war. The agency in 2018 pledged up to $12 billion, most of it in direct payments to farmers to help offset their crop losses. It has allocated about $9.4 billion of that so far. Charmayne McMurray, who raised crops and livestock for more than a quarter century in Andrew, Iowa, said the payouts will not stop farmers from considering Democratic candidates. "Farmers, they want to work. They don't want a handout," said McMurray, a 73-year-old undecided Democrat who now lives in Dubuque and was among about 550 people at Buttigieg's rally. Dubuque County flipped from supporting Democrat Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016. Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said Trump launched the trade war without a strategy of how to win it. The dispute is just one problem that could prompt farmers to consider Democratic candidates in 2020, he said. Other threats include consolidation among commodity buyers and changes in climate that are making it more difficult to produce crops, Buttigieg told reporters. "I've certainly talked to a lot of farmers who are getting killed and in a lot of different ways," he said. "All of these things I think are a good moment for Democrats to remind rural America why we have a better message for them than the current president, who I think has been taking them for granted." (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Caroline Stauffer, Chris Reese and Dan Grebler) (Updates with Saudi claim of intercepting missiles, recasts) JEDDAH, May 20 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it had intercepted two missiles in Mecca province fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, who earlier denied having targetted Islam's holiest site. The foiled strike comes at a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and Gulf Arab states and a roughly four-year conflict in Yemen largely seen as a proxy war between the two sides. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are leading a Western-backed coalition of Sunni Muslim states that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government ousted from power in Sanaa by the Houthis in late 2014. A Saudi coalition spokesman said, "Royal Saudi Defence Forces spotted aerial targets flying through restricted areas in the provinces of Jeddah and Taif and dealt with them as required by the situation," according to Saudi's state news agency SPA. In a tweet, Saudi Arabia's embassy in Washington said the two missiles had been intercepted in Mecca province, which includes Jeddah and Taif. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, citing eyewitnesses, reported earlier on Monday that air defense forces had intercepted two ballistic missiles above the two western cities of Jeddah and Taif and said the first one had been directed towards Mecca, without providing evidence. The Houthis denied that their missiles were targeting Mecca, a pilgrimage site roughly 70 km (40 miles)from Jeddah and 50 km (30 miles) from Taif. The group called the claim a tactic by Saudi Arabia to rally support for its war. "The Saudi regime is trying, through these allegations, to rally support for its brutal aggression against our great Yemeni people," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Facebook. More than two million Muslims from around the world make the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Many also visit the city during the holy month of Ramadan, which is underway. Story continues Riyadh has accused Iran of ordering last week's drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, for which the Houthis claimed responsibility. Tehran denied doing so. Washington and Tehran have been sparring over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential conflict between the United States and Iran. On Sunday, the Houthi-run SABA news agency said the group would start military operations against 300 vital military targets, including headquarters and facilities, in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and coalition targets inside Yemen. Yemen's conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but the Houthis deny being Iranian puppets and say they are waging a revolution against corruption. The strikes on Aramco pumping stations came two days after attacks on vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the UAE, which no one has claimed responsibility for. The UAE has not blamed anyone pending an investigation. Two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran encouraged the Houthis or Iraq-based Shi'ite Muslim militias to carry out the attacks. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi cities and oil installations with missiles and drones, mostly n border areas. Twice, in 2016 and 2017, the coalition said the group had launched a missile towards Mecca, but the movement said it was targeting nearby airports. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Asma Al Sharif in Dubai, Stephen Kalin in Jeddah Editing by Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Oatis) (Adds Meadows comments) By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Justin Amash, the first Republican in the U.S. Congress to say openly that President Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses, on Monday fired back at critics, including Trump. Standing behind his earlier remarks, Amash issued a string of tweets that challenged some of the most common arguments of those who defend Trump over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. The new Amash tweets followed his earlier remarks on Twitter on Saturday, when he said that the Mueller report on Russia showed that Trump, a fellow Republican, had obstructed justice. "President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct," the Michigan conservative said then, drawing a broadside from Trump. In his usual caustic style, the president on Sunday tweeted that Amash was "a total lightweight" and "a loser." In addition, in a case of swift political retribution, Amash drew an election challenge from within his own party on Monday when Jim Lower, a Michigan state legislator who described himself as "pro-Trump," said he would challenge Amash in the 2020 Republican primary, the Detroit Free Press reported. Amash in his latest tweets said that people who say Trump could not have intended to illegally obstruct Mueller's investigation relied on several falsehoods, including a claim that there were no underlying crimes. "In fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not," Amash wrote on Twitter. Muellers investigation led to criminal charges against 34 people, including Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who agreed to cooperate with the probe. Amash also said that bringing an obstruction of justice case did not, as some of Trump's backers have argued, require the prosecution of an underlying crime. Story continues Further, he said, "high crimes and misdemeanors," the U.S. Constitution's standard for removing a president from office, does not require corresponding statutory charges. "The context implies conduct that violates the public trust," Amash said. No U.S. president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of the U.S. Constitution's impeachment process. Democrats have debated for months whether to start proceedings to remove Trump from office, but no Republican in Congress, other than Amash, has called Trump's conduct impeachable. While Amash's remarks made calls in Congress for Trump's removal bipartisan, there were no signs late on Monday of other Republicans following his lead. A long-time Trump critic, Amash is part of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative House of Representatives faction whose members normally defend Trump. Amash has also signaled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020. Representative Mark Meadows, the leader of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters Monday that he and other members of the group do not agree with Amash's impeachment remarks, calling them "poorly informed" and a "faulty analysis." But, he said he still expected Amash to be re-elected again to Congress next year. Meadows said Amash's conclusion about impeachment was an outlier among Republicans. "This is not the crack or the floodgates opening up because of this one person," Meadows said. "In fact itll have no impact on any other Republican member in terms of their position in support of the president." Amash has been in Congress since 2011 and has faced only one serious primary challenge since then. He beat that opponent by nearly 15 points in 2014. Michigan voters helped put Trump in the White House in 2016 by a slim margin. Democrats gained ground in 2018's congressional and state elections, making the Midwestern state a key political battleground in 2020. (additional reporting by David Morgan) Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Bill Berkrot) (Adds defense attorney, details, background) By Helena Soderpalm STOCKHOLM, May 20 (Reuters) - The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday filed a request with a local court for his detention in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Sweden reopened an investigation into the rape allegation last week. It was first made in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday. She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him. Sweden's decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubts on where Assange may eventually end up, with U.S. authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information. (Reporting by Helena Soderpalm and Esha Vaish; editing by John Stonestreet and Niklas Pollard) (Recasts with prime minister named) KINSHASA, May 20 (Reuters) - Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, a career politician and ally of former President Joseph Kabila, was appointed as Democratic Republic of Congo's prime minister on Monday, the government said in a statement. Ilukamba was previously the head of Congo's national railway company, known as the SNCC, and has served in various government posts since the 1970s, according to an official biography released on Monday. Felix Tshisekedi won long-delayed presidential elections in Dec. 30, 2018, defeating a candidate officially backed by Kabila, whose own term limit was up. Opposition politicians say the result was rigged in a secret deal between Kabila's and Tshisekedi's camps under which Kabila would officially step down but maintain control, a charge they both denied. Forming a new government has taken months, in part because of disagreements over the appointment of a Prime Minister. Kabila had wanted Tshisekedi to appoint Albert Yuma, a Kabila ally and chairman of state mining company Gecamines, but Tshisekedi refused because of Yuma's checkered history, sources familiar with the matter said. Under Congo's constitution, the candidate must come from the ranks of the parliamentary majority, Kabilas Common Front for Congo (FCC). Ilukamba is also from Katanga, the same mineral-rich part of the country as Kabila. Despite concerns, the appointment marks at least an official move on from Kabila's 18-year rule. On Monday, Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi returned home from three years in exile, one of a series of indicted politicians cleared under Tshisekedi's administration. Thousands of supporters came out to welcome Katumbi at the airport in Lubumbashi, the main city in his political heartland in the copper-mining Katanga region. "I'm happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs," he said. Tshisekedi has pardoned 700 prisoners including three political opponents of his predecessor Joseph Kabila since coming to power in January. Story continues His supporters say the moves point to a new era political openness after years of suppression of opposition figures. Katumbi fled the country in May 2016 in the face of accusations he had hired mercenaries as part of a plot against Kabila's government. He was then sentenced in absentia to three years in prison for real estate fraud - both charges his supporters said were aimed at preventing him from running in an election to replace Kabila. But Katumbi's fraud conviction was overturned by an appeals court last month. And prosecutors said they had also dropped their investigations into the mercenary accusations "given that the president of the republic has made easing political tensions his priority." (Reporting by Fiston Mahamba and Stanis Bujakera; Writing by Juliette Jabkhiro and Edward McAllister; Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean) (Adds Trump remarks, Cummings statement) By Jan Wolfe May 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Monday ruled in favor of a U.S. House of Representatives committee seeking President Donald Trump's financial records from his accounting firm, dealing an early setback to the Trump administration in its legal battle with Congress. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington also denied a request by Trump to stay his decision pending an appeal. Last Tuesday Mehta heard oral arguments on whether Mazars LLP must comply with a House of Representatives Oversight Committee subpoena. Mehta said in Monday's ruling that the committee "has shown that it is not engaged in a pure fishing expedition for the President's financial records" and that the Mazars documents might assist Congress in passing laws and performing other core functions. "It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct - past or present - even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry," Mehta said. Mehta said Mazars has seven days to comply with the subpoena. It was the first time a federal court had waded into the tussle about how far Congress can go in probing Trump and his business affairs. Trump told reporters the decision was "crazy" and that it would be appealed. "It's totally the wrong decision by obviously an Obama-appointed judge," Trump said. Trump is refusing to cooperate with a series of investigations on issues ranging from his tax returns and policy decisions to his Washington hotel and his children's security clearances. The standoff deepened on Monday when Trump told former White House counsel Don McGahn to defy a subpoena to testify about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation before a different congressional committee. Trump's lawyers have 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." Story continues 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. Mehta was appointed in 2014 by Democratic former President Barack Obama, who was often investigated 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." The ruling was "a resounding victory for the rule of law," Elijah Cummings, the House Oversight Committee chairman, said in a statement. "Congress must have access to the information we need to do our job effectively and efficiently, and we urge the President to stop engaging in this unprecedented cover-up and start complying with the law," Cummings said. A judge in Manhattan will hear arguments on May 22 in a similar lawsuit Trump filed to block subpoenas issued to Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp. Mehta's ruling "will probably have considerable weight in similar factual contexts where the House is seeking other records," said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Writing by Jan Wolfe and Howard Goller Editing by Dan Grebler, Grant McCool and James Dalgleish) (Adds defense lawyer comment, Border Patrol comment, background) By Andrew Hay May 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent had called migrants "subhuman" and "savages" in text messages weeks before he knocked over a migrant with a pickup truck, according to federal court documents. Agent Matthew Bowen sent the messages in November 2017, two weeks before he is accused of deliberately knocking over a Guatemalan man with his Border Patrol vehicle in Nogales, Arizona, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. Prosecutors Monica Ryan and Lori Price filed the documents on April 30 with a request to use the messages in court to show Bowen's "state of mind" prior to the incident and his "willful" intent to knock over the migrant on Dec. 3, 2017. They said the messages showed Bowen's "great disdain for the aliens" and "dissatisfaction with restrictions Border Patrol placed on its agents in how they could apprehend aliens." Defense lawyer Sean Chapman, in a May 10 response to block release of the messages, said the case turned on whether Bowen, by using his truck to stop the fleeing individual, used excessive force. "Text messages using such language is not admissible because Mr. Bowen's alleged 'disdain' for aliens is not relevant to the issues before the jury," Chapman wrote. The court has yet to decide whether the text messages will be made available to the jury. The case comes at a time when the Border Patrol has been overwhelmed by a surge in migrants from Guatemala and other Central American countries. Human rights groups regularly accuse Border Patrol of mistreating migrants. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost on May 8 said assaults of her agents were up 20 percent. A Guatemalan woman faces felony assault charges for biting a Tucson agent during her arrest on Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection tweeted. A federal grand jury indicted Bowen on May 30, 2018, on charges of denying the Guatemalan man his civil rights and filing a false report, court records show. Story continues The Border Patrol in Tucson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bowen bumped the migrant, identified as Antolin Lopez Aguilar, 23, causing him to fall as he ran from agents, according to an affidavit by a Department of Homeland Security official. Lopez, who had earlier jumped a border fence, suffered abrasions to his right hand and knees and was arrested, the affidavit said. In a statement, Tucson Sector Border Patrol said agents were "held to the highest standards, and any action or misconduct within our ranks will not be tolerated." A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin on Aug. 13. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler) (Adds background to case, paragraphs 3-10) By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid to avoid deportation by a Christian Iraqi immigrant who argued he would be tortured if sent back to his home country for a drug conviction after more than three decades in the United States. The justices declined to hear an appeal by Amir Shabo, who was detained in 2017 during a sweep targeting hundreds of Iraqi immigrants who had prior criminal convictions and had been ordered deported as part of by President Donald Trump's push to intensify immigration enforcement. Shabo, 51, had challenged a lower court ruling that went against him. Shabo, a married father of two who lives in Sterling Heights, Michigan, fled Iraq with his family and immigrated to the United States in 1985, becoming a legal permanent resident. Shabo was convicted of cocaine possession in 1992 and served five years in prison. In deportation proceedings at the time, Shabo argued he would be targeted for persecution in predominantly Muslim Iraq as a member of the Chaldean Christian minority and because he and his brother had refused to enlist to fight for then-President Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government in 1989. U.S. and international law prohibit deporting people if they are likely to be tortured. However, federal immigration law typically prevents courts from reviewing the deportation of non-U.S. citizens who have committed serious crimes. At issue was whether federal appeals courts can second guess immigration officials' determinations about the potential for torture in cases involving non-citizens with criminal records. Immigration officials had said that because of Shabo's criminal conviction his expulsion could not be halted. But Iraq at that time was not issuing travel documents, and Shabo was allowed to remain in the United States. Iraq in 2017 agreed to accept its citizens deported from the United States as part of a deal to remove the country from Trump's travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries. Story continues Anticipating being detained, Shabo asked officials to reopen his deportation case, again arguing that he would be subject to torture, noting the presence of the Islamic State militant group in Iraq. But the Board of Immigration Appeals, an administrative body within the Justice Department, disagreed. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that under immigration law it did not have jurisdiction to review the board's decision. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham) (Adds court taking no action) By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday took no action on appeals seeking to revive two restrictive Republican-backed abortion laws from Indiana, even as debate rages over a new measure in Alabama that would prohibit the procedure almost entirely. Neither Indiana case was on the list of appeals on which the court acted on Monday morning. The court could next announce whether or not it will hear the cases on May 28. If the nine-justice court takes up either case, it would give the conservative majority an opportunity to chip away at the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and recognized a right under the U.S. Constitution for women to terminate pregnancies. One of the Indiana laws requires fetal remains to be buried or cremated and bans abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus. The other law requires women to undergo an ultrasound examination at least 18 hours before they undergo an abortion. Both Indiana measures were signed into law in 2016 by Vice President Mike Pence when he was Indiana's governor and were struck down by federal judges the following year. The state of Indiana is appealing to the Supreme Court. The Alabama law was signed by Republican Governor Kay Ivey last week but is not set to go into effect for six months. It would outlaw almost all abortions, including in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Exceptions would be allowed only to protect the mother's health. Doctors who perform abortions could face up to 99 years in prison. The Alabama law was written with the assumption that it would face legal challenges and could ultimately end up at the high court. Conservative activists have long denounced the Roe v. Wade decision and hope that the conservative Supreme Court justices, who hold a 5-4 majority, will undermine or even overturn it. Their chances of success were given a boost last year by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who had backed abortion rights in two key cases. Kennedy was replaced by President Donald Trump's conservative appointee Brett Kavanaugh, who has a thin record on abortion. Story continues Legislation to restrict abortion rights has been introduced this year in 16 states. Four governors have signed bills banning abortion if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected. Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts, who has voted against abortion rights in previous cases, are seen by legal experts as the key votes to watch. The high court has two other abortion cases on its docket that it will also act on in the coming months - attempts by Alabama and Louisiana to revive other previously blocked abortion restrictions. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Bill Berkrot and Will Dunham) (Adds quotes, background) GENEVA, May 20 (Reuters) - The World Food Programme is considering suspending aid delivery in the areas under the control of Yemen's Houthi group because of fighting, insecurity and interference it its work, the agency said on Monday. "Humanitarian workers in Yemen are being denied access to the hungry, aid convoys have been blocked, and local authorities have interfered with food distribution," the WFP said in a statement. "This has to stop." The highly unusual threat from the U.N. agency, which is feeding more than 10 million people across Yemen, reflected what it said were "obstacles that are being put in our way." "We face daily challenges due to the unrelenting fighting and insecurity in Yemen. And yet, our greatest challenge does not come from the guns, that are yet to fall silent in this conflict - instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control." The phased suspension of aid would be a last resort and nutrition activities directly targeting malnourished children and women would continue, the statement said. WFP said it previously worked with leaders to resolve problems, such as when the Saudi-led coalition which is fighting against the Houthis delayed the movement of cranes to the key port of Hodeidah and cut food supplies by blockading the port. Negotiations with Houthi leaders to open up access to hungry people had not yet brought tangible results, WFP said, although some had made positive commitments. "Unfortunately, they (Houthi leaders) are being let down by other Houthi leaders who have broken assurances they gave us on stopping food diversions and finally agreeing to a beneficiary identification and biometric registration exercise." WFP's threat of a partial pullout comes after fighting around Hodeidah marred an apparent diplomatic breakthrough by U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, who got the Iranian-aligned Houthis to agree a unilateral withdrawal of their forces from Hodeidah and two other ports earlier this month. Since then Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed pro-government forces have battled in the port city, breaching a ceasefire and casting into doubt the full implementation of the plan for both sides' forces to move back from the port. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Tom Miles; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean) (Adds Trump statement) By Amanda Becker May 20 (Reuters) - Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper on Monday said there is an "authoritarian mentality" in the White House and the United States does not need its own "strongman," as he delivered the first major foreign policy address among two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination. "I think history clearly demonstrates that when you have a so-called strongman - a dictator - you don't have rule of law," Hickenlooper said when asked at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs if that was a better approach to foreign policy than multilateralism. In his address, Hickenlooper said China "represents a generational challenge" for national security; that Russia "actively works against our interests" by propping up Bashar Hafez al-Assad in Syria and Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela; and that North Korea's nuclear program "threatens its region and beyond." "From Moscow to Beijing, from Ankara to Caracas and beyond, authoritarian strongmen now threaten not only the rights of their own people, but also the foundations of international peace," Hickenlooper said. "While no invading army is storming America's shores today, this authoritarian mentality has already breached our defenses. Indeed, it has occupied the White House. We have a president who is not just ignoring many of the threats to our national security, he is aiding and abetting them," he added. Hickenlooper said President Donald Trump has "fawned over" North Korea's Kim Jong Un and treated Russia's Vladimir Putin "as his puppet master." Hickenlooper also criticized Trump for threatening to pull out of the NATO alliance, abandoning the Paris climate accord and withdrawing from trade negotiations. "We cannot hope to go back to the way the world was before Trump, too much has changed," Hickenlooper said. Story continues Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine disputed Hickenlooper's assessment of the president, saying that his "record on foreign policy is unquestionably a strength." "The Trump sanctions on Russia are the toughest. He also imposed strong sanctions on North Korea and Iran, brought the North Koreans to the negotiating table, decimated the ISIS caliphate, stood up to China for decades of unfair trade practices, strengthened America's trade deals around the world, improved NAFTA, and steered NATO on the right path," Perrine said in an email. Hickenlooper, who trails in opinion polls, is trying to show how he stands out in a field of Democratic White House hopefuls that include many with years of Washington experience, such as former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Hickenlooper criticized other Democrats for wanting to "withdraw from our global leadership role," and said he would use "constant engagement" to expand trade, modernize the military and form strong global alliances, taking an "activist, not a pacifist" approach to foreign policy. Hickenlooper said he would reaffirm the country's commitment to the NATO alliance, revive arms control talks with China and Russia and reject boycotts, divestment or sanctions on Israel. He also said he would consider re-establishing the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement made by the Obama administration, and re-enter the Paris climate agreement. Trump has pulled the United States out of both of those accords. Hickenlooper also proposed creation of the position of "Director of National Cybersecurity" to formulate a 20-year plan to coordinate efforts among existing security and intelligence agencies. (GRAPHIC: Who is running in 2020 - tmsnrt.rs/2Ff62ZC) (Reporting By Amanda Becker Editing by Bill Berkrot and James Dalgleish) Cairo (AFP) - Twelve suspected jihadists were killed Monday in police raids near Cairo, Egypt's interior ministry said, a day after a bomb blast injured 17 people including tourists near the Giza pyramids. Security forces "carried out a raid against an apartment in the 6th of October district used for making explosive devices... These forces were shot at and responded, which left seven dead among the group," which has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, the ministry said in a statement. In another such raid in Cairo's Al-Shorouk neighbourhood against the militant Hasm group, an armed affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, the ministry said five suspected jihadists were killed in an exchange of fire. Weapons and ammunition were seized in the two apartments, the interior ministry said. "As part of the ministry's efforts to tackle the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organisation, information reached national security services" of attacks being prepared by Hasm, the ministry said. The statement did not directly link the raids to Sunday's attack in which a roadside bomb hit a tourist bus near the famed Giza pyramids. There was no claim of responsibility. It came months after three Vietnamese holidaymakers and their Egyptian guide were killed when a roadside bomb hit their bus near the pyramids in December. Egyptian authorities led a crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood members after the military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The Hasm group emerged in 2016 and has in the past claimed responsibility for several attacks. 100 K St. NE. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Capitol Hill? According to Walk Score, this Washington neighborhood is quite walkable, is very bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Capitol Hill is currently hovering around $1,975. So, what might you expect to find if you've got a budget of $2,000 / 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. 1152 Oates St. NE, #1 Listed at $2,000/month, this 750-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 1152 Oates St. NE, #1. In the apartment, you can anticipate an open floor plan, hardwood floors, in-unit laundry, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, a luxury bathroom and many windows. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. Expect a $2000 broker's fee. (See the complete listing here.) 113 Fifth St. NE Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom located at 113 Fifth St. NE It's also listed for $2,000/month for its 700 square feet of space. In the unit, there are hardwood floors, high ceilings, in-unit laundry, fresh paint and extra storage space. When it comes to building amenities, expect storage and secured entry. Cats and dogs are not welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Take a gander at the complete listing here.) 118 E St. SE Here's an 800-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 118 E St. SE that's going for $1,995/month. Inside, you'll get a dishwasher, in-unit laundry, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. Be prepared for a $1995 broker's fee and $45 application fee. Story continues (Check out the complete listing here.) 100 K St. NE Next, check out this 528-square-foot studio that's located at 100 K St. NE It's listed for $1,990/month. In the unit, you'll get in-unit laundry, a balcony and a luxury kitchen. The building boasts a fitness center, a roof deck and a residents' lounge. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the complete listing here.) 880 New Jersey Ave. SE Located at 880 New Jersey Ave. SE, here's a 440-square-foot studio that's listed for $1,970/month. In the apartment, you can expect hardwood floors, a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are welcome on this property. (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. (Adds lawyer, details) By Helena Soderpalm STOCKHOLM, May 20 (Reuters) - The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday. She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him. Sweden's decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubt on where Assange may eventually end up, with U.S. authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information. A lawyer representing Assange in Sweden said he would tell the District Court it could not investigate the prosecutor's request until he had conferred with his client and learned whether or not he wished to oppose a detention order. "Since he is in prison in England, it has so far not been possible even to speak to him by telephone," Per Samuelson told Reuters. Assange, an Australian national, took refuge in the embassy after fighting unsuccessfully through the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden. The British courts will have to rule on the Swedish and U.S. extradition requests, with interior minister Sajid Javid having the final say on which one takes precedence. Story continues "The outcome of this process is impossible to predict," Persson said. Citing information from UK authorities, she said Assange would serve 25 weeks of his UK sentence before he could be released. A British judge has given the U.S. government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. (Reporting by Helena Soderpalm and Esha Vaish; editing by John Stonestreet and Niklas Pollard) (Adds Chinese ministry comment) By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw China unveil new retaliatory tariffs in response to a U.S. decision to raise its levies on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25% from 10%. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. "Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the ship had entered waters near the shoal without China's permission, and the Chinese navy had warned it to leave. "I must stress once again that the U.S. warship's relevant actions have violated China's sovereignty and undermined the peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas. China is firmly opposed to this," Lu told a daily news briefing. The United States was trying to disturb regional peace and stability by using the issue of freedom of navigation and flight, he added. "We strongly urge the United States to immediately stop such provocative actions so as not to undermine Sino-U.S. relations and regional peace and stability." CONSTRUCTION It was the second such U.S. military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the U.S. Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. Story continues The U.S. military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says the United States is responsible for ratcheting up tension by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Last month, China's navy chief said freedom of navigation should not be used to infringe upon the rights of other nations. (Reporting by Idrees Ali Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel) * Q1 GDP +2.1% annualized vs forecast -0.2% * Capex -0.3% on quarter, consumption -0.1% * China's slowdown, Sino-U.S. trade war weigh on GDP (Adds analyst quotes, detail) By Tetsushi Kajimoto and Leika Kihara TOKYO, May 20 (Reuters) - Japan's economic growth unexpectedly accelerated in January- March, driven by net contributions from exports and defying forecasts for a contraction in the world's third-largest economy. However, the surprise expansion was mostly caused by imports declining faster than exports, likely reflecting weak domestic demand, a point of concern for policymakers with a planned sales tax hike scheduled to take effect in October. Underscoring this challenge were private consumption and capital expenditure readings, which both fell in the first quarter, while exports suffered the biggest fall since 2015. Japan's economy grew at an annualized 2.1% in the first quarter, gross domestic product (GDP) data showed on Monday, beating market expectations for a 0.2% contraction. It followed a revised 1.6% expansion in October-December. The soft patches behind the headline GDP number could keep alive speculation that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may postpone a twice-delayed increase in the sales tax in October. "All of the most important components of GDP are negative," said Hiroaki Muto, chief economist at Tokai Tokyo Research Center. "The economy has already peaked out, so we are likely to have a mild recession," he said. "No one would object to delaying the sales tax hike." The headline GDP expansion was caused largely by a 4.6% slump in imports, the biggest drop in a decade and more than a 2.4% fall in exports. As imports fell more than exports, net exports - or shipments minus imports - added 0.4 percentage point to GDP growth, the data showed. Private consumption slid 0.1% and capital expenditure dropped 0.3%, casting doubt on policymakers' view that solid domestic demand will offset the pain from slowing exports. Story continues There have been growing calls from some former policymakers to delay the sales tax hike in the face of worsening domestic and external conditions. However, Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi put a brave face on Monday, saying that there was no change to the government's plan to raise the sales tax to 10% from 8% in October. "There's no change to our view that the fundamentals supporting domestic demand remain solid," Motegi told reporters after the data's release. But some analysts warn that Japan's economy will continue to face headwinds that could dent growth in coming quarters. "Consumer spending is likely to remain weak, because wages are not rising that much," said Kentaro Arita, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute. "In the second quarter, GDP could be zero or slightly negative because exports will remain weak. This, combined with weakening capital expenditure, means there is a risk of a recession." The GDP data comes as the government's coincident economic indicator flagged the possibility Japan may be in a recession as exports and factory output were hit by China's slowdown and the Sino-U.S. trade war. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Leika Kihara; Editing by Sam Holmes) Looking to mix things up this week? From a dinner with wine pairings to a conversation on affordable housing, here are a few top 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. Light The Night Executive Breakfast From the event description: Learn more about the impact of cancer in the workplace and our power against it on Wednesday at the Lumber Exchange Event Center. Enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast and network with other top executives in the Twin Cities. When: Wednesday, May 22, 7:30-8:45 a.m. Where: Lumber Exchange Event Center, 10 S. Fifth St., Fountain Room Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets MCCD CD Conversation: The Strength of the Affordable Housing Continuum From the event description: The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) is hosting the Strength of the Affordable Housing Continuum on Wednesday at Hope Community Inc. Expect to hear from Jeremiah Ellison, Minneapolis City Council Member, Ericka Frye and Jason Peterson, from NeighborWorks Home Partners and Shannon Smith, from Jones Hope Community. When: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30-10 a.m. Where: Hope Community Inc, 611 E. Franklin Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Fullerton Winemaker Dinner From the event description: The Lynhall is hosting Nico Giraud, its resident wine expert, for an evening of dinner and conversation with Alex Fullerton, winemaker at Fullerton Wines in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Following the reception with canapes, guests will enjoy a wonderful three-course meal prepared by Chef Kristin and her team showcasing seven of Alex's most acclaimed wines. When: Wednesday, May 22, 6:30-9 p.m. Where: The Lynhall, 2640 Lyndale Ave. South Admission: $99 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Story continues doTERRA 2019 Healthy Habits For Life - Minneapolis, MN From the event description: doTERRA isnt just about using essential oils, but about cultivating a healthy lifestyle with products that are pure, natural and safe for the whole family. This cant-miss event, on Thursday at the Hilton Minneapolis, will answer questions, offer inspiration and empower you to use creative essential oil solutions with your family and friends. When: Thursday, May 23, 2-9 p.m. Where: Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Ave., Room: Salons ABCD Admission: Free (Healthy Habits for Life | 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.); $10 (Building Successful Business Habits | 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.) 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: Alyson McPhee/Unsplash Looking for something to do this week? From a family dinner to a book signing, here's a lineup of 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. Comprehending a Cube: Eighteen Months of Living with Euclid From the event description: Russell Maret, a letter designer and letterpress printer in New York City, is discussing his book, "Interstices & Intersections or, An Autodidact Compredhends a Cube," on Tuesday at the Linda Hall Library. He will touch on the process of the books making within the context of historical editions of Euclid's "Elements." When: Tuesday, May 21, 7-8 p.m. Where: Linda Hall Library, 5109 Cherry St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Family Dinner: Share Your Input on KC Girls Prep! From the event description: The Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy is hosting a family dinner to get to know the founding team members and families on Wednesday. We'll discuss The design of the new school will be discussed together over dinner. Childcare will be provided. When: Wednesday, May 22, 5:30-7 p.m. Where: Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy, 5000 E. 17th St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Girls Night Social at The Well From the event description: Grab your gal pals and girlfriends, and join Kansas City Housewives on Thursday at The Well restaurant. Expect good eats, great drinks, Henna Tattoos, massages, networking and more. When: Thursday, May 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: The Well Bar - Grill and Rooftop, 7421 Broadway St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets 'Cook Once Eat All Week' Book Signing with Cassy Joy Garcia From the event description: Cassy Joy Garcia, a nutrition consultant and creative force behind the popular food blod, "Fed + Fit" is holding a book signing and Q&A on Thursday at Half Price Books. A two-time cookbook author, Cassys passion is bringing real food based, family-friendly recipes to life for her readers. The book, "Cook Once Eat All Week: 26 Weeks of Gluten-Free, Affordable Meal Prep to Preserve Your Time & Sanity," is a revolutionary way to get a delicious, healthy and affordable dinner on the table fast. Story continues When: Thursday, May 23, 7-9 p.m. Where: Half Price Books (Westport Store), 1002 Westport Road 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: Markus Spiske/Unsplash Looking to mix things up this week? From an outreach forum by the U.S. Dept. of Labor to music from a country and blues band, here's a roundup of options to help you get social around town. 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. U.S. Dept. of Labor San Antonio Educational and Outreach Forum From the event description: The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a free informational and outreach forum on Tuesday at St. Philip's College. Participating agencies include: Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), and Wage and Hour Division (WHD). ... The event will start with a welcome and forum overview followed by three 60-minute workshops sessions. When: Tuesday, May 21, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: St. Philip's College, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, Sutton Learning Center (SLG #10 on campus map) Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Multimedia Artist Alex Turco to Hold Meet and Greet From the event description: Meet multimedia artist Alex Turco, learn about his process and inspiration and see examples of his beautiful, custom pieces on Wednesday at Materials Marketing. When: Wednesday, May 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: Materials Marketing, 120 W. Josephine St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets San Antonio College Signing Day From the event description: The Second Annual San Antonio College Signing Day invites newly admitted San Antonio College students, as well as their family and friends, to celebrate their acceptance. Expect live music at the event. When: Thursday, May 23, 6-8 p.m. Where: San Antonio College, 1819 N. Main Ave., Candler Center Admission: Free Story continues Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band From the event description: The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band returns to Sam's Burger Joint on Thursday for a rockin good time. After 12 years of playing as many as 300 shows each year, Rev. Peyton, the worlds foremost country blues finger-style picker, along with the biggest little band in the country has pieced together one of the most dedicated followings. The group is touring to support its latest album, "Poor Until payday." When: Thursday, May 23, 8:30-11:30 p.m. Where: Sam's Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St. Admission: $12 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: Lance Anderson/Unsplash From a youth entrepreneurship competition to a presentation on European river cruises, there's plenty to enjoy in Chicago 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. NFTE Chicago Metro Regional Challenge - The Road to Nationals 2019 Meet aspiring entrepreneurs, network and enjoy cocktails this Tuesday at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. During the final round of "The Road to Nationals 2019" three teen finalists face the music as judges evaluate their final business plans. When: Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 355 E. Erie St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Author Event | Cook Once, Eat All Week - A Talk and Demo with Cassy Joy Garcia Learn how to put healthy, affordable dinners on the table without losing your sanity. This Wednesday, popular food blogger Cassy Joy Garcia, author of "Cook Once, Eat All Week," will discuss tried-and-true batch cooking methods and demo some of her gluten-free recipes. When: Wednesday, May 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where: Read It & Eat, 2142 N. Halsted St. Admission: $38.53 (Book Only) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Spring Benefit Dinner 2019 Enjoy a dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy and support a good cause. You'll learn about healing and wellness work of Cornerstone Counseling Center. Funds raised will support the Center's mission to provide mental health services on a sliding scale to clients in need. When: Thursday, May 23, 6-8 p.m. Where: Maggiano's Little Italy, 516 N. Clark St. Admission: $75 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Rivercruise Night- all you need to know about AmaWaterways Head over to Logan Square's Stan Mansion to learn about river cruising, the fastest-growing travel trend. Next May, you could be enjoying the sights and sounds of the Danube at night, while feasting on gourmet meals. Story continues When: Thursday, May 23, 6:30-8 p.m. Where: Stan Mansion, 2408 N. Kedzie Blvd. 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: Scott Warman/Unsplash From fundraisers to folksy music, there's plenty to enjoy in Portland 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. Displaced | Detained | Discovered From the event description: This is the true story of one street performer's journey through the streets of Nigeria, Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and back to Portland, told through the words of the people living on those streets. Armed with only a violin and a guitar to soothe the world's displaced, and ultimately herself, she asks the question: "How do you navigate a world in which you must close your eyes in order to stay sane?" In the end, she discovers the silent voices of Latina mothers behind the locked doors of ICE buildings, in the form of handwritten letters brought to life on the stage. When: Tuesday, May 21, 7-10 p.m. Where: The Old Church Concert Hall, 1422 S.W. 11th Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Mogli From the event description: Mogli loves life and everything about it. She spends nearly all of her time singing or traveling preferably both. Her melancholic songs are often arranged with bold drums, timbal sounds and choirs, but her folky melodies sometimes only need a grand piano. When: Wednesday, May 22, 8-11 p.m. Where: Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morrison St. Admission: $13 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Vias Imports Grand Portfolio Tasting From the event description: Taste over 100 wines from around the world and meet the producers who make them, immersing yourself in the experience of our one-of-a-kind portfolio. We don't just import wine we import passion. When: Thursday, May 23, 12-3 p.m. Where: Coopers Hall, 404 S.E. Sixth Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Story continues 40th Anniversary Spring Social From the event description: Join the Community Energy Project for a very special evening as we celebrate our 40-year history and look to the future. We will have drinks, food, dessert and live music. Plus a silent and live auction with items curated from fantastic local restaurants and shops. If you are looking to make memories we will also have a variety of experience packages, sure to delight. When: Thursday, May 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Where: The Evergreen, 618 S.E. Alder St. Admission: $40 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets People Places: The Power of Emotional Intelligence From the event description: Belief in the power of social interaction to improve quality of life underlies Koning Eizenbergs interest in sustainable neighborhoods and rethinking of housing, community and educational settings. Julie Eizenberg will explain how it frames the form and flow of their buildings across various scales and building types and examine the emotional intelligence it draws on. When: Thursday, May 23, 5:30-8 p.m. Where: The West End Ballroom, 1220 S.W. Taylor St. Admission: $5 (Student); $10 (Emerging Professional); $15 (Professional) 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. By Park Hyong-ki Chairmen of the country's top three local financial groups have departed for overseas conferences and meetings in an effort to attract foreign investors and share insights on digital business, industry sources said Monday. Woori Financial Group Chairman Sohn Tae-seung Woori Financial Group Chairman Sohn Tae-seung has left for Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong where he will hold investor relations meetings for three days until May 22. The group said Sohn will meet executives from global sovereign wealth funds, asset management companies and pension funds. "He will explain to them personally Woori's plans to boost its non-bank business portfolio through acquisitions," a Woori Financial spokesperson said. This is part of efforts to increase Woori's foreign institutional ownership to around 35 percent, the group added. Foreign investors hold a 30 percent stake in Woori Financial after it sold a 2.7 percent stake in the company in blocks to a group of unidentified foreign institutional investors last March, according to the Korea Exchange (KRX). Woori Chairman Sohn will further arrange meetings with potential investors, possibly in New York this August, the group noted. Last year, Sohn visited London, Stockholm, Hong Kong and Singapore before Woori turned into a holding company. Woori Financial has recently acquired Tongyang Asset Management and ABL Global Asset Management, formerly Allianz Asset Management. Shinhan Financial Chairman Cho Yong-byoung Cho Yong-byoung, chairman of Shinhan Financial Group, the biggest financial holding company by net profit, has also left for an overseas conference to meet with potential investors, the company said. He will be in Singapore to attend dbAccess Asia Conference 2019 hosted by Deutsche Bank until May 23. Before, he was in Japan from May 11 to 14 to meet with Shinhan Financial's shareholders and investors there. This followed Cho's visits to Toronto and San Francisco to meet with and attract potential institutional investors, including AGF Investment, Mackenzie Financial Corp. and Canadian International Investments in Toronto. "The events have enabled the chairman to communicate Shinhan's future vision to potential investors," a Shinhan Financial spokesman said. Foreign investors hold a 67.41 percent stake in Shinhan Financial, according to KRX. Shinhan Financial is seeking to boost its non-banking businesses and generate 20 percent of its total net profit from its overseas ventures by 2020, up from the current 13 percent. KB Financial Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo Photo: Miguel Henriques/Unsplash There's a little something for everyone coming up on the events calendar this week. From a chat about public safety to a wellness activity, here are some solid 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. Let's Talk Uptown: Public Safety From the event description: Uptown Dallas Inc. is proud to host "Let's Talk Uptown, a series of informative events where the topic of conversation will vary. On May 21 we will discuss public safety, moderated by Noelle LeVeaux with special guest speakers Lonzo Anderson (DPD), Jim Peters (RHI) and Michael Coughlin (MAA). When: Tuesday, May 21, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Where: Squire Patton Boggs, 2000 McKinney Ave., Suite 1700 Admission: $5 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Faculty Development and Networking Week From the event description: This presentation will provide an overview of endodontic treatment from diagnosis to obturation. Endodontic diagnosis serves an important pillar of endodontic treatment. Therefore, diagnostic tests and current terminology will be reviewed along with the steps for filling out an endodontic SOAP form. At the college, we teach a contemporary cleaning and shaping technique as well as an innovative obturation technique. These techniques will be discussed to acquaint the faculty with the steps of endodontic therapy taught at TAMCOD. When: Tuesday, May 21, 9-11 a.m. Where: Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, 3302 Gaston Ave., Room 605 Admission: Free-$50 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Kick off Event From the event description: 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 CityCentral North Dallas, Addison location. Enjoy a few beverages, complimentary appetizers and network with fellow members while checking out the space. Story continues When: Tuesday, May 21, 4-7 p.m. Where: CityCentral Dallas, 17250 Dallas Parkway Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Be Balanced Wellness Series From the event description: We're excited to announce our first installation in the Be Balanced Wellness Series. This time, we'll be focusing on occupational wellness. Join us or an authentic conversation about self care and balance as entreprenuers, parents, corporate bosses and everything in between. We'll have an interview and discussion with guest panelist representing different occupations and the impact it can have on your overall wellness. After the interview, stick around and enjoy light bites, pressed juice, cocktails and of course, great company. When: Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where: Athleta Turtle Creek, 3848 Oak Lawn Ave., #200 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Vision Africa - Professional Mixer From the event description: Come mingle with Friends of Vision Africa and meet Bishop Sunday, who leads Vision Africa, empowering people to share Gods love, equip leaders and heal those in need. Through one of the most popular radio stations in the country, church plantings and medical missions, Vision Africa brings a message of love and peace to Christians and non-Christians throughout the country of Nigeria. When: Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-8 p.m. Where: CBRE, 2100 McKinney Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Intro to Data Science: Build a Predictive Model From the event description: If you're curious about data science, then Python is the language to learn. In this interactive workshop, you'll learn the fundamentals of Python by building a predictive model from scratch, training the model and running predictions against it. We'll cover everything you need to know to start learning the language, as well as introduce core data science concepts and processes. When: Wednesday, May 22, 7-8:30 p.m. Where: The Capital Factory + The DEC, 3102 Oak Lawn Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. * Trump: conflict would be "official end" of Iran * GCC countries step-up coordinated sea security patrols * Saudi Arabia to convene emergency Arab summits * Saudi crown prince discusses regional security with Pompeo * Iran says it does not want war (Adds statement from U.S. State Department official) By Marwa Rashad and Stephen Kalin RIYADH, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with "all strength" and said it was up to Iran to avoid war. The heightened rhetoric follows last week's attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump said in a tweet without elaborating. A U.S. State Department official said the rocket attack in Baghdad did not hit a U.S.-inhabited facility and produced no casualties nor any significant damage. No claims of responsibility had been made, but the United States was taking the incident "very seriously." "We have made clear over the past two weeks and again underscore that attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner," the official said in an emailed statement. "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." Riyadh, which emphasized that it does not want a war, has accused Tehran of ordering Tuesday's drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Story continues In response, countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) began "enhanced security patrols" in the international waters of the Arabian Gulf area on Saturday, the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said on Sunday. Iran has denied involvement in either incident, which come as Washington and the Islamic Republic spar over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference on Sunday. "It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests." Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Sunday invited Gulf and Arab leaders to convene emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss implications of the attacks. "The current critical circumstances entail a unified Arab and Gulf stance toward the besetting challenges and risks," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement. The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said in its statement about increased maritime patrols that GCC countries were "specifically increasing communication and coordination with each other in support of regional naval cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf," with navies and coast guards working with the U.S. Navy. Saudi Arabia's Sunni Muslim ally the UAE has not blamed anyone for the tanker sabotage operation, pending an investigation. No-one has claimed responsibility, but two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran had encouraged the Houthi group or Iraq-based Shi'ite militias to carry it out. The drone strike on oil pumping stations, which Riyadh said did not disrupt output or exports, was claimed by the Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition in a war in Yemen since 2015. The Houthi-controlled SABA news agency said on Sunday, citing a military source from the group, that targeting Aramco's installations last week was the beginning of coming military operations against 300 vital military targets. Targets include vital military headquarters and facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, as well as their bases in Yemen, the source told SABA. The head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, derided Riyadh's call to convene Arab summits, saying in a Twitter post that they "only know how to support war and destruction." A Norwegian insurers' report seen by Reuters said Iran's Revolutionary Guards were "highly likely" to have facilitated the attack on vessels near the UAE's Fujairah emirate, a main bunkering hub lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. SAUDI PRINCE CALLS POMPEO Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed the possibility of war erupting, saying Tehran did not want conflict and no country had the "illusion it can confront Iran." This stance was echoed by the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Sunday. "We are not pursuing war but we are also not afraid of war," Major General Hossein Salami was cited as saying by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Washington has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, trying to cut Tehran's oil exports to zero, and beefed up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats to United States troops and interests. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments, including efforts to strengthen security and stability, in a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Saudi Media Ministry tweeted on Sunday. "We want peace and stability in the region but we will not sit on our hands in light of the continuing Iranian attack," Jubeir said. "The ball is in Iran's court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be." He said the crew of an Iranian oil tanker that had been towed to Saudi Arabia early this month after a request for help due to engine trouble were still in the kingdom receiving the "necessary care." The crew are 24 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars. In a sign of the heightened tension, Exxon Mobil evacuated foreign staff from an oilfield in neighboring Iraq. Bahrain on Saturday warned its citizens against travel to Iraq and Iran and asked those already there to return. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an advisory to U.S. commercial airliners flying over the waters of the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. (Additional reporting by Lisa Barrington in Dubai, Nandita Bose in Wahsington, Ali Abdelaty in Cairo, Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva; Writing by Stephen Kalin, Ghaida Ghantous and David Lawder; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Mark Potter, Chris Reese and Sandra Maler) While the sight of Notre-Dame de Paris on fire a month ago shocked the world, the cathedral has been under siege many a timeand has been rebuilt and restored at great length more than once. Preservationists have extensive records of earlier restorations and the best technology for the task at their fingertips, so restoring the cathedral could be straightforward. But it isnt. The debate over how Notre-Dame should be restored, and by whom, is only just beginning. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants the structure rebuilt more beautifully and finished within five years, a mandate presumably related to the fact that Paris will host the Olympics in 2024. Lord Norman Foster has applauded Macrons plan, calling it an acknowledgment of that tradition of new interventions and a pledge for its continuation. The cathedral, after all, was the site of one of historys most noted interventions when the church was dubbed a Temple of Reason during the French Revolution, which nearly destroyed it. And thats only the latest and most visible such episode. While, yes, our Notre-Dame is merely the latest iteration in the long life of the building, other philosophies of restoration and preservation aim to recreate structures in their Golden Age, albeit perhaps with less flammable materials. Frank Matero, University of Pennsylvania architecture professor and chair of historic preservation, suggests a slow renovation without a new architects stamp on the design. I think the problem is that architects want their intervention to be visible, he says. They see the creative act as highly visible. But the best restoration is that which is invisible. More than half the French agree with him, with only one quarter in favor of contemporary architectural embellishment. The five-year deadline may also be impractical for a host of reasons, among them the guild system governing artisan construction and restoration work in France, Matero says. And even if the physical work could be completed in that time, there is emotional work to consider. Usually you need some temporal distance before creating something of lasting meaning, he says, pointing to the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan. That decision was debated for years before the reflecting pool was finally chosen and constructed. Story continues Putting aside the matter of when, the more immediate question is who should design any interventions to Notre-Dames appearanceif, indeed, anyone should. Days after the fire, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced a competition for fresh ideas for the cathedral, and designers rushed to create original renderings and post them to Instagram. They range from the tasteful and restrained, to the borderline inscrutable, to social experiments never intended to be built. Among the more serious are designs from Spanish architects POA Estudio and Sao Paulobased Alexandre Fantozzi. Both use glass, giving the structure a lighter, brighter feeling while hewing to the Gothic style. Instead of trying to replicate the original roof, we understand that the fire is part of the history of Notre-Dame, therefore it shouldn't be camouflaged, Julio Rufian Andujar, founder of POA, told AD via email. We recreate the original volume occupied by the spire, in an ethereal materiality. Fantozzis design, meanwhile, replaces the roof and spire with stained glass in its entiretya gesture the architect himself calls grandiose. The multicolored glass will let in natural light while bathing visitors in colorful beams, creating a visual component that Fantozzi says connects earth to sky. The new roof will be a divine crown for the Notre-Dame, he says. Other architects have even more dramatic plans for the spire, from swimming pools to contemporary sculptures in bronze that would appear to memorialize the fire, rather than the church where Napoleon I was crowned in 1804. Two designs that have attracted online attention would make Notre-Dames roof into public space. La Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris vue de la Tour Saint-Jacques Rendering courtesy of Studio NAB Studio NAB envisions a greenhouse atop the cathedral. Founder Nicolas Abdelkader says their design was the result of reflection on the drama of Notre-Dame and a desire to avoid simple architectural response, which can be soulless. FILES-FRANCE-PARIS-FEATURE-AERIAL Rendering courtesy of Ulf Mejergren Architects While Ulf Mejergren Architects, a practice based in Stockholm that self-identifies as adventurous, suggests a swimming pool on the roof to replace all that highly combustible medieval timber. Practical and fun, or an affront to French, not to speak of Catholic, history? Wherever you land, you must admit theres little risk of a pool burning down. One architecture shop has taken a page from the post-9/11 book and suggested a stream of light forever reaching into the Parisian sky. There are also ideas about as likely to be approved as demolition plans. French designer Mathieu Lehanneurs rendering lit Instagram on fire with its depiction of the fire. He did not respond to a request for comment for this story, but told The New York Times that the rendering was initially meant as a provocation, to highlight the absurdity of trying to rebuild Notre-Dame exactly as it stood in the 19th century. Now, a few weeks since his mock-up hit the Internet, hes decided hes serious about it (the flame is actually a very strong symbol in the Bible, he says). But does a 12th-century cathedral need any contemporary architects stamp on its outward appearance? Or would creativity be best deployed in Notre-Dames interior, where design and materials innovations could render the structure virtually fireproof? For some whove thrown their hat into the restoration ring, it hardly matters. Cypriot designer Dakis Panayiotou, who directs a practice called Kiss the Architect, responded to the tragedy with what he calls a fictional design. Panayiotou says he was watching television when the Notre-Dame news interrupted programming. "I felt like reality and fiction merged into one, like a special effect scene of a sci-fi movie," he tells AD via email. "I know this is happening a lot more in the modern world of post-alternative facts but this was especially unnerving. The scale and the historical impact of what was happening was so intense that I started laughing through nervousness." Rendering courtesy of Kiss The Architect Panayiotous design, therefore, is more of a performative comment on this moment in time, which he hopes will soften the horror of a cultural loss. Its not supposed to suggest an actual direction for restoration plans, but rather to set a different set of rules. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest By Orooj Hakimi Rupam Jain KABUL, May 20 (Reuters) - Minutes before Mena Mangal, a prominent Afghan journalist and parliamentary adviser, was shot dead by two men in Kabul, she had slammed the door of her parent's home after reminding them to pay the neighborhood shopkeeper 15 Afghanis (20 cents). "Mena never forgot her duty towards our home and work. After years of struggle she had achieved success and happiness," said Anisa Mangal, Mena's mother, told Reuters, as she sat surrounded by her husband, four daughters, a son, grandchildren at her two-story home in eastern Kabul.. "She did the right things ... worked very hard to become a professional woman." No-one has been arrested over the broad daylight killing, but police officials said Mangal's family had filed a case against four men, including her ex-husband. "These four people are on the run but the police are trying to arrest them," said Kabul police spokesman Firdaws Faramarz. Mangal's mother believes it was her dedication to home and career that got her killed. She accuses her daughter's ex-husband of involvement in the murder because Mangal would not give up her job and continued to appear on television. Reuters was unable to contact Mangal's former husband. Calls to family members went unanswered. The brazen attack on Mangal has drawn widespread condemnation including from U.S. officials and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and highlighted what activists say is the continuing plight of Afghan women, who still suffer high levels of sexual and domestic violence and discrimination. Educated Afghan women, the torchbearer's of a drive to improve women's rights since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, say they still face hostility, be it from conservative family members or hardline Islamist groups, for pursuing professional and financial independence. Earlier this month, for example, the Taliban, launched a deadly attack on the head office of U.S.-funded aid group Counterpart International in Kabul, citing the "intermixing" of women and men working at the site and its promotion of "western activities." Story continues At least nine people were killed and 20 were wounded in a siege that lasted for more than seven hours. "The Taliban want to kill women who work with men. If I die, there will be no one to feed my parents and siblings," said an Afghan woman who has worked at Counterpart for more than three years, speaking on condition of anonymity. "If I sit at home will the Taliban come to pay the bills?" Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said its fighters targeted Counterpart because it was funded by U.S. aid agencies. Women could study and work, he said, but the intermingling of the genders ought to be kept in check in Afghanistan. PRICE OF FREEDOM Though many hardships remain, access to public life has improved for Afghan women since U.S.-backed forces ousted the Taliban, especially in cities such as Kabul, where tens of thousands now work outside the home. But for many, concerns about the hazards of going out to a job extend beyond their own safety. Until April, thousands of Afghan women now working for the government were happy to bring their children to the office. The daycare center attached to every government building provided reassurance their children were close by and safe. The centers were originally established in 1945 to encourage women into the workforce, but closed under the Taliban, who ruled from 1996 to 2001 and did not allow women to go to school or work, nor walk on the street without being accompanied by a male relative and wearing the all-enveloping burqa. Now reopened, the government runs more than 370 creches where around 17,000 children aged from 3 months to 5 years are provided with milk, food, cots, toys and education at subsidized rates. "Having a daycare center next to my office is a blessing, I feed my child after every two hours and get back to work without any stress," said Sadia Seddiqi, an HR official at a government ministry. But this sense of security changed in April, after a suicide bomber and gunmen belonging to the Islamic State group attacked the Afghan communications ministry in central Kabul. About a dozen people were killed during the attack. Police evacuated about 100 children along with 2,800 employees from the complex. Harrowing TV pictures of children, teachers, and mothers screaming for hours after every gunshot inside the ministry building has forced hundreds of mothers to re-think their childcare. Meena Ahmadi, who works at the communications ministry, said several of her colleagues do not bring their kids to daycare after the attack and some of them had chosen to resign. "I am afraid of coming to the office," she said. "I get upset when I remember my colleagues who were killed. The attack has impacted my child too." (1 USD=79 Afghani) (Reporting by Orooj Hakimi and Rupam Jain; Abdul Qadir Sediqi; Editing by Alex Richardson) Al Jazeera announced the suspension Sunday of two journalists over a video that reportedly claimed the extent of the Holocaust was deliberately misrepresented by Jews. The Qatari broadcaster said in a statement that the offending clip and accompanying posts were quickly deleted as the content violated editorial standards. The video, which was posted on the networks Arabic website AJ+ on May 18, suggested that the Jewish community used financial resources [and] media institutions, to put a special spotlight on Jewish suffering under the Nazis, Agence France-Presse reported. Why is there a focus only on them, the narrator reportedly asks in the clip. Six million Jewish people were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Yaser Bishr, executive director of Al Jazeeras digital division, said the network completely disowns the offensive content in question. In an email to staff, he also announced mandatory bias training. Read More: Why Auschwitz Plays Such a Central Role in Holocaust Remembrance Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+ Channels, said that editorial workflows would be reviewed to ensure sufficient oversight and compliance with the code of ethics. The journalists who were suspended for making the video were not named. On Sunday, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon slammed the AJ+ video as the worst kind of pernicious evil. This Holocaust denying video should not have been produced at all . Good that you deleted it. @IsraelMFA @shimritmeir https://t.co/wyvoQocdGk Emmanuel Nahshon (@EmmanuelNahshon) May 19, 2019 This Holocaust denying video should not have been produced at all, he tweeted, adding, Good that you deleted it. Montgomery (United States) (AFP) - After being raped by a co-worker two years ago, Samantha Blakely had an abortion. That would have been illegal under Alabama's tough new abortion law and Blakely says that faced with being forced to carry the baby it's likely she would have taken her own life. The 25-year-old Blakely is among women speaking out after the conservative southern US state adopted the toughest anti-abortion legislation in the country. The Alabama bill, which takes effect in November unless it is blocked in the courts, places a near-total ban on ending a pregnancy, even in cases of rape and incest. Performing an abortion would be a crime that could land doctors in prison for 10 to 99 years. Abortions would only be legal if the life of the mother is in danger or the fetus has a fatal condition. A 1973 Supreme Court decision in the case of "Roe vs Wade" makes abortion legal but opponents are hoping they can get the new conservative majority on the nation's highest court to reverse the ruling. "If this ban was in effect back then, when I needed my abortion, I know that I would not have been able to carry my rapist's child," Blakely told AFP in an interview at a riverfront Montgomery park. "I would have either had some sort of unsafe abortion," she said. "(Or) I would have ended my life, if I'm being frank." "Because I knew one thing," she said. "I knew that I was not going to be able to carry that child." Fearful of reliving the trauma, Blakely chose not to press charges against the man who raped her but she did go to the police later after he began stalking her. - 'New set of emotions' - Blakely, who works in the travel industry, said Alabama's anti-abortion legislation had "produced a whole new set of emotions." "It put fear, I think, where there was concern," she said. "We were concerned. Now we're scared. Story continues "I saw that our reproductive rights were under attack," said Blakely, wearing a red shirt with the word "woman" on the front. "I definitely believe it is an attack on our right to healthcare," she said. Even President Donald Trump, who says he is "strongly pro-life," tweeted over the weekend that he supports abortion in the case of rape or incest. Blakely said the Alabama legislation had spurred her to share her story. "I knew that it was time to be a voice for those who couldn't share their voice," she said. "I gather my strength from the women who I've met, from the people I've met who could be greatly affected by this ban." Blakely said that regardless of any legal moves to outlaw abortion women would still seek to end unwanted pregnancies. "We are going to continue to have abortions," she said. "We will (just) not have safe, legal abortions. "Abortion will not go away and this is very dangerous to the lives of women," she said. "We will resort to different methods," she said. "We will Google things. We will order these dangerous teas from all over different places in the world." "We'll go through so many terrible things to make sure that we can do what we need to do," Blakely said. "So it's going to affect women very negatively. "And I think that it is ultimately extremely dangerous." JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Alaska will pay armed Canadian police to provide protection to U.S. personnel at a ferry terminal in British Columbia, state transportation officials said. The Alaska Marine Highway System was notified in March that unarmed U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents checking ferries leaving Prince Rupert, British Columbia, will require assistance from Royal Canadian Mounted Police, CoastAlaska reported Friday. Without armed police at inspections, the port faces closure, officials said. The Canadian officers will be contracted through the ferry service, which is facing budget cuts by Alaska's Legislature. Federal officials mandating the change "never offered" to help the state fund the contract, but Alaska officials consider it the cost of doing business, said ferry system general manager John Falvey. "I don't think it's going to be a large sum of money," Falvey said. Alaska officials have an Oct. 1 deadline to finalize a plan, he said. Passengers and vehicles boarding Alaska ferries in Prince Rupert, 117 miles (188 kilometers) south of Ketchikan, are routinely checked by U.S. agents. The "pre-clearance" system allows passengers to disembark without presenting paperwork again, officials said. U.S. personnel cannot carry firearms while doing passport and contraband checks in Prince Rupert, said Jerry McGee, customs service assistant area port director in Anchorage. "It's a sovereign nation and we don't have that authority," McGee said. Passengers are allowed carry hunting rifles and shotguns, which are legal in both countries. "Therefore, theoretically our staff would be the only ones that are not armed," McGee said. An agreement allowing U.S. agents to carry firearms in Prince Rupert is several years away, officials said. Algiers (AFP) - Algeria's army chief on Monday urged demonstrators to accept presidential polls set for July 4 to elect a successor to ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Protest leaders say the North African country's existing institutions -- and personalities -- are too tarnished by corruption to guarantee a legitimate vote, but the military has insisted the election go ahead as required by the constitution. "Holding a presidential election could help (Algeria) avoid falling into the trap of a constitutional void, with its accompanying dangers and unwelcome consequences," General Ahmed Gaid Salah said in a speech, the text of which was seen by AFP. Emphasising "the need to accelerate the establishment of an independent body to organise and oversee the elections", he said holding the poll would "stop those who are trying to prolong this crisis". Massive street protests broke out in February after Bouteflika announced his intention to seek a fifth term, extending his two decades in power. As pressure mounted and even longtime loyalists -- including Gaid Salah -- called for his departure, Bouteflika quit in early April. But demonstrators have continued to rally in Algiers and across the country, demanding that transitional bodies be set up ahead of any election. They also want the departure of figures close to Bouteflika including interim president Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. The army, a key powerbroker, has insisted the July 4 poll must go ahead and any change to the constitution would be up to a future president. 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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 ALGIERS, May 20 (Reuters) - Elections are the best way to overcome Algeria's political crisis and avoid a constitutional vacuum, the country's army chief said on state television. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah on Monday also urged speeding up the formation of a committee to supervise the election, without mentioning a date for the vote. A presidential election has been scheduled for July 4, but a source said on Friday it might be postponed. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy, Maher Chmaytelli and Lamine Chikhi Writing by Ulf Laessing) CHICAGO, May 20 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc said on Monday it has filed a lawsuit against two unions representing its mechanics, accusing the workers of an illegal slowdown aimed at disrupting operations to improve their position in prolonged labor talks. In a statement, American said there had been 650 flight cancellations and more than 1,500 maintenance delays as a result of the alleged slowdown. American has been in contract talks with the Transport Workers Union of America and the International Association of Machinists since 2015. The unions did not immediately return a request for comment. (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski Editing by Marguerita Choy) Analog Devices, Inc. ADI is slated to report second-quarter fiscal 2019 results on May 22, before the opening bell. The companys earnings surprise history has been impressive, as it surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average of 4.13%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors at Play Analog Devices has been benefiting from strength in industrial, automotive, consumer and communications markets, along with increased focus on innovation and operational execution. These are positives for the to-be-reported quarter as well. The automotive electronics market should continue to gain from consumer demand for added technology and features in new vehicles, along with the transition to hybrid and electric vehicles. Therefore, we expect automotive revenues to further increase in the to-be-reported quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for automotive revenues is pegged at $251 million. Also, the communications market should perform well in the quarter to be reported, driven by strength in the wireless segment. The accelerated build out of TD-LTE in China, continuing 4G network densification activities in the United States and expected deployments in Europe should benefit the communications segment. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for communications is pegged at $349 million. However, softness in the consumer market is a major negative. Also, macroeconomic headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty remained overhangs during the quarter. Further, rising competitive pressure from Maxim and Texas Instruments may impact the upcoming results. For the fiscal second quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for industrial and consumer is pegged at $746 million and $155 million, respectively. Earnings Whispers Per our proven model, a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat earnings estimates. That is not the case here as you will see below. Story continues Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for the stock is 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: Currently, Analog Devices has a Zacks Rank #3, which when combined with a 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult. We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 and 5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement. Analog Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Analog Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Analog Devices, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Analog Devices, Inc. Quote Stocks to Consider We see a likely earnings beat for each of the following companies in the upcoming releases: Intuit Inc. INTU has an Earnings ESP of +0.59% and a Zacks Rank #2. Autodesk, Inc. ADSK has an Earnings ESP of +0.18% and carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Netflix, Inc. NFLX has an Earnings ESP of +1.03% and a Zacks Rank #3. This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Intuit Inc. (INTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Aberdeen University Students Association implemented its pro-choice policy in 2017. (Getty) A student anti-abortion group has been granted affiliation at the University of Aberdeen after a legal battle over unlawful discrimination. Aberdeen Life Ethics Society (ALES) said its attempts to be an official society were repeatedly rejected by the Aberdeen University Students Association (AUSA) due to the associations pro-choice policy. The society said they received an email from AUSA in October 2018 denying them affiliation. They began legal action after months of repeated efforts to resolve this problem through internal bureaucratic channels. The ALES said that both the university and AUSA were in breach of the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 by restricting free speech of religion. The successful affiliation means that they are now considered a university society and can access funding for events, use meeting rooms, and a stall at freshers fair. Alex Mason, a PHD student and member of the Aberdeen Life Ethics society, said: "From the beginning, all we wanted was a chance to exercise our right to speak freely on campus in defence of life. While it was frustrating to be censored by AUSA for several months, we are pleased to finally have the ability to form our society and engage our fellow students on these important ethical issues. An AUSA spokesperson said: We can confirm that an application to affiliate was received from Aberdeen Life and Ethics Society and was subsequently approved on the 13th of May. AUSAs Pro-Choice policy remains under suspension and steps are being taken to ensure that AUSA can continue to be pro-choice. In a previous Facebook post the ALES has compared abortion to the slave trade. The post claims abortion "dehumanises the weak and vulnerable", calling it a "debasement of human value". It also says: "Abortion may currently enjoy protection by the legal system, but the same can be said of a great many other immoral practices over the last few hundred years." LONDON (AP) In a story May 20 about travel spending at the World Health Organization, The Associated Press reported erroneously that information about the organization's travel spending was obtained from internal documents. The information was made publicly available on WHO's website on May 9. A corrected version of the story is below: UN health agency struggles with travel abuses The UN health agency spent nearly $192 million on travel last year, with some staffers breaking its own rules by traveling in business class when not warranted By MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) The World Health Organization spent nearly $192 million on travel expenses last year, with staffers sometimes breaking the agency's own rules by traveling in business class, booking expensive last-minute tickets and traveling without the required approvals, according to documents recently published by WHO on its website . The abuses could spook potential donors and partners as the organization begins its week-long annual meeting Monday in Geneva, seeking increased support to fight a devastating outbreak of Ebola in Congo and other deadly diseases including polio, malaria and measles. The nearly $192 million is down 4% from 2017, when the agency pledged to rein in travel abuses following an AP investigation. WHO auditors found some WHO staffers were still misrepresenting the reasons for their travel to exploit loopholes in the organization's policies and flying business class, which can be several times more expensive than economy, even though they did not meet the criteria to do so. In response to questions from the AP, WHO said Monday that "travel is often essential to reaching people in need" and noted that 55% of its travel spending went to bring outside experts and country representatives, often from developing countries, to technical and other meetings. It added that numerous new measures were adopted in 2018 that aimed to make sure "staff travel is necessary, economical, appropriate and efficient." The agency said there was an overall reduction in the number of business class trips by 49% for non-employees and a drop of 40% for WHO staffers. Story continues "When staff travel, they do a range of things, including responding to emergencies, assessing countries' emergency preparedness, implementing vaccine and other public health campaigns, training health workers and more," the agency said. But WHO's inability to significantly curb its expenses could undermine its credibility and make it more difficult to raise money to fight health crises, according to Sophie Harman, a global health professor at Queen Mary University in London. She said the problem wasn't so much the amount that WHO was spending on travel, but how it was being used. "WHO needs to get its own house in order to legitimately go to the international community saying, 'We need more money for Ebola,'" she said. Among other responsibilities, WHO is the U.N. agency charged with setting global health guidelines and coordinating the response to health emergencies around the world. Its approximately $2 billion annual budget is mainly drawn from the taxpayer-funded contributions from member countries. The U.S. is WHO's biggest contributor. During this week's World Health Assembly, a yearly gathering of WHO's highest decision-making body, including member states and donors, the agency will be trying to raise more funds for Ebola and other health priorities. The costs of fighting the Ebola epidemic have left it with a funding gap of more than $50 million. In 2017, the AP reported that WHO was spending roughly $200 million each year on travel, including first-class airplane tickets and five-star hotels for its director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan, which health experts said exposed the agency's misplaced priorities. Amid such criticism, Chan's successor, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, promised to take action. In response to AP questions, WHO said Monday that Tedros travels in either business class or economy, depending on the distance, and spent $209,000 on travel in 2018. "WHO's travel policy prohibits first-class travel for all staff," the agency said, adding that a host of initiatives have helped cut travel costs. For non-emergency travel, the proportion of business class flights dropped to 18% last year, from 27% the previous year, according to external auditors. Yet other international aid agencies, including Doctors Without Borders and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explicitly forbid staff from traveling in business class. While overall spending on travel has fallen at WHO, abuses continue. External WHO auditors analyzed 116 randomly selected travel claims that were flagged as "emergency" requests and therefore exempt from stricter U.N. travel controls. They found proof that in more than half the claims, the travel was instead for regular duties like attending workshops or speaking engagements. "We see therefore a culture of non-compliance by staff involved in emergency operations," the report authors said. "Raising a (travel request) as emergency, even if it is not compliant with the criteria for emergency travel, shows a breakdown in controls and results (in a) waste of resources." WHO's auditors said when some staffers flew business class even though they didn't meet the U.N. criteria to do so, they failed to submit paperwork justifying the exception. "Based on the difference in ticket costs for business class and economy class, savings could have been realized by the organization," the report said, citing more than 500 travel requests last year that may have broken the rules. In a series of anonymous emails sent to WHO directors last year, a whistleblower alleged there were numerous instances of "senior staff travelling with girlfriends on fabricated missions," including during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. One message claimed a senior staffer flew to Australia from Geneva "on a trumped-up trip at WHO expense" that cost the organization 11,000 Swiss francs ($10,889). In December, Tedros ordered an internal probe into these and other misconduct allegations. According to WHO's Office of Internal Oversight, 13% of the fraud cases it investigated last year involved alleged problems with travel claims. In one of WHO's regional offices, investigators found a staffer had submitted void boarding passes as evidence of travel, aiming to get "an unauthorized benefit for an estimated amount of $15,202." WHO says the staffer resigned and the agency did not suffer any financial losses in the case. The WHO auditors' report comes at a time of critical financial need for the agency. WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said this month that WHO's strategy to contain the spiraling Ebola outbreak in Congo, which has killed more than 1,000 people, exceeded $88 million and that the financial demands to fight Ebola were continuing to grow. "We have received $34 million and have a current, urgent, critical financial gap of $54 million," Ryan said. Harman said WHO needs to pay more attention to staff needs on the front lines of deadly outbreaks. Health workers, many of them poorly equipped, have been killed in Congo by militants rejecting vaccination efforts and other attempts to prevent or treat Ebola. "There's a disconnect between the fact that people who are doing safe burials in (Congo) aren't getting paid, yet someone is using WHO's travel budget to fund their business-class ticket," she said. President Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets Monday after a report said anti-money laundering specialists with Deutsche Bank flagged transactions involving himself and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. But Trump did not address the suspicious activity in The New York Times report. Instead, he denied the article's assertion which has been widely reported previously that he borrowed from Deutsche Bank when other lenders were unwilling to give him money. Software designed to identify illegal activity alerted the staff about the transactions, involving the now-shuttered Trump Foundation and business entities owned by Trump and Kushner, the Times reported Sunday, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees. After reviewing the transactions, bank staff prepared to file suspicious activity reports to send to the Treasury Department. But the bank had issued loans worth billions of dollars to Trump and Kushner and bank executives directed the staff not to file the reports, according to the Times report. "WRONG! It is because I didnt need money," Trump said. "Very old fashioned, but true." "When you don't need or want money, you don't need or want banks. Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money." Trump said Deutsche Bank was "very good and highly professional to deal with" but "if for any reason I didn't like them, I would have gone elsewhere." "There was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from." "This is not true," Times reporter David Enrich said on Twitter in response to Trump's tweets. "I have spent a long time looking into this, and @DeutscheBank was the only bank willing to lend to @realDonaldTrump for 20 years because of his pattern of defaults and the banks hunger for growth in the US." This is not true. I have spent a long time looking into this, and @DeutscheBank was the only bank willing to lend to @realDonaldTrump for 20 years because of his pattern of defaults and the banks hunger for growth in the US. https://t.co/Qh4siSpEgM David Enrich (@davidenrich) May 20, 2019 And despite his claims that he did not "need or want money," the president still owes the bank $300 million, according to The Associated Press. And in 2016, the bank lent $285 million to Kushner Companies affiliates. Story continues Tammy McFadden, a former Deutsche Bank anti-money laundering specialist, told the Times that in 2016 she had reviewed transactions Kusnher and Russian individuals. She thought the activity should be reported to the federal government, in part because the bank had already been hit with fines for failing to report Russian money laundering. Other employees told the Times that the bank's Special Investigations Unit, charged with looking into potential financial crimes, "produced multiple suspicious activity reports involving different entities that Mr. Trump owned or controlled." At least one involved the Trump Foundation. But the bank chose not to file the reports with the Treasury Department. "You present them with everything, and you give them a recommendation, and nothing happens," McFadden told the Times. "Its the D.B. way. They are prone to discounting everything." Deutsche Bank fired McFadden in April 2018 after being transferred for a lack of productivity. But she told the Times that the bank has "attempted to silence" her for asking too many questions about why Trump and other high-profile clients were not being more thoroughly vetted. Two unnamed former managers told the Times that they agreed that she was fired for speaking out. Deutsche Bank spokeswoman Kerrie McHugh told the Times that "at no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious. "Furthermore, the suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false," McHugh said. Trump Organization spokeswoman Amanda Miller told the Times that they were unaware of any "flagged' transactions" with the bank. "Any allegations regarding Deutsche Banks relationship with Kushner Companies which involved money laundering is completely made up and totally false. The New York Times continues to create dots that just dont connect," Karen Zabarsky, a spokeswoman for Kushner Companies told the Times. Although the report did not specify that the transactions connected to Trump involved Russians, but Trump indicated he believed that was the implication. "Now the new big story is that Trump made a lot of money and buys everything for cash, he doesnt need banks," Trump tweeted. "But where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and dont need banks, but if I did they would be there." ....Now the new big story is that Trump made a lot of money and buys everything for cash, he doesnt need banks. But where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and dont need banks, but if I did they would be there...and DeutscheBank...... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019 .....was very good and highly professional to deal with - and if for any reason I didnt like them, I would have gone elsewhere....there was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from. They would be very happy to take my money. Fake News! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019 Trump and three of his children Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have sued Deutsche Bank in an effort to block it from complying with a congressional subpoena for the family's financial records. Deutsche Bank has been hit with several fines by regulators in the U.S. and Europe in recent years. In 2015, the bank was fined $258 million for violating sanctions on Iran and other blacklisted nations. In 2017, it finalized a deal to pay $7.2 billion for misleading investors about mortgage securities and the same year it was hit with $630 million in fines in connection with a Russian money laundering scheme. Contributing: Kevin McCoy, Kristin Lam and David Jackson Trump lawyers question Congress' power: Battle brews over House demand for financial records This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I didnt need money': Trump fires off tweets at report Deutsche Bank staff saw suspicious activity MONTGOMERY, Ala. A column of protesters stretching two blocks long marched down Dexter Avenue under the Alabama sun on Sunday, chanting their to the Alabama State Capitol. "Your body, your choice," they yelled, in call and response. "Come on, come on and join the fight. Abortion is a person's right." The afternoon crowd, about 500 activists, organizers and regular citizens, marched against Alabama's recently signed abortion ban the most restrictive in the nation which is meant to serve as a vehicle to challenge Roe v. Wade at the Supreme Court. "We cover Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi," said Staci Fox, president of Planned Parenthood Southeast. "Three states that have passed these dangerous, draconian abortion bans this spring." The March for Reproductive Freedom is held in downtown Montgomery, Ala., on Sunday afternoon May 19, 2019. More: She had an illegal abortion after being raped as a 13-year-old. To her, Alabama's abortion ban 'an abomination' Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed the near-total ban Wednesday, a day after lawmakers declined to add exceptions into the ban for cases of rape or incest before passing it themselves. That put Alabama in even stronger defiance of current legal precedent than other states like Georgia and Missouri, which passed fetal heartbeat bills recently. Like Alabama, those laws were passed with the express intent of being run through the gantlet of the court system. Anti-abortion advocates say they believe the current makeup of the Supreme Court gives them their best chance in decades to overturn the landmark abortion decision in Roe. Fox lambasted politicians for not listening to what she said was the will of Alabamians, and she vowed to whip up support for those looking to unseat them in the next election cycle. "We are coming for their seat," Fox said. "This is an all out warfare on class. People of means will always have access to abortion in this country. We're talking about a war on poor women and women of color." Story continues "We will see you in court." Other activists from the ACLU of Alabama, URGE, Ordinary Peoples Society, Hometown Action and Yellowhammer Fund which pulled in thousands of dollars in donations this week spoke to the protesters. Leaders said the event, which had flashes of solidarity, dissatisfaction and outright rage, served as a well-attended kickoff for the advocacy groups looking to build support ahead of their legal battle with the state. Organizers asked those in attendance to join a text bank, which they hope to use to build a coalition of pro-abortion advocacy and donors. There was also a table at the event where they were registering voters. More: After Alabama abortion ban bill passes, donations roll in for local advocacy groups Claire Lewis Evans spoke at the event. She said that for her, having an abortion was a simple procedure, calling the story "not very interesting." Despite that, she said it was incredibly hard to get women to come forward and speak about their abortions. "That's the difficulty of finding someone to stand here on this hill ... to discuss a simple medical procedure," Evans said. "Because that's all it was, for me. Thirty years ago, I went to a clinic, I had an abortion, and then I went home and I read a book." More: Where does Alabama governor Kay Ivey stand on abortion, adoption, birth control? Clinic escorts keep abortion protestors out of the March for Reproductive Freedom in downtown Montgomery, Ala., on Sunday afternoon May 19, 2019. I Stephanie Barnett, 25, said she had come to the event because "I believe everyone should have health care. And women's rights, reproductive rights, are healthcare." More: Alabama abortion law: Here's what to know about the state's recently-passed law The March for Reproductive Freedom is held in downtown Montgomery, Ala., on Sunday afternoon May 19, 2019. When Ivey signed the bill into law, Barnett who carried a sign with the names of lawmakers who voted for it said she wasn't surprised. As the case moves through the courts, she said she plans to continue to protest, contact lawmakers and register people to vote. "It's rough, but we do have a voice. We're very much here and we won't be silenced," Barnett said. That energy is what the protest's leaders said they hope to carry into the coming months. If the case moves to the Supreme Court and is overturned, Reyes said that their existing framework will be put into action. "If, and when, Roe is overturned, networks are going to activate and we're going to funnel the resources that we have to making sure that everyone in the United States can get access to care, regardless of whether it is legal or not," Barnett said. More: Gov. Kay Ivey signs near-total abortion ban into law This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 'All out warfare': Hundreds take the streets in Alabama in abortion ban protest By Walter Bianchi and Hernan Nessi BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine markets recovered following an early wobble on Monday as investors grappled with the likely impact of a shock twist in the country's presidential election race after the main populist challenger opted instead to launch a vice presidential bid. The country's sovereign bonds eked out a gain after an early fall, while the local S&P Merval equities index performed a similar U-turn to close up for the day. The peso currency pared early losses to close down 0.4%. A closely watched JPMorgan country risk index also dropped sharply after giving up early gains. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a former president with an ardent support base who is unloved by global investors, surprised locals and international observers on Saturday by saying she would run for vice president alongside former cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez, a veteran political operator who has both backed and criticized her in the past. Economists said the shock move could add to market uncertainty in the short-term but it should help temper volatility ahead of national elections in October. "The (political) effect on bonds is hard to read, but we believe the reaction will be between neutral and positive," said Ezequiel Zambaglione, head of research at the brokerage Balanz, saying the move would cushion Cristina Fernandez's impact. The former president would likely still wield much power given the lower profile of her running mate, but being forced to put a more moderate ally above her on the ticket should create a buffer for any more contentious policies. DEFAULT RISK Investors consider Cristina Fernandez a riskier prospect because of her past populist policies. She introduced currency controls and tax increases on farm exports while in office between 2007 and 2015. "Taking a CFK (Cristina Fernandez) presidency off the table is likely to be welcomed by investors," Capital Economists said in a note on Monday, adding it "reduced the odds of a disorderly post-election default," a risk that had spooked investors. It could, however, strengthen the challenge against center-right incumbent Mauricio Macri if the Fernandez-Fernandez pair can win over the more moderate wing of the broad Peronist opposition, the consultancy added. The pair are not related. Government officials hit back at the move, saying Cristina Fernandez would still be the major political force of the pair and the decision revealed her concerns about the polls. "It could be the sign of weakness," Andres Ibarra, deputy chief of staff, told a press briefing on Monday. Many investors, however, remained undecided how the development would play for the election - and markets. Goldman Sachs said the "unexpected and somewhat dramatic turn of events" was tough to read, though the new candidate was seen as "more moderate and pragmatic, and a less divisive figure" than his running mate. "Overall, it is unclear how this development will change the electoral dynamics." (Reporting by Walter Bianchi and Hernan Nessi; Additional reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Richard Chang) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Yerevan (AFP) - Armenian premier Nikol Pashinyan on Monday announced sweeping judiciary reforms as protesters blockaded court buildings in Yerevan, heeding his call for a demonstration against judges he accuses of political bias. "Courts are remnants of the former corrupt authorities. People have no trust in the judiciary and therefore it lacks legitimacy," Pashinyan told a televised cabinet meeting. "The time has come for a surgical intervention" with all judges subjected to a thorough vetting during a "transitional" period, he said. He said judges who "believe they cannot be just" and those whose rulings were found unfair by the European Court of Human Rights should resign. "If necessary, we will adopt constitutional amendments. All this will be done in conformity with international law," he said, asking for support from Western partners. Pashinyan's appeal for mass demonstrations followed a court ruling to release from pre-trial detention former president Robert Kocharyan charged with staging a "coup" a decade ago. The symbolic protest came as Pashinyan tries to consolidate power in the ex-Soviet country a year after leading a popular revolt against former president Serzh Sarkisian and corrupt elites. - 'Second stage of the revolution' - Pashinyan said he "counts on the assistance of Armenia's international partners" in implementing the judiciary reform which he dubbed the "second and most important stage of the revolution." Braving torrential rain, dozens of Pashinyan supporters set up pickets outside the Constitutional Court, as well as Yerevan's City Court building early Monday, an AFP correspondent reported. Later in the afternoon Pashinyan called for an end to the blockade, writing on his Facebook page, that "the demonstration has achieved its goal." Kocharyan is accused of tipping a 2008 presidential ballot in favour of his hand-picked ally Sarkisian. He faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of "overthrowing the constitutional order." Story continues He was arrested in July last year, then briefly released but re-arrested again in December and has since then remained in pre-trial detention. On Saturday, a Yerevan court released him from custody, pending a final decision in the case. Pashinyan denounced the ruling -- which has sparked widespread outrage in the impoverished Caucasus country -- as politically motivated. Kocharyan led Armenia for a decade up to 2008 when Sarkisian was elected and remained in charge until the 2018 revolt against an attempt to extend his power forced him to resign. He has rejected the charges brought against him as "political vendetta." After the 2008 election, tensions erupted into violent clashes between riot police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate, who denounced the vote as fraudulent. Eight protesters and two officers were killed. 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. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Assystem (EPA:ASY). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! View our latest analysis for Assystem How Quickly Is Assystem Increasing Earnings Per Share? If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Over the last three years, Assystem has grown EPS by 13% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up. 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 Assystem's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 12% to 444m. That's a real positive. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart. ENXTPA:ASY Income Statement, May 20th 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 Assystem. Story continues Are Assystem 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 179m and 717m, like Assystem, the median CEO pay is around 330k. Assystem offered total compensation worth 254k to its CEO in the year to December 2017. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given its below the median for similar sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally. Should You Add Assystem To Your Watchlist? One positive for Assystem is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. 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 Assystem 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 failure of opinion polls to tip a conservative win in Australia's elections has raised questions about their credibility just years after similar errors in forecasting Brexit and Donald Trump's victory in the US. Australia's ruling Liberal-National coalition claimed a shock victory in Saturday's election, after two years of trailing the opposition Labor Party in every major national poll. The polls showed a slight tightening between the two main parties with Labor ahead roughly 51-49 just before the election. The tentative result, pending final results from the Australian Electoral Commission, shows the coalition instead ahead 51-49 on Monday. "Why did we have such an amazing sequence of polls in a row that all got the same (results)?" Australian polling analyst Kevin Bonham told AFP of the years of polling that pointed to a Labor victory. Most media routinely rely on polls -- surveys of hundreds, sometimes thousands of voters by phone or online -- to flag political trends and tip the leading candidates. But question marks were raised about their accuracy in 2016 after the failure to forecast Britain's vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump's triumph in the US presidential election. In Australia, political polling has had a good record, and is so closely followed in Canberra that a string of prime ministers were dumped by their own parties over the past decade over poor showings in surveys. Traditionally, pollsters contacted voters using extensive landline lists, such as the phone book. But with voters ditching landlines, it is become more difficult for pollsters to collect an accurate representative sample of the electorate. Bonham said signs polling was becoming less accurate had emerged at the state level, particularly ahead of regional elections in Victoria state in November which failed to capture a strong swing to the incumbent Labor government. "It's become increasingly harder to actually just find where a telephone number is and therefore design an efficient sample," Martin O'Shannessy, the ex-chief of major Australian pollster Newspoll, told AFP. Story continues "This is being faced by the whole research industry and what we are seeing is the tip of the iceberg." Pollsters have also turned to cheaper forms of collecting opinions, such as robocalls and online surveys, which experts say are significantly less accurate. O'Shannessy said the key problems that emerged from the polls of the 2016 US elections were similar. "The good quality polls, which did the best job that they could have sampling... and used human operators, generally got the answer right. However they were only 12 percent of all the polls," he said. "The other 88 percent were online (polls), robopolls... the average error for those polls was five percent and the biggest error was 10 percent." One alternative method of sampling voters has been through social media. In Australia, Griffith University data scientist Bela Stantic said he accurately predicted Trump's win, Brexit and the conservatives' win on Saturday by analysing millions of social media comments. He told news.com.au he was successful as he had used large sample sizes -- some two million "relevant" tweets from around half a million accounts. O'Shannessy said to make news polls more accurate, Australia's market research sector was lobbying for access to the government's Integrated Public Number Database (IPND), which contains all listed and unlisted telephone numbers and is used by emergency services and law enforcement. VIENNA (AP) Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called time Monday on his coalition government with the far-right Freedom Party after its leader was shown on video appearing to offer favors to a purported Russian investor. Kurz said he was seeking the removal of the country's interior minister, Freedom Party politician Herbert Kickl, to ensure an unbiased probe into the video. "I'm firmly convinced that what's necessary now is total transparency and a completely and unbiased investigation," Kurz told reporters in Vienna. The Freedom Party reacted by withdrawing its ministers from the government. "We won't leave anyone out in the rain," said the party's interim leader, Norbert Hofer. Kickl's removal, which must still be approved by Austria's president, follows the resignation on Saturday of Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who was also Austria's vice chancellor. That came a day after two German newspapers published a video showing Strache pandering to a woman claiming to be a Russian tycoon's niece at a boozy gathering in Ibiza two years ago, shortly before national elections. Strache and party colleague Johann Gudenus are heard telling the woman that she can expect lucrative construction contracts if she buys an Austrian newspaper and supports the Freedom Party. They also discuss ways of secretly funneling money to the party. Gudenus, who was instrumental in arranging the meeting, has quit as leader of the party's parliamentary group and is leaving the party. The Hamburg-based weekly Der Spiegel and Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the meeting in Ibiza was likely a trap that Strache and Gudenus had fallen for. The papers refused to reveal the source of the video. Kurz noted that at the time the video was shot, Kickl was general-secretary of the Freedom Party and therefore responsible for its financial conduct. The chancellor added that in his conversations with Kickl and other Freedom Party officials following the video's release, he "didn't really have the feeling (they had) an awareness of the dimension of the whole issue." Story continues The ouster of the Freedom Party from the government was a setback for populist and nationalist forces as Europe heads into the final days of campaigning for the European Parliament elections, which run Thursday through Sunday. Kurz has endorsed a hard line on migration and public finances, and he chose to ally with the Freedom Party after winning the 2017 election. The chancellor, who is personally popular, had said Saturday that "enough is enough" a reference to a string of smaller scandals involving the Freedom Party that had plagued his government. In recent months, those have included a poem in a party newsletter comparing migrants to rats and questions over links to extreme-right groups. Kickl, a longtime campaign mastermind of the Freedom Party, had already drawn criticism over matters including a raid last year on Austria's BVT spy agency, which opposition parties claimed was an attempt by the new government to purge domestic political enemies. Kickl's party said he had done nothing wrong and sought to portray itself as the victim of a plot. The Russian government, meanwhile, said it couldn't comment on the video "because it has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, its president or the government." President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said of the woman in the Strache video that set off the crisis: "We don't know who that woman is and whether she's Russian or not." Pledging to ensure stability in Austria over the coming months, Kurz said vacancies in the government left by the Freedom Party's departure would be filled with civil servants and technocrats. His government, meanwhile, may find it difficult to continue as planned until Austria holds early elections, likely in September. Opposition parties plan to call for a vote of no confidence in Kurz's government in the coming days. ___ Associated Press writer Frank Jordans reported this story from Berlin and AP videojournalist Philipp Jenne reported in Vienna. AP writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report. * Early election expected to be called for September * Far-right vice chancellor quit over video sting * Kickl, Hofer due to hold news conference at 0830 GMT By Francois Murphy VIENNA, May 20 (Reuters) - Austria's two ruling parties faced off on Monday over whether their lame-duck government could even limp along until a snap election, with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's conservatives demanding the far-right interior minister's head. Kurz called off his coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Saturday after longtime FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache was caught in an apparent sting operation offering to fix state contracts and discussing how to work around party financing laws. Strache stepped down as Austrian vice chancellor on Saturday, a day after footage of the almost two-year-old sting was published by German media. Who was behind it remains unclear. A snap election is expected to be called for September. But overnight a new fight emerged over whether the two sides could even work together on an interim basis until the election - heightening the potential disarray just days before Austria votes for its lawmakers for the European Parliament. "I expect that the chancellor will suggest to the president that the interior minister be dismissed from the government," European affairs minister Gernot Bluemel, a close ally of Kurz's, told national broadcaster ORF on Sunday night. Bluemel said that since Interior Minister Herbert Kickl was FPO chairman at the time of the sting, he should not be allowed to remain in a ministerial job in which he would oversee the investigation into what happened and whether there was any wrongdoing. Strache has described the sting, which involved a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch, as a "targeted political assassination" and said it never led to any money changing hands. He insisted the only crime that took place was illegally videotaping a private dinner party. Story continues FPO officials have said their party's ministers would step down in unison if Kickl, a party hardliner but also one of its best-known figures, was forced out. "That is something I could not accept," new FPO leader Norbert Hofer said on Facebook on Sunday, adding that he already refused an earlier offer from Kurz to keep their coalition going without Kickl. Bluemel said that version of events was "absurd." Kickl has been the most controversial minister in this government, not least because during his tenure a police raid was carried out in the offices of the country's main intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (BVT), which he oversees. Opposition politicians have accused Kickl of trying to arrange a purge of the BVT's ranks. Until the last election, the Interior Ministry had been run by Kurz's party for almost two decades. Kickl and Hofer are due to hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. (0830 GMT). (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Alison Williams) By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz proposed on Monday sacking his interior minister, escalating a battle triggered when a video sting took down the longtime leader of his far-right coalition partners. Kurz, a conservative, ended his coalition with the nationalist Freedom Party (FPO) on Saturday after leader and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was caught in the apparent sting operation offering to fix state contracts for a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece. The fight took a new turn when Kurz told reporters he would propose to Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen removing Interior Minister Herbert Kickl from office after Kickl refused to go voluntarily, as Strache did. The FPO had announced that it would vacate all its ministerial posts if Kickl, a mastermind of the FPO's ascent to power, were forced out. "I agreed with the president that we want to guarantee stability until the new elections. That's why we'll fill the vacant jobs in the ministries with experts or senior government officials," Kurz said. He said this would keep the government operating effectively until snap elections due in September. Opposition parties readied a vote of no confidence in the government, and it was not clear that the FPO would side with Kurz in the vote. Austrian news agency APA reported that the FPO's ministers quit in unison on Monday. But in an interview with national broadcaster ORF later in the evening, Norbert Hofer, the new head of the Freedom Party, only repeated that its ministers would step down if Kickl were forced out. FPO spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. German media published the video on Friday, a week before a European Parliament election and a year-and-a-half after Austria once again became the only Western European country with far-right cabinet ministers. It has since been joined by Italy. The video showed Strache meeting the woman in 2017, shortly before the election that brought him into government. So far, nothing has come to light suggesting how or why the two news outlets came to publish it now. In the footage, Strache discussed rules on party financing and how to work around them. Describing the footage as "targeted political assassination", he said he has done nothing illegal and never met the woman again. Niki Fellner, editor in chief of the Oesterreich tabloid newspaper, said by openly discussing what he called corruption and dirty tricks, Strache had tarnished Austria's image: "From Germany to Hungary, we are seen as of now as a banana republic." Kurz has argued Kickl could not oversee an investigation into the sting that snared his party leader. Kickl accused Kurz of attempting a power grab for his OVP party. "This ministry was for many ... years the linchpin of the engine of a ruthless OVP power system in this republic," Kickl said, adding that for Kurz: "It therefore had to come back under the OVP's control, no matter the cost." Kickl's position is especially sensitive given the FPO's ties to Russia. It has a cooperation agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. (Additional reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich in Vienna and Michael Shields in Zurich; Editing by Alison Williams and Phil Berlowitz) Years ago early 1980s? I was watching television. There was a debate between a pro-lifer and a pro-choicer. The pro-lifer was talking about a mother and her baby. The pro-choicer said, First of all, lets get the language right: Its not mother and baby, but woman and fetus. Is there a more incendiary word in the abortion debate than baby? Once early 2000s? I gave a speech on abortion. Ive fished it out, and would like to quote a paragraph: He who controls the language, controls the debate at least thats what people say, and I think there is truth in it. I also think that the language of our abortion debates is incredibly corrupt. A lot of people cant bring themselves to say the word abortion: They say the right to choose, letting their listeners fill in the blank. In discussing partial-birth abortion, the Associated Press referred to a fetus outside a womans body. Normally, thats known as a baby. One abortion doctor, testifying to Congress, spoke of rendering a woman unpregnant. Etc., etc. We quickly get into Orwell Land. In 2009, a jihadist murdered a lot of people at Fort Hood in Texas. There were 13 dead. Or were there 14? One of the dead was a woman who was pregnant: Francheska Velez. Her dying words were My baby, my baby. Should she have said, My fetus, my fetus? Im quite serious. I sound rhetorical, but I am dead serious. Last week, there was a ghastly story out of Chicago a story as old as time, really which I will not quote in detail. I will simply give the APs headline: Pregnant Chicago woman slain, baby cut from her womb. Note that word baby. But what if this baby had been aborted? Would the word baby have been inapt? On it goes, until people look reality in the face. It happened to me, years ago. I think people should think what they want about abortion (and everything else) but not bury their heads in the sand. Story continues Unlike a lot of my colleagues, I was impressed by Beto ORourkes statement on the flag, the NFL, and kneeling. This was back in his Senate campaign. I thought the statement was thoughtful and something different out of a politicians mouth. I said, Theres a politician whos not afraid to think and to say out loud what he thinks. I may not agree with him. But kudos to him. On some later day, he talked about abortion and was utterly bargain-basement. He sounded like everyone else like every other brain-dead politician, or person: A woman has the right to do whatever she wants with her own body. That kind of thing. Like out of a machine a robot distributed by the Democratic party. This brings me to Pete Buttigieg. He, too, has said thoughtful things, in my opinion things you normally dont hear from politicians, about identity politics and so forth. But when it comes to abortion? He plays dumb. Listen to him: A woman has enough to deal with when it comes to her health care without also having to worry about male politicians telling her what she ought to do with her body. Oh, come on. The reason Im so disgusted with ORourke and Buttigieg is that I assume they know better: They are well-educated and intelligent people. They are not yahoos. They are only pretending to be, to get along in their party. If the debate were over a womans right to do whatever she wants with her own body, there would be no debate. The debate is over the question Whats in a womans womb when she is pregnant? Something like a hamburger or an appendix? Or something more like a baby? Is there a second life, a second body, involved, over which a woman has a kind of stewardship? Does this second life or body have rights? Again, I assume Beto and Pete know these things. But they play dumb for their audiences, which gets my goat. The Venezuelan dictatorship and the democratic opposition are conducting talks in Oslo. (This is where Israelis and Palestinians and other warring parties have conducted their talks, too.) You know the first name of a leading member of the democratic side? Stalin. His name is Stalin Gonzalez. And you know what the Ecuadoran presidents name is? Lenin. Lenin Moreno. Ay, caramba. In a tweet, President Trump spoke of our Great Patriot Farmers (who are getting socked by his tariffs). This language has a Soviet whiff to me, along with Enemy of the People and so on. Whats next, the announcement of a Five-Year Plan? A Great Leap Forward? Last fall, right before the mid-term elections, Trump sent troops to our southwestern border, in Operation Faithful Patriot. I thought that was a name to make any patriot gag. I thought his slow dance, as someone termed it, with the flag at C-PAC was gag-making. Years ago, I always said that the worst thing about the PATRIOT Act which I fully supported was its name. An Orwellian whiff. Frankly, I never much liked the Homeland in Department of Homeland Security. I thought it sounded not quite us, not quite American. You know who agreed with me? (We happened to discuss it right after the announcement was made.) General Vernon Dick Walters, which pleased me. (He knew a lot of languages. And he was a great American patriot. Faithful, too.) (Fidel Castro once said to Walters, We have at least one thing in common. Whats that, Mr. President? We were both pupils of the Jesuits. But theres a major difference, Mr. President. Oh, whats that? I have remained fidel which, in Spanish, the language they were using, means faithful. He was good, Walters.) Mitt Romney is big bigger than I am, Im sure. Did you see this story? Romney rejects Trump judicial pick who smeared Obama. Obama, you recall, ran an ad against Romney said that, verbatim, Mitt Romney. Not one of us. He is big, Romney. I think I would still be stewing over the 2012 campaign. Hell, I am. In 1970, President Nixon used the word incursion not invasion. He was referring to a South Vietnamese operation in Cambodia, designed to wipe out Viet Cong supply bases there. A lot of people hooted at this word incursion. They thought it was a dainty, disgusting euphemism. I thought of Nixon last week when reading an article about Venezuela an historical article. It was headed Decades after failed invasion, Cuba still eyes Venezuela. And here is the sentence that seized my attention: The incursion condemned at the time as a Cuban invasion was a resounding failure. Well, well, well. I wonder what Nixon would say Heres another headline: Trump, de Blasio: Both look in mirror and see a president. (Article here.) Well, so do I, but dont no one give a damn Shall we have some music? For a review of Evgeny Kissin, the pianist, in recital at Carnegie Hall, go here. He is a throwback of a pianist from me, a compliment. One of the people I relied on, to know about North Korea, was Eric Talmadge, a correspondent for the AP. He has now died. For the APs article, go here. Referring to his trips to and from North Korea, he once said, Every time I come back home, I wake up the first morning thinking, I can go anywhere I want today. I could go to the beach, I could go see a movie, I could get on a plane and go to Florida if I wanted. Even if, in the end, I just stay home and eat potato chips on the couch, its a very liberating feeling. I dont take it for granted anymore. Thank you for joining me, ladies and gentlemen. If youd like to write me, try jnordlinger@nationalreview.com. Ill see you soon. More from National Review WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank AG recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving entities controlled by U.S. President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog, the New York Times reported on Sunday. The newspaper, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, said executives at the German bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. Deutsche Bank denied the report but shares in Germany's largest bank hit a new low on Monday, below a previous minimum set in December. Shares fell 2.8 percent at 6.65 euros. Trump rejected the report in a blast of early-morning tweets on Monday, saying he had little need for banks because he had so much cash on hand and denying that the money came from Russia. The compliance allegations are the latest in a wave of problems to beset the bank which faces investors at its annual meeting on Thursday. The Times reported that the transactions, some of which involved Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, according to the former bank employees. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes, according to the newspaper. Deutsche Bank responded with a denial of the report. "At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious," the bank said in a statement. "Furthermore, the suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false." MOUNTING PROBLEMS Deutsche is facing a series of headaches. Investors are calling on the bank to scale back its investment bank after talks to merge with a rival failed and amid a grim profit outlook. European regulators also fear Deutsche could fail U.S. stress tests. Story continues The Times reported the bank employees viewed the decision not to report the transactions as a result of a lax approach to money laundering laws. They said there was a pattern of bank executives rejecting reports to protect relationships with lucrative clients, according to the newspaper. One employee who reviewed some of the transactions said she was terminated last year after raising concerns about the bank's practices, the Times reported. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization told Reuters "the story is absolute nonsense." "We have no knowledge of any 'flagged' transactions with Deutsche Bank. In fact, we have no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank," she said. The newspaper said a Kushner Cos spokeswoman called any allegations of relationships involving money laundering "made up and totally false." Officials at Kushner Cos were not available to Reuters for independent comment. The Times said the nature of the transactions was not clear. At least some of them involved money flowing back and forth with overseas entities or individuals, which bank employees considered suspicious. The report surfaces at a time when congressional and New York state authorities are investigating the relationship between Trump, his family and Deutsche Bank, and demanding documents related to any suspicious activity. The president has sued in court in an attempt to block U.S. House of Representatives subpoenas for his financial records that were sent to Deutsche Bank, Capital One Financial Corp and the accounting firm Mazars LLP. Trump, a real estate developer and former reality television star, still owns the Trump Organization but has maintained that his sons are running the day-to-day operations while he is president. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Clarence Fernandez and Keith Weir) China on Monday denounced a US warship sail-by near disputed islands in the South China Sea as a violation of its sovereignty, amid mounting tensions over trade between the two countries. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) organised air and naval forces to warn the USS Preble to leave, said a PLA spokesman, after it entered waters near China-claimed Scarborough Shoal on Monday morning. "The relevant actions from the US side endanger the safety of both Chinese and American ships and personnel, and undermine China's sovereignty and safety," said Li Huamin, spokesman of the PLA's Southern Theatre Command. "We express our resolute opposition," he added. The move comes as both countries adopt toughening stances on a host of economic and diplomatic issues, namely trade and hi-tech rivalry. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, with China announcing it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US merchandise from June 1 in retaliation. Trump has also barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the sea, including on the Spratly Islands, which Beijing calls Nansha. China claims nearly all of the sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's vast claims in the sea. Earlier this month, two US warships entered waters adjacent to Gaven and Chigua reefs in the Spratlys, sparking fury from China. "We strongly urge the US side to immediately stop such provocative actions so as to not harm China-US relations and the peace and stability of the region," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a press briefing. BERLIN, May 20 (Reuters) - The German Economy Ministry is examining the impact of U.S. sanctions against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on German firms, a spokeswoman said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with U.S. counterparts. (Reporting by Michelle Martin Editing by Thomas Escritt) PHILADELPHIA In his first major campaign rally as a Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden on Saturday presented himself as the candidate who can unite a divided country, yet offered few specifics on how he might do that. The former vice president repeated his previous calls for free community college and providing an option to buy into the Medicare program. He also called for a clean energy revolution, arguing it would create new jobs rather than shed them. Following the event, supporters flocked to Biden seeking selfies. Asked from a distance within the crowd what his energy plan would look like, Biden said the text of his speech is available. He did not make time for questions from the press. Biden also told the crowd of thousands during his 30-minute speech that he rejected an idea held among some Democrats that the angrier a candidate, the more likely to clinch the party's nomination. May 3: 4 decades separate 2020's presidential candidates. Here's what that looks like. May 16: Biden ahead of Trump by double digits in key state of Pennsylvania, poll finds Still, most of his address held at Eakins Oval across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous "Rocky" steps focused on defeating President Donald Trump in 2020. Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during Biden's first public presidential campaign rally Saturday at Eakins Oval. "If the American people want a president to add to our division, to lead with a clenched fist, closed hand and a hard heart, to demonize the opponents and spew hatred they dont need me," Biden said. "They already have a president who does just that." The crowd of thousands cheered with vigor. Biden is counting on such excitement to propel him in state caucuses and primaries starting next February. More than 20 other Democrats have entered the contest. The former longtime Delaware senator came onto the stage in Philadelphia wearing his famous Aviator sunglasses and a button-down shirt. He embraced his wife, Jill Biden, who had just spoken, while the song "Philadelphia Freedom" played in the background. Story continues According to organizers, about 6,000 people attended the rally. In the weeks since launching his third presidential campaign, Biden has shown he plans to make Pennsylvania voters a priority. Presidential candidate Joe Biden greets supporters after holding a campaign rally on Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia Saturday. His national campaign headquarters will be based here. He courted union workers in Pittsburgh and he wooed donors in Philadelphia before heading to key early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. May 17: Pennsylvania is a target for both Trump and Biden. But what do voters want? Leading up to Saturday's rally, The News Journal spoke with 40 voters in Pennsylvania counties where Trump won more votes than recent Republicans. Some voters said they simply want Trump out of the White House, while others were firm in their support for the president. And then there were those who teetered in their support for Trump, calling Biden "a good guy," while dismissing other Democrats. A recent poll showed Biden with 39 percent of support from Pennsylvania Democrats who are likely to vote in next year's primaries. In a hypothetical general election contest against Trump, Biden would take 53 percent of the vote in Pennsylvania. Biden often referred to his time serving as vice president to former President Barack Obama, which drew several cheers from the crowd. He also spoke of his ability to work across the aisle with Republicans, mentioning his role in helping pass the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 during the financial crisis. Thousands of people turn out as presidential candidate Joe Biden holds a campaign rally on Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia Saturday. Some people are saying, 'Joe Biden doesnt get it. You can't work with Republicans anymore. That's not the way it works anymore,'" Biden said. But he said he's also aware that sometimes "only a bare knuckle fight will do," like when it came to passing the Affordable Care Act. Among jabs at Trump, Biden called him the "divider-in-chief" who instills fear in the country. Biden compared the language the president uses to that of tyrants and dictators. May 17: Trump on anonymous news sources: Its bull**** The recent economic growth seen under the Trump administration, Biden said, is because of the Obama administration. "That was given to him, just like he earned everything else in his life," Biden said to crowd applause. "And just like everything he was given in life, he's in the process of squandering that as well." Presidential candidate Joe Biden holds a campaign rally on Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia Saturday. Biden criticized Trump's stance on climate change and called for a "clean energy revolution." He said his "first, most important point" in his climate proposal is "beat Trump," yet didn't offer many other details on how to combat climate change. The theme of unity resonated in the Philadelphia crowd, though it was unclear how to achieve such a lofty ideal in contemporary America. Many believed Republicans should reconsider their political ideologies to mend the country. Adam Forgie, a Pittsburgh teacher, thinks Biden can sway Trump supporters away from "intolerance and hate." The other side, its a lot of 'You did this wrong. Shame on you,' he said, referring to Republicans. Tonya Conrad, a school teacher from Newark, was an independent voter until Trump became president, an event that pushed her over the edge to becoming more liberal. More: 2019 political cartoons from the USA TODAY Network She said too many supporters of the president fear "losing something by including others." Why do we have public education? Because having an educated community makes everyone better. Why do we want everyone to have access to health care? Because it makes everyone healthier, she said. While Conrad eagerly awaited Biden's arrival, Philadelphia resident Mike Kachur strolled around the art museum for a late morning walk. He looked curiously at the rally, but wasn't interested in entering. Biden's ideas don't excite him, he said. Instead, he likes progressive policies put forward by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, he said. Sanders "is a socialist," he said. "And, it's not a bad thing. I dont know why it's such a bad word." For Kachur, Biden as a unifier likely means he would compromise on progressive issues. For Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, unity in part means preserving the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. How can we find common ground?" Coons asked. I think its right in front of us. Follow Meredith Newman and Karl Baker on Twitter: @merenewman and @kbaker6. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Biden at first major rally: Trump is 'divider-in-chief' who leads with 'hard heart' CAIRO (Reuters) - An explosion targeting a tourist bus injured at least 12 people on Sunday, mostly South African tourists, near a new museum being built close to the Giza pyramids in Egypt, two security sources said. A third security source said the bus was carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids area, and that four Egyptians in a nearby car were also injured by broken glass. Security and judicial sources said a rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal had been detonated remotely on the perimeter of the Grand Egyptian Museum, not far from the site of a roadside blast that hit another tourist bus in December. Pictures posted on social media showed a bus with some of its windows blown out or shattered, and debris in the road next to a low wall with a hole in it. One witness told Reuters he heard a "very loud explosion" while sitting in traffic. South Africa's foreign ministry said three of its citizens would remain in hospital in Egypt for treatment and the rest would return home. The museum is due to open next year as the new home for some of the country's top antiquities on a site adjoining the world-famous Giza pyramids. It is part of an effort to boost tourism, a key source of foreign revenue for Egypt. The sector has been recovering after tourist numbers dropped in the wake of a 2011 uprising and the 2015 bombing of a Russian passenger jet. There was no damage to the museum from the blast, which happened 50 metres from its outer fence and more than 400 metres from the museum building, the Antiquities Ministry said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Egyptian security forces are waging a counter insurgency campaign against Islamist militants, some with links to Islamic State, that is focussed in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. Attacks outside Sinai have become relatively rare, though there have been several security incidents in recent months in Giza, across the Nile from central Cairo. In December, three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when a roadside bomb hit their tour bus less than 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from the Giza pyramids. (Reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Haithem Ahmed, Mostafa Salem and Alexander Winning; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Mark Potter and Daniel Wallis) Boeing's next commercial jet design could come with a cockpit built for just one pilot. The New Midsize Airplane (NMA) might be confirmed at the Paris Air Show in June. The plane is wanted by the industry to serve smaller cities directly. Boeing's next commercial jet design could come with a cockpit built for just one pilot, according to industry analysts. Rumors have swirled for months that the U.S. plane manufacturer will announce a New Midsize Airplane (NMA), dubbed by industry insiders as the 797, at the Paris Air Show next month. Plans for a big reveal may have been put on hold by Boeing's ongoing problem with its 737 Max planes, two of which have been involved in recent fatal crashes. Over the last few weeks, analysts at Jefferies have quizzed plane-buying executives at airlines and leasing companies on what they would want from any new Boeing offering. The researchers said that given the NMA would start from a completely fresh design, airline executives see scope for just one pilot to be physically sat in the plane. A second pilot would be ground based and be able to "monitor several aircraft" at the same time. Reducing the number of pilots from an airline's payroll could save a company millions of dollars in salaries and training costs. The Jefferies note, released Sunday, claimed the technology to do this is still 10 years away but Boeing customers would find the capability "valuable." Boeing Research and Technology Vice-President Charles Toups said in February that one-pilot jets would likely begin with cargo flights and it would be a "couple of decades" before passengers would be convinced of their safety. Outside of the cockpit, airline execs want a new Boeing plane to have more flexibility in how seats could be arranged and reshuffled, with some premium carriers calling for more flexibility to install lie-flat beds. The NMA is predicted to hold between 200 and 250 passengers but fly with the range of a larger plane. A plus-size variant could accommodate as many as 290 passengers and executives told Jefferies that a widebody aircraft (one with two aisles) is a likely preference. Story continues Typically, the NMA is seen serving transatlantic routes, connecting smaller cities in the Unites States with "secondary" European cities such as Brussels or Copenhagen. Given Boeing's recent woes, Jefferies believes entry into service for the "797" could now be as far away as 2028. In February, U.K. firm Rolls-Royce pulled out of the race to provide engines for Boeing's new offering. The engine maker withdrew its tender stating it was "unable to commit to the proposed timetable." Boeing is now expected to choose between engines built by United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney and CFM International, a General Electric joint venture with France's Safran. Now watch: Neil Sorahan, CFO of Ryanair, says his airline is backing Boeing's 737 Max aircraft to succeed. More From CNBC Are Boeing planes really pilots planes anymore? The aerospace giant has long enjoyed a reputation for building pilots planes, where nothing got between a pilot and their ability to fully control their aircraft. Thats why a failed cockpit warning light and a flawed avionics software program in their new 737-Max aircraft has received so much condemnation in recent days from aviation experts. It showed that Boeing was not only sloppy, but that they had quietly reneged on their long-running promise to keep pilots as the masters of the cockpit. The media pounded Boeing mercilessly after the company admitted that it knew that there was yet another problem with the 737-Max: a malfunction with whats called the AoA Disagree light going back as early as 2017. While Boeing notified the FAA about the fault, it failed to notify its airline customers of the problem until after the first 737-MAX jet, Lion Air Flight 610, crashed in October 2018. This is important because the preliminary accident report in the Lion Air crash indicated that one of the two AoA sensors on the 737- MAX was not functioning correctly and was feeding bad data back to the plane. One of the systems that received this bad data was a newly installed flight assist program, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. The program was designed to automatically pitch the nose of the plane down to prevent it from stalling, which occurs when the plane doesnt receive enough lift to stay in the air. The faulty data from the AoA sensor made the MCAS think the plane was in a stall. As such, the program started to pitch the planes nose down while it was ascending. The flight data recorder recovered from the Lion Air crash showed that the pilots tried 19 times to pull the planes nose back up, but MCAS kept pushing it back down. Eventually, the computer won, causing the plane to crash violently into the Java Sea, killing all 181 passengers and eight crew members onboard. Six months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 experienced a similar fate, forcing Boeing to ground all 737-MAX jets. Story continues Software Failure All things being equal, if one of the two outside AoA sensors were giving out false readings, then the AoA Disagree light should have illuminated in the cockpit, alerting pilots to a problem. Every 737 Max had one of these warning lights installed, as it was standard in previous models, so they may have been relying on it to illuminate when troubleshooting through issues. But as we know now, the AoA Disagree light only worked on those planes that had also ordered something called an AoA Indicator gauge installed in their cockpits as well. This indicator is a tiny circular gauge that appears on the upper-right hand side of the 737-Maxs large electronic display screens. In an interview with Boeing, the company disclosed that only around 20% of its 737-Max customers asked for the AoA gauge to be displayed on their instrument panel. Why so few? Well, it turns out that AoA is rarely used by commercial pilots. I have never flown a plane with an AoA indicator and if I did, I wouldnt even know where to look for it, a commercial pilot, certified to fly the Boeing 737-NG family of planes, told Fortune under condition of anonymity, as their airline does not allow them to speak with the media. Angle-of-Attack was important years back when jets and flying, in general were new. Today, very few pilots look at AoA because there are [CS1] dozens of other, more important indicators we use to keep the plane in the air. Optional Features Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and WestJet all confirmed that they ordered their 737-Max jets without the AoA Indicator, meaning that their AoA Disagreement lights wouldnt have illuminated if there was a problem. Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines also ordered their planes without the AoA Indicator, as well. After the Lion Air crash, Boeing informed Southwest of the problem but assured them that a patch was coming to their software package which should rectify the issue. Southwest decided to play it safe and had AoA Indicators installed on all of their 737-Max jets. Once the gauge was displayed, the AoA Disagree light worked as intended. But even though it chose to address the issue of the faulty light immediately, Southwest acknowledged that their pilots would rely other, more critical, systems and alerts if they found themselves in a similar situation that brought down the Lion Air flight. From a Pilots perspective, the AOA Disagree lights are advisory, the proper handling of the stick shaker and unreliable airspeed event is the focus during these situations, as opposed to the illumination of a single advisory indicator light, Brandy King, a spokesperson for Southwest, told Fortune. We look forward to the FAAs final guidance and will fully comply with any modifications and additional training requirements to strengthen the reliability of the 737 MAX. Too Much Information? Sometimes too much information can be a bad thing. Several of the current pilots interviewed for this story admitted that it is easy to get desensitized in todays modern aircraft, with all the bings, bongs and flashing lights coming from all directions. We did not install these features [the AoA Indicator] because our aircraft are already equipped with anti-stall indicators, which are proven and safe, Frank Benenati, a spokesperson for United Airlines, told Fortune. None of Uniteds airplanes have angle of attack on their primary flight display, as pilots are trained to use airspeed, pitch and power for the safe operation of aircraft. While the AoA Disagree light didnt go off in the Lion Air crash, the flight data recorder did show that the captains stick shaker went off immediately after takeoff, indicating that the plane (thought) that it was in a stall. This is one of the few alerts that cannot be overlooked by the flight crew as it loudly shakes the captains control column as seen in this video. Indeed, once the stick shaker went off, the Lion Air crew immediately sprang into action to address the stall, according to the preliminary accident report. Not The Smoking Gun That brings us back to the million-dollar question if the AoA Disagreement light actually worked properly while Lion Air was ascending, would the pilots have done anything differently that might have saved the aircraft? All the experts Fortune spoke with collectively and rather emphatically say no. Sure, this was an engineering screw up, but it didnt cause either plane, Lion Air or Ethiopian, to crash, Douglas Moss, a pilot and instructor at The University of Southern Californias Viterbi Aviation Safety and Security Program, told Fortune. In fact, if they did have a working light and it did come on, that probably would have been more confusing to the pilots because that would have indicated an AoA problem when that wasnt the problem at all. But while a functioning AoA Disagree light wouldnt have helped the pilots of Lion Air Flight 610 or Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 avoid a crash, the fact that Boeing let a commercial passenger aircraft roll off their assembly line with a known defect, even as seemingly benign as this one, puts into question the companys once stellar safety standards. Being the pilots plane, Boeings commitment to safety always began in the cockpit, with pilots being able to maintain full operational control of their aircraft at all times. This started with furnishing pilots with all the information they needed to make the right flight decision, every time. It is why Boeing originally designed their planes to have multiple backup sensors for all critical flight data systems, like airspeed and angle-of-attack. It is also why they put those disagree lights in the cockpit, to basically let pilots know that there may be an issue with the data and to adjust their decision making accordingly. By failing to immediate fix the AoA Disagree light, Boeing was sending a message that they knew best when it concerned safety. This is important because it begins to explain why Boeing felt it was then okay to introduce the ill-fated MCAS system into the 737-MAX. The program made critical operational decisions automatically, sidelining pilots. While the computer program was supposedly designed to make the plane safer and easier to handle, by totally removing pilot input, it actually wound up making the plane far less safe to fly. In this case, it seems, a tiny indicator light illuminates something much, much larger. More must-read stories from Fortune: Warren Buffetts best stock picks over the past year How Tumblrs trouble illustrates Verizons messy media strategy Staggered boards are paying off for stock investors Why debt ceiling may become a buzzword this summer Dont miss the daily Term Sheet, Fortunes newsletter on deals and dealmakers. RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro blamed interest groups for impeding him from governing on Monday and said the country's big problem was its political class. Since he took office Jan. 1, Bolsonaro has suffered a series of setbacks in Congress and his plan to overhaul Brazil's pension system has been delayed by disputes with lawmakers, including his political allies. "Every time I touch a wound, an army of influential people turns against me," he said in a speech to businessmen in Rio de Janeiro. (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Editing by Susan Thomas) A general view looking across the City of London towards Canary Wharf on March 19, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images) New London office building hit a post Brexit referendum high, according to Deloitte Real Estate's London Office Crane Survey. The report, which is a key barometer looking at construction in London, revealed that with 13.2 million square feet of space under construction, new office building in central London reached a three year high up 12% on that figure six months ago. "London's office market remains resilient in the face of uncertainty as we witness an encouraging increase in new construction starts," said Mike Cracknell, director at Deloitte Real Estate. "This is testament to developers' continued confidence in London's office leasing market long-term." Chart: Deloitte There were some other notable upticks in the London office building sector, such as 55% of space under construction is already let. Financial Services are pre-letting more space and technology, media and telecoms (TMT) also further increased its share, from 29% to 35%, said Deloitte. Chart: Deloitte However, Deloitte warned that even though there was an up-tick in office construction levels, the overall pipeline under construction and proposed schemes declined by 23% over the past two years. What does it mean to the London office market? And is the tide about to turn for second-hand office space? Brexit was delayed up until 31 October this year. Brexit supporting UK senior minister, international trade secretary Liam Fox, is set to say in a speech at the International Financial Services Forum today that the City of London will "emerge fitter, stronger and more dynamic than ever." "We recognise your difficulties, we recognise your importance, and we want to work with you to give certainty and stability wherever possible as we move towards our new deep and special partnership with the European Union," he will add, according to excerpts of his speech. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is preparing to bring in a new spying law and is considering updating treason legislation to counter the threat from hostile states in the wake of the nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury last year, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday. Javid said the moves were necessary to cover "real gaps" in existing laws, saying it was important that Britain had the powers to address threats for when it leaves the European Union. "The conclusion of the Cold War was not the end of state-on-state threats that many had actually predicted. Salisbury was a sharp reminder of that," he said in a speech at London police's Scotland Yard headquarters. "Getting this right and having the right powers and resources in place for countering hostile states must be a post-Brexit priority." Plans for a new Espionage Bill come after the Novichok poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in southwest England in March last year for which Britain has blamed Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement and says the men Britain has accused of being the Russian agents who carried out the attack were innocent tourists. The incident led to Britain, European countries and the United States expelling 100 Russian diplomats. Javid said the new spying law would give British security services unspecified "new and modernized powers". "The areas this work will consider includes whether we follow allies in adopting a form of foreign agent registration and how we update our Official Secrets Acts for the 21st century," he said. He added that officials had also been asked to consider updating treason laws. "If updating the old offence of treason would help us to counter hostile state activity, then there is merit in considering that too," he said. In his speech, Javid also said he could use counter-terrorism powers to make it a crime for British nationals to travel to certain areas in Syria and might also similarly designate parts of west Africa as no-go areas in the future. He also revealed that Britain's security services had thwarted 19 major terrorist attacks in the past two years, 14 of which were of Islamist origin and five motivated by far-right extremism. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) GENEVA (Reuters) - Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the administration of President Donald Trump would retaliate. "I would say to the Iranians: Do not underestimate the resolve on the U.S. side," Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. "They don't want a war with Iran. But if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. And that is something that the Iranians needs to think about very, very carefully." (Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) Cannes (France) (AFP) - British comic Catherine Tate's foul-mouthed grandmother character, whose cursing has kept audiences chucking for 15 years, is to star in a feature-length film called "This Nan's Life", media reported at Cannes on Monday. It will be directed by Josie Rourke, of London's Donmar Warehouse theatre, whose first feature "Mary Queen of Scots" starring Saoirse Ronan was warmly received last year. Nan was created as a character on the "The Catherine Tate Show", a hit comedy sketch series which ran on the BBC from 2004 to 2009. The movie will focus on how Nan became who she is and will also feature her grandson Jamie, played by regular co-star Mathew Horne, Screen reported. Tate wrote the screenplay with fellow actor and comedian Brett Goldstein, who also worked with her on several Nan specials. "A belligerent old-age pensioner... who tends not to like the world," Tate said the character emerged from an experience at drama school when she was sent to entertain a group of old people at a nursing home. "We had to stand up in front of them and sing," she said, recalling how one old lady who was less than impressed. "At the end of it, she went: 'Is she going to stand in front of that f**king telly all day?'" GENEVA (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt declined to say on Monday whether he would run for Prime Minister Theresa May's job, adding that the focus had to be on delivering Brexit. When asked by reporters in Geneva if he would confirm he was going to run to succeed May, he said: "We have to see what happens and they'll be a time to discuss all those decisions that people make but right now the focus that people want from me and from everyone else in the Conservative Party is to get on and deliver Brexit." Asked if he would advocate a no-deal Brexit, Hunt said: "I would never advocate a no-deal Brexit, I think it would be immensely disruptive economically. And the truth is, no one quite knows what would happen in that scenario. But I think in a negotiation, you can't take these options off the table." (Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) CLAREMONT, N.H. (AP) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg jabbed at President Donald Trump during a Fox News town hall Sunday, saying he understands why people and the media are "mesmerized" by his tweets because "it is the nature of grotesque things that you can't look away." Asked how he responds to Trump's tweets and name-calling including referring to Buttigieg as Alfred E. Neumann, the "Mad" magazine character the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, responded, "I don't care." He said Democrats need to talk less about Trump and more about what they'll do for the American people. Trump criticized Fox News earlier Sunday for "wasting airtime" on Buttigieg, saying Fox "is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems." He added, "Alfred E. Newman will never be President." Buttigieg said many Democrats were critical of his decision to participate in a town hall on Fox News, but added that he believes the party needs to meet voters where they are, whether it's Fox News or visiting places where Democrats aren't seen much. Buttigieg was asked about laws passed recently to ban or restrict abortion in states such as Alabama. He said he believes the right to have an abortion is "an American freedom" and that the government shouldn't have a role in limiting it. "I think the dialogue has gotten so caught up on where you draw the line that we've gotten away from the fundamental question of who gets to draw the line," he said. "And I trust women to draw the line." Asked whether his position extends to the third trimester of pregnancy, Buttigieg said those late-term abortions make up a small percentage of abortions performed and asked the audience to put themselves in that woman's shoes. Any woman making that decision has likely been expecting to carry the baby to term, he said, and received "the most devasting medical news in their lifetime," forcing them to make "an impossible, unthinkable choice." "And the bottom line is as horrible as that choice is, that woman, that family may seek spiritual guidance, they may seek medical guidance," he said. "But that decision's not going to be made any better medically or morally, because the government is dictating how that decision should be made." We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Ikwezi Mining Limited (ASX:IKW). What Is Insider Buying? 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. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.' Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Ikwezi Mining Ikwezi Mining Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Simon Hewetson for AU$2.8m worth of shares, at about AU$0.0066 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$0.001 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock when an insider has bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. Simon Hewetson was the only individual insider to buy over the year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Story continues ASX:IKW Recent Insider Trading, May 20th 2019 Ikwezi Mining is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Ikwezi Mining insiders own 25% of the company, worth about AU$1.0m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. So What Do The Ikwezi Mining Insider Transactions Indicate? The fact that there have been no Ikwezi Mining insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders do have a stake in Ikwezi Mining and their transactions don't cause us concern. To put this in context, take a look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . 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. In July 2011, the deceased, nude body of 32-year-old Rebecca Zahau was found hanging by a makeshift noose from the second-floor balcony of her millionaire boyfriends California mansion. The certified ophthalmic technician was gagged. Her hands and feet had been bound. Zahau, who was dating pharmaceuticals executive Jonah Shacknai, was discovered just hours after she allegedly accessed her voicemail on which a message had been left about the grim prognosis of Shacknais 6-year-old son Max, who was hospitalized after falling down a staircase in the Coronado mansion. Zahau was the only adult present when the boy fell. The child later died from his injuries. Police contend Zahaus death was a suicide. But her family believes she was murdered, and the years since her death have not convinced those who are skeptical of the conclusion of authorities. RELATED: Millionaires Brother Found Civilly Liable After His Girlfriend Was Discovered Hanging From Mansion On June 1 at 6 p.m. ET/PT, Oxygen will premiere a limited series about the case titled Death At The Mansion: Rebecca Zahau. The series looks at the case with former prosecutor Loni Coombs, crime journalist Billy Jensen and forensic criminologist Paul Holes, known for his work in helping solve the case of the Golden State Killer, who is believed to have committed at least 13 murders and 50 rapes in California in the 1970s and 80s. Adam Shacknai | Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP Zahaus Family Suspects Foul Play Zahaus family believes she was strangled, sexually assaulted and killed before her body was hung off the deck. They have pointed the finger at Shacknais brother, Adam Shacknai, who was the first to discover Zahaus body but who according to police was not culpable in her death. RELATED: California Mansion Mystery: Did Rebecca Zahau Kill Herself or Was She Murdered? Still, the family filed a wrongful death suit against the brother and in April 2018, he was found liable by a civil jury in Zahaus death. In February, after a judge refused to reverse the jurys verdict, the case was settled for $600,000, which was paid by an insurance company covering Shacknais legal exposure. Shacknais attorney insists the settlement took place without Shacknais knowledge, NBC7 reports. Story continues The mansion where Rebecca Zahau's body was found | Sandy Huffaker/Corbis via Getty Zahau family attorney C. Keith Greer tells PEOPLE the family is now considering whether to file legal action against the San Diego County Sheriff, whose department insists that Zahau died at her own hands. Greer says he is also preparing to petition the medical examiners office to change the cause of death from suicide to homicide. The Zahau family will not stop until the murderer is behind bars, he says. the balcony where Rebecca Zahau was found hanging 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. Police Adamant Zahaus Death Was Suicide The Sheriffs Department has long maintained that Zahau killed herself because she felt responsible for Maxs accident. Years ago, investigators showed reporters a video reenactment of how they believe she was able to bind her hands and feet and then hang herself. Investigators said they also found her fingerprints on a knife that was used to cut the rope and her toe impressions on the balcony floor. After the civil jury verdict, the department assigned new investigators to reexamine the evidence. Those investigators came to the same conclusion as the ones before, stating the evidence in the case does not support the jurys verdict. We conducted an objective and thorough investigation into Miss Zahaus death, the sheriffs department wrote in a statement to PEOPLE. The facts of that investigation have led to the conclusion that Miss Zahau took her own life. Adam Shacknais attorney Seth Weisburst says his client had nothing to do with Zahaus death and was blindsided by the allegations against him. RELATED: Man Disappointed in Preposterous Verdict Finding Him Liable for Womans Strange Mansion Death Shacknai, who had flown to California after hearing the news about Maxs accident and was staying in the estates guesthouse, said that after seeing Zahaus body, he called 911, cut her down and tried to administer CPR. He, from the beginning, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and has had his whole life upended by this, says Weisburst. Weisburst says Shacknai is angry about the settlement agreement between the insurance company and Zahaus family, and that it wasnt Shacknais decision. He had no part in it, Weisburst says. He was frustrated by the fact that impacted his ability to clear his name, which he was very interested in trying to do through the court system. Oxygens limited series Death At The Mansion: Rebecca Zahau, premieres Saturday, June 1 at 6 p.m. ET/PT. Black-clad students reenacted the horrors of the Cambodian genocide at the "Killing Fields" on Monday to commemorate the two million people killed by the Khmer Rouge's murderous, Maoist regime. Hundreds gathered at the notorious site in Phnom Penh to mark the annual Day of Remembrance with prayers and performances, including students wielding wooden rifles, knives and bamboo sticks in mock attacks. "We performed these scenes in order to remember the genocidal Pol Pot regime and the cruelty that Cambodian people suffered," Chhaem Khleuong, a fine art teacher who played a Khmer Rouge cadre, told AFP. A quarter of Cambodia's population died under Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime, culled in mass killings or of starvation, forced labour or torture. His brutal reign came to an end in 1979, and the Khmer Rouge atrocities are still remembered at museums and sites dedicated to victims of the genocide. The Day of Remembrance, more commonly called the "Day of Anger" in Cambodia, is held at the Choeung Ek "Killing Fields", where some 15,000 people were confined and sent to their deaths between 1975 and 1979. It was an emotional day for many attendees, some who cried as students pretended to slit victims' throats, shoot them dead or subject them to waterboarding. "These views brought my feeling back to the Pol Pot era, the killing was heinous," said 62-year-old Chan Ren, who lost more than 10 relatives under the regime. "Today, people attend the event to pray to the souls of people who were killed by the Khmer Rouge," she added. Several of the genocide's chief orchestrators have been tried by a UN-backed court, though critics say prosecutions have been too slow and many of the accused have died before facing trial. In November, Khmer Rouge's former head of state Khieu Samphan and "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea were found guilty of genocide and sentenced to life in prison. Pol Pot, nicknamed "Brother Number One", died in 1998 before he was brought to trial. Cannes (France) (AFP) - Unless you are a battle-hardened follower of Leonardo DiCaprio's love life, or you spend your life on catwalk model feeds on Instagram, you will not have heard of Camila Morrone. But not for long. The Argentinian model-turned-actress is one of the big discoveries of the Cannes film festival, lighting up a small US indie film about a 17-year-old girl looking after her traumatised, opioid-addicted Iraq veteran father. "Mickey and the Bear" has already had the Hollywood Reporter comparing the triple talents that the film reveals -- Morrone, debut director Annabelle Attanasio and James Badge Dale, who plays the father -- to "Leave No Trace" and "Lean on Pete", "the two finest films of 2018". Morrone, who is 21, regards Al Pacino -- who dated her actress mother Lucila Sola for years -- as her "stepfather", and went to the most famous high school in the world, Beverly Hills 90210. She might not seem the obvious candidate to play a slightly chubby girl living on the breadline in a trailer in a beautiful but polluted former mining town in Montana. Yet the actress -- whose warmth and smouldering catwalk self drew comparisons with Sophia Loren -- pulled it off, putting on weight and bringing an earthy groundedness and strength to the part of a teenager who also had to be mother, wife and nurse. Their lives might be worlds apart, but Morrone said she could identify with Mickey. "I could relate to being a 17-year-old girl and taking on more than I could handle," she told AFP in Cannes where the film is showing in its ACID section. "I didn't grow up overly privileged," she insisted. "My parents were struggling actors who had a hard time getting work. That's why I hesitated about getting into acting, I had seen them going through that." She was the odd one out in a class of rich kids. "I was able to tap into that" to play Mickey, scrabbling to make ends meet while dreaming of escaping her trailer for college in California. Story continues - 'My dad and I shared a bed' - "I lived in a studio apartment with my dad for many years when he was struggling... so I understand that relationship. My dad and I shared a bed until I was 15 because I had no other room to sleep in." Yet fame and wealth were all around her. "I was born in Hollywood, I went to Beverly Hills 90210, so I grew up around all of that stuff. Nobody on the planet has what I grew up around." But getting under the skin of a small-town girl was harder, she said. "Once I got to Anaconda (where the film was shot) that fear went away. Meeting people there and getting to understand their lives" when there are so few jobs, opened her eyes. With so little work many locals join the military. "The amount of veterans in the US is wild, and Montana has the second-most per capita, after Alaska," Morrone said. "There are lots of people in Anaconda with missing limbs having come back from war," she said. "Heroes like Hank in the film come back as a broken shell of a man with physical and emotional damage. People's families suffer, home life is different and we show this reality." - No longer a model - Director Attanasio said she knew immediately Marrone had the chops for the role when she turned up to the audition dressed in jeans and a jumper. Only 26 herself, the pair bring a rare maturity and intelligence to the screen, with critic Sheri Linden hailing their "sharp, affecting film that's brimming with darkness and hope, every instant of it vividly alive." Although often still labelled a model, Marrone said she foreswore the catwalk three years ago to "move back in with my mum in LA" to dedicate herself to acting. "I want people to see no make-up Cami, down and gritty Cami," she said. Morrone looks up to Charlize Theron -- another former catwalk beauty, who won an Oscar for "Monster" -- though she has a soft spot for Marilyn Monroe who "never stopped trying to be a good actor... All she wanted was for someone to say she had talent." Even so, she will be back turning heads on Tuesday when she hits the Cannes red carpet in another stunning gown alongside DiCaprio for the premiere of Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood". "Doing indie films is not the biggest payroll so I had to do other things, but acting is my focus," she said. And not just in Hollywood. "My parents wanted me to be Argentinian and they always talked to me in Spanish, I would even have a 'time out' if I spoke to them in English. "I heard that (the great Spanish director Pedro) Almodovar is here. I am gonna go to his hotel and knock at the door," she laughed. Caracas (AFP) - Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rallied hundreds of supporters in Caracas Monday to mark the anniversary of his controversial May 2018 re-election following polls widely denounced as rigged. Carrying "March for Victory" banners, Maduro supporters took to the streets of the Venezuelan capital, many waving flags of the ruling Socialist party and wearing red T-shirts. Some carried banners saying "Trump, end the blockade on Venezuela" -- a reference to a raft of crippling US sanctions on Maduro's regime. "We celebrate the first anniversary of the popular victory of May 20, the day in which Venezuela decided in favor of peace, democracy and freedom," Maduro wrote on Twitter. Maduro was expected to address the crowd outside the Miraflores presidential palace later Monday. The rally was taking place exactly one year after Maduro was re-elected with 68 percent of the vote in an election boycotted by the opposition. "It's been a battle, a war. They haven't let him govern," said Maduro supporter Hector Aular, 62, describing the first year of the new government as "hard." Maduro has presided over the collapse of the oil-rich country's economy, leading to shortages of basic food and medicine, and causing millions of Venezuelans to flee. He was sworn in for a second six-year term in January, shortly before US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, claiming constitutional legitimacy as the National Assembly speaker, declared himself acting president. Guaido quickly won recognition from more than 50 countries, but has failed to topple Maduro, who is backed by Venezuela creditors China and Russia and retains the support of the powerful military. Meanwhile, the all-powerful regime loyalist Constituent Assembly decided to extend its functions for another 18 months until the end of 2020. The body, originally created by Maduro to write a new constitution, gave itself absolute power following its creation in August 2017. Story continues That came after months of anti-Maduro protests that left 125 people dead. Since then it has effectively replaced the sidelined and opposition-dominated National Assembly, while it has never presented any project related to the constitution. It was originally due to run for two years but will now continue to sit until December 31, 2020. It is made up entirely of regime loyalists after the opposition boycotted its elections, branding it an unconstitutional body. The Constituent Assembly recently stripped 14 opposition lawmakers of their legislative immunity over their support for a failed uprising led by Guaido on April 30. (This May 17 story has been refiled to fix dateline) HONG KONG/PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Carrefour, Europe largest retailer, is exploring the sale of a minority stake in its loss-making business in China and has started sounding out potential buyers, people familiar with the matter said. Carrefour's China business is valued at around $1 billion and the retailer is working with BNP Paribas on the deal, the sources said. They also said the French company is waiting to see the outcome of an auction for German retail group Metro's China operations to assess the level of interest. A Carrefour spokeswoman said on Friday: "There is nothing particularly new to say about the matter", when asked about China. Last week, a Carrefour spokeswoman had said a sale of the business in China was not on the agenda, in answer to market rumors that had sent the shares higher. BNP Paribas had no immediate comment. Carrefour, which has been in China since 1995, has spent years trying to fix a business where 2018 sales fell 5.9% on like-for-like basis to 4.1 billion euros ($4.58 billion), amid fierce competition from local players and a buoyant online market. In January 2018, Carrefour announced a partnership with Tencent, which led to the opening of a high-tech store in Shanghai. Carrefour also said at the time that Tencent and Yonghui, a retailer specialized in fresh food and small formats, could take a stake Carrefour China. This investment has yet to be finalised. The Tencent partnership was the latest step in Carrefour's attempts to stem a decline in sales in China where its main focus is large hypermarkets. Carrefour has been expanding into e-commerce and convenience stores in China and has modernized its hypermarket ranges with more fresh products and opened logistics centers to cut costs. Recently Carrefour reallocated space in its Chinese hypermarkets through a partnership with Chinese electronics retailer Gome for 11 shop-in-shops. Story continues Carrefour's rivals in China have also faced problems with their businesses there. In 2013, Britain's Tesco gave up on going it alone in China, folding its business there into a state run company as a minority partner. In 2016, Wal-Mart sold its Chinese online grocery store in return for a stake in JD.com, China's No. 2 e-commerce firm. Last year, Alibaba bought a stake in Sun Art, Chinas top hypermarket operator, in which French retailer Auchan is the main shareholder. (Reporting by Kane Wu in Hong Kong, Arno Schuetze in Frankfurt, Dominique Vidalon in Paris. Additional reporting by Inti Landauro in Paris. Editing by Jane Merriman) By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Select hospitals designated as "Centers of Excellence" by major U.S. health plans may not necessarily have lower death rates or fewer repeat admissions than other hospitals, a study of heart patients suggests. Several health insurance plans have created Centers of Excellence (COE) programs to identify hospitals that deliver high quality care. A growing number of American patients find that health plans are trying to limit their choice of hospitals and doctors to Centers of Excellence, but whether steering patients to these particular hospitals leads to better outcomes hasn't been clear. For the current study, researchers examined data on rates of 30-day mortality and readmission, or repeat hospitalization, at 62 hospitals in New York State, focusing on patients who had a heart attack or procedures to restore blood flow to the heart. This included five hospitals with a COE designation from Aetna, nine with a COE designation from Cigna, and 17 with a COE designation from Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). Hospitals with Aetna's COE designation had a higher average 30-day mortality rate than other hospitals, with 1.4 versus 1.1 fatalities for every 100 so-called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures to restore blood flow to the heart. There wasn't a meaningful difference in PCI mortality rates with COE designations from Cigna or BCBS. And, none of the three COE programs appeared to make a meaningful difference in mortality rates for heart attacks. "Although the goal is to help guide patients to high quality hospitals that are also more cost-efficient, at this point it does not appear that these programs consistently identify such high quality hospitals," said lead study author Dr. Sameed Khatana of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. "Since our study was focused only on cardiovascular disease and interventions, it is difficult to generalize to other quality designation programs, however, cardiac stenting is one of the most common invasive procedures performed in the U.S. with well-established performance measures," Khatana said by email. One limitation of the study is that it had a small number of hospitals, and it's also possible that hospitals might differ on quality measures that weren't measured in the current analysis, researchers note in JAMA Internal Medicine. But the results suggest that patients shouldn't rely on COE designations to find the best place to go for their care, said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, executive director of interventional cardiovascular programs at Brigham and Women's Heart & Vascular Center in Boston. "Insurers likely make these determinations primarily based on cost to them," Bhatt, who wasn't involved in the study, said by email. "Patients should not assume that these designations reflect actual quality or outcomes." With a typical COE arrangement, insurers will give this designation to a hospital for a treating a certain disease or performing a specific type of surgery and then limit the number of places in their coverage network where patients can go for these things, said Dr. Daniel Blumenthal, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hopsital in Boston who wasn't involved in the study. This helps ensure that a high volume of the insurer's patient go to the designated hospital, and the COE will typically agree to lower payment rates in return, Blumenthal said by email. Sometimes, insurers also steer patients to COEs by reducing or eliminating out-of-pocket co-payments for services at these hospitals. "If care quality is similar across hospitals, costs of care probably should be a central consideration for patients as they contemplate where to go," Blumenthal said. This is especially true for patients that have so-called high deductible health plans that can often come with lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket fees for care, said Dr. William Borden, chief quality and population health officer at George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates in Washington, D.C. "With the growth of high-deductible health plans and greater copays in general, patients are clearly going to be swayed by lower out-of-pocket costs, especially when there is a label indicating that that hospital may also have higher quality," Borden, who wasn't involved in the study, said by email. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2YDTlOE JAMA Internal Medicine, online May 20, 2019. Tana Thai Bistro. | Photo: Rachel S./Yelp Looking to uncover all that the Village has to offer? Get to know this Oklahoma City neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Southern soul food spot to an Italian wine bar. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in the Village, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Aja Bleu Cafe Photo: Danny S./Yelp First is breakfast and brunch cafe and Southern soul food spot Aja Bleu Cafe, situated at 2222 W. Hefner Road, Suite A. With 4.5 stars out of 41 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Look for the fried chicken with yams and sweet corn, the pork chop sandwich, the biscuits and gravy, the chicken and waffles, the cornbread and the lemonade. 2. Tana Thai Bistro Photo: Rachel S./Yelp Thai spot Tana Thai Bistro is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 10700 N. May Ave., four stars out of 116 reviews. The restaurant features "old-fashioned" Thai cuisine, such as pad thai, chicken with cashews, yellow curry and spring rolls. Save room for the mango sticky rice for dessert. 3. Inaka Sushi & Bar Photo: Jennifer B./Yelp Inaka Sushi & Bar, a sushi bar and Japanese spot, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 113 Yelp reviews. Head over to 9321 N. Pennsylvania Ave. to see for yourself. The restaurant features over 30 different sushi rolls, as well as hibachi entrees served with miso soup, salad, shrimp appetizers, veggies and fried rice. There are also special combo dinners of either steak, chicken and shrimp or lobster, shrimp and scallops. 4. Papa Dio's Restaurant & Wine Bar Photo: Helen C./Yelp Finally, check out Papa Dio's Restaurant & Wine Bar, which has earned four stars out of 72 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Italian spot and wine bar at 10712 N. May Ave., Suite C. Papa Dio's offers a lengthy authentic Italian menu of appetizers, soups and salads, pastas, chicken and veal entrees, seafood and Italian specialties. Try the manicotti Florentine, the sausage lasagna, the five cheese ravioli Bolognese and the gourmet fried pizza. 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. China said Monday that it never agreed to the extravagant demands U.S. negotiators made during April negotiations meant to solidify a trade deal between the worlds two largest economies. We dont know what this agreement is the United States is talking about, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in comments to reporters. Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but its certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to. The White House earlier this month raised tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports after accusing Beijing of reneging on the terms of a deal. China retaliated last week, saying it will raise tariffs from 5 to 25 percent on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, including coffee, batteries, and spinach. The Trump administration attempted to achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure, Kang said. From the start this wouldnt work. The U.S. and China had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said, Thats OK, were going to tariff their products, President Trump said last week. The tariffs have sparked a fierce backlash from critics who say they will hit American businesses, and by extension consumers, hard. Republican senator Pat Toomey called the tariff hike very bad policy, last week, saying that tariffs are a dangerous and a painful tool that hits both the country against which the tariffs are being imposed and the country that is doing the imposition. Meanwhile, the stock market dropped for four days at the beginning of this month as the U.S. prepared to make good on its threat to raise tariffs on China. The trade war between the two countries has heated up just ahead of next months G-20 summit in Japan, where President Trump plans to meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping. More from National Review By Omar Rajarathnam and Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - After coming under fire for not acting on warnings about Easter bombings that killed more than 250 people, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is now facing criticism over his leadership in the aftermath of the Islamist attacks. On Monday last week, just as anti-Muslim riots were spreading in apparent reprisal for the attacks, Sirisena embarked on a three-day trip to key financier China, leaving some Sri Lankans feeling abandoned. Going ahead with his son's wedding on May 9 also struck some as an affront to families still in mourning after the April 21 bombings, claimed by Islamic State, which struck churches and hotels. That leaves Sirisena in a weak position ahead of this year's presidential election, voters and analysts say, potentially paving the way for former wartime defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take over. Sirisena's allies say he did the best he could in a volatile situation, citing measures like temporarily shutting down social media and deploying the army to stem violence in the multi-ethnic, Buddhist-majority island. But that rings hollow to voters like 56-year-old construction worker Sunil, who voted for Sirisena in 2015 amid hopes the career politician would combat corruption but now feels the president has not focused on governing. "The president has no time for this because he is busy going all over the place," said Sunil on a recent morning in Colombo, vowing never to vote for Sirisena again. Sirisena's trip to China, where he met President Xi Jinping, was pre-planned and beneficial to the nation, coordinating secretary Shiral Lakthilaka told Reuters. Sirisena returned to Sri Lanka on Thursday and only addressed attacks on Muslim homes and shops on Friday, five days after the violence erupted. Some disgruntled Sri Lankans were also frustrated that Sirisena's son's wedding went ahead. It was originally scheduled to be held in the Shangri-La, which was bombed, and ultimately celebrated at the Hilton Colombo. Sirisena, one user identified as @sankadon tweeted, "cant even postpone the extravagant wedding at least (for) the tears and blood of the people who lost their lives due to his inability". Spokesman Ekanayake pushed back at the criticism, saying the wedding was scaled down and that Sirisena did not attend all the festivities. ELECTION YEAR The criticism comes on top of accusations that government paralysis due to a feud between Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe prevented warnings about the attacks from being disseminated. Both men, who fell out after a political crisis in October, say they were not privy to the warnings. Sirisena was in Singapore with family when the attackers struck. He returned to Colombo 15 hours later, appointed a panel to probe defense lapses and replaced both the police chief and the defense secretary. There are no political polls in Sri Lanka, but analysts said Sirisena was on the back foot in elections that must be held by December. "President Sirisena does not have a fighting chance," said Eurasia analyst Akhil Bery. Wickremesinghe is also seen as a lame duck due to disappointment over the economy under his watch. His allies say two more popular politicians from the United National Party, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya or Housing Minister Sajith Premadasa, could run instead. To be sure, Sirisena's chances of re-election prior to the attack were also seen as slim, but he had been vying for an alliance with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. That now seems impossible, with Rajapaksa's brother, Gotabaya, who is running for office, doubling down on criticism that the attacks happened because the government dismantled intelligence networks he built up during Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war with Tamil rebels. "Sirisena had the idea of contesting, but there is no chance at all (of winning), especially after the attack," said political commentator Kusal Perera. Auto rickshaw driver Shantha, who did not provide a surname, has switched from supporting Sirisena to backing Rajapaksa. "We did not see quick decisions to bring the situation in the country back under control," Shantha, 37, said of the government. "I will vote only if Gotabaya Rajapaksa contests." (Additional reporting by Ranga Sirisal; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Nick Macfie) Passive investing in an index fund is a good way to ensure your own returns roughly match the overall market. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. That downside risk was realized by China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) Limited (HKG:8199) shareholders over the last year, as the share price declined 32%. That contrasts poorly with the market return of -13%. China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) hasn't been listed for long, so although we're wary of recent listings that perform poorly, it may still prove itself with time. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 16% in the last three months. This could be related to the recent financial results - you can catch up on the most recent data by reading our company report. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Check out our latest analysis for China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Even though the China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) share price is down over the year, its EPS actually improved. It's quite possible that growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past. The divergence between the EPS and the share price is quite notable, during the year. So it's easy to justify a look at some other metrics. In contrast, the 5.3% drop in revenue is a real concern. Many investors see falling revenue as a likely precursor to lower earnings, so this could well explain the weak share price. The graphic below shows how revenue and earnings have changed as management guided the business forward. If you want to see cashflow, you can click on the chart. Story continues SEHK:8199 Income Statement, May 20th 2019 You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic. A Different Perspective We doubt China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) shareholders are happy with the loss of 32% over twelve months. That falls short of the market, which lost 13%. There's no doubt that's a disappointment, but the stock may well have fared better in a stronger market. With the stock down 16% over the last three months, the market doesn't seem to believe that the company has solved all its problems. Given the relatively short history of this stock, we'd remain pretty wary until we see some strong business performance. Before deciding if you like the current share price, check how China Wan Tong Yuan (Holdings) scores on these 3 valuation metrics. If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi said on Monday it would not take part for now in a new Mexican scheme to retain tax from drivers and delivery riders at technology companies, after rival firms Uber and Cabify signed up to the program. In a statement, Didi said it will continue to analyze the possibility of future participation in the program, depending on the impact for drivers. The company said it was in full compliance with current regulations. (Reporting by Julia Love; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel) By Luoyan Liu and John Ruwitch SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The fresh escalation in the long-running Sino-U.S. trade dispute prompted a sharp selloff in Chinese markets last week with the yuan and banking and tech stocks hit particularly hard though some sectors, like farming, managed to outperform. The market rout came after U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing retaliated with tariffs of its own. As result, the yuan is now off 2.5% so far this month. (GRAPHIC: China's yuan, stocks fall amid trade tensions - https://tmsnrt.rs/2WNlItd) A weaker currency and trade uncertainties have intensified outflows of foreign funds from the A-share market since April. Foreign investors are a key part of the country's equities market, holding a total of 1.68 trillion yuan ($244.41 billion) worth of A-shares as of end-March, up from 1.15 trillion yuan at end-2018, according to latest PBOC data. As of May 17, foreign investors via the Stock Connect had sold about 36 billion yuan worth of mainland shares in May, snapping a five-month buying streak. (GRAPHIC: Foreign outflows via the Stock Connect intensified in May - https://tmsnrt.rs/2WU9WNE) Shares in the four biggest lenders have taken a beating on concerns they will be asked to lend more to prop up the growth. "If there is no resolution to the trade dispute, the banks may need to increase lending while trying to maintain asset quality especially after the weak April data," strategists at Jefferies said in a note. Chinese banks cut back new lending in April after a record first quarter that sparked fears of more bad loans, but analysts say the central bank will have to sustain policy support through the year. (GRAPHIC: Shares in China's big 4 banks skid in past weeks amid trade dispute - https://tmsnrt.rs/2WLisPc) China's information technology and telecommunications firms, which are heavily reliant on the global supply chain and hence seen as vulnerable to trade tensions, have seen a major correction since April. Story continues As of Friday, the CSI IT index slumped 21.3% from an more than one-year high hit on April 2, while an index tracking China's major telecoms firms declined 22.6% from a 16-month high hit on April 22. Shares of Huawei suppliers slumped after the Trump administration hit Chinese telecoms giant Huawei with severe sanctions. China's No. 2 telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp had tumbled as much as 67.4% in 2018 on a U.S. export ban that threatened to put it out of business. Firms heavily exposed to overseas markets also saw their share prices sinking, in particular electronics firms. Chinese video surveillance products supplier Hangzhou Hikvision, which derived 30% of its 2018 revenue from overseas operations, tumbled about 25% from a 10-month high hit on April 2. Apple Inc. supplier Luxshare Precision Industry also retreated 25% from a record high as trade tensions threatened to disrupt the U.S. firm's mainland supply chains. China's leading LED products maker Sanan Optoelectronics dropped nearly 30% in May alone, extending an 11% loss in April. (GRAPHIC: China's stocks, sectors most hit by rising trade tensions - https://tmsnrt.rs/2Ed8A9w) Bucking the trend, agriculture firms gained as investors expect them to benefit from Beijing's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agriculture products. As of Friday, the CSI China mainland agriculture index slipped 1.2% in May, a much more modest decline than the benchmark Shanghai index's 6.4% fall over the same period. Leading the agricultural sector, Hefei Fengle Seed surged the maximum allowed 10% on Friday to a near four-year high, more than doubling so far in May. (GRAPHIC: China's agriculture stocks outperform - https://tmsnrt.rs/2EeFaaW) (Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Sam Holmes) GUANGZHOU (Reuters) - Chinese gaming giant NetEase said on Monday that it would partner with The Pokemon Company and Marvel to release new games for the domestic market, as it looks to add more foreign content to its roster and shore up revenue. A local version of Pokemon Quest will mark the first official Pokemon mobile game release for China, set to arrive nearly three years after Pokemon Go first hit the global market. "The Pokemon Quest partnership is a new start and highly anticipated," NetEase VP Ethan Wang said at an industry event. NetEase will release the game in China in partnership with Japan's Game Freak, the Pokemon developer. NetEase did not reveal a release date for the game. Pokemon Quest first hit app stores globally in the summer of 2018. The company said it had formed a separate partnership with Marvel to release "five or six" mobile games by the end of 2019. The partnership with Marvel will include a global product, Wang said, adding NetEase hopes overseas revenue to account for 30 percent of its total in three years, versus 10 percent now. NetEase, along with rival Tencent and other gaming firms, came under pressure last year as China stopped approving game licenses. NetEase shares plunged about 30 percent in 2018. The stock has recovered since December after China resumed approvals. In March, regulators greenlit titles from NetEase. Wang was he was hopeful the Marvel games will receive approval in time for a release by the end of 2019. "My understanding is now we are gradually getting back to the right track," he said. (Reporting by Pei Li and Josh Horwitz; Editing by Himani Sarkar) By Michael Martina BEIJING, May 20 (Reuters) - Cases of European firms forced to transfer technology in China are increasing despite Beijing saying the problem does not exist, a European business lobby said, adding that its outlook on the country's regulatory environment is "bleak." China's trading partners have long complained that their companies are often compelled to hand over prized technology in exchange for access to the world's second-largest economy. Demands by the United States that China address the problem are central to the two countries' ongoing trade war, which has seen both sides pile tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said on Monday that results from its annual survey showed 20% of members reported being compelled to transfer technology for market access, up from 10% two years ago. Nearly a quarter of those who reported such transfers said the practice was currently ongoing, while another 39% said the transfers had occurred less than two years ago. "Unfortunately, our members have reported that compelled technology transfers not only persist, but that they happen at double the rate of two years ago," European Chamber Vice President Charlotte Roule said at a news briefing on the survey. "It might be due to a number of reasons... Either way, it is unacceptable that this practice continues in a market as mature and innovative as China," Roule said. In certain "cutting edge" industries the incidence of reported transfers was higher, such as 30% in chemicals and petroleum, 28% in medical devices, and 27% in pharmaceuticals, she added. China's top Communist Party newspaper, the People's Daily, said on Saturday that Washington's complaints on the issue were "fabricated from thin air." Amid the escalating U.S.-China trade war, Beijing has put pressure on the EU to stand with it against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies, though the world's largest trade bloc has largely rebuffed those efforts. Story continues The EU has also become increasingly frustrated by what it sees as the slow pace of economic opening in China, even after years of granting China almost unfettered access to EU markets for trade and investment. However, European officials say publicly that they do not support the use of tariffs as a solution. Trump earlier this month raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent, and has said the duties are causing companies to move production out of China to Vietnam and other countries in Asia. The majority of European firms in the chamber's survey said that their business strategies were not changed by the trade war, though it was completed by 585 respondents in January and February, well before the United States' latest tariff increase. At the time, 6% of respondents said they were moving or had moved production out of China as a result of the tariffs, and 4% said they were considering or had already decreased investment in China. Forty-nine percent of the respondents affected by U.S. tariffs said their companies had covered the cost themselves and kept prices the same. The chamber added that members had a "bleak outlook" on China's regulatory environment, with 72% of members saying they expected obstacles to increase or stay the same in the coming five years, even as the Chinese government has vowed continued reform and opening. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) BEIJING (AP) For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. Communist leaders deflected demands for change until foreign frustration erupted into a showdown with President Donald Trump. He sent shockwaves through their export industries by slapping punitive tariffs of up to 25% on Chinese goods. Europe, Japan and other trading partners object to Trump's tactics but echo American complaints. They say Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening commitments under the World Trade Organization. American prosecutors go further. They say the Communist Party is the ringleader of a global industrial spying operation. Chinese leaders have promised stronger patent protections and other legal changes. Foreign experts say that will make little difference if the party won't enforce them. The share of companies in a survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce that said they felt compelled to hand over technology doubled from two years ago to 20 percent. "It is unacceptable that this practice continues," a chamber vice president, Charlotte Roule, said Monday. "Ending its persistence needs to be a priority." Here are some tactics Beijing's trading partners complain it uses to improperly obtain foreign technology. ___ JOINT VENTURES: The strongest tool in Beijing's arsenal is the longstanding requirement for companies in most industries to work through state-owned local partners. The goal is for the Chinese partner to learn and eventually displace its foreign competitor. Some balked but thousands of companies cooperated as the price of admission to the most populous global market. Many companies say Chinese partners abide by promises not to abuse their access to technology. But some say partners have copied chemical formulas, industrial processes and other secrets for their own operations, sometimes with local government support. Story continues Beijing denies it forces foreign companies to hand over technology, but joint ventures won't work without foreign technology and manufacturing expertise. In the auto industry, China has promised to lift requirements for joint ventures and allow full foreign ownership by 2023. Experts say that suggests they believe Chinese automakers no longer need foreign tutors. ___ LEGAL PRESSURE: Pressure to hand over technology pervades Chinese law and action by regulators. Beijing promised when it joined the WTO in 2001 to treat Chinese and foreign companies equally. But 18 years later, business groups and governments say foreign companies still face special burdens, including sharing technology. The European Union filed a WTO challenge last June to Chinese laws on technology licensing it says discriminate against foreign companies. It said China's own companies are free to negotiate licensing terms, but Beijing dictates terms for foreign companies. A law approved in March bans using "administrative measures" to compel foreign companies to hand over technology. Business groups welcomed that but said Chinese officials can still use other pressure tactics. Business groups say Chinese regulators misuse a 2008 Anti-Monopoly Law to pressure foreign companies in negotiations on technology licensing. The law includes an unusual provision prohibiting "abuse of intellectual property right." Lawyers say that runs counter to the spirit of patents and copyrights, which are meant to encourage technology creation by giving the owner a temporary monopoly and the right to charge others for using it. Lawyers said Chinese regulators sometimes intervene in contract negotiations and push foreign companies to accept lower fees by threatening to launch an anti-monopoly investigation. ___ REGULATORY PRESSURE Authorities also use "window guidance," or verbal orders given in secret, to compel companies to support Chinese technology development in ways the government doesn't publicly acknowledge. A decade ago, for example, global automakers agreed to help Chinese partners create new local brands. That injected foreign expertise into fledgling brands the Communist Party hoped eventually will compete in global markets in a way joint venture vehicles made under foreign brand names cannot. It made life harder for automakers by spreading their resources more thinly and adding to competition in a glutted market. Despite that, global automakers said they had commercial motivations and regulators denied they applied any pressure. The real reason? Industry researchers say regulators told automakers in private they had to cooperate if they wanted permission to expand production of their own brands. ___ MORE REGULATORY PRESSURE Regulators also pressure foreign companies to help potential Chinese rivals develop technology. Global companies in engineering, software, pharmaceuticals and other fields have set up research centers with Chinese partners. Many say they are to take advantage of China's scientific talent pool, but such arrangements benefit potential Chinese competitors and are unusual abroad. This month, Microsoft Corp. opened an artificial intelligence research lab in Shanghai with the state-owned Zhangjiang Group. Other prominent examples include General Motors Co.'s Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center with state-owned SAIC Motor. SAIC is the main Chinese manufacturing partner for GM and Volkswagen AG but also sells its own auto brands. ___ AND MORE REGULATORY PRESSURE Companies complain regulators use patent, safety and other official examinations to learn about technology, often including employees of Chinese rivals in review panels. Companies are required to provide what they say is an unusually large amount of information about products and industrial processes, including competitive secrets, to obtain patents or approval for operations. The Wall Street Journal in September cited an employee of a foreign automaker as saying there was "clear evidence of collusion" between regulators and Chinese automakers. The employee said regulators asked for blueprints of components the company was trying to prevent its Chinese partner from seeing but ignored other parts of the vehicle. ___ "LOCALIZING TECHNOLOGY" For decades, the ruling party has rewarded businesspeople, academics and others who "localize technology" a euphemism for unauthorized copying of foreign know-how with promotions, research grants, money and public praise. Security researchers say the government operates a network of research institutes and business parks to turn stolen technology into commercial products. In 2013, three Chinese scientists at New York University were charged with sending U.S. taxpayer-financed research on magnetic resonance imaging to a Chinese government-run institute. Other Chinese-born researchers in the United States have been charged with stealing chemical, seed, turbine and other technologies. Prosecutors say some had partners waiting in China to turn them into products. ___ OUTRIGHT THEFT American prosecutors say when all else fails, top-level state companies steal foreign secrets. Pangang Group, a steelmaker owned by China's Cabinet, was indicted in 2014 on U.S. charges it paid industrial spies to steal a process from DuPont for making titanium dioxide, a white pigment widely used in toothpaste, Oreo cookies and other products. Defendants including an industry consultant and a retired DuPont employee admitted working for Pangang. But the case stalled because prosecutors had no access to Pangang Group and Chinese authorities took no action. ___ MILITARY SPYING U.S. prosecutors say the Communist Party uses its military wing's cyber warfare skills to steal commercial secrets. The People's Liberation Army is regarded as, along with the U.S. and Russian militaries, a leader in research on breaking into or disabling an enemy's computer networks. Security experts say hackers believed to be Chinese soldiers or military contractors have stolen secrets including product designs, chemical processes and details of commercial negotiations. In 2014, five members of China's military cyber warfare unit were indicted on U.S. industrial spying charges. The following year, President Xi Jinping agreed with President Barack Obama to avoid using military resources to steal commercial secrets. But the U.S. National Security Agency said in November that Beijing appeared to be violating its pledge. In October, an employee of China's main spy agency was charged with trying to steal trade secrets from U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Benjamin Field poses for a mirror-selfie with Ann Moore-Martin. He is accused of plotting her murder. (PA) A deeply religious retired teacher believed messages written on mirrors in her home were from God, telling her to change her will and leave her home to her young lover, a court has heard. Benjamin Field, 28, used a white marker pen to leave biblical messages for 83-year-old Ann Moore-Martin as part of a campaign of "gaslighting". Field - 57 years her junior - sent Miss Moore-Martin letters, postcards and poems speaking of his love and discussing marriage during a year-long seduction. The church warden, who admits being in a fraudulent relationship with Miss Moore-Martin, also wrote messages urging her to give him 27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine, purportedly for his seriously ill brother Tom, 24. Field wrote multiple messages to the pensioner and allowed her to believe god was communicating with her. (PA) Oxford Crown Court heard that Miss Moore-Martin, who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, to Field but changed her mind shortly before she died in May 2017 and alleged Field had poisoned her. The jury was told Field had taken photographs of the messages, which were later recovered from his phone following his arrest. The first message, illustrated with a cross, said: "All that you give him, He will return, Ten fold." A second message said: "Your intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord." Ann Moore-Martin believed herself to be in a relationship with Benjamin Field who was 57 years her junior. PA Benjamin Field pictured with Peter Farquhar, who introduced him to Miss Moore-Martin. A third said: "Your soul will proceed directly to heaven, Her soul to joy; his to perfection, This good you will can never be undone. Peace is yours in me, your Lord. Amen." A final message said: "Pray for Ben, Ben loves you." The court heard that Miss Moore-Martin began to believe the messages were from God and Field also spoke of receiving them. Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, previously told jurors that by the time she was receiving the messages Miss Moore-Martin had started feeling unwell and had started worrying about her sanity. A message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. Miss Moore-Martin believed they were messages from 'god'. (PA) A message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. Field is accused of the murder of Miss Moore-Martin and her neighbour. (PA) A message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. Miss Moore-Martin believed they were messages from 'god'. (PA) The court heard that Field wrote in his journal of living in Miss Moore-Martin's house after her death and that he would "lie in her bed as a widow". He later wrote of killing himself after her death. Story continues Field had been introduced to her by her neighbour, university lecturer Peter Farquhar, 69, who Field was lodging with. Field has admitted fraudulently beginning a relationship with Miss Moore-Martin as part of a plot to get her to change her will, but he denies conspiring with friend Martyn Smith, 32, to murder her. Prosecutors allege Field targeted Miss Moore-Martin a few months after allegedly murdering Mr Farquhar. An apparent shrine in Miss Moore-Martin's home with a picture of Benjamin Field. A message written by Benjamin Field about Ann Moore-Martin, who he is accused of plotting to murder. He and Smith, a magician, are accused of plotting to make the church-going pensioner's death seem like an accident, such as dying during sex, falling down the stairs and choking on her dentures, or suicide having got her to change her will. Field has admitted defrauding Miss Moore-Martin of 4,000 to buy a car and 27,000 to buy a dialysis machine. Tom Field and Smith deny having roles in the dialysis fraud. It is claimed that Tom Field was seriously ill and needed the equipment to help him study at Cambridge University. Field and Smith deny murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of an article for use in fraud. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, also denies an alternative charge of attempted murder. He has admitted four charges of fraud and two of burglary. Smith, of Penhalvean, Redruth, Cornwall, also denies two charges of fraud and one of burglary. Tom Field, also of Wellingborough Road, Olney, denies a single charge of fraud. The trial was adjourned until Wednesday. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK By Helen Reid LONDON (Reuters) - Venture capital investors backed Immense Simulations, a British software company which creates interactive replicas of cities, on Tuesday in the latest sign of money pouring into firms that stand to gain from driverless vehicles becoming more mainstream. Immense Simulations raised $4.6 million in its Series A funding round co-led by British venture capital firm Amadeus Capital Partners and Japan's Global Brain Corporation. The deal underscores the global focus on shifting mobility which has driven massive venture capital investment. Some $3.1 billion had been raised this year already by companies in the autonomous driving space, according to CB Insights data. Immense sells its simulation software to carmakers and autonomous vehicle outfits seeking to test their plans for fleets of autonomous cars and run scenarios in a model city as similar as possible to the real thing. Using data from mobile phone operators combined with public transport and telematics databases, Immense makes simulations of cities which aim to show where and how people and vehicles might be moving on any given day. The company's clients include big U.S. carmakers and autonomous vehicle specialists, co-founder and CEO Robin North told Reuters in an interview. He declined to name the firms, citing non-disclosure agreements. Immense has partnered with companies including British taxi firm Addison Lee, and worked on research and development with U.S. auto company Ford, Tata Motors-owned carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, and Germany's Bosch. London, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, and Cambridge in Britain are among the cities Immense has built simulations of in collaboration with local authorities and transport companies including Transport for London. In North America the company created simulations of San Francisco, Chicago, and Montreal for clients and for public demonstrations. Immense also built a simulation of Barcelona as part of a project on last-mile delivery in collaboration with Spain's Ferrovial and the City of Barcelona. The company, with 24 employees, has office space in Silicon Valley, at mobility tech incubator PlanetM in Detroit, Michigan, and in Barcelona. It is incorporated in the United States, Britain and Spain. "With the backing of investors such as Amadeus with expertise in the mobility software sector, and the international perspective of Global Brain, we can capture the growing market for intelligent transport solutions," said North. (Reporting by Helen Reid, editing by David Evans) (Getty) Claire Sweeney has accused a magazine of fat shaming after they accused her of putting on two stone and feeling miserable about it. The former Brookside star tweeted that she couldnt believe stories about celebrities weight were still used, and called on magazines to be mindful of peoples mental health. Read more: Theresa May speaks about Mental Health Awareness Week Flagging up the Bella magazine front page which featured her supposed misery at weight gain, she slammed the decision to pick apart her figure. Sweeney tweeted: I cannot believe that in this day and age, mags are still fat shaming. I've been in the business long enough to grow a thick skin, however I worry about those in the public eye who may not be so strong. Particularly relevant on Mental Heath Awareness Week. #nomisery I cannot believe that in this day and age, mags are still fat shaming. I've been in the business long enough to grow a thick skin, however I worry about those in the public eye who may not be so strong. Particularly relevant on Mental Heath Awareness Week.#nomisery pic.twitter.com/dLiyTD7J10 Claire Sweeney (@clairesweeney) May 17, 2019 Plenty of Sweeneys showbiz pals rallied round to support her criticism of the story, including TV presenter Gaby Roslin and My Family actor Robert Lindsay. Roslin tweeted: Utterly disgusting. Sending love to you @clairesweeney and I want to know why this is still allowed I am sorry that anyone is ever spoken about like this. Lindsay tweeted: I can only admire your beautiful generosity in embracing #mentalhealthawarenessweek2019 when you have been so personally assaulted by scum that you are so toweringly above x Read more: Joey Essex says all reality TV stars feel pressure Presenter Rav Wilding, Emmerdale star Liam Fox, and Benidorm actor Tony Maudsley also jumped to Sweeneys defence. Story continues Soap star Fox commented: That is seriously ridiculous!!! Really??? With you 100%. Maudsley offered: We're going for an emergency Chinese at the earliest possible moment!!! In 2017, Sweeney dropped two stone and two dress sizes by using a SlimFast plan, cutting back on alcohol, and taking up yoga. She said at the time she had wanted to get her pre-baby body back and had achieved her results in three months. Read more: Surprising signs you could be suffering from a mental health condition At the time, she told OK! magazine: I thought you've got a great big belly, big thighs, come on and sort yourself out. "I thought that's it - I'm going to get my pre-baby body back. It's been five years since I've been this weight." By Sonali Paul MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison once brandished a lump of coal in parliament, crying, "This is coal - don't be afraid!" His surprise win in what some dubbed the 'climate election' may have stunned the country, but voters should know what comes next in energy policy - big coal. Battered by extended droughts, damaging floods, and more bushfires, Australian voters had been expected to hand a mandate to the Labor party to pursue its ambitious targets for renewable energy and carbon emissions cuts. Instead, they rejected the opposition's plans for tax reform and climate action, re-electing a Liberal-led centre-right coalition headed by Morrison, a devout Pentecostal churchgoer who thanked fellow worshippers for his win at a Sydney church early on Sunday. The same coalition government last year scrapped a bipartisan national energy plan and dumped then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull because he was viewed as anti-coal. Power companies and big energy users, who last year rallied behind the national energy plan to end a decade of policy flip-flops, said on Sunday they wanted to work with the coalition anew to find ways to cut energy bills and boost power and gas supply. "We just need this chaotic environment to stop and give us some real direction," said Andrew Richards, chief executive of the Energy Users Association of Australia, which represents many of the country's largest industrial energy users. The country's power producers - led by AGL Energy, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, owned by Hong Kong's CLP Holdings - want the government to set long-term goals to give them the confidence to invest an estimated A$25 billion ($17 billion) needed for new power supply. "Customers are looking to energy companies and the government to get bills down and secure our energy supplies," said EnergyAustralia Managing Director Catherine Tanna. Story continues "We have an opportunity now to reset our relationships and recommit to working toward a clear, stable and long-term energy policy," she said in comments emailed to Reuters after Saturday's election. At Origin Energy, Chief Executive Officer Frank Calabria said in emailed comments he would be looking for appropriate policy that would allow the company to invest in a pumped hydro project and gas exploration in the Northern Territory. DIVISIVE DEBATE Australia has endured years of divisive debate on energy policy, with attacks by the Liberal-led coalition on Labor's "carbon tax" policy helping to bring down the government of then-leader Julia Gillard in 2013. Despite top companies, from global miner BHP Group to Australia's biggest independent gas producer Woodside Petroleum, calling for the country to put a price on carbon emissions, the Liberal-led coalition killed the carbon price mechanism in 2014. Its own attempts to fashion a bipartisan national energy policy foundered amid fierce opposition from coal supporters and climate sceptics on its right-wing. Its policy now is focused on driving down power prices and beefing up power supply. For the moment that includes underwriting a new coal-fired power plant and providing A$1.38 billion toward a A$4 billion energy storage expansion at state-owned hydropower scheme Snowy Hydro, designed to back up wind and solar power.. While the coalition stuck to an official target to cut carbon emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels by 2030, the United Nations warned last year Australia was unlikely to meet this goal. The opposition Labor party campaigned on more aggressive targets, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach 50 percent renewable power by 2030. The re-elected Liberal-led coalition has no renewable energy target beyond 2020. ADANI JOBS = VOTES FOR COALITION In the election, stopping a coal mine in the northern state of Queensland proposed by Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises was the catchword for inner city voters in the south pressing for tough action on climate change. Labor, torn between its traditional union base and its urban environmentally conscious supporters, made no commitments on the Adani mine. The move backfired in the mining heartland of Queensland, where voters with jobs in mind handed the Liberal-led coalition crucial seats in the election. Adani Mining Chief Executive Lucas Dow said the state Labor government, which has repeatedly extended environmental reviews of Adani's Carmichael mine, should learn from Labor's defeat in Queensland, listen to its own voters and let the mine go ahead. "As evidenced by this weekend's election results, Queenslanders have no tolerance for political actions that are unjust and put people's livelihoods at risk," Dow said in a statement. A spokesman for Queensland's Department of Environment and Science said departmental representatives had met with Adani on Monday and "negotiations are continuing" on the company's plans. Energy users and the power industry, however, see the transition to cleaner energy as inevitable, with states pushing ambitious targets out of line with the national government. At the same time, Australia, the world's second-largest exporter of coal for power, faces falling demand for coal as its biggest customers - Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and India - are shifting towards cleaner energy, said Tim Buckley, a director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. "I would expect the coalition to fight a rearguard action that will slow the transition, but they can't stall it," he said. ($1 = 1.4560 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Richard Pullin and Kenneth Maxwell) By Sonali Paul MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison once brandished a lump of coal in parliament, crying, "This is coal - don't be afraid!" His surprise win in what some dubbed the 'climate election' may have stunned the country, but voters should know what comes next in energy policy - big coal. Battered by extended droughts, damaging floods, and more bushfires, Australian voters had been expected to hand a mandate to the Labor party to pursue its ambitious targets for renewable energy and carbon emissions cuts. Instead, they rejected the opposition's plans for tax reform and climate action, re-electing a Liberal-led center-right coalition headed by Morrison, a devout Pentecostal churchgoer who thanked fellow worshippers for his win at a Sydney church early on Sunday. The same coalition government last year scrapped a bipartisan national energy plan and dumped then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull because he was viewed as anti-coal. Power companies and big energy users, who last year rallied behind the national energy plan to end a decade of policy flip-flops, said on Sunday they wanted to work with the coalition anew to find ways to cut energy bills and boost power and gas supply. "We just need this chaotic environment to stop and give us some real direction," said Andrew Richards, chief executive of the Energy Users Association of Australia, which represents many of the country's largest industrial energy users. The country's power producers - led by AGL Energy, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, owned by Hong Kong's CLP Holdings - want the government to set long-term goals to give them the confidence to invest an estimated A$25 billion ($17 billion) needed for new power supply. "Customers are looking to energy companies and the government to get bills down and secure our energy supplies," said EnergyAustralia Managing Director Catherine Tanna. "We have an opportunity now to reset our relationships and recommit to working toward a clear, stable and long-term energy policy," she said in comments emailed to Reuters after Saturday's election. At Origin Energy, Chief Executive Officer Frank Calabria said in emailed comments he would be looking for appropriate policy that would allow the company to invest in a pumped hydro project and gas exploration in the Northern Territory. DIVISIVE DEBATE Australia has endured years of divisive debate on energy policy, with attacks by the Liberal-led coalition on Labor's "carbon tax" policy helping to bring down the government of then-leader Julia Gillard in 2013. Despite top companies, from global miner BHP Group to Australia's biggest independent gas producer Woodside Petroleum, calling for the country to put a price on carbon emissions, the Liberal-led coalition killed the carbon price mechanism in 2014. Its own attempts to fashion a bipartisan national energy policy foundered amid fierce opposition from coal supporters and climate skeptics on its right-wing. Its policy now is focused on driving down power prices and beefing up power supply. For the moment that includes underwriting a new coal-fired power plant and providing A$1.38 billion toward a A$4 billion energy storage expansion at state-owned hydropower scheme Snowy Hydro, designed to back up wind and solar power.. While the coalition stuck to an official target to cut carbon emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels by 2030, the United Nations warned last year Australia was unlikely to meet this goal. The opposition Labor party campaigned on more aggressive targets, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach 50 percent renewable power by 2030. The re-elected Liberal-led coalition has no renewable energy target beyond 2020. ADANI JOBS = VOTES FOR COALITION In the election, stopping a coal mine in the northern state of Queensland proposed by Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises was the catchword for inner city voters in the south pressing for tough action on climate change. Labor, torn between its traditional union base and its urban environmentally conscious supporters, made no commitments on the Adani mine. The move backfired in the mining heartland of Queensland, where voters with jobs in mind handed the Liberal-led coalition crucial seats in the election. Adani Mining Chief Executive Lucas Dow said the state Labor government, which has repeatedly extended environmental reviews of Adani's Carmichael mine, should learn from Labor's defeat in Queensland, listen to its own voters and let the mine go ahead. "As evidenced by this weekend's election results, Queenslanders have no tolerance for political actions that are unjust and put people's livelihoods at risk," Dow said in a statement. A spokesman for Queensland's Department of Environment and Science said departmental representatives had met with Adani on Monday and "negotiations are continuing" on the company's plans. Energy users and the power industry, however, see the transition to cleaner energy as inevitable, with states pushing ambitious targets out of line with the national government. At the same time, Australia, the world's second-largest exporter of coal for power, faces falling demand for coal as its biggest customers - Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and India - are shifting towards cleaner energy, said Tim Buckley, a director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. "I would expect the coalition to fight a rearguard action that will slow the transition, but they can't stall it," he said. (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Richard Pullin and Kenneth Maxwell) (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co said on Monday it had dropped plans to refranchise its Africa bottling business, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), and would instead keep its majority stake in the unit for the time being. The U.S. beverage giant had wanted to refranchise the unit as part of its global plan to divest its manufacturing and distribution assets to focus on main beverage business and boost margins. "While we remain committed to the refranchising process, we believe it's in the best interests of all involved for Coca-Cola to continue to hold and operate CCBA," Coca-Cola said in a statement. The company said it has had discussions with a number of potential partners. Coca-Cola HBC and rival Coca-Cola European Partners were seen as potential buyers for the unit. Shares of Coca-Cola HBC were down 7.4%. Coke in 2016 bought a majority stake in CCBA, the continent's largest soft drink bottler, with operations in a dozen markets including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, from Anheuser-Busch InBev SA. The company said it would reclassify its financial statements from second quarter in 2019 to include CCBA as part of its continuing operations. (Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) Cannes (France) (AFP) - British Oscar winner Colin Firth is set to star in a new World War II drama as a spy spreading disinformation to protect Allied soldiers mounting raids against the Nazis, its producers told media at Cannes Monday. The highly anticipated film called "Operation Mincemeat" is an adaptation of a Ben Macintyre book of the same name, Variety reported. It is set to go into production this year. The movie is set in 1943 as the Allies plan a multi-pronged assault on Nazi-occupied Europe. Firth, who won an Academy Award in 2011 for his starring role in "The King's Speech", plays Ewen Montagu, who tries to throw the Germans off the trail of the massive Allied invasion force. "We are delighted that 'Operation Mincemeat' has captured the imagination of distributors all over the world at Cannes," See-Saw Films said in a statement. Variety said the film has sold to distributors across Europe, Asia and Latin America but its US rights are still on offer. Also in Cannes, producers announced that work will begin this year on the thriller "Lair" starring "The Mummy" actors John Hannah, Corey Johnson and Oded Fehr. The film is billed as a "socially conscious horror movie about an LGBT family embroiled in one man's attempt to prove the existence of the supernatural." Cannes, the world's biggest film festival, runs until Saturday. KINSHASA, May 20 (Reuters) - Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi returned home from three years in exile on Monday, one of a series of indicted politicians cleared under the administration of new President Felix Tshisekedi. Thousands of supporters came out to welcome Katumbi at the airpoirt in Lubumbashi, the main city in his political heartland in Democratic Republic of Congo's southern copper-mining Katanga region. "I'm happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs," he said. Tshisekedi has pardoned 700 prisoners including three political opponents of his prececessor Joseph Kabila since coming to power in January. His supporters have said the moves point to a new era political openness after years of suppression of opposition figures. Katumbi fled the country in May 2016 in the face of accusations he had hired mercenaries as part of a plot against Kabila's government. He was then sentenced in absentia to three years in prison for real estate fraud - both charges his supporters said were aimed at preventing him from running in an election to replace Kabila. But Katumbi's fraud conviction was overturned by an appeals court last month. And prosecutors said they had also dropped their investigations into the mercenary accusations "given that the president of the republic has made easing political tensions his priority." Tshisekedi was declared winner in long-delayed presidential elections in Dec. 30, 2018, defeating a candidate officially backed by Kabila whose own term limit was up. Several other opposition factions said the result was rigged in a secret deal between Kabila's and Tshisekedi's camps, a charge they both denied. (Reporting by Fiston Mahamba and Stanis Bujakera; Writing by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Andrew Heavens) KINSHASA (Reuters) - Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, a career politician and ally of former President Joseph Kabila, was appointed as Democratic Republic of Congo's prime minister on Monday, the government said in a statement. Ilukamba was previously the head of Congo's national railway company, known as the SNCC, and has served in various government posts since the 1970s, according to an official biography released on Monday. Felix Tshisekedi won long-delayed presidential elections in Dec. 30, 2018, defeating a candidate officially backed by Kabila, whose own term limit was up. Opposition politicians say the result was rigged in a secret deal between Kabila's and Tshisekedi's camps under which Kabila would officially step down but maintain control, a charge they both denied. Forming a new government has taken months, in part because of disagreements over the appointment of a Prime Minister. Kabila had wanted Tshisekedi to appoint Albert Yuma, a Kabila ally and chairman of state mining company Gecamines, but Tshisekedi refused because of Yuma's checkered history, sources familiar with the matter said. Under Congo's constitution, the candidate must come from the ranks of the parliamentary majority, Kabilas Common Front for Congo (FCC). Ilukamba is also from Katanga, the same mineral-rich part of the country as Kabila. Despite concerns, the appointment marks at least an official move on from Kabila's 18-year rule. On Monday, Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi returned home from three years in exile, one of a series of indicted politicians cleared under Tshisekedi's administration. Thousands of supporters came out to welcome Katumbi at the airport in Lubumbashi, the main city in his political heartland in the copper-mining Katanga region. "I'm happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs," he said. Tshisekedi has pardoned 700 prisoners including three political opponents of his predecessor Joseph Kabila since coming to power in January. His supporters say the moves point to a new era political openness after years of suppression of opposition figures. Katumbi fled the country in May 2016 in the face of accusations he had hired mercenaries as part of a plot against Kabila's government. He was then sentenced in absentia to three years in prison for real estate fraud - both charges his supporters said were aimed at preventing him from running in an election to replace Kabila. But Katumbi's fraud conviction was overturned by an appeals court last month. And prosecutors said they had also dropped their investigations into the mercenary accusations "given that the president of the republic has made easing political tensions his priority". (Reporting by Fiston Mahamba and Stanis Bujakera; Writing by Juliette Jabkhiro and Edward McAllister; Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean) The oil industry has been buzzing over the epic battle for control of Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) and its prime position in the Permian Basin. Oil titan Chevron (NYSE: CVX) initially beat out rival Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) in that fight by settling on a $33 billion purchase price. Undaunted, Occidental Petroleum brought in investing titan Warren Buffett to help it seal a $38 billion deal for Anadarko, leaving Chevron to walk away with a $1 billion breakup fee. This headline-grabbing fight has many investors speculating which companies might jump into the M&A arena next. That led ConocoPhillips' (NYSE: COP) CEO Ryan Lance to address this topic head-on during the company's first-quarter conference call. Two people shaking hands with oil pumps in the background. Image source: Getty Images. Understanding the buckets Toward the end of his prepared remarks, CEO Ryan Lance shifted gears and stated, "I'm going to take another issue head-on and that's M&A." He did this to avoid the likely barrage of questions from analysts on whether his company might get into a bidding war for Anadarko or some other company. He then spent several minutes running through how his company views mergers and acquisitions. He started by stating: As you've heard from me many times, we think of M&A in three buckets. First, incremental fence-line transactions that add value such as additional working interests, royalty interests, or coring up our acreage. We're going to do these things, under the radar day in, day out. As Lance points out, the company is continuously making small deals around existing assets. These activities include increasing its stake in a drilling project or buying up acreage around a focus area. Next, Lance stated: The second bucket consists of high-return bolt-on assets or acreage deals, and they could be larger in size. They also make good sense. We're always on the lookout for these kinds of opportunities and we executed a few last year. These transactions are more strategic. Last year, for example, the company made two acquisitions to bolster its position in Alaska. In one deal, it bought out Anadarko's 22% interest in their Western North Slope joint venture for $400 million, giving it full control of that asset. It also traded a 16.5% interest in the Clair Field in the U.K. North Sea to BP (NYSE: BP). In exchange, ConocoPhillips acquired BP's 39.2% interest in Alaska's Greater Kuparuk Area, as well as its 38% interest in the Kuparuk pipeline. Those deals boosted ConocoPhillips' ownership in those assets to around 95%. Story continues Finally, Lance said: But I'm sure the bucket people seem focused on now is the third one, bigger corporate transactions that require premiums. Of course, we pay attention to what's out there. However, we've always said the bar is very high for these large transactions and that's still the case. We're focused on returns and we won't do transactions that are not in our shareholders' best interest. As Lance points out, he's aware that large-scale M&A draws attention, which has been the case in the battle for Anadarko. However, he also notes that those deals require paying a massive premium for control. Occidental Petroleum had to outbid Chevron by several billion dollars to win over Anadarko, and that's on top of the near-40% premium Chevron had agreed to pay. A closeup of a calculator with stacks of coins next to it. Image source: Getty Images. We'd like to get bigger, but... Those comments frame ConocoPhillips' thoughts when it comes to reviewing M&A opportunities. While the company would also like a bigger position in the fast-growing Permian Basin, Lance stated at ConocoPhillips' recent shareholder meeting that "it has to be competitive in the portfolio and that's a high bar." This bar is tough to get over because of the substantial premiums needed to make a significant corporate acquisition. That makes deals hard to do according to Lance, especially since "those [premiums] are destructive to value. They're destructive to returns." That's the opposite of what the company wants to do since it aims to enhance shareholder value and grow returns. Because of that, the company will focus its energy on filling up the first two M&A buckets. That means doing small deals to buy neighboring properties in that region and completing larger bolt-on transactions when those make sense. Shopping in the value isle ConocoPhillips' CEO has directly addressed the elephant in the room by walking investors through how the company views M&A. While investors tend to get excited by attention-grabbing corporate M&A deals, those transactions come at a high cost. That's why the company likely won't make a big, splashy acquisition. Instead, it will focus its attention on smaller purchases that can create value rather than destroy it. The company believes that this strategy will create far more value for shareholders in the long run. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo owns shares of ConocoPhillips. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. * Instagram trolls seen coordinating attacks on Trump * Social media site says removing illicit profiles * Analysts say Instagram likely to be key battleground By Crispian Balmer ROME, May 20 (Reuters) - Accounts tagged 'hatetrump' and 'ihatetrump' are part of a coordinated campaign to undermine U.S. President Donald Trump that has emerged on social media site Instagram, an independent study has revealed. The photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by Facebook , said it was investigating the report and had already removed some of the profiles it highlighted. Malign online attacks against Trump's opponents have been well documented, most notably in the 2016 presidential election campaign, when Russian trolls allegedly flooded social media sites to undermine the Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton. Italian analytics firm Ghost Data says https://ghostdata.io/report/GD_IGDJT05.pdf the U.S. president is now facing similar illicit tactics, albeit on a limited scale, with false profiles being created and coordinated online attacks organized to spread a virulent anti-Trump message. "We have uncovered a small operation that is very likely part of something bigger," said Andrea Stroppa, the head of research at Ghost Data, which has previously published reports on online counterfeiting and malicious botnets. "I get the feeling that someone out there is experimenting. Testing the waters. They know what they are doing." Some of the accounts appeared to have broken Instagram's rules, the study said, for example by using pictures stolen from other people or by acting in tandem with other accounts to spew out vitriolic messages. A spokesperson for Instagram told Reuters: "We are investigating the accounts in question and have already removed those that we've found to violate our policies. Accounts used to manipulate or mislead the public are not allowed on Instagram and we will take action if we find additional violations." Story continues Facebook says it is working hard to root out malpractice on its platforms and has shuttered hundreds of accounts this year that display what it terms "coordinated inauthentic behavior." The U.S. giant has come under fire over the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations. "MEMETIC WARFARE" Stroppa said his research had identified some 52,000 accounts on Instagram which were generally anti-Trump, using such hashtags as #impeachtrump. Many of these were genuine profiles that mixed personal and political messaging. Drilling down, some 350 "suspicious accounts" emerged which were almost entirely devoted to deriding the U.S. president. Of these, 19 accounts stood out, appearing to be interlinked and waging incessant "memetic warfare," using a battery of manipulated images and videos to belittle the Republican leader. The 350 anti-Trump accounts have put out some 121,00 posts since the first of them was created in October 2016, generating a total 35.2 million so-called interactions, which includes people 'liking' the item or making a comment. The smaller subset of 19 accounts started to emerge last August and have since posted around 3,250 times, generating 440,000 interactions -- more than half of them since March. "Their goal seems to be to infiltrate into (social media) networks that are much bigger," said Stroppa. One block of five, interconnected anti-Trump accounts were created on the same day last August. Then they all went quiet at the end of that same month. New accounts soon popped up. An independent report released last December by the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee said the Russian government's Internet Research Agency created some 133 Instagram accounts in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and used them to try foster distrust in the U.S. political system. "Instagram was perhaps the most effective platform for the Internet Research Agency," said the report https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4326998/ira-report-rebrand_FinalJ14.pdf, arguing that although posts on the site reached fewer users than on Facebook, people interacted much more on the photo-sharing app. Stroppa said it was almost impossible to say where the 19 accounts he identified as especially suspect originated from and he had no evidence of Russian interference. "What you can say is that this digital campaign against Trump uses some of the same methods that were used to attack Hilary Clinton in 2016," he said. The accounts were split into four groups that sometimes shared similar names. They often put out the same material, near simultaneously. One of the accounts bought advertising space on Facebook, using the name of an unregistered political movement. "This is a campaign of hate speech not one of reasoned political opposition. The tone is often very vulgar and rude," said Stroppa. Imaging software showed that one of the accounts purporting to have been set up by a young U.S. woman was actually using the profile photo of a Russian woman taken from a Russian social media site. Another account used the image of a Ukrainian woman. Instagram has more than a billion users, making the accounts reviewed by Ghost Data a tiny fraction of the whole. But analysts say even small numbers of users can prove heavily influential if they manage to get their messages amplified. "Our assessment is that Instagram is likely to be a key battleground on an ongoing basis," social media analysts New Knowledge wrote in their 2018 report for the U.S. Senate. (Editing by Anna Willard) The 2020 US presidential candidate Andrew Yang who is famous for his flagship policy of giving every American over the age of 18 $1,000 a month made an appearance at Consensus 2019 last week to talk about his support for a better US regulatory framework for the digital asset and cryptocurrency industry. Speaking at the event, Yang said that he believes that blockchain needs to be a big part of our future, stating that if he makes it to the White House, oh boy are we going to have some fun in terms of the cryptocurrency community. I'm not part of the Yang Gang but I am intrigued to see a 2020 candidate with a position on cryptos. Blockchain is about all that will stop Russia from deciding our elections again and again https://t.co/XO27Vunyzp Goddess #8645 (@DelrayDiva) May 16, 2019 At the moment, Yang is seen by many as a fringe candidate for the Democratic nomination. Given his 3% national polling numbers to date, it is clear that his current brand recognition is far below that of other leading contenders like Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. Yang has qualified for the upcoming Democratic primary debates after receiving a fundraising haul of $1.7 million from over 80,000 individual donors in February and March this year. In reaching the debates, he becomes the first non-elected official to have made it to the DNC primary stage in 40 years. The first Democratic primary debates will take place on June 26 and June 27 in Miami, Florida, with the lineups for each night chosen at random. An Asian guy who likes maths Yang describes himself as the opposite of Donald Trump or as he says it an Asian guy who likes maths. His love for numbers is very much in line with the ideals of cryptography and provable scarcity, which sit at the core of the digital asset revolution. Story continues According to Yang, uncertainty about the regulatory framework that has been implemented by agencies like the SEC and CFTC is causing US investment in the area to lag behind the investment of other countries. Yang has said its now time for the federal government to create clear guidelines as to how cryptocurrencies/digital asset markets will be treated and regulated. If elected as the new US president, he has promised to promote legislation that provides clarity in the cryptocurrency/digital asset market by implementing a number of specific initiatives like defining what a token is and when it is a security and providing clarity on which federal agencies have regulatory power over the crypto/digital assets space. Other policy promises include better consumer protection in the space and clarification of the tax implications of owning, selling, and trading digital assets. A spotlight on crypto? Given that at this stage in the 2016 election Trump was also polling in the single digits, many analysts who picked Trump early have started to back the Schenectady County-born candidate based on his influential meme army (dubbed the #YangGang) and his opinion-splitting policies like the freedom dividend. If during any potential political ascent Yang manages to shine a spotlight on the cryptocurrency and digital assets debate, the Democratic hopeful may spark newfound political interest from the US-based crypto community as the race for the next leader of the free world kicks into hyperdrive this summer. The post Could the Yang Gang take the crypto debate mainstream? appeared first on Coin Rivet. A crowdfunding initiative set up to help the Market Deeping Model Railway club, whose equipment was trashed by vandals early on Saturday morning ahead of their annual exhibition, has smashed its targets less than a day after it was set up. As of 12.05pm on Monday, more than 52,000 had been raised from more than 3,100 separate donations - against an initial target of just 500. In a message posted on the JustGiving page, Brian Norris, the clubs secretary, wrote: Market Deeping Model Railway Club needs your help to rebuild. We have held our annual show in Stamford for the last 12 years. Months of planning goes into the show and years of work goes into building the layout. Imagine our horror and grief when we were greeted by this scene of absolute devastation on the morning of 18th May 2019. Some of the models on display are irreplaceable and whilst money cannot possibly replace the hours of painstaking effort that has been so wantonly destroyed, we would ask that you make a donation, no matter how small, to help us get back on our feet. Please accept our thanks in advance. Vandals have smashed up a model railway show, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and leaving exhibitors devastated and distraught. The clubs chairman, Peter Davies, 70, told BBC News on Saturday that the exhibits which were trashed included a locomotive unit worth around 8,500. Four youths were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and have since been released on conditional bail pending further inquiries. Club members had set up scale models on tables in the schools hall on Friday for their annual show, which was due to open on Saturday and had expected between 500 and 600 visitors. I trained as a teacher and a youth worker, but Im in total confusion, Davies told the BBC. Models that were made over years were trodden on and thrown around. Its a total wanton destruction of the highest order. Ive never experienced anything like it. A hurricane would have done less damage. Its just horrendous. We will never have the time to build the sort of layouts again. Thats where the anger comes from. In a statement on Saturday, Lincolnshire police said: On arrival at the school we arrested four youths, who were on the premises, for burglary and criminal damage. We are continuing our investigation and confirm damage was done to model railway exhibits which had been set up in the school for a display today. Crowds gathered outside Ukraines parliament building in Kiev on May 20 as Volodymyr Zelensky was sworn in as president. Zelensky, a comedian who previously played the president of Ukraine in a television series, had no real-life political experience prior to his presidential run. In a surprise move, Zelensky announced he was dissolving Ukraines parliament, triggering an election. Credit: Active Citizens via Storyful TEL AVIV (Reuters) - U.S.-Israeli cybersecurity provider Siemplify said on Monday it raised $30 million in private funding, bringing its total raised to date to $58 million. The funding round was led by Toronto-based Georgian Partners, who were joined by the company's existing investors G20 Ventures, 83North and Jump Capital. The funds will be used to drive the expansion of Siemplifys market strategy and enhance its product, which enables the management of various cybersecurity tools through one platform. Siemplify, which is headquartered in New York with offices in Tel Aviv, said it had 250 percent growth in annual recurring revenue in the first quarter of 2019. (Reporting by Tova Cohen, Editing by Ari Rabinovitch) LUDRES, France (AP) After decades of searching, Andre Gantois had lost hope. The retired French postal worker figured he'd likely go to his grave without ever knowing who his father was, unable to identify the U.S. serviceman who had fought his way across France after the D-Day landings, taken a bullet to the skull and been nursed back to health in a military hospital by Gantois' mother. Into his 70s, Gantois still had no clues to pursue, no name to work with, no paper trail to follow. As a consequence, he also had no peace. "Throughout my life, I lived with this open wound," he says. "I never accepted my situation, of not knowing my father and, most of all, knowing that he didn't know about me, didn't know of my existence." Even as Europe, the United States and their allies mark 75 years since 160,000 Allied troops stormed a heavily-fortified 50-mile (80-kilometer) stretch of Nazi-occupied coastline in Normandy, the history of D-Day and its aftermath is still being written. The big picture, of course, is well known, meticulously documented and preciously conserved to be told and retold for generations to come. The greatest-ever amphibious landing, a triumph of soldiering and seafaring, of industry, ingenuity and logistics, and upon which a new world order was built, will again be commemorated June 6 with respect for the ever-smaller group of surviving veterans and awe for their heroics on the landing beaches: Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold. Yet all these years later, there are enduring holes in the narrative, too. Among the thick Normandy hedgerows where German troops dug in and the Allied advance bogged down, soldiers' bones are still regularly disinterred. So brutal and chaotic was the fighting in France that thousands went missing or couldn't be identified before they were buried in graves still marked, "A comrade in arms known but to God." Soldiers on all sides also fathered tens of thousands of children, some of them unable to ever answer that most existential of questions: Where did I come from? Story continues Until a few months ago, when what he calls an unexpected "miracle" changed his life and filled in one of these missing pieces of wartime history, Gantois was among them. Growing up as a post-war kid in eastern France, he would simply draw a line on forms at school that asked pupils for their fathers' names and other family details. His mother and grandmother told him his father was killed in France's war in Vietnam that broke out in 1946, the year Gantois was born. The grandmother said his father's name was Jack. A trusting child, Gantois couldn't know these were lies. He didn't pay much heed to elderly neighbors who called him "the young American" or "the American's kid." Only at age 15, when Gantois was mourning the death of his mother, taken by tuberculosis at age 37, did he get the truth. "'Listen, Andre, I have to tell you,'" the 73-year-old Gantois recalls his grandmother confessing to him. "'Your dad was an American, in the war.'" At first, Gantois was lost. Later, in his twenties, he became determined to find out more. Having married and with plans to start a family of his own, Gantois felt compelled to put a name, a face, to the patchy story and to fill what his wife, Rosine, now says was "a huge hole" in his life. "He had no name, nothing to go on," she says. "He told me, 'I'll die without ever knowing who he was.'" Visits to U.S. offices in France produced only frustration. Gantois recalls that an embassy official told him: "'A lot of people are looking for their fathers, because they want money, they want to be compensated by the U.S. government. But you have to have proof.' I had no proof." Other avenues also proved to be dead ends. Until last June. Urged on by his daughter-in-law, Gantois took a DNA test. Weeks later, in the middle of the night, she called him with the earthshaking results. "'You have an American brother, a sister, a whole family,'" Gantois recalls her telling him. "I didn't know what to say." His dad, the test helped reveal, had been Wilburn 'Bill' Henderson. From Essex, Missouri, the infantryman landed on Omaha beach seemingly just after D-Day, fought through Normandy, suffered a head wound in the closing months of the war and met Irene Gantois at a hospital in occupied Germany. After Germany's surrender in May 1945, when the soldier came to visit her at home in eastern France, she apparently didn't tell him that she was carrying his child. He returned to the United States, started a family and never spoke to his children about her before his death in 1997. The trail would have ended there for Andre Gantois had his American half brother not also taken a DNA test. By chance, they both picked the same testing company, enabling it to put them together. The two men and Gantois' half sister, Judy, met for the first time last September in France. Allen Henderson took the test on a whim, because the company had a special offer on its prices and, he says, because "I thought, well, that would be interesting." Both Gantois and Henderson acknowledge how lucky they are not only to have found each other but also that their father survived Normandy and its aftermath. "When I was little, he was always telling me stories about being in France and he'd speak a little French and kind of talk about how it was like to lay in a foxhole and guns, bullets flying over your head and guys dying all around you," says the 65-year-old Henderson, who lives in Greenville, South Carolina. "Amazing that he survived." Henderson says he knew straight away when he saw Gantois that they were brothers because the resemblance is so striking. "You know, Andre actually looks more like my dad than I do," Henderson says. "Your mannerisms, your smile, your face, I feel almost like I'm talking to my dad." Other wartime families' histories remain unresolved. They're only more likely to stay that way with each passing year. Posting on a French electronic bulletin board in 2016, for example, Jeannine Clement appealed for information about her biological father, a German soldier who was stationed in France before being sent to the Russian front in 1942. Her mother waved goodbye to him at a train station, "in tears and pregnant," Clement wrote. "She never heard from him again." Now at 76 and in poor health, Clement is still waiting. Andre Gantois says he feels sorry for those without answers. "It is not easy to live like that," he says. "I've got closure. The whole issue of my father, that's it, it's done. I'm no longer in a fog." ___ Associated Press writer Sarah Blake Morgan contributed from Greenville, South Carolina. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport plans to spend up to $3.5 billion to build a sixth terminal that would open by 2025 and renovate one of the old terminals. Airport CEO Sean Donohue announced plans Monday for Terminal F on the site of a parking lot. It would include up to 24 new gates for U.S. and international flights. The airport currently has 164 gates spread across five terminals. The airport would float bonds to finance the construction, but airlines would eventually foot most of the cost in the form of higher rents and landing fees. DFW is American Airlines' largest hub airport, and the airline is backing the expansion plan. American operates nearly 900 daily flights to about 230 destinations from DFW about 80% of the airport's total. "The plans we're announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come," American CEO Doug Parker said at an announcement luncheon. The airline announced early this month that it opened 15 new gates at DFW. American said the gates that opened May 3 in Terminal E will let it add more than 100 daily flights on its American Eagle affiliate. DFW has been growing, inching closer to busier airports such as Atlanta. Donohue said DFW has more than doubled its passenger-carrying capacity to international destinations since 2010. Civic leaders view the airport as a key factor in attracting businesses. The airport also plans to renovate existing Terminal C. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said the terminal is a major source of complaints. By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender, unveiled a plan on Monday to tackle climate change with a focus on slashing emissions from farming and ranching and conserving nearly a third of U.S. lands. Bennet is distinguishing himself from rivals, such as Governor Jay Inslee of Washington, who are pressing for more aggressive plans to fight global warming, by making land management and agriculture a large part of his climate platform. The senator from Colorado, a state rich in farms and ranches, said his climate plan is the only one to focus on agriculture and conserving land to sequester carbon dioxide while also seeking emissions cuts from power plants, transportation and heavy industry. "We need to scale the efforts of our farmers and ranchers to make them part of the solution," Bennet told reporters in conference call. His plan would boost certainty for farmers to grow and invest in advanced biofuels, convert food waste into energy, and help farmers and ranchers transition to voluntary practices such as reforestation that helps the land store carbon emissions. Bennet would establish a council including seats for labor, farmers and ranchers, scientists, business leaders and greens to develop more details of the plan by day 100 of his presidency. "The most important thing we've got to figure out how to do is to build a broad constituency in America to take on climate change," he said. Bennet is competing in the most crowded Democratic field in the modern political era, with more than 20 candidates vying to challenge Republican President Donald Trump. Democratic rivals including Inslee, former Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas, and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have unveiled details of their climate plans in recent weeks. Democratic front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden said last week he will unveil his climate plan very shortly. Bennet's plan also seeks 100% net zero emissions no later than 2050, which he said was in line with scientific consensus on fighting climate change. Inslee's plan sets a goal of achieving 100% zero-emission electricity by 2035. Bennet did not embrace a carbon tax or other strategies to drive down emissions, but said the approach would be figured out early in his presidency. The plan would also create a "climate bank" to drive $10 trillion in private investment in innovation and infrastructure for domestic and international markets. It seeks to create 10 million green technology jobs in 10 years. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Jonathan Oatis) A Democrat-led House committee moved a step closer to reviewing President Donald Trumps tax information after a federal judge ruled U.S. lawmakers have the power to demand records from his accounting firm, Mazars USA LLP. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington said on Monday that the House Oversight and Reform Committee has authority to examine Trumps personal and business records going back to 2011. The judge rejected Trumps claim that Congress wasnt entitled to the documents because they werent intended for a legitimate legislative purpose. The ruling is likely to be appealed. To be sure, there are limits on Congresss investigative authority. But those limits do not substantially constrain Congress, Mehta said in a 41-page ruling. So long as Congress investigates on a subject matter on which legislation could be had, Congress acts as contemplated by Article I of the Constitution. The ruling, if upheld on a likely appeal, would be the first to allow Congress to investigate the presidents finances, including his umbrella business, The Trump Organization. The information could challenge assertions hes made about the amount and sources of his wealth. Trump has been fighting to keep the information private since Democrats took control of the House in November. His lawyers have asked a federal judge to quash subpoenas for financial records from Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp., with a hearing set for May 22 in New York. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on May 17 refused demands for six years of the presidents tax records from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, which may also spur a separate lawsuit. Trump has refused to reveal the financial information since declaring his candidacy almost four years ago. After the 2016 election, rather than shedding assets or relinquishing family control, he placed his holdings in a revocable trust overseen by his sons and the Trump Organizations chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. The president and his businesses filed suit in April to keep the House committee from obtaining records from Mazars, which has taken no position on the request. Story continues At a May 14 hearing, Trump attorney William Consovoy had argued that congressional checks on the president were limited, which means oversight powers and enforcement of the Constitutions emoluments clauses must be closely tied to a legislative function. Otherwise, Congress would take on a law-enforcement function reserved to the executive branch, Consovoy said. Still, the lawyer demurred when asked by the judge how his claim squares with well-documented presidential probes such as Watergate and Whitewater. Consovoy said hed need to look at the scope of those investigations. Mehta, a 2014 nominee of President Barack Obama, also expressed doubt during the hearing about Consovoys claim that the judge must assess the constitutionality of any prospective legislation cited by the lawmakers as justifying their request. I just cant imagine that thats what Im supposed to do, Mehta said. Watergate, Whitewater Committee attorney Douglas Letter argued that the president has taken the position that Congress is a nuisance and is getting in the way of his running the country. Letter called that notion a total, basic misunderstanding of the Constitution. The committee doesnt need a specific legislative objective to see the information it seeks from Mazars, Letter said, noting that Trumps far-flung business holdings made such oversight a necessity. He also cited the Watergate and Whitewater probes as examples of Congress power to investigate and inform the public, along with investigations of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the justification for the Iraq war. Asked whether any part of the presidents private life was off limits to Congress, Letter said the limit may lie at a request for something relating solely to Trump, such as a childhood diary or a sample of his blood, but perhaps not a mortgage application from 15 or 30 years ago. The Mazars case is Trump v. Committee on Oversight and Reform, 19-cv-1136, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington). Financial crime specialists at Deutsche Bank flagged multiple transactions involving US President Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner in 2016 and 2017, according to the New York Times. Staff recommended that so-called suspicious activity reports be filed with the US Treasury Department, but bank executives rejected their advice, the newspaper reported on Sunday. Deutsche Bank denied that any reports had been blocked. At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious, a spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. Furthermore, suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false. A spokesperson for Kushner Companies said: Allegations regarding Deutsche Banks relationship with Kushner Companies which involved money laundering is completely made up and totally false. Citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, the New York Times reported that the transactions, some of which involved Mr Trumps charitable foundation, set off automatic alerts about potential illicit activity. The NYT report said some transactions involved money being transferred back and forth between foreign entities and individuals, a potential red flag for money laundering. Former employees of Deutsche Bank told the newspaper that the decision not to report the transactions reflected a focus on protecting relationships with important clients. We have increased our anti-financial-crime staff and enhanced our controls in recent years and take compliance with the AML/BSA laws very seriously, Deutsche Bank said in its statement. Deutsche Bank has faced increased scrutiny for the billions of dollars it lent to Mr Trump and Mr Kushners companies. After a series of bankruptcies and defaults, Mr Trump had been unable to raise funds from some other lenders. Representatives for the Trump Organisation said that the company had no knowledge of any transactions being flagged by Deutsche Bank. Story continues The NYT story cited a former Deutsche Bank employee, Tammy McFadden, who said she was terminated from her job last year after raising concerns about the banks practices. She has since filed complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators. Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Germany's largest lender Deutsche Bank failed to forward suspicions about transactions involving US President Donald Trump to American authorities, The New York Times reported, prompting the firm to issue a denial Monday. "At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious" to the Treasury Department, a spokesman for the bank told AFP. "The suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns related to any client is categorically false," he added. The Times reported Sunday that Deutsche did not follow recommendations from its own money-laundering specialists that some transactions by companies controlled by Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner should be flagged to authorities. Certain dealings in 2016 and 2017, including some with entities and individuals outside the US, set off automated alerts in the bank's systems, prompting employees to prepare "suspicious activity reports" on some of them. But executives "rejected their employees' advice" that they be sent to the Treasury, the Times reported. Former employees interviewed by the newspaper, some speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged a culture of blocking suspicious activity reports to protect client relationships at Deutsche, with one saying she was fired after raising concerns. Deutsche Bank was one of the few major banks to continue to lend to Trump following the bankruptcies of his casinos and other businesses in the 1990s, and has lent "billions" to him and to Kushner according to the Times. "We have increased our anti-financial crime staff and enhanced our controls in recent years and take compliance with the anti-money-laundering laws very seriously," the Deutsche spokesman said. While the lender has boosted its compliance staff to around 3,000 people spread around the world, its performance in pursuing financial crime has failed to satisfy some authorities. Story continues Last year, German market watchdog Bafin took the unprecedented step of naming audit firm KPMG as an independent supervisor of Deutsche's progress on squeezing out money-laundering and other illicit activities. That role has been extended to cover so-called "correspondent banking" after Deutsche was drawn into a massive money-laundering scandal around Denmark's Danske Bank. - Trump denies Russia cash - News that Deutsche Bank is suspected of laundering billions of dollars of money from criminals connected to the Kremlin and the Russian secret services has added to the controversy over Trump's links. Trump, who was negotiating construction of a skyscraper in Moscow well into his presidential run, has been dogged for two years by allegations of improper dealings with Russian entities. While a huge investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller cleared him of allegations that his campaign deliberately colluded with Kremlin agents to help win the 2016 election, the president remains highly sensitive to suggestions of wrongdoing. Responding to the Times report on Monday, he denied that Deutsche Bank was the only lender willing to deal with him or that Russia had anything to do with his wealth. "Where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and don't need banks, but if I did they would be there," Trump tweeted, adding that Deutsche Bank "was very good and highly professional to deal with." "If for any reason I didn't like them, I would have gone elsewhere....there was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from. They would be very happy to take my money. Fake News!" he tweeted. FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Telekom declined to comment on reports that some Western companies were reducing their exposure to Huawei after the Chinese company was blacklisted in Washington, but said a network vendor review was continuing. Deutsche Telekom is exposed to the U.S. market through subsidiary T-Mobile, whose $26 billion takeover of smaller rival Sprint is in the late stages of antitrust review. It launched a review of its vendor strategy last December to address concerns around the security of Huawei's network equipment it uses in Germany and other European markets. The review continues, Telekom said. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Michelle Martin) FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Anglo-German chip designer Dialog Semiconductor declined to comment on Monday when asked whether its shipments to Huawei had been affected following a crackdown on the Chinese company by the U.S. administration. The Nikkei Asian Review reported earlier that German chipmaker Infineon had suspended shipments after the Trump administration added Huawei to a trade blacklist, sending European chip stocks lower on Monday. Frankfurt-listed Dialog specializes in power-management and low-energy Bluetooth applications used in smartphones. It has sought to diversify away from its reliance on Apple and counts Chinese smartphone makers as key clients. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Thomas Seythal) Khartoum (AFP) - A "dispute" over who should lead Sudan's new governing body was the key sticking point in overnight talks between army rulers and protesters, a protest leader said Monday. The latest negotiations were launched Sunday evening following international pressure to install a civilian-led administration -- a key demand of thousands of demonstrators who have spent weeks camped outside Khartoum's army headquarters. Hours of meetings into the early hours of Monday ended without agreement, but the ruling military council announced the talks would resume Monday evening. A prominent protest leader who was involved in the Sunday night talks said they had revolved around who would lead the new governing body. "The dispute over the presidency of the sovereign council and participation between the civilian and military still exists," said Satea al-Haj, from the umbrella protest movement the Alliance for Freedom and Change. The Alliance, which led the nationwide campaign that toppled longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir last month, has been at loggerheads with the military over the makeup of the new body, set to rule Sudan for a three-year transitional period. "The military council is still insisting that the president of the sovereign council should be from the military," he said. "They are justifying it by saying the country faces security threats." The protest movement insists that the head of the body should be a civilian and that the council should have a majority of civilian members, a demand backed by major world powers, al-Haj said. "The international community and the African Union will not accept to deal with a military government," he added. "The people (of Sudan) also want a civilian government." However, he said Sunday night's talks were "positive" overall, and the ruling military council has said they will resume at 9:00 PM (1900 GMT). Military council spokesman Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi said the "structure of the sovereign authority" had been discussed during the night and that a "final deal" would be agreed later on Monday. Previous rounds of talks have seen the generals and protest leaders agreed on key issues including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament dominated by lawmakers from the protesters' umbrella group. The new governing council is expected to form a transitional civilian government, which would then prepare for the first post-Bashir election following the three-year transitional period. By Gilbert Reilhac STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - A French appeals court on Monday ordered doctors to resume giving food and water to a French quadriplegic, lawyers said, some 12 hours after medics switched off the man's life support against his parents' will. The fate of Vincent Lambert has renewed a fierce debate over the right to die that has split his family and the country. "The feeding and hydration of Vincent must be restarted without delay," declared Jean Paillot, a lawyer for Lambert's parents who launched multiple legal bids to keep his care going. "It's a huge victory, and only the first." The 42-year-old former psychiatric nurse has been in a vegetative state since a motorcycle accident in 2008. He has almost no consciousness, but can breath without a respirator and occasionally moves his eyes. His wife, Rachel, and some of his siblings say care should be withdrawn. But Lambert's Catholic parents, backed by other relatives, say he should be kept alive and have launched a series of legal bids to keep his care going. His doctors in the northeastern city of Reims said earlier this month that they would start withdrawing care after all legal avenues had been exhausted. Earlier on Monday, the medical team stopped feeding Lambert food and water through a gastric tube and was administering sedatives. Lambert's mother, Viviane, branded them "monsters". Lambert's parents filed a last-ditch legal bid to keep him alive at the European Court of Human Rights and appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene. "LET HIM GO" The Strasbourg-based tribunal declared there was no violation of Lambert's right to life in the medics' decision while the French president said the decision on Lambert's fate did not rest with him. "But it is for me to hear the emotion that has been stirred and to respond," Macron added in a statement on Facebook. "All the medical experts have concluded that his condition is irreversible." However, in a stunning twist, the Paris Appeal Court ruled that doctors must respect a May 3 request made by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the French government that it prevent the euthanasia of Lambert while his case is examined. Euthanasia is illegal in France, but in 2016 a law was introduced giving terminally ill patients the right to be put into continuous deep sedation (CDS) by doctors until death. The law draws a distinction between euthanasia and CDS, making France the first country to legislate in such a way. Lambert's case has divided opinion in France. "We cannot keep him like this, as a vegetable for decades," said 70-year-old Parisian Marie-Laure Jean. "There have been court rulings, the doctors have given their advice. We have to let him go." But pensioner Caroline Lorsin saw the other side: "I'm putting myself in his parents' shoes. It must be hard for them." Euthanasia is permitted in various forms in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg and Canada, while assisted suicide, which involves a doctor helping a patient to end their own life, is permitted in several U.S. states. (Reporting by Gilbert Reilhac; Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Richard Lough; Writing by Luke Baker and Richard Lough; Editing by Leslie Adler) US president Donald Trump has gone on the verbal offensive against Iran (Picture: PA) Donald Trump has threatened Iran with destruction if it seeks a fight with the US. The US president issued the warning after a rocket landed less than a mile from the US Embassy on Sunday in Baghdad's Green Zone, further stoking tensions in the region. Mr Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iranian officials say the country is not looking for war. Mr Trump had seemed to soften his tone after the US recently sent warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 On Thursday, when asked if the US and Iran were heading towards armed conflict, he answered: "I hope not." On Saturday, Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif played down fears of a possible conflict. "There will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region," he said. Read more European Elections 2019: What you need to know before voting day Jeremy Kyle Show linked to other suicides following guest's death Police order McDonald's not to sell milkshakes near Nigel Farage rally On Monday, he responded with a tweet of his own in English. Mohammad Javad Zarif posted his reply on Twitter, saying Mr Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts". Mr Zarif wrote that Mr Trump "hopes to achieve what Alexander (the Great), Genghis (Khan) & other aggressors failed to do". He added: "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone." Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't "end Iran". #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectit works! Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 20, 2019 He ended his tweet with #neverthreatenaniranian and: "Try respect - it works!" Story continues Citing the Iraqi military, Reuters reported a rocket attack in the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government headquarters and the US embassy. The agency said a Katyusha rocket crashed inside the area in Baghdad without causing any casualties. Alert sirens sounded briefly in the capital after the explosion was heard. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani (Picture: AFP/Getty) The apparent attack comes amid heightened tensions across the Persian Gulf, after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. It is not yet clear who was behind the rocket attack. The US also recently ordered non-essential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Iraq hosts more than 5,000 US troops and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want the American forces to leave. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- Geneva (AFP) - The World Health Organization chief on Monday urged different political factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo to unite in the battle against Ebola, warning that the risk of spread "remains very high". "Ebola does not take sides. It is the enemy of everybody," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of the organisation's annual assembly in Geneva. Nearly 1,200 people have died since last August, when the DRC declared a 10th outbreak of Ebola in the country in 40 years. Efforts to roll back the outbreak have been hampered by fighting in the affected regions and attacks on medical teams, as well as locals who view the international effort at prevention with suspicion. Tedros said he had met with the DRC's president and with opposition leaders "to urge a bipartisan approach to ending this outbreak." "Unless we unite to end this outbreak we run the risk it will become more widespread and more expansive and more aggressive," he said. The WHO chief hailed that efforts to rein in the virus, including the vaccination of more than 120,000 people, have so far succeeded in limiting the outbreak to the conflict-wracked North Kivu province and neighbouring Ituri region of the DRC. But, he warned, "I emphasise 'so far'. The risk of spread remains very high." Tedros described the outbreak as "one of the most complex health emergencies any of us have ever faced", pointing for instance to the dozens of attacks on health facilities in North Kivu since the start of the year. "We are not just fighting a virus," he insisted. "We're fighting insecurity. We're fighting violence. We're fighting misinformation... and we're fighting the politicisation of an outbreak." "Every attack gives the virus an advantage." The current outbreak is the second deadliest on record, after an epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa in 2014-16. Story continues During his address, Tedros stressed that Ebola is not the only health crisis facing the global health community, listing recent major cholera outbreaks in Yemen, diphtheria in the Coxs Bazaar camps in Bangladesh and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria, among others. He urged WHO's member states to endorse the organisation's "ambitious budget", stressing the "moral duty to respond urgently and effectively to outbreaks and other emergencies", and urging more spending on preventive measures. Tedros also announced the appointment of four new so-called goodwill ambassadors for promoting global health, including Cynthia Germanotta, a mental health advocate and the mother of superstar Lady Gaga. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day - Chris Allerton The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have celebrated their first wedding anniversary by issuing a showreel of black-and-white photographs from their May celebrations. The one minute-long video uses images from their personal wedding photographer Chris Allerton, giving fans a glimpse into the previously unseen moments from the day. It includes pictures of the couple signing the register at St George's Chapel, which was not captured by television cameras. Other pictures show Prince Harry and his best man Prince William walking down the stairs to begin their day, and Meghan holding hands with her mother, Doria. A message published with the picture reads: "Happy one year anniversary to Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex! "Today marks the one year anniversary of the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. "Their Royal Highnesses exchanged vows at St Georges Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle on May 19th, 2018. "The selected song 'This Little Light of Mine' was chosen by the couple for their recessional. Story continues "We hope you enjoy reliving this moment, and seeing some behind the scenes photos from this special day. The bridal party from a different view Credit: Chris Allerton "A message from The Duke & Duchess: 'Thank you for all of the love and support from so many of you around the world. Each of you made this day even more meaningful.'" The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Sunday as a family of three following the arrival of baby Archie. Their son's birth came less than a year after the royal nuptials at Windsor Castle, a wedding attended by A-list stars like Oprah Winfrey and George and Amal Clooney as well as the Royal Family led by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Meghan Markle signs the register, watched by Archbishop Justin Welby Credit: Chris Allerton Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, announced their engagement following a whirlwind 16-month romance after going on a blind date in London. Their wedding was seen around the world, with fans travelling to the UK to share their good wishes with the new American member of the Royal Family. Harry and William get ready for the big day Credit: Chris Allerton The following year saw the Duchess launch the Grenfell cookbook, a major Commonwealth tour to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, and move to Frogmore Cottage and a baby. A first wedding anniversary is traditionally celebrated with paper gifts, with couples sometimes exchanging presents featuring a paper ticket. Meghan's mother Doria Ragland - now a grandmother for the first time - is thought to be staying with the couple and could perform babysitting duties if the duke and duchess choose to have a romantic dinner to mark their anniversary. Archie's birth was registered on Friday, revealing the couple had their baby at London's Portland Hospital, a private hospital favoured by celebrities. The baby, who is the seventh in line to the throne and an eighth great-grandchild for the Queen and Philip, arrived at 5.26am on May 6, weighing 7lb 3oz. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces have killed 12 suspected Islamist militants in Cairo, the Interior Ministry said on Monday, a day after an explosion targeting a tourist bus injured at least 12 people. A rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal detonated on the perimeter of the Grand Egyptian Museum near a bus carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids district. The Interior Ministry did not say whether the suspected militants were connected to Sunday's attack, but said its forces killed the suspects during raids on their hideouts in the 6th of October and Al Shorouk districts, where it said members of the militant group Hasm were planning a series of attacks in the country to create an "atmosphere of chaos." Egypt accuses the group, which emerged in 2016 and has claimed several attacks, of being a wing of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt's oldest Islamist movement denies this and says it seeks change through peaceful means only. The ministry said the suspects were killed in gunbattles, but did not elaborate on the suspects identity or whether there had been any casualties or injuries among the security forces. Weapons and explosives were found at the scene of the shootouts, the ministry said. A Reuters investigation in April found that Egyptian security forces had shot dead hundreds of suspected militants in what the Interior Ministry said were gunbattles, but which bereaved families said were extrajudicial executions. A Reuters analysis of the ministry statements showed that deadly shootouts often followed an attack by militants. For example, in December 2018, a day after the deadly bombing of a Vietnamese tourist bus in Giza, the ministry announced that its forces had killed 40 people in three separate incidents. Human rights organizations have accused Egypt of carrying out extrajudicial executions and of trying civilians in military courts as part of the crackdown. Story continues President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said that the matter of human rights should be treated in the context of regional turbulence and the struggle against terrorism. Strong security measures, he has said, are needed to stabilize Egypt after the turmoil that followed the countrys 2011 uprising. Egypts military and police launched a major campaign against militant groups in 2018, focusing on the Sinai Peninsula as well as southern areas and the border with Libya. (Reporting by Ali Abdelati and Haitham Ahmed; Writing by Mahmoud Mourad; Editing by Amina Ismail and Mark Heinrich) Enjin co-founder and CTO Witek Radomski confirmed in a recent interview with Coin Rivet that the latest Samsung smartphones support the ERC-1155 standard. Earlier this year, the crypto world was set abuzz with hype surrounding the announcement of a partnership between Enjin and Samsung. However, little to no details have surfaced since, leaving many to speculate on what the partnership entails. Coin Rivet recently sat down to speak with Enjin co-founder and CTO Witek Radomski, who told us: Weve been working with Samsung for a good while now, and if you have the Samsung S10, youll notice that theres keystore support for the Samsung Keystore. He continued: This actually means that your mobile phone is like a hardware wallet. Theres actual hardware in the phone that will store your private keys securely. One feature I havent talked too much about is that it actually supports the ERC-1155 standard directly. So, anyone developing on Samsung phones can actually directly use the API to access ERC-1155 items. The ERC-1155 standard is increasingly popular in blockchain gaming and beyond, with many companies paying attention to its powerful use cases. Witek is the author of the ERC-1155 standard, and as such, direct support from a smartphone giant like Samsung is really exciting for me because, you know, its really showing that this standard is getting adopted. The South Korean tech company has been showing more and more interest in the crypto and blockchain space recently, with Samsung NEXT which invests in transformative early-stage software and services start-ups choosing to invest in Theta Labs, who alongside Sliver.tv is aiming to bring about an era of tokenised bandwidth sharing. Interested in reading more Enjin-related stories? Discover more about one of the latest Enjin Wallet updates which has added a decentralised application (dApp) explorer to the app. The post Enjin CTO reveals new Samsung phones support the ERC-1155 standard appeared first on Coin Rivet. Women used to expect to receive an episiotomy during childbirth. Today, these surgical cuts to the vagina are supposed to be rare and yet a new USA TODAY investigation finds they remain common at some hospitals. At issue: Studies have found episiotomies put mothers at greater risk of suffering severe lacerations than if they were allowed to tear naturally during birth. National guidelines have warned doctors since 2006 to restrict their use of the cuts to certain emergencies, such as when a babys shoulders get stuck. Here are three things pregnant women can do to avoid unnecessary episiotomies: Research episiotomy rates. Women delivering at some hospitals are far more likely to receive episiotomies than those who deliver at other hospitals. While the federal government doesnt require hospitals to publicly report their episiotomy rates, data is available on some hospitals from USA TODAY, the Leapfrog Group and some state health organizations. Leapfrog, a nonprofit group that monitors hospital quality, says hospitals should have episiotomy rates of 5% or less. If your hospital isnt listed, contact its maternity unit to ask what its rate is and whether it has taken actions to educate its doctors about episiotomies and track their rates. Talk about your concerns. Prenatal appointments are a good time to ask your healthcare provider about how often they make the cuts and for what reasons. You want to hear: I rarely cut episiotomies, said Dr. Sara Cichowski, an assistant professor of OB/GYN at the University of New Mexico, who has helped write national guidelines for preventing childbirth lacerations. Women should discuss their preferences and understand the risks and benefits of procedures before they go into labor or an emergency arises. What has to happen is a shared decision-making conversation between the woman and her delivering healthcare professional, said Dr. Barbara Levy of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who notes that some women might choose a C-section over an episiotomy. During delivery, ask for an explanation and alternatives. If youre in the midst of delivering a baby and youre told an episiotomy is going to be cut, try to get a quick explanation about why its necessary. Ask: Is there something I can do to make the situation less critical? suggested Cichowski. Are there things that can help me push better and more effectively? Studies have found that the simple use of a warm compress on the area around the vagina during pushing reduces the incidence of severe lacerations, she noted. "As a woman and new mother do your research. Go in there with the armor of knowledge," said Allison Snyder of Cedar Point, N.C., who suffered a severe laceration from an episiotomy during the birth of her first child in 2013. Snyder said she had assumed episiotomies were such an outdated practice that she didn't need to ask her providers about them during her prenatal care. Story continues "You have to be your own advocate," she said. "Take charge of your own health care." Read USA TODAY's full investigation at: maternal.usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: An episiotomy should be rare. What pregnant women can do to avoid one during childbirth Beijing (AFP) - European firms are "caught in the crossfire" of the US-China trade war and fewer are optimistic about their future in the world's second-largest economy, a business survey showed Monday. The clash between Beijing and Washington does not benefit European companies, contrary to what some might have hoped at the beginning of the dispute last year, according to the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. "Now the trade tensions are seen as another uncertainty on the business environment, something that won't be sorted out quickly whether there is a deal or not," said chamber vice president Charlotte Roule. "The trade tensions, according to our members, are not good for business". According to the survey, the trade war is one of the top concerns for European firms in China (23 percent), after the Chinese economic slowdown (45 percent), the global economy (27 percent) and rising labour costs in China (23 percent). The study, which received replies from 585 firms, was conducted in January, as trans-Pacific trade tensions eased. They ratcheted up again in early May with the United States and China slapping steep increases in punitive customs tariffs on each other. But early this year, a quarter of European companies in China said they were already suffering from the US increase in tariffs on Chinese products. Many European companies manufacture products in China and export them all over the world. A small number (six percent) have already relocated to circumvent the US penalties, or are planning to do so elsewhere in Asia or Europe. But Europeans say they share many of the grievances raised by the Trump administration in its campaign against Beijing. "The fundamental issues driving the trade war need to be resolved by addressing market access barriers and regulatory challenges while also tackling SOE reform and forced tech transfer," Roule stressed. Some 20 percent of the companies surveyed complained of being forced into technology transfers for the benefit of a Chinese partner, double the figure two years ago. For a quarter (24 percent), such transfers were currently under way. Story continues "The authorities are saying there are no technology transfers any more but this is not what we see in our survey," she said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang reiterated Beijing's denial. "We do not have a national policy of forcing foreign companies to transfer technology," Lu said at a regular press briefing. He recalled that the country's rubber-stamp parliament adopted in March a foreign investment law that prohibits the use of "administrative means" to force the transfer of technology. - 'Ambiguous rules' - More than half of the companies said legal protection of intellectual property was "inadequate", and 45 percent say they suffer "unequal treatment" compared to their Chinese counterparts. State firms and their subsidies are their main bone of contention. The Europeans largely accuse these companies of enjoying preferential treatment, with 62 percent saying they have better access to public contracts. And the outlook is getting gloomier: only 45 percent of the firms surveyed say they are optimistic about growth prospects for their sector over the next two years, compared to 62 percent a year ago. Half do not expect to see a level playing field in the next five years or even beyond. Fifty-three percent say business has become more difficult in the past year, up from 48 percent a year ago, with "ambiguous rules and regulations" topping of the list of obstacles cited by companies. Difficulties with access to the internet, which is closely monitored and censored by the Communist government, is an unfavourable factor for 51 percent of respondents. Despite the problems, China remains one of the top three global destinations for future investment by 62 percent of the surveyed companies, a slight increase from last year, while 56 percent plan to expand their business in the country this year. Nicosia (AFP) - The European Union on Monday called on Turkey to show restraint and respect the sovereign rights of Cyprus in a dispute over exploiting energy wealth off the Mediterranean island. During a visit to Cyprus, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier reiterated the bloc's backing for the EU member after it gave Turkey a stern message at a summit in Romania this month. "We express grave concern over Turkey's announced intention to carry out drilling activities within the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus," Barnier told reporters in Nicosia. "We urgently call on Turkey to show restraint, respect the sovereign rights of Cyprus... refrain from any such illegal action," he added. The senior EU official also suggested there would be consequences if Ankara persisted when saying the European Union "will respond appropriately and in full solidarity with Cyprus". Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has slammed Turkey's drilling bid inside Cyprus waters as a "new invasion" and garnered support from fellow European Union leaders. The United States, Israel and Egypt have also come out against Turkey's incursion into the island's EEZ. "Turkey's actions, which are de-stabilising in the eastern Mediterranean region, have drawn broad condemnation from the international community," Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides said after talks with Barnier. He said Barnier was well aware of the need for the EU to "react collectively and decisively" to stop Turkey's violation of a member state's sovereign rights. Turkey says its actions abide by international law and that it's drilling inside its continental shelf, but it does not recognise Cyprus as a sovereign or EU member state. Cyprus has accelerated the development of offshore gas deposits and has signed deals with energy giants Eni, Total and ExxonMobil that have seen them carry out exploratory drilling. Story continues US energy giant ExxonMobil discovered the largest natural gas reserve off the coast of Cyprus in February. The "world-class discovery" is one of the largest finds worldwide in recent years with an estimated five to eight trillion cubic feet (141.5 to 226.5 cubic metres) of natural gas. Ankara argues that such exploration deprives the Turkish Cypriot minority of benefiting from the island's natural wealth. In February 2018, a drill ship for Italy's Eni abandoned an attempt to search for gas off Cyprus after it was blocked by Turkish warships. Turkey has occupied the northern third of Cyprus since invading in 1974 in response to a Greek military junta-engineered coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece. The breakaway northern part of the island declared independence in 1983, but it is only recognised by Ankara. By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - A former Credit Suisse Group AG banker pleaded guilty on Monday to a U.S. charge that she helped launder money from a kickback scheme involving $2 billion in loans to state-owned companies in Mozambique. Detelina Subeva, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy before U.S. District Judge William Kuntz in Brooklyn, New York. Subeva is one of three Credit Suisse bankers charged by U.S. prosecutors in January with taking part in the scheme. Credit Suisse has said that the defendants hid their contact from the bank. Subeva, a Bulgarian citizen, said that in 2013 her boss, Andrew Pearse, told her he had received a $1 million kickback in connection with a $372 million loan to a Mozambican state-owned company. She said the kickback came from Privinvest, an Abu Dhabi-based company that contracted with Mozambican state-owned companies. Subeva said Pearse transferred about $200,000 of the kickback to a her bank account. "I agreed to accept and keep these monies knowing that they were the proceeds of illegal activity," Subeva said. Subeva, who came to New York from London to face the charges voluntarily, was released on bail. There was no mention at the hearing of an agreement by Subeva to cooperate with prosecutors. Subeva's lawyer declined to comment. Pearse, who was head of Credit Suisse's Global Financing Group, is also charged in the case, along with another former Credit Suisse banker, Surjan Singh. Both are fighting extradition to the United States from the United Kingdom. Their lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment. Seven people have been charged in the case, including former Privinvest head salesman Jean Boustani, who is in U.S. custody, and former Mozambique Finance Minister Manuel Chang, who is fighting extradition from South Africa. Prosecutors say that between 2013 and 2016, Mozambican state-owned companies borrowed more than $2 billion through loans guaranteed by the government and arranged by Credit Suisse and another investment bank, which was not named. Story continues Apart from Credit Suisse, the Russian lender VTB also arranged financing for Mozambique's state-owned companies. Mozambique - one of the most indebted countries in the world - admitted in 2016 that it had guaranteed loans it had not disclosed. The revelation prompted foreign donors to cut off support, triggering a currency collapse and a default on its sovereign debt. U.S. prosecutors said at least $200 million was diverted to the defendants and other Mozambican government officials. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) (Updates with official statement from Google in paragraph 2) By Angela Moon NEW YORK, May 19 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world. A Google spokesperson said the company is "complying with the order and reviewing the implications" without giving details. The move could hobble Huawei's smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Google's Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps. "Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google," the source said. The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with U.S. counterparts. On Friday the U.S. Commerce Department said it was considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to "prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment." It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether Huawei's access to mobile software would be affected. The extent to which Huawei will be hurt by the U.S. government's blacklist is not yet known as its global supply chain assesses the impact. Chip experts have questioned Huawei's ability to continue to operate without U.S. help. Details of the specific services affected by the suspension were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the blacklist, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment. Story continues Representatives of the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately comment. POPULAR APPS Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), that is available for free to anyone who wishes to use it. There are about 2.5 billion active Android devices worldwide, according to Google. But Google will stop providing Huawei with access, technical support and collaboration involving its proprietary apps and services going forward, the source said. Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said. In an interview with Reuters in March, Eric Xu, rotating chairman of Huawei, struck a defiant note in anticipation of retaliatory actions by U.S. companies. "No matter what happens, the Android Community does not have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license," he said. Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google. But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect, the source said. The impact is expected to be minimal in the Chinese market. Most Google mobile apps are banned in China, where alternatives are offered by domestic competitors such as Tencent and Baidu. Huawei's European business, its second-biggest market, could be hit as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe. "Having those apps is critical for smartphone makers to stay competitive in regions like Europe," said Geoff Blaber, vice president of research at CCS Insight. (Reporting by Angela Moon; Additional reporting by Georgina Prodhan in London, and David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld in Washington; Editing by Kenneth Li, Daniel Wallis and Sandra Maler) * Total, Eni freeze payment for dirty Druzhba oil -sources * Key pipeline to Europe suspended for nearly four weeks * Causes worst ever Russia supply outage -trading sources By Olga Yagova, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Gleb Gorodyankin MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - Total and ENI have stopped payments to the Russian firms who sold them contaminated oil and said they will only pay when compensation is agreed, trading sources said, upping the stakes in what they say is the worst disruption to Russian oil supply. The French and Italian oil majors told their suppliers, including Russia's Rosneft and Surgut, that they would be ready to make payments when the extent of damages is clear and would pay for clean oil when supplies resume, the sources said. "Why would anyone want to pay for this oil? Strictly speaking it is not oil and no one in Russia is able to explain clearly who will compensate whom and when," one trading source familiar with the development said. Payment for millions of barrels of contaminated oil, that have been stuck for weeks in pipelines, was due on May 15. In theory, Western buyers are entitled to refuse to pay for oil they had bought without knowing it was contaminated because every contract for oil sales is accompanied with a quality passport that will show oil is not up to standard. However, sales along the Druzhba pipeline are governed by Russian law which state that the payment must be made and if the quality is not good enough this must be accompanied by a claim for damages, which can then take months or years to process. "Our position is clear. Western companies must pay and then submit claim damages that we can address later," said a trading source with a major Russian producer. Russian producers have already paid taxes such as export duties and mineral extraction levies to the Russian state for the oil they sold in April, putting them under pressure to recoup money they had expected to receive from the buyers. Story continues Total, Eni, Rosneft and Surgutneftegaz did not respond to requests for comment. Belarus has estimated the volumes of contaminated oil at around 9 million barrels, which in normal circumstances would be worth more than $500 million at current prices. "This is probably the biggest Russian oil supply disruption ever. Oil along Druzhba continued to flow during the 1969 Prague Spring uprising, and in 1991 when the Soviet Union was collapsing," a second trading source said. Russia's only previous significant disruption of exports via Druzhba was at the end of the last decade when Moscow suspended shipments for three days over a pricing dispute with Belarus. ESCALATING CRISIS The crisis has escalated since Belarus told oil refiners and pipeline operators in Europe nearly four weeks ago that the crude heading down the 5,500 km (3,400 mile) Druzhba pipeline was heavily contaminated with organic chloride, which is used to clean oil wells and accelerate the flow of crude. Russian oil flows via Druzhba were halted, sending crude to a six-month high above $75 a barrel and tarnishing Russia's reputation as an exporter at a time of rising competition with the U.S. and Middle East. Russia has since said the oil was contaminated deliberately by an unnamed local producer while Belarus said it would take months to restore clean oil supplies to Europe. Organic chloride should be removed before oil enters the supply chain as it can damage refining equipment. To get the pipeline working again the dirty oil needs to be removed and stored so it can be diluted with clean oil. Traders estimate this process for all the contaminated oil in Druzhba would cost tens of millions of dollars, while the question of who should pay remains unanswered. Last week, the buyers suggested Russian producers give guarantees in the form of bank deposits that they will contribute to the clean-up, according to several trading sources. But no solution has been found so far. Oil was meant to be supplied to Germany's refineries Leuna, belonging to Total, and Schwedt, which is co-owned by Rosneft, ENI and Shell. It was also meant to be shipped to PKN Orlen and Grupa Lotos refineries in Poland. "To date no company has taken on the responsibility of paying the damages due to the reduction in capacity, which also affects the refinery in Schwedt, which is 8 percent owned by Eni," Eni said last week. (Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Alexander Smith) By Joan Faus and Ingrid Melander MADRID (Reuters) - Three weeks after a national election, Spain is still without a government. On Sunday it holds local, regional and European ballots that will go a long way toward establishing the country's political identity for the coming years. Here's what's at stake: WHY IS THIS A CRUNCH MOMENT? Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists won the April 28 parliamentary election but failed to secure a majority. After weeks of posturing on all sides, he can start discussing alliances in earnest once the results of Sunday's elections - widely viewed as a follow-up round to April's vote - are known. But whatever happens, it won't be quick. With the political landscape increasingly fragmented between five main national parties and several regional ones, negotiations seem certain to be complex, and likely to include regional or local deals in exchange for backing at national level or in other regions. SO WHEN WILL SPAIN HAVE A GOVERNMENT? That won't be before late June or, more likely, early July, the acting government's spokeswoman has said. To get reelected, Sanchez will need the support in parliament of other leftist parties, Basque nationalists and the vote or abstention of at least one more lawmaker, possibly a Catalan separatist. Before that, parliament will convene on Tuesday for the first time since April 28 to vote on speakers for both houses. In a likely foretaste of the broader consensus-building exercise, Sanchez has nominated two Catalan Socialists who favor dialogue with the separatists but oppose the region's independence drive. Sanchez says he wants to govern alone with only ad-hoc support from other parties, but a variety of scenarios are possible. WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT? On Sunday, 12 of Spain's 17 regions and all of its 8,000-plus municipalities will be up for grabs. Opinion polls suggest the outcomes in the three most closely watched ballots - the Madrid region and the Madrid and Barcelona municipalities - are unclear. Sanchez's party, seen getting the biggest number of seats in the simultaneous European Parliament election, is also aiming to reinforce its April 28 win on the domestic front. The conservative People's Party (PP), which suffered heavy losses last month, is focusing on damage limitation and maintaining strongholds including the Madrid region. Far-left Podemos, which says it want to govern in coalition with the Socialists, is also looking to shore up its support base after losing ground in the national election. Center-right Ciudadanos wants to keep growing. Far-right Vox, which for the first time got lawmakers into parliament with 10% of last month's vote, wants to be a kingmaker in regions, replicating the deal it struck last year with right-wing parties in Andalusia, Spain's most populous region. Polls suggest Vox could be instrumental in determining who governs in Madrid and its surrounding region. WHAT ABOUT CATALONIA? The northeast region's bid for independence was a central theme of a divisive national election campaign, and it remains potentially pivotal for Sanchez's ambitions of forming a stable government. Five jailed Catalan separatist leaders elected last month - four to the lower house and one to the senate - will be sworn in as lawmakers on Tuesday. [L5N22W1Z3] But they remain on trial for their role in the region's failed 2017 independence bid and it is unclear what will happen thereafter. Once sworn in, their rights as lawmakers could be suspended. The Supreme Court has recommended this but left it to parliament's governing body to decide on Tuesday. If they are suspended but decide to keep their seats, the number of voting lawmakers in the lower house will fall. Sanchez could then be re-elected prime minister without the backing of the Catalan separatists. One of the five, Oriol Junqueras, has said he will give up his national seat if he is elected to the European Parliament on Sunday. (Additional reporting by Belen Carreno; editing by John Stonestreet) Noodle Man. | Photo: Elizabeth F./Yelp Visiting Bayside, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Virginia Beach neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Mediterranean restaurant to a Japanese sushi bar. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Bayside, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Mazari Kebab And More PHOTO: SIVILAY T./YELP Topping the list is Afghan, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spot Mazari Kebab and More. Located at 676 N. Witchduck Road, it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 419 reviews on Yelp. Mazari Kebab And More offers a menu of kebab plates, sides and gyros that range from rib-eye and salmon to veggie. Try the lamb kebab plate which has rice, brown rice or kabuli (brown rice topped with carrots and raisins), two sides and toasted pita bread. Look for sides that include chickpeas, kidney beans and tomato and cucumber salad and more. 2. Noodle Man Photo: VYVY H./Yelp Next up is Noodle Man, a spot to score noodles, situated at 1047 Independence Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 232reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Choose from a selection of fried rice, stir-fried and cold noodles, noodle soup, entrees and more at Noodle Man. Expect dishes like hot and spicy soup, Kung Pao chicken with stir-fried noodles and the mermaid fried rice that is made of scallops, shrimp and green beans. 3. Hansang Korean Restaurant PHOTO: MELISSA E./YELP Korean spot Hansang Korean Restaurant is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1209 Baker Road, Suite 202, 4.5 stars out of 114 reviews. Hansang Korean Restaurant is family-owned and serves authentic Korean cuisine. Keep a look out for traditional Korean dishes like Bibimbap and kimchi. Sample combination plates such as bulgogi beef, chicken and pork sauteed with peppers and veggies, grilled pork belly and rice or go for Korean barbecue. Theres also small bites to nibble that range from sushi to fried dumplings. Story continues 4. The Big Grill PHOTO: COLBY D./YELP The Big Grill, a breakfast and brunch and New American spot that offers burgers and more, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 215 Yelp reviews. Head over to 309 Aragona Blvd., Suite 113 to see for yourself. The Big Grill provides a wide selection of breakfast and lunch meals. From omelettes and French toast to fish and chips to burgers, theres plenty to choose from for any time of the day. Indulge buttermilk pancakes or the Southwestern omelette thats made of three eggs, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, cheddar cheese and topped with sour cream and salsa thats served with home fries, grits and toast. 5. Nara Sushi Japanese Restaurant Photo: J DAVID H./Yelp Check out Nara Sushi Japanese Restaurant, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 177 reviews on Yelp. You can find the sushi bar and Japanese spot at 1115 Independence Blvd., Suite 104. Nara Sushi Japanese Restaurant serves a menu of various types of sushi, dinner entrees, soups, salads and desserts. Sample sushi like the octopus nigiri, salmon sashimi, crab roll and spicy tuna temaki. Or go for a full meal the beef teriyaki, featuring New York sirloin, topped in soy sauce. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is refusing to cooperate with numerous congressional probes of himself and his administration, taking a defiant stance that is likely to result in a court battle with Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump's stonewalling hardened after the mid-April release of a redacted report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller on how Moscow interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election in Trump's favor and his attempts to impede Mueller's probe. In most of the cases where Trump and his advisers are refusing to cooperate, they run the legal risk of contempt of Congress citations and court enforcement actions that could result in fines and even imprisonment. Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress dismiss the inquiries, led mostly by House Democrats, as political harassment ahead of the 2020 U.S. elections. The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee is also investigating. In a departure from the stonewalling pattern, Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement with that committee for its senators to interview him in mid-June, a congressional source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Here are some high-profile examples of Trump, who has declared he is fighting all the subpoenas, defying Congress: TAX RETURNS Unlike past presidents in recent decades, Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, raising questions about what is in them. Democrats are probing Trump's past business dealings and possible conflicts of interest involving him. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday defied a subpoena from the head of the House tax committee seeking six years of Trump's past individual and business tax returns. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, a Democrat, is empowered to request the president's returns under a law that says the Treasury secretary "shall furnish" them upon such a request being made. In a letter to Neal on Friday, Mnuchin said Treasury, based on advice from the Justice Department, would not release Trump's returns. "We are unable to provide the requested information in response to the committee's subpoena," the letter said. Story continues MUELLER REPORT The redacted Mueller report, released on April 18 by Attorney General William Barr, left some questions about the probe unanswered. Democrats have subpoenaed the unredacted report and the evidence Mueller relied on. Barr, a Trump appointee, has refused to comply with the subpoena. The House Judiciary Committee voted on May 8 to recommend that the full House cite Barr for contempt of Congress. "We are now in a constitutional crisis," Jerrold Nadler, the committee's Democratic chairman, told reporters. The committee vote came hours after the White House asserted the seldom-used principle of executive privilege to keep the full Mueller report under wraps, even though Trump earlier allowed aides to speak with Mueller during his investigation. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, has also subpoenaed Barr for Mueller-related documents. After Barr disregarded the subpoena, Schiff said on Thursday the committee planned to take "enforcement action." SPECIAL COUNSEL Nadler's panel has demanded testimony from Mueller. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that Mueller was unlikely to appear before the committee as requested on May 23. EX-COUNSEL MCGAHN Nadler has threatened to hold former White House counsel Don McGahn in contempt if he fails to show up to testify at a hearing slated for Tuesday. McGahn has been directed not to produce documents in response to a committee subpoena. MAZARS A federal judge on Tuesday said financial records from Trump's long-time accounting firm Mazars LLP would be a "proper subject of investigation" by Congress, appearing to side with Democratic lawmakers seeking more oversight of the president. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard oral arguments on whether Mazars must comply with a House Oversight Committee subpoena, marking the first time a federal court has waded into the tussle about how far Congress can go in probing Trump and his business affairs. In an unprecedented step, Trump filed a lawsuit attempting to keep U.S. lawmakers from obtaining his financial records. CENSUS AND CITIZENSHIP The Justice Department has rebuffed an Oversight Committee request for an interview with John Gore, an official involved in the administrations decision to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. IMPEACHMENT Trump has vowed to fight any effort by congressional Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings against him, promising to go to the Supreme Court, even though it plays no role in the constitutional impeachment process. FBI HEADQUARTERS Congressional Democrats say the administration has responded too slowly to their requests for documents about Trump's abandonment of a plan to relocate the FBI's headquarters. Before he became president, Trump supported moving the headquarters to the suburbs of Washington from the center of town, said Democrats looking into the matter. They said that after Trump was elected and disqualified from bidding to buy the FBI's present headquarters site for commercial development, he switched his position. Democrats have raised questions about a possible Trump conflict of interest. IMMIGRATION AIDE The White House has refused a request for Trump's top immigration aide Stephen Miller to testify to Congress, in a letter to the House Oversight Committee. BANK SUBPOENAS Trump has sued to block House subpoenas for his financial records sent to Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial, banks he did business with. A 2017 financial disclosure form showed that Trump had at least $130 million of liabilities to Germany's Deutsche Bank. (Compiled by Caroline Stauffer and David Morgan Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish) (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is refusing to cooperate with numerous congressional probes of himself and his administration, taking a defiant stance that is likely to result in a court battle with Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump's stonewalling hardened after the mid-April release of a redacted report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller on how Moscow interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election in Trump's favor and his attempts to impede Mueller's probe. In most of the cases where Trump and his advisers arerefusing to cooperate, they run the legal risk of contempt ofCongress citations and court enforcement actions that couldresult in fines and even imprisonment. Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress dismiss the inquiries, led mostly by House Democrats, as political harassment ahead of the 2020 U.S. elections. The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee is also investigating. In a departure from the stonewalling pattern, Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement with that committee for its senators to interview him in mid-June, a congressional source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Here are some high-profile examples of Trump, who has declared he is fighting all the subpoenas, defying Congress: TAX RETURNS Unlike past presidents in recent decades, Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, raising questions about what isin them. Democrats are probing Trump's past business dealingsand possible conflicts of interest involving him. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday defied a subpoena from the head of the House tax committee seeking six years of Trump's past individual and business tax returns. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, a Democrat, is empowered to request the president's returns under a law that says the Treasury secretary "shall furnish" them upon such a request being made. In a letter to Neal on Friday, Mnuchin said Treasury, based on advice from the Justice Department, would not release Trump's returns. "We are unable to provide the requested information in response to the committee's subpoena," the letter said. Story continues MUELLER REPORT The redacted Mueller report, released on April 18 byAttorney General William Barr, left some questions about theprobe unanswered. Democrats have subpoenaed the unredactedreport and the evidence Mueller relied on. Barr, a Trump appointee, has refused to comply with thesubpoena. The House Judiciary Committee voted on May 8 to recommend that the full House cite Barr for contempt of Congress. "We are now in a constitutional crisis," Jerrold Nadler, the committee's Democratic chairman, told reporters. The committee vote came hours after the White House asserted the seldom-used principle of executive privilege to keep the full Mueller report under wraps, even though Trump earlier allowed aides to speak with Mueller during his investigation. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, has also subpoenaed Barr for Mueller-related documents. After Barr disregarded the subpoena, Schiff said on Thursday the committee planned to take "enforcement action." SPECIAL COUNSEL Nadler's panel has demanded testimony from Mueller. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that Mueller was unlikely to appear before the committee as requested on May 23. EX-COUNSEL MCGAHN Nadler has threatened to hold former White House counsel Don McGahn in contempt if he fails to show up to testify at a hearing slated for Tuesday. McGahn has been directed not to produce documents in response to a committee subpoena. MAZARS A federal judge on Tuesday said financial records from Trump's long-time accounting firm Mazars LLP would be a "proper subject of investigation" by Congress, appearing to side with Democratic lawmakers seeking more oversight of the president. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard oral arguments on whether Mazars must comply with a House Oversight Committee subpoena, marking the first time a federal court has waded into the tussle about how far Congress can go in probing Trump and his business affairs. In an unprecedented step, Trump filed a lawsuit attempting to keep U.S. lawmakers from obtaining his financial records. CENSUS AND CITIZENSHIP The Justice Department has rebuffed an Oversight Committee request for an interview with John Gore, an official involved in the administrations decision to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. IMPEACHMENT Trump has vowed to fight any effort by congressionalDemocrats to launch impeachment proceedings against him,promising to go to the Supreme Court, even though it plays norole in the constitutional impeachment process. FBI HEADQUARTERS Congressional Democrats say the administration has responded too slowly to their requests for documents about Trump's abandonment of a plan to relocate the FBI's headquarters. Before he became president, Trump supported moving theheadquarters to the suburbs of Washington from the center oftown, said Democrats looking into the matter. They said that after Trump was elected and disqualified frombidding to buy the FBI's present headquarters site forcommercial development, he switched his position. Democrats haveraised questions about a possible Trump conflict of interest. IMMIGRATION AIDE The White House has refused a request for Trump's topimmigration aide Stephen Miller to testify to Congress, in aletter to the House Oversight Committee. BANK SUBPOENAS Trump has sued to block House subpoenas for his financial records sent to Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial, banks he did business with. A 2017 financial disclosure form showed that Trump had atleast $130 million of liabilities to Germany's Deutsche Bank. (Compiled by Caroline Stauffer and David Morgan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish) The homes from Full House, Pippi Longstocking, The Godfather, and La La Land have all come up for sale in recent months, but if buying an entire house in the name of movie nostalgia just isn't feasible, how about owning a door from one of the most famous flicks of all time? Now is your chance, because the door and casement of the Tara plantation from Gone with the Wind is going up for auction. Profiles in History will auction off the iconic doorway next month with bids starting at $40,000. And though the prop itself is famous, its history since the movie is pretty iconic as well, according to reports, which only adds more allure to the item. For 20 years after filming wrapped on Gone with the Wind, the facade of the Tara plantation remained standing at Selznick International studios in Culver City, California. In 1959, it was dismantled by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnazs Desilu Productions. A real-estate developer named Julian M. Foster took most of the pieces, in hopes of reconstructing Scarlett OHaras home as an attraction. His project never materialized, and he eventually tried to sell the door to a woman named Betty Talmadge for $150,000 in the 1970s before he died unexpectedly. Fosters wife then offered to sell it for the bargain price of $5,000. The problem was, she didnt quite know where the door was located, since Foster kept it in a secret storage location in Alpharetta, Georgia. Talmadge, who had visited the storage facility with Foster once before his death, consequently went so far as to hire a pilot and plane to track down the storage unit and retrieve the door. She also had plans for a Gone with the Wind theme park which never materialized, but she did have the door refurbished and even put it on display when she hosted a party honoring Ted Turner and Jane Fonda at her home in 1989. When people go west, theyre looking for cowboys and Indians, Talmadge told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1992. When they come to Atlanta, theyre looking for Rhett and Scarlett, and Ive got the closest thing to it. She later loaned the door to the Atlanta History Center for a specialty exhibit. Apparently, the family never reclaimed it after the History Center loan, and it remains there today. Its unclear exactly who owns it, but the center now wants to relinquish it. We would like to keep the Tara doorway, but in terms of what they think its worth, we cant afford it, said Sheffield Hale, president, and CEO of the Atlanta History Center in a statement. The History Center is appreciative of the long loan . . . but it was always on loan, and museum loans eventually come to an end. Other set pieces up for sale include windows, shutters, doors, porch posts, and railings. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Vienna (AFP) - All remaining ministers from Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) are to resign, a party spokesman said Monday, after one of their number, Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, was fired in the fallout from a corruption scandal that has brought down the government. Conservative chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who called for fresh elections on Saturday over the affair, said Kickl would have to leave office to ensure a "complete, transparent investigation" into the scandal that has ended a coalition many on the European right had held up as a model ahead of key European Parliament polls later this week. Kurz's FPOe deputy, Heinz-Christian Strache, stepped down as vice-chancellor and party leader on Saturday after recordings published by German media showed him offering government contracts in return for campaign help to a fake Russian backer in a villa on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza. Elsewhere in the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. The other ministers who are now set to follow Kickl out of the government include his colleagues at the foreign, defence, transport and social affairs ministries. - String of scandals - Kurz said the vacant posts would be filled with experts or senior civil servants until the elections which President Van der Bellen has suggested be held in early September. A date will be fixed after Van der Bellen has spoken to all party leaders. Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPOe leadership from Strache on Sunday, said Kickl had done "nothing wrong". Kickl was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. "I feel very sorry that such a great government project ends so soon... I think this government was very popular," Hofer told a press conference earlier Monday. Kurz has said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPOe-related scandals, which have dogged the coalition since its formation in late 2017. Story continues The most damaging recent controversy linked to Kickl was last year when the interior minister ordered raids on the country's own domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austria's Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPOe has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. - 'We're going to Ibiza!' - Thousands of people demonstrated in Vienna against the government at an impromptu gathering in front of the chancellery on Saturday, as well as at a pro-EU rally on Sunday. The 1999 song "We're Going to Ibiza!" by the Dutch group the Vengaboys has also made it back into the Austrian charts, ranking third on iTunes and 75th on Spotify on Monday. In an emotional resignation statement Saturday, Strache said he had been "stupid" and "irresponsible" but was the victim of a "targeted political attack". In the recordings -- of unknown origin -- Strache and a colleague from his party, who has also resigned, are seen talking to a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. They discuss how she could invest and gain control of the country's largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung, and install editorial staff who would help the FPOe's 2017 election campaign. In return, Strache held out the possibility of awarding public contracts. The Kremlin on Monday denied any involvement. - Waves outside of Austria - The scandal has already made waves outside of Austria as Europe prepares for European Parliament elections from May 23 to 26. Manfred Weber, the lead candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest grouping in the European Parliament, said the scandal showed that "these extremists must not be able to influence our Europe". German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also warned of the dangers of far-right politicians "for sale", who wanted to "destroy the Europe of our values". The scandal may also dent the prospects of the far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, in which the FPOe plays a key part. Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Rally (RN) distanced herself from Strache, saying he had made a "grave mistake". Tripoli (AFP) - Despite a UN embargo, weapons are still flowing into Libya where an assault on the capital by strongman Khalifa Haftar threatens to escalate into a proxy war between regional powers. Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) is allied with an administration in eastern Libya, is supported especially by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On the other side, Turkey and Qatar back the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) which is recognised by the international community. Haftar on April 4 launched an attack on the capital that has ground to a halt on the southern outskirts of Tripoli in the face of GNA forces backed by militias from western Libya. Both sides have called in reinforcements as fresh weaponry arrives despite a UN arms embargo officially still in place since a 2011 revolt that toppled Libya's longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. The GNA boasted on Saturday of new "armour, ammunition and... weapons" for its fighters. It did not specify the source but posted photographs on its Facebook page of dozens of Turkish BMC Kirpi armoured vehicles at Tripoli port. The Moldova-flagged vessel which made the delivery belongs to a Turkish firm and set sail from a port in Turkey, according to navigation websites. Arnaud Delalande, a defence consultant and specialist on Libya, interpreted the delivery as an apparent open show of support for the GNA. In a swift response, pro-Haftar websites on Sunday posted photos and videos of Jordanian-built armoured cars they said were being supplied to the LNA. Such deliveries "show that neither party plans to give in and that it is headed more towards a war of attrition", said Delalande. A military source in eastern Libya, contacted by AFP, declined to confirm or deny the delivery of Jordanian armour but said "there is no halt to the flow of reinforcements" to the front line. - Roughly even in air war - On the GNA side, Turkish support "will help narrow the gap in weaponry between the two sides", said Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. Story continues He said: "The large number of UAE-made armoured vehicles had helped Haftar's forces in suburban areas, and they could now lose that advantage." However, "the risk is that such overt support (from Turkey) will prompt Haftar's backers to step up their assistance, and perhaps to intervene even more directly." For Lacher, "this war is now turning into a proxy war between rival Middle Eastern powers". "The more both sides receive arms and ammunition from their foreign backers, the longer the war will last, the more destructive it will be, and the more difficult it will be to resolve," he said. The more than six-week-old battle for Tripoli has already cost over 450 lives and left 2,000 injured and displaced almost 70,000 residents, according to UN agencies. Both sides have ignored international calls for a ceasefire and dialogue. The front lines are largely frozen, although "the balance of power on the ground is in favour of the pro-GNA forces but not decisively", said Delalande. In the air battle, the rival forces are roughly even with around 15 fighter-bombers on each side, he said. But increased air support from the UAE, especially through the Chinese-built Wing Loong drones deployed in eastern Libya since 2016, could swing the balance of power in Haftar's favour, he said. According to a report seen by AFP, UN experts are probing the UAE's possible military involvement in Libya following Blue Arrow missile strikes in April by Chinese-built drones of the type used by the Emirati military. The UN's group of experts on the country noted in a September report an increase in the number of armoured vehicles being supplied to the LNA as well as mortars and rocket launchers. Libyan analyst Jalal al-Fitouri said "secret or public imports of arms have been going on for years" but have now been stepped up by both sides. Ford Motor Co. plans to eliminate about 7,000 salaried jobs about 10% of its global white-collar workforce as pressures mount on automakers to keep pace with massive technological shifts amid signs global car demand has peaked. Eliminating the positions will save Ford about $600 million a year, Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett wrote in a memo to employees Monday. The majority of the cuts will be completed by May 24 in North America, and by the end of August in other markets including Europe, China and South America. To succeed in our competitive industry, and position Ford to win in a fast-changing future, we must reduce bureaucracy, empower managers, speed decision making, focus on the most valuable work, and cut costs, Hackett wrote. Ford is a family company and saying goodbye to colleagues is difficult and emotional. Ford shares briefly moved higher before the start of regular trading but were down 0.3% to $10.26 as of 10:15 a.m. Monday in New York trading. The stock has climbed 34% this year after plunging in 2018. The dismissals are designed to shrink Fords management structure by 20% and streamline the number of organizational layers to nine or less, from 14, Hackett said. The job cuts are far less than the 25,000 predicted by a Morgan Stanley analyst last year. In the U.S., there will be 800 involuntary separations, including 500 this week, according to a Ford spokesman. As of April 25, Ford had 196,000 employees worldwide, down from 202,000 at the end of 2017. The memo provides additional details of a company-wide salaried job reduction that Ford notified employees of in October, and is part of a broader $11 billion restructuring. Other changes focus on product development, such as the creation of a new vehicle architecture and design team and greater investments in infotainment, software development and electrification. The cuts come as many global automakers are struggling to cope with consumers preference for crossovers and SUVs over sedans, slumping sales and the cost of electrifying their lineups to meet stiffer emissions restrictions in markets including China and Europe. Story continues General Motors Co., Volkswagen AG and Tata Motors Ltd.s Jaguar Land Rover also are eliminating thousands of employees as the rise of electrification and self-driving vehicle technology reshapes the global auto industry. Ford is squeezing every cent they can out of the current business by cutting employees, cutting products and getting out of unprofitable businesses so they can put more money into future technology like electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and mobility services, said Michelle Krebs, an analyst with car-shopping researcher Autotrader. The danger is cutting so much that you hurt todays business and eat your seed corn. More must-read stories from Fortune: Ford recalls 270,000 vehicles The latest fatal Tesla crash involved autopilot Warren Buffetts best stock picks over the past year Why debt ceiling may become a buzzword this summer Get up to speed on your morning commute with Fortunes CEO Daily newsletter. China's former top securities regulator -- appointed to clean up markets following a 2015 market meltdown -- is under investigation for unspecified wrongdoing, authorities said late Sunday. Liu Shiyu was suspected of "violating the law", said a brief notice on the website of the Communist Party agency responsible for policing corruption. He had turned himself in, the notice said, but gave no further information. A former banker and deputy governor with the central bank, Liu was installed as head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) in early 2016, with a mission to restore confidence in financial markets. The previous year, China's traditionally volatile markets slumped precipitously in a disastrous meltdown worsened by an erratic response from regulators. Liu declared war on financial "crocodiles" and "barbarians" who manipulate the market. He launched a crackdown that saw dramatically enhanced enforcement of securities regulations and sharply increased the amount of fines levied. He was replaced in January by Yi Huiman, former chairman of the giant Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Liu is not the first financial regulator felled in a crackdown on corruption by President Xi Jinping's government. Yao Gang, the former vice chairman of the CSRC, was last year sentenced to 18 years in jail for taking bribes and insider trading. Xiang Junbo, China's former insurance regulator, also pleaded guilty to taking bribes last year. MATARAM, Indonesia, May 20 (Reuters) - An Indonesian court sentenced a French national to death on Monday for drug trafficking, his lawyer said, after prosecutors had called for a 20-year prison sentence. Felix Dorfin, 35, was convicted of trafficking more than 2 kilograms of drugs from France to the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok after being arrested in September last year. "The judge gave a heavier sentence because of the amount and kinds of drugs Dorfin was carrying," Denny Nur Indra, Dorfin's lawyer told Reuters, adding the ruling came as a shock and Dorfin will appeal. The Frenchman was found carrying large amounts of ecstasy, crystal methamphetamine, and marijuana in a suitcase but tested negative for drug use, leading prosecutors to believe he intended to distribute the drugs. Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries have notoriously harsh anti-narcotics laws. Indonesia executes convicted drug traffickers by firing squad and faced international criticism in 2015 when it executed several foreign nationals including two Australians who were leaders of the Bali Nine trafficking ring. There has been an unofficial moratorium on the death penalty for drug trafficking since 2016, but several foreigners remain on death row. (Reporting by Reuters stringer in Mataram and Kanupriya Kapoor in Jakarta, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie) MATARAM, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Indonesian court sentenced a French national to death on Monday for drug trafficking, his lawyer said, after prosecutors had called for a 20-year prison sentence. Felix Dorfin, 35, was convicted of trafficking more than 2 kilograms of drugs from France to the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok after being arrested in September last year. "The judge gave a heavier sentence because of the amount and kinds of drugs Dorfin was carrying," Denny Nur Indra, Dorfin's lawyer told Reuters, adding the ruling came as a shock and Dorfin will appeal. The Frenchman was found carrying large amounts of ecstasy, crystal methamphetamine, and marijuana in a suitcase but tested negative for drug use, leading prosecutors to believe he intended to distribute the drugs. Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries have notoriously harsh anti-narcotics laws. Indonesia executes convicted drug traffickers by firing squad and faced international criticism in 2015 when it executed several foreign nationals including two Australians who were leaders of the Bali Nine trafficking ring. There has been an unofficial moratorium on the death penalty for drug trafficking since 2016, but several foreigners remain on death row. (Reporting by Reuters stringer in Mataram and Kanupriya Kapoor in Jakarta, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie) lorin Calin, 20, Dorel Diaconu, 23, Oprea Dobre, 18, and Alexandru Dobrin, 18, have each been jailed for 10 years after they admitted gang raping a young woman in Jersey. (SWNS) Five Romanian farm workers have been jailed for the gang rape of a teenager. The victim was abducted from outside a nightclub and taken to a remote car park where the group each took turns to rape her, filming the horrendous ordeal on mobile phones. The Royal Court in Jersey heard how the terrified woman stayed silent throughout the attack throughout as she thought she was going to be killed. Her attackers Florin Calin, 20, Dorel Diaconu, 23, Oprea Dobre, 18, Alexandru Dobrin, 18, and Marius Dobrin, 24, have each been jailed for 10 years after they all admitted two charges of rape, one of vaginal penetration and another of penetration of the mouth. Marius Dobrin, a Romanian farm worker who forces deportation after he admitted taking part in the gang rape of a young woman in Jersey. The group have now been told they will be considered for deportation. A judge heard that the five men had gone to a nightclub when Marius Dobrin began dancing and flirting with the victim. Crown Advocate Simon Thomas, prosecuting, said that he hardly left her side for the rest of the night and that the victim appeared to be very drunk. He added: "CCTV footage from the street outside the club shows Marius hovering over her, helping to light a cigarette and putting a coat over her shoulders. "The other defendants can be seen waiting in a huddle nearby." Dobrin and the victim then walked up Bath Street with the other four defendants following close behind. A general view of Jersey Royal Court. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images) The five men drove the victim to Les Platons car park, where they raped her. Calin then drove the victim and the other attackers back to town, where she was found by a member of the public who had heard two screams. Requesting a sentence of ten years in prison, Crown Advocate Thomas said: There is no case remotely like this one. "That is to a say, a case where a young woman has been abducted by five men, driven to a remote location and raped while filming took place. The court heard that Diaconu and Calin both filmed parts of the attack evidence which proved crucial to police when investigating. The Bailiff, Sir William Bailhache, presiding, said that by any standards these were appalling crimes. Story continues Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran After the case, Acting Detective Inspector Christina MacLennan, head of the States police Serious Crime Unit, praised the bravery of the victim who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the attack. She said: "Although stranger rape is a particularly serious offence to investigate, thankfully they remain a rare occurrence in Jersey. "The States of Jersey Police have the utmost determination to investigate and prosecute all sexual offenders and we can assure victims that there is help available from a number of agencies who are in a position to offer support and guidance through all stages of the criminal justice process. As well as being jailed for 10 years, the five men will also be on the Sex Offenders Register for 12 years and were recommended for deportation. A restraining order was also imposed banning them from contacting the victim. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo News UK Berlin (AFP) - They deny global warming, oppose wind farms, defend diesel engines and coal mines, and mock teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg as a green "cult" leader. Politicians of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have discovered climate change denial in their campaign for European Parliamentary elections. In times of bitter social polarisation, the AfD has trained its sights on those voters who see ecological issues as an elitist concern that kills jobs and hurts industry. It has become the AfD's third major issue after it protested eurozone bailouts and then Europe's migrant influx -- both of which have lost much of their potential to energise angry voters. "We would be crazy to ignore this topic," party leader Joerg Meuthen told the Spiegel daily. "As a politician, you have to address the issues that people worry about." Stella Schaller of Berlin's Adelphi environmental policy think-tank said the AfD was indeed addressing an issue on many voters' minds, but with "an anti-liberal, anti-scientific ideology". "The past two months have seen a significant increase in the number of Facebook posts from the AfD on the environment, climate and energy," she told AFP. "Populist parties, with their rejection of progressive climate policy, appeal to those who feel a diffuse fear of the future or who fear profound transformative change." - 'Holy Greta' cult - A handy target has been Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish activist behind the "Fridays for Future" movement. Meuthen recently mocked "the holy Greta of Sweden", saying she had paid a "high-level state visit" to the European Parliament and "granted an audience" with the Pope. The party's co-leader Alexander Gauland asserted that the "Greta cult is reminiscent of collective hysteria in the Middle Ages". Gauland predicted the rise of renewable energy would turn Europe into a "deindustrialised settlement region covered in wind farms", which the party has also protested against. Story continues Meuthen told AFP that climate change had become "a kind of replacement religion", while on social media the party has attacked the "CO2 cult" and "climate brain washing". AfD social media posts mentioned climate fewer than 300 times in 2017-18, but that figure more than tripled over the past year, said a study by Greenpeace Unearthed and the counter-extremism Institute of Strategic Dialogue. The party has worked closely with the so-called European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE), which asserts on its website that "not the climate is under threat, but our freedom". - 'Save diesel' - Another AfD battle cry has been to "save diesel" -- an emotive issue in car-mad Germany, where thousands of motorists are furious about the crisis sparked by auto giant Volkswagen's use of emissions cheating software. In its wake, several cities have banned diesel cars, accelerating the demise of the technology and depressing the resale value of millions of cars. According to the AfD's election programme, "millions of diesel drivers were expropriated" because the government, mainstream parties and EU have branded the internal combustion engine as outdated. In Stuttgart, home of iconic auto makers Daimler and Porsche, yellow-vested protesters have held "diesel demos", some carrying AfD placards with adhesive tape obscuring the party logo at the request of rally organisers. On the European level, the AfD is not alone: a study by the Adelphi institute found that most right-wing populists either see climate change as unimportant, deny its existence or believe it is not man-made. Seven of the 21 parties the study examined were rated as "deniers and sceptics", among them the AfD, Britain's UKIP and the Freedom Party of Austria. Another 11 parties either had no explicit position on climate change or attach little importance to it, including the National Rally in France, Italy's Lega Nord and Poland's Law and Justice party. In general, the study found, "right-leaning populist parties, claiming to speak for the 'true interest of the common people', often oppose climate and energy transition policies". San Francisco (AFP) - US internet giant Google, whose Android mobile operating system powers most of the world's smartphones, said Sunday it was beginning to cut ties with China's Huawei, which Washington considers a national security threat. In the midst of a trade war with Beijing, President Donald Trump has barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. The measure targets Huawei, a Chinese telecoms giant in Washington's sights that is listed by the Commerce Department among firms with which American companies can only engage in trade after obtaining the green light from the authorities. The ban includes technology sharing. "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson told AFP. The move could have dramatic implications since Google, like all tech companies, must collaborate with smartphone makers to ensure its systems are compatible with their devices. Google will have to halt business activities with Huawei that involve transfer of hardware, software and technical services that are not publicly available -- meaning Huawei will only be able to use the open source version of Android, a source close to the matter told AFP. Huawei will no longer have access to Google's proprietary apps and services, such as the Gmail email service. Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Huawei is a rapidly expanding leader in 5G technology but remains dependent on foreign suppliers. It buys about $67 billion worth of components each year, including about $11 billion from US suppliers, according to The Nikkei business daily. Huawei is the target of an intense campaign by Washington, which has been trying to persuade allies not to allow China a role in building next-generation 5G mobile networks. US government agencies are already banned from buying equipment from Huawei. Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said Saturday that "We have not done anything which violates the law," adding the US measures would have a limited impact. In one swift move, Google delivered a death blow to Huawei on Sunday, suspending the Chinese companys Android license and potentially stopping the growth of the worlds second largest smartphone maker in its tracks. Googles decisionthe first time its taken such a measure with one of the worlds leading smartphone makershalts Huawei from selling future releases that include the search giants services that many in the Western world have come to expect in their smartphones, such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Assistant. With Huawei no longer able to get many of the latest Android updates, the company will instead have to supply its own patches. This is a huge deal for Huawei as most of its growth is outside China, and lack of access to Google Store and services would cripple it, says Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. Huawei shipped 59.1 million units in the first quarter of 2019, making it the second best-selling smartphone maker in the world, just after Samsung, according to research firm IDC. Furthermore, the companys blockbuster year included year-over-year growth of 50.3%. An estimated 80% of the worlds smartphones run on Android. The platform is open source, meaning anyone can build on it. However, the particular flavors that Google buildsincluding the upcoming Android Qarent as open, and are licensed to hardware makers. While each new Android build packs new features and updates, they all come with Googles suite of apps. Without a Google Android license, Huawei could take a stab at creating its own rival services. Developers are so heavily centered around Android, says Geoff Blaber, vice president of research at CCS Insight. Even if there was an alternative, they would still need those apps and services. The announcement comes after the Trump Administration added Huawei to a U.S. trade blacklist over security concerns last week. As the trade war between the U.S. and China has escalated, Googles chess move shows how reliant so many companies have become on its open source Android operating system and its services. Story continues A statement from Google said the company is complying with the order from the U.S. Department of Commerce and is reviewing the implications. In the meantime, the statement added, Google Play services and Google Play Protect security protections will continue to work on existing Huawei phones. For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device. Android (@Android) May 20, 2019 Huawei has said in the past it has been working on a Plan B. Its certainly capable. The company runs LiteOS, its own open source operating system for use on IoT devices, including smartwatches. However, attempts to create an Android rival have come and gone over the past five to seven years, while the platform continued to gain market share. Microsofts Windows OS is a prime example of an attempt by a large, established tech company to create a new mobile OS that never took off, Blaber says. On paper, there was industry support for an alternative platform to Android, he says. The reality was, there are a number of factorsAndroid has a very big and vibrant ecosystem. In addition, when it comes to smartphone distribution, a lot of markets are heavily carrier controlled, according to Blaber. And while a lot of those carriers like the idea of a third operating to compete that requires heavy promotion and money. That never really occurred, he adds. While the move shows the power plays Google is capable of making, Kathy Wang, senior director of security at GitLab, a software development site, says it should also serve as a warning. Any company willing to enable a nation states global surveillance efforts should have backup options if or when their intentions are known by their technology partners and the public, she says. Paris (AFP) - Hundreds of millions of smartphone users will be affected by Google's decision to sever its Android operating system ties with Chinese handset maker Huawei. The decision, in the midst of a US trade war with China, means that Huawei users will start losing access to Google's proprietary services such as Gmail and Maps, and be shut out of future upgrades to Android on their phones. The move by the California internet giant on the software front was compounded by news that US chipmakers have stopped supplying Huawei, hitting the hardware of its phones. - Many customers affected - Huawei sold nearly 203 million phones last year, up from 150 million in 2017, according to data tracking firm Gartner, overtaking Apple to threaten Samsung atop the global charts. For the first quarter of 2019, before its recent run-in with President Donald Trump's administration, Huawei sold 59 million handhelds, IDC calculated. Those users risk losing access to important upgrades to Android released by Google in future, although for now Huawei said it would continue to provide security updates. The Chinese company will only be able to access software patches and distribute them from Android's open source project, not proprietary information retained by Google, meaning that apps on Huawei phones could become unusable. - No easy fix for Huawei - To get around the Google ban, Huawei would ultimately have to build its own operating system, as Apple has for its iPhones. That cannot be done in a hurry. Microsoft offers a salutary example. Between 2010 and 2017, the US company tried to entice users to buy phones built on its own Windows mobile operating system. But the phones never took off and the company pulled the plug on the OS. Huawei does have a big advantage over Microsoft, given the bigger scale of its mobile market penetration. Software developers might feel compelled to offer a Huawei-specific version of their apps. Or the Chinese manufacturer could start a new branch of the Android family based on the open source version available now. Story continues But that will all take time. - Risks for Google too - The widespread mobile usage of Maps, Gmail and Google's other services has helped the US company build a market-leading position with Android alongside its crushing dominance in desktop browsing. But in cutting off Huawei, Google risks being deprived of the revenue-generating data of all those phone owners around the world. And other Chinese smartphone makers, such as Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus, will be watching closely. Should Huawei build its own system, it's conceivable that those companies might join it, in a bid to end their own vulnerability to future actions by the US government or companies. A mobile phone is on sale at the Huawei Experience Center on May 16, 2019 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. (Photo by Long Wei/VCG via Getty Images) Google (GOOGL) dealt a major blow to Chinese telecoms giant Huawei by blocking it from some updates to the Android operating system. This means new designs of Huawei smartphones will lose access to some Google apps. This paves a new direction for consumers who will end up choosing whether they want a mobile from the Chinese giant that wont be updated with apps, like YouTube and Maps. However, those who already have Huawei smartphones will be able to update apps and push through security fixes. US president Donald Trumps administration placed Huawei on a list that prevents American companies from trading with them, unless they have a specific licence to do so. READ MORE: China's Huawei restricted from using U.S. suppliers Google said it was "complying with the order and reviewing the implications. While Huawei has not put out a formal statement in response to Googles move, Huawei chief executive Ren Zhengfei told Japanese media on Saturday: "We have already been preparing for this." Why Huawei is seen as a threat Huawei has come under fire from many governments around the world. The US have continually pointed out Huaweis ties to the Chinese government as well as emphasising Chinas National Intelligence Law that says organisations must support, co-operate with and collaborate in national intelligence work. The US, as well as Australia and New Zealand, has since barred local firms from using Huawei to provide the technology for their 5G networks. The UK is yet to place a formal ban on Huawei. In March this year, the UKs National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of the UK governments intelligence and security organisation GCHQ, released a report that severely criticised the Chinese company, by saying there are significant technical issues in Huaweis engineering processes and its approach to software development brings significantly increased risk to UK operators. The Centre also said it can provide only limited assurance that the long-term security risks can be managed in the Huawei equipment currently deployed in the UK and that it can only provide limited assurance that all risks to UK national security from Huaweis involvement in the UKs critical networks can be sufficiently mitigated long-term. Story continues At the time of the report, Huawei said it took the concerns very seriously and that it would continue to work with UK operators and the National Cyber Security Centre to meet their requirements. In February, the head of Britains foreign intelligence service MI6, Alex Younger warned at the Munich Security Conference against the UK using a single provider of equipment in new 5G mobile networks. What this could mean for the smartphone market Android makes up a huge amount of the smartphone market and if new Huawei handsets are prevented from app updates, downloads, and security features, this could pose a tricky decision for a consumer. For example, as a smartphone shopper, you would not want an Android phone that risks a lack access to Google's Play Store. Android made up a massive 74.45% of the sector, according to Statcounter for the period January 2018 to January 2019. This is in comparison to Apples iOS of 22.85%. Furthermore, the political fallout and bans over Huawei could also start to reshape the smartphone market and slow down growth of Chinese upstarts. Globally, there were 3.6 billion active smartphones in use in June 2018, said a report by Newzoo. The worlds most popular smartphone brand was Samsung, boasting 893 million active devices and a market share of 27%. Apple was a close second, with a market share of 24%. Samsungs lead is mostly due to the companys selection of budget devices, which fare well in developing markets such as India. Globally, Chinese manufacturers Oppo, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Vivo came in at #3, #4, #5, and #6, respectively. Together, the four Chinese companies make up a third of the worlds active smartphones. The Supreme Court on Monday decided to uphold the hunting rights of the Wyoming-based Crow tribe, ruling that a Crow man charged with illegal off-season hunting in the states Bighorn National Forest was protected by a 150-year-old treaty between the federal government and the tribe. Justice Neil Gorsuch broke the tie in the five to four decision, joining Justice Sonia Sotomayors majority opinion stating that an 1868 treaty between the Crow and the U.S. still holds, as the Crow man, Clayvin Herrera, had claimed. Lower courts had argued that the treaty expired when Wyoming achieved statehood in 1890. There is not any evidence in the treaty itself that Congress intended the hunting right to expire at statehood, or that the Crow Tribe would have understood it to do so, Sotomayor wrote in her opinion. Gorsuch, a Colorado native who served for over a decade on a federal circuit court of appeals in Denver that covered 76 tribes, has joined the liberal-leaning contingent of Supreme Court justices to vote in favor of Native American rights before. In March, he broke a tie on the Court in a case dealing with whether the Yakama Tribe has the right to use public roads and avoid taxes on goods brought to their reservation, based on the terms of a 164-year-old treaty. President Trump nominated Gorsuch to replace the late justice Antonin Scalia on the Court in 2017, after several Native American tribes penned letters of support for him. Gorsuch appears to be both attentive to the details and respectful to the fundamental principles of tribal sovereignty and the federal trust responsibility, read a letter from the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund written at the time. More from National Review The House Democrats are frustrated, very frustrated. Theyve gotten themselves entangled in procedural disputes with the Trump administration that no one particularly cares about and that might be litigated for a very long time. A Washington Post report over the weekend spelled out how stymied Democrats feel and that they are considering, via the power of inherent contempt, fining or arresting people who are defying their subpoenas. This is very unlikely to happen, obviously. A New York Times report a few days ago on the Democrats exasperation said they might consider having hearings with empty chairs. Oh, the drama. Jerry Nadler, per the Times, conceded that the White House strategy had thus far succeeded in tamping down energy around the Mueller report and investigations. This misstates the dynamic, though: Its not so much President Trump as Nancy Pelosi who has succeeded in lowering the temperature around the Mueller report. By taking impeachment off the table, or at least pushing it off to some indeterminate point in the future, the speaker has denied Democrats their most consequential recourse and limited her caucus to staging a theatrical attempt to find facts that have already been found. Robert Mueller spent two years hunting down every possible lead related to collusion and obstruction, with considerable powers and investigate resources at his disposal. He had more or less full cooperation from the White House, except he didnt get to interview the president directly. Then he wrote everything down in a 400-plus page report that Bill Barr released to Congress to do with as it chooses. Never has a House majority had so much work done for it and been so remarkably ungrateful about it. The Democrats want to talk to Don McGahn, and maybe they will ultimately prevail in court to get his testimony, but whats the point? McGahn talked extensively to Mueller, and surely everything remotely damaging is already in the report. Story continues All of this, coupled with the obsessive focus on Bill Barr, is a gigantic misdirection, a simulacrum of action to substitute for the lack of anything real happening. The Democrats are at their most pathetic begging Robert Mueller to testify. They obviously hope for compelling TV from his testimony, but after disgorging himself of an exhaustive report, what do they possibly think Mueller can tell them that he hasnt already shared, except his opinions that he shouldnt, as a prosecutor, be airing publicly? Congress has the report, and now it is up to it to decide. But it doesnt want to. Its too painful to admit that the Mueller report was a bust on Russia and that the obstruction material, while damaging to Trump, is hardly a slam dunk; that the public doesnt support impeachment; that if the House goes through with it anyway, it will end with a whimper in the Senate; and that its better for Democrats to focus on beating Trump in 2020 than a forlorn impeachment. So instead, Democrats make a show of getting to the bottom of matters that have been as thoroughly investigated as anything in our recent politics. Perhaps Democrats will get so frustrated by Trumps non-cooperation that they will end up impeaching him over that which will surely make it the first time a House majority has impeached someone over its playacting to avoid impeachment. More from National Review By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died on Monday in U.S. Border Patrol custody in Texas, U.S. officials said, making him the fifth Guatemalan minor to die after being apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border since December. The boy, who was not identified, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on May 13 after crossing the border illegally, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol. He was taken from a central processing station in the Rio Grande Valley to the Weslaco Border Patrol Station in south Texas on Sunday and was due to be transferred to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the care of minor migrant children who cross into the United States without adult family members. But on Monday morning, during a "welfare check," the boy was found unresponsive, according to the CBP statement. The statement said the cause of death was not yet known, and that the Guatemalan government and the Department of Homeland Security watchdog office had been notified. "The men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are saddened by the tragic loss of this young man and our condolences are with his family," said Acting CBP Commissioner John Sanders. "CBP is committed to the health, safety and humane treatment of those in our custody." The boy was the fifth Guatemalan minor since December to die after being apprehended at the U.S. border in Mexico. Four of them died while in U.S. custody. A fifth child, who crossed the border with his mother in April, died this month after weeks in the hospital, but had already been released from U.S. custody at the time of his death. Record numbers of families from Central America are traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border and asking for asylum in the United States, fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries. From October 2018 through this April, nearly 293,000 unaccompanied children or people traveling in families were apprehended at the southern U.S. border - nearly four times the number during the same period the prior year. Story continues That has in turn strained U.S. border facilities, which are the first stop for migrants after they are detained. Reuters photos taken last week showed adults and children outside the U.S. Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, sleeping on the ground and rigging up makeshift awnings with reflective blankets to shelter form the sun. One Guatemalan man told Reuters that he and his 9-year-old son had spent nearly two weeks in Border Patrol custody in Texas, sometimes sleeping on the ground. The Trump administration has asked Congress for $4.5 billion in immediate emergency funding, which would represent a 44% increase in spending for programs that house, feed, transport and oversee the migrants. But immigrant advocates say the administration's policies, including making it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum at official ports of entry, contribute to making their journeys more arduous and drive migrants to seek out remote border outposts badly equipped to care for children. Julie Linton, co-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Immigrant Health Special Interest Group, said she was concerned about sick children potentially being housed in bare-bones Border Patrol facilities for extended periods of time. "There certainly need to be conditions that do not include lying on a mat with a Mylar blanket on a floor that is cold, and cage-like fencing that extends to the ceiling," she said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. "We absolutely need pediatric health experts at the border." (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; additional reporting by Kristina Cooke and Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Dan Grebler) Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream. | Photo: Julia K./Yelp Visiting Ohio City - West Side, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Cleveland neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from an organic tea spot to a place for fine Italian dining. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Ohio City - West Side, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Cleveland Tea Revival Photo: Sam L./Yelp Topping the list is tea room Cleveland Tea Revival, which offers tea, coffee and more. Located at 1434 W. 29th St., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 116 reviews on Yelp. Organic blends are uniquely named. Sip on the Holy Lemongrass, Goodnight Irene or Shark Week. Take a class to learn how to make your own kombucha. 2. Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream Photo: Nicole n./Yelp Next up is Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream, a spot to score ice cream, frozen yogurt and desserts, situated at 1867 W. 25th St. With five stars out of 337 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Ice cream is made in small batches using local, grass-fed dairy and fresh, seasonal ingredients. Flavors include Blue Cosmo, a blue cotton candy ice cream with a homemade marshmallow ribbon. Seasonal varieties include Porter Chocolate Chunk, made with Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and dark chocolate. Cakes and pies are also available. 3. Soho Chicken + Whiskey Photo: Connie c./Yelp Southern breakfast and brunch spot and bar Soho Chicken + Whiskey is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1889 W. 25th St., 4.5 stars out of 423 reviews. Feast on a fried chicken dinner, with your choice of breasts, thighs or a combination, served with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. Try a Lynchburg cocktail, made with Tennessee whiskey, lime, mint and ginger beer. 4. Townhall Townhall, a New American spot and beer bar, is another high-traffic neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 1,252 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1909 W. 25th St. to see for yourself. Story continues Start with the lettuce wraps, made with chicken or tofu. Add an entree, like wild pan-seared salmon with jalapeno-citrus quinoa salad and roasted cauliflower. Satisfy your sweet tooth with orange chai cheesecake. The restaurant also has a "bean bar," featuring specialty coffee, hot cocoa and matcha. 5. Luca Italian Cuisine Photo: Charla D./Yelp Last but not least, check out Luca Italian Cuisine, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 198 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Italian spot and bar, which also features gluten-free foods, at 2100 Superior Viaduct. Entrees include pasta dishes, like veal-stuffed tortellini with heavy cream and Parmigiano Reggiano with peas and prosciutto. Meatier dishes include slow-roasted short ribs with diced vegetables in a port wine sauce. The restaurant also offers on-site and off-site catering. 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. In a rural pocket of New Mexico, Sheriff Ian Fletcher fights back against new state firearm laws he calls unconstitutional, decrying out-of-state gun control groups in a column the Catron Courier newspaper published this spring. These measures make it harder for law-abiding New Mexicans to exercise their Second Amendment rights, waste scarce law enforcement resources, and do nothing to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, the column says. Fletchers missive is part of a campaign among representatives of at least 75 cities and counties nationwide that call themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries, opposing enforcement of gun background checks and emergency protection orders. The only problem: Fletcher didnt write the column; a lobbyist with the National Rifle Association did. Fletcher says the letter was passed to him by a sheriffs' association and hes not the NRAs puppet. I didnt have any direct contact with the NRA, but the letter was probably a little more articulate than I might have been, says Fletcher, who is depicted with an AR-15 on the county's official website. It wasnt a cut-and-paste job. I read it and agreed. The nations firearm debate is playing out in these rural counties, where sheriffs hold broad policing authority, as well as in Denvers suburbs, where a Republican sheriff faces recall for backing gun control laws. Ian Fletcher, Sheriff, Catron County, New Mexico. On one side are groups such as the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which exposed the NRA-written columns Monday, and the Giffords Law Center, which released an analysis of the firearm suicide rates in Second Amendment sanctuaries. On the other are gun rights groups, such as those that organized a protest against the laws at Colorados Capitol on Saturday that drew hundreds waving Dont tread on me flags and signs that read, We the people will not give up our guns. Colorado passed a red flag law this month, becoming the 15th state in addition to Washington, D.C., to do so. Similar legislation is pending in 20 other states. Story continues The laws allow family, roommates or law enforcement to petition a court for a temporary order to seize firearms from those deemed to pose a significant danger to themselves or others. An emergency 14-day order can be issued for imminent risk, and a yearlong prohibition of firearm possession can be ordered. A "red flag" proposal failed in New Mexico. Brady staff suspected the NRA backed sheriffs' opposition to the laws and requested thousands of internal emails using public records laws. Kris Brown, the Brady Center's president, says the NRA and sheriffs' associations were tied at the hip, going so far as to let the gun lobby essentially run the sheriffs' campaign against these laws in secret. Generally, newspaper editors attempt to verify the provenance of letters to ensure their accuracy before publication. The Couriers editor says she wasnt surprised to learn Fletchers column was written by the gun rights group. It doesnt really matter because he agrees with those sentiments, Shannon Donnelly says. Because its in our opinion section, I dont have a problem with him having it ghostwritten. The Deming Headlight, a USA TODAY Network property, which ran an identical piece by Luna County Sheriff Kelly Gannaway, added an editor's note after learning that the column was written by the NRA and encouraged guest writers to submit original content. NRA officials defended sending around the sample letters to the editor. This is a distraction being pitched to reporters by the Michael Bloomberg-financed gun control lobby in response to the publics strong opposition to their extreme gun control measures, said Catherine Mortensen, an NRA spokeswoman. They are trying to draw attention away from the fact that the New York-style gun control they are pushing on New Mexicans will make law-abiding citizens less safe and wont do anything to deter criminals. Report ties opposition to suicide rates Opposition to new laws comes from counties with some of the highest firearm suicide rates in the nation, according to a report by the Giffords center, a gun violence prevention group named for former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was severely injured during a mass shooting in Arizona in 2011. The analysis focused on counties in Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico and Washington that directed their sheriffs to ignore new state laws if they deemed them unconstitutional. County resolutions include references to tyrants throughout history and say there is no persuasive evidence that gun control laws actually reduce crime. Theres irony that the folks most resistant to these lifesaving laws are in areas where constituents are at the highest risk, says Adam Skaggs, chief counsel at the Giffords center. Should guns be seized from those who pose threats? More states saying yes to red flag laws The report points to places such as Custer County, Colorado, where the firearm suicide rate is 32 per 100,000 four times the states average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In February, the countys board of commissioners passed a resolution that says the states red flag law is in direct conflict with provisions of due process, as outlined in the 4th Amendment, and contradict the right to bear arms. Firearms account for more than half the states suicides, according to the Colorado Health Institute. Colorados law kicked off a wave of resolutions and recall efforts against legislators and sheriffs supporting it. A state gun rights group challenged the law in court. Among those facing gun rights advocates' ire are Tom Sullivan, a Democratic lawmaker who backed the states red flag law, and Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, a Republican who supported it. The debate is intensely personal at times. Sullivans son, Alex, was killed in a shooting at a theater in Aurora in 2012, and Spurlocks deputy Zack Parrish was killed in a shooting in 2017, responding to a man with long-standing mental health problems. The Colorado law is named after him. In statements to USA TODAY, Sullivan vowed to fight the recall and said he wont be bullied by the gun lobby, and Spurlock said the effort would fail because the Douglas County citizens support him wholeheartedly. Robert Wareham, an attorney in Spurlocks county, leads the recall effort against the sheriff. He says the law authorizes the seizure of firearms through no-knock warrants, which could be abused by spiteful family members. He disagrees that the law could prevent suicides. People are going to commit suicide whether they have a gun or another method, Wareham says. The suicide problem in Douglas County is tough, with affluent, educated white men taking their lives but thats a mental health issue, and the firearm just expediates a method. Taking guns away wont solve this. Research over decades indicates firearms are the most lethal means of suicide nationwide and the best target for new policy, says Matt Miller, an epidemiologist at Northeastern University. The hypothesis that if guns arent available, someone will find an equally lethal way to take their life seems reasonable, but it falls flat when you look at the data, Miller says. In homes where there is at least one gun, the risk for suicide is three to four times greater than in homes where there are no firearms, Miller says. Gun owners arent more suicidal and dont have higher rates of mental illness or suicide attempts, he says, but they have much higher rates of death if they do attempt. Legal fight, jail on horizon Evan Todd, who survived the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, speaks during the Rally for our Rights: Take back the Second demonstration at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, Colo., on May 18, 2019. Naming counties sanctuaries is a reference to sheriffs in left-leaning counties who resisted enforcement of federal immigration policy. The firearm laws come from state statutes. Attorneys general in Washington, New Mexico and Colorado signaled that sheriffs who refuse to enforce the state law will encounter legal headaches. In Washington, Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued a sternly worded letter that individual chiefs, sheriffs and towns could be held liable if someone illegally obtained a gun and used it to do harm. In Colorado, newly elected Attorney General Phil Weiser says sheriffs unwilling to enforce the law should resign. People get into law enforcement with a commitment to serve and save lives, and I predict once this moves from the abstract to concrete cases with real people, its going to look a lot different to them, Weiser says. You elected them to write new laws. Theyre letting corporations do it instead. In Weld County, the opposition from Sheriff Steve Reams stems more from the search-and-seizure provisions in the states law and less from broader Second Amendment concerns. He says the law threatens the wide discretionary berth afforded to law enforcement to prioritize laws, something he can sidestep by opting not to have any of his deputies ever petition for a red flag order. Theres no other order where were to go out and confiscate firearms with a search warrant, Reams says. And at that first issuance, the defendant isnt there to defend themselves in court its an entirely new body of law, and its troublesome. In addition to passively ignoring the law, he says, hes prepared to fight the law either in court or from a jail cell. If a judge said go confiscate these guns and that person wasnt afforded due process, I could not abide, he says. And if a judge ordered me to jail for violating the order, thats the punishment Id be willing to face. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NRA helps sheriffs fight gun laws in Second Amendment 'sanctuaries' ShowPlace ICON Boston. | Photo: Vivian C./Yelp Looking to mix things up this week? From a movie night to a photo exhibit, here's a lineup of options to help you get social around town. 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. 'John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum' Networking Movie Night From the event description: Who's down for a Movie Night? Join Whole Bunch of People Networking (WBOP) to go see "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum " Tuesday, May 21, at 6 p.m., showing at ShowPlace ICON Boston, 60 Seaport Boulevard. $6 Dollar Night Member! Socializing starts 30 minutes before showtime. Don't miss an evening of Friends, Popcorn and Fun! ... ARRIVE EARLY to purchase your ticket or buy on-line to secure your seat with our group! ... Registering does not include showtime tickets or snacks When: Tuesday, May 21, 6-9 p.m. Where: ShowPlace ICON Boston, 60 Seaport Blvd. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to register The Creative Passport Forum From the event description: Artists, songwriters, producers, engineers in short music makers: How does someone fan or business search for you online today? Where do they go to find you? How would a brand, a film, a commercial or an app with a budget for a song go about getting in touch with you to use a track you wrote or were involved in? ... Spearheaded by Imogen Heap working with other music makers and technologists, we have created The Creative Passport a digital identity container which would hold all information about you as a music maker. ... For The Creative Passport to be effective however we need music makers around the world to sign up to it, so we are hosting forums where you as music-makers can input into the development of The Creative Passport. When: Thursday, May 23, 2-4:30 p.m. Where: 22 Fenway, Room 204, 1140 Boylston Road, Berklee College of Music Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to register Story continues Exhibition Reception for 'Making is Taking: Consent in Photography' From the event description: In established art circles, photographers often describe their work as making images, as opposed to taking pictures. While this language accurately describes artistic authorship, it can also allow photographers and viewers to sidestep questions about agency and consent with human subjects. In this exhibition, curator and photographer Anna Rae presents the work of four Boston-area photographers, Atma, Kat Waterman, Lucas Hall and Jaypix Belmer, who explore the role of consent in their portraits. When: Thursday, May 23, 6-8 p.m. Where: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to register 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. A woman, not pictured, is worried she gave her dad herpes after using his razor. [Photo: Getty] People are discussing whether its possible to get herpes by sharing a razor. The discussion was sparked by a Reddit user who worried she had given her dad herpes by using a razor he owns to share her public hair. In the post, entitled TIFU [Today I Fucked Up] and gave my dad herpes, the Canadian user explains that she contracted herpes during college or university, as it is known in the UK. Returning to her parents home at Christmas time, the user tells how she used a disposable razor belonging to her father in order to tidy up her pubic hair ahead of an anticipated hook-up. A boy I had a crush on in high school was going to be at a party I was going to [...] I figure who knows whats going to happen, but Ill give all my areas a good touch up. READ MORE: Most of us are having sex less than once a week She adds, for context: Im rushing and I cut myself a little. Months later, she received a call from her mother saying her father had contracted herpes on his face and she realised this might be from the razor I forgot I left [it] in our family shower. Thankfully, the Reddit user says she came clean and her parents who have been together since they were both 18 have since reconciled. But is it really possible to contract herpes in this way? Some users are doubting the story, with one saying the medical likelihood of transferring herpes this way is low, and another commenting its not possible to get herpes this way. However, Yahoo UK enlisted a qualified medical expert to clear up the matter once and for all. Genital herpes "Genital herpes is a common infection and is caused by the same family of virus that causes cold sores, explains Dr Daniel Fenton, Clinical Director at London Doctors Clinic. Symptoms can occur from a few days after you contract the condition, according to the NHS website, however, in some cases they might not appear for weeks or even years. What can you expect if you contract herpes? Symptoms can generally be identified by small uncomfortable blisters which can really hurt - making urinating or just moving around very uncomfortable. Story continues The blisters go away by themselves after about 10 days but very often come back again whenever your immune system gets a bit low or distracted. So, can you catch herpes through sharing a razor? It is possible, in rare cases according to Dr Fenton. This is particularly true if you have lesions, or wounds, in the skin. When you clean shave you could leave the surrounding skin broken and irritated, he says. When broken skin and open wounds are exposed to other bodily fluids, there is a significantly higher chance of passing on or spreading STIs. READ MORE: French kissing could give you throat gonorrhoea Whilst it is a rare way to catch an STI , there is certainly a possibility of contracting herpes by using someone else dirty razor, particularly if they had active lesions at the time of shaving. How to treat herpes Unfortunately, there is no cure for herpes but treatment options are available, says Dr Fenton. Each attack can be very effectively managed by using anti-viral medications which you can get from your doctor, he says. Try to have the medications on hand because the sooner you use them in each attack the better they will work." By Amanda Becker (Reuters) - Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper on Monday said there is an "authoritarian mentality" in the White House and the United States does not need its own "strongman," as he delivered the first major foreign policy address among two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination. "I think history clearly demonstrates that when you have a so-called strongman - a dictator - you don't have rule of law," Hickenlooper said when asked at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs if that was a better approach to foreign policy than multilateralism. In his address, Hickenlooper said China "represents a generational challenge" for national security; that Russia "actively works against our interests" by propping up Bashar Hafez al-Assad in Syria and Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela; and that North Korea's nuclear program "threatens its region and beyond." "From Moscow to Beijing, from Ankara to Caracas and beyond, authoritarian strongmen now threaten not only the rights of their own people, but also the foundations of international peace," Hickenlooper said. "While no invading army is storming America's shores today, this authoritarian mentality has already breached our defenses. Indeed, it has occupied the White House. We have a president who is not just ignoring many of the threats to our national security, he is aiding and abetting them," he added. Hickenlooper said President Donald Trump has "fawned over" North Korea's Kim Jong Un and treated Russia's Vladimir Putin "as his puppet master." Hickenlooper also criticized Trump for threatening to pull out of the NATO alliance, abandoning the Paris climate accord and withdrawing from trade negotiations. "We cannot hope to go back to the way the world was before Trump, too much has changed," Hickenlooper said. Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine disputed Hickenlooper's assessment of the president, saying that his "record on foreign policy is unquestionably a strength." Story continues "The Trump sanctions on Russia are the toughest. He also imposed strong sanctions on North Korea and Iran, brought the North Koreans to the negotiating table, decimated the ISIS caliphate, stood up to China for decades of unfair trade practices, strengthened America's trade deals around the world, improved NAFTA, and steered NATO on the right path," Perrine said in an email. Hickenlooper, who trails in opinion polls, is trying to show how he stands out in a field of Democratic White House hopefuls that include many with years of Washington experience, such as former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Hickenlooper criticized other Democrats for wanting to "withdraw from our global leadership role," and said he would use "constant engagement" to expand trade, modernize the military and form strong global alliances, taking an "activist, not a pacifist" approach to foreign policy. Hickenlooper said he would reaffirm the country's commitment to the NATO alliance, revive arms control talks with China and Russia and reject boycotts, divestment or sanctions on Israel. He also said he would consider re-establishing the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement made by the Obama administration, and re-enter the Paris climate agreement. Trump has pulled the United States out of both of those accords. Hickenlooper also proposed creation of the position of "Director of National Cybersecurity" to formulate a 20-year plan to coordinate efforts among existing security and intelligence agencies. (GRAPHIC: Who is running in 2020 - tmsnrt.rs/2Ff62ZC) (Reporting By Amanda Becker; Editing by Bill Berkrot and James Dalgleish) Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with sunscreen. They want to protect their skin from damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. But they dont like the sound of all the chemical ingredients listed on the label. They may worry about whether those ingredients are bad for their health (and their kids health) or if theyre potentially harmful to the environment. Such concerns have given rise to a cottage industry of home chemists devoted to whipping up their own sunscreenusing do-it-yourself recipes they find on social media sites and elsewhere online. (#DIYsunscreen has over 1,000 posts on Instagram, and there are pages of related pins on Pinterest.) Along with step-by-step instructions, some posters also offer their opinions on why youd be better off skipping store-bought sunscreen, suggesting that homemade alternatives are better and safer. Many even go so far as to assign an SPF, or sun protection factor, to their DIY mixtures. So many peopleespecially parentsare concerned about using chemicals on their own, or their childrens, skin, says Lara McKenzie, PhD, the principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a co-author of a 2019 study that explored how DIY sunscreens were portrayed on Pinterest. But the prevalence of these DIY recipes online gives them a false sense of security that making sunscreen themselves means making it better. Testing the Trend Research does indicate that some of the ingredients popular in DIY recipes provide very slight protection against UV rays, according to Julie Merten, PhD, associate professor of public health at University of North Florida in Jacksonville and a co-author of the Pinterest study. Coconut oil, which is a staple in many of these recipes, tests at about an SPF 1, Merten says, but many recipes containing it claim much higher levels of protection. Story continues The popularity of homemade sunscreen recipesand the unverified assertions of the protection they provideprompted researchers in France to make, and then test, 15 recipes they found online. The study was published in 2020 in The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. The researchers mixed up the sunscreens exactly according to the instructions given online, then tested the SPF of each recipe under controlled conditions in a lab. They found that three of the recipes they tested (including one the original poster recommended especially for use on children) contained no UV-filtering ingredients at all. The other 12 recipes tested ranged from SPF 1.5 to SPF 6. By comparison, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a product with an SPF of 30 or higher. Unlike commercial sunscreens, no one is regulating these recipes, Merten says. On social media you can say and claim whatever you want. A Recipe for Sunburn Mixing up a sunscreen at home, following unscientifically substantiated recipes, can lead to an ineffective product, says David J. Leffell, MD, chief of the section of dermatological surgery and cutaneous oncology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. Even if you were able to replicate the formula of a commercial product, that doesnt guarantee the same outcome. Leffell likens it to following any other recipe. You can use the exact same ingredients, but the texture and flavor can vary each time you make it. And, he adds, professional manufacture of drugs or medications (including sunscreens) is actually quite strict and must meet defined performance endpoints. In order for a commercial sunscreen to claim a specific SPF or use the terms broad spectrum or water-resistant on the label, it must be tested according to methods set by the Food and Drug Administration. SPF is a relative measure of how much protection a product offers against sunburn, which is primarily caused by UVB rays. To earn the broad spectrum label, a product must pass a test showing that it also helps protect skin from UVA rays, which penetrate more deeply into the skin, causing damage that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. And one that makes a claim of water-resistant or very water-resistant has been tested to maintain its level of protection for 40 or 80 minutes, respectively, of swimming or sweating. People worry that sunscreen is unsafe, but whats unsafe is making homemade sunscreen using ingredients without proven SPF or broad-spectrum coverage in formulations that arent standardized or verified for their efficacy, says Joel L. Cohen, MD, director of AboutSkin Dermatology and DermSurgery in the Denver metropolitan area and an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, Irvine. Do you really want to experiment on yourself or your child, testing out a recipe and seeing if you get burned? Consider that getting five or more blistering sunburns before age 20 increases your risk of melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer) by 80 percent, according to a 2014 study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Safer Solutions In 2019, the FDA put out a call for more research on 12 common chemical active ingredients in sunscreen, such as avobenzone and oxybenzone. There is some evidence that chemical ingredients can be absorbed through the skin. For now, neither the FDA nor any health organization is saying that you should avoid using products that contain them. Still, you might prefer to use a mineral sunscreenone that contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as active ingredients; the FDA says that it doesnt need more data on the safety of these. But in Consumer Reports tests, which are modeled on but differ from the ones the FDA requires sunscreen manufacturers to use, these natural, or mineral-based, sunscreens tended not to perform as well at those that contain chemical active ingredients. Some, however, did better than others in our tests (see below). Another option is to use a chemical sunscreen that doesnt contain oxybenzone, the ingredient that currently raises the most concern for both human health and marine life. Octinoxate, another chemical ingredient, may also have effects on the environment. While all of the top rated sunscreens in CRs tests contain chemical active ingredients, the majority of the sunscreens we tested do not contain oxybenzone or octinoxate. Top Sunscreens From CR's Tests These chemical sunscreens, listed in alphabetical order, performed well in our ratings. Mineral Sunscreens From CR's Tests CR's testing found that these two mineral sunscreens provide acceptable protection, although they arent among the top performers in our tests. Shawarma King. | Photo: Daniel H./Yelp Looking for a mouthwatering Greek meal near you? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Greek restaurants around Houston, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to fill the bill. 1. Shawarma King Photo: apples l./Yelp Topping the list is Shawarma King. Located at 3121 Hillcroft St. in Mid West, the Greek, Mediterranean and halal spot is the highest rated affordable Greek restaurant in Houston, boasting four stars out of 239 reviews on Yelp. The menu specializes in shawarma plates and sandwiches, which include fresh pita bread and a choice of lamb, chicken or falafel rolled up with tahini. Also, look for souvlaki, breemo, lamb kebab and veggie sandwiches and plates. 2. Zabak's Mediterranean Cafe Photo: zabak's mediterranean cafe/Yelp Next up is Mid West's Zabak's Mediterranean Cafe, situated at 5901-G Westheimer Road With 4.5 stars out of 451 reviews on Yelp, the Greek and Mediterranean spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a low-priced option. On the menu, expect veggie plates, Greek salads, spinach and meat pies, falafel, shish kebabs, gyro plates, shawarma and Mediterranean pizza, with toppings like falafel and feta cheese. (For the full menu, click here.) 3. Simply Greek Photo: belly g./Yelp Spring Branch Central's Simply Greek, located at 1900 Blalock Road, Suite R, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the affordable Greek spot, which offers pizza and more, 4.5 stars out of 255 reviews. Try the pita fried zucchini or one the one of the platters (gyro, grilled chicken, Greek sausage, falafel and spanakopita) which are served with a Greek salad and choice of French fries, Greek fries, sweet potato fries or hummus. (Click here to view the menu.) 4. Ekko's Greek American Deli Photo: fox e./Yelp Ekko's Greek American Deli, a deli and Greek spot in Greater Uptown, is another inexpensive go-to, with four stars out of 190 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5216 Richmond Ave. to see for yourself. Menu standouts include the Combo (gyro and chicken served with pita bread, onions and tzatziki sauce served with french fries or Greek potatoes), the beef souvlaki plate (double shish kebab served with pita bread, onions, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce) and one of the hot or cold sandwiches, which include falafel, chicken gyro and turkey breast. Story continues 5. Arabella Mediterranean Cuisine Photo: eric c./Yelp Downtown, check out Arabella Mediterranean Cuisine, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 41 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Greek spot by heading over to 914 Main St., Suite M. Yelper Tiffany C. wrote, "Food is always made daily and super fresh. It's the perfect place for vegans and vegetarians, too, as there's plenty of selection. I like ordering the veggie platter, which includes huge portions of four veggie sides. I always have extra leftover for a second meal." 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. Nearly one in three adults (32%) say they are more anxious than they were last year, according to a recent report by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Only a quarter (24%) report being less anxious than last year these are similar to changes in anxiety reported over the last two years. The poll results reinforce the fact that basic needs, such as personal safety or finances, have a large impact on a persons mental well-being, says APA President Altha Stewart, M.D. We urge anyone who is struggling with anxiety, regardless of the reason, to seek treatment. But getting to the root cause of distress can be more difficult to diagnose when its not a physical problem -- emotional and mental health issues are oftentimes left undetected and untreated for too long. Approximately 40 million American adults about 18% of the population struggle with anxiety, and nearly 7% of the population has reported at least one depressive episode in a given year, as reported by the National Institute of Mental Health. Feeling ashamed often goes hand in hand with any mental or emotional struggle, particularly in a professional setting. The pressure to work and perform at 100% can be paralyzing during a depressive phase, coupled with the fear of losing employment. In an ideal world, you should be able to disclose a mental health issue without being discriminated against, but the reality is we dont live in that perfect world, says Darcy Gruttardo, director at the Center of Workplace Mental Health. About half of workers in the APA survey expressed concerns about discussing mental health issues at work; a third worried about consequences if they seek help. For those thinking about talking about it at work, Gruttardo recommends talking to your primary care doctor first to get any symptoms under control, before approaching human resources or an employee assistance program (EAP). Is the organization ill? Workers should also recognize that the organization they work for could be dysfunctional: The more disturbing the workplace, the more vulnerabilities and personal foibles will emerge, says Dr. Lynn Friedman, a clinical psychologist and executive career counselor based in Washington, D.C. Story continues Just like physical ailments, mental health can worsen from working long hours, lack of sleep, stress, overwhelming workloads, and toxic work environments.One way to support people to be healthy is to look at areas of dysfunction in the workplace and address them in a direct and straightforward way, says Friedman. Managers have a big role to play in raising awareness, getting rid of the stigma, and treating this like any other issue, says Gruttardo. While more companies today are creating holistic wellness programs to cultivate a culture of openness, less than a third of those who struggle with mental health get the treatment they need. Costs for care can be prohibitive as health insurance plans are less comprehensive particularly when it comes to mental and behavioral issues. Most people polled by the APA said they would help guide a troubled co-worker to mental health resources. Three out of four workers said they would recognize signs of anxiety or depression. But one in four workers say they would not know where to guide their co-worker for mental health help. These results show both encouraging and concerning aspects of mental health in the workplace, says Stewart. The extent to which people are willing to reach out and help colleagues is encouraging. However, the continued hesitancy among many to talk about mental health concerns in the workplace is troubling and illustrates the ongoing stigma against mental illness. We have work to do to get to the point where people are as comfortable talking about mental health concerns as they are about physical health concerns. Jeanie Ahn is a senior reporter and producer at Yahoo Finance, covering personal finance and women in business. Follow her on Twitter @jeanie531. WATCH MORE: This is Americas only public school dedicated to homeless youth Holly Robinson Peete shares what you need to know when you have an autistic child More than half of Millennials in their 30s still banking on Mom and Dad Employers say this is the most annoying characteristic of new grads By Hazel Baker and Sankalp Phartiyal LONDON/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Time to abandon the Huawei phone? That was what some owners asked after U.S. tech giant Google said it would suspend its business with China's top mobile maker, threatening future access to Gmail, YouTube and Chrome. Google said on Monday it would comply with an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to stop supplying Huawei, meaning it would no longer be able to offer its popular Android apps to buyers of new Huawei phones. The order to U.S. companies could affect tens of millions of consumers in Europe, its biggest market outside mainland China. "I was absolutely shocked," Luna Angellica, the Dutch owner of a new Huawei P smart+ contacted by Reuters in London, said after the Google news. She was already "considering saving up" for a rival model, she added. Trump's move, said to be motivated by spying concerns amid a bitter trade war with China, could at a single blow derail Huawei's ambitions to overtake Samsung as the world's biggest phone maker. "I like the phone so much - I'm just kinda scared one day I'll be forced to buy another phone," said Anthony Chiringa, who lives in Nairobi and bought his Huawei Y7 for $180 two weeks ago. "Buying a new phone to replace another one will be another expense for me. Rather Huawei should come up with a way whereby the current Huawei users can be able to replace their phones for free," he said. Emerging economies such as Kenya are key to Huawei's ambitions as it seeks to sell more low- to mid-priced handsets outside China. India, where Huawei now has only single-figure market share, is also potentially vital. "I was already in two minds about buying the phone," said Sumeet Lyallpuri, 46, a businessman in Mumbai who had been considering upgrading his existing Huawei to the brand's P30. "Now if Google updates are not available for Huawei phones, Google Play or apps such as YouTube are not there I wouldnt want to buy the phone at least for the time being," he said. Manish Khatri, the owner of a smartphone shop in Mumbai, India's financial hub, said some customers had been looking for Huawei phones. "Now with Google deciding to have a limited relationship with Huawei I will direct customers to other smartphones brands such as Samsung or Apple," he said. USERS "PUNISHED" Huawei said on Monday it would continue to provide security updates and services for its smartphones and tablets that have already been sold. And Google's team working on the Android operating system told Huawei users on its Twitter @Android account it would comply with U.S. requirements while ensuring "services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device." Replies to the tweet ranged from frustration to worry. "So because of a US law, you actually punish millions of international users by banning them?" wrote Andreas Benjaminsen, who described himself as an open source enthusiast on @photolsen account. Twitter user Ania K. wrote on @kuleczka1983: "I am very worried ... I'm the owner of a P30 Pro". Neither user could immediately be reached for comment. Operators, who tie phones into their networks with mobile line contracts for calls and data, were also racing to determine the impact on their businesses from Google's decision. "We are reviewing the details of the executive order to understand any potential implications for our customers," Spain's Telefonica, Europe's third largest mobile operator. Hutchison's British network operator Three told customers that Huawei's routers and devices would continue working, but also said it was seeking further information. "We are in discussions with Huawei and will provide a further update as soon as we can," the firm said in statement. Huawei, which is also the global leader in telecoms networking equipment, is embroiled in a long-running row with the United States over the security of its systems and devices. The U.S. administration has said Huawei equipment could be used by China for espionage and Washington has pressed its allies to use other suppliers. Huawei denies the U.S charges. Huawei's founder and chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, had said before Google's announcement on Saturday that growth of the Chinese tech giant "may slow, but only slightly" due to recent U.S. actions. (Additional reporting by Kate Holton in London and YiShu Ng in Singapore; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Georgina Prodhan) Beirut (AFP) - Hundreds of retired Lebanese security personnel protested Monday over feared pension cuts and tried to storm the government's headquarters in Beirut as ministers mulled an austerity budget inside. For weeks, the government has been discussing budget cuts required to unlock $11 billion in aid pledged to the Mediterranean country in Paris last year. Officials have hinted that army veterans and retired security officers may see cuts to their pensions and benefits as part of an impeding austerity package. Budget talks were underway Monday as protesters scuffled with security forces after breaching a barbed-wire barricade erected outside the Grand Serail, the headquarters of the Lebanese premiership. Security forces used water cannon in an attempt to disperse them, injuring one veteran, according to the state-run National News Agency. Another pensioner tried to set himself on fire before he was stopped by other demonstrators, NNA said. "They threaten our income and our benefits after we served our country for years," one pensioner said in a televised interview. Another protester said he regretted the clash between the demonstrators and security forces. "This is first time security forces confront (former) security forces," he said. A delegation of pensioners entered the Grand Serail to meet Defence Minister Elias Abu Saab, who gave them "guarantees," according to a spokesman. For his part, Bou Saab said many of the concerns relayed to him were based on rumours. "Some of these issues are not being discussed anyway," he said, referring to protester's concerns. The Lebanese economy has been hit hard in the wake of endless political deadlocks in recent years, compounded by the 2011 breakout of war in neighbouring Syria. The country has been racking up public debt since the end of its own civil war between 1975-1990, which now stands at 152 percent of gross domestic product, according to the finance ministry. WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Hundreds of members of the U.S. Congress signed a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday arguing that the United States should remain engaged with the conflict in Syria, saying they were "deeply concerned" about extremist groups in the country. "As some of our closest allies in the region are being threatened, American leadership and support are as crucial as ever," said the letter, signed by nearly 400 of the 535 members of the House of Representatives and Senate. Many U.S. lawmakers, Trump's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, have been deeply concerned about Syria policy since December, when Trump confounded his own national security team and allies with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. Trump backtracked in February, agreeing to leave a small U.S. presence to help keep pressure on Islamic State during what the U.S. military believes will be a critical stabilization phase in Syria. The lead signers of the letter were the Democratic chairman and ranking Republican of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Representatives Eliot Engel and Mike McCaul, and the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senators Jim Risch and Bob Menendez. Among other things, the letter urges Trump to increase pressure on Iran and Russia with respect to their activities in Syria and increase pressure on the heavily armed Shi'ite Hezbollah movement, Iran's Lebanese ally. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington Editing by James Dalgleish) A bitcoin trader takes his life after alleged threats from a police official demanding a return on his crypto investment. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN: A bitcoin trader in Indias Gujarat State has been pushed to suicide after incurring losses in a cryptocurrency investment he made on behalf of a senior police officer. According to Ahmedabad Mirror, the Bharat Patel hanged himself early Sunday. This was after Chirag Savani, a deputy superintendent of police, and his elder brother, Harnish Savani (AKA Montu) pressured him to compensate them for losses they incurred after investing in bitcoin. In a suicide note, Patel explained that he had invested money belonging to the two brothers in bitcoin. Allegedly the senior police officer had invested an amount worth five bitcoins at an unspecified time. But following a decline in the price, the two brothers now wanted a little over 11 bitcoins as compensation: DySP [Deputy Superintendent of Police] had come to my house to invest in five bitcoins. After incurring a loss due to slide in their value, Chirag and his brother Montu were demanding 11.575 bitcoins. I am distraught due to the recovery they are claiming. My life is not worth living. DySP Chirag Savani came to my house and threatened me to return the amount they had invested. I have been forced to commit suicide. The two brothers are responsible for my act. Senior Cop Was Demanding a Leg and an Arm Patel did not disclose the exact time the investment was made. But the brothers demands could suggest that the investment was made when prices were higher than now. The two brothers are seeking more than double the bitcoins they had invested in as compensation. At the current prices, the 11.575 bitcoins that the two brothers are demanding are worth around $92,000. Per Patels wife, Usha, the bitcoin trader had tried to convince the two brothers to accept payment in installments. However, they insisted on a lump sum payment. The two brothers were also demanding that interest be paid on the principal amount that they had invested. The suicide note did not reveal the rate. Read the full story on CCN.com. By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday could act on appeals seeking to revive two Republican-enacted abortion restrictions from Indiana, even as debate rages over a new measure in Alabama that would ban the procedure almost entirely. If the nine-justice court takes up either case, it would give the conservative majority an opportunity to chip away at the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that found women have a constitutional right to terminate pregnancies. The court is due to announce new cases it is hearing and appeals it is rejecting on Monday morning. It could also delay action on certain cases. One of the Indiana laws requires fetal remains to be buried or cremated and bans abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus. The other law requires women to undergo an ultrasound examination at least 18 hours before they undergo an abortion. Both Indiana measures were signed into law in 2016 by Vice President Mike Pence when he was Indiana's governor and were struck down by federal judges the following year. The state of Indiana is appealing to the Supreme Court. The Alabama law was signed by the governor last week but is not set to go into effect for six months. It would outlaw almost all abortions, including in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Exceptions would only be allowed to protect the mother's health. Doctors who perform abortions could face up to 99 years in prison. The Alabama law was written with the assumption that it would face legal challenges and could ultimately end up at the high court. Conservative activists have long railed against the Roe v. Wade decision. They hope that the conservative Supreme Court justices, who hold a 5-4 majority, will undermine, if not overturn it altogether. Their chances of success were given a boost last year by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, the swing vote at the Supreme Court who had previously backed abortion rights in two key cases. Kennedy was replaced by President Donald Trump's conservative appointee Brett Kavanaugh, who has a thin record on abortion. Story continues Legislation to restrict abortion rights has been introduced this year in 16 states. Four governors have signed bills banning abortion if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected. Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts, who has voted against abortion rights in previous cases, are seen by legal experts as the key votes to watch. The high court has two other abortion cases on its docket that it will also act on in the coming months - attempts by Alabama and Louisiana to revive other previously blocked abortion restrictions. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Bill Berkrot) By Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI, May 20 (Reuters) - A Hindu temple on a disputed site, life in jail for killing cows and ending the autonomy of India's only Muslim-majority state are some demands Hindu groups plan to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi on if he wins the general election as expected. The ruling coalition led by Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to win an even bigger majority in parliament than the massive mandate it got five years ago, exit polls showed after the country's massive election ended on Sunday, cheering his conservative base. Votes will be counted on Thursday. The BJP will meet its coalition partners on Tuesday to discuss a new government. BJP parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu-first group, said it would hold a three-day dharm sansad, or religious parliament, in the northern city of Jammu starting June 21 to press the government on many of their main demands that had been put on the backburner around the election. "We did not want the opposition to make it an issue against the BJP, so had stopped our agitation," Mahendra Rawat, the Delhi head for RSS, said. "The Ram temple is the biggest issue for us Hindus." Many Hindus believe a mosque razed in 1992 was built in the same place where Lord Ram, a physical incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, was born. They also point to evidence there was a temple there before the mosque was built in 1528. The destruction of the mosque by a Hindu mob had led to riots that killed about 2,000 people across the country. The BJP said in its election manifesto it would "explore all possibilities within the framework of the constitution and all necessary efforts to facilitate the expeditious construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya." The Supreme Court this month gave a panel arbitrating the decades-long dispute until Aug. 15, raising hopes for an amicable settlement. Rawat and officials of two other RSS affiliates, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, said their other main demand is the abolishment of decades-old special rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a northern state dominated by Muslims in the Hindu-majority country. Story continues The BJP has consistently advocated an end to Kashmirs special constitutional status, which prevents outsiders from buying property there, arguing that such laws have hindered its integration with the rest of India. In its election manifesto, the party also reiterated its long-held desire to abolish Kashmirs autonomous status. Kashmiri political leaders have warned a repeal would bring widespread unrest. VHP and the Bajrang Dal said they also want the cow, considered sacred by many Hindus, to be declared a national animal whose killing would be an offense punishable with life in jail. Cow slaughter is banned in most Indian states, and many BJP-ruled states have tightened https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/india-politics-religion-cows regional laws on it in the past few years and launched a crackdown on unlicensed abattoirs in the country's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Penalties for killing a cow differ from state to state, with most ranging from six months to five years in prison. "We are happy with the projections for the BJP," said Bholendra, a leader of the Bajrang Dal in Uttar Pradesh, who goes by one name. "Now all attempts should be made to protect and preserve Mother Cow." (Editing by Nick Macfie) India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses an election campaign rally in Meerut - REUTERS Indias prime minister Narendra Modi look set to retain power at the head of a coalition government last night, after exit polls showed his Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies were on track to win a majority of seats in Indias parliament. With polls showing the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will win as many as 306 seats in Indias 543-seat lower house, the controversial Hindu-nationalist leader would secure a second five-year term, though with a slimmer mandate than in 2014. The opposition Congress-led United Progressive Alliance coalition, which sunk to historic lows last time out, were predicted to win an estimated 132 seats - but a Congress spokesman dismissed the exit polls as laughable, citing the shyness of voters in such a polarised contest. The exit polls, which have proved wildly unreliable in the past, were released yesterday evening after the last of Indias 900 million registered voters had cast their ballots. The counted result is due on Thursday. The six week campaign has been largely peaceful, though ended with violent clashes on the outskirts of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal where the BJP have been skirmishing with the regional Trinamool Congress party. There were sporadic clashes throughout the campaign as Mr Modi pushed to pick up seats in the target-rich state to offset expected losses elsewhere. The projected result emerged as Mr Modi attracted attracted ire and bemusement yesterday after donning saffron robes to meditate in a Himalayan cave, in a bid to garner voters at the end of the campaign. In pictures released by his party press machine, the PM is seen wearing the orange garments synonymous with Hindu priests and sitting cross-legged in a cave near the Kedarnath shrine, in the northern state of Uttarakhand. A master of the grand political gesture, Mr Modi and his aides tweeted the photos, hoping they would strike a chord with his austere, religious supporters. However, as violence continued in West Bengal and people were voting in Mr Modis own constituency of Varanasi, the holy city on the River Ganges, the pictures were mocked online. Story continues No meditation is complete or meaningful without the right attire, red carpet and of course a stage managed photo opportunity, wrote Rupa Subramanya prominent economist and a former BJP supporter turned critic. Other observers and much of the Indian media turned their attention to the caves themselves - which are actually in a man-made retreat. They can be booked online for Rs 990 (11.20) a day and the facilities include electricity, drinking water, and morning tea, breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner at prescribed timing which can be changed upon request, reported the Hindustan Times. The cave also has a telephone connection and an attendant who can be summoned with a bell, the newspaper added. An Indonesian court sentenced Frenchman Felix Dorfin to death for drug smuggling on Monday, in a shock verdict after prosecutors asked for a 20-year jail term. Dorfin, 35, was arrested in September carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of drugs including ecstasy and amphetamines at the airport in Lombok, a holiday island next to Bali where foreigners are routinely arrested on drugs charges. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest drug laws -- including death by firing squad for some drug traffickers and it has executed foreigners in the past. While prosecutors had not asked for the death penalty, Indonesian courts have been known to go beyond their demands. "After finding Felix Dorfin legally and convincingly guilty of importing narcotics ... (he) is sentenced to the death penalty," presiding judge Isnurul Syamsul Arif told the court. He cited Dorfin's involvement in an international drug syndicate and the amount of drugs in his possession as aggravating factors. "The defendant's actions could potentially do damage to the younger generation," Arif added. The Frenchman made headlines in January when he escaped from a police detention centre and spent nearly two weeks on the run before he was captured. A female police officer was arrested for allegedly helping Dorfin escape from jail in exchange for money. It was not clear if the jailbreak played any role in Monday's stiffer-than-expected sentence. Dorfin, who is from Bethune in northern France, sat impassively through much of the hearing in front of three judges, as a translator scribbled notes beside him. He said little as he walked past reporters to a holding cell after the sentencing. "Dorfin was shocked," the Frenchman's lawyer Deny Nur Indra told AFP. "He didn't expect this at all because prosecutors only asked for 20 years." The lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence, describing his client as a "victim" who did not know the exact contents of what he was carrying. Story continues "If he had known, he wouldn't have brought it here," Indra added. In 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran -- the accused ringleaders of the Bali Nine heroin smuggling gang -- were executed by firing squad in Indonesia. The case sparked diplomatic outrage and a call to abolish the death penalty. The Bali Nine gang's only female member was released from jail last year, while some others remain in prison. A number of foreigners in Indonesia are on death row including cocaine-smuggling British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford and Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row since 2007. Last year, eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court after being caught with around a tonne of crystal methamphetamine. Ingersoll-Rand plc IR has completed the previously announced acquisition of Precision Flow Systems (PFS) for $1.45 billion. The other parties to the transaction include funds managed by BC Partners Advisors L.P. and The Carlyle Group L.P. CG. The deal is in sync with the companys policy of acquiring businesses to gain access to new customers, regions and product lines. Notably, PFS is primarily engaged in providing pump and flow management systems for use in process, agriculture, water, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage markets. Some of its leading product brands are Haskel, Milton Roy, Williams and others. Notably, PFS generated revenues of $400 million in 2018. Ingersoll-Rand will work on integrating PFS assets with its Industrial segments (accounted for 21.6% of net revenues in the first quarter of 2019) fluid management business. The PFS acquisition will likely boost the companys existing fluid management business through technical expertise, and the addition of about 1,000 workers and strong manufacturing units. As a matter of fact, the buyout is likely to strengthen margins and prove accretive to earnings in the first year of completion. Our Take The company intends to boost its near-term revenues and profitability on the back of M&As, and unique business strategies. In 2018, the company deployed nearly $285 million for M&As. In this context, the buyout of ICS Group Holdings (January 2018) has been strengthening Ingersoll-Rands commercial Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) business.Also, the companys joint venture with Trane Mitsubishi (completed in May 2018) will strengthen its competency, going forward. Further, stellar sales from the commercial HVAC markets, particularly in North America and Europe, residential HVAC, transport solutions, industrial fluid management businesses and strength in the compression technologies business in North America will bolster its revenues. Moreover, product development investments and solid backlog will likely support the upside. Story continues Over the past six months, the Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has yielded a return of 7.3%, outperforming 2.1% rise recorded by the industry. Other Key Picks A couple of other top-ranked stocks from the same space are Dover Corporation DOV and Roper Technologies, Inc. ROP. Both of these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Dover surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average positive earnings surprise being 8.61%. Roper exceeded estimates in each of the preceding four quarters, the average positive earnings surprise being 8.43%. This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Carlyle Group L.P. (CG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roper Technologies, Inc. (ROP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ingersoll-Rand PLC (Ireland) (IR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dover Corporation (DOV) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 14% in the last month. But that shouldn't obscure the pleasing returns achieved by shareholders over the last three years. In the last three years the share price is up, 74%: better than the market. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Caterpillar While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. Caterpillar was able to grow its EPS at 61% per year over three years, sending the share price higher. This EPS growth is higher than the 20% average annual increase in the share price. So one could reasonably conclude that the market has cooled on the stock. This cautious sentiment is reflected in its (fairly low) P/E ratio of 11.29. The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). NYSE:CAT Past and Future Earnings, May 20th 2019 We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Caterpillar's earnings, revenue and cash flow. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of Caterpillar, it has a TSR of 89% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. Story continues A Different Perspective While the broader market gained around 4.8% in the last year, Caterpillar shareholders lost 21% (even including dividends). Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 6.6% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. Investors who like to make money usually check up on insider purchases, such as the price paid, and total amount bought. You can find out about the insider purchases of Caterpillar by clicking this link. Caterpillar is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. In 2010 Quanyong Li was appointed CEO of Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited (HKG:3382). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Tianjin Port Development Holdings How Does Quanyong Li's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited has a market capitalization of HK$5.1b, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth HK$2.9m. (This figure is for the year to December 2017). While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at HK$2.2m. We examined companies with market caps from HK$3.1b to HK$13b, and discovered that the median CEO total compensation of that group was HK$3.1m. That means Quanyong Li receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. This doesn't tell us a whole lot on its own, but looking at the performance of the actual business will give us useful context. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Tianjin Port Development Holdings, below. SEHK:3382 CEO Compensation, May 20th 2019 Is Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited Growing? On average over the last three years, Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited has grown earnings per share (EPS) by 3.2% each year (using a line of best fit). It saw its revenue drop -4.5% over the last year. I would prefer it if there was revenue growth, but I'm happy with the EPS growth. It's hard to reach a conclusion about business performance right now. This may be one to watch. We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited Been A Good Investment? Given the total loss of 14% over three years, many shareholders in Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. In Summary... Remuneration for Quanyong Li is close enough to the median pay for a CEO of a similar sized company . We would like to see somewhat stronger per share growth. And it's hard to argue that the returns over the last three years have delighted. So it would take a bold person to suggest the pay is too modest. CEO compensation is one thing, but it is also interesting to check if the CEO is buying or selling Tianjin Port Development Holdings (free visualization of insider trades). Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Iran has accelerated the rate at which its enriching low-grade uranium four-fold, weeks after threatening to gradually scale back its commitments under a 2015 deal meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear bomb.The semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, an official at Irans Atomic Energy Organization, as saying that Iran had increased its output of 3.67% enriched uranium as of Monday, and that the United Nations nuclear watchdog had been informed. The number of active centrifuges has not been raised, it added. Crucially, Iran hasnt increased the level to which it is enriching beyond the agreed limit. This issue does not mean that there is an increase in the purity of the material or that theres an increase in the number of centrifuge machines or that theres a change in the type of centrifuges, Kamalvandi said, according the Tasmin. Tehran has already announced it stopped complying with a 300-kilogram cap on the storage of enriched uranium and heavy water imposed by the multilateral accord, and said it would abandon limits on uranium enrichment unless Europe throws it an economic lifeline within 60 days, setting an ultimatum for the survival of the landmark agreement. Tensions in the Gulf have spiked since the U.S. stopped granting waivers to buyers of Iranian oil early this month, tightening sanctions slapped on the Islamic Republic after President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear deal a year ago. With an economic crisis looming, Iran announced on May 8 it would gradually withdraw from the agreement unless the remaining parties find a way to ease its pain. That was followed last week by so far unexplained sabotage attacks against four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, heading toward the Gulf and a drone attack by Iran-backed Yemeni rebels against Saudi pumping stations, which forced the temporary suspension of an east-west pipeline. On Wednesday, the U.S. cited growing yet unspecified threats as it ordered the departure of non-emergency staff from Iraq, where Iran provides material and political support to several powerful militias. Story continues By the end of last week, Trump appeared to dial back the tensions, reiterating earlier statements that hes open to talks with the Iranian government and saying he hopes there isnt a war. But hes also signaled that the U.S. will respond to any provocations while saying Tehran needs to initiate any talks. Iran will call us if and when they are every ready, Trump wrote on Twitter on Monday. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse very said for the Iranian people. Though all sides have said they do not want war, heightened concerns have rattled oil markets and become a subject of debate at a meeting of OPEC oil exporters taking place in the Saudi city of Jeddah. Iran says that its nuclear program is for civilian energy and medical uses and that it has never sought nuclear weapons. The U.S. accelerated the dispatch of an aircraft carrier and moved B-52 bombers to the region in recent weeks, citing unspecified threats from Iran and its proxies. The Trump administration revoked this month two waivers that enabled Iran to send surplus heavy water to Oman and ship out any enriched uranium above the 300 kg limit in exchange for natural or yellowcake uranium. Those measures undermined Irans ability to dispose of excess materials, forcing it to choose either between stopping enrichment, as the Trump administration wants, or abandoning its commitment to the storage threshold. More must-read stories from Fortune: Abortion is still legal in all 50 states Alabamas abortion bill is the strictest in the nation. Heres what that means Trump keeps alluding to extending his presidency. Does he mean it? Meet the Republicans likely to challenge Trump in the 2020 primary Is the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization? Trump thinks so LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Iran called on Monday on the United States to address the Islamic Republic with respect, not threat of war, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran in a tweet, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Tensions between Washington and its Gulf Arab allies on one side and Tehran and its proxies in the region on the other, have been flaring for weeks. On Sunday, Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied on his twitter account "NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectit works!" Zarif, who was educated in the United States, actually praised Trump for earlier remarks seen as pushing back against hawks in his administration who were encouraging conflict. The president "rightly deplores 'military-industrial complex' pushing U.S. #ForeverWars," Zarif wrote on Twitter. But he said Trump had allowed a "B-team" of aides led by National Security Advisor John Bolton to "trash diplomacy." He accused them of "milking despotic butchers via massive arms sales," an apparent reference to Iran's main regional foe, Saudi Arabia, Washington's biggest arms buyer. Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, and his administration says it has built up the U.S. military presence in the region. It accuses Iran of threats to U.S. troops and interests. Tehran has described U.S. moves as "psychological warfare" and a "political game." Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the Trump administration would retaliate. The foreign minister of Oman, which in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday. Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah discussed regional and international issues with Zarif, Iranian state news agency IRNA said. It gave no further details. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Peter Graff) Donald Trump has a well-articulated strategy toward Iran. Like almost every other Republican candidate for president in 2016, he argued that President Barack Obama empowered Iran at the expense of Americas traditional allies and its own vital interests. Trump has implemented instead a policy of containment. When critics claim that his strategy lacks an endgame, they are really expressing nostalgia for the clarity of Obamas vision. The Iranian regime, Obama told us, was moderating, it was willing to dispense with its ambitions to become a nuclear weapons state and was eager to stabilize the Middle East in cooperation with the West. Taken together, these trends inevitably led to an attractive endgame: strategic accommodation between Washington and Tehran. This vision, however, was a mirage. Events in Syria during Obamas administration gave us a preview of the true consequences of his strategy. Out of a misguided belief that recognition of Syria as an Iranian sphere of interest would transform Tehran into an agent of stability, he made no attempt to counter the provocative new moves that Iran and Hezbollah made to save the Assad regime. This miscalculation allowed Iran and Russia to form a military alliance that bears primary responsibility for the deaths of over half a million Syrians and the displacement of well over 10 million more. OUR VIEW: Commander in chief, where is your Iran endgame? President Donald Trump at the White House on May 16, 2019. Trumps strategy does not permit him to define a clear endgame. A containment policy does not seek war but will not shrink from it if provoked. Nor does it seek regime change. Rather, it recognizes that a transformation of Iranian politics is an essential precondition for a strategic accommodation between Washington and Tehran. In the meantime, if the Iranians remain determined to launch suicidal attacks on the United States and its allies and disrupt the oil supply, we cant necessarily stop them but we can make them pay an exorbitant price, while also ensuring that they never acquire nuclear weapons. Story continues In short, Trump has replaced the clarity of a mirage with the messiness of reality. Michael Doran is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. If you can't see this reader poll, please refresh your page. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: On Iran strategy, Donald Trump replaces Barack Obamas mirage with containment For months, tension between the US and Iran has been simmering with Washington urging allies not to do business in Tehran, and Iranian proxies or allies launching attacks at the US and its partners, including two ballistic missiles reportedly fired towards Jeddah and Mecca on Monday. And the rhetoric is escalating. In this face-off they are the ones who will be forced to retreat, said Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech last week. If Iran wants to fight, US president Donald Trump wrote in a tweet after a rocket fell about a mile from the US embassy compound in Baghdad on Sunday, that will be the official end of Iran. Fears of a full-on war between the US and Iran have spiked in recent days. But the two countries and have been locked in a low-simmering conflict for decades. Its not a very cheery relationship. More often than not they have managed their considerable disagreements through threats, hostage-taking, economic blackmail, bombings and assassinations. The conflict began shortly after Irans Islamic revolution, when students stormed the US embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding Americans hostage for 444 days, in an expression of anger for Washingtons quarter-century of support for the dictatorial monarch it installed after a 1953 CIA-backed coup. The animosity continued during the 1980s, when Tehrans allies bombed US embassies and military barracks, and the US torpedoed Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf. In the 1990s, the US sought to strangle and isolate Iran with sanctions, and Tehran did its part to blow up the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that was supposed to herald the start of a new Middle East. In the 2000s, the administration of George W Bush again ratcheted up the sanctions on Iran, threatening it with military action over its nuclear programme as it pursued its stillborn project to bring democracy to the Middle East, by way of Iraq. Iran responded by handing out explosively formed penetrators to its proxies in Baghdad, where they devastated US armoured vehicles. Both sides launched cyberattacks against each other. Israelis, likely with US acquiescence, gunned down and blew up nuclear scientists in Tehrans streets. Story continues Accompanying the steady drumbeat of bombs was shrill rhetoric, each sides threats and outrageous antics strengthening hardline counterparts. President Barack Obama and his team sought to end the cycle with the nuclear deal, which was meant to serve as a cornerstone for improving relations. Mr Trump withdrew from the deal a year ago, promising to pressure Iran into submitting to a better deal that would encompass Tehrans missile programme and its support for militant groups. Ripping up the nuclear deal and resuming sanctions, the two countries relations have returned to default settings. As the US has increased pressure, attempting to strangle Irans economy, Tehran has begun to respond. US decisions to remove waivers on all international oil trades with Iran coupled with the designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation created the consensus within the Iranian leadership that they need to escalate or impose some costs for the US behaviour, according to Ellie Geranmayeh, an Iran expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, adding: The US has gone so far in cornering Iran that Iran is already in a state of war when it comes to the economic landscape. Iran already perceives itself as under attack, surrounded by US military hardware and personnel in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Caucasus, and strangled by sanctions. And the Trump administration has described Iran as the source of much of the worlds woes, calling it the worlds number one backer of terrorism and blaming it for everything from backing the Taliban to strengthening Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Both Ayatollah Khamenei and Mr Trump have said they dont want to push for an all-out war. But the US has begun positioning hardware and personnel in preparation for any attack. Iranian officials, including major general Hussein Salami, the newly appointed chief of the Revolutionary Guards, have boasted in recent days that Iran too has set up networks, allies and infrastructure all over the region to exact costs on the US and its allies for Washingtons pressure campaign. Sundays rocket attack towards the US embassy in Baghdad was seen as a message to the Americans, although there is no solid evidence it was necessarily directed at the outpost and it has as yet been unclaimed. One European diplomat involved in Iranian affairs said they expected more messages through proxies increasing in the coming weeks. European officials have assured themselves that Mr Trump will restrain the more hardline players in his orbit, including his hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, who has long sought regime change in Iran and has publicly advocated for a campaign of airstrikes against the country. Asked about Mr Trumps latest tweet, threatening to destroy the entire Iranian nation, the European official quipped: Which one? There are 10 a day. Others are less convinced of distance between the Trump and Bolton and other hardliners positions on Iran, or that it even matters what either thinks. Once the US scuttled the nuclear deal and chose the path of pressure, the longstanding dangerous state of affairs the one Obama sought to dismantle was inevitable . What is taking place now was all too predictable, US Democratic Party lawmaker Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CBS News on Sunday, citing the administrations decisions to pull out of the nuclear deal, label the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organisation and up the rhetoric. All of these policy decisions have led us to a state where confrontation is far more likely. When you take a series of steps that ratchet up tensions, you shouldnt be surprised when the intelligence tells you, hey, tensions have been ratcheted up. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel has charged a Palestinian Authority official and a prominent Palestinian lawyer over shooting attacks on Israeli vehicles in the occupied West Bank, authorities said Monday. Zakaria Zubeidi and Tareq Barghout were accused of carrying out the shootings between November 2016 and January 2019, said Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency. It said in a statement that the pair used Zubeidi's official PA vehicle for transportation in the Ramallah area in the shootings, which left three people slightly wounded. The statement said that in November 2018 and January 2019 they fired at Israeli buses travelling near the Jewish settlement of Beit El. In December, it added, the two men fired at a bus on its way to Psagot settlement but missed. Shin Bet also said that Barghout confessed to shooting and damaging a police vehicle at a crossing point between the West Bank and east Jerusalem in November 2016. Zubeidi, a former head of a militant group who later became an official with the PA commission for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, was arrested by security forces in February. "He will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law, including for previous activity, and will be tried for all of the various terrorist attacks in which he has been involved," Shin Bet said. Detained with him was Barghout, described in Monday's statement as a Ramallah-based lawyer who represented Palestinians jailed by Israel for security-related offences. The statement said he had also been employed as a lawyer with the prisoners' commission. It said indictments had been filed against both by military prosecutors in connection with the shootings. Zubeidi, from the Jenin Palestinian refugee camp in the northern West Bank, was formerly head of the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades militant group. In 2007 he pledged to disarm in returning for Israel's agreement to remove him from its list of wanted militants. GENOA, Italy (Reuters) - Italian unions refused on Monday to load electricity generators onto a Saudi Arabian ship with weapons on board in a protest against the war in Yemen. The Bahri-Yanbu vessel loaded arms in the Belgian city of Antwerp earlier this month, but was prevented from picking up another consignment of weapons in the French port of Le Havre following protests by humanitarian groups. Rights campaigners say the weapons contravene a U.N. treaty because they might be used against civilians in Yemen, where a Saudi-led military coalition is battling the Iran-backed Houthis in a war that has killed thousands. Unions in Genoa had tried to have the boat banned from Italy, but the ship docked just after dawn, met by a handful of protesters who gathered on the quay. "No to war" read one of their banners. Union workers refused to load two generators aboard the boat, saying that although they were registered for civilian use, they could be instead directed to the Yemen war effort. "We will not be complicit in what is happening in Yemen," union leaders said in a statement. Port officials confirmed the generators were blocked on the quay, but said non-critical goods would be loaded. The four-year conflict in Yemen has devastated the country, leaving much of the population on the brink of famine. The vessel was expected to leave Genoa for Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, later in the day. (Reporting by Paola Balsomini; Writing by Angelo Amante; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Andrew Cawthorne) MADRID (Reuters) - Five jailed Catalan separatists elected to parliament last month picked up their credentials as lawmakers on Monday amid high security after being granted temporary release from custody. Flanked by plainclothes police and ushered through a tight cordon set up around the national assembly building, they were applauded in by about ten lawmakers from their parties - ERC and JxCat - and a Basque nationalist party. The five are in detention while on trial for their involvement in Catalonia's 2017 independence referendum and brief declaration of secession from Spain, which judicial authorities declared illegal. The Supreme Court ruled they could collect their papers and also attend Tuesday's opening parliamentary sessions before returning to prison. Oriol Junqueras, Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Jordi Sanchez won seats in the lower house in the April 28 national election while Raul Romeva was elected to the Senate. "Today we have been able to leave prison ... thanks to your votes... Your votes have made us free," Junqueras said in a tweet. They and seven other Catalan leaders face charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, which they all deny. The trial is expected to last several months more. Once they return to their cells in a high-security prison outside Madrid, the five lawmakers will face a choice - whether to give up their seats to a party colleague or risk being absent from what are likely to be closely contested votes, notably in a deeply fragmented lower house. It is as yet unclear if they would be able to participate in any other parliamentary sessions. Like all lawmakers, they were handed a briefcase marked with parliament's logo. It contained an iPhone and a tablet which JxCat lawmaker Laura Borras said they would not be permitted to take back to jail with them. (The story corrects name of JxCat lawmaker in last graph.) (Reporting by Belen Carreno; Writing by Paul Day; Editing by Ingrid Melander and John Stonestreet) Warsaw (AFP) - The World Jewish Congress on Monday condemned the Polish prime minister for saying that holding Poland liable for the restitution of Jewish property seized by the Nazis during WWII would hand a "posthumous victory" to Hitler. Poland, a victim of the Nazis, would be turned into a perpetrator, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, becoming the latest ruling party member to comment on a US law on the restitution of Jewish properties seized during the Holocaust. Poland, which was invaded by Nazi Germany and lost six million citizens during World War II, insists the matter is closed and says the legislation will have no impact at home. "This unwillingness to acknowledge that the victims of the Holocaust and their heirs are entitled to a modicum of material justice is unfortunate enough," said World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder. "But Prime Minister Morawiecki's contention -- assuming that it was uttered as reported -- that providing restitution to Jews for their stolen property would be 'Hitler's posthumous victory' is alarming in the extreme," he added in a statement. According to Polish state television, Morawiecki made the remarks at a convention of the ruling governing Law and Justice (PiS) party in the central city of Lodz last week. "Whenever anyone says today that Poland must offer someone restitution, we say: we don't consent, and we won't," Morawiecki said, quoted by the television station. "If it were ever to get to that point, where the executioner and the victim are swapped, then it would go against all principles of international law," he added. "It would also be Hitler's posthumous victory." The US Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act -- known as the 447 law -- requires the State Department to report to Congress on the progress of countries including Poland on the restitution of Jewish assets seized during World War II and its aftermath. Story continues Pre-war Poland was a Jewish heartland, with a centuries-old community numbering some 3.2 million, around 10 percent of the population. Anti-Semitic concerns regarding Poland have recently resurfaced. Last year, Warsaw passed a law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German war crimes. The move sparked an outcry from Israel, which saw it as an attempt to ban testimonials on Polish crimes against Jews. In response, Warsaw amended the law to remove the possibility of fines or a prison sentence. In February, Israel's foreign minister drew Poland's ire by saying "Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk." Earlier this month Poland scrapped a visit by Israeli officials over their intention to raise the restitution issue. Of all the job categories in America, the market for doctors is booming. Newly-minted doctors are choosing from multiple job offers, getting paid more sumptuously than ever, and can practice pretty much wherever they want. At the same time, the way they practice is shifting radically, as more and more physicians choose salaried positions with hospital chains and group practices encompassing thousands of MDs. But the new corporate model is so hamstrung by the trickle of newly-minted doctors entering practice each year that it cant come close to meeting the needs of an America whose senior ranks will swell by 46% over the next two decades. The magic of the market is circumventing that roadblock by creating loads of fresh capacity in the form of walk-in clinics, dialysis centers, and other neighborhood venues, staffed by increasing ranks of nurse practitioners, that can provide the care and wellness for patients with chronic conditions whod otherwise wait weeks to see a primary care doctor, or dont even have one. A new study by Merritt Hawkins, Americas largest physician search firm, points to seven trends that are reshaping the how healthcare is delivered. 2019 Survey: Final-Year Medical Residents, polled doctors months from finishing their residencies and entering the job market. Heres what they foundand what it means for you. New doctors get loads of offers Merritt Hawkins found that two-thirds of the final-year residents received 51 or more solicitations from recruiters, hospitals, medical groups and others, and that 45% were presented 100 or more job opportunities. Pay expectations are great; actual pay is greater How much did the residents expect their first jobs to pay, based on their conversations with potential employers? A lot. Eight-one percent expected to start at over $201,000, and 21% said they were looking at $326,000 or more. It was the specialists, including surgeons, who anticipated the richest packages, with more than half anticipating comp above $325,000. By contrast, only 24% of primary care residents, a category consisting of internists, pediatricians and family doctors, reckoned theyd make over $250,000. Based on Merritt Hawkins surveys of actual first year pay, both groups may be underestimating their initial pay. On average, Merritt Hawkins found, the three primary care groups earn an average of $250,000, while beginning pay is $386,000 in urology, $405,000 for otolaryngology, and $533,000 for orthopedic surgery. Story continues New doctors want to work in cities Its a famous failing of our medical system that rural communities struggle to recruit physicians. The survey provides cold comfort for Americas small towns. It found that where they work is the residents biggest single concern, and that 83% want to practice in cities with over 100,000 people; 60% of the primary care doctors are seeking destinations of 250,000 or more. Given that tremendous demand, new doctors can go where they want, and its seldom the heartland where the need is greatest. The wealth of choices also leads to lots of turnover. Merritt Hawkins finds that one in eight primary care practitioners changes jobs each year, and that the number is probably far higher for those in the first or second year out of residency. They want to be employers A big reason that doctors change jobs so readily is the corporatization of healthcare. Small Marcus Welby, M.D.-style practices have mostly disappeared, and the market is now dominated by big group practices, many of them owned by hospitals. A notable example is Baylor, Scott & White in Dallas, combining a hospital chain and group network of 7,800 physicians. Eighty-three percent of the residents aspired to work for a hospital or group practice, compared with 61% in 2008, with all of the increase coming from preference to join a hospital. Only 9% sought to open an independent practice, versus one-quarter a decade ago. Doctors are big revenue producers for hospitals. In another study, 2019 Physician Inpatient/Outpatient Revenue Survey, Merritt Hawkins found that primary care doctors generated $2.1 million a year on average for their hospital-employers, and specialists did even better at $2.46 million, with cardiac and orthopedic surgeons contributing well over $3 million. On average, the revenue per doctor jumped 52% since 2016. Thats because costs per admission are rising, and since hospitals are merging, doctors on average work for bigger and bigger organizations, so they generate increasing income by referring patients to the chains that own their practices, and ordering tests at hospital-run labs. The doc drought will get worse The Merritt Hawkins report contains a succinct summary of the factors explaining the penury of physicians, and a study from the Association of American Medical Colleges (The Complexities of Supply and Demand: Projections from 2017 to 2032), offers a detailed analysis. All the doctors who enter the job market each year must all pass through a narrow opening, the number of positions offered by U.S. residency programs. Those programs are funded chiefly by federal grants from Medicare and Medicaid. In 1997, Congress froze that that funding at $14.5 billion a year, and its that cap thats nearly frozen annual additions to the doctor supply. Hospitals and other programs now offer 32,194 residency positions. Thats up 15% from 2006 due to funding from states and private providers, but over those 12 years, medical spending has jumped 63% to $3.5 trillion. The AAMC forecasts that todays shortfall of 20,000 physicians will expand to a deficit of as many as 121,000 by 2032. By that year, the U.S. would likely have around 850,000 patient-care physiciansand need 14% more. For years, this writer has remarked that the official predictions have underestimated future shortages, and therefore, its highly possible that the future scenario could be far worse. For example, the AAMC observes that if the current trends toward early retirement continue, the doctor supply would barely rise at all over the next 13 years. Its often wrongly stated that the U.S. has a shortage of primary care doctors, and too many specialists. Not so. The AAMC study predicts that the specialist shortfall will be even worse than lack of primary care practitioners in the future. The reason is obvious: A rapidly aging, and longer-surviving, population that needs cardiac surgery, angioplasties, prostate operations and hip replacements. The doctor will see you later The chronic doctor shortage is placing a predictable burden on patients: long wait times. In a 2017 study (Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times), Merritt Hawkins examined the problem in fifteen major metros and fifteen mid-sized markets. In the big cities, the average time to see a doctor rose 30% in just three years, from 15 to 21 days, and in the smaller cities, the waiting period expanded 33% to 32 days. It takes 109 days to see a family doctor in Boston, and in Portland, the interlude has grown 8 to 39 days since 2009. In Albany, If you sign up in May for an appointment with a family doctor, youll be examined in September. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon takes 43 days in L.A. and 42 days in Atlanta. Retail clinics are filling the void Its obvious that if America is to avoid rationing and price controls, its medical universe will need a lot more capacity. And capitalist ingenuity is now starting to fill the void. Retail clinics are sprouting in drugstores and as free-standing outlets in neighborhood malls. Although the scope of work theyre allowed to perform varies from state to state, nurse practitioners and physician assistants now provide much of the basic care once furnished only by those overbooked doctors. AAMC predicts that the ranks of the NPs and PAs. will swell from 400,000 today to 800,000 by 2032, growing from half the number of todays patient care doctors to an almost equal size. The leading pioneer is CVS Health, which has 1100 MinuteClinics in its drugstores from coast-to-coast, and plans a big network of outlets called HealthHUBs that specialize in managing patients with such chronic conditions as diabetes and asthma. Its a widespread misperception that healthcare isnt really a market, and defies the laws of supply and demand. Quite the contrary, it obeys them completely, and thats the problem. Demand is artificially inflated by subsidies that leave consumers spending just 20 cents for every dollar they consume from take-home pay and savings, and supply thats artificially restrained by such practices as the vice grip on new physicians. Those practices have left a giant voidand created a retail revolution aiming to fill it. More must-read stories from Fortune: Warren Buffetts best stock picks over the past year Subscribe to the new Fortune 500 Daily audio briefing Staggered boards are paying off for stock investors CVS Wants Your Drugstore to be Your Doctor Dont miss the daily Term Sheet, Fortunes newsletter on deals and dealmakers. MOSCOW (AP) Leading journalists at Russia's main business daily newspaper say they have been forced to quit over an article that predicted the resignation of the speaker of the country's upper house of parliament. Kommersant's Maxim Ivanov and Ivan Safronov said on Facebook Monday that they were forced to step down because the newspaper's owner, billionaire Alisher Usmanov, was unhappy with the article published last month. The publication's deputy editor, Gleb Cherkasov, said he and 10 other Kommersant journalists will quit in protest. A spokesperson for Usmanov said he is not involved in hiring or firing decisions and dismissed suggestions he was involved in this case. "In the case of the two Kommersant journalists, Alisher Usmanov played no role and found out about their dismissal from media reports," the spokesperson said. In their article, Ivanov and Safronov predicted that upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko would resign soon and be replaced by Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the SVR foreign intelligence service. Matviyenko and other officials denied the report. By Amanda Becker WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, one of two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, on Monday proposed closing the gender pay gap by requiring companies to disclose pay data and secure an "equal pay certification" or be fined. Harris' proposal aims to shift the burden from workers, who now must prove pay discrimination by employers, to corporations, which would have to show they eliminated pay disparities between men and women doing work of equal value. In 2017, full-time, year-round working women earned 80% of what male counterparts earned, the U.S. Census Bureau says, and minority women earned even less. At a college rally in Los Angeles on Sunday, Harris decried the pay gap between men and women. "This has got to end," she said, to audience cheers. Harris said her plan would incentivize corporations to close the pay gap, because "There will be penalties if they don't." Under Harris' proposal, which would require approval by the U.S. Congress, companies with 100 or more employees would give their pay data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They would also have to prove existing pay gaps were not based on gender but merit, performance or seniority, and commit to policies barring mandatory arbitration pacts for job disputes and questions about salary history during hiring. Companies falling short of the criteria would be fined 1% of their profits for every 1% wage gap found after adjusting for variables such as experience and performance. Harris' campaign said it estimated the plan would generate $180 billion over a decade, with revenue falling as new pay policies are adopted. The fines would go to offset the cost of universal paid family and medical leave policies she backs. In an acknowledgement that implementing such legislation would be difficult, if not impossible, if Democrats did not also maintain control of the House of Representatives and win control of the Senate, Harris outlined how she would use the president's executive authority to force companies competing for federal contracts worth $500,000 or more to obtain the certification. Harris' campaign said 28 million U.S. workers would be covered by such executive action. (Reporting by Amanda Becker in Washington; Additional reporting by Tim Reid in Los Angeles; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Tensions between the United States and Iran have soared in recent weeks, with Washington dispatching warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf, and Tehran threatening to resume higher uranium enrichment. The tensions come a year after President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear accord with world powers and restored crippling sanctions. A timeline of recent events: May 5: John Bolton, the White House national security adviser and a longtime Iran hawk, announces the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a bomber task force in response to "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings," without providing details. He vows "unrelenting force" in response to any attack. ___ May 8: Iran threatens to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels starting July 7 if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The U.S. responds by imposing sanctions on Iran's metals industry. ___ May 9: The European Union urges Iran to respect the nuclear deal and says it plans to continue trading with the country despite U.S. sanctions. Trump says he would like Iran's leaders to "call me." ___ May 10: The U.S. says it will move a Patriot missile battery into the Middle East to counter threats from Iran. ___ May 12: The United Arab Emirates says four commercial ships off its eastern coast "were subjected to sabotage operations," just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets air false reports of explosions at a nearby Emirati port. ___ May 13: European foreign ministers urge the United States and Iran to show restraint, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefs his counterparts on the alleged threats from Iran. Trump warns that if Tehran does "anything" in the form of an attack "they will suffer greatly." ___ May 14: Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launch a drone attack on Saudi Arabia, striking a major oil pipeline and taking it out of service. Story continues The New York Times reports the White House is reviewing military plans 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," but that he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops if necessary. Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says "no one is seeking war," but that it wouldn't be difficult for Iran to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels. A senior military 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." In a rare public rebuttal, U.S. Central Command says his remarks "run counter to the identified credible threats." ___ May 15: The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad orders all nonessential government staff to leave Iraq immediately. The Netherlands and Germany say they are suspending their training of Iraqi forces. ___ May 16: Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the drone attack on its pipeline and an English-language newspaper close to the palace calls for the U.S. to launch "surgical" strikes in retaliation. ___ May 19: A rocket lands near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, without harming anyone. It's not clear who is behind the attack, but after the initial reports Trump tweets: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iran's foreign minister responded by tweeting that Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." ___ May 20: Semi-official media in Iran report that it has quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium, which is used for civilian applications but not nuclear weapons. Iran is allowed to enrich uranium to the low level of 3.67%, but increased production could lead it to exceed the stockpile limits in the nuclear deal. A look at the shareholders of HC Group Inc. (HKG:2280) can tell us which group is most powerful. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.' With a market capitalization of HK$3.6b, HC Group is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutions are not really that prevalent on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about 2280. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for HC Group SEHK:2280 Ownership Summary, May 20th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About HC Group? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. Since institutions own under 5% of HC Group, many may not have spent much time considering the stock. But it's clear that some have; and they liked it enough to buy in. So if the company itself can improve over time, we may well see more institutional buyers in the future. When multiple institutional investors want to buy shares, we often see a rising share price. The past revenue trajectory (shown below) can be an indication of future growth, but there are no guarantees. SEHK:2280 Income Statement, May 20th 2019 Hedge funds don't have many shares in HC Group. There is a little analyst coverage of the stock, but not much. So there is room for it to gain more coverage. Insider Ownership Of HC Group The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board; and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board, themselves. Story continues Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in HC Group Inc.. Insiders have a HK$1.1b stake in this HK$3.6b business. This may suggest that the founders still own a lot of shares. You can click here to see if they have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public holds a 34% stake in 2280. 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 It appears to us that public companies own 30% of 2280. We can't be certain, but this is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. 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. MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia was in no way involved in a political scandal in Austria after the country's vice-chancellor was shown on video offering to fix state contracts with a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece. Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache of the far-right Freedom Party resigned on Saturday as vice chancellor and party leader after the video was released by two German news organizations. He acknowledged that the video was "catastrophic" but denied breaking the law. When asked about the scandal on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the incident "does not have and could not have anything to do with us." (Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova and Maria Kiselyova; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Andrew Osborn) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The Latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region and elsewhere in the Mideast amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local): 6:20 a.m. Saudi Arabia says Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched a bomb-laden drone targeting civilian infrastructure in a city along the kingdom's border to Yemen. A statement early Tuesday on the state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi-led coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki as saying the Houthis "had tried to target" the site in Najran. The statement did not elaborate, but used a word in Arabic that often refers to hospitals, power plants and schools. The Houthis did not immediately claim an attack there. It was not clear if there were any injuries. Al-Maliki warned there would be a "strong deterrent" to such attacks and described the Houthis as the "terrorist militias of Iran." Last week, the Houthis launched a coordinated drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. ___ 11:10 p.m. Iran is urging U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to help launch a diplomatic dialogue to ease the current "alarming security situation" in the broader Persian Gulf region. Iran's U.N. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said in a letter to the U.N. chief and the Security Council obtained Monday by The Associated Press that the United Nations must not remain indifferent "to addressing the root causes of the current state of affairs." He accused "certain circles from outside of this region" of provocative policies, and escalating tensions in the Middle East. Ravanchi warned that "the eruption of any possible conflict will soon cross over from the regional level and will definitely have serious and extensive implications on international peace and security." The ambassador added that Iran "will never choose war," but that "if war is imposed on us, Iran will vigorously exercise its inherent right to self-defense." Story continues ___ 10:30 p.m. The U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is asking all parties involved in escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran "to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well." U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric reiterated to reporters Monday that "we are concerned about the rising rhetoric." He said the secretary-general is also concerned at the rocket launch that seemed to be aimed toward the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Dujarrics said: "It is a very volatile region. Any developments, whether they are actions on the ground or whether they are rhetoric, can always be misinterpreted and can only heighten the risk of a volatile region becoming even more volatile." ___ 9:45 p.m. Saudi Arabia is warning that recent drone attacks against its oil pumping stations by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels will jeopardize U.N. peace efforts in the country and lead to further escalation in the region. The Saudi U.N. ambassador, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, said "seven explosive drones" directed by the rebels attacked pumping stations May 14 in the cities of Dawadmi and Afif "on the east-west oil pipeline that transfers Saudi oil to Yanbu port and to the rest of the world." He urged Security Council members in a letter circulated Monday "to disarm this terrorist militia in order to prevent the escalation of these attacks which increase regional tensions and raise the risks of a broader regional confrontation." Saudi Arabia views the Shiite Houthis as Iran's proxies in Yemen's four-year civil war, and has accused Tehran of providing arms to the rebels. ___ 7:45 p.m. Semi-official news agencies in Iran are reporting that Iran has quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium amid tensions with the U.S. over an unraveling atomic accord. The semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies both reported the news Monday. They both say that the production is of uranium enriched only to the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. However, a quadrupling of production would mean that Iran likely will go beyond the stockpile limitations set by the deal. Iran says it has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, of its decision. The IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. President Donald Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal with Iran a year ago. ___ 4:45 p.m. Iran's foreign minister has met with his visiting counterpart from Oman, a Gulf nation that in the past has served as an intermediary between the United States and the Islamic Republic. The official IRNA news agency reported the meeting Monday between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oman's foreign minister, Yusuf bin Alawi. It says they discussed regional and international issues, without providing further details. Oman has mediated between Washington and Tehran in the past, including during the early stages of the talks that led to the 2015 nuclear agreement. The talks some amid heightened tensions in the region, with the U.S. sending warships and bombers to counter alleged, unspecified threats from Iran. The crisis is rooted in President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the nuclear accord last year and impose sweeping U.S. sanctions on Iran. ___ 4 p.m. Britain's foreign secretary is warning Iran not to "underestimate the resolve of the U.S." amid heightened tensions across the Persian Gulf. Jeremy Hunt told journalists in Geneva on Monday that U.S. leaders "are not seeking a conflict, they don't want a war with Iran, but if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. And that is something that the Iranians need to think about very, very carefully." Hunt added that Britain has had a lot of discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over Iran. He said he hopes Iran starts to "pull back from the destabilizing activities" it conducts in the region. The foreign secretary acknowledged the danger the tensions posed for the wider Mideast. Hunt says: "We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally." ___ 2:40 p.m. Iran's foreign minister has criticized President Donald Trump for his overnight tweet threatening to the Islamic Republic with its "official end." Mohammad Javad Zarif posted his own message Monday on Twitter, saying Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." Zarif wrote that Trump "hopes to achieve what Alexander (the Great), Genghis (Khan) & other aggressors failed to do." He added: "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone." He ended his tweet with #neverthreatenaniranian and: "Try respect - it works!" ___ 12:40 p.m. Two influential Shiite figures in Iraq are warning from pulling their country into a war between the United States and Iran, saying it would turn Iraq into a battlefield and inflict much harm. Their comments came few hours after a rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported. Iraq's populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said in a statement on Monday that any political party that would involve Iraq in a U.S.-Iran war "would be the enemy of the Iraqi people." Qais al-Khazali, the leader of an Iranian-backed group, said he is opposed to operations that "give pretexts for war." As U.S.-Iran tensions escalate, there've been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle. ___ 12:10 p.m. A Saudi-owned satellite news channel says Yemen's Houthi rebels have fired two missiles into the kingdom that later were intercepted. Al-Arabiya reported on Monday that the two missiles were intercepted over the city of Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jiddah. The channel cited witnesses for the information. The Saudi government has yet to acknowledge the missile fire, which other Saudi media also reported. The Houthis made no official claims to the missile fire. Between the two cities is Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day. Many religious pilgrims are now in the city amid the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. ___ 11:00 a.m. President Donald Trump has warned Iran not to threaten the U.S. again or it'll face its "official end," shortly after a rocket landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad overnight. The tweet comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the culmination of Trump's decision a year ago to pull America out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Trump's tweeted early Monday: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump did not elaborate, nor did the White House. However, the tweet came after a rocket landed less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone Sunday night. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket launch. BEIJING (AP) At least three people were killed and four others buried in the collapse of a building in southern China on Monday, authorities said. Framework surrounding a bar in the city of Baise in Guangxi province gave way at around 1 a.m., trapping or injuring almost 100 people. The local government said in a statement on its microblog that 87 people were injured. Rescuers were using search dogs and electronic monitors to try to find other survivors. The bar was located on the top of a three-story, steel-framed building. China has recently suffered a spate of building collapses and other industrial accidents largely blamed on the skirting of safety requirements amid a slowing economy. On Thursday, a building being refurbished collapsed in Shanghai, and in March, 78 people were killed in a blast at a chemical plant in the country's east. In November, at least 22 were killed in an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northeastern city of Zhangjiakou, which will host competitions in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Apart from geopolitical tensions, output cut has been a key factor in boosting oil prices from the nadir of below $30 seen in early 2016. Today, crude oil is trading around $70 a barrel. After repeated trials, OPEC and non-OPEC leaders first decided to cut output in 2016 on Nov 30 in Vienna. Then, OPEC and non-OPEC oil behemoth Russia decided in late-2017 to extend oil production cuts until the end of 2018 only to renew the agreement in late 2018 and prolong the deal for the first six months of 2019. Now that the deadline of the current deal is approaching, market participants are looking for signs about the fate of the long-standing output cut agreement. In this regard, OPEC de-facto leader Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that a likely rollover of the output curbs into the second half of 2019 was the main option discussed at a ministerial panel meeting but things can change by June. Saudi Arabia does not see the requirement to boost production now as it fears a crash in prices in the absence of cuts. But Russia wants to increase supply after June when the current OPEC+ pact expires, per the sources (read: Is Fresh OPEC+ Output Cut Enough to Boost Oil & Energy ETFs?). Apart from chances of a further output cut, U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela will likely hurt oil exports from these countries. Plus, Saudi energy minister Falih noted that oil demand in Asia has risen. If this wasnt enough, geopolitical tension between Saudi and Iran has hit a fever pitch. There were attacks on two Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and another on Saudi oil facilities, for which Iran is apparently held responsible (read: Energy ETFs Rallying on Gulf Crisis: 5 High-Yielding Winners). Any Threat to the Potential Rally? U.S. crude inventories jumped unexpectedly to their highest since September 2017. If there is a further escalation in the US-China trade war, global growth would be crippled, which in turn will hurt the global oil demand. Story continues Last week, trade tensions rose between the United States and China. The Trump administration lifted tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% on May 10, and China announced a retaliatory move a tariff hike on $60 billion of American goods to 25% starting Jun 1. Trump is also considering additional tariffs on an incremental $325 billion of Chinese imports (read: Full-Blown Trade Spat: 5 Most-Vulnerable Sector ETFs & Stocks). If things proceed in this line, a further OPEC output cut will probably fail to boost oil prices materially. Leveraged Energy ETFs in Focus Still, investors who have a bullish outlook on oil prices may consider betting on the following leveraged oil and gas ETFs as long as trend is their friend. ProShares Ultra Oil & Gas Exploration & Production (UOP) ProShares UltraPro 3x Crude Oil ETF (OILU) Credit Suisse X-Links Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN (AMJL) E-TRACS 2x Leveraged Long Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index (MLPL) Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report X-L 2XL ALR MLP (AMJL): ETF Research Reports ProShares UltraPro 3x Crude Oil ETF (OILU): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's imprisoned ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, still loved by large parts of the population, plans to remarry if he is released from prison, a former minister said. Lula, 73, a widower for the past two years, has been sentenced to more than two decades behind bars in two separate corruption cases. He has already spent a year in jail but could be eligible for "semi-open" incarceration later this year after an appeals court reduced one of his sentences. "He is in love and the first thing he wants to do after getting out of prison will be to marry," Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira, who held cabinet posts in finance and science, wrote on Facebook -- reportedly to the dismay of Lula's aides. Last week, Bresser-Pereira visited Lula in his prison in Curitiba, southern Brazil. "He is in very good shape, physically and psychologically," the ex-minister said. According to the website of the weekly Epoca, the prospective bride-to-be is Rosangela da Silva, a sociologist aged about 40. She works for the public company that runs a major hydroelectric plant. They have had a longstanding friendship, after meeting during the 1990s. Epoca columnist Guilherme Amado said Monday on its website that the romance began before Lula was incarcerated, but his entourage had kept it secret and did not appreciate the revelation on Facebook. Lula's wife of 43 years, Maria Leticia, died in February 2017. The charismatic Lula led Brazil through a historic boom from 2003 to 2010, earning the gratitude of millions of Brazilians for redistributing wealth to haul them out of poverty. Voter surveys showed he remained broadly popular despite his conviction. He was first found guilty on charges of accepting a seaside apartment as a bribe for helping the OAS construction company to get lucrative deals with state oil firm Petrobras. The conviction came as part of the wide-ranging "Car Wash" anti-corruption probe that has caught up several South American politicians. Story continues An appeals court last month cut Lula's sentence from 12 years to eight years and 10 months, meaning he could qualify for the "semi-open" prison regime that would enable him to work outside during the day, returning at night to his cell. But that depends on the outcome of Lula's appeal of the second conviction handed down in February. In that case, Lula was sentenced to almost 13 years for accepting renovation work by two construction companies on a farmhouse in exchange for ensuring they won contracts with Petrobras. He has denied all the charges, arguing they were politically motivated to prevent him competing in elections last year won by far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro. A court in the Maldives Monday quashed a controversial conviction of former vice president Ahmed Adeeb and ordered a fresh trial on allegations that he attempted to assassinate his boss. The High Court set aside the 15-year sentence handed to Adeeb in 2016 after he was found guilty of trying to blow up then-president Abdulla Yameen's speed boat in September 2015. However, the three-judge bench in a majority decision Monday ordered that Adeeb be held in custody for 15 days pending a fresh trial. The court held that his original trial appeared to have bene politically motivated. Adeeb was considered a close confidant of Yameen until he was dramatically impeached in November 2015 following allegations he was trying to topple the president. Yameen escaped unhurt when an explosion ripped through his speed boat, but his wife and two others were slightly injured. The FBI was called in to investigate the incident, but found no evidence the blast was caused by a bomb. During his five-year tenure that ended with a shock defeat in September last year, Yameen had jailed all his political opponents. He faced the risk of international sanctions over his human rights record. Yameen had also jailed his main political rival, Mohamed Nasheed, for 13 years on a terrorism charge which was overturned in November after his Maldivian Democratic Party won the September presidential election. By Sarah White and Johnny Cotton CANNES, France, May 20 (Reuters) - A World War Two drama by U.S. director Terrence Malick is proving one of the Cannes film festival's most divisive premieres yet, with some critics hailing a cinema master at the top of his game and one calling it "a big swing and a miss." "A Hidden Life," about an Austrian man who refuses to fight for Nazi Germany, is a contender for the top Palme D'Or award, which Malick already won with "The Tree of Life" in 2011. Set against a brooding Alpine backdrop, before it evolves into a prison drama, the film earned near-universal acclaim for its evocative camerawork, with lush landscapes and intimate family moments vividly brought to life. "He gave us so much freedom during the whole shooting. Also he choses angles and lenses that were so wide so you can actually have the whole stage for you," actor August Diehl, who plays the protagonist, told a news conference on Monday. But Malick - known for his resistance to public appearances of any kind, and absent from the red carpet at the Sunday premiere as well as the press event - split critics down the middle on most other fronts. Based on real events, the movie tells the story of unsung hero Franz Jagerstatter, who risks prison by refusing to be drafted to fight for Adolf Hitler. His decision leaves Franziska, the wife he adores, fending for the family and tending to their farm, as neighbors in their village turn hostile. The film failed to delve deeply enough into its hero's motivations, some said. "Instead of embracing the weighty moral, religious and political components of the story, Malick has alternately deflected and minimized them," the Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy wrote, describing it "desperately indulgent." But Variety hailed "an epic return to form" that struck all the right notes as a exploration of personal faith. Malick is in competition against the likes of Quentin Tarantino with his star-studded drama "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and Pedro Almodovar's semi-autobiographical film "Pain and Glory." The world's biggest cinema showcase runs until May 25. (Reporting by Sarah White and Johnny Cotton Editing by Frances Kerry) The Energy Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Eswatini has launched a call for tenders for the production of 40 MW of solar energy by 2020 and 40 MW of electricity from biomass by 2021, local media reported. According to the Energy Regulatory Authority, the objective of the kingdom is to reduce Eswatinis dependence on electricity imports from South Africa and Mozambique. Swaziland is the only absolute monarchy in Africa. The Energy Regulatory Authority said the Kingdom needs independent power producers (IPPs) for two renewable energy projects. The government wants to produce 40 MW of electricity from solar energy by 2020 and 40 MW of biomass by 2021. Due to the constraints faced by Eskom and the expected significant tariff increases from Eskom, the reliance by Eswatini on electricity imports from South Africa is no longer secured, the ESERA said. Eswatini, the impoverished southern African nation a member of the Commonwealth who gained independence from Britain in 1968 has four power plants, which supply 60.4 MW of electricity, representing 17% of the total energy consumed by its industries and 1.4 million inhabitants. The main primary energy sources currently used in the country for electricity production are hydropower, coal and biomass. The remaining electricity used is imported from South Africa and Mozambique, through their national electricity companies, Eskom and Electricidade de Mocambique (EMD) respectively. As a reminder Kingdom of Eswatini issued its first utility-scale solar tender in June. It aims to increase the share of renewables in the countrys electricity mix to 50% by 2030. Philadelphia (AFP) - The crowded 2020 presidential race features six women, three African Americans and a dozen youthful contenders. But Denise Haley is going old school, supporting white male frontrunner Joe Biden as the Democrat best positioned to beat Donald Trump. "He could lead the nation and bring us back together," Haley, who is black, told AFP of the 76-year-old former vice president, reflecting what appears to be a solidifying sentiment amid voters whose support has given Biden a commanding poll lead. Haley, a 60-year-old health care professional, was in the crowd Saturday when Biden came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to address the biggest, most boisterous rally of his four-week-old White House campaign. Many attendees thrilled at Biden essentially sidestepping discussion of the gruelling primary battle ahead and focusing on the general election face-off with Republican Trump, whom he often attacked with explicit condemnation. "Biden is Trump's biggest rival and has the highest chance of kicking Trump out of office," high-schooler Ankita Kalasabail, who is 16 but will be old enough to vote in 2020, said in explaining her support for a man 60 years her senior. "We need to beat Trump" and Biden has a stronger shot than the 22 other Democratic candidates, said Mickey Kirzecky, a consultant. Biden, a veteran Democrat who spent 36 year in the US Senate, boasts the thickest resume of any candidate seeking to deny Trump a second term. But crucially, said Kirzecky, he has a knack for connecting with all-important blue-collar voters. "I hate to use the word electability, but I think that's part of what comes into play," she added, stressing Biden's more moderate politics and his popularity with working-class Americans -- a constituency that helped Trump win the White House in 2016. "I think he might be a healing candidate," she added. The historically diverse race is cluttered with progressives vying for the votes of Democrats witnessing their party's steady leftward shift. Story continues But Haley, the health professional, said her candidate criteria are based not on skin-color, age, or gender, but capacity to win and to get the job done. "I don't think you have to be a woman or an African-American to do that," she said. "I just think you have to be a strong leader and I think he (Biden) shows those qualities." As for Biden being one of three septuagenarians in the race, along with Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders, Norda Lewis brushed it aside. "I don't think that age matters," said the 36-year-old teacher from the Philadelphia suburbs, describing Biden as "a man for the people" who can appeal to traditional Democrats, independents, and working-class Republicans. - 'We need good again' - John Lester, a graphic designer from Philadelphia, said Biden's age could become a concern, although "he does seem like a healthy guy." What draws him to Biden is the candidate's "broader appeal" and moderate politics, Lester, 61, said. "I support the issues of diversity," but moving too quickly toward a liberal agenda at a time of deep political divisions might backfire, he added. "I like that fact that he's steady and I trust him," added Lester's wife Doreen. "I believe that he's a good guy, and I think we need good again." Biden spent eight years in the White House with president Barack Obama, and his close alliance with the nation's first black commander in chief has earned him strong support from the coveted African-American voting bloc. But Biden's legislative record and past actions, such as his treatment of Anita Hill -- the woman at the center of emblematic sex harassment hearings in the Senate almost three decades ago -- or his support for a crime bill that led to mass incarcerations of black men, have come under scrutiny. His tactile campaign style that has led women to accuse him of making them uncomfortable also bolsters the notion of Biden as a politician slightly behind the national current. "I think that his time has passed," Laura Benedetto, who works for an education non-profit, said Friday at a Virginia campaign event featuring liberal candidate Elizabeth Warren. Biden's campaign pushes back against the argument that he is a political relic, or that he might lack the energy to mount an 18-month campaign. "Vice president Biden is up to the challenge. He wouldn't have gotten into this race if he wasn't," senior advisor Symone Sanders told AFP. "We're up right now," she said of the favorable polls, "but we are running this race as if we're the underdog." The pregnant 19-year-old who was murdered in Chicago was allegedly distracted by a mother and daughter with a photo album before being killed, according to court documents. The details surrounding the murder were made public by prosecutors as they sought to convince a judge not to release suspects Clarisa Figueroa, 46, and Desiree Figueroa, 24, who have been accused of executing a plot to kill Marlen Ochoa-Lopez in her ninth month of pregnancy. They reportedly lured the victim into their home by offering free baby clothes and a stroller, which they posted about online. Recently released details indicate the pair first tried to kill her by strangling her with a cord from behind. Prosecutors say that Ochoa-Lopez was able to get her fingers between the cord and her neck when the elder Figueroa first attempted to kill her. The alleged murderer then called for her daughters help, before then continuing to strangle Ochoa-Lopez for four to five minutes. The elder Figueroa then called emergency services, and said that the child she had just delivered was not breathing. The child is now reportedly in poor health, ad with zero brain activity. Police did not connect the murders until May, when they were made aware of Facebook communications between Ochoa-Lopez and the women. Police and Illinois' child welfare agency have said staff at a Chicago-area hospital did not alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely-ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed. The woman, Clarisa Figueroa, was charged more than three weeks later with killing the baby's mother, Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, after police found her body outside Ms Figueoa's home. Chicago police said she cut Ochoa-Lopez's baby out of her womb on 23 April, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who was not breathing. Paramedics took Ms Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Centre in suburban Oak Lawn. Ochoa-Lopez's family spent those weeks searching for her and holding press conferences pleading for help finding her, unaware that the child was in a neonatal intensive care unit on life support. The baby remained hospitalised on life support on Saturday, according to authorities. Prosecutors said when Ms Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also said Ms Figueroa was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth. Advocate Christ Medical Centre has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities, citing state and federal regulations. Oak Lawn police said they were not contacted about Ms Figueroa by the medical centre or any other agency. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesperson Jassen Strokosch said on Saturday the agency was alerted 9 May that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he could not speculate about why the agency was not contacted sooner. "We don't know what was happening at the hospital," he said. Mr Strokosch said the Department of Children and Family Services was alerted by someone required by law to contact the department about suspected abuse or neglect, but he could not say who contacted the agency. Story continues However, that was after Chicago police had connected Ms Figueroa to Ochoa-Lopez's disappearance. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said police learned Ochoa-Lopez was missing when her husband reported it on 24 April. On 7 May, Chicago police learned from one of Ochoa-Lopez's friends that she had been communicating via a private Facebook group with Ms Figueroa about buying clothing. Police then went to Ms Figueroa's home, where her 24-year-old daughter eventually told them her mother had recently had a baby. "There was nothing to point us in that direction in the beginning," Mr Johnson told reporters on Thursday, after police had arrested Ms Figueroa and her daughter on murder charges. Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said on Saturday that authorities had to subpoena medical records from the hospital for Ms Figueroa and the child. He said police did not learn Ms Figueroa showed no signs of childbirth until "a couple weeks" after she was examined. Both Mr Johnson and Mr Guglielmi referred questions about hospital protocol and policies to the medical centre. A spokesperson said in an emailed statement: "We have been cooperating with authorities and as this is an ongoing police matter, we're referring all inquiries to local law enforcement." DNA testing determined Ms Figueroa was not the baby's mother and that Ochoa-Lopez's husband was his father. Mr Strokosch said his department let protective custody of the child lapse on 13 May because his father had been identified. Associated Press WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former White House Counsel Don McGahn's lawyer told the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee on Monday that his client would not testify before the panel on Tuesday, according to a letter viewed by Reuters. William Burck, McGahn's attorney, said in the letter to Chairman Jerrold Nadler that his client would "respect the President's instruction" after President Donald Trump told McGahn not to testify before the committee in its Russia investigation. (Reporting by David Morgan; Writing by Eric Beech) Dont be too hard on yourself if youve never heard of Robert F. Smith, the billionaire who gave 400 graduates of Morehouse College the best graduation present of all time Sunday. A tech executive and philanthropist, Smith has managed to largely stay under the radar despite his riches. That changed when he announced during his commencement speech at the school that he would be paying off the student loans of all of this years graduates. On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, were going to put a little fuel in your bus, said Smith. This is my class2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans. So who is Smith? And how did he make his money? Weve got a few answers. What is Robert Smiths net worth? Smith has a net worth of $4.47 billion according to Bloombergs billionaire index, making him the 428th richest person in the world and the richest black man in America. Hes a self-made billionaire whose biggest asset is Vista Equity Partners, which has $56 billion in assets under management. Among its past and present investments are Marketo, Autotask and Vivid Seats. How did Robert Smith make his money? Smith started as an intern at Bell Labs when he was a junior in high school and spent his time outside of school learning how computers work. After obtaining an MBA from Columbia, he went to work for Goldman Sachs, where he was an advisor on mergers for tech giants like Microsoft and Apple. In 2000, he struck out on his own to launch Vista Equity. What does Robert Smith do with his money? Philanthropy is a cause that appears near to Smiths heart. He heads the Fund II Foundation, which has given money to Susan G. Komen, and Global Wildlife Conservation, among others. And last year, he was the largest individual donor at the City of Hope gala, which benefited prostate cancer and breast cancer research for African Americans. He also gave $20 million to to the National Museum of African American History and Culture before it openedjust $1 million less than Oprah Winfrey. What are Robert Smiths hobbies? Music is a dominant force in Smiths life. Hes a board member at the Louis Armstrong House Museum, which oversees the authentically preserved home of the jazz legend. And he hired John Legend and Seal to perform at his 2015 wedding. He reportedly owns one of Elton Johns old pianos. And he named his sons Hendrix and Legend, after Jimi Hendrix and John Legend. By No kidding, except it was found in a garage by Wallace Wyss When I was in the Shelby club, back in the 70s, which met at Galpin Ford in the San Fernando Valley, one of the club members was a fireman who had come across the car when the owner, Salt Walther, had crashed big time in a Indy car and was recuperating. The firemen knew that Walther owned the car, in fact the Walther family had two of them but one was left buried in mud (figure that?). So the fireman bought the car AS IS, in rough cosmetic shape, and would bring it to the meetings, roaring off into the night after each meeting in a genuine certified Ford GT. It was a little confusing that it had a Mk. II rear body section. But it had a real SN1067. It was painted yellow and black by an owner previous to Walther, a man who had added Halibrand wheels as well. It is unclear who added the Mk. II tail but that could have been Salts father, George Walther, wanting to make it a copy of the Daytona winning Mk. II, even down to the no. 98 racing number. Another website says Ford sold it new in 66 with a Mk. II tail, maybe at Ford Advanced Vehicles they were out of Mk. I tails, who knows? DECADES PASS Dennis Murdoch, by now a retired firefighter, eventually broke the gearbox and stopped driving it. One thing led to another and the boxes kept on piling on the car until it was totally buried in his Thousand Oaks garage. The word spread it was there. One story is that the rocker, Rod Stewart looked it over, but maybe it was the condition, he didnt go for it. Then a man who claims to be a GT40 finder, and knows car histories by memory, Jay Cushman, published pictures of the car on an online GT40 forum in 2010, and that heated up the action. Sort of like throwing a hot dog into a pond at the zoo full of alligators (I did that once) But by that time vintage racing was big, and a GT40 was a desirable property. Even Carroll Shelby had made the mistake of letting his go, ditto Bob Bondurant. Now I heard the story that car finder Tom Shaughnessy found out about it when showing another genuine certified GT40, one he had bought in Australia, at a Chino Hills, CA concours. A man walked up to his son and said I have a car like that. His son did not, repeat did not, sneer and say And who made your replica? Instead he said Whats the SN? and the number sounded right and his father bought the car, outbidding Cushman. SAD END FOR SALT The Hollywood version of Salts life would be he recovers from his injuries of a bad crash in 1973 at Indy and comes back, flush with cash, and buys the car. That didnt happen. Instead he got addicted to painkillers, served time in jail and died December 28, 2012 at the age of 65. Id like to say the car is now restored and will be on the grid at Monterey this August but the word divorce curtails many a restoration plan and the cars fate is currently in limbo. I kicked myself in the keester many times for not making a serious offer to Murdoch every time Id run into him over the 30-plus years since I met him at the Shelby club meeting. I should have known the Old Rule in car circles: Everything is for sale eventually. But there is a lesson to be learned here for you barn-hunters. When you first hear of a real car, not a replica, make a note of the owner and his contact info in a hardbound notebook that you pledge to yourself that you will never throw away and periodically contact themChristmas cards, birthday cards, whatever. People go through many changes in life and eventually the priority of getting that car restored takes a back seat. It did for two of this cars owners and, for one brief shining moment each time, made the car available THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss has added some of his barn finding adventures to the resume of the hard boiled detective in his novel Ferrari Hunters. Thank you for supporting My Car Quest Christian Navarro can barely stride 10 paces down the big, breezy corridors of the Four Seasons Resort in Maui without stopping to clap a shoulder or kiss a cheek. Though this Hawaiian luxury hub plays host to many traditional celebritiesthe Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali hangs out by the lobby, awaiting a caron this weekend, the first in March, 52-year-old Navarro, the president of Los Angeles preeminent wine seller, Wallys Wine & Spirits, is top dog. Hes organized the resorts first annual wine and food classic, convening high-end producers from France, Italy, California, and 200 wine connoisseurs for four days that might best be described as oenophiles gone wild. By the adults-only pool, theres a glassology class taught by a Riedel representative who decries the ubiquitous balloon-shaped glass as the enemy of all red wine. (He instructs note-taking attendees to pour a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from a narrow glass into a paper cup, asks his co-instructor what it smells like in that lesser vessel, and nods gravely at her response: tragedy.) On a lawn overlooking the ocean, the Discovery of Pinot Noir seminar devolves into a debate about the merits of making Pinot in California vs. France. (They can have hail in July, says a Napa loyalist. We have an embarrassment of sunshine.) On the balcony of a penthouse suite, its time to saber a magnum of vintage Billecart-Salmon Champagne, but the sharpest tool in the room is a butter knife. No matter! An assistant rushes down to the lawn to shoo passersby away from potential flying cork and glass, but a suave Frenchman does the job quickly, cleanly, and seemingly effortlessly as Navarro whoops and shoots a video on his phone. As the host, isnt he a bit anxious? Look, were in Hawaii, he says. I think I see his eyes roll behind his shades; a diamond-encrusted cross glints below his neck. For me, its easy. People showed up; these guys are professionals. I just have to go around, shake hands, and remember everybodys name. If I can do that, its all good. Story continues Navarros swagger and carefree attitude belie his unlikely ascent to the top of the high-end wine world. His mother brought him to the U.S. when he was a toddler, fleeing violence in their native Mexico City. They settled in Palm Springs, but Navarro never went to school, he says, and at 18 he hitchhiked to Los Angeles with dreams of making it as an artist and friends who let him crash with them, to a point. I was homeless, he says. I lived on the street and needed to get a job. He applied for one at a frozen yogurt chain called Penguins and another at Wallys, a wine shop in the Westwood neighborhood of L.A. Penguins didnt hire me because I didnt have a high school diploma, he says, but the wine store needed a floor sweeper. He struck up a friendship with the founder of Wallys, Steve Wallace, who got curious about his floor sweepers palate after he wafted a Pinot Noir under Navarros nose and Navarro correctly identified its aroma as strawberry. I sat down and started tasting wine, and I found, even though I couldnt read very well, I cant do math very well, Im probably a little dyslexic, that I could remember everything I smelled and tasted, and then was able to articulate it back, he says. During the 1980s he was Wallaces right-hand man, nurturing relationships with famous clients who came in to build their cellars, like Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, financier Michael Milken, and Michael Ovitz, cofounder of Creative Artists Agency. Those two guys [Milken and Ovitz] took me under their wing and introduced me to everybody, Navarro recalls. They kept saying Im the best. Even if Im not the best, if they say Im the best, now Im the best. undefined Because of his deep virtual Rolodex of wine buyers and sellers, if Navarro gets, say, an allocation of a particularly coveted Bordeaux, he very likely knows collectors who have been waiting to pounce on it. These days he texts with clients like Drake, who rap-bragged about booking a private room at Wallys in his 2018 song Diplomatic Immunity: Booked a private room at Wallys/Waiter twistin the cork. Drake was referring to the Beverly Hills location of Wallys, a hybrid bar, restaurant, and wine shop; a similar outpost opened in Santa Monica last year. In 2013, when Wallace retired, Navarro bought Wallys with Paul and Maurice Marciano, the brothers behind the Guess clothing line who have long trusted him to steer them in the right direction when it comes to wine. He has a passion for wine, a knowledge for wine, that I havent seen in many people, says Maurice. He also has great, great contacts. He develops relationships. There is no price for that. Either you have it or you dont. In 2016, the Maui Four Seasons entrusted Navarro with the task of elevating its wine lists. (Guests in elite suites can choose from a rarefied menu that includes a 2012 Chateau Petrus and a 2009 Cristal.) He also said, It cant be me picking the wines, and you leave it at that, says Mark Simon, the resorts director of marketing. You need to invest in your people. At Navarros suggestion, the resort established a program that pays for sommelier training for any employee whos interested. It now has 20 people in the sommelier program and one master sommelier. Three years ago, we only had two somms on property, total, Simon notes. Somms greet Navarro with bear hugs. Throughout the weekend, well-wishers buzz around him. But he continues to insist hes nothing special. When asked if there was a moment when he realized that hes pretty good at this wine thing, he says, I still dont think that. Because of my youth and my past, Ive never really looked in the rearview mirror. If I stop to think about it, it kind of scares me. Plus, he says, gesturing at the bubbling Billecart-Salmon, there are more pressing matters at hand. You can come here and have a world-class gastronomic experience. In the Pacific, theres nothing like this. Navarros Guide to Building a Cellar Q: Say Im a casual wine drinker, and I want to invest in a cellar. Where should I start? A: Buy wines that have ageability: good quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir. Something with stamina. You dont want to take a Chenin Blanc from Santa Barbara, put it in a wine cellar, and three years later think its going to be better. That generally doesnt happen. Are there particular vintages that are a good value right now? Get in on inexpensive Bordeaux and really nice California Cabs. Id recommend the 2015 Chateau Giscours (about $65), the 2014 Jonata Todos ($50), and 2014 Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($60). Is there a wine region that hasnt quite peaked yet, where it would be good to start buying from? The central coast of California is probably the most under-the-radar area in the world right now, from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. Those wines have very good quality, very high value, and theyre waiting to be discovered. From left: 2014 Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($60), 2014 Jonata Todos ($50), 2015 Chateau Giscours (about $65). | Courtesy of Daou, Jonata and Chateau Giscours Do you recommend any apps for managing a wine collection? CellarTracker is great. You can see what your peers are thinking about a product and get a communal rating, instead of some dusty old guy south of London determining when you open something. Is it true that if youre planning to cellar a particular wine, you should buy multiple bottles of it? Absolutely. Heres what happens: You buy wine, you put it in your cellar, you take it out, you discover, This is amazing. It just needs two more years. Two years later, you have another bottle set aside. Its the journey you take with the wines, thats the fun. Where should I get the wine thats going in my cellar? A vineyard, an auction, a website, my local wine store? First, discover what you like, and then you should probably have a relationship with all of the above. Its crucial to develop a relationship with a merchant to find out what the best varietals are for you, how long you want to age them, and what youre looking for as far as taste profile. A good merchant will have a lot of selection. Wallys has 8,000 unique bottles. I guarantee we have 500 items in your price range. A version of this article appears in the June 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline Hollywoods Wine Seller. More must-read stories from Fortune: A tequila sommelier on how to drink Mexicos favorite spirit Meet the data-obsessed collector tracking million-dollar whiskies A guide to the food and wine capital of South Africa Craft cocktails on Vancouver Island, Canada go beyond drink local Low ABV, fruit-flavored beers are having a moment Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis. Microsoft MSFT recently partnered General Assembly (GA) in an effort to expand workforce for advanced technology jobs with primary focus on developing AI skills. Per the terms of the deal, workers will be offered training on utilizing data science, AI, machine learning (ML) skills in data and cloud engineering domains. In the first year, Microsoft and GA target 2,000 job transitions into AI and ML work profiles. Eventually, another 13,000 workers within next three years are aimed to assume AI-related jobs. This translates to influx of 15,000 new workers with AI skills strengthening the technology workforce by 2022. New York-based, GA is primarily engaged in providing design, programming and management training services to individuals seeking to be part of white collar workforce. GA is part of Switzerland-based The Adecco Group, which provides human resource services. Into the Headlines Per the collaborative program to impart AI skills to workers, Microsoft will serve as the founding member in AI Standards Board. As the name suggests, GAs Standards Board is responsible to set the standards and create an appropriate framework for the program. The joint program also attempts to offer training such that workers, including Microsoft's customers can leverage Azure capabilities. We believe that Microsoft will benefit from the program, primarily due to the fact that it is likely to lead to workforce expansion which is capable of utilizing Azure capabilities. The companys customers looking to leverage Azure capabilities remain noteworthy beneficiaries. Moreover, to ensure a sustainable pipeline of AI trained candidates for project-based requirements, Microsoft and GA will set up AI Talent Network. These initiatives hold promise and are expected to create a sustainable source of AI and other emerging technologies-trained individuals. What Investors Should Know? Shares of Microsoft have gained 33.4% in the past year, outperforming the industrys rally of 27.2%. The outperformance can be attributed to investors optimism in strength in Microsoft Azure, Office 365 suite and robust AI capabilities. Story continues As AI and robotics are becoming mainstream; the work place is transforming, paving the way for more skilled jobs to sustain digital transformation. Lack of skilled workers particularly from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in the United States has been hindering technology players for quite some time. Per World Economic Forum report on Future of Jobs 2018, ongoing disruption in division of labor between humans, algorithms and machines is anticipated to create new roles of around 133 million by 2022. Earlier, Microsoft quoted an estimate by which, by 2022, a talent shortage will leave as many as 30% of AI and data skills jobs open. We believe the latest development is in sync with Microsofts aim to address the much-hyped AI skills crisis. In fact, the company has also collaborated with OpenClassrooms, in this regard. Wrapping Up Evolving technological methodologies leads to the need of enhancing the skill set among workforce. Other tech bellwethers are also looking for ways to expand the workforce updated with modern skills. For instance, IBM recently announced that it is expanding new collar program in France. We believe these initiatives will help plug in the gaps to lead to a sustainable workforce and address emerging AI Skills Crisis in an effective manner. Moreover, research on emerging technologies is likely to drive innovation. We are of the opinion that transforming the work to a more-skill oriented one will drive costs down considering the broader outlook. Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks Currently, Microsoft carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other top-ranked stocks worth considering in the broader sector, include Cadence Design Systems CDNS, Verint Systems Inc. VRNT and j2 Global, Inc. JCOM, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Long-term earnings growth rate for Cadence, Verint and j2 Global is pegged at 12%, 11% and 8%, respectively. This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report j2 Global, Inc. (JCOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verint Systems Inc. (VRNT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. (Reuters) - Missouri's Republican governor could sign a law as early as this week banning most abortions in the Midwestern state after the eighth week of pregnancy, part of a wave of restrictions aimed at driving a challenge of abortion to the U.S. Supreme Court. Republican Governor Mike Parson told reporters on Friday he planned to sign the bill, which was approved by the Republican-controlled state legislature last week and would enact one of the United States' most restrictive bans. He has not yet set a date for the signing, a spokeswoman in his office said, but he has until July 14 to do so, according to local media reports. The state is one of eight where Republican-controlled legislatures this year have passed new restrictions on abortion. It is part of a coordinated campaign aimed at prompting the conservative-majority top court to cut back or overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy. The most restrictive of those bills was signed into law in Alabama last week. It bans abortion at all times and in almost all cases, including when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, but allows exceptions when the mother's life is in danger. The Missouri bill also offers no exception for cases of rape or incest. The American Civil Liberties Union has said it will sue to block Alabama's law from taking effect. Last week, the ACLU joined Planned Parenthood, the women's reproductive healthcare provider, in suing Ohio over its recent six-week abortion ban. Mississippi will defend a new law banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat has been detected in a federal appeals court on Tuesday after the Center for Reproductive Rights sued to block it taking effect. Abortion is one of the most bitterly contested social issues in the United States. Opponents often cite religious belief in saying that fetuses deserve rights similar to those of infants. Abortion rights advocates say the bans deprive women of equal rights and endanger those who end up seeking riskier, illegal methods to end a pregnancy. Kentucky, Georgia, Utah, Mississippi and Arkansas have also passed new restrictions on abortion this year. Conservative lawmakers have been emboldened in their efforts to roll back Roe v. Wade by two judicial appointments by President Donald Trump that have given conservatives a 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court. The court on Monday took no action on appeals seeking to revive two abortion restrictions enacted in Indiana in 2016. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York and Scott Malone; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool) By Zeba Siddiqui and Aditya Kalra PENJERLA/NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - It was supposed to be Johnson & Johnson's biggest manufacturing plant in India. It was to eventually employ at least 1,500 people and help bring development to a rural area near Hyderabad in southern India. Yet, three years after the U.S. healthcare company completed construction of production facilities for cosmetics and baby products on the 47-acre site, they stand idle. Two sources familiar with J&J's operations in India and one state government official told Reuters production at the plant, at Penjerla in Telangana, never began because of a slowing in the growth in demand for the products. One of them said that demand didnt rise as expected because of two shock policy moves by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a late 2016 ban on then circulating high-value currency notes, and the nationwide introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) in 2017. J&J spokespeople in its Mumbai operations in India and at its global headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey, declined to respond to a list of questions from Reuters. Modi's office did not respond to a call and an email with questions. Aimed at rooting out corruption and streamlining the tax system, the double whammy of demonetization and GST were two of Modis signature policy moves. But instead of encouraging economic activity as intended, they did the opposite, at least in 2016-2018, by sapping consumer demand, according to some economists. Many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, complained publicly some in their financial statements - that they suffered a drop off in orders. The suspended J&J project stands as one of the most vivid examples of the impact on the broader investment picture. In the first month after demonetization, some business surveys showed that sales of products such as shampoos and soap fell more than 20 percent. Lack of jobs growth and a farm-income crisis because of low crop prices have hurt Modi in the current general election, according to several political strategists. Story continues Still, Modi and his ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are expected by many of the strategists to be in a position to get a second term probably with support of some other parties - when votes are counted on Thursday, partly because of his strong stance on national security issues. BIG INVESTMENTS, GREAT EXPECTATIONS A range of Modi's business policies, such as capping prices of medical devices, forcing tech companies to store more data locally and stricter e-commerce regulations have in the past two years hurt plans of American multinationals such as J&J, Mastercard, Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart. The groundbreaking of the J&J facility in Penjerla, its third in the country, was carried out with much fanfare in 2014, attended by Telanganas Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao, who hailed the foreign investment as a big win for local communities. A document dated April 2017 that lists products the company planned to make at the facility, submitted to the Telangana government and reviewed by Reuters, names baby oil, baby shampoo, baby lotion, baby hair oil, face wash and creams. Shaukat Ali, running a tea shop under a bamboo stall on barren land outside the plant, said local workers check in routinely for possible vacancies at the J&J site, but nothing has come up in years. At the local pollution control board office, the member secretary Satyanarayana Reddy said the J&J plant had all the required approvals and he was not sure why it hadnt started production. It is unusual for such a big plant to stay idle for so long, he said. But there is no problem from our side. Chandrasekhar Babu, an additional director at the Telangana industries department, said a J&J company official told him the plant hadn't started due to lack of demand. GST and demonetisation were two key reasons the plan didnt kick off, one of the sources said, adding that lack of consumer demand since then dented company's plans. The second source familiar with J&J's plans said the company miscalculated Indian market demand. On a recent visit by a Reuters reporter to the J&J plant, plush, furnished conference rooms and cubicles sat inactive; M. Sairam, who said he was the site manager, told Reuters production areas with machines were idle too. PLANNED FURTHER EXPANSION Local officials had hoped the initial J&J plant would be only the beginning. After the groundbreaking in 2014, Pradeep Chandra, who was Telangana's special chief secretary of industries, told Business Today magazine that "based on the extent of land (J&J) have acquired we believe that they are looking at much larger expansion here." Local media reports at the time said the J&J facility would employ some 1,500 people. A J&J official, who was not identified by name, was reported subsequently in December 2016 in India's Business Standard as saying that the $85 million plant would be operational by 2018 after it had overcome procedural delays. The official was quoted as saying the company had earmarked an additional $100 million for expansion. Vikas Srivastava, the managing director of J&J Consumer(India), who was at the 2014 groundbreaking, did not respond to calls for comment. Reuters also talked to two workers outside a sprawling Procter & Gamble facility making detergents and diapers, which is next to the J&J plant. They said they were part of the P&G plant's production team and the plant had been running below capacity. A P&G spokesperson denied that, saying the plant was "operating at full capacity in line with our business plans". "India is a priority market for P&G globally and in recent quarters, P&Gs business in India has registered strong double-digit growth consistently," the company said. The weak rural economy, where most Indians work, has also hurt growth in sales of basic items such as detergents and shampoo in the past year. Hindustan Unilever Ltd, an industry bellwether that would compete with the likes of J&J and P&G in some categories, said its volume growth shrank to 7 percent in the quarter ended March 31, down from double-digit growth in the previous five quarters. The company warned that the daily consumer goods segment in India was "recession resistant ... not recession proof." (Reporting by Zeba Siddiqui and Aditya Kalra; Editing by Martin Howell) Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi is once again talking tough on gambling. Matiangi has faulted betting companies for corrupting the youth, and leaving many in financial holes. He revealed that over 500,000 Kenyans have been blacklisted by the CRB, majority of whom borrow from lending apps for the sole purpose of gambling. The CS spoke on Monday during a meeting with stakeholders from the industry. He revealed that the average income of most gamblers is between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 a month, with most having no stable job. Matiangi has hinted at deporting foreign directors of these betting companies, some who have no genuine work permits. I have no problem signing deportation letters today so they can leave the country tonight, he said. He added that he has instructed the IG and DCI to review the list of directors by end of Monday. About 5,000 Kenyans and 100 foreigners are employed by the betting industry. However, most of the profit is shipped abroad. Uncontrolled gambling has reorganized the financial lives of poor Kenyans in very drastic ways. This money is directly pocketed by firms owned by non-Kenyans, a huge chunk of which is transferred to foreign capitals, and very little is left in circulation here in Kenya, Matiangi noted. Cannes (France) (AFP) - Maryam Touzani never forgot the day a young woman knocked on the door of her home in Tangier asking for work. "She was from a village and she was heavily pregnant. My mother had no work for her but was afraid to let her go... she wasn't in a good way and had clearly nowhere to go," the Moroccan actress and director said. Sex outside marriage is illegal in the Muslim-majority country, and at the time a single mother who tried to give birth in a hospital would be thrown in jail. "The girl had been going door-to-door, so my mother took her in for a few days until we worked something out. "But there was no solution -- she had been going from town to town after running away from her family, working as a cleaner and hairdresser until people noticed her predicament and then she would have to move on. "So she stayed with us until she had the baby," said Touzani, whose powerful new film "Adam", at the Cannes film festival, was inspired by the woman's heartbreaking dilemma over what to do with the child. "She wanted to give up her baby straight away to give him a chance of a decent life, and to restart her own and become a respectable woman again," Touzani told AFP. But when the baby arrived, things weren't so simple. - 'Give the baby up' - "Because she gave birth over a bank holiday weekend, she had to keep the baby until the adoption office opened. I was with her as she tried to suppress the maternal extinct, to put distance between herself and the child. It was painful to watch and really shook me. "Little by little I saw her resistance break" and the pain grow as the bank holiday drew to an end. "I went with her to give the baby up," Touzani said. The hell that woman went through came home to when she became pregnant herself shooting "Razzia", a huge hit in the kingdom in 2017, which she wrote and starred in. Story continues "When I felt the baby move inside me I began thinking of her and I understood. And straight away I started to write, it poured out of me..." Already talked of as an Oscars foreign-language contender, "Adam" shines a light on a hidden woman's world in the conservative North African country. Critics at Cannes hailed how the first-time director turned this "deceptively simple story... into gold" with the Hollywood Reporter praising its "great delicacy... made heartrending by the superb performances of Lubna Azabal and Nisrin Erradi." In the film, a village girl who flees to Casablanca played by Erradi is reluctantly taken in by a widowed baker (Azabal) hiding her own grief. - Children sold and abandoned - While Touzani does not go there in her touching, intimate tale, unmarried mothers are complete pariahs in Morocco, she said, often regarded as prostitutes. "It is the worst thing that can happen to a woman," she told AFP. Until 2004 their children's birth could not even be registered, meaning they have no legal status. "They simply didn't exist," she said. The shame is so intense that "children are often sold or abandoned", adding to the country's army of street children. "There are so many terrible stories," Touzani said. The writer-director has not shied from touching on raw nerves in her homeland. Her husband Nabil Ayouch's banned feature "Much Loved" was based on a documentary of the same name she made about prostitution. It was branded "an affront to moral values and Moroccan women" shortly after its premiere at Cannes, with actress Loubna Abidar forced to flee to France after being attacked in the street in Casablanca. "Razzia", in which Touzani played the lead, also touched on taboos. But she is convinced many who condemned the films in public were secretly pleased they had brought issues out into the open that Morocco needs to deal with. "There is a facade that everything is all right on the outside even if people are tormented inside. It is good to let in some air and light, and people are relieved and happy things are being spoken about." "I am not at all afraid for 'Adam'. In any case, nothing comes from fear." Equity markets on both sides of the Atlantic slid Monday as investors fretted over the fallout of a US crackdown on Chinese telecom giant Huawei amid the two countries' worsening trade war. The controversy over Huawei, which was effectively barred from the US market by President Donald Trump last week, took on new gravity after Google said on Sunday it was beginning to sever ties with Huawei. With the two countries already locked in months-long trade talks, the US action on Huawei is "a risky move," said a note from Eurasia Group's Ian Bremmer. "Progress between the two sides happened in part because of an absence of broader linkage." Adding technology "makes it more painful to disagree... but also harder to publicly come to terms," Bremmer said. "I still expect a climb-down from both sides. But it's getting harder." SEB Emerging Markets Strategist Per Hammarlund said that the latest development made it unlikely that Beijing and Washington would end their dispute in the run-up to next month's G20 summit in Japan. "Chances of a breakthrough before the G20 summit... are very small, with both sides likely reassessing their strategies following the failure to reach an agreement in Washington -- and the move by the US to blacklist Huawei," Hammarlund said. - Fallout on tech - The tech-rich Nasdaq was the big loser among US indices, falling 1.5 percent. Besides Google parent Alphabet, which lost 2.0 percent, US chip companies fell sharply, along with other tech companies, including Apple, which shed 3.1 percent. Briefing.com attributed the pullback to "lingering concerns about Chinese retaliation against US tech companies following US scrutiny of Huawei Technologies." Earlier, Eurozone heavyweights Frankfurt and Paris were each down around 1.5 percent at the close, while London held up better. Among other markets, the Nikkei in Japan climbed 0.2 percent after government data showed Japan's economy grew in the first quarter, defying expectations. Story continues Mumbai equities and the rupee soared on the back of exit polls suggesting business-friendly Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on course to be re-elected. Sydney stocks and the Australian dollar rallied after a shock win for the conservatives, while Japanese dealers were cheered by forecast-beating GDP data. - Key figures around 2050 GMT - New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 25,679.90 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.7 percent at 2,840.23 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 1.5 percent at 7,702.38 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,310.88 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 1.6 percent at 12,041.29 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.5 percent at 5,358.59 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 1.6 percent at 3,369.78 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 21,301.73 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.6 percent at 27,787.61 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 2,870.60 (close) Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2725 from $1.2724 at 2100 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 87.74 pence from 87.72 pence Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1165 from $1.1158 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.04 yen from 110.08 yen Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 24 cents at $71.97 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 34 cents at $63.10 per barrel burs-jmb/dg Claire Varin was charged with breaching data protection laws (Picture: Claire Varin/Facebook) A mother of two was charged after she outed a paedophile neighbour who had moved into her street. Claire Varin, 37, used Sarahs Law to discover a man on her street had been jailed for having child pornography on his computer. She contacted the police after the man, in his 30s, who introduced himself as Tom, began acting strangely around her daughters, aged eight and 12. Ms Varin used Sarahs Law, named after murdered eight-year-old Sarah Payne, which allows parents, guardians or carers to ask police if someone has a conviction for child sex offences. Those who receive information through Sarahs Law must sign a non-disclosure form which bars them from telling anyone else. Ms Varin was charged with breaching data protection laws, although the case against her was subsequently dropped because of a lack of evidence. She told the Sunday People: Something needs to change. The mother-of-two used Sarah's Law, named after murdered eight-year-old Sarah Payne, pictured (Picture: PA) Whats the point of Sarahs Law if you cant protect people? I was told to keep it to myself but how could I live with myself if something did happen? Its every parents nightmare. I had to live with this hanging over my head for months. The stress of the court case, the threat of losing the house, the police coming to see us. Its been awful. Ms Varin, a carer, contacted West Yorkshire Police after Tom, who said he was a trainee barrister, moved in during the summer of 2017. Read more European Elections 2019: What you need to know before voting day Jeremy Kyle Show linked to other suicides following guest's death Police order McDonald's not to sell milkshakes near Nigel Farage rally He called on her door and asked her husband Sam if he could take their youngest daughter fruit-picking. The couple declined, but the next day Tom came back with a tub of berries for their daughter. At the beginning of 2018, after she used Sarahs Law to request information, police told Ms Varin that Tom had been convicted six years previously for having 97 films of child abuse on his laptop. Story continues I felt sick, she said. They didnt tell me hed been jailed for eight months but I googled him and saw he had. A few days later, her husband confronted the sex offender, resulting in police returning to warn him about making threats. A few weeks later, Sam confronted him again after spotting him using sign language to try to communicate with their eldest daughter, who is deaf. Ms Varin said the couple were later threatened with eviction by the housing association because the sex offender had complained about them. Ms Varin contacted police after the man acted suspiciously around her daughters (Picture: Claire Varin/Facebook) She was later charged with breaching data protection laws and was summonsed to appear before magistrates court. She pleaded not guilty to knowingly or recklessly disclosing personal data, and was due to go to court this week, but the case has been discontinued. Ms Varin said the stress had contributed to the break-up of her marriage, although she and Sam remain good friends. She has since moved out of the street, as had the sex offender. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- While many companies have signalled that diversity is a key priority for their businesses, there is still a dearth of women at the top. The percentage of female CEOs in the FTSE 100 declined to 6% this year from 7% in 2018, according to executive search firm Robert Half. Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts attributes this to the motherhood penalty. Speaking on Yahoo Finance UKs Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded, Roberts said, Women are basically equal in the workplace until they have children. And they are picking up the bulk of the childcare responsibility and actually most of the domestic responsibility post-children and men arent and that is effectively creating a glass ceiling. (Watch the full Justine Roberts interview here.) Beyond simply taking on childcare, Roberts said mothers also allocate much of their head space to their children while they are at work. That means they are less likely to go for that demanding job, theyre less likely to think they can be on the board and take on responsibility, she said. I think we need to fix that. The so-called motherhood penalty is one of the reasons Mumsnet is campaigning for the UK government to compel companies to publish their parental leave policies, much like firms in the country must now make their gender pay gap statistics public. A survey conducted by Mumsnet in February found 82% of respondents were reluctant to ask potential employers about their parental leave policies. Mumsnet and Gransnet CEO and co-founder Justine Roberts (right) on Yahoo Finance UK's "Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded" show. Photo: Yahoo Finance UK We think paternity pay in particular is really important, Roberts said. All the evidence says the more time men take off in the first year of their child being born, the more time they want to spend with them through the rest of their lives. She advised employers to create more flexible working practices for all parents. [Flexible working] is key obviously for mothers, but its key for everyone nowadays: I think millennials as well will benefit quite a lot they all want a bit of flexibility so I think there are good business cases for introducing that, Roberts said. Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded is a new premium video series from Yahoo Finance UK. The show explores the stories of some of the most inspirational women across business, tech, and academia. Catch up on all the latest episodes here. Just as Game of Thrones takes its final curtain call, the first trailer for season three of HBO's other major tentpole show Westworld arrives to give us all some hope. Well, perhaps hope isn't quite the word. Not in Westworld. New cast-member Aaron 'Breaking Bad' Paul takes centre stage, along with Pink Floyd's Brain Damage, which provides the soundtrack. Read more: Plastic water bottle spotted in GoT finale Co-showrunner Lisa Joy has previously said that season three of the show would be 'very different', and this appears to the case here. Rather than the previous two seasons, which have taken place inside Westworld, this looks like the action has moved into the real world. Aaron Paul in Westworld (Credit: HBO) After Evan Rachel Wood's Delores smuggled herself and the consciousnesses of other hosts from the park in season two, she appears here, just as the trailer fades to black. Read now: Game of Thrones cast salaries Now out in the real world, she's clearly struggling. But will Paul be able to help her? Also joining the cast are Master of None star Lena Whaite, veteran French actor Vincent Cassel, and introduced in the trailer, rapper Kid Cudi and Marshawn Lynch. Season three of Westworld lands next year. (Reuters) - U.S. footwear companies, including Nike Inc and Under Armour, on Monday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to remove footwear from the proposed tariffs list on goods imported from China. "The proposed additional tariff of 25 percent on footwear would be catastrophic for our consumers, our companies, and the American economy as a whole," a group of 173 companies said in a letter https://fdra.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019-Footwear-Tariff-Letter-1.pdf. Trump increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25% from 10% earlier this month, a move that is expected to raise prices on thousands of products including clothing, furniture and electronics Trump is expected to impose 25% tariffs on another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping next month. "As an industry that faces a $3 billion duty bill every year, we can assure you that any increase in the cost of importing shoes has a direct impact on the American footwear consumer," the companies said. The letter was also sent to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow. The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) estimates the hike in tariff would add $7 billion in additional costs for customers every year. The companies noted that the tariffs on footwear average 11.3% and reach rates as high as 67.5%. Adding a 25% tax increase on top of these tariffs would mean Americans could pay a nearly 100% duty on their shoes, the companies said in the letter. Last week, the world's largest retailer Walmart Inc warned that its prices would increase due to higher tariffs on goods from China and that the levies were already hurting its furniture business. Macy's also said that the tariffs enacted on May 10, does have some impact, particularly on its furniture business. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) By Alex Dobuzinskis May 20 (Reuters) - Some 6 million people across a broad swath of Texas and Oklahoma were bracing for possible tornadoes on Monday, as the U.S. National Weather service warned that the risk of twisters in the region was at the highest level they had seen in years. The area under threat stretched over 400 miles (644 km) from Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the north to Snyder, Texas, at the southern end. It could see extreme weather also including thunderstorms and possible flash flooding, said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the federal Weather Prediction Center. The last time any part of the United States had seen a risk of tornado activity this elevated was in 2012, said Patrick Marsh, a warning coordination meteorologist at the federal Storm Prediction Center. He advised people in the region to have a plan for seeking shelter if a storm approaches. "Today is not a day to mess around," said Marsh, who brought his own family to work with him at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, because it has a shelter. The Oklahoma City public school system and the University of Oklahoma in Norman were shut down because of the dangerous weather. East of Oklahoma City, military officials instituted a liberal leave policy at Tinker Air Force Base, allowing many employees to stay home, according to the base's Twitter page. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Scott Malone and Nick Zieminski) * Traders offer Urals with high organic chloride content * Around 700,000 tonnes of contaminated crude heading to China * Cargoes mainly offered to Chinese teapot refineries * Hard to set prices without trade precedent By Florence Tan and Olga Yagova SINGAPORE/MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - Trading companies Vitol and Unipec are sending around 700,000 tonnes of contaminated Russian oil to Asia in an attempt to place the barrels rejected by buyers in Europe, according to trading sources and ship tracking data. A key Russian pipeline to Europe, Druzhba, and a major port Ust-Luga have been contaminated with organic chloride, which can damage refining equipment. As a result, Russia was forced to reduce exports in the worst ever supply disruption. Vitol and Unipec are mainly targeting Chinese independent refiners, or teapots, which have shown interest in taking the oil, traders said. According to Reuters sources with Chinese refiners, they have been recently shown cargoes of Urals crude that contain organic chloride ranging from 30-50 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm without mentioning prices. Buyers are treading cautiously because the contaminated Urals crude needs to be stored in tanks and diluted multiple times with clean oil to reduce the organic chloride content in order not to damage refining equipment. "The final price is to be set. More quality tests are needed. Then it is possible to figure out the price, the way it can be refined and if it can be refined at all," a trader with a Chinese major told Reuters. Organic chloride in crude oil can cause corrosion and destroy refining units. "I was shown barrels with 200 ppm and I said: "No, thanks," a Singapore-based trader said. "The logistics is very challenging and only big refiners can manage," he said, adding that a cargo with 200-ppm of organic chloride will need 20 cargoes of the same volume to be diluted to a normal level of 10 ppm. For traders, estimating the value for the oil is the hardest part as there has been no trade precedent. Story continues "Nobody knows where these barrels should trade. It's a discount to ICE Brent for cargoes landing in China for sure but how much of a discount, nobody knows," a second trader said. European traders said contaminated cargoes have been offered at a discount of $10-20 per barrel but very few buyers showed interest. Clean Russian Urals crude from the Baltic is currently trading at $74 per barrel. "We don't want to touch it. Refiners were previously hurt due to chloride issues, so they should be more cautious," a European buyer said. Volumes that are currently heading to Asia represent around half of 1.5 million tonnes, or 11 million barrels, of contaminated Urals that had been exported from the Baltic port of Ust Luga in recent weeks. Because European buyers refused to buy the volumes, they ended up mostly with trading houses. Another 9 million barrels are estimated to be stuck in Druzhba pipelines between Belarus and Germany. The vessels heading to Asia include the 130,000 tonnes Sonangol Rangel fixed by Vitol from Denmark's Skaw STS on May 15 and heading to China's Yingkou, according to Refinitiv Eikon flows system. A very large tanker (VLCC) New Comfort fixed by China's Unipec is also carrying 270,000 tonnes of Urals and is currently loading in Skaw to sail to Chinas Ningbo. Another VLCC Amyntas is heading to Southwold port to load 270,000 tonnes of Urals for delivery to Yinkgou in China, traders said and Refinitiv Eikon flows system showed. Sinopec, a parent company of China's Unipec, declined to comment. Vitol also declined to comment. (Reporting by Florence Tan and Olga Yagova, additional reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Gleb Gorodyankin, editing by Susan Fenton) LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - The foreign minister of Oman, which in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday as tensions rise between the Islamic Republic and the United States and its Gulf allies. Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah discussed regional and international issues with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian state news agency IRNA said. However, IRNA gave no details and it was not known if the visit was aimed at calming Iran-U.S. tensions. A Gulf Arab state that - unusually - maintains friendly ties with both the United States and Iran, Oman has previously been an important go-between for the two countries that severed diplomatic relations in 1980. Washington and Tehran are in a protracted stand-off over Iran's nuclear and missile programs. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Frances Kerry) 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 Onward Technologies Limited (NSE:ONWARDTEC). Our data shows Onward Technologies has a return on equity of 17% for the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.17. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Onward Technologies How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Onward Technologies: 17% = 101m 610m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) 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. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company. What Does Return On Equity Signify? ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, all else being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies. Does Onward Technologies Have A Good Return On Equity? One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Onward Technologies has a better ROE than the average (11%) in the IT industry. Story continues NSEI:ONWARDTEC Past Revenue and Net Income, May 20th 2019 That is a good sign. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. For example, I often check if insiders have been buying shares . How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Onward Technologies's Debt And Its 17% ROE Although Onward Technologies does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.26 is still low. Its very respectable ROE, combined with only modest debt, suggests the business is in good shape. Careful use of debt to boost returns is often very good for shareholders. However, it could reduce the company's ability to take advantage of future opportunities. The Key Takeaway Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. 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 when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Lindah Karea is a 28-year-old environmental scientist, who has been working on water desalination as part of her masters degree in nuclear science. She studied at Sacred Heart Girls High School, Kyeni, Embu County, scoring (A-) in KCSE. Ms Karea then joined the University of Nairobi where she pursued a BSc in Environmental and Bio-systems Engineering between 2008 and 2013. On this basis, she landed a scholarship to study a masters degree in nuclear science. Lindah spoke to Nations myNetwork about her profession. What is water desalination? It refers to the process of removing salt particles such as sodium chloride from water to make it soft for drinking and other usages. Through water desalination, unusable water such as sea water and brackish (saline) water can be refined to become utilisable. The most commonly used methods are thermal and membrane processes. Thermal desalination uses heat energy from various sources to evaporate water to separate vapour from salts before condensing the vapour. The membrane method usually uses reverse osmosis. The membrane allows water molecules to pass through it, but not the salts, hence separating both. How did you end up in the science of water desalination? My first degree was in environmental and bio-systems engineering, with a specialisation in water and irrigation, so when I proceeded with my masters studies, I naturally wanted to build on the same. I undertook water desalination as a research project in partial fulfillment of my MSc in nuclear science. Why did you choose to be an engineer in environmental and bio-systems engineering? I chose the course because I was passionate about environmental conservation. In high school, it upset me to see plastic wastepaper scattered all over the place. I approached my chemistry teacher, and together, we came up with an innovative project where the plastics were broken down by heating them in high temperatures. We then used gaseous products such as ethane for production of ethanol, a biofuel. The innovation was awarded the first position in the Kenya National Science Congress in 2006. Which subjects do you need to focus on for a career in environmental and bio-systems engineering? One needs a strong background in pure and applied sciences biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to study courses such as technology, engineering (civil engineering, environmental and bio-systems engineering, mechanical engineering). How does Nuclear Science relate to water purification? The application of nuclear technology in water desalination is very specific when it comes to the source of heat energy used to evaporate water, namely, a nuclear power plant. What is the importance of water desalination? It provides a solution to address water scarcity due to its ability to make unusable water resources such as sea-water, brackish water, highly saline groundwater and polluted surface water fresh water. How does nuclear technology apply in water desalination? Nuclear based techniques such as X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) are applied in the analysis of the quality of the desalinated water. The interest is to make sure that the product meets the recommended standards for human consumption. What challenges face Kenya for lack of nuclear science in water desalination? It is not possible to undertake nuclear desalination in Kenya for the obvious reason that we do not have a nuclear power plant yet, however, even the available methods are under-utilised because of the high cost of technology. For example, one unit set up of membrane technology that can serve a small community of approximately 20 people can go up to Sh700,000. If nuclear technology is embraced, what would be its greatest advantage? Possibly boosting our sources of clean water especially within the areas in which the plants are established. Take us through one project you have been involved in. I have been involved in the design and fabrication of a desalination prototype. For the desalination prototype, different components or subsystems are designed and tested: preheating of water, atomization (breaking up water into small droplets), evaporation chamber, condenser, and collection of distilled water. What, do you think, is Kenyas water problem? Mismanagement. This ranges from storage, treatment, distribution, disposal of domestic and industrial waste, regulation and policy, all which affect water and its quality. Other challenges are failing to prioritise the proper exploitation of the pre-existing sources such as underground water, desalination systems for saline water from boreholes in some areas, lakes and ocean. What employment opportunities exist in this career? One can get a job in government, non-governmental institutions, water management organisations and upcoming desalination plants at the Coast. With a background in nuclear science, one can work in analytical labs, and in some specific ways, be of use in medical facilities equipped with radiology units, research facilities that use nuclear techniques. You can be self-employed too, for example, in the field of radiation protection as a consultant in the design of facilities such as radiology unit bunkers, industrial X-ray bunkers and radiation measurements for public safety. With further training, I can be an NDT inspector or setup a lab that uses nuclear techniques. You are currently studying a PhD in Energy Storage Systems. How is this useful to our lives? Energy is a critical contributor to the performance of activities, including water generation and distribution, and without its efficiency, the country would suffer economically and socially. I look forward to discovering more efficient ways of utilising our natural and artificial energy sources. Do you have any other skills or training? I did CPA-K accounting course with YMCA in Meru County, before I joined University. In every project there is a cost implication, this knowledge helps me to spend wisely. Advise young people who would want a career in your line. Focus on sciences because they will place you on a path of opportunities to discover new horizons of science, innovation and technology methods to solve ever-increasing social and economic problems. The Diocese of Durham has intervened after it emerged a vicar planned to cover a cross for a Muslim prayer service to take place inside St Matthew and St Luke Church, in Darlington. (Google) Bishops have stepped in after controversial proposals emerged which would have seen Muslims hold Ramadan prayers in a church. Reverend Lissa Scott and a former County Durham mayor Gerald Lee reportedly came up with the plans for St Matthew and St Luke Church, in Darlington, during a meeting on May 9. The Sunday Times reports how neighbouring Muslims were told a cross and a well-known devotional image of Jesus, a copy of The Light of the World by the pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt, would be covered up for the special unity event. Minutes of the meeting, seen by The Sunday Times, said: One aisle in church to be cleared of chairs for Muslim men to say prayers. Cover Christian crosses/photographs in small rooms for ladies to say prayers. The church reportedly issued to cover a cross and a picture of Jesus. Stock image. Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen and a bishop of the Christian Episcopal Church, criticised the plans. When Muslims come into our church, we invite them to come in and respect Jesus. If we accepted an invitation to go into a mosque, we would respect Muhammad, he said. We do not expect them to disrespect Jesus by covering him up and no vicar should either. The Diocese of Durham told the newspaper it intervened as canon law states that an act of worship from a non-Christian faith tradition is not permitted within a consecrated Church of England building. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran Muslims will still join Christians and other faiths inside the St Matthew and St Luke Church, Darlington, at sunset on June 2 for Iftar, the evening meal with which they end their daily fast. But no prayers will take place in the church. Mr Lee said: We are not trying to convert or upset we are just trying to bring people together irrespective of language and religion. We have simply made an error of judgment and it has been corrected. Story continues Rev Scott was unavailable for comment. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo News UK By Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinians will stay away from a U.S.-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as an overture to its own plan for peace between them and Israel, a Palestinian cabinet minister said on Monday. Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians, who have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017, have shown little interest in discussing a plan on which they had no input and that they anticipate will fall far short of their core demands. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that his government had not been consulted on the June 25-26 gathering in Manama. After the cabinet met, Ahhmed Majdalani, the social development minister and a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee, said: "There will be no Palestinian participation in the Manama workshop." "Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel," he said. Shtayyeh reiterated Palestinians' aspirations for a two-state peace agreement with Israel entailing control of the occupied West Bank and Gaza - currently run by the Islamist group Hamas - as well as East Jerusalem as their future capital. Internationally-mediated talks to that end have been stalemated for years. Israel calls Jerusalem its indivisible capital and has said it might declare sovereignty in its West Bank settlements, which are deemed illegal by the United Nations and most foreign governments. U.S. officials have predicted the Manama event will include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. The economic component discussed will constitute an announcement on the first part of the Trump peace plan, U.S. officials have said. But Bashar Masri, a Palestinian businessman and the founder of Rawabi, the first Palestinian planned city in the West Bank, said he had turned down an invitation to speak at the conference. "We will not engage in any event outside the Palestinian national consensus," Masri wrote on social media. "The idea of an economic peace is an old one now being asked in a different way, and just as our people have rejected it in the past, we reject it now." Israel's finance minister, Moshe Kahlon, said on Sunday he had yet to receive any invitation to the Bahrain meeting. On Monday, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said Israel was open to attending. "We have no problem sending representatives to Bahrain, but the problem, as always, is that the Palestinian side is not genuinely interested in economic benefits," said Hotovely, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party. The Trump administration has said its still-secret peace plan would require compromise by both sides. Since being boycotted by the Palestinians, it has cut back on U.S. aid for them, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza's ruling Hamas movement, shunned in the West for its hostility to Israel and locked in a power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah party, also condemned the Bahrain conference. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Rami Ayyub and Jeffrey Heller; Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Mark Heinrich) 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. We'll use ROE to examine Pennon Group Plc (LON:PNN), by way of a worked example. Over the last twelve months Pennon Group has recorded a ROE of 14%. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.14. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! View our latest analysis for Pennon Group How Do You Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Pennon Group: 14% = UK217m UK1.6b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. What Does ROE Signify? ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the yearly profit. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Pennon Group 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, Pennon Group has a better ROE than the average (8.1%) in the Water Utilities industry. LSE:PNN Past Revenue and Net Income, May 20th 2019 That is a good sign. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently. Story continues 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. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Pennon Group's Debt And Its 14% ROE Pennon Group clearly uses a significant amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 2.17. Its ROE is quite good but, it would have probably been lower without the use of debt. Debt does bring extra risk, so it's only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it. In Summary Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Unless an eleventh-hour deal is reached, Pennsylvania is poised to sabotage its near- and long-term climate change goals. The holdup: $1.77. That's the estimated increase to the average electricity customer's monthly bill that would result from subsidizing the state's nuclear-power plants. Even if the cost turns out to be triple that amount, the data and regional energy realities suggest the benefits are worth it. Nuclear power generates 42% of the state's electricity (the U.S. average is 20%) and is responsible for 93% of its carbon-free power production (wind and solar account for just 4% of that total). That will radically change if Exelon (NYSE: EXC) and FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) proceed with plans to retire nuclear power plants representing 2,700 megawatts of carbon-free power capacity. Fortunately for the climate and investors, similarly dire realizations forced Illinois, New York, and New Jersey to approve financial aid at the last minute. Will Pennsylvania do the same? Cooling towers at the Three Mile Island nuclear-power plant. The steam cooling towers at Three Mile Island. Image source: Getty Images. Exelon is trying a well-worn strategy The battle brewing in Harrisburg comes down to semantics and ideology. Similar to many other states, Pennsylvania currently has a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) designed to subsidize renewable power and mandate that such sources reach certain levels of market share by certain years. The goal of a state's RPS is to decarbonize the electric grid. The problem is that nuclear power achieves that goal, but it isn't renewable. There's a simple path forward. Other states that lean heavily on nuclear power have updated the legal language to replace "renewable energy" with "clean energy" and provide zero-emission credits (ZECs) to any power source that qualifies, including nuclear. For instance, Exelon promised to close its Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear facilities in Illinois without financial assistance. Politicians balked, the power generator held firm, and ZECs were written into law at the last minute. Story continues The outcome wasn't too surprising, considering the two nuclear-power plants accounted for 12% of the state's total electricity and more carbon-free electricity than Illinois, Colorado, and Washington combined had installed at the time. Exelon used the same playbook to wrestle ZECs into existence in New York, while the Public Service Enterprise Group borrowed it to do the same in New Jersey (where Exelon owns a 43% stake of the Salem nuclear plant). Exelon is now doing the same in Pennsylvania, promising to close the Three Mile Island nuclear plant (the reactors owned weren't involved in the infamous 1979 disaster) by 2021. The shutdown is scheduled to start this fall. FirstEnergy has proposed to do the same with Beaver Valley on the opposite end of the state. Will it work? Paper cutouts of wind turbines, an old oil well, and a question mark. Image source: Getty Images. A healthy dose of nuance is needed The Pennsylvania legislature has proposed broadening zero-carbon subsidies, but appears poised to miss a June 1 deadline to pass the bill. Environmentalists have decried the subsidy as keeping nuclear afloat when that money -- an estimated $500 million per year -- could be redirected to wind and solar. That's a fair argument, although the state has poor renewable energy potential. It best wind-power potential resides on state game lands or interferes with migratory patterns of bats, putting it out of reach. Meanwhile, solar power potential across the state is relatively low, as Pittsburgh (first) and Philadelphia (ninth) are two of the cloudiest cities in the country. Natural gas groups have also opposed ZECs in the state, although that's because they're eyeing nuclear's market share. Pennsylvania ranks second in the country in natural gas production, behind Texas, while Appalachia accounts for 40% of the country's natural gas produced from shale resources. What's more, the natural gas produced in the region is coveted for its natural gas liquids -- ethane, propane, and the like -- which makes the price of electricity-producing methane that much cheaper. That's why natural gas makes up 96.5%, or 15,200 megawatts, of new proposed generation capacity in the state. While it's true that some nuclear power plants in the state aren't economically competitive, that calculus changes if markets begin to value the avoidance of carbon emissions. Exelon noted on its first-quarter 2019 earnings conference call that the company "has produced more clean energy than any other company in the United States by a factor of two." It's certainly doing everything it can to preserve the economics of its fleet, which just delivered the most efficient operations of any quarter in more than 10 years. Will politicians reward that effort? Natural gas pipeline. Natural gas, not renewables, will replace shuttered nuclear capacity. Image source: Getty Images. Will Pennsylvania change course? If Pennsylvania fails to value nuclear power as a tool for combating climate change, then the state will see immediate ramifications. The state, already fifth in the nation in total carbon dioxide emissions, will see its climate impact spike as natural gas gobbles up increasing market share in the electric grid. Air quality will deteriorate. And the United States will fall further away from meeting its climate change goals. All over $1.77 per month. What happens between now and June 1 also matters greatly for shareholders of Exelon and FirstEnergy. The companies will be forced to send off Three Mile Island and Beaver Valley to early retirements, each more than a decade before their operating licenses expire. That would result in significant noncash charges for accelerated depreciation, which would impact earnings in the near future. Therefore, investors and analysts are hoping the playbook that worked in Illinois, New York, and New Jersey proves successful once again. More From The Motley Fool Maxx Chatsko 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. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg criticized the 2017 Republican tax cuts and called for a number of tax increases during his Fox News town hall in Claremont, New Hampshire, Sunday night. Asked early on whether the country needs generational change among Democratic leaders, Buttigieg brought up the need to address climate change and fiscal sustainability: Making sure we actually have a fiscally sustainable path I know its not as fashionable in my party to talk about deficits but you look at what the Republican Congress did, blowing a trillion-dollar hole in our budget with a tax cut for the rich that America did not need, these problems will be visited on the heads of not just my children and grandchildren, but me and people in my generation, too. Later, after being asked about the $22 trillion national debt and deficits climbing toward $1 trillion a year, Buttigieg said deficit spending can be useful, especially if it goes toward investments that pay for themselves over time. Now, tax cuts for the wealthy dont do that, he said, but investments in education, in infrastructure, in health sometimes can. So we should be honest about the fact that sometimes thats appropriate, but not if you have no vision of what kind of revenue is going to support it. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor then called for four potential tax increases, saying the U.S. should consider a fairer, which means higher, marginal income tax rate on those earning the most; a reasonable wealth tax or something like that to make sure that people are giving back when they become enormously wealthy; a financial transactions tax; and closing corporate tax loopholes. You can watch the full Buttigieg town hall at Fox News. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. PHOTOS: Gun attack at bar in Brazil Forensic personnel and criminal police remove corpses from a bar in Belem, Para state, Brazil on May 19, 2019. (Photo: Claudio Pinheiro/AFP/Getty Images) A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Para state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed. The state security agency confirmed late Sunday only that six women and five men died in the incident in the Guama neighborhood of the Para state capital, Belem. The G1 news website said police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which also wounded one person. The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar on one motorcycle and in three cars. In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belem to reinforce security in the city for 90 days. Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70% of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics. Much of Brazil's violence is gang related. In January, gangs attacked across Fortaleza, bringing that city to a standstill with as commerce, buses and taxis shut down. (AP) See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. Geri Horner has invited Theresa May to come to the Spice Girls reunion tour (Credit: PA/AP) Prime Minister Theresa May is said to be considering an invitation to celebrate Girl Power at a Spice Girls concert. Geri Horner - who in the past has described herself as a Tory - invited the PM in an interview with The Sun newspaper, saying she really wanted May to attend the final night of their Spice World 2019 reunion tour at Londons Wembley Arena on Saturday June 15. Horner, famous for the Union Jack minidress she wore at the BRIT Awards in 1997, said: I really want Theresa May at the show. Read more: Geri denies Spice Girls tour is on the brink, tells naysayers to 'f*** off' Im not talking about politics, can you imagine showing up to work every day and getting verbally assassinated by all the people around you? UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 24: BRIT AWARDS, EARLS COURT Photo of Geri HALLIWELL and SPICE GIRLS, Geri Halliwell performing live on stage, Union Jack dress (Photo by JMEnternational/Redferns) It doesnt matter who you are, if you face that at work, I feel really sorry for her. Come on, give the woman some credit, shes certainly stoic. And she wears great jewellery. I would love if she came out of No 10 and did some everybody shuffling. Downing Street has the 62-year-old Prime Minister is considering the invitation, adding: Were grateful for the message. May famously mocked her own dancing at the Tory party conference last October when she walked awkwardly on stage to Abba hit Dancing Queen. It followed public reaction to an online clip of her dancing with school children in Africa last August which went viral and saw her dance moves likened to a robot. Hannah Barker, from the Whinmoor area of Leeds, has not been seen since the early hours of Sunday. (PA) Concerns are growing for a 21-year-old woman who went missing after a night out in Leeds. Hannah Barker, from the Whinmoor area of the city, has not been seen since the early hours of Sunday and police say they are very concerned for her welfare. A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said Ms Barker went out with friends in Leeds city centre on Saturday night and was last seen when she left them at about 3.40am on Sunday, in Merrion Street. He said that she was due at work on Monday morning but did not turn up and her car was found parked in the St Johns Centre car park, in the city centre. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran Detective Inspector Melissa Porritt said: We are very concerned for Hannahs welfare as it is out of character for her to go missing like this and for her not to have been in touch with anyone. We are carrying out extensive inquiries to trace her movements in the city centre and would like to hear urgently from anyone who has seen her or who has any information that could assist us in tracing her. Ms Barker is white, 5ft 6in, and of large build, police said. She has long blonde hair, nose piercings and tattoos on her left arm. She was wearing black skinny jeans, a burgundy t-shirt and trainers. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo News UK Moscow (AFP) - The entire politics desk of one of Russia's top daily newspapers, Kommersant, quit on Monday in protest over censorship after two veteran reporters were fired. The walkout at the newspaper controlled by pro-Kremlin tycoon Alisher Usmanov is a rare protest in the Russian media industry where nearly all print outlets toe the government line. Kommersant's staff, media professionals and liberal Russians accused the billionaire of destroying one of Russia's best newspapers. But speaking to AFP, Kommersant editor-in-chief Vladimir Zhelonkin defiantly rubbished that view. "They've been saying this for the past 20 years," he told AFP. "Time will tell." Earlier Monday, deputy editor Gleb Cherkasov said he and another ten journalists -- who make up Kommersant's political desk -- quit in solidarity after the management forced two veteran reporters to resign over a scoop. "The shareholder has a right to make staffing decisions," Cherkasov wrote on Facebook. "The employees have a right to disagree with them in the only way possible: by changing their place of work." In a statement, Zhelonkin said the reporters had been sacked because they violated "journalistic standards". He said the politics desk quit out of "false solidarity" and to put pressure on the management. "I do not accept these methods of pressure," Zhelonkin added. Ivan Safronov and Maxim Ivanov, both of whom worked for a decade at the newspaper, last month wrote an article saying Valentina Matvienko, speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house, could be replaced by Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR intelligence service. - 'Learnt from media' - In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for Usmanov said the tycoon learnt about the dismissals from news reports. Usmanov does not interfere in the newspaper's editorial policy and staffing decisions, the unidentified spokesperson added. Story continues "In the case of the two Kommersant journalists, Alisher Usmanov played no role and found out about their dismissal from media reports," the statement said. Renata Yambaeva, deputy editor at Kommersant, said the dismissals were just the latest example of recent pressure on the newspaper's editorial staff. Writing on Facebook, Yambaeva, who has worked for 18 years at Kommersant and is not resigning, accused Usmanov of "destroying one of Russia's best media outlets." Opposition activists accuse President Vladimir Putin of muzzling critics and bringing most Russian media under Kremlin control over his two decades in power. Metals tycoon Usmanov bought Kommersant in 2006. Since then one of Russia's top independent dailies has become a shadow of its former self, even though it still regularly features scoops and interviews with top newsmakers. Its journalists have long complained of pressure. In 2011, the editor of Kommersant's sister publication was fired after the news magazine Kommersant Vlast printed a photograph showing a ballot paper that featured an obscene message directed at Putin. The publication at the time covered reports of widespread fraud during the 2011 parliamentary polls. Russia's top opposition leader Alexei Navalny praised the Kommersant political journalists for quitting. "I always berated Kommersant journalists for turning into slaves" of the Kremlin-friendly tycoon, Navalny wrote. "But now I can only say: well done! Dignity has triumphed." - 'Losing professionals' - "It hurts to see from outside how the newspaper has been gradually falling into decline," said Meduza, a Russian-language independent media outlet based in Latvia. "Russian journalism is losing professionals with breakneck speed." Meduza, citing sources at the Kommersant publishing house, said the April article about Matvienko has displeased the owners so much that even the dismissal of the newspaper's chief had been discussed. Meduza itself was set up by the former chief editor of Russian news website Lenta.ru, Galina Timchenko, who was sacked by Kremlin-friendly tycoon, Alexander Mamut, in 2014. Her departure triggered an exodus of dozens of journalists from Lenta.ru. "The publication's shareholders decided wisely -- 'Why would you need the political desk in Kommersant newspaper if there's no politics in the country,'" quipped StalinGulag, a prominent anti-Kremlin blogger. Princess Dianas wedding dress designer reveals the Queen asked him to hurry along the official photographs at the royal wedding because she was hungry. David Emanuel, who created Dianas ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown with a 25-foot train, recalled the amusing moment on Yahoo UKs The Royal Box. Patrick Lichfield took the pictures at Buckingham Palace after the ceremony at St Pauls Cathedral and he was taking different shots of Prince Charles and Diana, with the train in and out. Mr Emanuel remembers the Queen asked him whether hed had a glass of champagne while they were waiting. The Queen with Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day in 1981 [Photo: Getty] He says: The whole Royal Family were there having a sip of champagne and I said no and in a second, I was given a glass of champagne. That was a kind gesture. Then Her Majesty, then aged 55, came back to him and asked Are they nearly finished? READ MORE: Princess Diana's 'wild' sister could be godparent to baby Archie Mr Emanuel explained that Lichfield was still taking photos on the balcony, but asked the Queen if she wanted him to find out. Her response was: Well, yes, Im hungry. Charles and Diana in their official wedding photos [Photo: PA] He adds: The Queen wanted to have the bridal breakfast so I had to go to Patrick Lichfield and said How long are you going to be because Her Majesty needs to know? And we had a giggle about that. READ MORE: Dianas dress designer begs Meghan Markle to wear more British clothing The wedding took place on Wednesday 29 July 1981 and was watched by a global TV audience of 750 million people. Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996 after fifteen years of marriage. The princess was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris in 1997. Could Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE:STNG) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. Yet sometimes, investors buy a stock for its dividend and lose money because the share price falls by more than they earned in dividend payments. With a 1.5% yield and a nine-year payment history, investors probably think Scorpio Tankers looks like a reliable dividend stock. While the yield may not look too great, the relatively long payment history is interesting. Remember though, due to the recent spike in its share price, Scorpio Tankers's yield will look lower, even though the market may now be factoring in an improvement in its long-term prospects. Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis NYSE:STNG Historical Dividend Yield, May 20th 2019 Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! 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. Although it reported a loss over the past 12 months, Scorpio Tankers currently pays a dividend. When a company recently reported a loss, we should investigate if its cash flows covered the dividend. With a loss in the last year, it becomes even more important to evaluate if the company is generating enough cash flow to pay its dividend and meet its obligations. Scorpio Tankers's cash payout ratio last year was 16%. Cash flows are typically lumpy, but this looks like an appropriately conservative payout. Is Scorpio Tankers's Balance Sheet Risky? Given Scorpio Tankers is paying a dividend but reported a loss over the past year, we need to check its balance sheet for signs of financial distress. 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 measures a company's total debt load relative to its earnings (lower = less debt), while net interest cover measures the company's ability to pay the interest on its debt (higher = greater ability to pay interest costs). With a net debt to EBITDA ratio of more than 10x, Scorpio Tankers is very highly levered. While this debt might be serviceable, we would still say it carries substantial risk for the investor who hopes to live on the dividend. Story continues We calculated its interest cover by measuring its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), and dividing this by the company's net interest expense. Scorpio Tankers has interest cover of less than 1 - which suggests its earnings are not high enough to cover even the interest payments on its debt. This is potentially quite serious, and we would likely avoid the stock if it were not resolved quickly. 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. Consider getting our latest analysis on Scorpio Tankers's financial position here. Dividend Volatility Before buying a stock for its income, we want to see if the dividends have been stable in the past, and if the company has a track record of maintaining its dividend. Looking at the last decade of data, we can see that Scorpio Tankers paid its first dividend at least nine years ago. Although it has been paying a dividend for several years now, the dividend has been cut at least once by more than 20%, and we're cautious about the consistency of its dividend across a full economic cycle. During the past nine-year period, the first annual payment was US$33.60 in 2010, compared to US$0.40 last year. This works out to a decline of approximately 99% 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. Over the past five years, it looks as though Scorpio Tankers's EPS have declined at around 51% a year. If earnings continue to decline, the dividend may come under pressure. Every investor should make an assessment of whether the company is taking steps to stabilise the situation. We'd also point out that Scorpio Tankers 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 To summarise, shareholders should always check that Scorpio Tankers's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. We're not keen on the fact that Scorpio Tankers paid out such a high percentage of its income, although its cashflow is in better shape. Second, earnings per share have been in decline, and its dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Overall, Scorpio Tankers falls short in several key areas here. Unless the investor has strong grounds for an alternative conclusion, we find it hard to get interested in a dividend stock with these characteristics. Given that earnings are not growing, the dividend does not look nearly so attractive. Very few businesses see earnings consistently shrink year after year in perpetuity though, and so it might be worth seeing what the 12 analysts we track are forecasting for the future. 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. Washington Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster was carted off the field Monday with an apparently leg injury. Foster was emotionally distraught as he was assisted to the cart and into the locker room with an air cast on his left knee. Not long after the first on-field workout of the Redskins' offseason program began Monday, Foster crumpled to the ground on the third play and immediately was tended to by defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and team president Bruce Allen. Allen was observing the workout from nearby. The Redskins claimed Foster off of waivers when the San Francisco 49ers parted with the troubled linebacker last season. The 49ers let Foster go in the wake of a domestic violence accusation stemming from an alleged incident during a team road trip to Tampa, Fla. Foster, 25, was a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2017. He has played in 16 of a possible 32 games in his career. --Field Level Media The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Canada of MK 54 lightweight torpedoes with support for an estimated cost of $387 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on May 16, 2019. The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Canada of MK 54 lightweight torpedoes with support for an estimated cost of $387 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on May 16, 2019. MK54 lightweight torpedo (Picture Source: Raytheon) The Government of Canada has requested to buy four hundred twenty-five (425) MK 54 lightweight torpedo conversion kits. Also included are torpedo containers, Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers, Fleet Exercise Section (FES) and fuel tanks, air launch accessories for fixed wing, torpedo spare parts, training, publications, support and test equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $387 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the military capability of Canada, a NATO ally that is an important force for ensuring political stability and economic progress and a contributor to military, peacekeeping and humanitarian operations around the world. Canada intends to upgrade its current inventory of MK 46 torpedoes to the MK 54 with the purchase of these kits. The MK 54 torpedo is designed to be easily upgraded from the existing MK 46 torpedo. Canada plans to utilize MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes on its Royal Canadian Navy's Halifax class ships, the Royal Canadian Air Force's CP-140 Aurora Aircraft, and the CH-148 Maritime Helicopters. Canada will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor for the MK 54 Torpedo is Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The Government of Canada is expected to negotiate an offset agreement with Raytheon, in accordance with Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, before signing the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA). Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Canada. However, it is anticipated that engineering and technical support services provided by the U.S. Government may be required on an interim basis for training and technical assistance. By Anne Harding (Reuters Health) - Homemade sunscreens on Pinterest may look pretty and smell even prettier, but most of them won't shield you from sunburn or skin cancer, new research shows. "Ninety-five percent of the pins really positively portrayed the effectiveness of homemade sunscreens, yet about 65% were recommending recipes that offered insufficient ultraviolet radiation protection," Dr. Julie Merten of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, the lead author of the new study, told Reuters Health by phone. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure from the sun and from indoor tanning is by far the leading cause of skin cancer, which will affect 20% of Americans at some point in their lives, Dr. Merten and her team note in a report released by the journal Health Communication. Sunscreen helps prevent sunburn, and regular use reduces skin cancer risk. The US Food and Drug Administration has tested and approved 17 active sunscreen ingredients, but concerns ranging from coral reef damage to hormone disruption have led many people to search for alternatives. Dr. Merten and her colleagues analyzed a sample of 189 pins mentioning homemade or natural sunscreen. Coconut oil was the most common ingredient. Many recipes also featured lavender oil, raspberry oil, shea butter or beeswax. Sixty-three of the pins claimed a specific sun protection factor (SPF) number, ranging from 2 to 50. "This is concerning because the ingredients recommended in homemade sunscreen pins offer minimal scientifically proven broad-spectrum protection from UV radiation yet are widely shared and promoted as safe alternatives to commercial sunscreens on Pinterest," Dr. Merten said. "Homemade sunscreen products are risky because they are not regulated or tested for efficacy like commercial sunscreens. When you make it yourself, you don't know if it's safe or effective," she added. "With rising skin cancer rates, the use of effective broadband sunscreen is critical to protect the skin from UV radiation and reduce incidence of skin cancer." Story continues "As public health professionals, (we advise people to use) a commercial sunscreen, and if you're concerned about the chemical piece go for a mineral sunscreen such as zinc oxide," she said. Dr. David Leffell, a professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, reviewed the study for Reuters Health. "I would not encourage anyone to make their own sunscreen," he said by phone. "Sunscreen formulation is actually quite complex. Despite concerns about various ingredients that come up, they are proven to be effective." "I think it's part of an overall trend in health care of self-diagnosis and self-treatment," Dr. Leffell added. "It's not going to change, but I would think that after someone has a bad sunburn after using their homemade beeswax formulation they will get smarter." The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 that is broad spectrum, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2Hrrf3j Health Communication, released May 20, 2019. 84 Gardner St. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Boston? 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 Boston if you're on a budget of $2,300/month. Read on for the listings. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 84 Gardner St. (Allston) Here's a studio apartment situated at 84 Gardner St. It's listed for $2,300/month. It's available Sept. 1. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate on-site laundry. In the apartment, there are hardwood floors and high ceilings. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. According to Walk Score, this location has excellent walkability, is very bikeable and boasts excellent transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 5 Braemore Road, #1 (Brighton) Next, check out this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's located at 5 Braemore Road, #1. It's also listed for $2,300/month. It's available Sept. 1. In the unit, you'll get hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The building features on-site laundry. Animals are not welcome. Be prepared for a broker's fee equal to one month's rent. Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area is very walkable, is quite bikeable and has excellent transit. (Check out the complete listing here.) Ashford and Pratt streets (Allston) Here's a stud condo at Ashford and Pratt streets that's going for $2,300/month. It's available June 1. The building features assigned parking for an extra fee and on-site laundry. Animals are not allowed. Look out for a broker's fee equal to one month's rent. According to Walk Score, this location is extremely walkable, is convenient for biking and boasts excellent transit options. Story continues (Check out the complete listing here.) 483 Beacon St., #12A (Back Bay) Next, check out this zero-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's located at 483 Beacon St., #12A. It's listed for $2,300/month. In the furnished unit, you'll get hardwood floors, high ceilings and ample closet space. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate on-site laundry and storage space. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. This rental does not require a leasing fee. According to Walk Score's assessment, the surrounding area is a "walker's paradise," is convenient for biking and has excellent transit. (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. 1298 Southwest 12th Court. | Padmapper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Miami? 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 an apartment in Miami if you've got a budget of $1,500/month. Read on for the listings. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 1298 S.W. 12th Court (Shenandoah) Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1298 S.W. 12th Court that's going for $1,500/month. In the unit, you'll get in-unit laundry, stainless steel appliances and a walk-in closet. Animal lovers are in luck: this building allows pets. A deposit of $500 is required with this rental. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is friendly for those on foot, is fairly bikeable and has some transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 521 N.E. 62nd St., #1 Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment over at 521 N.E. 62nd St., #1. It's listed for $1,500/month. The unit features air conditioning, a walk-in closet and a patio. Building amenities include on-site laundry, secured entry and outdoor space. Pet owners, rejoice: cats and dogs are welcome. Look out for a security deposit equal to one month's rent. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is very walkable, is convenient for biking and has good transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 2920 S.W. 28th Terrace, #506 Next, check out this one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo that's located at 2920 S.W. 28th Terrace, #506. It's listed for $1,500/month. In the unit, expect air conditioning, stainless steel appliances and tile floors. Garage parking is listed as a building amenity. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. Story continues Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is friendly for those on foot, is great for biking and offers many nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here.) 401 S.W. 17th Ave. (Little Havana) Located at 401 S.W. 17th Ave., here's a 643-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's listed for $1,500/month. In the unit, you'll get hardwood floors. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate assigned parking and on-site laundry. Both cats and dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee, but there is a $500 deposit. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is extremely walkable, is relatively bikeable and has good transit options. (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. 2227 N. Ninth St. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Phoenix? 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 an apartment in Phoenix if you've got $1,200/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. 4419 N. 27th St., #2 (Camelback East) Listed at $1,200/month, this 750-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 4419 N. 27th St., #2. In the unit, you'll get a fireplace, a patio, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include a swimming pool, outdoor space, extra storage, assigned parking and secured entry. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. According to Walk Score, this location is somewhat walkable, is bikeable and has some transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 2227 N. Ninth St. (Encanto) Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment situated at 2227 N. Ninth St. It's also listed for $1,200/month for its 650 square feet of space. In the unit, the listing promises a balcony, air conditioning and in-unit laundry. The building boasts outdoor space. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area is quite walkable, is relatively bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here.) 15325 S. Mountain Parkway (Ahwatukee Foothills) Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom situated at 15325 S. Mountain Parkway. It's listed for $1,199/month. In the unit, anticipate a mix of carpeted and hardwood floors, high ceilings, a fireplace, a balcony, a walk-in closet, a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. As for building amenities, look for a swimming pool, a fitness center, outdoor space and garage parking. If you have a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. Story continues Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is somewhat walkable, is quite bikeable and offers limited transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 15054 N. Scottsdale Road (Paradise Valley) Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 15054 N. Scottsdale Road that's also going for $1,199/month. In the unit, you can expect hardwood floors, a balcony, stainless steel appliances and in-unit laundry. The building features a swimming pool and assigned parking. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. Walk Score indicates that this location is somewhat walkable, is fairly bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the full listing here.) 911 E. Camelback Road, #1028 (Camelback East) Finally, located at 911 E. Camelback Road, #1028, here's a 781-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom that's listed for $1,195/month. The unit features a walk-in closet and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include a swimming pool, a fitness center, a residents' lounge, outdoor space and garage parking. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is moderately walkable, is bikeable and has good transit options. (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. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., bolstered his call for Donald Trumps impeachment Monday with a new Twitter thread rebutting arguments made by the presidents supporters. A libertarian who was elected to Congress in the tea party wave of 2010, Amash ticked off four main criticisms of his view that special counsel Robert Muellers report showed Trump engaged in impeachable conduct, followed by his own response. People who say there were no underlying crimes and therefore the president could not have intended to illegally obstruct the investigationand therefore cannot be impeachedare resting their argument on several falsehoods: Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 1. They say there were no underlying crimes. In fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not but are nonetheless described in Muellers report. To date, Muellers investigation has yielded 199 criminal counts and 37 people and entities charged. Seven people have pleaded guilty; five people have been sentenced to prison. 2. They say obstruction of justice requires an underlying crime. In fact, obstruction of justice does not require the prosecution of an underlying crime, and there is a logical reason for that. Prosecutors might not charge a crime precisely *because* obstruction of justice denied them timely access to evidence that could lead to a prosecution. If an underlying crime were required, then prosecutors could charge obstruction of justice only if it were unsuccessful in completely obstructing the investigation. This would make no sense. On Sunday, Trump made the assertion himself that it is impossible to obstruct justice without the existence of an underlying crime. ....he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION...Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 In part, this is why Attorney General William Barrs verdict on the obstruction question has been front and center for those claiming that Muellers report exonerated the president. Story continues A letter written in early May and signed by more than 400 former federal prosecutors and Justice Department employees, however, concluded that if Trump were not president, he would have been charged with obstruction of justice based on Muellers findings. Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Muellers report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice, the statement read. 3. They imply the president should be permitted to use any means to end what he claims to be a frivolous investigation, no matter how unreasonable his claim. In fact, the president could not have known whether every single person Mueller investigated did or did not commit any crimes. Before Mueller presented his findings to Barr, debate raged over whether Trump had the legal authority to fire him and shutter the investigation into his 2016 campaigns ties to Russia. If Trump had immediately acted to kill the investigation, his former campaign aides, national security adviser, campaign chairman and personal lawyer may never have been held accountable for their crimes. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) 4. They imply high Crimes and Misdemeanors requires charges of a statutory crime or misdemeanor. In fact, high Crimes and Misdemeanors is not defined in the Constitution and does not require corresponding statutory charges. The context implies conduct that violates the public trust and that view is echoed by the Framers of the Constitution and early American scholars. Section 4 of Article II of the U.S. Constitution states: The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. The presidents Republican supporters assert that a crime must be charged to clear the legal hurdle of high crimes and misdemeanors, but the Constitution does not specifically settle that question. Trump defenders like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have discounted Amashs call for impeachment by questioning his party loyalty. He votes more with Nancy Pelosi than he ever votes with me, McCarthy said Sunday on Fox News. It's a question whether hes even in our Republican conference as a whole." A corporate lawyer before being elected to Congress, Amash has earned an 88 percent score from the American Conservative Union and a 100 percent rating from the conservative group FreedomWorks. He has voted with Trump 92 percent of the time. But becoming the first Republican to call for Trumps impeachment has its consequences, and Amash learned Monday that he would face a primary challenge in 2020 from state Rep. Jim Lower. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: BRASILIA, May 20 (Reuters) - Amazon, the world's biggest online retailer, is close to winning a seven-year battle with eight Latin American countries over the .amazon internet domain. Amazon Inc has been seeking rights to the domain name since 2012. But Amazon basin countries Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname have argued that it refers to their geographic region and should not be the monopoly of one company. The global Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees internet addresses, said on Monday it had decided to proceed with the designation requested by Amazon Inc pending a 30-day period of public comment after the eight nations bordering the world's largest rainforest and the company failed to reach an agreement. Brazil lamented the ICANN decision and said it should have opted for shared governance of the domain, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. ICANN had extended until last month a deadline for the parties to reach a deal. ICANN placed the company's .amazon request on a "Will not proceed" footing in 2013, but an independent review process sought by the company faulted that decision and ICANN then told the Amazon basin nations they had to reach an agreement with the company. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Kamala Harris proposes equal pay measure to close gender gap U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, one of two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, on Monday proposed closing the gender pay gap by requiring companies to disclose pay data and secure an "equal pay certification" or be fined. Harris' proposal aims to shift the burden from workers, who now must prove pay discrimination by employers, to corporations, which would have to show they eliminated pay disparities between men and women doing work of equal value. Billionaire pledges to pay off Morehouse students debt Billionaire investor Robert Smith surprised graduating students at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, by using his speech at Sunday's commencement ceremony to pledge to pay off the student loan debt of the entire class of 2019. Video footage of Smith's remarks show mouths falling agape before students rise to their feet to cheer and applaud as the pledge is made. Suspect arrested in Detroit murder that sparked serial killer fears A 50-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in the murder of a Detroit woman whose body was found in a trash dumpster, a crime that touched off what police called a "horrible rumor" that a serial killer was lurking in the Motor City. Detroit Police Chief James Craig told reporters at an impromptu afternoon news conference that minutes earlier detectives had taken the suspect, James Quill Cockerham, into custody in the death of 26-year-old Elizabeth Candice Nichole Laird. Indiana abortion cases ripe for U.S. Supreme Court action The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday could act on appeals seeking to revive two Republican-enacted abortion restrictions from Indiana, even as debate rages over a new measure in Alabama that would ban the procedure almost entirely. If the nine-justice court takes up either case, it would give the conservative majority an opportunity to chip away at the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that found women have a constitutional right to terminate pregnancies. Story continues Trump may pardon military men accused or convicted of war crimes: New York Times U.S. President Donald Trump has asked for files to be prepared on pardoning several U.S. military members accused of or convicted of war crimes, including one slated to stand trial on charges of shooting unarmed civilians while in Iraq, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Trump requested the immediate preparation of paperwork needed, indicating he is considering pardons for the men around Memorial Day on May 27, the report said, citing two unnamed U.S. officials. Assembling pardon files normally takes months, but the Justice Department has pressed for the work to be completed before that holiday weekend, one of the officials said. Bernie Sanders proposes U.S. education policy overhaul to appeal to black voters Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Saturday announced an education policy proposal designed to pump billions of dollars into the public schools system in a direct appeal to black voters who shunned the U.S. senator in his previous presidential bid. The 10-point plan Sanders will detail in a speech in South Carolina is designed to end racial disparities in the public education system. America's education policy debate has long been steeped in discussions of race and racial discrimination. Detroit police deny 'serial killer' rumors sparked by woman's murder Detroit police on Friday assured residents of the Motor City that despite rumors on social media they were not aware of a serial killer roaming the downtown streets that they had kept secret from the public. The whispers apparently stem from the murder of 26-year-old Elizabeth Candice Nichole Laird, whose body was found in a dumpster outside an apartment building on the city's east side on Wednesday. One Alabama officer dead, another critical, manhunt underway for shooter A manhunt was underway early Monday after an Alabama police officer was shot and killed, another critically wounded and a third injured at a trailer home park, officials said. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said the three officers were shot around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday while on a "routine domestic call" at the trailer park in south Auburn. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Argentine political twist could provide balm for troubled markets Argentine markets, rattled during recent months by rising political uncertainty, could get a reprieve after the populist ex-leader seen as challenger No. 1 in this year's presidential elections said she would instead run on someone else's ticket. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner a former president who has an ardent support base but is unloved by global investors surprised locals and international observers alike on Saturday by saying she would run as vice president alongside former cabinet chief, Alberto Fernandez, a veteran political operator who has both backed and criticized her in the past. Huawei CFO house arrest contrasts with Canadians detained in China Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou described her house arrest in Vancouver as "restricted to a limited space" even as she spent her past six months in a six-bedroom, multi-million dollar Canadian home. Meng, 47, has access to top lawyers, moves around relatively freely in Vancouver, albeit with restrictions, and her comments drew immediate comparison between her life in house arrest versus the two Canadians detained in solitary confinement in China for a similar length of time. U.S. warship sails in disputed South China Sea amid trade tensions The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. Britain prepares for new spying law after Salisbury poisoning Britain is preparing to bring in a new spying law and is considering updating treason legislation to counter the threat from hostile states in the wake of the nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury last year, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday. Javid said the moves were necessary to cover "real gaps" in existing laws, saying it was important that Britain had the powers to address threats for when it leaves the European Union. Story continues Algeria's army chief says elections are best way out of crisis Elections are the best way to overcome Algeria's political crisis and avoid a constitutional vacuum, the country's army chief said on state television. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah on Monday also urged speeding up the formation of a committee to supervise the election, without mentioning a date for the vote. As U.S.-Iran tension simmers, rocket fired near Iraq's U.S. Embassy A rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, on Sunday night, falling near the U.S. Embassy but causing no casualties, the Iraqi military said. The attack came two weeks after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraqi leaders during a surprise visit to Baghdad that if they failed to keep in check Iran-backed militias, which are expanding their power in Iraq and now form part of its security apparatus, the United States would respond with force. Is Britain's Hunt going for PM May's job?: "We have to see what happens" British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt declined to say on Monday whether he would run for Prime Minister Theresa May's job, adding that the focus had to be on delivering Brexit. When asked by reporters in Geneva if he would confirm he was going to run to succeed May, he said: "We have to see what happens and they'll be a time to discuss all those decisions that people make but right now the focus that people want from me and from everyone else in the Conservative Party is to get on and deliver Brexit." UK ministers to consider merits of indicative Brexit votes Senior ministers will consider the merits of whether lawmakers should hold indicative votes on Brexit options when Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet meets on Tuesday, her spokesman said. May is due to bring a European Union Withdrawal Agreement Bill before parliament in the week beginning June 3, but the spokesman said on Monday he was unable to say when details of this would be published. Britain tells Iran: Do not provoke the United States or Trump will retaliate Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the administration of President Donald Trump would retaliate. "I would say to the Iranians: Do not underestimate the resolve on the U.S. side," Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Swedish prosecutor requests Assange's detention over rape allegation The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. On May 19, the navies of India and Singapore began their SIMBEX joint naval exercises in the South China Sea. This bilateral naval drill will be conducted until May 22. On May 19, the navies of India and Singapore began their SIMBEX joint naval exercises in the South China Sea. This bilateral naval drill will be conducted until May 22. The INS Kolkata guided-missile destroyer (D63) of the Indian Navy docked at this Changi Naval Base during IMDEX 2019, Singapore (Picture Source: Navy Recognition) On the Indian side, two vessels that have been on a two-month-long deployment to East Asia (notably taking part in the IMDEX 2019 exhibition in the Changi Naval Base in Singapore) are participating. INS Kolkata, the lead ship of the Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, and INS Shakti, a Deepak-class fleet tanker, participated in the exercise. On successful completion of IMDEX 19, IN ships Kolkata and Shakti are continuing their stay at Singapore to participate in the annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise SIMBEX-2019, the Indian Navy noted in a statement. Singapore, meanwhile, was represented by RSN Steadfast, a Formidable-class frigate, and RSN Valiant, a Victory-class corvette. Fokker-50 maritime patrol aircraft and Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 fighters also participated. This years exercise will include a live-fire sea phase exercise, which will encompass a range of maritime combat drills, including firing on aerial/surface targets, advanced aerial tracking, coordinated targeting exercises and tactical exercises on surface/air scenarios, according to a statement released by the Indian Navy. Last year, this exercise took place in the Indian Ocean, off India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Last years exercises also included a live-fire component and additionally featured anti-submarine warfare drills. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Trump, Saudi Arabia warn Iran against Middle East conflict U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with "all strength" and said it was up to Iran to avoid war. The heightened rhetoric follows last week's attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. Sudanese military and opposition resume talks after street violence Sudan's ruling military council said it had restarted talks late on Sunday with an alliance of protest and opposition groups that is pushing for a civilian-led transition to democracy. The Transitional Military Council (TMC) had suspended the talks late on Wednesday after two outbreaks of violence around protest sites in the capital Khartoum. Australia's conservative coalition poised to secure outright parliamentary majority-analyst Australia's conservative coalition was on Monday poised to secure an outright majority following a shock election victory, allowing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to progress his legislative agenda without the support of independents. Morrison's coalition defied forecasts to be re-elected on Saturday in what he called a political miracle. Rocket fired into Iraqi capital's 'Green Zone', no casualties A rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, on Sunday but caused no casualties, the Iraqi military said. "A Katyusha rocket fell in the middle of the Green Zone without causing any losses," the military said in a statement, adding it landed near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. Snarling orange 'Trump baby' blimp to mock U.S. president in Britain, protesters say Story continues A blimp depicting Donald Trump as a snarling, nappy-wearing orange baby will fly outside Britain's parliament when the U.S. president makes a state visit next month if protesters can raise 30,000 pounds ($38,000) for advocacy groups. At the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are due in Britain on June 3-5 for a state visit - a pomp-laden affair involving a carriage trip through London and a banquet at Buckingham Palace. Venezuelan soldiers oversee fuel rationing in some towns amid shortages Soldiers oversaw rationing of gasoline at service stations in several parts of Venezuela on Sunday as worsening fuel shortages forced angry drivers to wait for hours to fill their tanks, prompting protests in some areas. Venezuela, whose economy is reeling from a five-year recession amid a prolonged political crisis, saw long lines of vehicles appear at services stations in several regions this week after a shutdown at the OPEC nation's second-largest refinery. Rebels say Syrian army fails to retake Latakia mountain Syrian rebels held onto a commanding position in a mountain range in the coastal province of Latakia, the ancestral home of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after government forces were forced to withdraw. They said the army's attempt was the latest of several costly campaigns to try to seize the Kubayna mountain, after it mounted an offensive last month with Russian air power to retake main highways and trade arteries around Idlib and northern Hama now in rebel hands that have fragmented the country's war-torn economy. May's new Brexit offer retains North Irish backstop, nothing new on customs: paper British Prime Minister Theresa May's new Brexit offer to UK lawmakers retains the Northern Irish backstop and does not add anything new on customs arrangements, The Telegraph newspaper reported late on Sunday. In a column in the Sunday Times newspaper, May said she will present a "new, bold offer" to lawmakers with "an improved package of measures" in a final attempt to get the Brexit divorce deal through parliament before she leaves office. U.S. to encourage investment in Palestinians as first part of peace plan The White House will unveil the first part of President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan when it holds an international conference in Bahrain in late June to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, senior U.S. officials said on Sunday. The "economic workshop" will bring together government officials and business leaders in an effort to jump-start the economic portion of the peace initiative, which is also expected to include proposals for resolving thorny political issues at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the officials said. U.S. ambassador to China to make first visit to Tibet since 2013: report U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was due to begin visiting Tibet on Sunday for official meetings and visits to religious and cultural sites, according to a news report on Sunday. Branstad was scheduled to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, a historic region of Tibet known to Tibetans as Amdo, from Sunday to Saturday, Radio Free Asia said in a report. Tens of thousands of people in Indian Kashmir have been subjected to torture in the past three decades, according to a report released Monday by two prominent human rights groups which called for a UN investigation. The report said at least 40 people in 432 case studies researched died "as a result of injuries received during torture." The Indian government declined to make an immediate comment on the claims by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. Officials said authorities would study the allegations first. Kashmir is marking the 30th anniversary of an uprising which has left tens of thousands dead, mainly civilians. The Muslim majority Himalayan region has been divided between Pakistani and Indian sectors since their independence in 1947 and both claim it in full. Kashmir civilians have been systematically tortured by the Indian state to curb dissent, said the report titled: "Torture: Indian State's Instrument of Control in Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir." While past scandals involving US prisons at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib in Iraq had received international attention, "torture remains hidden in Jammu and Kashmir, where tens of thousands of civilians have been subjected to it," said a statement issued by the groups. The report said the 432 individuals investigated had been subjected to water-boarding, beatings with iron rods and leather belts and electric shocks to the genitals. It said the latest death was in March when a school principal, Rizwan Pandith, died while being held by a police special counter-insurgency group. Police alleged the 29-year-old died while "he was trying to escape from police custody," the report said. The rights groups called for an international investigation led by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. They urged India to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture. Indian governments have for decades denied access to Kashmir for UN investigators. Story continues Juan Mendez, a UN special rapporteur on torture from 2010 to 2016, said he made repeated requests for the Indian UN mission in Geneva to issue an invitation but got no response. The report said torture has been used since Kashmir's division in 1947. The practice "attained an unprecedented magnitude post 1990" after the current insurgency erupted. A top security official in Kashmir told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the government would respond only after examining the document. In 2010, the whistleblower website Wikileaks told how the United States had evidence of torture of civilians in Indian Kashmir following briefings by the International Committee of the Red Cross. In 2018, India rejected the first ever UN report on human rights abuses blamed on government forces in Kashmir, calling it "fallacious, tendentious and motivated". (Repeats story published on Friday) * Elevators IPO plan breaks with long company tradition * Ignites battle over Thyssenkrupp's future direction * Activist investors pushing to simplify conglomerate * Clash of cultures could test German model of capitalism By Christoph Steitz, Tom Kackenhoff, Edward Taylor and Arno Schuetze FRANKFURT, May 17 (Reuters) - When Thyssenkrupp CEO Guido Kerkhoff announced plans to list its prized elevators unit last week, he set off a battle for the conglomerate's future that could test Germany's brand of "social market" capitalism. Kerkhoff had little choice but to think the unthinkable when the company's share price sank to a 15-year low on May 8. The plan to take elevators public not only broke with long tradition but marked the abandonment of a turnaround plan he himself had unveiled less than eight months before. Now Thyssenkrupp's future is in play, with activist investors on the one side baying for a restructuring of the group to drive up value, and its top shareholder - the charitable Krupp foundation - and workers on the other side with a mandate to protect the unity of the company and jobs. It's also a clash of cultures and of differing visions of capitalism: Anglo-Saxon profit maximization pitted against Germany's long-term focused social market economy model. Kerkhoff's strategy will not only decide the fate of his career, but also the shape of Thyssenkrupp - a poster child of Germany's so-called Rhineland capitalism, which buttressed the country's economic success by emphasizing social policies to protect workers rights as much as the rules of free enterprise. Thyssenkrupp's conglomerate structure has fallen out of favor in the market, reflected in the deterioration of its share price. Many investors say Kerkhoff and the non-profit foundation must move to reshape the group's portfolio, including through spin-offs and divestments. Story continues Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at top-20 shareholder Deka Investment, said this kind of active portfolio management was the likeliest and best solution for the group. "Parts will be separated out and the resulting proceeds used to make acquisitions." Bankers and investors are now eyeing the prospect of finding new owners for the group's sprawling businesses, ranging from steel and elevators to car parts and submarines. Components Technology, which makes automotive parts, and Industrial Solutions, which makes chemical and cement plants, may be merged with sector peers in the medium to long-term, according to three financial sources familiar with the matter. Elevators may end up in the hands of Kone or Schindler, should they intercept Thyssenkrupp's IPO plans, while plant engineering could be combined with Linde's engineering unit, one of the sources said. Other investment bank pitches to potential buyers will focus on finding a partner for some of Thyssenkrupp's automotive businesses, where Bosch, ZF Friedrichshafen, Nexteer or Mando are seen as potential players, according to the sources. The company's Rothe Erde machine parts unit may attract interest from Sweden's SKF, Schaeffler and Japan's NSK, they said. "This is the breakup of Thyssenkrupp," said a senior banker who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. All the companies either declined to comment on potential deals or were not immediately available to comment. Kerkhoff has acknowledged that new ownership structures for its businesses is needed to turn the company around. But Thyssenkrupp declined to comment on any future asset sales. 'NO QUICK, EASY WINS' Such a process will however be lengthy and difficult, according to three separate financial and labor sources, for two reasons: apart from elevators, all other units of Thyssenkrupp are less profitable than their peer average, are going through a restructuring or are in need of one. This is reducing their value and makes it less probable that an M&A frenzy will ensue. "I don't see quick, easy wins unless assets are sold under value," said another senior banker. "A fire sale is not the way forward." Secondly, powerful labor representatives at Thyssenkrupp, who control half of the seats on group's 20-member supervisory board, are willing to oppose M&A that will result in further job cuts among its 161,000-strong workforce. The 10 workers' representatives can team up with the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen and Halbach Foundation, which holds a 21 percent stake, to veto major changes. The foundation's mandate is to preserve the unity of the company while at the same time relying on healthy dividends to fund its non-profit activities for promoting the "common good." It therefore needs to tread carefully, preserving the company's future without obstructing needed reforms. The elevator IPO, part of a plan that also includes 6,000 job reductions, has found support because it brings in cash that is badly needed to fix Thyssenkrupp's balance sheet and strengthen the businesses as a whole. "It will be a difficult path for the company and its employees. But we won't abandon workers," said Markus Grolms, vice chairman of Thyssenkrupp's supervisory board and secretary at IG Metall, Germany's biggest labor union. POWER OF ACTIVIST INVESTORS The conflict at Thyssenkrupp also illustrates the growing influence of activist shareholders on European household names, with demands to tackle underperformance and simplify structures. Swedish investor Cevian, a shareholder since 2013 that has long pressed for change, holds an 18 percent stake, while more recent investor Elliott holds under 3 percent. Both have criticized Thyssenkrupp's underperformance. Activists argue specialized businesses are often more highly valued than conglomerates because in times of growth, high-potential assets do not have to share the balance sheet with cash-consuming, lower-return businesses. Conglomerates tend to be valued at a trading multiple of some of their lowest performing business resulting in the so-called conglomerate discount and higher refinancing costs. In recent years, groups that have reshaped their portfolios through spin-offs and sales have outperformed peers in terms of share price development, Goldman Sachs said in a study last year, a trend which helped asset disposals in Europe reach their highest level since 2007. "It's not necessarily that boards and companies were doing things wrong before," said Rich Thomas, managing director and head of European shareholder advisory at investment bank Lazard . "But things are different now and now boards and companies need to do things differently because the world has moved a bit underneath them," he added, referring to the rise of investor activism. "And now, I think, in many ways European and German boards are playing a little bit of catch-up." German labor leaders and credit agencies, for their part, argue a diversified model with exposure to several businesses with different growth, margin and cash flow generation rates is an advantage when one sector enters a downturn. POST-WAR REFORMS Germany has been slow to embrace portfolio management because of reforms introduced after World War II to safeguard worker rights. In 1947, the United States forced the breakup of German industrial monopolies so that they could not be used as instruments of power by political forces, as had happened with the steel industry under the Nazis. Krupp, which later merged with Thyssen in 1999, was among the first companies to be dismantled. Among others, IG Farben was split into businesses including BASF, Hoechst and Bayer. At the time, price controls were also lifted, sparking concerns among German workers about their welfare so Germany's leaders allowed industry associations including the German Trade Union Confederation and Federation of German Industries to help formulate new labor laws and working conditions. In 1949, collective wage-bargaining negotiations set a minimum wage for entire sectors to ensure competition would not mean a race to the bottom for wages. The law is still in place. Three years later, trade unions were also given the right to appoint a third of company directors so they could have a say in determining the conditions of hiring and laying off workers when restructuring was needed. It is this law which has given Thyssenkrupp's workers a near veto power to stop radical job cuts and even to block the appointment of shareholder-friendly candidates to the board. Decisions at Thyssenkrupp have rarely, if ever, been taken without the consent of workers. For CEO Kerkhoff, a deal for the elevator unit may mark one of the last chances to raise cash to pay for necessary reforms following three profit warnings, a botched plan to spin off its capital goods business and the collapse of a steel joint venture with Tata Steel. But analysts at Jefferies are still skeptical about management's ability to get the listing off the ground. "The timeline and execution of such a deal remain concerns of investors," they said, adding management must come up with a credible restructuring plan that is supported by unions and convince markets the IPO will repair the group's balance sheet. (Writing by Christoph Steitz and Edward Taylor; Editing by Pravin Char) Beyond its international roster of artists and galleries, the Venice Biennale is a major point of pride for local talents who have maintained the floating citys artistic heritage for centuries. World-renowned Italian companies like Fortuny and Rubelli are reminders of Venices roots as a center of trade, luxurious textile production, and commercial innovation. While Fortuny revisits its familys story in an exhibition coinciding with the 2019 Biennale, Rubelli merges past and present by collaborating with two contemporary artists: Marcela Cernadas and Brigitte Niedermair. For her exhibition, Brigitte Niedermair. Me and Fashion, curated by Charlotte Cotton at the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo, Niedermair took inspiration from the building itself. To create a dialogue within the palazzos opulent interiors, Niedermair replaced certain works from Mocenigos collection with more than 30 of her cutting-edge photographs, including those from her legendary Dior campaigns. The history of the palazzoand history at largewere written mostly by men, so it was important for me to rewrite the spaces past, explains Niedermair, who is based in Merano, a small town in northern Italy. In the exhibition, only 17th- and 18th-century women directly confront the viewer, whereas Niedermairs portraits obscure the face in favor of emphasizing the bodys sensual contours. Photo: Giacomo Santini Rubelli, who provided Palazzo Mocenigos textiles and upholstery for its 2013 renovation, created the exhibitions showstopping entrance piece: a six-by-eight-meter silk lampas tapestry featuring the artists photograph of a flame emerging from a womans lips, shot for Dior magazine. Mammoth, luminous, and seductive, it is the ultimate contrast from the aristocratic male portrait that would typically greet guests when entering a palazzo. The second exhibition, Marcela Cernadas: Loom, organized with Galleria Michela Rizzo, is located at Ca Pisani Rubelli, a 14-century gothic palazzo acquired by the Rubelli family in the mid-18th century, which now serves as the companys showroom. During the summer of 2018, Ca Pisani Rubelli began displaying its 7,000-piece historic textile archive in smaller rotating exhibitions, which can be visited by appointment. The current selections highlight the archives influence on contemporary fabrics for companies like Tiffany & Co. and Armani, as well as Rubellis rich history with the Venice Biennale. Rubelli has kept an eye on art since the beginning, Nicolo Favaretto Rubelli tells AD PRO. He and his brother Andrea are Rubellis co-CEOs. Our strong Venetian soul has always made us open to the contemporary art scene, he says. Story continues Photo: Courtesy of Rubelli Illustrating Rubellis synergy between textiles and art, Cernadass Loom approaches weaving as a metaphor for life. In Italian, telaio means both loom and frame, so through my title, I propose a double evocation of the main tool for weaving and of the surface that determines the boundaries of painting, the Argentinian artist explains. From a distance, Cernadass works appear like petite Agnes Martin paintings. Upon closer inspection, one realizes her canvas is actually Rubellis lavender-gray Velvetforty textile, and that strategic tears in the weave have created the illusion of impasto. Surrounding these three mounted works are spools of thread and small petals of the same material, which line the showrooms furniture and wooden beam ceiling. Photo: Francesco Allegretto Rubellis team is constantly looking to combine new technologies with historical knowledge to bring artists ideas to life, Favaretto Rubelli says of the companys collaborations, past and present. Art is education. Its an instrument that can reflect moral and social dynamics. Imbuing their beautiful creations with poignant commentary on current affairs and the human psyche, Cernadass and Niedermairs works do just that. Brigitte Niedermair. Me and Fashion will be on view through November 24, 2019, at the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo, San Croce, 1992. Marcela Cernadas: Loom will be on view through October 10, 2019, at Ca Pisani Rubelli, S. Marco, 3393. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest By Tom Polansek DUBUQUE, Iowa, May 20 (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg asked a crowd of hot and sticky supporters packed into an Iowa brewery this weekend whether the United States has a plan to win the ongoing trade war with China. "Nooo," was the response. The world's two largest economies have been embroiled in a 10-month trade war that has roiled global supply chains and rattled financial markets. U.S. farmers, who helped carry Trump to his surprise 2016 election win, have been among the hardest hit as China has imposed tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural products including soybeans, pork and grain sorghum in response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Now, increasing frustrations over the prolonged dispute are prompting some rural residents in Iowa, home of the first presidential nominating contest in February, to consider candidates other than President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Their desire for alternatives highlights the deep financial pain the trade war is causing in the agriculture sector, a backbone of Iowa's economy. Farm incomes have also suffered from years of overproduction and low commodity prices. Virgil Murray of Bellevue, Iowa, a city of about 2,000 people, voted for Trump and considers himself a Republican. But the 72-year-old retired school superintendent attended the rally for Buttigieg in Dubuque on Saturday with his wife, a Democrat. Murray said he is open to voting for a Democratic candidate. "A lot of the farmers voted for Trump. Now they're feeling it," said Murray, who lives near the Mississippi River, a key pipeline for moving grain from Midwest farms to export terminals along the Gulf Coast. Trump has pledged to help farmers with direct payments and says the China trade war will benefit them in the long run. Other Democratic candidates including Joe Biden, who leads primary polls, have also criticized Trump's trade policies. Story continues Farmers worry that a deal to end the trade war would take much longer than expected after Trump on May 9 increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. China quickly raised tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods in response. The Trump administration wants any trade deal with China to include purchases of more than $1.2 trillion worth of American products, including agricultural commodities. The countries appeared on track for an agreement before relations soured this month, pushing U.S. soybean futures to their lowest prices in more than a decade. "We were optimistic. That blew up," Ken Ries, a farmer who raises soybeans, corn and hogs, said in an interview at his home in Ryan, Iowa. SOY FARMERS SUCKING AIR Ries, 69, voted for Trump in 2016 and said he will not vote for a Democrat in 2020 but would consider a candidate other than Trump if there is a Republican primary. "The soybean farmer is sucking air," Ries said. Some farmers are wary of Democrats who have expressed opposition to "Big Ag" and support for the Green New Deal, a proposal that aims to cut carbon emissions in agriculture and other parts of the economy, said Kirk Leeds, chief executive of the Iowa Soybean Association. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, another Democratic presidential contender, has advocated breaking up large agribusinesses that dominate dealings in the meat and grain sectors. "I think you're going to see the support for the president stay pretty solid, based on no clear alternative," Leeds said. But some farmers who are unhappy with Trump and dislike Democrats could not vote at all during the next election, Leeds said. $20 BILLION IN AID The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing a second package of aid for farmers hurt by the trade war of up to $20 billion. The agency in 2018 pledged up to $12 billion, most of it in direct payments to farmers to help offset their crop losses. It has allocated about $9.4 billion of that so far. Charmayne McMurray, who raised crops and livestock for more than a quarter century in Andrew, Iowa, said the payouts will not stop farmers from considering Democratic candidates. "Farmers, they want to work. They don't want a handout" said McMurray, a 73-year-old undecided Democrat who now lives in Dubuque and was among about 550 people at Buttigieg's rally there. Dubuque County flipped from supporting Democrat Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016. Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said Trump launched the trade war without a strategy of how to win it. The dispute is just one problem that could prompt farmers to consider Democratic candidates in 2020, he said. Other threats include consolidation among commodity buyers and changes in climate that are making it more difficult to produce crops, Buttigieg told reporters. "I've certainly talked to a lot of farmers who are getting killed and in a lot of different ways," he said. "All of these things I think are a good moment for Democrats to remind rural America why we have a better message for them than the current president, who I think has been taking them for granted." (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Chris Reese) Kafranbel (Syria) (AFP) - Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia have killed 10 civilians including five children in a northwestern jihadist bastion, a monitor said Monday, hours after Moscow announced a ceasefire there. The Russian army said the air raids overnight on the town of Kafranbel, in Idlib province, came after it pinpointed the area as the launchpad for rocket fire on its key Syria airbase of Hmeimim. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, controls a large part of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. The jihadist stronghold is supposed to be protected from a government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but regime and Russian bombardment has increased there since late April. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian air strikes overnight killed five children, four women, and one man in Kafranbel. The raids hit near a hospital in the town, knocking it out of service, the Britain-based monitor said. An AFP correspondent saw five homes on the edges on the town that were destroyed or damaged after the strikes. Survivors picked through the debris to save the belongings they could, the reporter said, while a young man covered in dust from head to toe leant against a wall, shell-shocked after his father was killed. Umm Wasel narrowly missed the air strike on her home after relatives invited her over to break her daily fast of the Islamic month of Ramadan with them. "I came back at night to find my home devastated," said the 72-year-old, dressed in a long red robe and a black scarf covering her hair. People "had thought I was under the rubble", she said. - Children killed at school - The Observatory said six other civilians also died in bombardment by regime forces in other parts of the Idlib region on Sunday. Fighting raged in the north of Hama province between loyalists and jihadists early Monday, the Observatory said, after relative respite in bombardment over the past three days. Story continues Russian aeroplanes pounded the south of Idlib province, while government aircraft targeted the north of Hama province with machine guns, missiles, and crude barrel bombs, the monitoring group added. Save the Children said 38 children had been killed in shelling in northwest Syria since April 1, including nine at school, seven at the market and one in hospital. "Schools, hospitals and other vital civilian infrastructure must be protected from attack," the charity's Syria director Sonia Khush said. "Children are particularly vulnerable to the impact of explosive weapons, and warring parties should make a particular effort to protect them," she said. The deadly Russian air strikes come after Moscow on Sunday said Syrian armed forces had "unilaterally ceased fire in the Idlib de-escalation zone" from May 18 at midnight, but that fire of loyalists had continued. Russia and rebel ally Turkey inked a buffer zone deal to protect the Idlib region of some three million people in September, but regime fire has increased there since HTS took control in January. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government protests. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Ministry of Defence said on Monday that it had repelled a drone and missile attack on its main air base in Syria over the weekend and accused former Nusra Front militants of being behind the assault, the RIA news agency reported. RIA cited the ministry as saying it had shot down six missiles fired at the Hmeymim air base in Syria's Latakia Province. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Andrew Osborn) Ryanair Ready to Pounce on Opportunities From Pending Airline Mergers Ryanair plans to use its new group structure to take advantage of further consolidation in the European airline industry by snapping up airlines, jets, or airport slots that might become available because of competition rules. The likes of Wow Air, Primera Air, and BMI Regional have all disappeared in the last year, with struggling Thomas Cook currently looking to offload its airline division. All this change gives a stronger player like Ryanair the chance to cement its position of power even though its suffering from the tough operating environment. The carrier earlier this year announced a group reorganization, with CEO Michael OLeary becoming head of larger Ryanair Group, which would control subsidiaries including the main airline Ryanair DAC, Laudamotion, and Buzz (formerly Ryanair Sun). Part of the advantage of this structure is the mix of aircraft manufacturers among the different units. We see ourselves now being well-positioned, particularly if there is further competition divestments, which I think is inevitable as IAG, Lufthansa, and possibly Air France-KLM look to participate in more consolidation, OLeary said on an earnings call with analysts on Monday. You look at Lufthansa, for example, at the moment, [they] are interested in Condor/Thomas Cook. Its inevitable that there would have to be significant consolidations coming out of that kind of a merger [if it] were to take place. And we now can do and participate in those mergers: a, because were unionized, which I think would previously have been a blockage; and b, because we are both an Airbus operator and a Boeing operator. Ryanairs desire to play a part in further M&A activity comes as it announced a hit to profitability. A mix of falling fares and higher fuel costs took their toll, leading to a pretax profit of $1.1 billion (948 million) for the year to the end of March, down 41 percent on 2018. Excluding the impact of Lauda, profitability fell by a more modest 30 percent to $1.3 billion (1.1 billion). Story continues The good news for Ryanair was the continued surge in ancillary sales, up 19 percent to $2.7 billion (2.4 billion), helping total revenue growth of 6 percent to $8.4 billion (7.6 billion). In our view, Ryanair remains the long-term winner in the European airline industry, based on its leading market position, extensive network, low unit costs, and strong balance sheet, said Gerald Khoo, an analyst at broker Liberum in a research note. We see tougher market conditions in the short term as positive for the stronger airlines in the long term, since this clears out weaker competitors and aids consolidation in the market. However, Ryanair is not immune to the impact of these short-term headwinds. Max Costs Ryanair is one of the many airlines dealing with the fallout from the worldwide 737 Max aircraft grounding, following two fatal crashes. The company has delayed delivery of its first five aircraft until winter 2019, subject to European safety guidance. However it still expects to have a larger tranche of the Max order 42 aircraft operating for summer 2020. We are in continuing almost daily dialogue with Boeing and with the European regulator, EASA. Were reasonably confident that the aircraft will be approved to return to service some time later in July or August of this year, OLeary said. However, Ryanair is expecting some compensation for the delay. We have frozen all predelivery payments to Boeing since the aircraft grounding. We will resume the predelivery payments once we have certainty from Boeing on when these deliveries will take place, OLeary said. We do expect that Boeing will cover the lost profits from the five aircraft that we havent operated this summer, but its not a material number and will form part of our return to service dialogue at Boeing. Subscribe to Skift newsletters covering the business of travel, restaurants, and wellness. Un million pour deux cartes didentite, un Senegalo-Suisse accuse la DAF de corruption - adakar.com Accueil MonKiosk.com Sports Business News Annonces Femmes Necrologie Publicite NEWS News Societe Article Societe Un million pour deux cartes didentite, un Senegalo-Suisse accuse la DAF de corruption Publie le lundi 20 mai 2019 | Home View Senegal aDakar.com par DF Vote de Amadou Ba, tete de liste de BBY a Dakar Dakar, le 30 juillet 2017 - Le ministre de l`Economie et des Finances Amadou Ba a vote pour les elections legislatives. La tete de liste de la coalition Benno Bokk Yaakar dans le departement de Dakar garde confiance pour la victoire. Photo: Carte d`identite numerisee Tweet Des fonctionnaires de la DAF mont demande un million de francs Cfa pour confectionner les cartes nationales didentite de ma sur et moi. Cette grave accusation est portee par Aiman Steiner, un monsieur se presentant comme un Senegalo-Suisse base en Espagne. Joint par Seneweb, Steiner a maintenu laccusation avant de derouler son histoire : Depuis le 14 juin 2018, ma sur et moi avons depose une demande pour obtenir des cartes nationales didentite senegalaises aupres du consulat senegalais de Madrid. Neuf mois apres, nous ne les avions toujours pas recues, cest la que le consulat nous a demande de contacter la DAF via lhotel de police de Dakar. Deux CNI a 1 million LorsquAiman Steiner a suivi la recommandation du consulat et contacte la DAF, commence alors son calvaire. Il rembobine: Quand nous avons appele lhotel de police de Dakar, un certain Monsieur Seck a pris lappel. Je lui ai explique ce que je voulais et lui ai communique nos donnees personnelles. Ainsi il nous a mis en rapport avec un de ses collegues qui travaille a la DAF, M. Mangane. Ce dernier nous apprend que nos cartes nont pas encore ete validees et pour que cela soit fait il fallait contacter Monsieur Thiam. Ce dernier ma alors demande 1 million de francs Cfa pour avoir les cartes. Sinon, nous dit-il, les dossiers de ma sur et moi seraient rejetes. Jai refuse cette forme de corruption. Nous avons contacte le ministere de lInterieur pour avoir une reaction. Notre interlocuteur, qui paraissait tetanise au telephone, a promis de nous contacter sans tenir sa promesse. Nous avons rappele sans succes. Pour se faire entendre, Steiner a publie sur les reseaux sociaux une video ou il detaille son histoire en citant les noms des supposes mis en cause (que nous avons volontairement tus). En plus, il y a joint des conversations ecrites, vocales entre lui et les supposes agents suspects de la DAF. Il a divulgue les photos de leurs pretendus profils Whatsapp (que nous nous gardons de publier). 200 mille au ministere de lInterieur Poursuivant ses revelations, Steiner confie quil a aussi contacte le ministere de lInterieur. Quand jai appele pour me plaindre, raconte-t-il, le standardiste, C. Ndiaye, ma demande la somme de 200 mille francs Cfa pour valider nos cartes didentite. La derniere personne que jai eu a contacter est Monsieur A. Toure qui travaille au ministere des Affaires etrangeres. Il ma clairement fait savoir que nos cartes didentite nont meme pas encore ete saisies, donc ne sont meme pas dans les machines. Aiman Steiner dit etre senegalais de par sa mere et vouloir disposer de sa carte didentite pour pouvoir investir au Senegal. Malheureusement, regrette-t-il, la corruption et les escrocs dans ladministration freinent lelan de beaucoup de personnes qui veulent developper et creer des emplois au Senegal. Aiman confie etre issu de la famille Steiner, proprietaire du Groupe Steiner, specialise dans le secteur du genie civil et du batiment. Colombo (AFP) - Sri Lanka has tightened security ahead of the reopening Tuesday of some Catholic schools for the first time since the Easter bombings that killed 258 people, the army chief said. Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said security forces would ensure that schools were not targeted by Islamic militants responsible for the April 21 bombings. "Army and sister services are fully and confidently assisting law enforcement authorities to apprehend the culprits," Senanayake said Monday, adding that operations had shown "marked progress" without giving details. Dozens of private Catholic schools are to start reopening Tuesday after Easter holidays were extended because of the suicide bombings on three churches and three hotels. A Roman Catholic spokesman in Colombo said schools would reopen on a staggered basis over the next two weeks and that school authorities had been asked to ensure safety. "In some places children will not attend classes in their uniforms," the spokesman said. "Advanced Level classes will start on Tuesday but primary and middle school will reopen gradually in the weeks to come." More than 10,000 public schools reopened earlier this month, but attendance has been low. On Sunday, President Maithripala Sirisena marked the 10th anniversary of the end of the country's Tamil rebel war by vowing to crush Islamist militants blamed for the Easter bombings that also left 500 injured. "We have been able to arrest all those who were behind the Easter attacks. Some have been killed in confrontations," he said. "This gives me confidence that we can completely eliminate the threat from international terrorism." Muslims account for 10 percent of the population in the mainly Buddhist nation, which has been under a state of emergency since the attacks that were also claimed by the Islamic State group. Photo: Helena Lopes/Unsplash When it comes to food and drink, there's plenty to do in San Francisco this week. From a food industry panel to a craft beer deal, here's how to add some flavor to your social 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. Where Food Meets Culture: An Evening with Andrew Chau and Deuki Hong From the event description: Join us for an evening of good food and conversation with some of the most influential food and drink game-changers in the industry. Fundamentally changing perceptions of boba, tea and food, Andrew Chau and Deuki Hong will share their experiences of taking the food and beverage industry to another level. When: Tuesday, May 21, 6:30-9 p.m. Where: ETC Labs, 111 Ellis St. Price: $30 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The Commissary Five Year Anniversary From the event description: Were toasting to five years with an evening of cava, paella and tapas. Commissary chefs past and present will come together to celebrate for one night only and create a collaborative menu commemorating The Commissary. When: Wednesday, May 22, 6-9 p.m. Where: The Commissary, 101 Montgomery St. Price: $85 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Up to 30% Off Walking Food Tour From the Sidewalk Food Tours deal description: Guides share facts about local history and culture while participants taste pizza, truffles and other treats from mom-and-pop shops. Choose from: $49 for a three-hour walking food tour of North Beach or Mission for one person ($69 value) or $97 for a three-hour walking food tour of North Beach or Mission for two people ($138 value). When: Saturday, May 25 (North Beach) or Sunday, May 26 (Mission) Where: 826 Valencia St., Castro Price: $49 (29 percent discount off regular price); additional deal available. Click here for more details, and to take advantage of this deal Story continues Up to 56% Off "Meet the Mead Maker" Tasting Tour From The San Francisco Mead Company deal description: Owner and meadmaker Oron guides groups through the process of making mead, including samples of raw honey and the finished fermented treat. Choose between two options: $19.99 for a tasting tour for two with two souvenir glasses ($40 value) or $34.99 for a tasting tour for four with four souvenir glasses ($80 value). When: Saturday, May 25, 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m Where: 1180 Shafter Ave., Bayview Price: $19 (50 percent discount off regular price); additional deal available. Click here for more details, and to score this deal Up to 25% Off Craft Beer at Triple Voodoo Brewery and Tap Room From the Triple Voodoo Brewery and Tap Room deal description: Beer aficionados can enjoy trying a range of craft beers and take home a number of mementos. Choose from: Two draft beers and one logo pint glass for $18, three draft beers, one logo pint glass and a 32-fluid ounce non-filled growler for $30, or one four-style taster, two draft beers, two logo pint glasses, a 64-fluid ounce non-filled growler and one T-shirt for $56. Where: 2245 Third St., Potrero Launch Lofts Price: $18 (25 percent discount off regular price); additional deals available. Click here for more details, and to nab this deal This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Saudi Arabia has said it does not want war but stands ready to respond with all strength to defend itself against Iran, as the US stepped up naval exercises in the Persian Gulf. The Saudis, who have accused Tehran of ordering drone strikes five days ago on two of its oil pumping stations, told Iran the kingdom would not stand by while being attacked. Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not seek that... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests, foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said. We want peace and stability in the region but we wont stand with our hands bound as the Iranians continuously attack. Iran has to understand that. The ball is in Irans court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be. Saudi Arabia would do what it could to prevent this war, he said. An Iranian military commander was similarly quoted as saying his country is not looking for war. Fears of armed conflict have run high after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the Arabian Gulf earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The US also has ordered non-essential staff out of diplomatic posts in Iraq. An aircraft carrier strike group with the US Navy has stepped up security patrols in the international waters after an alleged act of sabotage on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the United Arab Emirates. Days earlier, Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Iran has denied involvement in either operation. The tensions are rooted in Donald Trumps decision last year to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and impose wide-reaching sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports that are crucial to its economy. Story continues Iran has said it will resume enriching uranium at higher levels if a new deal is not reached by 7 July. That could potentially bring it closer to being able to develop a nuclear weapon. Saudi Arabias Sunni Muslim ally the UAE has not blamed anyone for the tanker sabotage, but two US government sources said US officials believed Iran had encouraged Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi group or Iraq-based Shiite militias to carry it out. The Houthis have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition Yemens war since 2015. An English-language Saudi newspaper close to the palace recently published an editorial calling for surgical US airstrikes in retaliation for Irans alleged involvement in the oil attacks. Agencies contributed to this report By Andrew Hay (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent had called migrants "subhuman" and "savages" in text messages weeks before he knocked over a migrant with a pickup truck, according to federal court documents. Agent Matthew Bowen sent the messages in November 2017, two weeks before he is accused of deliberately knocking over a Guatemalan man with his Border Patrol vehicle in Nogales, Arizona, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. Prosecutors Monica Ryan and Lori Price filed the documents on April 30 with a request to use the messages in court to show Bowen's "state of mind" prior to the incident and his "willful" intent to knock over the migrant on Dec. 3, 2017. They said the messages showed Bowen's "great disdain for the aliens" and "dissatisfaction with restrictions Border Patrol placed on its agents in how they could apprehend aliens." Defense lawyer Sean Chapman, in a May 10 response to block release of the messages, said the case turned on whether Bowen, by using his truck to stop the fleeing individual, used excessive force. "Text messages using such language is not admissible because Mr. Bowen's alleged 'disdain' for aliens is not relevant to the issues before the jury," Chapman wrote. The court has yet to decide whether the text messages will be made available to the jury. The case comes at a time when the Border Patrol has been overwhelmed by a surge in migrants from Guatemala and other Central American countries. Human rights groups regularly accuse Border Patrol of mistreating migrants. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost on May 8 said assaults of her agents were up 20 percent. A Guatemalan woman faces felony assault charges for biting a Tucson agent during her arrest on Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection tweeted. A federal grand jury indicted Bowen on May 30, 2018, on charges of denying the Guatemalan man his civil rights and filing a false report, court records show. Story continues The Border Patrol in Tucson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bowen bumped the migrant, identified as Antolin Lopez Aguilar, 23, causing him to fall as he ran from agents, according to an affidavit by a Department of Homeland Security official. Lopez, who had earlier jumped a border fence, suffered abrasions to his right hand and knees and was arrested, the affidavit said. In a statement, Tucson Sector Border Patrol said agents were "held to the highest standards, and any action or misconduct within our ranks will not be tolerated." A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin on Aug. 13. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler) Brussels (AFP) - As up to 400 million Europeans prepare to vote for the EU parliament, the populist challenge to the Brussels consensus has been disrupted by scandal. In Austria, the far-right vice-chancellor has resigned in disgrace after falling victim to a hidden camera sting as he appeared to seek Russian backing. Britain's Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party, has led a strong campaign but has been dogged by questions about where his money comes from. And in France, veteran right-winger Marine Le Pen has been forced to deny that former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon has any role in her campaign. The cloud of scandal partly overshadowed coverage of Italian hardliner Matteo Salvini's pre-election nationalist European unity rally in Milan on Saturday. So far, there is no sign these wobbles will blunt the advance of populist forces in this week's vote, but they have opened space for centrist critics. - 'Help slow the advance' - German Chancellor Angela Merkel spurred the mainstream counter-attack at the weekend, urging EU voters to reject nationalist "politicians for sale". Matthias Jung of German pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen told the Tagesspiegel that the scandal could help "slow the advance of the populists". Nationalists, eurosceptics and the populist far-right are expected to improve their representation in the European Parliament in the election. But it is not clear they can work together closely enough to disrupt the pro-EU consensus, even if the main centre-left and centre-right parties suffer. Turnout has traditionally been low in the pan-continental vote, however, and mainstream politicians are hoping the scandals will mobilise the electorate. In France, President Emmanuel Macron's liberal Renaissance movement is battling to win more seats than Le Pen's National Rally. Macron's supporters denounced Bannon's presence in France, and accused the European far-right of serving as a "Trojan horse" for Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Story continues In Austria, protests erupted after Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was caught on video offering favours to a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who tried to tame the far-right FPOe by tying it into a coalition with his conservative People's Party, pulled the plug and called early elections. The European Parliament, which will be elected in votes across 28 nations between Thursday and Sunday, has never been more important in framing the continent's laws. But each vote since the first one in 1979 has seen a lower turnout than the last, and much of the energy in this year's race has come from those opposed to deeper integration. - Main parties set to lose ground - No big personalities have emerged among the candidates to lead the European Commission, the top job in Brussels and one that will be assigned by Europe's national leaders. For now, only Britain is on the verge of quitting the union altogether, but eurosceptic and europhobic parties of various flavours are mounting a challenge. Polling at the start of the campaign period pointed to around 173 members being elected from these groups in the 751-member Strasbourg and Brussels assembly. And the main centre-right and centre-left groupings that have dominated pan-European politics in recent years look set to lose ground. According to opinion polls, the top two groups could lose 30 seats each, meaning they will not be able to form a majority and may have to reach out to liberals and Greens. The liberal ALDE hopes for an infusion of new blood from Macron's Renaissance and from Spanish party Ciudanos. For Brussels insiders, the big night will not be Sunday when the first results of the parliamentary race emerge, but two days later when the national leaders meet for dinner. burs-dc/lc/txw Brussels (AFP) - As up to 400 million Europeans prepare to vote for the EU parliament, the populist challenge to the Brussels consensus has been disrupted by scandal. In Austria, the far-right vice-chancellor has resigned in disgrace after falling victim to a hidden camera sting as he appeared to seek Russian backing. Britain's Nigel Farage, the leader of the new Brexit Party, has led a strong campaign but has been dogged by questions about where his money comes from. And in France, veteran far right-winger Marine Le Pen has been forced to deny that former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon has any role in her campaign. The cloud of scandal partly overshadowed coverage of Italian hardliner Matteo Salvini's pre-election nationalist European unity rally in Milan on Saturday. So far, there is no sign these wobbles will blunt the advance of populist forces in this week's polls, but they have opened space for centrist critics. - 'Help slow the advance' - German Chancellor Angela Merkel spurred the mainstream counter-attack at the weekend, urging EU voters to reject nationalist "politicians for sale". Matthias Jung of German pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen told the Tagesspiegel that the scandal could help "slow the advance of the populists". In Britain, meanwhile, the Electoral Commission announced Monday that it would review the online fundraising of Farage's fledgling Brexit Party. And the man himself was hit by a milkshake thrown by a protester as he campaigned in northern England. Nationalists, eurosceptics and the populist far-right are expected to improve their representation in the European Parliament in the election. But it is not clear they can work together closely enough to disrupt the pro-EU consensus, even if the main centre-left and centre-right parties suffer. Turnout has traditionally been low in the pan-continental vote, however, and mainstream politicians are hoping the scandals will mobilise the electorate. Story continues In France, President Emmanuel Macron's liberal Renaissance movement is battling to win more seats than Le Pen's National Rally. Macron's supporters denounced Bannon's presence in France, and accused the European far-right of serving as a "Trojan horse" for Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. In Austria, protests erupted after Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was caught on video offering favours to a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who tried to tame the far-right FPOe by tying it into a coalition with his conservative People's Party, pulled the plug and called early elections. The European Parliament, which will be elected in votes across 28 nations between Thursday and Sunday, has never been more important in framing the continent's laws. But each vote since the first one in 1979 has seen a lower turnout than the last, and much of the energy in this year's race has come from those opposed to deeper integration. - Main parties losing ground - No big personalities have emerged among the candidates to lead the European Commission, the top job in Brussels and one that will be assigned by Europe's national leaders. For now, only Britain is on the verge of quitting the bloc altogether, but eurosceptic and europhobic parties of various flavours are mounting a challenge. Polling at the start of the campaign period pointed to around 173 members being elected from these groups in the 751-member Strasbourg and Brussels assembly. And the main centre-right and centre-left groupings that have dominated pan-European politics in recent years look set to lose ground. According to opinion polls, the top two groups could lose 30 seats each, meaning they will not be able to form a majority and may have to reach out to liberals and Greens. The liberal ALDE hopes for an infusion of new blood from Macron's Renaissance and from the Spanish party Ciudanos. For Brussels insiders, the big night will not be Sunday when the first results of the parliamentary race emerge, but two days later when the national leaders meet for dinner. burs-dc/lc/boc By Nita Bhalla NAIROBI, May 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Schoolgirls in the Democratic Republic of Congo were raped, forced into marriage and used as human shields by militias who believed they had "magical powers" during violence over a year ago, an investigation by a group of charities said on Monday. The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) said its research into the year-long violence in Congo's central Kasai region, which largely ended in 2017, found that female students suffered multiple abuses by armed groups. Based on interviews with over 55 students and teachers, the report documents testimonies from survivors and witnesses of how militiamen attacked hundreds of schools - kidnapping girls for sexual slavery, forced marriage and to serve as child soldiers. "Militias believed in girls' magical powers, and often used them as the first line of defense to rustle their skirts to ward off soldiers with guns," said Diya Nijhowne, GCPEA's executive director, in a statement. Armed only with a broom or kitchen utensil, young girls were placed on the frontlines, said the report, as they were believed to possess powers which would stop bullets and protect the whole unit in combat. Many children were killed in this way, it added. The conflict in Kasai - which pitted the Congolese army and allied Bana Mura militia against the Kamuina Nsapu militia - killed up to 5,000 people and forced some 1.5 million people from their homes, according to the United Nations. Both rebels and government troops committed atrocities such as mass rape and cannibalism in Kasai, U.N. human rights investigators said in a June report, adding that there was "a serious problem of impunity." In July 2017 a Congolese court convicted seven soldiers for the murder of suspected militia members in Kasai after a video showed soldiers shooting people, some of them young women, at point-blank range. Story continues "The militia leaders gave us girls a broom, which was considered magic. I was given a wooden (kitchen utensil) that was supposed to be a magic gun," said Lucia N., a secondary school student in Dibaya territory, as quoted in the report. "After that, I went with them wherever they went and participated in several battles. I later realized that we would not be able to defeat soldiers with the magic. They were killing us in large numbers." Human rights groups urged the Congolese authorities to investigate and prosecute those found to be responsible for the atrocities, and called for support to be given to survivors. "I find the cases documented in the report of girls raped by militiamen, and girls put defenseless on the frontlines, to be utterly horrifying," said Bede Sheppard, deputy director for children's rights at Human Rights Watch, a member of the GCPEA. "The students who endured these awful attacks deserve access to medical, psychological, and social support, including assistance to continue to their schooling." (Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla, Editing by Jason. 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 Nandita Bose WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is asking the federal government to investigate if a plan for new subway cars in New York City, designed by a Chinese state-owned firm, could pose a threat to national security. The move comes after China's CRRC Corp Ltd <, the world's top passenger train maker, was slammed by U.S. lawmakers during a hearing on Thursday to limit its access to U.S. projects amid security fears. It also comes at a time when the Trump administration has added China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, citing security risks as the world's two largest economies ratchet up tariffs in a battle over what U.S. officials call China's unfair trade practices. CRRC, The Chinese state-owned company, which won a design contest for new subway cars, plans to install new technology in the New York subway system and government agencies must determine whether this poses any threat to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its commuters, Schumer said in a statement to Reuters. "Given what we know about how cyberwarfare works, and recent attacks that have hit transportation and infrastructure hubs across the country, the Department of Commerce must... thoroughly check any proposals or work China's CRRC does on behalf of the New York subway system, including our signals, Wi-Fi and more," Schumer added. The company has not won a contract in New York City, which has America's biggest transit system. However, it has won contracts for new subway cars in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. CRRC has also launched a charm campaign in the United States as it seeks to secure a Washington D.C. metro car contract worth over $500 million, after roaring into the American passenger rail market by dramatically underbidding foreign rivals. Concerns CRRC could soon set its sights on the much more lucrative U.S. freight market and use its railcars to spy on passengers have prompted a series of legislative proposals. A bipartisan bill unveiled in the U.S. House recently, which mirrors one proposed in the Senate earlier this year, would prevent transit agencies from spending federal dollars on projects awarded to CRRC. (Reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Sandra Maler) Washington (AFP) - US lawmakers clashed Monday over intelligence on Iran, with an ally of President Donald Trump accusing Tehran of provocations that could draw a military response, ahead of a classified briefing on the tensions. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, will head Tuesday to the US Capitol to apprise lawmakers from both chambers on the latest developments, an administration official said. Senior officials already briefed a key group of eight lawmakers on Thursday but Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, called for a wider meeting with all elected lawmakers. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who has closely aligned himself with Trump, said he received his own briefing Monday from National Security Advisor John Bolton, a longtime hawk who called for an attack on Iran before taking his White House job. "It is clear that over the last several weeks Iran has attacked pipelines and ships of other nations and created threat streams against American interests in Iraq," Graham tweeted. "If the Iranian threats against American personnel and interests are activated we must deliver an overwhelming military response." A Democratic lawmaker, Representative Ruben Gallego of Arizona, quickly challenged Graham and said he had seen the same intelligence. "That is not what is being said. This is total information bias to draw the conclusion he wants for himself and the media," Gallego tweeted. Another Democrat, Senator Chris Murphy, accused the Republicans of twisting the intelligence "to make it sound like Iran is taking unprovoked, offensive measures against the US and our allies." "No one should defend the actions Iran has taken -- they've been out of control for years -- but dumb wars start when each party mistakenly believes that the other party's defensive or reactive actions are actually offensive and proactive," Murphy tweeted. Story continues - Growing incidents - He did not go into more detail, but some analysts and diplomats say Iran is making a predictable response to the United States, which has tried to stop all of its oil sales and designated its elite Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group. Last week Yemen's Huthi rebels -- who are backed by Iran and are being bombarded by US ally Saudi Arabia -- claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a key oil pipeline inside the kingdom. The incident came after the mysterious sabotage of four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The United States has not officially blamed Iran for the incidents but has repeatedly accused Tehran of plotting attacks, especially in Iraq, where Tehran holds wide influence. Trump a year ago withdrew the United States from a multinational accord still backed by European allies under which Iran drastically scaled back its nuclear work in return for promised sanctions relief. Trump warned on Sunday: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again." But he appeared to downplay the threat of Iran on Monday, telling reporters when asked about the Iranian threat to US interests: "We have no indication that anything's happened or will happen." The shadow of Iraq hangs over the intelligence after George W. Bush's administration, in which Bolton was a key player, inaccurately said that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of destruction as a justification for the 2003 war. Investors with a long-term horizong may find it valuable to assess Servizi Italia S.p.A.'s (BIT:SRI) earnings trend over time and against its industry benchmark as opposed to simply looking at a sincle earnings announcement at one point in time. Below is my commentary, albiet very simple and high-level, on how Servizi Italia is currently performing. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Check out our latest analysis for Servizi Italia Was SRI weak performance lately part of a long-term decline? SRI's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of 12m has declined by -16% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 3.7%, indicating the rate at which SRI is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Well, lets take a look at whats transpiring with margins and whether the rest of the industry is feeling the heat. BIT:SRI Income Statement, May 20th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Servizi Italia has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 8.8% instead. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 3.6% is below the IT Healthcare industry of 3.8%, indicating Servizi Italia's are utilized less efficiently. And finally, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Servizi Italias debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 9.3% to 7.3%. What does this mean? Servizi Italia's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Companies that are profitable, but have unpredictable earnings, can have many factors impacting its business. You should continue to research Servizi Italia to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for SRIs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for SRIs outlook. Financial Health: Are SRIs 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. (Reuters) - Slack Technologies Inc, the owner of the workplace instant messaging app, said on Monday it expects https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1764925/000162828019007058/slacks-1a2.htm to raise $196.5 million in direct listing of its class A common shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Slack is the latest tech company looking to go public this year, following the market debuts of Uber Technologies Inc, Lyft Inc, Pinterest Inc, and Zoom Video Communications. The company has registered about 117 million of its Class A shares, which is an estimate for the number of shares that will be needed when the stock begins to trade. Slack has opted for direct listing instead of an IPO, which has been the traditional route to the public markets for companies like Google parent Alphabet and Facebook Inc. Slack, which said in April it was looking to raise up to $100 million, also changed its ticker symbol to "WORK" from "SK". (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) By Josh Horwitz SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp reported better than-expected quarterly revenue on Monday due in part to steady growth in sales outside its home market. The results indicate Xiaomi's overseas expansion and focus on markets such as India and Europe are paying off as the smartphone market in China, the world's biggest, slows. Xiaomi's revenue rose 27% percent in the quarter ended March from a year earlier to 43.8 billion yuan ($6.3 billion), beating an average estimate of 42.109 billion yuan in a survey of analysts polled by Refinitiv. Xiaomi gets most of its revenue by selling mobile handsets, but it also makes money from selling online ads and other types of consumer hardware - an approach it described as a "triathlon" business model when it listed in Hong Kong in 2018. Its adjusted net income for the first quarter rose to 2.1 billion yuan, versus 1.7 billion a year ago. According to data from Counterpoint Research, the overall smartphone market in China contracted 7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019. Xiaomi's share of the domestic smartphone market shrank 21% over the period, the same study shows, while rivals Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei each saw gains. Xiaomi has tried to compensate for the slowdown at home by expanding abroad aggressively. It remains the leading phone vendor in India, and has grown steadily in Europe after launching across the continent throughout 2018. Xiaomi has also attempted to move upmarket and raise the price of its flagship devices, while siphoning off its cheaper models into sub-brands. ($1 = 6.9149 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by David Goodman and Susan Fenton) Wilmslow (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Chatting with voters in a small town in northwest England ahead of this week's European elections, lawyer Sophie Larroque's French accent is hard to miss. The MEP candidate is one of several European expatriates making the leap into politics in Britain, spurred on by their opposition to Brexit. A few months ago, nobody expected Britain to take part in the European Parliament elections, as the country was supposed to have left the EU on March 29. The British parliament cannot agree on the exit terms however, forcing the departure date to be put back to October 31 and opening the way for polls that are being seen as allowing voters to express their views on the whole Brexit process. Larroque, 40, works as a legal adviser in London, a job made possible by the EU-enabled mutual recognition of university degrees. Determined to fight Brexit, she founded the UK EU Party with three British friends in April, despite having no political experience. They raised the 15,000 needed to register candidates in three of the 11 British constituencies. She has travelled almost daily from her home in London to northwest England, where she is hoping to be elected. She has spent hours on trains, eating sandwiches and scrambling to learn more about the region, all paid for out of her own pocket. "I'm juggling work, my clients, my cases -- it takes a lot of organisation," she said, on her way to Wilmslow -- an elegant suburb of Manchester filled with mock Tudor houses with luxury cars parked outside. - 'This is my home' - Many Europeans hoping to become one of Britain's 73 MEPs are targeting their three million fellow expats. "You don't have to be British to fight against Brexit, and you don't have to be British to love this country," said Joan Pons Laplana, a Spanish nurse who has lived in Britain for 19 years. The 44-year-old is a candidate in the East Midlands for Change UK, a pro-European party formed only this year by lawmakers who defected from the two main parties. Story continues "This is my home, I have three British children and I do not need a British passport to defend Britain's place in the EU," he said. As well as standing as a candidate, Pons has been fighting to ensure that EU expatriates are registered to vote in Britain. Europeans can vote either in their home country or where they live, but many choose to cast their ballots for candidates in their home countries. "Many people fear that if they register to vote here, when Brexit happens they will lose the right to vote in their own countries," he said. - Right to vote - Jan Rostowski is another candidate targeting the expatriate vote -- although unlike many others, he has more than enough political experience. He served as finance minister in Poland and briefly as deputy prime minister, and is standing for Change UK in London, where he was born and raised. He has been out campaigning in Ealing in west London, home to a large Polish community, but has his sights set higher than these elections. "One of the things we want to do is give to EU citizens the right to vote in British elections," he said. His notoriety, however, is a double-edged sword. Rostowski's comments about gay rights in the past have drawn controversy, although he says his views have changed. "I would vote for someone completely new, who I don't know anything about, but he's controversial," said Piotr, a 40-year-old Polish engineer who stopped to talk with the candidate. MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police raided several properties linked to a former ambassador to Venezuela on Monday and made several arrests as part of an investigation into alleged laundering of around 4 million euros ($4.47 million) from state-run oil company PDVSA, a judicial source said. Three people were arrested on Monday during raids of homes and offices of former Spanish ambassador to Venezuela Raul Morodo, the source told Reuters. Morodo's son, Alejo Morodo, was one of those arrested, said the source, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of such matters. Morodo, who is 84, was not arrested for reasons related to his health, according to Spanish media. Reuters could not immediately reach any representative for Morodo or his son and they were also not quoted as commenting in Spanish media reports. The investigation, which remains under a court order of secrecy, focuses on the period between 2008-2013, shortly after Morodo ended a three-year stint as ambassador in Venezuela, Spanish media reported. El Pais said those arrested were suspected of producing false invoices for work that was never completed and laundering money through accounts in Panama and other Latin American countries. ($1 = 0.8955 euros) (Reporting by Madrid Newsroom; Writing by Sam Edwards; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Frances Kerry) Settlement and clearing platform SprinkleXchange is going to list its first company next month, Bloomberg writes. The Bahrain-based blockchain platform is planning to reach 35 listings in 12 months. The company is hoping to attract as many as 1,000 companies in the next three to four years. We have the luxury of being first with this, but were aware that it will become a crowded market, said Sprinkle Group SA CEO Alexander Wallin. Its like moving from VHS to streaming; Netflix did it nicely and was first, but now there are lots of streaming sites. Companies with a market cap of $20 million to $200 million are welcome to join. So far, Wallin said, the platform has sparked interest from companies ranging from real estate industry to forest and biotech firms. According to Wallin, an Ethereum-based platform will allow companies to save both time and money since many things, including central clearing systems, repositories, stock certificates, dividends and voting, are automated. SprinkleXchange will charge a 1 per cent listing fee, making the cost similar to a Swedish stock exchange listing, Wallin said. Besides offering company listings, it will also trade cryptocurrencies. Moreover, SprinkleXchange has also shown interest in listing exchange-traded funds. Washington (AFP) - The top official at the US communications regulator on Monday announced his support for the proposed $26 billion merger between telecoms firms Sprint and T-Mobile. The decision raises the chances the merger will win final approval from federal authorities. But the companies still face an anti-trust review by the US Department of Justice, which media reports say fears declining market competition if the deal goes through. Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said both companies had promised his agency they would offer a next-generation 5G network to 99 percent of Americans within six years of completing the deal while also expanding access to mobile broadband. The companies have agreed not to raise rates for three years and will divest from the Sprint subsidiary Boost Mobile. "The construction of this network and the delivery of such high-speed wireless services to the vast majority of Americans would substantially benefit consumers and our country as a whole," Pai said in a statement. Failure to make good on their pledges could result in "serious consequences," including billions of dollars in penalties, creating an incentive for the companies to meet their obligations on time, according to Pai. The commission is due to consider the merger proposal next month. - A rival to US giants - Pai said the deal was intended to allay anti-trust concerns. "This sale is designed to address potential competitive issues that have been identified in the prepaid wireless segment," he said in the statement. Nevertheless, trading in shares of Sprint was briefly halted in the afternoon after tumbling on a Bloomberg report that Justice Department officials did not favor permitting the merger to go forward. The Justice Department in 2011 blocked an attempt by AT&T to acquire T-Mobile, saying the market was already too concentrated to allow it. On Wall Street, Sprint closed up 12.5 percent while T-Mobile added 3.9 percent. Story continues After the merger, the combined company's size would help it rival US giants AT&T and Verizon Communications, which dominate the US market. T-Mobile and Sprint are respectively the third- and fourth-largest wireless carriers in the United States with a combined 131 million subscribers that would virtually match second-ranked AT&T. Sprint, majority owned by Japan's SoftBank, and T-Mobile, a unit of Germany's Deutsche Telekom, had in the past tried and failed to agree on merger terms. 5G, or fifth-generation wireless communications networks would enable services such as remote surgery or driverless cars and allow customers to experience video and virtual reality with greater ease. Global competition to develop the technology has heated up but in a move widely seen as aimed squarely at Chinese rival Huawei, Washington has barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies deemed as threatening American national security. T-Mobile chief John Legere told lawmakers in February his company did not and would not use Huawei equipment in its networks. SoftBank plans to cease using Huawei equipment, according to media reports late last year. Sprint did not respond to an AFP request for comment on Monday. In December, the proposed merger won approval from regulators who vet acquisitions for national security risks. The Communications Workers of America union says the planned merger could cost 30,000 jobs but Sprint's CEO Michael Coombs instead warned last month of layoffs if the deal is blocked. Cannes (France) (AFP) - The star of a heart-wrenching true story about an Austrian anti-Nazi martyr executed during World War II said Monday he hoped the film would inspire people to "stand "A Hidden Life" by Hollywood director Terrence Malick -- which premiered at the Cannes film festival -- tells the story of Austrian farmer Franz Jaegerstaetter, who chose in 1943 to be guillotined rather than pledge his allegiance to Hitler. He is played in the near three-hour epic by August Diehl, one of Germany's top film stars, who said the movie's example of resistance in the face of rising radicalism had become bracingly relevant. "It is actually time to stand up against all this right-wing development in Europe -- it's going a very wrong way. We have all our private choices to make and how to handle this," he told reporters. Asked about European elections this week in which the extreme right is expected to make further inroads, Diehl added: "Our voice counts -- each voice, I think." The film shows how Jaegerstaetter's home village Sankt Radegund near the German border falls under Hitler's sway as its mayor rails against "foreigners" and "traitors" keeping Austria down. When Jaegerstaetter, a modest and religious family man, is called up to serve in the army when war breaks out, he rejects the cause as "evil" and refuses to take the oath to the Nazi leader. - 'What would I have done?' - He is imprisoned, beaten and tortured and repeatedly told that if he will simply sign the pledge, he can go free and return to his wife Fani and three young daughters. The family, left alone, suffers harassment from the other villagers over Jaegerstaetter's stance and struggles to maintain the farm. Jaegerstaetter was finally taken to Berlin for trial where he exchanged a series of anguished letters with Fani which formed the basis of the screenplay. Despite bouts of conscience about the fate of his young family, Jaegerstaetter opted to lose his life in August 1943 rather than sacrifice his convictions. Story continues Diehl said Malick framed the film "not as an answer" to an agonising moral quandary "but as a question" -- what is the point of a seemingly hopeless act of resistance? "This is a main question, I think, especially for all Germans but also in the whole world -- what would I have done?" Diehl said. "It wasn't so easy to do this and (Jaegerstaetter) went through many doubting periods because he did something terrible as well to his family and to his kids in leaving them. But he felt that was the true (answer)." Austrian actress Valerie Pachner, who plays Fani, said the movie's themes were "timeless" as the recent political upheaval in her own country over a far-right scandal proved. "The film tells me different things each time I see it," she said. Watching it this week as her country's government collapsed, "I think it's quite moving and important." Pachner said the reclusive director, who declined to walk Cannes's famous red carpet or give interviews, secretly attended the premiere of the movie, which moved many viewers at the world's top film festival to tears. - 'Unforgettable' - It has also garnered Malick his best reviews since 2011, when his movie "The Tree of Life" starring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain clinched Cannes's Palme d'Or top prize. Los Angeles Times critic Justin Chang called the picture "a return to form and a spiritual call to arms". Germany's Der Spiegel magazine hailed it as "unforgettable". Pachner said a special screening had been arranged for Jaegerstaetter's three surviving daughters last week in their village, where Malick filmed part of the movie in their father's former home. The title of "A Hidden Life" comes from the final line of the English novel "Middlemarch" by George Eliot: "The growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs." (Note: Print or Digital Use Allowed. Please credit Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts. For downloadable graphics, please visit www.pewtrusts.org/stateline) By Tim Henderson May 20 (Stateline) - Most states saw growth in the middle class between 2016 and 2017, but the number of households in that group still had not recovered to the levels of 2000. Only Nebraska and the District of Columbia had a middle class bigger than in 2000, according to a Stateline analysis of American Community Survey microdata at IPUMS USA. The plight of the middle class, which has yet to regain financial ground lost during the Great Recession, is of increasing concern to economists. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago held a conference this month to discuss policy solutions to problems Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell called crucial for the nation to tackle in coming years. The kind of generational improvements in living standards that were long the hallmark of the American middle class have steadily diminished, Powell said at the conference. Between 2016 and 2017, Nebraskas middle class grew 4 points to 58% of households, the biggest increase and the largest middle class in the nation. The District of Columbias middle class grew 3 points to 44% of households, the second biggest increase. Both areas gained in the middle mostly because of decreases in higher-income brackets, as did Maine, which grew 2 points to a 54% middle class. Vermont, on the other hand, saw its middle class grow 2 points, mostly because of decreases in the bottom income group. Growth in the size of the middle class is not as important as whether that growth comes from people moving up from lower-income groups or falling from higher groups, argues Richard Reeves, director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative at the Brookings Institution, in an essay published last month on the think tanks website. For instance, the middle class shrank by a similar amount since 2000 in San Francisco and Detroit, Reeves wrote, but with different consequences. Story continues It was for opposite reasons: in San Francisco because more people got rich; in Detroit because more people got poor, Reeves wrote. To say simply that the middle class is shrinking in each place doesnt tell us very much. Even Nebraska and the District of Columbias success in growing the middle class may have been fleeting. Preliminary indications for 2018 show little income growth in Nebraska as the agriculture-dependent state suffers from stagnant income in farm families. Sales of soybeans and other crops to China have suffered in the trade wars, and low oil prices have kept a lid on corn-based ethanol prices. Some of the challenges for the middle class outlined by the Fed: rising inequality and declining economic mobility only half of earners today make more than their parents did. College education can be a leg up, but rising tuition debt makes it harder than ever. Finally, success is clustered in certain families and neighborhoods, with ingrained privilege making it harder for others to break into the middle class. The prospect of moving up the economic ladder depends on factors beyond effort and talent, Powell, the Fed chairman, said. After losing ground in 49 states all but Wyoming between 2000 and 2013, the U.S. middle class is still slowly clawing its way back. Stateline defines middle class as households between two-thirds and twice the median size-adjusted income for the state. Thirty-three states had a middle class that encompassed more than half of households in 2017, up from 28 in 2013, but still down from 43 states in 2000. As of 2018, national household wealth, which includes homes and other assets as well as income, had yet to recover to the 2007 level before the recession, according to a Federal Reserve Board study released this month and presented by Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard. Higher-income earners recovered by 2013. The study defined households in the 40th to 70th percentile range of household wealth as middle-income. Those with less than middle income are even further behind, according to the Fed household wealth analysis. At the end of 2018, according to the study, the average middle-income household had $340,000 in wealth, while the average household in the top 10% had $4.5 million, more than 13 times as much, up from 7 times as much in 1989. Even modest unexpected expenditures could be disruptive for many middle-income families, the study concluded. It pointed to unpublished survey data suggesting that a third of middle-income families would have to borrow money, sell something or be unable to pay an unexpected $400 expense. And only a quarter of middle-income homes have enough cash on hand to cover six months of expenses, the amount of savings suggested by financial advisers. Other economists also are expressing alarm about the plight of the middle class. A new Brookings study found that between 1979 and 2016, income doubled for the top 10% of earners but rose only 20% for the bottom half. The ultrarich may have done even better because of hidden offshore accounts, the study noted. One answer, suggested the author of the report released last week, Heather Boushey, chief economist at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, would be to design economic statistics that measure economic growth for all segments of society. Current government statistics can show growth even when most people are not getting the benefit, she wrote. If we do not change the way we conceptualize and therefore measure economic progress, we are unlikely to have very much of it, Boushey wrote. Better, fairer growth measures are a vital step towards better, fairer growth. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/05/20/economists-remain-worried-about-slow-growing-middle-class PARIS (Reuters) - STMicroelectronics declined to comment on Monday on a report in the Nikkei Asian Review that said it was set to have meetings this week to discuss whether to continue shipping to Huawei. The Nikkei Asian Review had earlier reported that German chipmaker Infineon had suspended shipments to Huawei Technologies, in a sign that Washington's crackdown on the Chinese tech company is beginning to hamper its supplies beyond the United States. According to regulatory filings, Huawei is among STMicroelectronics' top 10 customers. (Reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic; editing by Jason Neely) By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Justin Amash, the first Republican in the U.S. Congress to say openly that President Donald Trump has committed impeachable offences, on Monday fired back at critics, including Trump. Standing behind his earlier remarks, Amash issued a string of tweets that challenged some of the most common arguments of those who defend Trump over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. The new Amash tweets followed his earlier remarks on Twitter on Saturday, when he said that the Mueller report on Russia showed that Trump, a fellow Republican, had obstructed justice. "President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct," the Michigan conservative said then, drawing a broadside from Trump. In his usual caustic style, the president on Sunday tweeted that Amash was "a total lightweight" and "a loser." In addition, in a case of swift political retribution, Amash drew an election challenge from within his own party on Monday when Jim Lower, a Michigan state legislator who described himself as "pro-Trump," said he would challenge Amash in the 2020 Republican primary, the Detroit Free Press reported. Amash in his latest tweets said that people who say Trump could not have intended to illegally obstruct Mueller's investigation relied on several falsehoods, including a claim that there were no underlying crimes. "In fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not," Amash wrote on Twitter. Muellers investigation led to criminal charges against 34 people, including Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who agreed to cooperate with the probe. Amash also said that bringing an obstruction of justice case did not, as some of Trump's backers have argued, require the prosecution of an underlying crime. Further, he said, "high crimes and misdemeanours," the U.S. Constitution's standard for removing a president from office, does not require corresponding statutory charges. "The context implies conduct that violates the public trust," Amash said. Story continues No U.S. president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of the U.S. Constitution's impeachment process. Democrats have debated for months whether to start proceedings to remove Trump from office, but no Republican in Congress, other than Amash, has called Trump's conduct impeachable. While Amash's remarks made calls in Congress for Trump's removal bipartisan, there were no signs late on Monday of other Republicans following his lead. A long-time Trump critic, Amash is part of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative House of Representatives faction whose members normally defend Trump. Amash has also signalled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020. Representative Mark Meadows, the leader of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters Monday that he and other members of the group do not agree with Amash's impeachment remarks, calling them "poorly informed" and a "faulty analysis." But, he said he still expected Amash to be re-elected again to Congress next year. Meadows said Amash's conclusion about impeachment was an outlier among Republicans. "This is not the crack or the floodgates opening up because of this one person," Meadows said. "In fact itll have no impact on any other Republican member in terms of their position in support of the president." Amash has been in Congress since 2011 and has faced only one serious primary challenge since then. He beat that opponent by nearly 15 points in 2014. Michigan voters helped put Trump in the White House in 2016 by a slim margin. Democrats gained ground in 2018's congressional and state elections, making the Midwestern state a key political battleground in 2020. (additional reporting by David Morgan); Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Bill Berkrot) The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has warned the South-West against planning to produce Nigerias president in 2023. AYCF said after cornering all the juicy appointments, the South-West should not expect the support of the North to produce President Muhammadu Buharis successor in 2023. The group, in a statement by its President-General, Yerima Shettima, alleged that the South-West has made the North irrelevant in the running of government for more than four years. Shettima stated that through the total dominance and manipulation of political and economic power, the South-west has badly shortchanged the north, making its people irrelevant in the running of government for more than four years. The statement read further, There is no way after cornering all the juicy federal government appointments and skewing development projects in favour of the Southwest anyone will dare approach the North with the issue of seeking for Presidency in 2023. That will be totally unacceptable. Shettima stressed that the group would use all legitimate avenues for resisting the manipulations of one man whose primary goal in life is the 2023 presidency and were assuring him that even that is no longer possible and a waste of his resources, because the country belongs to all of us. He stated that the era of any politician calling the shots in other peoples territory was long gone, stressing that were not in a Banana Republic and the world has moved on from the era of political impunity. Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese army rulers and protesters failed Tuesday to reach an agreement yet again on the make-up of a new ruling body as negotiations also became deadlocked over who should lead it -- a civilian or soldier. The two sides launched a round of new talks late Sunday over the sovereign council to rule Sudan for a three-year transitional period following last month's ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. The military council that replaced him has faced international pressure to install a civilian-led administration -- a key demand of thousands of demonstrators who have spent weeks camped outside Khartoum's army headquarters. Late on Monday the military council and the protest movement the Alliance for Freedom and Change met again at the presidential palace to finalise the proposed ruling body but they were unable to clinch a deal. Neither side said when talks would resume, but one of the protest leaders Siddiq Yousef told reporters that "the negotiations are suspended between us and the Transitional Military Council until there is a breakthrough". The ruling military council did not say if talks had been suspended. "The main point of dispute that remains is concerning the share of representatives of the military and the civilians in the council and who will be the head of the new body," a joint statement issued by the generals and protest alliance said after talks ended around midnight. Satea al-Haj, a prominent leader of the Alliance for Freedom and Change, said Tuesday that the military council has insisted that the president of the sovereign council should be from the military and has "conclusively" rejected a civilian leader. "They are justifying it by saying the country faces security threats," he earlier said. The protest movement insists civilians must form the majority of the body's members, a demand resisted by military leaders but backed by major world powers, Haj added. Story continues "The international community and the African Union will not accept to deal with a military government," he said. "The people also want a civilian government." - 'Dirty political game' - Generals and protest leaders have already agreed on some key issues, including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament dominated by lawmakers from the protesters' umbrella group. The new sovereign council is expected to form a transitional civilian government ahead of the first post-Bashir elections. But observers say the body may turn out to be only symbolic, with real power resting in the office of the prime minister and the cabinet. An agreement on the new council's make-up had been expected last week. But the generals suspended the negotiations for 72 hours, demanding that protesters remove roadblocks they had erected on several Khartoum avenues before any negotiations could proceed. Protesters duly tore down the barricades, but have warned that they will build them again unless the generals transfer power to civilians. The generals have allowed protesters to continue with their sit-in at the army complex. Demonstrators began their sit-in against Bashir on April 6, but refused to move after his ouster by the military, vowing instead to stay until a civilian government was installed. Protesters accuse the generals of clinging to power and ignoring their demands. "A dirty political game is being played by the military council," said Mustafa Sadiq, who spent the night at the army complex. The protesters' umbrella group on Monday urged demonstrators to be patient. "Victory is just a matter of patience and it is getting close," the Alliance for Freedom and Change said. Protester Ahmed Nagdi said the Sudanese people had waited already "for decades". "It is time to achieve our goals." Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Youve just bought a used car. Before you signed the paperwork, you already checked its vehicle information number (VIN) with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at nhtsa.gov/recalls, for any outstanding recalls. But now that the car is yours, how do you make sure you find out about any recall that might be issued in the future? There are several steps you can take to protect yourself so that you can get critical safety problems fixed free of charge in a timely fashion: Update Your Registration Make sure your vehicles registration is up to date, with your correct mailing address and the vehicles location, says Wade Newton, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers trade group: Thats because automakers use state registration data to send out notifications by mail, as required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If they dont have your correct address, you might not receive any recall notices. Subscribe to Email Alerts You can subscribe to email alerts from NHTSA. On the subscription page, enter your email address and select the year, make, and model of the vehicle(s) you want to receive updates for. NHTSA will alert you when a manufacturer reports a new recall for the same brand and model year. It will not tell you whether your specific vehicle is involved in the recall, however. Register With Carfax Carfax offers a free recall alert service that is specific to your individual vehicle. Register your vehicle at Carfaxs Vehicle Recall Check page and the company will send you a notification as soon as a new recall is reported. You dont even need to know your vehicles VINyou can register with just your license plate info. Carfax gets all its recall data directly from the manufacturers, says company spokesman Jim Sharifi. Users are alerted via email, or through the myCarfax app if it is installed on their Apple or Android device. Users will also get notifications of any unresolved recalls when they first register. Story continues Inform the Manufacturer You can also register your car directly with a manufacturer, although not all automakers use this information to notify owners about newly issued recalls. For example, Toyota says it will send recall notices to owners who register their car at the Toyota Owners page, but a Volkswagen spokesperson told CR that its Know Your Volkswagen site does not notify customers about new recalls that have been issued. Some places are making an effort to help consumers stay up to date. In Maryland, drivers are alerted to any outstanding recalls whenever they renew their vehicles registration. As part of a pilot program with NHTSA, the Maryland Department of Transportation says it has helped more than 150,000 vehicle owners resolve unrepaired recalls. NHTSA announced earlier this month that its making funds available for other states that want to try a similar program. Were eager to see as many states as possible use innovative approaches to notify consumers of open recalls, like Maryland has, says William Wallace, a safety policy advocate at Consumer Reports. This is especially important since some manufacturers dont give consumers the chance to sign up for company recall alerts. You should also periodically check your VIN on the NHTSA website. Thats because hundreds of recalls are issued every year813 in 2017 (the most recent year with complete data) alone, affecting 30.7 million cars, according to NHTSA. The agency estimates that only about two-thirds of recalls ever get fixed. The problem is more severe for used-car buyers. Even though new cars cannot be sold with an unrepaired recall, there is no similar federal law for used cars. That means dealers are not required under federal law to check for open recalls or to fix potentially deadly safety defects before they sell a vehicle. 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. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange "on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant." The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and U.S. extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for "intentionally having carried out an intercourse" with an unnamed woman "by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep." Story continues The request added there was "an aggravating circumstance" because Assange didn't use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Sweden's center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. A police officer who heard the women's accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. "However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the U.K.," Persson said in a statement. Meanwhile, Assange's supporters gathered outside Ecuador's Embassy in London to protest what they said was the handover of his belongings to American prosecutors. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted "Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you!" WikiLeaks said in a statement that Assange's possessions, including manuscripts, medical records and electronic equipment, will be handed to U.S. prosecutors seeking his extradition on Monday. By Helena Soderpalm STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday. She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him. Sweden's decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubt on where Assange may eventually end up, with U.S. authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information. A lawyer representing Assange in Sweden said he would tell the District Court it could not investigate the prosecutor's request until he had conferred with his client and learned whether or not he wished to oppose a detention order. "Since he is in prison in England, it has so far not been possible even to speak to him by telephone," Per Samuelson told Reuters. Assange, an Australian national, took refuge in the embassy after fighting unsuccessfully through the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden. The British courts will have to rule on the Swedish and U.S. extradition requests, with interior minister Sajid Javid having the final say on which one takes precedence. "The outcome of this process is impossible to predict," Persson said. Citing information from UK authorities, she said Assange would serve 25 weeks of his UK sentence before he could be released. A British judge has given the U.S. government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. (Reporting by Helena Soderpalm and Esha Vaish; editing by John Stonestreet and Niklas Pollard) Stockholm (AFP) - Swedish prosecutors on Monday issued a formal request to hold Julian Assange, currently imprisoned in Britain, on suspicion of rape -- a first step towards seeking his extradition to Sweden. Swedish deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, said in a statement she had filed a request with the Uppsala district court to have Assange detained in his absence on suspicion of rape. Detaining someone in their absence is a standard part of Swedish legal procedure if a suspect is outside the country or cannot be located. The request follows last week's reopening of a 2010 rape investigation, and Persson added that once the court had granted the request, she would then ask British authorities to transfer Assange to Sweden. "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden," Persson said. The Australian whistleblower, who holed himself up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London for seven years to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden, was arrested by British police on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up. A London court sentenced him on May 1 to 50 weeks in jail for breaching the British order. The Swedish investigation concerns events which took place in 2010 when a Swedish woman accused Assange of rape, after meeting him at a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm. Assange has always denied the allegations. Swedish authorities closed the investigation in 2017, when Sweden's then director of public prosecutions Marianne Ny argued that since Assange could not be reached, having taken up residence in the embassy, it was not possible to proceed with the probe. But the investigation was reopened on May 13 following Assange's arrest. The prosecution authority was unable to say when the detention hearing would take place since this would be up to the court to decide, and that a European Arrest Warrant would only be issued after the court had granted the detention request. Story continues When contacted by AFP, the Uppsala district court, where the request was filed, said the detention hearing had not yet been scheduled. Assange is already the subject of an extradition request from the United States, where he is wanted for hacking. That request that was only revealed following his arrest in London. Persson said it would be up to British authorities to decide which country's request should take precedence. "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. The outcome of this process is impossible to predict," Persson said. Paris (AFP) - In a cruel irony in the Chinese Year of the Pig, outbreaks of African Swine Fever are forcing huge culls that could send pork prices to levels never seen before. According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization, pork prices "have begun to soar", rising by up to 50 percent both in China and on the Chicago futures exchange. In Europe, the rise has been 18 percent since the beginning of March as Japan and South Korea, two major importing nations, have started to build up reserves in cases of disruptions to supplies, according to commodities markets research firm Cyclope. In France and Germany, pork prices have "risen by 30 percent since the start of year due to China," said Jean-Paul Simier, an agricultural market analyst at French bank Credit Agricole who authored the meat section of the latest Cyclope annual report. Home to nearly half of the world's pigs, China is both the world's largest consumer and producer of pork, which is a staple of its cuisine. African Swine Fever, a virus that is not dangerous to humans but fatal to pigs and wild boar, began sweeping across China last year. Chinese officials have said hundreds of thousands of pigs were culled in a bid to stop its spread -- an effort that has also seen restrictions placed on moving pigs from affected areas. Despite the measures, African Swine Fever continued to spread, eventually hitting China's major pig farming area in Sichuan province. - Record prices? - Cyclope said that since the start of the year 20 Chinese provinces have been hit, leading authorities to cull one million pigs, and removing them from the food chain. It has continued to spread further, approaching the border with Laos in the south of the country and to the tropical island of Hainan, according to a map produced by the FAO. Cambodia, Mongolia and Vietnam have also been hit, with nearly 100,000 pigs culled in the three countries. The culls mean that China must now begin importing pork massively to compensate for lost production, said Jean-Paul Simier. Story continues "China is the decisive market for pork, you need to understand that 700 million pigs live in China, compared to 20 million in France for example," he said. "The outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in East Asia is likely to have a noticeable impact on meat and feed markets worldwide," said the FAO in its latest semi-annual report on food markets that came out earlier this month. It warned of "challenges to maintaining adequate meat supplies in affected countries," saying that based on reports by government officials, industry sources and news media that the extent of the cull may have reached 20 percent of China's pig herd. Simier has a more conservative forecast of a drop in Chinese pork production of 10 percent this year, or nearly 6 million tonnes. "That is already enormous, because the international meat trade is only some 10 million tonnes per year," he said. "If the disease situation gets out of control, pork could hit prices never seen before," he added. While that is bad news for consumers, it means good business ahead for pig farmers in regions that haven't been touched by African Swine Fever. But farmers who raise feed grains for pigs, particularly soybeans, could be hurt by a drop in Chinese demand. A merger between T-Mobile (TMUS) and Sprint (S) has moved one step closer to becoming a reality with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai throwing his official support behind the deal. If the arrangement is approvedthe FCC and Justice Department still have to sign offthe combined companies will have to abide by a plan that would include rolling out 5G connectivity to 99% of Americans within six years. But allowing the two companies to team up in an already highly concentrated market could end up hurting consumers who would see reduced competition in the space. Ive yet to see a situation where fewer competitors makes for a more competitive market, explained Bill Menezes, senior principal analyst at Gartner. So any claims that competition will be the same as it was before because of some short-term price guarantee, are, lets say fluid at best, he added. After all, cutting down on consumers options means less competition for their dollars in the wireless space. And for an industry that is already tightly held by four rival companies, one less option could make quite a difference. T-Mobile CEO John Legere (R) and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure pose for pictures on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, NY, U.S., April 30, 2018. (Reuters/Brendan Mcdermid) The new T-Mobile In order to get Pais backing, T-Mobile and Sprint have agreed to a number of terms including deploying a 5G network on low-band spectrum that covers 97% of the country in three years and 99% in six years. The combined companies have also made a commitment to bring 5G connectivity to rural Americans, who lack wide access to high-speed networks. The companies promise that 90% of rural consumers would have speeds of 50Mbps within 6 years of the deal. That could prove to be a boon for rural Americans. Its hard to call this agreement a major milestone though, since the U.S. is already pushing rural broadband initiatives. As Jason Leigh, research manager at IDC, explains, this is more like Sprint and T-Mobile doubling down on their previous commitments to connect rural areas. T-Mobile could lose its touch Under CEO John Legere, T-Mobile has made a significant impact on the consumer wireless industry. T-Mobile is the reason that unlimited data plans made a comebackthough there are caveats to those plans. Story continues The carrier also pushed the breakup of two-year subsidized smartphone agreements, by letting customers pay off their devices over time. Doing so meant you could pay off your phone entirely within two years and then switch to a new carrier if you chose. The company did a good deal to try to lure consumers away from the larger AT&T and Verizon over the years. But by combining with Sprint, theres the risk that the newly formed carrier would be less likely to offer such deals. However, Leigh and Menezes both think the new company will continue to try to pull consumers away from AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) through marketing campaigns. Menezes, in particular, believes that the company will likely use add-on services to entice potential users. That includes things like Hulu, Spotify, and other services that would be included in a consumers monthly bill. But if the combined T-Mobile and Sprint ends up moving away from the marketing strategies that have helped grow their customer base, it could leave consumers with one less, more affordable option for their post-paid carrier needs. T-Mobile and Sprint said they would also drop their Boost Mobile pre-paid subsidiary to push the merger through, but the two companies will still have Metro and Virgin Mobile in their arsenal. In 2011, Sprint sued to stop T-Mobile and AT&T from joining forces, saying that the move would be brazenly anti-competitive. That merger would have brought together the second and third largest carriers in the U.S. leaving Verizon as the largest and Sprint as the smallest. A merged Sprint and T-Mobile would still be the third largest carrier behind AT&T and Verizon. With their smaller sizes, both Sprint and T-Mobile have had to get creative in drawing in new consumers. The companies have, at varying times, pushed offers that paid for half of consumers phone bills to get them to switch carriers, rolled out superior international plans, among other incentives. Combining the companies could reduce the need for such tactics, potentially hurting consumers. The merger isnt done yet, though. According to Bloomberg, officials within the Justice Department, which would have to sign off on the deal, arent convinced T-Mobile and Sprints proposals do enough to quiet antitrust fears. And unless the companies make some additional concessions, the deal could be dead. Disclosure: Verizon is the parent company of Yahoo Finance. More from Dan: Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@oath.com; follow him on Twitter at@DanielHowley. Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andLinkedIn.finance.yahoo.com/ It seems like T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS and Sprint Corp. S are leaving no stone unturned to win regulatory clearance for their $26.5 billion merger. The third- and fourth-largest U.S. wireless carrier (by subscriber count) are reportedly going to announce commitments to the federal government, including asset sales and rural-service guarantees. The move is expected to help them in obtaining approval for their pending merger. In late April, the two companies extended the deadline for closing the deal by around three months to Jul 29, 2019. Per media reports, they are now planning to promise the sale of one of their prepaid brands, a three-year buildout of 5G network and a reiterated pledge to not increase prices while the network is being built. Markedly, the new promises would follow talks with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Such decisions are likely to help soothe the clearance process of the deal, which is being reviewed over concerns of reduced competition in the U.S. wireless industry as the number of leading players would then decline from four to three. The FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice are yet to have their final say on the transaction. The companies have agreed to separate Sprints Boost brand while retaining their Virgin Mobile and T-Mobiles Metro businesses. Notably, these three make up the largest segment of the U.S. pay-as-you-go market with around 42% share. Story This Far In April 2018, T-Mobile and Sprint had entered into an agreement to merge in all-stock transaction at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.10256 T-Mobile shares for each Sprint share, or the equivalent of 9.75 Sprint shares for each T-Mobile share. The successful transaction is anticipated to create thousands of jobs, while providing the United States an upper hand over China in creating the next generation of mobile networks. The combined firm New T-Mobile would have about 127 million customers, a strong closing balance sheet and a fully funded business plan. It represents a total implied enterprise value of nearly $146 billion. Subsequently, T-Mobile received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for the deal. Also, Team Telecom gave its green signal. Notably, T-Mobile got shareholder approval for this game-changing merger. This was considered as a step forward in creating the New T-Mobile through which the company will bring robust competition to the 5G era. The New T-Mobile will have the network capacity to rapidly create a nationwide 5G network with the breadth and depth needed by U.S. firms and entrepreneurs to continue leading in the 5G era. However, T-Mobile and Sprint were required to convince the Trump administrations antitrust regulators that there is plenty of room left for healthy competition in the wireless industry, comprising the top two players, Verizon Communications Inc. VZ and AT&T Inc. T. To Sum Up The FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice are still investigating the impacts of the merger on U.S. consumers as they think that it would reduce the number of players in the industry. The FCC is yet to take a call on whether to grant the deal regulatory approval and if it serves the public interest. Meanwhile, the two companies have been arguing that the deal would create a stronger rival to industry frontrunners like Verizon and AT&T, and would actually help and not hurt competition. T-Mobile and Sprint have committed to not increase prices on their plans for three years. The companies have also stated that this deal would allow New T-Mobile to provide wider and faster 5G coverage as well as improve competition in the in-home broadband space. While T-Mobile, a Zacks #2 Ranked (Buy) stock, has a long-term EPS growth expectation of 15.1%, the same for Sprint, a Zacks #3 Ranked (Hold) stock, is 19.6%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Driven by proper execution of operational priorities, shares of T-Mobile and Sprint have recorded an average return of 31.8% and 19.8% respectively, compared with the industrys rise of 9.2% over the past year. Story continues This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019 Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month. Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Sprint Corporation (S) : Free Stock Analysis Report AT&T Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research McLEAN, Va. The nation's medical system falls far short of meeting the demand for teen mental health services because cases of suicide and psychiatric disorders are skyrocketing, underscoring a public health crisis that is already costing Americans billions to combat. Research from federal regulators and medical groups shows the suicide rate for young people ages 10 to 19 rose by 56% from 2007 to 2016, the latest year for which figures are available. Only 40% of young people with major depression got treatment, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. Severe depression is a common precursor to suicide, which kills thousands of children and teenagers a year in the USA. Suicides and suicide attempts cost the nation about $70 billion a year in lifetime costs for medical care and lost work hours. The staggering price tag doesn't end there. Serious mental illness costs nearly $195 billion in lost earnings every year, and prescription opioid misuse not including heroin, other drugs and alcohol costs nearly $80 billion a year. "The lack of access to psychiatric care has been a problem for a long time, and it's not improving because of the increasing demand for care of our nation's youth," says Dr. Wun Jung Kim, a child psychiatrist and professor at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University. "We have a lousy system of care." Experts say the key is addressing the crisis before it drives the opioid epidemic's mounting cost to unprecedented levels, according to USA TODAY research. More: New documentary puts a youthful face on suicide and mental health; aim is to combat stigma Nearly half of people who suffer from substance abuse disorder have a mental health disorder, federal data show. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says children often languish for up to 10 years after mental health symptoms emerge. Many of the serious mental health issues begin in childhood, and we need to address them sooner, says Dr. Christine Moutier, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Story continues Children and teens regularly wait days in emergency rooms before a bed opens up in hospital psychiatric units. There, doctors can decide whether its safe to release young patients to some form of outpatient treatment, or possibly residential rehabilitation if other efforts have failed. Parents in Fairfax County, Virginia, often have to travel three to four hours south when inpatient beds open late at night, says Rick Leichtweis, senior director of Inova Health System's Kellar Center, which treats children and teens for mental health, addiction and special education. Washington, D.C., is the only place in the U.S. that the psychiatric academy says has the right ratio of child psychiatrists for the population. Adult and child psychiatrists alike are in short supply, Kim says, because the field is one of the lowest-paying medical specialties, and psychiatric wings of hospitals can hardly compete with, say, a new orthopedic unit. Rising rates of youth suicide and psychiatric disorders come as the health care system has started to focus on the effect of loneliness on mental and physical health. Young people, seemingly the most connected of all through social media, are being hit hard, San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge reported in a study in March. Teens whose face time with friends is mostly on their phones are the loneliest of all, but even those who mix real-world socializing with social media still are increasingly isolated, Twenge found. The share of high school seniors who said they often felt lonely increased from 26% in 2012 to 39% in 2017. An NBC News/Survey Monkey poll out today places much of the blame for teen mental health challenges on social media. Nearly a third of about 1,300 parents of 5- to 17-year-olds blamed social media for mental and emotional health problems in children. Bullying and stress were the next most frequently cited problems in the poll, part of the network's Kids Under Pressure series this week. Jamison Monroe, founder and CEO of the teen mental health treatment company Newport Academy, says he self-medicated his severe depression and anxiety with alcohol and marijuana in high school. It's a story he told last month as he tried to convince angry neighbors of the need for four group homes he's trying to open in upscale McLean neighborhoods. Such group homes might actually be a wonderful thing from a suicide prevention standpoint if it offers something that's not the clinical environment but teaches them skills (and) allows them to get treatment and then integrate back into their their normal life, Moutier says. Other solutions: Training pediatricians.The American Academy of Pediatrics last year called on members to screen for depression in children as young as 10. Psychiatrist Justine Larson, a senior medical adviser for mental health at the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, says education of primary care doctors is a top priority. Remote psychiatric consultations. Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Mental Health Services in Pediatric Primary Care is studying ways to integrate mental health care into primary care. It also tracks programs that connect psychiatrists with pediatricians during appointments and provides a list on its website. Nonprofit programs. Nonprofits are stepping in to address government funding shortfalls. In the Washington, D.C., area, Strength In Our Voices trains high school students, teachers and others in suicide prevention in schools. In Florida's Collier County, agencies collaborate to reach at-risk children before they are in crisis through the Naples Children & Education Foundation's Beautiful Minds initiative. At Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Adapting for Life, Surviving the Teens teaches coping and language skills to navigate into adulthood, especially how to ask for help when teens need it. Whether they get that care often depends on their parents. Rutgers' Dr. Kim says psychiatry is made more challenging by the stigma many parents and grandparents attach to the field. Jamison Monroe, founder and CEO of the teen mental health treatment company, Newport Academy, is shown at a recent community meeting in McLean, Va.. Milwaukee-area teen TJ Esser told his family he was transgender when he was 13 and found them very supportive. He was one of four students who spoke publicly in a new Milwaukee PBS/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel documentary about youth mental health. Transgender students "suffer from so much mental health because it's not always an open place in schools to be who you are," says Esser, who is now 16.. Genevieve Mulligan, who grew up blocks from the proposed group homes in McLean, says she knows at least seven former high school classmates who died from an overdose or suicide. "I truly hope that the adults opposing these homes understand that the youth of McLean are listening and the message they are receiving is loud and clear: if you are struggling with mental health or substance use conditions, you are not the kind of person I want in my backyard," Mulligan says. The Harvard University graduate begins medical school at the University of Michigan this fall. She may specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry. If you or your children are struggling with issues mentioned in this story and you would like to connect with others online, join USA TODAYs "I Survived It" Facebook support group. Contributing; Frank Gluck and Janine Zeitlin of the Fort Myers News Press, Rory Linnane of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and Anne Saker of the Cincinnati Enquirer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teen suicide and mental health: America's deadly, costly problems that have no end in sight Tehran (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the "genocidal taunts" of US President Donald Trump will not "end Iran", as tensions spike between the two countries. "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," Zarif wrote on Twitter. "Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect -- it works!" he added. In another tweet, Zarif accused Trump of allowing his team to "trash diplomacy" and "abet war crimes -- by milking despotic butchers via massive arms sales". The riposte by Iran's top diplomat followed an ominous warning by Trump, who on Sunday suggested the Islamic republic would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump tweeted. On Monday evening Trump, who is seen on blowing hot and cold on Iran, appeared to play down the immediate threat posed by Iran while saying he is ready to talk if Tehran takes the first step. Trump's latest comments appeared aimed at dialing back fears that his administration is pushing for war. "We have no indication that anything's happened or will happen," he told reporters at the White House when asked about the Iranian threat to US interests, adding: "We have no indication that they will." A Senator close to Trump, Lindsey Graham, warned Iran of an "overwhelming military response" for any actions against US interests. - 'Rising rhetoric' - Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed tough sanctions. Iranian officials have repeatedly slammed the unilateral US sanctions as "economic terrorism," saying that they have impeded the flow of essential goods. Tensions have risen further this month with Washington announcing more economic measures against Tehran, before deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified alleged Iranian "threats". Story continues The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing the danger posed by Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. On Sunday a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. While the US claim of Iranian "threats" has been met with widespread scepticism outside the United States, the mounting tensions have sparked growing international concern. "I would say to the Iranians, do not underestimate the resolve on the US side in the situation," British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt told reporters on Monday in Geneva. "They don't want a war with Iran, but if American interests are attacked they will retaliate," he added. The United Nations expressed concern about the "rising rhetoric". "We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. - 'Goaded' into war - US media reports say Trump's hawkish national security adviser John Bolton is pushing for war with Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Zarif's tweet said Trump is being "goaded by B Team," a term he coined to refer to Bolton as well as Israel's prime minister and the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are all pushing a hard line on Tehran. Before Trump's Twitter threat, Zarif had downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region, saying Tehran opposed it and nobody was under the "illusion" the Islamic republic could be confronted. Iran is exercising "maximum restraint" in the face of an "unacceptable" escalation by the United States, Zarif said on Thursday. Tehran has threatened to gradually withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal unless partners still in the agreement -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- help it to circumvent US sanctions. Saudi Arabia on Saturday called for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions. It came days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels, who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran -- but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it," he said. "But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests." Cannes (France) (AFP) - In a tiny tent on a campsite in the hills outside Cannes, Christopher and Noe are wrestling with their tuxedos before heading off in the hope of hitting the festival's celebrated red carpet. Like dozens of other cash-strapped fans of the silver screen, they have pitched up at "Le Ranch", a campsite just down the road from the five-star splendour of the Cannes film festival. The two friends arrived in Cannes on a budget train ticket earlier in the week after scoping out the cheapest possible way to make the festival and getting hold of a free three-day pass that the festival offers to cinema enthusiasts under 28. A 20-minute bus ride from La Croisette, the three-star campsite has become a popular haunt for festival-goers who could never afford the eye-watering prices charged by the town's hotels, whose rates skyrocket during the movie extravaganza. That said, this is far from the luxuries of "glamping" or glamour camping -- particularly as this is the wettest Cannes in years. "It's much cheaper than anything else. I wouldn't have the money to stay in Cannes," said Christophe as he struggles out of his tent in the pouring rain to go for a shower. Immaculately dressed in a suit and a tie, the pair head down to the action to take up positions outside the Palais des Festivals, the main movie venue, where they will stand for hours in search of tickets for a screening. And if they get really lucky, they could even be walking the red carpet themselves. "Actually, we spend most of the day begging (for invitations)," admits Noe with a grin, amused by the contrast between the "real life" of the campsite and the star-kissed glamour of Cannes' celebrated Croisette. For Dominique Tallis, who runs Le Ranch, it's also the only time of the year when she is guaranteed a line of people queueing up to use the iron at the camp site's laundry. "In the early morning, I see women leaving in their beautiful dresses and coming back with their stilettos in hand and their makeup all smudged," she laughs. Story continues - Car park as dressing room - "It's a good way of getting back to reality and it's also fun," smiles Yvette Mamalet, clutching sponge bags and towels as she walks with her husband Roger to the shower block where festival-goers are coming and going in flipflops. Every two years, this retired couple comes to Cannes to try and see as many films as possible so they can have an idea what to show at the community cinema they run in the southern French city of Toulouse. With experience, the two have become experts on how to transform themselves from campers into chic and classy cinephiles, using their car as a changing room to put on their finery before climbing the vaunted red steps of the Palais. In the low-lit corridors of the carpark underneath the Palais, Roger ditches his jeans and dons an elegant suit, finished off with a ruby red bow tie, while in the back seat, Yvette wriggles into a long black dress with a diamante neckline. A last glance in the rearview mirror and the couple are ready, heading up to join the stars as they step onto the red carpet. Queen Elizabeth II leaves after the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The Queen told a leading German ambassador that Britains future lies in Europe, according to state documents. A report in the Times claims a cable held by the German foreign office written by Rudiger Freiherr von Wechmar, who served as West Germanys ambassador to Britain from 1983 to 1988, revealed Queen Elizabeths stance on Europe for the first time. Written in 1988 Von Wechmarr reportedly told West German leaders that the Queen had left no doubt that the future of Britain lies in Europe after their final meeting on November 24. The ambassador, along with his wife, had been granted an audience at Buckingham Palace as he left the role, and he told her of his ambitions of going on to become an MEP. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran The conversation took place some two months after Margaret Thatcher had delivered the Bruges speech, in which she proclaimed that Britains destiny lay in Europe but warned of a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels. Von Wechmar told the Queen Thatchers trade secretary, Lord Young of Graffham, had recently budgeted 5 million for a public information campaign on Europe. She said in a sarcastic undertone: Its about time, the ambassador recalled. I told her I sometimes couldnt escape the impression that Mrs Thatcher wanted a different Europe from the Europe we wanted. She responded to this remark with an observation alluding to the strained relationship between the two women: That will soon change... If she is still around. Left to right: Michael Mgbedike, Kennedy Udo and Emmanuel Okubote who have been jailed for importing drugs and guns through the Channel Tunnel. (Met Police). Three men who conspired to bring drugs and guns into the UK through the channel tunnel have been jailed for more than 40 years. Kennedy Udo, Michael Mgbedike and Emmanuel Okubote were found guilty of their parts in the plot to import firearms and cocaine through the tunnel. The trio were rumbled when, on August 12 2017, two loaded guns, with ammunition and a silencer were found in a car travelling from in Coquelles, France, to Folkestone, Kent. After the car was seized almost a kilogramme of high-purity cocaine was discovered inside. A gun recovered from a vehicle driven by Mgbedike and Udo on August 12. (Met Police) Udo, of Avery Hill Road, Eltham, and Mgbedike, of Spur Road, Orpington, were arrested at the scene. An investigation by the Met Police discovered links to Okubote, of Evan Cook Close, Peckham, who was arrested on August 13. Detectives established that the men had made several trips to Amsterdam, via Eurotunnel, during the months of July and August 2017. It is believed that at least three importations of prohibited firearms and drugs had taken place. Okubote was the ringleader, using others with little or no previous criminal history to work for him. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Anti-abortion group granted university affiliation after legal fight Google blocks Huawei on Android operating system Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran Udo was jailed for eight years and six months after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply drugs and being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of goods. Mgbedike was sentenced to eight years, having been found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Last September Okubote was found guilty of conspiracy to supply firearms with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life, he was jailed for 23-and-a-half years in prison on November 9. DC Sarah Smart of the Mets Operation Trident team, said: "Emmanuel Okubote, along with Michael Mgbedike and Kennedy Udo were intent on importing loaded firearms and drugs through the UKs borders, bringing misery to the communities that we serve. Story continues The collaborative work between agencies, as well as between different departments and experts within the Met, has undoubtedly saved lives. This demonstrates that law enforcement agencies will relentlessly pursue those who carry, and those who facilitate the movement of firearms and drugs into and within the UK. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo News UK DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Three prison guards and 29 inmates were killed in a prison riot in Tajikistan that the government blamed on Islamic State militants. Tajikistan's Justice Ministry said the riot broke out late on Sunday in the prison in the city of Vakhdat, 10 km (six miles) east of the capital Dushanbe, as militants armed with knives killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. The militants then torched the prison hospital, took several inmates hostage and tried to fight their way out. Security forces killed 24 militants in the battle to restore order in the prison, the ministry said. The prison houses 1,500 inmates, some of whom rights activists describe as political prisoners. Among prisoners who were killed by militants were two senior members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), once an influential party represented in parliament and government, which was outlawed by the government of President Imomali Rakhmon in 2015, the ministry said. Another victim was a prominent Tajik cleric convicted on charges of calls to overthrow the government. The authorities said one of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, a son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to Islamic State in 2015 and, according to the government, has since been killed in Syria. The ministry did not specify whether the 20-year-old younger Gulmurod - who was convicted in 2017 for trying to join his father in Syria - was among those killed in the riot. The road to the prison was blocked by security forces on Monday who refused to let in reporters or dozens of inmates' relatives who had come to check on them. "We were told to leave and they said they would inform us about our relatives when possible," said an elderly woman whose son was in the prison. Hundreds of people from the impoverished former Soviet republic of 9 million are believed to have joined Islamic State, which at one point controlled large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq. The group, which has now lost its strongholds but continues underground operations, claimed responsibility for another Tajik prison riot last November, which followed a deadly attack by its followers on Western tourists in Tajikistan in July 2018. The government of the Persian-speaking nation which borders Afghanistan fought against Islamists - who were allied with nationalists and liberal democrats - in a civil war in the 1990s which killed tens of thousands of people. Tajikistan's leader Rakhmon is the longest-serving ruler in the former Soviet Union, having taken power shortly after independence, and tolerates little dissent. (Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Michael Perry, Clarence Fernandez and Peter Graff) Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation (TSE:ITC), which is in the software business, and is based in Canada, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the TSX over the last few months, increasing to CA$1.69 at one point, and dropping to the lows of CA$1.26. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Intrinsyc Technologies's current trading price of CA$1.26 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Intrinsyc Technologiess outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Intrinsyc Technologies Is Intrinsyc Technologies still cheap? The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. Its trading around 20% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Intrinsyc Technologies today, youd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe the companys true value is CA$1.57, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Intrinsyc Technologiess beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the companys shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity. What kind of growth will Intrinsyc Technologies generate? TSX:ITC Past and Future Earnings, May 20th 2019 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. Intrinsyc Technologiess revenue growth are expected to be in the teens in the upcoming years, indicating a solid future ahead. Unless expenses grow at the same level, or higher, this top-line growth should lead to robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has already priced in ITCs positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value? Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on ITC, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for the company, which means its worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Intrinsyc Technologies. You can find everything you need to know about Intrinsyc Technologies in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Intrinsyc Technologies, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. 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. Savannah College of Art and Design is celebrating its 40th anniversary this monthwhich means that the school's interior design program is also celebrating the big four-oh. As the industry has grown, so has SCADs program, with over 800 enrolled students currently working towards their interior design degreeswhen the school was first founded, that number was two. By the 19992000 school year, enrollment had grown to 192 students. Given the exponential growth, what does it take to equip burgeoning designers with the skills and know-how to thrive in an increasingly competitive profession? This is the underlying question, and challenge, that is driving the schools pedagogical approachone that weaves together different disciplines and ideas, technology and historical research, and creative and business-minded thinking. Our students come out and they are practice-ready, says Ryan Hansen, professor and chair of the department of interior design at SCAD. They have the professional experience, they have the professional communication skills, they have the knowledge of the business side, and they are able to really enter into design firms and function at a really high level. And thats the feedback that we get all the time from the design firms. Courtesy of SCAD Collaboration with leading brands and industry figures plays a key role in this professional preparation, from mentorship with industry leaders to interdisciplinary coursework. A recent competition sponsored by Kravet, for example, called on fiber and interior design students to work in teams of two to create mockup collections inspired by historic and contemporary Savannah. What we started doing this year is finding those collaborative partners both within the School of Building Arts as well as with other academic departments in SCAD to foster greater critical thinking by the students, explains Geoffrey Taylor, the dean of the School of Building Arts at SCAD, which oversees the department of interior design. It develops the students acumen for presenting their designs and the arguments for why their designs solve their clients needs. Story continues One way the school is prioritizing teamwork is through its initiative SCADPro, a design shop and innovation studio that pairs students with top brands and Fortune 500 companiesincluding Airbnb, NASA, and Googleto come up with original design solutions. The experience of working on such high-level projects left a lasting impression on Vivien Chen, a 2015 SCAD alum, who now works as an interior designer in HOKs Atlanta Studio. It truly prepares students for their professional careers by enhancing their collaboration, management, and adaptive thinking skills, says Chen. Chia Chong For Margaret Daniel, a senior in the interior design department, these experiences working with industry partners at SCAD have already been beneficial in her first forays into the workplace. As an intern at Cheatham Fletcher Scott Architects in Augusta, Georgia, and Pencil and Paper Co., located in Nashville, my classroom knowledge was tested professionally, and I felt well prepared for each role I was given at those companies, explains Daniel. While this partnership with industry players is an important component of the program, Hansen underscores that the curriculum is structured to lay a foundation in interior design through a sequence of focused studios, from residential to hospitality to mixed-use: I think what we are really trying to accomplish is exposing our students to a wide variety of market sectors. The department is also harnessing the latest technology for its students creative work. We are looking into the future. Just this quarter in Atlanta, we are teaching an AR/VR class. . . . The idea there is, the students are able to really immerse potential clients and interviewers into their design process. With graduation just around the corner, students have numerous resources at their disposal to aid them in their job search, between resume and portfolio reviews with the schools CAS representatives (Career and Alumni Success) to the career fair hosting over 150 employers. The objective, Dean Taylor emphasizes, is on "How do we make sure the way you present your workyour professional identityis the best representation of all of your attributes? Daniel, who is getting ready to graduate this month, can attest to how the school achieves the task. Aware that professionals could drop by on any given day, Ive been encouraged to make sure my work is always presentation-ready. Ive had an elevator pitch ready since freshman year." Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has been elected for a second term, official results showed Tuesday, in a victory over a would-be strongman who aligned himself with Islamic hardliners. Official counting was completed just before midnight and the Election Commission announced the formal result early Tuesday. It said Widodo won 55.5% of the vote in the April 17 election to 45.5% for his challenger, ultra-nationalist former general Prabowo Subianto. Thousands of police and soldiers are on high alert in the capital Jakarta, anticipating protests from supporters of Subianto, who refuses to concede defeat. The Election Commission's headquarters in central Jakarta are barricaded with razor wire and heavily guarded. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Crews in New Zealand on Tuesday reentered an underground coal mine where a methane explosion killed 29 workers more than eight years ago, raising hopes among family members that they might find bodies and new evidence that leads to criminal charges. Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton was killed in the explosion, said the families had been fighting for this ever since the Pike River mine exploded. "We did it. We won," she said. She said it had been a "hugely emotional" day for the families and it was a moving experience to watch people going back into the mine. BEIJING (AP) Hong Kong retiree Lee Wai-man loves pork fresh from the market but eats a lot less now that the price has jumped as China struggles with a deadly swine disease that has sent shockwaves through global meat markets. China produces and consumes two-thirds of the world's pork, but output is plunging as Beijing destroys herds and blocks shipments to stop African swine fever. Importers are filling the gap by buying pork as far away as Europe, boosting prices by up to 40% and causing shortages in other markets. "I'm a fresh-pork lover, but it's too expensive," Lee, 87, said as she shopped at a Hong Kong market. Story continues KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than all but one other person. Now he wants to make sure no one feels compelled to follow in his footsteps. As a boy growing up in Nepal, Sherpa dreamed of becoming a doctor, but poverty and lack of education steered him to a far more dangerous path : Working as a guide on Mount Everest, carrying climbing equipment and helping foreign mountaineers scale the world's tallest peak. Now retired in the U.S., Sherpa returns every year to his roots in the foothills of the Himalayas to provide financial assistance to village schools and try to show children from the Sherpa minority group that they have options in life. KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) A Sherpa mountaineer has extended his record for successful climbs of Mount Everest with his 24th ascent of the world's highest peak. Nepal Department of Tourism official Mira Acharya said guide Kami Rita reached the top of the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak Tuesday with other climbers. It was his second time at the summit in a week. He climbed to the top on May 15 then returned to base camp before climbing again this week. The 49-year-old Sherpa guide is closer to his target of 25 ascents of Everest before retiring from high mountain climbing. BEIJING (AP) For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. Communist leaders deflected demands for change until foreign frustration erupted into a showdown with President Donald Trump. He sent shockwaves through their export industries by slapping punitive tariffs of up to 25% on Chinese goods. Europe, Japan and other trading partners object to Trump's tactics but echo American complaints. They say Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening commitments under the World Trade Organization. American prosecutors go further. They say the Communist Party is the ringleader of a global industrial spying operation. Trump administration sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. The U.S. move escalates trade-war tensions with Beijing, but also risks making China more self-sufficient over time. Here's a look at what's behind the dispute and what it means. ___ WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department placed Huawei its so-called Entity List , effectively barring U.S. firms from selling it technology without government approval. TOKYO (AP) Plans for U.S. President Donald Trump to check out the ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling during a state visit are raising security issues for organizers. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to have Trump and his wife Melania attend a tournament May 26 and hand over a trophy to the winner. But Japanese media reports say security needs mean those who have already bought tickets to 1,000 seats near the ring have to be checked in advance. Ring-side seats are coveted for sumo, an art-like sport that dates back to the 17th century. The Japan Sumo Association declined comment Tuesday. SRINAGAR, India (AP) A prominent rights group in Indian-controlled Kashmir is advocating for the United Nations to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate what it calls the endemic use of torture by government forces amid a decades-long anti-India uprising in the disputed region. The Jammu-Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society on Monday released a detailed report saying India is using torture as a "matter of policy" and "instrument of control" in Kashmir, where rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. "Torture is the most under-reported human rights violation perpetrated by the state," the report noted. "Due to legal, political and moral impunity extended to the armed forces, not a single prosecution has taken place in any case of human rights violations" in the region, the report said. SYDNEY (AP) Prime Minister Scott Morrison looked set on Monday to form a majority government as vote counting from Australia's weekend election allayed fears that his conservative coalition may have to rule in the minority following its shock victory. The coalition was returned to power in a stunning result on Saturday, after opinion polls and odds-makers had tipped the opposition Labor Party to win. The outcome ranks as Australia's biggest election upset since 1993, when Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating was returned to power. With 76 seats in the House of Representatives needed for majority rule, figures from the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday showed that with around 84% of votes counted, the coalition was on target to win 78 seats an increase of five after going into the election as a minority government. Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Atlanta. Billionaire graduation speaker pledges to pay off student debt of entire graduating class at Atlanta college A billionaire technology investor and philanthropist says he will provide grants to wipe out the student debt of the entire graduating class at Morehouse College an estimated $40 million. Read the full story on KTLA 5 Morning News. Racist robocall circulating in Atlanta A robocall circulating in Georgia says a white woman shouldn't be cast as a criminal after being arrested for the fatal shooting of a black man. The call says all black people aren't fully human and should be sent to Africa. Read the full story on WRAL TV. APS 4th grade educator named 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year - Atlanta INtown Paper Tracey Nance Pendley, an Atlanta Public Schools 4th grade teacher at Burgess Peterson Academy in East Atlanta, has been named the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year. State School Superintendent Richard Woods made the announcement at a ceremony on May 18. Read the full story on Atlanta INtown. Georgia woman opens gender-neutral clothing store in Atlanta ATLANTA (AP) - A Georgia woman has opened a gender-neutral children's clothing store in Atlanta's Kirkwood neighborhood. The children's unisex clothing store is among the first of its kind, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Read the full story on Houston Chronicle. After southwest Atlanta shooting, three struggle to get to hospital Police said the three people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Read the full story on 11ALIVE. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: N i c o l a/Flickr Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Charlotte. FBI, CMPD investigating security incident at Charlotte Douglas International Airport Officials have confirmed the investigation involved a Jet Blue airplane departing from Charlotte, heading to New York Sunday morning. Read the full story on WCNC. Police: Charlotte officer gave alcohol to 1- and 6-year-olds Authorities in North Carolina say an officer gave alcohol to a 1-year-old and a 6-year-old. Read the full story on WRAL TV. He was wrongly jailed and charged with a Charlotte womans death. Now hes free again. Video surveillance footage freed a man accused by police of fatally shooting a Charlotte woman and injuring her husband, a lawyer with the Mecklenburg County Public Defenders Office said. Read the full story on The News & Observer. 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's what you need to know about what's happening in Denver. 5G is coming to Denver, and its not just for smartphones: It could mean super-fast internet at home, too Starry, a Boston technology company, launched a 5G broadband service in Denver late last month, one it promises will bring faster, more reliable and more affordable broadband services to thousands. Read the full story on Denver Post . Car community rallies around Denver man hit, killed by suspected drunk driver Sunday afternoon, car after car continued to roll through Ruby Hill Park, to celebrate Francisco Morales. It was part of a fundraiser for the 25-year-old, who was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver while driving his son home from school. He taught me everything I know about cars, said his older brother, Reynaldo Morales. Read the full story on KDVR. 1 injured in shooting near Confluence Park in Denver Denver police are looking for a suspect in a shooting that left one person injured Saturday night. Read the full story on Denver Post . 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. Missed the the most recent top news in Detroit? Read on for everything you need to know. 45-year-old man shot in the chest at Detroit bar Police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened overnight in the 1600 block of Waterman. Read the full story on WDIV Detroit. Detroit police chief praises officers who risked their lives in overnight manhunt and standoff Detroit police Chief James Craig is praising the officers who risked their lives overnight during a multi-department manhunt and standoff. Read the full story on WDIV Detroit. Woman fatally shot in the head found in vacant Detroit lot The 36-year-old woman was reportedly seen in the area of Coplin Street near Waveney around 10:50 a.m. Sunday. Read the full story on Detroit Free Press. Exhibit looks at history of Detroit's Corktown neighborhood DETROIT (AP) - A new exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum takes visitors through 150 years of life in the city's Corktown neighborhood. Called "The Journey to Now ," the exhibit opened this month and is scheduled to run through July 7. Read the full story on MySanAntonio. 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's the most recent top news you may have missed in Jacksonville. Jacksonville woman pleads to get her mobility scooter back A woman is pleading to get her mobility scooter back. Theresa Williams said she needs her scooter to get around and it fell off the back of her SUV Thursday afternoon. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. FHP monitoring 'controlled burn' on Jacksonville's Westside More than 13 acres caught fire Sunday night on Jacksonville's westside. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. Vice President Mike Pence to make rounds in Jacksonville Monday Vice President Mike Pence will be in Florida Monday and Jacksonville will be the first stop on his tour. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. 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's what you need to know about what's happening in Kansas City. Thousands storm Kansas Citys Country Club Plaza to protest Missouri's abortion ban bill At a rally Sunday afternoon, a line of abortion-rights marchers encircled nearly the entire Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, a distance of just over a mile. Read the full story on KCUR. Two children hit by vehicles in Kansas City, Missouri Two suspects are in custody. Read the full story on KMBC. A development win for Kansas City may be a loss for agricultural research A couple of federal agencies you probably havent heard of keep track of what farmers grow, what Americans eat and how the countrys entire food system operates. Read the full story on KCUR. Mike Trout hits 250th homer to lead Angels over Royals 6-3 Mike Trout drove a long homer for the 250th of his career, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Saturday night. Read the full story on NBC LA. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: Dillon Shook/Unsplash Missed the the most recent top news in Los Angeles? Read on for everything you need to know. LA Countys juvenile halls are so chaotic, officers are afraid to come to work Internal reports and photographs obtained by The Times show just how dangerous and dysfunctional Los Angeles Countys juvenile detention operation has become. Read the full story on Los Angeles Times. 1 dead after pickup truck crashes into motorcycle then vehicle slams into woman trying to help at crash site in Lancaster A vehicle slammed into a woman who was standing over a motorcyclist that was stuck under a pickup truck and died after a traffic collision she had just witnessed in Lancaster early Sunday morning, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said. Read the full story on KTLA 5 News. Senator Kamala Harris to speak at community college California Senator Kamala Harris is scheduled to speak at what is being billed as the first campaign organizing event in the Los Angeles area for her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Sunday. Read the full story on NBC LA. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: Tomas Del Coro/Flickr Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Las Vegas. Las Vegas high school raises money for car for seniors family The mother of four students at Sierra Vista High School received a used Cadillac at a senior awards ceremony, which replaced the old, often-broken car she had been using. Read the full story on Las Vegas Review-Journal. 1 in custody after domestic disturbance call in east Las Vegas Las Vegas police are investigating a domestic disturbance call Sunday afternoon in the east valley. Read the full story on Las Vegas Review-Journal. Police: Impaired driver kills 1, injures another in northwest Las Vegas crash An alleged impaired motorist sped through a red light in northwest Las Vegas early today and smashed into a car. Read the full story on Las Vegas Sun. Aces up: Las Vegas WNBA team looks poised to break through in year two The Aces are back for their second season in Las Vegas after narrowly missing the playoffs in 2018, and no WNBA team appears more poised for a breakthrough campaign. Read the full story on Las Vegas Sun. 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's what you need to know about what's happening in Miami. At least 5 cars stolen from valet area of building in downtown Miami Police are investigating after several cars were stolen from a valet area of a hotel and apartment building in downtown Miami. Read the full story on WPLG Local 10. Three people shot in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood Police in Miami are investigating a shooting in Little Havana. Read the full story on CBS Miami. Mother of Trayvon Martin to run for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sybrina Fulton will launch her campaign for the District 1 seat on Monday afternoon. Read the full story on CBS Miami. Miami-Dade police searching for four subjects in armed robberies spree Miami-Dade Police are looking for the people behind a string of armed robberies in Southwest Miami-Dade County. Read the full story on CBS Miami. Alcantara pitches 2-hitter, Miami completes sweep of reeling Mets An exhilarating weekend for the rebuilding Miami Marlins came at the expense of the New York Mets. Read the full story on CBS Miami. 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. Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Sacramento. Fire at Loaves & Fishes shelter displaces 14 women, leaves extensive damage A suspected cooking fire left extensive damage and displaced 14 women from the Sacramento Loaves & Fishes Maryhouse homeless shelter Saturday, the Sacramento Fire Department said. Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee. Repeated break-ins scare new Sacramento homeowner A Sacramento nurse who put her life savings into a home on Sacramentos U Street is now thinking of selling after having spent only one night in the house. Read the full story on CBS13 CBS Sacramento. AT-RISK: Danny Roberts missing, last seen in Arden Sacramento Sheriff reports Danny Roberts was last seen around noon on May 18 in the Arden area. The department said he is developmentally disabled and unable to care for himself. Read the full story on ABC10. Motorcycle driver involved in collision on El Camino Avenue dies The male motorcycle driver involved in a wreck that tied up traffic Friday afternoon near the intersection of El Camino Avenue and Princeton Street in Sacramento has died, according to police. Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: iStock Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in San Diego. Second plane with migrants from Texas lands in San Diego The Border Patrol says San Diego has the capacity to handle three flights each week. Every flight will have 120-135 people, all are non-criminal families. Read the full story on CBS 8 - San Diego News. Gov. Newsom visits San Diego on health care tour California Governor Gavin Newsom headed to San Diego Saturday on his health care tour. Read the full story on NBC LA. Teen boy shot, gunman escapes A 16-year-old boy was shot in the Bay Terraces area Saturday night. Read the full story on FOX 5 San Diego. 3 shot, wounded outside Black Sabbath Motorcycle Club in Mount Hope - Times of San Diego Three people suffered non-life threatening gunshot wounds Sunday morning in the Mount Hope area of San Diego. Read the full story on Times of San Diego. 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's what you need to know about what's happening in Seattle. Notorious Seattle homeless camp to be cleared out Monday Starting Monday, city crews will start to clear the tents, garbage and hazardous waste at a notorious homeless camp in the International District. Read the full story on KOMO News . Judge sentences West Seattle man for assaulting incapacitated woman KOMO 4 TV provides news, sports, weather and local event coverage in the Seattle, Washington area including Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Kent, Tacoma, Bremerton, SeaTac, Auburn, Mercer Island, Bothell, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Mill Creek and Everett. Read the full story on KOMO News . Vaccine-wary 'hippie' island near Seattle sees vaccination rates skyrocket Vashon Island is known as a hotbed of highly educated, anti-establishment parents who choose not to vaccinate their children. Read the full story on WCNC. Update expected Monday on $930 million Seattle's KeyArena project Cost overruns and a revised construction schedule for the new arena are expected to be discussed Monday during a Seattle committee meeting. Read the full story on KING5. 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. WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Top officials from President Donald Trump's administration will brief the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives about Iran on Tuesday afternoon, congressional aides said, after lawmakers clamored for more information about tension between the two countries. The briefers will be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford and an unnamed representative of the intelligence community, congressional aides said. Aides had said last week that a Senate briefing was set for Tuesday, but details of the House meeting had not been made final. Trump threatened Iran in a tweet on Sunday, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen. Concern also rose after a rocket was fired on Sunday into the Iraqi capital Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, falling near the U.S. Embassy but causing no casualties. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle Editing by Alistair Bell) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top officials from President Donald Trump's administration will brief the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives about Iran on Tuesday afternoon, congressional aides said, after lawmakers clamored for more information about tension between the two countries. The briefers will be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford and an unnamed representative of the intelligence community, congressional aides said. Aides had said last week that a Senate briefing was set for Tuesday, but details of the House meeting had not been made final. Trump threatened Iran in a tweet on Sunday, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen. Concern also rose after a rocket was fired on Sunday into the Iraqi capital Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, falling near the U.S. Embassy but causing no casualties. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A prosecutor said Monday that a black man charged with fatally shooting a woman and wounding seven people at a Nashville church aimed to kill at least 10 white churchgoers and cited a 2015 massacre at a black church in South Carolina. Nashville Deputy District Attorney Amy Hunter made the comments during opening statements in the trial of Emanuel Kidega Samson, 27. Prosecutors have said they're seeking life without parole for Samson, who faces a 43-count indictment, including a first-degree murder charge, in the September 2017 shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ. Samson's attorney, Jennifer Lynn Thompson, countered that Samson's true intention was to kill himself. He left a suicide note for his girlfriend and sent a goodbye video to his cousin, according to Thompson. Members of the church packed the courtroom, at times becoming emotional when attorneys and witnesses recounted a Sunday filled with chaos, tragedy and heroism. The shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee. She was shot in the church parking lot, and dropped her Bible and notes from a recently concluded worship ceremony that had just concluded, Hunter said. Samson, who used to attend the church, is black and the victims are white. Hunter explained that a note in Samson's car cited white supremacist Dylann Roof's massacre at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. It also referenced the red, black and green Pan-African flag, sometimes called RBG. "Dylann Roof is less than nothing," the note read, Hunter said. "The blood that 10 of your kind will shed is that of the color upon the RBG flag in terms of vengeance." The note included an expletive and ended with a smiley face, Hunter said. "This state will prove beyond all reasonable doubt that on Sept. 24, 2017, this defendant, Emanuel Kidega Samson, went to the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ with the intent to murder a minimum of 10 white churchgoers on that day," Hunter said. "You won't have to take the state's word for it though." Story continues An arrest affidavit said Samson waived his rights and told police he arrived armed and fired at the church, described by the prosecutor as a multicultural, multigenerational community where everyone knows everyone. Hunter also said the calamity revealed a "true life hero." Churchgoer Robert Caleb Engle has testified that during the rampage, he twice confronted the gunman, who was wearing a tactical vest and a motorcycle-style mask with a clown smile on it. Engle said he was pistol-whipped three times in the head. At one point, he pushed the gun back on the shooter and a shot fired, striking the gunman and sending him to the ground. Engle said his father kicked the gun away, stood on the shooter's hand and told Engle to go get his gun out of his truck. Engle came back with his weapon, put his foot on the shooter's back and stood guard until first responders arrived. A judge's order had kept many details of the case secret until trial. At a hearing in April, it was revealed that a psychiatrist diagnosed Samson with "schizoaffective disorder bipolar type" and post-traumatic stress disorder after an abusive, violent upbringing. "What this case is about is a man who was very sad, very suicidal, and he was looking to die that day," Thompson told jurors Monday. Donald Trump has indicated he is considering pardons for several US military members accused or convicted of war crimes, including high-profile cases of murder, attempted murder and desecration of a corpse, according to two US officials. The officials said the Trump administration had made expedited requests this week for paperwork needed to pardon the troops on or around Memorial Day. One request is for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs, who is scheduled to stand trial in the coming weeks on charges of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq. The others are believed to include the case of a former Blackwater security contractor recently found guilty in the deadly 2007 shooting of dozens of unarmed Iraqis; the case of Major Mathew Golsteyn, the Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan in 2010; and the case of a group of Marine Corps snipers charged with urinating on the corpses of dead Taliban fighters. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said they had not seen a complete list and did not know if other service members were included in the request for pardon paperwork. The White House sent requests on Friday to the Justice Departments Office of the Pardon Attorney, which alerted the military branches, according to one senior military official. Pardon files include background information and details on criminal charges, and in many cases include letters describing how the person in question has made amends. The official said while assembling pardon files typically takes months, the Justice Department stressed that all files would have to be complete before Memorial Day weekend, because Mr Trump planned to pardon the men then. A second US official confirmed the request concerning Mr Gallagher. The military branches referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined to comment on the matter. Story continues Mr Trump has often bypassed traditional channels in granting pardons and wielded his power freely, sometimes in politically-charged cases that resonate with him personally, such as the conviction of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona. Earlier this month, the president pardoned former Army 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna, who had been convicted of killing an Iraqi during an interrogation in 2008. While the requests for pardon files are a strong sign of the presidents plans, Mr Trump has been known to change his mind, and it is not clear what the impetus was for the requests. But most of the troops who are positioned for a pardon have been championed by conservative lawmakers and media organisations, such as Fox News, which have portrayed them as being unfairly punished for trying to do their job. Many have pushed for the president to intervene. The White House declined to comment. Pardoning several accused and convicted war criminals at once, including some who have not yet gone to trial, has not been done in recent history, legal experts said. Some worried that it could erode the legitimacy of military law and undercut good order and discipline in the ranks. These are all extremely complicated cases that have gone through a careful system of consideration. A freewheeling pardon undermines that whole system, said Gary Solis, a retired military judge and armour officer who served in Vietnam. It raises the prospect in the minds of the troops that says, Whatever we do, if we can get the folks back home behind us, maybe we can get let off. Mr Gallaghers lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, was surprised by the news that the president could be considering a pardon, and said ideally the chief would be acquitted at trial. We want the opportunity to exonerate my client, Mr Parlatore said in an interview. At the same time, there is always a risk in going to trial. My primary objective is to get Chief Gallagher home to his family. To that end, Chief Gallagher would welcome any involvement by the president. The fact that the requests were sent from the White House to the Justice Department, instead of the other way around, is a reversal of long-established practices, said Margaret Love, who served as the US pardon attorney during the first Bush administration and part of the Clinton administration. Process aside, Ms Love said that pardoning the men would be an abrupt departure from the past. Presidents use pardons to send messages. They recognise when a process wasnt just or when punishments were too extreme, like for some nonviolent drug cases, she said. If this president is planning to pardon a bunch of people charged with war crimes, he will use the pardon power to send a far darker message. The New York Times Donald Trump has told Don McGahn, the former White House counsel, to ignore a congressional subpoena from Democrats, and to skip a planned hearing this week. The reports that the president instructed the former White House lawyer to do so come as Mr Trump and House Democrats have clashed over the Russia investigation report compiled by special counsel Robert Mueller. Democrats have sought witness testimony from individuals like Mr McGahn, and have demanded that the Justice Department hand over the full Mueller report alongside all of its underlying evidence. The White House, meanwhile, has largely resisted those efforts, and Mr Trump has repeatedly insisted that the report exonerated him which it specifically did not do. The presidents ask of Mr McGahn to resist the subpoena will likely mean that Democrats will vote to hold him in contempt, which Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler pledged to do last week when confronted with the prospect the witness would snub him. But being charged with contempt could be a smaller price to pay for Mr McGahn, who could risk his career in Republican politics if he does not heed Mr Trumps demands. Plus, his Washington law firm could be impacted if Mr Trump begins to urge his allies to withhold their business. The portions of the Mueller report that have been released indicate that Mr McGahn was a key witness for the special counsels office, and cited him more than any other witness in the portion discussing whether Mr Trump attempted to obstruct justice. Mr McGahn, during interviews with Mr Muellers team, detailed several instances in which Mr Trump attempted to use his position to protect himself from the Russia inquiry. In at least one instance, Mr Trump attempted to get Mr Mueller fired. President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Iran early Monday, saying it would face its "official end" if a war broke out between the two countries. "Never again threaten the United States," Trump said in a tweet shortly after a rocket landed overnight near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Trump's comments came after he has seemingly sought to soften his tone on Iran in recent days following heightened tension sparked by a sudden deployment of U.S. bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over unspecified threats. GOP lawmaker on Iran threat: Directive was to 'kill and kidnap American soldiers' Iraq's military said the Katyusha rocket that landed in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy, causing no injures, was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. On Monday evening, Trump said Iran has been "very hostile" but seemed to contradict his own advisers by playing down the threat of an Iranian attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East. "We have no indication that anythings happened or will happen, but if it does, it will be met, obviously with great force, Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The Pentagon dispatched an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and other military resources to the Persian Gulf earlier this month to counter what top Trump administration officials said were alleged threats from Tehran. Officials said the U.S. had gathered credible intelligence suggesting a possible Iranian attack on U.S. troops on the ground and at sea. Trump on Monday reiterated his willingness to sit down with Iranian leaders if they reach out to him. "If they call, we would certainly negotiate. Thats going to be up to them," he said. Congress is expected to get a classified briefing on Iran on Tuesday after Democratic and Republican lawmakers requested more information from the White House about the intelligence that has led to the growing U.S. military footprint in the gulf. The State Department ordered a partial evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad last week. Story continues In an interview with Fox News broadcast Sunday, Trump said he was not seeking a conflict with Iran but vowed not to let Iran develop nuclear weapons. "I'm not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly by far most importantly," the president said. Officials in Iran also have downplayed Tehran's appetite for war. "There will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the Middle East country's state news agency Irna over the weekend. Reacting Monday to Trump's new comments, Zarif tweeted: "Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran.' #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect it works!" The "B Team" is a reference to Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia's de facto leader Mohammad bin Salman. All three men have taken a hard line on Iran. Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated one year after Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that have severely harmed Iran's economy. Tehran has demanded that European signatories to the nuclear accord France, Germany and the United Kingdom find a way of keeping the agreement alive or it will again start enriching uranium at levels sufficient to pursue a nuclear weapons program. Iranian state media reported Monday that the nation has quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium amid tensions with the U.S. over the unraveling nuclear accord. Trump says he doesn't want war: Is John Bolton driving the U.S. into a conflict? This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says war would lead to 'end' of Iran 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. ANKARA, May 20 (Reuters) - Turkish authorities ordered the arrest of 249 foreign ministry personnel over suspected links to the network of a U.S.-based cleric accused of orchestrating an attempted coup in 2016, broadcaster NTV said on Monday. Authorities have carried out regular operations against the alleged followers of Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, since the failed coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016. Gulen denies allegations he was behind it. The Ankara chief prosecutor's office said it ordered the arrest of 249 members of Turkey's foreign ministry after investigations found that they had committed irregularities in the ministry's past entrance exams, NTV reported. It said 78 suspects had been detained so far in operations across 43 provinces and that police were seeking the rest. More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial, while some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs as part of the post-coup purges. Rights groups and Turkey's Western allies have voiced concerns over the crackdown, saying President Tayyip Erdogan has used the abortive putsch as a pretext to quash dissent. The government has said the security measures were necessary due to the gravity of the threat Turkey faces. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer) DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has been holding two Arab journalists for several months, global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Monday, amid ongoing international scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights record. Yemeni Marwan al-Muraisy has been missing since June 2018, and Jordanian Abdel Rahman Farhaneh, who had worked for Qatari-owned Al Jazeera television network, disappeared in February, RSF said in a statement. The Saudi government communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Muraisy's wife tweeted last week that she had received a brief phone call from him, the first since his disappearance, confirming he was still alive. She said she hoped that she could visit him and that he would be released soon. RSF said the family of Farhaneh, who is in his 60s and had been based in the eastern city of Dammam for more than 30 years, learned that the Saudi authorities had informed the Jordanian embassy he would be released soon. It is unclear where the men are being held, the statement added. Riyadh has come under increasing global scrutiny over its human rights record since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate and the detention of around a dozen women's rights activists. A bipartisan chorus of U.S. lawmakers has called on the White House to harden its stance toward Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed by Saudi agents in a move widely seen as an attempt to stifle dissent. A CIA assessment has blamed the crown prince for ordering the killing, which Saudi officials deny. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Dan Grebler) WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was due to begin visiting Tibet on Sunday for official meetings and visits to religious and cultural sites, according to a news report on Sunday. Branstad was scheduled to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, a historic region of Tibet known to Tibetans as Amdo, from Sunday to Saturday, Radio Free Asia said in a report. The State Department did not immediately comment on the story. Radio Free Asia said it would be the first visit to Tibet by a U.S. official since the U.S. Congress approved a law in December that requires the United States to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access to Tibet for foreigners. The U.S. government is required to begin denying visas by the end of this year. In December, China denounced the United States for passing the law, saying it was "resolutely opposed" to the U.S. legislation on what China considers an internal affair, and it risked causing "serious harm" to their relations. Since then, tensions have been running high between the two countries over trade. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday, suggesting a resumption of talks between the world's two largest economies would be meaningless unless Washington changed course. On Saturday, China's senior diplomat Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that recent U.S. words and actions had harmed the interests of China and its enterprises, and that Washington should show restraint. While the Trump administration has taken a tough stance towards China on trade and highlighted security rivalry with Beijing, the administration has so far not acted on congressional calls for it to impose sanctions on China's former Communist Party chief in Tibet, Chen Quanguo, for the treatment of minority Muslims in Xinjiang province, where he is currently party chief. A State Department report in March said Chen had replicated in Xinjiang, policies similar to those credited with reducing opposition to Chinese rule in Tibet. Beijing sent troops into remote, mountainous Tibet in 1950 in what it officially terms a peaceful liberation and has ruled there with an iron fist ever since. (Reporting by Nandita Bose and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Sandra Maler) BEIJING, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was scheduled to visit Tibet this week, a U.S. embassy spokesperson said, the first visit to the region by a U.S. ambassador since 2015. "This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Branstad was traveling to Qinghai and Tibet from May 19 to May 25 on a trip that will include official meetings as well as visits to religious and cultural heritage sites, the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Tony Munroe; Editing by Michael Perry) BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was scheduled to visit Tibet this week, a U.S. embassy spokesperson said, the first visit to the region by a U.S. ambassador since 2015. "This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Branstad was traveling to Qinghai and Tibet from May 19 to May 25 on a trip that will include official meetings as well as visits to religious and cultural heritage sites, the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Tony Munroe; Editing by Michael Perry) The U.S. Ambassador to China is scheduled to visit Tibet this week, making the first trip by an American envoy to the highly restricted area in four years, according to his embassy. Ambassador Terry Branstad is visiting Chinas Qinhai province and the bordering Tibet Autonomous Region from Sunday until Saturday, an embassy spokesperson said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). This visit is a chance for the Ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language, the spokesperson said. Branstads schedule will include official meetings, as well as stops at schools and religious and cultural heritage sites. Read More: The Dalai Lama Has Been the Face of Buddhism for 60 Years. China Wants to Change That According to a March report by the U.S. State Department, China denied five out of nine official requests to visit Tibet in 2018. It was the only region of the country that Beijing required diplomats to obtain permission before visiting that year. The previous U.S. Ambassador to China, Max Baucus, visited Tibet in May 2015. China has cited geographic and climatic conditions for keeping U.S. officials out of the sensitive region, according to AFP. The visit comes amid increased tension between Washington and Beijing as an escalating trade war has seen the U.S. and China ratchet up tariffs. This year is also the 60th anniversary of the exile of Tibets spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to India. Although the U.S. officially recognizes Tibet as part of China, American diplomats and politicians have decried the religious and cultural repression of the Tibetan people. By David Lawder and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Worries that the United States and China were digging in for a longer, costlier trade war weighed on financial markets on Monday as Beijing accused Washington of harboring "extravagant expectations" for a deal to end their dispute. Investors added up the costs of higher tariffs on Chinese and U.S. goods as well as the effects of severe U.S. restrictions on China's Huawei Technologies for the U.S. technology sector, sharply driving down shares of suppliers Qualcomm, Micron Technology and Broadcom Inc. Apple Inc shares fell 3.3 percent, hurt by a warning from HSBC that higher tariffs on Chinese goods would force the tech company to raise prices, with "dire consequences" on demand for its products. Morgan Stanley analysts warned that a collapse of the trade talks and a lasting breakdown with higher tariffs on all U.S.-China trade would push the global economy toward recession. In a note to clients, they said such a scenario would prompt the U.S. Federal Reserve to slash interest rates back to zero by the spring of 2020, but lags in policy transmission "would mean that we might not be able to avert the tightening of financial conditions and a full-blown recession." SOURED TONE Negotiations between the United States and China have soured dramatically since early May, when Chinese officials sought major changes to the text of a proposed deal that the Trump administration says had been largely agreed. A subsequent round of talks ended with no movement as U.S. President Donald Trump increased tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened to impose duties on all remaining Chinese goods sold in the United States. China imposed a retaliatory tariff increase and the Trump administration followed up on Thursday by adding telecom equipment giant Huawei to a trade blacklist that restricts its ability to purchase American components and software and do business with other U.S. companies. Story continues No new talks have been scheduled, and a sterner tone from Beijing suggested that negotiations were unlikely to resume soon and raised questions about a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month at a G20 Summit in Japan. WHAT AGREEMENT? In an interview with Fox News Channel recorded last week and aired on Sunday night, Trump said the United States and China "had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said 'that's OK, we're going to tariff their products.'" U.S. officials had previously said that China had given ground on some core "structural" issues, including U.S. demands for improving intellectual property protections, ending forced technology transfers and increased access to China's markets. Curbing state subsidies has proven a more difficult issue. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang denied on Monday that China had agreed to anything. "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about. Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to," he told a daily news briefing. The reason the last round of China-U.S. talks did not reach an agreement is because the United States tried "to achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure", Lu said. "From the start this wouldn't work." HUAWEI CUT OFF The U.S. restrictions on Huawei began to bite hard on Monday. Alphabet Inc's Google suspended business requiring the transfer of hardware, software and technical services to premier Chinese technology firm, except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday. Shares in European chipmakers Infineon Technologies, AMS and STMicroelectronics fell sharply on Monday amid worries the Huawei suppliers may suspend shipments to the Chinese firm. The official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial that the U.S. government had "revealed all its ugliness" in the restrictions on Huawei. "It seems as if the U.S. takes it for granted that it has the absolute say over everything in its dealings with the rest of the world, which has to take whatever the U.S. dishes out no matter how arbitrary and despotic that is," China Daily said. "But China will not take it and neither will Huawei." Adding to U.S.-China tensions, the U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, the latest in a series of "freedom of navigation operations" to anger Beijing. (Reporting by David Lawder and Ben Blanchard; Writing by Tony Munroe; Editing by Robert Birsel, Mark Heinrich and Susan Thomas) WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned U.S. firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday. The notice titled "Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems" warned that U.S. officials have "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access." DHS did not immediately comment on the notice, reported earlier by CNN. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned U.S. firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday. The notice, titled "Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems," warned that U.S. officials have "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access." A spokeswoman for DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that it "recently released an industry alert providing organizations with information related to the inherit risks associated with using UAS technology manufactured in China and measures to reduce such risk." The notice, which did not name any companies, was reported earlier by CNN. It urged companies to "be aware of whether your UAS data is being stored by the vendor or other third parties. If it is being stored, find out how, where, and for how long." This is the latest concern raised by the U.S. government about the threats of Chinese-made devices. On Wednesday, the U.S. Commerce Department added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 68 affiliates to an export blacklist, citing the risk of to U.S. national security from the telecommunications network equipment maker. China's SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, the world's largest maker of consumer drones, said in a statement on Monday that "the security of our technology has been independently verified by the U.S. government and leading U.S. businesses." The company added that it gives "customers full and complete control over how their data is collected, stored, and transmitted." It said that for government and critical infrastructure customers, "we provide drones that do not transfer data to DJI or via the internet." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Richard Chang) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on Monday the panel will meet on Tuesday as planned and expects Don McGahn to testify, despite President Trump's order that his former counsel not appear. "The committee will convene as planned tomorrow morning, and Mr. McGahn is expected to appear as legally required," Nadler said in a statement. (Reporting by Eric Beech) By Christopher Bing May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers want the State Department and intelligence community to help rein in the sale of surveillance tools by private companies to repressive regimes, according to a letter signed by a bipartisan group of congressmen released on Monday. The effort, led by Democratic Representative Tom Malinowski, is the second request in the last week asking the State Department to provide information about its approval process for U.S. companies that sell offensive cyber capabilities and other surveillance services to foreign governments. The letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats references a Reuters report in January which showed a U.S. defense contractor provided staff to a United Arab Emirates hacking unit called Project Raven. The UAE program utilized former U.S. intelligence operatives to target militants, human rights activists and journalists in the Middle East as well as American citizens. "As your investigation and a lot of others have made clear, this is a totally unregulated place," Malinowski said in a phone interview on Monday. "Most Americans would be disturbed that highly advanced hacking tools that are used by intelligence agencies to catch terrorists are sold on the open market to governments that use them against ordinary Americans as well as dissidents in their own countries." The Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed receiving the letter and had no further comment. The State Department does not comment on congressional correspondence. Lawmakers say they are increasingly concerned about the spread of advanced surveillance technologies which can be used by authoritarian governments to hunt down political opponents. The letter, sent on Friday, recommended that the U.S. government "enhance its ability" to prevent former U.S. intelligence officials from becoming mercenaries for foreign intelligence services. It also encouraged American allies to similarly investigate the issue within their own countries. "Repressive governments are obviously interested in using these capabilities to hunt down their political opponents but we shouldn't forget the United States is full of people who are critical of governments overseas, who are refugees of dictatorships," said Malinowski, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Under U.S. law, companies selling cyber offensive products or services to foreign governments require State Department permission under certain circumstances. Reuters previously reported that State Department officials granted permission to a U.S. contractor, Maryland-based CyberPoint International, to assist an Emirates intelligence agency in surveillance operations, but it is unclear how much they knew about its activities in the UAE. (Reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Richard Chang) WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, a move likely to anger Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. "Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) London (AFP) - Britain's Electoral Commission regulator said on Monday it would review fundraising by the new Brexit Party founded by anti-EU populist Nigel Farage, which is predicted to win this week's European elections. "We are attending the Brexit Party's office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds," a spokesperson for the commission said in a statement. "If there's evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our enforcement policy." The move follows a growing furore around the financing of the fledgling eurosceptic party, set up by the controversial MEP in January in protest at the government's failure to deliver Brexit. It claims to have registered nearly 110,000 supporters paying A25 ($32, 29 euros) annual membership fees, but has drawn scrutiny for using a PayPal system that critics claim is too open. British law only regulates donations to political parties over A500, which must come from UK citizens or UK-registered companies. Labour MP Chris Bryant was among those to raise concerns, saying it would be "simple" for a foreign power or individual to donate "hundreds or thousands of A499 in sterling or other currencies". "Our democracy is basically up for sale," he said. The Daily Mirror newspaper last week reported it had signed up as a Brexit Party supporter under the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin, giving the address of the Kremlin in Russia. "The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over A500 to be from a permissible source," the commission added in its statement. Farage has branded the increasing interest in his new venture's funding a "disgusting smear" and "conspiracy theorists doing their utmost to try and delegitimise" it. "This smacks of jealousy because the other parties simply can't do this," he said Monday. Story continues Meanwhile it emerged last week that businessman Arron Banks, the single largest bankroller in the 2016 EU referendum, had spent around A450,000 funding Farage's lifestyle. The post-referendum expenses included paying for a central London home and office for Farage, as well as a car and driver, according to Channel 4 News. Banks, who is currently under investigation by Britain's National Crime Agency over the source of his millions of pounds in funding for the Brexit campaign, also spent hundreds of thousands promoting Farage in the United States, it said. After a spokesperson for Banks' companies confirmed the expenditures, the Brexit Party leader dismissed them as "a purely private matter" and "non-political". Farage added Banks was not financing the new party. London (AFP) - The number of cryptocurrency and foreign exchange-based "get rich quick" scams is booming in Britain, authorities warned on Tuesday. Reported cases of the bogus online investment surged to more than 1,800 in 2018/2019. That contrasted sharply with just 530 reported cases in the previous 2017/2018 financial year. The total amount stolen meanwhile hit A27 million ($34 million, 31 million euros), with an average loss per victim of A14,600. The data was collated by the Financial Conduct Authority regulator and Action Fraud UK, which is Britain's national centre for reporting fraud and cybercrime. The two organisations have joined together to raise awareness. Criminals promote "get rich quick" schemes on social media, urging people to invest cash on fraudulent online trading platforms. "These figures are startling and provide a stark warning that people need to be wary of fake investments on online trading platforms," said Action Fraud director Pauline Smith. "It's vital that people carry out the necessary checks to ensure that an investment they're considering is legitimate." By Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets KIEV (Reuters) - Television comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy took the oath of office as Ukraine's new president on Monday, promising that as hard as he had worked in the past to make Ukrainians laugh, he would now work to keep them from crying. As his first act, he dismissed the parliament still dominated by loyalists of his defeated predecessor, setting up an election in two months in which his new party has a chance to win its first seats. The inauguration day was marked by informal moments that conveyed the outsider persona that helped carry the political novice to a landslide victory last month. Zelenskiy high fived cheering supporters who held their arms outstretched outside the Soviet-era parliament building, and stopped for a selfie with the crowd. At one point he jumped up to kiss a man on the forehead. He later eschewed a motorcade to make his way to his new office on foot. "Dear people, during my life I tried to do everything to make Ukrainians smile," he said in his speech to parliament. "In the next five years, I will do everything, Ukrainians, so that you do not cry." But there were already signs of friction with a political class in which Zelenskiy has few allies. Parliament is still dominated by the bloc named for Zelenskiy's defeated opponent Petro Poroshenko and smaller parties founded mostly as personal vehicles for political insiders. The decision to dissolve parliament prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, who came to power in 2016 as part of Poroshenko's coalition. Groysman said he was stepping down to fight the upcoming snap election. "I proposed to the president, the parliament, that we together form a new agenda and very quickly begin to make decisions that would make Ukraine stronger. The president has chosen a different path," Groysman said. Zelenskiy grew to national fame playing the TV comedy role of a schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes president after a pupil films him making a foul-mouthed tirade against corrupt politicians and posts the video online. His campaign exploited the parallels with that fictional narrative, portraying him as an everyman who would stand up to a crooked political class. In his inauguration speech, Zelenskiy called on officials to take down the customary portraits of the president that hang in their offices, and put up pictures of their children instead. Groysman, a public face of a reform program aimed at attracting foreign aid, will step down on Wednesday in the same week as a mission from the International Monetary Fund is set to come to Kiev for talks about a $3.9 billion loan program. The government hopes to secure a $1.3 billion tranche within weeks. Ukraine's most pressing issue is conflict with its neighbor Russia, which annexed its Crimea region in 2014 and backed separatists in a war in the east that has killed 13,000 people. Zelenskiy said his first task was to achieve a ceasefire, adding that dialogue could only happen after the return of Ukrainian territory and prisoners of war. "THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO DIVIDE PEOPLE!" He briefly switched from the Ukrainian language to Russian during his speech to talk about the need to win over the hearts and minds of people in separatist areas. That prompted the head of a populist party, Oleh Lyashko, to interrupt the speech to interject that Ukrainians living in Crimea and the east also understood Ukrainian. Zelenskiy replied: "They understand the Ukrainian language, yes. Thank you very much! Thanks for continuing to divide people, Mr. Lyashko!" At the U.N. Security Council on Monday, Russia failed to get enough support to convene a meeting over a decision by Ukraine's parliament last week that grants special status to the Ukrainian language and makes it mandatory for public sector workers. Germany's U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen accused Russia of wanting to hold the meeting to "welcome the new Ukrainian president with an act of intimidation." Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected his remarks. Zelenskiy called on lawmakers to use the two months until the election to pass laws that would strip them of immunity from prosecution and ban officials from enriching themselves. "You will have two months for this. Do it and you will deserve medals," Zelenskiy said. Despite his everyman image, critics accuse Zelenskiy of having too close a relationship with a powerful businessman, Ihor Kolomoisky, whose TV channel broadcasts his comedy shows. Zelenskiy has rejected those accusations. Zelenskiy also said he wanted to replace the head of the state security service, the general prosecutor and the defense minister. He has so far not spelled out his nominations for key appointments that fall within his purview. Kiev resident and Zelenskiy supporter Mykola Korniyenko welcomed the president's move to dissolve parliament. "Do you see how many of them are there? Four hundred fifty snouts who eat greedily but are never full, while we cannot buy proper food for ourselves, cannot get proper clothing, cannot afford proper housing. Is this right?" (Writing by Matthias Williams, additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Peter Graff and Lisa Shumaker) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A UN team investigating the massacre of Iraq's Yazidi minority and other atrocities has excavated 12 mass graves and is collecting witness accounts that could be used in Iraqi and other national courts, according to a UN report seen by AFP on Monday. The Security Council agreed in 2017 to establish the UN probe to ensure the Islamic State group faces justice for war crimes in Iraq and Syria -- a cause championed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad and international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. In the report sent to the council, the head of the team, British lawyer Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, said efforts were focused on three initial investigations: the 2014 massacre of Yazidis, crimes committed in Mosul from 2014 to 2016, and the mass killing of Iraqi military recruits in the Tikrit area in June 2014. The team began work in October, with the first mass grave containing IS victims unearthed in March and April in the Murad's home village of Kojo in Sinjar in northwest Iraq. Ahmad Khan said "progress had been slower than hoped" in the investigation and stressed the need to establish "clear and effective channels" to use the evidence in Iraqi proceedings. The Iraqi government had resisted calls for the UN probe despite evidence of more than 200 mass graves in Iraq containing victims of IS, who swept across northern Iraq in 2014. Murad is among thousands of Yazidi women who were taken hostage and held as sex slaves, while hundreds of men and women are believed to have been executed by the jihadists. The United Nations has described the massacre of the Yazidis by IS militants as possible genocide. As well as excavations of mass graves, the 48-member team has "engaged first-hand with survivors and witnesses" and has put in place a witness protection program, said the report sent to the council on Friday. "In Mosul, Tikrit, Dohuk, and elsewhere in Iraq, victims have told harrowing accounts of their suffering, of entire communities erased and of women and girls taken as slaves," it said. The team is negotiating agreements with Iraqi authorities to hand over evidence and is ready to provide material to other courts to hold IS members accountable for their crimes, it said. SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Work is underway to extract oil from a British tanker sunk by a German U-boat off Long Island during World War II. A team has been at the site of the tanker, named Coimbra, since April 29 and has pumped more than 62,000 gallons (235,000 liters) of oil since May 11, the Coast Guard said in a news release. Initial dive operations found the tanker was leaking small amounts of oil. The Coimbra was carrying more than 2 million gallons (7.6 million liters) of oil when it was torpedoed in January 1942, killing 36 officers and crew members. It now lies 180 feet (about 55 meters) beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) off Long Island's south shore. The Coast Guard and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are working with a private company, Resolve Marine, to assess and reduce any pollution threats posed by the leak. German U-boats sank 148 petroleum tankers and countless other ships near the U.S. Gulf and East coasts. Some came harrowingly close to heavily populated areas. The one that torpedoed the Coimbra had ventured just hours earlier along the New York City shoreline, bobbing on the surface near Rockaway Beach, Queens, and in view of Coney Island's Parachute Jump and Wonder Wheel amusement rides, according to "New York at War," a book by Steven H. Jaffe. As the torpedo slammed into the Coimbra's hull, it "sent a blinding sheet of fire boiling up into the night sky," Jaffe wrote. The government censored information on such attacks and counterattacks, asking that any witnesses keep quiet as a matter of national security. But "with the Coimbra's oil and life preservers washing up on Long Island beaches, and survivors reaching shore, a news blackout was impossible," wrote Jaffe. "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. The US ambassador to China is making the first trip to Tibet by an American envoy in four years after obtaining rare access to the restricted region, his embassy said Monday. The visit by Ambassador Terry Branstad comes two months after the US State Department said Beijing had "systematically" impeded access to Tibetan areas for US diplomats, journalists and tourists. Branstad was scheduled to visit Qinghai province and the neighbouring Tibet Autonomous Region from Sunday until this Saturday, an embassy spokesperson said in an email to AFP. "This visit is a chance for the Ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said. "The Ambassador welcomes this opportunity to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region, and encourages authorities to provide access to the region to all American citizens." Branstad will have official meetings, visit schools and tour religious and cultural heritage sites. His visit comes amid rising trade war tensions between Beijing and Washington. Branstad's predecessor, Max Baucus, visited Tibet in May 2015. According to the State Department's March report, five out of nine US requests to visit Tibet were rejected last year, including one by Branstad. China has rejected the US report as "full of prejudice". Chinese authorities have cited special "geographic" and "climatic conditions" as reasons for restricting access to the Himalayan region. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he was not aware about a previous request by Branstad being rejected. But Lu said that if diplomats want to visit "special places", it is "of course probably necessary to talk things over with the relevant parties before they can embark on the trip." This year marks the 60th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that forced the region's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, into permanent exile in India. Story continues Lu said Beijing welcomes Branstad's visit so he can witness "the earth-shaking changes in the economy, society and people's production and life over the past 60 years after its peaceful liberation". "I hope Ambassador Branstad's visit to Tibet this time can be carried out without any prejudice and can be based on an objective attitude, and based on the spirit of respecting the facts to make his own conclusions," Lu said at a regular press briefing. Beijing continues to be accused of political and religious repression in the region, but insists Tibetans enjoy extensive freedoms and economic growth. At least 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Beijing's presence in Tibet, most of whom later died. A US Border Patrol agent charged with allegedly hitting a migrant with a truck had a long history of making hostile statements about border-crossing immigrants, say prosecutors. Matthew Bowen, 39, allegedly texted another border agent with the message: PLEASE let us take the gloves off trump! He also said migrants were disgusting subhuman s*** unworthy of being kindling for a fire in November 2017. Less than two weeks later, prosecutors say, Mr Bowen hit one such migrant with his truck, coming inches away from running the man over and then lied about the incident in a report. The texts came to light in filings last month in the US District Court in Tucson, Arizona, as Mr Bowen's lawyer fought to suppress a flurry of messages in which the agent used slurs and made light of violence by agents. But Mr Bowen's views are hardly extraordinary, argued his lawyer, Sean Chapman. Rather, his sentiments are commonplace throughout the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, Mr Chapman wrote, adding that such messages are part of the agency's culture. The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol did not immediately return a message about the texts, though it told The Arizona Daily Star that agents are held to the highest standards, and any action of misconduct within our ranks will not be tolerated. The inflammatory messages are the latest public relations challenge for an overwhelmed agency facing a massive wave of asylum seekers at the southern border and regular allegations from immigration and civil rights groups of abusive behaviour towards migrants. In the dozens of texts introduced in a 4 April filing, Mr Bowen uses racial slurs and insults like s*** bags to refer to migrants. He often used the word tonk, which some agents claim is an innocent acronym, the The Arizona Republic reported. Others say is a slur derived from the sound of hitting an immigrant on the head with a flashlight. In one text exchange, an unnamed agent asked Mr Bowen, Did you gas hiscorpse (sic) or just use regular peanut oil while tazing?? For a frying effect. Story continues Mr Bowen responded: Guats are best made crispy, with olive oil from their native pais, using the Spanish word for country that doubles as an insult towards Guatemalans, the Daily Star reported. In another text, he refers to mindless murdering savages. The criminal case against Mr Bowen dates to the morning of 3 December 2017, when a US Customs and Border Protection camera operator spotted a 23-year-old Guatemalan man named Antolin Lopez Aguilar, who was suspected of jumping the border fence in Nogales, according to a federal indictment. As Lopez sprinted to a nearby gas station, Mr Bowen and two other agents responded in separate vehicles. While one agent hopped out and found Lopez hiding under a semi-truck, Mr Bowen circled the station in his Border Patrol-issued Ford F-150. When the migrant tried to run back towards the border, prosecutors say, Mr Bowen accelerated aggressively in his truck. He hit Mr Lopez twice from behind, knocking him down the second time and screeching to a stop within inches of running him over, according to the police. Mr Lopez was treated at the hospital for abrasions and later sentenced to 30 days in federal prison for illegally entering the country, the Republic reported. Prosecutors say that Mr Bowen later filed a false report about what happened that morning. In text messages included in the court filing, he repeatedly complains about facing scrutiny over the incident. I bumped a guat with a truck while driving about 7 mph, he wrote in one text. No injury at all and tonk refused medical. In another, he wrote that If I had to tackle the tonk I would still be doing memos, adding: I wonder how they expect us to apprehend wild... runners who don't want to be apprehended?" One day after the incident, he texted with Agent Lonnie Swartz, who would later be acquitted of manslaughter for firing 10 rounds into an unarmed Mexican teen as agents were being hit by rocks thrown across the border. He texted Mr Swartz that the incident was just a little push with a ford bumper. Prosecutors have argued in court filings that the texts show that Bowen had great disdain for the migrants he policed at the border, the Daily Star reported. But Chapman countered that such language was so common among border agents that they say nothing about Mr. Bowen's mind-set. Mr Bowen has pleaded not guilty to charges of deprivation of rights under colour of law and falsification of records in a federal investigation. Mr Chapman did not immediately respond to a message. Mr Bowen, who was hired in 2008, was put on indefinite leave without pay after his charges were filed in May 2018. His trial is scheduled to start on 13 August. The Washington Post Washington (AFP) - A US federal judge on Monday denied President Donald Trump's efforts to quash a subpoena from Democratic lawmakers to release years of financial documents dating from before his time in the White House. The decision marked the first time that US courts have waded into the conflict pitting the president against the Democrats who, riding on their newfound majority in the House of Representatives, have opened a raft of probes into Trump. Trump, who says he is the victim of "harassment," has refused to cooperate in the investigations focused on his tax returns, his finances or matters related to Russian efforts to tip the 2016 election in his favor. US District Judge Amit Mehta refused to block the House Oversight and Reform Committee's subpoena for accounting firm Mazars USA pending litigation. The lawmakers' April 15 request for records dating back to 2011 followed testimony by Trump's one-time lawyer Michael Cohen that his boss would often change the estimated value of his assets and liabilities on financial statements as he felt was needed for various purposes. On April 22, Trump and affiliated organizations and entities filed suit, requesting that the court declare the subpoena "invalid and unenforceable" as it questioned the legislative validity of the Democrats' demands. "So long as Congress investigates on a subject matter on which 'legislation could be had,' Congress acts as contemplated by Article I of the Constitution," which guarantees the body its legislative powers, Mehta said. "Applying those principles here compels the conclusion that President Trump cannot block the subpoena to Mazars." The judge also insisted that the lawmakers had "facially valid legislative purposes." "It is not for the court to question whether the committee's actions are truly motivated by political considerations," he added. Trump's legal team indicated it would appeal the ruling. Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Native American man on Monday in a case involving hunting rights for the Crow Tribe. The nation's highest court, in a 5-4 decision, found that hunting rights extended to the tribe in an 1868 treaty did not expire after Wyoming became a state. The case stemmed from the prosecution of Clayvin Herrera, a member of the Crow tribe, for off-season hunting and hunting without a license in the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. During a January 2014 hunt, Herrera and several tribe members shot an elk in the forest in Wyoming, across the border from the Crow reservation in the neighboring state of Montana. Prosecutors had argued -- and Wyoming courts had agreed -- that the tribe's Wyoming hunting rights expired with statehood in 1890. Herrera's lawyers argued that the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie gave members of the tribe the right to hunt in both Montana and Wyoming. The Supreme Court agreed, with conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch providing the decisive vote by joining the four liberal members of the court. Gorsuch is the only member of the top court from the western United States and has been sympathetic to Native American rights in the past. "The Crow Tribe's hunting right survived Wyoming's statehood, and the lands within Bighorn National Forest did not become categorically 'occupied' when set aside as a national reserve," the court said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana welcomed the decision. "This ruling is a huge win for Clayvin Herrera, the Crow Tribe, and tribes across the country that entered into treaties with the federal government," the ACLU's Lillian Alvernaz said in a statement. "On a practical level, this means that members of the Crow Tribe can continue to hunt on unoccupied lands like the Bighorn National Forest to provide sustenance for their families and children. "This is especially important for the well-being and health of the Tribe because access to healthy food on the reservation is limited," Alvernaz said. "More broadly, through this decision, the Supreme Court held the federal government accountable to its treaty obligations and affirmed tribal sovereignty." Reims (France) (AFP) - A Paris appeals court Monday ordered the resumption of life-support for a longtime vegetative Frenchman from whom doctors had only hours earlier begun withdrawing treatment, in a wrenching case that has divided his family and country. The court ordered authorities "to take all measures" to keep alive Vincent Lambert, a 42-year-old quadraplegic with severe brain damage, pending a review by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Lambert's mother, Viviane, 73, hailed the ruling as "a very big victory" in her struggle to maintain vital medical care for her son. Doctors in France had earlier Monday halted the nutrition and hydration Lambert receives, in line with the wishes of his wife and other relatives. Other courts this year had backed their assessment that nothing more could be done for Lambert, who has been kept alive for more than a decade, ever since a debilitating car accident in 2008. Medical sources told AFP that Lambert could die within days or a week without the life support treatment he had been getting in the Sebastopol Hospital in the northeastern French city of Reims. The case has re-ignited a contentious debate over France's right-to-die laws, which allow so-called "passive" euthanasia for severely ill or injured patients with no chance of recovery. Lambert's parents, devout Catholics, have repeatedly launched court action to keep him alive, putting them at odds with Lambert's wife and six siblings who believe the most humane course is to let him die. - 'Pure sadism' - On Monday, his mother exclaimed to AFP: "They were starting to eliminate Vincent! This is a very big victory. They are going to restore nutrition and give him drink. For once I am proud of the courts." But Lambert's nephew Francis, who supported euthanasia for his uncle, said restoring treatment would be "pure sadism by the medical-judicial system". Story continues Before the latest court ruling, Pope Francis had weighed in Monday in favour of keeping Lambert alive. "Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end. Let us not give in to a throwaway culture," the pontiff said. French President Emmanuel Macron rejected calls by Lambert's parents and others to intervene, saying "the decision to stop treatment was taken after a constant dialogue between his doctors and his wife, who is his legal representative." Lambert's wife Rachel said Monday that "to see him go, is to see him as a freed man." "Everyone can have their own opinion and convictions... but above all, can we now have our privacy," she told RTL radio. - 'As peaceful as possible' - Vincent Sanchez, the doctor treating Lambert who has been the target of the parents' anger, had earlier urged the family to "rally around" Lambert as he faded away "so these moments are as peaceful, intimate as possible." An emotional video of Viviane comforting her son in his room, telling him not to cry as he appears to blink away tears, was later posted on the website of the conservative Valeurs Actuelles magazine. The parents returned later Monday accompanied by two Benedictine monks who were family friends. A Paris march took place late Monday towards the Elysee palace to call for Macron to step in. "There is still time to stop this madness," the parents' lawyers said. - Legal wrangling - In 2014, Lambert's doctors, backed by his wife and siblings, decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with the law. But the parents, and his half-brother and a sister obtained a court order to block the move on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment, setting off a complex and wrenching legal saga that has lasted half a decade. Early this year, a French court sided with Sanchez's decision to stop the care keeping Lambert alive. The ruling was upheld last month by France's State Council which decides on the validity of laws and legal decisions. The UN committee on disabled rights this month asked France to suspend the decision while it conducts its own investigation, which could take years. The French government has said it will note the committee's deliberations but made clear there was no legal obligation for it to abide by them. On Monday, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg rejected a request by the parents to halt the decision over the cessation of life-support pending the review by UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The court had already refused a similar request in April and said Monday there was "no new evidence" that would justify a new hearing. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Venezuelan opposition's envoy to the United States said he met Pentagon and State Department officials in Washington on Monday to discuss "all aspects of the Venezuelan crisis." Carlos Vecchio, opposition leader Juan Guaido's ambassador to Washington, said in a message on Twitter that the talks held at the State Department had been "very positive" but offered no further details. "We continue to advance," he said. The talks were arranged at the request of Guaido, leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly who invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency in January, arguing that socialist President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. The United States and many European and Latin American countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader. But Maduro retains control of state functions and the support of the military's top brass, as well as allies such as Russia, Cuba and China. The purpose of Monday's meeting was to discuss the U.S. Defense Department's "past and future role related to humanitarian assistance and regional support," a State Department official said ahead of the talks. President Donald Trump and senior aides have not ruled out military action in the crisis-stricken South American country, repeatedly saying that "all options are on the table." But Washington has made clear it prefers to exert continued economic and diplomatic pressure to push Maduro out, and many experts have said the U.S. use of military force is unlikely. (Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Dan Grebler and Sandra Maler) CARACAS, May 20 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday proposed early elections for the National Assembly, which is run by the opposition. The opposition won a majority in the legislative body in a late 2015 vote, and the next congressional elections are currently scheduled for late 2020. (Reporting by Caracas Newsroom, Luc Cohen; editing by Grant McCool) Moroccan interior security authorities have nabbed in capital Rabat a mother and her 44-year-old son charged of drug trafficking. The suspects were arrested Friday morning at Kamra bus station in the Moroccan capital after arriving from a town in the north part of the kingdom. They were nabbed on tipoffs provided by the internal security directorate (DGST), Huffpost Maghreb reports. Security forces searched the suspects luggage and discovered 2,585 psychotropic tablets. The drug alters brain functions, mood, consciousness and cognition. Security forces also seized an unspecified amount of cash believed obtained in the sale of the banned chemical substance. On Saturday, the Rabat judicial police arrested a foreign national from a sub-Saharan African country for her alleged involvement in the illegal sale of unlicensed alcoholic beverages. The woman, residing illegally in Morocco, has reportedly links with illegal immigration networks. According to a statement by the national police (DGSN), the 46-year-old suspect was arrested in a rental house in the Bouregregreg neighborhood. Search operations enabled the seizure of 396 liters of contraband alcoholic beverages and several passports belonging to citizens from sub-Saharan countries. The arrested individuals were remanded in custody to complete the investigation led under the supervision of the competent public prosecutors office. Authorities have tightened the war on drug trafficking. Earlier this month custom forces seized more than four tons of cannabis resin concealed in a vehicle that was driving between Tangier and Tetouan. GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Food Programme is considering suspending aid delivery in the areas under the control of Yemen's Houthi group because of fighting, insecurity and interference it its work, the agency said on Monday. "Humanitarian workers in Yemen are being denied access to the hungry, aid convoys have been blocked, and local authorities have interfered with food distribution," the WFP said in a statement. "This has to stop." The highly unusual threat from the U.N. agency, which is feeding more than 10 million people across Yemen, reflected what it said were "obstacles that are being put in our way". "We face daily challenges due to the unrelenting fighting and insecurity in Yemen. And yet, our greatest challenge does not come from the guns, that are yet to fall silent in this conflict - instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control." The phased suspension of aid would be a last resort and nutrition activities directly targeting malnourished children and women would continue, the statement said. WFP said it previously worked with leaders to resolve problems, such as when the Saudi-led coalition which is fighting against the Houthis delayed the movement of cranes to the key port of Hodeidah and cut food supplies by blockading the port. Negotiations with Houthi leaders to open up access to hungry people had not yet brought tangible results, WFP said, although some had made positive commitments. "Unfortunately, they (Houthi leaders) are being let down by other Houthi leaders who have broken assurances they gave us on stopping food diversions and finally agreeing to a beneficiary identification and biometric registration exercise." WFP's threat of a partial pullout comes after fighting around Hodeidah marred an apparent diplomatic breakthrough by U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, who got the Iranian-aligned Houthis to agree a unilateral withdrawal of their forces from Hodeidah and two other ports earlier this month. Since then Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed pro-government forces have battled in the port city, breaching a ceasefire and casting into doubt the full implementation of the plan for both sides' forces to move back from the port. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Tom Miles; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean) By Eloisa Lopez MARAWI CITY, Philippines, May 21 (Reuters) - It had only been a week since Mohammad Ali Acampong finished renovating his house when bombs and bullets struck Marawi City. Two years ago, pro-Islamic State militants took over in a bid to carve out their own "Wilayah," or province, forcing nearly 100,000 people to flee in what became the Philippine military's toughest and longest conflict since World War Two. Acampong, a local government official, left his three-story lakeside house with his family of eight. "When the chaos began, our life suddenly became really difficult," Acampong, 42, told Reuters. "We had a comfortable life before. Now we live in between shelters, enduring heat, the lack of water, the lack of everything." Marawi was once one of the most picturesque cities in the Philippines. About half of it is now charred concrete and skeletons of buildings, the effects of 154 days of air strikes and artillery by the military, and booby traps the rebels laid everywhere to keep them at bay. (Click https://reut.rs/2ElzxrJ see a picture package.) The Acampongs now live in a tiny temporary housing unit on the city's outskirts, competing with thousands of families for water and other basic utilities. At least 500 other families live in plastic tents, like Asnia Sandiman, 25, who produces made-to-order clothing with a government-issued sewing machine. "The tent is fine until it rains and it gets so cold, or until the heat is so bad," Sandiman said. "My deepest hope is that we are allowed to go back to Marawi but honestly, I would take any permanent address just to get out of here." Hundreds of militants, 165 soldiers and at least 45 civilians were killed in the five-month conflict. President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2017 declared the city liberated, and its rehabilitation officially underway. But there is little sign of progress. Bangon Marawi (Rise Marawi), an inter-agency task force in charge of reconstruction, has a deadline of 2021 for rebuilding and remains confident of meeting that. Story continues "We could only go as fast as legally possible. We can't make shortcuts," its field office manager, Felix Castro, said. "It takes a while in the beginning but it will be quick once it starts." ABANDONED CITY Except for stray dogs and soldiers on guard, Marawi's commercial center has been abandoned. There is no sign of the promised rehabilitation. Thousands of people are in limbo following a conflict that no one saw coming. Most are jobless and dependent on relief goods, like Noronisah Laba Gundarangin, a mother of three, who lives with four other families in her sister's home. The 73,000 pesos ($1,385) her family received from government agencies isn't enough for a small business. They have debts to pay and children to feed. Gundarangin, 40, wonders what happened to all the help and money pledged by the international community when the war was in the spotlight. The authorities say not all of that has materialized. "I know billions (of pesos) were donated to Marawi but they go through so much bureaucracy that by the time it reaches us, they are pennies," she said. The task force commander, Eduardo del Rosario, on Monday said obstacles to progress were debris, unexploded ordnance and unsafe structures, but said those should all be cleared by November, with some construction to start in September. While awaiting that, the task force has been allowing people to return to see the place they once called home. Now they call it "ground zero." Acampong gave his consent for his house to be demolished. He returned recently and found a papaya tree growing in its place. "It's painful because we had nothing to do with this war. We were just caught up," he said. "Everything we've worked hard for, all the big and small investments, are now all gone." "Every day, it's like this. Waiting and waiting, as if waiting for death." (Editing by Martin Petty) Mel Gibson is assembling his cast for a remake of violent 1960s survivalist Western "The Wild Bunch," with Michael Fassbender, Jamie Foxx and Peter Dinklage all said to be in discussions. Michael Fassbender, Jamie Foxx and Peter Dinklage could be leading up "The Wild Bunch" according to Deadline. A remake of the 1969 Western is expected to go into production later this year. Dinklage's schedule is opening up now that the eight-season "Game of Thrones" has concluded, while Fassbender is co-starring in June's X-Men movie "Dark Phoenix" and Foxx has been cast as the lead character in another upcoming superhero movie, "Spawn." Mel Gibson would be directing after having been Oscar-nominated for "Hacksaw Ridge," a 2016 war movie that was also in the running for Best Picture. "The Wild Bunch" was originally directed by Sam Peckinpah, who came to prominence as a result of the movie's impact. Intended as a response to US involvement in the Vietnam war, it was considered extremely violent and was populated with contemptible characters. Its style, technique and layered approach helped win plaudits from many film critics, two nominations at the 1970 Academy Awards, and a place in film history for the movie and Peckinpah himself, whether or not audiences were reviled or thrilled by its content. A woman has claimed she cured her period pain with her own period blood [Photo: Getty] Many women attempt to combat period pain with a hot water bottle and a couple of painkillers, but one woman has an altogether more unconventional suggestion about coping with PMT - by rubbing her own period blood on her face. Yazmina Jade Adler, from Melbourne was looking for a way to relieve her severe cramps, but wanted to avoid going on the pill. The 26-year-old came across the unusual method after being advised by a shamanic womb woman to connect to her own menstrual blood. Yazmina was discussing the monthly ritual she now performs on the new SBS series, Medicine or Myth?, which discusses potential home remedies with a panel of medical experts. I was seeking an alternative way of healing or at least connecting with it to understand what was going on in my body, she said, as reported in the Daily Mail. A friend introduced me to this woman who does deep shamanic womb work. As soon as I heard about it I knew it was something I wanted to try. Yazmina uses her menstrual blood as part of a monthly ritual [Photo: SBS] READ MORE: Internet users amazed by man who doesn't realise periods continue at night And she claims the ritual has helped cure her monthly cramps. I've been using this remedy now for about 10 months to a year and my cramping has gone, she told the panel. Every month, I create a ritual medication space, and I use the blood in a way to connect either through putting it on my hand or anointing it on my third eye. By doing this, it has relieved the discomfort. Yazmina - who collects the blood using a menstrual cup - said she wanted to share her own remedy in a bid to help other women suffering from period cramps. I just want every woman to feel it. I know what women go through, I know that pain and shame, I feel for the women who are struggling with this, she said. Though Yazminas home remedy seems to have worked for her, experts dont recommend the method as a means of curing period pain. I would never advocate smearing menstrual blood on your face - or anywhere - as a way of alleviating period pain, explains Mr Ian Currie, consultant gynaecologist at BMI Chiltern Hospital in Buckinghamshire. Story continues There is no medical evidence for this whatsoever and a classic example of 'dont try this at home'. Different women deal with pain in different ways - this woman has chosen a meditative approach, others say paracetamol, acupuncture or herbal remedies work for them, he adds. Mr Currie says that as long as the measures women choose dont mask an underlying problem, then what works for them is all good. Something to look out for is if a woman's periods are getting increasingly painful, that could be an indication of endometriosis - the womb lining growing outside the womb - or adenomyosis - cells lining the uterus being slightly deeper in the muscle layer, a bit like a mini-bruise that does not go away, he says. Both of these would be highlighted on a pelvic scan. According to Mr Currie painful periods can sometimes get masked when a woman goes on the pill, and then the pain returns when she comes off it. Sometimes, a woman may have had painful periods in her adolescence and now does not have the pain. The thing to watch out for is periods getting increasingly painful, which may be masking other problems, he adds. Yazmina Jade Adler uses a menstrual cup to collect her period blood [Photo: Getty] READ MORE: How a womans period changes throughout her life According to the NHS period pain occurs when the muscular wall of the womb tightens (contracts). During your period, the wall of the womb starts to contract more vigorously to encourage the womb lining to shed away as part of your monthly period, the site explains. When the muscular wall of the womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining your womb. This temporarily cuts off the blood supply and hence oxygen supply to your womb. Without oxygen, the tissues in your womb release chemicals that trigger pain. The NHS suggests that painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin can be taken to manage period pain. Paracetamol could also help, although studies have shown that it doesnt reduced period pain as effectively as ibuprofen. If ordinary painkillers are ineffective, your GP may prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as naproxen or codeine. Other suggestions of methods to try include exercise, heat, a warm bath and massage, as well as relaxation techniques such as yoga and pilates. Its understandable that women are keen to explore remedies for period paid considering that it is responsible for 5 million sick days in the UK each year. According to a new survey conducted by global healthcare company Hologic, chronic period pain has caused women to take a total of 5,581,186 sick days every single year. One in five women are affected by heavy periods, meaning 4 million women across the UK are forced to miss work as a consequence. And the study further indicates the staggering effect the global health crisis has had on the economy, as it has cost the UK alone just over 531 million. By Sarah White CANNES, France, May 19 (Reuters) - Movie stars including Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria celebrated the role of women in cinema at a glitzy gala in Cannes on Sunday, amid a drive to promote gender equality in the industry that is still falling short of what many campaigners hoped for. Cannes' film festival, the world's most important cinema showcase, last year signed a pledge to get an equal number of men and women in its top management by 2020 that is gradually gathering momentum at similar European and U.S. events. Actors and filmmakers participating in this year's edition have joined activists in warning that while industry attitudes were changing, progress was still slow. "We have so much work to do and I just think we can't let up," Longoria told journalists at the Women in Motion dinner at Cannes, part of a program set up by luxury group Kering to push for gender equality in cinema. "Whenever we see something improving we can't just say 'Oh OK let's relax, the momentum's going to go that way'. It won't continue to go that way, we have to continue to change the industry for ourselves." Chinese actress Gong Li, the star of "Farewell My Concubine," was awarded a prize for her career at the event. At Cannes, four women are contending for this year's top Palme D'Or film prize, including Franco-Senegalese Mati Diop and France's Celine Sciamma, out of 21 entries - or just under 20 percent of the total. Elsewhere, the proportion has sometimes been higher, with over 40 percent of the films competing at Berlin's festival in February made by women. "We hear a lot about how times are changing and improving, and it's true. The idea is to support that trend. (But) the figures still don't look good," said Delphyne Besse, a film sales specialist and one of the founders of 50/50 by 2020, the collective behind the gender parity pledge signed by Cannes. Story continues Of the 47 film festivals that have so far backed the drive globally, 38 percent have female heads, according to the lobby group's figures. SHORT SHRIFT Industry insiders said the slow progress was reflected in everything from the short shrift female directors still got in the media to their under-representation at industry events. "Women have been making films for 11 decades now," British actress and star of zombie movie "The Dead Don't Die" Tilda Swinton told a news conference earlier this week. "There are countless films by women. The question is why don't we know about them," she said, adding that even obituaries for female filmmakers tended to be dwarfed by those dedicated to men. Cannes' organizers have said they were not planning to introduce quotas dictating the gender balance of the films selected to compete at the festival. "Cannes is only at the end of the chain. This needs to start with encouragement at film schools," festival director Thierry Fremaux said last week. The cinema showcase is looking to include more women its board, however, and the festival jury this year was more balanced. "Atlantics" director Diop said festivals were still a logical starting point to highlight women's work in the industry. "It starts with the films, there is no festival without films, so it is an extraordinary exhibition that will give the films much bigger exposure," she told Reuters in an interview. (Reporting by Sarah White Editing by Chris Reese) Leaders of the 12 parties aligned with the Mauritanian ruling regime have demanded authorities to intervene and secure the release of a political leader who has been held in Saudi Arabia for several months, Le360.ma reports. Youssef Ould Horma Babana, leader of Temam [party close to the regime] has been held in custody for several months part of judicial processing on unknown charges, Le360.ma news portal reported. The parties leaders issued over the weekend a joint statement calling on Nouakchott to intervene in order to ensure Hormas return home. The leaders condemned authorities silence over the situation of the Mauritania-Moroccan citizen. Authorities reportedly have been unmoved by Hormas fate because he l entered Saudi Arabia with a Moroccan passport. Hormas situation has also brought some other observers to criticize authorities for being selective in intervening in favor of Mauritanians facing maltreatment in Saudi Arabia, Le360.ma notes. Nouakchott and Riyadh enjoy friendly diplomatic relations. Mauritanian soldiers are fighting on the side of the Saudi-led international coalition opposed to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. After months of speculation that Japan's government could postpone an impending sales tax hike to avoid damaging the economy, it appeared set to go ahead with the move thanks to stronger-than-expected growth data released Monday. The data showed GDP expanded by 0.5 percent in the first quarter, and while the recovery was soft and economists expressed concern over weak consumption, the data is likely to boost the case for the sales tax to finally go ahead. The consumption tax issue is huge politically in Japan and there had been suggestions that it could be postponed for a third time, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling a snap election this summer. Here are some key questions and answers about the tax, which is due to be raised from eight percent to 10 percent from October: - What is it? - The consumption tax is an eight-percent tax payable on goods and services at the point of sale. Similar to VAT in many other countries, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) notes it is one of the lowest rates among the group's 34 nations. Abe has vowed to raise it to 10 percent but has already twice delayed taking the plunge for fear of hobbling consumption and the economy. - Why hike the tax? - After Japan's tech-driven property and stock market bubble burst in the early 1990s, successive governments launched round after round of economic stimulus that swelled Japan's debt mountain. The nation's debt-to-GDP ratio -- a key indicator of financial health -- stood at an eye-watering 226 percent in 2018, according to the OECD, which noted it was "the highest ever recorded" in the group. For comparison, debt-to-GDP is 138 percent in the United States, 71 percent in Germany and 112 percent in Britain. The limit for members of the euro area is supposed to be 60 percent of GDP. Most economists agree that hiking the tax is crucial for reducing this debt mountain. Abe has also vowed to use the proceeds to fund free preschools and childcare in a bid to boost birth rates and the female workforce in the ageing and shrinking country. Story continues - Why could it be postponed? - Abe and his senior officials have insisted the hike will proceed as planned. The leader has said it would take a shock on the level of the Lehman Brothers collapse to derail it. But in a research note published before Monday's GDP data, Tobias Harris, an analyst at Teneo consultancy group, noted that Abe said a similar thing in 2016 and then, "after a feeble attempt to argue that such a shock could be imminent, he postponed the tax increase for a second time anyway". And after enjoying a long period of uninterrupted growth, the economy slammed into reverse at the end of last year. A series of forward-looking indicators, notably a key government index, suggest that the economy may have entered a recession. The last consumption tax hike in 2014 was widely blamed for sparking a recession and Abe is desperate to avoid a repeat. Harris said: "If the escalation in the US-China trade war intensifies downward pressure on Japan's economy, the prime minister could use the slowdown to justify delaying the tax hike again (blaming external factors)." - What's the political impact? - With Abe enjoying high personal popularity ratings and political opposition next to non-existent, speculation is swirling that he could use a delay in the tax hike to call a snap general election. "Having failed to achieve diplomatic breakthroughs with Russia or North Korea that might otherwise have justified a snap election, delaying the consumption tax is the best argument Abe can make for calling a general election," said Harris. The consumption tax is seen by many as a third-rail in Japanese politics and politicians avoid raising taxes if they can help it. In April 1989, then-prime minister Noboru Takeshita ushered in Japan's first-ever sales tax -- at three percent -- and was forced to resign two months later amid plunging popular support and a separate corruption scandal. His successor then received a drubbing at the ballot box. - What can soften the blow? - Abe has promised a series of measures to mitigate the economic impact, including maintaining the rate at eight percent for food and non-alcoholic drinks. In addition, consumers will be offered incentives if they pay using cashless methods, as Japan seeks to wean itself off paper money. Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has said he believes these measures will mean the tax hike has only a limited impact on the economy. Until the conservative LiberalNational Coalition won a surprise victory on Saturday, Australias federal election was universally held to be an unlosable one for the Australian Labor party. Ever since the voters handed a narrow but clear victory to the Coalition prime minister, Scott Morrison, its looked like the confirmation of wider political trends in the English-speaking world, including America, that favor the Right but that will also push it to change. The ALP entered the campaign having enjoyed a healthy lead over the Coalition in more than 60 successive polls since the 2016 election. Even an allegedly infallible exit poll promised Labor a total of 82 seats in the 151-member Parliament. In fact, Labor looks like it will end up with 69 seats against the Coalitions 77. With five seats still being counted, the Coalition has won 75, and though Morrison has been promised the support of independents, he probably wont need them. These statistical swings add up to what he called a miracle of unexpectedness. How the Coalition won is not so unexpected. It won blue-collar workers, outer-city and suburban seats, and regional constituencies, especially in Queensland. Australias cultural equivalent to the U.S. South delivered only five of its 30 seats to the ALP despite the partys high hopes of gains there. On the other hand, inner-city seats in Sydney, Melbourne, and other metropolitan areas, inhabited by well-paid professionals, continued to drift leftward, dividing their votes between Labor and the Greens. Again and again, however, that drift stopped short of toppling the seats held by Coalition cabinet ministers that Labor had targeted. But its a tide that will still be coming in at the time of the next election. As James Allan points out in a piece written for the Australian Spectator, this mimics the class realignment of parties elsewhere: Over time, as in Canada, Britain and the US, the inner city seats will mostly be lost to any right of centre political party as the political spectrum around the Anglosphere reorganises itself into a new spectrum where more wealth does not correlate to more likely to vote right. Remember, Hillary Clinton won the hundred wealthiest counties in the US and virtually all the richest parts of the UK voted Remain. This willingness to virtue-signal on a big pay package is coming to Australia. Story continues But policies inspired by virtue-signaling produce economic victims in other social classes. That had an impact on two important groups of voters this time. First, Labor sought to raise revenue through policies, meant to curb global warming, that would raise the energy bills of hard-pressed blue-collar battlers and also shrink their job opportunities in the countrys important energy industries. That probably cost Labor its hoped-for gains in Queensland, where the Left has fought a long campaign to prevent the opening of a new coal mine. As former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott observed: When climate change is solely a moral issue, Labor wins; when its an economic one too, the Coalition wins. The scales tip farther rightward when the voters are informed that Australias contribution to carbon emissions is nugatory and that the Greens dont seem interested in asking China or India to cut their much greater carbon emissions. The Left in politics and the media advertised this as the climate change election. And they lost. Labor also promised to raise taxes on everyone, of course, by imposing higher capital-gains and income taxes, but on older voters in particular by eliminating legitimate tax refunds for millions of self-funded retirees. The party should have noticed that the Baby Boomers have greatly expanded the ranks of retirees on fixed or modest incomes in the electorate. Morrison did notice and ran a quietly effective campaign on both issues, warning the voters that Labor would cost them a great deal more money without improving their lives measurably. It was a quietly successful campaign aimed at quiet Australians rather like himself rather than treating the voters as ciphers locked into identity groups on the Lefts model. Morrison has thus earned the right to shape a political strategy in his own image. Until now he has been hemmed in by Malcolm Turnbull to his left and by Tony Abbott to his right. Turnbull fell from power largely because his quixotic policy of driving conservatives out of the main conservative party was leaving the party becalmed. As law professor James Allan noted, most of Turnbulls close allies then opted to leave politics, because they were convinced that Labor would easily defeat a post-Turnbull Liberal party. Their happy absence frees Morrison on the left and in particular allows him to shape conservative policies on energy, taxation, immigration, and much else without having to appease the cultural gods of the media and the progressive middle class. He was given elbow room on the right because the entire Australian Left organized a massive campaign to oust Tony Abbott, an early patron of Morrisons when he was prime minister, from an affluent middle-class constituency that had been moving leftward for some years. It succeeded and Abbott lost. But he will have gained admirers by the grace and generosity with which he accepted his inevitable fate. For the moment, he will not have direct access to government power. If Morrison is now his own man, however, he has his work cut out. Labors defeat was narrow last week. The Lefts determination to press ahead in particular with its global-warming extremism will be undeterred by such a temporary setback. (In that respect it has a cultish character, as Peter Smith argues in Quadrant Online.) And Morrisons victory this week was rooted in a kind of commonsense caution rather than any deeper analysis of why Labors and the wider Lefts solutions are dangerously mistaken. If Morrison is to continue to win victories and to navigate the new politics of class realignment, he will need advice, help, and support. Two political leaders of recent years have been able to win election landslides by putting together new class coalitions and in particular by converting blue-collar workers to conservative causes. They are John Howard and Tony Abbott. Both exemplify Loughnanes Law that the Coalition wins elections when its prime minister is the leader of both the Liberal party and the conservative movement. In deepening the argument for his own blend of conservatism and liberalism, Morrison could do a great deal worse than summoning them frequently for advice on how to make his victory this week a permanent one even if he has to pay for costly calls to Abbott in the Australian embassy in Washington. More from National Review Chia Lee is the CEO of Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited (HKG:6868). This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. And finally - as a second measure of performance - we will look at the returns shareholders have received over the last few years. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! See our latest analysis for Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings How Does Chia Lee's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing our data says that Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited has a market cap of HK$6.1b, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of CN600k. (This figure is for the year to December 2017). Notably, the salary of CN600k is the vast majority of the CEO compensation. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations from CN2.8b to CN11b, and the median CEO total compensation was CN2.8m. This would give shareholders a good impression of the company, since most similar size companies have to pay more, leaving less for shareholders. While this is a good thing, you'll need to understand the business better before you can form an opinion. You can see, below, how CEO compensation at Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings has changed over time. SEHK:6868 CEO Compensation, May 20th 2019 Is Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited Growing? Over the last three years Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 26% per year (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 3.7%. Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. It's also good to see modest revenue growth, suggesting the underlying business is healthy. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited Been A Good Investment? Boasting a total shareholder return of 138% over three years, Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited has done well by shareholders. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size. In Summary... It looks like Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings Company Limited pays its CEO less than similar sized companies. Considering the underlying business is growing earnings, this would suggest the pay is modest. The strong history of shareholder returns might even have some thinking that Chia Lee deserves a raise! Most shareholders like to see a modestly paid CEO combined with strong performance by the company. But it is even better if company insiders are also buying shares with their own money. Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings shares (free trial). If you want to buy a stock that is better than Tenfu (Cayman) Holdings, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. DUBAI, May 20 (Reuters) - Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement denied Saudi media reports on Monday that it had fired a ballistic missile towards Mecca, Islam's holiest site, at a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and Gulf Arab states allied to Washington. "The Saudi regime is trying, through these allegations, to rally support for its brutal aggression against our great Yemeni people," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Facebook. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading a Western-backed coalition of Sunni Muslim states that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government ousted from power in Sanaa by the Houthis in late 2014. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, citing eyewitnesses, reported that Saudi air defense forces intercepted two ballistic missiles above the western cities of Taif and Jeddah. The first one had been directed towards Mecca, it said, without giving evidence. A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than two million Muslims from around the world make the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Many also visit the city during the holy month of Ramadan, which is currently underway. Riyadh has accused Iran of ordering last week's drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, for which the Houthis claimed responsibility. Tehran denied doing so. Washington and Tehran have been sparring over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential conflict between the United States and Iran. On Sunday, the Houthi-run SABA news agency said the group would start military operations against 300 vital military targets, including headquarters and facilities, in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and coalition targets inside Yemen. Yemen's conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny being Iranian puppets and say they are waging a revolution against corruption. Story continues The strikes on Aramco pumping stations came two days after attacks on vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the UAE, which no one has claimed responsibility for. The UAE has not blamed anyone pending an investigation. Two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran encouraged the Houthis or Iraq-based Shi'ite Muslim militias to carry out the attacks. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi cities and oil installations with missiles and drones, mostly n border areas. Twice, in 2016 and 2017, the coalition said the group had launched a missile towards Mecca, but the movement said it was targeting nearby airports. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Asma Al Sharif in Dubai, Stephen Kalin in Jeddah Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Chris Mfula LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia plans to strip Vedanta-controlled Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) of its mining licence and bring a new investor into the operation, in a move likely to stoke international miners' concerns about rising government intervention in the sector. Zambian President Edgar Lungu announced the plan on Monday, which his spokesman said followed a number of breaches of the terms of the licence, without giving details. Zambia, Africa's second-biggest copper producer, has also proposed tax changes that Lungu says he will push through, despite opposition from international miners which say they will deter investment that Zambia desperately needs. Some miners have already reduced or threatened to cut output, although First Quantum said it had abandoned plans to lay off workers. Union leaders on Monday called on Glencore to reverse its decision to close two shafts. "We are not shaken in our resolve to divorce (from some companies), starting with KCM, and we have filed that notification," Lungu said on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation radio. The plan mirrors moves in other parts of Africa, where countries are trying to secure greater benefits from natural resources being managed by foreign companies. Vedanta said it was seeking an urgent meeting with Lungu over the future of KCM and that it had not received formal communication from the government on KCM. It said in a statement it was the intention of KCM and Vedanta, its primary shareholder, to continue to engage with the government "in a constructive and transparent manner". The government, which also has a stake in KCM through a state mining company, "(is) fully apprised of and party to the circumstances of the company and major decisions that have been taken," Vedanta added. Presidential spokesman Amos Chanda told Reuters a notice had been issued to KCM in April last year over a number of breaches of the terms of its licence and it had not convinced the government it should keep the licence. Story continues He also said "about three investors" whom he declined to identify were interested in the asset, but no formal negotiations had begun. Demonstrators marched in Chingola in Zambia's copper belt to welcome the decision to bring in another investor. Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) President Joseph Chewe called on the president to bring in "a credible investor, not Chinese", with public opinion turning against China's extensive asset ownership in the country. He also said the decision on Vedanta should "send a strong signal to other mining companies", and urged Glencore to rescind its plan to close two mine shafts at Mopani Copper Mines, which Glencore has said have reached the end of their economic life. Neither Glencore nor First Quantum had any comment on Monday. (Reporting by Chris Mfula in Lusaka and Barbara Lewis in Johannesburg; additional reporting by Ernest Scheyder in Houston, Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter) Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) (AFP) - Former South African president Jacob Zuma said Monday that he was victim of a "witch hunt" over corruption charges as lawyers argued in court that he could not expect a fair trial. Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling ANC party last year, has been charged with 16 counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to a multi-million-dollar arms deal dating back to before he took office in 2009. Zuma, 77, is accused of taking bribes from French defence company Thales during his time as a provincial economy minister and later as deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) in the 1990s. He allegedly pocketed around four million rand ($280,000, 250,000 euros) from 783 payments handled by Schabir Shaik, a businessman who acted as his financial adviser. The charges were first brought against Zuma in 2005. They were dropped by prosecutors in 2009, shortly before he became president, and reinstated in 2016. "My rights have been flagrantly violated," Zuma told supporters gathered outside the court in Pietermaritzburg. "If this trial continues, it will be nothing more than a witch hunt." Zuma's legal counsel Muzi Sikhakhane told the court that the case was at the "intersection of law and politics" and that Zuma faced "mob justice" due to prejudice against him. Sikhakhane argued that Zuma's constitutional right to a prompt trial had been "violated to the point where we could say 'a fair trial can never happen'." He accused prosecutors of being "over-zealous" and asked: "Does he get stripped of human dignity because he is Mr Zuma?" Both Zuma and Thales deny any wrongdoing and have applied to the court for a permanent stay of prosecution. - 'Politics is not good' - "Bearing in mind the very long delay of this procedure -- through no fault of Thales at all -- together with a range of factors beyond its control, Thales believes it cannot obtain a fair trial," the company said in a press statement. Story continues "Thales reiterates that it has no knowledge of any transgressions having been committed by any of its employees." Outside the Pietermartizburg high court, Zuma's supporters held a rally for the former president. "Politics is not good. Some people, they don't like Zuma -- that's why they took him to court," Vukhani Khumalo told AFP, saying court proceedings against him should be scrapped. Zuma sat in court wearing a suit and red tie and looking occasionally at papers in front of him. A separate judicial enquiry into alleged state corruption during Zuma's time as president is under way in Johannesburg. His successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, who held on to power when the ANC won national elections with a reduced majority earlier this month, has vowed to root out corruption in the government and the party as he tries to attract investment and revive the economy. The ANC's reputation suffered under Zuma's leadership, and Ramaphosa still faces resistance to his reform agenda, especially from Zuma allies still holding senior positions in the party and government. The main opposition Democratic Alliance party fought a long battle to have the corruption charged reinstated, with Zuma's lawyers fighting to prevent him going on trial. Zuma, who is thought to have little personal wealth, was ordered by a court last year to pay back state funds and cover his own costs in the case, leaving him with large legal bills. The hearing is set to last until Friday but the court will not sit on Wednesday. he UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) unloaded Saturday a dozen of armored military vehicles, shipped from Turkey in what appears as Ankaras support for the GNA counter-operation to keep at bay forces of east-based military commander Khalifa Haftar who seek to overtake the Libyan capital. Military media South Front, citing sources from Tripoli, reports that the shipment which contains more than 20 Turkish-made BMC Kirpi mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles arrived on Saturday at Tripolis main port. The vehicles were offloaded from a Moldavian cargo ship named AMAZON which sailed from the Turkish port of Samsun. AMAZON is managed by a Turkish company named AKDENIZ RORO SEA, according to the media. The shipment came few weeks after the GNA openly called on Turkey to provide whatsoever in view of countering Haftars offensive. The military equipment violates a UN embargo imposed on the country since 2011. Qatar and Turkey have backed the GNA while Haftar has been receiving support from Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Russia and recently from US President Donald Trump. The Saturday shipment is reportedly not the first one from Turkey. Mohamed Eljarh, a Libyan analyst told London-based The New Arab that Ankara ran impromptu flights between Turkey and Misrata for alleged delivery of drones since the beginning of the offensive. The comments were confirmed by Khaled al-Meshri, president of Libyas High Council, who indicated that the GNA had obtained unmanned drones and modified them to counter Haftars war planes and aerial surveillance capabilities, according to British media The Independent. Khalifa Haftar early April launched a military operation to capture Tripoli, which, he said, is controlled by Muslim Brotherhood and terror groups. In Mali, the African Development Bank (AfDB) have approved 11.14 million to improve climate resilience for 100,000 farmers in Mali and safeguard the ecosystems of the Niger River. The AfDB signed three grant agreements with the Malian authorities. The agreements include a 3.5 million grant from the Transition Assistance Facility (TAF), a 2 million grant from the European Unions Investment Facility for Africa (Pagoda), and a 5.4 million grant from the African Development Fund (ADF). According to the Abidjan-based bank, these amounts will be injected into the treatment and sustainable management of 100,000 hectares of degraded land to reduce the silting process of the Niger River. The financial boost will also contribute to the construction and rehabilitation of multipurpose hydraulic structures to mobilize about 75 million cubic meters of water per year for agro-pastoral activities and facilitate access to resilient technologies for 100,000 producers. The AfDBs funds will provide sustainable financing for ecosystem conservation and climate change adaptation actions for the people of the Niger River Basin, said AfDB Representative in Mali, Haly Louise Djoussou-Lorng. She said the Bank will continue support the Malian governments development efforts as expressed in the Program for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (PIDACC) in the Niger River Basin. Goldman Sachs (GS) closed a deal to acquire wealth management company United Capital for $750 million in cash on Thursday, as part of Goldmans long-term strategy to push into wealth management. [United Capital] will serve as a cornerstone of our business as we execute on our long-term strategy to offer clients solutions across the wealth spectrum, said David Solomon, chairman and chief executive of Goldman Sachs in a statement. United Capital will help accelerate this strategy by broadening our reach. Goldman expands into the high-net-worth segment Joe Duran is the founder and chief executive of United Capital, which is based in Newport Beach, California. He built his business to $25 billion in managed assets serviced by 220 financial advisers across 95 offices. Duran said he is excited about the deal. In our own universe, there really hasnt been a way to partner with Goldman, so this is a really exciting opportunity for us, he said on The Ticker, in his first live interview on Yahoo Finance. Joe Duran Goldman Sachs has traditionally been an investment bank, servicing institutions and ultra high-net-worth individuals. This push into the wealth management space signals an appetite to diversify their assets and access a new market segment. For Duran, that works just fine. Theyre the preeminent brand for 100 million or more. We are preeminent brand for folks with $1 million to $15 million, he said. They have a desire to broaden their reach and offer some of their services, their intelligence and IP to a market segment they havent been able to access. Leveraging Goldman brand Duran grew up in war-torn Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe, and came to the U.S. at 18 years of age with just $200 in his pocket. He said his experiences are why he focuses on the big picture when it comes to investing. Most of investing is a mental game, you cant do anything about what the market does, Duran said. We try to remind people to focus on what you can control. Story continues It is with this mindset that he is confident he can double his business from $25 billion to $50 billion in assets under management in a relatively short period of time that is, within two to three years. Much of United Capitals expansion is owed to the white-labeling of United Capitals wealth management operating system, a digital platform that independent advisers use for portfolio management and financial planning. Now under the Goldman Sachs umbrella, that reach can expand. Goldman has a reputation within its own walls. With Finlife we have a white labelling of our platform which will expand and improve because of what Goldman brings to the table, he said. Im really excited about what can happen with this unique combination. We can completely revolutionize the entire industry together. President Donald Trump announced lifting of steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada and Mexico at the National Association of REALTORS Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Trump put Markets have been volatile since trade talks broke down with China as investors have been in a flurry to de-risk their portfolios as well as anticipate what comes next. The thing thats messy about this is this is not a unilateral debate. We have a president who can take a lot of bandwidth and make it all about his views, but in reality is this is a bilateral discussion, Duran said. But never fear. Duran said President Trump has demonstrated that he doesnt like to see the market go down. We have what many call the Trump put. When the market goes down, hes going to send a tweet to make it go up again, he said. Durans advice to investors? He says, You just have to focus on what you can control. Grete Suarez is a producer at Yahoo Finance. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn,YouTube, and reddit. It's horse racing season, which always reminds me of racetrack guru Andrew Beyer's concept of the "sucker horse." A sucker horse, according to Beyer, is a horse whose stats indicate it should win handily, but it never does. It might come in second or third, but it never actually comes in first, and it costs bettors a lot of money in the process. I sometimes think there are sucker horses in the stock market, too: stocks that consistently seem poised to outperform and then never do. Lately, one such stock is oil and gas driller Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA), which after a recent one-two punch of bad news, is trading at about $31 per share, down 41% over the past three years. The stock's price this year is lower than it's been since 2003. So, at this price, is Apache an incredible bargain, or a sucker stock that's never going to recover? Lots of pipelines of various sizes Insufficient pipeline capacity is hurting oil and gas industry players in the Permian Basin. Image source: Getty Images. Why the market hates Apache Apache was clobbered by the same market forces that hit rivals like Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) in 2014: The price of oil had collapsed, and independent oil and gas exploration and production companies (E&Ps) like Apache and Anadarko were hit hardest. Unlike most of its peers (including Anadarko), Apache managed to survive without cutting its dividend, but that still didn't keep the stock market from knocking the company's price down by about 65% from its 2014 highs to its 2016 lows. In late 2016, though, Apache made a big announcement that actually caused its shares to pop: A Permian Basin play that Apache had been quietly picking up on the cheap turned out to have unexpectedly massive oil and gas reserves underneath it. Dubbed "Alpine High," its low price and big potential caused the stock to pop. But investors soured on Apache as it became clear that it was going to take quite some time to build out the nonexistent infrastructure to get Alpine High oil and gas to market. Meanwhile, production was declining as Apache sold off noncore assets to focus resources on Alpine High, which wasn't yet ramped up. Story continues When the Alpine High buildout was delayed by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the market fretted that the company would miss out on high energy prices and punished the stock. When oil and gas prices took a hit in December 2018, the market punished the stock. Now, with production rising and Alpine High starting to produce oil and gas in earnest, there's another problem: a big Permian bottleneck. All dressed up with nowhere to go The Permian Basin has seen an explosion in activity lately, as drillers have rushed to cash in on the dream combination of cheap shale production and high oil and gas prices. But all that oil and gas needs somewhere to go, and unfortunately, the infrastructure to transport large quantities of oil and gas out of the Permian to refineries and export terminals on the Gulf Coast doesn't yet exist. Midstream pipeline companies like Kinder Morgan and Enterprise Products Partners are busy working on large-scale pipelines out of the Permian, but many of them won't come online until next year, or later. In the meantime, the oil and natural gas -- especially the natural gas -- has been piling up in the Permian with nowhere to go. In fact, so much natural gas has been headed to the Waha Hub in the Permian, with so little capacity to move it, that Waha Hub gas prices actually turned negative in April -- meaning that "sellers" have literally been paying "buyers" to take their excess gas away. One of those sellers? Apache. In late April, Apache announced that it was temporarily deferring some natural gas production at Alpine High to avoid having to pay others to get rid of it. The market didn't like that, and clobbered the stock again. What's next for Apache? Apache's biggest asset may be its Alpine High play, but it's been beset by one obstacle after another. However, this time the company may actually have an advantage over other Permian producers like Anadarko. Apache has created a joint venture called Altus Midstream to construct and operate pipelines and other midstream assets. Altus is partnering with Kinder Morgan on the Gulf Coast Express pipeline, which is expected to be completed in October 2019 -- ahead of most other major Permian pipelines. The Gulf Coast Express will not only provide Apache with an outlet for 550 million cubic feet per day of its Permian natural gas, but also will allow it to profit off of the gas that other producers ship through the pipeline. Of course, that's assuming everything goes according to plan, which it definitely hasn't thus far for Apache. However, the company's non-Permian assets in the North Sea and Egypt are continuing to to perform well, and Alpine High production is exceeding expectations. If Apache can get its shipping woes straightened out, it may be ripe to (finally) outperform. For investors or for suckers There's a compelling case to be made that Apache is a sucker stock. Every time its share price starts to recover, some new hiccup sends it plummeting again. Even once the bottleneck problems in the Permian get resolved, Apache may fall victim to lower prices resulting from more Permian oil and gas hitting the market. On the other hand, a share price of $31 is quite low, even for Apache. It gives the stock a bargain-basement price-to-book ratio of just 1.6 (Anadarko's, by comparison, is 4.1). And once October hits and the Gulf Coast Express starts flowing, Apache's performance should improve. At this price, the stock looks like a buy given those prospects. But investors should be aware that it's not without risks. More From The Motley Fool John Bromels owns shares of Apache and Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Moroccan government adopted a draft decree that will give the status of free zone to the Mohammed VI Tanger Tech city. The new free zone stretches over a surface area of 467 hectares and is intended to be a new industrial hub offering propitious conditions for the development of industries pertaining to the automotive, aero-space and renewable energies. Other industries such as textile, steel, mechanics, electronics will also find a home in the city that will be built by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). The Tangier Tech free zone will be the sixth of its kind in Morocco and the third in the region of Tangier. Last April in Beijing, a MoU was signed by Tangier Tech Development Company (SATT) and the two Chinese CCCC and CRBC companies on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum, China. Upon completion, the city will offer jobs to 100,000 people and will house 300,000 inhabitants on a surface area of 2000 hectares. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the "genocidal taunts" of US President Donald Trump will not "end Iran", as tensions spike between the two countries. "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," Zarif wrote on Twitter. "Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect -- it works!" he added. In another tweet, Zarif accused Trump of allowing his team to "trash diplomacy" and "abet war crimes -- by milking despotic butchers via massive arms sales". The riposte by Iran's top diplomat followed an ominous warning by Trump, who on Sunday suggested the Islamic republic would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump tweeted. On Monday evening Trump, who is seen on blowing hot and cold on Iran, appeared to play down the immediate threat posed by Iran while saying he is ready to talk if Tehran takes the first step. Trump's latest comments appeared aimed at dialing back fears that his administration is pushing for war. "We have no indication that anything's happened or will happen," he told reporters at the White House when asked about the Iranian threat to US interests, adding: "We have no indication that they will." A Senator close to Trump, Lindsey Graham, warned Iran of an "overwhelming military response" for any actions against US interests. - 'Rising rhetoric' - Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed tough sanctions. Iranian officials have repeatedly slammed the unilateral US sanctions as "economic terrorism," saying that they have impeded the flow of essential goods. Tensions have risen further this month with Washington announcing more economic measures against Tehran, before deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified alleged Iranian "threats". The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing the danger posed by Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. On Sunday a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. While the US claim of Iranian "threats" has been met with widespread scepticism outside the United States, the mounting tensions have sparked growing international concern. "I would say to the Iranians, do not underestimate the resolve on the US side in the situation," British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt told reporters on Monday in Geneva. "They don't want a war with Iran, but if American interests are attacked they will retaliate," he added. The United Nations expressed concern about the "rising rhetoric". "We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. - 'Goaded' into war - US media reports say Trump's hawkish national security adviser John Bolton is pushing for war with Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Zarif's tweet said Trump is being "goaded by B Team," a term he coined to refer to Bolton as well as Israel's prime minister and the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are all pushing a hard line on Tehran. Before Trump's Twitter threat, Zarif had downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region, saying Tehran opposed it and nobody was under the "illusion" the Islamic republic could be confronted. Iran is exercising "maximum restraint" in the face of an "unacceptable" escalation by the United States, Zarif said on Thursday. Tehran has threatened to gradually withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal unless partners still in the agreement -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- help it to circumvent US sanctions. Saudi Arabia on Saturday called for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions. It came days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels, who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran -- but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it," he said. "But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests." Women walk under a bridge in Tehran a day after US President Donald Trump said if Iran attacks American interests it will be destroyed Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has played down the prospect of a war in the region US-Iranian relations have plummeted since Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and imposed tough sanctions A man reads newspaper headlines in the Iranian capital Tehran COPYRIGHT NZCIVAIR All information and photographs used on this blog are copyright to NZCIVAIR. I'm a no 1 winner and supergenius and this blog is what people like me go around saying n shit Given the U.S.s deployment earlier this month of an aircraft carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf and comments that it may send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East to deal with any untoward action by Iran, Tehran has been busy trying to build safety buffers through its allies. Having put in place a strategy to try to exploit existing divisions between the U.S. and Europe, Iran has now reached an agreement with the Federal Government of Iraq in Baghdad to expand co-operation between the two countries in the economically vital oil sector, including, critically, the sale of Iranian oil under the guise of Iraqi oil. This trick was first used when the last full-scale international sanctions were ramped up in 2012 but the scope of the new deal far outstrips that arrangement. On the face of it, the most obvious signal of this is the plan announced by National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) director, Ramin Gholampour Dezfouli, last week for the state oil giant to open a representative office in Baghdad. The official line from Iraqs Oil Ministry is that: The role of [the representative] office will be limited to technical and engineering services, such as establishing pipelines and engineering equipment, which Iraq favours given their very low prices...It will not involve oil trade. Oil Ministry spokesman, Hamza Jawahiri, however, did say that the office would also allow for joint organisational work to be done on the 12 fields that Iran shares with Iraq some of the worlds largest oil reservoirs and that this type of co-operation is not strictly prohibited under the sanctions that the U.S. re-imposed on Iran late last year. The reality of the deal agreed between Iran and Iraq, though, runs much deeper. The immediate focus of the co-operation on shared fields will be the huge reservoirs of Azadegan (Iran side)/Majnoon (Iraq side), Azar/Badra, Yadavaran/Sinbad, and Dehloran/Abu Ghurab a senior oil industry source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. The first of these will be South Azadegan, across which the National Iranian Drilling Company announced earlier this month it will drill another 23 wells by the end of the 2020 Iranian calendar year (ending on 20 March). This will add to the 19 wells that it has already completed that are being readied for oil production by Irans Petroleum Engineering and Development Company. There are three reasons why South Azadegan has been chosen as the first focus of the new turbo-charged co-operation deal between Iran and Iraq. From the Iraqi side, more work needs to be done to bolster its side of the reservoir, the supergiant Majnoon field, which narrowly avoided catastrophic damage due to floods in March. The second reason is that for Iran the field has symbolic value in that an understanding had been reached with Total that the French oil giant would develop the field after it had made significant progress on Phase 11 of the supergiant South Pars natural gas field (SP11). Totals withdrawal from SP11 and from the corollary gentlemens agreement that it would develop South Azadegan was the first tangible sign that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would be undermined by the U.S. Related: The Beginning Of The End For British Shale Gas The final reason is that it is a key field in the West Karoun group of oilfields, the economic importance of which to Iran especially in current circumstances can barely be overstated. The West Karoun fields - also comprising North Azadegan, North Yaran, South Yaran, and Yadavaran are conservatively estimated to contain at least 67 billion barrels of oil in place and, even more propitiously, have an average recovery rate of just 5-6%. This compares to average recovery rate across Saudi Arabia of at least 50%. For every one percent increase in the average rate of recovery across West Karoun, the recoverable reserves figure would increase by 670 million barrels, or around US$34 billion in revenues with oil even at US$50 a barrel, the oil source told OilPrice.com. With the right joint development, an increase in recovery rate across the site to at least 25% over a 20 year contract period could be expected to add US$838 billion in revenues for Iran, he added. Currently, West Karouns oil output averages 355,000 to 360,000 barrels per day (bpd), with spikes to 380,000 bpd, compared to 120,000 bpd in 2017, according to the Iran source. Of this, South Azadegan is currently producing around 100,000 bpd. For Iraq as well, the economic benefit is clear. For a long time, there has been growing concern on the Iraq side that Iran has been pursuing a zero-sum game policy in exploiting its part of the shared fields as fears of re-imposed U.S. sanctions mounted, including extensive slant drilling. In addition, Iraq in part blamed the recent flooding around Majnoon on the structural damage done to the area by the erosion of subsoil across over one million hectares of forest and brushland by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a result of its building programmes. Iraq also believes that it was made worse by the redirection of many of the natural water flows through the building of dams and by Irans irrigation systems that have been sending clean and wastewater into Iraq for decades. The key corollary part of the co-operation agreement which relates to joint pricing and marketing is also going to be of huge monetary benefit for Iran, whilst bolstering Iraqs burgeoning status as a top five global oil player. At the most basic level, from Irans side, the increased co-operation on shared fields means that it will be impossible for U.S. monitoring organisations to distinguish and thus sanction - Iranian oil flows from Iraqi oil flows when both originate from the same field. This then will allow Iranian oil rebranded as Iraqi oil to make its way unfettered through Iraqs extensive export channels. This includes China, previously one of Irans biggest customers and a customer that is desperate to continue importing its oil. Related: China Set To Miss Shale Gas Production Target By A Mile Previously, the trick involved Iranian oil arriving at various points along the Iraq border in unmarked trucks, which were then loaded into Iraqi trucks, and sold unhindered as Iraqi oil, but this tactic is much more effective, as the volumes can be exponentially higher, a senior legal source in Geneva told OilPrice.com. Even if you knew what was going on which everyone senior in the oil industry did, including the U.S. it was impossible to prove, he added. Effectively, this means that a vast proportion of all Irans oil can be shipped to wherever Iraq oil is welcome, which is every major export destination in the world, he underlined. The benefits of joint pricing mechanisms are also enormous. Currently, Iran has no choice because of the sanctions but to sell its oil including from the shared fields at massively reduced pricing that is comprised of its official selling price (OSP) minus the sanctions discount minus the incremental risk discount. This has resulted in Iran offering cost, insurance, and freight cargoes for free on board pricing, with the difference between the two covered by Iran. Under this new agreement, Iranian oil from these shared fields will be sold based on Iraqs much higher three month moving average OSP pricing for cargoes, with no discounts at all, and the three month moving average for the effective spot market that Iraq has created and now controls, said the oil source. In sum, this agreement means that Iran will be able to generate twenty to thirty percent more in U.S. dollar terms for the oil from these shared fields than it can from the oil it has to sell sourced from non-shared fields that it cant redirect to the shared field flows, he underlined. At the same time, he concluded, Iraq will be able to bolster its presence in the oil trading markets by effectively controlling the price of more oil flowing into the markets and to safeguard its own oil flows from the shared fields. This will give it more chance of achieving the oil ministrys production targets 6.2 million bpd by 2021 and 9 million bpd by 2023 closer to the target dates. The key political change that has occurred to enable this co-operation agreement is the pragmatic policy being implemented by Iraqs effective ruler, Moqtada al-Sadr. The head of the leading power bloc in the country (Sairoon, Marching Towards Reform), al-Sadr and his close advisers determine the policies that are then fronted for international consumption by the nominal prime minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi. The main principle is an ultranationalist one that Iraq should not be controlled by any one country, said the oil source. In practical terms, it means that Iraq has reached agreements in the past few weeks with companies from the U.S,, China, Iran, and Russia, to undertake various projects in the country, aimed at clearly demonstrating to each of them that Iraq will deal with whichever partners it wants, he concluded. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States has quickly become one of the top crude producers in the world thanks to the shale boom fueled by the shale oil and gas powerhouse that is West Texas Permian Basin. In fact, the U.S. is on track to overtake Saudi Arabia as the worlds leading exporter of oil, natural gas liquids and petroleum products by the end of the year in a development very, very few could have predicted. At the same time that the U.S. has risen to the top of the global oil production game to become the fastest-growing oil producer in the world, China has also broken its own records to become the fastest-growing oil consumer in the world. This dynamic adds yet another layer of complication to the trade dispute still unfolding between the U.S. and China. As the trade war between the United States and China escalates swiftly and dramatically, China has been far from reserved about countering aggressive U.S. tariffs with tariffs of their own. China has levied tariffs on a wide variety of U.S. products, from liquefied natural gas to cotton, soybeans, machinery, grains and aircraft parts. Despite the growing tension, however, so far China has yet to impose any tariffs on U.S. oil. Yes, China has decreased the amount of U.S. oil that they import, but so far, they have held back on placing any outright tariffs on U.S. crude. This move (or lack thereof) comes as part of what is likely a very intentional strategy not to limit Chinas sources for the crude oil it is so thirsty for. Especially as the United States buckles down on sanctions against Iran and Venezuela--dovetailed with the ever-worsening economic crisis in the latter--the global crude supply could soon be tightening as tensions in the Middle East grow closer to a boiling point and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) shies away from ramping up production levels in response to tightened sanctions on some of the worlds biggest heavy crude producers. "It's safer to tariff LNG," Rabobank energy strategist Ryan Fitzmaurice told CNN. He went on to say, "China is a huge consumer of oil. There's a big appetite as people move into the middle class." Related: On The Cusp Of War: Why Iran Wont Fold China has consistently broken its own records as it consumes more and more oil each day and each year, this year reaching a jaw-dropping, gas-guzzling average of a whopping 10.3 million barrels of oil per day since November. As Chinas demand continues to skyrocket and the global crude supply becomes more and more vulnerable thanks to sanctions and geopolitical factors, China has been stockpiling massive amounts of oil in storage. New reporting indicates, however, that Chinas rainy-day fund of stockpiled crude very well could be quietly dwindling, making it ever more essential the Beijing keeps its options open when it comes to their relationships with major crude-producing nations such as the United States. CNN reports that reduction in purchases by China likely reflects uncertainty caused by the trade war. Rabobank energy strategist Ryan Fitzmaurice was further quoted by CNN to say that "Chinese refiners have been hesitant to take US crude given the overhang of potential tariffs as Beijing weans its consumption of U.S. crude despite their hesitance to take the further step of imposing tariffs. In the meantime, as China backs away from U.S. oil, the United States has not wasted a moment in finding new buyers for their crude. According to reporting by Bloomberg, the United States shipped 470.2 million barrels to 38 countries from October through March, compared with 359.3 million to 31 nations in the previous six months, according to Census Bureau data [...] The volumes increased even as shipments to China sank nearly 80%. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Morocco is stepping up its crackdown on traffickers in the border crossing with Mauritania, Guerguarat, which by the past witnessed tensions between Moroccan army and Polisario militias who attempted to hinder the flow of traffic. As the noose tightens on traffickers, a customs officer was attacked in his car by an unknown gang that also stole administrative documents, the Moroccan press reported. The customs administration said that the incident came as customs officers were doing their job of controlling cars and goods heading to Mauritania. Assabah newspaper noted that following the attack on the customs officer, the Moroccan army launched an operation to unlock the blockage imposed by some armed Polisario men beyond the gate where hundreds of trucks were stopped. The same newspapers warned that some importers of Chinese goods have diverted their shipments from Casablanca to a Mauritanian port in order to avoid paying custom duties. Queuing at the Guerguarat border crossing will soon be a thing of the past as Morocco plans to open a new crossing near Amgala in order to add momentum to trade in the city of Smara, Assabah noted. The new crossing will stimulate trade with Mauritania and Mali in the Moroccan city, it said. In 2016, Morocco launched a large-scale crackdown on traffickers in Guerguarat beyond the wall followed by the pavement of 3 kilometers towards the Mauritanian borders. The British Labor Party, headed by Jeremy Corbyn has announced plans to re-nationalize the nations electric, gas and water utilities that were privatized by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1990. In particular Labor has its eye on the gas and electric transmission lines, the international interconnections and the local gas and electric distribution companies. If adopted this would reverse a great deregulatory experiment that placed almost the entirety of the UKs utility infrastructure in private ownership. Once privatized, the UKs utility managers were permitted to operate under a generous regulatory formula allowing rather handsome profits in a notoriously low risk business with completely captive customers. For years the Labor Party claimed, not without some justification, that utilities were ripping off UK consumers. Nevertheless Tony Blairs New Labor government kept the Thatcherite deregulatory structure in place. Despite all the hyperventilating from UK utility executives and investors, Corbyns proposal raises several questions. The first is why now? Rebecca Long Bailey, the shadow business secretary stated that one of Labors principal goals was an attempt to accelerate the transition to a low carbon emissions electricity grid. Her additional claim was that only a state-owned system is capable of rapidly integrating all of the new wind, solar and tidal power generating resources. Second, we should ask how does Labor plan to compensate the existing owners of these assets? And this is where things take an interesting turn. It was reported last week in the UK press that Labor wanted to nationalize the utilities in a manner similar to the government takeover of Northern Rock bank. Northern Rock was a mortgage lender which experienced a bank run and loss of public confidence in the 2008 global financial crisis. It was nationalized in February of that year. Related: Bank Of America: $90 Brent May Be Around Corner We fail to see the connection between relatively prosperous utilities and a failed financial institution. However, Labor seems to be making precisely that case. Their goal seems to be avoiding compensating investors at current market prices due to three main reasons. First, the utilities have experienced asset stripping since privatization. Second, these for-profit businesses continued to receive extensive state subsidies since the 1980s. Third, existing pension fund deficits would also justify a less than full market according to Labor. A separate critique of private sector utility managements cited extensive reliance on financial engineering (i.e. adding considerable amounts of debt to balance sheets that were unlevered at the time of privatization) as well as value extraction via dividend payments to shareholders and share buybacks. To provide some sense of the bid-ask spread here, shadow chancellor John McDonnell suggested that nationalizing the water industry could be done for less than 15 billion pounds. A study conducted by the water industry itself last year suggested a fair market value roughly three times higher than that suggested by Labors representatives or 44 billion pounds. Naturally, this brings up the question: where will the money come from? The Laborites answer is simple. We will issue government bonds in exchange for both debt and equity securities of the newly nationalized utilities. When we consider for a moment that there are over $10 trillion of negatively yielding securities, perhaps a debt financed takeover isnt so crazy. And the government would be purchasing a slew of operating companies with both considerable real assets and income streams. Related: Total Declares Force Majeure On German Refinery After Russian Oil Contamination The utility owners (and their bankers, no doubt) will develop their own notions of value. Acquisitions usually come with a premium over market price (not a good argument given that only two of the companies are traded). They require even a bigger premium to take control (is this double counting?), except the government always had control through regulation and the franchise. Renationalization would simply transfer ownership from existing shareholders, the nominal owners of the utilities, to the government outright. Then there is the argument that most of the utility owners are foreign, and renationalization would discourage future foreign investment in the UK and raise UK bond rates. Most asset owners are willing sellers if they get the right price or did not pay the wrong price when they bought the property. And, theres the rub, as Hamlet put it. Many current owners bought their utility properties at a substantial premium to the regulatory asset value on which the utilities earn their return. As financial theory tells us, utility stocks that sell above the equivalent of regulatory asset value are earning more than cost of capital. These investors bought into an industry earning handsome returns probably in excess of cost of capital, apparently on the assumption that they could do so indefinitely. They would not want to sell the assets at regulatory asset value (or worse at a substantial discount) because of probable and considerable financial loss. But if the government pays more than regulatory asset value, it rewards the current owners twice over for earning a return over cost of capital. We dont pretend to know if Labor will win or whether the country will benefit from a change in utility ownership, but we do think that the discussion will lead to a reexamination of what privatization actually accomplished. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPEC+ is considering increasing production in the second half of 2019, as the oil market tightens following a series of major outages. OPEC+ met in Jeddah over the weekend to assess the state of the oil market and discuss the groups plans for the rest of the year. The technical meeting comes ahead of the highly-anticipated June meeting in Vienna, where the coalition is expected to finalize its plans. In Jeddah, however, OPEC and its partners examined a few scenarios. Saudi Arabia and others within OPEC reportedly want to keep the cuts in place while Russia is more eager to loosen the curtailments. According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia and Russia are mulling two options, both of which consist of higher output. The first option would consist of reducing the agreed upon cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) to just 0.9 mb/d going forward. The second option would call for ending over-compliance with the 1.2-mb/d curtailment. Saudi Arabias deeper than required cuts and the (involuntary) outages in Iran and Venezuela would be compensated for with more barrels from elsewhere. This plan would roughly translate into a production increase of 0.8 mb/d. But while the second option could lead to more supply on the market, it would still officially maintain the 1.2-mb/d level, which OPEC is loath to change. Top officials from the Gulf States have balked at the proposal to lower the headline cut from 1.2 to 0.9 mb/d. I dont think easing the cuts is a good option, said Emirati energy minister Suhail al-Mazroui, according to the Wall Street Journal. Theyd rather just bring over-compliance back into alignment. Related: The Single Most Bullish Indicator For Oil When you think about it for a second, the differences of opinion between Russia and Saudi Arabia are logical. The Saudi preference would be to roll over the cuts, but if it had to agree to a change, it would prefer the plan that calls for reducing the over-compliance. That makes sense since Saudi Arabia is the one over-complying; agreeing to this option would allow the Saudis to enjoy the benefit of increasing production. Russia, instead, wants the overall cuts to be lowered from 1.2 mb/d to 0.9 mb/d, which would presumably offer more room for them to hike output. To be sure, however, the group has not agreed on anything just yet. The obvious thing to do at this point is to simply wait for another month before taking action. It is critical that we dont make hasty decisions given the conflicting data, the complexity involved, and the evolving situation, al-Falih said. The oil market outlook is quite foggy, given the weakening demand picture but the threats to supply. Oil prices have rose by more than 30 percent this year, evidence that the cuts have succeeded in tightening the market. But there are two elephants in the room: Supply outages and the potential for an economic downturn. U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela have led to severe disruptions in those countries, and military conflict is not out of the question. The potential for a price spike is real. However, the U.S.-China trade war could magnify the economic deceleration that was already underway. Speculators have grown more bearish, selling off net-long positions in the most recent data release, a sign of growing pessimism around the global economy. Oil is being pulled in both directions. Meanwhile, some of the data is confusing. Inventories have narrowed sharply, but havent moved much in recent months. And in the U.S., inventories have actually increased. This data clearly worries the Gulf States, who fear another price collapse if they agree to increase production. Related: On The Cusp Of War: Why Iran Wont Fold Yet, other indicators are more bullish. The Brent futures curve is in a rather steep state of backwardation, while the physical market seems tight with certain benchmarks rising amid supply tightness. We have now reached the stage where crude differentials globally and across all slates are strong, Greg Newman, co-CEO of Onyx Commodities, told Bloomberg last week. There is only one conclusion: the prompt market is short of oil. With the current situation, the outright price should continue to strengthen until demand suffers. Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters that there is more work to be done. This second half, our preference is to maintain production management to keep inventories on their way declining gradually, softly but certainly declining towards normal levels, he told reporters. He said that Saudi Arabia isnt fooled by oil prices at $70 per barrel. He still sees weakness in the market. Even Russia seemed to suggest that production increases were contingent on strong demand. Today, we are looking at various options [for the second half of 2019] including softening the production levels, Russias energy minister Alexander Novak told reporters. If there is a growth in demand, we are ready to consider and mitigate those parameters, a partial recovery of production, he said. The upshot is that while OPEC+ is considering a few options to increase production in the second half of 2019, the group will be much more hesitant to do so over fears of a rerun of 2018 when prices crashed. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: If China follows through on its retaliatory threat of raising U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) tariffs from 10 to 25 percent, U.S. exports will be hit hard but another country is waiting to gain from it. Australia is poised to fill the gap for China, with its booming LNG sector well positioned. Last year, China imported 23 million tons of LNG from Australia, which made up about 42 percent of Australias exports. That figure could be increasing. US LNG exports to China have plunged 80 percent this financial year, compared to the same time last year. President Trumps threat to add an additional $300 billion in tariffs on China caused China to retaliate last week with the threat of raising tariffs to 25 percent on these imports starting June 1. LNG producers in the U.S. and other major LNG exporters will be anxiously waiting to see how the tariffs could impact major natural gas production plant developments especially future projects in the works or awaiting approval. China is expected to go from about 53 million tons of LNG imports in 2018 to about 93 million tons in 2025 as it moves steadily to become the worlds largest gas importer. "Overall, this is a positive for the marketing of Australian LNG," said Credit Suisse energy analyst Saul Kavonic about China looking to stabilize its supply. "US LNG is a competitor to Australia, so the tariffs work to take Australia's main competitor out of the market, Kavonic said Kavonic sees the trade war raising the risk of Chinese buyers looking to sign 20-year trade deals on imports. A Wood Mackenzie study forecasts a $200 billion surge in new LNG development projects, with production sites capable of about 90 million tons expected to reach final investment commitments over the next two years. Much of that new LNG development was slated to take place in the US, according to the study. Trump has hoped to fuel Americas role as a leading global LNG exporter. These construction projects were expected to support the countrys shale gas boom. The US is the fastest-growing LNG exporter in the world, and analysts predict the country will rank right behind Qatar and Australia by the end of this year. The US had a 53 percent increase in LNG exports in 2018 over the previous year. Related: Back To The Future: Labor Party Looks To Renationalize UK Utilities The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects continued increases in American LNG export capacity will soon make the country the worlds third-largest LNG exporter. But China is a major LNG customer, now the second biggest LNG importer in the world behind Japan. While the latest threat in tariff increases is serious, the broader trade war is expected to have a larger impact especially on long-term natural gas development projects. Rystad Energy forecasts that US LNG export volumes will nearly quadruple over the next few years, based on currently sanctioned projects. The company expects that some of the more expensive development projects could struggle to offer competitive terms to buyers, and hurt projects aimed at Chinese exports. Rystad Energy gas analyst Sindre Knuttson cited US-based gas group Cheniere Energy as a likely casualty of the trade war. Cheniere had signed a 20-year deal to annually supply 2 million tons of LNG to Chinese state-owned company Sinopec starting in 2023, but finalizing this deal has been delayed. Nikos Tsafos, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, also sees a long-term impact on LNG exports that can hurt US exporters. For now, though, Tsafos sees pre-tariff conditions moderating the effects. Some US LNG reached Chinese buyers through portfolio companies with multiple supply sources and customers. On the other side of the issue, Chinas three large national oil companies spurned long-term contracts with US suppliers because they simply did not trust the United States, Tsafos said. But the next wave of US LNG projects already in the works could be hurt by a global perception of the trade war disrupting LNG, undermining confidence in energy security and an open market for LNG and energy overall. Those second-order effects are likely to be far more important than whether US LNG can flow to China, Tsafos said. By Jon LeSage for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Crude and lease condensate production in the North Sea is set for lower levels in the summer months, further tightening the global oil market which is already grappling with production declines in Iran and Venezuela, OPECs cuts, and a contamination issue that shut some Russian pipeline supplies to Europe, according to Rystad Energy. Current unplanned outages at Oseberg and Flotta in the North Sea restrict a total of 160,000 bpd of North Sea production, the energy research firm said on Friday. Rystad has estimated that outages in the North Sea in May will be 185,000 bpd. Yet, the biggest disruption is expected next month, when North Sea oil production is seen down to its lowest level since August 2014 because of scheduled maintenance at Ekofisk. According to Rystad Energys field production and maintenance forecast, North Sea oil production will slump in June to 2.28 million bpd, when 462,000 bpd will be lost due to outages. Turnaround activity at the oil fields feeding Ekofisk will be the primary driver for the lower North Sea production, accounting for 230,000 bpd of the total outage in June 2019. The oil market is in for a tight start to the summer indeed, Rystad Energy said. Apart from scheduled maintenance this summer, North Sea production has been recently disrupted by unplanned outages. One was at Osebergwhose crude oil is one of the components of the Brent Crude benchmarkwhere Equinor stopped production earlier this month as a precaution due to issues with fire water pumps, and then extended the shutdown period more than initially expected. According to an Equinor email to S&P Global Platts, the Oseberg oil field resumed production on Monday. In the UK North Sea, repairs on pipelines shut down production at three platforms as of last Friday: Claymore, the Golden Eagle, and Tartan. We are carrying out repairs to a valve on the main export pipeline from Claymore to the Flotta terminal, a spokeswoman for the operator Repsol Sinopec told Energy Voice. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Houthi rebels in Yemen said over the weekend that last weeks attack on an Aramco oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was the start of military operations against some 300 vital military targets in the Kingdom and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Houthis have identified targets such as military headquarters and facilities in the UAE and in Saudi Arabia, as well as their bases in Yemen, Houthi-controlled SABA news agency reported on Sunday, quoting a source in the military of the rebel movement. Saudi Arabia and Iran are essentially fighting a proxy war in Yemen, where the Saudis lead a military Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in the country, while the Houthi movement, which holds the capital Sanaa, is backed by Iran. Over the past week, tension in the region has dramatically escalated with Houthis claiming responsibility for a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. Two pumping stations along Aramcos East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia were attacked by explosive-laden drones last week, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, who described the attack as one of terrorism and sabotage. 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 came a day after Saudi Arabia said that two of its oil tankers were attacked by saboteurs near the UAE, while the UAE said that a total four vessels were attacked off its coast at the port of Fujairah. Related: Global Oil Shipping Concerns Rise Over Middle East Tensions The Saudi-led coalition conducted air strikes on Yemens capital Sanaa on Thursday, targeting bases of the Iran-aligned Houthis. The heightened tension in the Middle East and the U.S.-Iran standoff have been supporting oil prices in recent days, outweighing bearish factors such as concerns over an escalating U.S-China trade war or slowing global economic growth. On Sunday, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabias Minister of the State for Foreign Affairs, said, as carried by the official Saudi Press Agency: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region and does not seek to do so and will do its utmost to prevent this war, while stressing that if the other side chooses war, the Kingdom will respond firmly and decisively and will defend itself and its interests. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Mufti of Jerusalem commended Morocco for its unwavering support to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people at a time when the US and its allies in the region are putting forward plans to entrench the Israeli occupation and alter the character of the Al Quds (Jerusalem). Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, who was speaking in Rabat at an event held by the Palestinian embassy, said that Al Quds will never be a subject of transactions or compromise, referring to the attempts by Israel and the US to alter its character. He stressed the attachment of Palestinians to the city saying that last Friday they were 200,000 Palestinians to have accomplished Friday prayer in the Al Aqsa mosque. This was a clear message to the world and to the Zionists of the Palestinians attachment to Al Qods and to the holy places, the Mufti said. Leaked details of the Trump administrations Deal of the Century (the Deal) show that it offers neither an end to Israeli rule nor its policies of colonization in Palestine. The US plan is expected first-and-foremost to recognize Israeli annexation of the settlements in the West Bank. Following US recognition in March of Israels annexation of the Golan Heights, this seems to be a foregone conclusion. Beyond that, the Deal dehumanizes Palestinians. It reduces them to mere economic units without national political rights or individual aspirations, lacking any right to self-determination or means to escape Israeli domination. Trump has touted the coming plan as the deal of the century but Palestinian officials have rebuked the US effort, which they believe will be heavily biased in favor of Israel. In the Arab league, Morocco and Jordan are so far outspoken in their rejection of the deal, which has been accepted by Saudi Arabia and the UAE and their allies. Bahrain will host in late June an event to encourage investment in the Palestinian areas as the first part of President Donald Trumps deal of the century, the White House said. The President of the United States, Donald Trump has warned Iran on Sunday amid tensions between both countries. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump said in a tweet. Hours after threatening the official end of Iran if it starts a war with the United States, Donald Trump vowed not to let Iran develop nuclear weapons. I dont want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you cant let them have nuclear weapons, you just cant let that happen. With all of everything thats going on, and Im not one that believes, you know, Im not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly, by far the most importantly, Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox News late on Sunday. Before becoming US president, Mr Trump was a vocal critic of both the Iraq war and the Libya intervention. Last year, he pulled the US out of a comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran, an agreement that was designed to temporarily curb Irans nuclear ambitions. Royal Navy coastguard, operating in the Mediterranean, on Sunday night, assisted several makeshift inflatable boats that encountered difficulties, said a military source. The boats were carrying 169 sub-Saharan nationals who were attempting to cross to Europe. The immigrants were brought safe and sound to Moroccan Mediterranean ports, the military source added. Also on Sunday evening, Morocco, which is tightening grip on human traffickers, nabbed in the Northern city of Asilah a Malian national suspected of involvement in illegal immigration and human trafficking operations. Policemen nabbed the suspect, 35, when they raided three apartments to arrest 39 Sub-Saharan illegal immigrants who were intending to reach Spain by sea, the national police said in a statement. The Malian national was placed in custody while investigations are still underway to arrest the main suspect in the illegal operations who has been identified, the national police said. So far this year, 25,000 migrants have been stopped from illegally crossing into Spain from Morocco, which has become one of the main gateways for migrants looking to reach Europe. In 2018, Morocco foiled 89,000 illegal migration attempts to Europe and dismantled 229 trafficking networks as the country became the main gate for migrants willing to risk their lives in the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. According to the National Observatory for Migration, 80 pc of the illegal migrants stopped last year by Moroccan authorities were from Sub-Sahara Africa. Last year, Morocco rescued 29,715 illegal migrants at sea while 5,608 chose to voluntary return to their home countries. The North African Kingdom has regularized the situation of over 50,000 migrants, in two campaigns, providing them protection and assistance as well as access to health care and education services, including professional and vocational training. 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? USA TODAY USA HOY 6 USA HOY 5 USA HOY 4 USA HOY 3 USA HOY 2 USA HOY (1) Insaciable Cronologia de un agresor Guarimbear en USA Mexico hoy Bolivar y Chavez Primero Amargado Dios los cria y ellos se juntan USA hoy (III) USA hoy (II) USA hoy Mexico hoy Mexico hoy Mexico hoy Obama La verdad sea dicha Los ricos Que no nos vea Obama Pobre Obama SOS PALESTINA VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN Archivo del blog Archivo del blog marzo (4) abril (9) mayo (8) junio (10) julio (11) agosto (10) septiembre (17) octubre (11) noviembre (15) diciembre (10) enero (9) febrero (10) marzo (8) abril (5) mayo (6) junio (8) julio (13) agosto (10) septiembre (7) octubre (12) noviembre (8) diciembre (15) enero (17) febrero (11) marzo (11) abril (12) junio (6) julio (11) agosto (15) septiembre (5) octubre (15) noviembre (14) diciembre (11) enero (13) febrero (9) marzo (10) abril (8) mayo (7) junio (12) julio (12) agosto (8) septiembre (8) octubre (4) diciembre (8) enero (35) febrero (20) marzo (29) abril (19) mayo (21) junio (27) julio (21) agosto (28) septiembre (40) octubre (47) noviembre (21) diciembre (34) enero (62) febrero (81) marzo (117) abril (141) mayo (114) junio (111) julio (126) agosto (98) septiembre (160) octubre (234) noviembre (493) diciembre (319) enero (219) febrero (267) marzo (230) abril (291) mayo (347) junio (223) julio (179) agosto (191) septiembre (239) octubre (350) noviembre (406) diciembre (353) enero (284) febrero (202) marzo (274) abril (250) mayo (232) junio (251) julio (188) agosto (249) septiembre (230) octubre (178) noviembre (141) diciembre (164) enero (187) febrero (147) marzo (211) abril (190) mayo (199) junio (164) julio (162) agosto (174) septiembre (182) octubre (225) noviembre (114) diciembre (132) enero (223) febrero (147) marzo (133) abril (108) mayo (387) junio (465) julio (785) agosto (748) septiembre (485) octubre (681) noviembre (754) diciembre (805) enero (708) febrero (896) marzo (735) abril (831) mayo (723) junio (555) julio (658) agosto (619) septiembre (457) octubre (455) noviembre (295) diciembre (269) enero (534) febrero (556) marzo (205) abril (119) mayo (194) junio (255) julio (294) agosto (182) septiembre (207) octubre (340) noviembre (351) diciembre (281) enero (114) febrero (128) marzo (216) abril (195) mayo (116) junio (141) julio (182) agosto (181) septiembre (50) octubre (72) noviembre (104) diciembre (88) enero (168) febrero (102) marzo (151) abril (207) mayo (43) junio (72) julio (35) agosto (146) septiembre (54) octubre (46) noviembre (48) diciembre (41) Chavez Cuanto te queremos! 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! " " SaraRose Martin shows off her school newspaper in Warrenton, Virginia. Martin wrote a story on 'dabbing,' a new way that teens are consuming marijuana, which was censored by the principal, but a local news website published it. Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images Free speech is something most Americans cherish. Yet, the U.S. Supreme Court often struggles to decide exactly what it is. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution merely states, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging freedom of speech." But it does not define the term. Over the past centuries, the Court has honed the definition, through various rulings. For example, it decided "free speech" includes the right not to speak; to speak symbolically (e.g., burning the American flag as a means of protest); to contribute money to political campaigns, although only in certain circumstances; and to utter certain offensive words and phrases when you're trying to convey a political message. Advertisement Other rulings specify free speech does not include the ability to create and distribute obscene materials; to promote illegal drug use at a school-sponsored event (if you're a student, anyway); and to burn draft cards as a means of protest [source: United States Courts]. You can see how tricky the issue is when you consider the Supreme Court ruled flag-burning is an acceptable form of free speech, but not draft-card burning. The reason, ostensibly, is that burning draft cards can affect the efficient functioning of the Selective Service System, while burning the flag doesn't harm any important governmental objectives [source: United States Courts]. Additionally, many people fail to understand that the concept of free speech is related to the federal, state and local government. For the most part, they cannot regulate Americans' speech. But private entities such as Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist certainly can (and do), by deleting posts deemed racist, obscene, violent or undesirable [source: Gomez]. Let's look at some of the main types of "speech" that are not free in the U.S. At least not today. " " Max Pixel ( CC0 Oligarchy is a political system in which power rests with a small number of people. Fear that an entrenched elite would seize power dates all the way back to the very founding of the U.S. system of government. "We say no to oligarchy!" Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent who again is running for the Democratic nomination for president, proclaimed in a 2019 speech to 16,000 supporters in San Francisco. Sanders, who warns that billionaires are buying elections and exerting too much power over the government, uses the O-word frequently, but he's not the only one. If you read enough articles on the web, you'll see places ranging from Russia, China and Saudi Arabia to Brazil and even Hong Kong described as oligarchies. A 2017 Salon article even warned of the growing power of a global uber-oligarchy comprised of wealthy, super-powerful figures ranging from financiers to rock stars. And the concept isn't just owned by the left, either. President Donald Trump may not have used the same terminology, but the billionaire businessman rose to power in part by railing against the "elites" that he accused of disenfranchising ordinary Americans. If you're not a political science major, you may be wondering: What exactly is an oligarchy, anyway? And do we really have one in the U.S.? "An oligarchy is a combination of wealth and power, and often tends to close off access to its ranks 'pulling up the ladder,'" explains Ron Formisano, the William T. Bryan Chair of American History and professor emeritus of history at the University of Kentucky, and author of the books "American Oligarchy: The Permanent Political Class," and "Plutocracy in America: How Increasing Inequality Destroys the Middle Class and Exploits the Poor." Oligarchy from the ancient Greek word oligoi, meaning few is a concept that goes back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who used it to describe a society governed by a select few wealthy or aristocratic people, as opposed to rule by a single monarch, or a democracy in which the great mass of people of humble means hold control. Aristotle actually didn't favor either oligarchy or democracy he preferred a sort of half-decaf cup of joe in which a middle group of moderately wealthy citizens controlled the reins, as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy explains. Advertisement Founding Fathers Feared Oligarchy In America, Sanders isn't the first American politician to be concerned about oligarchy. Fear that an entrenched elite would seize power dates back to the era when the nation was founded. John Adams, who became the second U.S. president, in particular saw it as a potential menace. "Our popular history paints us as a revolutionary society that overthrew monarchy," explains Luke Mayville, author of the book "John Adams and the Fear of American Oligarchy." "But revolution-era America was also full of animosity towards anything resembling formal nobility or aristocratic privilege. This animosity made its way into the U.S. Constitution in the form of the Nobility Clause of Article I, which prohibits the federal government from granting titles of nobility. What made Adams unique was the systematic manner in which he theorized about oligarchy and documented the threat that oligarchy had posed throughout history." "Relatively early in his adult life, Adams was struck by the disproportionate influence enjoyed by men of wealth and illustrious lineage," Mayville says. "But the record shows that he became much more fearful of oligarchy during his long sojourn as a diplomat in Europe in the late 1770s and early 1780s. In the old world, he became a careful observer of the power that went hand-in-hand with family lineage, physical beauty, and especially wealth. When he compared these observations of the Old World to conditions in the New World, he saw more similarities than differences." But Adams didn't exactly see the world the same way as do Sanders or Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another presidential candidate who is concerned about the concentration of wealth and power, because he worried about rule by the non-elite as well. "Adams was keenly aware of the political power of wealth and the need to contain it, " Mayville says. "But unlike most of today's economic populists, Adams was almost as fearful of democracy as he was of oligarchy. He believe that the many, as well as the few, posed a threat to the stability of republics. In retrospect, some of his fear of democracy seems paranoid. For example: He shared the belief of many elitists throughout history that universal suffrage would inevitably lead to the mass expropriation of private property. In any case, Adams differs from today's critics of oligarchy in that he was not a small-d 'democrat.' Instead, he was a believer in a 'balanced government' that counter-acts the inevitable power of wealth and status with the organized power of ordinary citizens" something perhaps akin to Aristotle's concept of a mixed ruling class. Oligarchies can develop in societies for several reasons. In a country with a monarchy or dictatorship, if a leader becomes too weak or incompetent to rule, the strata of powerful people under the leader may start to siphon away his authority and ultimately may replace him with a puppet, or else one of their own members. It's also possible for an elite say, for example, super-wealthy business moguls to take control of a society because they're good at getting things done, whether or not those things are in the best interests of everybody else. And there's also oligarchy by default, in which a democracy essentially withers because ordinary people allow an elite to take over, because it's easier than staying informed and grappling with the complexities of governing. Advertisement The Masses and the 1 Percent The question of whether the U.S. is turning into an oligarchy or perhaps already is one has become a subject of heated debate. Back in 2014, Princeton professor of politics Martin Gilens and his Northwestern University colleague Benjamin I. Page published an analysis, in which they studied 1,779 different policy issues, and concluded that economic elites and groups representing business interests had a lot of influence upon U.S. government policy, while ordinary citizens and interest groups representing them held little sway. (They didn't actually use the term oligarchy, though news media headlines summarizing their work did.) But as this 2016 Vox article describes, several other scholars published rebuttals, arguing that either the masses and the elites didn't really disagree that much about policy choices, or that when they did, the masses usually prevailed. Public opinion, though, suggests that most people think of the U.S. as oligarchic, even if they don't call it that. In a July 2017 poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 75 percent of Americans said that people like them have too little influence in Washington, and 82 percent believed that wealthy people had too much power over the government. Here in the U.S., "It's not a matter of restrictions, but more a closing of opportunity and diminishing chances for the middle and lower classes," Formisano argues. Even some billionaires worry about the nation's rising income inequality is unsustainable and may endanger capitalism's future, even if they're not quite ready to give up all their influence. Now That's Interesting In the early 1900s, philosopher Robert Michels came up with the Iron Law of Oligarchy. It which holds that any organization or society even one that espouses democratic ideals of popular rule inevitably will devolve into oligarchic rule in which a few people take most of the power, in part because rank-and-file members tend to want someone to tell them what to do. There is an interesting article in today's Guardian reporting that the Electoral Commission is under mounting pressure to launch an investigation into the funding of Nigel Farages Brexit party because of concerns that its donation structure could allow foreign interference in British democracy.The paper says Gordon Brown has written to the Electoral Commission calling on it to urgently examine whether the party has sufficient safeguards on its website to prevent the contribution of dirty money. They add that the former Labour prime minister will use a speech in Glasgow on Monday to say an investigation into the Brexit partys finances is urgent and essential:The other questions are over the Brexit partys links to a disgraced former aide to Farage who was imprisoned in the US after being caught offering money laundering services to undercover federal agents:There is certainly a case for a full investigation. Brexit has always been about money, enabling some of its biggest proponents to trade free of European regulations so as to maximise profits. But as LSE professor Damian Tambini says, it has also exposed loopholes in the donation structure set up by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000:We are now facing an election in which the party leading the polls is actually a limited company with Farage in complete control. It has no manifesto, no members as such, no grassroots activity or branches, links to a convicted money launderer and an opaque funding structure that allows foreign donations under 500, but adding up to 100,000 a day.Isn't it time the Electoral Commission proved it is not the toothless watchdog we all think it is? And isn't it time the Government allowed a full and empowered investigation of the funding of the Leave campaign in 2016? The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced that its Oplan Harabas driver drug test conducted in key ports showed 89 people who were positive for illegal drug use. Aaron Aquino, Director General for PDEA, explained that the agency conducted 5,009 driver drug tests in major container terminals nationwide. This included the Philippines two biggest ports: the Manila International Container Port (MICP) at the North Harbor in Tondo, Manila and the Port of Manila at the South Harbor in Port Area, Manila. Of the 5,009 tested, the 89 who came out positive for the use of shabu and marijuana included 49 truck drivers, 11 tricycle drivers, nine truck helpers, nine van drivers, five jeepney drivers, three multi-cab drivers, two mini-bus drivers, and one truck employee. Oplan Harabas is a simultaneous drug test conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to lessen the demand for illegal drugs and ensure a drug-free workplace. PDEA decided to do it first in the countrys key ports because drivers not only use heavy-duty commercial vehicles, but they mostly use it for their long-distance travel. There is a prevailing practice of drug use among the driving population to stay awake for long trips, Aquino said. Those who tested positive for drug use will have their drivers license revoked by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and would undergo a rehabilitation process that includes counseling, values formation, moral recovery, and other life skills before they can get their licenses back. The post 89 Drivers Tested Positive for Drugs in Oplan Harabas appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. THE moderately quiet voice of senator-elect Ronald dela Rosa will upswing its decibel to fortissimo level in his cry to restore death penalty, now that he is comfortably fifth in the senatorial race. Capital punishment is inflicting in different methods like firing squad, electrocution, or lethal injection. His call will pass through a 50/50 chance and may experience one, if not all methods of inflictions in both chambers of Congress. Why? Both House Speaker Gloria Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III are villains in the capital punishment history; and they both have colossal influence in their respective spheres, unless of course the leadership in both houses will be changed. Let us open the written history of death penalty in the Philippines and reevaluate the good and evil of the verdict. The first execution was on Feb. 17, 1872 in Bagumbayan wherein three Filipino Catholic priests: Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (Gomburza) were sentenced for subversion in a Cavite mutiny against the Spanish colonial authorities. Since then until 1961, there were 51 executions including that of our national hero Jose Rizal on Dec. 30, 1896 and Julio Guillien in 1950 for the assassination attempt on President Manuel Roxas. The youngest of all executed was Marcial Baby Ama, at age 16 who was electrocuted on Oct. 4, 1961. Former president Ferdinand Marcos himself knew the loopholes about capital punishment because he himself was sentenced in 1939 for murdering Julio Nalundasan, a political rival of his father, but he appealed and was acquitted. The droll thing in his presidency happened in May 1972 when there was a notorious execution of another trio: Jaime Jose, Basilio Pineda and Edgardo Aquino for the abduction and gang rape of the young actress Maggie dela Riva. Not to argue the luck of the other accused, like in the case of Delia Smith a.k.a. Pepsi Paloma; but the execution brought a history of extensive flak against the unmerited conviction. Story continues When freedom was restored, the 1987 Constitution prohibited death penalty. But in 1993 during the stint of Fidel Ramos, Republic Act 7659 restored capital punishment using a gas chamber, and Leo Echegaray was executed in 1999. The revival of capital punishment will surely cast doubt if it hovers in Congress because it was during the time of then President Arroyo now the Speaker of the House that the imposition of death penalty was suspended through Republic Act 9346 that she signed into law on June 24, 2006. The commutation into life imprisonment of the 1,230 inmates on death row in 2006 is a silent admission of the government that we have a pale justice system. In rundown, death penalty was buried; can senator-elect Ronald dela Rosa exhume and recycle the system for the drug traffickers? Courtesy: AFP-2DPAO RIZAL, Philippines Elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 80IB recovered assorted fire arms and ammunition during an intelligence operation against members of the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the province last week. According to the information from 202nd Brigade spokesperson and 2DPAO Chief Army Capt. Patrick Jay Retumban, soldiers were able to seize three firearms, five hand grenades and a rifle grenade in Sitio Batangasan, Barangay San Andres in the municipality of Tanay on Thursday (May 16). 80IB Commander Lt. Col. Christopher Diaz reported that the war materiels belong to the terrorists extortion group who were targeting the farms in the area and, for the longest time, have been threatening the people of Tanay, Your soldiers are, and will always be, ready to respond to any NPA terroristic actions, Diaz assured the public while asking for the communitys continued support, cooperation and vigilance. Meanwhile, Acting Commander (2ID) BGen. Elias Escarcha lauded the success of the troops operations against the NPA terrorists branded enemies of the state. The fact that the NPA terrorists left these war materiel as they tried to leave the area in a hurry is a manifestation of the NPAs prevailing fear upon the governments military might and their diminished will to fight, Escarcha said. 202IB Commander BGen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, who has jurisdiction over CALABARZON, commended the operation saying this accomplishment is a product of our former rebel engagements wherein those who surrendered actively participate in the governments campaign against the NPA terrorists. Marje Pelayo (with details from Jennica Cruz / 2DPAO) The post AFP foils NPA extortion, seizes arms cache in Rizal appeared first on UNTV News. PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday, May 20, challenged the critics of the Duterte administration to visit and see for themselves that the country is peaceful and orderly. This is the very reason bakit siguro yung bansa natin ay parang napo-portray as parang napakagulo. Thats why we challenge these people to come here to our country and see for themselves kung ano ang sitwasyon natin on the peace and order and on war on illegal drugs, Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame. Albayalde made the statement when he was sought for a reaction to the Netflix show "Patriot Act" by American comedian Hasan Minhaj, who was critical of President Rodrigo Duterte and his crackdown on illegal drugs. The show was aired on May 12, the eve of the 2019 midterm national elections. While he maintain that he respects a persons opinion, Albayalde said such criticisms is unfair not only to the government but also to those working to ensure the safety and security of the nation and its people. He said it also leads to misconceptions about the Philippines. Malacanang earlier slammed the said show. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the show cited exaggerated figures on the drug war, particularly the death toll. The show said at least 27,000 people have been killed amid the governments war on drugs. However, the government said 5,375 people were killed in the conduct of 127,379 anti-illegal drugs operations while 182,061 others were arrested. (SunStar Philippines) President Rodrigo Duterte and former SAP Bong Go enjoying their classic Filipino merienda. The photo was originally posted on Gos Facebook account, disproving rumors that the Chief Executive is confined in a hospital. | Courtesy: Bong Go MANILA, Philippines Malacanang on Monday assured that there is nothing to worry about regarding the health of President Rodrigo Duterte amid fresh rumors about his condition fueled by a week-long absence from the public eye. Speculations circulated over the weekend that the president was confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City after suffering a cardiac or respiratory arrest. The chief executive was last seen during the May 13 polls when he cast his ballot in Davao City. But Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said there is no truth to this rumor, adding that President Duterte is in his residence at the Palace, signing papers and working privately when not attending public engagements. Ang President, pag di ninyo nakikita, nagtatrabaho yun. Ayaw niyang naiistorbo yun, kasi pag nalabas siya, ang daming gustong makipag-usap sa kaniya, he said. Ang focus niya ay signing papers, reading documents, memo hindi niya ginawa so he decided to stay put, he added. Panelo also said that the President sounded cheerful when they talked over the phone, however, he would not say whether he went to the hospital or not. Sabi niya, I neither confirm nor deny, you draw your own conclusions, Panelo quoted the president as saying, adding that Duterte will inform the public if he is facing a serious health concern. Let me assure the nation, if there is anything wrong with the presidents health, serious or not to be of our concern, he will tell us, and he said so himself, many times over, Panelo said. On Sunday, former presidential special assistant Bong Go released photos of the President posing with daily broadsheets and sharing a meal in his residence in Malacanang. Dutertes common-law wife Honeylet Avancena also belied rumors that the president was rushed to the hospital. Speculations on Dutertes health is no longer new as these are often sparked by his prolonged absences from the public eye. In 2018, the 74-year old president admitted to undergoing a medical checkup to examine a growth found inside his digestive tract. He also said he needed to undergo some medical procedures for his gastrointestinal ailment. Story continues READ: Duterte quells death rumors, appears on live stream In February 2019, rumors about the presidents death circulated online. He later appeared in a video to end speculations. (with details from Rosalie Coz) The post Amid rumors: Palace says Duterte is OK, working while out of public eye appeared first on UNTV News. Courtesy : HOR Facebook page MANILA, Philippines The Senate and the House of Representatives are set resume their sessions today in a bid to pass several priority bills before the 17th Congress formally adjourns in three weeks. The sessions will resume on Monday at three in the afternoon. But before the plenary session begins in the Senate, majority of senators will first meet for a caucus called by Senate President Vicente Sotto III to finalize the legislative agenda of the upper chamber. Sotto said that among the priorities that the Senate is looking to approve before the 17th congress adjourns on June 7 is the proposed amendments to the Human Security Act. Sotto is referring to the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019, which seeks to amend the Republic Act No. 9372 by redefining the acts of terrorism that are punishable by law and strengthening its provisions to deter terror groups. The Senate will also try to finish tackling the proposed amendments to the Public Service Act. The bill seeks to amend Commonwealth Act No. 146 to address the confusion in the definition of a public utility and public services in order to provide Filipino consumers with more choices, better services and lower prices on utility services. The measure is pending on second reading. Sotto also expressed hope that the Medical Scholarship Act, which he authored, would be given equal priority before the sessions adjourn. The bill seeks to address the issues of scarcity and unequal distribution of physicians in the country through the granting of scholarships to deserving medical students, provided that they would serve the country for five years. The proposed measure is currently pending in the Senate committee on health and demography chaired by Senator JV Ejercito. Other measures that the Senate is expected to discuss are the Budget Reform Act, Foreign Investment Act and the proposed granting of emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte to address transportation woes in the country. Story continues The lower House, for its part, is looking to approve more pro-people bills in the tight three-week schedule. House Majority Leader Rep. Fredenil Castro said that among the bills they will tackle are the proposed Strengthening Drug Prevention and Control Act and the creation of Overseas Filipino Workers Sovereign Fund. The Congress has nine session days before the sine die adjournment of 17th Congress. (with details from Nel Maribojoc) The post Congress resumes sessions, to tackle priority bills appeared first on UNTV News. MANILA, Philippines The Department of Agriculture (DA) wants the removal of fake vinegar from local markets. This after the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) revealed the result of their tests on over 360 vinegar samples available in the Philippines. The PNRIs study showed that 8 out of 10 of the tested vinegar brands are fake or synthetic and not from natural sources. Raymond Sucgang, Section Head of the PNRI Nuclear Analytical Techniques Applications Section explained that: Condiments usually undergo the process of fermentation, and the raw materials must come from fruits and other natural products. His research team explained that vinegar and other condiments from natural or plant-based sources are safer than those derived from petroleum-based sources. One can only imagine all the impurities and residues from the petroleum by-products, which can be the source of various degenerative diseases, he added. The PNRI did not mention the brand names of the products used in the test but it assured that the results of the vinegar studies have already been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Vendors at Kamuning Market in Quezon City expressed concern on the health safety of their customers so they opt to sell branded vinegar, but some attest that there really are synthetic vinegar out in the market. Ang gusto po nilang mangyari dapat lahat ng mga tinitinda naming mga suka may mga brand na siya. May mga label, may expiration date, at saka may nakalagay kung ano ang ingredients, noted stall owner Lizette Tedera. (They require us to sell branded vinegar, equipped with label, expiration date and specific ingredients.) Mayroon talaga nyan. Hindi maiiwasan iyan kasi negosyo nila iyan. Iyong mga tinatakal-takal lang sa bote, iyon ang peke. May halong tubig at saka iyong gamot na hinahalo nila sa suka, revealed Marrie Cleofe, also a store owner. (It exists and its inevitable because its their business. Those sold in retail are synthetic. It contains water and a certain liquid used to make synthetic vinegar.) Story continues But Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol, in a statement, advised consumers to exercise caution and discernment in buying vinegar from commercial establishments. Pinol stressed that pending the validation by the FDA of the study conducted by the PNRI, a market advisory should be issued and the brands using Acetic Acid must be pulled out of the market to ensure public safety as mandated under by the Food Safety Act of 2013. The Agriculture Secretary recommends that consumers buy natural vinegar made out of coconut sap and water, sugarcane, nipa and fruits which are readily available in the market. For its part, the Department of Health (DOH) said once the PNRI study has been validated by the FDA, they will order the pull out of vinegar brands proven synthetic from local markets. The DOH stressed that only vinegar made from natural acetic acid are the ones allowed for sale and consumption, not those made with synthetic acetic acid. At present, there are a total of 274 vinegar brands duly registered by the FDA. Kasi ang suka kapag ni-register sa FDA, ang classification natin kailangan dyan (gawa) sa natural fermentation ang acetic acid, explained DOH Usec, Eric Domingo. (For a vinegar (brand) to registered in FDA, its acetic acid content must be made through natural fermentation.) Kung totoo na mayroong mga brand dyan na gumagamit ng synthetic na acetic acid then mayroong mali sa kanilang labeling at saka sa kanilang rehistro at kailangan talaga nating imbestigahan, Domingo concluded. (If its true that some brands are using synthetic acetic acid, then it follows that there are errors in their labeling and registration thus we really need to investigate) (with details from Rey Pelayo) Marje Pelayo The post DA wants fake vinegar removed from market appeared first on UNTV News. LOOMING amid the frenzy of the midterm elections is the Philippines gross domestic product (GDP) growth, plunging to a four-year low at 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2019, thus reported the Philippine LOOMING amid the frenzy of the midterm elections is the Philippines gross domestic product (GDP) growth, plunging to a four-year low at 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2019, thus reported the Philippine Statistics Authority. The drop confirms Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernias fears that the reenacted budget would sharply slow the pace of our economic growth. The countrys first-quarter growth this year would have gone to 6.6 percent had government been operating under the 2019 fiscal program. But that is for the GDP. There is, however, a more alarming figure worth noticing as the administration lunges with a new mandate into its three-year stretch before the next elections. The Social Index Imperative (SII) reported that the Philippines rank among countries had dropped from 68 in 2017 to 90 in 2018. The 2017 rank was among 128 countries. In 2018, there were 146. While economists typically use GDP per capita to gauge a countrys standard of living, progressives had proposed new ways of assessing a countrys economic health. GDP is a poor way of assessing the health of our economies and we urgently need to find a new measure, said Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and MIT professor Erik Brynjolfsson during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2016. Thus, the social progress index, an economic health indicator that factors in the citizens quality of life and the environment. It has three categories: basic human needs, foundations of well-being and opportunity. Under basic human needs are nutrition and basic medical care, water and sanitation, shelter and personal safety. Under foundations of well-being are access to basic knowledge, access to information and communications, health and wellness, environmental quality. Under the opportunity indicators are personal rights, personal freedom and choice, inclusiveness, access to advanced education. In the SIIs 2018 report, the Philippines under-performed in quite a number of indicators under basic human needs: child stunting (impaired child growth and development), access to piped water, household air pollution attributable deaths, property crime rate, political killings and torture and perceived criminality. Under foundations of well-being, the Philippines didnt fare well in indicators such as access to quality education, health and wellness. Also marked under-performed were indicators such as discrimination and violence against minorities, equality of political power by socio-economic position and equality of political power by social group. There is much to be said and done about these areas where the Philippines performed poorly. We hope the SII report will help inform the supposed vision of our new set of leaders. THE Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) wants the Department of Tourism (DOT) to regulate Airbnb as its presence in tourism-centric destinations like Cebu is not giving hotel players THE Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) wants the Department of Tourism (DOT) to regulate Airbnb as its presence in tourism-centric destinations like Cebu is not giving hotel players a level playing field. Although hotel players in the past said Airbnb has not affected their market share stature, the proliferation in the country of Airbnb, which remains unregulated, is slowly eating up their numbers. Airbnb is eating up the market of the hotels, said HRRAC president Carlo Suarez, also the general manager of Cebu Grand Hotel. The HRRAC official admitted that it was in January this year, during the Sinulog month, when they felt Airbnbs impact, alongside the presence of homestays and condo-hotel segments snatching up a share of the pie. We are actually coordinating with the DOT as they will come up with the standard for accreditation (for Airbnb). We are interested to know the guidelines they will set for this new player, said Suarez. A report said the DOT is looking to discuss plans of accrediting Airbnb units with the private sector, as the demand for cheaper accommodations continue to rise. We have to talk to the private sector on how to accredit because thats our problem, we cannot accredit them, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat said in a report. Accommodation facilities being accredited by the DOT include hotels, resorts, apartment hotels, pension houses, motels, tourist inns and homestays. Hoteliers, according to Suarez, have been complaining about the unhealthy competition with the entry of this home-sharing site. Suarez said Airbnb clients are not paying taxes, as they are not given receipts during their stay unlike in hotels. Airbnb also offers lower rates, depending on the location. A condominium unit listed on Airbnb located at the Cebu IT Park offers a daily rate of P1,500 compared to an average city hotel rate of P3,000. But their main concern is the issue of ensuring the safety and security of guests. Story continues Suarez said they question the safety and security policies of these properties when Airbnb hosts dont know who is going in and out of their place. Tourism stakeholders have been investing in various initiatives to ensure Cebus image so it can continue to enjoy a big volume of local and foreign travelers. Suarez said they dont want the province to be tagged as an unsafe place to visit in the global tourism map. Airbnb currently logs 60,000 properties in the Philippines alone. Globally, it holds six million listings in 191 countries. During the recently concluded Pacific-Asia Travel Association (Pata) Annual Summit 2019 held this month in Cebu City, Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Airbnb and chairman of Airbnb China, said Airbnb is open to work with government regulators to help build long-term business in the cities they are operating. He said that while this new paradigm of shared economy does not fit well (yet) to existing regulations, they are willing to build allies with government regulators so both parties can take take advantage and win in this age of technology disruption. Short-term rental is here to stay, (thats why) we recognize the need to build allies with the government in building long-term business, he said. Amid its growing popularity, Airbnb is facing varying forms of treatment over its operations because of legal issues such on pricing and taxes. Japan, for instance, limits home-sharing to 180 days a year, besides requiring the hosts to register the property. But despite these issues, many still list their properties on Airbnb, as it offers homeowners an average monthly potential income of P34,828, according to Airbnbs website. Airbnb unit owners are given full control of availability, prices, house rules and how they interact with guests. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Photo: Michael Gruber/Getty Images Political norms regarding foreign interference really mean something over in Central Europe. On Saturday, Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz dissolved his coalition government after a video emerged of a far-right coalition leader promising government contracts to a Russian woman who alleged she was the niece of an oligarch close to Vladimir Putin. In the video, recorded in July 2017, the Russian woman says that she hopes to invest 250 million in Austria; Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache then mulls over the ways that the money could help his anti-immigration Freedom Party. Over sushi and energy drinks in Ibiza, Strache also suggests that the woman could help his party win the 2017 election and mentions that he has met with Vladimir Putins advisers to discuss strategic collaboration. The Russian investor also offered to buy a 50 percent stake in an Austrian newspaper in an attempt to provide favorable coverage for the Freedom Party. Strache resigned less than 24 hours after the video was published by German magazine Der Spiegel. With the Freedom Party leader busted for courting Russian influence, Chancellor Kurz demanded that President Alexander Van der Bellen call a snap election, which will be held in September. What is important now, and that is the uppermost requirement, is to ascertain a full explanation of what happened, Kurz said. We need all the suspicious facts which have arisen as a result of the video to be verified; that naturally concerns themes of potential abuse of power, to questions of potential criminal concern. A party leader finds out that a political ally has been toying with alleged Kremlin-linked assets and disbands the ruling coalition this hasnt exactly been the response to Russian intrusion into American politics. Rather, the Republican Party has done all it can to elevate the Trump presidency above the rule of law, and declare case closed on any further inquiry into Trumps Russian connections. There are a few glaring differences between the Austrian and American political crises, although both show the looming threat of Russias attempts to widen political divisions in Western democracies. In Vienna, the government is willing and able to promptly call an election to give voters the opportunity to act on the new information on the Freedom Party. Also, the parliamentary system means that the link between Kurzs Peoples Party and the Freedom Party is less iron-clad than the presidents hold over the GOP. This creates a little more political distance in which Kurz can act: On Sunday, he said that there could be criminal liability for Strache, depending upon the result of a pending investigation. Another key difference: At the moment, the scandal in Austria is a one-man show, compared to the vast and knotty tangle of Trump-world figures who were shown to be wrapped up with Russian assets even if these connections didnt amount to collusion. The decision for Kurz to give up his partys ruling coalition for this crisis-of-one shows a major break in the operating policy of the Peoples Party and the GOP. If Strache does end up staring down criminal liability, it would show the greatest difference between these two case studies in Russian interference. Strache, the leader of his far-right populist party, went directly to the source, unlike President Trump, who relied on a system of middlemen and sons and lawyers to pursue his Russian interests. If the house that Trump built has been compared to a crime family, the fall of Heinz-Christian Strache shows why the president cared to act through intermediaries and muddied directives. THE last days of summer are here and the Australian Embassy is giving Cebuanos a chance to celebrate it in style at the Philippines-Australia Friendship Day festival. The Embassy is bringing a taste of Australia to Cebu with some fun activities at Ayala Center Cebu. Each year we take the Philippines-Australia Friendship Day celebration to a different city, and this year we are heading to Cebu, said Australian Ambassador Steven J. Robinson AO. On May 25, take a stroll down Melbournes Hosier Lane while browsing the retail, education and travel fair at the malls Activity Center. Shop for sweet Australian table grapes, ice cream and healthy snacks while checking out the best travel deals to Australia. Take that first step to realizing your dreams of an Australian holiday or overseas study by attending the study and visa information session beginning at 2 p.m. Join in on fun trivia games and get a chance to win Australian goodies. Head to The Gallery at 4:30 p.m. for the community fashion parade where Cebus young and stylish will walk the runway for Cotton On, Ever New, Quicksilver, Roxy, BYS Cosmetics, Anthill and C&C. Afterward, head on to The Terraces for a free concert featuring homegrown talent Sepia Times, one of Sony Music Philippines newest artists. Then cap off the day by watching Australian short and feature films under the stars also at The Terraces. Shoppers at Ayala Center Cebu will also get a chance to win two roundtrip tickets to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney via Qantas. This years Philippines-Australia Friendship Day is part of the larger Australia Now celebration across Asean. (PR) How standing up to Xi Jinping could help Taiwans Tsai Ing-wen come back from the political dead Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has been given a boost in the polls after her firm rebuff of Xi Jinpings call for the island to discuss reunification with the mainland under the one country, two systems model. To win next years election she will have to fight off a challenge both from inside her Democratic Progressive Party, in the form of former premier William Lai Ching-te, before facing off against an opposition heavyweight such as Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu or Foxconn billionaire Terry Gou. Various opinion polls had put Tsai behind all her prospective challengers since she stepped down as DPP chairwoman after a heavy defeat in Novembers local government elections that saw the party lose control of eight cities and counties, including its former stronghold of Kaohsiung. No one thought she could make it back in the race after the DPPs crushing defeat in November, but the proposal by Xi helped her get back on track, as voters admired her courage in safeguarding Taiwans sovereignty, Fan Shih-ping, professor of political science at Taiwan Normal University, said on Monday. According to two opinion polls released by the Taipei-based Cross-Strait Policy Association and the United Daily News on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Tsais presidency, her approval rating has risen to 41 per cent and 34 per cent respectively, up from lows of 39 per cent and 20 per cent. Though Tsai is still lagging behind other contenders like Han and Gou, her popularity has been on the rebound and in some opinion polls released last week, she was even beating the pro-independence Lai, a former close ally. Since Tsai sternly rejected Xis call, she has started a series of measures to safeguard Taiwans sovereignty, said Lin Ting-hui, deputy secretary general of the Taiwanese Society of International Law. These include working closely with the US to counter security threats and disinformation from China, and increasing the defence budget to counter Beijings military expansion and intimidation. Story continues Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province that must be returned to the mainland fold, by force if necessary. It has suspended official exchanges and talks with the self-ruled island since Tsai took office and refused to accept the one-China principle as a basis for talks on reunification. In addition to staging war games on Taiwans doorstep, it has also wooed away five of the islands last diplomatic allies and has pressured international companies to change their websites so the island is designated as a Chinese province. Doong Sy-chi, director of foreign policy studies at Taiwan Thinktank, said Xis proposal in January to start talks under the one country, two systems model previously used to reunify Hong Kong and Macau with the mainland had only heightened the Taiwanese peoples resentment. The Chinese Communists are always the best campaign aide for the DPP Fan Shih-ping The Cross-Strait Policy Associations poll showed that close to 60 per cent of respondents in Taiwan disapprove of how Beijing has treated the island in recent years. This proves that the Chinese Communists are always the best campaign aide for the DPP, Fan said. The stronger the pressure applied to Taiwan, the better the chance for the DPP to win the elections. Speaking in Taipei to mark the third anniversary of her inauguration, Tsai stressed that she did not seek provocation. But since January, by openly bringing up the proposal of cross-strait unification under the one country, two systems formula, China has left us no more ambiguity or room for manoeuvre, she said, adding that this has forced her government to firmly and clearly declare our stand and defend Taiwans sovereignty. Tsai admitted that she had also suffered by pursuing unpopular labour and pension reforms, but said if she did not have the courage to pursue them in her first term, she would not be able to do so in her second. The KMT, however, has criticised her for doing nothing for Taiwan or its sagging economy, and accused her of spending her time on political witch hunts instead. This article How standing up to Xi Jinping could help Taiwans Tsai Ing-wen come back from the political dead first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Former police chief Ronald dela Rosa answers questions, during a joint Congressional hearing session in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Photo: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco) Incoming senator Ronald Bato dela Rosa dared prosecutors to go after him for the deaths of thousands of people in his role as President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drug chief enforcer. Human rights groups warn that dela Rosas election to Congress could give him immunity from legal action. Rights activists have called for investigation for the former top cops part on alleged systematic police cover-ups, falsified reports and summary executions in a brutal crackdown against illegal drugs. Do you agree that dela Rosa should be probed for the deaths in Dutertes drug war? Have your say in the poll and leave us a comment below. Related story: 'Bring it on' - Philippines' drug war commander invites probes into killings Diffraction data collection and advanced diffracted intensity extraction. (A) Scanning of crystal during data collection. Beam and crystal shifts are indicated by white arrows. (B) Plot of the rocking-curve profiles of the experimental precession electron diffraction data collected on one of the four crystals used for determination of rocking-curve profile parameters. The lowest blue curve is the averaged rocking curve in the range of 0.2 to 0.3 A1 and the highest blue curve is the averaged rocking curve in the range of 0.9 to 1.0 A1. The precession angle is 0.65. The red curves correspond to the fitted rocking-curve profiles with the FWHM of the interference function equal to 0.0005 A1 and an apparent mosaicity of 0.08. (C) Comparison of intensity integration in case of sparse sampling of reciprocal space. Experimental points (blue) are fitted with rocking-curve profile (red line) and the resulting intensity corresponds to the red area. Blue area corresponds to the area under experimental points. Credit: Science (2019). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw2560 A team of researchers from several institutions in Czech Republic has developed a way to determine the absolute stereochemistry (3-D spatial configuration) of small, organic molecules. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their new technique and how well it worked. Hongyi Xu and Xiaodong Zou with Stockholm University, have published a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue. As the researchers note, the current method for determining the absolute configuration of molecules that have chiral centers is done via X-ray crystallography. The measurement is based on observing how X-rays fired at molecules bounce around. Unfortunately, this method only works on relatively large crystal structures. Efforts to use a similar technique on smaller crystals based on electron diffraction have fallen short of expectations due to the fragile nature of the targetnanocrystals are destroyed by the energy in the electron beams. In this new effort, the researchers have found a way to overcome this problem, which allowed them to determine the stereochemistry of very small crystals for the first time. This is a pretty big deal, Xu and Zou note, because the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency require absolute configuration information for a prospective new drug before it can be approved. This requirement has held back the creation and sale of drugs based on nanocrystals, as pharmaceutical companies had no way to fulfill the requirement. To overcome the problem of electron beams destroying nanocrystals before their stereochemistry could be recorded, the researchers simply used more beamsfour of them. They fired them all at once at different parts of the nanocrystal and recorded information regarding the diffracting that occurred before the nanocrystal was destroyed. Xu and Zou note that X-rays scatter only once when used to determine the configuration of a moleculewith electron diffraction, electrons scatter multiple times, and as they do so, the intensities of their diffractions changesensors that read such changes are able to measure such dynamical diffraction effects. The result was a description of the absolute stereochemistry of a given molecule. Xu and Zou suggest that the new technique is likely to open the door to development of new materials used in drug design. Explore further Electron crystallography found to work as well as X-ray crystallography only on smaller crystals More information: Petr Brazda et al. Electron diffraction determines molecular absolute configuration in a pharmaceutical nanocrystal, Science (2019). Journal information: Science Petr Brazda et al. Electron diffraction determines molecular absolute configuration in a pharmaceutical nanocrystal,(2019). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw2560 2019 Science X Network Artists representation of a constellation of accelerator-transmitters in orbit around a neutron star. Credit: A.A. Jackson/Triton Systems LLC In 1960, famed theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson made a radical proposal. In a paper titled "Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation," he suggested that advanced extra-terrestrial intelligences (ETIs) could be found by looking for signs of artificial structures so large that they encompass entire star systems (also known as megastructures). Since then, many scientists have come up with their own ideas for possible megastructures. Like Dyson's proposed sphere, these ideas were suggested as a way of giving scientists engaged in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) something to look for. Adding to this fascinating field, Dr. Albert Jackson of the Houston-based technology company Triton Systems recently released a study in which he proposed how an advanced ETI could rely on a neutron star or black hole to focus neutrino beams to create a beacon. To summarize briefly, the existence of megastructures depends entirely on where an extra-terrestrial civilization would fit into the Kardashev Scale (i.e. if they are a planetary, stellar, or galactic civilization). In this case, Jackson suggests that a Type II civilization would be capable of enclosing a neutron star or black hole through the creation of a large constellation of neutrino-transmitting satellites. Dr. Jackson begins his study with a quote from Freeman Dyson's 1966 essay, "The Search for Extraterrestrial Technology," in which he summarized his aims: "So the first rule of my game is: Think of the biggest possible artificial activities with limits set only by the laws of physics and look for those." In a previous study, Dr. Jackson suggested how advanced ETIs could use a small black hole as a gravitational lens to send gravitational wave signals across the galaxy. This concept builds upon recent work by other researchers who have suggested that gravitational waves (GWs), which have become the focus of considerable research since they were first detected in 2016, could be used to transmit information. Credit: Universe Today In another paper, he also proposed that a sufficiently advanced civilization could use the same type of lens to create a laser beacon. In both cases, the technological requirements would be staggering, and would require infrastructure on a stellar scale. Taking this a step further, Dr. Jackson explores the possibility of using neutrinos to transmit information since they, like GWs, travel well through the interstellar medium. Compared to focused beams of photons (aka. lasers), neutrinos have a number of advantages as far as beacons are concerned. Dr. Jackson told universe Today via email: "Neutrinos arrive almost without attenuation from any source direction, [which] would have [a] big advantage in the galactic plane. Photons in wavelengths like the infrared are also good with gas and dust (why the Webb is an IR scope). Still, there is some absorption. Neutrinos can travel across the universe almost without absorption." As for the process through which such a beacon could be created, Jackson once again refers to Freeman Dyson's guiding rule on how ETIs could go about creating any type of megastructure. This rule is simply, "zif the physics allows it, it is possibly technologically feasible." In the case of a Type II civilization, the engineering requirements would be beyond our comprehension, but the principle remains sound. Basically, the concept takes advantage of a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, in which a massive intervening object focuses and magnifies light coming from a more distant object. In this case, the light source would be neutrinos, and the effect of focusing them would make for a stronger beacon signal. As Jackson explained: "Place a source of neutrinos in orbit about a black hole or neutron star. The black hole or [a] neutron star are best, because they are very compact objects. A black hole or neutron star is a gravitational lens, [which] focuses the neutrinos (it could be photons or gravitons) into an intense beam. This beam, when seen at a distance, is so 'tight," one has to place a constellation of neutrino 'transmitters' about the gravitational lens in order to get an approximate isotropic transmitter. In this case, the number of 'transmitters' is about [1018], or about a billion times the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy." Much like building a Dyson sphere, this sort of engineering undertaking would only be possible for a species that had effectively become a Type II civilization. In other words, a civilization capable of harnessing and channeling the energy radiated by its own star, which amounts to about ~41033 erg/sec (or 41026 watts) of energyseveral trillion times what humanity currently consumes on an annual basis. This image shows a visual representation of one of the highest-energy neutrino detections superimposed on a view of the IceCube Lab at the South Pole. Credit: IceCube Collaboration This has interesting implications for SETI. Given that a sufficiently advanced extra-terrestrial species could be communicating via neutrinos, scientists could use existing detectors to pinpoint the sources. In this respect, focused neutrino beams could be added to the list of possible "technosignaturesi.e., signs of technological activitybeing sought by SETI researchers. "There are a number of 'neutrino telescopes' around the world," Jackson said. "If an advanced civilization beacon exists, it could produce a very anomalous number of neutrino events, way above the natural sources of neutrinos such [as] the sun or supernova... this would be an addition to the candidates for signs of advanced technological activity." To summarize things with another quote from one of Dyson's famous essays: "When we look into the universe for signs of artificial activities, it is technology and not intelligence that we must search for. It would be much more rewarding to search directly for intelligence, but technology is the only thing we have any chance of seeing." As we learn more about the universe and become more advanced as a species, it opens our minds to new possibilities in the ongoing search for life. If and when we do find evidence of ETIs, it is entirely possible it will be because we've finally learned to read the signatures of their existence correctly. In the meantime, the search continues. Explore further Gamma ray telescopes could detect starships powered by black hole More information: A Neutrino Beacon: A Neutrino Beacon: arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1905/1905.05184.pdf In this file photo taken at Schoenbrunn zoo in Vienna, on Aug. 10, 2009, panda Fu Long, left, plays with his mother Yang Yang in the outdoor enclosure. A senior Chinese official has officially handed over a 19-year-old male giant panda to Vienna's Schoenbrunn zoo. Yuan Yuan arrived in Vienna last month and has spent the last few weeks in quarantine. He was chosen as a partner for Yang Yang, the zoo's 18-year-old female panda, who has been at the zoo since 2003 but without a companion since its previous male, Long Hui, died of cancer in 2016. (AP Photo/Lilli Strauss) A senior Chinese official has officially handed over a 19-year-old male giant panda to Vienna's Schoenbrunn zoo. Yuan Yuan arrived in Vienna last month and has spent the last few weeks in quarantine. He was chosen as a partner for Yang Yang, the zoo's 18-year-old female panda, who has been at the zoo since 2003 but without a companion since its previous male, Long Hui, died of cancer in 2016. Li Zhanshu, the head of China's parliament, handed over Yuan Yuan at a ceremony Monday. China lends the rare bears to other countries as a sign of goodwill in what is known as "panda diplomacy." Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen described the animals as a "symbol of friendship" and said they have a "certain diplomatic mission." Explore further UK's only female giant panda artificially inseminated at zoo 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. An alpine marmot. Image credit: Carole and Denis Favre-Bonvin Historic climate change events can have a lasting impact on the genetic diversity of a species, reveals a new study published in Current Biology. This unexpected finding emerged from an analysis of the alpine marmot's genome. An iconic animal known to tourists and mountaineers, the alpine marmot is a large rodent exquisitely adapted to cold climates. Since the disappearance of its ice-age habitat, the alpine marmot has resided in high-altitude meadows in the Alps. In this new study co-led by the Francis Crick Institute, an international team of scientists sequenced the genomes of alpine marmots living in three sites in the French and Italian Alps, and found that the animal's genetic diversity is among the lowest of wild mammals. By reconstructing the marmot's genetic past with the help of fossil records, they discovered that it lost its genetic diversity during the last ice age as a consequence of multiple climate related adaptations. "We would not have expected the genetic diversity of alpine marmots to be so low," says Toni Gossmann, first-author of the paper and researcher at the University of Sheffield and Bielefeld University in Germany. "They have a large population size, and we found little genetic evidence of inbreeding. But ironically, the very adaptations that helped them survive have trapped them in a state of low genetic diversity." A slow metabolism was advantageous to marmots during the ice age, enabling them to build up large fat reserves that could help them survive through hibernation. Similarly, marmots that invested in a small number of 'high quality' offspring, rather than having lots of offspring who wouldn't survive the harsh conditions, passed their genes on to the next generation. Over time, a slower breeding cycle and lower mutation rate caused the gene pool to shrink. As the ice-age ended around 12,000 years ago, the animals were forced to retreat to the high Alps to escape the warming climate. This lead to a 'bottleneck effect' and meant that the surviving marmots were even more genetically similar. Surprisingly, they have not recovered from this bottleneck over time. Even though alpine marmots are abundant in number, being genetically similar to each other means that they could struggle to adapt to and survive new environmental conditions such as the introduction of a new disease, or further changes in climate. "If genetic variation is important for future adaptation, then it's not enough to consider current population size, you need to consider life history to get the full picture," says John Welch, Lecturer in Genetics at the University of Cambridge, and co-author of the study. Markus Ralser, Crick senior group leader and head of the Charite Institute of Biochemistry, who led the study, adds: "We should take the results of the study seriously, as we can see similar warnings from the past. In the 19th century, the passenger pigeon was one of the most abundant land birds in the Northern Hemisphere, yet in spite of its high numbers, it was completely wiped out within a few years. A large population isn't necessarily safe from extinction in the face of climate change." A next step for the research would be to investigate more closely other animals that survived the ice age. This could reveal other species trapped in a state of low genetic diversity, that would be more vulnerable to climate change and other environmental changes. Explore further Himalayan marmot genome offers clues to life at extremely high altitudes More information: Toni I. Gossmann et al, Ice-Age Climate Adaptations Trap the Alpine Marmot in a State of Low Genetic Diversity, Current Biology (2019). Journal information: Current Biology Toni I. Gossmann et al, Ice-Age Climate Adaptations Trap the Alpine Marmot in a State of Low Genetic Diversity,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.020 A mineral map of a cumulate mineral sample. Credit: Sarah Lambart/University of Utah In countless grade-school science textbooks, the Earth's mantle is a yellow-to-orange gradient, a nebulously defined layer between the crust and the core. To geologists, the mantle is so much more than that. It's a region that lives somewhere between the cold of the crust and the bright heat of the core. It's where the ocean floor is born and where tectonic plates die. A new paper published today in Nature Geoscience paints an even more intricate picture of the mantle as a geochemically diverse mosaic, far different than the relatively uniform lavas that eventually reach the surface. Even more importantly, a copy of this mosaic is hidden deep in the crust. The study is led by Sarah Lambart, assistant professor of geology at the University of Utah, and is funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the National Science Foundation. "If you look at a painting from Jackson Pollock, you have a lot of different colors," Lambart says. "Those colors represent different mantle components and the lines are magmas produced by these components and transported to the surface. You look at the yellow line, it's not going to mix much with the red or black." Primitive minerals Our best access to the mantle comes in the form of lava that erupts at mid-ocean ridges. These ridges are at the middle of the ocean floor and generate new ocean crust. Samples of this lava show that it's chemically mostly the same anywhere on the planet. But that's at odds with what happens at the other end of the crust's life cycle. Old ocean crust spreads away from mid-ocean ridges until it's shoved beneath a continent and sinks back into the mantle. What happens after that is somewhat unclear, but if both the mantle and the old crust melt, there should be some variation in the chemical composition of the magmas. So Lambart and her colleagues from Wales and the Netherlands, sought to discover what the mantle looks like before it rises as lava at a mid-ocean ridge. They examined cores, drilled through the ocean crust, to look at cumulate minerals: the first minerals to crystallize when the magmas enter the crust. "We looked at the most primitive part of these minerals," Lambart says, adding that once they located the primitive minerals they analyzed only the chemical composition from those very earliest minerals to form. "If you are not actually looking at the most primitive part you might lose the signal of this first melt that has been delivered to the crust. That is the originality of our work." They analyzed the samples centimeter by centimeter to look at variations in isotopes of neodymium and strontium, which can indicate different chemistries of mantle material that come from different types of rock. "If you have isotopic variability in your cumulates, that means that you have to have isotopic variability in the mantle too," Lambart says. When the blender turns on That's exactly what the team found. The amount of isotope variability in the cumulates was seven times greater than that in the mid-ocean ridge lavas. That means that the mantle is far from well-mixed and that this variability is preserved in the cumulates. The likely reason, Lambart says, is that different rocks melt at different temperatures. The first rock to melt, for example the old crust, can create channels that can transport magma up to the crust. Melting of another type of rock can do the same. The end result is several networks of channels that converge towards the mid-ocean ridge but don't mixhearkening back to the streaks of paint on a Jackson Pollock painting. To get at what this finding means for geology, picture a smoothie. Nogo farther back than that and picture the blender carafe full of fruit, ice, milk and other ingredients. That's like the mantlediscrete ingredients, as different from each other as a strawberry is from a blueberry. The fully blended smoothie is like the mid-ocean ridge lava. It's fully mixed. At some point between the deep mantle and the mid-ocean ridge, Earth turns on the blender. Lambart says that her results show that at the very top of the mantle, the mixing hasn't happened yet. The blender, it turns out, doesn't turn on until somewhere in the crust. Lambart's work helps her and other geologists redefine their idea of how material moves up through the mantle to the surface. "The problem is we need to find a way to model the geodynamic earth, including plate tectonics, to actually reproduce what is recorded in the rock today," she says. "So far this link is missing." Now Lambart is setting up a new experimental petrology lab to study the conditions for the magmas to preserve their chemical compositions during their journey through the mantle and the crust. More information: Highly heterogeneous depleted mantle recorded in the lower oceanic crust, Nature Geoscience (2019). www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0368-9 Journal information: Nature Geoscience Highly heterogeneous depleted mantle recorded in the lower oceanic crust,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-019-0368-9 Credit: University of Cambridge Hunter-gatherers in the Philippines who adopt farming work around ten hours a week longer than their forager neighbours, a new study suggests, complicating the idea that agriculture represents progress. The research also shows that a shift to agriculture impacts most on the lives of women. For two years, a team including University of Cambridge anthropologist Dr. Mark Dyble, lived with the Agta, a population of small scale hunter-gatherers from the northern Philippines who are increasingly engaging in agriculture. Every day, at regular intervals between 6am and 6pm, the researchers recorded what their hosts were doing and by repeating this in ten different communities, they calculated how 359 people divided their time between leisure, childcare, domestic chores and out-of-camp work. While some Agta communities engage exclusively in hunting and gathering, others divide their time between foraging and rice farming. The study, published today in Nature Human Behaviour, reveals that increased engagement in farming and other non-foraging work resulted in the Agta working harder and losing leisure time. On average, the team estimate that Agta engaged primarily in farming work around 30 hours per week while foragers only do so for 20 hours. They found that this dramatic difference was largely due to women being drawn away from domestic activities to working in the fields. The study found that women living in the communities most involved in farming had half as much leisure time as those in communities which only foraged. Dr. Dyble, first author of the study, says: "For a long time, the transition from foraging to farming was assumed to represent progress, allowing people to escape an arduous and precarious way of life. "But as soon as anthropologists started working with hunter-gatherers they began questioning this narrative, finding that foragers actually enjoy quite a lot of leisure time. Our data provides some of the clearest support for this idea yet." The study found that on average, Agta adults spent around 24 hours each week engaged in out-of-camp work, around 20 hours each week doing domestic chores and around 30 hours of daylight leisure time. But the researchers found that time allocation differed significantly between adults. For both men and women leisure time was lowest at around 30 years of age, steadily increasing in later life. There was also a sexual division of labour with women spending less time working out-of-camp, and more time engaged in domestic chores and childcare than men, even though men and women had a similar amount of leisure time. However, the study found that the adoption of farming had a disproportionate impact on women's lives. Dr. Dyble says "This might be because agricultural work is more easily shared between the sexes than hunting or fishing. Or there may be other reasons why men aren't prepared or able to spend more time working out-of-camp. This needs further examination." Agriculture emerged independently in multiple locations world-wide around 12,500 years ago, and had replaced hunting and gathering as the dominant mode of human subsistence around 5,000 years ago. Co-author, Dr. Abigail Page, an anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, adds: "We have to be really cautious when extrapolating from contemporary hunter-gatherers to different societies in pre-history. But if the first farmers really did work harder than foragers then this begs an important questionwhy did humans adopt agriculture?" Previous studies, including one on the Agta, have variously linked the adoption of farming to increases in fertility, population growth and productivity, as well as the emergence of increasingly hierarchical political structures. But Page says: "The amount of leisure time that Agta enjoy is testament to the effectiveness of the hunter-gatherer way of life. This leisure time also helps to explain how these communities manage to share so many skills and so much knowledge within lifetimes and across generations." Explore further What hunter-gatherers can tell us about fundamental human social networks More information: Engagement in agricultural work is associated with reduced leisure time among Agta hunter-gatherers, Nature Human Behaviour (2019). www.nature.com/articles/s41562-019-0614-6 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour Engagement in agricultural work is associated with reduced leisure time among Agta hunter-gatherers,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0614-6 The companies have agreed not to raise prices for three years The top official at the US communications regulator on Monday announced his support for the proposed $26 billion merger between telecoms firms Sprint and T-Mobile. The decision raises the chances the merger will win final approval from federal authorities but the companies still face an anti-trust review by the US Department of Justice. Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said both companies had promised his agency they would offer a next-generation 5G network to 99 percent of Americans within six years of completing the deal while also expanding access to mobile broadband. The companies have agreed not to raise prices for three years and will divest from the Sprint subsidiary Boost Mobile. "The construction of this network and the delivery of such high-speed wireless services to the vast majority of Americans would substantially benefit consumers and our country as a whole," Pai said in a statement. Failure to make good on their pledges could result in "serious consequences," including billions of dollars in penalties, creating an incentive for the companies to meet their obligations on time, according to Pai. The commission is due to consider the merger proposal next month. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Justice Department officials had told both companies that, as structured at the time, the deal was unlikely to win that agency's okay. A rival to US giants But Pai said the deal was now intended allay such concerns. "This sale is designed to address potential competitive issues that have been identified in the prepaid wireless segment," he said in the statement. T-Mobile CEO John Legere and executive chairman of Sprint Marcelo Claure talk before testifying at the House of Representatives in March, 2019 The combined company's more sizeable scale would help it rival US giants AT&T and Verizon Communications, which dominate the US market. The Justice Department in 2011 blocked an attempt by AT&T to acquire T-Mobile, saying the market was already too concentrated to allow it. T-Mobile and Sprint are respectively the third- and fourth-largest wireless carriers in the US in terms of number of customers. Sprint, majority owned by Japan's SoftBank, and T-Mobile, a unit of Germany's Deutsche Telekom, had previously tried and failed to agree on merger terms. 5G, or fifth-generation, wireless communications networks would enable services such as remote surgery or driverless cars and allow customers to experience video and virtual reality with greater ease. Global competition to develop the technology has heated up but in a move widely seen as aimed squarely at Chinese rival Huawei, Washington has barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. T-Mobile chief John Legere told lawmakers in February his company did not and would not use Huawei equipment in its networks. Together, T-Mobile and Sprint have about 131 million subscribers, virtually matching second-ranked AT&T and posing stiff competition to market leader Verizon Communications. In December, the proposed merger won approval from regulators who vet acquisitions for national security risks. The Communications Workers of America union says the planned merger could cost 30,000 jobs but Sprint's CEO Michael Coombs instead warned last month of layoffs if the deal is blocked. On Wall Street, shares in Sprint Corporation were soaring towards 1600 GMT, up nearly 24 percent on the prior days' close, while T-Mobile US had risen a smaller 5.6 percent. 2019 AFP Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI-not for long) Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Saturday, Representative Justin Amash became the first Republican in Congress to call for impeaching President Trump on the basis of the massive misconduct detailed by the Mueller report. It was a rare act of bravery, one likely to end his career in Congress. Amashs fellow Republicans immediately set about proving how brave it was by excommunicating him from the party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appeared on Fox News to unleash a wild flurry of lies. Youve got to understand Justin Amash. Hes been in Congress quite some time. I think hes asked one question in all the committees that hes been in, he said. He votes more with Nancy Pelosi than he ever votes with me. Its a question whether hes even in our Republican conference as a whole. What he wants is attention in this process. Hes not a criminal attorney. Hes never met Mueller. Hes never met Barr. The California congressman added, Its very disturbing He never supported the president, and I think hes just looking for attention. McCarthy is making up in quantity what his argument lacks in quality. Consider his charges in order. I think hes asked one question in all the committees that hes been in. A very quick YouTube search turns up a number of instances of Amash asking questions in committees: here, here, here, and here. Amash is so famously dedicated to his job, having compiled a streak of making more than 4,000 votes in a row, that he broke down in tears after he missed one vote. He votes more with Nancy Pelosi than he ever votes with me. Amash is a right-wing libertarian with some gadfly tendencies, but his anti-government views place him clearly on the Republican side. Amash had an 88 percent score from the American Conservative Union, a 100 percent score from FreedomWorks, and has voted with Trump 92 percent of the time in this Congress (though only 54 previous in the previous Congress.) Hes not a criminal attorney. Oh, McCarthy is interested in what criminal attorneys think of the Mueller report? Well, heres a letter from more than 400 former federal prosecutors asserting the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Muellers report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice. Hes never met Mueller. Hes never met Barr. Its not clear why its important for a lawmaker to meet Mueller when he has taken the time to read his 448-page report. In any case, President Trump has argued against Mueller testifying before Congress. The House invited Barr to testify, but Barr boycotted the proceedings. McCarthys impulse is to cast Amash as an outsider, and thus to discredit his stance. This is the central theme of the messaging that took hold over the weekend. The only people still fixated on the Russia collusion hoax, asserts Republican National Committee chair Ronna Romney McDaniel, are political foes of President Trump hoping to defeat him in 2020 by any desperate means possible. In one sense this is true. If you define anybody who objects to Trumps conduct as a political foe, then only his foes object to his conduct. Trump has used this logical circle to discredit everybody who has challenged him. This Trumpian alchemy has transformed lifelong Republicans like Robert Mueller, James Comey, John McCain, John Kasich, and many others into hardened Democratic partisans. To be a loyal Republican now is to support all of Trumps misconduct, therefore, anybody who objects to Trumps conduct is a partisan Democrat. The grain of truth in the accusations against Amash is that Amash is contemplating a presidential candidacy with the Libertarian Party. I would never rule anything out, he said in March. A real right-wing third-party challenge, by a Republican (who hails from a swing state) would be a nightmare for Trumps reelection. And the more Republicans attack Amash, the more they close the door on any chance he can return to Congress, where he mostly votes with them, and push him instead to run against Trump. The short-term goal of discrediting Trumps critics may bring with it a much larger long-term cost. Huawei users will start losing access to Google's proprietary services such as Gmail and Maps Hundreds of millions of smartphone users will be affected by Google's decision to sever its Android operating system ties with Chinese handset maker Huawei. The decision, in the midst of a US trade war with China, means that Huawei users will start losing access to Google's proprietary services such as Gmail and Maps, and be shut out of future upgrades to Android on their phones. The move by the California internet giant on the software front was compounded by news that US chipmakers have stopped supplying Huawei, hitting the hardware of its phones. Many customers affected Huawei sold nearly 203 million phones last year, up from 150 million in 2017, according to data tracking firm Gartner, overtaking Apple to threaten Samsung atop the global charts. For the first quarter of 2019, before its recent run-in with President Donald Trump's administration, Huawei sold 59 million handhelds, IDC calculated. Those users risk losing access to important upgrades to Android released by Google in future, although for now Huawei said it would continue to provide security updates. The Chinese company will only be able to access software patches and distribute them from Android's open source project, not proprietary information retained by Google, meaning that apps on Huawei phones could become unusable. Huawei sold nearly 203 million phones last year, up from 150 million in 2017 No easy fix for Huawei To get around the Google ban, Huawei would ultimately have to build its own operating system, as Apple has for its iPhones. That cannot be done in a hurry. Microsoft offers a salutary example. Between 2010 and 2017, the US company tried to entice users to buy phones built on its own Windows mobile operating system. But the phones never took off and the company pulled the plug on the OS. Huawei does have a big advantage over Microsoft, given the bigger scale of its mobile market penetration. Software developers might feel compelled to offer a Huawei-specific version of their apps. Or the Chinese manufacturer could start a new branch of the Android family based on the open source version available now. But that will all take time. Risks for Google too The widespread mobile usage of Maps, Gmail and Google's other services has helped the US company build a market-leading position with Android alongside its crushing dominance in desktop browsing. But in cutting off Huawei, Google risks being deprived of the revenue-generating data of all those phone owners around the world. And other Chinese smartphone makers, such as Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus, will be watching closely. Should Huawei build its own system, it's conceivable that those companies might join it, in a bid to end their own vulnerability to future actions by the US government or companies. Explore further Huawei could be stripped of Google services after US ban 2019 AFP The study shows the advantages of herbicide spraying and intensive fertilization in reforestation programs to mitigate the effects of climate change. Credit: Pedro Brancalion An experiment conducted in Brazil in an area of Atlantic Rainforest suggests that intensive silviculture, including the use of herbicide and substantial amounts of fertilizer, is a more effective approach to promoting the regeneration of tropical forest and biomass gain than the traditional method based on manual weeding and less fertilizer. The study was supported by Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP. The principal investigator was Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion, a professor of native species silviculture in the Forest Science Department of the University of Sao Paulo's Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP) in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The results are published in Ecological Applications, a journal of the Ecological Society of America. As Brancalion explained, forest restoration is considered strategic for climate change mitigation, since the vegetation sequesters carbon from the atmosphere as it grows. "Developed countries such as Norway have put in place programs to help neutralize carbon gas emissions through their economic activities," he said. "Companies issue calls for reforestation proposals to offset part of the emissions from their factories, and many international nonprofits raise funds from companies interested in investing in restoration projects using native species in Brazil." According to Brancalion, maximizing woody biomass accumulation to obtain early payments for carbon stocks is essential to the financial viability of reforestation programs for climate change mitigation. Intensive silviculture, traditionally applied in commercial forestry using eucalyptus and pine to maximize productivity and profits, is widely advocated as a promising approach to enhance woody biomass accumulation in restoration plantations. However, Brancalion explained, critics of this approach claim that it may hamper natural forest regeneration and ecological succession owing to competition between colonizing plants and planted trees. "In several situations, you have to plant native species. How can you ensure these areas with new native trees maximize the carbon stock? We sought answers by conducting a controlled native tree planting experiment," he said. The experiment was conducted at ESALQ-USP's Forest Science Experiment Station near the town of Anhembi. The area was donated to the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in 1974 by CESP, then a major electric power utility, for academic and scientific purposes. Since that time, it has been used for research on the introduction, conservation and genetic improvement of exotic and native tree species, constituting an important germplasm repository for the global forestry sector. "In this area of Atlantic Rainforest, we investigated the impacts of different silviculture approaches applied to restoration plantations in terms of both woody biomass accumulation and the spontaneous regeneration of native species," Brancalion said. Experiments involving trees, many of which grow slowly, take a long time to come to fruition. In this case, the study began in 2004 in an area of pasture covered by the exotic signalgrass, Urochloa decumbens, which is widely used for cattle fodder in Brazil. "We tested three main strategies," Brancalion explained. "In the first, a large proportion of the selected species were pioneer species, which are small to medium in size, hardy and fast growing, and require an abundance of sunlight. The ideal composition we sought was one that resulted in a large carbon stock while also permitting the regeneration of species similar to those found in native forest rather than a mere stand of trees without regeneration." Brancalion explained that pioneer species are the first to regenerate in a restored forest. They are fast-growing trees with low wood density and tend to die early, at an age of approximately ten years. "They play an important role in recolonizing forest clearings and degraded areas, as they rapidly form a forest structure," he said. "Nonpioneer species grow more slowly and last decades or centuries." Twenty native tree species were used in the experiment. Ten were pioneers, including Cedrela fissilis (Argentine cedar), Pterogyne nitens (amendoim bravo), Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree) and Enterolobium contortisiliquum (pacara earpod). Others were slow-growing nonpioneer species, such as Cariniana estrellensis (jequitiba branco), Handroanthus impetiginosus (pink trumpet), Hymenaea courbaril (Brazilian cherry), and Jacaranda cuspidifolia. Others grow at an intermediate rate, including Copaifera langsdorffii (copaiba), Eugenia uniflora (pitanga), Genipa americana (jenipapo), Psidium guajava (guava) and Syagrus romanzoffiana (queen palm). The test for the first strategy consisted of two levels. Level one had an equal number of pioneer and nonpioneer species. In level two, pioneer species accounted for two-thirds of the species, while nonpioneer species accounted for a third. "The second strategy focused on tree density per hectare planted," said Brancalion. "We wanted to find out whether tree density maximized carbon stocks or whether, on the contrary, a lower density reduced competition among plants and hence enabled trees to grow more and store more carbon." Tree rows were planted a meter apart in level one and 2 meters apart in level two for densities of 3,333 and 1,666 seedlings per hectare, respectively. The third strategy focused on weed control and fertilizer use. Level one involved manual weed control and "typical" amounts of fertilizer, while level two involved spraying with herbicide and three times the amount of fertilizer used in level one. "We collected many measurements over a period of 12 years. The different techniques we tested resulted in very different forests in terms of carbon stocking, which ranged from 25 to 75 tons per hectare," Brancalion said. Native forest regeneration Tree density and the ratio of pioneer to nonpioneer species did not significantly affect the carbon stocking rates. The factors that determined optimal results in all cases were herbicide spraying and intensive fertilization. "The total number of trees and a larger proportion of pioneer species were factors that did not significantly influence biomass accumulation," Brancalion said. "The second question we set out to answer was whether planting seedlings would trigger a regeneration process that would produce a biodiverse native forest or merely a planted stand. We also wanted to know if bolstering carbon stocks would hamper the regeneration of native species", he said. "The final outcome was the optimal scenario, featuring synergy between carbon stocking and native species regeneration, which was an excellent result." Explore further Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite pathways in forest recovery More information: Pedro H. S. Brancalion et al, Intensive silviculture enhances biomass accumulation and tree diversity recovery in tropical forest restoration, Ecological Applications (2019). Journal information: Ecological Applications Pedro H. S. Brancalion et al, Intensive silviculture enhances biomass accumulation and tree diversity recovery in tropical forest restoration,(2019). DOI: 10.1002/eap.1847 This still from an animation illustrates Jupiter's magnetic field at a single moment in time. The Great Blue Spot, an-invisible-to-the-eye concentration of magnetic field near the equator, stands out as a particularly strong feature. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard/Moore et al. NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter made the first definitive detection beyond our world of an internal magnetic field that changes over time, a phenomenon called secular variation. Juno determined the gas giant's secular variation is most likely driven by the planet's deep atmospheric winds. The discovery will help scientists further understand Jupiter's interior structureincluding atmospheric dynamicsas well as changes in Earth's magnetic field. A paper on the discovery was published today in the journal Nature Astronomy. "Secular variation has been on the wish list of planetary scientists for decades," said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "This discovery could only take place due to Juno's extremely accurate science instruments and the unique nature of Juno's orbit, which carries it low over the planet as it travels from pole to pole." Characterizing the magnetic field of a planet requires close-up measurements. Juno scientists compared data from NASA's past missions to Jupiter (Pioneer 10 and 11, Voyager 1 and Ulysses) to a new model of Jupiter's magnetic field (called JRM09). The new model was based on data collected during Juno's first eight science passes of Jupiter using its magnetometer, an instrument capable of generating a detailed three-dimensional map of the magnetic field. This striking view of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and turbulent southern hemisphere was captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft as it performed a close pass of the gas giant planet. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill What scientists found is that from the first Jupiter magnetic field data provided by the Pioneer spacecraft through to the latest data provided by Juno, there were small but distinct changes to the field. "Finding something as minute as these changes in something so immense as Jupiter's magnetic field was a challenge," said Kimee Moore, a Juno scientist from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "Having a baseline of close-up observations over four decades long provided us with just enough data to confirm that Jupiter's magnetic field does indeed change over time." Once the Juno team proved secular variation did occur, they sought to explain how such a change might come about. The operation of Jupiter's atmospheric (or zonal) winds best explained the changes in its magnetic field. These winds extend from the planet's surface to over 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) deep, where the planet's interior begins changing from gas to highly conductive liquid metal. They are believed to shear the magnetic fields, stretching them and carrying them around the planet. Nowhere was Jupiter's secular variation as large as at the planet's Great Blue Spot, an intense patch of magnetic field near Jupiter's equator. The combination of the Great Blue Spot, with its strong localized magnetic fields, and strong zonal winds at this latitude result in the largest secular variations in the field on the Jovian world. "It is incredible that one narrow magnetic hot spot, the Great Blue Spot, could be responsible for almost all of Jupiter's secular variation, but the numbers bear it out," said Moore. "With this new understanding of magnetic fields, during future science passes we will begin to create a planetwide map of Jupiter's secular variation. It may also have applications for scientists studying Earth's magnetic field, which still contains many mysteries to be solved." More information: K. M. Moore et al. Time variation of Jupiter's internal magnetic field consistent with zonal wind advection, Nature Astronomy (2019). Journal information: Nature Astronomy K. M. Moore et al. Time variation of Jupiter's internal magnetic field consistent with zonal wind advection,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-019-0772-5 Stucco frieze from Placeres, Campeche, Mexico, Early Classic period, c. 250-600 AD. Credit: Wolfgang Sauber/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA Carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth's atmosphere have reached 415 parts per milliona level that last occurred more than three million years ago, long before the evolution of humans. This news adds to growing concern that climate change will likely wreak serious damage on our planet in the coming decades. While Earth has not been this warm in human history, we can learn about coping with climate change by looking to the Classic Maya civilization that thrived between A.D. 250-950 in Eastern Mesoamerica, the region that is now Guatemala, Belize, Eastern Mexico, and parts of El Salvador and Honduras. Many people believe that the ancient Maya civilization ended when it mysteriously "collapsed." And it is true that the Maya faced many climate change challenges, including extreme droughts that ultimately contributed to the breakdown of their large Classic Period city-states. However, the Maya did not disappear: Over 6 million Maya people live mainly in Eastern Mesoamerica today. What's more, based on my own research in the Northern Yucatan Peninsula and work by my colleagues throughout the broader Maya region, I believe Maya communities' ability to adapt their resource conservation practices played a crucial role in allowing them to survive for as long as they did. Instead of focusing on the final stages of Classic Maya civilization, society can learn from the practices that enabled it to survive for nearly 700 years as we consider the effects of climate change today. The Classic Maya built more than 40 cities across Eastern Mesoamerica and made sophisticated advances in agriculture, mathematics and astronomy. Adapting to dry conditions The earliest villages in the Maya lowlands date as far back as 2000 B.C., with several large cities developing over the following 2,000 years. A combination of factors, including environmental changes, contributed to the breakdown of many of these large Preclassic centers after the start of the first millennium A.D. Beginning around 250 A.D., populations once again began to grow steadily in the Maya lowlands. This was the Classic Period. Laser mapping has shown that by the eighth century A.D., sophisticated agricultural systems supported city-states of tens of thousands of people. Available evidence suggests that although the climate remained relatively stable for much of the Classic Period, there were occasional periods of decreased precipitation. Additionally, each year was sharply divided between dry and rainy seasons. Maximizing water efficiency and storage, and timing the planting season correctly, were very important. If the rains did not come as expected for a year or two, communities could rely on stored water. However, longer droughts stressed their political hierarchy and complex inter-regional trade networks. The overarching key to survival was learning to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Plate with Maize God imagery, Mexico, 600-900 A.D. Credit: Wikimedia For example, the Maya developed ever more elaborate terrace and irrigation networks to protect against soil runoff and nutrient depletion. They engineered intricate drainage and storage systems that maximized the capture of rainwater. They carefully managed forests by monitoring the growth cycles of particularly useful trees. And they developed fuel-efficient technologies, such as burnt lime pit-kilns, to sustain environmental resources. Coping with megadroughts Available data indicate that a series of particularly intense droughts, lasting anywhere from three to 20 years or more, hit the Maya lowlands in the ninth and 10th centuries A.D. Archaeologists are still debating the exact timing, intensity, impact and location of these droughts. For instance, it appears that not all areas of the Maya lowlands were affected equally. As of now, these "megadroughts" do appear to line up with the final centuries of the Classic Period. One main consequence was that people moved around the lowlands. Dramatic population growth in certain areas suggests that local communities may have absorbed these migrant groups. There also is evidence that they adopted new resource conservation practices to mitigate the additional stress of supporting larger numbers of people. An experimental burnt lime pit-kiln, modeled on ancient pit-kilns excavated in the Northern Lowlands. Credit: Kenneth Seligson, CC BY-ND Decline and breakdown During the ninth and 10th centuries A.D., many of the larger Classic Maya city-states fell as a result of several interrelated long-term trends, including population growth, increasingly frequent warfare and an ever more complex bureaucracy. Declining rainfall made a risky situation worse. In the end, several population centers did experience relatively rapid final abandonment events. However, different areas experienced breakdowns at various times over a period of more than two centuries. Calling this series of events a collapse overlooks Maya communities' ability to persevere for generations against mounting challenges. We can see similar patterns in several other well-known civilizations. Ancestral Puebloan communities in the U.S. Southwest, formerly known as Anasazi, developed intricate irrigation networks to farm a naturally arid landscape starting around the beginning of the first millennium A.D. When rainfall began to decline in the 12th and 13th centuries A.D., they reorganized into smaller units and moved around the landscape. This strategy allowed them to survive longer than they would have by remaining in place. Angkor, the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire located in modern Cambodia, developed very complex irrigation networks starting in the ninth century A.D. to manage annual floods. Increasingly irregular annual rain cycles over the course of the 13th and 14th centuries A.D. stressed the system's flexibility. Difficulty in adapting to these changes was one factor that contributed to Angkor's gradual decline. Pyramid at the site of Kiuic in Yucatan State, Mexico. Credit: Kenneth Seligson, CC BY-ND All societies need to be flexible Many observers have drawn parallels between disastrous climate shifts in the past and the fate of modern society. I believe this perspective is too simplistic. Current scientific understanding of climate change is not perfect, but modern societies clearly know a lot about what is happening and what needs to be done to avoid catastrophic warming. However, they also require the will to tackle critical threats. The Classic Maya proactively addressed climate challenges by adapting their ecological practices to a changing environment. This helped many communities survive for centuries through waves of intense drought. Their experience, and the persistence of other ancient civilizations, shows the importance of knowledge, planning and structural flexibility. There also is an important difference between natural climate stresses on ancient societies and the human-induced challenge we face today: Modern humans can have a far greater impact on the survival of future generations. The Maya could only react to climatic conditions, but we know how to address the causes of climate change. The challenge is choosing to do so. Explore further Climate change had political, human impact on ancient Maya This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech An engineer inspects the completed spacecraft that will carry NASA's next Mars rover to the Red Planet, prior to a test in the Space Simulator Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. From the top down, and suspended by cables, is the complete cruise stage, which will power and guide the Mars 2020 spacecraft on its seven-month voyage to the Red Planet. Directly below that is the aeroshell (white back shell and barely visible black heat shield), which will protect the vehicle during cruise as well as during its fiery descent into the Martian atmosphere. Not visible (because it's cocooned inside the aeroshell) is the completed rocket-powered descent stage and the surrogate rover (a stand-in for the real rover, which is undergoing final assembly in JPL's High Bay 1 cleanroom). The Mars 2020 spacecraft was tested in the 25-foot-wide, 85-foot-tall (8-meter-by-26-meter) chamber in the same configuration it will be in while flying through interplanetary space. The 2020 rover carries an entirely new suite of instruments, including a sample-caching system that will collect samples of Mars for return to Earth on subsequent missions. The mission will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in July of 2020 and land at Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. The image was taken on May 9, 2019. Explore further Things are stacking up for NASA's Mars 2020 spacecraft People who see themselves as being in a higher social class may tend to have an exaggerated belief that they are more adept than their equally capable lower-class counterparts, and that overconfidence can often be misinterpreted by others as greater competence in important situations, such as job interviews, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. "Advantages beget advantages. Those who are born in upper-class echelons are likely to remain in the upper class, and high-earning entrepreneurs disproportionately originate from highly educated, well-to-do families," said Peter Belmi, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia and lead author of the study. "Our research suggests that social class shapes the attitudes that people hold about their abilities and that, in turn, has important implications for how class hierarchies perpetuate from one generation to the next." The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Belmi and his colleagues conducted a series of four investigations looking at the connection between social class and overconfidence and how that might affect others' perceptions of a person's competence. The largest involved more than 150,000 small business owners in Mexico who were applying for loans. To measure social class, the researchers obtained information about these applicants' income, education level and perceived standing in society as part of the application process. Applicants were also required to complete a psychological assessment that would be used to assess their credit worthiness. Part of that included a flashcard game, a cognitive test where participants are shown an image that goes away after they press a key and is replaced by a second image. They then have to determine whether the second image matches the first. After completing 20 trials, applicants were asked to indicate how they performed in comparison with others on a scale of 1 to 100. When the researchers compared the actual scores with applicants' predictions, they found that people with more education, more income and a higher perceived social class had an exaggerated belief that they would perform better than others, compared with their lower-class counterparts. Another two investigations involving more than 1,400 online participants found a similar association between social class and overconfidence. In one, the researchers gave participants a trivia test. Those from a higher social class thought that they did better than others; however, when the researchers examined actual performance, it was not the case. For the final investigation, the researchers recruited 236 undergraduate students, had each answer a 15-item trivia quiz and asked them to predict how they fared compared with others. They also asked them to rate their social class and for their families' income and their mothers' and fathers' education levels. A week later, the students were brought back to the lab for a videotaped mock hiring interview. More than 900 judges, recruited online, each watched one of the videos and rated their impression of the applicant's competence. Once again, the researchers found students from a higher social class tended to be more overconfident, but they also discovered that this overconfidence was misinterpreted by the judges who watched their videos as greater competence. "Individuals with relatively high social class were more overconfident, which in turn was associated with being perceived as more competent and ultimately more hirable, even though, on average, they were no better at the trivia test than their lower-class counterparts," said Belmi. The overconfidence effect may be partially due to differences in values between the middle and working classes, according to Belmi. "In the middle class, people are socialized to differentiate themselves from others, to express what they think and feel and to confidently express their ideas and opinions, even when they lack accurate knowledge. By contrast, working-class people are socialized to embrace the values of humility, authenticity and knowing your place in the hierarchy," he said. "These findings challenge the widely held belief that everybody thinks they are better than the average. Our results suggest that this type of thinking might be more prevalent among the middle and upper classes." The findings join a growing body of research on why class-based hierarchies continue to persist generation after generation, according to Belmi. "Our results suggest that finding solutions to mitigate class inequalities may require a focus on subtle and seemingly harmless human tendencies," he said. "Although people may be well meaning, these inequalities will continue to perpetuate if people do not correct for their natural human tendency to conflate impressions of confidence with evidence of ability." Explore further The effect of social class on interpersonal relationships More information: "The Social Advantage of Miscalibrated Individuals: The Relationship Between Social Class and Overconfidence and Its Implications for Class-Based Inequity,"Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2019). Journal information: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology "The Social Advantage of Miscalibrated Individuals: The Relationship Between Social Class and Overconfidence and Its Implications for Class-Based Inequity,"(2019). DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000187 Postdoctoral research fellow Laurel Serieys with a caracal kitten. Credit: Laurel Serieys. Urban rat poisons are spilling over into Cape Town's natural environment, threatening species such as caracal, mongoose, otter and owl, a team of University of Cape Town (UCT) researchers in the Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) has discovered. In their recent paper, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, the researchers found that anticoagulant rat poisons are infiltrating Cape Town's peri-urban wildlife food chains. The study, believed to bethe first of its kind, was conducted within and around Cape Town's Table Mountain National Park. These animals already face challenges that include increasing habitat loss, vehicle collisions, poachers and fire, says lead author Dr. Laurel Serieys, a postdoctoral research fellow at the iCWild. They identified six predator species at risk: caracal, Cape clawless otter, Cape eagle owl, large spotted genet, honey badger and water mongoose. Others are likely affected as well. The study measured the presence and concentration of rat poison compounds in liver and blood samples from 41 animals, with a special focus on caracal as part of the Urban Caracal Project (UCP). At 92%, exposure to rat poisons was highest for caracal. Overall, they found 81% exposure across seven species tested. The predators aren't eating the poisons directly. Rather, the poisons are designed to work slowly in their target species, rats, who become sick over a period of days and end up as easy prey for predators. "We detected at least one of the four most toxic rat poison compounds, all available in over-the-counter products, in six of the seven species tested," says Dr. Jacqueline Bishop, lead supervisor on the project. Caracals living in or near vineyards had the highest exposure to rat poisons but the route to exposure is unclear. Caracal male. Credit: University of Cape Town "Vineyards in Cape Town don't use rat poisons to protect their vines, but they do host restaurants, spas and hotels and occur adjacent to dense residential areas where rat poisons are widely used. Caracals regularly hunt in vineyards and it is here that they are likely to be exposed to poisoned rats, in and around urban structures," she says. The researchers focused their poison testing on caracal but were also able to opportunistically test several other species that had died after being hit by cars. The fact that these species use different habitats shows that rat poisons may profoundly impact many different species. "It also suggests, in the case of otters, that polluted water run-off from urban areas could transport the poisons into Cape Town's waterways and the aquatic food chain," says collaborator Dr. Nicola Okes. "There is mounting evidence globally that rat poisons are a critical threat to wildlife, including threatened and endangered species. To really understand this problem locally has taken support from the public, from SANParks and the City of Cape Town in reporting the locations of animals hit by cars so they could be included in our study," says Dr. Okes. One of the most significant findings of the study is that exposure occurs at all ages. Several lactating female caracals were sampled in the study and found to be exposed to rat poisons, suggesting that kittens may be exposed through their mother's milk. The UCP has grown into a large-scale research programme that sparks a lot of community interest. Members of the community can interface directly with the researchers and contribute to their work by reporting caracal sightings and learning about the project's development through its Facebook page. The project has also garnered international interest from researchers wanting to contribute to the research team's efforts to identify the many threats to Cape Town's caracals and strategise effective conservation of these elusive cats. The researchers hope that their study's findings will stimulate a dialogue on how to reduce environmental contamination by rat poisons and other toxins and help pinpoint directions for targeted mitigation. "As consumers, we need more eco-friendly alternatives to rat poison and the simplest solution is well within everyone's reach improve the management of waste which attracts rats in the first place." Explore further Toxic toll of rat poison on birds revealed More information: Laurel E.K. Serieys et al. Widespread anticoagulant poison exposure in predators in a rapidly growing South African city, Science of The Total Environment (2019). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Laurel E.K. Serieys et al. Widespread anticoagulant poison exposure in predators in a rapidly growing South African city,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.122 Provided by University of Cape Town The pile of rocks with the nail in the middle signifies a long-term study plot Monica Turner and her research group established at Yellowstone National Park in 1990 following the parks historic 1988 fires. This same plot burned again in 2016. Historically, fires burn in Yellowstone only every 100to300 years. Credit: Monica Turner In August 2016, areas of Yellowstone National Park that burned in 1988 burned again. Shortly after, in October 2016, ecologist Monica Turner and her team of graduate students visited the park to begin to assess the landscape. "We saw these areas where everything was combusted and we hadn't seen that previously," says Turner, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has closely studied Yellowstone's response to fire since 1988. "That was surprising." In a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Turner and her team describe what happens when Yellowstoneadapted to recurring fires every 100 to 300 yearsinstead burns twice in fewer than 30 years. Yellowstone as we know it faces an uncertain future, the researchers say, and one of the big questions they hope to answer is whether the forests can recover. With Rapid Response Research funding from the National Science Foundation, Turner and her team returned to Yellowstone in the summer of 2017 to study the areas that re-burned. These include the Maple Fire, which burned 28-year-old lodgepole pines that regenerated following the 1988 North Fork Fire, and the Berry Fire, which contained 28-year-old lodgepole pines that had regenerated after the 1988 Huck Fire and 16-year-old trees that regenerated following the 2000 Glade Fire. In each area, they compared to areas that burned in 1988 or 2000 but did not burn again in 2016. In some areas, fire burned so severely that nothing but the stumps of young trees remained. Logs that had once been scattered on the forest floor combusted, leaving negatives of their former selvesghost shadowswhere they'd fallen. "Everything was gone," Turner says. "That was astonishing." Typically, most trees killed by fire remain standing for years. Surface fires leave dead needles on trees. Crown fires burn needles off but leave standing trunks. However, four of the 18 re-burned plots Turner's team sampled saw fire so severe they had to come up with a new name to describe them: crown fire plus. In these, 99 percent of the stems of previous trees combusted. In 2011, modeling work by Turner's group challenged pre-existing notions that young forests lack enough fuel in the form of trees and downed logs to sustain severe fire. The 2016 fires confirmed their predictions. "The idea was that if fires are recurring more frequently, we will we see some self-limitation, young forests will not be able to re-burn," says study co-author, graduate student Kristin Braziunas. "We definitively saw this was not the caseeven at just 16 years old, there was sufficient fuel for these forests to burn at the highest possible level of severity." The team also found a six-fold decline in the number of lodgepole pine tree seedlings that re-established in the first year following the 2016 fires. In some patches of re-burned forest, regeneration rates were significantly lower. Dense, young forests were converted into much sparser ones. Lodgepole pine trees are known for their serotinous cones, which are adapted to open in fire and release their seeds, replenishing the forest with a thick blanket of new trees once the blaze has fizzled. Historically, the 100-to-300-year fire intervals gave trees the chance to mature and build up their seed banks. But younger trees have not yet built up their savings, so a quick re-burn is like dipping into a bank account before the funds have been replenished. The researchers also found that the re-burned forests lost significant carbon storage capacity. Nearly two out of three logs on the forest floor were consumed in the 2016 fires. These pieces of dead wood were carbon sinks, storing carbon that the tree took up while alive. When burned, they release carbon into the atmosphere. Turner explains that once an old forest burns, it takes about 90 years for the forest to recover its lost carbon. "We care about carbon storage and recovery because forests play a very important role in the global carbon cycle," says Braziunas, who before joining Turner's research group spent more than seven years working as a municipal firefighter in Oberlin, Ohio. Braziunas adapted a model previously created by Turner's collaborator, Rupert Seidl, to estimate how long it would take for the forest to recover the carbon it had lost to the atmosphere in the 2016 fires, between tree loss, downed wood consumption, and reduced tree regeneration density. She found it would take more than 150 years, assuming the forests do not burn again in that time. "We were essentially able to reconstruct what the forest looked like before the fire happened, how many trees there were and how big they would have been," Braziunas says. "Because we also measured nearby stands (of trees) that didn't burn, we could compare what happens after the reburns and game out the scenarios in the model." The estimate, she and Turner say, represents a best-case, conservative scenario. With a warming climate and increased frequency of drought, the forests are likely to burn again in short intervals. However, the forest has long shown itself to be resilient. "The landscapes are going to look different than they have in the past," says Turner, "but that doesn't mean they won't be beautiful. There will be species that benefit and species that see their ranges contract." "Change is going to happen and change is going to happen more quickly than we thought it would," she adds. "We are learning how the system responds, but we don't know to what degree it will be resilient or adapt in the future. But I am not ready to write it off. We have been surprised in the past." Explore further Is fire the new normal in the American West? More information: Monica G. Turner el al., "Short-interval severe fire erodes the resilience of subalpine lodgepole pine forests," PNAS (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Monica G. Turner el al., "Short-interval severe fire erodes the resilience of subalpine lodgepole pine forests,"(2019). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1902841116 Specially developed foams could help avert a global food security crisis by replacing fast-degrading soils, according to scientists. Experts from the new Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield have found that crops planted in polyurethane foams at an urban farm grow two to 10 times faster than plants grown in soil. Using a network of pipes, nutrient solutions, controlled growing environments and foams, scientists are growing everything from salad to tomatoesdemonstrating a potential solution to the global crisis of soil fertility. Every year 24 billion tons of fertile soil are lost globally to erosion. So Harry Wright, a Ph.D. student at the University's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, has developed specialist foams that chemically, physically and biologically resemble soil. Jacob Nickles, a Knowledge Exchange Associate, has put Harry's foams to the test, transforming an abandoned school in Sheffield into an urban farm with the installation of pioneering hydroponics systems. The potential of the low-cost system has already been demonstrated with an initiative to install hydroponics systems made from used mattresses at a refugee camp in Jordan, led by Grantham Centre Director Professor Tony Ryan, in collaboration with Professor Duncan Cameron at the Institute for Sustainable Food. Professor Duncan Cameron, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield, said: "The world is facing a crisis of soil fertility. If we're going to fix this, we need to do something radically different. "Urban farms that use foam instead of soil could take a lot of pressure off existing agricultural systems. And because this system is so efficient, it enables us to feed our growing population using fewer resources. "In the future, I hope we can see farms like this all over the world, optimised for local conditions and producing cheap, healthy and sustainable food." The urban farm opened its doors to the public May 18, offering former teachers and pupils of the abandoned school a chance to see how their old classrooms have been transformed. After opening, the farm will provide fruit and vegetables to the community in Tinsley, Sheffield, as well as training for local unemployed or low-skilled workers and an educational environment for schools. The launch will be the first event hosted by the new Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield which brings together multidisciplinary expertise and world-class research facilities to help solve global problems like soil loss, achieve food security and protect the natural resources we all depend on. Leading experts from the institute will offer hands-on demonstrations, food tasting, craft workshops and talks on nutrition and growing food in cities. Jacob Nickles said: "The Urban Farm is a physical manifestation of some of the groundbreaking work that happens at the University of Sheffield. Rather than speaking about it and publishing papers, we've actually built a working system for growing food. "Today is a chance for us to start engaging with our local communitylearning from them about what food they want to see the farm grow, and talking about how members of the public can get involved." Professor Tony Ryan, Director of the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, said: "Our frontier research on synthetic soils meant we were primed to react to a waste disposal problem posed by UNHCR. "The dirty and unusable second hand foam mattresses, considered a waste disposal problem in the Za'atari refugee camp, were identified as an alternative growth substrate and we found that potential urine contamination could actually aid growth. "The research provides a technical fix, but also impacts on refugees' wellbeing, in providing green space which they miss. The things we've learned from the refugees doing foam hydroponics in Za'atari laid the foundations for our urban farm in Tinsley, turning the research into impact at home." Explore further Three ways cities can help feed the world, without costing the Earth James Cizdziel (right), UM associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and recent doctoral graduate Oscar Beau Black have spent two years researching 3D-printed firearms through a grant from the National Institute of Justice, part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Credit: Megan Wolfe/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services In the summer of 2016, Transportation Security Administration screeners at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada confiscated an oddity: a 3-D-printed handgun in a man's carry-on baggage. The plastic gun was inoperable but accompanied by five .22-caliber bullets. The passenger said he had forgotten about the gun and willingly left it at the airport and boarded his flight without being arrested. The TSA later said the plastic gun was believed to be the first of its kind seized at a U.S. airport. Since the world's first functional 3-D-printed firearm was designed in 2013, such guns have increasingly been in the news. Proponents of the firearms 3-D-printed with polymers from digital files maintain that sharing blueprints and printing the guns are protected activities under the First and Second Amendments. Opponents argue the guns are concerning because they are undetectable and also untraceable since they have no serial numbers. Tackling some of those forensic unknowns are a University of Mississippi chemistry professor and a graduate student. Their research is developing analytical methods to explore how the firearms might be traced using chemical fingerprints rather than relying on physical evidence, with the goal of offering tools for law enforcement to track the guns as they become more widespread. "We can positively identify the type of polymer used in the construction of the gun from flecks or smears of plastic on bullets, cartridge cases and in gunshot residue collected on clothing," said James Cizdziel, an associate professor in the UM Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Cizdziel, who joined the Ole Miss faculty in 2008, and Oscar "Beau" Black, who recently earned his doctorate in chemistry, have spent two years researching 3-D-printed firearms through a grant from the National Institute of Justice, part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The three-year, $150,000 grant, "Physical and Chemical Trace Evidence from 3-D-Printed Firearms," has resulted in a 2017 peer-reviewed paper in Forensic Chemistry, a growing reference library of mass spectra from 3-D-printed firearms for use by law enforcement and a book, "Forensic Analysis of Gunshot Residue, 3-D-Printed Firearms, and Gunshot Injuries: Current Research and Future Perspectives." The worlds first functional 3D-printed firearm was designed in 2013. The guns are 3D-printed with polymers from digital files and are untraceable since they have no serial numbers. Photo by Megan Wolfe/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services. Credit: University of Mississippi The research involved Cizdziel and Black being the first to use Direct Analysis in Real Time, or DART, Mass Spectrometry to identify polymers and organic gunshot residue in evidence from 3-D-printed guns. The idea is forensic experts could trace the polymer that might show up in chemical evidence from the discharge of a 3-D-printed firearm back to the type of plastic used in the gun. "Our growing database provides a second means of identification or grouping of samples, alleviating the need for subjective interpretation of the mass spectral peaks," said Cizdziel, a Buffalo native. "We also published fingerprinting protocols on surfaces of 3-D-printed guns. "Overall, we demonstrated that our methods are particularly useful for investigating crimes involving 3-D-printed guns." The pair's research arises from an undergraduate chemistry class Cizdziel taught in 2014, Introduction to Instrumental Analysis. Before earning his bachelor's degree in forensic chemistry in 2015, Black, who also was an undergraduate researcher in Cizdziel's laboratory, took the class, where talk soon turned to 3-D-printed firearms. "We discussed how developing new reliable analytical methods for forensic practitioners dealing with trace evidence from 3-D-printed guns would make a good doctoral research project," Cizdziel said. "Apparently this sparked a fire in (Black), and he not only joined my research group as a graduate student but was awarded a research fellowship from the Department of Justice to do that very project." Black, from Weatherford, Texas, began the project in 2016, before funding was secured in 2017, and quickly realized he was in unexplored territory. "There was such a dearth of information out there," Black said. "There was only one, I think, report of an actual test fire (of a 3-D-printed firearm) from a forensic agency." The pair began creating functional 3-D-printed firearms either .22-caliber or .38-caliber handguns that used certain metal parts to comply with a federal ban on weapons that aren't picked up by metal detectors. They test-fired them under controlled and safe conditions at the Mississippi Crime Laboratory in Pearl and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Hoover, Alabama. Research by University of Mississippi professor James Cizdziel and doctoral graduate Oscar Beau Black has led to a growing reference library of polymers from 3D-printed firearms for use by law enforcement. Credit: Megan Wolfe/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services "When you discharge them, they do exactly what they are designed to do," Black said. "You can shoot them multiple times. There was one we shot dozens of times with no visible wear and tear on it." The discharges generated samples to analyze. The duo also evaluated the differences in evidence between 3-D-printed guns and conventional guns, and used the analytical technique mass spectrometry to identify and characterize the various polymer types in 3-D-printed gun evidence. This work was the beginning of creating a reference library of various polymer samples to provide the basis of categorizing an unknown sample. The reference library holds about 50 polymer samples. Cizdziel and Black were assisted in their research by undergraduate students and Murrell Godfrey, director of the UM forensic chemistry program and associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Black graduated Saturday (May 11), but the pair's research is ongoing, including expanding and improving the 3-D-print polymer reference library. "The ultimate goal would have the reference library in a format that's similar to the other reference libraries that are out there for fingerprints, etc.," Black said. "Every different arena has a reference library that goes along with that discipline." Beyond work on the reference library, the twosome is examining DNA methods on 3-D-printed firearms and studying the longevity of polymer evidence under weathering conditions. Cizdziel and Black also are working on a paper that presents all their scientific discoveries when it comes to 3-D-printed firearms. Not knowing what they might find in their investigations has led to some exciting findings and groundbreaking work, Cizdziel said. "That's when things get interesting," he said. "When you don't quite know what to expect." Explore further 3-D-printed guns may be more dangerous to their users than targets More information: Oscar Black et al. Identification of polymers and organic gunshot residue in evidence from 3D-printed firearms using DART-mass spectrometry: A feasibility study, Forensic Chemistry (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2017.05.003 The plan for LACMA. Rendering: Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner/The Boundary The movie doesnt exist and the key piece of urban scenery hasnt been built yet, but I can see the opening sequence already: James Bond, wearing a tux and riding a motorbike, roars up a car-carriers inclined ramp, goes airborne, and lands on the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art thats slung across Wilshire Boulevard, while the truck speeds through beneath. Agent 007 rips off the helmet: Its Lupita Nyongo. Hand-to-hand combat on the desert-flat roof ensues. In the galleries below, Roman statues by the glass walls preen against the setting sun. Every once in a while, a work of architecture triggers a shift in the way a city thinks of itself. Frank Gehrys Walt Disney Hall did that for Los Angeles when it opened in 2003. Two decades later (give or take a couple of years), I suspect Peter Zumthors LACMA will do it again. As the existing galleries slowly go dark and their contents are packed away in preparation for demolition, a new $650 million replacement is in the works. Squeezed on all sides by a park, open tar pits, a film museum, and an eight-lane city street, LACMA will twist and vault across one of the citys major arteries, as if to catch the attention of drivers as they pass underneath. With that move, it pays homage to the history of Wilshire Boulevards Miracle Mile, which was developed in the 1920s as a shopping street for the automobile age, lined with buildings and signs that beckoned passersby to pull over, park, and go inside. LACMA is staking its claim to the cityscape with a design thats simultaneously understated and bold, provocative and deeply serious. For all those reasons and many more, the plan faces artillery barrages of skepticism and hostility, starting with the question: Why cant LACMA stay just the way it is, a collection of buildings erected over 40 years? My preference is almost always to grant an existing structure the right to continue existing, but in this case I understand the need to start by tearing much of the original museum down. When the first trio of buildings by William Pereira, executed in a style you might call Lincoln Center lite, went up in 1965, they framed an elevated plaza and appeared to float on a series of reflecting pools. Then black goo from the La Brea Tar Pits started seeping into the water, and the fountains shut down. Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer reworked the complex in the 1980s and left it disjointed, cut off from the street, and still in need of fantastically expensive seismic retrofitting. In 2001, with the dust still settling from the last spasms of construction, the museum settled on a plan to tear the whole lot down and replace it with a new campus designed by Rem Koolhaass Office for Metropolitan Architecture, spread out beneath a vast tent-like roof. The money didnt materialize and the plan was shelved. (Not that LACMA saved much: The cost of fixing up the existing buildings now starts at nearly $250 million, not including earthquake-proofing or a system for neutralizing the methane that spews from underground.) Instead, the museum started expanding in stages. Michael Govan took over as director in 2006, and since then LACMA has erected two new buildings by Renzo Piano, the Resnick Pavilion and the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (not to be confused with The Broad, also a contemporary art museum, three miles away on Bunker Hill). Those will remain, along with Bruce Goffs marvelously quirky Japanese Pavilion, built in 1988, and now temporarily closed for renovation. Having added nearly 100,000 square feet of space in 15 years, Govan wants to consolidate the rest into a single structure, spread out on a single floor. He turned to Peter Zumthor, a Swiss architect who has the reputation of a mystic and a portfolio of quiet, often isolated buildings. His Brother Klaus Field Chapel, set among cultivated lands in western Germany, halfway between Aachen and Bonn, is a work of distilled, intensely austere poetry. The architect marshaled local farmers into erecting a tall bivouac out of tree trunks, then poured concrete around it, and burned the wood away, venting the smoke through a hole in the roof. The result is a small concrete stele standing mysteriously against the horizon. A triangular steel door opens onto an interior with charred and textured walls, dramatically illuminated by a shaft of light from above. The idea of letting such an architectural shaman loose on Los Angeles is both exciting and worrisome. At the Field Chapel he didnt even have to install plumbing, let alone manage crowd flow, cross a highway, or meet seismic code. Zumthors LACMA design has evolved at a glacial pace. In 2013, after years of work, he unveiled a black, amoeba-like shape that seemed to have oozed out of the tar next door and petrified in midair. When the Natural History Museum, which runs the La Brea Tar Pits, objected that the structure would edge too close to the paleontological zone, Zumthor stretched the structure in a different direction, drawing it across Wilshire Boulevard and sticking it to a lot at the corner with Spaulding Avenue. Little turrets popped out of the ceiling to let light stream into the gallery through clerestory windows. Two revisions later, the skylights and the dark color are gone, and what remains is a glass sandwich between wheat-colored slabs, levitating over one of L.A.s major traffic arteries. (Okay, not levitating, exactly: It will rest on seven thick columns, which anchor a restaurant, a bookshop, an education facility, a theater, and a childrens space.) Some critics have always been unconvinced by the road-jumping. Does the design fetishize car culture? asked Christopher Hawthorne, then the L.A. Times architecture critic (now the citys chief design officer). At the very least it celebrates it, in that genuine, often earnest way that Europeans have long viewed our vast grid of boulevards and freeways. Its true that the amoebas glass outline turns traffic into a mesmerizing spectacle, but that show will change as the city does. This section of Wilshire will soon get a subway stop; if it also grows protected bus and bicycle lanes and a more pedestrian-loving streetscape, then LACMA visitors will have a skybox view of that metamorphosis. The Wilshire-straddling move asserts that art can have a powerful role in reshaping L.A. for the 21st century, just as the automobile did in the 20th. As Zumthor has refined the design, its plan has started to look more and more like a shape at once liquid, rigorous, and animatedreamed up by Jean Arp. Of course, we will only ever see that form from the air, or experience it from underneath. Over time, the design has gradually become less fanciful, less reliant on curving glass walls, less enamored of its early clunky chic. The latest renderings look less bespoke, with large panes of glass held in brass frames, terrazzo floors, ceiling-mounted brass spotlights, and irregularly shaped stone pavers that sweep from the outdoors in. The final product will balance between Zumthors refined brand of hand-tooled brutalism and the buildings vast scale, between the poetry of the institutions budget and the temptations of off-the-shelf shopping-mall details. Rendering: Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner/The Boundary Like another Pritzker Prize winner, Tadao Ando, Zumthor is a believer in the expressive powers of concrete, but American craftsmanship in that treacherous material is rarely as finicky as the kind that Northern European and Japanese architects can count on back home. In this country, cracks and inconsistencies get passed off as intentional roughness. Not always, though: LACMA should demand the same level of workmanship that Ando obtained for his sublime Clark Museum in Williamstown, Massachusetts. LACMA doesnt win points for its rollout of the new design. A small gallery in the soon-to-be-demolished Ahmanson Building contains a historical timeline going back to the 1960s, a crude site model that shows the footprint as a balsa-wood splotch, and a rotating batch of renderings. No plans, no drawings, no augmented-reality fly-through nothing to soothe critics primed to compare it to a motel, a coffee table, or an Italian highway rest stop. I, too, joined the scoffers chorus when the latest designs emerged in March, but the longer Ive spent studying these paltry materials and pacing the site, the more promise I feel the project has. Criticisms have been legion: Its too bland, too blond, too small, too horizontal, too costly. New Yorks former architecture critic, Joseph Giovannini, writing in the Los Angeles Review of Books, has kept a steady drumbeat of scorn going for years. To the Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight, the design embodies director Michael Govans attack on the encyclopedic museum, in which the worlds art is divided into regions and disciplines and masterworks stay in their place where repeat visitors know where to find them. Govan has a nimbler institution in mind. He has proposed three connected reasons to place the entire collection on a single, continuous floor, and Ill buy one and a half. The first is practical: It makes life easier for visitors with wheelchairs or strollers, avoids the crush at elevators, and doesnt eat up gallery space for escalators. Fair enough, but Govan goes on to invoke the same dubiously applicable wisdom that has filled the nation with horizontal shopping malls: Nobody wants to go upstairs. Piano tried to tackle the problem with the dramatic outdoor escalator that wafts visitors straight to the top of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, so they can trickle back down. The strategy only sort of works: Govan says he regularly meets Angelenos who express surprise that the building even has an upstairs. That translates into sparsely populated galleries that cost just as much to keep open as if they were always thronged. All this may be truer in L.A. than it is in Manhattan, where MoMA exhibits its mainstays on the fifth floor and temporary blockbusters on the sixth floor, and still manages to attract 3 million visitors a year (twice as many as LACMA). Govans second rationale is ideological: Museums with multiple stories inevitably fall back on hoary Western hierarchies, placing European masterworks in sweet spots, and relegating other traditions to attics and distant wings. The new LACMA will be, literally, a leveler. This argument seems specious. A staircase isnt deterministic, and an elevators numbered buttons dont translate to ratings for different artistic cultures. What affects the perception of an artworks importance lies in the way its hung, lit, and labeled, and what company it keeps not in its height off the street. The third and most persuasive reason for a horizontal museum is experiential: It allows curators to map a network of routes through the collection that offer both guidance and surprise. The surprise part is already at work in Pianos one-story Resnick Pavilion, where I wandered in, past Zhu Jinshis colossal curling wave shaped out of crumpled xuan paper, through an exhilarating display of Central Asian textiles and a revelatory show of art from Sri Lanka, and finally into a generous Charles White retrospective. I didnt even know how little I knew about most of these topics, and the discovery and juxtaposition were thrilling. Govan envisions laying out the permanent collection like a canny tour guide, mixing familiarity and adventure. Theres some paradox in this approach. To avoid a linear, European-dominated narrative of art history, LACMA hired a European architect to produce a long, linear building. To get maximum flexibility, the new museum will dispense with temporary Sheetrock partitions and lock itself in with immovable concrete walls. Zumthor can resolve these contradictions by creating a layout where the current director can implement his vision and the next might possibly undo it. Even after all these years of tinkering, LACMA has yet to release a floor plan or a detailed explanation of how the art and architecture will interact. Still, its clear that Zumthor has developed three kinds of galleries, shaped not by historical rubrics but by their relationship to light. Stone sculptures can withstand even SoCal sunshine; sketches on paper need a crepuscular dimness; paintings can manage with a calibrated mix of natural and artificial illumination. Light is Zumthors trade, the reason he got the LACMA job in the first place. At the Kolumba Museum in Cologne, erected on and around the ruins of a bombed church, daylight glimmers through holes in the facade, sneaks around corners, slips down a staircase, and bleeds into pools of electric incandescence. I havent been to the spa Zumthor designed in the Swiss village of Vals, but photographs suggest that there, he has given substance to shadow. The future LACMA will succeed or fail on how well he handles L.A.s hot glare and bleached skies, so different from the moody grays of Northern Europe. Zumthors narrow, snaking building has glass on all sides and wears a wide-brimmed canopy like a flattened Stetson. Late in the day, a strip of brilliance backlights the Roman statues standing near the ribboning window. Otherwise, a matte pallor, lightened by the sand-colored stone facade, spreads through the outer galleries. Deeper inside, smaller, darker rooms cluster around a series of indoor courtyards so that the experience will be bellows-like: Walk in toward the core, out toward the edge, from dark to light and back. The sanctions on Huawei are likely to impact US firms selling billions of dollars of components to the Chinese tech giant The tough sanctions imposed on Huawei by President Donald Trump could deal a blow to the many US firms that make up the Chinese tech giant's supply chain. American firms last year sold an estimated $11 billion worth of components to Huawei, which was put on a blacklist last week by Washington over national security concerns as trade frictions grow between the US and China. Trump's executive order could effectively ban makers of US hardware and software from selling to Huawei by requiring a special license from Washington. Bloomberg News reported that US-based chipmakers Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Xilinx have indicated they would halt shipments to the Chinese firm which is the world's number two smartphone maker and a leader in telecom infrastructure and super-fast 5G networks. Google said it would comply with the US order, leaving Huawei without access to critical services for the Android operating system such as Gmail and Google Maps. Microsoft, which supplies the Windows operating system for many Huawei devices, did not respond to an AFP query on how the order might impact the Redmond, Washington-based firm. Bob O'Donnell of the consultancy Technalysis Research said any ban would almost certainly affect Microsoft. "If it affects Google I don't see why it wouldn't affect Microsoft," O'Donnell said. "Any version of Windows comes from Microsoft, since there is no open-source version." Chipmakers Qualcomm and Intel are among the suppliers to Huawei which could be affected by the US ban on sales to the Chinese firm Moving toward independence Roger Kay, founder and analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, said the ban is likely to accelerate efforts by Huawei and other Chinese firms to develop their own sources of microprocessors and other components. "The short-term effect on both American and Chinese companies are inevitably negative," Kay said. "The longer-term effect is that Huawei and other Chinese companies turn away more sharply from American suppliers." Neither Intel nor Qualcomm responded to queries on how they would respond to the order on Huawei. Avi Greengart, founder of the research firm Techsponential, said a ban on sales to Huawei could hit a wide range of large and small US firms including Corning, which makes the popular Gorilla Glass for smartphones, and Dolby, a producer of video and audio software for handsets. "When you think about all the software and hardware components you get a pretty big list," Greengart said. "The US is a big part of the global supply chain." Few firms offered public comments on their response to the Huawei executive order. But one, California-based Lumentum Holdings, a maker of optical and laser applications, said it would comply with the executive order and that Huawei accounted for 15 percent of its revenue so far in the current fiscal year. Apple could suffer from a backlash in China if the crisis over Huawei persists, according to analysts Risks to Apple Greengart said Apple could also suffer from any protracted crisis over Huawei, estimating the iPhone maker gets about 17 percent of its revenues from China. Even though Apple might benefit in the premium smartphone market in Europe, "I think the risks are higher than the rewards for Apple," Greengart said. "If there is a backlash against Apple in China, that could have damaging long-term effects." Greengart said that Google might not see a major impact for the moment. "Ironically (the ban) won't affect Google much because Google doesn't make money selling Android." Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights & Strategy, said he sees a limited impact on US firms in the short run. "The impact to the US companies depends on the length of the ban but also how indexed they are in sales to Huawei," Moorhead said. "Neither Intel, Google or Nvidia do more than three percent of their business with Huawei, so short-term, it shouldn't be an issue." O'Donnell said a bigger risk is that Huawei and other Chinese firms step up efforts to develop software and hardware that allows them to break free from Silicon Valley. "The longer-term question is: does this drive Huawei to develop a third mobile platform?" O'Donnell said. "China is already developing its own technology infrastructure, and this plays into the whole notion of a separate internet in China, which would be a big deal." Explore further Google v Huawei hits millions of smartphone users 2019 AFP The veep who is behind every administration effort to attack Planned Parenthood. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Its been obvious since 2016 that support for Donald Trump among the conservative religious activists we traditionally have called the Christian right was based on a trust-but-verify transactional relationship. Yes, Christian-right types enjoy the lib-owning savagery Trump exhibits toward their mutual enemies, whom they tend to regard not simply as Fake Media immigrant-coddling witch-hunters but as conscious agents of the Lord Satan. But the elaborate and rather ridiculous theories conservative Christian leaders have aired for how this heathenish figure has come to be their political savior e.g., hes a recently converted baby Christian still learning the spiritual ropes, or hes a pagan being used by God like Cyrus the Great show the underlying doubts. But to the extent that there is a broker between Trump and his religious fans, its probably Vice-President Mike Pence, an old-school Christian-right pol who risked his own career (before it was salvaged by Trump) in waging war against the sodomites of Indiana on behalf of an alleged religious liberty right to discriminate. As with his religious allies, theres an element of quid pro quo in his relationship to POTUS: He offers sycophantic praise and total support for Trump, particularly when the administration does stuff that might be troubling to traditional conservatives. And as Politico reports, his reward is disproportionate influence on certain items, particularly anything that might promote his career-long vendetta against reproductive rights generally and Planned Parenthood specifically: [B]ehind the scenes, Pence has developed his own sphere of influence in an agency lower on Trumps radar: Health and Human Services. Its also the agency with the ability to fulfill the policy goal most closely associated with Pence over his nearly 20 year career in electoral politics: de-funding Planned Parenthood. Numerous top leaders of the department including Secretary Alex Azar, Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Medicaid/Medicare chief Seema Verma have ties to Pence and Indiana. Other senior officials include Pences former legislative director from his days as governor and former domestic policy adviser at the White House Had courts not stepped in, HHS was set to implement this month newly rewritten federal policies to curb abortion and cut funds to Planned Parenthood, tightening rules of the Title X federal family planning grants so clinics cant even refer women to a separate abortion provider. In addition, the agency this month boosted religious conscience protections for providers who refuse on moral grounds to perform certain medical services, including abortion. Pence isnt just another conservative Republican who delights in railing at the baby-killers of Planned Parenthood; its been a cause near to his heart for a long time: The changes to Title X are the culmination of a battle Pence waged first as a member of Congress, then as governor and now in the White House. The Title X rules, which force providers of federally funded family-planning programs to separate themselves from abortion providers, are aimed squarely at Planned Parenthood, which relies heavily on such funding. The Title X changes dont cut off Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood although cutting off that big pot of money is on the GOP wish list as well. In 2007, as a U.S. congressman, Pence introduced the first bill to strip federal funding from the organization, creating an issue that eventually became almost a litmus test for GOP candidates. As Politico notes, Pence is hardly the only key figure in the Trump administration with such views. But again, theres an element of personal reassurance involved in the man a heartbeat away from the presidency and Trumps presumed successor sharing the Christian rights agenda so fervently. Just the other day the president casually said something that probably made loyal supporters like Jerry Falwell Jr. freak out: In an interview with Fox News, the President was asked to put aside policy disagreements and weigh in on Buttigiegs status as a married gay man. Dont you think its just great to see the fact that youve got a guy there on the stage with his husband and its normal? Foxs Steve Hilton asked. I think its absolutely fine, I do, Trump said. He agreed with Hiltons assessment that Buttigiegs candidacy is a sign of great progress, adding, Yeah, I think its great. I think thats something that perhaps some people will have a problem with, I have no problem with it whatsoever. Even a baby Christian would know that according to the version of Christianity taught by Trumps allies, Buttigieg is in open rebellion against the clear and unwavering ordinances of God Almighty, and his marriage is a sacrilegious fraud. That Trump has no problem with it whatsoever may be troubling to conservative Christian activists, until they remember: Mike Pence is there to keep things on the straight and narrow path. Theres occasionally talk of Trump dumping his faithful veep from his ticket in 2020. I wouldnt give it a shred of credence. If Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh arent enough to make Christian-right leaders sleep soundly at night, knowing Mike Pence is nearby the president is the ultimate assurance. "Art is anything you can get away with." ~ Marshall McLuhan I find it interesting that nearly everyone who hears the above quot... Legislation to streamline the process for obtaining benefits for U.S. Navy veterans exposed to Agent Orange unanimously passed the House of Representatives last week. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act would change current policy of the Veterans Administration, which in 2002 limited the scope of the benefit to veterans who could provide proof of boots on the ground in Vietnam and direct exposure to the herbicide. Those who served off the coast or in bays have been required to file individual claims to restore their benefits. Those were decided on a case-by-case basis, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. Elise Stefaniks office. More than 20 million gallons of the herbicide were sprayed to remove jungle foliage during the Vietnam conflict. Exposure to the chemical has resulted in health issues such as non-Hodgkins lymphoma, various cancers, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinsons disease. The legislation would restore a presumption of exposure for veterans who served in the territorial seas of Vietnam, as well as for veterans who served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone from Sept. 1, 1967 through Aug. 31, 1971. Also it authorizes the VA to provide health care, vocational training and money to veterans children born with spina bifida if the veterans served in Thailand from Jan. 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975 and were exposed to the chemical, according to a news release. The bill, which passed the House on May 14, also would require the VA within 180 days of enactment to report on the findings of a follow-up study on various symptoms affecting Gulf War veterans. Blue Water Navy veterans should not be forced to sift through the frustrating bureaucracy at the VA just to get the health benefits they need and deserve due to their courageous service to our nation, said Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in a news release. Stefanik has introduced another piece of legislation to help Vietnam veterans. The Vietnam Era Veterans Hepatitis C Testing Enhancement Act would provide funding for a pilot project to increase the number of veterans tested for the disease. The current efforts focus mostly on 2 million veterans enrolled in VA care. Only 78 percent of them are tested. As many as 7 million are considered at high risk for being infected by the hepatitis C virus. Vietnam era veterans are at a risk of infection up to 10 times higher than the general population, according to a news release. Cyber workforce Stefanik has sponsored legislation that would award grants to businesses and organizations to help them create and expand registered apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity. The Cyber Ready Workforce Act would establish the program to help fund support services, which could include career-counseling, mentorship, and assistance with transportation, housing and child care costs, according to a news release. There is a companion bill in the Senate. This bipartisan legislation will equip our workforce with the tools needed to improve cybersecurity capabilities in businesses and organizations across the country. This bill is critical for not only our workforce and economy, but for our national security as well, she said in a news release. Stefanik praises tariff deal Stefanik praised the deal reached in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Removing these tariffs on steel and aluminum is a major step in the right direction to ratifying the USMCA and strengthening the relationship with Canada, our nations closest economic partner, Stefanik said in a news release. This is also great news for my district, which is home to the oldest aluminum smelter in the entire country. I applaud President Trump for reaching this deal, which will have meaningful impacts for Canadian firms operation in my district and for the North Country economy as a whole. Cobb criticizes health care vote Democratic congressional candidate Tedra Cobb criticized Stefaniks vote on a health care bill. House Resolution 987 would bolster sections of the Affordable Care Act, including changing laws and regulations to expand and accelerate the marketing of generic versions of brand-name drugs; restoring the original three-month limit on health insurance plans; spending $100 million annually over 10 years to fund advertising campaigns and Navigator programs to increase enrollment in the Affordable Care Act; and providing $200 million to establish insurance exchanges in states where residents use the federal exchange, according to Thomas Voting Reports. Cobb accused Stefanik of turning her back on families dealing with the opioid crisis by voting against funding for navigators to help people enroll in coverage. It is inexcusable that Elise Stefanik voted against this bill, Cobb said in a news release. NY-21 has some of the highest opioid deaths per capita in the state; our families are desperate for help. Providing healthcare navigators the resources necessary to help families understand their coverage is the least we can do. Stefanik put the following statement on her Facebook page about why she voted against the legislation, which passed the House 234-183. While I wholeheartedly support improving access to low-cost medications, there are provisions in this bill that would limit North Country families choice and access to the care and medication they need, she wrote. Stec criticizes farm labor bill Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, joined his colleagues last week in sending a letter to the Assembly majority, asking Democrats to reconsider their support of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Act. Stec opposes the bill, which would give farmers the right to join a union; require a full day off each week; require overtime pay for working beyond 8 hours a day; and add other workplace protections. This is a lot to ask our farmers who already juggle so many hardships that are out of their control, Stec said in a news release. We could potentially see hundreds of local family farms close their doors as a result of this. The agriculture industry makes up a large portion of New Yorks economy, and this could have far reaching effects throughout the state. I hope the majority heeds our warnings and reconsiders their stance on the issue. Michael Goot covers politics, business, the city of Glens Falls and the town and village of Lake George. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog at http://poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/. 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. QUEENSBURY Warren County supervisors have decided to no longer use a central New York engineering firm for work at the county airport after the Federal Aviation Administration reversed course on a runway extension project. C & S Engineers of Syracuse has been the preferred engineering firm for airport projects, including the runway project that the FAA decided earlier this month is not needed. The company will finish up work on getting a federal grant for a snow removal equipment building at the Queensbury airfield, but was removed Friday from a list of companies to be used for airport projects going forward. We have cut them from our list of potential consultants going forward. We just lost confidence in them, and decided it was best if we didnt have them on our consultant list going forward, said Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Doug Beaty, chairman of the boards Facilities Committee, which oversees the airport. The move came a week after the FAA advised county leaders that a new analysis the agency to conclude a 1,000-foot extension to the main runway is not needed. The project had been in planning stages for more than a decade, after the FAA gave it its blessing. But a review of an alternative, less expensive plan led the agency to conclude the airports 5,000-foot runway was adequate for the traffic that flies in and out. C & S has received $635,257 for work on the project to date, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars for other airport work. The companys staff has been criticized by opponents of the project, who claimed they wouldnt answer questions that were raised. The real problem was that C & S stood between the public and the FAA, said Queensbury resident Travis Whitehead, an engineer who was among a group that years ago raised the issue that ultimately killed the project. County Administrator Ryan Moore said the move was not punitive, as there were no allegations C & S staff did anything improper. Now that it is not going forward, its a good time for us to have a new set of eyes there, Moore said. All of the planning done on the project occurred with FAA approval and reimbursement, he added. Everything that happened with the runway extension was with the FAAs blessing, Moore said. A phone message left at C & Ss office on Friday was not returned. The county Board of Supervisors designated three other engineering firms Friday as authorized consultants for county airport work. Love 0 Funny 5 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 University students, officials, and lecturers in Tajikistan are being pressured by the state to serve as online trolls to counter opposition figures and other government critics, according to documents and personal testimonies obtained by RFE/RL. The campaign involves hundreds of people being recruited to work for "response factories" to set up multiple fake social-media accounts to be used as a platform for pro-government activities, according to five sources who spoke to RFE/RL. The so-called response factories are part of a government effort to counter what it calls an online "smear campaign" that it alleges is orchestrated by the opposition and which it claims employs its own fake social-media accounts. Their activities primarily include sharing and "liking" material that discredits government critics, taking part in social-media debates to attack opposition figures, and promoting state propaganda. For their efforts they are provided no compensation, and failure to comply could result in repercussions, they say. The five -- all of them university students or lecturers who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of repercussions -- alleged they received orders from their university administrations and the Education and Science Ministry, which they claimed in turn received instructions from law enforcement agencies. One told RFE/RL that the recruits were required to provide their bosses with detailed accounts of their everyday activities with screenshots of their posts, "likes," and comments. Another estimated the number of "recruits" at around 400 across the country of some 9 million. "Each of them have about 10 fake social-media accounts, so in total there are some 4,000 'people' actively engaged in social-media debates...trying to manipulate public opinion," the source claimed. The pool of "recruits" is divided into several smaller teams described as "information-analysis groups," according to those who spoke to RFE/RL. Each group has its own team leader. RFE/RL's Tajik Service obtained copies of several letters or instructions the sources said were e-mailed to the heads of schools and universities and to the "information-analysis groups." A copy of one such letter alerts recipients of a planned statement by Muhiddin Kabiri, the leader of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party, to be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. The letter, titled: Attention! Attention! Attention!, was sent to heads of schools and universities in April. "Kabiri goes live again this evening at 20.00," the letter states, calling on recipients to be "active during the interview" and to prepare questions and comments. Kabiri, who lives in self-imposed exile in Europe, is the main target of the campaign, the recruits said. Another letter obtained by RFE/RL notes public anger over an announced plan by the government in March to raise prices for Internet services. That letter was titled: Urgent! Confidential!, and sent to directors of schools, colleges, and universities and the heads and members of information-analysis groups. "As we all know, certain groups ... are trying to use the Internet price hike as a pretext to urge Dushanbe residents, especially the young, to stage protests. They are planning rallies in coming days in the capital," says the undated, unsigned letter. To "prevent such undesirable action," the letter stresses, requires a "full-scale effort." It issues concrete instructions to defend government policies, including condemning calls for protest rallies, and calling for peace and stability "through social media, especially Facebook." The letter suggests that "knowledgeable scholars use their experience and skills" to publish relevant articles to aid the effort. It goes on to instruct recipients to report any suspicious activities to authorities, including calls for protests they notice on social media. The unpopular move to raise Internet prices for smartphone users was subsequently reversed by President Emomali Rahmon in April amid growing public anger. The government frequently blocks social media and independent news websites. Many Internet users in the country complain of slow Internet speeds. Official Denial When contacted by RFE/RL, the Education and Science Ministry acknowledged sending one letter to students, but denied that it had any role in an alleged government effort to recruit trolls. "We sent a letter [to students] but it wasn't aimed at creating troll farms. The letter was sent at the height of the period when many young people were joining terrorist and extremist groups like the Islamic State," spokesman Ehson Safarzoda said. "In the letter, we noted that universities need to set up [antiextremist] propaganda groups to organize discussions with students," he told RFE/RL. It is unclear whether the letter Safarzoda refers to was among those obtained by RFE/RL. However, one letter, which featured an Education and Science Ministry letterhead and was signed by Deputy Education Minister Rahmatullo Mirboboev, addresses concerns over the spread of extremism in society. It calls for efforts to prevent young Tajik from joining "extremist and radical parties and movements." Dated February 6, 2019, the letter instructs the heads of the schools and the information-analysis groups to prepare articles under the rubric We Against Extremism! The individuals who spoke to RFE/RL said instructions and letters sent by the ministry came frequently, and were far from a one-off occurrence. Unpaid Trolls The five described how they were instructed to use any means online, including bad language and fake photos, to attack government critics and activists. In addition, they were often required to write articles for various publications, one recruit claimed, describing it as one of the most undesirable tasks. "A student, or a biology teacher...they know nothing about writing [political] articles," he said. "Other activities include trying to hack various accounts, creating fake pages to impersonate someone else...and sending threatening letters to certain people." The five individuals who spoke to RFE/RL said that recruits had to do trolling on their own time, with no financial compensation or any other incentives from authorities. "I am fed up spending all day writing bad articles about someone or to like and comment on Facebook posts," said one recruit employed by a Tajik university. However, another said, they had little option but to comply. "Refusing to do it entails the risk of losing your job, and they also use all sorts of ways to bring you into disrepute," he said. Another said that he had left his job and was now leaving the country. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by Mumin Ahmadi and other correspondents of RFE/RL's Tajik Service May 20, 2019 in Web Design (E) [prMac.com] Firenze, Italy - Independent development team, River SRL today is proud to announce the release and immediate availability of Sparkle 2.8, an important update to their visual web designer for macOS systems. Sparkle allows anyone to easily build beautiful websites with no knowledge of HTML or CSS, and no need to be restrained by canned templates or pre-built layouts. The flagship feature in Sparkle 2.8 is a plugin for Sketch. The Export to Sparkle plugin lets designers transfer a whole Sketch artboard into Sparkle. Thanks to Sparkle's freeform layout engine, the artboard is instantly turned it into a working website. The plugin makes use of vector formats such as SVG as much as possible, to create a fast loading page. Sparkle is a Mac app that enables the creation of a successful website. A modern Mac user interface makes simple things simple, complex things approachable, with fine control over the looks and the features of the website. "Many designers are comfortable using Sketch to create a website design, then there's the big question mark of handing off the design to a developer", says River SRL co-founder Duncan Wilcox. "With Sparkle's new Sketch plugin, turning the layout into a live website is a matter of minutes. It's that fast." Sparkle packs great value: it integrates all the media management and integration with YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, maps, fonts, stock photos and patterns. It then produces optimized websites that score high on performance and SEO, while ensuring compliance and locking down visitor privacy. With the Sparkle 2.8 release, River SRL introduced a new low pricing tier of $29.99 USD, and an option to subscribe to Sparkle Pro for $71.99 USD per year. Features Include: * A fully freeform canvas that makes the app the perfect choice for visual thinkers * Design responsive websites for desktop, tablet, and smartphone screens * Easy access to hundreds of web fonts * Drag-and-drop to add images, videos, audio, downloadable files, and more * Simple, yet powerful visual contact form creator * Built-in Google Maps generator * Live preview the site on any computer or mobile device * Easy integration with Shopify, PayPal, and many other payment solutions * Advanced SEO tools, analytics and tag manager * Twitter, Facebook and Instagram integration * Best in class in privacy compliance * Built-in site verification, robots.txt, and sitemap.xml * Produces fully-optimized code * Built-in incremental FTP capabilities * Native macOS interface * Closely integrated with other Mac apps * Supports English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese * Much more New in Sparkle 2.8: * A new Sketch plugin to copy a design over to Sparkle * A new Instagram element, and Instagram support in images and galleries * Unsplash stock photo integration, in addition to pixabay.com * The Photos Extension, to create Sparkle image galleries from Photos * A site search element and search results page * New stick to top behaviors * Pinning of a group to the bottom of the browser window * SVG support for box backgrounds * Stock and custom patterns for box backgrounds * The option to make a text box scrollable * Free gradient angle for box backgrounds * Proportional width menu items * Support for removing backgrounds in images shot with portrait mode * Support for Continuity Camera * Improved canvas drawing performance for complex layouts (macOS 10.13 or later) * Pinch to zoom in the canvas * Faster startup performance for large projects * Faster SVG rendering performance * Basic map mode that doesn't require API key * Display of publishing progress activity * The ability to convert from one element type to another * Text style re-ordering * The ability to import a website from the local disk * The Audio player now stops other audio players on the page * Better support for fixed background images on Android browsers * Better video player compatibility * Better page import accuracy * New publishing setup diagnostics Users love Sparkle: "Sparkle has been awesome. A real godsend. Truly fantastic." - Sebastiaan de With, Graphic Designer "When I discovered Sparkle it just blew my mind and I felt like dancing!" - Peter Bladskog, Photographer "Sparkle is very much what I was looking for the last 10 years" - Daniel Schoeneck, Design Teacher, Bern University of the Arts Sparkle Free is a full-featured totally free app, allowing users to publish a single site, with a total of 3 pages. A "Made with Sparkle" banner will be present on the pages in the free version. Sparkle Basic is available as a one-time $29.99 USD purchase, and allows publishing of a single site, with a 10 page limit but no Sparkle branding. Sparkle One is available as a one-time $49.99 USD purchase, and allows publishing of a single site, no page limit or Sparkle branding and adds the site search component. Sparkle Pro is available as a one-time $119.99 USD purchase, and allows publishing unlimited sites, and the ability to export sites to disk with no page limit and no branding, plus the site search component and the instagram component. Sparkle Pro is also available as a yearly $71.99 USD subscription. Multi-User licenses are also available. System Requirements: * macOS 10.9 Mavericks or later * Optimized for macOS 10.14 Mojave * 61.2 MB Pricing and Availability: Sparkle 2.8 is free and is available worldwide from the Sparkle website. The app is also available through the Mac App Store in the Graphics and Design category. Expanded capabilities are available as one-time purchases or as a yearly subscription. Redeem codes are available to journalists upon request. Contact Duncan Wilcox for more information. Based in beautiful Florence, Italy, River SRL is a new privately funded company founded in 2011. With a passion for user interface design and utility, River brings five years of Cocoa development experience to the iPhone platform. Copyright 2011-2019 River SRL. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries. ### 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 Who needs the Cayman Islands when youve got congressional Republicans? Photo: CSA Images/Getty Images For much of the last decade, the Republican Party has branded itself as a champion of fiscal responsibility and the rule of law while doing everything in its power to help rich people steal from the Treasury. Since 2011, congressional Republicans have forced through a series of aggressive cuts to the Internal Revenue Service budget. Between 2010 and 2016, the number of individual tax returns filed in the U.S. increased by 7 percent, while IRS funding fell by 18 percent. Meanwhile, conservatives have pressured the IRS to focus its limited resources on punishing working poor people who improperly claim the earned income tax credit, and a shift in the agencys internal culture has led its criminal investigators to devote less time to tax evasion and more to flashier crimes like money laundering or drug trafficking. One consequence of these developments: It is now much easier for plutocrats to get away with cheating on their taxes than it used to be (and, as our president has demonstrated, it was never all that hard). In 2015, about 35 percent of households earning more than $10 million dollars had their taxes audited by the IRS. Last year, that figure was 6.66 percent the lowest since the agency started reporting such data in 2008. IRS audit rate for households with incomes over $10 million. Fiscal 2015: 34.69% 2016: 18.79% 2017: 14.52% 2018: 6.66%https://t.co/E06XegRI0e Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC) May 20, 2019 Chart: Bloomberg This drop in audits has been accompanied by a plummet in criminal referrals: In 2012, the IRS referred 589 tax violations for criminal prosecution; in 2016, it referred just 328. The IRS is currently lobbying Congress for a budget increase, and President Trump has actually requested a 1.5 percent bump in the agencys funding. But congressional Republicans remain skeptical. Louisiana senator John Kennedy told the Wall Street Journal Monday that hes not into throwing money at the wall just because the bureaucracy says we need more. According to Treasury Department estimates, for every $1 the government spends on enforcing tax compliance, it gets $6 back in recovered revenue. It is unclear whether Congress will see last years infinitesimal audit rate as a sign that the IRS is woefully under-resourced, or as proof that the agency is functioning just as intended. It is obvious that Joe Manchin is a Republican in Democrats clothing. If he were a legitimate Democrat, he would support the Build Back Better bill like every other member of his party. He has significantly more power now as a Democrat, and he is using it to undermine President Biden. His leisure time is spent with Republicans, and his ideology is the same as theirs. It is equivalent to being Benedict Arnold when the majority of Americans will suffer if he blocks its passage. Like Republicans he refuses to recognize global warming because he bows to the oil companies that contribute to his campaign. It is disgraceful. New retail and service businesses, and even a museum, highlight the new landscape at the Rushmore Mall as the 41-year-old indoor shopping center continues to evolve. With many national retailers cutting back the numbers of their stores or closing entirely, shopping malls around the nation, struggling with empty spaces and dwindling numbers of shoppers, are rethinking their rental strategies. The Rushmore Mall is no exception. The mall has seen the departure of retailers Herbergers, Charlotte Russe and Sears, with Pay Less Shoe Source also in the process of closing. But last month, local businessman John L. Johnson opened Traders Market, a place for artisans to sell their creations or budding entrepreneurs to build their own retail businesses, inside the former Sears store. Johnson is also in the process of building the South Dakota Museum of the Medal of Honor for an Aug. 1 opening in the space formerly occupied by women's clothing retailer Charlotte Russe. On Thursday, Barbara Palmer and her 16-year-old daughter Naomie celebrated their official grand opening of Barb and Naomies Gifts, a womens accessories and gift shop. Erik Bringswhite, his wife Morgan and partner Tyler Read hosted the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday for another ribbon-cutting and grand opening of their Native American youth outreach and cultural center called I. AM. Legacy, located in the At Home wing of the mall. We were kind of out here by ourselves for a while, but it looks like the mall is starting to fill up again, said Bringswhite, during Fridays grand opening. The re-emergence of locally-based retail stores and attractions like the museum are examples of how the mall is retooling for a whats-old-is-new-again era. I feel like it is the rise of Main Street America in these shopping centers, said mall general manager Sandy Brockhouse. Were thinking outside the box and bringing all these outside services, so its not all retail soft goods, she said. The Palmers actually started their family business while traveling as a military family with new assignments with the U.S. Air Force. I needed a business that I could take with me, said Barb. She and Naomie would set up pop-up shops on base, or at outdoor markets and vendor shows, but since settling in Rapid City, they were looking for a permanent store. They opened Barb & Naomies Boutique in the At Home wing of the mall in October, then decided to downsize a bit as more of a gift shop, moving to a new location next to Eddie Bauer. The customers have been amazing, Barb said. I can see the mall building up again. Brockhouse said more new tenants have signed leases to open in the mall in the coming weeks, including Giddy-Up and Go Boutique of Chadron, Neb., set to open a second store in Rapid City, and Attic Addict, a boutique in Rapid City, will also be moving to the mall. And Mount Rushmore Motorsports, formerly Power Brokers of the Black Hills, specializing in consignment sales of ATVs, motorcycles, watercraft and snowmobiles, will be moving from a 5,000-square-foot shop on Jess Street to the 31,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by Toys R Us, just east of the mall. Brockhouse said the mall is also promoting itself with special events, including a Spring Fling in April and a Ladies Night Out style show on May 9. On June 11 a Parking Lot Party, featuring the band Flannel, is set. Were doing all these unique events that are also drawing people in, and making this more like a town center, Brockhouse said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A man who definitely has the American workers best interests in mind. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images Since taking office, Donald Trump has revoked the legal status of roughly 1 million longtime U.S. residents, used the mass psychological torture of children as a means of deterring asylum seekers, overseen the deportation of U.S. Army veterans, and encouraged the American military to use lethal force against unruly migrants at our southern border. Through it all, the president has insisted that his tough immigration agenda is not motivated by hatred of illegals but only love for the American worker. The first sentence on the Trump campaigns Immigration web page in 2016 was a promise to prioritize the jobs, wages and security of the American people. The second, a vow to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first. To accomplish these goals, the mogul pledged to crack down on employers who exploit illicit labor, so as to turn off the jobs and benefits magnet that draws undocumented workers across the border. The president reiterated this economic argument against illegal immigration in his most recent State of the Union address, arguing that working class Americans are left to pay the price for mass illegal migration in the form of reduced jobs and lower wages. And yet, even as his administration found creative new ways to terrorize and immiserate undocumented workers, it has done little to systematically deter corporations from hiring them. In fact, the Trump family did not even cease employing undocumented laborers at its own company until this January, when negative press forced the Trump Organization to adopt E-Verify a system that allows employers to confirm the legal status of job applicants. This belated gesture did not augur any broader policy change. Last week, the president unveiled his new vision for immigration reform and a call for all employers to adopt (and rigorously enforce) E-Verify was conspicuously absent. In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday night, Trump explained the rationale behind that omission: FOX NEWS STEVE HILTON: One thing that people have speculated about was that it might include E-Verify. Is that going to be in the TRUMP: So E-Verify is going to be possibly a part of it. The one problem is E-Verify is so tough that in some cases, like farmers, theyre not theyre not equipped for E-Verify. I mean Id say thats against Republicans. A lot of the Republicans say you go through an E-Verify. I used it when I built the hotel down the road on Pennsylvania Avenue. I use a very strong E-Verify system. And we would go through 28 people 29, 30 people before we found one that qualified. [Emphasis mine.] Trumps argument here is not that E-Verify is easily subverted or prone to error. Rather, in the presidents view, the problem with E-Verify is that it works: When he built his D.C. hotel, his company struggled to find legal U.S. residents who were willing to do the work (at the wages that the Trump Organization was willing to pay). And Trump believes that agribusiness struggles with the same issue. Which is to say: The presidents complaint with E-Verify is ostensibly that it might force employers to pay more for low-skill labor, since legal U.S. residents arent quite as exploitable as workers who lack basic political and labor rights. Now, Trumps opposition to E-Verify is ultimately a good thing. So long as millions of law-abiding, longtime U.S. residents lack legal status, denying undocumented people the ability to feed their families through gainful employment is a monstrous proposition. But the presidents remarks nevertheless constitute an admission that he has been lying about the motivations behind his hawkish border policies. Simply put, an immigration agenda that allows companies to hire undocumented workers but makes such workers as vulnerable and disempowered as possible is an agenda that maximizes the incentive for employers to hire undocumented laborers over native-born Americans. After all, an undocumented worker who is too afraid of ICE to report workplace safety violations or wage theft can be exploited even more ruthlessly than one who is not. And Trump has given undocumented workers good reason to harbor such fears: In California, ICE agents have allegedly made a practice of arresting undocumented workers at labor dispute proceedings, after recieving tips from their aggrieved employers. Thus, the president has found a way to reconcile the GOP donor classs taste for powerless laborers with his bases raging xenophobia: Corporate America can use undocumented immigrants as farm equipment, so long as the Trumpen proletariat can still use them as punching bags. Let the immigrants undercut native-born wages, so long as their ritual abuse at the hands of the state reaffirms native-born (white) supremacy. The economic anxiety is a fig leaf; the cruelty is the point. The Pennington County sheriff can be sued over the state's new pipeline protest law since he has discretion over how to enforce the law, the South Dakota ACLU argues in a new court document. "Thoms policies give him discretion in whether and how to enforce the challenged laws, and the vagueness of the challenged laws requires Thom to exercise discretion and make choices in enforcing the laws," the ACLU wrote. "Each time Thom makes a choice about the laws meaning, as the highest official in the county for that action, he is doing so as a policymaker for Pennington County and exposes the county to liability each time." The ACLU filed the document Tuesday in response to Kevin Thom's motion to dismiss himself from the ACLU's lawsuit against him, Gov. Kristi Noem and Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. Thom argued he can't be sued over laws he is required to enforce. The lawsuit says Senate Bill 189, along with two riot-related statutes, violate the First and Fourteenth amendments by discouraging free speech and being unclear about what exact actions are considered boosting or encouraging a riot. Passed in expectation of protests if the Keystone XL pipeline is built, SB 189 establishes a legal avenue and funding source for the state to pursue out-of-state sources that "riot boost" or fund violent protests. Those found guilty of breaking the law can be sent to prison for up to 25 years. The ACLU named Thom in its lawsuit because it suspects protests will take place near Rapid City, Janna Farley, ACLU spokeswoman, previously told the Journal. The Keystone XL pipeline is expected to pass through Pennington, Meade, Butte, Perkins, Hardy, Haakon, Jones and Tripp counties. In its Tuesday response, the ACLU cites Pennington County law enforcement policies that say deputies have discretion within the criminal process, and the office must create a written plan for responding to an unusual occurrence such as a civil disturbance. The ACLU also points out that Thom told the Journal that he decided to follow the Pennington County state's attorney's interpretation of state law, not the attorney general's, and not arrest people for possessing CBD oil. "Further contradicting his argument that he is 'required' to enforce all state laws without any exercise of discretion, Thoms office explicitly stated in the press only a week before filing his opposition brief in this case that it will not follow opinions of the Attorney General with respect to CBD oil," the ACLU wrote. Like Noem and Ravnsborg, Thom also argued the plaintiffs have no reason to sue since they have no reason to fear prosecution since they've said they plan to protest the pipeline and encourage others to do so in a non-violent way. The ACLU said their clients the Sierra Club, Indigenous Environmental Network, Dakota Rural Action, NDN Collective and two individuals associated with the groups do have "reasonable fear of arrest, prosecution and civil liability" due to the vagueness of the laws and fear that they could be unfairly linked to violent protests they aren't involved in. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. One man's odyssey through the world of books 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 There is not enough analysis data for Absolute Software. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Absolute Software has received 178 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Absolute Software has received 86 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Absolute Software has received 67.42% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Absolute Software and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe ALSWF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe ALSWF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 2 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Premier Oil in the last year. There are currently 1 sell rating and 1 buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" Premier Oil stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in PMOIY, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Premier Oil or view top-rated stocks. Clean coal. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Donald Trump wants to let old coal plants remain in operation longer than existing federal rules would allow. To rationalize such a policy, the White House encouraged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to produce research showing that the economic benefits of keeping the sky sooty would outweigh the cost to public health. This proved difficult. On the one hand, the U.S. economy doesnt actually have much need for coal-fired power plants. On the other, EPA scientists found that keeping these uniquely dirty energy providers on the grid will cause 1,400 more Americans to perish from premature deaths every year. The EPAs findings unsettled the White House. This president may believe in cutting red tape, but even Donald Trump isnt comfortable arguing that victory in the War on Coal is worth 1,400 civilian casualties per annum. So the administration decided to bite the bullet, admit its error and order EPA scientists to engineer a lower body count. As the New York Times reports: The Environmental Protection Agency plans to adopt a new method for projecting the future health risks of air pollution, one that experts said has never been peer-reviewed and is not scientifically sound, according to five people with knowledge of the agencys plans. The broader significance is that the new modeling method would most likely be used by the Trump administration to defend further rollbacks of air pollution rules. It has been a constant struggle for the E.P.A. to demonstrate, as it is normally expected to do, that society will see more benefits than costs from major regulatory changes. The new methodology would assume there is little or no health benefit to making the air any cleaner than what the law requires. In other words: The EPA has set an official legal standard for what qualifies as a healthy level of particulate matter in the air. But that level itself reflects industry group pressure and economistic cost-benefit analyses; in truth, there is no level of air pollution that is healthy for human beings. So when the agency estimates the public-health implications of regulatory changes, it acknowledges that levels of pollution within the safe range can still result in premature deaths. The Trump administration has decided that this methodology is outrageous. As William L. Wehrum, the current EPA air-quality chief and former fossil-fuel-industry lobbyist explained to the Times: [Wehrum] noted that, in some regulations, the benefits of reduced particulate matter have been estimated to total in the range of $40 billion. How in the world can you get $30 or $40 billion of benefit to public health when most of that is attributable to reductions in areas that already meet a health-based standard, he said. That doesnt make any sense. Here, Wehrum displays contempt for the publics intelligence. Arguing that there cant possibly be large health benefits to reducing pollution in areas that already meet the health-based standard makes exactly as much sense as arguing that there cant possibly be traffic deaths on roads where everyone obeys the speed limit. Sixty-five miles an hour may be the safety-based standard for highway driving in a legal sense but that doesnt mean that its safe in some absolute, scientific one. And the same goes for levels of particulate matter in the air. The question in both cases is how much death were willing to tolerate. The Trump administrations problem is that it doesnt wish to admit that it is willing to kill thousands of Americans to keep its coal-industry patrons in the black. In 2020, Democrats should help the White House come clean. The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various personal and commercial banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases through auto dealer network. It also provides credit cards; real estate secured lending; auto finance; consumer lending; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, private banking, investment advisory, and trust services to retail and institutional clients; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to companies, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,085 branches, 3,440 automated teller machines, and 1,223 stores, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More " " Hear and Now: Dogs Are Guinea Worm's Best Friend? HowStuffWorks Welcome to this week's edition of the HowStuffWorks Now podcast. Here's a taste of the three stories you'll hear about in this week's episode. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has said that he wants to see the last Guinea worm kick the bucket before he does. With the worldwide total at seven cases from Jan. 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016 (22 total in 2015), it seems like Carter and a lot of very hard-working public health officials are close to realizing their goal. Except for the fact that Guinea worm is now infecting dogs. Hundreds of them, according to NPR. And, as we all know, humans and dogs tend to live in close proximity. All's not lost though. This week, Robert Lamb reports on this problem in the fight to eradicate Guinea worm and how some experts are proposing we stamp out the wily parasite for good in man and in his best friend. Advertisement Host Christian Sager headed out to the ocean for our next story about humpback whales and how they've been documented rescuing animals being hunted by killer whales. Interestingly, such encounters have been occurring for decades and haven't just involved humpback whale calves, but also unrelated animals such as sea lions, harbor seals and gray whale calves. So what's up with the heroic humpback? Christian outlines a few of the scientists' proposed explanations for this behavior. You can access the paper here. Last up, we departed the nonhuman animal world to focus on you, and how your impeccable music taste could be tied to your personality. In fact, researchers think that your personality matters more than your gender, age, socioeconomic status and cultural background when it comes to what you like to rock out to. How exactly did they conclude that? We'll let Jonathan explain it in the video and in the podcast. And here's the published paper, too, just to cover our bases. That's our trio for the HowStuffWorks Now podcast this week, which we've embedded for your listening pleasure in this article. If you like what you hear, please subscribe. Big Bad Wolves, the rather spectacular Israeli thriller from Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. The working title is Lobo Feroz (Ferocious Wolf). Variety reported this weekend that there will be a Spanish language remake of, the rather spectacular Israeli thriller from Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. The working title is). The revenge-thriller tracks a detective on the trail of a suspected child killer, a former religious studies teacher who was originally arrested for the crime, but allowed to walk free after a clerical error. Taking the law into his own hands, the detective enlists the mother of the most recently murdered child to exact a justice the legal system couldnt provide. Lobo Feroz will be directed by Uruguayan Gustavo Hernandez (You Shall Not Sleep and The Silent House) from a script written by his You Shall Not Sleep scribe Juma Fodde. Award-winning Spanish actor Jose Coronado is already signed on to lead the film. Hernandez is producing under his Mother Superior banner with partner Ignacio Cucovich. They are joined by Santiago Segura and Maria Luisa Gutierrezs production labels, Madrid-based Bowfinger and Amiguetes. The deal for the remake was negotiated by Guido Rud at Argentina's Film Sharks and Mother Superior last year. Hernandez spoke about this remake in the Variety article Amnesty International filed a lawsuit against Israeli surveillance firm NSO and fears its staff may be targeted by the company with its Pegasus spyware. The name NSO Group made the headlines last week after the disclosure of the WhatsApp flaw exploited by the company to remotely install its surveillance software. The Israeli firm is now facing a lawsuit backed by Amnesty International, but the non-governmental organization fears its staff may be under surveillance spyware delivered leveraging the WhatsApp issue. The lawsuit was filed in Israel by about 50 members and supporters of the human rights group. The organization calls on the Israeli ministry of defence to ban the export of the Pegasus surveillance software developed by NSO Group. An affidavit from Amnesty is at the heart of the case, and concludes that staff of Amnesty International have an ongoing and well-founded fear they may continue to be targeted and ultimately surveilled after a hacking attempt last year. reads the post published by The Guardian. The Israeli governments Defence Export Controls Agency has failed to exercise proper oversight despite serious allegations of abuse, the affidavit claimed, adding: Because of DECAs inaction, NSO Group can continue to sell its software to governments known to target human rights defenders. Officially the sale of surveillance software is limited to authorized governments to support investigation of agencies on criminal organizations and terrorist groups. Unfortunately, its software is known to have been abused to spy on journalists and human rights activists. In July, Citizen Lab collected evidence of attacks against 175 targets worldwide carried on with the NSO spyware. Citizen Lab uncovered other attacks against individuals in Qatar or Saudi, where the Israeli surveillance software is becoming very popular. In August, an Amnesty International report confirmed that its experts identified a second human rights activist, in Saudi Arabia, who was targeted with the powerful spyware. According to Joshua Franco, Amnestys head of technology and human rights, the trading of surveillance software is going out-of-control. On August, the human rights group published a report that provides details on the attack against an employee at Amnesty International. The hackers attempted to compromise the mobile device of a staff member in early June by sending him a WhatsApp message about a protest in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington. The organization added that such kind of attacks is becoming even more frequent, a growing number of Israeli surveillance software being used to spy on human rights operators and opposition figures in the Middle East and beyond. Amnesty International traced the malicious link in the message to the surveillance network of the Israeli firm NSO Group. The Guardian reported that NSO Group already faced many other lawsuits, such as the one backed by Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident based in Montreal. In December Abdulaziz filed a lawsuit in Israel in which he claimed that his phone was infected with the NSO spyware when he was in regular contact with the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In November, Snowden warned of abuse of surveillance software that also had a role in the murder of the Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi is believed to have been killed by Saudi Arabis agents, and the country has licensed NSO software in 2017, paying $55m for the technology. NSO said it wants to demonstrate that it is not involved in any abuse of its technology, it prepared a report composed of 26 pages to reply to the accusations made by Amnesty and Citizen Lab. It is curious that early 2019, a majority stake in NSO was acquired by the London based firm Novalpina Capital, founded by the banker and philanthropist Stephen Peel. The Guardian reported an excerpt of the reply to Amnesty, signed by Peel, that states that in almost all the cases of complaints of human rights abuse raised, the alleged victim of hacking had not been a target or the government in question had acted with due lawful authority. We believe that the reality is different. Weve seen them target human rights organisations and no evidence theyve been able to effectively control governments when complaints have been raised. replied Danna Ingleton, the deputy director of Amnestys technology division. If you appreciate my effort in spreading cybersecurity awareness, please vote for Security Affairs in the section Your Vote for the Best EU Security Tweeter Thank you Pierluigi Paganini The good news is that Trumps nuclear button didnt come up. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images President Trump, who may be the only thing standing between the Trump administration and an elective war with Iran, threatened to end the country in a tweet on Sunday. The statement, which is Trumps first threat to destroy Iran since July of last year, follows weeks of escalating tensions between the two governments in large part thanks to ongoing efforts by Iran hawks like National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to escalate tensions between the two governments. There have also been fears, echoed by the president himself, that Bolton has been trying to manipulate Trump into starting a war. Trumps tweet could have been a response to some new briefing he got, or the rocket of unknown origin that was fired at the Green Zone in Baghdad on Sunday, or a belated response to what may be overhyped intelligence that administration officials presented to Congress on Friday but it seems much more likely that the presidents return to bluster was prompted, as most of his weekend tweets typically are, by a Fox News segment he was watching (about the escalating tensions). If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran, Trump responded. Never threaten the United States again! It is not precisely clear what Trump meant by an official end to the more than 2,500-year-old country, which is now home to more than 81 million people, or what specific threat, if any, Iran had made. It was also a quieter threat than what Trump sent in July (To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.) Last week, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration was reviewing plans for a confrontation with Iran in case the country attacked the U.S. or its interests, and Pompeo ordered a partial evacuation of the American Embassy in Baghdad, citing intel about threatening Iranian activity. By the end of the week, however, confusion and skepticism reigned both in Congress and the foreign-policy community. Reminder:European allies,members of US gov/intel/DoD warned #Trump that exiting nuclear deal,cornering Iranian leadership,attempting to implode Irans economy,designating IRGC as FTO> carry consequences for US security.But Trump decided to let #Bolton lead the show & here we are https://t.co/NJZ5MWNtm6 Ellie Geranmayeh (@EllieGeranmayeh) May 19, 2019 Then on Sunday, a rocket was fired into Baghdads fortified Green Zone for the first time since late last year, landing less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy. No one was injured by the rocket, which according to the Washington Post may have been a warning shot from Iran-backed Shiite militias, who have used rockets to protest U.S. policy in the past. The harmless rocket was also precisely the kind of thing that Bolton and Pompeo have threatened to retaliate for, as they have said Iran will be held responsible for any attacks on U.S. forces or interests by its allies and affiliates throughout the Middle East. The rocket has thus fueled dread among Iraqi officials that the U.S. and Iran will act out some kind of conflict inside Iraq and destabilize the country. In the meantime, there doesnt seem to be much of a productive point to Trumps new threat against Iran on Sunday, and it drew criticism from analysts like the RAND Corporations Ariane Tabatabai, who wrote on Twitter that Trumps aggressive message was a step backward when the two countries need to be moving toward some kind of dialogue. More concerning yet, this undermines the Trump administrations efforts to reach the Iranian people, she continued. Threatening not just war but the official end of Iran taps into deeply and historically rooted anxieties in Iran. Far from leading Iranians to oppose their leaders, itll rally them around the flag and cement distrust of the U.S. The American Conservatives Daniel Larison, a consistent critic of Iran hawks like Bolton and Pompeo, came to a parallel conclusion: Trumps rhetoric is aimed at appealing to his domestic supporters, so he doesnt think about or care how it sounds to the targeted regime, but my guess is that the Iranian government will take this as additional proof that there is no point in talking to the U.S. while Trump is in charge. Over-the-top threats of destroying the entire country give the Iranian government another incentive to reject all U.S. demands, and they obviously do nothing to deescalate tensions between our governments when they are already very high. As usual, Trumps public displays of toughness only make him seem like an overcompensating bully and give hard-liners in both countries another boost. That would be a good outcome for the members of the Trump administration who seem to be hoping Iran will make some kind of first offensive move in order to allow the U.S. to retaliate. If all of this seems like a poor strategy to avoid another war in the Middle East, thats probably because it isnt a strategy for that. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), announced that the company behind LeakedSource, Defiant Tech Inc., pleads guilty in Canada. Defiant Tech Inc., the company behind the LeakedSource.com website, pleaded guilty in Canada. The LeakedSource website was launched in late 2015, in January 2017 the popular data breach notification website has been raided by feds. It reported some of the largest data breaches, including the ones that affected Last.fm, Rambler.ru, FriendFinder Networks, LinkedIn, and MySpace. In December 2017, the Canadian man Jordan Evan Bloom (27) was charged with data leak of 3 billion hacked accounts, the man was running a website to collect personal data and login credentials from the victims. The man was charged as part of an investigation dubbed Project Adoration, aiming at trafficking in personal data, unauthorized use of computers, and possession of an illicitly obtained property. The RCMP alleges that Bloom was the administrators of the LeakedSource.com website that operated through his company Defiant Tech. LeakedSource offered for sale access to data gathered data from the victims of security breaches, sometimes buying it from hackers. For $2 a day, a subscriber at LeakedSource, had the possibility to obtain the details on individuals by entering his email address or username. LeakedSource was also cracking the associated passwords when it was possible. The website was very popular among the users of the HackForums.net. A guilty plea was entered in court today by Defiant Tech Inc., to the charges of Trafficking In Identity Information and Possession of Property Obtained By Crime a year and a half after charges were laid into the RCMPs cybercrime investigation dubbed Project Adoration. reads the press release published by RCMP . LeakedSource.com had a database of approximately three billion personal identity records and associated passwords that could be purchased for a small fee. Defiant Tech Inc . was operating the LeakedSource.com website and the company earned approximately $247,000 from trafficking identity information. The arrest of Bloom is the result of a joint effort of Canadian authorities, FBI and Dutch National Police. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Defiant Tech made around CAN$247,000 (US$183,000) from his illegal activities. We are pleased with this latest development, said Superintendent Mike Maclean, Officer in Charge Criminal Operations of the RCMP National Division. I am immensely proud of this outcome as combatting cybercrime is an operational priority for us. According to the experts, Bloom didnt operate the website alone, at least another US citizen was involved, but none was charged for this. If you appreciate my effort in spreading cybersecurity awareness, please vote for Security Affairs in the section Your Vote for the Best EU Security Tweeter Thank you Pierluigi Paganini ( SecurityAffairs cybercrime, LeakedSource) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On "Everyone should go to jail, say, once every ten years" | Main | Divided California Supreme Court decides Prop 47 did not alter rules for retroactivity of Prop 36 three-strikes reform July 5, 2017 Federal district judge explains his remarkable reasons for rejecting an unremarkable plea deal in heroin dealing prosecution A helpful reader alerted me to a fascinating opinion issued last week by US District Judge Joseph Goodwin of the Southern District of West Virginia in US v. Walker, No. 2:17-cr-00010 (SD W. Va. June 26, 2017) (available here). The full opinion is a must read, and here is its conclusion: My twenty-two years of imposing long prison sentences for drug crimes persuades me that the effect of law enforcement on the supply side of the illegal drug market is insufficient to solve the heroin and opioid crisis at hand. I also see scant evidence that prohibition is preventing the growth of the demand side of the drug market. Nevertheless, policy reform, coordinated education efforts, and expansion of treatment programs are not within my bailiwick. I may only enforce the laws of illicit drug prohibition. The law is the law, and I am satisfied that enforcing the law through public adjudications focuses attention on the heroin and opioid crisis. The jury trial reveals the dark details of drug distribution and abuse to the community in a way that a plea bargained guilty plea cannot. A jury trial tells a story. The jury members listening to the evidence come away with personally impactful information about the deadly and desperate heroin and opioid crisis existing in their community. They are educated in the process of performing their civic duty and are likely to communicate their experience in the courtroom to family members and friends. Moreover, the attendant media attention that a jury trial occasions communicates to the community that such conduct is unlawful and that the law is upheld and enforced. The communication of a threat of severe punishment acts as an effective deterrent. As with other criminalized conduct, the shame of a public conviction and prison sentence specifically deters the sentenced convict from committing the crime again at least for so long as he is imprisoned. Over time, jury verdicts involving the distribution of heroin and opioids reinforce condemnation of the conduct by the public at large. In turn, respect for the law propagates.117 This respect for the law may eventually reduce such criminal conduct. The secrecy surrounding plea bargains in heroin and opioid cases frequently undermines respect for the law and deterrence of crime. The bright light of the jury trial deters crime, enhances respect for the law, educates the public, and reinforces their sense of safety much more than a contract entered into in the shadows of a private meeting in the prosecutors office. For the reasons stated, I REJECT the plea agreement. It will be quite interesting to see if the parties appeal this rejection of the plea agreement or if the defendant decides to plea without the benefit of any agreement (which I believe must be accepted if the judge finds it is voluntary). July 5, 2017 at 09:04 AM | Permalink Comments I wonder if this will be a thing for this sort of crime or that the fact a grand jury indictment was obtained and/or the long term record of the defendant etc. made things different somehow. Posted by: Joe | Jul 5, 2017 9:57:35 AM The real down side I see to an open plea is that none of the charges go away if that route is taken, and given that most plea agreements call for a within-guidelines sentence for the charges that remain that seems like the major benefit to the defendant. Would it be possible to plead guilty to the charges the government wants and reserve the rest or is that an all or nothing situation? If that is possible I suppose it could be done and then hope that the prosecutor gives over on the remainder. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jul 5, 2017 11:43:01 AM Prohibition works. It dropped the heroin addiction rate 95% in Vietnam veterans returning to the US. Alcohol prohibition dropped consumption only 50%, and that era was highly successful. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2010.00046.x/abstract Posted by: David Behar | Jul 5, 2017 12:23:31 PM I know in state court here, it is absolute discretion to reject a plea. Of course, the judge can't prevent the prosecution from dismissing and refiling with reduced charges (potentially allowing the parties to get a different judge on the new case). I can understand the general philosophy that plea bargaining excludes the general public from participation in the judicial system and that, therefore, some cases need to go to trial. (Professor Akhil Amar has written at length on the "educational" and public participation roles of the jury at the time of the framing.) If choosing one case as a teaching moment for the public, I would hope that the judge will remember on the back end that this case went to trial because the court wanted a trial, not because the parties did. Posted by: tmm | Jul 5, 2017 1:18:44 PM What I see here is the possible birth of the new boogeyman. Now that the politicians and goodie goodie nuts have beat the SEX OFFENDER hysteria till it's a dead horse. They need a new one. At Least this one does have a high reoffense rate Posted by: rodsmith3510 | Jul 5, 2017 6:34:26 PM There are two key things the Court's decision hides via omission: Was this a BINDING plea agreement under (c)? Was the charge in the Information without a drug amount or limited to a non-mandatory minimum amount? I assume both are true, and that the Judge may have seen a vast difference between the Indictment and the (in my assumption) sweet sweet deal that would tie the Court's hands. Posted by: USPO-Retired | Jul 5, 2017 7:22:11 PM Another point I thought of, I don't see how the putative jurors would learn much about the sentencing as that is information they are specifically not provided. And any sentence would come down long after the jurors are done. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jul 5, 2017 8:40:21 PM tmm, actually, a reading of Frye v. Missouri would likely give an argument that the Court was compelled to take the fact that the parties didn't want the trial. Posted by: federalist | Jul 6, 2017 10:07:53 AM Federalist, I am not seeing how Missouri v. Frye would support a constitutional right to plead guilty. Frye was an IAC case in which counsel failed to advise the client of the plea offer (and thereby was incompetent) with the likelihood that the court would accept the plea being part of the prejudice prong. While there is certainly language in Frye recognizing the significance of plea bargains in the system, neither Frye nor the companion decision in Lafler require the trial court to accept that plea bargain after setting aside the original sentence and judgment. Posted by: tmm | Jul 6, 2017 10:31:15 AM The opinion says nothing about the details of this particular plea agreement, especially the two critical facts identified by USPO-Retired (7:22). Without those facts, everything in the opinion appears to apply to plea agreements in general, not just this one. The opinion boils down to: this judge prefers trials to plea agreements (and by the way this particular defendant is a recidivist). Hard to see how that overbroad reasoning stands. In all likelihood this gets overturned for abuse of discretion, or at the very least remanded for additional explanation of reasoning. Posted by: Def. Atty. | Jul 6, 2017 10:59:42 AM tmm--if the idea is that there is some sort of liberty interest in a plea deal (see Kagan at oral argument), then what difference should it make that it was taken away by an idiosyncratic decision of a judge? I wasn't saying that Frye dictated the result--but there is a logical argument here. Posted by: federalist | Jul 7, 2017 12:34:08 PM Post a comment Prez Trump reportedly to pardon Scooter Libby | Main | Prez Donald Trump officially pardons Scooter Libby April 13, 2018 US District Judge explains why he believes "the scales of justice tip in favor of rejecting plea bargains" A helpful reader made sure I saw a remarkable new opinion from US District Judge Joseph Goodwin of the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in US v. Stevenson, No. 2:17-cr-00047 (S.D. W. Va. April 12, 2018) (available here). The starts of the 19-page opinion should readily reveal why criminal justice fans why this opinion is today's must-read: On June 26, 2017, I rejected the proffered plea agreement in United States v. Charles York Walker, Jr. after determining that it was not in the public interest. On October 10, 2017, I rejected the proffered plea agreement in United States v. Antoine Dericus Wilmore after determining that it also was not in the public interest. In both opinions, I stated that it is the courts function to prevent the transfer of criminal adjudications from the public arena to the prosecutors office for the purpose of expediency at the price of confidence in and effectiveness of the criminal justice system. I have further reflected upon the near-total substitution of plea bargaining for the system of justice created by our nations Founders, and I FIND that I should give great weight to the peoples interest in participating in their criminal justice system when considering whether to accept or reject a proffered plea bargain in a particular case. I FIND that the scales of justice tip in favor of rejecting plea bargains unless I am presented with a counterbalance of case-specific factors sufficiently compelling to overcome the peoples interest in participating in the criminal justice system. Therefore, in each case, I will consider the case-specific factors presented to me and weigh those competing factors against the peoples participatory interest and then determine whether to accept or reject the plea bargain. Because I FIND that the presented justifications for the bargain in this case are insufficient to balance the peoples interest in participating in the criminal justice system, I REJECT the proffered plea agreement. Wowsa! #morejurytrials? April 13, 2018 at 09:07 AM | Permalink Comments More jury trials? Maybe more pre-indictment charge bargaining or more discretion in the USAOs in bringing count-heavy indictments. Maybe. Posted by: Tom Root | Apr 13, 2018 9:18:20 AM I hope he doesnt punish the defendant for going to trial when he rejects the plea. I also hope the defendant doesnt get stuck with a mandatory minimum, multiple 924(c)s or an 851 because of this. Aside from those concerns, I love it. More Jencks, more awareness by the public of the tactics agents use in the field. More sunshine is usually a very good thing. Posted by: Defendergirl | Apr 13, 2018 10:38:15 AM That's theoretically great and practically crazy. He must not have much of a criminal docket, although you would think the drug crime docket in WVa is as stout as any place else. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Apr 13, 2018 11:27:26 AM Also of great interest is the emphasis he places on the grand jury as the will of the people having spoken in favor of a trial, and also noting their great power in the absolute ability to no bill a defendant. Except that grand juries don't exercize that power. I doubt that they are informed that they can decline to indict because the crime is stupid or the penalty disproportionate and draconian. As frequently noted, a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. While an exaggeration, it is not that far from the truth. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Apr 13, 2018 11:34:04 AM Judge Don Willett's first opinion might also be of interest. http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/17/17-10251-CR0.pdf Posted by: Joe | Apr 13, 2018 12:12:43 PM As a FPD for almost 40 years there was a day ..before about 1984, and again in 1987, when there were more trials because the cost,while varied and hard to measure,was up to the Judge and rarely as high as that extracted by AUSA..see defendergirl comment above..this job went from 10-12 jury trial a year to 1 or fewer Posted by: scott tilsen | Apr 13, 2018 4:14:47 PM Since Roe v. Wade and Lawrence v. Texas made arrests rare in America, I think we can afford to bring all arrested people to an actual speedy, public jury trial of their peers. The only reason incarceration rates were so high in the 1950s and 1960s was because they were arresting gays and OB/GYNs. Now that that's illegal, incarceration rates have plummeted and there's no need to avoid trials. Posted by: Obergefell | Apr 13, 2018 8:03:17 PM If I were a defense attorney, I wouldn't be praising this at all. This judge is rejecting plea agreements because he thinks they are too lenient, not because he is trying to check the power of prosecutors to intimidate defendants into pleading guilty on weak cases. Posted by: USPO-Retired | Apr 13, 2018 9:23:10 PM It would be good if all plea agreements were forbidden, thus forcing prosecutors to lower their indictkment counts and even only indict what they think they can manage--if all cases go to jury trial. All cases. Add to that, making it illegal to assess bail amounts beyond the accused's income level (except in cases where it can be shown that there is some valid, provable reason the person should not be able to get himself released), and you have a much lower county jail poplation and the beginning of real prison population reform. The third leg would be to start removing the number of offenses to levels of say 1940. Finally, mens rea for all criminal offenses. If you can't prove intent you can't charge and convict. There, fixed it for you. Do those 4 things and you have justice the Founders envisioned. Posted by: restless94110 | Apr 13, 2018 10:31:53 PM I wonder how close to a binding agreement the parties could reach by crafting a private bargain to enter an open plea to only certain charges. My understanding is that a judge has no power to reject an open plea on the grounds that it is not in the public interest. While it would still leave lots more room to argue what sentence is right it would allow the offender to avoid the possibility of a mandatory minimum if that had been part of the rejected offer. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Apr 14, 2018 1:21:52 AM Soronel, open pleas would be fine were it not for mandatory minimums which range can be 5,10, 20 and even 30. Pleading open to a 30 year mandatory minimum charge gets you, as one would expect, at least 30 years! Not very appealing to most folks. How about multiple counts? Pleadin open sets you up for consecutive sentences. Posted by: Hanna | Apr 14, 2018 1:31:39 PM The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin has rejected plea deals for the third time in nine months. He also rejected plea deals in June and in October https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/cops_and_courts/federal-judge-rejects-third-plea-deal-in-a-year-in/article_4970f4b3-2282-51f8-ac0e-fa8e27a73d8e.html https://www.wvgazettemail.com/placement/there-is-no-justice-in-bargaining-against-the-people-s/article_adfec645-af8a-52e6-805f-555b3734753b.html https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/cops_and_courts/federal-judge-rejects-plea-deal-in-second-drug-trafficking-case/article_4cb0cc96-8f9b-5d1b-82da-f2bd362d9369.html Posted by: Elaine Mittleman | Apr 14, 2018 2:11:08 PM Hanna, That is why I included the proviso of only pleading to certain charges, plea bargains very often make most of the charges go away. Such a private bargain would not, of course, be enforceable but a prosecutor would only be able to violate such an agreement once before all trust would be lost. However, I have a hard time seeing three plea bargains rejected in nine months as a blanket policy (that is, I have to think plenty of other plea bargains were also accepted during this period). And if that is the case I don't see a lot of pressure on the prosecutor's office to make such private agreements in order to deal with their caseload. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Apr 14, 2018 2:50:14 PM Plea bargaining benefits the guilty but hurts the innocent. As a career prosecutor, I am for a substantial cut back on plea bargaining. We should plead what we can prove and prove what we have plead. That may result in more trials, which is a good thing, but I expect a lot of defendants will still plead guilty. Like defendergirl, I like the idea that the public will see law enforcement tactics. Except, the reality will show that the nearly all defendants are clearly guilty and the vast majority of law-enforcement act professionally and ethically. That will be useful for their next jury service. Ultimately I dont think it will reveal any nasty underbelly. At least not here in the Bay Area. Dont forget that it is easy for a prosecutor to prosecute a clearly guilty defendant, it is hard to defend them all. The defense bar and their clients dont want this, because it reduces the currency of forcing the government to trial. They will just end up doing more time. Posted by: David | Apr 14, 2018 7:36:08 PM The question becomes clearly guilty of what? The worst charge in the indictment? Or something lesser? Or an unindicted lesser included offense that a judge refuses to instruct? And a web search of "san fransciso and wrongful convictions" belies your claim about LEO ethics. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Apr 14, 2018 11:53:17 PM San Francisco is an outlier in every sense of the word. Plus, I wouldnt take Adachis word on the point. Posted by: David | Apr 15, 2018 10:50:45 AM Post a comment Waiting for Godot ... Gundy | Main | Guest post on the Fourth Circuit's reaction to district judge's rejection of plea bargains May 20, 2019 Exciting agenda for "Rewriting the Sentence Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration" In this post a few weeks ago, I flagged this great event, titled ""Rewriting the Sentence Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration," taking place next month in New York City hosted by Columbia University and The Aleph Institute at Columbia Law School. In my prior post, I spotlighted the many great speakers scheduled to be at the event (as detailed at this link), and noted that the event website provides this overview. I now see that this link provides the detailed schedule for all the panels, and I think sentencing fans will find interesting and important every one of the planned panels. Here are just a few panel titles from the detailed agenda to whet appetites (click through to see all the big names under each panel title): A New Wave of Prosecutorial Thinking: Views of Recently Elected District Attorneys A Federal Legislative Look: The First Step Act, and the Next Steps Risk Assessment: A Feature or a Bug? Perspectives on A Complex Debate Sentencing Second Chances: Addressing Excessive Sentencing With Escape Valves The Role of Mercy and Dignity in Criminal Justice: From Restoration to Clemency May 20, 2019 at 11:44 AM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Exciting agenda for "Rewriting the Sentence Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration" | Main | Shouldn't it now constitutional problematic for extreme LWOP sentences to be preserved after legislative changes to three-strikes laws? In prior posts here and here I noted the quite notable opinions by US District Judge Joseph Goodwin explaining why he was rejecting plea bargaining in fairly routine cases. Professor Suja A. Thomas, Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at the University of Illinois College of Law, who is a leading scholar on juries and has written the leading book on the topic, was kind enough to put together this guest post about the Fourth Circuit's recent opinion in one of these cases: By rejecting plea bargains, Judge Joseph Goodwin of the Southern District of West Virginia has been challenging the prevalent use of plea-bargaining in the federal courts. Judge Goodwin began to do so in 2017 in United States v. Walker when he issued an opinion rejecting a plea bargain in a case involving heroin-dealing (discussed here). He said he would continue to reject plea deals as long as the plea bargain wasnt in the publics interest. True to his word he has rejected pleas in other cases including United States v. Stevenson and United States v. Wilmore. Late last month in US v. Walker, No. 18-4110 (4th Cir. April 29, 2019), the Fourth Circuit issued its first opinion addressing Judge Goodwins rejection of pleas. The facts of Walker are significant. The government presented a deal for a plea to a single count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. It recommended 24 to 30 months. The court rejected the plea deal and ultimately as a result of pleading guilty to three distribution counts plus a jury conviction on a gun count, the defendant received four times as much 120 months in prison. In Walker, Judge Goodwin described four considerations in whether a plea bargain agreement should be accepted: (1) the cultural context surrounding the subject criminal conduct; (2) the publics interest in participating in the adjudication of the criminal conduct; (3) the possibility of community catharsis absent the transparency of a jury trial; and (4) whether, in light of the [presentence report], it appeared that the motivation for the plea agreement was to advance justice or to expediently avoid trial. 922 F.3d 239, 245 (4th Cir. 2019). In rejecting the plea bargain there, the judge discussed how West Virginia had been deeply wounded by ... heroin and opioid addiction, explained the publics significant interest in this issue, described the importance of the jurys determination of this matter, and concluded that the plea agreement had been improperly motivated by convenience. Id. at 245-46. While the Fourth Circuit addressed Judge Goodwins rejection of plea bargaining, the opinion is disappointing. In upholding his decision, it focused on only Judge Goodwins analysis of the defendants criminal history and violence. And it suggested that Judge Goodwins broader considerations such as the cultural context of the offenses were irrelevant. Similarly, in concurrence, Judge Niemeyer stated that the court would have abused its discretion if it had rejected plea bargaining based on the governments frequent use for the reason of convenience. Id. at 254. The Fourth Circuit missed an opportunity. It could have addressed some of the problems tagged by Judge Goodwin that constitutionally-enshrined juries decide few cases and that the courts accept plea bargaining as necessary for efficiency despite no constitutional backing for this proposition. With that said, I recognize that Judge Goodwins actions resulted in a black defendant being sent to prison for much more time than the prosecution wanted continuing to contribute to the problem of mass incarceration. Additionally, a jury had some role but did not decide all counts. Though one can argue that the Judges action in rejecting plea bargains is far from a perfect solution, whether you agree with the Judge or not, he has taken a bold, very courageous step of questioning our continued reliance on the system of plea bargaining. And I share some views with Judge Goodwin. I value the role that the jury was to play in the criminal justice system under the Constitution. Plea coercion, as I like call it, occurs in approximately 97% of federal cases. Most of the time the defendant is given a false choice receive a discount for pleading guilty or receive a penalty for going to trial. The obvious result is the system that we have now. No one takes a jury trial; the penalty is too great. In a book and elsewhere, I have argued that this system is unconstitutional. Historically a penalty was not attached to a jury trial. A defendant received the same sentence if he pled guilty or if he was convicted before a jury. The Harvard Law Review summarized and critiqued Judge Goodwins opinion in Walker. 131 Harv. L. Rev. 2073 (2018). Although an interesting analysis including a discussion of the significant impact on the defendant, the authors missed the mark when they simply stated plea bargaining is a systemic problem that cannot be convincingly addressed by the actions of a single judge. Id. at 2078. They did not recognize that systemic change often begins with a single person challenging the status quo. The judge has already sparked national media coverage and other significant discussions about plea bargaining. With that said, what will the government do in the future in Judge Goodwins courtroom? It seems like the defendant and the government will get around Judge Goodwins rejection of the plea deal by privately agreeing in advance to the plea. Hopefully, the needed attention to the problems with plea-bargaining will not end there. Two great new policy briefs from Right on Crime discussing best practices for parole and probation | Main | Has anyone kept track of total ACCA case GVRs through the years (or estimated total time spent on ACCA churn)? This new Atlantic article, headlined "The Search for Progressive Judges," highlights how activists who have sought to elect a new wave of progressive prosecutors are now turning attention to judicial elections. Here are excerpts: It used to be unheard of for Philadelphia judges to reject a negotiated sentence in these resentencings until Larry Krasner, arguably the most progressive prosecutor in the country, took over the citys district attorneys office in January 2018 and started delivering on a promise to minimize incarceration. In response, several Philadelphia judges have shut down his attempts to keep people out of prison or release them earlier.... Recently, some judges reportedly declined to consider an initiative, developed by Krasner, to seek shorter probation sentences. After watching these developments with growing dismay, Rick Krajewski, an organizer for a leftist political group called Reclaim Philadelphia, convened about 30 Philadelphia activists in January at the offices of a prisoner-advocacy organization to float a radical proposal. Many of them had been instrumental in getting Krasner elected. But clearly, electing a progressive prosecutor hadnt been enough. This time, Krajewski wanted to persuade them to spearhead a rare grassroots campaign for the typically sleepy judicial race.... Krasner, elected in 2017, came to office during a nationwide wave of reform-minded prosecutors: In Houston, Chicago, Brooklyn, and other left-leaning cities, prosecutors have been winning races on platforms to end mass incarceration. A prosecutor has tremendous sway when, for example, suggesting bail, negotiating plea agreements, and recommending sanctions for parole and probation violations. But judges and magistrates have the final say and their decisions have been thrown into relief in jurisdictions that have elected reformist prosecutors. What we are seeing is that the judges are deciding to take it upon themselves to be the obstacle for a progressive district attorney, says Robert Saleem Holbrook, a former juvenile lifer who now works as a policy adviser at Amistad Law Project, a prisoner-rights advocacy organization. Recently, justice-reform advocates in a couple of other places have also turned their eye to judges. In Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, voters swept out the old guard to completely flip all 59 contested seats in civil, criminal, family, juvenile, and probate courts from Republican to Democrat; the new judges are preparing to stop detaining people accused of low-level crimes who arent able to post cash bail. Organizers in Texas are starting to scout for judicial candidates in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, and in Dallas County, who support scaling back the use of cash bail. In theory, judges should be impartial arbiters of justice, motivated by the law rather than politics. Since the birth of America, legal scholars and politicians have debated the best method to create an independent judiciary: Should it be elected, or appointed by other elected officials? That question has yet to be resolved, and currently each state institutes its own system for choosing local judges. However, the majority 87 percent as of 2015 of state-court judges are elected officials. I think that the overwhelming majority of judges are trying to do their jobs in good faith, says Alicia Bannon, the deputy director for program management of the Democracy Program at New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice, but those political pressures are real. Historically, that pressure has been applied by advocates for a more punitive justice system. The authors of a 2015 Brennan Center study analyzed television ads for judicial candidates nationwide and found that an increasing number of ads focused on how harshly the candidate would punish bad actors: In 2013 and 2014, a record 56 percent of campaign ads lauded tough-on-crime records or lambasted opponents for being soft. In the past, advocates on the left have lamented how these political pressures have influenced judges. Now, the progressive activists in the Philadelphia election, and the ones in Texas, are unapologetically supporting judges whose politics align with their own. The primary election on May 21, rather than the actual election in the fall, will essentially determine who will win the judgeships, since the citys electorate votes overwhelmingly for Democrats, leaving Republican candidates with little chance of victory. The primaries are technically partisan, but only one Republican is running. The reality is no matter how you pick judges, they are going to be political, says Jed Shugerman, a Fordham law professor who wrote The Peoples Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America. In todays political climate, he says, progressive groups can have significant influence in left-leaning cities. Has anyone kept track of total ACCA case GVRs through the years (or estimated total time spent on ACCA churn)? | Main | Exciting agenda for "Rewriting the Sentence Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration" May 20, 2019 Waiting for Godot ... Gundy With apologies to Samuel Beckett, the following script came to mind t capture how I am feeling after another morning of SCOTUS rulings without a decision in one interesting criminal case argued way back in early October: ESTRAGON: Charming spot. (He refreshes SCOTUSblog.) Inspiring prospects. (He turns to Vladimir.) Let's do some other work. VLADIMIR: We can't. ESTRAGON: Why not? VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Gundy. ESTRAGON: (despairingly). Ah! (Pause.) You're sure it won't be DIGed? VLADIMIR: What? ESTRAGON: That we might wait and wait and not get a ruling. VLADIMIR: They said by June. (They look at the calendar.) Do you see any others cases taking this long? ESTRAGON: What others? VLADIMIR: I don't know. A civil case. ESTRAGON: What about all the capital cases? VLADIMIR: What are you insinuating? That we've come to the wrong place? ESTRAGON: It should be here by now. VLADIMIR: Then didn't say for sure it'd come. ESTRAGON: And if it doesn't come? VLADIMIR: We'll come back next decision day. ESTRAGON: And then the decision day after that. VLADIMIR: Possibly. ESTRAGON: And so on. VLADIMIR: The point is ESTRAGON: Until Gundy comes. May 20, 2019 at 10:33 AM | Permalink Comments Clever. Reminds me of the delivery joint in college that we came to refer to as Godot Pizza. Posted by: Def. Atty. | May 20, 2019 11:37:48 AM Not just Gundy. Of the five cases left from the Fall arguments, four have some criminal law related issue: Nieves on retaliatory arrest; Murphy on whether half of Oklahoma is an exclusive federal jursidiction; and Gamble on Dual Sovereign. (But we did get Herrera today on the other Native American treaty conflict with criminal law.) While the Fall was a little bit heavy on interesting criminal law issues, these cases are taking a lot longer than one would expect. (Over the past three terms, only Gill took longer between argument and opinion than Gundy has taken so far.) Posted by: tmm | May 20, 2019 1:23:27 PM Post a comment A good employer can change your life. Whether they offer amazing salaries, impressive benefits, a good work-life balance or a gorgeous working environment, we spend half our lives at work so its worth finding a role were happy in. In this series, we delve into the best employers in Singapore across three categories: salary, work-life balance, and welfare. Well let you in on Singapores best employers, as ranked by those in the know: employees themselves. Using data from the HR Asia Awards 2019 Singapore Edition and information from Glassdoor, well make sure youre networking with the right people to transform not only your work life but your home life as well. First up: the best salaries in Singapore. Because ultimately the size of your pay packet is a huge contributing factor to how happy (or not) you are in your job. Maybe youre currently being undervalued and underpaid, fear not, check out our list of the best salaries in Singapore and youll be laughing all the way to the bank. SAS SAS Institute Pte Ltd, a well-known firm in the IT industry that provides management of computer facilities. A market leader in terms of employee rating and in particular salary provision, they are the benchmark for where other companies want to be. Workers recommend a pleasant working environment and excellent salaries. Employing over 10,000 people around the world, SASs office in Singapore is renowned for being one of the best places to work in the IT industry. They offer impressive benefits including astounding sick pay, meaning you wont have to worry next time you need a day off for the flu. Randy Goh, the managing directors mantra is Our assets are our employees. And it is this that inspires him to remunerate his staff in such a notable way. Swarovski Swarovski Singapore Trading Pte Ltd, the iconic jewellery brand with origins in Austria, is ranked as one of the best employers in Singapore for salary. Founded in 1895, the company knows that its strength lies in its staff, and pays them accordingly. Story continues With over 2800 stores across 170 countries, staffed by 27,000 happy employees, the Singapore branch is no exception. As well as impressive salaries, from store assistants right through to senior management, there is a position to suit every level of experience. As a bonus, all employees receive a 60% discount from the companys glittering products. Titansoft Titansoft Pte Ltd lives by the slogan Never stop improving and this certainly seems to apply to their salaries. A relatively small company compared to the others on this list, with only 200 employees, the company develops software solutions for global customers. They prize top-quality technology, transparent processes and specialised skills meaning their talent is some of the highest paid in the industry. Located in Chinatown, employees value the excellent salary as well as the good work-life balance thanks to flexible working hours, not to mention the proximity of Chinese food come lunchtime. We can highly recommend a move to Titansoft if you value small, inclusive work environments, plenty of responsibility and room to grow in return for a hefty pay packet. Oracle Oracle Corporation Singapore Pte Ltd is a software company based in Singapore with better than average salaries for employees. Whether youre a software engineer or a database administrator, you are sure to be remunerated generously for your time. An American company, Oracle is famous for cloud applications, platform services, and engineered systems. Their 400,000 customers rely on the talented staff to satisfy their technology needs in a manner that is flexible, secure and scalable. Oracle promises to offer employees inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability and this ethos is reflected in the unusually high salaries reported by employees. Its true that Oracle has a work hard play hard attitude, but if youre willing to put in the work, Oracle will more than reward you at the end of the month. Arrow Arrow Electronics Asia (S) Pte Ltd receives remarkable reviews across job review sites Glassdoor and Indeed. And with roles ranging from shipping clerk and warehouse worker up to application developer and intelligence developer, there is a role for every niche. Scaling dizzying sums for the top jobs, this is a company that is guaranteed to pay well if you bring talent and hard work to the table. An enormous operation, Arrow dabbles in everything including cars, coffee makers, cruise missiles, handheld electronics, video games, and household appliances. Their one rule? Its got to be something that takes a charge. This Fortune 500 company makes $26.6 billion per year, so its only right that the employees see some of the action. Reporting consistent year on year growth, this is the company to go for if you value job security and like the smell of success. But what do the employees say? We hear that its a dynamic and fun working environment, with good management and a positive work ethic. Staff retention is impressive which we think is always a sign of a happy workplace with well-cared-for staff. The perfect place to begin your career or to challenge yourself as an established worker in the market, Arrow is sure to recognise your potential and pay you accordingly. Armed with the knowledge of the best salaries in Singapore, we hope youll feel confident to head out in search of a new job with a stellar salary or even ask for a raise at your current employer. (By Sally Fox) Related Articles - Distinguishing Features Of The Best Companies To Work For In Singapore 2018 - Best companies to work for in Singapore 2018 (& Tips on how to identify a good workplace) - Best companies to work for in Singapore 2017 The Pardoner in Chief. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images President Trump may pardon several U.S. service members who have been accused or convicted of serious war crimes, including the mass murder of civilians, the New York Times reported Saturday. On Friday, the Trump administration filed expedited requests for the necessary paperwork to issue the pardons on or just after Memorial Day condensing what is normally a months-long process into a little more than a week. The typical Trump may change his mind caveat applies, but if not, the pardons would provide yet another striking demonstration of how little the president understands or cares about the rule of law or the nature of service. The potential pardons involve some very high-profile cases, per the Times: One request is for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs, who is scheduled to stand trial in the coming weeks on charges of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq. The others are believed to include the case of a former Blackwater security contractor recently found guilty in the deadly 2007 shooting of dozens of unarmed Iraqis; the case of Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, the Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan in 2010; and the case of a group of Marine Corps snipers charged with urinating on the corpses of dead Taliban fighters. Trump has already publicly signaled his support for both Gallagher and Golsteyn, at least in part owing to the advocacy of Fox & Friends co-anchor Pete Hegseth, who has been lobbying the president on behalf of the men both on and off the air. In March, Trump announced that he would be transferring Gallagher to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his upcoming trial, and back in December, Trump tweeted that he would be reviewing Golsteyns case. He referred to Golsteyn as a U.S. military hero. Trump has not mentioned the Marine Scout Snipers who were court-martialed for urinating on dead Taliban fighters, but Task and Purpose reports that Trumps former attorney, John Dowd, had worked to clear the Marines records in 2017, and a lawyer for one of the Marines said he had requested a pardon from Trump after he took office but never heard back. The president has also never mentioned Slatten, the Blackwater contractor, but Trump has well-known links to Blackwater via its founder, the Trump-boosting, truth-challenged Erik Prince, and his sister, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The paperwork requests also come less than two weeks after President Trump pardoned another convicted war criminal, former Army First Lieutenant Michael Behenna, who, while deployed in Iraq in 2008, disobeyed orders, drove an Iraqi prisoner into the desert, stripped him naked, and shot him in the chest and the head. Behenna was convicted of unpremeditated murder a year later and was already serving a reduced sentence when Trump pardoned him. Trump is (or has been) convinced that these men are victims of injustice, rather than perpetrators of it. And its not hard to imagine how war criminals could seem like war heroes to a president who fetishizes strength and power over the powerless. It should also be emphasized that all of the victims of these war crimes lived in Muslim-majority countries. Granted, there havent been any U.S. wars in countries that didnt have Muslim majorities over the past few decades, but the potential pardons must also be seen in the context of President Trumps rarely veiled Islamophobia and how well that has played with his base. Whatever Trump believes, he has already made it clear that when it comes to helping his friends and perceived allies, he has no problem wielding pardons and revoking justice at an unprecedented scale. Considering all these factors, there should be little doubt that Trump will proceed with the pardons, as well as think that Memorial Day would be the best day to grant them, rather than the absolute worst day imaginable since it would malign the honorable service and sacrifice of countless other Americans. The military is not the constituency for these pardons. Service-members Ive spoken with say these convicted criminals undermine the mission and make them less safe. Strikes me its a straight-up political base play with damaging real-world consequences. https://t.co/TAEjYR7uep Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) May 19, 2019 The pardons would also go against core principles that form the foundation of the armed services, as well as military justice, former Army JAG Glenn Kirschner explained in a Twitter thread on Saturday: Our military criminal justice system protects the rights of soldiers accused of crimes as well as, if not better than, many civilian systems. Its rarely an easy decision to prosecute a soldier, particularly for crimes committed during a time of war or otherwise in a hostile environment. But we expect, indeed demand, that our soldiers not commit murder/war crimes/atrocities while in military service. Indeed, the need to maintain good order and a cohesive fighting force requires that soldiers act in a law-abiding way even under the most difficult circumstances. Military commanders and prosecutors often agonize over decisions whether to charge a soldier with a criminal offense. This is, in part, because we recognize the sacrifices soldiers make for their country, putting their lives on the line to protect our people & our freedoms. But when a decision ultimately is made to court martial a soldier, the system takes great pains to ensure that soldiers receive excellent legal representation and fair trials. Enormous time [and] effort goes into investigations, prosecutions and, in the event of conviction, appeals. I know this first hand, having handled, as an Army prosecutor (in both the trial courts & appellate courts), cases including murder during Operation Just Cause, espionage during Operation Desert Storm, death penalty litigation, and many others. Kirschner, who said Trumps proposed plan makes me sick, also highlighted how, in the case of Slatten, his fellow Blackwater soldiers helped bring him to justice. Gallagher, also, faces justice because his conduct appalled his fellow SEALs. They then put their careers at risk to report him, and may now see their commander-in-chief recklessly invalidate that courage so that he can hear how great he is on Fox News. These were not situations in which good soldiers were caught up in some unjust system; they were situations in which good soldiers exposed bad soldiers. I feel bad for the guys who reported Gallagher. They risked their careers to report actions which the president has now endorsed. Pardon will have the intended effect, though. The next time people witness that kind of behavior, they're going to keep quiet. Adam Rawnsley (@arawnsley) May 19, 2019 Pardoning a series of war criminals would set a precedent for what is and is not acceptable behavior on the battlefield and within the chain of command, all thanks to a draft dodger who attacked a prisoner of war and a gold-star family on his way to becoming president. Trump is an avowed proponent of torture, a fan of fantasies about executing Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs blood, and someone who has joked that he could get away with killing someone if he wanted to and he wants to remake the military in his image. Binances Singapore Launch Binances eagerly anticipated service in Singapore went live about three weeks ago to the delight of the regions crypto enthusiasts. Singapores launch is in line with the companys global expansion plan through which similar fiat-to-crypto launches have been executed in Uganda and Jersey. Binance exchange is inarguably the worlds largest crypto exchange platform by market capitalization. The platform reportedly powers over $500 million worth of crypto transactions daily. Binance warmed the hearts of users with their extremely low transaction charges- approximately 0.1%. Users were also attracted to the platform due to their vast crypto offerings. Users can trade over 130 cryptocurrencies on Binance. Binances easy to use platform Binance platform offers the best user experience for both experts and beginner traders. The sites usability can be adjusted depending on user experience making it the most sought after platform by both newbies and experts. Aside from desirable offerings and user experience, Binance is also popular for its native token Binancecoin (BNB). BNB which is also tradable at the companys platform enjoys a favorable market cap of about $3 billion. To further promote the token, Binance offers a decent discount for all fees paid using BNB in all kinds of crypto-to-crypto transactions. Until recently Binance did not support fiat currency. The company is gradually working on this major hindrance to the platforms popularity by introducing fiat-crypto trades like it is doing in Singapore. The platform, however, continues to limit short selling and margin trade. Binance has also come under intense criticism for its sloppy security measures. The platform requests little information for verification from clients making it a target for cyber theft. Binance recently announced the theft of 7,000 Bitcoins valued at $41 million. Half-baked Singapore Site Some voices in the crypto community opinions that Binances Singapore launch was a let-down. Hawk-eyed critics have established striking resemblance between the Singapores site and U.S. based Coinbase. The newly launched platform is a far outcry from Binances traditional platform according to critics. The Singaporean site has only listed Bitcoin (BTC) and the Singapore Dollar (SGD) a massive deficit from the 130 tradable options listed on its traditional platform. The platform only permits users to purchase BTC at fixed prices which can only be traded against the SGD. Another downside to using the platform is that BTC purchased are not transferable to other exchanges. The companys management is aware of these concerns and has said that Singapores exchange is a work in progress. Wei Zhou, Binances CFF confirmed that the company would be listing more tokens in the future. Story continues Bainance-Xfers Partnership Binance expansion program seeks to establish an exchange in every country thereby establishing a global footprint that will further stamp their leadership position. To achieve this objective, the platform will collaborate with local entities including strategic lenders that have adhered to all the regulations of the land. Binance recognizes Singapores influence in the Asian finance market and from the recently launched service they can later stretch their coverage to Tokyo and Hong Kong among other potential markets. Informed by their policy to partner with local entities, Binances Singapores presence is partly powered by Xfers- a local digital payment provider. Xfer according to its website has facilitated transactions grossing over $600 million for over 250,000 customers. It should be remembered that Xfers had initially partnered with Coinbase and supported its entry into Singapores market. Coinbase, later on, quit the Singaporean market citing Xfers inability to handle Coinbases accelerated growth in the region. According to Binances spokesperson, Xfers currently can support Banances large volumes trades. The companys spokesperson also reiterated that its Singaporean site has full deposit/withdrawal mechanisms. Vertexs Investment Vertex Ventures, an affiliate of the Singaporean government-owned- Temasek Holdings invested an undisclosed sum in Binance. Vertex announced its intentions to invest in the platform about a month ahead of its official launch in Singapore. Through investment, Vertex Ventures seeks to promote the advancement of fiat-crypto exchange in South East Asia. Vertexs backing is a big deal for Binance given the formers influence and financial might. Vertex Ventures reportedly manages assets roughly worth $223 billion. The companys vast portfolio includes assets in the United States, China, India, and Israel among several other locations. Vertex is famous for its indulgence in burgeoning startups and is currently managing startups worth nearly $2.5 billion. The Launch of DEX Aside from the Singaporean platform launch, Binance has unveiled the anticipated Binance DEX (Decentralized Exchange) underpinned by its Binance Chain. The company is inviting stakeholders in the crypto community to transact through the blockchain. Binance believes that the platform presents new possibilities offering a transparent financial ecosystem. The platform is designed that there will be no central custody of tokens allowing users to be in absolute control of their assets. The company announced that its native token (Binance Coin BNB) has already ditched Ethereum-based ERC-20 to the newly launched BEP-2. BNB is the native token on the platform and is expected to power the networks transactions Binance Chain currently supports a vast of wallets including Trust Wallet, Magnum Wallet, Enjin, CoolWallet, Atomic Wallet, ZelCore Wallet, Cuinomi Wallet, Math Wallet, Guada Wallet, Infinito Wallet, and Exodus. The company is yet to announce the official date when trading will commence. Prior to the official launch, DEX has been through a rigorous testing process for about two months since February. The company confirmed that over 8.5 million transactions had been carried out successfully through the platform. The networks testing process incited fierce trading competitions, coding, and a bug bounty scheme. Binance relied heavily on contributions from its Binance community for the development of new features and open-source kit. Bainance stands to profit big time should it succeed to popularize the new network. Currently, over-the-counter trading is the companys main revenue source followed by transaction charges. Binance is looking to monetize the network since it will levy network fees from users. The platform is also expected to popularize BNB which has had a spectacular run so far. The coin is currently priced at $24.20 from Januarys $6.02. (By Neha Gupta) Related Articles - What you need to know about Singapores exchange rate and monetary policy - Investing in Singapore equities: comparing the SGX to other global exchanges - Goldman Sachs readying its Hedge Fund VIP ETF (exchange traded fund) QUEZON CITY, Philippines The Philippine National Police (PNP) is currently doing a case build up against 27 alleged narco-politicians who won in the recently concluded midterm elections. According to PNP Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde, from a total of 47 names in the drugs watchlist of politicians, 37 filed their candidacy but only 27 succeeded in the election. The winning list include several mayors and governors in Luzon. Albayalde said he is leaving the case to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Sa Luzon meron. Dito lang sa Region 3 meron (at) sa Region4. Kilala ko ang mga nasa listahan. Alam ko ang mga pangalan nila. Alam ko nanalo ang mga iyon, Albayalde said. (There are some in Luzon, in Regions 3 and 4. I know those who are on the list. I know their names. I know they won.) In case they have proven links to illegal drugs, appropriate charges will be filed against them. Continuous naman ang pag-iimbestiga sa kanila and as the SILG have said, kapag merong nakitang ebidensya laban sa kanila, we will file cases both criminal and administrative, the PNP Chief added. (Investigation is now ongoing and as the SILG have said, if there are evidence against them, we will file cases both criminal and administrative.) Rampant vote buying Albayalde, meanwhile, noted that aside from the P12 million cash authorities seized in anti vote-buying operations, candidates and supporters also distributed rice and eggs to lure voters. READ: Over P12M seized from vote buying PNP The PNP chief said they were able to confiscate a total of 62 sacks of rice and 22 trays of eggs in different areas in Mindanao and Calabarzon Region. Wala sa kanilang umaamin kung saan nanggagaling, but we got election campaign material na doon sa specific candidates na iyon, he said. (No one would admit as to where the items came from but we got election campaign materials from that specific candidate.) But they deny na nanggaling doon sa mga kandidato na iyon at walang gustong magsabi whether the buyer or the seller kung sino or saan galing ang pera, he added. (But they deny that the items were from those [specific] candidates. No one, not the buyer nor the seller, wanted to admit where the items or cash came from.) (with reports from Lea Ylagan) Marje Pelayo The post 27 alleged narco-politicians triumphed in last election PNP appeared first on UNTV News. A British human rights group is urging Beijing to change its policy on North Korean refugees, especially girls and women who are being trafficked and sold into the sex trade in China. Pushed from their homeland by a patriarchal regime that survives through the imposition of tyranny, poverty and opposition, North Korean women and girls are passed through the hands of traffickers, brokers and criminal organisations before being pulled into Chinas sex trade, where they are exploited and used by men until their bodies are depleted, Korea Future Initiative said in a report published on Monday. Based on interviews with more than 45 victims of trafficking and exploitation, Sex Slaves: The Prostitution, Cybersex & Forced Marriage of North Korean Women & Girls in China turns a spotlight on the topic. There has been a great silence on sexual and gender-based violence directed against North Korean women and girls, and it was clear to me that no state was going to tackle this issue, said Yoon Hee-soon who wrote the report. Yoon, who is a researcher at the London-based not-for-profit organisation, said China and the international community were not doing enough to tackle the problem. The report comes at a time of growing uncertainty about the situation on the Korean peninsula after US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un failed to achieve any concrete results at their second summit in February. In an apparent sign of its displeasure at the lack of progress, Pyongyang recently carried out two short-range missile tests. But while the world pondered the denuclearisation issue, Yoon said North Koreas human rights record, which the UN said in 2014 was subject to systematic, widespread and gross violations, had drawn little international attention and was not even on the agenda of the inter-Korea summits. Although there are no official figures for how many North Koreans leave the country each year, the UN Human Rights Council puts the total at between 50,000 and 200,000, most of them women. Story continues As a major ally to Pyongyang, Beijing refuses to grant refugee status to fleeing North Koreans and has intensified its crackdown on those transiting through its territory in search of safety elsewhere. Several Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, accept refugees from North Korea rather than send them home where they risk being tortured or even executed. Whatever route they take, fleeing North Koreans are very vulnerable, with women and girls particularly at risk of being cheated by brokers or exploited by sex traffickers, the report said. According to Yoon and her fellow researchers, who spoke to dozens of women in China and South Korea, 60 per cent of the female North Korean refugees in China between 2015 and 2019 had been the victims of sex traffickers. Of the total, almost half had been forced into prostitution, while more than 30 per cent were sold into forced marriage. A small but expanding portion about 15 per cent were pressed into cybersex, the report said. Almost half of the women were traded within a year of entering China, while a quarter were trafficked with a month. I was 14 years old my mothers cousin [in China] arranged for me to work in a garment factory in Yanbian, said a girl from Musan county in North Koreas North Hamgyong province, close to the border with China. I realised that everything was a lie when I arrived I crossed the river at night [with a broker] and was driven to a house, she said. I realised that everything had been a lie when I arrived a 36-year-old man bought me for 24,000 yuan [US$3,470] I escaped before his mother forced me to have his child. Yoon said traffickers were making up to US$105 million a year selling women and girls into forced marriage and prostitution. According to the report, traffickers in the northeast China provinces of Liaoning and Jilin buy North Korean woman for between 7,500 yuan and 11,600 yuan and sell them on as wives. Without North Korea women, the village [I was sold to] would have died many years before I was there, the girl from Musan said. The huge profits to be made from sex trafficking had also led to corruption, the report said. While there was no evidence to suggest a systemic link between the police and traffickers, 7 per cent of the interviewees said they were sold by police officers after being arrested, it said. Beijing has made a choice: contain the regime over helping the North Korean people Yoon Hee-soon Yoon said that while it was an ingrained part of patriarchal culture in China to disregard allegations of sexual slavery regardless of whether the woman is a North Korean or a local Beijings policy to prioritise economic and diplomatic development over human rights was at the root of the problem. It is easier for China to arrest and deport North Korean refugees than spend on infrastructure to support them and simultaneously to contain North Korea, she said. Beijing has made a choice: contain the regime over helping the North Korean people. While some North Koreans do manage to escape from their homeland and China, and resettle in the United States, Europe or South Korea, most are trapped, said Park Jihyun, who escaped from North Korea twice, and survived being trafficked and forced into marriage before eventually escaping to the US. Park said that although she had spoken out about her plight, most women who had suffered similar experiences were too scared to do so. It is my hope that the voices of my countrywomen will speak for all the voiceless North Korean women and girls and that the world will finally listen, she said. This article China must do more to stop North Korean refugees being sold into sexual slavery, rights group says first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. The political storm over Hong Kongs controversial extradition bill intensified on Monday as the government announced it would be fast-tracked through the legislature, bypassing the usual scrutiny committee. Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said the government had written to the Legislative Councils House Committee, asking for a second reading of the amended law to resume at a meeting of the full council on June 12. The government expects to secure enough votes from its allies in the council to pass the bill, which would allow the transfer of fugitive criminal suspects from Hong Kong to jurisdictions with which it has no extradition deal, including mainland China. Lee called it a difficult decision to skip vetting by the bills committee, which has not been able to start scrutinising the legislation because of a bitter dispute between opposition and pro-establishment lawmakers over who should chair it. The bills committee has lost its function to scrutinise the bill and I see no other way out in the current situation, he said. The minister noted that lawmakers from the two rival camps had failed to reach a consensus on how to end their deadlock since the government tabled the bill five weeks ago. The drastic move came more than a week after a bills committee meeting descended into unprecedented chaos when the two camps clashed to gain control of the panel, and days after Beijings top representative in the city accused local and international critics of ganging up against China to undermine its sovereignty over Hong Kong. The bill has also sparked strong concern from the business community and foreign governments led by the US and Britain, prompting a mass protest in the city last month over fears that Beijing could use the legislation to prosecute its critics. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who has made the passage of the bill a matter of protecting her credibility and ability to govern effectively, was heckled by protesters while attending an anniversary event hosted by Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao on Monday night. Story continues One attendee held up a placard with the slogan Retract the evil law while she was speaking onstage. Lams government has stressed the urgency of passing the bill to allow the transfer of a Hongkonger wanted in Taiwan for allegedly murdering his girlfriend. He has been jailed in the city on related money-laundering charges and could be released as early as October, giving him time to flee abroad. The bills committee has lost its function to scrutinise the bill and I see no other way out in the current situation Secretary for Security John Lee Taiwan has made it clear that it will not seek the suspects return even if the bill is passed, citing risks to the rights of its citizens. Lee dodged questions about it on Monday, only saying cross-strait negotiations would continue. Opposition lawmakers condemned the government for fast-tracking the bill, while their pro-establishment colleagues also expressed regret over such a drastic departure from protocol. The first reading of the bill was conducted on April 3, and its second reading was adjourned on the same day so a committee could be formed to scrutinise it in detail. According to Legcos rule book, an official in charge of a bill may resume its second reading after consulting the chairman of the House Committee, which is currently pro-government lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Starry Lee said the matter would be discussed in a House Committee meeting on Friday. Tabling the amended legislation directly before the full council would mean skipping the stage for officials and lawmakers to examine it clause by clause and make amendments. It is also customary for a bills committee to hold two rounds of public hearings, which is highly unlikely at full council. Council Front lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching said officials would now be able to get away with taking very little scrutiny. At the bills committee stage, we can confront officials and have proper question and answer sessions. But at full council, its a mere debate, Mo said. Civic Party legislator Dennis Kwok questioned if Lam had bowed to pressure from Beijing. After the liaison office showed its support, Lam has now bypassed the bills committee and disrespected all the procedures and tradition; she does not deserve to be the chief executive, Kwok said. The Civil Human Rights Front, an umbrella body of pro-democracy groups, said it would hold another mass rally against the bill on June 9. From the pro-establishment side, New Peoples Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee expected the bill to be passed in less time than the 38 hours it took lawmakers to process another controversial bill, to apply mainland laws at the express rail terminus in West Kowloon, last year. Regina Ip warns of possible US sanctions if extradition law passed It would have been better if we discussed it line by line, clause by clause at the bills committee, Ip said, adding that the pan-democrats should reflect on their tactics. Pro-business Liberal Party leader Felix Chung Kwok-pan, who opposes the bill, said he was disappointed, but it would at least end the stalemate in Legco. This has set a bad precedent in that any controversial bill might skip scrutiny, Chung said. But its for the government to face criticism. American Chamber of Commerce president Tara Joseph said the bill deserved due process and consideration, as Hong Kongs global reputation was on the line. Rushing the bill through only serves to further fuel suspicion around the motivation behind its sudden introduction, she said. Hong Kongs sole delegate to the nations top legislative body, Tam Yiu-chung, said there could still be a chance to raise amendments and debate the bill at the full council. Tam, a member of the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee, suggested the government could consider applying the law only to crimes punishable by a minimum of five to seven years in prison, instead of the proposed threshold of three years. Additional reporting by Linda Lew More from South China Morning Post: This article Hong Kong government to take drastic step in fast-tracking controversial fugitive bill first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Taking a tour around Manila may seem a bit daunting, but with the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRT-1) here to help ease those complicated navigation around the Metro, then getting to know more about Manilas tourist attractions wont be much of a hassle anymoreall thanks to IkotMNL (or Ikot Manila). The IkotMNL is a joint tourism campaign by the Light Rail Corporation (LRMC), Department of Tourism and AC Infrastructure to connect local and foreign travelers to Manilas culture, history, and food spots by riding the LRT-1 using the Line 1 route from Baclaran to Monumento terminal. Tourists can choose from over 70 locations near the LRT-1s 20 stations. Those who are on a tight budget can drop by the various museums that offer free entrance such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Manila (open 10AM to 5:30PM) and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design Manila in De La Salle-College of St. Benildes School of Design and Arts (open 10AM to 6PM). Other learning destinations you can go to are the National Museum Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Natural History. There is also the Museo de Intramuros that showcases traditional religious art. Those who would love a more spiritual or religious experience can alight at the Baclaran station and stop over at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Or they can ride the Carriedo Station and head to Quiapo Church or the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros and San Sebastian Church. Tourists with money to splurge, can take IkotMNLs eight-hour Grand Manila Special Day Tour that offers trips to Binondo and Malate for PHP3,600, or take the PHP4,000, six-hour Manila, My Manila! Tour that showcases historical spots in Intramuros, Binondo, and Quiapo. Whatever the case, IkotMNL will be a memorable experience for anyone who wants to see the many attractions that Manila has to offer. You can learn more about it by visiting IkotMNL.com. The post IkotMNL Tours You Around Manila Via the LRT-1 Train appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Indonesia's Joko Widodo has been re-elected as president of the world's third-biggest democracy, the elections commission said early Tuesday, beating rival Prabowo Subianto, a retired general who has vowed to challenge any victory for the incumbent leader. The commission was expected to announce the official results of the April 17 poll on Wednesday in the Southeast Asian nation of 260 million. But amid fears about unrest and street demonstrations in response to the final count, the final tally was released early with little advance notice. Widodo and his vice-presidential running mate Ma'ruf Amin won the election by a 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent margin over Subianto and Sandiaga Uno, the elections commission said. "This ruling was announced on May 21... and will be effectively immediately," the commission's chair Arief Budiman said in a live streamed announcement that was broadcast on major media. Widodo, 57, had been widely predicted to win according to unofficial results. His challenger Subianto, 67, has vowed to challenge any victory for Widodo, alleging widespread voter fraud, and warned that it could spark street protests across the world's biggest Muslim majority nation. Some 32,000 security personnel were being deployed across the capital Jakarta, including in front of the General Elections Commission's downtown office which has been barricaded with razor wire. Tensions have also been heightened after police said Friday that they have arrested dozens of Islamic-State linked terror suspects, including some who planned to detonate bombs at political demonstrations when election results were to be announced. Last month, Indonesia held its biggest-ever election, a massive one day poll featuring more than 190 million registered voters and a record 245,000 candidates vying for the presidency, parliamentary seats and local legislator positions. This year's campaign was punctuated by bitter mudslinging and a slew of fake news online -- much of it directed at the presidential contenders. Widodo held off declaring victory after the unofficial results last month as Subianto insisted he was the archipelago's next leader. Subianto lost a 2014 presidential bid to Widodo which he unsuccessfully challenged in court. Lim said Najib remains the most influential factor for BN to govern the country again, boosted by the combined influences of Opposition parties and the Bossku narrative. Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak remains the most potent political force working on Pakatan Harapans (PH) downfall, DAPs Lim Kit Siangs said today. He claimed Najib is utilising abundant resources on both political and social media platforms in his campaign against the PH government. The party veteran believes Najib remains the most influential factor for the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to govern the country again, boosted by the combined influences of Opposition parties and the Bossku narrative. In actual fact, Najib remains the most potent political force plotting the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan government, as the person who is behind the highly-funded army of cybertroopers and propagandists who are working day and night for the disintegration and collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government with their politics and social media of lies and falsehoods (to) incite hatred, intolerance and extremism, Lim said in a statement. He believes that Najib plans to engineer a comeback in the next general election, either as the prime minister or kingmaker, which would also release him from potential prosecution and incarceration for the 1MDB scandal. Lim was responding to former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, who on May 7, reportedly said that PH ministers must let their performance speak for themselves instead of responding to the constant needling from the Opposition. Tun Daim Zainuddin is half-right Pakatan Harapan should not dance to the tune of former prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but should compel Najib to dance to the tune of the Pakatan Harapan narrative. I do not agree with Daim that Pakatan Harapan should forget about Najib, as the former prime minister is the de facto leader not only of Umno-PAS axis, but the unofficial Opposition combination which included Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), but also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and the other Sabah opposition parties and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in Sarawak, he said. The DAP adviser also claimed that MCA, MIC and other former BN parties are utilising Najibs political influence, as none have clearly denounced the 1MDB scandal or the former prime minister. Related Articles Laporan: 212 rampasan beg tangan di rumah Najib jenama Hermes, nilai RM47 juta Report: 212 of 306 handbags seized from Najib-linked condo last year are Hermes, worth RM47m Malaysia now on solid foundation to reform with new IGP, CJ, AG, says Kit Siang In this Wednesday, May 15, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Alexandrina Ross, right, and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Hunter Musil, left, inspect a bomb on the USS Abraham Lincoln while it sails in the Arabian Sea. U.S. diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, that commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf faced a risk of being "misidentified" amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael Singley, U.S. Navy via AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The Latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region and elsewhere in the Mideast amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local): 2:40 p.m. Bahrain is ordering all of its citizens to immediately leave Iraq and Iran, amid rising tensions in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain's Foreign Ministry made the announcement via its state-run news agency Saturday afternoon. It cited the "unstable situation in the region and the grave developments and threats that threaten security and stability." Baharin is a small, Sunni-ruled island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia. It regularly accuses Iran of stirring dissent in its Shiite-majority population. ___ 2:25 p.m. The chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guard says the country is in a "full-fledged intelligence war with the U.S." The semi-official Fars news agency quoted Gen. Hossein Salami as saying that the U.S. political system had become weak, making an analogy to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. He said: "The political system of the U.S. has cracked and lost its strength. The system has an apparently huge body but suffers from osteoporosis. In fact, the U.S. . is like World Trade Building that collapses with a sudden hit." Salami recently became the head of the Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary organization that wields tremendous influence within Iran. ___ 4:10 p.m. Iran's foreign minister says the Islamic Republic is "not seeking war" at the end of his trip to China amid tensions between Tehran and Washington. Mohammed Javad Zarif made the comment in remarks quoted Saturday by the state-run IRNA news agency. Zarif said: "In fact, as the supreme leader said, there will be no war since we are not seeking war and nobody in the region is suffering from a hallucination to think that he is able to confront Iran." Zarif added that though President Donald Trump has said he is not seeking war, "some that have sat around him" are pushing such a conflict. Story continues The U.S. has ordered bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over an unexplained threat they perceive from Iran, raising tensions a year after Trump pulled America out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. ___ 2:30 p.m. An Iraqi oil official says employees of energy giant Exxon Mobil have started evacuating an oil field in the southern province of Basra. The evacuation comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said all those who are being evacuated are foreigners or Iraqis who hold other nationalities. The official did not give numbers but said the first group left two days ago and another batch left early Saturday. Exxon Mobil, headquartered in Irving, Texas, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. has already ordered all nonessential diplomatic staff out of Iraq. ___ Qassem Abdul-Zahra contributed reporting from Baghdad, Iraq. ___ 8:25 a.m. U.S. diplomats are warning that commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf faced a risk of being "misidentified" amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The warning relayed Saturday by U.S. diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration underlined the risks the current tensions pose to a region crucial to global air travel. It also served as a grim reminder that 30 years ago, the U.S. mistook an Iranian passenger jet for a warplane after their last naval battle with Tehran, killing all 290 people aboard. Concerns about a possible conflict have flared since the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. President Donald Trump since has sought to soften his tone. Oil supplies were sufficient and stockpiles were still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and key producer UAE on Sunday, as oil exporters met in Jeddah. Producer nations gathered to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid rising US-Iran tensions in the Gulf, which threaten to disrupt global supply. But "we see that (oil) inventories are rising and supplies are plenty," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters at the start the meeting. "None of us wants to see the (oil) stocks swell again," he added, with reference to a supply surplus that sent prices sharply lower in the second half of last year. "We have to be cautious," Falih said. The UAE's energy minister said there was no need to relax a deal by the OPEC+ group of oil exporting countries to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day to support prices. "We have seen inventory building. I don't think it makes sense" to alter the existing deal, said Suheil al-Mazrouei. The meeting comes days after sabotage attacks against tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and the bombing of a Saudi pipeline -- the latter claimed by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels. But Falih reiterated Sunday that the kingdom's oil installations were well protected. "We have strong (oil) industry security", he told reporters. "Everybody is vulnerable to extreme acts of sabotage." The meeting also comes as the full impact of re-instated US sanctions against Tehran kick in, slashing the Islamic republic's crude exports. - Iran exports tumble - But Iran -- which did not send a representative to the meeting -- was still expected to dominate the one-day meeting of the OPEC+ group of oil producing nations. The meeting is set to conclude by making recommendations for a key summit of oil producers in late June, to be attended by Iran. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said it was "premature" to talk about extending the deal, according to Interfax news agency. Massive drops in exports by Iran and Venezuela come alongside output cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day implemented by the OPEC+ group since January. The International Energy Agency said earlier this month that global oil supply fell in April due to the effect of US sanctions on Iran and the OPEC+ production cuts. The IEA said Iranian crude production fell in April to 2.6 million bpd, down from 3.9ay 2018 it would withdraw from the multilateral 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions. Iran's output is already at its lowest level in over five years, but could tumble in May to levels not seen since the devastating 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Energy intelligence firm Kpler sees Iranian exports plunging from 1.4 million bpd in April to around half a million bpd in May -- down from 2.5 million in normal circumstances. Venezuela's output -- also subject to US export sanctions -- is also tumbling, down by over half since the third quarter of last year. Kpler data shows OPEC+ members have kept to agreed production cuts. But exporters fear a rush to raise production to plug the gap left by Iranian exports could backfire, triggering a new supply glut. - Gulf tensions - Sunday's meeting comes amid soaring Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers off the Emirati coast and drone attacks claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels, which shut a key Saudi crude pipeline. Both attacks targeted routes built as alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for almost all Gulf exports. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait in case of war with the US, which said this month it was sending an aircraft carrier and strike group to the region. Saudi Arabia accused Iran -- which backs Yemen's Huthi rebels -- of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting "the security of oil supplies... and the global economy". Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said Sunday his country does not want war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests. Riyadh "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it", he told journalists in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia called Saturday for urgent meetings of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions, government news agency SPA said. It also said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about enhancing security in the region. Falih had said last month the kingdom was ready to boost supplies in case of any shortage caused by the Iran embargo. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has said Washington's stated aim of bringing Iran's oil exports "to zero" amounts to "an illusion". When Quek Siu Rui chose to attend business school at the National University of Singapore, he imagined a career as a consultant or banker not as the leader of a multimillion-dollar start-up that would redefine the regions classifieds industry. Quek is the CEO of mobile classifieds firm Carousell, a company he co-founded with two friends seven years ago and which has gone on to completely change the way people buy and sell second-hand goods across Southeast Asia. The companys innovation was deceptively simple they developed an app that lets users snap a picture of the item they want to sell and post it online, sharing the information immediately with potential buyers. Although this approach might sound straightforward today, when the company was first founded, the notion of using a smartphone app to post items for sale online was virtually unheard of. The idea behind a snap, list, sell app came to Quek and his co-founders Marcus Tan and Lucas Ngoo after the trio grew frustrated with the cumbersome task of trying to sell their own second-hand electronics online. We had a lot of gadgets that we only used once or twice, and we used to sell them on [online forums in Singapore], said Quek. It was a hassle, you had to take a photo and then transfer it to your computer, upload the picture to an image hosting site, and then link it to your post. The process was painful. In 2012, they entered a start-up hackathon with their idea for a do-it-all classified app, coming up with the prototype for Carousell over one weekend. They not only won the hackathon, Quek and his co-founders also drew inspiration from the support they received from other participants during the event. By the end of the weekend, people were coming to us wanting to know when we would launch it, Quek said. That gave us the confidence to focus on Carousell full time. Singapores Carousell buys car classifieds start-up Caarly, eyeing Hong Kongs used car market Story continues The app has proved to be a big hit, launching at a time when smartphones have become a leading means for people to communicate and shop across Singapore and the surrounding region. For the majority of Southeast Asias more than 600 million people, smartphones have become the primary way of accessing the internet after the region leapfrogged the PC age and went straight to the mobile internet. In Carousells home market of Singapore, more than half the population of 5.6 million has signed up to use the platform, Quek said. The company has since expanded to other markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, and is currently valued at about US$560 million. Over the past seven years, users have sold about 70 million items across all seven of Carousells geographic markets. While there are no plans for major expansions outside Southeast Asia yet, the company does have an operation in Australia. The company has several revenue streams. It does not charge regular users to transact on its platform but it does sell adverts and charges for additional services, such as featuring a sellers listing more prominently. Since 2016, Carousell has branched out into other verticals such as cars and property listings, working with car dealerships and real estate agents who pay to post listings on the site. Carousell users have matured together with the company, said Quek, and in Singapore, more than 50 per cent of its users are over 25 years old. For these users, exploring bigger purchases such as cars and property is the natural next step, he said. And while markets like Singapore may be small in terms of population, it is relatively easy to generate revenue since people in the city state are used to shopping online and tend to make bigger purchases on digital platforms than buyers in other countries. Facebook takes leaf out of WeChats playbook on private chats Carousells promise has caught the eye of one of the worlds largest technology investors, Naspers, which has invested in Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings among other companies. Last month, Carousell landed US$56 million from Naspers subsidiary OLX, an online marketplace. As part of the deal, Carousell will take over OLXs Philippines business as it seeks to cement its leadership in Southeast Asia. The company is facing increased competition, including from Facebook, which has launched its Marketplace feature that allows users to list personal items for sale. On the shopping front, it also competes with e-commerce platforms such as Shopee or Qoo10, for example, which also operate as marketplaces that allow users to sell items. There is also the lingering concern that at the end of the day, many consumers still prefer buying something shiny and new from a rival, as opposed to hunting for second-hand bargains on Carousell. But Quek is unfazed. As sustainability becomes more of a concern for consumers, he believes that a natural rebalancing may occur in which consumers consciously seek out second-hand items first to preserve the life cycle of products, before turning to first-hand alternatives. That might seem hard to imagine, but if you think about it just five to 10 years ago jumping into someones car to get from A to B was also unimaginable but thats the model for Grab and Uber today, he said, referring to the growing popularity of ride-sharing services. The grand vision here is to create this world where second-hand goods on a peer-to-peer marketplace [like Carousell] become the first choice for you whenever you need to buy something, Quek said. We think that five years from now, we can actually create that world. This article Singapores Carousell aims to cash in on growing desire for sustainability with online classified ads app first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Lieutenant William Calley, convicted perpetrator of the 1968 My Lai massacre. Photo: Joe Holloway Jr/AP/REX/Shutterstock Memorial Day is Monday, May 27. Its a day traditionally set aside to honor those who have died in military service to the United States. But if press reports are accurate, the president may use the holiday this year to honor service members (and perhaps military contractors) who are very much alive, unlike the victims they allegedly dispatched against standing military orders and the laws of war. My colleague Chas Danner explains: President Trump may pardon several U.S. service members who have been accused or convicted of serious war crimes, including the mass murder of civilians, the New York Times reported Saturday. On Friday, the Trump administration filed expedited requests for the necessary paperwork to issue the pardons on or just after Memorial Day condensing what is normally a months-long process into a little more than a week. The typical Trump may change his mind caveat applies, but if not, the pardons would provide yet another striking demonstration of how little the president understands or cares about the rule of law or the nature of service. The pardons reportedly under consideration involve a Navy SEAL officer, Edward Gallagher, who is soon to go on trial for allegedly killing multiple unarmed Iraqi civilians, and a Blackwater gunman, Nicholas Slatten, who has already been found guilty of murdering ten women, two men, and two children, also in Iraq. The cases bring back memories of an earlier figure in U.S. military and criminal history who was convicted of killing unarmed civilians and then was granted executive clemency: Army Lieutenant William Calley, platoon leader in the notorious My Lai massacre of 1968, in which over 350 Vietnamese civilians were killed. In 1971, Calley was convicted by a military court of 22 counts of premeditated murder and handed a life sentence, which was almost immediately commuted by President Richard Nixon. Eventually Calley would receive another commutation from the Nixon administration, and by 1974 was free. While Nixon never publicly embraced the war is hell theory, many Calley defenders justified the massacre on the grounds that in a combat situation, any people in enemy territory, even small children and infants, are fair game. Calley also benefited from sentiment, even among strongly antiwar Americans, that he was being scapegoated for orders explicitly or implicitly given by higher-ups who were never brought to justice. The two different rationalizations led Calley to become a strangely popular figure, as the New York Times reported at the time: Avalanches of letters, telegrams and phone calls, the overwhelming majority of them protesting the judgment at Fort Benning, Ga., have inundated the White House, Congress, the Pentagon and the news media. Protest marches have been held in many cities, and more are scheduled. Some state legislatures and city councils have passed resolutions condemning the verdict. Thousands of petitions have been signed. At the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan yesterday, hundreds of persons signed Free Calley petitions at two tables set up on the concourse. Around them knots of people were engaged in vociferous argument over the case. Taking note of the public outcry, the White House announced yesterday that President Nixon would personally make the final decision on Lieutenant Calleys fate after thorough review of the case. Before you knew it, Calley was no longer facing a long stretch in prison. Growing up at that time in Georgia, not that far from Fort Benning, I remember the rallies for Calley, and his local celebrity status after his release. He did ads for a local car dealer in nearby Columbus, as I recall. This was a guy who admitted to firing bullets into small children cowering in drainage ditches (he did, in 2009, finally apologize for his acts, but not with any specificity). Nixon, then, was mostly responding to public pressure on Calleys behalf. If Trump acts similarly to condone war crime, he wont have that excuse. Or will he? As Danner noted, Gallagher and another possible beneficiary of Trump clemency, Green Beret Major Mathew Golsteyn, accused of killing an unarmed Afghan civilian he suspected of Taliban links, have been vocally defended by Pete Hegseth on Trumps favorite news source, Fox & Friends. That may be all the public pressure he feels he needs. MANILA, Philippines The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signed on Monday (May 20) a memorandum of agreement with the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) for the loan of a pair of Philippine eagles. The eagle pair, named Geothermica and Sambisig, will stay in Singapores Jurong Bird Park in the next 10 years for conservation and breeding of this critically-endangered bird species whose population at present counts to only less than 400 pairs. According to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, the eagle pair will serve as ambassadors for Philippine biodiversity. Sending Geothermica and Sambisig to Singapore acts as a biosecurity measure to ensure the survival of the species and as a fallback population in the event of catastrophic events like disease outbreaks or extreme natural calamities taking place in their Philippine habitats, Cimatu said. Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in Asia. It houses close to 3,500 birds across 400 species, of which 20 percent is threatened. The signing of the loan agreement was witnessed by Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho Wei Hong and Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph del Mar Yap. Marje Pelayo The post Singapores Jurong Bird Park to house Philippine Eagle pair appeared first on UNTV News. DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Three prison guards and 29 inmates were killed in a prison riot in Tajikistan that the government blamed on Islamic State militants. Tajikistan's Justice Ministry said the riot broke out late on Sunday in the prison in the city of Vakhdat, 10 km (six miles) east of the capital Dushanbe, as militants armed with knives killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. The militants then torched the prison hospital, took several inmates hostage and tried to fight their way out. Security forces killed 24 militants in the battle to restore order in the prison, the ministry said. The prison houses 1,500 inmates, some of whom rights activists describe as political prisoners. Among prisoners who were killed by militants were two senior members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), once an influential party represented in parliament and government, which was outlawed by the government of President Imomali Rakhmon in 2015, the ministry said. Another victim was a prominent Tajik cleric convicted on charges of calls to overthrow the government. The authorities said one of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, a son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to Islamic State in 2015 and, according to the government, has since been killed in Syria. The ministry did not specify whether the 20-year-old younger Gulmurod - who was convicted in 2017 for trying to join his father in Syria - was among those killed in the riot. The road to the prison was blocked by security forces on Monday who refused to let in reporters or dozens of inmates' relatives who had come to check on them. "We were told to leave and they said they would inform us about our relatives when possible," said an elderly woman whose son was in the prison. Hundreds of people from the impoverished former Soviet republic of 9 million are believed to have joined Islamic State, which at one point controlled large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq. Story continues The group, which has now lost its strongholds but continues underground operations, claimed responsibility for another Tajik prison riot last November, which followed a deadly attack by its followers on Western tourists in Tajikistan in July 2018. The government of the Persian-speaking nation which borders Afghanistan fought against Islamists - who were allied with nationalists and liberal democrats - in a civil war in the 1990s which killed tens of thousands of people. Tajikistan's leader Rakhmon is the longest-serving ruler in the former Soviet Union, having taken power shortly after independence, and tolerates little dissent. (Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Michael Perry, Clarence Fernandez and Peter Graff) Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky called snap parliamentary polls in his inaugural speech Monday and said his top priority is ending the war with Russia-backed separatists in the country's east. The 41-year-old comedian was sworn in as Ukraine's youngest post-Soviet president a month after scoring a landslide victory over Petro Poroshenko with a campaign capitalising on widespread discontent with the political establishment amid poverty and corruption. Zelensky -- whose only previous political experience was appearing as president in a popular TV show -- announced he would dissolve parliament in order to call early elections, originally scheduled for October. "People must come to power who will serve the public," Ukraine's sixth president said, after wrangling with hostile lawmakers whom he called "petty crooks". Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said he would be resigning on Wednesday. Groysman said he had offered to work under Zelensky but added that "the president chose a different path." The legal status of Zelensky's move to dissolve parliament is uncertain but it is still likely to go ahead, political analysts said. "There are no mechanisms or instruments to stop this decision," said analyst Mykola Davydchuk. - 'Ready for dialogue' - Zelensky said in his speech in Kiev that "our first task is a ceasefire in the Donbass," referring to the eastern separatist-controlled region, prompting a round of applause. "We didn't start this war but it is up to us to end it," he said. "We are ready for dialogue," he added, urging the handover of Ukrainian prisoners. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet Zelensky and would not be congratulating him on his inauguration. The Russian president will only "congratulate him on the first successes" in resolving the separatist conflict, he said, calling it a "domestic problem" for Ukraine. Kiev and its allies accuse Moscow of militarily supporting the separatists, which it denies. The conflict -- which broke out after Russia annexed Crimea -- has claimed some 13,000 lives since 2014. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that an exchange should include all prisoners from both sides. Zelensky said Ukraine's "next challenge is the return of the lost territories," referring to Moscow-annexed Crimea and the separatists' self-proclaimed republics. Switching to Russian in an emotive speech, he stressed that Ukraine must regain the trust of Russian-speaking people living there, who "are not strangers, they are ours, Ukrainians." Zelensky also called for the sacking of the head of the state security service, prosecutor-general and defence minister loyal to his predecessor, although this has to be approved by parliament. Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak and the head of the SBU security service Vasyl Grytsak tendered their resignations on Monday. Foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin stepped aside last week. - 'Not an idol' - Zelensky took a non-traditional route to his inauguration -- walking from his nearby home, after saying he wanted a less pompous ceremony. Dressed in a dark suit, he exchanged high fives with supporters waiting outside, took selfies with them and even jumped up to plant a kiss on a supporter's forehead. In his speech, Zelensky referred to his background as a comedian. "In my life, I've tried to do all I could to make Ukrainians smile," he said. "In the next five years I'll do all I can so that Ukrainians don't cry." He urged officials to hang pictures of their children in their offices -- and not his photograph. "A president is not an idol," he said. The story of his rise mirrored that of his character in the hit sitcom, "Servant of the People." He starred as a history teacher who was unexpectedly elected president after his expletive-laden rant about corruption went viral. His newly-formed party, named "Servant of the People", is already leading in opinion polls. When the actor and comedian announced his candidacy on New Year's Eve, few took it seriously, but after a campaign largely waged through social media, he won more than 73 percent in the second round on April 21 against Poroshenko. Poroshenko led Ukraine for five years, grappling with the fallout from Russia's 2014 Crimea annexation and the war in the east. Although he pushed through some reforms, he was criticised for failing to improve living standards or root out corruption. Zelensky has vowed to press ahead with the country's pro-Western course but critics question how he will deal with the enormous challenges of the separatist conflict and ongoing economic problems. After Zelensky's landslide victory, Putin ordered an easing of procedures for millions of Ukrainians to gain Russian passports, a move that caused uproar in Kiev. Kiev's Western partners said they were ready to support the new leader and in a first concrete move led by the United States they blocked a Russian request to hold a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine's new language law. Last month, Ukraine's parliament passed the law, which enforces use of the Ukrainian language in official settings, a move strongly denounced by Russia. "The United States looks forward to partnering closely" with Zelensky, the US embassy in Kiev said on Twitter. Amelie de Montchalin, France's European Affairs minister, said Paris will "support and carefully watch" the reforms announced by Zelensky. Xado Chemical Concern Philippines (Xado PH) has brought to local shores its latest offering, which claims to literally restore the worn parts of an engine. Xado PH President Marlo Colimbo announced that they have made available the Xado Black Edition Atomic Oils. According to Colimbo, the Black Edition Atomic Oil has the highest concentration of the brands popular 1 Stage AR Revitalizant which binds an engines metal shavings with the ceramic nano particles to the engines worn-out surfaces. He said that with the said technology, engine parts subjected to friction attain a smoother surface, allowing for smoother operation and extended engine life. The Xado Revitalizant formula, made up of a ceramic-metal alloy, are incorporated in the Xado Atomic oils to address metal imperfection that is the very issue of friction. It can be said then that this can be the only lubricant in the world that restores compression and maintains it for the longest possible, Colimbo said. He also shared that tests showed the Black Edition oils also restores lost compression in cylinders; improves engine power and acceleration; reduces fuel consumption; restores oil pressure; protects against damage from cold starts; and decreases toxic carbon monoxide and dioxide emissions. The Ukraine-based Black Edition oils has a Revitalization Factor of 33.3, which is the highest among the motor oils that the company have developed. Xado Atomic oils offer up to 160,000-kilometer oil change interval, Colimbo addrd. The premium-class Xado Black Edition oils also contain the synthetic additive package called EXPAO, which helps to preserve main oil properties between oil changes under the most extreme of conditions. Aside from that, it also has a bonus additive set called the 2D sliding agent that helps in providing easy sliding of parts to improve fuel efficiency. Xado products are distributed in at least 80 countries worldwide. The brand also has products for automatic transmissions, axles, and even firearms that have the brands proven Revitalizant formula. Story continues For more information on Xado products sold in the Philippines, visit Xado Philippines or its Facebook page at Facebook.com/XadoPhilippines. The post Xado Introduces Black Edition Motor Oils to PH Market appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Like the slowest traffic lane, the busiest airport is always the one that youre stuck in. But if youre flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, chances are it really is crowded. Thats according to Airports Council Internationals preliminary world traffic report, which crowned Atlanta as the worlds busiest airport for handling a whopping 107 million passengers last year. The report, released in March, estimates that passenger traffic hit 8.8 billion in 2018, up from 6 percent the year prior. Despite a worrying backdrop of global trade tensions, passenger traffic remained resilient in 2018, the ACI said. In fact, at the worlds 20 busiest airports, it grew 4.7 percent, with more than 1.5 billion people passing through. Of course, its one thing to read about the worlds busiest airports and another to actually deal with them. Which is why Julie Danziger, managing partner of Embark, a luxury travel agency in New York, stresses the importance of allowing enough time for layovers and researching connecting airports beforehand. Two hours is never enough, she says, and on several occasions, shes had to race through an airport because she didnt realize the connecting flight was in a different terminal. Betty Jo Currie, founder of Currie & Co. Travels Unlimited in Atlanta, gives herself three hours to navigate Hartsfield-Jackson. The lines can be shockingly long, she says, and people underestimate the time they need. For those unfamiliar with airports like Dubai, which ranked third on ACIs list, Danziger recommends hiring an airport greeter, who can go beyond the scope of a traditional driver to meet at baggage claim. Not only will he or she usher you past the hectic craziness to your connection or out of the airport, theyll handle your bags and can lessen the hassle of traveling in a large group. If a greeter is out of your budget, check for a smaller boutique airport you can fly into instead, suggests Danziger. For example, I recently flew to YTZ, Billy Bishop Toronto City airport, instead of the more heavily serviced Toronto Pearson. Story continues Another way to make the most of the worlds largest airports? Lounges. For long connections, layovers or a much-needed cocktail, a lounge pass is worth it, says Danziger. With that in mind, heres a closer look at the worlds busiest airports. 15. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport: Grapevine, Texas Stewart F. House/Getty Images DFW makes it surprisingly easy to get from your car to your flight, but that all might change if Americans Airlines has its way, the Star-Telegram reports. For the next two months, the airport, which saw 69,112,607 passengers last year, will hold talks with the airline about the proposed construction of Terminal F. The half-circle or half-moon design, as Star-Telegram calls it, may lack a garage, which would spell bad news for local flyers. If you find yourself at DFW, we've created a handy guide to help you navigate the massive airport. 14. Frankfurt Airport: Frankfurt, Germany Getty Images For international travelers lost in Frankfurt Airport, the presence of FRAnny, its new robotic concierge, should be comforting. The brainchild of Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport AG and DB Systel GmbH, FRAnny is based on an artificial intelligence and a cloud-based voice-user interface, writes TravelDailyNews, which draws information from the airports own information system. For Germanys largest aviation hub, thats likely been helpful surely one of its 69,510,269 passengers needed help accessing the Wi-Fi last year. 13. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport: Guangzhou, China Getty Images The Flower City had 69,769,497 passengers pass through its Baiyun Airport, making it a serious rival to other major airports in Asia. Hot off the heels of the opening of a new terminal designed to handle 100 million passengers a year by 2025, according to the South China Morning Post, the airport is constantly expanding international and regional services. 12. Indira Gandhi International Airport: Delhi, India Getty Images The largest airport in India is also among the worlds busiest, clocking 69,900,938 passengers last year. Travelers can thank Terminal 3, which opened in 2010, for making that possible, as it improved the airports ability to bring international and domestic flights (excluding low-cost carriers) under one roof. 11. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: Amsterdam, Netherlands Horacio Villalobos/Getty Images Summer is looking up at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which saw 71,053,147 passengers last year. KLM is launching flights to Boston three times a week, while easyJet is adding several new routes such as Verona (three times a week) and Genoa (twice a week). United Airlines will also begin flying to San Francisco seven times a week. 10. Charles de Galle Airport: Paris, France %image1 Perhaps one of the 72,229,723 passengers at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport will be eager to catch one of Air Frances new nonstop flights to Dallas. Up to five weekly flights will be available from the carrier, which recently signed a deal with Athens-based Sky Express and KLM to bolster its regional offerings. 9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport: Shanghai, China Sino Images/Getty Images Shanghais Pudong airport had 74,006,331 visitors last year, so its no surprise its also the fifth busiest airport in Asia. What is surprising, however, is how much Apple spends on flights there according to Fast Company, almost a quarter of the $150 million it spends every year on United flights goes toward tickets from SFO to PVG. 8. Hong Kong International Airport: Hong Kong Getty Images Hong Kong International Airport has long been regarded as a world-class facility after all, it saw 74,517,402 passengers last year. But its about to get HK $140 billion (US $18 billion) in major upgrades, reports CNN, which could take it to the next level. Its T1 Annex will include an observatory deck and a 28-meter-high sky bridge for A380s to pass under, and a new 12-story building will boast added parking and recreational facilities for all airport staff, plus a nursery for working parents. 7. Heathrow Airport: London, England Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images Londons Heathrow Airport had 80,126,320 visitors last year, which shouldnt faze anyone whos visited the U.K. Its the citys main hub and a notorious stop for international long-haul flights. Fortunately, most visitors have little to fret about Heathrows Terminal 5 was voted the best in the world at the 2019 Skytrax World Airport Awards. 6. O'Hare International Airport: Chicago, Illinois DANIEL SLIM/Getty Images With 83,339,186 passengers last year, Chicagos OHare is bustling. So it was a big deal last January when the Chicago Department of Aviation invited the public to vote on a design for its new $8.5 billion terminal. Studio ORD was the winner and plans to start the project, which will expand Terminal 5 and bring much needed improvements to Terminals 1, 2 and 3, in 2021. 5. Haneda Airport: Tokyo, Japan Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Haneda airport, which hosted 87,131,973 passengers last year, is rebranded its international arrival terminal as Terminal 3 in 2021, reports the Japan Times, in an effort to cope with an increase in international flights ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics next year. The government will add nearly 40,000 international flight slots before the events, and Terminal 2 will be renamed to avoid more confusion. 4. Los Angeles International Airport: Los Angeles, California Angel Di Bilio/Getty Images The worlds fourth busiest airport, with 87,534,384 guests last year, knows its aging facility doesnt cut it. So in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games, its considering adding up to two new terminals and nearly two dozen new gates to help handle the influx of travelers, The Los Angeles Times reports. A $1.6 billion midfield concourse is also in the works, while terminals used by American, Delta and Southwest airlines are undergoing renovations. 3. Dubai International Airport: Dubai, UAE Flickr Vision The busy airport, which hosted 89,149,387 passengers last year, is currently getting a much-needed facelift. Its southern runway will be closed until May 30, according to Time Out Dubai, which noted the maintenance has been scheduled during a seasonal lull when fewer travelers tend to pass through. Among the upgrades on the agenda: strengthening the runway and taxiways with 60,000 tonnes of asphalt. 2. Beijing Capital International Airport: Beijing, China FRED DUFOUR/Getty Images Watching 100,983,290 passengers pass through Beijing Capital International probably hastened officials plans to get cracking on the new Beijing Daxing International Airport. The highly anticipated facility, whose operations will begin before September 30, notes Business Traveler, are intended to ease the formers capacity issues, which cause frequent delays. 1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: Atlanta, Georgia TAMI CHAPPELL/Getty Images Hartsfield-Jackson saw 107,394,029 customers last year, which is impressive by any standard. The primary hub for Delta and favorite among low-cost carriers like Frontier and Southwest, the airport excels at people management, says Currie, who finds several ways to pass the time there. Heres a primer on how to do it. One of the best ways to see a new destination is to truly immerse yourself in it. And for many European destinations that means hoping in the water. This summer, GreenKayak, a Denmark-based nonprofit, wants every tourist to jump into the canals and rivers through Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Norway to paddle their way along on kayaks. And they're willing to gift you this activity for free, so long as youre willing to pick up trash along the way. In Denmark, people hang out on canals and eat pizza and unfortunately see trash floating by, Tobias Weber-Andersen, GreenKayak founder and CEO, told USA Today. You cant take your shirt off and jump in, but you can get in a GreenKayak and make an impact. The free kayak and cleanup project began in Denmark in April, 2017, USA Today explained. Since then, thousands of kayak volunteers have cleaned up 11 tons of trash from the Copenhagen harbor. And now, the program is expanding to new waterways including Dublin, Bergen, and Hamburg. Those whove taken part in the program have even shared their adventures on social media with the hashtag, #GreenKayak. As part of the program, visitors can book a free kayak. Life jackets and equipment are also provided. We had hoped to have 30 kayaks this year, but most likely we will have around 50 spread across all of our locations, Weber-Andersen said. Story continues The GreenKayaks, the companys website explained, are a highly effective tool for collecting waste from water bodies as they are flexible and can access areas that are otherwise hard to reach. Each kayak is a double seater, meaning theres enough space for two people. If you cant physically use the kayak yourself you could still donate to the nonprofits mission to clean up European waterways here. Images by authors shitty iPhone 6s camera, edited on Huji to salvage them. As a techno enthusiast or technohead, theres no way I would have missed Marcel Dettmann playing on a Thursday night. And before you make any assumptions, techno isnt the music you hear when a group of ah bengs zoom past with their LED-lit e-scooters or other PMDs. Listen to: Frozen room by Charles Fenckler. Obviously, different genres. Why do I love techno? Its about the consistent, repetitive beats, thumping bass, rhythmic hi-hats and catchy basslines. I enjoy getting lost in trance and hypnotised by the music, especially when its being played in a club. As proof I am a true technohead, I have my own 28-hour playlist of techno on Spotify, and while typing this, Im queueing up outside Marquee to see Carl Cox lol. But I digress. This is not about Carl; this is about Marcel internationally renowned as one of the many pioneers of techno, so it took no convincing for me to see him play at the show organised by The Council last Thursday. As a resident DJ in Berghain, Berlins most notorious club, Marcel Dettmann has done amazing live sets, spinning different or sometimes a fusion of technos many sub-genres. I know nobody asked, but I prefer Berlin-style technoindustrial, dark, and acidto any other sub-genres. Id rather get lost in something that motivates me to violently stomp my feet than to happily twirl around. Woah, eDgYyYyY. To be fair, I had my doubts when ordering tickets to see Marcel Dettmann in the flesh, anxious of the sub-genre of techno he might play for the night. Minimal? Dark? Industrial? $50 isnt cheap. Who the fuck would pay that amount for a techno party on a Thursday night at an unknown venue right? Apparently, me. I love techno; I wont take no for an answer (please tell me you get the pun). And another thing that motivated me to go was the mysterious venue which was only released the morning on the day of the showa gimmick thats typical of shows organised by The Council. Story continues When I attended my first techno party featuring Fjaak, a trio (now duo) from Berlin, last November, The Council didnt state the venue to the ticket holders until the day of the event itself either. We were only notified through their email, Facebook page, or Instagram Stories. That event was held at a warehouse in Kallang. Gnarly. Marcel, however, happened at Tuff Club. Ive visited the place often enough after Headquarters closes at 3-4am, so the venue wasnt as different or unique as Id hoped. But as much as I enjoy the techno scene and music, its definitely an expensive hobby or sense of escape. On the weekends, Id pay $20 for entry to Headquarters then another $15 for Tuff Club, just to lose myself for the night. To do this almost every weekend is tough but worth it, since I can forget about everything for a moment. With luck on my side this time, I managed to Marcel for free hehe. Yay, one-way ticket to escapism! On Thursday, I arrive at Oxley Tower around 12 AM, get my ticket scanned, and receive a stamp on my left hand. The ambience of Tuff Club seems odd to me for a moment, until I realise they use red lighting instead of the usual purple and orange, giving the venue an industrial or underground vibe that fit the music being played. Laser red lights in the shape of a cone rotate in a circular motion, shooting beams into every corner of the dim room. Dark, shadowy figures lightly headbang to the beat of the music, swaying their body from left to right to left again. I dont need to be told twice; I immediately allow the crowd to swallow me up, moving my body to music that never fails to give me eargasms. After dancing sober for the first 10 minutes, I decide to pump myself up with The Councils exclusive drink. I order ClubMate with gin, a carbonated caffeine energy drink, take a huge gulp, then give it back to Tita (my favourite Filipino bartender) to pour my desired poison of choice. With a bottle of ClubMate gin in my right hand and my left fisting the air, I soberly bop along to the captivating beat, sashaying back to the dancefloor, anticipating the next song thats about to be played. From my very sober third-person perspective of the local techno scene, 70% of the crowd appear to be Caucasian. Its not a bad thing at all, but its upsetting that they are blessed with good genes; theyre tall, big-bodied people standing in front of the DJ, blocking my view. At the same time, I dont mind getting pushed side-to-side as I stand in the middle of the crowd, having the time of my life. T-t-t-t-take your time. Passionately dancing, I immediately lose myself when I hear Marcel play one of my many favourite techno songs: Take Your Time by Slam and Green Velvet. Problems? Gone. Life? On hold. Knowing techno is part of an underground culture makes it 10 times more enjoyabletheres joy in taking a break from the mainstream and from adhering to societys norms for a few hours. As a woman living in todays society, I cant help but feel insecure whenever Im out of the house. Theres a constant feeling that Im being judged by others, that I dont look attractive enough. And lets not even talk about my worries about the uncertainty of my future. But on the rumbling floor, I forget how much I dislike living in my own skin; I forget how tiring living can be. Nothing else matters but me and the tunes blasting from the speakers. The music comes in waves, and I get pulled back into it over and over again, distracting me from any sort of troubling thoughts. Its not like Marcel will know this, but as he spins for the crowd, he also helps me make peace with my pain and issues I face; giving me a temporary but much-needed release. You spin my head right round, right round. Dead or Alives You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) plays while the crowd fists the air, and sway their bodies side-to-side, front and back ever so ecstatically. Willingly, I become one with the rest. Have something to say about this piece? Want to offer us more free tickets to techno parties? Write in: community@ricemedia.co. The post Techno Party. Weekday Night. Undisclosed Location in Singapore. Why the Hell Not? appeared first on RICE. 20 May Chinese actress Yang Mi has recently won a case against a netizen whom she accused of slandering her online. As reported on China Times, the defendant, a 25-year-old university student surnamed Peng, was sued by the actress earlier for publishing posts claiming that there is bad blood between her and Tiffany Tang, and that the actress is supposedly known for betraying people. Peng defended her action, saying that all of her posts were written in reference to online news sources, adding that she has even written a notice on her posts warning readers that they do not represent the truth in any way. Nevertheless, Peng lost the case, and was required to remove all related posts and post a public apology to the actress in 30 days. She was also required to pay RMB50,000 for emotional distress, and RMB 16,000 for court fees. (Photo Source: China Times) SIOUX CITY -- The U.S. Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is seeking the public's help in locating the following person: * Skyler Peterson, 26. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 160 pounds, He has several tattoos, including a name on the inside of his left forearm. Peterson is wanted by the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Anyone with information can call the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force at 712-252-0211, email Siouxlands.MostWanted@usdoj.gov or text the keyword TEN99 and the tip to TIP411. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 4 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. DES MOINES -- Competitive Congressional races will be as common as Caseys pizza in Iowa in 2020. All four of the states U.S. House races figure to be competitive, politically intriguing and draw significant national interest throughout this election cycle. Thats not normal: two of the states four districts are regularly competitive, but the other two have been much less so over the past decade. But this time around, its a 4-for-4 free-for-all. The 1st and 3rd districts will be competitive as ever thanks to the politically balanced makeup of the voters in those districts and the fact both are being represented by first-term Congresswomen, Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne. That these races will be competitive comes as no surprise. What makes 2020 unique is the addition of the 2nd and 4th districts as potentially competitive races. The 2nd District has been relatively safe for Democrats with Congressman Dave Loebsack. But he is retiring from Congress and not seeking re-election. Literally within minutes of Loebsacks announcement, an editor for a national political forecasting publication moved the race from likely Democratic to a toss-up. And the 4th District historically has been very safe for Republicans. But oft-embattled Republican Congressman Steve King won in 2018 by only 3 percentage points after a series of statements and national media coverage preceded a significant drop in support on Election Day. Both races promise to be competitive this cycle, giving Iowa intriguing campaigns from river to river and border to border. The national forecasters see the same thing coming. The Cook Political Report has Iowas 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts rated toss-ups, and the 4th District likely Republican. Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball has the 1st and 2nd as toss-ups, the 3rd as leans Democratic and the 4th as likely Republican. This is going to be one of the most active election cycles, said Troy Price, chairman of the state Democratic Party. So many races, so many different opportunities here on the ballot. I think its going to be a really exciting time. Exciting but daunting. Much work lies ahead for the parties as they must go all-in on all four races. Yes, its exciting. But at the same time, as chair of the party, Im just going, OK, lets take a look at these resources and sharpen the pencils, said Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the state Republican Party. The logistical challenges seem likely to increase for the state parties. With four races that could go either way, no stone can go unturned, no voter can go left uncontacted in any of the states 99 counties. Price and Kaufmann said that planning has already started. Kaufmann said he expects help --- in terms of resources --- from the Trump campaign and coordination with GOP U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who also will be on the ballot. Kaufmann said wants to help build one of the most efficient Republican campaign operations in the country. He said the state party is at full capacity with its field staff and is already training workers. Its changed a lot of planning. Its changed a lot of strategic initiatives in terms of where were going to place offices, Kaufmann said. Price said Democrats have hired organizers in each Congressional district, which is earlier than most campaign cycles. And he said Democrats will be able to build off the endless string of visits by Democratic presidential candidates by tapping into voter enthusiasm and engagement. Theres a lot of energy within our party, a lot of excitement within our party at all these levels, Price said. These caucuses are going to allow us to build more infrastructure, get more people activated, get more people identified that we can reach out to. The opportunities and challenges vary for the two major political parties. Democrats were on the offense in 2018, when they flipped two seats to gain control of three of Iowas four U.S. House seats. This year, they will be largely on the defensive: they will have to defend two first-term representatives and win an open-seat race --- in a district won in 2016 by Republican President Donald Trump --- in order to keep it in Democratic hands. Iowa gives us three strong opportunities to pick up Democratic-held seats. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts all present very solid chances for Republican pickup, said Bob Salera, with the Republican Partys organization that works to elect GOP U.S. House candidates. Were confident with the way the socialist Democrats have overstepped since taking over the House, Iowans will be ready for new Republican leadership in all three districts, and we look forward to having a strong candidate to provide a clear contrast to the socialist Democratic agenda. Republicans must attempt to bounce back from their losses in the 1st and 3rd districts in 2018 despite many of the same issues --- health care chief among them --- driving the national conversation. And they must do so in a presidential election year, during which voter turnout historically improves in Democrats favor. Republicans clearly havent learned the lesson of 2018 because they are continuing to put forth candidates in Iowa who support ending protections for people with pre-existing conditions and who have chosen to stand with big pharmaceutical companies instead of lowering health care costs for families, said Brooke Goren, with the Democrats national U.S. House campaign organization. With health care on the ballot yet again in 2020, Iowa voters are energized and deeply motivated to re-elect Reps. Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne, who have been listening to their concerns and fighting to get real results for working families in Congress. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 concluded after the seventh phase on May 19. Following the wrap-up, exit polls predicted a landslide victory for the BJP-led NDA alliance. The India Today-Axis My India poll gave 339-365 seats to the BJP-led NDA. Meanwhile, the Congress-led UPA is expected to bag 77-108 seats and the SP-BSP-RLD combine might secure a victory on 10-16 seats. Others are likely to come on top in 59-79 seats, as per the exit poll. The Indian equities, Sensex, Nifty, opened higher on Monday, taking cues from exit polls and positive trading across Asian markets. The BSE Sensex was trading at 38,831.09, up by 900.32 points or by 2.37 per cent, and the NSE Nifty was at 11651.9, up by 244.75 points or by 2.15 per cent. Follow the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE updates on the BusinessToday.In blog: 5:30pm: Arun Jaitley: "If the Exit Polls are read alongwith the 2014 election results, it would be clear that there is a huge maturing of Indian democracy taking place." 5:15pm: Maharashtra State Commission for Woman plans to take action against actor Vivek Oberoi on his tweet on exit polls.(ANI) 5:00pm: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata, meet West Bengal CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 - ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 4:25pm: "We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the govt at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha," said Amar Patnaik of BJD. Amar Patnaik, BJD: We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the govt at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha. pic.twitter.com/YmqJaogvY4 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 3:40pm: RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi on Monday met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. #Maharashtrapic.twitter.com/QLFaEObugx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 3:20pm: Declaration of results for the Delhi Lok Sabha seats may get delayed by around five to six hours on May 23 as more time will be spent on counting VVPATs from each of the 70 Assembly segments of the national capital, Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said. He said after the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting is over, the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs) will be counted as per the Supreme Court guidelines. (PTI) 3:00pm: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said he wasn't sure whether MP CM Kamal Nath would survive as the CM for 22 days after the Lok Sabha election results. 2:40pm: Chandrababu Naidu to reach Kolkata at 4 pm. He will meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. 2:20pm: Sitaram Yechury criticises the EC. On VVPATs & the EVM tally, the EC is yet to come out with a procedure in case there is a mismatch! Even if there is one mismatch in the VVPAT samples picked for counting and EVMs, to maintain integrity of the electoral process, all VVPATs in that assembly segment must be counted Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) May 20, 2019 2:00pm: Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Gopal Bhargava reportedly said that they are sending a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, claiming that Kamal Nath government is in minority. "We are sending a letter to the Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues... It (the Madhya Pradesh government) will fall on its own. I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," Bhargava was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition & BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. pic.twitter.com/CXTwNLXYOM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 1:50pm: "There are many problems in counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve all those problems. There are many rumours regarding EVMs, including that printers may be manipulated and that control panels will be changed. EC has given scope for suspicion," said Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu. 1:35pm: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: I am 1000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I don't have even 0.1 per cent doubt, we are going to win. 1:25pm: Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition & BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: It will fall on its own (MP Government), I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon. 1:15pm: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan: We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue didn't affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there. 1:01pm: HD Kumaraswamy further tweeted: The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll. 12:59pm: HD Kumaraswamy questioned EVMs as well. Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballet paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 12:58pm: HD Kumaraswamy also slammed the exit polls conducted on May 19. World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerabke EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party. 2/4 H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 12:57pm: HD Kumaraswamy tweeted: Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballet paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. 12:55pm: Piyush Goyal met the EC and said, "We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers. We reiterated our demand for re-poll for constituencies where violence occurred in 7th phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal." 12:47pm: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/j76Ut5MqBJ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 12:46pm: MK Stalin said, "We will see the results on May 23," addint Chandrababu Naidu had spoken to him several times. "He has also come here and expressed his thoughts at the DMK office," said Stalin. 12:44pm: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami slams exit polls results for Tamil Nadu and says that he does not agree that AIADMk will fare poorly. Palaniswami says the exit polls are imposed on the people. 12:35pm: Madurai Bench of Madras High Court grants conditional anticipatory bail for actor Kamal Haasan. Kamal Haasan approached the court after FIR was filed im Karur against his Hindu terror remark. Hindu Munnani filed FIR and sought action against Haasan for promoting enmity between two communities. 12:20pm: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reaches BSP Chief Mayawati's residence in Lucknow. 12:19pm: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi'. Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi' pic.twitter.com/bUuwSBGLsQ ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 12:18pm: Union Council of Ministers likely to meet tomorrow; BJP President Amit Shah to host a dinner for NDA leaders tomorrow: ANI. 12:10pm: Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, said, "Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there. Everyone has seen the tremendous outpouring of support for PM Modi and BJP in Bengal. What Uttar Pradesh was in 2014, Bengal will be in 2019." 12:00pm: The Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the opposition parties for trying to come together to keep the BJP out of power after the Lok Sabha poll results, saying the country cannot afford to have a coalition government "crawling" with the support of several small outfits. "The 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed grand alliance of opposition parties) has at least five prime ministerial hopefuls...their hopes are likely to be dashed going by the current indications," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The country cannot afford to have a coalition government crawling with the help of several small parties," it opined. 11:45am: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik accepts CM Yogi Adityanath's request and dismisses Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief OM Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' Empowerment in UP cabinet with immediate effect. 11:30am: EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul and Spiti district headquarters. Himachal Pradesh: EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul & Spiti district headquarters on a Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter from Tashigang, world's highest polling station. pic.twitter.com/DClOhenEkM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 11:15am: OP Rajbhar said, "We welcome his decision. CM has taken a very good decision. He formed Social Justice Committee and threw its report in a dustbin, he didn't have spare time to implement it. I request him to implement Social Justice Committee's report as quickly as he took this decision today." 10:45am: UP CM also recommends immediate removal of Rajbhar's partymen holding rank of minister of state: Official. 10:43am: UP CM Adityanath seeks immediate sacking of Rajbhar, who had been making controversial remarks against BJP: Official. 10:40am: UP CM Yogi Adityanath recommends sacking of minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his cabinet to governor: Official. 10:35am: Karnataka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa said, "When I said I'll win 22 seats in the state no one took me seriously. I am sure now media will understand. All surveys are saying the same, it's not a surprise if we win 22 seats. It's clear that some big names will see a setback." 10:27am: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. 10:21am:West Bengal exit poll 2019 - In an unexpected turn of events, the BJP could secure 19-23 Lok Sabha seats out of 42 here, according to India Today-Axis My India exit poll results. 10:10am: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will in Delhi on Monday evening and is expected to meet all the available gathbandhan leaders. This will be his first meeting with the opposition leaders after exit polls that predicted a clear majority to BJP-led NDA. 9:51am: The turnout of women exceeded that of men in at least nine states and Union Territories, with the highest in Manipur at 84.16% and Meghalaya at 73.64%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Uttarakhand, Goa, Mizoram and Lakshadweep. 9:50am: The highest voter jump came from women voters, upto 6th phase an additional 4.1 crore women had voted with the gender gap coming down with every Lok Sabha election. Gender gap in 2009 was 9%, it was 1.4% in 2014 and this election season it came down to 0.4%, these figures were read out by Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena. 9:40am: BSP leader SC Mishra to ANI: "Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow." 9:30am: Following the exit polls verdict, Congress spokesman Rajeev Gowda said, "Please wait till May 23. We will surprise you. The entire vote share to seat share conversion is a difficult job. There is also a fear psychosis in the country and people do not reveal their views." Wilton Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann has decided not to run for an open seat in Iowas 2nd Congressional District. Kaufmann, who is serving his fourth term in the Iowa House, had received encouragement to run in the 24-county district that has been represented by Iowa City Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack since 2007. Loebsack announced in mid-April he will not seek re-election in 2020. Kaufmann said he was humbled by the support he received from people who encouraged him to run for Congress. But after giving it thought, Kaufmann said Sunday that he instead will seek re-election in Iowa House District 73, which includes all of Cedar County and eastern parts of Johnson County. My heart lies with the people of House 73 and my Cedar County farm, Kaufmann said. In addition to crop and livestock farming, Kaufmann, 33, operates a steel hauling, construction and demolition business. I feel my time is much better spent serving here in Iowa rather than in Washington, said Kaufmann, chairman of the House State Government Committee. His decision leaves Osceola Mayor Thomas Kedley as the only Republican who has filed for the race. Others mentioned as possible GOP candidates include first-term state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa, who ran against Loebsack in the past, and Bobby Schilling of Le Claire, who previously served in the U.S. House representing a western Illinois district. Also mentioned have been Sens. Roby Smith of Davenport and Chris Cournoyer of Le Claire, and Republican Fort Madison Mayor Brad Randolph. Democrat Rita Hart has filed for the seat. The Wheatland farmer and educator is a former state senator and was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018. When Loebsack, who carried the district 55 percent to 43 percent in 2018, announced his retirement, national political forecasters shifted the race from likely Democratic to tossup. The 2nd District is one of 21 congressional districts nationwide that flipped from supporting Democratic President Barack Obama to backing Republican Donald Trump in 2016, despite a Democratic voter registration advantage. In 2018, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds carried all but five of the 2nd Districts counties Johnson, Scott, Lee, Des Moines and Jefferson but the Democratic ticket of Fred Hubbell and Hart carried the district by 3 percentage points. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TRUMP: "My Campaign for President was conclusively spied on. Nothing like this has ever happened in American Politics. A really bad situation. TREASON means long jail sentences, and this was TREASON!" tweet Friday and retweet Saturday. My Campaign for President was conclusively spied on. Nothing like this has ever happened in American Politics. A really bad situation. TREASON means long jail sentences, and this was TREASON! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2019 THE FACTS: It wasn't treason. Indeed, his officials have said they have no specific evidence that anything illegal was done when the Trump campaign came under FBI surveillance that was approved by a court. Treason only occurs when a U.S. citizen, or a non-citizen on U.S. territory, wages war against the country or provides material support to a declared enemy of the United States. Nothing of that sort has been alleged, let alone anything illegal in the surveillance. FBI Director Chris Wray told Congress this month that he did not consider the FBI surveillance to be "spying" and that he has no evidence the FBI illegally monitored Trump's campaign during the 2016 election. Wray said he would not describe the FBI's surveillance as "spying" if it's following "investigative policies and procedures." His comments irritated Trump. Attorney General William Barr has said he believed "spying" did occur, but he also made clear at a Senate hearing last month that he had no specific evidence to cite that any surveillance was illegal or improper. The FBI obtained a secret surveillance warrant in 2016 to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. The New York Times also reported that the FBI used a woman posing as a research assistant to approach ex-Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who had earlier been told by a Maltese professor that Russia had "dirt" on Democrat Hillary Clinton in the form of stolen emails. PUTIN: "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." remarks Tuesday before a private meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Sochi, Russia. THE FACTS: Putin is wrong about the Mueller report in regards to its findings of "collusion." The Mueller report and other scrutiny revealed a multitude of meetings between Trump associates and Russians. Among them: Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer who had promised dirt on Hillary 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. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Christopher Rugaber and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This post was published in partnership with Wirecutter, the site devoted to finding the best gear and gadgets. Every product is independently selected by the Wirecutter team. We update links when possible, but note that deals may expire and prices are subject to change. If you buy something through our links, Slate and Wirecutter may earn an affiliate commission. By Sabrina Imbler and Kit Dillon Wirecutter Staff After 25 hours of research, we found that the Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan is the most powerful and user-friendly of five fans we testedand in mild, dry weather, it can be one of the most affordable, efficient ways to circulate air and make your home more comfortable. This strong, versatile, dual-blade fan clobbered every other window fan we tested in every aspect besides noise. Our pick: Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan The Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan was clearly the most powerful fan we tried, with robust breezes we felt from 24 feet away, 8 feet farther than from our runner-up, the Genesis Twin Window Fan. Its also the easiest to control, with a straightforward interface and an individual button corresponding to the fans every feature, including speed, temperature, and electronic reversibilitythat means, like many good window fans, you can push a button (rather than physically flipping it) to change from drawing in fresh outdoor air to venting stale or smelly indoor air. The Bionaire is also one of the best-reviewed fans we encountered, and its five-year warranty is longer than that of any other fan we tested. Formerly an upgrade pick in this guide (and a model that several Wirecutter editors have used happily for years), the Bionaire is the most expensive window fan we tested, but only by about $10 over our runner-up, the Genesis Twin. Its also slightly louder on its highest speedsbut the price and sound are slight compromises we consider worth it for such superior performance. Runner-up: Genesis Twin Window Fan The Genesis Twin Window Fan (occasionally listed as the Avalon Twin Window Fan) was the second most powerful fan in our testing, but we recommend it only if you absolutely cant get the Bionaire. Its airflow is weakerwe felt its wind at a max distance of 16 feetand its less intuitive controls make accessing basic functions unnecessarily confusing. But leaving the Bionaire aside, the Genesis stands apart from a field of worse competitorsits still among the most powerful models available, its electronically reversible, and its easy enough to install, and one nice side effect of its weaker power is that the Genesis isnt as loud as the Bionaire. The Genesis is a popular model with a higher proportion of positive reviews than are typical in this category, and it has a one-year limited warranty, though the manufacturer has less of an established reputation for reliable customer support than the maker of our top pick. Genesis Twin Window Fan The Genesis is weaker and has worse controlsbut is still better than the rest that we tested. $49 from Amazon Why you should trust us In researching this guide, and our guide to the best fan, weve spent more than 50 hours researching, testing, and living with fans to understand what it takes to move air effectively throughout a room. For the 2018 update, we interviewed several researchers who have devoted their entire careers to understanding how to most effectively cool spaces, including: Danny Parker, a principal research scientist at the Florida Solar Energy Center; Paul Raftery, PhD, a researcher at UC Berkeleys Center for the Built Environment; and Edward Arens, PhD, the director of UC Berkeleys Center for Environmental Design Research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sabrina Imbler, who wrote the 2018 update to this guide, lives in a muggy Brooklyn apartment without a range hood, and Kit Dillon, the original writer of this guide, grew up in an apartment in New York City that exclusively relied on window fans to keep cool. Who should get a window fan Who should get a window fan is closely tied to what window fans do. Unlike ceiling and room fans, which simply circulate indoor air, window fans are designed to draw fresh outside air into your home, orby reversing the fan directionto pull stale inside air out of it. Essentially, they improve your homes air exchange with the outside world. And they do so without taking up any indoor space. Advertisement Advertisement If you live in an area with moderate summer temperatures, or in a dry area with hot days and cool nights, a window fan can help keep your space comfortable at a fraction of the cost of an air conditioner by drawing cooler outside air into your sun-heated home. Theyre especially useful if the room youre ventilating is on the shady side of the building (the north side, in the northern hemisphere), because the outside air there is naturally cooler than the ambient temperature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you dont own a range hood or another way to ventilate your kitchen, a window fan can improve your air quality by drawing smoky/spicy/smelly air out of your home. The same goes for if you work with any kind of volatile compounds, from furniture polish to paint, or even if you paint your nails frequently. Most window fans, including our picks, actually incorporate a pair of fans, and let you switch the airflow from drawing in to blowing out with the push of a button. But most (including our picks) have a third setting that lets you do both things at once: one fan drawing in air, the other blowing it out. It sounds like the best of both worlds, but according to our experts, its actually the worst of both: what gets blown out gets drawn back in immediately, and vice versa. So skip that function. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, know that window fans are especially effective when used in pairs in two different windows: one to draw cool outside air in from the shady side of your home, and another to push hot indoor air out on the sunny side. As Danny Parker of the Florida Solar Energy Center explained, this setup creates a continuous, full-house cross-breeze. Now for what window fans dont do. Most important, they dont mechanically cool the air inside a room, and they dont reduce humidity, so if you live in an area with hot, muggy summers, theyre not going to help you much. By contrast, air conditioners physically remove heat and moisture to lower the actual and perceived temperature of a room, and in a hot environment theres no substitute. If you have one room that always seems to be hot, either install a window AC there (here are the models we recommend), or, if the rest of your home already has effective AC, use a room fan (again, we have picks) to blow cool air into it. And also look into ways to minimize the amount of heat the room absorbs from the sun, like cellular window shades, weather-stripping, and other passive methods laid out in our guide to keeping homes cool. How we picked We started by compiling an exhaustive list of all of the window fans for sale at major retailers such as Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowes. We didnt come across too many promising new models that we hadnt tested in prior updatesthe window fan market is not exactly rife with innovationbut we reevaluated many fans weve tested long-term (or tested and dismissed in the past) to see if any deserved a second look. We also pored over customer reviews of these fans, keeping an eye out for any patterns of inconvenience or failure or time-tested durability. Keeping with previous years, we focused this guide on twin-blade window fans designed to be used in standard-sized rooms, and excluding single-fan models that most people would find too loud, too large, and excessively powerful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With all of this in mind, we developed the following selection criteria: Electrically reversible: Some fans require you to physically remove the fan, turn it around, and reinstall it to change the direction of the airflow. Thats an automatic no. An electrically reversible fan can do that with the push of a button. Strong airflow: Though you dont want a gale in your living room, a good window fan should easily move air at least 15 feet away. Minimal noise: On its highest setting, the fan should not be disruptively loud, and on its lowest setting, it should create a soft and steady hum. Intuitive controls: You should be able to adjust the speed and turn the fan on or off without much hassle. A dimmer for the display is a plus. Advertisement Two-fan design: In our research and testing, we found that models with two internal fans struck the best balance of power and size for most windows. We found single-fan models too powerful and too bulky, and the slimmer three-fan models too weak. Multiple speeds: The fan should have at least three speed settings, to produce everything from a gentle zephyr or a full-on gust. Advertisement Advertisement Longevity: No window fan is built to last forever, but all are a burden to replace, especially if they break during the summer, when models can disappear from the shelves. We preferred fans with an extensive positive track record from owners, and a warranty of three or more years. Easy to clean: Though scouring all of the corners of a window fan grate is never going to be fun, it shouldnt be too difficult to wipe down the fans components as they inevitably accumulate dust and grime. Advertisement A good seal: A fan and its extenders should fit tightly in any window frame, sealing out bugs. Advertisement Advertisement Remote control: Not a requirement, but its nice to have a remote so that you can adjust the fan from your bed or desk. Most fans have an internal thermostat, which should theoretically turn your fan on and off when your room reaches a certain temperature. But in our years of testing, weve never encountered one precise enough to work, so we didnt prioritize this feature in making our picks. Likewise, most fans let you run one blade on drawing air in and the other on pulling air out. Our experts said this effectively cancels out a fans effects, because the blades are so close together that the one immediately feeds the other. We didnt consider this feature important. How we tested We tested five window fans during an unconscionably humid week in a New York apartment in August 2018. We installed each fan in a standard double-hung window, taking careful notes on how easy they were to set up, and ran them for hours, day and night. Advertisement Advertisement We placed a great deal of value on each window fans overall raw power, because unlike room fans, which can be more powerful than most people want, window fans are significantly less effective on lower settings. To test each fans airflow velocity, we put each on its highest setting and used the movement of a generic store receipt to measure the effective distance of the breeze the fan created. We also evaluated the usability of each fans controls, noting whether the power, temperature, and reverse-flow controls were clearly marked and easy to operate, or clunky and confusing. We used the iPhone noise meter app Decibel X to calculate the amount of noise emitted from each fan on each power setting, though no one fan sounded significantly louder than any other. Because decibel readings dont perfectly correlate to perceived sound, we buttressed these measurements with notes on how pleasant (or annoying) we found each fans whir. We did not take measurements of the accuracy of how each degree option of the window fans thermostat matched the temperature of the room, as we found the feature rarely worked well in any fan. Advertisement Advertisement And as always, we pored through avalanches of customer reviews of the fans we tested, scanning for any red flags regarding the fans long-term performance and accounts of dealing with warranties. Our pick: Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the third year running, the Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan bested every single other window fan we tested. Its not just more powerful, with its air reaching 8 feet farther than any other fans, its also easier to install and use. Its seven buttons let you independently set fan speed, air flow (in/out/exchange), thermostat (in individual degrees, versus 5-degree jumps on competitors), and auto/manual operation (not an option on the competition). And it comes with a handy remote control. The Bionaire also has the longest warranty of any window fan we tested from another company: a five-year warranty (covering defects in material and workmanship) that outlasts both the Holmes Dual Blades three-year warranty or the Genesiss paltry one-year warranty. On its highest setting, the Bionaire is slightly louder than some physically similar competitors, but thats a small dent in what is otherwise the Ferrari of window fansand you cant get power without a little vroom. Advertisement Advertisement At its highest setting, the Bionaire is considerably more powerful than every other fan we tested. The company does not publish technical details about many of its products (such as the airflow of its fans in CFM). But in our test, this model made a store receipt flutter from 24 feet away, versus 16 feet for our runner-up, the Genesis, and just 13 feet for a popular and well-reviewed competitor, the Holmes Dual Blade. Like most other fans we tested, the Bionaire has three speed settings, which means that you can adjust it to your preference for power and/or noisethat stood out against the popular Holmes Dual Blade, which has only two speed settings that left us lusting after a middle ground between the barely there whir of low and the windy jet of high. Advertisement Advertisement Installing the Bionaire was quite easy. The fan measures 24 by 12 inches without the extension and 30 by 12 inches fully extended, with an extendable locking wing on one side. (The dimensions quoted on the product spec sheet claim 13 inches in heightthe actual clearance size needed to install it in a window is 12 inches; we think the discrepancy may be the manufacturer taking a measurement across a bulge across the front of the unit, which adds an inch, but doesnt affect overall height.) To size the wing to your window, just unlock the two clasps on either side and stretch it out like an accordion until it seals the gap in your window, and then lock it again. If your window is unusually wide, the Bionaire also comes with two 3-inch extenders, which can increase the fans width to 37 inches when inserted. The installation instructions are lucid and comprehensive, and include specific advice for properly installing the fan in windows of different widths. In comparison, the instructions for the Holmes, Genesis, and 9-inch window fan models included only notes on the different installation for slider and double-hung windows, without any mention of width. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once the fan is installed, its also exceptionally easy to usefar easier than any other fan we tested. It has a button that powers the fan on and off and adjusts the power level between low, medium, and high. Separate buttons control each of the following features: the fans auto/manual setting, the temperature of the thermostat, the airflow reversibility, and even the brightness of the LED screen that displays the temperatureso you can dim it (though not shut it off) at night when youre trying to sleep. This may seem like the minimum a fan should offer, but during testing we found ourselves increasingly frustrated by fans that had less nimble controls (like the Genesis: no power button, no auto/manual option, and temperature control that overrode the fan speed, locking it on high). Even worse was the Holmess all-in-one control button, which requires you to cycle through every possible setting in order to reach the one you want. Advertisement At the time of testing, the Bionaire had the most positive owner reviews of any fan on any shopping platform, hands down. We tried to read every review that came from a longtime owner of this model, and most had good things to say. Advertisement Many of these customer reviews attest to the fans performance over the years. As Amazon customer Rockershipjack writes, I bought this product 3 years ago. It works great. It runs everyday of the year, many days all 24 hours. I take it apart completely every 6 to 8 months and clean and lube it. You could also call it a staff favorite. Former Wirecutter editor-in-chief Jacqui Cheng used one in Chicago for three or four years and was impressed by the power of the fan. I bought this fan to help keep my bedroom cool in the spring/fall without having to turn on AC and that thing seriously moves a lot of air for its size, she said. Wirecutter managing editor Ganda Suthivarakom has also owned one for several years, and in her previous apartment, used both airflows regularly. At night, when outside temps are cool here in southern California, the fan could cool down my living room in five minutes. Advertisement Advertisement The Bionaire comes with a remote that makes it easy to adjust the controls from across the room. The remote worked well for us, and is a handy feature when you want to adjust the fan without getting up. But, more important, the fan is just as easy to use without the remote, thanks to that great control panelso if you misplace or lose the remote, the fan is still fully functional. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, this model has the most finely adjustable internal thermostat of any fan we tested, letting you pick any target temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In comparison, the thermostats on the Holmes and Genesis fans allow you to set it only to numbers at intervals of 5 between 60 and 80 degrees (for instance, 60, 65, 70, 75, and 80) This said, we found all of the tested fans thermostats too imprecise to be very helpfulthe fans simply ran uninterrupted no matter what target temp we set. Ease of setting fan speed and direction proved much more useful, and on those factors, the Bionaire excelled. Flaws but not dealbreakers For a window fan, the Bionaire isnt cheap. It costs over $60, nearly twice as much as some of the window fans we tested, such as the Holmes Dual Blade or the 65-Watt 9-inch. But we think the fans power and proven longevity more than compensate for this higher-than-average price. No window fan is as expensive as an air conditioner to buy or operate, and if youre in a climate where either option could work, investing just a little more in the Bionaire will give you a solution thats more powerful and easier to use than any other window fan available. Advertisement Advertisement Some Bionaire owners have complained about the noticeable noise level of the fan. In our testing, the Bionaire emitted 83 decibels while running on high from a distance of 1 meter away, around 13 decibels higher than any other fan we tested. From a distance of 2 meters, however, the Bionaire registered around 65 decibels while running on high, close to the Genesiss 64.5 decibels and the Holmess 61 decibels. In short, as long as youre not sitting (or sleeping) right next to it, the Bionaire is hardly louder than any other fan. And if noise becomes an issue, running it on medium or low eliminates the distracting whir. Runner-up: Genesis Twin Window Fan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well be frank: We call the Genesis Twin Window Fan our runner-up, but in fact it ran a distant second place. If you want a window fan, we highly recommend you buy the Bionairethe absolute best model we tested. But if the Bionaire sells out, or if you absolutely must spend a little less, the Genesis is the best of the disappointing rest. Like the Bionaire, the Genesis has three speeds, better than the Holmess two. Set to high, the Genesis was the second most powerful fan in our testing, moving a receipt from 16 feet awaybut thats weak compared with the Bionaires 24-foot reach. Still, the Genesis stands apart from a field of even worse competitorsits among the most powerful window fans available, outperforming the popular Holmes Dual Blade. Plus, the fact that its electronically reversible distinguishes it from the absolute cheapest fans we considered. Advertisement We installed the Genesis easily, despite an instruction sheet with images so pixelated that they looked like photos taken by a UFO conspiracy theorist. But the text itself was sensible enough and included notes for installing the fan in different types of windows, such as double-hung and vertical slider-type windows. The Genesis has two lockable, extendable wings to fit itself inside a frame, and each wing was easy to expand and retract. Unlike the Bionaires manual, the Genesiss included no special directions for installing the fan in windows of varying widths. Advertisement We found the Genesiss interface to be far clumsier than the Bionaires. It lacks a separate on/off button. Instead, you turn it on by pressing the speed button and turn it off by holding the same button down. The speed button also cycles through the fans three speeds, as expected. But, annoyingly and inexplicably, using the thermostat overrides the speed button and locks the fan on high. We much prefer the Bionaires separate fan-speed and thermostat controls. The thermostat button also lets you set the target temperature in only 5-degree increments from 60 F to 80 F, versus the Bionaires single-degree adjustment. (Again, we didnt find any of our test fans thermostats very useful, but we prefer the Bionaires greater range of settings.) At the bottom of the fan, two separate switches allow you to electronically reverse the flow of each fan. We would have preferred a single toggle button that controls the fans reversibility, as is the case with the Bionaire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we first reviewed this fan, it was branded as Genesis, however its occasionally listed as the Avalon Twin Window fan on Amazon, and product pages for some other Genesis-branded products give Avalon as the manufacturers name. This sort of ambiguity isnt uncommon for products these days, though we could find very little information on the company. And although we couldnt find any worrying trends of failure or breakage within the limited Amazon reviews, the fan has a one-year limited warranty, versus the Bionaires five-year warranty. All this considered, we feel the safer buy is to go with a known quantity like the Bionaire. Advertisement The Genesiss one advantage over the Bionaire is that its quieter on its highest setting. In our testing, the Genesis made considerably less noise at a distance of 1 meter, measuring 70 decibels versus 83. However, when both fans were set to low and measured at a more reasonable 2 meters, the Genesis was louder at 62 decibels, versus the Bionaires 58. In short, unless your fan will be installed right above your bed or desk, we dont see much advantage to the Genesisand certainly not enough difference to overcome the Bionaires superior controls, instructions, and warranty. The competition We found the Holmes Dual Blade Twin Window Fan with Comfort Control Thermostat fan needlessly cumbersome to use. The fan has only one button, labeled mode, that controls both the speed and temperature and turns the fan on and off. This design means that you must press that lone, loathsome button to cycle through both speeds for each of the five temperatures listed in the thermostat. As Amazon reviewer Brad Waller writes, If you miss and go one too far, get ready to push push push until you get the right setting. This irritating feature, along with the fans weak airflow and two speed settings, made dismissing the Dual Blade easy. However, if the Bionaire and Genesis are both sold out, the Holmes works just fine and comes with a three-year warranty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After our prior top pick, the Pelonis 9-Inch Twin Window Fan, was discontinued, we tested a very similar replacement from Home Depot, the 65-Watt 9 in. White Reversible Twin Window Fan. This brandless fan did not have a particularly powerful airflow, moving only as much air as the Holmes Dual Blade (13 feet versus 24 feet for the Bionaire and 16 feet for the Genesis in our receipt test). And one of the knobs fell off when we tried to turn it. If your available window height is limited, or your window slides horizontally, the Bionaire Compact Window Fan is for you. Its 8-inch vertical height is 5 inches shorter than our top pick, meaning that it takes up less room in the vertically opening single- and double-hung windows most common in US homes, and its long, thin shape means that you can also install it in sliding windows (which open and close sideways). However, its lack of a reverse-airflow switch and mixed owner reviews removed it from the running for our top pick. Earlier tests before the 2018 update The Comfort Zone 3 Speed Dual Window Fan and Lasko Electrically Reversible Twin Window Fan rival the Bionaire in features, but both models have disappointingly mixed reviews. Though alluringly inexpensive, the Holmes Twin Window Fan with Reversible Air Flow Control pierced our ears with its shrill motors and tested our patience with is barely there breeze. Finally, the Optimus 8-inch Reversible Twin Window Fan does not have enough customer reviews to speak to its longevity and performance, plus its too expensive for its limited set of features. Sources 1. Danny Parker, principal research scientist at the Florida Solar Energy Center, phone interview, August 2, 2018 2. Paul Raftery, researcher at UC Berkeleys Center for the Built Environment, phone interview, August 2, 2018 3. Edward Arens, director of UC Berkeleys Center for Environmental Design Research, email interview, July 31, 2018 4. Chris Galas, senior product manager at Jarden Consumer Solution, phone interview, August 7, 2018 5. Steven Fox, The Dos and Donts of Window Fans, Bob Vila Patrick Allan, Keep Your Room Cool at Night by Facing Your Fan Out, Not In, Lifehacker, July 24, 2014 Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication. The polls were wrong. The pundits were wrong. The party insiders were wrong. The bookies were wrong. I was wrong. Even Burt the psychic croc was wrong. Australias dysfunctional, unpopular, conservative government (the Liberal and National parties, currently in coalition, sit on the right in Australian politics) held onto power for a third term in Saturdays national election. This happened despite the fact that most analysts expected it to lose a large number of seats; despite being (seemingly) out of step with the nations emerging consensus on climate change, marriage equality, religion, and race; despite a chaotic tenure in office that has seen three leaders since 2016; despite a threadbare policy agenda; despite many of its high-profile figures recently retiring in frustration or anticipation of defeat; despite betting agencies paying out Labor backers early; despite losing more than 50 consecutive opinion polls. After all of it, the conservatives won the only poll that mattered, in what reelected Prime Minister Scott Morrison, an evangelical Christian, called a miracle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Labor Party win had been anticipated for three years, with the opposition winning every single poll of the last term. Despite a narrowing lead, those expectations had only grown stronger in the final days, weeks, and months, with the ousting of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in August; the Christchurch, New Zealand, attack by a far-right Australian terrorist; global environmental alarm bells; and the death of a beloved Labor prime minister two days before the election, all contributing to a sense of inevitability. With the count ongoing, the Liberal-National Party coalition has won what appears to be a majority of seats in the 150-seat lower house, currently sitting on 75 but projected to make 78, against the Labor Partys projected 67 (76 seats are required to form governmenteven if they fall short, the LNP can form a minority government with one of the six independents). Expected swings against the coalition in several regions of the country didnt materialize, while there was a crucial 4 percent swing against Labor in the state of Queensland (alternately described as Australias Alabama or Florida). Advertisement Advertisement Progressive Australians areto understate thingshurting, in scenes reminiscent of the 2016 U.S. presidential election aftermath (only theyre threatening to move to New Zealand instead of Canada). Even Donald Trump sees the parallels, reportedly calling to congratulate the Trump-sympathizing Morrison and comparing his shock win to his own. Advertisement But more than anything, Australians on both sides of the aisle are blindsided, wonderingto paraphrase both Hillary Clinton and an infamous Morrison-led Tourism Australia campaignwhat the bloody hell happened? None can dispute defeated Labor leader Bill Shortens explanation: We didnt get enough votes. But thats pretty much where consensus stops. Other than Queensland, no one is quite sure who to blame, but boy are there a lot of candidatesperhaps more than were in the race itself. As one anonymous Labor figure told the Guardian Australia, at the moment we havent got a fucking clue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Was it the Labor Partys big target policy agenda, which many inside and outside the party are now saying was too big, too broad, too complex, or too hard to explain to voters in the given time? Many of the disaffected who stood to gain the most from Labors big-spending, tax-reforming economic plan voted against it, instead embracing the far right, while the tax reforms opened Labor up to highly effective, though false, death tax and retiree tax scare campaigns. Labors environmental stance, while not actually all that bold, hurt it in coal-friendly Queensland and among voters worried about the costs of acting on climate change, while the fact that its progressive tax changes were only going to affect the top 20 percent didnt cut through. Shorten used his concession speech to defend the ambitious platform saying, Im proud that we argued what was right, not what was easy. Still, many are declaring this the end of opposition parties going into elections with actual policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Progressive Australians areto understate thingshurting, in scenes reminiscent of the 2016 U.S. presidential election aftermath. It could also be that this was about Shorten himself, the record-breakingly unpopular Labor leader and former union boss, who confidently told reporters Saturday morning that his democracy sausage (an important Election Day ritual) tasted like the mood for change. He was aware of his unpopularity and cleverly utilized the more trusted female members of his team, as well as his exceptionally popular wife, Chloe, on the campaign trail. Many of us believed voters would get past Shortens personal un-appealsome of us even confidently wrote about it. Queensland, especially, couldnt: They saw him as a southern trade unionist with a green agenda, Griffith University political scientist Paul Williams told SBS News. Hearsay shows that even people who care about climate change and dont usually vote Liberal still did so because they disliked Shorten so much. Advertisement Advertisement Did the left lose it, or did the right win it? Morrison definitely deserves a lot of credit, with many now calling the eight-month prime minister a Liberal Party legend (from accidental Prime Minister to homespun hero). Despite the fact that Australians vote for parties, not prime ministers, the former ad man ran a presidential-style race that pitted him directly against his unpopular Labor counterpartthe choice between Bill Shorten and myself. He kept divisive Liberal figures out of the spotlight and himself in it, with the policy conversation trained on Labors taxes and spending. And, also, the right lied, shamelessly, sparking new calls for truth in political advertising laws. Advertisement Or did Rupert Murdoch win it? Former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has called him the elephant in the room. News Corp controls 70 percent of Australias print media and its 2019 campaign coverage was so biased against Labor that one of the Murdoch-owned Australian newspapers most respected former journalists called it out, saying he was canceling his subscriptions. Speaking of billionaires: a fair portion of blame/credit is being heaped at the feet of eccentric mining tycoon Clive Palmera man John Oliver refers to as an Australian Trump, and the figure behind Titanic II. Palmer spent an unprecedented $60 million in advertising trying to get his independent party back into Parliament, and though he didnt win a single seat, he ended up diverting votes away from Labor with his shifty Shorten ads. (In true Trump style, he is now claiming credit for the coalition win, saying this was his plan all along.) Advertisement Or, more bleakly, did Australia lose it? There was so much the left got wrong about this election, but the more important thing we got wrong was the idea that Australia was somehow immune from what was happening in the rest of the world. While right-wing figures like Fraser Anning (who was famously egged after blaming Muslim immigration for Christchurch) and Pauline swamped by Muslims Hanson bob in and out of the picture, our electoral system kept them on the fringes, and our democracy still seemed to make sense. And while divisive former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, elected in 2013 and removed by his own party in 2015, was further to the right than Morrison, his election could perhaps have been explained in that it came off the back of six years of exasperating Labor leader dysfunction. No such pretense herein fact, its the Liberal Party thats been creating the chaos for the past six. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, Morrison is no Trump (although he did once mockingly brandish a piece of coal in Parliament, yelling, This is coal! Dont be afraid, dont be scared!). Hanson has limited parliamentary power, Palmer won no seats, and Anning, having been unendorsed by Hansons One Nation Party, failed to get reelected in his own right, despite a coordinated campaign by the alt-right. But the far right certainly bled votes from Labor in Queensland, while its memes and scare campaigns even filtered up into Liberal-National Party lines. But its not just about the far right. Progressive Australians are reeling because any lingering illusions that we were a fair nation have been shattered. Whatever Labors political shortcomings, Australians in general voted against a detailed platform that aimed to seriously address climate change, raise wages, increase cancer funding, make child care free or significantly cheaper, close tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy, fund the arts, fund the underfunded public broadcaster, and begin the serious work needed to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians including electing the nations first indigenous affairs minister. Instead, they voted for not much of anything (other than some tax cuts), even after two dysfunctional terms of it. After this defeat, its unlikely Labor will come up with anything this ambitious again. Many believed (or hoped) we were going the way of New Zealand, whose Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently topped a list of Australias most trusted politicians, but we went in the opposite direction. And while Australians hoping for a more progressive Australia have had their hopes dashed, so too have refugees being kept on Manus Island under our draconian asylum-seeker policies (previously overseen by Morrison). Advertisement Advertisement None of this explains how the polls got it so devastatingly wrong, with one viewer asking the ABCs election panel: Should anyone trust an opinion poll ever again? It follows the poll-bucking trends of Brexit and Trump. Some blame what in British politics is called the shy Tory factor, in which voters tell pollsters they plan to vote less conservatively than they really are. One polling company director dismissed this idea, but Morrison seems to agree with it, thanking the quiet Australians in his victory speech. Some blame cost cutting and technological change, with robocalls and internet polling leading to inaccuracies. One pollster says there was a late break to the coalition while another dismisses that theory. Good polls, bad polls, or totally obsolete polls, Liberal Party hero Morrison now looks likely to remain in power for as long as the party does, despite no leader having completed a full term since 2007. Before the election, former Liberal prime ministerial adviser Niki Savva wrote that in the unlikely event Morrison won, hed have unprecedented authority over the party and government. The problem is, having run on not much other than how scary Labor is, no ones quite sure what the deeply religious, coal-clutching prime minister plans to use that authority for. A Border Patrol agent who was charged with hitting a migrant at the border with his truck and lying about the incident had, in texts to another agent, used hateful language to describe Central American migrants, calling them savages and subhuman shit, according to the Arizona Daily Star. The texts come from documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson, Arizona, in the case of Nogales Border Patrol Agent Matthew Bowen. Bowen was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2018 over an incident that occurred in December 2017. Advertisement Bowen believed migrants are disgusting subhuman shit unworthy of being kindling for a fire, according to the documents. PLEASE let us take the gloves off trump! he said in another text to fellow agent Lonnie Ray Swartz, who at the time was facing murder and manslaughter charges for shooting through the border fence in Nogales in 2012, hitting 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who had been allegedly throwing rocks toward the agents, 10 times. (Swartz was acquitted.) Bowen also texted Swartz in 2017 that rock throwers were mindless murdering savages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors, in filing the documents, were asking a judge to allow the texts as evidence of his attitude toward the migrants he apprehends at the border. But according to Bowens defense attorney, certain terms are commonplace throughout the Border Patrols Tucson Sector, that it is part of the agencys culture, and therefore says nothing about Mr. Bowens mind-set, according to the Daily Star. Advertisement Advertisement Other examples the prosecutors give are equally offensive. In one, someone asks Bowen, Did you gas hiscorpse or just use regular peanut oil while tazing?? For a frying effect. To which Bowen responds, Guats are best made crispy with an olive oil from their native pais. In another, sent before the December 2017 incident, he complained that Border Patrol was a failed agency because we are treated like shit, prosecuted for doing what it takes to arrest these savages. (He said he would also miss the chase of hunting down shitbags with your crew.) Bowen has a record of alleged violence on the job, according to the Daily Star. In one instance, he was accused of searching a car without probable cause, pulling the cars occupant out forcefully, and throwing him to the ground. One agent alleged Bowen tackled a migrant to the ground after the migrant had stopped running, busting the migrants lip. One migrant said Bowen had pulled him from the ground by handcuffs after he had tripped, injuring his wrists. Another migrant said that while he was handcuffed in a vehicle Bowen was driving, Bowen suddenly and intentionally slammed on the brakes, causing the migrant to be injured when he was thrown forward into the dashboard. Advertisement Advertisement The incident that led to his charges occurred when he and two other Border Patrol agents chased down a man who appeared to have jumped the border fence near the Mariposa Port of Entry, according to a sworn affidavit filed by a special agent with the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Inspector General. As the man, 23-year-old Antolin Lopez Aguilar, ran back toward the port of entry after being found at a gas station parking lot, Bowen allegedly accelerated aggressively into a position behind the running Lopez Aguilar and struck the man twice with his Ford F-150, knocking him to the ground. The truck came to a full stop within inches of running Lopez-Aguilar over where he lay on the ground, according to the special agent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lopez was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries and sentenced the next day to 30 days in federal prison for illegally crossing the border, according to the Daily Star. After Bowen learned he was being investigated over the incident, he sent a memo to the chief patrol agent arguing he had been unfamiliar with the trucks acceleration and had not intended to actually hit Lopez, according to prosecutors. Bowen, a 10-year veteran of the agency, was charged with depriving Lopez of his civil rights and falsifying records. He was placed on indefinite suspension without pay in June 2018, and his trial is scheduled to start in August. Throne done: Have you been left feeling empty after watching Jon Snow march off into the wild with the Free Folk? Weve got plenty of Game of Thrones takes to fill the void. Willa Paskin explains why the ending didnt feel like it fit the show it had become. Lili Loofbourow looks at how the series became a victim of its own cynicism. And Rachelle Hampton and Jacob Brogan crown showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss the Worst People in Westeros. Meanwhile, Dan Kois argues that the finale was actually GOOD! Advertisement Tribal loyalty: Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the Supreme Courts liberals Monday in a decision that bolsters the rights of American Indians under 19th-century treaties. Thanks to the conservative justice, American Indian plaintiffs are enjoying an unusually good term at the court. Mark Joseph Sterns looks at whats behind this curious alliance on tribal rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement History repeating itself: How could educators ever think that having schoolchildren role-play as slaves or Nazis is a good idea? Teachers with no sense of perspective tried to make history personal and ended up reinforcing white supremacy in the name of learning, explains Rebecca Onion, who looks closely at why teachers continue to use these techniques, and how better to teach empathy. Vox pop: The Netherlands prevailed this weekend at Eurovision, the foremost world pop music contest, but the song competition was overshadowed by political controversy around this years host nation: Israel. Supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement urged musicians not to go, but that was no problem, apparently, for Madonna, who was paid to perform at Saturdays show by an Israeli billionaire. As Matthew Dessem explains, Madge did not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For fun: A jockey-less horse won hearts, lost the Preakness Stakes. Happy and free, Abby On Monday, for the second time this year, Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the Supreme Courts liberals in a 54 decision bolstering the rights of American Indians under 19th-century treaties. The courts decision in Herrera v. Wyoming is not earth-shattering, but it is noteworthy, rejecting an old theory of state sovereignty in favor of American Indian treaty rights. And coming on the heels of Washington State Department of Licensing v. Cougar Denin which Gorsuch joined the liberals to affirm states obligations to the tribes they displacedHerrera reveals a court shifting left on tribal disputes. Thanks to the conservative justices vote, American Indian plaintiffs are enjoying an unusually good term at the Supreme Court. Whats behind this curious alliance? Advertisement The most obvious answer is that Gorsuch is simply more sympathetic to tribal rights than his conservative colleagues. And if that is indeed the case, then it should come as no surprise. As a judge on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Gorsuch consistently ruled in favor of tribes right to govern their own affairs and rely upon promises made by the state and federal governments. For that reason, multiple tribes endorsed Gorsuchs nomination to the Supreme Court. Alvin Not Afraid Jr., chairman of the Crow Tribe Executive Branch, told the Senate that Gorsuch has consistently demonstrated not only a sound understanding of Federal Indian Law principles, but a respect for our unique and closely held cultural values. John Dossett, then general counsel of the National Congress of American Indians, wrote that Gorsuch appears to be both attentive to the details and respectful to the fundamental principles of tribal sovereignty and the federal trust responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So it was not a shock when, in March, Gorsuch hopped on board with the liberal justices to deliver a win to the Yakama Nation in Cougar Den. In that 54 decision, the court had to interpret an 1855 treaty in which the Yakamas surrendered 10 million acres of their landa quarter of present-day Washington statein return for, among other things, the right, in common with citizens of the United States, to travel upon all public highways. Today, Washington imposes a tax on gasoline brought into the state on a highway. The tribe claimed an exemption from that tax, arguing that the treaty envisioned a sweeping right to bring goods freely to the tribal market. Siding with the Yakamas, Gorsuch explained that when the court is dealing with a tribal treaty, it must give effect to the terms as the Indians themselves would have understood them. He pointed out that the federal government drew up this contract and employed its power of the pen to its advantage. Citing findings in an earlier case, he wrote: Advertisement During the negotiations English words were translated into Chinook jargon although that was not the primary language of the Tribe. After the parties reached agreement, the U. S. negotiators wrote the treaty in Englisha language that the Yakamas couldnt read or write. And like many such treaties, this one was by all accounts more nearly imposed on the Tribe than a product of its free choice. Advertisement Gorsuch explained that in the Yakama language, the phrase in common with actually meant [for] general use without restriction. Thus, they believed the treaty gave them the right to travel on all public highways without being taxed while engaged in the transportation of tribal goods. As a result, Washington may not tax gas that Yakamas import onto tribal land via highways. Gorsuch concluded: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Really, this case just tells an old and familiar story. The State of Washington includes millions of acres that the Yakamas ceded to the United States under significant pressure. In return, the government supplied a handful of modest promises. The State is now dissatisfied with the consequences of one of those promises. It is a new day, and now it wants more. But today and to its credit, the Court holds the parties to the terms of their deal. It is the least we can do. Mondays case, Herrera, is more consequential than Cougar Den. It pits a conservative principle, the equal sovereignty of states, against tribal rights. In 1868, the Crow Tribe gave up most of its territory (located partly in present-day Wyoming) to the United States in exchange for the right to hunt on the land. Then, in 1890, the federal government admitted Wyoming as a state without mentioning American Indian treaties. In 2014, pursuant to the 1868 treaty, but in violation of state law, Clayvin Herrera, a member of the Crow Tribe, hunted elk in Wyoming. The state charged him with illegal hunting and argued that he could not raise the treaty as a defense. Why? Because when Congress admitted Wyoming into the union, it silently overrode existing American Indian treaties, allowing the state to start fresh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The courts only Western justice has a firm grasp on American Indian law and an obvious empathy for tribes and their members. It might sound absurd to assert that an American Indian treaty can be trashed so easily. But in 1896s Ward v. Race Horse, the Supreme Court held exactly that. Invoking the doctrine of equal footing, the court insisted that when Wyoming became a state, it gained a power vested in all other States of the Union: the ability to regulate the killing of game within their borders. And because the treaty limited that ability, it was voided by statehood. Advertisement In Herrera, Gorsuch and the liberals rejected Race Horse, ruling that it had been repudiated by a more recent decision and now retains no vitality. Writing for the court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor declared that treaties are not impliedly extinguished at statehood. Instead, Congress must clearly express its intent to abrogate Indian treaty rights. Because it didnt do so here, the treaty remains in force. Wyoming can still raise separate technical objections by arguing that Herrera is bound by an older 10th Circuit decision. But in a lengthy footnote, Sotomayor suggested that Herrera might be able to overcome this hurdle. Advertisement Gorsuchs vote in Herrera was not easy to predict. After all, Herrera revolves around the principle of equal sovereignty among states, which the conservative justices relied upon to gut the Voting Rights Act in 2013. Why did Gorsuch chose tribal rights over state sovereignty? Its tempting to devise cynical explanations for his vote; for instance, he may wish to swing left on American Indian issues to prove hes not a partisan or doctrinaire conservative. But the simplest answer is also the most likely: The courts only Western justice has a firm grasp on American Indian law and an obvious empathy for tribes and their members. Among his colleagues, only Sotomayor has evinced a similar solicitude for, and scholarly interest in, the rights of American Indians. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, Gorsuch is recused from this terms third tribal case, Carpenter v. Murphy, which will decide whether nearly half of Oklahoma falls under tribal jurisdiction. (He was involved in the case when he was a judge on the 10th Circuit.) If SCOTUS splits 44, it will affirm the lower courts ruling, which found that the Oklahoma land is, indeed, tribal. No matter how the justices decide, though, Gorsuchs voice will be missed in Carpenter. Alone among the courts conservatives, the justice has a distaste for the old and familiar story of the U.S. government breaking its promises to tribes. Whatever the flaws of his broader jurisprudence, Gorsuch recognizes his courts responsibility to enforce treaty rights that the government finds inconvenient today. It is, as he wrote, the least we can do. To listen to this episode of Trumpcast, use the player below: Get More Trumpcast Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to Trumpcast Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. Listen to Trumpcast via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. Leon Krauze talks to Slate political writer Jim Newell about the Democrats struggle with Joe Biden, his double-digit lead in the polls, and why they hate him despite this significant advantage. Follow Trumpcast on Twitter: @realtrumpcast Podcast production by Melissa Kaplan with help from Danielle Hewitt and Rene Pineda. Well, well, well, well. It seems that a certain POTUS who has made zero-tolerance policies toward illegal immigration the centerpiece of his political career is starting to have some second thoughts about his positionand specifically, it seems that this individual, whose personal hotel-resort businesses have relied on undocumented housekeepers and groundskeepers for years, has now coincidentally come to believe that some industries should be allowed to employ undocumented workers. Heres what the gentleman in question, Donald Trump, told Fox News on Sunday about the difficulty, in certain industries such as agriculture and, uh, building hotels, of using the E-Verify system to ensure that ones employees have their paperwork in order: Advertisement I used it when I built the hotel down the road on Pennsylvania Avenue. I use a very strong E-Verify system. And we would go through 28 people 29, 30 people before we found one that qualified. So its a very tough thing to ask a farmer to go through that. So in a certain way, I speak against myself, but you also have to have a world of some practicality. As the Washington Post notes, the Trump Organization only recently announcedin January, after a series of news reports documented its extensive employment of undocumented workersthat it planned to begin using E-Verify on its properties. At that time, the spin from Trumps camp was that the presence of undocumented individuals on his payroll was evidence of a broken immigration system that needed to be fixed immediately; now, it seems, that fix can wait for a while. You know, because it would be hard on the farmers. President Donald Trumps plan to pardon several servicemen and contractors charged with war crimes provides further proof that the commander in chief knows nothing about the basic workings of the U.S. military. According to the New York Times, Trump has asked the Justice Department to expedite the pardoning paperwork for these cases so that he can issue the pardons by Memorial Day, presumably to display his love for the armed forcesthough, in fact, it would reveal only his contempt and cynicism. Advertisement Chris Jenks, a scholar on the law of armed conflict who served as special counsel in the Defense Departments Office of the General Counsel from 2017 to 2018, said in a phone interview that the pardons would express utter disdain for the commanders and for the military justice system that Trump himself, at least formally, heads. Its his system, Jenks said. If he doesnt like the way it works, its on him to change it. Or if he thinks these particular defendants were improperly charged, he needs to show howa hard task, given that pardoning probes usually take months, whereas Trump wants these finished in a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The servicemen in question were charged not by some international tribunal or one of the bleeding-heart judges that Trump often rails against, but rather by U.S. military courts operating under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (The contractor was convicted of first-degree murder in a federal court.) And the alleged crimes are not small matters. Advertisement Advertisement In one case, a special operations chief in the Navy SEALs is charged with spraying gunfire at crowds of unarmed civilians in Iraq and with shooting to death an old man and a teenage girl from a snipers nestjust for sport. In the other cases, Blackwater security contractors were found guilty of shooting dozens of unarmed Iraqis during a street protest early on in the war, an event that intensified the ongoing insurgency, which led to thousands more deaths. A major in the Green Berets killed an unarmed Afghan, whom he suspected to be a bomb maker, and buried him in a shallow grave, and a group of Marines was charged with urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters (they videotaped the deed). Advertisement It sends a message to the people in countries hosting our troops that the U.S. military is a rogue force and that assurances about its ethos and restraint should not be trusted. Trump will no doubt argue that these men were serving the nation in perilous conditions. This is true but irrelevant. Military laws are written and enforced to maintain discipline and mutual trust among U.S. troops in combatto enhance their effectiveness and safety. Pardoning disrupters of this order, before theyre tried or after theyre convicted, erodes this discipline. Advertisement The pardons would also send three terrible messages. First, it sends a message to the troops that they dont need to focus on the mission or to control their passions; they wont get punished for lashing out, regardless of what their commanding officers have told them. Second, it sends a message to troops witnessing a crime of this sort not to bother reporting it to higher-ups. In the case of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, the Navy SEAL who routinely shot at civilians in Iraq, the subordinates who first reported him were told to look away; it took courage and great risk for them to press ahead. A presidential pardon would demoralize everyone in that unit and discourage principled behavior in all units in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, it sends a message to the people in countries hosting our troops that the U.S. military is a rogue force and that assurances about its ethos and restraint should not be trusted. All three of these messages endanger our troops in battleand further sully the reputation of our country overseas. This is what Trump does not understand. He thinks that war is about nothing but killing and that the same is true of those fighting the wars. After winning the 2016 election, he recruited James Mattis, a retired Marine four-star general, to be secretary of defense, figuring that, because his nickname as a commander was Mad Dog, he would be one of the greatest killers. Trump was surprised when Mattis told him that torture didnt work. Mattis frequent strictures to his troopsto think before they fireis typical of U.S. commanders in the past half-century. By the same token, Trump probably believes the troops will love him if he forgives one from their ranks who, in his way of thinking, was only doing his job but stepped a little out of line. He is wrong, and its a demeaning message to send on the day when true honor and bravery are commemorated. NaMo TV has disappeared from the set-top box as mysteriously as it appeared on them, raising many eyebrows. The channel made its way on various service provider's platform before the General Elections 2019 on March 26. Being funded by the Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it started a controversy with the opposition leaders calling NaMo TV a propaganda machine as it showed PM's rallies, interviews, features of government schemes and other BJP leaders' interviews. Direct to Home (DTH) operators -- Tata Sky, Videocon and Dish TV -- aired NaMo TV as a free-to-air service to their subscribers. The channel was available across the nation. However, when the issue was brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India, they sought clarification from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The ministry's response that NaMo TV was an "advertisement based platform" added fuel to fire as the channel distributed by several DTH operators at the expenses of the ruling BJP. The ministry added NaMo wasn't a registered channel that needed permission to air. Also Read: Tsunamo effect! Exit polls help bring back Rs 5.33 lakh crore in share market Congress President Rahul Gandhi had also mentioned NaMo TV when he attacked the Election Commission after the end of the voting for Lok Sabha elections 2019. Gandhi, in a tweet, said that from electoral bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, "Modi's Army" & now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission's capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians. The EC used to be feared & respected. Not anymore." The vanishing of NaMo TV can be linked to the completion of the voting process. The idea of NaMo TV was to garner eyeballs and highlight the government's working, which could possibly be for gaining voters attention, EC sources told India Today. Now that the elections are over, incurring the cost of running the platform would be ineffective, they added. Pulling the plug on NaMo TV suddenly after the elections has raised serious questions about the various loopholes in the system. Both the EC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were not able to provide satisfactory answers about the channel's functioning. (Edited by Vivek Dubey) Also Read: Nifty bank index hits record high, posts biggest one-day gain ever; SBI hits 52-week high Also Read: Tata Motors posts net loss of Rs 28,826 crore in FY19, JLR turns profitable in Q4 Juraj Corba and David Marcins graphic novel focuses on the dilemmas created by new technology. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled New technologies have always brought with them new challenges and uncertainty, from the printing press to todays technology in fields like artificial intelligence or augmented reality. Some people believe these machines could pose a threat to mankind. But should people fear the future? Juraj Corba and David Marcin deal with this, and other questions in their graphic novel Polys: All Those Worlds. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Juraj Corba about the book, new technologies and a Bratislava-born inventors chess-playing automaton. Read also: Read also: Kempelen invented much more than just the Turk, a chess-playing automaton Read more TSS: How would you describe your graphic novel, without giving away too much of its plot? Juraj Corba (JC): Its a story about two highly qualified security experts as they deal with the security threat posed by an anti-technological revolt and who, despite their expertise, begin to struggle to orient themselves in coexisting worlds. Its about new situations and the fundamental dilemmas new technologies bring about. TSS: Why did you decide to write the book? JC: My idea was to write a story about personal transformation, but in a contemporary context. About two and a half years ago I came across new technologies in artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality. At the time, these topics werent as hot as they are now, but, as Im lawyer and I also have a background in social sciences, they interested me from legal, ethical, social and other points of view. TSS: Why did you choose to do a graphic novel? 20. May 2019 at 13:16 I Modified at 22. May 2019 at 22:30 The festival will take place anyway. An image from the Festival operation. (Source: Facebook of the Slovak police) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled 14 people were detained during the Festival operation, which was carried out by the financial police on the morning of May 16 due to allegations of fraud worth 7 million. Among the arrested people was Dusan Drobny, the organiser of the Topfest summer music festival, the private broadcaster TV Markiza reported. Topfest should be organised by the Morning Net agency. According to the business register, it changed owners three months ago and now has a Hungarian authorised representative. What are the charges? The investigator of the financial police launched criminal prosecution for tax evasion in 25 cases in December 2017. The case involves a Bratislava-based company and its tax returns for the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 7 million were reported in damages. The police plan to publish more information after taking necessary procedural actions, the Sme daily reported. Festival should take place as planned Topfest is scheduled to take place in the Zelena Voda complex near Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Trencin Region) during the last weekend in June. Guitar player Slash, British band Apollo 440, and Slovak bands like Horkyze Slize and Desmod were slated to perform at the festival this year. The Morning Net company issued a statement, claiming that it will continue with preparations for all of its events, including Topfest. There is no reason for the festival not to take place or be changed, the organiser wrote on the festivals website. The charges have been brought against a person who is just one of the organisational teams members. This criminal proceeding doesnt have any impact on the activities of our company and the continuing preparation of the festival, the organisers said. How will the fire impact transportation in the city? Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Firefighters in Zilina had to deal with the situation after plastic crates filled with straw, used as a space for theatre performances at the Zilina-Zarecie railway station, caught fire in the early morning hours of May 19. The fire quickly spread to the nearby Rondel flyover and its pillars. Although the fire was extinguished, the flyover had to be closed for both road and railway transport. An expert group will now try to find out more about the cause of the fire. The damages have been estimated at 213,000. The police, meanwhile, have launched an investigation, the SITA newswire reported. The Truc Spherique civic association, which runs the Stanica Zilina-Zarecie cultural space, is ready to bear consequences if the investigation proves they were responsible for the fire, the TASR newswire reported. Traffic impacted Following the damages to the flyover, the organisation of traffic in Zilina had to be changed. The police in Zilina introduced the following changes: In April 2019 Russia decided, as many expected, to scrap two of its four 28,000 ton nuclear-powered Kirov class battlecruisers. These two ships were removed from active duty in 1990 and 1994 with the hope of later putting them back in service. Designed in the 1970s, the lead ship of the class, the Kirov, was under construction from 1974 to 1980 when it entered service. The Kirov had a nuclear reactor problem in 1990 and was taken out of service pending repairs. The second ship, the Frunze, was under construction from 1978 to 1984 when it entered service. In 1994 Frunze was put in storage to save money but was to eventually returned to service. Now this ship is being scrapped. The third ship began construction in 1983 and was completed in 1988. Taken out of service in 1999 (to save money) it was reactivated in 2005. This ship began a refurbishment in late 2014 that was supposed to be completed in 2018 but is still not done. The fourth Kirov began construction in 1986 but was not completed until 1998 and is still in service as the flagship of the fleet. A fifth Kirov was planned but construction never began and it was canceled in 1990. There was also another ship that used the hull and power plant design of the Kirov but was built as the 36,000 ton SSV-33, a command and control ship that served as an electronic intelligence and missile and space satellite tracking vessel as well as a seaborne communications relay. Construction began in 1981 and was completed in 1989. Soon it was realized that SSV-33 was not worth operating and it was taken out of service in 1992 because of fire damage and scheduled for scrapping in 2010, a process that took over seven years to complete. SSV-33 only went to sea once, in the Pacific and with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 there was never money to build her a berth for the ship in its Pacific home port. So SSV-33 was anchored offshore and ended up serving as a barracks ship until the 1992 fire ended its brief career. A growing number of admirals and Defense Ministry officials want to scrap the two remaining nuclear-powered surface ships (two Kirovs) plus the non-nuclear carrier Kuznetzov to save money for building new ships and having enough sailors to man the new ships. That decision is gradually becoming inevitable because the defense budget is shrinking as a result of low oil prices, sanctions and a chronic recession. The Kirovs and the carriers were built at the end of the Cold War as prestige ships showing how the Russian Navy had finally become a mighty force to be reckoned with. But even as these ships were built the Soviet Union was approaching economic and political collapse. The mighty Russian fleet quickly disappeared in the 1990s as over a hundred major ships were taken out of service and eventually (with Western help, because most were nuclear subs) scrapped. The process continues with the last three nuclear surface ships facing the scrapyard as well. Elimination of the last Kirovs was delayed because of the decision to complete the refurbishment of the Admiral Nakhimov, one of two remaining Kirovs. This overhaul was initially supposed to begin in 2005, but got delayed by money and political problems. The upgrade, which all four Kirovs were to eventually go through, was meant to keep each overhauled ship in service for another twenty years. It now looks like only the Nakhimov will (maybe) undergo the upgrade which includes new electronics, upgraded weapons and refurbishment of the nuclear reactor and most mechanical components. Russia currently only has one of these nuclear-powered battlecruisers, Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great), in service. This was the last one built and has been operating for 21 years. This ship will soon need the refurbishment and upgrade but it is doubtful the money will be there to pay for it. At that point, the battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy will be the last nuclear powered Russian warship and the last relic of the largest fleet Russia ever put into service. The Kirovs are 28,000 ton warships that first entered service, in the Baltic Sea, during 1980. This was the Admiral Ushakov, which was initially called the Kirov but renamed, along with many other ships, after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Admiral Lazarev entered service in 1984, Admiral Nakhimov in 1988 and Pyotr Velikiy in 1998. The Kirovs, in addition to their nuclear power plants, carry twenty Shipwreck (P-700) anti-ship missiles and three different types of anti-aircraft missile systems (with over 250 missiles). There are also anti-submarine torpedo launchers, eight 30mm cannon for anti-missile and close in defense, two 130mm guns and three helicopters in a below-decks hanger. There is also 76mm (3 inches) of armor around the reactor and lighter armor in other parts of the ship. The Kirovs are very vulnerable to submarine attack and, despite their formidable air defenses, are not invulnerable to a determined missile attack. The crew of 710 has plenty of space, as the ship is 252 meters (827 feet long) and 28.5 meters (94 feet) wide. The Kirovs are fitted with additional (quite comfortable) staterooms for senior officers so that the ship can operate as the flagship of a task force. While the upgrade can be seen mainly as a way to keep shipbuilding workers employed and maintain a formidable looking Russian warship in commission, a Kirov on the high seas is a warship to be reckoned with. The high speed (Mach 2) Shipwreck anti-ship missiles weigh seven tons, have a range of 500 kilometers and carry a 750 kg (1,700 pound) warhead. This missile was built to cripple an American aircraft carrier, but it would outright destroy any lesser vessels. The Shipwreck entered service in 1983 and evolved into Yakhont and currently the Russo-Indian BrahMos. The refurbished Kirovs were to receive the Yakhont and more modern anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapons. At this point no more than two, and probably only one Kirov will get the upgrade. Given the growing budget problems the navy is having and the need to build new SSBN (nuclear ballistic missile carrying subs) and more frigates and corvettes to defend the vast coastline of Russia, retiring the last Kirovs became everyones solution to tight budgets. In Bangladesh, the UN began issuing ID cards to Rohingya refugees in mid-2018, and so far have issued the IDs to about a third of the 740,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. These IDs make it easier for Rohingya to return to Burma because the ID is proof that they were pushed out of Burma by the army and vigilantes in the first place. But few Rohingya are going back, even with the ID card. Their homeland in northern Burma (Rakhine state) is still too dangerous for any Rohingya. The Burmese government is being threatened with sanctions but army dominated government is not impressed. The military knows that China is eager to be Burmas main ally, to the exclusion of Western nations. India still works with Burma, to deal with tribal rebels who operate along their common border. Thailand is another neighbor not bothered by the Rohingya situation. The government has other problems in the north, mainly the continued feuding between some rival rebel groups. The army recently arranged a truce between SSA-S (Shan State Army-South) and SSA-N (Shan State Army-North). These two groups have a lot in common but have been fighting over disagreements over how to interpret the terms of the NCA (National Ceasefire Agreement) the SSA-S signed in 2015. The army and tribes often do not agree on details of ceasefire or peace deals and fighting resumes. The Chinese continue to have problems up north. China has a lot of legal and illegal operations in northern Burma and many of these run into trouble with the Burmese government or the locals (or both). The Chinese operating commercial (rather than Chinese government) enterprises in northern Burma (Kachin and Shan states) are a major source of complaints. There seems to be no end of illegal schemes the Chinese come up with that profit at the expense of Burmese. Some of the more recent rackets involve illegal casinos and distributing drugs (as well as getting the drugs into China). Then there are the people traffickers who entice or kidnap Burmese women to China and sell them to Chinese men to be wives. There a growing shortage of Chinese women that has created a market for young foreign women. China's "one child" policy of the last few decades, and the ability to determine the sex of the child before birth, led to more (20 percent more) boys than girls being born in China. There's a growing shortage of potential brides, and desperate Chinese men are willing to buy a kidnapped tribal girl from northern Burma (or anywhere else). Some of the Chinese criminal gangs have become ambitious, bringing more than a hundred of their Chinese members into northern Burma to run these operations. That also offends Burmese as the Chinese almost always bring in their own labor force to build Chinese financed projects. Annoying so many Burmese has consequences as many Burmese are willing to tip off the police about what Chinese gangsters are up to. The Chinese will try to bribe the police but for major police operations that is often impossible (or simply too expensive). May 19, 2019: In the northwest (Rakhine state), across the border in Bangladesh police are still encountering people smuggling operations that offer to get Burmese Rohingya living in a refugee camp the opportunity to get out of Bangladesh and to more refugee friendly countries like Malaysia, where, if the Rohingya can pay for it, the people smugglers will get them to Indonesia or Western countries. Australia used to be a favorite (and expensive) destination but the Australians have cracked down on the people smugglers and their clients in a big way over the last decade. Thailand has also become very hostile to Rohingya refugees and their gangster guides. Bangladesh police now pay more attention to local fishing boats and catch many of the people smugglers who buy or rent fishing boats and then put fifty or more Rohingya on them and make for Malaysia. The Rohingya often spend their life savings and just about all the cash they have to the people smugglers and there are no refunds if the police interfere. The people smuggling gangs lose a boat and some low-level employees but still make money and there are more and more Rohingya willing to pay the price for a chance of escaping long-term stays in Bangladesh refugee camps. May 17, 2019: In the northwest (Sagaing Region, west of Kachin State), troops moved to the Indian border area to search for camps established by Indian Naga rebels. The Sagaing region has long been used as a refuge for Indian rebels but this year Indian and Burmese forces have been coordinating efforts to shut down the border camps for good, or at least for a long time. In March Indian and Burmese swept both sides of the border for weeks but later discovered that, while this hurt the Naga rebels it did not destroy the rebel groups, who returned to the border area once the troops had ceased their activity. This time the Burmese troops are going to patrol the area for several months, or as long as it takes for India to certify that the Naga rebels have suffered serious and long-term damage. Indian troops will also be active on their side of the border to ensure that the Naga rebels, both the Indian and Burmese ones, have nowhere to go and that situation will last so long (several months) that many of rebels will desert and return to their villages. Other rebel groups will be cornered by Indian or Burmese troops and destroyed. Most of the Naga people are Indian but some live in the Burmese far north Sagaing Region and belong to the NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) which wants to form an independent Nagaland including Indian and Burmese territory and Naga people from both countries. Many of the camps being sought in Sagaing belong to the NSCN-K faction of the NSCN. At the start of 2019 there were believed to be about 5,000 active rebels in NSCN with about ten percent of them Burmese Naga. This new operation seeks to reduce the size of NSCN by a significant amount. How much damage will be done wont be known until the end of 2019. These operations are not just going after the NSCN but also smaller groups like the Ulfa-I, NDFB and Manipur rebels. The Naga are actually about two million people from a collection of tribes that share many ethnic (Burma-Tibetan) characteristics and traditions. About ten percent of the Naga live in Burma but most of the rebel violence occurs in Indian Nagaland. For years the Naga rebels have used bases in Burma to train and rest before returning to fight in India. After much diplomatic pressure the Burmese army finally went after the Naga rebel camps and have now shut most of them down. The Naga rebels do not fight the Burmese soldiers but always retreat. For this new operation Burmese soldiers have orders to pursue and capture of kill any rebels they encounter. If the rebels head for India the Indian Army is alerted and moves troops into position to confront any rebels crossing the border to escape Burmese troops. May 15, 2019: In the south (the port city of Yangon, formerly Rangoon and the largest city in Burma), about a hundred anti-Moslem Buddhist vigilantes, led by nationalist Buddhist monks confronted local Moslems who were using three homes for special Ramadan (the annual month of fasting and prayer) prayer gatherings. The local Moslems had notified local government and received permission to do this but the vigilantes opposed the gatherings. This is the second time this vigilante group had confronted local Moslems over legal Ramadan assemblies. In both cases, the police were called and the vigilantes told to disperse. There have been problems like this before. These Moslems are not Rohingya but the nationalist monks dont care and some of these Buddhist vigilantes want all Moslems expelled from Burma. The government does not agree with that as the non-Rohingya Moslems are citizens with no history of Islamic radicalism or any other problems. The vigilantes know that as long as they are not violent the police will just order them to go away. The vigilantes do and keep coming back. The police are getting tired of this but the government ordered them to play it by the book until instructed otherwise. Some senior officials secretly support the vigilantes and that is becoming a major political issue. May 14, 2019: In the northwest (Sagaing Region), three Indian Ufla (United Liberation Front of Assam) rebels were arrested by police. The security forces have recently encountered a growing number of Ufla members on the Burmese side of the border. Some of the Ufla members were armed but others were apparently seeking to establish a clandestine presence in towns and cities in Burma. May 13, 2019: In the north (Shan state), police conducted three raids and rounded up 188 Chinese in the country illegally. Some weapons and drugs were also seized. The Chinese were operating illegal gambling and drug operations in Burma. May 10, 2019: In the northwest (Rakhine state), the army is again accused of shooting unarmed civilians either out in the open or after civilians have been arrested. May 7, 2019: In Malaysia, police carried out two raids in the last three days and arrested four members of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). One of the arrested was Malaysian but the other three were foreigners (an Indonesian and two Burmese Rohingya). One of the Rohingya had a UN ID card showing he had been from a refugee camp in Bangladesh. The ISIL men had been in touch with contacts in Syria and were planning attacks against Hindu temples and Christian churches in Malaysia. The two Rohingya admitted they had been associated with ARSA Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) who have been active this year in northern Burma. ARSA was blamed for planting a mine in a road that damaged a police van. There have been persistent reports but not a lot of conclusive evidence that ARSA sought out and murdered Hindus. Islamic terrorists tend to take credit for their attacks, not deny them, so its unclear what is going on with this. Rakhine State Islamic terrorists first showed up in late 2016 and August 2017 when there were attacks by a Rohingya Islamic terrorist group called ARSA. Its founder (a Rohingya expatriate) and much of the cash came from Saudi Arabia. Burma prefers to call groups like ARSA Islamic terrorists but until ARSA and the Saudi cash showed up there had not been much, if any, religious aspect to the armed Rohingya resistance. In late 2017 ARSA began openly calling for Rohingya worldwide to support a war against Burma for the bad treatment the Rohingya have received, especially since 2012. Until this new call for al Qaeda help appeared ARSA had denied any connection with al Qaeda but that had apparently changed. Malaysia is a destination for many Rohingya seeking to get out of the region and start a new life. But some have apparently found Malaysia more conducive to Islamic terrorist activities. That is marginally true but the Malaysian police have been quick to round up any of these terrorists seeking to carry out attacks in Malaysia. April 25, 2019: Western nations are now considering reviving economic sanctions against Burma because of the unresolved Rohingya refugee problem. China is hoping for the worst because that would mean Burma would be more dependent on China for trade and investment. It would make Burma a Chinese dependency (sort of like North Korea) and the Burmese dont care for that but that the army leadership is comfortable with it. That bad behavior manifests itself in Kachin State when thousands of locals are regularly demonstrating against the Chinese Myitsone dam, a $3.6 billion project that began in 2009 but has been stalled by local resistance since 2011. In the last year, China has threatened Myanmar with economic retaliation and withdrawal of protection in the UN (over criticism of the mistreatment of Rohingya Moslems) unless the dam project resumes. Opposition to the dam has become a national issue with most Burmese angry at Chinese attempts to bully Burma into accepting the dam project. Because Burma needs China more than the other way around Burmese leaders are still working on ways to get the Chinese projects moving again. 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 Council of the European Union has issued 270 people and 70 entities with a travel ban and an asset freeze for being responsible for the violent repression against civilians reports Asharq al-Awsat. The Council of the European Union has extended until June 1, 2020 sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime. The Council said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, that the decision was in line with the EU strategy on Syria. The EU decided to maintain its restrictive measures against the Syrian regime and its supporters as the repression of civilian population continues, it said on Friday. The Council also removed 5 deceased persons from the list, as well as one entity which ceased to exist and one entity for which there were no longer grounds to keep it under restrictive measures. The list now includes 270 persons and 70 entities targeted by a travel ban and an asset freeze for being responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria, benefiting from or supporting the regime, and/or being associated with such persons or entities, said the statement. More broadly, sanctions currently in place against Syria include an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications, it added. EU sanctions were first imposed on December 1, 2011 and are subject to an annual review. The EU remains committed to finding a lasting and credible political solution to the conflict in Syria as defined in the UN Security Council resolution 2254 and in the 2012 Geneva Communique, said the Council. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Evil Empire 20 May, 2019 By Asif Haroon Raja Related News Asia, Europe future of whole world, says Hu Jintao SAARC foreign secretaries meeting on April 10 Related Articles Brexit and its fallout effects By By Asif Haroon Raja Repercussions of the US bid to isolate Iran By By Asif Haroon Raja More on this View All Serena Williams into Australian Open final Asia, Europe future of whole world, says Hu Jintao World opinion of Iraq seeming to change SAARC foreign secretaries meeting on April 10 Baig urges Big powers to help settle international disputes Former Lebanese leader killed in blast The US is the most warlike nation in the history of the world, forcing other countries to adopt our American principles. - Jimmy Carter Asif Haroon Raja Americas history of aggression While there is a prevalent belief among the Americans that the US almost always wages war for noble purposes and in defense of freedom, global public opinion and facts paint a very different picture. Most countries surveyed in a 2013 WIN/Gallup poll identified the US as the greatest threat to world peace, and a 2017 Pew Research poll found that a record number of people in 30 surveyed nations viewed the US power and influence as a major threat. The US has invaded or bombed dozens of countries and supported nearly every single right wing dictatorship in the world since the end of World War II. The US has overthrown or attempted to overthrow dozens of foreign governments since 1949 and has actively sought to crush nearly every single peoples liberation movement over that same period. It has also meddled in scores of elections, in countries that are allies and adversaries alike and indulges in proxy wars. It employs coercive tactics through World Bank, IMF, economic and military sanctions, human rights violations, threats, hybrid war, debt trap, strategic encirclement, isolation and several other suchlike devices to force the targeted country to submit to its demands. In the Deep State USA today, colonialism, predatory capitalism and unilateral militarism are the norm. CIA and NASA are used for mind control through hypnosis, drugs, injections, and electromagnetic tuning. The US has been behind most wars, conflicts and proxy wars enabling it to sign big defence deals with affected countries. In most cases, the US has been deceitfully arming both the antagonists while CIA, Israel, India and NATO are used as its cat paws to launch overt and covert operations. Few nations have universities dedicated to the art of the coup, but few nations have a history of foreign interventions quite like the US. Since the end of World War II, the USA has brought its military might to bear on 72 interventions including 30 attacks on countries and sponsored scores of insurgencies and regime change operations worldwide. The US has been getting into bed with shady insurgents, rebels and hired proxies. Contra rebels in Nicaragua, Al-Qaeda, Afghan Mujahideen, Al-Nusra Front, TTP, BLA, Jundullah, have all been funded and backed by CIA. ISIS is private mercenary army of CIA and Mossad. The US had helped Taliban to gain power in 1996 but withdrew support when the oil and gas pipeline deal with UNICOL over profit sharing was cancelled by Taliban and is today fighting them since October 2001. The US Special Operations Command has recently published a 250-page paper chronicling the highs and lows of seven decades of foreign interference including the proxy wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Will Irwin has penned the account. Gen Smedley Butler has also given full account of shady activities of Pentagon, CIA, US Administration and their strategic allies Israel, India, UK, and Saudi Arabia in his book War is a Racket. The US has been at peace for only 16 of its 242 years as a nation. Counting wars, military attacks and military occupations, there have actually only been five years of peace in US history1976, the last year of the Gerald Ford administration and Carters 1977-80 presidency. The US under President Truman first air bombed Tokyo in March 1945 with 334 B-29 bombers killing 100,000 people and then nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 to force the Japanese armed forces to surrender and bring the war to a speedy end. Death toll in the two cities was 135000 and 75000 respectively. US military industrial complex (IMC) Emergence of Military Industrial Complex (IMC) in USA under President Truman in 1949 set the stage for the country to entertain global ambitions and to rob the resources of the world through use of brute military force. To achieve its geo economic and strategic ambitions, the IMC made the US military the world largest and most powerful armed forces. More than 50 years ago, President Dwight Eisenhower had warned the Americans not to let this profit-driven war machine endanger their liberties or democratic processes. In a speech given to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, on April 16, 1953, Eisenhower had highlighted the grave consequences of allowing the IMC to wage war, exhaust resources and dictate national priorities. He said, Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, and the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. The Americans however failed to heed to his warning and power and wealth went into their heads and megalomania overtook them. Interventions in South America To exploit and dominate South America, USA has systematically toppled revolutionary leaders and crushed popular movements and installed puppet dictatorships. Prior to 2nd World War, the US intervened in Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua and El Salvador. After the Great War, Guatemala (1954), Dominican Republic (1965), Chile (1973), Grenada (1983), and Panama (1989) were attacked by USA. Purpose was to steal raw material and their resources so as to enhance its influence and to confront USSRs communism. The Cold War Government of Mossadegh in Iran was overthrown by CIA-MI6 in 1953 since it had nationalized oil industry. The Vietnam War initiated by USA President Johnson in 1964 on two disputed incidents involving US warships in the Gulf of Tokin dragged on for a decade and claimed lives of 57000 Americans and three million Vietnamese. Laos, Cambodia and Korea also became victims of the US aggression. Israel was militarily strengthened and fully backed by USA in the 1967 and 1973 wars, in arranging peace treaty with Egypt in 1978, invasion of Lebanon, policy of forward settlements, and attacks on Gaza. Recently, Trump has declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Syrias Golan heights as part of Israel. CIA created a group of Mujahideen in Afghanistan six months before Soviet invasion in December 1979. Osama bin Laden (OBL) was a CIA agent brought into Afghanistan to help fight the Soviet troops and to assist in forming al-Qaeda. Pakistan was induced with $3.5 billion aid package for conducting covert operations in Afghanistan. After achieving all its objectives, the US callously ditched Pakistan and Mujahideen and befriended India, which was an ally of USSR. There on, Washington got fixed with the idea of gaining complete global dominance. George W. Bush senior drafted the New World Order in 1989. Iraq under Saddam Hussain was instigated to attack Iran under Imam Khomeini in 1980 and the war dragged on inconclusively till 1989. Saddam was then given a green signal to occupy Kuwait in August 1991 and soon after, the US-NATO forces attacked Iraq in November 1991 under a false narrative that Iraqi soldiers had pulled Kuwaiti babies out of incubators and threw them on the floor to die. Harsh sanctions were imposed. Collapse of USSR When the Soviet Union dwarfed into Russian Federation in 1991 and USA became the sole super power, the opportunity to end once and for all the bipolar nuclear confrontation that threatened global annihilation was squandered as President Bill Clinton chose instead to humiliate and use NATO to contain an already disheartened Russia. American Exceptionalism became the battle cry for an increasingly clueless federal government as well as for a media-deluded public. Engineered 9/11 In order to impose its unchallenged hegemony over the world, 9/11 was engineered by Mossad, Pentagon, NorthCom, US Administration and FAA with a view to launch a crusade against Muslim countries, capture their resources, neo-colonize them and to undermine Islam. CIA controlled Major Mass Communication Media propagated round the clock that OBL and his Al-Qaeda had masterminded the attacks. President George W. Bush junior gave no third choice after roaring in anger, You are either with us or against us. It meant, hitch the US bandwagon or get destroyed. Pakistan was coerced and brought in line under this slogan. False narrative was constructed to invade and occupy Afghanistan in 2001. Another fake story was cooked up for Iraq in 2003 which took the lives of over 4000 Americans and two million Iraqis. Arab Spring was ignited in 2011 to topple regimes of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen. While Sudan was bisected, and Somalia turned into a failed state, trouble was brewed up in several North African countries. The US deliberately fomented chaos in the Middle East to pave way for the establishment of Greater Israel. Orchestrated war on terror Global war on terror (GWoT) to fight terrorism was coined by the neocons in USA and this tool is in play for the last 17 years in pursuit of the US strategic and geo-economic goals. It was a gimmick aimed at changing the boundaries of Af-Pak region and Middle East, as given in Lt Col Ralph Peters article with a new map, Blood Borders published in 2006, and stealing the resources of Eurasia to enable USA to maintain its monopoly over the world for next 100 years. Earlier on, Brzezinski had propounded the concept of US uni-polarism in the 1970s. He held Eurasia as the key region, the capture of which would ensure control over Africa and facilitate world domination. He had recommended establishment of western front in Europe and southern front in Asia complementing each other. While western front was consolidated with the help of NATO, and later by integrating Eastern Europe, threat of communism was replaced with Islam, and Afghanistan - Iraq were selected to establish the southern front. According to a November 2018 study by Brown Universitys Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs, the US has spent $5.9 trillion waging war in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other nations since 2001. Had this amount been spent in developing infrastructure, high-speed railroad, bridges and refurbished education system, America would have been in much better condition today. Former US President Jimmy Carter, recently stated that during his meeting with Donald Trump, he found him worried about Chinas growing economy and expressed concern that China is getting ahead of us. Carter, who normalized diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing in 1979, and is the only US President who didnt go to war with any country, said he told Trump that much of Chinas success was due to its peaceful foreign policy. Both China and Russia have refrained from wars and covert wars and are fast progressing economically. China is now the second largest economic power and is likely to overtake USA by 2025 just because it opted for peace and friendship and avoided war after it invaded Vietnam in 1979. Since then, China has not wasted a single penny on war, and has been at peace with its neighbors and the world and concentrated on improving its economy, technology and military muscle. And thats why China is ahead of USA in almost every way. GWoT, IMC, Corporations, Jewish Lobby are drags for USA While the war has become a drag on the economies of USA and Europe, it has become a huge money-making venture for the American IMC since it helps in keeping its arms industry running. The US is the worlds largest arms exporter. The IMC has erected an empire unsurpassed in history in its breadth and scope, dedicated to conducting perpetual warfare throughout the earth. It has perpetuated a worldwide military empire with 800 military bases and American troops stationed in 177 countries. The US military consumes $600 billion a year. Americas war spending has already bankrupted the nation to the tune of more than $20 trillion dollars. Donald Trump is turning out to be the biggest deficit-and debt-increasing president of all time. In order to sustain Americas military empire abroad and expand the police state at home, he pushed for a $4.4 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2018/19 that has added $ 7 trillion to the already unsustainable federal deficit. Its the IMC that is pushing America towards bankruptcy. It is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $15 billion a month (or $20 million an hour). The IMC is too powerful and wields control over power centres in USA including media and mass communications. It had prevailed upon Obama not to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan in December 2014 and is again pressing Trump not to pullout troops until a peace deal of its choice is signed. The US military budget is excessively heavy because of which no purposeful relief can be given to the hard pressed Americans. Maintenance of 800 military bases and Homeland security put in place after 9/11 costs exorbitant amount. In 22 States out of 50, there is wide scale discontentment and resentment because USA is the most heavily taxed country in the world and is also under heaviest debt. The American society is afflicted with rampant socioeconomic problems and violence. Besides the IMC, Corporations in USA have become too rich and powerful and are in a position to wield influence over the decision makers. The Israeli lobby in USA controls all levers of power in USA and nothing can move without their consent. These three factors stand as huge barriers in the way of making USA great again as pledged by Trump. His reckless policies are taking the US towards ruins. Another menace in USA is the gun culture which has become grave after series of acts of terror by the local Americans. Main reason why no steps have been taken by the successive regimes in Washington to control this menace is that arms industry managed by the Pentagon IMC is the major source of earning. To run this industry, wars and local conflicts are stoked, proxies are created and supported, mutinies and insurgencies are fomented all over the world. Costs of war Since the 9/11 attacks, America has poured $3.2 trillion into its wars, according to a study from Brown Universitys Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. The estimate includes what the US government has spent or pledged to spend on homeland security, medical and disability care for wounded veterans, the post stress disorder cases which run into thousands, and the military and diplomatic campaigns against terrorism in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria. Its not just that Americas post-9/11 wars include some of the longest wars in the US history. Taken together, theyre also currently the second-most expensive after the 2nd World War. For 17 years, the US has been putting these wars on a credit card. As opposed to previous US regimes who raised taxes and cut down non-military spending to meet the war expenditure, George W. Bush administration cut taxes in 2003, engaged in deficit spending after using up a budget surplus that it inherited from the Clinton administration, and sold only a small number of war bonds. Obama administration took a similar approach and so has Donald Trump. The Trump administration in its first year in office boosted the annual military budget to $700 billion, up from an already gigantic average figure of $600 billion a year. Trump said the colossal military spend was a vital necessity to maintain America's national security and global leadership. This approach of financing a war entirely with debt while cutting taxes is unprecedented in US history, Never before has the USA been so aggressive, and that in spite of the fact that there is no single enemy or combination of enemies that actually threaten either its territorial integrity or its vital interest. Iran in firing line After cutting to size the military threats to Israel in the Middle East, Iran is the only threat which could obstruct Israels ambition to accomplish its dream of Greater Israel. Iran has however, become too powerful after it became battle hardened in 9-year war with Iraq and acquired missile power which can decimate Israel, and formed a nexus with Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trumps threats against Iran began twelve days after he took office, in 2017 by putting Iran on notice. Egged on by Israel, he cancelled the July 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018 on the plea that Irans missile program is a danger to peace and must also be rolled back. He then designated IRGC a terrorist organization in April 2019 and imposed a steady stream of sanctions on Irans economy. After lifting the waiver given to eight countries to enforce a global ban on any purchases of Iranian oil, the latest sanction was imposed recently which covers industrial metals produced in Iran. On May 5th, hawkish John Bolton announced that a battleship-carrier strike group, led by the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, and a bomber task force, including B-52s, were deploying off Irans coast. On May 10th, the Pentagon announced a second display of force: the U.S.S. Arlington and a battery of Patriot missile systems would join the aircraft carrier. These offensive moves have been undertaken on the self-assumed threat that Iran, or its proxies, could strike U.S. assets in the Middle East, including in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Syria. Gen Kenneth McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command also expressed similar concerns. President Trump is making moves that will provoke, instigate, or inadvertently drag the US into a war with Iran. Maximization of pressure has not budged Iran and it has not only threatened to close the Gulf of Hormuz but also hinted at restarting its nuclear program if the five guarantors of nuclear deal didnt help Iran in exporting its oil. With the military deployments, Iran-US antagonism of 2016-17 has returned during which fifty provocative acts had taken place. The way things are heating up, war seems imminent. Closure of Hormuz would mean disruption of flow of 15 million barrels oil a day. The US before venturing upon an aggressive posture must have carried out a deep appraisal and must have weighed all the pros and cons of going to war with Iran. After the recent debacles in Afghanistan and Syria, from where Trump is contemplating troop pullout, the US cannot afford to suffer another setback and that too when crucial elections are due in coming winters. The US under Barack Obama had imposed four-fold sanctions as well as threats to destroy Irans nuclear sites by air in order to force Ahmadinejad to roll back Irans nuclear program. When its coercive tactics failed to yield results, the US had to resort to covert means to affect a regime change. The new reformist President Rouhani agreed to rollback and freeze the nuclear program in return for lifting of sanctions. Now Trump has tried to follow the same course by first cancelling the nuclear deal, then re-imposing sanctions and making accusations that Iran is abetting terrorism. Recent anti-government protests and acts of terrorism in Iran were meant to destabilize Rouhani regime change. Military buildup is aimed at further ramping up pressure. These tactics are intended to browbeat Iran or play a game in collusion with Israel to scuttle any peace deal between the Arabs and Iran. The sanctions on Iranian exports of oil are counterproductive. These will lead to a surplus in an already saturated market as other suppliers increase production. It may hurt Iran in the short term but more importantly, it will do the same to the western oil conglomerates ---- not something any US administration can afford to risk. Having failed on all external and internal fronts, Trump devoid of strategic vision is desperate to add a feather in his cap through his skewed muscular policy. The people guiding him are of the same ilk as those around George W. Bush. Bolton and Pompeo are war mongers. It leaves open the possibility that the US may be pushed into a war that could create a similar mess in the world and Middle East in particular as Bush had done. We just have to wait and see who wins ---- good common sense or the Israeli lobby. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has played down Washingtons highly belligerent rhetoric against Iran, saying its real capability did not match its loud bluster. He has ruled out the possibility of war, saying, any confrontation between the US and Iran would not be a military one, and that there was not going to be any war. He added that the Iranian nations definite option will be resistance in the face of the US, and in this confrontation, which will be a clash of wills, the US would be forced into a retreat and Iran would be the ultimate victor of this battle. He ruled out any negotiation with the US as long as Washington sticks with its hostile approach. US belligerence against Russia The US legislators have adopted a highly belligerent posture against Russia and hold Putin accountable for its bellicose behavior against the US. They accuse Russia of destabilizing the US led liberal global world order and are demanding that Putin should cease and desist meddling in the US electoral process, halt cyberattacks on American infrastructure, remove Russian interference in Ukraine including in the Kerch Strait and stop creating chaos in Syria. They are pushing to get Russia declared a terror abetting state. US-Russo nuclear agreements have been cancelled. A bill has been introduced in the Senate on April 11, 2019 by Republican Senator Cory Gardner and co-sponsored by Democrat Robert Menendez to designate Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism and Russian-sponsored armed groups in Ukraine should also be designated as foreign terrorist outfits. They want to impose meaningful sanctions against Russia. If these measures are implemented, it will close the doors for any rapprochement in the foreseeable future. Russia will be repeatedly accused of poison gas attacks and war crimes in Ukraine and Syria with a view to find excuses to apply economic sanctions, and economic blockades. Trade wars against China China is threatened with trade wars and an air and maritime encirclement by the US military with the view to reverse Chinas growth by striking fear in the Chinese leadership and forcing them to surrender economic sovereignty, financial markets and industrial competitiveness. Chinas One-Belt-One-Road project is giving nightmares to USA. Opening up a US military base at Dokum in Gulf of Oman and heating up the Persian Gulf could be linked with Indo-Afghan-US plan to scuttle CPEC. Venezuela another target The US is currently providing political support to opposition leader Juan Guaido in Venezuela. Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, and Donald Trump have all repeatedly uttered the phrase all options are on the table when it comes to dethroning Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. With soft support for Guaido thus far failing to dislodge Maduro from power, and with Washington increasingly agitated at Moscow for its support for Maduros regime, there are plenty of opportunities for things to escalate in Venezuela. The US is threatening to invade Venezuela primarily because it cannot digest a defiant state in the western hemisphere to maintain ties with Russia and China. USAs challenges The 1% ruling class of USA dream of dominating the world but their empire is built on fragile economic foundations. It now stumbles over a series of military defeats abroad and increasingly relies on instilling fear, intimidation and propaganda on its domestic citizenry to regain its dominance. They seek to maintain their world domination, based on increasing exploitation and widening inequalities. Bush had used shock and awe as a strategy to instill fear into the hearts of the adversaries. Iraq and Libya were humbled by using excessive military force. This tactic is still in use as the last desperate weapon for retaining an unchallenged world empire. The US ambitions have run into snags after the war crazy sole super power got stuck in the quagmire of Afghanistan, Ukraine becoming a flash point and North Korea threatening to retaliate with nuclear ballistic missiles. The US has locked horns with China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Turkey, Taliban in Afghanistan, Mexico, Venezuela and several other South American States. Military threats directed against Iran are naked attempts to force them to dismantle their defensive missiles and submit to the US dictates, but so far there is no headway and in all probability the US will face another embarrassment. The US and its allies have failed to affect a regime change in Syria. Trump is contemplating withdrawal of US troops but is in a fix due to pressure of Pentagon and Israel and the fate of Kurdish fighters in Syria at the hands of Turkey. After the failure of CIA-Gullen inspired military coup in Turkey, Erdogan has emerged more powerful and he is fast shifting towards the emerging bloc in the east. The CIA-Mossad backed Islamic Caliphate led by Abu Bakr Baghdadi stand demolished. The US coercive and punitive acts against Pakistan are aimed at disabling its nuclear program and to make it a compliant state of India. India at the behest of USA is striving to create Greater Pashtunistan, Greater Baluchistan, Sindhu Desh and Jinnahpur with a view to divide Pakistan into four parts. Indo-Afghanistan belligerence and Indo-Israeli air intrusion followed by a plan to launch Brahmo missile attacks on Pakistan last February were backed by USA. Pakistans staunch resilience has befuddled USA and its strategic partners. Currently, it is engaged in melting its economy through IMF and sword of FATF. USA has failed to gain freedom of navigation in South China Sea China or to contain China. Russia are strategic partners and have become a power to reckon with. No amount of coercive tactics of USA has checkmated their economic and military resurgence. Ukraine has become a dangerous conflict zone where the unrest in Eastern Ukraine is backed by Russia. The US is supporting joint Arab air war led by Saudi Arabia against the Houthis in Yemen but this support may be withdrawn due to increased pressure of the US Congress. Afghanistan has become an Achilles heel of USA where it is fighting a losing battle, but is naively hoping for a peace deal with the Taliban of its choice. It seems to have got irretrievably stuck in the quagmire where several world powers had already sunk. In South America, despite the US interventions, there have been successful popular resistance in Mexico, Bolivia, Cuba and successful social movements in Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela. Trumps ambition to make USA great again, Netanyahus craving for Greater Israel and Modis dream of making India the policeman of Indo-Pacific region and a global power seem farfetched. The three reckless leaders - Trump, Netanyahu and Modi - working hands in gloves to achieve their respective imperialist ambitions have made the world chaotic and unsafe. Success is never guaranteed, and short-term victory comes with long-term consequences. The writer is a retd Brig, war veteran, defence analyst, columnist, author of five books, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, member CWC of Pakistan Ex Servicemen Society. asifharoonraja@gmail.com Israeli missiles shot down, Iraqi Airways flights postponed, fears of a humanitarian crisis in Idleb and China to reconstruct schools in Syria. Catch up on everything that happened over the weekend. 1. Syrian air defence batteries intercepted and downed a number of projectiles coming from Israel. Our air defence systems intercepted numinous objects coming from the occupied territories (Israel) and downed several of them, SANA said quoting a military source. A later report described the projectiles as hostile targets that were fired towards the province of Quneitra near the Syrian Golan, parts of which are annexed by Israel. Earlier SANA reported a loud explosion around the capital Damascus. 2. Damascus said it had been informed that Iraqi flights to Syria would not resume as planned on Saturday after more than seven years, due to what it said were administrative reasons. Iraqs national carrier, Iraqi Airways, said on Thursday as per Al-Araby al-Jadeed it would resume flights to Damascus for the first time since the Syrian civil war started in 2011. But on Saturday, the Syrian Ministry of Transport said it had been informed of the, decision to postpone the trip of two Iraqi Airways planes for today until further notice. The flights were postponed to allow for, the completion of some administrative and organisational steps between the company and the Syrian civil aviation authority, it said in a statement on Facebook. 3. The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syrias northwest province of Idleb, as Western powers challenged Syria and its ally Russia to provide assurances that attacks on hospitals and schools would stop. According to Al-Jazeera, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said there had been concern about the escalating situation in Idleb for months. Last September, the UN Secretary General stressed that, it was absolutely essential to avoid a full-scale battle in Idleb, and he warned that would unleash a humanitarian nightmare unlike any we have seen in Syria. Lowcock said, When I briefed you here on Sept. 18, 2018, I said a full-scale military onslaught could result in the worst humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century. Despite our warnings, our worst fears are now coming true. The UN warned that three million civilians are at risk as Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces backed by Russians have launched an offensive. 4. At least five rebels were killed in artillery fire launched by the US-led forces and the regime army in Azaz town in northern Aleppo province, a commander said Saturday. According to Zaman Al Wasl, the Syrian Democratic Forces and regime forces seek to take territory under the control of the Turkish-backed National Army east of Aleppo city. The Kurdish-led forces seized the Islamic States last territory in March, but fears are still mounting over the Turkish-backed rebel groups near the the Kurdish-dominated areas along the Turkish border. 5. Education Minister, Imad al-Azab discussed with his Chinese counterpart Chen Baosheng means of bolstering cooperation between Syria and China to rehabilitate education facilities, which have been damaged due to terrorism, SANA has reported. The meeting was held Saturday on the sidelines of the International Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Education in the Chinese capital of Beijing. Azab said that the work is underway to establish a national center for artificial intelligence in Syria. For his part, the Chinese Minister expressed his countrys readiness to provide aid regarding the issue of artificial intelligence and the rehabilitation of facilities damaged in Syria according to a plan agreed upon by both sides. 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 presence of Euphrates Shield fighters marks the first time that they have fought the regime since 2016 reports Alsouria Net. Fighters from formations in the National Army, which operates in the Euphrates Shield areas in the northern Aleppo countryside have headed to the northwestern Hama countryside fronts to take part in the fighting against regime forces for the first time since August 2016. A commander in the National Army told Alsouria Net that, fighters numbering in the hundreds have headed out to the fronts in the Hama countryside individually. This cannot be considered a decision from the National Army command. He added: The fighters who headed to the Hama countryside are from the Third Corps, led by Jabhat al-Shamia, and the fighters who went belonged in part to a Jaish al-Azzeh faction of the Eastern Martyrs. This comes as regime forces continue the fighting in the western Hama and northern Lattakia countrysides without achieving any notably major gains over the last two days because of rebel groups striking on more than one front. This came after Hayat Tahrir al-Shams commander Abou Mohamed al-Jolani said in a video released by he groups Abaa agency, that he did not object to rebels from the Aleppo countryside coming to Idleb to join the fighting against regime forces. The participation of groups from the Aleppo countryside in the Hama countryside fighting is considered to be the first since the Euphrates Shield campaign, which was launched by Free Syrian Army groups in August 2016 with Turkish support and the Olive Branch campaign in February 2018. The arrival of the fighters who mobilized from the Euphrates Shield to the Hama countryside fronts has not been announced officially, and this step was preceded by the arrival of fighters from Ahrar al-Sham to the western Hama countrysidethese were the ones who had been forced by Tahrir al-Sham to leave the Hama countryside during its campaign at the start of this year. Turkey is backing the National Army in the northern Aleppo countryside alongside the National Front for Liberation, whose operations are concentrated in Idleb province and the Hama and Idelb countrysides, with military bases in the Afrin area and its environs. A number of rebel groups are participating in repelling the regime advance in the Hama countryside, most prominently the National Front and the Jaish al-Azzeh in the northern Hama countryside, as well as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose fighters are deployed across nearly all of the northern Syrian fronts. On Saturday, the National Front said that it had rejected an offer for a ceasefire in northern Syria after Russia asked for one from Turkey. It said that its acceptance of a ceasefire would be based on the condition that regime forces and militias withdraw from the areas to which they advanced in Qalaat al-Madiq and its environs as well as the town of Kafr Naboudeh in the northwestern Hama countryside. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. President Assad has opened the door to a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan, following a meeting between Syria and the head of Turkish intelligence writes Al-Hal. President Bashar al-Assad has revealed that a Syrian delegation met with the head of Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan, in the Iranian capital Tehran, and held another meeting at the Kassab border crossing, and expressed his readiness to meet Erdogan. Assad added that, the Turkish officers are more understanding about what is happening in our country than Turkish politicians. There are major differences regarding Syria in Erdogans government. This came during statements Assad made to a Turkish journalist, Mehmet Yuva, from the Aydinlik newspaper, saying: We are open to cooperating with Turkey and if it is in Syrias interests and does not encroach on its sovereignty, we can meet Erdogan. Assad held a closed meeting with representatives of official and private media on May 8, 2019, responding to journalists questions about all local and regional issues. For his article, Yuva used the headline: Paranoia will a meeting be held between Assad and Erdogan? He wrote that Assad said that Turkey is an important country in the region and the Syrian government is ready to cooperate with them. In discussing the meeting between the two countries, Assad stressed that, we are not just negotiating with Turkey through Russia and Iran. Turkish and Syrian officers have discussed a number of points. Assad revealed that, The most important of these negotiations were at the Kassab border crossing between the Turkish province of Hatay and the Syrian province of Latakia. 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. Syrian philosopher Tayyeb Tizini, who promoted democracy, pluralism and diversity in Syria has died at the age of 85 in his hometown of Homs writes The Syrian Observer. Syrian intellectuals, activists and thinkers have paid tribute to a Syrian philosopher who left his mark on generations of philosophers, intellectuals and thinkers. Syrian philosopher Tayyeb Tizini recently died in Homs, a city he has long loved and lived in most of his life. He was 85. His family and a large number of Syrian intellectuals have praised him for being, one of the great intellectuals and thinkers of the modern era, who has already been chosen as one of the worlds top 100 contemporary philosophers, according to the 1998 German-French Concordia Foundation. In the early 1970s, he was a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Damascus, where he was surrounded by a large number of students who were seeking answers for a question they were concerned with: Can the Arab-Islamic heritage be considered for revolutionary seeds? His classes were attended by students from different colleges, which made the Syrian security services tightened around him. Tizini was not only a man of thought but had a clear political and moral position. He was one of the few to have linked words to deeds. He was one of the signatories of the famous Statement of 99, which paved the way for the Damascus Spring at the turn of the millennium. When Syrian protests against Bashar al-Assads regime broke out, Tizini was at the forefront of the campaign and demonstrated against the police state and corruption. At the age of 80, on Mar. 16, 2011, he was beaten and insulted when he took part in a protest demanding the release of political prisoners in Syria. Tizini tried to contribute to finding a political solution, taking advantage of his scientific and moral standing and his relations with the opposition and some members of the Syrian government. He proposed forming a committee of elders to develop a vision of a political solution that would move Syria from the cycle of repression and fear to democracy, pluralism and diversity. The regime abruptly rejected effort, which made him withdraw from public life and retire to his hometown of Homs. The combination of age and disease, sadness and oppression put an end to the life of this great philosopher. This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Syrian Observer. Wisdom of the Crowd: 58% of the respondents said that Ho Ching is not likely to be the next president of Singapore. https://tklcloud.com/C... The Daily News Wheres Fred scavenger hunt concluded Monday afternoon when Longview resident Diana Moore returned a small cube with Fred Meyers face on it to the newspaper offices. After watching the scavenger hunts bring joy to newspaper subscribers for almost two decades, the former TDN employee said she was excited to experience the fun firsthand. (As an employee), I was ineligible for 22 years, said Moore, 49, who stopped working with TDN about a year and a half ago. Once I became eligible, Ive been looking ever since. However, she said she doesnt gain any competitive edge from her time at TDN. Im sure thatll come up, Moore said, adding that she didnt get any inside help from her former coworkers. Plus, they always have different people write the clues and hide it, Moore said. And even when she worked in the newspapers accounting department, I would play in my mind with the clues, but I was never close. Instead, Moore credits her win to her strategy of trying to stay away from the other people and go (look) where they werent, she said. When she found Fred on Sunday afternoon, there were no other searchers nearby, she said. The clue that led her to Fred? Llamas and donkeys, Moore said, referencing clue number eight released on Sunday. That clue read, I wonder if the llamas and donkeys have to watch out for foul balls? I knew it would have to be John Null Park, which sits across from a field where llamas and donkeys graze. There were a lot of people out there looking (when I got there), so I had a sense it was the right place. She said she found Fred tucked in the top of the piping along the fence. Moore didnt have any specific plans for how she will spend the $500 Fred Meyer gift card she won. But she does plan to continue looking for the other tokens, which TDN hides at various times throughout the year. Moore said she participated in TDNs last three hunts for a Halloween pumpkin, a Christmas Santa and an Easter egg. This is the first scavenger hunt shes won since she became eligible to compete. I can see how much fun it is to actually take the clues, after you found it, and really see how they drove the answer of where it was, Moore said. She added that the people who brought in (the tokens) were always so happy a feeling she now understands herself. Love 10 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 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 first meeting with the three Republican lawmakers is at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Port of Camas-Washougal. The second town hall is scheduled for noon at Yacolt City Hall. And the final meeting of the day is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at the Three Creeks Community Library in Vancouver. IS announced India branch The recent announcement by the self-described Islamic State to establish Pakistan province is an attempt to convince their frustrated militants as its Islamic State Khorasan Province or ISKP is at the verge of collapse, two Pakistani militants. Days earlier, the ISIS, also known as Daesh, has also announced its India branch. The announcement came nearly three weeks after the group released a video of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, for the first time in five year. Although Baghdadis whereabouts are still a mystery, a sympathizer of Afghan Taliban says the clothes Baghdadi and others wear and the cushions in room where he appears in the 18-minute video have been the style of foreign militants in Afghanistan. It could also be an attempt by Daesh to create confusion about the hideout of Baghdadi. Two Pakistani militants played down the Daesh announcement of establishing Pakistan province. A Pakistani Taliban leader, who lived in eastern Afghanistan where Daesh had also sanctuaries, said its claim of Pakistan province is just a morale boosting attempt by the remnants of Daesh that the group has another option as it faces lots of problem in Khorasan. Daesh fighters are frustrated and many have surrendered to the Afghan authorities. The groups leadership has realised that presently they do not have a strong organisational structure to help fighters. Daesh leaders now want to give some courage to their fighters that they have an area for existence/shelter and that could be Pakistan and India province, the leader, who has served on senior positions of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. My information is that Daesh currently does not have strength/power/capability to create a province in Pakistan, he further said, adding he believes some TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants have joined the group and helped them in some attacks in Balochistan. They could carry out some activities in Pakistan to show their existence but this does not mean they are strong like they had been in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, he said. When asked about the IS present position in Afghanistan, he said the group has not yet been eliminated completely in Afghanistan and their militants routinely move from one area to another. Announcement of Pakistan province is an attempt to reduce their frustration and to give some courage to their militants, the Taliban leader said, requesting anonymity. A Jamaat-ul-Ahrar official has similar opinion about Daesh. He said section of the Western media exaggerated the Daesh announcement about new provinces and that the group has also violated its own principles of provinces. They (Daesh) had a principle that a province will be announced when they have thousands of active members and a specific quantity of weapons. Their activities in Pakistan are no more significant and even their claims about attacks are almost false, he said. He said majority of Afghans are now part of Daesh who have now moved to the mountainous areas in Kunar from Nangarhar, parts of which had been their control or influence over the past few years. Previously the US, Afghan officials as well as the Afghan Taliban would say that about 70 percent of the Daesh militants are Pakistani nationals, mostly from Orakzai tribal district. The Ahrar official said hundreds of Daesh militants, including Pakistani nationals, have surrendered to the Afghan government and many others have been killed in US drone attacks and ground operations in Afghanistans Nangarhar province. A Pakistan Taliban leader, Hafiz Saeed Khan, who was killed in a US drone attack in eastern Afghanistan in July 2016, was the first leader formally appointed as leader of the ISKP by Baghdadi. Dozens of Pakistani Taliban later switched loyalties to IS after Saeed Khan parted ways with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in 2014. Abu Saad Erhabi, another chief of IS in Afghanistan, was killed in a US drone strike in eastern Afghanistan, along with nine other militants. Erhabi was the brother of Hafiz Saeed Khan, according to the militants. Recent news that Google has stopped access to certain services and updates for Huawei on US orders has sent any number of Malaysians into a frenzy. The first thing we have to say is, chill and keep calm, the stopped access only affects future updates to certain proprietary Google apps and the upcoming Android Q. If youre a Huawei device user, you wont lose access to GMail or YouTube today (we used Google Docs to type this with no issues). We'd recommend taking a chill pill for now and seeing what else Google details in their official statement and what Huawei has planned. What can Malaysian Huawei users expect in the near future? When Google or the Alphabet company does actually go through with the stopped access to Huawei and Honor device users the main issue would be vulnerabilities due to the loss of security patches and updates in Android. Everything else will be much like if you were using an older version of Android (the upcoming Android Q is version 10 and there are still many Android 5 users out there). How many of you are still using Android 4 or lower? There's always the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Youd still be able to use your not updated YouTube and GMail apps and access the web versions from a non-Google Chrome Internet browser (theres tons, Im using Opera). Google have already reassured that access to the Google Play store and Google Play Protect security will still be in place. But, your Android Play Store may stop updating your apps, especially the aforementioned YouTube and GMail apps. Huawei already has their App Gallery as a replacement for this with a slew of coupons and vouchers for those who adopt it, but for now weve accessed the Android Play store from our Huawei device with no issues. In addition, Huawei still (and should always) have access to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) version of Android. So, they wont be completely left in the dark if proprietary Google access is cut off. Any number of other brands utilize AOSP versions of Android with no problems and theres a huge number of third-party developers doing forks of their versions of AOSP Android. Can Huawei survive this? Huawei have already said repeatedly that they have replacement apps (and even an operating system) in place and have been preparing for something like stopped Google Access and access to other US based services and products for YEARS. It just depends on how Huaweis Plan B will be received by all their users. For example, you can use the Huawei email client that comes with your Huawei device or access the web version of YouTube from an Internet browser. Some users of the Huawei P30 series may have also noticed that they also have their own Huawei Internet Browser, so theres also other Google Chrome alternatives for Huawei and Honor device users. We dont think that Huawei will suddenly force everyone to speak and use Mandarin either, so please dont get into a frenzy about that too but some users may be too invested in Google to just up and leave. What does this mean for the future? While it may be a slight inconvenience to Huawei users, it sets a dangerous precedent for other US-based tech companies. This is because it means that Google, arguably the most global US-based tech company around, has done exactly what the US claimed Huawei could do for China (Huawei still vehemently denies ever spying for China now or in the future). Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp may soon follow, but then a lot of you wanted to get off social media anyway right? It also means that if Huawei, arguably the largest Chinese tech company can be targeted, then everyone else is fair game as well. Non-US brands like OPPO, Vivo, Lenovo and even Taiwanese companies like ASUS and Acer or South Korean companies like Samsung or LG could also get targeted, so just because youre not a Huawei or Honor user, it doesnt mean youre safe either. Apple users may likely be safe for a while but China may just ban Apple users entirely with those friendly to China following as well. Would you still use an Apple device if it could only be used in the US? Do you even know where most Apple devices get made (Foxconn, which is in China but they do have a new India plant)?! From Tim Cook's twitter Then theres what may happen if things escalate even further. Huawei could just stop supporting all Huawei networking equipment in the US, effectively crippling many networks there. Our fervent wish right now is that cooler heads will find a middle path forward (yes, were looking at you Google!) or that somehow the US and China stop this stupid trade feud and come to an agreement as these are harbingers of war here, if not with tanks and bombs but with tech. Its not all bad though, as it could also mean that China may open up their Google replacements to Huawei and Honor device users. So there may just be English and other localized versions of Baidu and Weibo following WeChat into the world. So, in the end, the US may just become the isolated country instead, but this may just be looking a bit too far in the future. Conclusion - EVERYONE should take a chill pill Right now, no one actually needs to be in a frenzy or panic, as this may lead to making the wrong decisions. In fact, we actually need everyone to take a chill pill (Google, Huawei, the US, China, you everybody), keep calm and think logically for the welfare of the world. Huawei and Honor users wont be affected too much by this decision with it until a couple of years, but by that time we expect Huaweis Plan B to be firmly in place (heck, we expect it to roll out as soon as Google makes it official... if they don't suddenly make a U-turn). The Kirin 990 or Kirin 985 and Huawei Mate 30 Pro might get set back a little as Huawei focuses on this transition, but asides from that, we expect Huawei to bounce back from this. Malaysia itself is already well on its way to Huawei 5G network integration, so we expect that we already know which side were on. So rather than be all doom and gloom, do take a look at what hidden opportunities may arise. Interesting times, people. Interesting times. What's your take on all this? Tell us what you think and as always, stay tuned to TechNave.com [Update]: For those not in the know, Huawei have since responded with a statement of support and weve explored many of the possibilities for the future. In addition, the US have also made a U-Turn, but to stay up to date with all the latest news, feel free to download our new TechNave APP 2.0 for Android and iOS. Here's a round up of exactly who voted for the UK during Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest. Our entry Michael Rice finished 26th place overall... or dead last. Advertisements We scored a total of 16 points which was made up of 13 juries and 3 from viewers across Europe (and elsewhere). So just who voted for us? In the live show, we saw the UK received Jury votes from Belarus (5 points), Norway (2 points), Hungary (2 points), Armenia (2 points), Switzerland (1 point) and Georgia (1 point). As for viewer votes, our neighbour Ireland was the ONLY contributor offering up our 3 points. We received literally no other viewer votes from any other country. It compares to last year where we got 6 points from Australia and 3 from both Albania and Denmark. Germany, Malta and San Marino all offered up a point each for our 2018 total. Advertisements As for where the UK viewer votes went, 12 points went to Norway, 10 to Australia, 8 to Iceland, 7 to Switzerland, 6 to Denmark and 5 to the Sweden. Our 4 points from viewers went to the eventual winners Netherlands, 3 to Azerbaijan, 2 to Spain, and 1 to Cyprus. UK Eurovision Entry Michael took to the stage on Saturday evening in 16th place in the running order. Despite the result, Michael was in high spirits following the competition. "Just want to say thank you for all the amazing messages of support!" he posted to social media. "Me and my team have smashed this whole entire journey and I'm just so proud!! "I'm walking away with memories, friends, amazing fans and an experience of a lifetime! This is just the start. Thank you for believing in me." Advertisements He added: "I've been able to travel and meet amazing artists from across Europe and beyond. I can't wait to see what's next for me and get back into the studio and bring you some new music soon. And of course congratulations to Duncan [The Netherlands winner] - he was amazing!" Eurovision airs on BBC One in the UK. PTI govt responsible for current economic situation: Ishaq Dar Former finance minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was responsible for the current economic situation in the country. In an interview with a private TV channel, Ishaq Dar said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had forced over 50 PML-N elected members to join the PTI and other political parties. This was pre-poll rigging. The entire world raised objections on the general elections in Pakistan, he said. Dar said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had been delayed for one year due to the sit-in of the PTI. The Chinese president could not visit Pakistan due to the sit-in. Before NAB, cases such as cattle theft used to be registered against political opponents to harass and victimise them. The cases of assets beyond means belong to the same category. The objective of registering such cases is to suppress opposition members, he said. Dar said that according to secret reports, the PML-N was leading with 100 to 110 seats in the general elections and the PTI was ahead in only 65 to 70 constituencies. At the eleventh hour, a conspiracy was hatched and the national transmission system was sabotaged. The PML-N agents were taken out of the polling booths. Similarly, a large number of PML-N votes were rejected to benefit PTI candidates, he said. A place to exercise ideas before writing about them with greater discipline. CARBONDALE A Murphysboro man is facing multiple felony charges after he fired a gun at a Carbondale police officer while he was being processed following his arrest for an alleged theft from a store in University Mall. A news release from the Carbondale Police Department says Eric S. Brown, 36, of Murphysboro, was arrested Saturday after officers were called to the Rue21 inside the mall about 1:38 p.m. for complaints of theft and battery. The release says officers arrested Brown and transported him back to the police station for processing. While being processed at the station, Brown pulled out a concealed weapon and fired toward a police officer, according to the release. The release states the officer retreated to safety and Brown remained detained and barricaded in the processing area. Brown surrendered the gun after speaking with a crisis negotiator. No one was injured, police said. A spokesman for the Carbondale Police Department said Monday that a professional standards investigation is underway to find out why a gun was able to be taken into the the station, and why it was not found and confiscated during Brown's arrest. This is an internal investigation, the representative said. A news release from the Jackson County States Attorneys Office states that Brown is being charged with one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm in the direction of a police officer, a Class X felony that carries a potential sentence of 10 to 45 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He's also charged with one count of possession of contraband in a penal institution, also a Class X felony that caries of a potential sentence of between six and 30 years in prison. Brown was also charged with one count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, one count of unlawful use of weapons by a felon and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm. According to court records website Judici, Brown has previously been charged with burglary and forgery, both felonies. Brown is being held in the Jackson County Jail on $500,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court at 12:45 p.m. June 11. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 4 Preliminary numbers show that the University of Illinois system expects to award more than 22,000 degrees this year. System President Tim Killeen told the school's Board of Trustees last week that this year's total will mark the eighth-straight year with more than 20,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees are awarded. Final totals will be available this summer. Killeen says continued enrollment growth could push the number of degrees to more than 25,000 by the year 2026. Killeen says Illinois' alumni network now numbers nearly 750,000, with 400,000 of those living in Illinois. Data show enrollment at the university's three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield was nearly 86,000 students last fall. The Board of Trustees in 2016 set a goal of increasing enrollment to more than 93,600 by the year 2021. Associated Press Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Hong Kong: Fugitive bill reading requested The Government has written to the Legislative Council's House Committee asking for a second reading of the fugitive law amendment bill to be resumed on June 12. Secretary for Security John Lee made the announcement today, saying the move is being taken as the bills committee that is meant to scrutinise the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 is no longer functioning. Mr Lee noted the bills committee has failed to agree on resolving the situation, while its chairman still has not been elected since the Government tabled the bill five weeks ago. Writing to the House Committee chairwoman to seek a resumption of the debate on the amendment bill is the only way out of the current deadlock in LegCo, he said, adding that there is a time constraint for the bill. Under LegCos Rules of Procedure, a debate may be resumed upon written notice delivered by the public officer in charge of the relevant bill to the office of the Clerk, after consultation with the House Committee chair. The security chief also said the Government will try its best to explain the law changes to Taiwan where a Hong Kong man is accused of murdering his girlfriend last year. We will be making every possible effort to let Taiwan understand that we have to create the law so that we can offer the assistance which they have asked for at a very early stage. We will do it with respect. We will only look at the case details and talk about the legal matters as well as the subsequent arrangements to hand over the person to Taiwan so that he will face the justice he should face. Mr Lee acknowledged the differences of opinion on the amendment bill, with some supporting and some opposing it. It is every persons right to express their view and the Central Government of course has supported the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to go ahead with matters that are in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong. This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. USDA to help Pakistani farmer in genetically-engineered maize ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that future collaborative projects between the US and Pakistan include using American soybean feed in poultry, fish farming and dairy industries, introducing genetically-engineered maize and working with various government departments to develop uniform food safety standards. Soybean from the United States will serve as raw material for poultry, fish farming and dairy industries in Pakistan. We are working collaboratively with the government and the industry not only in poultry but also in the new and exciting area of fish farming which is in the pipeline, said Casey E. Bean, USDA official based in US Embassy in Islamabad. Approval of genetically-engineered maize is currently being considered in Pakistan. It would offer farmers a tool to increase their production and reduce use of agricultural chemicals, he claimed. Talking about the complicated relationship between the two countries, Mr Bean said, While political highs and lows in the relations between the two countries occurs, US-Pakistan cooperation in the agricultural sector has always been an important part in our bilateral relationship of seventy years. The deep relationship between the agricultural scientists of the two countries is evident in the collaboration on developing seeds for wheat, rice, sugarcane and cotton. Agriculture sector is an incredibly important sector in Pakistan and is a priority for the US. For these reasons the USDA mission has an office in Islamabad, he said. Allies in fighting terrorism, Pakistan and the US have a knotty relationship, especially over Afghanistan. In the past the Washington has accused Islamabad of playing a double game but in February this year US President Donald Trump said that the United States had developed a much better relationship with Pakistan. Uniform food safety standards and food security are two other areas where the USDA is working with local government departments, Mr Bean said. USDA is working with the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of National Food Security and agribusiness sector to implement food safety standards such as food labels illustrating ingredients contained in food products. The federal governments food security authority would be able to provide oversight to provinces to adhere to international standards consistently ultimately benefiting consumers, Mr Bean said. USDA will assist the ministry of national food security and research for the national food system project, as after devolution, it has become important for Pakistan to have a central food security authority. In this area, USDA is working with Pakistan Agriculture Research Council scientists for reducing aflatoxin (toxic fungus) in food crops. USDA and USAID launched a programme sometime last year to introduce aflatoxin control in Pakistan currently at field trial stage. Aflatoxin is produced by molds, and it often grows on food crops such as corn, peanuts, chillies, ground nuts but even cotton seeds are susceptible. US scientists were working with a private sector maize company in Pakistan to develop a technology to combat aflatoxin, said the US official. A man out on bond for allegedly shooting at a carload of people is now facing weapons and narcotics charges, according to Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell. This individual just didnt have any luck on Thursday, Ravenell said. He rides right through a drug suppression effort on the wrong side of the road. Naturally, these deputies had to stop him, but he wouldnt stop. On a moped. Donald Harmon, 32, has now been charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana within a half-mile of a school, possession of a weapon with an obliterated serial number, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, unlawful carrying of a pistol, resisting arrest and failure to stop for a blue light. He was also served with a bench warrant connected with his conviction in his absence on a charge of driving under suspension, according to the sheriffs office. Bond was set on Harmon during a hearing on Friday at $37,822 for all charges. Lead investigator Emmanuel McDuffie told the court the Russell Street man has had multiple contacts with law enforcement over the years. One of those contacts was a 2011 assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature charge. Harmon pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of probation. He was one of several arrested after a bystander was shot and killed after an argument at a gas station over a dog. McDuffie said Harmon is currently out on bond for allegedly shooting into a carload of people at that same gas station in 2017. The court was asked to deny or set a high surety bond on Harmon. The Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office says Harmon came to the attention of deputies just before 2 p.m. Thursday when narcotics agents were conducting an operation near Campus Drive in Orangeburg. The narcotics agents reported seeing a man riding a moped on the wrong side of the road. When deputies attempted to make a traffic stop, however, the driver continued on with deputies right behind, acco5rding to the sheriffs office. After a brief, slow-speed chase, the driver fled on foot after crashing the moped. That foot chase didnt last long. Deputies said they found a revolver with an obliterated serial number on the man and recovered a bag he had tossed. Inside the bag deputies located 126 grams of what appeared to be marijuana, according to the sheriffs office. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 3 Angry 2 The names of the 895 South Carolinians killed in the Vietnam War are engraved for history on the polished Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. The wall has helped heal the nations wounds and honor Vietnam veterans. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation has also been working to add faces to these names by collecting photographs of all who died fighting in the Vietnam War. The Faces Not Forgotten project has worked to collect photos of more than 58,300 U.S. military service members who served our country and sacrificed their lives in Vietnam. Since 2014, S.C. newspapers have helped collect all but four photos of the 895 South Carolinians killed in Vietnam. One Orangeburg County soldier is among the missing four photos: Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Hunter of Orangeburg, who was killed May 6, 1970. He is buried in North Orangeburg UMC Cemetery. It was reported that he was killed by a hostile exploding artillery round. His obituary from 1970 listed his survivors as widow, Mrs. Delores Blume Hunter; two daughters, Cynthia and Vivian; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Hunter; a brother, Luther Hunter Jr.; and two sisters, Katie L and Gloria Hunter. If you can assist in providing a photo of Leroy Hunter, contact us at 803-533-5520 or lharter@timesanddemocrat.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLACKVILLE The agricultural community is one big family and when Nebraska farmers and ranchers were hit by devastating floods, staff at Clemsons Edisto Research and Education Center and the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federations Young Farmers and Ranchers program decided they needed to take action. So they sent more than 140 800-pound round bales of hay to help out. The hay was sent from Clemsons Edisto REC. Gillian Tuttle, cattle technician at the Edisto REC and chair of the Aiken County Young Farmers and Ranchers, said the donation was made to help Nebraska farmers and ranchers who are in need after a blizzard resulted in flooding, leading to the loss of more than 2 million livestock. I know we are not technically neighbors, but I feel we are neighbors in the agriculture community, Tuttle said. I know that if something like that happened here, they would be doing the same. Amanda Croft, South Carolina Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers state committee chair, said the task of getting the hay from South Carolina to Nebraska has been rather smooth, thanks to previous work by Dean Hutto and Davis Peeler, former Young Farmers and Ranchers state committee chairs. As we learned what the farmers and ranchers needed, we started making phone calls, Croft said. We were told their hay fields were flooded and that the feed they had in storage was wet and starting to mold and become unfit for their cattle to eat. They said hay was what they needed so we started calling the South Carolina agricultural community and no one hesitated to say they would help. Others stepped up as well. Loni Martin of Rocky Wells Trucking posted information about the project on www.BulkLoads.com. In addition, www.FreightWaves.com also highlighted the effort.In addition, many County Farm Bureau offices and Ag industry partners have already made financial contributions to make this initiative possible. Before leaving South Carolina for Nebraska, the hay was inspected by Clemsons Department of Plant Industry for red imported fire ants. Steve Compton, red imported fire ant and invasive species coordinator for Clemsons Department of Plant Industry, said because South Carolina and the rest of the southeastern United States are under a quarantine for red imported fire ants, all hay leaving the state must be inspected and cleared for transport. Hay bales tend to be stacked on the ground where ants can get in them, Compton said. These ants can, then, hitchhike on the hay, move to new areas and set up colonies. We inspect all hay leaving South Carolina so that we can be certain we arent sending fire ants with the hay. Compton said inspectors are stationed around the state to help ensure no imported fire ants leave the state. For information, call the Clemson Department of Plant Industry at (864) 646-2140. Federal officials estimate the bomb cyclone weather phenomenon and subsequent flooding caused $1.4 billion in damages in Nebraska. Of that, livestock losses are estimated at $400 million. While insurance will cover some cattle and crop losses, it wont cover all losses. Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, said the donations are very much appreciated. The generosity of those whove donated hay and other supplies to help our Nebraska farm and ranch families suffering from the flooding and recent blizzard has been nothing short of amazing, Nelson said. The hay donations from South Carolina and other states have been instrumental in helping so many of our farmers and ranchers work through their immediate recovery needs. Words dont do justice in showing our gratitude for all the help and support weve received from our friends across the country. Help is still needed. To make hay donations, contact Hutto at DEANBHUTTO@GMAIL.COM. People who have trucks and want to help deliver the hay can contact Peeler, davispeeler@gmail.com, or Loni Martin, loni@rockywells.com. Monetary donations can be online at www.scfb.org/nebraska or by check. Make checks payable to: S.C. Agricultural Aid Foundation. In check subject line, please put: Nebraska Flood Relief. Mail checks to: S.C. Farm Bureau, Attn: Jessica Cabrera, P.O. Box 754, Columbia, S.C. 29202. Anyone sending a check is asked to email Cabrera at jcabrera@scfb.org to notify her the check is on the way. Denise Attaway reports for Public Service and Agriculture in the Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Bamberg County resident Norris Steedley's eyes fill with tears as he thinks about the pain he is going through after being bitten by a pit bull at his home April 11. "I am trying to zen myself for the pain," said Steedley, whose arms are heavily wrapped in bandages where a neighbor's pit bull took multiple bites, tearing flesh from bone. Steedley says the "swelling has gone down a little bit," but he is aware the recovery is expected to be slow, long and paved with multiple plastic surgeries. In the interim, wound care and antibiotics will be crucial as preventing infection is a matter of life and death. For the 59-year old Lemon Creek Road resident, the evening of Friday, April 11, is one he will not forget. The day started out much like any other. In fact, Steedley petted Sledge, the pit bull, earlier in the day. Little did he know, the hand that petted Sledge would almost be lost a few hours later when the dog pounced on him and began biting and biting. Steedley said he was out grilling pork loin in the back yard when he saw the neighbor's small pit bull puppy come into his yard. He knew if the small puppy was out, Sledge was soon to follow. Concerned about his boxer, Timber, which he said was attacked by Sledge the previous week, Steedley proceeded to bring his dog to safety when Sledge appeared. "It came around the corner," Steedley said. "I saw it coming ... and I knew it was going to zone in on my dog Timber." "It lunged at me. It got my arm" Steedley said. "It pulled me off the steps and down. I was hollering and screaming, 'Help! Help!'" Steedley, who lives alone, estimates it was about three to five minutes before his neighbors heard the screaming and came to his assistance. "It took them a couple of minutes to get the dog off," Steedley said. "They were prying its mouth open. He has a big head and big jaw. It took a while before they got it off of me. It seemed like forever. It was just ripping me." Steedley says in order to stop the blood, a makeshift tourniquet was made from a towel from inside his house and an old pair of jeans on his porch. "My house was sprayed," he said. "Blood was pumping out. My house was saturated with blood." While he was going in and out of consciousness, Steedley's sister, Edith O'Neal, said the neighbors called EMS. Steedley was transported to the former Bamberg County hospital and airlifted to Columbia's Baptist Richland Parkridge. Steedley remembers looking at his left arm at the hospital and was struck by the brutal sight. "I know the Life Flight surgeon told me it was the worst dog bite he has ever seen," Steedley said. When all was said and done, Steedley had suffered multiple severe dog bites to his left upper arm as well bites on his right arm and right lower leg. The dog ended up also ripping the thumb on his right hand, leaving him without his first digit. He estimates the doctors had to give him three or four units of blood. "If they had not pulled the dog off of me, I would be dead," he said. "I can imagine a child being mauled by this dog." The incident has traumatized Steedley, who is a self-described dog lover and particularly a lover of pit bulls. A week after the incident, he is still afraid to go back to the scene of the attack. He is currently living with his sister. "It has made me fear pit bulls now," he said. Several attempts to reach the owner of the dog were not successful. An unidentified woman saying she was daughter of the dog's owner was reached and said Steedley's version of the events is not true. She said Steedley's dog and Sledge had attacked one another in previous incidents and that he did not take the necessary precautions to prevent the two from interacting. "He (Sledge) would never do anything to anybody," the woman said before the phone call ended. Steedley says he has no hard feelings toward his neighbors. He just wants to be assured of one thing going forward. "I want them to fortify their yard," he said. "That is all I am asking for. I would like for them to take responsibility. I don't want them to put the dog down because I love dogs." Steedley did say he has hired Orangeburg attorney Clyde Dean. Dean could not be reached for comment. Steedley expressed concerns that he has not received the support of the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office or of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. A Bamberg County Sheriff's Office incident report notes the law enforcement agency was not notified of the incident until April 13 when Steedley's sister called dispatch wanting to speak to a deputy to find out why the dog was not removed from the residence. The report notes dispatch confirmed EMS and Bamberg County fire departments responded to the scene but not the sheriff's office. The BCSO was later able to reach Steedley at the hospital and tried to get his side of what happened. According to the BCSO incident report, "The two dogs were fighting and that he tried to break them up." But both Steedley and his sister say he was not trying to break the dogs up. The incident report notes the BCSO informed Steedley that with it being a weekend, there was no place to take the dog or a vet to put the dog down. Steedley was also informed DHEC would investigate. DHEC Public Information Officer Laura Renwick said the department did receive notification of the dog attack and followed protocol to determine if rabies exposure occurred. "To maintain privacy, we can't provide or confirm any information about any individual or an individual case," she said. According to DHEC records, it was notified of the incident on Friday, April 12, at 3:30 p.m. and began an investigation April 15. The DHEC report notes that "Sledge has bitten several times before." The dog was quarantined on April 16 and a DHEC investigator unsuccessfully tried to notify Steedley about the quarantine. The DHEC investigator visited the dog owner's property on April 16 and found Sledge. "Dog appears alive and healthy," the report states. On April 22, the DHEC investigator called the dog's owner to set up an end visit for the quarantine but did not get an answer. Later that same day, the investigator went to the dog owner's property and "blew horn, no one came to the door. Could not see dog." On April 23, the investigator once again tried to call the dog owner but did not receive an answer. A check on the status of the dog April 26 revealed Sledge was fine physically and that rabies was not a concern. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 5 Angry 14 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. Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 trustees recognized the top 10 percent of the graduating seniors from the districts high schools during last weeks board meeting. All of the senior scholars have been accepted into college and university programs. They have amassed over $4 million in scholarships. The scholars from Bethune-Bowman High School include: Jada Bookard, who received $88,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at the University of South Carolina-Aiken Aleishia James, who received $192,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at Winston-Salem State University Briennah Murray, who received $347,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in accounting at Claflin University Kayla Player, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in marine biology Anastasia Stephens, who received $122,780 in scholarship offers and plans to major in computer science with a minor in biology at Savannah State University Ivyaun Williams, who received $122,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at Charleston Southern University The scholars from North High School include: Alexis Bloome, who received $111,200 in scholarship offers and plans to major in business and accounting Kevionna Brown, who received $103,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in accounting Destiny Hansen, who received $80,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in counseling psychology at Clemson University The scholars from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School include: Aliesha Argrow, who plans to major in nursing at the University of South Carolina Jessica Baxter, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers Troy Boone Jr., who received $40,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in software development at Morris College Rhonde Boutte, who received $194,000 in scholarship offers and plans to attend Louisiana State University Acacia Brooks, who plans to major in biology at the University of South Carolina Shannon Cunningham, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to attend North Carolina Central University Johnnadria Duley, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in pre-med studies at the University of Alabama Yasmire Evans, who received $76,256 in scholarship offers and plans major in nursing at Clemson University Destinee Farmer, who received $148,350 in scholarship offers and plans to attend Hampton University Brandance Grant Sha-nya Green, who plans to major in mass communications Sydney Howell, who received $32,045 in scholarship offers and plans to major in early childhood education and theatre at Winthrop University Lillian James, who received $341,480 in scholarship offers Nakeiya Johnson, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at North Carolina Central University Zarria Johnson, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at North Carolina Central University. Frank Lee IV, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in engineering Maia Pelzer, who received $432,200 in scholarship offers and plans to major in international business and management at the University of South Carolina Shatasia Pringle, who received $116,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at Clemson University Brandi Rivers, who received $81,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in biology at Claflin University Victoria Robinson, who received $144,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in biochemistry at Coastal Carolina University Tarrance Whaley, who received $20,000 in scholarship offers Shanice Wright, who received $92,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in business at Winthrop University. The scholars from the High School for Health Professions are: Amaya Calloway, who received $221,900 in scholarship offers and plans to major in biology/pre-med at the University of South Carolina Dominique Bartley, who received $60,428 in scholarship offers and plans to major in computer information systems Morgan Blanchard, who received $362,700 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing/biology Antiano Goodwin, who received $10,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in fashion design or art education Caldwell Guinyard, who received $100,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in public health at the University of South Carolina Takayla Hart, who received $166,600 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at the University of South Carolina-Upstate Dhruvi Patel, who received $33,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing or health services at Clemson University Lilly Pedapolu, who received $123,000 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing at Clemson University. Angeline Singleton, who received $70,500 in scholarship offers and plans to major in nursing/public health Also during the meeting: Trustees approved a motion to write a letter to a Wilkinson High School alumni group and the State Department of Archives and History to indicate permission for a historical marker to be erected on the grounds of Howard Middle School. The marker will honor the former Wilkinson High School. Dr. Jesse Washington, OCSD5 superintendent, gave the trustees an update. Washington noted that the district has begun statewide testing, and notified the board that they will receive a schedule of the districts year-end events. Donnie Boland gave a finance and operations report, noting The total revenue for the month of March was $6,581,249. Expenditures for the month of March is pretty much as we anticipated, $4,920,190. Chief Human Resource Services Officer Robert Grant informed trustees that there are currently 65 vacancies for the 2019-2020 school year. Trustees approved a motion to grant a student their high school diploma. The student did not pass the now-defunct HSAP exit exam required to receive a high school diploma but did meet all other requirements. Dr. Cynthia Cash-Greene, head of instructional services, reported that the department has identified a need to replace the desks and chairs in all of the districts classrooms. Greene noted that that current condition of the classroom furniture can impair students ability to learn. The cost to replace the classroom furniture for teachers and students will be approximately $3.7 million. * This story has been corrected. Contact the writer: bharris@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5516. 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. With its field of presidential candidates now numbering 22, the Democratic Party is in for a free-for-all in nominating a candidate to face President Donald Trump in November 2020. Most of the contenders have staked out positions well to the left on the political spectrum, believing that in order to win the nomination, they will have to have progressives in their corner. Senators such as Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren are fighting for the votes that went in 2016 to Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is running hard again this time. Others are trying to find a niche and build momentum in hopes of repeating a Barack Obama-type rise to the nomination. The candidate not playing their game is former Vice President Joe Biden. Some believe he is leading the polls consistently only because he has name recognition that others lack. But InsideSources.com political editor Michael Graham writes that Democrats dismissing Bidens front-runner status do so at their own peril. The name ID certainly helps, but I think its more than that, public opinion expert Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute told Graham. Its a contrast to Trump that Democrats like, in addition to seeing him [Biden] as someone they think can win. Bowmans view is its almost impossible to overestimate how much Democratic primary voters are focused on a candidate who can beat Trump. Its a constant in polling data. Its reasonable to say that the trajectory of this race is going to largely be determined by whether or not one of the other candidates can make the case that they are at least as strong taking on Trump as Biden. Thats where the race is at this point. As a result, Biden is leading in the new Emerson University poll with 33 percent and Sanders with 25 percent. Harris and Warren are tied for third with each getting 10 percent of the vote, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg rounds out the top 5 with 8 percent. No other candidate is above 3 percent. While Biden winning the nomination is no certainty, he does have a better shot than any moderate Democrat since Bill Clinton. While the far left is splitting up the vote, a sizable portion of the electorate not calling itself liberal and willing to vote for a Democrat sees Biden as the way to oust Trump. Age is a factor for the Biden candidacy but should not doom it. And dont look for the former vice president to move further to the left even as he takes shots from liberals for positions on climate change, foreign policy and health care. In just about every way, what Biden represents is a return to normalcy in the presidency, even if very many considering him voted for Trump for exactly the opposite reason in 2016 to get rid of the Washington norm. Middle-of-the-spectrum voters hold the key to winning in November 2020. Among the Democrats, Biden is to date the only candidate who could win over those voters. The others will drive moderates into the Trump camp. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Luxembourg's Scouting and Guiding Organisation was founded 100, which they celebrated in style on Saturday. The organisation was founded in 1919. With around 6000 young people involved, this is the biggest youth movement group in the country. Christophe Hochard (RTL) Christophe Hochard (RTL) Christophe Hochard (RTL) Christophe Hochard (RTL) Christophe Hochard (RTL) Christophe Hochard (RTL) The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. RTL was there to follow the celebrations, which took place in 3 different locations. Video in Luxembourgish ILGA-Europe - celebrating 10 years - has analysed the laws and policies governing LGBT+ people in 49 European countries over the past 12 months. ILGA-Europe (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) publishes an annual index that provides an overview of the social and legal climate and human rights situation for LGBT+ people across Europe. Luxembourg ranks third, with 70.4%, behind Malta (90.3%) and Belgium (73.1%). The index brings together dozens of criteria, spanning concerns around equality, family issues and hate speech to legal gender recognition, freedom of expression and asylum rights. Rankings are based on the impact of each country's laws and policies on the lives of LGBTI people. ILGA-Europe used these measures for the first time in 2009 and have been extending them since. On a scale where zero indicates gross violations of human rights and 100% represents the highest degree of equality before the law, a measurement tool created by ILGA-Europe, Azerbaijan scored only 3%, according to Rainbow Europe. The former Soviet Republic state - host of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest - earned points only in 3 of the 69 individual categories, covering areas such as labour law and marriage equality. A direct comparison with last year's results is not possible as ILGA-Europe has changed the total number of categories to give more weight to laws and policies covering civil society and asylum. However, the top-ranked countries this year, including Malta, Luxembourg, and Finland (fourth), have bridged gaps in transgender and intersex rights, said Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe. Regardless of the change in criteria, countries that continue to perform well and return to the top are those who understood long ago that the agenda does not only include marriage equality, so Paradis at the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Germany, France and Norway also saw their scores decline in the last 12 months. Earlier this year Luxembourg was ranked 4th internationally in the Spartacus Gay Travel Index. Silva dismisses Joao Mario link Monday, 20 May, 2019 Marco Silva has played down suggestions Everton might sign Joao Mario this summer. The Blues' boss was responding to reports in Italy that the midfielder had been offered to Everton for around 15m, speculation that might have played on the Portuguese pair's prior association at Sporting. Mario joined Inter in 2016 and has made 64 league appearances for them while also spending half a season on loan with West Ham last year but could be on the move again this summer. "Joao Mario is a player of Inter and there is nothing more than that," Silva told O Jogo in his native Portugal. "He was my player, I was the one who put him in the main team of Sporting. He had a very good season, but at the moment he is not on the table." However, Silva reiterated his desire to see Andre Gomes's loan move from Barcelona made permanent but admitted that it was dependent on both the player and his parent club. There is a Portuguese player in the squad that we want, which is Andre Gomes, he explained. The signing of him does not depend on us alone, if that were the case, we would have already done it, it also depends on Barcelona and Andre Gomes. He was very important to us and we were important to him as well, he is a great player with an excellent quality. Quotes sourced from O Jogo About these ads Tuesday support meetings Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, closed; 7 p.m., 520 CY; 8 p.m., 328-1/2 E. A; 8 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688. Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 15th and Melrose, at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org. Sharing Meeting: 8 p.m., 328-1/2 E. A St. upstairs. Non-smoking. Featuring AA and Al Anon participation in the solution. Republican women meet Natrona County Republican Women will meet at 11:30 a.m., at the Black and Gold Grille on English Avenue in their banquet room. Guest speakers will be Michelle Sabrosky and Crystal MacGuire. Michelle will talk to us about some current gun laws, what they mean as well as gun laws being worked on in Wyoming. Crystal will talk about women and shooting, why its important for women to learn. There will be time after they speak for questions and answers. The cost is $20 per person. Republican Women is open to any registered Republican. Needle Guild The Casper Needle Guild will meet at 7:15 p.m., at the Central Wyoming Senior Center, 1831 East 4th Street. We will continue with our study of Japanese embroidery, focusing on bead embroidery. For further information, please contact Ann Hudson at 265-5510. Free tire checks at Plains Plains Tire will be offering free tire checks during National Tire Safety Week through May 27. The checks will be performed at all nine Wyoming locations including the two in Casper, Laramie, Rock Springs, Gillette, Evanston, Sheridan, Riverton and Green River. The safety check includes an inspection for air pressure, tread depth, irregular wear patterns, nails, cuts, punctures and other visible damage and visible structural integrity issues. Additionally, a free 21-point inspection will also be available. 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. Liz Becher walks down Midwest Avenue. Shes changed her shoes. These I can walk in, she says, laughing. The high heels she wore earlier that day might have made the walk over the broken pavement in this as-yet undeveloped portion of the Old Yellowstone District difficult. She is guiding a group of conference attendees through Caspers downtown, pointing out recent developments and plans for the future. The conference the group is attending is about an Environmental Protection Agency program that helps communities assess and clean up contaminated, and therefore difficult to repurpose, properties. This is also why Becher, the City of Caspers community development director, is guiding the group through downtown. As she walks, she points to a dozen or so plots of land where EPA-funded environmental site assessments have been or will be conducted. The funding $400,000 came from a 2016 EPA brownfields assessment grant, a program that helps municipalities take the first step to revitalize potentially contaminated properties. First, what is a brownfield? A brownfield is a property that, because of past use, might be contaminated with hazardous material, and because of that contamination will be difficult to redevelop. These sites can be anything from former auto body shops to abandoned factories to homes with asbestos or lead paint. Much of the properties in the 100-acre Old Yellowstone District are considered brownfields because of the areas proximity to the former Amoco refinery, Becher said. Before any of those properties can be repurposed, they need to be assessed, which is where the EPA grant helps. The assessments come in two phases. The first phase takes a historical look at a property: reviewing records, interviewing current and former owners and conducting visual inspections. If there is reason to believe the property is contaminated after Phase I, the next phase requires taking soil samples to measure contamination levels. This process is important for a number of reasons. Its important for financing for one thing, Becher said, because most banks wont approve loans for development projects without a Phase I assessment. But the first phase alone costs about $5,000. The next phase could cost tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars. If that assessment shows contamination, the cost of cleanup could put a developer back tens of thousands of dollars more. Because of the financial risk, developers tend to be reluctant to invest in brownfield projects. Some data says you lose half of your developers with just the possibility of contamination, Mark Walker said. Walker is a project manager and program associate for Kansas State Universitys Technical Assistance to Brownfields program, which serves as a liaison between the EPA and communities that want help assessing and cleaning up potentially contaminated land. He said properties can sit vacant for years, even decades, because developers dont want to incur the cleanup costs. Thats what makes the EPA grants so powerful, and the EPAs goal is just as much redevelopment as it is environmental cleanup, he said. The economic impact of redeveloping these properties can be huge for local economies, according to Dan Heffernan, EPAs regional Brownfields Program coordinator. On average across the U.S., the EPA sees a 17 to 1 return on investment, he said, meaning for every $1 the EPA spends to offer these grants, theres $17 of reinvestment in the community. And when that money is recirculated through the local, state and federal economy, it benefits everybody, he added. Redeveloping these properties has also proven effective for increasing property values around the developments between 5 and 15 percent, according to EPA estimates. Another, more obvious goal is environmental sustainability and reuse. Thats really the heart of it, Cindi Martinez said. If its already there, build it up and reuse it. Dont abandon things that could be good again. Martinez is the brownfields program supervisor for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, which tends to be the state-level facilitator for these grants. In the past, communities have had to have DEQ support to even apply for the EPA grants, though that might be changing, Martinez said. Redeveloping brownfields can also make a development more cost-effective, she continued, because theres often already existing infrastructure to support it, like roads leading to a property. And theres some sentimentality, too. A lot of people have attachments to places, she said. Brownfields resources give the opportunity to keep those places close to us, rather than abandoning them because of perceived risk. There have already been a number of successful Wyoming brownfield projects that began with EPA assessment grants, the Cheyenne Childrens Museum among them. Derek Baker, a consultant for Inberg-Miller Engineers, was a volunteer on the Childrens Museum project. He said the EPA assessment grants were a vital first step in the two-year project. Public perception was really important to us, he said. We wanted to be as transparent as possible. They assessed the property and found there was relatively simple cleanup needed to start construction. Other successful Wyoming projects include the revitalization of a former railroad roundhouse in Evanston and the transformation of a Dubois sawmill into a medical clinic and assisted living facility. Julie Kozlowski, the community development director for the Wyoming Business Council, said theres more on the horizon. The council partnered with the EPA and DEQ last year to start giving communities small cleanup loans for properties where contamination has been identified. Wyoming was awarded more than $1 million by the EPA last year for this purpose, and Kozlowski said those grants will be distributed soon. As for Casper, Becher said so far none of the assessments have turned up any red flags, though a few properties are about to undergo Phase II assessments. Of the $400,000 Casper received in 2016, a little under $200,000 remains, and the city has until September to spend the rest of it. When all of the assessments are complete, Becher said they will be another step closer to the vision of a more robust downtown. We live in an area that has a history of not being as environmentally conscious, she said. Weve learned so much more now ... this will get our community cleaned up and repurposed. Follow city reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @morganhwrites. Love 1 Funny 1 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 University of Wyomings vice president for finance and administration, Neil Theobald, will take over July 1 as interim president of UW after Laurie Nichols contract expires, the universitys board decided Monday. Eleven board members voted to appoint Theobald, who came to the university less than a year ago. The 12th trustee, Mel Baldwin, wasnt on the call. The vote comes nearly two months after the trustees demoted Nichols in a move that surprised the campus community. Theobald will stay in the interim role for a year, board president Dave True said. Theobald will earn a base salary of $340,000. Im honored to be in this role, he said Monday in a phone call. Theobald said Monday he plans to return to his current position after his year as interim president ends. He also said he will continue his duties as vice president for finance and administration, with the help of his staff, during that year. Theres about five of us that do this job right now, Theobald said. ... They might have to carry a bigger part of the load, and well keep it going (during the next year). Hell take the presidents office exactly one year after joining UW, then replacing retiring finance VP Bill Mai, who was also a candidate for the interim president job. From 2012 to 2016, Theobald was previously the president at Temple University in Philadelphia, though he resigned from the school shortly before that board met to vote on his dismissal. He was facing scrutiny for issues with a scholarship budget and for the dismissal of Temples provost, according to local media reports. I loved my time at Temple University, Theobald said. ... In the end, it came down to a disagreement between the board (of trustees) and me on how you appoint deans. Theobald said he felt that faculty should be involved in those decisions while the board disagreed. It made sense for me to move on, he said. As UWs point man on finances, Theobald managed a sprawling department of some 380 people and a budget of $205.5 million, a significant chunk of the schools total budget. It was a natural conversation for Theobald to apply, given his background, he said. He couldnt recall who first suggested he apply but believed it was mutual. Former UW lobbyist and state legislator Chris Boswell was also a finalist for the interim position. Theobald takes over amid a period of uncertainty for the states sole four-year public institution. While the board has committed to an open search process to find a permanent replacement for Nichols, which True has indicated could take a year, there remains significant confusion about what led to the demotion of the universitys first female president. True has declined to provide any details, including apparently to Nichols herself, who has said that she has no idea what prompted her demotion to faculty. Last week, outgoing Faculty Senate chair Donal OToole asked the board at its public meeting if Nichols demotion was influenced by her gender, saying that it seemed that way to him. He asked the board to provide Nichols a detailed breakdown of what happened and the campus a broad explanation. True, in a comment to the Star-Tribune, declined to comment other than to say he disagreed with OTooles conclusions. Theobald said stability was probably one of the reasons the university promoted internally. As a UW officer, he said, he was not in the meetings and does not know what led to Nichols demotion. However, Theobald said he trusts the UW board of trustees. They always put the best interests of the university first, he said. Nichols, whos a non-voting member of the board, was not on the call. Nor was Gov. Mark Gordon, who also serves as an ex-officio trustee. Theobald said he plans to continue the strategic plan Nichols has begun during her tenure. There is not a major course correction here, he said. His first priority as president, he said, would be to work with community colleges in the state to get more students into and through higher education. He said the latter part of that was especially a focus of his at Temple, where the rate of students graduating in four years rose to more than 50 percent while he was there. Theobald, who spoke Monday while on vacation in Hawaii, said he tries to be highly transparent and plans to continue that in his new role. We work for the state of Wyoming, he said. Youre my boss. Reporting from the Laramie Boomerang and WyoFile recently called the UW board of trustees transparency into question, namely its use of executive sessions, which are not open to media or the public. Theobald has some history with Wyoming, dating back to his time as a graduate student at the University of Washington, where he said he participated in a school partnership with the University of Wyoming. He also spent time visiting the area thanks to his friendship with former UW College of Education Dean Dick Andrews. Theobald and his wife had owned a house outside Laramie before selling it three years ago. This was my dream job, he said. I always wanted to get back to Wyoming. Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. Seth Klamann Education and Health Reporter Seth Klamann joined the Star-Tribune in 2016 and covers education and health. A 2015 graduate of the University of Missouri and proud Kansas City native, Seth worked for newspapers in Milwaukee and Omaha before coming to Casper. Follow Seth Klamann Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today When Sen. Mike Enzi announced his retirement earlier this month in Gillette, the conversation immediately focused not on what Enzi would do in his final 18 months in office, but who would step up to replace him. While much stock was placed in several key phrases in his retirement announcement whether Rep. Liz Cheney would become Speaker of the House or not, for instance little attention was paid to one of the more personal excerpts about Enzis future: what he wanted. Specifically, the senator told reporters he wanted to avoid another campaign season in order to tackle an issue he has made the centerpiece of his career in Washington: Tackling the nations budget crisis. Those efforts began in earnest last week as Enzi the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget rolled out the first of several weeks of hearings to field ideas on reforming and improving the nations budget process and, ultimately, finding a bipartisan consensus on ways to avert a looming fiscal crisis. One thing is clear we have a problem, Rachel Vliem, a spokesperson for Enzi, said in an email. Senator Enzi believes that Congress cant keep avoiding its basic duties or ignoring the real impacts on our country from a broken budget process. He believes the first steps toward action must be framing the scope of the problem and highlighting where we agree. His first hearing last Tuesday included two former Senate Budget Committee chairmen, Senators Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and, in the coming weeks, other insiders will be brought to testify on the nations budgetary dysfunction. Enzis concern with budgetary issues is longstanding. Since the federal budget framework was established in 1974, Congress has managed to pass only four on-time appropriations bills, with the last one coming in 1997 Enzis first year in office. Since then, Enzi has regularly introduced some form of budgeting reform into the record, including a massive reform proposal in March and, prior to that, a bill designed to end government shutdowns initiated by impasses in the budgeting process. His office hopes one of those ideas will stick this time. These hearings will help begin to focus on meaningful solutions as Senator Enzi thinks about reform efforts and the best way to go about enacting them through legislation to address these problems, Vliem said. The Week Ahead Monday: Gov. Mark Gordon chairs a special meeting of the State Building Commission in Cheyenne to discuss the Capital Construction Project. Tuesday: Gov. Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon will be keynote speakers at the Safehouse Wyoming luncheon in Cheyenne. Safehouse is a private, nonprofit organization that provides services to victims or survivors of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, elder abuse and human trafficking. Wednesday: None Thursday: None Friday: None Weekend: None Have an event youd like highlighted here? Email me with the date, time, and place! Wyoming Politics Last week, Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier penned a letter to President Donald J. Trump asking him to advance stable and secure domestic uranium mining after six straight years of decline for one of Wyomings less discussed extractive sectors. In the letter, Meier said he hopes for an expanded international market and an increased reliance on nuclear energy production in the United States. The uranium mining industry in Wyoming welcomes the opportunity to compete in a fair global marketplace, said Meier. In fact, the industry would flourish in an open market committed to worker safety and environmental safeguards. State lawmakers to take on voter I.D. requirements, crossover voting, again: A pair of failed bills from the 2019 general session intended to improve the integrity of Wyoming elections will be getting a second look from state lawmakers this interim. (via Trib.com) Wyomings Tomorrow rises from ashes to focus on states higher education initiatives: Despite dying twice in the Legislatures general session earlier this year, a task force designed to look into ways to make two years of higher education as close to free as possible is moving forward. (via CowboyStateDaily.com) Dems ask Fremont County to investigate voting difficulties on the Wind River Reservation: The Wyoming Democratic Party has asked the Fremont County Attorneys Office to investigate allegations that voters on the Wind River Reservation encountered difficulties during the 2018 election. (via Trib.com) Around Wyoming Wyoming Rodeo Ministry denied a vendor booth at 2019 National High School Finals Rodeo: The Sweetwater Events Complex has denied our application and are enforcing what has been in their vendor contract. Exhibitor agrees not to use the Exhibit Space for any political or religious purpose, Mike Sain, the groups president, wrote. (via SweetwaterNow.com) UW plans to restart technical education teacher program that was eliminated two years ago: The University of Wyoming will restart a program that trains future career technical education teachers, which the schools board had eliminated two years ago amid stiff budget cuts. (via Trib.com) Lawmakers still looking for ways to prevent early coal plant closures: Four of Wyomings coal-fired power plants have been identified as potential targets for early closures to save money. And state lawmakers have worked to put up as many roadblocks as possible to keep Rocky Mountain Power from turning off the lights at those aging plants. (via The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle) A major coal company went bust. Its bankruptcy filing shows that it was funding climate change denialism: Bankruptcy disclosures from Cloud Peak Energy, a Wyoming-based coal mining corporation, revealed that the company maintains financial ties to many of the leading groups that have sowed doubt over the human causes of global warming. (via The Intercept) To control forest fires, Western states light more of their own: Tramping over a charred mountainside here one foggy morning, Matt Champa glowed with satisfaction. Deer and elk will love this, said the U.S. Forest Service burn boss, gesturing to a cluster of blackened trees that eventually will fall and create more space for forage plants. (via Pew Charitable Trusts) Wyoming AGs opinion sends municipalities scrambling on health care: 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. (via Trib.com) Eye On Washington Sen. John Barrasso joined several senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding groundwater regulation. In the brief, the senators explain that Congress only intended for the Clean Water Act to require federal discharge permits where pollution travels directly from a point source to a water of the United States. Sen. Mike Enzi signed onto a bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to permit certain individuals complying with state law to possess firearms in certain scenarios. For instance, in Wyoming, individuals possessing a firearm legally on the highway would be in violation of federal law if they came within 1,000 yards of a school. Rep. Liz Cheney spoke at an event at the Hudson Institute on foreign policy. She also remained under siege by the national press for attacks she made on Democratic colleagues Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, who made comments many in the media assert conservatives have taken out of context and made to sound anti-Semitic. From the author: As you read this, I will be somewhere in the Rockies on a week-long road trip with my younger brother, who just graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a degree in geology. As such, there will be no newsletter next week. 307 Politics will return on June 3! Have any tips or suggestions to make this newsletter better? Let me know! Call me at 307-266-0634, email me at nick.reynolds@trib.com or follow me on Twitter, @IAmNickReynolds Follow politics reporter Nick Reynolds on Twitter @IAmNickReynolds Love 1 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. JACKSON (AP) A snowmobile racing event is leaving the Wyoming ski resort town where it has been held for the past two years. The Jackson Hole News and Guide reported Thursday that the Snow King Mountain Resort in Jackson will not host the AMSOIL International Series of Champions Snocross in December. International Series of Champions owner John Daniels says the decision to leave was based on the event's low participation caused by the high cost of travel to Teton County. Daniels says he thought the event would connect better with the area, but it had lackluster attendance for the first two years. Snow King General Manager Ryan Stanley says the race had about 2,500 spectators each year. Stanley says the resort has "left the door open" for snocross to return. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Although its a long way from being completed, organizers of the Great American Rail-Trail were celebrating recently in Three Forks, Montana. That was the site for one of many launch parties meant to bring attention to the 3,700-mile biking and walking route that organizers hope will one day traverse the United States from Washington state to Washington, D.C., passing through 12 states. It was really great to see our community step forward, said Michelle McNamee, state trails coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, who attended the kick-off event. Obviously it will be a big challenge with initial funding and maintenance, but people seem excited. Pieces The group gathered in Three Forks because its Headwaters Trail System would be included as a portion of the cross-country route. The towns trail travels to Missouri Headwaters State Park where the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers meet to form the mighty Missouri River. Other trails in Montana that organizers are including in the route are: the Highway 89 South Pedestrian Trail and the Depot Center Trail in Livingston; the Bozeman Story Mill Spur, Oak Street, North 19th Avenue, Valley Center trails, and Jackrabbit Lane Shared-Use Path; the Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park) and Silver Bow Creek Greenway in Butte; the Piltzville, Canyon River, Milwaukee, Mullan Road and A.J. Hoyt Memorial trails in Missoula County; the 31-mile long Route of the Olympian over the Montana-Idaho border and the 21-mile NorPac Trail along the same border. One of the cool aspects about the project is its really focused on any trail user, its meant to appeal to all Americans, McNamee said. Its a neat way to connect people. The Rails-To-Trails Conservancys preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail through Montana is described as 427.5 miles. So far only 83 trail miles exist with another 344.5 gap miles needed to connect those routes. Wyoming Likewise through Wyoming the group is hoping to eventually link the trail from Livingston through Yellowstone National Park and continue across the Cowboy state via 508.1 miles of pathways. So far the route is fairly sparse with Casper (six miles) and Glenrock (two miles) contributing some of the routes. But the conservancy is hopeful that a recent report on active transportation in Wyoming might include a sizable investment in trails. For example, the Wyoming Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force has recommended that a 21-mile trail between Glenrock and Evansville should be a priority as part of the Great American Rail-Trail, according to the conservancys website. RTC will provide technical and planning assistance to Platte River Trails, Wyoming Pathways and Wyoming State Parks to determine ownership of the former rail line; engage with property owners and stakeholders; determine who will own and maintain the trail after completion; implement cost estimation; complete a feasibility study; pursue public funding; and provide design, engineering and construction assistance. Long haul The conservancy has been working on the route for 30 years, so completion is not likely to come any time soon. Still, the groups officials remain upbeat even comparing creation of the trail to the preservation of Yellowstone National Park in the 1800s and are striving to engage more people in the push for trails. RTC is providing the national vision, leadership and expertise to ensure connectivity across state lines and to bring the resources necessary to close approximately 1,700 miles of gaps in the trail, the group says on its website. In Montana, McNamee said the trails communities in Bozeman and Missoula have already taken big steps forward to spearhead the states effort. Anything of this caliber is going to take a lot of work, she said. The Montana Legislature took a small step forward this past session by passing Senate Bill 24, which increases the opt-out fee added to a vehicles licensing from $6 to $9. The largest portion of that increase will go to state parks, but trails funding will also get a small bite, estimated to bring in about $800,000 a year. So were starting to build more momentum, McNamee said. A lot of folks are joining forces and getting behind recreation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Are you aware of the work of the late Mexican architect,? I was not until I saw the new documentary,, in which what we view of Barragan's architecture reminded me quite a bit of the paintings of: full of beauty, simplicity and solitude. The film was conceived and directed by visual artist and writerpictured below. Since this is the artist's first film, I am linking her name to her Wikipedia page rather than to the IMDB. For a first film, however, this is one whoppingly good and original piece of work.From what we learn and see in this documentary, there is a limited amount of Barragan's work (the architect is shown below) available to be appreciated by the public, thanks to ownership of his archives and "brand" by a corporation located in Switzerland. Ms Magid wants to visit that archive and explore what's there, but the corporation -- via a woman named Federica, who is in charge of the archives -- says. Ms Magid is a persistent little thing, however, and this one-of-a-kind, funny, provocative, unsettling documentary tells us the story of what happens after this request is refused. And -- oh, boy-- Magid is agood storyteller.Storytelling, in fact, is part of what this doc is all about. In it, we meet the artist, of course, along with quite a few members of the Barragan family (one of whom is now, as we learn via the end credits) and see that they, as well as the Mexican government, want the archives returned to Mexico. So we travel from the USA to Mexico to Switzerland and back, as Magid attempts to help this process along. To talk a lot about content here would simply give away too many spoilers, and the movie is really so much fun that we oughtn't do that.We do learn that Magid has her "artistic" quirks -- a mystical side, that includes includes leaving a plate of Barragan's favorite cookies by the bedside in the room he used to sleep. If that provokes, an "Oh, please" response, just remember that all artists (human beings, after all) have their quirks -- Picasso on down (or up, depending on your taste). Artists are crazy, right? And Magid often proves crazy like a fox. How she has organized her documentary, so that viewers learn just what we need to know, and in the way and time we need to know it, proves exemplary storytelling.Along the way the architect's ashes (well, some of them, anyway) are turned into something quite wild and wonderful, and what happens to what-they-become is paramount here. We follow along as Jill chases the elusive Federica, and all this is like a marvelous mystery somewhere between Hitchcock and Nancy Drew. And by movie's end, its title takes on enough delight and irony to have you leaving the theatre walking on air.That titular proposal is quite something. We learn part of it, but Magid wisely leaves all of it until the finale -- which could hardly be more mouth-agape perfect if some storied, award-winning filmmaker had done this work. By the end of, you will have confronted art and ownership, morality, the meaning of provenance and control, seen and heard greed and hypocrisy in action, witnessed an art installation that you suddenly become part of, and been treated to some unusual ideas about love of art (and artists), plus so much more. And you'll have viewed a documentary thatthinks is one for the ages. It'sspecial.Distributed viaand running 86 minutes, the doc opens theatrically on Friday, May 24, in New York City at the, and the following Friday, May 31, in the Los Angeles area at the. As of now, it will also hit a few other cities and theaters; clickto view currently scheduled playdates, cities and theaters. The woman was taken to the hospital with seven stab wounds and survived her injuries, Ward said in the letter. The letter says the injured man told officials he had just met Padilla and the woman that day at a downtown bar. He invited them to his house after the bar closed, and they spent three to four hours talking, drinking and sitting in the hot tub in his backyard. The man said he fell asleep and woke up to Padilla stabbing him and saying "You betrayed me," the letter says. The woman called 911 and the man was able to get outside. The letter goes on to say the County Attorney's Office declined to file any charges against Copp because he had several reasons to believe Padilla would try to stab him or the woman, and was justified in his actions. Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Student-made mural defaced with swastikas A community mural created by Changemaker High School students was vandalized sometime between last Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning. The mural located on a wall across the street from Changemaker, 1300 S. Belvedere Ave., near South Swan Road and East 22nd was defaced with swastikas, explicit images and anti-semitic and misogynistic phrases, according to school CEO Luis A. Perales. Tucson Police Department is investigating the vandalism because it involves hate speech, Perales said. Community members interested in donating time or resources toward fixing the mural should call Changemaker at 615-2200. Music store owners headed to Washington Tucsons Instrumental Music Centers Leslie and Michael Faltin are traveling to Washington D.C. to advocate for the importance of music education in public schools on Capitol Hill. Pima County roads could get an infusion of $26 million for repairs under a budget proposal that avoids raising taxes but dips into other funds. While the county has been building new roads and fixing old ones every year since Arizona became a state, the decision to create a line in the county budget specifically for street maintenance is new. There is little debate on whether the county has spent enough on road repairs estimates of a road-repair backlog range between $700 million and $900 million but the push to explicitly set aside millions of dollars for repairs without specifically raising taxes has been difficult. The $26 million sum comes from a variety of sources, including increased state shared revenues, unused funds re-allocated from a 1997 roads bond, a reduction in overall county debt leading to reduced payments, and a re-organization of the countys street department, which laid off 36 employees earlier this year. The layoffs were in response to the county shifting away from planning-intensive programs as the number of new construction projects has begun to dwindle. I just want to stress to people that above all, if youre suffering, seek help, she said. Its really important. When Werner went back to school, she had to balance classes, caring for her children and at some points worked up to three jobs in addition to managing anxiety and depression. Also during her college career, she flew to Pennsylvania to be with her mother as she was taken off life support. She also lost two of her grandparents and took care of her ex-husbands medical expenses after a bad car crash. It was really hard and it still is, she said. I think thats just life. If you wait for ideal circumstances to do something for yourself, youre going to be waiting for the rest of your life. Sometimes she had to take fewer classes, but she never quit. That was key for me to slow down when I needed to, but not to stop, she said. Werner has since remarried and her youngest child is in middle school. Her oldest is 18 and a first-year PCC student. She said her kids are her No. 1 inspiration and that her husband is extremely supportive. With $100 million or more slated to be used on these improvements to I-10, some say it could be another reason to modify the proposed Interstate 11 route. The proposed route for I-11 consists of a new 280-mile highway from Nogales through Wickenburg and up to the Nevada state line. With the new route, motorists would see a new road from Sahuarita that would divert west of I-10 to Wickenburg. The idea behind the proposed I-11 route is to create a new road to accommodate increasing trade with Mexico and to divert heavy trucks away from I-10 and I-19, according to a draft environmental impact study by ADOT. But opponents say I-11 is unnecessary. The study that shows the alternative of co-locating (I-11) along I-19 and I-10 from Nogales to Casa Grande would result in the same benefits for traffic, said Kevin Dahl, Arizonas senior program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association. With the no-build option, there wouldnt be a new interstate but continued use of the expanded I-10 until the interstate separates to other locations near Phoenix. Your browser does not support the audio element. Comic books have become the latest medium through which stories about late President Ho Chi Minh are told to Vietnamese children, adding to a great variety of art forms used to depict the life and legacy of Vietnams national hero. On the occasion of the 129th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh on Sunday, Kim Dong Publishing House introduced what it claims to be the countrys first-ever comic series about Vietnam's most honored leader. Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969), affectionately called Uncle Ho by generations of Vietnamese, was the founder of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He laid the foundation and led the Vietnamese revolution to victory in the 20th century with the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. Titled Bac Ho Song Mai (Uncle Ho Lives Forever), the series include five comic strip books, featuring stories about the life and revolutionary career of Ho Chi Minh, especially his moments with children, according to Kim Dong Publishing House. A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre Prior to this comic book series, stories about Uncle Ho have only been depicted in picture books, whose content is mainly text with illustrations, not comic strips. Luong Xuan Doan, former deputy general director of the Culture and Arts Department under the Partys propaganda committee, hailed the comics about Uncle Ho as a fascinating new expression of art." Potraying Uncle Ho is a difficult job, Doan said. He added that there are few Vietnamese artists who draw Ho Chi Minh in their artworks, and the number of those successfully doing so is even fewer. The scenes in the comics are deliberately chosen and depicted in a way that revives the old beauty of Vietnamese landscapes in the previous century, while acquainting children with the countrys history and pride. A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre A page of a comic about Uncle Ho is seen in this photo taken in Hanoi. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday kicked off an official visit to Russia as both nations prepare to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1950-2020) with a series of events. After landing in Saint Petersburg, the Vietnamese PM is scheduled to meet with leaders of Russian state gas producer Gazprom the same day to discuss cooperation in the oil and gas industry, according to the foreign ministry. He will also hold a meeting with acting Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov and pay visits to Russian cruiser Aurora and the Winter Palace. A state reception for PM Phuc will be held in Moscow on Tuesday afternoon. The visit, lasting from May 20 to 23, shows that Vietnam treasures the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, and wishes to strengthen all-round cooperation, especially in economy, trade and investment, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. It takes place in the context that both nations will organize the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam in 2019 and 2020, respectively. It is part of PM Phucs planned Europe trip from May 20 to 29, which includes stops in Norway and Sweden. Russia was one of the first nations to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam on January 30, 1950. The countries set up their strategic partnership in 2001, and upgraded the ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012. Two-way trade topped US$4.5 billion last year, a significant increase from $2.7 billion in 2016. In the first two months of 2019, bilateral trade stood at $790 million, up 9.4 percent year-on-year. Vietnams major exports to Russia include phones, garments and textiles, and agro-fishery products, while Russia ships petroleum, steel, fertilizers, machines and equipment to the Southeast Asian nation. As of February 2019, Russia ranked 24th among the worlds largest investors in Vietnam with 127 projects worth over $950 million, mainly in such areas as mining, oil and gas, processing and manufacturing. Meanwhile, Vietnam has run more than 20 projects in Russia with a total capital of nearly $3 billion. More than 5,000 Vietnamese students are currently enrolled in schools in Russia. Russia is one of Vietnams top ten markets for tourism and the largest one from Europe. Last year, more than 606,000 Russian tourists arrived in Vietnam, up from 176,000 in 2012. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly began its seventh session in Hanoi on Monday morning, during which multiple draft laws and resolutions are expected to be passed. The sitting commenced at the National Assembly Hall at 9:00 am and is scheduled to last until June 14. Prior to the opening ceremony, leaders of the Party, state, and the legislature had laid wreaths and paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in the capital. A preparatory meeting was previously organized to discuss and pass the working agenda for this session. The seventh session will spend 60 percent of the total meeting time on law making work. Deputies are expected to adopt seven laws and two resolutions, while giving opinions on nine other bills. The legislative body will review reports on the implementation of policies and laws on land management and use in urban areas, and on the implementation of the socio-economic development plans and state budget in 2018 and the first months of 2019. Discussions on the use of loans and the management of public debt will also be carried out. Lawmakers will examine and approve the state budget balance of 2017, and make decisions on the addition of new investment projects during the 2016-20 period. About two and a half working days will be spent on question-and-answer sessions. In her opening speech, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan stressed that 2019 plays a significant role in the completion of the 2016-20 socio-economic development plan. Efforts and committees from the political system and the people are fundamental to the effective implementation of the plan, Ngan added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are in the forecast in Ho Chi Minh City and its vicinity for the next ten days as convection clouds have formed over the southern metropolis, weather forecasters said on Monday. Nonstop rains will bring the highest temperatures in Ho Chi Minh City down to under 33 degrees Celsius this week after a period of extreme heat, according the Hydrological Forecasting Station for the Southern Region. Residents in southern provinces such as Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, An Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre are told to brace for thunderstorms, whirlwinds and gales. Heavy rains are also in the forecast in the northern and north-central regions of Vietnam from Monday morning to Tuesday evening due to the effects of continental cold high pressure advancing from the north. A heatwave that began on Thursday in northern and central Vietnam reached its peak on Saturday and Sunday, raising temperatures to up to 41 degrees Celsius, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported. The heatwave has been exacerbated by high humidity and lack of wind, said Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the weather center. In Ho Chi Minh City, blistering heat has baked residents since the end of March, with some occasional rains to cool down the city over the past few weeks. Temperatures remained above 35 degrees Celsius for most of April and early May, while real feel and heat on the surface of roads could be three to four degrees higher. The extreme heat caused delivery services and sales of air-conditioners in the southern metropolis to flourish while sending residents power bills through the roof. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today, May 20! Politics -- A high-level Ho Chi Minh City delegation led by municipal Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan visited the Embassy of Vietnam in the Netherlands on Sunday during an official visit to the European country to learn from their flood control experience. -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday kicked off an official visit to Russia from May 20-23, demonstrating that Vietnam treasures the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia as both nations are slated to organize the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Society -- The African swine fever epidemic has spread across 34 cities and provinces in Vietnam, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a meeting with officials and local pig breeders in Hanoi on Sunday as he called for joint efforts in the fight against the contagious disease. -- Over 10,000 people, including more than 1,000 foreigners, paid tribute to late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi on Sunday, on the occasion of the 129th anniversary of his birthday (May 19). -- A national arrest warrant has been issued for Bui Quang Huy, general director of Hanoi phone dealer Nhat Cuong Mobile, who has allegedly fled while charged with trafficking and violating accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. -- Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are in the forecast in Ho Chi Minh City and its vicinity for the next ten days as convection clouds have formed over the southern metropolis, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting. Business -- State-run Vietnam Electricity Corporation (EVN), the sole power distributor in Vietnam, is mulling adjustments to it tiered electricity pricing rate structure that will effectively have people who use a lot of electricity pay less than they do now, while those who use little electricity will pay more. -- Shipments of tra fish from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam to the U.S. and China, two of the biggest buyers of the products, dropped by 12.9 and 44 percent, respectively, in March 2019 compared to the same period of last year, according to seafood exporters. -- The De Heus group of the Netherlands and Vietnams Hung Nhon Group operating in the southern province of Binh Phuoc have set up a joint venture to invest in a VND1.5 trillion (US$64.1 million) high-tech pig breeding project in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. Lifestyle -- The Vocalista Angels Yason Christy Pranowo choir from Indonesia bested 20 other choirs from ten countries and territories to win the top prize at the sixth biennial Vietnam International Choir Competition which took place in Hoi An of central Vietnam from May 15-19. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! ABC Managing Director has written to staff following the Coalitions win at the federal election. I have said many times over the past seven months that our focus must always be on freeing up as much money as possible for content, adapting what we do to ensure we spend public funds effectively while searching for efficiencies, Anderson wrote in an email to staff on Sunday. With confirmation that the Coalition has been returned to government, we will resume discussions with the Minister about securing longer-term funding arrangements. Stable funding is essential to deliver a greater level of financial certainty and enable us to plan for the future Over the next 12 months the leadership team will continue to explore options with the board on how to meet these challenges and we will, of course, consult with staff along the way. The Age quotes unnamed insiders fearing programming cuts will hit drama, comedy, childrens, radio, and iview. ABCs funding will be frozen at 2018-19 levels from July, amounting to a $15 million reduction in 2019-20, $28 million the next year, and more than $41 million by 2021-22. This follows a $254 million cut in 2014 by then-communications minister Malcolm Turnbull. In April, the government confirmed it will renew ABCs enhanced news-gathering budget, at a cost of $44 million. SBS will get $29.6 million over three years from 2019-20 to guarantee the ongoing quality of its television, radio and online services. But Ita Buttrose may yet prove the ABCs secret weapon. Announced by Scott Morrison in February, the media doyenne has previously stated she is not afraid to push the ABCs funding case to the government. I consider it one of the most important cultural and information organisations in our country and Im honoured to be asked to lead it into the future, she has said. It is a voice of the Australian people. I think it reflects our identity, it tells our stories not just here in Australia but to the rest of the world, and I have grown up with the ABC. Im a devoted listener to the ABC. I start my day with ABC News Radio, I dont leave home without it. Source: The Age Iceland displaying a Palestinian flag from the green room during Eurovision scoring will be reviewed by the the European Broadcasting Union. Organisers issued a statement after the flag was quickly held up by Hatari. In the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, Hatari, the Icelandic act, briefly displayed small Palestinian banners whilst sat in the Green Room. The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political event and this directly contradicts the contests rules. The banners were quickly removed and the consequences of this action will be discussed by the Reference Group (the contests executive board) after the contest, they said. Amongst possible actions, it could lead to Iceland being banned from next years event. Madonnas dancers also displayed both Israeli and Palestinian flags at the end of her act, following previous statements, Ill never stop playing music to suit someones political agenda, nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be. Source: Wiwibloggs Four Corners has updated its episode tonight with cameras following Tony Abbott. What was previously titled as The Fight of His Life is now Abbotts End: How Tony Abbott lost the fight of his political life. Its not clear if Abbott participated in any of the filming (unlikely). Here are both press releases, before and after election results. BEFORE: This is the fight of my life, and I think Im up for it. Tony Abbott Tony Abbott has been many things; a Rhodes scholar, an MP, a brutally effective Opposition leader and a triumphant Prime Minister, only to be deposed by his colleagues. He is seen as one of the most combative figures in politics and a warrior for conservative voices. Now, after 25 years in federal parliament, the Liberal MP for Warringah says he is in the fight of his political life. I think that Tony Abbotts time in politics has come, and gone. Peter Fitzsimons, columnist I think its all just to oust Tony Abbott and I just think its nasty. Warringah voter Ahead of Saturdays vote, Four Corners has been documenting the unfolding campaign. On Monday the program will examine how the seat was won and lost and what that means for the future of the Liberal Party. It is a very seminal moment in the history of the Liberal Party. Alan Jones, broadcaster The program examines how an insurgency from within the seat of Warringah began and shows the forces that have shaped it. Mr Abbotts challenger is the independent candidate, Zali Steggall, who has sought to turn the vote into a virtual referendum on climate change, transforming the issue thats made him a hero of the right, into potential political poison on home soil. Im their worst nightmare. Zali Steggall, independent candidate The contest has also been defined by the involvement of powerful political activist organisations like GetUp and Advance Australia, leading many political watchers to say we are now operating in a new realm of politics. The more effective we are the more theyll fight back. Paul Oosting, GetUp GetUp are the most powerful political organisation outside the union movement. Gerard Benedet, Advance Australia The result will have powerful ramifications far beyond the seat of Warringah, with many believing the result will determine the future of the Liberal Party. AFTER: Abbotts End: How Tony Abbott lost the fight of his political life If I had to lose, so be it. Id rather be a loser than a quitter. Tony Abbott. On Saturday night, the former Prime Minister Tony Abbott lost the fight of his political life. His 25-year career as the member for Warringah was ended by the independent candidate Zali Steggall. On Monday, Four Corners brings you the inside story of how the battle for Warringah was lost and won. Over the course of the campaign, reporter Sean Nicholls has been documenting the hardest fought contest of the election. In interviews with key players, the program reveals the strategy behind the Steggall campaign, the roots of the insurgency within the seat of Warringah and the roles played by the key activist groups, GetUp and Advance Australia. With Tony Abbotts political career at an end, all eyes will be on the Liberal Party to see if the divisions that roiled the last two governments are at an end. 8:30pm tonight on ABC. Mel B's panic attack on the weekend was understandable. Daily Mail UK reported she totally lost her vision and got rushed to a hospital. It came after she suddenly went blind and could not see. However, after treatment, it looks like the Spice Girls' tour's on track again. According to the news outlet, a source said, "'Mel was in a really bad way. The other girls and their managers were really worried." Spice Girls and Mel B still on track for Dublin According to a report by the Metro, "The situation with Mel is under control. She is looking forward to the tour.'" They also added that "the group had been supporting Mel," and "they made sure they werent behind on rehearsals, which have been going really well."' That's a huge relief, so obviously, the medical treatment worked. It looks like as planned, the tour will kick off in Dublin this coming Friday. Plus, the Spice Girls were right on top of rehearsals. So, it looks okay for now. Of course, fans can understand why Mel B panicked and apparently rushed off with an assistant holding her hand. Suddenly losing all vision must be really scary! Total loss of vision might relate to earlier laser surgery gone wrong Across the media, it seems that Mel's been worried about laser eye surgery she experienced a while back. In 2014 she spoke to Hello! Magazine, and explained how she underwent surgery for poor eyesight. However, it apparently got "botched." Back then, she said, "I cant see at all out of my left eye." So now, not being able to see out of either eye was understandably terrifying. Nobody knows for sure exactly what went wrong for Mel B on Friday, but she looks forward to the tour, according to a spokesperson for the Spice Girls. Since the incident, Mel took to her Instagram to let everyone know she's "Getting glam ready for spice girls dress run yipppeeee...its Show time ladies." Fans ask about Mel B's health on her Instagram Of course, Spice Girl fans, happy to hear she's getting all dolled up for the tour asked questions and hoped she'll be fine. Here's what some them said about it: @car**: "She lost sight yes but got it immediate help." @mel**: "Melanie Janine is your eye okay!?!?!" @gam**: "So excited to see you in Dublin on Friday ." @ny***: "feel better beautiful lady." @Ste**: "hope you are alright again be careful with your health. We need you on stage, girl. Love you so much 5 days to go till I see you on one of 10 amazing shows." @Blo**: "Hey honey are you ok? I read you go to hospital." Those very kind sentiments to Mel B must surely put a smile back on her face. What do you think about Mel not being able to see and like totally blind? Are you happy the UK tour looks to be back on the cards? Remember to follow the Music Crowns Channel on Blasting Pop for more news about Mel B and the Spice Girls. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called time on his coalition government with the far-right Freedom Party after its leader was shown on video appearing to offer favours to a purported Russian investor. Mr Kurz said he was seeking the removal of the countrys interior minister, Freedom Party politician Herbert Kickl, to ensure an unbiased probe into the video. Im firmly convinced that whats necessary now is total transparency and a completely and unbiased investigation, Mr Kurz told reporters in Vienna. The Freedom Party reacted by withdrawing its ministers from the government. We wont leave anyone out in the rain, said interim leader Norbert Hofer. Herbert Kickl (Michael Gruber/AP) Mr Kickls removal, which must be approved by Austrias president, follows the resignation on Saturday of Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who was also Austrias vice chancellor. That came a day after two German newspapers published a video showing Mr Strache with a woman claiming to be a Russian tycoons niece at a boozy gathering in Ibiza two years ago, shortly before national elections. Mr Strache and party colleague Johann Gudenus are heard telling the woman she can expect lucrative construction contracts if she buys an Austrian newspaper and supports the Freedom Party. They also discuss ways of secretly funnelling money to the party. Mr Gudenus, who was instrumental in arranging the meeting, has quit as leader of the partys parliamentary group and is leaving the party. Hamburg-based weekly Der Spiegel and Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the meeting in Ibiza was probably a trap that Mr Strache and Mr Gudenus had fallen for. The papers refused to reveal the source of the video. Heinz-Christian Strache (Michael Gruber/AP) Mr Kurz noted that at the time the video was shot, Mr Kickl was general-secretary of the Freedom Party and therefore responsible for its financial conduct. The chancellor added that in his conversations with Mr Kickl and other Freedom Party officials following the videos release, he didnt really have the feeling (they had) an awareness of the dimension of the whole issue. Story continues The removal of the Freedom Party from the government was a setback for populist and nationalist forces as Europe heads into the final days of campaigning for European Parliament elections, which run from Thursday to Sunday. Mr Kurz has endorsed a hard line on migration and public finances, and chose to ally with the Freedom Party after winning the 2017 election. The chancellor, who is personally popular, had said on Saturday that enough is enough a reference to a string of smaller scandals involving the Freedom Party that had plagued his government. In recent months, those have included a poem in a party newsletter comparing migrants to rats and questions over links to extreme-right groups. Mr Kickl, a longtime campaign mastermind of the Freedom Party, had already drawn criticism over matters including a raid last year on Austrias BVT spy agency, which opposition parties claimed was an attempt by the new government to purge domestic political enemies. His party said he had done nothing wrong and sought to portray itself as the victim of a plot. The Russian government said it could not comment on the video because it has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, its president or the government. President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the woman in the video: We dont know who that woman is and whether shes Russian or not. Pledging to ensure stability in Austria over the coming months, Mr Kurz said vacancies in the government left by the Freedom Partys departure would be filled with civil servants and technocrats. His government may find it difficult to continue as planned until Austria holds early elections, which are likely to be in September. Opposition parties plan to call for a vote of no confidence in the government in the coming days. The Secretary of State is emotionally blackmailing survivors of abuse in Northern Ireland, a campaigner has claimed. Jon McCourt choked back tears as he accused Karen Bradley of delaying compensation payments to those harmed while in institutions run by religious orders or the state. Stormonts main parties reached agreement on four questions including increasing the minimum payout to those who suffered from 7,500 to 10,000. Eleven extra queries were later raised which will have to be addressed. The DUP predicted this would be within two days. There could follow a lengthy legislative process at Westminster due to the suspension of Stormont powersharing. Mrs Bradley insisted she was committed to resolving the issues as soon as possible but needed answers to fundamental questions. Mr McCourt said: It is a form of emotional blackmail. And it doesnt just hurt us, because we are the people who had to listen to it, I know there will be people who will be hurt by what we are delivering to them today. All I can do and all we can do is say we are fighting the best fight we can, well take them on, well take it to the end but, unfortunately, we have no idea when that end is going to be. By the time we get there we wont have as many people as we have today. Jon McCourt (Liam McBurney/PA) Compensation payments, a public apology, a memorial at Stormont and specialist care for victims were among recommendations made by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart. He led a public inquiry into allegations of physical, sexual and emotional abuse at residential homes runs by religious orders or the state since the foundation of Northern Ireland almost a century ago. Mr McCourt grew up in St Josephs Termonbacca Catholic childrens home in Londonderry, where he said he was beaten by nuns for being left-handed. He leads the Survivors North West group and said Mrs Bradley ruled out interim payments for older abuse victims and those with terminal illnesses. Story continues Margaret McGuckin, from victims campaign group SAVIA, said she had been shattered by an assertion by Mrs Bradley that the legislation could take two years. Can kicked down the road yet again? SoS K B says it's not her that's stalling? it's the TEO and HoCS who have asked for further scrutiny around questions? She says she cannot fasttrack without primary legislation? She says it needs to pass scrutiny stages in W 'tmster. @HeadNICS SAVIA-Survivors-Church/State Abuse! (@SAVIA_NI) May 20, 2019 This can is being kicked down the road further yet again, she said. I know what they are up to. They are waiting still on the parties getting back together. Compensation payments recommended by the Stormont-commissioned Hart Inquiry have been on ice for two and a half years due to the collapse of the devolved institutions, and Mrs Bradley has been under mounting pressure to sanction the outstanding cash. Facing calls to resign by abuse survivors, last week she pledged to legislate at Westminster but only once fundamental questions about the redress scheme were answered by the Stormont parties. They surrounded the level of compensation for families of deceased victims, he make-up of a redress panel and who should be able to apply for redress. The parties formulated a joint response and presented it to the Government on Monday ahead of a round-table meeting with Mrs Bradley. Her later intervention with extra questions was condemned by Sinn Fein as a delaying tactic. Speaking today on Historical Institutional Abuse after meeting the British Secretary of State, @moneillsf said Karen Bradley has delayed the process for too long and should legislate as a matter of urgency pic.twitter.com/tF3UDgiGWU Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) May 20, 2019 The partys Stormont leader Michelle ONeill said: I think its just not good enough. If there are 15 questions, why do we need to wait for Karen Bradley to decide to release the questions? Mrs Bradley said she was grateful that the party leaders came together and addressed some outstanding questions but there were more to be answered. Because I want to see redress for those victims of historical institutional abuse as quickly as possible and we need those fundamental questions to be answered. She added: I understand why feelings are so strong on this issue and thats why I want to ensure victims and survivors of abuse get the redress they deserve as quickly as possible. They have been wronged and let down by the system too many times, and I want to make sure it doesnt happen to them again. The system needs to be fair, robust and able to deliver for victims and survivors. Her officials will meet Sir Anthony on Tuesday. Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said it was a disappointing stalling tactic, while nationalist SDLP leader Colum Eastwood accused Mrs Bradley of disgraceful behaviour. This has been a mess, it has been a total mess. DUP Assembly member Edwin Poots said the response to the extra questions would be resolved within the next 48 hours. He added that legislation could take at least a year to go through Westminster then six months to establish a redress panel. He added: In the absence of Stormont being established, victims should not be used as a battering ram or some sort of pawns in the process. Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said the Government was shifting goalposts. Doctors on Tuesday resumed the life support for a Frenchman who has been in a vegetative state for over a decade, following a court order to restore it hours after the switching off process began, lawyers said. "We have the pleasure to inform you that... the hydration and feeding of Vincent Lambert has been resumed," said Jean Paillot, a lawyer for the parents who vehemently oppose ending his life, after a ruling late Monday by the Paris appeals court."It is not a suspension but a new start," added the parents' other lawyer Jerome Triomphe who said the aim now was to have Lambert transferred to a different hospital.The Paris court ordered authorities "to take all measures" to keep alive Lambert, a 42-year-old quadraplegic with severe brain damage, pending a review by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Earlier Monday, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg had rejected a request by the parents to halt the decision over the cessation of life-support pending the review by the UN committee.Doctors in France Monday morning halted the nutrition and hydration Lambert receives, which is in line with the wishes of his wife and other relatives but sparked the anger of the parents.The legal saga over the fate of Lambert, who has been kept alive after a traffic accident in 2008, has lasted over half a decade, split his family and divided France.Lambert's parents, devout Catholics, have repeatedly launched court action to keep him alive, putting them at odds with Lambert's wife and six siblings who believe the most humane course is to let him die.Before the latest court ruling, Pope Francis had weighed in Monday in favour of keeping Lambert alive. "Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end. Let us not give in to a throwaway culture," the pontiff said.The issue has also taken on a political importance in France in the midst of the campaign for European elections.French President Emmanuel Macron Monday rejected calls by Lambert's parents and others to intervene, saying "the decision to stop treatment was taken after a constant dialogue between his doctors and his wife, who is his legal representative."The UN committee on disabled rights had this month asked France to suspend the decision while it conducts its own investigation, which could take years. The French government has said it will note the committee's deliberations but made clear there was no legal obligation for it to abide by them.(AFP) Doctors on Tuesday resumed the life support for a Frenchman who has been in a vegetative state for over a decade, following a court order to restore it hours after the switching off process began, lawyers said. "We have the pleasure to inform you that... the hydration and feeding of Vincent Lambert has been resumed," said Jean Paillot, a lawyer for the parents who vehemently oppose ending his life, after a ruling late Monday by the Paris appeals court. "It is not a suspension but a new start," added the parents' other lawyer Jerome Triomphe who said the aim now was to have Lambert transferred to a different hospital. The Paris court ordered authorities "to take all measures" to keep alive Lambert, a 42-year-old quadraplegic with severe brain damage, pending a review by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Earlier Monday, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg had rejected a request by the parents to halt the decision over the cessation of life-support pending the review by the UN committee. Doctors in France Monday morning halted the nutrition and hydration Lambert receives, which is in line with the wishes of his wife and other relatives but sparked the anger of the parents. The legal saga over the fate of Lambert, who has been kept alive after a traffic accident in 2008, has lasted over half a decade, split his family and divided France. Lambert's parents, devout Catholics, have repeatedly launched court action to keep him alive, putting them at odds with Lambert's wife and six siblings who believe the most humane course is to let him die. Before the latest court ruling, Pope Francis had weighed in Monday in favour of keeping Lambert alive. "Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end. Let us not give in to a throwaway culture," the pontiff said. The issue has also taken on a political importance in France in the midst of the campaign for European elections. Story continues French President Emmanuel Macron Monday rejected calls by Lambert's parents and others to intervene, saying "the decision to stop treatment was taken after a constant dialogue between his doctors and his wife, who is his legal representative." The UN committee on disabled rights had this month asked France to suspend the decision while it conducts its own investigation, which could take years. The French government has said it will note the committee's deliberations but made clear there was no legal obligation for it to abide by them. (AFP) (This May 18 story has been refilled to correct the amount that Ethiopia earns annually from electricity exports) ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia has started to ration electricity for domestic and industrial customers after a drop in water levels in hydroelectric dams led to a production deficit, the minister for water and electricity, Seleshi Bekele, said on Friday. The drop in water levels at the country's Gibe 3 dam had led to a deficit of 476 megawatts, Seleshi told a news conference, more than a third of the country's electricity generation of 1,400 MW. Ethiopia has also suspended electricity exports to neighbouring Djibouti and Sudan, which earns the country $82 million (64.29 million pounds) a year, the minister said. Under the rationing programme, which runs until July, domestic consumers will face blackouts for several hours each day, while cement and steel firms will have to operate fewer shifts due to the cuts, Seleshi said. (Reporting by Dawit Endeshaw; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Catherine Evans and Louise Heavens) Hundreds of demonstrators have marched on the Alabama state legislature to protest against a newly-approved abortion ban. The demonstration in Montgomery came days after governor Kay Ivey signed the most stringent abortion law in America. It will make performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless it is necessary for the mothers health. The law provides no exception for rape and incest. The law seeks to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case (AP) Staci Fox, president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, told the crowd outside the Alabama capitol: Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion. Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe v Wade, the 1973 US supreme court decision that legalised abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. None of the laws have actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the US supreme court. Marchers said the measures have energised supporters of legalised abortion, and they say they are digging in for a legal and political fight. Along the route they took, the protesters passed by scattered counter-demonstrators raising signs against abortion. Alabama governor Kay Ivey signs a bill that virtually outlaws abortion in the state (AP) Two speakers at the rally on the capitol steps shared their stories, including a woman who described the abortion she had after being raped at a party when she was 18. Carrying an orange sign with a coat hanger and the caption No Never Again, 69-year-old Deborah Hall of Montgomery said she remembers life before Roe and cannot believe the drive to return there. I had friends who had illegal abortions and barely survived, said Ms Hall, who for a time ran a clinic in Montgomery that provided abortion, birth control and other services. I still cannot believe it. Its really a scary time for everybody. Story continues Similar demonstrations were held in Birmingham and Huntsville on Sunday. Legal abortion supporters fly a banner reading Abortion is OK over the Alabama state capitol building (The Montgomery Advertiser/AP) Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a non-profit body that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, said donations have begun streaming in since passage of the Alabama bill. Groups this week paid for a small plane carrying a banner Abortion is Okay! to circle the capitol and the governors mansion. The Alabama law would make it a felony, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison to perform an abortion. There would be no punishment for the woman receiving the abortion. But the protest outside the capitol comes in a state where a majority of voters recently agreed to put anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution. Fifty-nine per cent of state voters in November approved the constitutional amendment saying the state recognises the rights of the unborn. Anti-abortion campaigner Jim Snively, of Huntsville, waves to passing cars in front of the Alabama Womens Wellness Centre (AP) Ms Ivey said in a statement after signing the ban into law: To the bills many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians deeply-held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God. The Alabama law has also been criticised by some conservatives who have expressed discomfort over the lack of exceptions for cases of rape and incest. President Donald Trump, while not mentioning Alabamas law, wrote in a weekend tweet that he is strongly pro-life, but favours exceptions. He wrote: As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother the same position taken by Ronald Reagan. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the Alabama law, said the purpose is to challenge Roe and added that Alabama legislators can add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. An Indonesia court has sentenced a French drug smuggler to death by firing squad, in a shock verdict after prosecutors had asked for a long prison term.The three-judge panel in Lombok handed a capital sentence to Felix Dorfin, 35, who was arrested in September at the airport on the holiday island next to Bali, where foreigners are routinely charged with drugs offences.Indonesia has some of the world's strictest drug laws -- including death for some traffickers.It has executed foreigners in the past, including the masterminds of Australia's Bali Nine heroin gang.While Dorfin was eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors instead asked for a 20-year jail term plus another year unless he paid a huge fine equivalent to about 600,000.But Indonesian courts have been known to issue harsher-than-demanded punishments.Dorfin was carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of drugs including ecstasy and amphetamines when he was arrested."After finding Felix Dorfin legally and convincingly guilty of importing narcotics ... (he) is sentenced to the death penalty," presiding judge Isnurul Syamsul Arif told the court.The judge cited Dorfin's involvement in an international drug syndicate and the amount of drugs in his possession as aggravating factors."The defendant's actions could potentially do damage to the younger generation," Arif added.Sentence unexpectedThe Frenchman made headlines in January when he escaped from a police detention centre and spent nearly two weeks on the run before he was captured.A female police officer was arrested for allegedly helping Dorfin escape from jail in exchange for money.It was not clear if the jailbreak played any role in Monday's stiffer-than-expected sentence.Wearing a red prison vest, Dorfin, who is from Bethune in northern France, sat impassively through much of the hearing, as a translator scribbled notes beside him.After the sentencing, he said little as he walked past reporters to a holding cell."Dorfin was shocked," the Frenchman's lawyer Deny Nur Indra said."He didn't expect this at all because prosecutors only asked for 20 years."The lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence, describing his client as a "victim" who did not know the exact contents of what he was carrying in the suitcase."If he had known, he wouldn't have brought it here," Indra added.Foreigners on death-rowIn 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran -- the accused ringleaders of the Bali Nine -- were executed by firing squad in Indonesia.The Bali Nine gang's only female member was released from jail last year, while some others remain in prison.The highly publicised case sparked diplomatic outrage and a call to abolish the death penalty."The death penalty verdict marks another setback for human rights in Indonesia," Human Rights Watch campaigner Andreas Harsono said Monday."The Indonesian government's many pledges about moving toward abolishing the death penalty clearly meant nothing in Lombok".There are scores of foreigners on death row in Indonesia, including cocaine-smuggling British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford and Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row since 2007.Last year, eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court after being caught with around a tonne of crystal methamphetamin An Indonesia court has sentenced a French drug smuggler to death by firing squad, in a shock verdict after prosecutors had asked for a long prison term. The three-judge panel in Lombok handed a capital sentence to Felix Dorfin, 35, who was arrested in September at the airport on the holiday island next to Bali, where foreigners are routinely charged with drugs offences. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest drug laws -- including death for some traffickers. It has executed foreigners in the past, including the masterminds of Australia's Bali Nine heroin gang. While Dorfin was eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors instead asked for a 20-year jail term plus another year unless he paid a huge fine equivalent to about 600,000. But Indonesian courts have been known to issue harsher-than-demanded punishments. Dorfin was carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of drugs including ecstasy and amphetamines when he was arrested. "After finding Felix Dorfin legally and convincingly guilty of importing narcotics ... (he) is sentenced to the death penalty," presiding judge Isnurul Syamsul Arif told the court. The judge cited Dorfin's involvement in an international drug syndicate and the amount of drugs in his possession as aggravating factors. "The defendant's actions could potentially do damage to the younger generation," Arif added. Sentence unexpected The Frenchman made headlines in January when he escaped from a police detention centre and spent nearly two weeks on the run before he was captured. A female police officer was arrested for allegedly helping Dorfin escape from jail in exchange for money. It was not clear if the jailbreak played any role in Monday's stiffer-than-expected sentence. Wearing a red prison vest, Dorfin, who is from Bethune in northern France, sat impassively through much of the hearing, as a translator scribbled notes beside him. After the sentencing, he said little as he walked past reporters to a holding cell. Story continues "Dorfin was shocked," the Frenchman's lawyer Deny Nur Indra said. "He didn't expect this at all because prosecutors only asked for 20 years." The lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence, describing his client as a "victim" who did not know the exact contents of what he was carrying in the suitcase. "If he had known, he wouldn't have brought it here," Indra added. Foreigners on death-row In 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran -- the accused ringleaders of the Bali Nine -- were executed by firing squad in Indonesia. The Bali Nine gang's only female member was released from jail last year, while some others remain in prison. The highly publicised case sparked diplomatic outrage and a call to abolish the death penalty. "The death penalty verdict marks another setback for human rights in Indonesia," Human Rights Watch campaigner Andreas Harsono said Monday. "The Indonesian government's many pledges about moving toward abolishing the death penalty clearly meant nothing in Lombok". There are scores of foreigners on death row in Indonesia, including cocaine-smuggling British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford and Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row since 2007. Last year, eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court after being caught with around a tonne of crystal methamphetamin (Associated Press) Eurovision loser Michael Rice has claimed Brexit was responsible for him placing last, saying even Gary Barlow or Elton John would have flopped at the contest. The UKs entrant, who has previously competed in The X Factor, finished last out of 26 countries at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv on Saturday night (May 18), but reckoned hed always known he was in for a rough ride because of the UKs political situation. Read more: Madonna warned to keep politics out of Eurovision act Rice told The Sun: I always knew I was going to come in this position because of Brexit. Do you know what? If it was Gary Barlow or Elton John, they still probably would have come last, too. His song, Bigger Than Us, scored just 13 points from the country jury vote and three from the public vote. That was in stark contrast to competition winner Duncan Laurence who bagged a total of 492 points for the Netherlands with his track Arcade. But Rice added: Ive still had so much fun and Ive not once doubted my talent or my singing. Read more: Michael Rice finishes last at Eurovision It was a different story for Rice the last time he took part in a TV singing contest - he was the winner of the first series of BBC show All Together Now. Keen reality TV viewers may also have recognised him from his 2014 appearance on The X Factor, where he made it to the bootcamp stage. Eurovision is known for its politically influenced voting system, with countries often voting for their allies or neighbours year after year. Dont want to spoil the result but the UK have done really well this year!! @Eurovision @bbceurovision Come onMichael Rice!!! pic.twitter.com/9nPTTcG791 graham norton (@grahnort) May 18, 2019 However, Rice didnt let the disappointment get to him too much, as he kept travellers entertained at the airport on the way home by giving them a rendition of Bigger Than Us in the terminal. Story continues Later, he posted on social media: We absolutely f***ing smashed it last night regardless of the result! Im so happy, Ive made memories for a lifetime that I will treasure and made some really good friendships from this! Lets keep climbing that chart we are number 16! This has honestly been a dream come true. Next years Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the Netherlands in May 2020. Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as Ukraine's new president on Monday and immediately disbanded parliament, calling early elections in a bid to secure more seats in a legislature dominated by supporters of his predecessor. Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, promised to stop the war in the country's east against Russian-backed separatists and immediately disbanded parliament, which he has branded as a group only interested in self-enrichment.Even before he disbanded the Supreme Rada, which had been one of his campaign promises, the 41-year-old Zelenskiy had upended the traditions of Ukrainian politics.He ditched the idea of a traditional motorcade to his inauguration, walking to the parliament through a park packed with people. Flanked by four bodyguards, he was giving high-fives to some spectators and even stopped to take a selfie with one of them.Before he made the announcement, Zelenskiy asked the Supreme Rada to adopt a bill against illegal enrichment and support his motions to fire the country's defense minister, the head of the Ukrainian Security Service and the Prosecutor General. All of them are allies of former President Petro Poroshenko, who lost the presidential election in a landslide to the comedian with no previous political experience.In a feisty speech after his inauguration, Zelenskiy told the Rada that his main goal for the presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years."I'm ready to do everything so that our heroes don't die there," he said. "I'm ready to lose my popularly and, if necessary, I'm ready to lose my post so that we have peace."Zelenskiy garnered 73% of the vote at the presidential election last month in a victory that reflected Ukrainians' exhaustion with politics-as-usual. For years, he has played the Ukrainian president in a popular television show.The new president wrapped up his speech at parliament by referring to his career as a comedian."Throughout all of my life, I tried to do everything to make Ukrainians laugh," he said with a smile. "In the next five years I will do everything so that Ukrainians don't cry."(AP) Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as Ukraine's new president on Monday and immediately disbanded parliament, calling early elections in a bid to secure more seats in a legislature dominated by supporters of his predecessor. Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, promised to stop the war in the country's east against Russian-backed separatists and immediately disbanded parliament, which he has branded as a group only interested in self-enrichment. Even before he disbanded the Supreme Rada, which had been one of his campaign promises, the 41-year-old Zelenskiy had upended the traditions of Ukrainian politics. He ditched the idea of a traditional motorcade to his inauguration, walking to the parliament through a park packed with people. Flanked by four bodyguards, he was giving high-fives to some spectators and even stopped to take a selfie with one of them. Before he made the announcement, Zelenskiy asked the Supreme Rada to adopt a bill against illegal enrichment and support his motions to fire the country's defense minister, the head of the Ukrainian Security Service and the Prosecutor General. All of them are allies of former President Petro Poroshenko, who lost the presidential election in a landslide to the comedian with no previous political experience. In a feisty speech after his inauguration, Zelenskiy told the Rada that his main goal for the presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years. "I'm ready to do everything so that our heroes don't die there," he said. "I'm ready to lose my popularly and, if necessary, I'm ready to lose my post so that we have peace." Zelenskiy garnered 73% of the vote at the presidential election last month in a victory that reflected Ukrainians' exhaustion with politics-as-usual. For years, he has played the Ukrainian president in a popular television show. Story continues The new president wrapped up his speech at parliament by referring to his career as a comedian. "Throughout all of my life, I tried to do everything to make Ukrainians laugh," he said with a smile. "In the next five years I will do everything so that Ukrainians don't cry." (AP) Many youngsters use screens before bed but it is disruptive for sleep - PA Wearing glasses to knock out blue light before bed can stop phones, computers and tablets from disrupting sleep, a new study suggests. Blue light from screens can be hugely disruptive to the body clock because it mimics the wavelength of light in the morning, which suppresses the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Previous research has shown that teenagers who use a computer in the hour before bedtime are three times more likely to get less than five hours sleep, which can be hugely disruptive to mood and schoolwork. As well as immediate symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration lack of sleep can also increase the risk of more serious long-term health issues such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. But a new study by researchers in Amsterdam found that wearing glasses which filter out the blue light has virtually the same impact on sleep as turning off devices entirely. Teenagers who used screens before bed needed an extra 30 minutes to get to sleep compared to those who did not, yet the blue light filters helped offset the problem within just a week. Dr Dirk Jan Stenvers from the department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Amsterdam University Medical Centre said: Adolescents increasingly spend more time on devices with screens and sleep complaints are frequent in this age group. Here we show very simply that these sleep complaints can be easily reversed by minimising evening screen use or exposure to blue light. Based on our data, it is likely that adolescent sleep complaints and delayed sleep onset are at least partly mediated by blue light from screens. For the study the team conducted a randomised controlled trial to assess the effects of blocking blue light with glasses and no screen time during the evening on the sleep pattern of 25 frequent users. Both blocking blue light with glasses and screen abstinence resulted in sleep onset and wake up times occurring 20 minutes earlier, and a reduction in reported symptoms of sleep loss in participants, after just one week. Story continues The study also showed that filtering out the blue light reduced symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration and bad mood, after just one week. Glasses and screens which filter blue light are not readily available online and at some opticians, but this is the first research to show they can actually benefit sleep patterns for teenagers. Dr Stenvers and his colleagues are now investigating whether the relationship between reduced screen time and improved sleep has longer lasting effects, and whether the same effects can be detected in adults. Filters could also help counteract other problems caused by too much blue light. Last year a study by Toledo University in Ohio found that blue light from digital devices triggers the production of a toxic chemical that kills light-sensitive cells in our eyes. The resulting damage can speed up macular degeneration a condition that affects the middle part of vision. Around one in seven people over 50 have some signs of the disease and there is no known cure. Dr Stenvers added: Sleep disturbances start with minor symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration but in the long-term we know that sleep loss is associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. If we can introduce simple measures now to tackle this issue, we can avoid greater health problems in years to come. The research was presented at the annual meeting of the European Society on Endocrinology in Lyon. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- Frances Yellow Vest movement has reached the six-month mark, but its 27th consecutive Saturday of protest made for a muted anniversary. Days before European elections that some Yellow Vests are contesting, FRANCE 24 takes stock of the phenomenon. Back in November, observers speculated the movement wouldnt last a month. Six months on, Yellow Vest protesters are still pounding the pavement, weekend after weekend, all over France. Massive at its inception, the fluorescent wave of demonstrators initially a backlash against a proposed fuel-tax hike, the movement was named for the high-visibility safety apparel French drivers must keep in their vehicles drew 300,000 into the streets and onto the countrys roundabouts during those early, heady weekends.But even as the marching weather improved through the spring, attendance has dwindled markedly. Saturdays 27th edition or Act, in Yellow Vest parlance saw 15,500 protesters in the streets, according to the French interior ministrys count, or 41,000 according to organisers. Both figures are low-water marks. In Paris, where fiery rioting made global headlines over the winter, only 1,600 turned out to march on Saturday, the ministry estimated.>> Yellow Vests flashback: We lock ourselves inside, says Champs-Elysees conciergeBorn on social media, and Facebook in particular, the Yellow Vest movement remains unprecedented on many metrics. Even after six months of protest, this movement remains intangible, unclassifiable, in short, mysterious, Christian Delporte, a contemporary historian at the University of Versailles, told FRANCE 24.Previously, social conflicts were identifiable because they had professional, university or community organisations as their starting points, with delegates relaying one or two demands, the academic explained. But this movement, which is neither right-wing nor left-wing, which is made up of executives, labourers and small-business owners, does not follow from any organisation and isnt relayed by any representatives.Pervaded by violenceA number of other measures provide insight into the movement. Over six months, the revolt has taken a heavy human toll. Eleven people have died (only a minority of whom identified as Yellow Vest protesters), mainly in road accidents, and 2,448 were hurt, according to interior ministry figures released last week. Law enforcement officers were not spared injury; 1,797 were hurt according to the official figures, mostly police officers and gendarmes as well as a number of firefighters.>> Flashback: French police under fire as Yellow Vest casualties mountThe authorities, who were manifestly tested by the length and scope of the continual drumbeat of demonstrations, took 12,107 individuals in for questioning, resulting in 10,718 people remanded to custody, according to government statistics published in April. Courts handed down more than 2,000 convictions (40 percent of those convicted were handed jail time), while just as many individuals saw their cases dismissed, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said. Accused of using excessive force, police and gendarmes deployed 13,905 rounds from their defensive bullet launchers (as the non-lethal, riot-control weapons French authorities use are known), according to interior ministry figures released in March. The Office of the Inspector General of the National Police (IGPN) the law enforcement branch that investigates allegations against police personnel opened 256 inquiries into alleged police violence.Rage with a 4 billion price tagThe lengthy revolt also tallied considerable losses. Between the cars, bus stops and newsstands torched and the iron curtains shuttered by merchants fearing damage or looting, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire estimated the cost at 4 billion euros, or 0.2 percent of GDP in lost growth. The French Insurance Federation (FFA), for its part, evaluated the cost to insurers of the unrest at nearly 200 million.Above all, beyond the violence, the Yellow Vests obtained a number of gains from the government in a number of areas. Shaken by the breadth of the protests, Emmanuel Macron responded with two separate nationally televised addresses in a bid for calm. On December 10, speaking from the Elysee Palace, the president announced the carbon tax would be withdrawn, a minimum-wage increase, and a tax exemption on overtime hours. Then, on April 25, Macron gave the first wide-ranging press conference of his term to mark the end of the "Grand Debat" a nearly-three-month-long nationwide debate hed launched to channel Yellow Vest anger into solutions announcing public-sector reform and income tax cuts as a result.A forgotten France recalling itself to the nationThe movement was unique in its exceptional length, its sweeping scope and its unusual beginnings. The rage it captured emanated from a sentiment of social insecurity, of a fear of a [socio-economic] loss of status, Delporte notes. It didnt originate in big urban areas but took more in rural and sub-rural zones, those of a forgotten France.Other characteristics are harder to assess. The movement appears to have elicited a lot of analysis that was hardly pertinent, or even completely false; this movement, because of its unprecedented character, put politicians, journalists, and researchers on the spot, incapable of understanding and characterising it, and led people to say a lot of nonsense, says Delporte.One thing is certain: The movement did not manage in earnest to spread beyond Frances borders. While a handful of initiatives did cross the Mediterranean in Egypt, for one, high-visibility vests were withdrawn from sale to squelch concerns over similar protests no comparable revolt took shape like it did in France. First because the demands, like [overturning the lowered] 80km/hour speed limit, or on income tax, are specifically French, Delporte says.Another explanation is that internationalising a movement requires resources, as political historian Samuel Hayat wrote for the Mediapart news site. Exporting a movement requires having a network. Then again, for a movement to be imitated, its best if its victorious, Hayat noted.>> From social media to the ballot box, Yellow Vests throw hat in European ringIt remains to be seen whether the Yellow Vest movement will live on. Recent head counts show the demos losing speed. And the three separate Yellow Vest-affiliated electoral lists on offer at the ballot box next Sunday three of a remarkable 34 lists for French voters to choose from in European Parliament elections arent sure to post high scores. But government reforms poised for the autumn could indeed give new life to the movement and draw its acolytes back to French roundabouts in protest.For now, it is difficult to say whether the movement will leave its mark in the history books, Delporte opines. Its too early to say, but it is already clear that this protest has left its mark on Emmanuel Macrons term in office.This article has been adapted from the original in French. Frances Yellow Vest movement has reached the six-month mark, but its 27th consecutive Saturday of protest made for a muted anniversary. Days before European elections that some Yellow Vests are contesting, FRANCE 24 takes stock of the phenomenon. Back in November, observers speculated the movement wouldnt last a month. Six months on, Yellow Vest protesters are still pounding the pavement, weekend after weekend, all over France. Massive at its inception, the fluorescent wave of demonstrators initially a backlash against a proposed fuel-tax hike, the movement was named for the high-visibility safety apparel French drivers must keep in their vehicles drew 300,000 into the streets and onto the countrys roundabouts during those early, heady weekends. But even as the marching weather improved through the spring, attendance has dwindled markedly. Saturdays 27th edition or Act, in Yellow Vest parlance saw 15,500 protesters in the streets, according to the French interior ministrys count, or 41,000 according to organisers. Both figures are low-water marks. In Paris, where fiery rioting made global headlines over the winter, only 1,600 turned out to march on Saturday, the ministry estimated. >> Yellow Vests flashback: We lock ourselves inside, says Champs-Elysees concierge Born on social media, and Facebook in particular, the Yellow Vest movement remains unprecedented on many metrics. Even after six months of protest, this movement remains intangible, unclassifiable, in short, mysterious, Christian Delporte, a contemporary historian at the University of Versailles, told FRANCE 24. Previously, social conflicts were identifiable because they had professional, university or community organisations as their starting points, with delegates relaying one or two demands, the academic explained. But this movement, which is neither right-wing nor left-wing, which is made up of executives, labourers and small-business owners, does not follow from any organisation and isnt relayed by any representatives. Story continues Pervaded by violence A number of other measures provide insight into the movement. Over six months, the revolt has taken a heavy human toll. Eleven people have died (only a minority of whom identified as Yellow Vest protesters), mainly in road accidents, and 2,448 were hurt, according to interior ministry figures released last week. Law enforcement officers were not spared injury; 1,797 were hurt according to the official figures, mostly police officers and gendarmes as well as a number of firefighters. >> Flashback: French police under fire as Yellow Vest casualties mount The authorities, who were manifestly tested by the length and scope of the continual drumbeat of demonstrations, took 12,107 individuals in for questioning, resulting in 10,718 people remanded to custody, according to government statistics published in April. Courts handed down more than 2,000 convictions (40 percent of those convicted were handed jail time), while just as many individuals saw their cases dismissed, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said. Accused of using excessive force, police and gendarmes deployed 13,905 rounds from their defensive bullet launchers (as the non-lethal, riot-control weapons French authorities use are known), according to interior ministry figures released in March. The Office of the Inspector General of the National Police (IGPN) the law enforcement branch that investigates allegations against police personnel opened 256 inquiries into alleged police violence. Rage with a 4 billion price tag The lengthy revolt also tallied considerable losses. Between the cars, bus stops and newsstands torched and the iron curtains shuttered by merchants fearing damage or looting, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire estimated the cost at 4 billion euros, or 0.2 percent of GDP in lost growth. The French Insurance Federation (FFA), for its part, evaluated the cost to insurers of the unrest at nearly 200 million. Above all, beyond the violence, the Yellow Vests obtained a number of gains from the government in a number of areas. Shaken by the breadth of the protests, Emmanuel Macron responded with two separate nationally televised addresses in a bid for calm. On December 10, speaking from the Elysee Palace, the president announced the carbon tax would be withdrawn, a minimum-wage increase, and a tax exemption on overtime hours. Then, on April 25, Macron gave the first wide-ranging press conference of his term to mark the end of the "Grand Debat" a nearly-three-month-long nationwide debate hed launched to channel Yellow Vest anger into solutions announcing public-sector reform and income tax cuts as a result. A forgotten France recalling itself to the nation The movement was unique in its exceptional length, its sweeping scope and its unusual beginnings. The rage it captured emanated from a sentiment of social insecurity, of a fear of a [socio-economic] loss of status, Delporte notes. It didnt originate in big urban areas but took more in rural and sub-rural zones, those of a forgotten France. Other characteristics are harder to assess. The movement appears to have elicited a lot of analysis that was hardly pertinent, or even completely false; this movement, because of its unprecedented character, put politicians, journalists, and researchers on the spot, incapable of understanding and characterising it, and led people to say a lot of nonsense, says Delporte. One thing is certain: The movement did not manage in earnest to spread beyond Frances borders. While a handful of initiatives did cross the Mediterranean in Egypt, for one, high-visibility vests were withdrawn from sale to squelch concerns over similar protests no comparable revolt took shape like it did in France. First because the demands, like [overturning the lowered] 80km/hour speed limit, or on income tax, are specifically French, Delporte says. Another explanation is that internationalising a movement requires resources, as political historian Samuel Hayat wrote for the Mediapart news site. Exporting a movement requires having a network. Then again, for a movement to be imitated, its best if its victorious, Hayat noted. >> From social media to the ballot box, Yellow Vests throw hat in European ring It remains to be seen whether the Yellow Vest movement will live on. Recent head counts show the demos losing speed. And the three separate Yellow Vest-affiliated electoral lists on offer at the ballot box next Sunday three of a remarkable 34 lists for French voters to choose from in European Parliament elections arent sure to post high scores. But government reforms poised for the autumn could indeed give new life to the movement and draw its acolytes back to French roundabouts in protest. For now, it is difficult to say whether the movement will leave its mark in the history books, Delporte opines. Its too early to say, but it is already clear that this protest has left its mark on Emmanuel Macrons term in office. This article has been adapted from the original in French. The EU will not renegotiate the Brexit withdrawal deal regardless of who the UKs next prime minister is, Irelands foreign minister has warned. Simon Coveney described political events at Westminster as extraordinary, as he questioned the logic of politicians who believed a change of leader would deliver changes to the agreement struck by Theresa May. The EU has said very clearly that the Withdrawal Agreement has been negotiated over two-and-a-half years, it was agreed with the British government and the British cabinet and its not up for renegotiation, even if there is a new British prime minister, he said. The personality might change but the facts dont. In a scathing assessment of the political situation in the UK, Mr Coveney told RTE that Britain could trigger a no deal by default if its MPs failed to get their act together. He said he believed Mrs May was a decent person trying to find a middle ground position, but had been thwarted by an impossible Conservative Party. Mr Coveney said the UK should not assume another extension will be granted by the EU if a deal is not agreed by the latest October deadline. He said the EU was set for major changes and challenges as a result of the European elections and would likely be prepared to devote less focus on Brexit going forward. Thats my concern that Britain will fail to get its act together over the summer, he said. There will be people like Nigel Farage and some within the Conservative Party who will be making the proposition that look, we have had enough of this, lets just leave on WTO (World Trade Organisation) terms without a deal in my view not fully understanding or not being honest about the full consequences of that for Britain and Ireland. He added: The danger of course is that the British system will simply not be able to deal with this issue and even though there is a majority in Westminster who want to be able to prevent a no-deal Brexit it could happen by default. Story continues Mr Coveney said Ireland would continue its no-deal Brexit contingency planning . He noted that political parties had largely spoken with the same voice in Ireland. In the UK no two parties seem to be able to agree on anything, despite the extraordinary dangers that Britain is potentially going to be exposed to in the autumn, he said. Noting the prospect of Mrs May offering pledges on technological solutions for the Irish border in her final bid to get the withdrawal treaty through Parliament next month, Mr Coveney said he did not have an issue with that as long as it did not undermine the border backstop provisions within the Withdrawal Agreement. The Tanaiste said UK politicians who thought a new prime minister could strike a new deal did not understand the EU. For the EU and Ireland this has always been about the complexity of Brexit, trying to protect the EU, its integrity, its single market, its customs union, its members and also trying to respect the decision of British people, he said. Its always been about that. For Britain in many ways its been about party politics and personalities and many people seem to think that Britain would have got a much better deal if only they had a tougher prime minister. In my view that just is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the European Union operates. The EU is a treaty-based, precedent-based series of institutions, it doesnt have a lot of flexibility and thats why this negotiation has been about detail, regulation, legal provisions and so on. And I think the British Prime Minister understands that and that is why she has agreed to reasonable compromises in certain areas. But there are many British politicians who dont, quite frankly, understand that or the complexity of politics in Northern Ireland and therefore they have tried to dumb this debate down into a simplistic argument whereby its Britain versus the EU, as opposed to two friends tying to navigate through the complexity of a very, very difficult agreement. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- Microsoft has been contributing a lot in the advancement of tech for the past couple of decades. The company is considered a pioneer in tech innovations. Over the years, Microsoft has introduced numerous software applications namely Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office Suite and hardware products like Xbox to the tech world that have brought it among the 30 largest corporations of US as per total revenue. On May 17, Microsoft announced that it's going to invest in training its employees for AI skills to expand the pool of its AI-skilled workforce. Why is Microsoft collaborating with the General Assembly? As reported by TechCrunch, Microsoft will invest in training and certification of 15000 employees for a wide range of AI-skills in collaboration with education provider General Assembly. The company said it wants to play its role for the development of AI and aims to contribute toward nourishing the AI talent. The training will primarily focus on Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and data science, along with data engineering and cloud. In the first year of the project, Microsoft will train 2000 people for AI-related skills. In succeeding three years, the company will train an additional 13000 people with AI along with machine learning and data science skills. The goal is to train at least 15000 people by 2022. Microsoft is also starting this initiative in view that most of its workers are not skilled enough to fill-up vacancies that demand certain AI skills, for instance, the roles that involve the use of Azure in aerospace, manufacturing or elsewhere. Moreover, Microsoft aims to export these trained workers to its customers who are looking for AI-skilled talent. Discuss this news on Eunomia What is AI Standards Board? Microsoft's partnership with the General Assembly will establish a board named AI Standards Board. This AI board will develop assessments, define AI-skill standards, and design a framework to create credentials for AI-skills. The initiative also includes the formation of an AI Talent Network, which will serve the purpose of souring the candidates for contractual and long-term employment. This network will be assisted by General Assembly's 22 campuses and Adecco ecosystem, which will be connected with jobs pipeline. What will be the impact of Microsoft's Initiative on tech world? According to a research, there will be 133 million new jobs for people with AI-skills by 2022. Microsoft said it believes in the potential of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and data science to change the tech world and their impact on jobs sector has urged Microsoft to initiate this training program. Tech Crunch quoted the company's Vice President Jean Philippe Courtois as saying, "We have a responsibility to help our workers access AI training to thrive in the workplace of today and tomorrow." He further said that he's thrilled about Microsoft joining hands with General Assembly to ensure a better future for workers and businesses in an AI-driven economy. India's general election has aroused interest all over the world. A battery of reporters from the West has descended on the sub-continent to cover the election. This is the biggest general election in the world and involves almost one billion voters. The majority of voters are Hindus, and the BJP has skillfully played the Hindu card. The general election was over at 5 pm on 19 May 2019, and the ban on reporting results of exit polls was over as well. The BBC has reported that of the tens of opinion polls four of the major exit polls have reported a great victory for the BJP led -National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Most of the polls have predicted a win for Modi with anywhere from 280 to 315 seats. This figure is twice of the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi. There are 542 seats in the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha). Modi and election India's Modi set to return to power with a bigger majority, exit polls show https://t.co/gs8eCZSEMS pic.twitter.com/uCkAqsRQip Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 19, 2019 Modi had stormed to victory in the 2014 election, and for the first time after three decades, a single party won a majority on its own strength. The BJP led by Narendra Modi had won 282 seats and in the process decimated the Congress party which won just 44 seats. During the last election, Modi had promised "ache din( Good times ahead) and "development for all." Unfortunately, his performance on job creation was poor and presently as per government figures, India has the highest unemployment rate in 30 years. Two initiatives of Modi like demonetization and GST ( General Service Tax) also affected his popularity as the small businessman and farmer were adversely affected. The opposition assumed that the time was ripe to defeat the BJP and thus formed alliances all over India. Hindu card Modi was cornered but he played the "Hindu Card," and his recent response to the killing of 42 paramilitary soldiers in Pulwama in Kashmir with a raid on terror camp at Balakote added to his luster. Discuss this news on Eunomia Modi once again caught the imagination of the Indians as a strong leader, and the likely result of the general election will be disheartening for the opposition. The NY Times has quoted Josukutty Cheriantharayil Abraham, an assistant professor of political science and director of the survey research center at the University of Kerala as saying that though results of the polls may not be correct in terms of the number of seats or vote percentage, but it could definitely show the trends, who is likely to win and lose. The exit polls have all reported a massive win for Modi and the NDA alliance that he heads. The final counting of votes will start on May 23, and the results could be out by evening on the same day. Last word Modi who was last week labeled as the great divider by Time is sure of victory and has retired to the Hindu shrine of Kedarnath in North India to pray and meditate. The results of the exit polls are a dampener for the opposition. The Congress party in particular and Rahul Gandhi will be disheartened and hope the exit polls are wrong. However many of the observers have reported a Hindu renaissance, and this is like to take Modi home safe and dry. The US will be happy with a Modi win for he is the architect of the strategic partnership with it. Chocolate-maker fined $4,000 for unfair competition Russian antimonopoly service RIA Novosti 11:46 20/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 20 (RAPSI) Russias Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has fined Manchester Group Ltd 250,000 rubles (nearly $4,000) for unfair competition in using SWISS ORIGINAL trademark misinforming consumers about the chocolate production source, a statement of the watchdog reads. The brand combining with an image similar to the Swiss flag gave the impression that the chocolate industry was based in Switzerland, the FAS stated. According to the information published on the product packages, SWISS ORIGINAL chocolate bars were produced in the Yaroslavl Region with the use of cacao beans gathered in Mexico, Ghana, Guatemala, Ivory Coast and Africa, the statement reads. Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), the countrys sole power distributor, has announced to buy rooftop solar power from its customers in case they dont use up the volume their solar panels produce. A rooftop solar panel system. Photo: Livemint The groups Hanoi Power Corporation (EVN HANOI) has just instructed its customers who install rooftop solar panel system and want to sell the excessive power volume, local media has reported. The sellers will be both private households and organizations who are buying electricity directly from EVN. The move aims to boost the development of renewable energy, mostly solar power in the context that Vietnam is tapping maximum capacity of fossil energy. Local experts said that the installation of rooftop solar panels would enable owners to reduce electricity bills, ease the national power supply, protect environment, and boost climate resilience. EVN would conduct examination and connect to the grid for rooftop solar panel systems. Since 2017, EVN has launched a series of projects on installing rooftop solar panel systems. As of July 2018, more than 748 projects with total capacity of 11.55 MWp would become operational, saving millions of dollar. New moves for solar energy The central government has made a series of policies to encourage the development of solar power, mostly the price list which is higher than other kinds of energy. Under Decision 11/2017/QD-TTg dated April 11, 2017 on encouraging mechanism of solar power projects in Vietnam, projects connected to the national grid from June 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 would be eligible to sell to EVN at VND2,086 (9.35 US cent/kWh) excluding value added tax (VAT) and adjustable to the Vietnam dong-US dollar exchange rate. At the end of 2018, the number of solar power projects reached 121 with total capacity of 6,100MW added to the national power master plan by 2020, compared to 850MW by 2020 approved earlier by the prime minister. The targeted capacity by 2030 would reach 12,000MW, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT). Localities having great potential of solar power include the central provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, and the southern provinces of Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Long An, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Ninh Thuan has average solar irradiance (the power per unit area: watt per square meter W/m2) of 1,800 kWh/m2/year, according to Meteonorm a widely used and accepted solar radiation data source in the solar energy industry. Hanoitimes Linh Pham The tightening of real estate credit may deal another blow to the real estate market, which is facing difficulties from all sides, experts say. The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has set limits for banks loans to be disbursed for real estate investments. The aim is to restrict the funding of high-end real estate projects. However, experts and realtors have called for SBV to rethink the plan, saying that the limitations would impact the real estate market, which is cooling down. Nguyen Quoc Hiep, chair of GP Invest, said the property market in 2019 would meet with difficulties caused by new policies, including the request to re-examine real estate projects. Once the real estate market slows down, industries such as steel, cement manufacturing and interior decoration will bear the influence, which will affect Vietnams GDP. HIep suggested carrying out research on how the policy would affect the macro economy, warning that some cities and provinces are likely to raise the land price levels in their localities. Once the real estate market slows down, industries such as steel, cement manufacturing and interior decoration will bear the influence, which will affect Vietnams GDP. An analyst pointed out another risk: the decrease in supply would increase the land price and the market may see a bubble again. An overly hot market would lead to a bubble, while overly cold market will not support GDP, he said. The HCMC Real Estate Association also pointed out challenges for the market. A number of real estate firms are at risk of going bankrupt because of unstable and unpredictable policies. Meanwhile, the real estate market is shrinking because of the decrease in number of projects. The short supply and high demand would push the prices up. According to the association, the HCMC real estate market has been declining since March 2017. The market scale decreased by 34 percent in 2018 compared with 2017. In Q1 2019, the number of projects approved by the city construction department decreased by 67 percent. Meanwhile, according to Savills, the number of apartments in supply is 57 percent lower than the same period last year. For that reason, the real estate association believes the tightening of real estate credit would create a chaotic market. Nguyen Van Dinh, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, said encouraging the development of lower-end market segments is necessary. However, to do this, it wont be necessary to sacrifice the high-end segment which now attracts foreigners who come to Vietnam to live and work. Dinh went on to say that there is no sign of abnormal price increases in the real estate market in general and the high-end segment in particular, so there is no need to apply measures to restrict credit. RELATED NEWS VN real estate market likely to stay stagnant this year Credit for real estate to be under stricter control H. Dung The program on using non-cash payment methods at all schools and hospitals in the locality initiated by HCMC authorities may fail as it has not been welcomed by the public. The municipal authorities have decided that by December 2019, non-cash payment must be implemented for education, healthcare, electricity, water, environment, telecom and post services in the city. Patients make payment for healthcare services in cash Nguoi lao dong reported that while water, electricity and telecom service providers have successfully begun collecting fees via non-cash payment channels, hospitals and education establishments have found it difficult to implement the policy. Nguyen Khac Vui, deputy director of Sai Gon General Hospital, said the hospital had applied non-cash payment methods since 2017. However, only foreign patients use the methods, while Vietnamese still pay in cash. The HCMC Medical & Pharmaceutical University Hospital in late 2018 began taking registrations for healthcare services via website and apps and accepting payment with ATM and credit cards, and other non-cash payment methods. Most patients pay in cash. Instead of paying via cards, they would rather queue up at ATMs to withdraw cash and make payments in cash. However, most patients pay in cash. Instead of paying via cards, they would rather queue up at ATMs to withdraw cash and make payments in cash. The non-cash payment program was launched at Cho Ray Hospital in late 2013. However, according to Pham Thanh Viet from the hospital, the payment via cards can be applied only at the Department of On-demand Examination and Department of Obstertics and Gynaecology. Every day, the hospital receives 10,000 patients. Nguyen Thanh Hung, director of Nhi Dong 1 Hospital, reported the same situation, saying that very few patients choose to make non-cash payment. The hospital receives a high number of patients from other provinces and cities and they are not used to non-cash payments. Tran Ngoc Hai from Tu Du Hospital said the hospital does not force patients to use non-cash payments. Similarly, the non-cash payment program has been making no headway at general schools, despite attractive preferences from banks. The banks which are members of the School Card Program (SSC Program) have committed not to collect fees for the first six months of use. Hoang Son Hai, headmaster of Nguyen Chi Thanh High School, confirmed that parents would rather come to school directly to pay tuition rather than transfer money via bank accounts. Parents explain that they have cash, so it is more convenient for them to pay in cash, he explained. The director of a joint stock bank which has teamed up with a hospital to provide non-cash payment service complained that the number of clients was too modest. He said he was not sure how long the program can last and when the bank can take back the investment capital. RELATED NEWS Government intensifies support for non-cash payment methods Vietnam accelerates non-cash payment Le Ha The foray of private airlines have brought dynamism to Vietnams aviation industry, according to Vu Tien Loc, president of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Illustrative image Competition helped eliminate monopoly in Vietnams aviation market, said Loc at a conference discussing the development of Vietnams aviation industry held on May 16. Air transport was previously meant for the business class and high-income people, but now has been more affordable to a wider public, Loc added. Over the past few years, air transport has witnessed strong growth globally, especially in developing countries. Vietnams aviation market is not an exception and even records the highest growth in the region, Loc said. He cited a research saying a 1% growth in aviation industry is equal to 0.4 0.5% GDP growth. In the case of Vietnam, the market grows 14 15% per year, equivalent to the GDP growth rate of 6.8 7%. Ho Quoc Cuong, head of the Air Transport Department under the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said in 2018, Vietnams airlines served nearly 50 million passengers, up 10.1% year-on-year and transported 400,000 tons of goods, up 27.2%. Taking into account foreign airlines, Vietnams aviation market served around 70 million passengers last year, up 12.6% year-on-year. Demands for air transportation to and from Vietnam remains huge, presenting opportunities for airlines to grow, Cuong said. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast Vietnam is well placed among five fastest-growing markets in terms of additional passengers per year, reaching 150 million passengers by 2035. Meanwhile, with a population of nearly 100 million, Vietnams domestic aviation market is projected to grow at an average of 15% per year, stated IATA. Institutional reforms key to address bottlenecks for growth VCCIs President Loc said Vietnam would need at least 10 airlines to meet transportation demand and create healthy competition, instead of the current five as it is. The birth of private airlines is inevitable in this circumstance, he continued. However, such high growth is putting pressure on the infrastructure, security issue, and the lack of highly qualified workforce, Loc added. Legal framework, infrastructure and human resources should be given priority for the sectors sustainable development, Loc asserted. Nguyen Dinh Cung, director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), added the government should ensure suitable regulation in place for fair competition among enterprises. Vietnams economy is pushing for three breakthrough in terms of institution, infrastructure and human resources. All three breakthroughs have contributed to the development of the sector, but now seen as bottlenecks, Cung said. Sharing Cungs view, Chairman of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) Lai Xuan Thanh said current airports are being overloaded and unable to meet airlines strong growth. VCCI President Loc said the the key issue in removing infrastructure bottleneck should come from the revision of investment law on transport infrastructure. Private companies have the resources and the will to solve the problem, therefore, institutional reform is key in this matter, Loc stated. Local media recently reported Vietnamese airlines are facing difficulties to carry out their plans to acquire new airplanes due to the limited governance capability of the CAAV. In a letter in response to startup airline Bamboo Airways, CAAV said due to limited resources, the agency could only supervise 256 airplanes registered under Vietnamese nationality. Previously, Bamboo Airways backed by conglomerate FLC Group - proposed to operate 40 airplanes by the end of 2019. Including the number of airplanes subject to be delivered of other airlines, the total number of aircraft in Vietnam as of December 31, 2019 would reach 277, up 61 from the current number and exceeding the supervisory capability of CAAV by 21 airplanes. Vietnam currently has a total of five airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, budget operator Jetstar Pacific Airlines (partly owned by Vietnam Airlines), budget carrier Vietjet Aviation, Vietnam Air Services (VASCO) and Bamboo Airways. Vietravel, a leading tour company in Vietnam, is also seeking to set up an airline specialized in charter flight. Hanoitimes Ngoc Thuy Slowing global demand amid rising trade protectionism may pose a substantial challenge to Vietnams exports, according to ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office's (AMRO) ASEAN +3 Regional Economic Outlook 2019. The report suggested key risks to the real and external sectors stem mainly from rising trade protectionism. Any impact from the US- China trade conflict on Vietnamese exports would likely be through the global value chain and competition in the domestic and third markets. However, the US-China trade tension may benefit Vietnam through trade diversion, as well as the potential relocation of foreign firms away from China to Vietnam. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) cited experts as saying Vietnam, along with other ASEANs largest economies such as Thailand and Malaysia, has been laying the groundwork to benefit from the realignment of the global supply chains that the trade war is already contributing to. According to the report, Vietnam will see opportunities in furniture and apparel, Malaysia in liquefied natural gas, and Thailand in automobiles with all three benefiting in the information technology equipment and electronics manufacturing sectors. The combination of predictable regulatory environments, transport infrastructure, and ability to ramp up public spending leaves Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia poised to receive the wave of investment the trade war is expected to bring, and to weather the region-wide decrease in exports in the process. As the cost of production rises in China, it is adopting policies to encourage low-skilled manufacturing to move south. The relocation is also part of the central governments effort to move the drivers of the nations economic growth from production to consumption, experts say a trend that has been accelerated by trade tensions with the US. The trade war could knock a full percentage point off Chinas economic growth this year, Wang Yang, one of seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee of Chinas Communist Party, said on Thursday the first comments by a top policymaker about the impact of the trade dispute on the governments growth goals. Beijing had previously forecast 6-6.5% growth for the year. This had made ASEAN increasingly the driver of global economic growth, Siwage Dharma Negara, senior fellow and coordinator of the APEC study center at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told SCMP. Ready to grab the opportunity The factor which limits the extent to which countries can benefit from the trade tensions is infrastructure, said Michael Taylor, chief credit officer for Asia at Moodys in Singapore, adding that Vietnam, among others, had made major investments to that end. In January, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam was ready to grab the opportunity presented by the ongoing spat. Tommy Wu at Oxford Economics in Hong Kong said beyond the near term, Vietnam will likely be the main beneficiary of a supply chain shift, given its close proximity to China, low wages and favorable trade and foreign direct investment policies. The nations exports rose more than 12% from just a year before during the second half of last year, according to data from HSBC. Foreign investment into Vietnam this year rose 86.2% to US$10.8 billion in the first quarter. Chinese investment made up nearly half of the total, according to Chinese state-run media. Last month alone, exports from Vietnam to the US rose 29%, while capital investments from overseas soared more than 200%. GoerTek a major Chinese supplier to Apple and massive Taiwanese tech firm Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, better known as Foxconn, are among prominent firms to have moved their production to Vietnam in recent months. Clients of Vietnamese furniture company Xuan Hoa, which include global giant Ikea, have also redirected production from China to Vietnam in the wake of the tariffs. The companys chief executive told Bloomberg last month that at least 10 prospective clients had called from abroad already this year, and he expected sales to double in the next five years. Vietnam is one of the most open economies in Asia, said Kiran Nandra-Koehrer, specialist in emerging market economies at Pictet Asset Management. Shifting supply chains from China would be part of an influx in foreign direct investment coming to Vietnam, suggested Nandra-Koehrer, especially in textile manufacturing and even consumer electronics. Hanoitimes Ngoc Thuy The US, one of Vietnams four top seafood export markets, represented 53.5 percent of Vietnams total seafood export value in the first three months of the year. According to MARD, Vietnam exported $694 million worth of seafood products in April 2019, raising the total export value in the first four months to $2.5 billion, an increase of 2.4 percent over the same period last year. The US, Japan, China and South Korea were the four biggest consumers in Q1. However, the US could not find its name in the list of markets with sharpest value growth. Mexico topped the list with the value growth rate of 36.1 percent, followed by the Philippines 33.8 percent, Malaysia 33.2 percent and Japan 16.1 percent. MARDs (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) report showed the shrimp market was stable in April. In Bac Lieu, iced white-leg shrimp prices were stable, ranging from VND84,000 to VND108,000 per kilogram depending on shrimp size. Vietnam exported $694 million worth of seafood products in April 2019, raising the total export value in the first four months to $2.5 billion, an increase of 2.4 percent over the same period last year. Meanwhile, fresh black tiger shrimp is priced at VND180,000-300,000 per kilogram, iced shrimp VND160,000. As such, the fall in exports to the US predicted before did not occur. Shrimp products did not meet barriers from SIMP (Seafood Import Monitoring Program) which took effect on January 1, 2019. In April 2019, the US DOC gave preliminary conclusion that Vietnams warm-water frozen shrimp products from Sao Ta and Nha Trang Seafood JSC were not dumped in the US in the period from February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018, and the anti-dumping duty on the two companies was zero percent. The zero percent tax rate is also applied to the other 29 defendants. Meanwhile, 67 other shrimp exporters still bear the tax rate of 25.76 percent. MARD said the good news will help boost shrimp exports to the US as it helps Vietnam improve competitiveness over the other exporters, including India, Thailand, Indonesia, Ecuador and China. Meanwhile, the catfish exports are not satisfactory. In Q1, the catfish exports to the US decreased, just accounting for 15.1 percent of total catfish exports, $472.2 million by the end of March. Prior to that, in February and March, the value of exports to the US decreased by 22.8 percent and 44.4 percent, respectively. With the results, the US fell to the third position in catfish imports from Vietnam. The final decision about the anti-dumping duties for the POR 14 applied to Vietnams catfish was released in April, which will affect exports. The catfish price in Mekong Delta is increasing. First-class catfish was traded at VND25,000 per kilogram, a slight increase of VND1,000 per kilogram. However, the price was still low compared with the average price level in 2018. RELATED NEWS US raises anti-dumping tariffs on Vietnamese tra fish Shrimp escape anti-dumping duty as catfish exporters await tariff decision Kim Chi The Vietnamese government has finalized the amended draft Securities Law and submitted to the National Assembly (NA) for approval. The submission followed a process of collecting opinions of the NAs Standing Committee at the 33rd session on April 16 and the Central Economic Commissions Preliminary Examination report on April 8. Under the new draft law, the process of securities registration, depository and clearing operations would include provisions on membership of members of Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, stated Bao Viet Securities Company (BVSC). The draft law stipulates that members of Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation include depository members and additional clearing members to match the reality. On clearing and payment of securities transactions, the draft law has been amended and supplemented to cover all the principles of compensation for markets, clarifying the role of organizations participating in payment of securities transactions, supplementing provisions on clearing activities and payment of derivative securities. The draft also includes some highlights of the regulations on offering securities during initial public offerings, adding credit rating conditions to bond issuers, attaching initial public offerings (IPOs) with listing, trading registration on the stock market, and offering shares below par value prices. The draft law stipulates that the laws enforcement would start from January 1, 2021. Hanoitimes Ngoc Thuy Vietnam currently has 17 consumer finance companies, whose total outstanding loans reached more than US$5 billion by the end of last year. The competition in the Vietnamese burgeoning consumer finance market is stiffer as some newcomers backed by big names are ramping up plans to enter the market. At a recent annual general meeting, Tien Phong Commercial Bank (TPBank) approved a plan to acquire a consumer finance company, saying it would be a good opportunity for the bank to further develop. TPBank Chairman Do Minh Phu revealed the bank is negotiating for the acquisition, expecting the deal can be completed this year after getting the approval from competent authorities. Besides TPBank, Orient Commercial Bank (OCB), Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Bank (Sacombank) are also targeting to set up a consumer finance company of their own. The banks said that living standards of Vietnamese people are increasing, driving up local consumption demands notably. They thus need to set up their own consumer finance companies in order to specialize in consumer credit and boost the retail segment. According to experts, both customers and banks benefit when banks establish finance companies and transfer the consumer lending segment to them. At that time, consumer who need a small loan will easily get it from banks with simpler procedures, shorter approval time and no mortgage required. Meanwhile, banks can increase their market share and expand their retail business. Notably, banks can separate their risk customer segment and develop the retail market without worrying about bad debt burden. Not only domestic banks, foreign institutions are also stepping up plans to own finance companies in the country. Chairman of Japans Aeon Financial Service Co Ltd Masaki Suzuki recently said the group plans to expand its financial services to Vietnam via the acquisition of foreign-invested or state-owned financial companies. Earlier, Thai finance firm Srisawad Corporation was also reported to be looking to acquire ailing Finance Leasing Company I of Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) at an estimated cost of VND523 billion (US$22.45 million). Big untapped opportunities According to Dmitry Mosolov, general director of Home Credit Vietnam, the local market potential is still very large as Vietnams GDP growth rate is the second highest in the ASEAN, while 70 percent of the population is in the working age. Vietnams population is expected to reach 100 million in 2025, a recent forecast issued by the Institute of Public Policy and Management showed. This means a big untapped space of consumer lending could open up many great opportunities for finance firms. Business performance of existing finance companies is also positive. A report from the Vietnamese central bank showed in the Vietnams banking system, finance and finance leasing companies gained the highest return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) ratios last year, with 3.02 percent and 13.83 percent, respectively, compared with 0.7 percent and 9 percent of the countrys entire banking system. Vietnam currently has 17 consumer finance companies, whose total outstanding loans reached more than US$5 billion by the end of last year. In fact, owning consumer finance companies is not easy for banks. According to current regulations, to be qualified as a founding shareholder of a non-banking financial institution (including consumer finance company), a firm must have a minimum equity capital of VND500 billion (US$21.46 million) and a minimum total asset of VND1 trillion (US$42.92 million) in three consecutive fiscal years before the year of application. However, the minimum total asset required for a bank to be a founding shareholder of a non-banking financial institution is up to VND100 trillion (US$4.29 billion). According to banks recent data, about 20 local banks are not eligible to establish financial companies. Hanoitimes Minh Tam Guwahati: Down Town Hospital, northeast Indias pioneer healthcare institute, conducted a free hemoglobin screening camp at Guwahati Press Club on 18 May 2019, where the participants also got the opportunity to consult with experienced doctors. Organized under the series of media OPD (out-patient department) clinics at the press club premises, the camp was graced by Dr Hrishikesh Bora, Dr Gaurav Kedia and Dr Rohini Kumari. Ideally, the hemoglobin test measures the amount of hemoglobin (Hb or Hgb), which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to various organs & tissues and also transports carbon dioxide back to the lungs. If the hemoglobin level is lower than normal, the person may have anemia. On the other hand, if it is higher than normal level, that person should also consult with the doctors. Laboratory technician Hardip Mali, nurses Baverly Kharmalki & Bethsy hallawnzuali helped member-journalists of the press club to get their blood sugar & pressure checked in the clinic, which was also attended by hospital executives namely Nikhilesh Sharma, Fariz Ahmed and Dibya Jyoti Borah. The limitations plaguing Vietnam's aviation infrastructure need to be overcome to facilitate growth in the tourism sector. Most international tourists arrive in Vietnam by air, and industry analysts have pointed out that the interaction between aviation and tourism is tight and symbiotic: aviation benefits greatly from tourism development and tourism can in turn develop further with an improved aviation sector. But the overloading seen at many airports in the country indicates that the State needs to identify solutions to improve aviation infrastructure and meet the needs of the tourism sector, which was among a host of important factors identified by both industries at the Solutions to Promoting the Sustainable Development of Vietnams Aviation Industry workshop held in Quy Nhon city in south-central Binh Dinh province on April 11. EXISTING BOTTLENECKS Figures from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) show that in March alone the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached more than 1.4 million, of which those arriving by air was more than 1 million, or 77.5 per cent, up 2.3 per cent against March 2018. Growth in arrivals by air leads Southeast Asia and will reach 17 per cent in the 2016-2021 period compared to a 6 per cent average in the region, according to the World Bank. Mr. Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of the Tourism Marketing Department at VNAT, told the workshop that more than 80 per cent of foreign visitors arrive in Vietnam by air, while the number of domestic tourists choosing to fly is also increasing. The relationship between aviation and tourism is like two aircraft wings, he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Lai Xuan Thanh, Chairman of the Board at Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), told VET that aviation infrastructure not only meets the needs of the tourism sector but also contributes to economic development as Vietnams economy opens up and the country moves towards global integration. A typical example of the impact of aviation on tourism can be found in Binh Dinh province, host of the workshop. Mr. Nguyen Phi Long, Deputy Chairman of the Binh Dinh Provincial Peoples Committee, said that Quy Nhon was virtually forgotten as a destination until a few years ago. From two flights a day in 2015, Phu Cat Airport now serves 20 flights daily, he added. The province expects to welcome 1-2 million visitors each year, but in the first quarter of this year alone Quy Nhon welcomed 1 million. Aviation infrastructure is clearly still to meet increasing demand from tourism. Many foreign tourists complain that heading to Quy Nhon, northern Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa provinces, central Quang Binh province, or Phu Quoc Island involves at least two domestic flights. They must go to major airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or elsewhere then transfer to their destination. Overloading at airports also forces passengers to wait a long time to get through check-in and security, to the detriment of overall service quality and the flying experience. Mr. Pham Vu Nguyen Tung, Project Director at Vietjet Air, took the example of Dien Bien province, a prominent historic destination in the countrys northwest but lacking in airport infrastructure. Large aircraft cant land at Dien Bien, he said. We have proposed investing in the airport but there are many issues to address. But if a large airport was built, it would promote overall socioeconomic development in the local area. Overloading at certain airports has affected the development of both aviation and tourism and is a familiar scene every year during the tourism season. Tan Son Nhat International Airport, for example, is now operating at 130 per cent capacity, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV). ACV reported that during this years Tet holiday in early February, Tan Son Nhat welcomed 142,000 passengers but struggled to cater to 900. Other airports like Noi Bai in Hanoi, Da Nang, or Cam Ranh, near Nha Trang, are also bursting at the seams. Vietnams population stands at well over 90 million people and it welcomed about 15 million international tourists last year, but the country has just 22 airports. The number of carriers is also much lower than in other ASEAN countries, at four, while Indonesia has 15, Thailand 13, Malaysia six, and the Philippines five. When addressing the Vietnam Travel and Tourism Summit 2018 within the framework of the Vietnam Economic Forum (VEF) held last December, Deputy Prime Minster Vu Duc Dam said the growth in Vietnams tourism industry over recent times has been rapid and it will be extremely difficult to maintain such a pace. There is a certain threshold where the tourism industry will face challenges, given that problems in airport infrastructure cant be resolved immediately or even within a year or two, he added. LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS According to analysts, the airport investment model followed in Vietnam has largely depended upon public investment, which has proven insufficient given the state of the countrys airports. It has therefore become necessary to promote private investment and private airport operations. Mr. Thanh agrees that aviation infrastructure development requires large sources of investment capital. The State has adopted a policy of mobilizing social resources into aviation infrastructure and private investment must guarantee a harmony of interest between investors and society, he said. As a State-owned corporation with the role of investment development and management of aviation infrastructure, ACV is willing to work with private investors to meet the needs of the tourism sector in particular and the economy in general. Mr. Dang Tat Thang, Vice Chairman of Bamboo Airways, told the workshop that the participation of the private sector in aviation has given many more people the opportunity to fly, and competition between Vietnamese airlines will provide major benefits to passengers. Competition in the aviation market is not only between airlines but also between the State sector and the private sector, he added. The State has played a role in guiding direction and policy, creating an equal environment between State and private. In January, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung signed a decision approving the Strengthening Aviation Connectivity with Tourist Source Markets project. The goal is to open up new routes and increase flight frequency on existing routes between Vietnam and key tourist markets around the world, such as the US, France, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and China. New domestic routes will also be opened to connect the key tourist areas of the northeast, the central region, the south-central coast, the central highlands, the Mekong Delta, and Phu Quoc Island. The Prime Minister has approved planning for aviation infrastructure, with total annual capacity is to stand at 104 million passengers by 2020 and 308 million by 2030. From a local perspective, Ms. Vu Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of the Quang Ninh Provincial Peoples Committee, home of Ha Long Bay, told the gathering that the province is committed to creating a flexible and transparent environment with favorable conditions for investors. Meanwhile, in order for Phu Cat Airport to continue to develop further, Mr. Long said Binh Dinh province would be responsible for traffic infrastructure between Phu Cat Airport and Quy Nhon. At the end of this year, we will open a new route from the airport to the city, he said. We will also have policies to develop local tourism. " VN Economic Times Ngoc Lan Many areas in the central coastal province of Binh Thuan are said to be in ruins by titanium extraction after several reports claiming that the south central province boasts the largest reserve in the Southeast Asia. Titanium miners in Binh Thuan ignore safety measures Binh Thuan: black gold mining destroys beautiful landscapes Binh Thuan attempts to combat desertification Titanium extraction near the coastline of the south central province Binh Thuan. VNA/VNS Photo Cong Thu With the estimated reserve of 559 million tonnes, accounting 92 per cent of the countrys reserve, Binh Thuan Province sought to become a centre of titanium mining and processing of the country, according to reports by Vietnam News Agency. However, exploitation and processing projects have not only caused negative impacts on the environment and daily life of local people, but also affect the socio-economic development activities of the province, especially the coastal strip, the news agency said. In recent years local people living in Mui Ne Ward of Phan Thiet City have complained repeatedly to the local government about illegal exploitation by the Phu Hiep Company. According to the complaints, the exploitation has dried up the underground water resources which caused severe shortages for peoples daily lives and agriculture production. Waste water from ore screening activities also caused pollution and harm to peoples health and crops. Since 2016, Phu Hiep Company had pumped out underground water to its huge reservoirs for titanium ore sorting which made the underground water resource dry up," local resident Nguyen Tho Thai told Vietnam News Agency. The water shortage along with dust and untreated waste water had badly affected to the local peoples lives and production, Thai said. Our family was planting 400 mango trees and earned yearly income of VND200 million (US$8.500) in previous years. But since the exploitation our orchard was badly affected so income dropped. Phu Hiep was among the four titanium companies the local authorities inspected and found serious violations ranging from design and failure to pay environmental protection fees for their wastewater, to illegal titanium extraction and encroachment on unauthorised land to dump their waste illegally. They were fined and ordered to halt operations until all the issues are corrected, according to the report. No companies were available for comment. According to Nguyen Huu Quy, chairman of Binh Thuan Provinces Nature and Environment Protection Society, Binh Thuan is one of two provinces suffering serious drought in the country. Every year, the province has a modest rainfall of 500-800mm as compared to average rate of 1,600mm in other provinces, said Quy. The province has a sand area of 120,000ha which retained water by the flora. But the titanium exploitation killed the flora, he said. The underground water was barely enough for peoples daily use so exploitation for industrial production was forbidden. But in fact, all projects of titanium exploitation in the province have been using the underground water resource for ore sorting although the investors had pledged to use surface water in the pre-feasibility projects. It was estimated that the local government spent thousands of billions of dong on building more irrigation works to supply clean water for people, Quy said. Less economic contribution According to the provincial Peoples Committee, at present, there are 25 titanium extraction projects operating on 19,339 ha of land. However, the contribution to the local budget was so modest - 1 per cent of the total provincial budget revenue and is equal to one tenth of the tourism sectors contribution. It was due to out-dated technology of exploitation and processing which caused a lot of fuel and water to be used, and some titanium projects overlapped with projects of tourism, and clean energy. The province has three key tourism projects including hotels and resorts, which will be built on of 2.500 ha at a cost of nearly VND40 trillion (US$1.7 billion). But the projects have not yet been implemented due to the location overlapping. This has not only caused difficulties for investors but also affected to the provinces socio-economic development plans. According to experts, the titanium exploitation in Binh Thuan Province has brought about many side effects to environment. Prof. Dr. Dang Trung Thuan of the Viet Nam National University, said exploitation would cause a change in topography and drying up the underground water. Titanium extraction would incur radioactive issues which are harmful to peoples health, he said. Environment monitoring data showed that the level of alpha and beta radioactive activity in Hong Phong and Hoa Thang communes of Bac Binh District was between three and nine times higher than the permitted level. The titanium exploitation should be halted until the environment-related issues would be solved, said the expert. Also, former of the provincial Party Secretary Dinh Trung suggested Government should stop the titanium projects in Binh Thuan due to their questionable economic efficiency, but massive environmental impacts. Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Son, former head of Stratergy, Sciences and Technology Committee of the Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Corporation, said titanium extraction is very important as the scale and level of exploitation of this rare metal reflects the country's technological level. The metal also has important uses in national defence and space industries, Son said, adding that there should be studies looking into ways to extract the mineral without causing much impacts on the environment. Another benefit is that titanium exploitation would also discharge waste under form of sand which could be used for civil construction or reinforcing islands, he said. Using the waste sand could help reducing the illegal sand mining in rivers, he added. VNS Government needs to take a close look at working hours, wages, productivity and unemployment before making any decision on expanding overtime hours. Retirement age discussion set for tomorrow ILO supports Vietnams gradual retirement age increase A worker of an air conditioner factory in Thang Long II Industrial Zone, Hung Yen Province. A draft revision of labour code proposed increasing overtime hours from 300 to 400 hours year. VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam Thats the opinion of Bui Sy Loi, Vice chairman of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee who was speaking yesterday at the 13th National Assemblys committee meeting on social affairs to review the draft revised Labour Code. Proposals are to increase overtime hours from 300 to 400 hours per year, and to cap the combined official working hours with overtime at 12 hours. The new regulation needs to be carefully developed by taking workers wages, rest time, labour productivity and unemployment into consideration to put an end for low labour costs and non-living wages in labour-intensive industries, he said. On behalf of Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, Vice chairman Ngo Duy Hieu agreed on the increase and asked for higher bonuses for workers as they would need more money for reproduction of their labour power and the risk of occupational accidents is also higher. In the revised Labour Code, employees who do not have a written contract will be legally protected. Any work-related agreement indicating job description, wage, working time and an employers management will be considered as a labour contract. The new regulation complies with the International Labour Organisations convention C098 on right to organise and collective bargaining as well as ensure rights and benefits of Vietnamese informal workers and those work in the digital economy, according to chairwoman of the NA Social Affairs Committee Nguyen Thuy Anh. The retirement age for male and female workers could increase from 60 and 55 to 62 and 60, respectively from 2021. The change aims to balance the pension fund and the benefit fund for people with disabilities which will be used up if the current retirement age remains unchanged. Loi asked to Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to clarify the difference between male and female workers retirement ages. He also stressed the ages were not applied for all workers, especially who serve in the military, public security forces or take up high positions in the government. At the meeting, participants also discussed reducing Tet (Vietnamese New Year) Holiday as well as adding a public holiday on July 27, also known as the Vietnamese War Invalids and Martyrs Day. In the draft revision planned to be presented to NA this month, workers are allowed to join or establish a representative organisation. It also gives a definition of sexual harassment in the workplace. Female workers are no longer prohibited from doing certain jobs and employees without a written employment contract are also protected by the law. The revision presents Vietnams strong commitment in implement new-generation free trade agreements that we have signed and approved, said Anh. New-generation FTAs include the Viet Nam-EU Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership which have provisions involving labour, the environment, sustainable development commitment and good management. VNS Under the current regulation, even professors and associate professors who have been giving lectures for tens of years have to receive training in pedagogical skills. Under the current regulation, even professors and associate professors who have been giving lectures for tens of years have to receive training in pedagogical skills. NTN, PhD, the lecturer of a university of education in the north, said all lecturer have to show certificates in pedagogy. N and other lecturers at the school, including veteran professors, were forced to attend a refresher training course in pedagogical skills. According to Hoang Duc Minh from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), the Article 77 of the Education Law and an inter-ministerial circular of MOET and the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MIA) released in 2014 stipulate that university lecturers have to obtain certificates in pedagogical skills training. MOET is considering the issue, and if necessary, it will propose removing the requirement when drafting the amended education law. As such, the requirement was set several years ago. However, the issue caught the public attention again because of a new regulation which says that education establishments not meeting standards will not have the right to receive higher training quotas. The standards include the quality of lecturers, and one of the standards is pedagogical skills. As a result, schools have asked all of their lecturers, including professors, to attend training courses for certificates in pedagogy. However, who is qualified to train professors? Prof Pham Tat Dong, former deputy head of the Central Propaganda Committee, commented that the regulation would not help solve existing problems in quality of university lecturers. Dong said he worked as instructor of 40 PhD students and hundreds of masters students, and believes that he has no reason to attend training courses for the certificate. A leading professor of the Hanoi University of Science and Technology has to stop teaching just because he doesnt have certificate in pedagogy? he said. Chau Duong Quang, a PhD student at the State University of New York, affirmed that no university in the US requires lecturers to have certificates in pedagogy, and pedagogical skill requirements are applied only to general schools. Bui Quoc Tinh from Tokyo University in Japan also said the same. Vietnam sets a regulation which is not seen anywhere else in the world, commented Minh. The requirement on certificates in pedagogy is useless for university lecturers. He said once the requirement is set by the laws, it must be observed. However, MOET is considering the issue, and if necessary, it will propose removing the requirement when drafting the amended education law. RELATED NEWS Fake degrees in VN causing headaches for employers Education Ministry curtails teacher training as graduates flood market Minh Nhat Bamboo Airways says it may begin providing non-stop flights to the US early next year, while Vietnam Airlines says these flights will be available in two years. The biggest question raised after Vietnam received a CAT-1 certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration was when the first non-stop flights to the US would be launched. A direct flight to the US cuts the travel time by eight hours on average. Vietnam Airlines now can meet the requirements of wide body aircraft which allows for refuelling while passengers remain on the plane. However, Duong Tri Thanh, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said the first flights of this kind would only be available in one or two years at the soonest. To prepare for this, Vietnam Airlines in 2008 ordered B787s and set up a division to promote the new air route opening. There have been six heads of the division appointed so far. We hope we succeed this time. The Vietnamese peoples community in the US puts high expectations on the air route, Thanh said. However, though Vietnam has the CAT-1, Vietnam Airlines still has to prepare thoroughly, he said. Vietnam Airlines has to set up a column on its official website to allow visually and hearing impaired passengers to book tickets. And in order to adjust the design of the website, it may have to spend two years. It will also have to prepare security and anti-terrorism solutions. Vietnam Airlines has to set up a column on its official website to allow visually and hearing impaired passengers to book tickets. And in order to adjust the design of the website, it may have to spend two years. It will also have to prepare security and anti-terrorism solutions. While making commercial preparations for non-stop Vietnam-US flights, Vietnam Airlines hopes the progress in aircraft manufacturing technology will better exploit the route. I hope that the next-generation aircraft models such as B777max and A350-100, as affirmed by manufacturers, can save fuel well and satisfy technical requirements for long-distance flights, he said. However, there is still pressure put on aircraft engine manufacturers, he said, adding that CAT-1 is just the first step among many to be taken to put the air route into operation. Two US airlines that provided non-stop flights to Vietnam in 2004-2007 incurred losses and gave up. Bamboo Airways chair Trinh Van Quyet said that his air carrier would begin providing non-stop flights to the US early the next year. He said that the airline will make a profit as soon as it begins. Dau Tu newspaper cited a report of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) as showing that in 2018, Vietnam welcomed 903,830 tourist arrivals from North and South America, including 687,226 from the US. In January 2019, the respective figures were 105,309 and 80,658. RELATED NEWS Vietnam-US direct flight plan delayed until 2020 Airlines launch new routes to meet passengers increasing travel demands H. Tu WATERLOO -- The person who owned the revolver that killed a man May 10 has been detained on weapons charges. On Monday, a U.S. District Court Magistrate Mark Roberts ordered Alberto Quinto Pascual of Waterloo be held in jail pending trial on a charge of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number after determining Quinto was a danger to himself and the community. Court records allege Quinto, 36, of Waterloo, removed the handgun and left the home at 824 W. Eighth St. before authorities were called to treat Alejando Franco. Waterloo police continue to investigate Francos death, although Quinto -- who initially denied owning the revolver -- told an acquaintance Franco had shot himself, according to court records. He had apparently dashed to the friends home on Allen Street following the shooting. According to the account Quinto gave to his friend, he and Franco had just met at a bar and went to the Eighth Street home where they were playing around with his .32-caliber Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless revolver. He told her Franco shot himself, and said he wiped down the weapon and threw it away, court records state. The friend told police Quinto was hysterical and appeared to be tweeking when he arrived at her home, records state. Paramedics took Franco, who had lived in Sumner, to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for treatment. He never regained consciousness and died May 11. Investigators found the handgun and noticed the serial number on the handle had been scratched off. Quinto was arrested on the federal complaint on May 13. Love 0 Funny 7 Wow 2 Sad 12 Angry 1 WATERLOO Waterloo Community Schools has aggressively expanded its career programs during the past three years, and students have responded. The Waterloo Career Center started in the fall of 2016 with two programs and 37 students. Next fall, as it begins a fourth year, 14 career and technical education programs will be in place including five new ones. Enrollment has skyrocketed since the initial digital graphics and health science programs were first offered. Enrollments grew to 57 students for the spring of 2017. The next year, with three more programs, there were 270 enrollments. During the current year, the center had 515 enrollments with nine programs available. That included 228 for fall semester and another 287 for spring semester. A student could be counted more than once depending on the number of classes taken. As of today, 1,308 students are registered for next year, Jeff Frost, Waterloo Schools executive director of professional education, told the Board of Education recently. That does not include any other districts. Enrollment is growing very quickly. The career center, located at the north end of Central Middle School, is open to public and parochial high school students in the Waterloo district. The board has signed agreements with other school districts allowing their students to enroll, as well. By next fall, that will include the Cedar Falls, Hudson and Dike-New Hartford community schools. Frost said the average number of enrollments per program demonstrates the growing interest in the career center. For the current year thats 31.9. Registration at this point for next year takes us to an average of about 93.4 students per program. He noted that actual enrollment each semester outpaces spring registrations. To accommodate the growth, a $13.34 million construction project got underway in January 2018 to expand the space available for programs. Originally, classroom and lab space was located in unoccupied space on the first floor. Expansion to the second floor last fall displaced sixth grade and music classrooms, which were moved to available space in the middle school portion of the building. Included in the construction is a new front entryway that will help to make the career center distinct from the middle school. Construction is going great, said Frost, noting its on pace to be done by June 30. New programs will include culinary, hospitality, electrical construction trades, financial services and plumbing technician. The eight existing programs at the center are advanced manufacturing, digital graphics, digital interactive media, health science, information technology, marketing management, sustainable construction and design, and web programming and development. The ninth program, early childhood education, is located at the Elk Run Preschool building. Students are earning concurrent Hawkeye Community College credit in most cases, although three of the new programs next fall will be through Kirkwood or Des Moines Area community colleges. Frost said that is because Hawkeye doesnt have distinct plumbing, electrician or finance programs. Programs are also designed so students can earn career certifications and credentials that can help them get a job or will be required as they seek further training in a field. Frost noted that students had earned 408 national certifications by the end of fall semester, a number expected to grow beyond 1,000 by the last day of school in early June. In addition, two students were involved in pre-apprenticeships related to some of the programs this year and the district is working to set up registered apprenticeships. A total of 16 businesses are currently partnering with the career center in various ways, and more are interested. Students are discovering its a huge competitive advantage, Frost said of the taking classes at the center. He suggested that is true whether theyre going on to four-year, two-year (education) or on to a career right away. What were doing out there is really, really good for students. Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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. NEWTON Steve Bullock said talking to people in their communities is what helped him shepherd Medicaid expansion through a Republican-dominated state legislature in 2015, at the height of GOP thrashing of the federal health care law. Bullock, the Democratic governor of Montana, said in an interview Friday during his first trip to Iowa after making his presidential campaign official that his states Medicaid expansion provides an example of how he can work across party lines to accomplish legislative goals. Even though Republicans comprise roughly two-thirds of Montanas state Legislature, the body approved Medicaid expansion in 2015, when a presidential campaign was heating up and Republicans on the campaign trail were hyper critical of the health care law enacted five years earlier under Democratic President Barack Obama and all-Democratic control of Congress. Bullock said he was able to generate grassroots support by traveling the state and talking to people about their health care. He noted as an example talking to a rural hospital official who said Medicaid was critical to the hospitals survival. Bullock said that local officials support for Medicaid expansion helped that areas Republican state legislator support the proposal. The way I win (elections) and the way I govern are largely the same, Bullock said as he traveled to a campaign event at a coffee shop on the city square in Newton. I dont just sit in the statehouse and say, Alright, legislators. Come with me on this. As part of a bargain with Republican state lawmakers, Montanas Medicaid expansion also included a provision that offers voluntary help to Medicaid recipients who want to find a better-paying job. So the grand bargain in 2015 was were not just going to provide (expanded Medicaid), were going to try to work to improve peoples lives, Bullock said. And weve seen it work. Bullock in his campaign rollout has stressed his work as a Democratic governor in a Republican state. In 2016, he was re-elected by 4 percentage points while Republican President Donald Trump won by 20 points. Bullock said roughly a quarter of his voters also voted for Trump. Bullock noted this when asked whether his campaign could resonate with voters who strayed from Democrats in the last presidential election. Iowa has the most counties of any state in the country that went for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016. If we dont bring those voters back, we dont win, Bullock said. More important than that, or equally important, you cant govern if theres a whole lot of places that say this Democratic Party doesnt connect at all with you. ... I think part of why we lost a lot of those areas was we didnt show up. We didnt give them a reason to fundamentally believe that we would be fighting for their educational and economic interests, Bullock added. President Trump tapped into the anxiousness, the frustration of people. But he used it to divide people into warring camps as opposed to saying, Lets try to lift everybody up. 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. Guwahati: Senior journalist and researcher on environment and development issues, Keya Acharya expressed concern over the state of environment across the country and said that Bengaluru can be an example of environmental mismanagement for states in northeast India, which still have comparatively less pollutants. Keya said this while interacting with journalists in Guwahati Press Club today through video conferencing and said that fifty four percent of India has become water stressed now. While cities like Bengaluru are already suffering due to environmental degradation, states in Indias northeast could definitely learn not to follow examples from states like Karnataka, she said while stressing that rain water harvesting should be made mandatory in all growing cities while initiating new constructions. Rain water should be considered as a resource and used as a resource as well. This is more relevant for states in the northeast India which receive more rainfall, she said adding that the government should also lay more stress on garbage disposal system. The garbage disposal system in Bengaluru has affected the water bodies negatively triggering series of environmental problems. The stress should be on segregation of waste so that agencies could pick them up and dispose properly, she said. The senior journalist also expressed of concern over the lack of political and public awareness will to address the environmental problems in India and said that she had not come across a single speech during the current elections which is focused on environment. Most political parties had some environmental issues included in their manifestos but there were superficially addressed. She also expressed concern over the medias role to highlight environmental issues. She added that the influence of media editors had diminished, which had impacted the quality of news. Keya said that the editorial space in media has been encroached by interests of the owners, which has also led to diminishing of space for people centric issues like environment. OSAGE The new Osage Community Day Care building is a big hit with the ones who matter the most. The children are enjoying the new facility, which opened in February, according to Director Shelly Parks. You can tell they really like it by the noises coming from the rooms, she said. Parks said the new building has more space than the old one, which allows more children to be served. Although slots are filling up quickly, theres room for a few more children, Parks said. The new building is much more brighter and welcoming for families and children, she said. People are excited when they walk in because its so bright and so nice. It all began three years ago when Brenda Dryer, who was then the executive director of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission, approached Parks about the possibility of constructing a new building for the day care center. At first they tried for a Community Development Block Grant, but the application wasnt approved. We had to take a step back and decide what we were going to do, Parks said. Fortunately, there was a lot of public interest in the project. If it wasnt for that, we would not have been able to get the funding, Parks said. The Osage School District agreed to lease land just north of Lincoln Elementary for the new building. The city of Osage and Mitchell County contributed funds toward the project. Osage Municipal Utilities helped the day care secure a USDA loan for the new building. Mitchell County Regional Health Center, which is located across the street from the former day care location, agreed to purchase that building. Businesses and individuals also donated to the project. The pieces kind of fell together, Parks said. Construction of the new center began in June 2018. Being so close to the elementary school is a huge advantage, Parks noted. The school district and the day care center worked together to create a shared playground designed for children ranging from age 2 to first-graders. We didnt have a playground before, so this is a big deal, Parks said. The first time they went outside the new building for recess, the children were so excited to see the new (playground) equipment and the space to play, she said. The school-age children who are in day care have use of the gym, lunchroom and playground facilities at Lincoln Elementary after school, which gives them more room for activities. When school is in session, the older children who are in day care are dropped off at the new day care building, and the staff walk them over to Lincoln. At the old day care building, the staff had to use a van to transport the school-age children to Lincoln and back. The new building also has upgraded technology. Tablets are now available for activities such as songs and educational games. Theres also safety features such as secure doors and surveillance cameras. Parks said the kitchen is three times bigger than in the old building, and the hallways and rooms are bigger. The new facility also has more bathrooms and new furnishings. We were very fortunate to have a great team that planned this building, Parks said. Expansion has meant hiring more staff. When Parks became director nearly 12 years ago, there were 11 staff members. Now there are 23. The day care is licensed by the Iowa Department of Human Services, which means it has certain requirements that must be met, including an age-graded ratio of staff to children. For example, one staff member is required for every four infants. The new building is important because day care is so essential to communities, Parks said, noting some towns dont have adequate child care. Its been a long road, and we are very thankful for everyone who has been involved in the process, she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LANSING When the Black Hawk Bridge connecting Lansing to De Soto, Wis., opened in 1931, some thought the new cantilever through-truss bridge over the Mississippi River would make La Crosses old wagon bridge obsolete. La Crosse with its 39,868 people will have to start a definite and enticing campaign to induce tourist traffic to pass through and stop in the city, city leaders said, according to the Feb. 8, 1931, edition of the La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press. Then La Crosse replaced its old wagon bridge with a new crossing on Cass Street in 1939, after a fatal car crash demolished part of the old structure. Today, its the existing Black Hawk Bridge, also known as the Lansing bridge, thats about to become obsolete. The Iowa Department of Transportation is taking the lead on weighing four bridge replacement options against major repairs that would extend the useful life of the Black Hawk Bridge by 20 to 30 years maximum. Without intervention, the bridge will have to close by 2028. Daily traffic on the Black Hawk Bridge one of three Mississippi River crossings within the almost 70 miles from Prairie Du Chien to La Crosse and a critical route for local commuters averages about 1,910 vehicles, almost 400 fewer than projected in the original 1931 prospectus used to raise funds for the bridge. By comparison, 16,500 vehicles use the Cass Street bridge per day, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. While the Black Hawk Bridge might be best known for its 7.18 percent incline, which gives motorists a rollercoaster-like feel, its also a historic bridge eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. As an older bridge, the Lansing bridge wasnt built to accommodate todays traffic. At 25 feet wide, it has two 10-foot lanes and no shoulders. Traffic is closed to one lane when extra-wide trucks go through or the bridge requires repairs, and the bridge is off limits to cyclists and pedestrians. The Lansing bridge is also one of the trickier Mississippi River crossings to navigate from below. The bridge stretches about 650 feet over the main navigation channel where the river bends, short of the 770-feet span between piers now required by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has recorded six tow collisions with the bridge between 1987 and 1991, and the River Industry Action committee ranked the Black Hawk Bridge the 12th most difficult upper Mississippi River bridge to navigate in a 1991 survey, according to the 2004 DOT bridge replacement feasibility study. The new bridge would have a main span of at least 770 feet and be built wider to accommodate two 12-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders on either side, according to the DOTs 2018 bridge project display. Three of the four new bridge locations being considered by the DOT are within blocks from the current Ballou Street approach from the Iowa side, and would reuse the Big Slough Bridge over the back channels on the Wisconsin side. A fourth option that connects from downtown John Street, closer to more businesses and homes, would require a new slough bridge, but disturb fewer historic resources and archaeological sites. Possible bridge designs, developed during a 2004 feasibility study, include arch and simple span truss bridges (between $60 million and $70 million), a continuous truss bridge (between $70 million and $80 million), and a cable stay bridge (more than $80 million.) Because of the bridges historic value, the Iowa DOT is also considering a major rehabilitation at a cost of almost $30 million. This option, which would close the bridge to traffic for about a year and a half, would include replacing the stringers, floor beams, and deck, as well as stabilizing pier 3. The work would need to take place by 2024, and would extend the bridges remaining service life to 2048 at most. Because a new bridge will still need to be built, the DOT estimated the total cost to range between $107.7 million and $136.8 million. If the bridge were left as is until 2028, it would cost $125,000 each year to inspect, as opposed to $75,000 for a new bridge. Approximately $1 million would also be required to maintain the bridge until 2028, at which point the bridge would be closed. Either way, the current bridge could not be left as a bike or pedestrian walkway, the DOT said in its project display. Because of the anticipated cost, neither the Iowa or Wisconsin DOTs nor the city of Lansing would be able to maintain the condition of the bridge for continued use, even by only pedestrians or bicyclists. The DOT is conducting an environmental assessment to look at how each option affects factors including land use, wetlands and waterways, floodplains, wildlife, plants, noise and light emissions, and historic, architectural and archaeological resources. The findings will help the DOT narrow its options, said Krista Billhorn, Iowa DOT transportation planner. The environmental assessment will be shared in a public meeting held in June or July, Billhorn said, at which point the project will be open again to public comments. The community is very attached to this bridge, its very iconic, Billhorn said. Plans for a Lansing bridge date back to the turn of the 20th century at least, but it wasnt until 1916 that Congress granted the Interstate Bridge Company a charter to build one. Construction didnt take place until 1929 because of World War I. By then, the original charter had expired and a new contract was granted to the Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge Company. The bridge, named for Sauk leader Chief Black Hawk to commemorate the centennial of the nearby Bad Axe Massacre, was designed by chief engineer Melvin B. Stone of Minneapolis. It cost $75,000 to build, spanned 1,623 feet, and the original bridge floor was asphalt plank on treated timber supported by steel beams. When complete, the bridge will sustain a maximum load of 30 tons in transit, the La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press reported ahead of the bridges June 17, 1931, opening. The bridge was reinforced in the 1950s during a $1.3 million rehabilitation project to handle heavier truck loads, after it closed in 1945 due to ice dam damage. Further strengthening of the bridge would be very challenging from a technical perspective, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. This bridge has a finite service life because of fatigue caused by the flexing of steel members under load. The bridge was closed for repairs after its 2011 inspection found cracks in the beams under the floor deck. This April, the bridge was closed to replace deck panels and repair other steel structures. Jennifer Lu is the La Crosse Tribune environmental reporter. You can reach her by phone at 608-791-8217 and by email jennifer.lu@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 1 There was a school of thought that said former Vice President Joe Biden would begin to sink in the polls the moment he announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. Bidens first day in the race, the thinking went, would be his best day. In fact, the opposite has happened. Since formally becoming a candidate on April 25, Biden has shot up in the polls. On announcement day, Biden held a 6.3-point lead over second-place Sen. Bernie Sanders in the RealClearPolitics average of polls. Today, that lead is 23.5 points. That is a big change. Polls do not tell us who will win an election months from now. But they do tell us what is happening at this moment. And at this moment, Democratic voters, who are sometimes said to be moving left and itching to transform the United States with a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and through-the-roof taxes on the rich, are in fact responding to a decidedly more centrist appeal. That appeal, from Biden, is a promise not to fundamentally remake American society, but to restore things to the way they used to be. And the way they used to be means before Donald Trump. Obviously, Democratic voters want to replace a Republican president with a Democratic president. But they are especially dismayed by Trump and some, driven by increasingly strident news coverage, seem to have gone nearly round the bend about him. But for some center-left Democrats, the solution to the Trump Problem that is, the fact that Trump is president might not be the Green New Deal or Medicare for All. It is to restore the pre-2017 order in American politics. And Biden, Barack Obamas vice president from 2009 to 2017, is the physical embodiment of that old order. That is what Biden promises. Nearly every day, he repeats some version of his core campaign pledge: I want to restore the soul of this country. Bidens unexpected choice of the 2017 events in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the theme of his announcement was a way of saying that something has gone terribly wrong in the United States and that he wants to return to the pre-Trump past. Addressing a real or imagined moral crisis is one way for an opposition candidate to run against an incumbent president whose term has brought solid economic growth, low unemployment and higher wages. How long will Bidens lead last? Who knows? There is simply no telling how the Democratic race will play out. In the last two Republican nomination contests, we saw one race, in 2012, in which several candidates alternated holding the lead before Mitt Romney finally won. In the other, in 2016, we saw Trump lead a big field virtually the entire time. Now, with an even bigger Democratic field, the race dynamics are not yet clear. Plus, for Biden specifically, there will always be the issue of age. Biden will be 78 years old on Inauguration Day 2021. That is the same age Trump would be upon leaving office, should he serve eight years. But Biden would be just beginning his presidency nearing the age of 80. That is totally uncharted territory in United States history. (By the way, one other candidate, Sanders, is even older.) Even if Democrats want to restore the old order, they might decide a younger candidate should do the job. They might also want a candidate without Bidens record of fizzling out in presidential campaigns. In his first run for president, in 1988, Biden withdrew amid a plagiarism scandal before any votes were cast. In his second run, in 2008, he quit after finishing fifth in the Iowa caucuses. So he has run twice and never even made it to the New Hampshire primary. Now, though, Biden stands ahead of the field. Democrats know how old he is, they know he has lost in the past, and they still like him. Theres a truism that elections are always about the future, not the past. Thats often the case. But what if it isnt this time? A lot of political truisms did not hold up in the 2016 election, which was won by a man with another promise of restoration, to Make America Great Again. Now, many Democrats seem happy to support a candidate who pledges to take them back a few years. Again, that could change, but for the moment it shows how many Democrats yearn to return to a time before Trump. Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. 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Herald, 18 May 2019 BJP is compelled to make the show of speaking against the likes of Pragya Thakur, Sakshi Maharaj and Anant Hegde, bowing to electoral and global compulsions, while letting them thrive in the party Pragya Thakur, Malegaon blast accused out on bail on health ground, is at the centre of the present turmoil around Nathuram Godse. The story begins with her filing nomination papers for Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. The criticism came up that how can an accused of act of terror be a candidate of elections. Narendra Modi; jumped into the controversy stating that calling her a terrorist is the insult to the five thousand year old glorious civilization and that no Hindu has ever indulged in an act of terror. As per him and his party the earlier coining of the term Hindu terror, Saffron terror, in the wake of series of blasts which took place between 2006-2008; was to defame Hindus. The next link in the whole controversy comes with big film star, now turned politician, Kamal Haasan stating that Nathuram Godse was the first terrorist of Independent India. When he was attacked for stating this, slippers were thrown at him in a public meeting. He further confirmed that every religion has its own terrorists. Pragya Thakur, the new recruit of BJP, went out to pour her heart stating that Nathuram Godse was a nationalist, is a nationalist and will remain a nationalist. Her statement threw the BJP in tizzy and she was asked to apologize. She was not the only one coming forward to uphold Godse and express their real and deeper ideological stand. Anantkumar Hegde, the current Union Minister, who has been asking for change in Constitution, stated that there is no need to be apologetic about Godse any longer. While another Karnataka BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel also came in Godseas defense. To cap it all BJP Madhya Pradesh media in charge Anil Saumitra said that Mahatma Gandhi was father of Pakistan. Saumtira has been suspended while others have been asked to apologize and notices have issued against them by BJP. Narendra Modi surpassed hypocrisy when he said that while Thakur has apologized, he will never be able to forgive her! While some reprimand has been administered against her, she continues to be BJP candidate for Bhopal constituency. Is BJP really serious about taking action against those upholding Godse? It is not the first time Godse is being upheld. Many a times in the past, those belonging to BJP-RSS-Hindu nationalists have expressed their praise for Godse. One recalls the RSS Sarsanghchalak Rajendra Singh, alias Rajju Bhaiya, stating that Godseas intentions were right, he believed n Akhand Bharat (expanded India incorporating Afghanistan Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc.) Then we have Sakshi Maharaj, the present BJP MP, who has been given ticket to fight the election again, who had also called Godse as Nationalist. Despite such ideas he is part of BJP. During last few years glorification of Godse, temple for him in Meerut, demand for land for his memorial and busts are gaining strength in the country. When he is called a nationalist, in a way what is hidden from the word is its essential prefix, Hindu to the word nationalist. Godse was a Hindu nationalist for sure. It is only from Hindu nationalists, RSS and its affiliates that Godse is upheld and praised. BJP is in a dilemma. They do hold on to Hindu nationalism, they have deeper sympathy for what Godes did; still they cannot support it openly. The dilemma is that BJP does pursue the path of Hindu nationalism, in contrast to Indian nationalism as propounded in our constitution. Why can it not openly support Godse and his assassinating Gandhi? One recalls that after the murder of Gandhi sweets were distributed in RSS shakhas. One recalls that RSS chief even at that time expressed his sorrow and stopped RSS work and declared thirteen days mourning. One recalls that RSS was banned by Sardar Patel for spreading hatred in the society. Still the point remains that that all those upholding Godse cannot yet openly say so. That is not yet apolitically correcta for BJP. This is what the BJP line is. Support Godseas nationalism internally but do not say so openly. The reason is Gandhi cannot be criticised and bypassed in the country. His contribution in making of modern India, his central mission of cultivating fraternity, cutting across the lines religion, region and language are too profound to be ignored. The path delineated by him, the one of non violence has captured the imagination not only of the country but of the whole World. His campaign against untouchability had deeper impact. His contribution in this direction was in the line of what Ambedkar wanted. His acting as aone man armya in the sectarian violence has been a landmark in the story of India and the World! So BJP, while pursuing Hindu nationalism has to make the show of respecting Mahatma. Very conveniently it has made him symbol of aSwachhta Abhiyana (cleanliness campaign), bypassing Gandhias central mission of Hindu Muslim unity and his path of Indian nationalism. What we are witnessing on one hand is the contradictions of BJP on the electoral arena and its long term goals. In electoral arena, to make a success it is BJPas compulsion to uphold Gandhi, while all its major leaders and workers are trained in the values of Hindu nationalism, in its shakhas and training camps. In its training module Savarkar, the progenitor of HIndutva Hindu nationalism, has a pride of place, while Gandhi is presented as appeaser of Muslims and the one who was responsible for partition of the country. Godse was ardent follower of Savarkar. Savarkar was also a murder accused along with Godse but escaped the punishment in the absence of any corroborative evidence. Savarkar-Godse duo is looked up among most of the followers of Hindutva ideology. Thatas what explains the spontaneous outbursts of the likes of Sakshi maharaj, Anant Kumar Hegde and Pragya Thakur. BJP is compelled to make the show of speaking against them, bowing to electoral and global compulsions, while letting them thrive in the party in various capacities! by Claire Chambers As I step, bleary-eyed, out of my PIA aeroplane from Manchester, UK, I notice a door sign warning of the danger of falling personnel. Partly amused, partly disconcerted, I head for the luggage carousel at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport. In the car on our way to my hotel, we follow a man in a shalwar kameez the colour of lapis lazuli, one leg hitched over the tailgate of a Toyota Hilux, caressing the shaft of his gun. Our security guard occasionally uses his walkie-talkie to give a number and a crisp 'Roger' to a disembodied voice at the other end, which responds with another number and a 'Roger'. There must be some logic to it, but amidst my jet-lag pea-souper I can't see what. A wall darkly proclaims: PREPARE ANY STRENGTH YOU CAN MUSTER AGAINST THEM. Countercultural stencils sunnily protest this authoritarianism with such slogans as 'I Am Karachi United for Peace'. Banksy-style balloons brighten one Maersk Sealand container, and a lotus painted using truck-art techniques adorns a grim underpass. American sociologist Anita Weiss has regularly spent time in Pakistan since the 1970s. She is currently researching wall art, and calls the I Am Karachi group a 'guerrilla art movement', especially when it comes to the challenge they are sending out to sectarianism. On the main road we see Land Cruisers rather than the Pajero jeeps I remember from 1990s Pakistan. Men hang off buses, and my eyes are assailed by a dizzying array of hoardings. KK Rehabilitation Centre. Handi Inn. Baithak Peshwari. On dusty slip roads, I notice a family eating their dinner under bedraggled trees on the pavement near the glittering Park Towers. Four men on the pavement are smiling, perspiring and conspiring. Yameen Chicken. Mutton and Beef Centre. WalkEaze. A school advertises its 'salient features' in businesslike bullet points. A beggar pleads at our car window on his bachche's behalf, exposing the lack of government capacity to deal with the country's grinding poverty. Later, at the Karachi Literature Festival, I sit on the floating pontoon at the Beach Luxury Hotel, taking in the sound of the lunchtime call to prayer, the cries and wheeling of kites, and the metallic angles of cranes sprouting from the fast-disappearing mangrove forest. Two very young armed policeman, one clean-shaven, the other bearded, murmur desultorily to each other as they undulate on the two boats strung together defending the terrace. One FaceTimes his friend Asif and tells him in wonder to look at the seawater. The Pakistan flag flies from their vessel. Another hefty and much more imposing policeman strides across the pontoon-restaurant looking for trouble. Traffic sounds spill over from a nearby bridge and chatter from the literary panels drifts across the water, syncopating with the cawing of crows. Sometimes one of these crows flies in to feed on scraps, and a waiter shakes a bottle filled with pebbles to frighten it away. The light dappling the river enchants, despite unsightly plastic rubbish drifting in the water. A women-only rowing team scuds along, and later two emboated lovers trace a lazy parabola past the hotel. After a literary lunch with some women friends, I am pleased to use the Western-style toilet. As I relax in the restroom, out of the corner of my eye I spy a luminous body in the mirror. My handbag appears to be on fire! I narrowly avoid becoming a sati, as I realize that the scarf hanging out of my bag by the side of the sink has dipped into an unnoticed tea light and ignited. Panicking and nauseated by a smell like burning sugar, I struggle to put out the flames. I take such a long time in the lavatory and emerge looking so wan and shaken that my companions assume I have succumbed to the Foreign Madam's nemesis of diarrhoea. On hearing the story of my conflagration, a friend jokes: 'Better a dupatta fire than the fire down below'. I bring down my heart-rate with a calm evening at my best friend in Karachi's family home, playing the traditional board game carrom, eating sweet gur with almonds, and gossiping for hours. I'm lucky enough to be taken by author and campaigner Maniza Naqvi to Karachi's old city. In her tiny Toyota, with me in the back propping up folding chairs and boxes full of promotional tote bags, we rattle past impressive Anglo-Indian architecture and sandstone university buildings. The shop we visit here, the Pioneer Book House, was established in 1945, two years before Partition transformed the metropolis forever. It was recently saved from closure by Maniza's back-breaking activism. Inside is a harmonious exhibition, with photographs of a young Pakistani boxer, an outdoors school, and grinning street children hanging nonchalantly from the bookshelves. In the bazaar outside people chew gutka and Maniza gives me a beautiful stainless steel bowl inscribed with Surah Maryam, the Qur'anic chapter about Isa (Jesus)'s mother Mary. The tempo changes as I explore Khaadi's uber-cool new clothes shop Chapter 2 in Dolmen Mall. Entering through a dark corridor throbbing with bass-heavy dance music to browse the boutique's minimalist garments, I could be in Shoreditch or Eilandje. Similarly hipster-friendly is a restaurant I'm taken to down bumpy kutcha roads, where bootleg alcohol is served in bone china teacups and the sushi is sea-fresh. On my way back, drum-stomached, late at night, our car is brought to a halt by a frail buggy traversing the road width-ways in lieu of a level crossing. We linger for a while as a train crosses the freeway, transporting countless carriages of kerosene to faraway oil refineries. At a house party, I am introduced to a Sufi folk duo comprising a plump, curly-haired woman and a man from Chitral Valley in northern Pakistan. They treat us to an impromptu concert, playing songs from Leonard Cohen to Coldplay, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Abida Parveen. It's late and they are unprepared, but the music is sonorous and trancelike, the woman tossing the corsage in her hair and raising her hand to the sky in ecstasy. Strange to think that in 19931994 I spent the full academic year teaching English in the northwestern cities of Mardan and Peshawar and happily visited the notorious locales of Darra Adam Khel and Quetta during school holidays, but wouldn't have dreamt of venturing outside Karachi's airport. Then the whole of Sindh was considered a no-go area for all but the most adventurous or foolhardy of travellers, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were relatively safer. Now, as terrorists and insurgents maintain a firm grip on much of Pakistan's west, there has been almost a 180-degree shift. In my well-thumbed 1993 edition of the Pakistan Lonely Planet, David St Vincent sounds downbeat and not a little Orientalist as he writes of almost being abducted from one of Karachi's main arteries and admits: 'The city certainly demoralised me'. This was one of the high-water marks of ethnic violence in Karachi last three decades of turmoil. In 1992, Altaf Hussain, the MQM leader, had escaped the military crackdown on his party and claimed asylum in London. From his Edgware headquarters, Hussain carried on giving rabble-rousing speeches and orchestrating targeted killings, as fictionalized in Omar Shahid Hamid's crime fiction novel The Party Worker. His remote-control despotism finally ran out of juice in August 2016 when Hussain publicly made anti- Pakistan statements by telephone, causing a riot, injuries, and a death in Karachi. For most senior MQM figures, Hussain's speech was a step too far, and the party now finds itself split and defanged, with several politicians jockeying for power. This is one reason for the cautious optimism I sense this spring in Pakistan's largest city. But it will take years, if ever, for peace fully to return to this southern port. And it would be Pollyannaish to ignore the sharp edge the metropolis continues to display. Even during my short visit, I hear of a female acquaintance being brusquely turned away and followed by inscrutable men in Ray-Bans for trying to give a talk about civil rights at a women's university. Karachi has a population size greater than the Netherlands', so it's no wonder my cursory trip has been so layered. My last snapshot of the city is of white-robed families catching flights to Medina and Jeddah for the Umrah pilgrimage. Rose petals stipple the floor, the flowers' scent mixing with the strong odour of naphthalene balls wafting from the airport's bathrooms. Goodbye, Karachi: I had a gala time and am pleased to be getting to know you at last. by Thomas Manuel Born in France in the mid-14th century, Christine de Pizan wrote possibly the first work of womens history that was by a woman for women. She remains one of the eras most fascinating writers but considerably less well-known than other writes of her time like travelling scholar and professional complainer, Ibn Battuta, or Christian fan fiction writer extraordinaire, Dante Alighieri. Her father was a kind of royal astrologer to the King of France and growing up at the court, she probably received an excellent education. But, in her own words, she only really experienced the sweet taste of learning when her husband died. Widowed in her twenties and with children to raise, Christine de Pizan began a remarkable literary career which gave us among other works, Le Livre de la Cite des Dames (The Book of the City of Ladies). City of Ladies is a reaction against the rampant misogyny that so deeply permeated Christines time. In the book, she laments that every book by a male writer that she opens has some sexist generalization about women. Amidst all of this, the specific instigating factor was an extremely popular romance that had been published called La Roman de Rose (The Story of the Rose). This romance was an epic poem of two parts. The first part predates the second by about half a century and is all about chivalrous love. The second (and much larger) part, written by a different author, takes a much more cynical view of love, essentially labeling all women as cruel seducers. (Clearly, the universe is crying out for a 600 page History of the Incels.) Christine publicly lambasted the book and wrote City of Ladies as a counterweight, becoming in the words of Simone de Beauvoir, the first woman to take up her pen in defence of her sex. In the book, Christine is visited by three figures Lady Reason, Lady Rectitude and Lady Justice who ask her to build a city just for women. Led by the three Ladies, Christine builds a city, inviting famous women to live there. From Eve (whose story is the ground zero of misogyny in the Christian tradition) to the ass-kicking Amazons, from contemporaries like Maria, the Duchess of Auvergne, to historical icons like Sappho or mythological beings like Medusa, Christine tells their stories, elaborating on their various virtues. And so the city, filled with poets and queens, saints and warriors, becomes a living monument to the place of women in history. This wide-ranging piece of scholarship is an even greater achievement because Christine had so little in the way of precedent. (And she says as much in the book.) There had been other works that sought to catalogue women through history but they were written male authors and it showed. Boccaccios Famous Women mostly contained infamous women and Chaucers Legend of Good Women had the author literally claiming that God forced him to write the book as punishment. These books do nothing for the cause of women. Christine, on the other hand, was building an argument as surely as she was building a city. Her arguments are overtly religious after all, her title is a reference to Thomas Aquinas City of God. Using the language of theology, Christine argues that misogyny is a form of heresy, an attack on mans noble and vital equal in front of God. Much of Christines reasoning and opinions are not really feminist, coming from a time before the ideas of the movement were ever formed. As Rosalind Brown Grant says in Christine De Pizan And The Moral Defence Of Women, Those who have offered an assessment of her defence of women have tended to adopt one of two contrasting positions: whilst some have praised Christine for challenging the dominant misogynist ideology of her age, even lauding her ability to anticipate key tenets of post-structuralist feminist theory, others have castigated her for failing to advocate reform of the social order or to demand equal rights for women. Yet these wildly divergent assessments of Christines work can be faulted on common grounds: both ignore her original cultural context and judge her by criteria which are fundamentally anachronistic. Positive or negative, such judgments tell us more about what modern feminists might wish Christine to have achieved, as opposed to what she herself sought to achieve in her campaign to champion the cause of women. The City of Ladies is Christine de Pizan being a public intellectual and, quoting John Dewey said, publics dont exist, they are created. Through this book, Christine was speaking to ordinary women (how ordinary is debatable) and creating a history for them (and herself). The lessons from the women in the book are meant to be accessible and applicable in her readers lives. Christines city of role models and inspirations was a polemic constructed to combat the widespread misogynist view of womanhood spread by so many male writers and intellectuals of the time. Of course, 600 years later, it is hard to say times have changed. As historian Sharon Jensen wrote in Reading Womens Worlds from Christine de Pizan to Doris Lessing, At the turn of the fifteenth century, Christine de Pizan already has a room of her own, and she has found that a room is not enough. She offers women an entire cityits an audacious act. Her fifteenth-century daring still shocks twenty-first century readers. by Tim Sommers The world was so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point. Gabriel Garcia Marquez in One Hundred Years of Solitude Heres an apocryphal story that is so good, it should be true. In 1770 Captain Cook became the first European to land in Australia and so the first to encounter a leaping animal with a baby in its pouch. He pointed at it and asked a nearby aboriginal, What is that? Kan-ga-roo, our fictional indigenous person responded. And, so, we call them kangaroos. Which means, in that local language, I dont know what you are saying. I always associate that story with Willard Van Orman Quines essay, Ontological Relativity, because the centerpiece of the essay is what he calls a radical translation scenario. We are trying to learn to translate a language that we have no independent knowledge of, a language that, as far as we know, is not related to any other language that we already know how to translate. Suppose a rabbit goes hopping by and a native speaker points at it saying, Gavagi! Even assuming we all agree on what pointing is, and we all think that pointing and talking at the same time associates the pointing with the talking, and we are sure that the spatio-temporal area occupied by what we would call a rabbit is what is being pointed at, assuming all that, how do we know whether they mean There goes a rabbit! or Look at those undetached-rabbit-parts! or Some rabbitizing is going on over there. Or, if you do the pointing, how do you know that what they are saying to you is not just, I dont know what you are saying. I know, I know, only a philosopher would wonder that. But, consider: what we think exists should be revealed by what we say, but what if its not? What if what exists is relative to what we say, but we can never be absolutely sure what anyone is saying about what there is? What if ontology, the part of metaphysics that is supposed to be, at a minimum, a catalogue of things that we think exist and are real, is relative to language and language is always indeterminate with respect to ontology. Should we be worried about this? Ontological Relativity turns 50 this year. It is one of the most widely-read pieces in twentieth century philosophy by, perhaps, the most influential American philosopher of the second half of that century. Quine shared with the spirit of his age a naturalism that put logic and science first and philosophy second. But Quine saw science as an extension of common sense. And he thought there was no bright line between science and philosophy properly done. He thought that logic was important, but not foundational a tool, not the first, or last, word. He believed that all of our beliefs form a sort of web (the web of belief) that makes contact with the world at many places along the periphery, but that is always provisional, revisable so that even our most recalcitrant beliefs (like those associated with math and logic), even beliefs at the very center of the web, are still open to revision. But in Ontological Relativity he found a new skeptical worry that not only challenged more traditional views of philosophy, but one that he could never quite figure out to fit with his own views. The argument is challenging and slippery. But fun, too, I hope. Lets start over. Whats at issue is what exists. Theres a part of metaphysics ontology that deals with what exists. Quine says that the question of ontology is the question of what exists. In theory, then, an ontology could just be a long list of all the things that exist though we would normally think it had some kind of structure. In fact, for thousands of years before Quine, many philosophers thought of ontology as the study not of what exists, but of what must exist what exists necessarily. What philosophers thought must exist necessarily had slowly been reduced over the years from almost everything, to space and time and God and logic, until, by the time we get to Quine, many philosophers would have said, the only thing that exists necessarily are the laws of logic. (Heres a cartoonishly simple, but not entirely unhelpful way of seeing the whole history of philosophy: it started as the study of things, became the study of ideas, and, finally, became (in the twentieth-century) the study of language (and logic). But Quine argued that nothing was necessary not even the laws of logic. And whatever exists is just whatever has something that is true of it. To put it the logical terms that Quine preferred, To be is to be the value of (a bound) variable. In ontological relativity, Quine went one more step. We dont even know what we are saying exists, or what we think exists, at least not absolutely. Heres the argument one step at a time. Language is not a system of labels. Quine calls this the myth of the museum. According to the myth, language is a mental museum of exhibits, all of the exhibits are labeled, and switching languages just involves switching the labels around. Whats wrong with this picture? Well, language is a public, social. Theres no such thing as a private, untranslatable language. (This is Wittgenstein.) Suppose everyone had a box with a beetle in it, but no one could ever, no matter what, look inside another persons box only their own. For all I know, I have a turtle in my box and you have a rock and we both just call them beetles. Maybe, I have nothing in my box and whatevers in your box changes all the time. Whats in the box can play no real role in language. For the same reason, and in the same way, whats in your head or your mind, the exhibits in the museum, cannot be what meanings are. When it comes to language, all we have to go on in assigning meaning or reference (the things your words pick out) is your behavior. Now, the overall system of labels or words, like the objects posited by any theory, is always underdetermined. For any finite set of observations or experiments, there are always many empirically equivalent rival theories. For any finite set of language behavior, any finite set of words or labels or terms of a theory, theres always a way to rearrange them without changing their reference. (See, rabbits vs. rabbit parts above.) And there are ways of changing around bits of the language to come up rival translations that do equally well as interpretations of observed behavior. And, heres where it gets really crazy, you cant ever just fix the terms by brute assignment. I cant ever pin down exactly what you mean by what you say, because the only way I can try is by using the language that we share. So, language is indeterminate all the way down. I cant pin down what you mean by what you say and I cant even pin down what I mean by what I say. Why cant you tell me what you mean by just pointing and saying by this, I mean that? Well, again, see rabbits vs. rabbit parts above. Okay, but why cant I at least do that for myself. That is, why cant I fix the meaning at least for me, in my own head, just by mentally pointing at what I mean? Well, in order this to be a language, I cant just assume I infallibly know the contents of whatever I say. I still must start by fixing the reference or meaning of the words. I cant fix the reference from within the language that we share. Thats what step one showed. So, I have to fix it by some kind of mental pointing or, better, having some metalanguage that assigns meanings to all the terms in the object language. Now, from outside and above, from my metalanguage or pointing, I have fixed the first-order language. But the metalanguage is still a language, I am going to need a metametalanguage to fix its terms. The pointing is still pointing. I am still going to have to point at what I was pointing at. And so on. I need another level and another and then I have an infinite regress of metalanguages (or pointings) all frantically trying to fix the reference of the language just below it while getting fixed by the language (or pointing) above it. One more time. Meaning is a public, behavioral phenomena. You cant fix the meaning of your own words any easier than you can fix mine. It might seem like you can. But it seems like you could have a private language. But you cant. Think of it like this. Suppose whenever you encounter something new you label it (museum-style, by ostension (that is, by mentally pointing at it)). After a while, you have a huge list of words. The first problem is that every word in your language is a beetle in a box to everyone else. But are you even capable of keeping it fixed? You have to map the language onto your behavior to make it a language even to you. But for every possible way you could map it, there are many other possible mappings. Why cant you just specify your preferred mapping? Because you need a metalanguage to do that. You need to be able to say This maps onto that from now on. But you need a metametalanguage to fix the terms of your metalanguage. And a metametametalanuge for that. Quine already believed that nothing is necessary. And if nothing is necessary, then everything is just a theory. All entities are theoretical entities. But now Quine seemed to have shown that there isnt any way of being sure of what exists according to any particular theory or language. Just as Einstein overturned the Newtonian account of absolute space and time, Quine overturned the myth of absolute meaning. Just as there is no absolute position or velocity; there are just the relations of coordinate systems to one another, and ultimately of things to one another [So] I think that the parallel question regarding [language] calls for a parallel answer, a relational theory of what the objects of theories are. What makes sense is to say not what the objects of a theory are, absolutely speaking, but how one theory of objects is interpretable or reinterpretable in another. I bet youll wonder about this the next time you see a rabbit. Or a time-slice of four-dimensionally extended rabbitiness. Or whatever. You know what I mean. Or do you? by Anitra Pavlico In Louise DeSalvos introduction to a 1991 edition of Virginia Woolfs first novel, The Voyage Out, she describes Woolfs childhood incest and how she incorporates it into the novel. DeSalvo also discusses an earlier incarnation of the novel, Melymbrosia, which is much more overt in its references to incest. The Voyage Out, on the other hand, can easily be read without guessing at any of its authors tragic history. DeSalvo, a scholar who spent seven years assembling Melymbrosia from Woolfs papers in the archives of the New York Public Library, points out that it would have been illegal for Woolf to render incestuous experiences in print. DeSalvo discusses Woolfs half-brothers, Gerald and George, and their disturbing misdeeds. They were the sons of Woolfs mother Julia and her first husband Herbert Duckworth, who died when Julia was pregnant with Gerald. Woolf described only many years later how Gerald had manually fondled her private parts when he was seventeen and she was five. Georges actions are harder to pin down. It seems he was someone who wanted to push boundaries, veering into flirtation and overly physical displays of affection, but still wanted to come across as the lovable, amiable older brother. Viviane Forrester notes in her 2015 biography of Woolf that Virginia and her sister Vanessa ruthlessly denounced George for the rest of their lives, but Virginia kept to herself the details of Geralds assault until only three months before her death. It was not only Virginia Woolfs half-brothers who were a troubling presence in her life. Forrester stresses that it was Woolfs father, Leslie Stephen, who would haunt Virginia to the last, torn as she was by hate, love, but especially repression. . . . A mention of him in her diary, even in passing . . . and there, a few lines or pages or days later, we find depression. Manifest. It at first seems like coincidence, but it isnt, it occurs systematically. A week before her suicide, Virginia wrote to a friend that she was trying to arrange some of her fathers old books; for months she had been absorbed in his books, papers, and letters. After Virginias mother died, when Virginia was only thirteen, her father pined for Julia and created an oddly erotic atmosphere, animated by what Forrester bluntly describes as a fetish bordering on necrophilia: Leslie would make this loss the excuse for horrid scenes, sordid hours, an insidiously incestuous atmosphere. He strikes one as an extraordinarily weak and self-centered man who seems to have forgotten that not only did he lose his wife, but seven children had lost their mother. Leslies appetites masked under his lamentations eventually found an object in Stella Duckworth, Julias daughter with Herbert. Virginia later wrote that after her mother died, in those days nothing was clear, and that suddenly [Stella] was placed in the utmost intimacy with Leslie, who expected entire self-surrender on her part. In a letter written the same day as Stellas marriage, Leslie writes to her that The world seems to have turned topsy-turvy with me since this morning & I feel as I felt when I picked myself up after a fall. . . . The terrible sorrow I have gone through has taught me to know you as I never knew you before & to feel that you havewhat could I say more expressive?the same nature as my darling [Julia]. As Forrester puts it, both Leslie and Stella knew what he was trying to pull, and that it couldnt work; the siblings knew as well, and were all ashamedabove all, of knowing. Woolf would for many years catch herself arguing with her father silently, venting her rage against him. At fifty-eight years old she wrote: How deep they drove themselves into me, the things it was impossible to say aloud. Echoes of Virginias life can be heard throughout her fiction, if you know what to listen for. In The Voyage Out, the 24-year-old protagonist Rachel Vinrace embarks on a voyage to Argentina with her aunt and uncle and several other travelers. Her aunt, Helen Ambrose, suspects Rachels father of nameless atrocities toward his daughter and of bullying his wife, who is now deceased, but she does not ask Rachel about it. After Rachel, who has been denied a proper education and has been living with two elderly aunts, is kissed by Richard Dalloway, a married man who has joined the expedition with his wife, she is haunted that night by nightmarish visions: She dreamt that she was walking down a long tunnel, which grew so narrow by degrees that she could touch the damp bricks on either side. At length the tunnel opened and became a vault; she found herself trapped in it, bricks meeting her wherever she turned, alone with a little deformed man who squatted on the floor gibbering, with long nails. His face was pitted and like the face of an animal. The wall behind him oozed with damp, which collected into drops and slid down. . . . All night long barbarian men harassed the ship; they came scuffling down the passages, and stopped to snuffle at her door. When telling Helen what had happened, Rachel exclaims that she hates men. I thought you said you liked him? said Helen. I liked him, and I liked being kissed, she answered, as if that only added more difficulties to her problem. Helen tells herself she needs to get Rachel to open up to her, to understand why this rather dull, kindly, plausible politician had made so deep an impression on her, for surely at the age of twenty-four this was not natural. Nothing ever does come to light, however. We get only glimpses. Rachels elderly aunts, in whose care her father left her, were very much afraid of her father. . . . He was good-humoured towards them, but contemptuous. She had always taken it for granted that his point of view was just, and founded upon an ideal scale of things where the life of one person was absolutely more important than the life of another, and that in that scale they were [of] much less importance than he was. He is apparently too important to be questioned about his actions or about his subsequent neglect of Rachel. A recurring theme in The Voyage Out is lovefalling in love, wondering if others have ever been in loveand alongside that, marriagelonging to be married, but wondering if one could ever be happily married. Rachel tells Clarissa Dalloway that she herself will never get married and asks: Why do people marry? Then, sure enough, she meets another English tourist, Terence Hewet, and falls in lovebut in her awkward way, as she is completely unknowledgeable about relations between men and women, she manages to fall for someone who in the early days of their relationship thought to himself that he was not in love with her. Did love begin in that way, with the wish to go on talking? No. It always began in his case with definite physical sensations, and these were now absent, he did not even find her physically attractive. An uncanny parallel can be found between Rachel and Terence on one hand and Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf on the other. Forrester turns a gimlet eye on Leonard and explodes many of the myths that surround him and Virginia. Leonard, she writes, was (while not homosexual) terrified of and repulsed by women. Before their marriage, while in Ceylonhaving failed out of Cambridge and been forced to take a post abroadLeonard was desperate, felt like a failure, was fragile, neurasthenic . . . a discouraged, ruined man with suicidal tendencies. He saw a marriage to Virginia as the best way out of his dire situation. For him it was hardly a marriage for love, but instead to improve his status. Forrester disputes the story of Virginia as frigid: on the contrary, she writes, it was Leonard who was terrified by the passion she displayed on their honeymoon and who put the kibosh on sexual relations because he felt she was too mentally unstable to be subjected to it. Forrester notes that Leonards autobiography on his honeymoon mentions the food at length, and Virginia hardly at all. Leonard also, without Virginias knowledge, consulted doctors about her mental conditionand hiding behind some of these doctors diagnoses-in-absentia (not all were in agreement), Leonard determined unilaterally that they should not have children. It was a huge blow for Virginia. By all accounts she loved children. She was often angry at herself for not having defied Leonard and the doctors; she later wrote to a friend, My own fault tooa little more self control on my part, & we might have had a boy of 12, a girl of 10: This always makes me wretched in the early hours. Leonard was certainly supportive of Virginias work, and he considered her a genius. For the most part they seem to have had a satisfying, companionable marriage, bound by love of books, conversation, and the work together at their publishing house Hogarth Press. But it is possible that Rachel Vinraces misgivings about marriage came directly from Virginias own experience. Virginia wrote to her friend Ethel Smyth: I married Leonard Woolf in 1912, I think, and almost immediately was ill for 3 years. Such was Virginia Woolfs life that we have not even considered the effects on her of the early deaths of her half-sister Stella and of her brother Thoby, who taught her Greek and whom she adored. Her mother Julia was distant and spared only a few minutes at a time for her. Shall we also consider that at the end of her life, bombs were dropping around her and Leonard? It is impossible to imagine their fear, especially since they were on Hitlers blacklist. Knowing what he knew of Virginias sensitivity, propensity to melancholy, and her earlier breakdown at age 22, should Leonard necessarily have made a mutual pact with her to commit suicide if the Nazis landed? Suicide was in the air at the Woolf household. And yet when it came down to it, Leonard was terrified when Virginia began to descend into deep melancholy in 1940. In March 1941, a few weeks before her death, Forrester describes Virginia returning from a walk soaked, distraught; she claims to have slipped in a stream. No doubt a first attempt. But no one to rally around her. Leonard, terrified, seems to withdraw still further. Forrester is brutal here: Leonard has nothing to offer. He is always talking of tak[ing] steps, but goes in circles, not knowing what those measures are. In any case, its too late now, but he never considered asking Virginia, talking to her, listening to her. In The Voyage Out there are several references to the opposition of music to words. One woman tells Rachel (who is awkward at conversation, but a very talented pianist), after she has played for the group, I just adore music. It just seems to say all the things one cant say oneself. Rachel later asks Terence why he writes novels, telling him he should write music, because it goes straight for things. It says all there is to say at once. As many times as I have circled around it in the last few weeks, Virginias story always ends the same way. There is always another reason to uncover, or a person to blame, but her decision and the timing will always be mysterious to me. Virginia and Leonard had previously talked about how the fifth movement of Beethovens Op. 130 string quartet was well-suited to a cremation, but he was so horrified after her suicide that he could not arrange for it. When he returned home that evening, having been the only person to attend her cremation, he listened to the cavatina. It is beautiful, and says all there is to say at once. ___________ Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out (Penguin Books, 1991); introduction by Louise DeSalvo Viviane Forrester, Virginia Woolf: A Portrait (Columbia University Press, 2015); translated by Jody Gladding Ludwig van Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130, 5th movement (Cavatina), played here by the Guarneri Quartet by Adele A Wilby Although a further eighteen months remain till the next Presidential elections in the United States, speculation as to whether Donald Trump will be a one-term or two-term president is starting to gain momentum amongst political pundits and politicians across the globe. The reasons for the growing interest are varied, not least because for many the thought of another four years of Trump in office sends chills down the spine. His two and half years in office have revealed an astounding lack of knowledge and political skill by an individual with such wide-reaching global power and influence, represented reactionary policies, and a limited communication ability laced with a liturgy of lying that should outrage the sensibilities and conscience of a people, and provide justifiable grounds to disqualify him from any hope of returning to occupy the office as a representative of the American people. Yet the probability of Trump in the Oval Office for another four years is not yet off the table. This stark reality became apparent recently in a brief interview on a news programme during which Alice Butler-Short, the President of the Virginia Women for Trump (2017) organisation, expressed what could only be considered an impassioned loyalty and defence of Trump, following the disclosure of the Mueller Report. Indeed, so enamoured was she of Trump, Butler-Short articulated a plan to campaign on the virtues of Trump amongst all levels and sections of society not normally Trump supporters, with a view to widen his voting appeal, and to put him back in office. But Butler-Short is not the only woman, or more specifically white woman, in the US, who views Trump through rose-coloured glasses; an army of female Trumpites, as the 2016 election results reveal, are an electoral force to be reckoned with by any politician who aspires to occupy the most powerful office on earth. How do we account for this support for Trump amongst white-women in the US, and what is the possibility of that history of support repeating itself? As is well known, the 2016 US Presidential election was extraordinary insofar as US elections are concerned. Both candidates were on the cusp of making history. In one corner stood the Republican candidate Donald Trump, a reality TV star, business mogul with a chequered financial history, and more importantly, the least politically qualified candidate for the job, pitted against the politically experienced, and first female presidential candidate, Hilary Clinton. Following the elections of 2008 and 2012, when the American people voted into office the first African-American president, Barack Obama, there was an expectation amongst wide sections of public in the US and globally, that the progressive image of the US would continue and the first female candidate would be elected President of the US. However, a female candidate up against a male candidate meant that it was inevitable that in this political contest gender would play its role in the decision-making of voters, but just how far and in which ways it would influence the electorate, and the outcome of the elections, was not fully understood. Remarkably, Clintons experience and cumulative knowledge as a Senator and as the US Secretary of State was not sufficient to override her gender as an issue in the electoral campaign. As an assertive woman with remarkable agency she faced backlash, a hostile sexism (Bock, Byrd-Craven and Burkley, 2016), and this is evident in Trumps rhetorical reference to Clinton as a Nasty Woman and Kill-ary (Bocket al, 2017). Moreover, voters with conservative attitudes towards women and their social roles, a benevolent sexism, were likely to vote for Trump. While not all Trump voters have negative attitudes towards women, and other factors were at play in voters choice, the research (Bock et al 2016) suggests that hostile sexism and conservative views about women enabled a prediction that Trump would win the 2016 election. Daviss (2017) research findings amongst women, using the variables of demographic group, feeling of identity and worldviews, also predicted a Trump victory in the 2016 elections. Nevertheless, given Trumps demagoguery, and his misogynist statements, most notoriously his view that power provides men with unfettered liberty to grab a womans pussy, the bets were on for a Clinton victory. Outrage at such vulgar and crude comments from an individual seeking the highest office in the land, many assumed, would be sufficient to swing floating and female voters behind Clinton, and put her in the White House. Trumps victory astounded many political observers, and prompted research with a view of understanding in greater depth the voting behaviour of the US electorate. Research findings indicate a gender divide with 53% of males voting for Trump, compared with 41% of females (Junn, 2017). Given the hostile sexism to which Clinton was subjected, such a gender division in voting behaviour should not be of any surprise. Perhaps also, many feminists in particular, over-estimated the impact of Trumps misogyny on womens sentiments. As Susan Sarandon commented to a journalist, I dont vote with my vagina, (Moore, 20016); policy rightly matters for female voters. However, closer scrutiny of the female vote reveals some interesting findings, particularly in terms of the intersection of gender, race and political affiliation. As we know, America is not all white; it is a multi-cultural society constituted of African- Americans, Latinas, Asian-Americans and many other ethnic minorities, yet the voting behaviour of these communities indicates a clear racial divide in voting behaviour: men and women from the African-American and minority communities voted for Clinton in 2016(Junn, 2017). When broken down further, the figures reveal a racial divide between white women and women of colour and minorities. Indeed, 94% of African-American women voted for Clinton, and 68% of Latino women also cast their vote in her favour (Becket et al, 2016). Moreover, early post-election research indicates that 91% of college-educated African-American voted for Clinton, and this was consistent with other college educated female voters from the other minorities (Mohdin, 2016). But what was going on amongst the white-women electorate? What does their voting behaviour tell us? The significant factor of the 42% of female voters, is the 53% of white women who voted for Trump, as compared to only 43% of white women who voted for Clinton (Junn, 2017). Thus, Trumps boasting that he received 53% of the female vote needs to be treated with caution, and qualified; it was from amongst white-woman that he received resounding support, and was out-rightly rejected by African-American and minority female voters. Most noticeably, 61% of white women without college degrees voted for Trump (Beckett,et al, 2016; Golshan, 2017). Even more significantly in terms of election results, white women supported Trump in the three crucial states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and put him in the White House (Golshan, 2017). The support of white-women for Trump has been a source of consternation for many, not least from feminists. Apart from white womens failure to reject his misogyny, a longed-for aspiration for a gender lens to be cast over domestic policy and foreign relations was dashed with Clintons electoral defeat. However, the election results point to factors other than gender at play in white women voters behaviour, and one of those is party affiliation. Since the mid-twentieth century, in all but two elections, 1952 and 2012, the majority white-women support has gone to the Republicans to various degrees (Davis 2016, Junn 2017). Yet party affiliation does not fully account for womens decision to support Trump, particularly within the context of Trumps election campaign and policy statements. Misogynist language, the allegations of infidelity and sexual assault of women against him, his plans to replace a health care act that would cut funding for maternity care, contraception, cancer screening, and the right to abortion (Kolod 2017), policies that not only threaten the health of women, but would unwind and reverse years of political struggle by women for the recognition of their reproductive rights, failed to impact on white-women voter choice. What then, exactly, is going on amongst white-women that they would opt for a candidate that not only articulates policies prejudicial to women, but has allegations made against him that would raise the hackles of any woman, and prompt them to consider the calibre of the man and his appropriateness for high office? Chitras (2017) interviews with women across the country reveal how women were prepared to sweep his misogyny under the carpet, or play down its significance. Trump enabled such a process by his attempts to undo the potential political damage done by his demeaning statements about women when he said, I have tremendous respect for women, and I am going to protect them(Junn 2017). Seen within the context of his racist statements referring to Mexican immigrants as bringing crime. They are rapists (Junn, 2017) he is posturing white women as subordinates, threatened by men of colour, and this plays into white supremacy and patriarchy. Indeed, his reputed infidelities and allegations of sexual harassment of women failed to impact on a constituency that would have been expected to be outraged by such suggestions: white evangelical Christian women, 80% of whom voted for Trump (Gaddini 2019), a puzzling phenomenon given how far the allegations contravene the tenets of the Christian faith to which they subscribe. Apart from the traditional gender roles that Trump represents and his appeals to evangelical Christians, Trump also gets support by the use of a narrative that taps into the idea of a promise of a US return to its white Christian heritage (Gaddini, 2019). For the white women constituency, racial and religious identities and nationalism take priority over gender. Trump is seen as the parental figure (Kolod, 2017), the patriarch who would protect the nation, and the white women as part of it. The purity and reproductive labour of white women is crucial for securing white supremacy and patriarchy, and Trump is seen as the man to perpetuate those social roles. Second in sex to men, but first in race to minorities (Junn, 2017) white-women opted to enjoy the privileges of their race, and tolerate their own and other womens oppression as a second-sex. Thus, Meshawm Maddock of the Women for Trump campaigns view of masculinity where her husband is an alpha male, and sometimes I get irritated with him, but I wouldnt want to be married to anything else, (Perkins 2019) and her view that society sometimes emasculates men, and she prefers strong men aligns with the white-evangelical understanding of gender roles, where women in such relationships can be strong, but submissive to the man. In this context also, Alice Butler-Shorts unfettered support for Trump is understandable. Indeed, contained in her organisations manifesto is a commitment to align our spirituality with our politics, indicating evangelical Christianity, with, as she commented, a strong man, a patriarch, at the helm of the nation. However, Donegan (2018) has pointed out that the midterm elections suggest that white womens support for Republican candidates is on the wane from the 53% in 2016 to 50% in 2018. The CNN poll puts the figure for white women support for Republicans even lower, at 49%. But before we get overly optimistic with these figures, it is useful to take into consideration the fact that since 1984 when 62% of white women voted for Reagan, support for Republican presidential candidates has been on the downward slide for several years. In 2004, 55% of white women voted for Bush and in 2012, 56% of white women voted for Romney (Donegan 2018, Junn, 2017). The 53% of white women for Trump represents a decline in support for Republican candidates, but there is as yet no indication that white women are leaving the Republican party in large numbers. Moreover, Perkins (2019) recently revealed how women in Michigan are organising under the banner of Women for Trump. Nevertheless, white womens support for Trump is not as stable and secure as it seems. Trumps approval ratings from amongst sections of his staunchest white-women voters, non-college female voters in the Rust Belt, represent some of his largest declines in the country, down 18 points in Ohio and 19 points in Wisconsin and Minnesota (Abramson, 2018). Reasons for this decline could be many, but it is also possible that the allegations of domestic abuse against several Republican consultants, and Trumps veiled defence of the men involved, could have resonance in states where alcoholism and domestic abuse are high (Abramson, 2018). Some white women, it seems, could be repulsed by Trumps sexism. Thus, the 2016 US election reveals that the voting behaviour of the US electorate is complex, and, for female candidates, white women voters in particular are an unreliable constituency. White womens support is crucial for Republican candidates success, but for female candidates, white women can be their undoing. Will history repeat itself? Will white women be major determiners again in the outcome of the US Presidential election in 2020? Given a political system where sexism and racism are entrenched, and the majority of white women identify with their race over their sex, with Trumps rhetoric targeting and resonating with that constituency, past voting behaviour of white women coupled with their determination to campaign for him in 2020, it is unlikely that we will witness a major shift in the voting behaviour of white women, in particular white women evangelical Christians. It seems therefore, that the battle for the triumph of the better angels in the American soul (Meacham 2017), is being played out amongst the white women constituency. Just how many white women voters opt for those better angels remains to be seen. References Abramson, J. (2018) How long will white women continue to vote Republican? The Guardian. 20 February. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/20/white-women-vote-republican-domestic-violence[accessed 8 May 2019) Beckett, L., Carroll, R., Fishwick, Jamieson, A. and Thielman, S. (2016) The real shy Trump vote how 53% of white women pushed him to victory, The Guardian, 10 November. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/10/white-women-donald-trump- victory[accessed 3 May 2019] Bock, J., Byrd-Craven, J., Burkley, M. (2017) The role of sexism in voting in the 2016 presidential election, Personality and Individual Differences, 119, pp.189-193. Chitra, S. (2017) You Focus on the Good: Women Who Voted For Trump, In Their Own Words. The New York Times. January 14. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/women-voters-trump.html[accessed 2 May, 2019] Davis, G. (2017) Women and Support for Trump: Race, Place, Identity or Something More, Political Science Now. http://politicalsciencenow.com/2016-election-reflection-series-women-and-support-for-trump/[accessed 2 May, 2019] Donegan, M. (2018) Half of white women continue to vote Republican. Whats wrong with them? The Guardian, 9 November. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/09/white-women-vote-republican-why[accessed 7 May 2019] Golshan, T. (2017) The women who helped Donald Trump Win. Vox, January 21. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/1/20/14061660/women-march-washington-vote-trump[accessed 30 April 2019] Junn, J. (2017) The Trump Majority: white womanhood and the making of female voters in the U.S, Politics, Groups, and Identities.5 (2), pp.343-352. Kolod, S. (2017) Trump World: What Do Women Want? Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 53 (4), pp.567-582. Mohdin, A. (2016) American women voted overwhelmingly for Clinton, except the white ones. Quartz, November 9. https://qz.com/833003/election-2016-all-women-voted-overwhelmingly-for-clinton-except-the-white-ones/[accessed 2 May, 2019] Meacham, J. (2017) The Soul of America.United States: Random House. Perkins, T. (2019) You dont have to date him: The women standing by Trump in 2020, The Guardian,10 May. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/10/women-for-trump-michigan-supporters-grassroots-organizing[accessed 10 May 2-19] Virginia Women for Trump, (2017) http://www.eventbrite.com/o/virginia-women-for-trump-10960089314. The airports are Don Mueang in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi in Samut Prakan province, about 25km from Bangkok, and U-tapao in Rayong province. The 225 billion baht (US$7.06 billion) project is one of the five ones launched by the Thai Government, aiming to promote economic development in the countrys Eastern Economic Corridor. A consortium led by Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group has won the concession for the project. Bangkok Post cited Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of CP Group, as saying that CP commits to investing in the project despite it being considered a high-risk investment. The company will keep pushing for the project to materialise for the benefit of the country, he told a seminar in Nakhon Ratchasima attended by more than 400 business leaders from around the world. Suphachai said there is no guarantee of a high return but the company decided to invest in it to help stimulate economic development to help the country prosper. The high-speed train project will contribute to urban development and a fairer distribution of wealth and income, he said, adding the country will benefit from foreign investors bringing knowledge to improve the skills of local workers. Suphachai said the project will make Thailand a regional hub in ASEAN, which in turn would help boost growth in the CLMV grouping (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam). Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General of the EEC office, said earlier the EEC Policy Committee had approved the contract and design of the project, due to be presented to the cabinet on May 28. The EEC is the government's flagship investment scheme, spanning the eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao. It is due for completion by 2021 to turn those provinces into technological, manufacturing and service hubs connected to ASEAN neighbours by land, sea and air. by Andrea Scrima Andrea Scrima: Madeleine, you translate, write critical essays, and have been editing for Music & Literature for six years. Recently, all these areas of your expertise were called upon in a particularly rigorous way in preparation for a quietly sensational literary event: the publication of a mammoth portfolio of Swiss writer Peter Bichsels work in English translation. Can you tell us a bit about Bichsel, and what some of the difficulties were in producing this issue? Madeleine LaRue: It did turn out to be pretty mammoth! How about I tell you, by way of introduction, about the first time I met Bichsel in person. Hed come to read at the Literarisches Colloquium in Berlin, the center of the grand old West Berlin literary establishment. It was November, it was dark and cold, and when he emerged at the back of the room and started walking up toward the stage, wearing the same black leather vest hes been wearing for the past forty years, I think we were all a little worried about him. He was eighty-two then, and he looked exhausted. It had been a while since hed been on such an extensive reading tour outside of Switzerland. He got to the stage and settled into his chair. The moderator welcomed him and asked how it felt to be back in Berlina simple question, a nice, easy opener. Bichsel still seemed tired, but as he leaned back and said, very slowly, in his lilting Swiss accent, Ja, ja, Berlin, his eyes lit up and he launched into a story about his first time in the city, in the early 1960s, and how he got caught in the middle of a bar fight with some people! Who turned out to be Swiss! And they all got thrown out onto the street together, and hell never forget it! And ja, ja, Berlinand from his very first word, we all became like delighted children at Grandfathers feet, totally enraptured, utterly unwilling to go to bed until wed heard just one more story, pleeeease? And he himself became younger, full of life, charming and hilarious and genuine and profound. At the end of the night, to close, he read us one of his short stories, called Amerika gibt es nicht (which appears in Music & Literature as There Is No America, translated by Caroline Schmidt and Daniel Levin Becker). Its a very playful, ironic storyand a little bit melancholy, tooabout a court jester who gets credit for discovering America even though, in the end, the narrator highly doubts that there is such a place: he claims that everyone who goes to America always comes back saying the same things, which are always things they already knew before their trip. Thats really a bit suspicious, isnt it? Its my favorite Bichsel story. The friends Id attended the reading with and I spent a long time afterwards talking about it and how perfectly it represents Bichsels oeuvre. At first glance, it seems simple and light-hearted, a little fairy tale, butlike all good fairy taleswhen you try to analyze it, you find you cant grasp it. It eludes you like a firefly thats just beyond the reach of your jar. And so you keep coming back to it, over and over, for years, and every time you find its gotten better, brighter. So thats what you need to know about Bichsel: hes a storyteller in the truest, most magical sense of the word, and everyone whos spent time with him or his work loves him. (One journalist who interviewed him in 2017 commented that hed yet to hear anyone say anything bad about Bichsel.) Hes spent most of his life in a very smalland very beautifulSwiss town called Solothurn, where everyone knows him and knows that he can usually be found sitting in the Beiz, the pub, trading stories with anyone willing to while away the hours. Bichsel basically skyrocketed to fame in the 1960s with a short story collection about the everyday alienation of ordinary Swiss people, and ever since then, hes been known as a master of the short form. In addition to his storiesmany of which are taught in Swiss and German schoolshes best known for his newspaper columns, which he wrote regularly from 1975 to 2014, and which are as brilliant and varied as Robert Walsers feuilleton pieces. Hes a realist, mostly, but a lot of his work has an experimental edge, and the fact that hes also written sermons and fables makes him hard to pin down completely. Because his style is direct and accessible, hes often one of the first writers that students of German come to love reading in the original. (That was certainly true of me!) The major difficulty with the portfolio, of course, was that almost nothing of Bichsels work has ever been translated into English (two editions of his early short-story collections did appear in the 1970s, but they didnt do very well and have been out of print for decades). So we were essentially introducing him from scratch. That was exciting, obviously, but also quite daunting. We wanted to simultaneously represent Bichsels whole careerno small feat, given that hes been writing prolifically for over fifty yearsand give an idea of his range as a writer. We also wanted to select those pieces that would best resonate with Anglophone readers. On the other hand, his Swissness is essential to his work, so we had to make sure that came through as well, and to figure out how to provide historical context in a way that didnt feel overwhelming. What made this all a little more challenging is the fact that we only have two German-speaking editors on staff: me, and my colleague Daniel Medin. In those early stages, Daniel had his hands full with other projects, so my job became to read as much of Bichsels complete works as I could and start gathering pieces for translation. That was a great assignment, by the way, and I highly recommend it. It was a beautiful reminder that one never does anything alone, even reading; that its always shared. I was lucky to get in touch with two people early in the process, for example: Bichsels French translator, Alexandre Pateau, and his old friend and longtime promoter, the literary critic and professor Daniel Rothenbuhler. They both not only have an encyclopedic knowledge of Bichsels work, which they shared generously and continuously, but were also my first fellow readers outside of M&L. (Incidentally, Bichsel himself knows all about the value of fellow readers: Whenever I see two people embracing on the street, he says, I think: Theyve read the same book.) After that initial round of selection, there was all the usual coordination work: agreeing on the table of contents, recruiting translators, securing publication permissions and later images, plus editing the translations and producing things like editors introductions and footnotes. Once the table of contents was set, editing the translations was definitely the most work-intensive phase. We were lucky to be working with a lot of truly excellent translators, but ensuring that theres a coherent voice throughout the portfolio is a different challenge than ensuring that each individual piece is well done. Moreover, Bichsel is deceptively hard to translate. His style is very clean and colloquial; his sentences seem so straightforward that you dont realize how tightly constructed they are, what delicacy and specificity they achieve, until you write them in English and think, Wait, why does this suddenly sound stupid? The second time I met Bichsel in personlast May in Solothurn, at the Beiz, of coursehe mentioned that his translators will often write to him asking what he meant by this or that particular word. He said he always tells them, Oh, that words not important. Only the story is important. As long as you get the story right, you can use whatever word you want. You can make up words, if you want! Its a very generous attitude, and one that we all tried to keep in mind as we worked. A.S.: It occurs to me that youre not merely translating, providing critical context, and performing the editorial work of selecting from a vast body of work, youre also essentially acting as a cultural translator faced with the task of deciding how much of Bichsels worklight-handed, ironic, lyrical, and deceptively simpleis uniquely Swiss and difficult to comprehend out of context, and what additional information a reader might require to gain access to it. M.L.: Absolutelyof course, this is always an issue that one encounters to some extent as a translator, but even more so as an editor. Since, as I mentioned, we were basically introducing an author to a brand-new readership and culture, the question of how, and how much, to contextualize him was constantly on our minds. It began with selecting the material for inclusion: some of Bichsels essays are incredibly dependent on their Swiss context, for instance, including the appropriately named Des Schweizers Schweiz (translated in the portfolio by Adrian Nathan West as A Swiss Among Swiss). That essay might be a little off-putting to readers who dont know much about Switzerland and its oddities, but it was one of the essays that cemented Bichsels fame. It was published in 1967, three years after his wildly successful debut short story collection, and its extremely polemical. He pulls no punches in his critiques of his home country, and yet the essay is also about how much he himself feels he belongs to Switzerland: What pleases and irritates me, he writes, what exasperates and amuses me, what matters to me, pertains almost exclusively to Switzerland and the Swiss. That essay might ask some English readers to do a bit of extra work, but its an indispensable part of Bichsels literary biography, and so we decided it really had to be there. As the portfolio developed, I also ended up being responsible for writing the bulk of the footnotes and introductions to the various pieces, and that was sometimes tricky, for precisely the reasons you mention above. How much background information is necessary to ground readers who arent familiar with the context at all, and how much is an imposition or an unfair guiding of their reading? We spent a long time talking about how to frame the issue of language in Switzerland, for example: Swiss Germans write in High German, the same version of the language as is written and spoken in Germany, but they speak in various forms of Swiss dialect, which is usually unintelligible to someone from Germany. Bichsel refers to and plays with this fact frequently in his work, so it was important for readers to know about, even if theyre only going to be reading Bichsel in English. References to the political and cultural relationship between Switzerland and Germany also crop up, and a lot of that historyparticularly in the 1970s and 80s, when Germany was still dividedis going to be foreign to Anglophone readers. We tried to find a balance between footnotes, introductions to specific pieces, and solutions within the translations themselves to help readers stay oriented. Sometimes I got a little lost myself, not only because I was so deep into Bichsels work, but also because Ive lived in Germany for most of my adult life, so Ive kind of forgotten whats common knowledge for Americans. I kept texting Taylor, my fellow editor, who luckily does not speak German, with absurd questions like, Do you know who Karl May is? Does the GDR mean anything to you? And he would say no, and then Id write a footnote about Karl May and replace all the instances of GDR with East Germany. A.S.: What have been some of the trickier aspects of translating Peter Bichsels writing? M.L.: Bichsel is great fun to translate, even though, as I said, its more difficult than you might think at first glance. One of the earliest and thorniest problems I encountered when I started translating The Goshawk (the title story in a collection from 1985) was the title. (Titles are such an underappreciated part of translation! I feel like my translator friends and I all owe a few of our grey hairs to the search for a good title.) Ive written about this in more detail elsewhere, but essentially: the story is called Der Busant in German, which is a medievaland, to most contemporary German readers, not immediately recognizableform of the word for buzzard. The story is a sort of postmodern adaptation of an old Alsatian romance about two lovers who elope, only to be separated when a buzzard steals a ring from a necklace on the princesss throat. Her lover runs off into the woods in pursuit of the bird, gets lost, and then they spend the rest of their lives trying to find each other again, until theyre finally reunited in old age. Its a poignant, slightly absurd story about destiny and chance and love and frustration. The buzzard is the catalyst of the story, but not really the villain; its a wild animal, it likes shiny things, its just acting according to its nature. Bichsel re-imagines the story as taking place in his hometown of Solothurn in a time period that refuses to be specifiedsometimes it seems to be the Middle Ages, sometimes its the early twentieth century, sometimes the present day. The buzzard has become Herr Busant, a nostalgic old aristocrat who wants to turn Solothurn into a kind of Disneyland-esque museum town for tourists. (One might also argue that Bichsel himself plays the buzzard here, as the storyteller who must keep the story going even as he seeks to give the impression that its out of his control.) In any case, so many important themes of the story coalesce around this image that the title in English really had to be something like Der Busant, but The Buzzard is terrible, and every other obvious variation just felt flat to meThe Hawk was boring; a comparable medieval English word like hafoc is too far from hawk and too close to havoc, etc. (Alexandre told me hed wanted to call his French translation Loiseau de malheur, The Bird of Misfortune, and I was like, damn! I wish Id thought of that.) But instead I went looking through encyclopedias of birds of prey, trying to find something convincing. Now, a goshawk is not technically the same thing as a buzzard, but it is a member of the same family, and more importantly, it has featured in Chaucer and T.H. White and so has not only literary credentials, but even medieval ones. And Herr Busant could become Lord Goshawk without a wince (can you imagine a Lord Buzzard!), so it felt right. A.S.: In a recent interview I did with Mui Poopoksakul, the foremost translator of contemporary Thai literature into English, she spoke about how much unseen work is involved in her profession: she is essentially a scout, agent, spokeswoman, interpreter, public relations person, gatekeeper, and translator rolled into one. Without this level of commitment, the authors she has translatedwho have since gone on to receive overwhelming critical attentionwould never have seen their works in print in English translation. How many invisible, yet crucial tasks are involved in editing a magazine like Music & Literature? M.L.: Mui is wonderful and I admire her immensely, not only because shes a brilliant translator, but precisely because shes become such a tireless and thoughtful advocate for Thai literature. Translators always do a lot of unseen and unacknowledged work, and I can only imagine how much truer this must be for translators of less-common languages. M&L is also a labor of love in this respect; a lot of work happens before an issue ever even starts to take shape, but its nebulous work like meeting people, making connections, forming relationships. One thing I appreciate so much about the project is how strong our commitment remains to all the artists weve worked with even after the issue is finished. These are really long-term relationshipsespecially my colleagues Daniel and Taylor Davis-Van Atta have worked very hard to continue promoting authors, composers, and performers weve worked with in the past. We believe in the people and the work we feature, and in my experience, that goodwill comes back around, so really, everybody wins. A.S.: We also spoke about differences in the post-war dilemma of writing in German. In the years after Nazi Germanys capitulation, for many German writers, the language itself continued to be a minefield; in his LTI (Lingua tertii imperii, the Language of the Third Reich), written during years of forced labor, the German Jewish writer and philologist Victor Klemperer analyzed, in detail, how Nazi propaganda and ideology had so corrupted the German language that critical thought had become nearly impossible. Bichsel, on the other hand, contends that he experienced none of this; to his mind, Switzerland was not an aggressor and did not carry the post-war guilt Germany had to contend with, and Swiss German had therefore remained untainted. Is Bichsel oversimplifying? M.L.: Well, the distinction itself could be called oversimplifying, but many writers in both Germany and Switzerland do seem to have found it useful. Its a fascinating and often fraught issue, and I think its important to note that different generations of writers in both countries have responded differently to it over time. Bichsel, for instance, tends to speak about the problem of language in fairly personal terms. He was ten years old in 1945; his generation didnt experience the break or rupture in the language (let alone in the society!) that their counterparts in Germany did. Bichsel never had to make an effort not to speak like Hitler, as he says he knows his German friends did. But I think he often finds, or found, that position quite uncomfortablehe writes that being Swiss is like being an innocent German, but he was always quick to point out that Switzerlands claims of innocence were absolute lies. Switzerland was famously complicit in a number of Nazi venturesespecially financial onesand Bichsel had no illusions about that. So theres a sense of shame underlying that innocence. And yet, it was true for much of Bichsels life that a German book would inevitably be read in the shadow of the war, whereas a Swiss book wouldnt. Bichsel, simply by virtue of being Swiss, wasnt expected to deal with the legacy of Auschwitz, yet he wrote in the same language as people who were expected to deal with it, and I think that fact never failed to strike him as strange and deeply significant. A.S.: Youre an excellent essayist; when we first met, wed both written essays for an issue of Music & Literature dedicated to Clarice Lispector, and I was immediately struck by your elegant analytical style. I also recall a beautiful piece on Tove Jansson published in the Los Angeles Review of Books. What were your favorite essaysand whats next? M.L.: Thank you, thats very kind of you to say. You know Im in awe of your own skills as an essayist! Yes, Tove Jansson has been a favorite of mine ever since before I could read, so it was wonderful to get to write about her. Although it can be very difficult to write about authors you love. Ive tried to write about Anne Carson, for instance, and its a disaster. (I have to think of one of her own lines, a translation of Euripides: It was ordained for mecatastrophethats the level of drama were talking about!) And sometimes I still struggle to write about Bichsel. But when it does work out, those are the essays Ive enjoyed most. I wrote a more personal essay for M&L no. 6 about Dubravka Ugresic, one of my absolute favorite writers, whose novel The Museum of Unconditional Surrender came to me, completely by chance, at exactly the right moment in my life. I loved writing about Can Xue. (Who is also an M&L author, but I swear thats just coincidence!) And I think, way back when we first met, I had just published a long piece on Jachym TopolI still rather like that one as well. I cant get enough of Eastern Europeansalways loved the Russians and the former Yugoslavians. Otherwise, there are a couple of early twentieth-century English authors Im obsessed with and would love to write long, gushing things aboutLord Dunsany and Hope Mirrlees. Bichsels observations on fellow readers come to mind again here, too: he said that the purpose of the critic is to be a public fellow reader, and so if what I really want is to find someone who loves The King of Elflands Daughter (which sounds ridiculous, I know, but trust me, its the most beautiful book) or Lud-in-the-Mist as much as I do, then perhaps I have to find them via criticism. And speaking of Bichsel, I do hope to translate more of his work in the future as well. A friend and I are hatching a plan to maybe do a trilingual version of one of his sermons; Id love for that to happen. A.S.: Id love for that to happen too! Madeleine, thank you for this conversation. Madeleine LaRue is a writer, translator, and senior editor and director of publicity for Music & Literature. She lives in Berlin. This conversation marks my eleventh month as a columnist for 3 Quarks Daily. Ive talked to artist Joy Garnett about her famous Egyptian poet and beekeeping grandfather; Liesl Schillinger about literature and politics; and Saskia Vogel about sex, pornography, and her debut novel Permission. Theres also a conversation with Myriam Naumann that explores the connecting points between my book A Lesser Day and an installation I exhibited several months back at the Berlin gallery Maniere Noire, titled The Ethnic Chinese Millionaire. The series can be found in its entirety here. My next 3Quarks conversation, which will appear on June 17, will be with the author Aimee Parkison. "It was exciting! In the 1960s, we were in the process of desegregation," Brickler said. Leading the charge to integration, Brickler welcomed indigent white women into his practice. FAMU hospital would eventually close in 1971 due to a lack of state funding. However, as a result of numerous conversations and careful planning between administrators and doctors at both facilities, FAMU hospital staff were brought on board at Tallahassee Memorial. Nobody was let go, Brickler recalled, and there was no disruption in service. "The hospital that was taking care of the black community at the time was closing due to lack of funding," he explained. "It was our job -- from the black community side and the white community side -- to desegregate without any undue disruption in service. We got that done and desegregated the white hospital by bringing staff from the old A&M hospital on board with their full responsibilities. "We actually had started desegregation by taking indigent white obstetrical patients; we desegregated the black hospital first. I had my role, and I wasn't by any means a sole person involved. It took the whole community to get this done, and I'm pretty proud of it." Given Brickler's lifelong focus on welcoming new generations into the world, it's not at all surprising that what he treasures most about his long career is the work he's done to help others take on that role. "I am most proud of establishing the midwifery system that we have here in this region," he said. "The system has provided health care for indigent mothers in rural areas, which is something very much needed in our area and other areas." Thanks to that work, half a dozen midwives now provide prenatal care to women at surrounding county health departments. Anderson-Brickler Midwifery Obstetrical Services is also affiliated with the Tallahassee Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, where Brickler has trained more than 330 residents to provide inpatient obstetrics. His lasting impact has earned him numerous awards, including Family Doctor of the Year in 1982, the last year the award was bestowed jointly by the AAFP and Good Housekeeping magazine. He's also received two lifetime achievement awards and ran the Olympic torch through Tallahassee for the 1996 Olympics. In 2014, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital named part of its facility in his honor, and today, women visit the Alexander D. Brickler, M.D., Women's Pavilion for their health care. It goes without saying that Brickler's seen a host of changes in his long career, and not all of them positive, in his opinion. "Family medicine has changed so dramatically since I got into it years and years ago. Family physicians have withdrawn from the hospital and that type of intensive care. It's rare to find them in a large city environment doing in-hospital care. It's an evolutionary change. I regret that." Even so, while Brickler is enjoying his retirement, there's another Dr. Brickler providing women's health care in Tallahassee. Brickler's son Alexander J. "A.J." Brickler III, M.D., an OB/Gyn, continues delivering on his father's legacy of exceptional care and, of course, Brickler Babies. After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is... Professor Dr. Nguyen Ky Phung, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Science and Technology, stated in the conference that it is necessary to invite the fourth partner who is also the investor to take part in the promotion of staple industrial products in HCMC. At the moment, around 95 percent of businesses in the city are small- and medium-scale ones, leading to an unavoidable limit of resources. Therefore, the collaboration between educational, research institutes and companies is essential for the commercialization of a product. Voices were raised that university researches normally focus too much on the technological aspect, yet lack the careful study on market demands. Thus, research results are usually too expensive for the market use. There is an urgent need to form a close connection between enterprises investors, and research centers, with clear identification of rights and responsibilities of each side before any research project is launched. At the end of 2018, the HCMC Peoples Committee published the list of Staple Industrial Products and Potential Industrial Products of HCMC from 2018 2020. Accordingly, the seven staple products are those from prefabricated metal, those from plastic and rubber, electric equipment, processed food, beverages, electronic and information technology products, and ready-to-wear clothes. The group of potential industrial products includes medicines, pharmaceutical chemistry products, and pharmaceutical materials. By BA TAN Translated by Vien Hong Full slate planned in 2022 by Aberdeen Community Theatre Aberdeen Community Theatre eased in to 2021 with three live performances and is now planning six live stage performances in 2022. No business that locates in Rio Rancho is mandated to be a good community partner, and theres no law that it give back in any way, shape or form. McDonalds franchise owners Julian Garza and his daughter, Clemy, do those things anyway. The McDonalds on N.M. 528 in Rio Rancho hosted a graduation ceremony on April 11 for 39 English Under the Arches graduates. The 39 celebrants, McDonalds employees who wanted to learn English to thrive in life and in their jobs, needed only to have been working at McDonalds for 90 days to qualify for free tuition to take classes in English at Central New Mexico Community College. The EUA program had 23 additional graduates from four northern New Mexico McDonalds restaurants. The courses were designed for single, working parents with a blended method of face-to-face and virtual classes, accomplished when time permitted. CNM also works with McDonalds to offer these employees English as a Second Language courses and, through Archways, they have an opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma or college degree. The two big checks written by the Garzas were for $185,000 in CNMs tuition costs and one for more than $114,700 for other tuition assistance since April 2017, including the College Online High School program and tuition assistance programs available to all employees. Clemy Garza said she knows that some of the McDonalds employees who took advantage, or will take advantage, of these programs wont necessarily be McDonalds employees for life or maybe even a few more months. Before, they couldnt get beyond the kitchen, she said, happy to see some promoted to counter work and interacting with customers. Soon, she said, financial literacy classes will be offered, as part of the ESL pathway. Were increasing their earning capacity, she added. Were working on a curriculum to start in the fall. Garza said that McDonalds also provided senior pictures for members of the class of 2019 who live on the West Side and in Rio Rancho, with graduates choices of four settings. Summing up the local franchises involvement the Garzas have eight stores on the West Side and in Rio Rancho she said, Thats what benefits my community. Hamburger helpers Also intent on benefiting their community, every year, Sandia Vista Elementarys student council, made up of the older kids there the fifth graders decide on a community project, or maybe several. This school year, the student council decided to focus on one recipient and selected Ronald McDonald House, where families of children with cancer can find lodging and stay close to their children in a nearby hospital. The fifth graders recently visited the Ronald McDonald House in Southeast Albuquerque and were impressed by what they saw. And, fifth grade teacher and student council sponsor Jimmy Mares said, the school will donate more than $2,200 to Ronald McDonald House at an assembly on May 9, thanks to the ongoing Penny Wars. The grade that scores the most points will win a lunch, provided by McDonalds on Field Day at the school. Heres how the scoring works: All pennies are worth a penny apiece for the grade that collects them, but silver coins and dollar bills count as negative points. In other words, a $1 bill negates 100 pennies in a jug. Hence, students in fourth grade wanting to decrease the fifth-graders chance of winning may drop dollar bills there were some $5 bills evident in some jugs and quarters into the fifth grade jug. Mares said he spent nearly five hours last month at a bank, where the coins and bills were collected. In March, the school also had a toiletry drive that amassed 4,000 items, also headed to Ronald McDonald House. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Editors Note: This story has been changed to reflect the correct deadline for the city to submit election details to the New Mexico Secretary of State. Albuquerques City Council could soon change the way citizens select their leaders, potentially overhauling the system in time for this falls local election. Three councilors including two currently running to keep their seats have proposed a shift to ranked-choice voting in municipal elections for city councilors and the mayor. The process, already used by the city of Santa Fe, would eliminate costly runoff elections and be more respectful of the time and resources of City voters, according to the legislation sponsored by Councilors Isaac Benton and Pat Davis, both Democrats seeking reelection, and Republican Brad Winter, who is not pursuing another term. But City Councilor Don Harris said he thinks the matter should go to city voters and is questioning the fairness of making a significant adjustment during election season. It leaves a troubling perception of councilors who are running for reelection also changing the rules of the election in the middle of it, Harris, a Republican, said. Harris has introduced his own legislation that would put the ranked-choice voting question out to voters. Davis said the council routinely makes election-related decisions and he sees this as no different. Because only one challenger has emerged in Davis race, ranked-choice voting will likely not affect him this year. But he said the potential costs of a runoff for other seats lends the issue some urgency. The 2017 mayoral election runoff cost the city $840,890, according to the legislation. The mayor is not up for election this year, but four of nine council seats are. Six candidates, including Benton, have sought public financing to campaign for the councils District 2 seat. There are five candidates doing the same in District 4, which Winter is leaving after 20 years. The idea its going to save the city anywhere from a half-million to a million dollars that we really need right now for public safety and other things to get what all the experts tell us is going to be the same (election) results by using ranked-choice voting seems to me to make the case even stronger to get it done this year, Davis said. But the window for making a decision in time for the Nov. 5 election is closing. State law requires the city to submit election details to the New Mexico Secretary of States Office by early June 30. However, the councils Finance & Government Operations Committee has yet to advance the ranked-choice legislation to the full City Council. The committee on April 8 postponed action until May 13. Harris, the committees chair, then canceled the May 13 session because he was out of town. Benton said it appears Harris is stalling, so he will likely make a motion at tonights City Council meeting to bypass the committee and put the bill on the councils June 3 agenda. That procedural move would require support from six of the nine councilors. Benton does not agree that ranked-choice voting would serve as an obvious benefit for his reelection prospects, saying he thought it could go either way. But he said ranked-choice voting is a practical election mechanism and he thinks its implementation should probably rest with the council. Its technical, its a mathematical formula, and weve never had it before, he said. Theres something to be said of giving it a try and keeping it in the hands of the council in case it needs to be adjusted. But Harris said the dramatic overhaul is another reason not to put ranked-choice voting in place this year 2019 is the first time the city is holding a combined election with other local government agencies. That may already create confusion, he said. Theres just not enough time to educate people and too much can go wrong, he said. Albuquerques charter requires a candidate for councilor or mayor receive at least 50% of the vote to win election. If no candidate reaches that threshold under the citys existing election rules, the top two finishers go head-to-head in a separate runoff. SHIPROCK Shortly after students settled in their Navajo culture and language class on a recent Thursday, teacher Joseph Chee told them about the early morning birth of twin lambs at his home. Chee, a bilingual teacher at Career Prep High School, talked about fixing a place for the lambs to stay and what their arrival means to him as a Navajo man. It was such a sight. I sang. I got their bedding ready in a little cubicle, then I talked to them, he said before speaking in the Navajo language about telling the ewe to take care of her lambs. Chees practice of fusing the Navajo way of life into lessons about the culture and language has defined his teaching style for decades. Because of his approach, as well as devotion to sustaining Navajo traditions and values, he was named Teacher of the Year for Region 2 by the National Johnson-OMalley Association. The association is a nonprofit educational organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Among its purposes is to advocate for the Johnson-OMalley Program, a federal program that provides supplemental funding and services for eligible Native American students enrolled in public schools. I always try to make an impact, not only with students, but with the community, as well, Chee said in an interview at the school. Over the years, hes developed a teaching style that incorporates the two worlds where his students live, a method that furthers their understanding of the Navajo language. That connection is influenced by his graduate and doctoral studies. He examined language acquisition. In class, he encourages students to engage in lessons, whether its singing traditional songs or painting their interpretations of Navajo philosophy. You try to take a natural setting from the home and bring it into the classroom, he said. Roland Shorty, a junior, has been taking Navajo cultural and language classes since elementary school. Shorty said he likes how Chee sings traditional songs then deconstructs their meanings by relating a song to situations students face, whether it is thinking about the next steps in education or holistic well-being. These explanations helped Shorty when he attended a ceremony recently. It made me feel more uplifted. It gave me more knowledge, he said. Chee has been an educator for more than 30 years and has been with the Central Consolidated School District since 2001. We celebrate with Dr. Joseph Chee in being recognized by the National Johnson-OMalley Association. He is an excellent educator and deserving of the accolades he receives for his dedication to students, interim Superintendent Terri Benn said. Chee said he enjoys collaborating with fellow Navajo language and immersion program teachers. Im part of a group across the Navajo Nation who want to continue to keep the culture and the language alive, he said. Chee is Kinlichiinii (Red House Clan), born for Totsohnii (Big Water Clan). His maternal grandfather clan is Ashiihii (Salt People) and his paternal grandfather clan is Tlaashchii (Red Cheek People). He was raised by his maternal grandparents, who provided his cultural foundation, in an area between Many Farms and Round Rock in Arizona. Time is terribly short, but a strike can still succeed. John Bolton, in a March 26, 2015, New York Times op-ed headlined, To Stop Irans Bomb, Bomb Iran President Donald Trump campaigned as an isolationist, criticizing foreign military entanglements. As far back as 2013, he tweeted, Can you believe that the Afghan war is our longest war ever bring our troops home, rebuild the U.S., make America great again. He has made the point repeatedly as president. In an April 2018 press conference, discussing Syria, Trump said: I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home. I want to start rebuilding our nation. We will have, as of three months ago, $7 trillion in the Middle East over the last 17 years. We get nothing nothing out of it, nothing. Despite his rhetoric, Trumps every move in the Middle East now seems committed to conflict and potentially to war with Iran. John Bolton is clearly at the vanguard, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo backing him up. Iranian diplomat Seyed Hossein Mousavian is a former senior negotiator for Iran on the nuclear issue and currently a research scholar at Princeton University. Mousavian expressed his concerns last week on the Democracy Now! news hour: I expected such a situation after Ambassador John Bolton was nominated as national security adviser, he said. Noting as well the influential roles of key Trump allies, Mousavian concluded, The four Bs team John Bolton, (Israeli Prime Minister) Bibi Netanyahu, (the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi) bin Salman and bin Zayed now have excellent position at the White House to push the U.S. (into) the dream they have had for years and years and years to drag the U.S. into a war with Iran. Citing at least half a dozen unnamed Trump administration officials, The New York Times reported last week that the Pentagon has submitted plans to ship 120,000 U.S. troops to the region in response to Iranian threats. While he denied the report, Trump declared nevertheless: Now would I do that? Absolutely. But I have not planned for that. If we did that, wed send a hell of a lot more troops than that. The White House has ordered an aircraft carrier strike group and bomber wing to the region, as Bolton stated, to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on United States interests will be met with unrelenting force. British Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, a key commander of the multinational force deployed to Iraq and Syria, refuted the U.S. allegations, saying, Theres been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. He was quickly rebutted by a spokesperson from U.S. Central Command, who said an attack from Iran was possibly imminent. In the midst of these conflicting statements, the U.S. ordered nonessential personnel to vacate its sprawling Green Zone embassy complex in Baghdad, just 100 miles from the Iranian border. While U.S. officials have released photos of small Iranian boats with missiles, many observers in Europe, Iraq and the United States Congress say the missiles are likely defensive. Meanwhile, U.S. ally Saudi Arabia is reporting that two empty oil tankers were sabotaged as they returned to be loaded with oil bound for the U.S. Once again, they have not said who did it. The Trump administration is setting up a potential flashpoint, with U.S. and Iranian forces in close proximity. Any accident or skirmish could serve as a pretext for U.S. military escalation. Bolton has not hidden his desire to effect regime change in Iran, in Venezuela, in Cuba and beyond. He beats the drums of war, but as a young Yale University graduate in 1970 with a draft number that likely would have landed him in Vietnam, he quickly joined the Maryland National Guard to avoid deployment. He wrote in his Yale 25th anniversary yearbook, I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy. Now, whispering into the ear of Trump, who received five draft deferments during Vietnam, including one in the spring of 1968 for bone spurs, John Bolton, along with Trump, is willing to send 120,000 or more U.S. troops into war. Now is the time for everyone including the anti-war movement here in the U.S., members of Congress and, yes, any dissidents within the Trump administration to join with countries around the world, to declare forcefully to the chicken hawks: No war with Iran. 2019 Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan. Distributed by King Features Syndicate. SAN DIEGO Sometimes the gods offer human beings a mulligan, a chance to right a past wrong. When a 19-year-old white man shot up a synagogue in Poway, California, the attack got me thinking. Jews have been terrorized for 5,000 years. And when theyve sought refuge, theyve been turned away. Just think what Jews experienced as refugees during World War II. You can see that story on display in Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem. Visitors can see an enormous map of the globe plastered on an entire wall where, country by country, they can see who took in Jews fleeing Adolf Hitlers reign of terror and who refused to take them in, usually because of fear, prejudice and hatred. The message comes through loud and clear: Jewish people are keeping score. Good for the Jews. We ought to remember who served humanity and who failed it. Americans failed. Ours is a remarkable country, but Id count at least five great sins: the conquest of Native Americans, the enslavement of African Americans, the invasion of Mexico that created the Southwest, the internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and turning away Jews seeking refuge during World War II. One of the most notorious episodes occurred in June 1939, when the German ocean liner SS St. Louis and its 937 passengers, almost all Jewish refugees were turned away from a port in Miami, where the ship had tried to dock after being rejected by Cuba. The SS St. Louis was forced to return to Europe. Historians say more than a quarter of the passengers died in the Holocaust. And we can live with that? Its a sad but familiar tale. Regardless of U.S. policy, everyday Americans did not put out welcome mats for Armenians fleeing genocidal Turks, Cubans seeking liberation from Castro, or the Hmong who escaped the North Vietnamese intent on killing them for aiding U.S. troops during the Vietnam War. These are the stories that bring tears to my eyes. Thats because I expect more of America. The country I love is better than that. Yet fear, prejudice and hatred are powerful things. Because of anti-Semitism in the U.S., it wasnt until 1945 after the war and 10 years after the German Reichstag passed the Nuremberg laws, which restricted the rights of Jews that President Harry Truman issued an executive order giving refugee preference to Jews fleeing Europe. Incredibly, even then, some anti-Semites in Congress pushed back. Americans should ask themselves: How many Jews died in the decade that we dithered? One hopes that, the next time we get tested, it doesnt take us 10 years to conquer our demons and listen to our better angels. Guess what. The test is today. The United States now has a whole new crop of refugees to contend with. This time, theyre fleeing Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which are all hotbeds of violence. There is your border crisis. These days, most of the people crossing are not economic immigrants from Mexico, whose numbers are way down. With more opportunity in Mexico, folks are staying put. Refugees dont have that option. You cant stay home when the house is on fire. You jump out the window and pray for mercy. Some will see the comparison. Others dont want to see it. We dont have to say that brown-skinned Latino refugees coming from Central America in 2019 are exactly the same as light-skinned Jewish refugees who came from Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. And we dont have to argue that ruthless and well-armed drug gangs in Central America are the moral equivalent of the Nazis. Thats not the point. This is about the common denominator: Americans, and how they treat the stranger. Despite what it says in the brochure, the answer often depends on just how strange the visitor appears to the hosts. Im sick of duplicity and double talk. Its time to decide whether or not were going to live up to our brand. Is America still, as advertised, a nation of immigrants seeking opportunity and a safe haven for refugees yearning to breathe free? Or not? If President Trump gets his way, the answer will be not. In remarks from the White House on Thursday, Trump complained that many of todays asylum claims are frivolous. How would we ever know if thats true if we dont give people a fair hearing? Americans have a chance to make amends to the annals of history. We cant afford to fail again. Email ruben@rubennavarrette.com. 2019, The Washington Post Writers Group. KINGSVILLE, Texas In the early 1980s, many scientists believed the endangered ocelot, a spotted wildcat that once roamed as far north as Arkansas and Louisiana, had died out in Texas. Then, on a late winter day in 1982 on a remote Willacy County ranch, a young biologist named Michael Tewes trapped the first Texas ocelot of the modern era. Since then, Tewes has gone on to become the dean of ocelot research, training a generation of ocelot scientists, and the cat has become perhaps the most iconic endangered species in South Texas. The ocelot has been the rallying cry for decades of efforts to preserve natural habitat in the rapidly urbanizing Rio Grande Valley and the centerpiece of a series of environmental campaigns against controversial projects like the border wall. So it was noteworthy when earlier this month, Tewes delivered a blistering condemnation of ocelot preservation work, declaring the push to create additional habitat an abject failure. In a report released April 8, Tewes wrote that the strategy of building wildlife corridors to connect the last remaining groups of 80 or so ocelots with Mexico, the very underpinning of what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and environmental groups had spent millions of dollars to pursue, was based on ecological fairy tales that might have done more harm than good. My intention was to give the facts as well as Ive seen and understood them, he said before delivering his findings as part of a faculty lecture at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where he is the Frank Daniel Yturria Endowed Chair for Wild Cat Studies. Over 35 years, Ive developed insights no one else has. I expect to be attacked quite a bit. Tewes conclusions could have far-reaching consequences in the Rio Grande Valley and comes just as the region is wrestling with twin environmental fights over the border wall and proposed natural gas facilities on environmentally sensitive land at the Brownsville Ship Channel. The need to protect ocelot habitat has been a central theme of efforts to block both projects. But Tewes argues that while building and protecting expensive wildlife corridors and refuges in the Valley might have helped other species, such as migratory waterfowl, they have failed to bring any benefit to the ocelot. The wildcats future, he argues, has been hijacked, in some instances for political causes. I believe we have less habitat and fewer ocelots than when I began working on ocelots, he wrote. Perhaps even more concerning, we squandered 25 precious years in the ongoing countdown to ocelot (extinction) within the United States. Environmental activists say Tewes message, however well intentioned, represents a dangerous threat to the larger conservation movement in Texas and to species that dont enjoy federally mandated protection under the Endangered Species Act. Jim Chapman, vice president of the Rio Grande Valley group Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, said Tewes report could undercut environmental campaigns to protect sensitive habitats and hurt the push to acquire new conservation lands. He is one of the preeminent cat biologists, but his focus is on nothing but the cats, Chapman said. There is a real damaging downside to that narrow focus. Hes doing more damage to wildlife overall than any other biologist. Mitch Sternberg, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist with the South Texas Refuge Complex, said agency officials were shocked by Tewes report but said it contained some valid points. The agency plans to reach out to him to be part of a more transparent dialogue. We are equally frustrated with the challenges to make progress for ocelots, Sternberg told the American-Statesman. But we would all be better off to be communicating and collaborating more. The last remaining Texas ocelots live in two small groups in the Rio Grande Valley about 30 miles apart. About a dozen cats are believed to live on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge along the Gulf Coast, while a larger group of perhaps 50 or so ocelots lives on private ranches in the northern reaches of the Rio Grande Valley in Willacy County. Ocelots depend on a particular type of habitat that is rapidly disappearing in the Rio Grande Valley: Tamaulipan thornscrub, which is made up of gnarly catclaw bushes, spiny hackberry and mesquite. Its territory that has largely been plowed over for farmland and cities over the past century. Prime ocelot habitat, in often isolated patches, now makes up less than 1% of the Rio Grande Valley. The Fish and Wildlife Services central ocelot strategy has involved protecting and connecting those patches of habitat through land acquisitions to allow ocelots to expand their ranges. The ultimate goal of the wildlife corridors is to build a connection to Mexican ocelots and introduce some badly needed genetic diversity into the Texas populations, which have been inbreeding for generations, making them more susceptible to extinction. In all, the agency has sought to build five wildlife corridors in the Rio Grande Valley, including a connection between the two ocelot groups. According to agency reports to Congress, federal officials spent $17.7 million on ocelot protection efforts in 2016 and 2017. Overall, more than $75 million has been spent on land acquisition over the past three decades. In addition to preserving habitat suitable for ocelots, the refuges protect habitat for rare migratory birds and provide one of the last remaining bulwarks against increasing development. But Tewes says he has found no evidence that ocelots are using landscape corridors to connect with other groups. Instead, he writes, I am concerned that dispersing ocelots are likely using landscape corridors to enter an ecological black hole destined for oblivion. Tewes worries that the unfinished corridors, which contain gaps and run close to roads, will lure ocelots out of the relative safety of the Atascosa refuge and into an inhospitable area of highways and open ground. Vehicle strikes represent one of the greatest threats, with half a dozen ocelots killed on roadways in 2015 and 2016. And if Texas ocelots make it to the Rio Grande, its unclear what they would find. Tewes says the closest verified ocelot populations in Mexico are at least 100 miles from the border and genetic studies show that it has been many decades since Mexican and Texas cats intermingled. Quit talking about the fairy tale of linkage with Mexico, he said. Environmental groups say Tewes paints an overly grim assessment, pointing to isolated cases of ocelots traveling great distances. In 1995, a Mexican ocelot crossed the Rio Grande into the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, though it did not mate, and a few years later, a ranch ocelot nearly made it to the Atascosa group. It really is possible, so why not make it easier and less dangerous for them? said Rob Peters, senior representative for the southwest office of Defenders of Wildlife. Conservation doesnt happen overnight. It takes a huge amount of work and investment. Sternberg, the government biologist, said that while it has been a challenge to see more direct benefits for ocelots we are hopeful and look to the long-game. Wildlife corridor establishment in South Texas has been driven in part by ocelot recovery but also for the benefit of hundreds of other wildlife species, he said. Tewes argues the ocelots best hope lies in expanding habitats on private ranches in Willacy County, where development pressure is low and where he says ranchers have a natural goal to preserve ocelot habitat, which is also ideal for lucrative quail and deer hunting leases. Two ranches one owned by the family of Frank Yturria and another owned by the East Foundation have been active in promoting conservation of ocelots on their property. Yturria granted a conservation easement to the Nature Conservancy for thousands of acres before he died last year; the foundation has a research team studying its ocelots in partnership with Texas A&M-Kingsville. Tewes said nearby ranchers, who likely have ocelot populations of their own, could be persuaded to undertake a conservation program if they receive assurances from U.S. Fish and Wildlife regarding liability and land use regulation. Sternberg said the agency is ready and willing to discuss arrangements with private landowners. Peters said that while the private ranches are an important piece of the puzzle, publicly managed lands can offer permanent protection and dedicated staff, such as the ocelot biologist at Laguna Atascosa. Tewes condemnations come at a particularly sensitive time for the Fish and Wildlife Services Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, a string of protected parcels stretching along the river from Brownsville to Starr County. Since 1979, the wildlife agency, aided by nonprofits and citing potential benefits for the ocelot, has created nearly 100,000 acres of protected habitat along the Rio Grande. Fish and Wildlife documents obtained last month by the Statesman show that about 15% of refuge lands are slated for planned border fencing in Hidalgo and Starr counties, which environmental groups say will have a devastating impact on the refuges mission. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not dispute the agencys estimate and told the Statesman the border wall is planned across 17 miles of refuge lands. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Rick Pauza said the agency has taken some steps to mitigate environmental damage on refuge land, including moving border fencing on the Arroyo Ramirez tract to its northern edge. He said the agency also is acting on Fish and Wildlife recommendations to broaden ramps over flood levees to aid animals during floods. CBP continues to consult with USFWS to identify animal migration corridors within the Rio Grande Valley where design elements can be incorporated into the barrier that will allow for continued migration of animals, Pauza said. But the Texas Observer had previously reported that border officials brushed off Fish and Wildlife concerns about wall placement, ignoring a request that border fencing skirt the edges of the refuges, rather than bisecting them and destroying habitat. Chapman said that between the border wall plans and Tewes report, wildlife is getting hammered, thats for sure. Tewes report also comes as environmental groups are trying to stop three liquefied natural gas projects just south of the Atascosa refuge. Among the chief arguments against the facilities is that they would prevent the establishment of a corridor that would allow ocelots to reach the Rio Grande. In March, federal regulators ruled the facilities would have adverse environmental effects, but that they could be mitigated with proper planning, according to the Houston Chronicle. Chapman said Tewes report hurts the effort to stop the plants and some environmental groups have questioned Tewes relationship with one of the energy companies seeking to build a liquefied natural gas facility. In December 2015, Annova LNG donated $40,000 to Texas A&M-Kingsvilles Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute for ocelot research. Tewes hailed the donation, saying it would allow the purchase of high-end GPS collars for ocelots. Tewes said that he had concluded linkage with Mexico wasnt feasible before the donation, which he said did not affect his thinking. He said he declined to serve as a consultant to Annova on the project to avoid any perceived conflict of interest. His report, he said, came from years of growing frustration and anguish over the lack of benefits for ocelots from the conservation strategies. While there are deep differences on the best strategy to help ocelots, both sides agree on one crucial step: the need to physically move an ocelot from Mexico into Texas in hopes that it passes on its genes. The effort has been in limbo for several years, in part due to cartel violence that temporarily halted research on the Mexican side. But that effort appears to be gaining steam. In 2018, Mexican scientists found 88 individual ocelots in a mountainous region of Tamaulipas, about 120 miles from the border. Researcher Rogelio Carrera, a professor at the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, is hopeful the number is high enough to persuade the Mexican government to release a few. Carrera said that researchers are planning to conduct a health and disease study this year. This will be the last piece of information needed to plan for moving cats to Texas, he said. We feel optimistic in making all this a reality and hoping to do so next winter. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver have made pledges not to take political action committee money from large corporations in their bids to replace fellow Democrat Tom Udall in the U.S. Senate. But they havent sworn off receiving PAC donations from labor unions or advocacy groups. Lujan pointed out that his father, longtime New Mexico legislator Ben Lujan, was a union iron worker. If labor unions support my campaign, he said, I would be honored to receive their support. Toulouse Oliver said she was not opposed to taking donations from like-minded advocacy groups, including labor unions. Im aligned with the workers, not the big corporations, Toulouse Oliver said. Lujan announced earlier this month he would reject donations from corporate PACs. Toulouse Oliver announced she would not accept corporate PAC money shortly after launching her Senate bid. Lujan said his decision to reject corporate support is in step with the work hes doing as the fourth-ranking Democratic member of the U.S. House. The system is rigged politically for those at the top, he said, making reference to the Houses passage of the For the People Act, which addresses campaign finance issues. The voters trust for the political system has reached an all-time low. Toulouse Oliver also said her pledge was consistent with her work as secretary of state, where she said she has worked on campaign disclosure issues. She said corporate politics has plagued Congress as a whole, particularly in the Senate. Lujan had received corporate PAC money in bids for the U.S. House. But Lujan said he was not sure how much money he had received from corporate PACs in the last quarter before his decision to run for Udalls seat. His first quarter filings with the Federal Election Commission on March 31 showed him with more than $630,000 cash on hand. His filings showed donations of almost $310,000 from PACs. Heather Brewer, campaign spokeswoman for Toulouse Oliver, released a list of almost $200,000 in corporate donations for Lujan. Toulouse Oliver and Gavin Clarkson, the only announced Republican candidate, suggested Lujan return the corporate PAC money he had on hand. I appreciate Congressman Lujan announcing he would not be accepting corporate PAC donations. I think that is the right decision, Toulouse Oliver said. If he really wants to live up to his pledge, returning the corporate PAC money would seem to be the right thing to do. In response, Lujan said it was too early for political gamesmanship. Im focused on the fight for health care and the fight against climate change, he said. The donations were made before he announced his bid for Senate, and Lujan said he has not accepted corporate PAC money since launching his Senate bid. Toulouse Oliver said she had received a little money from corporations and businesses during her bids for secretary of state, but she said her situation was different from Lujans. She said she cant use any of the money left over from her state campaigns in the race for the Senate. Clarkson, meanwhile, said he had no problems with receiving donations from corporate PACs. Im perfectly happy with the First Amendment, Clarkson said in a news release. Ill proudly accept support from American job creators. He labeled decisions by Lujan and Toulouse Oliver not to accept corporate PAC donations as a common base-pandering political stunt that the media falls for all the time. Lujan said he believes the rejection of corporate PAC money is a way to win back the voters trust. He also pointed to a trend during his time as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He said corporate PAC donations accounted for only 5% of the funding for winning Democratic campaigns. He said individual donations made up the bulk of the donations to the candidates. I think the average donation was $22, he said. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal On a Sunday afternoon in early October, Pauline Vallejos and her husband stopped for lunch at the sprawling Lins Grand Buffet Chinese restaurant on Montgomery near San Mateo NE. The couple from Belen had come to town to see their grandson, who had been born the day before. We go in and whatever and are standing in line, she said. The guy walks in real abrupt, he walks behind the counter. At first we just thought that he worked there because he was interacting with the manager, the hostess, we didnt think anything other than that he was an employee, maybe a cook or something. The man wasnt an employee. His name was Joe Pacheco-Romero, and more than 45 minutes later Albuquerque Police Department SWAT teams stormed the restaurant and shot and injured him following what they have called a hostage situation. In response to several emails, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos answered some questions about the two officers who fired their weapons, identifying them as Justin Jones and Nathan Cadroy. He said all information about how the shooting unfolded and the suspects injuries would have to be answered by the U.S. Attorneys Office, which is prosecuting Pacheco-Romero. However, recently released computer-aided dispatch logs and 911 calls do fill in some of the blanks. Both Vallejos and another diner stayed on the phone for about 45 minutes describing Pacheco-Romero sitting behind the host stand armed with a gun, at times getting up and waving it around, until APD officers entered the building and shot him. Its unclear how badly Pacheco-Romero was injured, but he was not indicted in federal court until April 9. The 32-year-old is charged with allegedly robbing a Batteries Plus Bulbs store and an attempted carjacking about half an hour before he entered Lins buffet. He was indicted in U.S. District Court on counts of interference with commerce by threats or violence, attempted carjacking and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. On April 16, a judge ordered Pacheco-Romero to be held in custody until trial. However at a hearing a couple of days later it was determined the Cibola County Detention Center was not equipped to care for him, and a long-term care facility refused to have him return, according to court documents. Pacheco-Romero is staying with his sister, who has home health care experience. His attorney did not return multiple requests for comment. Get down, get down! The 911 calls started around 12:50 p.m. when an employee of Batteries Plus Bulbs, a cellphone and tablet repair shop, reported a man with a gun had robbed them and took off. About four minutes later the man entered a nearby home and asked for the residents car keys. It doesnt appear he was successful, because five minutes after that he walked into the middle of the road, pointed his gun at a man and a woman in a vehicle and fired at them, according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The driver drove away and no one was injured. At approximately 1:12 p.m. the man, identified as Pacheco-Romero, arrived at Lins Grand Buffet. Vallejos told the Journal her husband, an off-duty Belen police officer, noticed him acting strangely and left the restaurant to alert APD officers who were in the parking lot. She said thats when she noticed Pacheco-Romero had a gun in his pocket. She said as her husband returned Pacheco-Romero became irate and pointed a gun at her husband. (Pacheco-Romero) starts screaming at me, telling me to get back, all he wanted to do was see his daughter one last time, Vallejos said. Im screaming, telling him, Please, please. Vallejos said she was able to take cover behind a wall and call 911. Dispatchers stayed on the line with Vallejos and another caller as the situation unfolded. The women mainly remained calm as they described Pacheco-Romero pacing back and forth, then sitting behind the counter with the gun in his lap. The restaurants manager stayed with him the whole time. Inside the restaurants dining room, some customers continued eating lunch while others who realized what was going on snuck out through the back. Then, 35 minutes into the call, Vallejos began swearing, and saying, Oh my god, no, no, no, no, no as about eight officers on the SWAT team swarmed the area. Get down, get down, get down, she screams, crying as the dispatcher asks her again and again what happened and if they shot him. I got to go. I got to go. Vallejos told the Journal she had ducked down so she didnt see the shooting but she heard at least two gunshots. Im very thankful that they were able to take care of the situation, she said. It felt like a lifetime. My phone said 46 minutes or something crazy like that. It all worked out for the best. Few details released Pacheco-Romero was one of 10 people shot by Albuquerque police in 2018. APD spokesman Gallegos said officers Jones and Cadroy had each been involved in one prior shooting. For Jones, who has been with APD since 2007, it was his second shooting in less than three months. Police say he and a New Mexico State Police officer shot and killed a homicide suspect during a SWAT standoff in a West Side home in mid-July. The details about Cadroys prior shooting were not immediately available, and Gallegos did not answer questions about it. He said the Multi-Agency Task Force has completed its investigation into the shooting of Pacheco-Romero but the department is waiting for the U.S. Attorneys Office approval to turn over the case file to the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office. The department has held media briefings on all of the other cases during which a lieutenant or spokesman broke down how the shooting occurred, how many officers fired, and whether those officers have been involved in prior shootings. They have also released lapel camera footage of the incidents. This type of briefing has not occurred in this case, and the Journals request for the lapel video is pending. In a similar situation last summer an APD officer shot and killed a man in a Smiths parking lot after a robbery. In that case the mans accomplice was charged by federal authorities, and both APD and the U.S. Attorneys Office sent out lengthy news releases and held media briefings on how the incident unfolded. Neither Gallegos nor a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office responded to questions about why information was released in the earlier case but not in Pacheco-Romeros case. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on May 20, 2019 2019/05/20 At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai of the Republic of Vanuatu will pay an official visit to China from May 26 to 31. This will be the first official visit to China by Prime Minister Charlot Salwai since he took office. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him and Premier Li Keqiang will hold talks with him. The leaders of the two countries will exchange views on China-Vanuatu relations and important issues of mutual interest. Besides Beijing, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai will also visit Hainan and transit in Hong Kong. Vanuatu is an important country in the Pacific Islands region and a good friend and partner of China's. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 37 years ago, the bilateral relations have made headway with fruitful outcomes in cooperation across the board. In November last year, President Xi Jinping held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai in Papua New Guinea, and they agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development, which opened up a new chapter in China-Vanuatu relations. Taking Prime Minister Charlot Salwai's visit as an opportunity, China stands ready to work with Vanuatu to enhance political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, move forward China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership and bring more benefits to the two peoples. Q: Google has suspended some of its business with Huawei, apparently because of the new US government restrictions on Huawei. What is your response to this? A: We learned of the news that "Google has suspended business with Huawei" from media reports. We will verify the information and follow relevant developments closely. In the meantime, China supports Chinese enterprises in taking up legal weapons to defend their legitimate rights. Q: US President Trump said on the 17th that the two sides actually had a deal, but China broke it. What's your comment? A: I am not sure what "deal" the US side was referring to. Perhaps it has bore in mind all along "a deal" of its own wildwish, one that China has certainly not agreed on however. The underlying reason that the 11 rounds of consultations failed to yield an agreement is that the US attempts to achieve unreasonable demands through maximum pressure. This wouldn't work from the very beginning. When its threats didn't work and instead led to widespread doubts and market fluctuations at home and abroad, the US resorted to muddying the waters and shifting the blame. That, too, is futile as the international community bears witness to the sincere and constructive attitude China has shown in the past 11 rounds of negotiations. I would like to reiterate that there is hope for success only when the consultations proceed on the right track of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Q: According to some German media, after years of review, the UK, Germany and the EU failed to find any backdoor in Huawei products. Security loopholes, however, have often been detected in US company Cisco's equipment, with 10 backdoor cases revealed since 2013. Would you like to comment on that? A: We would very much like to hear the US comments on this. Having said that, the international community probably wouldn't expect much for it, as the US has always kept silent on evidence-based accusations of its cyber attacks and cyber theft since the PRISM incident. Presuming other's behavior by one's own pattern, the US has been smearing foreign companies in an attempt to gain an unfair competitive advantage. But it has failed to produce any solid evidence. The findings of the European side you mentioned have proven Huawei's innocence and exposed the lack of legitimacy of the US suppression of foreign businesses with state power. Q: Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Jun and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov held a new round of China-Russia consultation on strategic stability on May 17. Could you tell us more about the background, goal and topic of this consultation? Did they reach any consensus? What is Russia's view on the US attempt to promote the trilateral arms control negotiations? A: Regarding the latest round of China-Russia consultation on strategic stability, the Chinese side has issued a readout. I would like to stress some points: There have been growing instabilities and uncertainties in the field of international strategic security. Certain major country has withdrawn from one international treaty and mechanism after another while building up its own nuclear and missile power. This has severely undermined global stability, eroded strategic mutual trust between major countries and weakened international arms control mechanism, putting certain international and regional hotspot issues in the risk of being out of control. China and Russia both believe that they need to strengthen the planning of strategic cooperation, adhere to multilateralism, check the negative tendency and resist the harm of unilateralism, join efforts to address the challenges to the arms control and non-proliferation regime and step up strategic coordination on regional security hotspots. As to the trilateral negotiations on arms control, China's position is clear-cut. The premise and basis for trilateral arms control negotiations do not exist at all and China will never participate in them. Russia also believes that the US should continue to fulfill its due international obligations and it fully understands China's position on trilateral arms control negotiations. Q: The US ambassador is visiting Tibet, a trip that the US Embassy in China said was a chance to raise long-standing concerns about restrictions on religious freedoms and preservation of Tibetan culture and language. What is the foreign ministry's response to this trip? A: Ambassador Terry Branstad is welcome to visit Tibet and see for himself the enormous changes that have taken place in Tibet's socio-economic development and local people's work and life since the peaceful liberation of Tibet over 60 years ago, by which he may have a deeper understanding of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. As to the remarks from the US Embassy you mentioned, I would like to say that we hope Ambassador Branstad will visit Tibet with an objective attitude and the respect to facts and make his own unbiased observation, especially in terms of cultural preservation, religious belief and historical inheritance in Tibet. We hope the US side will come to a fact-based conclusion rather than being misled or disturbed by long-standing hearsay and rumors. Q: A US warship yesterday sailed near the Scarborough Shoal, or Huangyan Island. Did Chinese warships identify the ship and ask the US ship to leave? A: As far as I know, on the morning of May 20, USS Preble trespassed into the adjacent waters of Huangyan Dao without permission from the Chinese government. The Chinese Navy identified and verified the US warship according to law, and warned it off. I have to stress again that the trespass of US warship is a violation of China's sovereignty. It undermines peace, security and good order in the relevant waters. China firmly opposes such move. China has all along respected and protected the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea that countries are entitled to under international law. However, China is firmly opposed to actions that undermine its sovereignty and security under the pretext of "freedom of navigation and overflight". In disregard of the regional countries' shared aspiration for peace and stability in the South China Sea, the US has been disrupting regional peace and stability time and again under the pretext of "freedom of navigation and overflight". Such action is unpopular. We strongly urge the US to stop such provocation lest it should harm China-US relations and regional peace and stability. China will continue to take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and security, and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. Q: According to media reports, the Choson Sinbo, a newspaper run by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, carried an article saying that the US insistence on demanding the DPRK to denuclearize first led to the failure in reaching a deal at the Hanoi Summit. It is the position of the DPRK that only if the US gives up its selfish and arrogant approach to dialogue can consultations continue. What's your comment? A: We have noted relevant reports. It is China's consistent position that the Korean Peninsula issue can only be resolved peacefully through political dialogue. Steps must be taken in a phased and synchronized fashion as part of a package solution, starting with the easier tasks and advancing progressively. The key is to accommodate all parties' legitimate concerns in a balanced way. We hope the DPRK and the US could earnestly meet each other halfway, stay committed to dialogue for more outcomes and give peace a chance. China will continue to work with the international community to encourage both sides to keep moving toward the right direction of denuclearization and a peace regime on the Peninsula. Q: You said last week that China would take necessary measures to safeguard the rights of Huawei. Can you give us any indication or further decisions that have been made on that front, especially in light of this new information we have today about the blocking of access to Google products? A: You have understood China's position correctly. Like we said, the principle of mutual respect and equality and mutual benefit must be upheld in economic relations, trade and investment between countries. Q: Last week the Chinese foreign minister met with his Iranian counterpart. Did the two sides talk about the Iranian oil issue? Given that the US objects to other countries' import of Iranian oil, will China continue to import from Iran? A: I think you are referring to the meeting between State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in Beijing last Friday. We have released a detailed readout on that. You may see in it that the two sides discussed issues of mutual concern, including the latest developments on the Iranian issue. You mentioned that the US is disrupting other countries' oil import from Iran, in particular that the US has withdrawn from the JCPOA and been thwarting others' efforts to fulfill obligations under this agreement. China's position on that is very clear. The normal economic and trade relations between China and Iran are legitimate and lawful and should not be interrupted by anyone. Q: Just wanted to follow up on Tibet and the US ambassador. Last year the US ambassador's request to visit Tibet was rejected. I was wondering if you could share any details about why this trip was approved this year? A: As we said earlier, all those who seek to get an objective idea of the economic and social development of China, including the Tibetan Autonomous Region, are welcome to visit Tibet. I am not sure what you were referring to when you mentioned that his request was not approved. The visits to certain regions by foreign diplomats stationed in China, including the US ambassador, must be arranged after consultating with relevant departments. Q: The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said today in a report that some European companies here are complaining about the issue of forced technology transfers. The Chinese government repeatedly promised to respect and protect the IPR. If it is serious, why are the European companies still encountering this problem in their operations in China? A: First, as you said, the Chinese government has repeatedly stated that we protect intellectual property rights and will never ask for the so-called forced technology transfer in cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises. I am sure you have also noticed that the recently-adopted Foreign Investment Law stipulates explicitly that there shall be no forced technology transfer through administrative means. In fact, China attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights. There is never any policy forcing foreign actors to transfer technology. During different historical periods, there have been mutual investment and technology transfers between China and foreign countries, which is the result of consensual cooperation between market entities, a win-win cooperation by nature. Foreign companies, including European ones are as always welcome to take a ride with China to share its development opportunities through cooperation and realize win-win results. In the meantime, I have to stress that if European or other foreign businesses in China do have reasonable concerns for which they can provide solid evidence, I believe they can surely be resolved since we have clear legal provisions. That being said, we stand against fabricated complaints against us. Q: The Chinese leader visited Jiangxi and inspected the rare earth industry there. Against the background of China-US trade friction, what kind of message is the visit trying to send? Will China consider retaliating against the US by restricting export of rare earths? A: It's only normal for the Chinese leader to pay a domestic field trip and do research on relevant industrial policies. I hope you will not over-interpret that. As to the China-US economic and trade relations, just like I said earlier, they must be based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. *** Today, the official account of the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office is opened on Weibo. You are most welcome to follow it for more updates. THE HARD(END) FACTS ABOUT I-40 WORK: Caller Robin Romero asks why crews are pouring in squares of concrete next to asphalt that is full of potholes on Interstate 40 from the Big I west why not just repave that whole stretch? Kimberly Gallegos, public information officer for the New Mexico Department of Transportation District Three office, explains the interstate from Fourth Street to just past the river in both directions on I-40 is concrete. What may appear to be asphalt in that area is patching materials that are used as a temporary fix for potholes that pop up in the concrete over time. The permanent fix is to break out the slab and repour the concrete, which is what is being done with the ongoing I-40 construction project. And she adds that there may be confusion as well because currently crews are installing weigh-in-motion stations in the portion after the bridge, which is in fact asphalt. Both the loops and the scales need to be placed in the asphalt in order to install the weigh-in-motion stations on both sides of the interstate. But Robins not done. She asks why the detour signage is so random, leaving drivers to guess which ramps are open day to day. Gallegos says, With the use of dynamic and portable message boards, the NMDOT has tried to inform drivers of lane closures and detours. This is a $9 million project that is set to wrap up in July. The good news is the work on the weigh stations is pretty much the last portion of the project before crews tie up any loose ends. WHATS THAT PASEO WORK? Barbara Ibarra asks via email about signs earlier this month on westbound Paseo del Norte from Tramway and eastbound on Paseo from I-25 announcing road work. Paseo del Norte doesnt need any work that I can see, so what is in the works? Gallegos explains its a pavement preservation project that helps make the road last longer. In this instance, crews have been crack sealing from San Pedro to Tramway. Rain delayed the start from May 13. Westbound work was scheduled for nights last week to limit inconveniences for drivers; eastbound is nights this week. HARD TO GET THERE FROM HERE IN RIO RANCHO: Thats the concern from Mary Hyatt, who emails, We have been dealing with the remodeling of Southern Boulevard in Rio Rancho for a while now. They have now closed Meadowlark from Sara to Loma Larga in Corrales, which makes travel to/from the south end of Corrales tough. And now theyve closed a portion of Idalia from Loma Colorado to Broadmoor. On top of recent and/or current projects on Sundt and Abrazo. Weve had to go way out of our way to go somewhere or get home lately. Why cant they work on just one or two projects and possibly finish them faster and not inconvenience the residents so much at one time? Annemarie L. Garcia, communications and community engagement officer for the city of Rio Rancho, says, The city has a substantial amount of roadwork currently taking place, voter-approved and otherwise. And the reason many projects can be going on in the metro area at once, she says, is based on a variety of factors, such as: funding being available; time of year, i.e. weather; and coordinating projects with other agencies. For example, for the voter-approved G.O. bond road projects, reconstruction and rehabilitation began as soon as funding became available. For the Industrial Park Loop Water Line Replacement Project, construction needs to be completed before NMDOT begins the upcoming N.M. 528 widening project. And it turns out the section of Meadowlark that is closed is due to a Village of Corrales project. Idalia Road from Broadmoor Boulevard to Loma Colorado Boulevard was closed for 10 days to allow for the High Range subdivision to make roadway improvements (again), this was not a city of Rio Rancho project. Garcia reminds readers: For more information about road closures and construction in Rio Rancho, please visit www.rrnm.gov/roadwork. Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M., 87109. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. New Mexicos seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in April, dipping to 5% from 5.1% in March. The unemployment rate in April 2018 was 4.9%, and the state Department of Workforce Solutions reports that total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 13,000 jobs, or 1.5%, between April 2018 and April 2019. The department says the growth in the private sector accounted for all of the year-over-year employment increase as the public sector lost 800 jobs. In the private sector, goods-producing industries added 5,800 jobs and service-providing industries were up by 8,000 jobs. Mining and construction reported the largest employment increase with a gain of 5,500 jobs, or 7.7%. In a story May 20 about teaching consent in the #MeToo era, The Associated Press misidentified the description of programs that stress abstinence in sex education taught by the group Ascend. The group teaches sexual risk avoidance, not sexual risk aversion. A corrected version of the story is below: Amid #MeToo, states debate teaching consent to kids In the era of #MeToo, lawmakers, educators and teens themselves are re-examining whether sex education needs to evolve to better address some of the issues in society today. By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press Inside a Catholic school in Portland, Oregon, high school sophomores break into groups to discuss some once-taboo topics: abusive relationships and consent. At one desk, a girl with banana-colored fingernails begins jotting down some of the hallmarks of abuse: Physically hurting you, verbally abusive, can be one-sided. She pauses to seek input from her classmates, boys and girls alike, before continuing: It messes up your mentality and your, like, confidence. For the first time this year, Central Catholic High School, like public schools in the city, is using educators from a domestic violence shelter to teach kids about what it means to consent. The goal is to reduce sexual violence and harassment among teens and help them understand what behavior is acceptable and whats not before they reach adulthood. Were talking about dating violence, sexual assault, relationships, #MeToo all of those things. I think you have to be intentional about bringing this program into our classrooms, says David Blue, the schools director of diversity and inclusion. How do you look at all of these constant conversations in our society right now? Whats happening at this Catholic school in liberal Portland represents a larger debate unfolding in blue states and red, as lawmakers, educators and teens themselves re-examine whether sex education should evolve to better address some of the issues raised by #MeToo. Central to the conversation is whether schools should expand curriculums to help kids understand consent a concept often defined differently from state to state. #MeToo has brought the issue of consent into the national spotlight, but its abundantly clear that people still struggle with the culture shift thats happening, said Jennifer Driver, state policy director of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, which favors liberal sex ed policies. When done right, sex education can serve as violence prevention. But first, we have to get these policies (enacted). Since January, dozens of new sex ed bills have been floated in statehouses, but only five have passed and just two of those require specific instruction about consent, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks sexuality and reproductive health issues. In all, 10 states and the District of Columbia require that consent be part of sex ed curriculum. The states are: California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. Meantime, according to Drivers group, 32 states require that abstinence be stressed in schools that teach sex education. And most federal funding for sex ed in recent years has gone to abstinence programs, to the tune of $2 billion since 1981. The divide over how to teach sex ed has long split on the question of whether kids are sexual beings, said Jonathan Zimmerman, an education professor at the University of Pennsylvania. The pendulum has swung from the explicit information on sex, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases taught amid the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s to the abstinence-focused agenda that followed the rise of conservative politics, especially in the Bible Belt. With the #MeToo movement, the pendulum may be inching back, at least when it comes to efforts to curb sexual violence. A few abstinence-focused states, such as Virginia and South Carolina, have added consent to the curriculum. And Oklahoma lawmakers this year considered a bill that would have forced high schools to teach consent. Called Laurens Law, the measure was named for a teen who said she was raped at a high school party. The Legislature eventually passed a narrower measure requiring that schools with a sex ed curriculum incorporate teaching about consent. It leaves other districts off the hook, but state Sen. Carol Bush, the Republican sponsor, called it baby steps. Bush said she raised two daughters in a Christian home but that a background in public health taught her of the need for comprehensive sex ed programs. I hate that we call it sex ed. Its more that youre a valued person boy or girl and we need to help our children understand that, said Bush, adding the bill was palatable to conservative colleagues because it lets teens know they have the right to say no to sex. She believes an increase in the number of women and younger lawmakers this year helped build consensus. As with most issues in education, local school districts play a big role in shaping sex education curriculum, and many state laws on sex ed are intentionally vague. In Cadillac, Michigan, a reliably Republican town of about 10,500 people, school leaders proactively teach consent after the school board voted more than a decade ago to change its sex ed curriculum from abstinence only to abstinence based. These days county prosecutor Jason Elmore regularly visits the towns high school to deliver a sometimes startling message about consent. Speaking to a freshmen health class last month, he patted his chest, lower abdomen and inner thighs while explaining that anyone under 16 cannot engage in sexual contact there without committing a crime even if its a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Elmore let the concept of who can do what with whom sink in as the students sat silently. Then he explained what it means for sexual contact to be freely and honestly given and how alcohol and marijuana are often involved in cases he sees. In the past year alone, he told the class, hes prosecuted a half-dozen sex-related cases involving Cadillac students. In this school?! one bewildered boy exclaimed. A 2017-18 survey found that 15 percent of Cadillac ninth-graders and 55 percent of 11th-graders said theyd had sexual intercourse. And 1 in 10 said theyd been hit by a dating partner. Health teacher Cathy Booher believes more students today understand what it means to give consent and respect boundaries. But inevitably, not long after Elmores class, she said: A week or two later, weve had an incident. In Tennessee, where the state mandates an abstinence-based curriculum, some teenagers are leading their own discussions about consent. The states sex ed law, known as the 2012 Gateway Law, not only prohibits the discussion of sexual activities that stop short of intercourse so-called gateway sexual behaviors it imposes $500 fines on instructors who wade into the topic. In Memphis, students who are part of the advocacy group Memphis Against Sexual Harassment and Assault have lobbied the school district to fill its Title IX directors job, conducted peer training on consent, organized Survivor Power Coffee Hours, and taken part in a Memphis Says No More poster campaign designed to promote awareness about sexual harassment and violence. The school board has agreed to distribute the posters in all middle and high schools this fall, the teens said. These issues are personal to youth leaders Devin Dearmore and Savanah Thompson. Dearmore, 18, said she was sexually harassed by a staff member before transferring high schools. Thompson, 15, said she was catcalled, groped, pinned against a locker by another student and later blamed for it in eighth grade. I think theres this thing in the South that you just dont talk about things provocative things, Thompson said. Were being taught all of these things preparing us for college . but theyre not teaching you how to cope with things that can derail your life. Thats where our school system and school systems nationwide have failed us. In middle and elementary school, I didnt know I could say no. Some who oppose teaching consent believe it signals an approval of teen sexual activity. Mary Anne Mosack, who runs an abstinence education group called Ascend, said her group has been talking about consent for years but in the context that avoiding sex is your best option. Ascend has trained some 1,500 instructors to teach what it calls sexual risk avoidance in public and private schools, clubs, foster homes and more. Measures like Tennessees Gateway Law are not meant to chill discussion on important issues, Mosack said, but to limit those that stray too far into supposed safe-sex topics such as naked cuddling and showering together. In Tennessee and in other states, too, people were looking at those kinds of topics that were being presented, and felt they were inappropriate, she said. Critics of abstinence-based programs say they shut down urgently needed conversations. And if they are meant to curtail sexual activity in places like Tennessee, the results appear questionable. A study last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Memphis was first among 17 metro areas surveyed in the rate of boys engaged in preteen sex. The survey found 1 in 4 boys have sex before their 13th birthday. As for teaching students to delay sex until marriage, Columbia University researcher John Santilli considers that unreasonable in a country where just 3 percent of people do so. Abstinence until marriage in America in 2019? Its an impossible goal, said Santilli, who studies pediatrics and population health and said that more than half of Americans have sex before leaving high school. On the other hand, I think we ought to tell young people if theyre not ready to have sex with people, if theyve had too much to drink, if they somehow feel uncomfortable with somebody, they can say no. To me, thats feminism in action. He led a recent study that found teaching refusal skills in high school can cut the chances someone is raped in college in half. In Oregon, Central Catholic High Principal John Garrow hoped to balance students need for information with the Roman Catholic creed on abstinence before marriage. He evaluated several programs before choosing Raphael House, whose mission includes work with sexual and domestic assault survivors. Were trying to do our best to follow the teachings and at the same time be realistic, because as a school you lose your relevance real quickly if youre not real, Garrow said. In the sophomore wellness class in April, two Raphael House instructors asked students to consider signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Does your partner make you feel valued? Stupid? Scared? It, like, opened my eyes, said Ramaya Wright, 15. I didnt know those are a lot of the signs of an abusive relationship. Julia Tycer, a Raphael House educator, said consent comes into play not just in dating relationships but in all of our interactions, every day. Its never really too early to be talking about consent, she said. Practicing consent is really just asking, Are you OK?' ___ Contributing were AP reporter Gillian Flaccus from Portland, Oregon, and AP National Writer Martha Irvine from Cadillac, Michigan. Dale, who reported from Philadelphia, writes about gender issues and #MeToo for The Associated Press. Follow her at https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale LOVELAND, Colo. Authorities in Colorado say a vehicle veered off a roadway and crashed into a picnic area at a Dairy Queen, injuring a family of four. Loveland Police Department Lt. Jeff Pyle says the accident occurred just after noon on Saturday. A witness told authorities that a driver in a Toyota Corolla was driving erratically when the car went off the road and careened into the picnic area, striking the victims as they sat at a table. All four were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The unidentified driver was taken into custody. Pyle says alcohol or drugs are suspected to have played a role in the accident. In a story May 18 about electricity on the Navajo Nation, The Associated Press erroneously reported the name of a senior vice president at the American Public Power Association. He is Mike Hyland, not Mark Hyland. A corrected version of the story is below: KAIBETO, Ariz. Miranda Haskie sits amid the glow of candles at her kitchen table as the sun sinks into a deep blue horizon silhouetting juniper trees and a nearby mesa. Her husband, Jimmie Long, Jr., fishes for the wick to light a kerosene lamp as the couple and their 13-year-old son prepare to spend a final night without electricity. Theyre waiting for morning, when utility workers who recently installed four electric poles outside their double-wide house trailer will connect it to the power grid, meaning they will no longer be among the tens of thousands of people without power on the Navajo Nation, the countrys largest American Indian reservation. Haskie and Long are getting their electricity this month thanks to a project to connect 300 homes with the help of volunteer utility crews from across the U.S. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority typically connects from 400 to 450 homes a year, chipping away at the 15,000 scattered, rural homes without power on the 27,000-square-mile (43,000-square-kilometer) reservation that lies in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. At that rate, it will take the tribal utility about 35 more years to get electricity to the 60,000 of the reservations 180,000 residents who dont have it. The couples home at the end of rutted dirt roads outside the small town of Kaibeto was about a quarter-mile (0.4 kilometers) from the closest power line. Life disconnected from the grid in the high desert town dotted with canyons and mesas was simple and joyful but also inconvenient, they said. Its not that bad. Growing up, you get used to it, being raised like that, Long said. The familys weekday routine included showering, cooking and charging cellphones, battery packs and flashlights at Haskies mothers house 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away, down dirt roads that turn treacherous in stormy weather. Navajos without electricity also pack food or medication in coolers with ice or leave it outside in the wintertime. Children use dome lights in cars or kerosene lamps to do their homework at night. Some tribal members have small solar systems that deliver intermittent power. No electricity typically means no running water and a lack of overall economic development. Creating the infrastructure to reach the far-flung homes on the reservation is extremely costly. Hooking up a single home can cost up to $40,000 on the reservation where the annual, per-capita income is around $10,700 and half the workforce is unemployed, said Walter Haase, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. For the recent power hookup project called LightUpNavajo, the utility raised funds from an online campaign, collected donations from employees, businesses and communities, and used revenue from solar farms on the reservation to cover the utilitys $3 million cost. Money that isnt raised will be borrowed and the repayment passed on to customers via their rates, Haase said. The project started in March and ends this month. The volunteer crews spent days on the reservation, learning about Navajo culture, the language and the landscape before setting out to job sites often hours away from their hotel rooms. Tribal utility crews had already performed much of the prep work, removing trees or stumps so the volunteers could focus on installing power poles and miles of electric line to connect homes. A four-man crew from Piqua, Ohio, weathered rain, dust storms and sandy terrain that threatened to bury their equipment as they traveled through the western part of the reservation in Arizona earlier this month. They heard from families who have waited months, years and a lifetime to get power. Navajos showed their appreciation to the crews with feasts of fry bread, steaks and steamed corn. Its kind of crazy to think about the different things you take for granted on a daily basis, said Ken Wagner, a journeyman lineman for Piqua Power System. At an appreciation dinner, his crew received gifts of posters with traditional Navajo sayings, turquoise jewelry, shirts and mugs. Among those getting electricity hookups were Vernon Smith and his wife, Bertha. They live in Salt Lake City but are preparing their home in Tuba City on the reservation for a move back. They became set on getting electricity when a kerosene lamp tipped over while she was napping and she feared the house would burn down. The wait for electricity took three years, but Vernon Smith called that a miracle. I couldnt believe it, he said in an interview, his face lighting up as recalled seeing the whirling blades of a ceiling fan in his reservation home for the first time. I didnt think I was going to get electricity that fast. Haskie said she could live without electricity but that its also exciting getting it. I can walk in, turn the light on without my son turning on the generator, she said. Shes crafted a wish list that includes a blender, a coffee maker, a juice maker, a stand-up mixer and an espresso machine. Eventually, shell subscribe to cable TV. The couples son, Jayden, said he managed fine without power using portable chargers for his cellphone. Some days, he fired up a gas generator that was hooked up to the homes electric panel to watch TV or turn on the light in his bedroom. But the generators 5-gallon (19-liter) tank lasted less than a day and the cost of fuel meant it was used sparingly and mostly on the weekends. Hes looked forward to taking eggs, bacon, steak, pork chops and hamburgers out of a refrigerator to cook whenever he wants. As of Thursday, the LightUpNavajo project hooked up 208 homes. Crews from 26 utilities in 12 states traveled to the reservation to help, installing 1,500 power line poles and more than 35 miles (56 kilometers) of electric lines. The project was designed with a $125,000 grant from the American Public Power Association. Mike Hyland, an association senior vice president, said the group and the tribal utility will consider repeating it on the Navajo Nation, or using it as a model for other reservations or rural areas. On the morning that Haskies and Longs home got power, journeyman lineman Justin Foutz with the Piqua utility slipped on a pair of gloves and grabbed an extendable, yellow tool to close a switch atop the utility pole and send power to the home. Coming in hot, he said. A few minutes later, electrician Delbert Graham knocked on the trailers door. Hey, youre energized, he said. Go ahead and turn on your main breaker. Using a flashlight inside the darkened house, Long flipped on the breaker, turned on the homes porch light and opened the door with a smile. Then the crew loaded up their utility trucks and headed toward the small community of Coppermine, about an hours drive down the next dirt road, to connect more homes. CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting was set ablaze Sunday in a symbolic gesture of healing. The Temple of Time public art installation was set afire at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot (10-meter) tall temple. Described as therapeutic by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the center of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temples needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable. The lacelike designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. Its kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many, said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. Its the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community. San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600-square-foot (150-square-meter) Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs foundation. A lone gunmans attack killed 17 students and staffers and injured 17 others on Feb. 14, 2018. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. On Sunday, Best said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. Lets watch out for one another, Best said. This is a community that went through hell. Headlines have always been and will continue to be an integral part of the newspaper business. The obvious reason for them is to pique the interest of potential readers by summing up the significance of the story. However, our industrys conundrum in recent years is many readers feeling that if they read the headline, they understand the whole story without reading the rest of it. If this was the case, the newspaper would be only a series of headlines and our jobs as reporters so much easier. But its not the case. The story fills in much-needed details: who, what, where, when, why and how. These details allow readers to understand the issue and be better informed. After doing the legwork to get said information, we face the obligatory social-media troll comments criticizing things the story doesnt even say or assuming incorrect information the story, if read, would correct. We use social media to interact with our readers, so were not complaining about comments or even criticism. The issue is some not all people are throwing fits without taking five or 10 minutes to get the facts weve offered up on a silver platter. For example, earlier this month, we placed a story on legal immigrants passing through Sandoval County. The very first sentence in the story stated that they were legally in the country. Yet, our social media post on the story was full of comments saying those illegal immigrants shouldnt be here. Another example of this scenario reared up last week after the Observer posted a story about the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education planning to ask voters for a $60 million bond to help with deteriorating school heating, venting and air-conditioning systems. Again, after this story was posted on social media, comments were made that people were not happy about their taxes being raised and the money should go to help raise firefighters salaries. First, the school district has nothing to do with firefighters or how much theyre paid. Thats the citys jurisdiction and always has been. Second, if these commenters read the story, they wouldve known the bond wouldnt raise any taxes. Thats because, if approved, it would replace an old bond thats being paid off. (For the record, yes, we will print further stories on the bond with more information. The article in question focused on discussion at a school board meeting, so well expand beyond that discussion later.) Cherry-picking information from a headline without vetting the facts from the body of words that follows is lazy and it has become an epidemic. The Observer implores its readers, including dissenters, for that matter, to give the entire article a chance before jumping to a conclusion based on the headline. Chances are, you will be better informed on the issue. We welcome well-based criticism of an issue. Its not that we are scared of public comments its just that we are tired of unfounded gibberish that has nothing to do with the story. The Observer challenges those who like to comment on our platforms to read the entire article. Only then can we engage on a meaningful conversation with merit. Theres a new head of finances atop the University of New Mexico and its $3 billion budget. The University of New Mexico announced Monday that Teresa Costantinidis will be the next senior vice president for finance and administration, effective July 1. Costantinidis comes from the University of California, San Francisco, where she is the vice chancellor and chief financial officer for the university, which has a bigger budget than the entire state of New Mexico. Costantinidis has been at the university since 2011. She was at UC Berkeley from 1986 until 2011, according to her resume. In an interview with the Journal, Costantinidis said she was interested in the position because its an expanded role from her current job, and she touted UNMs designation as a R1 research university and said she was looking forward to working alongside UNM President Garnett Stokes. I was personally attracted to this vibrant, diverse atmosphere, she said. She signed a three-year contract, and her base salary will be $300,000 per year, according to Cinnamon Blair, a spokeswoman for the university. Costantinidis will replace David Harris, who retired from UNM last December. Harris, however, held three job titles as the executive vice president for administration/chief financial officer/chief operating officer. Harris also made about $300,000, according to university documents. The position was filled on an interim basis by former Anderson School of Management Dean Craig White since January 2019. During our search for a new senior vice president for finance and administration, we sought an individual with the expertise and vision to strategically guide UNM through an evolving financial and administrative higher education landscape, said Stokes, who appointed Costantinidis. Teresa brings exceptional experience in higher education and finance from a top public university system in the world. She understands the complexity of budget planning and how to leverage support and auxiliary functions to advance the broad mission of the University of New Mexico. Applicants were vetted by a search committee led by Julie Coonrod, an engineering professor and the dean of graduate studies. Costantinidis was one of several finalists who were brought to campus last month for public forums. Costantinidis said the biggest financial challenges facing UNM are similar to challenges facing other universities across the country. Those challenges include student debt, challenging state support levels and rising costs for safety and cyber security. What we need to do is make sure we have a open, transparent and inclusive budget process to address fluctuations that we see in institutional funding, she said. We need to make sure there is clarity in what we are trying to accomplish so it helps us makes effective budget decisions. TEHRAN, Iran Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehrans atomic program, nuclear officials said Monday, just after President Donald Trump and Irans foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below whats needed for an atomic weapon. But by increasing production, Iran soon will exceed the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to set new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. Already this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were sabotaged; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. A rocket landed Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraqs capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential U.S. staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that the rocket was believed to have been fired from eastern Baghdad, an area home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. The Iranian enrichment announcement came after local journalists traveled to Natanz in central Iran, the countrys underground enrichment facility. There, an unidentified nuclear scientist gave a statement with a surgical cap and a mask covering most of his face. No one explained his choice of outfit, although Israel is suspected of targeting Iranian nuclear scientists. The state-run IRNA news agency later quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as acknowledging that capacity had been quadrupled. He said Iran took this step because the U.S. had ended a program allowing it to exchange enriched uranium to Russia for unprocessed yellowcake uranium, as well as ending the sale of heavy water to Oman. Heavy water helps cool reactors producing plutonium that can be used in nuclear weapons. Kamalvandi said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the development. The Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them. Before Irans announcement, Trump tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Trumps remarks reflect what has been a strategy of alternating tough talk with more conciliatory statements he says is aimed at keeping Iran guessing at the administrations intentions. He also has said he hopes Iran calls him and engages in negotiations. He described his approach in a speech Friday, saying, Its probably a good thing because theyre saying, Man, I dont know where these people are coming from, right? But while Trumps approach of flattery and threats has become a hallmark of his foreign policy, the risks have only grown in dealing with Iran, where mistrust between Tehran and Washington stretch four decades. While both sides say they dont seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif soon responded by tweeting that Trump had been goaded into genocidal taunts. Zarif referenced both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that Persia outlasted. Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone, he wrote. Try respect it works! Zarif also used the hashtag #NeverThreatenAnIranian, a reference to a comment he made during intense negotiations for the 2015 nuclear accord. Trump campaigned on pulling the U.S. from the deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since Trump withdrew America a year ago from the pact, the U.S. has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning other nations they would be subject to sanctions as well if they import Iranian oil. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told journalists in Geneva that Iran should not doubt the U.S. resolve, warning that if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally, Hunt said. Meanwhile, Omans minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit Monday to Tehran, seeing Zarif, the state-run IRNA news agency said. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Omans Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman long has served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted the secret talks between the U.S. and Iran that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. In Saudi Arabia, the kingdoms military intercepted two missiles fired by the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The missiles were intercepted over the city of Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya reported, citing witnesses. The Saudi Embassy in Washington later confirmed the interceptions. Hundreds of rockets, mortar rounds and ballistic missiles have been fired into the kingdom by the rebels since a Saudi-led coalition declared war on the Houthis in March 2015 to support Yemens internationally recognized government. The Houthis Al-Masirah satellite news channel denied the rebels had any involvement with this round of rocket fire. Between the two targeted cities is Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba toward which Muslims pray. Many pilgrims are in the holy city for Ramadan. Early Tuesday, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis targeted civilian infrastructure in the kingdoms border city of Najran, without elaborating. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge such an attack. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bassem Mroue in Baghdad, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to in 15th graf to show year of nuclear accord was 2015, not 2016. DENVER Officials are warning drivers traveling through a broad swath of central Colorado and Wyoming to be prepared for snow and ice as a late spring storm passes through. The National Weather Service issued winter weather warnings Monday from central Wyoming south through Colorado to the New Mexico line. Weather-related crashes already were being reported on mountain roads in Colorado, where Weather Service forecasters predict between 8 and 18 inches (20 and 46 centimeters) of snow and wind gusts as high as 35 mph (56 kph). Collisions closed eastbound Interstate 70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel. The interstate reopened Monday afternoon. In Wyoming, between 10 and 20 inches (25 and 51 centimeters) of snow are forecast. Cheyenne and Laramie are under winter weather advisories, where up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of snow could fall through Tuesday morning. SEATTLE Workers at a $1.7 billion polysilicon plant in central Washington believe President Donald Trumps trade war with China may be their best chance for staying employed. Unable to compete with Chinese factories aided by government subsidies and high tariffs, REC Silicon is shutting down the facility, which makes products used in solar panels. The company, which once numbered 500 workers, is keeping its remaining 200 on the payroll for six weeks in hopes that pressure from Trump will force China to make a trade deal. But the prospects are uncertain. For other industries, the administrations policies have been tough medicine, showing the complicated effects of tariffs in one of the nations most trade-dependent states. Washingtons overseas shipments of apples, dairy, seafood and wheat have plummeted. China has hinted it might order fewer Boeing planes, which make up a huge part of the states exports. A popular fishing boat company has seen orders canceled, a cooperative of Northwest dairy farmers has had to find alternative foreign markets, and a Seattle-based electric bike company, Rad Power Bikes, has curbed expansion plans. Certainly there are a couple companies that say, Gee, I like that protection,' said Robert Hamilton, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslees trade adviser. But for many others its not been good. They have to increase cost to their customers or absorb the costs of the tariffs. Many have investment plans, and now all of a sudden their exports are down and the cash flow they were going to use to finance their investment is shaky. Washington exported more than $70 billion in goods last year, which accounted for 5% of American goods exported overall and 14% of U.S. goods exported to China. An analysis by Hamilton roughly estimated that tariffs imposed by countries including China, Mexico and Canada in response to those imposed by Trump had already displaced 1,500 jobs in Washington. According to the Washington Council on International Trade, 40% of jobs are linked to international trade. Among them are those at REC Silicon, a Norway-based company that for years has been one of the top-paying employers in Moses Lake, a farming city in central Washington. Earlier this decade, the company, which prides itself on producing solar-grade polysilicon more efficiently than competitors, did about $600 million in annual sales to China. But in 2014, after the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels, China retaliated with extremely high tariffs on U.S. polysilicon. REC was essentially blocked from the Chinese market, said Francine Sullivan, RECs vice president of business development. Last year, Trump levied a 30% tariff on solar panels. The solar industry has blamed the tariffs for delays and cancellations of major projects, but Sullivan calls Trumps efforts the only hope we have. Hes trying to reopen markets that have been unfairly closed, she said. In the rural northeastern town of Colville, workers at Hewes Marine cut, bend and weld sheets of aluminum into fishing boats admired by anglers throughout the Northwest. There, Trumps approach has been less welcome. Retaliation by Canada for Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs raised prices on the companys boats north of the border. Trumps decision last week to rescind the tariffs and Canadas reciprocation will help, but market anxiety over the trade war with China has also cut into sales, said Clint Kirry, Hewes marketing director. Many Hewes customers are older workers or retirees who have long saved for a boat, but might balk at spending $30,000 to $200,000 for a boat when their retirement accounts seem unstable, he said. Were in a 6,000-person town, with the one Walmart, and the one McDonalds, and the two small manufacturers here, Kirry said. We crank out some fantastic products, but were just getting punched in the mouth because of these tariffs and threats of tariffs. Stan Ryan, chief executive at Darigold, a cooperative of Northwest dairy farmers, said the organization was so hopeful of growing its business in China that last summer it opened an office in Shanghai about the same time China increased tariffs on dairy from 10% to 25% in response to tariffs imposed by Trump. The coops $50 million in sales to China dried up; its roughly two dozen customers found other suppliers. Nevertheless, many Washington dairy farmers support the trade war; China has given preferential treatment to Australian and New Zealand dairy products, Ryan said. Its difficult in the short term, but they understand that and theyre supportive of getting to a level playing field, he said. Washington winemakers are in a similar boat. Exports to China represented a small but rapidly growing percentage of their business, but the duties now total 91%, making the cost of the bottle on the shelf prohibitive, said Josh McDonald of the Washington Wine Institute. China doesnt impose tariffs on other key winegrowing nations, he said. As in other industries, tariffs undercut relationships U.S. winemakers have with importers and distributors in China, he said. Even if the tariffs do get erased, its unclear how long it will take to re-establish those relationships. Tom Dugan, chief executive of DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, said his winery had been hoping to get a big order from China this year, but just canceled a June marketing trip because it now seems unlikely. In the meantime, DeLille is looking toward other Asian markets. Were hopeful it gets resolved, Dugan said. Theres not an alternative to China. There are maybe several alternatives that dont add up to China. Phyllis Paynes family thought that she had died of natural causes. There was no reason to be suspicious when the spunky Texas grandmother, who had been spending the last years of her life in a retirement community in Dallas, passed away in April 2016 at the age of 91. When they discovered her, they said she looked like she had just died in her sleep, her daughter, Loren Adair, told WFAA. Years later, an unexpected call from a police detective would change everything. As Paynes family learned, authorities now believe that she was murdered by Billy Chemirmir, who had been posing as maintenance worker at senior living facilities across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The 46-year-old was indicted on numerous homicide charges last week. Police believe he murdered at least a dozen elderly women, which would make him one of the states most prolific serial killers, according to the Dallas Morning News. Officials have said that Chemirmir smothered his victims with pillows before making off with their jewelry or other valuables. Because his victims were elderly women who lived alone, their deaths were not considered suspicious and initially did not get investigated. That was heart-wrenching to find out that she had not died peacefully, Adair told WFAA. It was heartbreaking. Chemirmir has insisted that he is innocent. They have circumstantial evidence that puts him in the area but thats as far as the evidence goes, Phillip Hayes, his attorney, told the Associated Press last week. Officials began reevaluating the deaths of hundreds of elderly women in the Dallas-Fort Worth area last year, suspecting that they might have overlooked a pattern of homicides. The investigation began in March 2018, not long after a 91-year-old woman was attacked and robbed in her Plano, Tex., apartment. The nonagenarian told police that a man had forced his way in, telling her to lie down in bed and not fight him. When she obeyed his commands, he placed a pillow over her face to smother her. Before long, she lost consciousness, according to court records obtained by the Morning News. Miraculously, the woman, whose name has not been released, survived. A friend happened to stop by in time to call paramedics, who revived her. But by the time the 91-year-old regained consciousness, her assailant was long gone. So was her jewelry box. Police began investigating. Earlier that month, someone had reported a suspicious vehicle at the Plano apartment complex. The license plate traced back to Chemirmir, and detectives began staking out his home. As they watched from a distance one night, they saw him tossing a jewelry box into the trash. Inside, they found a name written on a piece of paper, which they linked to Lu Thi Harris, an 81-year-old living less than 10 miles away in Far North Dallas. No one at her home answered the door, and when police made their way inside, they found Harris dead in her bedroom with lipstick smeared around her mouth. A pillow lying on the bed also had lipstick stains on it, leading investigators to conclude that she had been suffocated. The gruesome discovery was the key break detectives needed in another case that had been puzzling them for months. In October 2017, a 93-year-old woman had been attacked and robbed at an assisted living facility in Frisco, less than 20 miles away from Plano. She told police that a well-dressed man knocked on her door and identified himself as a maintenance worker, asking if she needed anything done. When she declined, he forced his way into the apartment and knocked her to the ground. The man picked up a pillow and tried to smother the 93-year-old before taking her wooden jewelry box and leaving, according to the Morning News. When he was gone, the victim, whose name has not been released, used her emergency alert button to call for help. Detectives in Frisco began investigating, but the woman couldnt describe her attacker in enough detail for them to pinpoint a suspect. When they learned that Chemirmir had been arrested, police in Frisco checked his phone records. As it turned out, his cellphone had connected with a cell tower roughly a half-mile from the womans apartment on the day of the attack, according to the Morning News. The striking parallels between the three cases led authorities to charge Chemirmir with capital murder in Harris death, and attempted capital murder in the attacks on elderly women in Plano and Frisco. After his March 2018 arrest, police found a cache of womens jewelry, cellphones and medical scrubs in his apartment, according to WFAA. For police in Plano, Frisco and Dallas, the discoveries raised one major question: How many elderly women had their deaths chalked up to natural causes or existing health problems when, in fact, they had been murdered? At a news conference in March 2018, officials pledged to take a closer look at hundreds of deaths that, up to that point, hadnt been considered suspicious. Payne had her body exhumed so that the Dallas County Medical Examiners office could conduct an autopsy for the first time. The initial results of that investigation were revealed to the public last week, when Chemirmir was indicted on an additional six capital murder charges in Dallas County and five capital murder cases in Collin County, where Frisco and Plano are located. In Dallas County, where he already faced charges for the March 2018 murder of Lu Thi Harris, he is accused of killing an additional six women who ranged in age from 76 to 94, and who died in 2016 and 2018. The names and ages of the five victims in Collin County havent been released. Police are continuing to look for more potential victims, the Morning News reported, and havent revealed how the 11 new homicides were linked to Chemirmir. A citizen of Kenya, Chemirmir has lived in the greater Dallas area for more than a decade and had a history of DWI and assault charges, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In 2016, he had also been charged with trespassing at a retirement community in Dallas where one of his victims reportedly lived. He is being held on $9.1 million bail. Because he is in the country illegally, federal immigration authorities have additionally placed a jail hold on him. The case has led to multiple lawsuits against senior living facilities and retirement communities in the area, the Star-Telegram reported. Families of three victims allege the facilities didnt have adequate security, which allowed Chemirmir to pose as a maintenance worker or caregiver without being detected. One suit was settled for an undisclosed sum in September, while the other two are still pending. None of the facilities have admitted wrongdoing. Officials havent said whether autopsies were performed on the eleven victims when they first died. But being smothered by a pillow would leave little evidence of foul play, one expert told the Morning News. If the deceased person was elderly and had existing medical conditions, that would further decrease the likelihood that investigators would look for red flags like fibers on the victims body. That has raised concerns for some advocates, who worry that the deaths of older people arent being fully investigated because authorities draw certain conclusions based on age. Maybe its easier to say, This person is over 70 so they had a heart attack, but we dont know that, Dee Wadsworth, a retired gerontologist, told the Morning News. If that person has no history of a heart condition, then further investigation is warranted by the medical examiner. FORT WORTH, Texas Fort Worth police Chief Joel Fitzgerald was fired Monday following an incident in Washington, D.C. that city officials said was the latest to bring his judgment and leadership into question. City Manager David Cooke announced Fitzgeralds ouster at an afternoon press conference, saying the recent incident convinced him that Fitzgerald wasnt the right person to lead police in Texas fifth most populous city. Fitzgerald, whos been police chief since 2015, confirmed his firing Monday but declined to go into detail about what happened. Im not going to get into it, he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Im just going to make sure I get an attorney involved and just do things the right way. Fitzgerald, 48, was kicked out of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas earlier this month after the state-wide union found he was not a member of Fort Worths local police union. Days later, the chief got into a heated confrontation with the associations president while both were attending a National Police Week awards dinner in the nations capital, according to the Star-Telegram. Fitzgerald denied acting unprofessionally. Manny Ramirez, president of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association, said city officers are looking forward to the next era of leadership. Cooke said city leaders had been working on some issues with Fitzgerald since he dropped a contentious bid to leave Texas to lead the police department in Baltimore. Baltimores then mayor named Fitzgerald as her nominee to be the citys police commissioner in November. But he abruptly withdrew from consideration after The Baltimore Sun reported that Fitzgeralds resume overstated some achievements from his tenure in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said she supported Fitzgeralds firing. Residents deserve a chief committed to building relationships in all communities, she said, and police deserve a leader who will be present, active, and engaged. Cooke said Executive Assistant Chief Edwin Kraus will lead Fort Worth police until a new chief is hired. There is no timeline for filling the job, he said. (WB) Politicians and activists in the U.S. and around the world on Friday commemorated the annual International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) issued a statement shortly before the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. On International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, we reject the bigotry and discrimination that undermines our democracy and inflicts pain and violence on LGBTQ individuals around the world, said Pelosi. No person, anywhere, should face harassment or fear losing their jobs, their homes or their lives because of who they are or whom they love. OutRight Action International Executive Director Jessica Stern is among those who took part in a U.N. LGBT Core Group event in New York that commemorated IDAHOBiT. Human Rights Campaign Global Ty Cobb in a statement noted a provision of Bruneis new penal code based on Shariah that sought to impose to death penalty upon anyone found guilty of consensual same-sex sexual relations and the continued anti-LGBTI crackdown in Chechnya. Cobb also criticized the Trump administration for his absence of leadership on these issues. While countries and communities around the globe are increasingly embracing LGBTQ people, far too many of us still live with the threat of discrimination, violence and even death including in Brunei, where draconian laws are targeting LGBTQ people, and in Chechnya, where alarming human rights violations against LGBTQ people continue, said Cobb. In the absence of White House leadership on these issues, it is critical that the international community continues to stand together in support of LGBTQ people around the world. U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry and the U.S. Embassy in Honduras on Friday publicly acknowledged IDAHOBiT. The Australian Embassy in D.C. on Friday hosted an IDAHOBiT event with Amazin LeThi of Athlete Ally and other activists. The State Department has yet to publicly acknowledged IDAHOBiT. After issuing a strong statement last year for IDAHOTB, its sad that Secretary Pompeo apparently decided not to issue a statement this year on the very day that the U.S. Congress voted to grant civil rights protections to LGBT Americans, Council for Global Equality Chair Mark Bromley told the Washington Blade in a statement. This is the first time in many years that there has not been a statement from the secretary or the State Department in recognition of IDAHOTB, a message that is then amplified in meaningful ways by our embassies abroad. Victory Institute conference in Colombia begins with moment of silence IDAHOBiT, which was previously known as the International Day Against Homophobia, first took place on May 17, 2005, to commemorate the World Health Organizations decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. Lawmakers in Taiwan on Friday approved a bill that will extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. Consensual same-sex sexual relations nevertheless remain criminalized in more than 70 countries and anti-LGBTI violence and discrimination remains pervasive around the world. Police in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Friday reportedly disrupted an IDAHOBiT event. Cuban police on May 11 arrested several people who participated in an unsanctioned LGBTI march in Havana. Mariela Castro, the daughter of former Cuban President Raul Castro who directs Cubas National Center for Sexual Education, on Friday in a series of posts on her Facebook page highlighted several IDAHOBiT events in the city of Camaguey. An LGBTQ Victory Institute conference that is taking place in Bogota, Colombia, began on Friday with a moment of silence in honor of people in Latin America who have been victims of violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The first chapter of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, known as Tzu Chi USA, was established in Alhambra, Calif., in 1989. It all began when Stephen Huang, a wealthy American businessman seeking personal guidance, visited Dharma Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan. The meeting changed his life. There he met a gentle nun who had created a powerful organization, and who was able to realize one seemingly impossible dream after another, solely for the benefit of others. Huang was so filled with awe and admiration that he became a disciple and vowed to bring the spirit and mission of Tzu Chi to the United States. He did just that by making Tzu Chi USA the first chapter of Tzu Chi overseas. Tzu Chi USA began by mobilizing volunteers, then hosting tea parties where they could share their thoughts, experiences, and joy of volunteering. The events drew supporters and quickly inspired the creation of additional chapters. Today, Tzu Chi USA has 60 offices and facilities throughout the U.S., with volunteers and donors working tirelessly to make a difference in their communities. Their journey includes the mission of serving others unconditionally and sowing seeds of love and kindness in the Americas. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, and Tzu Chi distributed $10 million in immediate relief aid to the victims. Tzu Chi USA was recognized as National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) Member of the Year in 2013, and received the Champions of Change Award from the White House. CLICK HERE to find the website of the Tzu Chi Foundation. CHICO, Calif. Have you ever wondered where your clothes come from? How about where the materials used to make your clothes come from? In an effort to answer those questions, a Chico-based couple has launched a new business venture designed to bring a new crop and new business opportunity to Butte County. We hope to provide a new industry to Northern California, said Durl Van Alstyne. Our goal is to grow small parcels of flax to be machined processed into linen and yarn. Flax is a crop that is resistant to many pests and insects and it needs little water. Planting a variety of flax in a three-acre farm not far from downtown Chico, Van Alstyne and Sandy Fisher are hoping their vision brings a new type of texture to the region. Fisher says flax can and does grow in this region. She said it can also grow in the foothills and even on the coast. As a lifelong artisan and weaver, Fisher says harvesting flax is not difficult work and simply time-intensive. She explains that linen is derived from flax, but that material has not been a strong player in the textile industry here in the United States. Fisher said there are currently no linen mills in the United States, but sees this industry as one that could be lucrative. She said if the region had a mill locally, farmers from all over Northern California could bring their flax for processing, to be turned into various products. As the venture gets off the ground, many volunteers have recently visited the farm to help harvest the flax. One woman drove all the way from Tulare County to take part in the effort. Volunteer Iwona Mamolik describes flax as a great plant and end product. She said linen is a breathable fabric and perfect for California weather. Fisher said the process of taking flax from the field to an end-product involves several steps. First, the flax must be soaked in water. Then, it is dried. Once that is finished the remaining product is processed by hand in preparation to be used for spinning or weaving. Fisher said her desire to know more of where her clothes and the materials used to make her clothing originate, helped spur this business project. She said growing flax and turning it into a product creates connectivity not found with store-bought items. Fisher and Van Alstyne say they envision their enterprise, Chico Flax, as being able to create local jobs for processing, harvesting and weaving of flax. They said they have already had some interest from the bay area fashion industry in their concept. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - California lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the Feather River Hospital to be reopened as an emergency room. SB156 would allow Adventist Health to provide emergency services at the site of the former Feather River Hospital, despite a current state law that does not allow freestanding emergency departments. The emergency room designation would be temporary and is intended to give the company time to assess whether, and to what extent, the town of Paradise will return. It would also determine whether the construction of a new hospital is viable. Butte County deputy hospitalized after Chico traffic stop A traffic stop turned violent in Chico, sending a Butte County deputy to the hospital. The Butte County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened around 2;30 a.m. Monday morning on 1st Avenue and Oleander Avenue. Three of the people in the car were arrested. Lawmakers considering a bill to reopen Feather River Hospital California lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the Feather River Hospital to reopen as an emergency room. SB 156 would allow Adventist health to provide emergency services at the site of the former Feather River Hospital, despite a current state law that does not allow freestanding emergency departments. President issues disaster declaration for several North State counties The president issued a disaster declaration for several North State counties due to damage from storms earlier this year. The declaration, which was issued Saturday, includes Butte, Amador, Glenn, Tehama, and Colusa counties. Traffic alert: One-lane closure on I-5 through Lakehead Motorists can expect a one-lane closure along the Pit River Bridge on I-5 through Lakehead. The speed limit in construction zones is 55 miles per hour and 45 miles per hour at the Pit River Bridge project. Traffic alert: One-lane closure on I-5 from Mount Shasta to Dunsmuir Those traveling southbound on I-5 between Mount Shasta and Dunsmuir should be on the lookout near the California Highway Patrol scales. Traffic is down to one lane only. Authorities investigating man hit and killed by train in Chico Police are investigating a train that hit and killed a man in Chico around 5 a.m. Saturday morning. An Amtrak train hit a man who was standing on the tracks just north of West Sacramento Avenue. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible suicide. They have not released his identity. Firefighters knock down a house fire in Biggs early Sunday morning Firefighters knocked down an early morning house fire in Biggs, which broke out just after midnight Sunday morning. CAL FIRE crews rescued a dog stuck inside the burning home. The person living in the home escaped without injury. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. DNEG, the award-winning global visual effects (VFX), animation and stereo conversion business, has launched a new offering called ReDefine, to bridge the gap between the East and the West for creative services for film and Over The Top (OTT) content for streaming. ReDefine will operate alongside DNEG, offering creative visual effects and animation services to expanding international markets such as China and India, as well as other global independent productions. It will bring local experience, top-end creative supervision and scale to these rapidly growing markets, while leveraging the benefits of access to DNEGs market-leading technology infrastructure. China is expected to surpass North America as the worlds largest theatrical movie market in the next few years, and demand for original OTT streaming content in India is growing rapidly, driven primarily by mobile broadband usage and lower data charges. ReDefines work is being led by dedicated supervisory teams operating from London and Montreal, focusing on creative design and execution. ReDefine will be based in a brand-new studio facility in Mumbai, which will be home to more than 600 staff. DNEG CEO, Namit Malhotra, said: As part of our vision to build a truly global organisation we are continuing to explore how we work with our partners, storytellers and content makers across the globe. Our clients needs and ways of working in areas such as China and India are often different to those of the Hollywood productions for which DNEG is honoured to have won four of the last five visual effects Oscars. ReDefine will provide an alternative approach, specifically tailored to the creative needs and working styles of non-Hollywood markets. We chose the name ReDefine because it reflects the way we will re-define how filmmaking services are provided to productions outside of Hollywood, with a purpose-built approach for each market. DNEG has founded its success on close creative collaboration with clients, and ReDefine is a logical next step to even better serve our partners around the world. Rohan Desai will lead ReDefine, with Nigel Denton-Howes (Alita: Battle Angel, Mowgli) as Creative Director and Nick King (Thor: Ragnarok, Fantastic Beasts) as Head of Production, both previously with VFX company Framestore. Animation is also a key part of ReDefines offering, with Greg Gavanski heading the Animation team and John Harvey (A Wizards Tale, LEGO Nexo Knights) as Creative Director. ReDefine already has projects in production, including the much anticipated Brahmastra, written and directed by Ayan Mukherjee, and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. It is also working on a number of projects for the Chinese market, including Liberation for directors Xiaoyang Chang and Shaohong Li, The Mermaid 2 (3D), the sequel to director Stephen Chows $553 million-grossing original, and Turandot for director Xiaolong Zheng. Animation projects currently in production at ReDefine include 100% Wolf and four other feature-length productions. Talking about ReDefines work on Brahmastra, director Ayan Mukherjee said: The visual effects for Brahmastra will pioneer new techniques and processes that have not previously been seen in movies for the mainstream Indian film market. Having worked with DNEG, and now ReDefine, I know that together we are creating amazing visuals that reflect a quality and calibre that audiences have come to expect from big budget Hollywood films. Im especially excited to work with ReDefine because it brings not only high-end technology and creative input, but also an in-depth knowledge and understanding of our local Bollywood culture and working-style. On Womens Day (March 6, 2019), Adgully had organised Indias first ever Twitter panel, aptly titled #ProgressiveWomen. The panel, which brought together some of the most influential women leaders in the advertising industry, put the spotlight on who actually is a progressive woman in todays world. Following the tremendous response to the Twitter panel, Adgully is conducting its second Twitter panel on What role did digital media play in the 2019 General Elections? Everyone is invited to join in the most topical conversation at @adgully on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 between 3 pm and 4 pm. Analysing the digital conversations during the 2019 General Elections will be leading names of the industry: Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous (@trrippp) Karthik Srinivasan, Consultant (@beastoftraal) Naresh Gupta, CSO, BangInTheMiddle (@googlegupta) Nitin Bhatia, Social Media Expert, Meltwater (@nitinSPEAKs) Shubho Sengupta, Digital Marketer (@shubhos) The 2019 General Elections, which concluded the last phase of the 7-phase voting yesterday (May 19), saw the political parties battling out as much online as they did on-ground, perhaps even more. Various political observers have mentioned how social media is playing a key role in shaping peoples opinion about the different parties and their candidates in the fray. Social media has also given a chance for the common Indians to directly interact with the political leaders and have somewhat brought them closer to the voters. Thus, it will be interesting to see how the clout of Digital Media has grown in these Elections, the political spends on the medium and what the road ahead looks like. Do join the industry leaders and voice your views at @adgully on May 21. Read More: Many voices one face: Who is a Troll? Rahul Sharma, who created a stir in the mobile handset market with Micromax Informatics, now has major plans for the automotive two-wheeler market with his latest venture, Revolt Intellicorp. The company recently brought on board #ARM Worldwide to carve its product communication, digital marketing (paid, owned & earned media), technology management, and influencer & content marketing. Read More: #ARM Worldwide wins Digital mandate for Revolt Intellicorp Leading the marketing drive for Revolt Intellicorp is Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Shubhodip Pal. Pal, who was earlier Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer at Micromax, took charge of his role at Revolt Intellicorp in November 2018 and has been responsible for planning, implementing and overseeing all marketing and business development activities in the company. Elaborating on Revolt Intellicorps operations, Pal told Adgully, Revolt Intellicorp is our Founder Rahuls (Sharma) dream of making personal mobility practical, affordable and sustainable. Our first product is Indias first AI-enabled motorcycle. It will be a game-changer way ahead of regular commuter motorcycles, and not a compromise, but high on performance and aesthetics. More details on the bike will be revealed next month. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Revolt Intellicorp has its manufacturing facility in Manesar, which is spread over 100,000 square feet. The facility boasts a production capacity of 120,000 vehicles commissioned for Phase 1. Speaking further on the companys plans, Pal said, Our ambition is to create a stir in the two-wheeler, which practically has seen no innovation in almost two decades now. India is the second-largest motorcycle market in the world, but currently, electric two-wheeler adoption is almost exclusively limited to China. India is a two-wheeler dense market and poses maximum threat to the environment. With Revolt Intellicorp, we want to bring sustainable mobility to every Indian household with zero compromise on form factor and performance. We are looking at replacing the current set of motorcycles and not just be an alternative to motorcycles with an ICE engine. Going forward, once Revolt Intellicorp introduces its first product in the market, the company plans to capture double digit market share in the overall two-wheeler industry in India, Pal informed. 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. North Augusta City Council members are set to make the final decision on whether or not Riverside Village will be rezoned as downtown during their meeting on Monday. Council will hold the third and final reading of an ordinance that would rezone 11 parcels, around 9.58 acres of land, from planned development to downtown zoning. The impacted parcels do not include SRP Park or Ironwood Apartments. Chris Schoen with Greenstone Properties, the developer of Riverside Village, said during a previous City Council meeting that height, setbacks and parking were issues they had under the planned development zoning. Council will vote on a motion to receive the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation that the parcels be rezoned. +5 North Augusta City Council looking to swap land and acquire old Country Club North Augusta City Council took the first step in acquiring new land for a park on the city Council will also vote on the second reading of an ordinance regarding a land swap. City-owned property off Five Notch Road would be swapped for land formerly known as the North Augusta Country Club. The city purchased the property off Five Notch Road for a future park, and, if the ordinance is passed, the country club property would be made into a park instead. The country club property is currently owned by DWT Properties, LLC. In new business, Council will vote on a resolution relating to the a downtown Greeneway connector. The meeting agenda states that the proposed resolution is "supporting North Augusta Forward's contracting Studio Main LLC to update the North Augusta downtown Greeneway connector master plan and preliminary construction documentation." During the study session before the meeting, Council will hear an update on the fiscal year 2018 audit from Cammie Hayes, director of the city's finance department. Libby Hodges, director of planning and development, will present wayfinding design options to Council. Council will meet at 6 p.m. for the study session and 7 p.m. for the meeting Monday on the third floor of the Municipal Building, 100 Georgia Ave. Widely known in this area as a man of the people, S.C. Rep. Ronnie Young (R-Clearwater) had a passion for serving Aiken County and the State of South Carolina. Two days before his death at his Horse Creek Valley home early Sunday morning, Young, 71, received the Order of the Palmetto, which is the states highest civilian honor. Young was the longest serving Aiken County Council chairman in history. His tenure began in 1994 and continued until 2017. In May of that year, Young won a special election for the S.C. House of Representatives District 84 seat following Chris Corleys resignation and was sworn in early the next month. In 2018, Young was re-elected. Public service is a high calling, and he untiringly fulfilled that calling with integrity and determination, said County Administrator Clay Killian. +2 S.C. Rep. Ronnie Young receives South Carolina's highest civilian honor CLEARWATER The tears flowed, but there also were some chuckles and peals of laughter when LaWana McKenzie was on County Council with Young and was among the vice chairmen during his time at the panel's helm. She also was a longtime friend to Young. Ronnie always was Ronnie, she said. He didnt put on airs. It didnt matter if you held some high position or were just someone he knew from his neighborhood, Ronnie was always the same. He never forgot where he came from. He was always one of the Valley boys. McKenzie also described Young as a guy who cared and worked so hard." Many people didnt realize how many hours he put in, she continued. It wasnt just go to the meetings and go home. He was constantly trying to find out more about problems and ways to solve them. Young battled cancer and other health challenges. When S.C. Rep. Jay Lucas (R-Darlington), who is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, presented him the Order of the Palmetto, Young was lying in a hospital-style bed in his living room. He was the vice chairman of the Houses Education and Public Works Committee, and Lucas praised him for his efforts in crafting an education reform bill. Lucas also called Young an uplifting presence in the House. He makes us all feel better, Lucas said. In a Twitter message posted Sunday, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster wrote: Aiken County has lost one of its most loyal and beloved public servants. Representative Ronnie Youngs mortal body could not keep pace with his indomitable spirit and tireless service. Sen. Tom Young remembered Young for his ability to guide and unite his fellow elected officials. He was a quiet leader, Young said. He was very effective in working things out behind the scenes and building a consensus on issues. Then everyone would come together in public with a path forward. County Council Vice Chairman Andrew Siders, who served as interim chairman after Ronnie Young was elected to the House, expressed a similar sentiment. He would say just enough to get his point across and would listen more than he spoke, Siders said. He always was a source of advice and information. Ronnie not only was my mentor, he was my friend. In addition, Aiken Mayor Rick Osbon benefited from Youngs guidance while he was a County Council member and serving as a vice chairman. He (Young) taught me to value every persons opinion and to have the whole story before making a decision, Osbon said. As County Council chairman, Young focused on economic development and the improvement of county facilities. He established the Sage Mill Industrial Park and helped bring in the various industries located there, Gary Bunker said. The Bridgestone expansion, which he helped advance, was at the time the largest single industrial investment in South Carolina history. For several years, Bunker was Youngs vice chairman on County Council and won a special election to succeed him as chairman in October 2017. He supported the Carrol H. Warner Savannah River Research Campus, Bunker said. He helped found the Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority. He championed park expansion, including the acquisition of Boyd Pond Park and the ongoing work at Langley Pond. He helped rebuild much of Aiken County's capital plant, including the new Detention Center, the new Government Complex, the new Animal Shelter and the Judicial Center expansion. Young also served on the Aiken County School Board. To S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, the little things Young did meant a lot. He will be remembered for his personal touches, Taylor said. For example, he loved baking and was a master in creating delicious desserts and sharing them with friends and colleagues in county government and the State House. McKenzie also enjoyed eating Youngs sweet treats along with his pimento cheese and chicken salad. His banana pudding was to die for, she said. He also could make wonderful cakes. They were so moist, and he took so much pride in them being level. He didnt ever come in with any lopsided cakes. The funeral service for Young will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Christian Heritage Church at 285 Ascauga Lake Road in Graniteville. His family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m at the church Thursday. "Ronnie's strength was his beautiful wife, Susan," Osbon said. "They supported one another and made up an incredible team." (WB) Cuban police on Thursday arrested an independent LGBTI activist at his Havana tattoo parlor. Maykel Gonzalez Vivero of Tremenda Nota, the Washington Blades media partner in Cuba, on Facebook wrote Roberto Ramos Mori was taken into custody near Plaza de Armas in Old Havana. Gonzalez wrote Ramos was placed into a private car as though he were kidnapped. Gonzalez told the Blade state security officials earlier on Thursday asked Ramos who organized an unsanctioned LGBTI march that took place in Havana on May 11. Gonzalez said Ramos did not want to talk with them. Independent activists have criticized Ramos arrest on Facebook and Twitter. Sources in Havana said he was released a few hours after he was taken into custody. Cuban police arrested several people who participated in the unsanctioned LGBTI march. The National Center for Sexual Education, a group directed by Mariela Castro, the daughter of former President Raul Castro, last week announced the cancellation of its annual International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia march in Havana that was to have taken place on May 11. A second IDAHOBiT march was scheduled for Friday in the city of Camaguey. State security officials in the days leading up to the unsanctioned march told independent activists not to attend it. They also prevented some of them from leaving their homes in order to attend the Havana march and other unsanctioned IDAHOBiT marches that were scheduled to take place elsewhere in the country. Juana Mora Cedeno and Isbel Diaz Torres were among the independent activists who were detained before the Havana march. Cleve Jones, a San Francisco-based activist who was to have been the grand marshal of the CENESEX-organized march, attended a party with Mariela Castro that began at the same time as the unsanctioned march. Jones and Rainbow World Fund Executive Director Jeff Cotter on Wednesday in a statement said they met with CENESEX leadership to express their concerns over the cancelled IDAHOBiT marches and the arrests at the unsanctioned march in Havana. The statement did not say whether Jones and Cotter met with Mariela Castro or CENESEX Deputy Director Manuel Vazquez Seijido, but it added we have been assured that the detained LGBTQ activists have been released and will not receive severe punishment. Jones and Cotter in their statement also said they raised the Cuban governments decision to prevent this reporter from entering the country on May 8 after his American Airlines flight landed at Havanas Jose Marti International Airport. The Cuban government has not provided a reason for its decision. Mariela Castro, meanwhile, continues to insist opponents of the Cuban government in Miami and elsewhere organized the unsanctioned march. The Egyptian authorities and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission reached a staff-level agreement over the completion of the fifth and final review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). An IMF team led by Subir Lall, IMF assistant director for the Middle East and Central Asia, visited Egypt on May 5-16, for the final review of Egypts economic reform program supported by a three-year EFF. By July, Egypt is expected to get the last tranche worth $2 billion of the IMFs $12 billion loan program signed in November 2016. Egyptian Deputy Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said in a press statement May 7 that the government would provide the IMF mission with the latest developments regarding the countrys financial performance, growth and balance of payments indicators in the coming two weeks. The mission is focusing on Egypts plan to launch structural reforms, targeting the industrial and export sectors. However, the IMFs review will not result in fresh decisions that are severe for citizens as all requirements have been fully fulfilled since the beginning of the agreement, Rashad Abdo, head of the Egyptian Forum for Economic and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor. Abdo cited that Egypt has taken a raft of measures aimed at financial reforms, i.e., reining in the state budget and current account deficits over the past three years. The IMF Country Report No. 19/98 issued in April stated that Egypts progress on structural reforms has been mixed, but the program objectives remain achievable. It added, Sustained efforts are needed to advance critical reforms in competition, industrial land allocation, transparency and governance of state-owned enterprises, and public procurement." In this regard, Abdo said both Egypt and the IMF agree on the need to enhance the role of the private sector. However, he warned of a sudden withdrawal of the public sector. Egypt has announced its plan to sell stakes in state-owned companies via initial public offerings to minimize the role of the public sector, according to the loan agreement with the IMF. Paris-based bank BNP Paribas said the recent structural changes in Egypts economy do not favor a significant rebound in activity based on productive investment and job creations. The public sector accounts for about 40% of the official economy and a quarter of formal employment. For historical reasons, the public sector plays a very key role in the economy, and recent reforms have not changed this substantially, BNP Paribas stated in a report issued in April titled Egypt: From Macroeconomic Stabilisation to Sustainable Growth. Most international banks, like BNP Paribas, have economic research units for issuing reports on countries, commodities, world stocks, and so on. These research units are mainly interested in addressing foreign investors who have been buying into Egypts sovereign debt instruments over the past three years. However, Abdo believes the full withdrawal of the public sector will leave the private sector alone on the local market. Without market controls, the private sector will monopolize the market and prices will shoot up. The BNP Paribas report is based on theoretical arguments, he said, citing that the public sector is like a balance of power on the local market. Assessing the countrys economic reforms after nearly three years, Abdo said, Egypt has achieved political and legislative stability that has contributed to the improvement of the investment environment and tourism recovery. He noted that following the currency float in November 2016, Egyptian merchants focused only on exports at the expense of the local market, taking advantage of higher earnings from a depreciated pound versus the greenback. To boost exports, there must be production surpluses like in China, where its currency is depreciated for making its products cheaper to world importers, he said. According to Abdo, building up a local manufacturing base for both the domestic and foreign markets is a must. Therefore, all obstacles i.e., importing machinery, equipment and intermediate goods facing industrialization should be ironed out. Industrialization for creating production surpluses is a must in the long term, he added. Industrialization will create jobs and maintain sustained economic growth in the long run." The industrial sector accounts for 30% of manpower in Egypt, or 2.5 million people in roughly 38,000 manufacturing firms. It contributes 17.7% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the official State Information Service. Egypts non-oil manufacturing sector accounts for 16% of GDP, Amr Taha, the executive director of the state-run Industrial Modernization Center, was quoted as saying by Dotmsr news portal on April 17. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly told a Cabinet meeting May 12 that the sustainability of development rates would rely on enhancing the local industry. Boosting the industrial sector is a guarantee to keep the economy on track and ensure there would be no decline in growth objectives, the premier was quoted as saying by Youm7 news portal on May 12. Moreover, Madbouly said March 8 that his government plans to increase exports by 221.8% from $24.8 billion at present to $55 billion in the coming years. Egypts Planning Minister Hala al-Saeed told the parliament April 16 that the government is targeting the completion of 13 industrial complexes across the country and issuing 12,000 new industrial licenses in the fiscal year 2019-20, which will begin on July 1. She said the government would continue the structural transformation of economic growth resources with increased reliance on investment and exports, increasing the contribution of both sectors to 42% and 38% of GDP growth, respectively. Egypts exports rose to $14.3 billion in the first half of the fiscal year 2018-19 (July-December 2018), up from $12.1 billion in the same period a year earlier, the Central Bank of Egypt stated April 1. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded on May 20 to US President Donald Trumps tweet about the likelihood of military conflict with Iran. Trump tweeted on May 19, If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! On May 17, Trump had also tweeted, With all the fake and made up news out there, Iran can have no idea what is actually going on. With the announcement by national security adviser John Bolton that the United States was sending an aircraft carrier strike group into the Persian Gulf in response to specific Iranian threats, tensions were severely heightened last week and experts warned of a military conflict. While many analysts now believe the intelligence was oversold by Bolton and Iran was likely taking defensive measures against what they believed was aggressive US military actions, tensions have since died down. Zarifs tweet, while in response to Trump, also offered an olive branch. Referring to the B-team of Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed, Zarif tweeted, Goaded by the B-team, [Trump] hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis and other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors [are] all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts wont 'end Iran.' #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect it works! Zarifs hashtag #NeverThreatenanIranian comes from a viral moment during the nuclear negotiations between 2013-15 when the foreign minister had a heated exchange with then Secretary of State John Kerry. Many Iranians on Twitter translated the English-language tweet into Persian but kept the hashtag in English. The line has become one of the foreign ministers more popular and viral ones on Persian and Iranian social media pages. The coverage of the tweets in Iranian media suggests that tensions have died down for now. In response to Trumps tweet, hard-line Jahan news wrote as their headline, The American President has put the minds of cowards at ease. The reference to cowards in the headline was, according to the article, Reformists and Western-oriented Iranians who feared a war between the United States and Iran. In other news, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization has reportedly gone through a structural change. Jahan, which is believed to be close to the countrys security agencies, wrote about the changes. The IRGC Intelligence Organization has been instrumental in suppressing domestic dissent, particularly since the contested 2009 presidential elections. One of the changes, according to the article, is that given the range of threats Iran is facing, the organization would now operate outside of Irans borders in the region and beyond. The article wrote that a part of the Strategic Information Directorate of the IRGC would be merging with the IRGC Intelligence Organization, adding this would not necessarily be a new institution but rather a new professional era in the intelligence institution of the IRGC. The article said the new structure of the IRGC intelligence would focus specifically on the United States. Iranian media had previously written that Hossein Taeb would continue to head the IRGC Intelligence Organization. They also wrote that the deputy information director under the IRGC would merge with the IRGC Intelligence Organization, but this news was quickly deleted. According to BBC Persian, Taeb was announced as the director of the IRGC Intelligence Organization and not the head of the organization, creating doubts on whether a new entity had been created. A rocket hit the Green Zone in central Baghdad Sunday night. The highly fortified center that houses Iraqi government offices and many foreign embassies, including the United States'. Residents of the Green Zone and surrounding areas heard the explosion followed by warning sirens and the deployment of security forces in several suburbs surrounding the area. A Katyusha rocket fell in the middle of the Green Zone without causing any losses, reported the Iraqi Security Media Center. It landed near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, about half a kilometer (0.3 miles) from the US Embassy. A spokesman of the US State of Department confirmed that a low-grade rocket landed in the international zone near the US Embassy with no causalities. We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly, the State Department official said. A new militia called "Operations of Shahid Ali al-Mansour" took responsibility for the attack. A statement from the group read, "This is not about the conflicting axes in the region. Our demand is clear: bringing Michael Behenna back to prison." US President Donald Trump granted Behenna, convicted of killing an Iraqi prisoner, a full pardon in May. The assistant secretary-general of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Nasr al-Shemmary, announced May 13 that the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Units are ready to target US interests as appropriate. "Confrontation with the United States will stop only when it is eliminated from the region, along with the Zionist entity, he added. Nujaba has a long history of cooperation with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and openly follows the orders of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The United States added Nujaba to its terrorist list last March. Two days after Nujaba announcement, the US Embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil evacuated non-emergency staff, due to concern about perceived threats from Iran and its proxies in Iraq. Following the investigation by the Iraqi security forces, a rocket launcher was found in Al-Sina'a Street, eastern Baghdad, about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) away across the Tigris River from the Green Zone. A senior security official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Katyusha rocket launcher matches launchers made by Iran. Iranian officials including Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and President Hassan Rouhani have said repeatedly that the Popular Mobilization Units have access to Iranian weapons. Soleimani visited Baghdad last week and met with leaders of pro-Iranian PMU factions, telling them to prepare for proxy war. Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami also said the day of the rocket launch, Today we have reached the highest level of confrontation with the [United States]. The security source told Al-Monitor that the PMU have built a completely separate security and intelligence apparatus to work independently, without interference by the Iraqi government. The model is similar to Iran's IRGC, which operates independently in a large variety of fields including security, intelligence and even economic ventures. As the tension between Iran and the United States rises, Iraqi leaders are working hard to keep Iraq out of the conflict and avoid a US-Iran clash on Iraqi territory. In his meeting with the charge d'affaires of the US mission in Iraq on Sunday, Joey Hood, Iraq's parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi affirmed "the necessity of supporting Iraq's stability and avoiding any collision on its lands, in order to bring stability, security and political and economic developments in Iraq." In another meeting with Hikma bloc leader Ammar al-Hakim on Sunday, Hakim told Hood that Iraq is ready to mediate between the United States and Iran. Both parties also affirmed that the recent escalation is worrying everyone in the region. The leader of the Sairoon Alliance, the largest parliamentary bloc, said on Monday, "I'm against fueling war between Iran and America, and I'm against putting Iraq in this war and making it a battlefield for the Iranian-American conflict." He added, Any party that pushes Iraq into war and makes it a battlefield will be an enemy of the Iraqi people. Even some PMU leaders warned against letting Iraq become a battlefield. The leader of the Badr organization, Hadi al-Amiri, said in a press conference Monday, We affirm that the national, religious and historical responsibility requires everyone to remove the specter of war from Iraq first and the whole region secondly. A group of pro-Iranian factions condemned the incident. Kataib Hezbollah called it "unjustified," saying, "Its timing is not appropriate and if it wasnt in the public interest at present." The head of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali, warned against actions that lead to war and damage to Iraq's political and security standing. Hussein al-Asadi, a leader of the Islamic Movement in Iraq, told Almayadeen TV that this incident was one of a series of actions that serve the interests of the Israeli and Saudi intelligence services. Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi visited Tehran today, following US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Oman. He has served as an intermediary between the United States and the Islamic Republic on previous occasions. What appeared to be a simple and quick process of forming a new Israeli government is proving to be a bit more complicated. After the election for the 21st Knesset on April 9, it looked like the formation of a government would be a non-issue and that the new government would constitute a continuation, in one form or another, of the outgoing government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After all, every party that participated in the outgoing coalition recommended to President Reuven Rivlin that he charge Netanyahu with forming the next government, and none of the opposition parties expressed an interest in joining Netanyahus right-wing camp. The Likud didnt even invite the latter for talks for the sake of appearance, as occurred many times in the past. It seemed that no one had the time; a new government had to be formed quickly and get to work. Despite Netanyahus suspicion that Rivlin would find a way to charge someone else in the Likud with forming the government, the president didnt hesitate and gave the experienced prime minister the job for the fifth time. Netanyahu exhausted the 28 days the law grants him for the task and is now in the midst of the two additional weeks he was granted. If at the end of the 42 days in total Netanyahu has not managed to form a governing coalition, he will be prevented by law from forming the government. Even if he finds a majority on the 43rd day, the president would have to give the task to someone else. The current delay is not because of ideological divisions, although naturally there are various shades and certain differences between the potential partners. For example, Yisrael Beitenu is the most assertive about not enlisting the ultra-Orthodox into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and in demanding an iron fist toward Hamas in Gaza. The United Right wants to change the legal system more than the Likud does, and Moshe Kahlons Kulanu is concerned about budgetary promiscuity. Yet, they are all right wing and prefer the diplomatic status quo to talks with the PLO on a peace deal. They all would also be glad to restrain the High Court with the populist view that Knesset members are elected by the people while the justices are appointed by a small committee, and thus in disputes between the branches of government, the last word should not be that of the legal branch. The desire to restrict the High Court is most important to Netanyahu, for whom avoiding a corruption trial sits atop his priorities, as he is expected to be indicted soon, pending a hearing. In this it seems that Netanyahu has the support of all his future partners, including for legislation that would curtail law enforcement and free him from the unpleasant requirement of appearing in court before judges. After all, in his view, the public did not elect them to judge him. If it were so simple, however, a new Netanyahu government would already have been formed. It could well be that this is indeed happening at this very hour, but the fact is that the situation is more complicated and different from any other effort to form a government in Israel in the past 71 years. Netanyahu is an excellent campaigner. The Likud needed him to avoid losing the election to Blue and White, led by three former IDF chiefs of staff who arrived for battle fresh, practical and promising. The religious and right-wing parties knew well that their voters wanted Netanyahu to be the next prime minister, so they promised, even before the election, that they would only join a government headed by him. Aryeh Deri, interior minister and Shas leader who spent several years in jail on bribery charges, even ran an election ad with his photo alongside Netanyahus to indicate that support for Shas would not detract from Netanyahus chances of serving as prime minister. Yet, the moment the election concluded, the picture changed. Netanyahu went from being an asset to a liability. Netanyahu will either drag his friends along in the Likud and other parties to pass very problematic personal and retroactive legislation to spare him from trial, staining them with cooperation in an antidemocratic effort, or he will forgo such maneuvering and stand trial like any other Israeli citizen. Its clear that all of his thoughts will be dedicated to one thing only: self-preservation. There is more. A trial could last a long time, and in the process, Netanyahu could decide to resign. His fifth government would thus be short-lived and could burn anyone who had rushed to support it. At this stage, with Netanyahu's 42 days to form a government nearing their end, several of his potential partners are toying with a simple move that could mean his political end: doing nothing. That is, by failing to move forward in the coalition negotiations with Netanyahu's representatives or halting them as Avigdor Liberman has done in presenting five demands to the Likud and announcing that he does not intend to participate in any negotiations until the demands are met they would lead Rivlin to charge someone else with forming the government in a few days. Not for nothing does Netanyahu fear Gideon Saar, the senior Likud member lying in wait for him around the corner. Netanyahu had feared that Rivlin might prefer Saar for the first round at government formation, but this was not really expected to happen and indeed it did not. If Netanyahu fails, it could well be that for the second round after consultations with Knesset members, Rivlin might conclude that Blue and White which did not reject joining the Likud in a government led by someone other than Netanyahu, would agree to join a government headed by Saar and those right-wing parties that rejected joining Netanyahu in forming a narrow government would also participate in such a unity government. Saar raised the torch of rebellion on May 16, when he strongly objected to a change to the law on immunity for Knesset members. On foreign diplomacy and the Palestinians, Saar has until now outflanked Netanyahu to the right, but he might discover that things look different from the vantage point of being prime minister. After being granted an extension by President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as of May 18 only has 10 days to form his fifth government. All the parties that were supposed to be part of the next coalition understand Netanyahu's political situation as well as his sensitive legal position he faces indictment for corruption pending a hearing and are making unrealistic demands that are making it difficult for him to accomplish his task. The demands in question range from a commitment to take down Hamas in Gaza to the annexation of West Bank lands to the cancellation of the 2005 disengagement and the enlistment law (concerning the drafting of ultra-Orthodox youths), a source of contention between Yisrael Beitenu head Avigdor Liberman and the ultra-Orthodox. This is in addition to Netanyahus desire to pass an immunity law (requiring the attorney general to get Knesset approval to withdraw a member's immunity) and the override clause (allowing the Knesset to override High Court decisions), which would save him from legal prosecution. All this is on the table, and every squabble over a comma could leave Netanyahu stranded without a government. Only one topic is not on the agenda of the right-wing parties: amending the Nationality Law, which anchors the Jewish nature of the State of Israel. The law caused an uproar in Israel and elsewhere and has since been left a festering, open wound. After the Knesset passed it in July 2018, Netanyahu said, The feelings of our Druze brothers and sisters touch my heart. The people of Israel, and I among them, love and appreciate you. We deeply appreciate our partnership and the covenant between us. This was as far as the prime ministers empathy went. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2018 the Druze population in Israel numbered about 143,000. Among them, 75,000 have the right to vote, representing less than two Knesset mandates. This is not the type of electoral power to strike fear in Netanyahu, despite his alleged heartfelt sentiments toward the Druze, who serve in all the security services, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), many of them in combat roles. The Druze do not have a political lobby to help them present an ultimatum to the prime minister to change the Nationality Law. An effort by Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal Asad, one of the leaders of the Druze protest against the law, failed to pressure various political parties to include an amendment to the Nationality Law on their platforms on the eve of the April 9 election. The only promise he received was from Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz, but it is doubtful that from his likely place in the opposition that Gantz can effect the commitment. Asad did not, however, despair. Asad recently succeeded in recruiting four prominent Israeli legal scholars and a philosophy professor to formulate an amendment to the law, which they made public May 15. The scholars are Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, former deputy president of the High Court who also served as legal adviser to the government from 1997 to 2003 under Prime Ministers Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon; Professor Shachar Lipshitz of the Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law; Professor Suzy Navot from the Haim Striks School of Law at the College of Management Academic Studies; Professor Amichai Cohen, former dean of the Ono Academic Campus Faculty of Law; and Professor Asa Kasher, winner of the Israel Prize in philosophy and the author of the IDFs code of ethics. We believe with complete faith that the State of Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, they wrote in the introduction to the suggested amendment, however, we believe that this Basic Law, which reinforces the Jewish character of the state, must also express its democratic character, and thus it must be amended [I]t is right to give the more than 20% of the public who is not Jewish a sense of partnership. In our view these things fit with the requirement of fairness and with common sense. Rubenstein told the media, Its essential that all non-Jewish citizens, and certainly those who serve in the security forces, feel that the state is their home. This is not merely a matter of legal casuistry, its also the demand of decency. Formulated in the spirit of Israel's Declaration of Independence (1948), the amendment recognizes Israel as the national home of the Jewish people but notes that the state also upholds the equal right of every one of its citizens. The clause of the Nationality Law that grants preference to Jewish settlement was amended to read, The state sees in the development of Jewish settlement a national value and will work to encourage and advance its establishment and support, all in the spirit of this Basic Law and to the benefit of all its residents. The amendment designates the Arabic language, afforded only special status in the state by the Nationality Law, as the state's second official language. Likud Knesset member Amir Ohana, chair of the Knesset committee that formulated the Nationality Law and one of Netanyahus closest associates and defenders, rejected the suggested amendment point blank. In a Ynet interview he called it a broken record and asserted, To say 'equality in the Nationality Law is to say that all the nationalities are equal, not that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. Equality is great, and we respect it, but this is not connected to nationality. This angered Asad. Its upsetting, Asad told Al-Monitor. Give some respect to the people who wrote and worked hard [on the amendment]. These are legal scholars who cannot be accused of being left leaning. They are people who love Israel perhaps even more than he does. Asad further stated, A whole sector [the Druze] received a major blow and has been feeling terrible. Are they [the government] waiting for there to be an outburst and a rift that cant be healed? Asad said that he has tried every official, quiet and nonviolent means to bring about a change to the discriminatory law, to speak to peoples hearts, even to the most extreme right. He explained, We aren't asking for national equality, but for civic equality. No nationality intends to threaten Israel. We love Israel with a Jewish majority, a Jewish democratic state. Asad said that he has sent the document to Netanyahu, but has not received a response. After the law passed the Knesset, Netanyahu met with Druze leaders in August 2018 and offered them a package of benefits in an effort to assuage their anger, but a verbal altercation between Asad and Netanyahu ultimately led to the meeting imploding. I will not speak to anyone who calls me the prime minister of an apartheid government, Netanyahu said, citing an online post that Asad had written about passage of the Nationality Law. We have no differences with regard to love of the country, Asad told Al-Monitor. I asked to meet with him, and I would be glad if the meeting took place. Asad, when asked why he thinks Netanyahu would consider amending the law if he is not even willing to speak to him, replied, He understands that a mistake was made. Something was done in haste, and perhaps theres room to fix it. Perhaps Asad is mistaken. At a time when Netanyahu and his colleagues are conducting an all-out war against the judicial system, it is unclear that the suggestion of top legal scholars could convince him to agree to change the existing law to grant equal civil rights in Israel. Jordanian activists fear a return to stiff security handling of their protests following a controversial government reshuffle May 9, which handed the Ministry of Interior portfolio to a septuagenarian conservative figure known for his hard-line positions. Almost 28 hours following the appointment of Salameh Hamad, 75, a number of vocal activists in Jordans so-called Hirak movement were reportedly arrested in various parts of the kingdom. The reshuffle, the third in Omar Razzazs one-year-old government, took place almost a week after King Abdullah appointed a new General Intelligence Department chief. In a letter to newly appointed chief Gen. Ahmad Husni on May 1, the king asked him to confront anyone who dares tamper with the foundations of the Jordanian Constitution and who abuse the difficult and delicate circumstances the country is passing through. In his response on the same day, Gen. Husni said he will follow the kings directives of ensuring that the rights and dignity of Jordanians are preserved and dealing firmly with all attempts to tamper with Jordanian national values and anyone intending to encroach on constitutional pillars. This unusual exchange and the focus on defending constitutional foundations prompted analysts to conclude that the country may witness a toughening up in dealing with activists, especially those who have crossed traditional red lines such as the monarch and the royal family. Protests erupted last year against government plans to tighten an income tax law as requested by the International Monetary Fund. But some protesters broke ranks by calling for a constitutional monarchy and elimination of the Senate (upper house of parliament), whose members are appointed by the king. After two weeks of protests, the king sacked the government of Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki in what was seen as a victory for Hirak. Since Razzaz who promised Jordanians a new social contract was appointed in June 2018, public criticism has been mounting again. Both the political elite and youth activists perceive him as weak and indecisive. His government has not been able to deal with the countrys endemic unemployment, poverty and foreign debt challenges. In recent months, activists mostly young people from major Jordanian tribes have become increasingly critical of the government. Some have openly criticized the royal palace, posting statements and videos on social media that have gone viral. Protesters from one of Jordans largest tribes, Bani Hassan, clashed with anti-riot police near the city of Zarqa on May 11 following the arrest of a number of activists, including lawyer Naim Abu Rudiena. Those arrested had earlier adopted slogans that were deemed as critical of the royal family and had gone as far as calling for regime change. On May 13, protesters from Thiban district in central Jordan held a sit-in during the night in protest of the arrest of a number of activists. These protests came one day after rioters in Awajan town in Zarqa burnt tires as security tried to arrest an activist. Former lawmaker and vocal critic of the regime Hind Al-Fayez was taken in on May 16 after a warrant for her arrest was issued the previous day on a financial case. Activists who were protesting close to the Prime Ministry on that day called the timing of the arrest questionable. She was released a day later along with her husband, who had been detained for resisting arrest. President of the Jordan Bar Association Mazen Irsheidat threatened May 12 that his members may stop attending State Security Court hearings unless Abu Rudiena, who could be charged with attempt to bring down the regime, is released. The heightened tension between activists and security prompted head of the powerful Professional Unions Council Ahmad Samara Al-Zoubi, who is also president of the Jordan Engineers Association, to issue a stern statement May 12 calling on the government to release all prisoners of opinion and peaceful expression and steer away from the mentality of aggravation, intimidation and fear. But political commentator Fahd al-Khitan attacked the statement in his column in Al-Ghad daily on May 14. He wrote that while the statement criticized the government and its approach, it failed to clarify its position on steep offenses against the symbol of the state at the protests. These are unlawful offenses which are punishable under Jordanian laws. Doesnt the authority of law apply in these cases and why didnt the professional associations condemn such offenses? he asked. Khitan, who also criticized the government reshuffle, called on the professional associations to appreciate the delicate situation the kingdom is facing. He pointed to external challenges, including the much-anticipated US peace plan to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to the possible flare-up in hostilities between Iran and the United States. Analysts here believe the government is under pressure to restore law and order as well its authority, which has been challenged over the past year. They predict an escalation against those who criticize the royal family and violate the constitution. But there is also concern that too much clampdown may backfire as the country continues to suffer from poor economic performance and failing government policies, which has affected the livelihood of most Jordanians. When Jordans King Abdullah announced May 7 that he is planning to help fund the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre from his own funds, many were caught off guard. The announcement surprised church leaders in Jerusalem who have been unable to reach a funding agreement for fear that a church funding the restoration would make ownership claims to it. Orthodox Church spokesman Father Issa Musleh enthusiastically welcomed the decision in a phone interview with Al-Monitor, saying, The decision of His Majesty King Abdullah II is a dream come true. We have been trying for decades to find a way around the stalemate of who would fund the restoration. Wasfi Kilani, the executive director of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, told Al-Monitor that the king's contribution toward the restoration of the church is a natural development as a result of the high degree of trust and appreciation all parties have for His Majesty. Kilani said, Both the Palestinian leadership and the major church leaders expressed support and appreciation for the position of the king as custodian of both Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem. He added that the current contribution comes as a follow-up to the statement made by the king in which he vowed to contribute a part of the Templeton Prize, which he received in 2018 and is worth 1.1 million British pounds ($1.4 million), toward the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The donated amount is unknown. Jordans news agency Petra reported May 7, The Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem, All Palestine and Jordan Theophilos III thanked His Majesty King Abdullah on behalf of the holy lands Christian community for covering the costs of the restoration of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem at his personal expense. According to Petra, Patriarch Theophilos III said that the donation reflects the kings personal commitment to the security and future of Jerusalem as the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city. Simon Azazian, a researcher of the history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, told Al-Monitor that Abdullah's involvement resolved a long-standing problem that has resulted in the deterioration of the church. While any of the three major churches Orthodox, Franciscans and the Armenians can easily raise the needed funds to carry out the restoration, the other churches would then worry that those who fund the restoration somehow have extra powers and rights to administer it. Azazian, senior program director at the Palestinian Bible Society, believes that the kings willingness to lead the funding of the church restoration would go a long way toward easing the tensions that would otherwise arise if one of the churches took the lead role. Church sources told Al-Monitor that the restoration, which has yet to begin, would be very costly. But they expressed confidence that with the lead of the Jordanian king, the process will move forward with meetings to determine the details of the extent of the restoration, the budget and the mechanism needed. Ramzi Khoury, the newly appointed head of the Palestinian Higher Presidential Committee of Church Affairs, called the gift proof of the strong Islamic and Christian ties in the city. On May 8, Khoury told Jordans daily Al-Rai that the Palestinian leadership supports the Hashemite custodianship of holy places in Jerusalem and is opposed to any attempt that diminishes this role, noting that the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) will be meeting soon to evaluate all issues in light of the "deal of the century." He said, The PCC might decide to totally separate from Israel. Our position with Jordan is very clear, namely to defend the holy places and the land and to strengthen the Christian and Muslim presence in Jerusalem. In the 18th century, two Palestinian Muslim families were made responsible for the keys of the church in order to avoid the interchurch bickering in regard to who owns the church and administers its affairs. The Joudeh and Nuseibeh families are responsible for opening and closing the church every day, and they have been doing so for decades. The Status Quo in the Holy Places agreement was codified by way of a decree by Ottoman Sultan Osman III in the 18th century, and continues to be accepted by all the churches and governing powers. In 2016, Abdullah made a donation for the restoration of the tomb of Jesus. The king also contributed funds and lands for the restoration of the Baptism Site on the east bank of the Jordan River. Historians and church leaders say that it has been 200 years since the holy grave in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was restored. Hanna Issa, a Palestinian Christian historian and head of the Islamic-Christian Commission in Support of Jerusalem and Holy Sites, told Al-Monitor that a combination of factors made it possible for the churches to agree to restore the grave. Issa said, There were many reasons why they agreed. The deterioration of the church had reached a dangerous level that required action and the recent moves between Catholics and Orthodox which were reflected in the historic meeting in February 2016 between the Pope and the [Russian] Orthodox patriarch also helped. Kilani said that in 2017, the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives was renovated by the Hashemite Fund and the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf. While the Church of the Ascension is an Islamic Waqf property, all churches use it freely and this reflects the high level of coordination between the Islamic Waqf and the Jerusalem churches, he noted. Eman al-Hammadi was excited to start a family, but her three consecutive pregnancies ended in miscarriages. She attributes the tragedies to "al-ayn" the evil eye which is an Islamic belief that misfortune is transmitted from one person to another out of jealousy or envy. Even though I [was not particularly superstitious], I slowly started believing in the evil eye after I had my second miscarriage, Hammadi, a 24-year-old Qatari student, told Al-Monitor. Many Qatari women ascribe miscarriages to supernatural forces such as jinns (evil spirits), the evil eye or simply the will of God. In 2017, 60 Qatari women, 20 pregnant and 40 who had miscarried in the last six months, and their families were interviewed on how they felt about the miscarriages in light of their religion and culture. The report was published by BMC Public Health, a research platform, and written by researchers from University College London, Hamad Medical Corporation and Weill Cornell Medical College Qatar. The study showed that 85% of the participants had experienced between one and three miscarriages. At least one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage around the world. But as women in the Arab Gulf countries are encouraged to have many children, they experience multiple pregnancies, often one right after the other. These women are at risk of multiple losses, which they and their families are more likely to see as the will of God, rather than as a result of health or medical reasons. The religious factor is very strong here, so patients deal with any bad news through their beliefs, Dr. Mona Mohamed, a family planning physician at Gharrafat al-Rayyan Health Center, told Al-Monitor. When I practiced in the United Kingdom, the mother or father would ask if they could have done anything different. But here they dont really look for a medical answer they turn to religion. Common causes of miscarriage include age, a weakened immune system and inter-family marriages that result in chromosomal abnormalities. According to a 2009 study published by the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 54% of marriages is between cousins in Qatar, the highest of all Gulf nations. Only one respondent of the 2017 study named inter-family marriage as a possible explanation for her miscarriage. With Qatari nationals comprising only about 12% of the countrys 2.6 million population, choices of socially acceptable spouses of the same nationality, religion and status, even those unrelated, are limited, the report said. It added that many Arabs consider inter-family marriages religiously acceptable according to interpretations of the Quran and hadiths. Many couples do not understand these medical facts, Dr. Mandy Abushama, who works at Feto Maternal Medical Center, told Al-Monitor. She also said that many of her patients were not aware of how common miscarriages are, especially in the first trimester. Its like breastfeeding; nobody speaks about miscarriages although they are so natural. The reports lead author, Susie Kilshaw, a medical anthropologist at University College London, told Al-Monitor, While miscarriage is incredibly common, the fact that it was taboo meant that I did not know others who had miscarried, which led me to feel isolated and anxious that there was something wrong with me. Kilshaw herself had a miscarriage before working on the report. The report found that, among the women interviewed, 33% believed the evil eye had something to do with the miscarriage. Many also believe that the evil eye can be deflected by "ruqyah," a preventive spiritual healing conducted by regular recitations of the Quran. Many Qatari women will not announce their pregnancies until they feel spiritually secure. I made sure to announce my pregnancy after three months. I had to make sure my baby was safe before telling family members, Fatima Ibrahim, a 22-year-old Qatari student who has a 9-month-old daughter, told Al-Monitor. Abushama also advises couples to refrain from telling their family and friends about a pregnancy until 12 weeks have passed. Its for the simple reason that the trauma is multiplied when there is pressure from the family to procreate and your mother-in-law is blaming you, she said. Most of the studys participants cited the Islamic conviction that Gods will ended their pregnancies. After the shock that there is no longer a fetal heart rate, they make sense of it by saying that it was Allah's will," said Mohamed. The study highlights the extent of people's faith, and the role Islam plays in Qatari society dealing with miscarriages. In fact, the authors wrote that miscarriages are considered shameful and taboo, and that the experience causes psychological distress for women. The psychological aspect here is ignored. You learn to cope mentally by yourself, and you dont know if it is better or worse if you cope with the sadness alone, Fatima Hamad, a 26-year-old Qatari student, told Al-Monitor in tears. Clinical experts referenced in the study emphasize that religious coping mechanisms and cultural frameworks are imperative for improving health-care practices. Medical institutions are very agnostic, said Abdulaziz Sachedina, an Islamic studies and biomedical ethics professor at George Mason University in the United States. They [medical personnel] dont have any religious or cultural training even though that is a large part of understanding patients. Abushama agrees saying that fertility clinics in Qatar could be more sensitive by providing parent grieving rooms. The best coping mechanism for a grieving couple is understanding that miscarriages are natural, she said. All societies find comfort in superstitions, but there is more consolation in factual knowledge. Tensions between Turkey and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are spilling over into the economic realm with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry warning Saudis against investing in Turkey. Chairman Ajlan Al-Ajlan took to Twitter to air warnings about the hazards of doing business in Turkey. He said his organization had received multiple complaints from Saudi investors who said their assets were under threat and that the Turkish authorities were not doing enough to protect them, the Saudi Gazette reported Sunday. Al-Ajlan cited what he called the volatile security climate in Turkey and claimed Saudi businesspeople had been extorted by influential entities there and that Saudi tourists faced increasing cases of harassment and fraud. Earlier this month the influential governor of Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Bandar, was captured on video refusing a cup of coffee upon learning that it was a Turkish brew manufactured by Turkeys oldest coffee maker, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. The video was circulated by a fellow member of the royal family, Prince Abdullah bin Sultan al Saud, who revived calls for a boycott of Turkish goods. Relations between Ankara and its former Ottoman dominion took a nosedive following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led a loud campaign that forced the Saudis to retract initial denials that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate and pin the blame on Saudi security officials who supposedly went rogue. But that did not stop Turkey from leaking a steady stream of evidence, including an alleged audio recording of Khashoggis slaughter, all of which appeared to incriminate Saudi Arabias powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At first, the crown prince sought to defuse the crisis, calling Erdogan on the telephone and seeking a meeting with him. But Turkey pressed on with its efforts to discredit bin Salman, ostensibly in the hope that the United States would turn its back on him and that his father King Salman would sideline him. But none of it transpired and the crown prince has since been on the warpath with Ankara. Bloomberg reported that when the boycott calls first erupted in November, Saudis topped the list of foreign nationals buying Turkish real estate. Within weeks they dropped to sixth place, with a 37% plunge in purchases. Construction-fueled growth was at the center of Erdogans economic strategy. Now it's in the doldrums. Saudi tweep Naif Madkhali, who has over half a million followers on Twitter, was among a handful of pro-government users that led the charge against Turkey. This week he relayed offers to help Saudi tourists go to Muslim-majority destinations like Azerbaijan or Bosnia if they canceled their plans to go to Turkey. Guys, the topic is bigger than tourism and entertaining. A sense of national duty compels me to contribute to anything that would help me stand with my country. There are better choices [than Turkey]," he declared. Turkey has been pressing for a UN-led inquiry of the Saudi dissidents gruesome killing. Khashoggis remains he was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw have yet to be found. But Ankaras clamors for justice have begun to fade as its economy continues its downward spiral amid a weakening lira and a skyrocketing energy bill exacerbated by US sanctions on Iran. Gonul Tol, the director of the Turkey program at the Middle East Institute, believes that Turkeys de-escalation of the Khashoggi affair may be linked to its increasingly shaky finances. Tol told Al-Monitor, The crisis between Turkey and Saudi Arabia is extremely serious and Turkey is the more vulnerable of the two. Of the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia is one of the top investors in Turkey and Turkey is terrified of losing Saudi money, particularly at a time when it's suffering economically, and thats why it's toned down its salvos over Khashoggi. Luckily, not all Saudis believe in punishing Turkey. Last month, Saudi Arabia-based SAK consultants announced plans to invest up to $100 million in Turkeys agriculture, health and hotel sectors. The companys chairman Solaiman El Kherejji said politics ought not interfere with business. Reuters reported that Turkish exports to Saudi Arabia for the three months ending in February 2019 rose by 16% compared with the same period last year. Last season's freshman star Captain Crunch resurfaced on a sloppy night with a 1:49.1 victory in the second preliminary of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Sunday, May 19. The 2018 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes-champion Proof left hard from an outside post to clear to the lead just after the :27 quarter while driver Scott Zeron cued Captain Crunch and powered to the lead before reaching the half in :55.2. Southwind Ozzi, a first-round PASS winner, made a bold move from fifth to challenge the leader towards the 1:23.1 three-quarters. But, without a race in 145 days and over an off going, Captain Crunch charged home with a :26 blitz under minimal encouragement. Southwind Ozzi, the second choice, held second a length in front of third-choice Proof. The Captaintreacherous colt equaled his lifetime mark while posting the fastest mile of the young season by a three-year-old on any size of oval. Nancy Johansson trains the divisional favourite and winner of $645,322 for 3 Brothers Stable, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables, and Caviart Farms. Workin Ona Mystery, another Captaintreacherous colt, looks like a possible contender to Captain Crunch after scoring in his PASS division with a 1:49.3 win to equal his career best. Driver Tim Tetrick reserved his colt in fourth as Love Me Some Lou needed most of the :26.4 quarter to make the top. Workin Ona Mystery then quickly moved and worked his way to command, but got a very hard challenge from 40-1 Volley Ball Beach as he recovered from a miscue to race alongside thorugh a :54.2 half. The longshot took a short lead through the backstretch before his bid ended just past a 1:21.4 third quarter. Despite the hard middle half, nobody could get near Workin Ona Mystery late, with Love Me Some Lou four-and-three-quarter lengths back at the wire. The Brian Brown trainee competes for owners Diamond Creek Racing, Stambaugh Leeman Stable, Alan Keith and Wingfield Brothers LLC. The third division of PASS produced the only non-favourite in the Sires and Stallion Series events as 6-5 longshot Wild Wild Western, a Western Ideal colt who was unraced at two, now has a 10-6-4-0 scorecard at three after equaling his mark of 1:52. Driver Mike Wilder brushed the Norm Parker trainee to top after a :26.3 opener and put up middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:24. He then held off two late threats in the open stretch: 26-1 Caviart Stetson in second and Semi Tough in third, both a neck back at the wire. Even-money favourite Major Deception was another half length behind the top trio. Wild Wild Western is owned by Jacobs Creek Racing LLC, Andrew Altobelli, and John Deters. Fastest of the four Stallion Series winners was the Sweet Lou gelding Warrawee Unique, who got the evening off to a fast start by posting a lifetime best of 1:50.2 while equaling the fastest mile in his division this season. Warrawee Unique made two moves to control the pace for driver Yannick Gingras, then used :27.2 back quarters to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Crawford Farms, and J&T Silva Purnel & Libby. The Captaintreacherous colt Odds On Boca Raton had the biggest win margin in the Stallion Series competition, coming home first by four lengths in 1:51.1 for driver Andrew McCarthy. The Tony Alagna trainee races for Odds On Racing. U S Captain failed to lower his lifetime best over the sloppy track, but still won with a 1:51.1 final clocking. Andrew McCarthy and Tony Alagna combined again with a developing colt, as the son of Captaintreacherous went winless last year but showed his mettle when withstanding a tough Stienams Beach by three-quarter lengths for Brittany Farms LLC, Brad Grant, Joseph Barbera, and U S Captain Racing. The first three Stallion Series winners were all six-figure yearlings with glittering maternal sides. The final Stallion Series winner, the Sweet Lou gelding Skip To My Lou, is the only one of the four to have two Stallion Series victories to his 2019 credit. Like every other stakes winner tonight, Skip To My Lou moved to the lead in the second quarter and controlled the remaineder through the stretch with Rockme Rollme finishing a half length behind in second. Eric Goodell piloted the winner to a 1:51 lifetime best for trainer Robert Cleary and owner Royal Wire Products Inc. (with files from PHHA/Pocono) Saudi Arabia is eager for the United States to take military action against Iran in the expectation that it will lead to regime change in Tehran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the leading hawk, has a disastrous track record in military affairs. The Saudis have called for an Arab summit in Mecca on May 30 to rally support against Iran. The Saudi government-controlled and -directed press is openly pushing for surgical strikes by the United States against targets in Iran. One editorial said that such strikes are necessary because of the sabotage of Saudi oil tankers off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and the Houthis' drone attacks on the east-west oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. Both attacks are blamed on Iran; the Saudi leadership has publicly blamed Iran for the drones' attack, saying the Houthis are Tehran's puppets. Other opinion pieces argue that the Iranians have a weak military that would be easily defeated by Americas forces, and that a military humiliation would lead to popular demonstrations and the end of the clerical regime. Under this theory, the Iranians' allies, including Hezbollah, would also be destroyed in a war, although they would impose unprecedented damage on Israel in the process. The damage Iran and its allies would do to the Saudis and other gulf states is left unstated. The crown prince was the driver behind the kingdoms disastrous decision to go to war in Yemen over four years ago as defense minister. Then Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal was skeptical about the decision but he was in poor health and was ignored by the king, who backed his son. The head of the Saudi National Guard was not consulted. The result is an expensive quagmire for the kingdom and a humanitarian catastrophe for Yemen. A recent study commissioned by the United Nations estimates a quarter million Yemenis have died due to the war. The Houthis have brought Saudi cities and oil installations under fire. The drones used last week demonstrated a significant improvement in Houthi capabilities. The Iranians and Hezbollah have provided expertise and equipment to help the Zaydi Shiite rebels. But the Houthis are not Iranian pawns and make their own strategic decisions. Support for the Houthis is cheap for Iran. The crown prince is eager to draw attention away from the Yemen imbroglio and his reckless decisions there. The war has become a public relations disaster for the Saudi prince in Europe and the United States. The Democrats are using it as a campaign issue in the 2020 elections. Mohammed also wants to distract attention away from the premeditated murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The prince's lame cover-up of his role in allegedly ordering the execution of the Washington Post columnist has collapsed. The US Congress is considering a bill to prevent those involved in the murder to be prohibited from getting a visa to come to the United States, an effective way to punish the mastermind. The prince wants public and congressional attention to focus on Iran instead. But that seems unlikely. The press and the Hill are deeply skeptical about another war in the Middle East with a foe four times bigger than Iraq. Traditionally Saudi Arabia has been risk averse and sought conflict avoidance. King Abdullah was very critical of Iran but was not supportive of military action. He deliberately obscured the Iranians' role in the Khobar Towers terrorist attack to avoid war. He was against the Bush administration war with Iraq. The Saudis are making pro forma statements against a regional war but it appears the palace wants a limited US military operation. The Mecca summit is likely to brand Iran as a terrorist state. Washington should be cooling tensions and talking sense to Riyadh. Instead, the president is threatening Iran with tweets which only encourage the Saudis' reckless behavior. Moscow is increasingly concerned and restless over Turkeys moves in northern Syria. Russias active support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Idlib offensive indicates Moscow thinks ongoing talks between Turkey and the United States over northeast Syria could lead to the balance of power shifting in Washington's favor. The Kremlins patience with Turkeys balancing act between the two superpowers is wearing thin. The military offensive against Syrian rebel forces is taking place in Idlib and northern Hama provinces. The area is home to more than 3 million civilians and some 50,000 Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants who took control of the regions from Syrian opposition factions in September. Russia has labeled HTS and its allies as terrorists from the outset and declares it will never tolerate them. Ankara had initiated diplomatic action and indeed persuaded Russia to set up a demilitarized buffer zone between the rebel-held territories and regime-controlled areas under the Sochi deal reached Sept. 17. The deal also had foreseen reactivation of the critical M4 highway that links Latakia to Aleppo, and the M5 that connects Aleppo to Damascus. All HTS elements were to leave the de-escalation zone before the end of 2018, but that didn't happen. Despite subsequent heavy air bombardment by Russia and intense diplomatic efforts by Turkey, the mostly local HTS fighters refused to demobilize or join Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions. In fact, HTS even expanded its presence in the region. The group, at one time linked to al-Qaeda, also increased its attacks on Russia's air base at Khmeimim in Latakia province and began threatening other vital Russian military bases there. This is when Russian air forces and the Syrian regime began their operation. Given Ankaras failures to keep its promises under the Sochi deal, Moscow is publicly supporting the advances of regime forces to southern Idlib, saying the time for a military solution has come. However, two important developments came just after the air campaign on Idlib began. First, the intensity of the bombardment declined somewhat following an April 8 meeting in Moscow between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Second, Russia decided to withdraw its forces from Tel Rifaat, just two days after the Erdogan-Putin meeting. Both moves are widely seen as goodwill gestures toward Turkey, indicating the Kremlin was willing to make some compromises to fend off Turkeys objections over the Idlib offensive. Yet the course of the events has shown that Turkey has exhausted Moscow's patience. Apparently, Ankaras strategic balancing act between Russia and the United States has outlived its usefulness. As part of its strategy to clear Kurdish forces in the area stretching from the Tel Rifaat to Manbij, Turkey is trying to maintain warm relations with Russia to revive de-escalation efforts in Idlib and to continue its dialogue with the United States to establish a safe zone in Kurdish-dominated areas. However, this strategy apparently has yet to satisfy the United States or Russia. The Idlib offensive is a clear signal of this failure. Metaphorically speaking, the Idlib offensive is Russia's way of telling Turkey that it won't allow Ankara and Washington to set up a new game in Syria without its consent. Although some believe Assad is scheming to disrupt Ankara-Moscow relations through the Idlib operation, this seems to be an optimistic take on the current situation, as such an operation would have never begun without a green light from Russia. It's telling that the timing of the offensive came as diplomatic negotiations between Turkey and the United States over the safe zone were intensifying. Also, some news outlets reported that the United States asked Turkey to delay its procurement of Russian S-400 missiles until the end of 2019, but Turkey denies any delay. Its difficult to estimate how strongly Putin would react to Ankaras winking at Washington about Idlib for now, but news coming from the battlefield already indicates clashes have spilled toward areas where some of Turkeys 12 observation posts are located. On May 5, the Syrian army harassed the No. 10 observation post in the northwestern Hama town of Zawiya with artillery fire. Four Turkish soldiers were wounded in the attack. On May 12, Syrian regime forces opened fire on another observation post. Damascus has yet to make any official statements about whether they were accidental, so it's safe to say they were indeed intentional. It's also difficult to assume that two subsequent incidents occurred without Russiaa knowledge. In addition to the attacks on the Turkish posts, clashes have also triggered a mass migration toward the Turkish border, fueling Ankaras fear of a new refugee wave. Last week, the UN announced that the number of civilians fleeing the areas had reached 150,000. Civilian casualties in the previous two weeks exceeded 100. Russia is stepping up its strategy of actively supporting the Syrian regime. And in case of an all-out Idlib offensive, a new refugee wave will not be Turkeys only problem. Thus, Erdogan called Putin on May 14 to express Turkeys concerns over the situation, noting that regime forces were targeting schools, hospitals and civilians. Erdogan also blamed Assad for undermining efforts to set up a constitutional committee within the framework of the Astana peace talks led by Iran, Russia and Turkey. Yet the Russian version of the conversation differed. The official statement only noted that the two leaders exchanged views on cease-fire violations of radical armed groups at Idlib. The Syrian armys advances will enable regime forces to gain control of the Aleppo-Latakia highway, and hence the whole area where Turkish observation posts are located. Being caught in the crossfire between the Syrian army on one hand, and opposition rebels and HTS militants on the other, is a real danger for some 200 Turkish soldiers serving at these outposts. If Moscow fully gives up on Turkey, Ankara will be forced to take one of two undesirable paths: abandon those three outposts or keep its soldiers there despite the increasing risks. But given the ongoing S-400 deal and other military cooperation between the two parties, the situation is far from there yet. Protests over Alabamas abortion law, deemed the strictest in the country, continued over the weekend. Over the weekend, rallies were held around the state to protest the measure that makes it a felony for a doctor to perform or attempt to perform an abortion. The law goes into effect in six months, though civil liberties groups have vowed to file suit to stop the ban. Heres what they are saying nationally about the ban: NBC News Hundreds protest Alabama abortion ban: My body, my choice! Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Fox News Rapper Offset likens Alabama abortion law to slavery, says hes not proud to be an American Rapper Offset of the group Migos has slammed Alabamas controversial abortion law, comparing it to slavery. New laws is slavory To force a rape victim to keep a child is SLAVORY IM NOT PROUD TO SAY IM FROM AMERICA!!! OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) May 18, 2019 I miss spelled the word from anger sorry yal smh OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) May 18, 2019 Newsweek Alabama Abortion Law: Local Newspapers Publish Essays From More Than 200 Women Speaking Out About Ban Local newspapers published personal essays from over 200 Alabama women after the state signed the nations strictest anti-abortion law, making it a felony for doctors to perform the procedure even in cases of rape and incest. The Alabama Media Group, which includes the The Birmingham News, Press Register and The Huntsville Times, filled the Sunday edition of their newspapers with responses to the abortion ban from more than 200 women. USA Today All out warfare: Hundreds take the streets in Alabama in abortion ban protest A column of protesters stretching two blocks long marched down Dexter Avenue under the Alabama sun on Sunday, chanting their to the Alabama State Capitol. "Your body, your choice," they yelled, in call and response. "Come on, come on and join the fight. Abortion is a person's right." Vox Most Alabama voters dont support their states exemption-free abortion ban According to the 2018 statewide poll, conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research on behalf of Planned Parenthood, only 31 percent of Alabamians were in favor of an abortion ban that lacks a rape/incest exception. As Voxs Anna North reported, the ban signed into law by Alabamas Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday does not have an exception for rape or incest. CNN Alabama abortion law holds states tangled history up to the light Even if the Alabama Human Life Protection Act doesnt end up being the test case that gets the Supreme Court to rule up or down on Roe, Alabama has lived up to its legacy by forcing a stark moral reckoning. Just as the widely accepted rape and incest exception shows that abortion is not always murder in the eyes of its opponents, so does the latest polling suggest that supporters do not take an absolutist either/or position. Alabama Public Television chose not to air PBSs Arthur episode that included a same-sex marriage. In the episode, which aired nationwide May 13, Arthur and his friends attend their beloved teacher Mr. Ratburns nuptials to his partner. APT preempted the episode by showing a re-run of Arthur. Mike Mckenzie, director of programming at APT, said APT was notified by WGBH and PBS in mid-April about the episode titled Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone and decided to show a re-run. Mckenzie said APT has no plans to air the episode at a later date. Parents have trusted Alabama Public Television for more than 50 years to provide childrens programs that entertain, educate and inspire, Mckenzie said in an email. More importantly although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision. We also know that children who are younger than the target audience for Arthur also watch the program. APT previously pulled an episode of Arthur in 2005, when Buster, a bunny character in Arthur visited a girl who had two mothers. 'Our feeling is that we basically have a trust with parents about our programming. This program doesn't fit into that,'' Alabama Public Television's executive then-director Allan Pizzato told AL.com in 2005. Misty Souder, a substitute teacher in McCalla, saw the celebration of inclusion on social media and recorded the episode to watch with her 9-year-old daughter. She and her daughter were disappointed when the episode, which still was named Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone, turned out to be a re-run. Souder reached out to APT and used the experience to teach her daughter about the importance of speaking out for the minority groups. I just want her to be aware, Souder said. Theres too much going on not to stand up for stuff, even if its Arthur. I never thought Id be going to battle for a gay rat wedding, but here we are. The episode is available online at pbs.org. A record number of travelers to Alabama spent more than $15 billion in the state last year, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday. It made for a sparkling annual tourism report, highlighted by spikes in visitors to Montgomery and the continued popularity of Alabama's beaches in Baldwin County. We are excited our tourism industry grew by 8.5 percent in 2018, and we are proud to welcome millions of visitors to every region of our state, from the Tennessee Valley to the Wiregrass, to experience our hiking trails, beaches, restaurants and historical sites each year, Ivey said in the announcement. This great news not only impacts tourism, but it also has a major impact on our employment sector. Almost 200,000 direct and indirect jobs were maintained by the industry last year, setting yet another record. The economic impact of the state's tourism industry was estimated to be $5.4 billion last year and 198,890 jobs were directly or indirectly attributed to the tourism industry, according to the report. Alabama has seen annual increases in tourism since 2003, the report said, with the exception of a slight dip in 2010, which coincided with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. More numbers from the report: The $15.5 billion in tourist spending in 2018 marked an increase of 8.5 percent from 2017. The report estimated more than 27.7 million people visited Alabama last year. More than $954 million in state and local taxes were generated by tourism last year, saving each household $507 in additional taxes. We are proud that this past year showed the largest growth in visitors and expenditures in the states history, state tourism director Lee Sentell said in the announcement. We substantially exceeded our goals by attracting more than one million additional visitors and increasing expenditures by $1.2 billion. While the report from the state tourism department did not spell out specific popular tourist sites, its clear that visitors like Alabamas beaches. Baldwin County had more than 6.5 million visitors last year almost twice as many as second-most visited Jefferson County with almost 3.5 million visitors. Madison County home of the state's most popular tourist venue in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center jumped Mobile County into third place with 3.35 million visitors. Officials in Madison County celebrated more than 3.35 million visitors to the county last year, an increase of 6 percent over last year. Those visitors had an economic impact in Madison County of $1.4 billion. Each household in Madison County saved $854 in taxes because of tourism revenue, said Judy Ryals, CEO of the Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Madison County is expecting a surge in tourists this year as part of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. "This is a big deal," Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said. "It talks about people getting to see our community, be part of our community. And when they go away, they have the typical thing that people say when they come here: 'Wow, I had no idea.' That's reflecting that they didn't know how special this place is. And they leave $1.4 billion behind. William Buechner, the Auburn police officer gunned down at a mobile home park Sunday night, is the third law enforcement officer in Alabama to lose his life in the line of duty in 2019. Buechner was a 13-year veteran of the Auburn Police Department. The two Auburn officers also injured were identified as Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott. Officers from Birmingham and Mobile were gunned down in a span of a week in January. Officers Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott Birmingham Police Sgt. Wytasha Lamar Carter, affectionately called WyT, died from a gunshot wound to the head on Jan. 13 at age 44 while on a special detail investigating car break-ins in the downtown Birmingham area. Four people fired their guns on the morning that Birmingham police Carter was killed - suspect Jeremy Owens and three officers but there is no forensic evidence to show whose bullet killed the veteran lawman. Still, dash cam video from the morning of Jan. 13 showed multiple muzzle flashes coming from Owens gun toward three uniformed officers, and an 18-year-old who was with Owens at the time of the shooting told investigators he noticed Carter go down after the first couple of shots were fired by Owens. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Teresa Pulliam sent all of the cases against Owens to a grand jury. Complete coverage of the death of Sgt. Carter Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder, 31, was shot to death Jan. 20 at the Peach Inn apartments in West Mobile. Tiffany Perez, 38, is accused of inventing a story about her son Marco Perez being kidnapped in order to avoid him being arrested on an active warrant, according to police reports. Days later, her son was accused of killing Tuder and is facing capital murder charges with the possibility of the death penalty. Tiffany Perez has pleaded not guilty to that misdemeanor charge. In court proceedings for Marco Perez, it was shown that when Tuder arrived at the scene, video surveillance shows Perez walking toward the vehicle. It also showed Tuder getting out of the vehicle and pointing his weapon at Perez. Perez lifted his hands as Tuder walked toward him and then attempted to arrest him. A scuffle ensued and then Tuder was killed, having been shot three times. The case was bound over to a grand jury. Complete coverage of the death of Officer Tuder Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders brought his campaign to Montgomery today, telling a crowd that filled Mt. Zion AME Zion Church in Montgomery that what he describes as a movement to transform the country can work with their help. Sanders touted his support for Medicare for all, boosting the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, tuition-free college education, raising taxes on corporations, reforming the criminal justice system to be fairer to the poor and minorities, and making the country a global leader in addressing climate change, among other issues. He said a theme for his campaign is us, not me and then told the crowd what he meant. What it means is we have got to become a nation where you care about my four kids and my seven grandchildren and I care about you and your family, Sanders said. It was the second day of a campaign swing through Alabama for the independent senator from Vermont, who had appeared in Birmingham on Sunday. Sanders is back in the presidential race after posing the most serious challenge to eventual Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. This year, hes one of more than 20 candidates for the Democratic nomination. The audience at the church today interrupted Sanders regularly with applause and cheers and briefly broke into a chant of Bernie, Bernie when he finished his remarks. Abraham White of Opelika said the senator echoed many of his own thoughts and inspired him. White said he believes the ideas that Sanders has built his campaigns on could become reality. I think it will take a lot of people coming together. But its definitely something thats possible. He gave me hope today. He really did," White said. Gene Donney of Montgomery, a volunteer in the Sanders campaign, said the senator did a good job of sticking to his message today, one that the 2016 campaign indicates will connect with Democratic voters. If nothing else, he is extremely consistent, Donney said. And I think the big sweep of what he has always stood for, whether it needs to happen in exactly the way or exactly the proportions that he describes, I dont know. But I do know that that direction has to transpire for this country to get going and be better off than what it is now. Donney said Sanders stands out from the crowd of Democratic candidates even though he could be eclipsed initially by former Vice President Joe Biden. I think the people who are committed to Bernie are very committed to Bernie, Donney said. And well see if the same is true of Biden. Before appearing at the church today, Sanders visited historical sites from the civil rights movement in Lowndes and Montgomery counties. He visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, the memorial to lynching victims established by the Equal Justice Initiative last year. Sanders said all Americans should have access to affordable health care and prescription drugs. He called for incentives to recruit doctors to work in underserved areas and expansions of community health care programs. I want everybody in this country to have access to a doctor in the communities that they live," Sanders said. He called for improvements to K-12 education and better pay for teachers. We have teachers in this country, all over the country, who are taking money out of their own limited paychecks to buy classroom supplies. How stupid is that? Sanders said. He promised to push to more than double the federal minimum wage, from $7.25 to $15 per hour. Its not too much to ask in the wealthiest country in the history of the world that if you work 40 hours a week you do not have to live in poverty," Sanders said. A man died and his passenger was injured in a car accident early this morning in Autauga County. Terry Lee Oates, 40, of Marbury was killed when the 2002 Cadillac Deville he was driving left the road and struck a utility pole. Authorities said he was not wearing a seat belt. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the same car was injured and transported to a local hospital. The crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. Sunday on Autauga County Road 85, about five miles north of Prattville. Alabama State Troopers are investigating. As many as 1,000 people gathered under gray skies in Huntsville on Sunday to protest Alabamas new abortion ban. Emily McClelland of Huntsville brought her young daughter to her first-ever protest. McClelland had tears as she explained why they came. If my daughter gets raped and pregnant, the last thing I want is for her to carry her rapists baby, she said. Its important for her to see what were working against. McClellands friend Kim Xu, who also brought her daughter, agreed. I wanted her to see me standing up for what we believe, she said. Emily McClelland and Kim Xu brought their daughters to the My Body, My Choice rally in Huntsville, Ala. on May 19, 2019 to protest Alabama's abortion ban. The My Body, My Choice event is one of several protests happening around the state today, in response to the abortion ban signed into law last week by Gov. Kay Ivey. The new law, which is expected to be challenged in court, is widely considered the nations most restrictive abortion ban. We are gathering because we do not support what is happening right now, said organizer Megan Eller. This is not the Alabama I know, and Im mad because of how Alabama is being portrayed to the rest of the world. I refuse to be a part of that. The rally was originally scheduled for the Courthouse Square. After more than 1,000 responded on Facebook, it was moved to Butler Green, a city-owned park between Campus 805 and Yellowhammer Brewing. Huntsville police told AL.com they estimated 800-1,000 people attended the Huntsville event. Huntsville police just told me up to 1,000 have turned out for the #stoptheban #abortion rally in Huntsville Alabama pic.twitter.com/XncLhJMaqK Anna Claire Vollers (@acvollers) May 19, 2019 Protester clash About 30 anti-abortion protesters gathered in one corner of the Butler Green field and remained mostly quiet until after the rally, when they were approached by about 40 pro-abortion rights protesters. Chants and arguments broke out between the two sides. Police stood between them, keeping them separate. Maybe 30-50 pro-abortion protesters chant in front of handful of mostly quiet anti-abortion protesters. pic.twitter.com/4KAhKdF86Q Anna Claire Vollers (@acvollers) May 19, 2019 During the rally the anti-abortion protesters said little and kept themselves separate. Ben Winslett, pastor of Flint River Primitive Baptist Church, said he came by himself but stood with the other anti-abortion protesters in solidarity. I believe in the sanctity of human life, he said. I love these people. I believe abortion is a holocaust. Organizing The idea for the rally began last Wednesday, after Gov. Kay Ivey signed whats widely considered as the nations most restrictive ban on abortions. Two Huntsville friends debated going to a pro-abortion rights protest rally in Montgomery that weekend. Megan Eller and Kristine Mears were angry about the law and wanted to do something. Then one of us said, Why not have one here? said Eller. When they posted a Facebook event encouraging anyone who wanted to meet at the Madison County Courthouse, We assumed we might get 100 or 200 people, mostly our Facebook friends. The next morning I had over 1,000 responses, said Eller. We called each other and said, I guess were going to do this. Local organizations including the ACLU stepped in to help, she said. As the Facebook RSVP list ballooned past 1,000, they contacted the Huntsville Police Department and the city. The city of Huntsville requires that rallies or protests on public property obtain a permit, a process that can take 10 days for approval. Otherwise, protests are still legal but cant block the streets, among other restrictions. Organizers didnt want to get shut down and decided the courthouse square was too small of a space. They also learned that nearby Big Spring Park had already been reserved for an event. We learned Butler Green was available, said Eller. It logistically made sense, because on the Green, we could all be together. Eller said some of the businesses surrounding Butler Green have received angry phone calls from people who thought, incorrectly, that the businesses were sponsoring the event. Politicians and activists Speakers at the rally included Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, activists, politicians and a rape survivor. This issue isnt going away until you make your voices heard, Daniels told the crowd. A man has no right telling a woman what to do with her body. Jackie McGill of Huntsville was the only rape survivor who spoke at the rally. She later said shed never spoken publicly about the rape, but chose to speak before hundreds because Its all Ive thought about since the vote happened. I just want to make somebody understand theres another side to this. Most attendees said they were simply there in solidarity with others in opposition to the abortion ban. We believe every woman has a right to choose, and we want our voices to be heard, said Olivia Schroeder of Huntsville, who brought her 14-year-old daughter. Michael Coffey and Catherine Byrd of Huntsville brought their young son. I dont think people realize how many women this has happened to, said Byrd. Everybody knows somebody whos had to deal with abortion. Hundreds of people chanted, carried signs and cheered speakers at a march today at the state Capitol opposing Alabamas new law to ban abortion. Megan Skipper of Montgomery, one of the organizers, said she was overwhelmed by the turnout for the event, initially announced on Facebook a few days ago. We never planned for it to be this big, Skipper said. But I think this size shows us that people are mad. And we are the majority. And that abortion rights are human rights and thats what we want for the state of Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey last week signed into law a bill to make it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion in Alabama. The law wont go into effect for six months, so abortion remains legal in Alabama for now. The supporters of the legislation expect it to be blocked by federal courts and say their goal is an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to lead to a review of the Roe v. Wade national abortion rights decision. Today, the crowd opposing the law cheered speakers from the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, Yellowhammer Fund and other organizations who denounced the law. Other speakers described their own experiences with abortion, including one who said she was a rape victim. People carried signs, chanted and cheered speakers on Sunday at a rally at the Alabama Capitol protesting the state's new abortion ban. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com). Other states are also passing restrictive abortion legislation that is expected to be blocked by courts, including laws that ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, about six weeks into pregnancy. Alabamas new law is the most restrictive, banning abortion at any time during a pregnancy except to protect the woman from a serious health risk. There is no exception for rape and incest victims. At todays rally, Brynleigh Davis of Prattville, 20, carried a sign saying Mind your own uterus. Davis said she came to the rally partly to represent friends who feel the same way as her but are afraid to speak out. She said it was not hard for her to speak her mind. Im mad, Im angry and I am here for the long run, said Davis, who will be a junior at AUM this fall. Im here to see this just be stripped away. Supporters of the legislation say their goal is to protect human life and that much more is known about fetal development than was the case when Roe v. Wade was decided 46 years ago. They noted that Alabama voters approved Amendment 2 last year, which affirmed the states recognition of the rights of the unborn, including the right to life, and that Alabama law recognizes the unborn as victims in homicide cases. Davis, asked what she would say to those who view abortion as the taking of a human life, said, I would tell them that its OK to have their own opinion but that is not what I believe and I dont think that they should tell anyone else what they should do with their body. Anna Belle May, 20, of Prattville, also said she was angry about the new law. Its not something that should have happened," May said. "We shouldnt be having to have a protest about this. Theres separation of church and state for a reason, and were bringing the church into the Legislature. May said Sundays rally was her first time to attend a political protest. But she said she votes, and voted against Amendment 2 last year. Travis Jackson of Montgomery, who volunteers as an escort for women receiving services at the abortion clinic in Montgomery, called the turnout for Sundays rally magnificent. He attributed it to the national attention on the Alabama law. If it was just the states attention, you wouldnt have as many people out here as you see right now, Jackson said. But since it has the attention of America, it is a wonderful thing. It makes everybody aware of whats really going on in the state of Alabama. Where there is more people there is going to be more power. Hundreds marched up Dexter Avenue in Montgomery to the State Capitol today in protest of Alabama's new law criminalizing abortion. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com) Capt. Regina Duckett of the Montgomery Police Department said organizers expected about 500 people and she estimated the crowd was close to that. Duckett said the event was peaceful with no arrests. She said there was a counter protest with a handful of participants but there were no incidents. The speakers at the rally urged the marchers to continue to stay engaged on the issue and at the voting booth. I think its going to take people committing to this fight and making sure that theyre engaging with their elected officials but that theyre also being compassionate and giving to local organizations like Yellowhammer Fund to help women get access to abortion. Its going to take a particular resolve and making sure that people are aware of electoral politics and that theyre staying involved in voting and contacting their legislators. Elimination winner Done Well topped his performance a week ago with a 1:50.2 gate-to-wire score in the $188,500 41st edition of the Confederation Cup on Sunday, May 19 at Flamboro Downs. A four-horse charge led the field into the first turn, with Dorsoduro Hanover yielding position from post one to Jimmy Freight while Done Well hustled towards the lead and Rockin Speed took back for a pocket. Jimmy Freight strung out Done Well to a :26.2 opening quarter before letting the Well Said gelding clear command moving to the second turn. Dorsoduro Hanover tipped first over marching towards a :54.3 half and made steady gains on his stablemate as the speed continued into a 1:22.2 third quarter. Jimmy Freight remained close in the pocket turning into the stretch and mounted the only bid at Done Well heading to the finish but came less than a length from victory in the 1:50.2 mile. Dorsoduro Hanover held off Rockin Speed and The Downtown Bus, respectively, for third. [There was an anxious moment] a little bit late in the homestretch, driver Dexter Dunn said after the race. Its never nice to have a horse like Jimmy Freight on your back with the speed hes got. But [Done Well] traveled great like he was here last weekears pricked the whole way; he was liking his work. I was still pretty confident turning for home, but like I saidwith a horse like Jimmy Freight on your back, ready to pounce off your helmethe did a good job. Competing for the Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, Purnel & Libby and Wingfield Brothers LLC, Done Well has now earned $583,779 from nine victories in 24 starts. The Ron Burke trainee returned $2.50 to win. Alongside the featured event, the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) season kicked off with three Gold divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on the undercard. Pushing from post one, Only For Justice parked 1-5 favourite Forbidden Trade to take the $72,267 first division of OSS in 1:56.3. Driver Chris Christoforou slid the Dany Fontaine trainee through the inside to take command from Archway, launching from post 5, around the first turn. He held control through a :29.1 opening quarter and slowed the tempo towards a 1:00.2 half, which prompted Forbidden Trade to edge off the pylons on circuit two. Judge Ken and Tymal Houdini both lost stride moving to the backstretch and the rest of the field lost contact to the dueling leaders marching to three-quarters. Only For Justice led Forbidden Trade by a neck past a 1:28.1 third quarter before the odds-on choice grew leg weary into the final turn. Only For Justice's lead opened turning for the wire as Forbidden Trade chased from second with Archway farther back in third. "I knew my horse last yearI raced him in the Super Finaland I knew he was even better on a half-mile track," Christoforou said after the race. "I think he had the record for a two-year-old colt on a half at 3R. He can go quite a bit around the turns so I was pretty confident. I got a nice half and from there I thought I had a good chance. I could see Dan's horse was working pretty hard and mine was cruising along pretty comfortably, so I was pretty confident at the three-quarter pole." A homebred for Ecurie Gaetan Bono Inc., Only For Justice won his fourth race from 10 starts and has earned $137,500. The son of Justice Hall returned $9.20 to win. A break from 1-5 favourite Dream Nation around the first turn set up Magical Journey for a 1:56.3 upset victory in the second OSS split. With the public choice galloping into the first bend, Magical Journey cleared the front as Wings Of Speed ducked into the pocket before pulling outside and brushing to the lead past a :28.1 first quarter. He slowed to a :57.3 half while Northern Cavalier edged off the pegs moving to the backstretch and eventually forcing the hand of driver Steve Byron to pull Magical Journey out of the pocket. Wings Of Speed maintained a narrowing lead passing a 1:26.4 third quarter and eventually dropped to second inside of Magical Journey cruising into the lane. Northern Cavalier gave chase and gained slight ground to finish second while Jumpshot, shooting through openings at the inside, rallied through the open stretch for third. "You always need a little bit of luck," assistant trainer Matt Bax said after the race. "He can really leave off the wings and is really good in the turns. It worked out." Trained by John Bax for owners Bax Stable, Gaelic Stable and Gordon Wright, Magical Journey won his second race from 13 starts, earning $85,547. He paid $16.50 to win. Despite an outside draw, Southwind Avenger delivered as the 1-5 favourite and overpowered pacesetter Cool Clifford to take the final OSS division in 1:55.4. Driver Trevor Henry floated the Richard "Nifty" Norman trainee off the wings while Cool Clifford cruised from post 4 to the lead. A break by Scarlett Raider placed Windsong Patriot second and pylon-starter Jmr Pinarello third past a :28 first quarter with Southwind Avenger gapped several lengths from the front in fourth. The field tightened past a :57.4 half as Henry pulled Southwind Avenger first over and advanced towards the leader moving to the backstretch. Cool Clifford and the favourite kicked clear of the rest of the field passing a 1:27.1 third quarter, with Cool Clifford clinging to a slim lead around the final turn. Southwind Avenger straightened for the wire and edged past the begrudging temposetter to win by less than a length while Jmr Pinarello finished open lengths behind in third. Owned by Melvin Hartman, David Mc Duffee and Little E LLC, Southwind Avenger won his fourth race from 13 starts, earning $443,688. He paid $2.30 to win. The card also played host to three-year-old male pacers in five OSS Grassroots divisions. Sportsline made the biggest splash with a 1:51.4 mile for driver Trevor Henry and trainer/owner Jim Watt, who co-owns with Harry Parrott. Also winning Grassroots splits were Priceless Beach (1:54.3), Sugartown (1:52.2), Missile Seelster (1:55.4) and Better Than Cash (1:55.2). To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs. A man who law enforcement says was not wearing a seat belt died early this morning in a single-vehicle crash. Michael Jerome Hall, 53, of Shorter, was killed when the 2012 Ford F-150 he was driving struck a ditch. The crash occurred on Alexander Road in Montgomery Countys Pike Road community. Alabama State Troopers are investigating. Doctors, activists, parents, teachers, children and even pets marched alongside each other in downtown Birmingham protesting the passing of a near-total abortion ban last week at the March for Reproductive Freedom. Sarah Dillie, an OBGYN, marched alongside other doctors in white coats, to protest the bans criminalization of doctors who perform abortions. I am here because doing my job should not be criminalized. I dont think I should be called a felon for doing something that is part of comprehensive womens healthcare. Protest organizers estimated a crowd of 2,000 filled Kelly Ingram Park. The march was put on by BLK Pearl and Resist Birmingham as a response to Gov. Kay Ivey signing the law that would make almost all abortion illegal and criminalize the doctors who perform them. The marchers walked around Kelly Ingram Park yelling my body my choice and hey hey, ho ho, abortion bans have got to go. Following the march, the crowd gathered back in the park to hear from speakers including Sheila Tyson, a member of the Jefferson County Commission. The boisterous crowd quieted to a whisper when Libby Rich told the story of her illegal abortion and ensuing medical complications before Roe v. Wade. Rich said she received an illegal abortion from a woman in Birmingham, but was given no antibiotics. She spiked a fever and spent days in the hospital recovering from an infection. She said the doctors threatened to call the police, but she continued to deny ever having the abortion. She said she was told she could no longer have children and that it was Gods punishment for her abortion. She spoke through tears the importance of standing up to Gov. Kay Ivey and the legislators that had approved the abortion ban bill. I hate speaking out. It costs me a tremendous amount emotionally and psychologically, Rich said. But I can no longer be silent because never again with my silence will I allow this to happen unchallenged. From Huntsville to Mobile, Birmingham to Montgomery, thousands of Alabamians gathered Sunday in protest of the states new abortion law, widely considered the most restrictive in the country. I think this size shows us that people are mad, said Megan Skipper, one of the organizers for the Montgomery rally. And we are the majority and that abortion rights are human rights and thats what we want for the state of Alabama. The law, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey last week, includes no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, outlawing all abortions except when necessary to prevent serious health problems for the woman. Though women are exempt from criminal and civil liability, the new law punishes doctors for performing an abortion, making the procedure a Class A felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison. The law wont go into effect for six months, though supporters and opponents expect it to be blocked by federal courts. Opponents of the bill began organizing protests and rallies late last week. After a rally in Montgomery was announced for Sunday, organizers in other cities planned their rallies for the same day. Montgomery Montgomerys March for Reproductive Freedom began Sunday at the Court Square Fountain. We never planned for it to be this big, said Megan Skipper of Montgomery, one of the organizers. But I think this size shows us that people are mad. And we are the majority and that abortion rights are human rights and thats what we want for the state of Alabama. Crowd cheering for woman who told story of being rape victim who had an abortion. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/7uEdd0CNHN Mike Cason (@MikeCasonAL) May 19, 2019 The crowd cheered speakers from the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, Yellowhammer Fund and other organizations, as well as those sharing their personal experiences. We shouldnt be having to have a protest about this, said Anna Belle May, 20, of Prattville, who said it was her first time at a protest. Theres separation of church and state for a reason, and were bringing the church into the Legislature. Birmingham In Birmingham, a crowd of 2,000 joined the March for Reproductive Freedom, which began and ended Kelly Ingram Park and included a rally. Sarah Dillie, an OBGYN, marched alongside other doctors in white coats to protest the bans criminalization of doctors who perform abortions. I am here because doing my job should not be criminalized. I dont think I should be called a felon for doing something that is part of comprehensive womens healthcare. Libby Rich speaks out about having an illegal abortion in Alabama pre Roe v Wade. She had to go in front of three male doctors who would decide if she could have a therapeutic abortion. pic.twitter.com/JLAw7I8i27 Abbey Crain (@AbbeyCrain) May 20, 2019 Marchers walked around Kelly Ingram Park yelling my body, my choice and hey hey, ho ho, abortion bans have got to go. Huntsville Huntsville police estimated as many as 1,000 attendees at the My Body, My Choice rally at Butler Green park in Huntsville on Sunday afternoon. We are gathering because we do not support what is happening right now, said organizer Megan Eller. This is not the Alabama I know, and Im mad because of how Alabama is being portrayed to the rest of the world. I refuse to be a part of that. Huntsville police just told me up to 1,000 have turned out for the #stoptheban #abortion rally in Huntsville Alabama pic.twitter.com/XncLhJMaqK Anna Claire Vollers (@acvollers) May 19, 2019 The rally was originally scheduled for the Courthouse Square but was later moved after more than 1,000 RSVPd to the event on Facebook. A few anti-abortion protesters showed up and were heckled by some of the pro-abortion rights protesters. During the rally, protesters chanted my body my choice and this is what democracy looks like. Mobile Mobile hosted two rallies, kicking off the weekend with a Saturday rally in Bienville Square and a march around downtown Mobile. Its important for us to bring the community together, said Katherine Brown, an organizer for the rally, which was hosted by the Mobile Bay Green Party and the Alabama Coalition for Reproductive Rights. A similar rally and march were held Sunday. People are upset, she said. People are hurt. They feel they have not been heard. Elsewhere In the Shoals, protesters gathered at the post office in Florence for a Shoals-area March For Reproductive Freedom rally. A rally in Anniston is planned for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the corner of Highway 202 and Noble Street. High school students from Auburn are organizing a Stand Up, Let Your Voices Be Beard rally at the State Capitol next Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, the engine-building facility in Huntsville, is getting a new president. Toyota announced Monday that David Finch has been promoted to lead the plant, which is expected to have about 1,800 employees by 2021. Finch steps in for David Fernandes, the president of the Huntsville motor plant who is the new senior vice president of manufacturing at Toyota South Africa Motors. According to the Toyota announcement, Finch first joined Toyota in 1991 at its South Africa Motors facility. In his 28 years with the company, he has held many leadership roles including positions in quality assurance, assembly and manufacturing. He joined Toyota Alabama in March as vice president, administration, manufacturing and manufacturing support. David Finch named president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Huntsville on May 20, 2019. He will formally begin his new duties on July 1. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Toyota Alabama, Finch said in the announcement. Since joining the team earlier this year, I have seen firsthand the commitment our workforce makes to meet customer demand while focusing on quality and safety. I am excited to be a part of this plant and the community. During Fernandes leadership tenure in Huntsville, the plant launched a new engine line and produced nearly 2 million engines. The plant announced its fifth expansion in March a $288 million investment that is creating 450 new jobs. Its been an honor and privilege to be a part of the continued growth and development of this plant, which is a direct result of our team members hard work and dedication, Fernandes said in the announcement. The ongoing support weve received from community partners and elected officials has also created an environment for our plant to thrive. John Walker Lindhs eyes, dark and wild, were ubiquitous across magazine covers and cable news channels, alongside militants in Afghanistan, after he was captured in November 2001. He was a long-haired guerrilla with a California address - a traitor to some, a misguided kid sucked into Islamic jihad to others. Dubbed the "American Taliban," Lindh was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to supporting militants who harbored al-Qaida as it planned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But in a surprise move, Lindh will be released from federal prison on Thursday, three years early. Lindh and other incarcerated American supporters of the Islamic State present a quandary with growing urgency: Is the United States prepared to try to rehabilitate extremists and foreign fighters, and welcome them back into society? "There is very close to nothing in terms of de-radicalizing programs at the federal level," said Bennett Clifford, a research fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism. "The current model is hoping long prison sentences of material support of terrorism will be a deterrent." The Federal Bureau of Prisons is stymied by budget constraints, a sprawling corrections bureaucracy, and a top-down approach that focuses on traditional rehabilitation, such as turning away prisoners from gang activity or drugs, Clifford told The Washington Post. About 500 federal prisoners been sentenced for terror-related crimes, and about a fifth will be released within five years - 62 of them are U.S. citizens, researcher Kevin D. Lowry wrote in the Journal for Deradicalization in 2018. With Lindh's release, and inmates with Islamic State ties nearing the end of their sentences, there may be a new focus on culling extremist beliefs before prisoners head back into civil society. But time is nearly up for many. "The offenders about to be released would receive resources at the end of their sentence," Clifford said. Federal officials have signaled interest in expanding recidivism-prevention and reintegration efforts, although it amounted to one paragraph in the White House's 2018 counterterrorism strategy and focused on radicalization in prison. There are some breakthroughs. U.S. District Court of Minnesota, which has had an influx of Islamic terrorism suspects, has pioneered efforts to focus deradicalization from extremist beliefs that includes civic education, family involvement and mental health counseling for inmates, Lowry wrote. Those models were adapted from European programs and include efforts to combat white-supremacist beliefs. But there is no similar national program within federal prisons, Lowry noted. Lindh's early release is opposed by Sens. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., who requested in a Friday letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons details about agency efforts to prevent recidivism from militants released from its facilities. "We must consider the security and safety implications for our citizens and communities who will receive individuals like John Walker Lindh, who continue to openly call for extremist violence," the letter reads. Bill Cummings, an attorney for Lindh, did not return a request for comment. The lawmakers asked for information about other convicted "terrorist offenders" who may be released from federal prison in coming years, and inquired about the steps prisons take to determine whether someone is an "ongoing public threat." Lindh, who was raised in California and Maryland, converted to Islam, met Osama bin Laden and joined the Taliban in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks, although his attorneys maintained that the attacks soured his outlook. They point to the dropping of terrorism charges as the government's acknowledgment that he did not want to kill Americans. Lindh avoided a life sentence with that plea deal. Last month, Shelby invoked the death of CIA officer Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann, who interrogated Lindh at a prison in Mazar-e Sharif after his capture. Spann was shot and killed in a revolt by prisoners later that day, and Spann's father has repeatedly accused Lindh of playing a role in his son's death by not alerting Spann and others of the revolt. Hes as much responsible for Mikes death as the people who beat him and shot him, Johnny Spann told AL.com. Hundreds of prisoners died in the days-long fight, and Lindh was one of the survivors. In April, Shelby said President Donald Trump agreed that Lindh should serve the remainder of his sentence. The White House did not return a request for comment Friday about the reported conversation and Trump's thoughts about Lindh's imminent release. Lindh remains in custody at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Institution in Indiana. The Bureau of Prisons did not return a request for comment, and an explanation for his early release was not available. Credits for good behavior can reduce an inmate's sentence by up to 15 percent, which in Lindh's case, would amount to three years. Federal probation officials requested numerous conditions for Lindh's release, according to court filings. He will need permission to acquire Internet-capable devices, which would be monitored "continuously." Lindh was ordered to undergo mental health counseling, and will not be allowed to communicate online in any language other than English without approval. He is also barred from having a passport, communicating with known extremists or accessing material that reflects "extremist or terroristic views," according to the documents. Lindh initially objected to those conditions but agreed to comply in late March after consulting with an attorney. Most of those conditions are routine, Clifford said, although the language restriction appeared unusual for felons such as Lindh. Lindh has expressed remorse for his crimes. He tearfully told the judge during his 2002 sentencing: "I have never supported terrorism in any form, and I never will. . . . I made a mistake by joining the Taliban," he said at the time. "Had I realized then what I know now, I would never have joined them." In 2017, an investigation by Foreign Policy magazine painted a different picture. It cited documents obtained that year from the National Counterterrorism Center, which said that as of May 2016, Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts." The center also wrote that Lindh "told a television news producer that he would continue to spread violent extremist Islam upon his release." The report, which Shelby and Hassan cited in their letter, notes that there is no record of Lindh participating in media interviews. In the documents, the National Counterterrorism Center said "homegrown violent extremists" like Lindh were likely to "reengage in terrorist activity" after being released from prison - an assertion that Clifford doubts. "There is not much data of recidivism [of terror suspects] in the United States because it's a new problem," he said. Joshua Dratel, a lawyer who has defended suspected and convicted terrorists, told The Post that Shelby and Hassan were overreacting to Lindh's early release. He called their letter "a solution in search of a problem" and likened it to fearmongering. Beyond John Walker Lindh, anyone whose offense involved actual violence is not getting out soon, Dratel said. In a certain sense, saying, Dangerous terrorists are going to be out there is not true. These people were sentenced accordingly by judges. Update: The Auburn officer killed in a Sunday night shooting has been identified as William Buechner. He is the third Alabama law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in 2019. Buechner was a 13-year veteran of the Auburn Police Department. The injured officers have been identified as Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott. Both are expected to recover from their wounds. Earlier: Auburn police said they have a suspect in custody in relation to the Sunday night shooting death of one police officer and the wounding of two others. Grady Wayne Wilkes, 29, was arrested Monday. Police believe Wilkes opened fire on officers as they responded to a domestic disturbance call at an Auburn mobile home park. The identity of the officer who was shot and killed has not been released. One of the officers was critically wounded; the third received non life-threatening injuries. Wilkes was reportedly arrested a few miles from where the shootings occurred. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had sent out an alert regarding Wilkes Sunday night and said he had fled the scene on foot while wearing body armor and a helmet. Wilkes was considered armed and dangerous by police. The nature of the domestic incident that prompted the call is not known. A Facebook page believed to belong to Wilkes shows he was a member of the U.S. Army at some point. Heavy.com reports Wilkes was a member of the Army National Guard E Company, 173rd Infantry Battalion, Long Range Surveillance Company (Airborne). On his Facebook page, Wilkes, who goes by the name Wayne Wilkes, posted a comment in regards to a 2017 incident when a 6-year-old Texas boy was killed by a sheriffs deputy during the hunt for a suspect. The bullet should be traced to the firearm that fired it and that officer should be charged with involuntary manslaughter. This was a careless act, never fire a weapon without having some knowledge of what's behind the target and if that something is an inhabited structure you need to at least hit your target, Wilkes said. Police said Wilkes was not known to law enforcement before the incident. Auburn University has posted an all-clear for students in regards to the off-campus search. The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation has been brought in to investigate the shooting. This post will be updated as more information is available. Two Fairfield police officers were arrested on sexual assault charges at a Birmingham club over the weekend. One of the officers was hit with a police stun gun as he tried to flee the scene, authorities said. The officers on Monday were identified as Markeith Williams, 24 and Jonathan Hill, 27. Williams resigned from the Birmingham Police Department in 2017 while he was under investigation on an undisclosed matter. Hill was released from the Bessemer Police Department while he was still in his probationary period, also for undisclosed reasons. Both have been with the Fairfield Police Department for only a couple of months. They were arrested early Saturday at Empire, the old Mikes Crossroads in the 100 block of Third Avenue North. The incident happened about 3:15 a.m. Details of the alleged assault have not been made public. According to authorities, an off-duty officer working security at the club was notified that a woman was raped in the bathroom by two males and that one of the men was trying to leave the club. The off-duty officer witnessed Williams and the club manager in a physical struggle. He was able to detain Williams briefly, but then Williams tried to again leave the scene, authorities said. Williams jumped in his vehicle, despite the officers orders that he needed to stay. As Williams attempted to drive away, he was Tased by the officer. Williams was then placed on the ground and handcuffed. Medics were called to the scene to check him out. Williams, Hill and the female all were transported to the Birmingham Police Headquarters for questioning. Williams and Hill were then booked into the Birmingham City Jail. Both Fairfield officers were charged with first-degree sexual abuse. Hill was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 10:19 p.m. Sunday and released at 1:45 a.m. Monday after posting $15,000 bond. Williams was booked into the county lockup at 10:33 p.m. Sunday and released at 1:47 a.m. Monday also after posting $15,000 bond. Fairfield police Chief Nick Dyer said both officers are on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The department is also conducting an internal investigation. "The Fairfield Police Department does not condone any criminal or immoral conduct by any employee,'' the chief said in a prepared statement. Authorities are asking for the publics helping in finding a Birmingham man who is missing from Panama City Beach. Victor McKinstry was seen early Sunday at the Angry Tuna restaurant, said Panama City Beach Police Capt. Jason Jones. No additional details have been released. McKinstry is described as a black male, 5-feet, 10-inches tall. He weighs about 300 pounds and was last known to be wearing a t-shirt that reads Living the Dream. Anyone with information on McKinstrys whereabouts is asked to call the Panama City Beach Police Department at 850-233-5000. Three teens were among four victims injured in several weekend shootings in Tuscaloosa County. The first happened about 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Tuscaloosa police were dispatched to a report of shots fired at High Country Apartments and were told a possible victim was en route to DCH Regional Medical Center by private vehicle. Officers met a 22-year-old man at the hospital and he told them he was at the apartment complex with two acquaintances, helping one of them to move. A blue vehicle drove by them and it seemed suspicious to them, he told officer, so they got into a vehicle to leave. As they were driving away, his vehicle was hit by at least one round and a 33-year-old male passenger said he had been shot. He drove the victim to the hospital where they learned the 33-year-old had been hit by glass from the window shattered by the bullet. The victims injuries were minor, said Tuscaloosa Metro Homicide Unit Capt. Kip Hart. Hours later about midnight an 18-year-old male arrived at DCH with a minor gunshot wound to the head. The victim told police he was walking in the 200 block of 15th Street when he heard gunshots and felt a grazing wound to his head. The victim said he was able to run to the hospital for treatment. He also said he did not see who was shooting at him. Tuscaloosa police officers responded to the area but could not locate a scene, Hart said. Early Sunday about 1 a.m. - Tuscaloosa County sheriffs deputies responded to the area of Holt High School on shots being fired. Shortly after the call, two victims, a 19-year-old male and 18-year-old female, arrived at DCH with gunshot wounds. Hart said the male had been struck in the leg and the female in the chest. Neither of the injuries were life-threatening. Both teens said they were attending a graduation party at a residence near the high school when there was an altercation between two other males. One of the males pulled a gun and shots were exchanged. The victims were struck as they ran away. Hart said though the incident was near Holt High School, it was a not a Holt High School graduation party. Investigators responded to the area and found more than 50 shell casings of several different caliber weapons in roadway of the 300 block 44th Court NE. A house in the 4300 block of Fifth Street N.E. had been hit by projectiles and located more shell casings near that home. There were people inside the home at the time of the shooting, but they werent injured. Investigations are ongoing in all three cases. By Catey Hall, business owner and autism advocate To be a woman in Alabama, one must not be faint of heart. I am the CEO of a small business that I own in partnership with my husband. I am one of the only women in the industry for which my company contracts services. This has solidified the assumption that women arent respected as equals in a male-led workforce in Alabama. I have to be louder, grittier, and sometimes down right nasty to demand the respect I deserve as a woman in my position vs the other male contractors alongside me. As a small business owner, I am historically a republican voter. As the parent of a special needs child and an advocate for autism in Alabama, I become more moderate each passing year. In my navigation of the workforce and the advocacy world, I have learned that Alabama is not a kind place for women or special needs residents. Our legislature consists of predominantly white males who base their stance and their votes on their own personal convictions rather than the good of their constituents. While advocating for autism legislation, I put myself out there on a very public platform. During that time I was sent a hateful message from a fellow male advocate accusing me of seeking attention for myself and self promoting. Legislators (not all, to be fair, we have some good men in Montgomery amongst the swamp) greeted me as sweetie or honey, obviously viewing me as someone less than. At first I felt as though my opinion was of no consequence simply because of my gender and status as just a mother. I am fortunate to have found a life partner that cherishes me because I am an independent, self sufficient woman, not in spite of. He has never attempted to stifle my passion or my authority as his wife, the mother of his children, and his business partner. And I pay that respect to him in kind. Ill leave you with this, in light of the recent near total abortion ban: I am pro-life. But I am not, however, anti-choice. I will boldly stand by victims of rape and incest and fight for their right to choose what happens to their bodies after theyve been violated in the most atrocious way. Being a woman is hard enough, being a rape victim forced to carry the attackers baby to term is unimaginable. Im disappointed in Alabama for sacrificing the rights of victimized women to make a political grand stand. Its not just happening in the USA. Nope! Extreme weather events are devastating crops and thus the food business around the world. From Australia to North Korea and Argentina here are the latest reports of food shortage around the world. The Global Food Crisis Australia imports wheat for first time in over a decade after worst drought in 116 years Australia is normally the biggest wheat exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, but the prolonged drought has fried its grain crop in recent years. In 2018, output tumbled 20% to just over 17 million tonnes, the lowest in more than a decade, according to the US Department of Agriculture. On May 9, 2019 the Australian government had no choice but to import 60,000 tons of wheat from Canada. Due to the worst drought in 116 years, high-protein wheat is in short supply which is critical to the Shoalhaven Starches wheat-processing plant, a spokesman for the plant said. The reason this announcement has garnered so much attention is that it just doesnt happen, said James Maxwell, an analyst for Australian Crop Forecaster. The cargo is expected to arrive in the next 6 to 8 weeks and will be processed at Manildra Groups Shoalhaven Starches plant in NSW. The last such shipment was back in 2007 (solar minimum of cycle 23). ABC.net.au Floods, hail and bad weather affect fruits and vegetables in Italy According to some sources, it is estimated that over 70% of Basilicata stone fruit has been lost. Alarming percentages, considering that the agricultural sector is the cornerstone for the economy of this region. Whole stone fruit fields have been destroyed. The watermelon seedlings planted a few weeks ago have been broken by hail, says Francesco Musillo, director of Agora PO, who adds: Even on the covered vineyards, the hail weighed down the covers, breaking the structures. Fresh Plaza Planting in France slowed down by extreme cold temperatures Corn sowing in France slowed again this week, losing its lead to last year, after persistent cold weather continues to hamper the central European nations planting efforts. France is the third largest corn exporter in the world, meaning a delayed or poor harvest will have a pronounced impact on global markets. ElectroVerse Severe drought devastates crops in Yucatan, Mexico The drought in the Mexican state of Yucatan has put the agrarian sector up against the ropes. More than three thousand producers have been unable to save their crops due to the lack of irrigation infrastructure. According to the president of the Association of Horticulturalists of Yucatan, Jose Filomeno Tejero Poot, if the drought lasts longer, a large part of the states harvest will be lost and they will have to bring food from other parts of the country to supply the demand of the population of Yucatan. Fresh Plaza Lowest rainfall in 100 years leaves millions at risk of starvation in North Korea North Koreas worst drought in decades is being driven by the lowest rainfall in a century, according to the countrys official state newspaper. North Korea received just 56.3 millimeters (2.21 inches) of rain or snow from January to May 15, the lowest amount since 1917. Water is running out in the countrys lakes and reservoirs, and explained the lack of rainfall is causing a significant effect on the cultivation of wheat, barley, corn, potatoes and beans. Newsweek Springs record-late arrival in parts of the U.S. has catastrophic consequences for food industry Food prices set to rise! The calendar might have said it was spring more than a month ago, but the physical signs of it around us told a much different story. According to officials data, this was the latest arrival of spring in 38 years of records for parts of Kansas and Oklahoma. Portions of Washington and Oregon also saw the latest spring start on record. In parts of the Plains, in places like South Dakota, Nebraska and even into Oklahoma, a late spring like this years only happens once every 10 or more years. Many farming fields are ruined and will not be planted this year. Otherwise, planting has been dramatically delayed. Strange Sounds Cracks are appearing in the edifice of modern agriculture: Australias biggest grain producers revenue collapses after horrific crop losses Floods leave 600 000 ha (1.5 million acres) of crops damaged in Argentina In a recently released report, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology estimated there are 600 000 ha (1 480 000 acres) of crops affected by heavy rain and flooded roads, which interrupted the harvest of soy, corn and alfalfa crops. In some areas, crops were under 40 cm (15.7 inches) of water, so owners decided to abandon them. Telam Food demand is steadily increasing, but food production is decreasing. There is a clash between demand and offer And at the end we will pay the price. Food shortage around the world is true. Prices are set to rise. Be ready! Follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Share your thoughts in our DISCUSSION FORUMS. Donate through Paypal. Please and thank you By Laura Harper I am from Alabama. I was born and raised in Huntsville. I went to Randolph school, and after college and law school, I returned to Huntsville and practiced law for Lanier Ford. I've recently relocated to Seattle, Washington. I was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church. I am a Christian. My husband is an engineer and works for Blue Origin. He previously worked for Boeing. We have discussed moving back to Alabama. I am also the mother of three daughters. Alabama's Republican Party just proved they are willing to sacrifice women, girls, and their bodies to score political points. A thirteen year old girl who is pregnant because of rape will no longer be able to legally and safely seek to terminate her pregnancy. If a doctor is kind enough to help her, he or she would face a longer sentence in prison than that child's rapist. The politicians in Montgomery don't care about women or babies. I would love to live in a world without abortion. This is not the way to accomplish this. This is a way to trigger a lawsuit, which Alabama will lose, and require Alabama to pay out even more in legal fees (remember the immigration law? other abortion laws?). Meanwhile, mothers are dying at alarming rates. There is no access to obstetrical care in many parts of Alabama. If politicians care so much about babies, let's see them pass some legislation relating to that issue. This is a disgusting political stunt. Im appalled and embarrassed to once again read these headlines about my beloved home state. A state full of so much beauty, potential and wonderful people. Yet a state that is allowing its elected leaders to drag our good name through the mud. I hope that the good people of my home state have finally had enough and will vote for change. Laura Harper is a Huntsville native now living in Seattle By Marquita Hall, an entrepreneur living in Birmingham As a mom of boys, I see this law as an opportunity to explain the importance of being aligned on the side of fairness, integrity and justice for all. Womens suffrage, one of the most significant movements to occur in America, is evolving. The catalyst was the 1848 gathering in Seneca Falls. A couple hundred years later, which included passage of womens right to vote, we are still deciding whether to prioritize the familiarity of majority-women spaces or the enrichment of mixed-gender instances. In Alabama, conservative ideologies have caused a disconnect between perceptions about women in this great state and the actuality of our condition. Passing legislation and signing law specifically aimed at women diminishes the allied efforts or forward thinking men both in this era and in the past. Even in that 1848 meeting, mennamely abolitionist, Fredrick Douglass and suffragist Lucretia Motts husband, James Mottlended themselves to the successive waves of progress. Today Alabama Republican state lawmakers, women and men, decided that raising their voices in solidarity against women is the legacy they want to leave behind for future generations. As a mom of boys, I see this law as an opportunity to explain the importance of being aligned on the side of fairness, integrity and justice for all. I recently had the unique opportunity to visit a state-of-the-art water bottling company in Autaugaville. I witnessed local women operating machinery that was deemed too complex for someone without a background in engineering. These women, of varied ages, had a sense of pride and accomplishment unlike any Id witnessed since. Ninety-nine years after the adoption of the 19th amendment, the leaps and bounds women have made in industries such as government, law and business are leading to perhaps the most inclusive time in human history. Bullet holes mark Darul Aman Palace but while most support the rebuild, others reject glossing over scars of conflict. Kabul, Afghanistan For years, the Kabul landscape has been undergoing increasing transformation. New high-rise apartment buildings, where rents can top out at $1,000 a month, restaurants and wedding halls jostle for space as efforts to make the city more green result in more trees and flowers on pavements and traffic dividers. But the biggest change is still taking hold, one that harks back to the citys peaceful past. Scores of Afghans are busily restoring the iconic Darul Aman Palace. Over the last 40 years of conflict, the building went from a symbol of modern Afghanistan that King Amanullah Khan wanted to create when he ordered its construction in the 1920s, to a physical embodiment of the ravages of war. For decades, the once magnificent neoclassical structure laid in ruins. Riddled with bullet holes and covered in English, Dari and Pashto language tags and intricate graffiti designs of turbaned men and dogs, people began referring to the European-style palace as a dirty sieve. Scores of Afghans are working to restore Darul Aman Palace to its former glory [Ali Latifi/Al Jazeera] What was once seen as an architectural triumph had become a phantom evoking memories of the Soviet occupation of the 1980s, the civil war of the 1990s and Washingtons 18 years, and counting, incursion in the country. In 2016, President Ashraf Ghani, said to be a longtime admirer of Amanullah, who once referred to Darul Aman as the palace of abandoned dreams, officially ordered its reconstruction. Addressing media from inside the building, where entire sections of the roof were held up by steel nets, Ghani said the restoration was a return to the past to begin laying the foundation for the future. From the moment the project was first reported, the news was met with stark and conflicted reactions. While many were pleasedto see the president banish a ghost that haunted the citys skyline, others feared that the reconstruction would cover up a much-needed reminder of the costs of a decades-long series of wars. The rebuilding project began in 2016 [Ali Latifi/Al Jazeera] For the 1,000 people who have been employed by the project so far, including 27 female engineers in a team of 105 the restoration is both a boon to a struggling economy and a chance to transform the layout of the capital. At 23, engineer Abdul Wahid, a site manager, is too young to remember the palace before the wars led its stairways to crumble and the roof to fall to pieces. Still, he feels the project was long overdue. Addressing concerns that the reconstructed building will mask the realities of war, Wahid said: Weve lived our whole lives with bombs and fighting, we know nothing good comes from war. When completed, the building will host a museum containing artefacts from the Presidential Palaces archive [Ali Latifi/Al Jazeera] The labour force comprises Afghans from nearly every region of the country, including areas where the war is most intense. The materials marble from Herat province, wood from Kunar province are all Afghan products. Wahid said the restored building will be a monument to Afghan endurance and creativity. Rather than covering up past wars, this site will serve as a constant, physical reminder of the difference between war and peace, said Wahid. For the hundreds of workers on the site, the reconstruction is not only a point of pride, but also a much-needed economic opportunity at a time when the Kabul government has been unable to address the 40 percent unemployment rate and the precipitous fall in the value of the Afghani. Gholam Ali travelled along one of the nations most dangerous roads to arrive in Kabul from his native Maidan Wardak province. We need to rebuild, he said, referring to both Kabul and the personal financial needs of the workers in the background hammering, painting and soldering while they fast during the month of Ramadan. Everyone in this country knows what war brings, no one needs a building to remind them of that. Its all around. Instead, let people have a beautiful, green space to bring our families, he told Al Jazeera. The materials being used including marble from Herat province and wood from Kunar province are all Afghan products [Ali Latifi/Al Jazeera] Upon completion, the building will host a museum containing artefacts from the Presidential Palaces archive, which goes back to the time of Amanullahs father, King Habibullah, and a fully-landscaped park. But not everyone is in favour of the restoration project. Some say the cost of what will be lost will be too great compared to what will be gained in return. Nilofar Ibrahimi, an MP from the northern province, has lived in Kabul since she was six. She says there are entire generations of Afghans who did not live through the conflicts to know how and why the palace was destroyed in the first place. When they drive through the streets of Kabul, she said, using her own children, who are currently in Australia, as an example, I want them to be able to see that there was a war here, and that it was war that destroyed our city. Most importantly, Ibrahimi wants everyone to know that the destruction came from outsiders and ourselves. Her statement is a reference to the fact that the palace was used by invading armies during the Soviet and US wars and by Afghan commanders during the civil war of the 1990s. As Afghan pride swells regarding the restoration efforts, some believe covering the scars of war erases important history [Ali Latifi/Al Jazeera] Still, others want the site to be remembered by future generations as a site of Afghan triumph. Qorban, from the central province of Daikondi, has been working on the restoration for more than a month. To him, the completed palace will be a testament to the Afghan people and nation, who have survived so many different conflicts. Its putting Afghans to work. The entire labour force here is all Afghan and were using all Afghan materials, why wouldnt this be a good thing for the Afghan nation? However and wherever it manifests itself, to defeat hatred, you must confront it: head-on, with determination, uncowed by the apologists, who prefer, like so many politicians these days, to coddle, excuse or ingratiate themselves to the powerful hate-mongers in our midst. Happily, Mohamed Fakih is not a politician. He is a successful restaurateur who chose not to appease or cower before bigotry, but to confront it, head-on, in a Toronto courtroom. Fakih is also a Muslim. Predictably, his faith made him a target of Kevin Johnston, who, like so many other hate merchants these days, traffics in Islamophobia online for notoriety and profit. Decidedly less polished than the celebrity Islamophobes who camouflage their venom behind academic credentials and agreeable, media-savvy dispositions, Johnstons brand of hate is more direct and profane. Still, despite his ugly resume, Canadas corporate media are loath to call Johnston by his true name, opting instead to describe him as a controversial provocateur or self-styled journalist. Well, Johnston recently got his long-overdue comeuppance, courtesy of Fakih, a Lebanese Canadian who has used his hard-won wealth to hire 150 Syrian refugees, to feed and shelter the homeless and to cover the funeral costs for the victims of the 2016 Quebec mosque massacre. Turns out, Johnston chose the wrong man to bully and defame as a terrorist whose clients were no more than complicit jihadists bent on doing something nefarious. Fakih would not let that smear stand. So, he sued Johnston for libel and won. His just reward: 2.5 million Canadian dollars (US$1.8m) in damages and the satisfaction of prevailing over hate and the pathetic provocateur who peddled it. Indeed, the presiding judge found that Johnstons illiterate assault on Fakihs name and character was a loathsome example of hate speech at its worst, targeting people solely because of their religion. Clearly, Fakih grasps the import of his persuasive legal victory. Hate has always been with us. But lately, the people who hate have grown louder and bolder. They have emerged from the dark corners of the internet. They feel safe to announce, even to celebrate, their intolerance, Fakih wrote. There will always be people who hate from their bones. But together we can make them smaller in number, smaller in influence, smaller and smaller until they all but disappear. It is a noble goal, to be sure. But buried in the stories about Fakihs juridical win is the sad, instructive fact that Canadians who hate from their bones have not only grown louder and bolder, but greater in number, emboldened to exact their retributive hate on Muslims and others. As Fakih implicitly concedes, Islamophobia is not an aberration in Canada as the prevailing caricature promoted by starry-eyed writers routinely suggests, but a stubborn, metastasising reality. The proof? Johnston has, it appears, thousands of like-minded disciples. In late 2018, he ran to become mayor of Mississauga, Canadas sixth-largest city and a bedroom community of neighbouring Toronto. Johnston came in second place, winning slightly more than 16,000 votes, which translated into 13.5 percent of the total votes cast for mayor. This, despite Johnston facing a criminal charge of willfully promoting hatred against the local Muslim community, which carries a two-year prison sentence upon conviction. Those figures represent an alarming and exponential increase over his results during the 2014 mayoralty contest. At that time, Johnston won just 741 votes or 0.5 percent of the vote for mayor. It has been suggested that Johnstons surge in popularity was the by-product of the absence of an established, high-profile challenger to the unpopular incumbent. As such, his mushrooming support amounted to a protest vote, rather than an overt expression of solidarity with his fetid past and present. This exculpatory reasoning strikes me as dangerously pollyannaish since it rejects or, at least, diminishes the worldwide resurgence of far-right inspired racism, which seeks chiefly to demonise and ostracise immigrants, and, more particularly, Muslims, like Fakih. Canada, like Hungary, Austria and the United States, is not immune to the appeal of demagogues who, treated too gently for too long by large, irresponsible swaths of the mainstream media, have exploited the opportunity to paint most Muslims as rabid, violent perpetrators and villains intent on destroying Western values and way of life. Admittedly, Johnston is an obscure, municipal facsimile of much more well-known, national Islamophobes who gin up fear and hatred for their parochial aims. He is, of course, not alone on this foul score. Johnston was joined on the hustings in 2018 by perhaps Canadas most notorious racist, Faith Goldy. The Islamophobic, white supremacist ran for mayor of Toronto, Canadas largest and arguably most diverse city. Goldy came in a disconcerting third, with 25,600 votes or 3.4 percent of the ballots cast. The unabashed neo-Nazis support is chillingly impressive given the fact that Goldy was barred from participating in all-candidates debates, and advertising on platforms owned by the telecom giant, Bell Media. Taken together, Johnston and Goldy captured close to 41,600 votes in the epicentre of modern, cosmopolitan Canada which prides itself on its openness and welcoming arms. This is a sobering number and its significance cannot be avoided or minimised. It has to be understood as a symptom of the same hateful malignancy that a Muslim businessman vanquished in court earlier this month. Now, when that figure is extrapolated even conservatively across Canada it swells and reveals the scope of the scourge that first must be acknowledged, then challenged without reservation or qualification. The failure to do so would mean allowing another telling and menacing number to climb precipitately, as well. In 2017, Statistics Canada reported that hate crimes in Canada shot up by an astounding 47 percent. Muslims, Jews and black people were the principal victims of the 2,073 reported acts of hate, the most since these abhorrent statistics were first kept in 2009. Canadas two largest provinces, Ontario and Quebec, saw the biggest increases, with Ontario reporting a whopping 207 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslims, alone. Understood in this broader and appalling context, the corresponding boom at the ballot box by racist fanatics like Johnston and Goldy is unsurprising. A wicked storm is gathering strength across Canada. Rather than take easy comfort in the myth of Canada as an oasis of harmony, Canadians should join Mohamed Fakih in shout[ing] down intolerance each and every time it raises its voice. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. By Gemma Handy AN EX-army officer with an interest in yachting has been named as TCIs incoming governor. Nigel Dakins 23 years experience with Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) includes diplomatic assignments in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Washington DC. He will take up the appointment announced by Britain on Thursday (May 16) in July, replacing Governor John Freeman who has held the position since October 2016. Married father-of-two Dakins most recent post was three years in Washington as a senior foreign policy official for the UK embassy. His LinkedIn page cites a track record of delivering successful change programmes valued in excess of $130 million, along with an appetite for military affairs, politics and the Royal Yachting Association. The grammar school-educated governor designate graduated from Englands University of Birmingham in 1987 with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. Previous training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst paved the way to 12 years as a British Army officer with responsibility for command, operational and training roles at home and overseas. In the 1990s, he joined the UK Ministry of Defence assisting on matters relating to the Irish peace process. Subsequent positions in counter-terrorism saw him in hotspots including Islamabad and Kabul between 2007 and 2013. Dakin also has considerable board level experience, including three years as a director with the FCOs executive board and five years as a non-executive director on the Armys top leadership development board. Governors to British overseas territories typically serve for two to three years, acting as the Queens official representative and de facto head of state. Most tend to be career diplomats or have worked in other civil service departments, and are also responsible for liaising with the UK government and carrying out ceremonial duties. Former British ambassador to Argentina, Dr Freeman, came to the role after three decades in the FCO, replacing Peter Beckingham. Dr Freeman told the Weekly News: "I still have many weeks before I leave TCI in July. "I will want on other occasions to express thanks and offer reflections on my tour here as governor, but for now I would say only that I remain committed to doing my job to the best of my abilities. "I will be sending my best wishes to my successor and will work with him to ensure a smooth transition, he added. If exit polls prove right, the electoral strategies of the Indian opposition have failed to challenge the BJPs appeal. Indias six-week-long multi-phase election has finally come to a close. According to exit polls released on Sunday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a legislative majority. While the final make-up of the legislature will become clear on May 23, when final results are released, what is already clear is that the Indian opposition has failed to effectively counter the political appeal of the BJP and its nationalistic ideology. The main challenger to the BJPs second mandate in this election season was the Indian Congress Party led by Rahul Gandhi, a fourth-generation leader of the Nehru family. After his party was decimated in the 2014 general elections, Gandhi had to work hard to make its platform politically relevant once again and revamp his own image of an elitist and detached political leader. Under his leadership, Congress adopted a strategy of trying to present Modi as an ineffective chowkidar (or caretaker). Almost every speech he made would begin or conclude with the slogan chowkidar chor hai (or the protector is the thief), accusing Modi of shielding big businessmen and industrialists and failing on his promises to improve the life of the ordinary Indian. Congress also tried to put a dent in Modis image as the scrupulous and honest leader by using a major corruption scandal which involved the purchase 36 French fighter jets which erupted last year. Although a big part of the Indian and international media covered the Rafale scandal, the issue did not stick on the ground. When I travelled to rural areas in India, farmers, lower income group workers, and labourers claimed ignorance of the issue, calling it a rich mans concern. The party also tried to win the poor vote by criticising the BJPs disastrous agrarian policies, costly demonetisation move, and failure to combat poverty. Among the partys campaign promises were an $80 monthly transfer scheme for households below the poverty line. None of these strategies resulted in a significant shift in the rural and urban poor vote. Congress also tried hard to fight back the BJPs religious attacks and accusations that it was an anti-Hindu and pro-Muslim party. As the country witnessed lynchings, increasing majoritarianism, and attacks on minorities and civil liberties, Gandhi chose to embark on a series of visits to major Hindu temples across the country and often remained silent on the victimisation of minorities. The soft Hindutva approach of Congress seems to have backfired. As one BJP leader told me, When you have the original Hindutva leaders, why would voters rely on a copy? The Congress leader himself went through a significant transformation. Having long been accused of living it large at his posh Tughlaq Lane residence in New Delhi, hobnobbing with his elite friends, and going off on vacations abroad exactly when the country needed an opposition leader to take on Modi, this election season Gandhi made a strong effort to be seen as a politician connected to the ground. Although previously he was known to shy away from the media glare, in the past month he spoke to almost every media house in the country, whether regional or national. He was everywhere: news websites, television channels, newspapers; almost every request for an interview has been granted. Gandhi was joined by his sister Priyanka, who actively campaigned in the key state of Uttar Pradesh. But her entry was late and failed to sway voters in a state where the BJP cadres had been successfully managing a sustained Modi campaign for the last two years. But perhaps the biggest mistake by Congress, which potentially helped the BJP seal an electoral victory, was not pushing hard enough to create a united front of major national and regional parties. In New Delhi, the party did not form an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi party which rose to fame in 2014 with a rebellious electoral campaign and victory. Neither Gandhi nor Kejriwal, both critics of Modi, could set aside their differences to jointly contest elections in the capital. As a result, the BJP is slated to take all seven seats contested in New Delhi, at least according to exit polls. Congress also refused to be the adhesive that could stitch an alliance with two important players in the key state of Uttar Pradesh: Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party. The two, along with another local outfit, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, had formed the Mahagathbandhan, which was the most powerful opposition to the Modi campaign in the state. Mayawati, in particular, was the most formidable cultural and political challenger to Modis image of being a man from a humble background, a chaiwala (or tea seller). She is a Dalit, an assertive voice from the underprivileged caste, the daughter of a telephone operator, who has fought caste hierarchy and patriarchy to become the most important Dalit leader in the country today. Wile Mahagathbandhan managed to steal some seats from BJP, the presence of Congress might have split the opposition vote, which again would benefit the ruling party. But it wasnt only Congress that failed to effectively counter the BJP. In West Bengal, its main challenger was Mamata Banerjee, who leads the Trinamool Congress (TMC), a splinter party of the Congress. The BJP sought to win votes campaigning on a single issue: the threat of Bangladeshi migrants. It accused Banerjee of shielding infiltrators in order to appease the Muslim minority. A feisty and outspoken politician, the TMC leader took the ruling party head-on. Yet her campaign also failed to stave off its political advance. According to the exit polls, the BJP, which so far only had two seats in West Bengal, is now poised to enter the double-digit mark for the first time in a state long known for being a bastion of the left. Its anti-migrant policies and campaign have worked not just in West Bengal but also in the neighbouring state of Assam which now shows a sweep for the BJP. In the south, the BJP has never been a dominant force and, like the Congress, played a secondary role in most alliances in this election. While several regional parties allied with Gandhis party are expected to perform well, there are also some, such as Jagan Reddys YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh state, which are expected to eventually back the BJP in parliament. Overall, if exit polls prove to be true, it seems the BJP has not only managed to defeat Congress, but also regional parties, which constituted its biggest opposition. Congress functionaries have already begun lamenting the failures of the party. Some have blamed the top leaders and the coterie surrounding them for being unable to sense the mood of the Indian streets full of polarised voters enamoured by Modis presidential-style election campaign. The party found itself on the wrong foot, unable to counter the nationalist narrative of the ruling party and build a united front against it. The BJP kept baiting the opposition with its ultra-nationalist statements and Congress and other parties found themselves falling for the narrative and spending more time countering Modi on his surgical attacks rather than listening to the voice of the people. Exit polls in India have been proven wrong in the past, as happened in 2004, when they failed to predict a Congress victory. But, unlike 2004, the palpable sentiment on the ground is that the country has no alternative to the ruling party. Rahul Gandhi tried hard, and so did his allies, but he failed to convince the Indian voter that he could be the alternative for a country that urgently needs economic and social reforms. The opposition has not given up and many have dismissed the exit polls, but May 23 could be a reality check. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Seventy years ago on Friday, the Indian army landed in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir, giving rise to one of the worlds deadliest disputes. Every year the people in this divided region mark October 27 as a black day to protest the decades-old Indian military occupation. You go to any home, and they tell you a story how their brother, son, and husband was killed and how they continue to face the atrocities of the army. We continue to live the repercussions of the day that gave birth to this conflict, said Javed Ahmad, 55, whose grocery shop remained shut on Friday in the regions main city as a sign of protest. The first India-Pakistan war over Kashmir was fought after independence from British rule when armed tribesmen from Pakistans North West Frontier Province (now called Khyber-Pakhthunkhwa) invaded the disputed territory in October 1947. Kashmirs ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, faced with an internal revolt as well an external invasion, requested assistance from Indias armed forces in return for acceding to India. He handed over control of his defence, communications, and foreign affairs departments to the Indian government. Though both sides agreed the accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh would be ratified by a referendum, held after hostilities ceased, that vote was never held even after 70 years making Kashmir an unsolved legacy of partition. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for the Indian-administered portion to become independent or merge with Pakistan. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown. India maintains roughly 500,000 soldiers in the Muslim-majority territory. Muhammad Ashraf Wani, a professor of history, said October 27, 1947, changed the history, geography, and culture of Kashmir as the borders were sealed that connected the region to Central Asia, which was an important trade partner. The Kashmir conflict continues to be same as it was 70 years ago. There is no change in it, there have been atrocities on the people, Wani said, adding the conflict has disconnected Kashmir with its past. We suffered heavily since that day, and we continue to suffer. The partition had enduring effects on us. All those who love humanity should come forward to solve this dispute because this is the longest pending dispute in the world. Khalid Bashir, a Kashmiri author of Kashmir: Exposing the Myth behind the Narrative, said even after wars and other violence a solution has yet to be found in Kashmir. The conflict gave rise to armed struggle, deaths and destruction, but still there has been no seriousness in solving the issue. The conflict has resulted in orphans, injured, and bloodshed continues. Both India and Pakistan have their arguments, but it is a Kashmiri who gets the bullet, he said. Bashir said 70 years had taught the lesson that bloodshed is going to last until serious efforts are made to end it. India and Pakistan dont even talk to each other; this is going to continue. Separatist leaders led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who supports Kashmir joining with Pakistan, said in a statement India forcibly seized Kashmir in 1947. Seventy-one years back on this day India without any constitutional and moral justification forcibly took control of Jammu and Kashmir, and since then, Indian forces are mercilessly killing innocent and unarmed Kashmiris, vandalising their properties and indulging in other inhuman acts, said Geelani. The leader, who has called for protests against the illegal occupation, accused Indian security forces of unleashing atrocities and cruelties upon Kashmiri nation to suppress the peaceful voices. Expecting large-scale protests, authorities imposed curfew in most parts of Kashmir on Friday. Locals were prevented from attending Friday prayers at Srinagars grand mosque. State officials confirm a massacre occurred as media reports say gunmen kill six women and five men in Belem bar. A group of masked gunmen has entered a bar in Belem city, northern Brazil, and opened fire, killing at least 11 patrons and leaving one wounded, according to local media reports. The attackers on Sunday arrived in cars and a motorbike before shooting dead six women and five men in the bar in a poor neighbourhood in the capital of Para state, G1 news website said. Natalia Mello, a Para state spokeswoman, confirmed only that a massacre had occurred but gave no details. News agencies reported that state communications officials stopped answering phone calls. Military and civil police in Para state also did not answer phone calls or respond to emails. There was no information regarding possible motivation for the crime and no arrests had been made by early Sunday evening. The identities of the victims were not given. Some videos taken right after the shooting were posted on social media, showing slain people lying on the ground and a dead woman on top of the bars counter. The killings took place in the Guama neighbourhood, one of the seven most violent spots in the metropolitan Belem area where federal troops were sent in March to boost security. There were 756 violent deaths in Para state in the first quarter. The warrant, if granted, would be the first step in a process to have WikiLeaks founder Assange extradited from the UK. The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday filed a request for his arrest, the Prosecution Authority said. The warrant, if granted, would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from the UK, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Assange skipped bail in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over the sexual assault allegations. He has long claimed the allegations were a pretext for possible extradition to the US, where federal prosecutors investigating WikiLeaks have filed sealed charges against him. Sweden reopened an investigation into the rape allegation, first made in 2010, on May 13. The Swedish Prosecution Authority had dropped its investigation into Assange in 2017 but in April, the authority said it would review a request by the lawyer representing a woman who alleged she was raped by Assange to reopen a preliminary investigation into the allegation. 190413065533003 Assange was arrested by UK police in April, seven years after he first entered Ecuadors embassy in London seeking asylum. In April, the judge in London said Assange displayed the behaviour of a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest. UK police said they had been invited into the embassy by the ambassador, following the Ecuadorean governments withdrawal of asylum. Assange was arrested upon arrival at a police station on behalf of the US after it requested his extradition, police added. US federal prosecutors meanwhile charged him with computer hacking and aiding whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, which they said carries a potential five-year prison term. Protesters say transitional bodies need to be set up before free and fair elections can take place. Algerias army chief of staff has warned against calls by protesters to postpone the countrys presidential election, saying it were the best way out of the current political crisis. The announcement by Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah on Monday came just days after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities across the country to denounce the armys proposed plan. Holding a presidential election could help [Algeria] avoid falling into the trap of a constitutional void, with its accompanying dangers and unwelcome consequences, Gaid Salah said in a speech. Emphasising the need to accelerate the establishment of an independent body to organize and oversee the election, he said holding the poll would stop those who are trying to prolong the crisis. After nearly two decades in power, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika gave up power on April 2, amid a wave of massive protests across the country which were sparked by his decision in February to run for a fifth consecutive term in office. Weekly protests have since continued in the North African country, a major oil and gas producer, calling for the departure of Bouteflika loyalists and a complete overhaul of the political system. The protesters want a transitional authority to be set up to review the constitution and allow for free and fair elections to take place. In his speech on Monday, Gaid Salah seemed to reject those demands, describing them as unobjective and unreasonable, adding that they sought to deprive state institutions of their cadres and denigrate them. A presidential election has been scheduled for July 4. Sacking of Interior Minister Kickl is set to trigger a walk-out of FPO ministers from Chancellor Kurzs government. All remaining ministers from Austrias far-right Freedom Party (FPO) are to resign, a party spokesman said, after Interior Minister Herbert Kickl was fired in the fallout from a corruption scandal that has brought down the government. The ministers would make good on their threat to resign en masse if Kickl was forced out, the spokesman told the national Austrian Press Agency agency late on Monday. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who called for fresh elections on Saturday over the affair, said Kickl would have to leave office to ensure a complete, transparent investigation into the scandal that has ended the right-wing coalition between Kurzs Peoples Party (OVP) and FPO. FPOs Heinz-Christian Strache stepped down as vice-chancellor and party leader on Saturday after video published by German media appeared to show him offering government contracts in return for campaign help to a fake Russian backer in a villa on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza. 190518170506716 In the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. The other ministers who are now set to follow Kickl out of the government include his colleagues at the foreign, defence, transport and social affairs ministries. Kurz said the vacant posts would be filled with experts or senior civil servants until elections which President Van der Bellen has suggested be held in early September. A date will be fixed after Van der Bellen has spoken to all party leaders. Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPO leadership from Strache on Sunday, said Kickl had done nothing wrong. Kickl was FPOs secretary-general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. I feel very sorry that such a great government project ends so soon I think this government was very popular, Hofer told a press conference earlier on Monday. Final straw Kurz has said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPO-related scandals, which have dogged the coalition since its formation in late 2017. 190519114048959 The most damaging recent controversy linked to Kickl was last year when the interior minister ordered raids on the countrys own domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austrias Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPO has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putins United Russia Party. Muhlaysia Booker found dead in Texas on Saturday, about a month after she was assaulted in an attack caught on video. A 23-year-old transgender woman seen on a widely circulated video being beaten in front of a crowd of people has been found dead in Dallas, Texas. Police say the body of Muhlaysia Booker, who was shot dead, was found in a street on Saturday and that no suspect has been identified. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say theres no apparent link to the April 12 beating Booker suffered after she was involved in a minor traffic accident. A mobile phone recording during the April incident showed her being beaten by a man as a crowd watched and authorities say the man was offered $200 to attack Booker. Video of the incident was shared on social media. A 29-year-old man was arrested and jailed on suspicion of aggravated assault. Local media reported the man was released on bond earlier this month. Four black transgender women killed in 2019 According to local media, Assistant Chief Avery Moore said authorities did not have enough information to assess whether this weekends shooting was motived by hate. We recognise that hate crimes, if you will, are a serious topic, Moore was quoted by Dallas Morning News as saying. We at the Dallas Police Department take them serious. According to the Dallas Morning News, Booker told supporters at a rally after the April incident, This time, I can stand before you, where, in other scenarios, were at a memorial. https://twitter.com/GoRogueGoHome/status/1130295499771109376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw According to the Human Rights Campaign, Booker is the fourth black transgender woman to be killed in the United States since the beginning of 2019. The others include, Dana Martin, who was shot dead in Alabama in January, Ashanti Carmon, who was fatally shot in Maryland in March and Claire Legato, who was shot in Ohio last month and died from her injuries last week. At least 26 transgender individuals the majority of whom were black transgender women were killed in the US last year, the Human Rights Campaign said. The rights group also noted that some of these cases (involved) clear anti-transgender bias while others, the victims transgender status may have put them at risk in other ways, such as forcing them into unemployment, poverty, homelessness and/or survival sex work. With senior leaders jailed or exiled, local and regional supporters of opposition report attacks and harassment. Phnom Penh, Cambodia Nol Puthearith was a security guard at the headquarters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), and continued to watch over the building in the Cambodian capital even after the main opposition party itself was forcibly dissolved by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Last month, he was attacked by a group of strangers. They beat me until I was unconscious, said Puthearith, who has supported the opposition and acted as a bodyguard for party leaders since the late 1990s. I have no idea who they are and I cant identify them. A week after the April 13 attack in Phnom Penh, another opposition member named Tith Rorn was taken to a police station in Kampong Cham province for questioning over a crime that had taken place more than a decade ago. Three days later, he was dead. 190318020938567 While not directly related, the two events are part of what some observers see as a pattern of ongoing abuse and intimidation against political opponents of Hun Sen, exacerbated by a recent threat by the European Union to cancel its preferential Everything But Arms (EBA) trade agreement with Cambodia over its human rights record. Hun Sen has accused the EU of holding Cambodia hostage and warned that he would renew his crackdown on the opposition if Europe did not relent. Lee Morgenbesser, author of Behind the Facade: Elections under Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia, said that while the CNRP is officially disbanded, the government still fears its influence because its supporters have been driven underground. Hun Sens government has eliminated the threat of the CNRP at the national level, but it has much work to do at the local level, he explained. The problem for Hun Sen now is identifying who to repress, how to repress them and when to repress them. The CNRPs leader Kem Sokha remains under house arrest after he was detained at the end of 2017 and accused of treason. The party itself, which came a close second in the 2013 national elections and in the 2017 local polls, was dissolved two years ago on spurious allegations of attempted revolution aided by the United States. The move ensured that Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) secured every one of the 125 seats in the National Assembly in last years election. Although there was a relaxation of political repression after the polls and many political prisoners were released, including 14 members of the CNRP, the attacks on opposition supporters have now resumed. CNRP member Kong Mas, who supported cancelling the EBA, was arrested for incitement in January. Tith Rorn, a supporter of Cambodias opposition CNRP who was detained over a fight that happened 13 years ago and died in mysterious circumstances in prison three days later [Al Jazeera] Beatings, assaults At least three individuals, including Puthearith, have been assaulted in cases the party claims are politically motivated since March. Rorn, the CNRP coordinator, was arrested on April 15 over a fight with a pro-government activist that took place 13 years ago, well beyond the statute of limitations. He later died in prison. 181213230418789 After the altercation, Rorn fled to Anlong Veng near the Thai border but came home from time to time. He had been living in the village for about a year when the police came for him. On the second day of Khmer New Year at 7:30 in the morning, police came and said they needed to take him for questioning, his father, Eam Tita, a provincial coordinator for the CNRP in Kampong Cham, told Al Jazeera from an undisclosed location. After they took him for questioning, he never came back and three days later police told my neighbour that my son had died. As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. The family said they were told by prison officials that Rorn had a seizure, hit his head and died but they dispute the story. According to Tita, Rorn had no history of epilepsy and his injuries did not seem consistent with a seizure. There were bruises all over his body like he had been beaten and his neck was broken, Tita said. The family was unable to get a doctor to do an official autopsy, because doctors in the area were too scared to get involved. After the funeral, Tita fled the village. He said police had come looking for him at his home on two occasions. I am scared but I want to tell the truth and I want justice, he said. Popular opposition figure Sin Rozeth takes a selfie with a supporter after being interrogated for more than four hours by a provincial court in Battambang [Andrew Nachemson/Al Jazeera] Strengthening grip On May 10, Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a group of MPs from around Southeast Asia, called for an independent investigation into Rorns death. In a statement, the group urged the Cambodian government to stop targeting members of the opposition. The continued attacks on the opposition shows that the government has no interest in meaningful dialogue, but is only concerned with strengthening its own grip on power, said Charles Santiago, APHR chairman and a Malaysian MP, said in the statement. Last week, the US State Department also released a statement expressing concern and calling for an investigation, as well as for the release of Kem Sokha. The United Nations Special Rapporteur, Rhona Smith, has also expressed worry, noting few tangible improvements in the political environment. I remain concerned that pressure on former members of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party continue unabated, she said in a press conference at the end of a fact-finding mission on May 9. Puthearith, the security guard, fled to Thailand after he was attacked, but he says colleagues informed him that police have come looking for him three times. He fears he might be permanently detained or worse. Im very concerned for my safety, thats why I fled Cambodia. What happened to me is politically motivated because I didnt know those people and I also dont have any conflict with anyone, Puthearith said. Smith: I remain concerned that pressure on former members of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party continue unabated [Heng Sinith/AP Photo] Seek refugee status, not a problem Government spokesman Phay Siphan played down the reports of attacks and harassment. For myself I dont hear that. I verified with the related agencies and they told me its nothing happened like that, he said, adding that anybody who has been the victim of an attack should file a complaint with the court. But Cambodias courts are notorious for being politically controlled. The latest World Justice Report ranked Cambodia 125 out of 126 countries surveyed for rule of law, while the US-based rights group Human Rights Watch has condemned the courts as politicised and corrupt. Tita said he would not bother because in the justice system here, the right person can be wrong. Meanwhile, legal cases against numerous CNRP officials continue. CNRP co-founder Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile since 2015, was found guilty on May 2 of inciting the military to disobey orders and insulting the king adding eight years to his growing list of politically tinged convictions. In the past few weeks, more than 60 CNRP members and supporters across the country have been summoned to court for questioning over allegations that they have continued political activities after the partys dissolution. Sin Rozeth, one of the most popular opposition figures not in jail or abroad, was questioned for more than four hours. Despite denying that CNRP supporters face systemic harassment, Siphan, the government spokesman, encouraged them to seek asylum elsewhere. They seek refugee status, not a problem, he said. They feel like they want a new air to breathe, a new place to live. Closer to China Speaking from the United States, CNRP vice-president Mu Sochua, who has been living in exile for 19 months, said even though the party was under sustained attack, it continued to attract support. [The CNRP] is unconstitutionally, illegally eliminated on paper by his [Hun Sens] kangaroo court, but there is nothing more powerful than the spirit of people who are victimised by power, she said. Cambodias increased authoritarian tendencies have coincided with a diplomatic shift towards China over the past three years. More than 100 Chinese casinos now crowd the coastline in the resort of Sihanoukville, and Chinese investors have built hospitals, roads and other infrastructure across the country. Hun Sen appears to no longer be so concerned about salvaging his relationship with the EU, despite the potential impact of EBA removal on the clothing industry, which employs almost 800,000 people and exports $10bn worth of goods. Hun Sens government is all-in on China and has been for a few years now, Morgenbesser said. The latest aggression, harassment and repression is purely a manifestation of the fundamental change. The Cambodian leader has defended his closer relationship with China even as ordinary people have expressed concern. And despite the climate of intimidation, Sochua remains confident that Cambodians themselves will continue the struggle for political freedom. People are not going to be quiet about it, and with EBA suspension of privileges plus the sentiment people have against China, Hun Sen will at some point not be able to control it. CBP says 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died on Monday. He is the fifth migrant child to die in US custody since December. The United States government said that a 16-year-old boy from Guatemala died Monday at a Border Patrol station in southern Texas, becoming the fifth death of a migrant child since December. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement that Border Patrol apprehended the teenager in the Rio Grande Valley on May 13. The agency says the teenager was found unresponsive this morning during a welfare check. The agency did not say why the teenager had been detained for a week, but said he was due for placement in a facility for youth operated by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The death comes less than a week after a two-year-old child died after he and his mother were detained by the Border Patrol. 181225223310949 That boy died after several weeks in the hospital, according to US and Guatemalan authorities. Officials said at the time, the boy had a high fever and difficulty breathing, and authorities took him to a childrens hospital where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. Four in six months is a clear pattern of willful, callous disregard for childrens lives, Jess Morales Rocketto, chair of the advocacy group Families Belong Together, said prior to the death of the 16-year-old boy on Monday. Fifth migrant child to die since December All five children who have died after being apprehended by the Border Patrol were from Guatemala, which is ravaged by violence, poverty, and drought. All of those who have been identified were from the countrys indigenous communities. 181221175152453 More than 114,000 people from Guatemala have been apprehended by the Border Patrol between October and April. Many have been detained in Mexico, which has faced pressure from the US government to restrict migration. Mexicos National Immigration Institute said Thursday that a 10-year-old girl died in custody last Wednesday, a day after arriving with her mother at an immigrant detention centre in Mexico City. In early December, seven-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin died of a bacterial infection. Eight-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo died on Christmas Eve of a flu infection. He had been detained with his father for a week before falling sick. CBP acknowledged it transferred Gomez Alonzo and his father between stations because it did not have space at the El Paso station. The last place the son and father were detained was a highway checkpoint. After Gomez Alonzos death, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would expand medical checks and ensure that all children in Border Patrol custody would receive a more thorough hands-on assessment at the earliest possible time. 190503203000879 Juan de Leon Gutierrez, 16, died on April 30 after officials noticed he was sick at a youth detention facility operated by US Department of Health and Human Services. The medical examiner in Corpus Christi, Texas, said Juan had been diagnosed with a rare condition known as Potts puffy tumour, which can be caused by a severe sinus infection or head trauma. Gutierrezs mother told Al Jazeera earlier this month, that the teen left Guatemala in search of opportunities to send money back home after the family suffered from several years of drought in the countrys dry cone. President Donald Trumps administration has for months warned that the US immigration system was at a breaking point. The administration has asked for $4.5bn in emergency humanitarian funding and for Congress to change laws that would allow agencies to detain families longer and deport them more quickly. Many immigration detention facilities are overflowing and unequipped to house families with young children, especially as the numbers of families crossing the US-Mexico border surge to record highs. The Border Patrol made 99,000 apprehensions on the southern border just in April. More than half were parents and children travelling together. 190512174743893 In recent weeks, the Border Patrol in El Paso has detained families for hours outside in a parking lot and under an international bridge. Migrant parents complained of having to sleep at that location on the ground outside or in poor conditions in tents. The agency this month opened a larger, 500-person tent in El Paso as well as in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas. UN says water interruption by armed group may be considered war crime, as Tripoli government blames Haftars forces. Gunmen have cut off the main water pipeline to Libyas besieged capital Tripoli, spelling more misery for residents already reeling from weeks of fighting, residents and officials said. Armed men on Sunday raided a station of the Great Man-Made River Project, a pipe network that carries groundwater from the Sahara to the countrys western region, the project administrators said. Pumping from water wells has stopped after an armed group stormed the facilities and forced the workers to close all flow control valves and stop [the] water well, the statement said. 190414092955725 The eastern forces of renegade commander Khalifa Haftars Libya National Army (LNA) launched an assault on Tripoli in early April and are bogged down in southern suburbs by fighters loyal to the UN-recognised government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. In past attacks on the pipeline, which was one of former dictator Muammar Gaddafis few development projects, it has taken up to two days for households to notice water shortages in the coastal city of 2.5 million people. Tripoli supplies suspended The government agency said water provision would be restored once the attackers demands have been met, without specifying what they were. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, confirmed that water supplies to the capital and surrounding districts had been suspended, saying that people now had to rely on private water deliveries to meet their daily needs. The Tripoli government blamed a group that also cut the water supplies in 2017, saying its commander Khalifa Ehnaish belonged to Haftars forces. The LNA denied that and Ehnaish could not be reached on Monday. Maria Ribeiro, the UNs Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, condemned the shut off in a statement on Monday, saying that such attacks against civilian infrastructure may be considered war crimes. 1/2 .@UN Humanitarian Coordinator for #Libya Maria Ribeiro strongly condemns the blockage of the Great Man-Made River, cutting off #water supply for hundreds of thousands of Libyans. Full Statement: https://t.co/xeCYQqNJMn pic.twitter.com/hZ7dXgodF4 UNSMIL (@UNSMILibya) May 20, 2019 Fighting in the battle for Tripoli that began last month has killed at least 510 people and wounded nearly 2,500, forced 75,000 out of their homes, trapped thousands of migrants in detention centres, and flattened some southern suburbs, according to the UN. It has also forced the closure of schools, split families on different sides of the front line, and brought power-cuts. The conflict is one of the most serious flare-ups in years of chaos since the 2011 toppling of Gaddafi and has sharpened Gulf divisions over Libya. OVER the past few years, the prison service has faced extreme challenges, exacerbated by the 2017 hurricanes. In order to mitigate some of these challenges, this year, the Government has increased the budgetary allocation to the penitentiary $3,361,679 for 2018-2019 to $4,131,720 in financial year (FY) 2019-2020. Former Home Minister, Delroy Vaden Williams made this disclosure during his budget presentation before he assumed his new role as immigration minister. He said the living and working conditions at the prison before the hurricanes were made worse as it suffered structural damage, with the Yellow Wing being completely destroyed by fire during prison unrest in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Irma. "We have committed to ensure that persons in custody receive the best care and assistance to guarantee that they have the best opportunity to return to society. He revealed that among the new staff members that will be recruited under the social development department, are two new probation and parole officers. He said the recruitment of these officers will hopefully improve the efficiency of the Parole Board and begin to lay the groundwork for the Chance for Change Programme which will become active within the coming months. Williams said an important aspect of the programme is the need to provide for alternative paths to sentencing individuals for the crimes they commit. This approach, he said, will require the support of several stakeholders ranging from the individual, families, church, schools, police and businesses. "We hope that everyone will step up to the plate and support this new initiative to save our young men, to support families and to improve our society. The minister stated that some aspects of the programme are already in place with inmates being allowed to work in some departments and private businesses in Grand Turk. This is to enable them to develop skills to support themselves and their families when they are released. He also spoke of his Governments commitment to reform in the criminal justice system such as the introduction of alternative sentencing for certain offences. Additionally, there is already in place a concept strategy document for the redevelopment of the prison, the contract for which the minister said will soon be signed for the rebuilding of a new prison wing to replace the wing that was destroyed by fire. Funding is also provided in this years budget to undertake much needed maintenance to the existing wings and additional blocks, with buildings set to be developed using a phased approach. He further updated on the completion of the perimeter fence, which he said will be completed within the next few months. There will also be the erection of internal perimeter fencing and lighting, which will commence soon. This is being funded by the United Kingdom government through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Williams stated. "A new prison superintendent joined the prison in December and we look forward to seeing positive changes there given his personal commitment to establish a programme to attract Turks and Caicos Islanders to the profession who view the prison service as a meaningful career. Eight new prison officers have also assumed their roles at the Grand Turk facility, giving the prison the much-needed manpower to help bring about those positive changes that we all want to see, the minister said. (Delana Isles) Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba appointed under deal between Tshisekedi and predecessor Joseph Kabila, spokesperson says. President Felix Tshisekedi has named Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba as the new prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The move was announced on Monday by presidential spokesman Kasongo Mwema Yambayamba, who said Ilukamba was appointed under a political agreement between Tshisekedi and his predecessor, Joseph Kabila. Ilukamba, a career politician and Kabila ally, was previously the head of the DRCs national railway company. He also served as finance minister under former President Mobutu Sese Seko, who for more than three decades headed a corrupt and dysfunctional administration. His appointment comes almost five months after Tshisekedi was declared the winner of a December 30 election which observers said was marred by irregularities and opponents denounced as rigged. Tshisekedi-Kabila coalition Tshisekedi beat Kabilas hand-picked candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and rival opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, among others, in the presidential ballot. Fayulu came in a close second but rejected the result and accused Tshisekedi of making a secret deal with Kabila to deprive him of victory. Tshisekedi and Kabila denied that there was a deal. Kabilas Common Front for Congo coalition dominated concurrent legislative elections, winning 342 of the 485 seats in the DRCs parliament. In March, the pair issued a joint statement confirming their common will to govern together as part of a coalition government. The DRCs constitution dictates that the prime minister must come from the majority bloc in parliament, while the president traditionally makes the final decision on who will fill the post. Kabila governed the largely impoverished but mineral-rich Central African country for 18 years before leaving office. His final two years in charge saw him stay beyond the maximum term limit permitted by the DRCs constitution and instead oversee a crackdown on protesters calling for him to quit. Opposition leader returns from exile Separately on Monday, DRC opposition leader Moise Katumbi returned home from three years in exile, one of a series of indicted politicians cleared under Tshisekedis administration. Thousands of supporters turned out to welcome Katumbis arrival at the airport in Lubumbashi, the main city in his political heartland in the copper-mining Katanga region. Im happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs, Katumbi said. Tshisekedi has pardoned 700 prisoners including several political opponents of Kabila since coming to power. His supporters have claimed the moves point to a new era of political openness in the DRC after years of suppression of opposition figures. Katumbi returns to his hometown of Lubumbashi three years after he was sentenced in absentia on fraud charges. Prominent Congolese businessman and one-time presidential hopeful Moise Katumbi has returned home after three years in political exile. Katumbi, who said he feared for his life under the regime of former President Joseph Kabila, arrived in his hometown of Lubumbashi on Monday and stepped out of his private jet dressed in all white. Katumbi had been sentenced in absentia to three years in prison on real estate fraud charges he said were politically motivated. At one point he had accused the government of trying to poison him, an allegation it denied. In April, a court in the capital Kinshasa annulled the prison sentence enabling him to return from exile in Belgium. Al Jazeeras Catherine Wambua-Soi, reporting from Lumbubashi, said large crowds lined the streets of the provincial headquarters to welcome Katumbi. Thousands came to the airport to receive Katumbi. He creates political excitement. He has said he will register a political party and go around the country selling his agenda, said Soi. Katumbi was barred from taking part in the presidential election to replace Kabila last year. Opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi ultimately won the election, according to official results, and other political exiles have also started to return after Kabilas departure. Authorities say raids carried out against the armed Hasm group, a day after bombing in Cairo wounded several tourists. Egyptian security forces have killed 12 suspected fighters in Cairo, the interior ministry said on Monday, a day after an explosion blasted a tourist bus, wounding several people. A rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal detonated on the perimeter of the Grand Egyptian Museum near a bus carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids district on Sunday, wounding a number of people. The ministry said in a statement carried by state TV that its national security forces had information that leaders of the armed Hasm group were planning to carry out a series of attacks during the coming period to trigger chaos in the country. The statement did not say whether the suspected fighters were connected to Sundays attack, but said the Egyptian forces killed them during raids on their hideouts in the 6th of October and el-Shorouk districts of the capital. Egypt accuses the Hasm group, which emerged in 2016 and has claimed several attacks, of being a wing of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood movement denies the claim and has distanced itself from the group. It says it seeks change through peaceful means only. The ministry did not elaborate on whether there had been any casualties or injuries among the security forces, but said weapons and explosives were found at the scene of the shootouts. Extrajudicial killings 190519125849368 Human rights organisations have accused Egypt of carrying out extrajudicial executions and of trying civilians in military courts as part of the crackdown. Over the past five years human rights violations by Egyptian security forces, such as carrying out enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, have occurred on a scale never seen before, Najia Bounaim, Amnesty Internationals North Africa campaigns director, said in a 2018 report. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said that the matter of human rights should be treated in the context of regional turbulence and the struggle against terrorism. Strong security measures, he has said, are needed to stabilise Egypt after the turmoil that followed the countrys 2011 uprising. Egypts military and police launched a major campaign against armed groups in 2018, focusing on the Sinai Peninsula as well as southern areas and the border with Libya. Reported move could hit Huaweis phone business outside China as it will immediately lose access to Android updates. Googles parent company, Alphabet, has reportedly suspended some of its business with Huawei, in a potential big blow to the Chinese technology giant that the government of the United States has sought to blacklist around the world. The suspension involves the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters news agency on Sunday. Holders of current Huawei smartphones with Google apps, however, will continue to be able to use and download app updates provided by Google, a Google spokesperson said, confirming earlier reporting by Reuters. We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications, the Google spokesperson said. 190517061336081 For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices, the spokesperson said, without giving further details. The suspension could hobble Huaweis smartphone business outside China as the company will immediately lose access to updates to Googles Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services, including the Google Play store and Gmail and YouTube apps. Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google, the source said. The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with US counterparts. On Friday, the US Commerce Department said it was considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment. It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether Huaweis access to mobile software would be affected. The extent to which Huawei will be hurt by the US governments blacklist is not yet known as its global supply chain assesses the impact. Chip experts have questioned Huaweis ability to continue to operate without help from the United States. Details of the specific services affected by the suspension were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei lawyers are also studying the effect of the blacklist, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment. Chipmakers including Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Xilinx Inc and Broadcom Inc have told their employees they will not supply critical software and components to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reported late on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the Bloomberg report. Representatives of the US Commerce Department did not immediately comment. Drastic step Citing security concerns, several countries have banned Huawei from being involved in the development of their 5G mobile networks. Even so, Huawei remains the worlds largest telecommunications equipment and service provider, as well as the second-biggest smartphone maker after Samsung. Ina Fried, the chief technology correspondent at Axios, said the move by Google could have severe ramifications for the expansion of Huawei outside the Chinese market. If this stands, its a pretty big blow, she told Al Jazeera from San Francisco, in the US state of California. I think they will be relegated to a bit player in most countries other than China. In China, theyre probably OK, where I dont think there is the same demand there are alternatives as far as app stores Chinese consumers are not reliant on Googles services, she added. But everywhere else I think it will severely dent what has been an incredibly fast-growing business service. Fried called the blacklist by the Trump administration a very drastic step, adding that it would be interesting to see if Chinas responds. I mean, it is true that Huawei counts on US software but Ill tell you, Apple relies on Chinese manufacturing so I think they are worried as well because China could retaliate by saying, Fine, youll have to pay giant export fees if you want to take those iPhones elsewhere. Popular apps Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), that is available for free to anyone who wishes to use it. There are about 2.5bn active Android devices worldwide, according to Google. However, Google will stop providing Huawei with access, technical support and collaboration involving its proprietary apps and services going forward, the source told Reuters. Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said. In an interview with Reuters in March, Eric Xu, rotating chairman of Huawei, struck a defiant note in anticipation of retaliatory actions by US companies. No matter what happens, the Android Community does not have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license, he said. Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Googles Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google. But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect, the source said. Kabul police said the attackers first threw hand grenades then opened fire on the police in Kabuls Doghabad area. Taliban fighters have stormed a police checkpoint in Afghanistans capital Kabul, killing at least three police officers and wounding three more. The attackers threw hand grenades before opening fire at the police in Sunday nights attack in the Doghabad area, said Kabul police spokesperson Basir Mujahid. Two attackers were killed in the assault, according to Interior Ministrys spokesperson Nusrat Rahimi. 190510062940394 The Taliban has stepped up attacks on security installations, even as it holds direct negotiations with officials from the United States to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. The group refuses to talk to the Afghan government which it dismisses as a US puppet. Fighting continues across the country with the Taliban controlling or influencing more territory than ever since its removal by US-led troops. The US has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that trains and assists Afghan security forces in their battle against the Taliban and other groups. Separately, a provincial official in southern Helmand province said at least seven civilians were killed and three wounded in an air attacks in Greshk district late on Sunday. Its unclear who carried out the attack. According to findings from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released last month, at least 305 civilians were killed by pro-government forces between January and March, 52.5 percent of all deaths in that period. Casualties caused by pro-government forces 305 deaths and 303 injuries were up 39 percent from the same period last year. The report singled out a sharp uptick in casualties caused by search operations, especially those carried out by Afghan intelligence service special forces, or the Khost protection force, both supported by international troops, which appear to act with impunity outside of the governmental chain of command. Air operations by international forces caused 140 deaths. Dorfin was arrested in September carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms of drugs. An Indonesian court has sentenced Frenchman Felix Dorfin to death for drug smuggling a surprise verdict after prosecutors asked for a 20-year jail term. Dorfin, 35, was arrested in September carrying a suitcase filled with about three kilograms of drugs, including ecstasy and amphetamines, at the airport in Lombok, a holiday island next to Bali where foreigners are routinely arrested on drugs charges. While prosecutors had not asked for the death penalty, Indonesian courts have been known to go beyond their demands. After finding Felix Dorfin legally and convincingly guilty of importing narcotics [he] is sentenced to the death penalty, presiding judge Isnurul Syamsul Arif told the court. He cited Dorfins involvement in an international drug syndicate and the amount of drugs in his possession as aggravating factors. The defendants actions could potentially do damage to the younger generation, Arif added. The Frenchman made headlines in January when he escaped from a police detention centre and spent nearly two weeks on the run before he was captured. A female police officer was arrested for allegedly helping Dorfin escape jail in exchange for money. It was not clear if the jailbreak played any role in Mondays sentence. Dorfin, who is from Bethune in northern France, sat impassively through much of the hearing in front of three judges, as a translator scribbled notes beside him. He said little as he walked past reporters to a holding cell after the sentencing. Dorfin was shocked, the Frenchmans lawyer Deny Nur Indra told AFP news agency. He didnt expect this at all because prosecutors only asked for 20 years. The lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence, describing his client as a victim who did not know the exact contents of what he was carrying. If he had known, he wouldnt have brought it here, Indra added. Indonesia has some of the worlds strictest drug laws including death by firing squad for some drug traffickers and it has executed foreigners in the past. It has not executed anyone since 2016, but a number of foreigners are still on death row including a cocaine-smuggling British grandmother and Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row since 2007. In 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran the accused ringleaders of the Bali Nine heroin smuggling gang were executed by firing squad. The case sparked diplomatic outrage and a call to abolish the death penalty. The Bali Nine gangs only female member was released from jail last year, while some others remain in prison. Last year, eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court after being caught with around a tonne of crystal methamphetamine. In letter to UN chief, Irans ambassador calls for talks between Tehran and Gulf countries to ease rising tensions. Iran has urged the United Nations to help launch a diplomatic dialogue to ease an alarming security situation in the Gulf. Majid Takht Ravanchi, Irans ambassador to the UN, made the appeal in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council on Monday. The letter came as tensions mounted between Iran on one side and United States and its Gulf allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, on the other. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran of its official end should it threaten Washington. A day later, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced Trumps genocidal taunts and urged the US to address the Islamic Republic with respect and not threats of war. In Mondays letter, Ravanchi warned that the eruption of any possible conflict will soon cross over from the regional level and will definitely have serious and extensive implications on international peace and security. The ambassador added that Iran will never choose war, but that if war is imposed on us, Iran will vigorously exercise its inherent right to self-defence. Win-win situation The latest escalation began earlier this month with the Trumps administrations deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Middle East. It cited unspecified threats from Iran for the move, which Tehran dismissed as psychological warfare. In the ensuing days, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers sustained damage in a sabotage attack; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and US diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. Then on Sunday, a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. 190520134153162 The tensions are the culmination of Trumps decision a year ago to pull the US out of Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers. While both Washington and Tehran say they are not seeking war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. Ravanchi said the UN must not remain indifferent to addressing the root causes of the current state of affairs. He accused certain circles from outside of this region of provocative policies and escalating tensions in the Gulf. Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said the Iranian ambassador did not mention the US in his appeal for dialogue. Iran is proposing what it calls a win-win situation talks or constructive engagement between Iran and the Gulf countries, he said. Iran is saying this forum is something Guterres could convene very easily Iran is trying to show here that its the reasonable one. Rising rhetoric Earlier on Monday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric voiced concern over the rising rhetoric between Washington and Tehran and urged both sides to dial down their remarks. We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action, as well, he said. UN officials are holding contacts with the US and Iran at various levels to try to calm the situation, said Dujarric, without providing details of the talks. 190520092917044 The US president took to Twitter again on Monday, saying Washington has not tried to contact Iran for talks and that if the Islamic Republic wants to negotiate, it will have to take the first step. Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse very sad for the Iranian people! Trump said. Separately, Omans minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit on Monday to Tehran, seeing Zarif, Irans state-run IRNA news agency reported. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Omans Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman long has served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted secret talks between the US and Iran that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. Saudi Arabia has called for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions. On Saturday, Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, said Riyadh does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it. However, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests, he said. Order restored in Vakhdat prison after convicted ISIL fighters armed with knives kill three guards and five prisoners. At least 32 people, including three prison guards and 29 inmates, have been killed in a high-security prison in Tajikistan after convicted Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) fighters started a riot. The Central Asian nations justice ministry said the riot broke out late on Sunday in Vahdat, 10 kilometres east of the capital Dushanbe, as the fighters armed themselves with knives and killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. One of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to ISIL in 2015 and, according to the ministry, has since been killed in Syria. Security forces killed 24 prisoners and restored order in the prison which has 1,500 inmates, the ministry added. Last November, ISIL claimed responsibility for another Tajik prison riot which followed a deadly attack by its followers on tourists in July 2018. A Tajik man, who joined ISIL before handing himself over to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Reuters news agency last month that many foreigners who enlisted in its self-declared caliphate were jailed or killed for trying to leave. Tajikistan has offered amnesty to those who quit the armed group and return home, provided theyve committed no other crimes. Japans economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, but spending and exports fell sharply. Better-than-expected economic growth in Japan in the first quarter of this year could give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe enough political cover to push through a controversial proposal to hike the countrys sales tax, analysts say. But beneath the rosy headline figure lie some troubling statistics. Japans gross domestic product grew by 2.1 percent in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period last year, according to the governments preliminary estimate. Analysts had predicted a slight contraction in the economy after GDP grew by 1.6 percent in the October-to-December quarter. The government wants to increase the sales tax from eight percent to 10 percent a politically charged issue. The data is certainly much stronger than expected and will help the government to reiterate the success of Mr. Abes signature economic policy of Abenomics. This is crucial for him as he prepares for the upper house elections in July, Waqas Adenwala, an analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, told Al Jazeera. But spending by both individuals and companies fell. Exports declined 2.4 percent from the previous quarter and recorded their biggest fall since 2015. Imports fell by 4.6 percent. The quarter recorded a fall in Japans imports, especially petroleum products. By the beginning of the year, nine nuclear reactors were fully operational in Japan. This has helped Japan to increase its energy self-sufficiency and be less reliant on imported fuel for power generation, said Adenwala. Exports fell during the quarter, and given how export-oriented Japans economy is, this is a major concern for some of the countrys biggest manufacturers. Adenwala feels that higher investment by the government has been the key driver of growth. The government introduced another supplementary budget at the start of the year and as part of precautionary measures against natural disasters, especially earthquakes, it ramped up spending on infrastructure projects by an additional 1 trillion yen ($9.1bn), said Adenwala. The headline number, positive as it may seem, may not be a true indicator of the real state of the Japanese economy, warned Nomura, a Japanese bank. In a note, Nomuras Chief Japan economist Takashi Miwa said the rise in GDP growth may be the result of a sharp drop in imports. The drop in imports means Japan is spending less abroad, which keeps more money at home. Without counting those savings, said Miwa, the economy likely contracted. We think the results suggest sharp deterioration in the actual economy, said Miwa. Still, he says the overall Japanese economy is on the right track, with most monthly indicators since April pointing towards recovery and showing that any weakening of economic activity is not likely to continue into the current quarter. The overall economy does not look likely to fall into a recession, said Miwa. Sales tax push? The latest numbers might mean that Abes government may finally be able to move forward with an increase in the sales tax that has been planned for October. We think the government is unlikely to start considering policies to counteract a downturn, such as delaying the planned hike to the consumption tax rate, said Miwa. Others concur. The stronger-than-expected economic growth figure may help the government push through a sales tax hike [Getty Images] The better-than-expected GDP data will reaffirm the governments stance, said Adenwala. The Japanese government has already made plans on how to spend the higher tax revenue that an increase in the sales tax would generate. It has plans to boost social security services and to spend more than 2 trillion yen ($18.2bn) to mitigate the impact of the tax rise, said Adenwala. Any further delays to the tax increase would require a special supplementary budget. Japan last increased the sales tax from five percent to eight percent in April 2014, a move that led to a sharp economic slowdown. The latest growth figures also set the backdrop for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Abe starting on Friday and another planned meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka next month. The upcoming Trump-Abe summit will be primarily focused on their bilateral trade agreement. The key points of concern will be how the US will try to negotiate a better deal for its agricultural products while trying to reduce its imports of automotives from Japan, said Adenwala. For Japan, this will eventually mean a shift in focus of reconsidering their supply chains, which include China as a production hub. Nigel Farage, the leader of Britains right-wing Brexit Party, has been drenched by a milkshake thrown by a protester in the northern English city of Newcastle. Farage, who has come under fire in recent days for refusing to release a political manifesto for his party ahead of European elections, was heard berating his security team moments after being hit with what is understood to have been a banana and salted caramel-flavoured shake. This is a failure, the Newcastle Chronicle reported him as saying. How did that happen? The former UKIP leader had been campaigning in the town for 20 minutes when the attack happened. A 32-year-old man is in custody, police confirmed. Paul Crowther says he threw the milkshake over Farage on Monday. Its a right of protest against people like him, he told the Press Association. The bile and the racism he spouts out in this country is far more damaging than a bit of milkshake to his front. Farage has previously threatened to don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front lines if Brexit were not delivered, but, after being whisked away following the milkshake incident, said it was his opponents who had become radicalised. Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible, he tweeted. Farage is only one of several right-wing populist figures to have been hit with a milkshake in recent weeks. Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the former leader of the English Defence League now standing for the European Parliament in north-west England, has been doused twice. Carl Benjamin, a UKIP European Parliament candidate for south-west England who has infamously refused to apologise for tweeting I wouldnt even rape you at the Labour MP Jess Phillips, has been hit four times so far on the campaign trail, with the latest drenching just moments after Farages, hundreds of miles away in the town of Salisbury. Right-wing figures are warning that this trend of milkshaking is a stepping stone to more worrying political violence, with some even comparing the lobbing of food products to the fatal shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox during the EU membership referendum campaign. On Saturday, when Farage was visiting Scotland, McDonalds in Edinburgh said it would not be serving milkshakes after a police request. Burger King tweeted that it would be selling milkshakes all weekend, and encouraged its customers to have fun. Funding questioned Farages Brexit Party has had the sources of its funding questioned. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a Labour campaign rally on Monday that the Brexit Party was not a political party at all, but rather a private company. It doesnt have members, it has shareholders, he said. The UK Election Commission announced on Monday that it would be investigating the Brexit Party. We are attending the Brexit Partys office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds, including donations of over 500 that have to be from the UK only, it said in a statement. Brown had earlier suggested the anonymity of online donations raised serious questions over the potential for foreign funding. Hes not going to be remembered as he wants, as the man of the people, said Brown. Hes going to be remembered as the man of the PayPal. Farage is also facing an investigation by EU authorities for failing to declare more than half-a-million dollars in gifts a car with driver, rent for a multimillion-dollar Chelsea home, and tours of the United States with right-wing politicians allegedly received from insurance salesman Arron Banks. Farage has denied any wrongdoing, saying any gifts received had nothing to do with his political work. Its a purely private matter, non-political in absolutely every way, he told Channel 4 news. Banks was the force behind Leave.EU, one of the main anti-Brexit campaign groups, and is currently under investigation by the UKs National Crime Agency over his bankrolling of populist political anti-Europe groups and politicians. Arron Banks is believed to have donated 8.4 million [$10.7m] to the Leave campaign, the largest political donation in British politics, but it is unclear from where he obtained that amount of money, read a November 2018 report from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee of the UKs House of Commons. He failed to satisfy us that his own donations had, in fact, come from sources within the UK. At the same time, we have evidence of Mr Banks discussions with Russian Embassy contacts, including the Russian Ambassador, over potential gold and diamond deals, and the passing of confidential information by Mr Banks. Banks also denies any wrongdoing. GOVERNOR John Freeman has appointed J Paul Morgan PE, CEng to conduct an inquiry into the reasonableness of the FortisTCI and TCU rate variation application The announcement came on Thursday, May 9, from the Governors press office. Governor John Freeman appointed the independent regulatory expert by virtue of the powers conferred by section 39 of the Electricity Ordinance. The rate variation application, which requests an increase in electricity rates by an average of 6.8 percent, was declined by the governor in August 2018. Morgans appointment took effect from May 13 and he has been directed to conclude the inquiry within ten weeks of the date of his appointment. During this time, he will be meeting with the Governors Office, TCIG officials and the management of FortisTCI during the first week of his assignment and will make public the date and venue for the public hearing. As appointee, he will have the same powers to summon witnesses to give evidence or produce documents, to take evidence on oath and to administer oaths or require the making of declarations as has a commissioner acting under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance. Morgan has over 40 years of experience in utilities, engineering, utility regulation, management and consulting, having been among the first appointees to the Jamaica Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) serving two terms as director general for that organisation. Morgan has advised numerous regulatory organisations such as the Independent Regulatory Commission of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Public Utilities Commission of Belize, and has assisted the government of the Cayman Islands with the reform of its regulatory frameworks and the creation of a multisector regulation and competition office, where he served as the first CEO of the newly established entity. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Salford, England and has done post graduate studies at the Penn State University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Jamaica, Fellow of the Jamaican Institution of Engineers (FJIE), Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK (FIET), Chartered Engineer (CEng), UK and a life senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, USA. US officials set to unveil the first part of Trumps long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan in Manama next month. The Palestinian leadership has not been consulted about a US-led conference in Bahrain next month in support of Washingtons Middle East peace plan, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said. Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as the unveiling of the first part of US President Donald Trumps long-awaited proposal for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering in Bahrains capital, Manama, will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. But Palestinian officials said the June 25-26 meeting would not address the core political issues of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, or the fate of Palestinian refugees. The cabinet wasnt consulted about the reported workshop, neither over the content, nor the outcome nor timing, Shtayyeh said on Monday. Any solution to the conflict in Palestine must be political and based on ending the occupation, he added. No Palestinian participation Social Development Minister Ahmed Majdalani, meanwhile, said Palestinian officials would not attend the June meeting. There will be no Palestinian participation in the Manama workshop, Majdalani, who is also a member of the executive committee of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told Reuters news agency. 190517140558201 Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel. The Palestinians, who severed ties with the United States more than a year ago, have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House would try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They have also expressed concerns that Washington is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to pressure them into accepting a plan they see as unacceptable. On Sunday, US officials said the Bahrain conference would include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. The eventual peace plan is expected to feature proposals for regional economic development that would include Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. White House calls for compromise Amid the controversy, Shtayyeh reiterated Palestinians core demands for a two-state peace deal with Israel, which include gaining full control of the occupied West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza, as well as occupied East Jerusalem territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war. Israel claims Jerusalem as its indivisible capital and has said it might declare sovereignty in its West Bank settlements, which are illegal under international law. The Trump administration has said its still-secret peace plan would require compromise by both sides. Since Trump came to office, the US has cut back on providing aid for the Palestinians, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. The financial crisis the Palestinian Authority is living through today is a result of the financial war that is being launched against us in order to win political concessions, Shtayyeh said on Monday. Dead on arrival Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable on political aspects of the plan, of which Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner is the chief architect. Al Jazeeras Kimberley Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC, said there were serious concerns within the US and elsewhere that the proposal would be dead on arrival, however. The fact that there are no discussions of Palestinian sovereignty, land claim, borders are making many people say whats the point?, Halkett said. Hanan Ashrawi, a longtime aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, slammed the planned Bahrain meeting, saying it was not a peace plan. This is just an economic workshop [and] another way of rewarding Israel again and maintaining Israels control of our land and resources, Ashrawi told Al Jazeera. It is the Americans who have rejected everything so far; from the law to the agreements, to the basic requirements of peace to the components of any viable peace process It shows a lack of understanding of the issues of the region, she added. Kushner, for his part, said it had been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership had attacked the plan before it is unveiled. Jason Greenblatt, Trumps Middle East envoy, described the Palestinian rejection of the June conference as difficult to understand. Our economic plan is an ambitious but achievable vision; it presents an alternative path with the potential to unlock a prosperous future for the Palestinian people if they choose to follow it, Greenblatt said. But Rami Khouri, a senior public policy fellow and journalism professor at the American University of Beirut, said it would make little difference whether the Palestinians attended the talks or not. The plan for this kind of gathering in the Trumpian world is for the US to dictate what it feels is in the interest of the US and the Netanyahu wing of the Israeli government, Khouri told Al Jazeera, citing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Its really important to see the reaction of other major countries the US probably can count on some of the Arab Gulf countries because they are so dependent on it for security, arms and money, but we need to look at the Europeans, the Russians, the Chinese and others who may be invited to this [conference], he added. The reaction of the world is going to be really critical now. Level of terror rises sharply as Vietnam ranks 176th out of 180 countries in the 2019 Press Freedom Index. Nguyen Hang* remembers her first day as a news assistant in 2008 for an international publication in Vietnam. She was asked to attend a meeting with the police who asked her to sign on a paper affirming that her new job was to protect the country. I never thought that piece of paper would follow me around, Hang told Al Jazeera. Every time I planned on doing something which wasnt to the authorities liking, they would put that paper in front of me as a reminder. Hang said she has been threatened by intelligence agents numerous times but she added she wasnt the only one amid shrinking press freedom in the Southeast Asian nation. Vietnams media environment is one of the harshest in Asia, according to the US government-funded rights group, Freedom House, which labelled the Press Freedom Status in the country as not free. The 2019 World Press Freedom Index ranked Vietnam 176th out of 180 countries, down one place from the previous year. 190418041122225 Reporters Without Borders, which published the annual list, said the level of terror has risen sharply in the past two years, with many citizen-journalists being jailed or expelled in connection with their posts. At least 30 journalists and bloggers are now held in Vietnams jails, where mistreatment is common, it added. Independent political parties and unions are banned in the Communist country. According to Human Rights Watchs deputy Asia director Phil Robertson, Vietnams government remains one of the most intolerant in the region. Various journalists Al Jazeera spoke to said local reporters are issued guidelines on reporting and government minders accompany journalists during reporting trips. Representatives of foreign media reporting outside the capital, Hanoi, need official permission to travel and are asked to list what story they are working on, who they will be meeting and what questions they will be asking, they said. I once travelled to the China-Vietnam border as a tourist and went to the black market, said Nguyen Phuong Linh, who left Vietnam in 2014 after working as a journalist for six years. I wanted to write a story about it but I was afraid I might get into trouble because I didnt travel there as a journalist with permission from the ministry. So I had to stop myself from publishing that story. "My journey for a free Vietnam shall continue, regardless of where I live." Vietnamese journalist & blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, also known by her penname Me Nam or "Mother Mushroom," received CPJ's 2018 International Press Freedom Award on Nov 20, 2018. https://t.co/SJrwj5sdXY pic.twitter.com/IvrrF4rkXE Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) November 25, 2018 Authorities have also been accused of using intimidation tactics against journalists, while strict surveillance has forced many into self-censorship and caused fear and paranoia. Some reporters often worked on sensitive stories without credit while others would turn down requests or refuse to work on certain stories deemed dangerous, especially those covering political issues. The governent and the ruling Communist Party own most of the countrys press. There are several privately owned news outlets but they are tightly controlled by the state. Due to the government crackdown and restrictions, people have moved to social media to access news and information, according to Viet Tan, an unsanctioned Vietnamese pro-democracy organisation. More people are becoming citizen journalists and social commentators, providing an online space for discussion to take place. During politically sensitive times, people frequently use Facebook to follow issues not covered by state media, said Duy Hoang, spokesperson for Viet Tan. https://twitter.com/miketatarski/status/1118773021060132864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Citing local legal restrictions, Facebook, however, has blocked access to certain posts about the health of Vietnams president while also censoring posts by popular blogger Nguoi Buon Gio, according to Viet Tan. If Vietnamese Facebookers cant read or discuss the health of their political leaders, the future of the Facebook platform in Vietnam does not look encouraging, said an open letter to Facebook by Viet Tan earlier this month. Its crucial to hold big tech companies, such as Facebook, accountable in order to ensure they are not complicit in restricting free expression, said Duy Hoang. Earlier this month, Amnesty International reported the number of prisoners of conscience in Vietnam rose by a third over the past year amid a continuing crackdown on critics. Amnesty said activists were charged mostly under Article 117 of a new penal code that was implemented in 2018. It prohibits making, storing, disseminating or propagandising materials and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Weekly instructions Every Tuesday, officials from the Ministry of Information have a meeting with chief editors to discuss upcoming news stories and current restrictions. The guidelines are then passed down the chain of command. Transgressors are invariably warned, fined and if they persist suspended or even jailed, said Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales. In July 2018, Tuoi Tre newspapers website was forced to suspend operations for three months for undermining national unity for attributing remarks to the president that the authorities claim he did not make, said Thayer. Bloggers and independent journalists who publish on the internet are treated in similar fashion, he said. A journalist from Tuoi Tre told Al Jazeera the reporters suffered immensely under the ban. 190513034714570 It was not just about what the newspaper said, it was more about reminding other publications to be careful with what they are saying, said the journalist, who wished to remain anonymous. To some extent, we are still struggling even now to get our numbers back up and were being definitely a lot more careful in what is being published. I think whoever wanted us suspended, to some extent, got what they wanted. Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Information declined to comment on the allegations. Journalist Linh says the situation was getting worse for reporters in the country. The Vietnamese government makes it look like its opening up to press freedom but its actually getting stricter, she said. *name changed to protect identity At least 10 civilians killed in Russian air attack on town of Kafranbel, Idlib province, say activists and a monitor. Air attacks by Syrian government ally Russia have killed 10 civilians, including five children, in an opposition-held province in northwest Syria, activists and a monitor have said, hours after Moscow announced a ceasefire. The Russian army said the air raids overnight Sunday on the town of Kafranbel, in Idlib province, came after it pinpointed the area as the launchpad for rocket fire on its key Syria airbase of Hmeimim. The Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) armed group, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, controls a large part of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. Last September, Russia and Turkey, which backs some armed groups in the region, agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression would be expressly prohibited. The Syrian government and its allies, however, have launched a number of attacks inside the de-escalation zone since late April, prompting the UN to warn of a potential humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. The Syria Civil Defence organisation, also known as the White Helmets, said five children were among 10 civilians killed in air raids overnight Sunday in Kafranbel, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the same death toll, which it said included four women and one man. The raids hit near a hospital in the town, knocking it out of service, the Britain-based monitor said. An AFP correspondent saw five homes on the edges on the town that were destroyed or damaged after the attacks. Survivors picked through the debris to save the belongings they could, the reporter said, while a young man covered in dust from head to toe leant against a wall in shock, after his father was killed. Umm Wasel narrowly missed the air raid on her home after relatives invited her over to break her daily fast of the Islamic month of Ramadan with them. I came back at night to find my home devastated, said the 72-year-old, dressed in a long red robe and a black scarf covering her hair. People had thought I was under the rubble, she said. Children killed at school International rights group Save the Children on Monday said 38 children have been killed in shelling in northwest Syria since April 1, including nine at school, seven at the market and one in hospital. Schools, hospitals and other vital civilian infrastructure must be protected from attack, the charitys Syria director Sonia Khush said. Children are particularly vulnerable to the impact of explosive weapons, and warring parties should make a particular effort to protect them, she said. On Monday, Turkish and Russian top defence officials discussed over the phone the latest developments in Idlib, according to an official statement. Turkeys defence ministry said the discussion included measures to reduce tension in the area. At least 167 civilians have lost their lives in Idlib since April 25, with more than 415 civilians injured, according to civil defence sources. Some three million people currently reside in Idlib province, around half of whom are displaced from other parts of the civil war-torn country. Syrias war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since it began in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government protests. Adel al-Jubeir claims he has never heard of Iyad el-Baghdadi, a critic of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A senior Saudi official says the kingdom has no information about an Arab activist living in Norway who says the CIA tipped off Norwegian security about a threat against him emanating from Saudi Arabia. Responding to a question during a press conference in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Adel al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs, claimed he had never heard of Iyad el-Baghdadi. Al-Jubeir, however, then said el-Baghdadis motivation for speaking out publicly could be to obtain permanent residency in some country. But with regards to us, we dont have any information about him, al-Jubeir added. El-Baghdadi, who won prominence during the 2011 Arab uprisings and has written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has lived in political asylum in Oslo since 2015. He said that on April 25 the Norwegian security services took him to a secure location and told him of the possible threat against him. Much of el-Baghdadis work over the past two years has focused on human rights in Saudi Arabia, particularly after the killing last October of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Palestinian-born activist says his work investigating possible Saudi crimes have made him a target. El-Baghdadi responded on Twitter, where he has more than 130,000 followers, saying that for the record, I have no immigration struggles (anymore), I was granted asylum by Norway four years ago. He also questioned the credibility of al-Jubeir, whose explanation of Khashoggis disappearance changed at least three times. El-Baghdadi also said al-Jubeir may be a liar, but hes no idiot. Hes just following orders here, referring to Saudi Arabia. Rights bodies say India uses torture as instrument of control to quash rebellion in Indian-administered Kashmir. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Prisoners in Indian-administered Kashmir have been subjected to abuse and torture, including water-boarding, sleep deprivation and sexualised torture, according to a report by two rights bodies. The 560-page report released on Monday mentions solitary confinement, sleep deprivation, and sexualised torture including rape and sodomy, used as torture techniques against Kashmiris. Other torture methods included electrocution, hanging from a ceiling, dunking detainees head in water (which is sometimes mixed with chili powder), said the report by Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) and Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). During the torture detainees were stripped naked, beaten with wooden sticks, and bodies were burned with iron rods, heaters or cigarette butts, it said. Muzaffer Ahmed Mirza from Tral and Manzoor Ahmad Naikoo were subjected to insertion of a rod through their rectum. It caused multiple ruptures to their internal organs, reads one of the 432 testimonies documented in the report. While Mirza died after a few days in the hospital of lung rupture, Naikoo had to undergo five surgeries to finally heal the wounds he received due to this torture. Apart from insertion, a cloth was wrapped around Naikoos penis and set on fire. Titled, Torture Indian states instrument of control in Indian-state of Jammu and Kashmir, it said that more than 70 percent of the torture victims were civilians. R ights violations India has stationed more than half a million security forces in the disputed Muslim-majority region to quash an armed rebellion against its rule. Indian forces have faced criticism for excessive use of force, with the UN human rights body last year calling for an international probe into rights violations. 190227145750670 The UN Human Rights Chief had also called for establishing a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to conduct a comprehensive independent international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir. A COI is one of the UNs highest-level probes, generally reserved for major crises like the conflict in Syria. Rights bodies have called for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a law that gives forces immunity from prosecution. The report, which documents cases since the start of the armed rebellion in 1990s, reveals many detainees were put under behavioural coercion where they were forced into activities that were against their religious beliefs like rubbing piglets on their bodies or forcing them to consume alcohol. In some cases, it said, rats were put inside victims trousers after soaking sugar water on their legs. The prisoners are forced to eat or drink filthy and harmful substances like human excreta, chili powder, dirt, gravel, chili powder mixed water, petrol, urine, and dirty water, it said. Reluctant in reporting 190513150139969 The report reveals most of the civilian victims were usually reluctant to report the atrocities due to the fear of reprisals at the hands of security forces. Victims have been randomly picked up, tortured and never even told what they were tortured for, it said. In a prologue of the report, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan E Mendez, said the report will be enormously helpful in drawing attention in the international community to the need to express concern about Indias human rights record. Most underreported Parvez Imroz, the human rights lawyer and the president of JKCCS, told Al Jazeera that torture is one of the massive human rights violations going on unabated in the region from last many decades. This report is an effort to break the silence around this heinous crime, he said. The Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir state, Dilbagh Singh, rejected the torture claims. There are no such cases, if there have been any allegations, there are magisterial inquiries and other investigations. If they have any such case, they must tell us and we would respond to them. Vijay Kumar, the advisor to the governor of the restive region, said that he would comment after reading the report. Profile of torture victims The report said that more than half of the 432 victims suffered some form of health complications after being tortured. In the 432 cases studied for this report, 24 are women. Out of these 12 had been raped by Indian armed personnel, the report says. 190304140502708 The torture survivors have battled with psychological issues long after their physical wounds were healed. Of the 432 victims, 44 suffered from some form of psychological difficulty after being subjected to torture, it said. A study published in 2015 by Doctors Without Borders (known by its French initials MSF) said that 19 percent of the population in the region suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Although India has been a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Torture (UNCAT) since 1997, it has not ratified the treaty to date. In all three UPRs conducted by the UNHRC in 2008, 2012 and 2017, it was recommended that India ratify the convention. In 2010, Prevention of Torture Bill was introduced in the Indian parliament but was not passed and it lapsed in 2014. Khurram Parvez, who is also one of the researchers for the report said that the report is a challenge to state-imposed erasure of history and memory. The White House said on Monday that US President Donald Trump is directing former White House counsel Don McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena and not appear before the House Judiciary Committee. The announcement came a day before McGahn was due to appear before the House panel, which is investigating whether Trump illegally obstructed the Russia probe. The White House cited a legal opinion from the Justice Department, which argued that McGahn would have immunity from testifying before Congress about his work as a close Trump adviser. Congress may not constitutionally compel the presidents senior advisers to testify about their official duties, the opinion said, citing the Constitutions separation of powers provisions. The decision is certain to deepen tensions between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration. Theyve accused Trump and Attorney General William Barr of trying to stonewall and block Congress from carrying out its oversight duties. 190425185711995 Democrats have been eager to hear from McGahn a key figure in Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation who described ways in which the president sought to curtail the probe. Democrat Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, last month subpoenaed McGahn to testify before the panel on Tuesday, and has said he would hold the lawyer in contempt if he did not show up. The Judiciary committee still plans on meeting even if McGahn defies the subpoena. Critical witness If McGahn were to defy the White House, it could endanger his own career in Republican politics but also puts his law firm, Jones Day, in the presidents crosshairs. Trump has mused about instructing Republicans to cease dealing with the firm, which is deeply intertwined in Washington, DC, with Republicans, according to one White House official and a Republican close to the White House not authorised to speak publicly about private conversations, the Associated Press reported. 190508142330405 Trump has fumed about McGahn for months, after it became clear that much of Muellers report was based on his testimony. He has bashed the former White House counsel on Twitter and has insisted to advisers that the lawyer not be allowed to humiliate him in front of Congress, much like his former fixer Michael Cohen did, according to Associated Press, citing an official and Republican. The Justice Department has long held the opinion that close presidential advisers have absolute immunity from being compelled to testify before Congress about their work for the president. A similar legal opinion issued in 2014, under the Obama administration, argued that if Congress could force the presidents closest advisers to testify about matters that happened during their tenure, it would threaten executive branch confidentiality, which is necessary (among other things) to ensure that the president can obtain the type of sound and candid advice that is essential to the effective discharge of his constitutional duties. The House Judiciary Committee voted earlier this month to hold Barr in contempt after he defied a subpoena for an unredacted version of Muellers report. That vote must still go to the full House of Representatives. 190508202237142 Mr McGahn is a critical witness to many of the alleged instances of obstruction of justice and other misconduct described in the Mueller report, Nadler said last month. Barr released a redacted version of Muellers 448-page report last month. It did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russian operatives. The investigation did, however, examine multiple acts by the president that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations. Mueller did not conclude that Trump committed obstruction of justice, but did not exonerate him either. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein subsequently concluded that Trump did not break the law. Earlier this month, Trump invoked executive privilege to block the release of the full, unredacted Mueller report. Democrats said the move represented a clear escalation in the Trump administrations blanket defiance of Congresss constitutionally mandated duties. US presidents direct threat comes after Tehran says it opposes war and no country has illusion it can confront it. Just days after saying he was prepared for talks, United States President Donald Trump has issued a direct threat to Iran, suggesting that the Islamic republic will be destroyed if it attacks his countrys interests. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. He did not clarify what threats he meant. The confrontational post follows last weeks attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into the heavily fortified Green Zone in Iraqs capital, Baghdad, an area housing many government buildings and embassies. The Iraqi military said there were no casualties in the rocket attack. There has been no claim of responsibility. 190515103122141 Amid escalating tension with Iran, Washington earlier this month dispatched to the region an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, as well as an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery. On Wednesday, it ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad embassy and the Erbil consulate in northern Iraq, citing imminent threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. It did not disclose any details, and its account has been met with widespread scepticism outside the US. But in recent days, the White House has sent mixed signals over its stance against Iran, amid multiple US media reports of infighting in Trumps cabinet. John Bolton, Trumps long-hawkish national security adviser, is reportedly pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Trump himself said recently that he has to temper Bolton. And when he was asked on Thursday if Washington was going to war with Tehran, Trump replied, I hope not. That comment came a day after he expressed a desire for dialogue, tweeting: Im sure that Iran will want to talk soon. It really is becoming clear that this administration is sending mixed messages when it comes to Iran, Al Jazeeras Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, DC, said. So the big question is why did he send that confrontational tweet? Is it because he received some sort of classified briefing or is it because of something he watched on television? We dont know. Contradictory and schizophrenic Trita Parsi, a professor of Middle East politics at Georgetown University, described Trumps threat as extremely dangerous. This is genocidal, he told Al Jazeera from Reston, Virginia. This is absolutely not something that any leader of a country should do, but it is also somewhat contradictory and schizophrenic, he added. If we were to try and make sense of it, if there actually is a logic behind all of this, then my guess would be that earlier on Trump was led to believe probably by people like [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu] and Bolton that Iran is an easy target, that they are about to crumble and that if you just ratchet things up the Iranians are going to back off, continued Parsi. Then the intelligence came which showed that as the Iranians were starting to perceive an American threat they were making themselves ready to retaliate and to defend themselves. And it appears as if that actually spooked Trump, because he did suddenly realise that actually an attack on Iran would lead to a larger war and he is clever enough to understand that a larger war is not in his interest, and he started saying things like he doesnt want to have a war. But every once in a while his impulses get the better of him and thats when he goes on Twitter and says things that are just fundamentally genocidal. There will not be a war Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as Trump pulled the US out of a multinational 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear programme. Last month, Washington also designated Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist entity. Tehran responded by declaring US Centcom a terror organisation. 190519055552084 On Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the illusion the Islamic republic could be confronted. We are certain there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region, Zarif told state-run news agency IRNA at the end of a visit to China. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said on Sunday the kingdom wanted to avert war in the region but stood ready to respond with all strength and determination after last weeks attacks on Saudi oil assets. Saudi Arabia has accused its regional rival, Iran, of ordering Tuesdays drone attacks on two oil-pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemens Houthi group. The attack came two days after four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE has not blamed anyone, pending an investigation, and Iran has denied any involvement. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that, al-Jubeir told a news conference on Sunday. It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests. We want peace and stability in the region but we will not sit on our hands in light of the continuing Iranian attack, al-Jubeir said. The ball is in Irans court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be. A senior Iranian military commander was similarly quoted as saying his country is not looking for war, in comments published in Iranian media on Sunday. We are not pursuing war but we are also not afraid of war, Major General Hossein Salami was cited as saying, by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. The remarks came as Saudi Arabias King Salman invited Gulf and Arab leaders to convene emergency summits in Mecca on May 30. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments, including efforts to strengthen security and stability, in a phone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Saudi Media Ministry tweeted on Sunday. Warrants issued for past and present ministry employees for having alleged links to group blamed for 2016 coup attempt. Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of 249 foreign ministry personnel over suspected links to the network of a United States-based religious leader accused of orchestrating an attempted coup in 2016, according to a statement by the prosecutors office in Ankara. At least 106 of the suspects have already been arrested in dozens of different provinces throughout Turkey as of Monday evening, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported, after prosecutors concluded that they were involved in cheating in the ministrys past entrance exams. Turkish officials have repeatedly said that members of the Gulen movement, a former ally of the government, have been running a parallel state within the civilian and military bureaucracy and pursuing their own agenda, including the foreign ministry. Fethullah Gulen, the groups leader who lives in exile in the US, rejects the claims. Prosecutors in the capital Ankara issued arrest warrants for the suspects, who are past and present ministry personnel, on Monday, prior to operations in 42 provinces. Fourteen active personnel A judicial source told the AFP news agency that fourteen of the suspects were still serving in the ministry, while the rest had already been removed from their posts, The suspects had entered the foreign ministry between 2010 and 2013, prosecutors said. The prosecutors office said that the warrants had been issued after related evidence was found in expert reports on their communication with [Gulen] group members, expert reports on foreign language exams and their communication with the groups management. 190503181911161 Authorities have carried out regular operations against the alleged followers of Gulen, in the wake of the coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016. He has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, and Gulen denies allegations he was behind the coup. More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial, while some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs as part of the post-coup purges. Rights groups and Turkeys Western allies have voiced concerns over the crackdown, saying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used the failed overthrow attempt as a pretext to quash dissent. The government has said the security measures were necessary due to the gravity of the threat Turkey faces. Volodymyr Groysman will step down on Wednesday, following inauguration of comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraines prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, has announced his resignation in a largely symbolic protest against the new presidents disbanding of parliament. Groysman will officially leave office on Wednesday, he said, inviting President Volodymyr Zelensky to take full responsibility for the country. I have made a decision to resign after holding the governments next meeting on Wednesday, he said at a reporters briefing in Kiev on Monday. He will continue to serve as acting prime minister until a new government is formed following forthcoming elections. President Zelensky took charge of all future challenges by his call for the governments resignation, said Groysman. 190520062559754 Zelensky, who won last months presidential poll with 73 percent of the vote, was inaugurated as president on Monday morning, and promptly disbanded the parliament in a move to spark fresh elections while his movement is riding high. The fresh elections are expected within the next two months. Ukraine has sworn in comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the war-torn countrys sixth president. The inauguration ceremony on Monday came more than two weeks earlier than expected following the parliaments approval of the date requested by Zelenskyy. In his speech, the 41-year-old announced the dissolution of the parliament in his speech, a strategic move to bring the October 27 parliamentary elections forward to boost his partys chances of securing a majority at the height of his popularity. Zelenskyy went on to attack the cabinet of ministers during the speech, saying he did not understand why they kept saying they could not do much to change the situation in the country. You can take a paper, a pen and free up your space for those who will think about the next generation instead of the next elections. I think people will appreciate that, he said. A resignation letter from Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak addressed to Zelenskyy appeared on the ministers official website shortly after the speech. It follows the resignation of Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and the head of the National Security Council, Oleksandr Turchynov. Closer to people Zelenskyy, who more than three years ago played a corruption-busting president in a popular TV sitcom that shaped his image during the real-life election campaign, called on Ukrainians to share the responsibility for the countrys future. From today, each of us is responsible for Ukraine, which we leave to our children. Each of us died in the Donbass, every day we lose each of us. Each of us is a migrant, a foreign worker, said the president. But we will overcome all this. We are all Ukrainians. There are no big or smaller ones. Each of us is Ukrainian. From Uzhgorod to Lugansk, from Chernigov to Simferopol, in Lviv, Kharkov, Donetsk, Dnipro and Odessa. Zelenskyy, who walked to his inauguration to be closer to people, said: Throughout my life, I tried to do everything so that Ukrainians would smile. For the next five years, I will do everything so that Ukrainians do not cry. The president also said he would start a dialogue with Russia only after Moscow releases of the prisoners of war taken from Donbass region a conflict zone. Challenges ahead Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, an expert in advocacy and fighting corruption, told Al Jazeera that Zelenskyys first priority for tackling the corruption that is ailing the country would be to change the general prosecutor. After that, it is necessary to re-establish the national anti-corruption agency and allow the anti-corruption court to function independently, he said. But Yurchyshyn said he was not convinced that Zelenskyy would tackle corruption in earnest, pointing to his ties to oligarch Igor Kolomoisky who returned to Ukraine from self-imposed exile in Israel days before the inauguration. Kolomoisky, whose bank was nationalised under former President Petro Poroshenko over alleged money laundering, poses the biggest challenge to Zelenskyys presidential success, according to Yurchyshyn. [Kolomoiskys return] is the main challenge because his presence in the country means our judges are open to help him to return PrivatBank and compensation money for the privatisation. And we will not only lose money but also have problems with the International Monetary Fund, he said. It all depends on Zelenskyy. If he is a puppet of Kolomoisky, we will lose a lot. Assessing Zelenskyys inauguration speech, Yurchyshyn said: It was quite populistic, but it was, in general, the agenda that our society has. People gathered outside the parliament were very happy with what they heard. War broke out in Ukraine shortly after a pro-European uprising overthrew Russia-backed President Viktor Yanukovich, which prompted Moscows annexation of Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Ethnic Russian separatists seized parts of Donbass, an area in east Ukraine which includes Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The conflict has killed more than 13,000 people. Zelenskyy defeated Poroshenko, in the second round of presidential elections on April 21 with 73 percent of the votes. NEWLY appointed minister of Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, Labour and Employment Services has committed to ensuring Turks and Caicos Islanders are given a fair share of the employment opportunities available in the territory. Hon. Delroy Vaden Williams made this promise as he outlined his plans for the ministry during a presentation on the budget recently in the House of Assembly. "It is equally well-known that this has traditionally been a rather challenging and often controversial ministry, Williams acknowledged. "The outgoing minister has done an outstanding job, but, I welcome the challenge and without going into too many details at this point, I look forward to bringing about some meaningful changes that will certainly benefit Turks and Caicos Islanders first, and also the country as a whole. Williams said he will begin his new posting by doing an extensive assessment on immigration agency regulations, while looking into the possibility of establishing some sort of regulatory entity to ensure that the people of the TCI are protected. "I will immediately seek ways to address current issues such as time limits on work permits, improving customer service, shortening turnaround times on document submissions and do a complete review of the department with aging applications. He also promises to enforce work permit zones and strengthen employer relationship in regards to responsibility for work permits. According to Williams, he will ensure that Turks and Caicos Islanders are hired and thoroughly represented in establishments like restaurants, hotels and stores. He promises to conduct an assessment of the Employment Ordinance immediately to make the necessary adjustment to help make a better TCI for all. "I am most excited to continue where the deputy premier has left off by introducing our own Border Protection Agency which will have the same authority as customs and police to ensure that our surrounding neighbours know that we will not be taking our border security lightly and those that are responsible for our borders will be forced to step up to the plate and do as intended. He added that these new strategies and policies will be outlined in greater detail in very short order. (Delana Isles) Tehran hits back at US warnings of official end as its nuclear agency quadruples production of low-enriched uranium. A top Iranian official has called on the United States to address Tehran with respect, not with a threat of war, a day after US President Donald Trump issued an ominous warning to Tehran on Twitter. The war of words on Monday came as the semi-official Tasnim news agency announced Iran has, in line with an earlier decision, scaled back some of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts wont end Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, wrote on Twitter. Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect it works! he added. The riposte followed a Twitter post by Trump, who told Iran not to threaten the US. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, he wrote on Sunday, without clarifying what threats he meant. Trump doubled down on Monday, saying Iran would be met with great force if it attempted anything against US interests in the Middle East. But while arguing that Tehran had been very hostile towards Washington, the US president told reporters as he departed the White House that he was still willing to have talks with Iran when theyre ready. Hours later, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he favoured talks and diplomacy but not under the existing conditions. Todays situation is not suitable for talks and our choice is resistance only state news agency IRNA quoted Rouhani as saying late on Monday. Deal withdrawal Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled the US out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an international accord that offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Since exiting the landmark deal, Trump has tightened sanctions on Tehran and moved to cut its oil production to zero. 190512201108239 Rouhani responded to the US moves earlier this month, saying his country would no longer observe limits the deal imposed on its stockpiles of low-enriched uranium. Under the pact, Tehran was allowed to stockpile a maximum of 300kg of low-enriched uranium and was required to ship any excess out of the country for storage or sale. The agreement also allowed Iran to enrich uranium at 3.67 percent a rate suitable for civilian nuclear power generation but far below the 90 percent of weapons-grade. Iran has threatened to gradually withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal if partners still in the agreement the United Kingdom, China, France, Germany and Russia do not help it to circumvent US sanctions. Uranium enrichment On Monday, both the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported on the quadrupled production of low-enriched uranium, quoting Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Irans nuclear agency. Kamalvandi told Tasnim that the United Nations atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has been notified of the move. It wont be long until we pass the 300-kg limit of low enriched uranium. So its better for the other side to do what its necessary to be done, he said, alluding to steps by other powers to shield Irans economy from US sanctions. Kamalvandi said the acceleration of Irans centrifuge enrichment machines remained within the bounds of the nuclear deal, adding that Tehran has no intention to exit the accord. We are on a clock, said Al Jazeeras Zein Basravi, noting that Rouhani had given the pacts remaining signatories 60 days to act on salvaging the nuclear deal. If this path continues, then it is a clear sign Iran is serious about non-cooperation with the JCPOA and may eventually pull out entirely. Ali Fathollah-Nejad, visiting fellow at Brookings Institute in Doha, described Irans move to increase low-enriched uranium production as a gradual effort by Iran towards re-establishing the kind of leverage it had when it entered into negotiations with the US in 2012. It is aimed at showing the international community, the US in particular, that Iran is not in a position of weakness. However, this is also a risky endeavour, because it might jeopardise the political and diplomatic support that until now Iran has received from Europe, he said from Berlin. Rising tensions The Iranian move to resume uranium enrichment follows days of heightened tensions sparked by the Trump administrations deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Gulf over as-yet-unspecified threats from Iran. Last week, Washington also ordered its non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing dangers posed by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups. On Sunday, a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. Iraqi leaders warned on Monday against dragging their country into a possible war between the US and Iran. Muqtada al-Sadr, a prominent Shia Muslim leader, said he was against fuelling the war between the US and Iran, as such a scenario would turn Iraq into a battlefield. We need peace and construction and any party who drags Iraq into war and turns it into a battlefield will be the enemy of the Iraqi people, he said. While the US claim of Iranian threats has been met with widespread scepticism outside the US, the rising rhetoric and tensions have sparked growing international concern. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN, called on all parties to lower rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well. Jeremy Hunt, Britains foreign secretary, told journalists in Geneva that Iran should not doubt the USs resolve, warning that if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally, he said. Meanwhile, Omans minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit on Monday to Tehran, where he held talks with Zarif, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Omans Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman has long served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted the secret talks between the US and Iran that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. Goaded into war US media reports say Trumps hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton is pushing for war with Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Zarifs tweet said Trump is being goaded by #B Team, a term he coined to refer to Bolton as well as Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, known as Bibi and the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Mohammad bin Zayed, who are all pushing a hard line on Tehran. 190519055552084 Saudi Arabia on Saturday called for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions. It came days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone attacks on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. Iran has denied any involvement in the incidents. Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said on Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. On Monday, Iran sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking him to launch direct talks between Tehran and other Gulf states to ease tensions. The US had boots on the ground in Central Asia when it entered Afghanistan in 2001, but regional dynamics have shifted. Newtons third law of motion states, For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Although Newton was describing the movement of physical objects, it turns out his laws are also predictive of political issues, the latest example being abortion. Think of Newtons third law as overreach and pushback. In politics we see this frequently. Sequential presidents are often of different political parties and philosophies, meaning that after four, or usually eight years of action in one direction, there is an equal push in the opposite direction with a new administration of a different political party. Abortion provides a good example of Newtons law, particularly this year with legislative pushback, an equal and opposite reaction to in this case, Democrat overreach. Abortion was in a steady state, a truce of sorts between opposing views, after Roe v. Wade was handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973. The high court ruled that a right to privacy trumped states rights to regulate abortion, resulting in a court-determined right to abortion during the first two trimesters of pregnancy. Casey v Planned Parenthood in 1992 provided further clarification, eliminating an arbitrary third trimester prohibition but instead permitting abortion only until fetal viability, typically in the late second trimester. In the mid-1990s, the official position of the Clinton Administration was that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. This position was a reasonable compromise, given the two Supreme Court rulings and unlikelihood of Roe being overturned. Although not ideal for either side of the abortion issue, it created a truce. Not content, the left couldnt leave well enough alone. They challenged the axiom, perfect is the enemy of good, and kept pushing against any limits on abortion. Planned Parenthood thrived under taxpayer largess, but actually against the will of many taxpayers. The abhorrent practices of Planned Parenthood selling baby parts like a chop shop sells auto parts, was offensive to the sensibilities of most Americans. Newtons pendulum was beginning to swing a bit too far on one direction. Democrats, as they are prone to do, were overreaching on this issue. If the action is small and insidious, according to Newton, so will be the reaction. But thats not how it is playing out. Democrats, channeling Frank Sinatra and his famous song about New York, thought that if they could expand abortion there, they could expand it anywhere. Their first overreach was in New York State earlier this year when lawmakers applauded a bill that legalized abortion up to the time of birth. A standing ovation for legalized infanticide was a strong action and Newton was readying a reaction. The city lights of New York City may glow pink in celebration, but most people dont share in the glee. Next came Virginia, where a proposed bill allowing post-birth abortion, also known as infanticide, fortunately did not pass. Virginia Governor Ralph Coonman Northam, a former pediatric neurologist defended the bill in a radio interview, talking about how a full-term baby, after a failed abortion, would be kept comfortable; the infant would be resuscitated, if that's what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. Further action in one direction and Newton was now ready to give the left a big-league physics lesson. First came the fetal heartbeat laws, restricting abortion after a heartbeat can be detected. Depending on how its detected, this can occur in the five to seven-week range, well within the first trimester. Ohio, Mississippi, and Georgia have passed such laws. The left howled in outrage. Hollywood wants to boycott Georgia for filmmaking, despite the 92,000 jobs provided for Georgia residents. Actress Alyssa Milano called for a sex strike over the abortion bill. Ironically liberal women not having sex and becoming pregnant will only hurt Planned Parenthoods abortion business, something Milano apparently didnt ponder before tweeting her proposed sex strike. Newtons reaction was stronger in Alabama where this week an even more restrictive abortion bill was enacted. This law Would ban abortion -- with the exception of when the life of the mother is in jeopardy -- in all circumstances. Going further, the law, Could punish doctors who perform abortions with life in prison. Other states are pushing back as well Missouri, Mississippi, and Kentucky to name a few. Each state slightly more or less restrictive than their neighbors, but a strong reaction to Democrats pushing abortion into the realm of infanticide. Missouris legislature just passed an eight-week abortion ban. Alabama is not just pushing back against abortion overreach. Instead the state is hammering at the foundation, namely the Roe decision itself. The bills sponsor in the Alabama Senate, Sen. Clyde Chambliss, describes his intentions: The way that this bill is drafted -- it goes to ask the question of personhood. The 14th Amendment gives people, a person the right to life, liberty and property. But it doesnt say when a person becomes a person. Obviously, if somebody is walking around, we know thats a person. In the womb, do we know if that is a person or not? Unborn babies can hear, they can feel -- at what point can they hear and feel and think and feel pain. We need some guidance from the Supreme Court. So this bill has been drafted so that it goes directly to that question. It goes to the Supreme Court, hopefully. And we do expect it to be ruled unconstitutional at the lower court. It has to be. It has no choice because they have to follow Supreme Court precedent. Thats no surprise. We know thats going to happen. We know that will be found unconstitutional on appeal, but hopefully, well have the Supreme Court to take up the matter. And we hope and we feel that the Supreme Court will rule this law constitutional because it gets to that personhood issue that is so, so important. Couple this with a recent Supreme Court decision, Franchise Board v. Hyatt, a low-profile case with big time implications, that reversed a previous Court decision, or the legal principle of stare decisis. If the high court can toss away let the decision stand regarding something as mundane as states being sued by a private party, why cant they do the same with Roe, or same sex marriage, or a host of other settled law decisions? We dont know if the Alabama law will make it all the way to the Supreme Court or how it might be decided, but the table is now set for a decision overturning Roe and leaving the abortion issue to the states, just as the Tenth Amendment prescribes. Alyssa Milano can have a full-term abortion in New York if she so pleases, but not in Alabama. Thats the principle of federalism. Similarly if she wants to gamble, she has plenty of states giving her that option, but not in Hawaii or Utah. The left pushed too far on abortion and Newtons law of motion is now pushing back in a way they didnt anticipate and dont appreciate. This is a microcosm of pushback, something we see frequently from President Trump, much to the dismay of those who still havent accepted the fact that he won the 2016 election. Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The New York Times, a major DMIC (Democrat Media Industrial Complex) colluder and conspirator, recently reported that California has more organized hate groups than any other state. The Gray Lady didn't realize her own irony: isn't it quite interesting that arguably the most Democrat state in the nation boasts the most hate groups and potential terrorists? When the Trump presidency concludes January 20, 2025, at noon EST, there will be many unintended benefits and victories that he himself likely hadn't ever thought of. One of those is that our win didn't create hate it revealed the hate of American Democrats. Not long ago, U.S. rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) celebrated the countdown until whites are a minority demographic in America. It's not just that Democrats hate America's freedoms and her Constitution a document crafted to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. Democrats want our nation to go extinct, the Hell with all those who have built our nation, those who have sacrificed and those who have died and lost limbs. Our Founders warned us of an epoch, when a rising domestic enemy threatened the existence of the greatest and most miraculous nation in world history. Many races, ethnicities, religions, and non-religions have made contributions; normal thinking people respect the humanity of good and decent people. Our nation is the most diverse in world history. Democrats? It's not just that they're anti-white; they fervently count down with bated breath the days until an American demographic shrinks. With airy nonchalance, Democrats espouse hate against those whom they are supposed to represent because they know they can do so with impunity, and because they have one goal: to conquer us and rule over us. "New" Democrats Same as "Old" Ones Those who say these "new" Democrats are different from the "old" ones are mistaken. They are not at all different politically just stylistically. The new Democrats are waging their coup d'etat against the old ones, much like how Lenin's Bolsheviks overthrew Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov dynasty over a century ago. Omar's hate isn't unique; the vast majority of American and worldwide terrorism, crime, hate groups, etc. have been shaped by various brands of collectivism, ranging from sharia theocracy to Leninism to Nazism to communism to socialism. Just look at our inner cities, most of which have been run by Democrats for tens of thousands of consecutive days. These influences are all observed in Democrat ideology an amalgam of the worst mass-suffering ideologies in world history. Always remember that the first principle of propaganda is to accuse your opposition of what you yourself are guilty of. Whenever Democrats or the DMIC label someone or something "right-wing," bet the farm that they're referring to Democrat-inspired terrorism and hate. Anti-white is one of the many examples of the Nazism baked into Democrat "progressivism." The Third Reich's basis for the Holocaust was the belief that certain racial and biological traits made one inferior or superior as a human being. Kristallnacht, also known as the "night of broken glass," in 1938, was an attack orchestrated by the Nazis against Jewish-owned businesses as well as synagogues. What many don't know is, weeks before, the Nazis had disarmed the Jews whom they terrorized; they knew who had firearms because of a gun registry. After Kristallnacht, what did Hitler say was the justification? Confiscation of illegally owned guns. Democrats engage in hate crimes all the time. There are myriad examples, such as Colorado baker and business-owner Jack Phillips, as well as the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, both of whom won U.S. Supreme Court cases last year. Phillips refused to bake a cake celebrating two men attempting to marry each other, and NIFLA, a network of pregnancy centers in California (there's that California hate again), refused to promote abortion. Both cited First Amendment defenses of religious liberty. Rather than just simply disagree, Democrats and the State sought to scorch the earth. Why? Because they hate those who reject their political terrorism of infringement upon our God-given constitutional rights. In the devoutly secular world of Democrats, the State is God. Want a Soviet example? Look no farther than the MuellerRussian "collusion" scam. As Lavrentiy Beria, Stalin's head of the police state, once remarked: show me a man, and I'll show you his crime. The Democrats' Stalinism has been on naked display in their guilty-before-proven innocent hate crime. I'm convinced that the Democrat politicians who have peddled the Russia conspiracy theory for three-plus years have done so to dissuade future Trump-type candidates independent nationalists who are beholden to zero special interest groups from running for office. Like all dictators, the Democratic Party believes that the American people should live in fear of weaponized law enforcement agencies. If Democrats are willing to weaponize taxpayer-funded law enforcement agencies against a sitting president, what makes you think they wouldn't come after you and your family? 2020 Democrat Hate Speaking of presidential elections, likely 2020 Democrat nominee Uncle Joe Biden recently got in on the hate act, claiming that "Jim Crow racism" is enjoying a comeback. Someone get Biden a history book not written by Democrats! Jim Crow segregation was one of the Democrats' most notorious inventions. Biden and Democrats always commit the hate crime of whitewashing history for two main reasons: first, Democrats rewrite American history because they are responsible for most of the worst of American history the Trail of Tears, segregation, the Ku Klux Klan, gun control, and infanticide, among others. Second, they revise world history such as their impugning of American nationalism as Nazism and Aryanism because they have modeled their party after many of mankind's most evil despots. Biden is the Democrats' 2020 sacrificial lamb the guy who thinks rotating the deck chairs on the Titanic will somehow keep the ship afloat. He has absolutely no interest in campaigning or being president. Biden has been running for president for over 30 years, and the best he could muster was a smartphone-looking campaign launch video that regurgitated the debunked Democrat and DMIC lie that Trump called Nazis "fine people." Biden's candidacy is DOA, and he knows it. I want Biden next year so we can, once and for all, plant the tombstone at the grave site of the Obama years. Credit the Democrats with having successfully duped tens of millions of Americans and especially our youth into ascribing to hammer-and-sickle mass-murdering politics. Our political war wasn't won in 2016; that's when it began, and the war will be long and arduous. I'm optimistic, however. There are only two sides: America first or the Democrat hate of "it takes a village," "democratic socialism," and "fundamental transformation." There has never been as stark a contrast between the two sides as now. The only way to bridge the divide is for one side to conquer the other, and I think I speak for Trump-supporters in saying we have no plans on getting conquered anytime soon. Everyone's on a side. What side are you on? Rich Logis is host of The Rich Logis Show, at TheRichLogisShow.com, and author of the upcoming book 10 Warning Signs Your Child Is Becoming a Democrat. He can be found on Twitter at @RichLogis. New Zealand, a country with a population of 3.5 million, whose indigenous people are Maori, has rarely been the source of important political proposals or taken the lead for global action. However, in May 2019, its prime minister, 40-year-old Jacinda Adern, the youngest prime minister in the country for 150 years, played a central role in international diplomacy by initiating a plan to eliminate terrorist, hateful, and violent extremist content online and to stop the internet from being used for such comments. She has entered the modern debate on how and to what extent government should exercise controls over large tech companies that can disseminate and have disseminated hateful content and misinformation, while preserving civil liberties. In its broader form, the issue of control has long been controversial, qualified, and open to judgment. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1949), Article 19, stated that "[e]veryone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression." Yet this was not imperative. The article was amended so that the exercise of these rights freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds carries with it "special duties and responsibilities." Similarly, the 1789 French Declaration of the Rights of Men and of the Citizen, Article 11, says, "Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuse of this freedom as shall be determined by law." Ardern, New Zealand's P.M. since October 2017, joined with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris on May 15, 2019 to sign the "Christchurch Call." It was named after the two simultaneous terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that killed 51 Muslims on March 15, 2019. After the first attack, the extremist terrorists livestreamed a 17-minute video of the massacre on Facebook, in effect an unprecedented use of social media as a weapon. Ardern immediately announced a ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons, assault rifles, and high-capacity magazines in her country. She was critical of the availability of weapons of this kind in the U.S. and, separately, also condemned white nationalist ideology. The central concern of the Call, a version of a historic issue, was the need for government policing of the internet and social media in curbing the use of extremist content and terrorist propaganda, but it was inevitability related to possible conflict over the role of government in controlling expressions of free speech and press freedom. The issue is one more illustration of the difficult line between freedom of speech and control over hate speech, fake news, and the abuse of social media. Is free speech in today's democratic society unlimited, or is to be balanced by considerations of safety and privacy? In the U.S., the First Amendment to the Constitution, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press," is still controversial, as shown in Supreme Court cases from Schenck v. United States (1919) to recent cases such as McCullen v. Conkley (2014). A new problem in the U.S. and elsewhere is regulation and oversight of social media companies. It is a particularly difficult problem because these companies are widely used but are also divisive and the subject of consumer and citizen dissatisfaction. What is clear in the U.S. is that there are no government regulations for the large tech companies, Twitter and Facebook, to ensure that a particular point of view, political or economic, is fairly expressed. The companies can allow expression of different, even conflicting positions, but it has become increasingly clear that they should not allow their facilities to be used by individuals, such as Louis Farrakhan, or groups who promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology. The problem is made more difficult because of two factors: the reality that the giants like Facebook and Twitter may encourage sensationalist material because it gets people's attention and the fact that some outlets such as Google's Top Stories by a considerable majority feature stories that come from left-wing sources. The non-binding Christchurch Call was adopted on May 15, 2019 by 18 countries, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Canada, and eight technical companies, but not by the U.S., to suggest rules that reduce the internet services from disseminating extremist content without undermining the principle of free expression. The Call is intended be the start of a stronger effort to deal with the use of the internet to spread violent and extreme ideologies. Some countries were already prepared to act. The U.K., troubled by the case of the 14-year-old Molly Russell, who committed suicide, allegedly as the result of watching glorifying images of self- harm and suicide on Instagram, and France have both proposed new laws that require companies to end harmful content. Russia in March 2019 passed bills that make it a crime to "disrespect" the state and spread "fake news" online. All, governments and technology companies agree that the internet and social media have been misused, transformed to some extent into a propaganda machine fostering division and hostilities. Media companies have understood the need to identify and remove extremist content. They have begun to share databases of extreme posts or images to see they don't spread across multiple platforms. Perhaps the most surprising statement came on May 10, 2019, from Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, who said internet companies should be accountable for enforcing standards on harmful conduct. It is gratifying to learn that the major internet companies have stated they will monitor material that facilitates violence more intensely. All companies will condemn advocacy of terrorism. The problem is that they may differ on issues such as hate speech, anti-Semitism, and misinformation. The division is clear between government bodies and citizens urging more government controls over social media one the one hand and those like the Trump administration, on the other, who argue that the "best tool to defeat terrorist speech is productive speech." Thus, President Donald Trump emphasizes the importance of promoting credible alternative narratives as the primary means by which we can defeat terrorist messaging. Nevertheless, the Trump administration stated that it supports the "overall goals" of the Christchurch Call and would "continue to engage governments, industry, and civil society, to counter terrorist content on the internet." Yet the Call is in effect modest. Many countries have already strengthened legislation imposing penalties on companies that do not remove offensive content once it is noticed. Germany passed a law imposing fines on companies that do not remove hate speech. One can assume that government regulation alone will not solve the social media problem, but pressing tech companies to use their creative powers to find solutions, while maintaining internet freedom, and protecting the internet as a force for good is a significant international and cooperative objective. The U.S. should join in this effort whole-heartedly. All Americans, believers or skeptics of the Mueller Report, know that Russia took advantage of U.S. social media to spread disinformation in 2016. The Christchurch Call is a good compromise to reconcile government attempts to pressure tech companies to eliminate extremist and harmful content and to preserve free speech and expression. It is true that the U.S. has tried to pressure tech companies to do this, in effect a qualified implementation of the objective of the Christchurch Call, but it remains to be seen what is the "productive speech" of which President Trump speaks. The Left and mainstream political science identify Italian fascism and German National Socialism as right-wing ideologies. Their motivation is clear: they do not want to be associated with regimes that brought civilization horror and suffering on an unprecedented scale. The Left traditionally substantiates its point of view with two theoretical propositions. First of all, fascism and Nazism do not belong to the Left because those regimes did not institute total collective ownership on means of production as Marx prescribed. Secondly, nationalism and racism have traditionally been features of the right, whereas the Left is perceived to comprise internationalists. Thus, Stalin pointed out in his interview to American journalist Roy Howard, "The foundation of the [socialist] society is public property: state, i.e., national, and co-operative, collective farm property. Neither Italian fascism nor German National-'socialism' has anything in common with such a society. Primarily, this is because the private ownership of the factories and works, of the land, the banks, transport, etc. has remained intact, and, therefore, capitalism remains in full force in Germany and Italy." That has been the notorious argument of Marxian socialists. Unfortunately, rightists are accustomed to fighting anti-materialist and anti-positivist socialist ideologies, using the materialistic line of reasoning. The prominent libertarian scholar Ludwig von Mises showed that even though fascists and Nazis allowed private property, nominal owners were deprived of the rights to manage it. "If the State takes the power of disposal from the owner piecemeal, by extending its influence over production; if its power to determine what direction production shall be, is increased, then the owner is left at last with nothing except the empty name of ownership, and property has passed into the hands of the State," wrote Mises in Socialism. Indisputably, his arguments adequately describe real economic affairs under these regimes. The government began to influence the economy on a scale that was unheard of, except for the Soviet Union. Indeed, entrepreneurs were deprived of the free commodity market, labor market, and international money market; the state established wage and price controls and overall influenced production, distribution, and consumption. It should be recognized that Mises's arguments have lost their sharpness in the present. For the last century, the state had been firmly fixed in the economic sphere of society, and it reluctantly gave up its position. After all, many generations of people live in conditions where the government dictates the terms of the economy. They do not even suspect that the state and the economy may have different relations, meaning that the government could be limited in its impact on business. Fascist and Nazi regimes had created a prototype of the nanny state, which was further developed in Europe after World War II. Modern industrial countries are guilty of conducting policies that resemble the ones from the cookbooks of the Italian and German governments of the past. Indeed, the modern state has put in place various regulations and policies that adversely affect businesses and the economy as a whole. It seems correct to return to the comprehensive definition of socialism and see if fascism and Nazism fall under its cover. It is also necessary to free oneself from the hegemony of the materialistic interpretation of socialism imposed by Marxism-Leninism. Thus, socialism is a set of artificial socioeconomic systems characterized by a different degree of socialization of property and consciousness. Numerous socialist trends emphasize the role of unified ideology and the predominance of moral principles rather than the socialization of property as the ultimate way to achieve socialism. Consciousness, like the physical body of a person, is the firstborn private entity of the personality. Material private property and own ideas are the main objectives of the socialists' attack. Collectivization of consciousness, which is the subjugation of the individual to the collective, was the main path chosen by Mussolini and Hitler, instead of outright expropriation of private property as the Bolsheviks did. Socialist regimes used coercion and persuasion to carry out the collectivization of consciousness; moreover, the latter occupied even more prominence in the regime. In modern settings, the outright collectivist indoctrination in educational institutions became a primary form of belief. The majority of the respective populations almost effortlessly accepted national ideas of fascists and Nazis. Gotz Aly mentioned in Hitler's Beneficiaries that the Third Reich was not a dictatorship maintained by force. He gave a vivid example: in 1937, the Gestapo had just over 7,000 employees, which sufficed to keep tabs on more than 60 million people. The vast majority of the population voluntarily subordinated their thoughts to the ideas of the ruling party. Consequently, the society that underwent collectivization of mind eagerly supported any policies, including economic measures, proposed by the government. German entrepreneurs were an integral part of the nationalist movement and did not mind accepting new rules. They enthusiastically took part in the social experiment. Both fascists and Nazis undertook an enormous task to amalgamate entrepreneurs and toilers into one classless nation directed by a single ideology and reporting to the state and party elites. Therefore, the first argument put forward by the Left should be rebuffed by truth-seekers with the following reasoning. First of all, Italian fascism and National Socialism belong to the Left, as they are incarnations of the non-Marxian socialism that utilized collectivization of consciousness rather than the socialization of private property as the primary path. Secondly, de facto state control over the economy will ultimately lead to the socialization of private property, which will make the state de jure owner. Now, let's consider the second argument put forward by leftist academia. The supposed exclusive nationalism and racism of the right happens to be a political myth propelled by vicious leftist propaganda. Since it was proven that Italian fascism and German National Socialism were genuine socialist movements, the argument of the Left regarding the intrinsic chauvinism of the right does not hold water. Moreover, it is long overdue to turn the tables on leftist academia and protect the good name of conservatism as well as libertarianism with the firm facts. It is known that the founders of Marxism were xenophobes who adhered to the Hegelian division of nations to historical and non-historical. Overall, some currents of socialism preached outright chauvinism; others used internationalist rhetoric to gain political benefits. Moreover, nationalism was not a factor that divided the political spectrum into the left-right wings at the beginning of the 20th century. Instead, it is precisely the antagonism between capital and labor that, in Marxist terms, divided the political spectrum. Therefore, nationalism might be inherent in various political philosophies, in both the defenders of capital and the proponents of labor. No firm historical facts suggest that nationalism is a particular characteristic of the right. On the contrary, as proponents of the free market, rightists promote an international division of labor and trade. At the same time, traditional regimes of the Left, including Italian fascism and German National Socialism, implemented an economy of national autarchy. Therefore, propagandist arguments put forward by the Left happen to be a disturbance of the truth. The irony is that the sins of nationalism and racism attributed to the right mostly originated and grew on the Left's turf. Image: Chris Dodds via Flickr. IN AN effort to stop fraudulent documentation from being obtained and used in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the police force is moving full steam ahead with its plan to introduce fingerprinting as a requirement for police records. On Wednesday (May 15), the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force announced its intention to fully implement fingerprinting measures to help properly identify individuals who are applying for certificates of character, also known as police records. The force said the strict measure will be implemented following an education and awareness raising campaign and required legal process. "Over the years, law enforcement agencies in the Turks and Caicos Islands have discovered a number of fraudulent Government documents which includes forged certificate of character. "Such forgeries pose risks to the integrity of the certificates which could have serious national, regional and international implications for the Turks and Caicos Islands. "In an effort to minimise such risks and maintain the authenticity of the certificate, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force intends to introduce the taking of fingerprint impressions following an education and awareness raising campaign and required legal process. Commissioner James Smith said that biometrics in law enforcement and border control is well established and provides a nation with a simple but highly effective method of establishing, beyond doubt, the identity of individuals. "The introduction of mandatory fingerprint provision, as part of the process to obtain a police record, is proportionate and necessary to keep our country safe. Several benefits of taking fingerprints through this mechanism were also highlighted in the statement. These include: "Identifying an individual beyond doubt, authenticating the certificate of character, aligning the Turks and Caicos Islands with other nations security regimes regionally and internationally and providing confidence to all those to whom the certificates may be presented that the issuing system is effective. Back in March this recommendation ignited a fire-storm of criticism for the police force. Attorney Mark Fulford called on the Human Rights Commission to advise the police force to cease the new fingerprinting requirements for record certificates. Fulford on March 11 urged the public to refuse the new requirements which he said were a flagrant violation of human rights. "If the police are requesting a fingerprint when you apply for a police certificate it is in breach of the Police Force Ordinance Cap 18.01 and your constitutional rights, he said. "When you provide a fingerprint it can leave a sweat deposit and therefore it is possible to obtain a persons DNA from that sweat deposit. He argued that sweat could be classed as an intimate sample and therefore a court order and written consent would be required. Fulford further rebuffed the police forces claim that the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 provides the legal grounds to request the fingerprints of any resident as a form of identification. "This law only give the police the powers to request fingerprints from applicants who are rehabilitated (convicted) offenders who have not been re-convicted, he said. In 2017, Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said the Government was planning to introduce biometric surveillance legislation that would aid police in solving crime. According to the premier the biometric system would see the entire populace being entered into the database. Is the request for fingerprints from individuals for purposes of processing certificates of character (criminal record certificates) an infringement to an individuals fundamental right to his or her private life (the right to privacy)? The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force responds: Section 9 (1) of the Constitution sets out the basic right that attaches to an individual, and section 9 (2), subjects the right under subsection (1) to the matters listed under subsection (2). Section 9 of the constitution provides that: "(1) Every person has the right to respect for his or her private life, and except with his or her own consent, no person shall be subjected to the search of his or her person or his or her property or the entry by others on his or her premises. (2) Nothing in any law or done under its authority shall be held to contravene this section to the extent that it is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society (a) In the interests of defence, public safety, public order, (b) For the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons; (c) For the prevention or detection of offences against the criminal law or the customs law Constitutional rights are exercisable subject to the rights and freedoms of others or to the public interest. This is a rule of constitutional law and is expressed in section 1 of the constitution. An individuals right to his or her private life in the context of fingerprints is subject to whether the requirement for fingerprints is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society, in the interests of defence, public safety, public order and for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons. This right is also expressed in Article 8 of the European Convention in Human Rights and Article 8(2) of the convention provides that: "There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. The test whether the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force can request fingerprints for the processing of certificates of character is to be determined by whether there is provision for that made in the law and whether the request is justifiable in a democratic society as stated above. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance as it stands provides for the enabling provision to request fingerprints and the proposed amendment to the Police Force Ordinance intends to provide more detailed provisions and this will fulfil the first part of the constitutional requirement that an interference to ones private life is in accordance with the law. The second part is that the provisions of this law as stated in the constitution should be reasonably justifiable in the interests of defence, public safety, public order and for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others and additionally as stated in the convention, for the economic well-being of the country and prevention of disorder or crime. The police force requires fingerprints for the identification of persons and to the timely processing of certificates of character. The proposed legislation provides that fingerprints once obtained would not be destroyed and will be retained in a national fingerprint database. The taking and retaining of fingerprints is necessary to identify individuals and is proportionate to avert any fraudulent or falsification of certificates of character and broadly for the interests of public safety and public order in policing in general. Walking to an event on the Upper West Side of Manhattan recently one early evening, I was appreciatively experiencing the New York City coming alive during an early occurrence of warmer spring weather. I have also been noticing over the last several weeks, as the weather becomes more pleasant, that an increasing population of homeless people and panhandlers is present in every neighborhood and seemingly on every street corner in de Blasio's New York. It seems these days a person can't sit outside in public for even a moment in New York City without being accosted. In between my encounters with a virtually unending series of panhandlers, I watched as I was seated on a bench across the street from 15 Central Park West as various power brokers, celebrities, and reigning members of the establishment were ushered by their doormen into taxis, Ubers, and limos to the very best parties, restaurants, and cultural events the city has to offer. I realized that many of the city elites continue to be to be untouched by the chaos on the streets of Mayor de Blasio's city, encompassing even the benches right across the street from their building. All of this was going on right in the neighborhood that is one of the most influential centers of Progressive politics and support in our nation. The Upper West Side is where many left-wing celebrities, members of the media, and other influential and powerful people reside. The rest of us who live in any big city dominated by Democrats experience every day the negative consequences of Progressive political policies and management in action. The immediate signs of chaos on the streets of New York City starting in January of 2014 following Bill de Blasio's inauguration as mayor were startling. Clearly and immediately visible were dirtier streets, groups of homeless people congregating even in the best parts of the city, reports of increased crime, hordes of panhandlers on the subways, and a rapidly failing transportation system. Bill de Blasio has declared his candidacy for president, focusing in on his progressive agenda of an activist government that will mitigate the economic unfairness of our society. He views current economic conditions as unfair to many segments of society and wants government to play a key role in leveling the playing field. The troublesome lesson that many of us have learned living in New York with him as mayor is that more government is the problem rather than the solution. Municipal governments, especially union-dominated Democratic strongholds, are particularly responsible for creating and exacerbating the very problems they are supposedly trying to resolve. Most often, progressives have not been held accountable for their poor performance in power. Political promises made by progressives have an emotional appeal until the facts are examined. Close up on a local level or afar on a national level, progressive policies simply don't work. Even more discouraging is that they most often make problems they are attempting to address worse. Feeling is not doing, and unfortunately, many voters, especially on the political left, do not make this distinction. Bill de Blasio and fellow Progressives' real aim is to forcefully distribute wealth from the most productive members of society who have earned success through hard work and concerted effort. They are in a crusade to level the playing field and often lower the standards of achievement and excellence for all except their fellow members of a small, powerful ruling elite and the politically connected. Instead of unifying people according to our mutual interests, liberals in power promote division according to group, race, and class. Their policies tend to promote dependence in order to purchase long-term voting allegiance. At the same time, they often neglect the interests of the majority of citizens, who tend to be working- and middle-class taxpayers. The concerns of the taxpaying public are guaranteed to be last on a liberal's priority list because there is a limited opportunity to buy future votes by making them permanently dependent upon special treatment by government. A Progressive government looks to be highly involved in the economic decision-making of its citizens. Rather, these matters should reside in the hands of the private sector, not the government. The private sector traditionally played the primary role in the allocation of our economic resources, resulting throughout our history in a rising standard of living for all Americans and the creation until the Obama years of a rising middle class. The private sector's major strength is that it promotes an environment of competition. Increasing levels of wealth are created over time by a free market system bolstered by competition and enhanced by freedom so individuals can take maximum advantage of opportunities that may arise. A free market system is characterized by flexibility and efficient allocation of vital economic resources driven by the profit motive. The resulting economic productivity is the real reason behind the economic success of the country and traditionally of New York City. The Progressive class portray themselves as compassionate people who work for compassionate policies and social justice, intended to help people and especially those who can least help themselves. Well, on the next pleasant evening, I invite any resident of 15 Central Park West to delay his ride to and take a moment to cross the street from his apartment and sit a few minutes on a bench. Image: Public Advocate via Flickr. ...the wolves turn on each other, as Victor Davis Hanson notes in some terrific commentary. In a piece published in American Greatness, Hanson describes the strange way top U.S. national security officials are all weirdly pointing the finger at each other now that the Mueller report has come up empty. Former CIA Director John Brennan is pointing at former FBI Director James Comey. Comey is pointing at Brennan. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is pointing at Comey. Comey is pointing at former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe. McCabe is pointing right back at Comey. Hanson writes: James Clapper, John Brennan, and James Comey are now all accusing one another of being culpable for inserting the unverified dossier, the font of the effort to destroy Trump, into a presidential intelligence assessmentas if suddenly and mysteriously the prior seeding of the Steele dossier is now seen as a bad thing. And how did the dossier transmogrify from being passed around the Obama Administration as a supposedly top-secret and devastating condemnation of candidate and then president-elect Trump to a rank embarrassment of ridiculous stories and fibs? Given the narratives of the last three years, and the protestations that the dossier was accurate or at least was not proven to be unproven, why are these former officials arguing at all? Did not implanting the dossier into the presidential briefing give it the necessary imprimatur that allowed the serial leaks to the press at least to be passed on to the public and thereby apprise the people of the existential danger that they faced? Each rat is looking to elbow out ahead of the others from the sinking U.S.S. Russia Collusion, and too bad about the ones behind. They are swamp creatures, after all, and this is the way of the swamp. Hanson points out that none of these people have turned state's evidence to save their own hides, as John Dean once did in the 1970s Watergate scandal which brought down President Nixon. Yet none of them wants to take credit for the dirty Steele dossier, compiled by Russians apparently affiliated with the some branch of the state, and now coming to light as little more than desinformatsiya, perhaps to get the U.S. security organs busy spying on Trump. Which sounds like the sort of thing the Russians would do, given their interest in creating chaos and rendering the Trump administration dysfunctional. They are well aware of how to play off to human weakness, and the Trump hate of these people was clearly palpable, an easy thing to manipulate. None of this would be happening, Hanson notes, had Hillary Clinton won the election. The Russians made no secret of their belief that they thought she would win, and sure enough, the Deep Staters shared that opinion. Now they're turning on each other to avoid being the last man off the sinking ship. "He did it, not me!' "This is a sorry picture. Read the whole thing here. Image credit: Monica Showalter According to the Atlantic, Mr. Biden wants a united front and to lower the party's angry volume: Biden is not getting into name-calling, a la President Trump. He's not getting into Sanders-style proposals like Medicare for All. And he's definitely not getting into crowd sizes. The roughly 6,000 people who stood in the sun waiting for him was less than a third of the crowd that showed up for Kamala Harris at her launch in Oakland in January; less than half the number Sanders drew for his first rally in Brooklyn in February; and a full 3,000 people behind the crowd who stood in a snowstorm to watch Amy Klobuchar give her kick-off speech in February. In the heart of Philadelphia, nearly half a century after he launched his national political career just down the highway in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden had roughly the same number of people who went to Mayor Pete Buttigieg's kick-off rally in South Bend, Indiana, a month ago. Maybe we can call it Biden's version of a kinder and gentler liberalism. Maybe Biden thinks he can bring out "the quiet Democrat" who is not watching Rachel Maddow or Chris Cuomo. Maybe he has polling data that the party is not so far left as the other candidates think it is. Biden will face a very simple problem. First, the base is all about hating President Trump. They want to get President Trump at any cost, including turning the 2020 convention into a total circus. Eventually, Biden will have to take a position on abortion, the border, and health care. He can't avoid specifics too much longer. Finally, his good polls overlook the fact that most Democrats would prefer a so-called "progressive candidate." In other words, two out of three voters are not supporting Biden. Enjoy it, Joe. Yes, enjoy it, because the base that hates President Trump is going to start hating you pretty soon. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. When the gunman opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue in California, the threat of far-right terrorists became clearer than ever to more people than ever. This appeared to be a copycat attack, taking influence from the disturbingly meme-riddled, videogame-style mosque shooting in New Zealand in March. The Atlantic referred to them as the 'Meme Terrorists', but the reality is more complex. These far-right terrorists are monsters birthed from a Dr. Frankenstein operation orchestrated by an ignorant media, negligent politicians, and a militant far left across the entire Anglosphere. Not memes. I know this because I've seen the radicalization of young white men in my home country, and I've been inside the far right. I've seen this radicalization happen in the working-class north of England, and it's spreading across the U.S., Europe, and even Australia and New Zealand. As a teen, I found myself among the far right in Lancashire. I had met the family of a young girl called Charlene Downes who was kidnapped and murdered by a Muslim grooming gang. I had seen the effects of mass immigration in neighboring towns, and I had seen how the politicians ignored everyone who expressed concern about it. I was angry, and I had nowhere else to turn. When I found myself at the receiving end of violent threats from anti-Semitic and far-right activists, I left the racist party I had been a member of. I knew I didn't belong there. But many young men I knew stayed. Jack Renshaw was a teenager from my hometown who became so entrenched in extremist thinking that he bought a machete and plotted to kill our local member of Parliament. The plot was foiled, and he's now in prison. Whenever I see the photo of him and myself shaking hands, it reminds me just how easy it is for young men to become radicalized. I think...my God, could that have been me? Renshaw wasn't the only young man I knew who went to prison on terror or violence charges. There were multiple other young lads who at one time weren't terrorists. They were just working-class kids who saw how the job market and communities had changed and how the politicians were facilitating it. Our representatives ignore the concerns of the white working class for their own gain, which forms the first part of the "three-pronged attack" that creates the far right. This is the recipe for far-right terror. Once the politicians have ignored concerned citizens, the media then smear them. The media will, without a moment's thought, label anyone who discusses mass immigration racist. Once the media have smeared them, the far left will physically attack, mock, or belittle them. They will attempt to destroy their lives for voicing their perfectly legitimate views. They'll beat them over the head with a bike lock, put bricks through their windows, or harass their employers until they're jobless and left feeling angry, ignored, and hopeless. Some quietly retreat and accept their fate. Others become radicalized. Their reasonable concerns turn into ugly, dangerous, and extreme politics, and their search for answers about who is behind their censorship is answered with conspiracy theory. This is how seemingly normal young men like Jack Renshaw and others become monsters. This is how a 19-year-old pianist and member of the varsity swim team can find himself conditioned by conspiracy theory to shoot and kill innocent people at a synagogue. I see this formula in American politics, and it worries me greatly. When Joe Biden equates the real far right with the president and his supporters, and when he forgives the far left for their violence toward conservatives, he is risking the radicalization of young men across the country. This tactic of smearing, attacking and lying about decent, concerned citizens is utterly dangerous. I've seen its effects in the U.K., and we're soon to see more of it in the U.S. A negligent political class, a complicit media, and an emboldened far left are creating a new generation of far-right terrorists and the seemingly normal nature of these young men means we won't see the next attack coming. Until he called for impeaching President Trump (see his tweets laying out his reasoning if it can be called such on the subject here), Rep. Justin Amash was barely on my radar, notable only for his libertarian absolutism (he is heavily backed by the Koch network) and his anti-Israel views, as Paul Mirengoff noted at Powerline: Amash is a Palestinian-American. He routinely votes against Israel's interests. For example, he voted against additional funding for Israel's anti-missile system, Iron Dome, during the 2014 Gaza war. He even voted against a bill to set a 90-day deadline for President Donald Trump to fill the position of anti-Semitism monitor. Apparently, the bill would have passed unanimously but for Amash's opposition. "Undistinguished" is the kindest adjective I can think of to describe his political career to date. He has accomplished absolutely nothing that I can point to. But with his call to impeach Trump, Amash suddenly is a media darling and no doubt has many tempting options ahead as he ponders a run for president as a Libertarian Party nominee, following in the footsteps of Gary Johnson. So he now has fame and the possibility of a presidential candidacy. That's certainly enough for many politicians to take a position that is opposed by nearly everyone else in their party. But both Sundance of Conservative Treehouse and Shane Trejo of Big League Politics have noticed that Amash has a major financial stake in a company that manufactures in China and imports into the American market a company obviously harmed by President Trump's hard line on trade and recent imposition of radically higher tariffs on some Chinese imports, with threats to expand the 25% tariffs to all imports. Trejo writes: In Amash's financial disclosure forms for the year of 2015, he was shown as receiving up to $1 million in annual income due to his ownership stake in Michigan Industrial Tools (MIT). MIT is the parent company of Tekton Tools, Amash's family business, that benefits directly from Chinese manufacturing. An article from MLive in 2010 exposed Amash as being the co-owner of Dynamic Source International (DSI), a Chinese company that was once an MIT supplier. Amash's family have been outspoken advocates of the globalist trade status quo for many years. "Trade with China is providing American consumers with good quality tools that could not be made for those prices in the United States," said John Amash, Justin's brother, who is President of Tekton Tools. Sundance notes that Amash is receiving major income from this business: In his 2017 financial disclosure forms (pdf here), Representative Amash reports income of between $100,000 to $1,000,000/yr. for his ownership stake in Michigan Industrial Tools. Michigan Industrial Tools is the parent company, manufacturing in China, that produces Tekton Tools, Justin Amash's Michigan family business. Stating that the value of the business is the same as the yearly income makes no sense and raises questions about the accuracy of the report. But if cheap manufacturing in China is the basic business strategy of the firm in which Amash has a major interest, he would have a strong financial interest in halting Trump's trade initiatives by impeachment. Amash's truthfulness about his business interests in China is also a matter of dispute, as his 2010 election opponent charged him with lying: The old advice to "follow the money" usually is good. But with Amash such a flake, it may be just one of multiple motives. Correction made: Koch Brothers changed to Koch network, as David Koch has retired from political activity. Hat tip: Nicholas D. Gass After taking President Trump's endorsement to get himself elected senator, Mitt Romney has made quite a show of turning on Trump. The last two incidents have been notable: He declared GOP "maverick" congressman Justin Amash "courageous" for joining the Democrats and calling for the impeachment of President Trump in the House. He also made this ad hominem attack on Trump over the weekend, playing Puritan for us: On Sunday, Romney was back at it, attacking the president's character. "I think he could substantially improve his game when it comes to helping shape the character of the country," Romney said on CNN. "I think young people, as well as people around the world, look at the president of the United States and say, 'Does he exhibit the kind of qualities that we would want to emulate?' And those are qualities of humility, of honesty, integrity, and those are things where I think there's been some call, where the president has distanced himself from some of the best qualities of the human character." So Mitt has lots to teach President Trump about character? Such as taking the endorsement of the president to get elected, and then turning on him as a no-good rat and offering him 'character' lessons to fix things? Good old Mitt, the "turnaround expert" who "fixes things," as he sold himself to voters during his failed 2012 presidential campaign. Mark Twain couldn't have cooked up a better charlatan. Because the fact of the matter is, there's little in Trump's performance to fix. Can Romney blast Trump for his tax cuts? Can he attack him for his talent for making America's most intractable enemies bend to avoid trouble with him? Can he scream about Trump's Supreme Court appointments? Can he holler about the roaring U.S. economy with its record low unemployment rates for that 47% he deplored earlier as well as blacks, Hispanics, women, the handicapped, the formerly incarcerated, a slew of people who've always had harder times getting jobs? Can he holler about Trump's policies that foster rising wages among workers, or his firm stance for rule of law at the border? Of course not his Utah voters would despise him. So now we have Romney going after Trump's character, joining the Democrats, given that there is nothing else to criticize. His latest obnoxious statements are actually a progression from a long string of attacks on Trump, described by the Examiner here, and they're getting more and more personal as well as Miss Grundy-an. The Americans who voted for President Trump in droves have already sent a message to the political elites that if the right policies are in place, they don't care about off-color remarks about women or multiple marriages, or any of the "character" flaws Mitt seems to intent to undercut President Trump for. Why is he doing this? Trump never did anything to him. But here he is, going after Trump with the best of the Democrats. Maybe it's his own character he ought to be looking at for the next 'fix it.' For the rest of us, it's obvious that it stinks. Image credit: Caricature by DonkeyHotey via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. In a disturbing report out of Panama, Panamanian authorities have made a new bust linked to Cuba, intercepting a huge shipment of cocaine worth $90 million at the canal, bound for Turkey. Babalu has a report, based on a news item spotted in CiberCuba: Panamanian authorities on Saturday intercepted 46 suitcases containing an estimated $90 million in illegal drugs on a cargo ship that arrived from a Cuban port and was en route to Istanbul, Turkey. The suitcases contained 1,517 packages of drugs hidden in a container declared as containing charcoal. Authorities are still investigating and no arrests have been made. There has been no confirmation the drugs originated in Cuba, but the Turkish government has close ties to the Castro dictatorship. Moreover, the Castro dictatorship has a long history of drug trafficking in partnerships with drug cartels and the Colombian narco-terrorist organization, FARC. We could add that FARC is a side hustle. Venezuela, whose top leaders are under U.S. sanctions for drug-trafficking, is even tighter with and more important to Cuba. Venezuela is running as many as five drug flights from the country each night according to Jackson Diehl's excellent column in the Washington Post, noting that the figures have soared significantly. The cocaine trade is how the socialist hellhole stays afloat. Cuba is in the same boat and has relied on drug-dealing in the past. Now with Cuban officials running Venezuela's internal security apparatus, it's just as possible they're directing this from Caracas. As for how Cuba is run under a communist monopoly, it's hard to think this couldn't be anything but a state operation. If the cocaine shipment was improbably the work of bad actors, there could be no doubt they've paid off regime officials, because nothing gets out of Cuban ports without communist authorities knowing about it. #Aeronaval logra ubicacion y aseguramiento de cuantioso cargamento de presunta sustancia ilicita dentro de un contenedor supuestamente llevaba sacos de carbon/Puerto de Cristobal/Colon procedente de la jurisdiccion portuaria de Cuba/con destino final Estambul/Turquia #NoAlDelito pic.twitter.com/Uocm74ejU0 Senan Panama (@SENANPanama) May 18, 2019 So the Castro crime family has gone back into the drug-dealing business. It shouldn't be a surprise, given the fiscal straits Cuba is in with the economic collapse of Venezuela and the loss of its Algerian sugar daddy after that ally's longtime dictator got thrown out. We could argue that they never stopped, given that they were the ones who made Pablo Escobar "great," igniting the cocaine trade in the 1970s. But there has been notable waxing and waning in its activities. Here are two previous cases of Castro's smuggling operations in recent years, one caught in Colombia and another caught at the Panama Canal. Now there's this, and the motive is unmistakable. Cuba produces nothing of value to support its government or people, but its oligarchs can leverage the country's geography and sovereign safe haven for major international drug-dealers and thinks it can get away with it. With drug laws becoming increasingly lax in the West and borders becoming increasingly unenforced, the scenario is ideal. The Babalu account notes Cuba's close ties to Turkey (ditto for Venezuela, by the way), and that's an important detail, because Turkey has ties with the European Union and seeks full Schengen (open borders) rights. It doesn't have those just yet, but trade-wise, the arrangements are free, and if Turkey's anti-Western quasi-dictatorship wants to help Cuba along with its drug trade, there is little reason to think it won't do that. Turkey is handy, but there's also the United States, home of a very long unenforced border and a migrant surge that is explicitly thwarting drug cartel operations as it forces the U.S. to redirect its resources toward babysitting migrants. Does anyone think the Castroites haven't thought about this? It seems like a given. Image credit: Panamanian authority SENAN, via Twitter screen shot In a quite corner of the Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis oldest active, is the grave of 21 year old woman who died after childbirth on February 1, 1876. The tombstone on her grave read: Kate McCormick Seduced and pregnant by her father's friend Unwed, she died from abortion, her only choice. Abandoned in life and death by family. With but a single rose from her mother. Buried only through the kindness of unknown benefactors. Died Feb.1875 [sic] age 21. Victim of an unforgiving society Have mercy on us. Photo credit: www.findagrave.com Kate McCormick, whose real name was Kate Simpson, was a handsome young woman of about twenty-one years of age from Humboldt, Tennessee. Kate was seduced and made pregnant by a shoemaker named George Burgess, who was her fathers friend, under the false promise of marrying her. When he failed to follow through, Kate was so disgraced that she left her hometown and came to Memphis. Three weeks before Christmas, Kate came to Dr. Johnson in Memphis and told him her story and asked the doctor to abort her child. Dr. Johnson later told the court that he had advised her not to commit abortion as it was against the law, and she went away. Three weeks later, on a Saturday night, Kate secured a room at a boardinghouse run by Mrs. Widrig, where she delivered a dead baby girl the following morning. When Mrs. Widrig learned that Dr. Johnson had been attending her, her suspicions were aroused and she asked Katie to tell her the whole truth. Kate broke down and confessed. Mrs. Widrig, I think my time is short, she told Mrs. Widrig. Dr. Johnson gave the medicine to destroy my child; tell Dr. Johnson that I promised not to deceive him or tell any person but the time has come when I can keep the secret no longer; I paid Dr. Johnson twenty-five dollars for the medicine; he gave me the medicine some three weeks ago and said if it did not work in six days it would be a failure; I took the medicine from Dr. Johnson to kill my child and paid him twenty-five dollars for it.'" Kate died a short while later. An inquest was held where the jury found Dr. Johnson guilty of murder by committing an abortion. Kates mother was called upon but she had no desire to pay the last sad tribute to the ashes of her daughter, evidently more troubled about the publicity given to the affair than about the fate of her erring and unfortunate child. She instructed that her deceased daughter be not interred near her home, but buried in Memphis instead. More than a century later, the plight of Katie McCormick touched the sympathetic sentiment of a thoughtful lady who paid for a marker to be placed at the young woman's grave in September 1997, bearing the inscription cited in the beginning of this article. A lovely tribute as it was, however, as Nashville Daily American wrote, her actual interment may have been considerably less theatrical than this inscription suggests, as it attributes a lovely gesture by her mother which was probably not made, after all and her benefactors were not unknown, one being a newspaper reporter and the other a kind-hearted saloonist. Glass has become a more powerful tool with the just announced Enterprise Edition 2 and Google is keen on showcasing the handful of updates and improvements its made to the wearable technology since the last version. While Glass was already a powerful tool for those in a varying degree of different industries from engineers to doctors to construction workers, with Enterprise Edition 2 the actual hardware is more powerful as its now equipped with a multicore CPU and a new A.I. engine thanks to the Snapdragon XR1 platform from Qualcomm. This change in the computing hardware of the unit paves the way for a number of significant enhancements, not the least of which is the ability to use less power from the battery to operate while doing the same tasks it was doing before. Advertisement Improved power saving capabilities means that any professional who utilizes Glass Enterprise Edition 2 in their day to day routines will be able to spend more time actually completing their work since there will be less downtime while the device requires a charge to fill the battery back up. Google has further enhanced the battery situation by implementing the use of USB Type-C for the charging port so that when the device does need to be recharged, itll now do so faster than it did before. Coupled with the use of less battery drain from the Snapdragon XR1 platform CPU, Glass Enterprise Edition 2 can be used for longer periods of time on a single charge which translates to more efficiency all around. Advertisement It doesnt stop at the CPU and battery savings either as the camera performance and quality have also been upgraded with an eye on improving the experience for the devices video streaming and collaboration capabilities, thanks to the camera being bumped from a 5-megapixel sensor to an 8-megapixel sensor. Of course its not all about internal hardware components. Google has also partnered with Smith Optics this time around to provide a more durable and safe frame option for anyone who might work in conditions that would require it. The new safety frames are geared towards industries where workers might need better protection for their eyes while completing their tasks, such as manufacturing. While these improvements are good news for the workers who will be using the device, its also great for Google as it could end up reeling in more customers seeking the new hardware for its upgrades, and this seems to be something that Google is planning for. Advertisement While Glass started as Google Glass back during its very first iteration that was announced years ago, Glass has always been developed at X, Alphabets moonshot factory for more out there projects. Now however, the entire Glass team is being moved from X to Google as the company seeks to meet a rising demand for wearable technology in the workplace. Glass already commands a fairly large list of partners including Samsung, General Electric, DHL, Volkswagen, Dignity Health and more across various industries from manufacturing to logistics to healthcare. While the span of industry types may not change much, the improvements to the new hardware along with the increased demand for this type of technology in the workplace is sure to increase the number of customers, and further advance Glass credentials as a tool to help streamline work where employees would be better served having their day be as hands-free as possible. Wing, one of the oldest active projects coming from formerly Googles (now Alphabets) moonshot factory X, announced it will launch an early access program for its drone-based air delivery service next month. The consumer-grade solution will be made available Vuossari, the most populous district of the Finnish capital Helsinki. Wing decided to launch its service there due to the areas high population density caused by the presence of multi-family housing communities in the city. Aside from residential areas, the Voussari district also houses a sizeable international cargo port and forested regions, and is surrounded by water from three sides, thus being a location that could massively benefit from a reliable drone delivery platform. The launch of the air delivery service complements Helsinkis vision to improve the livability of its city by reducing the reliance of customers on car-based delivery. However, before launching its service, Wing conducted numerous tests to ensure the ability of its drones to operate under harsh winter conditions. It also organized community events where residents can ask questions about Wings delivery service. Advertisement At launch, customers may use Wings air delivery service to get their goods from two local establishments, namely the gourmet supermarket Herkku Food Market and the Cafe Monami, although there could be plans to increase the number of business supported by the service. Once users order items from supported businesses, Wings aircraft will deliver the goods like pastries and meals within minutes. Wing was initially a part of the moonshot factory X before Alphabet spun off the business in July 2018. When it became independent, the focus of the company shifted into commercializing its technology, and the introduction of an air delivery service signals an essential step in making the business sustainable. Aside from providing a more efficient and faster delivery service, a drone delivery system also reduces the environmental impact of transporting items due to its considerably lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to car-based deliveries. Advertisement Accompanying this delivery service is a traffic management system for unmanned aerial vehicles, which is also developed by Wing. This traffic management system allows the company to control multiple drones using the cloud computing infrastructure of the search giant and the data provided by several Google services, including Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google Street View. Employing a cloud-based management system improves the efficiency of the delivery system by allowing a single operator to control up to thousands of delivery drones. Aside from Finland, Wing also tested its aircraft in other countries, including Australia, and it also collaborated with government agencies in the United States like NASA. The collaboration allowed the company to test commercial drones within the United States without approval from the FAA, despite several states banning the use of drones. Moving forward, if the early access program for the drone delivery service becomes successful, Wing may extend to coverage of its service to other locations within Finland and other countries as well. Advertisement Aside from Wing, other moonshot projects from X that were later spun off as independent businesses include Loon, Waymo, Chronicle, and Verily. These companies offer a wide variety of services, including providing internet connectivity in areas that lack infrastructure, autonomous driving, and development of medical technologies. Following reports of Google pulling its mainstream Android license from Huawei and consequently denying its previously granted right to use its operating system in conjunction with key software solutions including the Play Store and Play Services (which the company all but confirmed), the Chinese firm said its shocked with the development. The Android ban was issued in response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last week which saw the head of the state forbid American companies from doing any sort of business with corporate entities blacklisted as national security threats in the cyberspace. It hence effectively crippled the entirety of Huaweis stateside operations, as slim as they were up until that point, preventing it from even symbolic moves in the United States such as making a small number of its devices available to American consumers unlocked via Amazon. Despite everything that transpired so far, Huawei is adamant to continue providing its customers with regular Android security patches, a company spokesperson told Android Headlines. No other after-sales services it currently provides will be scrapped either, so e.g. if youve imported one of its phones into the United States, the local branch of the firm will still honor your warranty, even if that only means taking a faulty device off your hands and issuing you a replacement. Advertisement A license to kill (business) While Huawei may now be left without a road to using Android for commercial purposes with key Google apps such as the Play Store, its still able to continue using the operating system itself. Namely, Google licenses the core OS under the standard Apache 2.0 terms which Huawei hasnt broken in any way. Due to the very nature of open-source software, the rights originally granted by that license cannot be revoked with no violations of terms under which they were issued in the first place happening. In other words, while Huawei is currently prevented from releasing new devices with Google Play Services and other software consumers in the West largely think of as inseparable from the OS itself, nothing is stopping it from doing what its already doing in China where its been prevented from utilizing the Play Store and related apps by a decree from the Beijing-based communist government pumping out smartphones and tablets using locked down and heavily modified Android forks. Advertisement Whether someone in the West would actually buy such products and not return them immediately is another question altogether; one whose answer is probably a resounding no. In other words, while Huawei cannot be entirely prevented from legally using Android moving forward, the supporting cast of Google-made apps thats synonymous with the mobile experience in the U.S. and beyond is currently beyond its reach. If that sounds familiar, its basically the same thing that happened to ZTE last year. In fact, its likely to happen to it again, this time putting its handset hopes out for good. Huawei is a different beast, though; one that appears to be far too mighty to fall due to some pesky laws. However, whether that means the firm will pull the trigger on its internal OS project or try to persuade Google to help it test legal waters in regards to last weeks executive order remains to be seen. Advertisement For now, Google appears to be keen on toeing any line the U.S. government draws. A post by Telegram founder Pavel Durov explains how WhatsApp will never be able to secure its users information despite Facebook, its parent company, embracing the importance of speed and privacy. Durov noted in the blog post that aside from copying the features that appeared on his messaging app, Facebook mimicked the entire philosophy that drove the development of Telegram, which is protecting the privacy of its users. However, Durov further highlighted how it is impossible for the social media giant to steer WhatsApp into becoming a privacy-oriented service without having to clash with the surveillance authorities in the United States. The founder of Telegram made this declaration based on his personal experience as well as previous and recent incidences. Even though Telegram had experienced no data leaks over the six years of its existence, the team that develops the program detected three infiltration attempts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) within just three weeks of the groups stay in the United States. Advertisement Durov also provided a list of security issues that plagued WhatsApp over the past few years. The Facebook-owned messaging service recently confirmed the presence of a vulnerability that allowed oppressive regimes to snoop on their targets through Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP). This security flaw allowed governments to get access with all the data stored within the smartphone using a single voice call. An Israeli firm may have already collaborated with foreign governments to take advantage of this security flaw. However, the problems faced by WhatsApp stretched to the earlier part of the decade, with the messaging platform sending messages between smartphones using plain text, allowing anyone from mobile providers to governments to view private conversations easily. Even though WhatsApp later encrypted the messages transmitted over its platform, the developer of Telegram alleges that the key to decrypt its messages are available to several governments, allowing surveillance agencies to continue tracking their targets despite WhatsApps promise of encrypting conversations. Furthermore, the messages that users backup in the cloud are not encrypted, providing governments another venue to snoop on its targets. Advertisement Last, but not the least, Durov noted how WhatsApp could contain backdoors, citing how the recent vulnerabilities found in the messaging app resembles attack vectors that governments could use to snoop on its users. However, it is challenging for researchers to confirm the presence of these backdoors since the application is not open source. Despite the addition of privacy features into the WhatsApp platform, Durov alleges that these features, along with message encryption, are nothing more than marketing ploy aimed at enticing customers. The founder of Telegram likens this strategy with what Facebook used to defeat Snapchat, albeit targeted towards users of Telegram and other privacy-focused messaging platforms. Moving forward, Facebook intends to monetize on its purchase of WhatsApp, and over the past few years, it already developed features that allow the social media giant to get revenue from the chat platform. However, over the past few months, reports appeared that Facebook would introduce ads on the chat platform, a privacy-related decision that likely prompted the co-founder of WhatsApp to leave the social media giant. Marysville, CA (95901) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High around 50F. SW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. The Falcon 6X will make its first flight in 2021 and begin deliveries in 2022. It offers the largest cabin cross section of any purpose build business jet as well as the quietest and most comfortable cabin of any aircraft in its class. Our design teams and partners have done an excellent job so far, said Eric Trappier, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation. Completing the design review this month and releasing the aircraft to the manufacturing process is a significant milestone. It demonstrates our confidence in the airframe and engine design as well as in the collaborative process we have put in place with our global partners. The Pratt & Whitney Canada Pure Power PW812D 13,000-14,000 lbs thrust engine that will power the 6X has accumulated nearly 1,000 hours of runtime on the Pratt test bench in Montreal, Canada using five development engines. To date PW has accumulated more than 13,000 hours on the variant of the geared turbofan (GTF) core at the heart of the Dassault- specific PW812D. The GTF core is shared by 16 different engine applications that have amassed more than 585,000 flight hours in all. The PW812D engine program continues to achieve milestones in line with the initial program plan, with high-risk tests almost all completed, said Trappier. The Falcon 6X features a maximum range of 5,500 nm (10,186 km). It can fly directly from Los Angeles to London, Sao Paulo to Chicago or Paris to Beijing at Mach 0.85. By Delana Isles POLICE officers in Grand Turk were paid a visit by the Governor this past week after they complained about the unsanitary working conditions they are made to work under late last week. The conditions were brought to light last week Friday via a social media post and reports to this publication. Reports stated that the ranks were forced to evacuate the building due to an overflow of faeces and other substances from the toilets in the building and the general unhealthy conditions. In images shared with the Weekly News, several Grand Turk ranks could be seen standing and sitting outside of the building, while one police woman appeared to be nauseated. The social media post by a Mavis Williams read: "The furniture is falling apart, in fact the furniture looks like it came from the dump. "...I was at the station two weeks ago and I was appalled by what I saw. There is mould in every room in the building, the paint is peeling off the walls, the tiles are broken and chipped, the ceiling is covered in water stains and is falling down. "The doors are old and creaky and one needs superhuman strength to get them open. God forbid the officers need to evacuate urgently. "The smell hits you immediately upon opening the entrance door. The poster stated that the officers in the territorys capital deserve better than what they have had to put up with for a long time. On Tuesday (May 14) Governor John Freeman, whose term in office in the Turks and Caicos Islands comes to an end this July, visited the facilities and spoke with the ranks. A statement posted to the Governors official Facebook page, stated that Freeman wanted to hear first-hand from the officers the challenges which they face in carrying out their duty to protect and serve the community of Grand Turk. The governor commented following his visit to the Grand Turk Police Station: "It is always a privilege to meet with members of the RTCIPF who play such a vital role in the maintenance of security in the Turks and Caicos Islands. "I was grateful therefore for the opportunity to meet all the officers and staff at the Grand Turk Police Station, to learn of the challenges they face and to express my thanks for their daily work on behalf of all of us. No mention was made of any mitigating efforts that would be put in place to better the ranks working conditions and the general environment. Magnetic Media reported on Saturday (May 11), that the police press office explained the problem as an old issue that was exacerbated by damages caused during the 2017 hurricanes. "Since hurricane Irma, many buildings require significant remedial work. Government has made funding available and Grand Turk Police Station is one facility that is to undergo significant work. "However there has been an ongoing challenge with the toilets within the cells area of the building which have had work done on them in the past, the RTCIPF reportedly told that media house. A follow up media statement to the media agency stated: "Following a recurrence of this problem an emergency plumber was called to provide what will be a temporary fix until a proper long-term fix is done. "Understandably this produced difficult working conditions and we have ensured an effective cleaning takes place to make the building useable. "We will keep the situation under constant review to ensure the comfort of staff and persons using the station. Last week, the Donald Trump administration had placed Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist. Tech giant Google is said to be ending transfer of hardware, software and technical services to Huawei. (Photo: File | ANI) New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Monday said the issue of whether India needs to take a stand on Huawei is a "larger question" and that it is up to the government to take a call on the matter. Last week, the Donald Trump administration had placed Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist, a move that essentially bans the Chinese firm from purchasing parts and components from American companies without the US government approval. Replying to a query on whether India needs to take a position on Huawei also, Trai Chairman R S Sharma told reporters, "This is a larger question and the government will have to take a call." He did not comment further on the matter. Meanwhile, Huawei has said it will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to its existing smartphones and tablets, even as the future road map of products remains uncertain after the cancellation of its Android licence. Tech giant Google is said to be ending transfer of hardware, software and technical services to Huawei amid the ongoing trade war between the US and China. After recording a negative growth in imports in February, gold imports started registering double-digit growth. The imports dipped about 3 per cent in value terms to USD 32.8 billion during 2018-19. New Delhi: Gold imports increased 54 per cent to USD 3.97 billion in April, widening the country's trade deficit and fuelling worries about the current account deficit (CAD). Imports of the precious metal stood at USD 2.58 billion in April 2018, according to data from the commerce ministry. Increase in gold imports pushed the country's trade deficit to a five-month high of USD 15.33 billion in April. The country's current account deficit (CAD) widened to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the third quarter of the last financial year from 2.1 per cent a year ago, primarily on account of a higher trade deficit, though the foreign exchange reserves continued to soar. CAD is the difference between outflow and inflow of foreign exchange. After recording a negative growth in imports in February, gold imports started registering double-digit growth. In March, it grew 31 per cent to USD 3.27 billion. India is the largest importer of gold, which mainly caters to the demand of the jewellery industry. In volume terms, the country imports 800-900 tonnes of gold annually. The imports dipped about 3 per cent in value terms to USD 32.8 billion during 2018-19. The Congress party and Gandhi have been accusing the EC of being biased and partial. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that the Election Commissions capitulation before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is obvious and the poll watchdog is not feared and respected anymore. Training his guns on the poll body on the last day of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, he listed a host of examples, including Mr Modis visit to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, to accuse the EC of being biased towards the PM. From Electoral Bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, Modis Army & now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commissions capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians, Gandhi tweeted. The EC used to be feared and respected. Not anymore, he said. The Congress chiefs tweet came a day after his party hit out at the poll panel after Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa reportedly wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner that he will be recusing himself from EC meetings as his dissent was not being recorded on clearances given by the poll panel to the PM over alleged poll code violations. While the EC had concluded that NaMo TV, sponsored by the BJP, cant display election matter during the poll silence period, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had described the Indian Army as Modiji ke sena (Prime Minister Narendra Modis Army). The Congress party and Gandhi have been accusing the EC of being biased and partial. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also hit out at the EC, alleging that the poll panel has surrendered its independence. Over a third of the Japanese population today is over 65 years, the International Longevity Centre has found. New Delhi-based Japanese entrepreneur Naho Shigeta is the bridge between a young India and an ageing Japan. Naho, who has been in India for the last 13 years, is exploring venues to shorten the distance between the two countries though technology and human resources. Over a third of the Japanese population today is over 65 years, the International Longevity Centre has found. And, Japan is staring at a serious labour crisis. This is where I come in. I am looking at Indias young tech-friendly generation from Andhra and Telangana to populate Japanese firms. We are eyeing at more than 15 colleges and universities for placement this year. In our first year, we expect five to six companies. We will expand in the next year, says Shigeta, who founded Delhi-based Infobridge Holdings. We are eyeing quality engineers, Shigeta added, saying the pay scale would be good too. Salary and perks would completely depend upon the company and the skills of the candidates. However, I think they would be paid in the range of Rs 5-6 lakhs if employed in India and Rs 15 lakhs if placed in Japan. These should be the starting packages, Shigeta said. Shigeta, who was on her official visit to Mumbai, talked to this newspaper about her business endeavours, her experience of working in India and Indo-Japanese business possibilities. How interested is Japan in investing in India? Japan has been hesitant in coming to India. Though giants like Honda, Sony, Suzuki are very popular in India, they are established players. The Japanese are very popular in South Asia and China. Countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia appreciate Japanese products. Indians are a bit sceptical towards Japanese goods, food and services. Moreover, Japanese dont like to experiment much. They communicate even less. This proves to be a block for the Japanese. Why did you choose India as a destination? India is a big market. The population is increasing. Young engineering graduates struggle for jobs in India. Japan would be ideal for them. The country is not very far from India. Japan already has people working from China and Korea. Japan would be more than willing to welcome Indians. What is the volume of business that you have managed to bring to India? We have just started and we are very small players. But numbers are growing. I am asked over my inability to match the likes of SIDBI and NABARD. I am sure people will appreciate that things take time. Moreover, India is a price-sensitive market. People tend to choose products that offer them the maximum discount. It is difficult to make a profit in India. This is also one of the reasons Japanese firms are reluctant to venture in India. How has been your experience of working in India? Did you have to go through the infamous red-tapeism? What changes would you suggest India to make to attract investors? My experience has been fairly good with India. The Andhra government provided us with full support by accompanying us to the villages and farms. Also, there was no bureaucratic hurdle and it was a smooth ride. But there are some challenges. The central government has brought some changes that has smoothened the process of doing business in India. More than India, I would expect Japanese firms and people to move out and look towards India as a favourable destination. They need to take the initiative. The last decade has seen the growth of women in India in business, policymaking and sports. How do you see this change? This is a welcome change. The entire world has been male-dominated. But things have changed now. Some Indian women entrepreneurs have made themselves global. Japan is also experiencing a social change. And this would stay for long. Tell us about your journey before coming to India. I was working in Japan before moving to China. Chinas population has always been a boon and many Japanese companies were operating in China. Given that India had very few Japanese companies, China was the obvious destination. But China is a regulated market. Also, the competition is fierce. And I always believe in doing something I can excel at. I didnt see that happening in China. So, I sold off the business and moved to India. Tell us about your businesses in India. I started with my venture called Infobridge Holdings in 2006. It is a small organisation with just five employees. We undertake research work and provide business incubator services. We have collaborated with an Indian firm that helps us with research. We are also looking to export people from India to Japan. We are working to hire young engineers from good colleges and universities and help them get placed in Japan. I am also a director of Agribuddy, a firm dealing with farmers and farming. We provide farmers with necessary knowledge and finance. We operate by choosing a buddy and make him in-charge of 15-20 farmers. A buddy takes care of crops and farmers helping them with technology and resources. A buddy is paid on commission basis. Another start-up I have co-founded is named Gastrotope Pvt Ltd Gastrotope looks after the entire agriculture ecosystem accelerating food producers and chefs and building a community to update recipes and methods of farming. Indian middle class is growing. Their food habits are changing. Food being a necessity shall always be up for experiment. What would be you message to budding entrepreneurs? The only message is to keep working hard, keep doing experiments. Dont be afraid of mistakes. Humans are bound to make mistakes. Always remember, failures give you opportunities. Failures never finish you. PM Modi spent around 17 hours at a holy cave near temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Kedarnath valley on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked the Election Commission for allowing him to visit the Kedarnath shrine at a time when the model code was in effect in view of the seventh phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election. The PM spent around 17 hours at a holy cave near the shrine and even offered prayers and performed at the holy shrine. Later while talking to the media the PM said, God has given us capacity to give and not demand. I am fortunate to visit the temple on multiple occasions. He claimed that the medias presence will send a message that the town has been developed well. While referring to the ongoing development works at the temple town, Mr Modi said development should be a mission in which nature, environment and tourism should not be affected. The PM claimed that he had been reviewing the work through video-conferencing. PM had reached the temple town Saturday. On Sunday Mr Modi paid obeisance and performed puja at Badrinath temple on the second day of his two-day visit to Uttarakhand. He reached Badrinath after spending around 20 hours earlier at the holy shrine of Kedarnath. The PM offered prayers at innermost sanctum in Badrinath, another temple in Uttarakhands char dham religious circuit, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This was PMs fourth visit to the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the last two years. The portals of Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines reopened for devotees earlier this month after the winter break. Earlier the Election Co-mmission gave its consent to the PM to visit the two temples while reminding the Prime Ministers Office that the model code of conduct was still in force. Taking note of the redevelopment work at Kedarnath, which was devastated in a series of cloudbursts in 2013, Modi said there is a dedicated team deployed for it and that he too had taken stock of works through video-conferencing with authorities. The work at Kedarnath is now progressing at a proper pace. People, besides visiting Dubai and Singapore, should also visit Kedarnath and other places in India, he said. The prime minister then boarded an Indian Air Force helicopter to Badrinath, another temple in Uttarakhand's "char dham" religious circuit, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. If necessary the Myanmar Army is going to continue this operation for next four-five months by camping in the area, security sources said. Pointing out that first operation was launched in March this year, the security sources said that then the Myanmar Army had not resorted to any aggressive operations. (Representational image) Guwahati: The Myanmar Army has launched a special operation on Friday to chase and drive out the Indian insurgents taking shelter in Naga villages as well as forest of Myanmar. Disclosing that Myanmar government has assured its counterpart in India that they will not allow even a single camp of Indian insurgent groups in its territory, authoritative security sources in the ministry of home affairs told this newspaper that the special operation which has been launched on May 17, would focus on driving out Indian insurgents from its territory. If necessary the Myanmar Army is going to continue this operation for next four-five months by camping in the area, security sources said. Pointing out that first operation was launched in March this year, the security sources said that then the Myanmar Army had not resorted to any aggressive operations. Asking the Indian insurgents and non-citizens to vacate the territory, the Myanmar Army had dismantled all the independent camps of Indian insurgent groups like Ulfa-I, NDFB and Manipur rebel groups, security sources said adding that Myanmar Army had also taken over the control of the NSCN-K headquarters in Taga. Informing that all the Indian insurgent group leaders and cadres were given warning and a deadline to vacate Myanmar, security sources said that Myanmar Army found that majority of insurgents were taking shelter in nearby Naga villages and forest areas. Pointing out that Myanmar Army has also decided to remove the existing NSCN-K camp from Taga area, security sources said that Myanmar Army is going to provide a new location to the NSCN-K for setting up its headquarters but with a strict pre-condition of not providing shelter to any Indian insurgent groups. The NSCN-K, which is holding a ceasefire agreement with Myanmar Army, is also under pressure of signing the national ceasefire agreement with Government of Myanmar, security sources said adding that new operation launched by Myanmar Army is going to be highly aggressive and lethal too. Admitting that Myanmar Army has not used forces in its operation so far, security sources said that it has decided to chase the Indian insurgentsdefying the order of Myanmar Army. Indicating that Myanmar army has already intensified surveillance in Naga village areas, security sources said that more than 500 Indian insurgents are roaming in the area as they have lost their logistic support after their expulsion from Taga areas. Admitting that some of them are also taking shelter in forest areas, security sources said that rainy season has started so it would be highly challenging for them to take shelter in the forest areas. Asserting that Myanmar was sincere in its resolve to check the misuse of its territory against India, security sources however said that China continues to be in denial mode about the presence of Ulfa-I commander-in chief Paresh Baruah in its territory. Security sources attributed these developments in Myanmar to the tough stand of India against militancy and global terrorism. It is learnt, meanwhile, that BSP supremo Mayawati is likely to meet Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday to discuss strategy. New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the second time in as many days. Mr Naidu has been camping in New Delhi for the past three days and meeting top Opposition leaders. Mr Naidu is believed to have told them to draw up strategy in the event the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance falls short of a majority and still stakes claim to forming the government. After his Telugu Desam Party walked out of the NDA, Mr Naidu has been playing a pivotal role in forging Opposition unity against the BJP-led alliance. He also travelled to Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh capital, to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati. It is a pleasure to welcome Honble Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu Ji to Lucknow, Mr Akhilesh Yadav tweeted after the 70-minute meeting. His meeting with Ms Maya-wati also lasted an hour. It is learnt, meanwhile, that BSP supremo Mayawati is likely to meet Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday to discuss strategy. On Sunday, Mr Naidu also met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar in New Delhi. After the meeting, Mr Pawar tweeted: The campaigning of this Lok Sabha Election 2019 has ended and as we await the last phase of polling, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu paid me a visit to discuss the ongoing and future political scenario of our country. The TDP chiefs deliberations are part of his efforts to unite non-NDA parties and bring them together on one platform to stake their claim for the next governments formation in case the NDA fails to get a clear majority. The TDP chief held several rounds of discussions with various Opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. The Opposition parties are in the process of forming a plan if a possibility of staking claim for forming the government comes up after May 23. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also held several meetings with senior leaders of his party, including former PM Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The Congress has already named three senior leaders to talk to other like-minded parties Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Sidhu had held Punjab CM responsible for denial of ticket to his wife Navjot Kaur. Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday criticised Navjot Singh Sidhu for damaging the Congress with his ill-timed comments against him and the party leadership in the state. If he is was a real Congressmen, he should have chosen a better time to air his grievances instead of just ahead of voting in Punjab, said the chief minister in an informal chat with mediapersons before leaving for Patiala to cast his vote, along with other members of his family. His wife and former Union minister Preneet Kaur is contesting from Patiala Lok Sabha seat on behalf of the Congress, and Captain Amarinder expressed the confidence that the party would sweep not just this seat but all the 13 constituencies in Punjab. On the recent controversial and rebellious remar-ks of his cabinet colleag-ue, Navjot Sidhu, who had a few days back accused the chief minister of being responsible for denial of ticket to his wife, Navjot Kaur, from Chandi-garh, Captain Amarinder said he was harming the party with such irresponsible actions. It was not his election but that of the entire Congress, said the chief minister. It was for the high command to decide on any action against Sidhu, but the Congress, as a party, does not tolerate indiscipline, said the chief minister. He personally did not have any differences against Sidhu, whom he had known since the latter was a child, he added. Perhaps he is ambitious and wants to be chief minister, Captain Amarinder remarked in response to a question. Such irritants notwithstanding, the chief minister exuded confidence of a Congress victory in all the 13 seats, saying he was getting very positive reports from all the constituencies, with Congressmen having already started celebrating with distribution of ladoos, indicating their level of confidence. In contrast, the entire Akali leadership, right up to Harsimrat, was down in the dumps and cried out of sheer frustration at their imminent defeat, he added. As for Patiala, he said he was confident of Preneet sweeping the poll by a margin of over one lakh votes. UPA-3 will form the next government at the Centre, with the Congress doing very well across the country, he added with confidence. To a question on the issues that would be the deciding factor in Punjab in these elections, Captain Amarinder said sacrilege was a big issue, especially in the rural areas, as it had hurt the sentiments of every Sikhs. Procurement was another major issue in the rural belt, he said, adding that in urban areas, national issues such as demonetization and GST were more important. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Exit polls projections have placed BJP at the top in UP and followed by the SP-BSP alliance. The result of the exit poll projections might have been the agneda behind the meeting held between the two leaders. (Photo: ANI) Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati held a meeting at the latters residence in Lucknow on Monday. This comes the day after the exit polls were released. Sunday evening saw the calculation of the exit poll projections from various sources and most of them placing the NDA at the top of the list and followed by the SP-BSP alliance in the state of Uttar Pradesh. This has been a matter of concern and that might have been one of the agendas of the meeting between the two leaders of the newly formed alliance in the state. As part of the alliance agreement, the BSP had contested 38 seats and the SP 37 seats leaving 3 for a smaller RLD while deciding not to field any candidate in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the stronghold of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi respectively. The meeting between the SP and BSP bosses on Monday came a day after exit polls projected 300 plus seats for the NDA in the 17th Lok Sabha. The exit polls showed the mahagatbandhan wresting several seats from the BJP in Uttar Pradesh where the saffron party had won 71 of the 80 seats. Some exit polls predicted that the SP-BSP alliance is likely to trump the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The C Voter-Republic forecast gave the grand alliance in UP 40 seats against 38 for the NDA, while the Jan Ki Baat said the NDA may win 46-57 seats against 15-29 of the SP-BSP combine. ABP News predicted a huge loss for the BJP in the state, saying it may get only 22 seats while the opposition alliance may emerge victorious in 56 constituencies. Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Monday appeared to be opting for a wait-and watch-policy till the Lok Sabha election results are announced on May 23. "The future course of action will be decided only after the final results are announced. Till then, she (Mayawati) will be staying put in the state capital," a party source said, requesting anonymity. Different exit polls have suggested that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance is all set to dent the Bharatiya Janata Party's 2014 tally in Uttar Pradesh, though it might not be able to throw a spanner in the formation of an NDA government at the Centre. Against the backdrop of the exit poll projections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav drove to the residence of Mayawati in the morning and held closed-door talks with her for about an hour. Insiders in both the parties, however, were not ready to accept the projections that gave the BJP over 300 seats to form the government with a comfortable margin. "We (SP-BSP-RLD) should get nothing less than 55 seats as the alliance has done exceedingly well. We expect around 60 (out of 80) seats. We not agree with exit poll projections," another source said. Meanwhile, with most of the BSP leaders preferring to remain in their respective districts after hectic electioneering, there was not much activity in the party camp here. "The party leaders will come to the state capital only after May 23. They have been asked to stay in their respective districts and oversee the counting process," a party leader said. Aiming to check the return of NDA at the Centre, Mayawati had opted to sink decades-long differences to enter into an alliance with the SP for the Lok Sabha election. In the 2014 general election, the BJP had won 71 seats, ally Apna Dal bagged 2, Samajwadi Party 5 and the Congress 2, while the BSP drew a blank. The BJP's impressive show in Uttar Pradesh helped the BJP to pull off a record 282 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha to oust the Congress, which was decimated to just 44 seats. With 80 Lok Sabha seats, Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of seats in the lower house of Parliament. With inputs from PTI. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Blame it on Bieber: Iceland canyon too popular with visitors. In the viral video watched over 440 million times on YouTube since 2015 Bieber stomped on mossy vegetation, dangled his feet over a cliff and bathed in the freezing river underneath the sheer walls of the canyon. (Photo: AP) Iceland: A large sign warns motorists that Icelands Fjadrargljufur canyon is closed to visitors but drivers keep on coming down the narrow gravel road. A ranger at a roadblock has to explain why no one can pass: The vulnerable landscape cannot sustain more visitors. Blame Justin Bieber, the Canadian pop star with a worldwide reach. Biebers magical music video Ill Show You was filmed at the canyon and seen by millions, creating overwhelming demand for the once-pristine spot. For a chance to follow in Biebers footsteps his fans are not letting a few fences, signs or park rangers keep them away. Eager visitors try to sweet-talk ranger Hanna Johannsdottir into opening the gate. Some offer bribes. They should know in advance its not going to work. Food from peoples home country is the most common bribery, said Johannsdottir, who recently turned down a free trip to Dubai in exchange for looking the other way at trespassers. The Bieber-inspired influx is one part of a larger challenge for Iceland the North Atlantic island nation may be too spectacular and too popular for its own good. Last year 2.3 million tourists visited Iceland, compared with just 6,00,000 eight years ago. The 20% annual uptick in visitors has been out of proportion with infrastructure that is needed to protect Icelands volcanic landscape, where soil forms slowly and erodes quickly. Environment Minister Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson said it is a bit too simplistic to blame the entire situation on Justin Bieber but urged famous, influential visitors to consider the consequences of their actions. Rash behaviour by one famous person can dramatically impact an entire area if the mass follows, he told The Associated Press. Bieber has the third-largest Twitter account at over 105 million followers, after Katy Perry and Barack Obama, according to friendorfollow.com and he has over 112 million followers on Instagram. In the viral video watched over 440 million times on YouTube since 2015 Bieber stomped on mossy vegetation, dangled his feet over a cliff and bathed in the freezing river underneath the sheer walls of the canyon. In Justin Biebers defence, the canyon did not, at the time he visited, have rope fences and designated paths to show what was allowed and what not, Gudbrandsson said. Over 1 million people have visited the area since the release of the video, the Environment Agency of Iceland estimates, leaving deep scars on its vegetation. After remaining closed for all but five weeks this year, it is expected to reopen again this summer only if weather conditions are dry. Icelanders are reluctant to fault the pop star who enjoys enormous support on the island. About 12% of Icelands entire population 38,000 people attended his two concerts in Reykjavik, the capital, a year after the video was released. Locals underestimated the canyons potential as a major attraction because its relatively small compared to those formed by the countrys powerful glacier rivers. But unlike others, it is easily accessed and requires less than a kilometre (0.6 miles) of trekking. The selfies and drone images have stopped for now but more exposure is coming. The latest season of the popular HBO drama Game of Thrones features scenes filmed at the canyon. The nearby Skogar waterfall and the Svinafells glacier are also backdrops in the fictional Thrones world of warriors and dragons. Inga Palsdottir, director of the national tourism agency Visit Iceland, said a single film shot or a viral photograph has often put overlooked places on the map. The exit polls have, however, made it clear that if the Congress and the AAP had forged a pre-poll alliance. New Delhi: If the exit polls are to be believed, then BJP is either going to retain all the seven Parliamentary seats or lose one of them in the national capital. The exit polls indicate that one of the seven seats could go in favour of the Congress and AAP will even not be able to open its account. The exit polls have, however, made it clear that if the Congress and the AAP had forged a pre-poll alliance, the election results could have been the other way around and worked in their favour. According to Times Now-VMR exit poll, the BJP is going to retain six of the seven Parliamentary seats in Delhi. According to the Times Now-VMR exit poll, the BJP is to get 42.8 per cent vote share while Congress will get 24.2 per cent and AAP 25.6 per cent votes. If the votes polled by the AAP and the Congress are put together, it is more than that of the BJP, thus indicating that had the two parties joined hands before the elections, the results could have easily worked in their favour. The exit polls by News 24 / Todays Chanakya and India TV / CNX shows that the BJP was going to retain all the seven Lok Sabha seats. In 2009, the seven seats were won by the Congress. But the exit poll by India Today / Axis shows that the BJP could either win all the seven seats or may lose one to the Congress. The question arises which one seat could go in favour of the Congress. If poll pundits are to be believed, the Congress could either win Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi or New Delhi seat. In Chandni Chowk seat, Union minister and sitting BJP MP Dr Harsh Vardhan is contesting against former MP and Congress candidate and former MP J.P. Aggarwal. In North East Delhi, city Congress president and three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit had been pitted against Delhi BJP unit head and sitting MP Manoj Tiwari. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Deliverance of democracy is critical and is dependent on leadership. New Delhi: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday addressed the convocation ceremony of Indian Institute of Democratic Leadership (IIDL) at the Constitution Club. She distributed degrees to students who have successfully completed the one year post-graduate diploma in leadership and governance. The institute is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). While addressing the gathering, Ms Sitharaman said, The Prabodhini has come up with a good course for young minds in this open democratic system. It has evolved as a rigorous training and methodology for political leadership. A vacuum existed in terms of learning about political and public participation in democratic system. In order to participate in democracy, a curriculum like this is a big service to public policy. The programme is targeted at students and young professionals who wish to make a career in the field of politics, governance, public affairs, and leadership. The institute aspires to play a proactive role in the process of democracy as the democratic process has become much more engaging and participative than ever. The youth is more aware of their rights and duties. There was no institute of democracy in India. This is Indias first democratic leadership institution. Deliverance of democracy is critical and is dependent on leadership. Hence, to expose the younger generation of the country to leadership and show them what it takes to deliver good governance, the program was started, said Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the BJP MP and vice-chairman of RMP. For the first time in India, a structured post graduate course to comprehensively understand leadership science, politics, and governance was launched last year by IIDL. The nine-month residential post graduate programme in leadership, politics, and governance course entails creating skills and competencies needed for leadership in politics, governance, and public affairs, he added. IIDL was set up by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP), which is a Mumbai based research and training academy working for capacity building of people, representatives, political party workers, and voluntary social workers. The second batch of IIDL, the nine-month programme launched by IIDL, include class lectures as well as field training that will be conducted in Gujarat and Delhi. The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot (10-meter) tall temple. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple. (Photo:AP) Coral Springs, Florida: A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting was set ablaze Sunday in a symbolic gesture of healing. The "Temple of Time" public art installation was set afire at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot (10-meter) tall temple. Described as "therapeutic" by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the center of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temple's needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable. The lacelike designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. "It's kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many," said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. "The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. It's the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community." San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600-square-foot (150-square-meter) Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's foundation. A lone gunman's attack killed 17 students and staffers and injured 17 others on Feb. 14, 2018. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. On Sunday, Best said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. "Let's watch out for one another," Best said. "This is a community that went through hell." The official's remarks came after a 10-member Pakistani delegation attended a two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group. The Orlando plenary will actually set the stage for Pakistan's future even though a formal announcement would come out at the next FATF plenary. (Photo:AP) Islamabad: Pakistan needs to launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to secure enough support to come out of the greylist or prevent itself from falling into the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) next month, a senior government official has said. The official's remarks came after a 10-member Pakistani delegation attended a two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) of the Paris-based global watchdog FATF in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou where it defended Pakistan's efforts against money laundering and terror financing. The senior official, who participated in the APG meeting in Guangzhou last week, told the Dawn newspaper that the coming FATF Plenary and Working Group meetings in Orlando, Florida, scheduled for June 16-21, would be crucial for Pakistan to get rid of the greylist or falling into the blacklist and having serious economic repercussions. The Orlando plenary will actually set the stage for Pakistan's future even though a formal announcement would come out at the next FATF plenary due in Paris on October 18-23, he said. Hence, an aggressive diplomatic effort over the next four weeks is required to secure enough support and votes to exit the grey list, the report said. Pakistan was now fully compliant with the related United Nations resolutions, the official said. Pakistan has taken aggressive steps over the last two months in terms of regulatory and monitoring mechanism to meet the FATF requirements and its legal system is generally up to the mark, except some amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010 pending before the National Assembly's standing committee on finance and revenue, the report said. "We believe we have generally delivered on the technical side i,e legal and administrative action, regulations, monitoring, enforcement and inter-agency and stakeholder coordination and now require more of the diplomatic push to counter the adversaries," said the official. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was expected to get a briefing on the Guangzhou meeting and on the way forward on Monday. The official said it was expected Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi would now coordinate with stakeholders on a strategy to reach out to the world capitals in difficult diplomatic environment where the US-India grouping has greater influence and non-aligned members of the FATF prefer to abstain than siding with Pakistan. According to the report, Pakistan required about 15-16 votes to move out of the grey list and a minimum of three votes to avoid falling into the blacklist. The FATF currently comprises 36 members with voting powers and two regional organisations, representing most of the major financial centres in all parts of the globe. The FATF plenary had formally placed Pakistan in the grey list in June 2018 after the country could not secure a minimum of three votes. On May 3, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India will ask the FATF to put Pakistan on a blacklist of countries that fail to meet international standards in stopping financial crime. China is set to secure FATF presidency next year while Saudi Arabia representing the Gulf Cooperation Council is to become a full FATF member. Turkey was the only member that stood by Pakistan despite a strong campaign launched by the US, the UK, India and Europe. Pakistan's seriousness to act against proscribed terror outfits and its efforts to curb money laundering and terror financing were questioned by members of a regional affiliate of the FATF at the Guangzhou meeting. The official said the Pakistani delegation presented a robust case before the APG panel on the country's progress on the 10-point action plan committed with the global watchdog despite tough questioning from some participants. The APG would now submit its findings, based on Pakistan's report and question-answer session, to the FATF in its June 16-21 Plenary and Working Group meetings in the United States. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. New data from Novel START, an open-label trial designed to reflect real-world practice, has demonstrated the effectiveness of Symbicort Turbuhaler (budesonide/formoterol) as a potential anti-inflammatory reliever in mild asthma.1 These results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine and are being presented at the American Thoracic Society 2019 International Conference.1 The trial compared Symbicort Turbuhaler with two commonly used treatment regimens in mild asthma. In real-world practice, patients typically use a short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) reliever in response to symptoms or daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) maintenance therapy with a SABA reliever. In this trial, patients with mild asthma were randomised to receive either albuterol (a SABA reliever) taken as-needed, or budesonide (an ICS maintenance treatment) plus albuterol as-needed, or Symbicort Turbuhaler used as an anti-inflammatory reliever therapy taken as-needed.1 Symbicort Turbuhaler demonstrated a 51% reduction in the rate of annual asthma exacerbations compared to albuterol. There was no difference in the exacerbation rate between Symbicort Turbuhaler and twice-daily maintenance budesonide plus albuterol, despite a 52% reduction in the mean steroid dose with Symbicort Turbuhaler.1 These data support the findings of the SYGMA 1 and 2 trials published in May 2018.2,3 Alex de Giorgio-Miller, Therapy Area Vice President, Respiratory, Global Medical Affairs, said: There are an estimated 176 million asthma attacks globally each year and all asthma patients, regardless of their disease severity, are at risk of severe attacks. The Novel START trial demonstrates the effectiveness of Symbicort as an anti-inflammatory reliever to reduce the risk of asthma attacks in patients with mild disease, compared with the most commonly used asthma reliever. In a trial that reflects real-world practice, these data reinforce evidence from the SYGMA trials and build on the established clinical profile of Symbicort in moderate-to-severe disease. Professor Richard Beasley, Director of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand said: Asthma attacks are a major burden in mild disease. SABA relievers do not address the underlying inflammation in asthma, and patients with mild disease who rely on SABA alone are at greater risk of asthma attacks than those taking an anti-inflammatory therapy. Novel START showed that Symbicort used as an anti-inflammatory reliever was superior to as-needed SABA for the prevention of asthma attacks in mild disease. Novel START was conducted by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and was funded by a research grant from AstraZeneca and core institutional funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Safety and tolerability data for Symbicort Turbuhaler as-needed were consistent with the known profile of the medicine. The most commonly reported adverse events in the Novel START trial were upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis and asthma.1 Symbicort Turbuhaler is approved as a maintenance and reliever therapy in many countries for moderate-to-severe asthma, and as an anti-inflammatory reliever as-needed in patients with mild asthma in Brazil and Russia. A regulatory submission to expand the indication for Symbicort Turbuhaler as an anti-inflammatory reliever in mild asthma has been accepted in Europe. In the US, Symbicort is approved for use in a pressurised metered-dose inhaler device, but not the Turbuhaler device. About Novel START Novel START (Novel Symbicort Turbuhaler Asthma Reliever Therapy) is Externally Sponsored Scientific Research (ESR). The primary objective of the trial was to assess the efficacy of Symbicort Turbuhaler given as an anti-inflammatory reliever as-needed in adults with mild asthma. The 52-week pragmatic trial supports the findings of the double-blind, double-dummy SYGMA trials (also published in the New England Journal of Medicine), but in an open-label treatment regimen reflecting real-world practice in 668 patients aged 18-75 years in Australia, Italy, New Zealand and the UK with a self-reported doctor-diagnosis of asthma. Patients were enrolled if they had used a SABA inhaler as sole asthma therapy in the previous 3 months and required use of SABA on 2 occasions in the previous 4 weeks (but on average 2 occasions per day in the previous 4 weeks). In the trial, Symbicort Turbuhaler as-needed (200/6 g; n=220) was compared to SABA treatment with albuterol (known as salbutamol in many countries) as-needed (100 g; n=223), and maintenance ICS therapy with budesonide twice-daily plus albuterol as-needed (200 g and 100 g, respectively; n=225). These comparators reflect two of the treatment options most commonly used in clinical practice for the management of mild asthma. The results of the primary outcome measurements are: Symbicort Turbuhaler demonstrated a 51% reduction in the rate of annual asthma exacerbations versus SABA treatment with albuterol as-needed (absolute rate 0.195 vs 0.400 per patient per year, respectively; relative rate 0.49 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.72), P<0.001). demonstrated a 51% reduction in the rate of annual asthma exacerbations versus SABA treatment with albuterol as-needed (absolute rate 0.195 vs 0.400 per patient per year, respectively; relative rate 0.49 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.72), P<0.001). There was no difference in the exacerbation rate between Symbicort Turbuhaler as-needed and maintenance budesonide plus as-needed albuterol (absolute rate 0.195 and 0.175 per patient per year, respectively; relative rate 1.12 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.79), P=0.65). (The mean budesonide dose with Symbicort Turbuhaler as-needed and maintenance budesonide was 107 g/day and 222 g/day, respectively.) About asthma Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease, and it affects the health and day-to-day lives of as many as 339 million adults and children worldwide.4 It is characterised by recurrent breathlessness and wheezing which varies over time, and which varies in severity and frequency from person to person.5 All asthma patients are at risk of severe attacks, regardless of their disease severity, adherence to treatment or level of control.6,7,8 There are an estimated 176 million asthma attacks globally per year;9 these attacks are physically threatening and emotionally significant for many patients.10 However, despite the fact that asthma is a chronic, variable inflammatory disease, patients are either under-prescribed or under-use their anti-inflammatory preventer therapy and over-rely on their SABA reliever, which can mask symptom worsening.11,12,13,14 Taking a SABA inhaler alone during or after a worsening of symptoms does not address the underlying inflammation, leaving patients at risk of asthma attack and potential exposure to frequent bursts of oral corticosteroids.15 About Symbicort Symbicort is a combination formulation containing budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that treats underlying inflammation, and formoterol, a long-acting beta2-agonist bronchodilator (LABA) with a fast onset of action, in a single inhaler. Symbicort is approved as a treatment regimen for patients with moderate to severe disease. Symbicort was launched in 2000 and is approved in approximately 120 countries to treat asthma and/or COPD either as Symbicort Turbuhaler or Symbicort pMDI (pressurised metered-dose inhaler). About AstraZeneca in respiratory diseases Respiratory is one of AstraZenecas main therapy areas, and our medicines reached more than 18 million patients as maintenance therapy in 2018. AstraZenecas aim is to transform asthma and COPD treatment through inhaled combinations at the core of care, biologics for the unmet needs of specific patient populations, and scientific advancements in disease modification. The Company is building on a 40-year heritage in respiratory disease and AstraZenecas capability in inhalation technology spans pressurised metered-dose inhalers and dry powder inhalers, as well as the Aerosphere delivery technology. The company also has a growing portfolio of respiratory biologics including Fasenra (anti-eosinophil, antiIL-5R), now approved for severe, eosinophilic asthma and in development for severe nasal polyposis and other potential indications, and tezepelumab (anti-TSLP), which has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration in patients with severe asthma and is in Phase III trials. AstraZenecas research aims at addressing underlying disease drivers by focusing on the lung epithelium, lung immunity, lung regeneration and neuronal functions. The deal comes after the WA government publicly said last year that it supports the increased use of PBAs in a broader range of government projects from 1 July 2019. It also comes as the issue of timely payments to suppliers, contractors and subcontractors has been front and centre after the Murray Report at the national level and the Fiocco Report in WA. We are the first local government in WA, and possibly Australia, to include the requirement for a project bank account on a project like this, said Glen Dougall, director of city business for the City of Fremantle. The PBA will guarantee subcontractors are paid within one day of the head contractor being paid, and that the head contractor can only take their portion once they have paid the subbies. Jackson McDonald said that its PBA documentation gives principals the ability to demonstrate responsibility for timely payment to subcontractors. It also gives contractors the ability to demonstrate real security of payment to subcontractors, as well as give subcontractors payment security. At Jackson McDonald, weve developed our own suite of PBA documents, tailor-made for principals, and designed to simplify the process of implementing and managing a PBA for all concerned, Hunt said. We made sure that the city had the ability to view the PBAs and to take over if things went wrong but without having to commit resources to actively oversee the payment process or make direct contact with subcontractors, Jacobs said. The fun stopped when a police cruiser summoned them to pull over, after the officer noticed the speeding car, Fox9 reports. However, the driver didnt obey commands and continued driving at a high rate of speed.At the time, the deputies had no idea they were dealing not with one, but two underage suspects.The deputy pursued the car, with speeds reaching 100 mph. Authorities used tire deflation devices, which were unsuccessful, before the suspect crashed south of Perham, Minn., the report says.The driver and passenger, both 13-year-old males, were not hurt and were arrested without further incident. Officials later learned that the car was stolen from Deer Creek, Minn. The driver was taken to Moorhead Juvenile Detention Center and the passenger was released to a relative, adds the same media outlet.The report doesnt say whether alcohol was also involved or if the two had participated in the theft of the vehicle.Just last week, New Mexico police also had to deal with a very young and reckless driver, when they engaged in a pursuit of a speeding vehicle whose driver refused to pull over. The car stopped after crashing through a stop sign and nearly hitting 2 police cruisers, and officers were shocked to find a drunk 12-year-old girl at the wheel She was traveling with 3 other girls, just as young and all of them intoxicated. It turns out that the driver had stolen her grandpas car and took her friends for a joyride, while getting wasted on Smirnoff vodka and canned alcoholic iced teas.The drivers father told police they should let her spend the night in jail if they saw fit. SUV But the Audi Q7 has nothing in common with the R8, obviously excluding the badge.This incident happened in Russia at least three days ago, which makes perfect sense considering most of the cool crashes happen on the weekend.We have a video from a local drag racer, though there's no way of knowing if it's the original copy. In addition, Carscoops gathersa handful of photos from the site and reports that despite the severity of the impact, nobody was killed.Apparently, thecrashed side-on into a pole and ripped itself into two large pieces. Now, we have seen this happen with much older cars, but usually, the bodywork is completely mangled, whereas here at least three of the doors look 90% intact. And it's a relatively new model which is supposed to have a super-solid chassis.Our best guess is that this is not one SUV, but pieces of two. The first video we shared from Russian mechanic Arthur showed him making one clean-looking BMW 7 Series from two wrecks. It's a cheap way to get an expensive model, but there might be repercussions.Looking at the wreck, we see how the roof wrapped itself off, which means it was probably bonded, not welded on. This works when you just have to fix that part on a damaged car, but here, the Q7 must have been put back together somewhere around the rear doors.Of course, this is only our interpretation. Maybe our Russian readers have extra info. The Launch Edition is $60,815, and guess what? Every example of the breed sold out in a single day, and this goes to show that Jeep can sell anything as long as the hype is big enough. The question is, where to go if you demand more suck-squeeze-bang-blow than the Pentastar V6?Dynatrac Products came up with the Codex for the 2019 Overland Expo, and under the hood, youll find the Hellcat engine that Jeep utilizes in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk . The V8 started life as the Hellcrate, which retails at $16,800 excluding shipping. In addition to the 707-horsepower engine swap, the Dynatrac Codex is 20 inches shorter than the bone-stock Gladiator.The two-door rig was modified by Americas Most Wanted 4x4, a customization shop in Holly, Michigan. These people are much obliged to swap the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 in the engine bay of the Gladiator for $78,235 including the donor vehicle, and thats a lot of greenback when you think about it.Americas Most Wanted 4x4 is also responsible for turning the 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel into a 707-horsepower pickup truck, a preview for the Rebel TRX that Ram is developing right now. In hindsight, the aftermarket can do anything as long as the customers pockets are deep enough.Turning our attention back to the Dynatrac Codex, the roof-mounted tent, bed cap, and roof rack are a few other highlights. Custom bumpers, auxiliary LED lighting, and off-road suspension round off the one-of-a-kind project.Specialized in axles for off-road vehicles, Dynatrac also manufactures ball joints for the Ram HD and suspension lift kits for the Wrangler. In November 1988, Dynatrac became an official business. Four years later, the company moved out of the founders garage into a machine shop. Fast-forward to 2002, and that's when the ProRock 60 put Dynatrac on the map as an alternative to Dana. A Marion County man is in custody after investigators say he set fire to his ex-wifes home last night and led deputies on a chase that ended in Levy County. Were following the developments this morning on #News6. pic.twitter.com/2mEcjhwJr6 Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) May 15, 2019 A neighbor shared this video of the home deputies say was set on fire by the homeowners ex-husband on Tuesday. Luis Pereira faces charges of arson and fleeing & eluding law enforcement after investigators say he led them on a chase into Levy County. https://t.co/YdhynWIBiZ pic.twitter.com/9UL3LWcUCA Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) May 15, 2019 Also like that GoT character, Oswald Pereira didnt get away with it. Despite his attempts at eluding justice, the long arm of the law proved to be long enough to stretch across two counties and apprehend him. The Dodge Charger , which was painted like the famous General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, wasnt much help either.It all happened last week in Morriston, Marion County, Florida, ClickOrlando reports. Pereira douse everything in the house in gasoline and set it ablaze, before jumping into a newer Dodge Charger model and driving off. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they had to remove Pereiras ex-wife and 2 dogs from the house, but no one was hurt.Meanwhile, Pereira was on the move. Chased by cops, he eventually ditched the Charger for a GMC Yukon and crossed into the next county. Officers eventually found him hiding out in the closet of a mobile home. He was arrested without further incident.No one was hurt in the entire incident except Pereira himself: when the officers caught him, he had burns on almost 15 percent of his body, so he was rushed to the hospital for treatment before he was moved into police custody.Pereira is now facing charges of arson, fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, resisting without violence and 3 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.Neighbors tell ClickOrlando that he is actually a famous jockey and that he must have been under a lot of stress to have acted this way. In April this year, he was arrested for petit theft and, one month prior, for aggravated domestic battery. According to CNN , citing a letter sent by the company's CEO Jim Hackett to employees this week, the Blue Oval will save around $600 million per year with this move. The process is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, May 21.Of the 7,000 jobs, 2,400 are said to be in North America, and about 1,500 of them will be cut through a buyout deal. The process is expected to end by August,This is not the first news of this type coming from Ford this year, and it's unclear whether today's number includes cuts announced in the past. In March, Ford said it will trim down the number of employees in Germany by 5,000, and earlier in May it said 500 jobs in the UK will be slashed Back in April, Ford published its first quarter 2019 financial report, with the numbers showing decreasing revenue caused by global industry decline and the discontinuation of the North America Focus.The companys net income was down too, yet Ford remains optimistic about the future and believes the measures currently in place will secure a better future for the company.With a solid plan in place, we promised 2019 would be a year of action and execution for Ford, and thats what we delivered in the first quarter, said Jim Hackett in April.Were pleased with the progress and the optimism that it brings. Our global team continues to restlessly strive to improve our operational fitness, delight customers with ever-improving vehicles and services, and prepare Ford to win in the future.To build its new future, Ford announced a $1 billion investment in its Chicago plants in February, adding 500 full-time jobs. NASA released last week a photo taken at the beginning of the month that shows the spacecraft that will carry the rover to its mission location. The spacecraft was photographed in the Space Simulator Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, prior to the start of testing.At the top of the photo, still suspended by cables, is the complete cruise stage, the one that will be used to transport the rover through the vastness of interplanetary space for a period of seven months.Beneath it lies the aeroshell, the protective layer for the rover as it makes its descent to the Martian surface.Somewhere inside the spacecraft, hidden from view, are the complete descent stage and a copy of the rover that will be used on the actual mission.The Mars 2020 rover will leave Earth on top of an Atlas V rocket, which will place it into orbit. From there, it will continue its trip inside the spacecraft pictured here.The Mars 2020 mission is scheduled to depart in July or August next year, depending on weather conditions. After seven months the spacecraft and its cargo will reach their destination in February 2021.The machine will land in the Jezero Crater on the western edge of Isidis Planitia, an impact basin north of the Martian equator. It is 28 miles wide (45 kilometers wide) and is believed to have once been home to a river Delta.One of the rover's crucial assignments is to look for signs of ancient life assessing the habitability of the environment, but it is also tasked with tracking natural resources and hazards and even trying to generate oxygen. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled over on the highway in Okeechobee County when he noticed he shirtless man wandering around, NewsWeek reports. Shane Jensen looked like he needed medical attention and the trooper spent minutes talking to him, trying to find out what was wrong.When the trooper turned to speak to a road ranger, with the same goal of offering Jensen medical assistance, Jensen jumped in the patrol cruiser and sped off. The cruiser was a 2013 Dodge Charger and Jensen made sure he made the most of it: the report notes that the ensuing high-speed chase that stretched across 2 counties saw him hitting speeds of 150mph.Jensen was able to avoid the first roadblock troopers set out. He first brought the car to a halt and, as officers approached the vehicle with guns drawn, he hit the accelerator once more.At the second roadblock, the suspect assumed he had better chances of escaping on foot. He jumped out of the car and over the median into oncoming traffic, and disappeared in the woods.Despite his assumption, police caught him shortly after. A video of the chase is available at the NewsWeek link above.No one was injured in the incident. Jensen had a $400,000 warrant out of Pinellas County for carjacking and aggravated assault with a hammer, the publication notes. He has been charged with grand theft, high speed fleeing, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and reckless driving.The report says nothing of the damage done to the troopers Dodge Charger, or if any other vehicles were damaged in the chase. Toyota, one of the biggest importers of such goods, and a company that is used to kicking back when disturbed, retorted with an angry message, defending both its business and its impact on Americans in the decades since it entered the country.Calling the Proclamation a major setback for American consumers, Toyota says the document released by the White House is a message that its investments are not welcome in the country, and that the contributions made by its 475,000 employees are not valued.A limitation of imports, says the carmaker, would have the opposite effect of what is desired, and will not create more jobs or stimulate the economy."These artificial limitations would reduce consumer choice and impact all automakers since vehicle parts used in U.S. manufacturing are sourced from around the globe," the carmaker stressed in a statement."If import quotas are imposed, the biggest losers will be consumers who will pay more and have fewer vehicle choices."Still fighting at the top of the sales charts each year with much larger auto group Volkswagen, Toyota relies heavily on the sales it makes in the United States. The company had a market share of over 12 percent last year, and the over 2 million cars sold in 2018 in the U.S. accounted for roughly a quarter of its global sales.Losing even a fraction of those sales would be a hurdle nearly impossible to overcome.The carmaker is now in a waiting pattern, trying to see what Donald Trump decides is the best course of action. In ending its statement, the carmaker said it hopes upcoming negotiations would be swift and "yield what is best for the American consumer, workers and the auto industry." For instance, as mentioned in the title above, the 2020/2021 Neunelfer Turbo Cabriolet crossed paths with the 2020 Toyota Supra. So why is the Japanese supercar still blitzing the infamous German track?Well, rumor has it that Toyota is preparing an even more spicy incarnation of the new Supra. And there are certain clues that point towards this.For instance, the 2019 BMW Z4 , which shares its plarform and engines with the Mk V Supra, packs some 40 hp extra in its top trim.Then there's the fact that the Toyota Supra comes with a lot of untapped potential, such as the necessary arrangements for a front axle strut tower bar (but the bar itself is missing), fake vents that could be used to channel air, or a rear "hatch" that's strong enough to hold a wing without such an aero element being present.And with Toyota explaining that the said elements are simply there to give something back to the tuning community (perhaps for turning the Mk IV Supra into a legend), such a reason just doesn't seem enough.As for the 992-generation Porsche 911 Turbo, both Coupe and Cabriolet prototypes have been spotted on multiple occasions. And let's not forget the leak showcasing the production design of the fixed-rood model, albeit with the said example of the supercar probably packing the rumored Aerokit.On the tech front, we can expect Porsche to upgrade the 3.8-liter flat-six that has motivated the machine for more than one generation, with the Turbo potentially delivering close to 600 hp.This rumor mill path leads to the ".2" mid-cycle revamp introducing an all-new unit for the Turbo, as well as seeing the Turbo S, which might not land meanwhile, becoming the Turbo S E-Hybrid. Mitsubishi Motors has announced that its chief executive officer (CEO) Osamu Masuko will be stepping down after the companys annual general shareholders meeting on June 21. Masuko will be replaced by Takao Kato, who is currently the president of Mitsubishi Motors Indonesia. Despite stepping down as CEO, Masuko will retain his role as chairman of the board. Masuko is a 47-year veteran at Mitsubishi, having joined the company back in 1972. He became president in 2007 before elevating to the position of chairman and CEO in 2014. His successor, Kato, joined Mitsubishi Motors in 1984. Since then, he has held various positions in Russia and Nagoya, Japan before being appointed as president of Mitsubishi Motors Indonesia in 2015. During his time as CEO, Masuko had driven the company to profit following years of losses. With the companys limited resources, he focused development on crossover vehicles as well as emerging markets, leading to vehicles such as the Eclipse Cross and the Xpander. He was also the one sealed the deal of Mitsubishi joining Renault-Nissan, which led to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance we know today. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Windy with showers developing this afternoon. High 47F. Winds SW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Hundreds of demonstrators marched to Alabamas state Capitol to protest the restrictive new abortion ban Saturday, AL.com first reported. Details: Many protesters chanted, "My body, my choice," AP reports. Planned Parenthood Southeast CEO and president Staci Fox told the crowd: "Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion." Why it matters: Alabama is the latest conservative state to pass a bill aimed at limiting abortions, but it is the most restrictive in the U.S. State lawmakers have said their eventual aim is to challenge abortion protections that have existed at the federal level since Roe v. Wade in 1973. The big picture: President Trump criticized conservative abortion bans that don't make exceptions for rape and incest cases and when a woman's life is threatened, as is the case with the Alabama bill Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law. Many 2020 hopefuls have publicly opposed the push for strict abortion laws, including Trump's only major GOP primary challenger, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. Australian voters turned against center-left opponents pushing aggressive strategies to combat climate change when they re-elected Australia's conservative government in the country's national elections on Saturday, WSJ reports. Our thought bubble: The elections indicate that Australia will continue to closely resemble the Trump administration's positioning on climate change. Climate change, and whether to act aggressively to address it, featured prominently in this election. So, the results suggest that either voters don't care as much about the issue compared to others or they prefer less aggressive measures like what the current leadership is pursuing. The big picture: WSJ writes... "Climate change, a thorny problem that has ripped apart governments, re-emerged as an election issue following a summer of wildfires, drought, floods and extreme temperatures: Voter support for policies aimed at addressing climate change was at the highest level since 2007. But, as in the U.S., divisions grew more stark as the issue gathered steam." One level deeper: Several Liberal Party candidates won in the state of Queensland, near the Great Barrier Reef, per NYT. Prime Minister Scott Morrison campaigned in support of major coal mine projects like the proposed Adani coal mine in that region, which would be one of the largest in the world if approved by the government. "Voters favored immediate concerns about jobs over the risks of climate change," the Times reports. Go deeper: NYT analysis of the election and the climate change angle. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Mostly cloudy. Near record high temperatures. High 79F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. President Trump told Fox News' "'The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton" he's "very happy" about the trade war with the Chinese which he said prompted firms to move production out of China and in to other Asian countries. Because I love the farmer, we are going to be taking in possibly $100 billion, possibly more than that in tariffs." Why it matters: The trade war has been crippling for U.S. farmers. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) told "Fox News Sunday" earlier the tariffs "are absolutely painful" for farmers, but if it meant striking a good deal with China, "we might look back and say this was worth the price we are paying." Trump's comments come days after he issued an executive order paving the way for a ban on the Chinese-owned Huawei. As a result, Google has stopped providing non-public hardware or software to Huawei the second leading provider of Android devices. The big picture: In his wide-ranging interview with Hilton, Trump said he's confident of striking a deal with China because "theyre getting killed with the tariffs." He said he told Chinese President Xi Jinping any agreement couldn't be 50-50 because of China's past trade practices. The president also attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for saying China's "not competition for us." He added Biden should "100%" be investigated for claims made in a 2018 book in which it's alleged the former vice president's son Hunter Biden took advantage of his fathers position to sign a business deal with the Bank of China. Trump told Hilton if Hillary Clinton had become president, "China would have been a much bigger economy than us by the end of her term and now its not even going to be close." Go deeper: In recent years, the accelerating cross-border flow of migrants fleeing violence and poverty has remade the politics of Europe and the United States. What to watch: A startling new study from Stanford University warns that the conflicts we've seen to date may just be the opening act of a much larger and more dangerous drama. Here's the study's argument in brief: In 20072008, a drought wiped out the livelihoods of huge numbers of Syrians living in the countryside, forcing them into already overcrowded cities. This forced internal migration created stresses that combined with existing problems to create social unrest, a harsh government crackdown and then a civil war. The war created an exodus of millions of desperate Syrians toward neighboring countries and then to Europe, where more than 1 million of them landed in 2015. This wave of refugees, joined by migrants from other places, sparked intense fear and hostility among some in Europe, creating opportunities for politicians to win support with vows to stop the flow. That's a major reason why xenophobic populism has become Europe's fastest-growing political phenomenon. In 20142018, an unusually severe drought hit Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Years of erratic weather, failed harvests and a chronic lack of jobs decimated entire villages in all three countries and created strong incentives for migrants to try to reach the United States. The arrival of these migrants at the U.S. southern border further polarized the politics of a country already divided over immigration, racial tensions and lost manufacturing jobs. Now a look to the future. The report warns that populations are set to explode in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Central America in coming years. The working-age population of sub-Saharan Africa alone is expected to increase by nearly a billion people between 2020 and 2060. Over time, we're likely to see "regional demographic explosions of young people." In coming decades, overcrowding in these places will exacerbate desertification, water shortages and urbanization. Mounting ecological stresses will provoke violent political conflict, forcing more people to hit the road in search of a better life. In other words: The combination of extreme weather patterns and growing populations of young people in poorer countries will combine to create more migration, more political anger and a greater risk of conflict within and among countries. But, but, but: The study's authors say this bad news is not inevitable. Good government, in both poor and rich countries, can help avoid this risk. If poor countries invest more in education, they can create jobs and other opportunities that persuade many more people that they can build a safe and prosperous future, for themselves and their families, where they are. It's in the interest of rich countries to help. And governments of rich and poor countries can work together much more effectively to slow the advance of climate change. If they do, say the study's authors, both sides will benefit. Sign up for Signal, a thrice-weekly newsletter from GZERO Media, a Eurasia Group company. Thursday morning, Axios Executive Editor Mike Allen talked news of the day and infrastructure policies with lawmakers in a nod to the 7th annual Infrastructure Week, held in Washington, D.C. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy speaks with Axios' Mike Allen. Photo: Chuck Kennedy for Axios House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spoke with Mike Allen about the infrastructure bill in Congress and the need for bipartisanship. He cited the Gain Act, a bipartisan $100 billion bill that would drive excess government funds to the 100 poorest districts for infrastructure investment. Infrastructure helps us compete. It's a need that's been neglected. The greatest threat to our nation is our debt so the way we finance it is important. We should be exploring public-private partnerships and pilot programs that give states greater flexibility. His take on... $2 trillion infrastructure bill : "People want to focus on how much money you have. I would like to focus on how we can unite." : "People want to focus on how much money you have. I would like to focus on how we can unite." 2020 Democratic field : "I think Biden, no disrespect, is the Jeb Bush of this cycle. I think he has too much to apologize for...I think Bernie Sanders has a much better chance." : "I think Biden, no disrespect, is the Jeb Bush of this cycle. I think he has too much to apologize for...I think Bernie Sanders has a much better chance." Privacy and tech: "We're releasing a lot of data about ourselves, and do we really quite know it? The power that big tech companies have is concerning. Facebook shouldn't be broken up but they should be very honest about what they're using and what they're taking." Go deeper: McCarthy: First step for regulating Big Tech is data transparency Representative James Clyburn, South Carolina Rep. Clyburn in conversation with Axios' Mike Allen. Photo: Chuck Kennedy for Axios House Majority Whip James Clyburn focused on rural broadband as a key component for the future of the country: "It should be a significant part of any infrastructure bill going forward...if we are going to educate our children, they have to be connected to the internet." When asked about his perspective on the Mueller investigation, Clyburn mentioned Congress needs to take the process one step at a time investigate legally and carefully. On Mueller testifying before Congress: "I think the misrepresentations that are being made of his report ought to be an incentive for him to come in and say what he really meant and not have Barr interpret his words for us." Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts and Mayor Martin Walsh, Boston Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. Photo: Chuck Kennedy for Axios Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh joined Mike Allen to share their perspectives on bipartisan efforts and creating change that constituents can see. Both lawmakers emphasized the need for infrastructure resiliency and structures that can withstand climate change. If you don't change the infrastructure, you're putting the whole economy at risk. Mayor Walsh Governor Baker called upon the federal government to invest aggressively in preventative measures, saying that better preparation in the face of more frequent and severe storms will save money in the long run. Massachusetts has recently implemented a vulnerability planning program. Mayor Walsh expressed frustration about the slow progress in D.C.: "You've been here for 20 years talking about the same bill you figure after 20 years you'd have it figured out. Infrastructure is the one issues that should have support on both sides." I tend to think if you focus on where you can find common opportunities to agree, you're more likely to be successful than if you seek the places and spaces where you disagree. I've learned to expect and appreciate the fact that if you accomplish things, solve problems and share in success, everybody wins." Governor Baker Thank you Bank of America for sponsoring this event. Modest production hikes are on the table for June's OPEC meeting following a gathering this past weekend in Saudi Arabia of the Middle Eastern-led oil group and other producing countries. Driving the news: "Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters at the event that he was recommending 'gently' driving oil inventories down. But he added that OPEC would not make hasty decisions about output ahead of the June meeting," CNBC reported. "Two sources said Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de facto leader, and Russia were discussing two main scenarios for June's OPEC+ meeting and that both frameworks proposed higher output from the second half," Reuters reported. Background: OPEC and non-OPEC producers led by Russia agreed in December to cut output by 1.2 million barrels a day for 6 months, which has led to increased and relative stable prices since then. The intrigue, via WSJ: "The meeting comes as the U.S., Iran and Saudi Arabia have all warned in recent days that they could stagger into a military conflict in the Middle East. After the U.S. ban on Irans oil exports, two Saudi tankers were struck by unknown attackers, a Saudi pipeline was hit by an Iranian ally and the U.S. beefed up its naval presence in the Persian Gulf and pulled diplomats out of Iraq." What's next: The next big OPEC meeting is set for June 26 in Vienna, Austria. Go deeper: New energy technologies are disrupting the power of OPEC A new poll designed to test President Trumps vulnerabilities on foreign policy heading into the 2020 election finds that economic pain from the China trade war, unraveling alliances and Trumps relations with Russia are of particular concern to swing voters. Expand chart Data: Hart Research Associates survey of 1,205 likely voters conduced April 2327, 2019; Chart: Axios Visuals Why it matters: The poll was commissioned by National Security Action, a group founded by former top Obama administration officials that is advising Democratic candidates on foreign policy. Jeff Prescott, the groups executive director, says that while Republicans and incumbents traditionally have an advantage on national security, that's undercut by concerns over Trumps temperament. He contends that Democrats have a real opportunity to go on offense on foreign policy in 2020. The big picture: Trump significantly outperforms his 44% overall approval rating when it comes to national security, on which 55% of all likely voters and 63% of undecided voters approve of his performance. Pollster Geoff Garin says that's in part because voters arent paying as much attention to foreign policy as they are to other issues. He says Trump's support dwindles when voters are asked about specific policies and actions. Voters tend to approve of many aspects of Trumps foreign policy, such as pushing NATO countries to spend more on defense and attempting negotiations with North Korea. However, 46% believe Trump has made America less safe, compared to 38% who say hes made the country safer. Meanwhile, 57% believe he has made America less respected around the world, while 67% worry he lacks the temperament we need in a commander in chief. What to watch: 41% of respondents say Trumps foreign policy is a reason to re-elect him, 45% say its a reason to elect someone else, and 14% say its not a consideration. Given a range of foreign policy considerations and asked to select the most important, swing voters prioritize protecting Americans from terrorism, keeping America out of war and standing up for American values like human rights and democracy. Voters trust Democrats more than Republicans to keep the U.S. out of war, work effectively with other countries and defend American values, but trust Republicans more to protect the country from terrorism. The pollsters also tested 20 potential lines of attack against Trump and found that undecided voters were most concerned that Trump was weakening alliances, defending dictators and waging a trade war that will cost jobs and raise prices. The bottom line: Trump fares reasonably well with undecided voters on national security, but that support appears brittle. Prescott says that underlines the need for Democrats to challenge him on these issues in 2020. Austrias coalition government has shattered in spectacular fashion after video emerged over the weekend of Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache discussing how a woman he believed to be a wealthy Russian could secretly funnel money to his far-right Freedom Party. The backdrop: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of the conservative Peoples Party quickly terminated his partnership with the populists, triggering fresh elections in September. It was Kurz who brought the Freedom Party, which has a long history of racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric, into government 17 months ago. He defended that decision yesterday, but said enough is enough. Why it matters: Mainstream politicians all over Europe have been flummoxed by the rise of anti-establishment parties, particularly on the far right. Kurz argued that the Freedom Party would be less destructive inside the tent, where theyd be forced to adapt to the realities of governance, than howling from the outside. That approach won Kurz widespread praise and worked, up to a point. He remains popular, and he might now steal votes from his discredited former coalition partners. The Strache affair is nonetheless an embarrassment. The lesson for [o]ther mainstream European politicians facing threats from a growing far right is clear, according to Alina Polyakova of Brookings: pandering to them doesnt work. Nothing else they've tried has worked either. Spains Peoples Party tacked hard right to fend off a challenge from the upstart Vox Party last month, only to suffer a disastrous defeat. Once-powerful center-right parties have been boxed out both from the liberal center, as in France, and the far right, as in Italy. Angela Merkels Christian Democrats have clung to power but watched German politics fracture around them. Merkel is on her way out, with the far-right AfD taking credit. Nowhere is the populist right more emboldened than in the U.K., where Nigel Farages Brexit Party is poised to win three times as many votes as the ruling Conservatives in this weeks European parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to depart before the end of the summer, having failed to deliver Brexit due in part to hardline demands from her party's right flank. Boris Johnson is the favorite to replace her, in part because as a hardline Brexiteer he can credibly claim hed win back Brexit Party voters. What he almost certainly can't do, writes Telegraph Europe editor Peter Foster, is win a parliamentary majority for his approach to Brexit. What to watch: Farage is just one of the populist protagonists in this weeks European elections. A far-right bloc led by Italys Matteo Salvini is on the rise. Meanwhile, the long-dominant European People's Party grouping is expected to lose about a quarter of its seats. One of the chief headaches for that center-right bloc is dealing with a recalcitrant member and proud populist: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The big picture: Its not just the conservatives. Social democratic parties [on the center-left] have been hit even harder, says Erik Brattberg of the Carnegie Endowment. Corporate America is calling on Congress to pass big climate policy in the most aggressive and united way since 2009. Driving the news: Companies across virtually all sectors of the economy, including big oil producers, are beginning to lobby Washington, D.C., to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions. A new coalition launched last week, a similar advocacy campaign is unveiling new corporate money today, and in yet another separate but parallel effort, executives from more than 75 companies will be on Capitol Hill this week lobbying on the issue. The intrigue: This is happening against a tumultuous background that may not welcome such a shift. On one side, President Trump outright dismisses climate change as a serious issue. President Trump outright dismisses climate change as a serious issue. On the other, a loud chorus of environmentalists and progressive leaders, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, say big corporations especially fossil-fuel producers cant be trusted. Where it stands: Three separate but similar corporate-led campaigns are calling for an explicit price on carbon emissions. 3 big energy companies Shell, BP and EDF Renewables have committed new funding over the next 2 years, to a lobbying group, called Americans for Carbon Dividends. Shell and BP are offering $1 million each and EDF is promising $200,000. That group wants Congress to pass policy putting a tax (backers call it a fee) on carbon and returning the money raised to consumers. It already has funding from numerous other big companies, including ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. In a sign of the influence of investors, the nonprofit Ceres, which works on sustainable investments, is organizing a lobbying push this week with more than 75 companies, including BP, Microsoft and Tesla. A new coalition of more than a dozen major corporations and four environmental groups launched last week to urge Congress to pass legislation putting a price on CO2 emissions. They see a rising public demand for action and theyre smart enough to know this extreme denial of the Trump era will not last and may be coming to a halt in 2020, said David Doniger, a strategic director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group not officially connected to any of these new campaigns. The big picture: Several years-long trends are driving corporations to ask for government policy but its not really about saving the planet. Its about investor and legal pressure, falling prices for renewable energy, new bounties of cleaner-burning natural gas and growing public concern about a warming planets impacts. The fervor around the Green New Deal, backed by AOC and Sanders, has accelerated this shift among businesses, which are worried about the far-reaching impacts of that progressive proposal. What were hearing: The messaging firm Luntz Global released a survey today that found broad support for the plan that returns money raised from a carbon price back to consumers. This is the first time weve polled a climate plan that has real positive appeal across Republicans and Democrats, said Nick Wright, a partner at the firm, which has been conducting surveys on climate change for decades. Luntz Globals founder, Republican pollster Frank Luntz, is known notoriously so by some for suggesting in a 2002 memo that Republicans should start using climate change over global warming because it sounded less scary. The sheer fact that this firm, which rarely discloses its work, is publicly releasing a survey thats positive for action on climate change is a sign of how much the public consensus has evolved since then. What theyre saying: Republican Rep. Tom Reed of New York said he opposes a straight-out carbon tax, but finds the dividend idea more intriguing. If its coming out of American pockets, and going back in, at least its not going into government bureaucracy, Reed said in an interview in his office last week. He cautioned: But as I generally am opposed to carbon taxes, I would have to see a compelling case made to me to support that." But, but, but: Reed is so far an outlier among a Republican Party that is almost universally and categorically opposed to explicit prices on carbon at least publicly. Most of the GOP is heavily influenced by special-interest and conservative groups that steer them away from such proposals, arguing the policies would hurt average Americans. While some Democrats think they can push through big policy if they control enough of government, research and past precedent suggest that some Republican support will be necessary. Meanwhile, AOC, Sanders and other politicians on the far left side of politics are unlikely to be satisfied with corporate-led pushes whose goals arent aggressive enough in their eyes. Whats next: Bubbling beneath the presidential campaign where climate change is featuring more prominently than ever, big fights loom over wonky policy. Such as: Whether a carbon price is the best approach, whether regulations should be repealed in exchange, and to what extent (if at all) big oil companies should get protection from lawsuits related to climate change. Editor's note: This piece was corrected to show new funding for Americans for Carbon Dividends is $1 million each from Shell and BP and $200,000 from EDF Renewables (not each offering $1 million). President Trump tweeted Sunday if Iran wants a fight, it'd be the "official end" of the country, hours before Fox News broadcast an interview in which he said he wouldn't let Tehran have nuclear weapons. Details: Trump tweeted after a rocket exploded near the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, "Never threaten the United States again!" No one's claimed responsibility for the attack. In an interview on Fox News' "The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton" recorded last week, Trump said he didn't want a fight. "But you do have situations like Iran, you cant let them have nuclear weapons," he said. The big picture: In his wide-ranging interview with Hilton, Trump stood by his decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and impose sanctions on the country, saying he had no idea the effects would be as strong as they were. "The country is devastated from the standpoint of the economy," he said. Driving the news: Although no one had claimed responsibility for the Baghdad rocket attack, in which there were no casualties, a U.S. State Department official told Reuters: "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." What they're saying: U.S. ally Saudi Arabia said Saturday it was not looking for a war, but it was ready for one, after it accused Iran of ordering the attacks of 2 oil pumping stations in the kingdom, for which Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility. The other side: BBC quoted Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran's elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, as saying Iran was not seeking a conflict. He also said "Washington is not brave enough to launch a war," according to the Iranian Fars news agency. Go deeper: Trump pushes China and Iran to the brink Palestinian leadership gave a cool response to the White House's announcement that it will launch the economic part of its Middle East peace plan next month at a conference in Bahrain, with one top official indicating they will not show up. Why it matters: The White House put forward the economic part of the plan first so the Palestinians, who have been boycotting relations with the U.S. since President Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel in Jerusalem, would not reject it out of hand. The Palestinians fear that the Trump administration is trying to give them huge economic benefits in return for giving up on their political aspirations mainly an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Driving the news: Palestinian Social Development Minister Ahmed Majdalani said after Monday's Cabinet meeting that Palestinian officials will not attend the conference in Bahrain. Prominent Palestinian businessman Bashar Al-Masri wrote on his Facebook page that he was invited to the conference but decided that he and his employees will not participate because the event is outside the Palestinian consensus. What else they're saying: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh struck a pessimistic tone, saying, "An economic initiative without a political horizon will lead nowhere." Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said at the top of the Cabinet meeting that the Palestinians were not consulted at all regarding the timing and the substance of the Bahrain conference. He added, "We are not looking to improve our conditions of life under Israeli occupation but for a political solution that will end the occupation and will lead to a Palestinian state." PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat said, "Attempts at promoting an economic normalization of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected." Worth noting: Israel still hasn't reacted at all to the White House announcement. Go deeper: Kushner says Middle East peace plan focuses on "drawing the borders" Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Monday demanded a mandatory vetting of all judges in Armenia and said many of them must already resign because they are connected to the countrys former leadership and not trusted by the public. The people of Armenia perceive the judicial authority as a remnant of the former corrupt system in which plots against the people are constantly hatched and executed, Pashinian said in live televised remarks. To what extent this theory is true and substantiated is a different matter. But the fact is that the judicial authority does not enjoy the peoples trust and therefore lacks sufficient legitimacy to act, which now poses a direct threat to the normal life, stability and national security of our country, he declared at an emergency meeting with senior government and law-enforcement officials and lawmakers. Unfortunately, I cant conclude that the judicial system is not subjected to shadowy and illegal influences mainly coming from the former corrupt system because these two systems are connected to each other through human, political and other ties, added Pashinian. In particular, he said, Armenian courts have validated dozens of illegalities which he said were committed by the former ruling regime. All judges must therefore undergo vetting, he said. That is, the public must have full information about the judges political ties, origin, property status and activities as judges and in their previous capacity, and their individual and professional traits, explained the prime minister. The judges whose decisions have led to rulings against Armenia handed down by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) must resign, leave or be sacked, Pashinian went on. All those judges who know deep down that they cannot be impartial and objective must resign and thereby provide an important service to the Republic of Armenia and its people, he added. The emergency meeting chaired by Pashinian came as his supporters blocked the entrances to court buildings in and outside Yerevan, acting on his appeal made on Sunday. Pashinian urged them to end the blockade in a live Facebook transmission aired right after the meeting. He said the unprecedented action, condemned by the Armenian opposition as unconstitutional, served its purpose. The premier called for the court blockade one day after an Armenian court ordered his bitter foe and former President Robert Kocharian freed from custody pending the outcome of his trial on charges stemming from the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. Pashinians political allies and supporters reacted furiously to Kocharians release, accusing the judge who ordered it of having ties to the ex-president and the countrys other former rulers. Kocharians lawyers say it is the current authorities that have pressured courts to keep their client in detention on coup charges which he rejects as politically motivated. Pashinian did not explicitly mention Kocharians release in his public statements. But he did state on Monday that Armenian courts cannot be objective when dealing with the 2008 unrest case. He argued that the Strasbourg-based ECHR has ruled in favor of some of the former opposition politicians who were jailed following the deadly March 2008 clashes between security forces and opposition protesters. Eight protesters and two policemen were killed at the time. The protesters demanded a rerun of a disputed presidential election held in February 2008. Pashinian was one of the main speakers at the post-election demonstrations organized by the main opposition candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian. He subsequently spent nearly two years in prison as a result of a crackdown on the Ter-Petrosian-led opposition which Kocharian ordered less than two months before serving out his second and final presidential term. The indicted ex-president has accused Pashinian of waging a political vendetta. The 43-year-old premier denies this. Amid opposition uproar against the blockade of the court buildings, Pashinian insisted on Monday that he is not seeking to have puppet courts. He said that he is on the contrary keen to build a truly independent judicial system. In that regard, Pashinian told the Armenian parliament dominated by his allies to speed up the drafting of laws that will introduce mechanisms for transitional justice. The authorities could go as far to amend the Armenian constitution for that purpose, he said. Pashinian has repeatedly called for transitional justice ever since he swept to power in May 2018 following mass protests dubbed a velvet revolution. But he has so far shed little light on what that would mean in practice. The United States urged the Armenian government on Monday to stick to Armenias constitution in its declared efforts to reform the domestic judiciary. The United States is committed to working with Armenians to support the strengthening of an independent judiciary, which includes anti-corruption efforts and the development of rule of law institutions, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said in a written comment to local media. This requires determination, vigilance and a long-term strategy to build transparent and accountable government institutions, it said. The Armenian people have made it clear that they support these changes, and we encourage the government to pursue judicial reform in a manner commensurate with the Armenian Constitution, added the embassy. The U.S. mission commented on protests outside Armenian courts organized by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his ensuing demands for a mandatory vetting of all judges. Armenian opposition parties have denounced Pashinians actions as unconstitutional. The premier insisted on Monday that he is only trying to create a truly independent judicial system in the country. The president of Nagorno-Karabakh, Bako Sahakian, insisted on Monday that he is unaware of the existence of anti-government forces which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said are plotting conspiracies and treasonous acts in Karabakh. Pashinian charged earlier in the day that specific forces representing the former corrupt system are using their corrupt connections to carry out false propaganda against the Armenian government and the prime minister in Karabakh. He suggested that they are intent on provoking a war with Azerbaijan, losing some territories to the enemy and blaming that defeat on his government. I consider it as an activity equivalent to high treason, and as prime minister of the Republic of Armenia, as the guarantor of Artsakhs security I will take the toughest measures to expose and root out such conspiracy intentions, added Pashinian. He did not name names or elaborate on those measures. Commenting on Pashinians statement, Sahakian said: If there are such figures and forces then we must expose them, and if they do have such intentions then I too will characterize that as treason. I have no information that there are individuals and forces preparing such treasonous actions, the Karabakh leader told reporters in the Armenian parliament. The secretary of Sahakians national security council, retired General Vitaly Balasanian, and Pashinians spokesman Vladimir Karapetian, traded bitter recriminations earlier this month. Balasanian began the war of words when he criticized the authorities in Yerevan for not heeding Karabakh leaders calls for the release of Robert Kocharian, Armenias Karabakh-born former president facing coup charges. A court in Yerevan ordered Kocharians release from custody on Saturday after Sahakian and his predecessor Arkadi Ghukasian guaranteed the ex-presidents adequate behavior in writing. The court order angered Pashinians allies and supporters. Pashinian blasted judges and vowed a surgical intervention in the Armenian judiciary at an emergency meeting with senior state officials held on Monday. He attacked the alleged treasonous forces at the same meeting. Incidentally, the Armenian police stopped and tried to search a car carrying Balasanian just outside Yerevan late on Sunday. A police spokesman said they suspected that there were illegally possessed weapons in the car. He said the Karabakh official was not the target of the police action. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 21 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 20, 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 Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Innovative technologies are the key to solve complicated issues safer, faster and less risky. Azer Bayramov, Executive Director of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies, has told Trend that all participants involved in the innovation sphere will be given support by the Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. He said that the objective of the Agency, which will soon begin its activities, will be improvement of innovation in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the establishment of the Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies on November 6, 2018. The Agency will be a legal entity, which will support scientific research, encourage innovative projects (including startups), finance them via grants, concessional loans and investments in authorized capital (including venture financing) and promote innovation initiative. Bayramov stated that several decrees have been signed by President Ilham Aliyev on the development of innovative technologies in Azerbaijan and they have led to the establishment of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, as well as of the High Technologies Park. The executive director also noted that in order to facilitate the development of innovations in Azerbaijan, InnoFest innovation festival will be held, and within the framework of this festival, several events will conducted. He also added that this festival will take part in Baku from May 29 to June 4 of this year and the primary purpose of this event is to develop innovations and implementat new projects in Azerbaijan. Bayramov further touched upon the large-scale Monex Caspian Summit related to financial technologies, which is part of InnoFest festival. Speaking about the Maintech innovation technologies forum, which is also part of InnoFest, Bayramov stated that the forum is very important event and its purpose is broadly expand innovative and technological products and services along with their export. Then, the executive director emphasized the importance of presentation of WayRay technological startup company estimated at $500 million, which be held within the forum. Founder and CEO of the company Vitaly Ponomarev, who was born in Baku, will be among the speakers at the forum. Bayramov added that Ponomarevs speech should inspire young start-up entrepreneurs, for whom new opportunities are created considering the importance of the development of innovative entrepreneurs for Azerbaijan. He also said that the common goal of the forum activities is to attract the interest of youth to the field of innovative technologies. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Estonia and Azerbaijan have friendly relations and both countries are interested in expanding cooperation to reach higher level of close partnership. Estonia hopes that relations with Azerbaijan in energy, processing and manufacture of food products will develop into partnerships, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told Trend. He stressed that, in general, Estonia expressed interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of transport and logistics, since the geographical location of the country makes it one of the regional hubs of the rapidly developing North-South Transit Corridor. Reinsalu added that in addition to the ICT sector, agriculture and health are also the fields of mutual interest. There were contacts in the energy, manufacturing of food products, and we hope that these contacts will grow into partnerships. He also noted that the potential of bilateral cooperation in the economic sphere is promising. However, we are still in the discovery phase, and the turnover of about four million euros per year indicates that there is much room for growth, the minister said. Reinsalu went on to add that there is good cooperation in the ICT sector, Estonia welcomes the successful introduction of mobile identification in Azerbaijan, and there is great potential in this area using additional digital services. The minister underlined that the governments of the two countries periodically convene the Intergovernmental Commission to discuss bilateral cooperation in order to facilitate trade and investment, adding that the next session should be held this year in Tallinn. Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Azerbaijan were established in 1992. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Azerbaijan is an ally of Estonia in the South Caucasus. About 15 agreements have been signed between the countries, and 22 Estonian companies operate in Azerbaijan. Approximately 2,500 Azerbaijanis live in Estonia. The economic relations between Azerbaijan and Estonia have gradually increased in recent years. The intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Estonia was established in 2011. There is a great potential for the development of ties. Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation in the field of food industry, energy supply, textile, furniture and wood industry, tourism, while Estonian side is interested in sharing their experience particularly in ICT and e-government. Estonia considers Azerbaijan as a possible corridor to markets of Iran, Middle East and India. Estonian railway companies and sea ports have good relations with Azerbaijan Railways and Baku International Sea Trade Port. Estonia is currently working on opening a transit corridor between Scandinavia, Middle East and Central Asia. The trade turnover with Estonia amounted to $5 million in 2018, according to State Statistical Committee. Estonian exports reached $3.7 million, while Azerbaijani exports made up $1.3 million. The main goods of export from Estonia to Azerbaijan are machinery (68 percent), timber and wood production, paper and cardboard. At the same time, Estonia mainly imports foodstuffs, such as nut, juice and water, from Azerbaijan. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan has allocated 700 million manats for compensation payment on problem loans in the country, said Vusalya Jafarova, manager for strategic analysis and planning of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, Trend reports. According to Jafarova, the allocation of this amount served to improve the social life of the Azerbaijani population and positively impacted the banking sector. This distinguishes the Azerbaijani model from other models in the CIS countries, as well as from global models, she noted. In her words, the decree on additional measures in connection with solving the issue of the individuals problem loans covered more than 800,000 citizens, which makes 90 percent of problem loans in foreign currency. Jafarova stressed that addressing the issue of problem loans is a part of systemic social reforms. The process of paying compensation on problem loans to individuals started in Azerbaijan on April 22, 2019. The payments are made through branches of banks and Azerpost postal operator. As expected, 602,347 people will receive compensation. The compensation is planned to be fully paid till late May 2019. Earlier, President Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures in connection with solving the issue of the individuals problem loans. The decree envisages the payment of compensation to citizens whose loan burden increased as a result of the devaluation of the manat in February and December 2015. According to the decree, opportunities are created for restructuring both US dollar loans and manat loans with a delay of more than 360 days on concessional terms. If the amount of compensation exceeds 500 manats, these funds are transferred to the account of the individual; otherwise, the payment is made via money transfer. The corresponding plastic cards to be received by individuals are issued free of charge for a period of one year. Banks and postal operator are not entitled to charge fees for issuing or conducting operations with these cards or for making money transfers. (1.7 AZN = 1 USD on May 20) --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend South Korea is ready to share its experience with Azerbaijan in solving the issue of problem loans, said Kim Tong Op, ambassador of South Korea to Azerbaijan. He was speaking at an international conference Solving Problem Loans: Experience of Azerbaijan and Republic of Korea organized by the Center for Economic Reforms and Communications and the South Korean Embassy in Azerbaijan in cooperation with the Korea Development Institute, Trend reports. The ambassador said that this conference and exchange of experience will improve and strengthen relations between the two countries. In his words, from November to December 1997, due to the economic crisis, South Korea attracted a great number of loans from the International Monetary Fund. As a result of intensive development and the correct solution of the issue of problem loans, South Korea managed to overcome the crisis, the ambassador noted. In March 2019, the value of problem loans in Azerbaijan decreased by 8.9 percent or 152.2 million manats compared to the same period last year, reaching 1.56 billion manats, according to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. The share of overdue loans for the same period decreased from 14.7 percent to 11.9 percent. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The economic development model of the Republic of Korea is a model for solving problems arising during economic crises, and this experience will help Azerbaijan in solving various economic issues, said Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Azerbaijani Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, Trend reports. He was speaking at an international conference titled Solving Problem Loans: Experience of Azerbaijan and Republic of Korea organized by the Center for Economic Reforms and Communications and the South Korean Embassy in Azerbaijan in cooperation with the Korea Development Institute. Gasimli said that the it the main cause of such an intensive development of the Korean economy lies in the sphere of education and noted that science and education are important factors in economic development. He also stated that Azerbaijan, in turn, pays attention to human capital, which is crucial for successful economic development in the country. Gasimli noted that the exchange of experience with developed countries particularly with the Republic of Korea, a member of the G-20, is extremely important for Azerbaijan at this stage of the country's intensive development. He added that solving the issue of problem loans will strengthen the development of the banking sector within the framework of economic reforms in Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Exchange of experiences between Azerbaijan and Finland in the fields of oil cooperation and environmentally friendly technologies could bring benefits and necessary base for implementation of potentially successful mutual projects. Paivi Peltokoski, Head of Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, has told Trend that Finland welcomes Azerbaijans infrastructure development projects. She stated that thanks to the Southern Gas Corridor, Azerbaijan is a strategic energy partner to the European Union and if Baku strives to be an important transport hub in the broader region, Azerbaijan will need all components of air, land, and sea transport, which can be provided by large Finnish companies specialized in ports logistics and shipbuilding industries. Peltokoski noted that the state agreement that Finland signed with Russia on direct international railway services is also applied to third countries, including Azerbaijan. The unit head said that there are several factors which affect the choice of the transport route of European transport and logistics companies. Today, environmental issues are also an important factor for many companies, because the clients of these companies want to know how safe their transport is from an environmental point of view. Finland can offer its experience in ensuring environmental safety in the sea transport industry, she pointed out. The Finnish-Azerbaijani relations date back to the early 20th century when Finnish community were involved in Azerbaijans dynamically growing oil industry. Finland recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991, and on March 24, 1992, the diplomatic relations were established. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the foreign trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Finland amounted to $29.94 million in 2018 which is 56.23 percent more than in 2017. Recently, the Finnish Meteorological Institute has successfully concluded a project on upgrading the National Environmental Monitoring System of Azerbaijan. Today Finland and Azerbaijan are also partners through the EU Eastern Partnership framework. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova State Agro Trade Company is expanding its activities to improve the agriculture sector through new mechanisms to further ensure sustainable development in the country. The company plans to expand support to farmers in Azerbaijan through the creation of "green markets", holding fairs, trainings and other initiatives, Leyla Mammadova, director of the State Agro Trade Company, told Trend. Despite the short period of activity, our company has established sale of farm products through internal and external channels, she noted, adding that the company use both traditional and alternative sales channels. For example, since last year, we have organized the sale of agricultural products abroad. Mammadova talked in detail about the expansion of green market and new sales channels. She stressed that the main goal of the company is to support small and medium-sized farms. The first "green market" branded as "From the village to the city" is involved in promotion and sale of goods of local farmers and food producers since late 2018. She further added that the company's current plans include expanding the green market network. We have already created one such market, and we plan to open a second one in the near future. Until the end of the year, we will open three more markets under the brand "From the village to the city", which will help sell products of small and medium-sized farms. The main task is to encourage consumers to buy products from domestic manufacturers and support their activities through green markets, said Mammadova, adding that green market allows consumers to get organic, healthy products at competitive prices. The stores "From the village to the city" sell both small and medium-sized farmers' products and supply the population with quality and natural products. The purpose of the project is to meet the increasing demand of the population in agricultural and food products, to increase consumer choice, and to prevent artificial price increase. She stressed that innovative approach is an integral part of the companys work. In this regard, as another channel for the sale of agricultural products, we launched the kenddenshehere.az portal, which can now be used by residents of Baku and the Absheron Peninsula. Mammadova also spoke about the farmer cards, which the State Agro Trade Company together with Kapital Bank began to issue since November last year. Products of over 100 farmers were purchased under this mechanism. This is a kind of farmer salary card, she said. The important point is that when using this card, reporting is created. In other words, a financial summary is generated for the farmer and statistics for us. These cards are provided not only for sale at the fairs "From the village to the city", but also for export. Mammadova touched upon the Agro Action of Azerbaijani Women project (AFAQ) which is currently implemented with the Azerbaijan office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Within the framework of the project, for two years we will support women who are actively working in the agricultural sector and have an interest in entrepreneurial activities in this area. We will provide them with information and financial support. She noted that the companys main task is to strengthen the role of women entrepreneurs in agriculture, to help them expand production. The main goal of AFAQ, which costs about $800,000, is to improve the technical skills of female farmers and facilitate their access to the market. AFAQ will be implemented within the framework of the Partnership Program signed between FAO and the Azerbaijani government. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan strives to expand the sales of local products in Chinese markets under the Made in Azerbaijan brand to promote the non-oil exports of the country. The next export mission to China, organized by the Ministry of Economy and the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), has headed to Yiwu, one of the commercial cities of this country. A business forum with participation of representatives of Azerbaijani companies producing food, juice, wine and spirits, as well as local businessmen was held within the visit to the city of Yiwu. Speaking at the opening of the forum, Vice Mayor of Yiwu Li Junfu said that the city, China's "capital of small-scale goods, is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan, which is located on the Silk Road. He stressed that China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy created new great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in various fields. He called on businessmen from both countries to take advantage of these opportunities and thus to contribute to bilateral economic and trade relations. Speaking about recent developments in economic and trade relations between the two countries, Trade Representative of Azerbaijan in China Teymur Nadiroglu said that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries who supported China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative. He noted that Azerbaijan, located on transport routes between Asia and Europe, is able to make a major contribution to the implementation of this strategy with its economic, including transit-logistical, capabilities. At the end of the forum, bilateral meetings were held between businessmen, discussions on export of competitive products to China were held and initial agreement was reached in this regard. Recently, Azerbaijani and Chinese companies have 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. At present, Azerbaijans trade and wine houses operate in Shanghai, Urumqi and Liuzhou cities to ensure the export of local products to China under the Made in Azerbaijan brand. In addition, the country is planning to open its trading house in the city of Xi'an. 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. 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. Azerbaijan became a signatory to the Belt and Road Energy Partnership Declaration in October 2018. 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. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The negotiations on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU are underway, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Fikret Yusifov told Trend. The expert reminded that according to several media outlets, one of the main topics of the talks is cooperation in the economic sphere. "Despite the details of the agreement have not been disclosed, taking into account the recent agreements concluded by the EU with a number of countries, one can guess about the requirements set before Azerbaijan, Yusifov said. For example, the agreements signed with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan cover the wide cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, he said. Taking these agreements into account, there is such a conclusion that the EU has gained great advantages in trade with these countries and entering their markets. There are interesting moments in the abovementioned agreements, the expert added. "In particular, according to the EU agreement with Kazakhstan, when setting the prices for the sale of energy and other raw materials to the industrial enterprises, it is necessary to take into account the costs and revenues of the supplier, Yusifov said. In other words, this means the sale of energy and raw materials at the actual market price. If Azerbaijan accepts the agreement, the tariffs for water, electricity and gas sold to the population will increase, he said. But this step is contrary to the countrys social policy and Azerbaijan is unlikely to accept such an agreement." The expert stressed that the EU agreement with Ukraine also attracts attention by its peculiarity. Thus, the export prices for energy resources must not be higher than the prices in the domestic market, Yusifov said. Taking into account the fact that Azerbaijan is a big energy exporter, the EU may put forward the requirements that can not be considered satisfactory for the Azerbaijani citizens. That is, according to the EU requirements, either the prices for energy resources in the domestic market must be raised to the level of the prices in the world markets or the export prices must be lowered, he said. In the first case, one can expect a sharp rise in prices in the domestic market, which, in turn, will lead to a rise in prices for gas, electricity, gasoline and other oil products, as well as goods, work and services in other interrelated spheres within the country. The second scenario will lead to a sharp reduction in revenues obtained by the country." Yusifov thinks that both scenarios are unacceptable for Azerbaijan because the adoption of one of the two scenarios may weaken the social protection of citizens, in general, lead to the restriction of numerous social projects being implemented in the country. I think that this is one of the main reasons for delaying the negotiations," he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A statesmans leadership qualities can be measured in myriad ways. There is no unified formula applicable to every case. But it is generally believed that it is at a time of crisis, or when there is an urgent need for the ultimate concentration of a nations resources, that a leader's true greatness is revealed. By Trend Azerbaijans Public Television and Radio Company (ITV) has appealed to the European Broadcasting Union over the mistakes made on the map of Azerbaijan during Eurovision 2019, Trend reports citing a message on Facebook page of ITV. "During the performance of Azerbaijans representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, it was revealed that Karabakh and Nakhchivan were not marked on the map of the country. In this regard, the Public Television and Radio Company immediately turned with protest to the organizers of the competition and the leadership of the European Broadcasting Union. Currently, an explanation from the opposite side is expected," said in a message. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Baku Museum Center will host Iranian artist Vadud Muazzin's personal exhibition on May 22-26. The event is co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, Azerbaijan Artists Union and the Baku Museum Center. The exhibition will feature works of the artists made in various painting techniques. Art lovers can visit the exhibition for free. Vadud Muazzin was born in 1960 in Ardabil. He has been engaged in drawing since 1980. His personal exhibitions have been successfully held in the U.S., Canada and France. Muazzin is also a participant of many joint exhibitions organized in Tehran, Tabriz, Enzeli and Ardabil. In 2002, Mouzzin organized an exhibition in Baku, which the national leader Heydar Aliyev personally visited. The artists personal exhibitions were also successfully held in Baku in 2013 and 2018. In addition to painting, Muazzin is also an incredibly talented sculptor and musician. He is the author of numerous sculptures. He has shared music secrets with his students and raised many talented artists and musicians. Also, his four-volume book was published in Iran. The Museum Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is located in Baku. It includes the Azerbaijan State Museum of Musical Culture, the Azerbaijan State Theater Museum, the Independence Museum of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan State Museum of History of Religion, an art gallery, a circular ceremonial hall and an assembly hall. Classical and conceptual art exhibitions of modern Azerbaijan, anniversaries and personal exhibitions of famous artists are demonstrated here. Baku Museum Center closely cooperates with the museums of Russia, Georgia, the U.S., France and Germany. Various kinds of events, conferences of international organizations of UNESCO, UN, TURKSOY, seminars, memorial evenings to famous people, press conferences, etc. are held in the Museum Center. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova The first season of the country's most versatile fashion project, Baku Fashion Expo 2019, will be held at the International Mugham Center on May 24-27. The project offers a unique platform for free expression in any form, including exhibitions, installations, master classes, fashion shows or design showrooms, Trend Life reported. This season will be remembered by all visitors for the unique exposition provided by Alexander Stephanie, a private collector of the Versace fashion brand. Alexander Stephanie will bring in Baku a unique selection of dresses belonging to the Gianni Versace era since the founding of the Fashion House to this day. The exhibition is a kind of reflection of all the works of Gianni. Along with the museum collection of Azerbaijani national costumes from collector Natavan Aliyeva, a retrospective of the world famous Italian brand will be presented. Moreover, a unique mix of virtual reality and fashion will be also presented as part of the project. Viewers will be able to enjoy a colorful virtual reality show by illustrator Gunel Huseynova, accompanied by a mono show of Mirana Atelier Alta Moda brand. During the event, both young and well-known local brands will present their collections. Fashion designers from many countries will take part in the event. The project is organized the Azerbaijan Fashion Designers Association with the support of HUAWEI, presenting a new line of its flagship smartphones, HUAWEI P30. They are equipped with LEICA unique super sensitive cameras with the ability to zoom up to 50 times. Shots to be made during the event will demonstrate the high quality of HUAWEI P30 series. Media partners of the event are Azernews.az, Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Martynas Starkus and Vytaras Radzevicius, popular Lithuanian travel filmmakers, are working on a unique project, a film full of exciting moments. The travel filmmakers, who are adventurous at heart, have recently visited the Land of Fire for their new project called "Uz Kaukazo", which means "Behind Caucasus". The project promises to surprise its viewers as it showcases the lifestyle of people who live behind Caucasus. The filmmakers traveled across Poland, Ukraine and then came to Baku. "We are trying to show how people live here behind Caucasus and Baku is our last destination. We have a lot of friends after these travels in every country. We still keep relations with them. The point is to show how we see the countries. We have some adventures. We are trying to do some crafts here. I think this program about Caucasus will be very rich," Starkus told Trend. He added that they meet people, see how they live, try the national food and also try to learn about the national culture. Starkus said they do about five episodes every year. "Every episode is about 45 minutes. Travel is long. We need to shoot a lot of materials. Of course, from the screen we may look travel funs. But it is not easy. We need to drive long distances. This year we drove almost 4,000 kilometers. Last year, when we traveled to Alaska and Canada, we drove 8,000 kilometers in one month. We are not trying to show architecture, cultural places. We are telling stories about travel. We are trying to show the routine, everyday life, because it is more interesting," he said. In turn, Radzevicius spoke about the shooting places of the film. "First place was Shaki. Then we went to Gabala and Baku. As we drive, our first impression is that you have good roads. You have very good tea and very good food. The first dish we tried here in Azerbaijan was piti. We enjoyed it very much. We tried everything. We went to the Saribash village high on mountains, almost 2 kilometers above the sea level and we needed to cross the river. But it was raining and that was a fun. It was difficult and local people helped us," he said. Radzevicius also noted the welcoming spirit of Azerbaijani people. "Your people are very friendly. When we crossed the river, we went to the village up to the hill and just went to drink tea. We made this difficult way just to drink tea. We had a very nice conversation and met nice people. We drank Azerbaijan tea with jam and it was very nice," the filmmakers noted. The Lithuanian filmmakers have been traveling almost 14 years around the world. "Were making travel documentary program, which is the most popular in Lithuania. We started in 2006. The main goal was to go somewhere with our car. So in 2006 we took our old Mercedes and went to Africa, to Mali. It took about 30 days from Vilnius. We made a four-series documentary and showed in the national network. It became very popular. Thats how the story began. Since then, once in a year, for one month we leave home and go to somewhere," said Radzevicius. He added that they do documentary and show on Lithuanian TV. We have a lot of followers and fans. We have a good life. We see a lot and we can show people a lot. Sometimes we feel tired, but when you come home, after a few week, you start dreaming about new travel," he added. Radzevicius noted that he has very interesting hobby during travels. "I collect recipes of different nations. And I try to make those dishes at home in Lithuania. I bought two books here in Baku about Azerbaijani cuisine," he said. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Populist statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the need to change the format of the negotiation process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict show Armenias unpreparedness for substantive negotiations with Azerbaijan, well-known Azerbaijani political analyst Arzu Nagiyev told Trend. Nagiyev was commenting on Pashinyans statement made on May 17 during a meeting with Russian journalists. Pashinyan stated that he does not consider it necessary to speed up the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We will not speed up this process, but we will not slow it down ether, because there is a conflict, and I do not think that one should forget about it, said Pashinyan. At the same time, he expressed the opinion that the Karabakh issue can be solved if Nagorno-Karabakh is involved in the negotiation process. Nagiyev said that by such statements, the leadership of Armenia is trying to maintain the status quo on the conflict. Armenia demonstrates a highly controversial policy, he noted. On the one hand, during high-level meetings, it allegedly agrees with important components of substantive negotiations, for example, concerning humanitarian cooperation. On some other issues, each time after the officials return to Yerevan, they start to voice inadequate statements, the essence of which is to preserve the status quo on the conflict. It is clear that these statements are intended primarily for the internal audience, which in fact led Pashinyan to power. Therefore, the Armenian prime minister is trying to demonstrate his commitment to the promises he gave during the demonstrations in the streets of Yerevan. Nagiyev noted that such statements by the leadership of Armenia as well as the the fact that Armenia has not yet fulfilled a single paragraph of the resolutions of the UN Security Council are contrary to the laws and principles of international law. I believe that the statements and actions of the Armenian side should not remain beyond the attention of the OSCE Minsk Group, Nagiyev said. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in each of the three countries should unambiguously respond to the absurd statements of the Armenian leadership and ensure that Yerevan meets the requirements stated in the documents adopted by international organizations regarding the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. However, unfortunately, the OSCE Minsk Group remains silent not only about the absurd statements by Pashinyan in Yerevan, but also his loud statements during the trips to the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Lack of concrete prospects for a speedy resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a source of instability in the South Caucasus region. Azerbaijan continues to support a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijan governments key objective is the liberation of the occupied territory, the return of internally displaced persons to their homes and the establishment of stability and lasting peace in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, as well as in the entire region. There will be no concessions on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Ukraine Azer Khudiyev said, giving a lecture to students at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The lecture was held in connection with the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijani diplomacy. Khudiyev stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia poses a threat to peace and security in the entire region. He said Azerbaijan hopes for more decisive and consistent steps of the world community in order to ensure a just solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Ambassador recalled that the solution to the conflict is intended to create conditions for the restoration of sustainable peace and cooperation in the region. "The world community should encourage Armenia to begin work on a final agreement based on the principles proposed by influential members of the international community, represented by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs," Khudiyev noted. He stressed that at present the international community unequivocally recognizes and supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Khudiyev recalled that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly openly stated that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not and will not be a topic of negotiations. He added that Baku will never step back from this position. If the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lasting more than 25 years had been settled in time, there would have been no new conflict centers in the world. He mentioned that instability in the Caspian region has an impact on the black sea region. During the lecture, Khudiyev also spoke about the country's achievements in ensuring security, the successes of Azerbaijani diplomacy and the creation of a safe environment. 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. From April to November 1993, four resolutions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were adopted by the UN Security Council. All of them expressed support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and spelled out a requirement for the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenia refuses to comply with these resolutions to this day. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan's close cooperation with the EU both within the Eastern Partnership Program and in the bilateral format should be emphasized, Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency Lina Vaitkeviciene told Trend News Agency in Interview with Sahil Karimli. EU and Azerbaijan partnership is strategic, she said. Political dialogue, high level meetings and joint projects demonstrate that, she noted. The negotiations on a comprehensive new EU-Azerbaijan agreement are entering into a very important phase. Both sides work hard to achieve a modern agreement that addresses all aspects of EU-Azerbaijan relationship and benefits citizens from both the European Union and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has made a valuable contribution to the development of partnership, particularly in the fields of energy and transport interconnections, she added. Azerbaijans contribution to energy security of Europe is very significant and valuable, she said. Also I would like to emphasize Azerbaijans crucial role in implementing the East-West transport corridor and countrys successful cooperation with the European Union in the field of transport. EU is a key trade partner for Azerbaijan and the EU member states are top investors in the country, she noted. From the other hand, Azerbaijan is playing an important role as investor into European countries as well, she said. Close cooperation with EU, development of joint strategic projects has positioned Azerbaijan as a key EU partner in the region. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova In January-April 2019, Azerbaijans export of oil products from crude oil and bituminous minerals made up 80.1 percent of the country's total exports. Meanwhile, natural gas accounted for 9 percent and oil products - for 2.52 percent, according to the State Customs Service. The country exported 12 million tons of crude oil and bituminous minerals in January-April 2019. The cost of oil and oil products exported in the first four months was $5.7 billion. In the same period of the previous year, 9 million tons of crude oil worth $4.6 billion was exported from the country. Meanwhile, in January-April this year, Azerbaijan exported 4.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas, worth $638 million. During the same period last year, 1.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas worth $343 million was exported from the country. Azerbaijan has also increased the volume of electricity exports. The country exported 1.5 billion kWh of electricity in January-April. The cost of exported electricity amounted to $45 million. In the same period last year, Azerbaijan exported 988 million kWh of electricity, the cost of which was $47 million. It should be noted that Azerbaijan exported 7.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 29.5 million tons of oil and oil products in 2018. Last year, the country's export of crude oil and crude oil products from bituminous minerals amounted to 29.5 million tons. The value of crude oil produced exceeded $15.7 billion. At the same time, Azerbaijan exported over 7.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2018. The value of the exported natural gas exceeded $1.5 billion. Currently, an average of 110,000 tons of oil and 94 million cubic meters of gas are extracted per day in Azerbaijan from offshore and onshore fields, including the Shah Deniz, Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) and Umid fields, which are jointly operated with foreign companies. ACG is the largest oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea, covering more than 432 square kilometers. A contract for the development of ACG block of oil and gas fields was signed in 1994 for 30 years. Oil extraction from the field began in November 1997. Proven oil reserves of ACG block of oil and gas fields are estimated at 1.2 billion tons, while gas reserves make 350 billion cubic meters. On September 14, 2017, a modified and redeveloped agreement was signed on joint development and shared distribution of production from the Azeri, Chirag fields and the deepwater part of the Gunashli field (ACG). The new agreement provides for the development of the field until 2050. The oil produced from the ACG field is exported to the world markets through the Sangachal Terminal, mainly through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the West Stream Pipeline to Supsa. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, which is considered to be the main artery of energy export in the region, has played an important role in the extraction of the Caspian Sea's rich energy resources and bringing them to the world markets. Azerbaijans oil is exported from the country not only in raw form, but also in the form of oil products. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Iran's petrochemical sector is one of the fastest growing industrial sectors in the country. The world's largest methanol plant located in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr is ready for launch. The plant is capable of producing 7,000 tons of methanol per day. The high added value of production at petrochemical plants and Iran's access to low-cost raw materials have helped the Iranian petrochemical industry to experience high growth in recent years. By March 2018, the country managed to export petrochemical products worth about $12 billion per year. Currently, there are 54 petrochemical plants in Iran, which supply 53.6 million tons of petrochemical products. About 30.7 million tons of products are ready for sale, and the rest is consumed by the plants. In addition, as many as 34 petrochemical projects have achieved more than 20 percent progress. Once these projects are completed, Iran's petrochemical production will grow to 75 million tons by March 2022. If new petrochemical projects are no longer launched, existing projects production will exceed 100 million tons by March 2026. Among the petrochemical projects ready for launch, the Kaveh Methanol petrochemical plant is the most outstanding. The private sector is engaged in its construction, which is capable of producing 7,000 tons of methanol per day - the largest amount in the world. Kaveh Methanol plant is located on a large plot of 220 hectares, near the town of Dayer in the Bushehr province. Various divisions of the plant began work in 2017, and now the whole plant is ready for operation. Iran exports its petrochemical products to dozens of countries in different parts of the world. As many as 13 percent of products are exported to the Indian subcontinent, 23 percent to the Southeast Asia countries, 22 percent to China, 18 percent to the countries of the Far East, 5 percent to Europe and 19 percent to the Middle East. An important feature of Irans petrochemical industry is the country's favorable geographical location and good access to Asian and European markets, as well as free seas, which makes it easier and cheaper to export and transport. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Relations between Yerevan and the illegal regime in occupied Karabakh are becoming cooler day by day. Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan did not calculate his strength when he decided to imprison ex-President Robert Kocharian In the face of Kocharyan, he came out against the Karabakh clan - a gangster group consisting of people, whose hands are in the blood of innocent Azerbaijanis and robbed Armenia for 20 years of economic activity in this country. Pashinyans frequent visits to the occupied Karabakh even do not melt the ice between Yerevan and the puppet regime in Khankendi. The Karabakh clan very clearly rallies against the new authorities and openly contradicts Yerevan. When previous President Serzh Sargsyan left power without resistance, Pashinyan had to immediately start taking measures to prevent the future threat, to develop a strategy, to gather around him same supporters and sensible politicians. Instead, he engaged in the arrest of Kocharian, which is just an act of revenge for the failure of opposition in 2008. Pashinyan could not calculate the consequences of certain steps, and now Robert Kocharian's case is more and more complicating his life. Founder of the clan, ex-President Kocharyan, had too many supporters. On the eve of the trial, there was formed a Union of Kocharyan's supporters, which later attached the Prosecutor General's office. The appearance of former and current separatist leaders Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan in court has narrowed the room for maneuver for the new authorities. Sahakyan and Ghukasyan made a guarantee and pledge in favor of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. They signed a guarantee in the courtroom and contributed 500,000 drams (a little more than $1,000), according to the Armenian media. The appearance of separatists in the courtroom caused a stir. According to Armenian media, the number of supporters of Kocharyan doubled around the court building. It was quite expected that riots could arise in Yerevan in case of refusal to release Kocharyan. After coming to power, Nikol Pashinyan tries to show the separatists that Yerevan continues to support them. The requirement to involve occupied Karabakh in the negotiation process is bright evidence. The Karabakh clan now seeks to seize power, and Pashinyan with his meeting passions is only an obstacle. Pashinyan has almost lost control of the situation. The ongoing processes in Karabakh are very disadvantageous for the Yerevan authorities. Meanwhile, Serzh Sargsyan continues travelling in the occupied Azerbaijani regions, meeting with his colleagues and giving interviews. While Sargsyan is active in the occupied territories, Pashinyan is unable to control these processes. Karabakh is a dark forest with war criminals, where a large number of weapons and shadow capital have accumulated. It is really a grey area with their dark laws as well as any separatist entity. Kocharyans trial showed that these processes are gaining momentum. The confrontation between Armenia and Karabakh is growing, the gap between them is widening. Creating complexity for Kocharyan, Pashinyan faced a huge problem both with the Karabakh clan and with Russia. Armenian PM cannot openly declare a fight to the clan, as it will be perceived in the Armenian society as an extremely "unpatriotic" step. In this situation, the only way to keep Armenia from self-destruction is to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is unlikely that Pashinyan wants to destroy Armenia. Despite all his shortcomings, he is the head of this country, who really understands the main threats to its future. All his statements on the Karabakh issue prove once again that for Pashinyan Karabakh is not Armenia, but only an extra headache. He knows that it is necessary to withdraw troops, return lands, negotiate with Azerbaijan, and the Karabakh criminals should be trialed not in Yerevan, but in Baku. However, he is unable to destroy what was built by the Karabakh clan alone. Pashinyan is unlikely to find supporters inside the country because the war against the Karabakh clan will be presented by propaganda and perceived by the Armenian society as a war against "free Karabakh". Therefore, timely establishment of relations with Baku is extremely necessary for Pashinyan to eliminate a threat of anarchy that overtakes him. For this end, he should withdraw the armed forces from Karabakh and agree with Bakus proposal on the autonomy of Karabakh within Azerbaijan. Armenia was once again on the verge of a "revolutionary situation" on May 20. Supporters of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the morning began to block the entrances and exits of the buildings of the capitals courts. Pashinyan's announcement of an action to block the country's courts destabilized the situation and proved once again that both the former and current Armenian authorities are unable and are not ready to resolve issues within the legal framework. Pashinyan uses a crowd of people as tools to solve his problems. Despite the rainy weather, civil activists blocked the buildings of the constitutional court on Baghramyan Avenue and the court of General jurisdiction, which decided to release former President Kocharian on May 18. ne of the protesters said that he came at the call of Nikol Pashinyan and will wait for his instructions. Earlier, Armenian PM called on the country's citizens to block all entrances and exits of the courts of the Republic. Commenting on the court's decision to release ex-President Robert Kocharian from arrest, Pashinyan said that the second and most important stage of the revolution is maturing in the country. Having no authority in his country, Pashinyan decided to resort to his proven method - to call people to the streets. However, the desire of Armenians to revolutions is not surprising. Every time people go out on the streets, they hope to attain prosperity finally. For Pashinyan, it is a mean to solve his next task at the expense of protesting crowd. After the April coup in 2018 in Yerevan and the post-revolt processes, it was quite clear that sooner or later Pashinyan would face opposition in the form of the previous authorities. The lack of political experience and talent for politics had to force him to take inadequate steps to protect his power. So, he had no choice but to announce the "second stage of the revolution". --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan is becoming a well-known tourist destination due to the its increasingly growing influence in the global tourism market. As many as 848,400 tourists and stateless persons from 170 countries visited Azerbaijan in January-April 2019, which is 0.1 percent more compared to the same period in 2018, according to the State Border Service of Azerbaijan. Russia accounts for 27.3 percent of the foreigners who arrived in Azerbaijan during the reporting period, while Georgia accounts for 26.8 percent, Turkey - 11.1 percent, Iran - 8 percent, the UAE - 3.8 percent, Ukraine and India - 1.8 percent each, Pakistan - 1.4 percent, Iraq - 1.3 percent, citizens of other countries - 16.6 percent, and stateless persons - 0.1 percent. Men accounted for 69.5 percent of the visitors, while 30.5 percent were women. Compared to January-April 2018, the number of Egyptian citizens visiting the country increased by 2.2 times, Saudi Arabians - 1.9 times, Indians and Turkmens - 1.8 times, Chinese - 1.6 times, Japanese - 37, 1 percent, Canadians - 31.8 percent, Pakistanis - 28.8 percent, Georgians - 22.6 percent, Polish - 20.8 percent and South Koreans - 20.5 percent. Meanwhile, the number of tourists from the EU countries increased by 7 percent in the first four months of 2019 and reached 34,200 people, and of those from the Gulf countries decreased by 27.5 percent to 142,900 people. At the same time, the number of visitors from the CIS countries decreased by 1 percent and amounted to 282,000 people. Azerbaijan, the popular destination for many tourists, attracts millions of visitors every year. The beautiful nature of Azerbaijan, hospitality of its people, the country's capital with its super modern and ancient buildings draws the attention of all tourists visiting this South Caucasian country. It is noteworthy that 2.8 million tourists from 196 countries arrived in Azerbaijan in 2018, showing a 5.7 percent increase compared to 2017. Last year, Russian, Georgian, Turkish and Iranian citizens made up the largest part of the tourists arriving in the country. In 2018, there was a significant increase in the number of visitors from the Gulf countries. In recent years, the creation of a diversified tourism infrastructure in Azerbaijan has increased the interest of foreign tourists to the country. There are many opportunities for tourism in our country, including rural, health, environmental, cultural, social, commercial, sport, etc. Moreover, simplification of the visa regime plays a major role in the development of tourism in Azerbaijan. Currently, citizens of a number of countries get visas right at the Azerbaijani airports, while other tourists can visit the country by getting online tourist visas. The successful holding of international events has also turned Azerbaijan into a country recognizable by everyone in the world, and a country that many foreigners wish to visit as soon as possible. Azerbaijan confidently moves ahead to expand activities in the tourism sphere. Every year, Azerbaijans State Tourism Agency takes part in many international tourism fairs to promote the tourism potential of country. Since the end of last year, Azerbaijan tourism representative offices have been operating in six cities - Frankfurt (Germany), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Beijing (China), Mumbai (India) and Moscow (Russia). At the same time, it is planned to open permanent tourism offices of Azerbaijan in the UK, France, Iran and South Korea. Representations aim to achieve greater recognition of the country abroad, to increase the flow of tourists from target markets, and to promote the development of tourism in the country as a whole. In the modern world, tourism is one of the most dynamically developing and profitable sectors of the economy for each country. Therefore, Azerbaijan aims to develop this sphere by all possible means. Sustainable development of the non-oil sector, in particular the tourism sector, is crucial at a time when it is impossible to fully rely on oil and gas industry. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Cloudy with occasional rain during the afternoon. High 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 39F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Ariana Grande, late in a 90-minute set, acknowledged her stiff competition for a Sunday night crowd in Houston. "I know it's a big night," she told the crowd. "It's the 'Game of Thrones' finale so I appreciate you being here." SPACE DIVA: Ariana Grande visits NASA ahead of Houston show Apologies to Jon Snow and (the late) Daenerys, but Grande had the weekend market cornered on faithful fans. I counted ten pairs of thigh-high boots just walking up to Toyota Center in a span of about ten minutes. Dozens more strutted the hallways inside the venue. There were countless high ponytails and oversized sweatshirts. And the merch lines snaked throughout the building. Arianators snatched up pink and white shirts, posters and sported clear fanny packs. (There is a "clear bag policy" for all Grande shows.) Grande last performed here in 2017. The Sweetener World Tour is much more entertaining, boasts better lighting and is a more lighthearted affair. It's expertly choreographed and stands as her most fully realized tour to date. The elegantly spare stage evoked an outer space setting, with large moons giving it dimension. It gave way to a U-shaped runway that circled out into the crowd. Before Grande took the stage, a short video rallied young fans to vote and speak out against racism, homophobia, cynicism and misogyny. The show was divided into five sections, complete with costume changes. It kicked off in hues of red with a series of highlights. "God is a Woman" cast Grande and her dancers in a Last Supper-inspired motif. The droning "Bad Idea" was reworked with an '80s-inspired arrangement that recalled The Police. The anthemic "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" was commanding and seductive Vocally, Grande has always been light years away from most of her contemporaries. But on this tour, she's truly come into her own voice. Her delivery was clearer, stronger, brighter, more confident. It was evident on standouts "R.E.M." and "Sweetener." HTOWN VICIOUS: Houston's own Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo are up for a BET Award And despite the pop grandness she radiates, this wasn't the usual diva showcase. No huge set pieces. No flying over the crowd. No pyro and just a few well-timed blasts of confetti. Even the dancers felt more like friends having a good time. (One of them even showed up at Rich's nightclub.) She cavorted in front of a pink car during recent chart-topper "7 Rings." Turned the venue into a full-on dance party with irresistible bops "Into You," "Break Free" and "No Tears Left to Cry." Easily maneuvered the surf-rock update on "The Light is Coming" and a brassier "Dangerous Woman." "NASA," of course, name checks a local landmark -- "It's like I'm the universe and you'll be N-A-S-A ..." -- and incited one of several singalongs. Grande visited the titular institution Saturday with friends. It made perfect sense that she closed with "Thank U, Next," a love letter to lost love. It was just one of several times Grande went sweet and subtle when she could have gone big and loud. Thank u, indeed. Normani's opening set was summed up by one excited fan who screamed between songs: "You are the next Beyonce!" The former Fifth Harmony member has much in common with the Houston-born superstar. Both are aggressive dancers with authoritative struts. Both are backed by female bands. Normani even squeezed in a costume change during her half-hour set. Bey would be proud. And, most importantly, both call the Houston area home. Normani's family moved to Pearland from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She ably handled a Rihanna medley that included "Diamonds" and "Run This Town." Sported a James Harden No. 13 jersey during a run of Fifth Harmony songs. Reasserted her own star power during "Dancing with a Stranger" and "Love Lies." And even brought her best friend onstage for a birthday serenade. What's most astonishing, however, is that Normani has yet to release a solo album. Prepare yourself for when she does. A new queen is waiting to take the crown. Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle and also covers everything from "Drag Race" to "Idol." Follow him on Twitter. Send him news tips at joey.guerra@chron.com. Three men are wanted in connection to what police are calling an aggravated robbery at a Beaumont pawn shop Sunday afternoon. Three men wearing hooded sweatshirts and bandanas just before 2 p.m. entered an EZ Pawn at 3777 College St., according to a news release from the Beaumont Police Department. Kim Brent / The Enterprise The full Beaumont City Council on Tuesday will officially begin to consider bringing Mardi Gras to the city. The item is on the meetings agenda as a work session, which generally means the City Council will have an opportunity to learn more about an issue and ask questions but will not take a vote. A San Marcos police officer is facing multiple surgeries after authorities say she was struck by a vehicle as she responded to a call on Interstate 35 Saturday night, according to a news release. Officer Claudia Cormier was severely injured by the Ford Expedition driven by Neil Sheehan, 58, of Flower Mound, while in the northbound lane of I-35 near Mile Marker 202 about 9:45 p.m., police say. We are so used to bad news these days that sometimes we overlook the truly wonderful things that are happening in our own backyard. Exhibit A would be the stupendous change unfolding in downtown Port Arthur, announced a while back and officially kicked off last week. Motiva Enterprises is buying and renovating at least two stately old buildings in the downtown, renovating them and filling them with 500 office workers. The project will cost at least $150 million. Port Arthur Mayor Derrick Freeman said it is one of the largest investments in an opportunity zone in the nation. A project of this magnitude might occur only a few times in the entire country each year. One of them is happening right here in Port Arthur, and its worth bragging about. This investment breathes new life into a moribund downtown. It saves historic buildings instead of demolishing them. It lifts up everything that shares real estate with the downtown, from Lamar State College to the Port of Port Arthur. Best of all are the spinoff developments that are already taking shape. Other companies and entrepreneurs are starting to make plans to provide goods and services to all those office workers. Everyone else who lives nearby or works downtown can of course take advantage of these new options. All of this creates more jobs and sales taxes in a city that can use them to repair its infrastructure and keep the momentum going. Credit must go to Motiva, which could have built new glass and steel boxes somewhere for these employees, or even continued to house them in 220 trailers at its refinery. Instead, company officials chose to repurpose old structures in a region where too many of them are torn down. This doesnt mean that Port Arthur ISD officials should relent in their efforts to get the Motiva refinery assessed fairly for property taxes so they have enough tax dollars to educate the citys children. If anything, a company that is civic-minded enough to make a move like this could re-evaluate its position on the refinery valuation and reach out for a fair compromise. But thats for later, and right now Port Arthur residents can be forgiven for sitting back and soaking in all the positives from this project. Its a huge boost for their town. And since Port Arthur is the second-largest city in the region, this helps all of Southeast Texas in psychological and practical terms. The buildings should be ready in 2021; we can hardly wait. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California is making one point very clear very early in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination: She doesnt want to be Joe Bidens VP. She even quips cleverly, If people want to speculate about running mates, I encourage that, because I think that Joe Biden would be a great running mate. As vice-president, hes proven that he knows how to do the job. Touche. Thats the kind of thing any serious candidate should say at this stage, but some of them should be prepared to eat those words. Somebodys gotta be the VP, and if Biden gets the top spot, the job is especially attractive. Theres no guarantee, of course, that Biden will get the nomination. Plenty of front-runners fade in this process. But Biden is not just ahead of every other Democrat, hes way ahead of all but one of them. Biden is the first choice among 33 percent of Democrats in the latest Emerson Polling survey while Sen. Bernie Sanders is favored by 25 percent. After that, only Sens. Harris and Elizabeth Warren are in double digits, and just barely. The others in this gaggle are mired in Single Digit Land. Its early, but its reasonable to speculate a few things at this point. If Democrats are going to choose an old white guy, its going to be Biden, not Bernie. And while Sanders did give Hillary Clinton a strong challenge in 2016, its highly unlikely that Democratic voters are going to choose a Socialist for their nominee. (If they do, Trump can start searching for a new round of cabinet officers for his second term. For some reason, theres been a lot of turnover in those jobs.) So lets go out on a limb and suggest that Biden gets the nomination, which is not a crazy thought. Hes a likable guy with widespread name recognition, and the party could do a lot worse. Biden has many attributes for the job, but at 77 hes also the oldest candidate in the race. His VP should be someone younger (which is everyone else) and it wouldnt hurt if that person were a woman and/or a minority to broaden the tickets appeal. Democrats are particularly sensitive to this need, though I dont think they should rule out Beto ORourke should he finish strong behind Biden. Beto has a special appeal to a young generation of voters, and theres a slim chance he could help Democrats win his home state for the first time since 1976. If Democrats could somehow take Texas and its 38 electoral votes, they win the presidency hands down. Its a long shot, but ORourke lost to Sen. Ted Cruz by only 2.6 percentage points last year. Whoever gets the second slot will be in a good position, again because of Bidens age. Voters might give someone in his late seventies a chance at the presidency. When Biden turns 80, the age issue would loom much larger if he runs for re-election. While hes in good health now, at some point Father Time will start to nag him. In other words, theres a strong possibly that Biden would be a one-term president. Hell never say that now because he doesnt want anyone to think hes not up to the job, but the practical realities here cannot be ignored. Should Biden bow out in 2024, guess which Democrat would be perfectly positioned for a shot at the presidency himself or herself? If you answered, His vice president, give yourself a gold star. That person Harris or ORourke or whoever would start out with huge financial and political advantages and almost be the person to beat. Again, no one sets out to run for vice president. On paper, youre shooting for the top spot. But only one of the 20-plus Democratic contenders will get the nomination, and that will leave a lot of ambitious politicians looking for the next step in their careers. The vice presidency is never a bad place to land, and the office could be even more important this time. If its offered to Harris or anyone, they should take it. Thomas Taschinger is the Opinions Editor for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact him at TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here. The Boyne City Planning Commission will debate Boyne City (Mich.) SurgCenter's proposed center May 20, the Petoskey News-Review reports. What you should know: 1. The proposed surgery center is 7,200 square feet. 2. The center would have two large procedure rooms, one small procedure room, pre- and postoperative recovery spaces, a waiting room and physician offices. 3. Gosling Czubak Engineering Sciences' Darren Graham is attempting to earn approval for the center's owners. More articles on new ASC development: 3 things to know about outpatient cervical disc replacement 10 things to know about spine surgery for ASCs in 2019 Outpatient revision minimally invasive lumbar decompression: 4 notes on ASC vs. HOPD Seattle-based Bloodworks, Northwest is notifying 1,893 patients of a March data breach that may have exposed patients' personal information. The blood bank became aware that a document that contained certain personal information of some patients had gone missing on March 13. The document contained patients' names, dates of birth and medical diagnoses. No Social Security numbers or financial information was exposed. Bloodworks is in the processes of alerting all affected patients. The blood bank has set up a call line for patients who have questions. More articles on cybersecurity: Oregon State Hospital alerts patients of phishing attack Memorial Hermann employee 'improperly' used patients' credit card info First cybercrime hotline unveiled in Rhode Island Pending approval by the state, Gastonia, N.C.-based CaroMont Health plans to build its second hospital in North Carolina, according to The Charlotte Observer. The hospital, part of a planned $300 million investment into the community, would be located in Belmont, N.C. Construction of the second hospital, expected to cost $173 million, would be completed in 2023. The $300 million investment also includes 50 more rooms at CaroMont's main facility in Gastonia and several new medical office buildings. Utica, N.Y.-based Mohawk Valley Health System could face a legal battle over its $480 million expansion project, according to nonprofit public radio network WRVO Public Media. The expansion which calls for the construction of a 672,000-square-foot hospital in downtown Utica is expected to break ground late this year. However, a group opposed to the plans has filed a lawsuit regarding the state-mandated environmental review process that was completed earlier this year, according to WRVO. Jim Brock, co-founder of No Hospital Downtown, argues that the process, referred to as SEQR, was "fatally flawed." He told the radio network the process did not properly factor in the historic nature of the neighborhood that is being torn down and did not thoroughly review an alternative location for the hospital Mohawk Valley's St. Luke's campus. The new hospital is slated to replace that campus and the St. Elizabeth campus, both in Utica. "With the SEQR process being so fatally flawed on so many different levels, we were forced at that point to bring litigation and to address those issues and more importantly to have the court address those issues," Mr. Brock said. No Hospital Downtown is calling for a new agency to conduct a new environmental review process. The Planning Board of Utica, one of the defendants in the lawsuit, led the initial review. Mohawk Valley COO Bob Scholefield told WRVO the expansion will move forward, with plans to continue closing on downtown businesses and taking steps toward building the new hospital amid the lawsuit. "We have to continue to provide enough confidence to those who are concerned about these things to recognize that we are moving forward," he said. "Although there are a number of hurdles to get us there, the end result of a state-of-the-art medical center in downtown Utica that allows us to create jobs during the construction, create additional jobs after its open, recruiting of physicians and higher level of care, those benefits will all be realized about four years from now. We just have to make sure we don't lose sight of that." Houston-based Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center is pledging to address patient safety and care quality issues identified by federal regulators. In an open letter posted on the hospital website, President Doug Lawson, PhD, acknowledged that a recent full-scale review of the hospital's operations by CMS found violations and said the hospital continues to work hard to improve. "The [CMS survey] results point to remaining housekeeping, maintenance and patient safety issues that in no way meet our standards, expectations or commitments to our community," he wrote. "We are taking seriously every opportunity for improvement, and we are addressing the findings with urgency. We are confident that the next review will reflect our commitments and accomplishments." The issues at St. Luke's came up during an April investigation, which found violations related to infection control, quality assurance, patient rights, food services and St. Luke's physical environment and board oversight, according to the Houston Chronicle. After the survey, regulators told St. Luke's to submit a detailed correction plan to address violations or risk losing Medicare funding. Dr. Lawson said the deficiencies identified by regulators "did not occur overnight," and were not the result of any one factor. He said St. Luke's already has begun to correct issues through its internal quality program. "We appreciate the expertise, thoroughness and professionalism of the CMS survey team during the recent review and look forward to incorporating their insights into additional steps Baylor St. Luke's will take to ensure it will meet all requirements by CMS," wrote Dr. Lawson. "Many significant improvements already have been completed across the hospital, [and] we are confident remaining findings will be implemented in the coming weeks." St. Luke's has had its hands full amid probes that have cited issues at the hospital. CMS cut off funding for the hospital's heart transplant program last year after a Houston Chronicle and ProPublica investigation found a large number of patient deaths and unusual surgical complications after heart transplants in recent years. The hospital saw several leaders depart after the investigation, and new leadership began coming into place in mid-January. Dr. Lawson said while it is a "challenging time" for St. Luke's, the hospital continues to implement improvements and is confident the efforts will lead to full compliance with CMS requirements. Read the hospital's full plan of correction here and the CMS survey results here. More articles on healthcare finance: Nevada governor signs surprise-billing lawNevada governor signs surprise-billing law Moody's: Nonprofit health systems pursuing alternative growth strategies with differing credit risk levels JPMorgan Chase buys healthcare payments technology company InstaMed for $500M+ Three patients who received emergency care at hospitals operated by HCA Healthcare are suing the Nashville, Tenn.-based company for allegedly billing them and other emergency room patients a "cover charge." In their lawsuit filed May 15, the patients allege they were hit with an emergency room fee after receiving care at HCA hospitals in Florida. They claim the surcharge is not disclosed to patients before care is provided. "Knowledge of this undisclosed surcharge, which is essentially a 'cover charge' or 'surcharge' for being seen in one of defendants' emergency rooms, would be a substantial factor in an emergency care patient's decision to remain at the hospital and proceed with treatment or seek less costly treatment elsewhere," states the complaint. According to the complaint, one of the plaintiffs received emergency care at Poinciana Medical Center in Kissimmee, Fla., and was later billed for an undisclosed surcharge of $3,935. Another plaintiff was hit with a $1,642 surcharge after receiving emergency care at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee, Fla. A third plaintiff claims a surcharge was sprung on him after his minor dependent received emergency care at Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) Hospital, but the complaint doesn't state the amount of the alleged surcharge. The plaintiffs filed the proposed class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on behalf of themselves and others who were provided care at emergency rooms operated by HCA Florida or its affiliates during the last four years. The plaintiffs allege that HCA violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by billing patients for the emergency room surcharge. In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review, a spokesperson for Poinciana Medical Center said the hospital will defend itself against the allegations. "Similar claims were filed by these plaintiffs and previously dismissed by the Federal District Court in Orlando," the spokesperson said. "We believe we have appropriately disclosed our charges and complied with the law. We will continue to defend ourselves against these allegations." More articles on healthcare finance: Fortune 500: 41 healthcare companies make the 2019 list Banner Health's net income triples on strong investment gains CEO pursues takeover of Missouri hospital after operator ousted 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. Nurses at Twin Cities hospitals in Minnesota will hold informational pickets May 22, 23 and 29 amid contract negotiations, the union that represents them announced. Since March, the Minnesota Nurses Association has been in negotiations with Minneapolis-based Allina Health, as well as Fairview Health Services, Children's and HealthEast hospital systems, all based in the Twin Cities area. The union has also been in negotiations with Methodist Hospital in Minneapolis, and Robbinsdale, Minn.-based North Memorial Health. However, the MNA and hospitals have not reached agreements that can be sent to a vote by nurses, union leaders said in a news release. Key sticking points in negotiations include workplace safety, staffing, wages and benefits. The contract talks come three years after Allina Health nurses called two strikes. Allina nurses went on strike in June 2016 for seven days and again in September and October 2016, primarily over health benefits. The next bargaining sessions are scheduled at Methodist on May 22, Fairview on May 23 and Allina and Children's on May 24. North Memorial is also scheduling additional dates. More articles about human capital and risk: Strike at Mercy Health-St. Vincent Medical Center continues for second week U of California hospital workers walk off the job UC Davis Health residents, fellows can have union representation, state labor board says Stakeholders and lawmakers in these five states and cities recently proposed or signed into law changes to their health insurance programs, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review. 1. Washington state lawmakers passed a law to implement a public option health insurance plan May 13. Under the bill, the state will launch Cascade Care. Washington will contract with private health insurers to administer the plan, but still control the terms to manage costs. 2. In a first for the nation, Maryland will allow its residents to sign up for health insurance when they file their taxes in 2020. Under the measure, signed into law May 13 by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, Maryland residents can check a box on their tax forms that will ask, "Are you insured now?" If residents check no and are eligible for Medicaid, residents will be automatically enrolled in the program unless they object. 3. Montana reauthorized its Medicaid program under new legislation that also adds work requirements to the program. Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock signed the bill May 9, which reauthorized the state's Medicaid program for another six years. In addition, able-bodied Medicaid recipients will be required to participate in 80 hours of work or community service each month to maintain their benefits. 4. 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. 5. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio debuted the city's new NYC Care Cards for its uninsured population on May 7. Uninsured New Yorkers who are eligible for the cards can use them to access physicians, undergo preventive screenings and tests, and schedule appointments, the mayor's office said May 7. 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 Walmart is recommending its employees use one of 800 imaging centers found to provide more accurate diagnoses, according to Kaiser Health News. The move came after Walmart officials discovered that about half of the company's workers who underwent back surgery in the past few years actually didn't need those operations due to misdiagnosis. A large issue was employees' diagnostic imaging like CT scans and MRIs had high error rates, Lisa Woods, senior director of benefits design for Walmart, told Kaiser Health News. Since March, Walmart has begun steering workers to specific imaging providers based on diagnostic accuracy, not price, to curb misdiagnoses. Employer health experts believe Walmart is among the first retail giant to do so, according to the report. While Walmart workers don't have to use the 800 centers marked off as higher quality by the retailer, they could face additional cost-sharing if they go to a different location. The list of high-quality centers was curated for Walmart by New York City-based health analytics firm Covera Health. Covera Health uses data to designate which imaging centers will be the most accurate for conditions from cancer to torn knee ligaments. Walmart's imaging strategy mirrors its other cost-saving efforts to steer employees to certain hospitals and providers for high-cost health procedures. Hospitals must work to eliminate the "climate of secrecy" that surrounds superbug outbreaks without creating misplaced fear in patients, Matt McCarthy, MD, an infectious disease physician Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times. At present, the CDC is prohibited from publicly disclosing hospitals undergoing outbreaks of drug-resistant infections due to an agreement with states. To increase transparency into superbug outbreaks, some patient advocates are calling on hospitals to share a list of every superbug found within their facilities. Dr. McCarthy said such a practice would cause many patients to avoid medical care due to fears of acquiring an infection, among other consequences. Instead, he said "hospitals should train spokesmen to address these issues and states should revisit their reluctance to disclose information." Hospital leaders should also speak openly about how they are addressing superbug outbreaks to keep patients safe. "Hospital administrators and government officials do need to be honest about the microbes in our medical centers and explain what is really going on," Dr. McCarthy wrote. "No comment will no longer suffice. People have questions and this story is not going away." To read the full op-ed, click here. Chicago reported its first measles case and the second confirmed in Cook County May 19, reports the Chicago Tribune. The confirmed cases come less than two weeks after a study identified the county as most vulnerable for experiencing a measles outbreak. Four things to know: 1. The infection marks the eighth measles case in Illinois this year. 2. The confirmed case occurred in an international traveler who visited several countries experiencing measles outbreaks, according to Elena Ivanova, a spokesperson for the city of Chicago. 3. Researchers identified Cook County as most at risk for a measles outbreak of all U.S. counties based on four factors: population, nonmedical vaccine exemption rates, international air travel volume, and measles incidence in the countries travelers are visiting. 4. As of May 17, the CDC reported 880 measles cases in 24 states. Mountain Home, Ark.-based Baxter Regional Medical Center partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock on a pilot program that uses telemedicine to increase the speed of stroke care, NBC affiliate KY3 reports. BRMC is just one of two hospitals in Arkansas that have added videoconferencing technology to its ambulances. When a first responder has a patient who they suspect is having a stroke, the provider can virtually connect with a neurologist from UAMS, who will watch video of the patient perform different steps of the intervention to help diagnose stroke. Telemedicine helps the neurologist complete most of his or her medical assessment before the patient even arrives at the hospital. This allows the BRMC providers to administer medication and intervene as soon as the patient arrives at the hospital. "We look at maybe saving 20 or 30 minutes," Christopher Fry, BRMC paramedic supervisor, told KY3. "But millions, literally millions of brain cells die every second that a stroke is occurring. So, if we can save 20 minutes or 30 minutes off that patient's event, we are more likely to have a patient come out the other end." Medacta plans to move its U.S. headquarters from Chicago to Tennessee, according to a Fox 17 Nashville report. Four key notes: 1. Medacta, an orthopedic device company, will invest $2.5 million to relocate its U.S. headquarters to Franklin, Tenn. The company expects to generate 50 jobs at the new location over five years. 2. The Switzerland-based company will also launch a research and development lab in Tennessee, aiming to be near other healthcare companies. 3. Surgeons have performed more than 60,000 knee procedures using the Medacta MyKnee and 330,000 hip surgeries using the AMIS system. 4. Medacta celebrated its 20-year anniversary this year and has turned its focus to personalized medicine. The Tesco store has been closed since last August. The Tesco Metro in Belfast has reopened almost nine months after the devastating Primark Bank Buildings fire forced its closure. The store was put behind the safety cordon in the wake of the fire to allow for work to make the Primark building structure safe. It employs 95 full and part-time staff. Over recent weeks the safety cordon has been scaled back allowing many of the 14 stores that were closed to reopen for business. Since last August Royal Avenue, Donegall Place and Castle Place were transformed into pedestrianised zones with pop-up play parks, novelty seating, artificial grass and stalls around the area. It has led to a debate on if the city centre streets should be closed to traffic permanently. Those behind a petition for a permanent "pedestrian paradise" have said the re-organised city centre had created a "fun, more attractive and wonderfully family friendly" feel. Retail NI said the move to reopen the store was welcomed but a rejuvenation fund was needed for the city centre. Glyn Robert, chief executive of the organisation which represents independent traders, said: "We believe a 21st century city centre can be created with a dynamic retail and hospitality offer. There is no reason, with the right investment and partnership that Belfast couldnt be in the top 10 of retail destinations in the UK. Top of our list is creating the conditions so that more independent retailers could locate in the city centre to offer something different and distinctive to consumers." The president of the Belfast Chamber of Trade Rajesh Rana welcomed the re-opening of Tesco. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) He said Belfast had been busier in the first part of this year compared to last year. "Tesco has reopened and within a few weeks the buses will start to come down Royal Avenue as well," he told the BBC. "There is a lot going on, a lot of reasons to come into the city and it's great to see the city come back to life." He said there was a need to get more families back into the city but the short term was to get the roads reopened. He said the conversation on city planning should be addressed in the long term. Fire devastated the historic Bank Buildings in the heart of the city at the end of August last year. The fire which began on a roof gutted the building leaving it at risk of collapse. Work has been ongoing on bringing the building down with owners Primark pledging to restore its historic facade. First Derivatives founder Brian Conlon has said he will remain at the helm of the software firm despite being diagnosed with cancer. The Newry-based financial services group, which trades on both the London and Irish stock exchange, informed Dublin's Euronext on Friday morning of the 53-year-old chief executive's recent diagnosis. Mr Conlon is set to undergo weekly chemotherapy over the course of several months. The company's chairman Seamus Keating has said he will provide additional executive and governance support. "The board has set a clear strategy and the executive committee, led by Brian, has delivered strong execution of that strategy year-on-year," he said. "During the period of his treatment I will provide additional executive and governance support and I am confident that Brian and his team will continue to execute the group's growth plans successfully." Founded by Mr Conlon in 1996, First Derivatives reported sales growth of 20% to 105.6m for the six months ending August 31, 2018. Its clients now include global banks JPMorgan, Lloyds and Morgan Stanley. Head-quartered in Newry, the company employs around 2,500 across offices in Belfast, Dublin, London and New York. It moved into the Weaving Works on Belfast's Ormeau Avenue in 2017, office capable of housing 320 people. The group employs around 600 in Newry, where it has developed new offices. In September, First Derivatives announced plans to create another 1,000 jobs across the organisation over the next three years. Earlier this year, Brian Conlon was listed among the wealthiest individuals in Northern Ireland. At the launch of Back Her Business in Titanic Hotel Belfast were (from left) Roseann Kelly, Women in Business; Alison Rose, NatWest chief executive of commercial and private banking, and Lynsey Cunningham, regional director of entrepreneurship at Ulster Bank A new partnership between Ulster Bank and Crowdfunder will open up a new realm of funding for female entrepreneurs here and begin to "move the dial" on barriers facing female-led start-ups, an RBS chief has said. Alison Rose, chief executive of commercial and private banking at NatWest, said the partnership, Back Her Business, follows on from the Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship which sets out recommendations to improve female start-up and scale-up rates and contribute 250bn of new value to the UK economy. "We did an evaluation of the barriers facing women and we looked at the statistics, and worked out that if we could get some of the best-in-class rates in other countries like Canada in terms of female entrepreneurship, you could be adding 250bn contribution to the economy, which is substantial," she told the Belfast Telegraph. The Rose Review revealed only 5.6% of women run their own business and further data also shows that women are half as likely as men to start a business. Ms Rose said she looked at a "practical set of interventions that will hopefully start moving the dial, because what I didn't want to do was just produce a report that stared at the problem". The result is Northern Ireland's first female-only crowdfunding programme developed in partnership with established provider Crowdfunder. Crowdfunder will provide the infrastructure and access to its wider network of partners and entrepreneurs, with the bank acting as a connector and enabler. Though most of the funding will come from 'the crowd', the bank will provide a top-up in funding of 1m per annum and will be offering up to 50% of an individual's fundraising target (capped at 5,000) for certain successful projects. The initiative will not be equity crowdfunding but donation and reward-based. Funders will be given a discount towards products or services in return for their donation in some instances. Ms Rose said the programme was also a response to the confusion surrounding current financial start-up offers out there. "There is a huge amount of venture capital money available but only 1% of female entrepreneurs were aware of the types of funding and where to go for help. There's also a lack of female representation in VC firms so this partnership is an extra source of funding," she said. Women from all sectors are able to join and launch their business idea for crowdfunding. The programme forms parts of Ulster Bank, NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland's wider commitment to help, inspire and support a further 400,000 female-led businesses by 2025. Back Her Business will also complement Ulster Bank's Entrepreneur Accelerator programme which has the highest female participation (53%) across the 12 programmes UK-wide. Ms Rose, who is tipped to be part of the line-up to succeed current RBS chief executive Ross McEwan when he leaves next year, added: "This is a non-competitive sport. If we actually all lean in together, we can make a substantial difference to the start-up and business ecosystem and, in the end, the wider consumer. "For too long women have been put off from starting a business by a number of factors; we want to make this a thing of the past because the opportunity and potential is there, and if you can move the dial you are really making a contribution to female entrepreneurs and the economy." Asked if she was interested in pursuing the top role at RBS, Ms Rose said: "I'm very focused on my day job." With the average wedding costing an eye-watering 30,000, two brides tell Linda Stewart how they managed to pull together their big day on a budget. Carer Geraldine Leslie (38), from west Belfast, married Edinburgh-born journalist Matthew (44) in Newcastle, Co Down, in July 2017 and they now live in Wick, Scotland. She estimates the cost came to around 3,000. Geraldine laughs that she first met Matthew on social media after her friend Aine Carson wrote about her in a blog post. "I had been single a long time and she wrote a blog about our friendship and said I was single and looking," she says. "I'd been to Match.com and it didn't really work out for me. Because I'm a practising Catholic as well, I needed someone who was respectful of those values that I have. So I thought 'you know what, I've got nothing to lose'. I thought I might as well give it a go." Matthew, who followed Aine on Twitter, spotted the post and made contact with Aine, saying 'I'll take her off your hands'. There were a few long-distance phone calls that lasted 'hours and hours' - and then Matthew and Geraldine finally met up. "He came over to meet me and we just hit it off and fell for each other. We started going out in February and he proposed in mid-April, but we didn't tell anyone until the middle of May. It was the obvious next step," Geraldine says. She says the couple just wanted to get married without any fuss or hullabaloo. "We wanted to do it as cheaply as possible because we didn't want to start our married life in debt, so we started looking out for wee bargains and offers and things like that," she says. Expand Close Loved up: Geraldine and Matthew Leslie on their wedding day / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Loved up: Geraldine and Matthew Leslie on their wedding day The pair wed in Our Lady of the Assumption in Newcastle, followed by a reception at Hugh McCann's pub. "My brother is a priest so he did the wedding for us, and my sister and her husband own a coach company so as a wedding present they provided the coach for all our guests and the bridesmaids came in a people carrier with me," Geraldine says. "I was an hour and a half late - it was desperate. I broke the record in the family for being late! "The thing we splashed out on was the wedding reception. Somebody recommended Hugh McCann's so we had our reception there and they were amazing. We went for the cheapest package, but we went for the room upstairs, The Loft, because of the beautiful view. "We didn't want any fuss or speeches or anything like that. We just wanted people to get something to eat, something to drink and have a laugh. We weren't even going to have a cake, but various family members offered to make one. My niece's boyfriend is a chef and he and my sister made it. It was gorgeous - it had three or four tiers." Geraldine had been looking out for second-hand dresses, because she was worried about the finances - but her sisters had other plans and bought her an 800 dress. "They all clubbed together and got me the dress for a wedding present. They said 'you're not getting a cheap wedding dress'. They took me to the shop and said 'don't look at the prices - you just pick the dress of your dreams'. "I'm the second youngest of eight and they made my day because I got the dress of my dreams," she says. "I wore my mother's veil with a lovely long train and I wore my sister's tiara that she wore to her wedding. I think I spent about 80 on the bridesmaids' dresses from Gumtree, although they were actually a present as well - they were a kind of lilac off-the-shoulder Greek style. "My friend Michaela did my hair for me and my bridesmaids, my friend Rebecca did the make-up and my friend Aine did the flowers for me and they were absolutely gorgeous. "She just bought them from the wholesalers and put them together. We invited people through an events page on Facebook, although we did buy cheap invites from Eason for people who didn't have the internet. "I didn't have an engagement ring as I think engagement rings are a waste of money. "But his aunt generously gave me a wedding ring that's been in the family - it's a bit of an heirloom and belonged to his great-grandmother. "And I wore my mother-in-law's necklace and earrings - that was our 'something borrowed'. I had a lot of borrowed things, to be honest!" According to Hugh McCann's, it was the most laid-back wedding they had seen. "We got our photographs taken on the beach. The photographer was Jim Corr and the photographs are absolutely magnificent," Geraldine says. "We got a good deal at the Slieve Donard that night and we actually walked there. A car stopped and asked if we wanted a lift, but we said we were just enjoying the evening walk - I had my train over my shoulder! "I wore my sister's tiara the next day and we went to the cafe across the way and got a toastie or something. "I loved Matthew and I wanted to marry him. A lot of people look forward to the wedding, but we weren't looking forward to the wedding - we were looking forward to the marriage," Geraldine adds. 'We didn't want to spend the rest of our lives paying for our wedding day' Expand Close Hollie and Matthew cutting the cake / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hollie and Matthew cutting the cake Retail worker Hollie Jones (24), from Newtownabbey, married shift supervisor Matthew (27) last year. They have a son Ethan (4). Hollie estimates that the wedding cost around 3,500. After Hollie and Matthew met, they got engaged pretty quickly. "We met about seven years ago in Next," she says. "Matthew was my brother's friend to start off with. I think he didn't really like me to start off with and now we are married and have a child together! "We got engaged four or five months after we met - it was quite quick and we were living together by that stage. He popped the question in the house. "It wasn't romantic at all really - I must be easily pleased! When we first got engaged we had in mind that we would get married in 2014 but we never got round to it because I fell pregnant with Ethan. "The second time, we just wanted close family there. We had about 30 people at the wedding. "We looked around lots of hotels and we just wanted something that felt right. Then we came across the Templeton and it was just so homely - we fell in love with that place." Hollie says that she enjoys looking for bargains - and managed to get many amazing items at great value for her big day. "I know people who have taken out big loans to pay for a wedding, but I didn't want to pay off a wedding for the rest of my life," she says. "By keeping the numbers down as low as we could, we got the cost a bit lower. "As for the dress, I went to wedding fairs and saw the dress and I just fell in love with it. It was actually a bridesmaid's dress and when I got it, it had 20% off. It was strapless. I ordered extra fabric and with alterations it came to 300 on the dot. It was basically a custom dress for 300 - that was my big bargain. "We looked at hiring suits but I'd seen suits in Next that were basically the same price to buy. So we bought the suit from Next and Matthew has been able to wear it more times than if he had just rented it. "My brother has a friend who was starting off baking cakes and she made ours for 100, which cut the cost down." The bride put her creativity and artistic skills to good use when it came to making decorations for her wedding. "For table decorations, we watched out and collected coffee jars and decorated them with ribbon and flowers from Tesco," she reveals. "We got sweetie jars off the Buy and Sell website and got these glass bottoms that were almost mirrors and put the sweetie jars on top to create a sweetie table where people could go and make mix-ups. That was much cheaper than hiring somebody to do it. "We hired the DJ from one of the wedding fairs and even he was on offer. And as a wedding present we had an old family friend who came and did a bit of a live band for us. We asked for wedding presents in the form of people buying us stuff for the wedding. "There are so many things - we won a few competitions. That got us money off our cars, which really helped, and with the photographs we got an offer - they were booked so far in advance that we got money off. "There were some hiccups, but the wedding was all we could have asked for. I could happily go and do it all again - it was brilliant." How to make your big day a success without going overboard on the costs Tips from OneFabDay.com for saving money on your big day: 1. Go off-peak with a mid-week or off-season wedding 2. Pick a venue whose decor you love 3. Cut the guest list 4. Use printables to create your stationery and labels 5. Scribe your own stationery 6. Email the invitations 7. Ditch the RSVP cards and just include a phone number instead 8. Choose your DIY projects wisely and dont get overwhelmed 9. Think of decor as an investment will be useful afterwards? 10. Dump the wedding favours if youre not into them 11. Dont get carried away with the little extras 12. Ask your florist for decor 13. Reuse your ceremony flowers in the reception 14. Stick with one flower type 15. Pick flowers that are in season 16. Try gypsophila for a budget bouquet 17. Choose a single-tiered wedding cake 18. Fake layers in the cake 19. Get a friend to make the cake 20. Replace the cake with store-bought treats 21. Stick with seasonal food 22. Dont have a sit-down meal 23. Grab a dress bargain at a sample sale 24. Buy your dress on the high street 25. Rent a gown 26. Go for a second-hand dress 27. Accessorise with family heirlooms 28. Hit the high street for shoes 29. Limit your bridesmaid numbers 30. Find affordable bridesmaid dresses 31. Use a Spotify playlist for music 32. Get a friend to help with the cars 33. Honeymoon locally 34. Have the honeymoon later Prince Harry has been much praised for his warm, informal approach in announcing the birth of his son Archie - it's said that he and Meghan are really modernising the British monarchy. Archie being of mixed race is a bonus. Harry addressed media and public as "you guys" and, unlike his predecessors, he no longer requires interviewers to call him "Sir". The monarchy is getting with the programme! Yes. But careful, now, Harry. This is a project that every institution has faced - political parties, churches, retail businesses, media and communications. How do you modernise and adapt to a changing world while nevertheless retaining your brand identity? If the British monarchy was to 'modernise' fully it would do away with itself altogether. Monarchy is an archaic constitutional arrangement. It has no basis in rationality, let alone equality. Why should one family inherit privilege through a dynastic form? The ultimate modernisation of royalty is abolition. Thus monarchies have to proceed cautiously. Yes, adapt to changed values and new ways. But a monarchy is nothing without history and tradition, and continuity has to be maintained if the brand is to be plausible. Supposing that Harry and Meghan, instead of having that very pretty wedding ceremony just a year ago, with church ceremonial, music, hymns, prayers and scripture readings, had just popped down to Windsor Registry Office for a simple civil procedure? Or just shacked up together in agreed cohabitation? Modern, yes. But if royals start doing everything like everyone else, they lose their reason for existing - which is to provide a mystique based on dynastic tradition, rich in symbolic meaning. Modern royalty only survives when it is popular. That doesn't always entail being modern in every way. A little bit modern, yes. A little bit diverse, sure. But keep an eye on the continuity. We know the pace of global change has been rapid since the millennium - the American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt reckons that a quantum leap occurred around 2014, when social media really took off. It was predicted that books would disappear, with the rise of Kindle (2007) and the availability of texts on screen. The book trade did indeed take a hit and bookshops struggled. Why pay good money for something printed and bound in paper and cardboard which clutters your home when you can read every classic ever written by downloading it, cheaply or even free? But the book industry fought back: books were re-branded as objects worth having, with attractive jackets and quality presentation. Book stores sometimes added little coffee shops to their premises, reading spaces, and, above all, events, where people could meet and talk to authors. Book publishers smartened up on the art of hype. Result: last year, the Publishers' Association announced that physical book sales were up by 5% - demonstrating that you can "modernise" by using imaginative thinking. The retail trade has been hit by similar upheavals. Personally, I'll never get over the loss of Clerys on Dublin's O'Connell Street (and small wonder that boulevard is now judged to be drab and slummy, with shuttered-up window fronts), but I suppose it was no longer adapted to the way that people shop today. The long-established Debenham's has had a similar struggle and is closing 22 of its UK outlets. Quite how it can modernise and adapt has vexed better business brains than mine, but it's noticeable that some retailers still survive by a canny blend of change and continuity. Can political parties modernise and still maintain their brand? Sinn Fein will surely be a social study for future political PhDs. In recent years, it switched from being anti-EU to being European Union cheerleaders; and from being aligned with traditional Catholic social values, as it often was, to supporting same-sex marriage and abortion rights. There's now a millennial generation who would favour these values, in general, and in reaching for their votes, Sinn Fein can be said to be modernising. How much it will retain of its original "brand" of trademark Irish patriotism is yet to be seen. The Catholic church began a modernising process back in the 1960s. Nuns were still wearing 17th century habits, so modernisation was certainly needed. But the French religious scholar Olivier Roy claims that the church literally threw away the most engaging aspect of its old brand: beauty and tranquillity. Ugly churches and banal liturgy did nothing for spirituality. We veteran journalists have seen huge shifts in the media world. When the digital revolution began, the word went out: "It's the dissolution of the monasteries." Quite so! But the monastic scribes adapted too and new and stimulating forms emerged. The printed word, whether on screen or on paper, is still a great way to communicate ideas from one mind to another. That's the core value. Watch how far Harry and Meghan go in modernising royalty - and how much, nevertheless, they retain of the old brand. It's a lesson for us all. Theresa May has again been warned a no-deal Brexit would break up the UK creating "unstoppable pressure for a border poll, in Northern Ireland, it has been reported. The warning has been reported in the Financial Times on Monday and comes as the Prime Minister prepares to table her Brexit deal to parliament for a fourth time next month. She has promised a "new, bold" offer in a bid to win over support. Read More The Financial Times reports Downing Street will tell Tories if the deal is defeated it will risk either an no-deal exit, a second referendum or another general election. The Prime Minister's chief of staff Gavin Barwell is reported to have told Conservative MPs a no-deal Brexit would create tensions in Northern Ireland. Officials told the paper it was thought Scotland would soon follow with its own demands for independence and a similar sentiment would develop in Wales. Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement a border poll could only be called if the secretary of state believed a majority would vote in favour of reunification. The DUP has vehemently opposed the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement due to concerns that the so-called backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland would threaten the Union with Britain. The party has said there is nothing new in Mrs May's fourth attempt to win Commons support for her deal. Writing in The Sunday Times Theresa May said her fourth attempt at getting her withdrawal agreement through parliament would "represent a new, bold offer with an improved package of measures". "It will deliver a Brexit that honours the decision the British people took in the referendum with a Brexit that is good for jobs, good for our security, and which sets the whole UK on course for a bright future outside the EU," she said. She said passing the withdrawal agreement was essential to an orderly negotiated Brexit. One of Northern Ireland's most prominent publicans has said education is key to improving drinking culture in Northern Ireland and there had been a generational shift in attitudes during his four decades behind a bar. Bill Wolsey said the person who would have boasted of drinking to excess around 15 years ago would be considered a "half wit" today. His comments come as the Department of Health launched a consultation exercise on what can be done to address alcohol and drug abuse. Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said drug and alcohol abuse was "still having a huge impact on society". Mr Wolsey - whose businesses include bars in the city's Cathedral Quarter as well as the Merchant and Bullitt hotels - said people had been drinking less and pubs, hotels and restaurants had moved to adapt. "When I started I was taught it was better to serve six people one pint than one person six pints. Pubs have changed to deal with social needs of people," he told the BBC. "Food has played a big part." Mr Wolsey said his establishments were strict and would not serve anyone to the point they became drunk and stag and hen parties were barred. "The vast majority of our customers come in and take one to two to three drinks and they go home in a sober state," he continued. He said people's idea of a night out had changed pointing to a generational shift in attitudes. And there would be "not as many people as you would think" rolling around drunk in the city streets on a weekend night. "You no longer hear people say they are going out to get hammered. That just does not happen," he continued. "It was only about 15 years ago somebody was drunk and staggering around the place and had some boastful story to tell. Now that person is looked on as some sort of half wit. It has absolutely changed." Mr Wolsey said education was the way forward on improving altitudes to drinking and he had no objection to warning labels on bottles of drink. "As a publican of 40 years the changes have been dramatic. No doubt about it some young people are drinking a lot. In disadvantaged areas some kids absolutely do drink too much. "But you see less and less people getting drunk." His comments come as the Department of Health launched a consultation on getting the public views on alcohol and drug abuse. The department's permanent secretary Richard Pengelly said: I want to start the conversation about what a new or improved substance strategy might look like. The pre-consultation exercise gives the public the opportunity to have their say on the vision, focus and priorities of a strategy and to directly inform future developments in policy and practice." Mr Pengelly said a recent review of the current strategy had found some "encouraging signs" of reductions in binge drinking and drug misuse among youths. "However, substance misuse is still an ongoing problem which is reflected in the tragic alcohol and drug related deaths we are still seeing," he said. Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride added: "We need to look for new and innovative ideas and we want to have a wider conversation about substance misuse in society." The consultation can be accessed here. The man's body was found on Saturday night near Mullaghcarn Mountain. Police are investigating after the sudden death of a man aged in his 70s in the Gortin area of Omagh on Saturday night. The man's body was discovered after a rescue team was called in to search for a missing trail bike rider on Mullaghcarn Mountain on Saturday. The death is not being treated as suspicious. In a statement a spokesman for the North West Mountain Rescue Team said: "At 6.45pm the team received a request from the PSNI to search for a missing trail bike rider who had become detached from his party in the area of Mullaghcarn Mountain. "Team members responded and initiated a search plan but sadly, after some time, recovered the body of a male who was pronounced deceased at the scene by our team doctor. "We pass on our deepest condolences to the family and friends and have them in our thoughts at this very sad time. "Thanks to the PSNI for their assistance and Search And Rescue Dog Association." A PSNI spokesman said: "Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man, aged in his 70s, in the Glengawna area of Gortin, Omagh on the night of Saturday 18 May. "A post mortem is due to take place, however, the death is not being treated as suspicious at this time." Police at the scene of an attempted ATM theft at a Topaz filling station on the Gilnahirk Road in Belfast. Photo By Justin Kernoghan An organised crime gang carried out reconnaissance trips to cash machines raided across Belfast and Co Down, a court has heard. Police claimed one of three men accused of targeting ATM bunkers scouted them out with a bank card before angle grinders were deployed to get at money stored inside. Details of the alleged methods were disclosed as 41-year-old Brian McCullough, James Hamilton, 37, and 33-year-old Wayne Wilson were all remanded in custody. They appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court accused of burglary with intent to steal at a filling station on Gilnahirk Road in the east of the city last Friday. The trio are also charged with carrying out a similar burglary on a bunker in the Hartford Link area of Newtownards, Co Down on March 30. McCullough, of Ridgeway Street in Belfast, faces a further three counts of burglary with intent to steal at commercial premises. Those allegations relate to incidents on the Ravenhill Road on January 18, the Comber Road, Dundonald on January 27, and the Woodstock Road on February 23. McCullough was remanded in custody after his solicitor, Darren Duncan, confirmed bail was not being sought. Police opposed bail applications mounted by Hamilton, from Church Lane in Donaghadee, Co Down, and Wilson, of Downshire Park Central in Belfast. An investigating detective claimed they may have access to thousands of pounds yet to be recovered from the heists, and could use it to flee. She told the court an organised crime gang was behind the burglaries, which involved targeting exterior bunkers used to replenish the cash machines. The raids were different to other incidents where machines have been completely ripped out. According to the detective other members of the gang are still at large. She claimed that power tools and equipment were brought in to break into the cash holds following reconnaissance trips. During last Friday's alleged burglary police had observed suspects discussing how to enter the bunker for more than an hour, the court heard. Two of them were said to have carried heavy tools to the ATM, using a crowbar to gain access, while a third kept look-out. When police moved in the men scattered across fields in a bid to escape, District Judge Fiona Bagnall was told. The detective revealed that a PSNI helicopter was deployed to guide officers in the arrest operation. She also claimed that DNA evidence on grip bags from an earlier incident may link the defendants. Cross-examined by defence solicitor Gabriel Ingram, representing Hamilton and Wilson, the detective declined to confirm openly if surveillance had been carried out. Mr Ingram told the court Hamilton provided an account that he was out socialising at the time of last Friday's alleged raid. Disputing the police case against his clients, the lawyer argued: "The evidence is speculative." But refusing bail to Hamilton and Wilson, Judge Bagnall cited the risk of re-offending. Both men will appear again with McCullough via video-link on June 17. Veteran DUP politician Jim Wells last night said that his party's decision to run a gay candidate in the local council elections had left members of the party "heartbroken". The former Stormont Health Minister was speaking after the resignation from the party of Rev James Beggs, a brother-in-law of the late DUP founder and leader, Rev Ian Paisley. 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 is rooted in traditional Christian values. Rev Beggs, who is married to Margaret, Lord Bannside's sister, told the Irish News the selection of a gay candidate was the "final thing" that led to his resignation. "I wasn't happy with the direction the party was going in in recent days," he said. "I had been a paid-up member until this happened. I felt I had to resign." Mr Wells, who no longer has the party whip, described Rev Beggs as "one of the founding fathers of the DUP. I've known him for 40 years. His resignation is a highly significant act. "He was Dr Paisley's election agent - in European, Westminster and Stormont from 1969 until he stood down as an MP - almost 50 years. "He was a crucial part of the DUP machine in Northern Ireland, and gave the bulk of his adult life to the party. "I spoke to him before he handed in his resignation - and he is absolutely heartbroken," the South Down MLA said. "Like myself and many others, he is heartbroken about the situation in which we find ourselves. "This decision (to run gay candidate Alison Bennington) has hurt and upset and left many long-term members of the party totally shocked." Mr Wells said he was aware of many other long term members of the DUP who felt the same - and said other resignations were in the pipeline. "People just cannot understand what's going on," he said. "People who fought for this party through very difficult times, times when the party was despised. Now, as better times have begun, they feel terribly let down. "This decision goes against the ethos, history and tradition of the DUP." Ms Bennington's initial selection as a DUP candidate and subsequent election victory has been the subject of widespread media coverage, although she has not yet spoken publicly on the topic. DUP leader Arlene Foster has said her party will have to consider previous comments made by Mr Wells surrounding Ms Bennington. She has also said that she was delighted to see Ms Bennington elected, while the party maintains that its opposition to the legalisation of same-sex marriage remains unchanged. Mr Wells predicted that Rev Beggs' resignation marked the beginning of an exodus of older DUP members. Asked if he was considering his own membership, Mr Wells said: "I'm trying to make the party see sense, and review this decision. I believe that I and Jim Beggs, and the others who have been hurt, represent the true spirit of the DUP." He said that the party had been changed utterly, not just by its decision to run a gay candidate, "but by the way the party hierarchy have supported and welcomed it". The MLA said: "I have nothing personal against this particular lady: it's who she represents that is the issue. This is a watershed moment in the party's history. This is a Rubicon. "It's a hugely significant decision by the party, and has totally transformed what many people understand it to be. Many, many people rely upon the DUP to hold the line on these major moral issues - and at the first hurdle we've failed miserably." A police officer has told a court that he believed Junior McDaid House at Chamberlain Street in the William Street area of Londonderry was both the hub and voice of the New IRA. The detective constable made the comment during a bail application by one of the two men charged with offences linked to the murder by the New IRA of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead during rioting in the Creggan area of the city on April 18. The applicant, Paul McIntyre, 51, a taxi driver from Ballymagowan Park in the Creggan, is charged with riotous assembly, possessing and making petrol bombs and with the arson of a tipper truck on May 18. At the bail application the police officer said that a bail address offered by the applicant was the home address in Newry of Stephen Murney, whom he said was the national secretary of Saoradh, the political group linked to the New IRA. He said he opposed bail on the basis that the murder investigation was at an early stage and he believed if released the applicant would interfere with witnesses. He said given the applicant's previous twenty-eight criminal convictions, several of them for public order offences, the defendant would re-offend if released. The police witness said the applicant had previously been charged with encouraging or assisting rioting arising from an incident in Rossville Street in May 2018 when police officers investigating a sudden death came under a sustained attack. He said at the time of that incident and at the time of Ms McKee's murder the applicant was on court bail conditions which stated he must not enter within 500 metres of an ongoing police operation. The detective constable said that Stephen Murney, the national secretary of Saoradh, was a frequent visitor to Junior McDaid House and he described the proposed bail address in Newry where Mr Murney lived with his partner and their new born child as unsuitable. Cross examined by defence solicitor Derwin Harvey, the officer agreed that Mr Murney had only one criminal conviction dating back to 2012 for which he had been fined 200. Mr Harvey said the case against the applicant was circumstantial. There was no fingerprint evidence, no forensic evidence, no firearms residue evidence and no CCTV evidence. He said the height of the police case against his client was an unidentifiable glimmer or sparkle from his right wrist recorded on CCTV during the rioting in the Creggan. Expand Close Paul McIntyre leaving Londonderry Magistrates' Court / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paul McIntyre leaving Londonderry Magistrates' Court Mr Harvey said on the day of the murder the applicant was earlier filmed by an MTV camera crew at an event in Junior McDaid house. At that event he wore a bracelet on his right wrist. The defence solicitor said membership of Saoradh was not illegal. He said the applicant was willing to accept any court imposed bail conditions to live in Newry with Mr Murney. He said without taking away from the terrible events of April 18, the case against his client was extremely weak. He said only two witnesses had come forward, both of whom described the applicant as being between 5 ft 8 ins and 5 ft 10ins in height whereas the applicant was 5 ft 2 ins in height. The detective constable told District Judge Barney McElholm that following the applicant's arrest, the applicant made a no comment interview. Mr McElholm said he did not understand why people did not answer questions put to them by the police, although it was their legal right not to do so. He said Saoradh displayed a slavish devotion to an ideology and the District Judge said he did not trust anybody, no matter who they were, who displayed such a slavish devotion. He said he accepted Saoradh was legal, as was the English Defence League and what he described as all sorts of other strange organisations. "I simply have no trust in people who will follow an ideology before they follow the law", he said. The District Judge said he did not think it was in the public interest to release the applicant nor did he think the proposed bail address in Newry was suitable. He then granted an application by Mr Harvey to adjourn the bail application until May 30 and the applicant was remanded in continuing custody until then. A school principal has predicted a four-day week for pupils after a senior clergyman described the education system in Northern Ireland as "beyond crisis". Michael Allen, head of Lisneal College in Londonderry, said the situation for non-selective schools like his is even more dire than that for selective schools. He was speaking after the call from Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Ken Good for a political intervention to tackle the crisis. Addressing the General Synod in Derry, Bishop Good said society was in danger of failing young people unless the "unravelling" of the education system is prevented. He said: "We have frequently heard the word 'crisis' used to describe the state of education here. I fear, though, it's gone way beyond 'crisis'. "But little is happening to prevent the fabric of our education system from unravelling. "We need intervention - urgent intervention - by those with power in our society. We are in danger of failing this generation of young people. "When it comes to something as important as our education system, failure is not an option." Mr Allen said schools are on a downward spiral and heading towards a four-day week. He said: "The general public do not see what the reality is because it isn't affecting them yet. "If a school is struggling financially, having to cut corners, increase class sizes, cut the curriculum, reduce trips, generally that won't have an impact on parents. "The goodwill of teachers and staff in schools will cover the lion's share of anything that will see children miss out or suffer. "But it has now reached breaking point. "People are now talking about a four-day week, pupils having half days, and if you take a non-selective school like Lisneal the effect of funding is even greater. It is the non-selective schools that are hit first and it is the non-selective schools where arguably the children have the greatest need who are disadvantaged first. "The entire way schools are funded needs a total review. "Throwing money at this isn't going to fix it for every school. "It is going to fix it for the grammar and selective schools who can pick their numbers every year, but non-selective schools can't do that. "Bishop Good has captured the mood that it is all about to unravel, but it will only be when Mr and Mrs Joe Public have to finish work early on a Thursday or a Friday because there is no school for their child that they are actually going to recognise how serious this is." The father of a 22-year-old man who died while being held in Maghaberry has called for a mental health unit to be established in the prison. Daniel McConville, a dad-of-two from Lurgan, died on August 30, 2018, the day before he had been due in court charged with possession of cannabis resin. His father Paul, who has been staging weekly protests outside the jail since Daniel's apparent suicide, last night vowed to continue his "campaign for justice" until he gets a full explanation of what happened to his son. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr McConville said he wants an inquest into Daniel's death "as soon as possible" and vowed "never to stop" until he gets "justice for my son". "My life ended the day he died," he said. "I'm only existing now. I'm waiting to die. "We can't bring Daniel back but I want to help other people who find themselves in a situation similar to the one he was in before his death. I'm doing this for others. I want to be part of the solution." Mr McConville led a two-hour protest comprising of 40 friends and family members including his wife Michelle (44) and their other children Michael (21), Paula (20) and Christine (12) at the prison gates yesterday to mark Mental Health Awareness Week. He added that he wanted "to raise awareness of the 22 suicides and 11 overdoses in Maghaberry from 2007 until now" and he called for a mental health facility to be set up. Describing his son as "a lovely lad who touched everyone he met", Mr McConville said Daniel had learning difficulties and suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. "Daniel was bubbly and he got on with everybody," the 52-year-old said, adding that he "lived for his children Ethan (4) and Ella-Rose (18 months)". "I remember one particular day when myself, him and his brother Michael were doing a concreting job in Portadown," he said. "He was laughing and joking. Now I can't pass that place without thinking about him." Mr McConville claimed that he has had no contact with the Prison Service since shortly after Daniel's death, and he told how a priest came to the family home to break the devastating news. "We live in the country, so when someone comes to your door at 5.30am you know that something's wrong," he said. "I was told that Daniel was considered a prisoner at risk and had been carefully monitored in the run-up to his death, but I need more information." He added: "I find it so hard to believe he took his own life; we all struggle with that." The case is under investigation by the Prisons Ombudsman. The architect of new mental health courses to be rolled out by the Army has revealed how an IRA bomb that killed two comrades almost 30 years ago inspired him to help others deal with trauma. All new recruits will complete the resilience courses designed by Brigadier Tim Hodgetts as part of their basic training from next year. The Army's senior health adviser has also developed tailored sessions for senior commanders following his own traumatic experiences here and in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Resilience is finite," he said. "You cannot be exposed to serial traumatic events and remain untouched by them." It was a lesson Brig Hodgett learned in November 1991 when a bomb exploded outside a military wing of Musgrave Park Hospital, claiming the lives of two soldiers. The attack, which injured 11 other people including a five-year-old girl and a baby of four months, helped him appreciate the importance of protecting mental health. "How do you deal with seriously injured children when you only have equipment for adults?" Brig Hodgett's asked during an interview with the Daily Telegraph. "The bomb changed my life trajectory. It has been a professional growth opportunity." The courses, which provide psychological skills training based on lessons from elite sport and combat experience from the British armed forces and close allies, provide specific techniques to help reduce stress. They are also designed to build self-confidence and equip soldiers with the skills to regulate their emotions to handle the strain of combat and everyday life. Speaking at the official launch at the Army headquarters in Andover, Hampshire, Brig Hodgett said soldiers must be aware of what is normal so they can recognise what is abnormal. "Having negative emotions doesn't mean you've got poor mental health, but there is a transition point at which symptoms are abnormal and you need to seek help," the veteran of four tours of Afghanistan and three of Iraq said. He made the remarks just months after a report by the Defence Select Committee said the NHS and Ministry of Defence should create a specialist mental health centre. It also warned that some serving personnel, veterans and their families are being "completely failed" by the system. The report found that many servicemen and women do not seek help because of a stigma surrounding mental health problems and the fear of damaging their careers. Lieutenant General Ivan Jones, the Commander Field Army, said he accepts such a stigma still exists in the forces. "If we can show by example (mental health) is important, we remove the stigma; and there is a stigma," he said. "We need to demonstrate by deed, not word, not autocratic direction (that this matters). "If you want to change something culturally, you can't just stand in front of people and tell them to do it. Good leaders demonstrate by doing." Earlier this year the Government committee also found that only 0.007% of the NHS annual budget of over 150bn was spent on mental health services specifically for veterans. The victims of a Belfast IRA man who raped them as children have urged a full investigation into claims that members of Sinn Fein and the IRA tried to prevent the crimes being reported to gardai. Paudie McGahon (44) said he has decided to waive his anonymity to speak out. This month, alleged IRA man Seamus Marley was jailed for seven years for raping two teenage boys at a "republican safe house" two decades ago. Read More Mr McGahon was one of the boys and told of how an IRA kangaroo court was convened in 2002 after the men first brought their abuse allegations to the attention of Louth Sinn Fein councillor Pearce McGeough. Mr McGeough has denied involvement in the kangaroo court. The second victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, has authorised Mr McGahon to speak publicly. Marley (45) is a member of a prominent Belfast republican family. A jury in Dublin's Central Criminal Court found him guilty on eight counts of sexually assaulting and raping Mr McGahon and the second man when they were boys. The men claim that the kangaroo court was organised by Mr McGeough, a close family friend of Mr McGahon's father, and chaired by a prominent Belfast republican Padraig Wilson. At a subsequent "hearing" the men allege that Wilson informed them that their allegations had been proven correct and offered them three alternative punishments for Marley: have him shot by the IRA; they could beat him up or, he could be exiled. Mr McGahon said they opted for the least violent option. "We didn't know any better at the time, we had been reared in the republican culture and there was a climate of intimidation so going to the police was just not on because you knew what could happen to you," Mr McGahon said last night. "It was only years later we began to realise what was really going on. Sinn Fein and the IRA were keeping us quiet." However last week the victims discovered that Marley was never exiled by the IRA and for two years after the "investigation", Marley had been working with children in Dublin. "When we discovered that Marley had not even been exiled at the time and that he was left working with children after all that, we were sick and it just convinced us even further that we are determined this conspiracy to silence us and pervert the course of justice is fully investigated," Mr McGahon said. When the two men made an official complaint to gardai in 2014 detectives launched two separate investigations, one focusing on the rape allegations, which were given priority, and the other on an attempt to pervert the course of justice. It is understood the second investigation file is still open. During Marley's trial, Mr McGeough was referred to on a number of occasions by witnesses as the person who brought the terrorist to Mr McGahon's home in the early 1990's. In his victim impact statement, which he read out to the court after Marley's conviction, the second man described how he had called Mr McGeough to ask for help, but that after the call he knew he was on his own. Mr McGeough has denied that he was involved in the kangaroo court and has said that he had advised Mr McGahon and the second victim to go to the gardai. Padraig Wilson has also denied the allegations. Previously he said he had never met Mr McGahon and described the allegations against him as "completely baseless and untrue". A 61-year-old man convicted of a "predatory" exposure offence in Belfast city centre has been given a suspended jail sentence. Stanislaw Ziobro was also put on the sex offenders' register after being found guilty of revealing his genitals and making suggestive remarks. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard police were alerted by a woman who encountered him on December 6, 2017. Prosecutors said Ziobro, of Elm Court in the city, had exposed himself and made comments to members of the public. Another witness claimed the accused, who is understood to be from Canada, was making masturbation-type gestures. He was arrested and charged with exposures, but denied the offence. Convicted in his absence, Ziobro returned to court today with the aid of a walking stick for sentencing. Defence barrister Luke Curran stressed his client has no history of similar offences. But District Judge Fiona Bagnall replied: "There's a predatory element to this." Imposing two months imprisonment, Mrs Bagnall suspended the term for a year. She also directed the Ziobro is to be placed on the sex offenders' register for a period still to be fixed. Mr Curran confirmed that Ziobro intends to appeal his conviction. Counsel said: "He does not accept the things he is alleged to have done." A former army officer held up instructions issued to British soldiers during the Troubles as he urged ministers to "get a grip" and stop the "witch-hunt". Conservative MP Bob Stewart, who completed seven tours of Northern Ireland, said he was ashamed successive governments have been "complicit" in the pursuit of veterans. He also insisted those who served in Northern Ireland must be included in legal protections to prevent repeated investigations into historical allegations. Mr Stewart, MP for Beckenham, referred to the Yellow Card rules of engagement and the difficulties in deciding when to open fire during an impassioned plea for changes. Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt is expected to face MPs in the Commons on Tuesday to outline her proposals. She last week announced plans for legislation to provide stronger protection from repeated investigations into historical allegations for veterans of overseas conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under the proposals, there would be a "presumption against prosecution" in relation to alleged incidents dating back more than 10 years unless there were "exceptional circumstances". Expand Close Lt. Colonel Bob Stewart on parade with the Cheshires at the Fallingbostel. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lt. Colonel Bob Stewart on parade with the Cheshires at the Fallingbostel. As it stands, the legislation will not apply to those who served in Northern Ireland, although in an apparent break with Government policy, Ms Mordaunt said she intended to find a way they could be afforded the similar protection. A number of Northern Ireland veterans are currently facing charges, including Soldier F, who has been charged in relation to the killings of two protesters during Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972. Mr Stewart, speaking as MPs considered a petition asking for immunity for soldiers who worked in Northern Ireland, said: "We were sent to Northern Ireland by you, us, our predecessors. "We were sent to Northern Ireland to save lives, to look after people and, frankly, we were given this card, this Yellow Card, which was approved by Parliament. "This Yellow Card told us what we could and what we could not do under fire. We trained very hard on it. We memorised it. We rehearsed it." Mr Stewart said decisions to open fire were "incredibly difficult" amid fears innocent people could be hurt in the crossfire. Expand Close Tory MP Bob Stewart (Parliament TV) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tory MP Bob Stewart (Parliament TV) He added such decisions had to be taken in "milliseconds" and outlined the Yellow Card instructions about the situations in which they could open fire. After he highlighted concerns over the treatment of British veterans compared to republicans, Mr Stewart said: "It's unsurprising that there is huge anger among the veteran community. "Quite rightly they ask: 'What are you Members of Parliament doing to help us? You sent us there. You gave us this bloody card, you said if we used it and acted in accordance with it we'd be protected.' "Now our soldiers need protection. They need our protection. "How can soldiers and policemen and members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, how can they be considered in the same light as a terrorist? "These guys went out to kill - we went out to save lives. There's a huge difference in intention and we've actually got to sort this matter out. "Terrorists didn't give a damn who they killed." Expand Close A rally in support of British soldiers facing prosecution for Troubles-related killings has been held at Belfast City Hall. Picture Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Matt Mackey / Presseye.com / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A rally in support of British soldiers facing prosecution for Troubles-related killings has been held at Belfast City Hall. Picture Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Mr Stewart said he has "held people dying", including an 18-year-old Catholic girl, before adding: "We need a statute of limitations for Northern Ireland veterans." He added: "I'm ashamed, actually, that our governments - I include Labour, the coalition and our present government - are complicit in a witch-hunt against them." Mr Stewart noted many of the veterans are in their 70s, adding: "In the Army when we really wanted to sort something out people would be told 'get a grip'. "I think it's time our Government and our ministers got a grip." Earlier in the Commons, Tory MP James Heappey (Wells), a former army officer, urged the Government to call a halt to investigations into military veterans. He said: "It is vitally important to those who are considering a career in our armed forces that they don't see old men in their communities being dragged into investigations for things that happened decades ago." Mr Heappey asked defence minister Mark Lancaster if he agreed the investigations should end. He replied: "(Mr Heappey) raises a very important point. He would have seen the Secretary of State's comments on this over recent days and I'm happy to say that a written ministerial statement will be tabled tomorrow." Tory former armed forces minister Mark Francois said: "The most important issue with regard to veterans is protecting them from lawfare and legal witch-hunts." A paramedic who warned that his colleagues are being pushed to the brink of suicide was stood down from duty by his bosses, it can be revealed A paramedic who warned that his colleagues are being pushed to the brink of suicide was stood down from duty by his bosses, it can be revealed. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) employee posted a scathing Facebook message accusing management of treating staff with contempt. The devastating post urged bosses to act urgently to address working conditions "before you wake up to a headline some day that will haunt you for the rest of your days". Read More Within hours of appearing on social media last week, it had been shared more than 142 times and 'liked' by over 250 people. The paramedic was subsequently stood down and advised by his bosses to seek a mental health assessment at an emergency department. A colleague said: "It's unbelievable, this guy just tells it like it is, he calls out management for what's happening and the way we're all being treated and that's their response. "You couldn't make it up. "He was getting so much hassle over the whole thing that he's now off sick." The post begins by hitting out at the discrepancy in pay between paramedics and medical technicians in Northern Ireland and Scotland, highlighting a difference of almost 8,000 between the two. It continued: "The fact that paramedics and technicians in NIAS have to drag themselves into work for five or six shifts more per month than their Scottish counterparts just to achieve what they receive as regular pay should set alarm bells ringing as to why so many are out sick with stress and mental health issues. "To management I say stop using Stormont's lack of an Assembly as your latest, long-running excuse to hold up our right to the pay we deserve. "You are killing any love anyone had for the job. "You are destroying us with your utter contempt for front line staff. "You are causing severe financial hardship for many. "You are causing stress, depression and even suicidal thoughts in many. "You are walking us into a mental health crisis with your attitude to this and also to our day to day welfare regarding rest periods, late finishes and enforced overtime. "You are haemorrhaging staff as people jump ship to Capita, GP surgeries or just leave before the job kills them. "Is that what it's going to take for you to sit up and notice the rot beneath your feet? "We are fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, daughters, carers, colleagues and friends, and we are sick to the back teeth of your inaction and procrastination. "Get it sorted or move over and let someone who has an ounce of compassion get the job done for you, before you wake up to a headline someday that will haunt you for the rest of your days." The Ambulance Service was unable to provide a comment on the matter. But it is widely accepted that the service is increasingly struggling to meet demand. Paramedics have claimed they can work entire shifts without toilet or food breaks and that working conditions are driving a growing number of staff to take sick leave. The paramedic posted the message to NIAS bosses just over a week after nurses in Northern Ireland warned they may take strike action over pay and conditions. The goodwill of nurses is "being abused" while the Government fails to solve the NHS staffing crisis, the head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will say. In her first speech to the RCN's annual conference this week, its chief executive Dame Donna Kinnair will say there is a human cost in failing to plug the gaps in the nursing workforce. It comes after nurses in Northern Ireland threatened to strike. A newly qualified nurse here will earn 1,419 less than their counterpart in England and Wales, and 1,875 less than in Scotland. Earlier this year it was reported that there are 1,400 unfilled nursing posts in Northern Ireland and health trusts use expensive agency staff to fill the gaps. She will also accuse NHS bosses in England of quietly dropping publicly-available data which shows the proportion of registered nurses on NHS wards. In March, a report from the Nuffield Trust, Health Foundation and King's Fund said more than 30,000 extra nurses are already needed in England, but this will rise to nearly 70,000 nurses within five years. After a decade, the gap could be 100,000. Dame Donna will tell 3,000 delegates at the RCN conference in Liverpool that the Government "must return the 1 billion" it took from nursing education. She will say: "We will not stop until people are held to account for the desperate shortages each and every one of us has witnessed. Politicians must stop short-changing the public. "They must stop the rot and put an end to the workforce crisis in nursing. "Rather than only looking at the cost of educating and employing nurses, the Government must think about the true cost - financial and human - of not doing it. "Employers, decision-makers and ministers with the power to change things should not let individual nurses take the blame for systemic failings. "The goodwill of nursing staff is being abused and politicians must know it is running out." A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: "The NHS runs on the dedication and commitment of our wonderful nurses, who work tirelessly to provide the highest quality of care for their patients. "There are over 16,900 more nurses on our wards since 2010, with 52,000 more in training - and as part of our Long Term Plan we are improving staff retention by promoting flexibility, wellbeing and career development and helping more nurses return to practice." "As well as providing funding to increase university training places, we will set out a full NHS People Plan later this year to ensure the health service has the staff it needs for the future." The leader of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Northern Ireland said last week that members may be driven to take unprecedented industrial action after successive health ministers and civil servants ignored warnings of a "perfect storm". Pat Cullen said the shortage of nurses is now so bad that patients face waits for bedpans, basic observations are not being carried out and dying patients are not getting proper care. Public service Unison has also said it cannot rule out strike action as pay talks with health bosses continue. Nathan Cunningham has not been seen since Saturday May 18. Credit: PSNI Police have asked the public for help in locating a missing 14-year-old boy from Newry. Nathan Cunningham was last seen on Saturday May 18 at 7.30pm in the city. He was wearing black Adidas tracksuit bottoms, a grey and black hooded top and black trainers. He is described as 5 feet tall, slim in build with long dark brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Nathan's whereabouts should call police on 101 quoting the reference number 1422 of 18/05/19. The DUP's Sammy Wilson has said Theresa May's attempts to "rebrand" her Brexit deal "won't wash" with his party. Theresa May has said a "new and improved" deal will be put to MPs when they vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill in early June. However the Prime Minister has yet to reveal what changes, if any, have been made to the deal. DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said his party will not support the deal. Whilst the full details of the Prime Ministers new improved Brexit deal are not fully revealed yet, it is clear that the fatal defects which caused it to be rejected three times will still be contained in it," he said. "She might try to present this as a new more acceptable deal but it is still the same old, nation destroying, economic wrecking, roll-over surrender to Brussels." Expand Close DUP leader Arlene Foster with Theresa May. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DUP leader Arlene Foster with Theresa May. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA) Mr Wilson, whose party entered into a confidence and supply agreement with the Conservatives, said May's attempt to repackage the same deal is similar to actions of detergent companies in the past. In fact it almost sounds like a detergent advert new and improved but same old bottle. DUP MP Sammy Wilson "It wont wash, regardless of how she tries to spin it. She can put it on the highest spin speed in the Downing Street washing machine but it will still be apparent that it has all the same stains as the original Withdrawal Agreement. "Mrs May, may wish to put herself through the wringer when she puts it through the House of Commons again but it is clear from my sounding of people within her own party, including those who voted for it the last time, they will be opposing it the next time. "They have not been fooled by her tacky and transparent advertising jargon. MPs will vote on the bill, which would bring the withdrawal agreement into law- in the week beginning June 3. If the bill is not passed, the default position is that the UK will leave the EU on October 31 without a deal. Talks to restore powersharing at Stormont are to intensify over the next two weeks, Irelands deputy premier has said. Simon Coveney said cross-party working groups examining the disputes at the heart of the impasse would ramp up exchanges ahead of a stocktaking review by the two governments at the end of May. Prime Minister Theresa May and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar are due to discuss progress in the talks at that juncture and decide whether there is a basis upon which to resurrect the institutions. The format of the latest bid to revive Stormont has seen serving and retired senior civil servants chair several working groups focusing on the main sticking points. You will see the leaders within those working groups intensifying their efforts and trying to actually push from discussion and accommodation to agreement where they canSimon Coveney The leaders of the main political parties are also meeting with the two governments on a weekly basis to review progress. After the latest roundtable review meeting in Belfast, Mr Coveney said: I think you will see an intensification now of efforts from the leaders within the working groups to try to move toward consensus in the areas where that is possible, and if there are areas where it is not possible, they will outline why. Certainly you will see the leaders within those working groups intensifying their efforts and trying to actually push from discussion and accommodation to agreement where they can. Following the meeting, Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley praised the attitudes of the five main parties engaged in the process. I want to pay tribute to the parties and the leader, who all have shown the right attitude and the right determination that they want to see Stormont resolved, she said. There are difficult issues, there are difficult things that will need to be addressed but I am pleased by the progress we are making and the attitude and approach of all party leaders. Ahead of the meeting in the Stormont Hotel, the governments had facilitated an informal lunch engagement with representatives from civic society and the business community. 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. Mr Coveney said if a basis for agreement was identified at the end of May, Mrs May and Mr Varadkar would discuss how to move the talks process forward. I suspect it will be a more political and direct approach after that if there is a basis for finding an agreement, which I hope there will be, he said. Asked whether an independent mediator could enter the process, Mr Coveney said he did not think that would happen. We are trying to get this process done quickly. The idea that we would introduce an outsider now, albeit a very well-meaning and potentially very experienced outsider, I dont think is consistent with trying to get this done quickly because it would take time to get to know that person to build the relationships, and so on, he said. Mr Coveney also acknowledged that events at Westminster at the start of June, when a departing Mrs May would again try to get her Brexit deal passed by Parliament, could prove a distraction for the Stormont process. It doesnt take a genius to see that there will be other pressures in Westminster in the first and second week in June when we are also trying to conclude things here, he added. Theresa May's personal block on ministers putting forward legislation which could have protected former soldiers from prosecution for alleged offences during the Troubles is "not relevant", a DUP MP has said. The Prime Minister had issued instructions that a consultation document on dealing with the legacy of the conflict should not contain references to "amnesties" or a "statute of limitations", according to a leaked memo seen by The Sunday Telegraph. It goes on to say that military veterans should be offered "equal, rather than preferential, treatment" relative to other groups covered by the consultation, which included terrorists. East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell dismissed the content of the leaked memo, calling it "the dying embers of the May premiership". The DUP's 10 votes in the House of Commons prop up Mrs May's Government. Mr Campbell said: "She seems to infer that some people are looking for preferential treatment for soldiers, when in fact the problem is they are getting anything but preferential treatment - in fact it is the exact opposite. "Paramilitaries got what was a 'get out of jail free card' in that no matter how many people they killed or how many terrorist acts they were involved in, they were going to be released from prison early, and if they were going to be sentenced after that, the maximum they were going to serve was two years. "No such limitation or release applied to soldiers and if any soldier - for example the Bloody Sunday case, Soldier F - was charged now they won't qualify for early release." Mr Campbell added: "I don't think what she said will upset the apple cart because we are in the dying embers of the May premiership anyway, so it isn't really going to be relevant because inside a couple of weeks or a couple of months she won't be there. "Any leaked memo she has written or authorised is not really going to cut much mustard. "It is going to be what her successor says or does and that person has to learn the mistakes of Theresa May in more ways than one." Party colleague Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: "We recognise the need to provide proper legal protection for the armed forces and those who served our country. "We support legal protection, but are opposed to any amnesty that includes terrorists. "Legislation should cover all operational deployments, including Northern Ireland. It would be wrong to exclude Northern Ireland from protection for the armed forces, and we have sent that message loud and clear to the Government." Earlier this year the Public Prosecution Service said two former soldiers will be charged with murder in two separate incidents, both in Derry. One, Soldier F, is facing murder charges in connection with the death of two of the 14 people who died in Derry on Bloody Sunday. Kate Nash, whose brother William was among the dead but is not one of the people Soldier F is accused of murdering, welcomed Mrs May's intervention. She said: "Why should anyone get preferential treatment when it comes to investigating serious crimes? If the evidence is there, and the Prosecution Service says there is evidence, then the case should go to trial. "That's what happens in any civilised society but the British Government seem to think its soldiers who commit war crimes should be protected from investigation and prosecution. Everyone is entitled to due process, but I have to say there were many within the Conservative Party who tried to deny this to the Bloody Sunday families, including Boris Johnson and Karen Bradley, so I welcome Theresa May giving this direction. "We are interested in securing a conviction, the sentence that comes with that conviction is of no interest to us. I couldn't care less if they didn't serve a day behind bars." The disclosure of the memo comes after new Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt last week announced plans to legislate for stronger protection from repeated investigations into historical allegations for veterans of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under the proposals there would be a "presumption against prosecution" in relation to alleged incidents dating back more than 10 years, unless there were "exceptional circumstances". As it stands, the legislation will not apply to those who served in Northern Ireland, although in an apparent break with Government policy, Ms Mordaunt said she intended to find a way they could be afforded similar protection. A Government spokesman said: "The Ministry of Defence have proposed legislation to provide better support and stronger legal protections for serving and former personnel facing investigation over alleged historical offences overseas. "This will ensure veterans are not subject to repeated investigations many years after the events in question where there is no new evidence. "A separate consultation has been run by Northern Ireland Office on how to deal with the past in Northern Ireland, and the conclusion of that will be announced as soon as possible." Heartless thieves have stolen two communion plates and a television from a church in Co Fermanagh. The burglary happened at a church in the Mill Street area of Irvinestown sometime between 12pm on Sunday and 10am on Monday. Constable Noble said: Entry was gained to the property and a number of items stolen. "They include a 50 LG TV, with an estimated value of 1,200, and two silver communion plates. The communion plates are of immense personal value to the church and were appealing to anyone with information to get in touch. We would also like to hear from anyone who is offered such items for sale in unusual circumstances. Please contact us on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 368 of 20/05/19. Alternatively, information can 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. Ulster Unionist candidate Danny Kennedy has said an "anti-unionist coalition" wants to stop unionists winning two seats in the European election. Mr Kennedy was speaking after criticism of comments made by himself and party leader Robin Swann during his campaign launch on Friday. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said claims that if two non-unionists were elected it could lead to a border poll were "scaremongering". Mr Eastwood said the only "Union" the upcoming election was about is the European Union. Sinn Fein also rejected his comments, saying that the Union was not a key issue in the European campaign. However, Mr Kennedy doubled down on his comments and said he will make no apology for highlighting the issue. "It is clear that if two non-unionists were to be elected, it would embolden Sinn Fein to increase calls for a border poll," the former Regional Development Minister said. "The language used by a number of the candidates would make it appear that they are just anti-unionist rather than being pro-European, which adds to the concept of a latent anti-unionist coalition to stop unionists winning two seats." Mr Kennedy faces a three-way battle for Northern Ireland's third European Parliament seat. The DUP's Diane Dodds and Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson are expected to be comfortably re-elected, leaving him to battle Remain-supporting Mr Eastwood and Alliance leader Naomi Long for the remaining seat. TUV leader Jim Allister is also expected to poll strongly. Mr Kennedy said that Mr Eastwood was in no position to dictate to Ulster Unionists and that his party would be respecting the referendum result. He and his party both supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum. "It is no surprise that Colum Eastwood, as an Irish nationalist, should seek to ignore that result. Furthermore, he shouldn't seek to misrepresent unionists who voted Remain," he said. He said that he can speak for unionists who voted both Remain and Leave and pledged to always put Northern Ireland first and work to strengthen the Union. "To unionist voters out there, I would encourage them to come out and vote for the most important union of all, the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland," he added. Sinn Fein MLA Caoimhe Archibald said Mr Kennedy's comments "smacked of desperation" and were "further evidence that the UUP is quickly disappearing down the rabbit hole". "Brexit rather than the Union is the key issue of this European election campaign," she said. "The two main unionist parties are on the wrong side of this argument, as a majority of the people of the north voted to remain in the EU. "Sinn Fein wants all of Ireland to remain in the EU, but in the event of a Tory/DUP Brexit we want to see our economy and rights protected and no hardening of the border. That's why we need the insurance policy which is the backstop." The leader of the Ulster Unionists Robin Swann has reiterated that his party does not want the support of paramilitaries after the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) urged voters to come out for unionist candidates in the upcoming European election. The News Letter reported the LCC, an umbrella group for illegal loyalist paramilitary groups, called on voters not to even transfer votes to parties such as Alliance, claiming that would be "counted as a vote against the Union". The LCC formed two and a half years ago with the aim of moving loyalist paramilitaries away from criminality. Former Ulster Unionist chairman David Campbell, who is the LCC's chairman, urged all loyalist and unionist voters to "overcome their apathy and vote for all the unionist candidates" in Thursday's European election. Following the story UUP leader Robin Swann MLA issued a statement on Monday. I repeat what I said in 2017," he said. "We have not asked for the support of paramilitary organisations nor do we want the backing of organisations still engaged in paramilitary or criminal activity. Our position hasn't changed and remains unequivocal. There is no excuse for the continuing existence of paramilitary organisations in the year 2019 which inflict pain and suffering on families and communities. "The quicker that they disband the better. Mr Swann's comments come after UUP councillor Jim Rodgers received criticism and had the party whip withdrawn after his campaign literature attempted to link the Alliance Party with the "IRA's political wing". Mr Swann apologised to Alliance Party leader Naomi Long over the leaflet. Mr Campbell, who has no paramilitary history, said in a statement: The apathy and low turn-out that we experienced in the recent local government elections clearly helped the enemies of unionism. This should serve as a wake-up call to all unionist voters. Irrespective of each individuals view on Brexit the pan-nationalist front will be counting every non-unionist vote as a vote for a united Ireland. This must not be allowed to succeed. Every loyalist and unionist is advised to vote for the first preference candidate of their choice, and then to transfer their other preferences to the other unionist candidates. This will ensure that Northern Ireland continues to send two unionist MEPs to Europe for as long as the UK retains its membership of the EU. A vote or even a lower preference vote for any non-unionist will be counted as a vote against the Union by our collective enemies. The school hall where the models were destroyed (Market Deeping Model Railway Club/Facebook/PA) A crowdfunding page to raise money for a model railway exhibition completely trashed by vandals has gained more than 30,000 in donations. Stands were overturned and layouts were destroyed at a school in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on Saturday, where the Market Deeping Model Railway Club was holding its annual show. The club said months of planning goes into the exhibition, adding some of the models on display were irreplaceable. Expand Close Vandals destroyed models set up for the annual show (Market Deeping Model Railway Club) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vandals destroyed models set up for the annual show (Market Deeping Model Railway Club) Chairman Peter Davies told the BBC: Models that were made over years were trodden on and thrown around. Its a total wanton destruction of the highest order. Ive never experienced anything like it. A hurricane would have done less damage. He said the club had been overwhelmed with offers of support and thanked well-wishers for their help. Expand Close Stands were destroyed (Market Deeping Model Railway Club/Facebook) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stands were destroyed (Market Deeping Model Railway Club/Facebook) Four youths were arrested in connection with the incident but have since been released on conditional police bail pending further inquiries. Lincolnshire Police were alerted to the incident by a local resident when noises were heard coming from Queen Eleanor School shortly before 4am. An elderly man has died following a crash in Aberdeenshire. The single-vehicle collision, involving a gold Honda CRV, happened on the A97 near Gartly at around 12.45pm on Monday. Police Scotland said an 84-year-old man had died. Sergeant Alexander Bowser-Riley said: We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw the vehicle beforehand, to contact Police Scotland on 101 using reference number 1517 of May 20. By Azernews By Leman Mammadova Estonia and Azerbaijan have friendly relations and both countries are interested in expanding cooperation to reach higher level of close partnership. Estonia hopes that relations with Azerbaijan in energy, processing and manufacture of food products will develop into partnerships, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told Trend. He stressed that, in general, Estonia expressed interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of transport and logistics, since the geographical location of the country makes it one of the regional hubs of the rapidly developing North-South Transit Corridor. Reinsalu added that in addition to the ICT sector, agriculture and health are also the fields of mutual interest. There were contacts in the energy, manufacturing of food products, and we hope that these contacts will grow into partnerships. He also noted that the potential of bilateral cooperation in the economic sphere is promising. However, we are still in the discovery phase, and the turnover of about four million euros per year indicates that there is much room for growth, the minister said. Reinsalu went on to add that there is good cooperation in the ICT sector, Estonia welcomes the successful introduction of mobile identification in Azerbaijan, and there is great potential in this area using additional digital services. The minister underlined that the governments of the two countries periodically convene the Intergovernmental Commission to discuss bilateral cooperation in order to facilitate trade and investment, adding that the next session should be held this year in Tallinn. Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Azerbaijan were established in 1992. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Azerbaijan is an ally of Estonia in the South Caucasus. About 15 agreements have been signed between the countries, and 22 Estonian companies operate in Azerbaijan. Approximately 2,500 Azerbaijanis live in Estonia. The economic relations between Azerbaijan and Estonia have gradually increased in recent years. The intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Estonia was established in 2011. There is a great potential for the development of ties. Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation in the field of food industry, energy supply, textile, furniture and wood industry, tourism, while Estonian side is interested in sharing their experience particularly in ICT and e-government. Estonia considers Azerbaijan as a possible corridor to markets of Iran, Middle East and India. Estonian railway companies and sea ports have good relations with Azerbaijan Railways and Baku International Sea Trade Port. Estonia is currently working on opening a transit corridor between Scandinavia, Middle East and Central Asia. The trade turnover with Estonia amounted to $5 million in 2018, according to State Statistical Committee. Estonian exports reached $3.7 million, while Azerbaijani exports made up $1.3 million. The main goods of export from Estonia to Azerbaijan are machinery (68 percent), timber and wood production, paper and cardboard. At the same time, Estonia mainly imports foodstuffs, such as nut, juice and water, from Azerbaijan. Theresa May will discuss the possibility of indicative votes with Cabinet (Andrew Matthews/PA) Theresa Mays senior ministers will discuss whether to offer MPs a menu of Brexit options in an effort to break the Commons deadlock over the process of leaving the European Union. Tuesdays Cabinet meeting is expected to consider the possibility of holding indicative votes in order to find something that the Commons can back. The legislation for the Brexit deal the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) is due in the Commons in the week beginning June 3 and faces stiff opposition following the failure of cross-party talks to reach a compromise. Brussels is left looking on at the chaotic political picture in the UK, with little progress having been made since the Brexit deadline was extended to October 31. Its clear that we are in a situation where London talks to London, so there is nothing that we can do at this stage, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. The EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier again stressed that an orderly withdrawal remains the best basis of trust for the future and Brussels is ready to be more ambitious in the Political Declaration setting out the future UK-EU relationship. #EU27 consultations in #Cyprus today to meet w/ President @AnastasiadesCY, Foreign Min. @Christodulides & House of Representatives. An orderly withdrawal remains the best basis of trust for the future. EU is ready to be more ambitious in the political declaration if UK so wishes. pic.twitter.com/SNXOvvB9Bs Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) May 20, 2019 The Prime Ministers official spokesman was unable to say when the WAB will be published, with work still being carried out on the legislation. We have been working on that piece of legislation for a long time so the vast bulk of the work is completed but there is still work ongoing, the spokesman said. Asked how the WAB would be different to the deal previously voted on, the spokesman added: I think ministers have set out that they had good discussions with the opposition in relation to areas such as workers rights and environmental protections. Mrs May is set to present the WAB as a bold offer with concessions to MPs from across the House in an effort to build as much support for it as possible. The package is expected to include provisions on future trade arrangements with the EU, on environmental protections, and on Northern Ireland, including the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls with the Republic. It will not, however, seek to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement which included the controversial Northern Ireland backstop after the EU repeatedly made clear it could not be re-negotiated. The showdown on the WAB could see Mrs May forced out of Number 10 sooner than expected if she is defeated, as she is due to meet Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady to set out the leadership contest following the vote on the Bill. If the Bill clears its first Commons hurdle, she could seek to remain in power long enough to see it become law, leaving office only once Brexit is secured. The Prime Ministers efforts to find the votes she needs for the WAB come as she faces a mauling at the hands of the public in the European elections. Expand Close Nigel Farage after he was doused in milkshake (Tom Wilkinson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nigel Farage after he was doused in milkshake (Tom Wilkinson/PA) Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who hopes to scoop up disgruntled Tory and Labour voters on Thursday, was doused with a milkshake by a protester in Newcastle while on a whistlestop tour of the country. The beverage has become the weapon of choice for demonstrators in recent weeks, with Tommy Robinson and Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin targeted. At an earlier campaign stop in Exeter, Mr Farage set out his own partys dead simple policy in comparison to its larger rivals. Whats the Labour Partys policy on Brexit? Jeremy Corbyn couldnt answer that seven times on Sunday, he said. Whats the Tory Party policy? Depends who you ask. Our policy platform for this election is dead simple we want the democratic vote of the British people honoured. We have a new date now of October 31. We must leave on that date. If we win these elections representatives of the Brexit Party should be part of the Government negotiating team to make sure we do leave on that date. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mr Farage rubbished claims of a pact with Boris Johnson who has declared he will run in the contest for the Tory leadership questioning whether he could be fully trusted to deliver Brexit because he had voted for the Prime Ministers deal. I worry that Boris puts party loyalty above his own conscience and what is good for the country, Mr Farage said. And even if Boris says, Its OK Nigel, I didnt really mean to vote for it, how can I trust what he says, how can I believe anything any of these two mainstream parties tell us after three years of, frankly, open lies and deceit? Chancellor Philip Hammond will use a speech to the Confederation of British Industry on Tuesday to warn potential Tory leadership contenders that they would have to deliver a compromise Brexit, a source said. He is expected to stress that no solution is sustainable unless it has a parliamentary majority behind it, in a clear message to colleagues considering a no-deal Brexit, something that MPs have already rejected. Prostitution should be decriminalised to protect the health and welfare of sex workers, nurses have said. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is to start actively lobbying the Government to change the law following a vote at the unions conference in Liverpool. Louise Cahill, a clinical nurse specialist in sexual health from south-west England, said the law forces them into riskier situations, with women exposed to violence and attacks as they cannot work together and help each other stay safe. Resolution on the decriminalisation of prostitution passed with overwhelming majority at #RCN19. Well done @Cahill_Lou on a powerful, evidence based proposal, seconded by @JasonWarriner1 pic.twitter.com/yFr1KfPY2s Clare Lomas (@rcni_clarelomas) May 20, 2019 She said: Sex workers have to choose between keeping safe and getting arrested. No one should be put in danger by the law. If you want to end sex work, end poverty. This is a fundamental human rights issue. Jason Warriner, of the RCNs public health forum, said: I fully support decriminalisation. This is about rights and safety. But we also need to look at support and helping people move away from sex work. But Abigail Lawrence, from the RCNs eastern region, disagreed with the move. The sex industry is by its very nature exploitative, manipulative and based on coercion. The model not only decriminalises prostitution but also brothel owners, pimps and buyers. Margaret Devlin, from the RCNs southern branch in Northern Ireland, also spoke in favour of decriminalisation, saying: People are left vulnerable and unable to seek the help they require. Decriminalisation could be the start. The current law in the UK forces women to work alone. Decriminalise sex work to #makeallwomensafe. Sign our petition at: https://t.co/DsZd3qT9hc. Before you sign, if you want to learn more visit: https://t.co/r7ChxLppzn.#internationalsexworkersrightsday #internationalwomensday pic.twitter.com/AZH4SA5OLq English Collective of Prostitutes (@ProstitutesColl) March 1, 2019 Nikki Adams, from the English Collective of Prostitutes, said: It is a really important move. Criminalisation drives people underground. That puts women at risk in terms of their safety. We hear of cases where women have been attacked or raped they report it to the police and then get prosecuted themselves. It also discourages them from seeking help from health services because they are worried they will have to give details about what they do and that will be reported to the police. The Electoral Commission has launched a review into the Brexit Partys financial systems and will visit the partys headquarters on Tuesday. The move comes after former prime minister Gordon Brown called for an investigation to be carried out into the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. Mr Brown, speaking in Glasgow on Monday, said democracy would continue to be undermined if payments to the party were not declared. A commission spokesman said: The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source. It is also subject to rules for reporting donations, loans, campaign spending and end of year accounts. We have already been talking to the party about these issues. Expand Close Mr Brown said democracy was being undermined (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Brown said democracy was being undermined (Andrew Milligan/PA) As part of our active oversight and regulation of these rules, we are attending the Brexit Partys office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds, including donations over 500 that have to be from the UK only. If theres evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our Enforcement Policy. And the former prime minister challenged the Electoral Commission and the European Parliament to indicate whether they are investigating the party, or say whether questions over dubious payments had been answered, ahead of the European elections on Thursday. Expand Close Gordon Brown said that an investigation must be carried out into the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gordon Brown said that an investigation must be carried out into the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party (Ben Birchall/PA) Mr Brown said: The Electoral Commission and the European Parliament should now investigate the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. Democracy is undermined when we have undeclared, unreported, untraceable payments being made to the Brexit Party. We have the potential for underhand and under-the-counter payments being made. You know the history of this Leave.EU, Nigel Farage and Arron Banks campaign is now under criminal investigation. Theres three investigations one by the National Crime Agency, one by the Met Police and one by the Information Commissioner. Expand Close Mr Brown spoke out during a campaign visit to Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Brown spoke out during a campaign visit to Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) Arron Banks, the lead funder of Leave.EU and the friend of Nigel Farage has been under investigation he has made contacts with Russia. We dont know where his money comes from. And yet we find out last week that he has given 450,000 in payments to support Nigel Farage, while Nigel Farage was in a public office in the European Parliament, who should have been declaring the payments that he was receiving from anyone to avoid any conflicts of interest. Mr Brown raised concerns over the method of payment used to process donations by supporters of the party. He said: Now we find the Brexit Party that has been formed is not a party, its actually a private company. It doesnt have members, it has shareholders. The key shareholder, with the controlling interest, is Nigel Farage. And you pay money not to become a member, but to become a supporter, and you pay through PayPal and you cannot discover whether the money is coming from foreign sources or British sources. Indeed, you can pay to this party in Russian roubles, American dollars, Malaysian ringgit and, of course, probably to his disdain, euros as well, to join that Brexit Party. This is a not a party in the ordinary sense, this is a private company.Gordon Brown Mr Brown added: If this election is about trust in democracy, the Electoral Commission has the power before Thursday to tell us if theyve had questions answered about where the money is coming from, who is giving the money, whether the money is coming from foreign sources, including America and Russia, and whether rules are being broken. This is a not a party in the ordinary sense, this is a private company. Its run by Nigel Farage, donations go through PayPal, and hes not going to be remembered as he wants, as the man of the people. Hell be remembered as the man of the PayPal, because thats where the moneys coming from. Mr Brown continued by challenging the commission to indicate before Thursday whether they are investigating, or if questions on the dubious issues around such transactions had been answered. He said: Democracy is ill-served and trust in democracy will continue to be undermined if we have no answers to where the money is coming from and why these declarations to the European Parliament have never been made. Frankly, this smacks of jealousy because the other parties simply can't do this.Nigel Farage Mr Farage told a rally of 1,000 supporters in Bolton on Monday evening the Brexit Party had come under a co-ordinated attack from Mr Brown and the media for alleged financial impropriety. He said his party last week went to the Electoral Commission to show them the checks and methods used to ensure they are in line with electoral law, adding: They gave us a clean bill of health. Mr Farage said it was only after Mr Browns speech the commission said they would visit the Brexit Party offices. He added: They are doing so on the basis of absolutely no evidence at all. They are doing so in an act of bad faith against what they told us to our faces last week. They are directly, politically interfering in a national election in this country. Its a disgrace. Mr Farage said the board of the commission were all Remain supporters and it, along with the two party system, the House of Lords and the voting system, needed to be looked at. Cabinet ministers have been accused of attempting to sabotage Brexit as the Tory leadership race hots up. Esther McVey claimed some of her former Cabinet colleagues were seeking to dismantle Brexit as she set out her stall to replace Theresa May. The former work and pensions secretary said the next leader of the Conservative Party must be somebody who believes in Brexit and has the passion to drive it forwards. She said it was essential that Britain leaves the EU by the end of October, as she launched a political group aimed at winning over working-class voters to the Tories. The comments came as digital minister Margot James signalled that it would be difficult for a leadership candidate advocating a no-deal Brexit to get the backing of a new centre-right bloc of Tory MPs called One Nation. Ms McVey told the Press Association the Prime Minister should be given a dignified and graceful departure, but if she attempted to cling on to power the Cabinet should now step up and say what needs, maybe, to be said. We must recognise where people and communities need more support. We need to shift resources to the vital public resources that these communities need, particularly for schools and education @EstherMcVey1 #BlueCollarConservatism pic.twitter.com/s3Y0LDniky Blue Collar Conservatism (@bluecollartory_) May 20, 2019 Asked whether the Cabinet had done enough so far to resolve the crisis, Ms McVey said: What is most important is that we deliver on Brexit. What you see, maybe in Cabinet, is theyre not wanting anything to happen, they are wanting things to stay in place so they can dismantle Brexit and get Remain through a back door. If that is what the Cabinet is doing, then shame on them. Ms McVey, who quit over Brexit in November, told the Blue Collar Conservatism event in Parliament that it is not an easy time to be a Tory activist. Our failure to deliver Brexit has left many feeling demoralised, with no obvious light at the end of the tunnel, and most of us know that ahead of us is still a bumpy ride, she said. Whatever they voted they can tell you, but it has to be somebody who believes, who has got the passion to drive it forwardEsther McVey The staunchly Leave-backing MP, who resigned from the Cabinet in November over the Prime Ministers deal with Brussels, told the audience of parliamentarians and journalists that the next Tory leader has to be a Brexiteer who believes in Brexit, delivers on our manifesto and even the manifesto of Labour. It is key that weve got to get this delivered so we can get on to the domestic issues that affect so many peoples lives, she said. Asked if that included the likes of Jeremy Hunt, who supported Remain in the referendum but has since adopted an increasingly Eurosceptic position, Ms McVey said: I said it has to be a Brexiteer who believes in Brexit. Whatever they voted they can tell you, but it has to be somebody who believes, who has got the passion to drive it forward. Ms McVey also said there should be no more backsliding regarding the UKs exit, even if it means leaving without a deal on October 31. She called for the amount spent on international aid to be returned to Labour levels in 2010 in a bid to win over working-class voters with money shifted to support police and education. Expand Close Esther McVey at the Blue Collar Conservatism launch at the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Esther McVey at the Blue Collar Conservatism launch at the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) By doing this, we will be doing more than just making up for shortfalls here and there we will be providing transformative funds which communities will feel, Ms McVey said. She is the latest MP to set out her stall in the race to succeed Mrs May. Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out a bid for the job, saying he had a strong view about the sort of leader we need. He said the leader should put the Tories four-square in the centre ground, a view that will be echoed by big hitters at a meeting of the One Nation group of Tories in Parliament on Monday night. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has already confirmed he will stand in the race to replace Mrs May, which is due to officially begin within weeks. Another potential contender, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, said there wont be a shortage of candidates for the job but whether I will be one of those, youll just have to wait and see. Expand Close Home Secretary Sajid Javid said there wont be a shortage of candidates for Theresa Mays job (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Home Secretary Sajid Javid said there wont be a shortage of candidates for Theresa Mays job (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Prime Minister will set out the timetable for her exit and the leadership contest to succeed her after a crunch vote on the legislation for her Brexit deal in early June. Defeat for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which is due in the Commons in the week beginning June 3, would hasten her exit from Number 10. Around 25 Tory MPs attended a meeting in Westminster which outlined the One Nation groups ideas, including rejecting narrow nationalism, supporting a strong society and backing public services. Asked if One Nation could back a Tory leadership contender who advocated a no-deal Brexit, Ms James said: I think it would be difficult for a candidate who would let the country leave without a deal to subscribe to quite a lot of those values and the policies that flow from them. I dont think many candidates are going to stand up and say, I think the country should leave without a deal. No. But there are candidates who will go out of their way to make sure the country doesnt leave without a deal and that is what we need to ensure we get out of this leadership contest. The Conservative Party is entering a new phase. And we here in this room are determined to shape that phaseAmber Rudd Addressing the One Nation meeting, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said: The Conservative Party is entering a new phase. And we here in this room are determined to shape that phase. Ms Rudd added: And sometimes our voices arent heard quite as vocally as they should be. And part of the launch today is to say we are going to be stepping up, making ourselves heard because we are proud and honest and strong about what we believe in. And we believe that this time, more than ever, we need to shape the changing Conservative Party. Chancellor Philip Hammond will use a speech to the CBI on Tuesday to warn against populism and stress that any Brexit position would need to command a majority in Parliament. Sources said he would also stress the need for fiscal discipline and show how free trade and market economics can deliver solutions to the issues which are driving voter angst. Theresa May is set to begin discussions with senior ministers on her proposed new bold offer to MPs in a final attempt to get her Brexit deal through Parliament. The weekly meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday is expected to sign off on a package of measures to be included in the forthcoming Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) aimed at winning cross-party support. However there was widespread scepticism at Westminster that it will fare any better than her three previous failed attempts to get the Commons to pass the deal. Following the collapse last week of cross-party talks with Labour aimed at reaching a common approach, Jeremy Corbyn said he had not yet seen anything new that would persuade him to support it. It comes at the start of what looks likely to be another torrid week for the Prime Minister with the Conservatives braced for a hammering at the hands of Nigel Farages Brexit Party in the European elections on Thursday. One weekend poll put them in a humiliating fifth place behind the Greens, with the results likely to exacerbate frustration in the party at the failure to leave the EU in March as planned. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Labour which has been criticised for facing both ways on a second referendum is also expecting a difficult result with the same poll showing them in third place behind the Liberal Democrats. A Government source said the WAB which is needed to ratify the deal with Brussels would include new measures on protecting workers rights, an issue where agreement with Labour was said to have been close. However, the source made clear the package would not just be aimed at Labour MPs but would seek to secure the widest possible support across the Commons. Expand Close Nigel Farages Brexit Party is expected to top the poll in the European elections (Tom Eden/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nigel Farages Brexit Party is expected to top the poll in the European elections (Tom Eden/PA) It is expected to include provisions on future trade arrangements with the EU, on environmental protections, and on Northern Ireland, including the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls with the Republic. Ministers will also consider whether to put any of the alternative approaches to indicative votes in the Commons to establish which, if any, can command a majority. It will not, however, seek to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement which included the controversial Northern Ireland backstop after the EU repeatedly made clear it could not be re-negotiated. Mrs May has said she will bring the WAB before MPs for its second reading vote in the first week of June following the short Whitsun recess. Regardless of how the vote goes, she will then meet the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, to agree a timetable to elect her successor as party leader, paving the way for her departure from No 10. The Prime Minister expected to set out details of her WAB proposals in a major speech before the end of the month. Downing Street said Mrs May was expected to talk to ministers in advance of Tuesdays Cabinet meeting but could not confirm when the WAB will be published. We have been working on that piece of legislation for a long time so the vast bulk of the work is completed but there is still work ongoing, the Prime Ministers official spokesman told reporters. Asked how the WAB would be different to the deal previously voted on, he said: I think ministers have set out that they had good discussions with the Opposition in relation to areas such as workers rights and environmental protections. The missile went off in a a burst of fire and smoke (LPhot Pepe Hogan/PA) A Royal Navy warship has tested its ability to take on a fast-moving, low-level target as it put its missile system through its paces off the coast of Scotland. HMS Defender, a Type 45 destroyer, carried out the missile testing off the north-west of Scotland on Sunday as part of a Nato exercise. During the test, HMS Defender sent a missile flying at four times the speed of sound to obliterate an incoming drone designed to simulate a projectile attack on the ship. Navy chiefs said it marks the first time the Portsmouth-based warship has taken on such a challenging target. Expand Close The missile flew at four times the speed of sound (Royal Navy/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The missile flew at four times the speed of sound (Royal Navy/PA) The ships senior warfare officer, Lieutenant Commander Daniel Lee, said: Being a part of our first firing against a fast-moving, low-level target has been a really rewarding experience. Proving the effectiveness of the Sea Viper system against a more challenging target reassures us in the ability of HMS Defender to deliver on operations as an air defence destroyer. Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg's new book has been savaged by critics who dismissed his tribute to the Victorians as "staggeringly silly", "sentimental jingoism" and "so terrible". The influential Brexiteer's latest work, The Victorians: Twelve Titans Who Forged Britain, looks at the lives of a dozen eminent 19th century figures including Queen Victoria, Sir Robert Peel and Lord Palmerston. Writing in The Sunday Times, Dominic Sandbrook described it as "so bad, so boring, so mind-bogglingly banal that if it had been written by anybody else it would never have been published". The historian added: "Did Rees-Mogg really write this? Or did he get the work-experience boy to do it? In any case, the overall effect is soul-destroying." AN Wilson was equally withering, describing Mr Rees-Mogg's effort as "anathema... to anyone with an ounce of historical, or simply common, sense". Historian Kim A Wagner called the book "a sentimental vision of the past as the author wishes it had been" resembling a series of "half-remembered anecdotes from a Boy's Own story, or perhaps tales told by his nanny". "The book really belongs in the celebrity autobiography section of the bookstore," he wrote in The Observer's review. "At best, it can be seen as a curious artefact of the kind of sentimental jingoism and empire-nostalgia currently afflicting our country." The Guardian reviewer Kathryn Hughes wrote: "At least we know The Victorians isn't ghost written, since no self-respecting freelancer would dare ask for payment for such rotten prose." The MP said he spent around 300 hours writing it, and the register of MPs' financial interests shows he has already received a 12,500 payment from Penguin Random House. The father-of-six said his children "did not delay my work... as Peter, Mary, Thomas, Anselm, Alfred and Sixtus were kindly looked after by my wife Helena and, of course, nanny." The Temple of Time built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was set on fire on Sunday evening (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting has been set on fire in a symbolic gesture of healing. The Temple of Time public art installation was set ablaze at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. A lone gunman killed 17 students and staff and injured 17 others at the school on February 14 2018. The families of several victims attended the ritual burning of the 35ft tall temple on Sunday. Expand Close It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) Described as therapeutic by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolise the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the centre of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temples needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable as the lace-like designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honour the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. This temple has meant so much to so manyParkland mayor Christine Hunschofsky Its kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many, said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. Its the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community. San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600sqft Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs foundation. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. Expand Close A 120-metre long model of Londons sky line in the 17th Century was set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London (PA file) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A 120-metre long model of Londons sky line in the 17th Century was set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London (PA file) On Sunday, the artist said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. Lets watch out for one another, Best said. This is a community that went through hell. Best created a wooden sculpture of 17th century London that was burned on the Thames in 2016 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire. He also created a temple in Londonderry that was symbolically burned in 2015. US president Donald Trump has warned Iran not to threaten America again, or it will face its official end. Mr Trumps tweet came shortly after a rocket landed near the US embassy in Baghdad. The warning comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, following Mr Trumps decision a year ago to pull America out of Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers. The US leader tweeted on Monday: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Neither Mr Trump nor White House officials elaborated on the tweet. The message came after a rocket landed less than a mile from the sprawling US embassy in Baghdad in the Iraqi capitals heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday night. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket launch. Mr Trumps tweet came after he seemingly sought to soften his tone on Iran following days of heightened tension sparked by a sudden deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over still-unspecified threats. In the time since, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged four oil tankers have been sabotaged. Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. US diplomats also relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. Expand Close Mr Trump called the 2015 nuclear deal a horrror show (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Trump called the 2015 nuclear deal a horrror show (AP) While both Washington and Tehran say they do not seek war, many worry that any miscalculation at this moment could spiral out of control. Iraqi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasoul said the rocket that landed near the US embassy was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad, an area home to Iranian-backed Shia militias. Mr Trump campaigned on pulling the US from the 2015 nuclear accord, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since the withdrawal, the US has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning nations around the world they would also be subject to sanctions if they import Iranian oil. Iran has announced it will begin backing away from the terms of the deal, setting a 60-day deadline for Europe to come up with new terms or it will begin enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels. Expand Close Tehran and Washington have said they do not want war (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tehran and Washington have said they do not want war (AP) Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its programme could allow it to build atomic bombs. In an interview aired on the Fox News Channel, Mr Trump called the nuclear deal a horror show. I just dont want them to have nuclear weapons and they cant be threatening us, Mr Trump said. However, the nuclear deal had kept Iran from being able to acquire enough highly enriched uranium for a bomb. UN inspectors repeatedly certified that Iran was in compliance with the accord. Meanwhile, the US Navys 5th Fleet has announced it will begin enhanced security patrols in international waters with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Already, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and others are in the Arabian Sea, close to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes. Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't "end Iran". #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectit works! Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 20, 2019 Irans foreign minister responded with a tweet of his own in English. Mohammad Javad Zarif posted his own message on Twitter, saying Mr Trump had been goaded into genocidal taunts. Mr Zarif wrote that Mr Trump hopes to achieve what Alexander (the Great), Genghis (Khan) & other aggressors failed to do. He added: Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone. He ended his tweet with #neverthreatenaniranian and: Try respect it works! When you were little, do you remember that catchy comeback sayings your parents would teach you? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. I am rubber. You are glue. Whatever you say, bounces off me, and sticks to you. Odds are no matter what rhyming phrase you said to the antagonist, the words did hurt. They did stop you in your tracks and potentially leave you with a complex. As you got older, the majority of mean comments were no longer to your face. Instead, they were behind your back in a more organized fashion gossip. In case you are curious, there are a lot of scriptures in the Bible related to gossip: Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Exodus 23:1 Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Leviticus 19:16 Do not go spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbors life. I am the Lord. There are so many other powerful scriptures that echo the disgust for gossip. At its core, gossip is an unknown lie. There is no concrete proof as to whether or not the discussions are true or false. Since there is no value, gossip can be classified as slander and that is a sin according to God. Psalms 101:5 says, Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Christians are called to a higher statue. Instead of allowing our neighbor to sink into despair, Christians should rise above and help thy neighbor overcome unrighteousness and adversity. God has provided the best example by sacrificing himself for our sins. The Lord has cleansed us from all unrighteousness and no longer views us as we once were but accepts everyone who have a tarnished record. Every human being is made in the image of God. If Christians continue to tear down the name of another human being, they are contributing to the mockery of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In other words, Christians participating in gossip are basically spitting on God. Even if your gossip is circling around celebrities and Hollywood, this is still a sin. A Christian is not defined by their bank account and fame; therefore, justifying the acceptance of gossip based on those credentials has no bearing. God made each one of his creatures and didnt designate the right to shame to anyone. Gossip divides relationships, crushes trust, and creates pain that will outlast the words spoken. Proverbs 16:28 reminds us, A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. And at its core, gossip is poisonous because it is a form of betrayal. Many people will challenge that impression, but regardless of whether or not a person hears the gossip, the Lord witnesses it. Christians take pride knowing that their God is always listening. He is always by their side, through thick and thin. No matter how bad a situation may be, God is there. Nevertheless, he is there when his children participate in gossip whether it is considered as harmless or not. James 3:7-8 reinforce this, All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. So, what are Christians supposed to do when they hear gossip? Titus 3:1-2 reminds us to be wise. Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always be gentle toward everyone. Oftentimes, Christians will join a conversation because they want to feel like they are part of something part of a community, part of a small group, part of a small talk discussion. However, through honor for his image and reputation Christians should tame their tongues and recognize the bigger picture. Their words are powerful. Their words can the course of events. Their words have meaning even if they dont recognize it. All in all, God did not create human beings to judge each other and point out everyones imperfections and insecurities. He created humans with a voice to lift each other up, to love each other and treat strangers like their neighbors. While we may have the freedom of speech, it is not within Gods plan for a Christians freedom of speech to include negative and untrue speech. Galatians 5:13 reinforces this, You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. So, as a Christian speak and step up. Even though gossip may be tempting, do not indulge. God has a bigger plan for you and hurting others through your words is not one of them. Gossip is a sin. Instead of spreading hatred and animosity, choose to spread peace and love. Christians are created in His image and honoring Him cannot be done through gossip. By Trend Uzbekistan and Russia could not agree on free choice of frequencies for flights of Russian airlines on contractual routes, Trend reports with reference to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency. The Russian side proposed to give Russian designated airlines the right to freely select frequencies for flights on contractual routes between the two states. In turn, the Uzbek side stated that it was premature to consider this possibility and proposed to establish and gradually increase the frequency of implementation on the appropriate contractual routes for designated carriers. In the meantime, the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan agreed on granting one designated carrier from each side the right to fly under the "triangle" scheme in five cities, which the airlines themselves can choose. The Uzbek side reported that such flights will be operated to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Kazan. The Russian side announced that it will provide its list of cities later. In addition, both sides removed all restrictions on flights to Nukus and Vladivostok in Russia. Rabbi Terry Bookman, a nationally known Jewish leader, author and educator knows firsthand some of the biggest challenges facing those in the Jewish community. Bookmans concern for the fate of the Jewish people is not unfounded as there examples in the news almost every day. There are obstacles preventing the growth of the Jewish people. One of the big reasons is because the paradigm has not yet shifted. I believe in the history of Judaism that we have entered a postmodern era, Bookman said. The [established] Jewish community by and largeis operating as if were still in a modern period with an agenda that no longer speaks to anybody from the millennial generation. His new book, Beyond Survival is said to challenge the current agenda, assumptions, mindset and sacred crows of the Jewish establishment, which has largely accepted and become resigned to its communal decline. We have before us today a radically different reality for the Jewish world. If we dont shift the paradigm to speak to that reality, well lose the opportunity. The result of not doing so as were seeing everywhere around the world is that the Jewish community continues to shrink. While hes never been a numbers guy, there is a point where numbers become vital for any sort of relevancy, Bookman said. Beyond Survival is about looking at the old agenda and why we need to let go of it. It also explores some of the new opportunities, that if the Jewish community takes strategic advantage of, can really lead to Jewish communities thriving instead of the old agenda of surviving, Bookman said. Bookman also talks in detail about the three obstacles plus one that currently prevent the growth of Jewish people. The three obstacles that comprise the old agenda include anti-Semitism as a threat to Jewish survival, the Holocaust which is an outlook of anti-Semitism and the focus on victimization that we have to it, and Israel as a threatened nation not Israel as a place for the Jewish people to return and thrive. The plus one is assimilation which again is seen as a threat, Bookman said. The threat is that all of the old agenda, the survival agenda which was very important because we did need to survive under very dire circumstances for long periods of our history. The old agenda is based on threat and a sense of victimization. But that is no longer a reality in the Jewish world. Bookman makes it clear that this isnt to diminish the survival agenda when under attack because when one is under attack, survival is of the essence, he said. In the book, Bookman shares an incident in which he met the Dalai Lama. He came to the Jewish people because he wanted to know how a religion and a people survive away from their land. The Dalai Lama believed the experts on this were the Jewish people because we were off of our land for almost 2000 years and they did survive. While the survival agenda is important, it no longer speaks to the current reality, Bookman said. The book also offers an alternative vision for the Jewish future. This includes the concept of the paradigm shift in which individuals can find an open and accepting community that joyously and creatively celebrates their sacred way of life. This is a future in which society can all grow and thrive. Bookman ultimately hopes the book will reach decision-makers in the Jewish establishment the heads of synagogue and the heads of major Jewish organizations. He believes its important that they are reached because they need to take a look at the new reality as well if they are to survive and beyond survival if they want to thrive. However, the book is not limited to Jewish decision-makers and leaders only. He also hopes the book and its message will reach those who have an interest in the Jewish community including brothers and sisters of the Christian faith, along with Jewish millennials who are just as involved in this. In talking with his sons, who encouraged him to write the book, along with other young people in the Jewish community, he continued hearing that their experiences in the organized Jewish world dont speak to them. Through this book, they can see the hope for the future. Just as there are bright forces in the world, there are also dark forces. Just as there is love in the world, there is also hate. Bookman addresses this reality head on the book. One of the things I say in the book is that there is evil and hatred in the human heart. Its the ugly side of human beings, Bookman said. We are for the most part good but we do have the other side within us and thats often triggered when theres fear and insecurity. Unfortunately, we see in our world that there are anti-Semites because there are Jews, just as there are racists because there are people of color, just as there are misogynists because there are women in the world and people who are homophobic because there are homosexuals in the world. Thats not going to change. However, we can be the change we want to see in our world. Whats important is the tone of our society. We have to ask ourselves if we tolerate this kind of hatred or are we opposed to it, Bookman said. In every incident that has happened in the last couple of decades we have seen an outpouring of love and support throughout the faith communities, Bookman said. When mosques are attacked, pastors and rabbis are thereI do think that the majority of people are supporting one another and whats most important is that our society doesnt tolerate it. Against all the negative forces that Jewish people have faced in the past and face in the world today, Bookman says there is great hope they can look forward to. What I present is a hopeful vision, what I believe is truly possiblyIt is a vision meant to inspire, Bookman said. When Martin Luther King said in 1962 in Washington, DC, I have a dream that one day our children will go to school together and play together and love one another, that was not realistic. People were still struggling for Civil Rights in this country but it was a vision that inspired people to create, to move it in to effect. He is hopeful that the words in this book will not people of Jewish faith but from all different backgrounds. Bookman hopes to create a worldwide conversation that will ask the question, how can we as a people thrive? Bookmans vision is a world of thrival, a word he created to counterbalance the word of survival. He hopes that people all around the world will gather in groups and have conversations discussing what it will take to create new institutions to thrive. Some will inevitably say that I am not being realistic. Of course, I am not. Nothing great has ever happened in this world being realistic, Bookman said. But I believe in usWe can do better than survive, we can truly thrive. A watchdog group that represents some of the worlds best-known apparel brands will be allowed to monitor garment manufacturers in Bangladesh for workplace safety for at least another year under a new ruling by the nations Supreme Court. The ruling, handed down Sunday, will allow the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh to maintain its office and operations in Bangladesh for 281 working days (more than 56 weeks) effective earlier this month officials from both sides and the government said. By accepting a memorandum of understanding between the Accord and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Supreme Court overruled a ruling from the lower High Court that would have shut down the Accords operation. The garment industry is the biggest sector of Bangladeshs economy and employs more than 4 million people, but questions about workplace safety have overshadowed it in the wake of massive industrial disasters. The poor workplace safety allegations have already ceased as factories have already completed more than 92 percent of remediation, BGMEA President Rubana Huq told BenarNews as she welcomed the ruling and applauded previous efforts by the Accord. The Accord, which represents leading brand names including H&M, Marks & Spencer, and United Colors of Benetton has been overseeing reforms in Bangladeshs ready-made garment sector. It was established after the November 2012 Tazreen Fashions garment factory fire that killed 112 workers and the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory complex in April 2013 that killed more than 1,100 workers, in the deadliest industrial accident in Bangladeshs history. Additional Attorney General Murad Reza said the court had asked BGMEA to reach an agreement with the Accord, which claims to represent 190 brands, 1,600 factories and 2 million workers. The court gave Accord the time extension. The government welcomes such a verdict, Reza said. That agreement includes establishing a national ready-made garments (RMG) safety entity to be called RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), according to the Accord. After the transition period of 281 working days, the RSC will take over all Accord Bangladesh operations and will inherit the Accord infrastructure and staff, it said in a news release. The 281-day count began on May 8. The RSC will be governed by representatives of BGMEA, the global brands represented by the Accord and global and national trade unions. We are happy because this verdict paves the way to our self-monitoring, Huq, the BGMEA president, said. Standards have been set and by transitioning into this new agreement, we will transition into self-monitoring. The Accord said that while the agreement was in place, it would work with BGMEA on its core functions including inspections and remediation, safety training, complaint resolution and public reporting. The agreement emphasizes that workers have the right to organize and join unions, local media reported, adding that it links employee empowerment to workplace safety for the first time. Arief Budiman, head of Indonesia's Election Commission, talks to the media after announcing the official results of last month's presidential election, in Jakarta, May 20, 2019. Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo won last months presidential election with 55.5 percent of votes, the General Election Commission announced early Tuesday. Jokowis rival, former general Prabowo Subianto, secured 44.5 percent of the votes, according to the commissions final tally from the April 17 election. In the name of God, the result of the presidential election is official, commission chairman Arief Budiman said after a plenary meeting to wrap up the official count. Of 154.3 million valid votes, Jokowi won more than 85.6 million, while Prabowo garnered nearly 68.8 million, according to official results. Arief said Jokowi and his running mate, conservative cleric Maruf Amien, won in 21 provinces, including the provincial capital Jakarta, while Prabowo and Sandiaga Uno clinched 13 provinces, including the most populous, West Java. Prabowo has said he will reject the official results, alleging widespread cheating in the election. A member of his campaign team, Aziz Subekti, who was present at the final counts announcement, called Prabowos rejection a form of resistance against injustice, against fraud, Detik.com news portal reported. The electoral watchdog, the Election Supervisory Agency, on Monday rejected complaints by the Prabowo campaign alleging massive and systematic fraud, saying that not enough evidence was presented to back the allegations. The official results had been scheduled to be released on Wednesday. It was not clear if the announcement was moved forward because of a threat by Prabowos supporters to hold a rally in front of the commissions building in central Jakarta on Wednesday. The announcement came amid heightened tensions in the capital, after police said last week they had arrested 29 militant suspects who were allegedly plotting to bomb an expected protest against the election results on Wednesday. Up to 32,000 security personnel were deployed in Jakarta to safeguard the announcement, police said. National police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said on Friday the suspects were caught in raids across Indonesia during the past month and were believed to be members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), a local militant network affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. They were planning to carry out amalia, or a terrorist act, by attacking a crowd of people on May 22 using bombs, Iqbal said. The police spokesman said the suspects planned to use remote-controlled explosives to target the crowd. On Thursday, Security Affairs Minister Wiranto urged the police, military and local governments to prevent Prabowos supporters from leaving for Jakarta to carry out their protest on May 22. The United States, Australia and several other countries have issued travel advisories warning about a possible attack. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. By Trend A meeting between the delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan and Paola Albrito, Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Regional Office for Europe, was held in Geneva, Switzerland, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed matters of cooperation, the information reads. The meeting was held on the margins of the 6th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) entitled Progress in achieving sustainability: towards sustainable and inclusive societies. The event was carried out within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), launched a national project for assessing seismic risks, and preventing and responding to potential earthquakes. The project, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, is funded by the Turkmen government and will be implemented by 2020. It is planned to conduct an assessment of the seismic stability of buildings and structures of Ashgabat. Turkmenistan is located in a seismically dangerous zone. On the night of October 6, 1948, a magnitude 10 earthquake occurred in Ashgabat and claimed numerous lives. More than 20 digital stationary and dozens of autonomous, mobile seismic stations monitor the seismic activity in Turkmenistan. One of these mobile seismic stations is located in the Karakum Desert. The territory of the country is characterized by the presence of structurally unstable subsoil bases and, due to climatic conditions, a high corrosivity. High salinity of groundwater, the intensity of solar radiation and other environmental factors are also the subject of study by local seismologists. By Rachel Szabo It wasn't until her senior year of high school that Elle Fullenkamp decided to follow a career path in education. After leaning toward social work and psychology, an amazing English teacher during Fullenkamp's junior and senior years changed her mind. She found value in the language arts as she saw herself and peers grow as readers, writers and people. "My teacher engaged the entire class in critical discussion of the books and short stories we were reading," said Fullenkamp, who grew up in Coldwater, Ohio, a small town southwest of Lima. "He made me think and helped me recognize a talent for writing and analysis I did not know I possessed." After experiencing several outstanding teachers who were alumni of Bowling Green State University, Fullenkamp decided to tour BGSU and attend an Honors College preview day. On campus, she participated in a mock critical thinking class that offered an active discussion on the media depictions of the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. "With this experience, I knew BGSU would deliver the challenge and support that I was looking for in a school," Fullenkamp said. "After that weekend, I knew I had found a good fit." As an incoming freshman, Fullenkamp's high school GPA and ACT composite scores earned her the Presidential Scholar Award through Honors College. This renewable scholarship was one of the main reasons that BGSU was an affordable option for Fullenkamp. Student organizations, including the Vagina Monologues, Queer/Trans Student Union and Task Force on Sexual Assault, rounded out her academic career. The annual theatrical production of the Vagina Monologues, sponsored by what is now the Feminist Student Union, works to raise awareness about issues affecting those with marginalized gender identities. It also raises money for a local domestic/sexual violence agency, the Cocoon. "Coming from the small town I did, I had never been in an environment where people spoke so openly about political and social issues," Fullenkamp said. "In that experience, I made friends with people who held backgrounds and beliefs and identities that I had never been exposed to before." The Vagina Monologues became a space for her to explore ideas about herself and the world around her. She became a co-director for the next two years in hopes of creating that same space for other students. As a sophomore, Fullenkamp got involved with VISION, now named the Queer/Trans Student Union, a student organization for LGBTQ+ students and allies. VISION's weekly meetings and occasional events were a great place to find the community and support she needed. But it was VISION's education/outreach initiative, the Panel Program, that really sparked her involvement. The Panel Program brings panels of LGBTQ+ students to classrooms and campus/community groups to answer questions and break myths about their own experiences holding LGBTQ+ identities. This helps reduce stigma and prejudice toward LGBTQ+ students on campus. As an educator, Fullenkamp fell in love with the Panel Program's mission. "I firmly believe many people are harmful toward marginalized folks due to a lack of education and exposure to people different than them, rather than conscious malice," she said. "I saw the benefits panels had on the people attending them and on panelists like me, who got the opportunity to talk about their experiences in a supported space." From 2017 to 2019, Fullenkamp was QTSU's education/outreach chair, scheduling and facilitating the Panel Program. She also set out to better the program by creating training curriculum and updated resources/presentational materials as part of her Honors College project. "I conducted research on educational and sociological theories," she said. "With my position, I left behind a curriculum and resource guide for future education/outreach chairs. It's my hope that this guide will leave future leaders with the tools necessary to continue to create stronger community between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ folks alike at BGSU." Fullenkamp also served as one of three undergraduate student representatives on President Mazey's Task Force on Sexual Assault in 2017. Through her outstanding efforts in the LGBTQ+ community, Fullenkamp was awarded the Outstanding Commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community award through BGSU's LGBTQ+ Resource Center. Looking back, Fullenkamp said she is thankful for many individuals who made a significant impact on her time at BGSU and her future. Dr. Heath Diehl from the Honors College pushed her to think, write and communicate differently and better. Dr. Katie Stygles from the LGBTQ+ Resource Center and Dr. Bill Albertini from the English Department supported Fullenkamp through the hard times of coming out. Dr. Joanna Weaver from College of Education and Human Development helped her stretch through the growing pains of making the transition from student to teacher, along with the mentors who took her under her wing and the many friends who grew and changed alongside her. Echoing a piece of advice she learned her freshman year; Fullenkamp said, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Open yourself up to new groups of people and experiences. Open yourself up to the idea that you might not have everything figured out." This especially applies to small-town residents, she said. "Your world is about to get so much bigger embrace it. You're going to feel out of your element, challenged and uncomfortable. Lean into it, because it's why you're here. It's what will make you grow into who you want to be." Lakeisha Davis recounts her path to a career in education thanks to BGSU By Rachel Szabo At 33 years old, with a loving husband and three children at home, Lakeisha Davis is graduating from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in inclusive early childhood education. Davis did not walk an easy path to college. Only the second of her family to graduate with a college degree, she overcame many struggles to attend BGSU. Growing up, Davis was raised mostly by her father. She earned her high school degree and went to work right after graduation. Working two jobs to save money for a college degree, Davis learned the value of hard work and dedication. It was not until Davis married her husband, Antonio Davis, who has a master's degree in school counseling, that she was able to afford and attend college. I told him of my dreams to further my education and to become a teacher, she said, and he supported me in that endeavor. Once her children were born, Davis took a few classes at a time through Owens Community College. She also started her own child care from home something she loved but she knew she could reach more students. Davis earned an associate degree that included an education concentration. From there, she knew she wanted to teach in a full-time classroom setting and it was time to pursue her bachelors degree. Ive known since I was a little girl that I wanted to work with young children," she said. "Its always been a passion of mine, and I knew that BGSUs College of Education and Human Development was next to none. The colleges dual licensure was a particular attraction to Davis: something that no other college in Ohio offered. She wanted to be a part of it. Inclusive early childhood graduates provide differentiated, evidence-based instruction to young children from birth through grade 3. The program is committed to the development of partnerships and scholarly endeavors that reflect the Universitys professional values of justice, fairness, and equity. By Samantha Sharp '19 Emilio Gonzalez had a lot of difficult choices to make after graduating from Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Music in composition. Picking Bowling Green State University for his graduate degree is one for which he is grateful. Gonzalez is graduating with a Master of Music in composition in an environment much different than his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. While searching for a graduate program, Gonzalez researched a wide range of composition programs and big state schools such as Arizona State University. His composition professor suggested BGSU because of its New Music program. "It has been the opposite experience of a large state school," Gonzalez said. "Everyone is really invested in contemporary music here. I was offered an assistantship and the cost of living goes a lot further here in the Midwest." The sense of community at BGSU is something Gonzalez picked up on right away during campus visits and graduate program interviews. However, he said that it was actually very different once he arrived in the fall semester of 2017. "To actually be a part of this strong campus community is a lot different than what I thought it would be," he said. "My expectations have been met and my experience has gone beyond what I anticipated." The faculty in the New Music program have been instrumental to Gonzalez's success, and he has enjoyed the one-on-one teaching sessions he has received. He has taken advantage of the open office hours his professors offer and feels that he has built lasting connections in the composition world. Gonzalez even performed in the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble last fall with his professor, Dr. Christopher Witulski. "Overall, I would say I spent most of my time in the College of Musical Arts working with Dr. Mikel Kuehn and Dr. Elainie Lillios on my composition work," Gonzalez said. As president of Praecepta, Bowling Green's student organization for the performance and promotion of new music, Gonzalez has helped promote new music in the community. Most recently, he helped plan a collaborative event featuring new music between Praecepta and the BGSU Collegiate Ohio Music Teachers Association Chapter. Gonzalez said that they took student composers and paired them with student teachers, with the goal to produce a piece in the fall semester that would be played by the student teachers' piano students in a spring recital. "We had a nice range of student participants from beginner to intermediate, and it was a great experience to bring music education into our composition program," he said. His most recent commission titled "Tahoma" involved another collaboration with young musicians. Kellogg Middle School and Einstein Middle School in Shoreline, Washington commissioned him to compose a concert band piece. "Tahoma is a word from the local indigenous languages that is the name of what we now call Mount Rainier," Gonzalez said. "This piece is meant to be a musical offering to the first people inspired by the mountains," Gonzalez said. He participated in a three-day residency at the schools, where he worked with students on band rehearsals and held a Q&A session for prospective students interested in music composition. It was a surreal moment for Gonzalez, watching the next generation of musicians performing a piece he composed in the area he grew up. During the residency, he was blown away by the students' thoughtfulness and their deep level of understanding in their musical questions. While Gonzalez is leaving Bowling Green in the summer, his final performance has yet to take place "I performed my final composition last month, but the wind ensemble is going to perform my capstone concert composition from my undergrad at the New Music Festival in the fall," he said. "I am very excited and I will definitely be flying in for that. I think I will work with the composers and performers I've met here in the future and I want to maintain those connections." Gonzalez plans to continue his career as a composer, and would like to move back to his home state of Washington. Thomas Jefferson University, in partnership with Wills Eye Hospital along with the generosity of several prescient philanthropists, has launched the world's first center focused on the visual signatures of neurological diseases. Poets have called eyes the windows to the soul. Now, Jefferson and Wills Eye researchers will be able to use eyes as windows into debilitating diseases of the brain. Thomas Jefferson University, in partnership with Wills Eye Hospital and thanks to the generosity of several prescient philanthropists, has launched the world's first center focused on the visual signatures of neurological diseases. The William H. Annesley, Jr., MD '48 EyeBrain Center will explore the connections between the retina, optic nerve, and disorders of the brain, potentially revealing novel treatments for confounding diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and dementia. "Because of the anatomic and physiological connections between the eye and brain, ophthalmology and neurology are inextricably linked," said Robert C. Sergott, MD, an international expert in neuro-ophthalmology and the Center's founding Executive Director. "This is the perfect synergy. The Annesley EyeBrain Center will leverage the strengths of the region's most extensive neuroscience network with the nation's leading hospital for vision care." Named in honor of ophthalmology pioneer and Jefferson alumnus William H. Annesley, Jr., MD, the Annesley EyeBrain Center will be housed within Jefferson's renowned Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience. Initial funding for the Center was provided by philanthropic gifts from friends and family of the late Dr. Annesley, including lead benefactor Margaret Annesley Hayne. "If you want to change the world, you have to think differently, and that's what the team at the Annesley EyeBrain Center will do," said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, President, Thomas Jefferson University and CEO, Jefferson Health. "At a time when far too many individuals are falling victim to debilitating, incurable disorders of the brain, the Annesley EyeBrain Center will be more than a destination for premier neuro-ophthalmologic research and careit will serve as a powerful beacon of hope. We are incredibly grateful to Margaret Annesley Hayne and the early philanthropic investors for their visionary support." "As the first center exploring the connections between the retina and disorders of the brain, the Annesley EyeBrain Center will revolutionize ophthalmic and neurological care and establish a new frontier in neuro-ophthalmology," said Julia A. Haller, MD, the William Tasman, MD Endowed Chair and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief of Wills Eye Hospital and Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. "And as a tribute to the remarkable life and career of Dr. Annesley, it will cement his legacy of excellence, preserving his values and reputation for generations to come. " One of the Annesley EyeBrain Center's revolutionary areas of research involves mitochondrial function in the retina. Mitochondria are the main producers of energy for all types of cells, and their malfunction is implicated as the final common pathway in many neurologic and ophthalmic diseases. Mitochondria produce flavoprotein, a compound that emits a green light when excited by a blue light. When more green light is visible, the mitochondria are working harder to maintain retinal and neurologic function. Using Multi-Color Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a breakthrough technology, researchers can now see mitochondrial function disruption before there is cell-death or even disease symptoms, opening an entirely new frontier in the diagnosis and treatment of devastating neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. "There are tremendous advantages to creating a Center like this that is the first of its kind," said Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, the Jewell L. Osterholm, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University and the President, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience. "We'll be in a unique position to capitalize on and potentially develop new technologies and techniques. It's an opportunity to innovate and utilize our entrepreneurial expertise." Cyclica a leading biotechnology company that leverages artificial intelligence and computational biophysics to enable the discovery of new medicines, has announced the addition of a machine learning predictive engine called POEM to its Ligand Express platform. POEM has been applied to the prediction of ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) properties, which provides critical insight into a molecules expected behavior in the body. Unlike conventional quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models that have existed in pharma for decades, POEM is parameter-free, based on multiple fingerprints, and does not require time-consuming model training. Ligand Express, is a cloud-based platform that uncovers the polypharmacological profiles of small molecules, and allows scientists to gain insights into structural pharmacogenomics by incorporating systems biology databases including single nucleotide variant data. With the integration of POEM, Ligand Express now offers insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of small molecules, providing a better understanding of the predicted behaviour of potential drug molecules. This integration will further augment workflows within pharma, providing scientists with a deeper understanding of a small molecules polypharmacology and its key pharmacokinetic properties. Enabling more effective drug discovery through an integrated computational platform is a central tenant at Cyclica, said Naheed Kurji, President & CEO of Cyclica. With the integration of POEM in Ligand Express, our users can readily access predictive ADMET properties of their small molecules in an elegantly designed user interface, enabling them to make effective decisions and bring better medicines to the market faster. We will continue to enhance Ligand Express with new features as we believe an end-to-end enabling platform will be essential to transform drug discovery. We recognize that drug discovery is a process, and part of that process requires the evaluation of many possibilities. It is impossible to pursue every possibility, so choosing the best starting point is essential, but its not always easy, said Vijay Shahani, Head of Design of Cyclica. We designed the user interface of POEM in Ligand Express to facilitate comparisons between multiple small molecules, making it easier to identify better starting points. We are actively developing new features to allow greater molecular exploration and enable the selection of top candidates. Cyclica is committed to building out a platform that will facilitate effective drug discovery, and do more with artificial intelligence to design medicines for patients. The integration of POEM into Ligand Express further demonstrates Cyclicas commitment to accelerating pharma R&D, and making drug discovery faster, cheaper, and safer. On May 22nd at the Collision Conference in Toronto, Cyclica will announce its novel, first-in-class, multi-objective, drug design technology, which also incorporates POEM. Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain #AfricaMonth: Mapping out crucial data at a disaster scene Humanitarian emergencies often strike without warning, destroying lives and livelihoods within a matter of seconds. In the immediate aftermath, the challenge for those responding is to know where to start. This is where Malian startup, Map Action comes in. Map Action recently took part in #Africa4Future, a joint business accelerator of Airbus and GIZs Make-IT in Africa initiative, together with the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa, an entrepreneurial training programme, seed fund and Pan-African incubator and Innocircle, the South Africa-based innovation consultancy. Boubacar Youssouf, founder and CEO of Map Action We chat to Boubacar Youssouf, founder and CEO of Map Action, to find out more about the startup journey... Can you tell us a bit about Map Action? Can you tell us a bit about Map Action? Which area has been worst affected? Where are the most vulnerable people? What has happened to roads, railways and communication networks? Where are medical supplies and where are they needed most? These are just some of the questions ask when disaster strikes.This is where Malian startup, Map Action comes in. Map Action recently took part in #Africa4Future, a joint business accelerator of Airbus and GIZs Make-IT in Africa initiative, together with the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa, an entrepreneurial training programme, seed fund and Pan-African incubator and Innocircle, the South Africa-based innovation consultancy.We chat to Boubacar Youssouf, founder and CEO of Map Action, to find out more about the startup journey... When, how and why did you get started? When, how and why did you get started? What is the core function of Map Action? What is the core function of Map Action? What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out? What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out? What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs? What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs? What has been your proudest achievements thus far? What has been your proudest achievements thus far? What does the future of entrepreneurship look like to you? What does the future of entrepreneurship look like to you? What is the importance of startup accelerator/incubator programes? What is the importance of startup accelerator/incubator programes? What would you like to see changed in the South African/African startup landscape? What would you like to see changed in the South African/African startup landscape? What do you believe are the traits an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed? What do you believe are the traits an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed? Tell us about your biggest struggles as entrepreneurs, as well as some major highlights. Tell us about your biggest struggles as entrepreneurs, as well as some major highlights. Why would you encourage someone to become an entrepreneur? Why would you encourage someone to become an entrepreneur? What is the importance of entrepreneurship? What is the importance of entrepreneurship? Where would you like to see Map Action in the next 5 years? Where would you like to see Map Action in the next 5 years? Evan-Lee Courie's articles About Evan-Lee Courie Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship Don't miss BizTrends2022 - 7 keynote speakers forecast trends shaping business in our region! Register now! Map Action is a mapping analytics company. We provide real-time interactive map and analytics on environmental problems to highlight their impacts and find the right and sustainable solution to mitigate them.The company started officially about one year ago, in February 2018, with a grant funding from a Dutch organisation called VIA WATER to help with the mitigation of water and sanitation problems in Bamako, Mali.Our main focus is on environmental analytics.The Malian business environment is not the best place for a startup, too many obstacles such as funding, market, etc.To believe in themselves and push through difficult times.Being recognised by the Malian Government as a best young innovative company.It's bright, especially in Africa.It helps to grow your business and your network.So many things. Starting with governments participation by giving grants and trusting startups.I believe resilience and courage is what is needed to succeed.My biggest struggle was finding my first client, followed by finding the right team members (I still continue to struggle) and the Malian business environment, which is very hard for an entrepreneur in the country.To have a positive impact on their community and create something that could benefit everybody.Entrepreneurship has a big impact on community - it creates jobs and bring innovation.All over Africa and the whole world. #CannesLions2019: It's not often you get a second chance Winners of Cinemark's Cannes Young Lions 2019 competition, Amri Botha and Carina Coetzee from Ninety9cents (99c), will once again represent South Africa at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this year. Amri Botha and Carina Coetzee from Ninety9cents (99C) agency. Image supplied. This is the second time the duo has been crowned winners of the Cinemark's Cannes Young Lions competition, as they also won in 2017. #CannesLions2019: 99c's young female creative duo does it again! #CannesLions2017: An all-you-can-eat buffet of inspiration We caught up with them and asked what this win means to them, what they are most excited about and what they intend to do differently the second time around. Why did you decide to enter again this year? Why did you decide to enter again this year? This is the second time the duo has been crowned winners of the Cinemark's Cannes Young Lions competition, as they also won in 2017.We caught up with them and asked what this win means to them, what they are most excited about and what they intend to do differently the second time around. What does the win mean to you? What does the win mean to you? Tell us more about the challenge and why you think your work stood out? Tell us more about the challenge and why you think your work stood out? We wanted our advert to evoke a certain emotion with the audience we wanted the viewer to empathise with that little kid and almost feel the fear, despair and isolation that bullying causes. We wanted them to almost feel what it is like to be bullied. Having experienced the Young Lions competition in 2017, do you think it will give you a bit of an advantage when competing at Cannes again this year? Having experienced the Young Lions competition in 2017, do you think it will give you a bit of an advantage when competing at Cannes again this year? What do you plan on doing differently on your trip back to France? What do you plan on doing differently on your trip back to France? What are you most looking forward to? What are you most looking forward to? Juanita Pienaar's articles About Juanita Pienaar Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer. Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer. Don't miss BizTrends2022 - 7 keynote speakers forecast trends shaping business in our region! Register now! This is the last year that we would be eligible to enter as a team and we decided that we would like to complete the challenge one last time. So glad that we did!This win was really unexpected, and we genuinely did not believe it at first. Its not often that you get a second chance, so we are so grateful and excited that we get to give it another go in France!The Young Lions Challenge is an amazing opportunity for young creatives to put their skills to the test under extreme conditions. The fact that you have just 48 hours to conceptualise, film and edit a 60-second cinema advert forces you to come up with an idea thats simple enough to execute, yet impactful enough to stand out.This year, the brief was to create an ad that addresses the very relevant issue of physical violence in schools.Although we have a better idea of what to expect on that side, the fact that we competed in 2017 doesnt necessarily give us an advantage since its a level playing field! All the competitors receive the same unfamiliar gear, get the same brief from clients they havent worked with and we all have just 48 hours to complete the task! Then theres the fact that youre doing it in a foreign country, where you dont exactly have cast volunteers lined up to star in your ad! Its daunting, but an exciting challenge! Having experienced it, we know that all you can really do is trust your skills and creativity and make it work!There are so many things we would like to do differently. We will definitely be approaching the challenge and the brief from a different angle. As for the festival of creativity itself, there is so much amazing inspirational and creative work to see that it can get a bit overwhelming but we look forward to soaking up as much of it as time allows (i.e. sleep when were back!).Were most looking forward to the endless inspiration that you gain from the talks and the work you are surrounded by. Were also super excited about the challenge as stressful and daunting as it might be it its also heaps of fun! This company article has been removed. The proportion of UAE residents paying less rent than a year ago rose to nearly a third in the first quarter of this year, according to a recent survey. Specifically, 30% of those surveyed in Q1 2019 said theyre paying less than a year ago, compared to 26% in Q4 last year, according to the yallacompare Consumer Confidence Tracker for Q1 2019, which surveyed more than 1000 UAE residents on the state of their finances and attitudes towards work. The proportion paying more than a year ago fell to 33.1% in Q1, down from 36.3% in the previous quarter. Nearly 37% are paying the same as a year ago, it added. Its not surprising that more and more people are paying lower rents than a year ago, said Jonathan Rawling, CFO, yallacompare. The proportion paying more, however, is still high and residents clearly need to do more to secure lower rents, he stated. "We repeat our previous advice that moving home, with all the associated costs, does not necessarily lead to a significant drop in rent. Tenants are more likely to secure lower rates by negotiating with their existing landlord," remarked Rawling. "This must be done three months before the lease expires, before the contract automatically renews on existing terms," he added. According to him, the tracker data suggests that residents generally prefer to stay where they are. The number still in the same home they were living in a year ago stood at 63% in Q1, up from 61.3% in Q4 2018. Asked if they plan to move in the next year, 70% said no, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Independent Media has won the Global Media Award for 'Best In Africa' amongst others at the coveted International News Media Association (Inma) Global Media Awards and the "Best in Show" Award was won by Helsingin Sanomat's "The Land of Free Press at the event that was held in New York on Friday. Winners announced at Global Media Awards Dinner Multiple awards About the global Best in Show Regional winners Judges selected from finalists the best in six world regions. Announced in New York were: Best in Africa: Independent Media for Regional and National High School Quiz Best in Asia/Pacific, Regional/Local Brands: Singapore Press Holdings for The Straits Times Asia Report Magazine Best in Asia/Pacific, Global/National Brands: New Zealand Herald for #NotForSale Best in Europe, Regional/Local Brands: Amedia for Amedia Norway Sports Best in Europe, Global/National Brands: Helsingin Sanomat for The Land of Free Press Best in Latin America, Regional/Local Brands: El Comercio in Peru for #NoTePases Best in Latin America, Global/National Brands: Grupo Clarin for Digital Ecosystem Via Pais + Cimeco Best in North America, Regional/Local Brands: Alabama Media Group for Chasing Corruption Best in North America, Global/National Brands: The New York Times for Feeling It: How NYT Targets Emotional Context Best in South Asia, Regional/Local Brands: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group) for The Times of India Flirt With Your City Best in South Asia, Global/National Brands: Jagran Prakashan for We, the Daughters of India Category 1: Best Brand Awareness Campaign First Place: GFR Media, Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Dia: Keep Asking Second Place: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, The Times of India Flirt With Your City Third Place: Hindustan Media Ventures, India, Winning Back a Challenging Market - Meerut Honourable Mention: Newsday Media Group, United States, Feed Me Brand Promotion Honourable Mention: Gannett - USA Today, United States, Westchesterian Campaign First Place: Helsingin Sanomat, Finland, The Land of Free Press Second Place: The New York Times, United States, The Truth Has a Voice Third Place: El Comercio, Peru, For Which Peru Are You Playing? Honourable Mention: AGEA, Argentina, Argentinos, A Campaign to Reinforce Our Brand Value Honourable Mention: The Wall Street Journal, United States, Good Things Campaign Category 2: Best Public Relations or Community Service Campaign First Place: El Comercio, Peru, #NoTePases Second Place: Calgary Herald/Calgary Sun, Canada, Finding Home: 31 Days, 31 Ways to End Homelessness Third Place: Editora Globo, Brazil, Fato ou Fake Honourable Mention: Hindustan Media Ventures, India, An Inconvenient Truth of Missing Toilets for Women - Pink Toilets Honourable Mention: Nine - Australian Community Media, Australia, Pink Up Your Town First Place: New Zealand Herald, New Zealand, #NotForSale Second Place: Ringier Axel Springer, Poland, Building Brand Trust by Uniting a Divided Society Third Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, Fields on Fire Honourable Mention: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, #NoConditionsApply - Sindoor Khela Honourable Mention: Hindustan Media Ventures, India, Campaign for Relief to Victims of Landslide Disaster at Uttrakhand Category 3: Best Use of an Event to Build a News Brand First Place: Independent Media, South Africa, Regional and National High School Quiz Second Place: Metropolitan Media Company, India, Educating Youngsters to Stay Away from Drugs - VK Drug-Free Mangalore Campaign Third Place: Gannett, United States, USA Today Network High School Sports Awards Honourable Mention: Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing, India, Mathrubhumi Re-Imagine the Future Season 2 Honourable Mention: GFR Media, Puerto Rico, A Un Ano de Maria - The Gallery First Place: The Wall Street Journal, United States, The Future of Everything Festival Second Place: Zeit Online, Germany, Z2X - Festival for New Visionaries Third Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, The Culture Project Honourable Mention: USA Today Network - Gannett, United States, The Wall Documentary Tour Honourable Mention: Schibsted Media Group, Norway, The Rematch Category 4: Best New Print Product First Place: Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore, The Strait Times Asia Report Magazine Second Place: Diario Los Andes, Argentina, Infodatos Third Place: Newsday Media Group, United States, Feed Me Magazine Honourable Mention: Hindustan Times Media, India, Gurugram Launch Honourable Mention: Media24, South Africa, Die Burger Eastern Cape Frequency Change First Place: Schibsted Media Group, Norway, Green Stuff: About Nature, Environment and Such Second Place: Guardian News and Media, United Kingdom, The New Guardian Weekly Third Place: Nation Media Group, Kenya, Juniorspot Honourable Mention: El Comercio, Peru, Mundialistas Honourable Mention: 24sata, Croatia, BestBook Category 5: Best Use of Mobile First Place: ABP, India, Anandabazar Patrika - Songe Achi - App Helping Anandabazar Patrika Go Hyperlocal Second Place: Diario Los Andes, Argentina, Mendocinos on Alert First Place: South China Morning Post, China, Abacus - abacusnews.com Second Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, An App to Power a Parliament Third Place: VG/Schibsted Media Group, Norway, News for a New Generation Honourable Mention: FehrAdvice & Partners, Switzerland, World Cup Game by Denner Honourable Mention: Bloomberg Media, United States, In App AI Enhances Bloombergs The Bulletin Category 6: Best Use of Video First Place: Alabama Media Group, United States, Chasing Corruption Second Place: Amedia, Norway, Amedia Norway Sports: Live Streaming 3,000 Matches to 63 Local Newspapers in 2018 Third Place: Le Devoir, Canada, Le Devoir, Always There! Honourable Mention: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, The Times of India Flirt With Your City Honourable Mention: Calgary Herald/Calgary Sun, Canada, On Calgary Streets: Dignity at the End of Life First Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, We, the Daughters of India Second Place: NBC News Digital, United States, NBC Left Field: Mixed Reality Series Third Place: Bloomberg Media, United States, Bloombergs Tic Toc Reimagines Video News Honourable Mention: VG, Norway, VG Berxit Honourable Mention: New Zealand Herald, New Zealand, #NotForSale Category 7: Best Launch of a Brand or Product to Create An Audience Segment First Place: Metro LatAm, Chile, Sagrosso Second Place: Hindustan Times Media, India, Gurugram Launch Third Place: Grupo RBS, Brazil, ATL House Honourable Mention: Russmedia Digital, Austria, VN Brand Initiative for SMBs Honourable Mention: Nine - Australian Community Media, Australia, "Pennytel" First Place: Aftenposten, Norway, Explained: How We Launched Largest Daily News Podcast Second Place: Schibsted Media Group, Norway, How Aftenposten Increased Their Business Leads with 66% Per Day Third Place: Comunican/El Espectador, Colombia, Colombia 2020: Building a Country Regionally Driven Honourable Mention: Dagbladet, Norway, Fantaski Honourable Mention: Instituto Nacional de Radio y Television del Peru, Peru, Nuqanchik, the First TV News Programme in Quechua in Peru Category 8: Best Use of New Technology to Generate Revenue and Engage First Place: Bay Area News Group, United States, Convertly Website and Adtech SaaS Platform Second Place: Russmedia Digital, Austria, Vol.at - Landlepunkte Third Place: Ledger Dispatch, United States, Interactive News Augmented Reality Platform and App Honourable Mention: MittMedia, Sweden, The MittMedia Reacher Advertising Initiative Honourable Mention: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, United States, The Digital Billboard Network First Place: NBC News Digital, United States, NBC Left Field: Mixed Reality Video Series Second Place: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany, FAZ Discover Third Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, An App to Power a Parliament Honourable Mention: American Press Institute, United States, Metrics for News Aligns With Funnel Strategies to Grow Revenue and Engage Honourable Mention: News Xtend - News Corp, Australia, Digital iQ & Sales Bootcamp Category 9: Best Idea to Encourage Print Readership or Engagement First Place: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, The Times of India Flirt With Your City Second Place: Metropolitan Media Company, India, Farmer Awards - Engaging With Farmers and Agri Clients as Readers: VK Super Star Raita Awards Third Place: Stuff Media NZ, New Zealand, When Words Matter: Te Reo Maori Masthead Honourable Mention: ABP, India, ABP Bundles Engagement Programmes for Products Beyond News Honourable Mention: Hindustan Times Media, India, Gurugram Launch First Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, Every Breath You Take Second Place: 24sata, Croatia, Gone But Not Forgotten. The Search Continues Third Place: The Hindu Group, India, The Hindu In School Honourable Mention: VG, Norway, VG User Engagement with Interactive Chess: Norway vs. USA Honourable Mention: Aftenposten, Norway, Aftenposten Print 2.0: Modernizing Newspaper by Looking Back to 1860 Category 10: Best Idea to Grow Digital Readership or Engagement First Place: Winnipeg Free Press, Canada, Above the Fold Second Place: Amedia, Norway, Amedia Norway Sports: Live Streaming 3,000 Matches to 63 Local Newspapers in 2018 Third Place: MittMedia, Sweden, Inside Ice Hockey Honourable Mention: Editora Globo, Brazil, Content Single Score Honourable Mention: Newsday Media Group, United States, Power On Trial First Place: Jagran New Media, India, Jagran.com: My City My Pride Second Place: Aftonbladet, Sweden, Their Planet Third Place: 24sata, Croatia, No Mans Land Honourable Mention: 24.com, South Africa, News24 Mandela100 Honourable Mention: Schibsted Media Group, Norway, Project Onboarding Category 11: Best Use of Social Media First Place: Hindustan Times Media, India, Gurugram Launch Second Place: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, The Times of India Flirt With Your City Third Place: Alabama Media Group, United States, It's a Southern Thing Honourable Mention: The Oregonian/OregonLive, United States, Ghosts of Highway 20 Social Media Campaign Honourable Mention: Diario Los Andes, Argentina, Sarmiento, 130 Years After His Death First Place: Aftonbladet, Sweden, Receipts of Power Second Place: VGTV, Norway, Vegard X Funkygine Third Place: TVN, Poland, Uwaga TVN Honourable Mention: Jagran Prakashan, India, We, the Daughters of India Honourable Mention: 24sata, Croatia, Gone But Not Forgotten. The Search Continues Category 12: Best New Paid Content or Subscription Initiative First Place: Amedia, Norway, Amedia Norway Sports: Live Streaming 3,000 Matches to 63 Local Newspapers in 2018 Second Place: Editora Globo, Brazil, Dynamic Sales Journey Third Place: News Corp, Australia, One Queensland Honourable Mention: Advertiser Newspapers, Australia, The Advertisers Delicious 100 Honourable Mention: Le Devoir, Canada, Le Devoir, Always There! First Place: Ekstra Bladet, Denmark, How Super Topics Changed the Way Ekstra Bladet Works With Paid Content Second Place: Schibsted Media Group, Norway, How We Made It Easy to Quit But Tempting to Stay Third Place: Gannett, United States, Driving Subscriber Engagement and Retention Through USA Today Networks Lifecycle Communications Honourable Mention: Handelsblatt, Germany, Subscription First: The New Handelsblatt Paywall Honourable Mention: News Corp, Australia, True Crime Australia Category 13: Best Idea to Grow Advertising Sales or Retain Advertising Clients First Place: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, United States, The Digital Billboard Network Second Place: MittMedia, Sweden, The MittMedia Reacher Advertising Initiative Third Place: Russmedia Digital, Austria, Apprentice Gondolas Honourable Mention: Dainik Bhaskar, India, Declaring the Capture of Bihars Newspaper Market Honourable Mention: News Corp, Australia, News Corp $1 Million Business Booster First Place: The New York Times, United States, Feeling It: How NYT Targets Emotional Context Second Place: Stuff Media, New Zealand, Innovate or Evaporate: Total Sales Funnel Solutions Third Place: The Irish Times, Ireland, Irish Times Food Month Honourable Mention: Bloomberg Media, United States, Ad.apt Turns Bloombergs Unique Data into Advertising Revenue Honourable Mention: VGTV, Norway, Effective Video Ads Category 14: Best Marketing Solution for an Advertising Client First Place: Russmedia Digital, Austria, VN Brand Initiative for SMBs Second Place: The Hindu Group, India, The Hindu for Client Parle Third Place: Amedia Salg og Marked, Norway, Comeback In The North Honourable Mention: ABP One, India, Of Tea, Bengali and Sugar Honourable Mention: Irish Examiner, Ireland, Tesco Partnership with The Evening Echo Womens Mini Marathon First Place: News Corp, Australia, Mars Food Australia, Mediacom and News Corp: Paving the Pathway to Dinnertime Second Place: Schibsted Media Group, Sweden, Share Joy: How Schibsted & Unilever Used a Mobile Payment Solution to Engage and Increase Ice Cream Sales In the Summer Third Place: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, Fertile Conversations Honourable Mention: Dainik Bhaskar, India, Junior Editor In Partnership With Dell Honourable Mention: Sanoma Media, Finland, Data Partnerships For B2B Growth Category 15: Best Execution of Print Advertising First Place: Nine - Australian Community Media, Australia, MAC Half H Second Place: designIQ, United States, EEM&M Third Place: designIQ, United States, The District Honourable Mention: designIQ, United States, Happy Trails CBD Honourable Mention: Russmedia Digital, Austria, VN Brand Initiative for SMBs First Place: Dainik Bhaskar, India, Smart Soch Campaign Second Place: Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore, The Colourful Cat Advertisement Third Place: The Australian, Australia, Qantas Wine E-retailer Turns to Print to Drive Sales Honourable Mention: Independent Media, South Africa, Chicken Licken Fly-Thru Honourable Mention: Jagran Prakashan, India, Dainik Jagran: Amazon at Your Doorstep Category 16: Best Execution of Native Advertising First Place: Chicago Tribune, United States, Groupon Coupon Holiday Challenge Second Place: News Corp, Australia, News Corp Victoria & Carlton and United Breweries - mX Zero Third Place: Amedia Salg og Marked, Norway, Comeback In The North Honourable Mention: Alabama Media Group, United States, When Couples Go On Vacation Honourable Mention: USA Today Network - Gannett, United States, Derby Fest First Place: Bonnier News Brand Studio, Sweden, Tele2 End-Up Second Place: Ekstra Bladet, Denmark, Shero/Always: Relevant Content Lead to Massive Impact With Young Women Third Place: News Corp, Australia, news.com.au & 7-Eleven Simply Cups Honourable Mention: Bloomberg Media, United States, Leap Ahead, Bloombergs Native Advertising Campaign for 3M Honourable Mention: 24sata, Croatia, Lets Talk About Sex Category 17: Best Use of Data Analytics First Place: MittMedia, Sweden, The Retention Challenge: Using Data Science to Understand Our Ad Customers Second Place: Metro LatAm, Chile, Nueva Mujer First Place: News Corp, Australia, Verity Second Place: The Times & The Sunday Times, United Kingdom, Best Ever Growth for The Times & The Sunday Times Thanks to Usable Data Science Third Place: The New York Times, United States, Readerscope: Turning Articles Into Actionable Insights Honourable Mention: American Press Institute, United States, Metrics for News Transforms Analytics for Journalists Honourable Mention: The Telegraph, United Kingdom, Telegraph Pulse Category 18: Best Use of Consumer Research First Place: Gannett, United States, Audience Strategy Activation Second Place: Hindustan Media Ventures, India, Using Research to Win Back a Challenging Market - Meerut Third Place: Grupo RBS, Brazil, Persona Project Honourable Mention: USA Today Network - Gannett, United States, The Storytellers Project Honourable Mention: Amedia Salg og Marked, Norway, Comeback In The North First Place: Financial Times, United States, Customer Insight for FT Senior Leadership Team Second Place: News Corp, Australia, Driving Life: Connecting Automotive Brands with Australian Life Third Place: The Times & The Sunday Times, United Kingdom, Conscious Commissioning Honourable Mention: NewsMediaWorks, Australia, AdTrust3 Honourable Mention: Schibsted Media Group, Sweden, Schibsted Native Study Category 19: Best New Corporate Innovation Initiative First Place: MittMedia, Sweden, The Data Platform as a Platform of Innovation Second Place: News Corp, Australia, One Queensland Third Place: ABP, India, ABP Innovation Hub Honourable Mention: Independent Media, South Africa, Independent Media Internship Programme 2018 Honourable Mention: Russmedia Digital, Austria, Interactive Snow First Place: Grupo Clarin, Argentina, Digital Ecosystem Via Pais + Cimeco Second Place: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (Times Group), India, Digital Transformation of Print Sales Third Place: Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore, Project Storm: An Innovation Journey Honourable Mention: Jagran Prakashan, India, The School of Life Honourable Mention: Dagens Nringsliv, Norway, How To Make a Product Users Actually Need: Innovation Framework in DN Category 20: Best New Concept or Innovation to Create New Profit Centers First Place: Amedia, Norway, Amedia Norway Sports: Live Streaming 3,000 Matches to 63 Local Newspapers in 2018 Second Place: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, United States, The Digital Billboard Network Third Place: Alabama Media Group, United States, Red Clay Media Honourable Mention: Metropolitan Media Company, India, VK Super Star Raita - Farmer Awards - Connecting Agriculture-Based National and Local Clients to Farmer Community in Karnataka State Honourable Mention: Russmedia Digital, Austria, Interactive Snow First Place: Stuff Media NZ, New Zealand, Digital Revenue Acquisition Unit: Innovate or Evaporate Second Place: Jagran Prakashan, India, Game Theory to Generate Ad Revenues Third Place: News Corp, Australia, News Native Networks Honourable Mention: Dagens Nringsliv, Norway, The Ocean Honourable Mention: 24.com, South Africa, Netwerk24 The media group received first prize in the category: 'Best Use of An Event to Build A News Brand' for its Regional and National High School Quiz and also walked away with the Global Media Award for 'Best In Africa' where judges selected the best of six world regions from the finalists.Media24 also received honourable mentions forfor Best New Print Product category (Regional), 24.com for Best Idea to grow Digital Readership or Engagement category (Global), Netwerk24 for the "Best New Concept or Innovation to Create New Profit Centers" category (Global). See the local wins underlined in the list below.The Best in Show, Award was won by Helsingin Sanomats The Land of Free Press, a multi-media campaign touting the impact of its journalism amid a rising tide of about the fake news and misinformation.The Global Media Awards were presented before more than 400 delegates attending the closing dinner of the Inma World Congress of News Media at the Edison Ballroom in New Yorks Times Square.During the ceremony, 40 first-place winners were unveiled across 20 categories aimed at energising news brands, creating products, engaging audiences, developing customer insights, growing advertising revenue, and instilling innovation. Entrants were judged in two groups: global/national brands and regional/local brands. Inma has presented awards for media excellence since 1937.The 2019 Global Media Awards competition garnered 664 entries from 165 news media companies in 34 countries. Participants included newspaper media, magazine media, digital media, television media, and radio media.An international panel of 46 executives from 15 countries selected 194 finalists, and from those the first-place recipients were announced at the Global Media Awards Dinner.Five companies won multiple first-place awards. Jagran Prakashan from India and Schibsted across its diverse brands in Norway and Sweden took home three top prizes, while three others garnered two first places: Amedia from Norway, MittMedia from Sweden, and News Corp Australia.This years Global Media Awards first place recipients leaned heavily into the science of marketing with an emphasis on data, metrics, and return on investment, said Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of Inma. Yet the brand campaigns stood above everything. Judges said the competition was intensively competitive, and the final decisions difficult. All winners and finalists should know that their efforts stand as the worlds best from the past year.The global Best in Show campaign, The Land of Free Press, was produced by Sanoma Medias Helsingin Sanomat around the 2018 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. With both presidents expressing hostility to media, Helsingin Sanomat rented 300+ billboards along three possible presidential routes and projected messages in English and Russian like, Mr President, welcome to the land of the free press.While it was aimed at two world leaders, the campaign sparked an international conversation about the role of the free press, generating 2,500+ articles in 47 countries and more than one million social interactions. Helsingin Sanomat estimates that more than 1.2 billion were reached. Google Trends data suggests a massive spike in interest about the free press. Hundreds of news organisations around the world joined an effort to support a free press.Inma judges called the campaign a gutsy concept that could have ended up being a generic press campaign, but the brand went big and got all the reward locally and internationally.Sanoma Media is a leading news media company based in Finland with operations in various European countries.Group 1 represents regional/local brands, and Group 2 represents global/national brands.The next Inma Global Media Awards competition deadline is Friday, January 24, 2020. Winners will be announced at the Global Media Awards dinner Tuesday evening, April 28, 2020, at the INMA World Congress of News Media in Paris. Worldwide, brands are under unprecedented pressure. Companies, from legacy to startup, multi-national to local, are all grappling with how to meet steeply rising customer experience (CX) expectations; how to keep up with consumer trends that change at the speed of light and how to harness the tech that is evolving faster than we can adapt. CX working hand in hand with machine Mining the right data in the right places Nathalie Schooling, CX specialist and CEO of nlighten Why you cant leave personalisation all to the machine How differentiation is also about hearts and minds These were key themes underpinning the recent CX Masterclass hosted by nlighten, where some of South Africas top CX leaders and digital transformation specialists came together to share insights and unpack the latest in CX trends.From data mining to data ethics; differentiation to automation, what the experts did reveal is that we are still a way off from handing it all over to the machine. When it comes to meeting expectations at every customer touch point with your brand and company, human intelligence and the human touch are still paramount.According to Nathalie Schooling, CX specialist and CEO of nlighten, while companies do need to be making the necessary investments in latest tech as an enabler of their business growth and sustainability, its important to sort the current capabilities from the hype.New tech, such as AI, is all very exciting, she said, When it works well, its a fantastic enabler - but when it doesnt, customers experience frustration. Then, what you want is to speak to a human who will sort it all out for you and transform the experience. Research is showing that currently, AI is only getting it right 50 to 60% of the time, so the portion of exceptions that cant be automated and need to be managed effectively by people is significant. Todays reality is that we dont get the results we want by handing over to the machine, we get them from being in charge of it.One thing that never changes is the truism Know thy customer. In order to deliver satisfaction along the CX journey, todays brands and companies need to be acutely in touch with who their customers are and what they need and want.In this digital age and omnichannel environment knowing your customer well enough to meet their (much higher) expectations has never been so complex and challenging.This is where tech such as machine learning and applied AI comes to the fore, said Schooling.Businesses can now invest in solutions that unlock insights from their big data so that they are empowered to become more personal and predictive. Companies, such as Netflix are getting this right. They know how to use the masses of data that is available to them to personalise their service further with suggested products based on a customers viewing history. Data is the key, but while the tech enables access to so many more insights, it is the human intelligence applied to what you do with it and how you use it that makes the difference in your CX.Another CX Masterclass speaker, Nic Ray, CEO of BrandsEye SA, highlighted the importance of mining data in the right places.He points out that minute by minute, millions of customers are complaining about or complimenting products and services. Businesses know this volunteered data is valuable, Ray said, But it can be a struggle to keep up with the pace, scale and volatility of social media feedback. Being able to accurately measure and understand how and why customers feel the way they do is of high strategic value and is a significant competitive advantage for omni-channel customer journeys. Traditional CX metrics like NPS, although important, provide a historical view on actual customer experience, whereas social media data allows for real-time monitoring of customer feedback. This empowers a company to be appropriately agile in their responsiveness to customer feedback.Personalisation is one of the major drivers of rising CX expectations. Data and analytics are playing the key role in enabling real-time personalisation but Schooling again warned that companies shouldnt get caught up in tech hype.AI, and all its possibilities, are very exciting, and it is incredibly important to plan for the future, but we cant forget where we are today. As we shape CX strategy, we need to be clear about what our limitations are today, and that what we most need to understand is what people need and want right now, including the generational needs of people. At this time, AI does not understand human nuance and tone or even, sarcasm. It cannot analyse the tone of a customers feedback. The human touch, and uniquely human understanding are still critically relevant in todays CX journey.When it comes to products, services and CX, brands and companies are in a crowded battle for differentiation. Digital alone cannot make headway in the fight to stand out.At the masterclass, Reynard Uys, co-founder and head of professional services at Immersion UX, highlighted the considerable opportunities offered by the human focus.He said, While the digital transformation of offerings, business models and communication modes are all essential, it is all in service to the kind of plainly human engagement that wins hearts and minds. It starts within a company with its employees to harness the value of them as brand-building ambassadors and extends to an organisation-wide customer focus. With an unwavering commitment to solving human problems, meeting human needs and improving human lives, you open up customer engagement opportunities where they generate content that supports your business goals and become advocates for your products and services.The journey to understanding what your customers experience, think and feel at every touchpoint when interacting with your business is no longer a road less travelled, says Schooling. Two years ago, a Gartner customer experience survey found that 81% of businesses expected to be competing mostly, or completely on the basis of CX by 2019.This latest nlighten CX Masterclass put the spotlight on how we cant ignore the human factor, and tech enablers and digital drivers must be strategically integrated with human intelligence. #AfricaMonth: Grey Jabesi on nurturing creativity and innovation in Africa Having being born in Malawi and moving to South Africa as the age of 17, Grey Jabesi is an entrepreneur, Blockchain enthusiast, cryptocurrency evangelist, analyst, and investor based in Africa. Grey Jabesi As a man on many talents, Jabesi is also an event panel host, a producer of The Grey Ave Podcast, where he interviews prominent business personalities and influencers. He has a background in IT and visual communications and has worked with big corporates on popular commercial projects but has also been involved with several startups. As an entrepreneur, he has a passion for job creation and growth, particularly in emerging markets. His chief goal is to play a crucial role in nurturing creativity and innovation in Africa to help harness the full potential and explore the lucrative opportunities the continent has to offer. Some of Jabesis most prominent qualities include a strong sense of self-empowerment, a curiosity for innovation, and the adaptability and open-mindedness to expand horizons across borders. Always taking a global view, he is optimistic, forward-thinking, and above all results driven. With a passion for peer to peer finance and decentralised systems especially for the African continent as it accelerates trade and give Africans an opportunity to do business with the rest of the world in real time, he is reported to have become the first trader to educate and sell Bitcoin to Malawians through simple tools like Facebook. Jabesi was recently inducted as the new director of marketing for The Blockchain Association of Africa and is based in Cape Town, and we had the opportunity to chat to him to find out more about this 24-year olds journey... Could you tell us more about who you are? Could you tell us more about who you are? As an autodidac, Jabesi maintains the company of some of the best minds in business and tech and he takes a practical approach to knowledge and experience building, always with a focus on developing the best possible solutions.As a man on many talents, Jabesi is also an event panel host, a producer of The Grey Ave Podcast, where he interviews prominent business personalities and influencers. He has a background in IT and visual communications and has worked with big corporates on popular commercial projects but has also been involved with several startups.As an entrepreneur, he has a passion for job creation and growth, particularly in emerging markets. His chief goal is to play a crucial role in nurturing creativity and innovation in Africa to help harness the full potential and explore the lucrative opportunities the continent has to offer.Some of Jabesis most prominent qualities include a strong sense of self-empowerment, a curiosity for innovation, and the adaptability and open-mindedness to expand horizons across borders. Always taking a global view, he is optimistic, forward-thinking, and above all results driven.With a passion for peer to peer finance and decentralised systems especially for the African continent as it accelerates trade and give Africans an opportunity to do business with the rest of the world in real time, he is reported to have become the first trader to educate and sell Bitcoin to Malawians through simple tools like Facebook.Jabesi was recently inducted as the new director of marketing for The Blockchain Association of Africa and is based in Cape Town, and we had the opportunity to chat to him to find out more about this 24-year olds journey... You are panel host and producer of The Grey Ave Podcast. When, how and why did you get started? You are panel host and producer of The Grey Ave Podcast. When, how and why did you get started? I believe your podcast is currently the number 1 African podcast on Tech and business interviews. What have been some of your highlights to this day? I believe your podcast is currently the number 1 African podcast on Tech and business interviews. What have been some of your highlights to this day? You've worked in several areas of the technology space, but in the last few years, your focus has shifted to the Blockchain and cryptocurrencies spaces. Could you tell us about that moment you realised you wanted to enter this arena? You've worked in several areas of the technology space, but in the last few years, your focus has shifted to the Blockchain and cryptocurrencies spaces. Could you tell us about that moment you realised you wanted to enter this arena? You were recently inducted as the Director of Marketing for The Blockchain Association of Africa. How did this come about and what has the journey been like up until now? You were recently inducted as the Director of Marketing for The Blockchain Association of Africa. How did this come about and what has the journey been like up until now? What is your core function in this new role? What is your core function in this new role? What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out? What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out? As an experienced entrepreneur and being involved in several start-ups, what advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs? As an experienced entrepreneur and being involved in several start-ups, what advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs? What has been your proudest achievements thus far? What has been your proudest achievements thus far? What does the future of entrepreneurship look like to you? What does the future of entrepreneurship look like to you? What is the importance of startup accelerator/incubator programmes? What is the importance of startup accelerator/incubator programmes? What would you like to see changed in the African start-up landscape? What would you like to see changed in the African start-up landscape? What do you believe are the traits an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed? What do you believe are the traits an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed? Why would you encourage someone to become an entrepreneur? Why would you encourage someone to become an entrepreneur? What is your biggest goal for the next 5 years? What is your biggest goal for the next 5 years? Evan-Lee Courie's articles About Evan-Lee Courie Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship Don't miss BizTrends2022 - 7 keynote speakers forecast trends shaping business in our region! Register now! Im Grey Jabesi, an entrepreneur, podcast host and cryptocurrency enthusiast.I started The Grey Ave Podcast in 2016. I was hosting strangers/travellers from around the world to sleep on my couch for free via an app called couch surfing. I had very profound conversations with these people and later I thought it would be a very good idea to record and share these conversations.The podcast has evolved a lot over the years. It almost acts a reflection of myself. It grows as I grow and vice versa and that has been the highlight to me. It tracks my growth over time. From interviewing travellers in my apartment to billionaires and game changers.I despise unnecessary bureaucracy and I strongly believe it is one of the main contributors of poverty in South Africa, especially to poor people. The Blockchain industry is mostly built around the idea of decentralisation, permissionless and borderless which means everyone can wake up today, setup shop and get into business with the rest of the world without having to worry about red tape, racism or nepotism. Once I realised this, I knew I could become more successful in market of that type. It also aligns with my values.You never know who is watching, I have been relentlessly creating educational content on the subject of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency through The Grey Ave Podcast and my YouTube channel. The United Africa Blockchain Association saw my contributions and passion for the African continent and contacted me.So far so good, we are aiming to educate one million people about Blockchain in 12 months.My role is dynamic but at its core; I have to get the association and its projects heard by relevant parties i.e. developers, designers, governments, institutions etc. and build meaningful partnerships.The main obstacle Ive had to deal with is fighting my own mental blocks. We all set our own limits and it takes courage to overcome them and move to the next level. Change is scary sometimes.The advice I can give to entrepreneurs is...When faced with options, the best choice is always the most uncomfortable one. Dont be soft.My proudest moments include: living my belief that every black man has a responsibility to build and create jobs so fix this continent, and also going to bed at 4am and waking up at 9am without being late at work.Artificial Intelligence will play a big role in business. Itll require entrepreneurs to have technical knowledge which will give them the advantage to utilise the capabilities of AI.Accelerators/Incubators are great but only when they are run by other entrepreneurs who understand business in a real-world sense. Most accelerators suck because they think business is some sort of a predictable program which can be analysed or assessed by checkboxes, in the end, they end up ruling out real entrepreneurs who are more likely to not meet requirements on paper anyway.I would like to see support from the government. It seems like when the government says businesses they only refer to big corporations. Too much red tape and fines should be eliminated to allow entrepreneurs to try new things.1. Eccentric 2. Fearless 3. Worry about results, not narratives 4. Very in touch with realityEntrepreneurship is the only way you can fix problems that bother you. You can do this at your own terms and style but also make other people's lives betterMy biggest goal for the next five years is to expand into the real estate business at a larger scale. Start building good affordable homes for young adults in major cities and becoming a venture capitalist. The Salalah Free Zone (SFZ) recently signed a usufruct subcontract agreement for two new projects in the food and import-export trade sectors with an investment of $19 million, said a report. These projects will be set up on an area of 26,000 sq m and create 70 direct jobs, added the Oman Daily Observer report. The first project is the establishment of a carbon beverage plant which will be the exclusive distributor of Aqua Europe, it said. The second project is the establishment of warehouses and stores to support the import and export trade in Salalah Free Zone. The agreement was signed by Ali bin Mohammed Tabuk, acting CEO of SFZ and the manager in charge of each project in the investing company. Google has restricted transactions with Huawei that require transferring proprietary hardware and software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, according to a Reuters report. Holders of current Huawei smartphones with Google apps, however, will continue to be able to use and download app updates provided by Google, a Google spokesperson said. Google's action is seen as a blow to the Chinese technology company that the US government has sought to blacklist around the world. Reacting to the report, a Huawei statement said the company has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. "As one of Androids key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry," the statement said. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those which have been sold or still in stock globally, it said. "We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally," it added. For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices, the Google spokesperson said, without giving further details. The suspension could hobble Huaweis smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Googles Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services, including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps, said the Reuters report. Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google, the source said. Cannes 2019 Diary: The Most Awe-inspiring Red Carpet Fashion Moments From Day 4, 5 & 6 Fashion Trends Devika Tripathi Delicate floral prints, rip-roaring bold cuts, embellishments, flares, and oodles of fiery red were the trends noticed this weekend at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2019. The red carpet of the prestigious film festival came alive with high quotient fashion and the divas inspired us with their fashion statements. From Penelope Cruz to Monica Bellucci to Huma Qureshi, here are the divas, who wowed us on the day four, five, and six of the Cannes 2019. Take a look. Penelope Cruz The gorgeous Penelope Cruz gave us one of the most distinctive fashion moments on the day four of the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2019. The actress attended the premiere of Pedro Almodovar's latest film and she donned a Chanel dress for the occasion. It was a simple and refreshing number that was ivory-hued and accentuated by blue floral accents. Her lace dress was a strict departure from trending embellishments and capes. The gown was flared and reminded us of the good old days. With this attire, she paid a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld. The actress accessorised her look with drop earrings. The makeup was enhanced by a pink lip shade and smoky kohl. The impeccable bun completed her look. She looked a class apart. Bella Hadid Bella Hadid has been wooing us with her gown game. On the day four of the prestigious film festival, she had the mercury rising with her Roberto Cavalli evening dress that was asymmetric and accentuated by bold slits. It was one-shouldered ensemble, which was notched up by ruby crystal embroidery. She accessorised her look with dainty ruby drop earrings, an intricate bracelet, and a statement ring- all of which came from Bvlgari's High Jewelry collection. She paired her ensemble with strappy heels, which went well with her look. The makeup was enhanced by a deep red lip shade and light kohl. The wavy high bun rounded out her red carpet avatar. Virginie Ledoyen French mini series, Les Miserables actress, Virginie Ledoyen's Dior gown was subtly dramatic. She wore a black strapless gown with a tube-top bodice and asymmetrical structure. Her gown was delightfully ruffled and was crafted out of silk jacquard. The attire was spruced up by fringed accents and adorned with peacock feather motifs. It was a black-hued number, which the actress wore with a diamond neckpiece. The makeup was highlighted by a muted pink lip shade and smoky kohl. The impeccable side-parted bun completed her look. Amber Heard Amber Heard is once again in our best-dressed list and this time, she made a red-hot splash with an Elie Saab gown. The actress looked outstanding in her attire, which she paired with boots. Now, that was an interesting and a must-try combination. So, Amber wore a one-shouldered gown that came from the brand's Ready-to-Wear Autumn/Winter 2019-20 collection. The bodice of her ensemble was ruffled and sharply layered and her dress was tied at the waist, which gave it a structure. This dress of hers was highlighted by metallic accents. She wore ruby danglers, which went well with her look. The makeup was marked by a deep red lip shade and the slick blonde tresses wrapped up her look. Helen Mirren Helen Mirren showed us that age is just a number as she graced the red carpet on the day five of the Cannes Film Festival 2019. She looked absolutely graceful in an Elie Saab gown, which came from their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 collection. The asymmetrical neckline gown was full-sleeved and exuded regal vibes. It was an intricately embellished nude-toned number and the legendary actess looked divine in it. The bright pink lip shade and smoky kohl accentuated her look. Monica Bellucci Monica Bellucci also stunned us on the day five of the Cannes Film Festival with her Dior gown, which she wore for the premiere of 'The Best Years of a Life'. The Italian actress and model, wore a navy blue and black gown, which brought back old Hollywood glamour. She teamed her plunging-neckline, flared, and embossed gown with a silk faille cape. Her attire was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Monica looked beautiful. Her Cartier necklace was also a statement piece. The actress wore the iconic crocodile emerald and diamond necklace to elevate her look. The makeup was light and balanced by a glossy pink lip shade and kohl. The middle-parted wavy tresses completed her glam avatar. Priyanka Chopra Jonas Priyanka Chopra Jonas was a vision to behold in her pristine white Georges Hobeika gown. The actress wore a voluminous gown that featured a sharply ruffled bodice and contrasted by delicate layered and asymmetrical skirt. It was crafted out of sheets of tulle and the metallic touch added a lustrous touch to her dramatic ensemble. Her neckpiece and complementing earrings came from Chopard. The makeup was nude-toned and the impeccable ponytail rounded out her red carpet avatar. Well, Priyanka once again, gave us bridal wear goals. Andie Macdowell Andie Macdowell gave us a jaw-dropping moment with her ensemble on the day five of the Cannes Film Festival 2019. The 61-year old veteran model and actress, walked down the red carpet with Helen Mirren. She played with contrasts and her fashion statement was absolutely in tune with contemporary aesthetics. The cape bodice of her ensemble was white-hued and was notched up by sharp structure and the remaining portion consisted of flared grey-checkered pants. This ensemble of hers came from Toni Maticevski and she accessorised her look with sleek diamond danglers from Chopard. The makeup was dewy-toned with a pink lip shade and contoured cheekbones. The side-swept curly tresses completed her look. Sui He Chinese model and actress, Sui He left us speechless with her classic colour-blocked dress, which was designed by Ralph & Russo. Her couture gown was embellished with multi-coloured Tiffany & Co. paillettes and Swarovski crystal and the black hue of her attire was contrasted by a fuchsia pink silk taffeta. The statement blue bracelet and delicate complementing earrings spruced up her avatar. The makeup was light with a muted pink lip shade and the side-parted sleek tresses rounded out her red carpet look. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan The queen of the red carpet at Cannes, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made the latest colourful splash with a Jean-Louis Sabaji dazzling masterpiece. She graced the red carpet of Cannes on the day six and her ensemble was crafted out of laser leather fabric. It was an iridescent number and featured golden, green, and orange shimmering tones. It featured a sharp multiple-layered train and was accentuated by an asymmetrical-cut bodice. The designer even crafted matching peep-hole sandals so that there is a perfection to her look. Her jewellrery came from Boucheron and the makeup was dewy-toned. The sleek side-parted tresses completed her red carpet avatar. Jessica Kahawaty Lebanese model, TV host, and a charity worker, Jessica Kahawaty wore an electric turquoise gown and it had all our attention. Her ensemble came from Alexis Mabille and she wore it for the screening of 'A Hidden Life' on the day six of the prestigious film festival. Jessica's gown was impeccably structured and sharply pleated. The feathered bodice made a strong case for feather-inspired trend and it added an interesting dimension to her ensemble. She accessorised her look with complementing minimal jewellery. The makeup was marked by a minty pink lip shade and the vintage tresses wrapped up her look. Aja Naomi King Actress Aja Naomi King wooed us in a Zac Posen number that seemed straight out of a modern fairytale. The actress wore an orange-hued ballroom number that featured delicate flared ruffled sleeves and a voluminous silhouette. This attire of hers was sprinkled with subtle white-hued embellishments and a sheer overlay. She accessorised her look with shiny danglers and matching bracelet, which came from Messika Paris. The makeup was notched up by a glossy lip shade and the side-parted ponytail completed her look. Huma Qureshi Huma Qureshi produced some waves effect on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival on the day six. She was dressed in a grey-toned Gaurav Gupta ensemble that was beautifully asymmetrical. Her gown was detailed with folds and ruffles and contrasted by a structured and embellished bodice. It was a surreal number and Huma accessorised her look with dazzling sapphire earrings. The makeup was highlighted by a minty pink lip shade and the side-swept wavy bun completed her look. So, we loved the outfits of Penelope Cruz, Andie Macdowell, and Huma Qureshi's the most. Whose outfits impressed you the most? Let us know that in the comment section. Parents Do Not Want Their Son To Touch Himself And They Installed CCTV Life oi-Syeda Farah Noor Parenting in the right way can be tough as you need to make sure that you are not feeding your child's brain with filthy stuff, since you as parents are their first teachers! Here is a case of a teenager who shared a bizarre incident of how his parents behaved when they caught him masturbating. Check out the details of the entire incident. His Dad Caught Him In The Act Apparently, the teen was caught by his father when he barged into his son's room without knocking. The dad caught the teen in the act and he started screaming at him for doing so. The Post Read The teen who is just 15 years old, hails from Atlanta, USA. He posted on social media asking for some advice. In his post, he wrote that his parents had installed cameras in his bedroom and bathroom to prevent him from masturbating. His Parents Ordered The Camera Online When the teen was caught in the act, his parents tried to explain to him that touching himself and masturbating was indeed wrong. To make sure their son does not repeat the act, the parents apparently ordered a CCTV online, which they later installed in the boy's bedroom and bathroom. They even told the teen that they would monitor the footage every day. The Post Was Taken Down Later On investigation it was found out that the boy's parents were freak morons who did not wish their son to attend sex education classes even in his school and they were against pre-marital sexual activities as well. We wonder what happened to the boy later as his post was deleted and there was no update. What do you think of this case? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 13:01 [IST] Utico, a UAE-based utilities major, has offered a town hall meeting in the coming days to perpetual bonds and preference shares investors (PNP) of Singapore-based global environmental solutions company Hyflux. PNP had invested a total of S$900 million ($657 million) into Hyflux after Hyflux had issued an initial offering of S$500m. These junior unsecured, unguaranteed securities will get nothing when Hyflux is not performing nor is Hyflux obligated legally to pay them in current conditions, a statement said. This is compounded further if the company is either sold to funds, to investors seeking overseas assets or goes into judicial management, it added. Utico, which recently unveiled a S$400 million binding offer White Knight investment to Hyflux, said that this bonafide endeavour of inviting retail investors for a town hall meeting was intended for a resolution to support the Hyflux deal. This since time is also of the essence. We understand that the investors of Hyflux are the ones who will suffer the most as junior unsecured creditors and their position and support must be resolved first, said Richard Menezes CEO of Utico. Further, he said that a white knight investor cannot be an investor that only wants Hyflux and its assets or its businesses. It is a must that a fair and quick resolution is found for investors in the preference shares and perpetual bonds. Utico wants to be such a White Knight investor, he said. We will discuss and put a solid proposal after we hear them out. It is a fact that these investors are unsecured and/or any redemption or coupon must be a win-win deal, the Utico CEO said. Menezes said that to support the PNP, Utico has also requested Public Utilities Board (PUB) of Singapore by informing Hyflux to grant a delay in the takeover of the Tuasspring desalination plant on May 18.This consensual settlement of the situation will build confidence and reputation. Furthermore, it will allow for Utico and Hyflux to enter into a transaction which would provide for remedial and rectification action of the plant to PUBs satisfaction and goodwill. This will build confidence and reputation of Hyflux, which is a company that these investors believed in. This was an asset built with PNP money. We feel PNP money and assets must be secured first since the prospectus stated the use of the funds for it, Menezes said. He said that Tuaspring was a strategic asset of Hyflux and for Singapore too. We are prepared to work with Hyflux to ensure it performs without compromising any security aspects and ensure that this asset provides a return as well with PUB support, he said. Details of the PNP meeting with any regulatory approvals/ permissions will be announced soon, Uticos statement added. TradeArabia News Service The newly built Radisson Residences Vadistanbul in Turkey welcomed its first guests on May 6, marking its official opening. Close to the newly opened Radisson Blu Hotel, Vadistanbul, the residence is a state-of-the-art project offering guests superb accommodation for short- and long-term stays in the heart of Istanbul. Michel Stalport, area senior vice president Eastern Europe, Russia and Turkey, said: We are delighted to bring yet another stunning property to Istanbul and, with this newly built property, we further strengthen our position as the leading international hotel group in Turkey. This is a one-of-a-kind residence that will provide guests with memorable moments in the heart of Istanbul. We would like to thank once again our existing partner at Vadistanbul as we proudly introduce this complimentary offering to such a unique destination. The property consists of 169 modern apartments, split equally between one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as two unique four-bedroom apartments. The hotel property also offers a well-equipped gym and a Spa, including a swimming pool to accommodate both short- and long-term stays. The residence has opened next to the newly opened 193-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Vadistanbul. Both properties are located in Vadistanbul, a new residential district in the north of the European side of Istanbul. With its proximity to Maslak, one of Istanbuls main business districts, the residence is expected to attract both business travellers and leisure guests seeking stylish accommodation in a central location. Vadistanbul is a modern and dynamic residential project that includes a specially developed monorail system with a direct connection to the metro network. The Radisson Residences Vadistanbul property is situated on the boulevard of Vadistanbul that will also be home to a fourth-generation shopping mall, 270 retail outlets and offices for 20,000 people. The residence is approximately 20 minutes drive from the new Istanbul Airport, and only 400m from the nearest exit of the Trans-European Motorway (E80), linking the hotel to both the existing and the upcoming airport. - TradeArabia News Service Help India! By Imran Inamdar, TwoCircles.net In an attempt to promote the teachings of prophet Muhammad PBUH and Islam , Muslims of Maharashtra have planned to celebrate Eidul Fitr with Dalit and Adivasi communities for the second Consecutive year, under the banner of Paigambar Muhammad Sarvansathi (Prophet Muhammad for All) Convenor of the activity Subhan Ali informed TwoCircles.net that, Last year we received very good response from Muslim brothers when we distributed clothes to nearly one thousand children from the marginalised communities. He said that, This year we have planned to gift clothes to around 10000 children and serve Shirkhurma to 1 lakh brothers and sisters from other community covering 20 Districts of Maharashtra. Support TwoCircles Mohsin Shaikh from Buldana city informed, we have already collected 50 pair of clothes and our efforts are in full swing, inshallah we will gift more than hundred poor children in our city and serve them shirkhurma on the day of Eidul Fitr in our city, he added. In all of the 20 districts efforts are on by different social activists to mobilise funds to purchase clothes and prepare Shirkhurma for Eid under the common banner Paigambar Muhammad Sarvansathi (Prophet Muhammad for All). This innovative movement of celebrating Eid with Dalits and Adivasis was started last year Ramzan and will be done this year also. Julia ORourke and Anu Asaolu are this years Commencement speakers. Other participants include graduating senior and Portland native Mohamed Nur, who will deliver greetings from the State of Maine, and Eduardo Pazos, Bowdoins director of religious and spiritual life, who will deliver the invocation. During Commencement, Bowdoin will award honorary doctorates to social historian Earl Lewis, mammalian molecular geneticist Nadia A. Rosenthal, philanthropist Paul M. Ruddock, and Bowdoin College Trustee Emeritus Sheldon M. Stone 74. Commencement History Bowdoin College was chartered in 1794, and held its first commencement ceremony in 1806 in the second meetinghouse of First Parish Church across the street from the College. There were seven graduates in the Class of 1806. The following year saw the smallest graduating class in the Colleges history, with just three members in the Class of 1807. The best-known class was the Class of 1825. In addition to Longfellow, the class included writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. In 1875, on the day before Commencement at the fiftieth reunion of the class, Longfellow recited his poem Morituri Salutamus, an elegiac reflection on youth and age. Other notable Bowdoin graduates include President Franklin Pierce 1824, African-American newspaper editor John Brown Russwurm 1826, Civil War hero Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain 1852, former U.S. Senator and architect of the Ireland peace accord George Mitchell 54, and former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen 62. RIO DE JANEIRO - A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Para state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. RIO DE JANEIRO - A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Para state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed. The state security agency confirmed late Sunday only that six women and five men died in the incident in the Guama neighbourhood of the Para state capital, Belem. The G1 news website said police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which also wounded one person. The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar on one motorcycle and in three cars. In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belem to reinforce security in the city for 90 days. Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70% of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics. Much of Brazil's violence is gang related. In January, gangs attacked across Fortaleza, bringing that city to a standstill with as commerce, buses and taxis shut down. Rio de Janeiro, the country's second biggest city, experiences daily shootouts between rival gangs and also between police and criminals, battles that often result in the deaths of innocent bystanders. Fogo Cruzado, a group that monitors shootings in the Rio metropolitan area, says there were 2,300 shootings in Rio and its suburbs during the first 100 days of this year. Killings attributed to police gunfire in Rio de Janeiro state have reached a record high, rising 18% in the first three months, in a spike partly attributed to a campaign of a zero tolerance for criminals being pushed by state leaders. One of new President Jair Bolsonaro's main campaign promises was that he would loosen Brazil's strict gun laws, arguing that because criminals are well-armed with illegally obtained guns, "upstanding citizens" should have the right to defend themselves with legally bought guns. Bolsonaro has made good on that campaign promise with two presidential decrees that make buying guns easier, though federal prosecutors are seeking to get the courts to block that move. Warrenpoint Port in Co Down has clinched an 11m deal to import and store and distribute CO2 across Ireland, the gas used by pubs to pour stout, lager, and soft drinks, as well as by meat and food processors. The plan has taken a major step forward after it signed an agreement with Nippon Gasses to provide CO2 for a facility with the capacity to store 2,500 tonnes of the gas. Failte Ireland has confirmed today that 162 international conferences worth 67 million have been secured for Ireland so far this year. This figure represents an increase of more than 15% in the value of the conferences secured over the same period of time in 2018. Failte Ireland are hoping to further boost these numbers over the coming days at the IMEX Frankfurt event which commences tomorrow. The event will provide opportunity for Failte Ireland to showcase Ireland as a world-class business events destination to over 3,200 suppliers and 5,500 meeting planners. Central to the pitch will be on growing business tourism into the regions. "Failte Ireland is focused on leveraging the strong potential of Business Tourism to generate greater tax revenue and employment for Ireland over the coming years," said Failte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly. "This sector has huge potential for growth. Testament to this is the fact that, just ahead of the mid-year mark, we are already on track to exceed our growth targets for Business Tourism in 2018. "Im particularly pleased to see steady growth in business tourism in the regions. "Conferences and business events are benefitting regions outside Dublin but they could play a much bigger part this will be a strategic focus of our work over the coming years and were hoping to convert even more business for regional Ireland at IMEX Frankfurt this week." According to Failte Irelands Head of Commercial Development Paul Mockler, Ireland is punching well above its weight when it comes to winning business events. Kildare Co Council gave the green light to plans by Intel for its latest $4bn (3.5bn) extension to the manufacturing plant, known as Fab, in Leixlip but the decision will likely be appealed. The 10-year planning permission also means Intel will pay the council over 9.7m in development contributions. Three years ago, Intel secured planning permission for the first phase of the Fab facility, worth $4bn. The two projects will employ 6,000 construction workers and provide 1,600 full-time jobs when they are up and running. Between them, the near-$8bn investment is the largest in the history of the State. Consultants for Intel had told Kildare Co Council that the firm has already invested $12.5bn in Leixlip. In giving the project the go-ahead, the council said it was adhering to the Governments Project Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework. However, the councils permission is almost certainly to be appealed to An Bord Pleanala by at least two objectors. Environmentalist Peter Sweetman wrote to the council last month to say he would be appealing any decision to grant planning by applying to the appeals board or to the High Court. Mr Sweetman told the planning authority that he failed to understand why he was not informed about additional information submitted by Intel. Local farmer Thomas Reid had also objected after unsuccessfully opposing the first phase of the Fab in 2017 and subsequently appealing to An Bord Pleanala. In 2015, Mr Reid won a victory when the Supreme Court ruled that the IDAs compulsory purchase order of his 72-acre farm exceeded its powers. EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has said that a new digital innovation hub in Kilkenny City can drive the digital transformation of Europe's agri-food sector boosting innovation and growth in the region. The innovation will also burnish Irelands global leadership in agricultural technology, according to Mr Hogan. "This impressive new hub gives Irelands agri-tech companies, most of them SMEs and micro-enterprises, direct access to best-in-class technologies and research, as well as cascade funding," he said at the launch of the Precision Agriculture Centre of Excellence (PACE). Smart use of knowledge, research and innovation is the main source of productivity growth in the EU agri-food sector. The digitisation of the European economy requires the full integration of digital innovations across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture and food. Precision Agriculture has never been more important in an industry facing challenges posed by climate change, ecosystem degradation and world population growth, as well as the growing need to produce more, using less. With facilities like PACE, we are building a network of digital innovation hubs across Europe to accelerate this digital transformation. PACE is an excellent strategic fit for the South-East region where agriculture accounts for 43% of total employment. This, coupled with the presence of leading global agri-food companies headquartered in the region and a growing base of agri-tech companies, confirms the pivotal role PACE can play in growing the regions economy, Commissioner Hogan said. Waterford Institute of Technology President Professor Willie Donnelly, commented: PACE is an initiative of the TSSG at Waterford Institute of Technology and will leverage the Institutes leadership in agriculture and Information Technology research and innovation. It is an important next step in the Institutes research and innovation centre which was established in St Kieran College in 2011. "It will close the gap between research and deployment, with a focus on using existing technologies which are often deployed in other sectors. Accumulated profits at Pat Kennys media firm topped the 1.52 million mark last year as his company enjoyed another strong year. New figures just filed by Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd with the Companies Office show that accumulated profits at the firm last year jumped by 167,144 from 1.35m to 1.52m. This followed the company enjoying profits of 163,814 in 2017 and 213,177 in 2016. The firms cash pile in the 12 months to the end of June last decreased marginally from 1.05m to 1.01m. The drop in cash at the company is attributable to the firm investing in property during the year with the value of the firms tangible assets increasing from 1,084 to 300,804. The value of the companys financial assets last year reduced from 392,697 to 272,698. Pat and his wife, Kathy are the only two directors on the board of the firm and two last year shared remuneration of 301,975. This is made up of 201,975 in pay and 100,000 in pension contributions. The wealth of the firm has soared since Kennys move to Newstalk in 2013 from RTE as the broadcaster has mixed his radio work with TV gigs at Virgin Media. Kenny turned 71 earlier this year and remains in demand from TV executives with the broadcaster currently fronting Virgin Media European Election specials. In an interview last year around the time of his milestone birthday, Mr Kenny said: I want to make light of turning 70 because I certainly dont feel that my energies are diminished. He said: There is an old adage in show-business that actors and performers dont retire, the people retire you. "When they feel theyve had enough of you, or you have had enough, thats when you stop. Kenny announced his departure from RTE in July 2013 and at the end of June that year, his firm had accumulated profits of 458,059. However, the wealth of the company has more than tripled to 1.5m in the subsequent almost-six years after his exit from Donnybrook. This was helped in no small way by the whopping 728,417 Kenny received from the national broadcaster in his final year there in 2013. The 2013 pay from RTE included an end of contract payment contractually agreed in 2008 and payable on completion of the contract there. Kennys salary at Newstalk is not known and the soaring fortunes at Kennys firm will compensate the veteran broadcaster for the loss of listeners he has sustained since his move from RTE. Kennys morning radio show at RTE consistently hit the 320,000 mark and according to the most recent JNLR figures, his Newstalk show had 150,000 listeners. At the time of his move, Kenny stressed that money was not the over-riding factor in leaving the national broadcaster, but admitted to being completely gobsmacked by Newstalks offer after the expiry of his RTE contract on May 21st 2013. The accounts are abridged and do not provide a revenue figure. The increase in profits at a small firm are dictated by the revenues, combined with the costs, including the amount in salaries and dividends, if any, paid out. Mr Kennys RTE pay reached a peak in 2008 when he was paid 950,976 before having his salary was reduced to 729,604 in 2009. US toy shop FAO Schwarz is to open a flagship store in Dublin. It is set to take up space on an entire floor of Arnotts Department Store. It will house everything from plush stuffed animals to a walk-on piano keyboard - famously featured in the 1988 Tom Hanks film, Big. The Dublin store will be the second location in Europe for the brand. A spokesperson said jobs announcements will follow, with plans to open the store in October. Donald McDonald, Managing Director at Brown Thomas and Arnotts, said that the opening of FAO Schwarz will "deliver theatre, wonderment and magic to our customers". Jan-Eric Kloth, COO of the parent company of FAO Schwarz said that it "promises to be an adventure larger-than-life that sparks the imagination in all of us". The Department of Public Expenditure's top civil servant has yet to say whether he will appear before Wednesday's Oireachtas committee's broadband investigation. The communications committee requested secretary-general Robert Watt's attendance after he raised serious concerns about the cost of the National Broadband Plan. Despite written warnings from Mr Watt, the Government decided to press ahead with the planned roll-out of rural broadband to more than 500,000 homes and businesses. The Cabinet approved a consortium led by Granahan McCourt, as the preferred bidder. A cross-party investigation into the 5bn plan will also examine the best way to roll out a high-speed network to rural Ireland. Mr Watt, however, is one of the first witnesses TDs and senators want to question about the project when they gather for a meeting on Wednesday. However, Mr Watt has so far not responded to the invite. The communications committee last week agreed to carry out the inquiry into the Government's broadband plan which will take six weeks. It will then take another two weeks to write up a report which will include identifying the best options to roll out broadband to rural areas. Fianna Fail's Timmy Dooley said he wants more analysis of Granahan McCourt's limited 220m equity investment in the plan as against the taxpayers' contribution of 3bn. Safe zones for people accessing abortion services at GP offices or hospitals are expected to be agreed by the Government next month. Penalties, including fines, could be applied to people who breach exclusion zone regulations, which are designed to prevent the harassment of patients or staff outside certain facilities. There were concerns the new laws would restrict free speech. However, the Irish Examiner understands agreement on the new safe-zone rules will be completed by next month. Health Minister Simon Harris confirmed the Attorney General was finalising the new regulations. His spokeswoman said this could be as early as next month. Breaches of the exclusion zone regulations could result in fines or penalties, but this is still to be finalised. In a Dail written answer to Sinn Fein TD Louise OReilly, Mr Harris last week said: Officials in my Department are working with the Office of the Attorney General on this legislation, with the intention of having legislative proposals drafted by the summer. The regulations were promised after the legalisation of abortion following last years historic repeal of the Eighth Amendment. Under the proposals, zones would provide safe areas around facilities where services, including abortion, are provided. These would ban protests or the intimidation of staff or patients using hospitals or clinics. Anti-abortion activists protested outside facilities earlier this year, including the National Maternity Hospital, in Dublin, and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, in Drogheda. Protestors also picketed a GP in Galway. The National Womens Council of Ireland (NWCI) wants the legislation to take account of certain types of behaviour, such as spraying graffiti or displaying graphic images. Monitoring of employees going in and out of facilities must also be prevented, said the NWCI. London authorities issued an exclusion zone around a clinic last year, with fines of up to 1,000 for breaches. The Irish College of General Practitioners has called for safe access for patients visiting doctors and backed a motion at a meeting earlier this month. The HSE will not release a breakdown of which GPs provide abortion services, in case facilities become targets for protestors. Ms OReilly said she was cautious about plans for the zones being delayed again. Minister Harris had promised that this legislation would be fast-tracked, but its May and there is no evidence that this is a priority for this government, said Ms OReilly. Drug services in Cork city have noticed "increases in dangerous injecting practices" among drug users, according to new research. This includes injecting into the groin and neck as well as injecting alone and in the open. The study said there is also concern around the "growing issue" of visible drug littering and needle stick injury among the non-drug using population. Researchers said it is against this background that they identified where drug injecting occurs in Cork city and sites of non-fatal and fatal overdoses. Based on interviews with 51 drug injectors, the study identified 58 fatal overdoses and 47 non-fatal overdoses and mapped possible locations for any future supervised injecting facility (SIF). Following a landmark government decision in December 2015, a pilot SIF in Dublin city centre was awarded to Merchants Quay Ireland. It is going through a lengthy planning process. The Cork Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force and the HSE have expressed interest in examining such a facility in Cork but the HSE has indicated it will depend on the success, or otherwise, of the Dublin pilot. The new study was conducted by John Aidan Horan of Arbour House, HSE Addiction Services, Cork and Marie Claire Van Hout, attached to the Public Health Institute of Liverpool John Moores University. The aim of the study was to map the location of current injecting practices of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Cork and to document the related high-risk behaviours, ahead of a planned supervised injecting facility, the report said. It said that, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 78 SIFs operate in eight European countries. It said they are aimed at tackling dangerous injecting practices, including groin and neck injecting, unhygienic and dangerous environments, overdose and blood-borne viruses, such as HIV and Hepatitis C. The study, published in the journal Heroin Addiction & Related Clinical Problems, said a 2017 cost-benefit analysis estimates that for every US dollar spent on a SIF, $2.33 would be saved. Almost 60% of those interviewed said they had previously overdosed, with nine out of ten recalling an emergency services response. The research identified 58 fatal overdoses, 36 of them occurring in private accommodation, 11 in a public building and a further 11 in the open/on the street. Of the 47 non-fatal overdoses, 20 were in private accommodation, 15 in a public building and 12 on the street. The study pointed out many homeless people inject in their homeless emergency accommodation, which is classed as private accommodation. Nine out of ten respondents know of someone who has died from an overdose. It said the research results emphasise the importance of consulting PWID in locating possible SIF sites. "The findings are intended to inform SIF location," it said. "Ultimately, the benefits of this mapping study are to inform the new national drugs strategy. "This could improve treatment for persons who inject drugs and reduce waiting times for those wishing to access treatment." A gay man has brought a High Court challenge against the Irish Blood Transfusion Service policy which prevents him from donating blood unless he abstains from having sex for a year. The action has been taken by 27-year-old Tomas Heneghan, with an address at East Wall in Dublin 3. He claims that the IBTS policy of not accepting blood donations from men who have anal or oral sex with other men within the previous 12 months is unlawful. He had attempted to make a blood donation to the IBTS last April. However, after filling out a questionnaire he was told by a member of the IBTS staff he could not donate because he had sex within the 12-month period. He was informed that under the IBTS policy, he was deferred from making a donation until January 2020. Some weeks before he attempted to make the donation Mr Heneghan said he underwent a series of routine blood tests. The results of those tests showed conclusively that he was healthy and not a risk to the national blood supply should he decide to make a blood donation. He says he cannot understand the reasoning behind the IBTS policy. He also argues the questionnaire does not enable the IBTS to make a full evaluation of the level of risk presented by an individual donor due to their sexual behaviour. He said that according to the IBTS website there is a window period following infection during which HIV and hepatitis may not be detected in the blood. This window he said is seven days for HIV and 16 days for hepatitis. He claims that a far less onerous restriction could be imposed, rather than the 12-month deferral, to protect blood recipients. Mr Heneghan also claims the decision to place what he claims is an automatic deferral on him is unlawful and in breach of European Union Law, and European Communities Regulations on the Quality and Safety of Human Blood Products. He also claims the policy is disproportionate, discriminates against homosexual and bisexual men, and breaches his constitutional rights and rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. As a result of the IBTS decision, which he says was communicated to him verbally on April 16 last, he has taken judicial review proceedings against the IBTS, the State and the Minister for Health. He claims the blanket deferral automatically imposed on him is irrational, unreasonable and discriminatory. In his action, Mr Heneghan seeks an order quashing the IBTS decision that prohibits him from making a donation until the 12-month period has elapsed. He also seeks a declaration that the process followed by the IBTS in his case, and the policy the service uses to assess the risk of disease transmission posed by him, was unlawful. He further seeks damages. The application came before Mr Justice Seamus Noonan who granted Mr Heneghan permission, on an ex-parte basis, to bring the challenge. The judge adjourned the matter to a date in July. Mr Heneghan previously brought a High Court challenge aimed at ending what had been the permanent ban on accepting blood donations by gay men. That action was withdrawn in 2016, after the Government, based on a report from the IBTS, decided to remove the permanent ban. The ban was introduced here in the 1980s when AIDS became a major sexual health risk. A group of senior doctors have warned about Ireland's relaxed attitudes towards cannabis. The Cannabis Risk Alliance, a group of 20 senior doctors from across the medical community, has said cannabis is now the most common illegal drug involved in new treatment episodes in the countrys addiction centres and psychiatric hospitals. They claim the Government is sleepwalking towards legalising the drug for medicinal purposes without considering the harms associated with the drug. The group outlined their position in a signed letter published in the Irish Times. Dr Bobby Smyth, speaking on behalf of the group, said: "Cannabis is increasingly perceived to be a harmless drug, whereas in reality it is the main drug causing new addiction-related and psychiatric cases presenting in Ireland today. "We are gravely concerned that the Government is ploughing ahead without objectively considering the full effects of cannabis or even properly communicating the risks posed by the drug to society at large. "The Government is sleepwalking into supporting the use of so-called medicinal cannabis while ignoring the extensive evidence of its harms. This gives the perception that the drug is harmless and gives the wrong message to young people." He said the group was calling on the Government "to initiate an urgent and unbiased examination of the evidence of escalating cannabis use and cannabis-related health harms in Ireland, as well as a comprehensive public education campaign to counter the pro-cannabis propaganda which has gone unchallenged for the past eight years." Dr Ray Walley, a GP and former President of the Irish Medical Organisation, said he had seen a significant increase in the numbers of people presenting with cannabis-related issues. "This is destroying families, and the Government needs to properly investigate the harm this drug can cause before blindly introducing legislation that will have a huge effect on society," said Dr Walley. "Cannabis has changed fundamentally in the past 20 years. "Modern cannabis, known as weed, is vastly stronger than the hash which was used in the past. Cannabis has never been more dangerous than it is now." Professor Mary Cannon of the Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, added: "Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk for psychosis, suicidal behaviours, and other mental disorders. These risks have been consistently shown in large international studies. "The evidence for the harms associated with cannabis use is much, much stronger than any evidence for its use as a medicine. "The risks for mental health are highest among young people who use high potency cannabis." Plans for a dedicated Garda Insurance Fraud Unit have been abandoned. A letter from the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to TD John Curran said a more general anti-fraud approach is being adopted instead. Mr Flanagan said the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau will guide divisions and provide training in the investigation of insurance fraud. Minister Flanagan said: "The Garda Commissioner is of the view, with regard to fraud investigations including insurance fraud, that a divisional focus is preferable rather than the establishment of a centralised investigation unit. "This approach is aligned with a general divisional-focused Garda model. It is the intention of the Commissioner that the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) will guide divisions and provide training in the investigation of insurance fraud." Peter Boland, director of the Alliance for Insurance Reform, said that the Government has "fudged" on their promise of a specialised insurance fraud unit but urge the Government to use personal injury funds to get the plan going. He said: "After two years of delay, it now appears that a fudge is being developed by way of generalised divisional fraud units. If the highly-specialised and technical crime of insurance fraud is to be properly tackled, this structure must at very least have a properly-funded, specialised unit at headquarters level coordinating a specific response to insurance fraud. "Not only would such a structure provide a dedicated channel for complaints and prosecutions regarding insurance fraud, but it would act as a clear deterrent to anyone considering lodging a fraudulent or exaggerated insurance claim. "The key to successfully tackling insurance fraud is resources. If what has been announced is just part of a restructuring with no new resources then we can have little confidence that insurance fraud will get the priority it deserves. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board has reserves of over 17,000,000 which consists primarily of fees paid by policyholders against whom claims have been lodged. "So it would make absolute sense that the Government use these funds to establish a dedicated Garda unit that would be central to the fight against fraudulent claims." Social stigma prevents men who are victims of domestic violence from coming forward, according to the Men's Development Network. The body has launched a new helpline today aiming to support up to 5,000 victims of abuse a year. The National Crime Council says that up to 88,000 men in Ireland have been abused by a partner at some point in their life, but just 5% of men report incidents to gardai. CEO of the Men's Development Network, Sean Cooke, said: "A lot of the reasons why men don't come forward is around that kind of social conditioning and gender conditioning around what's expected of men in terms of are they strong, or this is a situation they shouldn't find themselves in. "But the strongest of men can find themselves in very, very difficult circumstances and the idea is to say let's seek some help." The service will offer 36 hours of support by trained counsellors every week and is being funded by Tusla. Tusla spokesperson, Thelma Blehein, said: "You know it doesn't have to be a one-off call, people can come back again. They can ring to meet there are other referral pathways to the Men's Health Programme." New figures from the Irish Prison Service (IPS) have revealed the most dangerous prison in the country for prisoners - and prison staff. The numbers show that the number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in Mountjoy totalled 110 for 2018. They account for 26% of the 418 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults across the entire prison system last year, but the numbers are three down on the 113 assaults under the same heading in 2017 at Mountjoy. The next highest number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults at 76 took place at Castlerea with 54 recorded at Cloverhill; 44 at the Midlands prison and 42 at Cork prison. The 418 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults are one more than the 417 that took place across the prison estate in the previous year. The figures show Mountjoy was also the prison which recorded the highest number of assaults by prisoners on prison staff at 24 last year, the next highest number took place at Cork where 15 assaults on prison staff occurred. Cork Prison. Deputy General Secretary with the Prisoner Officers Association (POA), Jim Mitchell said today: Mountjoy is a particularly difficult environment to work in for prison staff due to the number of gangs in the prison. Mr Mitchell said that the presence of gangs contributes to tensions in the prison which prison officers try to keep a lid on. Mountjoy is one of the largest prisons in the country and Mr Mitchell said that the sheer numbers in the prison also contributes to the number of assaults. He said: Prison staff are at the forefront of keeping the peace in prisons and a good number of the 418 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults would have required prison officer involvement in order to quell any disturbances. Mr Mitchell said across the prison system assaults on prison staff include staff being kicked at, punched, bitten, scalded, head-butted, hit with chamber pots. "There is a wide variety in the assaults on prison staff, he said. There is no respect for gender in the attacks as female staff across the prison estate have been victims of assault." Prison staff are under no illusions - we know we are not in charge of Teletubbies - some of the prisoners that our members come across are people who have committed very serious violent crime - and our ambition is to reduce the number of assaults by prisoners on prison staff to zero. The number of assaults by prisoners on prison staff at 110 in 2018 was the highest in four years and compares to 104 in 2017, 98 in 2016 and 91 in 2015. However, the number of assaults represents a sharp drop on the 151 assaults carried out on prison staff in 2014. Mr Mitchell said: We never put much emphasis on statistics as it takes only one assault to disfigure a prison officer. Prison Service statistics also show that that the number of restraint interventions last year increased by 50% from 91 to 137 with 21 taking place at Mountjoy male prison and the highest number taking place at Wheatfield prison at 23. Mr Mitchell said: I believe that the actual numbers of such restraint interventions are much higher." Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to be overweight from as early as pre-school age onwards than their more advantaged peers. A study of more than 40,000 children from Ireland, Britain and Portugal found that the inequalities in children's body mass index (BMI) emerge during pre-school years and continue to widen across childhood and into early adolescence. That happened in all three countries. The research, conducted by Trinity College Dublin and the University of Porto as part of an EU-funded project, examined data on height and weight from 41,399 children across the countries. The researchers used the child's mother's highest level of education as a marker of socio-economic position. The research shows that while there was no difference in BMI in infancy, differences emerge in pre-school age (3-5 years), with children whose mother did not progress beyond primary or secondary level education gaining body mass at a faster rate than those whose mother progressed to third level. Among the key findings of the study is that in Ireland, at the age of 13, boys and girls whose mother had a primary-level education measured an average of 0.9kg and 1.3kg heavier, respectively, than children whose mother had a university level background. The study noted that children who are obese in early life are also more likely to maintain this status into adolescence and adulthood, increasing their risk for chronic disease later in life. Research Assistant Professor (Psychology) at Trinity College, Dr Cathal McCrory, the lead author of the paper said that the findings show that children from less advantaged backgrounds are facing a higher prospect of disease from much earlier in life than their counterparts. "This study shows that children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds gain body mass more quickly than their more advantaged peers, are more likely to be overweight or obese from pre-school age onwards, and are more likely to become obese if previously non-overweight. They are quite literally carrying a heavier burden of disease from much earlier in life," he said. "These findings reinforce the necessity of challenging the childhood obesity epidemic at early ages as these patterns are difficult to change once they have become entrenched. Urgent government action is now required to understand the material, social, and structural barriers that contribute to these stark socio-economic differences in obesity risk." An African man who sexually abused the intellectually disabled daughter of his former partner has been jailed for 13 years. The sentencing judge noted the mother of the child felt under intense social pressure within her community here and abroad and had expressed a wish that the accused man not go to prison. She declined to complete a victim impact statement on behalf of her daughter. The trial heard evidence that the man was watching television with the child. He pulled her trousers down and raped her and told her repeatedly I love you. The 54-year-old man, who cannot be identified to protect the victim's identity, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury earlier this year of rape, anal rape and sexual assault of the girl at her home on dates between April 2015 and September 2016 at a Dublin address. The victim was aged between 11 and 12 years old at the time of the offending. Mr Justice Alex Owens noted that the accused man maintains his innocence and has given no indication of remorse. He said the offending fell into the most serious category. He noted the vulnerability of the victim, the gross abuse of trust and the fact the sexual abuse has long-lasting detrimental effects on victims. Mr Justice Owens noted the child's mother had been a reluctant witness who had given evidence in support of the prosecution but expressed a wish that the accused man not go to prison. The judge said social pressure within ethnic groups could not be a factor in sentencing. He noted a probation report placed the accused man at a high risk of sexual re-offending and said the man needed to gain insight into his offending and control over his sex drive. Mr Justice Owens imposed a sentence of 13 years imprisonment and ordered post-release supervision of six years on strict conditions which include offence-focused work, psychological counselling and keeping away from activities with or caring for under 18-year-olds. A local garda told Caroline Biggs BL, prosecuting, that the victim disclosed the abuse to her sister and mother in 2016, shortly after the relationship between her mother and the accused broke down. The accused man used opportunities during visits and overnight stays at the girl's home to abuse her. The man, who is the father of a number of children, both in Ireland and in his home country, has minor previous convictions. Mr Justice Owens noted the accused man was a foreign national but said he had chosen to live here and wasn't in the position of being locked up in a foreign land far from family and friends. A mother has been jailed for 28 days after a court heard her daughter had missed 125 days of school out of the last 156 days she could have attended. Bandon District Court heard it was the third time the woman had been prosecuted by the Child and Family Agency for the offence, and that she and her child live just a five-minute walk from the secondary school in Co. Cork. Judge James McNulty also heard that meetings between the Education Welfare Officer and senior staff at the school meant a reduced timetable had been put in place, as well as two sets of free school books and free breakfast and lunch was available in an attempt to get the teenage girl to attend, but with little success. Education Welfare Officer Marie O'Driscoll told the court that the girl's mother had been issued with a School Attendance Notice (SAN) on New Year's Eve in person and by registered post and that between October 26 last and April 1 this year the girl had missed 125 days - 80% of the days available to attend. On April 7, five certificates were presented which explained 16 days of absences, but nothing was produced as to the other 109 days. At the same time, a reduced timetable was put in place, but from the beginning of April until last week the girl had only attended school on eight occasions. Ms O'Driscoll also said that in April the woman applied to home school her daughter, adding that while the woman had a right to do so, "as an EWO I would have an issue with that". The school efforts to encourage attendance included two free sets of books including one for her at home, free breakfast and lunch, after-school studies and extra learning supports. She was also withdrawn from Irish, received one-to-one maths resource teaching, SNA supports and last month was withdrawn from German lessons. The woman's solicitor, Pat Horan, said he had spoken to his client, who was not in court, and that she had said she was meeting resistance from her daughter in her efforts to get her to school. The EWO said: "I am not sure how much she is trying and what the nighttime routine is to get her up in the morning." Judge McNulty convicted the woman in her absence and heard that she is already appealing a previous seven-day jail sentence for a similar offence. He said: "sadly and with great regret" he was sentencing her to 28 days in prison. The most recent figures from the Child and Family Agency show that as of last February, Educational Welfare Services had 3,263 open cases on its books and 2,024 referrals on its waiting list - the highest level since last June. Tusla only brings prosecutions against parents or guardians for school absenteeism after it has issued warnings, including the formal School Attendance Notices. A mental health watchdog is urging parents of Junior and Leaving Cert children to seek help, as they too, can feel at a loss as stress and nerves mount ahead of next month. The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) is offering advice to parents and students prior to the State exams getting underway early next month. The PSI is warning that the exam period can be an extremely challenging time for parents along with their children. The exams start on June 5 for more than 100,000 students with results expected to be announced on August 13. Last year more than 120,000 were involved in State exams. Jennifer Twyford-Hynes, Clinical Psychologist and Chartered Member of the PSI, said: Exams are just one example of a situation that can challenge your child and perhaps your parenting. Ms Twyford-Hynes pointed out that parents should reflect on their own experiences of exams in their lives. (Parents) should consider if their feelings about exams and their consequences could be influencing (their) teenagers response to them. Is there anything that would have benefited you that you might be able to provide now? Offer a child space to express any concerns about exams without trying to rush to solve the problem or reassure. Focus on using words to show them that (as a parent) you understand. Often that might be enough to provide them (and yourself) with relief in that moment. Young people are repeatedly receiving the message in school, online and from the media that exams are important so they probably dont need an additional reminder of this. If it doesnt appear that a child is doing much studying, it is unlikely they do not care at all, they quite likely have complicated feelings about them. It is possible they may be overwhelmed, hopeless or afraid of failing. (A parent) should try their best to be a model of good self-care practice. Added Ms Twyford-Hynes: Young people benefit from having their parents as role models who look after themselves in times of adversity. Is there any way you could improve any of these elements in your own life so that you may inspire your child? (Parents) should note the ways in which they take care of themselves in stressful situations, and demonstrate how to look after themselves to their exam children, through good nutrition, sleep, exercise, enjoyable activities, accessing social support and relaxing activities. One of the positives about exams is that we know when they are definitely going to end. Once they are over, take the opportunity to reflect on how your family is doing. Was there something that worked well to help your young person to cope and is there anything different that could be done to help with a stressful situation in the future. Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla have been welcomed to Wicklow by President Michael D Higgins. The couple's fifth annual trip to Ireland since 2015 is being made at the request of the British Government and will celebrate the links between the two nations and their people. A taxi driver who sexually assaulted three young women within two weeks has been jailed for five years. Mansoor Uddin (aged 41), a married father of three of Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial last February at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault on January 30, 2016, and two sexual assaults on February 16, 2016. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain sentenced Uddin to three years imprisonment for each count of sexual assault. She said the sentences on the latter two counts will run concurrently with each other, but consecutive to the earlier count of sexual assault. Judge Ni Chulachain also suspended the final year of the sentences for counts two and three for two years on strict conditions for an effective operating sentence of six years imprisonment with one year suspended. She also gave Uddin credit for any time he has already spent in custody. The court heard at a sentence hearing last month that Uddin sexually assaulted two of the women on the same night after demanding that one of them get out of his taxi when he saw her trying to get a photo of his identification. This 18-year-old victim had also called a friend while in the vehicle and gave her Uddin's name and some of his taxi number. She tried to take a photograph of Uddin but he stopped her. At the hearing in April, Sergeant Aoife Cronin told Sinead McMullan BL, prosecuting, that gardai used CCTV footage, a database of registered public service vehicles and a computer-generated likeness from the first victim to identify Uddin. As part of the Garda investigation, officers also used GPS co-ordinates from the HALO taxi app which confirmed that Uddin had travelled the three routes the women had outlined to gardai. The court heard that as part of his bail conditions a female passenger was not permitted to be a front-seat passenger in Uddin's taxi. He was also subject to a curfew which meant that he wasn't permitted to work as a taxi driver at night time. Seamus Clarke SC, defending, said the bail conditions had been put in place by the High Court and that gardai policed Uddin while he was on bail. His license was revoked when he subsequently entered guilty pleas in February. Today, Mr Clarke said his client had been provided with documentation to surrender his tenancy, but that his wife and children would be allowed to remain in new accommodation once it is ready. Mr Clarke said that a psychological report showed Uddin as being someone with low levels of intellectual function. Judge Ni Chulachain said the case was aggravated by Uddin abusing his position as a taxi driver, his being aware of the vulnerability of the injured parties, his refusing to stop the taxi in two of the three cases, the timing of the offences being at night, his touching one of the women on her bare skin under her clothing and the somewhat planned targeting of the third woman. She said the mitigating factors were his guilty plea, his losing his livelihood, his losing his tenancy, his difficulties in early life, his mental health difficulties, his previous good character and his lack of previous convictions. One of Ireland's best-known beaches has lost its Blue Flag status for 2019. Bundoran Beach in County Donegal, along with Bertra Strand and Golden Strand in County Mayo have failed to retain their blue flag status for this year's bathing season. All three are classified as having achieved good water quality but failed to meet the 'excellent' standard required for blue flag status. Rathmullan Marina in County Donegal has been awarded a blue flag for the first time ever this year. Overall, 80 beaches and eight marinas have been awarded the coveted accolade for 2019, two fewer than 2018. Eighty of the 83 beaches awarded in 2018 retained their Blue Flag status, while all seven marinas rated last year including the Royal Cork and Kinsale yacht clubs have kept their flags. County Kerry leads the way this year with 13 blue flag beaches, followed by Donegal with 11 and Mayo with 10 blue flags. In addition to the Blue Flag awards, 62 beaches received the Green Coast Award for 2019, the highest number to date. The award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. The awards were announced by An Taisce yesterday at a ceremony in The Armada Hotel, overlooking Spanish point Blue Flag beach in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare. The 2019 Blue Flag Awards presentation took place at Spanish Point in Co. Clare today. Spanish Point was among 9 beaches in County Clare awarded a Blue Flag for the coming bathing season.@AnTaisce @TheBlueFlag @Failte_Ireland @wildatlanticway @HousingPress pic.twitter.com/Bulu46RrGE Blue Flag (@BlueFlagIreland) May 20, 2019 An Taisce operates the programme on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an international organisation that has been promoting environmental education for sustainable development since 1981. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Sophie Bachet Granados, International Blue Flag director, said the blue flag has operated in Ireland for more than 30 years: At the Foundation for Environmental Education we have been impressed by the standard of the sites from Ireland over this period. The blue flag is a symbol of excellence in environmental education, management, water quality, safety and services. Originating in France, the Blue Flag award, which operates in 49 countries, recognises compliance with bathing water quality criteria. In Ireland, An Taisce is responsible for the operation of the programme which is funded by the Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government. Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy said he is delighted that 88 beaches and marinas are receiving Blue Flags, adding: "The attainment of 62 Green Coast Awards, the highest number since the inception of the awards in 2003, is extremely welcome. As Minister, I am committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to protect and improve the quality of our waters and I commend the great efforts made by Local Authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground The Green Coast Award is given to sites which have excellent water quality but which may be less developed than Blue Flag beaches. An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of Clean Coasts Volunteer Groups. There are now more than 800 coast care groups established throughout the island. A woman on trial, charged with murdering her boyfriend, told gardai that she was acting in self-defence when the knife in her hand killed him. She denied washing the knife afterwards because she "knew" she "had murdered" her boyfriend and wanted to get rid of DNA. The 48-year-old woman is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with murdering the 40-year-old father of two in their 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 at the scene from a stab wound to his chest. Detective Garda Stuart Beatty testified today that he interviewed the accused a number of times in the days following his death. She said she took a knife to defend herself after her boyfriend began hitting and biting her. Det. Gda Beatty told Paul Murray SC, prosecuting, that he gave her the results of her boyfriends post-mortem exam in her final interview. She was told that the knife had gone into his chest to a depth of 20cm. The weight could have driven the knife, she replied. As he was pushing me down and I was holding the knife, he was twisting my arm. She was also told that the knife had penetrated his arm to a depth of 13cm. That is shocking, she said. I dont know how to explain that. Its possible he could have put the knife into himself by accident. She said she had no intention of taking the knife to cause him injury or kill him. He started the fight. I did not approach him, she said. In my opinion, he cut himself when we were struggling for the knife in the kitchen. She had already said that Mr Pukas had then gone downstairs and that she had washed the knife. The court heard last week that gardai found the knife in a kitchen drawer and that, under magnification, it showed three specks of blood matching the deceaseds. She was asked why she had washed it. I didnt think that he could have hurt himself, she replied. I was in a panic and I just decided to do some washing. I was washing dishes before the fight and I just continued washing the dishes. It was put to her that the only reason she washed the knife was because "you knew you murdered Audrius and you were thinking you wanted to get get rid of DNA". No, she replied. I did not think of any wounds or anything like that while I was doing the washing. I simply decided to continue washing the dishes. She asked them to add to their notes that she was in a state of shock at the time. Were you in shock because youd just murdered your partner? she was asked. No, she replied. I was not aware that he was injured. She said she realised that he was wounded a few minutes later when she found him downstairs. Det. Gda Beatty said that he later charged her with assaulting Mr Pukas, causing him harm. I disagree with this charge, she replied. I did not assault this man. We did have a fight. I acted in self-defence. The trial continues tomorrow morning before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. Doug Howlett is to leave Munster Rugby in the autumn. The province's Head of Commercial and Marketing wishes to return to his native New Zealand. The 40-year-old All Black has spent 11 years in Munster, having joined as a player in 2008. He helped Munster win the Heineken Cup that season, two subsequent Celtic Leagues, and become club captain in his final season, 2012-13. Howlett said in a statement: The privilege of playing for Munster Rugby, completing my MBA in UCC, and having the opportunity to run the provinces Commercial and Marketing programmes under the guidance of Garrett Fitzgerald, and the Commercial Boards Niall FitzGerald and Patrick Coveney, have all been incredible experiences. It has been an extraordinary 11 years living in Ireland and I will always treasure my time in this special and unique club, and in Irish sport, academia and business. Howlett also linked up with the Cork hurling backroom team earlier this year. Munster Rugby Acting CEO Philip Quinn said: With Doug excelling in a senior management role we were always informed of his future plans to return to New Zealand. He has been a great colleague and addition to the organisation, overseeing our most successful commercial year of the past decade. In pursuing our strategic objectives, the building blocks are very much in place for further progression and thats down to the work the Commercial and Marketing department have carried out on the ticketing, sponsorship, patrons and global events front. We retain a talented and committed Commercial and Marketing team focused on realising our clear vision and strategy built on the values of Munster Rugby. I would like to thank Doug, and wish him and his family, all the best as they return to New Zealand. Howlett scored 35 tries in 114 Munster appearances. He also remains the all-time leading try scorer for the All Blacks, with 49 in 62 matches. GAA podcast: Dalo was wrong. Emotional Cork. Limerick's Plan B? Tipp back it up. Ref justice Anthony Daly, Ger Cunningham and TJ Ryan review the weekend's hurling. Italy's hard-line interior minister Matteo Salvini has threatened legal action after 47 migrants rescued at sea landed on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, despite an explicit ban. The German aid group Sea-Watch said the 47 migrants were transferred to Lampedusa with the co-operation of the Italian Coast Guard and financial police. They were among 65 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by the humanitarian aid group last week. Mr Salvini had given permission for 18 migrants - mostly families with young children - to be brought to land on Friday. But he told a campaign rally that the rest would not be allowed into Italy as long as he remained in his post. The minister reacted angrily to the transfer of the remaining 47, saying on Facebook that if "there was a ploy to disembark the migrants, I will take action, because that is aiding and abetting human trafficking". Mr Salvini pledged that the vessel, the Sea-Watch 3, would be confiscated and threatened the ship's crew with arrest, referring to them as "deputy human traffickers". He also questioned whether the transport minister, who is in charge of the Coast Guard, or the economy minister, with responsibility for the financial police, had given their approval for the move. The transport minister belongs to the populist 5-Star Movement, which is in a government coalition with Mr Salvini's right-wing League party, while Italy's economy minister is not aligned with either ruling party. Sea-Watch said its ship was too big to enter Lampedusa, requiring the transfer from the Italian vessels, and had been ordered to another port on a "probationary confiscation". Mr Salvini said the rescue ship should be taken out of use permanently and sunk. He has taken a hard line against humanitarian rescue operations, accusing them of aiding traffickers in Libya who pack migrants into unsafe boats and launch them into the Mediterranean Sea. His position has created numerous standoffs with fellow European Union nations and humanitarian groups as Europe struggled to decide where to bring the migrants. Matteo Salvini Sea-Watch said it was the fourth migrant disembarkation in Italy from civilian rescue ships this year, proving "once more that the talk of closed ports is just that: Talk". The head of the Sea-Watch 3 mission, Philipp Hahn, called the probationary confiscation of the vessel "outrageous," and said the group broke no laws. "On the contrary, we have once more upheld the law of the sea and the Geneva Refugee Convention," he declared. The migrants were welcomed on shore by Lampedusa residents carrying banners reading "Welcome to Lampedusa", and "Whoever saves one life, saves the entire world," Sea-Watch said. In a May 15 letter to Italy's government, released on Saturday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Italy to withdraw its decree closing its ports to migrants, calling it "yet another political attempt to criminalise search and rescue operations". The decree "further intensifies the climate of hostility and xenophobia against migrants," said the letter, which was signed by several UN human rights rapporteurs. PA Bill Shorten's strategy to bypass conservative media during the election campaign always looked risky - and it ultimately failed. But not because of Rupert Murdoch or Alan Jones. The outgoing Labor leader and his advisers audaciously bet they could ignore (and in some cases directly challenge) media outlets deemed hostile, and still get their message directly to voters through social media channels. The problem for the ALP was, the Coalition was planning a digital push of its own, and it ended up being vastly more effective with it. Bill Shorten and his advisers audaciously bet they could ignore media outlets deemed hostile. Credit:Andy Brownbill Shorten did not appear on Alan Jones top rating breakfast radio program in Sydney during the campaign. He also boycotted other shock jocks including 2GB's Ray Hadley and 3AW's Melbourne based presenter Neil Mitchell, who is considered more moderate than his Sydney counterparts. Even more striking was the campaign's approach to News Corp - the owner of a string of newspapers in Australia considered conservative, and the majority owner of pay TV platform Foxtel. In contrast to a long list of his Labor predecessors, Shorten made no effort to cosy up to Murdoch, News Corp's billionaire controlling shareholder, his top executives, or his offspring. NORTH ROCKS De Bono has leased a site of 171 sqm, comprising a new warehouse of 123.5 sqm and office of 47.5 sqm at 30/2 Richard Close from private group, Pearce for rent of $2,650 per annum. The property comes with three car parks on a lease term of two years. James Zerefos, Bawdens Industrial. BLACKTOWN Viven Pty Ltd has expanded its operations with a new lease of a 713 sqm, comprising a warehouse of 663 sqm and an office of 50 sqm for a rent of $85,000 per annum gross from private investor Kezelos. The lease is for four year. James Zerefos, Bawdens Industrial. SALES CLOVELLY Sydney-based developer, Barua Group, has splashed $9 million on two neighbouring homes in the beachside suburb of Clovelly. Located at 31 & 33 Melrose Parade, the residential properties are zoned medium density and span a combined site area of 959 sqm. The properties, which have a 12m development height limit, are slated to accommodate seven three-bedroom apartments reflecting a record individual unit price of $1.285 million. CBREs Nicholas Heaton, Gemma Isgro and Paul Grasso advised on the sale. Developer, Barua Group, has paid $9 million on two neighbouring homes in the beachside suburb of Clovelly, Sydney SEVEN HILLS A private investor has sold a 2,052 sqm industrial facility at 1, 163 Propsect Highway to Tyrolit Australia for $4.9m. Tyrolit Australia are a global supplier of concreting equipment. The building contains significant exposure to passing trade and a large showroom. Marcel Elias of LJ Hooker Commercial. WENTWORTHVILLE Private investor Teresa Huang has bought a 195.61 sqm site, comprising a showroom of 125.41 sqm and an office of 70.2 sqm from Yiu Ming Pty Ltd. The asset is 1 minute walk to Wentworthville train station and is directly opposite the Wentworthville Shopping Centre. Christian Frangelli, Bawdens Industrial. SEVEN HILLS A private occupier has purchased a 558sqm warehouse at 4/12 Tollis Place from Leung for $1.8m. Aymen Sobbi, LJ Hooker Commercial Silverwater. MOVERS The federal and state governments have five-day payment terms in their sights though there's no guarantee fast payments policies will also be adopted by big corporates when paying small businesses. The re-elected Coalition government made several pledges on payment times throughout 2018 and 2019, including developing a plan to introduce payment terms of five days when small businesses use e-invoicing when billing the federal government for services. Earlytrade co-founder Guy Saxelby (centre, pictured with Charles Gibbon and Zac Zavos of investor Shearwater Growth Equity on right ) thinks it will be some time before the private sector can move to five-day payment times. Credit:Peter Braig. For all other invoicing methods, the government has committed to 20 day terms for invoices of $1 million or less. State governments also have payment times front of mind, with the NSW state government now paying invoices of $1 million or less within 20 business days. New South Wales businesses can expect the state government to pay within five days by the end of this year. Wholesale electricity prices shot up on Monday after the Coalition's surprise election sparked renewed speculation the government would push on with its "big stick' energy policies. The wholesale electricity price is what generators charge retailers and it accounts for about a third of household power bills, and even more for industrial energy users. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's victory has sparked a surge in wholesale prices for electricity. Credit:AAP The expected future wholesale price rose 8 per cent for NSW and shot up about 7 per cent for Victoria on Monday. "The uncertainty around the Coalitions energy policy is undoubtedly the driver of this price spike," University of Melbourne energy expert Dylan McConnell said. Luka Olic, 24, from Generation Z, who works in sales and business development for Deloitte and studied entrepreneurship as part of a bachelor of commerce at Macquarie University, said his top priority was to establish his career so he could eventually buy a home and have a family. Millennials were born between January 1983 and December 1994. The Generation Z respondents were born between January 1995 and December 2002. Luka Olic, 24, who works in sales and business development for Deloitte, is among Generation Z, which is more ambitions than the Millennials to buy their own home and have a family. As well, new global research from Deloitte has found that "Australian Millennials do not aspire as much as their global counterparts to be wealthy, make a positive impact on society or have children". Members of Generation Z in Australia are more ambitious to buy a home, see the world, be wealthy and start a family than Millennials. "My biggest concern is making sure I am ready for the future in terms of the future of work," he said. "Will I continue to be relevant in a work setting and what do I need to do now to stay employable? It doesn't seem like anybody is sure what the impact [of technology] is going to be." Growing up in a family with Croatian heritage has contributed to a strong focus on family. Having already travelled extensively, his next big priority is to buy a home. Most of his Millennial friends are renting, but Mr Olic is living at home to save for a home loan deposit. "It would be nice to move out, but I feel like, if I can sacrifice the lifestyle for a few years, I might be able to support myself in terms of home ownership," he said. Politics does not hold much interest because repeated changes in leadership have made him feel as if his vote "does not count for much". While he thinks climate change is important, it is not among his top concerns. "I believe it is a real thing and we need to be conscious of it," he said. ABC staff believe on-air disruption and "painful" job losses are inevitable after the Morrison governments return to power on Saturday. "It's very grim in here this morning," said one manager. "All the fat has already been trimmed [in previous budget reductions]. We can't see how this won't lead to job losses or programming changes." Some insiders claim ABC's news and current affairs division will be protected from the cuts, but others dispute this. "Every department could feel the squeeze including drama, comedy, children's, radio, iview, you name it," said one person. "All that's left to cut is content. This could be the first time the audience sees this level of cuts to our programming." Queensland king prawns, salted caramel espresso martinis, massages at their desk - the Labor high command were in a mood for celebrating on election eve. Twenty-four hours later they would be crushed by a stunning loss to an opponent that had spent the final day racing through three electorates and two states in a last minute sprint to snatch victory from an almost certain defeat. Labor's election night function in Melbourne. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The blame-game inside Labor is now in full swing, with many pointing squarely at its national HQ in Sydney's Parramatta. On Friday, they booked out one of the area's most expensive restaurants, Sahra by the River, and followed up the prawns, barramundi and kafta with "kick-ons" at cocktail bar Alex & Co, according to internal messages seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Employers have outlined a list of demands for the Morrison government's new industrial relations minister, calling for a bold new approach to crack down on unions and give business the flexibility they argue is needed to boost the economy. Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said he had already entered into discussions with the major parties "about the need to revitalise the enterprise bargaining system and to crack down on rorts". Scott Morrison is yet to unveil what changes to workplace laws he will pursue. Credit:AAP "The current uncertainty about casual employment needs to be addressed," he said. "The Fair Work Act needs to be amended to ensure that an employee engaged as a casual and paid as a casual, is not entitled to be paid annual leave or other entitlements that casual loadings are paid in lieu of." Far-right activist Neil Erikson has admitted making up a story about a "secret meeting" with WA Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Ian Goodenough, which sparked a media frenzy during the federal election campaign. In a YouTube video called "The media are idiots", which was published on polling day, Mr Erikson said he made up the lie to distract journalists from his support for failed senate candidate Fraser Anning. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie during the campaign. Credit:Mick Tsikas Mr Erikson, who was involved in a fracas after Senator Anning was egged by a teenager, was convicted of racial vilification in 2017 for staging a mock beheading in protest at plans to build a mosque. "I felt really bad for the [Senator Anning] because I've really had no conversations with him at all, I just support him, but it didn't stop the media claiming we were besties," Mr Erikson said in the video. On Sunday morning, many Australians found themselves staring into their morning coffee wondering at what point the Labor Party lost the unlosable election. Betting agencies had paid in favour of a Labor win days in advance; even the Liberal leader called the election win a miracle. I am a young, female, Victorian, inner city dweller, but I made the decision to give my vote to the Liberal Party, as I have since the 2013 election, the first time I voted. However, the elation I experienced on Sunday morning over the Liberal win was short-lived. AC Griffiths voted for the Liberal Party and has no regrets. According to social media, I: am scared, uneducated, a bigot, should be ashamed, have condemned this planet to burn, pathetic, not a feminist, probably hate gays, hate minorities, and probably want to stop women having access to abortions. Wandering around the streets of Melbourne on this unseasonably warm Sunday, I felt many negative emotions but no regret about the ballot I cast. Instead, I was sad that many people saw Liberal voters as a negative influence on this country. I am by nature wildly sociable but election nights are different. For me, the worst possible outcome is the ABCs chief election analyst Antony Green being drowned out by amateur pundits and drinking games. I want to be left to watch the numbers. By 8pm on election night, those scrutineering for the ALP already knew Labor would not win. I went to bed just before 10, filled with grief and loss. Australians had believed the endless polls and assumed the Liberal Partys only path was to defeat. But there were some polls which told a different story, the internal polls of both parties. The Liberal Party learned Dave Sharma would win the seat of Wentworth from their internal polling. And the Labor Party knew it was in deep trouble in Queensland. In March, internal ALP polling showed our northern state had begun to turn against the party. It was just after the passing of the Medevac bill, designed to expedite the passage of sick refugees and asylum seekers to Australia for urgent medical care. The government, of course, played on the concerns of so many Australians, that this bill would be a risk to national security. It doesnt matter whether those who live in the southern capitals agree this touched a nerve with Queenslanders, a state where the ALP needed to hold not fold. The polls recovered but not to their former highs. When they slumped again, party strategists thought it was just noise. That noise turned out to be the sound of Queenslanders' support crumbling. Depending on what happens in Lilley, the Coalition will either have the same support it had when John Howard was prime minister or pick up one more. Labor was hit with swings as high as 15 per cent against it in polling booths where people aged over 60 made up more than 15 per cent of the population, new figures show, revealing the impact of the party's controversial tax policies. Labor MP Mike Kelly has urged the party to consider dumping its franking credits policy, saying it should be "grandfathered or include relief for low income earners" in the wake of the election result. "I heard it loud and clear," he said. Outgoing Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The policy helped lose Bill Shorten the election on Saturday - as retirees down the east coast protested the $6 billion-a-year move to strip them and their families of tax refunds. Labor also had a policy to scrap negative gearing for investment properties purchased after January 1 next year. Labor has 67 seats and is ahead in Macquarie, in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury region west of Sydney, while the Greens have one seat and the remaining five will be held by smaller parties or independents. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is expected to head to Canberra on Tuesday for meetings with Treasury on the state of the economy and the budget agenda, while Mr Morrison has named the tax cuts as the priority when Parliament resumes within weeks. Mr Morrison said on Monday that voters wanted the government to get "back to work". "They don't want to see politics in their face or anything like that. They've had their say, they've made their decision. Now they expect us to get on with it so they can get on with their lives," he told radio host Alan Jones. Loading "That's what the 'quiet Australia' has said and I'm going to honour that." While the government must wait for the election writs to be returned in the weeks ahead, it is hoping Parliament can meet before June 30 to pass the first round of tax cuts, which are due to start on July 1. Any delay to that timetable would force the Australian Taxation Office to back-date the tax cut in the new financial year, while also leaving the government exposed to attacks for taking too long. The government is yet to make a decision on whether to split the $158 billion tax cut package from the April 2 budget into separate bills, a crucial move if it is to get swift approval in a Senate that has forced changes to its earlier tax cuts. The most likely option is to break up the tax plan to ensure it can legislate the immediate tax cuts, including a tax offset worth $1080 for workers earning between $48,000 and $90,000 a year. The plan includes smaller benefits for those earning below $48,000 and those earning up to $126,000 a year. The latest election count has confirmed earlier signs that the Senate crossbench will include Pauline Hanson and her One Nation colleague Malcolm Roberts. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen While Labor offered a bigger tax offset for workers earning up to $48,000 a year, it is expected to legislate the first stage of the government tax cut if the budget plan is split into separate bills. The latest election count has confirmed earlier signs that the Senate crossbench will include Senator Hanson and her One Nation colleague Malcolm Roberts, as well as the Australian Conservatives' Cory Bernardi and Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie. Combined with Senator Griff and Senator Patrick from Centre Alliance, this suggests there will be six on the crossbench and the government will need support from five of them to pass contested legislation. Most senators elected on Saturday take up their positions from July 1, changing the numbers on the crossbench and ending a period when the government needed nine out of eleven crossbench senators to pass any bill opposed by Labor and the Greens. Senator Hanson's party has blocked some of the government's income tax cuts in the past over concerns that the benefits for wealthier workers were too costly, and is yet to decide its position on the $158 billion package announced on April 2. "We will familiarise ourselves with stages one, two and three [of the tax cuts] and have discussions with the appropriate ministers over the following few weeks," a One Nation spokesman said. Loading Senator Griff said the government could not claim a mandate for the tax cuts or other policies when almost 60 per cent of voters did not give the Liberals their first preference. "We'll work respectfully with them to progress their key policies but we'll always look at whether the outcomes are positive for South Australia and it's important that the end result won't be any form of degradation to core community services," he said. On tax cuts, for instance, the Centre Alliance position is that there can be no impact on the budget that would force cuts to services. The Grattan Institute estimated during the election campaign that the government plans would require spending cuts of $40 billion by 2030. "What we supported previously was part one and part two [of the tax cuts] and we didn't support part three," Senator Griff said. Senator Patrick said the key issue was looking after South Australians and government services. "When we look at these things, we look at how we can preserve services," he said. "So it could be a case where we support stages one and two but not three." Senator Bernardi said he was "100 per cent" behind the income tax cuts and praised Mr Morrison for defeating a Labor Party that prosecuted a form of "class warfare" during the election campaign. The Morrison government faces a Senate veto of its effort to repeal the law requiring medical transfers of refugees from offshore detention, throwing into doubt plans to close the Christmas Island detention facility. The government reopened the mothballed centre on Christmas Island in February, warning that the law passed by Labor and independents against the governments will in the last parliament could lead to a flood of new refugee claims. Prime Minister Scott Morrison tours Christmas Island in March. Credit:AAP It vowed to repeal the law if it won the election, allowing it to close Christmas Island at a saving of about $1.2 billion. But with the post-election Senate taking shape, the likely balance-of-power party the Centre Alliance has said it will block any repeal. It was like a Friday the 13th sequel but one that ran for months. It started with the excoriating leadership change at the end of August 2018 and the fallout screeched on painfully until Christmas. Rightly or wrongly, the demand for 43 signatures before the August 24 party meeting is what set the challenge apart. A private ballot effectively became a public ballot - something Liberals felt cringe-worthy and not part of our culture. Julia Banks: her allegations went unchallenged. Credit:Joe Armao It obviously led to pressure, which in some cases allegedly became bullying. The allegations of nasty, brutal men marauding around Parliament House intimidating female federal MPs sent shockwaves through the country and was immensely damaging to the party, especially in Victoria, the home of former Chisholm MP Julia Banks. In the months after the August 24 change the Liberal Party's brand across the country was toxic. The price of any leadership change includes bitterness on all sides, deep scars and lifelong damage to relationships. On September 8, the NSW Coalition government was the first to feel the fallout from the toxic federal brand. It lost the seat of Wagga Wagga with the two-party-preferred vote against the Berejiklian government of 22 per cent. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been told it is "very unlikely" he can convene Parliament before June 30 in a danger sign for his ability to legislate income tax cuts for millions of workers due to take effect on July 1. The delay has forced the government to look at retrospective action to ensure ten million workers receive a tax offset in their tax returns worth up to $1080 a year and promised in the April 2 budget. One option is to pay a "supplementary" offset to workers after the law is changed in the new financial year to account for the tax relief promised to them for this financial year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded Parliament cannot return before the end of June. Credit:AAP Mr Morrison said voters wanted their politicians to go "back to work" after Saturdays election but cautioned on Monday night that it would be difficult to convene the Parliament next month. Inner-city Australia is turning its back on the rest of the country, swinging strongly to the political left in traditional Labor and Liberal strongholds and forcing both parties into battles across the nation's suburbs and regional centres. A breakdown of booth-by-booth voting patterns reveals how the electorates crowded around the centres of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth have taken economic and political steps out of kilter with the rest of the country. Inner-city Australia is swinging strongly to the political left. While Queensland was an electoral disaster for Labor, with its primary vote crashing to 27.3 per cent, it did much better near the centre of the state's capital. While the Liberal National Party enjoyed a 0.3 per cent increase in its primary vote across Queensland, in the seat of Brisbane, the party's representative, Trevor Evans, suffered a 2.4 per cent drop. He now holds the seat by 4.2 per cent. If you hang around any runners long enough (or live with one) you will hear us constantly talking about injuries, the best races to do, the races to avoid, which shoes will help achieve that elusive PB, split times, what the best watch is to track those runs with and of course what food we are all eating. Where the conversation differs between the genders, though, is around the topic of safety. Men usually just dont consider it when they go for a run in the same way women do. Men will generally run anywhere at any time. Sure, they might think about running in the dark and not being able to spot trip hazards as my friend, Chris, mentioned recently but personal safety? Nope it usually just isnt a consideration for most men who run. I t doesnt mean that some men dont consider their personal safety but its just not in the same way or numbers that women do. The issue of personal safety when women venture out to exercise is often a reason why women stop exercising. Credit:Shutterstock Women have a whole other view about safety when we run. A man who was fatally shot by police at Sydney's Central Station in 2017 refused to drop a pair of scissors, then ran directly at an officer while saying "I'm going to kill you," an inquest has been told. Danukul "Dan" Mokmool, 30, died on July 26, 2017 from a head wound after he was shot at three times by the officer towards whom he had been running and once by another officer. Danukul ''Dan'' Mokmool was fatally shot by police in 2017. Credit:Facebook An inquest into Mr Mokmool's death, which opened at the NSW Coroners Court on Monday, heard he had methadone in his system at the time of his death and may have been experiencing a psychotic episode. Earlier that afternoon, he was at his home at Heckenberg in Sydney's south-west and accused his brother of wanting to kill him. He then called triple zero to say he feared for his life. Brisbane City Council is building a new pedestrian crossing in Adelaide Street after nine pedestrians were struck by cars or buses in the area in the past five years. The crossing is being built between Albert Street and Edward Street. New pedestrian crossing is being built in Brisbane's Adelaide Street after nine people have been hit by cars or buses in five years. One woman died in 2018. Credit:Tony Moore The Labor opposition said the administration had acted too slowly to prevent accidents in the area and renewed its call for a trial of 30km/h speed limits in inner-city streets. Most of the time you are forced to go slower anyway because of the congestion, shadow infrastructure spokesman Steve Griffiths said. Fourteen months ago, RSL Queensland was in hot water with the charity watchdog after generous directors' benefits, vague financial records and a hefty Australian Tax Office debt were made public. On Monday, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission revoked the ultimatum it issued to RSL Queensland in 2018: get the organisation up to standard or lose the charitable status. RSL Queensland supports the states 196,000 current and former military personnel. Credit:Glenn Campbell It started with an ACNC investigation into RSL Queensland's finances, which found multiple breaches in governance regarding the use of funds by directors and other problems in 2016. The investigation was launched after it was discovered RSL Queensland owed the Australian Tax Office a fringe benefits tax liability of more than $312,000. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Set up to take planning power from councils ruled by emotive residents, and invest it in supposedly detached industry experts, Perths Development Assessment Panels have created as much controversy as theyve cured. WAs six metro and three regional DAPs were formed in 2011 by the former Liberal National government to decide on applications worth more than $2 million, meaning they now make the lions share of major project decisions in the state. Panels consist of two local councillors and three government-appointed industry experts, so industry holds the balance of power. Unsurprisingly, their decisions frequently cop backlash. DAP experts have to declare interests before every meeting. A proximity or financial interest excludes them from the discussion or vote, but waters are murkier if they declare an impartiality interest. If a member chooses to declare an impartiality interest, the presiding member or deputy can then make the call on whether the matter could impact impartiality and whether the member should be allowed to vote. Many residents have contacted WAtoday angry over votes cast from within this grey area. And our analysis of the suspicion that dogged the footsteps of one of Perth's most established property players shows that following the code of conduct perfectly might still not get you past the pub test. Advertisement Veteran builder walks tightrope over South Perth hotspot Luigi DAlessandro is a stalwart of Perths property industry, having been chief executive of WA construction giant Jaxon Construction; holding high-level positions at some of WAs biggest property and development firms, including BGC, Satterley and Bollig Abbott; and running his own advisory and building firms. He served on the Metro Central DAP from 2011 to July 2017, which covers inner-city Perth councils such as South Perth, Melville, Canning and Bayswater. It is his time on this DAP that raised eyebrows in the community. Mr D'Alessandro was a part of the panel that approved a nine-storey office building at 12 Charles Street, South Perth in 2013, less than 100 metres from a property he owns. In August 2014 in assessing the Pinnacles tower at 30 Charles Street, about 50 metres from his property, he declared his property as an impartiality interest, but was allowed to vote. When 12 Charles Street came to the DAP again in 2015 needing an extension to its approval, Mr D'Alessandro did not declare the property. A resident of Charles Street made an official complaint to the Department of Planning in 2016, accusing Mr D'Alessandro of improperly declaring interests. Advertisement The official response to the complaint was that Mr D'Alessandro hadn't needed to declare proximity interests on numbers 12 and 30 Charles Street, because "proximity" only applies to a property directly adjoining or directly across the road. He had declared an impartiality interest in number 30 out of an "abundance of caution", the official response said. At the next three meetings regarding Stirling Capital's proposed 26 On Charles development, directly across the road from his property, he declared proximity interests and was excluded from the vote. In July 2017, a fortnight after residents continued to raise concerns with advisers to the planning minister, he left the panel, though it is not known why. He retained an appointment to a regional DAP but disappeared off all panels after a bigger reshuffle in January 2018. Mr D'Alessandro did not respond to requests for comment. Cleaning the glass: could it help? Advertisement Curtin University urban and regional planning expert Shane Greive said lack of transparency played a role in community distrust and conflict. [Perth] is a small enough tank that big fish bump into each other, he said. Even if not your project, its your colleagues or your industry partners project. Many industry players have a lot of experience with this, play by the rules and leave the room and dont make decisions on their own projects. I see integrity in what they do, but that doesnt mean the system is not open to abuse, and so increased transparency would help. Subiaco Councillor Julie Matheson started the Scrap the DAPs campaign in 2012, which attracted the support of many other Perth councils. She said transparency was improving but industry ties were still an issue. The panel member that makes the decision on a development application one week is, next week, the person standing up before another panel member making a submission, she said. Advertisement Its the club reviewing the club. Scrap the DAPs came to a head before the 2017 state election, with Labor elected promising to deal with the issues making the system so unpopular. Rita Saffioti, before the election, listening to electors' concerns about DAPs. Credit:Emma Young It got as far as commissioning a Green Paper in which consultant Evan Jones noted DAPs were not required to publish reasons for decisions, and met at odd times during weekdays, obstructing community engagement. He recommended they meet at more accessible times, and publish reasons. The Urban Development Institute of Australia WA said industry professionals were just that professionals and know how to manage potential, real or perceived conflicts. But even they and the states other major property lobby group the Property Council of WA want reform. We are very supportive of proposals to make decisions and meetings more transparent, UDIA WA chief executive Tanya Steinbeck said. Advertisement Brian Hartzer and family have purchased a new house on Pittwater. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: After several busy months stripping costs, refunding customers to the tune of $1.2 billion and handing out hundreds of redundancies we wouldnt begrudge Westpac chief executive Brian Hartzer some solitude. And thats exactly what hes managed to buy in Sydneys Northern Beaches, on Pittwater's western shore, for a mere $6.8 million. Hartzer and family have bought a sprawling sandstone holiday house, accessible only by boat, at McCarrs Creek. It comes with a wrap-around verandah, a deep-water jetty to dock your yacht and cruiser, according to the real estate advertisement, and almost total privacy. Anthony Albanese's bid for the Labor leadership has received a major boost after his left-faction colleague, Tanya Plibersek, pulled out of the race, but he still faces a likely showdown with a right-wing rival for control of the shattered party. While state branches were hopeful of avoiding a long and potentially brutal leadership ballot, right-faction figures Jim Chalmers and Chris Bowen were giving serious consideration to a tilt at the top job on Monday night. Chris Bowen was considering running against Anthony Albanese, while Tanya Plibersek ruled herself out. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Ms Plibersek's decision not to contest the leadership set off a flurry of backroom phone calls on Monday, with those who may have served as Ms Plibersek's deputy leader now assessing their chances against Mr Albanese for leader, and Ms Plibersek now a potential deputy. The right-faction leadership contenders would all face considerable problems. Mr Bowen is closely associated with the party's rejected economic platform, including its controversial franking credits policy, while defence spokesman Richard Marles hails from outgoing leader Bill Shorten's Victorian right faction, which orchestrated Labor's unsuccessful election campaign. "If anything, Parliament is where they represent the public. We own the footage as we pay for it and we have elected our representatives. "The High Court established that there is an implied freedom of speech when it comes to political communication and yet we still see some politicians trying to protect themselves with outdated regulations." Reucassel said the rules limited journalists and performers because they could not satirise comments made by MPs made in Parliament. "(This is) Despite the fact this is one of the key places that politicians make decisions that affect us all," he said. "Politicians have some of the thickest skins in Australia, so I don't see why they need this outdated protection of their performance in parliaments. "Maybe if politicians treated parliaments with the utmost respect and politeness they'd have a better argument against satire and ridicule of their performances." Loading The rules apply to ordinary citizens, not just media organisations and politicians, as Ms Madigan discovered late last year. It is unusual for a member of the public to be hauled before the powerful ethics committee, which normally deals with MPs. No further action was recommended in relation to Ms Madigan's "relatively minor" contempt. The ethics committee has the power to force apologies, issue fines and order time in jail for acts of contempt. In the ruling on Ms Madigan's matter, committee chair Joe Kelly noted that parliaments in several similar jurisdictions had removed the ban on using the footage for satire or ridicule. "While beyond the scope of the terms of reference for this committee, it may be timely for the Queensland Parliament to consider the matter," he wrote. The Abbott government overturned rules banning photos of politicians being taken in federal Parliament from being used to satirise them in 2013, but digital manipulation of film or images is still prohibited. British comedian John Oliver occasionally uses his popular HBP show Last Week Tonight to mock similar restrictions surrounding the British Parliament. Queensland Speaker Curtis Pitt said the ban had been in place since the beginning of broadcasts in the mid-2000s, and was adopted in Queensland as it was standard in other jurisdictions at the time. "There is nothing I like more than good satire," he said. "However, when this issue arose last year, as Speaker I was upholding the parliamentary broadcast terms and conditions that were already in place." Speaker Curtis Pitt has defended the ban. Credit:Photo: Chris Hyde Mr Pitt argued the current rules did not curtail freedom of speech. "People are entitled to put forward their views but the current arrangements say they must do this without using footage or images from the Parliament," he said. "I have never shied away from considering whether we need to review the parliamentary broadcast terms and conditions to ensure they are relevant in the current media environment - particularly regarding social media." Mr Pitt said he had not received a request from the Premier to consider a review of the terms and conditions but he would consider one if received. "However, any review will need to carefully consider whether any changes to the terms and conditions may lead to unintended negative outcomes, including further diminishing the dignity of the House and its members," he said. In response to a petition calling for a relaxation of the rules last year, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government would consider, in consultation with the Speaker, whether an inquiry into the terms and conditions was required. A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said that conversation was yet to happen. London: Angry Britons are fighting against hate speech and unpopular far-right campaigners with an unlikely weapon: the milkshake. In recent weeks, the act of "milkshaking" has become a symbol of protest on British soil, with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage becoming the latest target in a string of attacks that have seen dairy-based drinks dashed at controversial European election candidates during events across the country. Farage had been campaigning Monday in the city of Newcastle for only around 20 minutes when a 32-year-old man hurled a drink at him, covering his suit in a sticky liquid that the attacker later confirmed was a banana and salted caramel milkshake from Five Guys that cost 5.25 ($9.67). Soon after the attack, a visibly shaken Farage can be heard reprimanding his security team for their inability to protect him successfully. In a widely circulated video, he can be heard saying: "complete failure" and "how did you not stop that?" Washington: US President Donald Trump directs former White House counsel McGahn to defy congressional subpoena. Former White House counsel Donald McGahn. Credit:AP The White House on Monday cited a legal opinion from the Justice Department, which argues that McGahn would have immunity from testifying before Congress about his work as a close Trump adviser. Democrats have been eager to hear from McGahn - a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation who described ways in which the president sought to curtail the probe. The decision is certain to deepen tensions between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration. They've accused Trump and Attorney General William Barr of trying to stonewall and block Congress from carrying out its oversight duties. Latest News MoneyMe to acquire SocietyOne Deal brings together two of the fastest-growing brands in the non-bank space Resimac makes key broker channel hires Two new GMs to bolster broker support Brokers may be celebrating the news that the Coalition has remained in power, but executives across the industry say there is still work to be done. At the time of writing, the Liberal/National Coalition had taken 77 seats in the 151-seat Parliament, while the Labor Party had 69 seats. Almost 20% of the vote was still to be counted. In a letter to members yesterday, MFAA CEO Mike Felton said that the result was one many would not have thought possible. There is no doubt that this election result is a good one for our industry. This Government has demonstrated over recent years that it is committed to maintaining competition, choice and access to credit for Australian home buyers, the letter read. However, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. If were going to continue to be an industry with outstanding data on customer satisfaction and growing market share, we must continue to reform and evolve, Felton continued. He outlined a series of plans, including the MFAAs continued collaboration with government on royal commission recommendations and ASICs remuneration review. His comments were echoed by FBAA managing director Peter White. Congratulating PM Scott Morrison on the win, White said in a statement that now is the time for brokers to take the handbrake off and hit the accelerator. Now that the election is over, I want to urge all brokers to commit to doing everything we can to grow our businesses now that banks know we are a force to be reckoned with, his statement continued. Speaking to Australia Broker, he added, This is not the time to stop putting pressure on the politicians. There are things we need to watch in how this plays out. We need to keep those lobbying initiatives, the letter writing, the social media, the client testimonials, all going as much as possible, he added. According to recent pledges, the Coalition backs Haynes recommendations on best interest duty and clawbacks, and a review on remuneration is still on the table for 2022. Yesterday the first trading day after the result was announced started strong with the share index up by more than 100 points (1.6%) at the start of trading. The Australian dollar spiked half a cent higher according to CommSec analysis, nearing US69.4 cents. There will be more on this story in the next issue of Australian Broker Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Is there no play to ease the anguish of a torturing hour? There is, my lord, but Brooklyn is a little light on the Bard this summer. South Brooklyn Shakespeare is on hiatus, and New York Classical Theatre has moved on to Oscar Wilde. Smith Street Stage will launch its Romeo and Juliet on June 14, but if you want a Shakespearean comedy, you might have to travel across the river, to the distant isle of Manhattans Central Park. The Public Theater launches its 56th season of free Shakespeare in the Park next week with a production of Much Ado About Nothing featuring an all-black cast, and residents of Kings County can get a pantaloon up on Manhattanites for five performances, free tickets will be released right here in Brooklyn. These distribution points typically attract fewer people than the Public Theaters home base across the river, which means your chance of getting a pair of tickets is much higher. How to score your passes: First, you will need a Public Theater Patron ID. Follow this link: http://publictheater.org/ProgramsEvents/Shakespeare-in-the-Park/register, and type in your email address. You will get an email with your Patron ID number. Bring it with you to the distribution site. On the days and locations listed below, ticket distribution will start at noon, but the line starts a few hours in advance. Show up early and bring a book. When you reach the front, each person can get a voucher for two tickets to that nights show. Finally, go to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan (enter at 81st Street and Central Park West), between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. that evening to exchange your voucher for a pair of tickets. The show will start at 8 p.m. Where to go: May 21 at Brooklyn Childrens Museum (145 Brooklyn Ave. at St. Marks Avenue in Crown Heights). June 6 at Brownsville Recreation Center (1555 Linden Blvd. at Mother Gaston Boulevard in Brownsville). June 8 at Kings Highway Library (2115 Ocean Ave. between Kings Highway and Quentin Road in Sheepshead Bay). June 14 at Macon Library (361 Lewis Ave. at Macon Street in Bedford-Stuyvestant) June 18 at Clinton Hill Library (380 Washington Ave. between Lafayette and Greene avenues in Clinton Hill). Free tickets are also available by lottery through the TodayTix app. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams We cant always hop on a plane to a distant land in search of inspiration. The reality is that we are where we are. We have work, and family, and responsibilities. So what is a fearless adventurer to do at home? Create a beautiful reality. I have been working tirelessly since my return from Turkey to stay inspired by the sights and sounds and smells of my trip, and by the awesome strangers that I met and connected with. The truth is, there is so much beauty to be found and so many strangers to connect with right here at home. However, my demon brain tries to insert the but and wrestle my positivity to the ground. Youve tried that, it might say. Or youve been down this road a million times, whats left to explore? Or, of course, youre busy, and tired! My creative mind says otherwise. I know that I can see my very own neighborhood, the place Ive lived in for 17 years, with totally fresh eyes. I know I can notice about a million things on my two-block walk to the park that Ive never, ever seen before. I know I can carve out time in my schedule to try new things, to appreciate and explore my own environment, my own family. But, and there is a but: it takes practice, and commitment. It takes focus and the ability to continually press reset when the bored, tired mind tries to creep in and steal the show. I meditate to try to stay focused. I have my little tray filled with many favorite objects, with candles and a statue of the Bhodisattva in repose, with an incense tray that holds many favorite aromatic sticks of various types. I light the candles in the morning, and burn some incense, and I sit, often, on a cushion in front of it. Lately, I am listening to 396 hz on YouTube, galactic mandala meditation music that is tuned to a frequency that turns grief and fear into joy. Grief and fear are the biggest barriers to inspiration, Ive found. They are paralyzing in their power, unless we tune to a different frequency and create barriers and boundaries that put the paralyzing duo in their place. In the work Ive been doing at the Park Slope Womens Shelter, I find that drumming together brings great joy. Even though these women have suffered mightily, and have many reasons to despair, they sit down with me and work hard to visualize and explore the ways in which they might find space for joy, and expression. They need it, and they know it. It is so heartwarming to work with them, and to hear their honest stories of what they are fighting against to be there in that seat, to join in and work toward feeling good, if even for an hour. They inspire me. If they can do it, why cant I? Choices can be challenging too. I spoke recently on my Talking to Strangers podcast to the executives of nonprofit Musicambia, which brings music into prisons. Nathan Schram, the founder, spoke of how enlightened the men theyve worked with at Sing Sing are. Their choices are limited, and to maintain any inspiration in this place they have been forced to go within, to explore possibilities in their minds, to wander fantastically through their own thoughts and visions. To be inspired is a daily choice, wherever we are. It is an outlook, born from our brain, and so we must work to train our brains with whatever creative tools we can to look at the world around us anew and with great enthusiasm. Gold star for trying. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Schneps Media celebrated the young and influential at the eighth annual Stars Under 40 celebration on May 16 in Dyker Heights. Honorees included Brooklyn business tycoons, charitable community leaders, and the next generation of Kings County stars. The event was emceed by Ruschell Boone, the dynamic screen presence from Spectrum News NY1 news, who livened up the crowd with her signature, charming humor. This years Entrepreneur of the Year honor was bestowed upon Abdul Elenani, who founded his specialty coffee and healthy kitchen franchise, Cocoa Grinder, while in college in 2013. The 26-year-old businessman now manages numerous locations around the city, but says the workload comes naturally to him. Ive been in the food game all my life, he said. Its stressful, but fun. If youre doing something that you like, then youre not working a day in your life. This years commendation for Entrepreneurial Dynamic Duo went to Julian Bannister and Yannick Jules-Bannister, who co-founded New Beginning Cleaners, a 60-employee cleaning operation to help people and their loved ones achieve a healthy living environment. People needed help getting their homes and their lives together. And, we couldnt deny helping people, said Julian Bannister. We quickly built a process to declutter their home, redo their home, and really change their lives. Other honorees included Natoya McGhie, the incoming president of the Brooklyn Womens Bar Association. We help college students who are going into law school, and young lawyers who want to network by meeting attorneys and judges, she said. Thats how I got involved in the bar association. Seven years later, I wanted to go back and help people coming up like I did. McGhie provides guidance to young women who are rising through the legal world, including Gabriella Castellano, who took home the Rising Star honor as a New York Law School student. The first in her family to graduate college, this Bay Ridge up-and-comer will be working for the Bronx District Attorneys Office this summer, training for her forthcoming prosecutorial career. Castellano called the award a welcome step for her fast-rising future. When I found out I was going to be honored, it was the middle of finals, so I was a mess, but it was like a light at the end of the tunnel, she said. This years Health Hero award went to Dr. Ramsey Joudeh, the Chief Medical Officer of Artisans of Medicine, a state-of-the-art facility serving all Brooklynites medical needs. Other awardees included educators, entertainers, legal eagles, and artists, each with their own story of personal successes and community caring. The awards sparkled as bright as the stars receiving them, as did the sponsors who helped make the event possible: Spectrum / Charter Communications, Artisans of Medicine, JP Morgan Chase, Flushing Bank, Ben Bay Realty, New Beginning Cleaners and Candy Mingles. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Political bigwigs of Brooklyn held their annual Democratic County Gala on May 9 in Mill Basin to honor business leaders, legal eagles, and the partys elite. The celebration, held at El Caribe in Mill Basin, was put on by party Chairman Frank Seddio, who played host to more than 300 of Kings Countys most notable guests. Former Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden was the nights guest of honor, receiving the first annual William C. Thompson Sr. memorial award, named for the boroughs first African-American state Senator, who went on to serve on the State Supreme Court in 1973. Presenting the honor to Golden was William C. Thompson Jr. the son of the awards namesake who served as the citys two-term Comptroller. Other honorees included George Gresham, the former president of the 1199 SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare union in the United State, who was bestowed a citation by Seddio himself. Assemblyman Peter J. Abbate, the chairman of the Committee on Governmental Employees, was also among the nights five honorees, receiving accolades along with Taxi and Limousine Commission CEO Meera Joshi and Federation of Italian-American Organizations head G. Jack Spatola. The night was capped off with speeches from various bigwigs, including Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who spoke to the Democrats about the state of politics and the upcoming presidential election. Anti-business feelings in America now run so strong that even some leading bankers and hedge-fund bosses want capitalism reformed. Socialism (of some kind) is espoused by a growing number of Democratic politicians. A Harvard University study found 51 per cent of 18- to 29-year-old Americans do not support capitalism. The business bashing is not solely from the political left; Donald Trump has tweet-attacked plenty of companies for offending his populist instincts. Voices demanding higher taxes and tougher regulations grow louder. Echoing the vigorous trust busting of the Progressive era, ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The airline is a joint venture between the Tatas, who have a 51 per cent stake, and Tony Fernandes-controlled Air Asia, which holds the rest of the stake. Sanjay Kumar, chief operating officer of the airline, said: Our plan is to first fly to the Southeast Asian market and start with flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Our target is that we will fly about 7-8 per cent of our total available seat kilometres to international ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor A high-level meeting is learnt to have been fixed between the Hinduja Group and Etihad Airways on May 23 in a bid to revive Jet Airways. Top executives of State Bank of India (SBI), which leads the lenders consortium, will be present at the meeting to be held in Abu Dhabi, the corporate headquarters for Etihad. A source in the know said this was possibly the last attempt by the SBI to rescue Jet, which was grounded in April due to dearth of funds. If the Etihad-Hindujas talks fail this week, Jet will be headed to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), he pointed out. ... Voters in 28 European Union member countriesyes, including the United Kingdomwill go to the polls between May 23 and May 26 to elect 750 members to the European Parliament for a five-year term. The political fragmentation of Europe suggests that their decisions could contribute to a near-paralysis of EU institutions. Barron's reports in its article Europe Could Face Economic Paralysis After Parliamentary Elections that turnout is expected to be low, but it has always been so, even after the Parliament was entrusted with significant new powers by the 2007 Lisbon treaty. Political parties across Europe have nominated second-rate, underwhelming personalities for the job. Out-of-work politicians, retired celebrities, and the odd media personality usually help round out the slates that each political party puts forth for a vote. The European Parliament, which sits in Strasbourg, France, is the only directly elected European Union institution. It shares power over the EU budget and legislation with the Council of the European Union. If you like the current divided Europe, you will love the chaotic one that could emerge by the end of the year. We already know that voters will elect a significant slate of euroskeptic representatives; the only question is the size of this contingent. All polls indicate that the skeptics could account for about a third of the Parliaments 750 deputies. Thats not just a symbolic threshold, but also the number above which a minority can block some major decisions. What matters for markets is the ability of the European Union to continue functioning as a rational decision-making entity about economic matters. The main risk with the future Parliament isnt the decisions it could make, but the ones it wont. If a coalition of the far-right and far-left manages to hinder legislative work, many reforms under discussion wont happen. Think of the efforts to build a serious capital-markets union in the EU, or to harmonize banking regulations in order to end the industrys current fragmentation. Its not just the European Parliament that risks paralysis in the next five years. Populist or illiberal governments are already in power in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Italy, and the Czech Republic, to name a few. Each will get to send to Brussels one commissioner as part of the 28-strong EU executive body known as the European Commission. The crucial role of the commission in implementing rules and legislation throughout Europe is likely to be slowed or hindered by constant political grandstandinghardly what the EU needs at the moment. Finally, the election will have an indirect impact on the choice of a new president for the European Central Bank. Mario Draghi, the current president, retires at the end of October after his eight-year term. In choosing his successor, euro zone leaders will have to balance their choice for Commission president: If a German national goes to Brussels, a German cant head the ECB in Frankfurt. This means that, depending on the outcome of next weeks election, the ECB could end up with a hawkish, dovish, or centrist banker at the helm. So much for the vaunted forward guidance on which central bankers like to base their actions. What investors are facing with the European Parliament election is the certainty of uncertainty. Old habits die hard but as Cherry Blossom, the shoe polish brand from British multinational consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser, is discovering, once they do disappear, it can be tough reinstating the ritual. In its latest campaign, the brand, is urging people to go back to what was once an everyday routine. And by doing so, the hundred-plus year old brand is looking to reclaim its position in consumers lives as a daily habit. Interestingly the campaign that addresses working class Indians, across geographies, is being released only on digital platforms at the moment. As ... The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is to meet coalition partners to discuss a new government, two party sources said on Monday, after exit polls predicted a clear general election victory for the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The talks will be on Tuesday afternoon at the BJP's headquarters in New Delhi and will be led by the party president, Amit Shah, one of the party sources said. The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorised to speak about the meeting. Nalin Kohli, a spokesman for the BJP, declined to comment. India's seven-phase general ... Like many global investors I am leery of big government. But I did not come to this view on Wall Street. It came to me growing up in India, watching lives ruined by the broken state, including the public hospital that hastened the death of my grandfather by assigning an untrained night aide to attempt his emergency heart surgery. As an idealistic 20-something in the late 1990s, my hope was that India would one day elect a free market reformer like Ronald Reagan, who would begin to shrink the dysfunctional bureaucracy and free the economy to grow faster. Looking back, I see how clueless ... As the showdown between Washington and Tehran escalates elsewhere in the Gulf, Iran is giving high priority to an effort to secure, control and reopen the al-Bukamal border crossing at Qaim, the only Syrian-Iraqi border crossing under Iranian control, to solidify its influence in the Levant and mitigate the impact of US sanctions. Al-Monitor reports in its article Will the Trump administration abort Irans land bridge to the Mediterranean? that it remains to be seen, however, whether Iran will pull off this move and how the Donald Trump administration might react. On April 23, two buses carrying Iraqi pilgrims visiting the Shrine of Sayyida Zeinab near Damascus passed through the al-Bukamal crossing for the first time since 2012, signaling it might soon open for business and travel. The city of al-Bukamal, also often referred to as Abu Kamal, is located on the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria. The crossing into Qaim, in Iraq's Anbar province, might open within six months, Iraqi border officials say. Al-Bukamals strategic location has long made the city a military attraction for foreign powers. In the 17th century, it was the seat of an Ottoman sanjak and in 1921 the seat of a large garrison when French troops occupied Deir ez-Zor. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the city became a crossing point for the Iraqi insurgency, which led in October 2008 to a US raid on al-Bukamal from across the Iraqi border. Today, it might potentially become the major gateway for Irans land bridge that links Tehran, Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut while securing Irans access to the Mediterranean Sea. In the short term, this land corridor is a crucial asset for an Iranian regime seeking to expand trade and lessen the impact of US sanctions on its economy. Opening the al-Bukamal crossing will allow Tehran to cut its aerial route expenses from Tehran to Damascus, complementing its use of the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport and the existing non-official border crossings that Iran runs in eastern Syria. The Syrian regimes efforts since last year to reopen this border crossing by engaging Baghdad have failed so far; these included most notably a letter in June 2018 from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem to his then Iraqi counterpart, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, asking to reopen al-Bukamal crossing, and most recently an April 10 visit by Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis to Iraq. However, al-Bukamal has been paramount for the Iranian game plan in Syria; hence, the role of Damascus is increasingly marginalized. There are three phases in the evolution of the Iranian control of al-Bukamal. The first phase began in November 2017 when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani reportedly oversaw the battle to take al-Bukamal from the Islamic State (IS); videos widely circulated on social media showed him visiting the area. Soon after the end of this battle, Moscow and Damascus moved their already overstretched forces to other fronts in the country but left behind militias affiliated with the Syrian regime. Al-Bukamal was subsequently dominated by unruly militias who reportedly clashed for influence and control of crossing fees, most notably on the flow of goods between the two banks of the Euphrates River. Those confrontations reached their peak in August 2018 with clashes between Syrian regime militias and Iranian-backed militias. A reconciliation committee began its work in September to defuse these tensions. The Iranian-backed militias included Lebanons Hezbollah, Iraqs Nujaba Movement and Kataeb Hezbollah, Afghanistans Fatimiyoun Brigade and Pakistans Zaynabiyoun Brigade, while the Syrian regime militia is the military security shield forces. The second phase, which began in October, was marked by Tehran gradually expanding its influence while managing tensions with Moscow. The Iranian regime was enforcing new demographics in the area and buying the loyalty of locals through services and cash payments. Meanwhile, Russia also deployed forces near the al-Bukamal crossing in October, three months after the Helsinki summit between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. While these Russian and Syrian regime forces had a symbolic role of serving as a disengagement force between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Iranian-backed militias on the two banks of the Euphrates River, it has also protected the expansion of Iranian influence in this border area. When the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in November, Tehran began to accelerate the pace of reopening the al-Bukamal crossing, which became a needed lifeline for its ailing economy. Since January, the Iranian regime has increased the rate of trade deals with Iraq and Syria, which seems part of a larger plan to connect its economy and security to these two countries through highways, railways and energy grids. On March 17, the Iraqi armys chief of staff, Othman al-Ghanemi, said during a joint press conference with his Iranian and Syrian colleagues in Damascus that the al-Bukamal crossing would open in the next few days. The next day, the Iranian army chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, traveled from Damascus to visit Iranian troops and their allies in al-Bukamal. The third phase began this month when Tehran took full control of al-Bukamal and began to impose order in the area. The Iranian regime reportedly withdrew the Nujaba Movement, Kataeb Hezbollah and Fatimiyoun Brigade from al-Bukamal into Iraq. Iran also reportedly ordered the dissolution of the Syrian regimes military security shield forces militia, led by Mohammed al-Zarzour, who was known to be looting goods and furniture from the area; this move reportedly renewed clashes between Iranian-backed militias and Syrian regime militias. But Tehrans influence remains uncontested in al-Bukamal. Earlier this month, Moscow withdrew its forces, including the Syrian regimes 5th armored division, and reportedly left one branch as a symbolic presence in al-Bukamal. While Russian military sources declined to confirm or deny these reports, it has been confirmed by local sources in al-Bukamal. This sudden withdrawal means Moscow most probably fears for the safety of these troops in the current environment between Washington and Tehran, while also seeking to avoid any clashes between the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed militias. Moscow basically left Iran to itself in the battle to reopen the al-Bukamal border crossing. There is indeed a lot at stake for Iran in al-Bukamal. The two other official Iraqi-Syrian border crossings in al-Tanf (held by Syrian rebels) and al-Yaarabiyah (held by the SDF) are under US influence. Moreover, the SDF is 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iranian-backed militias across the Euphrates River while Iraqi security forces and Hashd al-Shaabi are across the border in Qaim. How the United States might react remains a mystery. Media speculation that the SDF might launch an offensive on al-Bukamal are not realistic, most notably since the SDF is preoccupied with the Turkish threat at this moment and is not keen to clash with Iranian-backed militias. However, Israeli jets can alternatively strike if the Trump administration passes intelligence about a convoy carrying an arms shipment across the Iraqi-Syrian border. There are also indications that the Trump administration is pressuring the Iraqi government not to open a border crossing that will facilitate trade with the Iranian and Syrian regimes, both on the US sanctions list. As Washington and Tehran flex their muscles in the Middle East, the al-Bukamal test will be crucial for their rivalry. Betting on nascent US-Russian talks to resolve this issue might not be enough as Moscow might ultimately only offer to deter Iranian influence in southern Syria in return for US concessions. While the Trump administration might not be able to prevent the actual opening of this border crossing, it can use its influence on the Iraqi government to render the Qaim crossing dormant, as it did with the Jordanian governments Nassib border crossing with Syria. However, Amman does not have the entrenched, significant influence that Iran does in Baghdad. While publicly calling for the opening of the Qaim crossing with Syria, the Iraqi government will struggle to balance Iranian and US pressure to find a compromise on how to deal with a strategic border crossing. The Trump administration will have to soon decide whether it can live with a managed Iranian land bridge to the Mediterranean or decide at what cost it will be ready to abort it. Anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank AG recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving entities controlled by President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog, the New York Times reported on Sunday. The newspaper, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, said executives at the German-based bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. The Times said the ... Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said he is "1000 per cent confident" that TDP will win the elections in the state. "I am 1,000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I do not have even 0.1 per cent doubt. We are going to win," he told a press conference here. Simultaneous elections to the 175-member strong Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats across Andhra Pradesh were held on April 11. Counting of votes will begin on May 23. Reiterating his demand for counting of votes in 50 per cent of VVPATs, the TDP supremo said, "I have been fighting over this issue for the last ten years. VVPAT slips are the main issue for us. If we get a printout, we will believe. Now VVPATs will be counted in only five polling booths (per Assembly segment)." "The Election Commission is complicating the issue by saying that it will take six to seven days to count VVPATs. SY Qureshi (former Chief Election Commissioner) supported our arguments. Not only us, but even former EC officials are raising the matter," he said. Claiming that the EC is "losing its credibility", Naidu said that VVPAT slips should be counted first and verified properly. "There are many problems relating to the counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve them. There are many rumours including that printers may have been manipulated and control panels changed," he said. Naidu also said, "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi tried till the last minute to influence voters. That is not correct. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah is likely to host a dinner for NDA leaders on Tuesday. According to sources, Shah has invited the key leaders of Democratic Alliance and will be meeting them over dinner two nights before the day of counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections. the Union Council of Ministers is also expected to meet tomorrow, the sources said. Exit polls telecast after the culmination of polls on Sunday projected the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. While the BJP and its coalition partners have said that the exit polls are showing the complete picture, the Opposition parties have termed the exit polls as wrong. Elections for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha were held between April 11 and May 19. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With most of the exit polls predicting a majority for the NDA, former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hoping that the island nation would continue to have close cooperation with the BJP-led government. "As Indian polls close, congratulations are in order for @narendramodi and the BJP. I am sure the Maldives people and Govt will be delighted to continue their close cooperation with the PM and the BJP-led Govt," Nasheed wrote on his Twitter handle on Sunday. In November last year, Modi had visited the Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih after he surprisingly defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. During Solih's visit to India in December, New Delhi had announced financial assistance of USD 1.4 billion to Male. Nasheed's congratulatory message comes even as the counting of votes in the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will begin on May 23. Several exit polls on television channels have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Three exit polls including that of CNN News 18-IPSOS and India Today-Axis My India have predicted the NDA will retain power at the Centre with over 300 seats. In the 2014 general elections, the NDA got 341 seats of which BJP alone accounted for 282 seats. The UPA had 60 seats of which 44 were won by the Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five persons were arrested on Monday after the search of their vehicle by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Khajuwala, close to the Pakistan border, led to the seizure of over Rs 10 lakh, police said. They were later handed over by the BSF to the police which arrested them, Station House Officer (SHO) of Khajuwala police station Vikram Chauhan told ANI. He said that police were carrying out an investigation to find out the source and intended use of the money seized from the accused. "BSF officials came to us with the five accused and told us they had been detained in an area which comes under the Khajuwala police station. A search of their vehicle led to the seizure of more than Rs 10 lakh. We are trying to find out where the money came from and whether it was meant to be used for illegal activities," Chouhan said. Khajuwala in Bikaner district is just 23 kilometres away from the Pakistan border making it a sensitive area for cross-border smuggling and other illegal activities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aerospace major Boeing on Monday announced the launch of a programme for Indian university students, faculty and early stage start-ups to help innovators convert their ideas into viable offerings that have the potential to shape the future of aerospace and defence. Applicants can submit their ideas in the fields of aerospace, autonomous vehicles, advanced manufacturing, augmented and virtual reality, analytics (artificial intelligence and machine learning), materials, robotics and the Internet of Things. "Boeing is committed to nurturing innovation and skill development in India. We believe that a close partnership with India's academia and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem has the potential to reimagine the future of aerospace for the world," said Boeing India President Salil Gupte. "With Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme, we are creating a platform for students and entrepreneurs to not only benefit from our vast experience and partner networks, but also develop their ideas into path-breaking innovations," he said in a statement. Boeing has partnered with seven incubators: IIT Delhi, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore, T-Hub Hyderabad and KIIT Bhubaneshwar to select finalists for the BUILD boot camps. The shortlisted teams will compete at a regional level and the finalists will then pitch their ideas to a selection panel of subject-matter experts on Boeing Innovation Day, to be held in September. The winners stand a chance to win cash prizes. All through the programme, Boeing mentors and industry experts will interact with the finalists to refine ideas and develop their entrepreneurial skills. Over the years, Boeing has strategically invested in developing talent for the Indian aerospace sector. Boeing, through its programmes like HorizonX India Innovation Challenge and the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship, has made a significant impact in creating a skilled frontline workforce and empowered entrepreneurs in India, according to the statement. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 11 people were killed and one other sustained injury in a mass shooting incident at a bar in Brazil's northern state of Para on Sunday afternoon. The incident took place at 4 pm (local time), when seven armed gunmen entered a bar in the Guama neighbourhood of Belem city, and open fired, killing six woman and five men, reported New York Post. One alleged gunman was wounded and taken into the custody, but the others reportedly got away. The injured was taken to hospital under police protection. The motive behind the shooting is still unknown. Civil police's homicide division has opened an investigation into the incident, reported Xinhua. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democracies are at risk in the face of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, says Turkeys foreign minister. Unity, inclusiveness, dialogue and a comprehensive strategic vision are the only ways to overcome rising trends of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism across the globe, Turkeys foreign minister said. Anadolu Agency reports in its article Unity, dialogue key to overcoming hateful trends that Cavusoglu was speaking at the 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Helsinki, Finland. On April 21, terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lankas capital of Colombo left 250 people dead on Easter. At least 50 Muslim worshippers were massacred and as many injured when a white supremacist terrorist attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15. I share the [Council of Europe] secretary generals appeal to address increased inequality and to strengthen anti-discrimination and equality policies in Europe, including the fight against rising xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, hate speech and populism, said Cavusoglu. Our democracies are at risk in the face of these trends. Attacks against places of worship are becoming commonplace. We can only tackle these challenges with unity, inclusiveness, dialogue and a comprehensive strategic vision, he stressed. Cavusoglu thanked Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, for his presentation and final report, which Cavusoglu said will be remembered as his legacy. I also thank him for his sincere engagement and solidarity with Turkey during difficult times, he said. I support the secretary generals position on the need to avoid creating a new dividing line in Europe. The emphasis on equal rights and obligations of member states is the right approach to overcome the current impasse. Division and exclusion will only undermine what we have achieved in the last seven decades, Cavusoglu said. Institutional weaknesses should also be addressed, he said. Effective, objective and non-politicized use of the existing monitoring and advisory mechanisms is essential. Political approaches undermine their credibility. Better coordination between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly is welcome, without prejudice to each organs statutory mandate, he said. Cavusoglu also stressed the need to equip the Council with ample financial resources. Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command of the Indian Army on Monday lauded the air strike carried out by the Indian Army Force on a terrorist camp in Pakistan's Balakot earlier this year and told Pakistan to dare not try and come anywhere near the Line of Control (LoC) to carry out any actions. "The action by the Indian Air Force on the February 26 for carrying out air strikes on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was indeed laudable. It was a major achievement wherein our aircraft went deep into enemy territory and struck terror launchpads. Pakistanis carried out their air operations very close to the Line of Control on the following day. However they were given a befitting reply," Lieutenant General Singh told media here. "They dare not try and come anywhere across the Line of Control to carry out any kind of actions. Our deterrence, articulation of our military strategy has been absolutely clear. Should there be any misadventure by the Pakistan armed forces, they shall always be given a befitting reply. I wish to assure you, the Indian armed forces have the capability, the resolve and operational plans absolutely geared up to take on any challenge from Pakistan whenever it arises," he added. He further informed that Pakistan has continued its "anti-India" activities. "The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control. As far as we are concerned, we have a line of actual control with China where we have been able to ensure peace and tranquility... As regards the Line of Control with Pakistan is concerned, Pakistan has continued with its activities, which are mainly anti-India. Whether it is promoting cross border infiltration, ceasefire violations, drug trafficking, narcotics, circulation of fake Indian currency," he said. "All their actions are actually working towards ensuring that the proxy war by them against India is continuing. But, I must assure you that our efforts to thwart each of these actions by them are in place and Pakistan is not able to succeed in their designs," he added. As far as the hinterland is concerned, Lieutenant General Singh stated that security forces and the administration in the state should be credited for the "peaceful, fair and free (Lok Sabha) elections" held recently. "There weren't any cases of major violence during this period. While we have been able to ensure peaceful elections, we have continued with our effort towards neutralization of terrorists based on very hard specific intelligence that led to surgical operations. This year, we have been able to neutralize 86 terrorists so far and our operations for neautralising more of them continue in the same manner. There are nearly 20 of them we have been able to apprehend... A large number of youth have been able to come back and join the mainstream," he said. Further attacking Pakistan, he said that terrorist infrastructure continue to remain "intact in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and also in Pakistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Sub-Inspector with the Delhi Police was killed on Sunday night in Vivek Vihar's Kasturba Nagar area. According to the inspector's family, he lost his life after getting into a fight with miscreants. Sub-Inspector Rajkumar had gone for a walk after dinner when he had a fight with some goons, his family said. The deceased's family further added that the cause of the brawl was the permanent picket set up by police in the area where bootleggers reside. People present at the spot, however, said that the argument began over a video that the cop had made of the criminals. The accused has been arrested by the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman was injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at her house in Delhi's Jwalapuri area on Monday morning. At the time of the incident, the woman's husband and children were also present in the house. The injured woman was immediately taken to a nearby hospital and her treatment is underway. Police are investigating the matter and looking at the CCTVs installed in the area. More details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock who recently wrapped up shooting for his upcoming film 'Hobbs & Shaw' treated his fans with a beautiful picture from the rehearsals of his next flick 'Jungle Cruise'. The film which is in its final week of production captures the attention of the fans as Johnson can be seen sharing the frame with his co-actor Emily Blunt and director Jaume Collet-Serra The 'Baywatch' actor posted a monochrome picture and wrote. "Just wrapped Hobbs & Shaw and had to switch gears for rehearsals for DISNEY'S JUNGLE CRUISE with my brilliant co-star, Emily Blunt. Our visionary Spanish director, Jaume Collet-Serra leading our production with cool and edgy storytelling. And I'll continue to play my guitar in chords that don't exist and deliver my character's very bad, but oh so good PUNS that annoy the shit outta ol' toots here, Emily. Hard to express the fun we've all had on this epic adventure of a movie. Based off of the iconic Disney ride, JUNGLE CRUISE." [{a70afe4a-1e6e-4836-b71f-d64785b5b4c4:intradmin/the_rock_2.JPG}] In the picture, Rock can be seen sitting with a guitar and trying to concentrate on what is "visionary" Spanish director is trying to explain, while Emily also seems to grasp what the director is explaining. Johnson is working really hard as he has several films in his kitty and it seems that the year 2019 is a year of luck for the 47-year-old. Some time back the makers of Hobbs & Shaw released the second trailer from the film. Johnson shared the trailer on his Twitter handle and wrote, "Get that popcorn and tequila out again, cause we're back with our second WORLDWIDE Hobbs And Shaw trailer. The biggest and baddest showdown of the summer hits AUGUST 2nd. Until then, cheers & enjoy." The three minute, the thirty-seven-second trailer features Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs with Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw. Idris Elba is playing a criminal mastermind who is looking for a virus, which can erase half the population. Shaw's sister (Vanessa Kirby) stole the virus from Elba. The trailer also depicts the camaraderie between the two leads, Hobbs and Shaw. The trailer will take you through a lot of action, explosions and of course, cars. 'Hobbs and Shaw' is being helmed by David Leitch and written by Chris Morgan and will hurtle action around the globe from LA to London and from the toxic land of Chernobyl to the beauty of Samoa. The ninth film in the 'Fast and Furious' franchise is slated to hit the theatres on August 2. Also, Johnson who is very quick on sharing pictures from the sets of his film, recently posted the picture announcing the wrap up of his next film Jumanji 3 on his Instagram. The actor shared a picture with co-stars Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan on Instagram, captioning it as, "And off into the desert sunset our favourite video game avatars go." Jake Kasdan, who has co-written the film with Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinker, has directed it as well. The film will premiere on December 13. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Monday lashed out at the United States and said that "economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't end Iran." This comes as diplomatic tensions soar between the two countries, especially after Washington refused to extend sanction waivers to major Iranian oil importing countries along with listing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). "Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't "end Iran". #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect--it works!" Zarif tweeted. Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier and its battle group, along with a fleet of bombers in the Middle Eastern region, citing a threat from Iran, in light of the tensions. US President Donald Trump had recently said that it would be the "official end of Iran" if the country "wants to fight," according to Sputnik. Furthermore, Zarif was apparently referring to the repeated economic sanctions which have been thrust on Iran by Washington, ever since the United States pulled out of the landmark Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday rejected the predictions of exit polls and said that he will wait till May 23 for the "real results". "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results," Tharoor tweeted. In another tweet, Tharoor wrote, "Actually they CAN all be wrong, as Australia (a much smaller and less diverse country than India) showed us last weekend. But you're right that we are all better off waiting for the 23rd than wasting our time in empty debate about these imaginary numbers." Besides him, several other Opposition leaders have expressed disappointment over the exit polls."Every single exit poll can't be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd," tweeted Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu too on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. "Time and again Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. Exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An explosion was reported on Sunday near the Green Zone area here close to the US Embassy. No casualties have been reported so far, as per Sputnik. Iraqi authorities have not commented on the incident so far. However, the local media reported that the sound of the explosion was heard in an area close to the US embassy. Some media outlets have also reported that the explosion set off warning sirens. This comes days after the United States ordered its non-emergency government employees to leave Iraq immediately. The US State Department has also urged American citizens to abandon their visits to Iraq because of threats in the region linked to "terrorism, kidnapping and armed conflict". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Monday confirmed that the first surgical strike was carried out by India in September 2016. Citing an RTI reply by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Indian Army, Singh said that the first surgical strike by armed forces took place in September 2016, to avenge the Uri garrison attack, in which 19 soldiers were killed. "A few days ago, DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in September 2016. I don't want to go into what political parties say, they will be given an answer by the government. What I have told you is a statement of fact," Lt General Singh said at a press conference here. Singh was addressing a press conference here in which he was asked about Congress' claims of conducting six surgical strikes during the UPA regime. Congress leader Rajiv Shukla had earlier told reporters at the AICC briefing that six surgical strikes were conducted during Manmohan Singh government. Shukla had stated that two surgical strikes were carried out when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister--one on January 21, 2000, in Nadala Enclave across the Neelam River and second on September 18, 2003, in Baroh Sector in Poonch. Meanwhile at the press conference today, Lt General Singh said that airstrikes by the Indian Air Force on terrorist infrastructure in Balakot was a major achievement. He said that Indian aircraft went deep into enemy territory and launched preemptive strikes across terror launchpads in Pakistan. "Pakistanis carried out air operations the following day, however they were given a befitting reply," Singh said. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14 when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the CPRF convoy. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The European Union on Monday said that it "followed in disbelief" when an alleged corruption scandal involving the former Vice-Chancellor of Austria unfolded recently. "Indeed, we followed in disbelief as a leader of a political party was seen negotiating access to media and institutions in exchange for funds from external benefactors who clearly do not have Europeans' best interests at heart. We do not feel that comment from our side would be necessary," Sputnik quoted the Chief Spokesman for the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, as saying. On Friday, German news magazine Der Spiegel and the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily newspaper released a video shot in 2017 which showed the former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache allegedly offering government contracts in exchange for media coverage to a woman claiming to be a Russian investor, along with being the niece of an oligarch. The publications further reported that the woman offered to buy a 50 per cent stake in Austria's Kronen Zeitung newspaper, ensuring to support Strache's Freedom Party. The video has caused an uproar throughout the European country as elections were only a few months away when the conversation took place around two years ago. Strache stepped down from his post after the corruption allegations against him surfaced, but dismissed all accusations against himself as a "political attack". Snap polls will be held in Austria in the beginning of September, according to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who severely condemned the recent developments. "Austrians have the right to have a government they can trust, a government that is esteemed and respected in Europe and the entire We need to rebuild this trust, and this rebuilding is only possible with fresh elections," he stated. Meanwhile, other members of the European Union have also denounced the alleged corruption scandal. "(The scandal) is doing lots of harm...This is harm that has been done to the entire political culture," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told German publication Bild on Monday. He added that the video reinforced several misconceptions regarding (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hacktivism or the subversive use of internet-connected devices and networks to promote political or social agenda is witnessing a sharp decline since 2015. The 'IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2019' highlights that between 2015 and 2018 public hacktivist attacks have dropped nearly 95 per cent. Most notably, notorious hacktivist group anonymous and groups associated with it perpetrated fewer attacks, Security Intelligence reports. However, looking at the hacktivism incidents in 2019, it is expected that this year may see an uptick in attacks. The threat intelligence report further observes a rise in vulnerability reporting, crypto jacking attacks and attacks on critical infrastructure organizations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation led by Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan will travel to Kazakhstan on May 27-29 and Turkmenistan on May 29-June 1, the Armenian Cabinet press service reported. In Nur-Sultan, the Armenian delegation will participate in the meeting of the Eurasian Economic Commission Council and the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and Eurasian Development Bank. Armenian delegates will also take part in the meeting of the Inter-governmental Council of CIS which will be held in Turkmenistan, News.am reported. Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Monday refused to comment on Vivek Oberoi's tweet against Aishwarya Bachchan, saying that he had many more other jobs to do than commenting on his meme. "Don't I have any other job than commenting on Vivek Oberoi. This is an auspicious occasion. There is an Iftaar party going on here. I don't want to talk about negative things here," Sinha told reporters. He is seeking re-election from Patna Sahib constituency. Earlier in the day, Oberoi said he doesn't see anything offensive in his tweet featuring Aishwarya Bachchan, her daughter, Abhishek Bachchan, and Salman Khan along with him, and will not apologise since he has not done anything "wrong." "Those who are in the meme have no objection while scores of politicians are trying to politicise the issue. They don't work on issues but start their politics on such non-issues. There is a 'Didi' in West Bengal who puts people behind jail for a meme. Now, these people are demanding to put Vivek Oberoi behind bars. They were unable to stop my film and hence are now are trying to put me behind bars," Oberoi told ANI. Refusing to tender his apologies, Oberoi said: "People are asking me to apologise. I have no problem with apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done. If I have done something wrong, I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it." Earlier today Oberoi had tweeted a collage of three images featuring self, Aishwarya, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya's seven-year-old daughter Aaradhya. The post referred to Salman and Aishwarya's relationship as the 'opinion poll', Vivek and Aishwarya's affair as the 'exit poll' and her current family with husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya as the 'final result.' "Is there anything wrong in it? Is there some abuse in it? Is there any obscene picture in it? It is just a creative meme made at the time of elections. I saw it and laughed. I have no problem in saying sorry as I am an expert in saying sorry. But, please, tell me what wrong have I said," Oberoi said. "I am waiting for the notice from Maharashtra's Women Commission and the NCW. I would also like to meet them and give an explanation because I don't think I have done something wrong," he said. "I don't know why people are making a huge issue out of it? Someone had sent me a meme which made fun of me. I laughed at it. I appreciated the person for his creativity. If someone mocks you, you should not take it seriously," Oberoi said. Sonam Kapoor was the first celebrity to slam Oberoi for the meme, calling it, "disgusting and classless." Director Madhur Bhandarkar also tweeted, "Dear @vivekoberoi, never expected such tweet from u. The trolls may go to any extent and make memes but u as a responsible celebrity should be careful of hurting anyone's dignity. Would request u to apologize and delete the tweet..."Talking about Sonam Kapoor's tweet, he said: "I personally feel that she should less overact in her films and should not overreact on social media." "Sometimes people do such things to look cool. I want to ask Sonam how much she has worked on women empowerment," he said The Commission for Women (NCW) has issued a notice to actor Oberoi demanding explanation over his tweet on the exit polls. Rekha Sharma, NCW chairperson, said "We would like him (Vivek Oberoi) to apologise on social media and personally also to the person concerned. If he doesn't do so, we will see what legal action we can take against him. We will be talking to Twitter to remove that tweet immediately." Vijaya Rahatkar, Chief of Maharashtra State Commission for Women, said: "We have taken cognizance of actor Vivek Oberoi's tweet on exit polls and notice is being issued to him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After stealing hearts with her stunning outfit at the Cannes red carpet, Hina Khan had a "fangirl" moment when she posted selfies with Priyanka Chopra Jonas calling her "a walking inspiration". The 31-year-old who made a debut at the red carpet was invited for the after party by Priyanka Chopra. By posting pictures, Hina was all praises for PeeCee as she expressed her gratitude towards the 'Desi Girl' in a long note on her Instagram. "An unexpected invitation by a world star.. personally, after I gained consciousness and prepared myself to finally make it, I was still an outsider but only until you arrived. You didn't need to, but still never left my hand for a second, introduced me to the people I probably wouldn't have met and I felt as if all the achievements of my little career happening in fast forward as you present me as a star to each one of them. You somehow know everything ..as you mentioned my debut film and praised me for my hard work and appreciated me for the risks I have taken in my choices. Yes, I have taken risks and I am still taking them, whatever I almost have everything in my television career ..position, power, money everything. But someone has to start somewhere I believe. I always wanted to break the stereotypes and prove it to the world that television actors have it all.," Hina wrote. "Give us the opportunity our fair share and we will kill it.Not easy at all I know.. But ya I will keep trying keep working hard and make it possible.. I REPEAT TELEVISION HAS IT ALL.. Talent, Glamour, Elegance, Beauty, Grace, Right attitude, and Professionalism. I am taking baby steps, And I will keep doing that no matter how much criticism one has to face and I will make my own place I promise.. we will face it and win over it as long as we are together. Heartfelt Gratitude to each one of you for standing by me WE HAVE IT ALL GUYS... With my first debut film called LINES, I am trying hard very hard to erase the lines created between talents and mediums," she added. Praising PeeCee and calling her "a walking inspiration", she wrote, "And coming back to Priyanka Chopra your inclusiveness surpasses my ability of comprehension. Your deliberate attempt to lift up people around you not for their backgrounds but their talent is one of a kind. You are a walking inspiration! When a human being is a personification of an idea of self-belief, Grace, humility, substance and greatness, that person can only be you, Priyanka Chopra. You are already the best version of my dream self in the future I want and I believe thousands of others like me do too. This is the Priyanka Chopra who believes in lifting others and growing together, you are a sweetheart." In the pictures the 'Bigg Boss' finalist was spotted sharing a close bond with PeeCee and the beautiful note written by Hina will surely melt hearts. In the first picture, the 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay' actor can be seen wearing a black top with work on the shoulders while Priyanka is looking ravishing in red and black outfit. In one of the pictures, fans can also spot Nick Jonas, who also seemed to share a good rapo with Hina. The diva made a spectacular entry at the red carpet where she had heads turn with her grey gorgeous grey heavily embellished and stonework gown with a plunging neckline, long trail and dramatic sleeves by designer Ziad Nakad. She accessorized her outfit with simple diamond studs. It was a proud moment for the actor who is all set to make her first debut in Bollywood with the movie 'Lines'. The poster of the film was unveiled at the mega event. Giving her fans a glimpse about her character "Nazia" in the film, Hina shared the first look of the poster on Instagram and wrote, "Emotions don't change because of the borders in between, the life and plight of Nazia is a simple portrayal of any girl who faces the magnitude of ordinary challenges in a not so ordinary story. #Lines is my debut in films. I hope you all love it as much as we loved it. This is the first look launched at Cannes and an official poster which depicts more than a poster can!" The film is helmed by Hussain Khan, written by Kunwar Shakti Singh and Rahat Kazmi. 'Lines' have been produced by Rahat Kazmi, Tariq Khan, Zeba Sajid and has been co-produced by Jayant Jaiswal's Hiro Faar Better films. The film also stars Farida Jalaal and Rishi Bhutani (who is essaying the role of a Pakistani guy), who eventually falls for Hina (who is essaying the role of an Indian Muslim girl). Meanwhile, on the work front, Hina recently played the role of antagonist Kamolika in another television show 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena on Monday took a dig at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and mocked his efforts to form a non-BJP government at the Centre. The TDP chief's deliberations are part of his efforts to unite non-NDA parties and bring them together on one platform. "There are at least five contenders for the Prime Minister's post in Opposition. There are more chances of their disillusionment (mohbhang). Who will form the government? This question has already been answered. Amit Shah said that BJP will win 300 seats and the party reached that target in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections only," Shiv Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "Why Chandrababu Naidu is exhausting himself without any reason? Hope his current excitement last till May 23. We wish him luck for the same," the party added. TDP chief Naidu in the past week undertook a hectic round of discussions with parties opposed to BJP when he met leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Mahagathbandhan leaders -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati. Naidu is on a mission of rallying opposition parties in a bid to keep the BJP out of power, in case its numbers fall short of majority considerably. Naidu also met CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy and Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav. Notably, BSP chief Mayawati was too expected to meet with Congress' top rung, however with exit polls giving a clear verdict in favour of the BJP and Prime Minister Narnedra Modi's leadership, Opposition leaders may change their plans and prefer to wait for the results on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday faced intense social media backlash, including by fellow actors who called him out for posting a "disgusting" distasteful Twitter meme, which likened the exit poll results to his past relationship with actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The actor has now been issued a notice by Commission of Women (NCW). The women's commission said it will also approach Twitter to take down the offensive tweet. Rekha Sharma, NCW chairperson said: "We would like him (Vivek Oberoi) to apologise on social media and personally also to the person concerned. If he doesn't do, we will see what legal action we can take against him. We will be talking to Twitter to remove that tweet immediately. Earlier Sharma had posted on her social media handle: "This tweet is absolutely Disgusting, distasteful, and degrading women. @NCWIndia will be serving notice to @vivekoberoi." Earlier today, Vivek posted a collage of three images featuring himself, Aishwarya, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya's seven-year-old daughter Aaradhya. [{d37437eb-a414-4460-8b55-e3120091e674:intradmin/vivektweet_May20.JPG}] The post referred to Salman and Aishwarya's relationship as the 'opinion poll', Vivek and Aishwarya's affair as the 'exit poll' and her current family with husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya as the 'final result.' Reacting to his tweet, Vijaya Rahatkar, chief of Maharashtra State Commission of Women told ANI that the commission has taken cognizance of actor Vivek Oberoi's tweet on exit polls and a "notice is being issued to him." While the actor might have posted the tweet assuming it to be funny, Twitterverse did not share his feeling and there was an explosion of outrage targeted at him. Fellow actor Sonam Kapoor lashed out at Oberoi terming him "disgusting and classless." "This is in such poor taste.. ones personal life is not to be discussed here.. remember there are 4 individuals who are father/ mother/ brother /sister .. and everyone has moved on .. shame," a user commented on the post. Comparing the way Salman addresses Aishwarya in public with Vivek's tweet, a user wrote, "One there is Salman Khan who doesn't event take Aishwarya's name without her full name (i.e. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and then there is Vivek Oberoi who is so shameless that he is not only sharing such a disrespectful meme but also dragging a minor into this. Shame on you." "Extremely absurd of you to tweet this!! Disappointing!," wrote another. Another user wrote, "You tweeting this pic is a sign that Aishwarya made a sensible decision." "This is disgusting...She has a daughter now and is living a happily married life. A fan of vivek oberoi but this is disgusting," another user commented. Calling the tweet disgusting and disappointing many asked the actor to take the tweet down and apologise. Vivek is currently awaiting the release of his film, 'PM Narendra Modi', a biopic on the life of India's Prime Minister. After many delays, the biopic is finally set to release on May 24. Calling the tweet disgusting and disappointing many asked the actor to take the tweet down and apologise. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy hit out at media organisations for "belittling" politicians on their satirical programmes, saying he was thinking of bringing a law to curb the practice. "Whom are you (media) trying to help by misusing our name. I am thinking of bringing in a law. What have you thought of us politicians? Do you think we're jobless? You are belittling us. Do we look like cartoon characters to you? Who gave you the authority to show everything humorously?" Kumaraswamy said at a book launch here on Sunday. Accusing BJP of hatching a conspiracy to dislodge the Congress-JDS coalition government in the state, the Chief Minister said that his government will not fall "easily." "This government will not go that easily. I heard that after election results are out on May 23, some BJP leaders said they will be ready for another election in the state. These people have been waiting for a month now to do so. But let me tell you that this government is not going to fall that easily," Kumaraswamy said. Both Congress and JDS are in an uneasy coalition with differences within coming out in open often. Earlier this month, BJP leader S Dattari had alleged that while Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is only concerned about the chief ministerial post, and Kumaraswamy is busy visiting temples to pray for his son Nikhil Gowda's victory in the Lok Sabha elections. "There is utter chaos in Karnataka. There is no governance as Siddaramaiah wants to become the chief minister of the state. Two Congress leaders have also supported him in this. On the other hand, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is on a temple run praying for his son's electoral victory," he had told ANI on May 9. "Nobody is concerned about the farmers and the people of the state," he had added. Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha seats, went to polls in two phases on April 18 and April 23. 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 Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday set the disqualification petition against Prime Minister Imran Khan for hearing next week. The petition had been filed by the Lawyers Foundation for Justice in November 2018, Dawn reports. LHC judge Justice Shahid Waheed heard a civil miscellaneous petition today requesting an early hearing of the disqualification petition against Khan. The petition had asserted that the matter was an important one and should be set for early hearing. It said that Khan had instigated people to take part in civil disobedience during the 2014 sit-in over claims of systematic election-rigging by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) in the 2013 general election. He had also persuaded people not to pay their taxes or send money from abroad, the petition stated. The petition stated that the now-prime minister had taken steps against the country's integrity and had tried to ruin Pakistan's political system. At the same time, the petition argued that Khan is ineligible to be a member of Parliament as under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution, and requested that action be taken against him under Section 124A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code. In December 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had rejected PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi's petition for Khan's disqualification and had disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen for being "dishonest" in misdeclaration of assets case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pune Rural Police has arrested three people for smuggling leopard cubs. Police have recovered two leopard cubs of four months from the three accused persons. According to the information, during the checking of regular vehicles at 11 am, the police suspected the driver in an Innova and after checking, the two leopard cubs were recovered. The accused are named Munna Sayyed, Irfan Shaikh, and Ayyaz Pathan. Further investigation in the matter is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday passed a resolution to give all rights to president Rahul Gandhi to announce a new Congress legislative party (CLP) leader in the state Assembly. In the meeting of the Congress legislative party, Congress MLC Vijay Vadettiwar proposed that all rights of appointing new CLP should be given to president Rahul Gandhi. The proposal was seconded by legislators Naseem Khan and Yashomati Thakur to be accepted unanimously by the CLP. Senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had resigned from the post of Leader of Opposition last month after his son Sujay Vikhe Patil had contested Lok Sabha elections on BJP ticket from Ahmednagar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Monday signed an ordinance to provide quota under Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Reservation Act, 2018 to candidates seeking admission to post-graduate medical and dental courses. The ordinance will give reservation to students in admissions to educational courses including under-graduate courses requiring the passing of the NEET or any other Entrance Test. Apart from the reservation in medical admission, the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2019 will also pave the way for reservation in appointments in public services and posts in the state. Maharashtra Cabinet on Friday announced that it had sent the ordinance to the Governor for his approval. The Cabinet had also decided to reimburse the fees to the affected students from the general category. The Cabinet decision came after the Nagpur bench, earlier this month, stated 16 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community by the state government under the SEBC quota, popularly known as Maratha reservation, will not be applicable to admissions to the post-graduate medical and dental courses this year. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court earlier in the day dismissed a petition challenging the Nagpur bench order. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coming down heavily on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over poll-related violence in the state, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Monday dubbed TMC supremo as "Mamata dadagiri." "Mamata Banerjee doesn't trust people of West Bengal. During polls, she attacked our workers and did not allow people to vote. She is no longer Mamata didi. She is now Mamata dadagiri," Tiwari told ANI. Alleging that Banerjee "ruined" West Bengal's culture, the actor-turned-politician exuded confidence that BJP will win more than 20 seats in the state. "In the exit polls, we saw 17. I believe that we can win over 20 seats. The days of Mamata Banerjee government is being numbered. If she cannot trust the people, then how can she trust exit polls," Tiwari said. Several exit polls on television channels have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The Opposition, however, has rejected the exit polls and questioned their authenticity. Tiwari, who is BJP's candidate from North East Delhi parliamentary constituency, said that his party will win all seven seats and there is "no vacancy for any other party in Delhi." He said that NDA will form the government with an outright majority and Narendra Modi will take oath as the Prime Minister again. With the seven-phased elections coming to an end yesterday, all eyes are on the counting of votes for 542 Lok Sabha constituencies on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Belarus may resume oil transit from Russia towards Poland at midnight on Monday, the press secretary of Belarus state energy group Belneftekhim, Marina Kostuchenko, said. A spokesman said the group expects to resume oil transit towards Ukraine later in the day and is waiting for Ukrainian oil company UkrTransNafta to confirm that plan, Reuters reported. Former Union Minister MJ Akbar further cross-examined on Monday by the senior advocate Rebecca John, the counsel of journalist Priya Ramani in connection with a defamation case filed by him against Ramani in a sexual harassment case. Rebecca asked several questions regarding an alleged meeting in a hotel room, The Vogue article written by Priya Ramani, tweets and allegations made by other female journalists against MJ Akbar in today's cross-examination. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Samar Vishal presided over the proceedings of the court on Monday before adjourning the matter to July 6. Akbar during cross-examination denied meeting with Priya Ramani in a hotel room. Akbar said, "It is incorrect to suggest that I called Priya Ramani to come to my room. It is wrong to suggest that she was hesitant or that I insisted. It is correct that in December 1993 I was 42 years old and Priya Ramani was 23 years old. I do not know whether it was the first job interview by Priya Ramani after her graduation." Akbar then went on to add, "I am not sure whether Priya Ramani was offered a job in Asian Age newspaper in January 1994 in Delhi Office. As it is a 25 years old matter and to the best of my knowledge, she was working in Bombay office." Ramani had on April 10 pleaded not guilty before the court and claimed trial after the court framed defamation charges against her on a criminal complaint of Akbar. In one of the past hearings, the ACMM had also granted a permanent exemption to Ramani from personal appearance in the hearings to follow. In February, Ramani was granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000. Ramani was the first woman to accuse Akbar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo campaign. Akbar had filed a defamation case against the journalist for accusing him of sexual misconduct. The allegations levelled against him forced him to resign from the Union Cabinet on October 17, 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday clarified that their supremo Mayawati will not be holding any meetings with the leaders of Opposition in the capital today. The statement from the BSP came after reports of Mayawati holding meetings with opposition parties came to fore. Speaking to ANI, Senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said, "Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow." Several media outlets were reporting that Mayawati is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi here, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election result on May 23. Earlier on Saturday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu met Mayawati in Lucknow. After the culmination of polls on Sunday, several exit polls on television channels have projected the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With opposition parties citing the example of Australia federal elections in which exit polls predictions went wrong, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Monday mocked his rivals saying they were daydreaming. He asserted that such a situation will not arise in India and said that BJP will win a bigger mandate than what exit polls are showing. "The Opposition can keep on dreaming day and night till May 23. By 12 pm on that day, their dream will not come true. We will wait for the exact results. But, I am confident that we will get a bigger mandate than what exit polls are showing," Madhav told ANI. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's centre-right Liberal- Coalition won the May 18 federal elections, in contrast to exit polls, which had projected a victory for the Opposition centre-left Labour Party. While the Coalition gained 77 seats and secured a majority, Labour finished a close second with 69 seats. Asked on Congress' seats not touching triple-digit figures as per exit polls, Madhav said it was a well-known fact as the people of the country wanted a stable and a development-oriented government. "This was well-known before that Congress will not be touching three-digit figures. People want a stable, forward-looking and a development-focussed government," he said. Taking a jibe at Opposition meetings and their comments on EVMs and electoral process, Madhav said that the mahagathbandhan could not stitch an alliance before the polls and hence, they "miserably failed." "They tried their best to stitch a mahagathbandhan before the polls and they miserably failed. They could not even stitch a proper alliance even in one state. This big talk of mahagathbandhan has simply collapsed," the BJP leader added. Madhav further said, "They are again making a futile exercise to stitch together an alliance in post poll. They do not seem to have a consensus on that. First, they say they will meet on 21st, but postponed it to 22nd and now they are saying we will wait for the results. Let us see what happens. None of these will work at all." In response to Indian general elections becoming a presidential-type, Madhav underlined that a leader always matters in polls. "A leader always matters in an election--be it Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We are fortunate to have a good leader like Prime Minister Modi. He stands out as a very different and popular politician as compared to any other leader in the country. Along with this is the five-year governance of the Prime Minister," the BJP leader said. Asserting that the two criteria were a "great advantage" for BJP, Madhav exuded confidence that the party would get a definite mandate as there is a wave in favour of Modi. He said that the "biggest story" in this year's Lok Sabha elections will come from Odisha, West Bengal and North-East. Highlighting the party's prospects in southern India, Madhav said, "We will certainly do better than the last election in all the states. We will be picking up seats in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In Karnataka, I am fully confident that we will secure more seats than before. We are hopeful of getting anything above 20 seats. We got 17 last time." With the seven-phased elections coming to an end yesterday, all eyes are on the counting of votes for 542 Lok Sabha constituencies on May 23. Several exit polls on television channels have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The Opposition, however, has rejected the exit polls and questioned their authenticity. In the 2014 general elections, the NDA got 341 seats of which BJP alone accounted for 282 seats. The UPA had 60 seats of which 44 were won by the Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With exit polls predicting a comfortable victory for the BJP-led NDA, opposition parties on Monday rejected the projections calling it "erroneous" and an attempt to create a fake "Modi wave". The leaders asserted that Exit Polls will prove wrong and results would be contrary to what they claim, raising doubts on the accuracy and reliability of Exit Polls. However BJP and allies welcomed the projections and mocked the rivals stating that they were "daydreaming" of the election results. DMK president MK Stalin, whose party has been projected to do well in the Lok Sabha elections as well as the 22 Assembly by elections in Tamil Nadu, said that his party was not bothered about the Exit Poll results and did not accept them. He is waiting for the "actual verdict" on May 23, the day when the results will be announced. "We don't accept exit polls. People's verdict will be known in three days. We are waiting and we are not bothered about exit poll results be it positive or negative," said Stalin. Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy alleged that "artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave" by the Exit Polls is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. "Exit polls are being used to create an impression that there is still a Modi wave in the country. This artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23," tweeted HD Kumaraswamy. In his subsequent tweet, Kumaraswamy said, "The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create a false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not an exact poll." Earlier he had said: "Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over the credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballot paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud." The Karnataka leader said worldwide even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballots. "The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party," he said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Exit polls "have gone wrong" in the past and expressed confidence that CPI(M) will register a big win in Kerala. "We are getting close to the result date. Let's not speculate on the numbers. Many Exit polls have gone wrong in the past. In 2004, many polls projected a second term for NDA but when the result for came it was a different story. So now let's not speculate, we can wait till 23rd. There is no concern about our performance in Kerala. We are going to win big," said Vijayan. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he is "1000 per cent confident" that TDP will win the elections in the state. "I am 1,000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I do not have even 0.1 per cent doubt. We are going to win," he told a press conference here. Naidu on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. "Time and again Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. Simultaneous elections to the 175-member strong Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats across Andhra Pradesh were held on April 11. Counting of votes will begin on May 23. Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha claimed that the Exit Polls is a means to divert attention and BJP's defeat is imminent. "This is to divert attention. They have not given any sample size and the agencies which have done surveys. They have started a new game to divert attention and timepass because their defeat is imminent," said Sinha who is seeking re-election from Patna Sahib constituency. "Most of the channels on which exit polls have been shown are famous for 'Raag Darbari'. They sing a song for the government from the beginning. They have no credibility", said Sinha. "The exit polls (showing BJP win) has been carried out intentionally so that people will not think that there is some problem in EVM. This can be to boost the stock market. I see no reality in this," he said. SP leader Azam Khan took jibe and said that Exit Polls can even give more than 600 seats to BJP. "What difference does it make if they show more than 600 seats to BJP. People are afraid that if those who are incumbent if returns to power what will happen. This is a blot on democracy," said Azam Khan. On the other hand, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expressed confidence on the Exit Polls asserting that when multiple Exit Polls convey the same message, the direction of the results would be in consonance with the message. "Many of us may continue to squabble over correctness and accuracy of the Exit Polls. The hard reality is that when multiple Exit Polls convey the same message, the direction of the result broadly would be in consonance with the message. Exit Polls are based on personal interviews. The EVMs have no role. If the results of the Exit Polls and final results on May 23, 2019 are in the same direction, the Opposition's fake issue of the EVMs would also lose its non-existent rationale," wrote Jaitley in his blog. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said: "The Opposition can keep on dreaming day and night till May 23. By 12 pm on that day, their dream will not come true. We will wait for the exact results. But, I am confident that we will get a bigger mandate than what exit polls are showing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba made a farewell call on President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday, the Rashtrapati Bhawan said. Lanba will retire from the post of Chief of Naval staff on May 31 after a three-year tenure. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been appointed as the next Navy chief. His appointment was mired with controversy after senior most naval commander Vice Admiral Bimal Verma challenged it in the Armed Forces Tribunal over the government's decision to overlook the former. The Defence Ministry, earlier, had rejected the plea of Vice Admiral Verma Admiral Karambir Singh's appointment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amidst controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the current elections, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday praised the role of the poll panel right from the first Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sukumar Sen to the present Commissioners but favoured a different method of choosing the Commissioners. Mukherjee, who was speaking at a book launch function here, said: "There is some doubt about the functioning of the Election Commission during these elections. There should be a different method of choosing the members of the Commission. There may be some viewpoints." "Sukumar Sen was appointed by the executive. All the Election Commissioners have been appointed by the executives till date. All the judges of the higher judiciary are appointed by the Prime Minister and Law Minister. Till 1991, they were appointed with the consultation of the Chief Justice of Supreme Court. Now the judgment of the Supreme Court has been changed that it will be done by the collegium in consultation with the Prime Minister and Cabinet...," he said. Speaking further, he said: "I don't think we have tried to make some improvement by having a different mode by a committee consisting of Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the representation of higher judiciary in some appointment to sensitive posts. To what extent we can be able to improve the quality of the functioning by changing the mode of the appointment." "If we want to strengthen institutions, we have to keep in mind institutions, which are serving well in the country. If democracy has succeeded, it has succeeded largely due to perfect conduct of elections by the Election Commissioner started from Sukumar Sen in 1951 to the present EC Commissioners," he said. The former President further said that Indian electorates have never lost confidence in elections. "In 1952, for the first time, the adult franchise was exercised in this country. It was done successfully by civil servant Sukumar Sen. We started this journey in 1952. Indian electorates have never lost confidence in elections where all are willing participants," he said. "Extremists call for boycott polls but people respond with voting in large numbers. In the ongoing elections, 67.3 per cent participation was witnessed," he said. The opposition parties have attacked the Election Commission, accusing it of working at the behest of the Central government and surrendering its autonomy during the just concluded Lok Sabha polls. They have also criticised the poll panel for giving a number of clean chits to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). One of the Election Commissioners, Ashok Lavasa even boycotted the full commission meetings protesting against the non-recording of his dissent on the clean chits to Modi and Shah. There have been demands for making a collegium to select the Election Commissioners instead of the government appointing them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three people drowned in the backwaters of Jadhavwadi dam here on Sunday afternoon, while three others were rescued by a team of Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The group (two families) from Mumbai had gone to the dam for a picnic. The NDRF team was undergoing a training session nearby when the incident happened. The three who drowned were rushed to a hospital where doctors declared them brought dead. A case has been registered and an investigation has been initiated into the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) on Monday urged the government to publicly release the report on the 2015 Madhesh movement. The demand was made by RJP-N lawmaker Chanda Chaudhary during the Parliament session on Monday. The document was prepared under the leadership of former Justice Girish Chandra Lal. "We have lodged protest several times and the government has not responded to our demands until now. Despite the House Speaker's ruling, the Lal Commission report has not been made public yet...what is the reason behind it or secret for keeping it within, the government should make it clear to us," Chanda Chaudhary, a lawmaker from the party demanded. The party has been asking for the report to be released publicly for a while now. Even though Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had assured of the report's publication in a previous address, no such action has been taken yet. The government which was formed after the political change of 2006 has never made any reports made by various commissions public. However, responding to the issue raised by disgruntled Madhesh-based party lawmakers, Nepal's House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara claimed that the government has taken note of it. "I am sure that the government has taken note of the issue. They will soon give a proper answer to it," Mahara said. The report's public release has been a long-held RJP-N demand. The findings were submitted to the Nepal government in December 2017. The probe committee was formed to investigate the incidents of killing, violence, destruction of properties, and arson during Madhesh agitation in 2015. The final report submitted to the government had 709 pages. The commission's tenure was extended thrice after it faced difficulties in starting the probe. Over 3,000 complaints were studied by the commission while putting the report together. The Southern Plains of Nepal witnessed bloodshed and widespread protests with reports of human rights abuse, including the destruction of property worth millions during the 2015 agitations. The incident occurred after Nepal's constitution was promulgated around four years ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An RTI activist was killed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area after three unidentified assailants attacked him on Monday morning. The deceased is identified as Sanjay Dubey and the assailants used some sharp weapon to attack the activist, said police. "The incident took place at about 11.30 am when Sanjay Dubey was attacked behind Sarvodaya Hospital at Andheri-Ghatkopar link road by three people," said Akhilesh Kumar Singh, DCP. "He was grievously injured and died while on his way to the hospital. We are suspecting the involvement of some persons and are investigating the matter," Singh said. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia-backed Syrian government forces have unilaterally ceased fire in the northwestern Idlib province, the last major rebel-held territory, Moscow's defence ministry said on Sunday. The defence ministry's Centre for Reconciliation of the Warring Sides in Syria said government forces had ceased fire as of midnight. It described the move as unilateral, but did not give any further details, reported Al Jazeera. However, opposition activists have claimed that shelling and air attacks continued on Sunday. Fighting erupted in northwestern Syria last month breaking a truce brokered by Russia and Turkey in 2018. The Syrian government has been accused of attacking civilians in Idlib. United Nations has also warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is trying to regain control over the last province in the rebel-held Idlib province. The multi-sided armed conflict in Syria has been raging since 2011, with Russia, Turkey and Iran being the guarantors of the ceasefire regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling stations closed at 8 p.m. at 410 polling stations in Georgia where voters cast ballots for a member of parliament, five mayors and members of eight city councils (Sakrebulo) across the country. By-elections were held today in the Mtatsminda district of Tbilisi to elect an MP; in 5 municipalities: Marneuli, Zestaponi, Chiatura, Zugdidi and Khulo to elect mayors; in 8 municipalities: Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Adigeni, Zestaponi, Chiatura, Tkibuli, Tskaltubi and Ozurgeti to elect members of Sakrebulo. Votes are counted electronically at eight polling stations of Tkibuli and Tskaltubo, Agenda.ge reported. Municipal elections were held in Georgia in October 2017, while parliamentary elections were held in October 2016. Russia Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Sunday assured that Moscow will spare no effort to help Russian national Maria Butina, who is lodged in a US prison. Zakharova's statement came after Butina in a video addressed from Oklahoma's Grady County Jail on Saturday asked for financial assistance to pay for the services of her attorneys, TASS agency reports. "You know, we don't finance attorneys but we will do our best to see to it. And, naturally, once she has shared her problem we will try to do all we can to help her," the spokeswoman said in an interview with a Russian televised network, Rossia-1. Butina's father, Valery Butin had earlier told TASS that the family needed money to pay to her lawyers. He said the family had run out of money and her lawyers were working for nothing. Maria Butina, 30, a graduate student from American University in Washington, was arrested on July 15 last year, ahead of the Helsinki summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump. Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, was faced with charges of conspiracy for conducting activities in the interests of a foreign state. Investigators claim that she was engaged in these activities without registering as a foreign agent at the US Department of Justice. On December 13, Butina pled guilty to one of the charges on collision aimed at the violation of the laws on foreign agents in the US. She had earlier signed a plea deal with the prosecutors. The court accepted the confession and appointed the next hearings on February 12. However, the date of the sentencing was not announced at the request of a representative of the US Attorney's Office who said that Butina was cooperating with the investigation and this process may take some time. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday asserted that Sabarimala issue did not affect polls in Kerala. He in a veiled attack on the BJP said that it was the latter party which created trouble in the state. Addressing media persons, he said, "We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue did not affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there." Asserting that those who created trouble during Sabarimala row are facing in-fighting now, Vijayan said, "Now there is in-fight within those people. Some among them have said that a group of people intervened with the intention of creating trouble there." The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests since October last year over the Supreme Court's decision to quash restrictions on the entry of women between 10 and 50 years. Nearly four months after the apex court permitted women of all ages to enter the temple on September 28 last year, two women aged below 50 years entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer prayers. Violent protests broke out all across the state, while a purification process took place in the temple following the entry of these two women -- Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga. In March, this year BJP's Kozhikode Lok Sabha candidate Prakash Babu was also remanded to judicial custody on Thursday for 14 days in a case related to violence at Sabarimala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Singapore-bound Scoot Airways flight made an emergency landing at the Chennai airport in the early hours of Monday after the pilot detected smoke in the aircraft cargo, authorities said. "Singapore-bound Scoot Airways flight TR 567 flying from Trichy (Tamil Nadu) made an emergency landing at Chennai airport after the pilot detected smoke in the aircraft cargo at around 3:40 am today. The pilot had requested an emergency landing, which was granted by the ATC," an airport official said. A total of 161 passengers and crew members were on board when the incident took place. All of them are safe. "All passengers were later safely disembarked and the flight was grounded at Chennai airport," the official said. The flight is expected to fly back to Singapore today evening. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A small plane carrying an unspecified number of people crashed into the North Sea on Monday, according to the authorities. Search and rescue operations are underway as the wreckage of the crash was discovered on Monday afternoon, as per Sputnik. Several ships have been deployed in search efforts. The small aircraft was en route from the German island of Wangerooge to Hanover when the mishap occurred due to difficult weather conditions. No other details have been made available yet. This comes after another small six-seater plane crashed and burst into flames in a field near the German town of Egelsbach on Sunday. Three people, including the pilot, lost their lives in the tragedy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 'Game of Thrones' star Sophie Turner who recently opened up about her mental health issues has credited husband Joe Jonas for supporting her through the difficult time. The 23-year-old actor has spoken up about battling depression and an eating disorder, reported E! News. In a new candid interview, she noted that at one point, she lost so much weight that her menstrual cycle was disturbed. Sophie said she first met Jonas when she was 20 and "was going through this phase of being very mentally unwell." She went on to share how Jonas stressed on the importance of self-love. "He was, like, 'I can't be with you until you love yourself, I can't see you love me more than you love yourself,'" Turner said. "That was something, him doing that. I think he kind of saved my life, in a way," she added. Turner was 13 years old when she starred in her first onscreen acting project 'Game of Thrones' and was 15 when the show debuted in 2011. She said that she wished she never had her adolescence "displayed in public". Turner was also struggling with body image. The actor stated that she was "desperately unhappy" and a "complete mess," and even considered suicide at one point. At the age of 19, the star sought therapy. "Suddenly, everyone's metabolism slows down at 17, 18 and then that's documented. My skin and everything and people commenting on it. I was too aware of my body at a young age. And it just kind of took over my mind, it was all I would think about. Calorie counting, everything. Oh, I'll just eat nuts today. I stopped having my period for a year, that's when I decided to have therapy. I just think it's so important everyone should have a therapist, honestly," she said. Turner also recalled how her body kept changing with her age and how film and television studios pressurised her to lose weight. She said she sought therapy, adding, "Everyone needs a therapist, especially when people are constantly telling you that you're not good enough and you don't look good enough. I think it's necessary to have someone to talk to, and to help you through that." In her interview, Turner also revealed that at some point in their relationship, she and Jonas broke up for one day. "It was the worst day of our lives. For a second, we both had cold feet, then 24 hours later we were both, like, Never mind," she said. Turner had told Marie Claire Australia, earlier this month, "I have experienced mental illness firsthand and I've seen what it came do to the people around [the sufferers] as well." In April, Turner told Dr. Philon in his podcast 'Phil in the Blanks' that negative comments about her character on social media caused a decline in her mental health, following "five or six years" of battling depression, and added, "I used to think about suicide a lot when I was younger." Despite its dark side, social media has also helped Turner find happiness. She met Jonas in 2016 after he contacted her through DMs. They first sparked romance rumours in November, 2016 when they were spotted together at a pre-MTV Europe Music Awards event. They made their relationship Instagram official by the following January. In October 2017, the power couple got engaged. Earlier this month, they surprised their fans by tying the knot in Las Vegas after the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. Sophie who played Sansa Stark in the HBO show 'Game of Thrones' will next star in the superhero film 'Dark Phoenix', which releases on June 7, this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 28-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified assailants in Wazirabad's Sangam Vihar area in North Delhi on Monday, the police said. "The deceased Shivkant Yadav hails from Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh. He was preparing for the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) here since 2014. He went to have a cup of tea to a nearby area at 3 AM where the bike-borne assailants came and stabbed him," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Nupur Prasad. "He was later taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead," she said. The police investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People across the religious spectrum thronged the streets late in the night here, as the city police allowed food outlets to operate till late for the whole month of Ramzan. In the spirit of the holy month, city Police Commissioner Satish Sharma in a recent notification has allowed food joints to operate late till night in the areas including Chowk Bazaar, Rander, Mahidharpura, Salabatpura, Navsari Bazaar, Sagrampura, etc. Markets of the diamond city gleamed as people hit the streets late in the night to savour various delicacies such as rangooni paratha, chicken, biryani, and khowsey. "The markets are full of people enjoying the mouth-watering food. The holy month of Ramzan is being celebrated and enjoyed by people from all communities. People flocking the streets at night to enjoy food reflect the cordial relationship between different communities here," a shopkeeper Abbas Hans told ANI. A food-enthusiast Sana Lajporiya echoed similar sentiments, adding, "The food served in these streets, especially non-vegetarian food, is amazing." The police have also installed CCTV cameras to keep a close watch on any untoward movements. During this month, the devout observe rigorous fasting for about 30 days and do not consume food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Sehri (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with Iftar in the evening. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend the two-day long foreign ministers' meet of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic starting Tuesday, the government announced. Swaraj will be in the Kyrgyz Republic capital for two days on Tuesday and Wednesday to attend the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of 10-member Central Asian group which is dominated by China and Russia. Swaraj's Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi will also attend the meeting. However, it is not certain whether there will be any kind of engagement between the two leaders. Experts believe that the SCO meet could provide an opportunity to India and Pakistan to explore the possibility of bilateral engagement. A proposed meeting between the Swaraj and Qureshi was cancelled by India in September last year over the "brutal killing of a BSF personnel by Pakistan-based entities" and release of a stamp on slain Kashmiri terrorist Burhan Wani. India and Pakistan joined the SCO as members in 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Swedish prosecutors on Monday filed a request to detain Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in absentia over rape case investigation. If the warrant is granted it would be the first stage in a process to extradite the whistleblower from the United Kingdom, Sputnik reports. "I have requested the district court to arrest Assange in absentia on suspicions of rape. If the court rules to arrest him, I will issue a European arrest warrant that will imply his extradition to Sweden," Swedish Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement issued by the Swedish Prosecution Authority. On May 13, Person said that prosecutors would reopen a preliminary investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Assange, who is currently detained in the UK. On 11 April, Ecuador revoked Assange's asylum status and invited the British police to arrest him. A London court then sentenced him to 50 weeks in prison on May 1 for breaching his bail conditions in 2012, when he sought refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy. Sweden charged rape allegations against Assange back in 2010, after which the Wikileaks founder decided to seek political asylum to avoid being extradited. The rape case against Assange was opened in 2010 after allegations made by two women, but was dropped seven years later because Assange had sought asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Some of the charges were dropped in 2015 due to the statute of limitations on them expiring. The case was dropped once again by Swedish prosecutors in 2017. However, following Assange's arrest in 2019, Sweden once again raised the issue of the unresolved rape case. It should be recalled here that the United States, too, has requested the extradition of Assange, and has charged him with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion which carries a maximum penalty of five years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voters in Switzerland approved a measure to tighten the country's gun laws to conform to European Union (EU) regulations. Nearly 63 per cent of voters in Sunday's referendum supported tougher restrictions on semi-automatic and automatic weapons, according to the final results cited by Al Jazeera. The measures also demand regular training on the use of firearms and require gun owners to keep a registry of their firearms. Supporters of the firearms reform included members of the Swiss parliament and executive branch, who said that the amendments were needed to retain strong police cooperation and economic ties with Switzerland's partners in Europe. They cautioned that a "no" vote would lead to the country's exclusion from the Schengen travel region and also the Dublin accords regulating Europe's asylum-seeking process, potentially creating far-reaching consequences for security, asylum and even tourism, Al Jazeera reported. Switzerland is not an EU member, but it is in the Schengen zone. The firearms rules were adopted by the EU two years ago after the deadly terror attacks in France, Belgium, Germany and Britain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The European Commission warns against any further escalation in the Middle East region in light of increased tensions between the United States and Iran, spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Maja Kocijancic said. "I won't specifically comment any particular Tweet but, on the wider situation, I would say that the region does not need further elements of destabilisation. This is something that we have been saying consistently, and that any provocations must be avoided and all efforts should be made to defuse tensions", Kocijancic said at a press briefing. The statement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump's Tweet, which said that "if Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." Three guards and 29 inmates were killed after a riot broke out at a high-security prison in Tajikistan's western city of Vahdat, the country's Deputy Justice Minister Mansurjon Umarov said on Monday. The riot started on Sunday evening after some convicted Islamic State (IS) militants took three prison guards hostage and later killed them, reported Xinhua. According to media reports, security forces killed 24 militants and restored ordered in the prison which has around 1500 inmates. Five other inmates were also killed during the riot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Motors said on Monday its consolidated net profit almost halved in the quarter ended March 31 to Rs 1,117 crore compared to a profit of Rs 2,125 crore in the same period a year ago. The company's revenue from operations fell to Rs 86,422 crore compared to Rs 89,929 crore in the same period, it said in a statement. Jaguar Land Rover, that contributes the bulk of Tata Motors' profit, is facing a tough time across geographies. In China, its fastest growing market, sales have been declining due to slowdown in the economy. In Europe too, demand has slow due to confusion around Brexit and clampdown on diesel automobiles. "Q4 FY19 has been extremely tough with market sentiments remaining muted, impacting demand across segments," said Guenter Butschek, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Motors. "The industry outlook is not going to be anything different in the short term due to multiple uncertainties." To mitigate this impact, the company said it has strengthened actions under the ongoing turnaround. "With intense sales activation, new product launches, continued thrust on cost reduction, we have been able to improve our performance across the board and post strong financial results for the fiscal while improving our market shares," said Butschek. Passenger vehicles have been able to close FY19 with EBIDTA breakeven. The electric vehicles has started making early inroads into the market and is set to grow. "With our updated vision of becoming the most aspirational brand, consistently winning in commercial, passenger and electric vehicles, we remain optimistic for fiscal year 2020," said Butschek. Last quarter, Tata Motors had posted a Rs 26,993 crore loss -- the largest-ever loss reported by an Indian company -- mainly due to a non-cash write-off in the value of Jaguar Land Rover. Within India, car manufacturers have been facing a slowdown. A liquidity crunch due to Infrastructure Lending & Financial Services (IL & FS) crisis has spilled over to the auto industry as a large number of purchases are made through vehicle finance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's state-owned public broadcaster- MCOT, has launched a television series that features attractive elements from Japan, including mountains and castles, in order to promote the Japanese tourism industry. The televised program, titled "Japan Discovery - 2 Gens", also covers off-beat tourist spots in Japan apart from the famous Mount Fuji, Kyoto, and others. "Our concept is to discover Japan. We will not only inform our audience regarding different tourist spots but also the Japanese lifestyle. The reason why we need to make this kind of program is Thai people's love for Japan, along with its culture and tradition," said Nonglux Zhao, Program director at MCOT TV. The Japanese government is focusing on the tourism industry and appealing them to get involved to uplift the sector. One of the most important places for the Thai people living in Japan is a Japanese temple named "Kakuozan Nittaiji". The temple, with a statue of "Chulalongkorn" -- a famous king from Thailand--is acknowledged to retain a close connection with the Thai culture. Reporters from MCOT TV recently interviewed two generations of chief priests from the temple and explored the history and relationship with Japan. "I visited Japan many times, and I believe that Japanese people are very friendly. I would like to tell Thailand about it. In addition, I hope this program will connect Japan and Thailand more strongly," said Pat Chonpantarak, a reporter at MCOT TV. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 13 people were killed and three others were seriously injured in an accident on Dhule-Nagpur NH 6. Among the dead were three children, three women, and seven men. The accident took place near Malkapur town under Buldhana district. The incident was reported between 2:30 pm and 3 pm. "Today afternoon an incident took place on NH 6 when a truck suffered a tyre burst, and hit Tata Maximo. 13 people died and three others were critically injured," Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhujbal Patil told ANI. Police said Tata Maximo vehicle was carrying more passengers than its normal capacity. After the incident, traffic got blocked for a long time on the highway. Police rushed the injured to the hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the holy month of Ramzan, the Student Association of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) organised an Iftar party on the campus which was attended by as many as 27,000 people. Setting an example of communal harmony, students, teachers and dignitaries, cutting across religious lines, were invited to the Iftar on Monday. People offered prayers before sitting down in long rows to relish the meal. Speaking to ANI, Chairman of AMU Student Association, Salman Imtiaz, said: "This party has been organised for people of all religions. Nobody was stopped from attending it. Allah showers you with more if you feed people with love." During this month, the devout observe rigorous fasting for about 30 days and do not consume food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Sehri (a pre-dawn meal) and break the day-long fast with Iftar in the evening. Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan. The festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Britain's Prince Charles during his upcoming visit to the United Kingdom next month, CNN reported on Monday. Trump and Charles are expected to meet for afternoon tea at Clarence House which is the official residence of the Prince and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The White House, however, has declined to comment on the possible meeting. The 70-year-old prince had reportedly declined to meet Trump during his first controversial visit to the UK. Trump and first lady Melania are scheduled to visit the UK on June 3. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday launched a new poster here of 'PM Narendra Modi', a biopic of the prime minister. The film is slated for release across 40 countries, on May 24, a day after results of the general elections are announced. "Ab aa rahe hai dobara, PM Narendra Modi. Ab koi rok nahi sakta [ PM Narendra Modi is returning to power, no one can stop him now]," reads the new poster. "I know it had been a difficult journey, especially the part where we had to struggle to get this film till here. Many powerful leaders formed a grand alliance to stop us, but as we all can see they failed terribly. Our wish is that every Indian goes to watch this patriotic film with their family" said Oberoi addressing reporters after the launch of the poster. Oberoi essays the character of Modi in the film. Film's director Omung Kumar B posted on his twitter handle: "In India, all big things are started with a blow of the conch. Here's presenting the new poster of #PMNarendraModi." Union Minister Nitin Gadkari feels that the biopic will leave a positive impact on the youth of the country and praised the biopic's producer Sandeep Singh. "The new generation will get inspired and motivated through this film. I believe Sandeep took a great initiative to spread preaching of PM Modi," Gadkari said. Producer Singh, in turn, called Gadkari his "lucky charm." "He had launched posters of my successful biopics - Mary Kom and Sarabjeet. Therefore, I believe Nitin Gadkari is my lucky charm," Singh said. However, actor Vivek Oberoi said he is disappointed at the zero support he received from the film industry, "I didn't receive any support from Bollywood because the industry is so not united," he said. The Election Commission had on April 10 stayed the release of the biopic, a day ahead of its original scheduled release date on April 11, which coincided with the commencement first phase of the general elections in the country. The poll commission said the film disturbs the level-playing field. After filmmakers approached the Supreme Court, the apex court directed the EC to watch the film and reconsider its decision. A total of seven officials watched a special screening and submitted its report to the top court, which then rejected a plea challenging the EC's decision and said it will not interfere in the matter. The movie is directed by Omung Kumar and includes Vivek Oberoi, Zarina Wahab, and Barkha Bisht Sengupta. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday wrote to state governor Ram Naik requesting him to immediately dismisses OP Rajbhar from the state cabinet. Rajbhar, a minister for backward class welfare and 'divyangjan' empowerment had earlier resigned from the cabinet but his resignation was not accepted. Informing about the same, office of Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh tweeted, "Today UP CM Yogi Adityanath has written a letter to Governor and have requested him for immediate dismissal of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from the cabinet." Rajbhar who is also the chief of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), had on May 1 stated that he has resigned as a cabinet minister from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government over the seat-sharing agreement with the BJP. "I had resigned on the night of April 13 from the post of state minister when they (BJP) said that you have to contest on our symbol. I told them I will contest from only one seat but from my own party. However, they did not agree to that either. Following which, I immediately resigned but they did not accept my resignation," said OP Rajbhar while speaking to media persons here. SBSP is an ally of the BJP since 2017. Earlier on April 16, Rajbhar had announced that his party will go 'solo' in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. He had alleged that the BJP wanted to "eliminate" the SBSP as it did not give them a single ticket. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Monday accepted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's request and dismissed Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' Empowerment with immediate effect. This comes after Adityanath earlier today wrote to state governor Ram Naik requesting him to immediately dismiss Rajbhar from the state cabinet. Rajbhar had earlier resigned from the Cabinet but his resignation was not accepted. On May 1, Rajbhar had stated that he has resigned as a cabinet minister from the state government over the seat-sharing agreement with the BJP. "I had resigned on the night of April 13 from the post of state minister when they (BJP) said that you have to contest on our symbol. I told them I will contest from only one seat but from my own party. However, they did not agree to that either. Following which, I immediately resigned but they did not accept my resignation," Rajbhar had said back then. SBSP is an ally of the BJP since 2017. Earlier on April 16, Rajbhar had announced that his party will go 'solo' in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. He had alleged that the BJP wanted to "eliminate" the SBSP as it did not give them a single ticket. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian newly sworn in President Vladimir Zelensky announced the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and early parliamentary elections in the country. "I dissolve the 8th Verkhovna Rada," TASS cited him as saying. "There are good points for early parliamentary elections," Zelensky noted. In addition, Zelensky urged the deputies to dismiss Chief of Ukraines Security Service (SBU) Vasily Gritsak, Prosecutor-General Yuri Lutsenko and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak within two months. "I request the dismissal of the head of the Ukrainian Security Council, the prosecutor general of Ukraine and the defense minister of Ukraine. You have two months to do this," he told the parliament. Residents of Bikanpur village complained of being forced to live in darkness for the last nine years despite electricity poles, transmission wires being present in the village since decades. Most of the houses even have electronic meters installed. "There is no electricity in the village since 2010, it used to come for a short while for 2-3 years before that. Linesman comes but nothing gets done. We just have a connection now with no electricity but every month the bill comes and we have to deposit the bill," a villager Pankaj Kumar Singh told ANI. Other villagers too said that they had filed complaints but no action was taken by the concerned authorities. Frustrated with the situation, the villagers now dry their clothes on the transmission wires. Bikanpur village comes under the Mundha Pande block which falls in the Moradabad district and is located just 15 kilometres away from the main town. Sanjay Garg, the Senior Engineer in Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (PVVNL) denied having any knowledge of the problem persisting since years. He said it is most likely a recent problem and assured that the electricity supply will be resumed within two to three days. "The plight of Bikanpur village came to our notice in the last three days, it is possible to supply electricity here from a nearby substation. I don't think the matter has been unresolved since 2009. Rains, thunderstorms might have broken down the connection a few days back. I have sent the SDO and engineers to find out where the fault is and assure the people that the electricity supply will be resumed within 48 hours," Garg said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday said he doesn't see anything offensive in his tweet featuring Aishwarya Bachchan, her daughter, Abhishek Bachchan, and Salman Khan along with him, and will not apologise since he has not done anything "wrong." "Those who are in the meme have no objection while scores of politicians are trying to politicise the issue. They don't work on issues but start their politics on such non-issues. There is a 'Didi' in West Bengal who puts people behind jail for a meme. Now, these people are demanding to put Vivek Oberoi behind bars. They were unable to stop my film and hence are now are trying to put me behind bars," Oberoi told ANI. Refusing to tender his apologies, Oberoi said: "People are asking me to apologise. I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done. If I have done something wrong, I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it." Earlier today Oberoi had tweeted a collage of three images featuring him, Aishwarya, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya's seven-year-old daughter Aaradhya. The post referred to Salman and Aishwarya's relationship as the 'opinion poll', Vivek and Aishwarya's affair as the 'exit poll' and her current family with husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya as the 'final result.' "Is there anything wrong in it? Is there some abuse in it? Is there any obscene picture in it? It is just a creative meme made at the time of elections. I saw it and laughed. I have no problem in saying sorry as I am an expert in saying sorry. But, please, tell me what wrong have I said," said Oberoi. "I am waiting for the notice from Maharashtra's Women Commission and the NCW. I would also like to meet them and give an explanation because I don't think I have done something wrong," said Oberoi. "I don't know why people are making a huge issue out of it? Someone had sent me a meme which made fun of me. I laughed at it. I appreciated the person for his creativity. If someone mocks you, you should not take it seriously," he said. Sonam Kapoor was the first celebrity to slam Oberoi for the meme, calling it, "disgusting and classless." Director Madhur Bhandarkar also tweeted, "Dear @vivekoberoi, never expected such tweet from u. The trolls may go to any extent and make memes but u as a responsible celebrity should be careful of hurting anyone's dignity. Would request u to apologize and delete the tweet..." Talking about Sonam Kapoor's tweet, he said: "I personally feel that she should less overact in her films and should not overreact on social media." "Sometimes people do such things to look cool. I want to ask Sonam how much she has worked on women empowerment," he said The Commission for Women (NCW) has issued a notice to actor Oberoi demanding explanation over his tweet on the exit polls. Rekha Sharma, NCW chairperson, said "We would like him (Vivek Oberoi) to apologise on social media and personally also to the person concerned. If he doesn't do so, we will see what legal action we can take against him. We will be talking to Twitter to remove that tweet immediately." Vijaya Rahatkar, Chief of Maharashtra State Commission for Women, said: "We have taken cognizance of actor Vivek Oberoi's tweet on exit polls and notice is being issued to him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amidst renewed trade frictions with China, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) claimed that he will not let the Asian country become the top superpower while in office. Both the countries have been locked in a trade dispute since last year. They have held regular negotiations in a bid to find a solution to the trade feud, which recently hit a roadblock just as a trade deal was in its last stages. The United States has since accused China of backing out of the deal at the last moment. "Our economy has been fantastic. Because they were catching us, they were going to be bigger than us. If Hillary Clinton became president, China would have been a much bigger economy than us by the end of her term. And now it's not even going to be close," Trump told Fox News. Trump also stated that China is "obviously not doing well" like the US. "We're taking in billions of dollars. China is obviously not doing well like us," he said. He further said that he was "very happy" with the Washington-Beijing trade spat, adding that even though China wants to become the world's top superpower, it's "not going to happen with me," according to Sputnik. The United States recently increased tariffs on Chinese goods amounting to over 200 billion US dollars even as the two sides were amid negotiations. In retaliation, China said that it would be increasing duties on USD 60 billion worth US imports from June 1. "China felt they were being beaten so badly in the recent negotiation that they may as well wait around for the next (US) election," Trump added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 390.7, up 3.85% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 0.8% in last one year as compared to a 11.56% jump in NIFTY and a 19.62% jump in the Nifty Energy. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 390.7, up 3.85% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 2.85% on the day, quoting at 11732.25. The Sensex is at 38999.66, up 2.82%. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has gained around 14.88% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 1.39% in last one month and is currently quoting at 15538.65, up 4.04% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 35.28 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 65.37 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark May futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 391.6, up 4.11% on the day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is down 0.8% in last one year as compared to a 11.56% jump in NIFTY and a 19.62% jump in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 12.2 based on TTM earnings ending December 18. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare Ltd is quoting at Rs 7410, up 1.29% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 24.58% in last one year as compared to a 11.51% jump in NIFTY and a 5.66% jump in the Nifty FMCG index. GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 7410, up 1.29% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 2.8% on the day, quoting at 11727. The Sensex is at 39040.78, up 2.93%. GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare Ltd has gained around 3.15% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty FMCG index of which GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 0.4% in last one month and is currently quoting at 29962.15, up 1.12% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 9801 shares today, compared to the daily average of 19101 shares in last one month. The PE of the stock is 31.29 based on TTM earnings ending March 19. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 1321.6, up 4.28% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 41.9% in last one year as compared to a 11.51% jump in NIFTY and a 19.7% jump in the Nifty Energy index. Reliance Industries Ltd gained for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 1321.6, up 4.28% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 2.8% on the day, quoting at 11727. The Sensex is at 39040.78, up 2.93%. Reliance Industries Ltd has slipped around 1.77% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Reliance Industries Ltd is a constituent, has slipped around 1.45% in last one month and is currently quoting at 15538.65, up 4.1% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 77.37 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 100.9 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark May futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 1325, up 4.27% on the day. Reliance Industries Ltd is up 41.9% in last one year as compared to a 11.51% jump in NIFTY and a 19.7% jump in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 22.82 based on TTM earnings ending March 19. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seeking long-term travel commitment, Tata Group joint venture Air Asia India plans to tie up with about 200 companies in the next few months, offering them a slew of benefits, including flexibility in last-minute flight change and onboard meals. The aggressive business pitch is set to help the low-cost carrier widen its customer base before launching maiden international flights by year-end. The airline is looking at Southeast Asian destinations, such as Bangkok and Singapore, for its overseas operations. The foreign flights would cover short-haul destinations with 3-4 hours of flying. Speaking to IANS, Air Asia India Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sanjay Kumar said the airline had restructured some of its operations, launched a loyalty programme as well as a new in-flight menu to enhance customer experience. "We have a new in-flight menu. We have also started a loyalty programme called Big Loyalty. We are the only low-cost airline in the country offering customers a structured loyalty programme, which allows them to earn reward points," said Kumar. Talking about its corporate travel programme, the senior airline executive said most domestic airlines get 50 per cent of their customers from corporate travel programmes and Air Asia India's situation would not be different. Air Asia India, which started operations in June 2014, is a joint venture between Tata Sons (holding 51 per cent stake) and AirAsia Berhad (holding the remaining 49 per cent shares). The airline last week inducted 21st aircraft in its fleet, enhancing connectivity from its Delhi base. "We have applied for permission to start international operations. With the induction of our 21st aircraft, all the necessary requirements are in place for an approval. We have completed five years of operations in the domestic market. Subject to regulatory approvals, we are planning to launch our international flights sometime in September-October," said the airline COO. Air Asia India currently operates 164 flights a day, covering 19 destinations and carrying over 25,000 passengers. (Nirbhay Kumar can be contacted at nirbhay.k@ians.in) --IANS nk/sn/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Monday held a meeting with Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati to discuss the political situation in view of the exit polls results. The hour-long meeting was held at the BSP chief's Mall Avenue residence here. The two leaders made a seat-to-seat assessment but decided to wait for the results rather than speculate on the exit poll results. Talking briefly to reporters after the meeting, Akhilesh said: "We will talk after the results on May 23. I maintain my stand that we are winning 56 seats in UP." Sources said that the two leaders also decided that they would hold talks with other opposition leaders on May 24, when all results are finally out. "They will have telephonic talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on May 23 and with other leaders, including those of the Congress on May 24," said a source. --IANS amita/rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripoli, May 21 (IANS/AKI) At least 510 people have been killed and 2,467 injured in the military escalation in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, which began last month, the United Nations World Health Organization said. "The toll from the armed conflict in Tripoli, Libya continues to climb. As of 19 May, 510 people have died and 2,467 people have been wounded," the WHO said in a tweet. The WHO in Libya did not give an update on the number of people who had fled their homes since eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army militia entered Tripoli on April 5, sparking a battle with forces loyal to the beleaguered United Nations backed government. In an update on May 10, the WHO said around 60,000 people had been displaced by the battle for Tripoli. International diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire in the conflict-wracked former Italian colony continue. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid reports of new Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) being brought to the strong room in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday appealed to the party workers to stay vigil near the strong rooms. In an audio message, Priyanka Gandhi said: "Don't lose your heart by the exit polls as these are being spread to lower your morale." "Your attention is required more. Be strong and remain alert near the counting centre and the strong rooms. I am hopeful that your hard work will pay," she added. Her remarks came hours after party's candidate from Mirzapur, Lalitesh Pati Tripathi wrote to the Election Commission, complaining the strong room where the EVMs were kept for counting have 300 additional EVMs which is against the fair elections. In his letter, Tripathi also said that the arrival of several senior officials is raising suspicion over the fair and transparent elections. Most of the exit polls on Sunday predicted a thumping victory to the BJP-led NDA. Polling in all the seven phases of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections ended on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. --IANS aks/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on his supporters to unblock the court buildings across the country after announcing sweeping judiciary reforms. "The time has come for a surgical intervention" with all judges to subjected to a thorough vetting during a "transitional" period, he told a televised cabinet meeting. The PM said he counts on the assistance of Armenia's international partners in implementing the judiciary reform which he said is the "second and most important stage of the revolution." Pashinyan thanked all the citizens who, following his call, blocked the court buildings without exception. I want to state that the purpose of that move was to fix the demand of the people to have a truly independent judicial system and I state that the government and the people of Armenia are united in this," he said. The Prime Minister said that the government is starting concrete steps towards building a free judicial system. He said another goal of the move was to show the public outrage caused by the injustice of the judicial system. "Now it has become obvious to all that a truly independent judicial system cannot exist in Armenia without people's power. Everyone saw that illegal interventions in judicial processes will face tough popular opposition," ARKA cited him as saying. Pashinyans appeal to block the courthouses came a day after a court in Yerevan ordered the release of ex-president Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. The Election Commission on Monday said that an average of about 78.73 per cent votes were cast in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal across nine parliamentary constituencies on Sunday. Basirhat recorded the highest voter turnout at 85.42 per cent, followed by Diamond Harbour (84.85 per cent), Jaynagar (82.26 per cent), Mathurapur (81.93 per cent), Barasat (81.19 per cent), Jadavpur (78.96 per cent), Dum Dum (76.88 per cent), Kolkata South (69.65 per cent) and Kolkata North (65.74 per cent), said an election official. "Post poll scrutiny is on for most of the nine constituencies that voted on Sunday. Though the scrutiny exercise has been completed in one or two Lok Sabha seats, the reports are yet to be submitted," the official said. Amid post poll violence across different districts in West Bengal, the EC officals said local administrations have been asked to take requisite measures to arrest political clashes and actions are being taken as soon as such incidents are reported. However, a BJP delegation comprising state leaders like Joy Prakash Majumder approached the Commission here alleging post poll violence in many areas across districts and demanded deployment of central forces till expiry of model code of conduct. As many as 200 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPFs) will remain deployed in West Bengal till May 27 in a bid to curb any post-poll violence that might occur in the state, Central Police Observer Vivek Dubey said on Monday. According to Dubey, Section 144 was invoked for an indefinite period in parts of Kankinara area under the Bhatpara Assembly constituency which was on the boil following violence and political clashes during by-elections on Sunday. In Bhatpara, the BJP fielded Arjun Singh's son Pawan Kumar Singh against Trinamool Congress candidate Madan Mitra, who is an accused in the Saradha and Narada scams. Mitra on Monday lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office, accusing Pawan Kumar Singh and his team of inciting violence in the area and demanded re-polls in five booths. --IANS bdc/arm (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 on Monday said he would continue his efforts to forge a non-BJP coalition till May 23, the day of counting of votes. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief told reporters before leaving for Kolkata to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee that he will continue the efforts to take them to a logical conclusion. Naidu, who had held a series of meeting during last two days with several leaders including United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati, said the efforts were aimed at forging an alternative. "I met all so that a collective decision is taken. I will continue my efforts till May 23," he said. Naidu reiterated that time and again exit polls failed to catch the people's pulse. "Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances," he had tweeted Sunday after majority of the exit polls shows BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will form the government by winning about 300 seats. "While undoubtedly TDP govt will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP govt at the center," he said in another tweet. Naidu slammed the Election Commission, saying it lost its credibility by its actions like giving clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. He reiterated that the Electronic Voting Machines can be manipulated and demanded that the poll body count VVPAT slips to bring transparency in the system and create confidence among people. Naidu said he would consult Banerjee and other leaders before taking a decision on whether to stage a sit-in at the Election Commission or make a representation to the President. The TDP chief said despite the doubts expressed by 23 parties on the functioning of EVMs, the Election Commission was making no effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the system. Naidu said the EVMs could be manipulated remotely and hence the parties were demanding counting of VVPAT slips. He said the fact that so many parties were concerned about the safety of EVMs was a bad indication for democracy. "In my 40-year political career I never saw this kind of situation," he said. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the results for Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, the warring Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) ruling allies in the state on Monday called for a 'ceasefire' amid acrimonious remarks against each other by leaders of both parties. "I appeal to the leaders of both the parties to refrain from making any controversial remarks or commenting in the public or to the media against each other," tweeted Congress state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao in Kannada here. Rao's appeal came a day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi directed the party's state leaders, ministers and legislators to refrain from criticising their counterparts in the JD-S. Expressing concern over charges and counter-charges between leaders of both the allies over the last fortnight, Gandhi told the party's state unit leaders in New Delhi that they should work with the JD-S in the spirit of coalition dharma and prevent any threat to the year-old coalition government in the southern state. "I request you all to maintain cordiality with the JD-S leaders, including its Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, its supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and others as the coalition government has to sustain and serve the people of the state," Gandhi told party leaders. Besides Rao, the party's legislature leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and Congress state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal met Gandhi to ensure there won't be any adverse impact on the coalition government after the parliamentary poll results on May 23. In a pre-poll arrangement, the allies fielded joint candidates in all the 28 seats, with the Congress in 21 and the JD-S in seven seats across the state for the elections that were held in two phases on April 18 and April 23. Reciprocating the Congress' move, JD-S state chief A. H. Vishwanath said there was no threat to the coalition government from the leaders of his party or from the outcome of the Lok Sabha election in the state. "The coalition government will continue to work for the people under Kumaraswamy's leadership for the full term as agreed by Gandhi and Deve Gowda after the May, 2018 Assembly election gave a fractured verdict, leading to a post-poll alliance and formation of the Congress-JD-S government on May 23 last year," Vishwanath told reporters at Mysuru, about 150 kms from here. Kumaraswamy too tweeted that his government would continue and complete its full five-year term in 2023. "Rahul Gandhi has directed all our leaders, ministers and legislators to avoid making controversial remarks or statements against the JD-S leadership and the functioning of the coalition government," said Rao citing Gandhi's stern warning to comply or face action. With various exit polls predicting a majority (20-23) of the Lok Sabha seats for the rival BJP in the state and five to seven for the ruling allies, the leaders of both the parties, including Cabinet ministers and legislators have been told to refrain from saying anything against each other when the allies are trying to form a non-BJP government at the Centre with the help of other opposition parties. "As the prospects of a secular and progressive government coming up at the Centre after the election results on Thursday are bright, it is imperative that we work together and show our unity," said Rao. Simmering differences between the allies surfaced when two Congress ministers and 10 Congress legislators claimed Siddaramaiah was their leader and wanted him to become the Chief Minister again in place of Kumaraswamy. Blaming Siddaramaiah from failing to rein in his loyalists who did not accept Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister, Vishwanath had said the top executive post was not vacant and that the Congress had lost the Assembly election under Siddaramaiah's leadership. Kumaraswamy also reacted to the clamour of the Congress leaders by saying that its senior Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge should have become Chief Minister long ago but was denied the opportunity for reasons best known to Congress leaders in the state. --IANS fb/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday questioned Punjab and Haryana governments on free or subsidized power given to rich farmers. Hearing two public interest petitions, Chief Justice Krishna Murari asked: "Why free or subsidized power be given on agricultural pump sets to rich farmers?" Petitioner Hari Chand Arora was seeking directions to both state governments for exclusion of rich and affluent farmers from the scheme for providing total power subsidy for agricultural pump sets. Chief Justice Murari was apparently not convinced with the argument that rich consumers were being asked to voluntarily give up the subsidy. "Subsidy should be for the needy and not for rich and affluent farmers," he said. Referring to the total subsidy amount of nearly Rs 7,000 crore, Chief Justice Murari said: "The burden of such subsidy falls on all the tax payers." Counsel for both the states sought adjournment for reconsidering the issue of power subsidy to the rich farmers before filing appropriate affidavits in this regard. --IANS vg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the northern command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said on Monday that the first surgical strike by the Indian Army was carried out in September, 2016, following the Uri terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to the media at the Udhampur headquarters of the northern command, Lt General Singh said: "In reply to an RTI (Right to Information), the Director General of Military Operations has said that the first surgical strike was carried out by the Indian Army in September, 2016." He said he would not go into the details of that surgical strike as he had just made a statement of facts while adding that Pakistan is continuing its anti-India policy including drug trafficking and infiltration. "Terror camps in Pakistan are intact and we are keeping a vigil on them," he said. He said the ceasefire is violated by Pakistan to push in militants, but the army's multi-tier security grid has been able to keep infiltration down. He said as part of a strategy to make the Line of Control impregnable, new generation weapons are being deployed. He said free and fair elections have been held in the hinterland and in Jammu and Kashmir. "Since the beginning of this year we have killed 86 terrorists and arrested 20. A large number of youth have been brought back to lead a normal life through persuasion and help of families," he said. Answering questions he said the Balakot air strike was laudable although Pakistani fighter jets later crossed the LoC but they were given a reply on the LoC itself and could not come into the Indian hinterland. "We are ready to give a reply if a misadventure is planned," the top army officer said. He agreed that the local recruitment of youth into militancy is a matter of concern, but added that it is coming down. He said, last year, 216 local youth had joined the militant ranks, but this year only 40 have so far been reported to have joined them. He said the security forces are taking up different programmes and other steps to ensure that the local youth do not get waylaid by militants. --IANS sq/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Power thrills... and it also kills. Varanasi, May 20 (IANS) While the rest of Varanasi preparing to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week, the weavers in the city are worried about power problems which has led to their dwindling business and livelihood problems. Majority of these weavers belong to the Muslim community who are even wary of talking about their problems. "First demonetisation killed us, then came GST and now power (electricity) has spelt doom for the business. Hamari zindagi ka tana-bana he bigad gaya hai (The warp and weft of our lives has gone awry)," said Rafiq Ansari, a weaver who is planning to shut his shop in Lanka area. Rafiq said the weavers here are not even ready to talk about their problems as the atmosphere is surcharged with political talks. "If we say a word, we will be labelled as 'anti-national'. We have decided to keep quiet. Power cuts in Varanasi are more of a rule than an exception. Since the Muslim localities suffer more power cuts than those with mixed population, we can read the writing on the wall," he explains. Rafiq said online business have also suffered a jolt due to the erratic internet services in the area. "'Before notebandi', business was good for all-buyers and sellers. The buyers stopped coming in after notebandi and then GST made sure that export of Banarasi saris and material took the hit," he said. Since most of the weavers are illiterate and not computer savvy, there are additional costs of charted accountants who help them fill up the GST returns. His younger brother Shadab Ansari said that the weavers' community had obtained the Geographical Index (GI) in 2009 for Banarasi saris and material. "We had designers like Sabyasachi and Tarun Tahliani coming to Varanasi and buying our saris and material. The business was booming and we were also getting the credit where it was due. But now business has plunged to an all-time low. No one is talking about power cuts because everyone wants to believe that the Prime Minister's constituency is the best in the world," said Shadab. Most weavers say that opting for generators is not a feasible idea since it only serves to add to the production cost. He said the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi that was set up to facilitate trade has not served its purpose. "There is no conscious effort to promote the weaves of Varanasi. It is easier for us to deal directly with buyers in various parts of the country. Business has suffered to such a large extent that my two grandsons have already left for Mumbai to find a job," said Rahmatullah Ansari ,an octogenarian, who belongs to Mubarakpur in Azamgarh and has been living in Varanasi since 1980. "In the next decade or so, I feel most of the weavers' families will have left this trade," he added. Bizarre though it may sound, the 'Namami Ganga' project has also proved 'unfriendly' for weavers. "We are not allowed to dispose of the dyes in the Ganga river and the government has not set up filter plants. Anyone found disposing the dyes in the river, is immediately fined. The punishment is all the more if the weaver is a Muslim. Magar hum ro bhi nahin sakte (But we cannot even cry)," says another weaver who did not wish to be named. --IANS amita/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google has cut phone maker Huawei off from some updates to the Android operating system, dealing a blow to the Chinese firm. New Huawei smartphones will also lose access to popular Google apps. The move comes after the Trump administration added Huawei to a list of companies that American firms cannot trade with unless they have a licence. In a statement, Google said it was "complying with the order and reviewing the implications". Huawei has declined to comment. Only about two months ago Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei's consumer products division had told a German newspaper that the beleaguered Chinese smartphone brand had been prepping a mobile OS as a kind of Plan B if the company ever got cut off by Google from relying on Android, bgr.com reported. The move by Google, means the company has just lost its Android license, and its devices will no longer receive Android updates -- nor will its future handsets be able to access Google apps as well as the Google Play Store. Any new Huawei devices would no longer have apps such as YouTube and Maps. Huawei can still use the version of the Android operating system available through an open source licence, though. Ben Wood, from the CCS Insight consultancy, said the move by Google would have "big implications for Huawei's consumer business". --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a house belonging to an IPS officer, who had rented it out, ran an international drug cartel for over two years till it was busted a few days back. That the house in Greater Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, was the den of illegal business was exposed almost by chance on May 9 when the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport caught a South African woman Nomsa, 24, with 24.7 kg of pseudoephedrine drug in her luggage. Pseudoephedrine is a precursor used for manufacture of methamphetamine, a drug widely used in Europe and South East Asia, a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official said on Monday. The syndicate was being run by a Nigerian national, Kingsley, who left India in November last year with the law enforcement agencies here having no clue as to how he had been using the place as a safe haven for the illegal activity. The house belongs to an IPS officer who had rented it out through agents. He was not aware that his house was being used by a drug syndicate, the NCB official said. The syndicate had been supplying narcotic substances to several groups belonging to South African region who later sell it to drug abusers in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Gurgaon. Deputy Director General, NCB, S.K. Jha told IANS that his department came to know about the syndicate only after it took the South African woman in its custody when the CISF shared the information regarding recovery of pseudoephedrine from her possession. The woman, who had arrived in Delhi 20 days earlier, also did not know as to the exact place where she was kept as the mastermind Kingsley had directed his associate Richard alias Henry that "birds are not supposed to know the house", said the official involved in the investigation. Richard, who had been handling Kingsley's business, was arrested during the May 10 raid carried out by the NCB. A woman member of the racket, identified as Chiamanda, was also held from the house. In the raid, the official said, the NCB team recovered 1,818 kg pseudoephedrine, two kg of cocaine and 134 kg fake heroin. "This was the biggest ever seizure of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine in India outside factory premises by any agency as per our records after the 2016 raid in a Solapur factory in Maharashtra from where same 20,000 kg substance was seized," Jha said. About the modus operandi, the official said pseudoephedrine is procured from India at small rates and sent to South Africa where it is used to make Methamphetamine. The demand of pseudophedrine is very high outside India specially in America, Malaysia, Thailand, Nigeria, Mozambique and several other countries because of its cheaper rate, Jha said. Because of their chemical manufacturing hubs, India and China supply pseudophedrine, which is found in powder form, said the official. The NCB had also seized around 1,000 kg pseudophedrine from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad in end of January which was to be sent to Iran and Afghanistan. With the busting of the racket, the NCB also seized a diary which mentions 20-25 drug peddlers but only with their nick names. The NCB is trying to crack the nicknames so that the peddlers too could be arrested. The arrested people have allegedly confessed to having bought the pseudophedrine chemicals from various illicit sources and stored them to manufacture drugs and supply them to various cities. "They distributed drugs in Delhi-NCR. They also manufactured fake heroin and transported it out of the country," Jha added. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) --IANS rak/arm (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.) Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans supporters have started blocking Yerevan courts entrances this morning in response to his call. Pashinyans appeal came a day after a court in Yerevan ordered the release of ex-president Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. Later, Pashinyan joined the protesters. Thanking the protesters, the PM said that he love them and is proud of them. He added that he will say everything in his statement at 11:00 (MSK). Yesterday, the Prime Minister called on his supporters to rally outside Armenias court buildings and to block their entrances on May 20 for "the start of the second and most important phase of the Armenian revolution." Armenian President Armen Sarkisyan, in turn, issued a statement yesterday evening, calling on all citizens to maintain peace and calmness, and respect Constitution and laws. He recalled that under the Armenian Constitution, power belongs to people. "Consequently, branches of the Armenian government - legislative, executive and judicial must reflect the collective will of the people of Armenia and serve their constitutional goals, Sarkisyan stressed. The President added that while he is on a business trip abroad, he is in touch with the relevant state bodies, and urged to be sober and tolerant these days. The writer, journalist, Vesti FM radio station host Armen Gasparyan, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the blocking of courts demonstrates the fact that there will be no legitimate order in Armenia under the new government. "Democratic values, understanding of the right were declared - but it turned out to be just declarations. As soon as the court delivered the verdict, the prime minister immediately came out and said: "It's not what I want, so block the courts, my supporters." Perhaps, Pashinyan does not even understand that such actions demonstrate a very tough domestic political crisis. There's no democracy here, just total lawlessness, which is bad for Armenia," he stressed. "I recall that the factor of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh has not gone anywhere. It is very strange for the authorities of a belligerent country to do things like this," Armen Gasparyan added. "It is important that in legal terms the release of Robert Kocharyan met the standards of a democratic state - he was released on bail. But Pashinyan showed that he doesnt give a damn about legal procedures, he just needs to leave Kocharyan behind bars," the writer pointed out. "The main problems of modern Ukraine have begun when they started to destroy justice, and in the absence of a regulated, normal legal system, Ukrainian corruption increased 4.5 times compared to the Yanukovich time. I am afraid that if Mr. Pashinyan moves along this road, he will quickly level his achievements over the past six months and will plunge the country into a very difficult internal political situation, because every next politician, looking at Pashinyan's actions, will think that he also can that. Politics will cease to be a matter of parliament and government. It's scary, because the processes will be out of control, and any subsequent demagogue easily displace the same Pashinyan," Armen Gasparyan concluded. Iran on Monday dismissed US President Donald Trump's "genocidal taunts" and warned him not to threaten the country. With tensions rising, Trump tweeted on Sunday: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the President should look at history. "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone... Try respect - it works!," the BBC reported. The US has deployed additional warships and planes to the Gulf in recent days. But Trump's tweet marked a shift in tone after recent attempts by him to downplay the possibility of a military conflict with Iran. Last week, when asked by reporters if the US was going to war with Iran, he said: "I hope not." His warning to Iran was issued hours after a rocket was fired into the heavily fortified Green Zone in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and hit a building about 0.5 km (0.3 miles) from the US embassy. The US recently evacuated non-emergency staff from the mission because of what it called a "serious" threat reportedly linked to Iran-backed forces in Iraq. Writing on Twitter on Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister said the US President was being "goaded" by what he called the "B Team" - a reference to US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Trump "hopes to achieve what Alexander (the Great), Genghis (Khan) and other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," he added. "#NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect - it works!" On Saturday, Zarif had insisted that Iran did not want war. --IANS pg/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As door 1 with Pakistan proxies supported by local hawks Hurriyat closes, door 2 with Islamic Caliphate written on it opens in what is a brutal cage match which has more or less eviscerated the lives of the Kashmiris in the Valley. Door 2 is only slightly ajar, but it is being kicked open by the powerful imagery of the Pulwama bombing by a local youth Adil Ahmad Dar. Dar has emerged as the latest poster child in the long line of local militants and ideologues beginning with Afzal Guru, Burhan Wani and then Zakir Musa. All young militants born out of the 'azadi' generation, birthed by the social media redefinition of freedom. Political Islam morphing itself into a puritanical strain of religious Islam. The Indian deep state is concerned about the rise of indigenous militancy following the beliefs of IS, something that was stamped out by J&K super cop and former IGP S.M. Sahai, Kashmir Range, in the past. As communities world wide close themselves and become more insular, shutting the door to the interloper who is seen as an Islamist jihadi, the clash of civilisations is now a grim reality. It could be Islam versus Christianity or Islam versus Hinduism or even pure Islam versus impure Islam playing out in different parts of the world. What this shut down and battening down of hatches does is that people within those walls become impervious to intel. Access gets more difficult as walls emerge from within the closed user group. The world then is divided between the believers and the non believers. Kashmir, epicentre of Pakistan's bleed India to death stratagem, remains a hot button as far as Indian intelligence and security main frame is concerned. Fear stalks one and all after the Sri Lanka bombings. The Islamist fundamentalist has TAKFIR ingrained in his psyche which asks him to target the apostate. So, there are three degrees of separation in TAKFIR, for it targets allegedly 'impure' Muslims too. Ergo, the targets could be Ahmediyas, Shias and Sufis which is how the sequencing around the world has been. The Hefazat e Islam in Bangladesh for instance targeted Ahmediyas to draw attention to itself. The Shapla Square protests or Motijheel massacre in May, 2013 also called Operation Shapla or Operation Flash Out were part of this process. Hefazat e Islam, an Islamist pressure group, organised a mass demonstration in Dhaka's financial district demanding the enactment of the blasphemy law to stop Islamophobic content in media. As a deterrent, the government used Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard to quell the protesters. This resulted in protests across the country in which estimates are of any number between 20 and 61 people died. In Kashmir Valley, Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in his first video in August 2015 vowed to establish the Caliphate, urging the youth to take up arms in south Kashmir. The six-minute video was a seminal moment for it was circulated via mobile messenger and other social media networks. The video showed Wani in an orchard with an assault rifle and a copy of the Holy Koran with two militants standing guard by his side. The emergence of this terror neophyte stunned the security apparatus for it went beyond the pale of merely espousing anti India rhetoric to a broader pan Islamist agenda of establishing the Caliphate in the Valley. This was followed by his deputy Zakir Musa openly distancing himself from the Hurriyat and challenging them. The underpinning of Ansar Ghazwa e Hind was visible for the first time. In May 2017, Musa called for chopping off the heads of those standing in the way of Sharia roll out in Kashmir. He also parted ways with Hizbul and spoke of action against those propounding a secular state, read Hurriyat. Husain Haqqani has explained this phenomenon succinctly in 'Prophecy and Jihad in the Indian Subcontinent' -- Radical Islamists invoke the Hadith (the oral traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) to prophesize a great battle in India between true believers and unbelievers before the end-times. These references in the Hadith to the Ghazwa-e-Hind (Battle of India) infuse South Asia with importance as a battleground in the efforts to create an Islamic Caliphate resembling the social order that existed at the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661 AD)...Just as the prophecies of Khurasan became popular during the wars in Afghanistan, the Ghazwa-e-Hind divinations became a staple of the Islamist discourse after the launch of jihad in Indian-controlled parts of Kashmir in 1989. Throughout the 1990s, Pakistani official media also encouraged discussion of the Ghazwa-e-Hind Hadith to motivate jihadists. In fact, every major Pakistan-based jihadi group that launched terrorist attacks across the border claimed that their operations were part of the Battle for India promised by the Prophet. For these Pakistani groups, supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, the target of jihad should be the modern state of India and its "occupation" of Kashmir. For example, Lashkar-e-Taiba has often spoken of Ghazwa-e-Hind as a means of liberating Kashmir from Indian control. The group's founder, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, has declared repeatedly that "[i]f freedom is not given to the Kashmiris, then we will occupy the whole of India including Kashmir. We will launch Ghazwa-e-Hind. Our homework is complete to get Kashmir." Pakistani propagandist Zaid Hamid has also repeatedly invoked Ghazwa-e-Hind as a battle against Hindu India led from Muslim Pakistan. According to Hamid, "Allah has destined the people of Pakistan" with victory and "Allah is the aid and helper of Pakistan." Several Islamic scholars, especially from India, have questioned the veracity of the Ghazwa-e-Hind Hadith and reject its repeated contemporary citation as "Pakistani terrorists' anti-India propaganda." According to Maulana Waris Mazhari of the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh, India, the conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir was not jihad; the dream of establishing "Muslim hegemony throughout the entire world" was fanciful. "The term ghalba-e Islam, the establishment of the supremacy of Islam, used in the context of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet (Hadith), refers not to any political project of Muslim domination," Mazhari wrote, "but, rather, to the establishment of the superiority of Islam's ideological and spiritual message." The evolution from Kashmiri nationalism to Islamic Caliphate has been a calibrated move. Exterminating the non believer or the impure Muslim was the strategy. The defining moment is the assassination of Maulana Shaukat Ahmed in 2011. Maulana Shaukat Ahmed, the soft spoken 55-year-old chief of the Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees (JAH), became yet another victim of terrorist violence in strife-torn Kashmir Valley. The Maulana had been heading the JAH since 2004, when he was first elected President of the organisation, followed by three more tenures in this responsible position. His last election came in 2010. The Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees grew under his leadership and had about 15 lakh followers and more than 800 mosques spread across the valley. The cleric was a man of conviction who did not hesitate in speaking his mind. His organisation advocated a puritanical concept of Islam which is at variance with the more moderate Sufi Islam that is predominant in the valley. The ritualistic practioner of Islam began to think in terms of a loose mirror image of the Muslim Brotherhood in Kashmir. The most recent unsettling news came earlier this month -- On May 10 the Amaq news agency of ISIS claimed that the group has established the 'Wilayah of Hind'. Amaq, however, did not elaborate the geographical limits of the so-called province. Interestingly, the proclamation coincided with the elimination of Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi, a suspected operative of ISIS in India, by the security forces in an encounter in Shopian in south Kashmir on the same day. Uddipan Mukherjee, PhD, Joint Director, Government of India, Ministry of Defence at Ordnance Factory Board writing for IDSA explained the new phenomenon -- It is interesting to note that, in the context of the ISIS's recent proclamation on Kashmir, analysts were also of the opinion that global jihadist groups have failed to exploit the Kashmir conflict, unlike conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The fundamental reason, as put forward by Mohammed Sinan Siyech, in a paper in Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses published in May 2018 was that the Kashmir issue is primarily a territorial and political dispute as opposed to a purely religious/Islamist conflict. Furthermore, cross-border terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are in opposition to the concept of a pan-global Islamic Caliphate. Consequently, ISIS has failed to establish its footprints in the Kashmir Valley. However, recent events are worrisome for the Indian defence establishment. (To be concluded)--IANS arm/ (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 and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, who have been pivotal in stitching an opposition alliance against the BJP, met here on Monday to discuss the post poll strategies and their concerns over EVMs. Both the leaders, however, remained tight lipped about the context of the meeting that was held in Banerjee's residence in south Kolkata's Kalighat, a day after the final phase of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Sources close to the Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress said the political heavyweights discussed about the importance of uniting all the anti-BJP parties under one umbrella and constituting a common minimum agenda before the poll results are announced on May 23. Trinamool Congress said the opposition parties will meet the Election Commission on Tuesday (May 21) to express their concerns about Electronic voting machines (EVMs). Both Naidu and Banerjee have rubbished the exit polls' claim on Sunday, all of which predicted a comeback for the BJP -- While some showed the NDA will secure majority, others predicted a landslide victory for the saffron party. In a tweet on Sunday evening, Banerjee termed the exit polls as "gossips" and claimed that BJP's game plan is to "manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip". Virtually echoing Banerjee's concerns, Naidu also claimed that the records of at least 50 per cent VVPATs (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail machines) should be matched with the corresponding EVMs to avoid any form of discrepancy. "We are asking for 50 per cent VVPAT counting. They are not doing... where the Supreme Court has given orders to go for counting after EVMs counting is over. Now we are asking -- if there is any discrepancy then you have to go for total counting of that assembly segment. Why you are delaying? Why you are avoiding? They are unable to frame rules till now." Naidu had said before coming here. "People are talking all over the world now that there is a possibility of EVM manipulation. Even that type of discussion is there, can we not bring transparency?" he asked. Naidu's visit to the Trinamool Congress supremo's residence ahead of the poll results is significant after most of the exit polls predicted an unprecedented surge of BJP in West Bengal which would dent Banerjee's aspirations of winning all 42 seats in Bengal, while an aggregate of exit polls also indicated that Jaganmohan Reddy, Naidu's arch-rival in Andhra Pradesh, will win 15 of the state's 25 seats while he gets 10. In a bid to strengthen the anti-BJP alliance, Naidu had met Congress President Rahul Gandhi, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on the final day of polling on Sunday. He has met Banerjee a number of times in recent months and also campaigned for her party candidates in two election rallies in Bengal's Jhargram and Haldia where he had termed Banerjee as "the Bengal tigress". --IANS mgr-bdc/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Along expected lines the benchmark Sensex advanced by a massive 1,422 points on Monday to finish at 39,352.67, marginally short of its lifetime high. Investors rejoiced the exit polls on Sunday which suggests a BJP-led NDA government will come to power. Among the stocks which made the best of the day's rally was IndusInd Bank. The private lender surged by 8.64 per cent. The State Bank of India jumped by 8.04 per cent, followed by Tata Motors, Tata Motors (DVR) and Yes Bank. Even the grounded Jet Airways jumped by 5.88 per cent to 131.40 a share. --IANS ravi/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Monday lodged a police complaint against Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Rural Development Rajenthra Bhalaji for criminal intimidation and defamation of its founder actor-politician Kamal Haasan. In the complaint submitted to Chennai's Commissioner of Police, MNM General Secretary A. Arunachalam alleged that Bhalaji had threatened violence against Haasan by saying that his tongue should be cut for a remark he made at an election rally. Last week, Haasan reportedly told a rally in a locality dominated by Muslims that "independent India's first extremist was a Hindu - Nathuram Godse". The comment created a furore across the country and a police complaint was filed in Aravakuruchi against Haasan for trying to create animosity between communities. The Madras High Court on Monday granted Haasan anticipatory bail in the matter. The MNM alleged that in an interview to Sun TV Tamil channel, Bhalaji defamed Haasan with baseless allegations of a nexus between his party and the ISIS. It also alleged that instigated by Bhalaji's call to beat up Haasan, a group of people attempted to attack him in Aravakuruchi constituency in Karur district on May 16. Haasan was asked to cancel his campaigning on May 17. --IANS vj/rtp/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unfazed by the exit polls which predicted that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will storm to power in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday exuded confidence that his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will retain power in the state. During a tele-conference with TDP leaders, Naidu said nobody can stop the party's victory in the state. He believes that the TDP will win 110 seats in 175-member Assembly. "Our seats may even go up to 120-130," Naidu said. The TDP supremo was also confident that of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, his party will bag 18-20. He alleged that some people were playing mind games to create confusion. Most of the exit polls on Sunday predicted the YSRCP will come to power in Andhra Pradesh with 110-130 seats. However, three exit polls including one by former MP L. Rajagopal projected victory for the TDP. Similarly, majority of the exit polls gave YSRCP 12-15 Lok Sabha seats and TDP 10-13. Naidu had tweeted late Sunday that time and again exit polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. "Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances,a he said after majority of the exit polls showed BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will form the government by winning about 300 seats. "While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," said Naidu, who has been holding talks with various parties for last two days to cobble up an alliance led by the Congress. --IANS ms/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samsung is rolling out an update that would bring latest features in its Galaxy Watch Active to older smartwatches. The update would bring features like One UI interface, health features and other optimizations to older models like regular Galaxy Watch, Gear S3 and Gear Sport, according to the company. The update also adds better battery optimization -- the watches will automatically close apps operating in the background to prevent battery drain, Digital Trends reported on Sunday. Older smartwatches also get all the newer watch faces that are on the Galaxy Watch Active. Among the health features are a 'Daily Activities' screen, 'Workout' and a new tracker for outdoor swimming. With the update, Samsung has also improved heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. The updated interface features new advanced settings, including enabling and disabling Touch wake-up, controlling the frequency and timing of Daily briefing updates. --IANS na/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governor Ram Naik on Monday dismissed Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his ministerial position on the recommendation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Five other leaders of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who were holding ministerial ranks in commissions, have also been removed with immediate effect. Talking to reporters immediately after his dismissal, Rajbhar said that he welcomed the decision. "I welcome the decision but I wish that Yogi Adityanath had shown the same haste in dealing with issues related to my demand for implementing prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues," he said. He said that he would now work towards exposing the BJP. "I will continue to consolidate my community and tell them how the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits. The BJP never addressed issues raised by me and kept me waiting till the elections were over. "Surely Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections but they did not want to suffer OBC backlash by doing so. However, this is not the end of elections -- there will be more elections in the future," he stated. Rajbhar had claimed that he had sent his resignation to the Chief Minister on April 13 but BJP sources claim that the resignation was "nowhere to be found". "If he had to resign, he should have sent his resignation to the Governor," said Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. Rajbhar had used unparliamentary language for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders during the campaign and had even campaigned for opposition candidates. According to sources, the BJP is now ready to get rid of Om Prakash Rajbhar and would now promote its own Minister of State Anil Rajbhar, a legislator from Sakaldiha Assembly segment in Chandauli district. "We can win over the Rajbhar community through Anil Rajbhar. There are three years to go for the Assembly elections," said a BJP leader Though Rajbhar claimed to have resigned from the Yogi government last month, he continued to enjoy the perks, including bungalow, car and staff, that were given to the cabinet minister. --IANS amita/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation of opposition parties will meet the Election Commission on Tuesday to complain about the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the VVPAT slips. According to a senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader, a delegation of 21 opposition parties will approach the poll panel to complain about the EVMs and the VVPAT slips. The delegation will be headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu, who on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. The delegation will visit the Election Commission at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The opposition parties have been complaining about EVM malfunctioning and demanding the use of ballot papers from even before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The TDP leader said that besides their party, the delegation would also include the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-M and many other parties. --IANS aks/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling Georgian Dream party candidates are leading in the May 19 by-elections in the majority of election precincts, according to the Georgian Central Election Commission's website. A second round of elections will take place only in the Mtatsminda district of Tbilisi, where none of the candidates managed to overcome the 50% threshold. The ruling party candidate Lado Kakhadze (41%) will go into a runoff with the united oppositional candidate Shalva Shavgulidze (36.83%) competing for the parliamentary seat in the Mtatsminda district. Polling stations closed at 8 p.m. at 410 polling stations in Georgia where voters cast ballots for a member of parliament, five mayors and members of eight city councils (Sakrebulo) across the country. The Central Election Commission (CEC) Spokesperson Ana Mikeladze said the by-elections were held in a "mainly calm environment" and voters had the opportunity to express their will "freely." A section of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on Monday demanded either a CBI or a judicial probe into the fake document case to defame its Cardinal, Archbishop George Alencherry. A day after a police probe team zeroed in on young engineer Aditiyan on charges of charges of forging the documents to defame the Cardinal and arrested him, a group of Catholic priests attached to the Ernakulam-Angamaly diocese, led by Bishop of Palaghat Mar Jacob Manathodath, gave a clean chit to Aditiyan. Manathodath, who was accompanied by a few priests and Adityan's father, told the media that the young engineer had done no wrong and he was brutally harassed by the police to name Catholic priest K.Tony of their diocese. Senior priest M. Kuriakose said: "We have now realized that the present police probe is lopsided and this hapless Aditiyan was brutally pressurized to name Tony and fearing for his life, he said the name. We demand that only a CBI probe or a judicial probe will help the truth to come out, as we are convinced there was no manufacture of fake documents." The police team investigating the case questioned a few Catholic priests and based on their statements, picked Aditiyan on Saturday and formally arrested him on Sunday. Aditiyan has been sent to judicial custody till May 31. According to the probe team, after questioning of Aditiyan, it found that there was a conspiracy to tarnish the Cardinal's image. The Cardinal, however, refused to comment on the arrest of Aditiyan, saying that the police and the courts would decide. --IANS sg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 175 students from O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) will be leaving shortly for Short-Term Study Abroad Programmes (STSAP) across leading universities of the world, including Harvard, Oxford, Columbia and the University of California-Berkeley (UCB). The students will be attending these coveted programmes as part of the various short study abroad opportunities offered to them at JGU and will receive academic credits and a certificate from the host university, a statement said. Thirty-five students will study human rights and development at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health; 25 students will be reading International Law and Global Governance at Somerville College, Oxford; 27 students have enrolled to study business and corporate laws at the Columbia University Law School; the students travelling to UCB will get an exposure on Global Media and International Journalism. Smaller groups of JGU students will also be visiting Brunel university London to study Intellectual Property and Competition law and Monash University's Prato Centre, Italy to study comparative law. "JGU has further collaborated with other leading universities of the world like Sciences Po (The Paris Institute of Political Science) France, Instituto Superior de Derecho Economia (ISDE), Madrid, and University of Granada, Spain, to offer a diverse set of programmes encompassing various disciplines," the statement said. The short-term programmes "have become extremely relevant for the universities who aspire to impart a world-class learning experience to its students. The international exposure not only broadens the students' outlook but introduces them to multi-cultural and interdisciplinary learning environment". "This global confluence of experience equips the students with skills and knowledge with a view to educating and inspiring them in the fast evolving global world. It will also help them imbibe the required qualifications and expertise that will be relevant in the globalised work environment," the statement added. Talking about JGU's sustained effort to provide students with increased study abroad opportunities, the founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, Professor C. Raj Kumar, reiterated that "JGU is relentlessly working to expand and diversify the short term study abroad programmes offered to students. The remarkable feature of these programmes are that they don't impose any disciplinary limitations for students as far as access is concerned. For example, any student from any school in any year of study can pursue almost all of these programme". Highlighting the growth and expansion of these programmes in the last few years, Professor Kumar said: "From 3 programmes in 2016, JGU is now offering short term study abroad opportunities in more than 10 world-class universities. Every year, new programmes are added and offered in collaboration with our partner universities and the JGU's International Institute for Higher Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd) is leading this effort. Through these endeavours, we reaffirm our commitment to produce global citizens and constantly explore global opportunities for our students". These programmes are coordinated by the International Institute for Higher Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd), an institute located within, JGU which is dedicated towards research and capacity building in higher --IANS vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Relatives of a patient attacked a doctor at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here in the early hours of Monday over his alleged negligence. They created a ruckus and attacked Casualty Medical Officer Dr Anvesh in the Emergency Wing, where their relative was undergoing treatment for the injuries he sustained in a road accident. Claiming to be supporters of a minister, two to three persons attacked the doctor, alleging negligence in the treatment of the injured man. The video of the attack at NIMS, one of the largest government-run hospitals in Hyderabad, went viral on social media. One of the men was seen arguing with the doctor, threatening him and using foul language even as two policemen present at the scene were trying to pacify him. According to eyewitnesses the patient's relatives were in an inebriated condition. The incident created a scare among the medical staff, patients and their relatives. Police said they would register a case if the doctor or other employees of NIMS lodge a complaint. This is the latest in a series of incidents of attacks on hospital staff by relatives of the patients. Earlier this month, the relatives of a patient barged into the hostel of resident doctors and tried to assault them. The doctors had met Telangana Health Minister E. Rajender on Sunday, seeking additional security in view of the increasing incidents of attacks. --IANS ms/rs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Infuriated over his sacking, controversial Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Monday alleged that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath succumbed to the powerful liquor lobby and did not implement prohibition in the state. Adityanath's silence on a liquor ban was the trigger point in the ongoing tussle between Rajbhar and the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said. Rajbhar also claimed that he and his son Arun Rajbhar, Chairman of the Small Scale Industries Corporation, had handed over their resignations on April 13. However, the BJP, apprehending split in the crucial votes of the Rajbhar community, kept sitting on the resignation letters and sacked the two from their posts on Monday - once the polls were over in the state. Talking to IANS, Rajbhar's son and national General Secretary of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Arun Rajabhar said: "Before the polls, we had moved a cabinet proposal to ban liquor in the entire state. We had emphasized that local made liquor is not only killing people but causing havoc in poor families. Like Gujarat and Bihar, the BJP should ban liquor in UP also. However, the liquor lobby stalled the move." Arun Rajbhar, who controls the reins of the party which now has four MLAs, said that besides the liquor ban, his party also demanded quota within the OBC reservation for their community. "BJP President Amit Shah promised us that he will ensure that a quota within the quota is implemented for the benefit of the Rajbhar community. Yet the orders were never implemented," he added. He also alleged that the BJP leadership intended that his party should be merged with them and it fight future elections on the lotus symbol. "We refused to bow down to such demands. We had clarified to Yogi that the SBSP would contest elections on its own symbol. We cannot be a small fish, eaten by a bigger fish (BJP)." On the other hand, insiders in the BJP said that Om Prakash Rajbhar and his son had sought bigger portfolios in the government. They also pressured the party to have a bigger share in seat-sharing. What annoyed the BJP leadership was the fact that during Lok Sabha polls, Rajbhar held separate rallies in different constituencies and spoke against the saffron party. In his recent rallies, Rajbhar even used foul language against the BJP, they said. --IANS dk/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Om Prakash Rajbhar, who had been making statements against the BJP and its leadership, was removed from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet on Monday after Governor Ram Naik dismissed him from ministerial position on the recommendation of the Chief Minister. The estranged BJP ally and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief had even on the final day of polling on Sunday said that the SP-BSP alliance was poised for a big win in Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh), just days after he claimed to have walked out of the Adityanath government. Rajbhar was miffed over denial of seats of his choice in the state, and had fielded 39 candidates in eastern Uttar Pradesh, including in Varanasi from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought re-election. The Rajbhar community leader, who has considerable clout in eastern Uttar Pradesh, had already asserted that his party had not campaigned for the BJP in the just concluded elections. Five other leaders of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who were holding ministerial ranks in commissions, were also removed with immediate effect on Monday. Talking to reporters immediately after his dismissal, Rajbhar said that he welcomed the decision. "I welcome the decision but I wish that Yogi Adityanath had shown the same haste in dealing with issues related to my demand for implementing prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues," he said. He said that he would now work towards exposing the BJP. "I will continue to consolidate my community and tell them how the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits. The BJP never addressed issues raised by me and kept me waiting till the elections were over. "Surely Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections but they did not want to suffer OBC backlash by doing so. However, this is not the end of elections -- there will be more elections in the future," he stated. Rajbhar had claimed that he had sent his resignation to the Chief Minister on April 13 but BJP sources claim that the resignation was "nowhere to be found". "If he had to resign, he should have sent his resignation to the Governor," said Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. Rajbhar had used unparliamentary language for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders during the campaign and had even campaigned for opposition candidates. According to sources, the BJP is now ready to get rid of Om Prakash Rajbhar and would now promote its own Minister of State Anil Rajbhar, a legislator from Sakaldiha Assembly segment in Chandauli district. "We can win over the Rajbhar community through Anil Rajbhar. There are three years to go for the Assembly elections," said a BJP leader On Sunday, during the final phase of polling, Om Prakash Rajbhar claimed: "No party will get a majority in these elections. In eastern UP, It is the SP-BSP alliance that will dominate. Without our support the BJP will suffer losses in at least 30 seats in Purvanchal. It is losing Balia, Gorakhpur and Ghazipur seats," said Rajbhar. He predicted that the saffron party will only win 15 seats in the state. "The SP-BSP alliance will win 55-60 seats, while the Congress will gets 2-3 seats. We are not with them now. We only asked for the Ghosi seat, which the BJP did not give us," he said. The SBSP chief, who has been playing spoiler to the BJP's plans in Uttar Pradesh, last week declared support for the Congress candidate in Mirzapur and SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate in Maharajganj and Bansgaon. His new statements was seen as aimed at creating trouble for the BJP, since Rajbhars constitute 20 per cent of the Purvanchal population and are regarded as the second-most politically dominant community after Yadavs in the eastern part of the state. --IANS amita/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajat Gupta, the first foreign-born head of influential management consultancy McKinsey and Co who was jailed for two years for insider trading, says his biggest regret is remaining silent in court even as his legal team mounted a vigorous defence and insists that he did no wrong but "would anyone in the courtroom realise this?" "To this day, that decision is my greatest regret. Without my testimony, our defence was considerably diminished. After all, how can you demonstrate that you did not do something. How can you prove a negative", particularly in a situation in which his lawyers could not use the term "integrity in examining character witnesses because it was "too vague", Gupta writes in his memoir, "Mind Without Fear" (Juggernaut), the title inspired by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjali". "Integrity was a virtue that I'd striven for my whole life, but what did it really mean? Did it demonstrate integrity to miss the fact that one's business associates were involved in illegal activity? Could one be said to have integrity if one was too busy to pay close attention to critical financial deals and ended up being cheated. I have lived a full life and tried to do good in the world, but I had not always achieved balance or integration between my many commitments," Gupta writes. Insisting that he "certainly did not intend" to provide insider information on investment banker Goldman Sachs to Sri Lankan-American former hedge fund manager Rajakumaran Rajaratnam, jailed in 2011 for 11 years on 14 counts of fraud, Gupta admits: "Perhaps I said more than was strictly appropriate for my role as a board member, but my motives were to support, not betray the bank." He then poses a crucial question: "Would nayone in the courtroom realise this though, when I was given an opportunity to clear myself?" "The choice not to tesstify continues to haunt me - not becuase I know the outcome would have been different but because at least it would have allowed me to accept the outcome better, knowing I had done my best in every way. The fact is I succembed to fear in that moment, and that is something I find it hard to forgive myself for and to live with," Gupta writes. Noting that he finds it "painful" that he could not continue on his journey "of giving back to society in an impactful way", or bear the loss of his reputation and position of leadership, Gupta states: "But the truth is, that was all lost long before my decision about (not) taking the stand. The day the SEC charged me, the damage was done, an no matter what I'd done differently during the trial, I'd already paid that price." "In the end, however, I accept that perhaps this course of events was simply my destiny. It is not my job to understand why, it is just my job to make the best of it. Again, I remind myself, life is a series to experiences. None is inherently good or bad - it is what you make of it. I am thankful to have been remineded of what really matters in life," Gupta maintains. What of the future? "I want to try something completely different, to focus inwardly. Perhaps a greater emphasis on the spiritual dimension will offer avenues for personal growth? I am at peace with my paast, and the question on my mind is: How should I complete this life with tranquility and grace," Gupta concludes. (Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) --IANS vm/am (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripura Police have launched a probe after a tribal girl filed a complaint of sexual harassment against a legislator belonging to the ruling alliance partner IPFT, an official said on Monday. "We have launched an inquiry after a tribal girl filed an FIR at the East Agartala Women Police Station on Sunday night," Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) Koel Debbarma told IANS here. A young tribal girl, resident of Mandwai in western Tripura, has lodged the sexual harassment complaint against Dhananjoy Tripura, 31, a member of the Tripura assembly representing the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which is a junior alliance partner of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking to reporters, the girl alleged that she was raped repeatedly over the last two years by Tripura, who committed to marry her, but the legislator was now denying having married her. The MLA, who was elected from the Raima Valley assembly constituency in northern Tripura, strongly denied the charges, telling mediapersons that he would seek legal recourse if the police took any action against him. The issue has rocked state politics since the allegations surfaced on Sunday. --IANS sc/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has asked Iran "never to threaten" the US and warned Tehran that if it wants a fight, it would be "the official end" of the Islamic nation. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon. "Never threaten the United States again!" His Sunday tweets appeared to be a considerable shift in tone from the President's brief remarks at the White House on May 16, when he responded "I hope not" after being asked whether the US and Iran were headed toward war, The Washington Post reported. The White House has not officially responded to Trump's tweets. Trump issued his threat a few hours after the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, said on Sunday that Iran does not fear a war but the US does, reports Efe news. Salami said in a speech at a military ceremony broadcast on state-run Iranian TV that Tehran was not seeking war but did not fear it either, in contrast to the US, which is afraid of war and does not have the willpower to engage in one. He also warned that the entire Middle East could become "a powder keg" for Washington. Last week, the US decided to deploy to the Persian Gulf the amphibious assault ship USS Arlington, Patriot missiles, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and assorted warplanes, including bombers, after claiming that it had detected unspecified "indications" of Iranian plans to attack US forces in the Middle East. In recent weeks, concern has been increasing that National Security Adviser John Bolton, a long-time hawk on Iran who was instrumental in instigating the invasion of Iraq under George W. Bush, might be working to edge the administration closer to some kind of military action against Tehran. Last year, prior to bringing Bolton into the administration as one of his top advisers, Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal. More recently, Trump has tightened economic sanctions against the Tehran regime and his administration says it has built up the US military presence in the region. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sberbank CEO Herman Gref told about threats facing the Russian economy this year. "There is a threat of sanctions, as usual. Such uncertainty impacts our investment climate and the ruble. This year is a year of a week economic dynamics, less than 2%, according to our forecasts," he listed. "But things have got moving from the point of view of the launch of national projects, including the one on the digital economy. So, this will be a year of boost," he said in an interview with the Deistvuyushchiye Litsa (Political Actors) with Nailya Asker-zade program on the Rossiya-1 television channel. According to Gref, the funds allocated on national projects will not be used this year as the projects have not yet been committed to paper, so he would not expect big results this year. But he noted that the next year may demonstrate another economic dynamics thanks to the implementation of national projects. Posting net profit for seven consecutive years, the Tripura Gramin Bank (TGB) is among India's top three out of 46 regional rural banks (RRBs) in terms of profit, business and growth, TGB Chairman Mahendra Mohan Goswami said on Monday. "In terms of profit, business and growth, the TGB is among the three leading RRBs in the country. After some of them merger with commercial banks, currently India has 46 RRBs against the earlier 56," Goswami told IANS. He said that the 43-year old TGB, has posted a net profit of Rs 125.45 crore in the fiscal 2018-19 against the net profit of Rs 44.14 crore in 2017-18, and of Rs 56 crore in 2016-17. The Central government has a 50 percent stake in TGB, the United Bank of India (UBI) has 35 per cent, while the 15 per cent is held by the Tripura government. The TGB, with 148 full-fledged branches and 11 ultra-small branches (USBs), has been gradually expanding its business across the northeastern state, specially in the rural and remote areas. The Chairman said that all the 11 USBs would be converted into full-fledged branches in the current fiscal. "The TGB is the only one among the eight RRBs in the northeastern region, comprising eight states including Sikkim, that has been making profit successively," he said. Like other nationalised banks, the TGB has been providing all modern facilities to the customers, including computerised, online financial transactions and mobile banking, besides ATM (Automated Teller Machine) services. According to the official, crossing ther Rs 9,000 landmark for the first time, the TGB grew its volume of business in the last financial year to Rs 9,267.45, which is 11.23 per cent more transacted than the corresponding period of the previous financial year . Goswami said: "The deposits of the Gramin Bank increased by 12.57 per cent and crossed Rs 6,691.77 crore as on March 31, from Rs 5,944.55 crore on March 31, 2018. "When most nationalised banks registered losses, the TGB posted a net profit of Rs 125.45 crore and operating profit of Rs 227.92 crore in the 2018-19 fiscal. The bank had started its journey in 1976 with a loss of Rs 3,550.47 crore. TGB managed to wipe out its entire accumulated loss of Rs 139.40 crore in the fiscal 2012-13 by registering a net profit year-on-year. "The bank's Credit Deposit Ratio (CDR) currently stood at 38.49 per cent against the 48 per cent CDR of nationalised banks functioning in the state. The TGB's 2017-18's CDR was 40.16 per cent," he said According to the official, the TGB's Capital to Risk Assets Ratio in the last fiscal (CRAR) was 18.40 per cent. This, however, is much higher than the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) stipulated ratio of 9 per cent CRAR. Covering over 75 per cent of Tripura's four-million population, mostly in the rural and interior areas, TGB's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) as on March 31 this year stood at Rs 230.41 crore, which is 8.95 per cent of the total advance of the bank, against Rs 254.05 crore NPAs as on March 31 last year. The TGB is the first RRB in India to have been accorded permission by the RBI to start treasury function of the Tripura government and open a currency chest. The Chairman said that to encourage entrepreneurship among the rural youth and avoid the guarantor system in getting loans, the Gramin Bank has, since 2015-16, started forming Joint Liability Groups (JLG), and several thousand such groups have been formed so far, involving around 20,000 people. The TGB has provided Rs 182.92 crore to 24,650 unemployed people under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana loan scheme for micro industries. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) --IANS sc/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump, apparently unhappy about the media's coverage of his finances, on Monday said that he did not need banks to do business. "The Failing New York Times (it will pass away when I leave office in 6 years), and others of the Fake News Media, keep writing phony stories about how I didn't use many banks because they didn't want to do business with me. WRONG! It is because I didn't need money," Trump said in one of several Twitter posts. He posted five tweets about his relationship with banks in less than a minute and complained in another tweet 15 minutes later that Twitter had not posted two other messages, the Efe news reported. "When you don't need or want money, you don't need or want banks. Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money. Fake Media only says this to disparage, and always uses unnamed sources (because their sources don't even exist)," Trump tweeted. On April 30, Trump and three of his children sued two banks - Germany's Deutsche Bank and US-based Capital One - to block them from releasing financial records to the Congress. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York in an effort to stop an investigation launched by the Democrats, who have a majority in the House of Representatives. The President, his three oldest children - Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric -, and his business, the Trump Organisation, asked a federal judge to order the two banks not to provide financial records to the House of Representatives, which used its legal authority to ask for the information. "Now the new big story is that Trump made a lot of money and buys everything for cash, he doesn't need banks. But where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and don't need banks, but if I did they would be there ... and Deutsche Bank ... was very good and highly professional to deal with - and if for any reason I didn't like them, I would have gone elsewhere ... there was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from. They would be very happy to take my money. Fake News!" Trump tweeted. --IANS rs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has warned Iran "never" to threaten the US again, saying if Tehran wants to fight, that will be the "official end" of the Iranian regime. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" the President wrote on Sunday on his official Twitter account amid growing tension between Washington and Tehran, Efe news reported. Trump issued his threat a few hours after the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, said on Sunday that Iran does not fear a war but the US does. Salami said in a speech at a military ceremony broadcast on state-run Iranian TV that Tehran was not seeking war but did not fear it either, in contrast to the US, which is afraid of war and does not have the willpower to engage in one. Salami also warned that the entire Middle East could become "a powder keg" for Washington. Last week, the US decided to deploy to the Persian Gulf the amphibious assault ship USS Arlington, Patriot missiles, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and assorted warplanes, including bombers, after claiming that it had detected unspecified "indications" of Iranian plans to attack US forces in the Middle East. In recent weeks, concern has been increasing that National Security Adviser John Bolton, a long-time hawk on Iran who was instrumental in instigating the invasion of Iraq under George W. Bush, might be working to edge the administration closer to some kind of military action against Tehran. Last year, prior to bringing Bolton into the administration as one of his top advisers, Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal. More recently, Trump has tightened economic sanctions against the Tehran regime and his administration says it has built up the US military presence in the region. It was not clear precisely what Trump meant by his tweet on Sunday, however, since it ran counter to reports from late last week that he had told US military commanders he did not want to go to war and, in fact, wanted to reduce bilateral tensions. On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Iran's IRNA news agency in Beijing, where he was on an official visit, that "There will be no war because neither do we want a war, nor has anyone the idea or illusion it can confront Iran in the region." "The fact is that Trump has officially said and reiterated again that he does not want a war, but people around him are pushing for war on the pretext that they want to make America stronger against Iran," Zarif said. For the moment, neither the Pentagon nor the State Department has provided proof to the media of the alleged Iranian plans to attack US forces, a situation which has generated skepticism among Democratic lawmakers as well as among several key US allies. The Washington Post reported last week that Trump has been frustrated with some of his top advisers because he thinks that the US is taking too belligerent a stance vis-a-vis Tehran, and The New York Times said that the president had told Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan that he does not want a war with Iran. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Paris, May 20 (IANS/AKI) United Nations cultural organisation Unesco chief Audrey Azoulay on Monday deplored the recent murder of two journalists in Pakistan and urged their killers to be brought to justice. "I condemn the killing of Ali Sher Rajpar and Malik Amanullah Khan. "Bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice is essential for press freedom in the country and for journalists' ability to inform citizens and hold authorities to account," Azoulay said in a statement. Ali Sher Rajpar, a journalist for Sindhi daily newspaper Awami Awaz, was shot dead on May 4 in the southern Pakistani city of Padidan outside the local press club, of which he was chairman. He had reportedly requested police protection after receiving threats. Malik Amanullah Khan, a reporter for the local Meezan-e-Adal newspaper and Chairman of the Parowa Press Club, was killed by unidentified gunmen on April 30 in the capital of Dera Ismail Khan District, northwest Pakistan. Rajpar and Khan were the first journalists reported to have been killed this year. At least three journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018. Two of them had been covering drug trafficking, according to international press watchdog Reporters without Borders. Pakistan was ranked 142 in this year's World Press Freedom index, down from 139 last year. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Geneva, May 21 (IANS/AKI) United Nations refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi began a five-day visit to Myanmar on Monday - his first since August 2017 when a deadly military crackdown drove some 741,000 minority Rohingya Muslims to flee the country's western Rakhine state for neighbouring Bangladesh. Grandi is scheduled to spend the first two days of his trip in Rakhine state, where he will visit communities in Sittwe and the northern townships and will meet state and district officials, according to a UNHCR press-release. He is scheduled meet senior Myanmar government officials in the capital Nay Pyi Taw later in the week, the statement said. Grandi will follow up on a range of issues raised by refugees from Myanmar (also known as Burma) and will review the country's efforts to find "comprehensive and durable solutions to the crisis in Rakhine State," the statement said. A UN fact-finding mission last week repeated a call for top Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority, in which security forces are accused of killings, gang rape and arson in Rakhine after attacks on police posts by Rohingya insurgents in August 2017. Myanmar has rejected most of the accusations and dismissed a report last September by a UN-appointed panel, which accused military officers of "genocidal intent" in the crackdown on the Rohingya and said they should stand trial. Grandi in late April visited Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, where over 900,000 stateless Rohingya refugees currently live in Cox's Bazar. Overcrowded, insanitary, makeshift settlements and inadequate healthcare services put refugees in Cox's Bazaar at risk of disease outbreaks, according to the UN and charities such as Doctors without Borders. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bureaucrats, they say, are the best psephologists. They do not conduct exit polls but they have their ears to the ground. In Uttar Pradesh, since the past one week, bureaucrats - retired as well as serving - have been seeking appointments with Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati. Armed with outsized bouquets, they have been 'wishing her the best' for the elections and 'praying for her bright future'. A staff in Mayawati's house said: "These officers are coming for courtesy visits and 'Behenji' is meeting them all on days she is not campaigning. Most of them have served under Behenji when she was the Chief Minister and there are some new ones too belonging to the Bahujan Samaj. They are also giving her feedback about the prevailing situation." Such visits before the election outcome are called 'bhool na jana' (do not forget us) visits in the local parlance. One such retired officer, who had served in the Chief Minister's secretariat between 2007 and 20-12 when Mayawati was the Chief Minister, admitted that he had called upon Behenji. "I went to wish her good luck in these elections. The BSP is making a comeback and there is nothing wrong in wishing luck. You do not go to wish politicians when their chips are down," he said. A few officers, however, have deliberately kept out of these 'bhool na jana' visits. "She has a mercurial temperament and may just misconstrue the purpose of the visit. I have decided to send her a bouquet when the results are out," the bureaucrat said. Surprisingly, majority of the bureaucrat known to be close to Mayawati at one point of time or the other are unwilling to believe the exit polls. "We do not know about the BJP but the BSP is definitely doing better than what has been projected. Exit polls can be managed but results cannot be manipulated," an officer said. Another officer, who has sought an appointment with the BSP President, said that even if the exit poll results are to be believed, the BSP has made a comeback when compared to its 2014 tally in which the party had drawn a blank. --IANS amita/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A billionaire technology investor stunned the entire graduating class at an US ollege in Atlanta when he announced at their commencement that he would pay off their student loans -- estimated at $40 million. Robert F. Smith, this year's commencement speaker at Morehouse College, made the announcement on Sunday while addressing nearly 400 graduating seniors of the all-male historically black college, Time magazine reported. Smith, who is black, is the Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data, and technology-driven companies. "On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus," the investor and philanthropist told graduates in his morning address. "This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans." The announcement immediately drew stunned looks from faculty and students alike. Then the graduates broke into the biggest cheers of the morning. Morehouse said it is the single largest gift to the college. In the weeks before graduating from Morehouse on Sunday, 22-year-old finance major Aaron Mitchom drew up a spreadsheet to calculate how long it would take him to pay back his $200,000 in student loans -- 25 years at half his monthly salary, per his calculations. In an instant, that number vanished. Mitchom, sitting in the crowd, wept. Eight family members, including Mitchom's 76-year-old grandmother, took turns over four years co-signing on the loans that got him across the finish line. Smith, who received an honorary doctorate from Morehouse during the ceremony, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school. Morehouse College president David A. Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students' futures. "In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices." --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has now been established as BJP's biggest star campaigner, second only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Minister addressed 137 elections meetings. He began his campaign from Saharanpur after offering prayers at the Shakumbhari Devi temple and then campaigned on every constituency in the state. He went more than once on seats where the candidates sent in their requests. In Gorakhpur, Adityanath addressed 25 meetings as the seat was directly linked to his own prestige. Adityanath's popularity and crowd pulling capacity has endeared him to the Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS cadres. With his firebrand image, Adityanath is the ideal leader to reach out to BJP's traditional voters and keep the Hindu voters in good humour. Moreover, he has a huge following as head of the Goraksh Peeth which belongs to the Nath sect that has an appeal in almost all states of the country including the north east states. "In states like Maharashtra and Gujarat that have a large workforce from Uttar Pradesh, particularly Purvanchal areas, Yogi Adityanath are very popular. His Hindutva pitch also appeals to the people," said a Yogi supporter. Adityanath's 'Ali versus Bajrangbali' speeches during elections may have earned him a ban of 72 hours from the Election Commission but the speech further reaffirmed his image as a Hindu hardliner. In his two years as Chief Minister Adityanath has refused to develop his image in conformity with the 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' concept. He has refused to attend the Eid prayers at Idgah which has been a tradition for all Chief Ministers in Uttar Pradesh. He proudly proclaimed in the state Assembly that he was a Hindu and did not celebrate Eid. His decision to shut down illegal slaughter houses was another step in this direction. --IANS amita/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Online food delivering platform Zomato has rolled out a new offer wherein customers need to predict the country's next prime minister ahead of the final counting on May 23 and win caskbacks on food orders. Called "Zomato Election league", the offer promises cashbacks to customers who guess the next prime minister correctly, the company said in a statement on Monday. The company had earlier provided a similar offer called Zomato Premier League (ZPL) to users who correctly predicted winners of the IPL matches. "Users will get a base 40 per cent discount every time they order and 30 per cent cashback if their predictions are true," said the company. Anyone can order and predict as many times until May 22 and will get cashback for the number of times their predictions are true. "These credits will keep getting added to your wallet once the next PM is elected,' said the company, adding that over 320,000 people have participated in more than 250 cities in India. --IANS na/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several hours after resuming transit of Russian oil to the European Union through Ukraine on Monday, it was suspended again, Ukraines UkrTransNafta said. The company said it had suspended transit after Hungarian oil company MOL informed it about technical problems on their side. UkrTransNafta added it would resume supply after the Hungarian side confirms it is ready to receive oil, Reuters reported. Such parties dismiss the predictions and term the predictions as something which isnt exact poll. They would like to be optimistic till the official announcement of results. Most of the time exit polls have predicted accurately which way the wind was blowing even if it hasnt been on point when it came to predicting the exact number of seats ... 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 Two persons were killed and one injured in a bike-lorry collision on NH-65 at Nimmaluru village of Pamarru mandal in Krishna district on Monday, police said. The deceased were identified as T Subba Rao and V Yedukondalu from Machilipatnam town, they said. Three persons were on the bike when the lorry hit it on the highway, said Pamarru Sub-Inspector Habbeb Basha. While two persons died on the spot, the injured was rushed to Machilipatnam Government Hospital, he said. A case was registered at Pamarru Police station, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two members of the notorious Bawaria gang were shot at and injured by the police after they allegedly snatching the necklaces of women here Monday. Two women were walking down a road when the two bike-borne men, in their 20s, came from behind and allegedly snatched the necklace from one of them and sped away. The victims raised an alarm and a police patrol nearby chased the gangsters and intercepted them. On being cornered, the gangsters attacked the policemen following which forced them to open fire, injuring the robbers in the leg,police said. Interrogation of the youth revealed they were members of the infamous gang and they were identified as Karan and Surendar. The dreaded Bawaria gang is an organised group of dacoits wanted in several cases of looting, multiple murders, among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two government officials were arrested on Monday in two separate bribery cases in Rajasthan, officials of the Anti Corruption Bureau said. Mithilesh Jain, deputy director in the women and child development department in Bundi district, was arrested for allegedly taking Rs 12,000 from anganwadi centre workers, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tarunkant Somani said. The official was arrested while taking Rs 10,000, Somani said. In Sawai Madhopur, Himmat Singh, a public prosecutor at the district and sessions court, was held for allegedly taking Rs 10,000 from the complainant to secure an early bail and favour his son in a POCSO act case, DSP Bhairu Lal said. The money has been seized from both the accused under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the officials added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel of Jharkhand were injured during an encounter with Maoists in Seraikela-Kharswan district on Monday, a senior police officer said. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kolhan range) Kuldeep Dwivedi told PTI that the injured SAP personnel were airlifted to Ranchi. Their condition was stated to be out of danger, he said. The Maoists opened fire on the security personnel when they were patrolling the naxal-affected areas under Kharswan Police station, Dwivedi said. In the retaliatory action that followed, the Maoists retreated into a jungle. Security personnel led by Superintendent of Police (Seraikela-Kharwan district) Chandan Kumar Sinha cordoned off the jungle near Hiragada village and launched a massive search operation to trace the Maoists. Claiming that some rebels were also injured in the encounter, Dwivedi said, We have spotted blood stains on the path taken by the Maoists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police arrested four Nigerian nationals with cocaine worth Rs 2.4 lakh in suburban Goregaon, an official said Monday. The arrests and seizure were made by an ANC patrolling unit near the old check-post on Aarey Road late Sunday night, an official said. "Police teams spotted a taxi carrying four Nigerian nationals and brought it to a halt, on the basis of suspicion, after tailing it for some distance. The four persons were searched and we recovered 40 grams of cocaine worth about Rs 2.4 lakh in the illicit market," he added. The official identified the four as Paul Anayau Osinakachi (31), Okichiku Obanna Matince (35), Godswil Dike Chitachi (27) and Ruben Ajah Godwin (26), adding that all have been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan authorities have arrested six suspects, including an employee at the Parliament, over their alleged links to a training facility of the banned Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) in Kurunegala, police said on Monday. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing more than 250 people. The ISIS claimed the attacks, but the government blamed NTJ for the bombings. Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told the media that initially three suspects had been apprehended after the training facility was discovered at a coconut estate upon a tip-off received by the Kurunegala Police. He said the suspects, which included the land owner, were arrested on May 9 and have been remanded until May 24 after being produced before a court, he was quoted as saying by the Times Online. Details pertaining to two more individuals including that of a Kurunegala hospital staffer had emerged following questioning of the three suspects. Gunasekara said several cheques had been discovered in the possession of the hospital staffer. Investigations had also revealed that cash deposits had been made to the suspect's bank account from various places. Following the questioning of the two suspects, police arrested an individual in the Alawathugoda area last Saturday. This suspect was identified as an employee of the Parliament Hansard Department, Gunasekara said. Of the arrested six suspects, three persons including the hospital and the Parliament staffer have been remanded until May 24. Sri Lanka banned the NTJ after the deadly attacks and arrested over 100 people in connection with the Easter blasts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reaching out to the students belonging to needy and poor families in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army on Monday provided them Rs 1.45 crore financial assistance for studies. Army Commander, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh presented the financial aid to 71 selected students from the Below Poverty Line category and remote areas of Jammu & Kashmir at a function in this district of the state. The financial aid provided under 'Sadbhavana' to needy children included scholarships to the tune of Rs 1.45 crore, PRO defence said. Seventy-one students -- 45 for the Army Public School, Beas, and 26 for Drona Boys Hostel, Udhampur -- were handed over the scholarship certificates and cheques which cover the complete expenditure of their schools, including fees, boarding, lodging and transportation, he said. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Singh said the Army would do everything possible within the ambit of 'Operation Sadbhavana' to assist the civil population of the state, especially those affected by terrorism, to address their problems. He said the Army has identified as a priority area for the military-civic programme under 'Sadbhavana' in J&K. "The idea of sponsoring of these students at the Army Public School, Beas, and Drona Boys Hostel has many benefits. The students not only get the best of at par with any premier education institute in the country, but also get an opportunity to get to know the diverse culture of this great nation," Lt Gen Singh said. He said the students are moulded as better citizens and integrated into the mainstream. The Army Commander also felicitated the alumni of both the institutes who had come to attend the function. One of them rose to become Lt commander in the Indian Navy and three joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the PRO said. The students of both the APS, Beas, and Drona Boys Hostel, Udhampur, were grateful to the Army for sponsoring their education. Adeb-Ul-Islam, a Class 11 student, who hails from Pahalgam, Kashmir, and studying at APS Beas since the past three years, said her stay at the school has changed her out look towards life. "I want to become a doctor and join the Indian Army," she said and called upon the youth of Kashmir to become anchors of the country. Master Suhail, a Class 10th student, who hails from Poonch, was grateful to the Army for fully sponsoring his education. The contribution of the Indian Army in shaping the future generations with positive attitude as part of overall strategy in bringing normalcy in the state is well known, said Brigadier Nagpal sai. "Since 1998, the Indian Army in its unique initiative of Operation Sadbhavana carries out series of civic action programmes to alleviate the problems of the civil population in the terrorist-affected and remote areas of J&K," he said. He said every year the Army spends approximately over Rs 40 crore in various Sadbhavana activities and the major portion, i.e. over Rs 20 crore, goes to education activities, including Army Goodwill schools and scholarships. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has said the United States will continue to support Ukraine. "President Zelenskys speech was impressive and very powerful in what kind of vision for Ukraines future there is presented. The bottom line is that the elections were for the people of Ukraine, not for him," Perry said after Vladimir Zelensky was inaugurated. He stressed that the United States would continue to support Ukraine. "The United States, together with the people of Ukraine, is looking forward to working with the new president and, I hope, with the new parliament," Interfax cited the official as saying. Forecast of good showing for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh by the Lok Sabha exit polls had its impact on the Samajwadi Party, with its headquarters Monday bereft of any enthusiasm and the party supremo Akhilesh Yadav going into a huddle with senior party leaders. A day after curtains came down on polling, there was silence in the opposition party's office, with Yadav closeted with SP leaders to discuss future strategy after May 23 results of the lower house of Parliament. The SP office here, which is generally abuzz with activities of party workers, was less crowded in the morning with some party supporters seen discussing the future prospects of the party and outcome of its alliance with the BSP and the RLD to keep the saffron party at bay. "The exit polls show us in good light. Some of the polls even give us over 50 seats. We are enthused with the exit polls, but are keeping our fingers crossed till the results are out on May 23," said Ajay Pratap Singh, a party leader from Sitapur, exuding confidence that the alliance candidate will win in his district. A shop outside the SP office which usually does brisk business wore a deserted look with no buyers though the torrid weather also came in the way of people stirring out of their homes. "We hope after the counting, if alliance gets required number of seats, there will be demand for flags and other materials," said Manoj, a vendor. A group of young people having tea at a stall outside the party office were seen busy discussing results and credibility of exit polls. "The exit polls have given us (SP-BSP) seats from 10 to 56. A vast range of seats has been projected and it's up to us to hazard a guess as to how many we are getting. They (exit polls) have only deepened the suspense instead of making the picture clear. We will prefer to wait and watch till the final results are out," Manoj Mishra, an SP supporter, said. As far as SP leaders are considered, they seem to endorse their Yadav's decision to go for an alliance with the BSP and feel that they would surely make the BJP bite the dust in the state. "We are confident of our performance. We have made our own analysis and we know that our candidates are winning on a good number of seats. But, we will wait for the results and we will not want to engage in number game at this point," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On a day the BJP in Madhya Pradesh demanded a special session of the Legislative Assembly so that the Congress-led dispensation could prove its majority, state minister Govind Singh said the government had already made preparations for holding such sitting. Earlier in the day, the BJP wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel, asking her to convene a special session of the state Assembly. As the development churned of the state, Minister for General Administration and Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh said, "As far as calling of the assembly session is concerned, much before this demand was made, the government had made preparations for it (holding the session). Only dates needed to be finalised". Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Gopal Bhargava, has written a letter to the governor stating that the party wanted a discussion on important issues like the farm loan waiver and (to) test the government's strength. The letter says "several problems, including some severe ones, are plaguing the state since the last six months after formation of the new House". Madhya Pradesh is in the grip of severe water crisis and lawlessness. Farmers condition is worrisome as they are unable to sell their produce. They are also disillusioned over the farm loan waiver, Bhargava's letter states. When asked about the issues flagged by the BJP, the minister said people of the state are already getting all basic facilities and that there is no problem on the law and order front. "...There is no shortage of drinking water as stated by Bhargava. Farm loan waiver scheme is already implemented and debts of lakhs of cultivators have been waived," he said. In the Assembly polls last year, the Congress won 114 of the state's 230 seats, two short of the majority mark of 116. The Bahujan Samaj Party, having two MLAs, and Samajwadi Party, which has one, are supporting the Congress. There are four Independents. The BJP won 109 seats. Political tension rose in Madhya Pradesh last month after Lokendra Singh Rajput, a candidate of Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, quit and joined the Congress, saying he supports Jyotiraditya Scindia. Mayawati was furious and tweeted that she would reconsider her support to the Kamal Nath government. Nath, however, indicated the matter was resolved, saying, Mayawati's party has the same goal as us... that is the exit of the BJP". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amplus Solar said Monday that it has secured approval from the Haryana government for two power projects of 150 MW for supplying clean energy to industries. Amplus Solar expects to make a capital investment of Rs 750 crore for these open access projects, a company statement said. Under the open access route, industrial and commercial users can source electricity from the open market. They can purchase power from a number of suppliers and can also meet their Renewable Purchase Obligations. The company had signed an MoU with the Department of Renewable Energy, Government of Haryana, in 2016 to invest Rs 1,000 crore in the solar sector in line with the Haryana Solar Policy that has a target of 3,200 MW of solar projects. Gurgaon-headquartered Amplus will set up these projects under group captive model in Sirsa and Bhiwani districts where it has already acquired 575 acres of land under a long-term lease. Construction of the plants is expected to begin soon and will be operational this year. "These projects provide steady flow of income to the local populations during construction and operation of the plant. We essentially are creating a clean technology based ecosystem to support the local population for a better livelihood for current as well as future generation," said Sanjeev Aggarwal, CEO & MD, Amplus Solar in the statement. The company has developed several marquee rooftop projects of over 15 MW under RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) model in Haryana and is already supplying solar energy to customers like Mahindra Defense, Rapid Metro, Motherson Group, Fortis hospital, Yamaha and several others. Amplus is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Petronas Holdings, Malaysia and has regional offices in Bengaluru, Bangkok, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai and Pune. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Global steel major ArcelorMittal Monday told the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that it would pay Rs 42,000 crore, including a minimum of guarantee of Rs 2,500 crore as working capital, for acquiring debt-laden Essar Steel under the insolvency process. Senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for ArcelorMittal also accused Ruias, former Essar Steel promoters, of creating hurdles in the resolution process of the bankrupt steelmaker. According to him, there have been eight attempts by Ruias to create hurdles in the insolvency resolution process of Essar Steel. The NCLAT is hearing a batch of appeals filed by several stakeholders challenging NCLT's approval to ArcelorMittal's resolution plan for Essar Steel. Countering the allegation of Standard Chartered bank over valuation of Essar Steel, Salve submitted that the liquidation value of Essar Steel was Rs 15,800 crore and ArcelorMittal India is paying almost three times, which is "fair", "reasonable" and "adequate" to meet the interest of the stakeholders. Salve contended that during the resolution period, Essar Steel had a profit of Rs 3,500 crore and the company is already providing Rs 2,500 crore as working capital. "As ArcelorMittal has assured a working capital of Rs 2,500 crore, a profit of Rs 3,500 crore means that ArcelorMittal will make available a sum of Rs 43,000 crore to the creditors of the company," Salve said adding that "Rs 42,000 crore is the frozen figure". He further said that ArcelorMittal would also infuse Rs 8,000 crore additionally in the company after the takeover. Over distribution of Rs 42,000 crore between financial and operational creditors of Essar Steel, Salve suggested there should be equitable distribution" of the money coming from ArcelorMittal. However, he also said that it was not on ArcelorMittal to decide over the distribution of the fund. On being asked from the NCLAT bench over it, Salve said, "It should be finally decided by NCLT and you (NCLAT)." During the proceedings, Salve alleged Ruias are creating hurdles in the insolvency resolution process of the company and made several attempts. "Ruias are trying to create hurdles," he said referring to the recent allegations by the Essar Steel Asia Holdings Ltd, a shareholder of Essar Steel Ltd. Salve also refuted contentions of Essar Steel Asia Holdings Ltd (ESAHL), which sought rejection of ArcelorMittal's resolution plan alleging that its chairman and CEO L N Mittal suppressed his links with defaulting firms run by his two brothers intentionally to bypass the ineligibility criteria under section 29 (A) of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. "The Supreme Court has clearly said that nothing beyond KSS Petron and Uttam Galva and these people have gone much beyond that," he told the tribunal. He further said the NCLAT does not even have jurisdiction to reopen the issues that have been looked at, decided by the Supreme Court. "Some people are manufacturing hurdles," Salve said, adding "Their conduct is under contempt ... they come and raise the issues again." Salve said that Essar Steel Offshore, a step-down firm of Essar Steel to buy Trinity Coal, should not be a crying wolf. "In our estimate, the value of the asset is USD 25-30 million. Their estimate is USD 640-45 million. I am saying them to give us USD 600 million for the asset," he said, adding that it should be left for the conjecture, where the erstwhile promoters "use the money for buying yachts or planes." Essar Steel has given a bank guarantee for the step-down firm. Trinity Coal has filed proceedings under chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for South District of West Virginia. "Therefore the purported valuation of Trinity Coal as presented by Standard Chartered Bank, in the course of its arguments is questionable and asset of negligible value to the Essar Steel," said Salve. Meanwhile, over the matter of Orissa Slurry Pipeline Infrastructure (OSPIL), Salve said that there was no secret settlement with the lenders regarding it. It is a separate transaction and the Cuttack bench of NCLT has already admitted insolvency proceeding against it. A two-member NCLAT bench headed by Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya would continue to hear the Essar Steel insolvency case on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Northern Army commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh Monday termed the IAF's Balakot airstrike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan as a "major achievement". He also confirmed that the first surgical strike was carried out by India in September 2016 while quoting an RTI reply by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Indian Army. "The action by the Indian Air Force on the February 26 for carrying out air strikes on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was indeed laudable," Lt Gen Singh told reporters here. "It was a major achievement wherein our aircrafts went deep into enemy territory and struck terror launchpads and camps," he added. Lt Gen Singh said the Pakistanis carried out their air operations very close to the Line of Control the following day but were given a "befitting reply". "I wish to assure you, the Indian armed forces have the capability, the resolve and operational plans absolutely geared up to take on any challenge from Pakistan whenever it arises," he added. Asked if India conducted any surgical strike before September 2016, Lt Gen Singh replied in the negative. Citing an RTI reply by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Indian Army, Singh said, "A few days ago DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in Sep 2016, I don't want to go into what political parties say as they'll be given an answer by government. What I told you is a statement of fact." Some Congress leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed that several surgical strikes were conducted by army during the previous UPA rule. "Multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure, too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises," Singh had said in an interview to a newspaper. Congress leader Rajiv Shukla had told reporters at a briefing last week that six surgical strikes were conducted during the tenure of the Manmohan Singh government. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had questioned the claims and said that the Congress had a habit of lying. Union Minister V K Singh, a former army chief, on Saturday denied knowledge of a surgical strike during his tenure and accused the Congress of lying about it. In a tweet, he said, "Congress has a habit of lying. Will you please let me know which 'So-called Surgical Strike' are you attributing to my tenure as COAS (chief of army staff). Am sure you must have hired some Coupta to invent another story. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Buoyed by exit poll predictions, the BJP has started preparation to celebrate Lok Sabha election results on May 23 in a big way at the party headquarters here. Most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Party workers at the BJP headquarters Monday were enthused and confident of the massive victory right from the beginning of the polls. While several workers had been given offs on Monday because they had been slogging tirelessly during the seven-phase general election, preparations were in full swing for May 23, when the results will be announced, a BJP worker said. The party workers were busy overseeing the preparations for the D-Day and said the exit polls had underlined what they were always confident about. "Our entire focus had shifted to elections and the leaves of everyone were cancelled. We were working 24X7 during the election time and were confident that we will breach the 300 mark," said Jitendra Rawat of BJP's media cell. Sameer Chhabra, a BJP worker from Punjab, who was in Delhi for some work, said he wanted to return to his hometown quickly as he wanted to celebrate with his people on May 23. "Five generations of my family have been associated with the party. My great-grandfather was associated with Jan Sangh, while my aunts worked for the Rashtriya Sevika Samitim," Chhabra, who also owns a shop in Punjab's Mansa, said. "My wife was from a family of traditional Congress voters and after our marriage, I sent her to a camp of the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti and within 15 days she understood what the philosophy of Sangh and the BJP meant. Now she is a BJP supporter and even my in-laws have shifted their allegiance to the BJP," he said. He said this time they worked a lot harder than in 2014 and had to convey information about Modi's achievements to the public. "We used to convince traditional Congress voters by telling them that the grand old party was formed with an agenda to overthrow the British government, but now it is only a party of familyism. But in the BJP, we do not know who will be the party chief after Amit Shah. Every worker here can become a Modi or Shah," he said. Krishan Chand Bansal, 63, another BJP worker who came in contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of six, said it does not matter whether the party wins or loses. "Our job is to work for the betterment of people and serve them. Now we have started working for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," he said. The social media and IT cell of the BJP has had a major role to play in this election and a worker from the team, requesting anonymity said, they started preparation for the 2019 elections a year after they won the last Lok Sabha polls. "Even the exit polls take data from us. We are on ShareChat and have one lakh posts there and in future, it might be the biggest social media platform. We knew that Facebook and Twitter will have a role to play during these polls, but they have reached a saturation level. This time, WhatsApp was the major game changer. "We have formed about two lakh WhatsApp groups in the last six months across India with 256 members each. We used to disseminate information through these groups. Our campaign involved highlighting the achievements of the government, attacking the opposition, establishing an emotional connect with people," Bansal said. Exit polls by 18-Ipsos, India Today-Axis and 24-Chanakya projected 336, 339-368 and 336-364 seats respectively for the NDA, with the BJP tipped to cross the majority on its own for another term after the 2014 polls. However, two exit polls -- one by ABP News-Nielsen and another by Neta- X -- said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. ABP News forecast 267 and NewsX 242 seats for the ruling NDA. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. The Election Commission has deferred polls for Vellore in Tamil Nadu over allegations of abuse of money power. The counting of votes is slated for May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elated by some of the exit polls that have forecast a majority for the BJP-led NDA, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Monday said the saffron party will get more number of seats than predicted. He claimed that from the day the general elections were announced, people made up their mind to reinstate Narendra Modi as the country's prime minister. "Under Modi, the country got the strongest-ever government in 2014. And, people had already decided that they want to hand over the reins to the Modi government for another five years. This is being reflected in all the major exit poll projections," Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar. He said while campaign for the Lok Sabha polls across the country, he and other BJP leaders knew that their party and its allies will certainly win. "I am confident that the BJP and NDA will get more seats than what is being forecast in the exit polls. Many exit polls even suggested that the NDA's tally would surpass the existing numbers in the Lok Sabha," Patel said. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday and the counting of votes is slated for Thursday. Most exit polls have forecast another term for Prime Minister Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. However, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda questioned the credibility of such predictions and claimed his party will win 10 out of the total 26 seats in the state. "The exit polls never give an accurate picture. The results of 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha polls proved that the exit poll projections can not be trusted. This time, too, results will prove that exit polls were wrong," he said. Chavda said he was confident that the Congress-led UPA will form the next government. "In Gujarat, the Congress will win at least 10 seats," he told reporters in Vadodara. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP in Monday said the Kamal Nath-led government in the state should prove majority in the Assembly. of Opposition in Assembly Gopal Bhargava said his party will ask Governor to convene a special session of the state Assembly "to discuss important issues and test the governments strength". I am writing a letter to the Governor for convening a special session of MP Assembly shortly. We want discussion on important issues like the farm loan waiver and (to) test the government strength, Bhargava told He said the Congress, instead of debating issues in the House, was dumping papers at former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence, claiming that loans of 21 lakh farmers in have been waived. The was skirting debate on important issues, he said. In elections for the 230-member Assembly last year, the Congress won 114 seats and the BJP coming a close second with 109. The has two seats, the one and the independents four seats. Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has tendered his resignation to newly-appointed President Vladimir Zelensky. Poltorak posted his resignation statement on Facebook on Monday. "Mr. President of Ukraine and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, I respect your constitutional right to nominate a Ukrainian defense minister and to request a confirmation of this appointment by the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada. Therefore, in accordance with the Ukrainian laws 'On National Security of Ukraine' and 'On Cabinet of Ukraine', I ask you to consider my resignation as the Ukrainian defense minister in the established procedure," the statement reads. Poltorak was appointed Ukrainian defense minister on October 14, 2014, Interfax recalls. The BJP in Madhya Pradesh Monday wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel, asking her to convene a session of the state Assembly so that the Congress government led by Kamal Nath could prove its majority in the House. In the Assembly polls last year, the Congress won 114 of the state's 230 seats, two short of the majority mark of 116. The Bahujan Samaj Party, having two MLAs, and Samajwadi Party, which has one, are supporting the Congress. There are four Independents. The BJP won 109 seats. "I have written a letter to the Governor for convening a special session of the Assembly. We want a discussion on important issues like the farm loan waiver and (to) test the government's strength," Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava told PTI. During discussions in the House, financial demands will come up and we will seek division (voting). In division, if the Congress government fails, it will go (collapse), the BJP leader said. The letter says several problems, including some severe ones, are plaguing the state since the last six months after formation of the new House". Madhya Pradesh is in the grip of severe water crisis and lawlessness. Farmers condition is worrisome as they are unable to sell their produce. They are also disillusioned over the farm loan waiver, Bhargava's letter states. A short two-days session of the Assembly in February could not discuss the concerns of a large number of people in the state, the letter said. Meanwhile, state Congress sources said the Kamal Nath-led ministry may be expanded to induct a minister each from the BSP and SP and also an Independent to provide stability to the six-month-old government. The state cabinet now has 25 ministers including an Independent. There was room for more ministers to be inducted as the number of ministers cant be above 34, as per the bench mark of 15 per cent of the strength of Assembly, which is 230. Political tension rose in Madhya Pradesh last month after Lokendra Singh Rajput, a candidate of Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, quit and joined the Congress, saying he supports Jyotiraditya Scindia. Mayawati was furious and tweeted that she would reconsider her support to the Kamal Nath government. Nath, however, indicated the matter was resolved, saying, Mayawati's party has the same goal as us... that is the exit of the BJP". Reacting to the BJP's letter to the Governor, state Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said it was the result of a feud between Bhargava and former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who he claimed wanted to be the LoP after the saffron party lost power in the state last year. "Our government faces no threat from the BJP (even) after the outcome of general elections, Chaturvedi told PTI. He said Bhargava's demand for convening a special session of the state Assembly was aimed at hogging limelight and to "dwarf" Chouhan. Nath has convened a meeting of Congress legislators and Lok Sabha candidates Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hailing the exit polls which forecast a return of the NDA government, BJP Telangana president K Laxman Monday said his party would grow in the state in the way it believes it has done in West Bengal. "The results are now in EVMs. Whatever surveys and exit polls say, our party emphatically said on the basis of our activists who work on the ground that we would win over 300 (Lok Sabha seats). Yesterdays exit polls are the beginning. 'Ram Rajya' is going to come again. Exit polls clearly prove that," he told reporters here. The opposition parties, who held divergent views and crossed swords till the other day, were coming together with the sole agenda of defeating Modi, he alleged. Laxman expressed confidence that BJP would get a simple majority on its own. Alleging that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promoted the of violence, he said BJP workers valiantly fought against it. "Congress and the Left parties will lose badly in that state, he claimed. People of Bengal are supporting BJP today. The situation in that state is going to be repeated in Telangana. Here also, Congress and Communists are unable to take on TRS," Laxman said. He hoped both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would be free from the rule of the two "Chandras" (Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu). Hitting out at Naidu, he alleged that the TDP president "shamelessly" put the party, founded by late N T Rama Rao on the plank of self respect of Telugus and against the anti-Congress "at the feet of Sonia Gandhi"(UPA chairperson). Slamming Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao, the BJP leader said he had quoted terror mastermind Masood Azhar as having said that not even a mosquito died in the surgical strikes carried out on terror camps in Pakistan. "That means the confidence which he (Rao) had in Masood Azhar, he does not have in our government and soldiers. He should bow his head in shame," Laxman said. He said the NDA government had an uncompromising attitude towards national security. Meanwhile, AICC spokesperson Sravan Dasoju said the Lok Sabha election was not a cakewalk for TRS in Telangana, as projected in the exit poll results. "Exit polls are essentially prepared and presented by those people with wishful thinking. Secondly, this is also an attempt to create some kind of uncertainty and create a context of confusion among fence sitters and small parties and more importantly, the regional parties. (the exit polls say) "BJP is coming to power and therefore, you (regional parties) all come and (join hands)" he told PTI. Polling for the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana was held in the first phase on April 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A war of words has broken out between the BJP and the ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh over the killing of a BJP worker on Sunday during polling for the final phase of Lok Sabha elections in Indore district. BJP national vice president and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Monday alleged the party worker, Nemichand Tanvar, 60, was killed over a "political rivalry and because he had voted for the BJP". Tanvar was shot dead Sunday evening at Palia village, about 20 km away from here, allegedly by Congress leader Arun Sharma and his two sons, Pankaj and Navin, police had said. All the three are absconding. On Monday, Chouhan visited late Tanvar's wife and sons, who had sustained pellet injuries during the incident, at hospital here. Later, talking to reporters Chouhan alleged "Congress people Sunday asked Tanvar to whom he had voted for. When he replied that he had voted for the BJP, he was beaten up and threatened with dire consequences after 5 pm. He was then shot dead". He alleged that BJP workers in the state are not only being terrorised and threatened, but are also being "murdered". Alleging a "series of murders of BJP workers in the state", Chouhan said, "Chief Minister Kamal Nath should understand that we will not allow Madhya Pradesh to become Bengal". On the other hand, the Congress has circulated a purported picture of one of the murder case accused, Pankaj, standing on dais with BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Indore, Shankar Lalwani. When asked about this, Chouhan said that Congressmen can make anything viral on social media. "Such tactics will not reduce severity of the crime. Everyone knows the truth," he said. Chouhan also announced a Rs five lakh compensation for Tanvar's kin from the state party unit. He also warned of protests by the BJP in the event of delay in arresting the accused trio by police. State Congress spokesman Santosh Singh Goutam said, "Tanvar was not murdered because of a political rivalry but due to a personal dispute". He alleged that accused Pankaj is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and had campaigned for the BJP in recently-held Lok Sabha elections. He accused the BJP of levelling false allegations against the Congress over the killing. Meanwhile, Tanvar's supporters staged a road blockade on Indore-Ujjain road before police dispersed them. Senior Superintendent of Police Ruchivardhan Mishra told PTI, "Police are probing the incident from all angles. We are also trying to find whether Tanvar and the accused persons had any old rivalry". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Boeing Monday announced the launch of its innovation leadership development programme for university students, faculty and early-stage start-ups in India. The Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme will help innovators convert their ideas into viable business offerings that have the potential to shape the future of Indian aerospace and defence, the aerospace manufacturer said. Applicants can submit their ideas in the fields related to aerospace, autonomous vehicles, advanced manufacturing, augmented and virtual reality, analytics (artificial intelligence and machine learning), materials, robotics and internet of things. "Boeing is committed to nurturing innovation and skill development in India. We believe that a close partnership with India's academia and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem has the potential to re-imagine the future of aerospace for the world," Boeing India President Salil Gupte said. "With BUILD, we are creating a platform for students and entrepreneurs to not only benefit from our vast experience and partner networks, but also develop their ideas into path-breaking innovations," he added. Boeing has partnered with seven incubators including IIT-Delhi, IIT-Gandhinagar, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras, IISc-Bangalore, T-Hub Hyderabad and KIIT Bhubaneshwar to select finalists for the BUILD boot camps. The shortlisted teams will compete at a regional level and the finalists will then pitch their ideas to a selection panel of subject-matter experts on the Boeing Innovation Day, to be held in September. The winners will stand a chance to win cash prizes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Filmmaker James Gunn says his upcoming production "Brightburn" helped him in overcoming his firing from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3" by Disney. Gunn, who serves as a producer on the film, penned by his brother Bryan and cousin Mark, was sacked from directing the third film in the "Guardians..." franchise after a series of his old offensive tweets resurfaced on social media last year. Disney reinstated him as the director of the film this March. Gunn told USA Today "Brightburn" was "definitely something I could focus on" through those ups and downs. "I like to work, so 'Brightburn' was a great help to me when I wasn't doing anything," he added. The filmmaker said he "never even for a second" lost his enthusiasm for filmmaking which "is just innate to who I am. It could be through movies or books or TV or video games, I don't care. I just love telling stories." However, Gunn maintains working on "Brightburn" was never an escape from what he was going through. "I'm always a person that focuses on what I'm doing now that's right in front of me. Any time I feel like I'm using something as an escape, I usually feel like that's an unhealthy type of thing. Nothing ever felt like that in any way. "I just had fun making 'Brightburn'. I was excited to make a movie with the people that I loved and cared about the most, with a concept that I thought was really dynamite," he said. "Brightburn", directed by David Yarovesky, is a dark tale of a child who crashes on earth and instead of becoming a hero to the mankind, takes a more sinister path. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : DMK President M K Stalin Monday charged the Central and Tamil Nadu governments with having "tied" the hands of the Election Commission of India (ECI) "from behind" and urged his partymen to keep a vigil on May 23 when votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections will be counted. The BJP and AIADMK "will go to any extent in their quest for power" and DMK workers and agents should mount additional vigil on Thursday during counting of votes, he said. "The Central (BJP) and state (AIADMK) governments, who have tied the hands of the EC from behind, will go to any extent in their quest for power. Though they know the people of Tamil Nadu are very angry against them, they are planning to prevent the victory of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and are issuing orders to officials," Stalin said in a statement. He said DMK agents should reach the counting centres well ahead of time and ensure all arrangements were in place and also make sure that the EVM seals are proper. They should also ensure that the polled votes and the ones counted matched and seek reddressal if they come across any anomalies, Stalin said. "We should not ignore the warnings issued by various opposition parties about the possible EVM frauds," he added. "Our counting centre agents, party district secretaries and candidates should be extra vigilant during every round of counting," he added. Earlier, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswami had questioned the EVMs. Elections to 542 of the 543 seats were held in seven phases starting April 11 and had concluded on Sunday. Election to the Vellore Lok Sabha seat was rescinded after recovery of a huge amount of cash, allegedly from an associate of a DMK leader. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Power regulator CERC allowing a tariff relief to independent power projects (IPP) affected by domestic coal shortfall is positive for the power generation segment, rating agency ICRA said Monday. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in its order on May 16, 2019, approved a tariff relief for coal-based power project of GMR Warora Energy arising from the use of imported / e-auction coal in lieu of shortfall in supply of domestic linkage coal under the fuel supply agreement (FSA) signed with Coal India. This is with respect to the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by the company with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) and Electricity Department, Union Territory of Daman and Nagar Haveli. ICRA said this order issued by the CERC would enable resolution for affected domestic coal-based IPPs aggregating to 14-15 GW having long-term PPAs with state distribution utilities and facing coal supply shortfall from domestic linkage sources. "The tariff relief approved by the CERC follows similar orders issued for other IPPs in the recent past and culminates a long-drawn process for domestic coal-based IPPs seeking pass-through of the higher cost of imported coal under the PPAs signed with state distribution utilities in lieu of shortfall in supply of domestic linkage coal," Sabyasachi Majumdar, Group Head - Corporate ratings, ICRA, said in the statement. "More importantly, this order by the CERC clarifies that the projects using coal under the SHAKTI scheme are also entitled for compensation for any shortfall in supply of annual contracted quantities by CIL. While the central government approved the use of imported coal because of the shortfall in supply of domestic coal and pass-through of the higher cost of the imported coal in tariffs in July 2013, the implementation of tariff pass-through was marred by significant delays, because of delays in issuing orders by the regulators as well as discoms contesting these orders at various forums. This order by CERC follows the favourable order issued by the Supreme Court of India in April 2017 allowing tariff relief for projects affected by domestic coal shortfall under change in law. The CERC has considered the modifications to New Coal Distribution Policy (NCDP) approved by the Government of India in July 2013, reducing the supply rate of coal (from 100% at 85% Plant Load Factor to 65% in FY2014 and FY2015, 67% in FY2016 and 75% in FY2017) from linkage sources as a change in law event. Further, the SHAKTI policy notified by Government of India in May 2017, continued the supply rate at 75 per cent of the annual contracted quantity (ACQ), thus continuing the dependence on imported coal. In its order, the CERC has also allowed carrying cost on the tariff relief approved for past years. "While the approval for pass-through of the higher cost of imported coal is a positive development, the timely realisation of the tariff relief from the state distribution utilities would remain a challenge, given the weak financial position of the discoms in some of the key states and as the tariff relief component including carrying cost is likely to remain significant, Majumdar added. For a 1000 MW in-land coal-based power project operating at 50 per cent PLF (plant load factor or capacity utilisation), the use of imported coal for meeting 25 per cent of its fuel requirement in lieu of domestic coal would increase the annual fuel cost of generation by about Rs. 130 crore at prevailing imported coal prices, ICRA said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China, which granted a rare permit for US Ambassador Terry Branstad to visit Tibet, on Monday hoped that the American envoy would make an "unbiased judgement" about the conditions in the Himalayan region especially on religion and the Tibetan culture. Branstad was travelling to China's Qinhai province and the bordering Tibet Autonomous Region from May 19 to May 25, making the first trip by an American envoy to the highly restricted area in four years. During his visit, Branstad is due to have meetings with local officials and visit religious and cultural heritage sites. His visit is taking place amid escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies. China's permission to him came after US early this year passed Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 warning equal and reciprocal measures if Beijing denied access to American citizens, government officials and journalists to Tibet, the homeland of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The new law would impose a visa ban on Chinese officials who deny American citizens, government officials and journalists access to Tibet. Currently, foreign tourists need a special travel permit to visit Tibet in addition to a Chinese visa. Asked why China, which denied permission for US Ambassador to visit Tibet last year decided to do so now, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media on Monday that "we welcome Ambassador Branstad's visit so that he can see the major changes which took place in Tibet for past 60 years after the peaceful liberation." Commenting on US embassy's statement that the visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language, Lu said China hopes the envoy could make unbiased judgement on the prevailing situation in Tibet. "As for the comments from US embassy, we hope this visit can help them make unbiased judgement that is fact based especially on the religion, culture, heritage and history. We hope he can make his own judgement instead of being misguided by rumours," Lu said. "We welcome all those who has an objective view of China's economic and social development, including Tibet to this region. His request was denied (last year), I don't know what you mean by that. All the diplomatic personnel in China if they have this need to visit the regions in China, they need to apply to relevant authorities first," he said. In March, China issued a white paper defending its polices and highlighting major economic development and improvement of lives of people in the remote Himalayan region since a failed uprising against Beijing's rule 60 years ago. About 150 Tibetans committed self-immolations in different parts of Tibet since 2009 calling for the return of 83-year-old Dalai Lama from his exile and improvement of human rights in the Himalayan region. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, crossed the border into India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet on March 31, 1959. China says Tibet for centuries has been its territory well before People's Liberation Army (PLA) took control of it in 1950. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Monday called on army chief General Qamar Bajwa and discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security situation, the Pakistan Army said. The meeting came days after Pakistan Army announced that it would deploy another division-size special force to protect Chinese nationals and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistan military's media wing, matters of mutual interest including regional security situation were discussed in the meeting held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Pakistan's civil-military leaders frequently hold meetings with Chinese officials in the backdrop of the multi-billion dollar CPEC project. The CPEC is a 3,000-kilometre network of roads, pipelines and railways to connect Gwadar port in Pakistan to Kashgar in the Xinjiang region of China. In a recent interview with the Chinese state media, chief military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan military had raised a whole division-sized force to ensure the security of the CPEC, and was planning to deploy another division for the purpose. His statement came as some of the CPEC-linked project have been attacked by separatists in provinces like Balochistan. Earlier reports said a Special Security Division (SSD) comprising 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel has been set up for the security of the CPEC project and Chinese nationals working on it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior Chinese official has officially handed over a 19-year-old male giant panda to Vienna's Schoenbrunn zoo. Yuan Yuan arrived in Vienna last month and has spent the last few weeks in quarantine. He was chosen as a partner for Yang Yang, the zoo's 18-year-old female panda, who has been at the zoo since 2003 but without a companion since its previous male, Long Hui, died of cancer in 2016. Li Zhanshu, the head of China's parliament, handed over Yuan Yuan at a ceremony Monday. China lends the rare bears to other countries as a sign of goodwill in what is known as "panda diplomacy." Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen described the animals as a "symbol of friendship" and said they have a "certain diplomatic mission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A regular meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (PA CSTO) will be held in Yerevan this autumn. The relevant proposal was supported today by the Assembly Council. "If there are no objections, then we will take such a decision, State Duma Speaker, Chairman of the PA CSTO Vyacheslav Volodin said at a meeting of the Council in Bishkek. The proposal was unanimously supported. The date of the session will be announced later. Chinese Taipei Monday expressed interest in joining consultations in a case filed by Japan in the WTO's dispute settlement body against India's import duties on certain ICT products, including mobile phones. According to a communication of the WTO, Chinese Taipei said that the separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu has a substantial trade interest in information communications technology (ICT) goods. On May 14, Japan has dragged India to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the import duties imposed on certain electronic goods including telephones for cellular networks; machines for reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data; and parts of telephone sets. They have alleged that imposition of import duties on these products by India infringes WTO norms as India has committed zero per cent bound tariffs on these products. While bound tariffs or duties refer to the ceiling over which a WTO member country can not impose import duty, the applied tariff is the duty which is currently in place. The communication said: "The separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu hereby notifies the consulting members and the dispute settlement body of its desire to be joined in these consultations". As per WTO rules, seeking consultation is the first step of dispute settlement process. If the bilateral consultations requested by the EU with India do not result in a satisfactory solution, the EU can request the WTO to set up a dispute panel to pass a ruling on the matter. Chinese Taipei requires approval from India and Japan to join the consultation process. A WTO member country can file a dispute if it perceive that another country's trade policies or actions are violating global trade norms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan Monday predicted a clean sweep of the state's 29 Lok Sabha seats by his party and claimed Chief Minister Kamal Nath had asked his ministers to keep their resignations ready in case of defeats in their areas. Chouhan, against the backdrop of most exit polls predicting a comfortable win for the BJP-led NDA, further said that Nath should take responsibility for a poll reverse and step down as head of the Congress-led government in the state. "Chief Minister Kamal Nath has directed his ministers to bring resignations if Congress candidates lose from their areas," he said. "If Congress candidates lost on a couple of seats, then Nath could have demanded the resignation of some of his ministers. But if the party is going to get wiped out in MP, then the chief minister himself must be held responsible," Chouhan stressed. Chouhan said the Congress "cheated" people, especially farmers, by promising a loan waiver only to win the 2018 Assembly polls. The Congress came to power in MP in December after 15 years of BJP rule. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reopening wounds, referencing popular culture to deliver insults and sexist jibes, it was all par for the electoral course in a season that tumbled to a name-calling close in a medley of chowkidar', bhrashtachari', Aurangzeb, Mogambo and more. It was not about one party or one politician in the just concluded electoral season of many an epithet, making it difficult to determine whether it was tongues that were sharper or the minds behind the campaigns. The humble watchman came into prominence with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his party making 'chowkidar chor hai' the centre of their campaign to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP was quick to react and ran a 'main bhi chowkidar' campaign to counter the grand old party. There was some humour but mostly vitriol as the war of words hit new lows through the seven-phase elections that ended on Sunday. Malegaon blast accused and BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks targeting Mumbai attacks martyr Hemant Karkare and referring to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a patriot reopened chapters of hurt, contemporary and historical. Thakur alleged that Karkare, who was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks, falsely implicated her in the blast case. "He died of his karma. I told him, he will be destroyed. I told him his entire dynasty will be erased," Thakur said. Sharp criticism from across the political spectrum, including her own party, led to her issuing an apology. Thakur's comments on Godse, followed by remarks from two other BJP leaders, also led to a reprimand from the party and the prime minister saying he would not be able to forgive her. Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his one-time party colleague Jaya Prada, who recently joined the BJP and was contesting against him in Rampur, were engaged in a bitter and unseemly verbal spat. Addressing an election rally, Khan said, "I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear." Khan was barred by the Election Commission from campaigning for 72 hours over his remarks. The matter did not end there. At a public meeting, Khan's son Abdullah Azam threw the "Anarkali" barb at Jaya Prada. "Ali bhi humarey, Bajrang Bali bhi humarey, lekin Anarkali nahi chahiye (Both Ali and Bajrang Bali are ours, but we don't want Anarkali)," he said. Anarkali was believed to be a famous courtesan in Mughal emperor Akbar's court who had an affair with his son Jehangir. Jaya Prada also had her brush with controversy when she talked about Khan's "X-ray eyes". "Considering the comments Azam Khan makes against me, (BSP chief) Mayawati, his x-ray like eyes will also stare at you," she said at a public meeting. On his part, Modi kicked up a storm when he trained his guns on the late Rajiv Gandhi. At a rally in Uttar Pradesh, Modi attacked Rahul Gandhi and said, "Your father was termed Mr Clean by his courtiers, but his life ended as bhrashtachari (corrupt) no 1." It was, for many, a recall to a series of Bollywood hits, including "Coolie No 1", Hero No 1, Aunty No 1. Modi was himself at the receiving end of several attacks. Mayawati alleged that he "abandoned his wife for political gains", that women in the BJP are scared of their husbands meeting the PM fearing they might "abandon their wives like him" and that he deserves the abusive language used against him by the opposition. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar stirred up a controversy when he revisited his "neech" jibe against the PM. "Remember how I described him (Modi) on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" he wrote in an article. Congress' Sanjay Nirupam tagged Modi "modern day Aurangzeb" for demolishing temples in Varanasi "in the name of corridors". Some vitriolic remarks also had communal overtones with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being banned from campaigning for 72 hours. Adityanath dubbed the Muslim League a "green virus" and suggested that Hindu and Muslim voters are in an "Ali-Bajrang Bali" contest. Giriraj Singh, the BJP candidate against Kanhaiya Kumar for Bihar's Begusarai seat, called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal part of the "tukde tukde gang", a reference to the JNU students who were booked for allegedly raising anti-India slogans. And then in the last week of the elections Union minister Anantkumar Hegde added to the list by calling Rahul Gandhi a moron for his tweet that 'Modilies' is a new word in the English dictionary. There were several asides in a lighter vein, but ended up creating a row nonetheless. Rahul Gandhi lampooned the prime minister, saying "Modilie" is a new word in dictionary and tweeted a screenshot of a photoshopped page of an English dictionary explaining the meaning of the word. Oxford Dictionaries clarified the word "Modilie" is "fake" and does not exist in any of its dictionaries. In another case of humour creating controversy, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi referred to Azam Khan as 'Mogambo' following which an FIR was reportedly lodged against him. Mogambo is the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster "Mr. India". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two influential Shiite figures in Iraq are warning from pulling their country into a war between the United States and Iran, saying it would turn Iraq into a battlefield and inflict much harm. Their comments came few hours after a rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling US Embassy. No injuries were reported. Iraq's populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said in a statement on Monday that any political party that would involve Iraq in a US-Iran war "would be the enemy of the Iraqi people." Qais al-Khazali, the leader of an Iranian-backed group, said he is opposed to operations that "give pretexts for war." As US-Iran tensions escalate, there've been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal government has directed all colleges in the state that the admission process this year has to be completely online and students cannot be asked to come to campus before classes start, an official said Monday. The move is aimed to avoid political intervention in the admission process. minister Partha Chatterjee has informed all colleges that no student can be called to the campus during the admission process, Higher secretary R S Shukla told reporters. Even the payment of fees will have to be made online, he added. "A clear policy has been adopted. The process will be online. It will transperent and merit based. A student can be called only to attend his or her classes," Shukla said. He said the final physical verification of documents can be undertaken by the colleges when a student comes to attend classes and any deviation from documents submitted online can lead to cancellation of the admission. There have been allegations of corruption in college admission process last year with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stepping in to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, department officials said Madhyamik or the Class 10 results of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education will be declared at 10 am on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With some leaders of the Congress-JDS coalition government engaging in verbal duels, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao appealed to both parties to refrain from making any controversial statements in public. "It's my earnest appeal to the leaders of both Congress and JDS in Karnataka, to refrain from making any controversial statements in public," he tweeted. On May 23, people will see emergence of a new secular and progressive government at the Centre, he said. "Hence, it is important that all parties who want a non-BJP government display unity and show citizens that they can work together and deliver a stable government," he added. In a pre-poll deal, the partners fielded joint candidates in all the 28 seats, with the Congress in 21 and JDS in seven seats in Karnataka for the elections that were held in two phases on April 18 and April 23. Commenting on exit polls, most forecasting another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP almost sweeping Karnataka in the Lok Sabha, Rao said the decimation of JDS-Congress alliance "is far from truth." Instead the coalition partners will be performing much better, he said. "Have seen all the #ExilPolls2019.Figures for Karnataka are showing that the @INCIndia-JDS alliance is getting decimated. This is far from the truth. We will be performing much, much better that whats being predicted. Wait for 23rd May," he said in a tweet. Rao also asked the leaders to focus their energies on ousting BJP from power at the centre. "Our foremost goal at this juncture is to help oust the BJP from power at the centre.Let us focus all our energies on that," he added. Rao said he along with K C Venugopal, Siddaramaiah, G Parameshwara and D K Shivakumar met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussed ways to strengthen the Congress party in Karnataka and the coalition government. "Results of May 23rd are going to give us a huge boost," he added. Backing Rao's appeal, State JDS president A H Vishwanath, in Mysuru, said the coalition government will continue to work for the people under Kumaraswamy's leadership for the full term as agreed by Gandhi and Deve Gowda after the assembly election gave a fractured verdict. The recent verbal sparring began after the 'Siddaramiah for CM' clamour within a section of the Congress. Vishwanath had blamed Siddaramaiah for causing the rift between the coalition partners. Kumaraswamy also stirred a hornet's nest by saying Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge should have been made the chief minister long ago, but was denied the opportunity for reasons best known to Congress leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be onesided as projected, and their party would perform better. Most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Even as the atmosphere at the Congress headquarters remained sombre Monday morning, party workers rejected the exit polls and said May 23 would give results quite different from the projections. Some of them suggested the BJP might use the exit poll projections to indulge in EVM manipulation. "The exit polls are an attempt by the BJP to spread rumours and they might try to manipulate EVMs after creating such atmosphere," said Congress worker Jagdish Sharma. "We will perform better and win. It would not be onesided as projected. We have seen the real atmosphere at the ground and no one is believing the exit polls except the BJP," he said. Neeta Mishra, General Secretary of the Vichar Vibhag at the Congress, said the exit polls might be a strategy of the BJP to create uncertainty and make mahagathbandan join hands with the NDA to claim stake to form the government. "We are not at all disappointed by the exit polls. We know many people are scared of the BJP and they lied out of fear that they would be voting for the BJP but they voted for others. The technicalities of sampling are not clear. Exit polls have been wrong a number of times and they are biased. No one believes these polls. We are doubtful of the exit polls," she asserted. Suresh Singh, a Congress worker from Balia in Uttar Pradesh, questioned the credibility of exit polls. "There is a wide variation in prediction for various exit polls in UP. For the NDA, some are predicting 22 while others are predicting 52 seats. Here lies the clue to the credibility of the exit polls and their chances of going wrong," said Singh. Singh was referring to the divided exit polls prediction for the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats. Rishi Vallabh, another party worker who has been with Congress since 1997, called the exit polls a "work of paid media". "It is been projected so to boost the morale of the BJP. But reality would be different and would be visible on Thursday, May 23," Vallabh said. Exit polls by 18-Ipsos, India Today-Axis and 24-Chanakya projected 336, 339-368 and 336-364 seats respectively for the NDA, with the BJP tipped to cross the majority on its own for another term after the 2014 polls. However, two exit polls -- one by ABP News-Nielsen and another by Neta-News X -- said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. ABP News forecast 267 and NewsX 242 seats for the ruling NDA. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. The Election Commission has deferred election for Vellore in Tamil Nadu over allegations of abuse of money power. The counting of votes is slated for May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be onesided as shown projected, and their party would perform better. Most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Even as the atmosphere at the Congress headquarters remained sombre Monday morning, party workers rejected the exit polls and said May 23 would give results quite different from the projections. "The exit polls are an attempt by the BJP to spread rumours and they might try to manipulate EVMs after creating such atmosphere," said Congress worker Jagdish Sharma. "We will perform better and win. It would not be onesided as projected. We have seen the real atmosphere at the ground and no one is believing the exit polls except the BJP," he said. Neeta Mishra, General Secretary of the Vichar Vibhag at the Congress, said the exit polls might be a strategy of the BJP to create uncertainty and make mahagathbandan join hands with the NDA to claim stake to form the government. "We are not at all disappointed by the exit polls. We know many people are scared of the BJP and they lied out of fear that they would be voting for the BJP but they voted for others. The technicalities of sampling are not clear. Exit polls have been wrong a number of times and they are biased. No one believes these polls. We are doubtful of the exit polls," she asserted. Suresh Singh, a Congress worker from Balia in Uttar Pradesh, questioned the credibility of exit polls. "There is a wide variation in prediction for various exit polls in UP. For the NDA, some are predicting 22 while others are predicting 52 seats. Here lies the clue to the credibility of the exit polls and their chances of going wrong," said Singh. Singh was referring to the divided exit polls prediction for the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats. Rishi Vallabh, another party worker who has been with Congress since 1997, called the exit polls a "work of paid media". "It is been projected so to boost the morale of the BJP. But reality would be different and would be visible on Thursday, May 23," Vallabh said. Exit polls by 18-Ipsos, India Today-Axis and 24-Chanakya projected 336, 339-368 and 336-364 seats respectively for the NDA, with the BJP tipped to cross the majority on its own for another term after the 2014 polls. However, two exit polls -- one by ABP News-Nielsen and another by Neta-News X -- said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. ABP News forecast 267 and NewsX 242 seats for the ruling NDA. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. The Election Commission has deferred election for Vellore in Tamil Nadu over allegations of abuse of money power. The counting of votes is slated for May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court Monday said to keep larger public interest in mind and to safeguard the environment, the BMC should consider including more experts to the civic body's tree authority. A vacation bench of Justices Sandeep Shinde and Sarang Kotwal was hearing applications filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and environmental activist Zoru Bhatena seeking various reliefs related to the tree authority. The high court had, in October last year, restrained the tree authority from taking any decision on applications to cut trees until it had independent experts as nominated members. Last week, the BMC had informed the court that the present tree authority has four experts. Bhatena, however, took objection to this and said the tree authority had 15 councillors or corporators and just four experts. He argued the BMC must include an equal number of experts as councillors to ensure permissions for felling trees were not granted indiscriminately. Bhatena's lawyer Snehal on Monday told the court that the high court had, in an earlier order passed in April this year, observed that the number of experts and other members should be equal. The bench then noted that the civic body was bound by the high court order. "In larger public interest and to safeguard the environment, you (BMC) should either increase the number of experts or decrease the corporators in the tree authority," the court said. "Without there being any assistance from experts, how do you (BMC) propose to decide applications (seeking to cut trees)," Justice Shinde asked. MMRCL lawyer G W Mattos told the court that it was suffering financial losses because of the court's decision restraining the BMC from taking any decision on cutting of trees in suburban Aarey area for the proposed Metro car shed and some allied works. "The MMRCL is suffering a loss of Rs 4.38 crore per day," Mattos said. The court then noted that it was not against any public project, but its only anxiety was that due process of law needs to be followed. The bench has posted the applications for further hearing on May 22. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha government Monday sought donations from foreign nationals and NRIs to rebuild the state after cyclone Fani ravaged its coastal districts, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 12,000 crore. "#Odisha Chief Minister's Relief Fund now accepts donations from foreign nationals, Persons of Indian origin, overseas citizens of India and NRIs," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted. Calling upon all to join hands to rebuild Odisha, the state government said, "Your contribution will heal many lives and also the state." People can donate by visiting cmrfodisha.gov.in/donation/onlinedonation.php. Separate phone lines have also been set up for donors from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore and UAE, among others. Though the state government has spent more than Rs 6,000 crore in relief and restoration works within a fortnight of the calamity, the Centre has released Rs 1,341 crore so far, an official said. The state government has sought Rs 12,000 crore from the Centre for the restoration work. The state has so far received donations of about Rs 200 crore from different agencies, organisations, individuals, industries and others in the aftermath of the cyclone that left at least 64 people dead and above 5 lakh houses damaged. The condition of people in the worst-affected Puri district continues to be grim as they have no power in mid- summer. Of about 19 lakh electricity consumers in the district, power has been restored to only 19,000 even after 17 days of the calamity. "In Puri, electricity restoration work is being carried out in full swing," an official said, adding that daily necessities of affected people have been met as relief assistance and monthly pensions have been disbursed. The official said normalcy has returned to 90 per cent areas in the other 13 districts. "It will take time to restore power in Puri because of the massive destruction of the infrastructure," he said. More than 100 electricity towers have been uprooted in the cyclone in Puri. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Day curfew was lifted from Jammu and Kashmir's Bhaderwah town on Monday since its imposition last week following the killing of a person in a firing incident and subsequent violence, DG of J&K Police Dilbag Singh said. The DGP along with Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma and Jammu Inspector General of Police M K Sinha visited the communally sensitive town and chaired a joint meeting with both Muslim and Hindu community leaders. They also separately met a delegation of BJP leaders led by party's general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul. "Day curfew has been lifted completely. We talked with both the communities and some political leaders who were on a visit and assured everyone that the investigation of the case is taking place on its merit and will be taken to its logical conclusion without showing any favour to anyone," Singh told reporters in the town. Doda Development Commissioner Sagar Doifode, Deputy Inspector General of Police Bhim Sen Tuti and Doda Senior Superintendent of Police Shabir Ahmad Malik also attended the meeting. Bhaderwah town witnessed violent protests on May 16 following the killing of Nayeem Shah at Kachi Nalthivillage. Violence had broken out after the killing and a number of vehicles were damaged by stone-pelting protesters who also set ablaze a few vehicles. The district administration had refuted reports that "cow vigilantism" was the reason behind the killing of Shah and said some people were trying to give a communal colour to the incident. Doifode on Sunday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing of Shah and subsequent stone-pelting, and directed Thathri Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mohammad Anwar Banday to submit his report within seven days. The DGP appealed to people to maintain brotherhood and communal harmony. "The decision to lift the curfew was taken in view of the improvement in overall situation. The district administration will take a decision about the restoration of the mobile internet services in due course of time," Singh said. Earlier in the day, Bhaderwah Tehsildar Zeeshan Tahir said curfew was relaxed at 10.30 am initially for one-and-a-half hours and subsequently extended for two more hours after the first relaxation period passed off peacefully. On Sunday, authorities had relaxed curfew in a phased manner for one hour each in different areas of the town during which local residents thronged markets to buy essential commodities. Soon after the relaxation was announced on Monday morning, shops and business establishments opened and public and private transport resumed, giving semblance of normalcy. Long queues were witnessed outside ATMs and shops dealing with essential commodities like milk and vegetables besides other daily use items, officials said. They said police and CRPF personnel remained deployed in strength in sensitive areas as a precautionary measure as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC are being enforced strictly to maintain law and order. Prominent among those who attended Monday's joint meeting are Anjaman-e-Islamia president Pervez Ahmad Sheikh, Sanathan Dharam Sabha chief Ved Kumar Kotwal and respectables Ashraf Goni, Tanvir Ahmad Beig, Sarpanches Ashok Sharma and Shabir Khan and Mast Nath Yogi, the officials said. They said Koul-led BJP delegation held a separate meeting with visiting officials and discussed the prevailing situation. The delegation members include MP Rajya Sabha Shemsher Singh Manhas and former legislators Sunil Sharma, Shakti Raj Parihar and Dilip Singh Parihar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Monday demanded a probe into the death of a Delhi police sub-inspector in Vivek Vihar area, saying society has no place for"goondaism and urban naxalism". The 58-year-old sub-inspector Raj Kumar died after he was allegedly assaulted following a quarrel with a suspected criminal in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar area, officials said. Tiwari condoled the death of Kumar and prayed for the bereaved family. "....Proper enquiry should be conducted and culprits should be punished as Goondaism & Urban Naxalism should have no place in the society," Tiwari tweeted. Preliminary post-mortem report revealed Kumar died due to cardiac arrest, police said. Kumar was apparently filming a video of the criminal on his mobile phone when he was allegedly assaulted, police said, adding that the victim later succumbed. The sub-inspector had joined the police department in 1990 as head constable and was posted at its communication unit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after exit polls predicted a clean sweep for the BJP in all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, the AAP and the Congress questioned the veracity of such an exercise before counting of votes even as an elated Delhi unit of the saffron party hoped that the predictions will come true. Most exit polls predicted a sweep for the BJP with some predicting that the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP may draw a blank in Delhi in the Lok Sabha polls whose results will be declared on May 23. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh raised questions over the entire process. "Is EVM the real game? Were the exit polls sponsored? BJP is winning in UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karanataka, Delhi, Bengal, who will believe it?All the parties should demand cancellation of the elections on irregularities of VVPAT-EVM match," Singh said in a tweet. However, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari thanked people of the national capital and hoped that the exit poll predictions will be replicated in the actual results. "As per the exit polls, we are winning all the seven seats in Delhi. We thank the people of Delhi for this trend and believe that the predictions will be replicated in the results of Lok Sabha polls on May 23," Tiwari said. Some exit polls have projected that Congress may gain in Delhi by winning one seat. Senior Delhi Congress leader and party candidate from Chandni Chowk seat JP Agarwal said the predictions made by exit polls were "hard to accept". "The predictions are far from the real picture. It is difficult to believe that the BJP will win majority of seats in states like MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it recently lost the Assembly polls," said Agarwal. According to India TV-CNX Exit poll, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to repeat the 2014 victory when it had won all seven seats. It could be a big setback for the AAP if the projections of exit polls and the actual results are same. The India Today-Axis My India exit poll has projected six to seven seats for BJP while 0-1 for Congress. 24-Chanakya has predicted all the seven seats for BJP. Exit polls by 18-Ipsos has projected six to seven seats for the BJP, and the Congress may gain by winning one seat. Delhi witnessed a triangular contest among the BJP, AAP and the Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi government on Monday released around Rs 206 crore to the cash-strapped North Delhi Municipal Corporation, even as doctors of the civic body-run Hindu Rao hospital went on strike demanding payment of pending salaries. Officials said Delhi government has released around Rs 459 crore as basic tax assignment, which is 25 per cent of 2019-20 budget estimates, to the five civic bodies in the city. The doctors of Hindu Rao hospital went on strike on Monday, demanding payment of their salaries due for three months. NDMC officials have said the salaries could not be paid due to delay in release of funds from Delhi government. The share of NDMC in Rs 459 crore released by Delhi government to the civic bodies is approximately Rs 206 crore, said NDMC officials. NDMC commissioner Varsha Joshi thanked Delhi government for release of the funds in a tweet. "Grateful to Delhi Govt for finally having released the first quarter Basic Tax Allocation for the current financial year, which was due in April, over a month and a half after the file was processed within the concerned Del Gov department. Hope other dues are also released soon," Joshi tweeted. Officials said the doctors are likely to end their strike on Tuesday since their pending salaries will be disbursed soon as funds are available now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 58-year-old sub-inspector of the Delhi Police died after he was allegedly assaulted following a quarrel with a suspected criminal in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar area, officials said Monday. However, preliminary post-mortem report revealed that the sub-inspector, identified as Raj Kumar, died due to a cardiac arrest, police said. Kumar was apparently filming a video of the criminal on his mobile phone when he was allegedly assaulted, they said, adding that the victim later succumbed. The sub-inspector had joined the department in 1990 as head constable and was posted at the communication unit of the Delhi Police. The incident took place on Sunday night in Vivek Vihar area when Kumar had gone out for a walk after dinner, a senior police officer said. "Kumar and his neighbour Vijay alias Bhuri, a 'bad character' in Vivek Vihar, had some dispute and a fight took place between them," police said. A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Vivek Vihar police station and the accused, who is a history-sheeter has been arrested, police said, adding that they are investigating whether other people were also involved in the matter. "Police received information regarding the quarrel at 10.06 pm on Sunday. After reaching the spot, they found out that around 9 pm, a quarrel had taken place between Kumar and Vijay over shooting of a video," Meghna Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), said. After the quarrel, Kumar reached his home with blood stains on his shirt and had a minor cut on his chin. He headed towards the Garg Hospital on his scooter along with his daughter. On his way, Kumar fainted and collapsed, Yadav said. His daughter managed to take him to the hospital, where doctors asked her to admit him to the Max Hospital in Patparganj. Kumar was rushed to the Max Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "We have seen the CCTV footage and it has been found that no gruesome or continuous assault took place," the DCP said. "The fight took place between them during which Kumar got one superficial cut below the chin and a blunt injury mark on the chest on his body," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 58-year-old sub-inspector of the Delhi Police died after he was assaulted following a quarrel with a suspected criminal in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar, officials said Monday. He was apparently filming the criminal on his phone when he was assaulted, police said adding the victim later succumbed to his injuries. The sub-inspector has been identified as Raj Kumar. He was posted at the Delhi Police Control Room (PCR). The incident took place on Sunday night in Vivek Vihar area when he had gone out for a walk after dinner, a senior police officer said. Kumar and his neighbour Vijay alias Bhuri, a notorious character in Vivek vihar, had some dispute and a fight took place between them, police said. A case under the relevant sections of the IPC has been registered at Vivek Vihar police station and the accused, who is a history sheeter has been arrested, police said, adding that they are investigating whether other people were also involved in the incident. "Police received information regarding the quarrel at 10.06 pm on Sunday. After reaching the spot, they found out that around 9 pm, a quarrel had taken place between Kumar and Vijay over shooting of a video," Meghna Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), said. After the quarrel, Kumar reached his home with blood stains on his shirt. He had a minor cut on his chin. He headed towards Garg Hospital on his scooter along with his daughter. On the way to the hospital, Kumar fainted and collapsed, Yadav said. However, his daughter managed to take him to the hospital, where doctors asked her to take him to the Max Hospital in Patparganj. He was rushed to the Max Hospital where he was declared brought dead. "We have seen the CCTV footage and it has been found that no gruesome or continuous assault has taken place. "There was fight and there is a possibility that the deceased might have had some internal injuries as no other injury mark besides, one superficial cut below the chin and a blunt injury mark on the chest were found on his body. The post-mortem report will reveal the exact cause of death," the DCP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi Police sub-inspector was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar area, officials said Monday. The sub-inspector has been identified as Rajkumar. He was posted at the Delhi Police Control Room (PCR). The incident took place on Sunday night when he had gone out for a walk after dinner, a senior police officer said. "According to the victim's family members, Rajkumar and his neighbour Bhuri, a notorious character in Vivek vihar had some dispute and a fight took place between them. "According to people present on the spot, an argument took place between them over a video," Meghna Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), said. Rajkumar was rushed to Max Hospital in Patparganj where he was declared brought dead. "No injury mark has been found on Rajkumar's body and the post-mortem report will reveal the exact cause of death, " the DCP added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The resident doctors of the Hindu Rao hospital went on an indefinite strike on Monday over non-payment of their salaries. The strike paralysed health services at the hospital operated by North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). The striking doctors alleged that they tried to run a parallel OPD for the patients but the hospital authorities prevented them from doing so. Protesting delayed payment of their three months salaries, the doctors said that the hospital should be handed over to the Central government, if the local government and municipal corporations are unable to run it properly. "Its not just a question of three months salaries, we are facing this recurring problem. The Delhi government and NDMC should give up this hospital if they can not even ensure regular payment of staff. "We need a permanent solution of the problem and the authorities should hand over the hospital to the Central government if they can not run it properly," said Rahul Chaudhary, president of hospital's Resident Doctors Association. A senior NDMC official said that the salaries of resident doctors were delayed because the funds were not released by Delhi government on time. "We have learnt that the government may release the funds entitled to the NDMC today itself. As soon as it happens, the salaries will be paid," said the official. The striking doctors also complained about poor facilities like non-availability of potable water and residential facilities for them. Chaudhary said that a petition regarding the resident doctors' salaries was filed in the High Court. The case is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday. A senior official of Hindu Rao hospital said,"We are hopeful that the doctors will get their salary in a couple of days." He added that the problem of accommodation will also be resolved with two new hostels coming up in the next two months. "The Emergency department is working without any issue and patient care is our primary objective," the official said. The facilities at outdoor patients' department (OPD) and wards of the 1,200 bed hospital were affected partially due to the strike, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ecuador has begun giving the US some of Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange's possessions, including legal papers and electronic equipment, left behind by him after his seven-year stay in its London embassy, a media report said Monday. The Latin American country's foreign minister Jose Valencia authorised the seizure of materials and equipment earlier this month. Assange, 47, was arrested on April 11 after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh prison for skipping his extradition order. The Australian national's lawyer said the move was "completely unprecedented in the history of asylum". "Ecuador is committing a flagrant violation of the most basic norms of the institution of asylum by handing over all the asylee's personal belongings indiscriminately to the country that he was being protected from," lawyer Aitor Martinez said. The material that will be handed over to the US includes manuscripts, legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment, the BBC reported. Valencia said last week that the decision to share items with US authorities should be taken by the prosecutor's office. Wikileaks' Editor-in-Chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, said in a statement that there was "no doubt" that Ecuador had "tampered" with the belongings it had sent to the US. The US is seeking Assange's extradition from the UK over his alleged role in the release of classified military and diplomatic material by Wikileaks in 2010. Assange faces a charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in the US. He is accused of participating in one of the largest ever leaks of government secrets, which could result in a prison term of up to five years. The whistleblower is already facing moves to extradite him to Sweden on rape charges. In 2010, a Swedish woman accused Assange of rape after they met at a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm. Assange has always denied the allegations, and sought refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London for seven years to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden. The charges were dropped in 2017, but on Monday prosecutors issued a renewed request to hold Assange on suspicion of rape - a first step towards seeking his extradition. Swedish deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, said in a statement a request had been filed with the Uppsala district court to have Assange detained in his absence. She added that once the court had granted the request, she would then ask British authorities to transfer Assange to Sweden. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Eiffel Tower was evacuated on Monday after a man was seen climbing up the iconic Paris landmark, one of France's biggest tourist draws, the operating company said. "A climber has been spotted. It's the standard procedure. We have to stop the person, and in that case we evacuate the tower," an official with the SETE operator told AFP. The esplanade underneath the monument was also evacuated, as was a large section of the adjacent Champ de Mars park. "We kindly advise our visitors to postpone their visit," SETE added on Twitter. Police have made contact with the climber but do not yet know why he began his ascent up the iron beams, a police source told AFP. At around 5:30 pm (1530 GMT) firemen were trying to reach the climber, dressed in a black jacket, by rappelling down from the third-floor observation deck near the top. Crowds of tourists remained in the area, hoping the tower will reopen soon. "We're really disappointed, we're only here for a week and this messes with our whole programme," said Sylvie and Celine Forcier from Quebec. Justin and Karen Smith, from Los Angeles, had celebrated their wedding Sunday in front of the tower, but were hoping to get to the top Monday. "We're disappointed," he said. The tower is regularly the target of rogue freeclimbers hoping to scale one of the world's most famous structures, often for bragging rights. But police have also been called in several times in recent years to try to thwart suicide attempts. In October 2017, a young man ventured out on one of the beams and threatened to jump before police were able to convince him to come back. In 2012, a British man managed to climb to the very top of the 324-metre-high tower before plunging to his death. Nearly seven million people a year visit the tower, which last week celebrated its 130th anniversary. The first two floors can be reached by either elevator or stairs, but only elevators whisk people to the top observation deck. That did not stop the French urban freeclimber Alain Robert from making it one of his first targets in his campaign to scale the world's biggest buildings with no technical climbing gear. He got to the top -- not including the antenna-- in the mid-1990s. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exposure to environmental pollutants can cause alterations in brain development that affect sexual development and fertility for several generations, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Liege in Belgium monitored the sexual development of three generations of rats. Pregnant rats were exposed to a mixture of common endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), at doses equivalent to those commonly experienced by people. Their offspring showed impairments in sexual development and maternal behaviour that were passed on through several generations. The female rats born in the first and second generation showed impairments in their care for their own pups. However, the female rats in the second and third generation exhibited a delayed onset of puberty and altered reproductive cycle and ovarian follicle development, indicating that their fertility was affected, even though they were never themselves exposed to the EDCs. These changes were associated with altered gene expression in their brains that are known to affect how reproductive hormones are regulated. "Our results raise real concerns about the effects of these pollutants in our environment. We found effects of EDCs in generations of animals that had not been directly exposed to the chemicals," said Anne-Simone Parent from the University of Liege. "We exposed the parent generation only and found long-term effects on fertility. Of course, in everyday life this would not happen and exposure to these harmful chemicals would continue, which means even more damage could be done," said Parent. The findings suggest that current levels of EDCs in our environment may already be causing long-lasting harm and that people and agencies should take measures to minimise exposure. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can interfere with the normal function of our hormones and have previously been associated with infertility and altered sexual development in animals and people, researchers said. We are exposed to hundreds of these pollutants in our daily lives, as they are used in the manufacture of plastics, pesticides and medicines. However, the extent of damage being done to our health and the consequences to future generations remains unclear. Rodent studies have suggested that exposure to EDCs can affect brain development through several generations but the generational effects on sexual development and reproduction have not previously been investigated. "These findings raise questions about the legacy we are leaving future generations," Rodriguez said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European firms are "caught in the crossfire" of the US-China trade war and fewer are optimistic about their future in the world's second-largest economy, a business survey showed Monday. The clash between Beijing and Washington does not benefit European companies, contrary to what some might have hoped at the beginning of the dispute last year, according to the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. "Now the trade tensions are seen as another uncertainty on the business environment, something that won't be sorted out quickly whether there is a deal or not," said chamber vice president Charlotte Roule. "The trade tensions, according to our members, are not good for business". According to the survey, the trade war is one of the top concerns for European firms in China (23 per cent), after the Chinese economic slowdown (45 per cent), the global economy (27 per cent) and rising labour costs in China (23 per cent). The study, which received replies from 585 firms, was conducted in January, as trans-Pacific trade tensions eased. They ratcheted up again in early May with the United States and China slapping steep increases in punitive customs tariffs on each other. But early this year, a quarter of European companies in China said they were already suffering from the US increase in tariffs on Chinese products. Many European companies manufacture products in China and export them all over the world. A small number (six per cent) have already relocated to circumvent the US penalties, or are planning to do so elsewhere in Asia or Europe. But Europeans say they share many of the grievances raised by the Trump administration in its campaign against Beijing. "The fundamental issues driving the trade war need to be resolved by addressing market access barriers and regulatory challenges while also tackling SOE reform and forced tech transfer," Roule stressed. Some 20 per cent of the companies surveyed complained of being forced into technology transfers for the benefit of a Chinese partner, double the figure two years ago. For a quarter (24 per cent), such transfers were currently under way. "The authorities are saying there are no technology transfers any more but this is not what we see in our survey," she said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang reiterated Beijing's denial. "We do not have a national policy of forcing foreign companies to transfer technology," Lu said at a regular press briefing. He recalled that the country's rubber-stamp parliament adopted in March a foreign investment law that prohibits the use of "administrative means" to force the transfer of technology. More than half of the companies said legal protection of intellectual property was "inadequate", and 45 per cent say they suffer "unequal treatment" compared to their Chinese counterparts. State firms and their subsidies are their main bone of contention. The Europeans largely accuse these companies of enjoying preferential treatment, with 62 percent saying they have better access to public contracts. And the outlook is getting gloomier: only 45 per cent of the firms surveyed say they are optimistic about growth prospects for their sector over the next two years, compared to 62 per cent a year ago. Half do not expect to see a level playing field in the next five years or even beyond. Fifty-three per cent say business has become more difficult in the past year, up from 48 per cent a year ago, with "ambiguous rules and regulations" topping of the list of obstacles cited by companies. Difficulties with access to the internet, which is closely monitored and censored by the Communist government, is an unfavourable factor for 51 per cent of respondents. Despite the problems, China remains one of the top three global destinations for future investment by 62 per cent of the surveyed companies, a slight increase from last year, while 56 per cent plan to expand their business in the country this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned on Monday that whatever the shifting political situation in Britain its options are limited and unchanged -- deal, no deal or no Brexit. "Today, the fundamental choices in front of the United Kingdom remain the same: deal, no deal, no Brexit," Barnier told reporters in Nicosia after updating Cypriot authorities on the latest developments. "Whatever happens and whatever the political situation in the UK, the issues and solutions remain the same," he added. Barnier said the EU has "always been working for a deal" and the withdrawal agreement is the "only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal". He noted discussion in Britain is not about the withdrawal agreement itself, but the future relationship. "Let me be clear: if the United Kingdom still wants to leave, ratifying the withdrawal agreement is the only way to secure a transition period," said Barnier. He said the period of transition would give Britain time to sort out its negotiation positions and give time to both sides to figure out what specific arrangements are necessary in relation to the Northern Irish border. "We have offered all options to the United Kingdom, from the Single Market to the Customs Union or a Free Trade Agreement. We are now waiting for clarity from the United Kingdom," said Barnier. While there are mixed messages coming from London, Barnier said Brussels would keep preparing for a no deal. "This is not and will not be the EU's choice. It is for the UK to take its responsibilities." British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she was preparing to make a "bold offer" to members of parliament in a final attempt to get them to back her Brexit deal. May on Thursday agreed to set out a timetable for her departure following the vote in the week beginning June 3, regardless of whether lawmakers back her deal at the fourth time of asking. On the status of two military sovereign bases retained by Britain in Cyprus, Barnier said the objective was not to disrupt the current state of affairs where 10,000 Cypriots reside and are free to move between these areas and the Republic of Cyprus. "Our common objective is to preserve the status quo and avoid disrupting the life of the people living in the bases," he said. Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides said giving Britain additional time on how it wants to proceed "was vital under the circumstances, providing much needed space and certainty for our citizens and for our businesses". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even a drop of pollution in Ganga is a matter of concern and the attitude of all authorities should be stringent to protect the river, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said while seeking concrete action plan on the issue. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel pulled up the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) over its action plan for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and said it does not show concrete plans with prompt timelines and effort in prohibiting pollution. "The NMCG has not filed the precise information about the status of projects planned and executed between Kanpur to Ganga Sagar. Thus, the affidavit of the NMCG is of no assistance. The counsel appearing for the NMCG is not ready and is merely dependent on Praveen Kumar, Director (Technical), NMCG who is also not competent to assist this tribunal. "During the interaction, we find his approach to be to help the polluters instead of remedying the pollution which is the mandate of law and the orders of this tribunal," the bench, also comprising Justices S P Wangdi and K Ramakrishnan, said. It asked the NMCG to take remedial action so that assistance of a suitable person is provided to this tribunal with precise information failing which the tribunal may consider coercive measures against it. The tribunal also asked the concerned states to take the matter seriously and assist the bench with precise information either through senior officers or through counsel. "No counsel is present on behalf of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is the responsibility of all the five states to ensure that water quality at every point meets the standards and if there is a violation, the violators are proceeded against in accordance with the law by way of prosecution, closure of polluting activities and payment of compensation for damage to the environment. "We direct Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal to place the status of water quality in the respective states on their websites and update the same on a monthly basis indicating fitness of water at various places for drinking or bathing purposes. The CPCB may indicate water quality of the Ganga river at boundaries of the said states on its website," the tribunal said. It said as already directed, flood plains may be duly demarcated; encroachments prohibited and removed, biodiversity parks set up and afforestation undertaken. No amount of wealth generation or commercial or industrial activities can get priority over cleanliness of the Ganga river, it said. "Any individual or establishment violating the environmental norms with respect to the Ganga river must be strictly dealt with under the law and special cells must be created in the concerned states to monitor such action on a daily basis. "Such action can be a model to deal with pollution of all other rivers in the country. It is a matter of regret that as per report of the CPCB, 351 river stretches are polluted in the country," it said. The tribunal noted that it had directed chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories to monitor this aspect along with other important issues. "Till date, chief secretaries or administrators of 32 states and UTs out of 36 states and UTs have appeared in person. This tribunal has directed highest level monitoring to deal with the situation at the state-level as well as national-level. The Ganga river needs attention at the highest level. "We hope that this seriousness will be realised by the concerned states, NMCG and the Ministry of Water Resources and steps will be taken in the right earnestness in compliance of order of this tribunal," it said. The bench said every time the progress has been found to be unsatisfactory, it will now have no option but to take more stringent measures unless satisfactory remedial action is taken. The matter is listed for next hearing on May 29. The tribunal had earlier said the water of the Ganga river, between Haridwar and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, was unfit for drinking and bathing, and expressed anguish over the situation. The green panel had said people drank and bathed in the river with reverence, without knowing that it may adversely affect their health. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The exit polls have impacted the mood in party offices in the national capital and elsewhere in the country -- from an upbeat BJP camp to a subdued atmosphere in Congress and other opposition parties, though the general refrain is of "wait and watch" ahead of counting of votes on Thursday. While three exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA will cross the 300 mark for another term at the centre, two others said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. After slogging tirelessly during the seven-phase general election, workers were given an off by many of the parties on Monday. But a worker at BJP headquarters in Delhi said that they have already started preparations "to celebrate Lok Sabha election results on May 23 in a big way". "We were working 24X7 during the election time and were confident that we will breach the 300 mark," said Jitendra Rawat of BJP's media cell. The last round of polling was on Sunday. The usual commotion at the Congress headquarters was missing Monday morning, which party workers said was due to a "false atmosphere" created by the exit polls. "We would definitely perform better. And if we don't, then manipulation of EVMs might have been done," said Ram Singh, a Congress worker. He was joined by other party colleagues who concurred that there will be a tough fight between the two parties and the Congress' tally would be much better than it was in 2014, when the party had won just 44 seats. Charan Kumar, another Congress worker, watched on TV BJP leaders' reaction to the exit polls. "It has been done to create an atmosphere in favour of Modi," he claimed. But another party worker, Surya Tripathi, gave it a different spin. "The Sensex climbed 900 points in one minute on Monday. That is not a joke. It (exit poll predicting an NDA victory) was done to benefit traders, who invest in the stock market and who also form the biggest vote base of Modi," he claimed. Congress worker Suresh Singh travelled over 900 km from Balia in Uttar Pradesh to the party headquarters in New Delhi. "On Thursday, I know there would be celebration here and the grand old party would emerge victorious," he said. CPI national secretary D Raja conceded that this could be the Left's worst poll performance in years. "What role we will play will be decided post May 23," he said. Discussions over tea on exit polls and fate of the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh were rife at the BJP headquarters in Lucknow. The regional parties have been hoping to play a major role in government formation in the event of a hung Parliament. But the exit poll results took way some of the enthusiasm at the Samajwadi Party headquarters in Lucknow with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav going into a huddle with senior party leaders. The SP office, which is generally abuzz with activities, was less crowded in the morning with some party supporters seen discussing the future prospects of the party and outcome of its alliance with the BSP and the RLD. "The exit polls show us in good light. Some of the polls even give us over 50 seats. We are enthused with the exit polls, but are keeping our fingers crossed till the results are out on May 23," said Ajay Pratap Singh, a party leader from Sitapur. "They (exit polls) have only deepened the suspense instead of making the picture clear. We will prefer to wait and watch till the final results are out," Manoj Mishra, an SP supporter, said while having tea at a stall outside the party office. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav also drove to the residence of BSP supremo Mayawati and the closed door talks lasted for almost an hour. The mood in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) camp too was subdued. "What we predicted and our feeling was neither the NDA nor the UPA will get majority on its own. As per exit polls, what we visualised is not going to be correct," a senior leader of the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led outfit told PTI in Hyderabad. Sources, however in the TRS said the party had nothing to lose and "is not worried" as it's anyway "sitting pretty" in Telangana after returning to office last December. The Trinamool Congress leaders at its office in Kolkata appeared unfazed about exit polls predicting gains for the BJP. "We have our internal party report. We also have reports from districts and each and every constituency," a TMC leader said, exuding confidence that the party will better its 2014 performance when it won 34 out of 42 seats in West Bengal. "It is for sure that the BJP has lost the election. The TMC will play an important role (in government formation) ," said another senior TMC leader, who did not wish to be named. Although senior TMC leaders sounded confident of winning the polls, some district leaders said there may have been an undercurrent against the party, which its top leadership had "failed" to gauge. The TDP camp too was optimistic about its performance with Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu continuing his meetings with leaders of other parties. In Delhi, workers at the Aam Aadmi Party office said that the exit polls do not reflect the ground reality. "The exit polls are by paid media and AAP has performed very well in Delhi. It is not possible that we would not be getting even a single seat in the national capital," AAP worker Vishesh Kumar said. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. The counting of votes is on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Questioning the reliability of exit polls that have forecast a near clean sweep by the BJP in Rajasthan, chief minister Ashok Gehlot Monday said that the pollsters' projections were wrong most of the times in the past. He said the Congress' performance in the elections will be good and that the party's candidates on all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state were confident. Most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. In Rajasthan, the pollsters' forecast said that the Congress was likely to win only five seats as the remaining are expected to be bagged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Performance (of Congress) will be good. Exit polls have proved totally wrong several times," Gehlot told reporters here. "Exit polls were in favour of the then Atal Bihari Vajpyee government in 2004 and an atmosphere was created through slogans like 'India Shining' and 'Feel Good' in advertisements but UPA government came to power and ruled for ten years," he added. The veteran Congress leader said that he had spoken to party candidates on all the seats and they were confident about winning. "Exit polls are not necessarily correct always rather they have turned out to be wrong most of the time," he said. The chief minister further lashed out at the Election Commission, saying it was left with no credibility as it was for the first time since independence that so many allegations were levelled against the poll panel in the general election concluded on Sunday. On the credibility of EVMs, the chief minister said that the Supreme Court was convinced that tempering with EVMs is possible therefore VVPAT machines were introduced. He said the doubts raised by the opposition parties on the credibility of EVMs was in the larger interest of public and the country's democracy. He also said that the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will complete their tenure of five years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than all but one other person. Now he wants to make sure no one feels compelled to follow in his footsteps. As a boy growing up in Nepal, Sherpa dreamed of becoming a doctor, but poverty and lack of education steered him to a far more dangerous path: Working as a guide on Mount Everest, carrying climbing equipment and helping foreign mountaineers scale the world's tallest peak. Now retired in the U.S., Sherpa returns every year to his roots in the foothills of the Himalayas to provide financial assistance to village schools and try to show children from the Sherpa minority group that they have options in life. "Sherpas take big risks in the mountains to earn a living for their families because they are unable to take up any other jobs," the 59-year-old said. "My main goal is to ensure children in the future don't have to take up climbing like we did." Sherpa tribespeople were mostly yak herders and traders living deep within the Himalayas until Nepal opened its borders to foreigners in the 1950s. As adventurers began arriving to conquer the country's famous peaks, the Sherpas with their mountain experience found themselves in demand as guides and porters. To this day they are an indispensable part of Nepal's climbing industry, which brings in $300 million to the country each year. But advocates say Nepal's estimated 350,000 Sherpa remain marginalized, with many living in remote, impoverished villages connected to the rest of the country only by footpaths and small airstrips. Access to schooling beyond the primary level is rare. The Apa Sherpa Foundation, set up in 2012, has been seeking to change that, paying teacher salaries in several villages to ensure schools remain open and providing hot lunches, computers, books, pens and warm clothes to motivate children to attend classes. "Most people in the area have now realized the value of educating their children and they do their best to send their children to school," Sherpa said. "But many schools face difficulties, so we try and help them whatever way possible." When Sherpa was growing up, the school in his village, Thame, offered education only up to the second grade. He continued his studies in another village for two more years, walking the mountain trails for six hours each day, but had to drop out when his father died and he had to take on the responsibility of feeding his family. By the age of 12 he was working on climbing expeditions. At age 30, he summited Everest for the first time. He repeated the feat almost every year after, going on to become one of Everest's greatest guides and earning the nickname "Super Sherpa." When he retired in 2011, he jointly held the record for having climbed the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak 21 times with fellow Sherpa Phurba Tashi. Another Sherpa, Kami Rita, would go on to break the record and on May 15 reached the summit for the 23rd time. "Everyone said 21 was a good number," Sherpa noted of the timing for his retirement, which fulfilled a longstanding promise to his wife. Sherpas are the first to reach Everest each climbing season and the last to leave. They set up the camps, carry the equipment and cook the food for climbing parties. Most importantly, they fix the ropes and ladders over the crevasses and icefalls that enable mountaineers to scale the peak. The work has earned the Sherpas prestige, as well as income far above average wages in Nepal. Experienced guides like Sherpa who take climbers all the way to the top of Everest make $10,000 or more, while porters or cooks at mountaineers' camps average between $3,000 and $5,000 during their three months of work. That's a huge amount compared to Nepal's $1,035 annual per capita income. Sherpa himself was able to move to the U.S. state of Utah in 2006 so that his children could have a better education. But Sherpas also bear the largest brunt of the danger and death that go hand-in-hand with the industry. In 2014, 16 Sherpa guides were buried by an avalanche on Everest as they carried supplies. The following year, another 10 were among those killed when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that tore through Everest base camp. After the 2014 disaster, Sherpas refused to work, prompting the government to introduce new rules for better wages, increasing insurance payouts and improving rescue operations for Sherpas. Sherpa himself had many near misses, having survived blizzards, frostbite, inadequate oxygen supplies and the deaths of fellow mountaineers. Given a choice, he said, many Sherpas would probably never take up the work. In the past few weeks, members of his foundation and trekkers have hiked to six schools to drop off supplies. They also distribute supplies to monasteries. As Buddhists, Sherpas often send their children to live and study at monasteries, a tradition that also relieves parents of the burden of having to feed and educate them at home. In addition to making sure children have access to school, there is also the issue of ensuring teachers are hired. Of the eight teachers the government says are needed at the village school in Thame, it says it can only afford to hire three. Sherpa's foundation helps to pay the salaries of another five teachers who have not been formally hired. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Austrian far-right ministers on Monday were ready to leave their positions after a corruption scandal caused the coalition government to collapse, the party leader said. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for fresh elections after a camera sting forced his deputy, Heinz-Christian Strache from the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), to resign on Saturday, just ahead of the EU elections. Since then media speculation has been mounting that Kurz also wants controversial far-right Interior Minister Herbert Kickl out. "We will give up our government offices if Interior Minister Herbert Kickl is forced out," said Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPOe leadership from Strache on Sunday. Strache stepped down as vice-chancellor and FPOe leader after recordings published by German media Friday showed him offering government contracts in return for campaign help to a fake Russian backer in a villa on the resort island of Ibiza. Elsewhere in the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. Kickl was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. "It is clear Herbert Kickl cannot probe himself," Kurz was quoted by the Kurier newspaper on Monday. He said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPOe-related scandals. Perhaps the most damaging recent controversy linked to interior minister Kickl was last year's raids on the domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austria's Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPOe has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court here Monday remanded a senior Punjab National Bank (PNB) official in police custody till May 23 in connection with the case of financial irregularities allegedly involving son-in-law of former chief minister Raman Singh. The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Kapoor remanded Sunil Agrawal in police custody till May 23, his lawyer Sachin Singh Rajput told PTI. Agrawal is presently posted as Deputy General Manager, Training, PNB, in Delhi. A case was registered with Gole Bazar Police Station here on March 15 against Punit Gupta, the son-in-law of Singh, for allegedly committing financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 50 crore during his tenure as a superintendent of DKS Post Graduate Institute and Research Centre, Raipur. Incumbent superintendent of DKS hospital Kamal Kishore Sahare had lodged a complaint in this regard. During investigation, police found that a loan to the tune of Rs 64 crore was sanctioned to the hospital from PNB Raipur main branch in 2017 through forged documents during Gupta's tenure, a senior police official said Monday. Agrawal, then posted as Assistant General Manager (AGM) in the Raipur main branch, had forwarded the loan requisition to the head office for approval allegedly ignoring the "forged balance sheet" produced by the hospital authority which amounts to "criminal negligence" on his part, he said. On May 16, Agrawal was arrested by Chhattisgarh Police from his office in Delhi. The Delhi court had granted transit bail to Agrawal asking him to cooperate in investigation and appear before the designated court in Raipur on May 20, the official said. Agrawal had claimed the he was innocent and was being implicated on false charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman has given birth to Poland's first sextuplets with each newborn weighing about one kilogram (2.2 pounds), physicians at the University Hospital in the city of Krakow announced on Monday. "This is the first birth of sextuplets in Poland and one of the few in the world," University Hospital Professor Ryzszard Lauterbach was quoted as saying by the Polish PAP agency. The four girls and two boys, ranging in weight from 890 grammes to 1.3 kilograms, were delivered by caesarean section at the 29th week of pregnancy, he added. Their mother is "very involved, smiling and happy", according to the physician who said that the 29-year-old woman already has one two-year-old boy at home. Doctors in the southern city of Krakow said the birth of sextuplets, was an extremely rare event. Polish President Andrzej Duda congratulated the parents and thanked medical staff on Twitter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alitalia has scrapped around half its flights scheduled for Tuesday after a call to strike by Italian pilots, cabin crew and ground staff. The industrial action by employees of Alitalia, Blue Air and Blue Panorama was confirmed Monday over the future of the sector and specifically that of the troubled national carrier. Alitalia has cancelled around half its flights on Tuesday, as well as some late Monday and early Wednesday. The company said it hoped to get 60 per cent of passengers to their destination. Unions lamented "on the one hand, a rising number of passengers and flights, and on the other a proliferation of bankruptcies", a statement said. They are worried about Alitalia's future and want their jobs protected. The Italian government earlier this month extended to June 15 a deadline for the state railway to submit a concrete takeover offer, following a request from Alitalia's administrators for more time. Italy's state railway Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) floated a bid to buy Alitalia at the end of October, but it does not want to hold more than 30 percent in the airline. The railway has been discussing a potential partnership with Atlanta-based Delta airlines, which is interested in a 15-percent stake. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French doctors Monday began switching off the life support of a quadriplegic man who has been in a vegetative state for the last decade, in a hugely controversial case that has divided France, the lawyer for his parents said. Jean Paillot, the lawyer for Vincent Lambert's parents who vehemently oppose ending his life, said doctors at the hospital in Reims had begun switching off the systems. "It is shameful, they (the parents) could not even embrace their son," he told AFP. Other family sources also confirmed the systems were being switched off. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NTPC Farakka on Monday launched a month-long residential workshop for over hundred female students in pursuance of the power major's countrywide girls empowerment mission. It was inaugurated by M S D Bhattamishra, Executive Director, CSR, NTPC Ltd in presence of Kunal Gupta, CGM, DSGSS Babji,CGM (O&M) NTPC Farakka and other dignitaries. A total of 127 girl students of class VI from 26 neighbouring schools, including six from Jharkhand, are participating in the four-weeks workshop, a NTPC statement said. All the costs towards organizing the camp is being borne by NTPC and each girl student has been provided backpacks containing articles of daily needs, two set of dress, shoes etc., it said. This unique initiative will give a good learning opportunity to the girl students as they would be exposed to new and modern concepts of learning. Judo & karate classes will boost their self defence, exposure to computers will make digital learning interesting, it added. The children will be taught about ways to conserve environment, health and hygiene, besides lessons in English, Hindi, Maths and Science. Around 10 per cent of the best performing students would get an opportunity to pursue further studies in the best of NTPC township schools free of cost till class 12th, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa is looking at Israel to increase productivity and profitability in the farming sector, Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai said Monday. Sardesai, who is currently on a private trip to Israel along with Goa Forward Party colleagues and state ministers Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyekar, was hosted at the prestigious Agricultural Research Organisation, Volcani Center, which is under Israel's ministry of agriculture. Talking to PTI over phone, Sardesai said he discussed the use of cutting edge technologies, like precision farming and agro-nanotechnolgy for food quality enhancement and plant protection, model farms for sustainable farming practices, soil conservation, waste water irrigation, new breeding techniques and new strains of crops among other things, with the Israeli officials. "We also looked at solutions that could improve the quality of life of farmers in Goa, increase their productivity and profitability, while offering all Goemkars (Goans) access to wholesome and safe food," he said. The delegation of Goa Forward Party ministers was received by professor Eli Feinerman, head of the organisation, and Smadar Molsa, senior coordinator for foreign relations at the ministry of agriculture and rural development. The delegation later met with Eng Noam Mozes, head of mariculture division at the ministry. During the visit, Sardesai was briefed on the workings of the organisation and plans in place to make Israel an agriculture superpower. "Many of these state-of-the-art technologies will be of immense help to agriculture in the state (Goa), the farmers and the consumers by not only improving lifestyles but also keeping natural ecosystems in harmony with humans," Sardesai said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gold imports increased 54 per cent to USD 3.97 billion in April, widening the country's trade deficit and fuelling worries about the current account deficit (CAD). Imports of the precious metal stood at USD 2.58 billion in April 2018, according to data from the commerce ministry. Increase in gold imports pushed the country's trade deficit to a five-month high of USD 15.33 billion in April. The country's current account deficit (CAD) widened to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the third quarter of the last financial year from 2.1 per cent a year ago, primarily on account of a higher trade deficit, though the foreign exchange reserves continued to soar. CAD is the difference between outflow and inflow of foreign exchange. After recording a negative growth in imports in February, gold imports started registering double-digit growth. In March, it grew 31 per cent to USD 3.27 billion. India is the largest importer of gold, which mainly caters to the demand of the jewellery industry. In volume terms, the country imports 800-900 tonnes of gold annually. The imports dipped about 3 per cent in value terms to USD 32.8 billion during 2018-19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google said Monday its basic services on Huawei smartphones still will function following US sales curbs, but the Chinese tech giant faces the possible loss of other features and support. The announcement highlighted the growing damage to Huawei from Washington's order. The company has said until now US accusations it is a security threat have had little impact on sales outside the United States. Huawei Technologies Ltd., which uses Google's Android operating system in its smartphones, said it would continue to provide security updates and service. It gave no indication which map, photo or other services they might lose. The Trump administration's order targets China's first global tech brand and ratchets up disputes with Beijing over technology, trade and cyber-security. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., said it is complying with and "reviewing the implications" of the requirement for export licenses for technology sales to Huawei, which took effect Thursday. "We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device," said Google on Twitter. Google allows smartphone manufacturers to use Android and its basic services for free. But transfer of hardware, software or services to Huawei or technical interaction would be restricted by the US order. That would strip Huawei phones of Google maps and other services that require direct support. That might hurt Huawei where consumers can pick other brands that carry the full suite of Google features. The US government says Chinese suppliers including Huawei and its smaller rival, ZTE Corp., pose an espionage threat because they are beholden to China's ruling Communist Party. But American officials have presented no evidence of any Huawei equipment serving as intentional conduits for espionage by Beijing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Pakistani nationals were apprehended on Monday by the Border Security Force (BSF) and their boat seized from the Sir Creek area in Gujarat's Kutch district, an official said. He said a probe has begun in the vicinity to find out more details about the two Pakistani nationals, he added. In an incident that happened earlier this month, a group of fishermen from the neighbouring country had managed to flee when confronted by BSF personnel in the Sir Creek area. Their boat was, however, seized by the border guarding force at the time. Sir Creek is a tidal estuary (partially enclosed coastal body) that separates Gujarat from the Pakistani province of Sindh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six Hindu Mahasabha activists were arrested for allegedly celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse at a temple in Surat's Limbayat area on Sunday, police said. Godse was born in Baramati in Pune district, then part of the Bombay Presidency, on May 19 in 1910. The Hindu Mahasabha activists had organised the celebration in the premises of Suryamukhi Hanuman temple in Limbyayat area of city, following which they were arrested on Monday, said Surat Police Commissioner Satish Sharma. "During the celebration of Godse's birth anniversary, these Hindu Mahasabha members lit up diyas around Godse's photo, exchanged sweets and sang bhajans in the temple premise. They even made videos and took photographs of the event," said Sharma. "Their act of revering Godse, who had killed Gandhiji, deeply hurt the sentiments of citizens. It was an attempt to incite people and disturb peaceful atmosphere," said Sharma. Officials said the six have been arrested under IPC sections 153 (provocation with an intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 153B (making assertions prejudicial to national-integration). Police identified those arrested as Hiren Mashru, Vala Bharwad, Viral Malvi, Hitesh Sonar, Yogesh Patel and Manish Kalal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Resident doctors of North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run Hindu Rao hospital went on an indefinite strike Monday over "recurring problem" of non-payment of salaries, partially affecting health services at the facility. They said they tried to operate a parallel Out Patient Department (OPD) but the hospital authorities prevented them from doing so. The doctors wrote to the President of India seeking his permission for "suicide". In the letter, the doctors said, "Our situation has turned pathetic and we are unable to take care of our families. We do not even have money for food... So we seek your permission for suicide." The doctors say they have not been paid salaries for three months. They demanded that the hospital be handed over to the central government, if the local government and the municipal corporation are unable to run it. "Its not just a question of three months' salaries, we are facing this recurring problem. The Delhi government and the NDMC should give up this hospital if they cannot ensure regular payment to the staff. "We need a permanent solution of the problem," said Rahul Chaudhary, president of the hospital's Resident Doctors Association. A senior NDMC official said the salaries of resident doctors were delayed because funds were not released on time by the Delhi government. "We have learnt that the government may release funds due to NDMC today. As soon as it happens, the salaries will be paid," the official said. The doctors also complained about poor facilities non-availability of potable water and accommodation for them. Chaudhary said a petition regarding the resident doctors' salaries was filed in the high court. The case is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday. A senior official of Hindu Rao hospital said, "We are hopeful that the doctors will get their salary in a couple of days." He added that the problem of accommodation will also be resolved with two new hostels coming up in two months. "The Emergency department is working without any issue and patient care is our primary objective," the official said. Facilities at OPD and wards of the 1,200-bed hospital have been affected partially due to the strike, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Police went into a tizzy here following an anonymous bomb threat to the office of Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, but a search revealed no suspicious item. The officials scanned the office of CEO Satyabrata Sahoo for any suspicious substance after an anonymous letter received there warned that a bomb would go off, police said. "It (the letter) contained a brief sentence in Tamil saying 'bomb will go off', the police said. Following the threat, Fort police personnel inspected the premises and held investigations, they said. Even as the police were carrying out the search, Sahoo was in a meeting with district electoral officers (DEOs) and returning officers (ROs) ahead of the May 23 counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections and assembly bypolls in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ICICI Bank Monday said it has entered into an agreement with the BSE to buy stake in its subsidiary INX - located at GIFT City Gujarat - for nearly Rs 31 crore. India International Exchange (INX) - a wholly owned subsidiary of the BSE - is India's first international exchange at International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City. The investment is subject to regulatory approvals and comes at a cash consideration of up to Rs 305 million in tranches to acquire up to 9.9 per cent shareholding in INX, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing. "Post the proposed investment, ICICI Bank would have a shareholding of up to 9.9 per cent in INX," the filing said. INX was incorporated in September 2016 and has posted a loss of Rs 31 crore in 2018-19. The total revenue was Rs 2.25 crore. During 2017-18, INX had earned revenues of Rs 1.14 crore, while in 2016-17 the exchange earned Rs 3,225. Stock of ICICI Bank closed 4.48 per cent higher at Rs 407.80 on the BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has hit out at the opposition parties which gathered in Islamabad for an Iftar-dinner, holding them responsible for the country's record foreign debt and economic woes. In a show of unity, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz met the chairman of Pakistan People Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto at an Iftar-dinner hosted by him here on Sunday. It was for the first time that Maryam came face-to-face with Bilawal whose slain mother Benazir Bhutto was a strong rival of now jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif but later the two joined hands against military ruler Pervez Musharraf. The Iftar-dinner was also attended by other opposition leaders, including Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai among others. "These people [opposition leaders] have gathered under the guise of safeguarding democracy. In fact, they are reason for the country's present crises," Khan said. Khan said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government assumed charge in the toughest of times when the country's debt was at a historic high. He said that the nation is hopeful for the country's progress and he will prove that Pakistan will be at the top in the region. "We inherited Pakistan in the most difficult circumstances with a record foreign debt and a huge economic deficit. But I will prove that Pakistan will emerge as the fastest growing country in the whole region. "However, we will bring the country back on the path to progress by working tirelessly," he told the audience at a fundraiser. Cash-strapped Pakistan last week reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a bailout package under which the cash-strapped country will receive USD 6 billion over three years. The country is seeking this money to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. The latest deal would be the 22nd bailout package since Pakistan became member of the IMF in 1950. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lawyers here staged a sit-in on Monday, protesting assault of one of their colleagues on May 18 and vandalism in the court complex at Lamphel. They urged the government to provide more security in court complexes and impose restriction on public entry to court rooms as "lawyers feel unsafe". On Saturday, the court complex was vandalised by family members of a man who was allegedly killed. The accused in the case was brought to the court, but was whisked by security personnel, which enraged the mob, leading to the attack, officials said. All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) and High Court Bar Association, which called for the sit-in at Cheirap court, condemned the Saturday violence. AMBA president Brajit Singh said, "No one is above law, including elected representatives." He said if those behind the attack are not arrested, lawyers will be compelled to take "further action". "Despite several legal awareness campaigns to prevent mob violence, hardly anything has changed," senior lawyer Puspa Gurumayam said. Meanwhile, police told PTI that 13 people have been arrested in connection with the attack at the court complex. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling companies in are facing the heat after the forecast debacle, with data analysts putting the blame on unrepresentative samples, inability of pollsters to keep up with technology and inadequate monitoring of real-time sentiment on social media. Defying exit poll prections, the ruling Liberal-National conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison claimed a shock victory in Saturday's general election. It was a stunning turnaround after every opinion poll over the campaign predicted a Labor Party victory. A Galaxy exit poll had put Labor Party led by Bill Shorten at 52 per cent of the vote compared to 48 per cent for the Liberal National coalition, according to Nine News. The Federal opinion poll aggregate BludgerTrack 2019 - which draws from Newspoll, Galaxy, Ipsos, YouGov, Essential Research and ReachTEL polls - also had Labor at 51.7 per cent and the Coalition sitting at 48.3 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis when it was last updated on Friday. In the wake of the Labor Party's shocking loss, many on social media have railed against the results, Australian news site news.com.au reported. Political scientist Dr Andy Marks, who said earlier in the campaign that a Labor victory was "virtually unquestionable" based on polling, told SBS News that the result shows how "worthless mainstream polling has become". "I think this is really a cataclysmic era of polling in this country," he said. "We've seen surprises with Brexit (in the UK) and with (Donald) Trump (in the US) in recent years, but generally Australia, due to compulsory voting and other more stabilising factors, hasn't really been exposed." Tasmanian electoral analyst Kevin Bonham also described the events as a "massive polling failure". "Pollsters will have to look at whether their sampling was unrepresentative." He said he suspected that polling companies tinkered with the raw numbers and made adjustments to stop polls swinging wildly from poll to poll. "I don't have direct evidence of that, nobody wants to be pushing polling that bounces around too much," he was quoted as saying by the Financial Review. As of Sunday, Bonham said there seemed to be a three per cent error across every poll in the past two weeks, which is far outside the usual margin for error. "It's like one poll can be three per cent out and that's what you would sort of expect now and then by random chance. But all the polls being out by that amount in the same direction and getting all the same results is something that absolutely cannot happen by random chance," he said. According to Bonham, a number of factors might have been at play, including unrepresentative samples, oversampling people who are politically engaged and herding (when polling firms adjust their results to more closely match competitors out of fear of being wrong). And while compulsory voting may have protected against inaccurate polling in the past, some experts believe it was also a contributor to what happened this time. Writing in The Conversation on Sunday, University of Melbourne statistician Adrian Beaumont said people with higher education levels are more likely to respond to polls, potentially skewing the results. When it comes to voluntary voting systems, this factor does not have as much of an effect as educated people are also more likely to be vote, he argued. Political scientist Dr Andy Marks, however, said the issues were largely due to the fact mainstream polling companies have not been able to keep up with technology. The mobile age has affected pollster ability to generate random samples, he said. "The old idea of ringing up somebody on the landline and asking them who they'll vote for is redundant and has kind of been redundant, I think, for the last three or four years," he said. According to Marks, polling companies also failed to take into account the real-time sentiment displayed on social media when calculating their results. But Griffith University data scientist Professor Bela Stantic predicted the conservative coalition would sweep the victory. Stantic threw millions of tweets through his programmes to find out what people were thinking about the election in He said there were a number of factors at play, including sample sizes, the unpredictability of mobile phones, and a fundamental difference in how upfront people choose to be on social media versus in a phone poll. "Firstly, my samples are much bigger," he told news.com.au. "I collected about two million relevant tweets from about half a million accounts. It's a very big sample size from all around Australia." He said his research had shown 5 per cent of social media data equated to a 95 per cent accuracy, if you have enough data. He said the two million tweets he analysed in just a few days made up a greater representation of people than polls of 1,000 people. He estimated his tweets equated to half a million people. He also said the shift in opinion polling from landlines to mobile phone can make for inaccuracies. "These polls are actually using phone lines which are not landlines anymore. People on mobile phones move around, so it's not a clear prediction," Stantic said. He also said people are more "honest" on social media or talking to their friends about their sentiments on elections, but might be more "hesitant" when it comes to a phone-based poll. An IPFT MLA has been booked here for allegedly raping and deceiving a woman with promise of marriage in West Tripura district, a police officer said. The legislator, however, maintained that he was "wrongfully framed" in the case and opposition parties were trying to "malign his image". In her complaint, the woman said she was "socially engaged" to the IPFT MLA from Rimavalley constituency, Dhananjoy Tripura. "The complainant stated she was engaged to the MLA. She also said that the accused maintained an intimate relationship with her, but later refused to tie the knot. The MLA has been booked for raping and deceiving the woman. We have forwarded the complaint to a women's police station in Agartala," the officer stated. Inspector General of police (Law and Order) Puneet Rastogi said an investigation has been initiated in the case. "We have received a complaint from a woman against MLA Dhananjoy Tripura. The complaint was received at Mandai police station. As of now, we are carrying out a probe into the case and action will be taken based on the content of the complaint," he added. Denying all charges, Tripura, on his part, said he would move the high court if necessary. "This is a conspiracy hatched by opposition parties to malign my image as well as that of my party. The allegations against me and wrong and baseless," he told reporters in Dhalai district, 100 km from here. Mangal Debbarma, the spokesperson of Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), said he is yet to learn the details of the case. "I have heard that a complaint has been lodged against one of our MLAs. But I do not have the details to make a comment on the issue," he told reporters here. The IPFT is an ally of the ruling BJP in the state. Together, they had secured 44 seats in the 60-member Assembly last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the "genocidal taunts" of US President Donald Trump will not "end Iran", amid a spike in tensions between the two countries. "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," Zarif wrote on Twitter. "Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect -- it works!" he added. The comments by Iran's top diplomat follow an ominous warning by Trump, who on Sunday suggested the Islamic republic would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump tweeted. Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed tough sanctions. Tensions have risen further this month with Washington announcing further economic measures against Tehran, before deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified Iranian "threats". The claim has been met with widespread scepticism outside the United States. The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. On Sunday a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading Iraqi Shiite figures warned Monday against attempts to pull their country into a war between the U.S. and Iran, saying it would turn Iraq into a battlefield yet again, just as it is on the path to recovery. The warning came hours after a rocket slammed into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported and no group immediately claimed the Sunday night attack. Shortly after, President Donald Trump tweeted a warning to Iran not to threaten the United States or it will face its "official end." Last week, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of nonessential diplomatic staff from Iraq amid unspecified threats from Iran and rising tensions across the region. The White House has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter the alleged Iranian threats. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul tweeted Monday that the army command in Baghdad is working "day and night" to guarantee the security of citizens, foreign missions and international and local companies. On Monday, two influential Shiite clerics and a leading politician all with close ties to Iran warned that Iraq could once again get caught in the middle. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave. Populist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said any political party that would drag Iraq in a U.S.-Iran war "would be the enemy of the Iraqi people." "This war would mark the end of Iraq," the black-turbaned al-Sadr warned. "We need peace and reconstruction."The influential cleric's statements were echoed by the Shiite militias, which appeared to distance themselves from Sunday's attack. Qais al-Khazali, the leader the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous group, tweeted that he is opposed to operations that "give pretexts for war" and added that they would only "harm Iraq's political, economic and security conditions." A spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah said the rocket attack was "unjustified" and suggested a third party was trying to provoke a war, citing Israel or Saudi Arabia. For the Shiite-majority Iraq to be a theater for proxy wars is not new. It lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been the setting where Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out. After America's 2003 invasion of Iraq to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, American troops and Iranian-backed militiamen fought pitched battles around the country, and scores of U.S. troops were killed or wounded by sophisticated Iranian-made weapons. The office of Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of a coalition of Shiite paramilitary forces backed by both Baghdad and Tehran, released a statement calling on Iraqis to work together "to keep Iraq and the region away from war." "If war breaks out ... it will burn everyone," al-Amiri warned. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telecom regulator Trai Monday said the issue of whether India needs to take a stand on Huawei is a "larger question" and that it is up to the government to take a call on the matter. Last week, the Trump administration had placed Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist, a move that essentially bans the Chinese firm from purchasing parts and components from American companies without the US government approval. Replying to a query on whether India needs to take a position on Huawei also, Trai Chairman R S Sharma told reporters, "This is a larger question and the government will have to take a call." He did not comment further on the matter. Meanwhile, Huawei has said it will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to its existing smartphones and tablets, even as the future road map of products remains uncertain after the cancellation of its Android licence. Tech giant Google is said to be ending transfer of hardware, software and technical services to Huawei amid the ongoing trade war between the US and China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In his sternest direct threat to Tehran, US President Donald Trump has warned that a military confrontation with America would "be the official end of Iran." Tensions between the US and Iran have been growing as the Trump administration has deployed a carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf, citing Iranian "threats." "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," he said in a tweet on Sunday. "Never threaten the United States again!"The terse tweet comes amid rising fears over a potential military confrontation between the two countries. Trump administration officials are debating recent intelligence regarding whether Iran or the militias it supports are possibly planning to attack US assets in the Gulf or whether it is acting defensively in an attempt to deter US action. Trump's tweet marks a shift in tone after recent attempts from both sides to downplay the possibility of dangerous military conflict. In an interview with Fox broadcast on Sunday, Trump vowed that he would not let Iran develop nuclear weapons but said he did not want a conflict. "I'm not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly - by far most importantly," the US president said. Reacting to Trump stepping up his rhetoric toward Tehran, the country's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the US President's "genocidal taunts" will not "end Iran". "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," Zarif tweeted. "Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect -- it works!" he said. The latest Washington-Tehran frictions come after Iran suspended its commitments under the 2015 landmark international nuclear deal, and threatened to resume production of enriched uranium which is used to make reactor fuel and nuclear weapons. The deal aimed to cut sanctions on Iran in exchange for an end to its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement last year. Calling the deal "defective", Trump then re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. The Trump administration has attempted to use a combination of hawkish rhetoric, diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions and now military posturing in order to fundamentally change the nature of the Iranian regime, CNN reported. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech last year that Washington's actions, including abandoning the nuclear deal with Tehran, were meant to force Iran behave like a "normal" country -- one that doesn't sponsor terrorism or seek to develop nuclear weapons. But many saw the address as a call for regime in everything but name. Pompeo said last week that the Trump administration doesn't want war with Iran but warned of a "swift and decisive" response from the US, should Iran initiate an attack. "The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response," he said. Earlier this month, US national security adviser John Bolton said the US deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in response to a "number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime," Bolton wrote in a statement released by the White House, "But we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces." Iran has also moved to talk down concerns over the escalating tensions. On Saturday, its foreign minister Zarif insisted there was no appetite for war. "There will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region," Zarif said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indo-Tibetan Border Police Inspector General Vijay Kumar Singh has expressed displeasure over the slow pace of construction of residential quarters and barracks by the CPWD. In a letter to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Director General, Prabhakar Singh, last week, Singh said out of the 1,970 residential quarters sanctioned in 2016-17, only 753 have been constructed, while 1,217 are still under construction. The quarters were sanctioned under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The IG said as per the Ministry of Home Affairs' direction, these residential quarters were to be constructed before January 2018. Similarly, 48 barracks, each with a capacity to accommodate 120 personnel, were sanctioned in 2016-17, but out of these, construction of only 16 have been completed, according to the letter. CPWD officers concerned were requested several times to complete construction of these projects, which are being executed under the EPC mode, but the priority, which was supposed to be given, is not being given by the CPWD, Singh said. He said at present, the pace of work on these projects is very slow and added that the fixed deadline for completion of construction works has also passed. "Most of the works have been delayed for either one year or more...I request you (CPWD DG) to take cognisance of this and apprise the ITBP of a fixed date for completion of these projects being executed under EPC mode," he said. The CPWD, which comes under the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, is the largest construction agency of the central government. It looks after maintenance of central government buildings and erecting of fences on the country's international borders, among others. The agency also carries out projects in foreign countries under friendship programmes with India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid poor numbers given by exit polls to the Congress in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, senior Congress leader Roshan Baig Monday dropped hints of quitting the party, and humbly appealed to Muslims to compromise with the situation, if NDA returns to power. "Well if NDA is coming back to power, I humbly appeal to Muslim brothers to learn to compromise with the situation," he told a section of media here. Asked if that means Muslims should join hands with BJP, Baig said if need arises, they must as the Congress had given just one ticket to a Muslim leader in Karnataka. "If needs be, (Muslims) must join hands. We must not remain loyal to one party. What happened to Muslims in Karnataka? The Congress gave just one seat," he blurted. Asked if he will take a decision to quit Congress in coming days, Baig said if needs be, he would do it. "If needs be, I will do it because we (Muslims) cannot remain in a party with disgrace. We live our lives with grace and dignity. Where we will not get respect, we will not want to remain there. If someone makes us sit with love and affection, we will sit with them," he said. Asked whom would he blame for the present condition of the Muslims in Karnataka, Baig pointed fingers at KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao for conducting "flop poll campaign" and also attacked CLP leaders including Siddaramaiah for the same. "I hold Dinesh Gundu Rao for conducting a flop poll campaign. Moreover, CLP leaders who were flying high in the sky should come to terms with ground realities," he added. Baig said he was not surprised by exit poll numbers as from the very beginning he knew Congress would not get good numbers because of the "flop poll campaigning" of the party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With most exit polls forecasting another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP almost sweeping Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday expressed concerns over the vulnerability of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Hitting out at the pollsters, the chief minister in a series of tweets alleged that the "artificially engineered" or "manufactured" Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. "Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supreme Court asking for a traditional ballot paper electionsto avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud," Kumaraswamy said. "World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party," he said in another tweet. Stating that exit polls were being used to create an impression that "there is still a Modi wave" in the country, Kumaraswamy said, "This artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23." "The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll," he added. Most exit polls on Sunday predicted that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance will comfortably cross the halfway mark of 272 seats in the Lok Sabha. Some even projected that the NDA will get more than 300 seats. Forecasting a big BJP win in Karnataka, the pollsters claimed that the saffron party was likely to win over 21 of the total 28 seats. In the 2014 general election, the BJP had won 17 seats while the Congress and the JD(S) had bagged 9 and 2 seats each respectively. However, in the bypolls held in November last year the BJP had lost the Ballari seat to the Congress. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara too raised doubts over the EVMs, saying that the BJP had sponsored the exit polls as the ground reality was different. He also noted that the United Progressive Alliance will come to power at the Centre this time. Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad said the exit polls were the reflection of the wishes of channels where Modi wave is prevalent. "Most of the exit polls are the reflection of the wishes of channels. There is a Modi wave in the channels but the actual result will be out when the (ballot) boxes are opened," Hariprasad told reporters. "They have shown BJP losing 40 to 45 seats in Uttar Pradesh. In rest of the places, these channels tried to fill the void. Exit polls are not exact polls. We will get exact poll when the counting happens," he added. However, Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said people of the country as well as Karnataka have supported Modi and the exit polls giving 22 seats to the saffron party in the state was a proof of that. Stressing that many tall leaders of Congress-JD(S) will lose, he said, "Let's see what will happen after May 23, fighting is on between Congress and JD(S) already, let's see where it will reach." The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders questioning the EVMs shows their desperation, he added. Speculation is rife in the political circles that any adverse results for Congress-JD(S) alliance in the polls will have its implications on the longevity of the Kumaraswamy-led government in Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan government on Monday appealed to all parents to send their children to school without fear, as the country tightened security ahead of the reopening of some Catholic schools Tuesday for the first time since the Easter bombings. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requested all students to return to school and resume academic activities as usual since the country's security has been restored to normalcy. The Prime Minister made this request while addressing a press conference at Temple Trees today. During the briefing, Wickremesinghe also emphasised that permission will not be granted to set-up Sharia universities in the country, the Sunday Times reported. We can only permit the establishment of degree awarding institutes. A legal order must be issued to bar any institution from functioning as a Sharia university, Wickremesinghe noted. He also added that all Madarasa institutions will be brought under the Education Ministry in future. Several private Catholic schools will reopen Tuesday after Easter holidays were extended because of the suicide bombings on three churches and three hotels in which nearly 260 people were killed. Following the attack carried out by local Islamist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), the authorities closed all the schools until further notice. The government schools were reopened early this month, but attendance has been low despite new security measures. Army chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake requested all parents to send their children to school without fear due to the security measures which are in place for students. Issuing a special statement, the Army Commander observed that parents were reluctant to send their children to schools owing to several "unconfirmed stories, various rumours and gossip" which were being shared among the people. The Army chief emphasised that operations which are currently underway to apprehend those involved in the Easter Sunday terror attacks are "effectively advancing" with a "marked progress" at present. "A satisfactory level of attendance of employees at private and state sector has been reported in the recent few days...," he pointed out adding that the situation was being restored to normalcy due to the heightened security measures in place. He also said that the Armed Forces and the Police have launched a joint programme to prevent the occurrence of more violent acts in retaliation to the recent terror attacks. On the same lines, he added that a special security network involving security forces played an instrumental role in protecting all Buddhist places of worship to ensure that peace prevails during the Vesak Festival celebrations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said that the country needs to work with the international community to defeat the menace posed by religious extremism. Addressing the 'National War Heroes Day' to mark the 10th anniversary of the government's victory against the LTTE, Sirisena also said that the country is capable of countering international terrorism with 30 years of experience in fighting and defeating local terrorism. The President said that the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was welcomed by all and the focus later shifted to developing the country. The President said that the Sri Lankan military and Police are now focused on defeating the new threat faced by Sri Lanka following the deadly Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed over 250 people and injured nearly 500 others. He said that all those involved in the Easter Sunday attacks have either been killed or arrested. However, he said no one can control the spread of religious extremism so Sri Lanka needs to work with the international community to defeat what is an international threat, Colombo Gazette reported. Speaking at the occasion, the President said war heroes and the national intelligence were capable of eliminating international terrorism from the country. Sirisena further said that the victory against a 30-year long brutal terrorism, the country has to face a totally different international terrorism in an unexpected manner. He noted that war heroes sacrificed their lives to safeguard the country and its territorial integrity and for the future of the people. At least 100,000 people were killed in the conflict between Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE. Thousands of people, including security personnel, are still reported to be missing after the war. According to the Army, 27,000 soldiers lost their lives in the war. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 65.96 per cent for the 13 Lok Sabha seats, almost five per cent lower than the 2014 Lok Sabha polling. Of the total 2.07 crore electors, 1.37 crore sealed the fate of 278 candidates in the state on Sunday. The lone Chandigarh seat recorded a voter turnout of 70.62 per cent as against 73.71 per cent in the 2014 general elections. After compiling data on the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, the poll percentage marginally increased to 65.96 as against 65.77 reported Sunday evening, officials said here on Monday. The poll percentage of Chandigarh's lone seat was recorded at 70.62, they said. As per figures which were available Sunday evening, the voter turnout in the UT was 63.57 per cent. In Punjab, among the total voters who exercised their franchise, 72.55 lakh were male and 64.51 lakh female. As many as 149 thirdgenders also cast their vote, as per figures made available by the election office. Among the 13 parliamentary constituencies, Bathinda, from where SAD nominee and two-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, is seeking re-election, recorded the highest polling percentage of 74.10. Among the nine assembly segments in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency, Budhlada and Sardulgarh witnessed the higher polling percentage of 78.80 and 77.50 respectively. Amritsar, from where BJP candidate Hardeep Puri fought his maiden electoral battle, recorded the lowest polling percentage at 57.08. In this parliamentary segment, Attari, Amritsar South, Amritsar West and Amritsar East recorded the low voter turnout, as per polling figures. The Gurdapur Lok Sabha seat witnessed a polling percentage of 69.51, followed by 64.01 in Khadoor Sahib, 63.04 in Jalandhar, 62.15 in Hoshiarpur, 63.76 in Anandpur Sahib, 62.16 in Ludhiana, 65.68 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 63.22 in Faridkot, 72.30 in Ferozepur, 72.44 in Sangrur and 67.77 in Patiala. Barring stray incidents of clashes, polling in Punjab on Sunday had remained peaceful. Prominent candidates in the fray include SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol and two union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Puri and Congress heavyweights Manish Tewari and Preneet Kaur. On the lone Chandigarh seat, BJP's Kirron Kher, Congress' Pawan Kumar Bansal and AAP's Harmohan Dhawan are in the fray. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor-politician Kamal Haasan in a case filed against him over his controversial Hindu extremist remark. Justice R Pugalendhi of the Madurai Bench directed the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder to appear before the judicial magistrate court in Aravakurichi and execute a bail bond for Rs 10,000 with two sureties each for a like sum. Addressing an election rally in Aravakurichi last week, Haasan had said, "Free India's first terrorist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (terrorism, apparently) starts." Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi. An FIR was filed against Haasan on May 14, following which he moved court seeking anticipatory bail, saying his speech was about Godse only and not about Hindus as a whole. Allowing his plea, the judge said the court was inclined to grant bail as the election process was still pending and he was the leader of a registered political party. Haasan's remarks drew criticism from the BJP, ruling AIADMK and Hindu outfits. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao Monday signed an ordinance to provide quota under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Reservation Act, 2018, to candidates from the Maratha community seeking admission to post-graduate medical and dental courses. The ordinance was issued by the Governor on the recommendation of the state government to protect the admissions of students in the PG courses. The ordinance route was taken by the Maharashtra government after the Supreme Court struck down reservations for Maratha students under the SEBC quota in PG medical and dental courses this year. The ruling cancelled admissions granted to 253 students under the quota. The ordinance is aimed to further explain the intent of the state government to provide quota for the Maratha community. The state government earlier clarified that the quota was applicable from the time it released the prospectus for the said courses in February 2019. The state government has also sought more medical and dental seats from the Centre. It also plans to provide scholarships to open category students, if their admission process is disturbed due to implementation of the quota. In the wake of statewide protests by Maratha community members, the Devendra Fadnavis government had on November 30 last year cleared a 16 per cent quota for the community in and government jobs, identifying them as Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC). In March this year, the government had issued a notification for the implementation of the quota in educational institutions. Earlier this month, the Nagpur bench of the high court had disallowed the reservation for admissions to PG medical courses observing that the quota cannot be applicable with retrospective effect. The government challenged the HC order in the Supreme Court, which also upheld the HC ruling. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maintenance awarded to an estranged wife is for her survival and should not be seen as a "bounty", and it has to be given from the date of her application, the Delhi High Court has held. The court order came while dismissing a man's plea challenging a trial court's May 2017 order directing him to pay an interim maintenance of Rs 40,000 to his estranged wife from the date of filing of the application -- March 2014. The plea said the payment should not have been related to the date of the application but to the date of the order by the trial court. The high court noted in its recent order that the man has not challenged the quantum of maintenance assessed by the trial court. "The object of grant of maintenance is to afford a subsistence allowance to the wife who is not able to maintain herself...the award normally should be from the date of the application. For the court to award maintenance from the date of the order there have to be compelling circumstances. "Maintenance awarded to a wife is not a bounty. It is awarded to her so that she can survive. The fact that time is spent between the date of the application and a final adjudication and an award in favour of the wife, does not mean that she had enough funds to maintain herself," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said. The high court said that when the lower court comes to the conclusion after trial that the wife is entitled to an amount of maintenance, the assessment in fact relates back to the date of the application. "When the assessment relates back to the date of the application then there has to be compelling circumstances for the trial court to restrict the award of maintenance to a period post the date of the order," it said. The trial court had awarded Rs 40,000 per month interim maintenance to the woman in 2017 on her application under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The high court added that the man would be entitled to an adjustment of the amount that he has already paid in terms of the order passed in the application under Section 125 (order for maintenance of wives, children and parents) CrPC and the interim orders passed by this court. Earlier, the trial court had awarded an interim maintenance of Rs 15,000 to the woman on her application under Section 125 CrPC. The man was paying her the amount. Later, she withdrew the application. The counsel for the man had contended before the high court that the trial court erred in relating back the maintenance to the date of the application and not restricting it to the date of order as the woman was already receiving maintenance of Rs 15,000 under Section 125 CrPC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court in the Maldives has set aside the conviction and 15-year prison term given the former vice president on allegations he conspired to assassinate former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. The High Court on Monday annulled the Criminal Court's conviction of Ahmed Adeeb and ordered a new investigation. Adeeb has been serving a combined 33 years in prison after being convicted of corruption and causing an explosion on Yameen's speedboat in 2015 in an alleged assassination attempt. With the court decision, his prison term was reduced to 18 years. Adeeb, previously a confidante of Yameen, was arrested after the blast on the boat injured Yameen's wife. The US FBI said it found no evidence of explosives on the boat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man, who was wanted in several criminal cases and had been on the run for the past nine years, was arrested in Rajasthan's Churu district, police said. Vinod Mitathal, who has over four dozen criminal cases registered against him in Haryana and Rajasthan, carried a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, a Haryana Police spokesman said here. Three 9 mm pistols, six cartridges and nine cartridges of .315 bore were seized from his possession, he said. Mitathal, a resident of Mitathal village Haryana's Bhiwani district, was wanted for several crimes, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and ransom, the spokesman said. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a case earlier but went into hiding after coming out on parole nine years ago, he added. During preliminary interrogation, Mitathal has confessed to his involvement in nine cases of crime after jumping the parole. He, along with his associates, had allegedly kidnapped and killed a doctor three years ago. He is also accused of his involvement in the killing of a trader last year. Police also arrested Praveen, a close aid of Mitathal, from Bhiwani on Monday, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a 30-year-old man wanted in a robbery and murder case after an encounter in Keshav Puram area, officials said Monday. The accused has been identified as Sumit, a resident of JJ Colony Wazirpur, they said. "The accused was intercepted near Crematorium Shahpur Narela Delhi when he riding a bike at around 8.45 pm. He was signalled to stop but instead of stopping his vehicle, he opened fire on police." P S Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (special cell), said. Police retaliated and fired in self defence which hit in leg of the accused person, he said. Sumit was taken to Raja Harish Chander hospital in Narela. About 12 rounds have been exchanged between the accused and police, they said. On December 26, 2018, Mukesh Kumar, who was working in Apeksha International Footwear company as field executive, went to ICICI bank, Lawrence Road, on his motorcycle for his official work, Kushwah said. After his work at Bank, when he reached at Underpass Lawrence Road at 2:25 pm, two persons riding on a motorcycle hit bike and stopped him on gunpoint, he said. They robbed his bag containing cash, laptop computer and other valuable items. When Kumar raised an alarm for help, a scooter rider, Vinod Garg (50), stopped and challenged the robbers, police said. One of the robbers shot him dead and ran away on their motorcycle from the spot, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An exchange of fire took place on Monday between Maoists and security forces in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, a police official said. No casualty was reported from either side, he said. The skirmish took place near the Kothi police outpost around 6.30 am when commandos of C-60, a specialised anti- Naxal unit of Maharashtra police, were on patrolling duty in a forest area near Koparsi village, the official said. On seeing the security personnel, Maoists started firing at them, to which the police retaliated, he said. The exchange of fire continued for over an hour following which the rebels fled into the forest, he said. "There was no report of any casualty on either side," he said, adding that combing operation was on in the area. On May 1, at least 15 security personnel and a driver were killed after suspected Maoists attacked a police vehicle in Gadchiroli. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US-based fast food McDonald's has dropped many items - like McAloo and Grilled Chicken Wrap - from the menu of the 13 stores, which it has reopened in Delhi-NCR after its agreement with partner Vikram Bakshi to acquire Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL). The company has also taken Maaza beverage off the list, a fruit based drink brand from Coca-Cola. "To ensure a more consistent McDonald's India experience across the different regions, we have permanently removed some of the least popular items including the McAloo Wrap, Chicken McGrill, Egg Wrap, Grilled Chicken Wrap, and Maaza beverage. The rest of the menu remains the same," Barry Sum, director of corporate relations for Asia at McDonald's told PTI. Besides, the menu boards, tray mats, and packaging have a new design to be consistent with McDonald's simple, modern brand identity, he added. "Paper packaging and wooden utensils are also Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified to support McDonald's global commitment to sustainability," Sum added. According to the company, customers visiting the 13 re-opened stores will experience an enhanced service experience with more customised hospitality, refreshed menu boards, merchandising and packaging. CPRL, after its agreement with estranged partner Vikram Bakshi to transfer his share in the JV to the US-based firm, had temporarily shut down its 160 stores. On Sunday, CPRL, which is now controlled by McDonald's, announced re-opening of 13 restaurants in Delhi-NCR. The company plans to re-open the rest stores "over the coming days and weeks", McDonald's India had said in a statement. Former Union minister M J Akbar told a Delhi court on Monday that he did not ask scribe Priya Ramani, who has accused him of sexual misconduct in #MeToo campaign, to see him in his hotel room in 1994 in connection with her alleged interview to join a newspaper of which he was the editor. Akbar, who had resigned as minister on October 17 last year following the allegations levelled during the campaign, vehemently objected to the questions of Ramani's counsel about other women scribes who had also accused him of sexual misconduct. The scribe-turned BJP politician was being cross-examined by senior advocate Rebecca John, counsel for Ramani, before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal, in connection with his private criminal defamation complaint against Ramani. "It is incorrect to suggest that I called Priya Ramani to come to my room. It is wrong to suggest that she was hesitant or that I insisted... I do not know whether it was the first job interview by Priya Ramani after her graduation. "I am not sure whether Priya Ramani was offered a job in the Asian Age newspaper in January 1994 in Delhi Office. As it is a 25 years old matter and to the best of my knowledge, she was working in Bombay office," Akbar testified. Ramani had tweeted about Akbar's alleged objectionable behaviour in the hotel room. Her counsel asked questions regarding other women scribes and their allegations against Akbar. The queries were strongly protested by senior advocate Geeta Luthra, representing the former minister and she said that the questions were "irrelevant" as they were not related to the case at hand. "These are all part of my (Ramani's) defence as it shows his (Akbar's) behaviour," Ramani's counsel replied leading to the heated exchange between the two women senior lawyers of the parties. The magistrate allowed Ramani's lawyer to keep asking questions to Akbar and also agreed to record the objections of Akbar with regard to such queries. During the cross-examination, questions were put to him regarding other women journalists, including Ghazala Wahab, Kadambari M Wade, Majlie de Puy Kamp, Sonali Khullar Shroff and Harinder Baweja, who had accused Akbar of sexual misconduct. Akbar said he had refuted the allegations levelled by Wahab in an article. In response to another query, Akbar said he could not recall whether Wade worked with him as the matter was 20-year old. Regarding allegations made by Kamp, he said "there was absolutely no question of harassment of the lady Kamp. I recall there might have been a mention of some misunderstanding which was accepted". Akbar said he did not recall whether Shroff worked with him and that he had not read any tweet written by her in regard of sexual harassment. The cross-examination of Akbar by Ramani's counsel remained inconclusive and would resume on on July 6. Akbar, who resigned as Union minister on October 17 last year, filed a private criminal defamation complaint against Ramani after his name cropped up on social media as the #MeToo campaign raged on in India. Ramani accused Akbar of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago when he was a journalist. He has denied the accusations. Akbar had earlier told the court that the allegations made in the article in Vogue and the subsequent tweets were defamatory on the face of it as the complainant had deposed them to be false and imaginary. He had told the court in his statement that an "immediate damage" has been caused to him due to the scurrilous, concocted and false allegations of sexual misconduct. Multiple women have come out with accounts of alleged sexual harassment by him while he was working as a journalist. Akbar has termed the allegations "false, fabricated and deeply distressing" and said he was taking appropriate legal action against them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Militants hurled a grenade towards a police station in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday night, but there was no damage, a police official said. The grenade exploded far outside the police station boundary, the official said. He said there was no loss of life or property in the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thoppu Venkatachalam Monda, a former minister in the Jayalalithaa cabinet, Monday resigned from the post of AIADMK Amma Peravai deputy secretary, citing "personal reasons". Venkatachalam, a MLA representing Perundurai in Erode District, met Chief Minister K Palanisamy at his residence in Salem this evening and submitted his resignation. "I resigned from the post only due to personal reasons and will continue to be a primary and loyal member of AIADMK," he later told reporters when asked about his sudden decision. He declined to comment when asked whether his decision was due to allegations that he has of late been supporting AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran and his fractured relationship with a state minister. To another question on what was the Chief Minister's response, he said it was for Palaniswamy to answer it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 20 lakh security personnel were deployed in the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, rendering the exercise bigger than India's well known 'Operation Brasstacks' in the 1980s, which was larger than any NATO exercise since World War-II, officials said Monday. The 'Operation Brasstacks' was a major military exercise of the Indian Army in Rajasthan. It took place in 1986 until its execution in 1987. The scale of the 2019 general election itself is massive and growing over time as between 1989 and 2019, the number of parties in the fray have increased over 20 times, the size of the electorate has increased by over 80 per cent, the number of polling stations has nearly doubled and the number of contesting candidates has increased by nearly 35 per cent. "Effectively, nearly 20 lakh personnel of the police and central paramilitary personnel were involved during the elections. The mobilisation of such a large scale is rare anywhere in the world. In fact, India's best known Army exercise 'Operation Brasstacks' (1986-87), where nearly 6-8 lakh personnel were said to have been involved, itself was bigger than any NATO exercise since World War-II," a Home Ministry official said. The extent of mobilisation of the security forces has also been massive with nearly 25 per cent of the overall strength of central paramilitary forces being deployed for elections this year, indicating involvement of over three lakh paramilitary personnel. However, since these officials are redeployed at various locations in different phases, the effective deployment is almost 2.35 times the number of troops actually involved. Thus, if the elections in 2019 were to be conducted on a single day, the effective requirement would be for over 10 lakh personnel. Similarly, in the 2014 general election, the actual and effective deployments were of the order of 2.5 lakh and 6 lakh, respectively. In addition to the paramilitary forces and state armed battalions, extensive participation of police personnel belonging to civil police and district armed reserve, along with home guards and special police officers in various capacities, have also been seen. Even if the participation is taken at 50 per cent of actual strength, this would mean the involvement of nearly 8-10 lakh additional personnel, the official said. Apart from the mammoth size of election-related mobilisation, the duration is also considerable. This year's general elections were conducted over a period of nearly 40 days (April 11 to May 19) with counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 23. Timely mobilisation of nearly 20 lakh personnel within 40 to 45 days is a humongous task. A well thought planning with the Indian Railways, state and various forces play a crucial role in completing the requirement of the Election Commission, another official said. More than 150 special trains were utilised for mobilisation of troops. These troops criss-cross length and breadth of the country to meet the requirement of respective state, the official said. The core duties of the paramilitary personnel deployed for election duty include instilling a sense of confidence and security among people to exercise their franchise freely without any fear. The additional responsibilities include maintaining law and order, preventing poll violence and guarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Election Commission, in coordination with the Home Ministry, which has the administrative control over the central paramilitary forces, has made an assessment of all aspects having bearing on the election process, including the state-wise and phase-wise requirement of security forces, the official said. The ministry prepared a deployment plan of various forces like the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and the Assam Rifles keeping in view their role in border guarding, counter-insurgency operations and other commitments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 40-year-old-man was stabbed to death by three persons in suburban Ghatkopar, police said Monday. Two persons have been held for the act and a hunt was on for the third assailant, a senior official said. The incident took place near Jagruti Nagar metro rail station in Ghatkopar at around 11.30 am, an official said. "Babloo Dubey alias Choti was stabbed by three persons who then fled the spot. He was rushed to a nearby civic-run hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," he said. "Dubey has at least four criminal cases, including attempt to murder, against his name in the jurisdiction of Tilaknagar, Ghatkopar and Pantnagar police stations," he added. Zone VII Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhilesh Singh said two persons have been taken into custody, adding that Dubey may have been killed over a previous enmity. A case of murder has been registered at Ghatkopar police station, an official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 40-year-old-man was stabbed to death by three unidentified persons in suburban Ghatkopar, police said Monday. The incident took place near Jagruti Nagar metro rail station in Ghatkopar at around 11.30 am, an official said. "Babloo Dubey alias Choti was stabbed by three unidentified persons who then fled the spot. He was rushed to a nearby civic-run hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," he said. "Dubey has at least four criminal cases, including attempt to murder, against his name in the jurisdiction of Tilaknagar, Ghatkopar and Pantnagar police stations," he added. A case of murder has been registered at Ghatkopar station, he said, adding that prima facie it looks like a fallout of a personal rivalry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence here Monday to decide on forming a non-BJP government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict, TMC sources said. Naidu, who reached here from Amaravati, held a 45-minute-long meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagatbandhan" (Grand Alliance), the highly-placed sources said. The meeting also discussed possibilities of forming a non-BJP government including regional parties with the support of the Congress, they said. "It was decided at todays meeting that a detailed discussion will be held among other political players of the Mahagatbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, the sources said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23, the sources said. Naidu, who is making efforts to bring together opposition leaders against the BJP, left for New Delhi after the meeting. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the proposed strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", the sources said. The TDP President had on Sunday called on National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and had also met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday he had met BSP chief Mayawati and Yadav. During his meeting with Banerjee, the TDP chief spoke about the meetings, the TMC sources said. The exit polls gave a clear verdict in favour of the BJP, which was promptly dubbed by Banerjee as "gossip". The TMC supremo had said that she does not trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday discussed with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee possibilities of forming a non-BJP government of the regional parties with the support of the Congress at the Centre in the event of a hung verdict, TMC sources said. Naidu, who reached here from Amaravati, held a 45-minute-long meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagatbandhan" (Grand Alliance), the highly-placed sources said. The meeting also discussed possibilities of forming a non-BJP government of regional parties with the support of the Congress, they said. The two leaders did not take any question from the waiting mediapersons at Banerjee's ancestral Kalighat residence. Unfazed by exit polls predictions of TDP poor showing in its home state and also a reduced number for TMC in the parliamentary election, the two prominent regional leaders went ahead with their efforts to form an alternative government at the national level. "It was decided at todays meeting that a detailed discussion will be held among other political players of the Mahagatbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, the sources said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23 when counting of votes will be taken, the sources said. Naidu, who is making efforts to bring together opposition leaders against the BJP, left for New Delhi after the meeting. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the proposed strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", the sources said. The TDP President had on Sunday called on National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and had also met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday he had met BSP chief Mayawati and Yadav. During his meeting with Banerjee, the TDP chief spoke about the meetings, the TMC sources said. The exit polls gave a clear verdict in favour of the BJP, which was promptly dubbed by Banerjee as "gossip". The TMC supremo had said that she does not trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Banerjee, who floated the idea of federal front of regional parties on the eve of the general election, and Naidu have been meeting frequently. Naidu had come here during TMC supremo's sit-in against CBI action against former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in March. He also convassed for the TMC at Kharagpur in the current election. Banerjee had address a joint rally with Naidu and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at Vizag in March end. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, sources said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Dubbing the exit polls "gossip", Banerjee Sunday said she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba made a farewell call on President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday, days before he demits office. The President is the commander-in-chief of the three services. Admiral Lanba retires on May 31 following a three-year tenure as the Chief of Naval Staff. The Navy took a number of major initiative under Admiral Lanba's leadership which included expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean region and enhancing its overall combat capability. On March 23, the government appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next chief of naval staff. Last month, Vice Admiral Bimal Verma petitioned the defence ministry challenging the appointment of his junior, Vice Admiral Singh, as the next Navy Chief. However, three days back, the defence ministry rejected his plea, holding that seniority can not be the sole criteria for selection. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia corruption case. The Supreme Court earlier this month dismissed the 69-year-old three-time prime minister's review petition seeking permanent bail on medical grounds and the permission to go abroad for treatment. Sharif returned to the Kot Lakhpat jail on May 7 to serve his seven-year prison term in the case after the end of his six-week bail, which was granted to him on medical grounds with a condition that he would not leave Pakistan. Opinions of specialist doctors from Switzerland, the US and the UK have been included in the petition filed at the high court by Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris, the Express Tribune reported. "According to the medical board, Nawaz is suffering from numerous diseases," the petition said. According to the reports, doctors recommended that Sharif's condition is life-threatening. Tension and stress can prove to be threatening to his life, it added. Even Sharif's blood and sugar levels have not normalised, the petition went on to add. The petition stated that all members of the special medical board, along with doctors associated with doctors hospital Lahore, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore and National Hospital Lahore as well as medical specialists from UK, USA and Switzerland were unanimous that Sharif's treatment is not possible in jail premises. The former premier, who has been serving a seven-year prison term at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since December 24, 2018, was granted a six-week bail on March 26 to get medical treatment. However, Sharif filed a civil review petition against the order on April 27. The petition requested the court to allow Sharif get medical treatment abroad, claiming that the former prime minister was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that would lead to sudden death'. It said the medical professionals seeing the former premier in Pakistan recommend that he should be treated by his regular practitioners in the United Kingdom. It also said that there was a difference between the apex court's March 26 oral order and the written order. However, a three-judge special bench, headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi, dismissed the petition. Sharif was convicted by an accountability court in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case. Sharif and his family have denied any wrongdoing and allege that the corruption cases against them were politically motivated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve Monday said the NDA would improve its 2014 tally in the state by winning 45 out of total 48 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the Shiv Sena had jointly won 42 constituencies in 2014 elections. "The BJP and the Shiv Sena had jointly won 42 seats in 2014 elections, but this time we will win 45 seats. Not a single seat we are going to lose which we had won in 2014," Danve said, adding that the Opposition parties would have to accept this fact. He dismissed the exit poll prediction of the Sena facing any backlash in elections. "Sena had won 18 seats in 2014 and was the biggest partner of BJP in the Centre. I do not think Sena will face any problem," he added. The seven-phase elections to 542 seats of 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. Counting of votes is scheduled for Thursday. Most exit polls have forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Army Monday batted strongly for "energising" village defence committees (VDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir calling them a "useful instrument" for the state. The VDCs were setup in the mid 1990s with an aim to strengthen the security of those living in remote and mountainous areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramba, Rajouri, Reasi, Kathua and Poonch districts of the region. A total of 4,125 VDCs exist in the state which not only guard the identified villages along the border, but also the infrastructural installations in and around them. "VDCs are most useful instrument available with the state", General Officer Commanding in Chief (GoC-In-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh told reporters here. "They (VDCs) are always to be energised and they shall be able to take on responsibility (of securing the villages in remote and hilly areas) tasked to them," he added. The Army commander said that it must be ensured that the volunteers are provided weapons so that they can defend their villages and pass information to the security forces regarding movement and presence of terrorists. "All have to play a role to ensure peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Notably, the Army has reached out to VDCs in various districts to strengthen the security apparatus of the population of rural and remote areas in Jammu region. The GoC-In-C further said that Pakistan was insincere in ensuring peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control. "Whenever ceasefire violations take place, it is initiated by Pakistan. It shows their insincerity towards ushering in peace and tranquillity along the LoC," he said. He said the ceasefire is violated so that they can provide cover to large number of infiltrators or terrorists who are waiting to enter into India and carry out large scale destruction and violence. "We have strong multi-tier grid and don't allow the Pakistan Army or any other agency to take advantage of that situation," he said. As far as terrorist infrastructure is concerned, it remains intact in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, he said. If Pakistan wants peace, it must dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, militant camps and launch pads on its soil. On modernisation of weaponry and equipment, he said the Army has a very articulated military strategy. "We have operational plans for the deployment and employment of all the resources at the disposal of the Army. So, Army air defence is one such resource. It is a part of the overall defensive and offensives measure of Indian army," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 19 people have been killed in a new bout of ethnic violence in eastern Chad, bringing the death toll since Thursday to more than 31, local officials said. Fighting erupted on Sunday in two villages in Sila province and continued on Monday, public prosecutor Hassan Djamouss Hachimi said. Twelve people were killed on Thursday in the neighbouring province of Ouaddai when a village was attacked by armed men. Eastern Chad is grappling with tit-for-tat violence between native Ouaddian farmers and Arab herders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has invited bids from various government organisations, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and nationalised banks to submit bids to acquire cobranding rights of Aqua Line Metro stations, officials said Monday. The NMRC has written to 33 government organisations, banks and PSUs for bidding for co-branding rights of 11 of its stations which are Noida Sector 76, Sector 101, Sector 81, NSEZ, Sector 83, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147 and Depot Station, they said. "The main purpose behind writing to these government sector organisations is to remove third-party mediation from a potential transaction with fellow government organisations and simplify the process," the NMRC said. "It was observed across many Indian metros that government organisations take the co-branding of metro stations from a third-party vendor which resulted in government organisations paying a higher amount than required to the third party," it said in a statement. It said the co-branding rights for the stations will be awarded to the organisation with the highest bid. Some of the organisations that the NMRC has written to include NTPC Ltd, ONGC, SAIL, BHEL, GAIL, NBCC, Engineers India Ltd., MTNL, Power Finance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, Shipping Corporation of India and nationalised banks like State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Industrial Development Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Syndicate Bank. A meeting with these organisations has been scheduled on May 24 at 12.00 pm at NMRC's headquarters here, the statement read. The aqua line comprises 21 stations, out of which co-branding rights for five stations have been awarded through open tender system to private parties (sector 137, sector 142, Knowledge Park - II, Pari Chowk and Alpha - 1). The NMRC said it has shortlisted 11 stations from the remaining 16 stations for inviting bids from government organisations, PSUs and nationalised banks. The remaining five stations -- Noida Sector 51, Sector 50, Sector 148, Delta-1 and GNIDA Office -- will be put up for cobranding through open tendering, it added. "Total annual revenue earned by NMRC through co-branding for these five stations will be Rs 5.52 crores," it said. "The co-branding rights for these stations have been given to the licencees for a period of 10 years and the licencees will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these stations," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday hit out at the opposition parties for trying to come together to keep the BJP out of power after the poll results, saying the country cannot afford to have a coalition government "crawling" with the support of several small outfits. Taking a swipe at TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to forge an alliance of opposition parties, it said he was unnecessarily exhausting himself by running from pillar to post as there was no guarantee of this "possible coalition" staying intact by the time results are out on May 23. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member ended Sunday and the counting of votes is slated for Thursday. Most exit polls have forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the "The 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed grand alliance of opposition parties) has at least five prime ministerial hopefuls...their hopes are likely to be dashed going by the current indications," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The country cannot afford to have a coalition government crawling with the help of several small parties," it opined. Referring to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's meetings with several opposition leaders in the last few days, the Sena said some people think after the declaration of results, the situation in (Centre) would be unstable and "they want to benefit out of it". "The opposition has assumed the BJP would not come to power, so they are trying hard to gain support of all possible parties to keep the BJP out of power," it said. "Naidu is trying for a coalition but in reality, his efforts are going to be futile. He met NCP chief twice in Delhi, but there is no guarantee of this possible coalition continuing to stay intact by May 23 evening," said the Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in It claimed the Left parties were unlikely to open their account in West Bengal, and the was expected to meet a similar fate in Punjab, and The Left's base in was also likely to shrink further, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said. "Naidu himself had a hard time in where YSR Jaganmohan Reddy seems to be putting up a strong contest. In AP's neighbouring Telangana, compared to Naidu's TDP and the Congress, the TRS led by K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to secure a major win," it said. The UK government has scrapped the requirement of filling out landing cards by international travellers coming to the UK from countries like India, as part of a series of measures aimed at a smoother entry into Britain. Airline passengers from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) landing at UK airports from Monday will no longer be required to complete the forms to be handed to immigration officers along with passports. The government is removing the need for all non-EEA travellers to fill in landing cards upon arrival in the UK, making for a smoother entry to the country. The move will reduce the burden on passengers while maintaining the UK's border security, as exactly the same security checks will be in place, the UK Home Office said in a statement. As airports prepare for the busy summer months, we know that no one likes to wait long in a queue for passport control. That is why airports work closely with Border Force to ensure the border is welcoming, while maintaining the UK's security," noted Karen Dee, Chief Executive of the UK's Airport Operators Association. However, India is not yet among a list of "low risk" countries which can now access the ePassport gates on landing in the UK. Visitors from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the US will be able to use these automated gates at ports across the UK from this week. Our new global immigration and border system will improve security and fluidity for passengers coming to visit or work in the UK. Expanding the use of ePassport gates is a key part of this and allows us to improve the passenger experience of those arriving in the UK while keeping our border secure, said UK home secretary Sajid Javid. The new system will help to drive our economy, cement our reputation as a global leader and send a clear message to the world the UK is open for business, he said. ePassport gates have already been available to British and European Union (EU) nationals since 2008, who will remain eligible to use them even once the UK leaves the EU. Enabling more passengers to use ePassport gates is an important next step in our joint efforts to enhance the welcome at the border. It will demonstrate the UK is open for business, tourism and visiting friends and relatives. It will also free up Border Force officers for other duties, improving the experience of all passengers, added Karen Dee of the Airport Operators Association, a trade body representing the interests of airports around the UK. The Home Office claims that Britain is a world leader in automated passenger clearance, allowing more nationalities to use ePassport gates than anywhere else. In the year ending September 2018, 51.9 million passengers used them across the UK and juxtaposed controls. The gates use facial recognition technology to compare the passenger's face to the digital image recorded in their passport. They are monitored by UK Border Force officers and anyone rejected at the gates will be sent to a manned passport check to have their identity and passport checked. The gates can be used by those aged 18 and over, and who are travelling using a biometric or chipped passport. Those aged 12 to 17, and who are accompanied by an adult, are also able to use them. There are currently 264 ePassport gates in operation at 15 air and rail terminals in the UK. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Quentin Tarantino on Monday posted a 'no spoilers' request to those attending the world premiere of his film "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" at Cannes Film Festival. The director said as lovers of cinema, Cannes viewers should not spoil the experience for others by sharing plot details. "I love Cinema. You love Cinema. It's the journey of discovering a story for the first time. I'm thrilled to be here in Cannes to share 'Once Upon A Timein Hollywood' with the festival audience. The cast and crew have worked hard to create something original. "I only ask that everyone avoids revealing anything that would prevent later audiences from experiencing the film in the same way," the director said in a typed noted. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, the film's story takes place around the Charles Manson murders in 1969. Robbie plays actor Sharon Tate, who was killed by the members of the cult leader. "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood", one of the most anticipated films of 2019, will premiere at Cannes on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results, top opposition leaders will meet in the national capital on Tuesday to discuss the political situation and possibilities of a non-NDA alliance to stake claim for government formation. As part of his efforts to unite the opposition, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, at her Kolkata residence on forming a non-BJP government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict. Naidu had a 45-minute meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance), during which he also discussed the possibilities of forming a non-BJP government, including regional parties, with the support of the Congress. "It was decided at the meeting that a detailed discussion will be held with other players of the Mahagathbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23," a source said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23, the source added. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", sources said. Naidu has been moving around across the country and has held several rounds of discussions with top opposition leaders in a bid to unite them and form an alliance to stake claim to form the next government in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief met Banerjee again on Monday evening to discuss the political scenario in the wake of the exit poll predictions. On Sunday, Naidu met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi separately in New Delhi, besides NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. The TDP leader has already met other top opposition leaders such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Left leaders and Sharad Yadav in Delhi. Meanwhile, Akhilesh and Mayawati also held a meeting and discussed their strategy going forward. However, in view of the exit polls, most of which have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA, the opposition has turned a bit cautious and decided not to hold any formal meetings. Top Congress leaders also held a meeting under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi on Saturday, where the current political situation was discussed. Sources said the opposition strategy was to procure letters of support from various parties and in case of a hung verdict, to present the same before the president to stake claim to form the government. They added that the opposition did not want to leave anything to chance and did not wish to waste any time in staking claim for government formation and thus, was putting its house in order. Notwithstanding the exit poll predictions, the opposition is going ahead with its strategy as most parties have trashed the forecast and claimed that the NDA would not get a majority in the Lok Sabha. Opposition leaders are citing previous examples when exit polls were proved wrong, as also elsewhere in the world like the surprise result in Australia. Opposition leaders will also meet the Election Commission (EC) and raise the issue of tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with the electronic voting machine (EVM) figures as directed by the Supreme Court. The opposition parties are demanding tallying of VVPAT slips with EVM figures in an entire Assembly constituency in case a discrepancy is found in any polling booth. The court has asked the EC to tally the VVPAT slips with the EVM figures of five polling stations in each Assembly constituency across the country, which may delay the results. According to sources, leaders of opposition parties such as the Congress, TDP, Left parties, BSP, NCP and TMC will informally meet on Tuesday to discuss the way forward in case the NDA fails to get to the majority mark. Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), TDP's Naidu, Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP, Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), D Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Derek O'Brien of the TMC are expected to take part in Tuesday's meeting among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six members of a family from Maharashtra's Beed district have been swept away in flash floods in the Gulf nation of Oman where they had gone on a visit, the Mumbai Police said Monday. The mishap occurred on Saturday when the family of Khairulla Khan, a retired teacher in Bukhari School in Beed's Majalgaon, was on a visit to Wadi Bani Khalid, a famous tourist destination, 126 kilometers from Oman's capital Muscat, an official said. "Khan, his wife Shabana, their daughter-in-law Arshi and three grandchildren, including a 28-day-old man, had gone to Oman where his elder son Sardar Fazal Ahmed has been working as a pharmacist for the last two years," Inspector S A Sayyad of Majalgaon police station said Monday. He said the family had gone to Wadi Bani Khalid in Sardar's car. "Once they reached the spot, they encountered heavy rainfall and storm. The car couldn't be driven further due to rain and smog and the family opened one of the doors of the vehicle in their bid to escape," he said. But as the door opened, Sardar's four-year-old daughter Sidra fell into the water. "He jumped into the water to rescue her but he could not. A massive gush of water threw the entire family out of the vehicle, all of them going missing shortly after," Sayyad said. He said Sardar managed to survive by holding on to the branch of a palm tree. He then managed to reach higher ground where he tried to arrange for help. Speaking to media in Oman, Sardar said, "Initially we had thought it was a sunny day and we left for Wadi. But when we reached there, I noticed people leaving the place in a hurry. Before we could comprehend what was the matter, it started raining heavily," he said. Sardar's two brothers stay in Majalgaon and they, along with scores of relatives who have gathered at Khan's Raj Gully residence, are waiting for communication from authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition parties Monday doubted the exit poll projections that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre, calling it "speculation" and "fraud" and contrary to ground reality but the ruling party asserted that the final result will be in consonance with the predictions. Exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. As the exit polls triggered a debate whether it could be right or wrong, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said they are not the "final decision" but indicate that the BJP will once again come to power, riding on the development work done by the NDA government. "Exit polls are not the final decision, but are indications. But, by and large, what comes out in the exit polls also reflects in the results," Gadkari told reporters in Nagpur. Counting of votes in the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will be taken up on May 23. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the results will be in consonance with the outcome of multiple exit polls. "Many of us may continue to squabble over correctness and accuracy of the Exit Polls. The hard reality is that when multiple Exit Polls convey the same message, the direction of the result broadly would be in consonance with the message," the senior BJP leader said in a blogpost titled 'The Message of Exit Polls'. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there is no need to rely on "speculations based on speculation". The CPI-M veteran, who met mediapersons in Thiruvananthapuram soon after he returned from a 13-day Europe trip, exuded confidence that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) will record an impressive win in Kerala. The exit polls have forecast a poor showing by the ruling Left Front. "There have been many instances earlier when the exit polls have failed to accurately predict the election results. Majority of the exit polls in 2004 had predicted continuation of NDA rule at the Centre, but this was proved wrong. So there is no need to rely on speculations based on speculation." Rejecting the exit polls as a "fraud", RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said they are simply compulsions of the market purveyed through a different name. "It is an old trick of psychological manipulation of the deprived classes by Sangh- supported institutions and resources," he said in a statement. Yadav also said the exit poll results do not reflect the ground reality. Yadav's views were endorsed by veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav, who is contesting from Madhepura on the ticket of the RJD with which he is expected to merge his own party LJD. The Trinamool Congress, which has dubbed exit polls as "gossip", said its internal reports from districts in West Bengal and every constituencies clearly say the party will win this time too. Unfazed by exit polls projections, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC exuded confidence that it would play a major role in the formation of a new government for which it is in touch with various opposition parties. Some of the exit polls predicted TMC getting 24 seats, the BJP bagging 16, the Congress two and the Left Front drawing a blank. West Bengal has a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats. The TMC and BJP won 34 and 2 seats respectively in 2014. Banerjee on Sunday said she did not trust such surveys as the "game plan" was to use them for "manipulation" of the EVMs. She dubbed the exit polls as "gossip". Dismissing the exit poll predictions, TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said the party is not worried about the projections, which, he said in most cases do not match with the reality. Hitting out at the pollsters, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy claimed that the "artificially engineered" or "manufactured" Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. In a series of tweets, the JD(S) leader also said the exit poll surveys only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on the ruling party allegedly misusing Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) for electoral gains. Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader G Parameshwara too raised doubts over the EVMs, claiming that the BJP had sponsored the exit polls as the ground reality was different. Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad said the exit polls were the reflection of the wishes of channels where Modi wave is prevalent. However, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said people of the country as well as Karnataka have supported Modi and the exit polls giving 22 of the 28 seats to the saffron party in the state was a proof of that. The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders questioning the EVMs shows their desperation, he added. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor went on to give the example of the recent Australian exit polls to emphasise that they do not always end up being correct. "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till ...," he tweeted. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami made light of the exit polls suggesting a poor showing by the AIADMK, saying they were more of "imposing of opinion" and that the predictions will be proved wrong. The ruling AIADMK, an ally of the BJP, will win all the 38 seats in the state and one in Puducherry, he claimed. Even as the exit polls predicted a good show for his party, DMK President M K Stalin said he does not take the projections seriously and would wait for three days to know the people's mandate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 51,000 farmers in Palghar district of Maharashtra have been provided drought assistance worth Rs 21.09 crore, an official said on Monday. Due to the deficient monsoon last year, reservoirs in the district have only about 22 per cent water stock of their total storage capacity, collector Prashant Narnavre said in a statement. "So far, 51,174 farmers from 333 villages in Palghar have been paid Rs 21.09 croretowards compensation for the scarcity situation in the district," he said. The state tribal development department's principal secretary, Manisha Verma, toured the district during the weekend to review the water crisis and assured there was no dearth of funds to tackle the situation, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Failing to engineer infiltration of militants from across the LoC, Pakistani agencies have resorted to social media to radicalise Kashmiri youths, with 40 of them joining militancy since January, an Army commander said Monday. "Pakistan has been continuing with its efforts to show this (terrorism) as an indigenous movement. Today, they feel absolutely starved because of the very effective counter-infiltration grid of the Indian Army," General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said. Local recruitment still remains a matter of concern, but youths are realising that "we do not want to become fodder for Pakistani agencies", he said. "Successful infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) is virtually becoming very difficult," Singh said while replying to a question on recruitment by militant outfits in Kashmir. "Therefore, for them (Pakistan) to continue with this militancy, they want that the local content should be increased," he said. "Local recruitment remains a matter of concern for all of us. Last year, 217 local youths had taken to militancy. This year, number has significantly reduced. As on date, there are only 40 youth who have picked up arms," the Army commander said. The Army said a large number of misguided youths returned to mainstream society because of its outreach programmes to connect with families and teachers. Since 2016, there has been a constant rise in the number of youths joining militancy, as per official data. In 2015, 66 youths joined militancy in Kashmir and 53 in 2014. In 2017, 126 locals had joined militant ranks, it said. South Kashmir districts Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag have become a breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file, it said. Outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e- Taiba find more recruits. The data said out of the 217 recruits in 2018, 154 hailed from south Kashmir. The highest, 69, was from Pulwama. In 2016, 88 Kashmiri youths had joined militancy, according to the data. The army commander said one of the key reasons for this is "radicalisation" of youths through "exploitation of social media by Pakistani agencies." "One of the key reasons of recruitment is radicalisation and exploitation through social media by Pakistani agencies (to lure youth to pick up guns and engineer violence in Kashmir)," Singh said. "However, the realisation is coming to the youth and people of Kashmir that we do not want to become fodder for Pakistani agencies and various inimical elements, who want to promote terrorism and violence in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. "I am sure with the help of all the stakeholders we will be able to arrest this trend in the times to come as we are doing now," he added. This year has seen a marked change, wherein security forces reached out to parents, elders teachers in various villages to explain to them that youth picking up guns is futile. In 2010, 54 youths had joined militancy, while in 2011 the number came down to 23. It further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013, as per the official data. The data is based on technical and human intelligence, besides interrogation reports of militants arrested during various counter-insurgency operations in the valley. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir is "under control", the Army said Monday Pakistan is continuing with its anti-India activities along the Line of Control (LoC) by trying to infiltrate militants into the Valley and promoting drug trade. General Officer Commanding in Chief (GoC-In-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said 86 terrorists were killed this year in the state and vowed that operations against the ultras will continue. "The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in under control," Lt Gen Singh told PTI in reply to a question here. He said the terror infrastructure across the border was intact and Pakistan is continuing with its anti-Indian activities. "Pakistan has been continuing with its activities which are mainly anti-India, whether it is violating ceasefire, promoting cross-border infiltration, drug trafficking, narcotics, circulation of fake Indian currency," he said. He said the neighbouring country wants to continue with its proxy war against India. "But I must assure you that our efforts to thwart each of these actions is in place and Pakistan will not able to succeed in its designs," Lt Gen Singh said. He said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was peaceful and "we have been able to ensure peace and tranquility with China". Lt Gen Singh said the established mechanisms for confidence building have ensured that there are no "fraction points" between the two sides. "If at all there are any kind of transgressions and incursions, which do take place, the established mechanisms take care of that," he added. He said the security forces helped the administration in Jammu and Kashmir to conduct the Lok Sabha polls in a peaceful manner. "We recently finished with the elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The credit is due to the security forces and the administration," Lt Gen Singh said. He said while security forces killed a number of militants in the past about four months in the state, some ultras shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream. "During this year, we have been to neutralise 86 terrorists so far. Twenty terrorists were also apprehended. Our operations against terrorists will continue. A number of ultras have been brought back to the mainstream with the help of the parents, teachers and senior citizens," Lt Gen Sinbh said. He said the Army was able to check and and arrest terror activities in south of Pir Panjal in the Jammu region. At present, there are no confirmed reports about the presence of terrorists in the region, Lt Gen Singh said. "Our resolve, our commitment to operations (against militants) continues to be same in south of Pir Panjal. We will not allow the area to slip into terrorism," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The University of Sindh in Pakistan has cancelled the admission of a 22-year-old woman student, who received weapons training from the ISIS in Syria and was part of a failed plot to carry out a suicide attack on a church in Lahore. Naureen Leghari, a second-year student of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) in Jamshoro, Sindh, went missing in February 2017 from his native town of Hussainabad, a suburb of Hyderabad. She was arrested after two months from Lahore following an encounter in which her associate Ali was killed by security forces. After her arrest, LUMHS cancelled her admission. She then got admission in the English Department of the University of Sindh in November 2018 but when the varsity got knowledge of her background, it cancelled her admission, the reported. Her father Dr Abdul Jabbar Leghari is working at the University as a professor in Dr MA Kazi Institute of Chemistry. Naureen and her father have approached Sindh High Court filing a joint constitutional petition against the University of Sindh, praying that according to article K-25 of Constitution, the University management could not deny her right of Vice Chancellor Fateh Burfat told the media that University management is verifying the facts that why Naureen was expelled from LUMHS and after getting verification from law enforcement agencies, it will decide about her. University Spokesman Nadir Ali Mugheri said that she concealed facts about cancellation of her previous admission while applying at Sindh University. "When the administration of the University came to know about the facts regarding annulment of her admission at LUMHS, it cancelled her admission," he said. Naureen at the time of her arrest had confessed to her involvement in terrorist activities. In a confessional statement which was played during a press conference by Pakistan's Military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor here, Naureen said that she was to be used by the Islamic State as a suicide bomber on an attack to be conducted on a church on Easter Sunday. She said they were given two suicide jackets, four grenade and some bullets by the ISIS to carry out the mission. However, their mission was foiled by the security forces who killed one militant and arrested two others, including Naureen. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an unusual move, Pakistan's science and technology minister on Monday invited the country's two leading clerics to see how "easy" science has made it to predict the lunar calendar to calculate the start of the holy fasting month of Ramzan. In a statement that could further anger the conservative clerics in the Muslim majority nation, federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry invited Mufti Muneebur Rehman and Shahabuddin Popalzai to see how the moon cycle works. His invitation as the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan advocated a science-based lunar calendar to calculate the start of Ramzan. "We are inviting Maulana Muneebur Rehman and Shahabuddin Popalzai to come and witness how the moon cycle works," wrote Chaudhry on Twitter. "And see for themselves how easy science has made it to predict the lunar calendar. There is no need for an arduous task," he said sarcastically. Since assuming office as the minister for science and technology, Chaudhry has been pushing for using science for the Islamic calendar and doing away with the traditional moon sighting method used by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. "Every year on the occasion of Ramadan, Eid and Muharram a controversy starts regarding moonsighting," Chaudhry said in a video he tweeted on May 5 in which he recalled watching the committee use telescopes to make their calculations. Recently, Pakistan's National Assembly, the lower house, was told that Rs 3.06 million was spent on the sighting of the moon for Muharram, Ramazan, Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha in 2018. Earlier this month, the minister formed a five-member committee comprising officials from the S&T ministry, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and Pakistan Meteorological Department to prepare a lunar calendar and publish it by the 15th of Ramzan. Speaking at an event at Karachi University, he said the ministry was also working on a mobile phone app that will enable people to sight the moon on their devices, the Express Tribune reported Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders of the NDA in Tamil Nadu, including Chief Minister K Palaniswami, will attend the dinner meeting of alliance partners in New Delhi on Tuesday, the BJP state unit said here Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are expected to be present at the meet. State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan said the meeting was being organised to "thank" NDA constituents for their hard work during the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, as well as to discuss "future schemes." Referring to the exit polls that suggested NDA would retain power following the seven-phase polling to 542 Lok Sabha seats, she said it was certain that the ruling coalition is going to form the next government. Exit polls telecast by almost all major new channels have forecast that the BJP-led NDA will cross the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha. "NDA leaders had worked very hard (during the polls).Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of NDA leaders to thank them (for this) and to discuss good schemes for the future." "Chief Minister (Palaniswami) and deputy Chief Minister (O Panneerselvam) will participate from Tamil Nadu," she told reporters here. Further, TMC leader G K Vasan, top leaders of PMK and DMDK would also attend the meeting, she said, adding, some other NDA constituents would also attend it. Exuding confidence of BJP's continuance in power post counting of votes on May 23, Soundararajan said the win would be a 'gift' for the BJP and its allies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian people's political aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail, a senior Palestinian official said Monday boding poorly for a Mideast peace conference planned next month. The comments by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman immediately cast a cloud over the conference, which is expected to take place in late June in the tiny Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. "Any plan without a political horizon will not lead to peace," Nabil Abu Rdeneh said. The White House announced Sunday it will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan at the conference, saying it will focus on economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But officials said the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues at the center of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. The Palestinians, who severed ties with the US over a year ago, have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They believe the US is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to bully them into accepting a plan they see as unacceptable. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, have been leading efforts to draft the plan, but after more than two years of work, they have not released any details. A senior administration official in Washington told reporters Sunday that invitations to the conference are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. It was not known if Abbas' Palestinian Authority was being invited. There also was no immediate comment from Israel. In the absence of direct talks with Palestinian leaders, US officials often talk of engaging private Palestinians and "civil society" groups. It remains unclear who these contacts are or whom they represent. Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has embraced a group led by West Bank settlers that is seeking to promote business ties with Palestinian partners. Avi Zimmerman, the head of the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce, said he had not received an invitation to Bahrain, but believes the group's programs will be presented. Without a formal address on the Palestinian side, it is also unclear how any large-scale projects would be carried out. It also was not known how any projects would be carried out in the Gaza Strip. The US and Israel consider Gaza's Hamas rulers to be a terrorist group and have no direct contacts with them. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war for an independent state. Breaking from the policies of its predecessors, the Trump administration has refused to endorse a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians severed ties with the White House after Trump recognised contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The US has also cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians and closed the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington. The Palestinians have already said they would reject any peace plan offered by the US, saying Trump is unfairly biased toward Israel. Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of pellet victims, who were injured during law and order situations in the Kashmir Valley over the past few years, Monday held a protest here demanding complete ban on the use of pellet guns by security forces. The protestors, under the banner of Pellet Victims Welfare Trust, held the protest at Press Enclave here against continuous use of pellet guns in the valley by police and paramilitary forces. The protesters demanded ban on pellet guns, saying their continued use could render more people blind. Among the protestors was the youngest pellet victim of Kashmir -- Hiba Nisar who was injured after getting hit by pellets inside her house in the Kapran area of Shopian district of south Kashmir in November last year. The two-year-old Hiba was accompanied by her mother. The trust appealed to the people of Kashmir to come in support of the pellet victims and contribute towards their medical needs. Pellet guns are often used for crowd control during stone pelting incidents in the valley. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after two criminals were killed in a shootout between rival gangs beneath Dwarka Mor metro station in South West Delhi, several teams have been formed to nab the two "criminals" who fled the spot, police said Monday. The deceased gangsters -- Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area, and Vikas Dalal -- had several cases of murders, extortion and robberies registered against them in Delhi and Haryana, they said. Dalal was on the run after escaping from Haryana police's custody in 2018, police said. Local police, Special Cell and Crime Branch teams are raiding at several locations in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and other neigbhouring states to track the absconding shooters, they said. One of the accused is suspected to be Surya - a member of Manjeet Mahal gang, police said. After the shoot out, both the accused fled in a black car bearing Rajasthan registration number. Police are scanning through the CCTV cameras installed in and around the crime of scene to trace the locations of the car, a senior police officer said. The call record details of the men are are being analysed to trace their location, he said. The accused persons fled with the pistol of the deceased, he added. Two teams comprising of eleven members each are also trying to locate the vehicle. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CBI officials Monday visited the house of an accused in the case of sexual harassment of women by a gang in nearby Pollachi as part of investigation, police said. Two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has taken over the probe from Tamil Nadu CB-CID police recently, visited the house of Sabarirajan, among the five people arrested in the case. They questioned the accused's parents, who were in the house, police said. A 19-year old woman student in February lodged a complaint with the police that a gang of four men had allegedly tried to strip her inside a car, shot a video of the act and blackmailed her using the visuals. The gang was believed to have sexually harassed and blackmailed a large number of women in Pollachi over a period of time. The issue triggered a public outrage, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to first transfer the case to the CB-CID police and later to the CBI. The case assumed political overtones after a local functionary of the ruling AIADMK allegedly attacked the victim's brother for lodging the complaint. He was expelled from the party later. Five people had been arrested so far in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when the is under fire from opposition parties for being biased, former president on Monday lauded the role of the poll panel saying the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted "perfectly". Speaking at a book launch event here, he said that right from the first election commissioner Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners, the institution is working very well. He said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. Mukherjee said, "you cannot criticise them, it was a perfect conduct of elections". "If democracy has succeeded, it is largely due to perfect conduct of elections by election commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners," Mukherjee said at the launch of the book 'Defining India: Through Their Eyes' by NDTV's Sonia Singh. His remarks come a day after Congress president alleged that the Election Commission's "capitulation" before Prime Minister is obvious and the poll watchdog is not feared and respected anymore. The has been criticised by the opposition parties for being allegedly biased towards the BJP. The opposition stepped up its criticism of the poll panel after Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner stating he will be recusing himself from meetings as his dissent was not being recorded on clearances given by the poll panel to the PM and BJP chief Amit Shah over alleged poll code violations. general secretary Vadra on Monday sought to bolster the morale of party workers by asking them to not be disheartened by "rumours" and exit poll results and urged them to be alert at their respective booths. Issuing a recorded audio message for workers, she said they should not fall prey to "rumours and exit poll trends which are being promoted to undermine the spirits of persons." "Don't be disheartened with rumours and These are crafted to undermine your spirits. Because of all this your alertness becomes all the more important. Be on your guard on strong rooms and counting centres. We are sure our and your hard work will bear fruit," Priyanka said in the message. Most have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA, leaving the UPA far behind. The Election Commission on Monday clamped prohibitory orders in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, following violence in the area during the assembly by-election on Sunday, a senior official said. Keeping in mind the "sensitive" situation in Bhatpara, it was decided to impose Section 144 of the CrPC, the EC official told reporters here. The commission had sought a report from the district magistrate on Sunday's poll-related violence in Bhatpara. "Going by the report of the DM, Section 144 was clamped. It will prohibit assembly of five or more people. Our security forces are posted in the area and we are keeping a tab on the situation," he said. Madan Mitra, the TMC candidate for the Bhatpara assembly constituency, on Monday visited the EC office, accusing BJP leader Arjun Singh of "using force" to stop him from entering the town. The former state transport minister, who is pitched against Singh's son Pawan, also said that if he was not allowed to enter Bhatpara on Tuesday, he would start a "satyagraha" (protest). Bhatpara, considered to be the stronghold of former TMC MLA Arjun Singh, turned into a virtual battle zone on Sunday when the by-election was underway, with BJP and TMC activists allegedly clashing with each other in Kankinara under the Bhatpara Assembly constituency. Bombs were also reportedly hurled and an office of the ruling TMC in Kankinara was set on fire, as central forces restored to lathicharge to bring the situation under control. The violence caused injury to 14 people, damaged shops and houses, and left Mitra's car vandalised, police said. Meanwhile, around 200 companies of central forces would continue to remain in West Bengal till May 27 in the wake of possible post-poll violence in the state, officials said. "Steps have been taken to guard the strongroom where the EVMs and the VVPATs are kept. The number of observers who will keep a tab on the counting process on May 23, has also been increased," an EC source said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday sought to make light of the exit polls suggesting a bad show by the AIADMK, saying he had himself proved wrong similar predictions of him losing in 2016. Palaniswami exuded confidence that the party and its allies win would all the seats in the state and one in Puducherry, adding that said exit polls were more of "imposing of opinion". "In 2016 (assembly election) also, such exit polls were done and they suggested that in Salem, the AIADMK will win only three seats and that even I will lose (from Edappadi seat in Salem)," he said. "But I won with a difference of 42,000 votes even as the AIADMK won 10 seats against the three (mentioned in the exit polls)." "This is what exit polls are all about. They are imposing of opinion," the AIADMK leader said, claiming that the predictions would be proved wrong this time also. Asked about the exit polls suggesting a good show by ally Bharatiya Janata Party across the country, Palaniswami said he was referring only to Tamil Nadu as the "AIADMK is not a national party, but a regional one". "In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK and alliance parties will win all 38 seats, besides the one in Puducherry. Further, our party candidates will win all the 22 seats where bypolls were held," he said. Election to the Vellore seat was rescinded after the recovery of a huge amount of cash. The AIADMK's participation in the central cabinet can be thought about only after the results are declared. The true picture will be known on May 23, Palaniswami said. Palaniswami accused the DMK of changing colours according to the times, he added. State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan had recently claimed that M K Stalin was in talks with the saffron party, drawing a sharp rebuke from the DMK chief. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Quality Council of India Chairman Adil Zainulbhai has joined as advisor to the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, while Renew Power CMD Sumant Sinha and Rubrik Inc co-founder & CEO Bipul Sinha have been inducted as its board members, the US-India advocacy group said Monday. The Washington-based US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) said with the addition of these three leaders, it continues towards its goal to strengthen business ties across the two nations at the highest level. "Both India and the US are looking to grow their economies in a sustainable manner. My goal will be to build greater partnership between companies from both the nations, as well as the two governments, in order to work towards a cleaner environment," said Sumant. India is home to some of the world's best software talent and is producing innovation across many industries. "I look forward to working with USISPF and its members to increase opportunities between the US and India to drive the future of technology." Bipul said. Zainulbhai was appointed as chairman of the Quality Council of India (QCI) in 2014. He previously had a 35-year long career at McKinsey, the last 10 years as chairman of McKinsey India. "Having counselled companies in the US and India over the past 40 years and having worked in both the private and public sectors, I am keen to improve trade and investment, along with strengthening strategic, financial and educational relationships between the world's two largest democracies," Zainulbhai said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh offered prayers at the famous Lord Ramanathaswamy temple here Monday. Singh wa accompanied by his family members. Speaking to reporters, he slammed opposition parties for questioning the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pilgrim centres of Kedarnath and Badrinath after the end of the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. There was nothing wrong in Modi offering prayers at the temples there for the well being of the country, he said adding the prime minister had been visiting Kedarnath for the past 40 years. Singh asserted the BJP-led NDA would come back to power at the Centre with more than 300 seats and would sweep all 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Testimonies of two brothers nailed a man whose life imprisonment was upheld by the Delhi High Court on Monday for raping and murdering their sister over two decades ago. A bench of Justices Manmohan and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said the statements of the victim's two brothers, who were eye witnesses, were "consistent, corroborative and trustworthy" and there was nothing on record to contradict their testimonies. "The testimonies of both these witnesses stood confirmed by the post-mortem report of the deceased," the bench said, adding that the scientific evidence also corroborates the prosecution's version. According to the prosecution, the incident took place in December 1996, when the man, a neighbour, raped the girl and thereafter murdered her. When the police arrived at the spot in Budh Vihar area in north west Delhi, it found the girl's semi naked body lying on a bed with injuries on her neck. The victim's brothers had told the court that they along with their sister were sleeping at the house of the accused which was adjacent to theirs. The accused was sleeping in a separate room. They said they were staying in the accused's room which was taken on rent, and their parents were sleeping in their house which had been sold. At night, they heard their sister's screams and saw that that the man was pressing the girl's throat with one hand and pressing a pillow on her face with another. When they tried to stop the man, he threatened them and said that in case they raise alarm, he would kill both of them and thereafter, he left for his room. The man had claimed before the trial court that he was innocent and was falsely implicated in the case. The trial court had in March 2004, awarded him life imprisonment for the offences of rape, murder and criminal intimidation with a threat to cause death or grievous hurt. The high court dismissed the man's appeal and said, "we find no infirmity in the judgment passed by the trial court and we see no reason to interfere with the same". It directed the man to forthwith surrender before the trial court and said that a copy of the verdict be sent to the Superintendent of Tihar Jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former South African president Jacob Zuma arrived in court on Monday as he fights to have corruption charges against him over 1990s arms deal dropped before the case comes to trial. Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling ANC party last year, has been charged with 16 counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to the weapons deal dating back to before he took office in 2009. Zuma, 77, is accused of taking bribes from French defence company Thales during his time as a provincial economy minister and later as deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC). He allegedly pocketed around four million rand (USD 280,000) from 783 payments handled by Schabir Shaik, a businessman who acted as his financial adviser. Both Zuma and Thales have denied any wrongdoing and have applied to the court for a permanent stay of prosecution. The company argues that the re-introduction of the charges "holds no validity" because the charges were originally struck down in 2009, shortly before Zuma became president. They were re-instated in 2016. A separate judicial enquiry into alleged state corruption during Zuma's time as president is hearing evidence in Johannesburg. His successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, who held onto power when the ANC won national elections this month, has vowed to root out corruption in government and the party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former police commissioner on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of the seven-day protection granted to him by the apex court in connection with the case. Kumar's lawyer mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna. The counsel said the apex court had on May 17 granted seven days time to Kumar to approach the competent court for legal remedies but they want extension of time as lawyers in courts are presently on a strike. Kumar's counsel said four days have already elapsed and they needed time to approach the competent court in However, the bench said since the May 17 order was passed by a three-judge bench, they can approach the registry for listing of the matter before an appropriate bench. "You are a lawyer and you know that CJI is the master of roster," the bench told Kumar's counsel and asked him to approach the registry for listing of the matter. On May 17, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice had withdrawn the protection from arrest granted to Kumar by its February 5 order. The bench, however, had said that the protection to Kumar would continue for seven days from May 17 to enable him to approach the competent court for relief. Four civilians, two Malian police officers and a customs official were killed in an attack on a border post on Mali's frontier with Burkina Faso, security sources and government officials said Monday. "Armed men attacked the border post at Kouri on Sunday night," a local policeman said, who asked not to be identified. "Two gendarmes, a customs officer and four civilians, including two Ghanaians, were killed." Another security source confirmed the toll and said the two Ghanaians were lorry drivers. "The assailants arrived on three motorbikes and in a car," the source said. "They fired at the gendarmes, the customs officers and the civilian truck drivers." "Right now, we can't confirm who the attackers were. They arrived in Kouri from two directions," a government official said. "We were told that they took the soldiers' boots as they left." Kouri is a major crossing point for goods entering or leaving Mali. Mali has been embroiled in conflict since Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012 before being pushed back by French troops in 2013. A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups has failed to restore stability. Southern Mali, in particular, has been rocked by a string of attacks near the country's border with Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. In December last year, Mali's security service said it had arrested four suspected jihadists who had been planning attacks in the three countries. They were arrested near Koutiala, near the Burkina border, it said. The four had taken part in a double attack in the capital Ouagadougou in March 2018 and in the kidnapping of a Colombian nun, Gloria Cecilia Narvaez Argoti near Koutiala in February 2017, the security service said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The daughter of a Delhi Police sub-inspector, who was killed allegedly during a scuffle with a suspected criminal, claimed that Shahdara's Kasturba Nagar area was a "full of bootleggers" and extremely unsafe. Raj Kumar, 58, was assaulted in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar when he was apparently filming the criminal on his mobile phone on Sunday night, police said. "My father had gone for a walk after dinner. He has a friend in the same locality who runs a clinic. Last night at around 9 pm, he went to the clinic to talk to his friend when the incident took place," Kumar's 23-year-old daughter Vaishali told PTI. Kumar and the accused entered into a scuffle over a video. The man assaulted the sub-inspector, who later succumbed to injuries. "My father used to watch videos on the TikTok mobile application. At the time of the incident, he was watching videos on his mobile phone and people told us that another police officer, who had came there earlier, was making the video of Vinay, the accused," Vaishali claimed. The second-year M.Com student claimed that the accused had an argument with her father and then assaulted him. "The area is full of bootleggers and bad characters. Many people have come to our house several times to purchase liquor as they thought that we also sell alcohol," she said. Vaishali said a new police booth opened in December last year near her house. "The bootleggers of the area thought that we approached the district police and asked them to open it here. We have heard that a third person had given him (Vinay) money to kill my father and they were planing for the past couple of months," she said. Police said after the quarrel, Kumar reached his home with blood stains on his shirt. He headed towards Garg Hospital on his scooter along with his daughter. On the way to the hospital, Kumar fainted and collapsed, they said. However, his daughter managed to take him to the hospital, where doctors asked her to take him to the Max Hospital in Patparganj, police said. He was rushed to the Max Hospital where he was declared brought dead, they said. However, according to the preliminary post mortem report, the sub-inspector died due to a cardiac arrest, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Singapore-bound flight of a private carrier, which took off from Tiruchirapalli, made an emergency landing at the Chennai airport on Monday following a 'spark' in the engine, officials said. The flight landed safely. Nobody was injured in the incident and all 170 passengers were safely disembarked, they said. The pilots detected the 'spark' while the plane was still in the Indian airspace, the officials said. Immediately, the pilots contacted the Chennai airport for an emergency landing. Permission was granted and fire fighters were put on standby, they said. The passengers were later provided accommodation in city hotels. Technicians are attending to the snag, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six persons were arrested Monday from Uran in Navi Mumbai for allegedly looting 25 tonne copper, worth Rs 1.5 crore, from a container truck on May 14, police said. The incident occurred between Ghavan Phata and Belapur Reti bunder when the truck carrying copper was headed towards Silvassa, the capital of Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. A gang of six men sitting in a car stopped the truck, attacked its driver, and fled with 25 tonne copper, a police officer said. Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said all the six men have been remanded in police custody till May 26. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading American coffee chain Starbucks has opened a 'silent cafe' in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, in which nearly half of the staff are hearing-impaired, as part of an initiative to support the employment for people with disabilities. Currently, Seattle-based Starbucks, dominates China's coffee scene and has over 3,800 stores in the country. "This might be the quietest Starbucks of over 3,800 shops on the Chinese mainland," said Leo Tsoi, chief operating officer of Starbucks China, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua agency. Fourteen of the 30 staff at the shop, located in Yuexiu district and officially opened over the weekend, are hearing impaired. The shop has a specially-designed ordering system that allows people to place orders without saying a word. For example, all the drinks and food are numbered to facilitate the ordering, and customers can also choose to write down their specific needs. "We cannot hear you but would like to share a tasty coffee with you," said Chen Siting, who works at the store. "I believe more people like me could find a career they are passionate about in the future." Zhu Jieying, Starbucks' first coffee master with hearing loss in China, is among three of the hearing-impaired managers at the store. Having worked for Starbucks for seven years, Zhu hopes the store could be a platform for people with disabilities to show themselves and explore more possibilities in their life. "We hope this could be an opportunity to promote employment equality," said Fan Yitao, vice chairman of the China Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Starbucks is the single largest coffee chain in China. However, Chinese coffee brand Luckin Coffee, established in 2017, has quickly become the second largest coffee chain in China after Starbucks. This ambitious brand aims to have 4,500 stores throughout the country by the end of this year, surpassing Starbucks, which has over 3800 branches on the streets of 150 Chinese cities two decades after it arrived in China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister will attend a two-day meeting of the (SCO), beginning Tuesday, in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, during which several pressing issues, including threat of terrorism, are expected to be discussed. The External Affairs Ministry said the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation for the Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14. "External Affairs Minister will be representing India in the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of to be held in Bishkek on May 21-22," it said. India became a full member of the the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. "India actively took part in various dialogue mechanisms under the Chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year," the MEA said. It said Swaraj's programme in Bishkek will include a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooranbay Jeenbekov. Last month, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the SCO Defence Ministers' conclave in Bishkek. India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. Along with India, Pakistan was also granted SCO membership in 2017. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Trinamool Congress, which has dubbed exit polls as "gossip", sais on Monday its internal reports from districts and every constituencies clearly say the party will win this time too. Unfazed by exit polls projections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led TMC exuded confidence that it would play a major role in the formation of a new government for which it is in touch with various opposition parties. Some of the exit polls have suggested TMC getting 24 seats, the BJP bagging 16, the Congress two and the Left Front drawing a blank. West Bengal has a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats, third highest after Uttar Pradesh 80 and Maharashtra's 48. At the national level too, exit polls have forecast a second term for Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. The TMC supremo had on Sunday dubbed the exit polls as "gossip". Banerjee said she did not trust such surveys as the "game plan" was to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Dismissing the exit poll predictions, TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said Monday, party is not worried about these exit poll reports, which in most cases do not match with the reality. "We have our internal party reports. We also have reports from districts and each and every constituency and it clearly says we will win this time too." he said. A senior TMC leader, who did wish to be named, said "We are in touch with various opposition parties including SP, BSP, Congress, TDP, AAP and many other parties for post poll situation. According to our calculations a government of opposition parties will come to power. There is hardly any chance of BJP returning to power." TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been meeting leaders of regional and opposition parties over the last few days, will meet TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday in Kolkata. The BJP leadership, however, mocked TMC's effort to cobble up an anti-BJP alliance. "As per exit polls and people's mood, the TMC has lost the battle. But it seems they are yet to give up their dream of Mamata Banerjee being the next Prime Minister. The fact is she should stop dreaming of it as days of TMC government are numbered in Bengal," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said. The Bengal BJP asked Banerjee to "stop living in denial" as the days of her TMC government in West Bengal were "numbered". In a tweet it also asked Banerjee to stop giving lame excuses. Although senior TMC leaders sounded confident of winning the polls, some district leaders feel there had been an undercurrent against the TMC, which the top leadership of the party "failed" to gauge. We dont know whether these exit poll results will match with the actual results. But, we can say this much that there has been an undercurrent against us this time. Now everything will be answered only on May 23, a TMC leader of West Midnapore district, said. After a good performance in panchayats election and some state level bypolls last year, BJP emerged as principal challenger to TMC in Bengal in the current general election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah addressed several rallies to boost the party chance in Bengal from where it had only two MPs in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday said his government was committed to the release of seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts and expressed hope the state Governor will act on the cabinet recommendation for setting them free. Palaniwami's statement comes amidst renewed calls, both from the opposition and Tamil groups, for the release of the seven, serving life terms, after the Supreme Court recently disposed of a plea of the kin of those killed along with the former Prime Minister in 1991 opposing their release. The kin had challenged the Tamil Nadu government's earlier decision in 2014 to release the seven convicts. In September 2018, the state cabinet had adopted a resolution recommending to Governor Banwarilal Purohit the release of the seven. Speaking to reporters here, Palaniwami said the cabinet resolution was passed in line with public sentiment. "We wanted the seven to be released and that is why adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to the Governor. The Governor has to decide (on the matter)," he said. "We took the decision based on public sentiment, adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to Governor. We hope he will take action," he added. On September 9, 2018 the AIADMK government recommended to Purohit the release of all seven convicts -- Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur near here on May 21, 1991. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK government on Monday announced a fresh crackdown on its nationals travelling to Islamic State (ISIS) territory in Syria as it revealed that Britain's security forces had foiled 19 major terror attacks in the past two years. In a speech on national security at Scotland Yard headquarters in London, UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid warned British nationals to leave conflict-ridden territories or risk a jail term of up to 10 years, effectively imposing a ban on travel to Idlib and the northeast of Syria under new powers to tackle suspected terrorists. "Each and every day, our security services fight against terror from large international terrorist groups, to radicalised individuals. In the past two years, they have foiled 19 major terrorist attacks 14 of them Islamist, and five of them motivated by extreme right-wing ideologies, said Javid, the UK's senior-most Pakistani-origin minister. And despite this impressive work, the tempo of terrorist activity is increasing, he warned. Laying out details of the UK's new Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act, he unveiled powers to designate a region anywhere in the world and make it an offence for British nationals to be there. He said: I've asked my officials to work closely with CT (Counter-Terrorism) policing and intelligence agencies to urgently review the case for exercising this power in relation to Syria, with a particular focus on Idlib and the North East. So, anyone who is in these areas without a legitimate reason should be on notice. I can also see that there may be a case in the future for considering designating parts of West Africa. The Act follows the high-profile case of Bangladeshi-origin British schoolgirl Shamima Begum, who had travelled to the ISIS-controlled region over four years ago before discovery in a detention camp earlier this year. She has since been stripped of her British citizenship and her London-based family has launched a legal bid to bring her back. Deprivation is never a step that is taken lightlyWhen we assess that someone poses a real threat, we will work to stop them from returning. Sometimes to do that I have to deprive people of their British nationality, said Javid. If the Syrian regions are designated under the new UK act, Britons detained by the Syrian Defence Forces will be deemed unable to leave and return to the UK. A person already in a designated area at the time of designation will not commit an offence if they leave the area within one month of such an order being made. Other exemptions have been written into the legislation, passed by the UK Parliament last month, to protect those who have a legitimate reason for being in a designated area or conducting research online, such as journalists. As part of a package of security measures, Javid also announced the appointment of Barrister Jonathan Hall as the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. With the threat from terrorism continuing to evolve and diversify, it is vital we have robust oversight to ensure our counter-terrorism laws are fair, necessary and proportionate, said Javid. As part of the new role, Hall will be required to provide an annual report on his findings which the government must lay before Parliament and publish. The minister stressed on the need for a global effort to fight terror as groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS continue to pose a threat. He said: Of all the terrorist plots thwarted by the UK and our Western allies last year, 80 per cent were planned by people inspired by the ideology of Daesh (ISIS), but who had never actually been in contact with the so-called Caliphate. And just as its fighters were drawn from every corner of the world, including too many Brits, we have taken an international response to this menace. Javid's speech also revealed a planned crackdown on hostile spying activity, with plans in the works for foreign spies to add their names to a register as part of a new Espionage Bill. I have also asked my officials to consider the case for updating treason laws. Our definition of terrorism is probably broad enough to cover those who betray our country by supporting terror abroad. But if updating the old offence of treason would help us to counter hostile state activity, then there is merit in considering that too, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Nations voiced concern on Monday about the rising rhetoric between the United States and Iran and called on the two sides to dial down their remarks. The appeal came after President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that any attack from Iran would be met with a devastating US response that would mean "the official end of Iran." "We are concerned about the rising rhetoric," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who cited the firing of a rocket on Sunday, which struck a Baghdad area that houses foreign embassies including that of the US, as being "also a concern." "We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well," said the spokesman. UN officials are holding contacts with the US and Iran at various levels to try to calm the situation, said Dujarric, but he did not provide details of those talks. Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed tough sanctions. Tensions have risen this month after Washington announced more economic measures against Tehran, before deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over alleged Iranian "threats." The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing the danger posed by Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump's tweet on Monday, describing it as "genocidal taunts" and adding: "Never threaten an Iranian. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European countries backed by the United States have blocked a Russian request to hold a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine's new language law. Last month Ukraine's parliament passed the law, which enforces use of the Ukrainian language in official settings, a move strongly denounced by Russia. Russia failed to garner the nine votes required to hold the meeting, which was requested on Monday, the same day that Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky took office. A procedural vote to hold a meeting requires the support of nine countries in the 15-member council. Vetoes do not apply. French Ambassador Francois Delattre told the council ahead of the vote that the Russian call for the meeting was "not intended to have a constructive discussion" but to "put the new president of Ukraine in the worst light." Five countries voted in favour of holding the meeting -- China, Russia, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and the Dominican Republic -- while five EU members -- Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Belgium -- and the United States voted against. Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kuwait and Peru abstained. The new law increases Ukrainian-language television and radio programming and obliges all citizens to speak Ukrainian, making it mandatory for civil servants, doctors, teachers and lawyers under the threat of fines. Despite the decision to block the meeting, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia took to the floor to denounce that the Russian language was being "pushed out" of Ukraine and accused the council of "censorship". Russia argued that the language law was in violation of the so-called Minsk agreements, signed in 2014 to end the conflict in east Ukraine. In his inaugural speech, Zelensky, a comedian who at 41, became Ukraine's youngest post-Soviet president, called for a ceasefire and a prisoner swap to pave the way to talks. The conflict pitting Russian separatists against Ukrainian government forces is estimated to have claimed more than 10,000 lives -- one-third of them civilian -- since it broke out five years ago. At least 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes. Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko said it was "not a coincidence" that Russia had asked for the council to meet on the day of Zelensky's inauguration. Russia wanted the council to "send a message to the new president of Ukraine", Yelchenko told AFP. The Europeans and the United States had offered to postpone the meeting, but Moscow rejected the proposal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after exit polls forecast a return of the NDA at the Centre, enthused state BJP leaders predicted Uttar Pradesh would give them more than 74 of its 80 seats, a claim dismissed by the SP-BSP camp whose top leaders met to discuss post-poll scenarios. At the UP BJP office here, pointing to electoral maps of the state, detailing parliamentary and assembly constituencies, party leaders and functionaries from various districts indicated places from where SP-BSP alliance candidates would lose and claimed the SP-BSP alliance would break up after the results are announced. As for SP-BSP, they do not agree with the projections that the NDA would get over 300 seats. Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati appeared to be opting for a wait-and-watch policy till results are announced on May 23. "The future course of action will be decided only after the final results are announced. Till then, she (Mayawati) will be in the state capital," a party source said, requesting anonymity. Multiple exit polls have suggested that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance is likely to dent the Bharatiya Janata Party's 2014 tally in Uttar Pradesh, though it might not be enough to throw a spanner in the formation of an NDA government at the Centre. Against the backdrop of the exit poll projections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav drove to the residence of Mayawati in the morning and held talks with for about an hour. "We (SP-BSP-RLD) should get nothing less than 55 seats as the alliance has done exceedingly well. We expect around 60 (out of 80) seats. We do not agree with exit poll projections," another source said. Meanwhile, with most BSP leaders preferring to remain in their districts after hectic electioneering, there was not much activity in the party camp here. "The party leaders will come to the state capital only after May 23. They have been asked to stay in their respective districts and oversee the counting process," a party leader said. Roads outside the BSP office and Mayawati's residence reflected the caution with which the party is treading. Aiming to check the return of NDA at the Centre, Mayawati had opted to sink decades-long differences to enter into an alliance with the SP for the Lok Sabha election. In the 2014 general election, the BJP had won 71 seats, its ally Apna Dal bagged two, the Samajwadi Party five and the Congress just two, while the BSP drew a blank. Akhilesh Yadav went into a huddle with senior party leaders as the SP headquarters remained bereft of any enthusiasm. The SP office here is generally abuzz with activities of party workers but it was not so this morning though some supporters were seen discussing outcome of the alliance with the BSP and the RLD. "The exit polls show us in good light. Some of the polls even give us over 50 seats. We are enthused with the exit polls, but are keeping our fingers crossed till the results are out on May 23," said Ajay Pratap Singh, a party leader from Sitapur, exuding confidence that the alliance candidate will win in his district. A shop outside the SP office which usually does brisk business wore a deserted look with no buyers. Some said the torrid weather also played a role. "We hope after the counting, if alliance gets required number of seats, there will be demand for flags and other materials," said Manoj, a vendor. A group of young people having tea at a stall outside the party office were seen busy discussing results and credibility of exit polls. "The exit polls have given us (SP-BSP) seats from 10 to 56. They have only deepened the suspense instead of making the picture clear. We will prefer to wait and watch," Manoj Mishra, an SP supporter, said. As far as SP leaders are considered, they seem to endorse the decision to go for an alliance with the BSP. "We are confident of our performance. We have made our own analysis and we know that our candidates are winning on a good number of seats," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said. The polls were divided in their prediction for the state with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats. "The BJP will accomplish its target of 74-plus seats in UP (which sends 80 members to Lok Sabha) and the SP-BSP alliance will perform very poorly," state BJP spokesperson Chandramohan said. Results for the general elections will be declared on May 23. "Most exit polls have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA," said Chandramohan as his colleagues remained glued to panel discussions on TV. Making light of a meeting between Yadav and Mayawati, he said the alliance will crack on May 23. "Their days are over. They have indulged in casteist and dynastic and have pushed the state into backwardness," he said. Arranging documents his cubicle, BJP's state unit media in-charge Manish Dixit said the elections were fought on the name and works of Modi, and under the guidance of BJP chief Amit Shah and state party president Pandey. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommending the sacking of SBSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar from his cabinet was also a matter of discussion at the BJP office. "Despite staying in alliance (NDA), Rajbhar continuously made statements against the BJP and the BJP-led UP government. He also opposed various policies of the state government," Dilip Srivastava, a corporator from Lucknow said. Despite the mercury hovering around 40 degrees Celsius, there was a steady flow of party leaders at the BJP office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US ambassador to China is making the first trip to Tibet by an American envoy in four years after obtaining rare access to the restricted region, his embassy said Monday. The visit by Ambassador Terry Branstad comes two months after the US State Department said Beijing had "systematically" impeded access to Tibetan areas for US diplomats, journalists and tourists. Branstad was scheduled to visit Qinghai province and the neighbouring Tibet Autonomous Region from Sunday until this Saturday, an embassy spokesperson said in an email to AFP. "This visit is a chance for the Ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said. "The Ambassador welcomes this opportunity to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region, and encourages authorities to provide access to the region to all American citizens." Branstad will have official meetings, visit schools and tour religious and cultural heritage sites. His visit comes amid rising trade war tensions between Beijing and Washington. Branstad's predecessor, Max Baucus, visited Tibet in May 2015. According to the State Department's March report, five out of nine US requests to visit Tibet were rejected last year, including one by Branstad. China has rejected the US report as "full of prejudice". Chinese authorities have cited special "geographic" and "climatic conditions" as reasons for restricting access to the Himalayan region. This year marks the 60th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that forced the region's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, into permanent exile in India. Beijing continues to be accused of political and religious repression in the region, but insists Tibetans enjoy extensive freedoms and economic growth. At least 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Beijing's presence in Tibet, most of whom later died. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump on Monday said Washington has not reached out for talks with Iran and that if Tehran wants to negotiate, it will have to take the first step. "The Fake put out a typically false statement, without any knowledge that the United States was trying to set up a negotiation with Iran. This is a false report," Trump wrote in a tweet that did not specify what report he was referring to. "Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse - very sad for the Iranian people!" Trump tweeted. Trump has blown hot and cold over Iran, leading many in Washington to fear he is rushing to conflict, but then indicating that he has no desire to embroil the United States in another distant war. On Sunday, he upped the temperature with a tweet that warned of "the official end of Iran" should the country attack the United States. The Trump administration is piling the pressure on Iran by ripping up a hard-fought international deal to steer the country away from its nuclear ambitions and attempting to shut off Iran's badly needed oil exports. It has also sent an aircraft carrier and bomber planes to the region, citing Iranian threats to US interests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday. The plan, which has been two years in the making, envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown. And the economic workshop, June 25-26 in Bahrain, will not address the most contentious parts of the conflict: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the workshop will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to gather support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. The US wants to ensure security for Israel and economic opportunity to improve the lives of Palestinians. The administration hopes that Arab countries will help bankroll economic incentives, such as infrastructure and industrial projects, to get Palestinians to buy into the plan. But with details of the political aspects of the plan still under wraps, any commitments for economic development won't be easily attained. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority, which has complained that the White House favours Israel, severed ties with the Trump administration following several actions targeting them. Trump closed the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, saying the Palestinians refused to engage in peace talks with Israel. The US stopped funding the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees, slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for projects in the West Bank and Gaza and cutting funding to hospitals in Jerusalem that serve Palestinians. Trump also recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The Palestinians' demand that Israel fully withdraw from all territories it occupies. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for a future state. They also seek the right of refugees to return to the lands and the recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine. It's an open question as to whether the Palestinians will exchange some or all of their demands for the prospect of economic prosperity. In an interview last month with The Associated Press, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh likened that to "financial blackmail, which we reject." Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. A senior administration official told reporters that invitations to the workshop are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The Trump administration decided to roll out the economic and political parts of the plan separately, the official said, adding that there will be no discussion about the political aspects of the plan at the upcoming workshop. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a very detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice Admiral Bimal Verma is likely to file a fresh petition at a military tribunal here on Tuesday challenging a note by the defence ministry rejecting his plea against appointment of Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Navy Chief. Last week, the Defence Ministry rejected Verma's petition challenging the appointment of his junior, Vice Admiral Singh, as the next Navy Chief. Verma's lawyer Ankur Chhibber said a fresh petition challenging Vice Admiral Singh's appoitment as well as the defence ministry's note will be filed with the Armed Forces Tribunal here on Tuesday. Chhibber said a previous petition filed with the AFT on the issue was withdrawn on Monday for filing of a detailed plea which will also challenge the defence ministry's rejection of Verma's plea. In an order last week, the defence ministry said Verma's statutory petition dated April 10 against appointment of Vice Admiral Singh to the top post is devoid of merit and has been rejected in exercise of powers under Section 23 of the Navy Act 1957. Verma, commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command and senior-most naval commander, had moved the tribunal last month questioning Vice Admiral Singh's appointment as the next Navy Chief, overlooking his seniority. Singh is scheduled to take charge as the new Navy chief from incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba, who will demit office on May 31. The tribunal had on April 25 directed the defence ministry to decide Verma's petition within three weeks. Rejecting Verma's plea, the defence ministry said a thorough selection process was conducted under which overall service profile of all the contenders for the top post was examined. It said specific parameters for selection were applied uniformly to all the contenders and based on the assessment, it was found that Vice Admiral Verma, though being the senior most eligible officer, was unsuitable to hold the post of the Chief of the Naval Staff. In his petition to the defence ministry, Verma wondered why he was overlooked for the top post despite being the senior-most in the line of command, terming as "wrongful" the government's decision to appoint Singh to the post. While appointing the Army chief in 2016, the government did not follow the long-held tradition of going by seniority. Bipin Rawat was appointed Army chief superseding then Eastern Command Chief Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Command Chief PM Hariz. Besides Verma, the other contenders for the Navy Chief post included Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar and FOC-in-C of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla. Singh, who is at present serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, will be the first helicopter pilot to become chief of naval staff. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rejecting the exit poll results which predicted the return of the NDA government at the Centre, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday said there is no need to rely on "speculations based on speculation". Vijayan, who met mediapersons soon after he returned from a 13-day Europe trip, exuded confidence that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) will record an impressive win in the Lok Sabha polls. The exit polls have forecast a poor showing by the ruling Left Front in Kerala. The polls also showed that the Congress-led United Democratic Front would garner maximum seats from the state. "There have been many instances earlier when the exit polls have failed to accurately predict the election results. Majority of the exit polls in 2004 had predicted continuation of NDA rule at the Centre, but this was proved wrong. So there is no need to rely on speculations based on speculation," Vijayan said, adding that he would wait till May 23. "There is no doubt that the LDF will register an impressive win in these polls," he said. Meanwhile, Congress sources told PTI that the exit polls predicting that the BJP will return to power were an exaggeration. They said though most of the surveys had predicted around 15 seats for UDF in Kerala, the opposition front was confident of bagging all 20 in the state. State BJP president P S Sreedharan Pillai also rejected the exit polls for Kerala, which predicted that the saffron party will only get a seat or two in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday faced the wrath of social media users including Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor and DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal for sharing a "distasteful" and "crass" meme targeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's relationships. Oberoi, who reportedly dated the actor-former Miss World in early 2000s, posted a meme featuring her with husband Abhishek, daughter Aaradhya and Salman Khan. The meme was a take on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results of which will be declared on Thursday. "Haha! creative! No politics here... just life," Oberoi captioned the photo. Soon after he shared the meme, social media lashed out against the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on the current prime minister. "Disgusting and classless," Sonam tweeted. "It is hardly hilarious. It's crass, disgusting and reveals the sick mentality of its 'creator'@vivekoberoi. Evident that the man lacks everything - political as well as life skills," Swati Maliwal, Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women, said. Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson Maharashtra Women's Commission, they will send a notice to the actor for his tweet, which is "disrespectful towards women". "What he has tweeted cannot be considered as 'creativity'... He is a responsible actor and we did not expect this behaviour from him. We have taken a note of this and we will be sending him a notice to him," Rahatkar tweeted. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also slammed the actor. "Dear Vivek Oberoi, this is absolutely distasteful on so many levels. How can you call this cheap remark 'creative' in any way? Didn't expect this from an otherwise cultured person like you," Pandit tweeted. Such was the reaction to the actor's tweet that his name had started trending with many on social media lashing out against Oberoi. "I thought it's a troll account. Shame on vivek," the tweet read. Another post said the actor should have at least thought twice about dragging a minor, Aishwarya's daughter, into the controversy. "?Please don't spread this pics its demeaning to a woman and a torture to her child too! Please its a humble request! #VivekOberoi #NarendraModi," he said. "I'm pretty sure #AishwariaRai chose a man with character. This is really cheap. There's a fine line between Humour and Insult to individual. Increase your Celeb status to 1 per cent of what she's Achieved at least. Disgusting @vivekoberoi #VivekOberoi," another user tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday faced the wrath of social media users including actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma and Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor over sharing a "distasteful" and "crass" meme targeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's relationships. Oberoi, who reportedly dated the actor-former Miss World in early 2000s, posted a meme with three panels, one with him, another with Salman Khan and a third with her husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya on Twitter. The meme was a take on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results of which will be declared on Thursday. "Haha! creative! No politics here... just life," Oberoi captioned the photo and credited the Twitter account that shared it. Social media was quick to blast the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", over his "distasteful" tweet. "Disgusting and classless," Sonam tweeted. Matondkar, who is a Congress candidate from Mumbai North, called out the actor for not having the courtesy of pulling down the tweet despite widespread criticism. "Very disgraceful and in extreme bad taste of #VivekOberoi to put up such a disrespectful post. At least show the decency to pull off the post if not apologise to the lady and her little girl," Matondkar tweeted. The NCW (National Commission for Women) sent a notice to the actor asking him to give an explanation for sharing the "insulting" and "misogynist" tweet. "This tweet is absolutely disgusting, distasteful, and degrading a women. @NCWIndia will be serving notice to @vivekoberoi," NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma tweeted. In their notice, the NCW said the actor should not have carried a minor girl and a woman's picture for a sly reference. "You have made insulting and misogynistic post on twitter carrying picture of a minor girl and a woman. It has been reported that you had drawn a sly comparison between the poll result and a woman's personal life," the notice by NCW read. A similar reaction came from the Delhi and Maharashtra chapters of women commissions. "It is hardly hilarious. It's crass, disgusting and reveals the sick mentality of its 'creator'@vivekoberoi. Evident that the man lacks everything - political as well as life skills," Swati Maliwal, chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women, said. Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson Maharashtra Women's Commission, said they will send a notice to the actor for his tweet, which is "disrespectful towards women". "What he has tweeted cannot be considered as 'creativity'... He is a responsible actor and we did not expect this behaviour from him. We have taken a note of this and we will be sending him a notice to him," Rahatkar tweeted. NCP's national spokesperson Nawab Malik said Oberoi must apologise for his tweet or else face the consequences. "Film celebrities who support the BJP are crossing a line. The way Vivek Oberoi has tweeted about the exit poll, disrespecting a woman is not right. Women's commission must take cognisance of this and not stay asleep. When women are treated with such utter disrespect, the public will get angry. If he doesn't apologise, he will have to face the consequences," Malik said. He said women commissions and the police should take necessary action against the actor for "disrespecting" a woman. "It won't be right if the government doesn't take any action. So we want the government to take a note of this, lodge a complaint and arrest Vivek Oberoi," he said. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also slammed the actor. "Dear Vivek Oberoi, this is absolutely distasteful on so many levels. How can you call this cheap remark 'creative' in any way? Didn't expect this from an otherwise cultured person like you," Pandit tweeted. Such was the anger about the meme that Vivek's name started trending on the microblogging. "I thought it's a troll account. Shame on vivek," the tweet read. Another post said the actor should have at least thought twice about dragging a minor, Aishwarya's daughter, into the controversy. "?Please don't spread this pics its demeaning to a woman and a torture to her child too! Please its a humble request! #VivekOberoi #NarendraModi," he said. "I'm pretty sure #AishwariaRai chose a man with character. This is really cheap. There's a fine line between Humour and Insult to individual. Increase your Celeb status to 1 per cent of what she's Achieved at least. Disgusting @vivekoberoi #VivekOberoi (sic)" another user tweeted, pointing out at Oberoi's chequered career. Oberoi remained unavailable for a comment despite multiple attempts. Meanwhile, Aishwarya is in Cannes for the prestigious film festival. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even as the exit polls predicted a good show for his party, DMK President M K Stalin Monday said he does not take the projections seriously and would wait for three days to know people's mandate. Lok Sabha results will be declared on May 23. Asked about the reported meeting of opposition parties convened by Sonia Gandhi to discuss the post-poll scenario on counting day, Stalin shot back, "who told you there is a meeting on May 23." Such reports are only appearing in the media, he said, adding, even the results will be known only late on Thursday. "Such meetings will be useful only if held after results are known. So we are waiting," he added. While the exit polls of various media houses suggested the incumbent BJP-led NDA at Centre would retain power, most of them had said the DMK could net significant number of seats out of the 38 Parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Election to the Vellore Lok Sabha seat was rescinded after recovery of huge amount of cash allegedly from an associate of a DMK leader. "As far as exit polls are concerned, even if they are favourable to DMK, or not, we don't take them seriously, don't accept them," Stalin told reporters here. He said this was the stand adopted by the late party chief and his father M Karunanidhi in the past also. "In three days, it is going to be evident what is the people's prediction...we are waiting for that," he said referring to the counting of votes scheduled on Thursday. Further, asked if his party would be a part of the next cabinet formed by "whichever party", he said, "I can respond to this only after the conclusion of counting on May 23." Incidentally, BJP state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan had recently claimed Stalin was in talks with the saffron party, which drew a sharp rebuke from the DMK chief who asserted he was with the Congress. Asked if TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was holding talks with him, Stalin said the two had been interacting for long. When his response was sought on reports of a possible meeting between Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati in Delhi on Monday, he said it could be held to take decisions under the prevailing situation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lawyers for former South African president Jacob Zuma argued in court Monday that he could not expect a fair trial, as they fought to have corruption charges against him over a multi-million-dollar arms deal dropped. Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling ANC party last year, has been charged with 16 counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to the weapons deal dating back to before he took office in 2009. Zuma, 77, is accused of taking bribes from French defence company Thales during his time as a provincial economy minister and later as deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) in the 1990s. He allegedly pocketed around four million rand ($280,000, 250,000 euros) from 783 payments handled by Schabir Shaik, a businessman who acted as his financial adviser. The charges were first brought against Zuma in 2005 but dropped by prosecutors in 2009, before being reinstated in 2016. Zuma's legal counsel Muzi Sikhakhane said in his opening statement that the case was at the "intersection of law and politics" and that Zuma faced "mob justice" and "lynching"due to prejudice against him. Sikhakhane argued at Pietermartizburg high court that Zuma's constitutional right to a prompt trial "had been compromised or violated to the point where we could say 'a fair trial can never happen'." He accused prosecutors of being "over-zealous" and asked: "Does he get stripped of human dignity because he is Mr Zuma? Must he be dealt with with less humanity." Both Zuma and Thales deny any wrongdoing and have applied to the court for a permanent stay of prosecution. "Bearing in mind the very long delay of this procedure -- through no fault of Thales at all -- together with a range of factors beyond its control, Thales believes it cannot obtain a fair trial," Thales said in a press statement. "Thales reiterates that it has no knowledge of any transgressions having been committed by any of its employees." Outside the court, a small number of Zuma's supporters held a rally for the former president. "Politics is not good. Some people, they don't like Zuma -- that's why they took him to court," Vukhani Khumalo told AFP, saying court proceedings against him should be scrapped. Zuma sat in court wearing a suit and red tie and looking occasionally at papers in front of him. A separate judicial enquiry into alleged state corruption during Zuma's time as president is hearing evidence in Johannesburg. His successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, who held on to power when the ANC won national elections earlier this month, has vowed to root out corruption in government and the party. Zuma, who is thought to have little personal wealth, was ordered by a court last year to pay back state funds and cover his own costs over the legal case, leaving him with large legal bills. After previous court appearances, Zuma has given rousing speeches outside the court, singing and dancing and proclaiming his innocence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Motors has reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 28,826.23 crore during the financial year 2018-19. The Indian auto major had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 8,988.91 in the financial year 2017-18. The total revenue from operation increased to Rs 3.01 lakh crore during the financial year 2018-19, as compared to Rs 2.92 lakh crore during the previous fiscal, Tata Motors said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. During FY19, Tata Motors closed manufacturing operations in Thailand and the relevant restructuring costs were factored into the financial results. The company made provisions to the tune of Rs 381.01 crore under costs of closure of operation of a subsidiary during the fiscal year 2018-19. "On July 31, 2018, the Company decided to cease its current manufacturing operations of Tata Motors Thailand Ltd. Accordingly, the relevant restructuring costs have been accounted in the year ended March 31, 2019," the company said in its filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. ALSO READ: Bajaj Auto net profit rises to Rs 4,675 crore in FY19; board recommends dividend Tata Motors had also made provisions for impairment in Jaguar Land Rover worth Rs 27,837.91 crore during the December quarter of the FY19. The company assessed the recoverable amount of the Jaguar Land Rover business in light of changing market conditions, especially in China, technology disruptions and rising cost of debt. "This has resulted in an impairment charge of 3,105 million pounds (Rs 27,837.91 crore) being recognised as exceptional charge for the quarter ended December 31, 2018. The Company continues to assess and endeavours to take appropriate mitigating actions on the potential impacts of changes, if any in tax and treaty arrangements globally, including Brexit," Tata Motors said in its statement. Contrary to the annual performance, Tata Motors finally returned to profitability during the March quarter. The company posted consolidated net profit of Rs 1,117.48 crore during the March quarter of FY19 after reporting losses to the tune of Rs 26,992.54 crore during the December quarter. The company reported revenue of Rs 86,422.02 crore during Q4 FY19, declining from the Rs 89,9928.97 crore reported during the year-ago period. ALSO READ: Tata Motors global wholesale down 22% in April "Our domestic business delivered a resilient performance in the face of challenging market conditions. We have continued to step up our pace of innovation, improved our market shares as well as our profitability. The 'Turnaround 2.0' strategy is delivering well, and I am confident that the business is getting the building blocks in place for long term success," said Tata Motors Chairman N Chandrasekaran. "In JLR, we continue to face challenges in China which we are addressing on priority. To weather the volatile external scenario, we are taking decisive steps to step up competitiveness, reduce breakeven and improve cash flows whilst continuing to invest in exciting products and leading-edge technologies. With these structural interventions, I see Tata Motors Group building the right business model to deliver Competitive, Consistent and Cash Accretive Growth over the medium to long term," he further added. Tata Motors shares on Monday ended 7.53 per cent up at Rs 190 apiece on the BSE. ALSO READ: JLR sales decline 13% at 39,185 units in April Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that if the exit poll predictions are proved to be true then the Opposition will lose the ground to question the EVMs. "The hard reality is that when multiple Exit Polls convey the same message, the direction of the result broadly would be in consonance with the message. Exit Polls are based on personal interviews. The EVMs have no role. If the results of the Exit Polls and final results on the 23rd May, 2019 are in the same direction, the Opposition's fake issue of the EVMs would also lose its non-existent rationale," Jaitley wrote in his blog titled 'The Message of Exit Polls'. Most of the exit polls released after voting ended for the 2019 Lok Sabha election predicted NDA securing close to or more than 300 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha, giving Narendra Modi a second term as Prime Minister. ALSO READ: Exit Poll 2019 Results: Modi magic set to sweep India again; NDA to win 365 seats Jaitley said that analysing the exit polls in the backdrop of the 2014 Lok Sabha election reveals "a huge maturing of Indian democracy". "The electorate keeps national interest paramount before exercising a choice on whom to vote for. When well-meaning people with similar ideas vote in the same direction, it leads to the making of a wave," Jaitley wrote. Targeting the opposition, Jaitley wrote that the dynastic parties, caste parties and the Obstructionists Left received a setback in 2014, which will be reiterated in 2019. Further in his blog, Jaitley called the Gandhi family a burden for the Congress party. "I re-assert my earlier hypothesis that in the Congress the first family is no longer an asset but an albatross around neck of the Party. Without the family, they don't get the crowd, with it they don't get the votes," Jaitley further wrote in his blog. ALSO READ: Exit polls predict Modi govt's return: Watch out for these stocks Jaitley also wrote that the alliance between political rivals to stop the advance of BJP does not hold water with the voters. "'Coalitions of Rivals' are untenable alliances and the voters are no longer willing to trust them. Political analysts are confused but the voters are clear. They don't elect hung Parliament where ugly and untenable coalitions have a role to play," Jaitley said. "The arithmetic of caste coalitions loses to the chemistry on the ground created for the front runner in the elections. This chemistry is in form of catching the imagination of the people on issues of national interest," he further added. Regarding the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitley said such campaigns were ineffective in 2014 and will remain so in 2019 too. "Leaders are judged on merit and not on caste or family names. Thus, the Prime Minister's style of rising above caste and concentrating on performance related issues received far more acceptability with the electorate," he said. ALSO READ: Sensex sets new record! Posts highest single-day gain in 10 years Jaitley concluded his blog with, "Many politicians believe that the ultimate wisdom lies only with them. They are, thus, unwilling for any radical solutions. The evolving 'New India' will accept structured parties with talent and ideological clarity concentrating on performance. If, however, the political parties are unwilling to get the message of 2014 and the possibly of 2019, then alienation from the electorate will only widen." Exit polls after the end of India's general election on Sunday showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies retaining power with an overwhelming majority. The Hindu nationalist leader will need to tackle a host of issues ranging from unemployment to weak economic growth: JOBS Creating work for an estimated 1.2 million young people entering the market each month will be a key challenge. Economists say the next prime minister will need to encourage businesses to step up investment to create job opportunities. Unemployment rose to 7.6% in April, the highest since October 2016, and up from 6.71% in March, data from private think-tank the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy showed. An official survey that was withheld by the government showed India's unemployment rate rose to 6.1%, the highest level in at least 45 years, in 2017/18, the Business Standard newspaper reported in January. ECONOMY Economic growth, which hit a five-quarter low of 6.6% in October-December, appears to be slowing further. Car and motorbike sales have tumbled and industrial output contracted for the first time in nearly two years in March. Rural demand and manufacturing growth have also weakened. Economists have also questioned the quality of the official economic data, saying the on-the-ground situation is far bleaker. The new government will have limited options to boost the economy given the prevalent revenue constraints - it may need to rework its expenditure plans and deploy more funds to schemes that can help boost weak consumption in rural areas. The government will also need support through rate cuts and liquidity measures from the Reserve Bank of India to help bring down cost of funds for banks and make loans cheaper for consumers. TRADE India's trade relationship with major partners, including the United States and China, remains on a shaky footing. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has called out India on its high tariffs, price caps on imported U.S. medical devices and rules around e-commerce trade. Indian government officials say they fear Trump's administration will soon end preferential trade treatment for India, which allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States. Adding to India's troubles is the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, which is likely to benefit countries such Japan and South Korea. India remains vulnerable to dumping of cheap Chinese imports. PAKISTAN National security issues and relations with arch-rival Pakistan will be high on agenda. Tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours has been high after Modi this year sent warplanes into Pakistan to avenge the killing of 40 Indian police officers in a militant attack which was claimed by a Pakistan-based group. In recent weeks, Pakistani leaders have suggested that they are tired of conflict, opposed to extremism and open to peace talks with India, but those offers have been met with scepticism. India is steadfast in its demand that Islamabad stop its support for militant groups, particularly those operating in the disputed Kashmir region, and has said it isn't open to talks until then. RELIGION Allies of Modi's BJP will likely renew their controversial demand to build a Hindu temple on the ruins of a 16th century mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya. A violent Hindu mob destroyed the mosque in Ayodhya in 1992, triggering riots that killed about 2,000 people in one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence since independence from colonial rule in 1947. India's Supreme Court has set up a panel to arbitrate the decades-long dispute. Modi could also end the special constitutional status given to India's only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir, as the BJP believes the status prevents outsiders from buying property there and hinders its integration with the rest of India. Sensex sets new record! Posts highest single-day gain in 10 years Market rally sustainable only if macro indicators improve, say experts BJPs NaMo TV vanishes from all platforms as Lok Sabha election ends A Hindu temple on a disputed site, life in jail for killing cows and ending the autonomy of India's only Muslim-majority state are some demands Hindu groups plan to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi on if he wins the general election as expected. The ruling coalition led by Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to win an even bigger majority in parliament than the massive mandate it got five years ago, exit polls showed after the country's massive election ended on Sunday, cheering his conservative base. Votes will be counted on Thursday. The BJP will meet its coalition partners on Tuesday to discuss a new government. BJP parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu-first group, said it would hold a three-day dharm sansad, or religious parliament, in the northern city of Jammu starting June 21 to press the government on many of their main demands that had been put on the backburner around the election. "We did not want the opposition to make it an issue against the BJP, so had stopped our agitation," Mahendra Rawat, the Delhi head for RSS, said. "The Ram temple is the biggest issue for us Hindus." Many Hindus believe a mosque razed in 1992 was built in the same place where Lord Ram, a physical incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, was born. They also point to evidence there was a temple there before the mosque was built in 1528. The destruction of the mosque by a Hindu mob had led to riots that killed about 2,000 people across the country. The BJP said in its election manifesto it would "explore all possibilities within the framework of the constitution and all necessary efforts to facilitate the expeditious construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya". The Supreme Court this month gave a panel arbitrating the decades-long dispute until Aug. 15, raising hopes for an amicable settlement. Rawat and officials of two other RSS affiliates, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, said their other main demand is the abolishment of decades-old special rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a northern state dominated by Muslims in the Hindu-majority country. The BJP has consistently advocated an end to Kashmir's special constitutional status, which prevents outsiders from buying property there, arguing that such laws have hindered its integration with the rest of India. In its election manifesto, the party also reiterated its long-held desire to abolish Kashmir's autonomous status. Kashmiri political leaders have warned a repeal would bring widespread unrest. VHP and the Bajrang Dal said they also want the cow, considered sacred by many Hindus, to be declared a national animal whose killing would be an offence punishable with life in jail. Cow slaughter is banned in most Indian states, and many BJP-ruled states have tightened here regional laws on it in the past few years and launched a crackdown on unlicensed abattoirs in the country's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Penalties for killing a cow differ from state to state, with most ranging from six months to five years in prison. "We are happy with the projections for the BJP," said Bholendra, a leader of the Bajrang Dal in Uttar Pradesh, who goes by one name. "Now all attempts should be made to protect and preserve Mother Cow." Sensex sets new record! Posts highest single-day gain in 10 years Market rally sustainable only if macro indicators improve, say experts BJPs NaMo TV vanishes from all platforms as Lok Sabha election ends The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 concluded after the seventh phase on May 19. Following the wrap-up, exit polls predicted a landslide victory for the BJP-led NDA alliance. The India Today-Axis My India poll gave 339-365 seats to the BJP-led NDA. Meanwhile, the Congress-led UPA is expected to bag 77-108 seats and the SP-BSP-RLD combine might secure a victory on 10-16 seats. Others are likely to come on top in 59-79 seats, as per the exit poll. The Indian equities, Sensex, Nifty, opened higher on Monday, taking cues from exit polls and positive trading across Asian markets. The BSE Sensex was trading at 38,831.09, up by 900.32 points or by 2.37 per cent, and the NSE Nifty was at 11651.9, up by 244.75 points or by 2.15 per cent. Follow the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE updates on the BusinessToday.In blog: 5:30pm: Arun Jaitley: "If the Exit Polls are read alongwith the 2014 election results, it would be clear that there is a huge maturing of Indian democracy taking place." 5:15pm: Maharashtra State Commission for Woman plans to take action against actor Vivek Oberoi on his tweet on exit polls.(ANI) 5:00pm: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata, meet West Bengal CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 - ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 4:25pm: "We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the govt at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha," said Amar Patnaik of BJD. Amar Patnaik, BJD: We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the govt at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha. pic.twitter.com/YmqJaogvY4 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 3:40pm: RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi on Monday met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QLFaEObugx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 3:20pm: Declaration of results for the Delhi Lok Sabha seats may get delayed by around five to six hours on May 23 as more time will be spent on counting VVPATs from each of the 70 Assembly segments of the national capital, Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said. He said after the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting is over, the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs) will be counted as per the Supreme Court guidelines. (PTI) 3:00pm: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said he wasn't sure whether MP CM Kamal Nath would survive as the CM for 22 days after the Lok Sabha election results. 2:40pm: Chandrababu Naidu to reach Kolkata at 4 pm. He will meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. 2:20pm: Sitaram Yechury criticises the EC. On VVPATs & the EVM tally, the EC is yet to come out with a procedure in case there is a mismatch! Even if there is one mismatch in the VVPAT samples picked for counting and EVMs, to maintain integrity of the electoral process, all VVPATs in that assembly segment must be counted Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) May 20, 2019 2:00pm: Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Gopal Bhargava reportedly said that they are sending a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, claiming that Kamal Nath government is in minority. "We are sending a letter to the Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues... It (the Madhya Pradesh government) will fall on its own. I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," Bhargava was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition & BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. pic.twitter.com/CXTwNLXYOM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 1:50pm: "There are many problems in counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve all those problems. There are many rumours regarding EVMs, including that printers may be manipulated and that control panels will be changed. EC has given scope for suspicion," said Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu. 1:35pm: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: I am 1000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I don't have even 0.1 per cent doubt, we are going to win. 1:25pm: Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition & BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: It will fall on its own (MP Government), I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon. 1:15pm: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan: We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue didn't affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there. 1:01pm: HD Kumaraswamy further tweeted: The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll. 12:59pm: HD Kumaraswamy questioned EVMs as well. Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballet paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 12:58pm: HD Kumaraswamy also slammed the exit polls conducted on May 19. World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerabke EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party. 2/4 H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 12:57pm: HD Kumaraswamy tweeted: Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballet paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. 12:55pm: Piyush Goyal met the EC and said, "We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers. We reiterated our demand for re-poll for constituencies where violence occurred in 7th phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal." 12:47pm: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/j76Ut5MqBJ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 12:46pm: MK Stalin said, "We will see the results on May 23," addint Chandrababu Naidu had spoken to him several times. "He has also come here and expressed his thoughts at the DMK office," said Stalin. 12:44pm: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami slams exit polls results for Tamil Nadu and says that he does not agree that AIADMk will fare poorly. Palaniswami says the exit polls are imposed on the people. 12:35pm: Madurai Bench of Madras High Court grants conditional anticipatory bail for actor Kamal Haasan. Kamal Haasan approached the court after FIR was filed im Karur against his Hindu terror remark. Hindu Munnani filed FIR and sought action against Haasan for promoting enmity between two communities. 12:20pm: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reaches BSP Chief Mayawati's residence in Lucknow. 12:19pm: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi'. Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi' pic.twitter.com/bUuwSBGLsQ ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 12:18pm: Union Council of Ministers likely to meet tomorrow; BJP President Amit Shah to host a dinner for NDA leaders tomorrow: ANI. 12:10pm: Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, said, "Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there. Everyone has seen the tremendous outpouring of support for PM Modi and BJP in Bengal. What Uttar Pradesh was in 2014, Bengal will be in 2019." 12:00pm: The Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the opposition parties for trying to come together to keep the BJP out of power after the Lok Sabha poll results, saying the country cannot afford to have a coalition government "crawling" with the support of several small outfits. "The 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed grand alliance of opposition parties) has at least five prime ministerial hopefuls...their hopes are likely to be dashed going by the current indications," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The country cannot afford to have a coalition government crawling with the help of several small parties," it opined. 11:45am: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik accepts CM Yogi Adityanath's request and dismisses Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief OM Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' Empowerment in UP cabinet with immediate effect. 11:30am: EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul and Spiti district headquarters. Himachal Pradesh: EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul & Spiti district headquarters on a Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter from Tashigang, world's highest polling station. pic.twitter.com/DClOhenEkM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 11:15am: OP Rajbhar said, "We welcome his decision. CM has taken a very good decision. He formed Social Justice Committee and threw its report in a dustbin, he didn't have spare time to implement it. I request him to implement Social Justice Committee's report as quickly as he took this decision today." 10:45am: UP CM also recommends immediate removal of Rajbhar's partymen holding rank of minister of state: Official. 10:43am: UP CM Adityanath seeks immediate sacking of Rajbhar, who had been making controversial remarks against BJP: Official. 10:40am: UP CM Yogi Adityanath recommends sacking of minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his cabinet to governor: Official. 10:35am: Karnataka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa said, "When I said I'll win 22 seats in the state no one took me seriously. I am sure now media will understand. All surveys are saying the same, it's not a surprise if we win 22 seats. It's clear that some big names will see a setback." 10:27am: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. 10:21am: West Bengal exit poll 2019 - In an unexpected turn of events, the BJP could secure 19-23 Lok Sabha seats out of 42 here, according to India Today-Axis My India exit poll results. 10:10am: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will in Delhi on Monday evening and is expected to meet all the available gathbandhan leaders. This will be his first meeting with the opposition leaders after exit polls that predicted a clear majority to BJP-led NDA. 9:51am: The turnout of women exceeded that of men in at least nine states and Union Territories, with the highest in Manipur at 84.16% and Meghalaya at 73.64%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Uttarakhand, Goa, Mizoram and Lakshadweep. 9:50am: The highest voter jump came from women voters, upto 6th phase an additional 4.1 crore women had voted with the gender gap coming down with every Lok Sabha election. Gender gap in 2009 was 9%, it was 1.4% in 2014 and this election season it came down to 0.4%, these figures were read out by Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena. 9:40am: BSP leader SC Mishra to ANI: "Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow." 9:30am: Following the exit polls verdict, Congress spokesman Rajeev Gowda said, "Please wait till May 23. We will surprise you. The entire vote share to seat share conversion is a difficult job. There is also a fear psychosis in the country and people do not reveal their views." Shares of Anil Ambani-led Reliance ADAG Group companies were in upbeat mood on Monday, barring Reliance Communication which has recently filed for bankruptcy, after exit poll results predicted that the BJP would win the Lok Sabha elections 2019 with a thumping majority. While the Indian benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, rose nearly 3 per cent in early deals on Monday, the Reliance Group shares gained between 4-12 per cent, led by Reliance Power which rallied 11.72 per cent in intra-day trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange. While Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management share price surged 9.96% to Rs 210, Reliance Capital jumped 9.26% to Rs 125.60. Bucking the trend, shares of Reliance Communication declined as much as 3.94 per cent to touch an intra-day low of Rs 1.95 apiece on the BSE. The shares were currently trading at Rs 2.00, down 1.48 per cent. Reliance Capital witnessed a 9.26 per cent growth in intra-day trade on the BSE after the company said that it has repaid Rs 650 crore of non-convertible debenture that were due on Friday. The development came at a time when some of Anil Ambani's owned companies are facing liquidity crisis. Also Read: Reliance Capital repays Rs 650 crore NCDs In a separate development, Reliance Capital has invited its partner, Nippon Life Insurance Co. Ltd, to make an offer to acquire up to 42.88 per cent stake held by it in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd (RNAM). Nippon Life Insurance Co. Ltd. currently owns 42.88 per cent stake in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management (RNAM). Reacting to the news, share price of RNAM rallied as much as 9.96 per cent to Rs 210 apiece on the BSE. Paring most of its early gains, stocks were currently trading at Rs 204.40, up 1.34 per cent. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was trading at 39,046.87, up by 1,116.1 points or by 2.94 per cent, and the NSE Nifty was up 325.6 points or by 2.85 per cent at 11,732.75. During the day's trade so far, the BSE Sensex touched intraday high of 39,064.23 and intraday low of 38,570.04. The NSE Nifty touched intraday high and low of 11,743.35 and 11,591.70, respectively. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: Adani Group stocks rally as exit polls predict a strong comeback for Narendra Modi government A majority of exit polls for Lok Sabha election 2019 announced yesterday indicate the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is coming back to power. This could bode well for the markets which hope for a stable government at the Centre. Here's a look at sectors and stocks which are likely to benefit today after exit polls predicted Modi government would return to power on May 23. Agriculture sector Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its manifesto announced on April 8 this year that it would give a push to improve the productivity of farm sector in the country. The party will launch a pension scheme for small and marginal farmers aged over 60 years and spend Rs 25 lakh crore to improve the productivity of farm sector among others announcements. The Modi government's return to power is likely to propel agriculture sector stocks. Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers, Rallis India, Monsanto, United Phosphorus, Jain Irrigation, Advanta, PI Industries, Excel Crop Care, M&M and Tata Chemicals are some stocks which are likely to rise on Monday after win of Modi-led BJP in exit polls. Markets sniff Modi victory in Lok Sabha election 2019, Sensex surges over 800 points in two sessions Infrastructure sector BJP government's main focus during the last five years has been on developing the infrastructure sector. In its 2019 election manifesto too, the government said it would make capital investment of Rs 100 lakh crore by 2024 in the infrastructure sector and announce a new industrial policy to improve competitiveness of manufacturing and services. Stocks such as KNR Construction, IRB Infrastructure, Sadhbhav Engineering, Ashoka Buildcon, Jaypee Infratech, SORIL Holdings, SORIL Infra Resource, SKIL Infrastructure, ARSS Infra, NCC, ABB India, KNR Construction, Cummins India and HG Infra Engineering are likely to gain if exit polls signal Modi government's return. Exit Poll 2019 Results Live Updates: Modi magic set to sweep India again; NDA to win 365 seats Power sector The Modi government's focus on power sector led to a significant improvement in energy deficit situation during its four years of tenure. India's energy deficit, which remained rangebound between 8% and 10% between during 2011-13, improved in FY14 to 4-4.5%, and subsequently contracted to 0.7%, a Care Ratings report said. "The improvement could be attributed to rapid addition in thermal capacity in the private sector, which led to increase in electricity production," the report on four years of economic performance of the Narendra Modi government said. "This indicates improvement in electricity evacuation and power distribution infrastructure," it added. Power Finance Corporation, Rattan India Power, Ratan Infra and KSK Energy, Adani Power, NTPC, Tata Power, NHPC and Power Grid Corporation are some stocks which are likely to rise after the outcome of exit polls. Auto sector Auto sector which has seen slowdown in sales of late will be a key sector to watch out for after exit polls indicated Modi government is returning to power. Modi government's poll sops for the farm sector will leave more money in the hands of farmers which will be spent on buying tractors, cars and two wheelers in the rural market. This will in turn propel sentiments for auto stocks to new highs. Hero MotoCorp, Maruti, Tata Motors and M&M are some stocks which are likely to see a rally when market reopens on Monday. Banking sector Banking sector stocks are also likely to rise since sales in auto sector, demand for housing loans and agriculture loans will lead to a rise in their loan books. Also, banking stocks have been at the forefront of almost all rallies on the benchmark indices. Some banking stocks which may lead the rally are Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and SBI among others. Lok Sabha election 2019 has sent Indian market in a see-saw mode since the first day of polls on April 11. It's a tale of a buoyant market on expectations of a win by the current government in the Lok Sabha election and the toll taken by economic slowdown, US-China trade tensions and credit crunch in non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) on the domestic indices. The hopes of a stable government led by PM Narendra Modi after Lok Sabha election led the Sensex and Nifty to rally 10% from their February lows to their all-time highs of 39,487 and 11,856 on April 18, respectively. Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha election started on April 11. Sensex which stood at 38,585 on April 10 closed at 39,067 on April 26. During the period, it hit a high of 39,487 on April 18 and low of 38,564 on April 23, 2019 on the back of expectations that Modi government would return to power in Lok Sabha election 2019. However, the excitement on indices could not last for long as markets came under pressure due to a host of negative factors at home and abroad. Slowdown of the economy, trade tensions between US and China, jitters over the outcome of Lok Sabha election, decline in economic indicators such as factory output and core sector growth, weakness in high-frequency indicators such as auto sales, and credit crunch in non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) led Sensex to log its fourth nine-day losing streak ever in the history of Indian financial markets. Indian markets came under pressure for next nine sessions with Sensex losing 1,977 points or 5.06% since April 26 when it closed at 39,067 points. Investors lost Rs 8.53 lakh crore in market capitalisation during the period with the country slipping one slot on the world's most valuable markets list. But with exit polls scheduled at the end of this week, indices could not remain decoupled from the ongoing electoral fight to form government at the Centre. Markets turned their focus to domestic events from US-China trade war. They also choose to ignore the economic slowdown, falling auto sales and credit crunch in NBFCs and came into election mode. Sensex and Nifty broke their losing streak in the tenth session on Thursday this week. While Sensex closed 278.60 points or 0.75 per cent higher at 37,393.48, Nifty ended 100 points up at 11,257 level reigniting hope that Modi government would return to power on May 23. The rally continued on last trading day of this week and led the Sensex rise 537 points at 37,930 and Nifty up 150 points to 11,407. However, Sensex and Nifty have logged losses since April 11. While Sensex has lost 655 points to 37,930 from 38,585, Nifty fell 177 points from 11,584 to 11,407. Edited by Aseem Thapliyal Most of the domestic carriers eyeing a share of Jet Airways' foreign flying rights are unhappy with the allocation formula worked out by the government, reportedly claiming that it gives an unfair edge to market leader IndiGo. On Friday, Civil Aviation Secretary PS Kharola had said that the ministry would be creating a transparent standard operating procedure (SOP) to allocate the grounded airline's slots to other domestic players on a temporary basis. The move was an attempt to stabilise airfares that had risen dramatically on many international routes after Jet Airways suspended its operations on April 17. As per the formula worked out, flying rights are to be apportioned in accordance with the Aeronautical Information Circular or AIC, which gives Air India first claim on the entitlements, The Economic Times reported. After the state carrier, foreign flying rights would be allotted to airlines ranked in order of domestic flights measured in ASKs, or available seat kilometres. This means that after giving Air India first priority, IndiGo would get the lion's share of the remaining entitlements since it's the largest airline in the domestic sector. Government sources told the daily that this has led to a schism in the airline industry, with IndiGo on one side and its rivals on the other. They added that SpiceJet, Vistara and GoAir objected to the allocation formula at a meeting convened by Kharola on the grounds that this would create a "monopoly". However, opinion on a more equitable division of Jet Airways' slots is divided. Some feel that the quota ought to be evenly awarded to domestic airlines, including those that have recently announced the launch of international services. Others suggest that since the allocations are temporary and the idea is to minimise inconvenience to the travelling public, Jet Airways' flying rights should only be allocated to the airlines that already operate on those routes. The government's decision to give priority to Air India is reportedly also being questioned. The buzz is that Air India stands to bag about half of Jet Airways' slots on high-demand routes, apart from first right of refusal. The Maharajah will get about 5,700 weekly seats on the India-Dubai route, over 5,000 on the India-Qatar route and about 4,600 additional seats to and from London. Meanwhile, AirAsia, which took delivery of its 20th aircraft in December, making it eligible to launch international operations, has protested the aviation ministry's decision to exclude it from meetings on dividing up Jet Airways' foreign flying rights. An aviation ministry official told the daily that "the opposition by airlines to the AIC is being discussed". Clarity on the topic may emerge over the next few days. Also read: Clarity on Jet Airways to emerge within a week, says SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar Also read: Promoters' spat could lead to IndiGo's fall The new Redmi flagship is all set to launch in China on May 28. Redmi is calling it Redmi K20 and has released an official teaser confirming the launch date. Powered by Snapdragon 855 processor, the Redmi K20 is expected to come to India as well. The flagship processor places Redmi K20 directly in competition with OnePlus 7.However, Redmi will surely make some compromises to keep the prices of K20 lower than OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro. The Redmi K20 is rumoured to carry a triple rear camera setup and sport a 48-MP Sony IMX586 primary camera sensor. The company has also revealed that the Redmi K20 smartphone will come with a pop-up camera mechanism that rumours suggest will sport 32MP sensor to click selfies. The teaser video spotted on Chinese social network, Weibo, also confirmed the presence of 960 fps enhanced slow-motion video recording support. As far as specifications are concerned, Redmi K20 will come with a 6.39-inch OLED display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio with a screen resolution of 1080p+. The poster of Redmi K20 carried on Weibo highlights May 28 launch date. The launch event will notably take place in Beijing at 11:30am IST. Another poster on Weibo teased the 48-MP primary camera. The official Redmi account on the Chinese social site also revealed that the smartphone would come with the new IMX586 sensor. Redmi K20 is expected to be the cheapest smartphone to sport Snapdragon 855 SoC. Meanwhile, there are rumours that Xiaomi will unveil two variants of Redmi K20. One could be the standard Redmi K20 and the other will be the Pro variant. Another report has suggested that the Redmi K20 Pro will come to India as Poco F2, which seems more plausible as Xiaomi hasn't yet announced the successor to the widely successful Poco F1. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has said that Redmi K20 has scored 4,58,754 on AnTuTu benchmark. In AnTuTu benchmark site the Redmi K20 appears with code-name Raphael. The scores mean that the Redmi's flagship killer beats Xiaomi's latest flagship Mi 9. The Mi 9 score was 3,70,000 on an average on AnTuTu benchmark site. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: Xiaomi's Redmi Note 7S to launch today: How to livestream, price in India, specs Also Read: Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 7, Note 7 Pro at aggressive price points Huawei Technologies, world's second largest smartphone maker, is in the soup now that Trump Administration has added its name in the list of blacklisted companies with whom American firms are not supposed to do business. An increasing number of American firms seem to have cut ties with the China-based company. First, US-based Google suspended some of its Android services for Huawei. Now, reports are coming in that Qualcomm, Intel, and Broadcom have announced to break trade ties with Huawei. Although Huawei uses its own Kirin chipsets for its smartphones, Intel supplies server chips and laptop processors, unfortunately, this is not just restricted to American firms as it is being reported that even German chipmaker Infineon has suspended shipments to Huawei Technologies. According to Nikki Asian Review, the reason behind Infineon decision could be that foreign companies using a certain amount of American technology for products sold to Huawei are also subject to the same restriction. All this could mean a big blow for the Chinese technology giant, which has been quickly closing the gap between the first (Samsung) and the second spot in the smartphone space. As per Canalys Smartphone Market Pulse Q1 2019 report, with a total shipment of 51.1 million units in Q1 2019, as compared to 39.3 million in the same quarter last year, Huawei has registered a 50.2 per cent annual growth in the said period. On the other hand, Samsung had registered a decline of 10 per cent with shipments falling down to 71.5 million units in Q1 2019 from 79.5 million units in Q1 2018. Soon after Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. discontinued its trade relations with Huawei, the company issued a statement clarifying the fate of its smartphones and tablets. "Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android's key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem in order to provide the best experience for all users globally," the statement said. The official Android Twitter account too clarified with a tweet, saying, "For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply with the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US government's requirements, services like Google Play and security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device." Even though this clears the fate of the existing Huawei and Honor smartphones, there is still no clarity on new devices from the company. Huawei has not been caught unaware as the company already has a backup plan. Earlier this year in March, Huawei confirmed developing its own operating system to replace not just Google's Android but also Microsoft's Windows if restricted from using the operating system. If reports are to be believed, the OS has been in development since 2012 and is not a rushed decision. There is still no clarity on whether Google services will be accessible on the new operating system that Huawei is developing, which will play an important role in the European as well as in the Indian market. An industry expert (on the condition of anonymity) says, "What will a customer do with the operating system if it does not have access to Google Services? You cannot just switch your emails, contacts and all the data synced on Google services to some other services." Over 50 per cent of Huawei worldwide shipments come from China, where the company has already developed an ecosystem owing to the ban on accessing Google services including Play Store and Google Search. However, Russia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, UK, Turkey, Spain and France are the top nine markets for Huawei smartphones, where Google Services will play a key role in determining the future of Huawei's hardware business. Research firm Canalys says, "Huawei has created highly competitive hardware but Google services and Android OS are still critical to consumers in international markets. Losing Google's mobile services will be detrimental to Huawei's smartphone business." "Huawei Mobile had a stellar quarter in Europe in Q1 2019 with smartphone market share reaching its historic high in both Western Europe and CEE. Huawei smartphone supply freeze would trigger serious channel and market disruption," adds Canalys. Also Read: Sensex sets new record! Posts highest single-day gain in 10 years Also Read: Market rally sustainable only if macro indicators improve, say experts Also Read: BJPs NaMo TV vanishes from all platforms as Lok Sabha election ends Google has often been accused of collecting massive amounts of personal information about people who use Gmail. That information includes your shopping details and things you buy online and offline, including things that are in no way related to Google. The search giant, it seems, scans the emails for clues of the transaction and then gathers them all and puts them up on a separate page on your account. The news of Google collecting data to serve advertisements isn't new and despite the privacy crusade of Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, the revelation isn't shocking. Just visit your Google account dashboard and tap on 'Payments & subscriptions'. Scroll down to the 'Manage purchases' and you'll be shown the month wise record of products that you have bought. In its defence, Google says that it does not sell personal information, which includes Gmail and Google Account information. As per the Google support page, the 'Purchase' section brings users' purchases and reservations together and makes it easy for them to view and keep track of it. Google says that the purchases come from the orders placed using Google services, like Google Play or order receipts or confirmation received in Gmail. Google also allows the user to delete the orders from the list. However, removing the list isn't easy. Also, you might want to save the receipts in case you want to return. But there is no way of deleting the receipts without deleting the receipt mail. Also, clicking on the delete option in 'Purchases', simply takes you back to the mail. In 2017, the tech giant said it would stop using data collected from Gmail messages to personalise ads. Google was under intense scrutiny in 2018 for privacy breaches after it was found that any third party software developer could read people's emails. Google had denied it and had said that their employees read the emails only in cases where users gave the consent. In 2018, Google also cut a deal with Mastercard, giving Google huge amounts of data measuring offline spendings of the cardholders. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: Gmail is 15 years old! Privacy concerns, competition from social media surround the e-mail service Also Read: EU rebukes Google, Facebook, Twitter for not taking on fake news in run-up to European Parliament election Ryanair reported its weakest annual profit in four years on Monday and said earnings could fall further next year as Europe suffers what chief executive Michael O'Leary described as "attritional fare wars." But he said he expected Europe's short-haul sector to consolidate and fares to rise within five years. Europe's largest low-cost carrier, which had already flagged a sharp fall in profitability in two warnings last year, saw after-tax profits fall to 1.02 billion euros for its financial year to March 31 from 1.45 billion euros the previous year. Profit for the year to March 2020, which for the first time will include its recently acquired its loss-making Laudamotion unit, will be between 750 million and 950 million euros. A company poll of over 10 analysts published ahead of the release had forecast an after-tax profit of 1.03 billion euros for the year to March 2019 and 977 million for the year to March 2020. The profit forecast is "disappointing" compared to market expectations, Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo said in a note, pointing to continued increases in non-fuel costs, forecast by Ryanair to hit 2% in the coming year, as "the main disappointment." Traders said they expect shares in Ryanair to fall between 3-5% in early deals. Several rival airlines have warned of a worse trading environment - partly due to overcapacity and partly because European travelers are holding off booking their summer holidays for fear of how the Brexit process will pan out. While O'Leary said he was hopeful that the performance in Britain would improve this summer and fares may be stronger across Europe in the winter, he warned investors that the European airline sector was experiencing a cyclical fall in profitability. "Frankly, if we are in a period where there are going to be attritional fare wars... profits will suffer for a year or two and I think that is what shareholders should expect," O'Leary said in a video presentation. "However it is clear in my mind that within the next four of five years we will see the emergence of four or five large European airline groups... with much more capacity discipline ...and some upward pressure on pricing," he said. Ryanair said it expected summer fares to be lower than last year although they could improve in the winter to leave fares for the full year to March 2020 between 2% lower and 1% higher than last year. The Irish airline has also taken a hit from delays in the delivery of Boeing 737 MAX after its worldwide grounding in March following a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash. Ryanair, which has ordered 135 737 MAX 200s and has options on 75 more, was expecting to receive its first five planes between April and June but now expects them to by flying by November. It expects most of the first batch of around 50 aircraft to be flying by next summer, Chief Executive Michel O'Leary said. The grounding has forced Ryanair to cut around 1 million seats in the year to March 2020. But it expects to fly 153 million passengers in the year to March 2020 up from 139 million this year. While future orders may be slightly backed up, Ryanair expects to hit its medium-term growth target of 200 million passengers by 2024. The airline plans to have a conversation with Boeing about "modest compensation," Chief Financial Officer Neil Sorohan said. Ryanair's shares closed on Friday at 10.81 euros, down more than 40% from a peak of 19.39 euros 18 months ago, before the airline was hit by a wave of industrial unrest, weakness in European short-haul fares and the grounding of the MAX. In what OLeary described as a vote of confidence from the board, Ryanair will begin a 700 million euro share buyback in the coming days. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie China accused the United States on Monday of harboring "extravagant expectations" for a trade deal, underlining the gulf between the two sides as U.S. action against China's technology giant Huawei began hitting the global tech sector. Adding to bilateral tension, the U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, the latest in a series of "freedom of navigation operations," angering Beijing. Alphabet Inc's Google has also suspended business with China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services, except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world. Shares in European chipmakers Infineon Technologies , AMS and STMicroelectronics fell sharply on Monday amid worries the Huawei Technologies suppliers may suspend shipments to the Chinese firm due to the U.S. blacklisting of it last week. The Trump administration's addition of Huawei to a trade blacklist on Thursday immediately enacted restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for it to do business with U.S. counterparts. In an interview with Fox News Channel recorded last week and aired on Sunday night, Trump said the United States and China "had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said 'that's OK, we're going to tariff their products'." In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he didn't know what Trump was talking about. "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about. Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to," he told a daily news briefing. The reason the last round of China-U.S. talks did not reach an agreement is because the United States tried "to achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure," Lu said. "From the start this wouldn't work." China went into the last round of talks with a sincere and constructive attitude, he said. "I would like to reiterate once again that China-U.S. economic and trade consultation can only follow the correct track of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit for there to be hope of success." No further trade talks between top Chinese and U.S. trade negotiators have been scheduled since the last round ended on May 10 - the same day Trump raised the tariff rate on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 percent. Trump took the step after the United States said China backtracked on commitments in a draft deal that had been largely agreed to. Since then, China has struck a sterner tone in its rhetoric, suggesting that a resumption of talks aimed at ending the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies was unlikely to happen soon. Trump, who said the interview with Fox News host Steve Hilton had taken place two days after he raised the tariffs, said he would be happy to simply keep tariffs on Chinese products, but said that he believed that China would eventually make a deal with the United States "because they're getting killed with the tariffs, China' getting totally killed." But he said that he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping before the most recent rounds of talks that any deal could not be "50-50" between the two countries and had to be more in favor of the United States because of past trade practices by China. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie In Depth: Xiangshui Chemical Factorys Recipe for Disaster By Teng Jing Xuan / May 20, 2019 10:46 AM / Environment The Xiangshui explosion left a crater measuring 100 meters in diameter. When Caixin reporters visited the site at the end of April, the crater was still filled with a pungent mix of black, green and red liquids.Photo: Yang Rui/Caixin Ironically, the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemicals factory was about to undergo a safety inspection the day an explosion destroyed the fertilizer and pesticide plant. County inspectors had gathered in the compound in eastern Chinas Jiangsu province. The heaviest-polluting workshops had been shut down by workers who had been tipped off about the upcoming inspection, and rainwater drains usually used for secretly dumping liquid waste had been scrubbed. Then, at around 2:30 p.m. an explosion ripped through the compound, killing at least 78 people and leaving a 100 meter crater. Read our in-depth look into the toxic mix of safety violations and cost-cutting that led to the deadly March 21 explosion. The Xiangshui explosion left a crater measuring 100 meters in diameter. When Caixin reporters visited the site at the end of April, the crater was still filled with a pungent mix of black, green and red liquids.Photo: Yang Rui/Caixin Editors note: A devastating chemical blast in eastern Chinas Jiangsu province killed dozens of people in March. Weeks later, local communities and businesses are struggling to pick up the pieces while the authorities push to relocate the areas chemical industry. In the first of this two-part series, we uncover how a deadly mix of safety violations and cost-cutting layoffs pushed one factory toward disaster. As some of the people who spoke with Caixin asked not to be named because they feared repercussions, pseudonyms are used to identify them. To read part two, click here. Ironically, the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemicals factory was about to undergo a safety inspection the day an explosion destroyed the fertilizer and pesticide plant. That morning, Xiangshui county in eastern Chinas coastal Jiangsu province had gathered managers from the countys major businesses for a safety training session. Zhang Qinyue, general manager of Tianjiayi, was among the attendees. At roughly the same time, workers at Tianjiayis factories were informed that an inspection would take place in the afternoon. Several workers told Caixin that the smellier workshops, including the hydrogen production workshop, were temporarily shut down in preparation for the inspection. The liquid waste treatment area was also prepared. We mixed water meant for putting out fires into the sewage in the secondary sedimentation tank to meet liquid waste treatment target levels, and used brushes to scrub clean the rainwater drains that we secretly dumped liquid waste into at ordinary times, one worker said. At this point, it isnt clear whether this action contributed to the subsequent fire and explosion. Zhang returned from the lecture to the industrial park at 2 p.m., accompanied by several inspectors sent by the county. They gathered in a conference room in Tianjiayis office building, intending to perform the inspection after a brief meeting. At around 2:30 p.m., Zhou Hua, the pseudonym of a Tianjiayi employee who was on a third-floor workshop at the time, looked out the window and saw that a building used for holding solid waste roughly 200 meters away was on fire. Zhou rushed downstairs, where he told colleagues resting in the lounge to run. The workers were only a few seconds away from the building when a loud blast knocked Zhou to the ground. One colleague helped Zhou up, and they continued to run. Zhous forehead and lower lip were bleeding, and there was a mysterious liquid on the ground that irritated the skin on his feet. Chen Guowei, another Tianjiayi employee who asked to be identified using a pseudonym, was in the distillation workshop when over his walkie talkie he heard someone shouting about a fire. Less than three seconds later, there was a noise, and I was suddenly sent flying as though I had been picked up by the wind, Chen said. A steel pipe hit his leg, injuring it. Thirty seconds after the first blast, Chen heard a second, louder explosion. Then, the natural gas pipes that ran through the factory began to make thumping noises. Chen limped out of the factory. After the first blast, a colleague who was standing next to me fell down and stopped moving, Chen said. Later, when people from outside came in looking for survivors, they found him already dead, with his face covered with blood. The explosion left a crater measuring 100 meters in diameter. When Caixin reporters visited the site at the end of April, the crater was still filled with a pungent mix of black, green and red liquids. According to official reports as of March 25, 78 people were killed in the incident in Xiangshui on March 21. The official death toll has not been updated since. Repeated warnings Tianjiayi had been fined a total of 1.72 million yuan ($250,000) over the past three years by the Xiangshui Environmental Protection Bureau for a host of violations including improper solid chemical waste management and failure to adequately prevent water pollution, documents obtained by Caixin show. An official investigation into the cause of the explosion is still underway. But the size and nature of the crater mean its very likely that the blast was caused when at least hundreds of tons, or even thousands of tons of solid chemicals ignited, one industry source told Caixin. Meanwhile, sources close to the official investigation team said security footage suggested that one of the solid waste warehouses had caught fire minutes before the blast. Wang Ye (also a pseudonym), a waste disposal worker at Tianjiayi, said the company had two solid chemical waste storehouses. The older, white-roofed storehouse was found a few years ago by environmental inspectors to have substandard construction. Tianjiayi built a new, blue-roofed storehouse around 2016, Wang said. It was equipped with cranes for lifting heavy loads and a floor that had been treated to prevent seepage. Nevertheless, the old storehouse remained in use for surplus material from the new storehouse. The river next to Tianjiayi's factory was filled with dead fish and debris when Caixin visited on April 13. Photo: Yang Rui/Caixin A more recent inspection found that Tianjiayi had stockpiled an unacceptable volume of hazardous waste in its storehouses. Inspectors told Tianjiayi to dispose of the materials by Dec. 31, 2018 but the company did not comply, Caixin learned. One local welder who had been brought in for repairs on the old storehouse told Caixin he had seen the building stacked at least 2 meters high with bags of waste at the end of February. Gas pipes have also been flagged as a possible cause for the blast. The factory used to burn diesel and coal to power its furnaces and incinerators, employees told Caixin. But toward the end of 2018, Tianjiayi began to switch to relatively cleaner natural gas as part of environmental protection upgrades. Workers familiar with the layout of Tianjiayis gas pipes showed Caixin a hand-drawn map depicting three main pipes including one connecting to the solid waste storehouses. Natural gas experts consulted by Caixin said that, based on the map and satellite images from before and after the explosion, there had not been a safe distance between the factorys natural gas substation and the nearby structures. Multiple sources also said they had been worried about the plants lack of experienced staff with adequate knowledge of safety precautions. One engineer who previously worked with Tianjiayi told Caixin that he noticed high personnel turnover at the plant and saw a new face every time he visited. The plant terminated a number of employees shortly after the Lunar New Year holidays this year, Tianjiayi personnel told Caixin. Originally, there should have been two people in each position, working 12-hour shifts, the source said. Now, only one person was left in each position, working eight hours per shift in accordance to the labor law. Temporary contractors were brought in to handle tasks including cleaning and waste disposal after the job cuts. Work-safety authorities also found Tianjiayis personnel to be poorly trained. An inspection team sent by the former State Administration of Work Safety in early 2018 found that workers tested on the spot did not appear to clearly understand multiple safety measures. Inspectors noted 13 specific safety hazards at the time, including the absence of emergency shut-off valves on Tianjiayis highly flammable benzene and methanol tanks. Its unclear whether the hazards had been resolved by the time of the blast. Zhang Qinyues luck Tianjiayis general manager Zhang was still in the conference room with the inspectors when the explosion took place 450 meters away. Windows shattered, blinding one inspector and fracturing Zhangs left hand. The blast broke a lucky streak Zhang had experienced for the past year. Zhang had held many positions at factories owned by Jiangsu Nijiaxiang Group, Tianjiayis parent company, over the past few decades. In November 2014, the local Environmental Protection Bureau found more than 120 tons of chemical waste illegally buried in two locations in Jiangyin City in southern Jiangsu. Zhang was found guilty of causing pollution by overseeing the illegal dumping of hazardous waste in January 2017 and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, including time already served. After he was released on probation before the end of 2017, he was transferred back to Tianjiayi, which was struggling at the time because of the falling price of m-phenylenediamine, a compound used in fibers, resins and dyes produced by the factory. Zhangs return coincided with a rebound in m-phenylenediamine prices, Pu Qiang, a chemical industry analyst from Sinolink Securities, told Caixin. Local environment authorities carried out a series of inspections the previous year, resulting in factory shutdowns and a drop in capacity, causing the industrys profitability to gradually recover, Pu said. Under Zhang, Tianjiayi doubled down on production. The plant even violated a local freeze on chemical production after state broadcaster CCTV reported on pollution problems in northern Jiangsus Guanyun, Guannan and Xiangshui counties. Tianjiayi resumed production for 20 days under the guise of clearing out semi-finished products, Jin Tongren (a pseudonym), who oversaw a workshop at the factory, told Caixin. Zhang appeared to be the lucky charm who promised to restore profits for Tianjiayis shareholders, sources told Caixin. That came to an abrupt halt March 21. After the blast, 26 suspects were detained by public security authorities, including nine who bear major responsibility for Tianjiayi and its controlling shareholder Nijiaxiang Group, according to official announcements in April that didnt name the suspects. Next in part 2: Chemical factories were once seen in Xiangshui as welcome contributors to the lagging local economy. But what was the true cost of the growth they brought? Contact reporter Teng Jing Xuan (jingxuanteng@caixin.com) The net outflow of overseas capital from Chinas stock markets hit 10.9 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) on May 14, the highest since July 2015, as markets tumbled amid the countrys ongoing trade tensions. As of the end of trading Monday, the net worth of stocks bought on Chinese mainland stock markets so far this year by overseas investors through the stock connect programs that link the Hong Kong exchange with those in Shanghai and Shenzhen was 68.6 billion yuan. That figure was down sharply from 131.8 billion yuan on March 5, the peak this year so far. The net worth is calculated by subtracting the total value of all shares sold from the total value of all shares purchased. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was at 2,870.6 on Monday, down 12.2% from this years high of 3,270.8 on April 19. The Shenzhen Component Index was down 14.6% from its year-to-date high of 10,435.8 on April 10. The reasons why there has been a net outflow of overseas capital are that overseas investors have become less risk-seeking, volatility has increased and trade tensions have reescalated between the U.S. and China, Liao Ling, an analyst with GF Securities Co. Ltd., said in a note on Sunday. However, in the longer period, overseas investment in mainland stock markets is bound to increase as China continues to open up the financial markets, Liao said. There are two main ways for overseas investors to invest in the mainland stock markets. The first is through the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor programs, which were launched in 2002 and 2011 respectively. The second are the stock connect programs. The Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect was launched in 2014 and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Connect in 2016, which are preferred by overseas investors. Overseas investors held 1.68 trillion yuan worth of A-shares at the end of March, of which 1.03 trillion yuan, or 61.3%, were shares bought through the stock connect, according to data compiled by financial data provider Wind. Yue Yue contributed to this report. A previous version of this story imprecisely stated the net worth of stocks bought on the mainland stock markets this year by overseas investors through the stock connect programs that link the Hong Kong exchange with those in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The figure was actually 68.6 billion yuan. Contact reporter Liu Jiefei (jiefeiliu@caixin.com) Xiao Yaqing, former director of the countrys most powerful overseer of state assets, has been named head of countrys State Administration for Market Regulation. Photo: VCG Chinas new top market watchdog is the former director of the countrys most powerful overseer of state assets. Xiao Yaqing was moved from director of the State Councils State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) to party head and bureau chief of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Friday, Caixin has learned. Xiao replaces Zhang Mao, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in February, and leaves SASACs current party chief Hao Peng to take full charge of the state assets regulator. SASAC oversees the countrys massive state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector, which includes almost 100 centrally administered SOEs with combined assets of 76.2 trillion yuan ($11 trillion) at the end of 2017. The SAMR was established in March 2018 to oversee the Chinese market including company registrations, food safety and drug approvals as part of a major overhaul of the State Council, Chinas cabinet, aiming at greater integration of central government agencies and better coordination under the ruling Communist Party and its military. Xiaos departure comes as SASACs powers wane. The regulator has been advancing on behalf of the central government a mixed-ownership reform pilot program that lets some companies under its control invite private firms to form tie-ups that include letting them take equity stakes in their state-owned partners. By doing so, the commissions own power is set to be reduced as part of a push to reduce its intervention in the state-owned sector. SASAC has relinquished 43 administrative responsibilities and will continue reducing its role in state-sector businesses this year, Deputy Director Weng Jieming said in a press briefing last month, after a central government document set out a roadmap for revamping the supervision and management of state capital. According to that document, the state asset regulators power should be limited to their shareholding to give private investors greater access to the state sector. Xiao has been seen as a leading figure in the implementation of SOE mixed-ownership reform. In February, he restated the case for public and private companies working together in a keynote address at the Yabuli China Entrepreneurs Forum, becoming the first state firm overseer to attend a private-sector dominated forum. He told this years national legislative meetings in March that reforms in state capital management, as well as SOE mixed-ownership reform, would be the top issues on Chinas SOE reform agenda this year. The SAMR merged the functions of three market watchdogs the State Administration for Industry & Commerce (SAIC), the China Food and Drug Administration, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. It also has anti-monopoly responsibilities previously shared by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and the SAIC. Born in 1959 in Beijing, the 60-year-old Xiao was an executive for the state-owned Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd. before moving to the State Council. He has appeared at each National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) since 2002, and is also a member of the elite CPC Central Committee. A previous version of this story misstated Weng Jiemings title. He is a deputy director of SASAC. Contact reporter Isabelle Li (liyi@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. Chilean dispatches up 20% YoY in March ICR Newsroom By 20 May 2019 Chilean cement producers dispatched 398,132t of cement in March 2019, up 20 per cent from 331,802t in February 2019, according to the Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC). When compared with 360,803t in March 2019, the YoY increase was 10.3 per cent. In the first quarter of 2019, dispatches reached 1,080,074t, representing a rise of 7.4 per cent YoY. In the 1Q18, deliveries stood at 1,005,324t. Published under Sometime this afternoon, the Republican members of the Tennessee Legislature will join a growing chorus of those convinced it is time for Glen Casada, the groups Speaker of the House, to step down. They will cite several tawdry emails between Casadas former Chief of Staff and himself as the reason but thats not entirely true. Casada will step down in great shame because he has most assuredly presented himself time and time again as a jerk in the five months hes held the position. Jerk is not a word to be used lightly but after the disturbing emails surfaced, the mounds of evidence that he has repeatedly abused his position, allegedly attempted to control the legislatures ethics committee, and created an unwanted regretful atmosphere in the Legislature, this assuring us that there is a rotten apple in Nashville. "In my six years on the ethics panel this is wholly without precedent," said Mike Carter (R-Ooltewah), who is a former Hamilton County General Sessions Court judge and has a penchant for fairness. "If the requestor is willing to rig and predetermine an outcome of the ethics committee, he is, in my opinion ... not fit to hold the trust of his office or the state of Tennessee." Casada (R-Franklin) took over as Speaker of the House when the 111th session of the General began in January. Some say they sensed he was far below the standard the people of Tennessee deserved and he hasnt been slow in trying to prove it. Twelve months ago his bid for re-election was being challenged in the August primary by a promising black woman, Raeshawn Sanchez, in affluent Williamson County. She had done all that was asked to properly deserve a place on the ballot. But approximately 20 minutes before the May 2018 deadline to qualify for the primary unbeknownst to Sanchez the head of the Republican Party in Tennessee, Scott Golden, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Tre Hargett that Ms. Sanchez had been disqualified by the GOP and that her name should be stricken from the ballot. It seems she was believed not to be a bonafied Republican and when informed by an email this after the deadline Ms. Sanchez said she was shocked, to say the least! Casada claims he was not involved in the decision, just as Senator Marsha Blackburn, also from Williamson County, said she had nothing to do with seven others who were disqualified in her race by Golden. It was soon learned Golden was once an employee of Blackburns but by then there was no time left for an appeal. Casada became the Speaker of the House when Beth Harwell stepped down to unsuccessfully run for Governor. Today it appears Casada is also in for a defeat. Insiders say they believe it is clear he has little, if any chance, at weathering the storm he will face today. Not only has Casada violated the trust of Tennessee voters, he has become a huge embarrassment to both the Republican Party and the entire legislature. A hurried view of national news outlets reveals the scandal has even given the state a glaring black eye and todays meeting of the Republican Caucus promises to be so heady it is closed to the public and news media. There is a persistent rumor cell phones will not be allowed and a heavy security presence will be on hand. Governor Bill Lee said that if Casada was one of his employees, the governor would demand his resignation. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally was just as adamant. If it was me my bags would be packed and I would be driving to Oak Ridge right now. Patsy Hazlewood (R-Signal Mountain) wrote Casada early last week over her concerns but by Friday had learned enough. I think it would be in the best interest of our House, the state of Tennessee and our party for Speaker Casada to step down. We need to put this behind us, focus on carrying out the positive agenda set forth by Governor Lee and the 111th General Assembly, and continue to do what's best for the citizens of Tennessee." The most damning commit came from Monty Lankford former head of the Leaders of Tennessee political action committee who said Casada had lost his "morality" and needed to step away from politics. Lankford and Casada have been friends for over 30 years yet Monty told reporters from the Tennessean newspaper: Last fall when he was running for speaker, I told him at that point I didnt think he should run because he had lost his moral compass along the way," Lankford said. "We had a fairly heated exchange of words. I said, 'Glen, you made a commitment to God and to your wife. You kept neither of those. How can I trust you?' he told news outlets: This is why I am going to be pushing for the caucus to help him step down." Lankford, keenly aware what the scandal will mean to the Republican Party in Tennessee, wasnt finished. I was a little different than a lot of people," he said. "I confronted him on a lot of issues. I dont agree with it. I have a problem with hypocrisy. When I see things like this happen, it really hurts. I am going to be loyal to truth. I told Glen this: Anytime a representative cannot discipline their own life, they have no right to make laws for other people." Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg) has been adamant Casada needs to step down. Tillis is the House Majority Whip who told reporters, With the circumstances at hand and the developments today, the behavior seems to continue. I am not sure of the procedural rules. The governor could call for a special session. I am not sure (This) is an unfortunate circumstance but the people of Tennessee deserve better. I am frustrated, embarrassed and ashamed. I dont want to sound like talking points, but this isnt how people in this position should behave, Tillis added, We only know what's been provided, is there more?" The state Capitol is awash with rumors. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville) and speaker pro tempore, also wonders what may be uncovered. The truth eventually comes out," he said. "Once again, when the truth comes out, we have to have the defense and the deflection and everything." Jeremy Faison(R-Cosby) said in a TV interview, I don't know how it's possible to be an effective leader, knowing what we know. "We don't need to be pulled down by Speaker Casada. He needs to step down as speaker, and then allow Williamson County to find out if they want to keep him as a representative." "Once you're elected and you gain the public's trust, Faison said, adding, You're held to a different standard ... it's not locker room talk to me, it's perversion. You're an elected official, act like it." Later Faison would send out this tweet: The person sitting in the car while the bank is being robbed is just as guilty as the bank robber. Racism, objectifying of women, spying, and bullying are all evil. You cannot effectively lead and simultaneously be complicit with evil. * * * I think when any of us serve in public office, were doing it because we think its the best thing for the state," former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said following a groundbreaking in Knox County, according to WBIR-TV. "And I think Glen has to ask himself: Is remaining in position as speaker the best thing for the state? Its hard for me to see how that would be true." This week is National Public Works Week. The City of Chattanooga Department of Public Works will sponsor various activities throughout Public Works Week. Additionally, they will post employee highlights and photos from the activities all week long on their Facebook and Twitter sites. "This is a special week out of the year where we celebrate our teams accomplishments, give back to our community through multiple service projects and engage in some friendly competition, officials said. "This week also serves as a tool to energize and educate the public on the important role public works plays in their daily lives: planning, building, managing and operating in our community to improve quality of life." Scheduled activites: Monday, May 20 Morning Event Friar Branch Stream Clean Up Where: Hamilton Place, near PF Changs, 2110 Hamilton Place Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37421 When: 8:30-11:30 a.m. What: Chattanooga Public Works Team Members will remove litter from the Friar Branch Stream. "The Department is committed to removing litter from all of our local waterways which reduces the amount of litter in our rivers and oceans," officials said. Afternoon Event Food Bank Restock Where: Chattanooga Area Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37406 When: 1-3:30 p.m. What: Chattanooga Public Works Team Members will be assisting with warehouse organization and food sorting at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, which focuses on eliminating hunger and providing better nutrition in the region. Tuesday, May 21 Morning Event Childrens Home Spruce Up Where: Bethel Bible Village, 3001 Hamill Rd, Hixson, TN 37343 When: 8:30 a.m.-noon What: Chattanooga Public Works Team Members will assist with some general maintenance tasks, such as cleaning the living areas and landscaping around the Bethel Bible Village property. Afternoon Event Spears Avenue Weed Rip Up Where: Stringers Ridge, Spears Ave Trailhead, 1312 Spears Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37405 When: 1-3:30 p.m. What: The Spears Ave Pumptrack has been designed as a semi-wild meadow to help infiltrate stormwater runoff into the ground. The basins help capture sediment-heavy runoff from the bike track. The edges of the property have invasive species that threaten to change the plant community into one that does not function as well for stormwater control. Chattanooga Public Works Team Members will be assisting with pulling invasive, non-native plants, helping to ensure the stormwater practices function better and longer. Wednesday, May 22 Morning Event Equipment Roadeo Where: First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37408 When: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm What: Chattanooga Public Works Equipment Operators show off their skills maneuvering machinery through specific obstacle courses. Participants will demonstrate the skills it takes to perform the daily internal operations of the Department of Public Works. Winners of the competition will represent the City of Chattanooga at the TN APWA/SWANA Conference Equipment Roadeo this fall. Afternoon Event Cleanout Cap Handout Where: Almost 320 addresses in the Dobbs Branch Basin, see map below. Teams will initially meet at location TBD. When: 1-4 p.m. What: This activity is a volunteer effort sponsored by Jacobs Engineering to support the City of Chattanoogas Public Works Week by providing community service and environmental awareness. "As a result of the smoke testing that our Clear Chattanooga Team performs throughout the city, we determine many cleanout caps are not working properly allowing stormwater into the wastewater system during heavy rain events," officials said. For this event, teams of two-three individuals will canvas where smoke testing identified locations of open lateral cleanouts and replace the cap. Thursday, May 23 Afternoon Event Childrens Center Spruce Up Where: Maurice Kirby Childcare Center, 2500 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37408 When: 12:30-3 p.m. What: Chattanooga Public Works Team Members will be providing their time and skills to help spruce up the Chambliss Centers Maurice Kirby Childcare Center. Activities will include reorganizing the shed and general clean-up, providing a safer and cleaner area for the children and teachers. Billy Hawk, who was given a new trial after being convicted of a murder that happened 35 years ago, is deciding which lawyer to use this time around. In an appearance before Criminal Court Judge Don Poole on Monday, he was with attorneys Frank Lannom and Melanie Bean of Lebanon, Tn. However, attorney Lannom said they had not yet been retained. Judge Poole gave Hawk until June 21 to come up with a lawyer. He remains in jail under a $600,000 bond on the charge involving the murder of Johnny Mack Salver. Hawk was sentenced to life in prison after his conviction in June 2016. His bond earlier was $500,000. Judge Poole said he "raised it slightly" after the jury conviction. The 1981 cold case murder had been reopened in 2015 after almost 35 years of silence. Witness testimony in the trial ranged from expert forensics agents to friends and family of both Hawk and Salyer. Judge Poole, who granted the new trial, said testimony by Cleveland attorney Jim Logan "that he made mistakes but the other defense lawyers made non-tactical mistakes amounting to ineffective assistance of counsel is troubling." He said attorney Logan was Hawk's first lawyer and "was clearly upset" when Hawk later chose Chattanooga attorney Bill Speek as his lead counsel. The judge added, "As long as a lawyer continues to represent a client, however, he should participate fully in decision making and, if certain things are not done or should be done, he should take an active role in making sure those things are done. If he cannot do this, the appropriate course would seem to be to withdraw from the case. It is sincerely hoped that any lawyer who goes to trial does his best to ensure that his client receives a fair trial." Judge Poole said the main reason he decided to grant a new trial was based on "acts and omissions" relating to witness Terry Slaughter, a former Chattanooga Police detective who later was charged and convicted in Federal Court. The judge noted that former District Attorney Gary Gerbitz was called as a witness and was critical of Slaughter's credibility, calling him "a crooked cop" and a liar. He said there was a heated exchange between witness Gerbitz and current District Attorney Neal Pinkston, who then asked if he was aware that Slaughter had passed lie detector tests. He said former DA Gerbitz replied, "I don't know that at all." The judge said the questions about the polygraph tests were inappropriate and bolstered Slaughter's credibility. The states narrative claimed Hawk, possibly fearing Salyer would testify against him in court after a drug-related arrest, shot the victim, stuffed him inside a steel barrel, and dropped him in the Tennessee River." The defense contended that the majority of witness testimony was unreliable due to the number of years that had passed since the slaying. They also pointed out several pieces of valuable evidence that had been lost or destroyed, including the barrel itself. I struck up a conversation with a graduating senior. What do you want in life? I asked. To be successful, he replied. To which I asked the question: What is success? I dont know, he said as he walked away. We all want to be successful. But how can you be successful if you cannot even define it? The World Economic Forum estimates 65 percent of children today will end up in careers that dont even exist yet and for which schools are not preparing them. Let that sink in for a minute: the vast majority of children in school will end up in careers that do not even exist today. One of the organizations I like to keep up with is The Future Project. They argue that the future is not fixedand that people, working together, can shape it for the better. I share their optimism. I think the same is true of the teaching profession: people working together, can shape it for the better. Too often I see the education community put up walls. Walls between school systems and communities. Walls between school administration and teachers. Walls between teachers and other teachers. Walls between teachers and students. It is time to tear the walls down. It is time that we create the change that our schools, teachers, and students need. I recommend three steps for policymakers to consider at the state level that can create success for our schools in the future: Embrace Innovation. Governor Bill Lee said: In order to improve, you have to be willing to innovate and challenge the status quo. Thats true whether it is in business or education. This means at the state level the focus must be on providing the flexibility and freedom for educators and education leaders at all levels to try new things that will help improve student achievement and success. Our goal as a state should be to give every child the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, in order to build a skilled workforce for the 21st Century global economy. Update the Funding Formula. At the state level, the Basic Education Program (BEP), is how Tennessee funds our K-12 public schools. The BEP provides over $4.7 billion of state funding for education. We must update our K12 funding formula to reflect changing 21st century needs. It is time for the state to push for a new funding plan and formula that reflects our modern educational mission, priorities, and strategies. Yes, there are lawsuits under the current system, and it will be a challenge to make everyone happy, but it is past time to address the funding issue. We must also make sure dollars that are earmarked for salary increases end up in the pockets of teachers, and that all state mandates are fully funded. End Social Promotion. We must ensure that all students will be able to read proficiently by the end of the third-grade. Children who do not read on grade level are more likely to drop out, use drugs or end up in prison. Research shows that reading abilities in the third-grade act as a tell-tale barometer for later school success. We cannot keep sending Tennessee students onto the next grade if they lack basic reading skills. Social promotion does more harm than good. We can no longer ignore the issue of social promotion. We must eliminate the practice of advancing students because of their age rather than their knowledge. The decision to have a student to repeat a grade should not be made lightly or without considering a students unique situation. The evidence for focused retention strategies points toward real benefits for those students who arrive at school lacking some of the building blocks of literacy. These students need some extra time to catch up. We cannot give up on teaching our children how to read. The best solution, of course, is to remediate struggling readers during the school year, to get them the extra help they need to stay on track. However, we cannot simply to continue to move these students through the system. Social promotion hurts our kids, kills our workforce, and fills up our prisons. We can change the path we are on, and give every child a better chance of successeven if they dont know what it looks like at this point in their life. Success is not left to chance, its a matter of choice. We have tough choices to make in public education, and that will include changes. We must make the choices that benefit our state, our communities, our schools, our educators and especially our children. We must make sure public education is viewed as a significant part of the choice that parents will make for their children moving forward. The best and brightest students in our communities should know that our public education system will work for them. The underserved and poor in our communities should know that our public education system can work for them. Every parent in our communities should know that they have a role in making sure our public education system works for their children. Part of our role has to be keeping K12 education at the forefront of every discussion in public policy across Tennessee. That is the success we should seek. JC Bowman Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee Signal Mountain Middle/High School seventh-graders raised $3,700 at their Red Wolf Silent Auction on April 25, benefitting the Chattanooga Nature Centers Red Wolf breeding program. The money raised will help fund the program aimed at preventing the extinction of the species. The students worked in groups to make themed gift baskets from items donated by various community businesses and organizations. The baskets were auctioned off to participants at the auction. The students also created project boards which they used to educate auction participants and community members about the endangered status of the red wolf. Kim Brown, a seventh-grade science teacher at Signal Mountain Middle/High, spearheaded the event. The kids worked like champs and prepared some amazing baskets and created some very professional-looking posters, said Ms. Brown. The community really came together in supporting this project. Signal Mountain Middle High School has adopted the breeding program as a service project for seventh-grade science students. The event this year is the third year in a row that Signal Mountain students have hosted a silent auction to raise funds for the Red Wolf program. The students raised over $2,700 each year for the first two years. This year, the students surpassed their goal by raising $3,700 with the auction event. The students presented the donation check to Tish Gailmard of the Chattanooga Nature Center. The organization will use the money for vaccinations, food, enclosure improvements, transportation of wolves, and veterinary care. The students were able to learn that through effort and motivation, they can truly be agents of change and make a difference, Ms. Brown said. Daisha Hicks, a Tyner Academy graduating senior, will be attending Alabama A&M University. Her goal is to become an elementary school teacher. She is confident that college will give her the skills necessary to face challenges to come as an educator. At the Tyner Academy Senior Awards held on May 14, Ms. Hicks received two scholarships totaling $1500 from local Kappa Kappa Iota Gamma Chapter members and the Psi State Tennessee Lucille Shugart Scholarship. Psi State TN received its charter on February 11, 1967. Lucille Shugart was the first president and founder. The Scholarship in her honor is awarded to high school seniors planning to enter the field of education. Sarah Grapatin, president, Psi State TN, stated that she is proud to be a member of National Kappa Kappa Iota and the scholarship opportunities available for educators, as well as for those who are entering the field of education. "The purpose of this organization is to promote the advancement of education by providing an effective network for the exchange of education and teaching practices by educators," Ms. Grapatin said. National Kappa Kappa Iota Headquarters is located in Tulsa, Ok. and has members in 22 states. Phil Iannarone is returning to the place where he started in Hamilton County Schools to become the new principal at Central High School. He began his career in Hamilton County Schools as a teacher at Central High in 2004. He will replace Finley King who retired in April. Mr. Iannarone is currently the principal at Snow Hill Elementary. As principal at Snow Hill this year, Mr. Iannarone helped guide the school during its construction period to expand the school. Construction has been underway most of the school year at Snow Hill. Before becoming the principal at Snow Hill, Mr. Iannarone was the principal at Spring Creek Elementary from 2014 to 2017. He also has administrative experience in Hamilton County Schools as an assistant principal at East Lake Academy and Hunter Middle School. Originally from Long Island, New York and affectionately known as Mr. I to teachers, parents, and students, Mr. Iannarone came to the area to attend Lee University, where he earned his BS degree in education. He began his career in the private school sector where he served as a teacher and a principal for 13 years. During that time he earned his masters degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a specialists degree from Lee. His successful tenure as a private school principal provided multiple speaking and mentoring opportunities. He also served as a consultant for Christian schools in the southeast. Mr. Iannarone has participated in PEF Leadership Fellows Cohort 7 and Principal Leadership Academy Cohort 3. Officials said, "Mr. Innarone believes success is possible for all students, which was important in the responses of parents to a survey seeking qualities and qualifications for a new principal for Central. Parents were also interested in a track record of leadership and experience as a principal in the new school leader for Central High in the Harrison Bay Learning Community." Kim Pringle, assistant principal at Snow Hill Elementary, will serve as the interim principal at Snow Hill Elementary. She has served as the schools assistant principal since 2016. The expanded Snow Hill Elementary will be ready for students when the school opens in August. Dr. Megan Johnson, audiologist and co-founder of Johnson Audiology, accepted the 2019 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics at the Better Business Bureaus annual meeting on May 1. The areas Better Business Bureau serves southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia.Johnson Audiology was one of six companies that took home the annual award this year. The six winners were chosen from among more than a dozen businesses who were invited, based on an anonymous nomination, to complete the Torch Award application process.Johnson Audiology submitted a multi-page narrative along with a host of supporting information, including written and video patient testimonials, samples of educational marketing pieces, employee training manuals, etc. The entry packet was reviewed by a panel of judges made up of business people and educators from the local community.At the luncheon, which drew more than 500 attendees, Dr. Johnson accepted the award on behalf of the company she co-founded with her husband Derek Johnson in 2009. Johnson Audiology is a Chattanooga-born business with its first location on Gunbarrel Road. Johnson Audiology now has four additional locations: Hixson, Franklin and Murfreesboro in Tennessee and in Cartersville, Ga. In addition to Dr. Johnson and Derek Johnson, who serves as Practice Manager, the company employs eight audiologists and 18 support staff, including patient care coordinators, audiology assistants and insurance and billing specialists.Standing before the award ceremony attendees, Dr. Johnson commented, When my husband Derek and I founded Johnson Audiology, we had a vision for our practice. Our mantra was simple: to offer hearing health care services, hearing aid technology and tinnitus therapy to people from all walks life and to do so fairly, professionally, respectfully and ethically. We were also committed to building a strong family of staff members, including highly educated audiologists and friendly and professional patient care coordinators.As the company prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary later this year, Dr. Johnson said, The Torch Award provides an important touchstone for us. Todays event offers us that rare opportunity to stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and reflect on where we are and how we got here.A 17-year-veteran of the field of audiology, Dr. Johnson also stated, Early in my university career, I recognized the wide gulf that exists in the field of hearing health in terms of how and by whom care can be delivered to patients and how hearing aid technology is dispensed and marketed to the public. I quickly realized that being ethical and trustworthy and professional really is a choice and thats the kind of doctor of audiology I wanted to be.She concluded by commenting, Accepting the Torch Award is an affirmation that we are doing things the right way.Application packets for all regional Torch Award winners will now be forwarded on by the regional BBB office to the BBB international headquarters in Arlington, Va., where they will be reviewed by a panel of judges. Winners on the international level will be announced later this year. Tennessee families have access to a variety of school choices for their children including local public schools, public charter schools and other non-public entities. In this landscape, public charter school authorizers play a critical role in ensuring that high quality charter schools are able to open, and that only those that deliver excellent outcomes retain the privilege of serving students and families. Under state law, local school districts operate traditional public schools and may approve any public charter school for operation within the district. In select circumstances, the state is also able to approve a charter operators application. The State Board of Educations chief responsibility is making policy decisions for Tennessee's K-12 public schools, and our staff and members work diligently to make sure every rule on our books-- from teacher certification, to graduation requirements, to school bus safety-- is student-focused, rigorous and relevant. But for the last five years, the SBE has also served as an appellate charter school authorizer and currently oversees three schools. While we have relished the deep engagement with students, teachers and leaders, we also recognize the growing time, attention, and resources required to continue to authorize and oversee schools in a way that best serves students. This year, the Tennessee General Assembly took an important step by approving Governor Bill Lees proposal to establish an independent statewide authorizer of public charter schools. Made up of members from across the state who will be thoughtfully selected and trained to hear appeals and make authorizing decisions, this commission will enable deeper engagement with local districts and their stakeholdersensuring decisions to open or close public charter schools are made based on the specific needs of local students. This is also an important step forward because it enables the SBE to focus on evaluating the effectiveness of our public charter school authorizers and supporting them to adhere to best practices that boost student outcomes. This is critical since authorizers determine the schools they want to open, expectations for their success, and what happens if they fail to make good on promises they make to families. We believe this role aligns well with our broader policymaking and oversight duties, as the SBE has expanded in recent years to fulfill an important set of functions for the students, families, and citizens of Tennessee. This includes our work to establish and maintain a transparent review process for our states K-12 academic standards, reporting on and approving educator preparation programs that produce the next generations of Tennessees teachers, and regulating educator licensure and misconduct. In addition to these responsibilities, we will continue to refine Tennessees public charter school authorizing standards that dictate expectations for the practices of this commission and other local authorizers. The SBE stands ready to assist in establishing policies and processes for the commission, and will support their success as they begin hearing appeals and overseeing public charter schools in the 2021-2022 school year. Ensuring only the best public charter schools are operating in our state enhances the high-quality school choice options available to Tennessee families. We believe this statewide commission will help further our goal as a state to ensure every student has access to an excellent education. Lillian Hartgrove, chair of the State Board of Education Dr. Sara H. Morrison, executive director of the State Board of Education We frequently hear stories about how celebrities are just like us only with money and fame. And while there are plenty of instances of kind things that your favorite stars have done for someone, it turns out that one celeb stands above the rest. Keanu Reeves, star of the new film John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum, is that person. Reeves is a very likable star Keanu Reeves attends the special screening of Lionsgates John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 15, 2019. | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images We all want to like our favorite celebrities in real life, but no one is perfect. Except, maybe, for Reeves? Time and time again, The Matrix star has outdone himself, showing a truly kind spirit toward everyone around him. The Canadian actor was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this month, and now, lets honor him with proof that hes an excellent person. An extremely charitable act Heres one. Keanu bought the house and property that is now my sons preschool and handed it all over to the kidsnot because he himself had a kid that went there. He had no connection to it at all. He just heard they needed a place and so bought it for them. https://t.co/VcZ67M6pTK Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) May 18, 2019 Reeves could donate to charity like many other celebrities, but instead (or likely, in addition to) he has opted to make a more direct contribution. According to author Reza Aslan, the star purchased a property specifically for a community that needed a preschool, despite having no personal attachment to the situation. He loves to sign autographs In honor of John Wick 3 I have a Keanu Reeves story. James Dator (@James_Dator) May 17, 2019 SB Nation writer James Dator told his own personal story about meeting Reeves. In a long thread on Twitter, he wrote about how the actor came to see a film by himself, and Dator (an employee of the theater) tried to find a way to get his autograph. Reeves misunderstood the situation, but then figured it out, purchasing an ice cream cone just so he could sign the receipt and give it to Dator. And take selfies with fans, too Keanu 4ever. Saw this man sitting on a fire hydrant in NYC. A fucking fire hydrant. & he looked cool doing it. Mustered the courage to speak to him as hes getting up & he was the nicest guy on the planet. Let me take 2 selfies because my hand was shaking too much the first time. pic.twitter.com/XvQKPix1cX chris harihar (@chrisharihar) May 18, 2019 Even the smallest moments matter to fans, though there are many actors who would simply brush them off. Not Reeves, who posed with this Twitter follower and even patiently waited while the young man took a second selfie, as his hand was shaking. Reeves is a gentleman for sure Sometimes, the proof is in the video. This one is many years old, but nevertheless, continues to circulate. It depicts Reeves sitting on the subway, noticing a woman standing next to him, and then offers her his seat. Its simple, but pretty darn cute, and someone managed to (sneakily) catch it on video. Clearly, he likes kids Shortly after bill and Ted came out, 8 year old me saw him at Newark airport. Went up to him and asked are you keanu reeves? Yea, I am. He spoke to my older brother and I for 45 minutes and gave us his number. He was awesome to spend that time with. We called but missed him. toflo (@tonyflohr) May 18, 2019 Reeves is obviously a man who respects everyone, but its always extra special when you see a celebrity being generous with their time when it comes to children. Twitter user @tonyflohr wrote that he met Reeves at an airport when he was eight, and talked to him for an extended period of time. Once, he assisted a future star Finally, heres a story that comes from another famous face in Hollywood. Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer once told a story about when she first arrived in Los Angeles, in which her car broke down and the only person who stopped to help her was Reeves. Ever since, shes been a dedicated fan, saying that she attends the opening weekend of every film hes in. Check out the Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Even the most optimistic and upbeat person can be pushed to the point of exhaustion. Madison Hildebrand from Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles has kept a stiff upper lip during what seems to be endless surgeries and treatments for a broken hand. But today on Instagram, he revealed his hand is still not quite healed. That means more time spent at the doctor, more casts and endless unrelenting questions and pain. The hand injury is literally the last straw for Hildebrand. Years ago he dealt with a broken jaw that left him trying to do business while having his jaw wired shut. Madison Hildebrand |Photo by Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic The jaw injury left the broker with after shocks that didnt end there. Next came his hand injury, but it is not new. A simple kitchen accident Hildebrand shared with The Cheat Sheet that his hand injury could have happened to any dog owner. I was cooking and chopping in the kitchen, he says. I went to turn, but didnt see that my dog Prince was laying right under my feet. The dog caught Hildebrand off balance so he fell, knife in hand. Of course I didnt want my dog to get cut with the knife so I fell down hard on my left hand. Hildebrand sought medical treatment immediately but the X-ray showed he only had torn ligaments. He followed doctors orders but the hand didnt seem to heal. Finally, one physician ordered a CT scan which revealed not only did Hildebrand break his hand, it did not heal properly and the bone was actually dead. Without hand surgery, Hildebrand would develop painful arthritis. But his surgery was not all that simple. In February, Hildebrand traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where surgeons performed a procedure for a scaphoid non-union fracture, which is a wrist fracture that fails to heal, according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Part of Hildebrands hip bone was used to help rebuild bone that was no longer viable too. The journey has been painful Recovery, to say the least, has been painful. In fact, he developed an infection that was treated aggressively with antibiotics. Meanwhile, he learned his beloved dog Maya was also ill with heart disease. While he was at the Mayo Clinic he discovered she was sick. He flew home in time to be with her before she passed. Hildebrand continued to keep a smile on his face as he continued to deal with pain. He had to endure yet another surgery only last month. But I have another surgery tomorrow, he posted to his Instagram story. I will have to go under general anesthesia in hopes of doing this nerve block in my arm. So the nerves in my hand will become numb. So I dont have the nerve pain thats shooting through my hand and my wrist. And he is still not healed Hildebrand has tried to remain optimistic and even playful at times. He asked his Instagram followers to choose their favorite cast style as hes had several since his surgery. Hes also posted many throwback photos of the days when he wasnt dealing with the pain. Ask me how am I doing this #tbt photoshoot pretty much explains the progression of this surgery and the healing process, and where I am right now, he posted to Instagram, which included a set of gorgeous photos. This has been one of the most difficult periods of my life, he continued. Emotionally, physically, painfully Im not a #happycamper right now. . Im so lucky to have the best doctors and support and love and friendship that I do, and even that doesnt give relief. One day at a time I know, if I hear it one more time I look forward to the strength that I gain from this experience and I really look forward to the day this isnt affecting my decisions minute by minute. He didnt receive the news he hoped Hildebrand was scheduled to have his cast removed and hand evaluated. He was hopeful the day would reveal that he is healing well and this saga would be in his rearview soon. But that is not what happened. He told Instagram followers not only is he not healed he still does not have answers. Too many of you to answer and Im exhausted, he wrote. This is what I know for now. Its been 3 months since this last surgery and I dont have answers other than its not healed. So were formulating a plan and speaking with my other surgeons. Getting a new cast on now. Because all the information must be reviewed by a team at the Mayo Clinic, Hildebrand must, once again, wait for any information about his progress. He seemed focused and calm. Hildebrand said his doctor cannot give him a prognosis but only 10% of the new bone they added to his hand is alive. This may also mean he is looking at yet another surgery this week too. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are huge advocates of healthy living. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the royal couple took to Instagram to promote a variety of workout programs, including one that is marketed as a transformative workout of the body and mind. The only problem is that the program comes with a hefty price tag. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Photo by Ben Birchall WPA Pool / Getty Images Fans slam Harry and Markle for promoting costly workout plans According to NBC News, the class that came under fire is by Taryn Toomey, who is well known for putting together expensive getaways. As an example, Toomey organizes one fitness retreat in Mexico that goes for $3,500. Classes in The Hamptons sell for $42 a pop. Toomey hosts classes in other locations around the country, including venues in Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, Canada, and Miami. Given the exorbitant costs, fans asked Harry and Markle why they would promote such classes instead of focusing solely on charities. Some royal experts also cautioned the couple about promoting various causes that might make it look like they were giving friends a special shout out. Despite the backlash, it is good that Harry and Markle are promoting health and fitness, though they could have been a little more selective about how they went about it. How did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle respond to the criticism? The royal family has not commented on the backlash. Toomeys representative allegedly released a statement following the couples Instagram post, thanking them for the support. Harry and Markle are involved in a larger campaign called Heads Together, which aims to promote mental health awareness. The campaign was organized by the Royal Foundation in partnership with Prince William and Kate Middleton. Harry and Markle hope that their campaign will help end negative stigmas associated with mental health disorders and open up conversations on the topic. This is partly why they posted in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. They may have received plenty of backlash for the organizations they promoted, but they undoubtedly had good intentions with the post. With over 7.6 million followers, the message was also heard by many. There are countless organizations doing amazing work for mental health please consider the accounts weve highlighted as a small snapshot of this global support network, the couple shared. William and Harry could unite through family Mental health controversies aside, Harry and Markle recently welcomed their first child into the world. Earlier this month, the pair had a healthy baby boy in Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The birth comes amid reports that Prince William and Prince Harry have grown apart in recent months. Although royal staffers had hoped that two brothers would work together as they got older, those dreams were dashed as they started separate families and moved offices. But with the birth of Harrys first child, there is a renewed hope that the pair will grow close once again. Royal experts believe that Archie could bring some commonality back into William and Harrys relationship. In fact, William expressed great excitement after he learned about the birth and fully welcomed Harry into the world of parenting. William and Middleton finally met Archie this past week, days before the couple went public with their first photo op. It is unclear how involved William and Middleton will be in Archies life, but they have made it clear that their children will know each other. Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markles growing family Harry and Markle have already taken great strides to ensure that Archie lives as normal a life as possible. This includes not giving him any royal titles and moving him far from the gates of Kensington Palace. The couple has officially moved to Frogmore Cottage, near Windsor Castle, where they fully intend to raise Archie and any other future children they may have. When it comes to adjusting to the new baby, inside sources claim that Harry and Markle are already getting used to having a baby in the house. Harry is also very proud of Markle and cannot give her enough praise for how she has handled herself the past few months. The pair first appeared for the cameras on May 8 just outside of St. Georges Hall at Windsor Castle and could not have looked any happier. Prince Harry and Markle have not commented on the negative feedback they received on Instagram. On May 6, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the country. The new law commonly known as a heartbeat bill bans all abortions in the state after an embryonic heartbeat can be detected, which usually happens about six weeks into a pregnancy. Because that is before many women know they are pregnant, the bill will effectively ban abortion in Georgia when it goes into effect on January 1, 2020. The ACLU has said it will challenge the law. The bill and a similar one that was recently signed into law in Alabama has sparked outrage among supporters of abortion rights. And in Georgia, that backlash could have a significant economic cost. A number of celebrities are saying they will refuse to work in the state if the ban takes effect. Georgias $9.5 billion film and television industry In recent years, Georgia has worked hard to attract big-name film and television productions, with great success. Shows like The Walking Dead, Ozark, and Stranger Things film in the state. Feature films like Avengers: Endgame and the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters were also produced there. Plus, the state is the home base for reality shows like The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Married to Medicine, and Chrisley Knows Best. The film and TV industry generates $9.5 billion in economic impact for Georgia, including $2.7 billion in direct spending. But the new law could jeopardize Atlantas status as the Hollywood of the South. Some stars say theyll boycott the Peach State Jason Bateman | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic After Republican Governor Kemp signed the controversial heartbeat bill, some celebrities reacted by saying theyd refuse to work in the Peach State if the law takes effect. Alyssa Milano has called for a Hollywood boycott of the state. The actress is currently filming the Netflix show Insatiable in Georgia, but told Buzzfeed she will fight tooth and nail to move [the show] to a state that will protect our rights. She added that she will choose not to return to the show if production does not shift elsewhere. Amy Schumer, Laverne Cox, Colin Hanks, Sean Penn, Gabrielle Union, Bradley Whitford, and Patton Oswalt were among the dozens of celebrities who signed on to Milanos letter promising to do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women if H.B. 481 becomes law. Jason Bateman, the star of Ozark, said he wont work in the state if the abortion ban takes effect. Ron Howard, whose new movie Hillbilly Elegy is currently filming in Georgia, also said hed join a boycott. Several production companies have said theyd avoid the state, including Duplass Brothers Production and Christine Vachons CounterNarrative Films. The Wires David Simon also tweeted that his production company will remove Georgia from its list of possible filming locations until we can be assured the health option and civil liberties of our female colleagues are unimpaired. Georgias governor dismissed the boycott For his part, Governor Kemp seems unconcerned about the possibility of a Hollywood boycott. Speaking at the Georgia Republican Convention, he dismissed those protesting the law. I understand that some folks dont like this new law. Im fine with that, he said. We are the party of freedom and opportunity, he added. We value and protect innocent life even though that makes C-list celebrities squawk. Read more: This State Has More People in Jail Than Any Other Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle finally announced the newest member of the royal family. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor made his big debut on May 6, 2019 and it seems like theres been nothing but bliss ever since. At a recent public event at Oxford Childrens Hospital, the Duke of Sussex admitted to a fan that he already cant imagine life without his son. Most parents understand exactly what Prince Harry is talking about. Becoming a father (or mother) brings up all kinds of emotions and intense new feelings. Previously, Prince Harry spoke about how having a child has made him miss his late mother, Princess Diana, all over again. With all these sweet sentiments and reflections, its causing royal fans to question: Would Prince Harry have named his child after his mother if he had been a girl? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Dominic Lipinski WPA Pool/Getty Images Almost no one guessed the royal baby name correctly Before Meghan Markle gave birth, the couple didnt know the gender and kept mum on the potential names they were considering either way. Top contenders for boy names included Arthur, Philip, and Charles while for a girl people speculated that Anne, Victoria, and Elizabeth could all be likely candidates. But knowing how deeply Prince Harry loves and misses his mother, many fans assumed he would want to honor her legacy with the name choice. They predicted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would select the name Diana for a girlif not a first name, at least for one of her middle names. If it was a boy, they thought perhaps the name Spencer, which was Dianas family name. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didnt choose a traditional name The name the couple picked for their firstbornArchie Harrisonwas not on anyones radar. Its not a traditional royal name at all. In fact, its more of a nickname. The Queen probably approved the name for the couple as tradition dictates. But that doesnt mean she liked it. Why did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle choose the name Archie? They havent said so exactly. Some fans speculate that its an homage to the Duke of Sussexs former commanding officer who had a huge impact on his life. A select few people wonder if the baby is named after Meghan Markles childhood cat. They probably would not have named a daughter Diana If theres one thing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are good at, its surprising people. Even though everyone expected them to give the baby a traditional name, they went with something totally unique. Even the birth itself featured plenty of surprises including Meghan Markle being whisked away in a secret tunnel. For those reasons, the likelihood of them choosing the very obvious name Diana for their little girl is slim to none. Its much more likely that they would have used Dianas name more subtlykind of like they did when they posted a sweet photo of baby Archies feet on Mothers Day. The image included forget-me-nots in the background, which were Princess Dianas favorite flower. Rather than overtly speak about missing Princess Diana, they did it quietly and gracefully. Its possible that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get pregnant again soon and if they do, they might have a little girl. Just dont place your bets on her first name being Diana. The Trump administration will release part of its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan on June 25 and June 26. According to CBN news, President Donald Trump will unveil the plan at the Peace to Prosperity workshop in Bahrain. The White House has said the plan could radically transform lives in the area. "I look forward to these important discussions about a vision that will offer Palestinians exciting new opportunities to realize their full potential. This workshop will engage leaders from across the entire Middle East to promote economic growth and opportunity for the people in this important region," said United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin. Jared Kushner, senior adviser to Trump, said the plan points to economic progress. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives. Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision, and if the core political issues are resolved. We look forward to presenting our vision on ways to bridge the core political issues very soon," Kushner said. According to Politico, the plan will reportedly have four major parts: infrastructure, industry, empowering and investing in people and governance reforms. Meanwhile, some Palestinian officials have already said the plan will fail. All efforts to make the oppressor and the oppressed coexist are doomed to fail This is not about improving living conditions under occupation but about reaching Palestines full potential by ending the Israeli occupation, said Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian diplomat and negotiator. An Israeli official told Politico that its likely Palestine will reject the plan. I think the Palestinian leadership will say no to everything, because theyve said no to generous offers that have been made to them in the past, he said. Photo courtesy: Getty Images Focus on what made Jesus mad to know God's heart, says pastor Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Believing Jesus would be disappointed in how the Church is handling controversial issues today from the LGBT community to alcohol Pastor Tim Harlow is challenging Christians to re-examine what truly made the Son of God mad. I believe Jesus would be angry with the way the Church is responding to things today, even if theyre theologically correct, Harlow told The Christian Post. We have an image problem, and I believe Jesus would tell us we have an image problem. People on the outside are watching us debate these issues, and theyre deciding they dont want whats on the inside. Thats not to say theology doesnt matter, but how we deal with these things does matter, he added. Jesus was angry at those whose attitudes got in the way of his purpose: To seek and to save the lost, to unite us with God's amazing love. In his forthcoming book, What Made Jesus Mad: Rediscover the Blunt, Sarcastic, Passionate Savior of the Bible, Harlow, senior pastor of Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois, identifies the issues that most angered Jesus and urges believers to align their hearts with His, thus getting back to actually following the Savior. Harlow told CP that to truly know someone, its important to identify what makes them angry not what makes them happy. Its important, then, to ask the question: What made Jesus mad? rather than the cliche What would Jesus do? Oftentimes, we focus on the gentle, sweet image of Jesus, but in reality, He often got angry, Harlow said. Interestingly, what most often made Jesus mad were the church leaders, the Pharisees, and religious zealots; the representative authorities acting on behalf of God. If Jesus was mad at those people, what would He think today? When Jesus got angry, He was only angry at those blocking access to God, he continued. He didnt get angry at the adulteress and the tax collector; He got angry at those in the Church who were supposed to know better. In the Gospels, Jesus was angered by the hypocrisy, greed, judging, and lack of mercy coming from the hearts of people who supposedly followed God, Harlow contended. His anger is perhaps most evident in His response to those who were making a profit by exchanging money and selling animals at the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22). In those passages, Jesus overturns tables out of righteous anger, Harlow said. Its fascinating: I always thought His anger stemmed from the money chargers charging too much money. But actually, He was angry because they were selling their wares in the Court of the Gentiles, crowding out those who had traveled to worship. I dont believe the cause of Jesus anger was the merchants selling too much, he continued. I believe He was angry because they were getting in the way of people trying to worship God. Harlow came to Parkview Christian Church in Chicagos southwest suburbs in 1990, when it was a church of 150 people in a mostly unchurched area. Since then, Parkview has grown into a multisite church on a mission, reaching nearly 8,000 people every weekend. The pastor told CP that for nearly three decades, hes worked with people who have baggage from their past church experiences. His heart, he said, is for the prodigal and sharing with them the hope that will bring them back to Christ. Getting on our high horse and alienating people gets in the way of what God is trying to do, he emphasized. We get up and preach about issues, whether its about LGBT rights or alcohol, but we dont often look at ourselves and how were approaching things. Theologically, the Pharisees were correct that Jesus wasnt supposed to work on the Sabbath. But He held to a higher ideal than the rules. My point, he added, is not to look at the religious leaders and Pharisees as jerks or demonize anyone or take sides on an issue, but to interpret their actions to make sure Im not doing the same thing. Today, Im an acting authority I have a whole church trusting me as an acting authority on behalf of God. Its an introspective book thats the result of a 10-year journey. When asked how Christians can respond like Jesus when people conspire to keep others from Gods presence, Harlow responded, It depends on whether theyre in the house or out of the house. The pontificators on social media, the people that have an agenda, the people that want to gripe, theres not much I can do about them, the pastor said. The best thing the Church can do is love those furthest away. The Church, Harlow said, would look vastly different if it truly paid attention to what angered Jesus and loved the least of these. Far too many churches today have older brother syndrome, he said, referencing the parable of the Prodigal Son, in which the older brother represents the rule-following Pharisees. When people see the older brother, the prodigal doesnt get to come home, he said. I dont think there would be enough room for the people that would want to come home to the Father if we could get the older brother out of the way. Yes, it would be messy as heck, Harlow added. Church is going to be messy, but whenever I find the Church acting like Jesus and taking seriously the way Jesus portrayed His Fathers love to the people around them, I cant find enough room to put them." When you open the door up to the people who have been looking for the love of the father they knew was there, they just didnt think they deserved it, the Church will be unstoppable," he concluded. "That is Christianity at its best. Alyssa Milano's comments on abortion an example of 'racism,' 'ignorance,' says Benjamin Watson Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson has criticized actress Alyssa Milano for claiming that the right to an abortion benefits women of color, calling the actresss comments an example of ignorance and racism. After Georgia's governor signed the "heartbeat bill" banning abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks Milano went on Twitter to call for a sex strike until "we get bodily autonomy back." "Any woman of privilege that lives in one of these states, if this goes through, they're going to be able to travel to a state to get a safe reproductive healthcare," Milano told CNNs Chris Cuomo. "But for the women of color, for the women that are marginalized, for the women that are (in) low-income communities ... these bills are going to be catastrophic." Watson, a father of seven and pro-life advocate, responded to Milanos remarks on Twitter, calling it an example of ignorance, racism or some combination of both. To claim that giving MORE children of color the right to be born will negatively affect women of color reveals IGNORANCE, RACISM or some combination of both, Watson said. Our children and families are capable of greatness and lies like this harm our future. Dont patronize us. In recent months, several states have passed laws significantly restricting or banning abortion. Last week, Alabama outraged abortion supporters by passing the most restrictive law in the nation, banning abortion even in cases of rape or incest, while allowing an exception for the life of the mother. Additionally, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have passed "heartbeat laws" that ban abortions at a point in a pregnancy when a heartbeat is regularly detectable. A devout Christian who often speaks out publicly on a wide range of racial and political issues, Watson frequently advocates for the unborn. During a pro-life rally held in New Yorks Times Square on May 5, the athlete called on men to not avoid conversations about abortion, but rather to step up and to step into these conversations with boldness and with grace and with conviction. As families across our country are being destroyed and as lives are being extinguished, we must expose the lies that are being told. We must peel back those layers of deceit, said Watson. We have to be men who are willing to step into that boldly and with confidence because we were made to be protectors and providers. You have what it takes to be the man God designed you to be. Watson said that the voice of pro-life men is greatly needed in the public sphere, also stressing that fatherhood begins in the womb. Thats where it starts, continued Watson. It doesnt start when the baby is out. The relationship you have with the mother, the relationship you have talking to that child en utero. Fatherhood begins in the womb. There are millions of preborn children and courageous, precious mothers that are depending on us men to be men. So lets do it. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 60 percent of legal abortions in the state of Alabama were obtained by black women in 2015. In 2016, Watson argued that the abortion agenda seems to be focused primarily on minorities, pointing out that the nation's largest abortion business was founded by Margaret Sanger, who has often been accused of being a racist and a eugenicist. "I do know that blacks kind of represent a large portion of the abortions, and I do know that honestly the whole idea with Planned Parenthood and Sanger in the past was to exterminate blacks, and it's kind of ironic that it's working," Watson said. "We [as minorities] support candidates, and overwhelmingly support the idea of having Planned Parenthood and the like, and yet, that is why she created it." Watson criticized minorities for buying into the abortion agenda hook, line, and sinker. It's just amazing to me and abortion saddens me, period, he said. But it seems to be something that is really pushed on minorities and provided to minorities especially as something that they should do. In the public, it seems to be painted that when minorities get pregnant they need to get abortions, especially when it comes to teen pregnancy. "We sit here and talk about advancing the black agenda, whatever that means, we talk about our interests, and what's important to us like having political power and advancement and all those things and then we are turning around and we are killing our children," Watson asserted. "And we are buying the lie that it's our personal decision to make." Billionaire stuns 2019 Morehouse College graduates, pledges to pay off student loans Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Nearly 400 graduates of Morehouse College, Americas only all-male historically black college, got welcome news on Sunday when commencement speaker and billionaire investor Robert F. Smith announced his family would pay off their student loans. "I know my class will make sure they pay this forward," Smith told the students. "[L]et's make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward because we are enough to take care of our own community." The gift from the chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners and the richest black man in America is estimated to be worth $40 million. Prior to making the grant announcement, he had also made a $1.5 million gift to the school to be used for scholarships and the development of a new park, Forbes said. Morehouse College said Smiths gift on Sunday was the biggest single gift in the schools history. Surprised graduates at the Atlanta college recalled to The New York Times how the Smiths generosity hit them. Were all in robes, hot, the sun was beaming on us, Ernest Holmes, who said he had about $10,000 in loans that his parents were going to tackle said. Were holding our papers up, trying to block the sun out of our eyes. Everyone jumped up, cheered. People were crying. It was just the most amazing thing. Holmes is expected to start work as a software engineer for Google in Mountain View, California. Brandon Manor who plans to attend medical school declared it, a blessing, a blessing! Now all of a sudden, I can look at schools I might not have considered, because I am not applying with about $100,000 in undergraduate loans, he said. Dwytt Lewis, 21, who just graduated from Morehouse with a degree in business administration, danced his way across the graduation stage after learning his more than $150,000 debt was just wiped away CBS News said. "Just imagine the weight lifted off your shoulders when you have a clean slate coming out of college," Lewis who was once homeless told the network. "It's just an overwhelming feeling, in a good way. I'm so motivated to go change the world." Morehouses president, David A. Thomas, told The New York Times that he would meet with Mr. Smith to work out the details of the grant. This was a liberation gift, meaning this frees these young men from having to make their career decisions based on their debt, Thomas said. This allows them to pursue what they are passionate about. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., a Morehouse alumnus who was the colleges president from 2013 to 2017, called Smiths gift an extraordinary investment and noted that his decision to make it was simply an act of high grace. Mr. Smith is a wise investor, and based on how he made the announcement, challenging them to pay it forward, it sounded to me as if he wants the return on this particular investment to be tabulated by the giving and good these young men show others throughout their lives, Wilson, who was the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities for part of the Obama administration, told The New York Times. And, ideally, perhaps a central element of that return will become apparent when this Class of 2019, along with scores of other Morehouse alumni, make their own financial investments in Morehouse like never before, he said. Conservatives react after Jim Carreys cartoon shows Alabama gov. being aborted Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Some conservatives are now condemning actor Jim Carrey after he published a cartoon on Saturday depicting Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey being aborted as furor over the states controversial abortion ban continues to grow. The ban, described as the strictest in the nation, was signed into law last Wednesday with no exceptions for rape or incest. It makes it a Class A felony for a doctor to perform an abortion and a Class C felony for attempting to perform an abortion in six months. The only exemption under the bill is if there is a serious health risk to the mother. I think If youre going to terminate a pregnancy, it should be done sometime before the fetus becomes Governor of Alabama, Carrey wrote in a tweet on Saturday which contained graphic artwork of Ivey being aborted. Some conservatives reacted in disgust. You were one of my favorite actors. Honestly Im disgusted by your lack of respect for the image is what happens to babies. They are sucked out of the mother. Shame on you Jim, Christian recording artist Kaya Jones tweeted at the actor. Live Action founder and President Lila Rose called out Twitter for what she argued was the extreme double standard in allowing Carrey to publicly promote Iveys death. The extreme double standard of @jack & @Twitter on full, gross display here. @JimCarrey publicly wishes death on someone and posts a gory photo of them being killed. He explicitly promotes a very violence that kills almost 1M people a year in the United States. & zero response, she wrote on Twitter. Outspoken internet preacher and lead pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee Greg Locke said Carrey had destroyed his voice. Dear @JimCarrey, youve successfully destroyed your voice and youve shown the true brutality of abortion and the evil hatred of those that stand for it. You used to be funny. Now your just a vicious jerk, he wrote. Other conservatives like Ben Shapiro, founder and editor of the Daily Wire, agreed that Carreys artwork helped demonstrate the horror of abortion. This is a pretty great depiction of an abortion: clinically accurate, and wiping out an individual human life, he wrote in a tweet. Thank you for the truly accurate (and therefore horrifying) portrayal of abortion sucking out the brains of a PERSON because that person is inconvenient to you, added Liz Wheeler, a host on the conservative network OAN. You blessed the pro life movement with this. On Sunday, about 500 activists, organizers and regular citizens marched against Alabamas abortion ban. Ivey acknowledged that the ban will likely be "unenforecable" but said she and the bill's sponsors hope the U.S. Supreme Court will revisit its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. President Donald Trump, who describes himself as a strong pro-life advocate, appeared to find the almost total ban extreme. As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions - Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother - the same position taken by Ronald Reagan, he wrote in a series of tweets. We have come very far in the last two years with 105 wonderful new Federal Judges (many more to come), two great new Supreme Court Justices, the Mexico City Policy, and a whole new & positive attitude about the Right to Life. The Radical Left, with late term abortion (and worse), is imploding on this issue. We must stick together and Win for Life in 2020. If we are foolish and do not stay UNITED as one, all of our hard fought gains for Life can, and will, rapidly disappear! Faith leaders are increasingly navigating mass trauma, a new media resource promises to help Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment NEW YORK Time and air seemed to freeze as Pastor Sam Saylors raspy voice, still palpable with pain, boomed through the room inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum. We are called to be, as healers, we are called into a ministry, to serve God and its not an easy task. It will give us high blood pressure. It will even kill us. It is a seat of service, not to be served, he said with steely defiance. We have to be like Aaron. When Aaron wanted to go and cry about the loss of his sons he was told to stay in the temple. You have to hold the mantle up. Youve got to hold the sense of hope up no matter how devastated and dark it gets, he said. How do you go to a mothers door who cant move beyond the bloodstained steps because she cant afford to go live somewhere else? Youve got to tell her how you made it over. So every one of our testimonies, every one of our pieces tells about the face of God how even in the midst of the darkness His hand will reach in and keeps us stabilized sufficient enough just to get through the next day, he continued. Thats what we have to do. Thats how we heal. ... We have to become overcomers of this evil. Saylor is the senior pastor of the Gardner Memorial AME Zion Church of Springfield, Massachusetts. He is also the national vice president of the National Gun Victims Actions Council, a non-profit network of 14 million gun victims, survivors, the faith community and ordinary people. Saylors son, 20-year-old Shane Oliver, was shot dead in a violent street encounter in 2012. Despite his steely resolve that faith leaders should stand and serve in the face of evil however, he also understands that those who heal must get healing when they need it too. So on Friday, he joined a group of community and faith leaders at the museum who became first responders to mass trauma for a screening of clips from a new media resource recently released by Odyssey Impact called Healing The Healers. The series highlights the need for support for faith leaders who respond to mass trauma. This mass trauma can be like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where Adam Lanza, 20, gunned down 28 people including himself and his mother, or ongoing gun-violence in urban communities like where Saylors son was killed. The new Healing The Healers series is hosted by the Rev. Matthew Crebbin, a senior pastor at Newtown Congregational Church who was present in ministry at the time of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. It was also created in partnership with the Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth to help communities prepare for and navigate complex trauma, and foster support and recovery in the aftermath of violent incidents. One of the reasons we want to inform you about trauma is when communities are traumatized and people dont understand trauma, then people start accepting behaviors and conditions as normal because they dont recognize that this is as a result of people behaving due to trauma, Crebbin said Friday. Not being informed about trauma means we start accepting normal circumstances in our world as this is operational as opposed to saying actually when were traumatized it means our world doesnt function properly and appropriately in all kinds of ways. So really the idea is by being mindful about trauma and helping to teach it, thats why we have clergy being aware about trauma, he explained. Clergy are serving in communities that are traumatized and dont even know it. I look back at my ministry and say there are people that came into my doors that were traumatized and I didnt recognize it. I didnt know what was happening with them and I gave it to other things as opposed to recognizing now and saying Oh my gosh. That was a traumatized person. I could have responded differently to them if I had understood that, he said. And thats why its so important to inform those folks that are going to be engaging it because we tend to be transformative in all kinds of ways including how we deal with things in policy and political life. For Saylor, it wasnt until the loss of his son that he truly began to understand the impact of trauma. He talked about how two weeks prior to Shanes death he was at a rally with a group of Hispanic women who were protesting the violent murder of a young woman in their community. I didnt know what to say to them. I had to get off the parade. I was speaking empty words into their lives and they werent responding, he said explaining how vowed not to attend another vigil. Two weeks later, I led the parade of pain. I know what it was like to look into the lifeless body of a son and couldnt answer, couldnt get a life. I had to go on trusting in God, he said. I go around the country now and tell people One lady in Baltimore said it was like an 80-pound gorilla got lifted off her chest just by sharing her story. Rev. Dr. Storm Swain, associate professor of pastoral care and theology director of Anglican studies at United Lutheran Seminary, called the new series a real gift to those of us in theological education. Trauma collects as time because we tend to store those traumatic memories in the amygdala in a sensory way and they dont necessarily get processed through hippocampal pathways. But kairos time is like that as well, kairos time and sacred time. I think that for many that have been involved in disaster response and recovery, we go into that sacred time and we can go back there in a moment as well, she said. She also praised the relationships that allowed the stories highlighted in the series to be told in a way that did not re-traumatize those who told them. We can share those stories but the reality is, because its sacred, we dont share those stories with everybody and I think theres something about the gift and the healer in the Healers series with Odyssey is that Matt invites these conversations, she explained, because he is a safe person to talk to. You have been there and walked through the valley of the shadow of death. That those relationships are either there already or invite that conversation in a way that is safe and invites us to witness rather than to be in a voyeuristic relationship, she said. More and more we are trying to bring disaster care into seminary life and they have been using some of these videos. The Rev. Dr. Trace Haythorn, executive director and CEO of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education explained that the practice of clinical gospel education began almost 100 years ago because people thought they were leaving seminary schools ill-equipped to address the basic pastoral needs of people in the community. Trauma, he said, is something the students are increasingly beginning to face. It is common now for us to have students working in emergency rooms and trauma one centers so they are receiving this on a daily basis. And having to learning how to integrate that as they are trying to learn how to do the work at the same time. Now with the preponderance of disasters, whether natural or human or human accident, among all three, students have to develop a whole new set of skills and we work with folks across the whole spectrum of faith perspectives, Haythorn said. So from the atheist chaplain which are two words I had not put together until recently, thats now something we see more and more of, all the way to folks who are orthodox traditions whatever their faith group. Probably one of the most important groups that we have seen emerging in this work, there are folks for whom the idea of chaplaincy wasnt a part of their faith tradition at all. Most recently thats been in the Muslim community, he added. Nick Stuart, CEO of Odyssey Impact, called the series one of the most important things weve ever done. Ive been at international film festivals all over the place, we have won awards but this was really faith in action at its most important. One of the things we learned from Newtown, the film we made, is that the community turns to faith leaders for meaning, for understanding or even just to stand with them, he said. Everyone assumes that faith leaders are supermen and women, that theyve got the answers and somehow their strength or faith, means theyre almost immune to that pain and theyre not. We realized that really quickly and we thought, we could do something. Are our faith leaders being trained, are they being supported, and we thought well put together some resources and well help but also a campaign to urge denominations that they must put in place support for their ministers and pastors, Stuart noted. Its their duty almost. You cant just put trained ministers and then send them out without the training to deal with mass trauma. Im hoping this will help. Kirsten Kelly, senior producer for Transform Films and Odyssey Impact, who worked on the series, said it was a sacred journey. Its not something I expected in my filmmaking life and I think that working with Rev. Crebbin, really being along with him and trying to capture him and these conversations authentically and intimately as possible has been a challenge but also an important challenge to really wrap your arms around, she said. I think through each of the episodes in the series as a whole, I think the greatest message that we as a society understand, [is] the isolation that often these faith leaders face in these traumas and tragedies, Kelly said. If we can strengthen the communities both within your small congregation, within your community at large, that that strength is what will be your support in the darker moments. No one can do it alone, especially when that healer or that pastor is being asked almost to sacrifice their own personal feelings, or journey of grief, in order to lead and help others. That can often be isolating. Maryland student sues school for allegedly forcing her to promote Islamic beliefs in class Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A former high school students parents are taking their lawsuit against a Maryland school district over allegedly being forced to promote Muslim beliefs to the U.S. Supreme Court. The parents of Caleigh Wood, who are represented by the Thomas More Law Center, asked the Supreme Court last week to hear an appeal in a suit they filed against Charles County Public Schools. Law Center President Richard Thompson said in a statement released last Wednesday that he believed some public schools have become a hot bed of Islamic propaganda. Under the guise of teaching history or social studies, public schools across America are promoting the religion of Islam in ways that would never be tolerated for Christianity or any other religion, stated Thompson. Prompted by zealous Islamic activism and emboldened by confusing court decisions, schools are now bending over backwards to promote Islam while at the same time denigrate Christianity. We are asking the Supreme Court to provide the necessary legal guidance to resolve the insidious discrimination against Christians in our public schools. In January 2016, the law center filed a suit on behalf of the Wood family against the school district in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. According to the complaint, during the 2014-2015 academic year, 11th grader and devout Christian Wood was compelled to promote Islamic beliefs during a world history class. Allegedly, students were taught that most Muslims faith is stronger than the average Christian and instructed to recite passages from the Quran and the shahada, or Muslim statement of faith. The lawsuit also claimed that Wood and the other students were instructed that the Islamic religion is a fact while Christianity and Judaism are just beliefs. For example that the Quran is the word of Allah as revealed to Muhammad in the same way that Jews and Christians believe the Torah and the Gospels were revealed to Moses and the New Testament writers, explained the 2016 lawsuit. During its brief instruction on Christianity, Defendants failed to cover any portion of the Bible or other non-Islamic religious texts, such as the Ten Commandments. Instead, the class included disparaging remarks about Christianity and the Pope. Wood refused to do the assignment on the basis of religious objection and requested to do an alternative assignment. The school rejected the request and gave her a failing grade. In September 2016, District Court Judge George Hazel ruled against the Wood family, rejecting a preliminary injunction against the school district and partly granting a motion to dismiss. In February, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the district court ruling in a unanimous decision. Circuit Judge Barbara Keenan, author of the panel opinion, wrote that the court decided that the history course did not violate Woods First Amendment rights, because they did not impermissibly endorse any religion and did not compel Wood to profess any belief. Nothing in the record indicates that the comparative faith statement was made with a subjective purpose of advancing Islam over Christianity, or for any other predominately religious purpose, wrote Judge Keenan. The students were not required to memorize the shahada, to recite it, or even to write the complete statement of faith. Instead, the worksheet included a variety of factual information related to Islam and merely asked the students to demonstrate their understanding of the material by completing the partial sentences. Megachurch founder James MacDonald allegedly sought murder for hire, police investigating Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Police in Illinois are currently investigating allegations that Harvest Bible Chapel founder James MacDonald sought to find a hitman to commit murder. A subject came in and filed a report and we are doing an investigation based on that report, Wilmette Deputy Police Chief Pat Collins confirmed with The Christian Post Monday. The allegations regarding MacDonalds efforts to commit murder were first reported by independent journalist Julie Roys, who cited Chicago radio personality Mancow Muller and Emmanuel Manny Bucur, a deacon at HBC and former confidant and volunteer bodyguard of MacDonalds, as the individuals making the claims. Muller alleges that MacDonald asked him at least twice in 2018 if he knew a hitman he could hire. Initially, he thought that the HBC founder was joking but it became clear to him during a conversation in December that MacDonald was really serious, Roys reported. Bucur alleged that about three years before that, in 2015, MacDonald asked him to kill his former son-in-law, Tony Groves, and offered to help dispose of the body. He argued that he did not report MacDonald because he was angry about his daughter allegedly being hurt, and chalked up the proposal as a momentary lapse in judgment. Bucur alleges that MacDonald asked him to kill Groves while they were on a motorcycle trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, from July 31, 2015, to August 2, 2015. Others who were on the trip are: former HBC Assistant Senior Pastor Rick Donald, former Elder and Executive Director of Harvest Bible Fellowship Kent Shaw, former Elder Marcel Olar, and church members Tom Moore and Steve Lupella. During breakfast while at a restaurant in Indiana on the last day of the trip, Bucur said, MacDonald asked him to kill Groves while searching pornography websites for damaging material he feared Groves may have posted of his daughter Abby. MacDonald reportedly asked Bucur if he would be willing to take Tony out. Bucur reportedly responded, Are you asking me what I think youre asking me? It was then that MacDonald confirmed his request and told him that with his background as a combat Marine veteran, it shouldnt be too hard to kill Groves and get away with it. Bucur said he replied, Absolutely not! Were not having this conversation and were not talking about this ever again. Muller confirmed that he filed a report with police where he lives in Wilmette, Illinois on Thursday and said hes terrified of MacDonald, who he believes is dangerous and may be targeting him. Since filing the report, Muller says police have increased patrols around his house while he has also hired private security. Bucur also reportedly filed a separate report with police in Bartlett, Illinois, who said they would allow the Wilmette investigation to continue rather than open up a second investigation. Under Illinois law, a person who requests or encourages someone to murder another person is guilty of solicitation of murder which is a Class X felony which comes with a 15-30 years prison sentence. Pro-life leaders criticize Trump for saying it's 'foolish' to oppose rape, incest exceptions Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pro-life leaders are criticizing President Donald Trump, who some supporters say is the most pro-life president ever, after he suggested this weekend that new abortion bans in Alabama and Missouri that dont include exceptions in the cases of rape or incest go too far. The Radical Left, with late term abortion (and worse), is imploding on this issue. We must stick together and Win for Life in 2020, Trump wrote in a Twitter thread over the weekend. If we are foolish and do not stay UNITED as one, all of our hard fought gains for Life can, and will, rapidly disappear! ....for Life in 2020. If we are foolish and do not stay UNITED as one, all of our hard fought gains for Life can, and will, rapidly disappear! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Trumps tweet comes as other prominent Republican leaders like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney joined liberals in voicing concern after Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law last week legislation that has been labeled a near total ban on abortion in the state. Alabamas Human Life Protection Act effectively makes it a felony for an abortion provider to perform an abortion in the state if they are outside of the bounds of the exceptions. The law would not hold women who get an abortion criminally responsible. The new law allows for exceptions in cases where the mothers life is at risk or where fetus cant survive. Just days later, a bill was passed in Missouri banning abortions after eight weeks without exceptions in the cases of rape and incest. Trump, whose administration has advanced a number of pro-life policies during his first two-plus years in office, has maintained that he believes in having exceptions in abortion laws for cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. In his Twitter thread, the 72-year-old president stated that he holds the same position taken by former Republican President Ronald Reagan. We have come very far in the last two years with 105 wonderful new Federal Judges (many more to come), two great new Supreme Court Justices, the Mexico City Policy, and a whole new & positive attitude about the Right to Life, Trump assured pro-lifers in his thread. Lila Rose, who runs the pro-life advocacy organization Live Action, responded to Trumps tweet by thanking him for the pro-life advancements his administration has made. But she argued that in order to be pro-life, we must be 100% pro-life. A child of rape or incest is not a 2nd-class citizen, she wrote in the tweet. No woman or girl is served by abortion or immune to its trauma, including survivors of rape and incest. Live Actions Twitter account responded to Trumps tweet by posting a video of a testimony provided by Jennifer Christie, who was raped on a business trip and impregnated. Rape or incest are horrible situations, and abusers need to be held fully to the law but abortion is not the path to healing, the Live Action account wrote in the tweet. In another tweet, Live Action also reminded followers that Valerie Gatto, former Miss Pennsylvania, was conceived in rape. Her mother was brutally attacked at knifepoint when she was 19 but rejected abortion, the tweet reads. Ryan Bomberger, a pro-life activist who himself was conceived in rape and adopted by a loving family, penned an op-ed last week responding to criticisms of the Alabama law titled I am the 1 percent used to justify 100 percent of abortions. Im not the residue of the rapist, as Senator Vivian Davis Figures described those like me who were conceived in rape, Bomberger wrote. I couldnt control the circumstances of my conception. When it comes to rape and abortion, how do you heal violence with more violence? he asked. Lets be real here. Even if Alabamas Human Life Protection Act had a rape and incest exception, the confused Handmaids Tale cosplayers would still be out in full force. Fake feminists need to exploit tragedy to promote their false equality. And they never seem to find space in their screeds to talk about punishing the actual criminal the rapist. Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who founded the ex-abortion worker ministry Then There Were None, responded to Trumps tweet with a photo of her adopted son. My son was conceived in rape. I would love for you to meet him, @realDonaldTrump, and tell me how his life isnt as valuable as my children conceived in love, Johnson tweeted. He deserved to live and Im so thankful that he does. Johnson, whose memoir was the focal point of the 2019 movie Unplanned," also responded to critics of the Alabama bill on Twitter last week. If we allow some children to die because of certain circumstances, then we become eugenicists, she wrote. No better than Hitler. In other conservative states, laws have passed that would ban abortion once a heartbeat is detected. Four states in the last year have passed laws banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, while Missouri recently passed its law banning abortion at eight weeks of pregnancy. Some note that the timing of such bills being passed at the state level are part of a conservative effort to have an abortion case reach the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the courts 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, which made abortion a national right. Pro-life leaders are criticizing President Donald Trump, who supporters say is the most pro-life president ever, after he suggested this weekend Alabamas law that bans abortion even in the cases of rape or incest goes too far. Purity culture harmed thousands of evangelical teens; what did the Church get wrong about sex? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment For evangelical Christian teens growing up in the 1990s-2000s, purity culture was ubiquitous. From purity rings to True Love Waits pledges, millions of adolescents across the country formally vowed to abstain from sex and save themselves for marriage. But for some, the movement carried with it long-term, damaging implications. Amid the rise of the #MeToo movement paired with reports of sex abuse within the Church, individuals whose lives were shaped by purity culture began to push back. They shared stories of how some of the more problematic aspects of the movement, though well-intentioned, caused them to have an unhealthy relationship with religion, relationships, and sex. Cait West, an English tutor in Grand Rapids, Michigan, grew up in a home that practiced Christian patriarchy, a movement in which women live within strictly enforced ideas of wifely submission and male headship. The movement places an emphasis on sexual abstinence before marriage and promotes a strict approach to romance: no casual dating, only serious courtship aimed at marriage, with parental involvement throughout the process. West recalled how, growing up, she was shamed for normal adolescent curiosity, ordered to avoid one-on-one interactions with someone of the opposite sex, and was taught that any kind of sexual thought bore the same weight as fornication. Dating was never an option, she told The Christian Post. I was never taught about sex or sexuality at all. I remember asking my parents, testing the waters, Whats this about? And they brushed it aside. I was never allowed to explore or ask questions, so I never thought of myself as a sexual being because of that. The underlying teaching is that women as sexual beings are bad, she said. Youre not supposed to be sexual at all. So for women, any kind of sexual thoughts are tied to shame. The biggest visible example of purity teaching was the emphasis on modesty. She recalled how, before purchasing an item of clothing, her father would first appraise her body, gauging the modesty of her outfit. My father would come to the store with me and judge everything I had on, she said. That overt male gaze judging my clothing throughout my adolescence and into my 20s really shaped how I thought of myself because I never thought who I was from my perspective. As she got older, West said the feelings of shame, anxiety, and fear stemming from her experience in evangelical purity culture only grew. It wasnt until she left the movement at 25 that she realized the magnitude of the emotional, physical, and spiritual trauma shed endured. I felt very disconnected from my own body because I was never taught about the sexual part of me, she said. I didnt want to think about my own body or explore my own sexuality because it was a dirty part of me I wasnt allowed to explore. It made me feel weird about living in my own body, and I didnt realize just how much I hated my own body until I left the movement. Now married, West said she still struggles to connect with her own body and sexuality. Ive had a lot of trouble with disassociation in sexually intimate moments because its too much for me to be present in my own body because it feels bad," she admitted. "For years, youre told something is bad and then suddenly you get married and youre supposed to be OK with it. It was like I was trained not to have that part of me turned on or be aware of things. Ive been working through that process of figuring out what those toxic messages were and re-train myself to have agency, she added. Jeremy and Audrey Roloff, former stars of the hit TLC show Little People, Big World," famously practiced abstinence until their wedding day in 2014. The couple told CP that their decision to abstain from sex until marriage happened in spite of their immersion in purity culture not because of it. Christian culture kind of missed the boat a little bit; they were trying to pull up the weeds instead of grabbing them by the root, Jeremy said. So all of these boundaries were set up and teens were told not to do XY, but there was no clear reason as to why. Audrey pointed out that oftentimes, girls who were given purity rings were told that was the end of the conversation. Often, it was suggested that those who lost their virginity were beyond redemption. In the church I grew up in, nothing was talked about. It was just, dont have sex, there was no discussion outside what was assumed to be the norm, she said. Youre told sex is bad until married, but youre not told how good sex can be within marriage. "I wish that had been communicated to me as a teen," she added wistfully, "so I actually understood why I was supposed to refrain. "This is no small thing" According to Linda Kay Klein, author of Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Women and How I Broke Free, such testimonies are not uncommon. After struggling with years of sexual and gender-based shame, fear, and anxiety stemming from her own experience with purity culture, Klein decided it was time to change the conversation. Over a decade ago, she began compiling dozens of testimonies from childhood friends involved in the purity movement. What she found was astonishing: All the women she talked to experienced similar feelings of fear, shame and anxiety in relation to sex. My interviewees made different life choices, yet among their stories, I heard many of the same themes, she shared. I heard about sexual and gender-based shame, fear, anxiety, and experiences stemming from their shame that mimicked Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder, such as nightmares, panic attacks, and paranoia. Several of my interviewees told me their shame was also creating deep problems in their marriages, particularly in their marriage beds. She pointed out that purity teachings often place the onus disproportionately on adolescent girls and women: As women, it was said it was also our job to ensure that we didnt inspire sexual thoughts or feelings in men by the way that they walked, talked or dressed, she said. In other words, girls grew up with the message that not only did we need to be pure, but it was our responsibility to ensure that the whole community was pure. Thats a lot of pressure for a young girl! But the most damaging aspect of the purity movement, she said, is its reliance on shaming. Shame, she explained, is the feeling I am something bad, as opposed to guilt, which is the feeling I did something bad." Klein argued that shame is so deeply interwoven throughout purity teachings they become a significant part of a persons identity. That, she said, is no small thing. Shame isnt bashfulness, she said. It is a feeling of our being unworthy, or being seen as unworthy in other peoples eyes, that causes us to disconnect from ourselves, from others, andfrom what Ive seen in my interviewsfrom God at times. It can lead to emotional isolation which can develop into dangerous levels of hopelessness, desperation, subsequent self-harm, and much more. Proponents of the purity movement Although not a new phenomenon, the purity culture movement took off in the late 1980s and 1990s as a reaction to the AIDS crisis and the sexual revolution of the 1960s-'80s. On a deeper level, however, it stemmed from a widespread concern within the evangelical community that the traditional family was in crisis. The movement was popularized in part through the work of James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family who was once described as the the nations most influential evangelical leader by The New York Times. When my dad did the first Focus on the Family series in 1979, he was 43 years old. That's young, Dobsons son, Ryan, told The Christian Post. He had to be the expert, and the truth is, he was. Science cannot bury God but it can bury atheism: John Lennox Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON Science cannot bury God, as some atheists claim, but it can bury atheism, according to an emeritus professor at Oxford University with a Ph.D. in mathematics. Gathered before hundreds at the Museum of the Bible Thursday for a Socrates in the City event hosted by author Eric Metaxas in the lead-up to Colson Center's annual Wilberforce Weekend, Irish mathematician John Lennox engaged the question: Has science buried God? Atheism, theism, pantheism have been around for millennia, Lennox said, when asked by Metaxas about when the idea crept into to mainstream Western thought that science and Christian faith were at odds. Isaac Newton "laid out the universe beautifully in terms of mathematics and discovered that mathematics gave a brilliant description of how things work, and it led to the idea that the universe was essentially a mechanical artifact. And then people began to think 'Well, it seems to run very well on its own and we are able to research it without referring to any concept of someone who set it going.' So the idea of God setting it going started to recede into the past," he said. By the 18th century, deism the belief that God exists but He is largely uninvolved in the affairs of humanity was prevalent and subsequently followed by the Enlightenment, where the thinkers of the day replaced God with human reason. "The social situation in England was such that when you got to the time of [Charles] Darwin and [Aldous] Huxley it was more to it than simply using science to bury God. Huxley, who was very famous, he was furious at the existence of amateur scientists, some of them were very brilliant ... who challenged him." Huxley's idea was to have the church scientific and change churches into where they would worship "Sophia," the goddess of wisdom, Lennox continued. But the shift away from a God-centered view of the cosmos at that time in the West was compounded by a professing Christian church that had no reality and was compromised morally, he went on to say. "And that turned the tables very rapidly, I think," he said. The thinking then became that God was fine for a while but He is no longer necessary, Lennox explained, as Steven Hawking asserted in his book The Grand Design. The notion that as science increases God decreases is inadequate, he said, and that results in the "God of the gaps" fallacy, which is intellectually lazy: "I can't explain it, therefore, God did it." "And that is a profound misunderstanding of the nature of explanation. Explaining explanation is a very important thing," Lennox said. "The mistake that is made, and [atheist author] Richard Dawkins pushed this, is that God and science compete as explanations, so you have to choose between them." But that's a false choice, he elaborated. Such thinkers are making two key mistakes, the first being that they have the wrong concept of God. When Lennox was growing up in Ireland and would refer to God, people knew he was speaking of the Creator God in the Bible. Yet atheists like Steven Hawking think Lennox is speaking of God who resembles an ancient Greek deity like Zeus and then automatically assume Christians default to the God of the gaps, the "I can't explain lightning so I invent a god when you do some atmospheric physics that god disappears." "The most important thing to realize is that the God of the Bible is not a god of the gaps," Lennox stressed. The first sentence of the Bible "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" linguistically is a merism, which includes the bits we do and don't understand. "If you understand art, you can follow the details of a Rembrandt painting better than I can. The more you understand, the more you admire the genius, and that is just so important. And so Newton's faith and my faith, being in God, increases, because the heavens are constantly and increasingly declaring his glory," he stressed, alluding to Psalm 19. But the reason he thinks that science can bury atheism is because science can be done, Lennox said. If you start believing that there is a rational intelligence behind the universe, then doing science is reasonable, and the Christian has a rationale for doing science, he said. When atheists ask him how it is possible for him to be both a scientist and a Christian he inquires of them: "What do you do science with?" and he points to his head to make it obvious. Most of them reply that they do science with their brains. Lennox then lets them simmer on that thought and then asks them to tell him about their brains with which they do science. "What do you really believe about it? Give me a short history of the brain," he presses them. They often say something like "that's relatively easy because the brain is the end product of the mindless unguided process," he said. "And I look at them and I sometimes smile and I say: 'And you trust it?'" "Be honest with me, if you knew that the computer you use every day in your lab was the end product of a mindless, unguided process would you trust it? Lennox has asked that question to dozens of internationally acclaimed scientists, and he always forces them to answer. Each of them always responds with a "no." "I see you have a problem then. Here you're doing science. And I'm asking you for a rational justification of your faith," he tells them. "We've been hugely miseducated to think that there is science here and faith there," he said, gesturing as if the two were completely distinct categories. "Science involves faith. You don't do science unless it can be done. More precisely, you don't do it unless you believe the universe is at least in part rationally intelligible." Texas congregation holds first worship service at new sanctuary 18 months after massacre Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A small Texas church that garnered national headlines in 2017 when a shooter opened fire on the congregation officially opened their new sanctuary. First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs held their first services on Sunday at their new worship facility, with elected officials including Governor Greg Abbott giving remarks. This is a tangible sign as people drive through Sutherland Springs in the future they will know that this is a place where goodness triumphed over evil, stated Gov. Abbott, as reported by The Associated Press. There were two services on Sunday, a 9:00 AM service centered on thanking God for the provision of the building and land and an 11:00 AM service meant to honor the victims, victims' families, survivors, donors, and the community of Sutherland Springs, according to a May 8 post on the churchs Facebook page. Pastor Frank Pomeroy, the leader of the church whose 14-year-old daughter was among the murdered, explained to the AP that the church now had a safety response team as part of their increased security. We dont want to look like a fortress, but also wanted to make sure that everybody could feel safe on the inside, said Pomeroy to the AP. The Southern Baptist Conventions North American Mission Board, which helped fundraise for the new building, took to social media to offer their support for the opening. Pray for the members of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs this morning as they dedicate their new worship facility. Thank you Southern Baptists for making this possible, tweeted NAMB. On Nov. 5, 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley, who was discharged from the U.S. Air Force after being convicted of assault and serving one year in a military prison, entered FBC Sutherland Springs during Sunday worship and opened fire, killing 26 people. Authorities concluded that, although he had a history of anti-religious social media posts, Kelley's primary motive was because his ex-wife had family who attended the church. In March of last year, it was announced that FBC Sutherland Springs was going to construct a new worship space near the location of the mass shooting. Last May, the church held an official ground-breaking, which had among its speakers U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who told those gathered that while people saw "the face of evil" with the shooting, they also "saw so much more." "You saw love. You saw strength. You saw compassion. You saw courage. You saw sacrifice," said Sen. Cruz at the 2018 event. Cruz also commended the church for its "powerful" showcasing of "the strength, the peace of this community," saying that "as each of you grieving leaned on each other," their reaction to the shooting "reflected the love of Jesus." Christian coffee company to donate 100 cars to struggling single moms in need Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian-owned pro-life coffee company in South Florida has launched an initiative to use profits to gift 100 cars to struggling single mothers in need and has already assisted the mother of a severely autistic teen. Burly Man Coffee, a Stuart-based subscription coffee service launched last December, gifted in March a four-door Kia sedan to Celeste Bokstrom, the mother and full-time caretaker of her 16-year-old non-verbal autistic son, Logan. Bokstrom and Logan live in a makeshift apartment inside a single-car garage in Lake Worth. The mother is forced to use a hotplate as a stove and hasn't owned a vehicle for the past four years. You do what you got to do when you are a mom, Bokstrom said in a video produced by the coffee company. It is a battle. It is all about keeping him happy. If he is happy. We are all happy. Generally, he is a happy child. Bokstrom said she once saved up $2,000 to purchase a car for her family. But when she went to register the car with the state, she was informed that it was a stolen car and she could not keep it. Having taken her so long to save up the money, she said she was devastated to have lost it all in a moment. But Bokstrom and her son were provided with a hand-up after Burly Man Coffee owners, Jeremy and Tiana Wiles, heard about the familys struggles. I think that God looks down and He sees you stuck, Jeremy Wiles told Bokstrom. He doesnt want you to be stuck. We thought we would do something to keep you moving forward. In addition to a new car, Bokstrom and her son were gifted with an iPad, a tool that will help him communicate and provide comfort when he is upset. The company also gifted other resources that will help with Logans caretaking. The mother was also treated to a shopping spree, a surprise party with her friends and a salon makeover. To me, this is a lot more than gifts, she said in the video. This is making my life and my sons life better in every way. The Wiles also connected Bokstrom with Michael Cohen, the director of Center for Brain in Jupiter, Florida, an institution that has helped treat thousands of severely autistic children. Cohen is a leading expert in the field of neurofeedback and has agreed to treat Logan for free. Neurofeedback is a therapy that helps patients stabilize their emotions and rewire their brain. The therapy has even helped patients to speak. I had no idea this was going to happen to me, Bokstrom said in a statement. I had faith and believed that God knew my struggles, but I never expected this. Receiving a car has changed my world. And Logan is now getting the help he deserves. Im so grateful. Burly Man Coffee has changed our lives for the better. A news release explains that Burly Man Coffees goal is to donate 100 cars to single mothers as a way to fight the dangerous agenda to shame American men with a message on toxic masculinity. There are single moms barely staying afloat because some men have abandoned ship. Burly Man Coffee has stepped up to fill in the gap and provide relief by meeting their most critical needs, Tiana Wiles said. This is an opportunity to demonstrate what real men do: they take care of those in need. If we can change the life of a mother and her child for the better, then we are doing something right. Jeremy Wiles assured that not all men are barbaric, sexist, misogynistic, racist monsters. We associated the term being Burly with being a man who is brave, kind, generous, and patriotic. Our brand represents every hard-working American whose virtues have more value than the toxic agenda being shoved in their faces, Wiles stressed. The fast-growing number of people joining the coffee club is a clear indicator that people appreciate great coffee and want to partner with a company that uses their hard-earned dollars to represent their values. On the companys website, Wiles wrote that Burly Man Coffee hopes to play a small part in not only strengthening the country but also restoring some of the values and principles that have been lost. As a Christian, I think we should have products and businesses we can use that support the values we believe in, Jeremy Wiles wrote. The company also assures that it is pro-life. While coffee giant Starbucks financially supports the nations largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, Wiles condemned companies that pour millions of dollars into movements that do not protect life, faith, and values. Were putting our money where our mouth is, so that good folks can put their mouth where their values are, Wiles explained. We support struggling single moms and families with every purchase. Through our charitable program, we are able to help struggling mothers get back on their feet by providing food, clothing, vehicles, assistance with mounting bills, medical care, and sustainable financial planning. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Around the Colson Center we often talk about zombie arguments, ideas thatlike the undead so popular on televisionjust keep getting up and shambling around, no matter how many times you kill them. For example, there are zombie arguments about abortionlike the one that says the pre-born arent really human. There are also quite a few zombie arguments in favor of same-sex relationships. Often, theyre arguments that ran their course, outlived their usefulness in secular circles years ago, but now enjoy a kind of second life, often among self-identified Christians who want to go along with the culture. Im talking about arguments like, Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, or How does my gay marriage hurt you? and of course, I was born this way. That last one showed up in my inbox recently. A gentleman who had attended a talk I gave wrote to tell me how disappointed he was in what he called my misinformation about homosexuality. He said (incorrectly) that in the book that I co-authored with Sean McDowell on this topic, we claimed that being gay is a choice, and that the lack of any identified gay gene proves this. there is no gene for diabetes, he wrote, and yet it happens. There is no doubt that the LGBT community is born that way. And since God makes no mistakes, he continued, the LGBT community is God-created just like us straight folks. I wrote back to correct his misunderstanding. Nowhere in the book did Sean or I claim that the apparent lack of a gay gene proves that homosexuality is purely a choice, or purely environmental. In fact, Ive never made that claim in any book. Rather, I argue that same-sex orientation probably results from a combination of both environmental and biological factors. The best research is on my side here. No expert on this topicnot even those who approve of same-sex relationshipsdismisses environmental factors completely. Evidence such as identical twins who are raised separately, but who dont both identify as gay is just too strong an indicator that nurture must play a role. I added that leaders in the LGBT movement have long known that the born this way argument is bogus. All the way back in 1989, the authors of After the Balla sort of manifesto and game plan for the gay rights movementadmitted this. They wrote that sexual orientation, for most humans, seems to be the product of a complex interaction between innate predispositions and environmental factors But, they concluded, the public should be led to believe the born this way argument, because its so useful for creating sympathy and pro-gay policy. Plus, its incredibly easy to make. Nowadays, the LGB movement has largely retired the born this way argument to make way for the Ttransgender identity. So in place of I was born this way and I cant change, we now hear I was born this way, it was wrong, and I want to change. In fact these days, the born this way argument almost always comes from self-identified Christians who are trying to convince us that homosexuality is compatible with our faith. I think especially of the comments of Mayor Pete Buttigieg that God made him gay and anyone who disagrees has a quarrel with the Maker. My response is simple, and Ive given it countless times: Even if there is a biological impulse toward a certain kind of behavior, that doesnt make it right to act on the impulse. Science tells us of all kinds of biological impulses for behaviors that are harmful, like depression, extreme anger and violence, anorexia, even pedophilia. And of course, biological impulses dont alter the very clear biblical condemnations of homosexual behavior. Sadly, the gentleman ended our email discussion with another zombie argument: that the only reason I hold the position I do is because of homophobia and disgust toward gay people. Thats just not the case. The clear teaching of Scripture, natural law, Christian tradition, and even scientific evidence leads me to reject same-sex behavior, while still loving and seeking the best for those engaged in it. And that will remain true, no matter how many times these zombie arguments shamble into my inbox. Download an mp3 audio here. Resources Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God's Design for Marriage, Sean McDowell, John Stonestreet | Baker Books | 2014 Originally posted at Breakpoint. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As followers of Jesus, we are called to submit to the laws of the land and to honor those in authority. The New Testament is very clear on this (see especially Romans 13:1-7). It is also very clear that there are exceptions to this rule, namely, when the authorities require us to disobey the Lord (see Acts 5:40-42). In that case, with respect, we say, We must obey God rather than man (see Acts 4:18-20; 5:29; to be perfectly clear, Im speaking of non-violent resistance to the law.) That time has come for parents in California. In good conscience, they must say NO to the school authorities and YES to the Lord. Its time to declare to the schools of California, Quit using our children as pawns in the culture wars! Quit sexualizing our kids! Im speaking about the radical new sex-ed curriculum being imposed on all students in the public schools, K-12, without exception, and without the option of parents removing their children from objectionable classes. Were talking about kindergarteners little children just 5-6 years-old being indoctrinated with transgender talking points. Indeed, a book for kindergarten through third grade . . . teaches kids that they can be a boy, girl, neither, gender queer or gender fluid and that adults might not understand their gender identity. Parents, say NO to your impressionable little ones being exposed to trash like this. How dare the school bring such confusion to your precious children. Were talking about introducing boys as young as 9 to slang words for sexual organs. Yes, A book for fourth, fifth and sixth-grade boys discusses slang words for genitals and explains masturbation and sexual fantasies. Parents, say NO to turning your little, pre-pubescent boys into sex-savvy, worldy-wise, street-talkers. Were talking about promoting outright perversion to your high-school kids. To be specific, A book for high school students introduces sex acts for all sexual orientations and introduces the concepts of bondage, body fluid, blood play, fisting and other sexual behaviors once considered to be acts of debauchery. Parents, you must say that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. (To get the full impact of this curriculum, watch this short video. For a written summary, see here. T work together and stay informed, go here.) Many California parents have been speaking out for months, but the educators and legislators have largely turned a deaf ear, leading some parents to pull their kids out of classes already. Now, across California, millions of other parents need to join together to say to the Nanny State: No. You will not corrupt our children. You will not brainwash our little ones. You do not have the moral or spiritual authority to indoctrinate them. And if you refuse to listen to us, we will pull our kids out of your schools until you honor our demands. Really now, who appointed the school system to be the moral conscience of your family? Who appointed teachers to enter your homes on behalf LGBT activists and sexual anarchists? How can you tolerate an invasion like this? We send our kids to school to learn English and Math and History and Science, not to be instructed in the intricacies of anal sex. Enough is enough! Earlier this year, hundreds of Muslim parents pulled their kids out of one school in Birmingham, England, to protest the gay activist curriculum. As a result, the school pulled the curriculum. Theres a lesson here for us. Im fully aware that not every parent is able to do this. Some work jobs while their kids are in school, and others cannot remove their children without creating further problems for their family. Wherever possible, Christian families should work together to help others stand for what is right. But, one way or another, I urge every Christian parent in California to refuse to allow your children to be polluted by an immoral educational system, whatever it takes. (Again,I am speaking here only of peaceful means, not violent means, God forbid.) And I urge every pastor and spiritual leader in California: Its time to speak up and to speak out. Its time to equip your people. Its time to take a stand. And wherever else this is happening in America, its time for parents to wake up and do the right thing. (Yes, and for pastors and leaders to do so as well.) Above all, its time for parents and leaders to pour truth and love and biblical ethics into these impressionable kids. If we dont do it, be assured that the world (and their peers) will. Heres how Jesus feels about things like this: whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6). Need I say more? Church of Scotland installs new Moderator Colin Sinclair An Edinburgh minister with a passion for Scripture Union has been installed as the Church of Scotland's new Moderator. The Rt Rev Colin Sinclair was installed on the first day of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly on Saturday. Addressing the Assembly, he called his new role a "singular honour". "For your grace, love, and forgiveness when I get it wrong, I thank all of you who have invested time into my life and my ministry," he said. "It all started with a Scripture Union holiday, I little knew then how the story of Jesus and his life, death and resurrection would get under my skin and never get out. "I thank you to all who nurtured me in this faith. "I had no idea when Jesus said 'Follow Me' all those years ago, how exciting the adventure would be. "How it would take me around the world. And I thank You again - I pray I am worthy of the trust You have shown to me." The Edinburgh-based minister takes over as Moderator of the General Assembly from the Very Rev Susan Brown. Mr Sinclair and Mrs Brown are old acquaintances, having first met as students at New College. "All throughout your years your commitment to the Scripture Union has continued, alongside all the other positions you have taken on," she said in an address to the Assembly. "You care passionately about communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ to all ages and all parts of the world. You like to see the impact Christ makes to all people. "This year, you will be asked to say much but I encourage you to listen, too, because you will hear so much. "My prayers are with You as you follow our Lord on this next stage of your journey with Him." First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was also in attendance on the opening day of the Assembly along with Scotland's Lord Provosts. One of Mr Sinclair's two personal chaplains for the year is his son, Rev Tim Sinclair, who was ordained in February and is now serving as the minister of Partick Trinity Church of Scotland. "It was humbling to be asked to serve as the very junior chaplain to the Moderator," Tim said. "I have little prior experience of the General Assembly and limited insight into the workings of the courts and councils of the Church. That said, I have known the Moderator for my entire life and perhaps that counts for something. "At home or in the church, wherever he finds himself, my dad is an energetic and cheerful presence, always willing to throw himself into a challenge. "He has a rare capacity to take his faith, family and ministry seriously, without taking himself too seriously in the process. "I look forward to seeing him serve as Moderator and have no doubt that his servant heart, prodigious work ethic, and warm humour will be a blessing to many." Rev Sinclair is the minister for Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh, but has a long history with the Scripture Union having attended their summer camps as a high school student before becoming a volunteer in his university days. In an unusual side-step from his many Christian commitments, he once took a holiday job as a film extra playing a soldier in the 1975 comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. After graduating, he went to Zambia with Scripture Union as a training officer in an exchange that would allow two Zambian students to study in the UK. He later served as the General Director of Scripture Union for eight years and chaired the Spring Harvest Council for seven years. Together with his wife, Ruth, he ran a Scripture Union holiday camp for teens at Alltnacriche near Aviemore, in the Scottish Highlands, for 27 years. In 2004, he took on the role of International Chair of Scripture Union, working with 130 SU movements around the world. Speaking last year when his appointment as Moderator was first announced, he said: "What I love about Scripture Union is the opportunity to pass onto the next generation faith and the Bible and get them out serving in a world in need." John Scott, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who was representing the Queen as Lord High Commissioner to the Assembly, wished Rev Sinclair a "richly rewarding year in office" in his address. "Unlike your predecessor you have not had to travel far but for a year you will now be transported into a different world," he said. "That you have the most wonderful family, all committed to the church, to support you, that there are legions of friends and colleagues here and across many lands, gained through the Scripture Union is testament to your powers of loving leadership and inspiration. "You are fitted indeed for this highest honour in the gift of your colleagues." Ireland's Catholic bishops in spirited plea ahead of the European elections Ireland's Catholic bishops are urging the faithful to get and out vote in the European Parliament elections. Here, they make their case in a statement issue ahead of the polls opening this week: Citizens across the island of Ireland, North and South, will be called to the polls this week on 23 and 24 May respectively, to exercise their democratic vote in the European Parliament elections. Common Good Voting is the right and privilege of every responsible citizen. It is also the practical and concrete contribution that every voter can make to advance the fundamental politics of the common good. It is evident to us all that our world and our society is increasingly globalised. Politics is local; it is also regional, national, European and international. What is decided by MEPs in the European Parliament affects us all here on the island of Ireland. Similarly, our vote and our elected representatives in Europe can influence debates and decisions taken at EU level, which often have the potential to contribute to development and peace in the wider world. Given the potentially profound and far-reaching implications of Brexit for all citizens on this island, participating in the European elections this week, in an informed and conscientious way, has rarely been more important. We therefore urge all citizens who can vote in these elections, to do so, with a particular concern for the common good rather than for local or national interests only. EU citizenship For many of us the European Union may seem a distant horizon. However, as people who enjoy EU citizenship, we have a responsibility to vote and to develop a knowledge and awareness of the roles and functions of each of the European institutions, including the EU Parliament, so that we understand fully the implications of our vote. The European Parliament is the House of European citizens and is elected by them directly. 2019 marks forty years of the functioning of this directly-elected Parliament. Furthermore, in looking honestly and critically at where the European Union and its Member States have fallen short in realising its fundamental values, let us not forget to appreciate the historic and significant achievements of the European project. Let us recognise the good it has delivered in promoting solidarity between European peoples and nations. Let us recognise its contribution to developing our economies and regions. Let us also acknowledge its greatest achievement, that of maintaining peace in Europe. Christian principles and values That the EU faces profound challenges today is evident to all. However, that does not mean that we should disengage from it. In fact, it is now more important than ever to vote in these elections to ensure that we have our say in the future shape and direction of the Parliament for the next five years. At this crucial juncture in the history of Europe, we need a European Parliament that will protect and uphold the values on which the EU is built. The Treaty of the European Union outlines that the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Let us also remember that the European Union, in its foundation, was rooted in Christian principles of social justice, including the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity. In looking to the future of Europe with hope, we remember the Irish missionary, Saint Columbanus, who has been described as 'Ireland's first European'. We also remember Edith Stein (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), co-patroness of Europe, who suffered and died as a result of war in Europe. We hope never to see such horror in Europe again. The European project, its institutions and its political method, are key to promoting and consolidating a lasting peace. Killing of community leaders in Colombia has reached 'unprecedented' levels Peace and human rights campaigners are being targeted and killed at an "unprecedented" rate in Colombia, Catholic aid agency CAFOD has warned. Belisario Arciniegas Garcia is the latest community leader to have been targeted in rural areas after being shot dead on May 7 by members of the National Liberation Army, a local guerrilla group commonly known as the ELN. CAFOD said it was "shocked and saddened" by the death of Garcia, who was a farmer in Micoahumado, where the charity is supporting peace-building projects. At the time of his death, he had been a candidate for local council elections taking place later this year. Just three days after he was killed, Wilmar Carvajalino, a driver who was part of an organisation of miners and farmers demanding more rights, was assassinated. CAFOD said Colombia's community leaders were "crucial" to the peace process and that that more protection was needed for them. Uli Beck, CAFOD's Colombia programme officer, said: "Colombia is one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a human rights or land defender and, despite the ongoing peace process, the threats and killings of human rights defenders are increasing. "Colombia's community leaders are fighting for the rights of local people and trying to make peace a reality and if these killings and threats continue to be overlooked, it sends a strong message that the peace process is at serious risk." Rural areas in Colombia, including Micoahumado in the Magdalena Medio region, have been blighted by tensions over natural resources and land ownership as well as violence and human rights violations by guerrilla, paramilitary and security forces. A peace agreement was reached with the largest guerrilla group, The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in 2016 but peace negotations with the ELN broke down in January this year, prompting calls from community leaders for outside help. "Armed actors in these communities, including security and guerrilla forces, must respect International Human Rights law, and not draw civilian populations into their combat," said Beck. "As well as an impartial investigation into those responsible for the killings, local authorities must work to establish effective measures to protect those who are at risk. "The protection of Colombia's rural and remote communities, which would include an increased presence of State institutions in remote areas, is urgently needed if the peace process which was sorely fought for is to be successful." Sadiq Khan is wrong about abortion clinic buffer zones, says pro-life group Pro-lifers have expressed disappointment over the Mayor of London's support for buffer zones around abortion clinics. Sadiq Khan outlined his support in a recent letter sent to the Abortion Rights campaign group after it raised concerns about the March for Life UK in London last week. In the letter, Mr Khan welcomed the countermarch held by Abortion Rights during the March for Life and said that the "right" to have an abortion "must be safeguarded". He said he was concerned about the "unacceptable promotion of harassment" against abortion providers and those using their services, saying that women should be able to access them without fear. He told the pro-choice group that he "fully supported" the recent imposition of a buffer zone around an abortion clinic in Ealing preventing pro-lifers from coming within 100 metres of the building and said he was "deeply disappointed" that the Government had refused to implement the measure nationwide. "Of course, I recognise that some people passionately hold different views and they should be allowed to voice them if they wish," he said. "But this must be balanced by the recognition that women have the right to get medical advice and to seek treatment in confidence, free from abuse." Pro-life campaign group Be Here For Me, which offers support outside abortion clinics, said its work was peaceful and that members of the pro-choice movement "aggressively bully" those offering help to women thinking about an abortion. The group accused the mayor of being "indifferent" to women considering an abortion and their "poverty of choice". "A strange position for a representitive of the Labour party to be in. For the mayor it seems that one choice only is good enough for them: abortion. But of course one choice is no choice at all," it said. "Some of the women helped by the pro lifers are literally facing destitution. Some are under intense social pressure. Many have wept lonely prayers begging God to send someone to help them." It added: "We know the excruciating pressures they are under to end their pregnancies, not as a free choice but as a duty. The Mayor of London regrets that there is not yet a national ban on the kind of help we offer to them. How is that 'pro choice'?" UK Government criticised over asylum rejection for Pakistani Christian family A senior leader in the Church of Scotland has strongly criticised the UK Government's refusal to grant asylum to a Pakistani Christian family that has been living in Glasgow for the last seven years. The Very Rev Susan Brown, who just ended her year as Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly, said she was "angered and exasperated" by the UK Government's treatment of people who are genuinely seeking refuge on British shores. In an address to the General Assembly meeting in Edinburgh this week, she appealed to the UK Government to show compassion to Maqsood and Parveen Bakhsh and their two teenage sons, Somer and Areeb. The Christian family fled Faisalabad, in Pakistan, in 2012 after Mr Bakhsh received death threats from Islamic extremists because of his Christian faith. The family say they will be in danger if they return to Pakistan because they have been marked by Islamic extremists who have killed people they know, including two friends gunned down outside a courtroom while in police custody and an uncle of Mr Bakhsh who was killed on his doorstep shortly after returning from the US where he had lived for 20 years. Mrs Brown urged the Home Office to make the "same compassionate offer" to the Bakhsh family as it gave to orphaned 11-year-old asylum seeker Giorgi Kakava, originally from Georgia, who was given temporary leave to remain in the UK following a campaign led by the Rev Brian Casey, minister of Springburn Parish Church in Glasgow. "They have been in Scotland for seven years and the boys are well integrated into their school and are much loved students," she said. "The whole family are very involved in their local church and Maqsood is an elder and a commissioner to this Assembly." Mrs Brown, who is minister of Dornoch Cathedral in the north of Scotland, said: "I have been to Pakistan, admittedly only one small corner of it, but every church we went to, there was an armed guard and any posters advertising my visit could only be put up on the day for fear of threat. "Our Government says Pakistan is a safe place for Christians. Our world is not ours, but God's. Created for the whole of humanity. Together. God's heart is big enough to hold everyone, ours needs to be too." An online petition started by the family's minister, Rev Linda Pollock of Possilpark Parish Church in Glasgow, has been signed by over 80,000 people. The petition was submitted to the Home Office last August, at which time immigration minister Caroline Noakes said the family's case would be reviewed. A decision has yet to be made. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was in attendance at the General Assembly as Mrs Brown delivered her speech. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament last September, Ms Sturgeon indicated support for the family's asylum case. "They are an absolute credit to their parents, their school, their community and indeed they are a credit to Scotland," she said. "The Scottish Government will continue to look at what appropriate representations we can make." The Wyeth dynasty of painters The name Wyeth does not reference a single artist, but rather a dynasty three generations deep of skilled American painters who have collectively set the standard for American realism. Illustrated with works offered at Christies N.C. Wyeth Newell Convers (N.C.) Wyeth (1882-1945) was born in Needham, Massachusetts, the oldest of four brothers. He is said to have inherited his artistic talent and literary appreciation from his mother, who knew both Henry David Thoreau and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At the age of 21, Wyeth received one of his earliest commissions as an illustrator what would be a bucking bronco for the Saturday Evening Post and set out for the American West. He travelled to Colorado and New Mexico where he immersed himself in the raw environment, developing a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the landscape and its people. He spent months at a time on different cattle ranches, learning the lifeblood of the West. When his money was stolen, he picked up work with the post office to pay for his way back to the East Coast. N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), The Prospector, 1912. Oil on canvas laid down on board. 39 x 27 in. Available for private sale. View American Art currently available for private sale at Christies His commitment to the optimistic idea of manifest destiny a belief that white Americans were divinely ordained to settle the entire continent of North America, which was widespread in post-Civil War America and the artefacts he collected from his travels formed the bedrock of his painstakingly detailed depictions. His commitment to his subject matter was equally striking, as evidenced by the remarkable illustrations he produced for Scribner Classics, which grace the pages of Treasure Island, Robin Hood, The Last of the Mohicans and The Deerslayer, among many others. Many of his more illustrative works achieve their full potential when paired with the intended narrative of a novel. N.C. completed more than 100 illustrative projects, including commissions for advertisers such as Coca-Cola and Lucky Strike cigarettes. As a painter, he experimented throughout his career, with the American Impressionism of the New Hope Group through to American regional realism, honing a mastery of light and a distinct style that would ultimately set his work apart from so many others. He fostered a creative household that nurtured numerous talented painters including not only his son Andrew Wyeth, but also his daughters Henriette Wyeth Hurd and Carolyn Wyeth. Whether in the impressionist style or the marked detail of his realist work, light becomes a tool to express more than merely the majesty of a landscape or the finite detail in a window pane. It evokes what is otherworldly, and asks the viewer to contemplate more, beyond the boundaries of the work. Andrew Wyeth Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) possessed the same artistic fervour as his father, famously learning to draw before he could read. His realist works are instantly recognisable for their depictions of an overwhelming absence a seemingly innocuous portrait of the mundane is charged with the sense of what might happen, or what has just happened. As a young boy, Andrew worked alongside his father on some of his illustrations, honing a skill that would become iconic to the Brandywine School tradition of painters who worked in rural areas of Delaware and Pennsylvania, portraying its people, animals, and landscape. Wyeth was so good that by the age of 19 he was given his first exhibition in Philadelphia. Just a year later at the age of 20, Macbeth Gallery in New York displayed a collection of his watercolours. The show sold out entirely. His reputation continued to grow, and at the age of 26 he was included in the MoMA exhibition, Americans 1943: Realists and Magic-Realists. Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), Ericksons, painted in 1973. Tempera on panel. 42 x 38 in (106.7 x 96.5 cm). Sold for $10,344,000 on 24 May 2007 at Christies in New York. Artwork: Andrew Wyeth / ARS, NY and DACS, London 2019 Wyeths style was traditional: he was inspired by Winslow Homer and the Victorian age of narrative painting, depicting an America of hunters, farmers and country folk. It was a highly evocative vision that captured the essence of old frontier values; the loneliness of the labourers existence; his battle with nature and will to survive. The rise of the Abstract Expressionists, with their seeming rejection of middle-class values and ideals, caused concern among conservative Americans. While the critics championed revolutionaries like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, the American public were more enamoured with Wyeths brand of realism, exemplified in his celebrated Christinas World (1948). Many of Wyeths works exuded a radical depiction of sexuality. Over the course of 15 years, he made some 240 paintings and drawings of Helga Testorf, a care-giver for an elderly neighbouring farmer. He told no one about the model he often depicted nude, including his wife, Betsy. Jamie Wyeth Blessed with the same talent as his father and grandfather, Jamie Wyeth (b. 1946) immersed himself in his art at a young age, opting to study under his aunt, Carolyn Wyeth. His father and aunt had both been encouraged to master drawing as their entry into the studio arts, and Jamie followed the same path. Jamie Wyeth, (b 1946), Open Sea, 1969. Watercolor on paper. 20 x 30 in. Estimate: $70,000-100,000. On offer in American Art Online, 23 July-7 August His skills in portraiture attracted the attention of the Kennedy family, who asked the then 20-year-old to paint an official portrait of John F. Kennedy for the White House. He turned down that commission, but agreed to paint an unofficial portrait. That posthumous work is now held by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Sign up today Christie's Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe While his technique differs from his renowned artistic ancestors, their influence is undeniable. The striking palette and narrative quality of Jamie Wyeths work is reminiscent of his grandfathers dynamic illustrations, while the haunting realism echoes the work of his father, Andrew. The Swiss fashion company, Akris, is known for its ultra-luxe looks. The fashion house's creative director Albert Kriemler once told W magazine that he simply "cannot work with cheap fabrics." LUXE STYLE: Albert Kriemler is the man behind the Akris collection In a season saturated with festivals, Love Street Music Fest stands out as a special tribute to the sublime, psychedelic days of Houston nightlife in the 60's. Dozens of Houstonians headed to Love Street Music Fest, held at the Karbach Brewing Company on Sunday afternoon. Now in its third year, the fest kicked off at 1 p.m. and featured the cool sounds of bands, such as Walk the Moon, Toadies, Texican, and Vodi. Ryan DeLaRosa said he first started brewing beer when he got a starter kit from a brewing supply store in the Katy area about five years ago. Fast forward to present day and the Dickinson native along with his business partner Matt Emmite, an army veteran, plan to open the Flying Rhino Brewing Company on a 2-acre lot by next spring or summer. "[I] got together with some friends, made our first batch and kind of fell in love right away," DeLaRosa said. "I have learned a lot since then through studying, talking to a lot of other brewers. ...We've got more learning to do but we are confident we can do it." On just under two acres, the Flying Rhino Brewing Company will encompass a 2100 square foot indoor tap room, 1500 square foot outdoor patio and a 6000 square foot production room. DeLaRosa said the brewery will be family friendly and the large outdoor area will be used to host games and other events. There are no plans for a kitchen yet, but DeLaRosa said they plan to offer food trucks on site. Renderings of the space call for a wooden and metal, industrial feel, somewhat similar to an airplane hanger, DeLaRosa said. BREWERY UPGRADES: Houston breweries looking beyond beer and beards DeLaRosa said he hopes to open with five custom craft beers on tap that will be more "approachable" compared to other craft beers. Wine, cider and root beer may also be offered at the brewery, pending final plans, he said. "Craft beer is still growing a lot on the south side of Houston. ...We want to add to that and bring some of that to Dickinson," DeLaRosa said. "We will make a lot of the crazy stuff that big-time craft beer fans like and we want to have some stuff that is approachable for people that are just figuring it out." DeLaRosa said aside from following his dream job of owning his own brewery, he knew he wanted to open Flying Rhino Brewing Company so he could bring the craft beer trend back home. "I think that area is slightly under-served when it comes to craft beer. There is not a whole lot [of options,]" DeLaRosa said. "We know the people, we have lots of friends and family there, it just made a lot of sense that we wanted to do this." While plans are not final yet, DeLaRosa said the brewery will open west of I-45 on FM 517 next year, with plans for a grand opening celebration still underway. DeLaRosa added the brewery is partially veteran owned, as Emmite is an army veteran. Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A boom to build new saltwater disposal wells is underway in the Permian Basin. Drilling for crude oil and natural gas in the prolific West Texas shale play is happening faster than pipelines can be built to move product to market. Its also happening faster than companies can build landfills for oil field waste and disposal wells to inject wastewater deep underground. But that may change. Over the past week, two companies have filed drilling permit applications to develop 12 saltwater disposal wells in the Permian Basin. Fort Worth saltwater disposal well operation Boykin Energy is seeking permission from the Railroad Commission of Texas to develop five injection wells on its Ross SWD lease in Loving County. Midland oil company CrownQuest Operating is seeking permission to develop another seven saltwater disposal wells on leases in Loving County. Permian Basin Denver oil company Jagged Peak plans to drill 11 new horizontal wells on two leases in Ward County. The wells target the Phantom field of the Wolfcamp geological layer at total depths of 15,000 feet. Eagle Ford Shale More Information Top 10 Drillers in Texas (Wednesday, May 8 through Tuesday, May 14) Occidental Petroleum: 26 Exxon Mobil: 21 Endeavor Energy Resources: 18 Chesapeake Energy: 14 Diamondback Energy: 12 EOG Resources: 12 Jagged Peak: 11 Shell: 7 Concho Resources: 7 CrownQuest Operating: 7 Source: Railroad Commission of Texas See More Collapse The recently formed oil company Action Energy plans to drill two new wells on the companys Y-Bar Action lease in McMullen County. The wells target the Eagleville field of the Eagle Ford geological layer down to a total depth of 12,000 feet. Over the past six months, Action, of Denver, bought already-producing leases in South Texas from Valence Operating Co. and Abraxas Petroleum. Haynesville Shale Mount Enterprise oil company KJ Energy is preparing to drill a horizontal gas well in East Texas on its Pool-Cyphers-White lease in Rusk County. Located about 11 miles southeast of Henderson, the well targets the natural gas-rich Brachfield SE field of the Cotton Valley geological layer down to a total depth of 10,347 feet. Barnett Shale Oklahoma oil and natural gas company Devon Energy broke a four week-long horizontal drilling drought in North Texas. The company is seeking permission to drill a pair of horizontal wells on its Nelon, G.E. lease in Wise County. Located about two miles southwest of Boyd, the wells target the Newark East field of the Barnett geological layer down to total depths of 9,000 feet. Conventionals Dallas oil company Scout Energy Management is seeking permission to drill four vertical wells split between its Sneed and Sneed C leases in Moore County in the Texas Panhandle. The four oil wells target the Panhandle West field at depths of 4,000 feet. Oil bounced back from a midday slump, as hints of extended production cuts by top crude producers overshadowed President Donald Trump's latest provocation in the trade standoff with China. Futures in New York ended a choppy trading session 0.5% higher, as investors digested conflicting supply and demand signals. For the moment, they were won over by Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih's push this weekend for the OPEC+ coalition to "stay the course" on output curbs. Yet, ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China have kept price rallies limited. Brent closed lower after fluctuating between gains and losses. "You've got some conflicting influences on the market and the price action today is pretty indicative of that," said Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. "The OPEC headline was a positive, although not necessarily a huge change versus expectations, and the trade-war risks are definitely a negative." EARLIER: Crude scales back weekly advance as China downplays trade talks The U.S. benchmark crude has advanced nearly 40% this year as OPEC members and other producers work to tighten global inventory levels. In fact, Bank of America Merrill Lynch says oil supply and demand forecasts suggest a nearly balanced oil market this year followed by a deficit in 2020. West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery, which expires on Tuesday, rose 34 cents to settle at $63.10 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The more actively-traded July contract climbed 0.5% to end the session at $63.21. Brent for July settlement slipped 24 cents to settle at $71.97 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The spread between the first and second month contracts remains in strong backwardation, indicating tight supply. RELATED: OPEC signals intention to keep limits on oil supply all year At this weekend's meeting of ministers, Saudi Arabia and other nations signaled they prefer extending the current production-cut agreement until year-end."We need to stay the course, and do that for the weeks and months to come," Saudi Arabia's Al-Falih told reporters after the meeting in Jeddah on Sunday. The kingdom "isn't fooled" by crude prices and believes the market is still fragile. Yet, Russia took a difference stance. The most important non-OPEC partner in the coalition is ready to consider easing cuts if the market needs more crude, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said. Still, Russia would comply with any agreed output limit in the second half of 2019, he said. As for the escalation of the U.S.-China trade war, President Trump further clouded the outlook for oil consumption on Monday, saying in an interview that he was "very happy" with the results of the trade battle. Yet, he also amplified worries about supply risks, tweeting over the weekend that a fight with the U.S. would be "the official end of Iran." --With assistance from James Thornhill, Tsuyoshi Inajima and Alex Longley. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Saudi Arabia and other key producers in OPEC signaled their intention to keep oil supplies constrained for the rest of the year, while pledging to prevent any genuine shortages. It was less clear how far Russia, their main partner in the wider OPEC+ producers coalition, shared that view. While most nations at a meeting in the kingdom on Sunday supported extending production cuts to the end of 2019, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak talked about potentially relaxing the curbs and wanted to wait and see what happens in the next month. We need to stay the course, and do that for the weeks and months to come, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih told reporters after the meeting in Jeddah. The kingdom isnt fooled by crude prices, currently above $70 a barrel in London, and believes the market is still fragile. IN THE PERMIAN: West Texas' booming Permian leads small rig count dip The contrasting messages underscore the uncertainty in the global market. If ministers dont agree to an extension next month, the production cuts that ended the worst oil-industry downturn in a generation will expire. Yet their decision is clouded by the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran and the risk to demand from President Donald Trumps trade war with China. In a market where the preponderance of risks are on the supply side -- with Venezuela and Libya also facing disruptions -- what Saudi Arabia chooses to do with its ample spare production capacity may be the markets deciding factor in the coming months. The kingdom has so far been trying to strike a balance between its own need for higher revenues to fund government spending, and pleasing Trump by filling any supply gap created by his moves against Iran. On Sunday, Al-Falih gave a strong indication that prices were the priority and he wasnt about to open the taps. SUCCESS: Can women succeed in energy without acting like men? Saudi Freeze My recommendation to my colleagues will be to drive inventories down gently by extending the current cuts into the second half, Al-Falih said. He acknowledged consumers concerns about potential supply disruptions and promised to make sure no refinery, no customer is left without their requirement of crude oil. Benchmark Brent crude rose as much as 1.7% on Monday, and traded up 0.5% at $72.58 a barrel as of 10:40 a.m. in London. Continuing the OPEC+ accord into the second half wouldnt rule out a production increase. Saudi Arabia has been cutting far deeper than required under the deal and could boost output by about 500,000 barrels a day -- equivalent to almost half Irans exports -- without breaching its limit. Yet Al-Falih said production in May and June will be held at the current level of 9.8 million barrels a day. Regardless of what OPEC+ decides next month, output in July wont exceed the kingdoms limit in the deal of 10.3 million barrels a day, he said. Its unclear exactly how much Iran is exporting, and so far demand for replacement crude from Tehrans customers has been lower than expected, Al-Falih said. INVESTIGATION: SEC investigating Alta Mesa's finances Support for Extension The meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which oversees the deal between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, was generally supportive of an extension, and nobody rejected the idea, Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said in an interview. Even so, the committee didnt make a formal recommendation to prolong the supply curbs, concluding instead that further monitoring of the market was necessary, with a focus on managing inventories and keeping supply and demand in balance. The fate of the groups production cuts, which amounted to about 2% of global supply last month, will be decided on June 25 to 26 in Vienna, just days before they expire. Thats a volatile situation for the oil market, giving traders very little time to adjust if theres an unexpected shift in policy. Russian Reticence Russias Novak affirmed his commitment to the historic alliance, saying the production cuts have proved very efficient. That counts as high praise from the taciturn official, but before and after the meeting he also spoke of the possibility of relaxing the cuts. We need to promptly react to the situation now and potential developments in the second half, Novak said before the meeting. If the demand grows, if a deficit is there, we are ready to consider a relaxation of the current parameters, partial output recovery. Extending the deal is also on the table, and Russia would comply with any agreed output limit in the second half of 2019, Novak said. All members are keen to avoid a repeat of last year when the group -- faced with very similar circumstances in Iran -- boosted output too fast and triggered a fourth-quarter price slump. Other ministers in Jeddah, including those from Oman and the United Arab Emirates, also said the group should stay the course. The job is not complete, U.A.E. Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei told reporters on Saturday. We are still seeing some inventory buildup and we need to attend to it. --With assistance from Giovanni Prati and Annmarie Hordern. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed that four low-magnitude earthquakes have taken place over the past two weeks in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas. USGS officials confirmed a 2.5-magnitude earthquake about five miles east of the Gonzales County town of Smiley on Saturday evening. No major damages or injuries were reported from the low-magnitude earthquake, which followed a 3.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded less than mile northwest of Smiley five days before. Another 3.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded a couple miles south of Westhoff in neighboring DeWitt County on May 12. One day earlier, USGS officials recorded a 3.0-magnitude earthquake a few miles east of the Karnes County town of Gillett. Shaky Ground: Trio of earthquakes hit Eagle Ford town of Three Rivers There have been seven earthquakes recorded in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas this year. Environmentalists blame the tremors on saltwater disposal wells, which inject wastewater generated in the hydraulic fracturing process and other oil and natural gas activities deep underground. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Saltwater disposal wells are regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state agency that regulates the oil and natural gas industry. Railroad Commission officials adopted stricter regulations for saltwater disposal wells in November 2014. Over the last four years, the agency received 367 disposal well applications in areas of historic seismicity. Of those proposed projects, 163 permits were issued with special conditions that include reducing maximum daily injection volumes and pressures as well as being required to record volumes and pressures on a daily basis as opposed to monthly. Fifty-four disposal applications were returned or withdrawn. Eleven applications were sent to hearing. Twenty-one permits were issued without special conditions and 118 applications are pending technical review. As Texas struggles to fill construction jobs, leaders of the Associated General Contractors of America call President Donald Trump's immigration proposal "needed relief." "The President rightly understands that the nation's immigration must allow for more skilled workers, including those with construction skills, to legally join the workforce if our economy is to continue to expand," Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer, said in an emailed statement. "And while this measure does not tackle broader immigration challenges, such as addressing workers already in the country, it does continue the discussion about reforming our broken immigration system." The immigration proposal floated by Trump would make it more difficult for immigrants to bring their spouses and children to live with them, instead emphasizing immigration for people with specific skillsets. The Associated General Contractors of America has been calling for immigration reform as a way to allow the construction industry to continue to expand. Texas added the most constructions jobs of any state over the past year -- 32,500, an increase of 4.4 percent. The trade association said the state would have added even more if there were more workers to hire and called for immigration reform to boost the supply. "Construction employment rose in most states over the past year, yet the record number of job openings at the end of March implies contractors would add even more workers if they could," said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the association, in an emailed statement. CONSTRUCTION: Builders pull back on single-family construction Thirty-two states added construction jobs between March and April, but, Simonson argued, "The count of states with rising construction employment in the latest month would be still higher if more workers were available." The Associated General Contractors of America has called on Congress and Trump to include construction jobs in immigration reform legislation. "Contractors face an ever-increasing challenge to find enough qualified workers to hire to keep pace with the ongoing demand for construction," said Sandherr. "Allowing employers to bring in guest workers for positions that can't be filled otherwise is essential for keeping construction on track." Many do not believe Trump's proposal will gain traction, partially, as Sandherr mentioned, because it does not address workers already in the country such as those currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. However, Sandherr called the proposal part of an ongoing conversation about the immigration that he hopes will lead to a solution. "In the meantime we look forward to working with Congress and administration to make sure a final immigration measure helps meet the workforce needs of the construction industry and addresses broader immigration challenges," he said. The first item of business before the Liberty County Commissioners Court at their bi-monthly meeting was to consider raises for elected officials. County Judge Jay Knight explained why the pay raise for elected officials had to be announced before consideration of employees raises. We are required by law to seek comment from the commissioners on what direction they want to go during the month of May before we begin laying out the budget, said County Judge Jay Knight. If youre happy with what youve got, fine. If youre not fine. If you want to table it and go back and study it, fine. Its up to the commissioners to decide, the judge told the three commissioners present. Commissioner Bruce Karbowski was absent for training purposes. There was a brief awkward silence, and then Commissioner Arthur spoke up. I move we leave it the same, he said. Commissioner Leon Wilson followed asking that elected officials be given a 3% raise. Theres a lot of those elected officials here in this room and outside who have not had a raise in a long time. We should take care of them and our employees. We should do the same for all, he suggested. Commissioner James Reaves seconded the motion by Arthur. Knight asked commissioners to consider what they were asking and to do a workshop to see the effects of an across the board pay raise for all employees. He also wanted all the commissioners to be present to vote on the measure. Arthur agreed and withdrew his motion and commissioners voted to table the measure untill the next meeting. Later, after the meeting, Wilson wanted to clarify his intent. I want to see every employee and elected official receive a 3% raise, he said, believing all deserved some sort of improvement in the pay scale. Knight said that the county still lags woefully behind in salaries for their employees and anything helps. County settles back-pay settlement Commissioners also saw $801,770.79 disappear from their coffers within a matter of minutes. It came about when it was discovered several years ago that jailers had been short-changed. The Department of Labor stepped in and said that amount had to be paid, but that was when CEC had the jail contract. Now that GEO has the jail contract, County Attorney Matt Poston said they negotiated out the settlement with the U.S. Marshals Service who didnt pay enough for their prisoners while incarcerated under CECs jurisdiction. The U.S. Marshals Service paid up to Liberty County, who then took the money and paid the U. S. Department of Labor the amount owed. It was a nice boost in the ledger while it lasted, but only for a few minutes. Road project updates Targa Pipeline Partners LP were in court on Tuesday to offer checks to Commissioners Arthur and Reaves for damages done to county roads during construction. Holding true to our statement that we want to leave these roads as good or better than we found them, were here today to make presentation of checks to these commissioners an agreed upon amount, said Clayton Nichols of Targa Pipeline. Nichols said they appreciated all that the county had done and they werent leaving but would continue to be neighbors as long as their pipeline was here. With the disposition of one pipeline, commissioners considered the request for yet another pipeline to begin work. The Arbuckle II Pipeline will cross Precincts 2, 3, and 4 and Douglas was asking for a bond totaling $3 million. We agree to stay off the roads that have been rejected and will stay on just those that have already been designated, said the Arbuckle representative. Following a review of the paperwork by the county attorney, Arbuckle II was approved to begin using the roads already approved. Commissioners also heard a proposal by The Retreat at Artesian Lakes, a resort property in north Liberty County, to rebuild a section of the county roadway per the specifications of the county. The road would not only be used by RAL but also by Lema Materials who would do the work themselves. Proposals by several road building contractors approved by the county are between $400k and $450k. Lema Materials said they would rebuild CR 2132 and requested a portion of the expense be recovered over time through a county tax abatement regarding fixed assets and equipment or specifically, up to $50,000 annually for a period of five years or a total maximum of $250,000. While the proposal had some merit, commissioners werent ready to bite on the deal and instead, tabled the proposal until a workshop could be held to discuss details. This is setting a precedence and we need to take a look at that before we make a decision, the county judge said. A workshop was scheduled for May 22 at 1:30 p.m. in the Jack Hartel building at 318 San Jacinto Street. dtaylor@hcnonline.com A June 14 program at the Deer Park Library will cover how oil-and-gas production and products affect the lives of Texans. The free presentation of Big Energy: A Texas Tale of People Powering Progress, is set for 11 a.m. in the meeting room of the library, 3009 Center St., Deer Park. It had been rescheduled from March and is the latest installment in the librarys Featured Friday series. "RuPaul's Drag Race" star Brooke Lynn Hytes drew a big crowd for a weekend performance at Rich's nightclub in Houston. But it was a local performer who stole the show. Leilani L. Jackson-Ross took her turn on the house classic "Turn Me Out." Jackson-Ross swung from the rafters and, at a key point in the song, death-dropped onto the stage below. CHOICES: Ariana Grande says 'thank u' for skipping 'Game of Thrones' finale Talk about a lip sync for your life. Hytes was so impressed that she showered Jackson-Ross with money from above. The crowd understandably went wild. I don't think anyone expected that, so when she did we were all like, 'Yes queen!'" said Valerie Renovato, who took the video. "It was the second drag show I have ever been to, and all I can say is I want to keep going!" The performance quickly lit up social media, making the ronds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Reddit. Jackson-Ross, who is the reigning Miss Gulf States Continental, says she's done the stunt before but calls this time "a different vibe." "Brooke Lynn was informed a little ahead of time that I was going to do it, and the look on her face was like, 'She is insane.' Her watching me actually go over the rail and drop into a split was appreciated because she showed me respect and love for the industry that we both chose to fall in love with." Hytes is one of the final four contestants on the current "Drag Race" season. The winner is crowned May 31 on VH1. Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle and also covers everything from "Drag Race" to "Idol." Follow him on Twitter. Send him news tips at joey.guerra@chron.com. Alba Huerta, recognized as one of the country's top cocktail innovators and spirits professionals, has reason to celebrate. The owner of Julep bar on the Washington Corridor was honored over the weekend by the International Association of Culinary Professionals at its 2019 cookbook awards, one of cookbook publishing's most prestigious prizes. "Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned," a cocktail recipe book Huerta authored with Marah Stets, was named IACP's top book on wine, beer or spirits. The book honors the influence the South and its spirits have had on cocktail culture. Those southern cocktail themes are at the heart of Julep's drinks menu; the bar is even named for that most Southern boozy libation. This week, Huerta pours on even more Southern charm with an updated menu of newfangled cocktails and a spirited food menu that was a collaboration with chef/consultant Alvin Schultz. While Huerta has always been quick to note that food is not the focus at Julep it is, after all, a bar it's worth noting that the bar's new menu is joyously creative. SIN CITY SUMMER: Las Vegas sizzles with new restaurants, clubs, bars and hotel rooms Take, for example, the Texified take on the classic Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich. Here, a bag of Fritos Scoops is filled with Hot Brown components: chunks of smoked turkey, bacon and tomatoes lightly glossed in a cheddar cheese Mornay sauce. It's a brilliant merger of Frito pie and the legendary Louisville sandwich. The Nashville hot chicken craze is acknowledged with a "Nashville Style" hot duck confit a duck leg cooked in its own duck fat and crusted with hot spices, and served on good white bread with pickles and slaw. Gulf coast flavors and traditions show up in dishes such as warm, cheesy boudin dip served with saltines; Cajun pork belly cracklings served with Dr Pepper jelly; and a pairing of oysters with sausages (boudin and andouille) served with sliced baguette and herb garlic butter. Houston foodways are represented by shrimp campechana; Viet-Cajun crispy shrimp; cheeseburger sliders on bao buns; watermelon and arugula salad with a Tajin and lime vinaigrette; and Thai chicken bites with coconut curry sauce. Huerta has lavished no less attention on new cocktails. Her Cajun Fig Soda combines rum with kumquats, lime, cream, orange soda and bitters; Queens Never Die takes Peychaud's Aperitivo liqueur and marries it to gin, watermelon and wine spritzer; Proceed with Caution merges aquavit and green apple compote with pineapple, lemon and verjus soda; Cheek to Cheek mixes sherry with vermouth, pisco, cardamom and champagne fizz; and Walking the Witch is a brew of gin, lemon, honey, and frothy egg white. Julep, 1919 Washington, 713-869-4383; julephouston.com Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. 3 1 of 3 Houston SPCA Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Houston SPCA Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A 1-year-old terrier mix took her first steps at the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Monday after she was found left for dead in a north Houston area dumpster. The poor pup was found among trash bags in the 15000 block of Vickery Drive and N. Sam Houston Parkway last week, officials with the Houston SPCA said in a release. SPCA's animal ambulance found the dog and brought her back to the center to be treated. Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month Katherine Tyra @ Bear Creek Branch Library will host an Asian Pacific Heritage Month-Coffee Tasting on May 22 at noon. Meet fellow coffee lovers with coffee provided by Beans Cafe Coffee House. Taste an Asian blend and talk about coffee sourcing and processing. Space is limited and registration is required. Call the library to register at 832-927-5590. The library is located at 16719 Clay Road. May 23 Spring Concert Series Darrell Wayne will perform as part of the Spring Concert Series on May 23 at Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Wayne is a country vocalist who just recently became a member of the Texas Country Music Association and is working on his album to be released in May. Tips to downsize As part of its Senior Living Series, Fort Bend County Libraries Cinco Ranch Branch Library, 2620 Commercial Center Blvd. in Katy, will present Downsizing Made Easy - Get the Facts on Thursday, May 23, from 1-2 p.m. Linda Jordan will provide tips on simplifying ones lifestyle, downsizing ones home, and reducing responsibilities. Learn about different housing options that are available. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 281-395-1311 or 281-633-4734. May 24 Spring Concert Series Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., will feature Smith DeVille as part of its Spring Concert Series on May 24 from 7-9 p.m. Stop the Bleed Harris County ESD 48 Fire Department will offer a free Stop the Bleed class during National Stop the Bleed Month. People in the class will learn how to recognize and control life-threatening bleeding. The class is for ages 12 and older and will be offered at 21201 Morton Road in Katy on Friday, May 24, from 6-8 p.m. Email StopTheBleed@hcesd48.org to register for the class. May 25 Walking tour The Ann Hamilton Trail Walking Tour will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 25, at the Katy Prairie Conservancy Field Office, 31950 Hebert Road in Waller. All ages are welcome to the free tour. Bring water and meet the tour guide at the field office. Visit http:// www.katyprairie.org for information. Asian Pacific program The Katy Branch Library, 5414 Franz Road , will host a program for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at 2 p.m. May 25. Community food fair The Katy Christian Ministries Community Food Fair will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 25 at Powerhouse Church, 1818 Katyland Drive. Free produce to anyone in need. The event is hosted and sponsored by the church. Used book sale The Friends of the Maud Marks Library will hold a used book sale from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at the library, 1815 Westgreen Blvd., Katy. Call 832-927-7860 for information. Summer concert Cooper Wade will perform from 4-6 p.m. May 25 at Typhoon Texas Waterpark, 555 Katy Fort Bend Road. Visit https://www.typhoon texas.com/houston/park -events for details. Farmers Market The Farmers Market on Grand Parkway will be open 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 25, at 1225 West Grand Parkway, rain or shine. The market is hosted by Church of the Holy Apostles. Visit http://www. farmersmarketongrand parkway.com/ for more information. May 26 Farmers Market The Farmers Market at LaCenterra will be open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. May 26. It is open the fourth Sunday of every month at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy. The market features local vendors and artisans selling honey, cheese, fresh eggs, seasonable vegetables and more. Visit yourneigh borhoodfarmersmarket. com if youre interested in becoming a vendor. Summer concert The Spotlights Band will perform from 4-6 p.m. May 26 at Typhoon Texas Waterpark, 555 Katy Fort Bend Road. Visit https:// www.typhoontexas.com/ houston/park-events for details. May 27 Memorial Day service Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack will honor those who paid the ultimate price serving their country during the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 2 p.m. Monday, May 27, at the Harris County War Memorial, Bear Creek Pioneers Park, 3535 War Memorial Drive. Master of Ceremonies will be Steve Dorman. Guest speaker will be Max Johnson, a Korean War veteran. The free event will include the Houston Police Department Honor Guard, the Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Color Guard and Westside High School JROTC. This event is open to the public. Memorial Day Service Katy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 will conduct a Memorial Day Service starting at 10 a.m. May 27 at Magnolia Cemetery. The program will include representatives of the Katy Police and Fire departments and Katy American Legion Post 164. The cemetery is located 6801 Franz Road in Katy. May 31 Spring Concert Series Central Green Park will present the band The Spicolis as part of its Spring Concert Series on May 31, starting at 7 p.m. The group has played in the Houston area since 2008 and covers songs from the MTV generation super groups. The park is located at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., in Katy. Picnic and lawn chairs are welcome. June 1 Summer Concert Series Cane Island will kick off its summer concert series with the Wayne Johnson Trio on June 1. The concert will be from 7-9 p.m. at Cane Quarter and Welcome Center are located at 2100 Cane Island Parkway. Art in the Park CAM Fort Bend will present Art in the Park on June 1 at Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. Will Cruz & the Good Vibes will be live at the park from 7-9 p.m. Steele River to perform Typhoon Texas Waterpark, 555 Katy Fort Bend Road, will present Steele River Band live from 6-8 p.m. on June 1. Visit https://www. typhoontexas.com/hou ston/park-events for details. Franks Way Foundation Franks Way Foundation will present its first annual Disaster Preparedness and Rescue Event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 1 next to Midway BBQ, 6025 Hwy. Blvd., in Katy. The event will feature a live auction, vendors and animals. Visit www.Facebook.com/FranksWayFoundation/or email info@frankswayfoundationh.org June 4 CERT Class The Katy Area Community Emergency Response Team will hold a training program June 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27 at Harris County ESD No. 48 Station No. 5, 21201 Morton Road, Building A, Katy, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. No cost. Manual and starter backpack provided. The program is designed to prepare people in the event of a disaster. Visit katyareacert@gmail.com to sign up. June 8 Blast Into Summer The fourth annual Katy Elks Lodge Blast Into Summer will be 8-9 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Katy Elks Lodge, 1050 Katy Fort Bend Road. A Morton Ranch High School staff member is behind bars after allegedly sending sexually explicit Snapchat messages to a 17-year-old student, prosecutors said. Bennie Solomon, 25, allegedly started communicating with the MRHS student as early as February, according to court documents. Solomon is a secretary in the high school's counselors' office, according to the school's website. Katy ISD could not immediately be reached for comment Monday morning. IN CUSTODY: Driver in DWI crash allegedly murdered Houston man hours earlier The alleged relationship came to light Friday when another student told school officials about the messages, prosecutors said during a weekend court hearing. When Katy ISD police officers interviewed Solomon, he allegedly confessed to sending the messages. "I want it so bad," Solomon sent in one message, according to prosecutors. Solomon allegedly sent another message asking to have sex with the student. He's now charged with second-degree felony improper relationship with a student, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence if he's convicted. A public defender representing Solomon during the weekend court proceeding noted that Solomon is not an educator at the school, although the charge of improper relationship with a student can apply to employees of public schools, court records show. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The Harris County Housing and Community Resource Center has opened a disaster recovery center at the Kingwood United Methodist Church for those who have been affected by floods in early May. Located on 1799 Woodland Hills Dr. in Kingwood in Room K105, the disaster recovery center will be available Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. until May 31. The center will be closed on May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. A new face is heading to Houston TV news. Bill Barajas, a Bayou City native, will soon join KPRC as a reporter. If his last name sounds familiar, that's because the TV news industry runs in Barajas' family. Bill's father, Mike Barajas, is a former anchor at Fox26 and his cousin, Erik Barajas, is a current anchor at KTRK. More on Houston TV: TV reporter Ruben Galvan returns to the Houston airwaves, this time on KHOU 11 news "I grew up around the news business and fell in love with it," Bill told Chron.com. Bill is a graduate of the University of Houston. His work resume includes three years at KRGV 5 in the Rio Grande Valley, where he began his career, as well as six years at KSAT 12 in San Antonio, where he is currently a reporter and anchor. Bill's last day at KSAT is Friday. He will take some time off before making his debut at Channel 2. More on Houston TV: Babies on the way for both KPRC's Haley Hernandez and KHOU's Lisa Hernandez The most important thing about being back in the Bayou City, Bill said, is the opportunity to spend more time with his family. "To be back with my parents, brother and family is a blessing," Bill said. Although Bill's exact work schedule has yet to be determined, his first day at KPRC Channel 2 is slotted for June 17. 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 AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), in partnership with University of Houston Law Center, announces specialized training to prepare Houston-area attorneys for the representation of non-responsive or indigent respondents in Harris and Fort Bend courts. These pro bono attorneys will help further the work of the agency by filling an identified gap in helping victims finalize divorce and child support/custody cases as well as other cases as identified by the courts. The Service by Publication/Ad Litem Training with 7.5 CLE training credits will benefit licensed Houston-area attorneys wishing to serve in a pro bono capacity as an ad litem (court-appointed attorney to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another party) or by fulfilling the Service by Publication requirement for AVDAs clients as well as for other cases , as needed and identified by the courts. This training is made possible by a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation. Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation's largest charitably-funded bar foundation. AVDAs eight trauma-informed staff attorneys provide free legal representation for victims of domestic abuse who otherwise could not afford attorney fees for the divorce and child support/custody cases necessary to rebuild their lives. The law requires AVDA to serve due process on the respondent (alleged abuser) in order to move forward with legal proceedings. However, many victims of domestic abuse experience significant delays, are denied representation, or are forced to withdraw their case in divorce or child custody cases each year due to their inability to serve notice on the responding party. With pro bono attorneys fulfilling the Service by Publication or ad litem requirement, AVDA staff lawyers can seek justice for their clients, allowing closure after years of abuse in many cases. While our commitment to the use of full-time, paid staff remains firm, we are aware of the limitations on our staff attorneys due to funding and caseload. We often need the assistance of pro bono attorneys to perform the Service by Publication and act as the ad litem for the missing or absent respondent party (alleged batterer) in support of our clients cases, stated Director of Legal Advocacy Program Maisha Colter. The lack of funds to pay an attorney and resources to locate the respondent ourselves made cases likes these impossible for AVDAs Legal Advocacy Program to handle. As a result of the November elections, there was significant turnover in the Family Court benches. With all new family law judges taking office in 2019, AVDA wants to ensure that there are trained volunteers who have been approved by the newly appointed judges and who are ready to serve, as needed, added Colter. Furthermore, the nature of our work attracts the interest of many licensed attorneys who want to give back or assist AVDA in our mission to end abuse. We seek to ensure quality representation for as many victims of abuse as possible throughout the community. Service by Publication is the act of serving a summons or another legal document pertaining to a lawsuit by publishing it in a general-circulation newspaper. It gives constructive notice to an unknown, intentionally absent or in-hiding defendant and is commonly used in divorce actions to serve papers to a spouse who cannot be found. Constructive notice assumes that the defendant receives the notice even when not delivered in person. This service of process is permitted only on a judges order after a sworn declaration has been given of the failure to locate the defendant after exercising due diligence. The court considers publication effective whether or not it is read by the defendant. Attorneys interested in participating in the Service by Publication/Ad Litem Training with CLE should contact AVDA Director of Legal Advocacy Program Maisha Colter at MaishaC@avda-tx.org. For more information, visit www.avda.org/get-involved. Tick season is here and flea season is soon to follow. These pests dont just annoy our cats and dogs, but they also serve as vectors that spread a large number of diseases between animals. Vector-borne diseases are transmitted by parasites that carry bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens. These diseases may be dangerous, but pets can usually avoid them with preventative medicine. Dr. Guilherme Verocai, a clinical assistant professor and director of the Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. Maria Esteve-Gasent, an assistant professor at the CVM, discuss the various vector-borne diseases transmitted by fleas and ticks. Verocai and Esteve-Gasent, both from the CVM Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, said that vector-borne diseases spread by fleas and ticks present a large threat to our pets and other animals. The most common disease-causing flea is the common cat flea, which can spread disease to both cats and dogs. Verocai said fleas transmit bacterial pathogens, so most flea-borne diseases can be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline. Most of the life cycle of cat fleas happens in the environment and then they are highly adapted to our household, finding a perfect place to live in crevices in the floor and carpets, Verocai said. Therefore, adequate flea control programs should eliminate the fleas found on pets and environmental infestations and prevent subsequent infestations. In addition to spreading pathogens, fleas can also cause anemia and intense itching in pets. Some dogs may also develop flea allergy dermatitis, which is an allergic reaction to the flea saliva, Verocai said. Some fleas can even carry tapeworms, which live in the small intestine of pets but rarely cause symptoms. Dogs and cats can get these tapeworms if they ingest an infected flea while grooming. Like fleas, ticks can also transmit bacterial pathogens to a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and deer. Tick control is important not just to take care of pets, but also to prevent establishing a transmission cycle where the pathogens can be transmitted to the humans in the household, Esteve-Gasent said. Ticks can transmit many diseases to pets, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks also spread canine babesiosis, which Esteve-Gasent found in a recent study to be most common in pit bull-type dogs. Another tick-borne disease of large concern is Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, which causes low blood platelet counts and increased bleeding. A 2016 project on which Esteve-Gasent collaborated found that this disease is often underdiagnosed in dogs but can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Most of the clinical signs associated with tick-borne diseases are lethargy, fever, weight loss, joint pain and swelling, weakness, enlarged spleen or lymph nodes, and changes in gum coloration, she said. For both fleas and ticks, there are several topical and oral options for repelling these pests. Pet owners are encouraged to consult with their veterinarian to find the best option for their pet and to remember that canine medications can be dangerous, or even fatal, to cats. With help from flea and tick medications, your pet can make it through the summer and fall free of parasites and the diseases that come with them. Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu . Hunters Creek 5/11/19 at 2200 Hours. 1 Hunters Creek Place. Theft. Officers were dispatched to Hunters Creek City Hall to meet with a contractor who had equipment that had been stolen from the parking lot. A review of area video surveillance showed a suspect in a dark colored pickup truck to be in the parking lot at the time of the theft. Information about the theft was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation. 5/15/19 at 1015 Hours. 10770 Block of Beinhorn. Theft. The property owner reported that unknown persons had removed 2 windows that had been delivered to the job site for installation, as well as an air conditioner compressor. The windows were new, but the AC Unit was a used system that was to be reconnected. Information was obtained about the items and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation. 5/15/19 at 1800 Hours. 10600 Block of Gawain. Identity Theft. Victim reported that over the past several weeks she has received numerous credit cards that she had not applied for. Upon further investigation she found additional mobile phone accounts opened using her personal identification as well. All credit cards and phone accounts were cancelled. Information was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation. Bunker Hill 5/13/19 at 0815 Hours. 11600 Block of Starwood. Theft. Officers were dispatched to the above location when construction personnel arrived at the job site and discovered that several sheets of plywood and other lumber was taken some time during the night. A garage door had been forced open to gain access to the home. Officers discovered that numerous contractors have been working on the project and many knew of the delivery of supplies and also had access to the gate combination code. Information was obtained and provided to detectives who were also on scene conducting their investigation. Piney Point 5/13/19 at 1510 Hours. 300 Block of Tynebridge. Burglary of a Habitation. The victim reported that she had left her home for a short time to run an errand. Upon returning to her home she discovered that someone had entered her home and ransacked bedrooms and closets. Upon further investigation it was discovered that a rear window had been broken out that allowed for the suspects to gain entry into the home. Detectives were requested and responded. During their investigation, several pieces of evidence and near-by area video surveillance footage was located. Detectives were able to use this evidence also with information captured by an Automated License Plate Detection Reader (ALPR) System to identify a suspect vehicle. Detectives are continuing their investigation and attempting to locate the vehicle at various locations in the Houston area. Note: The suspects (with extensive criminal records) have moved several times and the registration is not current. The investigation is on-going. 5/13/19 at 1830 Hours. 200 Block of Merrie Way. Burglary of a Habitation. The victims reported that they had also left the house for a short period of time and upon returning home discovered that someone had entered their home by crawling through a dog door. Detectives responded to this location and processed the scene for evidence and also checked with neighbors for video surveillance footage. A suspect vehicle was also seen on video and a license plate was found and verified on a near-by ALPR System. Detectives are actively following up on that vehicle as well and the registered owner. Note: Detectives are working to see if the listed crimes are possibly linked/coordinated together. 5/17/19 at 0330 Hours. 100 Block of Greenbay Circle. Public Intoxication. A newspaper delivery driver reported an unconscious male laying on the lawn of a home. Officers arrived and found a highly intoxicated male passed out on the lawn. The subject was placed under arrest and booked into the MVPD jail. The 20-year-old male lives several miles away, it is unknown how he ended up in the area. Even though Hurricane Harvey struck Texas almost two years ago, Communities in Schools (CIS) of Houston, are still providing mental health services related to the hurricane, and are seeing a need to keep those services going. According to cishouston.org, CIS is a campus-based dropout prevention program. CIS works with the school system on campuses to provide direct social services to at-risk students and connect students with available community resources. Our Harvey work has been continuous and an expansion of our mental health work. It might be a death, it might be a parent dealing with alcohol, and it could be a storm. Harvey was an unfortunate vehicle to expand our work. It enabled more work and more students to benefit from it, said Lisa Descant, CEO of CIS of Houston. Spring Branch Independent School District is one of the Houston area districts that has CIS at their Title I schools. At Spring Branch ISD, the need for CIS for storm related help has come full circle. History repeats its self, Linda Buchman, communications director for Spring Branch ISD, said. In the beginning, when several of our schools opted to spend Title I dollars to have CIS, students came to Spring Branch after Hurricane Katrina. Buchman continued, The few schools that had CIS at the time, they were taking care of the families. The schools were rocking along. For campuses that had no support, they were doing everything in their power, but with no CIS network, it wasnt as easy to make social services and support connections. Seeing that difference is what helped make the decision to have CIS on every Title 1 campus in the district. Now, in the long-term aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Buchman says that they are seeing secondary trauma. As time went by, and things started to settle down you started seeing more anxiety and fear of not knowing and that evolving into depressive symptoms, Buchman said. Buchman noted that those feelings are still relevant, due to recent heavy rains. With the storms that blew in, and with school being canceled, I am sure feelings of Oh my goodness is another one happening, are coming up again, Buchman said. Going forward, Buchman says that the school is always looking for more training for the CIS team. There are so many initiatives around the city and funding coming from the state. Whether its from a storm or not our kids are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety and mental health issues. We can never let our guard down in terms of getting support, Buchman said. Descant says that CIS is focusing on being mindful through meditation, and they have even brought yoga to some campuses. Its really helping kids be in the moment with the stressors. They can put aside those thoughts and that allows them to be better focused, Descant said. Descant notes that there are families that are still displaced from Harvey, and some have not yet had the chance to process their experience. They are still too vulnerable to touch the real hurt and stress. We will need to be prepared to open space for them to process what many of us have already processed. I hope that we are able to give them the support, Descant said. The CIS team is also gearing up for the upcoming hurricane season, and current storms, by helping students and their parents with safety plans. We are empowering them. If water does come in, they feel equipped to do something and not feel stuck, Descant said. Because we have lived this so personally, we will be doing more of the preparedness work. We have strengthened our partnerships with the city and county, and we are putting that in the hands of parents. We are little more assertive of sharing that information, Descant said. rebecca.hazen@chron.com SBEF School Supply Project While many are looking forward to the end of the school year and a summer off, the Spring Branch Education Foundation is ramping up its annual School Supply Project. We want to assure that every student in every Spring Branch ISD Title I school receives the important resources they need to be successful, the SBEF reported in a news release. You can help by donating to the SBEF School Supply Project. On April 12, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, a record-breaking 470 women, dressed in their favorite fairy-tale costumes including beautiful princesses, evil queens and unique storybook characters, came together to support YES to YOUTH-Montgomery County Youth Services at ONCE UPON A LADIES NIGHT OUT Helping Our Youth to Have a Happily Ever After, hosted by co-chairs, Hilarie Hicks and Jen Ragain. Ladies Night Out always brings the party! I love getting together with my ladies of the community and letting loose on the dance floor; but, its even more special when I know that were celebrating the amazing work of YES TO YOUTH and supporting the well-being of Montgomery County youth and that is worth dancing for, YES to YOUTH Board Member Monette Smith said. Ladies Night Out is a fun ladies only party that provides a night for women to get dressed up and have fun with their friends. Visit www.sayyestoyouth.org for more. 2019 Building Hope Gala raises $700,000 The 8th Annual, Habitat for Humanity MCTX Building Hope Gala was held May 4 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Celebrating Habitats 30th anniversary, it was presented by LGI Homes for the third consecutive year. The program was hosted by Houstons favorite KHOU 11 news anchor, Len Cannon. Back by popular demand, Cannon returned for his third year as Master of Ceremonies, feeling right at home at the mike, where he did a masterful job engaging the audience and ensuring that the program ran smoothly. Gala co-chairs Melissa Jacobson and Karen Lach graced the stage in their stunning gowns to thank the guests, the top sponsors, the gala committee, and to present an award to Eric Lipar, CEO of LGI in appreciation for their presenting sponsor donation for the past three years. The Build A Home fundraising segment of the program challenged guests to raise $140,000 to build two new homes. Thanks to the enthusiastic donations and a surprise $30,000 gift from Carrie and Mike Buker of Phoenix Technologies, $152,500 was raised that night. Visit habitatmctx.org for more. Music Merit Badge event set for June 7 The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion invites Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to earn their Music Merit Badge before the Texas Music Festival Orchestra takes the stage on Friday, June 7. Scout Day is designed to provide an opportunity for scouts to earn their badge through attending a live concert and participating in fun, interactive activities that satisfy badge requirements. Stations will include making an instrument, learning about the history of music and participating in a musical performance. Scout Day will begin at 7 p.m. in the North Plaza. Scouts should attend the event in uniform and will be provided with a blue merit badge card at the workshop. Scout Day is provided at no cost, but all scouts must pre-register online in order to participate. Registration is available online at www.woodlandscenter.org/scoutday and ends June 2. For questions or more information, please contact Ashley Gravois at agravois@woodlandscenter.org. To help him recover from his alcohol and cocaine dependency, David Miller needs the Conroe halfway shelter Bonnies House. With nowhere else to turn to, the 50-year-old may lose it all soon. Serving men with addictions, the nonprofits house has a July foreclosure looming. Without Bonnies House, I would have no hope, Miller said. Im real afraid of displacement. Though currently a ramshackle house, the shelter is a place for Miller to steer clear of relapse. It helps him avoid the temptations lurking in a corner store. I can have a thought, It sure would be nice, and then all of a sudden the consequences, he said, snapping his fingers, like that. Because when youre under the influence, you dont care. I think different when Im sober (at Bonnies House). A recovering alcoholic, Bonnie Quinn bought the house that sits on the 900 block of Silverdale Drive in the early 90s. She opened it as a shelter for alcoholics and drug abusers, housing a hundred or so until her death in 2004. Miller first made it to Quinns home in 2000. Quinn, who people describe as a diminutive woman whose red hair matched her spitfire personality, quickly sized Miller up and served him blunt advice on sobriety. She goes, Your feelings are going to get you drunk. Dont take things to heart Shed tell you how it is, Miller said, adding, she was good people, very good people. She had a really good heart. Destitute and desperate Want to help? Donations to the 501 (c)3 Bonnie's House organization are tax deductible. They may be mailed care of Fritz Barnett, attorney at law, at 46 Mike Slott Rd., New Waverly, Texas 77358. For more information, visit bonnieshouse.net. See More Collapse Civil trial attorney Fritz Barnett, who sits on the nonprofits board of directors, said the houses ownership is under the name of a son of Quinns. Barnett said one night in September 2017, the heir went missing out of San Jacinto County. The board had been paying a $300 renters fee to him. Without an owner paying taxes, however, Barnett said the house is set for foreclosure trial July 25. The alternatives for the current five occupants of Bonnies House are dire. They may find a place under a bridge, in the woods, behind Walmart, behind McDonalds. Thats where they come from, Miller said. When these guys get here, theyre spent, theyre burned up. They dont have anything. Barnett, a 16-years sober recovering alcoholic himself, said alcohol dependents have a notorious recovery rate, explaining a dependency on alcohol leads many to return to drinking after having expressed a want for sobriety, leaving them unwelcomed in most places. It makes loving them hard, Barnett said. Thats why people dont like them. Really, only alcoholics could understand that. Miller, who makes an effort to go to two daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Conroe, said a recent conversation with his sister demonstrates the misunderstanding among most people about alcohol and drug abuse. If one has been sober for a long period of time, Miller explained most non-alcoholics wrongly assume they can altogether abandon their addiction. He relayed an anecdote about having been sober for nine months and on a date with a woman who was drinking a martini while he sipped on a soft drink. I aint had a thought of drinking, and I start drinking that Coke and (think), Man, this would be nice with some Jack Daniels. Out of nowhere, Miller said. Thats an alcoholic. Barring sex offenders or those merely looking to parole out, Bonnies House is open to all men genuinely seeking help, Barnett explained. Most of them have just burned up everything, Their families are sick of them. They dont have any resources. Their 401K is gone, Barnett said. They're destitute and desperate. Miller, whose convictions are all for nonviolent offenses, said living with others struggling with the same addictions helps him on the path of sobriety. As well as does being around people like Barnett or other former residents who visit and have managed to not relapse. This place gives me the strength I need from other people that have sobriety, Miller said. Old, run-down house Aside from the threat of foreclosure, the house, whose exterior paneling is being chipped away at, is in urgent need of repairs. The ceiling in the main bedroom appears to be in the beginning stages of caving in. Miller said the sheet rock needs to be taken out, as the ceiling has been leaking since around 2013. One bedroom is in complete disrepair, closed out. The main shared closets ceiling is being consumed by black mold. This is an old, run-down house, Barnett said. Weve been slowly, step by step, trying to make a few little improvements here or there. Some of the touch-ups include new flooring, repainted walls in the living room. Most significant is the installation of a tin roof. A carpenter by trade, Miller has extended his skills to doing plumbing work on the house. Recently, he put on a fresh coat of white paint in the houses common-area bathroom. Dressing it up. Make it look good, Miller said of the quick project. The board of directors goal was ultimately to demolish the house and build another in its place. Short term, the house would have its exterior repainted, its air conditioning and heating improved and its ceiling repaired. But we dont have money for either option, Barnett said. The house furniture, including a light brown couch and matching curtains, were bought with donations. A worn but sturdy-looking cafeteria-style coffee machine faces the glass and wood front door. The board pays $500 to $600 a month in utilities. Earlier this year, the Entergy Charitable Foundation awarded Bonnies House a $5,000 check to pay for the transportation of residents to and from job interviews, doctor visits or recovery support meetings. Resolved to overcome For Montgomery County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack, keeping Bonnies House open is imperative. Bonnies House is there for the folks that have been discarded by the system (it) is there to provide people with a safe place to live, Mack said. Their mission is to help people, give them that hand up. Mack, who is taking on an advisory role with Bonnies House, said it is one of the few programs in the area with nearly no preconditions or requirements in taking in the men who seek it out for help. He lauded the peer-to-peer counseling residents like Miller have come to rely on. Its our passion to continue Bonnies work, Barnett said. Our objective is to give these guys a chance to get sober and stay sober. In the back corner of the house is an empty room waiting to be renovated, clutter currently fills space where two more tenants would presumably fit. One item stands out a 4-by-4 package in festive red wrapping paper. Miller has it set aside as a belated Christmas gift for his daughter whose mother recently died of breast cancer. Between his current stay and his first time, Miller returned to Bonnies House shortly before Bonnie Quinn died 15 years ago. I was younger, Miller said. Maybe I wasnt ready. But now he is resolved to overcome his addictions. And he needs to, as he started suffering a pain last year caused by his pancreas flaring up. A doctor angrily scolded him about the drinking and cocaine use, warning him, If you dont stop, youre going to die. Hong Kong: KS Wong to visit Singapore Secretary for the Environment KS Wong will depart for a duty visit to Singapore tomorrow to exchange views with officials and visit renewable energy and waste treatment facilities there. He will have a bilateral meeting with Minister for the Environment & Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on May 22. Mr Wong will also attend a signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between the National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore and the Environment Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on professional staff development. He will meet officials from the Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources, the NEA, the Land Transport Authority and the Government Technology Agency. On May 23, Mr Wong will tour Tengeh Reservoir and the School of Design & Environment at the National University of Singapore. He will also pay a visit to Semakau Landfill and Marina Barrage. He will have dinner with young Hong Kong people studying and working in Singapore. On May 24, Mr Wong will call on the Building & Construction Authority, the Housing & Development Board, as well as the Ministry of National Development. This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Before they were running for president or starring in long-running sitcoms, they were walking the hallways of Houston schools. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Actor Jim Parsons are just two famous names alongside dozens who attended schools in the Bayou City. Soon-to-be high school graduates who want to stay in Houston could be among many greats who chose to do the same. Mayor Sylvester Turner will deliver his fourth annual State of the City speech Monday at a luncheon hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership. The mayor has used the event in prior years to lay out his financial goals for Houston and call for the city to lift its property tax cap, with the additional revenue going toward public safety. Turner's address this year will come several months before his name appears on the November ballot. Seeking a second four-year term, he has drawn a challenge from 2015 opponent Bill King and millionaire lawyer Tony Buzbee, along with a handful of lesser-known candidates. The speech also comes on the heels of a judge's decision last week to rule Proposition B unconstitutional and void. The voter-approved charter amendment granted firefighters the same pay as police officers of corresponding rank and seniority. With city council weeks away from setting its budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Turner announced that the city no longer would have to lay off hundreds of firefighters and municipal workers to pay for raises in the fire department. After Turner's speech, Buzbee plans to deliver his own speech, which he is calling "The Real State of the City." Both addresses will take place downtown at the Marriott Marquis hotel. Turner's address is scheduled to begin about 11:30 a.m. or noon, while Buzbee will speak at 1:30 p.m. King also released a statement Monday saying Turner "has had little to do with most of what he will take credit for" in the address. jasper.scherer@chron.com Courtesy photo by Mary Favre The state of higher education will be the focus of an event hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerces Education Division. The 2019 State of Higher Education is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, at Sweetwater Country Club, 4400 Palm Royale Blvd. in Sugar Land. The event is presented by Fluor Corporation and Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc. The Tomball City Council will decide on using eminent domain on four properties to install public utilities, adopting a water conservation plan and a rezoning request. According to the agenda, four properties may be condemned as a part of a plan to install water and gas utilities along East Hufsmith Road. The utilities would be added as part of the city of Tomballs plan to install public utilities on E. Hufsmith Road between Zion Road and Snook Lane. The first property would be for 0.1099 acre portion or 4,789 square feet of land, while the second property would be for 0.0555 acre portion or 2,417 square feet. The third property would be for 0.1107 acre portion or 4,822 square feet and the fourth property would be 0.1268 acre portion or 5,522 square feet of land. According to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, eminent domain allows government entities to force private landowners to sell their property for public use. A government entity would then condemn the property and compensate the landowner for the property taken. Water conservation plan The council will also vote to approve a water conservation and drought contingency plan, which it periodically reviews and adopts every five years, according to the agenda. The city would establish and maintain rules and policies to conserve water supplies during droughts and other emergencies where water supplies may be low. According to the proposed plan, Tomball residents and businesses use about 788 million gallons of water per year with 70 percent for homes, 5 percent for multi-family residences and 24 percent for businesses. The public works department would test and calibrate the water meters and have them replaced as necessary. It would also identify abnormal conditions and repair equipment and pipeline breaks. Depending on the severity of a drought, the city will determine the amount of of water residents and businesses can use, emit boil water notices and may purchase in case of contamination. Residents or business owners who violate plan can be fined up to $2,000 per day. Rezoning request The council will also decide if it will rezone a 3.6-acre property to commercial from agricultural. The site is located along Texas 249 and Alice Road and would be used as a high-end mixed-use development according to a letter written by Harpreet Mangat and Hardial Mangat. The site would be used for a retail, office and restaurant complex, according to an application submitted to the community development department planning division. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at 401 Market Street. mayra.cruz@chron.com 3 1 of 3 Jason Fochtman, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Image / Courtesy Image Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Montgomery County judges could soon face a lighter caseload with the possible addition of a new district court following a vote Friday in the Texas House of Representatives. Introduced in February by state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, HB 1437 calls for instituting the 457th Judicial District. It was incorporated into SB 891, as part of an omnibus bill. It is now awaiting a vote in the Texas Senate. The bill is awaiting either a motion to concur and go to a vote or a conference committee to approve or strike out amendments and debate disagreements between the author and sponsor. (ANSA) - Rome, March 20 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's second security and migrant decree envisages fines of 10-50,000 euros for NGOs that try to land in Italy after rescuing migrants, according to the latest draft of the decree to be put to cabinet Monday. The draft also envisages the seizure of the NGO migrant rescue ships if they are repeat offenders or if the migrants who land are more than 100, the sources said. According to a copy of the draft which ANSA has seen, there is a specific exclusion from the new norms for "military or non-commercial government ships". In the previous draft the fines ranged from 20,000 to 50,000 euros. The United Nations has criticised the proposed decree's provisions for fining and impounding migrant rescuers, thus allegedly violating migrants human rights. (ANSA) - Milan, May 20 - A 92-year-old Milanese man has plea bargained the return of 15 million euros in dodged taxes from Switzerland, judicial sources aid Monday. The unnamed man has thus only received a rap over the knuckles in the shape of a suspended eight-month sentence, they said. The man had been dubbed a "fiscal fugitive" for pretending to live in Switzerland and the UK for at least five years. The man was the owner of the Gavazzi deluxe clothing shops in the 1980s and 1990s. The plea bargain is the highest ever for a private individual, sources said. The man managed to hide the money from tax authorities via a system of trust funds, they said. (ANSA) - Rome, May 20 - Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Monday expressed anger that migrants rescued by the NGO-run Sea-Watch ship were allowed onto the Italian island of Lampedusa at the weekend. The decision to allow 47 migrants to disembark was contrary Salvini's policy of closing Italy's ports to NGO-run search-and-rescue vessels. The Sea-Watch ship had defied an order not to enter Italian waters. "If the people who broke the law are arrested over the next few hours, with the definitive sequester of this boat of these deputy human traffickers, then that is one thing," Salvini said on a live broadcast on Facebook. "If the boat is put out of use, including via it being sunk, that is fine. "Otherwise, I'll have doubts about whether someone wants to make a political move. "If there are prosecutors who want to replace the government or parliament, they should stand for office. "If a trick was used to allow the migrants to disembark, I'll take action because that is favouring the trafficking of human beings". GENOA - A cargo flying the Saudi flag and transporting weapons has docked in Genoa despite a protest by port workers over fears the arms could be used by Saudi Arabia against civilians in Yemen's war. Operations to load the ship, however, have been halted due to talks between unions and terminal authorities over the material that will be loaded in Genoa, including a type of generator that could be used for war purposes. A meeting with unions has been scheduled at the prefect's office. Two men accused in what authorities believe was the gang-related slaying of a Lamar High School student had messaged each other on social media in advance to discuss the logistics of the planned killing, according to a state prosecutor. One of the men, 18-year-old Dave'on Thomas, appeared in court on Monday for the first time after he was charged with murder in the Nov. 13 death of Delindsey Mack. Thomas stood before a judge as a prosecutor detailed how authorities connected the teen to the crime, which police have described as one of several in an ongoing gang war. Mack, 18, was slain in the middle of the day last year while walking home from his classes at Lamar High School. Two people pulled up in a speeding car and jumped out, firing shots at the teen. One of the gunmen then stood over him and repeatedly fired shots as Mack lay dying on the pavement, according to court records. The shooting sparked a lockdown at the River Oaks campus and prompted Mayor Sylvester Turner to visit the school after he received a letter from a concerned 17-year-old student. He also visited Yates High School, the Third Ward campus from which Mack had just transferred and where Thomas attended. Mack's parents found out after the shooting that their son had portrayed himself on social media to be a member of the Backstreet/Freemoney gang, a group associated with the Young Scott Block, or YSB, gang. His mother had warned police twice that he was being threatened by gang members. Thomas and Kendrick Johnson, who is also charged with murder, were linked to Mack's death after authorities found messages that the pair exchanged on social media discussing Mack and the planned killing, a prosecutor said. Their phones went dark after 11:40 a.m. and were turned back on sometime after 12:15 p.m., when Mack was shot. The suspects later messaged each other to discuss authorities' press conference about Mack's death, as well as the need to ditch the car being sought in the killing, the prosecutor said. Thomas originally maintained he wasn't a part of the slaying, because he was in class at Yates High School. Records found that Thomas had left school midway through the day, the prosecutor said. Shortly after Mack's death, law enforcement leaders said a number of recent murders were part of an ongoing war between members of two local street gangs, 100 Percent Third Ward (103) and the YSB gang. Thomas, who belongs to the 103 gang, is a suspect in three murders and two aggravated robberies, the prosecutor said. He was taken into custody on $500,000 bond, which was lowered to $200,000 according to court records. Harris County state district Judge Chuck Silverman raised the bond to $300,000 on Monday. Johnson was charged in March with the murder and that of 24-year-old Kenneth Roberson, who was killed in southeast Houston last September. Johnson was already in custody on unrelated aggravated robbery charges. samantha.ketterer@chron.com A Houston man is behind bars after allegedly driving while intoxicated and crashing along the North Freeway a mere two hours after a deadly shooting he is accused of committing. Joshua Ofaron Williams, 34, allegedly shot and killed Eugene Scott in the 1400 block of E. 36th Street around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, prosecutors said in a weekend court hearing. Williams and Scott reportedly fought that day during an argument, which led to the deadly shooting, two witnesses told police. The witnesses told police that Scott was standing in his front yard waving a gun when they told him to calm down and put the gun away, prosecutors said. Scott complied, stowing the weapon and joining the two in a walk down 36th St. when a white Dodge Avenger allegedly driven by Williams drove alongside them, prosecutors said. Williams reportedly rolled down the driver's side window, brandished a black pistol and fired several rounds, prosecutors said. Scott was struck at least once and collapsed. The two witnesses threw him in the back of a car and drove him to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said. At least one of the witnesses identified Williams as the shooter and gave officers the description of his Avenger. About two and a half hours later, officers were called out to a single-vehicle crash involving a white Dodge Avenger along the North Freeway. The driver had allegedly been drinking brandy and crashed into the center concrete barrier after spilling the alcohol on his seat, prosecutors said. When officers arrived, they learned the same man accused in the deadly shooting had been driving the Avenger when it crashed, prosecutors said. Officers told prosecutors that Williams had slurred speech and reeked of brandy when they interviewed him after the crash. He allegedly failed a field sobriety test and volunteered to have his blood drawn for blood-alcohol content testing. At the time of the shooting, Williams was on bond for a charge of allegedly carrying a weapon while being a felon for a Feb. 17 arrest. His criminal history dates back to 2001, when he was arrested for manufacture or delivery of cocaine, court records show. Since that 2001 arrest, Williams racked up five other drug-related felony convictions, court records show. A judge ordered Williams held without bond in the Harris County Jail. He's facing up to life in prison, if convicted on the murder charge. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Some cops get a bad rap for being out of shape when trying to chase down the bad guys. But several Texas Department of Public Safety troopers showed they not only can keep up with the crooks, but with full-time runners as well. This Saturday in Mission, Texas three state troopers wearing their full uniform and utility belts (guns and all) went for a run in the Back the Badge 5K. There were no fancy sneakers, designer wear, or other accessories used by runners. Trooper Orlando Rivera, Sgt. Isaac Juarez , and Sgt. Marcus Cholick ran the course in their everyday work gear. "We do train with gear, but we use a tactical uniform for that," said Sgt. Juarez. "Running in full patrol uniform, to include patrol boots and vest, had never been done." Juarez says DPS has encouraged its troopers to be more involved in the community. So last year he asked his superiors if he could do a 5K in full patrol uniform. "They loved the idea, so I gathered some troopers and we did it. We have done five since then, and people love it," said Juarez. HOUSTON CHRONICLE: The fastest speeders busted by DPS in the Houston area so far in 2019 The sergeant says he has one more run left in him, and will do his last 5K in uniform in June 1. But others are ready to take the baton, including the first female trooper to run a race in full uniform. So does running a race in boots take its toll? "Our feet do hurt, but as troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety, we never give up. Pain or not, we keep going," said Juarez. Danny Hermosillo is the Digital News Editor for Chron.com | Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @Dannyherm1| Email him at Danny.Hermosillo@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message CAIRO - Less than 24 hours after a bomb blast on Sunday that targeted a bus carrying South African tourists, wounding 17 people, Egyptian security forces at dawn on Monday carried out two raids in Cairo, killing 12 alleged terrorists with the group ''Hasm'' allegedly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The announcement was made in a statement released by the Egyptian interior ministry. Nevertheless, the ministry said it does not consider the suspects killed in the districts of Cairo as the perpetrators of the attack. The statement described the operations as a ''preventive strike against the formation of terrorist Brothers to foil their plots''. The raids were carried out, according to the statement, after leading members of the armed wing of the Muslim Brotherhood ''abroad had given instructions to elements of 'Hasm''' to carry out attacks, or ''aggressive operations''. A security source added that the raids were carried out at ''dawn'' on Monday. The statement said that the first concerned an apartment in the eastern district of the 6th of October City: the terrorists allegedly ''opened fire and security forces in turn responded killing seven elements''. ''Four automatic weapons'' were seized as well as material ''to make bombs''. On the other side of the city, in an apartment in the district of Shorouk, five alleged terrorists were killed in a firefight, the ministry added, reporting that ''five automatic weapons'' were sized, along with four bombs, including two that were ''activated''. Talk of war with Iran seemed to subside in Washington over the past week. As is his wont, President Donald Trump lambasted media coverage of his administration's moves against the regime in Tehran, but in doing so also seemed to be pushing back against an aggressive agenda set by his national security adviser John Bolton. Then on Sunday, possibly goaded by a segment on Fox News, Trump launched another broadside on Twitter, warning that conflict between the two countries would mark "the official end of Iran." The atmospherics are making many officials in Washington and capitals elsewhere nervous. On Sunday, a rocket landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, adding to the jitters felt in Iraq - a nation where Iran retains outsize influence. A series of sabotage attacks on oil tankers and facilities in the region were linked to Iran, but experts suggested they were calibrated so as not to justify an American escalation. The United States had sent an aircraft carrier group and bombers to the Persian Gulf, supposedly in response to increased threats from Iranian forces and their proxies. Instead, the news of those deployments elicited a diplomatic backlash against the Trump administration, with allies both in Europe and the Middle East urging caution and insisting they don't want war. Washington's perceived saber-rattling drew unfavorable parallels to the reckless buildup to the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. Rather than galvanizing a united front around countering Iran's problematic role in its neighborhood, the U.S. efforts seemed to only deepen the impression that it was veering down a lonely, provocative path. Late last week, Trump suggested to reporters that Iran had "great potential" and he would be interested in cutting a deal with the Islamic Republic. According to my Washington Post colleagues, he chided Bolton, an inveterate hawk, and quipped to aides that "we'd be in war everywhere if it was up to this guy." The results of Trump's mixed messaging have yet to fully materialize. On the one hand, the apparent dissonance between the anti-Iran zeal of senior officials within his administration and his own stated desire to disentangle the United States from the Middle East's conflicts grows louder by the week. On the other, Trump's bellicosity and his administration's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran is laying the powder for a possibly explosive escalation. Ultimately, as Washington Post columnist Max Boot argued at the end of last week, those who seek to discern a coherent strategy or policy doctrine amid the bluster may be on a fool's errand. "We've come full circle though, with Washington's attention span so violently short now, that it's possible to dispute intelligence, debate war plans, threaten a full-scale conflict, and then back off the entire idea, just inside of one working week," noted CNN's Nick Paton Walsh. Walsh pointed to the ideological druthers of officials such as Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both of whom have in the past called for military action against Iran and regime change. "They lurch forwards, and for a week like this one you can genuinely feel like it's 2002 again, and history repeats always more as tragedy than farce," he wrote. "But then the true nature of the Trump presidency emerges - forged on isolationism, on ending wars about places that his base does not understand or care for." The uncertainty has only raised fears of a calamitous clash that neither side may actually want. "The region sits on a knife edge and escalation in and of itself will only create new risks," Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group told the Wall Street Journal. Over the past two years, Trump's threats have often been read as the opening salvos in negotiations. He lobbed insults at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before meeting him at two summits and expressing great personal affection for the totalitarian despot. The Iranian regime, like North Korea, may be hoping to call Trump's bluff, shrugging off Trump's tweets with the assumption that neither he nor American military planners are seriously considering a real intervention. "The Americans are unwilling and unable to carry out military action against us . . . and their unwillingness stems from their inability," Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan, a military aide to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said last week. As my colleagues reported, the state of play may damage Trump's credibility among allies even further. "If you make threats and then people decide you aren't going to follow through, if you're looking for the reaction and you stop getting the reaction, the options are either to make larger threats or to stop going down that road at all," Jon B. Alterman, Middle East Program director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Post. "Credibility is a hard thing for a president to maintain." Still, the Trump administration can point to certain victories. As my colleagues reported over the weekend, the sweeping U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil industry hit Tehran's ability to finance some of its proxy groups abroad. The Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah has slashed its budgets amid a funding shortfall. Yet that may only increase the risk of a military escalation. "There is no doubt these sanctions have had a negative impact," said a Hezbollah official, speaking to The Post on the condition of anonymity. "But ultimately, sanctions are a component of war, and we are going to confront them in this context." War may not be on the horizon, but dark clouds loom nonetheless. The feverish wrangling of the past week underscored the vast gap between the Trump administration and its European counterparts, who see the crisis as the result of Trump's unilateral decision to scrap U.S. commitments to the Iranian nuclear deal. In their view, it's the United States that is playing the role of the provocateur. "I personally believe the American president doesn't want to go to war. But that's not the problem," a senior European diplomat, whose government was briefed by Pompeo this past week, said to my colleagues. "The problem is that the situation may at some point become so volatile and so unstable that it's inevitable." Digital transformation is one of those things everyone is interested in. It seems most have a good handle on the why but often not the how. I recently spoke with Miguel Rio Tinto, Group CIO of Emirates NBD, one of the oldest and biggest financial firms in the Middle East, on how they approach digital transformation. Can you describe what digital transformation means to you and Emirates NBD? Rio Tinto: Digital transformation is about change and speed. The banking industry is very competitive, and we need to keep up with smaller, more nimble financial firms, including FinTechs, but also keep an eye on the larger established ones. We are taking a two-pronged approach to digital transformation. The first being evolving IT and how we engage with our bank stakeholders. This means identifying new IT-business working models, identifying new technologies, and driving innovation into everything we do. The other side of the coin is IT modernization. Technology is at the core of what we do in the bank. Think of IT as the factory that everything runs through, and we need to ensure that we are continually driving innovation to meet business objectives. How are you addressing both sides of digital transformation? Rio Tinto: The first thing we are doing is bringing more of IT back in-house. In the past, many financial institutions felt the need to outsource a lot of their IT functions and capabilities. Banks also used to think of technology as a commodity, and they tied themselves up in long contracts with systems integrators. All of this created a risk of being overly reliant on IT vendors. Its my belief that if you want to be successful with digital transformation, you need to own the skills. Because of this, we are increasingly hiring in areas like software development, enterprise architecture, testing and automation. Emirates NBD Miguel Rio Tinto, group CIO, Emirates NBD Three years ago, we had a total IT staff of about 1,250 people with only around 300 of these as full-time, permanent employees. The other 950 were vendor and contractor resources. Today, we want to grow to about 600 internal, permanent resources with about 500 of these being engineering professionals. We will own everything from development to architecture and will be very fast and flexible. How have you structured the IT organization to make the shift to being fully digital? Rio Tinto: Emirates NBD introduced a chief digital officer to work with the business units and understand their goals. He is also responsible for engaging with other financial services companies to understand best practices and see how they are innovating. From there, we put together a plan that goes from developing new products to new distribution methods and increasing the efficiency of IT. To date, we have spent about half a billion dirhams modernizing our systems and have identified five key areas to be successful with digital transformation: Strong internal engineering capabilities. As I mentioned, we had to bring in a number of new competencies around engineering. This is now the core of what we do, and we have embraced agile IT to enable delivery. This meant organizing such delivery around small teams, known as squads. They are multi-disciplined and empowered to make decisions, so those decisions are made faster. We have also introduced product owners who were sourced from the business to work in our IT squads every day. They own the products and manage backlogs collaboratively with IT. Cloud-native application architecture. The success of cloud-native companies like Google and Amazon has nothing to do with incumbency. These are companies with cloud-native software development methods. Theyre agile, move quickly, and we want to replicate what they are doing. Web services, composable applications, containers, microservices, Kubernetes, and cloud-native clusters are all part of our application architecture now. The goal is to have less than 10% of our applications remain legacy within three years. Modernized infrastructure. We need to implement next-generation infrastructure to enable our complex IT environment. IaaS and PaaS services are good for this, but in the UAE, banks cannot use public clouds and we want that level of agility. To accomplish this we have built our own private cloud completely on open-source tools, so if the UAE lets banks use public clouds, we can easily shift our environment over. The private cloud will give us the ability to scale up and down as needed. New IT-business operating model. This involves rolling out agile as a standard practice and way of working with the business units. Our individual stakeholder departments, like retail and wholesale banking as examples, will make joint decisions with IT and provide daily feedback on the digital products being delivered for them through our dedicated product owners. This is a significant change, as the product owners sit with the IT teams to improve speed and efficiency and prioritize projects. Digital success is based on IT and business partnering, which will be a big change for many companies. Integrated security. Information security can no longer be something that is bolted on after the fact. Rather, it must be embedded into all of our processes and products. This includes new technology, such software-defined firewalls, but also a large amount of user training. Through ongoing training, Emirates NBD employees are much more aware of phishing risks, and we conduct simulated, email-based phishing attacks on a regular basis to continue increasing this. As part of the new tools, we are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for new capabilities. AI is now doing database monitoring to detect patterns for fraudulent access. When the AI sees irregular patterns, it can highlight these as possible risks. We are also leveraging our cloud platform here. We built a central log from our infrastructure and are using AI to identify fraud or security risks. We currently have several models running to identify fraudulent accounts. Its my belief that if you want to be successful with digital transformation, you need to own the skills. Miguel Rio Tinto, Group CIO of Emirates NBD How are you driving innovation internally? Rio Tinto: We are increasingly focusing on driving internal innovation, not just across IT but across the entire bank. Within IT, this is one of the most critical capabilities we look for when recruiting. More than half of our IT staff are new, and we are still actively trying to attract talent from the local and international market. Dubai is a very attractive city, and we are aiming to become a leading digital city. Our government is very active with digital initiatives and sets a good benchmark for companies in the city. For over five years now, Emirates NBD has held an internal innovation contest where any employee can pitch an idea to enhance either the customer experience or our internal processes. One fantastic idea was to offer customers a global cash card with multiple currencies. People can carry this from country to country and not worry about paying foreign exchange fees. We have implemented several other ideas and have more underway. Is there anything else you feel is important to success? Rio Tinto: One of the most important factors is buy-in from executives. We have tremendous support from our board of directors and group CEO, as they believe technology is at the core of the bank and will continue making us successful as one of the regions leading banks. Innovation and digital go hand in hand, and that will continue to be driven through the organizations culture from the leadership down. Some days innovation and disruption seem to move so fast, and the demands for quick, flexible decision-making seem so close to imperative, that we find ourselves simply reacting to events rather than managing them. The traditional executive management focus on analysis, deliberative decision-making and planning falls by the wayside. Were scrambling just to keep up and the cri de coeur everything is improv! seems to pretty well sum up what were experiencing. So, improv classes find a home in open workspaces next to climbing walls, foosball tables, spin classes and pilates. We invite employees to flex their creativity not just their biceps. Why we love improv Whether were thinking of interviews, meetings, or business presentations, improv keeps popping up as an ideal solution. And for obvious reasons: Its fun. For most of us, an hour of improv sounds a lot better than an hour of sitting through another aimless meeting. We look to improv for relief and a good laugh. For most of us, an hour of improv sounds a lot better than an hour of sitting through another aimless meeting. We look to improv for relief and a good laugh. It looks easy. No preparation or rehearsal required. All you have to do is throw yourself into improbable situations, overreact to everything, and say whatever comes into your head. Easy! No preparation or rehearsal required. All you have to do is throw yourself into improbable situations, overreact to everything, and say whatever comes into your head. Easy! Its super creative. When they do improv, people seem to come up with the craziest ideas and then do and say the most hilarious things. Who knew we could all be so creative? Improv appears to be the ideal tonic for data-driven analysis, logical decision-making, and all the requirements docs, bug lists, and escalation paths that weigh us down. Improv promises to be instantly exhilarating, like doing repeated shots of high energy drinks. A tool, not a solution The ability to think on our feet and respond quickly to changing circumstances is an important adaptive skill in business. But whether in an interview or in the Scrum its not all Improv all the time in business. It would be hard to implement a business strategy designed to increase your companys market value with the general directive, Just improvise. Just as it would also be challenging to raise seed capital with I need $10 million the rest is improv as your investor pitch. The application of improv technique should be seen as a tool, not a complete solution or substitute for analysis, decision-making, and planning. Even improv is not all improvised Bad improv is chaotic, selfish and ultimately ridden with cliches. Good improv is structured, collaborative and highly disciplined. It has clear rules and requires lots of practice. Without the discipline, structure and technique, things fall apart quickly. Improv has been around for hundreds of years, achieving high art status as commedia dellarte in Italy during the 16-18th centuries. We know from la commedia that even improv is not all improvised. Commedia relied on classic narrative structures and a set playlist of scenes involving clearly defined stock characters. Actors and audiences were familiar with the plot outlines and characters, knew how all the pieces fit together and so were able to improvise. Improv is fundamentally a group performance technique. I like to think of the goal of successful improv as what I would call symphonic symbiosis: the pleasure of watching diverse humans working together in harmony to overcome obstacles and achieve life affirming objectives. We improve our own collaborative and creative skills by focusing relentless and responding directly to others. In improv, we take from the audience and our fellow performers and contribute something back to the greater whole. When everything is working well, all are working together seamlessly to achieve a kind of symphonic symbiosis. Skills you can use Three of the key principles of improv that I believe are immediately relevant to business all pertain to working in coordination with others. It goes without saying that in the workplace were not good listeners. We tend to hear what we want to hear, and not wait until someone has finished their thought before formulating and then promoting our own. Improv technique relies on listening. Sharing focus. Its hard for senior managers to step out of the spotlight and share focus with others. But validating the contributions of others is key to winning their participation in constructive ways. Improv demands that we share focus. Its hard for senior managers to step out of the spotlight and share focus with others. But validating the contributions of others is key to winning their participation in constructive ways. Improv demands that we share focus. Presence in the moment is key to thinking on your feet and engaging fully with others. Presence draws you out of your routine and away from your fixed agenda. Given the current propensity to try and gamify everything we like to think of improv skills development as a series of games. They are playful, but I think its more helpful to think of them as exercises that strengthen and stretch usand like exercises, they need to be done regularly to be effective. Where improv can help Where I think improv can help business the most is: We tend to think of brainstorming as the surfacing of competing ideas. The Yes, and technique of improv helps source complementary ideas that take the interests of all stakeholders into account. The development of an effective business and implementation plan requires the willing participation of all. If we listen, share focus and are mindful of the presence and contributions of all stakeholders, plans will be more inclusive and more widely adopted. Improv in the business presentation While many presentations appear to be entirely improvised. The best benefit from a little improvisation in rehearsal (ideation) and the ability of the presenter to improvise in real time based on circumstances (presence in the moment.) But good presentations require preparation. Improv is a good tool for overcoming unexpected obstacles. But we should always work to stay on plan. The collaborative nature of improv is why companies today should be interested in developing improv technique; not as a respite from work but as an integral part of the management tool set. Successful companies are those that not only communicate well but collaborate well. The biologist E. O. Wilson observes that while its true that selfish individuals can sometimes triumph over other individuals within the same group, its also true that collaborative groups win over selfish groups. Successful improv is ultimately a collaborative group endeavor. If we want our companies to be creative, collaborative and winners then improv can help. Saudi cargo with weapons docks in Genoa Port workers, pacifists protest (ANSAmed) - Genoa, May 20 - A cargo flying the Saudi flag and transporting weapons has docked in Genoa despite a protest by port workers over fears the arms could be used by Saudi Arabia against civilians in Yemen's war. Operations to load the ship, however, have been halted due to talks between unions and terminal authorities over the material that will be loaded in Genoa, including a type of generator that could be used for war purposes. A meeting with unions has been scheduled at the prefect's office. (ANSAmed). Creating the right working environment and empowering employees are critical requirements for future enterprises to achieve their digital transformation (DX) goals. Some of the key barriers stifling DX success today is not technology-related; it is rather a lack of digital mindset, collaborative culture and change management challenges. Organisations face several friction points as the changing demographics, particularly the influx of newer generations at work, and new business models are challenging the long-established status-quo in terms of both business models and how work is done. In 2018, IDC found that most organisations in their digital journey can be classified in two groups. The smaller cohort who are leading the charge and thriving in the digital era are defined as Digitally Determined organisations. They often have an enterprise-wide DX strategy which aims to transform markets and customers by creating new business models, and products/service. On the other hand, Digitally Distraught organisations have DX initiatives which are tactical; although the initiatives are tied to the enterprise strategy, they are very short-term focused. With only 40% of organisations across Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) being Digitally Determined and on the path to realising their transformation goals, a lot more needs to be done to shift the needle on DX. In particular, the Digitally Distraught majority must work faster to close the gap with the more aggressive startups or face being reduced to oblivion. Based on a study of digitally distraught organisations, IDC has been able to identify several key areas where the Digitally Determined are establishing new behaviours that need to be considered normal within a transformed environment. To start, this transformation is all about putting experience at the core of everything and it does not just mean a focus on just customer experience. It also includes employee and partner experience in a world of digital ecosystems that is helping organisations source employees, resources and sometimes even core products. Take for instance Airbnb; it crowdsources the properties it offers for accommodation on its platform, which is their core product or service. Such aggregation platforms and ecosystem-based business models are emerging in almost every sector, such as peer-to-peer lending platforms in finance, ride-hailing services, co-working spaces for offices, food-delivery service providers, etc. Therefore, success today depends much on elevating customer experience, as well as enabling employees and partners with the right tools and technologies to deliver great experiences. Driving this experience-centricity is innovation-at-pace across products, services, processes and the systems that support and underpin many aspects of all organisations in this data-driven, digital economy we now live. But to achieve this, it requires a fresh approach to risk-taking, new tools for experience monitoring and measurement, and a desire to continuously learn and adapt. In March 2019, IDC published its Future of Work Maturityscape model, which describes the organisational characteristics of five levels of future of work maturity, from a completely ad hoc approach with limited awareness to one in which a future of work strategy is woven into the organisations culture at every level. The model is meant to help organisations evaluate current workplace transformation initiatives and identify the steps they need to take to advance to the next stage of maturity. Key stakeholders of workplace transformation initiatives include executives, IT leadership, line-of-business managers, employees, partners, and suppliers. Organisations across sectors can leverage this IDC maturity model to assess their current state of maturity for the future of work and plan next actions at each stage across the three pillars of workforce, workspace and workculture. Each of these contributes to creating the right environment for innovation and transformation to thrive, thereby resulting in a more well-tuned organisation that is able, with the right talent and partnerships, to excel in todays business environment. In IDCs Future of Work FutureScapes 2019, IDC predicts, By 2023, 30% of G2000 companies will generate at least 20% of their revenue outside their core industries, using crowdsourcing and agile aggregation models to source talent and business capabilities. In short, organisations must begin reinventing their core and invest in digital platforms, aggregation and crowdsourcing models to source new capabilities, and create new revenue streams, outside their core sector of operations. However, one of the key barriers in this journey is the lack of digital skills and the traditional mindset that often resists to change. Creating the right culture that fosters innovation and collaboration, employee empowerment with the latest tools, and even workspace policies around mobility, talent development and retentions are more critical than ever for the overall success of the organisation. This issue is exacerbated by the significant uptake of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), microservice architectures, augmented and virtual reality technologies (AR/VR) and multi-cloud adoption where the numbers of trained professionals in these skills is quite low. Work culture becomes a starting point to attract the required talent. This is about having an engaged and empowered workforce aligned to new digital skills, which in turn support the strategies of customer-centric data monetisation. Workforce is about the collaboration of humans and technology, not about how AI will replace people, but how AI can augment skills by offloading more mundane and repetitive operations, allowing the human workforce to move to more value-judgment roles that machines cannot necessarily manage as well. Workspace talks about the environment in which the workforce operates, a connected, secure work environment that is independent of time and space. The work-from-anywhere at any time, concept that is indicative of start-ups and born in the cloud organisations globally. Clearly the last element requires a seismic shift in culture, especially that of management culture. But as we move to a world where the workforce is getting younger, with unique demands that need to be addressed in an environment where they are perhaps going to be spoiled for choices with regards to where they work, this programme attempts to guide, with examples of success, organisations to becoming digitally determined, and ultimately transform into digitally native enterprises. IDC is looking closely at developments around the topic on Digital Determination and Future of Work, examining the business cases and monetisation models in Asia/Pacific. These topics were presented in more detail at IDCs recent CIO Summit event series held last May 07, 2019 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. To know the schedule of the next IDC CIO Summit events, please visit HERE. Avinav Trigunait is the Research Director for Future of Work Practice at IDC Asia/Pacific. New York City Mayor de Blasio says he wants to scrap the Specialized High School Admissions Test because there are appallingly few black and Latino students in the citys eight test-in specialized schools, including Bronx Science, Stuyvesant and my alma mater, Brooklyn Tech. The mayor is correct that the demographic imbalance in a school system where 68% of high school students are black or Latino, but they comprise just 10% of the student bodies at the test-in high schools, is unacceptable. But the test itself is not the problem. It is emblematic of a school system that is segregated not only racially and ethnically, but also in terms of the quality of the education offered in various schools and school districts. In Brownsville, Brooklyn, which I represent in the state Assembly, there are entire community school districts which do not offer the kind of elementary-level gifted and talented programs that are common in wealthier districts. For students who score at the top levels of state-mandated standardized tests that start in the third grade, there are no enhanced academic offerings in elementary or middle schools to help them maximize their potential. Currently, black and Latino elementary school students are much less likely to take the exam to qualify for gifted and talented programs than white and Asian-American students. Instead of focusing on the SHSAT, the city must commit to, and invest in, identifying high-potential students at a younger age, and then nurture them and prepare them for the rigors of the test and for the curriculum in the specialized schools where ninth graders are immediately exposed to college-level coursework. The mayor has chosen a different path. He has chosen to support a complicated, unworkable scheme that would give the chancellor unprecedented power to radically change the admissions system for the test-in specialized schools hardly a model for how democratic governance should work. This approach phases out and completely eliminates the use of the SHSAT, which guarantees every applicant the same opportunity to gain admission to one of these schools. Instead of a merit-based approach, the mayor proposes opening the door for the use of multiple subjective criteria in a way that is complicated and incapable of outside monitoring to see if it is being followed. As an audit report by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer showed, high schools using multiple criteria are often incapable of explaining how they applied their stated criteria when selecting the incoming class. In addition, the bill the mayor has endorsed excludes students from Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and secular private schools from equal participation in the opportunity to compete for admission to these schools because it limits the admissions system that will eventually cover 90% to 95% percent of the student body only to students matriculating from public schools. This is antithetical to the idea that all children, regardless of race, religion, color or class, should be treated fairly. They all must be treated equally. On top of that, the bill proposes to eventually eliminate the Discovery program, through which many black and Latino students, who narrowly missed the cutoff score, gain admission to these schools because they met the definition of disadvantaged. (The Discovery program, being income-based, has increasingly benefited Asian-American students in recent years.) Instead of eliminating the Discovery program, the city should revamp the definition of disadvantaged to prioritize students from districts that are historically underrepresented in specialized schools which would generate hundreds more black and Latino children eligible for entry. There are other legislative proposals to help close the diversity gap, including a proposal by state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, a Bronx Democrat, to create a pre-SHSAT available to all students in sixth grade, with a requirement the city offer enhanced academics to help students fill in any gaps in their preparation for the eighth-grade SHSAT itself. The city cannot paper over the disparities of educational opportunity in our school system for the highest-performing and highest-potential students. The dearth of enrichment offered in many of the elementary and middle schools in our communities is why 59% of black parents choose to send their child to a higher performing kindergarten instead of their local zoned school. They want, and we all need, something better for our children. That requires a frank acknowledgement by the city that educational imbalance both demographic and in terms of academic opportunity is a far wider problem than a single admissions test for the citys specialized high schools. The mayor, as a parent, can surely understand the dreams and aspirations of all parents to avail their children of every opportunity to better themselves, both through academics and cultural enrichment. If this administration is wedded to eliminating the SHSAT, then I propose the city has a pilot program that incorporates that method with the five schools they actually have jurisdiction over. This proposal, in its current form, though well-intentioned, is ultimately misguided. Speaking as a doting mother and proud alumna, I look forward to working with the mayor to devise and implement measures which will address diversity, educational imbalance and racial disparity, while maintaining the pride and academic rigor of our specialized schools. The day before special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election was released, Rep. Jerrold Nadler was already convinced that it was inadequate, that the only choice he had as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee was to pick up the investigation where Mueller left off. Nadler was unruffled by critics on the right and the far left who emphasized that Muellers team of 19 lawyers, 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts and forensic accountants had spent nearly two years and more than $25 million investigating President Donald Trump and his aides and advisers, while coming up short on the central question of conspiracy. Mueller did charge 34 people and three companies including more than a dozen Russians who allegedly sought to influence the election and top Trump aides like former campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted of unrelated crimes but the investigation concluded without a single indictment of an American for conspiring with Russia. Yet Nadler had already signaled that Muellers report would not be the last word, sending letters and document requests to 81 individuals and other entities in pursuit of evidence of obstruction of justice, public corruption, and other abuses of power by Trump and his associates. When the special counsel report was delivered to U.S. Attorney General William Barr in March, no new indictments were announced. When City & State spoke with Nadler, Barr had issued his four-page summary that said that Mueller did not determine whether anyone had obstructed justice. Barr also made the highly controversial claim that there wasnt enough evidence to charge anyone with the crime. But Nadler remained certain that there were additional crimes, that the evidence clearly showed collusion, that the president may have obstructed justice or committed other impeachable offenses and the Manhattan congressman said he would not rest until he got to the bottom of it. Remember, the special prosecutor is looking at crimes, Nadler told City & State in an extended interview in his Manhattan district office on April 17, hours before he and the rest of the American public had a chance to read a redacted version of the full Mueller report for the first time. Crimes demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt, so if Mueller says were not charging him, what hes saying is: We dont have evidence in our opinion beyond a reasonable doubt. Period. Were looking to see what happened. Who did what. Im not saying the president should be impeached, thats a different question, but there are grounds for impeachment which are not crimes. While the president and Republican lawmakers have assailed Nadler for continuing his witch hunt, Mueller did leave the door open for further action. While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mueller wrote. We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice. Now, as Nadler charges ahead and leads congressional Democrats into a high-stakes confrontation with the White House over access to Muellers unredacted report and all the underlying evidence, as well as attempts to compel testimony and obtain documents directly from key witnesses, questions remain: What could Nadler hope to uncover that Mueller did not? And what impact will his actions have in 2020, when many Democrats are intent on knocking Trump out of office at the polls? In his interview with City & State last month, the House Judiciary Committee chairman laid out a detailed legal case for his ongoing investigation, including why he thinks Donald Trump Jr. committed a crime. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You have asserted that President Donald Trump obstructed justice, but Robert Mueller concluded that there was insufficient evidence of conspiracy between his campaign What the special prosecutor is looking at, remember hes a prosecutor, hes looking at crimes, crimes demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt, so if he says were not charging him, what hes saying is we dont have evidence in our opinion beyond a reasonable doubt. Period. Thats what hes saying. After Mueller spent 22 months and more than $25 million investigating, why arent his conclusions convincing? In most things in life when we say, did someone do this or not, we dont demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Thats a very high standard. And thats all a prosecutor talks about, does he think that he has evidence sufficient to establish the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. He may very well have strong evidence that it happened but not that strong. So thats not saying it didnt happen, thats not saying the person isnt guilty, its saying theres not enough evidence to charge the person under that standard. Based on the document requests you sent to 81 individuals and entities, it looks like youre going over a lot of the same ground as Mueller did. So what are you looking for, if not crimes? Were looking to see what happened. Who did what. Talk about impeachment, for example. Im not saying the president should be impeached, thats a different question, but if you were looking at that, there are grounds for impeachment which are not crimes. Equally, there are crimes which are not grounds for impeachment. Can you give an example of something that is an impeachable offense that isnt a crime? Sure, let me think a minute. Something related to President Donald Trump, something conceivably he could have done. OK, the president agreeing, or the president knowing that subordinates in his campaign are working with the Russians to get help for the campaign and not objecting, letting them do it. Maybe he didnt instruct them, maybe you cant prove beyond a reasonable doubt well forget the reasonable doubt, he didnt commit a crime. He didnt positively do it, on the other hand, he let something completely subversive of a national election occur. Like possibly the Trump Tower meeting, where his subordinates Well, OK, lets assume that he knew about the Trump Tower meeting. Lets assume that he knew of other actions. Lets assume that he didnt instruct anyone to do anything, he just let all of his subordinates do these things. I would say thats impeachable. I mean, depending on what they did obviously. But its not necessarily a crime he didnt tell them to do it. Whats the difference between Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee funding the Steele dossier? Theres nothing wrong with that. Why? Theres nothing wrong with funding opposition research. Theres something wrong with a foreign government funding opposition research. There are laws that say you cannot, a campaign cannot, accept help from a non-American. Christopher Steele is not an American. But he was paid. He also went to Russia to get information. Thats perfectly fine. Lets assume for the moment that an American went through Russia to try to get information from Russia to benefit Hillarys campaign thered be nothing wrong with that. Unless he paid off the Russians, which is a separate question. He could do that as a volunteer. He could do that for pay. If hes not an American, however, he cant do that because a non-American may not contribute to a political campaign. Now a non-American, therefore, could not go to Russia, get information and give it to the Hillary campaign unless he was paid. If he was paid to do it, hes an employee. Hes allowed to do that. Its not a contribution. So, Steele if he is hired by the Hillary campaign, or by someone on behalf of the Hillary campaign, its perfectly OK to try and get information and give it to the Hillary campaign. How is this different than Donald Trump Jr. meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya? Theres two things wrong with it. No. 1, the people hes meeting with are not Americans. Therefore, theyre not permitted to give anything of value to the campaign, unless theyre paid for it, fair market value. They cant make a contribution. Its against our laws for a foreigner to make a campaign contribution. Campaign contributions can be a check, heres a thousand dollars. Or it can anything of value. Heres information on Hillary. Thats something of value to the campaign. Therefore its a contribution. I am giving you something of use to the campaign. If Im giving you a chocolate cake, and its not of use to the campaign, its not a campaign contribution. If Im giving you something of use to the campaign, with the intention of helping the campaign, thats a contribution. Its whats called an in-kind contribution its not cash its an in-kind contribution. Its perfectly OK to give an in-kind contribution, if youre an American and if the value of that is under the campaign contribution limits. But if youre not an American, youre not allowed to give a campaign contribution, nor is the campaign permitted to take it. Wouldnt a prosecutor with the stature of Robert Mueller, after Donald Trump Jr. testified for hours, why would he not I dont know. I dont know. I dont understand why. And one of things we want to see in this report is the reasoning. Donald Trump Jr., from what we know publicly, without any private knowledge, is the recipient of an email that says, We want to meet with you, to give you dirt on Hillary as part of the Russian governments campaign to help Donald Trumps election. Thats what it said in the invitation. They take the meeting. What that invitation is saying is we want to give you something of value to the campaign, which makes it illegal, since were foreigners. Having that invitation to a meeting for the purpose of getting an illegal contribution, Trump Jr., and Jared Kushner and the campaign manager, Paul Manafort, go to the meeting. Trump Jr. says at the meeting, after its described to him, If its what you say it is, wonderful! If I were a prosecutor, I think Id prosecute just on that. Not Trump, but the people who went to the meeting. (Editors note: Mueller found that he could not apply campaign finance law to an illegal gift from a foreigner because the information offered was of so little value less than the $2,000 threshold required to charge the Trump associates with a misdemeanor, let alone the $25,000 threshold for a felony punishment. Nadlers office noted last week that the House Judiciary Committee is in discussions with Mueller to testify and expects him to appear before the committee in the near future.) Because they went to the meeting, this is an impeachable offense? No, it is not an impeachable offense. Im saying, I think that they committed a crime, because the crime is conspiracy. Conspiracy is defined as two or more people agreeing to do something, illegal or improper and taking one overt act. So, if you and I agree to rob the bank, and joke about it, and never talk about it again, thats not a conspiracy. But if you and I agree to rob the bank and you rent the getaway car, were both guilty of conspiracy. You follow me? An overt act. I think that going to the meeting was the overt act. Now, it may very well be that you cant prove that Donald Trump knew about that meeting, or knew about what was agreed to at that meeting, in which case, he hasnt committed a crime. But Donald Jr., I think, has. And Manafort has, and Jared, whoever went to that meeting. Especially whoever went to that meeting and said and I think it was Donald Jr. If its what you say it is, I love it. That shows he knew exactly what he was doing. Thats more evidence of guilt. I dont understand why theyre not indicting some of the people who went to that meeting. Why youre not indicting Trump is maybe you cant prove he knew about it, or agreed to it, wasnt at the meeting, who knows? But thats why Adam Schiff is saying and Ive said there was collusion in plain sight. Thats collusion! So had Donald Trump Jr. paid this person, it wouldve been fine? If he paid fair market value, it wouldnt be fine, morally, but it wouldnt be a violation of the law. Now forget the crime for a moment, in terms of patriotism and morality. You dont let a foreign government or people who are working in a foreign government interfere in the campaign. The only proper response, the only proper response, to an invitation from the Russians to help you in the campaign is to report it to the FBI. Period. Its the only patriotic response. Now, I can hire for a campaign someone to do a job so long as I pay fair market value. Its not a campaign contribution. He can make a campaign contribution as long as its not more than $2,700, unless hes a foreigner, which cant make any campaign contribution. So if Hillarys campaign hires Fusion GPS, which hires Christopher Steele, theres nothing wrong with that. Campaigns hire research firms all the time to get research about whatever opposition research its recognizing in the campaign. Nothing wrong with that. Period. Do you challenge the legitimacy of the 2016 election results? No. No. The results are what they were. And theres no provision for challenging the legitimacy of the election results. By the way, lets assume and maybe this is a problem in the Constitution lets assume the Electoral College voted for Trump he needed 270 votes lets assume there were 273 votes I mean there were more, but lets assume there were 273 votes. Lets assume, and therefore he was declared elected, hes inaugurated and so forth. Lets assume that 10 of them were bribed. They were paid $50,000 a piece to cast their votes for Trump. Theres no provision to undo anything. They can go to jail, but the election is the election its over. You can challenge the moral legitimacy, maybe, but you cant challenge the legal legitimacy of the election. Is there anything wrong with the fact that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application, which served as a basis for the FBIs investigation into Russian meddling in U.S. elections, was based partially on this Steele dossier No! Nothing wrong with that, either. The Steele dossier was a collection of documents. All of it, almost all of it admittedly, was unvetted, not proven. Everything we know so far thats been tested has proven accurate. Lots of things havent been tested yet. Nothing in that memo has been proven to be false. Nothing? Almost nothing, maybe nothing. Im not sure. Most, or all, of whats been verified, one way or the other, has been verified as accurate. But thats not the point. It may have been 90% accurate and 10% inaccurate. They may know that it was totally accurate and said this was raw, unfiltered intelligence data. Can you be specific as to what was verified? Youd have to look, its been all in the public. Lots of things have been verified, but thats not even the point. When you apply for FISA Court applications, this is intelligence work. Youre not dealing with facts proven beyond a reasonable doubt because youd never get a warrant. Youre dealing with indications, with rumors, with testimony that isnt verified, sufficient to cause a FISA Court to allow you to get through, to issue the warrant. Its what is it. Its not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Its probable cause, which is a very low standard. In the FISA application, the Steele dossier, or part of it, was one of the things. It wasnt the major thing. It was one document cited in a large thing, and the FBI, in there, the Justice Department, whoever did the application, in their applications specifically said, to the court, this is raw intelligence. They described how they obtained it. We cannot verify its accuracy. Thats what you tell the court. The court chose given that and given all the other information in the application, theres enough there to grant the FISA application. Have you seen that application? Yes. I have. So youre saying that the Steele dossier was just a very small thing? I dont know about very small, it was a small part, relatively small. But the point is the court was told this is unverified information. This is how it was gotten. You evaluate it. Once youve done that, thats what youre supposed to do. The court granted the application. A FISA is only good for, I think its 90 days. To renew the FISA application, you have to show not only whatever you show it to get in the first place, but you have to show that its productive. That, in fact, your warrant granted pursuant to the FISA application has gotten information of value to counterintelligence. They were working with the Russians, or somebody whos talking about something, and therefore renew it. It was renewed three times. That means it was productive. That means somebody was dealing with Russians, or with somebody. And the third time it was renewed, by the way, the guy who signed the application was Rod Rosenstein, who had been appointed at that point. So theres nothing wrong with that application, and anybody who says there was something wrong with it though its spying, etc. is trafficking in total bullshit. You impeach people for high crimes and misdemeanors. What does high crimes and misdemeanors mean? The best summary, when the impeachment, the whole thing came up 20 years ago, my first thing was to read everything I could starting with the English and the 1600s of whats impeachable. The best summary, by the way, I still think, is the majority staff report at the Judiciary Committee written in February of 74 by Hillary Rodham, of all people. I still think thats the best summary of the law. Impeachment is a defense of the Constitution, the defense of liberty and defense against the president who would arrogate power to himself, who would do things to destroy the separation of powers, who would do things to destroy liberty. Its a political defense against the political crime. So, when it was proven that Richard Nixon cheated and lied about his income taxes, that was voted down as an article of impeachment because you dont have to be president to lie and cheat on your income taxes. And thats not, thats a crime, you should be prosecuted for it, and had it not been for the pardon, he probably would have been prosecuted for it, but it has nothing to do with threatening the structure of government. By the same token, Bill Clinton committed perjury about a sexual affair with Monica Lewinsky. That was not impeachable because its perjury about a private sexual affair. It had nothing to do with arrogating powers, threatening liberty or affecting the structure of functioning government. He was impeached for obstructing justice. He was impeached for various things but his impeachment was wrong. I would say what he was impeached for, which is basically perjury about a private sexual affair, is not an impeachable offense. Now, say if Donald Trump committed perjury, for example, lets assume that he was subpoenaed by the attorney general of New York and looking into a misuse of his charitable foundation and maybe stealing money through his charitable foundation, and he committed perjury in that investigation, that would not be impeachable because its not relevant to misuse of his presidency. To be impeachable, it has to be what I just said. Or theres one other thing, its got to be while youre president. The only thing it can be if youre not president would be if youre trying to rig the election to start with. And we know that because theres a specific reference to that in the Federalist Papers. But related to this lengthy investigation into the Russians and Trump Thats very fast and very cheap for this kind of investigation. Take a look at how much Ken Starr spent, and how long that took. It was like seven years and I dont know how much money. Where is the sign that even whatever Trump and Putin talked about lets say they had a secret meeting and they talked about blowing up the world together. Well, all that does is raise questions. Why is Jared Kushner trying to set up a secret back channel from the White House to the Kremlin on Russian equipment so no one else knows? No American knows whats going on, before the inauguration. Michael Flynn was doing this same thing, (and it) raises a lot of questions. Unprecedented, it raises a lot of questions in the same context of the guy whos publicly giving every excuse to Russia. I remember, he was the guy who, when youre talking about lethal military weapons to Ukraine, changed the Republican platform. Was there a counter pressure a year or two later? Sure. Has he done everything Putin wanted? No, but hes done a lot. Its hard to imagine someone serving Russian interests better, in terms of sabotaging NATO (and) sabotaging our relations with all our European allies through the entire campaign. So through the entire campaign, hes lying to the public by saying, I have no deals with Russia, no dealings with Russia when hes negotiating Trump Tower (Moscow). And by the way, that means two things. It means No. 1, hes got a real, personal interest that hes not revealing to the public, which the public should have know in an election. And No. 2, it means Putin has a hold over him because Putin knows something, which if he revealed it would be highly embarrassing to Trump. It might cost him the election. What does he know? That hes negotiating with the Russians to build the Trump Tower (Moscow) when hes saying hes not? Thats compromising information that Putin has (that) nobody else had. Do you think pursuing this Russia collusion angle is a good strategy going into 2020 for the Democrats? No. No, I dont. But I think its a duty. Let me put it this way, the election is one thing, and its supremely important, and for the election we have to be talking about health care and all the other issues, but we also have to vindicate the rule of law. The workplace of the future is one in which work done on the computer is overseen by an eagle-eyed monitoring software that can distinguish between legitimate, billable work and the distracting browsing and gaming that might cut into a productive day. That, at least, is the idea promised by TransparentBusiness, the monitoring software company that is leading a nationwide effort to require state government contractors to use billing verification software like its own. Last month, state Sen. Diane Savino introduced a bill, echoing legislation introduced in 31 other states, that would require certain state contractors to use software to track and verify hours worked on a computer. Both Savino and TransparentBusiness which has lobbied on this front in Albany and in other states argue that this type of software has the potential to reduce overbilling by government contractors, and thereby save taxpayers money. Trust but verify is a nice slogan to throw around, but when there are hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars at stake we need more, Savino said in an emailed statement. (Billing verification software) technology can get it done. Savinos bill would require state contractors who are awarded information technology contracts of more than $250,000 billed at an hourly rate to install billing verification software on the computer of each person performing the work. Savinos bill doesnt specify TransparentBusiness a vendor. So far, Savinos bill carries no co-sponsors and does not have a version in the Assembly. While 32 states have now introduced versions of this legislation, it hasnt been adopted anywhere. It has advanced the farthest in New Jersey, where it has been passed by the Assembly and two state Senate committees. Savinos bill refers to software that would take screenshots of a workers computer at least once every three minutes, and which would record keystroke frequency and mouse activity all of which TransparentBusiness does, and rivals such as Time Doctor record similar metrics. The software works as a timer, so the worker controls when it is recording information and when it is not. At the end of a day, the worker would have a file of screenshots to upload to a secure portal. Screenshots that show work done for the state project are recorded as legitimate time worked, while screenshots that show a worker doing something like checking social media or playing solitaire are not. TransparentBusiness software is based on positive proof, meaning that a worker controls what screenshots are uploaded and is meant to only upload the screenshots that show him working on the state project. The worker is notified whenever a screenshot is taken, and has multiple opportunities to review whether or not he wants to upload it. In other words, if a worker is playing solitaire while the timer is turned on and gets a notification that a screenshot is taken, she wouldnt want to upload it to the portal because she knows that it wouldnt be counted as billable time. As Billy Kenny, senior vice president at TransparentBusiness, explained it, the main reason why a screenshot of something like solitaire or social media would show up in the state-accessible portal is because the worker forgot or neglected to delete it before uploading. Its easy to see why a state agency or private-sector employer would trust screenshots more than a traditional timesheet. But since TransparentBusiness began rolling out its lobbying campaign about a year and a half ago, some have raised concerns about risks to privacy and security this software could pose. In late February StateScoop reported, the association representing state chief information officers typically appointed officials overseeing information technology released a statement against bills like Savinos because of the significant risks to citizen privacy and federal regulatory compliance concerns it could create. The statement was a rare move for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, according to Delawares Chief Information Officer James Collins, who serves as president of NASCIO. I've been a member of NASCIO for almost five years now, and I've never seen NASCIO take a position on a bill, Collins told City & State. Our executive director has been in the role for about 15 years, and he also confirmed that this is not a common occurrence, (there have been) less than a handful of times where we even had anything to say about legislation. What prompted NASCIOs sudden outspokenness, Collins said, is a heightened concern for cybersecurity. Every year, he said, NASCIO solicits from its members a list of top concerns, and for the past few years, cybersecurity has topped nearly every list. When you think about all of the systems across state government that hold some of the most sensitive information about our citizens and businesses located here, it just raised a concern of creating this homogenous repository of that data, that sensitive data, he said. When we see legislation that introduces risk as it relates to cybersecurity of this magnitude, we couldn't stay silent. State contractors working for law enforcement or health agencies for example, could generate screenshots of state residents sensitive personal information and be vulnerable to a security breach. New Yorks chief information officer, Robert Samson, did not respond to a request for comment. Sarah Matz, a director of state government affairs at CompTIA, an information technology association, echoed Collins concerns. It's not possible to take a screenshot and not capture individual and personal data that's unrelated to the contract everything from medical records, financial transactions and passwords, Matz said. Kenny said TransparentBusiness software has a solution to some of these concerns. A state agency and contractor can predetermine project-relevant sites that might contain private information LexisNexis for example and automatically blur any screenshots, so that all that the state would see is the name of the site and the timestamp. Or, if the worker sees that a screenshot is taken of a page with sensitive or private information, he can choose to delete it. The latter option, however, relies on the worker to take the time to make those distinctions and not accidentally upload screenshots with sensitive information. Savinos bill, like the sample legislation provided by TransparentBusiness, specifies that neither the third party software company nor the state agency would have access to any of the screenshots taken on the contractors computer. Only when a worker uploads screenshots or the state agency requests screenshots can the state see that information. While some have criticized the idea that the software will record keystrokes and mouse activity, Kenny specifies that it tracks keystrokes in a binary fashion, meaning its the frequency of keystrokes that is recorded, not the specific strokes that could identify what words are being typed. The idea of counting (keystrokes) and mouse events is to show activity, to show that the person is actually working on the computer, he said. Still, this doesnt pacify critics. From our perspective, the risks are still there, Matz said. There isn't an industry standard regarding the number of keystrokes or mouse events in a given time window, and how that would equate to the amount of work being performed, or that it's the work that is supposed to be performed. Asked whether he believes the software contains any risk, Kenny said no. Honestly, we believe there's not, because the way the software was designed was to protect privacy, he said. We understood that that would be a concern, and that's why we built in these ways that you can review. Critics have also said this legislation would put an unfair burden on contractors, on whom the bill specifies that the cost of downloading the software would fall. Vendors would be required to keep an increasing amount of data, and just the volume of the data generated from something like this would be extremely large, Matz said. There are also some concerns that this would eliminate small vendors from working with the state, because they won't be able to take on the added security and privacy costs. Savinos bill differs slightly from the sample bill offered by TransparentBusiness with regard to which contractors the law would cover. While the companys sample legislation uses a threshold of contracts exceeding $100,000, Savino refers to contracts exceeding $250,000. Though Savino was not made available for an interview, she said in a statement that there is major potential for cost savings. (Billing verification software) could save public money on everything from MTA operating costs, to infrastructure improvements, Savino said. Media reports of cost-overruns and government inefficiency are far too common. Were getting numb to them, but each of those stories means dollars are being wasted, and weve got to do what we can to make it stop. In delineating the problem of government contractors overbilling states across the nation, TransparentBusiness often refers to one case that hits close to home in New York. In a scheme beginning in the early 2000s, a New York City contractor working on the citys payroll modernization project called CityTime gained notoriety when it ran up a bill of $700 million for a project that was budgeted for $63 million. The contractor in question, Science Applications International Corporation, eventually agreed to forfeit more than $500 million. The example is a perfect illustration of a crisis that TransparentBusiness and Savinos legislation could have helped to prevent. We believe that 99% of the contractors are honest, but those that aren't, they can do this for a number of years, Kenny said. But to others, its not clear that the problem of overbilling is widespread enough to require this monitoring software. Collins said that in Delaware it hasnt been a problem. He and Matz both advocated for other methods of verifying that work is done. We do things like milestone-based statements of work, where we have to accept that milestone has to be done within a certain time, and you have to achieve a certain amount of work and we have to review that and accept it, and then they get paid, Collins said. Matz, meanwhile, mentioned that a state could use this software without it being mandated. If the state wants the technology or wants to track something that has been problematic, that can be done through the (Request for Proposal) process, it doesn't have to be legislated, she said. The central question in this fight is whether this legislation is necessary. In fact, the question may be twofold: Is the problem of overbilling significant enough to require billing verification software? And if so, is it necessary to mandate the usage of such software? Critics maintain that through this nationwide legislative push, TransparentBusiness is presenting a solution in search of a problem. John Kaehny, executive director of the good-government group Reinvent Albany, believes the answer is to the latter, at least, is no. This is (a) dumb legislative micromanagement bill and should not pass, Kaehny wrote in an email. State agencies should be paying for goods and services delivered, not hours worked. (It) would be much better for the Legislature to vastly increase (the) number of oversight hearings they do and get to the bottom of cost overruns if that is their concern. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is planning on spending much of the next year in county fairs in Iowa and Rotary Clubs in New Hampshire. If youre wondering what happens at City Hall while hes away, or if he actually wins well, the latter seems unlikely. But either way, weve got you covered. Who runs the city while the mayors away? Effectively, First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan will take charge while de Blasios out of town the city charter allows the mayor to delegate responsibilities to a deputy while hes away. A veteran government worker he previously worked for both de Blasio and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as budget czar Fuleihan is already responsible for managing much of the day-to-day city operations and overseeing many city agencies. De Blasio has said that he is in constant communication with Fuleihan and other deputies while hes away, and that final decision-making still rests solely with him. The mayor has often works remotely rather than from his office at City Hall, and emails have shown he relies heavily on aides and advisors even when he is in the five boroughs, so the reality is that de Blasios absence will likely have little effect on running the city. But hes the mayor, shouldnt he be, you know, around? One can make the argument that part of the mayors job, as the citys chief executive, is to be publicly visible in the city, even if the value of his presence is mainly symbolic. The idea would be that he reassures constituents that things are getting done and that the person in charge cares about what is happening in the city. Its like when the mayor visits victims of an accident he is not a doctor, he cannot do anything in that moment to actually help those people, yet at the same time his absence could feel glaring to some. De Blasio was the target of fierce criticism when he left for Germany just a day after a police officer was killed, for example. But de Blasio already spends a fair amount of time outside the city, despite the fact that he dinged his predecessor Michael Bloomberg for his absences. But its also his last term. With no more city races to run, the political risk of leaving considerably lessens. De Blasio has a disapproval rating of 44%, compared to a 42% approval rating, according to an April poll from Quinnipiac University, so its not like he can run on his popularity at home anyway. Does that mean we wont see him for weeks at a time? De Blasio has said that he will periodically return to the city. Due to a quirk in city law, he might even come back every nine days. According to the city charter, Fuleihan cannot serve indefinitely during the mayors absence. The public advocate will take over if he is gone for more than nine days and will act as mayor until he returns. This very nearly happened in 2014 when de Blasio took a family vacation to Italy, but his staff was careful to ensure that the mayor was not physically gone from the city for a long enough period of time that then-Public Advocate Letitia James would take over. Current Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has also said he has no interest in becoming mayor via de Blasio abdicating, even if he will perform his duties as necessary. Is this an issue in other places? Whats South Bend doing while Pete Buttigeg is campaigning? New York City is the most populous city in the country, larger than most states, larger even than the combined population of Iowa and South Carolina, where de Blasio spent the weekend. So the issue of who runs it is likely more pressing than other municipalities, particularly South Bend, In., which has 102,000 people. There are City Council districts with larger populations than that entire city. But according to South Bends municipal code, much like in New York City, the deputy mayor (there is only one in South Bend) takes over in the mayors absence, or in the event of a vacancy. A cursory look at the municipal code does not seem to offer other specifics about how long the deputy mayor can serve in that capacity, nor the mechanisms for an election if the absence is permanent. But Buttigeg is term-limited in Novemeber anyway and the race to replace him is already underway. What happens if de Blasio decides to resign, wins or doesnt fulfill his term because he gets elected vice president or appointed to a cabinet position by the next president? As unlikely as it seems, there are mechanisms in place to hold a special election if de Blasio steps down to campaign full time, or if he gets elected in the 2020 general. The public advocate would step in immediately to become acting mayor and, within three days of the vacancy, announce the date for a non-partisan special election, to be followed by a primary and general election the same year. The winner of that race would determine who completes the remainder of de Blasios term. If de Blasio resigned so late in 2020 that a primary could not be held, the special election would determine the person who would hold the position until the 2021 election. For a better understanding, just take a look at this years three public advocate races. There was first a special election free-for-all, to be followed by a June primary, if one is necessary, finally culminating in a November general election to decide who will stay in the position until the next regular election in 2021. The rules for the mayoral election follow the same strange, redundant format. In the special election to fill the New York City Council seat left vacant by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, former Williams staffer Farah Louis emerged victorious, proving that she didnt need the endorsement of her former boss to win. But Louis election also suggested that the political power of Haitian-Americans is steadily growing in New York. A handful of Haitian-Americans most of them first or second-generation Americans have been elected to office in recent years. In 2012, Michaelle Solages was elected to represent New Yorks 22nd Assembly District in Long Island, becoming the first Haitian-American to join the state Legislature. Others quickly followed suit, including Assemblywomen Kimberly Jean-Pierre from Babylon, on Long Island, and Rodneyse Bichotte from Flatbush, Brooklyn, Assemblyman Clyde Vanel from southeast Queens, and Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus from Coney Island in Brooklyn, who last year became the fifth Haitian-American elected to the Assembly. In the New York City Council, Louis will join fellow Haitian-American Mathieu Eugene of Central Brooklyn. Erica Dumas, a vice president at the government-focused public affairs firm Mercury, who worked on Louis campaign, said that the political rise of Haitian-Americans across the state is only just beginning. Dumas, who was born in Haiti and moved to the United States when she was very young, said that Haitian-Americans have long been involved in politics, but its only fairly recently that theyre starting to hold political office themselves. For so long, we have been working with different administrations more behind-the-scenes and leading the strategies, running the campaign strategies, Dumas said. Now, it's time for us to sort of be the leaders at the forefront of a lot of these conversations that are going on, especially in New York City. The Haitian-American community in New York City has traditionally been concentrated in Brooklyn, with most of New York Citys population of Haitian immigrants residing there (more than 61,000 foreign-born Haitians lived in Brooklyn in 2011). After Florida, New York state as a whole has the second largest population of Haitian-Americans, with over 195,000 recorded in 2013. As the current crop of elected officials prove, Haitian-American political power is spreading across the state. In 2014, Jean-Pierre replaced Robert Sweeney in the states 11th Assembly District on Long Island, and a Haitian-American named Carrie Solages serves as a Nassau County legislator. Within New York City, the community is moving beyond Brooklyn, as evidenced by former Manhattan Deputy Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis and Queens officials such as Vanel. Francois Pierre-Louis, an associate professor of political science at Queens College, City University of New York, said that as Haitian-Americans move to the suburbs and other parts of the state, their political power begins to spread there as well. We have a large Haitian-American (community) in Spring Valley, in Nyack, in Nassau County, he said, referring to towns in Rockland County, and the suburban Long Island county. Pierre-Louis attributed some of the communitys growing political power to the fact that the children and grandchildren of Haitian immigrants are reaching voting age and registering to vote. I think it's a trend that is on the rise, because you have an increased number of Haitian-Americans that have become citizens, he said. You also have new generations, the second generation, rising up, and then you also have the fact that they are registering as Democrats, or some of them as Republicans. All Haitian-American elected officials in New York are Democrats, though in Florida and other locales outside the state, the population can be a little more politically diverse. A former congresswoman from Utah, Mia Love, was not only Haitian-American but was the first black Republican woman elected to Congress. That rise, Pierre-Louis says, should also be attributed to the kind of chain reaction that occurs when one person from your community is elected and shows you what is possible. For so many years, the Haitian community has been defended by African-Americans like Jumaane Williams, in the past, Major Owens, he said. But right now, since the election of Mathieu Eugene, and the election of several other Haitian-Americans in the suburbs, especially in New York state, Haitians have gotten more confident. Instead of relying on allies to represent them, they can do it themselves. (Williams is Caribbean-American; his parents are from Grenada.) Dumas also reasons that a growing desire to get into politics stems from frustration over comments and actions taken by President Donald Trump. In 2017, the Trump administration announced that temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants would end this year, and last year, the president referred to Haiti as a shithole country, adding, inaccurately, that all Haitians have AIDS. I definitely think that the Trump administration and the insults to people of color, his racist remarks, have definitely sparked something in the community, Dumas said. A lot of Haitian-Americans, first-generation Americans in the diaspora, have been galvanized by the entire administration to sort of start leading not only strategies behind the campaigns, but also running for office ourselves. For Louis, however, victory in the 45th City Council district was built not only on support from the Haitian-American community, including Bichotte, but from a coalition of support with Orthodox Jewish voters in the area, too. While Louis failed to secure Williams endorsement, she did carry the support of City Council members Chaim Deutsch and Kalman Yeger, who helped to turn out votes from the Orthodox Jewish community. Dumas said she thinks these coalitions built on shared experiences among racial and religious minorities will be important as the Haitian-American community continues to build political power. I think we're both coming together as communities to fight against discrimination and discuss the issues that matter the most, especially to communities in Brooklyn, she said. Moving forward, the ability of the community to continue to extend beyond its established enclaves will be key, Dumas said. But even where there are larger Haitian-American communities, there is still work to be done. One of the things that I've been sort of pushing folks to do is to run for office wherever they're at, whether they're in the Bronx there's a large community in the Bronx but we've never been in the forefront of these issues, on policy issues, we've never been as vocal, she said. I think now is the time, as we see this momentum with Farah and so many others, I'm getting these calls now on how to do some coalition building in different neighborhoods and work with different groups on getting ourselves out there and speaking on issues that matter to us. Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said that New York City Councilman I. Daneek Miller is Haitian-American. An earlier version of this post also said Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages is from Hempstead. She is from Elmont. This post has also been updated to include Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus, who is also Haitian-American. 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 Its time to hear Alabamas women. That was the headline on identical front pages published yesterday by The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times, and the Mobile Press-Register, three titles within the Alabama Media Group. Last week, after lawmakers in the state pushed through a near-total ban on abortion, the three papers invited readers to weigh in on what its like to be a woman in Alabama; within 24 hours, more than 200 had responded. Yesterday, the papers published many of the essays they received. Alabama was the talk of the nation last week as the most restrictive abortion ban in the country became law, Kelly Ann Scott, who edits the three titles, wrote in an introduction to the package. But, missing from many of those conversations were the voices of women from this state. The Alabama bill has, indeed, consumed national media attention since the state Senate passed it on Tuesday. (On Wednesday, Kay Ivey, Alabamas Republican governor, ratified it.) Since Donald Trump entered the White House, abortion rights have been an important part of the political conversationparticularly during the Supreme Court confirmation battles of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. In general, however, the abortion story has felt diluted and fragmented. It has played out, for the most part, at the local level, with Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and, most recently, Missouri all passing highly restrictive bills. Clearly, this all adds up to an important national story. Some major outlets have contributed excellent coverage: last month, for example, The New York Times devoted two special episodes of its Daily podcast to the contrasting abortion climates of Missouri and Illinois. The fallout from the Alabama law, however, marks the first time the issue has held a sustained national spotlight in the Trump era. The intense, unified nature of the present discussion feels new, belated, and, ultimately, reactive. ICYMI: I went to prison for leaking state secrets. Now, I want to make sure sources are protected. Why now? On Fridays episode of The Daily, Sabrina Tavernise, the Times reporter who guest-hosted the MissouriIllinois double-header, summed it up. This Alabama bill goes farther than any other bill that is passed toward confronting Roe v. Wade, she said, referring to the 1973 ruling that set a national precedent on abortion rights. The Alabama law is a declaration of war. It says, our state is not going to live by the laws of the land. For some time now, pro-life groups have been spoiling to put Roe back before the Supreme Court. The Alabama law, to the glancing eye, looks a clear escalation of that fight. In some ways, however, it is regrettable that it took such an extreme example to spark the central national conversation this issue has long merited. If Alabama is the loudest shot yet in the rights war on abortion, it isnt the opening shot: the Republican Party and independent anti-abortion groups have been positioning their troops for a long time now. (As the Times notes, this push has not been centrally coordinated, as such, but activists across the country are tapping into the same energy and feeding on one anothers momentum.) Nor is Alabama best representative of this broader trendmany within the anti-abortion movement worry that the bills provisions are so extreme that they will hinder, not help, anti-Roe efforts. Theres a good chance that the current Supreme Courtwhose key justices would seem to favor only the incremental erosion of precedentwill choose not to take up the Alabama bill at all. As Scott, of the Alabama Media Group, noted, the national coverage of Alabama also has not been centered enough on local voices. Much of it has hit predictable themes: reading the Supreme Court tea leaves; the reactions of leading politicians, including Trump, on both sides of the aisle; the possible electoral ramifications for the national GOP of hardline anti-abortion policies. Its not that this national context isnt important; much of it clearly is. But the local context has gotten a bit lost. And some attempts to right the imbalance have backfired. Over the weekend, for example, a Times article referring to the Brooklynization of parts of the New South got significant pushback from other journalists on social media. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Attempts by Republicans, in particular, to pilot aggressive national-level change through statehouses arent new or limited to abortion. Such campaigns pose a challenge for the press: in many places, the local outlets that act as first responders on stories like this have been decimated, making it even harder for national mediaclustered in blue-state urban hubsto connect the dots. The abortion story, in particular, demands timely, joined-up national coverage thats nonetheless rooted in local nuances and lived experience. Thats no easy task. Regardless, we need to do better. Below, more on Alabama and abortion: Not a monolith: Writing for the Times , Abbey Crain, a reporter with the Alabama Media Group, encouraged national observers to come to Alabama and make a difference . For all that the national coverage has focused on the male legislators who passed the bill, its worth noting that the state Republican Party is led by a woman; the abortion ban bill was sponsored by a womanone who I believe thinks in her heart of hearts that she is doing the right thing by her faithand it was signed into law by a woman, Crain writes. The women of Alabama are not a monolith, but there are forces at work determining which ones get to shape policy and which dont. Beware misinformation: Abortion is still legal in Alabamabut some coverage of the issue has given the impression that it is not. For BuzzFeed, Jane Lytvynenko busts that myth and other pieces of misinformation circulating around the new law. On CNNs Reliable Sources yesterday, Irin Carmon issued an important reminder for reporters covering state abortion legislation. A lot of these laws have misinformation embedded within them, she said. Beware propaganda: For The New Yorker , Jia Tolentino looks at the anti-abortion propaganda bolstering the push to tighten abortion laws. In the minds of their creators, these movies are counterprogramming to mainstream liberal culturebut they lack a counterpart on the left, Tolentino argues. Its hard to imagine that Hollywood would touch a dramatic screenplay about a woman who died carrying a non-viable fetus to term. And it would be difficult even to make a galvanizing narrative out of the loss that seeps in slowly, in the course of years and even decades, when your choices are nonconsensually foreclosed. Other notable stories: ICYMI: The story of Ernest Hemingways $187,000 magazine expenses claim 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. On April 18, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey announced his intention to make his city the first to ban its police officers from undertaking warrior-style training. After the police union announced that it would continue to offer the trainings anyway a few days later, I set out to interview Chief Medaria Arradondo. Like many government organizations, the Minneapolis Police Department has a public information officer (PIO). In response to an email request, the PIO said that the chief was too busy for an interview, but that I could email him a list of questions as an alternative. I declined; email interviews preclude the dynamic qualities of an in-person interview, and can provide cover for story subjects to craft protective messages with their public relations advisers. I deal with dozens of reporters a week who provide written questions for answering, the PIO replied. No one has had journalistic issues with it. I attempted to go around him, but, at every turn, I was informed that all communication had to go through the PIO. I didnt fare much better with the mayors office: after multiple calls and email follow-ups with his press secretary and other members of his communication team, I was provided with a two-sentence statement on the police unions defiance. ICYMI: The story of Ernest Hemingways $187,000 magazine expenses claim The resulting storyabout the way that Minneapolis residents are policed, reported and written as a former Minneapolis cop was tried and ultimately convicted for a 2017 killing that has left residents more concerned than ever over police conductwas written without the two major public officials at its center answering a single question. Thats a straight refusal to answer, and thats what you need to call it, Carolyn Carlson, a retired journalist, professor, and former president of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), says. Carlson, whose academic research focused on public information officers, adds, They try to cloak it like theyre being cooperative when theyre not. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project The Public Information Officer is a frequently obstructive mechanism thinly veiled by a helpful sounding title. PIO-approved comments shape the narratives of their news coverage across the country on matters that range from the mundane to the extremely consequential. In a 2014 survey of political and general assignment reporters by Carlson and SPJ, most respondents said the amount of control exerted by PIOs had been increasing and was only getting worse. A 2015 survey uncovered that 74.2 percent of science writers were routinely required to get approval from PIOs to interview employees some, most, or all of the time. A 2016 survey of police reporters found that 54.8 percent of respondents, the majority of whom work as full-time reporters for small and mid-sized papers, were only allowed to interview police chiefs some of the time or rarely. Fifty-seven percent said that they were prevented by PIOs from interviewing officers or investigators in a timely manner some of the time, most of the time, or all of the time. In Carlsons survey of PIOs themselves, 65.9 percent felt some obligation to supervise or otherwise monitor interviews with members of my agencys staff. Those PIOs, Carlson says, were pretty open that one of their top priorities, if not their top priority, is to represent their agencies in a positive way, which is a fundamentally different objective to what reporters are trying to do. The Public Information Officer is a frequently obstructive mechanism thinly veiled by a helpful sounding title. PIO-approved comments shape the narratives of their news coverage across the country on matters that range from the mundane to the extremely consequential. Not every PIO works to obstruct journalists, of course. But public-relations professionals now outnumber journalists at a rate of six to one, so even a small number of bad actors can have a suffocating effect on the press. Many journalists dont know anything except [going] through PIO offices, Kathryn Foxhall, a veteran healthcare writer on the DC scene, says. Journalists face cultural pressures to get what stories they can on tight deadlines, and those legacy publications that set industry standards dont always push back on PIOs in their reporting or their coveragefactors Foxhall believes contribute to reporter acquiescence. Foxhall has made monitoring the ways public information officers stymie journalism something of her lifes work, rounding up examples of PIO interference for the SPJ. Allowing PIOs to decide who journalists interview has just choked the dynamic process of free speech to the point that its not recognizable and its just extraordinarily dangerous, she says, for journalists ability to report the truth and to hold powerful people and institutions accountable to it. Any reporter you talk to would tell you weve had a hard time in general getting public records from the city of Cleveland, Rachel Dissell, a reporter at The Plain Dealer, says. Dissell, who was part of a team that covered the prevalence and impact of lead paint on young people in Cleveland, tells CJR it took six months to obtain records from the city on where it had investigated lead paint. During that time, city spokespersons incorrectly claimed that the records werent public, then pivoted to telling Dissells team that there wasnt anyone to provide the records in a deliverable format from that in which they were stored, says Dissell. When the Plain Dealer finally got files, they were printouts, which were more difficult to search than electronic files would have been. It was clearly an electronic database or another digital format that we could have analyzed, Dissell says. Our job is to answer questions and when we ask for information and dont get it, we have stories that are incomplete or we dont write them at all, or it takes far longer. Then its not timelyand without something timely, the public cant make a decision on how it feels about something. Mike Naymik, a Cleveland.com columnist, wrote in April about his difficulties accessing information via the Cleveland mayors communications consultant, calling his experiences mystifying. They ignore most interview requests, appear unprepared to field obvious questions, are not forthcoming on administration controversies, and move at a snails pace on public records requests, he wrote. Emily Stifler Wolfe, a Montana-based freelance journalist, encountered blockades with sources thanks to PIOs when reporting a story on gendered harassment in the Bureau of Land Management. A lot [of people] were like, Ill talk on background, but if youre going to use anything I need to run it by my PIO, Stifler Wolfe recalls. PIOs are deployed by both public and private entities to control journalists inquiriesa practice Frank LoMonte, director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida, says is illegal. In almost every corner, [reporters] on the beat see that people are forbidden from speaking to reporters, LoMonte says. Its a recurring pain point for people on all levels, from the fedssuch as the EPA and the Social Security Administrationto the smallest counties. LoMonte believes journalists stand a better chance of changing the restrictive practice by challenging it rather than accepting canned responses from communication teams, and is working to create a roadmap to help journalists and news organizations do exactly that. His premise rests on an analogy between access to sources and court battles over free speech: to LoMonte, obstructive PIOs are as problematic as gag orders during highly publicized trials. In the latter, LoMonte says, news outlets have successfully demonstrated the importance of access and fought back gag orders; Minneapolis outlets were able to do so during the recent Noor trial. LoMontes advice to journalists facing uncooperative agencies and their PIOs is to get a written copy of the agencys media policy. See what it actually says and whose signature is on it, he says; public information officers often have little or no authority themselves to enforce the policies they write. Theres a real legal question as to how enforceable a memo like that is, he says. In the meantime, Carlson says journalists should be writing about obstruction by PIOs directly. When the government is obstructing your ability to get those answers, the public needs to know exactly what theyre doing, she says. You have to make it clear early in the story Its not that theyre too busy or whatever BS answer they gave you. You have to call it what it is and tell the public what happened. ICYMI: A former ESPN editors big bet on sports gambling Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Cinnamon Janzer is a Minneapolis-based journalist who focuses on lesser-told stories. She writes broadly about cities, politics, culture, economies, business, and travel. You can reach her at www.cinnamon-janzer.com. GENOA - Two Teknel generators were taken to a general merchandise depot at the port of Genoa on Monday, after unions and port workers protested against them as "borderline" merchandise between civilian and military, with port workers going on strike and peace protests taking place throughout the morning at the GMT Terminal. The generators were supposed to be loaded onto the Saudi ship Bahri Yambu, which arrived at the port of Genoa at sunrise on Monday morning. An agreement was reached following a meeting at the prefecture between port authorities and unions. Prefect Fiamma Spena said everyone worked together to find a solution. "The generators will not be loaded, pending assessments that will be carried out by the customs agency and other agencies with specific competencies, such as the finance police," Spena said. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled that an insurer doesnt have to pay for injuries to a customer who was injured by tire that exploded while it was inflated, and handed business owners another reason not to allow customers in the garage where mechanics work. In a unanimous decision, the high court on Thursday overturned a circuit court decision and found that Doswell Truck Stops commercial liability policy specifically excluded injuries caused by maintenance of any auto. The Supreme Court rejected the trial courts finding that the term maintenance in the policys auto exclusion was ambiguous. The court said it makes no difference that an employee of the truck stop had invited plaintiff James T. Smith into his work area. Smiths complaint specifically alleges that his injury occurred when a DTS employee over inflated the tire so as to cause the tire to explode,' the opinion states. Thus, regardless of whether allowing Smith into a dangerous location was a proximate cause of his injuries, the fact remains that a significant causal connection exists between the maintenance on the tire and Smiths injuries. The case is James River Insurance Co. v. Doswell Truck Stop, LLC. Smith sued James River in June 2016, alleging he was injured after a tire exploded, even though the tire was properly secured in a safety cage. An employee had invited him into the garage he said. DTS filed a claim with James River, but the carrier denied coverage, citing the auto exclusion. James River filed a declaratory action against the truck stop, seeking a determination on whether Smiths injury was covered. The trial court found that the accident was covered, agreeing with the truck stops argument that the term maintenance did not necessarily mean a regular repair operation, it could also mean a possessory interest other than ownership or use. The trial court also adopted the truck stops alternative argument that if the injury was excluded by the auto exclusion, the accident was still covered under a separate provision of the policy that provided premises liability. The Supreme Court said the issue really wasnt that complicated. Interpreting the exclusion to mean that maintenance referred to a possessory interest makes no sense, the court said. Also, the premises liability provision of the policy also excluded any bodily injury caused by auto maintenance. The Supreme Court also reversed the trial courts order that James River pay the truck stops litigation costs. The worst natural gas leak in U.S. history, which broke out at a Sempra Energy storage field near Los Angeles almost four years ago, was caused by corrosion, according to a report commissioned by California regulators. The rupture of a 7-inch (18-centimeter) well casing at Sempra Energys Aliso Canyon storage complex was due to microbial corrosion brought on by contact with groundwater, an independent analysis conducted by Blade Energy Partners and commissioned by two state agencies found. The report also concluded there had been more than 60 leaks in the field dating back to the 1970s, and Sempra didnt carry out detailed inspections after they occurred, the California Public Utilities Commission and Department of Conservation said in a joint statement. The companys Southern California Gas lacked any form of risk assessment to manage the integrity of its wells and hadnt established systematic practices to protect against corrosion and monitor well pressure, the agencies said. Sempra has already reported more than $1 billion in costs associated with the October 2015 leak that forced thousands of residents to evacuate the area for months as the gas dissipated. California estimated that the ruptured well spewed the equivalent of a years worth of greenhouse-gas emissions from more than 500,000 cars. Regulators have restricted use of the field since the blowout, tightening fuel supplies in Southern California and contributing to frequent power and gas price spikes. SoCalGas said it was still reviewing the report but that it shows the utility complied with gas storage regulations that existed at the time of the leak. In Blades opinion, there were measures, though not required by the gas storage regulations at the time, that could have been taken to aid in the early identification of corrosion and that, in their opinion, would have prevented or mitigated the leak, the company said in a statement. Blade also found that the flow of gas from the ruptured well had been underestimated, resulting in several failed attempts to kill it by pumping fluids. A higher pump rate wouldve successfully contained the well as early as Nov. 13, 2015, the report showed. The release instead went uncontrolled for 111 days. Casing failures The report found that 40% of the 124 storage wells analyzed at the site had casing failures with an average of two failures per well. Its report showed there were at least two prior underground blowouts that were killed at the site. If I were Sempra, I wouldnt be happy with this report, said R. Rex Parris, a lawyer representing residents who sued Southern California Gas following the gas leak. This supports our claims of reckless and gross negligence which will get us to punitive damages. Parris said the group hadnt previously realized the extent to which they had underestimated the flow of gas. State regulators have established new requirements, including real-time pressure monitoring, testing and well construction requirements, to prevent a similar leak from happening again. LAS VEGAS Casino giant MGM Resorts told federal regulators Thursday it might pay up to $800 million to settle liability lawsuits stemming from the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas the deadliest in modern U.S. history. The company believes it is reasonably possible that a settlement will be reached by next May, it told the Securities and Exchange Commission in a quarterly report. MGM Resorts also said it has $751 million in insurance to pay toward a settlement. However, a lawyer handling mediation talks for plaintiffs called it premature for the corporate owner of Mandalay Bay resort to report a possible settlement range between $735 million and $800 million. Were not even close to resolving all the terms and issues before we have a settlement, attorney Robert Eglet said. He said he represents about 4,200 claimants, including those who have sued in Nevada, California and other states, and people who have not formally filed for damages. Its true that a settlement is possible, Eglet said. But I will tell you its not probable. Nothing is signed. We have a long way to go before we have an agreement. Eglet said talks are ongoing with MGM Resorts attorneys, and that he was aware the company would make its report to the SEC. Eglet said he reviewed the SEC document on Thursday and agreed that a settlement should be reached within a year. Company spokeswoman Debra DeShong said progress has been made after multiple mediation sessions over several months. The goal is to resolve these matters so that all impacted can move forward in their healing process, she said. MGM Resorts has defended itself against liability claims, outraging victims last summer when it filed lawsuits against more than 1,900 people in a bid to consolidate claims in one federal court. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for a range of physical and psychological harm after a shooter rained gunfire from a Mandalay Bay suite into an open-air concert crowd, killing 58 people and injuring more than 800. They accuse MGM Resorts, which owns the high-rise hotel and owned the concert venue across Las Vegas Boulevard, of failing to adequately protect the 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival. They point to findings that the shooter, Stephen Paddock, spent several days amassing an arsenal of assault-style weapons and ammunition in the two-room suite. Paddock was a 64-year-old retired accountant and high-stakes video poker player. Police and the FBI say he acted alone, firing out the windows with guns equipped with rapid-fire bump stocks then killing himself before officers reached his room. Paddock didnt leave a note or a manifesto, and authorities closed investigations saying they didnt identify a motive. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AKRON, Ohio A New York man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday for attacking and killing a man at a rest stop on Interstate 77 in Summit County in August. Paul Randall, 35, of Dogleville, New York, pleaded guilty to felony charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, failure to stop after an accident, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, theft of drugs and grand theft of a motor vehicle, and first-degree misdemeanor charges of OVI and driving under suspension, court records show. The charges stem from the Aug. 17, 2018 killing of Scott Reichard, 43, of North Olmsted at a rest stop along I-77 in Bath Township, Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said in a news release. Witnesses told troopers that Randall knocked Reichard to the ground, stole his Ford F-350 truck, ran him over and drove away. Police found Reichards truck abandoned in a downtown Cleveland parking lot and state troopers arrested Randall the next day during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Guernsey County. After Randalls plea, Summit County Common Pleas Judge Alison Breaux sentenced Randall to 30 years in prison and ordered that his drivers license be suspended for life. The tragic death of Scott Reichard will impact his family and our community for years to come, Walsh said in a statement. Scott was a loving father and husband who left wonderful memories. Paul Randall will spend a significant amount of time in prison after taking away the chance of Scotts family to make more of those memories. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comment section. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. CLEVELAND, Ohio A security gate in Cleveland Hopkins International Airports perimeter fence was open and unsecured for nearly three hours after a driver crashed through it on Feb. 3, according to airport emails. The emails, exchanged by airport officials after the security breach, also indicate that some airport employees might have passed by the open gate and failed to notify anyone. Shouldnt someone have stayed at the gate, security manager Howard Phillips asks in one of the emails. We need to discuss the progressive discipline program for failing to call operations for an unsecured gate and not standing by the gate until someone arrived to secure. Cleveland.com sought the emails through a records request in search of answers to lingering questions about how the airport handled the security breach. What was the incident? At 2:52 a.m. on Feb. 3, a driver crashed an SUV through a gate on the west side of the airport grounds, drove across the air field and then crashed out through the fence near the I-X Center Daniel Allen, 27, of Cleveland faces charges of vandalism and driving under the influence. His case is pending in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Allen was arrested after his SUV was found stuck in a snow bank about 3:55 a.m. near the I-X Center. A later review of security tapes monitoring airport grounds showed that the yellow SUV was on the airfield for 2 minutes and 47 seconds. What did the airports investigators find? Airport operations staff werent alerted to the breach until long after it occurred and nearly two hours after the SUV driver was arrested, the records reveal. In one message to airport leadership and TSA, Phillips said a field worker noticed the gate was damaged when he arrived about 5:40 a.m. for work. That worker then contacted airport operations, which in turn notified TSA by 5:50 nearly three hours after the breach. In that note, Phillips raises concerns that video showed other field workers arriving for their jobs as early as 5:06 a.m., but not reporting the open gate to operations. At least one employee reported in a private statement that she tried to contact a supervisor, but to no avail. Regardless, by 5:42 a.m., a field employee in a van had posted herself in front of the gate. Seven minutes later a large truck arrived to block the gate. How did the airport determine when the breach occurred? The airport wasnt even aware that the gate had been smashed until hours after the fact and about two hours after the SUV was found. Once the operations team knew about the gate, it began working backwards through security tapes to determine what happened. Thats how it determined the precise time when the SUV crashed through the gate. Thats also how it was determined that no one else came through the smashed gate, according to the records. About 3:55 a.m., a Cleveland police cruiser was noticed approaching the gate from outside the airport. But that vehicle stopped, turned around and left, apparently before getting close enough to recognize the security gate was down. What did TSA say? CLE was extremely lucky that no flights were occurring during the time of the incident, the Transportation Security Administration said in a Feb. 27 letter to Clevelands airport chief, Robert Kennedy. The airport had a responsibility, TSA said, to prevent unauthorized access to the air operations area. In the letter, Don Barker, TSAs federal security director for Ohio, credits the airport with promptly notifying TSA when the security incident occurred. It also alludes to a series of recommendations TSA made to the airport to bolster security and to qualify for FAA funding to help pay for them. What action did the city take? The city would not discuss TSAs recommendations, citing security reasons. TSA, Cleveland police, the airports security office and others will work together to review and test perimeter security enhancements, according to Latoya Hunter, a spokeswoman for the Mayor Frank Jacksons administration. Airport human resources staff investigated -- standard procedure for potential violations of rules, regulations and procedures. But no disciplinary action was taken, Hunter said. Rather, the employees were giving counseling to reinforce the proper protocol. WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Hundreds of people descended on the annual A Taste of Westlake Thursday (May 16) at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Westlake in support of the Westlake schools. More than 30 restaurants were represented, so the $50 price tag for the tickets proved to be well worth it. Anyone who left the event and wasnt stuffed just didnt try very hard. The range of foods and even the displays themselves were delicious. Bucca Di Beppo laid out a table that could only remind one of the huge portions served regularly at the popular restaurant. Fresh Thyme -- the new natural food store in the Marcs Plaza across from Crocker Parks Promenade Plaza -- played it smart with dish after dish of fresh salads with wonderfully healthy ingredients, such as sweet potatoes. Cash bars were provided by businesses such as Sibling Revelry, Blue Turtle Tavern and Fairview Tavern. Desserts were in abundance, but one person -- Ashley Joslin, owner of Top Tier Cakes -- went all out to show the delicate beauty of her baked goods. The mini cupcakes were pure delight. Other tables were well stocked and featured just about any kind of food one might imagine. They included, just to name a few, Aladdins, Trader Joes, Stick to Your Buns Bakery, Burntwood Tavern, Hail Marys, Graeter's Ice Cream and Luca West. Liz Pirnat, coordinator of the event, said this years turnout is the biggest ever in support of Citizens for Westlake Schools. Citizens for Westlake Schools is an all-volunteer organization, she said, comprised of people who are passionate about education, dedicated to providing Westlake students with the resources to be successful in school and life, and committed to maintaining excellence in our schools. For more information about the ongoing effort to support the Westlake schools, Pirnat said, visit www.westlakelevy.com. Read more news from the West Shore Sun. BROOKLYN, Ohio -- The city and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) are teaming up to install a $2,500 sensor designed to alert safety forces via email and text about Big Creek potentially flooding its banks. Past heavy rains have created flash floods, leading to trapped drivers on Brookpark Road and in the nearby Sams Club and Walmart parking lots. This smart technology allows Brooklyns safety forces and service department to be prepared to notify and help the surrounding businesses and residents in this area when a significant rainfall occurs which would cause flooding, Mayor Katie Gallagher said. Were working with the businesses and NEORSD for long-term solutions, but this gives us an immediate smart and affordable technology option in the present. NEORSD Watershed Team Leader Donna Friedman said the Telog pressure sensor will provide Brooklyn safety forces with two alerts. The first comes when the rising Big Creek could flood the commercial corridor, which bisects the Sams Club and Walmart parking lots. The second alert take places when rising water in Big Creek is about a foot below the Brookpark Road bridge. Were not doing this to protect specific commercial buildings, Friedman said. Its more so for the safety of the people in that area. In addition, Friedman said Brooklyn officials will also receive alerts from NEORSD rain gauges in Parma and North Royalton regarding heavy rains potentially leading to rising stream levels and potential flooding. Brooklyn is paying for the sensor, which will be installed in the next two months and be maintained by NEORSD, out of its Regional Stormwater Management Program. The community has access to 25 percent of fees collected by the district to use for projects related to local stormwater management. A contributing factor to Big Creek flooding has to do with 40 percent of its watershed located north of Brookpark Road being an impervious surface -- parking lots. Friedman said todays standards would not have permitted the prior construction. Currently, NEORSD is developing a Cuyahoga River stormwater master plan, which will include the Big Creek watershed. That is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The major problem with large storms is that they dump a lot of water, leading to flash flooding, Friedman said. So if youre able to hold back water in basins or in other locations, then you can slow that peak and sort of spread it out and make it more even so you avoid that harsh flash flood you might see in a large storm. Were looking at areas for that kind of storage in Parma and North Royalton. Once the study is completed, well be prioritizing the solutions and the recommendations to put into our construction plan. Read more news from the Parma Sun Post. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Solar power could be coming to Lakewoods municipal buildings. City Council tonight (May 20) will introduce an ordinance providing an opportunity for Lakewood to partner with Cuyahoga County and contractor Enerlogics to add up to 1 megawatt of rooftop solar to municipal buildings at no upfront cost. I reached out to Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability Director Mike Foley, who referred me to Enerlogics, Lakewood City Council-at-Large representative Tristan Rader said. It seems like a really good deal. Hopefully, well be able to tag team and use the county contract, which would get us their low rate and allow us to move quickly. Its important, because climate change is a huge issue, and we have to be providing for sustainability while also looking out for the citys best interests. This could reduce our reliance on the grid by as much as 20 percent," he said. The 20-year proposal also includes an energy cost savings of more than $550,000 over the life of the system. Rader said the city owes its taxpayers to explore options related to the continuing decrease in solar installation costs. City Council is expected to talk to members of the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability and Enerlogics about the proposal during a future Public Works Committee meeting. This is something we need to vet and try to poke holes in to see if its going to be exactly as good as it seems before we take any steps forward, Rader said. Well have to weigh our options, which include purchasing our own solar (array). We can do it piecemeal, start small and scale up as we go. Foley noted that Cuyahoga County is currently in the process of putting solar panels on three of its buildings. A power purchase agreement means that we simply buy the electricity generated by the panels, which will be on our roof, but the panels are owned, maintained and insured by Enerlogics, Foley said. In essence, Enerlogics gets a guaranteed customer for its electrons and the county gets solar power for its buildings at a lower cost than what we would buy electricity for off the main electric grid. We think this could be a great model to help cities and nonprofits get affordable, clean energy and really help scale up the amount of solar energy in Northeast Ohio. If approved by Lakewood City Council, Rader said solar power could be added to the municipal buildings as early as next year. Read more news from the Sun Post Herald. PNA says economic plan unnecessary without political plan Won't accept proposals without Palestinian state (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 20 - Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and Information Minister Nabil Abu Rudeina said any economic plan "without political perspectives won't lead to anything", commenting on the announcement by the US that it will hold a Middle East economic conference in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, at the end of June. The conference is in anticipation of US President Donald Trump's forthcoming Middle East peace plan. Abu Rudeina said Palestinians won't accept any proposal that doesn't provide for "a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as the capital". He said the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) chose last March to not take part in a similar conference in Washington, DC, on improving economic conditions in Gaza. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said his government was not consulted about the conference.(ANSAmed). AVON, Ohio -- The new Meijer store opened on May 14 to the public. A grand opening ceremony was held while shoppers were in the store, and included a member of the Meijer family. Hank Meijer, son of the founder of Meijer stores, was on hand to celebrate the grand opening. He reminisced about the humble beginnings of the stores his father created, originally called Meijer Thrifty Acres. Randy McCarty, the new stores director, has had many years with Meijer, commuting to the company in Michigan from his home in Avon. He is now happy about living and working in the same city. McCarty commented on the look of the store, especially the lighting that is neither harsh nor overly bright. When asked what makes Meijer stand out from other grocery store chains, he answered immediately, Customer service and our outreach to every community we are in. Mayor Bryan Jensen noted how some businesses talk about community outreach but, he said, Meijer "really came through, referring to a $20,000 check presented to Avons Community Resource Services (CRS), as well as another for $10,000 for the Avon City Schools. Interim director of CRS Pam Ohradzansky was elated with the donation and said the money would be put to good use for the help the agency gives year round to Avon residents in need. The store features a full-service pharmacy and butchers who work each day with fresh meat, as most products are delivered daily for freshness. There is also an in-store Starbucks, home delivery and pickup, and the stores hours are such that few can compete, as Meijers is open 24/7 and only closed one day each year -- Christmas Day. Hank Meijer took the time to chat about his early beginnings in a journalism career in Detroit. But prior to that, he started at age 11 in a small grocery store. Later, he joined the family business that began during the Great Depression and he rose to become CEO. Meijer noted that his dad has passed away, but his moms birthday was the day of the Avon grand opening. She just turned 100 years old. His aspirations for the store are tinged with concern for people, too. We hope this place feels almost like a home away from home, he said. Count on us for great variety and great freshness. Daily delivery, he said, comes from warehouses in Dayton and Toledo. Our challenge, said Meijer, is to be extremely price competitive, but also to do things pertaining to things like freshness that others cant do. That is the eye of the needle we are trying to thread. For more information on Meijer stores, visit https://www.meijer.com/. Read more news from the Sun Sentinel. PARMA, Ohio -- The Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability and nonprofit Solar United Neighbors are co-sponsoring a free informational meeting for residents interested in bringing solar technology to Parma. The informational meeting, which takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday (May 23) in City Halls council chambers, is designed for residents to learn about the emerging green technology without sitting through a high-pressure sales pitch. Were excited to host the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability and the nonprofit Solar United Neighbors at our City Hall for a free informational meeting for residents interested in solar energy, Mayor Tim DeGeeter said. We have a great working relationship with our county officials, and I encourage individuals to learn more about what is available to them in alternative energy. Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability Director Mike Foley said Solar United Neighbors was hired to run the workshops, as well as the group procurement/buying process for homeowners who want to go solar. Anyone who is a homeowner in Parma and interested or intrigued by the concept of solar energy on their rooftop should come out, Foley said. Solar is just going to become more prevalent as an electricity source for residential customers. These really are comprehensive sessions about going forward with solar and the co-op, which involves a bunch of other people who are all asking the same questions. The co-op reduces costs for a homeowner on the average by 15 to 20 percent, as opposed to going at it on your own," he said. Presenters will explain the history of solar panels and how buying solar panels in bulk through a co-op will save participants money. Topics expected to be discussed during the upcoming meeting include the 30 percent Federal Solar Tax Credit, financing options (including Cuyahoga Countys low-interest HELP Loan) and the cost of adding a battery backup or an electric car-charging port. As far as how the co-op works, once a sufficient number of members join together, bids will be solicited from dozens of installers. Members will then choose democratically from among the proposals. There is no obligation, and members can quit the co-op at any time. While Parmas housing stock includes a lot of bungalows, Foley said the smaller-roofed homes still provide plenty of options to go solar. In the long term, its a way to reduce energy costs with clean energy, Foley said. Its unlikely that you can put 12 or 14 panels on your house as a way to cover all of your electricity needs, but it will cover a slice of the electricity you need for your home in an energy-efficient and cost-effective way. Foley speaks from experience, having put an array of 12 solar panels on the roof of his West Park home. The $10,000 investment included a 30 percent federal tax credit. For the last two years, his panels have provided 35 to 40 percent of his homes electricity. We also received a low-interest HELP loan, Foley said. The panels are guaranteed to last at least 25 years and produce 80 percent of the power in year 25 as they do in year one. We calculate our payback on this will probably be around 10 years for the energy savings paying off the system. Read more news from the Parma Sun Post. ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- On May 16, senior citizens had the chance to learn more about the use of technology in their lives at the Aging in the Digital World show at Memorial Hall in Rocky River. There was plenty to engage seniors, and more than 200 attended the free event, according to Tak Sato, organizer of the third annual event with his wife, Mely. The Satos said attendees came to last years expo from 16 area cities. This year it was 29 cities. One of two presentations, Tips on Staying Safe in the Digital World, was particularly well attended. The main takeaway from the presentation was, according to Sato, to build good habits and remind those present that the gray matter between their ears is the most powerful weapon to stay safe in the digital world. Its all about street smarts on the Internet, he said. Sato concentrated on robocalls and phony emails -- anything unsolicited coming to seniors. He said it is becoming quite challenging to discern even a legitimate call from a robocall. Build the habit of ignoring them even though they are annoying, he said. Just dont answer that phone call, just dont double click that unsolicited email in your inbox or just dont answer that unsolicited text message. With nefarious actors being able to spoof (fabricate) the call-origination caller ID that shows on your phone, he said, it is becoming quite challenging to discern even a legitimate call from a robocall. But what happens if it was a legitimate call? Sato told the attendees that if the message is important, they will try to contact you again and also try reaching out to you on other communication media. Other tips he shared as part of Internet street smarts included: Dont be click-happy. Use credit cards instead of debit cards due to the difference in the law that protects the former vs. the latter when it comes to fraudulent charges online. Use the three, free credit reports annually to make sure there are no mistakes on your accounts. Dont assume that the top internet search result is legitimate. It may not be the actual company or organization you are looking for. Dont call the phone number that pops up on your devices screen asking you to call them to fix a problem. Remember, said Sato, Microsoft, Apple or Google will not call you to inform you your system has been victimized." Vendors at the show with other information for seniors included both the Rocky River and Westlake libraries, with increasing resources every week for seniors, including free training on computers and the Internet. Other vendors included Silver Sneakers, Kemper House for memory care, and senior apartments and senior living communities. For more information on the Satos Center for Aging in the Digital World, visit https://empowerseniors.org/. Read more news from the West Shore Sun. SOLON, Ohio -- Due to the intersection improvement project at SOM Center and Aurora roads, this years Memorial Day ceremony will take place at Roselawn Cemetery on May 27. The ceremony at 32725 Solon Road gets under way at 10 a.m., put on by the Solon Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1863, the Solon American Veterans (Amvets) Post 11 and the the city -- police, fire, service departments and City Council. This years Memorial Day Ceremony will honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces from our community and the rest of the nation, Mayor Ed Kraus stated in a city press release. Other participating organizations include Solon High School, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies. We would like to thank everyone involved -- especially Mark Mauldin and the Solon High School Marching Band, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, and the Girl Scouts and Brownies for making this event so special," Kraus added. And the ranks of the Comet marching band promise to be larger for next years Memorial Day celebration, after the Solon Board of Education on May 13 approved the purchase of 30 additional uniforms. The cost will be split between the district and the band's parent organization and is expected to bring the marching unit up to more than 320 members, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Personnel Fred Bolden told the school board last week. For more information on the City of Solon, visit www.solonohio.org. Read more news from the Chagrin Solon Sun. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Authorities are searching Lake Erie after a man jumped into the water near Voinovich Park in downtown Cleveland, police said. The unidentified man jumped into the water near the park on East 9th Street near Erieside Avenue, a police spokeswoman said just after 6:30 p.m. Its unclear why the man jumped into the water. Cleveland firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard are searching the lake for the man, police said. No other details were immediately available. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio A large fight led to a shootout that left one man injured late Saturday outside a car wash on Clevelands West Side, police said. Detectives are working to identify the gunman who shot a man in the back of the head, cheek, chest and hands just after 9:30 p.m. outside the American Pride Car Wash on Denison Avenue at West 56th Street, according to police reports. The man, whose age is not included in police reports, was admitted to MetroHealths intensive care unit for treatment. His condition was not immediately available Monday afternoon. The mans 24-year-old friend also suffered cuts on his arms caused by broken glass from a shattered car window. The 24-year-old friend drove the man whod been shot to the hospital. No arrests have been made in the case, police said. Officers were initially called to Denison Avenue near West 47th Street to investigate a report of shots fired during a fight involving 50 people. No one was there when officers arrived, police reports say. The officers saw several cars speed away. One car pulled over so someone inside could tell the officers that someone had been shot at the car wash. They learned a man had been shot, and that someone drove him to MetroHealth, police reports say. The officers went to the hospital and spoke with the 24-year-old man, who said the shooting happened after a large argument. One man pulled out a gun and shot into the air, and a woman also pulled out a gun and shot into the air, the friend said. The two victims got into a 1998 Acura CL to leave, but another man came over and punched out the passenger-side window. The attacker also punched down through the sunroof. Someone else then came over to the car and shot the man multiple times. Witnesses provided information about a possible suspect, but detectives are still investigating, police reports say. The cars had multiple bullet holes in the passenger-side door, and a shattered passenger-side window. Officers also found a bullet casing in the passenger seat, police reports say. The car washs owner also said he could provide surveillance video from the car wash, police reports say. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments section. MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio A Montville Township woman died one day after her boyfriend shot her almost execution-style before he killed himself during a SWAT standoff, the Medina County coroner said. The 45-year-old womans boyfriend Shawn Guillereault shot her in the right temple early Sunday at the home they shared on Stockbridge Drive at Sarah Lane, Medina County Coroner Lisa Deranek said during a news conference Monday afternoon. The bullet lodged in the lower part of her brain. The woman died Monday afternoon, police said. She had been on life support at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Investigators have not determined why Guillereault, 44, got into an argument with the woman before the shooting, Montville Township Police Chief Terry Grice said during the news conference. Guillereault barricaded himself in a basement when officers responded to his 911 call, and took his own life after a three-hour SWAT standoff. Montville Township police officers first learned of the incident just before 12:45 a.m. when the womans daughter ran roughly a half-mile from the home to a McDonalds on Wooster Pike, police said. The girl, who was unclothed, told McDonalds employees that Guillereault sexually assaulted her in the home. SWAT officers later rescued two other children from the home, who were unharmed. All three children who were inside the home will be staying with relatives, Grice said. Cleveland.com is not naming the woman shot during the incident because doing so would identify the girl who was sexually assaulted. Guillereault called 911 just after 1 a.m. to say hed shot his girlfriend in the head, according to a recording of the call released Monday. Grice said during the news conference that Guillereault and the woman had been dating for seven years. It was a disagreement and it got out of control, Guillereault said in the recording of the 911 call. He told the dispatcher the shooting occurred in the garage, and initially intimated he may cooperate with officers when they arrived. But he became combative by the time the officers arrived, police said. Im gonna go to jail, though. I did this, Guillereault said in the recording of the 911 call. When two Montville Township officers arrived, they found Guillereault in the garage beside the woman, who showed no signs of life. Guillereault first refused to move away from her and surrender, then ran into the home and barricaded himself inside, police said. The officers initially believed the woman to be dead, and knew Guillereault was armed, so they were unable to enter the garage and take her to a hospital until shortly before 3 a.m., police said. Officers also learned of the other two children in the home. SWAT officers used a ladder to rescue them from an upstairs bedroom just after 2:40 a.m., police said. Its unfortunate that the actions of Shawn Guillereault caused this family to be put through such a traumatic situation, Grice said. SWAT officers deployed a robot into the residence and tried to negotiate with Guillereault, but he fatally shot himself sometime before the SWAT officers entered the home and found him dead at 4:30 a.m. The woman had previously reported in 2014 that Guillereault had sexually assaulted another one of her relatives, according to police reports. The complaint did not result in any charges being filed against Guillereault, police said. It was not immediately clear why a Montville Township prosecutor declined to charge Guillereault at the time. Montville Township police had not been called to the Stockbridge Drive home for any prior incidents of domestic violence, police said Monday. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- President Donald Trump lashed out at his favorite network Sunday, slamming Fox News for hosting a town hall forum with Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. "Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him. Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems. They got dumped from the Democrats boring debates, and they just want in," Trump tweeted before the live broadcast. "They forgot the people who got them there. Chris Wallace said, 'I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance...fascinating biography.' Gee, he never speaks well of me - I like Mike Wallace better...and Alfred E. Newman will never be President!" ....who got them there. Chris Wallace said, I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance...fascinating biography. Gee, he never speaks well of me - I like Mike Wallace better...and Alfred E. Newman will never be President! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Buttigiegs rising profile has caught Trumps attention over the last few weeks. He nicknamed the South Bend mayor after the gap-toothed Mad Magazine character during an interview with Politico, and has had fun with the pronunciation of Buttigiegs name at campaign rallies Fox News hasn't commented on the president's tweets, but they did catch the attention of the network's senior political analyst Brit Hume. Say this for Buttigieg. Hes willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something youve barely done since youve been president. Oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel, Hume tweeted. Say this for Buttigieg. Hes willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something youve barely done since youve been president. Oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel. https://t.co/D8yQE2kfYF Brit Hume (@brithume) May 20, 2019 But Trump wasnt the only one to criticize the network on Sunday. During the town hall, Buttigieg called out Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham. A lot of people in my party were critical of me doing this, he said, in reference to fellow candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warrens comments last week. "I get where thats coming from, especially when you see what goes on with some of the opinion hosts on this network. I mean when youve got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty. When youve got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps. There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem. But I also believe even though some of those hosts arent always there in good faith, I think a lot of people who tune into this network do it in good faith." Even though some of these hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network in good faith. Whether its going on Fox or going into places where Democrats havent been seen much, we have to find people where they arenot change our values. pic.twitter.com/xNHoD0uzE4 Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) May 20, 2019 Trump, somewhat ironically, appeared on Fox News later in the evening in a pre-taped interview with Steve Hilton, in which he once again seemed to take joy in saying Buttigiegs name. Boot edge-edge, Trump said with emphasis, before being asked about Buttigieg running as an openly gay man. I think its great. I think thats something that perhaps some people will have a problem with. I have no problem with it whatsoever. I think its good. Here's Trump, to his credit, telling Fox News in an interview that will air on Sunday that he thinks Pete Buttigieg's relationship with his husband is "great." pic.twitter.com/rwdZoU8YOv Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 17, 2019 Fox News, denied by the DNC from hosting a primary debate, has aired town halls with Buttigieg along with Senators Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar. Next up is Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on June 2. Editors note:Eileen Korey is well-known in Northeast Ohio media circles, having headed up the communications departments at University Hospitals, the MetroHealth system and the University of Akron. Shes a recent transplant to greater Portland, Oregon, where she was the subject of his touching story. The first thing Eileen Korey noticed when she got into the car that Wednesday afternoon in early May was a small diamond ring in the tray between the front seats. It hadnt been there before. Weeks earlier, she had taken the car in to have the airbag replaced as part of a nationwide recall. The Subaru Outback belonged to her daughter and son-in-law and she was helping them out. Now she was picking it up. Thats when she saw the sparkler. Korey, 64, of Lake Oswego quickly sent a text to her daughter and son-in-law to ask if they were missing a diamond ring or if any of their friends had reported losing a ring. They both wrote back, saying they had no idea what she was talking about. Korey took the ring to the service desk at Wilsonville Subaru to ask if any women technicians might have left a ring in the car while they were working on it. The woman behind the counter said only men worked on the cars. Korey asked if the desk clerk could get information from the guy who had replaced the airbag. Over a two-way radio, Daniel Helbt said hed placed the ring in the tray when it dropped to the cars floor after he opened up the dash trim and steering column to replace the airbag. He was not sure how it got there, saying he typically finds only change. Not sure what to do, Korey left the dealer, the ring back in the tray. She knew a friend who was a jeweler and stopped to have her look at the ring to see if it was real. Her friend said the diamond, set in a white gold band, was worth $1,200 and Korey could easily sell it for $500. Standing there, Korey knew she could use the money to pay off some bills. But she wouldnt sell it. All because of the diamond ring on her own finger. *** Koreys in-laws were Holocaust survivors who had escaped to the United States after World War II. They settled in New York in 1951 and worked in the textile industry. What theyd experienced overseas had forever shaped their lives. The couple never forgot the horror, the fear of losing everything. When they saved some money, not easy to do raising two boys, they went to a jeweler friend and bought two unset diamonds. They believed it wise to have something of value they could carry with them in case they ever had to flee again. They didnt reveal the story or the diamonds until their oldest son came home to say he had fallen in love. He planned to propose and marry a wonderful woman. His mother left the room. She returned with a package. She showed her son the two diamonds and told him to pick one. Use it for the engagement ring, she said. Her son should slip the ring over his intendeds finger as a way to show the world his commitment with a treasure that had such meaning and family history. In her Lake Oswego home, Korey looked at the diamond ring she has worn since 1977. In her other hand, she held the ring shed found in the car. Koreys ring was three times larger. One, though, wasnt more precious than the other. Love, after all, is love. Korey vowed to find this rings true owner. *** Three days after finding the ring, Korey rummaged through the cars glove box to look for clues. There, she found paperwork showing the name of the dealership, Carr Subaru in Beaverton, that sold the car new to its first owner in 2014. Then she found the name of the original salesman. Korey called. The salesman who answered the phone said that salesman no longer worked for the company. Korey explained why she was calling and recited the cars long vehicle identification number to see if he could help. The message was passed on to the sales manager. He used the VIN number to track down the cars original owner. Then, searching through old company records, he found a telephone number for Daniel Hannah. The manager identified himself on the phone and asked Hannah how his car was working out. Hannah was confused. He was on his third Subaru. But did Hannah buy one of those Subarus from Carr? Yes, he had. Though he sold it years ago. One more question: Had he ever lost an engagement ring? *** Hannah, now 37, met Ashleigh, now 33, while they both played in a coed softball league in Portland. They planned to get married, but first saved to buy a house. Once that purchase was completed, they went to a jewelry store and picked out an engagement ring they could afford, one Hannah described as small but sentimental. About three years after the wedding, Ashleigh gave birth to Easton. During the pregnancy, her fingers were so swollen that she had to stop wearing her wedding band and engagement ring. She missed them. Three months after the delivery, she tried slipping them over her finger, but they wouldnt go past the knuckle. No matter, they belonged on her finger. One Sunday afternoon, they were driving to an event in their Subaru but had to stop at the bank and use the ATM machine. Ashleigh, showing her husband where to turn, gestured wildly with her left hand and felt both rings slip off. They found the wedding band on the floor of the car. The engagement ring was gone. They figured it fell out the open drivers side window. They searched the bank parking lot for an hour. Nothing. Later, back at home, Hannah searched through the Subaru for hours. Nothing. Years later, Hannah bought his wife a much larger engagement ring. They had a second son. Truth was, the couple had forgotten about the missing ring. And then, two weeks ago, a sales manager called. He told Hannah that a woman had found the ring in his old Subaru, but was not sure how it had ended up behind the dash. He gave Hannah her cell number. Hannah called Korey. They made a date to meet. *** On the big day, Korey searched through her closet and selected an elegant silk ring pouch. She slipped the found ring inside and waited for Hannah to arrive at her Lake Oswego home. She answered the door and thought Hannah seemed shy. She figured he assumed she was going to ask for a reward. To put him at ease, she invited him in and they sat at the dining room table where she shared her detective work. Her daughter and son-in-law had bought the car used from Carr Subaru in 2015. She handed him the pouch. Hannah opened it and held the ring in his hand. Thats it. Korey wanted to know what Hannahs wife thought about getting the ring back. He said he hadnt told her, planning to surprise her with it on Mothers Day Korey had one request: She wanted Hannah to send her a photo the moment Ashleigh opened her gift. Deal. *** On Sunday, Ashleigh Hannah sat on some steps inside the couples home and 5-year-old Easton brought over a small pouch. She opened it. A woman never forgets a special ring. She slipped it on her finger. It didnt fit. Her new engagement ring was larger. It didnt matter. She plans to make that first ring into a pendant to wear around her neck. Love, after all, is love. And you can never have too much of it. --Tom Hallman Jr. thallman@oregonian.com 503 221-8224 @thallmanjr CLEVELAND, Ohio Protestors will gather in Public Square on Tuesday to rally against the heartbeat abortion ban signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in April. The protest is part of the #StoptheBans movement, a nationwide day of rallies advocating against efforts to undo Roe v. Wade. The Ohio law which prohibits abortion after 6 weeks, before many women know they are pregnant is being challenged by the ACLU and others. The law has no exceptions for rape or incest. Abortion rights opponents hope the legal challenge to the law triggers a U.S. Supreme Court battle that overturns Roe v. Wade. Ohio is not alone in its ban. Governors in states including Arkansas, North Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky and Mississippi have signed bills similar to Ohios abortion ban. Georgias governor this month also signed a heartbeat" bill, according to Vox.com. Alabamas governor on Wednesday signed a law that bans abortion outright, unless when necessarily to prevent serious health problems for the woman, with no exception for rape or incest, according to al.com. The protest is set for 5 p.m. at Public Square, and is being organized by NARAL Pro Choice Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio and Cleveland State University students. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio Late cleveland.com reporter Nikki Delamotte was dedicated to mentoring young writers at Lake Erie Ink. To honor her memory, cleveland.com is launching a program with the nonprofit youth writing organization, welcoming teenagers into our newsroom. Write About Now is a 10-week program for a dozen eighth-graders through high school years, to learn about journalism from cleveland.com reporters and editors, experiment with writing and publish their own perspectives on cleveland.com. I think its really meaningful to be able to offer something thats concretely a link to Nikki, Lake Erie Ink Executive Director Amy Rosenbluth said. Weve been given this extension into a new community of journalists, and a new opportunity. I think the kids will respond. Delamotte died last year in a murder-suicide, after her uncle shot her several times at his mobile home in Wood County. Her colleagues at cleveland.com wanted to continue her legacy of helping others. So did the philanthropic arm of cleveland.coms parent company. The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation donated $10,000 to the Cleveland Heights-based Lake Erie Ink, on behalf of cleveland.com, in honor of Delamotte. The gift will pay for years of the program, including Chromebooks, transportation and dinner for students each week at the newsroom, plus $100 stipends to students who complete the program. Nikki believed in your commitment to helping youths develop their powers of expression, and we can think of no better way to honor her than to through a program that pairs your expertise with the mentoring of our talented journalists, cleveland.com Editor Chris Quinn wrote in a letter to Lake Erie Inc. Write About Now will meet Tuesday afternoons, beginning in September, at the cleveland.com newsroom. Each week, one journalist will speak to the group, then reporters and editors will work one-on-one with students, on whatever they want to write news, creative nonfiction, fiction. Maple Buescher, a 15-year-old student at Cleveland Heights High School, is excited about the opportunity. Ive never gotten to meet real journalists, said Buescher who last year published an op-ed on gun control on cleveland.com. Its one thing to write something and publish it. Its another to have a mentorship and meet people who get to do this for real. Each year, teenagers at Lake Erie Ink write and edit a book, on a common theme. Delamotte last year wrote about the book launch. This year, the editors dedicated their book to her. To Nikki Delamotte, who gave so much time, energy and love to all of us here at Lake Erie Ink. As a passionate writer and mentor, Nikki has encouraged teenagers to develop one of the most powerful things a person can have: a voice in the world. Any student can apply for Write About Now, through Lake Erie Ink. Interested students and their parents can attend an open house at the cleveland.com newsroom, 1801 Superior Ave. in Cleveland, on June 11 or Aug. 14. For more information, email ljohnston@cleveland.com. Apply here: https://lakeerieink.org/write-about-now/ CLEVELAND, Ohio Cuyahoga Countys interim fiscal officer, Angela Rich, on Monday submitted her resignation. Rich, the deputy fiscal officer, assumed the role of interim fiscal officer Feb. 25, after Fiscal Officer Dennis Kennedy went on paid leave. Her last day will be May 31, county spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said. A copy of Richs resignation letter was not immediately available to cleveland.com. Madigan attributed the resignation to personal reasons unknown to the county. She will be the fifth high-ranking official to leave the administration of County Executive Armond Budish since Jan. 1. The previous departures were Chief of Staff Earl Leiken, Law Director Robert Triozzi, Director of Employee and Labor Relations Egdilio Morales and Chief Technology Officer Michael Young. Rich made $121,000 annually as second-in-command of the fiscal officer. She received a temporary raise of $140,000 annually during her time as interim fiscal officer. Reached by phone on Monday, Kennedy said has been on medical leave since he underwent emergency surgery in February. He said he does not yet know when he will be able to return to his duties as fiscal officer. The Fiscal Office oversees functions previously overseen by the county auditor and recorder, including duties such as property valuation and deed recording. COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio House members are resuming their efforts to prevent Cuyahoga County and other local governments from banning or taxing single-use plastic bags. Republican State Reps. George Lang, of Butler County and Don Jones, of Warren County, have introduced House Bill 242. As written, the bill would set up a legal conflict with Cuyahoga County Council, which is expected to vote to ban plastic bags countywide at their next regular meeting on May 28. HB 242s language appears to be identical to a bill that cleared the Ohio House last December, but failed to make it through the Senate before the end of the legislative session. Lang and Jones did not immediately return messages seeking comment. But in a memo sent earlier this month to other House members seeking co-sponsors, Lang wrote his legislation is backed by the Ohio Beverage Association, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and other politically influential business groups. When everyday products like paper cups, grocery bags, to-go containers and soft-drink bottles are taxed and regulated inconsistently within a state, it creates costly problems for manufacturers, businesses and working families. Adopting statewide uniformity for auxiliary containers is a way to protect against overregulation, support manufacturing jobs and uphold consumer freedom, the memo reads. County officials meanwhile contend that regardless of the legislature does, the Ohio Constitution grants local governments home-rule powers that allow them to pass local laws and regulations. The Legislative Service Commission, the state legislatures nonpartisan research arm, wrote it is unclear whether the Ohio Constitution gives the state legislature the power to block local governments from setting local fees when they analyzed state lawmakers previous attempt to block local bans. Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon, a longtime plastic-bag foe who is sponsoring the county ban, said her proposal is meant to protect the environment, including Lake Erie, which a recent study found is polluted by 100 million pieces of plastic from bags and other sources. It doesnt surprise me that the Statehouse as its currently constituted is bought and paid for by the plastic and chemical industries with no consideration to the long-term damage and impact to the environment throughout the state, said Simon, a Democrat. The countys ban would include a number of exceptions, including plastic bags that customers bring with them to retailers, and bags used for carry-out orders of prepared food or restaurant leftovers. First-time violators would be subject to a written warning. Second violations would carry a civil fine of up to $100 and subsequent violations would carry fines up to $500. HB 242 has nine Republican co-sponsors, none of whom are from Northeast Ohio. The previous iteration of the bill was pushed through during the legislative Lame Duck session by then-speaker Ryan Smith, a Gallia County Republican. But in January, Rep. Larry Householder, a Perry County Republican, ousted Smith and became the new speaker. Householder has not commented publicly on the proposed ban, but joined most House Republicans in voting for the previous bill in December. To date, no major Ohio cities have imposed a ban or tax on plastic bags, though the idea of a fee has been proposed by Democratic Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley (5-10 cents per bag). Orange village, an affluent Cleveland suburb thats home to a large retail center, passed its own plastic-bag ban in December. In March, New York joined California and Hawaii in banning plastic bags statewide. Thirteen states, including Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, have moved to block local governments from banning plastic bags, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This story previously said no Ohio municipality has imposed a plastic-bag ban. It has been corrected. WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Supreme Court shouldnt let Ohio delay redrawing its congressional maps until after an upcoming high court ruling on other states congressional maps, say redistricting reform advocates. Doing so risks inflicting irreparable harm on Ohio voters whove been hurt by gerrymandered political districts, say the advocates, who filed a case that overturned the state of Ohios congressional maps earlier this month. Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed a brief at the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday in response to the state of Ohios request that the nations highest court stay a lower courts order to remap the districts by June 14. Drawing a map wont harm the state, said a statement from ACLU of Ohio Legal Director Freda Levenson. " And any impact the decision in the other two cases might have on our case can be taken into account before any new map is implemented. Starting the remedial proceedings, as the trial court ordered, is needed to ensure that a remedial map can be in place for the 2020 election. On May 3, a three-judge federal panel ruled that the states congressional maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered and ordered drawing of new maps in time for the 2020 election. The states most recent 2011 remap, which was orchestrated by the states Republicans, gave the GOP a 12-to-4 seat advantage in Congress even though the state has been considered a swing state in presidential elections. Plaintiffs in the case said Republicans packed the maximum number of their opponents voters into the fewest possible districts, and put the rest into places they wouldnt be concentrated enough to affect the general election outcome. They contend the rigged congressional maps violate the Constitution by essentially taking away voters ability to select candidates in a general election. Mondays legal briefs noted that even though the city of Cincinnati is heavily Democratic and that a district that respects city limits would give the party an opportunity to elect their candidate of choice to Congress, Democratic voters in Cincinnati were split between two districts to ensure that they would never have that opportunity." Map drawers packed Columbus-area Democrats into a district that they called the Franklin County Sinkhole, to transform surrounding districts from being competitive to safe Republican districts. They drew another district between Cleveland and Toledo along the banks of Lake Erie known as the snake on the lake to force a runoff between two Democratic incumbents, and split highly Democratic Summit County into four districts to dilute its vote, even though the county could have fit into a single district. The plaintiffs argued that delaying the court-ordered remap would risk inflicting irreparable harm because a new map must be in place later this year and starting the redrawing in June ensures that the remedial process can move forward in an orderly manner, and that any remedial map can be in place in a timely fashion. Ohio officials asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay any Ohio remap until after the Supreme Court rules on the legality of Maryland and North Carolina congressional maps in cases that are expected to clarify the constitutionality of drawing maps that disproportionately favor one party. Its legal filing said that if the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decisions require the lower court to re-examine its conclusions in the Ohio case, then the General Assembly will have been needlessly pressured into either repealing a validly enacted law or wasting resources trying to accommodate a mooted decision." They also argued the existing districts are fair, and that generating the new congressional maps by next month risks sowing chaos and undermining the public interest in an orderly election process. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision in the North Carolina and Maryland cases by late June. Jack Ma is the founder and chairman of the Chinese e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba, which has a market capitalization of about $420 billion. Currently, Ma is worth $36.5 billion, according to Forbes. But to hear Ma tell it, his success has nothing to do with technical or business skills. "I know nothing about technology, I know nothing about marketing, I know nothing about [the legal] stuff," Ma said at the Viva Tech conference in Paris on Thursday. So what does he know that's made him successful? "I only know about people." "Everything we do as a founder: Make your customer happy. Get your team. Make your team happy. And you will be happy," Ma said. Indeed, Ma, who originally planned to be a teacher, backed into the idea of starting a tech company after he first encountered the internet in 1995 on his first trip to the United States. "[My friend] said, 'Jack, this is Internet.' I asked, 'What is Internet.' He said, 'Search whatever you want,'" Ma told Charlie Rose in 2015. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison waves to his supporters following a victory speech with his family after winning the Australia's general election in Sydney on May 18, 2019. Australia's ruling conservative coalition appeared to secure a shock election win on May 18, with the party predicted to have defied expectations and retained power. Australia's conservative coalition secured an outright parliamentary majority on Monday following a shock election victory, allowing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to progress his legislative agenda without the support of independents. Morrison's coalition defied forecasts to be re-elected on Saturday in what he called a political miracle. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on Monday said Morrison's coalition has won 76 seats in Australia's parliament, which is comprised of 151 elected lawmakers. The AEC said the coalition is ahead in one of the three seats that have not been declared. Respected Australian Broadcasting Corporation election analyst Antony Green said the Morrison's coalition will retain its lead in at least one more seat, allowing it to select a parliamentary speaker and still retain a majority. The result sent Australian banking, property and health-related stocks to an 11-year high on Monday as investors cheered. After a long and bitter election campaign, Morrison said Australians have had enough of politics. "They've had their say, they've made their decision. Now they expect us to get on with it so they can get on with their lives," Morrison told 2GB Radio in Sydney. "That's what the quiet Australians have said and I'm going to honor that." One of Morrison's first tasks after being sworn in will be a cabinet reshuffle after the retirement of several front-benchers. The personnel shift will be closely watched for signs of policy changes. "The cabinet reshuffle will indicate whether he plans to move on polices such as climate change," said Rodney Tiffen, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of Sydney. "A big signal will be whether he moves the ministers for environment and energy. If he replaces them with people who have argued for stronger action, it will be marker." Morrison has rejected efforts to increase the use of renewables to generate electricity, arguing it would damage the economy which relies on coal-fired power and mining exports. The coalition has stuck to an official target to cut carbon emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels by 2030, but the United Nations has warned Australia was unlikely to meet this goal. The defeated opposition Labor party campaigned on more aggressive targets, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach 50% renewable power by 2030. The re-elected Liberal-led coalition has no renewable energy target beyond 2020. Boeing's next commercial jet design could come with a cockpit built for just one pilot, according to industry analysts. Rumors have swirled for months that the U.S. plane manufacturer will announce a New Midsize Airplane (NMA), dubbed by industry insiders as the 797, at the Paris Air Show next month. Plans for a big reveal may have been put on hold by Boeing's ongoing problem with its 737 Max planes, two of which have been involved in recent fatal crashes. Over the last few weeks, analysts at Jefferies have quizzed plane-buying executives at airlines and leasing companies on what they would want from any new Boeing offering. The researchers said that given the NMA could start from a completely fresh design, airline executives see scope for just one pilot to be physically sat in the plane. A second pilot would be ground based and be able to "monitor several aircraft" at the same time. Reducing the number of pilots from an airline's payroll could save a company millions of dollars in salaries and training costs. The Jefferies note, released Sunday, claimed the technology to do this is still 10 years away but Boeing customers would find the capability "valuable." Boeing Research and Technology Vice-President Charles Toups said in February that one-pilot jets would likely begin with cargo flights and it would be a "couple of decades" before passengers would be convinced of their safety. But in a statement provided to CNBC late Monday, Boeing said the NMA was not a plane that would herald a technological revolution. "We remain focused on executing on our commitments, including evaluating the business case for the NMA. With that said, should we launch, the NMA flight deck is being designed for two pilots and we've been consistent that we don't see NMA as a technology push airplane," it read. Outside of the cockpit, airline execs want a new Boeing plane to have more flexibility in how seats could be arranged and reshuffled, with some premium carriers calling for more flexibility to install lie-flat beds. The NMA is predicted to hold between 200 and 250 passengers but fly with the range of a larger plane. A plus-size variant could accommodate as many as 290 passengers and executives told Jefferies that a widebody aircraft (one with two aisles) is a likely preference. Typically, the NMA is seen serving transatlantic routes, connecting smaller cities in the Unites States with "secondary" European cities such as Brussels or Copenhagen. Given Boeing's recent woes, Jefferies believes entry into service for the "797" could now be as far away as 2028. In February, U.K. firm Rolls-Royce pulled out of the race to provide engines for Boeing's new offering. The engine maker withdrew its tender stating it was "unable to commit to the proposed timetable." Boeing is now expected to choose between engines built by United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney and CFM International, a General Electric joint venture with France's Safran. Now watch: Neil Sorahan, CFO of Ryanair, says his airline is backing Boeing's 737 Max aircraft to succeed. U.S. President Donald Trump jokes with Broadcom CEO Hock Tan as he announces that Broadcom would be moving back to the U.S. in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Nov. 2, 2017. Broadcom shares were down as much as 7% on Monday following a report from Bloomberg indicating the U.S. Federal Trade Commission was looking into the company's tactics around sales of its processors. The stock closed at $272.59, about 6% lower than Friday's close. Potential regulatory issues further weighed on the stock after Broadcom was already among semiconductor companies trading lower on concern they will no longer be able to sell products to China's Huawei. Last year, the the Trump administration stopped Broadcom's bid to acquire fellow chipmaker Qualcomm. The federal agency is looking for information that would indicate Broadcom was anticompetitive specifically when it comes to selling data center networking switch and Wi-Fi chips, said Bloomberg, attributing the information to a document and an unnamed individual. The FTC told CNBC it doesn't confirm the existence of investigations or comment on them. Broadcom declined to comment. Broadcom said last year that the FTC had sought information from the company, Reuters reported. Months later Broadcom finished the process of re-domiciling from Singapore to the U.S. CNBC previously reported that Amazon and Hewlett Packard have been on the receiving end of Broadcom's hardball negotiating tactics. Read the Bloomberg report here. WATCH: Why this analyst is buying high tech chip stocks during the Huawei fallout Morgan Stanley its concerns about Target's medium term profit margins now appear to be reflected in the stock's price. "We are raising our rating for two main reasons. First, we think TGT's margin erosion (a core tenet of our prior Underweight view) is likely to moderate in the near-term. We are modeling flattish EBIT margins in 2019, below guidance for ~10 bps expansion yet an improvement from 35 bps decline in 2018. Second, we think the risk that TGT misses its margin guide is appropriately reflected in the stock's relatively inexpensive valuation (~6.7x 2020 EV/EBITDA and ~11.5x 2020 P/E). We see limited multiple downside at these levels given our view that TGT is establishing itself as a Retail "survivor" alongside AMZN (covered by Brian Nowak), WMT and COST." Read more about this call here. Ominous warnings about artificial intelligence spelling doom for mankind are pointless it's state actors like Russia and China we should be worrying about, according to former world chess champion Garry Kasparov. "We should stop wasting our time talking of killer robots and terminators," Kasparov told reporters in Paris last week. "No matter how sophisticated algorithms may be, it still needs a bad human actor." And as long as there are bad actors out there, he adds, "new technologies will give them new opportunities." For context, Kasparov was asked by CNBC about the possibility of AI being used in a new wave of potentially crippling cyberattacks. "Right now we are in some sort of cyber Cold War, and deterrence is the only response," said Kasparov. "It seems like there's no political will to make such a strong statement." A sell-off in chip stocks intensified Monday following a report that semiconductor makers are cutting ties with Huawei following restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. The U.S. Commerce Department last week blacklisted Huawei and effectively halted its ability to buy American-made parts and components. In wake of the restrictions, Google has suspended business activity with the Chinese giant. Other Huawei suppliers, including Qualcomm, Broadcom, Intel and Xilinx, told employees they will not sell to the Chinese firm until further notice, according to Bloomberg News. U.S. chip suppliers are losing a big customer as Huawei, the world's largest provider of telecom equipment, purchases $20 billion of semiconductors each year, according to an Evercore estimate. Shares of Xilinx tumbled 3.5% on Monday, while Qualcomm stock dropped nearly 6%. Shares of Analog Devices, Broadcom and Advanced Micro Devices are all under pressure following the Huawei ban. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF is down almost 4% on Monday, nearly 15% below its intraday all-time high. All but one component of the ETF were at correction levels or worse as of Monday and almost half of the 25 stocks are at bear market levels. Science offers the chance to cure debilitating and once-intractable disorders like hemophilia and sickle cell disease. But we need to make sure the ability to access these therapies, or the risk that someone can be locked out of them, doesn't widen gaps between the rich and poor. Many inherited disorders can perpetuate poverty by leading to disabilities that disrupt people's ability to work. In turn, someone's capacity to secure an effective new cure for these diseases can mean the difference between a life led productively, or one plagued by infirmity. Gene therapies and other treatments that can cure not just treat disease are going to be expensive. All of the cost of innovating and reaping an economic return may need to be recouped in a single payment. Insurance pools that are on a fixed budget are going to struggle to make sure everyone living with a disease can be rapidly cured when a safe and effective treatment comes along. These challenges were never obvious because we never had so many looming chances to cure serious disorders. In many cases, Medicaid plans that already care for the poor will be the most constrained. This problem was shown when a cure for hepatitis C hit the market in 2014 and many Medicaid plans delayed access to the drug or rationed its use because they couldn't absorb the one-time cost of rolling out the therapy and curing their population straightaway. Since Medicaid budgets are fixed through appropriations, they can't absorb a spending surge in any given year. But when it comes to a safe and effective drug for a vexing disorder, there's an imperative to deliver it to as many patients as possible. Especially when the therapies address a disease where disabilities accumulate with time like inherited muscle disorders such as muscular dystrophy. In the case of a prevalent disease, some states simply won't be able to budget the one-time cost of extending access to everyone. The drug debate is often focused on price. But the real imperative turns on these questions of access. Drugmakers have a compact with the society. Consumers finance high-cost, high-risk science needed to deliver pharmaceutical innovation through the premium prices that are paid on the resulting successes. And Americans have long supported life science innovation. But that support and the commitment to fund new drug treatments through the prices paid on the successful outcomes comes with an implicit belief that a patient who needs access to a critical therapy will have the opportunity to alter his or her destiny through innovation. The expanding promise of that innovation makes this compact more crucial. First and foremost, drugmakers need to make sure there's equitable access to effective therapies and that the destiny of a child with a debilitating disease doesn't turn on which insurance pool they're born into. Along with advances in science, we must also modernize the way we pay for the resulting therapies. This is especially true when it comes to Medicaid, where the greatest strains are felt. This requires us to re-think what's being sold when a new drug reaches the market. A therapy that can cure disease in a single treatment isn't a unit of drug. It's a public health solution. So instead of pricing it per dose like we currently do for traditional medications, companies should negotiate with states to offer Medicaid recipients a multi-year solution to their total population's health. Louisiana is experimenting with a potentially ground-breaking payment model to treat Hepatitis C in its Medicaid recipients and prison population. Called the "Netflix model," Louisiana entered into a contract in March with Gilead Sciences subsidiary Asegua Therapeutics to pay a fixed annual fee for an unlimited supply of its hepatitis C medication, a generic version of Epclusa, for five years. This is especially relevant when it comes to treatments for inherited disorders where an initial group of people already living with the disease will immediately need the cure, along with newly diagnosed patients throughout the years. This could give states an option to renew at preferable terms if the existing technology remains the standard of care. These approaches can be helped by federal legislation that frees drugmakers from the mandatory discounting, restrictions and reporting requirements that hobble innovate payment schemes. The multi-year nature of the commitment can allow drugmakers to offer states better pricing. For the states, this approach smooth's out the costs of extending treatment to a whole population. If a new drug is introduced for the same condition and shows non-inferiority to the existing treatment, the state could have the option to end the contract early, giving drugmakers incentive to develop better treatments. Moreover, drug companies that are focused on gene therapies and other novel treatments often have a pipeline of advances in care for the same disease. They're not one-hit wonders. If the same sponsor develops a follow-on innovation for the same disease, they could commit to a similar pricing structure as Louisiana. That can improve contract terms for both sides and give states a predictable option on follow on innovation that advances care. The debate over price is fundamentally a debate over access. Gene therapies and other treatments that can cost millions of dollars can still be a relative bargain for what they give patients and society if they're able to cure a disease that would severely limit or even end life. But the high cost of providing early and uniform access can mean the underinsured go without these opportunities. We need to make sure that access to a curative drug doesn't become a yardstick by which poverty is eventually measured. Doing so requires a shared commitment between innovators and the insurance plans that are harder pressed to offer these advances to the poor. This is especially true when it comes to Medicaid, which has a special role in helping lift people out of poverty. Cures for devastating diseases are now at hand. They can mean the difference between a productive or disabled life. A financing model that leases access to these kinds of opportunities moves drugmakers and Medicaid plans closer to that vital compact. Editor's Note: Dr. Scott Gottlieb is the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and a CNBC contributor. He kicks off CNBC's Healthy Returns Summit Tuesday in New York. Click here to join Gottlieb and other top health-care executives at the summit. CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday issued a warning to investors holding computer chip maker stocks as the White House continues to crack down on business with Chinese telecom giant Huawei. "If you own these stocks, please recognize the risk," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF which tracks the industry's biggest companies has fallen 3.3% since President Donald Trump effectively blacklisted Huawei last Wednesday. Alphabet's Google has since suspended some of its business with the Chinese tech giant, sending shares of Nvidia, Texas Instruments, Advanced Micro, Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Analog Devices tumbling. Prices were already too high for these tech companies, Cramer said, and the "Mad Money" host expects them to continue dropping. Meanwhile, a Bloomberg report Monday intensified pressure, noting that other American suppliers, including Qualcomm and Intel, will not sell to Huawei until further notice. "If you want to sell these stocks, sell them," Cramer said. "I found it so silly that people held onto them when all that happened was still more negativity." Last week, Cramer said it's clear Trump does not want American companies doing business with China. "Huawei has the best technology for the 5G wireless infrastructure build-out, but without components from American suppliers, that technology just doesn't work. They're gonna get beat." Dish shares dropped 6% on Monday after the Sprint-T-Mobile deal moved a step closer to regulatory approval, making it less likely that Dish will find a partner to help build out its wireless spectrum. The stock had been down more, but pared its losses after Bloomberg reported the Department of Justice was "leaning against" approving the deal. Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said in a statement that he will "recommend to my colleagues that the FCC approve" the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, which agreed last year to a $26.5 billion deal. Pai wrote that the companies have have made commitments that would "substantially advance" the FCC's objectives of bolstering connectivity in rural America and advancing development of 5G technology in the U.S. The further consolidation of the wireless industry is a problem for Dish because much of the company's value is wrapped up in the wireless spectrum that it's spent about $20 billion purchasing in recent years in preparation for 5G. Dish, whose primary business is delivering satellite TV, has no history of building its own wireless network and has failed to find a suitor for its assets. Dish is under pressure to make use of a good chunk of its spectrum by March 2020 or risk having it yanked by the FCC. The company has tried to convince regulators that it is proceeding with a minimum build and has a detailed plan in place, but the FCC isn't convinced and has pushed back against Dish's proposals. Jeffrey Wlodarczak, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group, downgraded his rating on Dish to "hold" from "buy" on Monday after Pai's comments. Wlodarczak said that were the Sprint-T-Mobile deal to fall apart, it could have set up a bidding war for Dish's spectrum between Verizon and T-Mobile. European markets closed lower Monday as a U.S. crackdown on Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei weighed on the technology sector. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally down around 1.2%, with technology stocks leading the losses with an almost 3% drop on the fallout from heightened American scrutiny of Huawei. President Donald Trump's administration last week added Huawei to a trade blacklist that blocks it from buying U.S. technology without special approval. Meanwhile, a host of U.S. tech giants from Google to Intel are reported to have distanced themselves from the firm. Reports also emerged of Germany's Infineon suspending shipments to Huawei, news that resulted in a selloff in major European chipmakers. AMS was the biggest loser among semiconductor stocks in Europe, as well as the worst performer in the Stoxx 600, dropping over 13%. Jitters around Huawei also spread into U.S. markets Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 90 points and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index down more than 1%. The move to clamp down on Huawei comes amid a tense trade battle between Washington and Beijing. CNBC reported on Friday that U.S.-Sino trade negotiations had stalled as the U.S. government heightens scrutiny on Chinese telecom companies. Goldman Sachs is in talks to buy B&B Hotels from private equity firm PAI Partners, the companies said on Monday, in a deal which an earlier report from the Financial Times said could be worth 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion). Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division, the bank's investment fund arm, and PAI Partners did not disclose how much the transaction could be worth in their statement. B&B Hotels had 2018 sales volumes worth 580 million euros, and it runs a network of 476 hotels, competing with the likes of Accor. The global hotels industry has recently shown signs of solid growth, with Marriott issuing a relatively upbeat outlook earlier this month while Accor also expressed confidence over its 2019 outlook in April. Google on Monday unveiled a Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, a new model of its Google Glass that's catered specifically to business uses. Introduced in 2013 as one of the first augmented reality devices, Google Glass is a pair of eyeglasses that uses a tiny projector to beam computer-generated images into a user's eye, so they appear to "float" in front of the real world. The company has been targeting the enterprise for the past couple of years after its attempts to attract consumers failed with the original Google Glass, which was expensive and had a built-in camera which raised privacy concerns. The model targeted toward consumers was discontinued in 2015. Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 runs on a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform which Google says will provide longer battery life. Smith Optics is providing frames that look like regular glasses, too, which means the headset is less bulky than competitors like Microsoft's HoloLens and the glasses from start-up Magic Leap. The new glasses cost $999, but that price may be lower for some firms depending on the business and contracts with Google. That's far less than Microsoft's HoloLens 2, which is also used by businesses and even the U.S. military, but starts at $3,500. Microsoft's new solution, unveiled in February, is more powerful than Google Glass and overlays information on top of the real world that users can view through both eyes. Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, like the first model, only has a small projector that sits in front of one eye. Google's new glasses, built on Android, will be easier than the first model for businesses to give to employees because they now support mobile device management, which is used to configure devices with apps and services, like phones and tablets, and control how employees use them for example, disabling them if the employee loses them. Google said Glass is used in logistics, manufacturing and field services industries by firms including H.B Fuller, Sutter Health, Deutsche Post DHL Group and AGCO. Watch: Virtual reality training by companies like Microsoft is saving lives, millions of dollars, and ensuring the future of mixed reality Google's move to stop licensing its Android mobile operating system to Huawei could deal a huge blow to the Chinese tech giant's ambitions to become the top player in smartphones globally. The U.S. tech conglomerate has suspended business activity with Huawei that involves the transfer of hardware, software and key technical services. Google made the move in order to comply with Washington's decision to put Huawei on the so-called Entity List, meaning American firms need to get a license to sell products to the Chinese firm. It means Huawei can no longer license Google's proprietary Android operating system and other services that it offers. Instead, Huawei is now only able to use a public version of Google's operating system through the Android Open Source Project. It means future Huawei phones will not have the Google services that users have come to expect on Android devices. "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson said Monday. "For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices." A Huawei spokesperson told CNBC that the company is "evaluating the possible impact of this U.S. government action on consumers." "Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android's key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry," the spokesperson said. "Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally." It's a huge blow to the Chinese firm, which relies heavily on Android for the smartphones it sells outside of China. Within China, the company uses a modified version of Android that doesn't have Google apps preinstalled because the search giant's services are blocked there. But in markets outside of China, Huawei's smartphones run Android complete with Google apps. Just over 49%, of Huawei's smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2019 were to international markets outside of mainland China, according to Canalys. Huawei was the second-largest smartphone maker by global market share in the first quarter. The company has previously laid out its ambitions to become the top player in smartphones by 2020. But the latest move by Google could put a dent in that. "It will be like an instant kill switch for Huawei's ambition to overtake Samsung in the global market," Nicole Peng, vice president of mobility at Canalys, told CNBC by phone on Monday. Huawei relies on key components from several other American suppliers for everything from smartphones to its networking equipment. It counts over 30 American firms among its core suppliers. Some of those suppliers, including Qualcomm and Intel, have told employees they will not sell to Huawei until further notice, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday. Is Huawei prepared? As President Donald Trump's international trade war rages on, Harley Davidson is trying to mitigate the damage of retaliatory tariffs the EU placed on U.S. motorcycles that are costing the company about $100 million a year CEO Matt Levatich said Monday. "Europe is the big issue for the company, about a $100 million a year run rate that we are covering in order to protect our business in Europe, protect our market share, protect our volume, protect the viability of our distribution channel," Levatich said on CNBC's "Squawk Alley." "Obviously we can't sit by and wait for something to happen, we have to act to make it happen," he added. Harley was thrown into the spotlight of Trump's trade war last June after the company announced it would move production of its European products out of the U.S. because of the retaliatory tariffs. The company didn't move jobs overseas, instead Harley said it only moved production of EU motorcycles to its plant in Thailand, so U.S. jobs weren't impacted. However, some "hog" owners said they planned to boycott the company for moving European production, garnering approval from Trump. Tweet Though Levatich said Monday that he believes the company successfully worked to mitigate concern among its customers after Trump approved the boycott, the president's comments "certainly didn't help." "No company wants comments like that made," Levatich said of Trump's tweet. Trump later vowed to "reciprocate" against the EU after the company blamed the tariffs, at least in part, for a drop in first-quarter profit. Trump and international leaders have been locked in a trade skirmish as the president promises to solve what he says are unfair trade practices. The European Union smacked duties on $2.4 billion worth of U.S. products, including motorcycles, after Trump placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Europe last year. As a result, the EU's duties on U.S. products rose from 6% to 31%. The tariffs are set to increase to 56% in 2021 unless the U.S. and European Union can reach a deal. The EU's retaliatory tariffs have had a direct impact on Harley, changing the way the company makes business decisions, Levatich said. Harley's first-quarter profit in 2019 fell nearly 27%, partly due to the European duties. Levatich said the company plans to roll out new products "that play very well into strong and growing segments internationally, in particular in Europe." He said its important for the company to have the European distribution channel "to make sure those tariffs will be mitigated if they don't otherwise go away." Though Trump's initial attack on Harley put political pressure on the company, Levatich said the president's comments didn't harm the U.S. business, adding that Harley holds more than half of the industry's market share in the U.S. He said that the company worked to clarify "what the facts are" and that it needed to find ways to mitigate the impact "until the tariffs go away by other political means." Correction: This article was updated to correct the amount of money the EU tariffs are costing Harley. It's about $100 million a year. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi waves his hand after casting his vote during the presidential election, at the Parliament House on July 17, 2017 in New Delhi, India. Sonu Mehta | Hindustan Times | Getty Images Exit polls from India's month-long parliamentary elections suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are set to form the government again. Political consultancy Eurasia Group, however, said that election watchers should exercise some caution around those predictions. Local Indian media reported that exit polls predicted a clear majority for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. It is expected to win nearly or above 300 seats in India's lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha as it is known, according to the Economic Times. "The exit polls released are in line with our belief that Modi's BJP will be the single largest party, while it will have to rely on allies to form the government," Akhil Bery, South Asia analyst at Eurasia Group, said in a note on Sunday. "However, it is important to recognize that exit polls in India have not had the best history in predicting the elections." More than 8,000 candidates contested for a total of 543 seats in the elections. The polls spanned over seven phases, which began on April 11 and ended on May 19. To form a government, a party or a coalition needs to win 272 seats. Votes are set to be counted on May 23. Every exit poll would need to be extremely wrong for a NDA coalition not to return. Akhil Bery South Asia analyst at Eurasia Group Bery pointed to previous elections where exit polls either completely missed the mark or failed to accurately predict an outcome. In 2004, when the NDA was expected to win between 230 and 275 seats, they ultimately won only 187 seats and were unable to form the government, he said. In the 2014 elections, while exit polls predicted that the NDA would win, only one of them was able to accurately forecast the extent of Modi's victory, according to Bery. Still, the scale of the NDA's projected seat count would mean that "every exit poll would need to be extremely wrong for a NDA coalition not to return," he added. In April, before the elections began, opinion polls stated that Modi and his coalition were expected to win by a very slim majority. But some analysts pointed out that exit polls, despite being inaccurate in some cases, have a better track record than opinion polls. Markets cheer Indian markets cheered the exit poll numbers on Monday as the benchmark Nifty 50 jumped 1.71% in morning trade while the Sensex was up 2.1%. In the currency market, the strengthened against the U.S. dollar, trading at 69.60 at 12:06 p.m. HK/SIN that was comparatively stronger than the 70.20 level the currency pair traded at late last week. The rupee's strength was reflective of a "higher likelihood of a strong mandate for the incumbent coalition and prospects of policy continuity," according to analysts from Citi. Ahead of this week's final election results, Sonal Varma, managing director and chief India economist at Nomura, highlighted three likely scenarios, and their ramifications on India's policy and economic paths. In the event that the NDA is able to form a government with a clear majority, there would be policy continuity, she said. "Rural reflation, infrastructure spending, streamlining of the goods and services tax, direct tax reforms and the consolidation of public sector banks are likely to be key priorities," Varma wrote in a Monday note. If the NDA's power is reduced, the pace of reforms will likely slow, she added. On the other hand, a government led by the Indian National Congress and its allies could potentially lead to "policy paralysis" and stall progress on key reforms like the goods and services tax, Varma said. Opposition mocks exit polls Australian shares rose to an 11-year high on Monday as Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Liberal-led conservation government claimed victory at the national elections, after overturning opinion polls that had predicted a Labor victory. Results on the Australian Electoral Commission's website showed that Morrison's coalition had won 77 seats out of 151 in parliament. Bank, coal miners, property and healthcare stocks jumped, pushing the benchmark to an 11-year high, after opening 1.7% higher and hitting its highest intraday level since 2007. Those were among the sectors most affected by the campaign of the Labor Party, which had pledged to take strong action on climate change and property tax loopholes, for instance. "A coalition win can be deemed a 'surprise' for investors and the upshot is that many tail risks that were potential consequences from what was a significant and wide reaching tax and policy reform agenda from the (Australian Labor Party) are now removed," investment bank Morgan Stanley said in a note on Sunday. Here are some sectors that jumped on Monday. Coal miners Coal stocks soared on news of Morrison's victory. Yancoal Australia surged 5.7%, New Hope jumped about 4%, and Whitehaven Coal rose about 2% on Monday morning. The defeated opposition Labor party had ambitious targets for renewable energy, but Morrison rejected efforts to increase the use of renewables to generate electricity, arguing it would damage the economy which relies on coal-fired power and mining exports. Climate change had been a divisive issue in the run-up to the election and for years in the country. Battered by extended droughts, damaging floods, and more bushfires, Australian voters were expected to hand a mandate to the Labor party. A coal pit of the Hazelwood coal-fired power plant stands in Hazelwood, Australia, on Thursday, March 30, 2017. Carla Gottgens | Bloomberg | Getty Images But the energy sector may yet see more uncertainty ahead, experts said. "Given that several of the new centrist cross-bench members have promised strong action on climate change, we may see Morrison caught between his own party's right-wing and the independents keeping the government in office," said Sam Roggeveen, director of the Lowy Institute's International Security Program. The pressure on coal miners has probably eased, but a wait-and-see approach should be taken for energy policies, John Milroy, an investment advisor at Australian private wealth management group Ord Minnett, told CNBC Monday. Banks The financial subindex jumped more than 5% on Monday. Shares of Australia's biggest lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia jumped about 6% and National Australia Bank surged 6.63%. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group also rose 6.46%, while Westpac soared 7.16%. The financial sector had been under tremendous pressure following an investigation into its practices, which exposed shocking revelations of wrongdoing in the sector. The Royal Commission a government-appointed committee which led the investigations later recommended a clean-up of the sector. But analysts had suggested the Labor Party might have taken a harder stance on the banking sector, than Morrison's coalition party. "It's all about the regulations, what markets are expecting might come from a harder line taken (from) the recommendations by the Royal Commission. That seems to have come off the banks today, with the likely success of the coalition government," Milroy said. Real estate Labor had campaigned on a promise of closing tax loopholes for owners of investment properties, and that could have battered housing prices already in decline even more. Following the election surprise, property-related stocks bounced. Property classified ads company REA Group was up 7% and shares of its rival, Domain Holdings Australia, rose 3% in early trade. Construction firm Lendlease Group bounced about 1%, while property developer Stockland jumped over 4.5%. Health care Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi speaks during a press conference outside a fuel manufacturing plant in the central province of Isfahan. Hmidreza Nikomaram | AFP | Getty Images Iran is ramping up its uranium output, a provocative step that threatens to further inflame simmering tensions with the United States and deepen regional conflict following a series of dangerous escalations in the Middle East. Iranian production of low-enriched uranium has recently increased fourfold, putting the nation on a path to exceed limits on nuclear materials set out in a 2015 agreement with world powers, a spokesperson for Iran's atomic energy agency told Iranian news outlets on Monday. The supplies in question are not enriched to a level suitable for weapons development. Still, the increased output threatens to further erode the Iran nuclear deal and destabilize a region that provides much of the world's energy supply. The comparison here is they were already going 55 miles per hour and heading towards a busted bridge. And so what the [Atomic Energy Organization of Iran] is saying is that they threw a brick on the accelerator. Richard Nephew former State Department principal deputy coordinator for sanctions policy The stockpiling also raises concerns about the proliferation of nuclear materials, said Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. "We are woefully underappreciating the seriousness of this crisis," she said. President Donald Trump announced he would pull the U.S. out of the nuclear accord and restore wide-ranging economic sanctions against Iran just over a year ago. The other parties to the deal China, Russia and the European Union condemned the U.S. withdrawal and have attempted to preserve the agreement, which put limits on Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran continued to abide by the terms of the deal until Washington sharply escalated tensions last month. In April, the Trump administration designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization and announced it would tighten sanctions in a bid to drive Iran's oil exports to zero. Shortly after the new U.S. sanctions policy took effect this month, Iran said it would stop complying with key parts of the nuclear deal. Last week, Iran began delivering on that threat by continuing to enrich uranium, even though U.S. sanctions waivers allowing Iran to ship excess uranium to Russia and heavy water to Oman expired. Without the permissions to send those materials out of the country, Iran would have eventually overshot the amount of uranium and heavy water it is allowed to stockpile under the nuclear deal unless it completely stopped enrichment activity. But the comments from Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi on Monday suggest Iran is not just on pace to exceed the uranium cap but is now racing toward it. "The comparison here is they were already going 55 miles per hour and heading towards a busted bridge. And so what the AEOI is saying is that they threw a brick on the accelerator," said Richard Nephew, a lead sanctions expert for the State Department team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal under President Barack Obama. "They would have eventually breached the threshold. What they're saying today is they are deliberately and intentionally trying to breach the threshold faster," said Nephew, now a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. (From L) Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policies, Luigi Di Maio, Italy's Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini on October 15, 2018. NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images Tensions in Italy's coalition government appear to be growing with differences of opinion between the ruling Lega party and 5 Star Movement (M5S) becoming more pronounced. Thrown together a year ago following an inconclusive general election, an alliance between the right-wing Lega and anti-establishment M5S had raised eyebrows from the off, but now it looks increasingly likely that the coalition could collapse and prompt fresh elections. The ruling parties and their leaders -- Lega's Matteo Salvini and M5S' Luigi Di Maio who both serve as deputy prime ministers -- appeared united last year in their 2019 budget as they pledged to cut taxes and raise welfare spending. They also appeared united in their defiance against the European Commission, which repeatedly warned Italy to rein in its spending and lower its budget deficit. The government has also clashed with Europe on immigration policy and integration. But cracks in the veneer have appeared since then and differences of opinion, policy and ideology and even the budget now - between the parties and leadership seem to be turning into more of a daily occurrence. Meanwhile, the insistence from both parties' that all is well in the coalition camp has all but disappeared and particularly so in the run up to the European Parliament elections this week in which the two parties are rivals. Frayed tempers between the two parties prompted Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who was appointed by Di Maio and Salvini, to cancel a planned ministerial meeting Monday. Somewhat optimistically, Conte has insisted that after May 27 (when European parliamentary elections have ended) the atmosphere will be "completely different." That might be wishful thinking given the growing animosity between the Lega and M5S leadership, Lega's Salvini and Prime Minister Conte, and government ministers and officials. CNBC looks at five current sources of tension between Lega and the 5 Star Movement: 1) Immigration Immigration control has always been central to the Lega's policies and the party has wasted no time in implementing hardline anti-immigration laws once it was in government. Informally named after Interior Minister Salvini, the "Salvini decree" (also known as the "security decree") tightened immigration and citizenship laws, and essentially limited asylum seekers' rights. Critics say the measures punish the vulnerable but conservative lawmakers insist they are necessary to help Italy which has struggled to cope with an influx of migrants, largely from Africa. M5S was more ambivalent about the measures and had tried to amend the decree. Salvini, who also closed Italy's ports to NGO-run search and rescue vessels carrying migrants rescued in the Mediterranean, expressed fury this weekend when a German NGO vessel defied an order not to enter Italian waters. He also opened a new front of tension with coalition partner M5S and Prime Minister Conte who he said had been too lenient towards migrant rescue boats. On Friday, Salvini reportedly stated that "the premier (Conte) and the 5-Star (M5S) minister (Di Maio) don't come into it, human traffickers won't get to Italy any more." Di Maio responded by saying that Italy had seen strongman leaders before "and we certainly don't miss them," ANSA news agency reported. Di Maio also accused Salvini of arrogance. 2) Spending Last year, Salvini and Di Maio appeared united enough to have big spending plans for Italy, much to Brussels' dismay. While Lega wanted to cut corporate taxes and to introduce a "flat tax" rate, M5S meanwhile had promised voters a universal basic income. Now the government is struggling to maintain campaign spending pledges with stabilizing the country's fragile finances and economy. The European Commission threatened to punish Italy (which has the second largest debt pile in the euro zone after Greece) if it exceeded budget deficit targets and rules. After appearing to try to appease the commission, Lega seems bullish again about breaking the rules, making suggestions that it could cancel a planned sales tax rise and could just increase public borrowing. Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Luigi di Maio(L), Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte(2L), Italian deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini(2R) and Italian Economy and Finances Minister Giovanni Tria(R) hold a press conference on the Italian budget on October 15, 2018 in Rome, Italy. Antonio Masiello | Getty Images News | Getty Images This has put Economy Minister Giovanni Tria (who is not allied with either ruling party) in a difficult position. On Monday, Tria said it was "impossible" to stick to deficit and debt cutting commitments while cutting taxes and hiking spending. "The government will need to choose," Tria said, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, Salvini said Monday that the only way to reduce debt is to cut taxes to spur growth and that EU fiscal rules should be revised because they hamper growth. These comments, reported by Reuters, come after Salvini said last week that Italy should breach the EU's 3% deficit limit if necessary to boost the economy and create jobs. But last Friday Di Maio poured cold water on any M5S backing of that plan, saying the movement would not back a budget law that causes Italy's big public debt to climb even higher. 3) Family Another bone of contention is welfare. M5S' Luigi Di Maio, who is also Labor minister, wants to implement a so-called 'Family Decree' that would give low-income families an allowance to help raise their children. Di Maio also proposes cutting nursery fees and discounts on diapers but he has clashed with Lega's Family Minister Lorenzo Fontana over the plan; Lega wants to block the decree. On Friday, Di Maio said the government's future was tied to the family decree, stating, " "We can split on everything in this government, but not on the family," he said, adding that the "destiny and survival of the government is at stake with this decree." 4) Corruption While Lega's bugbear is immigration, M5S has made anti-corruption and graft measures a key policy area. Thus, when a corruption probe was recently launched into a Salvini's economic advisor Armando Siri, Lega did not take the move well. Di Maio repeatedly called for Siri, who denies wrongdoing, to quit his role as undersecretary in the Transport Ministry (which is led by a M5S member) but Salvini backed his advisor and insisted he should retain his post until the probe was completed. That was overruled when Prime Minister Conte sacked the junior minister earlier in May causing more friction with Lega's Salvini. 5) Education A federal judge ruled against President Donald Trump on Monday in a lawsuit to block a subpoena from House Democrats for information about his finances. U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta strongly endorsed Congress' broad authority to investigate the president, striking a blow to arguments made by Trump's legal team. Trump, speaking outside the White House shortly after the ruling came down, called the decision "crazy" and vowed to appeal it. "As far as the financials are concerned," Trump said, "It's totally the wrong decision [by an] Obama-appointed judge." Mehta wrote in a 41-page memorandum opinion that while "there are limits on Congress's investigative authority ... those limits do not substantially constrain Congress." The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee subpoenaed accounting firm Mazars in April, requesting financial documents and related materials from Trump, his trust and a handful of his businesses. Trump's lawyers sued in Washington, D.C., federal court to block that subpoena, writing that Democrats had "declared all-out political war" against Trump. While Trump's lawyers had argued that the committee's subpoena did not have a legitimate legislative purpose and was therefore invalid Mehta took a more liberal view. "So long as Congress investigates on a subject matter on which 'legislation could be had,'" then Congress is acting within the bounds of the U.S. Constitution, the judge wrote. "President Trump cannot block the subpoena to Mazars." The Democrat-led committee argued that the requested financial documents will help it strengthen ethics and disclosure laws and their penalties, as well as assisting in making sure that the president does not violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution. "These are facially valid legislative purposes, and it is not for the court to question whether the Committee's actions are truly motivated by political considerations," Mehta wrote. In a hearing in May, the president's lawyers argued that the Democrats' actions fell far afield of Congress' legitimate oversight functions as a legislative body. But Mehta questioned that argument, suggesting in the hearing that many historic congressional investigations including the Watergate probe might be considered invalid by the standard Trump's lawyers were asserting. House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., praised the decision as a "resounding victory for the rule of law" in a statement Monday evening. "The court recognized the basic, but crucial fact that Congress has authority to conduct investigations as part of our core function under the Constitution," Cummings said. "The court rejected President Trump's repeated claim that congressional investigations serve no 'legislative function' a baseless argument made in response to multiple investigations by the House of Representatives." Democrats in Congress have issued requests to Trump and dozens of other figures in his orbit for records on a variety of subjects, including the president's finances, his 2016 campaign and his inauguration committee. Some of their areas of inquiry also stem from the findings made public in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian election meddling, possible obstruction of justice and possible conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Some of those requests have led to subpoenas all of which Trump has vowed to fight. "For too long, we've put the burden entirely on workers to hold corporations accountable for pay discrimination through costly lawsuits that are increasingly difficult to prove," Harris wrote on her campaign website . "We've let corporations hide their wage gaps, but forced women to stand up in court just to get the pay they've earned. It's time to flip the script and finally hold corporations accountable for pay inequality in America." Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wants to fix that. In an ambitious plan released today , Harris outlines how she will hold companies responsible for promoting and paying women fairly. The average woman in the U.S. earns 80 cents for every dollar paid to a man. For women of color, that figure is far less African-American women earn 61 cents to every dollar a white man earns, Native American women earn 58 cents and Latina women earn 53 cents. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks to reporters after announcing her candidacy for President of the United States, at Howard University, her alma mater, on January 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. Calling her plan "the most aggressive equal pay proposal in history," Harris says it will give companies with 100 or more employees three years to obtain an Equal Pay Certification from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Companies with 500 or more employees will have two years to obtain certification. To receive this certification, Harris says companies will have to prove that they have eliminated all pay disparities between men and women who are doing equal work. If a pay gap does exist, then companies will have to demonstrate that it exists based on merit, performance or seniority, and not gender. Any company that fails to meet the qualifications for an Equal Pay Certification will be fined 1% of their profit for every 1% wage gap they allow to persist in their workplace. Additionally, under Harris's plan, companies would be required to report statistics on the number of women in leadership positions and the number of women who are top-earners at the company. In addition to gender, companies will also be required to collect and release data about how their employees are paid by race and ethnicity. Beyond addressing the pay gap women face in the workplace, Harris also plans to address the paid leave dilemma that many women face when it comes to caring for a new child or sick family member. "We must address the systemic inequalities that drive the pay gap, including the wage penalty women pay when caring for a new child or a sick parent," her campaign site says. "On average, women receive a 4% pay cut for each child they have, compared to men who receive a 6% pay increase. The lack of paid leave for women and men is a major driver of the wage penalty." Right now, the U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world that does not offer paid leave, and Harris says she will introduce new legislation, known as the FAMILY act, that will provide workers up to 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave. This universal paid family leave, Harris says, will be paid in part by the fines collected from companies found to have an existing pay gap. Harris's plan to address the countries ongoing gender pay issue isn't a first of its kind. In fact in 2016, former President Barack Obama introduced an initiative requiring employers with more than 100 employees, and federal contractors with more than 50, to categorize their employees by gender, race, type of work, and place them into one of 12 wage bands. Employers would have been required to submit this data for the first time by September 30, 2017. But in August 2017 the Trump administration suspended the initiative indefinitely, claiming the measure was "unnecessarily burdensome" to employers. The National Women's Law Center called the suspension "an all-out attack on equal pay." In 2018, the U.K. began requiring employers with at least 250 employees to report any gender wage disparities. The results highlighted huge pay gaps at high-profile companies, including Britain's biggest bank, HSBC Holdings Plc, where women earned an average 59% less than men. Harris says that not only will her plan "radically change the way we enforce equal pay in America," but it will also overhaul any anti-discrimination laws that allow these inequalities to persist. Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Don't miss: 8 successful women share how they negotiated their first big raiseand the advice they'd give others looking to do the same A sign warns people of measles in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg on April 10, 2019 in New York City. Health officials confirmed another 41 measles cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday, bringing the total to 880 for 2019, already the worst year for the disease since 1994. The CDC said it has now confirmed measles in 24 states this year. While the total number continued to rise, the pace appears to be slowing down although the agency will need to see if the trend continues before it can officially say the spread is slowing, a spokesman said. Thirty of the 41 new cases were reported in New York, where health officials have battled two large outbreaks since the fall. In New York City, 21 new cases were reported. In nearby Rockland County, nine new cases were reported, the CDC said. Health officials blame the recent surge of cases after saying in 2000 that the disease had been eliminated from the U.S. on an increasing number of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. Measles is highly contagious yet preventable with a vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. More parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, sometimes based on false information that vaccines cause autism. The disease spreads quickly and easily among people who aren't immunized, leaving communities with high rates of people who aren't protected particularly vulnerable. Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat. It then causes a rash. Some people develop severe complications, such as pneumonia or brain swelling. Children younger than 5 and adults older than 20 are more likely to experience complications, the CDC says. The disease is still common in other countries. Unvaccinated people can pick up the disease while traveling and bring it back to the U.S., where they can spread it to other unvaccinated people. President Donald Trump's first Supreme Court pick, Justice Neil Gorsuch, has established himself as a reliable conservative on the bench. But on one issue, the Colorado native has sided with the court's liberals more than once: Strengthening the treaty rights of Native American tribes. Twice this term, including in a decision handed down on Monday, Gorsuch has signed onto 5-4 rulings that entrenched the rights of Native American tribes under 19th-century treaties. Those votes, the only 5-4 splits on Native American issues since Gorsuch was confirmed in 2017, have put him at odds with the conservative wing of the bench, including its newest member and fellow Trump appointee, Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The divergence between Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, who were both vetted by the Federalist Society, could have something to do with geography. Gorsuch was born in Denver and later served as a judge on the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over much of the nation's West and hears cases concerning Native American laws regularly. Kavanaugh, like the other conservatives on the court, was born, and later served as an appeals court judge, on the nation's East Coast. The two decisions this term both emerged from disputes arising in Western states, Washington and Wyoming. On Monday, the court affirmed the right of the Crow Tribe to hunt in the Bighorn Mountains, a range that straddles Wyoming and Montana, under the terms of an 1868 treaty. Gorsuch joined with the four liberals on the bench to sign onto an opinion written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The opinion clarified that treaties signed in territories that later became states cannot be terminated simply on the basis of statehood. In March, Gorsuch joined the same majority, in a case concerning the Yakama tribe's importation of fuel into the state of Washington. While Gorsuch did not outline his thinking in Monday's case, in March, he tangled with Kavanaugh in a concurrence that took issue with the newest justice's dissent on a variety of matters. In that case, Washington State v. Cougar Den, Gorsuch teamed up with the senior member of the court's liberal wing, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to argue that an 1855 treaty barred Washington from taxing the Yakama tribe for bringing in gasoline from out of state. "To some modern ears, the right to travel in common with others might seem merely a right to use the roads subject to the same taxes and regulations as everyone else," Gorsuch wrote, citing Kavanaugh's dissent. "But that is not how the Yakamas understood the treaty's terms." Gorsuch and Ginsburg, an unlikely duo in most matters, argued that the decisive factor in the case was what the Yakama tribe believed they were agreeing to at the time they signed the treaty. The top court is set to decide one more Native American treaty case this term. In November, the justices heard the case of a Creek Nation tribe member who is challenging his murder conviction on the grounds that the alleged killing took place on a reservation and therefore outside the jurisdiction of Oklahoma courts. The question originally put before the court was whether 1866 territorial boundaries of the Creek Nation constitute a reservation. But after arguments, the justices asked for more information about whether, if the area does qualify as a reservation, there is any statute that could still provide Oklahoma jurisdiction. A decision in that matter is expected by July. Major oil-producing nations are leaning toward keeping a lid on production throughout 2019, defying President Donald Trump's calls to open the taps and cut the cost of crude. OPEC and a group of allies led by Russia are trying to keep supply and demand in balance and stabilize prices by pumping less oil. Over the weekend, a committee representing the so-called OPEC+ alliance strongly signaled the group will extend the policy, which has helped to boost oil prices by about $20 a barrel this year. If OPEC+ follows that course when producers meet in June, it would be the second time in six months the group ignored Trump, who lobbied against the current production cuts last fall. So long as the production caps remain in place, oil prices are likely to remain anchored near six-month highs around $63 a barrel. That would keep a thorn in Trump's side. The economy-focused president wants to lower prices at the pump, but his foreign policy is putting upward pressure on oil futures, which in turn increases gasoline costs. Washington has restricted global oil supplies by slapping sanctions on OPEC members Iran and Venezuela. Trump wants his allies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of OPEC's biggest producers, to offset those losses by pumping more oil. But the Saudis and Emiratis have not committed to hiking output. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's influential oil minister, Khalid al-Falih, warned that global crude stockpiles are rising, threatening to swamp the world in oil and cause prices to collapse. "Overall, the market is in a delicate situation," Falih told reporters at the committee meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. "On the one hand, there is a lot of concern and we acknowledge it about disruptions and sanctions and supply interruptions," he said. "But on the other hand, we see inventories rising. We see plentiful supply around the world ... which means we think, all in all, we should be in a comfortable situation in the weeks and months to come." U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with moderator Charlie Kirk after a discussion at the Generation Next forum in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. Charlie Kirk, a firebrand conservative activist and staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, is preparing to unveil a nonprofit that will allow his organization to campaign against Democrats during the 2020 election season. CNBC discovered Kirk's new organization, called Turning Point Action, after reviewing an embedded donor link that shows the soon-to-be-finalized group targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. "Far-left radical Ilhan Omar doesn't even want the Department of Homeland Security to receive '1 DOLLAR' to enforce immigration laws and stop terrorists from infiltrating our open border," the page reads. It adds: "Let's show her how much we're willing to donate to fight to REMOVE HER from office." The page concludes with a notice that Turning Point Action is a 501(c)(4) entity, which by law can campaign either for or against candidates running for office. Kirk has criticized Omar previously, and in one tweet called her anti-Semitic, but he had not said she should be voted out of office. Tweet: The group's official launch is expected June 1, according to a Turning Point Action representative who explained that the Omar link was the first of many beta phases to see what resonates with potential supporters. The representative also acknowledged that Kirk's new entity will allow him and his allies to be more active in directly taking on candidates they oppose. The spokesperson declined to name the other Democrats they'll be targeting, or the types of media formats they intend to use. Turning Point Action appears to have a Twitter account from 2015 but nothing has been posted on the site and only has 13 followers, including Kirk himself. In 2012, Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit grassroots organization that encourages conservative college students to rally for causes such as free market policies. The Internal Revenue Service prohibits 501(c)(3)s to participate, either directly or indirectly, in political campaigns. Many of the themes expressed by Turning Point USA, either through its digital content or at its events, will be part of Turning Point Action's messaging in 2020, the spokesman added. In the past, Kirk has advocated for a border wall and attacked political correctness on college campuses. He's been one of Trump's most vocal advocates and the commander in chief has noticed as he praised him at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference. "He has done an incredible job, thank you very much Charlie," Trump said at the time. Based on the strong fundraising apparatus of Turning Point USA, its new sister organization will likely not have any issues raising cash for a 2020 operation. According to Turning Point USA's most recent tax filing, the group raised just more than $8 million in the fiscal year ended in June 2017, which was almost double from the prior cycle. While the group does not disclose its donors, a report by the International Business Times shows that Republican megadonors or their affiliated foundations have previously bankrolled Turning Points USA, including Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus and conservative financier Foster Friess. Almost 400 members of Morehouse College's class of 2019 got an unexpected graduation gift this weekend: Their student loan bills will be paid off, thanks to their commencement speaker, billionaire tech investor Robert F. Smith. "On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus," Smith told graduates, according to the Associated Press. "This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans." That's a financial game-changer for many of the graduates. "I don't have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," 22-year-old grad Aaron Mitchom told the AP. "I was shocked. My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off." A recent working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research co-written by Marco Di Maggio, a professor at Harvard Business School, finds that the financial implications of debt forgiveness are significant. The study, which tracked 10,000 people who had their private student loans discharged, found that the borrowers increased their salaries by $4,000 over three years and carried less debt overall after they no longer had to make student loan payments. They were also more likely to move, switch jobs or go back to school than similar borrowers whose debt was not forgiven. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told CNBC on Monday he is confident that Boeing's grounded 737 Maxes will resume flights this summer. But he said the grounding after two deadly crashes has hurt business. Europe's largest discount airline, which ordered 135 Max 200 models with the option for 75 more, had been expecting to receive its first five between April and June but now expects them to be flying by November. For the airline, the addition of 737 Max jets had been projected to have added 1 million new passengers this summer alone. "We're having a discussion with Boeing" about getting financial compensation for the delays, O'Leary said on "Squawk Box." "I don't need cash," he added, saying he wants movement on pricing. CFO Neil Sorahan told Reuters they plan to discuss "modest compensation." Boeing's fleet of Maxes was grounded worldwide in March after the second crash in five months involving the model. The crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed a combined 346 people. Anti-stall software is suspected in the crashes. The Federal Aviation Administration has come under fire as people questioned the agency's oversight. The FAA's internal probe of the 737 Max approval process reportedly found senior agency officials failed to review crucial assessments of the flight-control system. Ryanair posted its weakest annual profit in four years on Monday and said earnings could fall further next year as Europe's largest low-cost carrier grapples with overcapacity, Brexit and delays in delivery of the Boeing 737 Max. The airline posted a profit after tax for its financial year to March 31 excluding startup losses at its Laudamotion unit - of 1.02 billion euros ($1.14 billion), down from 1.45 billion euros in the previous year. The company had forecast a profit of between 1 billion euros and 1.1 billion euros, and a company poll of over 10 analysts published ahead of the release had forecast 1.03 billion euros. Profit for the year to March 31, 2020 including Lauda could be between 750 million euros and 950 million euros, it said. Profit including Lauda's exceptional losses this year was 880 million euros. Ryanair said its fares for six months to the end of September were lower than last year and expected the trend to continue, although it said it had no visibility for the second half of its financial year. However, CFO Neil Sorahan told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Monday that the business was in a good position, adding that he saw opportunities arising from the tough market conditions. Semiconductor stocks were sliding on Monday as concerns over trade flared up again. Alphabet's Google suspended business with Chinese telecom company Huawei, after President Donald Trump's administration announced it will require U.S. companies to secure a license before working with Huawei. Six experts weigh in on what this means for the U.S. stock market. Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, says the day's news isn't too much of a surprise. "Chinese trade is $600 billion with the U.S. every year. Huawei is a piece, but it's not a gigantic piece. I suspect that they thought this was coming at some point, because this talk about the Chinese ability to disrupt European-U.S. networks has been bubbling away for a long time. I can't imagine it came as a total surprise." Scott Nations, chief investment officer at NationsShares, says there are bigger implications to the Huawei story. "The problem is that the China trade issue is spreading; it's no longer just a trade deal. It's now Google cutting off Huawei and Qualcomm, Intel telling their employees they're not going to sell to the company until further notice. So I think the market is afraid that President Trump has so many balls in the air when it comes to what's going on geopolitically that one of them is going to drop." Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, says the U.S. can win the trade war but might suffer collateral damage. "This massive divergence in the U.S. part of it can be explained that the U.S. is in a better place to deal with higher oil prices and it's in a relatively better place to deal with the trade tensions. Remember, we win a relative trade war. In absolute terms, we suffer, but we win relative to others, so I think the markets have understood that the U.S. is in a better place than the rest of the world. The question is can we stay there." Craig Moffett, founder and senior analyst at MoffettNathanson, says the decision to cut off Huawei also has political consequences. "I think it's much more [tied] to national security, but you can't escape that it also has implications for this narrative that China beating us in 5G is politically a very cogent argument, right? And so, to the extent that we can limit the expansion of the 5G network elsewhere by cutting off Huawei from its suppliers helps that narrative." Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," says: "If you own these [tech] stocks please recognize the risk, because nobody is going to raise numbers here and everybody is going to cut numbers. Every one of those companies that you see, those numbers are too high There's some that aren't related and getting thrown out with the SMH." Mark Mahaney, lead internet analyst at RBC Capital Markets, breaks down what this could mean for Google. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Tim Kaine introduced a bill Monday that would raise the federal minimum age to buy tobacco to 21 in hopes of curbing what regulators are calling an "epidemic" of teen vaping. The bill covers all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. It does not prevent local governments from passing stricter laws nor does it exempt military personnel, two policies public health groups had feared. Both McConnell, R-Ky., the Senate majority leader, and Kaine, D-Va., hail from tobacco-producing states. "Today, we are coming together to side with young people's health," Kaine said in a statement. "With this bipartisan legislation, Senator McConnell and I are working to address one of the most significant public health issues facing our nation today. A bipartisan group of lawmakers last month introduced similar legislation, which has won backing from public health groups such as the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Donna Shalala, D-Fla., have also introduced legislation in the House to raise the smoking age, along with other provisions like banning flavors. Fourteen states and hundreds of local governments have already raised the age. Cigarette and vaping giants Altria, British American Tobacco and Juul are actively supporting these efforts. Public health groups had feared McConnell's bill would be too industry-friendly. American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown on Monday said she supports the bill, known as the Tobacco-Free Youth Act. "We commend Majority Leader McConnell and Sen. Kaine for prioritizing the health of teens and young adults with a bill to raise the national sales age for tobacco products to 21," she said in a statement. "We urge strong bipartisan support for this bill as written, and we call on lawmakers to reject any effort to add language that would weaken its impact or benefit tobacco companies." Ninety percent of cigarette smokers try their first cigarette before they turn 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High school seniors who can legally buy tobacco products may share them with their friends, an issue that's come into focus amid a huge surge in teen vaping. In 2018, the number of high school students who said they currently used tobacco products increased by about 38%, the CDC found in its annual National Youth Tobacco Survey. The agency blamed the increase on e-cigarettes. The number of high school students in the survey who said they had vaped in the last 30 days surged by almost 78% from 2017 to 2018, prompting the FDA to declare teen vaping an "epidemic." Read the full text of the bill. Check out the companies making headlines midday Monday: Qualcomm, Xilinx, Broadcom Chipmakers were under pressure led by declines in Qualcomm and Xilinx, which tumbled 6% and 3.6%, respectively. Broadcom also dropped 6%. The drop came after the U.S. blacklisted Huawei and effectively halted its ability to buy American-made parts and components. This led Google to suspended business activity with the Chinese telecom giant. Other Huawei suppliers, including Qualcomm, Broadcom, Intel and Xilinx, will reportedly stop selling to the Huawei until further notice. U.S. chip suppliers are losing a big customer as Huawei purchases $20 billion of semiconductors each year. Sprint, T-Mobile Sprint shares surged 18.8% after the Federal Communications Commission's chairman said he would recommend the company's $26.5 billion merger with T-Mobile. T-Mobile shares also rose 3.9%. Deutsche Bank The German bank's U.S.-listed shares slid 2% after UBS downgraded it to sell from neutral. The UBS analyst said Deutsche is a "levered market play vulnerable to external events and rising rates are currently a distant hope." Tesla Tesla dropped 2.3% after a Wedbush analyst lowered its price target on the electric car maker's stock to $230 from $275. The analyst cited concerns that CEO Elon Musk's expansion into other products is distracting the company from what should be its main goal: gathering core demand for its Model 3. Apple Shares of Apple slid 3.1% after HSBC cut the tech company's price target to $174 per share from $180 due to concerns over the looming tariff concerns between the U.S. and China. HSBC believes tariff increases would force Apple to raise prices on its products, which are already seen as expensive. The bank also said there is a risk that Chinese consumers would shift to local brands with comparable products such as Huawei and Xiaomi. Dish Network Dish shares slid nearly 6% after announcing it will buy streaming company EchoStar's satellite business for $800 million. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2019. Tata Motors Shares of Indian automaker Tata Motors climbed 5.7% following the release of its fourth-quarter earnings released before the bell Monday. Tata Motors earned $160.26 million in net profit for the quarter ended on March 31, topping a Refinitiv estimate. The company, however, said it struggled to sell its Jaguar Land Rover in key markets like China. Delta Air Lines Delta fell 1.1% after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to equal-weight from overweight. Morgan Stanley cited concerns that the airline's free cash flow yield is falling, and the investment bank's updated 2020 estimates which are below the consensus estimates. Ryanair Europe's low-cost airline Ryanair fell 2.1% after reporting its weakest annual profit in fours years on Monday. Ryanair cited issues with overcapacity, Brexit and problems with the grounded Boeing 737 MAX for its disappointing quarterly results. Del Frisco's Restaurant The steakhouse chain's stock skyrocketed 31.2% higher after The Deal reported that final bids for the company were around $9 per share. That number is 89.5% above Del Frisco's closing price on Friday of $4.75. CNBC's Maggie Fitzgerald, Yun Li and Nadine El-Bawab contributed to this report. Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, speaking at the CNBC Healthy Returns Conference in New York on March 28th, 2018. Watching a Jim Cramer interview is a serious treat. The man not only does an unparalleled amount of research, but when it comes to the topic of health care especially he cares deeply about the subject matter. Not just the stocks (though he'll give you his deeply-researched analysis there too), but of its potential to change people's lives. That's a major reason I'm so excited about this year's Healthy Returns, CNBC's annual conference focusing on the business of health care. CNBC's anchor of "Mad Money" is just one of an incredibly deep bench of CNBC anchors and reporters who we'll get to see do in-depth interviews with leaders across business, science and medicine. Health care accounts for about 18% of U.S. GDP, and this year's event will pull back the curtain on important developments across the entire system. Jim will sit down with Novartis CEO Dr. Vas Narasimhan on the eve of the expected launch of the pharma giant's gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, a drug that could change the face of that devastating childhood disease, but whose price-tag, estimated at more than $2 million, could rock the health-care system. David Faber, the M&A reporting legend, will dig into the deals landscape with Lazard's Peter Orszag, Andreessen Horowitz's Jorge Conde, and KKR's Ali Satvat, at a time when Wall Street is almost begging the biggest biotech and pharma companies to seek M&A for growth, and as recent deals have dramatically changed the way care gets delivered in America. Melissa Lee, the host of CNBC's "Fast Money" and "Options Action", whose pre-med focus at Harvard becomes apparent every time she crosses paths with a biotech CEO, will interview United Therapeutics' Martine Rothblatt. The CEO will talk about her quest to reverse the fortunes of the more than 100,000 people waiting on the national organ transplant list by genetically engineering a new source. CNBC TV reporter Bertha Coombs, who can dive into the weeds with the wonkiest of health policy experts and emerge with explanations we can all understand, will plumb both the landscape-altering Cigna/Express Scripts deal with those companies' CEOs, as well as the view on what's next with Harvard's global health initiative director Dr. Ashish Jha, Bright Health's co-founder and CEO Bob Sheehy and the always outspoken Andy Slavitt, general partner of Town Hall Ventures. We'll hear the perspective of Jeff Borghoff, a software designer who volunteered to test the latest great hope in Alzheimer's treatment, from Biogen and Eisai, only to be told the clinical trial failed. He'll be interviewed by the incomparable Sharon Epperson, CNBC's personal finance correspondent, who inspired us all at last year's Healthy Returns when she shared her story of surviving a brain aneurysm. CNBC.com's Chrissy Farr, a reporter who dominates coverage of the intersection of technology and health, will dig into the growing impact of big data, artificial intelligence and other new tools with Daphne Koller of insitro, Microsoft's Peter Lee, and Livongo's Dr. Jennifer Schneider. And Angelica Lavito, the face of our weekly Healthy Returns newsletter, will lead a discussion on the cost of health care. We'll start the day talking with Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the influential just-departed FDA commissioner, and end it by digging into science, policy and more with the CEO of the world's largest health company, Johnson & Johnson's Alex Gorsky. In between we'll debate the vast potential and ethical questions of CRISPR gene-editing technology, get an update on a new approach to clinical trials from Alphabet's Verily, hear how a hospital system is taking on the drug industry, and more. Leading us through the day will be "Power Lunch" co-anchor and vice president of Events Strategy for CNBC Tyler Mathisen, the best possible guide as Healthy Returns navigates the span of the entire health-care system. I hope you can join us this year. Otherwise, follow along on CNBC.com and on Twitter. From all of us at CNBC, wishing you many healthy returns. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, on Nov. 10, 2018. Christophe Petit-Tesson | AFP | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump takes them all on. After China and Japan, it's now the turn of the mighty European trade block led by Germany and France. He railed during an address last Friday, according to Reuters: "They have trade barriers. They don't want our farm products, they don't want our cars. They send Mercedes-Benzes in here like they're cookies." "They send BMWs here. We hardly tax them at all," he added, according to the news wire. On the autos front, that's for Germany, which is petrified about its car exports to the U.S., where they now face import duties of only 2.5%, compared with up to 22% for American cars sold in Germany or other EU countries. And the agricultural warning is for France, which excluded agricultural products from the EU's negotiating mandate for a limited trade agreement with the U.S. France and Germany are now going through a very dangerous crisis in their ever precarious relationship, but their leaders are united in denouncing what they perceive as Washington's unfriendly disposition toward its key European allies. Trump is fighting free-loaders France, however, has no major bilateral problems with the U.S. to complain about. America's oldest European ally is unhappy about Trump's exit from agreements on climate change and Iran's internationally supervised nuclear activities but that's about all. And with its relatively small $16.2 billion surplus on last year's U.S. goods trade, Paris is way below the radar of American foreign trade officials. Apart from all that, France's current leadership apparently does not see that Trump's lowering the boom on Germany will prevent Berlin from continuing to run roughshod over France and the rest of the EU. Indeed, the U.S. has a number of problems with Germany. First, there is Berlin's systematic and excessive trade surplus with the U.S. Last year, Germany's $68.3 billion surplus accounted for 40 percent of the EU's total net exports to America. Second, Germany's average European trade surpluses of 163 billion euro over the last three years are taking a large amount of purchasing power and stifling economic growth in a market that is a destination for one-fourth of American exports. Third, Washington knows that Berlin calls the trade shots at the EU Commission. And that's where the U.S. is going to fight an unyielding negotiating mandate with a trade block pocketing last year a $170 billion surplus on American goods trade. Populists driving Europe's reset Fourth, Germany is not facilitating American energy exports, and it is falling far short of defense spending (2% of GDP) to support the firepower of the Atlantic alliance. Those are serious structural problems in the American-German relationship where neither side seems willing to make the necessary concessions to smooth things out. No, regrettably, things are moving toward a major confrontation. Last week, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the EU has to come together to fight its own corner in a world order dominated by the U.S., China and Russia. That was a restatement of Merkel's earlier view that Europe had to take its fate in its own hands. But her latest rallying cry was part of a campaign for the European parliamentary elections, where the Euro-skeptics (also known as populists, nationalists and xenophobes) are projected to win a third of the popular vote. That would be a large increase from one-fifth in previous elections, and it would give Euro-skeptics a blocking power against the declining formations of the European People's Party and the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. The irony is that the German leader suddenly realizes how much her country needs a united Europe. One has to wonder, though, about the sincerity of that European zeal. Merkel has done so much to weaken Europe with calamitous fiscal austerity, economically lethal mercantilism, refusal to support and enhance Europe's growth and employment, the chaos of an open-door immigration policy and a rejection of reform measures designed to strengthen the EU and advance the epochal project of the European economic and political union. Merkel has done all she could to kill the reformist drive of the French President Emmanuel Macron. She probably also killed his political career by squashing his proposals to re-found the European Union, making him look weak, subservient and too eager to accommodate German interests. That cost him an unending social unrest, a 68% disapproval rating, and the fact that his sworn opponents the Euro-skeptic National Rally are now polling 23.5% to Macron's party's 22.5%. That has set the stage for an intractable French-German confrontation because Macron now has to compose with a rising wave of French Euro-skeptics and anti-German forces spanning the far-right and the left political spectrum, with a few nationalist groups in between. Some of them are even calling on Macron to resign because his election campaign platform on European ideas is getting less public support than the Euro-skeptics' strong advocacy of a nation state that can stand up to Germany. Investment thoughts White House Counsel Don McGahn (R) attends a cabinet meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Cabinet Room at the White House October 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump on Monday directed former White House counsel Don McGahn not to comply with a subpoena to testify about special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, intensifying a clash between the Trump administration and the House Democrats who subpoenaed McGahn to appear. In a 15-page legal memo from the Department of Justice and a separate letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., legal officials in the Trump administration argued that McGahn is "absolutely immune" under the law from being compelled to testify. "Because of this constitutional immunity, and in order to protect the prerogatives of the Office of the Presidency, the President has directed Mr. McGahn not to appear at the Committee's scheduled hearing," Trump's counsel, Pat Cipollone, wrote in the letter to Nadler. McGahn, who was scheduled to testify Tuesday morning, is cited more than any other witness in Mueller's report on Russian election meddling, possible conspiracy between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign, and possible obstruction by Trump himself. He was subpoenaed in late April by the House Judiciary Committee to appear before that panel and answer questions, as well as hand over a slew of documents. "Congress may not constitutionally compel the president's senior advisors to testify about their official duties," Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel wrote in the legal opinion. The Judiciary Committee had received Cipollone's letter Monday, a committee source told NBC News. But McGahn's legal team had not notified the panel about whether he would or would not appear. The committee still planned to hold a hearing at 10 a.m. ET, the source told NBC. Trump signaled in early May that he would likely stop McGahn from testifying. "Well, I've had him testifying already for 30 hours" with Mueller's team, Trump said of McGahn in a Fox News interview. "I don't think I can let him and then tell everybody else you can." "I would say it's done," Trump added. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders echoed Trump's view in a statement Monday afternoon, arguing that Democrats "want a wasteful and unnecessary do-over" of the Mueller probe. "This action has been taken in order to ensure that future Presidents can effectively execute the responsibilities of the Office of the Presidency," Sanders said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on during his inauguration ceremony at the parliament in Kiev on May 20, 2019. Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took the oath of office on Monday and immediately announced he was dissolving parliament and calling a snap election, aiming to win seats in a legislature still dominated by loyalists of his predecessor. Zelenskiy, a comedian with no prior political experience, won the presidency by a landslide last month but his new party has no representation in parliament, making it expedient for him to call a snap poll while his popularity remains high. He said his first task was to achieve a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, where a five-year-old conflict with Russian-backed separatists has killed 13,000 people. He added that dialogue with Russia could only happen after the return of Ukrainian territory and prisoners of war. Working with parliament will be crucial to his ability to meet the expectations of his voters and also pass reforms needed to keep foreign aid flowing. Zelenskiy called on lawmakers to use the two months until the snap election to pass a law that would strip them of immunity from prosecution and another law that bans officials from illegally enriching themselves. "You will have two months for this. Do it and you will deserve medals," Zelenskiy said after being sworn in. "I dissolve the Rada (parliament) of the eighth convocation." U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping leave a business leaders event at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 9, 2017. Nicolas Asfouri | AFP | Getty Images Trade tensions between the U.S. and China stalled a global recovery and are continuing to endanger investment and growth, the secretary general of the OECD warned Monday. "We were in the middle of a recovery when all these decisions about trade started and not only did it stifle the recovery, it basically has produced the slowdown and the potential for greater damage is still there," Angel Gurria told CNBC. "Everybody is betting today on a deal between China and the U.S. but the problem is that on the face of it the tensions are getting greater and, second, the problem - the spillover effect of this tension - is becoming more and more evident," he told CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche at the start of the OECD's Spring Forum in Paris. Google has severed business ties with Huawei, in a stunning move that could threaten the smartphone maker's global ambitions. The U.S. tech giant has decided to stop licensing its Android operating system to the Chinese telecommunications firm, in order to comply with a U.S. trade blacklist. It can however continue to use an open-source version of Android, but won't be able to integrate key Google services like the Play app store. CNBC runs through what that means if you own a Huawei phone right now, or are looking to buy one in the future. Longer term impact? Reuters reported Sunday that Huawei will now lose access to Android updates. That's pretty significant considering all Huawei phones operate on Android. The operating system powers more than 80% of the world's smartphones. Huawei's new phones will also reportedly lose access to proprietary apps like the Google Play app store, Gmail and YouTube. But Google said people with existing Huawei devices will still be able to use Google apps and download updates for them. However the problem could be longer term. Peter Richardson, a research director of tech strategies at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC via email that Huawei will not have access to the new version of Android, code-named Q, that will be launched later in the year. "The revocation of its Android license will mean that it won't be able to provide core Google services to its smartphones," Richardson said. No impact in China Huawei said in a statement that it will "continue to provide security updates" to all of its existing phones. Meanwhile, there's also talk of Huawei developing its own operating system for smartphones and computers. Experts predict the impact will likely be limited in the short term. The consensus view is that anyone with a Huawei and Honor handset should be safe for now. "The current devices will continue to support Google services and Google updates," Francisco Jeronimo, associate vice president for European devices at IDC, told CNBC by telephone. "I think it's more of a long-term impact than very short term." In China, the story is a little different. Consumers there have access to a more limited version of the operating system, which doesn't come pre-installed with Google services that are blocked there. "For Chinese consumers, definitely there's no impact," Jeronimo says. International shipments accounted for almost half of Huawei's overall smartphone sales in the first quarter, according to Canalys data. 'Bad news for Huawei' For the most part, IDC's Jeronimo thinks the U.S. and China will reach a trade deal, and Google will be able to resume its licensing arrangement with Huawei. In that case, Huawei customers shouldn't be impacted. However, "if this is a real security threat, then it's a long-term impact," he said. "The biggest impact will be end of the year for Huawei because that's the biggest sales season of the year." Huawei is yet to launch its latest flagship phone, the Huawei Mate X, which will be its first foray into the world of foldable phones. The bottom line? "This is bad news for Huawei," Richardson says, "which has been one of the strongest Android players." The gift could cost Smith $10 million to $40 million, according to estimations by Mark Kantrowitz, an expert on student debt. Around 80% of students at Morehouse College have loans, and the average debt of graduates in 2017 was $31,833. Three years after leaving the college, less than a third of Morehouse students have begun to repay the principal on their debt, or the amount they borrowed before interest accumulated. In the meantime, a slew of studies documenting how student loans block people from significant purchases and opportunities suggest these graduates' paths to adulthood will be much smoother. It will take years, potentially decades, to obtain a full picture of how graduating debt-free shaped the lives of these students at the historically black college in Atlanta. Nearly 400 young men at Morehouse College learned that their commencement speaker billionaire Robert F. Smith will pay off their student loans. Billionaire Robert F. Smith announced that he would be paying off the student debt of the entire 2019 graduating class at Morehouse University. More than 90 percent of the college's students are black. Research shows that African-Americans struggle with student debt more than their white counterparts. Fifteen years after leaving college, black adults have an average balance 185% higher than white adults. "Forgiving their student loans will free Morehouse College graduates to pursue their goals," Kantrowitz said. In a 2010 study, Kantrowitz found that male students who graduate with no debt are twice as likely to enroll in graduate school than male students who graduate with some debt. Student loans can also have a perverse effect, in which the very debt that's taken on to allow one to pursue their dreams can morph into a burden that requires them to ditch those plans and grab a job just to pay the bills. An additional $2,500 in student debt decreases an individual's likelihood of being employed in a job related to their major by almost 5 percentage points, according to a recent study by economists Martin Gervais and Nicolas L. Ziebarth at the University of Iowa. Major financial decisions can also be stalled. The Federal Reserve has found that a 10% increase in student debt decreases a person's likelihood of owning a house by 1 to 2 percentage points. And college graduates without debt will have double the amount saved for retirement by the time they reach 30 as those who have debt, according to a recent analysis by the The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. A person with $30,000 in student loans is 11% less likely to start a business than a person who graduated debt-free, according to calculations by Karthik Krishnan, an associate professor of finance at Northeastern University who researches student debt. "Instead of devoting thousands of dollars a month to student loan payments or being in an income-driven repayment plan for decades, they will now be able to invest in themselves," Kantrowitz said. Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission staff members held a meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2019, in Denver to hear public comment on the first rule changes under a new law that makes protecting the public and the environment the top priorities of regulators. 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. Last Tuesday Microsoft released patches Monthly Rollups, Security-only, or Cumulative Updates for every version of Windows. Every single one of those patches included a bug that changed the way Internet Explorer and Edge handle secure connections for the top-level domain gov.uk. Heres how Microsoft describes it: After installing the May 14, 2019 update, some gov.uk websites that dont support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) may not be accessible through Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge. In practice, many gov.uk sites continued to work theyre the ones that have HTTPS set up properly. Many smaller U.K. government organizations had a baling-wire-and-chewing-gum approach to site security that had always worked before, but suddenly turned belly up. As @magic puts it on AskWoody: gov.uk is the main site for the UK government. Its used for online applications for car tax, passports, driving licenses. That sort of very important stuff which requires a secure connection, and has been HTTPS for years. Then you get a level down to local government, where theres 400+ local councils. They have placename.gov.uk domains, which this just broke as we got no warning that HSTS was being enforced. Im an infrastructure tech for for a local council with 250,000 residents. A bunch of internal systems (that dont require HTTPS) stopped working after I got the patches to test on Wednesday morning. For us it prevents access to the publicly accessible democracy data and the planning system among others. Both of these are maintained by external systems providers so its not a five minute job to add a certificate. The main website is fine for us, other councils dont even have HTTPS enabled on those. I got a tweet before from someone advising that reading.gov.uk and doncaster.gov.uk are inaccessible. Heres how bad it was: If you patched Win10 1903 (which isnt out yet), 1809, 1803, 1709, 1703, 1607, 1507, Win 8.1, Win 7, Server 1809, Server 2019, Server 1803, Server 1709, Server 2016, Server 2012 R2, Server 2012, or Server 2008 R2 on Tuesday and you used IE or Edge to access, say, the doncaster.gov.uk site, you hit a browser security error. Who is testing this stuff? And why didn't it take more than five days to fix? The Microsoft True Believers singing the praises of Edge-over-Chrome hit a sour note. Their shiny new browser hiccuped. Again. Not because Edge is necessarily bad, but because Microsoft cant seem to get its patching act together. Again. Meanwhile, those running Firefox, Chrome or any of a dozen other browsers had no problems at all. On Saturday, Microsoft released KB 4505050, a Cumulative update for Internet Explorer: May 18, 2019 that applies to Internet Explorer 11 on Windows Server 2012 R2; Internet Explorer 11 on Windows Server 2012; Internet Explorer 11 on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1; Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 8.1 Update; Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 7 SP1; Internet Explorer 11 on Windows Embedded 8 Standard Its sole purpose is given as Addresses an issue that may prevent access to some gov.uk websites that dont support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) when using Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge. Imagine how much fun we'll have if Microsoft releases Edge on Windows 7 and people actually use it. On Sunday afternoon there was a rousing chorus of Win10 Cumulative Updates. Specifically: KB 4505057 for Win10 1903 (which is still in beta testing) KB 4505056 for Win10 1809 KB 4505064 for Win10 1803 KB 4505062 for Win10 1709 KB 4505055 for Win10 1703 KB 4505052 for Win10 1607 KB 4505051 for Win10 1507 And now, nearly six days later, all of the gov.uk sites appear to be working correctly. Until next Patch Tuesday, anyway. Join us for remonstrations on the AskWoody Lounge. by Sumon Corraya The country has no specific child protection laws. Activists and Church leaders met to develop a policy that could serve as a model for Christian organisations as well as wider society. NGO World Vision reports that 82 per cent of all children in the country are abused. For a nun, the lack of proper food and leisure time are a form of violence". Dhaka (AsiaNews) Catholic bishops, Catholic believers and lay activists met in Dhaka on Saturday to discuss ways to work together in order to guarantee children a healthy environment in which to live and grow, in the family and in society, with the proper medical care, the necessary leisure and adequate food. For the participants, defining a child protection policy is an urgent need as a guideline first of all for Christian organisations, and then in society in general. Child protection is something dear to Pope Francis, who was behind a conference held at the Vatican precisely to discuss ways to prevent abuses within the Church. The Dhaka meeting was organised by the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace (EC-JP) and World Vision, an NGO that works for child welfare around the world. In total some 75 Catholics were present, including Card Patrick DRozario, archbishop of Dhaka, four bishops, as well as priests and nuns. In Bangladesh large number of children are deprived of their basic human rights due to unacceptable health, nutritional, educational and social conditions, said Mgr Gervas Rozario, who is EC-JP chairman. Sadly, they are also exposed to severe forms of physical and mental violence at home, in the workplace and in other public places. For this reason, he said that Catholic Church is committed to create a safe and secure environment for children, and is going to work with World Vision Bangladesh, which has experience in this field. Chandan Gomes, director of programme development at World Vision Bangladesh, welcomes Church associations and suggests some areas of cooperation. "We noticed that the media report numerous cases of child rape, he said. as a result of this, some children do not want to go to school because they are afraid of the distance they must walk from home to school. Others fear being persecuted in school. In light of this, the government should approve a code of conduct in classrooms." "Our research shows that 82 per cent of children are victims of violence and 65 per cent of girls are sexually abused by relatives, the activist noted. Children are like flowers: if they are hurt in childhood, they cannot forget it for the rest of their lives." EC-JP secretary Fr Liton Gomes said that Bangladesh has no child protection legislation. What is more, he acknowledges that "in many Catholic schools too teachers beat students. We need a strategy to stop the violence." The problem transcends socio-economic status. "Many girls from wealthy families tell us they are beaten by their fathers if they do not get high marks in exams. Violence takes place in the family, said Sr Asha Virginia Gomes, principal at the SFX Green herald International School (run by Xaverian missionaries). At the same time, in many Church-run hostels students do not eat adequately, they do not have enough leisure. This too is also a form of violence." Singapores GIC, IHCL strike SGD790 million deal to acquire premium hotels in India Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC has tied up with Tata Groups Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) to invest whopping SGD790 million (INR40 billion) to acquire hotels. According to an official statement, IHCL will put in 30 per cent equity in every such acquisition, while the rest will come from GIC. Tata Groups Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) runs hospitality brands including Taj, Vivanta and Ginger. Photo courtesy: Wikmedia The joint platform will look at potential hotel assets in India including fully operational hotels in the luxury, upper upscale and upscale segments in India. Investments will be made in the course of three years. IHCL runs hospitality brands including Taj, Vivanta and Ginger. Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL's managing director and chief executive. Photo courtesy: Linkedin profile of Puneet Chhatwal Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL's managing director and chief executive, said, This collaboration is in line with Aspiration 2022 and our vision to scale up, create greater enterprise value and make IHCL South Asia's most iconic and profitable hospitality company. The company expects to acquire strategic and marquee assets that need new ownership, branding and positioning through the platform, he added. Kok Sun Lee, GIC Real Estate's chief investment officer, said, As a long-term investor, we are confident on the outlook of India's hospitality sector. We look forward to working closely with established partners such as IHCL to pursue attractive opportunities and capture the sector's growth potential. IHCL will adopt an asset-light model to pursue the acquisitions. Each acquisition is intended to be in a separate special purpose vehicle with its own funding. The hotels acquired will be managed by IHCL under its various brands and complement the company's current growth aspirations via management contracts. Notably, the total inventory in the premium category (luxury, upper upscale and upscale segments) is pegged at 118,000 rooms and the segment is growing at a 3-4 per cent a year. Dr David Shiels is a Policy Analyst at Open Europe and also works on contemporary political history. The political parties in Northern Ireland have been launching their campaigns for the European elections this week as the region prepares to go to the polls again on 23 May. With three seats available to Northern Ireland as a single constituency, representation in the European Parliament has always been highly prized. Having an MEP elected gives the parties an international profile. After topping the poll in the first direct elections in 1979, Rev. Ian Paisley, the founder of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), declared that he was now the leader of Ulster. For Sinn Fein, who claimed the top spot in 2009, winning a seat at the European level confirmed their position as the dominant Nationalist party while enhancing their all-Ireland credentials. The European Parliament is an important alternative to Westminster, where Sinn Fein MPs abstain from taking their seats. Eleven candidates are contesting these elections, including candidates from the five main parties currently represented in the Stormont Assembly, several smaller parties, and independents. Unlike in Great Britain, the European elections in Northern Ireland take place using Single Transferable Vote (STV), with voters ranking candidates in order of preference. Two sitting MEPs are defending their seats Sinn Feins Martina Anderson and the DUPs Diane Dodds while Jim Nicholson, the incumbent Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MEP, is standing down. A recent Lucid Talk poll for The Times put Sinn Fein in the lead with 24.6% of first preference votes, followed by the DUP on 18.2%. With these two parties likely to retain the first and second seats, there is expected to be intense competition for the third seat. As in all elections in Northern Ireland, the results will be scrutinised for what they say about the balance between Unionism and Nationalism. The election will also be a test of opinion on Brexit and the backstop. As Sinn Fein puts it, the elections are an opportunity to send a message loud and clear that the people of the north reject Brexit. Victory in the third seat for an anti-Brexit candidate would be a symbolic defeat for Unionism at a time when all the Unionist parties are campaigning to respect the result of the referendum. In 2014, the Unionists won just over 50% of the first preference votes 52.6% if the votes of UKIP, the Conservatives and the now-defunct NI21 party are taken into account but if their share falls significantly below 50% it could lead to renewed calls for a border poll. Partly because the stakes are so high, the internal battle for votes and preferences will be fierce. With greater competition on the Unionist side, the DUP will need to demonstrate that its Brexit stance retains the confidence of the Unionist electorate. Part of their strategy will be to appeal to Northern Irelands Leave voters. Following her confirmation as the partys candidate, the MEP Diane Dodds described the election as an opportunity for those who want the 2016 referendum result to be respected to tell them again. The partys campaign will be pushed in a pro-Brexit direction by the electoral challenge from Jim Allister, a staunch Brexiteer whose slogan is out means out. The TUV leader is himself a former DUP MEP who left the party in protest at its decision to enter power-sharing with Sinn Fein. All of this creates problems for the UUP, which must compete for votes and transfers from pro-Brexit Unionists, while also trying to appeal to pro-Remain opinion. The UUP candidate, Danny Kennedy, was a Remain voter who appears to be pitching himself as a pragmatic candidate, highlighting that he is a border Unionist and opposes a No Deal Brexit. That said, the party may struggle to get this message across when competing voices are more emphatically pro-Brexit or pro-Remain. On the Remain side of the debate, there are the two main Nationalist parties, Sinn Fein and the SDLP, as well as the Alliance Party, the Greens and two independents. Colum Eastwood, the SDLP leader, is hoping to take back John Humes seat, a message reminding voters of the partys strong history of pro-Europeanism Hume being the former party leader and long-term MEP. As with the UUP on the Unionist side, the SDLP has struggled with its message in recent years, but the partys strong anti-Brexit message may give it a clearer mission in this election. Meanwhile, the Alliance Party is also thought to be in with a good chance at taking the third seat. The partys performance in the recent local elections has given it some momentum and its candidate (and party leader) Naomi Long is thought to be particularly transfer friendly someone who can attract second and third preferences from Nationalist voters in a way that the UUP cannot. With the Unionist parties focused on the existential nature of the Brexit question, Long stresses that opposition to Brexit or support for the backstop does not necessarily equate to opposition to the Union with Great Britain. Significantly, the fact that Sinn Fein has urged its supporters to give their second and further preferences to other Remain parties lends some credibility to her efforts to move beyond the green and orange labels traditionally associated with Northern Ireland politics. Finally, the performance of the smaller parties and the two independent candidates may well make a difference, especially in an election when first preference tallies as well as transfers are important. The Conservative candidate will struggle to get a hearing but he may take some first preferences from Unionist parties, and UKIP are also fielding a candidate (UKIP did better than the Conservatives last time around). Meanwhile the Greens, who enjoyed success at the local elections recently, will be using the European poll as a means of establishing a stronger support base across both communities. What does all this mean for Brexit and for Northern Ireland? In the end, the results of the European elections will have to be treated with caution. As in the rest of the UK, voters may use the election to register a protest against the establishment parties. The elections are also taking place when talks are ongoing to restore the power-sharing Executive. It is possible that the Remain majority in Northern Ireland could assert itself, but the Unionist parties could equally become entrenched in their pro-Brexit / anti-backstop message. A good election for the DUP may not be good for Unionism. Decline in support for either the DUP or Sinn Fein may be masked by the result in the third seat. Ultimately, the elections may reveal less about Brexit and more about the longer-term trends in Northern Irelands political landscape. Six years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories. Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts. Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters. To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented. Historic England Commissioners Historic England is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate Englands spectacular historic environment, from churches and battlefields to parks and high streets. We champion and protect the places that define who we are and where we have come from as a nation. We champion the historic environment, helping people discover the great places that add colour and character to our lives. We include everyones history because we know every community has made a contribution that is worth understanding and celebrating. We protect by identifying the most important parts of our heritage, by listing and conserving, and by speaking up for places that are at risk. We care by helping communities and professionals to look after their local heritage. Time: 15-20 days per annum typically. Remuneration: 4,133 per year plus reasonable expanses. Closes: 22 May Imperial War Museum Business Trustee IWM is seeking to increase the business and commercial skills on its Board of Trustees as the generation of commercial revenue forms a critical part of IWMs income and operating model. The commercial and learning activities of IWM, including retail, corporate hospitality and the IWM Duxford Air Shows are operated through the IWM Trading Company plc, a wholly owned subsidiary incorporated in 1999. The business trustee will also be Chair of the IWM Trading Company Ltd. Candidates for this particular post will have significant experience in an area of business or commerce. Time: Up to one day per month. Remuneration: Expenses reasonably incurred. Closes: 22 May Theatres Trust Trustee Theatres Trust is the national advisory public body for theatres. We believe that current and future generations should have access to good quality theatres where they can be inspired by and enjoy live performance. We champion the future of live performance, by protecting and supporting excellent theatre buildings, which meet the needs of their communities. Established by the Theatres Trust Act 1976 and the Theatres Trust (Scotland) Act 1978 to promote the better protection of theatres the Trust is a statutory consultee on planning. Local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are required to consult the Trust on planning applications for all theatres. Time: Four meetings a year. Remuneration: Reasonable expenses. Closes: 22 May Ofgem Non-Executive Director GEMA is the Governing Body of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), a non-ministerial department and an independent National Regulatory Authority. GEMAs powers are provided by inter alia the Gas Act 1986, Electricity Act 1989 and the Utilities Act 2000. Following the recent appointments to the Ofgem board, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is seeking to recruit a further two Non-Executive board members (NED) with an accountancy and digital transformation background respectively. Time: 16+ days per annum approx. Remuneration: 20,000 per annum (part-time) plus expenses. Closes: 26 May Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise Commissioner The Department for Transport is seeking an individual to serve as a Commissioner of the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN), a body which is being established to become a credible and authoritative voice on civil aviation noise issues. The Commissioner for Acoustics and Aviation Noise will work with the Head Commissioner, steering and developing the overall work of the Commission. The Commissioner will be required to work approximately two days per month, while maintaining sufficient flexibility to respond to additional ad hoc duties. They will also represent ICCAN and promote its strategy and overall direction. Time: Two working days per month. Remuneration: 12,000 per annum. Closes: 03 June The Royal Armouries Chair The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is seeking to appoint an outstanding individual as the next chair of the Royal Armouries, to take the Museum forward as this new critical period in its history. The ideal candidate will have a passion for cultural heritage, a commitment to public service, strong commercial acumen and a successful track record in public service, heritage management, or business. This is a very exciting time for the Royal Armouries, having substantially increased its commercial operations, and now in the process of devising a masterplan to transform the museum brand and its offer at the main museum site in Leeds. Time: ~4 working days per month. Remuneration: Reasonable expenses. Closes: 05 June Air Quality Expert Group Chair AQEG plays a vital role in providing advice to officials and key office holders in Government and the Devolved Administrations (DAs) on the evidence base supporting air quality policies and operations. The independent advice from AQEG helps shape Defras evidence base to robustly support policy development and implementation. While AQEGs primary role is in the provision of scientific advice to assist Defras strategic vision, members and the Chair are also called upon to provide ad hoc advice on occasion. The role of the AQEG is particularly significant at present as Government begins to implement its Clean Air Strategy. Time: 4-6 meetings per annum. Remuneration: 226 per diem. Closes: 10 June Financial Reporting Council CEO The mission of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is to promote transparency and integrity in business. These are cornerstones to generating public trust and confidence in UK business and help attract investment in successful companies that provide jobs, create prosperity and generate economic growth. The FRC sets the UK Corporate Governance & Stewardship Codes which aim to make investors more accountable to their clients and beneficiaries. The FRC also sets standards for accounting, auditing and actuarial work. As the UKs independent regulator and Competent Authority for Audit it monitors, and takes action where necessary, to promote the quality of corporate reporting and audit. It also operates independent enforcement arrangements for accountants and actuaries. Time: Full-time. Remuneration: 330,000 per annum. Closes: 10 June Office of Rail & Road Board Members ORR is the independent regulator for Britains railways and the independent monitor of Highways England. We are here to ensure the two networks operate safely, reliably, meet the needs of users, and provide value for taxpayers and customers by making best possible use of their capacity and their funding, and support economic growth across our country. A role on the ORR board provides an opportunity to use your skills and experience to contribute to the development of the sectors and the delivery of a strategy that would help shape the future of rail and road in the UK. Both of these sectors touch fundamentally on the ability of the UKs economy to grow and prosper and are likely to change significantly in the next few years as opportunities emerge through innovation in technology and changing user behaviour. Time: 3.5 days per month average. Remuneration: 22,429 per annum. Closes: 17 June Charity Commission Board Members Last year the Charity Commission redefined its purpose: to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society. To help us meet that purpose, fulfil our proud commitment to represent the public interest in charity, and meet the challenges we face, the Board has set a new and ambitious five-year strategic plan. To be the effective regulator that the public demands and the sector requires, the Commission must do all it can to ensure that charities show they are being true to their purposes, can demonstrate the difference they are making, and meet the high expectations of conduct and behaviour demanded by the public. Time: 18-24 days per annum approx. Remuneration: 350 per diem plus reasonable expenses. Closes: 19 June A new report on cybersecurity says that more than 2.3 billion files are exposed and publicly available by misconfigured and non-secured technologies such as remote servers (including printers), network storage devices, and Amazon S3 buckets (cloud service components similar to file folders). To simplify it at the consumer level, that data includes customer data such as passport scans and bank statements, as well as business information like intellectual property -- basically any file that may be stored or shared on the internet. Digital Shadows Photon Research Team is the one shining the light on that staggering number -- a statistic made even more mind-boggling because that 2.3 billion total is a 50 percent jump (750 million files) from last years analysis. Maybe the most staggering consumer concern that the Photon Team uncovered was some 4.7 million personal, medical-related files are being left out in the open -- including patient records, X-ray scans, and physicians notes. Health record data breaches are nothing new, but they are concerning nonetheless -- especially when the consumer counts on agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent cybersecurity attacks on medical devices. Mining for gold All indications point to consumers favorite digital hooligans -- cybercriminals -- as the force lurking in the background and conducting this grab-and-run mission. It would appear threat actors are also attempting to monetize this exposure, theorizes Harrison Van Riper, a Strategy and Research Analyst with Digital Shadows. Within our data set, Photon detected 17 million files had been held hostage by various ransomware variants. Data protection tips The takeaway from this analysis is pretty simple: the consumer should always keep current backups and be prepared if and when a ransomware attack happens. Consumers should be aware that network-attached storage (NAS) drives or other types of file-sharing technologies may not come pre-configured with strong security controls, like a unique and complex password or port blocking to prevent remote access, Riper said when ConsumerAffairs asked him what measures consumers can take to tighten down the clamps on their data. If these unsecured or misconfigured devices are then connected to the internet, potentially for looking at photos or files by the individual when they are away from home or at the office, this exposure point can be easily identified. Taking a look at the security controls and configuration settings should be the first step when deciding to use a storage service or buy a storage device. by Wang Zhicheng The network giant will block updates to the Android operating system and access to apps like Google Play, Gmail and YouTube. Possible consequences for sales in Europe. Trump has blocked trade with companies that undermine national security. The risks for Huawei are similar to those of ZTE. Beijing (AsiaNews) - Since yesterday, the network giant, Google, has decided to block some updates (updates) for Huawei phones, with possible damage to the development of the Chinese technology giant. The move, expressed in a statement yesterday, follows the decision by US President Donald Trump to add Huawei to a list of companies with which Americans cannot trade unless they have a special permit. Due to Google's decision, all the Chinese company's smartphones will lose access to updates to the Android operating system. Furthermore, all new versions of Huawei's smartphones will lose access to popular apps such as Google Play, Gmail and YouTube. So far there has been no comment from the Chinese company, but some experts tend to detract from the impact of this obstacle in China: in the country, many Google apps are already blocked by censorship. But outside of China, and especially in Europe, this is likely to reduce the sale of the new Huawei smartphones. Trump's decision is more serious, which reduces the possibility for Huawei to procure components necessary for its technology to almost zero. 36% of Huawei's components come from the US, whose call could be followed by Taiwan - which offers 11% and Japan, with 12% of the components. Trump has also given orders to ban the use of telecommunications tools by companies that are suspected of being a threat to national security. Although the order does not cite Huawei, or other Chinese company, it is directly aimed at it, given that it is charged of being at the service of Chinese security. Huawei has declared that it will be able to do without the US components and even the Android operating system, having developed some projects in its own right over the past few years. But several technological experts doubt that it can do without US aid. Last year, ZTE, another Chinese telecommunications company, underwent the same treatment that is now bing applied to Huawei. The American move has led to the temporary closure of many of its operations and a collapse of its stock market shares. ZTE was accused of violating the US embargo for the sale of technological tools in Iran. The ban was lifted only after ZTE agreed to pay a fine of one billion dollars. 60% Website assignmentfirst.net uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 264813 bytes (258.61 kb uncompressed) and 37772 bytes (36.89 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-30, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. by Shafique Khokhar The graveyard is located next to St Anthony Catholic Church in Chak 10/4-L-Antoniabad, a village near the city of Okara. Among the desecrated tombs are those of two priests. Fear now prevails in the local Christian community. Okara (AsiaNews) Unknown criminals have desecrated a cemetery in Pakistan, vandalising crosses on graves, on the night of 11 and 12 May, in Chak 10/4-L-Antoniabad, a village not far from the city of Okara (Punjab province). Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr James Bahadur said that this is an offence to our faith, our religious feelings are hurt. We demand justice from the government. All those who did this must be arrested and punished. Locals are frightened by the hatred of unknown people around them. The damage to the Christian graveyard was discovered by parishioners the following morning, as they returned home after Sunday Mass. They immediately informed the pastor, who filed a complaint with the police. Investigations are ongoing, but for now no one has been arrested. About 100 Christian families live in the village of Chak 10/4-L-Antoniabad. The cemetery is located next to St Anthony Catholic Church and is protected by a 1.2 metre wall. Christians from surrounding villages also use the site to bury their dead. Once called in, police collected all the evidence and placed a policeman to guard the cemetery. Church officials also visited the village on 14 May and talked to parishioners and clergy. One of the officials, Youhana Ishaq, field coordinator for the Faisalabad office of the National Justice and Peace Commission, brought the comfort of the Pakistani Church. According to preliminary findings, the vandals also desecrated the graves of two priests. On the day of the incident a crowd of over 200 people were attending the Sunday service in the church. During the meeting, Fr Bahadur reiterated the need to remain calm, despite the seriousness of the facts. "We should stay calm and control our religious feelings, he said, because the police are cooperating with us and we should not protest at this stage." Regent Seven Seas Cruises today announced the debut of plant-based cuisine on menus across its fleet. Beginning October 1, 2019, more than 200 plant-based selections will be offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the company citing demand. For luxury travelers who are increasingly adding more plant-based cuisine to their meals, were offering even more imaginative selections of bold, flavorful appetizers, entrees and desserts, with craveable tastes and mouth-watering presentations, said Jason Montague, Regent Seven Seas Cruises president and chief executive officer. Our expanded plant-based cuisine sets the highest benchmark in luxury cruising. Of note, lunch offerings will include the trending Impossible Burger. New dishes like Wild Mushroom Tart with Brittle Pie Crust, Mushroom Duxelles and Red Pepper Coulis; Falafel Fritters with Harissa Mayo, Cucumber, Mint, and Capers; Spiced Potato & Green Pea Samosas with Tamarind Chutney; and Summer Berry Pudding Chantilly showcase a range of cuisines including Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, Malaysian, and more. Other menu highlights include nourishing Power Bowls and Poke Bowls, hearty pastas and noodles, light and refreshing salads and soups and items like an Impossible Cheeseburger, and a Peach and Blueberry Cobbler with Cornmeal-Almond Topping. Regents 200 plant-based selections will be fully integrated into the daily menus on Regent ships, instead of being offered on a separate menu, the company said. The new offerings were developed by Regents culinary leadership team under the direction of Bernhard Klotz, Regents vice president of Food and Beverage, in concert with chef, culinary instructor, and author Christophe Berg. Plant-based cuisine appeals to a broad audience of luxury travelers, Klotz explained. This is an emerging, modern specialty cuisine that allows our guests to enjoy more flavorful foods that are in harmony with their current tastes and pushes the boundaries on Regents acclaimed culinary creativity and imagination. Among the offerings at dinner are Caramelized Apple Tart with Fresh Feta-Cashew Cheese, Balsamic Caramel; Wild Mushroom Tart with Brittle Pie Crust, Mushroom Duxelles, Red Pepper Coulis; and Baked Porcini & Spinach Cannelloni, with Toasted Hazelnuts, Tomato Sauce, Bechamel. STAMFORD Furniture retailer The Lovesac Co. announced Monday the launch of an underwritten public stock offering of 2.5 million shares of its common stock, an undertaking intended to support the companys growth. Comprising 750,000 shares that would be offered by the company and 1.75 million that would be sold by certain stockholders, the available stock would be worth a total of about $97 million, based on their current value. Shares closed Monday at about $39. One of the selling stockholders would also give underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 375,000 shares of common stock, according to Lovesac officials. Lovesac plans to use the offerings proceeds to help cover greater sales and marketing expenses, product development, working capital and other general corporate purposes. The company would not receive any proceeds from shares sold by stockholders, but it would bear the costs related to selling those shares, not including underwriting discounts and commissions. In June 2018, Lovesac became a publicly traded company, with a $59 million initial public offering that originally priced shares at $16. For its 2019 fiscal year, which ended in February, Lovesac posted sales of about $166 million, up 63 percent year over year. It incurred an $6.7 million loss. The company operates 75 showrooms in 30 states. Its sole Connecticut outlet is in the Danbury Fair mall. We have what I believe is a true omni-channel model: Were totally agnostic to showrooms or e-commerce, Lovesac founder and CEO Shawn Nelson said last year. As long as there is a place where someone can sit, feel and touch our products, our advertising is greatly amplified. The company ranked as the fastest-growing furniture company in the U.S. based on 2017 sales, according to industry publication Furniture Today. Lovesac takes its name from its original product, a foam beanbag chair called the Sac. Nelson built the first Sac in 1995 as an 18-year-old in the basement of his parents home in Salt Lake City, Utah. The firm relocated to Stamford from Salt Lake City in 2006, as it raised private-equity capital in the area. Its main offices are in the downtown Landmark Square complex. Last year, Lovesac reported employing 211 full-time and 230 part-time employees. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott 100 years ago Rotten potatoes caused a rumpus in the City Court this morning. Judge Young was hearing the civil action brought against W. J. & S. H. Davenport Co., produce wholesalers in New York, against S. Cohen & Co. of Stamford. The claim was for $256.25. The suit was over alleged rotten potatoes sold by the plaintiff to the defendant. ... It appears that Howard O. Lente of 632 Second Street, Brooklyn, salesman for the company, sold to Morris Cohen, purchasing agent for the S. Cohen & Co., 55 barrels of potatoes at $7 per barrel. The sale was made at the old Dominion dock, in New York, at about 3:30 a.m., which is the usual time, for the buying and selling of produce at the docks. Mr. Cohen, it seems, had asked for Tartt Farm potatoes, of which brand there were no more, and another brand was taken in place. 50 years ago Board to continue screening publications in public schools Screening of public school newspapers prior to distribution was continued as the Board of Educations policy despite a request by the Connecticut Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union to liberalize the policy, and another by members of the Stamford Free Press. ... The board, in several work sessions and meetings with representatives of the Stamford Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and editors of the Stamford Free Press, realizes, there are two issues, according to Dr. Ruth Linke, board president. First, she said, is the ACLU statement that the Tinker case allows students to distribute anything in the schools without prior censorship. If the material is libelous, pornographic or unlawful, action should be taken afterwards, the ACLU believes, according to Dr. Linke. 10 years ago Stamfords Villa Maria seeks to expand Villa Maria Education Center, a school for 76 children with learning disabilities run by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, hopes to convert unused portions of the convent into classrooms and other space for the school. The school began in 1962 as a tutoring program in the rooms of a nearby carriage house. It then moved into its own building and expanded into the adjacent convent. Enrollment now is capped at 76, and Villa Maria is waiting for the final approval to expand gradually to 120. There are so many children that are being identified as having a learning disability, Sister Carol Ann Nawracaj said. We really have saved a number of childrens lives. MILFORD-Police arrested an angry Hartford man after he threatened to shoot employees of a local hotel for refusing to give him a room. Giovanni Alicea, 27, had to be restrained by police shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday. He is charged with first-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace, and interfering with or resisting arrest. Bond was set at $25,000 pending a June 11 appearance in Milford Superior Court. Contributed photo / MIDDLETOWN Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, D-5th, will be deliver the graduation address at Middlesex Community College May 30 at 6 p.m. Her personal story as a single mom, college student, high school teacher, and now as a member of Congress, is one Im sure will inspire the class of 2019 and all who attend our graduation ceremony. She has a passion and unifying presence that represent all we are trying to do at MxCC to be a community of compassion and civility, Steven Minkler, campus CEO and dean of academic affairs, said in a prepared statement. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is going for broke. Hours after his nationalist deputy resigned over a video showing him promising government contracts for campaign funds, Kurz dumped his far-right partner and began campaigning for early elections. Europe's youngest leader, currently at 34% support in polls, can rule alone if he wins by a landslide, unencumbered by what has always been an uncomfortable alliance. That's a big if. After keeping the country on tenterhooks for eight hours, Kurz went on the offensive, declaring the Freedom Party unfit to govern even as he praised policies he'd put in place with its support over the last 17 months. Austrians who like the turn the country has taken would have to vote for him, he said in a televised address witnessed by almost quarter of the population on Saturday evening. "Kurz is effectively betting on a collapse of the Freedom Party," said Carsten Nickel, an analyst at advisory Teneo. "That is extremely risky in a country where the far-right has systematically established itself for decades." The move builds on Kurz's conviction, borne out by opinion polls before the video scandal erupted this weekend, that his tough stance on immigration, tax cuts and benefits for Austrian families remain popular with voters even if they are appalled by the scandal-ridden Freedom Party. He also made it clear that he doesn't see a way to continue this program with the second-biggest party, the Social Democrats that were his People's Party's partner in most coalitions since 1945. Kurz cited other Freedom Party scandals, including its links to far-right groups as well as racist slogans and poems that he'd "swallowed" to keep the government intact until now. "I want to work for our beautiful country, with the support of a majority of the people but without incidents, accidents and scandals," Kurz said. "I don't think I can do that with anybody else right now." The dismemberment of the government will start on Monday, when Kurz is set to ask President Alexander Van der Bellen to dismiss Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, because investigations into the Freedom Party's finances triggered by the video will involve Kickl personally. The remaining Freedom Party's ministers said on Sunday they will all resign in solidarity if that happens. It's a big gamble for Kurz, 32, who rode to power in 2017 on a hard-line immigration platform that stoked conflict with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and marked him as a rising young conservative despite Austria's relatively small size. A first test of Kurz's strategy will come in six days at European elections that now have become unpredictable. The real proof will be the early election likely to happen in September, as President Van der Bellen said after meeting Kurz on Sunday. Austria's opposition parties -- encouraged by protests in Vienna on Saturday -- are trying to put the blame for the situation on Kurz. "He was responsible for bringing the Freedom Party into government," said Pamela Rendi-Wagner, head of the Social Democrats. "It's his project that's plunged Austria into this political chaos and put stability at risk." The collapse of the Austrian coalition is a massive defeat for one of Europe's most successful populist parties, a week before European Parliament elections in which nationalists from the U.K. to Poland want to strike a blow against the establishment. It's also a sign of Europe's political fragility as the decline of many mainstream parties makes coalition governments more unstable. "Kurz didn't tame the populist right, rather they shot themselves in the foot, as they have always done in the past," said Thomas Hofer, a political analyst and consultant in Vienna. "It's a setback for his project that this government fails after less than two years." It's "illusory" for Kurz to think he can win a majority of seats, because the Freedom Party constituency may remain more stable than expected, Hofer said. Strache himself laid out in his resignation speech the strategy to neutralize the embarrassing video, suggesting there were "foreign intelligence services" behind it and saying "this was a targeted attempt of political assassination, this was hired work." Kurz wants to continue governing until the election but hasn't said with which team. Also unclear is what happens with the coalition's unfinished business, including tax cuts and a revamp of banking supervision and the central bank that haven't passed parliament yet. by Bernardo Cervellera Pope Francis met with PIME missionaries - gathered in Rome for the General Assembly - and some representatives of the general direction of the Immaculate Missionaries. The proposal of St. Paul VI's Evangelii Nuntiandi. "There is no real evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the Kingdom, the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, are not proclaimed". Do not confuse evangelization with proselytism. The "joy of evangelizing". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Extraordinary Missionary Month - launched by Pope Francis for October 2019, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum illud by Pope Benedict XV - must see the PIME missionaries (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) "protagonists of this anniversary, so that it may be an opportunity to renew the missionary ad gentes momentum". This is the invitation that Pope Francis addressed today to a select group of institute members at a private audience. The meeting with the pontiff took place on the occasion of the XV General Assembly that PIME is celebrating these days. Together with the new general council and the general board of the Immaculate Missionaries, the members of the Assembly were present, as well as some fathers of the Rome community. Fr. Ferruccio Brambillasca, superior general, greeted the pontiff recalling the traditional characteristics of PIME: missionaries ad gentes, for non-Christians; who give their entire life to mission, and not for a limited period; who go beyond the borders of their own nation (ad extra); who carry out their work together, in a "family of apostles". He also stressed that in the current Assembly, the missionaries are studying "people, places and ways of the mission for the PIME of today and tomorrow" to respond to the urgent urgency of evangelization, as witnessed by St. Paul: "Woe to me if I do not evangelise . In his speech, Pope Francis first of all stressed the qualifying "novelty" of the institute, the "principle of co-responsibility of all the dioceses for spreading the Gospel to the peoples who do not yet know Jesus Christ". And he said that the urgency of the mission is "the need to announce Jesus Christ", because "only from Christ does our life and our mission make sense". This urgency is similar to that expressed by St. Paul VI in his famous speech in Manila in 1970, which he quoted, and which the post-Council Pope later wrote in Evangelii Nuntiandi: "There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed"(EN, 22). "Evangelizing - he added - is the grace and vocation proper to your Institute, its deepest identity (see ibid., 14). This mission however - it is always good to emphasize - does not belong to you, because it springs from the grace of God. There is no school to become evangelizers; there is help, but it is another thing. It is a vocation that you have from God. Either you are an evangelizer or you are not". Moving away from his scripted text the Pope spoke of a concern: that of confusing mission with proselytism: "There is a danger that arises again - it seemed outdated but it has returned -: that of confusing evangelization with proselytism. No. Evangelization is a testimony of Jesus Christ, dead and risen. It is He who attracts. This is why the Church grows by attraction and not by proselytism, as Benedict XVI said. But this confusion arose somewhat from a political-economic conception of "evangelization", which is no longer evangelization. It is presence, the concrete presence, they ask you why you are so. And this is how you announce Jesus Christ. It is not looking for new partners for this "Catholic society", no, it is showing Jesus: that He shows himself in my person, in my behavior; and to open spaces with my life to Jesus. This is evangelization. And this is what your founders had in their hearts . In order to prepare for the Extraordinary Missionary Month, finding the strength of a renewal in the life and structures of PIME, Francis said: "We are not afraid to undertake, with confidence in God and much courage, a missionary choice capable of transforming everything, so that customs, styles, schedules, language and every ecclesial structure become an adequate channel for the evangelization of the present world "(Letter of the Extraordinary Missionary Month 2019). Then entrusting the PIME missionaries to Mary, so that they may be supported in their "work in the service of the Gospel", "with joy, even in toil", Pope Francis, again speaking off the cuff, added: "And on this I allow myself to recommend you the last numbers of Evangelii nuntiandi. You know that the Evangelii nuntiandi is the largest pastoral document of the post-Council period: it is still recent, it is still in vigor and has not lost strength. In the last few numbers, when he describes how to be an evangelizer, he speaks of the joy of evangelizing. When St. Paul VI talks about the sins of the evangelizer: the four or five last numbers. Read it well, thinking of the joy he recommends to us. " "I bless you - he concluded - and I pray for you. And you promised, at least the Superior General promised to pray for me. Do it, please. Thank you!". WASHINGTON - In the wake of Russia's election interference campaign in 2016, there's a new wave of political candidates who are betting their cybersecurity expertise can help deliver them into office. Digital security hasn't traditionally been a big stumping point for politicians -- or a core part of their backgrounds. But several state-level candidates are making it central to their pitch to voters, arguing that states are on the front lines facing Russian hackers trying to undermine their elections and cybercriminals trying to steal citizens' personal data - and those states need elected officials with cybersecurity know-how to protect them. "This is a threat to our democracy, so it's important that we have elected officials who not only understand the importance of cyberthreats but understand the minutiae well enough to legislate on it," said Hala Ayala, a Democratic member of Virginia's House of Delegates who is running for a state Senate seat this year. "People with my background live this every day," said Ayala, who spent 18 years as an information security specialist in the U.S. Coast Guard before entering politics. "It behooves us to elect people who understand this evolving threat and can help us better prepare for it." Sheri Donahue, who's running for Kentucky state auditor as a Democrat, compared her pitch to voters to a lawyer who runs on his familarity with criminal law or a doctor who says he knows how to reform the healthcare system. "We need to have people with a background and understanding of these things," said Donahue, who was formerly a top official at InfraGard, an organization that shares cybersecurity threat information between the FBI and the private sector. "In [industry], they're starting to elevate [chief security officers] and [chief information security officers] so they have a seat at the table. We need to make sure we have that at the state level too." Laura Galante, who runs her own cybersecurity firm and is running for the Virginia House of Delegates, also thinks she can help lawmakers take bolder action on election security. While campaigning in her rural district, though, she said she mostly uses her technology background to talk about the need for rural broadband and other local issues. "Especially in the last few weeks after the Mueller report, it's been very clear that election systems and state assets are being targeted," Galante, who was formerly director of global intelligence for the cybersecurity firm FireEye, said of the special counsel's report on Russian election interference. "So having a legislature that's able to actually look in and question security practices that are being put in place at a state level is very useful." They were all endorsed by 314Action, a group that supports candidates at the federal, state and local level who have a background in science, technology, engineering and math. Among the candidates the group endorsed in 2018 were Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., a computer programmer, and Reps. Kim Shrier, D-Wash., a pediatrician, and Joe Cunningham, D-N.C., an ocean engineer. The group is officially nonpartisan but the vast majority of the candidates it endorses who have a party affiliation are running as Democrats, President Shaughnessy Naughton told me. That's largely because the group refuses to endorse candidates that don't take a strong position on combating climate change, she said. Naughton, a chemist, founded 314Action in July 2016 following an unsucessful run for Congress as a Democrat in Pennsylvania. Since the 2016 election, she said, she's seen a surge of interest from technologist candidates who want to help keep elections secure and stem the spread of disinformation online. "These are complicated issues and we need folks who understand them," she said. Donahue told me she's gotten a lot of interest from Kentucky voters when she talks about election security -- regardless of who they voted for as president in the 2016 contest. One of her key pitches, she said, is that she wants to expand state audits of the cybersecurity of election equipment. The voters, she said, are even familiar with what was once a fringe security issue on the campaign trail. "When I mention auditing voting machines, that resonates with people almost unanimously," Donahue told me. "I tell them we have to make sure our votes count, and we have to make sure our adversaries aren't tampering with our election and there's resounding approval." Donahue is also pitching herself to voters as someone who can protect state and county networks from the scourge of ransomware - a type of malicious software that hackers use to lock up computer systems until the victims pay a fee - and which has compromised municipal networks in Atlanta, Baltimore and elsewhere in recent years to the tune of millions of dollars. "We have 120 counties in Kentucky and we can't afford to pay $400,000 in ransom for 120 counties," Donahue told me. Ayala's district in Prince William County is just an hour outside Washington and includes a lot of federal employees whose personal information was compromised in the 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach. So, it's pretty easy to convince those voters that state government should be doing more to protect citizens' personal data, she told me. Those ideas have been a tougher sell at the capitol in Richmond, however. Since she was first elected in 2017, she has sponsored bills to increase cybersecurity training for state employees and to lower the threshold at which Virginia businesses have to disclose data breaches - neither of which became law. "When I first started to talk about it, you could see a glazed-over look," she said, "but the conversation's evolving." As Arctic ice caps retreat, the Northern Sea Route becomes a major issue for Beijing. Before the second BRI summit, Russia announced a bold plan for the Arctic. China's interest in the Arctic is only now becoming manifest, but its Arctic strategy began several years ago. Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) Cooperation, research and development will be the bases for a strategic partnership between China and Russia in the Arctic, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at Chinas second Belt and Road (BRI) conference in Beijing in April. Putin spoke almost four years after the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and BRI announced their alliance. Weeks before Putins latest speech in Beijing, Russia unveiled a bold plan for Arctic development at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue conference on 9-10 April. This ties into the Great Eurasian Partnership, not only in extending roads, rail and new cities into the Far East, but also in extending science and civilisation into a terrain long thought totally inhospitable. At the conference, China and Russia signed the first scientific cooperation agreement, setting up a China-Russia Arctic Research Centre as a part of the Polar Silk Road. Whilst China's interest in the Arctic is only now becoming manifest, its Arctic strategy began several years ago. In fact, Beijing launched its first Arctic research expedition in 1999, followed by the establishment of its first Arctic research station in Svalbard, Norway in 2004. After years of effort, China achieved a permanent observer seat at the Arctic Council in 2011, and began building icebreakers soon thereafter surpassing Canada and nearly surpassing the United States whose two out-dated ice breakers have passed their shelf life by many years. As the Arctic ice caps continue to recede, the Northern Sea Route has become a major issue for China. in fact, shipping time from Chinas port of Dalian to Rotterdam would be cut by ten days, making this alternative route very attractive. Ships sailing from China to Europe must currently transit through the congested Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal which is 5,000 nautical miles longer than the northern route. The opening up of Arctic resources vital for Chinas long-term outlook is also a major driver in this initiative. The former CEO of the now-defunct C B S Employees FCU has agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors in which he admits to stealing more than $40 million over the past 20 years. As CUToday.info has reported extensively here, here, and here, Edward Rostohar managed to embezzle more than $40-million from a credit union that had just $21 million in assets at the time it was shuttered and merged into University Credit Union. Prosecutors said the funds were used to pay for expensive cars and watches, private jet travel, gambling, and a number of properties, including his own 4,300-square-foot home in Studio City. According to court documents, Rostohar has agreed to forfeit millions of dollars in assets, as well as properties in California, a cafe in Reno, Nev., other properties in Nevada, and a resort property in Mexico. The values of those properties was not included in court filings, although his home is valued by Zillow as worth approximately $2.3 million. Social Media Is The New Gutenberg Just as the Gutenberg Revolution, which began in 1450s, upset many aspects of government and certainly the Church, so Social Media is now changing our concepts of real and fake news. The impact of the Gutenberg printing press was incredible. It created an extraordinary government, social and cultural revolution. The sudden widespread dissemination of printed works, books, tracts, posters and papers, gave a direct rise to the European Renaissance. As it became easier to produce books and pamphlets, information started to spread. Previously, only religious leaders and royalty had access to books, and few people were literate. But as reading materials became more prevalent, people began to learn to read. And as they read, they started to question the literature provided to them. They wanted to learn and discover for themselves, instead of just believing what they were told books contained. So the printing Renaissance opened the realm of learning and reading to the local populations as schools were built and books about education were written and print published. The printing press had dramatic effects on European civilization and its more immediate effect was to spread information quickly and accurately and this gradually helped to create a much wider literate reading public. Today many people are also now being effected and they are beginning to look for secure accurate and believable news portals but, the traditional trusted publishing out-lets have less public belief as many people believe governments are manipulating them. Newspapers are going Digital or Declining A decade ago the US press declined after the financial crisis and a number of them began the digital transformation believing that this would financially cover prints regression and collapse. However only a few national businesses covered their losses and have built a commercial digital network. The local press, are in sharp circulation decline, and the online advertising businesses has moved to Google and Facebook and others. The result has caused newspaper closures and large-scale downsizings and redundancies. Almost 1,800 newspapers closed between 2004 and 2018, leaving 200 US counties with no newspaper and roughly half the counties in the country with only one, according to a University of North Carolina study. Meanwhile, about 400 online-only local news sites have sprung up to fill the void, disproportionately clustered in big cities and affluent areas, a recent study by the University of North Carolina (UNC) study found. This sever process is leaving Americans with far less information about what's going on locally, a fact Facebook recently acknowledged as it struggled to expand its local-news product but couldnt find enough stories. Local TV news is still a major, if declining, source of news for Americans, but local newspapers are vanishing. The Washington Post, which launched a paywall in 2013, has transformed under the ownership of Jeff Bezos into a national digital enterprise, and has apparently built 1.5 million digital subscribers. Currently some of the more trusted in the UK and globally are the BBC, The Guardian and The Independent and yet with the younger generations the platforms most used and believed are Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In Brazil, there is the largest public concern for non-fake news which many people in Brazil, around 86%, say is hard to find. Currently with Brexit arguments in the UK around 58% have concerns over fake news over the leave and non-leave propaganda being published in the old and new areas of media. And today people in India are also complaining that much of the traditional news vehicles are not believable and are now using social media to find real news. Also in France anger groups are using Facebook to get their messages heard. And of course The Arab Spring was also considerably affected and bolstered by the use of social media as again much of the local populations did not believe a lot of what the governments were saying in the traditional press. Going forward, as the financial consequences of the Cyber Revolutions has a sever effect on commerciality the press and the traditional publishing model is downsized by Google, Apple and social media in general, the question of how will publishers pay for high quality journalism come directly into play. And as a lack of trained journalism reduces the quality of news everywhere is affected. Recently in the EU three media sites in The Netherlands filed lawsuits against the EU, which has a project to reduce/remove fake information/news. These arguments are not going away. In each of the cases highlighted in the lawsuit, EU vs Disinfo didnt label disinformation at all, the plaintiffs argue. It went after news and commentary it didnt like. And in Germany in 2015 the refugee crisis completely disrupted traditional belief in Germans media. According to a study by infratest dimap commissioned by the weekly newspaper Die Zeit, at last 60 percent of Germans at the time stated that they had little or no confidence in the countrys political reporting. Nearly forty percent of Germans said in a survey by the opinion research institute Allensbach that they thought that the traditional news reporting was deliberately distorting the truth. Now with the increasing availability of social media, new sources of information have emerged and now algorithms are being used to have a lasting influence on our consumption of information. Many people now prefer to believe people from their own social environment, instead of turning to the media. The collateral damage caused by the digitisation is increasing amounts of disinformation and currently this is not going to stop. However, the history of this freedom goes back to the birth of mass media. As soon as the printing press was invented, officials created ways to censor it. In the American colonies, the defense of John Peter Zenger against libel charges in 1735 is often seen as the cornerstone of American press freedom. As soon as the printing press was invented, officials created ways to censor it. In 1501, Pope Alexander VI issued a notice requiring printers to submit copy to church authorities before publication, in order to prevent heresy. Penalties for bypassing the censors included fines and excommunication. US Freedom of the Press prohibits the government from interfering with the printing and distribution of information or opinions. In a 1938 decision, the Supreme Court defined the press as, "every sort of publication which affords a vehicle of information and opinion." Currently, this includes everything from newspapers to blogs. Freedom of the press, like freedom of speech, is subject to some restrictions, such as defamation law and copyright law. Not all countries have a bill of rights or freedom of the press. In 2012, Reporters without Borders listed the countries with the most, free-press as Finland, Norway, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Austria.The countries with the least degree of press freedom were ranked with Eritrea having the worst, followed by North Korea, Turkmenistan, Syria, Iran, and China. The United States ranked 48thon the list. UNC School of Journalism: Westminster Forum: Die Zeit: You Might Also Read: UK Newspaper Industry Demands Levy On Tech Firms: Our own Bruce Siwy and Eric Kieta talk about their true-crime cases in Return To View: The Roundtable The US president again attacks Tehran. The Iranian leadership tries to tone down the situation, stressing that it does not want a war. Riyadh joins the confrontation, accusing the Islamic Republic of a recent series of incidents. Chaldean patriarch: "Great fear" among the people. The danger is militias and fundamentalist groups that want to open conflict. Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The Middle Eastern region is unable to "withstand" another war, which would represent "a disaster for everyone," underlines by the Chaldean primate, Card Louis Raphael Sako, receiving the US Ambassador in Baghdad Joey Hood. Meanwhile, a rocket [of unknown origin] fell yesterday in the "Green Zone" of the Iraqi capital, not far from the US diplomatic representation as President Donald Trump renewed his threats against Tehran. At this time of great tension, Patriarch Sako stressed both sides must urgently focus their efforts on restoring calm and promoting "civil dialogue". The Cardinal added everything possible must be done, to "avoid any kind of military solution". The US Charge d Affaires of the Embassy emphasized the importance of what H.B. suggested, especially that the United States is aware of the impact of fueling this conflict. Interviewed by AsiaNews, Card Sako confirms "the great fear among the people" for a possible new confrontation. "Personally - he adds - I don't believe there will be a war, because it would be a disaster for everyone: for Iran, for neighboring countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and with regional implications, Saudi Arabia. Everyone would be involved ". The Cardinal added that "the danger is that the fundamentalist groups and armed militias that want to provoke Americans and Iranians, dragging them to war there must be "very cautious and in dialogue. We must think - he concludes - of the 80 million Iranian citizens ". A possible conflict between the Islamic Republic and the Americans is one of the major dominating the region, as well as an element of great fear among international diplomacies. US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),wanted by his predecessor Barack Obama. The JCPOA deal was signed in 2015, but the United States pulled out in May 2018 despite the opposition of the international community. Washington followed the withdrawal by imposing the toughest sanctions in history against Iran. The decision has negatively impacted the Iranian economy as noted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Oil exports have dropped considerably, which was the goal of the second round of sanctions that came into effect on 4 November last year. In response, Iran in recent weeks has decided to "relaunch" its nuclear power program by withdrawing from some "minor and general" commitments envisaged by the atomic agreement. The announcement of Tehran was followed by the dispatch of warships and bombers to Gulf waters by the United States and unclear naval incidents. Yesterday, US President Trump sent a harsh message to the Tehran leadership, stating that the Islamic Republic will be destroyed in the event of a war between the two countries. "If Iran wants to fight - the White House tenant wrote in a tweet - it will be the official end for Iran. Never try to threaten the United States again! ". A warlike rhetoric in which he ensures that the US will never allow Iran to "develop nuclear weapons". While Trump fuels conflict rhetoric, Tehran is trying to ease the tension. "There will be no war - said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the Irna agency - given that we do not want war and no one can harbor the illusion of facing Iran in the region". The head of Tehran's diplomacy was echoed by the Pasdaran leader, General Hossein Salami, according to whom the ayatollahs "are not looking for a conflict", while the United States "is afraid of war and will not look for it". Riyadh is also part of the distance battle between Washington and Tehran, which accuses Iran of a series of recent incidents in the region. Over the weekend, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been discussing political, diplomatic and military developments in the region with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the phone. Confirming the interview, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that "we want peace and stability in the region, but we will not remain helpless in the face of continuous Iranian attacks". DWF said that McKenzie will help the Australian team expand into commercial litigation, financial services litigation, insolvency and dispute resolution and mediation. Globalisation has forced the legal profession to adapt and provide services outside of traditional legal advice. This trend was the catalyst for my decision to make the move to DWF and grow the Australian banking and finance team out of Brisbane, he said. McKenzie made the move from Gadens, where he was a partner. Prior to the national firm, he was a partner at DibbsBarker and McDonnells Law, as well as a senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright. McKenzie has more than 20 years experience, with a particular focus on commercial litigation. He has acted for both SMEs and multinationals in a range of industries, including banking and finance, transport, professional services, franchise, pharmaceutical, and building and construction. DWF has begun using resources from its London float, the largest main-market listing of a law firm in the UK, to expand around the world. It most recently announced the acquisition K&L Gates Jamka, the legal services business of K&L Gates in Poland, as its first buy after the listing. PHILADELPHIA T.S. was worried. The 13-year-old was becoming nervous about one of his acquaintances at Devereux Brandywine, the facility where he had been placed in August 2016. The youth, C.P., was older than he was, by two years, and physically stronger. More importantly, C.P. wold frequently talk about sexual behavior in T.S.s presence. He talked about things he had done in the past. The talk was aggressive, and it made T.S. scared. So he did what he thought was best, and went to the personnel at Devereux and told them of his fears. Then, later, when the staff decided that they would put the two together in a single room at the facility in Glenmoore, Wallace Township, T.S. again told them about his fears and how he did not want to be C.P.s roommate. According to a lawsuit filed last week in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia, however, T.S. claims the staff at Devereux did not heed his concerns and went ahead with the room assignment. On three successive nights the month after they began sharing a bedroom, C.P. allegedly attacked T.S., sexually assaulting him by forcing him to perform oral sex on him in a walk-in closet in their room, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of T.S. and his parents, all of whom live in York County, was filed against the Devereux Foundation by attorney Chad Maloney of the West Chester law firm of Goldberg, Goldberg & Maloney. The suit, which asks for unspecified monetary damages both compensatory and punitive, accuses Devereux a nationally known behavioral treatment organization centered in Villanova, Delaware County, and Philadelphia, of gross negligence in not handling T.S.s case with better case. Devereux, Maloney said in the 16-page lawsuit, owed T.S. a duty of care in protecting him against assaults by others at the facility, located off Brandywine Creek Road in rural northern Chester County. Its personnel should have known that the teenage residents of the facility were, by their past behavior, at high risk for violent behavior and that criminal acts and attacks, such as the sexual assault by C.P. and that these criminal acts and attacks were reasonably likely to be perpetrated by its juvenile residents unless it took steps to provide reasonable security. Attorneys for Devereux could not be contacted last week for comment on the complaint. MediaNews Group does not report the victims of sexual assaults unless granted permission by the alleged victim. It does not, generally, report the names of juvenile offenders. According to the suit, following the last attack on Oct. 23, the victim reported the three assaults to the staff at Devereux, who then contacted police. C.P. was arrested and charged with indecent assault as a juvenile. In July last year, C.P. admitted to assaulting T.S. during their stay at Devereux. He was ordered to undergo treatment as part of the Juvenile Court in Franklin County, where his family lives. In the complaint, Maloney stated that the attack was made possible by the failure of the nighttime supervisory staff on the wing of the hall where T.S. and C.P. were housed to adequately check on the room where the two lived, but also because of the presence of a large walk-in closet in the room. The closets, according to the suit, were positioned in a way that staff could not see into them from the hallway even though the doors to the room are open. The only way they could see inside the closets would be to come into the room, which the suit states they did not do. Other such closets in similar rooms had been blocked off so that they could not be used. It was inside that closet that the assault occurred, according to the suit. There is a weird, if accidental, symmetry in the fact that the BBCs five-part series on the rise and fall of Margaret Thatcher coincides with the process of extracting the second female prime minister from 10 Downing Street. Theresa May has just been told by the executive of the 1922 Committee (otherwise known as the men in suits) that she must go, and soon. One or two newspapers reported that Mrs May dabbed her nose with a handkerchief. Theresa May is said to have 'dabbed her nose with a handkerchief' after being told by the 1922 Committee to resign but that is nothing compared to Margaret Thatcher, who broke down completely when announcing her resignation in November 1990. Mrs Thatcher is pictured here in tears when she left Downing Street after her resignation in November 1990 If so, that is nothing to the emotion Margaret Thatcher displayed in November 1990, when announcing her resignation to her cabinet. She broke down completely. One of her private secretaries at the time, Caroline Slocock, observed the sheer vulnerability of this woman, surrounded by men and round this coffin-shaped table telling them the end had come. And, basically, the reason she had to face this decision was that theyd told her so. Dismal There is nothing of that high drama in the negotiated (yet still indeterminate) exit of Theresa May. A more significant difference is that Margaret Thatcher was then still greatly admired by the bulk of Conservative Party members. Whereas a recent poll of the membership showed that 80 per cent of them believe Mrs May should be immediately replaced. The contrast is hardly surprising. Mrs Thatcher had won three general elections with solid majorities, transforming the countrys economy and restoring a sense of national pride; Mrs May lost the partys parliamentary majority in a dismal campaign two years ago, and as a result has failed to deliver her administrations only essential task Brexit. I had never been so aware of Mrs Thatchers continuing extraordinary bond with the grass roots of the Conservative Party as when in 1993 I hosted a dinner at The Savoy Hotel for those who had paid to hear her talk about her memoir, The Downing Street Years. Polls suggest that 80 per cent of Tory members think Mrs May, pictured, should go, a sharp contrast to Mrs Thatcher who was still popular among the members when she resigned At the end of her address, as her fans cheered her, she responded with what I can only describe as a full-body shimmy of pleasure and acknowledgment. I could hardly fail to notice, as I was no more than two feet from her. But what I also couldnt fail to notice, as I sat next to her during the dinner she was to address, was that she seemed very nervous, her hands shaking slightly, as she studied her notes before standing up to speak. It astounded me, as this was the easiest audience she could hope to have, admirers who would have applauded anything she said. But above all it made me realise what a colossal strain her political life must have been: she was clearly a big worrier, as prey to anxiety as any of us. So I was not surprised to learn that the BBC series will reveal, from conversations with those who worked with her, the frequency with which she would burst into tears in Downing Street when faced with crises or setbacks. This is the obverse of the phrase which defined her from early on in her leadership the Iron Lady (which she originally didnt like because it suggested a lack of feminine kindness.) In 1993, Mrs Thatcher spoke at the Savoy Hotel about her memoir, The Downing Street Years. Above: In 1993 signing copies of her book at WH Smith's, in Sloane Square, London For despite the Spitting Image puppet version which displayed her as a sort of male impersonator, she was, in fact, full of a personal thoughtfulness which we associate with the female of the species. One of her many private secretaries, Nick Sanders, will appear in tonights first episode, saying about the hundred or so of those who worked for her over the years in Downing Street, if any of us had a serious family problem, a bereavement, a sick child, she would stop whatever she was doing and ask us a lot of questions about whether we had been in touch with the right people, whether we had been getting all the support that we could. A charming, if farcical account, of this aspect of her character was provided by Ferdinand Mount, who had been head of the Number 10 Policy Unit in 1982-3. Conflicts In his wonderful memoir, Cold Cream, Mount wrote of how her mother-hen aspect is always to the fore in her concern for her staff, even in the relentless routine of Downing Street, and of what happened two hours into an exhausting policy meeting when she suddenly observed that he didnt sound very well. Youve got a cold coming on, Ferdy. No, I dont think so, Prime Minister. Yes, you have, Im sure. You need some Redoxon. Ferdinand Mount, former head of policy under Mrs Thatcher in the early 1980s, revealed she had a 'mother hen' nature and was so concerned for his health during a meeting that she left to get him some medicine Honestly, Prime Minister, I promise you I havent. Ive got some Redoxon in the flat. Ill go and get it. No, please dont. Im sure weve got some at home, and anyway I dont need it. One always needs Redoxon. And she shoots out of the room, up two-and-a-half flights of stairs, to get me the blasted pills I dont need, while everyone else in the room looks furiously at me for causing this further delay. It is hard to think of another prime minister in British history who would have insisted on interrupting a meeting and going to get the Redoxon herself. Impossible, Id say: and when you think that this was around the period of the Falklands War and the build-up to the miners strike, it makes her solicitousness over a sniffle even more significant as a measure of her character. Those two conflicts dominate our assessment of the first woman prime minister. But it is a pervasive error to propagate the idea as countless have done, including the BBC that she welcomed or encouraged them. An earlier BBC documentary, Thatcher And The Unions, stated: Thatcher wanted a showdown with a major union. She got her wish in 1984 when the battle mode she had recently adopted for the Falklands conflict was directed towards a new combatant: Arthur Scargill [the leader of the National Union of Mineworkers]. In fact, when my father, Nigel Lawson, became Energy Secretary in 1981, the only instruction he received from the PM was: Nigel, we mustnt have a coal strike. And on the eve of the 1984 strike, his successor as Energy Secretary, Peter Walker, gained Thatchers approval for a deal in which miners at pits scheduled for closure would be offered the choice of a job at another pit or a voluntary redundancy package and a further 800 million to be invested in the Coal Board. Opponent Yet it was rejected by Scargill and a strike declared without a ballot of members because this Marxist wanted to use the miners to bring down the government in what he saw as class war. He picked the wrong opponent. Mrs Thatcher is often said to have welcomed conflicts including the coal strikes and the Falklands War, but in both cases she actively tried to compromise to avoid them, and it was union boss Arthur Scargill, left, and Argentina president General Leopold Galtieri, right, who rejected deals that would have avoided them Similarly, it was the Argentine junta which chose to invade the Falklands. And yet, admittedly under huge pressure from the U.S. administration, Thatcher accepted the Peruvian peace plan. This proposed that if Buenos Aires agreed to remove its forces, the Falklands would be temporarily administered by the British, but under joint supervision with the American and Argentine governments, to be followed by negotiations over the islands long-term status. To Washingtons astonishment, it was General Galtieri who rejected this compromise plan, not Mrs Thatcher. In other words, and despite what is almost universally supposed, she was not unwaveringly set on military conflict, let alone as some sort of jingoistic display to distract from the great economic difficulties then confronting her administration. The Labour leader Neil Kinnock disgracefully asserted, when it was put to him that Mrs Thatcher had shown guts over the Falklands: Its a pity that others had to leave theirs on the ground at Goose Green in order to prove it. Yet as Charles Moores official biography of Thatcher revealed, she would cry bitterly, and for hours, when news of British casualties reached her. She understood, not least as a mother, what that meant for the families of those young men cut down in battle. Yet from the days of Thatcher, Milk Snatcher, she had been portrayed as some sort of witch, devoid of femininity and feelings. That was why so many (on the Left) sang, or tweeted: Ding Dong! The Witch is dead, after her life came to an end in April 2013. If this BBC series is any good, theyll hate it. Look inside your make-up bag and what do you see? Chances are there'll be a medley of all your favourite formulas, a bespoke blend of brands that has taken years to curate. You may have the mascara your best friend recommended way back when, a lipstick shade your mum always said was perfect for you or the foundation that gives you that perfect base without leaving you looking oily? Our make-up bags serve as a stunning insight into our lives, and, just as we are all constantly absorbing new experiences, every beauty buff will always be on the lookout for new additions to their cosmetic armoury. Delve into the nation's make-up bag and discuss your favourite beauty brands, top tips, new trends and ask the experts your burning questions by signing up to Debenhams Beauty Club And thanks to the Debenhams Beauty Club Community - with over 30,000 beauty lovers connecting over their love of make-up and more - its now easy to swap tips, share stories and discuss new products, as well as vote for your all time favourite products in the annual Beauty Awards! Theres no shortage of products to choose from - Debenhams beauty hall provides a rich tapestry of choice and colour just waiting to be explored, including a constant stream of new product innovations as well as showcasing entirely new beauty brands. So, here we have rounded up some of the biggest, brightest and best brands of the moment... THE NEW(ISH) GIRL ON THE BLOCK Kat Von D is one example: a fierce and fabulous brand that offers punchy pigments and make-up staples that are all entirely vegan and cruelty free. Many of their products have quickly shot to cult status: their Everlasting Lip is an obvious one - a creamy matte liquid lipstick that is impressively long lasting, as well as the Tattoo Liner liquid eyeliner that provides razor sharp precision, and the - drum roll please - brand new Go Big Or Go Home mascara, which will leave your lashes looking fanned out and larger than life in a few simple sweeps. One of the new brands on the block that has become a go-to for beauty-mad Brits is American tattooist Kat Von D - who specialises in cruelty-free and fierce products THE GO-TO CLASSICS Then there are the make-up brands that have stood the test of time that we have loved for years and have produced many of our ultimate makeup bag staples. Benefit is one such brand, with classics like Hoola bronzer - a matte bronzer that creates believable sun kissed skin or subtle contour depending on how its applied. Another is Urban Decay and their range of eyeshadow palettes, which need no introduction. A particular favourite is the Naked Heat palette; a selection of 12 burnt oranges, warm browns and creamy beige shades that are not only perfect for this seasons terracotta trend but are also guaranteed to serve a sizzling summer make-up look. Sometimes you need some classic staples - and our make-up bags are no different. We love the likes of Benefit and Urban Decay for giving us a glow or adding summer sizzle to our skin THE RIGHT FOUNDATION As we all know, when it comes to foundation, it can takes years to find 'The One', but from mineral powders to sheer formulas to rich creams, theres bound to be a brand for everyone. Bare Minerals Original Foundation is loved by those who prefer a naturally luminous finish that is easily buildable, all the while keeping skin happy with its clean formula of five mineral ingredients. For those who love a liquid foundation, Nars Sheer Glow gives all the glow as well as nourishing skin with hydration and antioxidants. Full coverage fans on the other hand may be more suited to formulas like Estee Lauder Double Wear or Urban Decay All Nighter, which both offer a total flawless finish that you can count on. Getting the right foundation is essential; from rich formulas to mineral-based magic, we all have 'The One' we can't do without LITTLE BIT OF LUXURY But as any war paint junkie will know, the key to perfect make-up is a cared for canvas, which is what makes skincare so pivotal as a precursor to application. And theres no shortage of brands at the ready with skin-loving, complexion boosting formulas. Clarins is trusted for its results-driven, luxurious skincare formulas, case in point their Double Serum, which contains 21 active plant extracts, including turmeric, which is known for its powerful anti-ageing benefits. And speaking of luxury, french beauty house Guerlain knows how to elevate every skincare experience. Their Abeille Royale Double R Renew & Repair serum is rich in black bee honey and Royal Jelly to nourish and protect skin as well as combat visible signs of ageing - and smells divine while doing so. Elizabeth Arden, another beloved brand, is known for their scientific yet sumptuous skincare, including Ceramide Retinol Capsules, which provide a luxurious introduction the the wonder anti ageing ingredient, hydrating and wrinkle smoothing in one easy-to-use capsule. Debenhams also champions expert brands like Filorga, and their Lift Designer Serum, which promises a fun roll on application and impressive lifting and tightening results, or their rich and restorative NCEF Skin Saving Mask. Splashing out on beauty brands is all part of the fun - so, what little bit of luxury could you not do without? The Supreme Court determined whether the clause ousted the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court to quash a judgment for error of law. It also resolved whether Parliament can oust the said jurisdiction, and if it can, what principles will apply. The legal issue decided by the IPT is not only one of general public importance, but also has possible implications for legal rights and remedies going beyond the scope of the IPTs remit, Supreme Court Judge Robert Carnwath, Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill, said in the lead judgment. Consistent application of the rule of law requires such an issue to be susceptible in appropriate cases to review by ordinary courts. The ruling comes after a five-year battle spearheaded by advocacy group Privacy International. It said that the judgment is a major endorsement and affirmation of the rule of law in the UK and that it guarantees that when the IPT gets the law wrong, its mistakes can be corrected. Today's judgment is a historic victory for the rule of law, said Caroline Wilson Palow, Privacy International general counsel. Countries around the world are currently grappling with serious questions regarding what power should reside in each branch of government. Today's ruling is a welcome precedent for all of those countries, striking a reasonable balance between executive, legislative and judicial power. She also said that the judgment helps the groups challenge to the UK government's use of bulk computer hacking warrants. A conservative pundit sparked a heated online debate after using an image of a six-week embryo to argue in favor of anti-abortion laws, pointing out that, even at such an early stage, the embryo is starting to develop limbs. Liz Wheeler, 30, was reponding to a now-deleted tweet from Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez about Georgia's 'heartbeat bill', in which the New Yorker pointed out that many women don't even realize when they are six-weeks pregnant, since it would amount to a period being just two weeks late However this argument did not sit well with Liz, who hosts One America News Network's Tipping Point, and who hit back with the image of the fetus, which she captioned: 'This is "two weeks late on your period". Two weeks late has arms & legs forming, fingers & toes, & a heartbeat.' Twitter fights: This week, Liz Wheeler posted a picture of a six-week old embryo in response to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's remark that such a time frame means a two-weeks missed period Her statement did not sit well with a number of her fellow Twitter users however and one outspoken college graduate in particular fired back with a lengthy argument of her own in response to the post. Tweeter: Liz is the 30-year-old host of One America News Network's Tipping Point Emily Milakovic, a recent graduate from George Washington University, and managing editor of the college's The Rival GW publication, shared a series of eloquent tweets about fetal development, pointing out other facts that Liz did not include in her original post. Although she did not suggest that anything Liz said in her own tweet was untrue, she insisted that there are other circumstances that define how a six-week embryo should be viewed. 'It does not, however, have a brain,' she wrote. 'It has not developed a cerebral cortex & therefore is still ~8 weeks from even being able to breathe or swallow. It is at least 6 weeks away from the development of the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain. Laying out her argument: George Washington University graduate Emily Milakovic responded with a scientific rebuttal Underdeveloped: Emily insisted that at that stage, embryos have little brain activity less than a shrimp Tiny: She reiterated the point about the shrimp and said the embryo doesn't have what it needs to survive at that point Emily wrote: 'Any electrical activity at this point is less developed than the activity in a shrimp's nervous system' Itsy bitsy: She also noted that an embryo at six weeks is the size of a pea Small: That embryo is .2 inches long, something not clear in Liz's image Not what you think: She also had an argument against outrage over 'late-term' abortion 'At 6 weeks, the electrical activity in what would develop into a brain is less developed than the nervous system of a shrimp. Six weeks is 17 weeks from having brain processing power to react to adverse stimuli,' she went on. In response to the argument that the embryo is starting to form legs, Emily argued that this isn't relevant. 'You dont need legs to be living or a human. You do, however, need a brain and the ability to breathe. Two weeks after a missed period, what the body has created is an embryo (not even a fetus yet) that is less developed than shrimp,' she wrote. 'Speaking of fish, its also less neurally developed than a shrimp. Any electrical activity at this point is less developed than the activity in a shrimps nervous system,' she said. Gotta catch 'em all! Others shared their own rebuttals, with some cracking jokes about the embryo image She also pointed out that at six weeks, the embryo is 0.2 inches, the side of a pea. At that stage, the embryo is still 18 weeks away from being viable, and even then, there is only a 50 per cent chance of survival. Most doctors say the age of viability for a fetus is 24 weeks, or nearly six months along. Emily also proceeded to answer other anti-abortion commenters, too, arguing with their definition of life. 'Life as in there has been cell division and life as in being viable and capable of self-sustaining existence are not the same concept,' she wrote. She also noted against the idea that 'late-term abortions' are common. 'Unwanted pregnancies are terminated earlier, because as the name says, the pregnancy is unwanted. 'Third trimester abortions are almost exclusively wanted pregnancies being terminated for health & survival reasons,' she wrote. 'Most places actually already have a cutoff, often between viability (~24 weeks) & start of the third trimester (28 weeks). 'Fewer than 1.5% of all abortions occur after 21 weeks this makes sense, as women wanting an abortion wont choose to remain pregnant for 6 months first,' she went on. A six-week-old fetus also has no eyes or nostrils. Emily's scientific and lengthy response has earned thousands of likes from supporters. But she wasn't the only critic to respond to Liz just the most articulate and serious. Others left more humorous comments, telling Liz that the image she posted didn't make them view an embryo as a baby, but more of a sea creature or Pokemon. 'Floats in liquid, cant breathe oxygen, .7 cm ... congratulations, its a seahorse!' quipped one. 'The "arms and legs" look like fins and it has a tail. I think this is a baby beluga,' wrote another. 'Thats a Pokemon,' a third person asserted. A fourth wrote, 'Looks like Charmander to me.' A mother has revealed how she detected her five-year-old daughter's eye cancer after she noticed a 'ghostly' white glow in her pupil. Kellie Perren, from Queensland, said her girl Isabelle was diagnosed with retinoblastoma - a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer that usually affects children under the age of five. Appearing on Channel Seven's breakfast show Sunrise, the mother wanted to issue a warning to other parents to check their kid's eyes after she initially assumed she was overreacting when she first noticed the unusual reflection in her daughter's pupil. Scroll down for video An Australian mother has revealed how she detected her five-year-old daughter Isabelle's eye cancer after she noticed a strange white glow in her pupil (picture of Isabelle as a baby) 'I couldn't explain it, I kept asking people if they could see it but no one could see it. It was like a ghost went really quick, like you couldn't get a good look at it,' Ms Perren said. Doctors are warning about the signs to look out for, saying the eye condition is very tricky to detect but is often noticeable in photographs as the flash can 'illuminate the tumours'. 'That's the way it's most often diagnosed these days,' Dr Ginni Mansberg said. She said Dr Google has also been very helpful for parents to detect the early signs. 'Mums are googling why this eye is always white in the flash, and that's how they're getting to the doctors earlier, and the earlier we diagnose it like all cancers, the way better it is,' she said. Kellie Perren, from Queensland, said her girl Isabelle was diagnosed with retinoblastoma - a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer that usually affects children under the age of five Dr Mansberg said children are usually diagnosed with the condition before the age of three - but warned parents to be aware of the pictures taken. 'Isabelle was quite a bit older than normal but we just want to be aware of it, particularly if you do see this consistently happening in photos, one eye is red, and one eye is just not going red,' she said. Dr Mansberg said the condition was commonly found to be genetic. 'There are mutations that we usually see but are not present in the parents but they will be passed down to the children. So anybody whose parents has had retinoblastoma, we are really looking for that in little ones,' she said. Several well-known brands of butter have been judged on taste and price by a group of Australian experts - with Aldi's unsalted variety beating options nearly three times the price. Consumer advocacy group Choice Australia compared 33 of the most purchased brands including Devondale, Lurpak, Mainland, Pepe Saya and Western Star. And while Lurpack's $5 Slightly Salted butter was given the highest score overall with 87 per cent of the vote, it couldn't topple Aldi's $2.79 version in the unsalted category. Several well-known brands of butter have been judged on their taste and price by a group of Australian experts - and Aldi's unsalted variety came out on top (stock image) Western Star's $3.70 Original Salted Butter came second overall with a taste score of 84 per cent, followed by Aldi's Beautifully Butterfully Unsalted and Lurpak's $5 Unsalted Butter, which were both settled at 83 per cent. Devondale $3.80 Salted Butter scored fifth place with a score of 78 per cent and Mainland Organic Butter Salted ($5.40) managed to snag the same result. Interestingly more expensive brands didn't necessarily have the same taste pay off. Aldi's Beautifully Butterfully Unsalted (pictured) and Lurpak's $5 Unsalted Butter were both settled at 83 per cent First and second in show! Lurpack's Slightly Salted Butter had 87 per cent of the vote and Western Star had 84 per cent What were the top 10 butter brands? 1. Lurpak Slightly Salted Butter 87% 2. Western Star Original Salted Butter 84% 3. Lurpak Unsalted Butter 83% 4. Beautifully Butterfully Butter Unsalted (Aldi) 83% 5. Devondale Salted Butter 78% 6. Mainland Organic Butter Salted 78% 7. Westgold Salted Pure New Zealand Butter 78% 8. Ballantyne Cultured Style Unsalted Butter 77% 9. Beautifully Butterfully Butter Salted (Aldi) 76% 10. Coles Australian Butter 76% Advertisement Pepe Saya Batch Churned Handcrafted butter will set shoppers back a cool $9 for a 225g block. But money didn't buy them any love on the Choice charts with Pepe Saya's offerings scoring just 62 per cent for the unsalted version and 55 per cent for the salted. New Zealand butter performed well in the salted category with Mainland Organic and Westgold both scoring equal third. Australia's Devondale salted tied alongside them with a score of 78 per cent. Flavour and texture of butter depends on a multitude of things, including whether it's salted, salt reduced or unsalted, how well it's blended, whether it's cultured or not, where it's from and what the cows feed on. After opening any of these butters they should be stored in the fridge. A product from cult-favourite beauty brand Laura Mercier has been flying off the shelves at Mecca after being released in early May. The Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder is a global phenomenon and Australians are finally able to purchase it through one of the country's biggest beauty retailers. Although the powder will set you back $60 customers have been raving about it online and the product is the number one selling powder in America. 'An essential for makeup artists worldwide, this award-winning powder blends seamlessly into the skin, setting makeup for 12 hours and creating a flawless matte, soft-focus finish without any flashback,' it says on the site. The Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder is a global phenomenon has been flying off the shelves at Mecca after being released early in May One pot will set you back $60 The ultra-lightweight, finely-milled powder has been designed to add a hint of sheer, matte coverage and set makeup without settling in fine lines or looking cakey. The soft-focus technology also helps to blur the appearance of any wrinkles and imperfections. It comes in two shades: translucent for fair to medium and tan skin tones and translucent medium deep for medium to deep skin tones. The ultra-lightweight, finely-milled powder has been designed to add a hint of sheer, matte coverage and set makeup without settling in fine lines or looking cakey It comes in two shades: translucent for fair to medium and tan skin tones and translucent medium deep for medium to deep skin tone The formula has been tested by dermatologists and helps to absorb excess oil throughout the day for a shine-free complexion for up to 23 hours. Beauty aficionados are so impressed with the product it has a 4.9 star rating with 262 glowing reviews. Many commenters said they have been using the powder for years and will continue to purchase it forever. The formula has been dermatologist tested and helps to absorb excess oil throughout the day for a shine-free complexion for up to 23 hour 'Best translucent powder of all time! Works for all skin types I have been using it for years,' one happy customer said. 'LOVE IT!! This product is amazing and lives up to the name. NO flashback and didn't leave dry patches on my skin like other settings powders do. Love this and don't regret purchasing it,' said another. Although most reviews were positive there were also those customers who were less than impressed. 'Powdery and did not last the day. Did nothing for oil control and made me look washed out,' one person said. Advertisement Demure day dresses were ditched in favour of rather more daring designs as the royal wedding celebrations continued with a black tie bash in London on Saturday night. Lady Gabriella Windsor set the pace by ditching her long-sleeved gown by Italian couturier Luisa Beccaria for a more daring second wedding dress with a plunging neckline and bare arms. Guests including Princess Beatrice, Sophie Winkleman and James Middleton's girlfriend Alizee Thevenet plumped for lower necklines, thigh-high slits and sheer lace frocks for the evening party at a trendy restaurant, following the traditional service and afternoon reception at Windsor Castle earlier that afternoon. Lady Gabriella, 38, who is 52nd in line to the throne, looked radiant as she tied the knot with financier Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel in front of a congregation that included the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Sussex. She wore the same Russian Fringe-style diamond tiara which her mother, Princess Michael, and her grandmother, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, wore on their wedding days - said to be worth between 1 - 3 million. Later that night the bride and groom both debuted second looks as they led the arrivals at Wild by Tart, a restaurant in a former electrical plant turned car park in Belgravia. Lady Gabriella, 38, who is 52nd in line to the throne, looked radiant as she tied the knot with financier Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel in front of a congregation that included the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Sussex on Saturday. Gabriella set the pace by ditching her long-sleeved gown by Italian couturier Luisa Beccaria, seen left, for a more daring second wedding dress with a plunging neckline and bare arms, right Arriving for her evening do, Gabriella opted for a delicately embellished second wedding gown which she teamed with statement diamond earrings and a tennis bracelet, accessorising with a faux fur and satin clutch bag Among the best-dressed of the day was French financial expert Alizee, who is dating the Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother James Middleton. Alizee proved being stylish doesn't have to come with an expensive price tag, stepping out in a 49.99 scarf print dress by H&M for the church service. She teamed the frock with a pair of nude suede pump, a white clutch bag and added her own fashion flair with a white hat. Come nighttime, Alizee had transformed from floaty summer daydream to slinky black dress. Showing the benefits of 'less is more', the French beauty kept her accessories simple, adding just a pair of strappy green velvet sandals, a gold bangle and statement gold necklace. James Middleton's girlfriend Alizee proved being stylish doesn't have to come with an expensive price tag, stepping out in a 49.99 scarf print dress by H&M for the church service Come nighttime, Alizee had transformed from floaty summer daydream to slinky black dress. Showing the benefits of 'less is more', the French beauty kept her accessories simple, adding just a pair of strappy green velvet sandals, a gold bangle and statement gold necklac Meanwhile Sophie Winkleman turned heads in an ice-blue Catherine Walker coat dress at the wedding, teaming it with a matching statement hat complete with feather and lace embellishment. In keeping with the more daring evening theme, Sophie before opting for a more risque satin gown - slashed high on the thigh - as she arrived for the reception later in the day. Sophie is the wife of Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin Prince Michael of Kent, and as such is also known as Lady Frederick Windsor. Elsewhere Princess Beatrice and Pippa Middleton opted for lace for the glamorous evening affair, changing out of their more reserved day dresses. Arriving at the church earlier in the day, Kate Middleton's sister had opted for a 695 sky blue Kate Spade dress, completing the look with a matching Alice band and heels. However Pippa upped the style stakes in the evening - both in the fashion and budget department, swapping the look for a 2940 pink lace Erderm dress, which flashed a hint of her decolletage. Sophie Winkleman turned heads in an ice-blue Catherine Walker coat dress at the wedding, teaming it with a matching statement hat complete with feather and lace embellishment, as she arrived alongside Prince Harry to the church service In keeping with the more daring evening theme, Sophie before opting for a more risque satin gown - slashed high on the thigh - as she arrived for the reception later in the day Meanwhile Beatrice ditched her navy blue 370 high street dress from Self-Portrait for an emerald green semi-transparent lace frock, with a coordinating bralet, for the evening do. Lady Gabriella and Mr Kingston are the third royal couple to marry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in less than a year. It is understood that St George's Chapel was chosen by the couple as Gabriella, 37, has a particular affiliation with the royal residence. Friends say she has fond memories of childhood Christmases at Windsor, before the Queen moved her festivities to Sandringham, and she was also a bridesmaid for her first cousin, Lady Helen Taylor, there. Like Harry and Meghan, Lady Gabriella held her reception at Frogmore House - although there were no pre-drinks at the castle). Pippa changed out out of her blue Kate Spade dress on Saturday night and into a pink lacy number for Lady Gabriella's evening wedding reception. Pippa Middleton, 35, looked stylish in the pink lace gown by Erderm, which costs 2940. The dress was also cinched at the waist with a mustard yellow ribbon. She paired the dress with a leopard print clutch and silver heeled sandals to celebrate her friends nuptials. She arrived with good friend Jons Bartholdson. Earlier in the day the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge wore a light blue Kate Spade number that had metallic patterns and demure neckline, while she also paired it with a headband by Jane Taylor. Pippa Middleton, 35, looked stylish in a pink lace gown cinched at the waist with a mustard yellow ribbon Pippa arrived with friend Jons Bartholdson (right) while husband James Matthews, which she'd attended the wedding with, didn't seem to be there The pink Erderm number had short sleeves and a high neckline. She kept her hair in loose waves, adding some extra eye make up for the evening do. She mingled with Hollywood royalty, including Anne Hathaway, as the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor continued with a lavish party in central London on Saturday night. Lady Gabriella, daughter of the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent, and her new husband Thomas Kingston led friends and family to trendy new restaurant Wild by Tart for an evening reception. Pippa arrived with friend Jons Bartholdson, while husband James Matthews, which she'd attended the wedding with, didn't seem to be there. She paired the dress with a leopard print clutch and silver heeled sandals to celebrate her friends nuptials Earlier in the day the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge wore a light blue Kate Spade number that had metallic patterns and demure neckline, while she also paired it with a headband by Jane Taylor Radiant Lady Gabriella donned a second gown for the evening affair, after wowing guests in a bespoke Luisa Beccaria gown for the afternoon ceremony Pippa seems to be a fan of Erdem and wore a bohemian 'Kenzie' gown from their collection for Jons Bartholdson wedding in 2017. The two have been friends for years and even took part in a 50 mile endurance race together a few years ago. Other guests at the swanky evening soiree included Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway, 36, and husband Adam Shulman, 38, James Middleton, 32, and girlfriend Alizee Thevenet. Hathaway looked typically elegant in a yellow gown worn under a cape, meanwhile Princess Beatrice, who arrived with boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, plumped for a green lace creation. She mingled with Hollywood royalty, including Anne Hathaway, as the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor continued with a lavish party in central London on Saturday night Other guests at the swanky evening soiree included Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway, 36, and husband Adam Shulman, 38, James Middleton, 32, and girlfriend Alizee Thevenet Radiant Lady Gabriella donned a second gown for the evening affair, after wowing guests in a bespoke Luisa Beccaria gown for the afternoon ceremony. It was a long day for guests - who had arrived at St George's chapel in Windsor for the ceremony - the couple tied the knot in front of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Sussex. They then went on to have a party in the afternoon with a marquee, decorated with pink lights and disco balls and small trees and an eight tier cake - cut with a sword. Video's shared on Instagram also revealed how the bride went against tradition - making an emotional speech to her royal and famous guests about her wedding day and marriage. A former police officer turned firefighter finished his final 10k race of 22 in honour of the Manchester bombing victims raising more than 13,700 in total. Aaron Parmar, 33, from Rochdale, was on duty for the Greater Manchester Police when the May 22, 2017, attack happened and went on to form strong bonds with some of the families of the victims in the aftermath. He appeared on ITVs Lorraine on Monday morning after the Manchester Great Run, which he completed in his firemans uniform to pick up his 22nd medal in honour of Saffie Roussos, eight. Telling host Lorraine Kelly that he had not yet fully processed what hed achieved, he added: It was a proud day, but a tough day. The Greater Manchester fire fighter vowed to honour the memories of the 22 lives taken in the attack and will be getting each victims names engraved on the back of his medals to hand over to the families. Aaron appeared on Lorraine where he proudly showed off his medals which he will be getting engraved with each victims' name and handing over to the families Aaron completed his 22nd and final 10k run in Manchester on Sunday where he donned his firefighter uniform to run in honour of vicitm Saffie Roussos, eight Aaron began his challenge at the end of last year and has been running a 10k race most weekends in or near to the hometowns of the victims of the bomb attack around his watch at Oldham Fire Station. He has run races in Bolton, Blackburn, Poynton Village, Heaton Park, Blackpool. Aaron initially hoped to raise 2,222 for the emergency fund and has since gone on to raise a staggering 13,370 for the We Love MCR fund. He said during his appearance on Lorraine: I probably have not processed all of yesterday. It was a proud day but a tough day. Aaron said he hadn't quite processed what he'd achieved over the several months he spent running races in honour of the victims of the Manchester bombing Following the attack, Aaron spent time with many of the victims families and said he found it difficult to process what had happened for months afterwards. He added: I made a good bond with one of the families, and it struck a chord with me that I wanted to do something in honour. Lorraine shared a heartwarming video message of congratulations from several members of the families who Aaron had become close with. He explained that June Tron, mum of victim Philip, was the person who had encouraged him to follow his dreams. Aaron was also nominated for a Pride of Manchester award at this month's ceremony, he picked up the Spirit of Manchester award alongside several others Aaron said of his career change: That was Junes fault. Id always wanted to be a firefighter, it was a childhood dream. I went in to the police but after speaking to June it was a case of life is too short. So I applied and followed my dream. Aaron proudly showed his collection of medals to Lorraine which he had brought with him to the studio and said he would be sending each of the victims families one in honour of their angels. The firefighter also received a Manchester Pride Award earlier this month at the awards ceremony as a result of the challenge. Along with several others he collected the Spirit of Manchester Award. Lorraine airs weekdays on ITV at 8.30am Daniel Martin has praised TV presenter Gayle King for giving him the courage to defend the Duchess of Sussex. Daniel, who is Meghan's close friend and former make-up artist, took to Instagram after being interviewed by Gayle, 64, for a new CBS special show about the Sussexes, entitled Meghan and Harry Plus One. The New York-based beauty guru admitted he was hesitant to speak out in the documentary, after receiving 'negativity, trolling and threats for speaking out and sticking up for her'. However the loyal friend added he was grateful to have been given the chance to change 'the perception' held by some of the former actress, 37, who recently welcomed baby Archie with husband Prince Harry. CBS aired several sneak peeks at the special, which aired last Friday evening. Daniel Martin has praised TV presenter Gayle King for giving him the courage to defend the Duchess of Sussex in a new CBS documentary special, which aired on Friday evening Posting a picture as he posed alongside Gayle, he wrote: 'If it wasnt for @gayleking I wouldnt have had the courage to speak my truth about our dear friend' Posting a picture as he posed alongside Gayle and switching the comments function off, he wrote: 'If it wasnt for @gayleking I wouldnt have had the courage to speak my truth about our dear friend. 'I was hesitant to share this experience publicly today because I too have received so much negativity, trolling and threats for speaking out and sticking up for her. 'The passion and love the world has for them is immeasurable. But at the same time, lets not forget theyre just as human as the rest of us. 'I cant control whats been said and twisted In the press, but Im grateful she gave me this opportunity to try and change the perception. Thank you Gayle '. In the sweet interview with Gayle, friends revealed that the Duchess of Sussex will be a low maintenance and hands-on mother who will make her own baby food and parent as if she never married into the royal family. Daniel's Instagram post came shortly after a CBS special about the Sussexes, pictured with their son Archie, aired on Friday The friends, including Jessica Alba, defended the former Suits star against what they described as a slew of 'undeserved negative press'. Daniel Martin - Meghan's makeup artist of many years - and actress Janina Gavankar - a long-time friend of the duchess - each shared glowing anecdotes about the new mother, confirming that any reports of 'diva behavior' were untrue. Breaking down in an emotional interview, Daniel said: 'I feel like Meghan and Harry are really going to keep this kid real. I'm sure the baby's going to be raised, like, definitely clean and green. You hear these stories and there's no truth to them,' he said, tearing up. 'I know her so well, and I know she doesn't deserve all this negative press.' Daniel was full of similar praise for Prince Harry, and shared a sweet anecdote about the new dad from behind-the-scenes at the royal wedding. 'He's so good with kids. Even when they were doing the family portrait after the wedding with everybody, he was on the floor, just playing with the kids,' the beauty pro recalled. 'And that's when I knew, I was like, he's going to be the coolest dad.' The New York-based beauty guru admitted he was hesitant to speak out in the documentary, after receiving 'negativity, trolling and threats for speaking out and sticking up for her' Having spoken to a handful of Meghan's friends, Gayle also turned to a slew of royal and cultural experts who discussed the Duchess of Sussex's role in the British monarchy Having spoken to a handful of Meghan's friends, Gayle also turned to a slew of royal and cultural experts who discussed the Duchess of Sussex's role in the British monarchy, and how she and Harry are helping to bring modernity and diversity to the royal family. 'The palace system is a bit of a ballbreaker if you like,' a British woman is seen telling Gayle King. 'You've got 400 staff working there, looking down their noses and saying, 'Oh no you don't do it that way.'' 'I think that the racist overtones are still there,' one American woman says of the negative reports about Meghan's diva-esque attitude. 'I think that the sexist and misogynist overtones are still there.' The royal family were not allowed to comment on the documentary, with Buckingham Palace confirming: 'The Duchess has not had any involvement in the CBS special, nor requested or given permission to friends to participate.' She's never less than impeccably turned out for royal engagements, and today was no exception for the stylish Queen of Spain. Queen Letizia, 46, looked glamorous in a patterned blue and white midi dress as she attended the Proyectos Sociales De Banco Santander awards in Madrid, Spain. The royal was there to award 12 projects who have been chosen to benefit from the bank's social scheme. Letizia accessorised the outfit by carrying a small black clutch bag and navy shoes to match her intricately designed dress, which was cinched at the waist with a thing white belt. Queen Letizia, 46, pictured attended the Proyectos Sociales De Banco Santander awards today and awarded the 12 causes who had been chosen to received money for their work Letizia, pictured, wore her hair down for the event in Madrid and opted for a bold smokey eye The wife of King Felipe opted for neutral makeup, but did sport a smokey eye and nude lipstick, while wearing her brown hair down. Bank Santander's president Ana Botin, 58, was also at the award ceremony and was seen laughing and smiling with the Queen. The Spanish banker, who used to be the CEO of Santander UK until 2010, wore a bold turquoise blazer with white trousers and a scarf. The Spanish royal, left, spoke with the President of bank Santander Ana Patricia Botin, right, and the pair were seen laughing and smiling together while on a small stage Ana Botin, right, wore white trousers and a turquoise blazer for the event and Queen Letizia stunned in a patterned maxi dress with a small white belt Both women, Ana left and Queen Letizia right, wore their hair down as they awarded the 12 groups chosen to receive more than 40,000 euros each by Santander's Spanish employees The awards presented today are given to 12 groups chosen by the bank's employees in Spain to receive more than 40,000 euros each. More than 300 groups applied for the fund, which was launched 11 years ago and has since shared 3million among 82 non-government organisations. The Euros de tu Nomina fund, which translates as euros of your payroll, is made up of donations from employees. Santander then doubles the amount contributed. This year 484,412 was raised and this was an increase of 24 per cent in the last five years. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, left, was also at the event today with mother-of-two Queen Letizia, pictured right Letizia, second left, was seated with Fernando Grande-Marlaska, left, Ana Botin, second right and politician Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Veg, right, at the awards this morning Letizia, pictured centre, carried a small clutch bag today which stood out against her beautiful dress. Also pictured is Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Ana Botin Queen Letizia is mother to Princesses Leonor, 13, and Sofia, 12, with husband King Felipe, 50, who ascended to the Spanish throne in 2014. She married King Felipe 15 years ago at Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena in Madrid. The relationship began in November 2002 and in 2003, just months after she had been promoted to the position of anchor on the national news channel, she quit her job and days later the royal engagement was announced. The Spanish royal's dress featured slightly puffed sleeves which came in tighter at her wrists Letizia, centre, was presenting the awards to social projects that the employees of Santander is Spain had chosen after opting to put some of their wages into a fund Letizia is the eldest daughter of Jesus Jose Ortiz Alvarez, a journalist, and Maria de la Paloma Rocasolano Rodriguez, a nurse and hospital union representative. She attended public high school and did a degree at the Complutense University of Madrid. She later gained an MA in Audiovisual Journalism at the Institute for Studies in Audiovisual Journalism. King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son, now King Felipe VI. Her sister the Duchess of Cambridge is no stranger to sparking a shopping frenzy, but Pippa Middleton proves she holds just as much retail clout after her appearance at the royal wedding this weekend. Pippa, 35, was the picture of elegance in a 695 dress by Kate Spade as she attended the nuptials of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Saturday. The chic sky blue Spade Flower Devore Dress features a draped neckline, puffed sleeves and a waist belt that flatter the figure. Pippa, 35, was the picture of elegance in a 695 dress by Kate Spade as she attended the nuptials of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Saturday. Pictured, arriving with husband James Matthews The chic sky blue Spade Flower Devore Dress, as seen on the Kate Spade website, features a draped neckline, puffed sleeves and a waist belt that flatter the figure The style is now almost entirely sold out online, with only a size 6 (US size 2) still available to buy through the company's website, as seen above Social media users were quick to praise Pippa's choice of outfit - and shoppers followed suit. The style is now almost entirely sold out online, with only a size 6 (US size 2) still available to buy. Describing the dress online, the brand states: 'There are so many lovely details on this devore dress that walked the runway at our spring 2019 fashion show. Putting her best fashion foot forward, Pippa, who carried a light grey clutch bag, and finished off the outfit with matching heels and a trendy hairband by Jess Collett Pippa arrived for the service with her husband James Matthews, and parents Carole and Michael Middleton. Pictured far right, her brother's girlfriend Alizee Thevenet 'First of all, its decorated with our spade flower print which we made by joining four spades together like leaves of a clover. 'Then, theres the draped neckline and the puffed sleeves that gently cascade down your arms. And finally, the little buttons along the side add to the overall charm.' Putting her best fashion foot forward, Pippa, who carried a light grey clutch bag, and finished off the outfit with matching heels and a trendy hairband by Jess Collett. Pictured left to right: Michael and Carole Middleton, James Matthews, Alizee Thevenet (just seen), Pippa Middleton and James Middleton The mother of one beamed as she arrived in Windsor alongside her husband and family for the occasion The mother-of-one, who is a close friend of the newly married Mr Kingston, arrived for the service with her husband James Matthews, and parents Carole and Michael Middleton. Her brother James Middleton also attended with his girlfriend Alizee Thevenet. Kate Spade has long been a favourite label of Pippa. She wore several pieces by the designer on her honeymoon. James Middleton arrived at the event on a rare public appearance alongside his girlfriend Alizee Thevenet The Queen of the Netherlands is known for her exceptional sense of style, and today she was representing her country in typically colourful fashion as she kicked off a three-day visit to Germany Queen Maxima, 48, was joined by her husband King Willem-Alexander, 52, as they were received by Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, and her husband Stefan Schwesig, at the State Chancellery of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Mother-of-three Maxima, stunned in a fuchsia blouse paired with an a-line floral skirt as the they posed for a photo during an introductory meeting. She wrapped her hair neatly out of the way with a black hat to match her stiletto heels. Queen Maxima (pictured), 48, of the Netherlands was pretty in pink as she stepped out in a fuchsia blouse teamed with a floral skirt on day one of her three-day visit to Germany The mother-of-three was joined by her husband King Willem-Alexander (pictured second from left), 52, as they met with Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (pictured left), and her husband Stefan Schwesig (pictured right), at the State Chancellery of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Queen Maxima (pictured) completed her look by matching a clutch bag with her skirt and wearing subtle silver accessories The Royal opted for her signature natural look, wearing minimal makeup with a slight smokey eye. Queen Maxima has donned similar fuchsia outfits in the past, using accessories to refresh the timeless look. The mother-of-three and King Willem-Alexander appeared in good spirits as they met with those who had lined the streets in anticipation of their arrival. The Dutch couple were offered a lunch by the Prime Minister before King Willem-Alexander gave a speech at Schwerin Castle on the importance of working together and building on the Hanze period. He said: 'Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Netherlands are not direct neighbors. But we are connected for many centuries. The Dutch Royal (pictured) swept her hair underneath a black hat, matching her stilettos for an effortlessly glamorous look Maxima (pictured) appeared to be delighted as she waved to the crowds that had lined the streets in in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, in anticipation of the visit King Willem-Alexander gave a speech at Schwerin Castle after he and Maxima (pictured) were offered lunch by the Prime Minister 'What has grown during the Hanze time is still visible. We recognize something in each other: entrepreneurial spirit, the will to cooperate. That recognition makes our band so strong. '....The history that we share since the Hanze period is alive. We are happy to add a new chapter with our visit, believing that many more beautiful things will follow.' The Royals of the Netherlands are set to attend a trade dinner at the Kurhaus in Warnemunde later on today with attendees from the maritime trade mission and those specializing in coastal protection and agriculture. The Dutch Royals frequently visit Germany to pay special attention to economic relations between the countries, King Willem-Alexander (pictured left with Maxima) reinforced the importance of building together during his speech Queen Maxima (pictured) and her husband have a number of engagements scheduled for their time in Germany including a trade dinner at the Kurhaus in Warnemunde tonight The mother-of-three (pictured) joined her husband earlier this year during a visit to Northern Germany to also discuss economic relations Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander (pictured with Manuela Schwesig, and her husband at Schwerin Castle) are set to visit MV Werften in Rostock tomorrow morning Their busy visit also includes a visit to MV Werften in Rostock and a trip to arable farm in Nauen on Tuesday. The Royals trip to Germany will conclude with a lunch at Schloss Sanssouci in Potsdam on Wednesday. The aim of their visit is to focus on the economic relations between the German and Dutch. The Royal pair who often make one or more visits for the same purpose annually, coordinated in bronze for a visit to Bremen in Germany earlier this year. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, centre, posed for a photograph with Manuela Schwesig, left, and Stefan Schwesig, right, while at a beach today Manuela Schwesig, left, showed the royal couple, centre, around Germany's Schwerin Castle Dozens of people lined the streets today to welcome the King, pictured and Queen of the Netherlands during their visit to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg The Royal couple (pictured) will spend time with Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke during their visit to Germany Arabella Trump hammed it up for the cameras outside her family's home in Washington D.C. ahead of her father, Jared Kushner, leaving for work. The adorable seven-year-old stepped out of their home before her father to jokingly tell the Secret Service agents he would not be attending work. But it all appeared to be a ruse, as Jared, 38, later stepped out with Theodore, three, also in tow. But his daughter continued to bring on the sass as she wagged her fingers at photographers standing outside their home. Bring on the sass! Arabella Trump, seven, stepped out in her pajamas Monday morning to shoo photographers before her father, Jared Kushner, left for work Shaking her finger: She first joked with Secret Service agents that her father was not going to work that day. But Jared, 38, stepped out with his youngest son Theodore, three, in tow Doting dad: Jared kissed his son on the forehead while Arabella wagged her finger at cameras Comfy: Both Arabella and Theodore were still in their pajamas when they stepped outside their Washington D.C. home on Monday morning While his daughter's finger was wagging towards cameras, Jared placed a loving kiss on Theodore's head before he walked down the front steps and off to his waiting vehicle. It appears the children were still getting ready for school because both Arabella and Theodore were still in their pajamas when they stepped outside. Cheeky! The little girl was wearing a pair of emoji-print pajamas Arabella wore a white t-shirt with an emoji face across the front and blue shorts. Theodore, on the other hand, wore a pajama set with blue pants and a matching long-sleeved shirt. Jared's eldest son Joseph, five, was not pictured during the family exchange. But Arabella and Theodore looked happy to see their father off before getting ready for school. Jared wore his standard navy blue suit paired with a maroon tie for the work day and appeared in happy spirits for a Monday, as he waved to photographers before stepping into his SUV. About an hour after her husband had made his way to the office, Ivanka Trump was pictured inside her vehicle heading off to work while wearing what appeared to be a black shirt with embellishments scattered across the garment. Her sleek blond hair was styled with one side tucked behind her ear on the way to work, and she adorned her ears with large dangling earrings. Last week, the 37-year-old first daughter was in Indiana Indianapolis visiting with Salesforce's Indianapolis office to participate in a panel discussion with trainees. The San Francisco-based tech company has pledged to provide skills training to 500,000 people as part of the Trump administration's push to boost career opportunities among Americans. Off to work: Jared seemed in high spirits, as he waved at cameras before getting in his vehicle Busy day: Ivanka Trump, 37, left for work about an hour after her husband on Monday morning Stylish: She wore what appeared to be a black shirt with embellishments across the front Ivanka donned a long-sleeve button-down midi dress that she paired with a black patent leather belt and matching heels to the event at Salesforce Tower, which was part of the company's inaugural Trailblazer Day. The White House senior adviser wore her hair loose around her shoulders, this time opting to have her hair straightened instead of curled in loose waves. Ivanka spoke with individuals who have participated in Salesforces Trailhead training program during a panel discussion that was moderated by Marc Benioff, the billionaire founder, chairman, and co-CEO of the company. The first daughter shared that her goal is to make sure everyone has access to training opportunities, explaining that today's workers need to be lifelong learners because many of the jobs of the future remain unknown. 'We constantly have to be sharpening our skills,' she said, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. It was at the event that Salesforce signed the Trump administration's Pledge to America's Workers, which was launched last year. The initiative asks companies to commit to expanding education and training programs for American workers. On Thursday, Salesforce committed to teaching 500,000 workers the skills they need to obtain jobs at the company over the next five years. Travels: Last week, Ivanka visited Salesforce's office in Indianapolis, Indiana. She met with the tech company's founder Marc Benioff (center) and some of its trainees Outfit of the day: The first daughter wore a demure red dress that was buttoned up to her collar Accessories: Ivanka paired the A-line frock with a black patent leather belt that cinched her waist and matching heels During the panel discussion, Ivanka also touched upon the need to close the gender pay gap and develop better family-leave policies. 'We really think were just at the beginning of this mission,' she said. After the session, Ivanka shared a photo of herself smiling alongside Benioff and members of the company's training program. 'Today, we heard stories of lives transformed by rewarding careers through @salesforce visionary approach to online learning.,' she captioned the image. 'Thank you @Benioff for signing our #PledgetoAmericasWorkers and committing to investing in the skills + talents of 1 MILLION more Americans! Wow!' Ivanka also took to Instagram Stories to share photos of her visit to Salesforce Tower as well as footage of Zac Otero, an Einstein Analytics administrator at Salesforce, discussing his experience with the company's training program. 'Since I started down my path, I've learned a lot of things. I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned a lot about community. I've learned a lot about Salesforce, obviously. But I learned a lot about learning. I discovered how I learned best.' There are dozens of decisions to be made when planning a wedding including the cake, flowers, dress and all-important venue. However it seems that British couples are opting to step away from the traditional church location and are instead embracing 'farmyard weddings' for their nuptials. Couples are also shunning rooftops and glitzy urban hotels in favour of Instagram-friendly venues - complete with bridal wellies and glamping guests. New research by John Lewis revealed the number of ceremonies held in barns or on farms has doubled in five years, accounting for one in eight weddings, compared to one in 15 in 2014. British couples are shunning glitzy urban hotels in favour of barns and farms, according to new data. Pictured is a woman in a boho-inspired wedding dress and wellies One in six wedding receptions booked for this year will be held in barns or on farms, up from one in eight in 2014 according to John Lewis Wedding Insurance data (file picture) The figures are even higher for wedding receptions. One in six booked for this year will be held in barns or on farms, up from one in eight in 2014. Meanwhile, one in 10 weddings now involve a marquee as couples embrace the great outdoors on their big day, according to John Lewis Wedding Insurance data. This increase in popularity of outdoor venues has also seen more demand for bohemian dresses as brides seek out floaty gowns to match their relaxed themes. John Lewis has launched Monsoons Bridal Gown collection, with two boho dresses already proving the most popular dresses in the range - the Helena Embellished Bridal Maxi and the Sophie Lace Wedding Dress, Ivory. And sales of French Connections Cari Maxi Bridal Dress have risen by 45 per cent since 2018. Billie Nicholls, Partner & Buying Assistant, said: Weddings are becoming less formal... Many women are opting for a more comfortable outfit (pictured) - including floaty gowns' Department store John Lewis has also seen an increase in demand for boho dresses, one example pictured, and even launched their own range of boho-style veils This summer, John Lewis has also launched a range of floral boho-style veils and sashes for brides-to-be at their hen parties. Billie Nicholls, Partner & Buying Assistant, said: Weddings are becoming less formal. 'Guests are wearing more versatile styles from jumpsuits to silk cami tops and skirts, rather than always opting for dresses with a jacket and hat. 'Even bridal styles have become more relaxed. Many women are opting for a more comfortable outfit - including floaty gowns or a less traditional dress for hitting the dance floor in the evening.' John Lewis Wedding Insurance also revealed that they have helped couple's when their barn location burned down and flower pollen damaged a brides dress (file picture) The department store chain has also seen a 35 per cent rise in outdoor fairy lights so far in 2019 compared to the first quarter of 2018. However couples do seem to be keeping with tradition with their gift list requests - and ditching high-tech requests seen in recent years. Now the most requested items are once again bowls, plates, towels and cutlery while cafetieres are also outselling teapots on the gift list for the first time. However, even the most carefully planned boho weddings do not always go to plan. In the past year, John Lewis Wedding Insurance has helped couples recover their costs after a number of big-day disasters. Examples of when married life didn't get off to the smoothest of starts included a wedding barn burned down and flower pollen damaged a brides dress. At another wedding, the mother-of-the brides outfit was rendered unwearable after it fell out of a car roof box. Meghan Markle's best friend is on her way to meet The Duchess's new son, baby Archie, who was born two weeks ago. Jessica Mulroney, 39, from Toronto, and daughter Ivy, 5, were spotted at Pearson International Airport in Toronto boarding a flight to London. Her former stylist and best friend recently revealed her excitement over impending travel plans with her daughter, via her Instagram, revealing that it would be their first 'mother and daughter' trip. The mother-of-three is believed to be a front runner to become the royal baby's godmother. Jessica's husband Ben also posted a picture of the London Eye on his Instagram stories - hinting that he was waiting for Jessica to arrive before driving down to Frogmore Cottage. Jessica Mulroney, 39, from Toronto and daughter Ivy, 5, were spotted at Pearson International Airport in Toronto boarding a flight to London Meghan Markle's best friend is on her way to meet The Duchess's new son, baby Archie, who was born two weeks ago. Jessica's husband also posted a picture of the London Eye on his Instagram stories Her former stylist and best friend recently revealed her excitement over impending travel plans with her daughter, via her Instagram, revealing that it would be their first 'mother and daughter' trip Her three children were involved with the royal wedding, with her daughter Ivy acting as a bridesmaid Jessica was snapped at the airport dressed down in all black and trainers, while her daughter had jeans and a pink backpack. Jessica lives in Toronto and met Meghan when the then actress was filming Suits. Her three children were involved with the royal wedding, with her daughter Ivy acting as a bridesmaid. Meanwhile twin sons John and Brian, of whom Meghan is godmother, carried the Duchess of Sussex's train. Jessica, who is rumoured to be a front-runner to become the royal baby's godmother, is very close to Meghan, having met while she worked on the TV series Suits The mother-of-three is believed to be a front runner to become the royal baby's godmother Jessica's three children were involved with the royal wedding, with her daughter Ivy acting as a bridesmaid Jessica would be among the select few who have met baby Archie so far, and one of Meghan's first friends to visit the new family. While the mother-of-three checked into their flight her daughter seemed very well behaved and later on skipped alongside Jessica as they headed for the flight. The Canadian stylist looked relaxed with her hair down and barely there make up on, at one point even stopping to help Ivy with her shoe laces. The Canadian stylist looked relaxed with her hair down and barely there make up on, one point even stopping to help Ivy with her shoe laces Jessica would be among the select few who have met baby Archie so far, and one of Meghan's first friends to visit the new family Jessica would be among the select few who have met baby Archie so far, and one of Meghan's first friends to visit the new family While the mother-of-three checked into their flight her daughter seemed very well behaved and later on skipped alongside Jessica as they headed for the flight Jessica Mulroney and daughter Ivy are UK bound to meet Meghan Markle's son Archie Last week she sent royal fans into a frenzy when she shared a post to Instagram suggesting she was excited about an upcoming trip. Alongside a picture of her daughter Ivy sitting with a matching pair of adult and child-sized shoes, Jessica wrote: 'Packing for our first mother/daughter trip and I'm screaming with excitement.' She went on: 'Are matching shoes too much?' Last week she sent royal fans into a frenzy when she shared a post to Instagram suggesting she was excited about an upcoming trip Jessica was on her way to meet Meghan and Harry's son Archie, who they had on Monday 6th May Meghan's friend clutched her passport and was dressed down for the 7 hour flight to the UK Meghan and Harry welcomed their son Archie on Monday 6th May. The little boy received a visit from Prince Harry's grandparents, the Queen and Prince Phillip, a few days after his birth, alongside Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. Grandmother Doria has been staying with the family at Frogmore Cottage since before the birth. Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge finally met their nephew for the first time last week, as did Prince Charles. Jessica Mulroney posted a picture to Instagram saying she was 'screaming with excitement' about an upcoming trip with her daughter. Many royal fans believe she could be due to fly to London and meet baby Archie Advertisement More than 30 NHS trusts recorded more deaths than expected last year, an eminent hospital death rates professor has claimed. Official data last week named the 11 health service-ran organisations across England that recorded excess deaths in 2018. But Professor Sir Brian Jarman, who helped expose the Mid-Staffordshire hospital scandal, has claimed the true figure is much higher. He recalculated the NHS Digital data for MailOnline and found a further 22 trusts run by the health service fall into the excess deaths category. His analysis suggests 8,210 more patients died than expected at the trusts - more than double the NHS projection of 3,600. Official data last week named the 11 health service-run organisations across England that recorded excess deaths in 2017. But Professor Sir Brian Jarman, who helped expose the Mid-Staffordshire hospital scandal, has claimed the true figure is much higher. He recalculated the NHS Digital data for MailOnline and found a further 22 trusts ran by the health service fall into the excess deaths category NHS Digital, which released the original report, collected data from all 130 hospital trusts between January and December last year. The NHS argues the statistics are merely a 'smoke alarm'. However, five of the trusts flagged up on its own analysis were named and shamed last year. One of them - Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - has been on the worst results list every year since 2011. But Professor Jarman's calculations - which haven't been independently verified - showed 19 trusts also had excess deaths last year. Professor Jarman, head of the Dr Foster Unit at Imperial College, told MailOnline that a 'Department of Health once said a high HSMR is a trigger to ask hard questions'. He added that the spokesperson said good hospitals monitor their HSMRs actively and seek to understand where performance may be falling short. NHS Digital releases its Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator, or SHMI, data every summer for the previous calendar year. Expected deaths at each trust is worked out by calculating how many deaths the trust would have, according to national average death rates. The death rate is then calculated by dividing the actual deaths recorded in hospital plus 30 days after discharge by the expected deaths for the same period. Across the country, there were 293,000 recorded deaths either while in hospital or within 30 days of discharge. This includes deaths from other causes as well as deaths related to the reason for the hospital admission, NHS Digital says. Blackpool Victoria Hospital, ran by the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, has been flagged up for having excess deaths every year since 2014 WHERE WERE THE 33 NHS TRUSTS THAT PROFESSOR SIR BRIAN JARMAN FOUND HAD EXCESS DEATHS? Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS FT Bolton NHS FT Dorset County Hospital NHS FT East Suffolk and North Essex NHS FT* George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS FT The Dudley Group NHS FT The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust County Durham and Darlington NHS FT East Cheshire NHS Trust East Kent Hospitals University NHS FT Hull And East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust James Paget University Hospitals NHS FT Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Medway NHS FT Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS FT Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS FT Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS FT Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust South Tees Hospitals NHS FT South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS FT** Southend University Hospital NHS FT Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS FT Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS FT FT = Foundation Trust Trusts in bold also fell under the excess deaths category by NHS Digital * = USED TO BE KNOWN AS COLCHESTER HOSPITAL UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST BEFORE A MERGER ** = SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS FT MERGED WITH CITY HOSPITALS SUNDERLAND NHS FT IN APRIL Advertisement The NHS states it is 'inappropriate' for trusts to be ranked on their SHMI, and that an excess death count only warrants the need for further investigations. Some 103 trusts reported no excess deaths, and 16 of them even reported a lower number of fatalities than expected. The data shows slightly less than a twelfth, or 8.5 per cent, of NHS trusts reported higher than expected deaths. But the recalculation of the data by Professor Brian Jarman, former President of the British Medical Association, shows a quarter of NHS trusts, or 25 per cent, have significantly higher death rates. WHAT WAS THE MID STAFFS SCANDAL? A disputed estimate suggested that hundreds of people may have needlessly died at Stafford Hospital, ran by Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust, due to poor care between 2005 and 2009. In what is one of the worst care scandals in living memory, anecdotes provided by Julie Bailey, who was responsible for exposing neglect at the hospital, suggested patients were left lying in their own excrement and had been so thirsty that they were reduced to drinking water from vases. The Francis report, the inquiry into the hospital's workings in 2013, found that box ticking bureaucrats prioritised targets over basic levels of care. But not a single individual will be prosecuted in connection with the scandal, police admitted last year - despite a three-year investigation. Stafford Hospital has been renamed County Hospital, and is now run by a different trust. Advertisement He used the internationally recognised system, recommended by the Association of Public Health Observatories, called Byar's confidence intervals. A similar process helped uncover poor care at the Mid Staffordshire trust, one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the NHS. However, the NHS uses another method, called overdispersion, which gives trusts slightly more leeway in terms of recording deaths. Under that system, a trust is regarded as having a higher than expected number of deaths only if its SHMI is about 12 per cent or more above the national average. In contrast, the Byar's method is used internationally and classifies a much higher proportion of trusts as being significantly above the national average. The NHS had used the internationally recognised Byars confidence intervals in the past. Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS FT told MailOnline it had implemented a number of initiatives covering every area of the hospital to address mortality figures. It added that internal work is 'ongoing' and it has focused on improving treatment within the first 24 hours of admission. And it added that Blackpool is one of the most deprived areas in England with the lowest male life expectancy figure in the country. The town also has higher than average deaths related to alcohol, smoking, drug use and heart disease, and instance of HIV and depression are high. An NHS spokesperson told MailOnline last week that the SHMI figures are 'not a measure of quality of care'. Chris Roebuck, chief statistician at NHS Digital, said: 'Professor Jarman has done his own analysis of the data and has used his own methodology to reach his findings, which are different from the official measure. 'The official measure was developed with input from specialists from NHS organisations, regulators, universities, royal colleges and field experts including Professor Jarman. 'It is designed to act as a high level measure and is a helpful indicator that may flag potential problems that require further investigation. It needs to be used with care and should always be used in conjunction with other information. The UK Statistics Authority has endorsed its use in this way.' A mother claims liposuction nearly killed her after a botched procedure left her with rotting flesh around her midriff. Beatrix Searles spent $4,200 (3,300) on having unwanted fat removed from her abdomen, legs and back last October at a Colombian clinic. Just days later, the 53-year-old, from Montana, claims the skin around her abdominal wound began rotting and turned black. Although she was never officially diagnosed, she is thought to have battled the flesh-eating disease necrotising fasciitis. The truck driver alleges nurses at the clinic, which has not been named, failed to properly dress her wounds, leaving her at risk of infection. She was then forced to undergo seven surgeries to correct the botched operation, leaving her with a severely-scarred midsection. Miss Searles, who describes the ordeal as 'torture', wants her surgeon brought to justice, claiming he is 'on the run'. Beatrix Searles (pictured in hospital) claims liposuction nearly killed her after the botched procedure left her with rotting flesh around her midriff that later turned black The affected area is pictured with a vacuum known as a VAC. This reduces air pressure around the wound, which speeds up healing. It also lowers swelling and removes bacteria Seven surgeries later, Miss Searles' severely-scarred abdomen is pictured Miss Searles, who is mother to a 28-year-old daughter, opted to have liposuction after battling low self esteem. 'I originally wanted the operation as I weighed over 13st (182lbs) and wanted a little confidence boost,' she said. 'I did spend my time researching, and decided I needed liposuction on my leg, stomach and back. 'I chose Colombia because when I researched it was the country that specialised in the surgery I wanted and they did it at reasonable prices. 'I watched the surgery through their various YouTube channels and videos and I thought I knew what I was expecting. ' But Miss Searles soon realised the procedure was nothing like it looked in the videos. 'Whilst I was under, they literally cut the fat off my stomach and stitched me back up,' she said. Miss Searles (pictured left before the ordeal) opted for liposuction to give herself a 'confidence boost'. Pictured right in hospital, the truck driver claims she has been left in 'constant pain' 'The surgeon originally tried to fix what he'd done by using the skin from my back, and pulling it forward - but it went stiff and sore.' Miss Searles believes poor hygiene practices at the clinic caused her wound to become infected. 'The nurses providing the aftercare used the same gloves for things like using their phone,' she said. 'I wasn't provided with anything I'd seen on the videos, like plastic wrapping over the surgery or a body suit to protect it. 'By the second day, it was red, inflamed and you could see - the skin was dying.' Miss Searles' is so self conscious of her abdomen now (pictured) she 'can't go out in public' 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 Things then took a dramatic turn for the worse when Miss Searles' skin turned black. 'My skin started to [turn] black and die, I was on so much pain medication I couldn't feel anything - I just knew something was really badly wrong,' she said. Miss Searles was forced to undergo additional operations, including a tummy tuck, in Colombia to fix the gaping hole left by her dead skin. 'I had to stay to get this done, as it needed fixing urgently,' she said. 'The hospital tried to oxygenate the skin but it had turned completely black.' Miss Searles, who even spent her birthday in hospital, returned home to the US in January. 'I've been so scared and have spent most of my recovery crying all of the time,' she said. 'This has destroyed my confidence - it's been like torture. 'I can't look like this forever - I feel like I can't go out into public or wear a bikini or go to the beach.' Miss Searles now wants to find the doctor who is responsible for her ordeal. 'No one can locate the surgeon who did this to me, and he's essentially missing in action,' she said. 'The last I heard, he had 34 cases being held against him. 'I'm still searching for answers over what went wrong, and have begged for explanations. 'My skin completely died and I've been left in constant pain. It's destroyed my life and I hope those responsible get brought to justice.' Miss Searles has required additional surgeries to fix the gaping hole left by her dead skin Pictured recently left, Miss Searles claims she 'spent most of her recovery crying all of the time'. Miss Searles (pictured right before) claims she opted to have liposuction in Colombia after being seduced by the 'reasonable prices' and watching videos of the clinic on YouTube A mother has issued a desperate plea for a heart for her poorly son who is unlikely to make it to his second birthday without a new one. Grayson Heagren, who is 13 months old, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at two months old. The youngster, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was put on the heart transplant list on Christmas Eve last year with his heart function at only 14 per cent. His mother Shannon Heagren has been told he is unlikely to live beyond two years because the strain on his heart will only get worse as he gets older. The condition, for which there is no cure, causes an enlarged one side of the heart, making it stretched and weak, and unable to pump blood effectively. Grayson is frequently in hospital fighting off infections as his other organs are under strain - meaning his family live in constant fear of his heart failing at any time. Ms Heagren, 24, said her 'ticking time bomb' son is always smiling despite having no energy and being fed through a tube. Grayson Heagren, who is 13 months old, is waiting for a new heart after being diagnosed with the heart condition dilated cardiomyopathy at two months old Full-time mother Shannon Heagren, 24, has been told her son is unlikely to live beyond two years because of the strain his heart is under as he gets older Ms Heagren, said her 'ticking time bomb' son is always smiling despite having no energy When Grayson was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at just eight weeks old he had to spend four months in hospital (pictured) Ms Heagren, a mother-of-four, said: 'We don't know how long he will manage without a new heart. They've told us it's unlikely he will make it to his second birthday. 'It's a race against time. It's a ticking time bomb because we don't know how long it will take and in that time his heart can get worse. 'He won't have a future without a new heart. But he's a fighter so we treat every day as a new day. 'I live in hope that a heart will be found. I have to for my kids but I find it very hard to keep that hope. 'I like to believe it will come but the truth is I don't know. I just know I can't give up.' WHAT IS DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY? Dilated cardiomyopathy is one type of cardiomyopathy disease, a disease of the heart muscle that affects its size, shape and structure. The condition is usually inherited. All three main types of cardiomyopathy are: Hypertrophic - heart wall is thickened - heart wall is thickened Dilated - heart muscle becomes stretched and thin - heart muscle becomes stretched and thin Arrhythmogenic right ventricular - heart muscle cells cannot be kept together All of these types of cardiomyopathy affect the heart's ability to pump blood around the body efficiently. They can also impact the way electrical signals make the organ beat. There is no cure, however, in most cases people's quality or length of life is unaffected. Therapies may include medication, treatment to normalise heart rhythm, pacemakers and, in rare cases, heart surgery or transplants. Dilated cardiomyopathy If you have DCM, the left ventricle of your heart becomes dilated (stretched or 'baggy'). As a result, the heart muscle becomes weak, thin or floppy and is unable to pump blood around the body efficiently. DCM is a common form of cardiomyopathy and research has shown that with proper treatment and follow-up, most people with the condition live a normal life. However, because there is a very small risk of getting a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm, a small proportion of people with DCM are at risk of sudden cardiac death. Source: British Heart Foundation Advertisement After Grayson was born, Ms Heagren said she noticed straight away that something wasn't right because he was breathing fast, couldn't keep milk down and took a long time to feed. He was initially kept in hospital for a week and put on antibiotics for an infection. But after being taken back to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester for a heart scan, Grayson was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) at two months old. DCM causes the heart's main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, to become stretched and weakened, therefore unable to push blood effectively around the body. Inherited DCM is caused by a change or mutation in one or more genes. If you have DCM, there is a 50 per cent chance that your child will inherit the condition. But it can also be caused by viral infections, uncontrolled high blood pressure and excessive amounts of alcohol. The condition affects people of all ages, including infants and children, but is most common in men ages 20 to 50, according to the Mayo Clinic. Doctors revealed Grayson's heart function was at 14 per cent and he spent the next four months in hospital - two of which were in intensive care. Ms Heagren said: 'When he was brought in they said it was life or death and if I'd left it any longer he wouldn't have made it. 'There was one point where they had to put a line into his vein to give him medicine and they didn't know if his heart would be able to cope or if it would shut down immediately. 'They told us that we should prepare to say goodbye to him so I called my family and they came to his bedside.' Thankfully Grayson pulled through, but it was the beginning of a difficult journey. Ms Heagren said she lives in hope her 'fighter' son will get a new heart. Pictured at their home in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire When Grayson was in hospital as a baby after diagnosis, pictured, his family were told to get ready to say goodbye because was so weak Doctors revealed Grayson's heart function was at 14 per cent and he spent the next four months in hospital - two of which were in intensive care (pictured) Ms Heagren said: 'When he was brought in they said it was life or death and if I'd left it any longer he wouldn't have made it'. Pictured in hospital Ms Heagren said she spent four months crying while Grayson was in hospital, pictured Ms Heagren said: 'Those four months were horrible. I just spent the whole time crying, I was hysterical. 'I couldn't eat or sleep. I just didn't know what was going to happen.' Grayson's heart function is still only operating at 14 per cent which puts a strain on his other organs. He is unable to eat solid food, therefore has to be fed through a tube, and is on ten different medications to stop his heart deteriorating. Ms Heagren also has to keep him as calm as possible to try and minimise the strain on his heart and he frequently suffers from chest infections, pneumonia and bronchitis. Ms Heagren, who has three other children, Amelia, seven, Aiden, four, and Riley, two, said: 'Because his heart is so weak, he gets sick really quickly. 'Every time he goes to hospital we don't know if he's going to make it out again.' Grayson, pictured at home, has been waiting for a suitable organ donor since Christmas 2018 Ms Heagren has to keep Grayson as calm as possible to try and minimize the strain on his heart 'We don't stop him doing things, but have to try and keep him calm so he doesn't tire himself out. 'He's got no energy and spends a lot of the day sleeping. 'But he's a fighter and he's done really well. Obviously he gets sick, but he's always got a smile on his face and loves playing.' Grayson was put on the heart transplant list on Christmas Eve 2018 but so far a suitable organ has not been found. According to the NHS figures, in August last year there were 280 people waiting for a heart transplant, including 29 children. Ms Heagren said: 'We don't know how long it will take for him to get one. The hearts go to whoever needs it most. 'We could get a call anytime and we have to be ready to go. 'I have my phone with me all the time in case it's them and we're not even allowed to go out of the country in case we get the call. 'It's horrible to think about what the parents of the donor will go through and having to make the decision after losing a child whether to donate their organs.' Currently, organ donation laws are different across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Grayson is unable to eat solid food, therefore has to be fed through a tube, and is on ten different medications (some pictured) to stop his heart deteriorating Ms Heagren, pictured with Grayson at home, said: 'I want to see my boy grow up and go to school. I want him to be able to live a normal happy life' Around 500,000 people die every year in the UK, but only around one in 100 of them die in circumstances where they are able to donate their organs. From spring 2020, all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die, unless they have recorded a decision to 'opt out' to reduce the number of people who die waiting on the donor list. Some groups are excluded from the opt-out system. The situation will not change for those under the age of 18, in which case the family are asked to make the decision. Ms Heagren said: 'Not many people can imagine having to give their child's heart away. 'Before this I wouldn't have given my children's away, but now they are all signed up for organ donation. 'I think it's so important if it will help someone else live. I see it as it's comforting to know that your child has helped to save someone else - and in a way they're living on. 'I want to see my boy grow up and go to school. I want him to be able to live a normal happy life. 'But for now we take each day as it comes. We never know what tomorrow will bring but we try and see every day as a new day.' Russia is planning to create a new law to make it illegal to claim HIV isn't real amid spiralling rates of the virus in the country. Thousands of people living in Russia belong to social media groups spreading myths HIV has been made up by pharmaceutical companies. As a result, many infected don't take medication to manage it and people are less careful about protecting themselves from the condition. Although HIV infections and AIDS deaths are falling around the world, they have risen in Russia in recent years. In at least one city, The Times reported, as many as one in every 50 people are HIV positive, and a government minister called the situation a 'national catastrophe'. A new law against HIV/AIDS denial may be brought into force by the Kremlin later this year and would see people fined around 3,000 Russian roubles (36). More than 100,000 people were diagnosed with HIV for the first time in Russia last year and experts fear the spread of a conspiracy theory about the virus being made up is contributing to rising infections (Pictured, a doctor in Moscow draws blood to test a patient for HIV last week) 'The problem is taking on a massive character and, with the spread of HIV in Russia, makes it dangerous for society,' the country's health ministry said. One group on a Russian social media network is named 'HIV Aids is the greatest hoax of the XX century' and has more than 16,000 members, The Times said. And one post read 'Guys, no testing for mythical HIV! We don't agree to poison therapy'. People sucked in by the belief HIV and AIDS aren't real are ignoring medical advice and refusing treatment for themselves and their children. At least 65 deniers are believed to have died of AIDS in the past four years, as well as 17 children whose parents wouldn't let doctors treat them. There are between 900,000 and 1.2million Russians living with HIV, according to the World Health Organization, in a population of 144m people. And more than 100,000 new cases of the infection were diagnosed in 2018 equivalent to around one in every 18 cases worldwide. At least 65 HIV deniers and 17 of their children are believed to have died in the past four years in Russia after denying medical treatment (Pictured, a mobile laboratory van in Moscow last week) HIV is a virus which infects the blood and is most commonly spread by unprotected sex or sharing needles (Pictured, blood samples are tested as part of Russia's ongoing Stop HIV/AIDS campaign) HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HIV/AIDS WORLDWIDE? At the end of 2017 the latest data available 36.9million people worldwide were living with HIV. Some 1.8m people were newly infected with HIV in 2017 a drop from 2.8m in 2000. The number of people dying as a result of their infection has fallen from 1.5m in 2000 to 900,000 in 2017. Globally, just 57 per cent of infected adults and 52 per cent of children receive antiviral therapy to keep their HIV under control. In the UK more than 98 per cent of people diagnosed with HIV there are around 101,000 people with the infection are on antiviral treatment. Around 1.1m in the US are living with HIV. Sources: World Health Organization, Terrence Higgins Trust Advertisement About three quarters 73 per cent of new infections in Russia are spread by heterosexual sex and 25 per cent by drug injection. If untreated, HIV destroys the immune system and leaves people extremely vulnerable to infection. Many die of other more routine illnesses like pneumonia which their body can no longer fight off. However, modern treatments are now so good they can if taken properly completely suppress the virus for someone's entire life. This stops them being able to spread it and prevents AIDS from ever developing. However, fewer than 40 per cent of Russians with HIV are believed to be receiving this kind of treatment, putting many at risk of catching the virus. The Kremlin the Russian government has been criticised for not having a clean needles programme for drug users and not allowing sex education in schools. A spokesman for Moscow's Independent AIDS Centre, Anton Krasovsky, told The Times: 'People who deny the existence of HIV/Aids should be helped, and not punished. 'Many of them live with HIV, and have psychological problems. They are in denial. But Russia always tries to resolve problems by punishing people.' The worst measles outbreak in the United States in 25 years has spread to Oklahoma, federal health officials said on Monday as they reported 41 new cases nationwide, raising the total number sickened this year to 880 people. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 4.9 percent increase in the number of measles cases from May 10 to May 17 in an outbreak that has now reached 24 states. The agency has been providing weekly updates every Monday. The CDC said there had been one confirmed case in Oklahoma. Most of the new cases were in New York, CDC spokesman Jason McDonald said, with 21 cases recorded in New York City and nine in Rockland County. Measles outbreaks have been reported in 24 states, adding Oklahoma to the list, with the highest proportion occurring in New York Health experts say the virus has spread among school-age children whose parents declined to give them the vaccine, which confers immunity to the disease. A vocal fringe of US parents, some in New Yorks ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, cite concerns that the vaccine may cause autism, despite scientific studies that have debunked such claims. 'Outbreaks in New York City and state are the largest ...the longer they continue, the greater the chance measles will once again get a foothold in the United States,' said Dr Nancy Messonier. And infectious disease experts expect the numbers of cases will just continue to grow. 'One of the problems is that because these outbreaks are so large, they take forever,' says Dr Frank Esper, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Think of it like wildfires in California: when it's a lot of smaller ones, it's quickly controlled, but, like a fire, measles is extremely infectious and when it gets huge it can take a while [to get under control].' In an effort to stem the spread of measles, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio declared a state of emergency requiring everyone of all ages in the zip codes hit by the measles outbreaks there. Although the virus was eliminated from the country in 2000, meaning the disease was no longer a constant presence, outbreaks still happen via travelers coming from countries where measles is still common, according to the CDC. Experts warn that the outbreak is not over as the number of cases approaches the 1994 total of 958. That was the highest number since 1992, when the CDC recorded 2,126 cases. More than 40 people in 2019 brought measles to the United States from other countries, most frequently Ukraine, Israel and the Philippines, federal officials said. Vulnerable, religious and insular communities are particularly 'targeted' by disinformation campaigns, said Dr Messonier, though officials said they could not determine why these groups are 'targets.' Those who were born before 1957 are believed to been exposed to the disease already. Health officials say that so far they haven't seen signs that immunity is waning, but urge everyone to speak to their health care providers and check their shot records. Anyone over 30 may not still have the antibodies they need to fight the infection circulating. However, Dr Esper notes that tests of the MMR vaccine found that it is effective against the strain currently sweeping the US. Earlier this month, President Trump joined the chorus, urging parents to vaccinate their children in a shift from his tweets from several years ago warning over links between the MMR vaccine and autism. When asked if he thought President Trump should publicly decry his previous tweets and sentiments, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar defended Trump. 'Some years ago, there was a debate about that issue,' Azar said. 'We can definitely reassure every parent there is no link between vaccines and autism,' he said, adding that the president's statement last week marked a 'strong' stance on vaccination and the measles outbreaks. 'The president has been very clear that people should get their shots...and make sure they are up-to-date,' said Azar. Dr Esper says that changing tunes as President Trump has done is 'actually exactly what we'd like to see. 'Someone that was against the vaccine in 2014 now says go get your vaccine and that is what we'd like to see.' Although one state outbreak has been declared over, health officials said they do expect more cases to be reported in the days to come. 'I would guess that we're still going to see more cases, but the rate at which it goes up will depend on how well-contained the current outbreaks are,' says Dr Esper. Having had skin cancer twice once on her arm as a teenager and another on her back, four decades later Lavinia Newlands was understandably nervous when, two years ago, she developed a raised brown patch just above her lip. There was also a smaller rough patch under her right eye (which she could feel but was difficult to see in the mirror). Theyd slowly emerged over months. Neither looked like the skin cancers shed had before: these had been basal cell carcinomas (BCC), which typically form red, scaly patches that can ulcerate and scab. But Lavinia, 62, was concerned, and feared more bad news not least because shed often had sunburn as a child. I grew up in a generation who didnt know about sunscreens, she says. I spent summers on British bucket-and-spade holidays, running around all day outside without any form of sun protection. I remember peeling off my swimming costume and howling as my skin was so sore from sunburn. Having treatment: Lavinia Newlands, from Amberley, West Sussex, is one of thousands to have dangerous sun damage - but a single treatment of Daylight PDT could be the answer When she asked her GP about the suspect patches, he was quite dismissive and said these werent going to kill me, says Lavinia, a private cook and mother of two, from Amberley, West Sussex. So I just kept moisturising the rough patch above my lip, and monitored the other one. Then, last year, both patches began to grow. Lavinia went to see a different GP, who referred her to a dermatologist privately. The news was far from reassuring; both patches were what are known as actinic keratosis, which Lavinia was warned could become a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (which can be seen in the first image on the right, showing Lavinias sun damaged skin). Unlike BCC, if left untreated, these can spread to other areas of the body, and in some cases can be fatal. Actinic keratoses are innocuous-looking rough patches or raised brown growths sometimes referred to as sun or liver spots that occur on sun-exposed parts of the body, such as the face, backs of the hands, ears and the scalps of balding men. They are incredibly common, with one in four of all northern Europeans over the age of 60 having at least one, according to Dr Bav Shergill, a consultant dermatologist in Sussex and spokesperson for the British Association of Dermatologists. At risk: Lavinia was warned her sun damage could become a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, which can be fatal if not treated Actinic keratoses are a sign that you have underlying sun damage (what dermatologists call field change) but there may be other pre-cancerous changes in the area that are not visible to the naked eye. Millions of Britons could be affected. But the good news is that there is a cream now available on the NHS that can undo the vast majority of this damage so reducing the risks of cancer even occurring with minimal side-effects. However, many who could benefit from it are missing out. WHY ITS SO SIMPLE TO USE Actinic keratoses are formed of abnormal keratinocytes, the most abundant cells in the skin; these produce keratin, a waxy protein that provides a protective barrier. But after years of sun exposure, the DNA in these cells can be damaged and grow abnormally, forming rough patches that can become raised and discoloured. If you were to take biopsies of the surrounding area, they would show significant skin damage and these areas can develop into non-melanoma skin cancer basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, adds Dr Anthony Bewley, a consultant dermatologist at Barts Health NHS Trust. However, many of the changes are at a subclinical stage, so you cant see them. Sunburn as a child is a high risk factor for malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. But accumulative sun exposure not just sunburn can also be a risk factor for BCC and squamous cell carcinoma. There are creams that can undo most, if not all, of this damage. However, some need to be applied daily for weeks and lead to unpleasant side-effects. The newer, light-activated cream is applied once, and you then sit in the sun for two hours. Its so simple that some people have used it themselves at home. It could benefit hundreds of thousands of patients, and the NHS, too, explains Dr Justine Hextall, who sits on the skin cancer committee at the British Association of Dermatologists. She believes there is a case for using it, and other treatments, for background sun damage more widely. As clinicians we underutilise the treatments for field change signs of widespread sun damage such as little red marks, areas of more pigmentation, age spots and little warty growths. I grew up in a generation who didnt know about sunscreens, she says. I spent summers running around all day outside without any form of sun protection. I remember peeling off my swimming costume and howling as my skin was so sore from sunburn. A 2014 study in the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology suggested that 63 per cent of cases of squamous cell carcinoma cancers arose from a flat, early actinic keratosis. These are the ones that we tend not to treat we generally only suggest treating the raised ones, says Dr Hextall. But this study suggests we should be treating even these early ones. We could save the NHS a lot of time and money if we stepped in sooner, especially in the case of frequent flyers people who turn up with a couple of lesions but also widespread sun damage, adds Dr Hextall, who practises at the Tarrant Street Clinic in Arundel, West Sussex. YOU COULD AVOID FACIAL SCARS She adds: These are often people in their late 60s or 70s who will go on to present with new skin cancers repeatedly, often requiring complex, and unfortunately sometimes disfiguring, surgical treatment, as so many non-melanoma skin cancers and so much sun damage is on the face. Treatments that act on field damage and pre-cancerous lesions could help significantly reduce the number of skin cancers that are diagnosed every year. Figures from a new skin cancer database published in the journal Jama Dermatology last November found that there were 45,000 cases of squamous cell carcinoma alone diagnosed each year in England, 350 per cent more than previously estimated. The chance of an actinic keratosis turning into a squamous cell carcinoma is around 5 per cent, which means treating the pre-cancerous condition could spare thousands developing cancer every year. So what is this new cream and why is it not used more widely? It is based on a principle known as daylight photodynamic therapy (daylight PDT). It contains aminolevulinic acid (ALA), which harnesses the bodys immune system to kill the pre-cancerous cells, and is activated by sunlight. ALA gets absorbed preferentially by the sundamaged cells you want to target and does no harm to healthy skin, says Dr Hextall. And it doesnt just clear squamous cell carcinoma, it clears BCCs, too. To activate the ALA, the patient must sit in daylight within 30 minutes of the cream being applied, and stay there for two hours, even if its overcast, but the sun is only strong enough from April until October in the UK. There may be tingling for a few days and some crusting, which peaks within a week and clears within a fortnight. Sunburn as a child is a high risk factor for malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, but accumulative sun exposure not just sunburn can also be a risk factor ITS NOT JUST CHANGING MOLES YOU NEED TO WATCH... If you have moles with any of these signs (below), or all of them, see your GP and ask to be referred to a dermatologist. A Asymmetrical shape B Border is irregular C Colour isnt uniform (i.e., two or more colours) D Diameter more than 6mm E Evolving in size, shape or colour People should also be keeping an eye out for red, scaly areas or lumps, such as actinic keratosis, that could potentially spell trouble because of the risk of squamous cell carcinoma, adds consultant dermatologist Dr Anthony Bewley. People often ignore bits of skin that become scaly or red or sore but this should be seen to, especially if it appears on highly sun-exposed areas such as the bridge of the nose, forehead, the shoulders in men or the lower legs in women. Bald men tend to be very bad about checking their scalp but this is such an important area to monitor. Its not so easy without a partner to keep an eye on your scalp, so I recommend people use their smartphone and take pictures. Advertisement A recent study in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, involving 50 patients with actinic keratoses who were given daylight PDT to use at home, discovered that 98 per cent found it easy to use, and after three months 62 per cent were clear of all visible lesions. Daylight PDT clears about 70 per cent or more of pre-cancerous cells, and if it was cheaper it would be used more widely, says Dr Shergill. And therein lies the rub. A tube of the cream costs around 150 and each treatment requires one or two tubes. The current treatments for actinic keratosis usually start with liquid nitrogen to freeze them off, or scraping them off which are cheaper. However, daylight PDT also tackles invisible background damage; those treatments dont. Daylight PDT is normally a oneoff treatment (occasionally a second treatment is needed) and aftercare tends to be minimal, while recurrences and clearance rate from scraping or freezing can mean more follow-ups. A study in Jama Dermatology in 2014 found that after three months, the clearance rate with PDT (the forerunner to daylight PDT) was 14 per cent better than freezing. Although daylight PDT is available on the NHS, its typically used only for those who have multiple acitinic keratoses that have not responded to other multiple treatments. OTHER CREAMS THAT CAN HELP Its not the only product available for treating actinic keratosis and field change. GPs may offer a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory cream called Solaraze that has to be used twice a day for 90 days, although it is not as effective at treating background damage. Also, 90 days is a long time, and sometimes people give up, says Dr Hextall. Another prescription cream, imiquimod, stimulates the immune system to attack the abnormal skin cells. This causes inflammation that ultimately destroys the actinic keratosis. It has to be used five days on, two days off, usually for four weeks. How many times do you need to be told? Many people dont realise they need to use sunscreen in the UK, assuming our weather means they wont get much sun damage SUNSCREEN WONT AFFECT YOUR VITAMIN D LEVELS Many people worry that using sunscreen will reduce their levels of vitamin D, which our bodies produce in response to sunlight. In fact, these fears are unfounded, according to a major review of 75 studies, published recently in the British Journal of Dermatology. This isnt the first time that a study has shown this you actually dont need that much sun exposure in order to synthesise vitamin D, says dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall. Im really glad this study has been published as fear about a lack of vitamin D is the main argument I hear from patients against using sunscreen. Personally, I use factor 50 on my face every single day. Many people dont realise they need to use sunscreen in the UK, assuming our weather means they wont get much sun damage. Often its young people who are the worst, says dermatologist Dr Bav Shergill. There is a window of teenage independence when they do what they want and get burned. Sun exposure before the age of 20 is the highest risk factor for all skin cancers. Advertisement While effective for some, it can lead to weeping, cracked skin that lasts weeks, which can make people nervous of continuing with it. It costs around 55 per tube. A further alternative, Efudix, contains fluorouracil, a type of chemotherapy. This is used once or twice a day for four to six weeks. Cheaper than daylight PDT (it costs around 65 for four to six weeks treatment), it attacks abnormal skin cells and can be used on lesions and areas of sun-damaged skin. This can also cause crusting and inflammation, which may last weeks meaning, again, that not everyone continues with it. A trial last year, published in Dermatologic Therapy, comparing Efudix to daylight PDT found that Efudix was slightly more effective, clearing 93 per cent of lesions compared to 80 per cent with daylight PDT. However, the daylight PDT caused fewer adverse effects and patients preferred it. But these are all game-changing treatments and experts believe that theyre not being offered widely enough. WHEN YOU NEED TO SEEK ADVICE Dr Bewley says pre-cancerous growths generally are not taken seriously enough by doctors or the public. There is some awareness about the need to watch out for possible malignant melanomas [often in the form of brown, mole-like marks], he says. But when it comes to actinic keratosis, doctors often say just keep an eye on it which is sometimes the right advice, but it is always important to watch for any changes. Currently, doctors advise keeping an eye on early actinic keratosis, when it is small, flat and alone. Some may clear on their own. If it becomes painful or inflamed, this can be a sign it is transforming into a squamous cell carcinoma. But Dr Hextall says: GPs and hospitals are overwhelmed. So if someone comes in with an actinic keratosis, they often freeze it off there and then. We miss the chance to treat the field changes and pick up the small squamous or basal cell carcinomas that may be there. After Lavinia was diagnosed with actinic keratoses, the dermatologist tried to freeze them off. But the one under my eye didnt really respond at all and the one on my lip returned after a few months, she says. She then went to see another dermatologist privately who suggested daylight PDT. It not only got rid of the actinic keratosis it also treated some wider underlying sun damage on her face, reducing her risk of more skin cancers. I was quite surprised at how much crusting appeared afterwards a sign of just how much sun damage I had that had just not been apparent, Lavinia says. The treatment was pain-free. If I hadnt had it done I might have been at risk of further skin cancer. I had a lucky escape, and I hope more people can benefit. Feminine hygiene products have never been so brazen. Where once marketers stuck to euphemistic terms such as for intimate areas and feminine wash, now brands including Two L(i)ps, VMagic, The Perfect V and WooWoo (for women who care down there) want to openly sell you everything, from soothing sheet masks and exfoliants, to moisturising lips sticks, fragranced mists, serums and even skin-lightening creams all products designed to improve the appearance or scent of the vagina. The latest offering is from Vagisil, which is to launch a range of Scentsitive Scents V-Friendly Bath Bombs which, it says, are the first scented bath products specifically formulated for womens genitalia. Meanwhile, entrepreneur Meg Mathews has included an intimate wash and moisturiser in her new menopause range. Have you? More than a quarter of UK women had used intimate wipes or washes in the past six months, according to a 2015 survey by market research company Mintel. The feminine hygiene market is forecasted to be worth 33.5 billion worldwide by 2022, according to analyst Allied Market Research. The same report found that internal cleansers were the fastest-growing product category. Such products dont necessarily make specific health claims rather, they boast vaguely of being able to soothe, freshen or keep intimate skin happy. More than a quarter of UK women had used intimate wipes or washes in the past six months, according to a 2015 survey by market research company Mintel. But Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of the gynaecological cancer research charity The Eve Appeal, recently issued a broadside against the industry for selling shame in a bottle and perpetuating the falsehood that a womans body needs freshening or beautifying products in order to be considered normal. More worryingly for consumers, she voiced concerns that these products risk masking symptoms such as itching, which could mean that women might delay seeking medical advice when something was actually medically wrong. Its great that were being more open and less embarrassed about using words such as vagina and vulva, says Dr Anita Mitra, an NHS gynaecologist and research fellow in obstetrics and gynaecology at Imperial College London. But, because these products are out there, it makes women think they should be using them its creating paranoia. We dont need any of them. No doctor is going to recommend that you use them. Id never use any of these things myself. The problem isnt only that youll be wasting your money prices range from 2 to 10 for an intimate wash and 3 for a pack of 25 wipes, to 43 for 50ml of intensive beauty cream but you could also inadvertently be putting your health at risk. I think these products can potentially be quite harmful, says Dr Mitra. Fact: The feminine hygiene market is forecasted to be worth 33.5 billion worldwide by 2022, according to analyst Allied Market Research First of all, cleaning inside the vagina increases your risk of infections and thrush, as it disrupts the microbiome [the balance of natural bacteria], she explains. Its likely to wash away the natural good bacteria that live there, while bad bacteria, which tend to be more hardy and so are able to cling on to our cells a bit better, will flourish and cause infections. Nor should you use specific products on the outside. You should use only water, says Dr Mitra. Not special washes, not soaps, or anything like that Id even avoid getting your regular shower gel near the area. As well as washing away healthy bacteria that live there, she says, the skin is incredibly fragile and using soaps on it can cause it to become dry and sensitive. If you start using products there, its going to strip away the good oils that your skin makes as a natural, protective barrier. This, in turn, will make the tissue much more fragile and so will increase irritation. For the same reason, you should not use exfoliating products, which claim to smooth bumps on the bikini line and prevent ingrown hairs, she says. Scratching the skin in this way increases risk of infections including the risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) getting in there. This is a virus that can cause cervical cancer, but it can lead to vulval and vaginal cancers, too. Women should be especially wary of using intimate washes around their periods. Your vaginal microbiome changes throughout the month and, when youre having your period, levels of helpful Lactobacillus bacteria tend to be slightly lower, as its affected by the drop in oestrogen, says Dr Mitra. This means youre more vulnerable to infections such as thrush or bacterial vaginosis around your period, so you dont want to be cleaning at this time of the month and depleting the good bacteria even further. One product that Dr Tania Adib, a consultant gynaecologist at Queens Hospital in Romford, believes can be beneficial, though, is a simple external moisturiser. A lot of women find it helpful to moisturise the vulva, particularly as they age and the skin becomes drier, or after waxing or shaving, she says. But you need a fairly bland product free of parabens and preservatives, as these can be irritating to the area. However, Dr Mitra cautions: Chronic skin irritation is common after the menopause, because of fluctuating hormones, but its also something I see a lot in women with more serious problems who are self-medicating with over-the-counter products. This can be dangerous because, as well as common skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis, skin irritation on the vulva could be lichen sclerosus a chronic inflammatory condition that also puts you at a slightly higher risk of vulval cancer. I saw a patient last week with a pre-cancerous abnormality who had avoided going to the doctor for two years because shed been using moisturising products to try to deal with it herself. Ive seen it so many times and its dangerous, because cancers of the vulva and vagina are more common in post-menopausal women. The one product for which Dr Mitra says there can be a legitimate medical need is an internal moisturiser for dryness, which can be common after the menopause due to falling oestrogen levels. She adds: There are some over-the-counter moisturisers we will recommend for this. But you should still go to a doctor and have one prescribed to make sure theres nothing else going on. Thats my big problem with all of these products. It puts the onus on women to sort it all out themselves, perpetuating a myth that if you have a problem down there, its because of cleanliness or not moisturising. Theyre turning what should be seen as a health issue into a lifestyle one. Patients are still not being warned how difficult it can be to come off antidepressants, say psychiatrists campaigning for a reduction in the needless use of the drugs. Yet the withdrawal symptoms are frequently mistaken for a relapse in the condition for which the drugs were prescribed and, as a result, patients end up being put back on them. The psychiatrists are now calling for prescribing guidelines to be updated urgently. Under current NICE guidance, unchanged since 2004, withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants are described as usually mild and self-limiting over about one week. But both research and patients experience suggest otherwise, with severe symptoms including nausea, insomnia, anxiety and panic attacks that can last for weeks or longer. Fact: Under current NICE guidance, unchanged since 2004, withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants are described as usually mild and self-limiting over about one week Major research, published by the Mail in October, confirmed that the frequency, severity and duration of reactions to antidepressant withdrawal was more widespread, severe and long-lasting than doctors had been led to believe, with nearly half of patients suffering severe symptoms (thats 1.8 million in Britain). Now, in a letter published today in The BMJ, 14 of the worlds leading experts on antidepressant withdrawal are calling on NICE and the Royal College of Psychiatrists to review their guidelines urgently to bring them in line with the scientific evidence base. They say its concerning that, despite overwhelming evidence that millions of patients battle to come off antidepressants for months or even years, two recent surveys show only a tiny proportion recall being told anything about withdrawal effects, dependence, or potential difficulties coming off the drugs. The guidelines are misleading doctors about the extent to which withdrawal is an issue and this is causing devastating problems for many people, says Dr James Davies, a reader in medical anthropology and mental health at the University of Roehampton, and one of the letter signatories. A review by Dr Davies, published last year in the journal Addictive Behaviors, looked at 14 studies and found that half of patients experience withdrawal when trying to stop or reduce their antidepressants; nearly half described their withdrawal as severe. WHAT IS DEPRESSION? While it is normal to feel down from time to time, people with depression may feel persistently unhappy for weeks or months on end. Depression can affect anyone at any age and is fairly common approximately one in ten people are likely to experience it at some point in their life. Depression is a genuine health condition which people cannot just ignore or 'snap out of it'. Symptoms and effects vary, but can include constantly feeling upset or hopeless, or losing interest in things you used to enjoy. It can also cause physical symptoms such as problems sleeping, tiredness, having a low appetite or sex drive, and even feeling physical pain. In extreme cases it can lead to suicidal thoughts. Traumatic events can trigger it, and people with a family history may be more at risk. It is important to see a doctor if you think you or someone you know has depression, as it can be managed with lifestyle changes, therapy or medication. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement Dr Davies says the faulty guidance explains why, although the number of people being prescribed the drugs for the first time is slowly falling, millions are being kept on them for years. He says: So what happens to a person who turns up at their GP surgery four weeks after stopping a drug, still experiencing withdrawal effects? We fear those symptoms will be misdiagnosed as a return of their condition, and that doctors simply put them back on the antidepressants, leading to long-term use. The letters signatories cite evidence of the physical and emotional consequences of long-term antidepressant use, which range from weight gain and a worsening of depression, to an increased risk of dementia and even death. NICE is reviewing its guidelines on the diagnosis and management of depression. It is also developing separate guidelines on the safe prescribing and withdrawal management of prescribed drugs. A spokesman said it was too early to confirm antidepressants would be included, though wed envisage they would be. But even if they are, consultation has yet to begin and this means we could be waiting for three or four more years before these necessary guideline changes are made, says Dr Davies. Last week, the Royal College of Psychiatrists revealed to Good Health that it has completed a year-long assessment of the current evidence about antidepressants and our views on how to promote optimal use and management. It will be published soon. Professor Wendy Burn, president of the college, adds: We need high-quality research to improve our understanding of withdrawal problems so these can be minimised. For many people with more severe depression, antidepressants are an effective treatment. Jaguar Land Rover has posted a 3.6billion annual loss in its full year annual report today as a slump in diesel sales hammers the car maker. Britain's largest carmaker - owned by Indian firm Tata - slumped from a 400million profit in the previous financial year as it was hit by the economic slowdown in China. Jaguar Land Rover, which announced 4,500 job cuts earlier this year, generated pre-tax profits of 120million in Q4 ending March 31, 2019. However, there was no recover from the 3.3billion writedown suffered in the third quarter. Weakness in the Chinese car market, which was cited as a key reason for job losses, resulted in a 5.8 per cent decline in sales to 578,915 vehicles in the region. Jaguar Land Rover has posted a 3.6billion annual loss in its full year annual report today as a slump in diesel sales hammers the car maker Another reason behind the downturn is that fewer motorists are purchasing cars with diesel engines - which the majority of JLR products are. Speaking on Monday, chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said: 'Jaguar Land Rover has been one of the first companies in its sector to address the multiple headwinds simultaneously sweeping the automotive industry. 'We are focused on the future as we overcome the structural and cyclical issues that impacted our results in the past financial year. 'We will go forward as a transformed company that is leaner and fitter, building on the sustained investment of recent years in new products and the autonomous, connected, electric and shared technologies that will drive future demand. Weakness in the Chinese car market, which was cited as a key reason for job losses earlier this year, resulted in a 5.8 per cent decline in sales to 578,915 vehicles in the region However, the firm was positive about unit sales in the UK and in north America, which jumped 8.4 per cent and 8.1 per cent respectively during the year. Full-year revenues fell 5.6 per cent to 7.1billion, as growth in the US and UK was offset by 'weaker Chinese market conditions'. The company launched a 2.5billion turnaround programme earlier this year and has spent more than 149million on redundancy costs to date. The turnaround programme has already delivered 1.25billion in cost savings and efficiencies, JLR said. Deepening losses come after it was reporter earlier this month that PSA - the owner of Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall - was eyeing up a deal to acquire the luxury car manufacturer. Customers considering signing up for American Express's Platinum Card rewards have three weeks to beat an annual fee hike - and get 30,000 miles for an initial 2,000 spend. From June 11, Amex's card will be made from metal rather than plastic, and cost 575 a year compared to 450 now. For those who can play by the rules signing up now may be worthwhile, according to frequent flyer website Head for Points. The company unveiled a metal version of the Platinum card in the United States in 2017, and the news means it follows Curve, N26 and Revolut as the latest provider to offer a replacement for plastic. From June 11 American Express' Platinum Card will come in metal not in plastic. It makes Amex the latest card provider to offer a premium card made of the material Apple is also partnering with Goldman Sachs to launch a titanium card in America later this year, though there's no suggestion of a UK launch just yet. As well as the price hike and the makeover, the other headline change coming in June is that the amount holders need to spend within 90 days to unlock the 30,000 reward point bonus is doubling from 2,000. This particular move is likely as a result of recent Amex changes that cut sign-up offers on some of its other reward cards; namely the Preferred Rewards Gold Card and the Reward Credit Card. Those changes meant at the time that Platinum cardholders could get 20,000 more points for spending 1,000 less in the first three months compared to those who had the Gold card. The 125 fee hike isn't just to pay for the card's style upgrade though, as a couple of other changes come into effect in June too. Cardholders will receive 10 a month cashback on Addison Lee bookings made using the card, and $200 in cashback each time you spend that much or its local currency equivalent on a 'onefinestay' house or apartment rental. If you were to use your card to book somewhere in London, you'd receive 150 cashback on bookings worth 150 or more. On top of that, you get the standard Amex Platinum benefits like worldwide travel insurance for trips of up to 90 days, airport lounge access and free hotel benefits. Free ride: One of the benefits customers who sign up to Amex's Platinum Card after June 11 will receive is 10 a month cashback on taxi bookings made with Addison Lee using the card Should you sign up now or wait for June? The announcement means those considering a Platinum card who don't already have one have until June 11 to decide whether to lock in the old offer or wait for the new one. Those who apply before then will have to pay 450 for 12 months and benefit from the old spend threshold for 30,000 points of 2,000. You also get 11 10 Addison Lee credits you can use between signing up and renewing in May 2020. However, if you do like to use your credit card to make a fashion statement, Amex is only sending out metal cards from June 11. Rob Burgess, editor of Head for Points, said: 'As always, whether or not the fee on the Platinum Card represents value for money long-term depends on how many of the card benefits you will use, although you can cancel for a pro-rata fee refund at any point. 'If you think it could work for you, and you should easily come out on top for the first year when you factor in the 30,000 points, the insurance, the airport lounge access, the hotel status cards and the new 10 Addison Lee credit, then I would make a move before 11th June.' Nicky Kelvin, director of content at website The Points Guy UK, said that while there were 'some benefits' to Amex's changes, for most card holders the changes made the card 'less attractive'. He said: 'Especially if you are able to use the Addison Lee credit each month, there are some benefits to the new changes. The Platinum Card was never for everyone. 'These changes make the group of people who might value the card, and are able to extract benefits, smaller. For those who use the insurance, lounge access and the newly introduced benefits, it's still a great card. 'But for most, these changes make the card less attractive.' American Express said: 'American Express has announced new benefits for Platinum Cardmembers, who already enjoy worldwide travel and car hire insurance, a host of hotel and travel benefits, as well as lounge access and a dedicated concierge service. 'These enhancements reflect our ongoing commitment to continually develop new benefits and experiences for our Cardmembers. 'The annual fee for the Platinum Card has been increased to 575 to reflect the range of existing and new benefits available to Cardmembers as part of their membership.' The FTSE 100 closed down 37.74 points at 7310.88 and the pound was at $1.27 against the dollar. In a further sign of the turbulence being experienced in the airline sector, budget airline Ryanair has posted a 29 per cent drop in annual profits. Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, said he is expecting 'broadly flat group profits' into the financial year ending 2020, on the basis of there being 'no negative Brexit developments.' Today's other big business story involves another hot topic, housing. London-based estate agency group Foxtons has posted a drop in sales for the last three months, warning that the market in the capital remains 'challenging.' Ryanair's full year profits have fallen 29 per cent to 890million (1.02 billion) after being hit with a 6 per cent decline in fares and rising costs, the company said. Investors and traders did not react well, with shares trading 0.53 down at 10.28 shortly before the close, a fall of 4.9 per cent. This was despite the company reporting traffic growth of 7 per cent to March 31 2019 and revenues up 6 per cent to 6.6bn over the same period. Ryanair's full year profits have fallen 29 per cent to 890m Ryanair said it is is expecting 'broadly flat group profits' into the financial year ending in 2020 when reporting will include recent acquisition Lauda, but this is dependent on there being 'no negative Brexit developments'. The airline forecast the figure will range from 660million to 830million. The company also said it had delayed the delivery of five Boeing 737 Max aircraft until winter, with no meaningful benefit from the new aircraft expected until 2021. It said: 'We continue to have utmost confidence in these aircraft which have 4 per cent more seats, are 16 per cent more fuel efficient and generate 40 per cent lower noise emissions.' Two Boeing 737-Max aircraft crashes - one in Ethiopia in March and another in Indonesia in October - have meant the aircraft is temporarily grounded until safety checks and improvements have been carried out. The Ryanair board has also approved a 610million share buyback which will commence later this week and run over the next year. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell said: 'With full year profit at the lower end of reduced guidance from January and a gloomy outlook it is little wonder budget airline Ryanair is in a tailspin. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary addresses a news conference in Austria 'Times are tough for the travel industry. Brexit is affecting consumer sentiment, appetite for travel and the operating environment for the airlines themselves. If that weren't enough, oil prices are on the rise and excess capacity is adding to the pressure on profitability.' 'Ryanair can offer little reassurance to its shareholders that the current turbulence will subside as there is no visibility on fares,' Mould continued. 'Or in other words, the good news for passengers is that they are likely to continue to pay less to fly.' 'And while the business is doing its best to keep them under control, costs are steadily increasing, even if you take fuel out of the equation. This is notable given the company built its success on very tight control of the purse strings.' 'Once the high-flying star of the industry, the company has clearly run into some difficulties in recent times,' added Ian Forrest, investment research analyst at The Share Centre. 'While some of its issues are commonplace across the industry there have been other negatives such as staff strikes, profit warnings and executive bonuses which have dampened sentiment further.' 'Until there are signs of improvement on costs and fare pricing, investors should be cautious. We prefer International Consolidated Airlines in this sector for investors seeking growth but willing to accept a higher level of risk.' Thomas Cook was battling a market rout last night as its shares and bonds plunged to record lows. Shares nosedived by 25 per cent to 8.4p in early trading amid mounting concern for the 178-year-old company, with 22,000 jobs on the line. The travel operator spent much of Monday reassuring customers on social media that they will still be able to go on their holidays, after issuing a statement at the weekend that insisted it is running as normal. Thomas Cook was battling a market rout last night as its shares and bonds plunged to record lows. Shares nosedived by 25 per cent to 8.4p in early trading Its share price later recovered some ground, ending the day down 12.7 per cent, or 1.5p, at 10.3p, but still dramatically below its peak of 302.3p in 2007. And the price of Thomas Cook's bonds long-term debt that is usually seen as relatively safe dropped in value by around a third. The falls followed weekend reports that a middleman company which processes customer payments could temporarily withhold millions of pounds owed to Thomas Cook due to concerns about its financial health. A similar move by credit card companies pushed Flybe to the brink of collapse earlier this year. Last week Thomas Cook spooked investors and holidaymakers alike when it revealed it had racked up a record first-half loss of 1.5 billion. Most of this was due to the company writing down the value of My Travel, a rival firm it bought in 2007, by 1.1 billion. But in its third profit warning in less than a year, the company warned that the second half of 2019 will be worse than previously thought. The firm which sent 22 million travellers on holiday last year is suffocating under a 1.3 billion debt mountain and is desperately trying to sell its airline business, which is struggling in the crowded European budget market. Thomas Cook was also forced to tap the market for 300 million earlier this year because it was worried it would not survive the winter, when travel firms tend to bring in the least cash. On Friday, Citigroup analyst James Ainley said the shares should be valued at 0p, effectively branding them worthless. Yesterday in a fresh note, Ainley said the company should undertake a restructuring known as a debt-for-equity swap, which would mean that lenders take control of Thomas Cook. In a sign of mounting jitters over the company's prospects, its bonds which are listed in Berlin fell heavily too, dropping as much as a third in price, according to trading firm AJ Bell. This is a sign that investors are worried a company might not be able to pay back what it owes. Russ Mould of trading firm AJ Bell said: 'Thomas Cook's publicly traded bonds have gone into meltdown, losing more than a third of their value in a single day's trading yesterday. 'This suggests that bondholders are frightened the firm needs fresh capital and may not be able to raise it, with the result that they might not get their interest payments let alone the return of their original investment upon maturity. 'The fact that investors are demanding such high returns to compensate themselves for the dangers associated with holding Thomas Cook's bonds shows you how risky they think the company is and how precarious its finances are.' It is also feared that doubts over the travel company's credibility will mean it struggles even more with holidaymakers becoming less willing to use Thomas Cook to book their summer breaks and, in turn, bringing in less revenue. The company, however, claimed its financial position is strengthening over the summer, as it usually does. A spokesman added: 'We have taken a number of proactive steps in recent months to strengthen our financial position. We have the support of our lending banks and major shareholders, and just last week we agreed additional funding for our coming winter cash-low period.' Thomas Cook stressed its holidays are covered by the Atol protection scheme, which ensures consumers will not lose money or be stranded if a travel firm fails. Foxtons was hit by an embarrassing investor revolt last night over fat-cat pay. The estate agent's remuneration report was rejected by almost 22 per cent of shareholders at its AGM in Chiswick, west London. It came after boss Nick Budden and finance chief Mark Berry were handed 389,000 in bonuses for 2018, up from 371,000 the previous year. Foxtons was hit by an embarrassing investor revolt last night over fat-cat pay That was despite the company swinging into an annual loss, and shares plunging by 36 per cent during that period. Overall, Budden was given 910,000 and Berry 480,000. The rebellion means that Foxtons will be named and shamed by the Investment Association trade body on a list of firms which have been hit by significant revolts. A Foxtons spokesman said after the vote that it 'acknowledges the concerns raised by shareholders, in particular regarding the 2018 bonus outcomes'. The firm also revealed the number of homes it is selling in London had dropped to record lows. Foxtons blamed uncertainty over Brexit for creating 'very challenging' market conditions in the capital. Group revenues fell to 23.8 million in the first three months of this year, down from 24.5 million during the same period in 2018. It also announced that it is parting ways with chief financial officer Mark Berry by 'mutual agreement'. Foxtons shares fell 4.7 per cent, or 2.8p, to 57.2p after the announcements. Jaguar Land Rover racked up a record loss after diesel sales slumped but insisted it is not trying to merge with French firm Peugeot. Britain's largest car maker swung to a 3.6 billion loss for the year ended March 31. This was mostly due to a 3.1 billion write-down in the value of its investments in the third quarter, after demand for some of its newer models plunged. Jaguar Land Rover racked up a record loss after diesel sales slumped but insisted it is not trying to merge with French firm Peugeot Around half of this was because existing investments such as factories, equipment and car designs are worth less than previously hoped due to the problems faced by the industry. And the rest was money wiped off in an accounting correction because the firm expects to earn less in coming years than it previously expected. It came as sales for cars such as the Jaguar saloon halved compared with the same period the year before. The company has struggled with plunging demand in China made worse due to the US-China trade war triggered by President Trump and drivers ditching diesel cars since the Volkswagen emissions scandal emerged in 2015. Much of its range is diesel-powered. It did not provide an update about widespread rumours that its parent company, Tata Motors, is planning to sell a stake in JLR to the French company PSA Groupe, which is behind Peugeot. But a board member denied the rumours, saying: 'Every two weeks this comes out. Every two weeks we make the same comment. There is no truth to these rumours. We do not comment on speculation.' Land Rover has been struggling since the downturn in demand from China, one of its biggest markets The British firm - owned by Tata - announced it was to cut around 4,500 jobs across its UK plants earlier this year JLR, which was bought by India's Tata for 1.2 billion in 2008, said the situation is starting to improve. It made a 120 million profit in the last three months of the financial year. The company which employs about 40,000 people in the UK put this down to huge rounds of cost-cutting paying off after it announced plans to axe 4,500 jobs earlier this year. Chief executive Ralf Speth said JLR which also makes the luxury Range Rover models has been one of the first companies in its sector 'to address the multiple headwinds simultaneously sweeping the automotive industry'. He claimed that JLR's turnaround plan has already saved 1.3 billion. Full-year revenue came in at 24.2 billion, down from 25.8 billion the year before. It sold 6 per cent fewer vehicles, or 578,915, which it put down to weakness in China. But the company said it is seeing solid sales for several of its new cars, such as the Jaguar E-Pace and Range Rover Velar. Tata Motors' finance chief, Pathamadai Balachandran Balaji, said he expects Chinese sales of its sleek Jaguar saloons and Land Rover SUVs to return to growth later this year. JLR had made a profit of 1.5 billion in its previous financial year, 2017/18. Ford to cull thousands of jobs worldwide Ford will cut 7,000 jobs worldwide around 10 per cent of its global workforce in a bid to slash costs. Ford will cut 7,000 jobs worldwide in a bid to slash costs The American car maker said the job losses would be made through a mixture of voluntary and compulsory redundancies. About 2,300 roles will be axed in the US and 1,200 in Germany. It has yet to be clarified how many of its 12,000 UK jobs are at stake, though recent reports claim it will mainly between 500 and 550 'white collar, salaried employees'. BP will come under pressure from investors to ramp up its fight against climate change BP will come under pressure from investors to ramp up its fight against climate change during its annual general meeting today. Its carbon emissions hit a six-year high in 2018, and it is being lobbied by activists to clean up its act. Greenpeace activists yesterday blocked the entrances to BPs head office in central London, urging the firm to end oil and gas exploration. BP has already bowed to pressure and backed a resolution committing it to be more transparent about its emissions. It will also link bosses bonuses to reduction targets. The resolution has been proposed by a group of 58 shareholders holding 10 per cent of the companys shares, known as Climate Action 100+. But others are calling for BP to go further and follow rival Shell, which has agreed to reduce emissions not just from its own activities but also those of the fuel and products it sells. A resolution supporting this tougher stance has been proposed by climate change activist group Follow This, but is opposed by BP. Greenpeace activists yesterday blocked the entrances to BPs head office in central London, urging the firm to end oil and gas exploration The BP AGM is due to take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition And Conference Centre. Shell will hold its AGM in the Netherlands today, and has won support from Follow This for its climate change policies. The group had put forward a resolution calling on Shell to adopt different ways of measuring its progress on climate issues, but was persuaded to withdraw it beforehand. Ryanair's annual profits dropped to a four-year low of 832 million as it was hit by a fall in fare takings and rising fuel costs. The budget airline said it flew 142 million customers across Europe in the year to March 31, up 9 per cent on the previous year. However, profits dropped by a third. Chief executive Michael OLeary put this down to a later Easter holiday, which fell outside the financial year, meaning that the lucrative holiday period was not included in the results. Ryanair's annual profits dropped to a four-year low of 832 million as it was hit by a fall in fare takings and rising fuel costs Fierce competition on short-haul routes also played a part in pushing the average fare down by 6 per cent to 32. And Ryanair was battling a 23 per cent rise in fuel costs to 2.1 billion after oil prices rose. It warned that this year the fuel bill will rise by another 19 per cent, or 403 million, to 2.5 billion. Profits fell at the firms Austrian airline Laudamotion, and it had to spend 28 per cent more on staff salaries costing it 829 million after a series of deals with unions to avert strikes. OLeary said the price of fares will keep falling in Germany and the UK. A number of other companies in the sector, such as Tui and Easyjet, have said that worries about a hard Brexit occurring in March put travellers off booking summer holidays abroad earlier in the year. Ryanair said that revenues rose 6 per cent to 6.6 billion, as it made more money from add-ons such as reserved seating and priority boarding. Prospective buyers in Wales, the West and East Midlands and the North West of England face hefty asking price hikes amid ever-burgeoning demand and low supplies. In Wales, the average asking price of a newly-listed home breached the 200,000 mark for the first time on record last month, rising by 2.1 per cent, Rightmove's latest figures show. Across the country, month-on-month, average property asking prices for homes coming onto the market swelled by 2,841, with four out of 11 regions 'showing few signs of any Brexit blues', Rightmove said. Prices: Regional property price shifts in the last month and year, according to Rightmove In the North East of England, the average asking price rose by 1.5 per cent to around 153,752 last month, while over the last year, prices in the region are up 2.6 per cent. In Scotland, month-on-month, property prices increased by 1.1 per cent to just over 157,000, with homes taking around 44 days to sell. Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst, said: 'Price increases are the norm at this time of year, with only one fall in the last ten years, as new-to-the-market sellers price aspirations are under-pinned by the higher buyer demand that is a feature of the spring market. New-to-the-market sellers price aspirations are under-pinned by the higher buyer demand that is a feature of the spring market Miles Shipside, Rightmove 'Indeed the 0.9 per cent monthly rise is consistent with the previous two years average rise of 1.0 per cent over the same period. 'What will seem inconsistent to some, given the ongoing uncertainty of the Brexit outcome, is that four out of eleven regions have hit record highs for new seller asking prices.' Shifts: Month-on-month asking price trends shown in Rightmove's latest figures Prices through time: Average asking price fluctuations over the last five years He added: 'These increases are the result of a combination of strong demand, buyers affordability headroom, and a continuing shortage of suitable properties. Agents in these areas say that Brexit concerns are not really on the agenda of home-movers; they are more concerned with satisfying their housing needs.' Agents in these areas say that Brexit concerns are not really on the agenda of home-movers Miles Shipside, Rightmove In Wales, the East and West Midlands and the North West, the number of new sellers in the year to date has remained steady at -0.3 per cent compared with same period a year ago. But, the picture is less rosy in London and the South East of England. In the last month, prices in London have risen by 1.5 per cent, but taking the year as a whole, average prices are down 2.5 per cent, with homes taking around 74 days to sell. Why are prices on the up in Wales? Dafydd Spear, sales manager at Belvoir Swansea Dafydd Spear, sales manager at Belvoir Swansea, said: 'Its great that Wales has broken that 200,000 barrier and I think its because theres not so much Brexit doom and gloom here. 'In terms of whats happening in Swansea, were seeing lots of investment in the city centre which is really driving things and boosting the whole area, and of course were all still waiting to see whether the Tidal Lagoon eventually gets the green light. 'But were a very buoyant market. People still need to buy, and people still need to sell and over the last 12 months its been all system go really. Weve been seeing a few cheeky offers, but by and large were getting houses sold at very close to their asking prices, and in some cases, exceeding them.' In the South East, the average asking price of a home increased by just 0.6 per cent month-on-month and in the past year has fallen by 1.1 per cent, bringing the average price to around 407,000. Nationally, over the course of the year, average asking prices are up just 0.1 per cent to 308,290. The average price paid by a first-time buyer is 191,067. How much have you paid? Average national asking prices, according to Rightmove Brian Murphy, head of lending for the Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: 'Looking at this months data, the fact that Wales, the East and West Midlands and the North West are reported to have been "star performers" again over the last month isnt entirely surprising. 'Localised factors, such as the recent lifting of tolls on the Severn Bridge and the ongoing infrastructure improvements around the Mersey Gateway are likely to be a contributing factor to the sustained levels of buyer demand in these areas. 'Elsewhere however, according to the Rightmove data, the diverging market picture seems to be continuing and consistent on the previous twelve months or so, which again isnt exactly unexpected. 'What does appear to be clear is that, regardless of region, there is still a discernible level of buyer and seller activity as pent-up demand appears to have given way to a degree of commitment. 'That said, in some areas it appears to be more of a needs driven market, whilst the majority of discretionary movers still spectate from the side-lines. However, for those whose individual circumstanced dictate that they need to move home, the current highly competitive mortgage market is likely to provide support in the form of near-record low product rates, and lenders who are very much open for business.' Four years ago, the Government brought in a rule change that had dramatic consequences for retirees. The reforms, known as 'pension freedoms', gave savers unprecedented flexibility around how they spend their hard-earned cash in retirement. But with that freedom comes a huge responsibility to ensure you do not run out of money and end up living on the poverty line in old age. Pension freedoms: Reforms gave savers unprecedented flexibility around how they spend their hard-earned cash in retirement Alan Plant, a 74 year-old retired engineer from Sutton, Surrey, is a textbook example of the way to make smart choices to avoid that kind of fate. His savvy investment strategy gives him an income of around 40,000 a year, which means he can enjoy cruises and other luxuries with his wife, Valerie, who is 75. Before the rule change, most people simply bought an annuity, which is like an insurance policy that guarantees to provide a set income for life. While this is still an option and for many people a wise choice those who feel confident managing their own investments can instead now opt for something called drawdown, where you keep your money invested in shares and funds and take out an income as and when you need it. This approach is not new, but before the rule change only the wealthiest pensioners could choose this option, as retirees had to prove they had a guaranteed pension income of at least 20,000 before they could use drawdown. Alan sold his engineering firm to his business partner in 2005 at the age of 60, but continued to work for the company part-time for another ten years. He had several pensions from previous jobs, which were worth around 4,000 a year. Before pension freedoms were introduced, he was not allowed to use drawdown, as his income was too low. When the changes came, Alan was delighted, as it meant he could reinvest his money to try to build up a larger sum for the future. How much do you need to save for retirement? The amount that you need to save each month for retirement depends on how big a pension you want, but it also depends on your age. The longer you have to go before you stop working, the more time you have to save and to benefit from investment returns. If you start in your 20s, then paying in 12 per cent of your salary may be enough, but if you leave it until you're over 40 then you might need to pay in closer to 20 per cent. Our pension calculator designed with the help of investment experts at Fidelity can help you understand how much you may need to save. Put in your income, when you expect to retire, how much you are setting aide and what other funds you have and it will tell you how much you could get in retirement, adjusted for inflation. The figures are based on prospective returns from numbers crunched by Fidelity's experts, which err on the side of caution. With luck, investment returns will be better and you will end up with an even bigger retirement pot. Use the pension calculator here to try it out. Find out whether your retirement plans are on track using the Money Advice Services pensions calculator 'I was never going to fritter away my pension, but the changes meant I could spend the money I had saved in the way I wanted,' says Alan. His financial adviser, Darren Collett at Elmwood Financial Consulting, recommended he move his 170,000 savings and annuities to wealth management firm Brewin Dolphin, where he could access drawdown. Drawdown is not for everyone, Alan warns. Those who cannot afford to lose any money on stocks or funds might be better off sticking with an annuity, which offers greater security. But Alan was willing to take a risk with his investments to try to build a bigger income for the future. Most pension savers are advised to take a more cautious approach as they move closer to retirement, because they will have less time to recoup any losses. But in Alan's case, his strategy paid off and the fund peaked at 242,000 in 2017. His best performing investments include Fidelity Emerging Markets, Findlay Park American Fund Sterling Hedged and Liontrust Special Situations Fund, which have all turned an investment of 1,000 into 1,400 or more over the past three years. Alan takes around 15,000 a year out of his investments as his annual income, a quarter of which is tax-free. Also, he has a full state pension and some earnings from Isa investments, bringing his total income to 40,000 a year. Careful planning with the help of an adviser means he is taking his money efficiently and pays around only 3,545 in tax a year. Alan and Valerie never imagined they would be able to afford to travel as much as they do. The couple have lost count of the number of cruises they have taken it has been two years since they celebrated their 500th night at sea on a Saga cruise. They have visited countries including Sri Lanka, China and New Zealand, plus Antarctica. Alan says: 'When you have worked hard all your life for your money, it has not been handed to you on a plate, so you deserve to enjoy it. 'We intend to keep travelling and have already booked a trip to New York for Christmas.' A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy has died in custody at a Border Patrol station in South Texas. The minor, whose name was not released, is the fifth migrant child to die in the custody of the U.S. government since December 2018. All off the five children to have died have been Guatemalan nationals. The CBP said the teenager was arrested after crossing the border in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley on May 13. The immigration agency said the boy was found unresponsive Monday morning during a welfare check at the Weslaco, Texas, center. His cause of death is unknown. Jackeline Caal Maquin (left) and Felipe Gomez-Alonzo (right) are two of the five Guatemalan migrants that have died under custody of United States immigration officials since December 2018 The agency did not say why the teenager had been detained for a week, but said he was "due for placement" in a facility for youth operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Federal law requires the Department of Homeland Security to send minors unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian to HHS within 72 hours of determining that the child is unaccompanied. Juan de Leon Gutierrez and Wilmer Josue Ramirez Vazquez were the third and fourth Guatemalan children, respectively, to die in the custody of U.S. immigration officials The Border Patrol has faced months of scrutiny over its care of children it apprehends at the border. Telemundo identified Wilmer Josue Ramirez Vazquez, as the two-year-old who died on May 14 after he and his mother were detained by the Border Patrol in April. On April 30, 16-year-old Juan de Leon Gutierrez died after officials at an HHS detention facility noticed that he was sick. He was hospitalized in intensive care for several days before his death. Five children from Guatemala have died under custody of U.S. immigration officials since December 2018, including two since May 14 Officials at the Weslaco Station in the U.S. Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley Sector were carrying out a welfare check when they found a 16-year-old boy unresponsive. He was declared dead After the deaths of two children, Jakelin Caal Maquin, aged seven, and Felipe Gomez-Alonzo, aged eight in December, the Department of Homeland Security ordered medical checks of all children in its custody and expanded medical screenings. Trump administration officials have said they have passed a "breaking point" in the immigration detention system, with the numbers of parents and children crossing the border dramatically exceeding the capacity at facilities. That strain is particularly acute in the Rio Grande Valley, which has more unauthorized border crossings than any other region. The Border Patrol has released photos of adults and children lying in small, military-style tents or on the grass and pavement outside of two of its stations. It also recently opened a 500-person tent near one port of entry and announced plans to open another. In Part 1 of DailyMailTV's two-part exclusive interview, Mareli Miniutti describes her disturbing altercation with the bellicose attorney Michael Avenatti. The former live-in lover of Michael Avenatti, has revealed the terrifying moment Stormy Daniels' former lawyer allegedly turned on her, violently grabbed her wrists yelling you 'ungrateful c**t' before dragging her screaming across the floor of his apartment and hurling her out the door. Breaking her silence in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV, Mareli Miniutti said she was left 'shocked' and 'shaken' after the alleged attack on November 13 last year which left her bruised and suffering painful carpet burns. The 25-year-old Estonian actress claims Avenatti, 48, called her obscenities during the altercation at his $22,000 a month luxury LA apartment, which led to him being booked for felony domestic assault and Miniutti filing a restraining order against him. The lawyer, best known for formerly representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her case against President Trump, vehemently denied any wrongdoing after his release on bail and even claimed the allegations were fabricated by his political adversaries. In a statement to DailyMailTV, Avenatti said: 'There is a reason why I was cleared of all wrongdoing by three separate investigations. 'These outlandish claims are unsubstantiated and completely bogus.' Miniutti wiped tears from her eyes as she described the night, claiming: 'He grabbed my wrists, looked me in the eyes with menace and called me a f**king ungrateful c**t, it sent chills down my spine, I was terrified.' The alleged attack was the breaking point in a year long relationship beset with problems, with Miniutti adding: 'After what he did that night there was no going back, I would never be in a relationship with him anymore.' Mareli Miniutti has exclusively recounted to DailyMailTV the horror night her then-boyfriend Michael Avenatti violently threw her out of his apartment. The 25-year-old revealed Avenatti, 48, called her a 'motherf***er' and an 'ungrateful b***h,' during the altercation at his Los Angeles pad last November Miniutti claims her much older boyfriend was verbally and physically abusive, financially controlling and manipulative and from the start, told her a string of lies about himself The blonde beauty, who started dating the California litigator in October 2017, claims Avenatti assaulted her following a petty argument over money MINIUTTI'S ATTORNEY SAYS AVENATTI HASN'T BEEN CLEARED Miniutti's attorney Michael Bachner hit back at Avenatti's claim he has been 'cleared,' saying: 'As we know, he was not cleared of all wrong doing. 'There was just a decision made by the City Attorney's office not to proceed with the case. 'There was no finding that he didn't do anything wrong. In fact the City Attorney's office indicated to me that they believed Mareli, so that's just not accurate. 'They didn't prosecute because they had concerns about whether they could secure a conviction, not that they felt he didn't do anything wrong. 'And they still reserve the right to bring those charges if they wanted to.' Bachner, a former prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, explained that the Los Angeles DA's office dropped the case because Avenatti's alleged conduct did not rise to the level of a felony. The misdemeanor charges were not pursued because the City Attorney didn't believe they could secure a conviction. Bachner says Miniutti still has a temporary restraining order against Avenatti and a recent hearing to request the order be made permanent was adjourned until October 11. The prominent criminal defense attorney says Miniutti feels 'betrayed' by the justice system and described his client as an 'honest' and 'credible' person. 'In my dealings with Mareli, I've always found her to be, as the detectives did, credible, someone who is a caring individual who had no personal animus against Avenatti. This was not a revenge type of thing. 'This was someone who legitimately was concerned for her safety because of what she perceived to be Avenatti's very serious anger issues and I think the affidavit she filled out and the pictures she took reflected that the injuries that she sustained were real and Mareli has always been somebody who just wanted to be safe.' Advertisement He added: 'Is she now a waitress?' But Miniutti's lawyer Michael Bachner disagrees, and says Avenatti isn't cleared of all wrongdoing, just that the City Attorney's office decided not to proceed with the case. For Bachner's full explanation, see the fact box on the right. Miniutti claims her much older boyfriend was verbally and physically abusive, financially controlling and manipulative and from the start, told her a string of lies about himself. Photos submitted into court showed Miniutti's injuries from that fateful night. Miniutti says the altercation left her with scratches on the side of her leg and hand as well as 'carpet burns' on her left side from being dragged across the ground. The blonde beauty, who started dating the California litigator in October 2017, claims Avenatti assaulted her following a petty argument over money. The fight began in the master bedroom when Avenatti began to berate her and called her an 'ungrateful f***ing b***h' when she complained about not having enough money to buy gas for the car. 'He stood up from the bed and was screaming at me, he called me an ungrateful f***ing b***h and said I was disrespectful. He left the room and slammed the door.' Miniutti said she decided to sleep in the guest room to not antagonize the situation further. 'Shortly after he came there and started yelling at me to 'get the f**k out'. He told me that I'm a 'c**t' and a 'disgrace' and all kinds of things, whatever came to his mind. He picked up a pillow and started hitting me aggressively with it. 'I was like, 'Whoa, babe, this is not cool, what's going on?'. I grabbed my phone, I started texting my girlfriend, Jasmine. 'He just aggressively grabbed the phone out of my hand and said it's his phone as well as it's his apartment, so I should get the f**k out of his place. 'I was brushing it off because he had told me those things before. I tried to stay calm but then he turned more aggressive. 'He grabbed my wrists, looked me in the eyes with menace and called be a f**king ungrateful c**t, it sent chills down my spine, I was terrified. 'He started to drag me out of the bed.' Wiping tears from her eyes as she described the ordeal Miniutti says Avenatti's hand slipped at first because of the body oil she had put on after showering. But his second attempt was more successful. The actress, who appeared in Ocean's 8, says she became 'afraid' for her safety and screamed for help towards a window. The 25-year-old Estonian actress revealed that Avenatti, 48, called her a 'motherf***er' and an 'ungrateful b***h,' during the altercation at his $22,000 a month luxury Los Angeles apartment Miniutti says the altercation left her with scratches on the side of her leg and hand as well as 'carpet burns' on her left side from being dragged across the ground The actress said: 'I was so shocked and scared, I felt broken and couldn't even stand up, so I reached for the doorbell of our neighbor and rang it but Michael heard it. He opened the door again and dragged me back in and started yelling at me, 'what the f**k is wrong with you, you motherf**king c**t why are you getting other people involved?' I was so scared of him' 'He got me out of the bed and dragged me out of our apartment all the way to the public hallway in my panties and I was wearing a t-shirt,' she recalls. 'I was so shocked and scared, I felt broken and couldn't even stand up, so I reached for the doorbell of our neighbor and rang it but Michael heard it. 'He opened the door again and dragged me back in and started yelling at me, 'what the f**k is wrong with you, you motherf**king c**t why are you getting other people involved?' I was so scared of him. 'I screamed and then I just instinctively stood up and I said, 'please don't come closer to me, please give me my phone and I'll just go.' To see someone screaming at you, exploding at you, being so aggressive and nasty with their words and then to change it to 'I love you baby' in a second, I was scared. Miniutti says in that instant Avenatti changed his behavior. 'He started saying, 'Hey baby, we're so much better than this,' she recalls. 'And that was the moment when I just tried to run out. I didn't even care that I didn't have pants on, I just wanted to escape. 'Just to see someone screaming at you, exploding at you, being so aggressive and nasty with their words and then to change it to 'I love you baby' in a second, I was scared. 'I had seen both Michaels, but I had no idea he could switch it up so quickly, that's what freaked me out, that's what really scared me.' Miniutti, who was raised in Voru, Estonia, a small town of 14,000 people, before coming to America aged 19 as an au pair, says she tried to run out of the apartment but Avenatti blocked the door. She said: 'He was holding the door and not allowing me to escape. I ran to the bedroom and knew he'd follow, I put on some yoga pants.' The slender framed blonde managed to bypass Avenatti as he circled her in the bedroom, exited the apartment barefoot, and made a run for the elevator as he chased after her. While the two were in the elevator, he allegedly began to beg, 'Don't do this Mareli, don't involve them.' Miniutti says she was distraught and made it down to the front desk of the apartment complex and started telling the security personnel what had happened. She says: 'I was all freaked out and was telling them what happened, I told them to check the security cameras but unfortunately there wasn't any cameras.' By this time Avenatti had changed his body language and he was 'calm'. Miniutti, who was raised in Voru, Estonia, a small town of 14,000 people, before coming to America aged 19 as an au pair, says she tried to run out of the apartment but Avenatti blocked the door during the alleged domestic violence altercation last year The lawyer, best known for formerly representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her case against President Trump, vehemently denied any wrongdoing after his release on bail and even claimed the allegations were fabricated by his political adversaries 'He knows how to play his cards, he told them it was a misunderstanding and he gave me my phone back in front of them,' recalls Miniutti. 'He was so calm.' The actress says a female security guard then took her into a side room so she could hear her side of the story without Avenatti present. But Miniutti says her aggressive boyfriend kept interrupting and coming into the room. 'The woman offered to call the police but I didn't want to cause a scene, I was too shaken by what had just happened, Michael was right there, I was scared of him, I didn't know what to do at all,' she recalls. Miniutti says she called her close friend who came to pick her up and they went back to the friend's place. She says Avenatti immediately started texting her saying, 'come back baby, we're much better than this.' But she said: 'After what he did that night there was no going back, I would never be in a relationship with him anymore.' After gathering her thoughts, Miniutti decided to call the police to report what had happened and get a restraining order against her now ex boyfriend. She says her intention wasn't to see him arrested she just wanted to be able to return to his apartment to collect her belongings safely without any issues. 'He's a lawyer, so me just going back to his place... I would have no power, it would be my word over his and I was scared, so that's why I went to the police.' The police officers who took her statement asked if she had any marks from the alleged attack. 'I said yes and showed them and they took pictures,' she recalls. 'My hand was scratched from him grabbing the phone and I had carpet burns on my side, I couldn't sleep on my side for a few days afterwards.' Miniutti, who had been living with Avenatti since January 2018, claims the alleged attack was second in their relationship. She alleged that an intoxicated Avenatti turned 'physically violent' and shoved her into a hallway in February the same year causing her to bang her head on a neighbor's doorway Miniutti, who has moved back to New York since the incident happened, says Avenatti was extremely financially controlling over her, making it impossible for her to work to stand on her own two feet but at the same time he was slow in paying her expenses Miniutti says her injuries weren't 'crazy', but added, 'Is that what it takes for a woman to be safe? Something crazier? A broken bone? 'I'm not saying I had a black eye or I was almost killed, that wasn't the case, but it doesn't make it okay to treat a woman like that.' Miniutti, who has moved back to New York since the incident happened, says the whole thing was sparked because she dared to complain to Avenatti that she didn't have enough money to put gas in the car. She claims Avenatti was extremely financially controlling over her, making it impossible for her to work to stand on her own two feet but at the same time he was slow in paying her expenses. That fight happened on the day Miniutti had accepted an acting gig that was shooting in two locations in Los Angeles. While en route to the second location she realized she was running low on gas and had no money to buy any. 'Michael wouldn't let me work and support myself so I was completely reliant on him for money. 'That day I was completely out of cash and my credit cards were over the limits, so I was unable to buy gas to make it to the second location, it was humiliating.' Miniutti, who was driving Avenatti's brand new Range Rover, says she was forced to borrow $20 from a girl she met on set. Miniutti says her injuries weren't 'crazy', but added, 'Is that what it takes for a woman to be safe? Something crazier? A broken bone?' Avenatti seemingly had the full package - successful job, nice apartment, nice cars, access to a private jet and expensive hobbies, according to Miniutti She says that when she got home she showered and went to bed and Avenatti came back an hour later. 'He could see I was upset and he sat next to me and asked, 'am I in trouble or something'. 'I said 'no, but I really want to find a job'. I told him I never want to be in a situation like that where I'm driving a $150,000 car but I have no money for gas. 'I started telling him about a waitress job I had gone to see about at a Sushi restaurant on Sunset.' That's when she said Avenatti flipped his lid, calling her a 'f***ing ungrateful bitch.' 'He told me he had sent me $2,000 earlier in the day but it turns out my bank withheld it because I was too deep into my overdraft,' she said. Miniutti, who had been living with Avenatti since January 2018, claims the alleged attack was second in their relationship. She alleged that an intoxicated Avenatti turned 'physically violent' and shoved her into a hallway in February the same year causing her to bang her head on a neighbor's doorway. 'He had been drinking and then he threw my shoes at me, hitting me on the leg,' she recalls. In legal paperwork she claimed Avenatti had 'a history of being very verbally abusive and financially controlling' towards her and 'vehemently opposed' her wish to earn a living outside of Hollywood. Miniutti also recalls Avenatti fantasizing about buying a mega-mansion in Beverly Hills and would show her photos of $10 million seven bedroom properties he liked Miniutti and Avenatti dated for nearly a year, before things finally reaching their tipping point after a domestic bust up last November. Pictured: Avenatti in a costume with a friend 'He has made promises to 'take care of me' financially and sometimes fails to follow through,' she says in papers. The actress says that despite Avenatti's appearance of wealth he wasn't awash with cash during their relationship. The rent on his luxury Century City apartment was $22,000, he had a share in a private jet and employed a full time driver named James, but Miniutti says she had to beg him to give her money to get by day to day and he refused to let her work. 'I was living this really nice lifestyle with Michael, we lived in a beautiful apartment and I drove a nice car, but he wouldn't let me work beyond the odd acting job and he wasn't giving me any money for expenses. 'My friends would say, 'why don't you just get a job', but you don't understand how aggressive he was and how under his power I was. He was very controlling and wouldn't let me get a job, he wanted me to be at his beck and call when he came back from trips away. Miniutti said: 'I'm telling you I didn't shop around or get crazy gifts from him, it wasn't like he showered me with gifts or money' 'I'm telling you I didn't shop around or get crazy gifts from him, it wasn't like he showered me with gifts or money. 'His lifestyle looks one way but the reality is different.' Miniutti admits she made a 'mistake' letting him control her but she says she felt powerless. 'In that situation when you're with someone who's going through something very stressful and every time I would start talking about wanting to work he would get really aggressive and angry, I just started like stepping back. 'I just tried to be a supportive partner because I still had feelings for him. 'Looking back, I would have acted differently. But you don't realize that while you're in it.' At the end of November last year the LA District Attorney's Office decided not to charge Avenatti with felony domestic assault. His case was sent to the city attorney's office for misdemeanor consideration but that was also denied. Miniutti's attorney Michael Bachner is still pushing for a civil restraining order to be extended for several years. Avenatti, who has vehemently denied all allegations from the beginning, released a statement soon after the DA dropped the case saying he is 'grateful for justice.' 'I am thankful that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has rejected filing any charges against me after a fair, careful and thorough investigation. 'I have maintained my innocence since the moment of my arrest. I wish to thank my supporters, friends, family, attorneys, and clients for the outpouring of support they provided. This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for justice,' he said. The former lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels is embroiled in a bitter legal battle with his estranged wife, Lisa Storie, who obtained a judgment against him last year for millions of dollars as part of their divorce Miniutti told DailyMailTV she was left feeling 'disappointed' by the decision. 'I got a call from the district attorney telling me that 'we believe in you', but we are not sure we can convince the jurors. 'It left me feeling disappointed, disappointed that my statements were never questioned. I'm disappointment that his statements were never questioned. None of the sides were heard out. That makes me sad. 'I'm disappointment that his statements were never questioned. None of the sides were heard out. That makes me sad.' She added: 'Where do people who need help go in this country, who are in a situation that they no longer wish to be in, where they are violated or mistreated, where are they supposed to go. 'I'm very lucky to be moving on but I'm overwhelmed with disappointment in the justice system.' As for Avenatti the actress says she remains 'disgusted' by his behavior and believes he has 'fooled all of America', with his continued lies. 'I don't even know if I ever knew Michael, he had been lying to me from day one,' she says. 'He lies and manipulates very very well, after our relationship ended I felt extremely naive and I was very broken, especially after finding out about the things in his past he had lied about. 'But sooner or later people will see his true face because you can't run from who you are for forever.' Miniutti, who appeared in Ocean's 8 (pictured center), says she became 'afraid' for her safety and screamed for help towards a window during the alleged domestic violence incident Lisa Storie, 50, (pictured) exclusively told DailyMailTV in April that Avenatti owed $2 million in child and spousal support and branded the lawyer a 'dead beat dad' and a 'fraud' Aspiring actress Miniutti portrayed Met Gala star Cassandra in Ocean's 8 and has other acting credits to her name including 2016's Liev Scriber flick Chuck, Forgetting Sandy Glass and How to Be Single, which starred funny woman Rebel Wilson. She's due to appear in upcoming movies Sargasso and Crypto with the likes of Kurt Russell, Luke Hemsworth and Alexis Bledel. Her Instagram bio tells visitors: 'Don't confuse Instagram for real life.' Avenatti has endured a torrid few months. The former lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels is embroiled in a bitter legal battle with his estranged wife, Lisa Storie, who obtained a judgment against him last year for millions of dollars as part of their divorce. Storie, 47, exclusively told DailyMailTV in April that Avenatti owed $2 million in child and spousal support and branded the lawyer a 'dead beat dad' and a 'fraud'. And last month Avenatti was hit with a 36-count federal indictment which alleges that for almost a decade, the loud-mouthed lawyer has been stealing from clients, hiding money from the IRS and lying. The new charges were brought by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and make the prospect of Avenatti spending the rest of his life in prison a more realistic one. They include 10 counts of wire fraud, 19 counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and four counts of bankruptcy fraud, the oldest of which stems from 2010. Among the charges were allegations he stole a $4 million settlement he won for his paraplegic client Geoffrey Johnson, who had hired Avenatti to fight a case against Los Angeles County after he was poorly treated in a county jail. An Oregon teacher is suing her former workplace claiming she was fired because she took breaks to pump breast milk for her baby. Shana Swenson, 33, of Portland, worked at Falmouth Elementary school since the 2015-16 school year. But her contract was not renewed this year and she contends it was because she took three breaks each day to express and save breast milk after returning from maternity leave. She filed her lawsuit against the school district on May 10 in U.S. District Court in Portland, claiming discrimination on the basis of gender and pregnancy. Oregon teacher Shana Swenson, 33, is suing the Falmouth Public Schools district for firing her for allegedly taking multiple breast milk pumping breaks while on the job She filed her lawsuit against the school district on May 10 in U.S. District Court in Portland claiming discrimination on the basis of gender and pregnancy. Pictured on social media breastfeeding her son Ethan She's also asking U.S. District Court Judge George Singal to order the district to create a policy to prevent similar discrimination from taking place in the future. However, the school district denied the allegations on Thursday. 'Ms. Swensons claim that the Falmouth School Department discriminated against her is false,' the district's attorney Melissa Hewey said in a statement to the Bangor Daily News. 'In fact, Falmouth works hard to support employees who are parents by, among other things, providing mothers with paid time to breast feed and express breast milk during the school day, extended parental leave when needed, and an on-site day care for employees so that they are able to be near their children and participate in their care during the working day,' she added. Swenson was hired to the school as a 'Response to Intervention' third to fifth grade teacher, responsible for helping students who are struggling with reading and math skills. After the first year her contract was renewed following a positive performance review for the 2016-17 school year, according to her complaint. Swenson worked as a third through fifth grade reading and math intervention teacher at Falmouth Elementary School (above) since 2015-16. In May 2018 she was informed that her contract would not be renewed She went on maternity leave in January 2017 and her son was born the following month in February. Her son is now two-years-old. She returned to work from maternity leave in August 2017 and told her supervisor and other team members she needed three 20-minute breaks a day to either feed her child or express breast milk. Her son was enrolled in the on-site day care center. She was asked to reduce the number of breaks she took and to do so doing lunch and her planning time, but she continued her on her own schedule to avoid clogged milk ducts or mastitis. She claims that members of her team criticized her decision to express breast milk during working hours leading her to voice concerns about possible discrimination and retaliation to her supervisor. The lawsuit states Swenson was the target of 'extreme animosity and hostility' by coworkers. After that talk with her supervisor, she received her first negative evaluation in three years, she claims. After her maternity leave she explained she needed three 20 minute breaks to feed her son or pump breast milk, Eventually she was asked to cut down on those breaks and alleged her coworkers exhibited 'extreme animosity and hostility' In May 2018 she was informed that her contract would not be renewed. 'Mrs. Swenson, after serving Falmouth Elementary School for three years, was surprised and hurt by the treatment she was subjected to during her employment,' her attorney Katie A. Beatty said. She claims that she was legally allowed to take those breast feeding breaks in accordance with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Maine Human Rights Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act 'We look forward to the discovery process including depositions and document exchanges to vindicate our clients rights,' she added. Swenson claims that she was legally allowed to take those breast feeding breaks in accordance with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Maine Human Rights Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. But the district insist they decided against renewing her contract 'based on her performance', adding 'we look forward to the opportunity to present the Falmouth School Department's side of the story in court.' A trial date is yet to be set. Swenson is requesting payment for lost wages and court fees in a jury trial. Despite being terminated from the school district, according to social media Swenson was hired in October at Seedlines to Sunflowers Non Profit Childcare & Family Center as a Pre-K co-teacher. Almost 50 per cent of the sharks Mr Moyce, 46, and deckhand Jasper Lay (pictured with a tiger shark head) land have been mauled The number of monster sharks lurking in shores just off Australia's east coast has increased at an alarming rate - and the growing population is causing the aggressive animals to eat one another. Jason 'The Trapman' Moyce, a commercial fisherman from Bermagui in southern New South Wales, has spent 30 years in the fishing industry and said in the past he would go 'weeks without seeing a shark' but now it's an everyday occurrence. And rather than reeling in a whole shark, almost 50 per cent of the sharks Mr Moyce, 46, and deckhand Jasper Lay, land are either decapitated, have body parts missing or chunks bitten out of them. The worrying trend is made all the more alarming because the sharks who have been subjected to the brutal attacks have been gigantic. 'Shark populations on the east coast had increased in the last 15 years - from bronze whalers, to tiger sharks - we would go weeks without seeing a shark during the 90s. Now its a daily event,' Mr Moyce told Daily Mail Australia. 'This huge population is the only reason that sharks are eating sharks. 'Sharks eat the weak or distressed, so this is why a hooked shark is getting attacked.' Mr Lay, 19, described the 'inhumane' way the 'monster' sharks had been mauling and attempting to eat one another. 'Because the sharks are hooked and struggling other sharks see them as potential prey. They can sense their stress,' Mr Lay told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Lay, 19, described the 'inhumane' way the 'monster' sharks had been mauling and attempting to eat one another (Bronze whaler shark pictured) Mr Lay said sometimes lucky sharks somehow manage to survive the cold-blooded attack. Many do not (Bronze whaler shark pictured) Last month a bronze whaler shark (pictured) was eaten while it was being reeled in by a mako shark 'They usually take out the tail first and then eat the rest of the body. They're 100 per cent the largest cannibals you could ever come across. 'It's an inhumane way to die. I wouldn't like to be eaten from the leg up. 'Around here around 40 per cent of the sharks we catch are already mauled.' Mr Lay said sometimes lucky sharks somehow manage to survive the cold-blooded attack. 'Sometimes they're really close to death and it's amazing how they manage to survive. 'We've pulled up sharks with battle scars they've got from fighting with other sharks. 'They'll have horrible scratches and teeth marks.' Last month a bronze whaler shark was eaten while it was being reeled in by a mako shark. And in March, Mr Moyce and Mr Lay were left completed shocked after not one but two sharks were eaten on the same occasion. The severed shark's head (pictured) weighed 100kg and Mr Moyce shared the image to social media which sparked a fierce debate about what could have eaten the mako A tiger shark had bitten onto the fishing hook, but before the fishermen could reel the predator in, another shark started attacking it. Similarly, a mako shark that was attached to another line was also mauled by one of its own kind. 'Both [sharks] had similar bite characteristics so both sharks were probably eaten by either a white or tiger shark, or some fishermen think it could have been an orca [a killer whale],' Mr Lay said. When he first pulled the bottomless tiger shark up Mr Lay said he was in 'shock'. 'I was in complete shock because it was 100kg head that we pulled up so whatever would've eaten it would have been a total monster.' At the time, Mr Moyce posted an image of what was left of the mako shark online, describing the morning's catch as 'crazy'. 'So this was all we got back of this monster mako,' he wrote. 'Unfortunately we didn't see what ate it but must of been impressive!! The head was about 100kg (220lbs).' Soon afterwards, Jason's Facebook following began speculating about what kind of monster could have inflicted such damage on a mako, which can grow up to 12ft in length and weigh up to 1,260lbs. Makos are also fearsome predators and rarely become prey - they are the fastest species of shark and can reach speeds of up to 46mph. Soon afterwards, Jason's Facebook following began speculating about what kind of monster could have inflicted such damage on a mako, which can grow up to 12ft in length and weigh up to 570kg ( great white shark pictured) Some people suggested that this could have been the work of an orca, or killer whale. The apex predators are one of the fastest marine animals and typically weigh between four and six tonnes. But Mr Moyce believes the unfortunate mako was the victim of bigger sharks. Mr Lay also said that, although a rarity, swimmers should be wary of the dangers sharks pose. 'I'd say swimmers shouldn't go in the water when it's warmer in the early mornings or afternoons. 'Swimmers can take their own risk - but shark attacks do happen,' he said. Mr Moyce said the reason for the sudden increase in the shark population was due to a number of factors. 'The reason shark numbers have increased.... better management by rec and commercial fisherman,' Mr Moyce said. 'Healthier fish populations, bluefin tuna are making a huge come back. 'Also an ever increasing whale population would help shark numbers as more whales die from natural causes.' The EU will not renegotiate the Brexit withdrawal deal regardless of who the UK's next prime minister is, Ireland's foreign minister has warned. Simon Coveney described political events at Westminster as 'extraordinary', as he questioned the logic of politicians who believed a change of leader would deliver changes to the agreement struck by Theresa May. In a scathing assessment of the political situation in the UK, Mr Coveney told RTE that Britain could trigger a no deal by 'default' if its MPs failed to get their act together. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said UK politicians who thought a new prime minister could strike a new deal did not understand the EU. He said he believed Mrs May was a 'decent person' trying to find a middle ground position, but had been thwarted by an 'impossible' Conservative Party. Mr Coveney said the UK should not assume another extension will be granted by the EU if a deal is not agreed by the latest October deadline. He said the EU was set for major changes and challenges as a result of the European elections and would likely be prepared to devote less focus on Brexit going forward. He said: 'The EU has said very clearly that the Withdrawal Agreement has been negotiated over two-and-a-half years, it was agreed with the British government and the British cabinet and it's not up for renegotiation, even if there is a new British prime minister'. Mr Coveney said he believed Mrs May was a 'decent person' trying to find a middle ground position, but had been thwarted by an 'impossible' Conservative Party 'There will be people like Nigel Farage and some within the Conservative Party who will be making the proposition that 'look, we have had enough of this, let's just leave on WTO (World Trade Organisation) terms without a deal' in my view not fully understanding or not being honest about the full consequences of that for Britain and Ireland.' He added: 'The danger of course is that the British system will simply not be able to deal with this issue and even though there is a majority in Westminster who want to be able to prevent a no-deal Brexit it could happen by default.' Mr Coveney said Ireland would continue its no-deal Brexit contingency planning. He noted that political parties had largely spoken with the same voice in Ireland. 'In the UK no two parties seem to be able to agree on anything, despite the extraordinary dangers that Britain is potentially going to be exposed to in the autumn,' he said. Noting the prospect of Mrs May offering pledges on technological solutions for the Irish border in her final bid to get the withdrawal treaty through Parliament next month, Mr Coveney said he did not have an issue with that as long as it did not undermine the border backstop provisions within the Withdrawal Agreement. The Tanaiste said UK politicians who thought a new prime minister could strike a new deal did not understand the EU. 'For the EU and Ireland this has always been about the complexity of Brexit, trying to protect the EU, its integrity, its single market, its customs union, its members and also trying to respect the decision of British people,' he said. 'It's always been about that. For Britain in many ways it's been about party politics and personalities and many people seem to think that Britain would have got a much better deal if only they had a tougher prime minister. The Irish foreign minister said the EU was set for major changes and challenges as a result of the European elections and would likely be prepared to devote less focus on Brexit going forward [File photo] 'In my view that just is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the European Union operates. 'The EU is a treaty-based, precedent-based series of institutions, it doesn't have a lot of flexibility and that's why this negotiation has been about detail, regulation, legal provisions and so on. 'And I think the British Prime Minister understands that and that is why she has agreed to reasonable compromises in certain areas. 'But there are many British politicians who don't, quite frankly, understand that or the complexity of politics in Northern Ireland and therefore they have tried to dumb this debate down into a simplistic argument whereby it's Britain versus the EU, as opposed to two friends tying to navigate through the complexity of a very, very difficult agreement.' President Trump has denied reports that thousands of migrants are to be flown from the Mexican border to Florida in a bid to ease pressure on overcrowded checkpoints. His denials come after Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan admitted there were initial plans to ship migrants to Palm Beach and Broward - but that these were not considered viable or 'an effective use of government resources.' Trump however insisted the plans were never considered, calling it 'false reporting' - and tweeting: 'There are no plans to send migrants to northern or Coastal Border facilities, including Florida... Our country is FULL, will not, and cannot, take you in!' Trump insisted such suggestions were never the case and instead blamed 'false reporting' in a series of Twitter messages, writing: 'There are no plans to send migrants to northern or Coastal Border facilities, including Florida' Trump insisted the plans were never considered, calling it 'false reporting' - and tweeting: 'There are no plans to send migrants to northern or Coastal Border facilities, including Florida... Our country is FULL, will not, and cannot, take you in!' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , a Republican, doubled down on this message, adding that Trump told him he didn't approve and wouldn't authorize the transportation of migrants. According to the governor's spokeswoman, DeSantis spoke with Trump on Saturday, two days after it was reported that 1,000 migrants a week could be sent to Palm Beach and Broward counties starting within two weeks. After the plan was attacked by local leaders last week, federal officials initially said the flights were only being considered and nothing was happening immediately. On Sunday, McAleenan appeared on CBS' 'Face the Nation' and backed down completely, stating the plan to ferry migrants to Florida 'wasn't going to be an effective use of government resources.' He said: 'We looked at it from a planning perspective. We do have stations in Florida ... they are very small stations, they have a few agents that are busy patrolling their areas.' Trump's denials come after Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan admitted there were initial plans to ship migrants to Palm Beach and Broward - but that these plans reconsidered as not viable or 'an effective use of government resources' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (pictured center) doubled down on Trump's message, adding that Trump told him he didn't approve and wouldn't authorize the transportation of migrants He then added that the decision to take the sectors of Miami; which includes all South Florida; Detroit and Buffalo off the table was made on Saturday by John Sanders, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 'We had to look at all options,' he said. 'The government has run out of space to process migrants who have been arriving at the Texas border.' McAleenan said there are currently 16,000 people in custody at Border Patrol stations and ports of entry. The government already flies hundreds of migrants from Texas to San Diego, to distribute the workload at Border Patrol facilities more evenly. Once migrants are processed, they are released and given a court date in a city where they plan to reside, often with family members, which could be anywhere in the U.S. McAleenan said there are currently 16,000 people in custody at Border Patrol stations and ports of entry. The government already flies hundreds of migrants from Texas to San Diego, to distribute the workload at Border Patrol facilities more evenly (El Paso-Mexico border) It had been reported that DeSantis was caught off guard and said such flights would amount to 'dumping' migrants on Florida. He appeared upset that Florida was even a consideration, especially after he recently signed a bill banning sanctuary cities and pledging to help federal immigration authorities. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, one of the first officials to publicly denounce the plan, said via Twitter on Saturday that that the quick reactions from Florida officials and lawmakers made federal officials change their mind. 'Because of everybody's efforts, we were able to stop what it appeared to be a crisis for our communities.' Donald Trump erupted at The New York Times on Monday following a blistering report that described his main bank lender quashing its own investigators' concerns that some loans could be part of a money-laundering scheme The Times described Deutsche Bank, which quickly denied the allegation, as 'the only mainstream financial institution consistently willing to do business with the real estate developer.' The sent the president to his Twitter account, howling that he has to fend off 'phony stories about how I didn't use many banks because they didn't want to do business with me.' 'WRONG! It is because I didn't need money,' he wrote. Trump has called himself 'the king of debt,' describing his decades-long habit of financing most of hie project rather than paying for them up-front. That practice has also allowed him to show yearly losses on his books, minimizing his tax obligations. But he complained sarcastically on Monday about the Times' conclusion that few banks would lend to him, forcing him to self-finance much of his empire's expansion. President Donald Trump lashed out at a New York Times report claiming his main lender flagged some of his transactions as potential money-laundering concerns Trump said 'fake media' is out to get him, and that he never had problem obtaining loans for his building projects around the world 'Now the new big story is that Trump made a lot of money and buys everything for cash, he doesn't need banks. But where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and don't need banks, but if I did they would be there,' Trump tweeted. '[A]nd DeutscheBank was very good and highly professional to deal with - and if for any reason I didn't like them, I would have gone elsewhere....there was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from. They would be very happy to take my money.' Still, he insisted that '[w]hen you don't need or want money, you don't need or want banks,' calling the notion of paying millions of dollars in cash 'very old fashioned.' 'Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money. Fake Media only says this to disparage, and always uses unnamed sources (because their sources don't even exist),' he jabbed. The president later said on Twitter that two tweets from his mini-storm had disappeared without being posted only to delete that complaint minutes later. 'Two Tweets missing from last batch, probably a Twitter error. No time for a redo! Only the Dems get redos!' he had vented. The Times story, based largely on anonymous sources, focused on anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank AG who reportedly recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving entities controlled by Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog. 'There was always plenty of money around and banks to choose from,' Trump vented on Monday The newspaper said executives at the German-based bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. Deutsche Bank denied the report but shares in Germany's largest bank hit a new low on Monday, below a previous minimum set in December. At 1050 GMT, shares traded down 3.2 percent at 6.62 euros. The compliance allegations are the latest in a wave of problems to beset the bank which faces investors at its annual meeting on Thursday. The Times said the transactions, some of which involved Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, according to the former bank employees. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes, according to the newspaper. Deutsche Bank responded with a denial of the report. 'At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious,' the bank said in a statement. 'Furthermore, the suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false.' Deutsche is facing a series of headaches. The president wrote cryptically Monday on Twitter that two tweets in his morning chain were never posted but later deleted that message Investors are calling on the bank to scale back its investment bank after talks to merge with a rival failed and amid a grim profit outlook. European regulators also fear Deutsche could fail U.S. stress tests. The Times reported the bank employees viewed the decision not to report the transactions as a result of a lax approach to money laundering laws. They said there was a pattern of bank executives rejecting reports to protect relationships with lucrative clients, according to the newspaper. One employee who reviewed some of the transactions said she was terminated last year after raising concerns about the bank's practices, the Times reported. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization told Reuters 'the story is absolute nonsense.' 'We have no knowledge of any 'flagged' transactions with Deutsche Bank. In fact, we have no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank,' she said. The newspaper said a Kushner Companies spokeswoman called any allegations of relationships involving money laundering 'made up and totally false.' Officials at Kushner Companies were not immediately available to Reuters for independent comment. The Times said the nature of the transactions was not clear. At least some of them involved money flowing back and forth with overseas entities or individuals, which bank employees considered suspicious. The report surfaces at a time when congressional and New York state authorities are investigating the relationship between Trump, his family and Deutsche Bank, and demanding documents related to any suspicious activity. Trump has sued in court in an attempt to block U.S. House of Representatives subpoenas for his financial records that were sent to Deutsche Bank, Capital One Financial Corp and the accounting firm Mazars LLP. (Reporting by David Morgan Editing by Daniel Wallis, Clarence Fernandez and Keith Weir) Four Americans and a Canadian pilot were killed on Saturday when a small plane crashed into the sea off the coast of Honduras. The group was flying in a Piper Cherokee Six plane that plummeted into the Caribbean Sea just minutes after taking off from Roatan, a popular tourist destination, en route to the mainland port of Trujillo, some 50 miles away. Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying erratically before taking a dive. A preliminary investigation blamed engine failure for the downing of the single engine aircraft. Armed Forces spokesman Jose Domingo Meza confirmed the nationalities of those who died in Saturday's crash. Five people - four Americans and a Canadian pilot - have died in a small plane crash off the coast of Honduras on Saturday. Police divers and firefighters pictured at the crash site on Saturday afternoon The plane plummeted shortly after takeoff from the popular tourist destination of Roatan en route to the port of Trujillo Witnesses reported seeing the Piper Cherokee Six single engine plane flying erratically before diving into the sea The military said in a statement that rescue boats with police divers and firemen recovered four bodies within minutes of the crash, and transported another to a hospital, where he died shortly after of internal injuries. The U.S. State Department confirmed the deaths of four U.S. citizens to DailyMail.com and Global Affairs Canada confirmed that a Canadian had also died. They did not release names. 'We can confirm the death of four U.S. citizens in an airplane crash in Honduras on May 18, 2019. The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa is providing all appropriate consular assistance. We express our condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,' a State Department spokesperson said to DailyMail.com. Honduran authorities identified the pilot as Patrick Forseth, a Canadian national who developed tourism projects in the Trujillo Bay area. Police divers and firemen recovered four bodies within minutes of the crash. One person was transported to the hospital and died shortly after injuries Emergency crew pictured recovering the remains of victims from the crash on Saturday Honduran authorities identified the pilot as Patrick Forseth, a Canadian national who developed tourism projects in the Trujillo Bay area, as one of the victims of the crash Forseth lived in Honduras since 2010 and owned a restaurant in Trujillo. His parents own a resort in the area Forseth's friend Gino Santarossa paid tribute to the killed pilot on Saturday 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the Canadian Citizen who died in a tragic plane crash in Roatan Islands, Honduras. Canadian consular officials in Tegucigalpa, Honduras are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family of the victim,' Global Affairs Canada said to CTV. Forseth was involved in a legal dispute with Afro-indigenous Hondurans who accused him of trying to develop their ancestral lands into vacation properties for international tourists. The flight took off from the island of Roatan - a popular tourist destination - heading to the mainland port of Trujillo, about a 50 mile (80 kilometer) distance Divers pictured underwater extracting from the Caribbean sea debris of a light plane that crashed at the Isla Bonita area Forseth defended his company in a 2017 statement, saying it had purchased the land in 2013 and had made several attempts to reach an amicable resolution. He developed his property creating resorts and owned the plane he was flying, taking guests to a resort. 'He was a real hero here. He was such a great pilot. Everyone here just cant believe what happened on a perfect day for flying. It was a clear day,' Forseth's friend Edil Mendez said. Forseth lived in Honduras since 2010 and owned a restaurant in Trujillo, according to Global News. His parents are owners of a resort in the area. Advertisement A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting has been set ablaze in a symbolic gesture of healing. The 'Temple of Time' public art installation was set afire at a ceremony on Sunday close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot tall temple. Described as 'therapeutic' by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the center of the temple with torches. The 'Temple of Time' public art installation was set afire at a ceremony on Sunday close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot tall temple Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof before it suddenly engulfed the temple's needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable. The lace-like design allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. 'It's kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many,' said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. 'The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. It's the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community.' Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the center of the temple with torches Described as 'therapeutic' by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside A firefighter with the Coral Springs Fire Department was spotted with a torch helping to light the Temple of Time installation It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof before it suddenly engulfed the temple's needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky The lacelike designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened Hundreds watched on as the Temple of Time art installation burned on Sunday For the past three months, the installation has served as a space for the grieving to gather and reflect before it was ignited Firefighters helped control the flames during the ceremonial burn of the Temple of Time built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School The 35-foot temple did not burn to the ground as predicted during the ceremonial burning San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600-square-foot Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's foundation. A lone gunman's attack killed 17 students and staffers and injured 17 others on February 14, 2018. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. On Sunday, Best said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. 'Let's watch out for one another,' Best said. 'This is a community that went through hell.' Hundreds gathered near the structure to watch it be set ablaze on Sunday close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School For the past three months, friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting Described as 'therapeutic' by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside Drivers waiting for almost 24 hours to fill their cars with petrol in country's second largest city, Maracaibo Trump administration this year sanctioned Venezuela oil in bid to drive President Nicolas Maduro from office Advertisement American sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long queues for fuel in the South American nation's second largest city, Maracaibo. Some drivers reported having to wait almost 24 hours to fill up, with people sleeping on the top of their cars or in truck beds. Nearing empty and stuck in line, infectious diseases doctor Yoli Urdaneta said she could not make her shift to treat patients that day. 'I've spent four days trying to get gasoline,' Ms Urdaneta said. 'But I couldn't.' A satellite over Maracaibo earlier in the week captured pictures of cars queued for a mile (1.6 kilometres) through the city to the pumps, according to Maxar Technologies, a US-based space technology company. Drivers are said to be waiting for almost 24 hours to fill their cars with petrol in the country's second largest city, Maracaibo, after US sanctions on the state-run oil firm began to take effect over the weekend People have even been spotted sleeping on top of their cars so that they don't lose their spot in line while waiting to fill up at Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (Petroleum of Venezuela) stations A satellite over Maracaibo earlier in the week captured pictures of cars queued for a mile (1.6 kilometres) through the city to the pumps, according to Maxar Technologies Russ Dallen, a Miami-based partner at the brokerage firm Caracas Capital Markets, said on Sunday that stiff US sanctions on top of decaying refineries had begun to hit home. Mr Dallen said Venezuela did not have the cash to import key ingredients to keep up production in a country with the world's largest oil reserves, and estimated that the state-run oil firm PDVSA was producing 10 to 15% of its capacity. 'It's all coming together into a toxic brew,' Mr Dallen said. 'That is really having a devastating effect.' The Trump administration this year sanctioned PDVSA in a bid to drive President Nicolas Maduro from office, while throwing its support behind opposition leader Juan Guado. The US sanctions essentially cut Mr Maduro's government off from its Houston-based subsidiary Citgo, depriving officials of an estimated $11 billion in hard currency from exports this year. A man leaves the pumps having refueled and also taken extra petrol away with him in a bag to avoid having to repeat the queue. Venezuela saw a shutdown at the OPEC nation's second-largest refinery last week Every single pump at this state-run station is crowded. It is estimated that the state-run oil firm PDVSA was producing 10 to 15 per cent of its capacity Jesus Gonzales fills a container with bagged petrol he bought at extra cost at a fuel station. A wall in the background has a message about Maduro written on it The Trump administration this year sanctioned PDVSA in a bid to drive President Nicolas Maduro from office, while throwing its support behind opposition leader Juan Guado US officials said this cash flow had long bankrolled what they called Mr Maduro's 'dictatorship'. Sanctions also put the squeeze on Venezuela's access to diluents needed to thin its heavy crude product so it could be piped over 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the field to be turned into petrol. And the political stalemate shows few signs of drawing to an end. In a recent flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at peacefully solving Venezuela's crisis, European officials said they held intensive meetings over two days in Caracas with key players. At about the same time, Mr Maduro's government and the opposition sent representatives to talks in Norway's capital Oslo which last for several days. Officials engaged in both efforts reported no breakthroughs. The panic over shortages has crept into the capital, Caracas, leading to moderately long lines for the last three days at many stations. Soldiers and police oversaw rationing of gasoline at service stations in several parts of Venezuela. The worsening fuel shortage forced angry drivers to wait for hours to fill their tanks, prompting protests in some areas Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo said on Sunday his country's oil industry was under siege from the U.S. government, causing the supply problems. Pictured: A long line of cars is backup down a tree-lined road in order to get petrol A man siphons petrol into his car from a plastic bag. In some areas, National Guard soldiers limited drivers to only 20 liters (5.3 gallons) of fuel, witnesses said A drunken Queensland father who punched a man repeatedly in the head because he mistakenly thought he was a paedophile has been convicted and fined. Bundaberg Magistrates Court heard on Friday that Montgomery Arthur Dynevor had bashed the man after he misunderstood talk about the victim speaking to his seven-year-old daughter through a hole in the bathroom wall at a party after a funeral. During an interview with police after the attack, Dynevor said he 'just clicked as he didn't like paedophiles'. Montgomery Arthur Dynevor (pictured) bashed a man after he made a drunken mistake and thought the victim was a paedophile trying to lure his daughter, 7, into a bathroom at a party Dynevor had been to a funeral at the remote Aboriginal community of Cherbourg last November and had consumed about two casks of wine during a two-hour road trip home, leaving him intoxicated and unable to understand the situation, police prosecutor Senior Constable Tina Bland told the court on Friday. The victim was already at the house where the bashing took place when people started arriving back from the funeral in the afternoon, the court heard. When Dynevor returned from the funeral, a party had gathered, the Bundaberg NewsMail reported. The court heard the man had gone to the bathroom and talked to Dynevor's young daughter through a hole in the wall. Dynevor had been to a funeral at the remote community of Cherbourg and consumed about two casks of wine, leaving him intoxicated and unable to understand the situation, the court heard on Friday 'That evening the victim has gone to the toilet and was talking to a seven-year-old female child and that was between a gap of about two to three centimetres in a broken wall,' Sen-Constable Bland said. The girl told her mother and others, who all found the playful exchange to be innocent, the court heard. When Dynevor heard about it, he approached the man and told him not to talk about his daughter like that, the court heard. Montgomery Arthur Dynevor punched the man about five times in the face leaving him in an ambulance with a busted mouth and needing stitches When the man said he didn't know what he was talking about, Dynevor started punching him in the face, busting his mouth and causing the victim to lose control of his bowels, the court heard. Bystanders stopped the assault after about five blows and called an ambulance. The victim was treated for cuts, with two stitches on his upper lip, four inside his mouth and two stitches above his right eye. 'He now takes medication to help him sleep due to feeling fear since the incident,' Sen Constable Bland said. During an interview with police, Dynevor said he had reacted to what he thought was an indecent act by the victim but that he had accepted that he was drunk and did not understand the initial story, Sen-Constable Bland said. Dynor admitted to police he had acted in an over-protective manner. Defence lawyer Gavin James said Dynevor was forced to move out of the house after the bashing, was remorseful and was willing to accept any amount of monetary compensation between $500 to $1000, the Bundaberg NewsMail reported. Bundaberg Court House where Dynor pleaded guilty to assault on Friday 'There had been some exchange of words between the victim and the girl which seems to have been playful, however, it was taken by some people at the party and repeated to Mr Dynevor that that person was trying to call the seven-year-old girl, his daughter, into the toilet,' James said. Montgomery Arthur Dynevor pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the Bundaberg Magistrate's Court on Friday. He was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $800 to the victim in compensation. Magistrate Ross Woodford said Dynevor's actions had resulted in serious injury. 'You stepped out of line,' Mr Woodford said. A man who was killed in a 'love triangle murder' died while trying to protect his new girlfriend. Jordan Byrne, 26, was stabbed to death by Milo Manu Felix Wild - who was dating his ex-girlfriend Emma Thompson. Wild, 27, and Ms Thompson returned to his Military Road apartment in North Bondi, in Sydney's east, on August 26. When they arrived, they found Byrne there with his new girlfriend, who was Wild's housemate. The women began to argue before Wild grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Mr Byrne as he tried to protect his girlfriend. Mr Byrne's parents Colum and Deb Byrne told Seven News that their son has been hailed as a hero by detectives. 'It was quite savage, quite vicious,' Mr Byrne said. 'When we saw the detectives and spoke to them about exactly what happened that night, their words were to us that Jordan was a hero,' Mrs Byrne added. Jordan Byrne, 26, was allegedly stabbed to death by Milo Manu Felix Wild on August 26 Milo Manu Felix Wild allegedly stabbed Mr Byrne following an argument in a north Bondi apartment Mr Byrne's parents Colum and Deb Byrne said their son has been hailed as a hero by detectives despite the horrific attack. Daily Mail Australia previously reported that a fight broke out at the apartment at about 12.30am. Wild disappeared to the kitchen and came back carrying a knife which he used to stabbed Mr Byrne, nearly disembowelling him, The Daily Telegraph reported. Neighbours inside the unit block reportedly heard the two men arguing loudly. Friends said Ms Thomson (pictured), 36, had previously dated Mr Byrne before moving on to a relationship with Wild. Mr Byrne stumbled out of the apartment where neighbours attempted to help stop the bleeding until paramedics arrived to the scene Mr Byrne was rushed to hospital suffering horrific stab wounds to his face and abdomen, but died in surgery Mr Byrne stumbled out of the apartment where neighbours attempted to help stop the bleeding until paramedics arrived to the scene. He was rushed to hospital suffering horrific stab wounds to his face and abdomen, but died in surgery. Wild was also taken to hospital for minor injuries he sustained in the scuffle, but was released soon after and arrested. He was charged with murder and was spending his time behind bars awaiting trial in the Northern Territory. On Thursday, Wild died after suffering from a rare blood cancer, Seven News reported. The murder trial was expected to begin some time this year, but due to Wild's unexpected death, a coroner's court will determine Mr Byrne's cause of death. A Federal Police officer and his twin brother have been charged with child porn offences after 462 videos of girls as young as 12 were found during a raid on their home. The raid also found hidden cameras in three bedrooms of the Canberra residence of Joshua Rod Tiffen and Kenan Lee Tiffen. The 41-year-old brothers rented out the rooms to female tenants who were unaware the cameras were there, according to The Advertiser. A Federal Police officer and his twin brother, 41, have been charged for possessing child exploitation material Police were tipped off about the pair by a woman who had made adult films with a man she knew as 'Matt' but was really Joshua Tiffen, court documents show. She claimed that the man had showed her the images on his computer. Court documents revealed that the images found on several hard drives and storage devices featured girls aged between 12 and 14 and even younger. The men, from Port Lincoln in South Australia, were denied bail when they appeared at the ACT Magistrate's Court. Magistrate Beth Campbell said Kenan Tiffen's 'moral compass was significantly damaged.' 'This is base and vile conduct,' she said. Joshua Tiffen, who has been suspended from duty as a Federal Police officer, is due to appear in court later this month, while his brother is to appear again in July. A triumphant Jacqui Lambie will return to the Senate - and she's put Prime Minister Scott Morrison on notice that he had better treat her 'a hell of a lot better' this time. The plain-speaking ex-Army corporal was hailed as a 'breath of fresh air' during her last stint in Parliament but was booted out due to a citizenship issue two years ago. The ABC's election computer has projected Ms Lambie, 48, is 'likely' to have won a crucial seat on the Senate crossbench. She unleashed one of her trademark sprays at Mr Morrison after the national broadcaster projected on Saturday that she will probably return to Canberra. 'DROP THE ATTITUDE': Jacqui Lambie celebrated victory with a trademark spray at newly elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison The victory was especially emotional for Ms Lambie and her father (pictured). She had to quit the Senate because her dad was born in Scotland and she was entitled to British citizenship 'You know what Scott Morrison? 'I hope to God you and your people treat me a hell of a lot better than what they did that three-and-a-half years I was up here,' she said. 'Otherwise, mate, if I'm part of that balance of power, we're going to have a lot of difficulty getting things through.' Ms Lambie said if she wasn't treated right, she would cost Mr Morrison 'a lot of money'. The outspoken politician then had some blunt advice for Mr Morrison: 'You know what? DROP THE ATTITUDE'. You know what (Scott Morrison? DROP THE ATTITUDE Jacqui Lambie following Scott Morrison's re-election The win was especially emotional for Ms Lambie. Her father was devastated when she was forced to resign from the Senate in November 2017 because he was born in Scotland. That meant she was entitled to become a British citizen and was in breach of Section 44 of the constitution as a member of Parliament. The pair tearfully embraced at her victory party on Saturday night. The former Army corporal has lived on the dole and connected with voters with her open discussion of her love life Her victory caps a rough three years where she was forced to run for her old job all over again Ms Lambie is well-regarded by the public and has been praised for having life experience that few Federal politicians share. She spent time on the dole, is candid about her love life and has been embroiled in battles with the Department of Veteran's Affairs over a military disability pension. She was originally elected to the Senate at the 2013 election as a member of Clive Palmer's United Party (PUP) but struck out on her own after developing a national profile for herself. Ms Lambie caused a stir during the election campaign by posting this photo - with a caption saying 'I love my sausage' Since her shock 2017 ousting, Ms Lambie has kept her head down, working to win votes around the island state and only catching the attention of the national media on a few occasions. There was the cheeky photograph where she ate a dagwood dog and captioned it: 'You guys know I like my sausage'. And there were her kind words wishing her former party boss, Clive Palmer, 'good luck', despite previous tensions with the eccentric billionaire. If her election is confirmed, Ms Lambie will resume her seat in the Senate on July 1. She said she has 'unfinished business' in the Upper House. At the weekend, viral comedy website The Betoota Advocate celebrated her return with the headline: 'REPORT: Break out the f***en' Yellowglen, she's back.' WHO'S IN THE NEW SENATE? Jacqui Lambie Malcolm Roberts - Pauline Hanson's right-hand man will likely return Sarah Hanson-Young - Prominent South Australian Green will be back Larissa Waters - Another prominent Green will return Jordan Steele-John - Green for Western Australia Perin Davey - New Nationals senator for NSW Advertisement Sailors on a US Navy submarine were said to have created a 'rape list' ranking their 32 female crew mates and listing sexually-explicit comments by their names, according to a military investigation. The 'rape list' was said to have been shared by some sailors on the gold crew of the USS Florida, an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine that was the second to integrate enlisted women into its two crews in 2016. According to an investigation, the list was said to be circulating among men on the gold crew. Two versions of the list existed, one which ranked female crew members on a star system and the second which added sexually-explicit comments to those rankings. An investigation was carried out into the existence of a 'rape list' circulating among sailors on the gold crew of the USS Florida (pictured) The list was said to have contained the names of every one of the 32 female sailors on the gold crew, which is made up of 173 sailors. The gold crew alternated with a blue crew, which did not appear to have been involved in the investigation. A 74-page investigation, obtained by military.com, revealed that a sailor it's unclear if it was a male or female printed both versions of the list and gave them to a female petty officer over a 10 day period in June 2018, telling her that the list was located on the submarine's computer network. The female petty officer and second petty officer then gave the printed lists to a male chief, who went to see the submarine's sexual assault prevention and response point person, leading to a referral to the submarine command's equal opportunity manager. At the same time, the submarine's Captain Gregory Kercher was made aware of the list. 'The sexually explicit list describes various USS Florida females by appearances, characteristics and various sexual acts the creators of the list wish to perform with them,' according to the investigation report, which also stated that 'The list describes aggressive sexual activity, but does not reference non-consensual acts.' Despite this, the investigators said that Kercher opted not to start an investigation into the list, due to the fact that 'they only had a piece of paper' and that he supposedly wanted 'to determine where it was generated and who generated the list before assigning an investigating officer.' Kercher was said to have ordered that a search for the list be carried out on the submarine's computer network and to figure out which sailors were accessing it. This search, which NCIS participated in as well, appeared to have failed to produce any results, however. During the two month period during which Kercher was apparently aware of the list, he did not, apparently, notify his command or open a formal investigation about the list. The existence of the 'rape list' was flagged to the submarines superior officers in June 2018 Captain Gregory Kercher (left) was relieved of his command of the USS Florida on the recommendation of Rear Adm. Jeff Jablon (right), who concluded that Kercher's 'minimal actions' in responding after learning of the list 'fell far short of expected standards' In August 2018, it was confirmed that Kercher was relieved of his duties as captain of the USS Florida's gold crew, due to 'a loss of confidence in his ability to command,' military.com reported. No specific reasons were made known at the time, however, a Submarine Forces spokesperson said that he was not under investigation. The 'rape list' investigation report included a note from Rear Adm. Jeff Jablon, the then-commander of Submarine Group 10 of which USS Florida is a part of wrote to his superior just days before Kercher was relieved of his command. 'Rumors of a "rape list" were promulgated throughout the crew, significant numbers of females became concerned for their safety, and male members who learned of the list were equally repulsed,' Jablon was said to have written. He also wrote that, 'Very few knew what limited action was being taken by the [command]' and added that although Kercher 'took some action in response to the list, there is no question that those minimal actions fell far short of expected standards and norms for an event of this magnitude.' Female sailors on the gold crew were said to have been fearful, angry and disgusted by the existence of the list, the investigation said. Male crew members, meanwhile, were said to have been horrified, appalled, outraged and less trusting as a result of learning about the list. Junior sailors told investigators that they did not feel safe, 'knowing that the command has done "nothing" to try to actively find out who has written or added to the list,' according to the report. Jablon noted in his letter to a superior that it took a female petty officer formally approaching Kercher in the weeks after the list was discovered, for Kercher to 'recognize that additional actions were warranted.' In addition to Kercher being relieved of duty for not acting on knowledge of the list in addition to 'failing to address other command climate concerns,' according to military.com two of the submarine's sailors were found to have displayed inappropriate conduct and were 'administratively discharged from the Navy,' a military spokesperson said. An unknown number of sailors also faced administrative punishment. A divisional-level leader who supposedly told female sailors concerned about the list to 'suck it up and not add to the drama' was given 'administrative action,' while personnel involved with the ineffective equal opportunity reporting process in the command were also held responsible for the incident. MPs are expected to express fury today with plans to push ahead with a new team to re-examine the conduct of troops during the Troubles. They will discuss whether or not veterans who served in Northern Ireland should be given immunity. The Commons debate follows the success of a petition urging the Government to excuse Northern Ireland veterans from historical criminal investigations. The debate comes as it emerged that the Prime Minister blocked a proposed law intended to protect Northern Ireland veterans. Two years earlier, she said at the 2016 Tory conference that 'never again' would the Government let 'activist, Left-wing human rights lawyers harangue and harass' the Armed Forces [File photo] It was signed by more than 146,000 people. MPs are divided on how to deal with these so-called legacy issues, with one yesterday describing 'spurious' prosecutions of troops as a 'cancer.' The debate comes as it emerged that the Prime Minister blocked a proposed law intended to protect Northern Ireland veterans. A private letter to the Northern Ireland Office and the Ministry of Defence on Theresa May's behalf reportedly said a consultation on Troubles legacy issues 'should not contain' reference to amnesties or a statute of limitations on the prosecution of former soldiers. Sent in March 2018, it is the first indication that Mrs May personally blocked plans to scrap prosecutions for alleged crimes in Northern Ireland. On Saturday, thousands of people protested across the UK at the prosecution of Northern Ireland veterans. Hundreds rallied at Broadcasting House in London, where veterans bore letters spelling out 'betrayed', while protesters wore T-shirts stating: 'I stand with Soldier F' Two years earlier, she said at the 2016 Tory conference that 'never again' would the Government let 'activist, Left-wing human rights lawyers harangue and harass' the Armed Forces. The letter, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, said that compared with other groups affected by the consultation, including terrorists, veterans should be given 'equal, rather than preferential treatment'. Tory MP and former soldier Johnny Mercer, said yesterday that equating troops 'with those who got up in the morning specifically to murder innocent civilians turns my stomach'. He said he would not support the Government until 'some level of protection is brought in for Armed Forces personnel from the cancer of repeated and spurious prosecutions'. A No10 source said the Government would not countenance a proposal to give terrorists amnesties. Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and her predecessor Gavin Williamson, have backed amnesties for troops who served in Northern Ireland. Last week, Mrs Mordaunt announced that veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere would be protected from historical prosecutions. But troops who served in Northern Ireland are not included. Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley is planning an Historical Investigations Unit to re-examine 1,700 deaths. A long-awaited consultation on the issue by the Northern Ireland Office is expected soon. Parliamentary petitions signed by more than 100,000 are considered for debate by MPs. Last week, Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt announced that veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere would be protected from historical prosecutions. But troops who served in Northern Ireland are not included. A file photo is pictured above [File photo] A Government spokesman said criminal investigations were a matter for police and prosecutors, adding: 'Where there is evidence of wrongdoing it is right that this should be investigated. We do not support amnesties or immunity from prosecution.' Tory MP Mark Francois said MPs would reject 'any rancid deal between the Northern Ireland office and Sinn Fein-IRA at the cost of our brave veterans'. In March, prosecutors in Northern Ireland said a veteran known as Soldier F would be prosecuted for the alleged murder of two men on Bloody Sunday when, on January 30 1972, 13 people were killed during a march. A 14th died later. Six other former soldiers who served in Northern Ireland are facing prosecution. A Government spokesman said: 'The Ministry of Defence have proposed legislation to provide stronger legal protections for serving and former personnel facing investigation over alleged historical offences.' On Saturday, thousands of people protested across the UK at the prosecution of Northern Ireland veterans. Hundreds rallied at Broadcasting House in London, where veterans bore letters spelling out 'betrayed', while protesters wore T-shirts stating: 'I stand with Soldier F.' A teenager is in a life threatening condition after being stabbed repeatedly in another bloody weekend in London. Police and ambulance crews were called to reports of an injured man on Warwick Avenue in Little Venice, west London, just before 8pm on Sunday. The man, who is believed to be in his late teens, was rushed to a central London hospital suffering from stab wounds. A crime scene (pictured) was set up on Warwick Avenue, west London, after a teenager was stabbed repeatedly He was in a critical condition and no arrests have been made as police continue their enquiries. Various crime scenes were in place in the surrounding area, including Bourne Terrace. The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: 'Anyone with information is asked to call officers via 101 quoting reference 6808/19May.' Footage posted on social media showed a police and ambulance presence in the area after they were called at around 8pm on Sunday Police were on the scene in Little Venice (pictured) after the stabbing on Sunday night. The victim was in a life threatening condition in a central London hospital It comes after a horrific daylight stabbing left a teenager fighting for his life in Norbury, Croydon, this afternoon. An air ambulance was scrambled to St Oswald's Road at around 3.30pm and the 19-year-old man was taken to a hospital in south London. Police were reportedly in contact with his family to monitor his condition. A crime scene was set up and Croydon Police declared a Section 60 in the Sutton and Croydon boroughs. Road closures remained in place in Norbury on Sunday night. Croydon MPS wrote on Twitter: 'Due to the increased risk of possible further serious injury and disorder, a Section 60 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 area has been declared for the entire boroughs of #Sutton and #Croydon.' It added: 'Extra police resources have arrived on the two boroughs and are conducting patrols in the area.' The issuing of the Section 60 allows police to 'make any search he thinks fit whether or not he has any grounds for suspecting that the person or vehicle is carrying weapons'. If police find weapons, under Section 60 they can seize it and arrest the offending person. Two Australian landowners are waging a legal battle against a real estate developer for allegedly destroying a pristine Fijian island. Navrin Fox and Woody Jack, two surfers from the New South Wales North Coast, have accused FreeSoul Real Estate Development of causing irreversible damage to the island and its marine ecology out of 'pure greed' FreeSoul is facing allegations of desecrating the pristine island, violating environmental laws, cutting into a coral reef, creating an illegal channel and destroying rainforest. FreeSoul, which is owned by local Fiji investors with strong Chinese connections, couldn't be reached for comment. Scroll down for video Two Australian landowners are waging a legal battle against a real estate developer for allegedly destroying a pristine Fijian island (pictured) Mr Fox and Mr Jack along with their Fijian partner had secured a 99-year lease on a beachfront property on Malolo Island in 2015. They wanted to build three eco-friendly bungalows on the famous tourist getaway, but had to shelve their plans after FreeSoul bought the land next door with plans to build Fiji's largest resort and first casino. The coral reef, which was dug up to construct a road, was allegedly dumped into the shallow water in front of the land owned by Fox, Jack and their Fijian partner. Navrin Fox and Woody Jack (pictured together), two surfers from the New South Wales North Coast, have accused FreeSoul Real Estate Development of causing irreversible damage to the island out of 'pure greed' Mr Fox and Mr Jack have launched a GoFundMe page to help in their fight against FreeSoul. 'To date we have put our hearts and life savings on the line, we are three men going up against a $100million consortium with backing from China,' Mr Fox said. 'They call themselves FreeSoul and they have no respect for the environment, Fijian law or its people.' Some news reports suggest FreeSoul was incorporated in Shanghai in 2016 and is backed by a state-run Chinese media company. FreeSoul brought in cranes and excavators (pictured) in 2018 to build Fiji's largest resort and first casino Dr Ken Chambers, Fox and Jack's lawyer, accused FreeSoul of not playing fair. 'They're underdogs [Fox and Jack] and they should never have been put to fighting a battle that should have been fought by somebody else,' Dr Chambers told Channel Nine's 60 minutes program. 'They have spent their whole life savings doing this. They should get medals.' FreeSoul was given environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval with 55 conditions attached in December 2018. But the Fijian government's inspection on January 31 this year found that the company had violated 20 conditions. Last month, Mr Fox and Mr Jack were able to bring a court injunction against FreeSoul after the Fijian government cancelled its environmental permits. Three New Zealand journalists were also detained for trying to interview the director of FreeSoul in April, but were released later. FreeSoul is accused of desecrating the pristine island, violating environmental laws, cutting into a coral reef, creating an illegal channel and destroying rainforest Mr Fox said they need funds to continue their fight against FreeSoul. 'The funds raised will go towards making sure FreeSoul are held accountable in court for desecrating the land, reef and mangroves with no permits,' he said. 'This support will mean we can finish the job and stop greed from wrecking our planet.' Young people are very safe using Facebook, one of the companys top executives has told the Daily Mail. Social networking sites have been dogged by grooming and cyberbullying scandals, and parents are increasingly concerned about their childrens safety online. It is thought 600,000 under-13s who are not allowed to have a profile on Facebook or Instagram regularly log on to the sites. Campaigners have warned that many children are using Facebook or Instagram, and that some parents are unaware of the age restrictions for social networking sites [File photo] But Monika Bickert, Facebooks head of global policy management, insisted that effective measures were already in place to protect users. She said: Young people absolutely can go on Facebook or Instagram and have a very safe experience. We do have the rules in place. We do have the enforcement in place. But Mrs Bickert, who has two teenage daughters, said parents also had a role to play. When my daughters turned 13, I did not just say, OK, go online, she said. We had a conversation about what kind of experience they want to have online and how they can be sure they are having that experience. People have to make sure they are taking advantage of privacy settings and other tools. That is an important part of being an online citizen. Social networking sites have been dogged by grooming and cyberbullying scandals, and parents are increasingly concerned about their childrens safety online [File photo] But last night childrens charity the NSPCC described Mrs Bickerts comments as a sad reflection of the companys refusal to acknowledge the dangers. A spokesman said: These social networks are not safe for our children. Its vital that an independent regulator is introduced. Campaigners have warned that many children are using Facebook or Instagram, and that some parents are unaware of the age restrictions for social networking sites. Last year research group eMarketer claimed 600,000 children aged 12 or under logged onto Facebook at least once a month, and in 2017 Ofcom said half of 11- and 12-year-olds had a social media profile. Earlier this year, Instagram, owned by Facebook, came under fire after schoolgirl Molly Russell, 14, took her own life after trawling through self-harm images on the platform. Her father, Ian, claimed the app was partly responsible for her death. Facebook has vowed to clean up its platforms and has become more transparent, releasing reports on issues such as fake accounts or child sexual abuse images. It has also created tools to protect victims of revenge porn or cyberbullying. The Post Office is beyond tipping point as cuts in Government funding threaten its future, it was claimed last night. MPs will tomorrow be told that the network is close to collapse. Up to 2,500 small post offices will close or downsize in the next 12 months because of financial hardship, says the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters. Post offices have seen income from Government services fall from 576million in 2004-05 to 99million in 2017-18. Up to 2,500 small post offices will close or downsize in the next 12 months because of financial hardship, says the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters Most close because the sub-postmaster, the private business people running smaller branches, can no longer make a living. The association is calling on the Government to extend the subsidy to the post office network beyond 2021 to protect village branches. The NFSP claim that without the subsidy the network would not be able to survive and 3,000 community branches, typically in rural areas, will be at risk. Banks axed more than 750 of their branches last year, leaving post offices as a vital service, especially for older customers in rural communities. Most close because the sub-postmaster, the private business people running smaller branches, can no longer make a living. Pictured, villagers protesting against the closure of Chesham Bois post office A lifeline for the village Joe Williams, 38, said: We make around 14,000 a year from Post Office commission, but we have to pay our staff ourselves Joe Williams opened a post office counter three years ago because villagers had no local access to vital services. But even though his shop in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, is thriving he does not make a profit from the new arm to his business. The last bank in the village shut 20 years ago, and the old post office closed in 2015. Now, as well as buying food in The Village Shop, locals pay in cheques there and withdraw cash and pensions. Mr Williams, 38, said: We make around 14,000 a year from Post Office commission, but we have to pay our staff ourselves. Advertisement The vast majority of post offices, about 98 per cent, are operated by franchise partners or sub-postmasters, who are independent business people. Only Crown post offices are directly managed by the Post Office. The NFSP said: The viability of sub post offices and the morale of sub-postmasters has been eroded to the extent that the networks resilience is extremely limited. We believe a tipping point has been passed and the consequences of this are now being realised. Sub-postmasters are resigning in high numbers because it is increasingly difficult to make a decent living. The closure of 2,500 post offices in a year would be a catastrophic loss to communities. The warning comes in written evidence to the Commons business, energy and industrial committee, which is meeting tomorrow for a hearing into the future of the post office network. The NFSP will say its 8,000 members feel disenfranchised and marginalised by the Post Office, the Government and Royal Mail and relegated to the bottom of the food chain. Their profits have been squeezed by the move online. They claim they are seen by the Post Office as a cost element to be reduced and have called on more banking and Government services to be brought back to post offices Calum Greenhow, chief executive of the NFSP, will be questioned by MPs during the business select committee session tomorrow. MPs will also hear from the Citizens Advice, WH Smith and the Association of Convenience Stores. A survey by the NFSP found that 22 per cent are planning to close, hand on their business, or downsize over the next year. There are about 11,500 post offices in the UK, almost half the number of 30 years ago. Chugging down a cold glass of kombucha on Saturday morning, the sockless hipsters in Australia's two largest cities were super confident of a Labor victory. Anyone who gave a toss about the environment wouldn't have it any other way, they mused to themselves. As for Scott Morrison? Well, he was just a 'racist', and a climate change denier, who wanted to look after his rich, old mates who used negative gearing and franking credits to get ahead at the expense of the rest of us. Anthony Albanese, pictured spinning some tunes on tv, urged Labor to keep its 'redistributive agenda' - which he claimed was closing tax loopholes, taking action on climate change, advancing indigenous reconciliation and removing discrimination Bill Shorten (right) went into the election full of confidence. He told Hollywood action star Arnold Schwarzenegger that he'd be Australia's next prime minister. He was dead wrong Labor supporters living in Melbourne and Sydney believed Bill Shorten was a sure thing. They were left in tears on Saturday night after his shock loss. Supporters of Hannah Beazley, Labor candidate for Swan, couldn't believe what they were seeing either So fast-forward to Saturday night, when the predicted swing against the government failed to materialise and it became clear the Coalition would be re-elected for a third term. It was then that the same types took to social media to vent their utter dismay and anger. 'When voters get sucked into a culture of fear, this is the result,' one vocal Facebooker frothed. 'Maybe I need to stop over-estimating people. Xenophobia clearly runs deeper than I'm aware. What a strange, selfish, cruel country we seem to have become.' The electronic graffiti carried on into the next day as the left-wing Labor-voting city folk of Melbourne and Sydney choked on their rage and indignation at a country being so 'mean'. The map of how Australia voted showed it clear as day. Among a sea of Liberal blue and orange across most of the country, a blood stained splatter of Labor red marks the cities of Melbourne, Sydney - and to be fair - most of Tasmania. The progressive Labor agenda that was rejected by voters Bill Shorten said: 'We choose hope over fear. We choose the future over the past.' Bigger immediate tax cuts to 3.6 million taxpayers who earn under $48,000 $10 billion towards Victoria's vision to build a 90km suburban rail loop around Melbourne Limit negative gearing to new housing from January 2020 Reverse a Howard government decision to introduce cash refunds for excess imputation credits for individuals and superannuation funds. Implement the national energy guarantee abandoned by the Coalition, with a higher emissions reduction target 45% by 2030 Bring down industrial pollution with companies allocated baselines. If they pollute above that level, they need to buy carbon credits A $2.3 billion promise to slash out-of-pocket costs faced by cancer patients Advertisement Inner metropolitan Australia swung to Labor in its safe seats and in safe Liberal seats, such as Kooyong, North Sydney and Higgins, and the voters of Warringah. But the outer suburbs and regional Australia swung in the other direction. The progressive agenda pushed by Bill Shorten and advocated by the leftists in the inner-city enclaves had backfired. In Queensland, where plenty of workers still know what it's like to shovel pies into their gobs and lick their fingers with dirt still stuck under their nails, they were popping champagne. Queensland was a shocker for Labor, particularly in the north where coal is king. Not only did it fail to make inroads in the Sunshine State, it lost two vital seats. Now, two days on from its shock election defeat, the so-called party of the workers is embroiled in a serious bout of soul searching. A humiliated Bill Shorten has resigned and the party is in search of a new leader and new direction. Given the disastrous result, many in the party are understandably demanding a shift away from the progressive agenda it took to the election. But not everyone agrees and a vicious internal fight for the heart and soul of the Labor Party is brewing. Opposition spokesman for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon said the next Labor leader needed to drag the party back to the centre Complicating matters, the two favourites for the leadership - deputy leader Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese - are from the left of the party and therefore inextricably linked to Labor's poor showing in the election. Ms Plibersek, in particular, has been singled out for contributing to the loss by attacking the coal industry on the eve of the election. She pulled out of the leadership debate on Monday afternoon, declaring she would not make a challenge for the top job. 'I am very grateful for the support I have received from my colleagues, from party members and others, urging me to run for the Labor leadership. I have support, from across the party, to be elected leader ... but now is not my time,' she said. Even after the election failure, Mr Albanese was urging Labor to keep its 'redistributive agenda' - which he claimed was closing tax loopholes, taking action on climate change, advancing indigenous reconciliation and removing discrimination - despite signs it had overwhelmingly been rejected by the electorate. Contrast his views with Labor stalwart Joel Fitzgibbon, who only just hung on to his NSW seat of Hunter, despite a massive 20 per cent swing. Threatening to throw his hat into the leadership ring unless the party took a new direction, Mr Fitzgibbon said that Labor had clearly moved too far to the left and needed to reconnect with its blue-collar base. 'We need to stick to the sensible centre and push reform in an incremental way and in an orderly way and properly explain why change is necessary to people,' he said. 'You've got to be able to take people with you. 'We took to the electorate a very progressive policy agenda ... but it just appears to me like the electorate wasn't quite ready for that progressive approach, and the result is very obvious.' Mr Fitzgibbon said Labor had left itself terribly exposed to a 'scare campaign' over coal after promoting transition plans for the power industry and an ambitious target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030. Tanya Plibersek was set to contest the ballot for the Labor leadership after Bill Shorten decided to throw in the towel after his humiliating defeat last weekend. She backed out on Monday afternoon Mr Fitzgibbon is among several Labor frontbenchers sounding out support for a tilt at the party leadership, as officials meet to dissect the poor election result. 'Someone needs to indicate that they are the person who is prepared to put us back on track,' he told ABC Radio National on Monday. 'And if someone's not prepared to do that, well, I might just do it myself.' Where does Labor go now? Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said Labor had moved too far to the left and needed to reconnect with its blue-collar base Labor frontbenchers are sounding out support for a tilt at the party leadership Anthony Albanese wants the Labor leadership Chris Bowen is also expected to throw his hat in the ring An assessment of how Labor got it so wrong continues Labor senator Doug Cameron urged Labor to 'stay strong and progressive' Advertisement As well as Mr Albanese, frontbenchers Chris Bowen and Jim Chalmers are also understood to be considering a tilt. Labor's national executive - made up of senior Labor MPs and leaders of the party's organisation - will hold a teleconference on Monday to begin the process of finding a new leader. Meanwhile, the assessment of how Labor got it so wrong continues. Matt McDonald, an associate professor in the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland, said Labor's climate agenda wasn't particularly applicable to regional Queensland where constituents view large scale mining operations as a crucial potential source of income and employment. 'Simply put, climate concern is at its highest in Australia when there's a perception that the government isn't doing anything about the issue and isn't taking it seriously,' he told the ABC. Federal leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten (right) speaks to media with wife Chloe outside their property in Moonee Pond after his election defeat. During the election, Mr Shortens campaign referred to the 'top end of town' in a hope that Australians would rally against big business and the rich. 'In this election, Australians were suddenly faced with a prospective Labor Government ready with a suite of measures to tackle climate change. 'And they were presented with an account of these measures as a devastating economic blow to Australian prosperity and growth,' he wrote. 'However discredited much of this modelling ultimately was, and the broader fear campaign about everything from electricity prices to the end of petrol-based cars, it raised the spectre of immediate economic sacrifice for Australians.' Victorian Liberal MP Tim Wilson said ordinary Australians were more concerned about its 'retiree tax' campaign, which destroyed the threat of Labor's franking credit policy and won the Coalition key seats up the east coast. 'In the same way that kids told their parents how to vote in the marriage equality postal survey, we saw parents tell their kids about the cost of voting Labor,' Mr Wilson said. The founder of Wilson Asset Management, Geoff Wilson - who co-ordinated the campaign with Tim Wilson - told Fairfax Labor drastically underestimated the number of people affected by the change. 'Labor was naive to think this only affected a small portion of the economy,' he said. 'In terms of the community it impacted and the families it affected it was much larger.' During the election, Mr Shortens campaign repeatedly referred to the 'top end of town' in a hope that Australians would rally against big business and the rich. It didn't work, with ordinary Australians agreeing those who had worked hard and prospered probably shouldn't be punished for it while others got a free kick. However, any move by Labor to shift from the left to the centre will not come without a fight. On Monday, Labor senator Doug Cameron took to Twitter urging his party to stay firm on its progressive goals. 'The 'miracle' has seen the Libs sweep in to a narrow majority. As it stands now the difference is 181,454 votes across the nation. Hardly a ringing endorsement for the over five million Australians backed a progressive Labor agenda. We must stay strong and progressive,' he wrote. Britain will decide whether to send Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the U.S. to face charges for publishing classified documents, or to Sweden over rape allegations. Swedish authorities filed a warrant for his arrest earlier today, a move which could spark a tug-of-war between the two countries over his extradition. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said: '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. 'The outcome of this process is impossible to predict. However, in my view the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK.' Assange is currently serving a 50-week sentence in the UK for skipping bail but if the warrant is granted it would launch proceedings to bring him to Sweden. It comes as United States officials have been given the green light to 'help themselves' to the belongings of Julian Assange left behind in the Ecuadorian embassy in London after his arrest last month. Protesters have gathered outside the Ecuadorian Embassy, pictured, to oppose a new warrant for his arrest and the 'illegal seizure' of his property from the building by US officials Swedish prosecutors have filed a warrant for Assange's (left and right last month) arrest which could spark a extradition process to take him to Scandinavia to face rape allegations Assange is already facing potential extradition to the US but Swedish officials say they could prosecute him alongside this process. Pictured are protesters with posters Today Assange's belongings, pictured, were removed from the embassy to aid U.S. prosecutors Sweden reopened an investigation into the rape allegation, first made in 2010, earlier this month. According to WikiLeaks, Ecuadorian officials are today travelling to London to allow US prosecutors to 'help themselves' to items including legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment. Assange's supporters have since launched a protest outside the embassy against the 'illegal seizure'. Supporters of Assange have today gathered outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London ahead of the handing over of his belongings to United States prosecutors. WikiLeaks claimed its founder's possessions left from his time living inside the embassy, including legal papers and electronic equipment, were to be removed on Monday. Protesters fixed banners to railings outside the embassy with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag. The small group held up posters with the messages 'Free Assange' and '#FreeSpeech'. One woman shouted towards the building 'you are stealing Assange's belongings', while others chanted 'Thieves, thieves, thieves, shame on you'. Carolina Graterol, 52, a Venezuelan journalist, said Assange's case set a 'very dangerous precedent to a free press and the right we have to know the truth'. She claimed any seizure of his belongings was 'totally illegal' and 'a breach of his privacy'. One woman shouted towards the building 'you are stealing Assange's belongings', while others chanted 'Thieves, thieves, thieves, shame on you' as his possessions were taken away (pictured) US officials are believed to be going to the embassy today to collect legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment, which has sparked opposition from Assange supporters Protesters have also been putting up banners on the fence around the embassy, pictured Others have been holding up 'free speech' placards and have been claiming Assange is being persecuted by the US 'Obviously the US is looking for evidence to incriminate him in a future case,' she added. Fidel Narvaez, 50, former consul at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, said the treatment of Assange was 'appalling' and 'shameful'. Speaking outside the embassy where he worked between 2010 and 2018, Mr Narvaez said he considered Assange 'my friend' who was 'very respectful' and had a 'good relationship' with embassy staff. He added: 'I feel ashamed of the way the Ecuadorian government is dealing with Julian's case, the way they evicted him, allowing foreign forces to go into the embassy and to drag a political refugee out by force.' Mr Narvaez claimed ongoing 'cooperation' between Ecuador and the US had seen Ecuadorian diplomats interviewed by US prosecutors. He said the handing over of Assange's possessions inside the embassy would be 'immoral' and 'not transparent'. WikiLeaks said United Nations officials and Assange's lawyers were not being allowed to be present during the 'illegal seizure of property', which has been requested by the US authorities. The material is said to include two of Assange's manuscripts. The Wikileaks founder is pictured being dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in handcuffs by police in April A handcuffed Assange is pictured in a van with police officers as he makes his way to Westminster Magistrates Court in London ahead of his hearing in April The WikiLeaks founder was arrested and dragged from the embassy by eight policemen to a waiting police van on April 10, as he ranted about Donald Trump and screamed 'the UK has no civility'. The news of the 'illegal seizure' of Assange's personal property was reported by Wikileaks last night. Wikileaks tweeted: 'Ecuador has been sequestering Assange's belongings since his arrest. Now we know why: To hand them over to the US in violation of international law. 'Ecuador's vile behaviour is not new as they have been sending information on Assange to the US for months.' Assange is serving a 50-week prison sentence for bail violations, he faces an extradition request from the US next month. Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks said: 'On Monday Ecuador will perform a puppet show at the Embassy of Ecuador in London for their masters in Washington, just in time to expand their extradition case before the UK deadline on 14 June. The court heard how Assange resisted arrest and tried to barge past officers in an attempt to return to his private room within the embassy when they introduced themselves at about 10am, telling them: 'This is unlawful' A judge described Assange's defence that he could never expect a fair trial in the UK as 'laughable', calling his behaviour that of a 'narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interests' as the court heard he tried to fight off arresting officers 'The Trump administration is inducing its allies to behave like it's the Wild West.' Baltasar Garzon, international legal coordinator for the defence of Assange and WikiLeaks, said: 'It is extremely worrying that Ecuador has proceeded with the search and seizure of property, documents, information and other material belonging to the defence of Julian Assange, which Ecuador arbitrarily confiscated, so that these can be handed over to the the agent of political persecution against him, the United States. 'It is an unprecedented attack on the rights of the defence, freedom of expression and access to information exposing massive human rights abuses and corruption. 'We call on international protection institutions to intervene to put a stop to this persecution.' UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm Thursday about the Runit dome, which was built in the 1970s to store waste from atomic bomb tests The head of the United Nations has sounded the alarm about a giant nuclear waste container he says may be leaking radioactive material into the Pacific ocean. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed his concerns about the 'Runit Dome' Thursday, referring to it as a 'kind of coffin,' during a speech to students in Fiji. 'I've just been with the President of the Marshall Islands [Hilda Heine], who is very worried because there is a risk of leaking of radioactive materials that are contained in a kind of coffin in the area,' Guterres said. 'A lot needs to be done in relation to the explosions that took place in French Polynesia and the Marshall Islands. This is in relation to the health consequences, the impact on communities and other aspects. Of course there are questions of compensation and mechanisms to allow these impacts to be [minimized].' The Runit Dome (pictured) was built during the late 1970s following numerous regional nuclear bomb tests conducted by the US and France. The cement shell covering the massive hole has a total surface area of 278,871 square feet and stores 85,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste The Marshall Islands is a country composed of a chain of 29 islands located about halfway in between Australia and Hawaii in the north Pacific ocean The dome's 18 inch concrete walls cover a crater left by a nuclear blast test near the Marshall Island known as Runit, hence the name Runit Dome 'The 'coffin' Guterres referenced was built during the late 1970s following numerous regional nuclear bomb tests conducted by the US and France. The dome's 18inch concrete walls cover a crater left by a nuclear blast test near the Marshall Island known as Runit, hence the name. Local islanders evacuated the areas around Runit after the blast and reportedly won't go near it. The cement shell covering the massive hole has a total surface area of 278,871 square feet and stores 85,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste, according to a comprehensive report titled 'A Poison in Our Land' originally published in 2017 by Australian journalist Mark Willacy. It was supposed to be a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Washington funded the construction of the dome, but the sand and soil beneath it are said to be 'permeable,' making it likely the nuclear waste stored there can be washed into the ocean. The natives of the Pacific islands Guterres was addressing Thursday have been dealing with the environmental hazards created in their region for decades. The Runit Dome was built during the late 1970s following numerous south Pacific regional nuclear bomb tests conducted by the US and France The natives of the Pacific islands, many in the Marshall Islands, were forced to flee their homes because of the fallout from nuclear testing conducted by western powers. Thousands more who didn't flee risked being exposed to radioactive waste Many in the Marshall Islands were forced to flee their homes. Thousands more who didn't risked being exposed to radioactive waste. Guterres has been touring south Pacific nations to talk about the global effects of climate change, including sea level rise, which he has said poses a significant threat to low-lying Pacific island nations. He did not announce any specific plans for the UN or its member nations to address the nuclear threat posed by the dome. 'The Pacific was victimized in the past as we all know,' Guterres said. 'The consequences of these [nuclear tests] have been quite dramatic, in relation to health, in relation to the poisoning of waters in some areas.' xperts believe that the number of arrivals will increase as the weather improves Fifty-two migrants were caught trying to reach Britain by crossing the Channel in flimsy boats over the weekend. Border Force officials intercepted four dinghies carrying men, women and children as they made the journey from northern France to the Kent coast. The incidents will heap pressure on Home Secretary Sajid Javid as he attempts to tackle the growing problem of migrants paying people-smuggling gangs thousands of pounds to cross the worlds busiest shipping lane. Border Force officials intercepted four dinghies carrying men, women and children as they made the journey from northern France to the Kent coast. If classed as asylum seekers, they will be released to specialist accommodation or allowed to live with family Concerns are likely to be raised that the Home Offices decision to deploy cutters encourages migrants to travel in the belief they will be rescued and brought to the UK. Experts believe the number of arrivals will increase in the next few months as the weather improves [File photo] The incidents will heap pressure on Home Secretary Sajid Javid as he attempts to tackle the growing problem of migrants paying people-smuggling gangs thousands of pounds to cross the worlds busiest shipping lane The Border Force stopped 52 migrants from entering the UK yesterday as they crossed the Channel in dinghies Border Force officials are pictured yesterday in Dover, Kent, where more than 50 migrants were stopped from entering the UK Four dinghies crammed with migrants were intercepted and Border Force officials were pictured in Dover processing arrivals Calm weather has provided perfect conditions for traffickers to send a new wave of migrants on the perilous trip. Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke, who represents Dover and Deal, said: The best deterrent is for migrants and traffickers to know there is no hope of getting to the UK. The French authorities taking these boats safely back to the French coast is the best way to achieve that. The influx began at around 5.30am on Saturday when 11 men, believed to be Iranian, were picked up off the Kent coast. One man was unconscious. Pictured: A Border Force official stands behind a line of migrants who attempted to come into the UK yesterday The UK Border Force and National Crime Agency processed migrants at Dover, Kent, yesterday and officials are pictured at the scene A second boat carrying six men, two women and a 12-year-old child was then intercepted near Folkestone at about 7.50am after a 999 call from the stricken boat. Seven of the migrants on board are believed to be Iraqis, and two Iranian. At 4am yesterday, HMS Seeker a Border Force cutter intercepted a third boat carrying 13 people. The six men, two women and five children were from Iran and Iraq. Soon afterwards, a fourth boat carrying 19 men was also intercepted. The passengers all said they were from Iraq or Iran. Passengers on the dinghies told border officials in Kent that they were all from Iraq or Iran (pictured, the scene in Dover yesterday as the men were processed) Border Force officials took pictures of the arrivals yesterday after vessels were intercepted as they attempted to cross the Channel All the migrants have been handed over to immigration officials. Most will be processed at the Kent Intake Unit, where they are fed, given medical attention and undergo security screening. If classed as asylum seekers, they will be released to specialist accommodation or allowed to live with family. Experts believe the number of arrivals will increase in the next few months as the weather improves. Concerns are likely to be raised that the Home Offices decision to deploy cutters encourages migrants to travel in the belief they will be rescued and brought to the UK. In another rescue yesterday, nine migrants were stopped in French waters. The eight men and a child were suffering from mild hypothermia and taken back to France. Last week, the Home Office revealed that 739 migrants had planned or attempted to cross the Channel in small boats in just over a year. A Home Office spokesman said: Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children. We have agreed a joint action plan with France. Those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 25 people who arrived illegally in small boats have been returned to Europe. A dilapidated property in a New South Wales country town has become Australia's cheapest home - but the new owners will need to renovate. The Murray Street property in Hay, 700km west of Sydney, was sold for the extraordinarily low price of $7000 in May this year. In August 2004, the property sold for $48,000, and in June 2012 it was sold again for $30,000. The 1920 property is cheaper than most used cars, and almost $2000 less expensive than some luxury handbags, realestate.com.au reported. The Murray Street property in Hay, New South Wales, was sold for an extraordinary $7000 in May this year The median property price for a three-bedroom house in the Hay area is around $113,500. Despite the reasonable price tag, the property boasts three bedrooms, one bathroom and one garage space, and is close to several schools. Real estate agent Therese Murphy said the house was an 'ideal renovator's delight' and went for a $7000 because it required work. 'The house was trashed and there were loose bricks everywhere,' she told the publication. The Hay property is one of a few in the state that are going for less than $30,000. A house on Edward Street in Moree, northern NSW, is currently for sale with the asking price set at $10,000, while another house is going for $15,000. Last year a property in Wee Waa, with an asking price of $30,000, was branded Australia's cheapest property. According to CoreLogic, homes in the Greater Sydney area are 74 times cheaper than the average Australian home price of about $520,000. A house on Edward Street in Moree, northern NSW, is going for $15,000 (pictured) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that governments shouldn't stand in the way of women who want to seek abortions in the final three months of their pregnancies. The South Bend, Indiana mayor allowed that women who are six, seven or eight months into their pregnancies have 'perhaps chosen a name' or 'purchased a crib.' But Fox News Channel moderator Chris Wallace found no flexibility in his pro-choice stand at a town hall held by the channel for the Democratic candidate. 'As horrible as that choice is,' Buttigieg said, 'that woman that family may seek spiritual guidance, they may seek medical guidance but that decision's not going to be made any better medically or morally because the government is dictating how that decision should be made.' Six thousand women in America each year choose to terminate their pregnancies less than three months before their due-dates, instead of carrying the babies to term. That represents less than 1 per cent of the roughly 700,000 U.S. abortions each year. Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana said during a town hall meeting on Fox News that American governments shouldn't stand in the way of women who are more than six months pregnant if they want to have abortions Buttigieg is one of few Democrats who have appeared on Fox News for hour-long town hall broadcasts President Donald Trump blasted Fox news for hosting Buttigieg, casting the move as a shift toward legitimizing his political enemies Pro-life advocates have seen late-term abortions as a largely rhetorical firewall in public debates an extreme that renders more common examples less comfortable. Some in pro-choice circles, however, have begun to push the envelope, including Democrats in New York and Virginia this year. The United States is one of just seven countries that permit elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The 37-year-old Buttigieg, making his first run at an office with more than 100,000 constituents, would be America's youngest-ever president if he were to move into the Oval Office in 2021. He framed the late-term abortion question in terms of women who 'get the most devastating medical news of their lifetimes, something about the health or the life of the mother that forces them to make an impossible, unthinkable choice.' A Democrat-stocked audience in Claremont, New Hampshire cheered for Buttigieg on Sunday night and gave him a standing ovation at the end of the hour-long broadcast Kelly Thompson stood in front of the Alabama Capitol on Sunday to protest a law passed last week making abortion a felony in nearly all cases with no exceptions for rape or incest Trump criticized Fox News, and host Chris Wallace, on Sunday in advance of Buttigieg's broadcast, giving him a higher profile than he otherwise would have enjoyed His appearance on the Fox News Channel, a network historically friendlier to Republicans than to Democrats, raised questions on the left and hackles at the White House. 'Hard to believe @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him. Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems,' Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon. 'They got dumped from the Democrats['] boring debates, and they just want in. They forgot the people who got them there.' 'Chris Wallace said, 'I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance ... fascinating biography.' Gee, he never speaks well of me - I like Mike Wallace better...and Alfred E. Newman [sic] will never be President!' Alfred E. Neuman was a cartoonish MAD Magazine mascot whose goofy, toothy grin and big ears made him a spot-on caricature of Buttigieg for some pro-Trump partisans. Chris Wallace is the son of Mike Wallace, the CBS veteran who was one of 60 Minutes' first correspondents and died in 2012. Asked about the president's antics on Twitter, Buttigieg shrugged and grinned. 'The tweets are I don't care!' he said after a pregnant pause. 'We need to make sure that we're changing the channel from this show that he's created,' he said, blaming the mass-media for chasing the bright spotlight of Trump's social media outbursts - and gaining applause from the audience. Trump himself appeared on Fox News an hour after the Buttigieg town hall ended, in a pre-recorded interview with British political adviser-turned Fox News host Steve Hilton. Buttigieg was the third Democratic candidate to appear in a Fox News town hall, with Bernie Sanders the first, followed by Amy Klobuchar. But another candidate, Elizabeth Warren, publicly refused to take part in one, accusing the network of using the town halls to whitewash its reputation. Buttigieg said he was happy to be on the network and wanted to reach out to its viewers, but also hit out at two of the network's opinion hosts - Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham - accusing them of being 'not always there in good faith.' He president that as a contrast to the viewers, saying they were watching 'in good faith.' Buttigieg said he was defying critics inside his party to appear and said: 'I get where that's coming from especially when you see what goes on with some opinion hosts on this network. 'I mean when you've got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty. 'When you've got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps. 'There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem.' But he said that as a Democrat, 'I think we have to find people where they are.' Buttigieg ended the town hall with a standing ovation, prompting Wallace to say 'wow' as the audience got to their feet and giving the breakout star of the Democratic field a viral moment similar to the one Sanders gained on his Fox News appearance when he advocated universal health care. AGES OF THE 2020 CANDIDATES ON INAUGURATION DAY As of April 8, 2020 there were two major party candidates in the 2020 presidential election. Here is the age each of them would be on Inauguration Day 2021 if he were to win: Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) : 78 years, 2 months, 1 day : 78 years, 2 months, 1 day President Donald Trump (R) : 74 years, 7 months, 7 days Advertisement It's not clear whether Trump, who watches Fox News religiously and tweets about its programs almost daily, saw the broadcast. If the TVs in the White House residence were on and tuned to their normal default, he saw Buttigieg referring to abortion as 'a national right' and 'an American freedom.' And he saw an exclusively Democratic audience in New Hampshire cheer for his defense of abortions without restrictions. When Wallace asked if Buttigieg would support laws that placed 'any limit' on women's access to abortion, Buttigieg dismissed the suggestion that government should decide what's acceptable. 'I trust women to draw the line,' he said, earning thunderous applause. He also said young Americans should have better sex-education and greater access to birth control, with the goal of 'preventing many of the unwanted pregnancies from happening in the first place.' Fox News Channel moderator Chris Wallace asked Buttigieg whether he supports third-trimester abortions and told him that 6,000 American women have them annually Buttigieg's youthful energy has drawn President Donald Trump to mock his name and his face as he climbs in the Democratic primary polls As of May 19 Buttigieg was in fifth place in an average of Democratic primary polls maintained by Real Clear Politics, with 7 per cent. Former Vice President Joe Biden is leading the field with 38.3 per cent, more than twice the support of his nearest rival Bernie Sanders, a Vermont U.S. senator. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Sen. Kamala Harris are polling at 8.5 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively. There are 24 Democrats running for president so far. After Buttigieg's fifth-place showing, the field drops off significantly. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke and New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker are the only other candidates polling higher than 2 per cent. During his concession speech on Saturday night, Bill Shorten said he had tried his best before one outraged Labor supporter yelled: 'It's not you Bill, it's the country.' The furious cry set the tone for the Left's outpouring of grief over the past two days, as Labor voters, celebrities and commentators unleashed on the Coalition faithful after their shock election victory. Comedian Meshel Laurie called Australians 'dumb, mean-spirited and greedy', while author Jane Caro said she wished she were from New Zealand - although she later backtracked after hundreds of people offered her a lift to the airport. On social media, countless left-wingers called Coalition supporters 'racist, homophobic and stupid' as they were left stunned by Scott Morrison's against-all-odds win. But Sunrise host David Koch hit back on Monday morning with a message of his own for the Left. Social commentator and Sunrise regular Jane Caro (pictured) shared her dismay at the prospect of a Coalition government. 'Australia. If the LNP wins we have decided to be a backward looking country in a backwater. I wish I was a New Zealander,' the novelist Tweeted in the midst of election results being counted 'One thing I am hating on social media is all the people bagging the Australian voters for making the decision,' he said. 'Get a grip. People wanting to move to New Zealand, go to New Zealand. 'The Australian public is pretty smart, they made their decision, you live with it whether you agree or not.' He was backed up by Coalition voters on social media. One Tweeted: 'The Left loves democracy... until they lose.' Politics lecturer Dr Zareh Ghazarian of Monash University said anger was common after elections - but this time it's worse because of the surprise result. 'None of us expected this to happen and that will add fuel to the fires of anger,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday morning. Countless Left-wingers called Coalition supporters 'racist, homophobic, and stupid' as they were left stunned by Scott Morrison's against-all-odds victory One Twitter made fun of Labor voters who moaned on social media about their surprise loss Explaining the Coalition victory, Dr Ghazarian said: 'Their campaign was back to basics. They talked about jobs, the economy and not much else. 'Labor opened up so many fronts. They talked about fertility control, transgender issues, healthcare, climate change - and Bill Shorten kept saying he wanted to change the nation. 'Voters, facing volatility in the economy with global trade wars, said they were not in the mood for change and shunned Labor's big agenda. 'The message the Labor Party was running on just didn't resonate with people. 'When people were asked what their priorities were, they made their decision.' Several celebrities have been unable to swallow the defeat, sharing their rage after Prime Minister Scott Morrison's victory. Feminist author Clementine Ford said voters wanted to leave her son a 'destroyed world' while TV host Lisa Wilkinson said she was 'sick and tired' of Coalition infighting. Television personality Meshel Laurie let go with a barrage of Tweets, airing her disappointment over the Liberal Party's return to power The Project panelist Meshel Laurie replied to a Twitter user who branded the Opposition's tax policies as 'greedy' Outspoken author Clementine Ford (pictured) didn't hold back with her Tweets either. 'Thinking of my son and his little friends and crying over the climate destroyed, bulls**t world Australian voters are determined to leave him,' the feminist writer wrote Television personality Meshel Laurie let off a barrage of tweets, airing her disappointment over the Coalition's return to power. 'Australians are dumb, mean-spirited and greedy. Accept it,' she posted on Saturday night, as the Liberal Party clinched the surprise victory. Shortly afterwards, the comedian followed up by saying 'the only thing left to look forward to in a AUSTRALIA is Schadenfreude,' the German word for enjoying others' misfortunes. But she didn't stop there. A Twitter user replied to her saying 'Labor got greedy with too much tax - be honest with yourself... no one likes Shorten'. The Project panelist hit back, saying 'tax pays for everything outside your house genius. It pays for the hospital you'll die in one day'. Social commentator and Sunrise regular Jane Caro also shared her dismay at the prospect of a Coalition government. 'Australia. If the LNP wins we have decided to be a backward looking country in a backwater. I wish I was a New Zealander,' the novelist Tweeted in the midst of election results being counted. On Monday she wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald that she regrets her booze-fuelled tweet and wished Mr Morrison well. Left-wingers called Coalition supporters 'racist, homophobic, and stupid' after the result As the results came in, writer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied declared that 'it's going to be a long three years in Australia' if Scott Morrison is re-elected. 'Also - a warning to the progressive US counterparts, that even if things look good, ppl may surprise you (again),' Abdel-Magied Tweeted on Saturday night. Just hours earlier she weighed in on Tony Abbott losing his seat of Warringah, which he held for 25 years. 'Even listening to this tony speech makes me shudder... at least he's not PM any more. Oh but wait, when he gets his talk show we won't be able to stop him from speaking,' she wrote. Outspoken author Clementine Ford also slammed the election result. 'Thinking of my son and his little friends and crying over the climate destroyed, bulls**t world Australian voters are determined to leave him,' the feminist writer wrote. Famously left-wing writer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied declared that 'it's going to be a long three years in Australia' if Scott Morrison is re-elected Outspoken engineer-turned-writer Yasssmin Abdel-Magied also took the opportunity to call out 'progressive US counterparts' Former prominent radio host Mike Carlton even said 'we may have to declare war on Queensland' after dramatic swings in the sunshine state all but secured the election win for the Coalition. 'F***. Fifty years ago, Labor lost the 1969 Don's Party election. History repeats itself: first as tragedy, then as farce.' He then said 'WA has gone to s**t too,' after early results suggested WA was following suit with the rest of the country's votes. On Sunday, media personality Lisa Wilkinson penned an open letter to the PM, congratulating him while also begging him to 'start the healing'. Ms Wilkinson - a TV host and journalist - took to Ten Daily to slam a perceived 'toxic culture' consuming Australian politics and urged the re-elected prime minister to provide 'real leadership' with a 'genuinely clear direction'. In her letter, she writes that Australia is currently a broken-hearted nation due to the toxicity of the country's politics. Media personality Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) has penned an open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison following his shock victory Former prominent radio host Mike Carlton even declared 'we may have to declare war on Queensland' after dramatic swings in the sunshine state all but secured the election win for the Coalition 'We are sick and tired of the energy spent on infighting, political point-scoring and the tribal, factional warfare of recent years. 'We are aching for inspiring solutions put together by serious people, at a time when we are facing serious problems,' Ms Wilkinson said. Ms Wilkinson wished the Prime Minister luck with the next three years, finishing the letter with a nod to New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern, who was widely praised for her reaction to the Christchurch mosque attack. 'If you're ever in doubt when those big decision-making moments arise, when all the nation turns its lonely eyes to you, if despite all your best efforts you find that wisdom is failing you, can you do us a favour? Just call Jacinda,' she said. Paula Bavill, 46, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, treats her anxiety using her pet skunk Pongo (pictured together) A nurse who battled anxiety and depression for years has told how her symptoms have eased dramatically - thanks to her pet skunk. Paula Bavill, 46, was previously unable to attend large gatherings and events with confined crowds because of crippling mental health issues she had suffered from for a decade. She purchased Pongo two years ago but did not know at the time her furry friend would end up changing her life. Ms Bavill can now be seen walking with Pongo in a pouch on her chest or attached to a lead. She says having him by her side focuses her mind and concentration and that being able to pet him soothes her anxiety. Ms Bavill, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, has joined thousands of other mental health sufferers whose own 'panic pets' help overcome their symptoms. A study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found adopting a pet can treat depressive symptoms when both antidepressants and psychotherapy fail to do so. Companionship is also cited as a key reducer of the stress hormone cortisol and as providing an overall boost to well-being. She bought Pongo (pictured) two years ago but did not know her would help to change her life While most 'panic pets' tend to be cats or dogs, Ms Bavill, who owned ferrets for many years before, wanted something different. She said: 'Pongo has definitely changed my life for the better. 'Before I would be too anxious to go out into places with too many people and too many loud noises, it was overwhelming. The nurse can now often be seen walking Pongo in public in a pouch on her chest or on a lead 'But when he's there I'm able to cope much better. Nothing phases him at all, he's very sociable and really chilled. 'I think a big part of it is that when Pongo is there all the attention is on him and not me. 'Also, being able to just stroke him takes my mind away from everything else that's going on.' She said having him with her helps to focus her mind and concentration, and petting him soothes her anxiety Ms Bavill owns another skunk - five-year-old Wilfred. She said it is relatively simple to take care of skunks, adding that they eat vegetables twice a day, have litter trays and enjoy free roam of the house. Ms Bavill said Wilfred's character is vastly different to Pongo's, in that he does not like busy areas or loud noises. Pongo's calm temperament means Ms Bavill can take him to fan conventions such as Comic-Con, which she had always been too anxious to attend before. Adopting a pet can treat depressive symptoms, according to a study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research She said: 'It's great to be able to go to events and actually have a good day. 'Obviously that's normal for most people but for people with mental health problems it's really difficult.' In a study, Dr Helen Brooks from Manchester University found pets acted as a 'form of encouragement' for those with mental health conditions. Pongo's calm temperament means Ms Bavill can take him to fan conventions such as Comic-Con She added that animals can distract sufferers from 'symptoms and upsetting experiences'. A Mental Health Foundation charity spokesman said: 'Pets are a great motivator for people. 'They are great at encouraging owners to get exercise, and this can be beneficial for those suffering from depression. She said: 'I think a big part of it is that when Pongo is there all the attention is on him and not me' 'Pets can also have calming effects on their owner. 'Just by stroking, sitting next to or playing with a pet can gives owning a chance to relax and calm their minds. 'Caring for a pet also gives your day purpose and reward, and a sense of achievement. 'It also helps you feel valuable and needed.' Christopher Steele, the ex-spy behind the Trump dossier, told one of Theresa May's security advisors about his memos British spy chiefs were secretly briefed on a dossier about Donald Trump's ties to Russia months before the President even knew it existed. Christopher Steele wrote a report made up of 17 memos which made wild claims, denied by Trump, that he ordered prostitutes to carry out 'degrading sex acts' including 'golden showers' in a Moscow hotel, which was secretly filmed by the Kremlin's secret police. British ex-intelligence officer Mr Steele told one of Theresa May's top security advisors about his memos which made up the 'dirty dossier', as well as the heads of MI6 and MI5, in the weeks after Mr Trump was elected in 2016, The Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Trump only learned of the allegations in January 2017 when he was alerted by the FBI. Days later the website BuzzFeed published the full version online. Mr Steele's dossier was full of allegations that Mr Trump dismissed as a 'failing pile of garbage', including that he hired prostitutes to perform a sex act in a Moscow hotel. It also contained allegations of Russian interference in Mr Trump's election campaign. A report by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller, published this year, concluded there was no collusion by the Trump campaign. Trump attends final of the competition Miss Universe 2013 in Crocus City Hall in Moscow One of Prime Minister Theresa May's top security advisors was told about the 'dirty dossier' before Trump found out about it, but the PM was reportedly not informed about it Mueller's team found no evidence of these claims or tape. Another claim - that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen met with Russian officials in Prague - was also not stood up and no evidence of it was found by Mueller. Steele, who runs a private intelligence firm, had supplied a dossier to an outside company used by Hillary Clinton's election committee. Mr Steele first approached British intelligence at the 1.7million home of Sir Charles Farr, the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, in Wimbledon, south-west London. Mr Farr, who died in February at 59, was one of Mrs May's top counter-terrorism advisors at the Home Office. After leading MI6's Russia desk, Mr Steele set up a private firm, and was hired by Fusion GPS, a US research company being paid by Hillary Clinton's campaign. After meeting Mr Farr, it was concluded that the 17-memo dossier needed to be reported higher. Special counsel Robert Mueller could find no evidence backing up Christopher Steele's dossier claims, made up of 17 memos It was shared with Alex Younger, MI6 chief, and Andrew Marker, MI5 director general. No10 sources state Mrs May was never briefed on it. Mr Steele went into hiding after the claims emerged in March 2017, sparking scandal around the world and a storm of controversy in Washington DC. After the dossier was leaked and published, Mr Trump claimed 'sick people put that c**p together' and called the dossier 'fake' and 'phony'. The president even suggested that US secret services had leaked the document to damage his reputation before his inauguration. He debunked the 'golden shower' claim by saying: 'Does anyone believe that? I'm a germophobe'. The dossier was said to have been used as part of the FBI's justification in launching a probe into the 2016 Trump campaign that is now the subject of controversy over the use of surveillance. Trump has also claimed UK intelligence services were involved in spying on his campaign. Former FBI director James Comey famously briefed Trump on the contents of the dossier and its salacious unverified claims after the election, during the transition. Trump would ultimately fire Comey after complaining about the Russia probe, in an incident that featured in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice by the president. The president is due to arrived in the UK for a state visit on June 3 for a three-day trip. Mr Steele spied in Moscow in the 1990s and is believed to have been one of Britain's most senior intelligence officers in Russia as the Soviet Union collapsed. After leaving the service he formed Orbis Business Intelligence, a London-based firm which gathers 'strategic insight and intelligence' for corporate clients, including helping the FBI uncover corruption at FIFA. Steele's work led to a lucrative deal to dig for dirt on Trump's dealings with Russia, and he was paid Steele paid $168,000 by US-based company Fusion GPS. Fustion had been paid $1.8million via lawyers representing the Democrats and the Hillary Clinton campaign. A family have described the shocking moment they came home to find their beloved cat with an arrow through its paw. Renee Fowler, from Perth, told Daily Mail Australia that their cat Buddy was found injured by her daughter Jaycee when they arrived home on Sunday. 'My daughter Jaycee started screaming when she noticed the arrow through Buddy's leg - she fainted and vomited,' Miss Fowler said. A distraught family found their beloved pet cat Buddy with an arrow through one of his front legs 'My son found out at about 9:30 after he got home from the movies.' Jaycee was left extremely distressed by Buddy's injuries and Miss Fowler said she needed time to calm her daughter down. 'I was trying to calm my daughter down, letting her know that Buddy will be ok,' Miss Fowler said. Buddy is let outside each day before being let back into the house each evening, but when the kids went to fetch the pet on Sunday they were met with a shocking sight. Buddy had an arrow through his front right leg, but despite the brutal injury he was still able to make it to the front door of the home and get the attention of his family, 9 News reported. The family rushed Buddy to a nearby vet who was able to successfully extract the arrow. 'He is a brave boy. And it happened the night before, so he spent all night and day with it in his leg,' Miss Fowler said. Buddy's extensive vet bills will exceed $6,000, so the family has set up a GoFundMe with hopes of being able to raise the money to pay for the vet bills. So far the GoFundMe page as accumulated $945 of the $5,000 target. 'As a hardworking single mum this type of money doesn't come easy, so in turn we would be forever grateful for any contributions, no matter the size,' Miss Fowler said. Both of Miss Fowler's children spoke with 9 News and described whoever shot their cat with an arrow as 'cruel' Buddy is let outside each day before being let back into the house each evening Both of Miss Fowler's children spoke with 9 News and described the cat attacker as 'cruel'. 'I would say you can move out of this street, go away, never come near our house again because you are cruel, you're the cruelest people I've seen,' Alex Fowler told 9 News. 'She was one of my favourite pets.' Miss Fowler said the person who shot Buddy was allegedly someone in the neighbourhood and a Western Australia Police spokesman confirmed inquiries into the incident were ongoing. Under the Western Australian Animal Welfare Act 2002, being found guilty of animal cruelty carries a maximum penalty of a $27,500 fine or a $5,500 fine with a six-month jail term. A lucky prospector has struck gold after unearthing a precious and rare find worth almost $100,000. The anonymous prospector couldn't believe their good luck when their metal detector uncovered a whopping 1.4 kilogram nugget while hunting for gold in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia's Goldfields-Esperance region recently. Finders Keepers Gold Prospecting posted photos of the surprising discovery on Facebook last week after a customer brought in their precious find to be valued. This newly unearthed 1.4 kilogram nugget is valued at almost $100,000 at current gold prices 'What a monster!' the business posted. '1.4 kilo piece found a few weeks ago near Kalgoorlie by a very lucky customer of mine whilst walking the saltbush flats.' Aspiring prospectors were impressed with the discovery. 'That's incredible, what a great find. The eyeballs would have been popping out when the finder got their first glimpse of it,' one person commented. Another added: 'OMG, lucky finder, it's a keeper.' The lucky discovery was found while prospecting for gold in Kalgoorlie in regional WA Nuggets that size are found in the region only a few times a year and usually need heavy machinery to be uncovered, according to Finders Keepers Gold Prospecting owner Matt Cook. 'They're harder to find but they're still out there,' Mr Cook told Perth Now. Prospectors are now flocking to the region, hoping for similar luck. 'It's so busy I can't remember a year like it,' Mr Cook said. 'And gold prices are high at the moment it's like a gold rush.' 'What a monster!' Finders Keepers Gold Prospecting posted on Facebook after a customer brought in their rare find (pictured) to be valued The latest find comes after a family found a 624 gram nugget of gold valued at $37,000 while walking their dog on the outskirts of Bendigo in regional Victoria earlier this month. A retiree unearthed a 2.11kg nugget valued at around$110,000 in Western Australia's northern Goldfields region last September, the same month when workers at the Beta Hunt mine near Kalgoorlie unearthed $15million worth of gold. A North Queensland man also unearthed a gigantic nugget weighing in at 1.1763 kilograms and worth $63,800 late last year. Mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate Sunday after Trump issued a direct threat that war would spell 'the official end of Iran.' His remarks came in the wake of a rocket attack less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which appeared to have been carried out by Iran-backed Shiite militias, an Iraqi military spokesman said. Taking to Twitter, at just after 4pm ET, the president posted: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' An F/A-18E Super Hornet flies above the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Saturday Trump's remarks came in the wake of a rocket attack less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which appeared to have been carried out by Iran-backed Shiite militias, an Iraqi military spokesman said Taking to Twitter, at just after 4pm ET, the president posted: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' Trump had seemed to soften his tone after the US recently sent warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. On Thursday, when asked if the US and Iran were heading towards armed conflict, he answered: 'I hope not.' The threats come after it emerged that Iran's top general had called on their axis of resistance of thousands of battle-hardened jihadists throughout the Middle East to prepare if war with the US erupts. From Lebanon and Syria to Iraq, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip, Tehran's influence has expanded in the past decade, forging deep and powerful ties with ruthless fighters. On Thursday it was revealed General Qassem Suleimani had told allies in Iraq to 'prepare for proxy war,' as US warships stand on guard in the Persian Gulf. And an official of the Revolutionary Guard boasted on Friday their arsenal of missiles could 'easily reach [those] warships.' US intelligence experts told the Guardian, General Suleimani rallied militias in Baghdad three weeks ago. A source told the paper: 'It wasn't quite a call to arms, but it wasn't far off.' In reaction to the meeting, the U.S. decided to evacuate all non-essential diplomatic personnel from Iraq. While, on its military bases, the threat level was raised. Iran has missile capabilities to strike Israel and they claimed today, US warships in the Persian Gulf. Over the last decade they have expanded their 'axis of resistance' in the Middle East Palestinian militants of the Islamic Jihad group take part in their military exercises in Deir el-Balah, the central Gaza Strip in December 2014 Hezbollah fighters parade during the inauguration of a new cemetery for their fighters who died in fighting against Israel, in a southern suburb of Beirut in 2010 The ominous manoeuvring comes against a backdrop of soaring tensions in recent weeks with a war of words between Washington and Tehran. There have been accusations of sabotage attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the UAE, drone attacks on Saudi pipelines claimed by Yemeni rebels allied to Iran and, crucially, the dispatch of U.S. warships and bombers to the region. Last week, officials said they had detected signs of Iranian preparations for potential attacks on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East, but Washington has not publicly released any evidence to support claims of an increased Iranian threat. General Suleimani's cry to arms to the Iraqi militias is just a flavour of the havoc they can wreak with tens of thousands of jihadists loyal to Tehran throughout the Middle East. At a mass rally in February in Beirut, a Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah declared: 'If America launches war on Iran, it will not be alone in the confrontation, because the fate of our region is tied to the Islamic Republic.' Hezbollah is one of the most prominent members of the self-styled 'axis of resistance,' armed groups with tens of thousands of Shiite Muslim fighters beholden to Tehran. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group transits the Suez Canal in Egypt on its way to the Persian Gulf last week amid mounting tensions with Iran An F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft launches from the flight deck the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf on May 10, as tensions mount with Tehran over President Donald Trump's sanctions Members of the Palestinian Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad group, march with their rifles in December 2017 Hezbollah fighters stand near a four-wheel vehicle positioned at the site where clashes erupted between Hezbollah and al-Qaida-linked fighters in Wadi al-Kheil on the Lebanon-Syria border in July 2017 While Hezbollah strike fear into foes in Lebanon; the Iranians are backing Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group in the Gaza strip. In Yemen, they are behind the Houthis in a vicious proxy war with the Saudis which has raged for four years. And in Iraq they have established a network of control through a trio of militants: Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataeb Hezbollah and the Badr Organization. Hezbollah, whose name means 'Party of God,' was established by Iran's Revolutionary Guard during Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s. Today it is among the most effective armed groups in the region, extending Iran's influence to Israel's doorstep. In a paper for the Brookings Institute earlier this year, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman described the group as revolutionary Iran's 'most successful export' and Tehran's 'multi-purpose tool.' Hezbollah was formed to combat Israel following its invasion of Lebanon in 1982. It waged an 18-year guerrilla war against Israeli forces, eventually forcing them to withdraw from Lebanon in 2000. Six years later, it battled Israel to a bloody stalemate in a month-long war. Today, the group has an arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets and missiles than can reach deep into Israel, as well as thousands of highly disciplined and battle-hardened fighters. Hezbollah has fought alongside government forces in Syria for more than six years, gaining even more battlefield experience and expanding its reach. Houthis, march during a gathering aimed at mobilizing more fighters into battlefronts to fight pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities in January 2017 Houthis, pose for a photo as they secure a road, as people take part in a march from Sanaa to the port city of Hodeidah, Yemen in April 2017 At home, the group's power exceeds that of the Lebanese armed forces, and along with its allies has more power than ever in the parliament and government. Despite the rhetoric, Hezbollah says it is not seeking another war with Israel, and it is not likely to join in any regional confrontation - at least not in the early stages - unless provoked. Hezbollah has lost hundreds of fighters in Syria, exacting a heavy toll on the Shiite community from which it draws most of its support. In Yemen, Iran has backed the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, who swept down from the north and captured the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict on the side of the government the following year. The war has since killed tens of thousands of people and generated the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia views the Houthis as an Iranian proxy, and along with Western nations and U.N. experts has accused Tehran of providing arms to the rebels, including the long-range missiles they have fired into Saudi Arabia. Iran supports the rebels but denies arming them. The Houthis have given up little ground since the coalition entered the war, and have targeted the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with long-range missiles. Earlier this week they claimed a drone attack that shut down a major oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which responded with airstrikes on Yemen's rebel-held capital that killed civilians. Iraqi Shiite militia group Imam Ali Brigades chant slogans against the Islamic State group at the battlefield in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad in March 2015 Iran has trained, financed, and equipped Shiite militias in Iraq that battled U.S. forces in the years after the 2003 invasion and remobilized to battle the Islamic State group a decade later. The groups include Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataeb Hezbollah and the Badr Organization, all three led by men with close ties to General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force and the architect of Tehran's regional strategy. The militias fall under the umbrella of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of mostly Shiite militias that were incorporated into the country's armed forces in 2016. Together they number more than 140,000 fighters, and while they fall under the authority of Iraq's prime minister, the PMF's top brass are politically aligned with Iran. U.S. forces and the PMF fought side-by-side against Islamic State militants after Iraq's parliament invited the U.S. back into the country in 2014. But now that the war is largely concluded, some militia leaders are calling on U.S. troops to leave again, threatening to expel them by force if necessary. This week, the U.S. ordered all nonessential government staff to leave Iraq, amid unspecified threats in the region said to be linked to Iran. In Palestine, Tehran has long supported militant groups, including Gaza's Hamas rulers and particularly the smaller Islamic Jihad group. Hamas fell out with Iran after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, losing millions of dollars in monthly assistance. The group today is in a severe financial crisis; its employees and public servants in Gaza have not been paid full salaries in years. Young Shiite volunteer militia members prepare to attack Islamic State fighters in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, Iraq in March 2015 Tehran is said to have continued its military support to Hamas' armed wing, but the group appears to get most of its aid from Qatar, making it less likely that it would rally to Tehran's side in a regional conflict. Islamic Jihad, another Sunni militant group, is seen as much closer to Iran but still not as deeply intertwined as Hezbollah or other groups. Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched hundreds of rockets from Gaza during a bout of fighting with Israel earlier this month. Israel accused Islamic Jihad of triggering the violence, which was the worst since a 2014 war. The movement did not deny the Israeli accusations. Scott Morrison has been mocked for being a footy-loving, daggy suburban dad but it turns out enough Australians want their prime minister to be just like that. Chatting with locals in corner pubs or barracking for his beloved Cronulla Sharks, Mr Morrison has shown an ease interacting with everyday Australians which clearly won them over. Listening to what men and women wanted for themselves - secure jobs, lower taxes, affordable housing - was vital to a Coalition campaign that Mr Morrison largely carried himself. Daily Mail Australia followed Mr Morrison on a visit to a Labor-held Tasmanian seat early in the election campaign and watched how comfortable he was with voters. The Liberals had lost Bass - which takes in the city of Launceston - from Labor in 2016 and on Saturday won it back. It was clear during the visit that Mr Morrison understood most voters were more interested in how they would pay their next power bill than why their future should include owning an electric car. 'A fair go for those who have a go,' he said over and over again. Dropping in to Launceston's Sporties Hotel on a Tuesday night six weeks ago, Mr Morrison was warmly welcomed and looked right at home. Scott Morrison has been mocked for being a daggy suburban dad but it turns out plenty of Australians like him as he is. Chatting with locals in pubs or barracking at the footy for his beloved Sharks, Mr Morrison showed a common touch which clearly appealed to voters Prime Minister Scott Morrison plays pools with locals at Launceston's Sporties Hotel. 'You vote Labor once you pay for it for at least a decade.' he said of Australia under a Labor government He talked to punters about Winx ahead of the great mare's last race, shot pool with thirsty tradesmen and asked small business people what they did and didn't need from government. There were cheers whenever he sank a ball and selfies with drinkers of all ages. 'The best part of this job is I get to meet everybody,' Mr Morrison said of that night. 'I get to meet so many different people from all around the country and they tell me their stories. 'They tell me what's going on with them. I get an insight into Australian life that I think few people do, if any, because of the privilege of being prime minister. 'People will come and they'll share their stories with you and that's their joys and their sorrows.' Mr Morrison visited Tasmania ten times this year before election day - most recently on Saturday when he was back in Launceston to sing happy birthday to successful Bass candidate Bridget Archer. Ms Archer had been with him at Sporties Hotel on April 9 when the underdog walked into the pub about 6.30pm and immediately signed up for the night's pool competition. Carpenter Jamie Goss was shocked to see Mr Morrison enter his local pub and said it was 'good just to see normal interaction.' 'He said, "What do you do for a job?"' Mr Goss said. 'He was just down to earth. That's what I liked.' Traffic controller Jake Vlasveld also met the prime minister and said: 'He's genuinely interested in our industry. He's been fantastic.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned the Australia he knows and loves would be destroyed under a Labor government. He is pictured with 'Johnsy', a local at Launceston's Sporties Hotel Scott Morrison carries himself in a pub setting just like what he says he is: a normal suburban bloke. On a Tuesday night at Launceston's Sporties Hotel he was drinking pots of Boags 'ScoMo's attitude was grouse,' Mr Vlasveld said. 'He came and had a game of pool, had a chat with everyone and just blended in. 'You can talk to him like a real person. He's just a genuine, nice bloke.' Publican Nick Daking has met several of Mr Morrison's prime ministerial predecessors and said 'I didn't have any perception of what he'd be like.' But after two and half hours in his pub, Mr Daking had no doubts. 'Regardless of how they vote, everyone left here thinking he's a good guy,' he said. 'He passes the pub test and for the locals here that can be pretty hard to pass.' The day after his visit to Sporties, Mr Morrison told Daily Mail Australia about how much he valued talking with voters in their own environment. 'That's the place that people will talk to you,' he said. 'I mean, I will sit in the office and have formal meetings, sitting around tables and there'll be delegations and there'll be official meetings with community organisations. Scott Morrison signs up for the pool competition at Sporties Hotel. 'The most honest conversations you have is standing in the park, at the footy, alongside the pool, or in the pub' 'And they're important but the most honest conversations you have is standing in the park, at the footy, alongside the pool, or in the pub. 'Because people, they're just telling what they really think, particularly when the cameras aren't there and the microphones aren't there. And that's important.' Mr Morrison said during the election campaign Australians had in recent years 'turned the sound down' on politics. 'But as you get closer to an election what happens is people do reengage and I think with the Budget recently what that did was started to reconnect Australians with the decisions that are being made that do impact them. 'And they have listened to that Budget and now they know going into an election that the ears if you like are reluctantly opening up, the eyes are reluctantly opening and there's nothing wrong with that. 'It's one of the things I've got to say I really love about Australia and Australian politics is people are far more interested in the things that are happening in their life every day than what's happening in Canberra.' Scott and Jenny Morrison, pictured with their daughters Abbey, 9, (left) and Lily, 11, after Saturday's election victory. The family moved to Kirribilli House in September last year In the front bar of Sporties it had been tradies relaxing after a hard day's work, small businessmen talking of expanding their wealth and a young couple planning to have children. Mr Morrison had warned those voters that a Labor government could destroy their aspirations. 'It'll take us more than a decade to get over it,' Mr Morrison said. 'You vote Labor once you pay for it for at least a decade.' Mr Morrison spoke to every man and woman who wanted a chat during the course of the evening at Sporties as he downed several glasses of Boags. He listened to why the region needed more apprentices, how power prices were rising and why voters were sick of politics and politicians. He told drinkers that under a Labor government they would pay more for everything from the ute they drove to their work site to what they put in the kids' lunch boxes for school. The prime minister had a chicken parmigiana at a bar table at Sporties after refusing the publican's offer of a private dining room; he was beaten by five balls in two games of pool He had a chicken parmigiana at a bar table after declining the publican's offer of a private dining room and was beaten by five balls in two games of pool. Mr Morrison's first opponent over the pool table was local carpenter 'Johnsy' who said the prime minister seemed like a 'good bloke'. And despite the heavy loss over the felt, Mr Morrison did not disgrace himself. 'He can play,' Johnsy said. The best part of this job is I get to meet everybody. I get to meet so many different people from all around the country and they tell me their stories. The polls - and bookmakers - said the prime minister would lose the election but he had promised he was up for the fight of his political life and believed he could win. Mr Morrison had said to change government would 'change everything' including what he saw as a typical Australian way of life. 'I'm a suburban boy from Sydney,' he said. 'I love the suburbs, I grew up in the suburbs. 'I love it that kids still play footy on the nature strip in my electorate - I think that's awesome. When I see the kids doing that when I'm driving home... I love it. 'That still happens in suburbs in Sydney today as I'm sure kicking an AFL ball a Sherrin around in the suburbs of Melbourne still happens, or Tasmania or in Adelaide or in Perth. Chalking his cue: Scott Morrison prepares to play in the Sporties Hotel pool competition before a chicken parmy. Publican Nick Daking said the prime minister 'passes the pub test' 'That's what the character of where we live should remain, so I'm very passionate about that.' His message to voters in places like Sporties was that Labor policies would destroy that suburban dream. 'I think there is a bit of a thing in the suburbs which says we just want to live our lives the way we want to live our lives,' he said. 'If someone wanted to drive an SUV because they had three kids they should be able to, or they might decide we want to hook up the boat to the back of the car or go fishing, or the tinny or the trailer or whatever it is.' I love it that kids still play footy on the nature strip in my electorate - I think that's awesome. When I see the kids doing that when I'm driving home... I love it. Mr Morrison's message for those who might have been contemplating change for change's sake was simple: 'Don't risk it.' Mr Morrison did not believe Australians had an increasing distrust of politicians or had become permanently disengagement with politics. 'I did say though a couple of years ago that I think Australians have turned down the sound on Canberra,' he said. 'There is the bubble, as I've described it, that Australians don't live in. They live outside the bubble. 'I think when I said that it resonated quite strongly with Australians that there's a whole bunch of people making decisions down in that bubble. 'It goes back to that question, why do I like being in places like Sporties? It isn't in the bubble. 'You will find no bubble-dwellers in Sporties. You'd never find Johnsy in the bubble, I can assure you of that.' Police have launched a desperate search to find a 14-year-old girl who has been missing for a week. The young girl was last seen at Nimerette Street, Bellbird Park in the Brisbane suburb of Ipswich on Monday, May 13 at about 4.30pm. Police are concerned for her safety as she is of a young age and is not familiar with the area. The 14-year-old (pictured) has been missing for a week and is not familiar with the Ipswich area Police are appealing to the community to help find the girl. She was last seen wearing black full-length tights, a black singlet, a light blue denim jacket and black school shoes. The young girl was last seen at Nimerette Street, Bellbird Park in Ipswich (pictured) on Monday, May 13 at about 4.30pm. Police have said that the girl has shoulder-length auburn hair and is Caucasian. She is around 155cm tall and has a slim build. Police are urging anyone with information to call them. Those with information can call Queensland Police Link on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A transgender woman who was brutally beaten in April by a mob in a viral video was found shot dead on Saturday morning. Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was found laying face down on the 7200 block of Valley Glen Drive at approximately 6.40am. Booker was pronounced dead at the scene and Dallas Police Department said at a press conference she was the victim of 'homicidal violence'. Police did indicate that the death was not tied to the viral incident in April. It is currently not being investigated as a hate crime, CBS DFW reports. Scroll down for videos Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was found laying face down on the 7200 block of Valley Glen Drive at approximately 6.40am on Saturday morning Booker was attacked on April 14 after an apparently minor traffic accident outside the Royal Crest Apartments Dallas, Texas. Edward Dominic Thomas, 29, was detained on April 16 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Further charges were pending. The attackers allegedly used homophobic slurs during the assault - captured on video - and were 'known suspects,' according to the police. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine if it is a hate crime. Edward Dominic Thomas, 29, was detained on April 16 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the April 14 attack Footage from the attack posted to Facebook shows a crowd of people form around Booker, who is wearing a pink wig and blue tank-top. At points she appears to be saying something to the gathering onlookers, but her voice can't be made out in the available footage. The video appears to flip into selfie mode at one point, and the person recording appears to be laughing with a man in a white shirt and pants. That same individual in white later appears to charge at Booker, throwing her to the ground. He then punches her repeatedly as two or three other individuals join in to kick her while she is down on the ground. Some voices can be heard screaming for the attack to stop, and eventually Booker, after having been beaten across the parking lot of the apartment complex, is aided by a group of women who get her into a car before taking her to a hospital. A family member said Booker received facial fractures and had her arm in a sling following the frightening mob assault, according to WFAA. Muhlaysia Booker, 23, is seen standing in the street as a crowd forms following an accident in Dallas, Texas, on April 14 The person who seemingly filmed the video posed with the same man who apparently attacked Muhlaysia Booker The man in white repeatedly punched Booker on the ground before a group of other men joined in with kicks and stomps When Booker attempted to get up off the ground, attackers continued to send her back to the asphalt Pierre Booker, Muhlaysia's father, called the person responsible for the attack a 'coward,' and told NBCDFW that his daughter has faced hatred for being a transgender woman in the past. 'All I tell them you know is I love them. I love them for whoever they are. And I'm not God, I'm not the judge, I'm not the jury,' Muhlaysia's grandmother added, saying she hoped police view the attack as a hate crime. 'So all I pray is for these people to find it in their hearts to accept people just like God does.' Mayor Mike Rawlings of Dallas posted a statement to Facebook saying that he watched the video and was angered by what appeared to be 'mob violence' directed against the woman. 'I am in contact with the chief and she assured me that the Dallas Police Department is fully investigating, including the possibility that this was a hate crime,' wrote Mayor Rawlings. 'Those who did this do not represent how Dallasites feel about our thriving LGBTQ community. We will not stand for this kind of behavior.' Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren offered to help a comedian fix her romantic relationship problems on Sunday. Former 'Full Frontal' with Samantha Bee correspondent Ashley Nicole Black issued the challenge to Warren, perhaps jokingly, via Twitter Saturday afternoon after noting on Thursday that Warren had announced an 'aggressive' pro-choice platform. 'Do you think Elizabeth Warren has a plan to fix my love life?' Black tweeted. Comedian Ashley Nicole Black asked via Twitter Saturday afternoon if Warren also had a plan to 'fix my love life.' Warren replied to her Sunday morning: 'DM me and let's figure it this out,' to which Black responded, 'I knew I could count on you' Warren's Twitter exchange with Black received more than 56,000 likes and 4,900 retweets Warren responded back less than 12 hours later around 10am Sunday. 'DM me and let's figure it this out,' she replied. Her response has received more than 56,000 likes and more than 49,000 retweets as of 9pm Sunday. Black seemed surprised and elated by Warren's offer. 'I knew I could count on you,' Black tweeted. 'We Stan a Queen. Nay, a PRESIDENT. ... I am deceased. And ready to welcome new love in my life. And then get our new pres elected. #shehasaplan.' Black also insinuated on her Instagram account that this is more than just a Twitter stunt. Warren's next scheduled campaign appearance takes place in her home state on Wednesday before she travels to Newton, Iowa to speak at an elementary school on Saturday 'Get ready for a Save the Date, I guess. She has a plan for that,' she said. In February, Black announced she was running to become Presidential candidate Corey Booker's First Lady, in a tweet that has since been deleted, after having a crush on the New Jersey Senator for years. Black's boss, Samantha Bee, tried to hook her up with Booker on a web extra segment of her show back in 2016. Booker's girlfriend, bombshell actress Rosario Dawson, might have had something to say about that after their rumored relationship was formally announced in March. So far no official matchmaking plans have been announced by Warren's campaign. The Massachusetts senator's next scheduled campaign appearance takes place in her home state on Wednesday before she travels to Newton, Iowa to speak at an elementary school on Saturday, according to her campaign's Facebook page. Real Clear Politics' latest average of presidential candidate polls has Warren, who is married to professor Bruce Mann, in a distant third place, with 8.5 percent of Democrats supporting her. Frontrunner Joe Biden leads the pack with 38.3 percent of polling support. Bernie Sanders is second with 18.8 percent. Australians claim they are being struck down with flu on flights back from Bali. One passenger, Hayley Taylor, says she was taken to hospital with a high fever and other flu-related symptoms, after flying back from her holiday on a Jetstar flight on Thursday. 'There was a gentlemen on the plane with a violent cough, I hope he has had himself checked over,' she wrote on Facebook group Bali Bogans. Another woman, Danica Bianca, was also taken to hospital and tested positive for Influenza A, after returning from a trip to Bali on May 3. Hayley Taylor (pictured) was struck down with the flu after she caught a Jetstar flight from Bali on Thursday Another woman, Danica Bianca, shared she was tested positive for the virus following a trip to Bali 'I travelled the Air Asia flight leaving Denpasar to Perth on 7.10am,' Danica wrote on the group's page. 'I have somehow caught it from either bali or on the plane however we are unsure. 'Ive [sic] HOSPITALIZED and been bed ridden in isolation for 5 days.' Danica says she has been treated with antibiotics after catching the virus. She said she has notified the Western Australia Department of Health. Associate professor of virology at The University of Queensland Dr Ian Mackay said it was possible for travellers to catch the flu while on planes. 'The surfaces most likely to spread viruses are the harder shinier ones like plastic and steel that you find in touchscreen, air controls, tray tables and perhaps armrests,' Dr Mackay told Daily Mail Australia. Travellers who have been affected won't get sick while on the plane, as it takes about two days for symptoms to show, he said. 'An infected person can suddenly develop a fever and chills, exhaustion, headache, muscle aches, cough and chest discomfort,' Dr Mackay said. Travellers may think they are susceptible to catching the flu virus when travelling on planes but the air is actually well filtered, Dr Mackay said (stock image) One woman, Traci Cox, shared that she had been struck down by the flu after her trip to Bali in April Travellers may think they are susceptible to catching the flu virus when travelling on planes but the air is actually well filtered, Dr Mackay said. Passengers are advised to wash their hands regularly on flights and to buy wet-wipes to clean surfaces such as armrests and touch screens. Dr Mackay has also advised travellers to get a flu shot before their trip. One woman, Traci Cox, said that she had been struck down by the flu after her trip to Bali in April. So far 2017 holds the record for recorded flu cases with 103,852 reported for the year. A spokesman from Jetstar told Daily Mail Australia: 'If customers have an illness that could make it unsafe for them to travel we require them to let us know.' 'Some illnesses may prevent customers from flying and we set out advice for travellers on our website' Mitt Romney has defended the president after a Republican became the first in his party to call for Trump's impeachment. On Saturday, Justin Amash called for Trump's removal from office for engaging in 'impeachable conduct' stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. But Romney backed the president, telling CNN: 'My own view is that Justin Amash has reached a different conclusion than I have. I respect him, I think it's a courageous statement.' Mitt Romney has defended the president after a Republican became the first in his party to call for Trump's impeachment. 'My own view is that Justin Amash has reached a different conclusion than I have. I respect him, I think it's a courageous statement,' Romney told CNN 'The American people just aren't there,' he added. 'The Senate is certainly not there, either.' Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, but left open the question of whether Trump acted in ways that were meant to obstruct the investigation. In spite of the defense, Romney refused to endorse the president for re-election next year. 'I'm not ready to make an endorsement yet,' Romney told CNN's 'State of the Union,' adding 'it's way too early.' Romney, who was the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, also said Trump had some work to do on character issues. On Saturday, Justin Amash (pictured right) called for Trump's removal from office for engaging in 'impeachable conduct' stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election Republican Sen. Mitt Romney declined to endorse President Donald Trump for re-election next year Romney was one of Donald Trump's toughest critics in the 2016 campaign 'I think he could substantially improve his game when it comes to helping shape the character of the country,' the Republican from Utah said. 'The President has distanced himself from some of the best qualities of the human character.' But Romney was not ready to join fellow Republican Justin Amash, who said the president 'engaged in actions that meet the thresh hold for impeachment. 'An impeachment call is something that not just relates to the law but considers practicality and politics. And the American people just aren't there,' Romney said. 'I don't think impeachment is the right way to go,' he added. 'As I read the report, I was troubled by it. Was very disappointing for a number of reasons. But it did not suggest to me this was a time to call for impeachment,' he noted. None the less, Romney said Amash made a 'courageous' statement. 'I respect him. I think it's a courageous statement,' he said of the Michigan lawmaker. CNN's Jake Tapper asked Romney if Trump has disgraced the office of the president. 'I think a number of things were unfortunate and distressing,' Romney replied. 'Clearly the number of times there were items of dishonesty, misleading the American public and media are things you would not be want to see from the highest office in the land.' But he said there was not suggestion of an abuse of power on the part of the president. 'Abuse of power is at a whole other level, which suggests impeachment. I think in part one of the things it's difficult in order to make a case for obstruction of justice or impeachment is whether or not there was intent. And when there's not an underlying crime, I think it's difficult to put together an effective case to prosecute for those crimes,' he said. Special counsel Robert Mueller's report found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, but left open the question of whether Trump acted in ways that were meant to obstruct the investigation. Trump and Republican lawmakers generally view the matter as 'case closed,' as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently declared on the floor of the Senate. Sen. Romney also defended President Trump against calls for impeachment On the other hand, Democrats who control the House are locked in a bitter standoff with the White House as it ignores lawmakers' requests for the more complete version of Mueller's report, want the underlying evidence and witness testimony. During the 2016 election, Romney gave a highly critical speech of Trump, calling him a 'a phony, a fraud.' Trump, in return, mocked Romney for losing the 2012 presidential election. The brother of a face-tattooed father-of-seven who died trying to escape a gunman in a high-speed chase has revealed his final words. Daniel Merrett, 27, was being driven home by his sister from his brother's house in north Wollongong, south of Sydney, in a Ford Territory on Friday night when another car started following them along the Princes Highway, shooting at them. The car ploughed into a fuel tanker truck outside a service station at Albion Park as the driver was trying to avoid the gunfire, and Mr Merrett was killed. His brother Jordyn Clulow said Mr Merrett had 'enemies' but was a loyal, family man, and that his older sibling had called him while he was travelling in the car. Daniel Merrett (pictured), 27, died in a car crash after the Ford he was travelling in was chased and shot at His brother Jordyn Clulow said Mr Merrett (left, with a friend) had 'enemies' but was a loyal, family man, and that his older sibling had called him while he was travelling in the car 'He didn't say much, just that he was in trouble and then he hung up. That was around 1.30am. Next we got a call saying the car had crashed and they couldn't find Daniel. My sister had been rushed to hospital,' he told the Illawarra Mercury. 'I won't say he's my guardian angel but he's my guardian soldier. He would take a bullet for us. 'It's all over petty stuff that doesn't involve him. And now he's gone, we are all numb. He didn't deserve it, he was just going home to his family.' Mr Merrett was driving home to his girlfriend and twin, one-year-old daughters in Warrawong, a suburb of Wollongong. His sister was driving the car, and his cousin and her friend were also in the vehicle. Mr Merrett had a terminal brain illness and had a catheter as a result of a kidney disease. Mr Clulow said his brothers were part of a 'brotherhood, not a gang' called 'My Brother's Keepers'. The passengers and driver of the car were rushed to hospital after the crash, and were in stable conditions. Face of a winner: Scott Morrison at the footy after his 'miracle' win Prime Minister Scott Morrison's 'miracle' victory at the weekend was so stunning because the government had lost virtually every opinion poll since 2016. On Saturday, Labor was ahead 52-48 in Newspoll; 51.5-48.5 according to Ipsos; and Galaxy's exit poll put Labor ahead 52-48 - just minutes before voting closed. 'Hindsight is a marvelous thing but at the time we thought it was a fair reflection,' said David Briggs, the managing director of survey firm Galaxy. 'When you look at the final polls which were obviously the benchmark we all use, most of the polls underestimated the Coalition vote and overestimated Labor. Thats just a fact.' The failure of the polling companies to get the right result has sparked calls for regular surveys such as Newspoll to be wound back - especially given both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull were axed largely on the back of poor poll ratings. Mr Turnbull justified seizing the top job in 2015 by pointing out Mr Abbott had lost 30 succesive Newspolls. Three years later he was ousted himself after losing 38 straight Newspolls. Peta Credlin, Mr Abbott's former chief of staff, has said: 'One thing I would love to see come out of this is ... we give up this cycle of fortnightly polls I think is so damaging to our democracy. 'It's not good the way that we fixate on these fortnightly polls and we can see now how far away they are from the actual results.' The polls have accurately predicted election results in the past - so why did they get it so wrong in this election? Both Tony Abbott (left) and Malcolm Turnbull (right) lost the prime ministership after their colleagues became concerned about poor polling HOW DID THEY GET IT SO WRONG? As the election results rolled in on Saturday, the ABC's election guru Antony Green said the death of the household landline was to blame for the wrong polls. 'Polling in Australia has a really good record, but what people have forgotten in the past four years is they've totally changed their methodology,' Mr Green said. 'Polling used to be dominated by running from the electoral roll and doing random samples based on ringing up landlines. 'Now landlines have disappeared and therefore using landlines is no longer a reliable estimate.' He said pollsters were making random calls to mobiles and it then 'gets very hard to determine what sample you're getting'. 'I think that's what the problem is, they are having difficulty trying to get a representative sample, and they're all wrong. 'The only other alternative is they were getting a result like this and nobody believed it and they got a result like this.' Labor of love: Frustrated Bill Shorten supporters cried into their beers as they lost the election Bewildered... A supporter grappled with the numbers as they rolled in on Saturday A pair of frustrated Labor supporters watch as everything goes horribly wrong But Galaxy's director Mr Briggs said the reality is actually the opposite. His company conducted a series of seat-by-seat polls last week, which found little evidence of Labor bringing it home in a swag of seats. 'Within a week or so of the final election, we administered 22 seat polls that were published in News Corp dailies and elsewhere,' Mr Briggs told Daily Mail Australia. 'These seat polls indicated that Herbert and Lindsay were moving from Labor to the Coalition and Gilmore was probably the only seat we could find that was going to Labor.' 'The national polls were showing one picture. When we looked at these individual seats we were seeing something different. 'And you know what? When we released those poll results they were widely criticised for being inaccurate and misleading.' Liberal voters cheered and beamed with delight after the election was called for Mr Morrison Liberal supporters raised their fists in the air when they saw the positive result for their party Mr Briggs said his company has used the 'same methodology' repeatedly at previous state and federal elections 'and they've proved reliable in the past.' He forcefully rejected Mr Green's claims the death of the landline was to blame, saying technology gave pollsters more information than ever. 'The criticism about the landlines is all a furphy really because the thing is we've got a better databases now with landlines and mobile phones than we ever had. That's not a problem. 'We've got more ways of reaching people than ever before we cannot only get them on landlines and mobiles, we can get them online, we can send them questionaires they can complete on their mobile phone. ''Really, the ability to reach out to respondents is not the problem. What we've got to do is we've got to make sure we've got a fair representation of the population and that they don't change their mind at the last minute!' In their post-mortems, polling companies will also examine whether there may have been a late swing - possibly after the death of former PM Bob Hawke. Jessica Elgood, director of Ipsos, told Macquarie Radio her company's polling had picked up a narrowing in the polls in the final week. But, like the others, hadn't got the national picture right. 'The truth is, like other organisations, we also backed the wrong horse. 'We thought Labor were going to pull it off and of course, we've seen what the results were, so there's a lot to learn.' She said Ipsos (which uses a half landline, half mobile split) will be reviewing what exactly what wrong, and no doubt the other companies will too. 'People have already started putting theories forward. 'One suggestion is there was a late swing, and some have already said no they don't think that happened. 'I'd like to see more evidence about that.' 'This election clearly more than others will cause us all to look at what we've done, question what we've done and really critically assess where it went wrong.' 'I NEVER BELIEVED THE POLLS THAT SAID I WAS WINNING': MARK LATHAM ON HIS 2004 FEDERAL ELECTION EXPERIENCE In 2004, Mark Latham's Labor party was ahead of the Coalition 56 to 44 per cent, five months out from the election. The polls consistently overstated Labor's position', he said Former Labor leader Mark Latham, who is now a One Nation member of the New South Wales upper house, said he never believed he would beat Liberal prime minister John Howard in the 2004 election, despite his Opposition leading the Coalition 56 to 44 per cent, after preferences, only five months out from the October poll. 'I've probably been the biggest public skeptic about polls in Australia in the last couple of years. My skepticism, in some part, comes out of the 2004 campaign,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Because in Labor's private polling Howard was always ahead in that campaign and Newspoll, in particular, consistently overstated Labor's position. 'I had no expectation in the six weeks of that campaign that we were ever in a winning position so Newspoll was as wrong in 2004 as it was yesterday.' In October 2004, however, Newspoll had the Coalition ahead 50.5 per cent to 49.5 per cent. The final election result was 53 to 47 per cent, with the Liberal Party primary vote climbing above 40 per cent for the first time since 1975 while Labor's vote of 37 per cent was then the lowest since the 1930s When it came to the opinion polls getting it wrong, Mr Latham claimed pollsters had failed to talk to those who hate politics and political correctness. 'Shorten scared a lot of people with his $400 billion tax agenda, scared a lot of people with his radical economic policies and they galvanised around Morrison,' he said. 'These are people, One Nation-types you might think of them, people who don't like politics, don't like the system, wouldn't answer a polling survey, keep their views to themselves other than in private conversation, worry about if you're caught out saying certain things you'll be pounced upon by the system, by the elites.' But Ipsos pollster Ms Elgood said she could see no reason why people would be shy about telling surveys what they really think at this election. 'I've seen that discussed many a time and actually I don't think that's a case here. I don't think there's any particular reticence on any side of the political divide here.' A school on the Gold Coast was placed in lockdown this morning after a bomb threat was made. Police were called to Southport High School at 11.19am, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. Parents were urged not to come to the school after the warning was issued. Southport High School on the Gold Coast was placed in lockdown this morning after a bomb threat was made 'School is still in lock down. Police are on site and students are safe. We cannot release students. Please do not come to the school,' the school told students. The alert was lifted shortly after noon. Police are on the scene. More to come. Stephen Bradley Mell, 53 (pictured), pleaded guilty to federal charges of engaging in interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct and receiving child pornography in December 2018 and faces multiple years in jail at his sentencing on Tuesday A New Jersey millionaire could get jail time after pleading guilty to engaging in sex acts with a 15-year-old girl, once even putting his private plane in autopilot for that express purpose. Stephen Bradley Mell, 53, of Bedminster, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to federal charges of engaging in interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct and receiving child pornography in December 2018 and is now due for sentencing on Tuesday. Mell, a father-of-three who had a brokerage firm, was accused of committing sex acts with a 15-year-old girl whose mother had approached him so that he could give her flying lessons, according to legal documents obtained by the Bridgewater Courier News. It has not been made clear exactly what type of aircraft Mell was operating when he took the victim for her lesson, but a member of staff at Somerset airport located in Bedminster said all aircraft used to teach lessons at the airport are Pipers. Ahead of his sentencing on Tuesday, Mell's legal team has argued he is a 'humble man' who was on 'multiple anti-depressants' after falling into 'a spiral of depression' brought on by survivors' guilt over giving up his seat on a fatal helicopter trip with friends in 2012. Mell also faces sentencing in July on a state charge related to sexual activity with the teen, which he pleaded guilty to earlier this month. Authorities said that Mell (right) once put his private airplane in autopilot so that he could have sex with the teen girl while they were flying back from a trip to Cape Cod A member of staff at Somerset airport said all aircraft used to teach lessons at the airport located in Bedminster are Pipers It has not been made clear exactly what type of aircraft Mell was operating when he took the victim for her lesson. Mell owns multiple aircraft and had his own helipad at his Bedminster home. A file photo of Piper aircraft is shown Mell, who has now pleaded guilty to engaging in sex acts with a minor, started his own charity, Air LifeLine, which flew children with medical needs anywhere in the US for treatment. Air LifeLine later merged with Angel Flight NE. A representative for Angel Flight NE told DailyMail.com the organization had no comment on the federal and state charges Mell has pleaded guilty to. Mell, who went by Brad, was also actively involved in other charities serving children, including sitting on the board of the Far Hills Day School where he was once a student, USA Today reported. He was also board member at the preparatory school where his son is a student, Westminster School in Connecticut, and volunteered with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Mell had a helipad at his home which as recently been listed as sold on April 24 for an estimated $3.8million, according to Redfin. In addition to the helipad, Mell's lavish former residence included a theater room, a marble bathroom, and a pool adjacent to a veranda. The financier also owned several aircraft, at least one of which is said to have provided the backdrop for his sexual encounter with the teen. Court documents state that Mell, who was said to have received his pilot's license when he was 16, started talking to the girl, who is not being named, in 2017, using text messages and Snapchat. Their communication was said to have turned sexual when Mell, then 51, asked the teen 'if she knew how to perform oral sex.' Court documents state that Mell (right), who was said to have received his pilot's license when he was 16, started talking to the girl, who is not being named, in 2017, using text messages and Snapchat Mell allegedly 'performed oral sex acts' on the girl in June 2017 and engaged in sex acts with her again in July 2017, after which he supposedly bought her an emergency contraceptive pill. He was said to have sent the teen a text message stating that, 'If you are nervous it will hurt more,' and added that 'When you are turned on is when it will feel OK.' On July 20, 2017, Mell allegedly flew the girl on his private plane from the Somerset airport to Cape Cod 'for the purpose of engaging in illicit conduct, specifically, a sexual act with a person under the age of eighteen.' It was during the return flight that he supposedly put the plane on autopilot so that he could have sex with the girl. Mell, who started his own charity, Air Lifeline, which flew children with medical needs anywhere in the US for treatment, had a helipad at his home (shown) which as recently been listed as sold on April 24 for an estimated $3.8million Mell's multi-million dollar Bedminster home which was listed as sold in April is shown In addition to the helipad, Mell's lavish former residence included a theater room, a marble bathroom, and a pool adjacent to a veranda The veranda leading out to the pool at Mell's former home, which was sold in April, in shown The financier also owned several aircraft, at least one of which is said to have provided the backdrop for his sexual encounter with the teen. Mell's former bathroom is shown Mell was said to have performed sex act with the teen on several other occasions over the course of the next month, entreating the girl to send him images of herself in sexually-explicit conduct via text messages, SnapChat photos or FaceTime video chats. Over the summer of 2017, Mell sent the minor a birthday card for her 16th birthday. On August 23, 2017 he sent her a message referring to arranging a hotel room for the two of them in the same town where the teen was having dinner, writing, 'Now let me get a room and we are all set.' Around that same time during a trip to New York City where they had sex, Mell supposedly took a photo of the girl with his cell phone, as she stood naked with 'genital area clearly visible.' In September 2017, Mell was said to have asked the girl to go on birth control, texting her to 'Please get the IUD' and 'I know you are trying.' In October 2017, Mell texted the girl, 'Trust me the sex is amazing but so is being around you.' The final event detailed in the federal complaint against Mell occurred in November 2017, when he was said to have asked the girl to send him 'a nice naked pic cute thing.' In a legal brief, Mell's defense noted the October 9, 2012 deaths of William W. Ellsworth, 52, of Tewksbury, New Jersey, and Tighe Sullivan, 51, of Darien, Connecticut, which allegedly caused Mell to suffer survivor's guilt. A third man, Stephen Barral of Bernardsville who was 51 at the time, was seriously injured but survived, according to NJ.com. In a legal brief, Mell's defense noted the October 9, 2012 deaths of William W. Ellsworth, 52 (right), of Tewksbury, New Jersey, and Tighe Sullivan, 51 (left), of Darien, Connecticut, which allegedly caused Mell to suffer survivors guilt The legal brief said, 'It was in therapy that Mr. Mell was able to see how much he was doing for so many people and how the burden of his responsibility to so many people was taking its toll on him emotionally.' The document stated that during his therapy following the crash Mell was prescribed multiple anti-depressants, and noted that he is a 'humble man' who 'doesn't announce the accolades he has received in his lifetime.' The wreckage from the fatal crash is shown Mell couldn't make the golfing trip to New York on his own helicopter at the last moment so he sent another friend instead, who was one of the men who died when the aircraft went down just outside Mount Pocono in Pennsylvania. The legal brief said, 'It was in therapy that Mr. Mell was able to see how much he was doing for so many people and how the burden of his responsibility to so many people was taking its toll on him emotionally.' The document stated that during his therapy following the crash Mell was prescribed multiple anti-depressants, and noted that he is a 'humble man' who 'doesn't announce the accolades he has received in his lifetime.' It's not clear if Mell was allegedly on the anti-depressants while engaging in sexual acts with the teen. Mell, whose wife Kimberly Ann (Ruggles) has filed for divorce, is currently out of jail on a $1million bond. The two were married at the First Church of Christ Congregational in West Hartford, Connecticut in June of 1992. At the time of their wedding, Mell was a 26-year-old graduate of Boston University with a master's degree in psychology and working as a municipal trader at W. H. Mell Associates in Summit, New Jersey, where his father was the president and chief executive officer. Mell later took over as president of the 22-person company. DailyMail.com attempted to call the firm seeking a comment on Mell's sentencing but the telephone line has been disconnected. Mell is currently staying with his mother, who her South Carolina home up as security for her son's release. Mell's mother put her South Carolina home on Kiawah Island up as security for his release After pleading guilty to federal charges Mell was made to turn over his pilot license and told to stay 1,000 feet away from the teen girl's home and workplace. In addition, he is restricted from using computers and must take periodic polygraph tests to ensure his compliance with the release conditions. On Tuesday, Mell could be sentenced to five years in federal prison and five years of supervised release for the December 2018 charges he pleaded guilty to, according to the New York Daily News. In addition to those charges, Mell pleaded guilty on May 13 in state court to third-degree endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual relations with a female victim under the age of 16. His sentencing for those charges will occur on July 12, when he could face a multi-year state prison sentence, too. A man who allegedly pulled a loaded gun on an NYPD officer in Manhattan tried to get Siri to call his wife while he was being arrested. Amado Zubidi, 28, was detained on Saturday in East Village after the confrontation with police. Investigators had been following his Dodge Caravan since Friday after believing that it had been involved in a road rage shooting in Washington Heights on April 28. Scroll down for video Amado Zubidi, 28, was detained on Saturday in East Village after the confrontation with police Investigators had been following his Dodge Caravan since Friday after believing that it had been involved in a shooting in Washington Heights on April 28 NYPD Officers Joseph Stokes and Daniel Amaral noticed the vehicle on Columbia Street at roughly 6am on Saturday. As they approached the man's vehicle, Zubidi asked them why they were stopping him. He grew more irate when they didn't respond, the New York Daily News reports. As officers try to pry the man from his vehicle, Zubidi appears to resist arrest and more officers come to assist. Officer Luis Perez deploys his Taser and Zubidi then falls to the ground. Officers claim that the man had a five-shot, .38 caliber revolver and that he had shoved it in Officer Jose Aracena's chest. Officers claim that the man had a five-shot, .38 caliber revolver and that he had shoved it in Officer Jose Aracena's chest during the Saturday arrest While laying on the ground, he screamed for the service to call his wife. 'Hey Siri! Hey Siri!' Zubidi repeatedly screams. But when the officers try to shut him up, he tells them: 'I'm just trying to call my wife.' 'Don't worry about that right now,' an officer responds. 'Do me a favor and stop, alright?' Zubidi was charged with attempted aggravated murder of a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, and resisting arrest. He vehemently denied any wrongdoing Zubidi was charged with attempted aggravated murder of a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, and resisting arrest. He vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 'This was as close as any police officer with a gun, I mean this was this was a bad scenario. Very bad,' Capt. Aaron Edwards explained to CBS New York. 'I can't stress enough how dangerous this incident was, how tragic it could've turned out for both the officers and the suspect.' Panic erupted in the Northern Territory outback after a meteor shower caused a flash of light that lit up the night sky and a loud noise which which shook windows. The shower over the towns of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek was caught on camera after it took place just after midnight on Monday. NT Police Duty Superintendent James O'Brien said officers received a phone call from a Charles Creek Camp resident about a 'magnificent, brilliant white light that had lit up Alice Springs like daylight'. Police CCTV vision recorded the meteor shower travelling across the sky in both Alice Springs and more than 500 kilometres north in Tennant Creek. Panic erupted in the Northern Territory outback after a meteor shower caused a flash of light that lit up the night sky and a loud noise which which shook windows There were also reports of noise like thunder, rumbling and windows shaking. Many pieces of rock - about 200 tonnes - from space hit Earth every day but most were too small to be noticed, Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker said. The ones that are noticed such as Monday morning's event were also small, but in this case large enough to be seen burning brightly and colourfully before disappearing into the outback. Dr Tucker, from the Australian National University, told Daily Mail Australia it was an impressive meteor shower. 'The green-blue colour indicates it had iron, most do, it probably wasn't that big maybe three to five metres,' he said. He said the sonic boom is related to the size but also the speed of the meteor. 'The average shooting star is only about the size of a grain of sand or a small pebble. These rocks are not as big as we normally think,' he said. 'They don't have to be big to be very bright, so I would say this one is still on the smaller size, no more than a few metres.' Some pundits were claiming that the meteor was a result of the earth nearing the tail of Halley's Comet however Dr Tucker refuted this. 'There was a meteor shower called the Eta Aquarids. However that peaked last week and those fragments are small - the size of small pebbles,' he said. 'This was much larger and would not be from Halley's Comet - this would have been a fragment of an asteroid.' Dr Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist from the Australian National University told Daily Mail Australia it was an impressive meteor Supt O'Brien told ABC News that officers were at first sceptical of the reports and decided to phone around and see what they could find out. 'But then we started looking around our CCTV and the one in Tennant Creek sees this beautiful purple light coming down,' he said. 'And the ones in Alice Springs basically show Alice Springs showing up like daylight. It was quite magnificent.' NT Police then decided to upload the CCTV footage they found of the incident. Residents were quick to take to social media after witnessing the shower. 'I was awake and heard this hit the atmosphere, the sound it made, two fast booms, will stay with me for a long time ..... EPIC,' one thrilled resident wrote. 'Made a hell of a racket as it was flying over,' another added. Former NRL star Alex McKinnon's wife has shamed drivers who park so close to disabled spaces that a wheelchair user cannot get in or out. Teigan McKinnon shared a picture on her Instagram story of a silver car parked illegally next to a van in a disabled spot. The post was captioned: 'When you see the yellow striped section next to a disabled park it is NOT a park for your car or motorbike, it is a spot for the disabled person to put out a ramp to get into their car. 'It has happened way too many times to count and I feel like I need to spread the word. DO NOT PARK THERE.' Teigan McKinnon shared a picture (above) on her Instagram story of a silver car parked illegally next to a van in a disabled spot McKinnon (pictured with his wife and baby), a former player for the Newcastle Knights, has been paralyzed since 2014 when his neck was broken in an illegal but accidental tackle McKinnon, a former NRL player for the Newcastle Knights, has been paralyzed since 2014 when his neck was broken in an illegal but accidental tackle. Two weeks after the accident, he proposed to his high school sweetheart Teigan and managed to briefly stand up to kiss his bride at their wedding in 2017. In November McKinnon said he has 'made peace' with the devastating injury that left him quadriplegic - and revealed plans for more children after the birth of his baby daughter. He said his daughter's arrival in October had 'changed everything'. 'I used to always think I would want to go back and I would want my old life back, but I have moved on. I really have. I never thought I would be able to say that but life just so different now,' McKinnon told Channel Nine's Today show. 'I understand in each experience you can learn something from it and I am very lucky and happy with the life that I have right now... I really have [found peace]. I feel really comfortable in myself and I know me.' Alex McKinnon (pictured with wife Teigan and daughter Harriet Anne) says he has 'made peace' with the devastating injury that left him wheelchair-bound The 27-year-old former NRL star (left and right with Teigan) was paralysed after a horrific on-field incident in 2014 McKinnon and his wife Teigan, 25, revealed how he 'bawled straight into tears' when Harriet was born on October 7 this year. 'Alex was very emotional. There are photos and his face is just full of emotion and mine is just relief,' Teigan said. Asked about expanding their brood, McKinnon replied: 'I think I'm going to have three daughters... That is what I am predicting. I'd love that.' The couple also spoke of the moment the former footy star rose to his feet as he married his long-term girlfriend during an emotional ceremony in the NSW Hunter Valley in 2017. McKinnon proposed to his wife from his hospital bed days after suffering the spinal cord injury and - despite being diagnosed a quadriplegic - vowed to be on his feet when they married. The couple announced via social media in March that they were expecting their first child 'If we had to do that again I don't know if I could do it, it was just everything just aligned on that day and it was perfect,' he said on Monday. 'Even after the ceremony myself and Teigan stood together in front of everybody there and got photos and it still blows my mind. 'I had my hands locked in when I stood and I just kept crying and crying and I couldn't even see when she turned up, I was in tears so much. 'I just have so much love for Teigan and everything we have been through, it was just the perfect day.' The former Newcastle Knights forward previously spoke of his hopes of one day having a baby. McKinnon fulfilled his promise and stood from his wheelchair when the pair married in 2017 Teigan and Alex McKinnon announced the birth of their baby daughter in October 'One of the first things Alex wanted to know after the accident was whether we could have kids one day, because he didn't want to miss out on that,' Teigan previously said. 'So we went to see a fertility specialist and it seems there's a great chance, because he still creates sperm.' Teigan shared progress of her husband's rehabilitation and, just days before their wedding, shared a video of McKinnon walking with the help of a frame. 'So proud of all the hard work Alex McKinnon puts into his rehab,' she said. McKinnon, who played 49 NRL games for St George Illawarra and the Knights, has rarely spoken publicly since the life-changing moment in 2014, but said in 2017 he considered himself lucky. 'Harriet Anne Mckinnon 7-10-2018,' Mckinnon posted on Instagram alongside a picture of his daughter in October The former Newcastle Knights forward (pictured on his wedding day) suffered a devastating spinal chord injury in 2014 'A lot of people with spinal cord injuries aren't improving three years down the track,' he told Fox Sports. McKinnon revealed he had long carried 'hate' and 'frustration' over the on-field incident, but had moved on from the matter as he continued his physical rehabilitation. He said he wanted to meet with Melbourne Storm player Jordan McLean, after forgiving him for the tackle that left him wheelchair-bound. Australian workers on average salaries are set to receive tax cuts of more than $1,000 a year following the surprise re-election of a Coalition government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison went to the last election promising $158 billion worth of income tax cuts over the next decade. Following his surprise election win, he has vowed to urgently recall Parliament by June so the tax relief can be legislated from July 1. Scroll down for video Australian workers on average salaries are set to receive tax cuts of more than $1,000 a year following the surprise re-election of a Coalition government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison went to the last election promising $158 billion worth of income tax cuts over the next decade In the May Budget, the government promised to give those earning $48,000 to $90,000 a year tax cuts of $1,080 covering 4.5million workers including those on median and average-income salaries. This is more than double the $530 in relief announced in 2018. It was part of a plan to give tax relief to 10 million workers, for those earning up to $126,000 a year. While the Liberal and National parties will have a majority in the House of Representatives, they won't have a majority in the Senate. The Coalition has 33 seats, so far, in the Senate, which is short of the 38 seats required for a majority. With the Greens unlikely to support the tax cuts, the government will have to court the support of incoming Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi, One Nation founder Pauline Hanson and her ally Malcolm Roberts. The Senate crossbench will be less crowded, with former media personality Derryn Hinch unlikely to be re-elected as a Victorian Justice Party senator. Controversial Queensland senator Fraser Anning has also lost his bid to be elected under new his Conservative National Party banner. Lacking a Senate majority, the government may have to court support from incoming Tasmanian senator Jacquie Lambie (right) and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson The shell-shocked Labor Opposition, however, may just pass the tax cuts through the Senate as they went to the election promising bigger tax cuts for those earning less than $48,000 a year - beyond the $255 promised by the Coalition and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Politically, Labor has previously encountered trouble blocking income tax cuts in bid to give more relief to lower-income earners, after losing an election. Shortly after replacing Mark Latham as Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley tried this tactic in May 2005 only to be overthrown by Kevin Rudd by the end of 2006. The Coalition also wants to cut the number of income tax brackets from five to four by 2024-25, which Labor opposes. This would see Australians earning up to $200,00 pay a top marginal tax rate of 32.5 per cent, down from the current 37 per cent rate they pay now. A Queensland Rail worker blamed a blind spot for allegedly running over a young woman then fleeing while she lay seriously injured on an inner-Brisbane street, a court has heard. Andre-Shane Moorby pleaded not guilty on Monday to driving a Pettibone crane dangerously when it caused grievous bodily harm to Iuliana Stevenson in October 2017. Ms Stevenson was crossing at a light when she was hit at the intersection of Hamilton Place and Campbell Street in Bowen Hills about 12.45am. Prosecutors allege Moorby, 60, from Ipswich, failed to keep a proper look-out for her as he turned his heavy-duty vehicle left onto Hamilton Pl after his red arrow went out. The incident left the business development executive with fractures to her spine and upper body, as well as lacerations and abrasions, which required immediate medical attention. Moorby's offending is aggravated by him fleeing the scene despite knowing Ms Stevenson had been hit, the Crown alleges. Andre-Shane Moorby (pictured left) pleaded not guilty at Brisbane District Court on Monday to dangerous driving over the incident in October, 2017, in which the heavy vehicle he was driving hit Iuliana Stevenson (right) leaving her with serious injuries CCTV footage played to the Brisbane District Court jury shows him stopping his vehicle briefly after he hit her before driving off. Moorby, a rail worker for 35 years, told police he did not see Ms Stevenson, the court heard. In a police interview, Moorby denied being inattentive and said a 'blind spot' from the driver's seat meant 'I don't really see too much.' 'Really, I can't tell you anything about this,' he said. 'I'm fairly high up and I didn't see her at all. 'I've been driving that machine for a long time and I'm on the lookout all the time. 'I don't know where she was or anything. I really don't know where she's come from.' He said he was driving the Pettibone, which is used to handle rail tracks, to return it to a depot at Bowen Hills at the end of his shift. Ms Stevenson has no memory of the incident and will not give evidence. The New Zealand woman, then-aged 27, is seen in horrifying CCTV footage crossing the road before being hit by the Pettibone rail crane - a large truck typically used to lay railway tracks. The rail crane can be seen on CCTV footage as pausing briefly before continuing to drive on. Iuliana Stevenson pictured before she was allegedly mowed down by a turning rail crane as she crossed the road in 2017 A four-wheel drive then rounds the same corner and can be seen on CCTV footage driving around Ms Stevenson's body instead of stopping to help. Four bystanders can be seen rushing in to help Ms Stevenson who was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with serious injuries. Mr Moorby handed himself into police the day after the incident. The rail crane was owned by Queensland Rail where Mr Moorby worked, and his solicitor, Andrew Wiseman, previously told the court that the Pettibone was known among Queensland Rail staff as 'an archaic piece of junk'. Mr Wiseman previously told the court he would be arguing that it was not a case of dangerous driving, 'more driving a dangerous vehicle', news.com reported. The trial continues. Google led a host of US tech companies to cut ties with Chinese smartphone giant Huawei on Monday under a blacklist order from President Trump which has crippled the company's global position and deepened fears of an all-out trade war Google's share prices fell by 2.5 percent on Monday and lagged all day after it was forced to suspend business with Chinese tech giant Huawei under strict orders from President Trump, a move which has put pressure on the global supply chain and stoked fears of a tech cold war. The announcement not only drove Google's stock down but it impacted the US chip-makers who followed suit afterwards by separating themselves from Huawei. Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc., Xilinx Inc. and Broadcom Inc. have all stopped doing business with the Chinese tech giant and their shares were down by four percent on Monday. Apple's shares dropped by more than three percent and struggled to recover. All new Huawei phones will not have access to apps including Gmail, Google Maps and the Google Play store. Any phones which already have Google apps installed will be able to keep them but they will not get updates. Huawei-users will still be able to access the open-source version of Google's Android services but it is drastically scaled back compared to the alternative version and will likely turn users towards competitors who have not been blacklisted. It was singled out over fears it could use its technology on behalf of the Chinese government spies to harvest sensitive information. Huawei phones cannot be bought in the US officially and in 2017, it accounted for only two percent of the smartphones in America but the company ships more than 200million per year. The Google suspension has little impact on US consumers however it triggered a widespread sell-off of tech shares in US markets on Monday morning and was also felt in Europe and Asia. Huawei's boss said last week that 'all options' were 'on the table' and that it would consider legal action if Trump followed-through on the threat. It fans the flames of the US's ongoing trade dispute with Beijing and has led to the prospect of China launching its own, more competitive tech services to rival those of the West in addition to the likelihood of a crackdown on all US businesses which have interests in there. The fallout included; Apple shares falling by more than three percent amid its increased vulnerability to Beijing A sell-off of major tech stocks which drove the Dow Jones index down by 22 points Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc., Xilinx Inc. and Broadcom Inc. shares dropped by 4% Ripple effects in Europe where Germany's Infineon Technologies has also cut ties with Huawei Increased fears and questions over how Beijing will retaliate against US businesses A flurry of anti-Apple and anti-US messages posted on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter, many calling for an Apple boycott Peter Garnry of Saxo Bank, it was effectively the starting signal of a technology Cold War Now, Huawei, which is building its own 5G network, is primed to launch a competitor service to Android where none stood before There are also fears of how Beijing will crackdown on any other US businesses which have interests in China Among questions is what China will do with two Canadians being held on espionage charges The decision was the latest development in Washington's ongoing trade dispute with Beijing and comes after months of scrutiny and threats against Huawei. Google has said nothing of the decision other than that it is 'complying' with the order. The move is the latest round of tariffs, sanctions and threats from President Trump and China's Xi Jingping who have failed to reach a trade deal 'We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. 'For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices,' a spokesman told DailyMail.com on Monday. But the decision rocked Wall Street and the global markets. 'What we are witnessing is a potential reconfiguration of global trade,' Garnry of Saxo Bank said. There are now fears over how Beijing will retaliate and how, in a business sense, Huawei may fight back. It has already said it is rolling out its own 5G network and services which it said it would sell to Apple, which has been unable to source its own. With the new cut-off from Google's Android, Huawei has more motivation than ever to roll out its own competitive service. In a more widespread sense, the Chinese government could crackdown on American businesses with factories in China. Apple's share price also suffered because it is now more vulnerable to Chinese retaliation The announcement led to a widespread sell-off of tech stocks which drove the Dow down 22 points HOW CHINA COULD TARGET APPLE AND OTHER US COMPANIES IN RETALIATION FOR HUAWEI BAN China could retaliate against America for its treatment of Huawei in a number of devastating ways - the most likely would be to targeting US companies that do business in the region, such as Apple. Greater China ranks third among the regions that generate the most revenue for the company, behind the US and Europe. Additionally, the majority of Apple's supply chain consists of Chinese companies that manufacture key components like sensors, OLED displays and other parts used in the iPhone. If Apple can't rely on Chinese manufacturers, it may be forced to move to suppliers in the US or elsewhere, which could result in an increase in iPhone prices. Additionally, some Chinese consumers have already latched onto a growing 'Boycott Apple' movement in retaliation, which means Apple may suffer lasting damage to its brand in the region as a result of the Huawei ban. Apple isn't the only US firm that's likely to feel an impact. Tech companies that rely on Huawei as a major will also be hurt. 'The announced tariffs, if implemented, will be the gut punch for tech companies and its suppliers,' said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives. Intel, Microsoft, Qualcomm Broadcom and Micron provide components or services that are used in Huawei products, while Corning glass and Dolby speakers are used in Huawei phones. What devices could be impacted by the decision? Existing and new Huawei phones will be hurt the most when it comes to security updates. These devices will no longer be able to access over-the-air security updates supplied by Android, as well as new software versions, like Google's upcoming Android Q. Google ships Android security updates to device owners automatically. But Huawei devices will be forced to use the open source version of Android, which means the firm will learn of security updates the day they're issued and, as a result, will have to ship them out to users manually. This could leave Huawei devices vulnerable to attacks or other security flaws in the time that it takes to download new security updates. Huawei would also be left out of future Android software updates. Since it's using an open source version, it can't legally market its phones as being Android devices. The ban will most likely affect Huawei's line of Mate laptops as well. Huawei's computer business relies heavily on chips made by Intel, Qualcomm and others, as well as Microsoft's Windows operating system. Since these companies aren't doing business with Huawei, it's not yet clear what this means for future laptops made by the firm. Advertisement 'They could search your factory. 'At 5 oclock in the morning, inspectors show up and demand to see your books,' said Adam Segal, director of digital and cyber security at the Council on Foreign Relations, said. As one of Androids key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefited both users and the industry. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally. Huawei's response Germanys Infineon Technologies fell in early trading Monday after the Nikkei reported it halted shipments to the Chinese company in the wake of the US ban. Shares of STMicroelectronics and Austrian-based AMS were also hit. Huawei is believed to have been stockpiling chips that will allow it to keep producing products for the next three months. However its reliance on US-made products puts its future at risk. 'The extreme scenario of Huaweis telecom network unit failing would set China back many years and might even be viewed as an act of war by China. 'Such a failure would have massive global telecom market implications,' analyst Ryan Koontz of Rosenblatt Securities said on Monday. Huawei has previously said it is working on its own mobile operating system for use in the event of such blocks. It also said it would consider selling its 5G technology to Apple which has not yet been able to produce its own. Apple, which successfully uses its own iOS operating system for its iPhones and other hardware, is now particularly vulnerable to retaliation from Beijing. On Monday, HSBC cut Apple's price-target citing the trade tensions as an indicator that it may have to increase product prices and, as a result, drive down appetite for its goods. Coupled with a global sell-off of tech shares which happened as a result of the Google-Huawei announcement, it drove prices down by more than 3 percent. Android issued a tweet from their official account stating 'services like like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device' Patriotic Chinese web users are using an anti-U.S. viral song to support Beijing during the trade war A song about the trade war has taken off in China amid growing anti-US sentiment in the country. 'If the perpetrator wants to fight, we will beat him out of his wits,' the lyrics of the privately produced song titled Trade War read. It has gathered more than 3.2 million views on social media platform WeChat. China has been rallying public support around its position in a trade dispute with the United States, taking a tougher rhetoric as Washington raised tariffs on US$200 billion worth of Chinese imports and placed China's telecom giant Huawei on an export-control list. The song, released by producer and lyricist Zhao Liangtian, is set to the tun of an anti-Japanese anthem from the 1960s film Tunnel War - in which a Chinese town defends itself from invasion. It opens with a male chorus singing: 'Trade war! Trade War! Not afraid of the outrageous challenge! Not afraid of the outrageous challenge! A trade war is happening over the Pacific Ocean!' 'I chose Tunnel War because that is reminiscent of the similar situation that China is facing today,' retired official Zhao Liangtian told Bloomberg News on Monday. 'Since the trade war broke out, I felt the urge to do something,' Zhao said. He is also an accredited member of the Poetry Institute of China, which is affiliated with the partys propaganda department. The song, released by producer and lyricist Zhao Liangtian, is set to the tun of an anti-Japanese anthem from the 1960s film Tunnel War - in which a Chinese town defends itself from invasion. Above, the lyrics read 'we will beat him out of his wits' 'If the perpetrator wants to fight, we will beat him out of his wits,' the lyrics of the privately produced song titled Trade War read. It has gathered more than 3.2 million views on WeChat State broadcaster CCTV's movie channel changed its prime-time schedule from live-streaming the red carpet of Asian Movie Week to a number of post-war film classics, including Heroic Sons and Daughters (1964) (right), Battle on Shangganling Mountain (1954) (left) Zhao told Bloomberg that he wrote the song's lyrics last year and circulated them online, but said they had gone largely unnoticed until China-US talks faltered. Some of his anti-US poems had been censored by authorities in the past. After US President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs earlier this month, Zhao sensed the Chinese government had changed its attitude. He paid 1,600 yuan to finally produce and have other retirees sing the chorus. Chinese state media has also taken an increasingly strident tone, with the ruling Communist Party's Peoples Daily publishing a front-page commentary on Friday that evoked the patriotic spirit of past wars. Surprise Attack (1960) was aired on Saturday on CCTV during prime-time. The film is set during the Korean War, otherwise known in China as the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea State broadcaster CCTV's movie channel on Thursday changed its prime-time schedule from live-streaming the red carpet of Asian Movie Week to a number of post-war film classics, including Heroic Sons and Daughters (1964), Battle on Shangganling Mountain (1954) and Surprise Attack (1960), according to a notice. All the films are set during the Korean War, otherwise known in China as the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea. Hu Xijin, editor of state-owned tabloid the Global Times, tweeted on Sunday that the Battle on Shangganling Mountain should teach the Chinese that 'there's no equal negotiation without fighting' while CCTV said that it is 'using artworks like films to echo with the current era. Advertisement Huawei said today it would continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to existing smartphone users. The Shenzhen-based firm said it helped to develop a system that 'benefited both users and the industry.' The firm's sub-brand Honor said Huawei was 'actively seeking resolution on this'. Trump has also signed an executive order which allows the government to ban the technology and services of 'foreign adversaries' deemed to pose 'unacceptable risks' to national security. Government agencies have been banned from using equipment from Huawei and China's ZTE Corp since last year. Beijing foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said officials had noted the latest and would look into it and pay attention to developments. 'At the same time, China supports Chinese companies to use legal weapons to defend their legitimate rights,' he added. FRESH DOUBT OVER CANADIANS HELD IN CHINESE CUSTODY AS TRADE TENSIONS DEEPEN One Huawei executive, chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (pictured earlier this month), was arrested in Canada last year and faces criminal charges in the United States Days before the Google severed ties with Huawei, China formally arrested two Canadian citizens it is believed to be holding to pressure Canada into releasing a Chinese telecoms executive, bringing the two men closer to trial on vaguely defined state security charges. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday that Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been arrested for allegedly stealing state secrets. 'We always act in accordance with the law, and we hope that Canada will not make irresponsible remarks on China's legal construction and judicial handling,' Lu said. Lu gave no other details. Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat and expert at the International Crisis Group, and Spavor is a businessman with lengthy experience in North Korea. China had earlier accused the two of conspiring together to steal Chinese state secrets. Canada condemned the 'arbitrary action taken by the Chinese.' Their detention is thought to be in retaliation for Canada's December 1 detention on a US extradition request for Meng Wanzhou, a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei who is accused of violating Iran sanctions. The men were first accused of activities that 'endanger China's security' -- a phrase often used by Beijing when alleging espionage. Michael Kovrig (pictured left), a former Canadian diplomat, was detained in China on December 10. Michael Spavor (right) is a China-based businessman 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, have been sentenced to death. And Beijing recently blocked Canadian shipments of canola and pork worth billions of dollars. Meng, who is currently fighting extradition to the US, is allowed to live in her Vancouver mansion, although her mobility is limited. Meanwhile, a group of Canadian parliamentarians had earlier complained to Chinese officials that Kovrig and Spavor have been denied access to lawyers, and remain in 'completely unacceptable' detention conditions. Advertisement The tensions between China and the US arise from the two countries' inability to strike a trade deal. It has led to months of lingering tension between the world's largest economies. On Sunday, a US military warship sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, the latest in a series of 'freedom of navigation operations' to anger Beijing. Huawei has been seen by officials in Washington as a front for spying by the Chinese military or security services for months. It is suspected of helping the government gain access to private, commercial or other information that could compromise NATO and allied intelligence operations. One Huawei executive, chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada last year and faces criminal charges in the United States. Meng's arrest set off a diplomatic furor and severely strained Canadian relations with China. Beijing detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor on December 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng. The state news agency said that the pair had acted together to steal state secrets. A Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier. Huawei has always denied involvement in Chinese spying and last week unveiled its first 5G-ready smartphone despite the ongoing row. The company's founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said Huawei had 'already been preparing' for a U.S. crackdown. Rapper Offset engaged in a petty spat with a Republican teen influencer after posting that the new abortion laws were 'slavory' and that he wasn't proud to 'say I'm from America.' The Clout rapper took to his Twitter on Saturday to blast the various abortion laws that have sprung in Georgia, Alabama and Missouri. 'New laws is slavory,' he said in the tweet. 'To force a rape victim to keep a child is SLAVORY IM NOT PROUD TO SAY IM FROM AMERICA!!!' Rapper Offset engaged in a petty spat with Republican teen influencer CJ Pearson over the weekend The Clout rapper took to his Twitter on Saturday to blast the various abortion laws that have sprung in Georgia, Alabama and Missouri. While the spelling mistake - for slavery - was poked at by many on social media, social media commentator CJ Pearson decided to use the opportunity to troll the rapper. 'Offset - in between cheating on your wife @iamcardib - I hope you take the time to pick up a dictionary,' said the teenager in a Saturday afternoon tweet. 'Its slavery, not slavory. And if youre not proud to be an American: leave.' Ofset, 27, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus, then responded on Sunday and said: 'And in between ur time you should look at yourself in the mirror and ask your self why you as a black men support republicans and trump people who give a f** about abortions more then black men gettin kill and targeted by police .B L E S S U P B R O T H E R.' Social media commentator CJ Pearson blasted the rapper for his spelling and for cheating on Cardi B The 27-year-old rapper responded and called out Pearson's support of Republicans CJ responded with the common Republican talking point of late, that black unemployment is at its lowest in U.S. history under President Donald Trump. 'Middle class blacks, under this President, are thriving,' he added. 'Why should rappers like yourself and ball players have the only chance at acquiring wealth within our community?' 'Offset - you must not be familiar with the history of the Democratic Party? It was the Democrats that enslaved us. It was the Democrats that segregated us. It was the Republicans that freed us. Im sorry, but I refuse to support the party that put us in chains.' CJ responded with the common Republican talking point of late, that black unemployment is at its lowest in U.S. history under President Donald Trump He continued: 'I am proud to be a conservative. I am proud to support @realDonaldTrump. I am proud to defend the lives of the unborn. This is MY truth and I will never be ashamed to live in it.' The black unemployment fact is a misleading talking point that Republicans have used, failing to acknowledge that black unemployment has been on a steady decline since 2011 - when Obama was president. Pearson also got in a little tiff with producer Mike WiLL Made-It, who came to Offset's defense and poked fun at the trolling Black unemployment was at roughly 6.5 percent but was still at double the rate of white unemployment. It also doesn't address that black workers still earn roughly $12,000 less annually than white workers in 2018, as seen in Bureau of Labor Statistics report. The high school junior's point about the Democratic Party only really applies during the time of the Civil War and Reconstruction as the party shift occurred in the early 1900s into the mid 1960s. By the late 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson - a Democrat - was signing the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Pearson also got in a little tiff with producer Mike WiLL Made-It, who came to Offset's defense and poked fun at the trolling. 'U just made a song bout brothers like him on the net... The man tried to hop in like a Tom while u speak on a bigger subject,' the producer said, comparing Pearson to an Uncle Tom. 'Let Carlton have his moment u got the right to feel how u feel bout the janky laws they pushing thru.' 'U just made a song bout brothers like him on the net... The man tried to hop in like a Tom while u speak on a bigger subject,' the producer said, comparing Pearson to an Uncle Tom. 'Let Carlton have his moment u got the right to feel how u feel bout the janky laws they pushing thru' The highschooler retorted: 'Mike - get back in the studio and off Twitter. Mike Will Made It? When was the last time Mike Will Made A...hit?' But the producer has been booked and busy, and jokingly added: 'I think it might of been Humble or something , idk , or Kings Dead those the last 2 to win grammys... i dont even know what a hit is anymore I dnt make hits Man, U didnt get the memo? U late late. my focus is buying real estate and antique cars... & trolling on twitter.' CJ would take back to his own Twitter and claimed that he had received 'countless death threats, racial slurs and messages from those wishing rape upon my mother.' He also stated: 'I will not allow the color of my skin to dictate my political beliefs, as they have. I will NOT be a slave to the Democrat Party.' Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek has announced she will not stand for the party leadership. The mother-of-three, 49, claimed she would win if she went for the job but said now was not her time. Her decision paves the way for former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese, 56, to take charge. Deputy Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek and husband Michael Coutts-Trotter arrive for the annual Mid Winter Ball at Parliament House in Canberra on September 12, 2018 Tanya Plibersek and Michael Coutts-Trotter met in university in 1991 and have three children, Anna, 18, Joe, 14, and Louis, eight. The family is pictured at a movie premiere in Sydney in 2014 Ms Plibersek said in a statement: 'I have support, from across the party, to be elected leader. 'I am overwhelmed by the confidence my colleagues, the union movement, and Labor party members have placed in me. 'I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support. But now is not my time. 'I know some people will be disappointed with this decision.' Ms Plibersek, who has been Bill Shorten's deputy since 2013, said she wanted to spend more time with her family. 'At this point, I cannot reconcile the important responsibilities I have to my family with the additional responsibilities of the Labor leadership,' she said. She confirmed she will stay as deputy leader until the new leader is elected and decides if they want her by their side or not. 'I intend to continue as deputy leader until the leadership is determined. Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek (left) and Bill Shorten (right) at the launch of Labor's federal election campaign at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on May 5 Ms Plibersek pictured with her husband and children Anna, Joe and Louis 'At that point I will I serve in whatever capacity my colleagues best think can help Labor return to government. 'Whatever my colleagues decide, I will play a role in taking our economic and social policy agenda to the next stage.' Commenting on Labor's defeat, she added: 'The result on the weekend was a blow for Labor supporters, and the many millions of people whose lives are made better by Labor governments. 'Bill [Shorten] unified Labor and could not have worked harder to get us across the line. But Labor fell short.' She concluded her statement with a rallying cry to Labor supporters. 'We need to explain clearly and convince win hearts and minds,' she said. 'We need to campaign, not just at election time, but all the time. 'When we live in a society where everyone gets the chance to get ahead. Mr Albanese, who holds the Sydney inner-west seat of Grayndler, hails from the New South Wales Left faction whose members favour an end to offshore processing of asylum seekers 'But to do all this Labor needs to win government. And I will continue to do all I can to achieve that.' Mr Albanese on Sunday declared he will run to become Labor's next leader. The 56-year-old member for Grayndler, in Sydney's gentrified inner-west, highlighted in his speech his childhood growing up in housing commission. LABOR LEADERSHIP RULES Labor leadership contenders need to have 20 per cent caucus support to nominate for the top job. Rank-and-file party members get a say in the leadership if there are more than two contenders. There is a 50 per cent weighting between the Labor caucus in federal Parliament and party members. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd introduced the rules in 2013, to avoid a repeat of a sitting PM being knifed for fellow Labor MPs. Advertisement 'I grew up in a house with a single mum on an invalid pension,' Mr Albanese told reporters at the Unity Hotel on Sunday in the wealthy suburb of Balmain. 'Public housing down here in Campberdown. I know what it's like to do it tough. 'What you see is what you get with me. Im a bit rough at the edges, but I think that Australians dont want someone who just utters talking points.' Mr Albanese declared his hand, six years after he lost a Labor leadership ballot to Bill Shorten, despite having more support from rank-and-file party members in the postal vote. Under the party rules, introduced in 2013, Mr Shorten prevailed because he had more support from federal Labor MPs. Mr Albanese, who is separated from former NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt, would be Labor's first Left-faction leader since Ms Gillard. She was supported by the Right faction in June 2010 as the party caucus ousted Mr Rudd as a first-term prime minister. Mr Shorten was involved in the ousting of both Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard three years later, as a Right faction powerbroker from Victoria. Ms Plibersek signalled her intent for a run at the party's top job on Sunday morning during an interview on the ABC Insiders program. Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Tanya Plibersek during the 'Vote for Change Rally' at Bowman Hall in Blacktown, Sydney on May 16, 2019 'I'll talk to my colleagues today but of course I'm considering it,' she told the program's host Barrie Cassidy, a former Labor press secretary. 'My determination is to ensure we are in the best place to win in three years time and that we continue to offer Australians real options.' Ms Plibersek comes from a middle-class background and grew up at Oyster Bay in Sydney's south as the daughter of Slovenian immigrants. A federal Labor MP said the result could also hinge on the powerful NSW Right faction, which backed Ms Gillard in 2010, adding it was more inclined to back Mr Albanese. 'Now is not my time': Tanya Plibersek's statement in full The result on the weekend was a blow for Labor supporters, and the many millions of people whose lives are made better by Labor governments. Bill unified Labor and could not have worked harder to get us across the line. But Labor fell short. I am very grateful for the support I have received from my colleagues, from party members and others, urging me to run for the Labor leadership. I have support, from across the party, to be elected leader. I am overwhelmed by the confidence my colleagues, the union movement, and Labor party members have placed in me. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support. But now is not my time. At this point, I cannot reconcile the important responsibilities I have to my family with the additional responsibilities of the Labor leadership. I know some people will be disappointed with this decision. I intend to continue as deputy leader until the leadership is determined. At that point I will I serve in whatever capacity my colleagues best think can help Labor return to government. Whatever my colleagues decide, I will play a role in taking our economic and social policy agenda to the next stage. Our victories are hard fought, and hard won - whether its elections, or great Labor legacies such as Medicare, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, fair school funding, or protection for our environment, and support for renewables. I understand that to win elections Labor needs to take the Australian people with us. We do need to take a serious look at our policies. We need to listen. We need to connect with people. We need to carefully lay out our agenda. We need to explain clearly and convince win hearts and minds. We need to campaign, not just at election time, but all the time. And we need to be relentless in taking the fight up to the Liberals including on jobs and the economy Australias economy is just not working for working people. Working Australians are finding it harder and harder to get ahead. I believe that as the party of working people, Labors single most important task is to ensure every Australian has a good job with decent pay and conditions. Good jobs allow people to get ahead in Australia and that must have our laser focus. Labors values are clear: Australia is at its best when our economy is strong and our society is fair. When we have profitable businesses that return some of those profits to workers by creating jobs and increasing wages. When we have great services that everyone can rely on hospitals, childcare, schools, TAFE, unis roads and public transport. When we live in a society where everyone gets the chance to get ahead. But to do all this Labor needs to win government. And I will continue to do all I can to achieve that. Advertisement EXCLUSIVE: 'It was an unusual start': How deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek's future husband told her he was a recovering drug addict and still on parole for trafficking heroin on their first date By Stephen Gibbs for Daily Mail Australia Tanya Plibersek learnt two big things on her first date with Michael Coutts-Trotter: he had recently served almost three years in prison and she wanted him to be in her life. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition said her future husband's past as a drug dealer never deterred her but conceded their relationship had an 'unusual start'. Mr Coutts-Trotter is a senior New South Wales public servant who has just been promoted to secretary of the Department of Justice, on top of his existing role as boss of Family and Community Services. But 35 years ago as a teenage drug addict he was arrested for conspiring to import half a kilogram of heroin from Thailand and served two years and nine months in jail. Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek pictured with her public servant husband Michael Coutts-Trotter and children Anna, 18 and Joe, 14. 'I think the real difficulty of this story is to talk to your children about the fact that their father's been in jail,' Ms Plibersek told Daily Mail Australia Mr Coutts-Trotter's new job puts him in charge of the largest prison and court system in the country, providing an inspiring story of redemption and hope. Ms Plibersek told Daily Mail Australia she accepted people would always be interested in her husband's criminal history but publicly airing 'ancient history' could be hard on their family. 'It's always a little bit embarrassing and personal when these things are in the paper,' she said. 'It's a bit exposing and I worry about how it affects my children.' The couple, who met in 1991 when both were studying communications at the University of Technology Sydney, has three children: Anna, 18, Joe, 14 and Louis, 8. 'I think the real difficulty of this story is to talk to your children about the fact that their father's been in jail,' the 49-year-old MP for Sydney said. Tanya Plibersek and Michael Coutts-Trotter are one of Sydney's most powerful couples 'That's not easy because kids when they're little assume that everybody who's been in jail is 100 per cent bad. 'They don't understand that people can make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.' Long before they contemplated having children Mr Coutts-Trotter had to tell Ms Plibersek - and she had to tell her Slovenian-born parents - about his 'complicated' past. As a teenager Mr Coutts-Trotter had become addicted to heroin and dealt the drug to fund his habit before he was jailed for trying to import half a kilogram of the stuff. 'He told me on our first date and I think he was still on parole,' Ms Plibersek said. 'He had to go and see his parole officer every few weeks when we first started dating. 'It was an unusual start. He told me on our very first date his whole history and then I actually knew after our first date that I was serious about this fellow. 'I took him home to meet my parents probably two weeks after our first date, so I had to tell my mum and dad that I was dating someone with a pretty complicated history. 'My parents are really wonderful people so they accepted him on face value. 'Their only interest was how he was going to treat their daughter and when they saw that he was very decent they were fine with his history.' Seven successive Labor and Liberal premiers under whose governments 54-year-old Mr Coutts-Trotter's career has flourished have also judged him on his ability rather than his criminal past. Mr Coutts-Trotter (pictured) was followed by police from the Redfern Mail Exchange after he picked up a package of heroin sent from Thailand in 1984. He is pictured here on that spot 'Everyone I meet that has worked with him over the years is impressed by his competence and his compassion in the job that he does,' Ms Plibersek said. 'He takes his role as a public servant really seriously, he absolutely believes that it's the job of a public servant to implement the policies of the democratically elected government in the best way that he can. 'He works very hard. Works very hard indeed. And he does it, I think, just incredibly ethically. He's a very ethical person.' Ms Plibersek said Mr Coutts-Trotter was a 'wonderful husband and father', 'terrific son to his mother' and a 'loyal, loving friend'. Telling his story of rehabilitation and redemption, as he did to Daily Mail Australia last week, was worthwhile because it gave hope to others with a family member addicted to drugs. Mr Coutts-Trotter, pictured as a 17-year-old in 1982, was injecting two-and-a-half grams of heroin at the height of his drug addiction. He was arrested in 1984 and jailed in 1986 'He's never tried to minimise it, he's never tried to run away, he'd never made excuses for himself,' Ms Plibersek said. Instead, Mr Coutts-Trotter had been 'prepared to face up to what he did wrong and to change his life.' 'I know that it's a comfort to parents whose kids are currently going through drug addiction,' Ms Plibersek said. 'To think there's a life after and to know that you can get clean and you can make amends and you can go onto be a productive member of society I think is really important for people who are supporting someone through drug addiction.' Ms Plibersek said while her husband's addiction had been to heroin, his story had lessons for the growing numbers of Australians whose lives were afflicted by ice. 'Ice is so terrible at the moment,' she said. 'There's so many parents watching their kids go through ice addiction and wondering what the end is for them, whether they'll live. 'And certainly whether they can go on to have a family and have a job and do all the things that parents hope for their children. 'Seeing someone who has done that with heroin - which is a terrible addiction as well - I hope gives some comfort.' While ever the couple was in the public eye Mr Coutts-Trotter and Ms Plibersek would continue to be asked about his drug use and years in prison. 'I think he sees it as the price of what he did wrong and that's fair enough, you know,' Ms Plibersek said. 'You can't minimise that stuff. 'It's not fair to pretend it never happened. The consequences last a long time.' The son of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched an extraordinary tirade on ousted federal MP Tony Abbott, labelling him as a 'terrorist'. Alex Turnbull was unable to hide his pleasure after Mr Abbott lost his long standing seat of Warringah to independent rival Zali Steggall on Saturday. He took credit Mr Abbott's demise after he voiced a robocall message calling on voters in Sydney's northern beaches to not re-elect his father's political rival. Tony Abbott, pictured with wife Margie could still manage a smile after losing his seat on Saturday night 'I think not having Tony (Abbott) there helps,' Mr Turnbull told Nine News. 'I am very happy I got rid of Tony. Tony was very much a terrorist.' He believes Mr Abbott's demise was expected 'given the complete misalignment of his politics and his electorate.' Mr Turnbull, 37, added his father was pleased that prime minister Scott Morrison won the election on his own terms but expressed his own disappointment in Saturday night's result, which prompted him to briefly shut down his Twitter account. Alex has since reactivated his Twitter account and has posted a series of retweets in the last 48 hours since the shock election result. Still bitter over Mr Abbott's influential role in his father's removal as prime minister by party colleagues last August, Alex voiced a robocall message to Warringah voters on the eve of the election. Malcolm Tunrbull's son Alex (pictured) described Tony Abbott as a terrorist for the Liberals 'With people like Tony in office, there is no hope of stable government under the Liberals,' Mr Turnbull pleads with voters in the message. 'Or, you can vote for someone who has integrity and standing up for action on the climate crisis. 'A vote for Tony Abbott is a vote for more climate chaos and more chaos in Canberra.' It comes after former Liberal turned independent candidate Julia Banks recently admitted she had phone contact with Alex Turnbull during her unsuccessful election campaign to unseat federal health minister Greg Hunt from his Victoria-based seat of Flinders. Alex Turnbull has not forgiven Tony Abbott for his role in father Malcolm's (pictured) removal as prime minister by Liberal Party colleagues last August Mr Turnbull also recorded a similar message urging Flinders constituents to vote for Ms Banks. Meanwhile, Mr Turnbull's father has congratulated Liberal candidate Dave Sharma on winning his old seat of Wentworth after independent MP Dr Kerryn Phelps conceded defeat on Monday. 'Congratulations @DaveSharma on winning Wentworth - the best part of the best country in the world! Good luck in the years ahead. And thank you @drkerrynphelps for the great courage and character you showed as our MP,' Malcolm tweeted. A prosecutor said Monday that a black man charged with fatally shooting a woman and wounding seven people at a Nashville church aimed to kill at least 10 white churchgoers as revenge for a 2015 massacre at a black church in South Carolina. Nashville Deputy District Attorney Amy Hunter made the comments during opening statements in the trial of Emanuel Kidega Samson, 27. Prosecutors have said they're seeking life without parole for Samson, who faces a 43-count indictment, including a first-degree murder charge, in the September 2017 shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ. Samson's attorney, Jennifer Lynn Thompson, countered that Samson's true intention was to kill himself. The trial of Emanuel Kidega Samson (center), 27, began Monday in Nashville Samson (pictured in a September 2017 mugshot) has been charged with 43 counts including murder. Prosecutors have said Samson wanted revenge for the 2016 Charleston, South Carolina church massacre carried out by convicted murderer and white supremacist Dylann Roof (right), who is currently on death row He left a suicide note for his girlfriend and sent a goodbye video to his cousin, according to Thompson. Members of the church packed the courtroom, at times becoming emotional when attorneys and witnesses recounted a Sunday filled with chaos, tragedy and heroism. The shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee. She was shot in the church parking lot, and dropped her Bible and notes from a recently concluded worship ceremony that had just concluded, Hunter said. The shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee The September 2017 shooting took place at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Nashville Samson, who used to attend the church, is black and the victims are white. Hunter explained that a note in Samson's car cited white supremacist Dylann Roof's massacre at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. It also referenced the red, black and green Pan-African flag, sometimes called RBG. 'Dylann Roof is less than nothing,' the note read, Hunter said. Emanuel Kidega Samson, 27, left, appears with his defense attorney, Jennifer Thompson, in court Monday in Nashville. Samson is accused of fatally shooting a woman and wounding seven people at a Nashville church in 2017. Prosecutors have said they're seeking life without parole for Samson Jennifer Thompson, defense attorney for Samson, holds a mask worn by Samson as she delivers her opening statement during the first day of Samson's trial Monday in Nashville. Samson is accused of fatally shooting a woman and wounding seven people at a Nashville church in 2017. Prosecutors have said they're seeking life without parole for Samson 'The blood that 10 of your kind will shed is that of the color upon the RBG flag in terms of vengeance.' The note included an expletive and ended with a smiley face, Hunter said. 'This state will prove beyond all reasonable doubt that on Sept. 24, 2017, this defendant, Emanuel Kidega Samson, went to the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ with the intent to murder a minimum of 10 white churchgoers on that day,' Hunter said. 'You won't have to take the state's word for it though.' An arrest affidavit said Samson waived his rights and told police he arrived armed and fired at the church, described by the prosecutor as a multicultural, multi-generational community where everyone knows everyone. Catherine Dickerson testifies during the trial for Emanuel Kidega Samson, 27, Monday in Nashville Hunter also said the calamity revealed a 'true life hero.' Churchgoer Robert Caleb Engle has testified that during the rampage, he twice confronted the gunman, who was wearing a tactical vest and a motorcycle-style mask with a clown smile on it. Engle said he was pistol-whipped three times in the head. At one point, he pushed the gun back on the shooter and a shot fired, striking the gunman and sending him to the ground. Engle said his father kicked the gun away, stood on the shooter's hand and told Engle to go get his gun out of his truck. Engle came back with his weapon, put his foot on the shooter's back and stood guard until first responders arrived. A judge's order had kept many details of the case secret until trial. At a hearing in April, it was revealed that a psychiatrist diagnosed Samson with 'schizoaffective disorder bipolar type' and post-traumatic stress disorder after an abusive, violent upbringing. 'What this case is about is a man who was very sad, very suicidal, and he was looking to die that day,' Thompson told jurors Monday. More than 560 patients at a dental surgery have been urged to get HIV tests because of unclean equipment. Dentality @ Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire sent letters to the patients telling them they were at risk of infections including HIV and hepatitis because a hygienist had failed to sterilise an ultrasonic scaler. The mistake was discovered in January but it took three months for health officials to act after they were informed of the blunder. The female hygienist, who is self-employed and from London, no longer works with the practice but is able to continue in her job under monitoring. More than 560 patients at Dentality @ Hoddesdon have been told to get tested for HIV and hepatitis infections after a hygienist repeatedly used a plaque-removing scaler that had not been sterilised as often as it should She is not believed to have had any infection but it is unknown whether any of her patients did. One patient at the practice told The Sun: 'You get a letter telling you to get an HIV test and it's terrifying. They can say the risk is small all they want but the truth is that they don't actually know. 'The fact it took them three months to warn everyone is disgusting. How many more people could have been infected in that time?' Public Health England said there is a chance the 563 patients treated by her could have an infection, although the risk is very low. Dr Jorg Hoffmann, deputy director of Health Protection for Public Health England East, said: 'I would like to emphasise that the risk of contracting Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV is extremely low and that testing is being offered as a precautionary measure. 'We know patients will be anxious about this situation and they will be supported by the NHS and PHE throughout. A letter to patients, pictured, said they may have been exposed to an infection although there was a very low risk 'Effective treatments are available for all blood-borne viruses, which is why it was important to identify anyone who may have been put at risk of infection so testing and treatment can be offered.' An ultrasonic scaler works by using high frequency vibrations to remove plaque from teeth. Staff raised the alarm after they realised the tool was not being put in a steriliser as often as it should have. Dr Vishaal Shah, of Dentality @ Hoddesdon, said the practice 'always puts patients first'. The NYPD officer who tried to arrange her estranged husband's murder was initially introduced to her intended victim by the man's own stepfather - a fellow police officer, it has been revealed. Officer Valerie Cincinelli was introduced to Isaiah Carvalho Jr - her future husband-turned-murder-target - by Detective Patrick Roach, also of the NYPD. Roach, who is married to Carvalho's mother, admitted it was him who brought the pair together in the first place, having got to know her from the 106th Precinct in Queens, the New York Post revealed. Valerie Cincinelli (pictured left in 2017 with ex-husband Isiah Carvalho and her daughter), 34, is accused of asking her current boyfriend to hire an assassin to kill her ex-husband. She received a 'Cop of the month' award in July 2017 (shown above) 'I'm just glad my son is safe... This is a surprise to all of us. The family is still trying to wrap their head around it... It feels like a bad dream,' Roach said. He went on to describe the family's shock after FBI agents disclosed the sinister plot to them last week, adding: 'It was a shock to all of us when we were notified by the FBI on Friday,' - the same day the feds busted Cincinelli on a murder-for-hire charge that rocked the police department. Roach refused to reveal where Carvalho who has a 5-year-old son with Cincinelli was staying, while Carvalho's paternal father has so far failed to comment on the dastardly plot against his son. The revelation came in the wake of new details about the case. The twisted saga dates back to February, when prosecutors say that mother-of-two Cincinelli approached her new boyfriend, urging him to find a hitman who could off her estranged husband, Isaiah Carvalho Jr. But instead of going forward with the plot, the boyfriend rushed to the FBI with the information and became a secret informant, according to charging documents reported by the New York Post. Video courtesy PIX 11 On February 18, prosecutors say that Cincinelli moved forward with the plot by withdrawing $7,000 from a TD Bank branch, giving the money to the boyfriend to buy five ounces of gold coins to be used to pay the purported hitman. Cincinelli, who has her own children with Carvalho, also wanted the supposed hitman to kill her new boyfriend's own teen daughter because she was in the way of their relationship, the court documents say. The cop allegedly told her boyfriend to tell the hitman to 'run her the f**k over' to make the girl's death appear to be a hit-and-run. The boyfriend strung Cincinelli along as the FBI gathered information, telling her that he was in contact with a hitman and the plot was moving forward. On Monday, the boyfriend told Cincinelli that the supposed hitman was stalking Carvalho at his workplace on Long Island, but the NYPD cop protested that the area was too upscale. Instead, Cincinelli said he should be killed in 'the hood' or 'the ghetto' so 'it would not look suspicious,' court papers say. Worried that two deaths close together would raise suspicion, Cincinelli advised her boyfriend 'to have the hitman kill [the teen] over the weekend and then wait a week or a month to kill' her husband, the documents said. Ex-husband Isiah Carvalho Jr (above) posed as dead in a photo that federal agents sent to Cincinelli's boyfriend, which he used to convince her the hit had been carried out The investigation came to a head on Friday morning, when a Suffolk County detective who was working with the feds came to Cincinelli's home and told her - falsely - that her husband had been found dead. Cincinelli sobbed during the notification - but hidden devices recorded her response after the detective left her home. She quickly began discussing her 'alibi' with the boyfriend, according to the court papers. The boyfriend also showed her text messages between himself and an undercover federal agent posing as the hitman, one of which included a staged photo of Carvalho appearing dead in his car, court papers say. Soon after, a task force of FBI agents and NYPD Internal Affairs officers swooped in and arrested Cincinelli. Records show Carvalho filed for divorce against Cincinelli last year and a court date had been set for June. Prosecutors did not offer a motive for why Cincinelli wanted him dead. According to the NBC4, Cincinelli joined the police department in 2007 and worked out of the Queens 106th Precinct, in Ozone Park. However, she was stripped of her badge and gun and placed on modified assignment in 2017 following a number of domestic incidents, an official said. Cincinelli joined the New York police department in 2007 and worked out of the Queens 106th Precinct (above) in Ozone Park Cinicinelli's father, however, has jumped to his daughter's defense insisting the allegations against her are 'bulls***'. 'They were married, they have a kid together and then they got divorced. There is no way on the planet my daughter would have someone try to murder him. That's nonsense!' he told the Post on Friday. He also added that his daughter had been 'going out with some wacko who made an allegation against her before that she tried to kill him.' Refusing to identify the man, he said that he was 'sure' the unnamed partner was behind the allegation. Meanwhile, Carvalho Jr. is said to be left 'shaken-up' by the ordeal but doing well 'with all things considered'. The Bronx-based mechanic declined to speculate whether he believed the allegations against his ex-wife were true or not. Before her demotion, Cincinelli had been an award-winning officer and was even crowned 'Cop of the month' by the Jamaica Rotary in June 2017. The Oceanside, Long Island resident had recently been working at the Viper Unit, monitoring cameras in public housing prior to her arrest. A graduate of Longwood University, Cincinelli returned to the school in 2016 to be interviewed about her work in the NYPD's domestic violence unit. 'We want kids to like us. That's the next generation; they'll be adults in 10 years. I love kids; they're my soft spot. I feel like I'm making a difference by helping children and their families,' she told the school's alumni magazine. 'Unfortunately, when I say hello to kids out walking with their parents, the parent sometimes says, 'Don't talk to them.' Some parents teach their kids to hate the police.' Cincinelli is charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. She will appear before a judge on Monday. She was immediately suspended without pay after her arrest. A violent ice-addicted convicted paedophile has been released back into society despite breaching his supervision orders. Gregory David Kynuna, 55, who served eight years in jail for raping a boy in 2002, has breached court orders that he remain alcohol and drug-free. The convicted Queensland rapist was put back in prison in March 2019 for using ice and will now be released after appearing in Brisbane's Supreme Court on Monday. Gregory David Kynuna, a convicted rapist, has been released after attending court on Monday (file picture) Kynuna was first sentenced to jail in 1987 after sneaking into a Cairns hostel and sexually assaulting a group of schoolgirls who were on an excursion. The child sex offender spent most of his adult life behind bars in Brisbane's Correctional Centre, while using drugs such as methamphetamines and cannabis. He was released in 2011 under strict supervision orders that he remain sober and undergo regular drug tests. Brisbane Correctional Centre (pictured) where Kynuna spent most of his adult life The 55-year-old breached his supervision order several times by using alcohol and marijuana. The convicted rapist also assaulted a nurse at Princess Alexandra Hospital in 2014 when he was being treated after his release. Psychiatrists then said he was at 'real risk' of offending again, according to Yahoo. Justice Martin Burns told the court on Monday that Kynuna had been making progress outside of jail. Burns also said Kynuna's use of methamphetamines was opportunistic and that he would be unlikely to use the drug again. The court also heard the offender suffered from chronic schizophrenia and an antisocial personality disorder. Human remains found by railway workers earlier this month have been confirmed to be murdered anti-violence campaigner Tamara Farrell. The body parts were discovered in a bag near a creek in Altona North, west of Melbourne, on May 6, 200km away from where police originally located her charred remains in February. Two of Ms Farrell's childhood friends, a brother and sister, have been charged over her murder. Police found parts of Ms Farrell's burnt body in Sale, Victoria, two days after she went missing from her Ballarat home, The Courier reported. More body parts of a slain woman Tamara Farrell have been found 300km from the location where police discovered her charred remains in February 'Forensic testing on human remains located near a creek in Altona North on 6 May has now been completed,' a police statement read. 'Police can confirm the remains belong to 31-year-old Tamara Farrell. 'As this matter is still before the court it would be inappropriate to make any further comment.' Shaye Kotiau, 22, appeared before Melbourne's Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, charged with the murder. Miss Farrell's burnt remains were found in Nambrok, near Sale, about 300km from her home with her childhood friend and her friend's brother being charged with her murder His sister Kieahn, 19, was later charged with accessory to murder. The siblings are believed to be long-time family friends of Ms Farrell who had only recently moved to Victoria, The Herald Sun reported. Mr Kotiau and his sister were arrested hours after the grisly discovery in February, with the elder sibling charged quickly after. The 31-year-old women's rights activist (left, right) was reportedly a family friend of the brother and sister charged over her murder Shaye Kotiau was arrested with his 19-year-old sister as detectives scoured their home Anthony Albanese, the man tipped to be the next Labor leader, split from his wife Carmel Tebutt, the former NSW deputy premier, in January Anthony Albanese, the man tipped to be the next Labor leader, is a new bachelor who was raised in a housing commission flat and has tasted power as a senior minister. 'Albo', 56, is tonight firming as the frontrunner to become Opposition Leader, following Bill Shorten's shock election thumping on Saturday. Mr Albanese's rival Tanya Plibersek said 'now is not the time' to run for the party's leadership, citing family responsibilities. She has three children, including an eight-year-old son. The MP for Sydney's inner west seat of Grayndler for more than 20 years, Mr Albanese has long coveted the Labor leadership. Mr Shorten pipped Mr Albanese to the job in 2013. But the ALP's catastrophic defeat on Saturday has given him a second chance at the top. Mr Albanese's leadership tilt, announced at the weekend, is a new chapter in what has already been a tumultuous year for the Labor frontbencher. Political royalty: Ms Tebutt was the deputy leader of NSW Labor and Mr Albanese deputy prime minister at different points Power couple: Mr Albanese with Ms tebutt during the 2016 federal election campaign In January, the former Cabinet minister issued a statement announced he and his wife of 30 years, the ex-NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebutt, had separated. Mr Albanese said he was 'deeply saddened' and the pair would continue to share parenting responsibilities for their adult son, Nathan, 18. 'There were no third parties involved,' the statement said. The relationship breakdown has barely come up since, with Mr Albanese dedicating himself to campaigning for Labor as its transport spokesman. He promoted a high speed rail plan during the election, only to watch the party's dream of a new progressive government die at the weekend. On Sunday Mr Albanese suggested he could revive the party's fortunes, announcing his bid to be Opposition leader at a Balmain pub. 'I know what it's like to do it tough,' he said. Mr Albanese reflected on his compelling backstory, telling how he was raised in public housing in 1960s inner Sydney by a single mother, Maryanne, who was on an invalid pension. 'What you see if what you get with me,' he said. 'I'm a bit rough at the edges, but I think that Australians don't want someone who just utters talking points.' Life of Albo: Raised by a single mother with a father who 'died in a crash' - but was actually alive A young Anthony Albanese met Carmel Tebutt in the Labor party A young Mr Albanese was raised in Camperdown. The Sydney suburb was a considerably more downtrodden area in the 1960s than its trendy present. As a teenager, he worked as a paperboy and went to school in the city. Even then, he was known as Albo, people who knew him then said. His mother always told Mr Albanese she had met his Italian father overseas, but she had returned to Australia and he had died in a car crash. When he was a teenager, she revealed the story was not actually true. 'We sat down just after dinner one night and she it was very traumatic for her, I think, to tell me that in fact that wasn't the case,' Mr Albanese told the ABC in 2009. Maryanne Albanese (left) with Anthony's father Carlo standing (also on left) 'Hot Albo': A photograph of a young Anthony Albanese went viral during the last Labor government Maryanne told him 'my father might still be alive, that she'd met him overseas, fallen pregnant with me, had told him and he had said, basically, that he was betrothed to someone from the town in Italy where he was from.' Mr Albanese said he did not follow up on the story until after his mother's died in 2002. He knew his father, Carlo, had worked on a cruise ship and enlisted the help of a maritime historian to track him down. Incredibly, the effort was successful. The pair met, embraced and spoke for an hour-and-a-half, the Labor luminary later told the ABC. 'It's hard to put into words ... how I felt. It was just completely overwhelming,' Mr Albanese said. His father died in 2014, and told his long lost son he was happy they had found each other. Life in the Labor Party: Meeting Carmel, becoming a minister and backing Rudd over Gillard Mr Albanese joined the Australian Labor Party at age 16 - and rose to become an influential figure in the party's Left faction. It was through Labor he met Ms Tebutt, who he described in his maiden speech as his 'partner and best friend'. Mr Albanese first became the federal member of Grayndler in 1996 - a seat he has held ever since. He spent more than a decade in Opposition and did not come into government until the election of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2007. He was appointed transport and infrastructure minister and Leader of the House in the new government. A younger Anthony Albanese running for government during the 2007 election campaign Albanese was a supporter of Kevin Rudd during his second tilt at the top job He was known to be a supporter of Mr Rudd during his leadership tussles with Julia Gillard. When Mr Rudd ascended returned to the top job, he rewarded Mr Albanese with the role of deputy prime minister - a job he held for just three months. LABOR LEADERSHIP RULES Labor leadership contenders need to have 20 per cent caucus support to nominate for the top job. Rank-and-file party members get a say in the leadership if there are more than two contenders. There is a 50 per cent weighting between the Labor caucus in federal Parliament and party members. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd introduced the rules in 2013, to avoid a repeat of a sitting PM being knifed for fellow Labor MPs. Advertisement Mr Albanese made a tilt for the top job in 2013. He won the popular vote of the party membership but lost the Caucus vote. In the six years since there have been occasional reports he was considering challenging Mr Shorten for the leadership. It never eventuated, but there remains some bad blood within the party. A fuming Labor insider - who supported Ms Plibersek - said: 'Albo has just been sitting there hoping Bill gets run over a bus the whole way through. 'All he's ever done is back stab, undermine and s*** stir. Albo can get stuffed.' Mr Albanese declined to comment on the claims, but told reporters separately he had no criticism of Mr Shorten as Labor leader. Meanwhile, Labor is organising a leadership election, which involves a vote from the party membership and the elected Caucus. Mr Albanese, the Labor party and Australia, await what's next. This is the moment a 'drunk' Ukrainian tourist went on a racist rant on a packed plane then began beating passengers because she didn't want to sit next to 'foreigners'. The woman, who has not been identified, was filmed lashing out at the cabin crew - including former TV presenter Lidiya Polyanskaya - before standing on her seat and kicking other people while yelling abuse. Local media reported that the brawl broke out after the woman had downed a bottle of whiskey bought at duty free in Barcelona, before departing for Kiev. A 'drunk' Ukrainian tourist on a flight from Barcelona to Kiev launched into a 'racist' rant then began attacking passengers and crew because she didn't want to sit next to 'foreigners' At some point during the flight she started attacking the 'foreigners', reported to include a Chinese man, who eventually had to move seats. As other people tried to intervene she also lashed out at them. The video shows a man wearing a black top hitting back at her. At least three flight crew try to calm the woman down as other shocked passengers - including children - watched on. Lidiya Polyanskaya, a former TV presenter, was among those trying to help diffuse the situation 'It was terrifying, nasty and scary,' said one female passenger. The woman was detained by police when the plane landed in Ukrainian capital Kiev, say reports. It is unclear what what charges or punishments she faces over the incident, which took place on a Ukrainian airline. Reports did not specify if the woman was strapped into a seat and restrained before landing. Social media reports say the woman had earlier ignored requests from the flight crew not to drink her whisky on board. One said: 'She decided that foreigners flying with her should not remain in the cabin any longer. Just because they were foreigners.' The cabin crew, including Miss Polyanskaya, received praise for helping to diffuse the situation. One witness said: 'When the stewardess Lidiya Polyanskaya said in her professional TV presenter's voice 'Now you calm down!' even I calmed down.' Her former colleagues at ATR TV channel joked afterwards that she should consider going back to her presenter's job. She replied: 'Ha-ha, I am already thinking about it.' The video filed by a passenger was posted with a message reading: 'If you provoke a dangerous situation, attack passengers, injure people around you, make them anxious please do not think that your actions will remain unknown.' But there were also social media protests over the way the drunk woman was 'beaten' and attacked by her fellow passengers. At one point the woman climbed up on her seat and kicked another passenger (left) prompting a man wearing a black shirt to hit back (right) At 73 years of age, Andre Gantois had all but given up hope of finding out who his GI father was. All he knew was that his name was 'Jack' and that he met and fell in love with his mother when she nursed him back to health in a WWII French military hospital after he took a bullet to the head. Growing up with his single mother in a small village in eastern France, Gantois, 73, was simply known as 'the young American' or 'The American's kid.' Finally in June 2018, at the urging of his daughter-in-law, the retired French postal worker took a DNA test. Through sheer coincidence, so too had his half-brother 3,000 miles away in South Carolina and with the exact same company, resulting in a direct match and the answer to his prayers. Irene Gantois nursed Henderson back to health from his gunshot head wound in Ludres, eastern France. She died of tuberculosis when Gantois was just 15-years-old, never revealing the identity of his father Andre Gantois shows family photos, including one of his mother Irene Gantois (top center) in Ludres, eastern France. The retired French postal worker figured he'd likely go to his grave without ever knowing who his father was, unable to identify the U.S. serviceman who had fought his way across France after the D-Day landings, taken a bullet to the skull and been nursed back to health in a military hospital by Gantois' mother 'Throughout my life, I lived with this open wound,' said Gantois. 'I never accepted my situation, of not knowing my father and, most of all, knowing that he didn't know about me, didn't know of my existence.' His father was Wilburn 'Bill' Henderson. He landed on Omaha beach just after D-Day, fought through Normandy and was shot in the head during the twilight hours of war. While recovering at a military hospital, Henderson fell in love with the young nurse who brought him back to health - her name was Irene Gantois, she was Andre's mother. D-Day has gone down in history as the greatest-ever amphibious landing, a triumph of soldiering and seafaring, of industry, ingenuity and logistics, and upon which a new world order was built. It has been 75 years since 160,000 Allied troops stormed a heavily-fortified 50-mile stretch of Nazi-occupied coastline in Normandy on June 6, 1944 and while the big picture scope of D-Day has been meticulously documented and preciously conserved; its aftermath is still being written. After Germany's surrender in May 1945, Wilburn Henderson paid Irene Gantois a visit to her home in eastern France, she inexplicably didn't tell him that she was carrying his child. Henderson returned to the United States, started a family and never spoke to his children about her before his death in 1997. 'You know, Andre actually looks more like my dad than I do, said Allen Henderson. He says to Gantois: 'Your mannerisms, your smile, your face, I feel almost like Im talking to my dad' In this photo taken May 8, 2019, Andre Gantois proudly showcases his tee shirt that reads 'My Dad is a US Army American Hero.' Gantois' wife Rosine said that not knowing his father was 'a huge hole in his life' Allen Henderson, General Manager of HIS Radio Station in Greenville, S.C., speaks via Skype to his brother Andre Gantois who is in France. Henderson took a DNA test on a whim, because the company had a special offer on its prices and learned he had a half-brother in France Gantois' mother died of tuberculosis when he was only 15-years-old. It was during this time that Gantois recalls his grandmother telling him: 'Listen, Andre, I have to tell you. Your dad was an American, in the war.' Having married with plans to start a family of his own, Gantois felt compelled to put a name to the patchy story and fill what his wife, Rosine, now says was 'a huge hole in his life.' At first, Gantois was lost, but he became determined in his 20s to find out more. 'He had no name, nothing to go on,' said his wife, Rosine. 'He told me, ''I'll die without ever knowing who he was.'' Visits to U.S. offices in France produced only frustration, Gantois recalls that an embassy official told him: 'A lot of people are looking for their fathers, because they want money, they want to be compensated by the U.S. government. But you have to have proof.' I had no proof.' Other avenues also proved to be dead ends. The trail would have ended there for Gantois had his American half brother not also taken a DNA test. Allen Henderson took the test on a whim, because the company had a special offer on its prices and, he says, because 'I thought, well, that would be interesting.' By chance, the two men both picked the same testing company, enabling it to put them together. Weeks later, in the middle of the night, Gantois' daughter-in-law called him with the earthshaking results: 'You have an American brother, a sister, a whole family.' Gantois recalls, 'I didn't know what to say.' Andre Gantois holds up a photo of his mother, Irene Gantois and father, Willburn Henderson. Henderson paid Gantois a visit at her home in eastern France after she nursed him back to health but she did not tell him that she was pregnant. He moved back to the United States and started a new family never knowing that he had a son in France Andre Gantois in Ludres, France, talks to his half-brother Allen Henderson of Greenvile, South Carolina via video-conference. Growing up, Gantois was told that his father's name was 'Jack' and that he was killed in Frances war in Vietnam that broke out in 1946, the same year Gantois was born Both Gantois and Henderson acknowledge how lucky they are not only to have found each other but also that their father survived Normandy and its aftermath. 'When I was little, he was always telling me stories about being in France and he'd speak a little French and kind of talk about how it was like to lay in a foxhole and guns, bullets flying over your head and guys dying all around you,' says the 65-year-old Allen Henderson. 'Amazing that he survived.' Henderson says he knew straight away when he saw Gantois that they were brothers because the resemblance is so striking. 'You know, Andre actually looks more like my dad than I do.' Henderson continues, 'Your mannerisms, your smile, your face, I feel almost like I'm talking to my dad.' Other wartime families' histories remain unresolved. They're only more likely to stay that way with each passing year. Andre Gantois says he feels sorry for those without answers. 'It is not easy to live like that,' he says. 'I've got closure. The whole issue of my father, that's it, it's done. I'm no longer in a fog.' Allen Henderso shows a photo of himself with his half-brother Andre in Normandy, France. Both Andre and Allen acknowledge how lucky they are not only to have found each other thanks to a DNA test but also that Wilburn Henderson survived Normandy and its aftermath to father them Andre Gantois shows photos of his father Wilburn Henderson and his WWII dog tag (top, left) and other images of his long-unknown father (bottom, left). The retired French postal worker figured he'd likely go to his grave without ever knowing who his father was, unable to identify the U.S. serviceman who had fought his way across France after the D-Day landings Andre Gantois enjoys speaking to his brother Allen Henderson through a video conference Andre Gantois's hand rests by the photos of his parents, Wilburn Henderson, left, and mother, Irene Gantois. Framed in a split portrait to the right is the shocking similarity between Andre Gantois (left) and his long lost half- brother Allen Henderson (right) as young men The body of Freddie Starr, pictured in one of the last photos taken before his death, has been repatriated to Britain from Spain The body of late comedian Freddie Starr has been repatriated to Britain following his death in Spain earlier this month. Family of the TV personality feared he would be given 'a pauper's funeral' in Malaga after he died without life insurance and with little money to his name. However, a funeral director in Sheffield, who is a fan of the comic, has now brought Starr's body back to the UK and is arranging a funeral. Undertaker Michael Fogg wrote on Facebook yesterday: 'Seven days ago today we was in contact with Freddie Starr's family and told them it would be a privilege and a honour to repatriate and conduct the funeral for one of England's best loved comedians. 'At 18:00 hours today the first part of this promise is completed. We have repatriated Freddie Starr from Spain to Michael Fogg Family Funeral Directors in Sheffield. 'We as a family would like to thank each and every one of you who have posted messages on our Facebook page. The funeral details will be posted on our page at a later date.' It is understood Starr will be laid to rest next to mother Hilda in Liverpool. Funeral director Michael Fogg announced last night that Starr's body had been repatriated Sheffield-based undertaker Michael Fogg, pictured, arranged the repatriation of Starr's body to the UK and will organise the funeral amid fears he would end up in an 'pauper's grave' Starr's estranged family had been in talks with the Spanish authorities about bringing the comedian's body back to Britain, but were told it could cost more than 6,000. To make matters more complicated, decisions over what to do with Starr's body fell to his fourth wife Sophie Lea, 37, from whom he separated in 2015. It is also thought his passport had expired. His body had been held been in a Spanish hospital morgue since his death two weeks ago. Starr died aged 76 in a 380,000 apartment in Mijas that he shared with his Bulgarian housekeeper Nely Georgieva, 47, and four cats, one of whom was named Freddie after the comedian. The comedian, one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and 1990s, owed thousands of pounds in unpaid water bills and community fees when he died. He faced bankruptcy in 2015 after losing a historic court case against 57-year-old Karin Ward, who claimed he groped her when she was 15. Instead of paying her legal fees and court costs as he was ordered to by the judge, Starr liquidated his assets and left the country for Spain. Suspect said he is a cosplay fan and weapons were inspired by Assassin's Creed Police had to remove the mechanical self-made hidden blades from his wrists Police have arrested a man found carrying two self-made concealed wrist blades near a major Paris train station. The 27-year-old, named in local media as 'Thomas G' was spotted by police near Saint-Lazare station in the French capital wearing a black mask, sunglasses and a black hood. The arrest took place shortly before the Yellow Vests 27th weekend protest. He was placed into custody. French police arrested the man near Saint-Lazare station, and found that he was carrying two self-made concealed blades on his wrists According to the police report seen by The Point, 'G', who was living in Eure-et-Loir, was wearing a 'military' backpack when he was seen by police walking down a street. It is alleged that the man tried to run as soon as he saw the police, yet was quickly caught in pursuit. Police searched and found the two devices attached to his wrists that were hidden under his jacket. He explained that the devices were self-made and attached with elastic tape, but that they were 'unstable' and could trigger two 12-inch blades to slide out of his jacket sleeves. It is believed the man is a cosplay fan, and had been inspired by the popular 'Assassins Creed' game franchise which has also been made into a film Officers took the precaution of 'immobilizing' him on the ground to safely remove the devices. It is believed the man is a cosplay fan, and had been inspired by the popular 'Assassins Creed' game franchise which has also been made into a film. The video game centres around assassins who seek to protect mankind from dangerous cults. Michael Fassbender as Callum Lynch in the 2016 film Assassin's Creed that is based on characters from the video game franchise In Assassin's Creed Unity, a video game released in 2014, the assassins journey around several notable Paris landmarks, including the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Rebecca Rambar posted a picture of the man's blades on twitter saying: '#France: The questioning of a protestor on the sidelines of the 27th Gillet Jaune protest. 'The individual had concealed two blades that he had attached to his forearm. 'He is currently in custody in #Paris after his arrest by the police [translated from French].' Swiss voters on Sunday approved a measure to tighten the Alpine nation's gun laws, bringing the country in line with many of its European partners despite the objections of local gun owners, official results showed. The Federal Chancellery said provisional results showed nearly 64 per cent of voters nationwide agreed to align with European Union firearms rules adopted two years ago after deadly attacks in France, Belgium, Germany and Britain. The vote was part of Switzerland's regular referendums that give citizens a direct say in policymaking. Switzerland has voted by 64 per cent to 36 per cent to align the country's gun laws with the EU, despite bitter opposition from activists who said the move was anti-Swiss It had stoked passions in a country with long, proud traditions of gun ownership and sport and target shooting. Switzerland, unlike many other European nations, allows veterans of its obligatory military service for men to take home their service weapons after tours of duty. The Swiss proposal, among other things, requires regular training on the use of firearms, special waivers to own some semi-automatic weapons and serial number tracking system for key parts of some guns. Gun owners would have to register any weapons not already registered within three years, and keep a registry of their gun collections. Supporters of the measure, who included the Swiss parliament and executive branch, said similar measures adopted by the EU after deadly extremist attacks are needed to ensure strong police cooperation and economic ties with Switzerland's partners in Europe's Schengen visa-free travel zone. They insisted it will not block law-abiding citizens from obtaining legal guns, but would simply do more to track them. Switzerland is not an EU member, but it is in the Schengen zone. Opponents insisted the proposal would violate Switzerland's constitution and do little to fight extremism or crime. They said the weapons used in recent attacks in Europe weren't obtained legally, and argued the proposal would crack down mainly on lawful gun owners in Switzerland. They were also angry at politicians for ramming through what they see as the latest diktat from Brussels. Rejecting the proposal would have risked Switzerland dropping out of Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, as activists said the move was being forced upon them Jean-Luc Addor, a populist Swiss People's Party lawmaker from the southwestern Valais region, said adopting the EU directive would be 'unjust, freedom-killing, useless, dangerous, and above all, anti-Swiss.' 'With no effect on the fight against terrorism, it will only hit honest, law-abiding citizens who possess legal weapons,' he wrote on his website. 'It's the epitome of injustice.' Carmelo Lagana, project manager for foreign trade at economiesuisse, the country's top business federation, insisted Switzerland would suffer if Swiss police couldn't continue to have access to Schengen-zone databases. He also said the country had an important say in negotiations with the European Union. 'It is Switzerland, as a member state, that has participated at every level the work to modify this European directive and it was exactly able to introduce some exceptions to preserve Swiss shooting traditions,' he said. 'You should know that the European Union wanted initially to totally forbid the acquisition of semi-automatic weapons, and in the end, we have a directive that doesn't ban it.' Switzerland hasn't faced major extremist attacks like those that have hit France, Belgium, Britain and Germany in recent years, leaving scores dead. Ahead of the vote, most of Switzerland's major political parties - except for the populist Swiss People's Party - favored the measure, with support strongest among Socialists and Greens. The rift on the issue has fallen along a rural-urban divide, with city dwellers more inclined to back the EU directive. This is the adorable moment a cute toddler makes an unexpected friend on her first trip to the zoo. Ten-month-old Scarlette was with her parents when she was approached by a captive mountain lion from behind the glass of its San Diego Zoo enclosure. The video begins with the toddler looking into the large cat's enclosure before turning around to look at her mother. Ten-month-old Scarlette made friends with this mountain lion at her first trip to the San Diego Zoo However, when she turned around again she was in for a big surprise - the mountain lion was standing just inches away from Scarlette with only glass separating the pair. The unlikely friends very quickly formed a bond - the 10-month-old reaches out to the mountain lion who paws back at the glass in response. However, the newly formed friendship soon takes on a different dynamic. The mountain lion begins to get other ideas and tries to bite Scarlette through the glass. On multiple occasions the beast opens its jaws wide and pushes its face onto the glass. The adorable 10-month-old puts out her hand to the glass in an attempt to reach out to the mountain lion Scarlette's parents and onlookers can be heard laughing in the background during the video. 'He wants to eat you, because you're so cute you'd be so tasty,' someone says. 'You're a tasty little snack.' The video ends with the pair staring at each other. The newly formed friendship soon takes on a different dynamic as the mountain lion tries to eat the toddler through the glass Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are native to the Americas. They are the second largest type of wild feline in the region, after the jaguar, and usually weigh between 100 and 125 lb. In February, Colorado man Travis Kauffman killed a mountain lion with his bare hands after being attacked in a state park. A father in South Carolina fatally shot his 23-year-old daughter thinking she was an intruder, authorities said. The shooting took place at a home in Greenville at about 1:15am yesterday as the woman was coming back home. He reportedly shot her through a door, Greenville County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Jimmy Bolt said. Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, responded to the incident at around 1am on Sunday The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene at 5 Young Street, was identified as Nadeja Jermainequa Pressley. An investigation is ongoing and an autopsy is planned for today, according to the coroner's office. Neighbor Regina Harvey said: 'I just heard two gunshots. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing and an autopsy is planned for today, May 20 'I went out on the porch and I saw police everywhere, everywhere. That's just a sad feeling.' Resident Melvin Grover told TV channel WYFF4 that the whole community is devastated after the incident: 'It's a sad day today, and it's a tragic moment that happened in the neighborhood, and we are so heartbroken about it.' They expressed their willingness to help the family. 'We'll do whatever we can, so don't hesitate,' Mr Grover said. Three prison guards and 29 inmates have been killed in a high-security prison in Tajikistan after convicted ISIS militants started a riot. The central Asian nation's Justice Ministry said on Monday that the riot broke out late on Sunday in the prison in the city of Vakhdat. Militants armed themselves with knives and killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. Three prison guards and 29 inmates have been killed in a high-security prison in the city of Vakhdat (pictured) in western Tajikistan One of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, whose father Gulmurod Khalimov was a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to ISIS in 2015. According to Tajikistan's Justice Ministry, Gulmurod has since been killed in Syria. Security forces have killed 24 militants and restored order in the prison which has 1,500 inmates, the ministry added. At one point ISIS controlled large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq but has now lost its strongholds. The terror group claimed responsibility for another prison riot in the northern Tajik city of Khujand in November, when at least 25 inmates and two security officers died after an inmate attacked a guard and seized his assault rifle. Islamic State released a video purportedly showing attackers pledging allegiance to the militant group before killing four Western tourists in Tajikistan in July 2018 The riot, believed to have been instigated by a member of ISIS, had followed a deadly attack by its followers on Western tourists last summer. During the attack on July 29 2018, a vehicle ploughed into a group of foreign cyclists on a rural road about 60 miles south of Dushanbe. Those inside then 'exited the car and stabbed the cyclists with knives,' the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan said in a statement at the time. Two Americans, a Swiss and Dutch citizen were killed. Though unharmed, the firefighters handed the creature over to a wildlife shelter Workers used a hydraulic splitter and an angle grinder to free the animal Workers used a hydraulic splitter and an angle grinder to free the animal Firefighters have had to use an angle grinder to cut a portly hedgehog out of a metal gate after it found itself stuck. A passerby alerted the fire brigade in the city of Graz, Austria, to the hedgehog when they found that it was unable to move. A team of firefighters was immediately dispatched to the scene to help the unfortunate animal. Gate me out of here! The hedgehog was unable to move after getting itself trapped Using a hydraulic splitter, firefighters first prised the bars apart to make sure the fat hedgehog could breathe. A fire brigade spokesman said: 'With the help of an angle grinder and with particular care, the frightened hedgehog was finally freed from its predicament.' On first inspection, the fat hedgehog seemed uninjured. The fire brigade decided to hand the animal over to a shelter called 'Kleine Wildtiere in grosser Not' ('Small Animals in Big Need') as a precaution. A fire fighter inspects the hedgehog, who appears to have eaten one too many Wiener Schnitzel Workers first used a hydraulic splitter to prise the bars apart to make sure the fat hedgehog could breathe However, the Austrian hedgehog was not the first fat animal to be rescue by firefighters. Earlier this year, firefighters in Bensheim, a town in the central German state of Hesse, had to rescue a fat rat that got stuck in a manhole cover while trying to sneak out of a sewer. Eyewitness Juliana and her husband Knut were the first ones to spot the chubby rodent. Juliana said: 'At first we tried to free the animal ourselves. We took leather working gloves and tried to carefully twist it out of the hole. It was terrified, screaming terribly, and bit into the glove.' With the help of an angle grinder, the firefighters carefully free the frightened hedgehog from its predicament They decided to hand the animal over to the shelter 'Kleine Wildtiere in grosser Not' ('Small Animals in Big Need') as a precaution Even though Juliana thought it would be easier to pull out the rat once it had bitten its teeth firmly into the glove, they still did not manage to release it. The family called Michael Sehr of the Professional Animal Rescue Rhein-Neckar to help. Sehr immediately informed a friend from the local fire brigade, who also arrived on the scene with seven firefighters. Earlier this year, firefighters in Bensheim, Germany had to rescue a fat rat that got stuck in a manhole cover while trying to sneak out of a sewer Mr Sehr said: 'When the manhole cover was completely raised, I was able to free the rat with a twisting motion. It immediately dashed back to the sewers.' Sehr said that the rat was one of the biggest he ever encountered, adding that it had plenty of 'winter fat' on its body. As a reward for helping the rodent, Juliana and Knut's two young daughters gave some drawings of the rat to Sehr and the firefighters as a gift. Furious parents have hit out at a property firm after it banned children from playing hopscotch on a Scottish housing estate. Spiers Gumley demanded that children stop drawing hopscotch markings with chalk on monoblock areas of the estate in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire in a letter to residents. The firm claimed the markings for the popular game, which has been played in Britain since the early-Roman period, were 'detracting from the overall appearance' of the estate. Furious parents have hit out at Spiers Gumley property firm after it banned children from playing hopscotch on the Bishopbriggs housing estate. Children are pictured next to the markings But fuming parents say it is a 'disgrace' that children are being told not to play the popular game and the markings are 'harmless'. The letter from the company that manages the estate read: 'I notice that children are being allowed to chalk all over the monoblock areas at the front of the development. 'This detracts from the overall appearance of the development; therefore I would ask if these children belong to your family they refrain from this practice immediately.' Bemused residents say the markings have been drawn on the pavement between townhouses and not the monoblock and say that the letter sent by the firm is 'nonsense'. A resident, who doesn't wish to be identified, said: 'It's a disgrace to say that children chalking hopscotch detracts from the appearance of the development, when we have been raising issues with them regarding things that are more concerning than the estate's appearance. 'They are having a great time drawing with chalk in the path and it's not harming anyone. 'As soon as it rains it gets washed off it's not as if they are writing graffiti on walls. It's nonsense for the factor to attempt to crack down on kids just having fun. What next? A curfew?'. Spiers Gumley demanded that children stop chalking hopscotch markings on monoblock areas of the Bishopbriggs estate in a letter to residents Parents in the Bishops Grove development said they would be ignoring the request in the letter. Mother-of-two Lynsey Dolan, 42, a staff nurse, said: 'We've lived here for four years and I think it's a joke. 'When I first saw the letter I laughed and thought 'no, this can't be happening'. 'They are scribbling in a small lane. 'There are more issues in the area rather than just chalk. 'You want to keep your children outside to keep them fit. 'I've got twins and this is just ruining their fun. 'I don't think we'll be telling them to stop having fun.' Mother-of-one Suzanne Mitchell, 33, said: 'It's a joke.I just think it's embarrassing that they would even put that out there and ask kids not to do that because it literally doesn't do any harm. 'There are bigger issues that are making this area look worse than chalk.' Donald Macdonald, chairman of the Woodhill Residents Group, said the firm should 'try to remember' when they were children themselves. He said: 'We can't have children having any fun, you never know where it's going to lead, it could be fun one day and then enjoyment the next. It's a slippery slope.' 'The reason people come and live in Bishopbriggs is quite simple, the high quality of the schools attracts young families in the area. He said that he wanted children to 'go out and play responsibly' and to be 'encouraged to play outdoors'. The firm claimed the markings of the popular game, which has been played in Britain since the early-Roman period, was 'detracting from overall appearance' of the estate (pictured) Fuming parents say it is a 'disgrace' that children are being told not to play the popular game and the markings are 'harmless' He added that it's well documented that children are spending too much time indoors and on digital devices. In the letter, Spiers Gumley, also asked residents to stop leaving children's bicycles and toys on a grassy area - because they were obstructing landscapers. It also claimed various items including prams and toys are being left inside the shed area on the estate and asked for them to be removed, because the area is meant for the storage of cycles. Iain Friel managing director of Speirs Gumley told MailOnline the letter was 'in poor judgement' and 'common sense should have prevailed' 'I have to say I am disappointed that such a letter was issued by Speirs Gumley and it was a poor judgement call on our part to do so. Admittedly, we do get these type of complaints from time to time in housing developments that we manage and, of course, we recognise that clients in the same development can hold differing views on how to resolve things. My view is that common sense should have prevailed and it should have been dealt with more sensitively by us. 'This is all somewhat ironic given that Speirs Gumley is a big supporter of local charity PEEK, whose mission it is to improve the lives of children and young people by unlocking their potential through play and by being creative. 'We will of course be apologising to our clients for the handling of this.' At least three people were killed and 87 others injured after the roof of a night bar collapsed early Monday morning in south-west China. The steel framework surrounding the 0776plus Bar in the city of Baise in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region gave way at around 1 am, trapping its customers. Four people are still believed to be trapped under the rubble and rescue efforts are still underway, according to the regional emergency management department. Rescuers try to find survivors at the site where a building collapsed in Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south-west China on Monday The steel framework surrounding the 0776plus Bar in the city of Baise in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region gave way at around 1 am, trapping its customers The three victims died in hospital and the rest sustained varying degrees of injury, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Emergency Management Department said in a statement on its website. Thirty-four people are hospitalised for surgery or further observation while 53 have been discharged after receiving treatment. A team of 260 police officers and firefighters have been using search dogs and electronic monitors to try to find other survivors, the authority said. An injured person is carried by rescuers to an ambulance from the site where a bar collapsed An injured man is attended to after being rescued from the rubble. A team of 260 rescuers were using search dogs and electronic monitors to try to find other survivors The manager of the business is under police control amid investigations, authorities said The bar, with a space of 700 square meters (7,500 square feet), is located on the top floor of a three-story steel-framed building. The manager of the business is under police control amid investigations, the statement added. China has recently suffered a spate of building collapses and other industrial accidents largely blamed on the skirting of safety requirements amid a slowing economy. On Thursday, a building being refurbished collapsed in Shanghai, and in March, 78 people were killed in a blast at a chemical plant in the country's east. In November, at least 22 were killed in an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northeastern city of Zhangjiakou, which will host competitions in the 2022 Winter Olympics. China has vowed to protect its companies' 'legitimate rights' after Huawei was blocked from using Google software on its phones during a tariff war between Beijing and Washington. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also hinted at legal action as the ban from the U.S. technology company is set to deal a huge blow to the Chinese telecom giant. Google's move comes after President Trump banned Huawei from U.S. networks, and the firm said today it was taking 'steps to comply with recent government actions'. Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has been blocked by Google from receiving updates for the Android operating system during a trade war between Beijing and Washington Huawei has been the centre of an ongoing political row as well as an escalating trade war since its CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver under the request of the U.S. last December. Washington accuses Meng, the daughter of Huawei's billionaire father, of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Meng is facing extradition to the U.S. The Trump administration also claimed Huawei's gear could be used by China to spy on Americans - allegations Huawei has repeatedly denied. Last week, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and barring U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by firms posing a national security risk. Washington has also banned Huawei and its 68 affiliates from buying parts and components from American companies without special approval. The Chinese company beat Apple to become the world's second largest smartphone maker after South Korea's Samsung last August. Beijing says it supports Chinese companies to safeguard their proper rights through 'the weapon of law' after Huawei was blocked from using Google software on its phones The move from Google deals a major blow to the expansion of Huawei and is likely to cripple its expansion. The Chinese firm will have to resort to the Android Open Source Project, a version of the operating system which does not include Google apps, on its new phones The latest restriction from Google means new Huawei-made phones will not have access to apps such as Gmail, Google Maps and the Google Play store. Existing phones will still have the apps, but users will not be able to upgrade to newer versions of the Android operating system. Huawei can still use Android's open-source alternative but it will not include Google's own-brand apps such as YouTube and Chrome. At a press briefing today, Lu Kang, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Ministry had noticed the related reports about Google suspending part of its services to Huawei. Lu said the Ministry would confirm the claims and keep paying attention to the development of the matter. He said Beijing supports Chinese companies to safeguard their proper rights using 'the weapon of law'. Lu Kang, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said today that Beijing supports Chinese companies to safeguard their proper rights using 'the weapon of law' A Huawei spokesperson said today: 'We have made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. 'Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.' He added: 'We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally' Google is said to have cut off Huaweis licence, meaning many customers will not be able to use Google apps. The decision comes as the trade war before China and the U.S. is intensified What does this mean for my Huawei phone? If you currently have a Huawei phone, you will still be able to use Google apps such as Gmail and Maps. You can also still download app updates. However, you will not be able to update to a newer version of the Android operating system if one becomes available. If you buy a newly manufactured Huawei phone it will not have access to Google's own apps. Huawei can still use a version of the Android operating system available through an open source license. But popular apps such as YouTube and the Chrome browser require a commercial agreement with Google. Advertisement The move from Google deals a major blow to the expansion of Huawei and is likely to cripple its expansion. The Chinese firm will have to resort to the Android Open Source Project, a version of the operating system which does not include Google apps, on its new phones. It is the latest flashpoint in an increasingly bitter trade war between Beijing and Washington, after the Trump administration added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist last week. The measure requires Huawei to obtain U.S. government approval on purchases of American technology. Trump's executive order also allows the government to ban the technology and services of 'foreign adversaries' deemed to pose 'unacceptable risks' to national security. Last August Trump signed a bill that barred the US government from using equipment from Huawei and China's ZTE Corp. The firm's lawyers are still studying the effect of Trump's intervention, a company spokesman said on Friday. Huawei is the world's biggest supplier of network gear used by phone and internet companies, and is now Europe's third-largest smartphone maker behind Samsung and Apple. One Huawei executive, chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (pictured earlier this month), was arrested in Canada last year and faces criminal charges in the United States Huawei promoters display one of the company's phones at a product launch in Singapore. U.S. and European officials fear the technology could be used for Chinese spying But it has been seen by officials in Washington as a front for spying by the Chinese military or security services. The U.S. worries that China could use Huawei to gain access to private, commercial or other information that could compromise Nato and allied intelligence operations. Huawei denies involvement in Chinese spying and last week unveiled its first 5G-ready smartphone despite the ongoing row. One Huawei executive, chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada last year and faces criminal charges in the United States. Meng's arrest set off a diplomatic furore and severely strained Canadian relations with China. Beijing detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor on December 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng. The state news agency that the pair had acted together to steal state secrets. A Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier. Android issued a tweet from their official account stating 'services like like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device' Google's move comes after President Trump (pictured) banned Huawei from U.S. networks, and the firm said today it was taking 'steps to comply with recent government actions' U.S. charges against Huawei allege that the company stole trade secrets, misled banks about its business and violated U.S. sanctions. As well as its smartphone business, Huawei is a market leader in equipment needed to build next-generation 5G mobile data networks. In Europe, the UK has been embroiled in a row over Huawei's possible role building such a network. 5G is expected to begin rolling out this year and will offer mobile internet speeds likely to be at least several times that of 4G, it has been claimed. Last month it was claimed that Prime Minister Theresa May had given the green light to Huawei's involvement at a meeting of the UK's National Security Council. The claims led to the sacking of defense minister Gavin Williamson, who was accused of leaking details of the meeting, although he denied it. The U.S. worries that China could use Huawei phones (stock photo) to gain access to information that could compromise Nato and allied intelligence operations Retired brigadier general Robert Spalding, the former senior director for strategy at the National Security Council, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that the UK 'must recognise' the strength of U.S. feeling on Huawei. He wrote: 'Other nations must not make the mistake of thinking President Trump's recent executive order banning companies like Huawei from US networks is merely an afterthought of the trade war. 'The severity of President Trump's declaration underscores just how seriously the US views this issue, and the UK must recognise this strength of feeling. 'To miss the significance of his actions would be a grave misjudgment of how seriously we take our security in an ever-more dangerous world.' In April, the technical director of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre said some of the firm's products had 'shoddy' security. Dr Ian Levy warned that Huawei's 'poor' engineering was 'like it's back in the year 2000'. A psychiatrist has suggested that the only way an evil man who raped and tortured a Japanese tourist wouldn't re-offend would be if he was sent to a remote island. Kym Spoehr held the woman captive in a bush camp in Coffs Harbour, northern NSW, where he raped her, beat her with a stick, shaved her pubic hair and forced her to wash in a river before freeing her. The now 67-year-old was jailed for 14 years in 2013 for the brutal attack. On Monday, Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns was asked to consider releasing Spoehr, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported. Psychiatrist Andrew Aboud said the public would only be safe from Spoehr if he was sent to a remote desert island and free from interacting with people. 'If he was on a desert island with nobody else present, he would not be harming anybody, he would not be behaving in a problematic way,' Dr Aboud told the court. Kym Spoehr, now 67-years-old, held a Japanese tourist captive in an illegal bush camp in Coffs Harbour where he raped her, beat her with a stick, shaved her pubic hair and forced her to wash in a river before freeing her Dr Aboud said Spoehr's horrific 2001 attack on the tourist happened after he became angry at a man over money. He said Spoehr took his anger out on the woman, purely because she happened to be the first person to cross his path during his moment of anger. He also pointed out that Spoehr didn't deal well with authority and being told what to do. 'The anger was just anger but it became perverse, sexualised and pathological due to the nature of the victim being female,' Dr Aboud said. 'It is highly unlikely that he feels sexualised when he becomes angry - it is a combination or feeling angry, disempowered and having access to a vulnerable female.' The psychiatrist said Spoehr could become less dangerous on a five to 10-year supervision order if he took anti-psychotic medications and underwent intense therapy. Dr Aboud also recommended Spoehr be put on least a further five years on a supervision order, and said he didn't believe he had settled in the last 15 years. 'He is rather a recalcitrant individual and whatever is put before him he reacts poorly,' he said. On Monday, Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns was asked to consider releasing Spoehr, after spending time behind bars for the rape and torture of a Japanese tourist in 2001 Spoehr was arrested three weeks after his horrific crimes in 2001, and pleaded guilty to seven charges of rape, deprivation of liberty, torture and assault occasioning bodily harm. In 2003, he was sentenced to 14 years behind bars and was due for parole in 2015 when he first applied to be released. But because he refused to undergo sexual offender treatment, his application for parole was rejected. However two years later, in late 2017, he was released after agreeing to a strict supervision order. After being back in the community for just 14 months, he breached his order when he used a lump of wood to assault another offender in a secure prison housing unit where he was living. He's now been back in custody for six months, and a ruling for his release will be made at a later date. Britain must 'look again' at giving Huawei access to its 5G network, a former police and counter-terrrorism chief said today. Sir Peter Fahy says Donald Trump is 'serious' about cutting Britain out of intelligence sharing if they embrace the Chinese tech firm. Sir Peter, who was former counter-terrorism lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers and the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: 'They really have to look again because the US have shown how serious they are about it and it could threaten co-operation with America and other countries'. He added: 'President Trump is visiting next month and it will be discussed and he will put more pressure on about this'. Theresa May is said to be adamant that she wants the Chinese business to be able to supply 'non-core' equipment such as antennae despite security warnings - despite a stark warning from the US that the move would threaten intelligence sharing. Huawei is seen as a far cheaper way of delivering 5G in the UK - but last week former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove joined calls to bar them after claiming the firm poses an 'unnecessary risk to national security'. Former police chief Sir Peter Fahy has warned Theresa May and the Government to think again on Huawei helping build 5G in the UK Donald Trump recently signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and barring US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by firms posing a national security risk - a direct attack on Huawei It came as Google confirmed it has blocked Huawei from updating some parts of its Android software used on Huawei phones to comply with a US government order blacklisting the Chinese firm. The tech giant said it was 'complying with the order and reviewing the implications', but assured Huawei users that their current phones would continue to work. Last week, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively banning the Chinese firm from using US technology without government permission. 'For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices,' a Google spokesman said. The block is likely to prevent future updates to Android reaching Huawei devices. Key Google apps such as the Google Play Store, Gmail and Google Maps may also not appear on future Huawei devices. Instead, the Chinese firm would be reliant on the version of Android available through an open source licence, which is vastly more limited in its features. Huawei has not commented on the block. Industry analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight said the cut-off could have 'considerable implications' for Huawei's gadgets business. 'We still don't have a clear understanding of what Google has told Huawei and what elements of the Android operating system may be restricted, so it remains unclear what the ramifications will be,' he said. 'However, any disruption in getting updates to the software or the associated applications would have considerable implications for Huawei's consumer device business. 'People who currently own Huawei smartphones do not need to worry. At present any measures would only affect future devices and future updates. Google has publicly stated that its App Store, Google Play, and security updates from Google Play Protect will continue working on existing Huawei devices. Google is said to have cut off Huaweis licence, meaning many customers will not be able to use Google apps on the Chinese giant's phone WHY DO BRITISH INTELLIGENCE THINK HUAWEI'S PRODUCTS MAY POSE A SECURITY THREAT? China's controversial telecommunications equipment maker Huawei openly supports the ruling Communist Party. Ren Zhengfei, a former People's Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 and it has risen to rank among the world's top manufacturers of network equipment. But his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied. Ren Zhengfei, a former People's Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 and it has risen to rank among the world's top manufacturers of network equipment. But his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied Huawei operates in 170 countries and the company says one third of the world's population communicate using its products in some way. It is the world's second largest network equipment supplier behind Sweden's Ericsson, and has made a large push into consumer products such smartphones in recent years. Fears around its capabilities to tap into sensitive information stem from rumours of backdoors in in the firm's software. Although no such vulnerability has ever been found, allegations for their capabilities range from the ability to tap into encrypted data to knocking out communications facilities. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of GCHQ, has not claimed to find evidence of such vulnerabilities. However, intelligence experts say they can only provide limited assurances that the Chinese company is not a risk to broadband and phone networks in the UK. Advertisement 'However, until we have a clear understanding of what exact measures Google has decided to take it is impossible to second-guess the impact on future devices.' Huawei has previously confirmed it has been working on its own mobile operating system for use in the event of such blocks, something Mr Wood said now appeared likely. 'Huawei has been working hard on developing its own App Gallery and other software assets in a similar manner to the work it has done on developing its own chipsets for phones,' he said. 'There is little doubt these efforts are part of its desire to control its own destiny. 'Last year, CCS Insight predicted that tensions between China and the US would present a strong incentive for Chinese companies to create their own operating system for smart devices. Given recent developments that seems more likely than ever.' The UK Government has said it is yet to make a decision on whether to allow another part of Huawei's business, its telecoms equipment, to be a part of new 5G networks in the UK. Retired brigadier general Robert Spalding, the former senior director for strategy at the National Security Council, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that the UK 'must recognise' the strength of US feeling on Huawei. He wrote: 'Other nations must not make the mistake of thinking President Trump's recent executive order banning companies like Huawei from US networks is merely an afterthought of the trade war. 'The severity of President Trump's declaration underscores just how seriously the US views this issue, and the UK must recognise this strength of feeling.' Advertisement Incredible colour photographs from a new book have captured D-Day hour-by-hour ahead of the 75th anniversary next month. Using pictures and testimony from the Imperial War Museum archives, D-Day and Normandy: A Visual History by Anthony Richards shows how Operation Overlord unfolded on June 6, 1944. The shots, published chronologically for the first time ever, have brought to life one of the key turning points of the Second World War. Fascinating snaps show Winston Churchill visiting the battlefield in Normandy, troops pouring on to the beaches after landing during the biggest military operation in history, and members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) packing parachutes for airborne troops. Details about the day were cobbled together using official war photographers' notes, often hastily scribbled in the midst of battle. Mr Richards said: 'There is surely no better way to understand an event of such scale as D-Day than to perceive it through the eyes and words of those who were actually there. 'The museum is incredibly fortunate to hold an unmatched collection of written testimony and photography recording the event. 'The Allies were acutely aware of the historical importance that would be attached to the landings and so made sure that the events were covered as far as was realistically possible in the circumstances by both film and still photography.' D-Day and Normandy: A Visual History is available to purchase online at www.iwmshop.org.uk / at the online IWM shop from 16 May. Photos taken in the lead-up to the D-Day landings have been published in chronological order for the first time, giving readers a glimpse into how Operation Overlord played out hour-by-hour 75 years ago. In this colour snap, General Montgomery is seen showing Winston Churchill the battle situation on a map held by the Commander of the 2nd Canadian Division, General G G Symonds, during the prime minister's visit to Normandy on July 22, 1944 This colourised photograph, taken on Omaha Beach, shows reinforcements pouring ashore on D-Day during the biggest military operation in history which was one of the key turning points of the Second World War Months of meticulous planning went into the operation. Here, members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) repair and pack parachutes for use by airborne troops during the Normandy invasion. This shot was taken May 31, 1944 Many of the pictures were taken by official war photographers, and researchers were able to place them in chronological order thanks to their hastily written notes in the midst of battle. Here, troops from the 3rd Infantry Division congregate on 'Queen Red' beach, at around 8.45am. Closer to the camera are sappers of the 84 Field Company Royal Engineers, part of the No 5 Beach Group, who can be identified by the white bands around their helmets The pictures will feature in the new book D-Day and Normandy: A Visual History by Anthony Richards, which was released earlier this month ahead of the 75th anniversary. Pictured: An aerial view of the pierhead and breakwater at the artificial 'Mulberry Harbour' constructed off Arromanches The book covers both planning stage through to August 1944 when the Allied Forces established themselves in Normandy and were ready to begin the advance towards Berlin. Pictured: Bastille Day commemorations held in Courseulles on July 14, 1944. Courseulles was one of the first towns to be liberated by the Allies In this shot, a group of airborne troops admire the grafitti chalked on the side of their glider. It says 'the Channel stopped you, but not us' and 'you've had your time you German swinhunds [sic]'. These men were preparing to fly out as part of the second drop on Normandy on the night of June 6, 1944 The idea of a public marriage proposal is far from a new concept, but very few have ever taken it as far as this man. Karim Ferreira Lima, 24, used the last film in the Avengers series as an opportunity to create a video to propose to his girlfriend Ariane Bonatto in Canoas, Brazil. Mr Lima's short film, made by filmmaker Alessandro Alves Kroth, was aired before a screening of Avengers: Endgame. Karim Ferreira Lima, 24, used the last film in the Avengers series as an opportunity to create a video to propose to his girlfriend The video begins with a split-screen view, which shows the proposal video that is being aired on the cinema screen on the left and Ms Bonatto's reaction on the right. It starts with Mr Lima asking his future in-laws for their daughters' hand in marriage, which they agree to on one condition - that he retrieve the last infinity stone, which is a plot point in the Avengers. Mr Lima then dons the Iron Man mask and flies around the Brazilian city of Canoas until he reaches the cinema complex. Ms Bonatto is clearly stunned throughout the video as she watches with her hand over her mouth. Mr Lima asked his future in-laws for their daughters' hand in marriage, which they agreed to on one condition - that he retrieve the last infinity stone, which is a plot point in the Avengers Mr Lima dons the Iron Man mask as Ms Bonatto watches her boyfriend's video in stunned silence Our hero collects the infinity stone from the cinema's concession stand, before facing off against a group of five men. The impressively filmed sequence mimics the type of fighting moves and angles seen in superhero films. After defeating the men, he is forced to fight his girlfriend's brother who is dressed as Captain America. The video depicts Mr Lima flying around the Brazilian city of Canoas on the way to the cinema He arrives at the cinema in the video to collect the infinity stone and fight in two different battles He prevails in the final battle, before finally making his way into the cinema to meet his girlfriend. The crowd cheers as Mr Lima enters, with his girlfriend in tears over the impeding proposal. The crowd cheers as Mr Lima enters, with his girlfriend, clearly overwhelmed at the situation, forced to tears Mr Lima and Ms Bonatto finally embrace, before he asks her to marry him. She accepts the proposal He tells her that everyone he told about the idea said he was: 'Mad, crazy and lots of other things. 'But none of them were right - what I really am is more than in love with you and I'm lucky too, because of all the infinity stones I have the most precious which is your love.' Mr Lima finally pops the question and Ms Bonatto emphatically answers 'yes'. Advertisement Malcolm Turnbull has refused to congratulate the Coalition on its stunning election victory and took a swipe at Peter Dutton as he arrived back in Australia. The stony-faced former prime minister touched down in Sydney from New York on Monday morning with his wife Lucy Turnbull unable to crack a smile after his party's win. Mr Turnbull was deposed as prime minister last August, prompting a leadership spill from which Scott Morrison emerged as leader after beating Mr Dutton. Though disappointed not to be the man who orchestrated Saturday's shock Coalition win, he is happy it was Scott Morrison's victory, not Peter Dutton's. The stony-faced former prime minister touched down in Sydney on Monday with his wife Lucy Turnbull unable to crack a smile after his party's win 'Scott (Morrison) has won a momentous victory it was an outstanding personal victory... I've been in touch with him and conveyed congratulations directly as well,' Mr Turnbull said as he walked to his car. 'I'm very glad that in that dreadful time in August he succeeded to the prime ministership rather than Peter Dutton, who you may recall was the person that those behind the insurgency wanted to be PM. 'So Scott was not their choice, but he has turned out to do an outstanding job, and I congratulate him for it, and of course wish him all the best.' Mr Turnbull was turfed out largely based on losing a series of opinion polls - the same polls which predicted a Labor win at the election but were proved horribly wrong. Mr Turnbull congratulated Scott Morrison on an 'an outstanding personal victory' but did not mention the Liberal Party who deposed him Saturday's election came two days after the death of Bob Hawke, who was prime minister from 1993 to 1991 before he was himself toppled by Paul Keating. 'He was a great Australian, the greatest Labor prime minister and one of our greatest prime ministers,' Mr Turnbull said on Monday. Mr Turnbull has one thing to smile about as he is at least rid of the last reminder of how he was dumped from the top job - his Canberra apartment has finally been sold for $2.06 million. Sydney lawyer Keith Rewell bough the flat at a bargain price considering Mr Turnbull listed it for 'more than $2.5 million' last September, just weeks after he was toppled. Though Mr Turnbull appeared less than enthused about the election result with his glum expression at the airport, his son Alex was much more upbeat. The younger Turnbull was unable to hide his pleasure after Tony Abbott lost his longstanding seat of Warringah to independent rival Zali Steggall on Saturday. Mr Turnbull was deposed as prime minister last August, prompting a leadership spill from which Mr Morrison emerged as leader after beating Peter Dutton (pictured on his way to a press conference announcing the spill) Anti-Adani coal mine protesters dressed as former Mr Turnbull at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre during the Liberal Campaign Launch He took credit Mr Abbott's demise after he voiced a robocall message calling on voters in Sydney's northern beaches to not re-elect his father's political rival. 'I think not having Tony (Abbott) there helps. I am very happy I got rid of Tony. Tony was very much a terrorist,' he told Nine News. He believes Mr Abbott's demise was expected 'given the complete misalignment of his politics and his electorate.' Still bitter over Mr Abbott's influential role in his father's removal as prime minister by party colleagues last August, Alex voiced a robocall message to Warringah voters on the eve of the election. Vincent Lambert, 42, has had his life support withdrawn after being kept in a vegetative state for a decade The Pope has condemned the current 'throwaway culture' and urged for life to be protected in comments aimed at doctors who turned off a quadriplegic man's life support today. Pope Francis on Monday said 'those who live with severe illness' should have life protected until 'its natural end', as doctors in France began turning off the life support of a man in a vegetative state. 'We pray for those who live with severe illness,' the Pope tweeted. Doctors treating Vincent Lambert, 42, who has been in a vegetative state for the last decade, have started switching off his life support today, the lawyer for his parents said. His case has split his own family and even become a subject of political tension in France. His Catholic parents, who are devoutly opposed to ending his life, have repeatedly challenged court decisions to switch off the systems. The Pope said in a message today: 'Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end. Let us not give in to a throwaway culture.' The interim director of the Holy See's press office, Alessandro Gisotti, retweeted the pope's words, writing in French that 'we pray for Vincent Lambert'. Pope Francis tweeted earlier today to say: 'We pray for those who live with severe illness. Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end. Let us not give in to a throwaway culture.' He also attended a meeting of the Italian Bishops Conference in the Vatican Doctors from the Sebastopol hospital in Reims said they would begin turning off Mr Lambert's life support systems on Monday following a final judicial ruling. Jean Paillot, the lawyer for Vincent Lambert's parents, said: 'It is shameful, they (the parents) could not even embrace their son.' Other family sources also confirmed the systems were being switched off. The parents' legal team had on Sunday vowed to launch multiple legal challenges in a last-ditch bid to stop the systems being switched off. The parents of Vincent Lambert, Pierre and Viviane Lambert, arrive with supporters at the Sebastopol hospital in Reims, eastern France where he has been kept alive on life support Vincent Sanchez, the doctor treating Lambert who has been the target of the parents' anger, said in a message to the family that the 'halting of treatments' and 'profound and continued sedation' had been initiated. In the message seen by AFP, he urged everyone to 'rally around him (Vincent Lambert) so these moments are as peaceful, intimate and personal and possible.' Lambert's wife Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew Francois, have all backed the decision to begin switching off the systems. In 2014, doctors backed by Lambert's wife Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew Francois, decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with France's passive euthanasia law. A member of Mr Lambert's support committee holds up a placard that reads 'Don't let Vincent starve to death' outside the hospital yesterday Another sign held by a support of Mr Lambert reads: 'Dear eternal, don't forgive them because they know what they are doing' But his parents Pierre and Viviane Lambert, devout Catholics, and his half-brother and sister obtained a court order to block the move on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment. Earlier this year, a French court sided with Sanchez's decision to stop the care keeping Lambert, now aged 42, alive. The ruling was upheld last month by France's State Council which decides on the validity of laws and legal decisions. Vincent Lambert's parents Pierre and Viviane, who are devout Catholics, obtained a court order to block a move by other family members to withdraw life support in 2014 on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment France's Conference of Bishops added its voice to the controversy Saturday, calling on authorities to wait on an opinion being worked on by the UN committee on disabled rights. 'Why this rush to lead him to death?' the clerics asked in a statement. The UN committee on disabled rights earlier this month asked France to suspend the decision to withdraw the life support, while it conducts its own investigation, which could take years. France's Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said France would answer the committee but was not under any legal requirement to abide by its request. The issue has also become a political controversy in the run-up to next weekend's European elections. Les Republicains MEP candidate Francois-Xavier Bellamy said there were 1,500 people in a similar position to Mr Lambert's The issue has also become a political controversy in the run-up to next weekend's European elections. Francois-Xavier Bellamy, a candidate in the European Parliament elections for the opposition Les Republicains, said he 'could not understand the hurry' to switch off the support and called on President Emmanuel Macron to intervene. 'If we enter down a dangerous path which consists of saying a life that is dependent, one that is fragile, sick, is not one worth being lived, then we will build an inhumane world,' he told French television. He said that there were 1,500 patients in a similar position to Vincent Lambert in France. The parents had also asked Macron to intervene to stop what they called a 'crime of the state'. President Donald Trump's administration is rolling out a Middle East peace blueprint in June that includes a plan to fix Palestinian economy - but it appeared dead on arrival Monday as Palestine's prime minister rejected it. The Trump administration announced Sunday that it would be leading a conference in Manama, Bahrain in June that would help drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Trump and his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner announced the 'economic workshop,' which they said would produce strategies to invest in Palestinians and other Arabs in the region. But officials say the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. The Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said his side would not take part. 'Any solution to the conflict in Palestine must be political ... and based on ending the occupation,' Shtayyeh said at a Palestinian Cabinet meeting. 'The current financial crisis is a result of a financial war waged against us and we will not succumb to blackmailing and extortion and will not trade our national rights for money.' Peace bid: Donald Trump's administration will roll out the first phase of its Middle East peace blueprint - but Palestinians are saying that his close relationship with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an obstacle to progress Sign of division: The wall separating the Gaza strip (in the distance) from Israel (in the foreground) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday no Palestinian officials had not been consulted on the June 25-26 gathering. 'The financial crisis the Palestinian Authority is living through today is a result of the financial war that is being launched against us in order to win political concessions,' Shtayyeh told his cabinet. 'We do not submit to blackmail and we don't trade our political rights for money.' Shtayyeh reiterated that the Palestinians demand a two-state solution with Israel, which would ensure the control of the West Bank, Gaza strip and dedicate East Jerusalem as their capital. Hamas has been in a decade-old power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah party, and Palestinians have cut back on U.S. aid to Hamas, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. A Hamas officials told Reuters it would not be accepting any deal that would 'normalize ties with the Israeli.' 'We reject any economic and political steps that aim to implement the deal of the century or to normalize ties with the Israeli enemy,' Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said. Stillborn initiative: Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh is already rejecting the first stage of the peace deal being outlined by Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law In another setback, Bashar Masri, a Palestinian industrialist with vast business holdings throughout the West Bank, said he had turned down an invitation to the conference. 'I will not participate in this conference, and none of the representatives of our companies will participate,' he wrote on Facebook. 'We reaffirm our clear position: We will not deal with any event outside the Palestinian national consensus.' The Palestinians severed ties with the U.S. over a year ago over President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. They have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They believe the U.S. is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to bully them into accepting a plan that would legitimize the Israeli occupation. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. 'The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives,' Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. 'Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved.' The tiny island nation of Bahrain, off the coast of Saudi Arabia, has signaled its willingness to open relations with Israel. Prominent rabbis in 2017 said King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told them he hoped the Arab boycott of Israel would end. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet and is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are widely believed to be seeking closer ties to Israel, viewing it as a potential ally against Iran, a shared enemy. Kushner and Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, have been leading efforts to draft the plan, but after more than two years of work, they have not released any details. A senior administration official in Washington told reporters Sunday that invitations to the conference are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and 'some' Palestinian business leaders. No breakthrough: Trump saw the border between Israel and Palestinian territory up close in May 2017 when he went to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem for talks with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. There were no details on who might attend, or whether the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank was invited. Israel's Finance Ministry said it had not been invited. 'This workshop is a pivotal opportunity to convene government, civil society and business leaders to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement,' the White House said in a statement. In the absence of direct talks with Palestinian leaders, U.S. officials often talk of engaging Palestinians in the private sector and 'civil society' groups. Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has embraced the 'Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce,' a group led by Israeli West Bank settlers that seeks business ties with Palestinian partners. The group's Palestinian co-founder, businessman Ashraf Jabari, said he had been invited and planned on attending. It is unclear how any large-scale projects would be carried out in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. and Israel consider Gaza's Hamas rulers to be a terrorist group and have no direct contacts with them. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza - territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war - for an independent state. Breaking from the policies of its predecessors, the Trump administration has refused to endorse a two-state solution. Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The U.S. has also cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians and closed the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington. The Palestinians have already said they would reject any peace plan offered by the U.S., saying Trump is unfairly biased toward Israel. Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an 'in-depth operational document' not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. A man whose sister was killed with a meat cleaver by her jealous husband is pleading with Scott Morrison to help put an end to domestic violence in Australia. Tarang Chawla's sister Nikita, 23, was stabbed 35 times by her husband Parminder Singh, 30, in Melbourne in 2015. The domestic violence awareness advocate penned an emotive letter to the newly re-elected prime minister imploring him to place a stronger emphasis on keeping women safe in his new term as the nation's leader. 'Congratulations on your election victory. You are quite the miracle worker. I wrote to you because you believe in miracles. I do too,' Mr Chawla wrote. During Mr Morrison's post election speech, he spoke candidly about his miraculous election win, having nabbed the top job despite near certainty his party would lose. Tarang Chawla (pictured), a domestic violence awareness advocate, penned an emotive letter to the newly re-elected prime minister imploring him to place a stronger emphasis on keeping women safe Nikita Chawla, 23, was stabbed 35 times by her husband Parminder Singh, 30, in Melbourne in 2015 'I have always believed in miracles,' he told his supporters, before going on to say 'quiet Australians won a great victory'. In Mr Chawla's letter, he said it would take 'nothing short of a miracle to address the issue' of domestic violence in Australia. 'Are you up to the task? Will you keep women safe?' he asked. 'What do you intend to do about the death of all those who have been permanently silenced by the men who claim to love them?' Mr Chawla addressed the women who have died at the hands of their husbands, partners or ex partners, and has previously argued more needs to be done to support women in abusive relationships. He said while he sat in the comfort of his own home and watched the election take place, a nurse and mother-of-three was killed in Sydney, allegedly at the hand of her husband. Mr Chawla penned an emotive letter to the newly re-elected prime minister discussing domestic violence in Australia 'Sadly, I can imagine the pain of her loved ones,' his letter to Mr Morrison read. 'As I sat... like many Australians flicking through channels to see who would emerge victorious, Gihan would have known her fate was sealed, only to ask herself: 'Is this how my life ends?' 'This is the fate of at least one Australian woman a week'. Mr Chawla's sister, Nikita, was stabbed at least 35 times in her neck, abdomen, face, arms and head with a meat cleaver in the apartment she shared with her husband. The brutal assault 'rendered her corpse virtually unidentifiable in her lifeless state on a stainless steal operating table at the Coroner's Court,' Mr Chawla previously said. Mr Chawla's sister, Nikita, was stabbed at least 35 times in her neck, abdomen, face, arms and head with a meat cleaver in the apartment she shared with her husband During Mr Morrison's post election speech, he spoke candidly about his belief in miracles, having nabbed the top job despite near certainty his party would lose Ms Chawla had secretly married Singh in September 2011, but by January 2015 their relationship had deteriorated. While Singh was in India Ms Chawla told friends she was planning on ending her marriage. She had started looking for somewhere else to live. Crown Prosecutor Peter Rose QC said Ms Chawla had been on some dates with a co-worker and the pair had exchanged photos of themselves. 'It appears at some stage the accused had accessed the deceased's phone,' Mr Rose told the Supreme Court of Victoria. Singh pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Chawla in their apartment, just north of the Melbourne CBD. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison with a non-parole period of 17 years. Concerns have been raised over changes to Britain's border arrangements being brought in today. From this morning, millions more passengers arriving at UK airports can use ePassport gates rather than speaking to a border guard. Also from today, hundreds of thousands of other non-European arrivals will no longer have to fill in landing cards, which contain details of a person's name, contact address in Britain and the length of time they intend to stay. The move is designed to speed up border controls, but some within the border force fear controls on those entering the country will be weaker. Passengers arriving in Britain from seven more countries can use ePassport gates from today Eligible travellers from 'low risk' Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States can now enter through the automated gates. A source told the Daily Express: 'It is tantamount to granting free movement to another seven countries rather than restricting it to the EU 27 [European countries]. 'The ISU [the Union for Borders, Immigration and Customs] are furious, and rightly so in my view. We should be introducing a UK ETA [electronic travel authorisation] on a reciprocal basis with these countries so we can conduct pre-travel risk assessments as they do to us.' Which nationalities can now use ePassport gates? From today, eligible travellers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States can now enter through the automated gates. The government says the countries are considered 'low risk'. Advertisement There were more than 10 million arrivals in the UK by nationals of the seven newly eligible countries in 2017. The Immigration Service Union (ISU) has also raised concerns about the scrapping of landing cards for International visitors from other countries beyond those seven. David Wood, former director general of immigration at the Home Office, has said the cards are a 'useful intelligence tool'. ISU Officer Lucy Moreton told The Independent: 'This is not taking back control of our borders. This is further weakening them.' The gates compare a traveller's face with the details in their passport, but some are concerned it could weaken security Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'As airports prepare for the busy summer months, we know that no-one likes to wait long in a queue for passport control. 'That is why airports work closely with Border Force to ensure the border is welcoming, while maintaining the UK's security. 'Enabling more passengers to use ePassport gates is an important next step in our joint efforts to enhance the welcome at the border.' The Queen attended the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday Her role as a neutral figurehead for Britain means she has kept out of politics over the almost seven decades of her rule. But the Queen apparently once spoke out in favour of her realm being closely linked to Europe and a member of the European Union. The monarch told a former ambassador from West Germany in the 1980s that the British were 'still a highly insular people' when he came to Buckingham Palace for a farewell audience in 1988, the Times reported. A diplomatic cable sent back to the then capital Bonn by Rudiger Freiherr von Wechmar reported that the Queen questioned the views of then prime minister Margaret Thatcher, months after the Iron Lady had warned about an 'European superstate'. He also said she sarcastically said 'it's about time' when they discussed a 5million UK government publicity campaign after Thatcher's comments, made in a Bruges speech. 'I told her I sometimes couldn't escape the impression that Mrs Thatcher wanted a different Europe to the Europe we wanted', the German diplomat wrote in his cable. 'She responded to this remark with an observation alluding to the strained relationship between the two women: 'That will soon change If she is still around.' Mr von Wechmar also said that the Queen made a joke about the coming of the Single Market in 1992, which had been agreed in the 1986 Single European Act, which had been approved by the UK. 'The British were, she said with a chuckle, still a highly insular people, and most of them could not make very much of the magic number 1992,' he said. Rudiger Freiherr von Wechmar was West German ambassador to the UK from 1983 to 1988. He died in 2007 so his claims cannot be verified The Queen (pictured on Saturday) is said to have discussed Europe with the former West German ambassador Rudiger Freiherr von Wechmar in 1988 The German, who was ambassador to Britain from 1983 to 1988, went on to become an MEP and died in 2007. The Queen's views on Europe and Brexit remain a much discussed topic since the referendum in 2016. In January she was praised after she urged people to seek 'common ground' in an apparent plea for compromise as politicians and the country became heavily polarised. Speaking at an event in Sandringham, the monarch stressed the importance of 'respecting' other views and said everyone needed to keep the 'big picture' in mind. Using barely coded language in a speech to her local Women's Institute in Norfolk, the Queen said she preferred 'respecting different points of view' in a January speech The Queen made her comments in a speech to mark the centenary of the Sandringham Women's Institute, of which she is president. 'Reflecting on a century of change, it is clear that the qualities of the WI endure,' she said. 'The continued emphasis on patience, friendship, a strong community focus, and considering the needs of others, are as important today as they were when the group was founded all those years ago. 'Of course, every generation faces fresh challenges and opportunities. 'As we look for new answers in the modern age, I for one prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view; coming together to seek out the common ground; and never losing sight of the bigger picture. 'To me, these approaches are timeless, and I commend them to everyone.' In her Christmas address the Queen touched on the same theme, telling the nation: 'Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.' As head of state, the Queen remains publicly neutral when it comes to political matters and does not express her views on issues. But her words were seen as a clear reference to the toxic national debate around Britain leaving the EU. The comments were endorsed by a slew of senior politicians amid the bitter wrangling over relations with the EU. Theresa May's spokesman echoed the remarks, while Chancellor Philip Hammond said Britons had always been 'pragmatic' in solving problems. But two years previously Buckingham Palace made an official complaint after it was reported that the monarch backed Brexit before the referendum. The Sun reported that she told former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle that she thought Europe was going in the wrong direction. Advertisement A dramatic shot of a gazelle charging over the edge of a sand dune in the Namib desert has won an international photo prize. The shot that beat hundreds of others to claim top spot in the Natural World competition, run by UK-based Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers, was taken from the open door of a helicopter by US snapper Buddy Eleazer. Runner up in the global contest was Kutub Uddin, from Dorset with his picture of incredibly strong red ants carrying a dragonfly - and coming in third was Andy Howe from Bedfordshire with an adorable picture of a six-month-old gorilla picture. A dramatic shot of a gazelle charging over the edge of a sand dune in the Namib desert has won an international photo prize in the Natural World competition Andy Howe's picture of a six-month-old gorilla baby snuggling up to its mother in Rwanda came third in the competition Snapper Laszlo Maracz who took this snap of a fox stealing fish was among the many entrants from across the globe were highly commended Entrants from across the globe were highly commended, from a stunning shot of a leopard rolling in the snow in Russia, a fox stealing a frozen fish in Hungary and a close up of a salsify plant in Slovakia. Mr Eleazer from Allentown, Pennsylvania in the US said: 'The picture is of a gemsbok or Oryx gazelle and was taken in the Namib-Naukluft Desert approximately 20 miles inland. 'To get this shot I had three options, balloon, airplane or helicopter. Considering the challenge of position myself in the air, I chose the helicopter option. 'It was decided we must fly with the doors off of the helicopter to get the best image. 'We probably saw 20 animals on different dunes. I cannot recall the morning temperature, but I do recall that by mid-day the temperature was 40 C. 'The gemsbok must climb the steep, rust-red dune. Although the ascent is strenuous and the sun blazing hot, relief awaits at the top. 'Along the ridgeline, the antelope will find cool, moist breezes blowing in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean. 'This cool air serves two critical purposes. As the cooler air is breathed in, the blood travelling to the brain is cooled in the blood vessel dense nasal passages, preventing overheating. 'In addition, moisture from the air provides vital water in the parched climate where temperatures often reach well beyond 40 deg. C.' Phil Jones, the Societies CEO says, 'The winning image was chosen due to it's strong geometric shapes which focuses the viewer on the narrative, creating pleasing and interesting composition making it a truly worthy winner' He said: 'After climbing for two hours up the Bisoke mountain we found the Umubano Group. 'This is one of the new additions to the group, a six month old baby mountain gorilla being cuddled and protected by its mother.' Andy also came highly commended for another pic of a lion cub nuzzling up to its mum in Kenya. He added: 'After a torrential down pour, this four month old lion cubs seeks safety and comfort from its mother. 'These are two members of the Acacia pride, located in the Mara North Conservancy, Kenya.' Also highly commended was another picture by Buddy Eleazer of a line of zebra in Namibia. Buddy said: ' This photo was taken in Etosha National Park in the winter when there is no chance of rain so the wildlife must stay near around the few waterholes. 'This creates a high number of animals in a very small area. In Etosha, one of the more plentiful animals is the Burchel's or Plains Zebra. 'I came upon a huge herd of zebra walking in single file and stretching for over a kilometre. 'This was such an amazing sight, I simply sat and watched as the dazzle of zebra passed for what seemed like hours.' Snapper Laszlo Maraczi's pic of a hungry Hungarian fox stealing a frozen fish was highly commended in the competition. Mr Maraczi, 51 said: 'The picture was taken in Hortobagy, Hungary where there is a hide for eagle photography. 'The frozen fish was supposed to be the food for the eagles, but suddenly a clever fox came and removed the fish from the anchor and ran away with his prey.' And a leopard rolling in the snow which got Michael Semonov highly commended was actually taken at Moscow Zoo. Michael, 39, said: 'That day fresh snow fell and it was pleasant for the animal to lie on it. 'I stood for an hour waiting for the right moment to shoot. I was particularly pleased that I managed to catch the beast's eyes as he looked at me.' Entries weren't restricted just to wildlife with a stunning shot of Durdle Door in Dorset under the stars also being highly commended. Photographer Clive Greenland from Corsham, Wiltshire. said: 'With forecasted clear skies I knew the milky way and its galactic centre would be at its most vibrant. 'When all the other photographers had gone home at around 5am Jupiter's position in the sky and the position of the milky way all came together with a stunning reflection on the sea with the milky way arching over Durdle Door..' And also commended was Slovakian wedding photographer Erik Svec symmetrical close-up of a salsify plant. Erik, 33 said: ' I was walking through my hometown Nove Zamky in Slovakia, this plant grabbed my attention.I set a black background behind the plant to create some kind of dark-mysterious feeling.' Birds were a popular subject with four other fantastic shots being highly commended. Brit Gary Spicer caught a great tit facing off a tree pipit over a water bath in Hungary. Roofing company director Gary, from Shaftesbury, Dorset, said: 'The picture was taken from a hide based around a water drinking pool in the Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary. 'The great tit was spending a bit of time there on a nice warm spring day and was getting rather annoyed with other visitors who were coming in to bathe and drink. 'The unfortunate tree pipit got the wrath of the great tit for invading his space.' Fellow Brit Ann Aveyard got this elegant shot of a great egret whilst on a trip to Florida. The wedding photographer from Hampshire, said: 'It shows the bird in his mating plumage. He is fluffing up his feathers to attract a female. 'Their feathers are so beautiful. In the late 1800's it became very popular for ladies to wear feathers in their hats and the egret feathers were one of the most popular. 'Thousands of birds were killed for their feathers and as a result these birds faced extinction. Fortunately a law was passed in 1918 which prohibited the hunting of these birds.' If you're not careful you might well miss this camouflaged owl taken by Michael Lenaour in his native Canada Kutub Uddin photo of a dragonfly being carried by four red ants came second in the Natural World competition Entries weren't restricted just to wildlife with a stunning shot of Durdle Door in Dorset under the stars also being highly commended Also highly commended was a picture by Buddy Eleazer of a group of zebras walking in a line in Namibia A leopard rolling in the snow which got Michael Semonov highly commended was actually taken at Moscow Zoo Brit Ann Aveyard got this elegant shot of a great egret flashing its feathers while he was on a trip to Florida Andy Howe's photo of a baby lion and its mother in Kenya was among hundreds of entries in the competition This three headed five legged flamingo is actually three birds in a line, shot in Oman by 39 year old Khalid Faraj Al Wadihi. The entries in the competition were not just exclusively animals. This close-up of a plant was entered by Eric Svek Michael Lenaour snapped an owl camoflaged by trees in his native Canada. Michael, 58, said: 'This picture was taken In Banff, Alberta by Two Jack Lake in winter. 'I was hiking alone and was just searching for what ever might show up. 'I scanned the trees and came across this Great Grey Owl. I watched it for a while as it was listening for its next meal, ' And lastly this three headed five legged flamingo is actually three birds in a line, shot in Oman by 39 year old Khalid Faraj Al Wadihi. He said: 'Sunrise in the early morning is the best time to photograph because the birds are active and looking for food. 'You notice this rare moment of flamingo birds in a harmony as they look for food in one of the Natural Reserves in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman.' Britain was today accused of giving ministers the chance of sharing intelligence with allies even if it leads to torture, it was claimed. An internal Ministry of Defence policy document from just before Christmas reportedly allows the Government to pass tips to foreign spies if the benefits to Britain outweigh the risk of a detainee being abused. Former Brexit Minister David Davis believes this is illegal and called on new Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt to tear up the policy because it has 'betrayed' British values. Mr Davis and human rights campaigners claim that the document allows ministers to circumvent a Cabinet Office document that says that in 'no circumstance will UK personnel ever take action amounting to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment'. Ms Mordaunt told MPs today that the UK 'does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment for any purpose.' David Davis claims that the 'secret policy' could lead to torture of detainees and should be scrapped by new Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt - the MoD says they complies with Government guidance and is within the law 'Our policy and activities in this area are in accordance with both domestic and international law,'she said. 'The MoD's policy is aligned with the Government's policy on sharing and receiving intelligence and the Investigatory Powers Commissioner has been satisfied with our activities and has not identified issues of concern.' She said that the results of a review of the Government's intelligence guidance, ordered last summer, would report back 'within weeks'. Mr Davis, who asked an urgent question to bring Ms Mordaunt to face MPs, said the prohibition of torture is 'one of our few absolute, incontrovertible rights' before adding: 'There can never be a reason or justification for it.' He asked Ms Mordaunt to publish a document 'which appears to give ministers the right to overrule the law', along with any commentary on it. The Defence Secretary, in her reply, said: 'I understand that following the FOI request, one of the iterations of policy has been placed in the public domain and the latest reiteration from 2018 doesn't introduce any substantial changes and introduces a minor request at the request of the IPCO (Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office), but I think these matters should receive the full light of day and full transparency.' The intelligence sharing policy, uncovered by The Times using FOI, has not been used, according to the newspaper. Kirsty Brimelow, QC, an acclaimed human rights lawyer, said: 'The law on prohibition of torture, without exception, is clear and established internationally and nationally. So this document is supporting ministers breaking the law by use of their executive power'. Lord Carlile of Berriew, the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, told The Times: 'The policy is a proportionate approach to difficult questions, which will arise rarely. It is not in breach of international law.' A MoD spokesman said: 'All our policy and activities in this area comply with the Cabinet Office's consolidated guidance'. Last year the Prime Minister had to say sorry to Libyan Abdel Hakim Belhaj, who was kidnapped and sent back to his country in 2004 with his pregnant wife, aided by MI6 intelligence. The government's legal battle with Abdel Hakim Belhaj - who was has cost taxpayers 11 million in total He was flung into a prison controlled by the Libyan despot Colonel Gadafi where he endured six years of torture. Mr Belhaj's wife was paid 500,000 in compensation. Last week the UN Committee Against Torture said an independent public inquiry should be established to investigate allegations of murder, torture and abuse by soldiers in Iraq. The UN Committee Against Torture said an independent public inquiry should be established to investigate allegations. It said the UK should 'refrain' from bringing in laws that grant an amnesty or pardon to troops who could have been implicated in mistreatment. The panel expressed concern that no prosecutions for war crimes or torture had resulted from probes by the discredited Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat). The UN committee also said it was 'seriously concerned' that allegations of torture and killing by the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles have not been 'effectively investigated'. Yet the Government is already facing claims that it is failing to take action to stop a 'witch-hunt' against veterans who fought terrorists in the province. More than 1,000 Army veterans - many in their 60s and 70s - are potential murder or manslaughter suspects over deaths at the height of the IRA's terror campaign. They have been contacted over around 40 incidents dating back to the 1970s, including Bloody Sunday. At least two ex-soldiers, both in their 70s, have been charged over killings in Northern Ireland more than 40 years ago. The Government announced in February 2017 that the 60million Ihat unit looking at alleged abuses in Iraq would be shut down following a Daily Mail campaign that exposed its failings. At its height, 3,600 allegations of mistreatment were on its book, but not a single soldier was found to have acted illegally. This week the new Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, backed an effective amnesty for veterans on the day that Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley announced plans to set up the taxpayer-funded investigative body to probe incidents in the Troubles. The Government believes the Historical Investigations Unit will redress the imbalance in previous probes that have focused on killings by soldiers rather than terrorists. Miss Mordaunt said she wanted plans to strengthen the legal protections for military personnel who served on overseas operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan to be extended to cover veterans of the conflict in Northern Ireland. She intends to create a 'statutory presumption' against prosecution which date back more than ten years. However, there has been anger that it will not apply to troops who served in Ulster. A report by the UN Committee Against Torture said: 'The committee urges the state party to take all necessary measures to establish responsibility and ensure accountability for any torture and ill-treatment committed by UK personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2009, specifically by establishing a single, independent, public inquiry to investigate allegations of such conduct. 'The state party should refrain from enacting legislation that would grant amnesty or pardon where torture is concerned. It should also ensure that all victims of such torture and ill-treatment obtain redress.' It said the UK should 'refrain from enacting amnesties or statutes of limitations for torture or ill-treatment, which the committee has found to be inconsistent with states parties' obligations under the convention'. Advertisement Huge explosions, brave bayonet charges, and dead bodies littering the battlefield - these images appear to capture the brutal reality of the First World War. But in fact most of them are carefully constructed pieces of propaganda, created by Canadian photographer Charles DeWitt Girdwood who was under commission from the War Office to drum up British support for the war. Girdwood - who was born in Ontario but working in Delhi when the war started - was allowed to travel to France in 1915 to photograph the India Corps, but was banned from going to the front lines or photographing British soldiers. Charles DeWitt Girdwood was a Canadian photographer working in British India when the First World War started, and was allowed to travel to France as a propaganda photographer. With almost no access to the front line, he resorted to staging battles using resting troops to depict combat (pictured above) In September 1915, using the 2nd Leicestershire Regiment, Girdwood built an elaborate series of defensive positions and staged a battle, even dressing some of the men in German uniforms and having them play dead. The aim of the images was to drum up support for the war in Britain While the technique of staging photographs was uncontroversial at the time, Girdwood represented his images as genuine after the war and attempted to make money out of them by holding a lecture series along with cine film he took. Pictured left, a mine explodes, and right, a maxim gun is fired Men of the 2nd Leicestershires are show charging an 'enemy' trench while men play-act as casualties around them. Girdwood was known to resent not being allowed to the front, after he was specifically banned by Field Marshal Douglas Haig What appears to be a battlefield strewn with corpses is almost certainly a field of British soldiers playing dead, some of whom have been dressed in German uniforms. Girdwood's images represent an early attempt at using photography as propaganda, but largely don't show the reality of the front lines This is Girdwood's earliest staged battles, using the 1/1st Gurkhas to mock up a trench attack. At the time he was working for the India Corps - having been posted in Delhi when the war broke out - and was banned from photographing the regular British Army, though this was later lifted With no access to actual fighting, Girdwood staged an attack using the 1/1st Gurkhas which showed them rushing an 'enemy' trench and capturing it. The use of staged photography was relatively uncontroversial at the time, though Girdwood would later represent it as authentic while giving lectures. After a week at the rear of the trenches with the India Corps, Girdwood was given access to the front lines and spent at least a day - though possibly as long as ten - capturing genuine scenes of the war. But by September he had been relegated back to the rear areas where he created another elaborate set of staged photographs using the 2nd Leicester regiment, who were resting after a stint in the trenches. The battalion constructed elaborate fortifications to give the pictures a feeling of authenticity, and some were even given German uniforms and told to play dead. In this striking image, Girdwood was allowed to photograph Edward VIII, the future King of the United Kingdom, at the front. The photographer had worked with royalty before, taking images of two Delhi Durbars - ceremonies to mark the ascension of an Emperor or Empress of India - the first in 1903 and the second in 1911 Despite his reputation for staging images, Girdwood was allowed to the front for at least one day - and possibly as many as ten - where he captured images of troops at rest. Both of these pictures, which show territorials of the Seaforth Highlanders in a trench and British soldiers outside a destroyed church are thought to be genuine British soldiers take some time to relax in the bombed-out ruins of a house in Laventie, close to Lille, northern France. This is also believed to be a genuine image, taken some time in August 1915 Men of a bomb gun section take part in firing exercises in St Floris, France, in 1915. It is not clear whether this photo - one of a series that shows a shell exploding close to the trench - was genuine or staged A British gun, which Girdwood claimed was firing on German positions in Laventie, near Lille, northern France. It is not clear whether the image is genuine. Following the war, Girdwood attempted to sell the photographs and some cine film that he recorded, but was caught up in a legal dispute with the War Office, which had shot its own set of largely genuine film at the Somme. As Girdwood and the British government tussled over who owned his footage, the War Office released their as a film called The Battle of the Somme, robbing his film of much of its value. Nevertheless he toured Britain with his footage and images for several years, though is thought to have run up considerable debts doing so. This was followed by a year touring the United States, before he returned to commercial photography. While Girdwood's photographs are significant as an early instance of war photography being used as propaganda, academics agree that it should not be viewed as an example of how the trenches and combat really appeared. A New Army battalion, not attached to the Indian Corps, photographed somewhere in France in 1915. Girdwood was initially blocked from going to France by the War Office, but after photographing the war effort - including military hospitals - on British shores, he was given permission by Sir James Willcocks, commander of the Indian Corps A British soldier fishing in a canal in Flanders, taken some time in summer 1915. When Girdwood returned to the UK towards the end of 1915 he tried to publish his pictures and film, but got locked into a legal dispute with the War Office which then published its material first, robbing his of value Highlanders dressed in kilts aim their weapons on the outskirts of a French village in Fauquissart, near Lille in northern France. It is not clear whether this image was staged or genuine Advertisement Iran has labelled Donald Trump's threats to end the regime 'genocidal' in the latest escalation of tensions in the Gulf. The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed the President for his Twitter outbursts on Monday, calling them 'genocidal taunts which won't end Iran'. On Sunday afternoon Trump tweeted, saying: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' It is the latest tit-for-tat exchange in growing tensions between the US and Iran, which began when the White House accused Tehran of planning to attack its forces in the Middle East. Trump's tweet follows days of heightened tension sparked by his administration's sudden deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over still-unspecified threats. And Zarif posted his own message Monday on Twitter, saying Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." Zarif namechecked both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that Persia outlasted. He wrote: @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't "end Iran". #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect-it works!" President Trump also addressed the Iran crisis in an interview on Fox News on Sunday night, vowing to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Scroll down for video Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday that he wouldn't let Iran have nuclear weapons An F/A-18E Super Hornet flies above the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Saturday Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Trump's Twitter outbursts 'genocidal' Speaking in an interview with Fox News the President told Steve Hilton he was reluctant to start a war but said he 'couldn't let Iran have nuclear weapons'. 'I will not let Iran have nuclear weapons,' he told Fox News host Steve Hilton. 'I don't want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you can't let them have nuclear weapons - you just can't let that happen,' he said. 'With all of everything that's going on, and I'm not one that believes - you know, I'm not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly - by far most importantly,' he said. His remarks came in the wake of a rocket attack less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which appeared to have been carried out by Iran-backed Shiite militias, an Iraqi military spokesman said. Taking to Twitter, at just after 4pm ET, the president posted: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' Trump had seemed to soften his tone after the US recently sent warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran Taking to Twitter, at just after 4pm ET, the president posted: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' Iran has missile capabilities to strike Israel and they claimed today, US warships in the Persian Gulf. Over the last decade they have expanded their 'axis of resistance' in the Middle East On Thursday, when asked if the US and Iran were heading towards armed conflict, he answered: 'I hope not.' The threats come after it emerged that Iran's top general had called on their axis of resistance of thousands of battle-hardened jihadists throughout the Middle East to prepare if war with the US erupts. From Lebanon and Syria to Iraq, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip, Tehran's influence has expanded in the past decade, forging deep and powerful ties with ruthless fighters. On Thursday it was revealed General Qassem Suleimani had told allies in Iraq to 'prepare for proxy war,' as US warships stand on guard in the Persian Gulf. And an official of the Revolutionary Guard boasted on Friday their arsenal of missiles could 'easily reach [those] warships.' US intelligence experts told the Guardian, General Suleimani rallied militias in Baghdad three weeks ago. A source told the paper: 'It wasn't quite a call to arms, but it wasn't far off.' In reaction to the meeting, the U.S. decided to evacuate all non-essential diplomatic personnel from Iraq. While, on its military bases, the threat level was raised. In the last week the US has moved thousands of troops to the region amid the threat of escalating conflict The ominous manoeuvring comes against a backdrop of soaring tensions in recent weeks with a war of words between Washington and Tehran. There have been accusations of sabotage attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the UAE, drone attacks on Saudi pipelines claimed by Yemeni rebels allied to Iran and, crucially, the dispatch of U.S. warships and bombers to the region. Last week, officials said they had detected signs of Iranian preparations for potential attacks on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East, but Washington has not publicly released any evidence to support claims of an increased Iranian threat. General Suleimani's cry to arms to the Iraqi militias is just a flavour of the havoc they can wreak with tens of thousands of jihadists loyal to Tehran throughout the Middle East. At a mass rally in February in Beirut, a Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah declared: 'If America launches war on Iran, it will not be alone in the confrontation, because the fate of our region is tied to the Islamic Republic.' Hezbollah is one of the most prominent members of the self-styled 'axis of resistance,' armed groups with tens of thousands of Shiite Muslim fighters beholden to Tehran. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group transits the Suez Canal in Egypt on its way to the Persian Gulf last week amid mounting tensions with Iran An F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft launches from the flight deck the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf on May 10, as tensions mount with Tehran over President Donald Trump's sanctions While Hezbollah strike fear into foes in Lebanon; the Iranians are backing Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group in the Gaza strip. In Yemen, they are behind the Houthis in a vicious proxy war with the Saudis which has raged for four years. And in Iraq they have established a network of control through a trio of militants: Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataeb Hezbollah and the Badr Organization. Hezbollah, whose name means 'Party of God,' was established by Iran's Revolutionary Guard during Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s. Today it is among the most effective armed groups in the region, extending Iran's influence to Israel's doorstep. In a paper for the Brookings Institute earlier this year, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman described the group as revolutionary Iran's 'most successful export' and Tehran's 'multi-purpose tool.' Hezbollah was formed to combat Israel following its invasion of Lebanon in 1982. It waged an 18-year guerrilla war against Israeli forces, eventually forcing them to withdraw from Lebanon in 2000. Six years later, it battled Israel to a bloody stalemate in a month-long war. Today, the group has an arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets and missiles than can reach deep into Israel, as well as thousands of highly disciplined and battle-hardened fighters. Hezbollah has fought alongside government forces in Syria for more than six years, gaining even more battlefield experience and expanding its reach. At home, the group's power exceeds that of the Lebanese armed forces, and along with its allies has more power than ever in the parliament and government. Despite the rhetoric, Hezbollah says it is not seeking another war with Israel, and it is not likely to join in any regional confrontation - at least not in the early stages - unless provoked. Hezbollah has lost hundreds of fighters in Syria, exacting a heavy toll on the Shiite community from which it draws most of its support. In Yemen, Iran has backed the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, who swept down from the north and captured the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict on the side of the government the following year. The war has since killed tens of thousands of people and generated the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia views the Houthis as an Iranian proxy, and along with Western nations and U.N. experts has accused Tehran of providing arms to the rebels, including the long-range missiles they have fired into Saudi Arabia. Iran supports the rebels but denies arming them. The Houthis have given up little ground since the coalition entered the war, and have targeted the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with long-range missiles. Earlier this week they claimed a drone attack that shut down a major oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which responded with airstrikes on Yemen's rebel-held capital that killed civilians. Iran has trained, financed, and equipped Shiite militias in Iraq that battled U.S. forces in the years after the 2003 invasion and remobilized to battle the Islamic State group a decade later. The groups include Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataeb Hezbollah and the Badr Organization, all three led by men with close ties to General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force and the architect of Tehran's regional strategy. The militias fall under the umbrella of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of mostly Shiite militias that were incorporated into the country's armed forces in 2016. Together they number more than 140,000 fighters, and while they fall under the authority of Iraq's prime minister, the PMF's top brass are politically aligned with Iran. U.S. forces and the PMF fought side-by-side against Islamic State militants after Iraq's parliament invited the U.S. back into the country in 2014. But now that the war is largely concluded, some militia leaders are calling on U.S. troops to leave again, threatening to expel them by force if necessary. This week, the U.S. ordered all nonessential government staff to leave Iraq, amid unspecified threats in the region said to be linked to Iran. In Palestine, Tehran has long supported militant groups, including Gaza's Hamas rulers and particularly the smaller Islamic Jihad group. Hamas fell out with Iran after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, losing millions of dollars in monthly assistance. The group today is in a severe financial crisis; its employees and public servants in Gaza have not been paid full salaries in years. 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 Tehran is said to have continued its military support to Hamas' armed wing, but the group appears to get most of its aid from Qatar, making it less likely that it would rally to Tehran's side in a regional conflict. Islamic Jihad, another Sunni militant group, is seen as much closer to Iran but still not as deeply intertwined as Hezbollah or other groups. Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched hundreds of rockets from Gaza during a bout of fighting with Israel earlier this month. Israel accused Islamic Jihad of triggering the violence, which was the worst since a 2014 war. The movement did not deny the Israeli accusations. A gutless tradesman who knocked a stranger unconscious and then laughed about the sickening one-punch attack has pleaded guilty. Ryan Wells, 33, caused widespread anger last year after footage emerged of him knocking out the man in an unprovoked attack in Frankston, in Melbourne's south. He pleaded guilty to the attack two weeks ago, but his identity and the admission were kept secret from the public thanks to a court-ordered suppression order. The concreter's lawyers launched a last-minute bid to keep the suppression order in place, claiming Wells feared for his safety after being sent death threats when his name and address were posted online by vigilantes. But the bid was squashed by a magistrate on Monday, allowing media publications to report the full details of the attack. Ryan Wells (right and far left) has pleaded guilty to launching a one-punch attack on an innocent man. He begged a judge to keep his identity secret On Monday, the 33-year-old's lawyers mounted a last minute attempt to keep the public in the dark, but the Magistrate ended up quashing the suppression order On the night of the attack, Wells had taken cocaine and downed 10 schooners of beer and five bourbons, Frankston Magistrates Court heard. Wells' lawyer said his client was suffering with mental trauma at the time following a serious car crash when his brother swerved to avoid a wombat, 9 News reported. The defence lawyer said Wells had been injured in the crash and had not received proper counselling, instead turning to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. Wells claimed the victim had stared at him with 'crazy eyes', and told police he feared the man was going to pull a knife on him and stab him. The court heard that Wells had been forced to shut down his excavating business after his website was inundated with negative comments. Police prosecutor Andrew Osmond dismissed suggestions Wells was remorseful after the attack, urging the judge to hand out a jail sentence. 'It's more good luck than good management that we're not dealing with a different charge,' Acting Sergeant Osmond said, according to The Age. Wells will be sentenced in June and remains on bail. He still faces charges over a separate alleged attack in Somerville just one week before the Frankston coward punch. Wells (pictured) was self-medicating on drugs and alcohol after a serious car crash at the time of the random attack, his lawyer told Frankston Magistrates Court Public anger boiled over after police released the footage last year, and led vigilantes to post what they believed was Wells' address on social media Last August, Wells was charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury assault and affray, and was given a curfew and ordered not to attend licensed venues, contact witnesses or consume alcohol or drugs. At the time, the decision to grant bail sparked outrage among the community, with former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett among those to speak out. 'For Ryan Wells to have been released on bail after the unprovoked attack on a citizen in Frankston is totally unacceptable,' Mr Kennett said on Twitter last year. 'The footage of the attack the most shocking for any pedestrian.' The decision to grant bail last year sparked outrage among the community, with former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett among those to speak out 'I've never seen anything like this. We read about domestic violence, one punch hits, but never see the crime as it is committed, we hear the reporting of it. 'In a totally unprovoked vicious manner, this man lent across and struck this person on the face. 'When I first saw it I cringed, and it got to the stage where I couldn't see it anymore. I think it was because in part it could have been any of us. You, me, our children, our parents. 'I was absolutely horrified by it, more so when I heard this individual was allowed out on bail. I think he forfeited the right to walk our streets ... It's revolting, horrifying, and I think it just fails every community expectation.' Geelong Cats star Patrick Dangerfield slammed the decision after a series of earlier posts calling for the attacker to be identified. 'Just because he has stable work and a place to live doesn't mean he could cowardly clock someone again,' Dangerfield wrote alongside a clip of a media article showing Wells' work information. Security vision overlooking the path, next to Nepean Highway in Frankston, captured the three men wearing hi-visibility clothing walking together about 7.45pm on July 26. Witnesses say they followed a trail of blood to the victim but he refused their help and fled the scene. Strong winds hit Beijing yesterday, wreaking havoc on flights and rail services in the Chinese capital city. Terrifying footage released by state media shows a Hainan Airlines Airbus 330 aircraft rocking wildly from side to side during landing at the Beijing Capital International Airport yesterday. Pilots immediately performed a 'go-around', where the jet picks up altitude and turns back for another landing attempt. The aircraft eventually touched down safely, according to reports. Terrifying footage released by state media shows a Hainan Airlines Airbus 330 aircraft rocking wildly from side to side during landing at the Beijing Capital International Airport yesterday Pilots immediately performed a 'go-around', where the jet picks up altitude and turns back for another landing attempt. The aircraft eventually touched down safely, according to reports One passenger on the flight from Shanghai to Beijing told Beijing News that passengers were terrified as the plane started to tip sideways. 'For three or four seconds the plane plunged like a drop tower at a theme park and I felt the loss of gravity. The woman sitting in front of me threw up,' the unnamed passenger said. The capital city in China issued a blue warning for strong winds on Sunday, with five suburban districts of Tongzhou, Yanqing, Changping, Huairou and Shunyi upgrading to a yellow warning shortly after. One passenger on the Hainan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Beijing told Beijing News that passengers were terrified as the plane started to tip sideways A delivery driver was taken to hospital after being struck by a fallen tree in Xincheng district yesterday afternoon. He was pronounced dead shortly after Average wind speeds hit 50 to 74 km per hour (31 to 46 miles per hour), with some gusts exceeding 100kmh (62 mph), according to South China Morning Post The blue alert is the lowest level on a four-tier warning system in China, following yellow, orange and red. Average wind speeds hit 50 to 74 km per hour (31 to 46 miles per hour), with some gusts exceeding 100kmh (62 mph), according to South China Morning Post. The adverse weather left at least four people dead after a tree and a wall collapsed, the report added. The strong winds toppled a wall near Dongzhimen Bridge in downtown Beijing, killing two male and one female pedestrians. A delivery driver was taken to hospital after being struck by a fallen tree in Xincheng district yesterday afternoon. He was pronounced dead shortly after. The strong winds toppled a wall (above) near Dongzhimen Bridge in downtown Beijing, killing two male and one female pedestrians According to the Capital International Airport, more than 50 flights had been cancelled and another 50 flights had been diverted to other airports The roaring water of the Kunming Lake caused by strong wind is seen at the Summer Palace in Beijing. All outdoor activities are banned today at all kindergartens and schools in the city According to the Capital International Airport, more than 50 flights had been cancelled and another 50 flights had been diverted to other airports. Two trains on the Beijing-Chengdu railway were delayed after fallen trees covered railway tracks. At least 13 cars were damaged in a parking lot after the roof of a shopping centre in Chaoyang district was blown off. All outdoor activities are banned today at all kindergartens, middle and primary schools in the city, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission announced on social media. Such activities include flag-raising ceremony, morning exercises and outdoor training. Election officials will carry out an 11th hour visit to the Brexit Party's headquarters after a row over its finances, it was revealed today. The Electoral Commission says it is reviewing the Eurosceptic party's donation systems tomorrow after ex-prime minister Gordon Brown wrote to them demanding an investigation. Mr Brown said the Brexit Party, which has been funded mainly by donations of 25 or more from 100,000 people, has been receiving a large amount of money via small 'undeclared, untraceable payments'. Mr Farage, who was doused in milkshake while campaigning in Newcastle this afternoon, said the former Labour prime minister was spreading an 'absolutely disgusting smear'. An Electoral Commission spokesman said: 'The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source. 'As part of our active oversight and regulation of these rules, we are attending the Brexit Party's office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds, including donations over 500 that have to be from the UK only. If there's evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our Enforcement Policy.' Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage was in Exeter today (pictured) for the latest leg of his European elections tour Former prime minister Gordon Brown speaking at a campaign rally for the European Elections at the Lighthouse in Glasgow today where he raise questions about the Brexit Party's funding Polls on voting intention for the European elections has underline the scale of the shift towards Mr Farage's new party Former PM Gordon Brown has written to the Electoral Commission demanding an investigation into the Brexit Party's finances, amid claims it could have received thousands of pounds in smaller donations from foreign sources. Gifts can be paid via PayPal, and rules on identification of donors only apply to sums of 500 or more. Above that sum 'permissible donors' must be listed on the UK electoral roll or a business registered at Companies House and operating in the UK. Mr Farage described the criticism of the Brexit Party's sources of funding as 'jealously'. 'Absolutely disgusting smear. This from the man who was part of a Labour Party who through Lord Levy were making a lot of big donors members of the House of Lords,' Mr Farage said. 'How dare he? Most of our money has been raised by people giving 25 to become registered supporters and nearly 110,000 of them now have done that. 'Frankly, this smacks of jealously because the other parties simply can't do this.' Gordon Brown has called for an investigation to be carried out into the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. Mr Brown, speaking in Glasgow on Monday, said that democracy would continue to be undermined if payments to the party were not declared. Mr Farage rubbished claims he could reach an understanding with Mr Johnson, who is now hot favourite to take over from Mrs May this summer And the former prime minister challenged the Electoral Commission and the European Parliament to indicate whether they are investigating the party, or say whether questions over dubious payments had been answered, ahead of the European elections on Thursday. Mr Brown said: 'The Electoral Commission and the European Parliament should now investigate the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. 'Democracy is undermined when we have undeclared, unreported, untraceable payments being made to the Brexit Party. 'We have the potential for underhand and under-the-counter payments being made. 'You know the history of this - Leave.EU, Nigel Farage and Aaron Banks' campaign is now under criminal investigation. 'There's three investigations - one by the National Crime Agency, one by the Met Police and one by the Information Commissioner. 'Aaron Banks, the lead funder of Leave.EU and the friend of Nigel Farage has been under investigation - he has made contacts with Russia. We don't know where his money comes from. 'And yet we find out last week that he has given 450,000 in payments to support Nigel Farage, while Nigel Farage was in a public office in the European Parliament, who should have been declaring the payments that he was receiving from anyone to avoid any conflicts of interest.' But Mr Farage accused the former premier of an 'absolutely disgusting smear' against his party. 'This from the man who was part of a Labour Party who, through Lord Levy, were making a lot of big donors members of the House of Lords,' Mr Farage said on a campaign visit to Exeter. 'How dare he? Most of our money has been raised by people giving 25 to become registered supporters and nearly 110,000 of them now have done that. 'Frankly, this smacks of jealousy because the other parties simply can't do this. 'How open can we be? What you have got here are the conspiracy theorists doing their utmost to try and delegitimise what is the fastest-growing political movement this country has ever seen.' The Brexit Party leader was covered in the drink by a protester as he made the latest stop of his campaign Mr Farage was left spluttering after the milkshake incident in Newcastle this afternoon Mr Farage tweeted afterwards that normal campaigning was becoming 'impossible' due to the dangers of protests Mr Brown will say: 'I have written to the Electoral Commission, who have a duty to monitor every UK party's election finance and spending, demanding Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party be investigated, and I am asking the European Parliament to investigate his failure to declare income where there are potential conflicts of interest.' Mr Brown is expected to attack Mr Farage's party for possible 'under-the-counter and underhand' campaign financing ahead of the European elections on Thursday, when the Brexit Party is expected to sweep up the largest amount of votes. He will highlight that the electoral watchdog had 'warned of the dangers' of large amounts of cash being funnelled to parties in multiple small donations and linked this to the Brexit Party's funding model. And the former Labour MP will say he believes that, far from protecting democracy, Mr Farage's party could be used to 'fatally undermine ... the heart of our democratic system'. Mr Brown will say Mr Farage heads a party 'which is making questionable claims about the true source of its funding at a time when the Electoral Commission has warned of the dangers of multiple, small, anonymous donations being a cover for dirty money'. Pro-EU Labour MP Chris Bryant also raised concerns, saying: 'It would be simple for a foreign power or individual to fund (the Brexit Party) by paying hundreds or thousands of 499 in sterling or other currencies as the party does not even verify names. 'Our democracy is basically up for sale.' Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice was asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the concerns raised by Mr Brown. Asked if the Brexit Party was taking 'under-the-counter, underhand' donations, Mr Tice said: 'This really is utterly ridiculous. 'People are just jealous of our success and the fact we're on course to win these elections. 'We've got a PayPal account for people paying less than 500; above that we apply the appropriate Electoral Commission rules.' Asked whether he had just confirmed that the party did take cash from foreign citizens, Mr Tice said: 'I don't sit in front of the PayPal account all day so I don't know what currencies people are paying in, but, as I understand it, the PayPal takes it in sterling.' Critics claim the PayPal model is open to abuse because it does not require detailed personal information about donors, which other UK parties collect. However, the Press Association understands that the law currently does not recognise sums of less than 500 given to parties as official donations, so rules on identification do not apply. An official donation of 500 or more must be given by a 'permissible donor', who should either be somebody listed on the UK electoral roll or a business registered at Companies House and operating in the UK. Mr Johnson (pictured in Uxbridge last week) is the red hot favourite to take over from Theresa May in a leadership contest expected this summer Nigel Farage launched a full-frontal attack on Boris Johnson today - warning he cannot be trusted to keep his promises. The Brexit Party leader flatly rejected the idea of a pact with Mr Johnson if he takes over from Theresa May, pointing out that the former foreign secretary had voted for the PM's deal. Mr Farage also dismissed questions about the sources of funding for his new political outfit, saying rivals were just 'jealous'. The combative comments came as Mr Farage pushed on with his frantic campaigning ahead of crucial European elections this week - where the Brexit Party is on track to trample both the Tories and Labour. Amid mounting panic in the Conservatives at the threat posed by the Brexit Party, some senior figures have been floating the idea of an electoral pact to help force through the UK's departure from the EU. But Mr Farage rubbished claims he could reach an understanding with Mr Johnson, who is now hot favourite to take over from Mrs May this summer. 'When this appalling worst deal in history, new European treaty honed into view Boris wrote... quite rightly in my view, that it would lead to vassalage and we would become a slave state,' Mr Farage said. 'And then what did he do? Ah, yes, he voted for it. He tells us it is appalling and he votes for it and I worry that Boris puts party loyalty above his own conscience and what is good for the country. 'And even if Boris says, 'It's OK Nigel, I didn't really mean to vote for it...', how can I trust what he says, how can I believe anything any of these two mainstream parties tell us after three years of, frankly, open lies and deceit?' An execution book which details the grisly details of every person Britain's most famous hangman put to death is set to be sold at auction. Albert Pierrepoint, whose own death mask will also go under the hammer, executed around 600 people including notorious German Nazi war criminal Josef Kramer and the last woman to be hanged in the UK, Ruth Ellis. During his 25-year career, Pierrepoint kept a leather notebook detailing all of his executions, which included notes of the victims including one person with a 'very thin neck'. Albert Pierrepoint, Britain's most prolific hangman with an estimated 600 executions, kept a book recording the details of each of his hangings A plaster cast of Pierrepoint's hands and face which were created after his death in 1992 are going on sale A leather notebook contains the names and details of each unfortunate person who met their fate, including one with a 'thin neck' The book also contains the names and ages of every person he ever executed along with their height and weight. The catalogue, which is embossed with his name 'A Pierrepoint', also outlines the date on which the individual was hanged, the town in which they died and the drop during the execution. Further details include the physical frame of the prisoners and calibre of their necks, such as, 'very heavy body, ordinary neck, wirey, very thin neck, little flabby'. The book is part of a collection of items belonging to Pierrepoint which will be sold by Boldon Auction Galleries in East Boldon, Tyne and Wear, with an estimate of 25,000 - 30,000. The book contains the names and ages of every person he ever executed along with their height and weight The catalogue, which is embossed with his name 'A Pierrepoint', also outlines the date on which the individual was hanged, the town in which they died and the drop during the execution It will be sold alongside a plaster cast of his hands and face which was created following his death in 1992. Giles Hodges, director of Boldon Auction Galleries, said: 'This is a good snap shot of a very dark side of life. 'I have never even seen anything like this before, it's definitely a first time for me. 'It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a real insight into an individual and his work. 'It's fascinating to find out what this executioner did on a daily basis. Giles Hodges, director of Boldon Auction Galleries, expects the macabre collection to fetch as much as 30,000 The lot also contains documents and photographs, including the 'Memorandum of Conditions' and a letter of thanks from the War Office 'The execution book is fascinating. There's an awful lot of people who, until you start doing further research, they are just a name, number and figure. 'Then you have one of the most famous names, the last female to be hanged in the UK, Ruth Ellis. 'I think it's so unusual and strange that someone would have a death mask done in 1992.' The lot also contains documents and photographs, including the 'Memorandum of Conditions' and a letter of thanks from the War Office. Other items include an amber and ivory cigar holder belonging to Albert's father Henry Pierrepoint who worked as an executioner between 1901 and 1910. A silver watch chain worn by Albert Pierrepoint, his father and his uncle Thomas Pierrepoint, who also worked as a executioner, completes the collection. Other items include an amber and ivory cigar holder belonging to Albert's father Henry Pierrepoint, who worked as an executioner and a silver watch chain Amongst the names in Albert Pierrepoint's execution book is Josef Kramer, the Commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau and of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp Mr Hodges added: 'The letter says, "I hope you were well looked after in helf (sic) and had, apart from business, an enjoyable trip". 'I think the letter's fab, I think it's a bit tongue and cheek. 'There's a little bit of underlying humour there. A good bit of gallows humour. 'It's a very difficult one to value but for an institution or a certain collector I think it's well within the estimate. It's such a specialist market. It might be one for an institution or museum.' Amongst the names in Albert Pierrepoint's execution book is Josef Kramer, the Commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau and of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. He was hanged by Albert Pierrepoint on December 13, 1945. Actor Timothy Spall portrayed the prolific executioner in the 2005 film Pierrepoint (pictured) Irma Grese, an SS guard at the Nazi concentration camps of Ravensbruck and Auschwitz, dubbed 'The Hyena of Auschwitz', was also executed by the hangman on the same day. Also listed is the model and nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis. She was the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom, on July 13, 1955, after being convicted of the murder of her lover David Blakely. Albert Pierrepoint, who resigned from his job in 1956, is believed to have hanged more criminals than anyone else in Britain. He has been acknowledged by the Home Office as the most efficient executioner in British history. Mr Hodges added: 'People are fascinated with things things like that. 'We still talk about whether they should bring back hanging in this country. I think it's one of those things that certainly splits a country. 'At that point, whether you agree with it or not, at that time, because it was law, somebody had to do it.' After Pierrepoint retired in 1956, there were 34 more hangings in the next eight years. The last were carried out in August 1964 when Gwynne Evans and Peter Allen were executed for the murder of John Alan West. The lot, which is being sold by a seller who wishes to remain anonymous, will go under the hammer on June 5. Michael Rice's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest may have dashed the public's hopes of winning but now fans are claiming he should have received an even lower score. Eurovision Song Contest history was rocked by a scandal on Saturday as it emerged the Belarus jury panel had been disqualified for revealing their favourite acts before the final. They were made to give 'aggregate scores' which resulted in the UK receiving five points, bumping its total score up to 16. But wily fans on Twitter have a theory that Belarus's points were incorrectly allocated to the bottom ten songs rather than the top ten. Michael Rice's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday may have dashed the public's hopes of winning but now fans are claiming he should have received an even lower score Professor Adrian Kavanagh, of Maynooth University in Ireland, said: 'I think this is more a case of "you had just one job" rather than a scandal. 'Just an absolute mess up.' According to the Eurovision website semi-finalists get allocated into six pots, based on historical voting patterns as calculated by the contest's official televoting partner Digame. They say: 'Drawing from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called neighbourly voting and increases suspense in the semi-finals.' Belarus was in the same 'pot' as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia so it is believed their aggregated scores were made by averaging the scores of these countries. Eurovision Song Contest history was rocked by a scandal on Saturday as it emerged the Belarus jury panel had been disqualified for cheating. Pictured is their candidate, Zena However, the points Belarus gave appear to be in the exact opposite order to the rest of the pot's rankings - which put Malta at the top (which Belarus gave zero points to) and Israel at the bottom (which Belarus gave the maximum of twelve points to). If this theory is correct it means that Belarus gave scores to countries that should have been at the bottom of their rankings. What is aggregate scoring and why do fans think Belarus's points were wrong? To make Eurovision voting more fair, a new voting system was brought in to eliminate political or 'neighbourly' votes. Where in the past countries that were geographically close would typically score each other highly, Eurovision's new 'pot' system means this can't happen. Countries that are close together are placed into separate pots before the semi-final draw to reduce the likelihood of 'friendly' countries voting for each other in semi-finals. Belarus was put with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia so it is believed their aggregate scores were intended to reflect the voting of the rest of their pot. But their scores actually seem to be the exact opposite of their pot's, leading fans to think that a mistake was made when the points were read out and the bottom ten songs received top votes instead of the top ten songs. If Belarus's pot's scoring was followed, they would have allocated five points to Azerbaijan, who ranked sixth on their list. The UK ranked 21st on the list - sixth last. Advertisement This would mean that the UK's Michael Rice wouldn't have received any points from Belarus, resulting in an even lower overall score of 11 points. Dr Kavanagh believes the UK's low score was the result of a perceived lack of effort, rather than politics. He said: 'I dont think the poor UK jury results in past years are a reflection on Brexit, more a reflection that other countries dont think that the UK cares or tries at Eurovision. 'When the UK has made a concerted effort at Eurovision, theyve done OK with the juries, even in the Brexit era Lucie Jones finished 10th in the Eurovision Final Jury Vote in 2017 (despite this being in the wake of the Brexit vote) on the basis that the UK had done a really great job that year in terms of the selection and staging of their entry.' On the topic of Ireland's jury giving the UK zero points Dr Kavanagh said: 'While Ireland's jury gave no points to the UK in the Final (the UK jury likewise gave no points to Ireland in the semi final), it was not unusual in doing so - only six juries awarded the UK points (and most of these only awarded 1 or 2 points).' All five members of the Belarus jury flagrantly disobeyed the competition's rules as they openly discussed who they had voted for in the semi-final on May 16, before the grand final had taken place. The members were Anastasiya Tikhanovich, Anzhela Mikulskaya, Artsem Mikhalenka, Olga Rizhikova and Valeriy Prigun. Wily fans on Twitter have done research which could prove that TV chiefs who calculated the aggregated scores made a mistake. Twitter user Bruno drew up a table to explain his theory that a TV official made a mistake when writing down the country's aggregate scores All of them openly discussed who their favourite entries were ahead of the final on Saturday - which is strictly against Eurovision Song Contest rules. A Eurovision Song Contest spokesman said: 'The Belarussian jury voting was revealed in an interview contravening Eurovision Song Contest rules. 'In order to be compliant with the voting regulations, the European Broadcasting Union took action and dismissed the Belarussian jury from the Grand Final on Saturday. 'An aggregated result approved by the auditors was used in order to determine to whom the Belarussian votes would be allocated.' Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky used his inaugural speech on Monday to announce a snap election, before promising to end the country's five-year conflict with Russia. A month after scoring a landslide victory against incumbent Petro Poroshenko amid widespread public discontent with the political establishment, the 41-year-old comedian has become Ukraine's youngest post-Soviet president. Zelensky said he would dissolve the country's legislature in order to call early parliamentary elections, which had originally been scheduled for October. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky taking oathes during his inauguration ceremony at the parliament in Kiev. The new president said in his speech on Monday that he would dissolve parliament for early elections 'People must come to power who will serve the public,' Zelensky said after wrangling with hostile lawmakers whom he has called 'petty crooks'. He also vowed to stop the war against Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the country that has claimed over 13,000 lives. 'Our first task is a ceasefire in the Donbass,' Zelensky said during his inauguration ceremony in parliament in Kiev, prompting a round of applause. The eastern Donbass region which has been gripped by unrest since the conflict began in 2014. Former comedian and new Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky gives a speech as he takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at the parliament in Kiev on May 20 'We didn't start this war but it is up to us to end it,' he said. He reiterated that Ukraine does not recognise Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea nor the separatists' self-proclaimed republics in the industrial east. 'Crimea and Donbass are Ukrainian land,' Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine had lost not just territory but the hearts and minds of people living there, who 'are not strangers, they are ours, Ukrainians.' Critics had questioned whether Zelensky would be able to govern without a parliamentary majority. Even setting a date for his inauguration took weeks of negotiations with lawmakers. President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky reads an oath putting his hand on the Holy Bible during his inauguration, at which he also promised to end the war with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the country that has claimed 13,000 lives since 2014 In a hard-hitting speech, Zelensky called for the sacking of the head of the state security service, prosecutor-general and defence minister - which has to be approved by parliament. Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak and the head of the SBU security service Vasyl Grytsak swiftly tendered their resignations. Zelensky took a non-traditional route to his inauguration - walking on foot from his home nearby, after saying he wanted a less pompous ceremony. Dressed in a dark suit, he exchanged high fives with supporters waiting outside, took selfies with them and even jumped up planting a kiss on a supporter's forehead. With 73,22 percent of the votes, Zelensky beat the incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, who received 24,45 percent of the votes during the second round of Presidential elections in Ukraine which was held on 21 April In his speech, Zelensky referred to his background as a comedian. 'In my life, I've tried to do all I could to make Ukrainians smile,' he said. 'In the next five years I'll do all I can so that Ukrainians don't cry.' The parliament's speaker Andriy Parubiy closed the inauguration ceremony with words: 'Thanks everyone, this has been fun.' Uniquely for a first-time president, Zelensky has played the role before - for laughs. He starred as a history teacher who was unexpectedly elected president in a television comedy series, 'Servant of the People'. When the actor and comedian announced his candidacy on December 31, few took it seriously, but after an unprecedented campaign largely waged through social media, he won more than 73 percent in the second round on April 21, trouncing Poroshenko. Ukraine's president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky greets supporters as he arrives to swear in at the parliament in Kiev Poroshenko led Ukraine for five years, overseeing the fallout over the Crimea annexation and the conflict in the east. Though he launched some reforms, he was criticised for failing to improve living standards or effectively fight corruption. Zelensky has vowed to continue the country's pro-Western course but his critics question how he will deal with the enormous challenges of the separatist conflict and ongoing economic problems. The separatist authorities have indicated that they could be ready to negotiate with Zelensky. Visitors watch the inauguration of the President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky on a huge TV screen as they gather near the Ukrainian parliament on Monday Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelensky and would not be congratulating him on taking up the post. The Russian president will instead 'congratulate him on the first successes' in regulating the conflict, he said, calling it a 'domestic problem' for Ukraine. Moscow has been accused of militarily supporting the separatists, and Putin this month ordered an easing of procedures for Ukrainians living in the eastern separatist regions to gain Russian citizenship, a challenge to the new Ukrainian leader. Ukraine's allies have given Zelensky a warm welcome, but the new president will immediately have to deal with a number of sensitive international issues. In a sign of possible tensions between Kiev and Washington, Ukraine's key ally against Moscow, US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani this month cancelled a visit to Kiev, saying Zelensky is 'surrounded by people who are enemies of the (US) president.' The political situation prompted one pro-Western lawmaker, Serguiy Vysotsky, to warn Zelensky that the inauguration 'isn't the end of your adventures - it's just the beginning'. Helen Webberley, from Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, was fined 12,000 in December 2018 after being found guilty of illegally providing healthcare services from her home under the firm Online GP Services Ltd. Pictured: Webberley outside court Two doctors who ran an unlicensed transgender clinic which gave hormones to children as young as 12 from their home are moving their services to Spain so they can continue operating. Helen Webberley, from Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, was fined 12,000 in December 2018 after being found guilty of illegally providing healthcare services from her home under the firm Online GP Services Ltd. She and her husband Mike ran the firm without a licence between March 2017 and February 2018 after it was refused by watchdog Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. During that time, Dr Webberley gave hormones to children who had been denied treatment on the NHS, and offered advice online to patients looking to undergo gender reassignment. But the doctor, who was given an interim suspension by the General Medical Council in November 2018, is to move online clinic GenderGP to Malaga to allow their 1,600 patients to continue to receive treatment. In a statement shared on the GenderGP website, Dr Webberley said: 'Mike and I are unable to prescribe any more but we have taken safe and secure steps to make sure that nobody is without care while we wait for the NHS to step up to the mark. 'We have moved the management hub of GenderGP and the medical care outside of the UK until it is safe to bring it back. 'Our European doctors have been specially trained to advise and prescribe for you, once you have undergone the GenderGP appraisal pathway that has become so popular and well-respected. 'This means that your medication will continue, nobody will come to harm.' Under the move both Mike and Helen Webberley will continue to work at GenderGP in a 'non-medical advocacy role'. Now she and her husband Mike, pictured, are moving their clinic to Malaga in Spain where they will work in a 'non-medical advocacy role'. They will not be able to prescribe patients hormone treatments Spain is considered to be a far more liberal country when it comes to trans rights, with transgender people over the age of 18 given permission to change their name and gender identity on documents in 2007. The service offers to 'hook' patients up with confidential advice, support and treatment to 'everyone, regardless of your financial status, age, gender or medical needs', and is described as unavailable elsewhere in the UK. The news comes after Mike Webberley was also given an interim suspension from practising on Friday after a Medical Practitioners Tribunal. The firm said the tribunal followed a report into Dr Webberley's actions commissioned by the GMC to provide an 'expert opinion on the care given to three younger trans patients'. But GenderGP have said the decision made will leave 1,600 patients at risk of 'sudden withdrawal of treatment' and accused authorities of 'institutional transphobia'. They said: 'Despite knowing that he was the sole provider of care for 1,600 transgender patients, the GMC has today suspended Dr Mike Webberley MBChB FRCP MD, whose work with the trans and non-binary community has provided life saving interim care, something that is unavailable anywhere else in the UK. 'The three patients in question were all young people. One was a trans boy who was finding the onset of female puberty and chest development distressing, in whom Dr Webberley commenced puberty blockers in line with current UK guidance. 'The second was a young trans boy who was prescribed puberty blockers by Dr Helen Webberley at the onset of puberty, and Dr Mike Webberley took over his care when Dr Helen Webberley was temporarily suspended in May 2017. GenderGP have said they took the decision to move the clinic to Spain to allow their 1,600 patients to continue to receive treatment 'The third was a patient who was suffering from gender dysphoria and was being prescribed a large number of psychiatric medicines to keep his mental distress at bay. 'He was denied access to gender care on the NHS, so reached out to Dr Webberley for support. 'Having reviewed the case, Dr Webberley prescribed gender-affirming hormones. These were then subsequently confiscated by his psychiatric nurse. She complained to the GMC that gender hormones would be harmful. 'All three patients and their parents have been more than happy with the care that they received, which is in line with best practice laid out in the Endocrine Society Guidelines, endorsed by the WPATH and adopted by leading gender clinics in the US and Australia.' Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court previously heard the cross-sex hormone treatment causes permanent body changes and compromises fertility. During the court case, Webberley insisted she was innocent and said shutting her service risked patients coming to harm. But District Judge Neil Thomas ruled Webberley and her company broke the Care Standards Act. Russell Davies, defending, said Webberley continued to run the company despite being ordered to cease her practice because she didn't want to risk stopping patients' treatments. He said: 'Due to the number of patients under her care she was concerned that the cessation of the website would be harmful. The continuation was never because of financial greed. 'She was a very caring practitioner who never developed the company for financial gain. She was only motivated by the care of her patients.' Ozark star Jason Bateman has threatened to boycott Georgia over the state's 'heartbeat' abortion ban. Bateman, who plays the lead role in the hit Netflix series, said over the weekend he would not work in the state if the so-called 'Heartbeat Bill' is passed into law. 'If the 'Heartbeat Bill' makes it through the court system, I will not work in Georgia, or any other state, that is so disgracefully at odds with women's rights,' Bateman told The Hollywood Reporter. The new law, which is set to go into effect January 1 but it is expected to be challenged in court, bans abortions after a fetuss heartbeat is detected - which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Scroll down for video Jason Bateman, star of Netflix's hit show Ozark, has joined a host of celebrities threatening to boycott Georgia over the abortion ban People listen at the Alabama State Capitol during the March for Reproductive Freedom against the state's new abortion law on Sunday The law also punishes doctors who defy the rules with a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Bateman's pledge could cause a huge headache for the Ozark producers since it is largely filmed in the state. Last week, Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp signed the bill to introduce a similar ban to those controversially brought in by Alabama and Missouri. Georgia joins a string of GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, center, signs legislation in Atlanta earlier this month, banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected Pro-abortion rights and anti-abortion demonstrators displaying their signs in the lobby of the Georgia State Capitol building in March People walk to the Alabama State Capitol during the March for Reproductive Freedom on Sunday afternoon Women in Georgia can currently seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy. A heartbeat can be detected in an embryo as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. In late March, more than 40 Hollywood celebrities signed a letter sent to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and Gov. Brian Kemp saying they will push TV and film production companies to abandon Georgia if the 'heartbeat' abortion bill is signed into law. Speaking at the Georgia Republican convention Saturday, Kemp acknowledged the growing fallout after he signed the anti-abortion law. 'I understand that some folks don't like this new law. I'm fine with that,' he said. 'We're elected to do what's right and standing up for precious life is always the right thing to do.' Kemp added: 'We are the party of freedom and opportunity. We value and protect innocent life - even though that makes C-list celebrities squawk.' Kemp hit out at the 'C-List celebrities' decrying the bill and said it had been introduced 'to stand up for precious life' Children as young as 12 are running rampant in Australia's major cities, racking up hefty damage bills and terrorising innocent families without any fear of punishment. Businesses and frustrated home owners are speaking out against young thugs who are causing havoc in their neighbourhoods, as the federal government considers increasing the age of criminal responsibility. As it currently stands, children can be found criminally responsible for their actions from the age of 10, but some advocacy groups are working to push this age up to 16. The worry for many is that by doing so, young children will have even less to fear from lawmakers, leading to increased violence on the streets. Staff at the Westfield in Fountain Gate, in Melbourne's south-east, say they are fed up with young criminals escaping punishment. Children as young as 12 are running rampant in Australia's major cities, racking up damage bills and inciting terror in their wake without any fear of punishment As it currently stands, children can be found criminally responsible for their actions from the age of 10, but some advocacy groups are working to push this age up to 16 'One hundred per cent it is affecting our sales quite a lot,' one Westfield staffer told A Current Affair. 'Ideally, I want to see them punished. You've done a crime, you need to be punished for it'. A fleet of security guards often patrol the Narre Warren shopping centre, dubbed the 'most unsafe' in Victoria. Concerned business owners said they are virtually helpless when gangs of up to a dozen teenagers storm their stores, damaging and stealing items. Several retailers confessed their stores had been 'ransacked' in recent weeks and a poll of 3000 locals found 74 per cent admitted they steered clear of the centre due to the common violence. 'They literally went through and flipped up all the tables and chairs and I was too scared to do anything as we were afraid of what will happen,' one cafe worker said. One woman said her 14-year-old son was mugged by a gang of six teenagers in the food court last month, while another 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted nearby in a brazen daylight attack in 2016. Two hundred children have gone on a rampant crime spree, terrorising residents in an affluent Sydney suburb. Pictured: The aftermath of a fight in Newport in March In one clip Jenny Fenech, a terrified shopper at Palmerston mall in Darwin, caught a 12-year-old boy's violent outburst after he consumed alcohol The violence isn't just limited to shopping centres in Melbourne, with confronting footage showing teenagers and youths in Melbourne, western Sydney and Darwin running riot in public places and on private properties. In one clip Jenny Fenech, a terrified shopper at Palmerston mall in Darwin, caught a 12-year-old boy's violent outburst after he consumed alcohol. She was dumbfounded that staff and security didn't step in to stop the boy, only to learn later that they legally aren't allowed. At one point the boy, who was using anything in his path to smash shop windows, threw a shard of glass at Ms Fenech. The 12-year-old boy was eventually subdued and arrested by officers, but was later released. Confronting footage shows teens and youths in Melbourne, western Sydney and Darwin running riot in public places and on private properties In March two teenage girls (pictured) attacked a chicken shop worker and stole the days earnings of $5,000 in the middle of the shopping centre As the law currently stands, the boy could have been found criminally responsible for his actions. But a movement is in motion to see that age raised to 16, with some arguing children below that age aren't fully aware of the consequences of their actions. Human Rights Law Centre's Ruth Barson told Channel Nine that children aren't capable of understanding the severity of their actions until at least 14. 'Doctors are clear that when it comes to children who are under the age of 14, there brain has not developed enough to the point where they should not be held criminally responsible,' she said. Human Rights Law Centre's Ruth Barson (left) argues the age of criminal responsibility should be increased while Former Victoria Police inspector Ivan Ray (right) says doing so would be 'disastrous' 'What we know is that right now, every year in Australia, 600 children under the age of 14 are locked up behind bars, and around 10,000 children are prosecuted by police, hauled before the courts and sentenced.' Former Victoria Police inspector Ivan Ray argued raising the age would be disastrous for innocent and hardworking Australians. 'The kids of today with the exposure to social media have much greater understanding of what is right and wrong at a much younger age,' he said, claiming only a small minority of children end up in prison for their indiscretions. Sydneysiders from the northern beaches to the western suburbs are fearing for their safety as increasing amounts of youth violence infringe on their personal lives. The violence has gotten so bad in Sydney's northern beaches that a top cop was forced to write a letter begging parents to look after their alcohol and drug-addled children. Northern Beaches Commander Superintendent Dave Darcy is so concerned about the problem that he was written a letter to principals from schools. Pictured: Children being spoken to after a fight in Newport Northern Beaches Commander Superintendent Dave Darcy wrote a letter to principals from schools in the area pleading with them and parents to control their children. 'There has been a significant deterioration in the behaviour of young people in the area. Teens, ages ranging from 13 to 18, from local schools, are out at all hours of the night, fuelled up on alcohol and drugs, both illegal and prescription,' he wrote in the letter. Meanwhile, CCTV footage caught three young vandals drinking from glass bottles and smashing car windows parked in a Blacktown driveway in the city's west after unsuccessfully attempting to break into the home. Homeowners Harry and Elizabeth said the incident was the second time their property had been vandalised, and left them fearing for their safety. They opted to stay with family in Baulkham Hills after the incident, which left two of their cars with broken windshields and rear window damage. The most recent data shows approximately 8,900 children between the ages of 10 to 13 were either charged or issued cautions, the Australian Bureau of Statistics found. Of those, approximately 2,800 had charges finalised in the Childrens Court. 'Such a low age is in breach of human rights standards and puts Australia out of step with the rest of the world, where the median age is 14 years,' the Human Rights Law Centre argues. Panchal (pictured outside Warwick Crown Court on Friday) has been spared jail after driving her car at her husband A raging wife who drove her car at her husband only for him to jump into the open boot to escape injury has been spared jail. Nival Panchal, 30, swerved across the road as she continued to drive around with him in the boot. But a judge apologised to her at Warwick Crown Court as he said the case could have been dealt with by magistrates. Recorder Adrian Reynolds said he was 'very sorry' Panchal had faced a dangerous driving charge as opposed to the less severe careless driving she admitted. It came after she packed her 14-month-old daughter and her belongings into a Seat Ibiza during a row with her husband. Mr Panchal objected to her taking their child and so stood behind the vehicle to block her. But she reversed off the drive of their home in Coventry, West Midlands, leading him to leap into the open boot. She swerved across the road, driving for some distance before stopping on August 27 last year. Mr Panchal escaped and called the police. Panchal, now of Leicester, pleaded guilty to careless driving when she appeared at court on Friday. Recorder Adrian Reynolds handed Panchal a conditional discharge and gave her five points on her licence. 'This case should have been dealt with in the magistrates' court, in my opinion,' he said. 'It was an unfortunate incident in the context of a dying relationship, and it's clear to me you were in some distress at the time. 'I don't think you are a threat to the general public, and I don't think I will see you again - and I am very sorry you are here today. To charge this as dangerous driving was, in my view, an error of judgement.' The court heard Panchal had been married for two years but was in a 'turbulent relationship.' Prosecutor Tim Sapwell said she had repeatedly reported her husband to the police for alleged assault, which he said was 'ridiculous.' Mr Sapwell said: 'Mr Panchal protested about that, and when Panchal put the little girl in the car, he stood behind the open hatchback and remonstrated with his wife. 'But she reversed the car, and he had no option but to jump in the boot, and she then drove forward over the lawn and onto the road. 'She drove down the road swerving across the road with her husband in the open boot for a distance, but then stopped.' Her husband got out, took the car key and called the police, but Panchal had gone by the time they arrived. When she was later interviewed, she claimed she had not realised her husband was in the boot when she drove off. She was initially charged with dangerous driving which she denied but later admitted the lesser charge of careless driving. Prime Minister Theresa may is pictured at a church service near Maidenhead on Sunday morning. A source said there is nothing new in her Brexit deal Desperate Theresa May is today facing an even bigger defeat on her Brexit deal as senior Tories abandon her. David Davis has declared he will switch from backing the plan to opposing it when the Brexit Bill comes before parliament - leaving the PM on track for humiliation. Tory Brexiteers are confident the margin of defeat for the package thrashed out with Brussels will be greater than the 58 in March. Mrs May is preparing to make a 'big speech' in a last-ditch effort to change her fortunes before the showdown in a fortnight's time, promising to make a 'bold new offer'. But sources who have seen drafts of the legislation insist it does not contain any significant new measures. Instead it will flesh out details of concessions already offered on workers' rights and a democratic lock in Northern Ireland. 'There is nothing new in it,' a Cabinet source said. Former Brexit secretary Mr Davis, who backed Mrs May's deal at its second and third attempts, said he would vote against the plan as it stands. 'The reason I voted for the last two variants of it is that it had been modified a bit, but what was clear was if we didn't get that through, there would be a chaotic consequential outcome. And that is what we are seeing now, this chaos,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'This is not a great new offer; it's a great new concession. What it will do, and this is the critical thing, is, if we pass that act, it opens things up so that the successor to the prime minister, the next prime minister, will have their hands tied. 'And I think the next prime minister must have the right to reset the negotiations on their terms.' Mrs May has said she will bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill - known as WAB - before MPs for its crucial second reading vote in the first week of June following the short Whitsun recess. Regardless of how the vote goes, she will then meet the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, to agree a timetable to elect her successor as party leader, paving the way for her departure from No10. Downing Street said Mrs May was expected to talk to ministers in advance of tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, but could not say when the WAB will be published. 'We have been working on that piece of legislation for a long time so the vast bulk of the work is completed but there is still work ongoing,' the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters. Asked how the WAB would be different to the deal previously voted on, he said: 'I think ministers have set out that they had good discussions with the Opposition in relation to areas such as workers' rights and environmental protections.' Mrs May said yesterday that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which MPs will vote on next month, would include 'an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support'. Writing in The Sunday Times, Mrs May said MPs would face 'decision time' over whether they wanted to honour the 2016 referendum by leaving the European Union with a deal or risk a No Deal departure or no Brexit at all. She said the legislation, which is due to be voted on by Parliament in the first week of June, 'represents a new, bold offer to MPs across the House of Commons'. 'It accepts a couple of amendments on workers' rights and Northern Ireland, but we have already said we would accept them.' Neil Abbott (pictured), 32, from Romford, east London was handed a sexual harm prevention order at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday. It prevents him from carrying any device that can take pictures in public. He did not attend the hearing A project manager caught taking a repulsive upskirting photo at a railway station has been banned from having any device capable of taking pictures in public. Neil Abbott, 32, from Romford, east London snapped the woman, 20, while she was queuing for food at the Mi Casa burrito stand at Liverpool Street station last August. After his arrest police discovered more than 30 other upskirting photos, which Abbott said he had downloaded because he got a kick from looking at them. Earlier this month Abbott was sentenced to a community order lasting three years requiring 280 hours of unpaid work and 12 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also ordered to pay 1,000 in compensation to his victim. Abbott did not attend his latest hearing on Friday at Westminster Magistrates Court and District Judge Parkash Aujla imposed a sexual harm prevention order in his absence. He is not here and we have received no indication, so we will proceed in his absence, said the judge. I have read the application and have no reason not to make the order. Earlier Simon Maughan, prosecuting, said: A 20-year-old female was in the area of Liverpool Street Station along with a witness on August 25, 2018 at around 11.30pm. She had a short denim skirt on with no tights on. A shocked witness said in a statement read to the court: At this time I noticed a white male arrive. However in the distance between me and the victim he jumped the queue. I thought he might have known the two because he jumped the queue. He took his mobile phone from his left front pocket to take a picture from under the victims skirt, standing behind her. The screen was facing up and he took the photo with the front facing camera. He wasnt rushing, as if he had done it before. Abbott snapped the woman, 20, while she was queuing for food at the Mi Casa burrito stand at Liverpool Street station (pictured) last August The witness told the victim that Abbott had snapped her and she began to chase him in the station, alerting security staff as she did so. After his arrest he said: I have learned my lesson, cant I just delete the pictures? Mr Maughan told the court: The iPhone was analysed and 33 upskirting photos were found on the phone, the 32 were of unknown females in unknown locations between May 9, 2018 and August 25, 2018. Abbott admitted one count of outraging public decency. A sexual prevention order was imposed preventing him from carrying any device capable of taking photographs, filming or storing images in a public place. If he is found with one he must immediately make it available for inspection by any police officer. He is further prevented from using any such device in public transport. When travelling via public transport or train, he can only do so with a registered Oyster card, a bank card in his name or prepaid tickets purchased through a credit card in his name, and surrender the cards to the police when required. The order is valid until further notice. An Alabama police officer who was shot and killed overnight responding to a domestic violence call has been identified as a 13-year veteran with a wife and two children, as police announced the arrest of a suspect on capital murder charges. During a press conference late Monday morning, officials named the officer who was fatally shot at a trailer park Sunday night as William Buechner, 37, of the Auburn Police Department. Two other officers, identified as Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott, were wounded but are expected to recover. Police on Monday apprehended 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes (left), who faces a capital murder charge for allegedly killing Auburn, Alabama, police officer William Buechner (right) responding to a domestic violence call Sunday The accused gunman, 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, was apprehended by police and members of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force at around 7am local time on Monday following an intense manhunt. Wilkes faces a capital murder charge, three counts of attempted murder and second-degree domestic violence. A prosecutor said he plans to pursue the death penalty against Wilkes for Buechner's murder. Earlier reports said Wilkes was wearing camouflage, body armor and a helmet. According to his social media accounts, Wilkes is or was in the US Army. It is unclear if he is still enlisted. Auburn Police Division Chief Paul Register confirmed during the press briefing Wilkes' ties to the military. Wilkes was taken into custody early Monday near the intersection of Beehive Road and Wire Road in Auburn, less than a mile from where police say he opened fire on the three officers last night. Auburn officers Webb Sistrunk (left) and Evan Elliott (right) were wounded in the shooting but are expected to recover It began at around 10.40pm local time on Sunday when police responded to a domestic disturbance at Arrowhead Trailer Park in Auburn, a town around 50 miles east of Montgomery. Wilkes at one time served in the US Army and at the time of the shooting was dressed in camouflage It is unclear who called police but when the three officers responded, Wilkes allegedly opened fire on them and then fled. Officer Buechner was airlifted to East Alabama Medical Center and died in the emergency room of his injuries. He leaves behind his wife, a teenage daughter and a toddler son. Chief Register described Buechner as a well-liked and respected officer who had served on the force for 13 years. Officer Sistrunk is a K-9 handler who has been with the division for eight years. He continues to receive treatment for his injuries in the Columbus Regional Medical Center. Officer Elliot, who joined the police force last year, has been treated and released. It remains unclear how many weapons Wilkes had with him, or which kind. According to police, they had had no contact with the 29-year-old veteran prior to Sunday. Students of Auburn University located near the trailer park where he was last seen had been told not to come to campus until he is found. At 8.51am local time, the university's alert system sent out a tweet announcing Wilkes' capture: 'ALL CLEAR. Police report the suspect in the off-campus shooting is in custody. ALL CLEAR.' Buechner leaves behind a wife, a teen daughter and a baby son (left). Sistrunk (center) has served as a K-9 handler for eight years. Elliott (right) joined the force last year President Donald Trump will launch his 2020 reelection campaign around Father's Day this year, according to a new report Monday. Even though the campaign launch might not occur exactly on the holiday, Republican sources told Axios the president often thinks of his 2016 kickoff. This year, Father's Day Sunday falls on June 16, which would be exactly four years since Trump came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower in New York City to announced he was running for president in 2016. If Trump were to stay true to form with the day of his relaunch, he would again announce on Flag day, which is Friday June 14. Flag Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the adoption of the American flag on June 14, 1777. Trump is expect to launch his reelection campaign four years to the day from his 2016 campaign where he rode down Trump Tower's golden escalators If he stays true to form, he will launch on June 14, which is Flag Day. The president is a fan of the red, white and blue, and has on several occasions hugged the flag on stage with him at rallies and other events Trump is a big fan of the stars and stripes, and has on more than one occasion hugged the American flag on stage with him at rallies and other events including at the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference. A senior Trump campaign official did not respond to a request for comment about the launch schedule. Republican sources say that the president's reelection campaign will get going with a chain of rallies in key swing states. Trump is traveling to Montoursville, Pennsylvania on Monday to hold a rally in the swing state he won in the last presidential elections. He also won other key swing states Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Florida in 2016. When campaigning, Trump maintained a grueling rally schedule, but substantially decreased the frequency of the events after he was inaugurated in January 2017. From June to December 2015, after Trump announced he was running, he held 48 rallies. However, from June to December 2017 the same stretch of time, but post-inauguration Trump only held six rallies. As Trump fills stadiums with his rallies, the Democratic field is still crowded and searching for clear leadership within the party on who will take the reins to beat Trump in 2020. Trump regularly fills stadiums at his campaign rallies, and is expected to begin his 2020 campaign with a burst of rallies in swing states The president is headed to Pennsylvania, a swing state he won in 2016, for a rally on Monday evening There are 24 Democrats running in the 2020 primaries so far, and Trump believes the four front-runners he is likely to face are former Vice President Joe Biden (top left), Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (top right), South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (bottom left) and former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke There are 24 Democrats already running in the Democratic primary race with indications that there will be more entering the field in the coming months. Even some of the frontrunners in the Democratic competition usually only see a few hundred people turn out for their events. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who often polls in the top 5, visited a Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C. last Thursday, where she spoke to a crowd of about 400. If Trump were to announce next month, and then kick off a round of rallies, he could likely take attention away from the Democratic National Committee debates. The first DNC debate will include 20 of the top candidates, and will take place in Miami, Florida at the end of June. So far, Trump's only Republican primary challenger is William Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts. It appears that a few other Republicans could vie for the party's nomination, but it is unlikely that anyone will unseat the incumbent in the party's primary race. Trump has predicted that he will face one of four candidates in 2020: former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Texas Representative Beto O'Rourke or South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. New espionage laws could be brought in to crack down on foreign agents in Britain in the wake of the Salisbury novichok attack, the Home Secretary has said. Sajid Javid said the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal by Russian intelligence agents showed Britain needed tougher rules to deal with 'hostile states'. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats in the wake to the attack, but Mr Javid said the incident had revealed 'real gaps' in existing laws. He announced that the Government is preparing the way for a new espionage Bill. Sajid Javid today said Britain needs tougher rules to deal with agents from 'hostile states' Russian agents Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin on their assassination trip to the UK In a speech at Scotland Yard, Mr Javid said: 'Since the Salisbury attack, the Home Office has been reviewing the laws we have around hostile state activity. 'I believe that there are some real gaps in current legislation. 'We have to ensure that we have the necessary powers to meet the current and evolving threats to the UK, both domestically and overseas. 'Getting that right, and having those right powers and resources in place for countering hostile states, must be a post-Brexit priority.' Mr Javid said the proposed espionage Bill will bring together 'new and modernised powers', giving security services the 'legal authority they need to tackle this threat'. Areas under consideration will include whether to follow other countries in introducing a 'foreign agent registration' requirement. The Home Secretary said: 'There are other countries - the US is probably the best example in this space - that have something similar in place. 'By having laws like that, I think it would make it easier for us to act should we detect hostile state activity in the future.' Chemical weapons experts work at the scene where Mr Skripal and his daughter collapsed Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats in the wake of the attack, but new rules could go further He also disclosed that he has asked officials to consider the case for updating treason laws. Mr Javid said: 'Our definition of terrorism is probably broad enough to cover those who betray our country by supporting terror abroad. 'But if updating the old offence of treason would help us to counter hostile state activity, then there is merit to considering that too.' Any new measures would build on action already taken by ministers in the wake of the Salisbury attack in March 2018. Legislation passed earlier this year introduced a new power for authorities to stop, question, search and detain an individual at UK ports and borders to determine whether they are, or have been, involved in hostile state activity. Existing immigration powers have also been used in dozens of cases, Mr Javid said. He said: 'My message is clear: the UK is open to the world, but if you seek to do us harm, you are not welcome.' Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko speaking in the wake of the novichok attack Anti-terror police have foiled 19 attacks in the last two years including 14 by Islamist extremists and 'tempo is increasing' warns Home Secretary Sajid Javid Britain's security services have foiled 19 terror attacks in the last two years, the Home Secretary revealed today. Anti-terror police and MI5 have thwarted 14 Islamist-inspired atrocities and five planned attacks by 'extreme right-wing' plotters, Sajid Javid said. He warned that, despite the success in stopping plots since the Parsons Green attack in 2018, 'the tempo of terrorist activity is increasing'. Counter-terrorism specialist firearms police detain a man in a raid in November last year Mr Javid cited the attacks in Sri Lanka and New Zealand as evidence that 'the threat from beyond our shores is also increasing'. He said: 'Each and every day, our security services fight against terror from large international terrorist groups, to radicalised individuals. 'In the past two years, they have foiled 19 major terrorist attacks 14 of them Islamist, and 5 of them motivated by extreme right-wing ideologies. 'But those are just the headline figures. For each attack prevented, there are dozens more that never have the chance to begin in the first place. And despite this impressive work, the tempo of terrorist activity is increasing.' Muslim convert wanted to mow down Oxford Street shoppers Lewis Ludlow Among the foiled plots was that of British Muslim convert Lewis Ludlow, who plotted the slaughter of scores of Oxford Street shoppers. In March and April last year, Ludlow prepared to drive a van through busy crowds. He was stopped after police followed him and found a note setting out his plans ripped up in a bin. He was jailed for life earlier this year. Advertisement The worrying statistics were revealed as Mr Javid new counter-terror laws which could ban British nationals from travelling to the last remaining rebel enclave in Idlib, north-west Syria. The move follows the passing earlier this year of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act which allows the Home Secretary to bar UK citizens from travelling to or remaining in specific designated areas in order to protect the public from terrorism. Failure to comply can result in a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Mr Javid said: 'I've asked my officials to work closely with the police and intelligence agencies to urgently review the case for exercising this power in relation to Syria, with a particular focus on Idlib and the north east,' he said. 'So anyone who is in these areas without a legitimate reason should be on notice.' He said police have seized passports at the border and prevented suspected extremists from leaving the country. He said: 'As these threats become more global we all rely on an international system of defence, policing, security and intelligence. A safety net based upon cooperation, and unity. 'These structures rely upon free, democratic nations to pool information, co-ordinate law enforcement action, and surrender suspected criminals across borders. 'More than any other country on Earth, the UK has a coherent, connected approach to intelligence and security and when threats appear, the world still turns to the UK for leadership, support, and action.' Idlib - which is surrounded by the Syrian government forces of President Bashar Assad - is home to an estimated 3 million civilians living in increasingly desperate conditions. Since January it has been largely controlled by the jihadist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - previously known as the al-Nusra Front until it broke off formal ties with al Qaida in 2016. One of the Britons killed in a plane crashed near Dubai airport last week has been identified as a former RAF wing commander. David Phillips, thought to be from the north east, served as an air traffic control examiner and had more than 3,000 hours of flying experience He died on Thursday last week alongside two other Britons and a South African when their Diamond Aircraft DA62 aircraft fell from the sky in the UAE. David Phillips, a former RAF wing commander, has been identified as one of the three Britons killed in the UAE last week when their plane crashed near Dubai airport Mr Phillips was an air traffic control examiner, served as a Commanding Officer in the Air Training Corps and had more than 3,000 hours of flying experience The 83 St George's Squadron ATC paid tribute to Mr Phillips - who was affectionately known as Spot - following his death The crew, who were employed by Flight Calibration Services, based in Kent, were working to improve the runway at Dubai's airport when tragedy struck. Tributes to Mr Phillips - who was affectionately known as 'Spot' - have been paid online, including by the 83 St Georges Squadron Air Training Corps. A spokesman for the corps wrote: 'It's with heavy heart that we have to inform you of the death of our Commanding Officer Flt Lt David Phillips. 'Our heartfelt condolences are with his family at this tragic time.' Initial indications suggest the crash was the result of a technical malfunction, though an investigation is sill underway. The two-year-old aircraft had been operating out of the Middle East since October. Dubai's international airport is one of the world's busiest aviation hubs. The crashed aircraft, a Diamond DA62, pictured, was owned by Flight Calibration Services. The company won a competition to calibrate the navigation aids at Dubai Aiport in November The aircraft was calibrating navigation equipment at Dubai international airport, pictured A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'We are working closely with the Emirati authorities following reports of a small aircraft crash in Dubai.' US engineering and aerospace company Honeywell said it had hired Flight Calibration Services and the DA42 plane for work in Dubai. In a statement, Honeywell said: 'We are deeply saddened by todays plane crash in Dubai, and our heartfelt condolences are with the victims families.' As Health Secretary he is in charge of the nation's fitness and well-being. But Matt Hancock showed his human side this morning by wolfing down a sugary treat minutes before doing a live television interview today. The senior Cabinet minister was pulled up during his appearance on Good Morning Britain after eating a stroopwafel, a Dutch delicacy consisting of two thin layers of waffle around a caramel centre. When footage of his impromptu breakfast was played he said: 'All good things in moderation. We are all allowed a bit of joy in our lives from time to time.' Asked by Piers Morgan why he was 'scoffing' the 356 calorie treat, he said: 'I knew I was about to come on this programme and I knew I needed to be up and ready to go at it.' Mr Morgan went on to point out that the stroopwafel also contained 16.2g of fat, around half a man's daily recommended allowance. But a sheepish-looking Mr Hancock replied: 'If you like a caramel waffle have a caramel waffle, just don't have too many - and do a bit of exercise. 'I love life, but I love my waffles.' Mr Hancock later declined to rulke out running to be Tory leader. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I don't rule out standing for the leadership of the Conservative Party. 'It's flattering that lots of people have asked me to put my name forward and proposed to support me.' Asked if he was reluctant to declare his candidacy because a recent poll suggested he had just one per cent of grassroots Tory support, he said: 'No, because the contest hasn't started yet. 'I have a strong view about the sort of leader that we need - we need a leader not just for now but also for the future, we need to be absolutely four-square in the centre ground of British politics. 'We need to be delivering on the things that matter to people, deliver Brexit but then move forward. 'We need to concentrate on the pound in people's pockets and have a patriotic unionism, not a narrow nationalism.' She was in second year of communications degree at university in Vilnius A 19-year-old university student fell 90 feet to her death while trying to 'take a selfie' from her balcony. Viktoria Grinkevich, from Belarus, was taking a late night picture over Lithuanian capital Vilnius when the tragedy happened. The accident happened at her student hostel in the early hours yesterday morning. Viktoria Grinkevich, 19, died after falling 90 feet from her hostel balcony while trying to 'take a selfie' over Lithuania's capital Vilnius late at night Paramedics tried in vain to save Viktoria for half an hour after she fell ten floors after 'overbalancing'. Her friends said she had climbed over a handrail to take the photo Friends said she stepped on a stool then climbed onto the handrail on the balcony. She lost her balance and fell some 90 feet, they have told police. She had wanted to take a selfie against the background of the night sky over the city, they said. An ambulance arrived quickly at the scene and for half an hour paramedics sought to save her, but failed. The scene of the tragedy outside the student block in Vilnius, Lithuania The view of the upper floors in the student hostel. Viktoria fell off of a balcony on the tenth floor Viktoria was a second year student majoring in media and communications studies at the European Humanitarian University in Vilnius. A statement by the university said: 'Students, teachers and all member of the community are shocked with this tragedy. 'We send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Viktoria. The Belarus Foreign Ministry confirmed her tragic death and said they were in touch with law enforcement agencies in Lithuania Her university issued a statement saying: 'Students, teachers and all member of the community are shocked with this tragedy' 'Vilnius police is investigating the circumstances of the tragedy.' The Belarus Foreign Ministry confirmed her tragic death. 'The Belarus embassy is in touch with the law enforcement agencies of Lithuania,' said spokesman Anatoly Glaz. The Kremlin on Monday said the corruption scandal involving Austria's far-right party that caused the government to collapse has nothing to do with Russia. 'This is an incident that has not and could not have anything to do with us,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Russia's first official comment on the scandal. The scandal was prompted by the publication by two German newspapers on Friday of footage from a sophisticated hidden-camera sting in 2017. In the recordings - of unknown origin - Austria's Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache is seen talking to a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch, Igor Makarov. The video filmed in Ibiza in 2017 shows former Vice-Chancellor Austria Heinz-Christian Strache (right) meeting a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch. The Kremlin today denied any involvement Heinz-Christian Strache (pictured) quit his government post as well as his 14-year leadership of the far-right Freedom Party on Saturday Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People's Party, (second from right) arrives for a news conference in Vienna today after announcing fresh elections The pair discuss how she could invest in Austria, and Strache holds out the possibility of awarding public contracts in return. Strache has stepped down as vice-chancellor and leader of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) in disgrace and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for new elections. 'I can't in any way evaluate the appearance of this video because it has nothing to do with Russia or the president or the government,' Peskov said. 'We don't know for sure who this woman is, whether she is an ethnic Russian or a Russian citizen.' Austrian Interior Minister Herbert Kickl of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe), delivers a press statement today as media speculation grows that he will be forced out 'We will give up our government offices if Interior Minister Herbert Kickl is forced out,' Transport Minister Norbert Hofer (right) said today The oligarch referred to in the video, Makarov, told the Russian edition of Forbes magazine on Sunday that he is an only child and has 'no blood ties' with the woman in the video, with whom 'I am not acquainted at all.' The scandal has wrecked the country's government just before European elections, bringing an end to a coalition many on the European right held up as a model. With Kurz scrambling to regain control over the weekend, saying he can no longer tolerate the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) scandals, media speculation is growing he will also oust the Interior Minister Herbert Kickl. In the video, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. Kickl (pictured) was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made But the FPOe closed ranks behind Kickl, threatening to quit their cabinet posts, which besides the interior ministry include the foreign, defence, transport and social affairs ministries. 'We will give up our government offices if Interior Minister Herbert Kickl is forced out,' Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPOe leadership on Sunday, told a press conference. 'I feel very sorry that such a great government project ends so soon... I think this government was very popular,' he said, adding that Kickl had done 'nothing wrong'. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday suggested elections be held in early September with a date to be fixed after further talks with other parties. In the footage Strache is shown speaking to a fake Russian backer inside a villa on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 2017. They discuss how she could gain control of the country's largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung, and install editorial staff who would help the FPOe's 2017 election campaign. In return, Strache held out the possibility of awarding public contracts. Elsewhere in the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. Kickl was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. 'It is clear Herbert Kickl cannot investigate himself,' Kurz was quoted by the Kurier newspaper on Monday. He has said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPOe-related scandals. The most damaging recent controversy linked to interior minister Kickl was last year when he ordered raids on the country's own domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austria's Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPOe has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. People gathered outside the office of the Vice Chancellor on Saturday as he made his resignation speech Over the weekend thousands of people demonstrated in Vienna against the government at an impromptu gathering in front of the chancelery on Saturday, as well as at a previously planned pro-EU rally on Sunday. In an emotional resignation statement Saturday, Strache said he had been 'stupid' and 'irresponsible' but was the victim of a 'targeted political attack'. The scandal has already made waves outside of Austria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the weekend reacted to the scandal by warning of the dangers of far-right politicians 'for sale', who wanted to 'destroy the Europe of our values'. The scandal may also dent the prospects of the far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, in which the FPOe plays a key part. For most first-time homebuyers, completing the purchase of their new property is the end of a long and often stressful process. But for teacher Rekha Patel, it was just the start of her problems. Since she bought the cottage in a picturesque Peak District village of Glossop nine years ago, she has been locked in a series of bitter court rows which ended with her being arrested, and now cleared, of squatting. Maths teacher Miss Patel bought the cottage, her first home, in 2010 for 162,500. She spent 30,000 doing it up before moving in to the property three years later. But her problems stated before she even moved in when, during the renovation work, builders were accused of damaging 12 'thackstone' tiles on a neighbouring property. Rekha Patel has spent nine years fighting over a home she bought in the Peak District. She has now been cleared of squatting in the property, but banned from going back to it Alteration work was also carried out to the roof without listed building consent. Although she did get retrospective consent for the work, her neighbour took her to court. Representing herself, Miss Patel was found against by a judge. He ruled stones belonging to the neighbour, a 'key architectural feature' had been removed, and ordered she pay costs and damages, and denied an appeal. She paid 17,000 but was served with an outstanding bill of 72,000. She later said: 'The court case broke me, totally broke me. I had tried to set up installments but they ignored me. In the end I thought it would be criminal to pay and fuel these bullies.' But her problems didn't end there. In 2016, an eviction order was imposed over the outstanding debts and she was kicked out of her home. She temporarily moved back with her parents before moving back to the house, claiming the eviction order was not valid. The house was later sold to settle the debt and a local estate agent bought it but a team of builders he sent to the site were met by 'activists', Manchester magistrates heard. She lost the property after a court ordered its sale to pay outstanding debts and was later removed by police. She was however found not guilty of entering the house illegally On June 29 last, after issuing warnings those inside were trespassing, police smashed their way into the cottage and found Ms Patel alone and blockaded in a bedroom. She was arrested and charged with squatting in a house she claimed to have a legal right to stay in as a tenant. But after a two day trial at Manchester Magistrates Court a district judge found her not guilty of entering the house illegally. A notice on the door sends a warning about entering the property following long-running legal wrangles over it Judge Hadfield said he had heard no evidence as to when she entered the building. 'What I do know is that she was in there on June 29,' he said. 'Mr Turner confirmed that he was content parties to remain there. I don't know if Miss Patel was already in there at that time. 'Therefore, I cannot be sure she entered as a trespasser and therefore I find her not guilty.' After the verdict, prosecutors made an application to impose a five-year restraining order on Ms Patel preventing her entering Simmondley Village or causing harassment. Questioned about the proposal, Ms Patel said: 'It's a disgrace. I'm not a criminal, I'm not a menace to society.' She admitted that her feelings about the house 'ran very deep', adding: 'I've had my house stolen off me.' Judge Hadfield placed a five-year restraining order on her which only prevented her from going to her former home. 'It's not a punishment, it's just to ensure there are no further problems,' he said. Theresa May will bring back her deal and hope that MPs will back it as the last chance to deliver Brexit Theresa May is set for a new row with her cabinet over planning for a No Deal Brexit with her allies again warning it could break up the UK and be 'immensely disruptive' to the economy. The Prime Minister is still hoping MPs will back her 'new and improved' deal next month - but will bill it as the last chance for Britain to get out of the EU without crashing out. Backing up Mrs May today, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'If people don't vote for the bill, there will be no vehicle to take us out of the European Union'. And speaking in Geneva Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: 'I would never advocate a no-deal Brexit, I think it would be immensely disruptive economically'. But yesterday Rory Stewart, the new international development secretary, said No Deal must come off 'off the table' for god and so should a second referendum. He is understood to have the backing of several other remainer ministers. The weekly meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday is expected to sign off on a package of measures to be included in the forthcoming Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) aimed at winning cross-party support. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay has said that the Government must now 'prepare for No Deal' if MPs throw out Mrs May's deal for a fourth time. Mr Barclay has the backing of new Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom who also want planning stepped up before October 31. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay wants the Government to step up No Deal planning again if Mrs May's deal is defeated by some colleagues want it taken off the table completely Theresa May's chief of staff Gavin Barwell has reportedly claimed that No Deal would lead to a border poll on the reunification of Ireland, breaking up the UK. Mr Barwell also said that Scotland would also follow, and tensions could rise in Wales, according to the Financial Times. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was in Geneva today and warned of the economic consequences of No Deal The EU will not renegotiate the Brexit withdrawal deal regardless of who the UK's next prime minister is, Ireland's foreign minister has warned. Simon Coveney described political events at Westminster as 'extraordinary', as he questioned the logic of politicians who believed a change of leader would deliver changes to the agreement struck by Theresa May. 'The EU has said very clearly that the Withdrawal Agreement has been negotiated over two-and-a-half years, it was agreed with the British government and the British cabinet and it's not up for renegotiation, even if there is a new British prime minister,' he said. 'The personality might change but the facts don't.' In a scathing assessment of the political situation in the UK, Mr Coveney told RTE that Britain could trigger a no deal by 'default' if its MPs failed to get their act together. He said he believed Mrs May was a 'decent person' trying to find a middle ground position, but had been thwarted by an 'impossible' Conservative Party. There is widespread scepticism at Westminster that it will fare any better than her three previous failed attempts to get the Commons to pass the deal. Following the collapse last week of cross-party talks with Labour aimed at reaching a common approach, Jeremy Corbyn said he had not yet seen anything new that would persuade him to support it. It comes at the start of what looks likely to be another torrid week for the Prime Minister with the Conservatives braced for a hammering at the hands of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in the European elections on Thursday. One weekend poll put them in a humiliating fifth place behind the Greens, with the results likely to exacerbate frustration in the party at the failure to leave the EU in March as planned. Labour - which has been criticised for facing both ways on a second referendum - is also expecting a difficult result with the same poll showing them in third place behind the Liberal Democrats. A Government source said the WAB - which is needed to ratify the deal with Brussels - would include new measures on protecting workers' rights, an issue where agreement with Labour was said to have been close. However, the source made clear the package would not just be aimed at Labour MPs but would seek to secure the widest possible support across the Commons. It is expected to include provisions on future trade arrangements with the EU, on environmental protections, and on Northern Ireland, including the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls with the Republic. Ministers will also consider whether to put any of the alternative approaches to indicative votes in the Commons to establish which, if any, can command a majority. It will not, however, seek to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement - which included the controversial Northern Ireland 'backstop' - after the EU repeatedly made clear it could not be re-negotiated. Mrs May has said she will bring the WAB before MPs for its second reading vote in the first week of June following the short Whitsun recess. Regardless of how the vote goes, she will then meet the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, to agree a timetable to elect her successor as party leader, paving the way for her departure from No 10. The Prime Minister expected to set out details of her WAB proposals in a major speech before the end of the month. Downing Street said Mrs May was expected to talk to ministers in advance of Tuesday's Cabinet meeting but could not confirm when the WAB will be published. 'We have been working on that piece of legislation for a long time so the vast bulk of the work is completed but there is still work ongoing,' the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters. Asked how the WAB would be different to the deal previously voted on, he said: 'I think ministers have set out that they had good discussions with the Opposition in relation to areas such as workers' rights and environmental protections.' Five Romanian farm workers have been jailed for the gang rape of a teenager. The victim was abducted from outside a nightclub and taken to a remote car park in Jersey where the group each took turns to rape her. They even filmed parts of the horrifying ordeal on their mobile phones. The woman stayed silent during the attack throughout as she thought she was going to be killed, a court heard. Five Romanian farm workers have been jailed for the gang rape of a teenager. Pictured are Oprea Dobre, 18, (left) and Dorel Diaconu, 23, (right) The five attackers: Florin Calin, 20, Dorel Diaconu, 23, Oprea Dobre, 18, Alexandru Dobrin, 18, and Marius Dobrin, 24, have now each been jailed for ten years. They all pleaded guilty to two charges of rape, one of vaginal penetration and another of penetration of the mouth. The Royal Court in Jersey heard during the sentencing hearing on Friday that they each took turns raping her at Les Platons car park in December last year. A judge heard that the five men had gone to a nightclub when Marius Dobrin began dancing and flirting with the victim. Crown Advocate Simon Thomas, prosecuting, said that he 'hardly left her side' for the rest of the night and that the victim 'appeared to be very drunk'. He added: 'CCTV footage from the street outside the club shows Marius hovering over her, helping to light a cigarette and putting a coat over her shoulders. 'The other defendants can be seen waiting in a huddle nearby.' Dobrin and the victim then walked up Bath Street with the other four defendants following close behind. The five men drove the victim to Les Platons car park, where they raped her. Reading from her statement to the police, Crown Advocate Thomas said that the victim did not attempt to fight back as 'I thought I was going to get murdered.' The five attackers: Florin Calin, 20, (right) Dorel Diaconu, 23, Oprea Dobre, 18, Alexandru Dobrin, 18, (left) and Marius Dobrin, 24, have now each been jailed for ten years Calin then drove the victim and the other attackers back to town, where she was found by a member of the public who had heard 'two screams'. Requesting a sentence of ten years in prison, Crown Advocate Thomas said: 'There is no case remotely like this one. 'That is to a say, a case where a young woman has been abducted by five men, driven to a remote location and raped while filming took place.' The court heard that Diaconu and Calin both filmed parts of the attack - evidence which proved crucial to police when investigating. The Bailiff, Sir William Bailhache, presiding, said that 'by any standards these were appalling crimes'. After the case, Acting Detective Inspector Christina MacLennan, head of the States police Serious Crime Unit, praised the bravery of the victim - who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the attack. The victim was abducted from outside a nightclub and taken to a remote car park in Jersey where the group each took turns to rape her. They even filmed parts of the horrifying ordeal on their mobile phones. Pictured is Marius Dobrin The Royal Court in Jersey (pictured) heard during the sentencing hearing on Friday that they each took turns raping her at Les Platons car park in December last year The officer added that without 'the strength she has shown during this investigation, we would not have had the result we have today'. She said: 'Although stranger rape is a particularly serious offence to investigate, thankfully they remain a rare occurrence in Jersey. 'The States of Jersey Police have the utmost determination to investigate and prosecute all sexual offenders and we can assure victims that there is help available from a number of agencies who are in a position to offer support and guidance through all stages of the criminal justice process. 'We remain committed to working with our partners, especially support and advocacy services such as the SARC at Dewberry House, JAAR and the Jersey Women's Refuge, to encourage victims of sexual crime to report such incidents..' As well as being jailed for ten years, the five men will also be on the Sex Offenders' Register for 12 years and were recommended for deportation. A restraining order was also imposed, stopping them from contacting the victim. An Oregon man was arrested after surveillance video showed him helping himself to $5 worth of alcohol inside a closed restaurant after emerging from his hiding place. Jason Daniel McIntyre, 31, is said to have hid inside The Beach Club in Lincoln City until after it closed and was then seen on camera consuming an unspecified type of alcohol early on Thursday. McIntyre was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft charges and has been released ahead of his court date. McIntyre's attorney and the Beach Club did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment. Jason Daniel McIntyre, 31, has been charged with a felony and misdemeanor after surveillance video showed him helping himself to $5 worth of alcohol inside the Beach Club in Lincoln City, Oregon after closing Police arrived to The Beach Club shortly after 3am on Thursday morning after the owners called reporting seeing a man inside the restaurant on surveillance cameras. The man, who police identified as McIntyre, could be seen in the video at the bar drinking alcohol. Authorities said he had been drinking at the restaurant during business hours and had hid in an unused space before re-emerging after staff had gone home for the evening. The owners of the restaurant met police at the property and let them in to find McIntyre, who was arrested without incident, Oregon Live reported. Authorities said McIntyre (left and right) had been drinking at the Beach Club during business hours and had hid in an unused space before re-emerging after staff had closed for the night McIntyre was arraigned on Thursday on a felony charge of burglary in the second degree and a misdemeanor charge of theft in the third degree. He was released on the conditions of having no contact with the Beach Club, and no possession or consumption of alcohol or controlled substances including marijuana, which is fully legal in the state for both medicinal and recreational purposes. McIntyre must also report in person to the pre-trial services department ever other Tuesday at 3pm, beginning on May 21. McIntyre is currently on probation for pleading guilty to unlawful entry into a motor vehicle in April. His next hearing in the current case is set for June 17. President Donald Trump offered two Democrats spearheading investigations into him a new lease of life on Monday, if they refocus probes into his connections with Russia and his alleged obstruction of justice. Trump said two nemeses, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New Jersey, could be viable presidential candidates one day - they only need eat their own to open up new possibilities. 'Why are the Democrats not looking into all of the crimes committed by Crooked Hillary and the phony Russia Investigation? They would get back their credibility,' he mused in a tweet. 'Jerry Nadler, Schiff, would have a whole new future open to them. Perhaps they could even run for President!' President Donald Trump offered two Democrats spearheading investigations into him a new lease of life on Monday He claimed they could even be future presidential candidates, if they probe Hillary Clinton A WHOLE NEW WORLD: Trump said two nemeses, Rep. Adam Schiff of California , and Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New Jersey, could have a 'whole new future' if they shift the focus of their investigations Schiff chairs the House Intelligence committee. Nadler leads the House Judiciary panel. Both Democrats and their respective committees are investigating him. While neither lawmaker has called for Trump's impeachment, Trump had new cause for concern this week about the sprawling probes that have branched out into inquiries into his business dealings overseas and a Democratic demand for his taxes. Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan said he supports a Democratic effort to impeach the president. He said that Trump has violated the 'public trust' and his attorney general provided 'misleading' information to Congress. The statements by tweet made Amash the first Republican to say Trump should be ousted over claims that were presented in the special counsel report. Trump launched a furious online attack in response, claiming Amash had never been any use to him. He called Amash a 'lightweight' who betrayed the party 'for the sake of getting his name out' in a series of tweets on Sunday morning. Appearing on 'Face the Nation' later that morning, Schiff said the impeachment effort has not reached critical mass but Amash's conclusion that Trump has committed high crimes means more and more members 'recognize that the administration is acting in a lawless fashion, essentially having obstructed justice, is now obstructing Congress and our lawful function.' 'And if we conclude that there's no other way to do our jobs, no other way to do the oversight, no other way to show the American people what this president has done, his- his unethical and illegal acts as outlined in the Mueller report, then we may get there,' he said of possibility of the effort reaching critical mass. Schiff said Congress has been taking appropriate steps to hold Trump accountable, starting with voluntary requests for information and escalating the situation with subpoenas and contempt votes, when necessary. 'We may have to follow with impeachment,' he noted. He suggested like Trump that some Republicans could flip, because they believe it will help them politically. 'There may be an odd confluence of interest here between the Trump Administration and people around the president who want him impeached because they think it's politically advantageous,' he said. 'And an increasing number of Democrats and maybe Republicans who feel this president's conduct is so incompatible with office, incompatible with our system of checks and balances that if the only way that we can do our oversight is through an impeachment proceeding then maybe we have to go down that road.' He concluded, 'But I think it'll be important to show the American people this was a decision made reluctantly.' A college student who used to be homeless is starting the next chapter of his life with a clean slate after billionaire Robert Smith wiped his debt away. Dwytt Lewis, 21, was among the 396 graduates of Morehouse College who will have their $40million worth of student loans paid off by the tech investor. Smith shocked students and staff alike at the historically black Atlanta college on Sunday when he announced the surprise while giving his commencement address. 'On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus,' Smith told the graduates. Dwytt Lewis, 21, was among the 396 graduates of Morehouse College who will have their $40million worth of student loans paid off by billionaire Robert Smith It has been a life changing gift for the Compton, California native, who used to be homeless. Lewis is pictured here accepting his degree 'This is my class, 2019, and my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.' Lewis couldn't help but dance across the stage to accept his degree after learning his $150,000 debt was going to disappear completely. 'Just imagine the weight lifted off your shoulders when you have a clean slate coming out of college,' Lewis told CBS News. 'It's just an overwhelming feeling, in a good way. I'm motivated to change the world.' Smith shocked students and staff alike at the historically black Atlanta college on Sunday when he announced the surprise while giving his commencement address Lewis couldn't help but dance across the stage to accept his degree after learning his $150,000 debt was going to disappear completely Lewis, who hails from Compton, California, once didn't know where his next meal was going to come from. He had long accepted the fact that college would set him back 'a few hundred thousand dollars in debt'. 'Then your last 30 seconds of being an undergrad student, someone tells you "I'm taking the burden of your student loan, go change the world,"' he said. Lewis, who graduated with a degree in business administration, said he hopes to help others just as Smith has helped him. 'There is room for you in this world,' he said. 'You can do what you want to do. You can follow your dreams. And I think that's where it starts.' 'I think once you have that mindset of "I want to be impactful and I want to change the world", I promise you that energy just transpires.' Lewis, who graduated with a degree in business administration, said he hopes to help others just as Smith has helped him Smith's gift has also changed the life of Aaron Mitchom, a 22-year-old finance major who owed $200,000 in student loans. In the weeks before graduating, Mitchom drew up a spreadsheet and discovered it would take him 25 years to pay off the loans in full. In an instant, that number vanished. Mitchom, sitting in the crowd, burst into tears. 'I can delete that spreadsheet,' he said in an interview after the commencement. 'I don't have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was shocked. My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off.' Morehouse College president David Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students' futures His mother, Tina Mitchom, was also shocked. Eight family members, including Mitchom's 76-year-old grandmother, took turns over four years co-signing on the loans that got him across the finish line. 'It takes a village,' she said. 'It now means he can start paying it forward and start closing this gap a lot sooner, giving back to the college and thinking about a succession plan for his younger siblings.' Morehouse College president David Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students' futures. 'Many of my students are interested in going into teaching, for example, but leave with an amount of student debt that makes that untenable,' Thomas said in an interview. 'In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices.' Student loan repayment is problematic for all races, with less than half of indebted students having paid even $1 toward the principal balance of their loans within five years of entering repayment, according to the Department of Education. Morehouse College president Thomas (center) laughs with Smith and actress Angela Bassett (right) during the graduation ceremony on Sunday But on average, the situation is far worse for black people, who pay their loans down at a rate of four percent each year while white student borrowers tend to pay their loans down at a rate of 10 percent annually. As a result, it's estimated that 15 years after graduation, black adults are 185 percent more indebted due to student loans than their white adult counterparts. Morehouse said it is the single largest gift the college has ever receive since its founding in 1867 in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta by the Reverend William Jefferson White. Smith, the CEO and Chairperson of Vista Equity Partners, had already announced a $1.5million gift to the school. The billionaire said he expected the recipients to 'pay it forward' and that he hoped that 'every class has the same opportunity going forward.' Both Smith and actor Angela Bassett received honorary degrees from the college on Sunday. Nigel Farage says he intends to press changes for assault after he was targeted by a protester who pelted him with a posh milkshake today. The Brexit Party leader vented fury at his security and 'radicalised Remainers' today after he was splattered with a 5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel dairy drink on his European election tour. Mr Farage was heard saying 'how did you not stop that?' as he was bustled away by security as he made the latest stop of his campaign in Newcastle. A 32-year-old-man - identified as Paul Crowther - was arrested on suspicion of common assault and put in handcuffs by police. Mr Farage tweeted afterwards: 'Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.' He later told reporters that the milkshake was 'yobbo flavoured' and he is understood to have made a statement to Northumbria Police. Brexit minister James Cleverly immediately condemned the episode, insisting that people should debate rather than 'assault political opponents'. Tony Blair branded the attack horrible and ridiculous, while Jo Cox's widower Brendan Cox said it normalised 'violence and intimidation'. Downing Street said politicians had to be able to 'campaign without harassment, intimidation and abuse'. Mr Farage joins the list of candidates who have fallen victim to a 'milkshaking', including Ukip's Carl Benjamin and ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson. Last week, police apparently ordered a McDonald's outlet near a Brexit Party campaign rally to stop selling milkshakes and ice cream. Protesters are thought to have switched to using the drinks as a weapon as they are easier to carry than eggs without arousing suspicion. The Brexit Party leader was covered in the drink by a protester as he made the latest stop of his campaign Mr Farage was left spluttering after the milkshake incident in Newcastle this afternoon Mr Farage tweeted afterwards that normal campaigning was becoming 'impossible' due to the dangers of protests Jo Cox's widower Brendan Cox said such attack normalised 'violence and intimidation' Milkshake man is Remain and Labour supporter The man arrested over the milkshake incident is a Remainer and Jeremy Corbyn supporter. Paul Crowther, 32, from Throckley, Newcastle, was handcuffed after the incident. His social media profiles reveal he has previously criticised Mr Farage and posted a link to a previous milkshake incident involving Ukip MEP candidate Carl Benjamin. He is believed to work as a customer service representative for Sky. After today's incident in Newcastle today Mr Crowther said: 'I didn't know he was in town, I thought this is my only chance.' Mr Crowther said he saw there was a Brexit Party event in the city centre, thought it was an MEP and then saw Mr Farage. He explained: 'It's a right of protest against people like him. 'The bile and the racism he spouts out in this country is far more damaging than a bit of milkshake to his front.' Referring to his milkshake, he added: 'I was quite looking forward to it, but I think it went on a better purpose.' Advertisement Mr Farage was soaked after shaking hands with voters in Newcastle city centre this afternoon. Footage of the incident shows the suspect, who had close-cropped hair, glasses and was wearing a Street Fighter 2 T-shirt, loitering in the background before whipping off the lid of his milkshake and hurling it at the Brexit Party leader's midriff. As police dragged the attacker away Mr Farage could be heard saying: 'It's complete failure. You could see that coming a mile off'. It's not clear if his barbed comments were aimed at police or his security team. Northumbria Police said a 32-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of common assault. Mr Cleverly said some people thought it was acceptable to throw eggs and milkshakes at politicians they did not like, but not OK to pelt politicians they did like. 'That's called hypocrisy. How (about) debating rather than assaulting political opponents?' he tweeted. Mr Blair sounded angry as he told LBC: I can't stand this. I feel very strongly about this. We've got to get out of this situation where if you disagree with someone, you stop them speaking, you disrupt their meetings, you throw things over them, it's ridiculous. Asked whether he liked Mr Farage, he added: I think he's an effective communicator, so I admire that bit of him, but I disagree with him. Mr Farage was clearly infuriated by the dramatic episode in Newcastle this afternoon Police stepped in after the milkshake drenching took place in Newcastle this afternoon UKIP European election candidate Carl Benjamin was targeted with a milkshake in Salisbury yesterday afternoon Mr Cox, whose Labour MP wife Jo was murdered in her constituency, said: 'I dislike @NigelFarages politics profoundly. His willingness to pander to hatred & division even more so. Why have protesters turned to milkshake? The craze for drenching politicians in milkshake has only developed during this European election campaign. It seems to have started when ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson was targeted with a drink. But the tactic has caught on quickly - partly because it is easier to carry a milkshake without arousing suspicion than the more traditional raw egg. Police have tried to curb the protests by asking outlets such as McDonald's to avoid selling milkshake and ice cream when politicians are nearby. But they have had limited success in countering the attacks - with Ukip candidate, Carl Benjamin, and now Nigel Farage falling victim. Advertisement 'But I dont think throwing stuff at politicians you disagree with is a good idea. It normalises violence &intimidation and we should consistently stand again it.' Mr Benjamin was doused in milkshake once again while campaigning yesterday. The UKIP European election candidate, who was slammed last month for releasing a video suggesting he 'might' rape Labour MP Jess Phillips, was targeted as he walked through the streets of Salisbury. The dousing was the fourth time protesters have aimed milkshake at Mr Benjamin. He was soaked with the drink while campaigning in Totnes, Devon, on Sunday, May 12, just days after two protesters tried to throw their drinks over him in Truro, Cornwall on Friday, May 10. Mr Robinson was drenched by milkshakes twice in two days as he campaigned in the north-west of England. The far right activist claimed 'some Muslim supporter' was behind the incident involving an unidentified assailant. Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage was in Exeter today (pictured) for the latest leg of his European elections tour Polls on voting intention for the European elections has underline the scale of the shift towards Mr Farage's new party On a stop in Exeter earlier, Mr Farage took on Boris Johnson - warning he cannot be trusted to keep his promises. He flatly rejected the idea of a pact with Mr Johnson if he takes over from Theresa May, pointing out that the former foreign secretary had voted for the PM's deal. The 'milk shake' protest has also seen far-right figure Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, targeted Mr Farage also dismissed questions about the sources of funding for his new political outfit, saying rivals were just 'jealous'. The combative comments came as Mr Farage pushed on with his frantic campaigning ahead of crucial European elections this week - where the Brexit Party is on track to trample both the Tories and Labour. Amid mounting panic in the Conservatives at the threat posed by the Brexit Party, some senior figures have been floating the idea of an electoral pact to help force through the UK's departure from the EU. But Mr Farage rubbished claims he could reach an understanding with Mr Johnson, who is now hot favourite to take over from Mrs May this summer. 'When this appalling worst deal in history, new European treaty honed into view Boris wrote... quite rightly in my view, that it would lead to vassalage and we would become a slave state,' Mr Farage said. 'And then what did he do? Ah, yes, he voted for it. He tells us it is appalling and he votes for it and I worry that Boris puts party loyalty above his own conscience and what is good for the country. 'And even if Boris says, 'It's OK Nigel, I didn't really mean to vote for it...', how can I trust what he says, how can I believe anything any of these two mainstream parties tell us after three years of, frankly, open lies and deceit?' Former PM Gordon Brown has written to the Electoral Commission demanding an investigation into the Brexit Party's finances, amid claims it could have received thousands of pounds in smaller donations from foreign sources. Gifts can be paid via PayPal, and rules on identification of donors only apply to sums of 500 or more. Above that sum 'permissible donors' must be listed on the UK electoral roll or a business registered at Companies House and operating in the UK. Mr Farage rubbished claims he could reach an understanding with Mr Johnson, who is now hot favourite to take over from Mrs May this summer Mr Johnson (pictured in Uxbridge last week) is the red hot favourite to take over from Theresa May in a leadership contest expected this summer Mr Farage described the criticism of the Brexit Party's sources of funding as 'jealously'. 'Absolutely disgusting smear. This from the man who was part of a Labour Party who through Lord Levy were making a lot of big donors members of the House of Lords,' Mr Farage said. 'How dare he? Most of our money has been raised by people giving 25 to become registered supporters and nearly 110,000 of them now have done that. 'Frankly, this smacks of jealously because the other parties simply can't do this.' A man has been detained by police for snatching a three-year-old boy on a street in south-east China. The suspect, named by police as 30-year-old Liu, was caught on camera picking up and running off with the child in broad daylight in Dongguan, Guangdong province on Saturday. Fortunately, the man was stopped and tackled by the boy's family members and local residents before being arrested. The suspect, named by police as 30-year-old Liu, was caught on camera picking up and running off with the child in broad daylight in Dongguan, Guangdong province on Saturday The older child immediately gave chase to the stranger, who ran into an alleyway One witness told video news site Pear that the children were playing outside their grandfather's fast food restaurant when the incident happened Shocking footage shows the suspect initially targeting the boy's older brother outside a row of shops in Dongguan at about 12:30pm. The man is seen tugging the boy in an attempt to drag him away. When the boy refused to follow the man, he turned around, grabbed the younger child and fled. The older child immediately gave chase to the stranger, who ran into an alleyway. Shortly after, the man is seen in handcuffs after local residents tackled him to the ground. One witness told video news site Pear that the children were playing outside their grandfather's fast food restaurant when the incident happened. Shortly after, the man is seen in handcuffs after local residents tackled him to the ground The suspect first approached an older child on the street but the boy refused to follow him 'People in the neighbourhood knew the child and thought the whole thing was very strange ... the child was crying loudly,' the man said. 'So they ran after the man and stopped him.' 'The suspect, Liu, had an argument with his family and ran away. He was emotionally unstable,' a statement released by the Tangsha district public security bureau said. 'He ran away after picking up a three-year-old boy, and was tackled by the child's family members, passers-by and police officers who arrived on scene,' the bureau said, adding that no one was hurt in the incident. Following investigations, police said that Liu was 'unable to communicate properly' and was suspected of being 'mentally abnormal'. Officers added that Liu did not have a criminal record and has not been diagnosed as mentally ill. The man is currently under police custody amid ongoing investigations, the police said. One witness told video news site Pear that the children were playing outside their grandfather's fast food restaurant when the incident happened Following investigations, police said that Liu was 'unable to communicate properly' and was suspected of being 'mentally abnormal' Child abduction and trafficking has long been a serious social problem in China, with an estimated 70,000 children going missing each year for forced labour, adoption or prostitution, according to a previous report by China Daily. Chinese courts ruled on 2,806 cases involving the abduction and trafficking of women and children between 2015 and 2018, according to the Supreme People's Court cited by Global Times. Zhang Baoyan, a delegate to the 13th National People's Congress, in March called for an amendment to the Chinese law to impose the death penalty on those convicted of trafficking women and children. Zhang, who has been a long-time advocate for women's and children's rights in the country, also called for a stiffer punishment for buyers, who fuel the trade but are seldom held accountable. Currently, convicted buyers of human trafficking victims face no more than three years in prison. The wife of a U.S. soldier charged with murdering an unarmed Afghan man says her husband took care of an 'enemy combatant' as it's revealed President Trump may pardon him and other military men accused of convicted of war crimes. Trump has reportedly asked for files to be prepared on pardoning several U.S. military members accused of or convicted of war crimes, including Major Mathew Golsteyn who he has previously called a 'war hero'. Golsteyn is an Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan man in 2010. In an interview with CBS that aired Monday, Golsteyn's wife Julie hit back at the suggestion that her husband assassinated the Afghan man. President Trump has reportedly asked for files to be prepared on pardoning several U.S. military members accused of or convicted of war crimes, including Major Mathew Golsteyn 'Assassinate? No. My husband took care of an enemy combatant who did harm and was planning to do more harm,' she said. Her comments come after officials told the New York Times that Trump had requested the immediately preparation of paperwork needed, indicated that he is considering pardons for military members around Memorial Day. Assembling pardon files normally takes months but the Justice Department has pressed for the work to be completed before that holiday weekend, according to one of the officials. Golsteyn is accused of shooting the Afghan man - referred to as 'Rasoul' - in February 2010. Rasoul had been detained and questioned over a bombing that killed two Marines but was later released because of lack of evidence. Golsteyn later shot him, saying he believed he was the bomb maker. Golsteyn's wife Julie hit back at the suggestion that her husband assassinated the Afghan man and said he took care of an 'enemy combatant' President Trump may issue pardons to several Americans accused of committing war crimes. @CBSNews has learned the pardons could include an army green beret charged with killing an unarmed Afghan, and a former Blackwater security contractor accused of killing unarmed civilians. pic.twitter.com/fJdGDDnhmF CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 20, 2019 Trump said in a tweet last year that he would review Golsteyn's case and called him a 'U.S. Military hero' He confessed to the shooting during a polygraph test that he took for a job interview with the CIA in 2011. Golsteyn, who was charged with premeditated murder by the U.S. military in December, 2018, could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Trump said in a tweet last year that he would review Golsteyn's case. 'At the request of many, I will be reviewing the case of a 'U.S. Military hero,' Major Matt Golsteyn, who is charged with murder. He could face the death penalty from our own government after he admitted to killing a terrorist bomb maker while overseas,' Trump said. In addition to Golsteyn, one of the requests for files from the Pentagon is for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs. Golsteyn, who was charged with premeditated murder by the U.S. military in December, 2018, could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted Golsteyn is accused of shooting the Afghan man - referred to as 'Rasoul' - in February 2010. Rasoul had been detained and questioned over a bombing that killed two Marines but was later released because of lack of evidence He is scheduled to stand trial in coming weeks on charges of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq. Legal experts have said that pardoning several accused and convicted war criminals, including some who have not yet gone to trial, has not been done in recent history. Some worried such pardons could erode the legitimacy of military law. Democratic presidential nominee Pete Buttigieg criticized Trump and the reports during a Fox News town hall in New Hampshire on Sunday. Buttigieg, who served as an intelligent officer in the Navy Reserves in Afghanistan, suggested that Trump pardoning war criminals or those accused of them was a bag idea. 'That is undermining the foundation of American moral authority and I think, in the long run, is putting troops at risk,' he said. China has opened a massive 'smart' shopping centre featuring Huawei's 5G technology as the Chinese telecommunication giant faces unprecedented restrictions from the U.S. The luxury 'L+Mall' mall in Shanghai, spreading over 12 storeys, features a digital system developed by Huawei which gives shoppers super-fast internet connection. Customers can download films within seconds on their phones and watch latest blockbusters for free in their 'personal cinema' using 5G-powered 3-D glasses offered by the mall, according to Huawei. Huawei has teamed up with China Telecom to launch a 5G system in the luxury 'L+Mall' mall in Shanghai. The mall's operator hails the new service for the convenience it brings to shoppers A promotional video released by Huawei on Chinese social media platform Weibo shows a 5G-powered robotic shopping guide taking a young customer to the shop he wants to go to Customers can download films within seconds on their phones and watch latest blockbusters for free in their 'personal cinema' using 5G-powered 3-D glasses offered by the mall Devoted shoppers will be able to use a robotic personal guide, which can take them to the desired brands and even plan the best shopping route for them in the colossal mall that occupies 140,000 square metres (1,506,000 square feet). The 5G-equipped droid can also arrange delivery service to send customers' shopping bags from the stores directly to their homes. The Huawei system will enable the mall's staff to manage the customer flow and ensure the centre's security using facial-recognition technology. The 5G network was launched jointly by Huawei and China Telecom. It has been installed on the ground floor and the fourth floor of the 'L+Mall' mall in Shanghai's financial district Lujiazui, and is expected to be launched in six other high-end shopping centres in Shanghai, according to Sina.com. The mall's operator, Lujiazui Centre, praised the system. Zhao Qi, the General Manager of Lujiazui Centre, expected the new service to provide a convenient shopping experience to the residents of Shanghai. The Deputy General Manager of China Telecom said the company would work with more business partners on the 5G project to provide 'varied and rich shopping experience for customers'. Spread over 12 levels, the glitzy mall occupies 140,000 square metres (1,506,000 square feet) The news comes as the Chinese telecommunication giant faces multiple restrictions issued by the U.S government. Google has blocked Huawei from using its software on its phones Shanghai is already planning China's first 5G-powered railway station with the technology from Huawei. A 5G network will be fitted to the existing Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station by the end of the year. The station is one of Asia's busiest traffic hubs and handles some 60 million passengers a year. The news comes as Huawei faces multiple bans from the U.S. as a tariff war between Beijing and Washington escalates. Huawei has been the subject of Western fears about its possible role in espionage and its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou is facing criminal charges in the United States after being arrested in Canada last December. The United States believes Huawei's smartphones and network equipment could be used by China to spy on Americans, allegations the company has repeatedly denied. Last week, Washington officially banned the Chinese firm and its 68 affiliates from buying parts and components from American companies without special approval. Shanghai is also planning China's a 5G railway station with the help of Huawei. A 5G network will be fitted to the existing Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (pictured) by the end of 2019 The order will make it extremely difficult for the telecom giant to do business with U.S. companies. In a latest development, Google has blocked Huawei from using its software on its phones, as the U.S. tech company complies with an order by President Trump - issued as part of his sanctions on Beijing amid ongoing trade disputes. The move from Google deals a major blow to Huawei and is likely to cripple its expansion. Faced with the restriction, Huawei said today it would continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to existing smartphone users. Washington also accuses Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's billionaire founder, was arrested in Vancouver last December under the request of the U.S. She is facing extradition to the U.S. Huawei was founded in 1988 by Ren Zhengfei, 74, who had served in the Chinese military before becoming a businessman. The Shenzhen-based company beat Apple to become the world's second largest smartphone maker after South Korea's Samsung last August. Tommy Whitmore has been jailed for more than eight years for killing three people when he drunkenly drove his pick-up truck the wrong way down a dual carriageway slip road A drink-driver who went the wrong way down a dual carriageway slip road and ploughed head-on into a car, killing all three people inside, has been jailed for eight years and four months. Tommy Whitmore, 26, had been warned by his girlfriend not to get behind the wheel after an evening out drinking at a restaurant then at a village hall, Cambridge Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Peter Gair said Whitmore ignored her advice to sleep in his vehicle and instead drove off three minutes after she left with her parents. He jumped into his Ford Ranger pick-up at 11.51pm on April 13 and, just seven minutes later, at 11.58pm he crashed head-on into a Renault Megane on the A1139 in Peterborough, killing the three people inside. They were driver Marko Makula, 22, his fiancee Jana Kockova, 21, who was the front seat passenger, and her 19-year-old brother Tomas Kocko, who was the rear seat passenger. Marko and Jana, who had two children aged two and one, had been to pick up Tomas and were on their way home when the crash happened, Mr Gair said. Their two children were being looked after at home. In a victim impact statement. the families of the deceased said they felt 'indescribable pain' and the 'mental wounds may never heal'. Tomas Kocko and Jana Kockova, who have two young children, were killed in the crash Tomas and Jana's parents Marcela Kokova and Ladislav Markula wept outside court today Whitmore, of Cowbit, near Spalding in Lincolnshire, admitted causing the deaths of the three by dangerous driving. He bowed his head and looked downwards as his sentence was read out, with the family of the deceased in court for Monday's hearing and assisted by an interpreter. Judge David Farrell QC, sentencing, told Whitmore: 'You made a deliberate decision to drive despite being grossly intoxicated.' He said this resulted in Whitmore being 'unable to read the road and signs which would have been obvious to a sober driver'. Mr Gair, prosecuting, said Whitmore awoke at 3.30am on the day of offence, smoked a cannabis spliff then drove to Hitchin in Hertfordshire to work a full day at a market. Whitmore smoked another spliff when he returned home at 7pm then went to a restaurant in Peterborough with his girlfriend, Mr Gair said. He said Whitmore drank 'two small bottles of beer' at the restaurant then went to an event at Farcet Village Hall with his girlfriend and her parents. While at the village hall Whitmore 'drank Guinness and a small amount of gin towards the end of the evening', Mr Gair said. Whitmore's huge Ford Ranger pick-up is taken away by a recovery lorry after the crash The three victims were in this Renault, which was crushed by the force of the impact Blood tests later showed he had 186 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the court heard. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol. Whitmore was also over the legal limit for cannabis. Mr Gair said Whitmore drove 470 metres down the slip road and the crash happened in lane two of the dual carriageway close to the 100-yard marker for the exit slip road he had just driven down. He said there was no suggestion Marko, who was driving the Renault Megane, had done anything wrong, adding 'there was no thinking time to react'. The three in the Renault 'died effectively immediately', Mr Gair said. He added: 'The defendant, who was in a larger vehicle, whilst he had some injuries it was relatively speaking very minor. 'He was able to get out of the vehicle. He stayed at the scene, he sat on the crash barrier.' Marka's mother Magdalena. The families of the victims said they felt 'indescribable pain' Mrs Kokova couldn't hide her grief after seeing her children's killer jailed this morning The judge praised the actions of other motorists who stopped to try to help, including some who stopped on the other side of the road and crossed the central barrier. Police arrested Whitmore at the scene. The court heard he had held a driving licence since 2010 and it was clean. Claire Matthews, defending, said Whitmore had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. She described him as a 'hard-working young man with a five-year-old daughter', adding: 'This was in my submission a short piece of bad driving with catastrophic consequences.' Whitmore, who wept as he was led to the cells, was also banned from driving for nine years and two months. Advertisement A massive swarm of monster jellyfish stretching several miles has invaded the coast of Britain. Thousands of the enormous barrel jellyfish have been spotted in south Devon with some even coming into Torquay harbour and others washing up at nearby Shaldon. Locals were mesmerised by the unusual creatures which put on a spectacular display at the water's edge. Thousands of barrel jellyfish have been spotted on the south coast of England between Torquay and Shaldon, washing up on the shores Locals were mesmerised by the unusual creatures, also known as dustbin-lid jellyfish, which put on a spectacular display at the water's edge Paula Williamson, 45, saw dozens at Torquay harbour. She said: 'They were everywhere. There were lots and lots in the harbour But they weren't just in the harbour they were swarming everywhere outside it too. 'There must have been thousands. I've never seen so many in my life.' The swarm stretched along the coast to nearby Shaldon where dozens washed up on the beach. The swarm stretched along the coast to nearby Shaldon where dozens washed up on the beach, and their huge size is demonstrated here The creatures can measure up to three feet across and are common in British waters but rarely so close to the shore Local beach walkers came across the enormous translucent domes, each around two to three feet across, on Sunday. One said: 'It looks like the aliens have landed. The swarm must be enormous.' The Marine Biological Association based in Plymouth said there are a number of reasons why the jellyfish may have come so close to shore. A spokesman said: 'There has been more sighting and reporting of jellyfish in recent years, giving the impression that they have become more common. 'There is some evidence that in particular areas possibly because of man's influence on the ecosystem through over-fishing and eutrophication that jellyfish numbers have increased but better long-term data is required. The Marine Biological Association based in Plymouth said there are a number of reasons for the unusual sightings, including the climate and currents A spokesperson said: 'The species and numbers that occur change each year, because conditions - temperature, salinity, nutrients, food availability, weather, currents etc. vary from year to year' 'Every year there is a seasonal, variable increase in numbers of jellyfish (Cnidaria and Ctenophora) around UK coasts. 'The species and numbers that occur change each year, because conditions - temperature, salinity, nutrients, food availability, weather, currents etc. vary from year to year. 'What turns up each summer can also change due to currents bringing species in from more oceanic areas; again these currents vary each year. 'Currents and tides can concentrate jellyfish and they themselves can gather at depths in the water column where food is concentrated. 'All these factors mean that the species and numbers of jellyfish in UK coastal waters are variable and unpredictable from year to year.' What are barrel jellyfish and are they poisonous? Barrel jellyfish, or rhizostoma pulmo, are the largest to swim in British waters, giving them their name of 'dustbin lid jellyfish'. They can grow up to 90cm across and weigh as much as 35kg. The sea creatures prefer warmer waters and are often seen around the UK in May and June. They are often spotted washed up on beaches, but it's rare to see them alive in the water close to the coast. While they are not poisonous they can leave you with a nasty rash, similar to that of a nettle sting. Their sting is too weak to be harmful to humans and is only used to capture the plankton they eat. They have a translucent body with a purple 'frills' around their eight arms, which contain hundreds of tiny mouths. Advertisement Thunder and showers will be broken by sunny spells over the next few days, but Bank Holiday revellers may have to brace heavy downpours and strong winds over the weekend The sightings come as the Met Office predicts a turbulent week of sun, rain and thunder heading into the Bank Holiday. Thundery downpours are predicted across the country with central and eastern England and northeast Scotland bearing the brunt of it. Showers will continue throughout the week across the UK punctuated by short sunny spells. As Britons look forward to making the most out of the three-day weekend, the weather could put a dent in their plans. It is predicted Saturday afternoon will see heavy rain which will continue on Sunday and Monday with high winds. Temperatures will be below average for the time of year with short spells of sunshine throughout. Former minister Esther McVey set out a leadership pitch today calling for the party to use 7billion of foreign aid cash on buckling British police forces and schools. Launching a 'blue collar conservatism' campaign the Brexiteer MP, 51, said her party had 'lost the trust' of working people by failing to leave the EU already and must pursue 'radical conservative agendas' to win it back'. She said that keeping cash in the UK that is currently sent abroad would allow an increase of 4billion in spending on schools and 3billion for police, which are both demanding more money. And she declined to rule out doing a post-election deal with Nigel Farage - but said that if the Tories got the UK out it would mean that his Brexit Party would have no reason to exist. The pitch from Ms McVey, who has already announced plans to run to replace Theresa May as Tory leader, is likely to go down well with party members who view the UK's foreign aid budget as excessive. Speaking in Westminster she reiterated her call for the next party leader to be 'someone who believes in Brexit' - a dig at Mrs May, who supported the Remain campaign in 2016. And she lashed out at the local election results which saw the Tories suffer their worst reverse since 1995 in losing 1,300 seats. The pitch from Ms McVey is likely to go down well with Tory members who view the UK's foreign aid budget as excessive The Brexiteer MP, 51, said her party had 'lost the trust' of working people by failing to leave the EU already and must pursue 'radical conservative agendas' to win it back' After initially hiding their relationship behind a friendship, Ms McVey recently got engaged to fellow Tory MP Philip Davies, 47 Speaking to a packed room of journalists and MPs including Iain Duncan Smith and her fiance Philip Davies in Parliament today, Ms McVey said the UK stood 'on the brink of the abyss of the most destructive socialist government ever'. 'At the local election we saw voters abandoning Corbyn's Labour in their droves - many after voting Labour for decades - because they see that this Labour party isnt for working people and for the working classes. 'But they are not returning to us. In fact despite significant moves of the working class voters towards the Conservative Party for at least the last three general elections we are not winning their support, when actually we ought to. 'I dont need to tell anybody the reason why, we know. A majority of these voters voted to leave the EU and on this we have broken their trust. 'To win that trust back we must only not just deliver what we promised but we must be prepared to have radical conservative agendas to show that we are on their side.' She also said that the UK should leave by October 31 this year, with or without a deal. Ms McVey said she wanted to 'immediately shift resources to match people's needs and priorities' 'by returning spending on international aid spending to Labour levels which we inherited in 2010' Ms McVey said she wanted to 'immediately shift resources to match people's needs and priorities'. 'We can fund this simply by returning spending on international aid spending to Labour levels which we inherited in 2010. 'This will still ensure we are spending historical and internationally high levels on our international commitments, but also freeing up around 7billion for schools and policing. 'By doing this we will be doing more than just making up for shortfall here and there, we will be providing transformative funds which communities will feel.' The contest to succeed Theresa May is hotting up, with potential leadership candidates setting out their stalls. Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out a bid for the job, saying he had a 'strong view about the sort of leader we need'. He said the leader should put the Tories 'four-square in the centre ground', a view that will be echoed by big hitters at a meeting of the One Nation group of Tories in Parliament on Monday night. Meanwhile, former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey will deliver her own pitch at the launch of Blue Collar Conservatism, a group aimed at winning over working-class voters to the Tories. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has already confirmed he will stand in the race to replace Mrs May, which is due to officially begin within weeks. Another potential contender, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, said 'there won't be a shortage of candidates' for the job but 'whether I will be one of those, you'll just have to wait and see'. The Prime Minister will set out the timetable for her exit and the leadership contest to succeed her after a crunch vote on the legislation for her Brexit deal in early June. Defeat for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which is due in the Commons in the week beginning June 3, would hasten her exit from Number 10. Mr Hancock said: 'I don't rule out standing for the leadership of the Conservative Party.' He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's flattering that lots of people have asked me to put my name forward and proposed to support me.' Asked if he was reluctant to declare his candidacy because a recent poll suggested he had just 1% of grassroots Tory support, he said: 'No, because the contest hasn't started yet. 'I have a strong view about the sort of leader that we need - we need a leader not just for now but also for the future, we need to be absolutely four-square in the centre ground of British politics. 'We need to be delivering on the things that matter to people, deliver Brexit but then move forward. 'We need to concentrate on the pound in people's pockets and have a patriotic unionism, not a narrow nationalism.' The One Nation group meeting in Parliament on Monday is expected to see Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd and ex-Cabinet ministers Damian Green and Nicky Morgan set out their vision for a centre-ground Tory Party. The group is also viewed as an attempt to prevent a hard Brexiteer from steering the UK out of the EU without a deal. Ms Rudd said the group stood for 'the state having an active role in fighting injustices, in environmental standards and a belief in free enterprise'. 'There are no simple answers to complex questions,' she said. 'A pragmatic, compassionate centre right has never been more vital. This is the shocking moment knife wielding thugs start brawling on a street in Luton in the middle of the day. In the clip, men can be seen gathered outside a row of shops where they appear to be sparring and brawling with one another. Horrified bystanders looked on and shocked drivers blasted their horns at the group, before they eventually dispersed and ran away from the scene. One man can be seen carrying a large knife (left) while another wearing a white cap. As the row escalates another man can be seen throwing an object at the group The incident is believed to have taken place near Bury Park and it is unknown why the fight took place. The footage has been shared across social media since Friday - with individuals condemning the casual violence in the clip and bemoaning the knife crime epidemic sweeping Britain. Ibrahim Hussain wrote: 'I'm not even shocked anymore. This day and age toddlers be carrying on guns'. Men were seen running across Leagrave Road (left) while others chased them down the street (right) Whilst Kay Candy commented: 'Silly kids. Enough is enough now, put the knifes down [sic]'. Meanwhile other social media users suggested this everyday violence was symptomatic of Bury Park in Luton. Haydn Green wrote 'That's Luton for ya' - whilst Paul Holton said 'Bury Park! Say no more!' In a statement to MailOnline Bedfordshire Police said: 'We take reports of violence on our streets incredibly seriously, and won't tolerate this kind of behaviour or the use of weapons. 'We'd urge anyone who witnesses incidents like this to report it to us so we can investigate to try and find those responsible, ensuring they aren't able to cause further harm.' The men gathered outside the row of shops (left) while another man was seen with a knife (right) Former Vice President Joe Biden's wife Jill Biden was caught removing her husband's hands from her waist during an on-stage embrace Saturday. Jill hopped up on stage before her husband's remarks at his first campaign rally of the 2020 cycle, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over the weekend. His speech mainly focused on uniting the country. The two hugged, and Biden who has become known for being overly touchy with women rested his hands on his wife's waist. The camera caught a moment when she reached down and removed his hands from her sides. Biden has come under fire, even before announcing his candidacy, for being too handsy and making women feel uncomfortable. Jill Biden (left) removed her husband's hands from her waist during an on-stage embrace at his first campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday Former Vice President Joe Biden has come under fire for being too touchy with women, especially after several women came forward recently with allegations that their physical interactions with Biden made them feel uncomfortable At least seven women went public with allegations that physical interactions with the former vice president made them feel uneasy, and felt it was inappropriate enough to bring attention to the incidents. Former member of the Nevada State Assembly, Lucy Flores, was the first woman to come forward with allegations against Biden that stopped short of sexual harassment. She outlined a time where Biden came up behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Biden officially entered the race in late April and on the day of his announcement released a launch video taken from his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Since launching, and even before he was officially a candidate, Biden has remained at the top of the polls, most times ranking No. 1 among registered Democratic voters and independent voters that lean Democrat. In many polls, Biden comes out ahead of Trump when placed in a hypothetical matchup with the incumbent president. A new Fox News poll released last week had Biden as the only candidate who could beat Trump outside of the margin of error from the survey. He remains the front-runner in the crowded field of 24 Democratic candidates, which is expected to grow before the end of the summer. Biden returned to his home state on Saturday to conduct his first campaign rally in Philadelphia. Jill wore a black blazer with the word 'Love' bedazzled on the back of it. Philadelphia is dubbed the 'City of Brotherly Love' First lady Melania Trump went viral last summer when she worse an army green jacket that said 'I really don't care. Do U?' when visiting a children's center in Texas were some kids housed there had been separated from their parents as part of Trump's zero-tolerance immigration policies Biden is the front-runner among all 24 Democratic candidates The interaction between the Biden's was made even more interesting as Jill wore a black blazer with the word 'Love' on the back in rhinestones. Philadelphia is dubbed the 'City of Brotherly Love,' and is home to the iconic 'Love Park,' which includes a reproduction of Robert Indiana's 'Love' sculpture overlooking John F. Kennedy Plaza in Center City Philadelphia. Previously, first lady Melania Trump drew attention when she wore a army green jacket that said 'I really don't care. Do u?' on the back in white paint. Melania wore the jacket during a visit to New Hope Children's Shelter in McAllen, Texas last June. Some said it was a political message since the center, which housed a few dozen children, included some kids who were separated from their parents as part of the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policies that resulted in an influx of family separations. Following the visit, the first lady pushed back that there was some sort of meaning to her jacket. 'It's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children,' Melanie said during an ABC interview with Tom Llamas. 'I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane.' But she didn't deny that she was trying to send a message with the garment, just not one that some people suggested she was trying to send 'It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me,' she said. 'And I want to show them that I don't care. You could criticize. Whatever you wanna say, you can say. But it will not stop me to do what I feel is right.' Hundreds of undocumented migrants occupied a terminal at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris yesterday to protest against Air France carrying out deportations and demanding they be given permanent residency. Footage uploaded to Twitter shows some 500 members of the migrant support group La Chapelle Debout gathered in Terminal 2 of France's largest airport. The protesters called on Air France to 'stop any financial, logistical or political participation in deportations' and demanded a meeting with its leaders, as well as French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Some 500 undocumented immigrants occupied Charles de Gaulle's Terminal 2 yesterday demanding to meet with Air France representatives Members of the organisation, which describes itself as the biggest union of undocumented immigrants in France, also call themselves GiletsNoirs - or black vests. In the footage, one demonstrator can be heard saying into a megaphone: 'France does not belong to the French! Everyone has a right to be here!' The terminal was reportedly shut down but the airport said no flights were affected. The protesters, who are reportedly from Africa, were heard calling for the Prime Minister to give all of them permanent legal status and the necessary papers to remain in France. The situation was eventually brought under control by dozens of French police in riot gear The protest was organised by the migrant support group La Chapelle Debout whose members call themselves Black Vests In an official statement, the group said it wanted to meet with Mr Philippe to discuss the country's asylum policy. 'It is not by chance that we find ourselves in this place,' the group said, amid reports it chose the airport because of its proximity to the town of Le Mesnil-Amelot, the site of an administrative detention centre for migrants. An Air France delegation met with the group on Sunday, local newspaper Le Parisien reported. But one migrant told the paper that the protests would continue until the demands were met. 'We have targeted Air France, and other actions will follow,' he said. The occupation comes amid protests by France's 'Yellow Vest' movement, which began over fuel tax reforms and have continued every Saturday for more than six months, leading to some 4,000 injuries. A frustrated Alan Jones has shot down a young panellist during a discussion on whether climate change policy impacted the federal election. The radio personality and former prime ministerial speech writer accused the Labor party's Tanya Plibersek of missing key facts in the climate change debate despite her hardline stance on the matter. The Q&A chat took a turn when Mr Jones said Ms Plibersek acknowledged she had no idea how much carbon dioxide was actually in the atmosphere, despite her acceptance it was the 'big issue in relation to climate change'. He eventually turned the question to fellow panelist Alice Workman, a political reporter for The Australian. Mr Jones initially argued most Australians clearly didn't see climate change as the most important federal issue, before claiming young Australians may not have all the facts. Ms Workman appeared to want to interrupt, before the staunch Liberal party supporter pointed his finger toward her and said: 'Just a moment Alice, you've been speaking most of the night.' Mr Jones honed in on Ms Workman again moments later, posing to her the same question Ms Plibersek couldn't answer. 'What percentage of the atmosphere is made up of carbon dioxide, Alice?' he asked. Ms Workman appeared stunned, before confessing she too didn't know the answer. He eventually turned the question on fellow panelist Alice Workman, a political reporter for The Australian Mr Jones went on to explain that 0.04 per cent of the atmosphere is made up with carbon dioxide. He said globally, humans make up about 3 per cent of that overall number, and that Australians in particular contribute 1.3 per cent of the 3 per cent. But Ms Workman argued 'the answer to the question is that Scott Morrison believes in climate change', but Mr Jones cut her off again, repeating his initial question. 'I'm not a scientist, I don't know. I'm a political journalist,' she quipped back. After the episode went to air, social media users were quick to question Alan Jones' facts. 'People like Alan Jones need to move on and we need to listen to scientists instead,' one user wrote. 'Alan, please read a few books before you go shooting your mouth off about things you know nothing about. Embarrassing.' Radio jock Alan Jones sensationally dismissed a young panelist during a discussion on whether climate change policy impacted the federal election 'At least he can be challenged on Q&A. Not so much on his bleeting broadcasts on 2GB and Sky News, ' another said. 'Does Alan Jones want the percentage of carbon dioxide to be much higher before action is taken? Sure it's less than 1% of atmosphere but do you realise the entire atmosphere and planet would be vastly different if it were to even go up by 0.5 per cent?' another argued. Others said Mr Jones ability to leave Ms Workman speechless begged the question as to how reliable her climate change knowledge is. 'Alan Jones made that The Australian journalist look like an idiot. She should know the facts instead of feeding us scare tactics in the paper,' one user wrote. During the panel discussion on climate change, Ms Workman said she believed the Independent MPs voted into the House of Representatives and the Senate would hold the government accountable to address climate change issues. She also said Mr Morrison was not a climate change denier, and may work alongside crossbenchers to enact change. A man with black face paint brandishing a wooden bat has allegedly gone on a violent rampage in a suburban street, destroying cars and terrifying locals. A resident from Greenacres in north-eastern Adelaide caught the man on video as he walked up and down Craig Street holding the five-foot-long bat while terrified locals watched on. 'Oh my god he is dangerous... he has a big wooden stick, he's just breaking all the cars on the street,' the man behind the camera can be heard saying. A man with black face paint (pictured) brandishing a wooden bat has allegedly gone on a violent rampage in a suburban street, destroying cars and terrifying locals The man's face was covered with dark paint and a hood while he marched up and down the street carrying the long wooden bat in broad daylight on Monday. 'He is terrifying the street, mate, he is a dangerous man,' the resident says as he films the unknown man. The man roamed the street for more than an hour and allegedly damaged at least a dozen cars during his bizarre outburst. A resident from Greenacres in Adelaide caught the man on video, where he is seen walking up and down Craig Street holding the five-foot-long bat while terrified locals watch on Just after 2pm, police and paramedics arrived on the scene following frantic calls from scared residents. They found a 55-year-old man who had been stabbed in his chest with a pair of scissors, who was then rushed to hospital. Shortly afterwards, police found the 45-year-old face-painted man nearby. 'It was pretty scary, he was just yelling nonsense and smashing up cars. It was pretty terrifying,' a witness told Nine News. The suspect hasn't been charged but is expected to face a range of charges including assault and property damage. Junkies have been filmed shooting up drugs in Melbourne laundromats while other addicts turn apartment stairwells into injection centres. Shocking CCTV footage showing addicts taking drugs in broad daylight has laid bare the addiction crisis plaguing St Kilda in the city's south. The beachside suburb has been smeared with a long and troubled history of drug abuse, but locals say the problem has escalated in recent months. In CCTV footage obtained by Nine News two individuals can be seen in the Barkly Street Laundromat during daylight hours. While one appears to inject themselves with what is presumed to be ice, another woman can be seen cutting up suspicious substances on top of a washing mashing. In a second clip a man, who is believed to be under the influence of drugs, appears to take his anger out on the washing machine and is seen ripping it off the wall. Community Leader Dan Van described the ongoing issue with drugs as a 'feeding frenzy'. He said people would arrive on a bus and 'grab a packet of needles from the crisis centre' before trying to 'steal someone's TV or break into a car' and then go on to pick up some drugs. Some local businesses say they've been forced to shut early because of the relentless drug use. Two individuals (pictured) can be seen in the Barkly Street Laundromat during daylight hours while one appears to 'shoot up' the other appears to cut up a suspicious substance 'Who wants to go down the street and sit down at a cafe when someone with a needle in their arm is next to you,' Katherine Wilson, who works at a local cafe, told the news programme. 'We see lots of people shooting up, defecating, urinating, abusing people I've been physically abused twice.' Another local resident claimed his friend's 13-year-old son had been walking down Fitzroy Street when a person smoking ice tried to put a pipe in the teenager's mouth and 'get him to smoke it'. Meanwhile, a stairwell which leads onto an apartment building has become so bad residents refuse to use the stairs. A local worker said they often see 'lots of people shooting up, defecating, urinating, and abusing people' Locals also claim they've been made to pay 'thousands of dollars' for additional security and to clean the waste. A spokesperson for Victoria police told Daily Mail Australia the state police's priority was to make sure the community felt safe in St Kilda and across the city of Port Phillip. 'We understand it would be confronting to witness incidents of crime or anti-social behaviour. 'Police are committed to reducing the harm caused by drugs in the community. That is why we relentlessly investigate and pursue the traffickers and dealers who are profiting from this trade. 'However, we also recognise that locking up drug dealers can only ever be one element within a broader approach towards reducing the harm. ' Community Leader Dan Van described the ongoing issue with drugs as a 'feeding frenzy' The spokesperson said officers often conduct foot patrols along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda so that they can 'engage with shop owners and residents' and 'detect or deter' any criminal goings on. 'These patrols are regularly supported by the local council and specialist police units such as the Mounted Branch, Transit Safety Division, Bicycle Patrol and Highway Patrol to boost our visibility and provide reassurance to the community. 'If members of the public do witness any criminal or anti-social behaviour, or are concerned for their safety, we urge them to contact Triple Zero (000) for an immediate police attendance.' Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp mocked the 'c-list' celebrities like Ben Stiller, Amy Schumer and Alyssa Milano who have threatened not to film in his state if the strict anti-abortion law isn't repealed before it goes into affect in January. 'I understand that some folks don't like this new law. I'm fine with that,' Kemp said at the state Republican convention, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 'We're elected to do what's right and standing up for precious life is always the right thing to do.' 'We are the party of freedom and opportunity. We value and protect innocent life - even though that makes C-list celebrities squawk,' he added. Georgia has become a major filming location for television shows and movies because of the 30 percent tax break offered by the state. It's resulted in almost $3 billion in Hollywood productions happening there, including Netflix's Stranger Things and Ozark series. Georgia's controversial ban - along with new anti-abortion bans in Alabama and Missouri - is seen as part of the Republicans' effort to return the issue to the national stage and potentially force a Supreme Court challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling which enhshrines abortion rights across the U.S. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp mocked the celebrities who have threatened not to film in his state if the strict anti-abortion law isn't repealed Alyssa Milano, Amy Schumer and Ben Stiller are among the celebrities threatening not to work in Georgia But numerous celebrities have spoken up against Georgia's law as it was debated in the state legislature. In March, before Kemp signed the bill, actress and activist Alyssa Milano sent a letter to the governor and state House Speaker David Ralston - signed by 49 fellow actors - threatening to boycott the state if it became law. WILL REPUBLICANS GET TO CHALLENGE ROE V. WADE AT SUPREME COURT? The growing list of 'heartbeat' abortion bans are designed openly to get the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade, with many Republicans gambling that a 5-4 conservative bench would overturn it. But is that the case? Here is how the case may - or may not - reach the Supreme Court. ROUND ONE: LITIGATE IN STATE COURTS The outcome does not matter too much in legal terms because the aim is to get to: ROUND TWO: PRO-CHOICE CHALLENGE Each of the laws passed by the states is going to be challenged in the local federal court by pro-choice groups, with Planned Parenthood and the ACLU litigating some already and getting ready for more. The heartbeat bills are fairly clearly incompatible with Roe v. Wade so it is likely a federal judge would first grant an injunction against them to keep them from being enacted, and order a full-scale hearing. This could be the pro-life movement's first chance to ask for a Supreme Court hearing, by appealing the injunction rather than waiting for a full trial in a federal court. Or they could wait for a trial - but either way the next stage is: ROUND TWO: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT All federal cases can be appealed to the next level - a federal appeals court. The country is divided into 12 geographical circuits and some swing liberal, some conservative. The best bet for the pro-life group to force a Supreme Court hearing is to get an appeal into a liberal circuit, where judges are likely to vote down a heartbeat bill. Cases are heard by three judges and can be appealed to the entire bench of the circuit. Missouri is in the liberal-leaning Eighth Circuit, so if its bill becomes law, look here for a challenge which would come from the state or its pro-life supporters going to the next stage: ROUND THREE: PETITION THE SUPREME COURT - AND GET JOHN ROBERTS ON SIDE Anyone involved in a federal appeals case can petition the Supreme Court to ask for review of the outcome. But the tricky part for the pro-life movement is that the Supreme Court is not compelled to take up a petition. So assuming a heartbeat bill has been blocked by an appeals court, the pro-life petitioners have to find a way to get a majority of the justices to agree to hear their appeal. That means getting Chief Justice John Roberts - the swing vote - to agree to hear the case. But he has made clear since his confirmation hearing that he wants a court respected by all sides and seen as above politics. So it is an uphill task to persuade him not to do the simple thing: keep the hypothetical block on the heartbeat bill in place without a hearing, ending the process without a public and divisive airing of the issues. Exactly that scenario has already happened in North Dakota, whose restrictive laws got struck down by the liberal Eighth Circuit. The Roberts court simply declined to intervene. But assuming a pro-life lobbyist or state, or group of states, succeeds in getting Roberts to agree to a hearing, the next challenge is: ROUND FOUR: WHAT EXACTLY WILL THE JUSTICES REVIEW? Just because the justices have taken up the case a pro-life lobby group want to push doesn't mean their dream of a full-scale Roe v. Wade challenge is anywhere near complete. The justices can look as widely or narrowly at the issue as they want, so could consider a detail in the case rather than looking at abortion in full. Roberts has been a 'gradualist' before, on issues such as gay marriage, so he might guide the court to consider far narrower issues. Examples could include allowing states to make licensing of abortion clinics more difficult, or restricting reasons for having an abortion, such as banning Down Syndrome diagnosis as a reason for termination. Pro-choice groups fear the most likely outcome of the heartbeat bills is not sweeping new abortion bans, but Roberts leading the conservatives to allow more restrictions to stay in place state-by-state without Roe v. Wade being overturned. Advertisement 'We want to stay in Georgia. We want to continue to support the wonderful people, businesses, and communities we have come to love in the Peach state. But we will not do so silently and we will do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women,' the letter stated. Actors Uzo Aduba, Christina Applegate, Mia Farrow, Adam Goldberg, Colin Hanks, Jamie King, Debra Messing, Rose O'Donnell, Sean Penn, Amy Schumer, Ben Stiller, and Bradley Whitford were among those who signed the pledge. Milano is filming the second season of Netflix's 'Insatiable' in Georgia. Kemp signed the 'heartbeat bill' - the most restrictive anti-abortion legislation in the country - into law on May 7. It bans bans abortion once a heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks - and that's before some women even know they are pregnant. Georgia follows in the footsteps of Alabama, which passed a law virtually outlawing abortion. Alabama's measure prohibits all abortions - even in cases of incest and rape - unless there is a risk of death for the mother. Missouri is in the process of passing a law that ban abortion at eight weeks that includes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest and imposes criminal penalties on doctors who perform the procedure. The legislation is making its way through the Republican-controlled legislature and the state's GOP governor has pledged to sign it. All the new laws are expected to be challenged in court. The ACLU has already filed a lawsuit in Ohio challenging a law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Legal challenges are also pending in Mississippi and Kentucky, where Republican governors have signed similar fetal heartbeat abortion laws. Several of the states' laws appear to specifically challenge a key component of Roe vs. Wade - that states can't place an 'undue burden' on a woman's right to an abortion. Lower courts could strike down state laws under that provision and the Supreme Court could choose to revisit the case or let the lower court rulings stand. Republicans hope such a case eventually makes its way to the Supreme Court, offering the high court the chance to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States. The Supreme Court has tilted to the right under justices appointed by President Donald Trump. Justice Anthony Kennedy, a key swing vote on the court who was a supporter of abortion rights, was replaced by the more conservative Brett Kavanaugh. Even some liberal justices on the court seem to fear just that. Last week, Justice Stephen Breyer appeared to raise such a warning in an opinion opposing conservative justices' reversal of an unrelated 1979 ruling. 'Today's decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the court will overrule next,' Breyer wrote. Additionally there are questions on if the high court would want to take up such a controversial subject during an election year. Either way both sides are likely to use the strict state laws as a rallying cry for the base in the 2020 election. Georgia, meanwhile, has become a new Hollywood hot spot for filming thanks to its tax incentives. The Marvel hit 'Black Panther' filmed there. Currently filming in the state is Jon Stewart, who is working on the political satire 'Irresistible,' starring Steve Carell and Rose Byrne. Bruce Willis is scheduled to start filming a thriller in Georgia in June. Gerald Butler and Mel Gibson also have projects starting in the state next month. Also in production in Georgia is the popular AMC show 'The Walking Dead.' 'Ozark' star Jason Bateman is another actor threatening a boycott. 'If the 'heartbeat bill' makes it through the court system, I will not work in Georgia, or any other state, that is so disgracefully at odds with women's rights,' he told the Hollywood Reporter. Netflix's 'Stranger Things' also films in Georgia Other Hollywood producers have agreed to stay and film but have pledged to donate money to organizations fighting the law, such as ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia. J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele promised to donate 100 percent of their fees on their upcoming HBO drama 'Lovecraft Country' to those groups, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, who scheduled to film Netflix's 'Hillbilly Elegy' in Georgia later this month, told the trade magazine production would continue in the Peach State but they would make a donation to the ACLU, which is challenging the law in court. 'After much thought and deliberation, we decided to continue with shooting Hillbilly Elegy in Georgia next month,' they said in a statement. 'We felt we could not abandon the hundreds of women, and men, whose means of support depend on this production - including those who directly contribute on the film, and the businesses in the community that sustain the production. 'We see Governor Kemp's bill as a direct attack on women's rights, and we will be making a donation to the ACLU to support their battle against this oppressive legislation. 'Should this law go into effect in January, we will boycott the state as a production center.' Google's former CEO has launched an energetic defense of U.S. web giants and warned against proposals to break them up. Eric Schmidt praised firms such as Google and Facebook for bringing 'innumerable benefits' including 'freedom for individuals' and 'the ability for people to speak out'. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph he said he did not see a 'basis in law' for a breakup, hinting it could be illegal. He also cautioned that Chinese tech firms were 'outflanking' their Western rivals and growing at a faster rate. Among the controversies which have beset Google in recent years was a possible project - now seemingly shelved - to build a search engine in China which would comply with Beijing's censorship rules. Eric Schmidt (pictured) praised firms such as Google and Facebook for bringing 'innumerable benefits' including 'freedom for individuals' and 'the ability for people to speak out' Praising the role of tech companies, the former CEO insisted that 'these platforms are enormously powerful and they are free to consumers'. Mr Schmidt, 64, said: 'I would be very careful about directly affecting the structure of the industry because the benefit of broad access to these platforms has brought innumerable benefits: education, healthcare, access, freedom for individuals, the ability for people to speak out. 'The transparency that these platforms have provided is a global good.' Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren is among those who have called for firms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon to be broken up. But Mr Schmidt said a breakup would cause a 'negative consumer harm'. Mr Schmidt is standing down from the board of Google's parent company next month. His defiant comments come at a time of growing cynicism about data gathering and online security. They echo the optimism of the early Internet age when it was hoped that a wealth of free information would counter false claims and spread knowledge. Instead, tech companies today - in particular Facebook - are widely accused of spreading fake news and hate speech on their platforms. Firms such as Google (pictured, a Google booth at a trade fair in China last year) have come under scrutiny over data gathering They are also under suspicion over the amount of personal data they gather about their users. Last year a software bug was exposed in social network Google+ which meant that the personal information of 'hundreds of thousands' of users was apparently vulnerable. The issue reportedly affected users on the site between 2015 and March 2018. The bug allowed app developers to access information including names, email addresses, occupation, gender and more. Google announced it would be shutting down the Google+ site permanently, partly as a result of the bug. Mr Schmidt's comments were published on the day that Google broke ties with Chinese tech giant Huawei in an escalating political and economic row between the two nations. Following an order from President Trump, Google has blocked Huawei's access to its Android operating software. It means that future Huawei smartphones will not include apps such as Gmail and Google Maps. Following an order from President Trump (left), who is locked in trade dispute with China's Xi Jinping (right), Google has blocked Huawei's access to its Android operating software Existing ones will still run the apps, but users will not be able to upgrade to newer versions of Android. As a result, Huawei may be forced to use an inferior open-source version of Android, or attempt to build its own operating system. Apple has done so successfully with iOS, but Microsoft's foray into the market proved a disappointment and was shelved in 2017. Last year it was reported that Google was contemplating a search engine customized to the Chinese market, named Dragonfly. A former Google employee claimed it would be 'tailored to the censorship and surveillance demands of the Chinese government'. Jack Poulson also claimed that discussion of the plans among Google employees had been 'increasingly stifled'. Mr Poulson was a senior research scientist at Google until he resigned in July 2018 in protest at the Dragonfly proposals. Google has since abandoned the project but Mr Schmidt defended the idea earlier this month, saying the firm could help make China 'more open'. Brittany Sorey, 30, was arrested last week for filing a false police report when she claimed a Hispanic man broke into her home in Largo, Florida last month and sexually assaulted her A Florida woman has been arrested for filing a false sexual assault claim with police, which led to a bizarre chain of events that resulted in her innocent neighbor being killed. Brittany Sorey, 30, told police last month that a Hispanic man had broken into her apartment in Largo near Tampa and sexually assaulted her. A police report said Sorey reported that the man 'battered her and vaginally penetrated her with a broken broom handle and a box cutter'. She repeated those claims when she was later re-interviewed by a detective. Sorey, who is a mother of six children, had been living at the home with her husband Gerald at the time but had fallen behind on rent, the Smoking Gun reports. The couple moved out of the home after Sorey told police she had been assaulted and one of their male friends moved in instead. Sorey had been living at the home with her husband Gerald at the time but had fallen behind on rent. They moved out soon after she claimed she had been sexually assaulted Sorey, who is a mother of six, let her male friend move into the apartment. Her neighbor later tried to confront the couple over 'money issues' Sorey took to Facebook on April 20 to write, in a since deleted post, that she was trying to raise money for the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence following the so-called attack. Then on May 10, the friend who was living in Sorey's old apartment called her to say her neighbor was banging on the front door. The neighbor wasn't aware the couple had moved out but wanted to confront them over 'money issues'. Sorey told her friend over the phone that the man banging on the door sounded like the person who had broken in and sexually assaulted her. When Sorey's friend went outside to try and take a photo of the neighbor to give to authorities regarding the sexual assault, police said the man attacked him. Following her neighbor's death, Sorey admitted to police that she had lied about being sexually assaulted Police said a confrontation occurred and Sorey's friend killed the man in self defense. An ambulance responded to the home at about 10.23pm in response to a trauma call. The names of the friend or neighbor have not been released by police. It is not clear how the neighbor died. Following her neighbor's death, Sorey admitted to police that she had lied about being sexually assaulted. She was arrested last Friday and charged with falsely reporting a crime. The Brazil bar mass shooting which left five women and six men death could be a 'retaliatory attack' by the police, reports say. Last week, three policemen were killed near Belem, Brazil and their deaths could be linked to the bar massacre, it is alleged. Yesterday, gunmen opened fire at a bar in Brazil's northern Para state, killing 11 people. Scroll down for video Many of the victims were shot in the head and blood was splattered all over the bar Almost all of them were shot in the head. The G1 news website says police reported that seven gunmen opened fire at a bar in Belem City on Sunday afternoon. G1 says police also report one person was wounded in the attack. One of the victims is the owner of the bar, who was identified as Maria Ivanilza Pinheiro Monteiro or 'Vanda' (Wanda). The bar, known as Vanda's (Wanda) Bar and Drinks, is thought to be a drug den. Bar owner Maria Ivanilza Pinheiro Monteiro, pictured, was named as one of the victims The bar's DJ Leandro Breno Tavares da Silva, pictured, was also killed during the mass shooting The authorities released the identities of the other eight victims. They are employees Leandro Breno Tavares da Silva, 21, the bar's DJ and Paulo Henrique Passos Ferreira, 25, a waiter, along with those believed to be customers, Marcio Rogerio Silveira Asuncion, 37, Sergio dos Santos Oliveira, 31, Tereza Raquel da Silva Franco, 33, Samira Tavares Cavalcante, 35, Flavia Teles Farias da Silva, 32, Meire Helen Sousa Fonseca (age not disclosed). Anderson Goncalves dos Santos is said to have been the person who survived the attack, but his injuries have not been revealed. Police are investigating a possible link between the massacre and drug trafficking in northern Brazil. Illicit substances were allegedly recovered from the scene and items were found on or near some of the victims shot dead during the attack. Forensic expert began removing the bodies around 7pm last night after examining the scene. A video shows the aftermath of the shooting, with many of the victims shot in the head and blood all over the bar. Drugs can be seen near some of the bodies. Five women and six men were killed as an armed group entered and opened fire in a bar According to police, local residents said the incident happened 'really quickly'. The three suspects entered the bar, full of customers, and opened fire straight away. The gunmen are said to have travelled on three motorcycles and a silver car. They escaped using routes connecting to the building, which further led authorities to believe that the bar was a drug den. The Homicide Division of the Civil Police is conducting interviews and has launched a manhunt for the suspects. No one has been arrested. The gunmen are said to have traveled on three motorcycles and a silver car. They escaped using routes connecting to the building, which further led authorities to believe that the bar was a drug den General delegate Alberto Teixeira stated that the deaths were execution style, with some of the victims suffering head wounds while others were shot multiple times. A Para state spokeswoman, Natalia Mello, says she can only 'confirm' there was a massacre in the state. Belem City police chief Araujo, one of the first officers on the scene, which was flooded with police and rescue services, told local press that seven hooded men, three on motorcycles and four in a silver car - believed to be a Chrysler Voyage, were allegedly responsible for the murders. He said: 'We believe the bar is really a facade which is used as a place for the consumption of narcotics.' The Homicide Division of the Civil Police is conducting interviews and trying to determine the identities of the gunmen. No one has been arrested yet 'The (suspects) were able to escape the scene, along with others who survived and who may not have wanted to be identified. In searching the premises we discovered there were many hidden escape routes (built) in the bar. This made it difficult to catch the perpetrators. 'We rescued one survivor, who was shot. He has been taken to Terra Firme Emergency Unit for medical treatment and is in protective custody because of the ongoing dangerous situation and risk to his life.' Para governor, Helder Barbalho, called an emergency meeting late Sunday night with security officials at government offices. In a video posted on his social networks he pledged to do all he could to fight the violence and guaranteed 'absolute (swift and complete support) to the investigations'. The massacre occurred in Belem City, in an area known for drug use 'Let's not back down. If this incident, which occurred in the Guama neighbourhood, is to intimidate public security forces led by the government, it will not. We will remain firm and work to guarantee the right of the population to have a quality of life, peace and security.' O Globo reports that police know the bar as being 'a place for drug use'. The area where the incident occurred is considered one of the most violent in Belem, the capital of Para state, north Brazil. The region was one of the seven neighborhoods to received reinforcements troops from the National Public Security Force in March this year to boost security. Advertisement Jean Claude-Juncker today furiously denied he has a drink problem. The EU Commission President has repeatedly blamed his outlandish behaviour on his eccentric personality and his unsteady walk on sciatica. Mr Juncker, who will leave his job in July, raged when asked if he was a heavy drinker by journalists, calling them 'stupid'. He said today: 'I've said it many times that I do not have a problem with alcohol. Stupid journalists always ask the same question, even though this question has already been answered.' His hi-jinks at summits and other major events where he has inappropriately kissed political leaders and ruffled the hair or pinched the bottoms of officials have made headlines around the world. On a number of occasions he has also stumbled or had to be held up by other VIPs - but always blamed cramps, back pain or other ailments. Jean Claude-Juncker, pictured drinking a beer at a Brussels summit last summer, today furiously denied he is an alcoholic The EU commission president erratically runs his hands through the hair of Pernilla Sjolin - the Brussels deputy head of protocol - as he greets her in December Mr Juncker greets Spanish Finance Minister Elena Salgado in 2011 and Swiss politician Simonetta Sommaruga in 2015 Mr Juncker kisses Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as talks with Theresa May came to an end in December He was also seen stumbling as he arrives at the welcome dinner of the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe at the Spanish Horse Riding School of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna in December Nigel Farage and Jean-Claude Juncker ready themselves for a big high five before a European Council meeting on Brexit Juncker took a remarkably long time to descend from a podium after a photoshoot with the other world leaders in July At Christmas he was seen struggling to navigate a small set of stairs at a key international summit. Mr Juncker closed his eyes as he shared this seated hug with Estonia's Prime Minister Juri Ratas in December The European Commission President was also photographed seemingly losing his balance and having to be held and helped by a pair of aides. It was one of a long line of incidents critics have linked to drinking, which he says is a malicious rumour. In July last year the outgoing European Commission President was attending a dinner at the NATO summit in Brussels attended by US President Donald Trump and a number of other world leaders. Mr Juncker was seen stumbling and swaying to the extent that the presidents of Finland and Ukraine, among others, had to help keep him upright. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte also stepped in to guide Juncker. Footage from the summit also showed him struggling to make it up some steps and being held by the arm, at times by two other people. In May 2017 he was reportedly 'drunk and bumping into furniture' at a UN Peace Summit during critical talks. Mr Juncker was said to be 'very visibly p**ed' during talks over Cyprus, which has been split between Greece and Turkey for decades, in Geneva in May 2017. A diplomat also said that the 62-year-old's familiar behaviour with some young aides was 'embarrassing'. A source said: 'He was bumping around into things, and going up to junior members of staff for conversations. It was odd behaviour, and a little bit embarrassing for everyone'. Juncker is often pictured with a glass in his hand, pictured raises a toast to Angela Merkel in 2010, blames journalists for the stories Then Luxembourg PM, Mr Juncker jokes in front of Swedish counterpart Goran Persson in 2001 and mucks around with tie-less Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras in 2015 and then alone in 2017 The politician is well known for kissing men and women in public, including Theresa May in March and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom a fortnight ago Mr Juncker was also photographed unable to climb the steps to the podium and being pushed around in a wheelchair at last year's NATO summit and he has said he has serious back problems Mr Juncker's antics have made headlines all over the world (pictured top left to bottom right_ with Sigmar Gabriel, Frans Timmermans, Vladimir Putin, and Simonetta Sommaruga WHAT IS SCIATICA? The term sciatica describes the painful symptoms when the sciatic nerve, which runs from your hips to your feet, is irritated due to something pressing or rubbing on it. The most common cause of sciatica is a slipped disc which is when a soft cushion of tissue between the bones of your spine pushes out. Other causes include a back injury, spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the part of your spine where nerves pass through) and spondylolisthesis (when one of the bones in your spine slips out of position). Sciatica usually gets better in four to six weeks, but it can last longer. If you have sciatica, your bottom, backs of your legs and/or feet and toes may feel painful (the pain may be stabbing, burning or shooting); tingly (like pins and needles), numb and/or weak. These symptoms may be worse when moving, sneezing or coughing. There may also be back pain, but it is usually not as severe as the pain in your bottom, legs and feet. Source: NHS England Advertisement And last summer he was branded an alcoholic who binges on gin and leaving his deputy to govern, in an explosive account by Brussels insider Jean Quatremer - a French journalist who has covered the EU for years - in The Spectator. He said he had heard from sources across Europe that the EU politician is 'a little too fond of the bottle' adding that one former minister told him: 'When a bailiff brings him a glass of water at a council of ministers, we all know it's gin.' Mr Juncker has repeatedly denied claims that he is an alcoholic and insisted that his sometimes shambolic appearance is down to chronic back pain known as sciatica. He hit back at reports of his drinking in Mr Quatremer's story and denied the allegations when speaking to reporters. Asked directly if alcohol played a role in his stumbling at NATO, he said: 'I'm really impressed by the interest some people are taking in these not even marginal issues and I am asking for respect.' He added: 'I had sciatica and moreover I had cramps in my legs' adding that he 'laughed at the pettiness' of what was being said about him. Donald Trump declared Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign all but dead on Monday, about an hour after the release of a poll showing him tied for first place in the crucial early state of Iowa. 'Looks like Bernie Sanders is history. Sleepy Joe Biden is pulling ahead and think about it, Im only here because of Sleepy Joe and the man who took him off the 1% trash heap, President O! China wants Sleepy Joe BADLY!' the president tweeted. Sanders and former Vice President Biden both polled 24 per cent in an Iowa Starting Line/Change Research Poll released Monday. Biden was ahead by 11 points in a Monmouth University poll last month, before he made his presidential candidacy official. President Donald Trump appeared to boost Joe Biden's Democratic primary bid on Monday with a tweet declaring the his main rival Bernie Sanders' campaign 'is history' The president's pronouncement came with a claim that aggressive trade negotiators in China want Biden to be president 24 per cent of Iowa Democrats surveyed last week said they would caucus for Bernie Sanders next year, the same proportion that chose Joe Biden Only five of the two dozen declared Democratic candidates notched double-digit results. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was in third place with 14 per cent, followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 12 per cent and California Sen. Kamala Harris at 10 per cent. Iowa will host the first-in-the-nation poll that counts next year its January caucuses. In New Hampshire and South Carolina, the two states whose primary elections will follow, Biden has put Secretariat-like distance between himself and the rest of the field. A Monmouth poll of New Hampshire voters this month put Biden ahead of Sanders by a 36-18 margin. Former Vice President Joe Biden held an 11-point lead over Vermont Senator Bernie Sandersa month ago in Iowa, but that was before the Biden campaign shifted from possible to the real thing; now they're neck-and-neck in the Hawkeye State And a May poll conducted by the Post and Courier, South Carolina's largest newspaper, found Biden with a whopping 46 per cent support. Sanders, again in second place, has just a 15 per cent following. Momentum coming out of Iowa Democratic caucuses usually has a measurable impact. New Hampshire and South Carolina voters tend to watch the Hawkeye state for signals about whose messages and energy will play best against the likely Republican nominee. And the rest of the nation watches those three 'early' states, along with the quick-to-follow Nevada, for signals about who will drop out and who will stay in the race. Advertisement The Eiffel Tower was evacuated and closed to visitors today after a man was spotted climbing half way up the iconic structure. The climber, who has not been identified, clung on for six hours in Paris today until emergency services managed to 'grab' him, while evacuees were forced to wait in the Champs de Mars park below. Police and fire crews were scrambled to the 900-foot structure after the climber was seen by horrified visitors who were then told the world-famous landmark would not re-open until tomorrow. Parisian officials say the man is 'in the hands of emergency teams' after being pulled down by the authorities. The man looking down towards the ground nearly 900ft below as he holds onto the tower just below the viewing platform A rescue worker wearing a hi-vis red outfit approaches the man as he clings to the side of the tower's structure on Monday afternoon Dramatic pictures show the tricky rescue operation in progress as authorities on the ground confirmed they were negotiating with the man A spokesman for the tower said at 4pm on Monday: 'The Eiffel Tower is currently closed until further notice, because of an unidentified climber. 'Police are negotiating with the man who is in a very dangerous position. To avoid a long wait, we advise people to postpone their visit.' Photos posted on social media suggested the man had got around half way up the tower. While other photographs showed him nearly at the viewing deck. The esplanade underneath the monument was also evacuated. Police do not yet know why he began his ascent via the iron beams, a source told AFP. In October 2017 the tower was also evacuated after a young man ventured out on one of the beams and threatened to commit suicide, before police were able to convince him to come back. The so-called 'Iron Lady' welcomes more than six million visitors a year, but has been hit by repeated strikes by its 300-strong staff in recent years over issues ranging from pick-pocketing to maintenance work. It has also been beset with multiple security issues and last last year perimeter defences were placed around the monument to protect against terror threats. Rescue workers' vehicles underneath the Eiffel Tower on Monday as emergency services negotiated with the man Shocked tourists and locals watched on as the dramatic scenes unfolded in front of them on Monday afternoon A police officer looks up towards the incident after authorities set up a cordon around the tower to protect members of the public Monday's incident is not the first time a trespasser has attempted to climb the tower. In October 2017 the tower was also evacuated after a young man ventured out on one of the beams A rescue worker, left in red, climbs from the top of the tower to try and rescue the man from the enormous drop Two men who stole a pet dog to extort the owner into paying them $3,000 in a foiled ransom plot have both been jailed for more than a year. Robert Narrier, 39, and Chiminh Phun, 42 - who is dating infamous dine and dasher Lois Loder - stole the chihuahua, a car and a phone from a house near Perth in January 2017. When the dog's owner Hamilton Gervaise discovered his beloved Harvey was missing, he sent a text to the stolen phone begging for his pet to be returned safely. The first reply read: 'How much are we talking about? I want 3,000 Gee. Take it all leave it,' Perth Now reported. Chiminh Phun (pictured with his girlfriend - infamous dine and dasher Lois Loder) stole a chihuahua, a car and a phone from a house near Perth in January 2017 'Give us what we agree on as our reward. Your mutt angry. Don't forget I got your address. Bring the cash but no authorities,' was the message Mr Gervaise received next. But the masterminds' plot was thwarted when authorities became involved and set up a sting to catch Narrier and Phun. After arrangements to swap the cash and the dog were made between the pair and Mr Gervaise, Phun was arrested. After being refused bail, messages were sent to the pair's friends asking for them to return the dog or drop it off at the nearest police station. Robert Narrier, 39, was in on the plot with Phan, who tried to extort the dog's owner into paying them $3,000 for his safe return - he has been sentenced to 15 months behind bars WA's District Court heard Harvey was eventually dropped off by Loder at a local vet. Judge Laurie Levy said the dog was dearly loved by Mr Gervaise and his wife, and was of significant emotional value. 'There is compelling evidence, therefore, that you were likely the driving force and calling the shots in the plan Mr Narrier. I note that it was Mr Phun who was sent in to collect the money whilst you waited nearby,' Judge Levy said on Monday. Narrier was sentenced to 15 months behind bars and Phun received a 13 month sentence. Meanwhile Loder is currently serving her two year sentence for her fraud and theft charges after she went on a crime spree and racked up thousands of dollars in unpaid bills between May 2017 and April 2018. At one time, she skipped out of upmarket restaurant Zafferano in Crawley, Perth without paying the $763 cheque. On another occasion, CCTV footage from a Henley Brook restaurant caught her leaving the premises with her partner without paying the $290 food and drinks bill. An anthropology student was tragically found dead in the bathroom of her hotel room after drinking two bottles of Prosecco and taking cocaine, an inquest heard. Amber Lyssis, 21, was heard playing loud music after checking into Stay City Apartments in Manchester on February 22 last year, having bought drugs two days earlier. The following day she failed to check out and, after gaining access to her room, found her dead in the shower. Two empty bottles of Prosecco and remnants of white powder were found on a glass table. An empty 'baggy' and a full one were nearby. Coroner Fiona Borrill recorded an open verdict after hearing Amber was excited about the future and enjoying her university course. Amber Lyssis tragically died in a hotel room after drinking Prosecco and taking cocaine Amber's mother Lucky Rutland, from Barnet, north London, said: 'We had an hour and forty minute conversation a few days before and she was just telling me everything about her life. She had started field work in her anthropology course. 'She had just met up with a priest and she had interviewed a nun. She had rung me just before she was going to interview another nun and she was so excited. She was very keen on her anthropology course. We were very close. 'The last conversation we had she was saying how excited she was about life and her future. She was in a really good place. She was never depressed, she was a happy human being. She was looking forward to the future.' Ms Rutland said her daughter did use drugs off and on in her life, but was very studious, often studying through the night. The family has a history of heart disease and her brother is now being tested for it, the coroner was told. A toxicology report showed she had taken cocaine and alcohol, but did not have a particularly dangerous level of either in her body. Amber's mother said she was happy shortly before her death and looking forward to the future Police Coroner's Officer Ian Taylor said: 'There was no suggestion she had been in an altercation. We concluded there were no suspicious circumstances and no third party involvement. 'The last message that was sent as an outgoing message at 17.47 was on 22nd February.' He added: 'Evidence on her mobile phone showed she had previously bought drugs over the few months and even recently in February 20th, she'd made an attempt to purchase drugs. Recording an open conclusion, Coroner Fiona Borrill said: 'This was an absolute tragedy. I'm considering probability rather then possibility. 'It's entirely unclear whether she had her foot over the plug hole. There were two cans of squirt cream on the table, also used for laughing gas.' Police found her dead in the bathroom of Stay City Apartments in central Manchester The coroner continued: 'She had drunk a significant amount of alcohol. There were two empty bottles of Prosecco in the room. There was a consumption of alcohol and cocaine before her death. I am not clear what the sequence of events was in this case. 'Her brother is undergoing cardiac investigations at present. Whilst there was no cardiac distress present at post mortem, it cannot always be detected. 'Amber was only 21 at the time of her death. I have heard from her mum that she loved life, she was a free spirit and excited about the future corroborated from the hours of conversations she had with her. 'This was a sudden and very tragic death and I offer my condolences and sincere sympathies to you in these awful circumstances.' Following her death, friends ran the YMCA run to raise money for the organisation. Labour MP Jess Phillips was involved in a furious row with Muslim protestors outside a school in Birmingham today amid ongoing protests about LGBT education. Police were called to Anderton Park Primary School in the Sparkbrook area of the city last night after pro-LGBT campaigners and members of the Muslim community clashed outside. This morning the Labour MP turned up at the school to announce she is calling for an exclusion zone to ensure pupils can get to and from school safely. It comes after seven weeks of protests by Muslim parents who claim LGBT inclusion lessons are a breach of their religious values and are aggressively promoting homosexuality'. The Birmingham Yardley MP was filmed arguing with parent spokesman Shakeel Afsar, who does not have any children at the school, but claims 600 youngsters were kept at home today as part of their demonstrations. Labour MP Jess Phillips (right) is pictured in a heated row with Muslim parent spokesman Shakeel Afsar (far left) outside Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips gestures towards parent spokesman Shakeel Asfar Jess Phillips's intervention comes after seven weeks of protests by Muslim parents who claim LGBT inclusion lessons are a breach of their religious values and are aggressively promoting homosexuality' She told him: 'I think what's happening here, the worst thing about it, is it's damaging the reputation of a peaceful, loving community that I have lived in all my life. 'I am going to call for an exclusion zone to protect the 700 children at this school.' But Mr Asfar claimed there were only around 100 pupils at school today, because 600 from Muslim families had been told to stay at home. Phillips said his claims were 'simply not true' before she was accused of being 'intolerant' to Muslim parents. Mr Asfar, who claims to have been nominated as a parent spokesman, said the MP was being 'aggressive'. She replied: 'I'm not being aggressive. I apologise if you find it aggressive. The Birmingham Yardley MP was filmed arguing with parent spokesman Shakeel Afsar (pictured), who does not have any children at the school, but claims 600 youngsters were kept at home today as part of their demonstrations 'Maybe if I got a loud hailer and stood on the back of a thing and shouted 'I am not a homophobe, that would be less aggressive.' Brushing his comments aside, she added: 'To be honest, you're not a parent at this school, I don't have to talk to you. 'All I want to say to you is I fear you are damaging the reputation of the Muslim community. All I want is for them to be able to go to school freely.' Phillips is calling on Birmingham City Council to impose the exclusion zone after 300 people allegedly signed a petition demanding headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson resign and equality lessons stop. Today's incident took place hours after a group of LGBT activists attached placards and banners to the school gates in support of the lessons. They claim eggs were thrown at them in a stand-off outside the school before police officers swarmed the scene. The group said they feared for their safety and nearby residents have slammed both sides for making them feel intimidated in their own homes. Mr Asfar, who has co-ordinated almost daily protests outside the school, said the LGBT campaigners were being provocative. Mr Afsar said the activists turned up as night fell, disturbing residents and causing intimidation by putting up rainbow flags and 'inflammatory messages'. Amir Ahmed, one of the leaders of the campaign, said he supported today's boycott. The Birmingham parents' anger was originally aimed at another Birmingham school's assistant headteacher Andrew Moffat, who is behind the No Outsiders lessons. He created the scheme to teach children about the Equality Act and British values. Pupils at the school rated outstanding by Ofsted have five of these lessons a year, covering areas outlined in the Act: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The programme was first piloted at the school in 2014 and is now also taught at dozens of other schools in the country. Alice Marie Johnson, the great-grandmother whose life sentence was commuted with the help of Kim Kardashian, is now fighting for the women she's left behind. Johnson made headlines last year when President Donald Trump granted her clemency after she spent 22 years in prison for a first time, nonviolent drug offense. Now, nearly a year to the day she became reunited with her family, Johnson is focused on helping others. 'I've been running for the people ever since, the people who've been left behind in prison,' she said on the Today Show on Monday. Scroll down for video Alice Marie Johnson, the great-grandmother whose life sentence was commuted with the help of Kim Kardashian, now wants to fight for the women she left behind in prison Johnson made headlines last year when President Donald Trump granted her clemency after she spent 22 years in prison for a first time, nonviolent drug offense. Kardashian had been a champion for her release. They are pictured here together in November 'There are many Alice Marie Johnsons, many women, and many men, who deserve a second chance, the same chance I've been given.' Johnson, who is releasing her memoir After Life this week, said she believes her release has 'put a face' on the issue of mass incarceration in America. 'Since I've come home, so many people want to know the inside story,' she continued. 'They want to know who I am as a person.' 'So this memoir is my life, and it also magnifies the issue of prison reform. The American public has embraced me, they've embraced my story, because it is a story of hope.' 'But is also changes the trajectory of how they've looked at people who are in prison.' 'I've been running for the people ever since, the people who've been left behind in prison,' Johnson said on the Today Show. 'There are many Alice Marie Johnsons who deserve a second chance, the same chance I've been given' It was in prison that Johnson said she realized a third of people who were locked up had already served their time and were no longer a threat to society - yet were still chained to unnecessarily long sentences. Johnson, who is releasing her memoir After Life this week, said she believes her release has 'put a face' on the issue of mass incarceration in America 'My family, we've been reunited, but there are so many families waiting for their loved ones to come home too,' she said on Fox & Friends on Monday morning. 'For the president to embrace this issue is very important, and it's important for society. When families are broken, you don't have a good, strong society. Communities are affected. When one person goes to prison, their family goes to prison with them.' Johnson said she had never met a woman in prison who hadn't been asked by their child, 'Mama, when are you coming home?' 'What do you tell your children when you are serving these long, unnecessary sentences, when you no longer pose a risk to society?' she continued. 'Why are you wasting tax dollars? Why are you keeping families separated when the retribution, when the price has already been paid?' 'I won't stop fighting for all the people who have been left behind - not only the women, but the men also. These laws must change.' Johnson also revealed how she maintained hope and faith in prison, even when her clemency requests were denied by previous administrations. Johnson also revealed she still keeps in touch with Kardashian, who wrote a touching foreword for her memoir Johnson (pictured here at the 2019 Prison Reform Summit) was sentenced to life in prison in 1997 for committing a first-time nonviolent drug crime in Memphis 'Prison couldn't take away who I am, it couldn't take away the joy that I had for life itself,' she said. 'That is really the way I was able to make it.' 'I knew that there was no way I wasn't going to be rejoined with my family. I don't feel that I was really denied, I was destined for such a time as this.' Johnson also revealed she still keeps in touch with Kardashian, who wrote a touching foreword for her memoir. The great grandmother was sentenced to life in prison in 1997 for committing a first-time nonviolent drug crime in Memphis. Kardashian first heard about her story from Twitter and then met with Trump at the White House last May to discuss the case. The following month, he pardoned Johnson. Kardashian first heard about her story from Twitter and then met with Trump at the White House last May to discuss the case. The following month, he pardoned Johnson The president invited Johnson to watch his State of the Union address, where she received a standing ovation The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has since registered with the California State Bar to study law and has credited Johnson with changing her life. 'I think I was just the water that watered the seed, that seed was planted in Kim,' Johnson said. 'I think her father being an attorney, and her always having an interested in law. When I came along, she blossomed. I saw a woman who was like a superwoman, she wouldn't stop at anything for my freedom.' 'I'm honored that I was a catalyst, that I helped her with that. But she's also helped me too. We have both impacted each other's lives.' Johnson has since accepted deals for film and television rights and knows exactly who she'd like to play her in the movie about her life. 'I've got several people,' she said, 'But I like the way Angela Bassett dances.' A U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of hitting a migrant with his patrol car in Arizona also sent offensive text messages calling immigrants at the border 'disgusting', 'subhuman s***' and 'mindless murdering savages'. The messages sent by Nogales Agent Matthew Bowen, 39, have been unearthed by federal prosecutors that suggest a disdain towards immigrants. In one text he calls the migrants he apprehends 'disgusting subhuman s*** unworthy of being kindling for a fire' and asks the president 'PLEASE let us take the gloves off Trump'. Two weeks after sending those messages to another agent, who was accused of murdering an unarmed Mexican teenager through the border fence, Bowen hit a Guatemalan migrant with his truck on December 3, 2017. Shocking text messages sent by Nogales Agent Matthew Bowen, 39, have been unearthed by federal prosecutors, revealing his disdain towards migrants. He's accused of running over a Guatemalan migrant in 2017 then lying about hit the victim in his report. File image above The suspect nearly ran over 23-year-old Antolin Lopez Aguilar then lied about the incident in his report, according to Arizona Daily Star. Bowen, a 10-year veteran of the Border Patrol Agency, was indicted by a federal grand jury last May on charges of depriving the man of his civil rights under color of law and falsifying records. His trial will begin in August. In his report he claimed he hit Lopez with his truck giving 'just a little push with a ford bumper' when in reality he hit Lopez twice and accelerated the truck 'directly into the back of Lopez Aguilar's body', knocking him to the ground. The tires of the truck 'came to a full stop within inches of running Lopez-Aguilar over where he lay on the ground,' an agent wrote in a report. Lopez was hospitalized with abrasions to his right hand and his knees and sentenced to 30 days in federal prison for crossing the border illegally. Bowen's offensive texts then came to light in filings last month in U.S. District Court in Tuscon. Prosecutors are asking a judge to allow some of Bowen's text messages to be used as evidence of his 'great disdain' for the people he apprehends - which could shed light on his state of mind when he hit the migrant. Bowen, a 10-year Border Patrol veteran is accused of running over a 23-year-old Guatemalan migrant with his patrol car before arresting him on December 3, 2017. He's sent shocking messages calling migrants 'subhuman s***' and 'murdering savages' Defense lawyer Sean Chapman argues that certain terms are 'commonplace throughout the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, that it is part of the agency's culture, and therefore says nothing about Mr. Bowen's mind-set'. He argued that those text messages could be perceived as 'racist or offensive' and wouldn't help a jury determine 'whether he, on this occasion, set out to use excessive force to apprehend the alleged victim.' In one text exchange sent on December 18, 2017 with an unidentified person Bowen talks about cooking migrants. 'Did you gas hiscorpse (sic) or just use regular peanut oil while tazing?? For a frying effect,' someone texted Bowen. He replied: 'Guats are best made crispy with an olive oil from their native pais.' Guat is an offensive, derogatory term for a Guatemalan citizen and pais is the Spanish word for country. Some of Bowen's offensive texts were sent to fellow Border Patrol agent Lonnie Swartz (left in 2018) who was acquitted last year of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for shooting dead a migrant through the border fence Swartz was accused of killing unarmed 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez in Mexico by shooting him through the border fence at Nogales during an alleged rock-throwing incident in 2012. Jose pictured in the back, his grieving mother Arceli Rodriguez pictured in front Bowen sent several text messages to agent Lonnie Ray Swartz who was acquitted last year of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Swartz was accused of killing unarmed 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez in Mexico by shooting him through the border fence at Nogales during an alleged rock-throwing incident in 2012. After another rock throwing incident in November 2017, Bowen sent Swartz a message calling the throwers 'mindless murdering savages'. In other messages he calls migrants 'tonks' a derogatory term for those that cross the border. It's not clear where this word comes from but it's connected to the sound of a flashlight hitting the back of someone's head. Others say it's an acronym for 'temporarily outside native country'. A song about the trade war has taken off in China amid growing anti-US sentiment in the country. 'If the perpetrator wants to fight, we will beat him out of his wits,' the lyrics of the privately produced song titled Trade War read. It has gathered more than 3.2 million views on social media platform WeChat. China has been rallying public support around its position in a trade dispute with the United States, taking a tougher rhetoric as Washington raised tariffs on US$200 billion worth of Chinese imports and placed China's telecom giant Huawei on an export-control list. 'If the perpetrator wants to fight, we will beat him out of his wits,' the lyrics of the privately produced song titled Trade War read. It has gathered more than 3.2 million views on WeChat The song, released by producer and lyricist Zhao Liangtian, is set to the tun of an anti-Japanese anthem from the 1960s film Tunnel War - in which a Chinese town defends itself from invasion. It opens with a male chorus singing: 'Trade war! Trade War! Not afraid of the outrageous challenge! Not afraid of the outrageous challenge! A trade war is happening over the Pacific Ocean!' 'I chose Tunnel War because that is reminiscent of the similar situation that China is facing today,' retired official Zhao Liangtian told Bloomberg News on Monday. The song, released by producer and lyricist Zhao Liangtian, is set to the tun of an anti-Japanese anthem from the 1960s film Tunnel War - in which a Chinese town defends itself from invasion. Above, the lyrics read 'we will beat him out of his wits' State broadcaster CCTV's movie channel changed its prime-time schedule from live-streaming the red carpet of Asian Movie Week to a number of post-war film classics, including Heroic Sons and Daughters (1964) (right), Battle on Shangganling Mountain (1954) (left) 'Since the trade war broke out, I felt the urge to do something,' Zhao said. He is also an accredited member of the Poetry Institute of China, which is affiliated with the partys propaganda department. Zhao told Bloomberg that he wrote the song's lyrics last year and circulated them online, but said they had gone largely unnoticed until China-US talks faltered. Some of his anti-US poems had been censored by authorities in the past. After US President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs earlier this month, Zhao sensed the Chinese government had changed its attitude. He paid 1,600 yuan (181) to finally produce and have other retirees sing the chorus. Surprise Attack (1960) was aired on Saturday on CCTV during prime-time. The film is set during the Korean War, otherwise known in China as the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea Chinese state media has also taken an increasingly strident tone, with the ruling Communist Party's Peoples Daily publishing a front-page commentary on Friday that evoked the patriotic spirit of past wars. State broadcaster CCTV's movie channel on Thursday changed its prime-time schedule from live-streaming the red carpet of Asian Movie Week to a number of post-war film classics, including Heroic Sons and Daughters (1964), Battle on Shangganling Mountain (1954) and Surprise Attack (1960), according to a notice. All the films are set during the Korean War, otherwise known in China as the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea. Hu Xijin, editor of state-owned tabloid the Global Times, tweeted on Sunday that the Battle on Shangganling Mountain should teach the Chinese that 'there's no equal negotiation without fighting' while CCTV said that it is 'using artworks like films to echo with the current era.' President Donald Trump (right) expanded his tariff regime to include practically everything China exports to the US; Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) retaliated last Monday but said his own tariffs won't go into effect until June. The pair are pictured in November 2017 Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has been blocked by Google from receiving updates for the Android operating system during a trade war between Beijing and Washington 'All trade wars are paper tigers,' said a riff on a Communist propaganda poster published on Wednesday showing People's Liberation Army soldiers stamping on a pile of skulls. The poster alludes to Mao Zedong's famous pronouncement in 1956 that 'All reactionaries are paper tigers' - a derogatory term which he also applied to American imperialism. The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with US counterparts. In an additional blow to the firm, Google confirmed on Monday it was restricting Huawei's access to the Android operating system on which the technology firm's mobile devices depend. China announced last 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 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 All new Huawei phones will not have access to apps including Gmail, Google Maps and the Google Play store. Any phones which already have Google apps installed will be able to keep them but they will not get updates. Huawei users will still be able to access the open-source version of Google's Android services but it is drastically scaled back compared to the alternative version and will likely turn users towards competitors who have not been blacklisted. Huawei phones cannot be bought in the US officially and in 2017, it accounted for only two percent of the smartphones in America. The Chinese company overtook Apple to become the world's second largest smartphone maker after South Korea's Samsung last August. Twitter users have reacted with dismay at the cost of the 5.25 banana and salted caramel milkshake thrown over Nigel Farage this afternoon. The Brexit Party leader was covered in the Five Guys milky drink by a protester as he made the latest stop of his campaign in Newcastle. A furious Mr Farage was heard saying 'how did you not stop that?' as he was bustled away by security, and an individual was arrested and put in handcuffs by police. The biggest concern social media users had after the incident is the apparent costly nature of the drink, calling it a 'rip off' and 'bloody criminal.' One said: '5.25 for a milkshake?! Rip-off, cold bovril would have been better thrown on him instead.' Mr Farage was left spluttering after the milkshake incident in Newcastle this afternoon Another user, also surprised by the costly beverage said: 'A banana and salted caramel #Milkshake sounds disgusting, especially at 5.25.' While another said: 'The Milkshake thrown over Farage cost 5.25. That man committed two criminal acts in my opinion.' Needless to say Mr Farage was unimpressed by being doused in lactose on the campaign trail. He tweeted afterwards: 'Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.' He later told reporters that the milkshake was 'yobbo flavoured'. Brexit minister James Cleverly immediately condemned the episode, insisting that people should debate rather than 'assault political opponents'. Tony Blair branded the attack horrible and ridiculous, while Jo Cox's widower Brendan Cox said it normalised 'violence and intimidation'. Paul Crowther, 32, from Throckley, Newcastle, was handcuffed after the incident. He told reporters it had been a 5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel milkshake. Northumbria Police said a 32-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of common assault. A flabbergasting clip shows the moment thousands of ducks are herded across a road in South Thailand at incredible speed, flapping up a cloud of dust. Approximately 3,000 birds cross the road within 41 seconds, waddling at break neck speed before launching themselves down the bank towards a rice paddy. A farmer herding the birds from their coup to the rice paddies everyday, caught the attention of the filmer, believed to be a tourist, who begun to film the humorous daily migration. The filmer commented: 'I have been filming these ducks in early morning around 7:00am when they dash out to the paddy fields, and then in the evening around 6:00pm when they return to their sleeping area.' The amazing video was filmed early this morning in Klong Sam, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, South Thailand. Ducks work as insecticide for farmers as they snack on insects feeding on the produce in the rice paddies. Leader of the flock rushes to be first to make it to the rice paddy where the ducks will be met by a feast of insects They are also eaten for their meat - roasted duck is often seen in Thai food courts and street food stalls. The clip was filmed early in the morning on Monday May 20 as the birds moved from their pen leaving a cloud of dust in their wake as they stampede across a road to get to the paddy fields. Klong Sam, Klong Luang in Pathumthani is an area known for being agricultural with many rice paddies full of insects for birds such as ducks to feast on. These are pictures of 'messages from God' scrawled inside the home of an elderly church warden by her young lover in a plot to drive her to the grave and take her money, a court heard today. Devout Catholic Ann Moore-Martin, 83, was overcome with religious zeal when she saw the messages smeared on mirrors at her home in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, a jury was told. They were written by her lover Benjamin Field, 28, who was pretending to be in a relationship with her in a bid to steal her life's savings. When she saw the messages, some of which read 'Ben needs prayer and he loves you' and 'All that you give him will be returned tenfold', she contacted her lawyer to ask her to make her boyfriend the main beneficiary of her will. Field, and his magician friend Martyn Smith, 32, are on trial for her attempted murder and the murder of her neighbour Peter Farquhar, 69. Benjamin Field is pictured taking a selfie in the reflection of a mirror with the words 'pray for Ben, Ben loves you' written on it Field, 28, is pictured on a different occasion posing in the same mirror, which this time bear the words 'all that you give him he will return' Oxford Crown Court heard today how Ms Moore-Martin contacted her lawyer, Diana Davies, and told her how the messages were a sign from God that she needed to change her will. A jury of six men and six women were today shown pictures of the messages, which Field had taken himself. Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, had said: 'Field and Smith embarked on a campaign of 'mirror writing'. 'That is to say, using a white marker such as is used on boards outside restaurants, they wrote things - messages - on Ms Moore-Martin's mirrors at home. 'These messages were biblical in nature and Ms Moore-Martin ended up believing they were messages from God - Field would speak of having received them too. 'Amongst other things, the messages were telling Ms Moore-Martin to leave Field her house, that if she did, she would be doing the will of the Lord. Which is what she duly did.' Another picture of Field, shown to his trial at Oxford Crown Court today, shows him taking a picture of a mirror with the words: 'Your intentions are holy, your work is not yet done, take care and complete the task given to you by the Lord' Field and his co-defendant Martyn Smith's trial heard he wrote the messages inside Ann Moore-Martin's home in a bid to kill her and hand over her inheritance to him The court heard Ms Moore-Martin had contacted Ms Davies and cited the mirror writings as a reason for why she wanted to make Field the beneficiary of her will. Ms Davies became concerned when she realised Peter Farquhar had done the same thing shortly before his death and Field consented for this to be disclosed to Ms Moore-Martin. Despite this, she still changed her will. Ms Moore-Martin subsequently left Field her home on Manor Park in Maids Moreton, Bucks., which was valued at approximately 320,000, High Court judge Mr Justice Sweeney was told. The court had heard Ms Moore-Martin had died a few months short of her 84th birthday when she passed away on May 12 2017, and that she was unmarried and had no children. Ben Field, of Olney, Buckinghamshire, is charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of conspiracy to murder, one count of burglary, three counts of fraud and one count of possession of an article for use in fraud. He has admitted the three fraud counts and the burglary. Field, 28, is pictured with his then lover Ann Moore-Martin, 83. He is on trial for her attempted murder and for the murder of her elderly neighbour Peter Farquhar Retired teacher Anne-Moore Martin, 83, was like a 'lovestruck teenager' around Benjamin Field, 28, who seduced her and planned to kill her to inherit her money, the jury heard previously Field, 28, conspired with Martyn Smith, 32, to murder Peter Farquhar, 69, (pictured) as well in a bid to feature in his will, Oxford Crown Court was told Smith, of Redruth, Cornwall, denies all the charges against him - one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of conspiracy to murder, three counts of fraud, one count of burglary and one count of possession of an article for use in fraud, namely the will of an 101-year-old woman called Elizabeth Zettl, who Field lodged with. Field's brother Tom, 23, also of Olney, Buckinghamshire, was charged with fraud by false representation. The prosecutor told the jury this was in relation to the alleged incident where the two Field brothers and Smith convinced Ms Ann Moore-Martin that Tom Field needed 27,000 to buy his kidney dialysis machine so he could remain at university. He denies fraud. The trial at Oxford Crown Court continues. Field's friend and co-defendant Martyn Smith, 32, of Redruth, Cornwall, denies murder, conspiracy to murder, two charges of fraud and one of burglary Advertisement A knock-off of the US-founded skateboarding and clothing brand Supreme has opened a mega-store in Shanghai, China, and if online reaction is to be believed, it's an improvement on the original New York store. The fake Supreme appropriated the exact trade dress and logos of the original NYC company, allegedly registered it under a slightly different name, Supreme Italia, and got the green light to sell in China, according to NSS Mag. However a source familiar with the situation told DailyMail.com that IBF, which runs Supreme Italia and sister-company Supreme Spain, is not registered in China, is operating there illegally and could be shut down at any moment. The source said that the real Supreme has a trademark registration currently being processed in China. Meanwhile, the fake store is garnering attention for its lavish design, complete with a half pipe skating ramp, skate decks hanging all over the walls, and of course, the unmistakable Supreme logo. An allegedly completely legal knockoff of the US-founded skateboarding and clothing brand Supreme has opened for business in Shanghai, China, but the originator says it's not on the up and up In response, Supreme founder James Jebbia, told Business of Fashion in April, 'This is a whole new level with this criminal enterprise - these complete imposters and impersonators'. The New York City-based fashion brand made famous by its box logo, collaborations and limited-run items, added that it is working with local law enforcement in China to enforce its trademarks, according to Hypebeast. While the legal status of the knockoff's activities remains uncertain, the execution of its imitation has been praised by social media users who got a glimpse of the 'flagship' Supreme Italia store in photos, even as Chinese media has ridiculed the establishment as 'disgracing us overseas.' One Twitter user wrote, 'Dang... that store looks so much nicer than the New York store. Kind of digging fake Supreme over the real deal.' Another said, 'The thing is that Supreme should do their stores like that.' A company called IBF has opened Supreme Italia, which is running the Shanghai store, and a sister company called Supreme Spain. People are shown outside the fake Shanghai store Reports have said IBF got trademarks over the iconic Supreme logo in China after the New York-based original failed to do so, but the US company has said that is false and it is working with local law enforcement to enforce its trademarks there. The fake store in Shanghai is shown People are shown shopping in the knockoff store in Shanghai, run by Supreme Italia One user identified as Henry even guessed the fake would be more profitable, writing, 'they prolly making more money than supreme.' According to photos, customers were lined up outside the massive store and eager to take a peek at the off-brand items inside and check out the skating ramp inside. Once inside, they were surrounded by Supremes classic Box Logo in Futura Heavy Oblique font, plastered all over the interior and on items available for sale. The 'flagship' location is the second Supreme Italia store opened in Shanghai, following a much smaller version that popped up in February. The billion dollar brand is known for its high-end collaborations, with one with Nike dropping on Monday. Meanwhile, customers in China lined up around the block to get access to the counterfeit store's half pipe skating ramp, skate decks hanging all over the walls, and of course, the unmistakable Supreme logo, while social media users praised the design and said the US brand could take a lesson from the foreign entity. The New York Supreme store is shown Supreme was founded by James Jebbia in New York City in 1994 and became a hit with skateboarding, hip hop and rock culture enthusiasts, though the design is much more modest than the counterfeit in Shanghai. The interior of the New York Supreme store is shown One Twitter user wrote, 'Dang... that store looks so much nicer than the New York store. Kind of digging fake Supreme over the real deal' Another said, 'The thing is that Supreme should do their stores like that' One user identified as Henry even guessed the fake would be more profitable, writing, 'they prolly making more money than supreme' The fake establishment comes complete with a half pipe skating ramp, and the unmistakable Supreme logo According to photos, customers were lined up outside the massive Shanghai counterfeit store and eager to take a peak at the off-brand items inside and check out the skating ramp inside Once inside, they were surrounded by Supremes classic Box Logo in Futura Heavy Oblique font, plastered all over the interior and on items available for sale Inside the fake store in Shanghai, skate decks hang on the walls and are displayed on shelves The original Supreme brand is known for its high-end collaborations, with one with Nike dropping on Monday Supreme's collaboration with Nike is expected to drop this week The US-based company highlighted knockoffs of its collaborations, like the one shown here with Nike, as another issue with the fake Shanghai store's potential sales, saying the products resulting from joint ventures similarly aren't authorized to be sold A knockoff of the true brands collaboration with RIMOWA luggage is shown in a photo of the Supreme Italia store in Shanghai A knockoff of the true brands collaboration with RIMOWA luggage could be seen in photos of the Supreme Italia store in Shanghai, which was one issue the US-based company highlighted with the store's potential sales, saying the products resulting from joint ventures similarly aren't authorized to be sold. According to Supreme, Supreme Italia does not have a trademark registration in China, and a 2017 judicial order bars the imitator from the advertising, manufacturing or selling of product with Supreme, Supreme Italia or Supreme Spain trademarks. Last year, Samsung was duped by Supreme Italia into agreeing to work on a collaboration, believing it to be the original Supreme. Months later the tech giant posted a short statement on Weibo saying it would discontinue the partnership with Supreme Italia, a brand that clones Supremes red box logo but is actually a copycat hiding under an Italian trademark. Samsung Chinas digital marketing manager, Leo Lau, clarified in a now-deleted Weibo post that Samsung was not collaborating with the authentic Supreme brand. 'We are collaborating with Supreme Italia, not Supreme NYC,' Lau said. 'Supreme NYC has no sales and marketing authorization in China, but Supreme Italia has obtained product sales and market authorizations in the Asia Pacific region.' The original Supreme brand has international locations, like in London, which opened its doors in 2016. The official brand also has locations in Paris and Japan, in addition to its US stores in New York, Brooklyn and Los Angeles. DailyMail.com has reached out to Supreme seeking further clarification and is awaiting a reply. Amber Rudd warned today that moderate Tories want to 'shape' the future of the party in direct defiance of Conservative Brexiteers. The Work and Pensions Secretary spoke as around 30 MPs attended the launch of the One Nation Conservatives - a Remainer-heavy group that largely wants a soft deal with Brussels. The launch came on the same day as Brexiteer Esther McVey - a possible leadership rival for Ms Rudd - launched the Blue Collar Conservatives with a more hardline pitch at Working Class Tories. Speaking at the launch of One Nation - whose members describe themselves as centre-right - Ms Rudd said: 'The Conservative Party is entering a new phase. 'And we here in this room are determined to shape that phase.' Ms Rudd said tonight: 'The Conservative Party is entering a new phase. And we here in this room are determined to shape that phase' Ms Rudd added: 'And sometimes our voices aren't heard quite as vocally as they should be. 'And part of the launch today is to say we are going to be stepping up, making ourselves heard because we are proud and honest and strong about what we believe in. 'And we believe that this time, more than ever, we need to shape the changing Conservative Party.' Other Tory MPs at the event included Health Minister Stephen Hammond, Digital Minister Margot James and Prisons Minister Robert Buckland. Asked if One Nation could back a Tory leadership contender who advocated a no-deal Brexit, MsJames pointed to the values set out by the new group, saying: 'I think it would be difficult for a candidate who would let the country leave without a deal to subscribe to quite a lot of those values and the policies that flow from them.' Ms James added: 'I don't think many candidates are going to stand up and say 'I think the country should leave without a deal'. No. 'But there are candidates who will go out of their way to make sure the country doesn't leave without a deal and that is what we need to ensure we get out of this leadership contest.' The pitch from Ms McVey is likely to go down well with Tory members who view the UK's foreign aid budget as excessive Former minister Esther McVey set out a leadership pitch today calling for the party to use 7billion of foreign aid cash on buckling British police forces and schools. Launching a 'blue collar conservatism' campaign the Brexiteer MP, 51, said her party had 'lost the trust' of working people by failing to leave the EU already and must pursue 'radical conservative agendas' to win it back'. She said that keeping cash in the UK that is currently sent abroad would allow an increase of 4billion in spending on schools and 3billion for police, which are both demanding more money. And she declined to rule out doing a post-election deal with Nigel Farage - but said that if the Tories got the UK out it would mean that his Brexit Party would have no reason to exist. The pitch from Ms McVey, who has already announced plans to run to replace Theresa May as Tory leader, is likely to go down well with party members who view the UK's foreign aid budget as excessive. Speaking in Westminster she reiterated her call for the next party leader to be 'someone who believes in Brexit' - a dig at Mrs May, who supported the Remain campaign in 2016. And she lashed out at the local election results which saw the Tories suffer their worst reverse since 1995 in losing 1,300 seats. Texas school administrator Bennie Solomon, 25, has been charged with having an improper relationship with a student A male school administrator from Houston has been charged with sending sexually explicit messages to a 17-year-old student and pursuing a sexual relationship. Bennie Lee Solomon, 25, was arrested last Wednesday on a charge of having an improper relationship with a student, including sending a message via Snapchat that read: 'I need it so bad.' The gender of the victim has not been made public. Following his arrest, Solomon was fired from his job as a secretary in the Morton Ranch High School's counselors' office. According to court documents, Solomon began communicating with the teenager in early February via Snapchat, reported Chron.com. Their alleged relationship was uncovered a week ago when another student at the school told administrators about the lewd Snapchat messages. When officers with the school district police interviewed Solomon about the missives, he allegedly confessed. Until his arrest last week, Solomon had worked as a secretary in the Morton Ranch High School's counselors' office in Katy, Texas Solomon appeared in court over the weekend and had his bond set at $10,000 (pictured) In one message sent to the 17-year-old student, the administrative assistant allegedly wrote, 'I want it so bad.' In another, according to prosecutors, he asked the teenager to have sex with him. Solomon appeared in court over the weekend and had his bond set at $10,000, which he has since posted, according to Click2Houston. Solomon has been barred from going near the school campus, or contacting the victim. The charge against the 25-year-old suspect carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison Solomon (left and right) is accused of sending a 17-year-old student lewd Snapchat messages beginning in early February Solomon has been barred from going near the school campus, or contacting the victim The Morton Ranch High School principal sent a letter to parents last week announcing Solomon's arrest and subsequent firing. Please be assured that the District takes these types of allegations very seriously and is fully cooperating with police, Principal Julie Hinson wrote. Providing a safe and secure learning environment is and will continue to be our top priority. According to his Facebook profile, Solomon is a devout Christian and part of the apostolic Pentecostal denomination. His page is filled with inspirational quotes and memes referencing the bible and invoking Jesus Christ. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent out an alert on Monday warning U.S. firms and government agencies of a potential data risk from Chinese-made drones. The notice titled 'Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems' warns that sensitive flight data might be sent to their manufacturers in China, where it can be accessed by the government. It goes on to say that U.S. officials have 'strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access.' Chinese made drones account for 80 percent of those on the market. A Phantom drone stands on display at the SZ DJI Technology Co. headquarters in Shenzhen, China. This drone is the top-selling commercial drone on the market 'Be cautious when purchasing [drone] technology from Chinese manufacturers as they can contain components that can compromise your data and share your information on a server accessed beyond the company itself,' the advisory says. 'Those concerns apply with equal force to certain Chinese-made (unmanned aircraft systems)-connected devices capable of collecting and transferring potentially revealing data about their operations and the individuals and entities operating them, as China imposes unusually stringent obligations on its citizens to support national intelligence activities,' the alert adds. The warning from U.S. DHS that's titled 'Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems' warns that sensitive flight data might be sent to their manufacturers in China, where it can be accessed by the government DJI drones at the 3rd World Intelligence Congress, one of the most important hi-tech exhibitions in China showing the latest development and innovations in Intelligence technology, was held in Tianjin from May 16 to May 19 'Organisations that conduct operations impacting national security or the Nation's critical functions must remain especially vigilant as they may be at greater risk of espionage and theft of proprietary information,' the alert also adds. Nearly 80% of the drones used in the U.S. and Canada come from DJI, which is headquartered in Shenzhen, as reported by CNN. Drones are become heavily used by U.S. local law enforcement organizations and infrastructure operators in recent years, for example, the can be used in the construction of government buildings U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the National Association of Realtors Legislative Meeting and Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. on May 17. Trump has signed an executive order which in effect banned U.S. firms from using telecommunication equipment from Chinese tech giant, Hauwei The warning comes shortly after President Trump signed an executive order which in effect banned U.S. firms from using telecommunication equipment from Chinese tech giant, Hauwei. DJI, which reported $2.7 billion in revenue in 2017, is best known for its popular Phantom drone. Introduced in 2013, the drone is the top-selling commercial drone on the market. In a statement, DJI said that it gives customers 'full and complete control over how their data is collected, stored, and transmitted,' adding that 'customers can enable all the precautions DHS recommends.' 'At DJI, safety is at the core of everything we do, and the security of our technology has been independently verified by the U.S. government and leading U.S. businesses,' DJI said. Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has had the Tory whip suspended after saying he would vote Liberal Democrat at the European elections, a Conservative spokesman said. The grandee, a lifelong pro-European, said he would 'experiment' with voting Lib Dem because of the Government's Brexit policy. A spokesman for the Tories said: 'Lord Heseltine has given more than half a century of service to the Conservative Party, and his longstanding and sincerely held views on Europe are well understood. 'But, with his long experience, he will know that publicly endorsing the candidates of another party is not compatible with taking the Conservative whip in Parliament. 'As a result, the Chief Whip in the House of Lords has informed Lord Heseltine that he will have the Conservative whip suspended. This will be reviewed if he is willing to support Conservative candidates at future elections.' Lord Heseltine previously vowed to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the Euro elections because the Conservative party has been 'infected by the virus of extremism'. Michael Heseltine has vowed to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the Euro elections because the Conservative party has been 'infected by the virus of extremism' The former deputy prime minister, 86, outlined his support for Bill Newton Dunn in his constituency in Northamptonshire in the Sunday Times. The Tory grandee wrote: 'Before our party was infected by the virus of extremism, he was a Conservative MEP in the best traditions of Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan and, yes, Margaret Thatcher, whose Bruges speech in 1988 made it clear that 'our destiny is in Europe'.' He went on to say that while he would vote with the Tory party in the Lords and stay a member of his local association, he cannot vote for them because of their position on Brexit. Mr Heseltine added: 'I cannot, with a clear conscience, vote for my party when it is myopically focused on forcing through the biggest act of economic self-harm ever undertaken by a democratic government.' On Thursday last week, Mr Johnson announced he would stand for the Tory leadership when Theresa May steps down and he is the clear favourite, according to a YouGov poll of Conservative Party members for The Times. He has ruled out doing a deal with Nigel Farage, whose party are set to win the Euro elections next week. A friend told the Sun: 'He's categorically ruled out doing any deal with Nigel Farage. 'Boris is the only leadership candidate who can see off both him and hard-left Mr Corbyn.' The news comes as John Major called for an inclusive Tory party, while Labour MP Margaret Hodge was recorded saying people should vote tactically in the upcoming elections - even if that means not voting for her party. The former prime minister told The Sunday Times that the need for an inclusive Tory party is 'greater than ever', and warned: 'The middle ground of politics is empty.' On Thursday last week, Mr Johnson announced he would stand for the Tory leadership when Theresa May, pictured leaving a church service near her Maidenhead constituency today, steps down and he is the clear favourite, according to a YouGov poll At an event last week, Ms Hodge was heard saying: 'I think taking whatever action you need, within your locality, that gives you the best likelihood of electing somebody who will be a pro-European MEP, I think is the way you should go, I really do.' When asked later about the comments, Dame Margaret told the Sunday Times: 'I probably misspoke then. 'I would never advocate voting against the party.' The Brexit Party are predicted to win the vote next week, with a Comres poll placing them on 31 per cent. Labour are second on 22 per cent, with Lib Dems third on 16 per cent, and the Green Party and Tories in joint fourth on 9 per cent. His comments come as Labour MP Margaret Hodge was recorded saying people should vote tactically in the upcoming elections - even if that means not voting for her party. Theresa May says this week's Withdrawal Agreement Bill to get Brexit through Parliament will be 'a new bold offer' - though Eurosceptics say 'The WAB is toast' Prime minister has said the bill will have new package of measures attached to it Members of ERG are planning to vote it down, with one saying 'the wab is toast' Comes as Brexit Party soars in the polls, commanding 34 per cent of the vote Theresa May has said that this week's Withdrawal Agreement Bill to get Brexit through Parliament will be a 'new bold offer' - even though Eurosceptics have said it is 'toast'. The prime minister said that when she brings the bill before parliament early next month, it will come with a new package of measures attached that she hopes can command majority support. 'I still believe there is a majority in parliament to be won for leaving with a deal,' May wrote in The Sunday Times. But members of the ERG are planning on voting down the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, or Wab, according to leaked WhatsApp messages. One said: 'The only way to be sure of a future and to do the right thing by the country is to shut the Wab down.' Another added: 'The Wab is toast.' MPs three times rejected the deal May struck with Brussels, forcing Britain's EU departure date to pushed back from March 29 to April 12 and again to October 31. Theresa May, pictured today at church, has said that this week's Withdrawal Agreement Bill to get Brexit through Parliament will be a 'new bold offer' - even though Eurosceptics have said it is 'toast' The bill is needed to ratify the divorce agreement struck with the European Union. On Thursday, May agreed to set out a timetable for her departure following the vote in the week beginning June 3, regardless of whether MPs back her deal at the fourth time of asking. It is thought that she will trigger a contest for the leadership of her governing Conservative Party once the bill either falls or completes all of its stages through parliament. 'When the Withdrawal Agreement Bill comes before MPs, it will represent a new, bold offer to MPs across the House of Commons, with an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support,' she told the newspaper. 'Whatever the outcome of any votes, I will not be simply asking MPs to think again. Instead I will ask them to look at a new and improved deal with fresh pairs of eyes - and to give it their support.' The bill is expected to include new measures on protecting workers' rights, future customs arrangements with the EU, and on the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state and the UK's only land neighbour. It will not, however, seek to re-open the withdrawal agreement, which Brussels repeatedly insisted could not be re-negotiated, despite many MPs voting it down due to concerns about its so-called 'backstop' clauses on Northern Ireland. May is expected to set out the details of her proposals in a speech later this month. Her gambit on Sunday comes ahead of the European Parliament elections, to be held in Britain on Thursday. The latest survey put eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage's single-issue party way ahead on 34 per cent in the upcoming Euro elections The opinion polls make dire reading for the Conservatives, with the newly-formed Brexit Party forecast to win the most seats, ratcheting up the pressure on May. The latest survey out Sunday put eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage's single-issue party way ahead on 34 per cent, with the Labour Party on 20 per cent, the pro-EU Liberal Democrats on 15 per cent and the Conservatives on 11 per cent. Furthermore, the poll said the Brexit Party had overtaken the Conservatives in general election voting intentions too, with Labour leading on 29 per cent, Farage's party on 24 per cent and the Conservatives on 22 per cent. Opinium Research conducted an online survey of 2,004 British adults between Tuesday and Thursday for The Observer. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Saturday that whoever replaces May, calling an early general election risked 'killing Brexit' and making veteran socialist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn prime minister. 'A general election before we've delivered Brexit would be a disaster,' he told The Daily Telegraph newspaper. 'A general election before that not only risks Jeremy Corbyn, but it risks killing Brexit altogether.' The next Conservative leader is set to be chosen by the centre-right party's members. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the clear front runner, according to a YouGov survey of grassroots Conservatives for The Times newspaper. Johnson was on 39 per cent, ahead of former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab on 13 per cent, interior minister Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Michael Gove on nine per cent each and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on eight per cent. Cash rolls in for Bojo bandwagon: Donors divert money from May to Boris as he leaps ahead in the polls as party chairman begs for funds 'to keep the lights on' at Tory HQ By Glen Owen, Harry Cole and Brendan Carlin for the Mail On Sunday Boris Johnson's leadership campaign has triggered a financial crisis at Theresa May's party HQ with the Tory Chairman Brandon Lewis forced to beg his local associations for emergency loans to 'keep the lights on'. The former Foreign Secretary's surge in the leadership race has led to a 'stampede' by the party's donors to switch money from Mrs May's operation to Mr Johnson's campaign, with many donors telling Tory HQ that they will only resume funding after Mrs May has left No 10. It comes as both Chancellor Philip Hammond and his predecessor George Osborne have both privately said that they expect Mr Johnson to become the next Prime Minister. Boris Johnson's leadership campaign has triggered a financial crisis at Theresa May's party HQ A string of recent polls have put Mr Johnson well clear of his rivals among Tory Party members, whose votes will decide the contest: his hopes of leading the party have also been boosted by a bombshell 'megapoll and focus grouping' effort paid for by donors that shows Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove would lead the Conservative Party to an electoral wipe-out. The survey, which has been circulated to a close band of senior party figures, warns that electing either of them would turn the next Election into a 'row about public spending' because of their previous roles at Health and Education. Tory chairman Mr Lewis ordered his officials last month to contact wealthy local party associations to ask them to loan money to Tory HQ, which would then be paid back over five years at 'high-street rates of interest'. Boris Johnson was pictured bird watching with his girlfriend Carrie Symonds at Bempton Cliffs nature reserve in the East Riding of Yorkshire yesterday It is also understood that the party's CEO, Sir Mick Davis, has been asked to inject more of his own money, amid fears that the party could soon struggle to pay the staff salaries. Sir Mick, a mining tycoon, donated 250,000 to the party in March last year and the same sum again in July, September and December. That came on top of the 1.2 million he donated to the party in 2017. A party source said: 'If we don't get a serious injection of money soon we will be in trouble. The former Foreign Secretary's surge in the leadership race has led to a 'stampede' by the party's donors to switch money from Mrs May's operation to Mr Johnson's campaign Not only is it demoralising it also means we can't fund the work we need to do to prepare for a General Election.' Meanwhile, in a further boost for Mr Johnson, former PM Sir John Major will tomorrow lead a major Tory charge on climate change, joining the One Nation group of party moderates to demand that climate change is given the same level of concern as counter terrorism. A source said: 'Boris will have no problem in jumping on all that, and it should give some moderates the fig leaf they need to climb down in their opposition to him'. The boost to Mr Johnson's poll ratings which started after Mrs May failed to deliver Brexit has rattled his rivals, who include former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. One Minister backing Mr Johnson told The Mail on Sunday: 'We only have one candidate that can make Nigel Farage look like a pound-shop, snake-oil salesman and as the referendum showed, that is Boris whether you agree with him or not.' The Minister branded critics of Mr Johnson a 'cadre of entitled p***** who think they are born to rule' but 'were the ones that got us into this mess in the first place'. Tory Chairman Brandon Lewis (right) has been forced to beg his local associations for emergency loans to 'keep the lights on' But another senior Tory MP warned that Mr Johnson could yet crash to earth given his previous history of gaffes. They said: 'Never underestimate the f***-up factor with Boris, so even if he is going to win we need a credible alternative.' And a Cabinet source said: 'The dilemma now for moderate voices around the table is accept what the tea leaves say and get on board now, or have to go begging to him when the soft, fluffy candidates inevitably crash out.' Yesterday, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: 'If the party wishes to elect Boris Johnson then he may win, but that's not to say he's going to make a good Prime Minister.' When asked whether he would remain within the Conservative Party if Boris wins the leadership contest, the MP said: 'I'm a Conservative so I'm going to remain as a Conservative Member of Parliament. 'Whether I'm in a position to follow the party whip is quite another matter, that depends on what the leader of the party is doing and my own opinion as to the leader of the party's fitness for office.' A Tory source who has seen the megapoll said of Mr Johnson's rivals: 'It's not that they are doing badly, it's the fact they have zero support in the wider public.' Last month, Lewis (right) ordered his officials to contact wealthy local party associations to ask them to loan money to Tory HQ They added: 'It's all very well getting MPs numbers and a bit of support in the party, but neither of them are going to survive contact with reality in the wider country. They are both toxic and it becomes a public-sector Election and the Tories will not win on that ground. Look at what they did to Theresa last year on police funding. Now times that by a billion and that's where Gove is with the teachers, and slightly unfairly Jeremy is with the NHS.' But allies of Mr Gove hit back to claim he is garnering support across the Conservative Party from bother Leavers and Remainers. On Tuesday night he hosted 50 MPs for dinner at a pub in Chelsea, and pitched his unity vision over burgers and fish and chips. Mr Gove did not explicitly say he was running but set a vision of 'protecting the union and trashing Corbyn every week, while also renewing the party intellectually whilst in government'. An MP in attendance told The Mail on Sunday: 'It went down very well, there was a good mix as well. For someone not officially declared, he had a hell of a lot of support.' Official figures put Mr Raab top of the leadership money league, with 127,305 raised since January 1. Mr Johnson has received 80,250, thanks to donations from JCB chairman Lord Bamford and hedge-fund manager Johan Christofferson, but promises of more money for Mr Johnson are said to have 'flooded in' in recent days. The boost to Mr Johnson's poll ratings which started after Mrs May failed to deliver Brexit has rattled his rivals, who include former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt Mr Raab's war chest includes a hefty 44,258 to pay for a member of staff in his Westminster office from the Arbuthnot Banking Group whose chairman Sir Henry Angest is a former Tory treasurer. Mr Raab has also received 10,000 from Lord Harris of Peckham, an early backer of David Cameron when he was running to be party leader in 2005. According to the MPs' Register of Interests, other potential leadership rivals such as Amber Rudd and Gove have pulled in much lower sums since January 15,750 and 14,000 respectively. But Tory MPs point that as serving Cabinet Ministers, they are more restricted in building up war chests. The same will apply to Hunt and Sajid Javid who do not declare any donations since January. Party insiders point out that both men are wealthy enough to be able to fund leadership campaigns without them. A Tory party spokeswoman said: 'We have always taken deposits from local associations, but we have changed the basis on which we pay interest.' President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on his tough talk against Iran, calling them the 'number one provocateur of terror in this country' as the war of words between the two nations. 'They've been very hostile. Truly been the number one provocateur of terror in this country and representing their country, but certainly our country has been very much involved because we're trying to help a lot of people out and I don't mind that at all,' he told reporters on the South Lawn as he left for a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Trump again warned the Iran that any aggression on their part would be 'met with great force' even as he conceded there was no indication anything has happened. 'We have no indication that anything has happen the or will happen but if it does, it will be met obviously with great force. We'll have no choice,' he said. President Trump doubled down on his tough talk against Iran, calling them the 'number one provocateur of terror in this country' He also said the two nations were not in negotiations. 'If they call we would certainly negotiate but that's going to be up to them. I'd only want them to call if they're ready. If they're not ready, they don't have to bother,' Trump noted. The administration has been drawing a link between al Qaeda and Iran to argue the Islamic nation is a terrorist threat to the United States. It's an argument that could allow the president to fight Iran without congressional approval under a 2001 use-of-forces resolution, which gives Trump the authority to use force in order 'to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States,' NBC News reported. Iran did not attack the United States on the September 11th attacks but the administration has accused the country of assisting al Qaeda and of being linked to a terrorist threat against the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Earlier Monday, Trump slammed reports he is talking to Iran and boasted how the country's economy is collapsing as he steps his war of words with the Islamic nation. 'The Fake News put out a typically false statement, without any knowledge that the United States was trying to set up a negotiation with Iran. This is a false report,' the president wrote on Twitter. 'Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse - very sad for the Iranian people!,' he added. President Donald Trump slammed reports he is talking to Iran and boasted how the country's economy is collapsing Tensions between the two countries have soared as Washington has sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf while Tehran is reported to have resumed higher uranium enrichment. The escalation come a year after President Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear accord. Additionally, the leaders of the two nations have been engaged in a twitter sniping battle. Over the weekend, Trump issued a threat to the Islamic nation, writing on Twitter: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hit back, claiming Trump had been 'goaded' into 'genocidal taunts.' Zarif name checked both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that the region outlasted. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Trump's Twitter outbursts 'genocidal' He wrote: '@realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'. #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect-it works!' Speaking in an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday Trump said he was reluctant to start a war but said he 'couldn't let Iran have nuclear weapons'. 'I will not let Iran have nuclear weapons,' he noted. 'I don't want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you can't let them have nuclear weapons - you just can't let that happen,' he said. 'With all of everything that's going on, and I'm not one that believes - you know, I'm not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly - by far most importantly,' he said. Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday that he wouldn't let Iran have nuclear weapons He also noted: 'I ended the Iran nuclear deal, and actually, I must tell you - I had no idea it was going to be as strong as it was. It totally - the country is devastated from the standpoint of the economy.' Earlier this month, Trump said he'd like to see Iran call him, which some saw as an indication the U.S. was open to negotiations with Tehran. 'What I'd like to see with Iran, I'd like to see them call me,' Trump said at the time. 'What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down,' the president noted. 'We can make a deal, a fair deal.' Also, last week, the president met with Swiss President Ueli Maurer, whose country has facilitated communication between the Washington D.C. and Tehran since they broke diplomatic ties in 1979. Nearly seven-in-10 Americans want to limit the president's power to launch an offensive nuclear attack by giving Congress authority to first approve a declaration of war, according to a new survey. Some 68 percent of Americans said Congress should pass a law that gives the president unilateral authority to use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack on the U.S., according to the survey of 2,264 U.S. adults conducted by The Center for International & Security Studies at the University of Maryland in partnership with the Daily Beast. However, the same share would also like to see a requirement that the executive branch must consult Congress and receive a vote supporting a declaration of war before the president could act first to use nuclear force against a foreign nation. This graph breaks down the share of Americans of different political parties who say Congress should pass a law that gives the president unilateral authority to use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack on the U.S. - but want the president to be required to obtain a supporting vote in Congress declaring war before he or she could be the first to use nuclear force against a foreign nation. Source: The Center for International & Security Studies at the University of Maryland Such a proposal was floated in January when Senator Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Representative Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, sponsored legislation that would give Congress the authority to stop a president a first strike with nuclear weapons. Some 55 politicians have cosigned the proposed bill, including Democratic Senators Bernie Sanders, of Vermont; Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts; and Kirsten Gillibrand all contenders for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. U.S. attitudes on the issue did split along partisan lines, with Republicans (59 percent) less in favor of limiting the president's power than Democrats (74 percent) thought a majority held across both parties. In addition, 73 percent of Independents supported passage of a law that would make both changes. The survey also showed broad opposition from both major political parties to some of President Donald Trump's proposals for strengthening the nation's nuclear arsenal including the planned U.S. withdrawal from a 1987 arms agreement with Russia. The U.S. currently has 400 nuclear warheads at three intercontinental ballistic sites around the country. Despite that, the Trump administration is planning to build more of these missiles to the tune of $88 billion. However, more than 80 percent of survey respondents said that America must maintain a retaliatory nuclear capacity to deter other nations from making a first-strike attack. This graph illustrates the share of Americans who say the number of nuclear weapons in the U.S. is more, less or about the same as they expected Nearly half (47 percent) of survey respondents said they were surprised to learn how large the U.S. nuclear arsenals are, while 41 percent said it was about what they expected and 12 percent said smaller than expected. Republicans were least likely to underestimate the arsenal, with just 34 percent saying it's bigger than expected, 49 percent saying it's about what they expected and 17 percent saying it was smaller than anticipated. By comparison, 57 percent of Democrats said the arsenal was larger than they realized, while 35 percent said it was as anticipated and 8 percent said it was smaller than they expected. The survey is timely, as the 2010 New START treaty is set to expire in January 2021 right after the next presidential inauguration. The deal limits the U.S. and Russia each to a tally of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear weapons and requires 18 annual inspections of facilities in each country to ensure compliance. So far the Trump administration has not pledged to extend the agreement, and some officials have discussed a desire for changes that are not likely to appeal to Russia. Survey respondents were provided with details on the New START treaty, along with pros and cons of letting it expire vs. renewal, with researchers finding the vast majority (82 percent) favor an extension of the international agreement. Republicans are slightly less in favor (77 percent) than Democrats (89 percent). Tornadoes were spotted in Texas and Oklahoma on Monday as some two million people across a broad swath of both states braced against the US National Weather service's warning that the risk of twisters in the region was at the highest level they had seen in years. A tornado warning was issued shortly after 3pm Central for Reno, Kingfisher and Okarche in Oklahoma until at least 3.45pm Central, which means actual tornadoes have been cited and people should take cover. The National Weather Service office in Norman tweeted, 'tornado may be developing right now east of Okarche. Be alert!!' timestamping the notice at 3.10pm Central. A funnel cloud was also spotted in Paducah, Texas shortly after 3pm Central (4pm Eastern). The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center issued the highest threat level possible, of a 5 out of 5, for violent tornadoes on Monday. A funnel cloud has been spotted in Paducah, Texas and tornado warnings have been issued in Oklahoma as the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center issued the highest threat level possible, of a 5 out of 5, for violent tornadoes on Monday The area under threat stretched over 400 miles (644 km) from Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the north to Snyder, Texas, at the southern end. 'This event should result in a significant threat to life and property,' the Storm Prediction Center said. Conditions are also favorable 'for long-track strong tornadoes and possibly violent tornadoes,' forecasters said. Violent tornadoes account for only about 0.5 percent of all tornadoes but are responsible for about half of all tornado deaths, CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. The National Weather Service office in Norman tweeted, 'tornado may be developing right now east of Okarche. Be alert!!' timestamping the notice at 3.10pm Central A tornado warning was issued shortly after 3pm Central for Reno, Kingfisher and Okarche in Oklahoma until at least 3.45pm Central, which means actual tornadoes have been cited and people should take cover The area under threat stretched over 400 miles (644 km) from Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the north to Snyder, Texas, at the southern end Patrick Marsh, a warning coordination meteorologist at the federal Storm Prediction Center, advised people in the region to have a plan for seeking shelter The highest possible weather warnings issued on Monday come on the sixth anniversary of a tornado in Moore, south of Oklahoma City, that killed 24 people. Patrick Marsh, a warning coordination meteorologist at the federal Storm Prediction Center, advised people in the region to have a plan for seeking shelter. 'Today is not a day to mess around,' said Marsh, who brought his own family to work with him at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, because it has a shelter. The highest possible weather warnings issued on Monday come on the sixth anniversary of a tornado in Moore, south of Oklahoma City, that killed 24 people People assess the damage after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma A power line pylon bent by yesterday's tornado remains on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma Another 50 million people should be on the lookout for severe weather including fierce winds, large hail and flash flooding, CNN meteorologist Miller said. Officials closed schools, evacuated military aircraft and issued high-water warnings on Monday on account of the anticipated round of severe weather including hail and wind gusts of up to 80 mph (128 kph) in Oklahoma. With a flood watch in effect for the greater Oklahoma City region, school districts in Oklahoma City, nearby Norman and elsewhere canceled classes. 'Do not let your guard down on Monday night,' The National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma said. 'It looks like severe storms and flooding will be a big problem overnight ... into Tuesday morning.' A total of three to six inches of rainfall is expected to fall on already saturated ground in parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. With a flood watch in effect for the greater Oklahoma City region, school districts in Oklahoma City, nearby Norman and elsewhere canceled classes Strong winds and hail also are forecast for West Texas where school districts in Abilene and elsewhere were sending students home early. Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City evacuated several planes to other military installations in anticipation of storm damage. Meanwhile, state workers in several Oklahoma counties were being sent home early on Monday. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement that the state emergency operations center is activated and urged motorists not to drive around barricades or into flooded roadways. The National Weather Service placed several counties under a tornado watch, calling it a 'particularly dangerous situation.' The weather service said the storm system will move later Monday into western Arkansas. The threat of severe weather will continue into Tuesday. It's the latest round of severe weather to strike the region after a spate of tornadoes raked the Southern Plains on Friday and Saturday, leaving widespread damage and some people injured. An aid worker captured by the infamous ISIS Beatles has spoken of the moment he realised his kidnapper was British after hearing his accent. Federico Motka was captured alongside fellow aid worker David Haines in March 2013 on a road in Syria. The pair were pulled away from their car at gunpoint by masked men, including the four men who would go on to be known as the 'Beatles' - led by Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John. Mr Motka and Mr Haines had only known each other for four days when they were kidnapped but soon forged a strong friendship in the most horrific of circumstances. Federico Motka was captured along with Mr Haines but was freed after the Italian government paid a 5million ransom for his release. He has since revealed how he and his fellow captives were made to wrestle each other in a 'Royal Rumble' Jihadi John, one of the ISIS 'Beatles' whose real name was Mohammed Emwazi, held the captives in horrific conditions Aid worker David Haines was kidnapped at gunpoint in March 2013 near the Turkish border in Syria They endured torture, beatings and sleep deprivation and were even made to wrestle each other by their captors. The new information is set to be revealed in a new Channel 4 documentary called The Hunt for Jihadi John, which airs at 9pm this evening. Mr Motka said: 'The guys we nicknamed the Beatles had native British accents and they were the first people who conversed with us in the car.' 'When they'd taken our passports the first thing they said was 'David, welcome to Syria, you mutt.' Then they asked David if I spoke any English.' Mr Motka said the terrorists took their inspiration from torture methods used at Guantanamo Bay and they were forced to wrestle their fellow captors. Mr Motka added: 'They put us into a cell to do a Royal Rumble. 'We obviously weren't going to fight each other, but you kind of couldn't not fight each other as there was potential for punishment. 'You have to understand we were like skeletons by then, and every one of us fainted at some stage of another just from exhaustion.' The former captive said his kidnappers found the fights very entertaining. Federico Motka, was released by the ISIS 'Beatles' after Italy paid a reported ransom fee of 5million. But his fellow captor David Haines appeared in a sickening ISIS murder video, kneeling in the desert in an orange jumpsuit before being beheaded by Jihadi John, in September 2014. Mr Motka attended Mr Haines's memorial service in Scotland in October 2014 where he first met Bethany and the pair have since become close friends. He said he can see a lot of David in his daughter which is a 'wonderful thing'. The Hunt for Jihadi John is on Channel 4 on Monday at 9pm Authorities are investigating accusations that students at an Ohio middle school put bodily fluids into food that was then served to teachers. A Delaware County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman says that office is investigating reports of students putting urine and semen into crepes eaten by teachers at Hyatts Middle School in Powell. The students had prepared the crepes as part of an end-of-the-year project for home economics class, The Columbus Dispatch reported. 'One student filmed some of it, and the video made its way around the school and fortunately to school administrators,' said Tracy Whited, Delaware County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman. A Delaware County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman says that office is investigating reports of students putting urine and semen into crepes eaten by teachers at Hyatts Middle School in Powell Courtesy of WBNS The students had prepared the crepes as part of an end-of-the-year project for home economics class. The image above shows a stock image of crepes The video allegedly shows the urine and semen being added to the crepes. At least five people, all of whom are teachers or staff, have been identified as victims while authorities are questioning at least eight students. Whited says school officials notified authorities of the allegations Thursday. Whited says any students found to have put fluids in the food could face felony assault charges. The sheriff's office said it will conduct forensic analysis of the crepes. 'The only way well really know (what happened) is to get lab results,' Whited says. Authorities haven't said how many students may have been involved or how many teachers ate the food. An Olentangy Local School District statement says anyone violating school policies will be held accountable. District spokeswoman Kristyn Wilson says the food was prepared as part of a family consumer science class. 'Leadership and local law enforcement are conducting a thorough investigation into this incident, and anyone found in violation of school policies will be held accountable for their actions,' the district said in a statement. 'We are also focusing our efforts to support the teachers impacted by this incident.' Justice for Janiyah: Three-year-old Janiyah Brooks passed away on Saturday, nearly a week after police say she was brutally raped and beaten by her stepfather A 20-year-old Georgia man has been arrested after police say he savagely raped and beat his three-year-old stepdaughter to death. The Albany, Georgia, Police Department announced the passing of Janiyah Armanie Brooks in a Facebook post Sunday, writing that the toddler is 'gone but not forgotten.' The child had been on a ventilator at a hospital in Atlanta for nearly a week. According to a statement from the police, Janiyah's stepfather, Gregory Parker, was charged on Friday with aggravated molestation, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated battery and first-degree cruelty to children. The investigation into what the police labelled a 'heinous crime' began unfolding on May 13 when officers were called to the family's home in the 1400 block of Avalon Avenue at 7.30am after getting a report of an unresponsive child. The three-year-old Janiyah was rushed to the hospital, where an examination uncovered that the toddler had been severely beaten and sexually assaulted, according to the police statement. Janiyah had injuries to her vaginal area and ribs, as well as swollen hands and trauma to her head. She also appeared to have old wounds on her body. Janiyah's mother, 19-year-old Crystal Brooks, was also arrested in connection to the abuse and jailed on charges of aggravated battery, battery, cruelty to children and giving a false statement. Parents charged: Janiyah's stepfather, Gregory Parker, 20 (left), has been charged with aggravated molestation, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated battery and cruelty to children. Her mother, Crystal Brooks, 19 (right), has been arrested on battery charges Janiyah's aunt has shared on GoFundMe this devastating photo showing her dying niece hooked up to a ventilator at the hospital According to police, Brooks 'not only knew about the child being harshly treated by Parker but was also present' during the suspected abuse. A woman claiming to be Janiyah's aunt from her biological father's side has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family pay for her funeral expenses. Jennifer Kaye wrote in the description that her niece 'gained her wings at 12:15pm' on May 18. She shared a devastating photo showing the three-year-old with her head bandaged up laying in a hospital bed hooked up to a ventilator. Towns and villages that have already lost their bank branches will be devastated if thousands of local post offices close as feared, campaigners warned last night. Up to 2,500 will shut or downsize in the next year because financial struggles have put the network beyond tipping point, it has been claimed. More than 1,000 have already shut, and 3,000 other branches described as the last shop in the village are only being kept alive by subsidies. Mark Baker, 61, above, and his wife Erika, 56, have been running their Wiltshire post office for 32 years. But he says if his pay is cut one more time he will close leaving the Larkhill garrison of 4,000 troops without a post office High street banks axed 750 branches last year, leaving the post offices to offer vital banking services, a lifeline for many older customers in rural communities. Today the Daily Mail launches a campaign calling on the Government to guarantee their future. We are calling for the network to be properly funded, with a full range of services over the counter for those who are not online. Government subsidies for remote post office branches have already fallen from 415million in 2013-14 to 99million in 2017-18. Under current plans this will fall further to 50million in 2020-21 before being stopped completely. Nidhi Prashar has been at the frontline of post office services for more than two decades. She opened her second branch in Epsom, Surrey, with her husband 18 months ago but says she is under financial pressure Sub-postmasters, who run local post offices privately as franchises, are now paid as little as 12,000 a year by Post Office Limited. They also face the same plight as other high street concerns, such as extortionate business rates, rising staff costs and customers moving online. Most post offices close when the sub-postmaster quits because of this financial squeeze. At the moment Post Office Limited, which is owned by the Government, replaces branches when they shut, but campaigners have warned that the rate of closures in the coming years will make this impossible. Last night MPs and peers backed the Mails campaign and called for immediate action. Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, a member of the Commons business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said: It is nothing short of a national disgrace that sub-postmasters are having to pay staff out of their own pocket to keep the service running. Today the Daily Mail launches a campaign calling on the Government to guarantee their future I doff my cap to the Daily Mail for this important campaign, which is vitally needed. Labour peer Lord Hain added: There has been a wilful lack of imagination and an unwillingness of government to commit to post office branches. For rural areas, it is absolutely crucial that they do not disappear. Former Conservative chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin, the MP for Derbyshire Dales, said: We need to find a way for post offices to continue being useful and usable. Britains 11,500 post offices face mounting financial pressures that, it is claimed, have already forced up to 1,000 out of business Britains 11,500 post offices face mounting financial pressures that, it is claimed, have already forced up to 1,000 out of business. Sub-postmasters receive commission from the Post Office for services for example, 3p each time they sell a stamp and 17p for a cash withdrawal. But more customers are going online to buy stamps and parcels, pay bills and to use government services. Sub-postmasters have told a committee of MPs their take-home pay can be as little as 2 per hour. Three in four earn less than the minimum wage, according to a survey by the National Federation for Sub-Postmasters. Campaigners have raised particular concerns about the 3,200 mostly rural offices that only remain open thanks to a subsidy that is due to stop in 2021. Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: With bank branches and cash points closing, a properly funded post office network is crucial to the success of small firms. Gillian Guy of Citizens Advice, added: As the high street struggles, the post office continues to play an important role. Campaigners representing sub-postmasters say their morale is at rock-bottom. Peter Hall of the NFSP said: We received 12 closure notifications last week alone. The Post Office insisted: We are working with postmasters and the NFSP to ensure the network continues to thrive. The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department said it had provided over 2billion of investment in the network since 2010. Is your local post office under threat? Tell us today Email postoffice@dailymail.co.uk Advertisement A committee of MPs will hear evidence on the network today. Postmasters in peril and those whove already shut Im only hanging on by the skin of my teeth... After 17 years serving her Cornish village, Shann Rodgers says the only thing keeping her from closing is loyalty to her elderly customers. The 61-year-old, pictured above, has seen her salary dwindle from 25,000 to 18,000 through changes in how the Post Office funds rural branches. I am hanging on by the skin of my teeth, she said. There is nowhere for this post office to go and I cannot sell it because it is worthless. Shann Rodgers said when she initially bought the property the post office business added a value of 75,000, which she now says is worth nothing due to the poor profitability of the business Her post office in Goldsithney, a village of around 1,500, provides a vital service to elderly residents who use it for financial transactions. I cannot leave these people in the lurch, she said. It is mostly elderly people here and I am staying for these people rather than the Post Office. Mrs Rodgers said when she initially bought the property the post office business added a value of 75,000, which she now says is worth nothing due to the poor profitability of the business. She added: I am going to see how the next two years goes under my current contract but you are essentially in limbo all the time. We dont stand a chance Mark Baker, 61, runs a cattery and a pet shop, and sells sweets and stationery in the post office, which bring in around 34,000 revenue Mark Baker, 61, and his wife Erika, 56, have been running their Wiltshire post office for 32 years. But he says if his pay is cut one more time he will close leaving the Larkhill garrison of 4,000 troops without a post office. In 2015 his commission from Post Office Ltd was reduced from 33,000 to 14,000, and recently it was cut again to 12,000. Mr Baker, right, runs a cattery and a pet shop, and sells sweets and stationery in the post office, which bring in around 34,000 revenue. He said: You should get more commission not less Post Office Ltd can afford to pay us properly. We dont stand a chance of making money. Family thats shutting shop after 140 years A post office run by the same family for 140 years is closing. Having taken over the business that her great-grandfather started back in 1879, Claire Hutchings has decided to shut down partly due to rising financial pressure. In a village that has already lost a doctors surgery, a pub, and with the local shop up for sale, the closing of the post office marks another blow for Prestbury, Gloucestershire. Mrs Hutchings, 62, said: Post offices are vital. They used to be one-stop shops where people could get everything they need and catch up with friends but today, people are doing things so much more online. The married mother of two, who is pictured with colleague Janet Warburton, added: Customer demand has dramatically fallen over recent years. It is no longer a sustainable business. As well as dealing with letters, post offices are a good way to check up on people. I know 99 per cent of the customers by name and many know me from when I was a girl. Having taken over the business that her great-grandfather started back in 1879, Claire Hutchings has decided to shut down partly due to rising financial pressure. Ms Hutchings is pictured right, with colleague Janet Warbuton, left We dont want village to be without a P.O. One of Britains first post offices was forced to shut down earlier this month after 224 years. The closure has resulted in the loss of a Dorset villages only cashpoint, leaving residents to travel the three miles to Lyme Regis to use a cash machine. Steve Pile and his wife Gill, pictured right, say they were told in 2013 by Post Office Ltd that they must downsize their business in Charmouth and move to premises in another shop. The couple described the decision as illogical, saying the local population of 1,300 was enough to sustain a full postal service. We dont want to leave the community without a post office, we are the heart of the village, said Mr Pile, 70. You get to the point where you fight and carry on or give up. It was affecting me physically and mentally so we decided to retire. Fortunately we own the building so we sold to a new tenant. Steve Pile and his wife Gill, pictured right, say they were told in 2013 by Post Office Ltd that they must downsize their business in Charmouth and move to premises in another shop Work is being stolen by the web Nidhi Prashar has been at the frontline of post office services for more than two decades. She opened her second branch in Epsom, Surrey, with her husband 18 months ago but says she is under financial pressure. Mrs Prashar laid much of the blame on the Government for pushing people into online services. Nidhi Prashar laid much of the blame on the Government for pushing people into online services. Mrs Prashar feels optimistic but fears she may be up in cloud cuckoo land We know it is an internet world, but if they want us to survive they have to provide us with work, the mother of three said. Whether its passports or pensions, the Government is not just giving people another option to post offices, they are directing people online. Work is being taken away from us. We are really up against a hard wall. Mrs Prashar feels optimistic but fears she may be up in cloud cuckoo land. With the minimum wage, council tax, business rates, lots of post offices are struggling, she added. People want post offices. When this branch was closed before I took it over there was a huge uproar. Epsom wants a post office. Is your local post office under threat? Tell us today. postoffice@dailymail.co.uk A cop killed his ex-girlfriend at her job in center-western Brazil before shooting himself dead on Monday morning. According to Brazilian outlet G1, Sergio Murilo dos Santos, 51, showed up at Debora Tereza Correia's Department of Education office in the capital city of Brasilia and shot her three times. Education Secretary Rafael Parente said dos Santos entered the building approximately at 9:40am local time and appeared on the site's CCTV camera talking to a security guard. Dos Santos was allowed to walk past the turnstiles following a lengthy conversation in which he claimed he was there to talk to the 43-year-old woman. Dos Santos then went to her third-floor office and called her out. The pair, who were never married, then argued in the hallway before dos Santos pulled out .40 caliber gun and shot Correia. Sergio Murilo dos Santos (pictured) showed up at his ex-girlfriend's job in Brasil and shot her dead before he committed suicide Debora Tereza Correia was assassinated by her ex-boyfriend during an argument Monday Dos Santos blasted one of the bullets into the victim's chest and face, according to several Brazilian outlets. The civilian police officer then turned the gun and shot himself in the mouth. Parente says his employees heard shots and then found the two bodies lying in the hallway. 'Everyone is in shock. Several of them needed medical assistance,' Parente said. A friend of the victim told Journal de Brasilia that Correia, who worked for the Undersecretary of Public Management, was stalked by dos Santos after she had terminated their relationship. Correia had filed two reports with a local police department in 2017 and 2018, accusing dos Santos of threat and disturbance of tranquility. CCTV camera shows the moment Sergio Murilo dos Santos is allowed to pass through the turnstiles before he went to his ex-girlfriend's office and shot her dead Civilian police officer Sergio Murilo dos Santos allegedly continued to stalk his ex-girlfriend after she broke off their relationship She also changed her address, cellphone number and work location, but dos Santos still managed to track her down. 'On one particular day, he spent about three hours with her in a car, making threats, assaulting [her],' the woman said. Violence against women is a grave problem in Brazil, where 1,173 women were died last year in killings classified as hate crimes by the Brazilian Forum on Public Security. At least 13 women have been murdered in Brasilia in 2019. Correia was the fourth female assassinated in the month of May. A great white shark has pinged in the Long Island Sound for the first time ever. The shark, named Cabot, pinged off the shore near Greenwich, Connecticut early Monday morning. Cabot, who was tagged by the non-profit great white shark research group OCEARCH back in October, weighs 533 pounds and measures 9ft 8in. The group tweeted news of Cabot's arrival on Monday, saying it was 'unusual for white sharks to visit the area'. A great white shark has pinged in the Long Island Sound for the first time ever. The shark is named Cabot (pictured) Cabot (pictured), who was tagged by the non-profit great white shark research group OCEARCH back in October, weighs 533 pounds and measures 9ft 8in Cabot's Twitter account, which helps fans keep track of his whereabouts, also tweeted about his visit. 'I heard sending a ping from the Long Island Sound had never been done before by a white shark...so naturally I had to visit and send one off,' the message read. 'Hello Greenwich how are you today?!' 'Does anyone know some fun things to do here in Greenwich? I'm ready to go on some new adventures!' OCEARCH caught, tagged, sampled, and released seven white sharks in Nova Scotia in October. The group tweeted news of Cabot's arrival on Monday, saying it was 'unusual for white sharks to visit the area'. Pictured is the spot where Cabot pinged Cabot's Twitter account, which helps fans keep track of his whereabouts, also tweeted about his visit The sharks have since supported 15 projects by 25 scientists at 18 institutions. Cabot was described as a 'young trepid shark who's always up for a grand adventure' when his Twitter account was created shortly after he was tagged. He first headed to the Gulf of Maine, a common spot for great white sharks. In November Cabot began exploring the edge of the continental shelf off the Long Island coast, slowly making his way south. The following month, Cabot had made it to Savannah, Georgia, where he was in the company of a number of great white sharks. By January he had headed to the Florida Keys, home of underwater laboratory the Aquarius Reef Base. Cabot was described as a 'young trepid shark who's always up for a grand adventure' when his Twitter account was created shortly after he was tagged in October OCEARCH had caught, tagged, sampled, and released seven white sharks in Nova Scotia for the October expedition And the end of the month Cabot struck into the Gulf of Mexico, a common place for great whites to travel to in the middle of winter. He wasn't heard from again until April, when he pinged in South Carolina. Cabot then made his way to North Carolina, hanging out in the Outer Banks region in a tight clustering with three fellow OCEARCH sharks. OCEARCH Expedition leader Chris Fischer told Today that Cabot and the other three great whites - named Hal, Jefferson, and Jane - were back together circling off the state. 'As the water warms up down south, they'll push north,' he explained. 'They like that 60 degree-ish weather.' Fischer said that as the temperature continues to heat up for summer, the sharks will move 'fast and with purpose' toward the northeast. In November Cabot began exploring the edge of the continental shelf off the Long Island coast, slowly making his way south to Georgia and Florida They will likely make their way to the south shore of Long Island to give birth, which has already put some tourist beach towns on alert. 'There's no need to fear, but beachgoers need to be aware,' Fischer said. 'These things are kings of the ocean, they go wherever they want.' Cabot was back on the move last week, heading to Delaware Bay before hitting the Long Island Sound. There were a number of shark attacks on the east coast last summer, including two that took place on the same day on Fire Island. NCP has been making almost 700,000 a year from motorists who do not have the correct change, a court heard. The car park firm kept more than 2million from drivers between 2009 and 2012, which it received in overpayments where its ticket machines did not give change. The figure was revealed in a High Court case where the company was fighting to prevent the taxman taking 20 per cent of the cash in VAT. Last night NCP was accused of fleecing motorists and told it should give the overpayments to a good cause. The car park firm kept more than 2million from drivers between 2009 and 2012, which it received in overpayments where its ticket machines did not give change Lawyers for NCP, the biggest car park operator in the UK with 600 sites, argued it should not have to pay VAT on overpayments because it was not providing a service in return for the cash. VAT is normally levied on transactions where a service is provided. The company was attempting to recoup 490,000 which has already been taken by the taxman. NCP took its case to the High Court after losing a tax tribunal case last year. But Lord Justice Newey, ruling on the case with Lord Justice Patten and Lord Justice Males, dismissed NCPs appeal leaving the company with a legal bill running into tens of thousands of pounds. The judge said the total sum handed over by the customer, including any overpayment, should be deemed the fee they have paid to pay to park meaning all the money was liable for VAT. This appeal concerns a situation familiar to motorists, he said. Citing the example of a driver paying for an hours parking at 1.40 with a pound coin and 50p piece, Lord Justice Newey added: I consider that if a customer pays 1.50, that amount is the value given by the customer and received by the supplier in return for the right to park. HMRC had taken 488,669 in VAT from NCP for overpayments covering the period between June 2009 and December 2012. The sum equates to a 20 per cent share of 2.44million more than 681,000 a year made in overpayments to NCP over that time. Edmund King, AA president, said: The best way out of this would be to give motorists change in the first place' The firm says it only pursued legal action because of a case in which a council won VAT exemption for such overpayments. However, in this case it was ruled that a councils fees are set in law so overpayment was not altering the amount paid for the service of parking. NCP which operates its own multi-storey sites and also manages car parks for councils and other landowners made an operating profit of 10.3million in 2016, on a turnover of 202million. Edmund King, AA president, said: The best way out of this would be to give motorists change in the first place. Drivers who have wanted to give left-over parking time to another motorist but been prevented by measures to stop tickets being transferred will have a wry smile on their face when they hear this court ruling. RAC spokesman Pete Williams said: Everyone who has been unlucky enough to be fleeced in such a way by a car park operator will view this appeal with utter contempt. He said car parks should all offer the option of card payment. NCP said it would not comment. A Royal Navy warship has tested its ability to target a fast-moving, low-level threat such as a drone - putting its missile system through its paces off the coast of Scotland. HMS Defender, a Type 45 destroyer, carried out the fiery and thunderous missile testing off the north-west of Scotland on Sunday as part of a Nato exercise. During the test, HMS Defender sent a missile flying at four times the speed of sound to obliterate an incoming drone designed to simulate a projectile attack on the ship. Navy chiefs said it marks the first time the Portsmouth-based warship has taken on such a challenging target. The ship's senior warfare officer, Lieutenant Commander Daniel Lee, said: 'Being a part of our first firing against a fast-moving, low-level target has been a really rewarding experience. 'Proving the effectiveness of the Sea Viper system against a more challenging target reassures us in the ability of HMS Defender to deliver on operations as an air defence destroyer.' The Royal Navy warship HMS Defender off the coast of Scotland, 19 May 2019 The Royal Navy reported that the Type 45 destroyer tested her Sea Viper missile system The missile flew four times the speed of sound before obliterating an incoming drone target designed to simulate a projectile attack on the ship It marks the first time HMS Defender has taken on this particular type of target Seamen in a control room as the Royal Navy warship HMS Defender has tested her Sea Viper missile system off the coast of Scotland A British former postman who used to describe himself as the 'world's fattest man' has revealed he will return to the UK from the US to claim benefits again. Paul Mason, 59, originally from Ipswich, Suffolk, was 70 stone (445kg) at his heaviest and his battle to lose weight featured on TLC show World's Fattest Man. But when he moved to Orange, Massachusetts, in 2014, he ballooned in size again from 19 stone (121kg) to 35 stone (222kg) despite having gastric band surgery. Mr Mason is pictured in a photograph which accompanied his Facebook post yesterday Mr Mason revealed in a Facebook post last night that he plans to return to Britain soon After being charged with stealing from supermarket Walmart and splitting from his fiancee, Mr Mason said he plans to return to Britain with his US visa now expired. He wrote on his Facebook page last night: 'I need to return to the UK where I will be eligible for the assistance I need to get my life back on track.' In recent months Mr Mason has piled the weight back on, gorging on pizza and crisps all night following the split from fiancee Rebecca Mountain last year. He now gets around on sticks and is desperate for a double knee replacement and an op to fix a herniated stomach staple which he damaged by over-eating. Mr Mason is seen in January 2017 after losing significant weight following an exercise regime Paul Mason, who was once the world's fattest man, is pictured on ITV's This Morning in 2013 He said yesterday: 'After nearly five years living in the US, the time has come for me to soon return to the UK. I will go into more detail in the coming weeks and months/ 'But what I can say now is that over the years living in the US I made some wrong decisions which has led to some bad consequences.' 'Some of those being letting my visa expire, moving in with someone who was a bad influence and because of these and other choices I made, I've put on weight. 'I'm now around 500 pounds, up from my lowest weight of 275. Looking forward, I need to return to the UK where I will be eligible for the assistance I need to get my life back on track.' Mr Mason shows how fat he had become by November 2011 while appearing on ITV's Daybreak After news of his shoplifting reached his hometown of Ipswich, residents were outraged at his plans to return to Britain. A former neighbour said last year that the reality TV star was still allowing his circumstances in life to affect his weight. They said: 'To leave the country and come back just because we have a free NHS is wrong although it's completely understandable why you would do it. 'He should be looking not just at the weight but at how he thinks and feels so he can cope better when he's in a bad way.' Mr Mason is pictured on a shopping trip in his hometown of Ipswich in Suffolk in April 2011 Mr Mason is pictured on the TLC documentary World's Fattest Man which first aired in 2010 Police in the US said Mr Mason was found with 175 worth of aftershave, perfume, phone charges and earphones in his shopping trolley in May. According to Walmart security staff, he had tried to pull the stunt before. A police officer's report, seen by The Sun, read: 'Store security advised the male party, later identified as Paul Mason, failed to pay for the items he had in his basket totalling approximately $225. 'I was further informed that they having (sic) been watching Paul as he has done this in past, as he fills up a basket and then leaves the store utilising a motorized cart. Mr Mason ballooned in size in the US despite having gastric band surgery. He is pictured on the TLC documentary in 2010, which told the story of how doctors tried to help him Mr Mason is pictured outside a hospital in the US as part of the TLC documentary in 2010 Before moving to join Ms Mountain, an eight stone vegetarian, in Massachusetts in 2014, Mr Mason's care was costing UK taxpayers 100,000-a-year and an estimated 1.5million in total. In a 2002 medical emergency, fire crews had to take out a window and brickwork so a forklift could take him out of the house and to hospital in a five-ton ambulance specially built for obese people. By 2009 he needed a life-saving operation after putting away 20,000 calories a day, including three family-sized takeaway meals an evening. Then in 2010 he had gastric bypass surgery that shrunk his stomach to the size of an egg. Mr Mason is pictured on the TLC show in 2010 with his ex-fiancee Rebecca Mountain Paul Mason, 59, is pictured in 2009 when he needed a life-saving operation after putting away 20,000 calories a day, including three family-sized takeaway meals an evening In 2013 Ms Mountain contacted Mr Mason after seeing a documentary about him. The pair got engaged and in May 2015 he had four stone of excess skin cut from his body in a nine-hour procedure in New York. The NHS had refused to do the 30,000 operation until his weight had been stable for two years. Despite him getting down to 19 stone, the couple called off their engagement in September 2015. President Donald Trump thinks 'something strange is going on' at Fox News Channel with the recent influx of Democrat town halls. At a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pennsylvania Monday night Trump said that he was assessing the Democratic competition, but admitted he didn't like Fox News giving the 2020 candidates more air time. There are 24 candidates already running in the 2020 Democratic primaries, and three have appeared on the network so far to participate in town hall events. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was the latest candidate to appear on Fx News on Sunday night. Trump chastised the network for allowing the candidate to bash some of its prime time hosts as a guest on the network. 'What's going on with Fox, by the way? What's going on there?' Trump asked the audience that was half inside and half outside of the Williamsport Regional Airport. 'They're putting more Democrats on than you have Republicans. Something strange is going at Fox, folks something very strange.' President Donald Trump slammed Fox News at a rally in Montoursville, Pennsylvania for 'putting more Democrats on than Republicans,' making reference to the 2020 Democratic town halls the network has been hosting lately During the event, hosted on Fox News, Buttigieg hit specifically at Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham for previous remarks they made about immigration 'Did you see this guy last night?' Trump said, making reference to Buttigieg's town hall. 'I did want to watch, you always have to watch the competition, if you call it that. And he was knocking the hell out of Fox, and Fox just put him there. Somebody is going to have to explain the whole Fox deal to me.' During the town hall, Buttigieg hit Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his remarks about immigrants making American 'dirty,' and host Laura Ingraham for comparing children in detention centers to being at summer camp. 'There is a reason why anyone has to swallow hard and think twice about participating in this media ecosystem,' Buttigieg said on his reason for appearing in an event with the network especially in response to other Democrats that refuse to accept Fox's invitations. 'Even though some of those hosts are not there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network who do it in good faith,' he said. The South Ben mayor drew 1.1 million viewers to his Fox News town hall Sunday night. According to early Nielsen Media Research data, the Fox News event with the 2020 Democratic candidate earned almost double the amount of viewers than CNN's town hall with him on March 10, which averaged 545,000 viewers. The event on 'Fox News Sunday' was moderated by Fox News host Chris Wallace and was held in Claremont, New Hampshire, which is along the Vermont border. Buttigieg's town hall aired in the 7 p.m. time slot, and his viewership was a 22 per cent increased compared to the 2019 average of regular programming at the time. The event also delivered 172,000 viewers in the key demographic of 25-54-year-olds. He also received a standing ovation from the crowd after his closing statement. The Indiana mayor was the third Democratic candidate of this election cycle to appear on Fox News for a town hall event. Of the three, he drew the least amount of viewers. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg brought in 1.1 million viewers from his Fox News town hall on Sunday, which was almost double than watched his CNN town hall in March Buttigieg was the third Democrat of the 24 candidates to participate in a Fox News town hall The millennial mayor, who is the youngest candidate at 37-years-old, received a standing ovation from the crowd present at the town hall in New Hampshire, which is the first primary state Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders had the most-watched town hall of the year when he was the first Democrat to appear in a Fox News town hall. He garnered 2.6 millions viewers from the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania event. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar also agreed to a town hall earlier this month, which took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attracted 1.6 million viewers. A fourth candidate, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, has already agreed to do a Fox News town hall on June 2 from Iowa. The first two events were co-moderated by Fox News hosts Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier, and the second two slated Wallace as the moderator. Buttigieg, who is openly gay and has been married to his husband Chasten since June 2018, was a former long-shot candidate with almost no name recognition as a small-town mayor from Indiana. The millennial mayor climbed the ranks swiftly, and many times ranks from third to fifth place among the two dozen Democratic candidates some, like former Vice President Joe Biden, have much more notoriety than Buttigieg. Buttigieg is the youngest Democratic candidate running in 2020 at 37-years-old. Both independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who identifies as a Democratic socialist, and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar already participated in town halls with Fox News New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be the fourth 2020 Democrat to participate in a Fox News town hall on June 2. She defended her decision to appear on the network by saying she wanted tor each all voters, even those who watch the network Mostly Biden comes in first place in the polls among registered Democratic voters, and in a recent Fox News poll, he was the only candidate who beat Trump in a hypothetical matchup outside the margin of error among all likely voters. Fox News has to rely on Democratic candidate voluntarily appearing on the network since they were banned from holding Democratic debates. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said the network would not be allowed to host any of the Democratic debates in the 2020 election cycle because he claims it would not be able to hold a 'fair' event. 'I believe that a key pathway to victory is to continue to expand our electorate and reach all voters,' Perez said in a statement in March. 'That is why I have made it a priority to talk to a broad array of potential media partners, including Fox News.' Perez, however, said that recent reporting regarding President Donald Trump and his administration's relationship with the network has led him to reconsidering pairing with Fox News for the debates. '[T]he network is not in a position to host a fair and neutral debate for our candidates,' Perez said at the time. 'Therefore, FOX News will not serve as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic primary debates.' In April, Perez said the DNC was not reconsidering its decision. Progressive Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said she declined the invitation for a town hall because she doesn't want to contribute to their viewership with Democratic primary voters that usually wouldn't watch the network Fox News has to rely on Democratic candidates voluntarily appearing on the network because Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez barred Fox from hosting any of the party's 2020 debates. He said it couldn't hold a 'fair' event Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a progressive candidate that has won some more traction recently, said she would not participate in a town hall with the network. 'Fox News has invited me to do a town hall, but I am turning them down,' Warren said in a Twitter thread May 14. '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,' Warren said when citing the reason for declining the network's invitation. Warren said she did not want to contribute to growing Fox's audience numbers, an argument that seems to hold some validity as Democratic candidates continue to draw millions of viewers. 'Here's one place we can fight back,' Warren continued. '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.' Gillibrand defended her decision to accept the Fox News invitation. 'My belief is that presidents of the United States [need] to represent everyone, and I am going to ask every voter for their vote, regardless of where they live whether they're in a red state or a purple state or a blue state,' Gillibrand said on MSNBC last week. 'And I believe you need to meet voters where they are, and a lot of America happens to watch that network so I would like to do a town hall so I can speak to all Americans about their values, their views, their priorities, and where I stand and what my vision for this country is and my experience to actually realize that vision,' Gillibrand continued. A federal judge ruled Monday in favor of a House of Representatives committee that subpoenaed President Donald Trump's financial records from his corporate accounting firm, dealing an early setback to the administration in its legal battles with Congress. Trump fumed to reporters as he departed the White House that the ruling was 'crazy' and Democrats are 'trying to get a re-do' on the Mueller report. 'The Democrats were very upset with the Mueller report, as perhaps they should be. But the country was very happy about it. There was never anything like that. And theyre trying to get a redo or a do-over, and you cant do that,' he insisted. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington also denied a request by Trump to stay his decision pending an appeal. Trump said he will appeal Mehta's ruling to a higher court. 'As far as the financials are concerned, we think its totally the wrong decision by obviously an Obama-appointed judge. He is a recent Obama-appointed judge,' he argued. President Donald Trump has lost an early legal round in his battle to keep House Democrats from seeing his financial records; a federal judge ruled against his lawyers' objections on Monday House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, is targeting Trump's finances, his hotel operations and his children's security clearances; the judge ruled that Congress has legitimate oversight responsibilities and can demand documents Last Tuesday, Mehta heard oral arguments on whether Mazars LLP must comply with the House Oversight Committee's demand. Mehta said at the time that financial records from Trump's long-time accounting firm would be part of a 'proper subject of investigation' by Congress, appearing to side with Democratic lawmakers seeking more oversight of the president. It was the first time a federal court had waded into the tussle about how far Congress can go in probing Trump and his business affairs. Trump is refusing to cooperate with a series of investigations into issues ranging from his tax returns and policy decisions to his Washington hotel and his children's security clearances. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, issued Monday's ruling; it will quickly be appealed to a higher court and could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court His lawyers argued that Democrats in Congress are on a quest to 'turn up something that Democrats can use as a political tool against the president now and in the 2020 election.' 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 have done. Lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization, his company, filed a lawsuit last month to block the subpoena, saying it exceeded the constitutional limits of congressional power. Mehta was appointed in 2014 by President Barack Obama, who was often investigated 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 has adopted a zero-cooperation approach to Democrats' demands, declaring that they're all partisan political stunts Last week the 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. 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 believe Congress has broad power to issue subpoenas as long as requested documents 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. Any such effort would likely fail in the Republican-controlled Senate, but it would provide Democrats with high-powered ammunition for political ads in 2020. Advertisement It's 'Keep America Great' by a mile. President Donald Trump polled an audience of thousands on Monday night, hearing by applause that his Pennsylvania faithful want a new slogan for 2020. The fans in favor of a change dramatically out-screamed 'Make America Great Again' nostalgia as Trump floated an impromptu survey in front of a rural airport hangar. 'We'll have to consider that,' he said, cautioning that it will be difficult for him to discard 'the greatest slogan of all time.' 'I like to do polls on the cheap,' the president joked. And 'I like it,' he said of turning MAGA into KAG, 'because they'll sell many, many more hats that way.' Trump brought a blue-collar message to a working-class region of a key swing state, boasting that America's unemployment statistics - including a record low in the Keystone State - would make 2020 a cakewalk. Scroll down for video President Donald Trump gave a massive rally crowd Monday night the role of focus group, asking them whether he should replace his iconic 'Make America Great Again' slogan with 'Keep America Great' in 2020; the new catchphrase was a runaway favorite Trump arrives for 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally at Williamsport Regional Airport surrounded by supporters The president arrived on the smaller of the two aircraft that serve as Air Force One; rally attendees heard the Air Traffic Control ordering the plane into an approach vector before it touched down A supporter holds up a 'Keep America Great' sign at the rally Monday as trump considers it for his new slogan The president's trip came on the eve of a special election in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district; he urged his fans to raise their hands and pledge to vote for the Republican 'Those debates should be very easy when we meet whoever we're going to meet,' he boasted. 'When you have the best employment numbers in history, when you have the best unemployment numbers in history, when you have the best economy, probably, we've ever had, I don't know how the hell you lose this election, right?' He mocked Democrats promoting 'Green New deal' environmental policy as 'socialist wackos' who 'want to double and triple your taxes.' And he needled former Vice President Joe Biden, blasting 'Sleepy Joe' for claiming he would 'save the world' as president. 'Well, he was. He's going to save every country but ours,' he joked. White House advisor Kellyanne Conway speaks to supporters during a 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally at Williamsport Regional Airport Donald Trump J and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, listen to his father address a Trump 2020 re-election campaign rally in Montoursville, Pennsylvania Donald Trump Jr. looks on as Kimberly Guilfoyle speaks during a 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally at Williamsport Regional Airport Trump tosses a hat into the crowd as he arrives for a 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally Trump calls up Blake Marnell, wearing a jacket with bricks representing a border wall, to the stage during a 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally at Williamsport Regional Airport Trump gestures to the crowd as he finishes speaking at a campaign rally, Monday, in Montoursville Trump waves to the crowds as he departs after a campaign rally in Montoursville Monday Trump took to Twitter after arriving home from the rally on Monday evening and shared video to Twitter Trump claimed that Biden's campaign launch rally in Philadelphia drew a smallish audience only a fraction of the size of his own. 'Look at the thousands and thousands of people we have!' he exclaimed. 'Now, they say he had 600 people.' 'No, no. I'd say 150,' Trump said. News reports put Biden's crowd size at 6,000. The president also slapped at South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and at his otherwise favorite network Fox News for hosting him in a town hall Sunday night. 'What's going on with Fox?' he asked, complaining that the reliably conservative network is 'putting more Democrats on than Republicans.' Trump's Pennsylvania rally was a bid to shore up support in a state he needs to keep in his pocket in order to win a second term. 'We've kept more promises than we've even made,' he said. The irony went unnoticed. At least five people in Monday's crowd needed medical attention, including three who fell ill during the president's speech. He blamed a scaffold full of klieg lights that baked his podium and the area around the stage. 'A real genius got those lights,' Trump groused. Trump joked that former Vice President Joe Biden got about 150 people to show up at his campaign launch speech on Saturday in Philadelphia Published estimates put Biden's crowd size at around 6,000 Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway boards Air Force One after a Make America Great Again rally at Williamsport Regional Airport Trump fans turned out by the thousands for his 58th campaign-style rally as president Trump supporters indulged in a tailgate-like atmosphere, complete with signs deriding the hated 'fake news' press that Trump loves to hate People waited outside in line for hours to get in to the Williamsport Regional Airport before Trump's rally; at least five fell ill and required medical attention during speeches by the president and his son Donald Trump Jr. Local press in Montoursville and Williamsport, the home of the annual Little League World Series, predicted a crowd of 10,000 people would come for his 58th rally as president. Some had stood in line since daybreak. All of them heard Donald Trump Jr. light the night's kindling. 'A lot of people are outside as you probably know. Many, many people,' Trump told reporters as he left the White House, 'and it's going to be a packed house as it always is.' 'I don't know if you've ever seen a vacant seat for Trump,' he said, 'but I don't think so. We're going to have a good time.' That began before he arrived: As 'Keep on Rockin' in the Free World' blared, thousands heard live radio chatter from an Air Traffic Controller who was guiding Air Force One into a landing pattern. The president is blitzing into central Pennsylvania as a legal and constitutional storm swirls around his presidency in Washington. Trump headed to central Pennsylvania on Monday night for a 'Make America Great Again' rally that drew a massive crowd Trump's rally venue Monday night was an airport hangar in Montoursville, Pennsylavnia With Air Force One in the air, the president tweeted a photo shot by his advance team showing the size of some of his crowd; still more people spilled into the hangar at right House Democrats hours earlier won an early round in their legal battle to get Trump's financial records from his longtime accounting firm. And the Justice Department had thumbed its nose at the president's congressional antagonists, refusing to let former White House Counsel Don McGahn testify on Capitol Hill. The president's approval rating has slid to just 44 per cent, 7 points down from a few weeks ago, in the Rasmussen Reports poll, his favorite. But in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania Trump Country, U.S.A. the crowd was warmed up and waiting. 'I'll be here a lot,' the president said when he took the stage, after whirling a red 'Make America Great Again' cap into an already-red sea. 'Gotta win this state.' Trump won the county by a 70-25 margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016, one of the most lopsided results in the swing state. Barack Obama won Pennsylvania in 2012 by 5.4 percentage points over Republican Mitt Romney, now a U.S. senator from Utah. But Trump cruised to victory in 57 of the state's 67 counties, winning 20 Electoral College votes by a total of barely 54,000 votes a 0.7 percentage point margin. Yet he is trailing former Vice President Joe Biden by a 53-42 margin in a recent Quinnipiac University poll of Pennsylvania voters, asked to choose between the two men in a hypothetical matchup. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also beat Trump in the poll, but by a smaller 7-point margin. The president is blitzing into central Pennsylvania as a legal and constitutional storm swirls around his presidency in Washington Rachel Marshall and her daughter, Reagan, 14, of Punxsutawney, Pa., listened to the national anthem before Monday's Trump rally Blake Marnell arrived at the rally wearing a 'wall' costume and carrying a sign that read: "#BuildMe'. Trupm later brought him on stage 'I think were doing very well in Pennsylvania,' Trump insisted Monday at the White House. 'We won it last time. The polls had us losing Pennsylvania last time and we won.' 'And I expect well win it this time because the coal industry, the steel industry, the car industry, theyre all doing incredibly well.' Trump's trip also came on the eve of a special election in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, with Republican Fred Keller facing off against Democrat Marc Friedenberg. 'Pennsylvania is Trump country,' Kimberly Guilfoyle told Monday night's crowd, half inside and half outside of an airport hangar. Guilfoyle is Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, a former Fox News Channel co-host and a current Trump 2020 campaign senior adviser. Hearing a chant of 'USA! USA!' Trump Jr. joked: 'Imagine chanting 'USA' at a Democrat rally? They'd throw you out on your a**.' Trump Jr. brought his usual red meat routine, waxing on an us-versus-them theme about how Democrats in the White House would put the nation in great peril. 'They have lost their way and they have lost their minds,' the president's eldest son claimed. 'Do you want freedom or do you want communism?' he asked. 'That's what they're pushing at this point. They don't even hide it anymore.' 'You've got a lot to lose,' he said later. 'It's communism versus freedom. We're Americans! I don't think we're into that crap!' The president told reporters at the White House that he's optimistic he'll win Pennsylvania in 2020: 'The polls had us losing Pennsylvania last time and we won. And I expect well win it this time' Donald Trump Jr., wound up his father's crowd Monday night with a red-meat routine Rehashing the GOP's collective victory lap over a special counsel report that debunked earlier claims of 2016 campaign collusion with Russia, he mocked Democrats for once viewing Robert Mueller as 'the second coming of Christ.' 'Not that they believe in Christ,' he told the faithful, 'but you understand what I mean, because you do.' Lou Barletta, a former Pennsylvania congressman who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2016 but couldn't capitalize on the Trump wave, spoke before Trump Jr.. Speaking about a job boom that has revitalized sections of Pennsylvania, he mocked Obama for once dismissing the idea that a president could bring lost blue-collar jobs back to the U.S. without a 'magic wand.' 'Abracadabra, Mr. President. Abracadabra!' Barletta exclaimed. Minutes later Trump Jr. joked: 'You stole my Abracadabra line, Lou. I'm going to sue your a** for plagiarism!' Emergency responders were called into the standing audience twice while he spoke, to attend to people who collapsed on a hot but not sweltering evening. After thanking police and medics 'Cops,' he said later, 'It was mostly cops' he jabbed that they were a 'group of people that Democrats aren't exactly in favor of.' After the second emergency, he quipped: 'Am I that good or that bad?' Make America Great Again hats are pictured ahead of a President Donald Trump campaign rally, showing the four words that helped Trump win the presidency Bob Katter has said that Anthony Albanese will make a good Labor leader after blaming Tanya Plibersek for losing the 'unlosable' election. The conservative north Queensland MP said the 56-year-old is capable of putting 'ordinary blokes' at ease and understands the Queensland economy. Mr Katter said he was impressed by Mr Albanese when the Labor MP visited his electorate of Kennedy in 2017. Scroll down for video Bob Katter (pictured in parliament) has said that Anthony Albanese will make a good Labor leader Mr Albanese, who holds the Sydney inner-west seat of Grayndler, is favourite to be Labor leader 'Albo has been an ordinary worker - as have I,' Mr Katter told the Daily Telegraph. 'The night I saw him at the Hughenden pub I was amazed. Graziers, knockabout blokes, they were all equally at ease with Albo,' he said. Mr Katter said on Monday that Mr Albanese 'wouldn't have made the criminal mistakes Labor did in this election.' Mr Albanese is favourite to be the next Labor leader after Ms Plibersek dropped out, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family. Mr Katter, who quit the National Party in 2001 and now leads his own Katter's Australian Party, blamed Ms Plibersek for Labor's defeat. He said she was out of touch with Queensland voters, and that her stance against coal mines alienated voters in the regions. 'Tanya Plibersek ran amok,' the Katters Australian Party MP for the vast north Queensland electorate of Kennedy told Sky News on Sunday night. 'She was out there denigrating the coal industry and saying it will phase out. 'To say that on the eve of an election in which there are six marginal seats in north Queensland in the coal belt is absolutely disastrous.' Ms Plibersek has been vocal in her opposition to the Adani coal mine in Queensland Labor was belted in north Queensland, losing the Townsville-based seat of Herbert with a 7.6 per cent swing against it, three years after Cathy O'Toole won by just 37 votes. The National Party also kept its most marginal seat of Capricornia, centred around Rockhampton, with assistant minster Michelle Landry scoring a 10.7 per cent swing in her favour. In neighbouring Dawson, taking in Mackay, renegade backbencher George Christensen celebrated a 11.3 per cent swing to him, despite media coverage of him spending months of the year in Manila. The Gladstone-based seat of Flynn delivered a 5.2 per cent swing to fellow Nationals MP Ken O'Dowd, as Labor was punished in regional areas that overlap with state ALP seats. Away from the proposed Adani coal mine, Labor was also thumped right across Brisbane, with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton securing a swing of two per cent to him. 'The ALP were certain on the polls to take all six seats, but she and a bunch of loud mouthed extremists that have an immense amount of power in the Labor movement... they blew it to smithereens,' Mr Katter said. Ms Plibersek has been vocal in her opposition to Adani's proposed Carmichael project in Queensland's Galilee Basin, with Labor relying on Greens preferences to win many capital city seats. LABOR LEADERSHIP RULES Labor leadership contenders need to have 20 per cent caucus support to nominate for the top job. Rank-and-file party members get a say in the leadership if there are more than two contenders. There is a 50 per cent weighting between the Labor caucus in federal Parliament and party members. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd introduced the rules in 2013, to avoid a repeat of a sitting PM being knifed for fellow Labor MPs. Advertisement The Left-faction inner-city MP previously said Australians 'can't rely on an Indian mining company to bring jobs to central and north Queensland'. The member for Sydney also said she was skeptical Adani would bring as many jobs to the region as it had promised, and believed backers may have underestimated the impact it could have on the environment. Labor was accused of alienating their core electorate with policies that were too progressive and divisive on climate change and negative gearing. Older Australians in particular appeared to turn on Labor over the controversial plan to scrap franking credits for self-funded retirees. Labor's climate change policy and stance on Adani was at odds with many voters who wanted the new coal mine, which has promised to provide hundreds of jobs in regions struggling against drought and high levels of unemployment. Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos said the result could be partially explained by those opposing the Adani project being seen as anti-jobs. 'Adani became about jobs. It became emblematic of 'we want jobs' and the Bob Brown caravan which went up there to talk about stopping Adani had locals thinking, 'hang on, you are not going to tell us how to live',' he told the ABC. Tax cuts and ministry changes will be Mr Morrison's agenda as the nation awaits the final results of the federal election. Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks to govern with a majority, despite opinion polls consistently pointing to a Labor victory up until election day. Out of three close seats listed on the Australian Electoral Commission website on Monday, the Liberals were on track to win Chisholm in Melborrne's south-east, and Bass in northern Tasmania, with Labor only narrowly holding a lead in the seat of Macquarie, west of Sydney. President Donald Trump brushed aside an impeachment call from fellow Republican Justin Amash, saying the congressman has been against him 'from the beginning' and just wants to run for another office. 'I've known him and he's been against Trump from the beginning,' Trump told reporters on the South Lawn before he left for a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. 'He probably wants to run for some other office. I don't think he'll do well. He's been a loser for a long time. Rarely votes for Republicans and, you know, personally I think he's not much,' he added. It was the first time Trump addressed, in person, Amash's charges. The Michigan lawmaker became the first member of the GOP to say openly that the president has committed impeachable offenses. But Amash voting recording leans to the GOP - he has voted with Trump 79 per cent of the time, according to the website Five Thirty Eight. Rep. Justin Amash, a Michigan Republican, found himself with a GOP primary challenger on Monday just a few days after accusing President Donald Trump of impeachable conduct President Donald Trump was cleared by a special counsel probe but Democrats, and now one Republican, have called for his removal anyway Republican state Rep. James Lower of Cedar Lake, Michigan will challenge Amash for the nomination to keep his own seat in Congress Amash, a Republican lawmaker from Michigan known for his libertarian views, drew a 2020 election challenge on Monday from within his own party. He responded by doubling down, outlining his case for why the president should face America's ultimate political penalty. In a case of swift political retribution, Amash, just two days after making his remarks about Trump, faced a Republican primary bid from Jim Lower, a Michigan state legislator who described himself as a 'pro-Trump, pro-life, pro-jobs, pro-Second Amendment, pro-family values Republican.' Posting a photo of himself on Facebook in front of a 'Trump 2020' sign, Lower said: 'Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trumps impeachment show how out of touch he is ... He must be replaced and I am going to do it.' Another Republican, Army National Guard veteran Tom Norton, announced last month he is running. Amash was first elected in 2010 and overcame a 2014 primary challenge. As his political future hung in the balance, Amash stuck to his guns. On Twitter, Amash said Saturday that the Mueller report showed that Trump, a fellow Republican, has obstructed justice and added, 'President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.' No other Republican member of Congress has made such statements. Democrats have been debating for months the possibility of starting proceedings to remove Trump from office. Robert Mueller (pictured) found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia No U.S. president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of the U.S. Constitution's impeachment process. Citing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report on Russian meddling in Trump's favor in the 2016 U.S. election, Amash tweeted that it 'identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice.' Counter-punching on Sunday in his usual style, Trump called Amash 'a total lightweight' and 'a loser' on Twitter. As word of Amash's new primary challenger spread, he returned to twitter. To those who claim ' there were no underlying crimes' Trump could have obstructed, Amash replied: 'I n fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not but are nonetheless described in Muellers report.' '[O]bstruction of justice does not require the prosecution of an underlying crime, and there is a logical reason for that,' Amash continued. 'Prosecutors might not charge a crime precisely *because* obstruction of justice denied them timely access to evidence that could lead to a prosecution.' 'If an underlying crime were required, then prosecutors could charge obstruction of justice only if it were unsuccessful in completely obstructing the investigation. This would make no sense.' Amash also argued that the constitutional standard for impeachment 'High crimes and misdemeanors' means 'conduct that violates the public trust,' not necessarily a crime that could be prosecuted in court. Amash laid out his beliefs Monday in a Twitter thread, saying Trump can be impeached because his 'high crime' was violating the public trust by obstructing the Russia probe The long-time Trump critic is part of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction whose members normally defend the president. Amash has also signaled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020. The congressman accused Trump of engaging in 'impeachable conduct' stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election President Donald Trump slammed the first Republican lawmaker who called for his impeachment Amash's remarks made calls in the U.S. Congress for Trump's impeachment bipartisan, though just barely, with most Republicans still backing the president. Amash has been in Congress since 2011. Since then, he has only had one serious primary challenge, in 2014. He beat that opponent by nearly 15 points. Michigan voters helped put Trump in the White House in 2016 by a slim margin. Democrats gained ground in 2018's congressional and state elections, making the Midwestern state a key political battleground in 2020. Amash, Trump wrote Saturday, is 'a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy.' The congressman accused Trump of engaging in 'impeachable conduct' stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election President Trump unleashed his Twitter account at Amash on Sunday, saying he's 'a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents['] hands' 'If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, 'composed' by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump, he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION...Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!,' he concluded. Amash's libertarian views often put him conflict with members of his own party. Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia , but left open the question of whether Trump acted in ways that were meant to obstruct the investigation. Amash said he reached four conclusions after carefully reading the redacted version of Mueller's report, including that 'President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.' 'Contrary to Barr's portrayal, Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment,' the congressman tweeted. He said the report 'identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice, and undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence.' A 23-year-old reveller who vanished from a dance party in the New South Wales Hunter Valley has been found. Kate Delaney, from Sydney's North Shore, was last seen at the party in Howes Valley at 1.45am on Monday. She was not seen or heard from since and her family and police were concerned for her welfare. Kate Delaney, from Sydney's North Shore, was last seen at the party in Howes Valley at 1.45am on Monday Miss Delaney has since been found According to her Facebook account, Ms Delaney went to Loreto Kirribilli private school and UTS Officers were searching the area for her. Police had not ruled out that she may have chosen to leave the party. According to her Facebook account, Ms Delaney went to Loreto Kirribilli private school and UTS. She worked as a ski instructor in Canada and dabbled in modelling. She had not been seen or heard from since Monday and her family and police were concerned for her welfare Adding to Tory woes tonight, Philip Hammond will warn Boris Johnson and other Brexiteer party leadership candidates that they have no mandate for No Deal Phillip Hammond will warn Boris Johnson and other Brexiteer party leadership candidates they have 'no mandate' for No Deal today. The Chancellor will claim that leaving on October 31 without a deal amounts to hijacking the result of the referendum, and in doing so, knowingly to inflict damage on our economy and our living standards. In a speech to the CBI tonight, he will round on those who claim leaving without a deal is the only legitimate Brexit, saying: On the populist Right, there are those who claim the only outcome that counts as a truly legitimate Brexit is to leave with No Deal. Let me remind them the 2016 Leave campaign was clear that we would leave with a deal. So to advocate for No Deal is to hijack the result of the referendum, and in doing so, knowingly to inflict damage on our economy and living standards, because all the preparation in the world will not avoid the consequences of No Deal. He will warn that if MPs do not pass a deal soon, there is a real risk of the next PM abandoning the search for a deal, and shifting towards seeking a damaging No Deal exit as a matter of policy. Fellow Cabinet minister Amber Rudd warned yesterday against the party lurching towards extremist forces to combat the rise of the Brexit Party. She also took a thinly-veiled swipe at Mr Johnson and others countenancing a No Deal Brexit, saying: We must... take on the falsehoods that are presented as simple choices. Esther McVey's fellow candidates Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Liz Truss are also expected to confirm they are serious about the option of No Deal if the EU refuses to budge Fellow Cabinet minister Amber Rudd warned yesterday against the party lurching towards extremist forces to combat the rise of the Brexit Party Miss Rudd was speaking ahead of the launch of the One Nation Caucus group of Tory MPs, which opposes candidates who back No Deal. Sir Nicholas Soames, another founder of the 60-strong group, said Tories must resist demands from the partys lunatic fringe. During a Cabinet meeting today, ministers will debate whether to allow Labours demand for the UK to continue to accept new EU laws on workers rights and environmental standards after Brexit. Theresa May is expected to warn ministers they may have to agree to a temporary customs union, which would hamper Britains ability to strike trade deals with non-EU countries, to secure enough Labour votes to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill next month. Allies of the PM fear the potential concessions are so significant that Leave ministers such as Liam Fox could walk out in protest if they are approved. Labour policy change a boost to EU polls LABOUR support would rise sharply at the European elections if it changed its policy to pro-Remain, it was claimed last night. New research predicts that Labour is currently on course to win 20 seats. But if they switched to an unambiguously pro-Remain policy including the promise to hold a second referendum this would rise to 35 seats and 38% share of the vote (up from 24%). According to the study - produced by Electoral Calculus using a ComRes survey of 4161 people - both Labour and the Tories would also make some gains if Jeremy Corbyn reached an agreement with Theresa May to modify her deal to leave the EU. In this scenario, Labour would improve from 20 seats to 22, and the Tories from six to ten. Pro-Remain activist Gina Miller, Founder of Remain United who commissioned the poll and analysis, said: Our research shows clearly that Mr Corbyns unwillingness to get off the fence on Brexit is causing real damage to his partys electoral prospects. By refusing unequivocally to change its official policy to back remaining in the EU, and promising to hold a second referendum on whether to stay in or leave the EU, he is massively out of step with his own Labour MPs, party members, supporters and crucially with Labour voters. Advertisement But with David Davis and other Eurosceptic MPs hardening their opposition to Mrs Mays deal, some ministers believe the only option to pass the legislation is to seek Labour support. A bruising discussion is also expected on the future of No Deal preparations in the event that Mrs Mays plans are defeated. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay is expected to warn that the Bills defeat would leave the UK facing the likelihood of No Deal. Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed yesterday that he had ordered his officials to step up preparations for No Deal. In a speech on security he said: A comprehensive and legally binding partnership on security is still our preferred option. But we have also worked hard to prepare for a No Deal scenario. Contingency plans are already in place to move police and judicial co-operation on to tried and tested non-EU mechanisms such as Interpol. Yesterday, former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey became the first leadership candidate to make it clear she was willing to quit the EU without a deal. She said it was essential that Britain left as scheduled, and insisted there must be no more backsliding, adding: If it means without a deal, well be out. Her fellow candidates Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Liz Truss are also expected to confirm they are serious about the option of No Deal if the EU refuses to budge. Meanwhile, potential leadership hopefuls went head to head in a Future of the Party debate. Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said she would maybe run for the top job. She added that members should be proud to be Conservative, claiming: If we dont look like a fun party, no one else is going to vote for us. Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out running and said the Tories would be toast if they called an election before Brexit. Former Brexit Secretary Mr Raab warned that this weeks European election results would give a hint of what is to come if we dont understand what happens if you dont keep your promises. Brexit minister James Cleverly told the group: The time you start running in a race is just after the starting gun, not just before. McVey vows to give 7bn foreign aid to police and schools By Jack Doyle Associate Editor for The Daily Mail Esther McVey made her pitch for the Tory leadership yesterday with a pledge to cut billions from foreign aid and spend the money on police and schools. Speaking at the launch of a Blue Collar Conservatism group in Westminster, the former work and pensions secretary, 51, said aid spending should be cut to the levels seen under the last Labour government. She said returning to 2010 spending levels and scrapping the aid target would provide 7billion, arguing there was an urgent need for our communities at home. Speaking at the launch of a Blue Collar Conservatism group in Westminster, the former work and pensions secretary, 51, said aid spending should be cut to the levels seen under the last Labour government The money would be used to close a 2billion shortfall in school spending and combat crime which is blighting our streets and making people at home feel unsafe. Miss McVey insisted that she wanted to immediately shift resources to match peoples needs and priorities. We can fund this simply by returning spending on international aid to Labour levels which we inherited in 2010, she added. This will still ensure we are spending historical and internationally high levels on our international commitments, but also freeing up around 7billion for schools and policing. Juncker: I dont have drink problem A furious Jean-Claude Juncker yesterday hit out at reports he has a drink problem. The EU Commission president, 64, blamed the rumours on stupid journalists. In an interview with Finnish media, Mr Juncker was asked about a Nato summit last summer where he was filmed stumbling around before a high-level dinner with world leaders. He blasted: I no longer answer these questions. Ive said it many times that I do not have a problem with alcohol. Stupid journalists always ask the same question, even though this question has already been answered. His officials insist he suffers from sciatica and cramps following a car crash in 1989. Mr Juncker also refused to answer questions about why he fondled the hair of the European Commissions deputy chief of protocol, Pernilla Sjolin, on his way into a summit in Brussels in December. Advertisement By doing this we will be doing more than just making up for shortfall here and there we will be providing transformative funds which communities will feel. Aid spending in 2010 stood at some 8.5billion. Last year it topped 14billion. The aid target was a centrepiece of David Camerons modernisation of the Tory party. Under a law passed by the coalition government, ministers must spend 0.7 per cent of national income every year on foreign aid. Miss McVey, who quit the Cabinet last year over Mrs Mays Brexit deal, said Labour had abandoned working class voters and the Tories needed to take on that mantle. She added that the next Tory leader has to be a Brexiteer because it has to be someone who believes in Brexit. Miss McVey also described Nigel Farage as a tour de force who has caught the mood of the moment, adding: We can win that mood back when we deliver Brexit. The Tory MP, who recently announced her engagement to fellow Tory MP Philip Davies, told the event in Westminster that the UK stood on the brink of the abyss of the most destructive socialist government ever. Voters had abandoned Labour in their droves at the local elections, she said, but they were not returning to the Tories. I dont need to tell anybody the reason why, we know, she added. A majority of these voters voted to leave the EU and on this we have broken their trust. To win that trust back we must only not just deliver what we promised, but we must be prepared to have radical conservative agendas to show we are on their side. NASA astronauts could one day live inside caves under the moon's surface formed long ago by lunar lava. It could provide a natural shelter in which to build a future lunar base, according to a NASA astronaut in a Reddit-based Q&A. These lava tubes are long, tunnel-like structures formed after the surface of a lava flow hardens before hollowing out. The cave structures would provide a shield against both the moon's temperature fluctuations and harmful solar radiation thereby cutting down on building costs. NASA geoscientist Daniel Moriarty and colleagues discussed the possibility of future moonbases during a Reddit 'ask me anything' session on May 16, 2019. Scroll down for video NASA astronauts could one day take live inside lava tubes (pictured, an artists impression of the end of a tube being discovered) just beneath the moon's surface, which would provide a natural shelter in which to build a future lunar base The online Q&A session was focused on the upcoming 2024 moonshot to be dubbed 'Artemis' which the US space agency is working towards. Questions turned, however, to the possibility of moonbases in the future and the steps that would be required to prepare the lunar surface for human inhabitants 'I don't think we're going to be able to change anything about the surface of the moon much,' Dr Moriarty wrote in response. 'Instead, I think it makes sense to work within some of the structures and resources that are already there. 'It could be interesting to set up shop within a pre-existing lava tube,' he added. Setting up a base within an extinct lava tube, Dr Moriarty said, 'could provide astronauts with some shielding from temperature variations and incoming solar radiation.' Lava tubes are long, tunnel-like structures formed after the surface of a lava flow hardens and then its inside is emptied out, leaving a hollow behind (Pictured: a view of a 328-feet-deep crater in the Moon's Mare Tranquillitatis, which may connect to a lava tube) WHAT ARE LUNAR LAVA TUBES? Lava tubes are long, natural caves that are left behind by past volcanic activity. They are formed when the surface of a lava flow cools to form a hard crust above the molten rock moving beneath. When the volume of the flowing lava depletes, the tubes can drain and leave behind a hollow tunnel. The presence of lava tubes underneath the moon's surface is often revealed when part of the tunnel roof collapses, leaving behind a circular hole referred to as a 'skylight'. Lunar lava tubes can reach up to 1,600 feet (500 metres) in width before they become unstable and liable to collapse under their own weight. Tubes can also collapse as a result of seismic activity, or meteorite bombardment. Advertisement Lava tubes are not the only one of the moon's resources that could be useful to develop a future lunar base, however. 'For instance, it could be useful to establish a base near a permanently-shadowed polar region in order to take advantage of surface water that's there,' Dr Moriarty added. In fact, this is the very plan of the China National Space Administration, which announced in April its plans to establish an international base near the moon's ice-rich south pole within the next decade. The announcement of China's timeline for space exploration follows its first soft landing of a spacecraft, Change-4, on the far side of the moon, back in the January of this year. NASA had publicly announced their intention to have astronauts return to the moon back in March 2019. 'This time, when we go to the Moon, we will stay,' NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has said. The announcement of China's timeline for space exploration follows its first soft landing of a spacecraft, Change-4 (pictured), on the far side of the moon, back in the January of this year The space agency, he added, plans to use 'innovative, new technologies' to explore 'more locations across the lunar surface than ever before'. 'We will use what we learn as we move forward to the Moon to take the next giant leap sending astronauts to Mars.' These plans were accelerated in late March after US Vice President Mike Pence announced that the Trump administration wanted to see NASA sending astronauts back to the moon in five years' time. Mr Pence made the comments during a speech at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama. In the Reddit question session, the NASA scientists said they were confident about achieving these goals, despite the accelerated time frame. If successfully delivered, the upcoming moon landing will be the seventh manned US lunar expedition, following its previous excursions between 1969 and 1972. The space agency is used to 'big challenges', with recent provisions in the US budget making the endeavours 'doable', the scientists added. The 2024 Artemis mission will send the first woman to the moon's surface and aims to be the first crewed mission to land near the lunar south pole. The full exchange between the NASA scientists and members of the public can be read on Reddit. Teenagers can sleep sounder by wearing special glasses that filter out blue-light or by cutting out evening use of smartphones, tablets and computer screens. Screens, such as mobile phones and tablets, emit blue-light which can affect the body clock and hormones that help us to sleep. By cutting back on light exposure in the evening, teenagers participating in a study improved their sleep quality, concentration and mood. Researchers believe the simple hack is promising to reduce the risk of long-term health problems, as sleep deprivation is also linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Scroll down for video Teenagers can sleep sounder by cutting out evening use of smartphones, tablets and computer screens or by wearing special glasses that filter out blue-light (Stock image) The eye-wear (example pictured) looks like a pair of sunglasses but works in a different way - filtering out just the blue light from the screens and not the UV light from the sub Researchers recorded the sleep patterns of 25 smartphone-loving teens at home both before and after the adolescents were given one of two trial treatments. The first saw the teenagers banned from using their devices 20 minutes before bed in the evening, while the second had them wear special glasses, that filter blue light, in the run up to bedtime. The eye-wear looks like a pair of sunglasses but works in a different way - filtering out just the blue light from the screens and not the UV light from the sub. After just one week of either trial treatment, the teenagers were seen to both fall asleep and wake earlier and experience less symptoms of sleep deprivation. These findings add to mounting evidence that too much light in the evenings especially from devices upsets the body's clock and sleep hormone production. Researchers from the Amsterdam UMC hospital aimed to determine how detrimental blue light was to young people in their own homes. Initially, the researchers looked at 55 teens, aged between 12 and 17, containing a mix of frequent and limited screened-device users. The teens that were in front of screens for four hours or more every day suffered as a result. They, on average, went to sleep 30 minutes later and woke up late compared to those who used devices for less than an hour a day. They also had more symptoms of sleep loss - the immediate affects are typically fatigue, lack of concentration or focus and bad mood. 'Adolescents increasingly spend more time on devices with screens and sleep complaints are frequent in this age group,' said study researcher Dr Dirk Jan Stenvers, who is an endocrinologist at Amsterdam UMC. 'Here we show very simply that these sleep complaints can be easily reversed by minimising evening screen use or exposure to blue light. 'Based on our data, it is likely that adolescent sleep complaints and delayed sleep onset are at least partly mediated by blue light from screens.' After just one week of either trial treatment, the teenagers were seen to both fall asleep and wake earlier and experience less symptoms of sleep deprivation (Stock image) The findings add to the body of evidence suggesting that exposure to too much light in the evening can impair both the body's internal clock and the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, leading to less and poorer quality sleep. HOW DOES BLUE LIGHT AFFECT SLEEP AND WHAT CAN YOU DO? Circadian rhythms are around 24-hours in length. They vary from person to person - which is why some people are 'morning people' and others are 'night owls'. Natural factors within the body produce circadian rhythms as well as environmental signals such as daylight. Irregular rhythms have been linked to various chronic health conditions, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes and depression. Exposure to light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms and helps with sleep. Melatonin levels rise in the evening and stay elevated throughout the night, promoting sleep. Artificial lighting and electronics with blue wavelengths trick the mind into thinking it's daytime. How can you reduce your exposure? Use dim red lights, which have the least effect on melatonin, for night lights. Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed. If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night, there are glasses and apps that can filter the blue light. Check if your phone settings have a night time setting which automatically shifts the display screen to warmer colours at sunset time. Advertisement The blue light emitted by computer, smartphone and tablet screens is particularly harmful in this regard, experts have warned, as this wavelength, common in the daytime, confuses the body when received in the evening. Getting insufficient sleep not only causes tiredness and poor concentration in the short-term, but can also increase the risk over more serious, long-term health issues. These complications can include diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Recent studies have also suggested that the effects of sleep deprivation resulting from extended screen time may have a greater impact on children and adolescents than it does on adults. However, no previous study had fully explored the impacts of screen time in real-life adolescents in a home setting or whether such can be reversed. 'Sleep disturbances start with minor symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration but in the long-term we know that sleep loss is associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease,' said Dr Stenvers. 'If we can introduce simple measures now to tackle this issue, we can avoid greater health problems in years to come,' he added. With this study complete, the researchers are now moving to investigate whether minimising screen exposure to improve sleep has longer-lasting impacts. They will also be looking to see if the same relationship exists for adults. The full findings of the study were presented at the European Society of Endocrinology's 2019 annual meeting, in Lyon, between May 821, 2019. The presentation abstract is published online. Google's decision to cut-off Huawei could be a death sentence for the Chinese tech giant and expose its customers to a host of cyber-security issues, an expert has said. Eoin Keary, CEO of cyber-security firm Edgescan, told MailOnline that this hammer-blow could spell 'the beginning of the end' for Huawei. The inability for users to update their apps is a serious issue as they will rapidly become outdated and vulnerable, he revealed. Google has remaining tight-lipped about what this will mean for Huawei users, but existing phones will likely forever be stuck with their current version of some apps. This includes serious security flaws which are fixed via Google's update on the Play Store and will not be available to Huawei devices, leaving them exposed. Google is assuring users of Huawei smartphones the American company's services will still will work on them but the impact to Huawei may be crippling (file photo) Will my Huawei device keep working? Huawei devices will largely continue to function as before in the short-term, but they will soon get left behind. Google said existing devices will have access to the Play Store but there is no timeline on how long this will last. A Google spokesperson said: 'We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. 'For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.' This means that, at least for now, apps and downloads, as well as protection via Google's Play Protect, will remain in place. But it has already stopped updates via the app, which will rapidly manifest itself into a growing problem. What will happen if Google releases an update? Existing customers of Huawei's technology still have access to the Play Store but not its updates. This means users on other Android platforms, such as LG and Samsung, will have access to the update - but Huawei customers will not. All major and minor updates from the Play Store will therefore bypass Huawei, including any security patches. 'Updates to the next version of apps will also be restricted. If you have a Huawei phone, you wont get security updates,' Mr Keary said. 'Huawei could be a very, very insecure device as updates are not available and millions and millions of users will be increasingly less secure.' For example, it was revealed last week that an Israeli firm was using a WhatsApp vulnerability to spy on people via the app and their phones. A fix was found and issued to Android users via the Play Store - absolving customers of any risk. However, if this had happened after today's bombshell, it would have been impossible for people to fix the problem. 'Update frequency of Android, not just of major releases but of minor updates as well, is rapid and almost all of them fix a vulnerability. 'The risk of infection gets dramatically higher now for Huawei devices and they may stop working soon. 'For me, this is the beginning of the end for Huawei. Security is often taken for granted and if security is removed and phones become insecure, will people put all their personal belongings on their phones?' What will it mean for future Huawei customers? The picture is murkier for any customers buying Huawei devices in the future but new Huawei phones will not have access to Gmail, Google Maps and other apps. Google has yet to issue a statement on what the implications will be for new users but it is possible their access to Play Store will be revoked. The security concerns worsen as time progresses and the versions of the apps on the platform become more and more outdated. This potentially exposes anything that is on a device to hackers and potential criminals - and there is little a user can do to prevent it. 'Phones are incredible personal devices, even more so than our desktops, and people will now be less willing to trust Huawei with this information,' Mr Keary said. 'Six months is a lifetime in cyber security, and if the the operating system isn't being maintained then there is a very serious risk to all the personal data. 'I don't see a reason to buy a Huawei device if it cant use an official version of android.' Android issued a tweet from their official account stating 'services like like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device' What does the Google decision mean for Huawei? The Android system is used by a host of manufacturers, including LG, Samsung and Sony, among others. All rely on Google's Play Store and their own license to keep up to date wit hthe latest developments. Google has said that, at least for now, customers will still have access to Google Play Store, and all the usual Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, Search, Assistant. Existing phones will still have the apps, but users will not be able to upgrade to newer versions. 'In effect, they [Google] wont deploy their apps to Huawei good and proper and access to google play and other Google apps will be restricted,' Mr Keary said. Google's engineers are also banned from collaborating with Huawei engineers on any updates. 'Huawei has said it plans to build its own features from the open-source material, but that's a huge mountain to climb,' Mr Keary added. 'This builds on the 5G issues it has faced and powers in the western world want to take Huawei out of the picture and this is a good way of doing that.' Google said it was taking 'steps to comply with recent government actions' after President Donald Trump added Huawei to a US blacklist. Google's lack of willing to discuss the topic indicated the firm is still wrangling with how best to move forward. A Google spokesperson said: 'We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. 'For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.' Google Play Protect is a system which is built-in to Android devices and scans automatically for malware and signs of infection. Its indication that this will continue to operate on Huawei devices offers customers with at least some good news, but there is no indication of how long this will continue. The official definition of a kilogram has changed today - just six months after scientists voted for a brand new interpretation. Previously, Le Grand K - a hunk of metal - was the defining object by which all other kilogram measurements were made and utterly reliant upon. Scientists have been striving for a way to sustainable replace it in the unfortunate event it was destroyed. Stored under secure lock and key in France since it was made in 1889, the carefully calibrated alloy cylinder has now been retired. It has served as the global standard for weighing things for 130 years, with dozens of copies stored across the globe to standardise the weights of individual nations. Now, scientists will measure the kilogram via the Kibble balance. Based on the Planck constant theory, this instrument tracks tiny changes in electrical current to calculate the gravitational force acting on a mass - the two components of weight. Le Grand K (right) is an alloy cylinder used to standardise the kilo for more than a century and has been kept under secure lock and key in Paris since it was made in 1889. The weight is stored under two bell jars (centre) to stop it from accruing dust and dirt WHAT IS LE GRAND K? Le Grande K is the defining mass against which all other kilograms are measured. It is a carefully calibrated alloy cylinder that has been held under lock and key in France since it was made in 1889. Dozens of copies have been made and stored around the world to standardise the weights of individual nations. Le Grande K is stored in the Louis XIV Pavillon de Breteuil, a building that also houses the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. The weight is so precious that it is only taken out once every 40 years to make copies for other nations. Advertisement 'One key reason for doing this work is to provide international security,' Ian Robinson, head of engineering measurement at the NPL, told the Luxembourg-based magazine Delano. 'If the Pavillon de Breteuil burned down tomorrow and the kilogram in its vaults melted, we would have no reference left for the world's metric weights system. 'There would be chaos. The current definition of the kilogram is the weight of that cylinder in Paris, after all.' The Kibble balance calculates weight using small changes in any electrical current. It measures the electric current required to produce an electromagnetic force that is equal to the gravitational force acting on a mass. Scientists have spent decades developing a new global weight standard. The device, known as a Kibble balance, measures tiny changes in electrical current to calculate the gravitational force acting on a mass - the two components of weight HOW WOULD A KIBBLE BALANCE MEASURE THE PLANCK CONSTANT? A Kibble balance would redefine the kilogram by giving scientists the most precise measurement yet of the Planck constant. It comprises a wire coil inside a magnetic field that is suspended from the arm of a balance. A kilogram mass is also placed on this arm exerting a force downwards due to gravity. An electrical current is passed through the coil generating a force, the strength of which depends on the size of the current, the strength of the field and the length of the coil. The value of current is varied until the downward force from the kilo mass is balanced by the force from the coil in the magnetic field. The mass is then removed and the coil is moved in the field, which induces a voltage in the coil. By tracking the current and voltage the Planck constant can be measured in terms of mass, length and time. Advertisement This precise current measurement is used to produce the most accurate calculation yet of Planck constant, which is then in turn used to define a kilogram. Planck's constant - one of the fundamental constants of nature - can be combined with certain properties of light and Einstein's e=mc2 to give the new kilo. Using these machines as an international standard would save the need to keep Le Grand K and its copies under tight security. 'We are going to create a method for weighing the kilogram completely accurately until the end of time,' Mr Robinson said. 'We will have released ourselves from a single point of failure.' Later this month, delegates at the international General Conference on Weights and Measures, held in France, are expected to vote to retire Le Grande K. Le Grande K is stored under lock and key in the Louis XIV Pavillon de Breteuil (pictured) The Louis XIV Pavillon de Breteuil in Paris houses the International Bureau of Weights and Measures The Kibble balance is widely expected to replace it, allowing the kilo to join a wide range of modernised standard measurements. The metre, once standardised using an alloy bar stored in Paris, has been defined as the distance travelled by a light particle in 1/299,792,458 of a second since 1983. For more than a century, the second was for decades measured as 1/86,400 of an average day. As Earth's rotation is variable, the unit has now been updated to be the time taken for a caesium atom to vibrate precisely 9,192,631,770 times. Google have been tracking their customers' spending habits and keeping a permanent record online. The Silicon Valley company has previously promised to honour privacy but has been saving the shopping history of customers via e-receipts sent to their Gmail. It includes songs bought on linked music accounts, eBay and Amazon purchases, monthly subscriptions and even delivery notes. The data spans back up to a decade and to delete the vast back-catalogue is a tedious and long-winded process. Each individual email containing a receipt must be removed from the inbox in order for it to be taken of the list. To view yours, click here. Suspicious? The Silicon Valley company, which previously promised to honour privacy, has been assessing peoples' shopping via e-receipts sent to their Gmail over the past few years Bizarrely, this information is already available to people, although most are probably unaware because the 'Purchases' function is largely unknown. A disclaimer on the page says: 'Information about your orders may also be saved with your activity in other Google services'. However, Google insists it doesn't use any of this sensitive information for personalised ad tracking. 'To help you easily view and keep track of your purchases, bookings and subscriptions in one place, we've created a private destination that can only be seen by you,' Google said in a statement. 'You can delete this information at any time. We don't use any information from your Gmail messages to serve you ads, and that includes the email receipts and confirmations shown on the Purchase page.' Google's privacy page insists this information can be deleted, but - as reported by CNBC - Google's controls page doesn't allow people to manage the data stored in 'Purchases'. MailOnline has contacted Google for comment. 'Privacy is personal, which makes it even more vital for companies to give people clear, individual choices around how their data is used,' Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently said Ironically, the news comes just days after Google CEO Sundar Pichai said 'privacy cannot be a luxury good,' in a New York Times article. 'Privacy is personal, which makes it even more vital for companies to give people clear, individual choices around how their data is used,' he said. 'Over the past 20 years, billions of people have trusted Google with questions they wouldn't have asked their closest friends: How do you know if you're in love? Why isn't my baby sleeping? What is this weird rash on my arm? HOW GOOGLE TRACKS YOUR PURCHASES The company scans your Gmail for purchase receipts. They then harvest the information into a 'Purchases' page, which can be accessed by clicking here They insist the contents of this can be easily deleted, but Google's controls page doesn't allow people to manage the 'Purchases' data. In order to remove the information, users must delete every single email that contains a receipt. Advertisement 'We've worked hard to continually earn that trust by providing accurate answers and keeping your questions private. We've stayed focused on the products and features that make privacy a reality for everyone.' But, earlier this year, a Mail on Sunday reporter discovered Google had an exhaustive and precise record of his activities for every day since December 2014. The information included times and details of visits to restaurants, shops and bars and the mode of transport used to get there. His movements were tracked with a blue line to indicate each location visited. Google searches he had made at each location were also included. Another reporter's visit to a cemetery in Macclesfield was archived after he searched on Google's Maps app for directions to a funeral. It also saved his search for directions to a hospital in Dublin when he visited A&E, and later recorded when he was discharged. Google says it gained consent to gather and keep this data by asking users to tick a box when they sign up for a Google account. But data experts complain the terms and conditions are confusing and do not state for how long it will hold their data. Morrisons is to become the first British supermarket to roll-out plastic free fruit and veg areas in many of its stores. Customers will be able to choose from up to 127 varieties of fruit and veg - and buy them loose or put them in recyclable paper bags. The move follows a ten-month trial in three Morrisons stores in Skipton, Guiseley and St Ives where the amount of loose fruit and veg bought by customers increased by an average of 40 per cent. The new 'buy bagless' fruit and veg shelves are expected to save an estimated three tonnes of plastic a week, equating to 156 tonnes a year. Every little helps: The new 'buy bagless' fruit and veg shelves are expected to save an estimated three tonnes of plastic a week, equating to 156 tonnes a year This is the latest announcement from Morrison's which made changes that will remove 9,000 tonnes of unnecessary or problematic plastic each year. This figure includes 174m plastic produce bags removed from fruit and veg aisles, and 600 tonnes of unrecyclable polystyrene removed from branded food and drink products. A further 1,300 tonnes of plastic will be removed as a result of the launch of paper carrier bags, this month. The loose fruit and veg areas will be rolled out in 60 Morrisons stores during the course of 2019. They will then continue to be introduced as part of the supermarkets ongoing store refurbishment programme nationwide saving even more plastic over time. The loose veg range includes everyday essentials such as carrots, potatoes and onions as well as more unusual seasonal varieties such as celeriac. Fruit will include apples, pears and oranges, plus figs, persmimons and pomegranates. Drew Kirk, Fruit and Veg Director at Morrisons told MailOnline: 'Many of our customers would like the option of buying their fruit and veg loose. So were creating an area of our greengrocery with no plastic where they can pick as much or as little as they like. Impact: The loose fruit and veg areas will be rolled out in 60 Morrisons stores during the course of 2019. They will then continue to be introduced as part of the supermarkets ongoing store refurbishment programme nationwide saving even more plastic over time 'Were going back to using traditional greengrocery and we hope customers appreciate the choice.' Morrisons plastic reduction initiatives are detailed in its 2018-19 Corporate Responsibility Review. The review also details that the group has reduced carbon emissions by 45 per cent since 2005. The news comes just weeks after Greenpeace complained that Tesco and Sainsbury's - two of the 'Big Four' supermarkets - have not done enough to remove plastic from their aisles. Sainsbury's has previously pledged to reduce plastic by just 77 tonnes since last January through removing plastic packaging from gift cards. Meanwhile, Tesco reports having removed just a million pieces of plastic from its stores, by phasing plastic straws out from its cafes. Both supermarkets have made other pledges to tackle the plastic menace, although they cannot say how many tonnes or pieces of plastic these will remove. Criticism: The news comes just weeks after Greenpeace complained Tesco and Sainsbury's - two of the 'Big Four' supermarkets - have not done enough to remove plastic from their aisles WHAT ARE ASDA'S PLANS FOR UNWRAPPING THEIR FRUIT AND VEG? Asda announced in August 2018 that it was ditching plastic wrapping on swedes. Extensive shelf life tests have shown that there is minimal difference in the shelf life of the wrapped or unwrapped root vegetables, according to the firm. Customers shouldn't see any difference in the quality of their swede, or its freshness, they say. The company is scrutinising other fruit and veg to see if the same results can be acheieved. Asda says its tests show that removing the plastic wrapping from some fruit and vegetables can drastically reduce shelf life and actually increase food waste. Unwrapped cucumbers, for example, lose three times more weight than wrapped due to dehydration, which leads to rubbery, yellowing cucumbers that are more prone to rotting and mould. Equally, red and white cabbages are prone to moisture loss when the plastic shrink wrap is removed, resulting in a reduced shelf life of around two to three days, and ultimately a poorer quality product. Asda is also working with experts from Leeds Beckett University to find viable alternatives to plastic in the long term. Advertisement But compared to other Big Four supermarkets, Asda and Morrisons, they have drawn up fewer strategies to tackle plastic and failed to tackle plastic cutlery in stores or bring in paper bags for produce. Elena Polisano, ocean plastics campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said: 'As the two biggest supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Tesco have the biggest plastic footprint and should be taking responsibility for that. 'But they are lagging behind rather than leading the way, and neither have set much-needed plastic reduction targets. 'Tesco at least has some measures in the pipeline, including a trial of loose fruit and veg, and a forthcoming trial of refillable packaging. 'And it's pledged to phase out some problem plastics this year. 'But Sainsbury's is the worst in class, and must urgently reduce plastic - starting with eliminating unnecessary and unrecyclable plastic by 2020.' A recent hardware test of NASA's robotic assistant, 'Astrobees,' takes a new wave of space-bound autonomous helpers one step closer to reality. According to NASA, this month astronaut Anne McClain ran a hardware test of the robot, named 'Bumble,' one of three robotic assistants launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 15. Scientists hope Bumble will carry out an array of housekeeping tasks like monitoring equipment and keeping inventory of supplies that NASA hopes will free up its astronauts to perform other more critical tasks relating to with their missions and experiments. Scroll down for video. Astrobees are just one of many robotic applications from NASA who is also studying the use of 'soft' robotics that replace traditional hardware with malleable plastics 'Astrobee will prove out robotic capabilities that will enable and enhance human exploration,' said Maria Bualat, Astrobee project manager at NASAs Ames Research Center in a statement. 'Performing such experiments in zero gravity will ultimately help develop new hardware and software for future space missions.' The bots, based on tiny robots that appear in 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith' are able to navigate their environment using a mixture of electric fans that provide their propulsion and cameras combined with on-board software that help it avoid obstacles. Using a small robotic arm, the cubes can even assist in handling cargo or helping out with experiments. Anne McClain performed the first hardware test of 'Bumble,' part of a trio of robots aboard the ISS that can assist astronauts in a number of tasks When they're low on battery, the bots -- not unlike the Earth-based janitorial assistant, Roomba -- can see their way back to their charging station. The Astrobees build on a previous iteration of robotic helps called SPHERES -- three first-generation free-flying robot assistants deployed to the ISS in 2006 to take part in various hardware and software experiments In the future, NASA hopes robots like the Atrobees could help assist in planned missions to the moon as well as trips to deep space. As the agency makes strides on more traditional looking bots like the Astrobee, it also taking a 'softer' approach by developing robots made from malleable plastics that do away with rigid hardware. According to NASA, the robots, made by using a mould filled with liquid silicon, could theoretically explore other planets by inflating and deflating their plastic chambers causing them to inch along planet surfaces like a starfish. EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan. So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit. There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'. Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. Advertisement To increase their capabilities, the agency is also exploring how soft robots might be able to join together and work cooperatively. After a call from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a similar robot to NASA's Astrobees may also help future missions to repair and monitor satellites. DARPA said it wants to engineers to help it develop robotic repairmen capable of fixing the United States' more than 400 satellites, some of which are located some more than 20,000 miles away, making service and maintenance all but impossible. The agency hopes to have those bots developed within the next five years. The oceans could swell nearly seven feet by the end of the century - destroying the homes of almost 200 million people, according to new research. It would wipe out over a million square miles of farming and other food producing lands - having 'profound consequences for humanity.' This is over twice as much as previous 'doomsday' predictions - suggesting the world really is facing a global warming 'apocalypse.' The shock finding is based on a technique called structured expert judgment (SEJ) that pooled the knowledge of 22 climate change specialists. Scroll down for video Forecasts remain challenging owing to uncertainties regarding the fate of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. The latest analysis suggests oceans could swell nearly seven feet by the end of the century - destroying the homes of almost 200 million people It builds a rational - rather than political - consensus by accounting for both uncertainties and diversity of opinions or perspectives. In the first study of its kind the international team found protection strategies should consider future sea level rise (SLR) will exceed 2 metres (6.56 ft). Lead author Professor Jonathan Bamber, of Bristol University's School of Geographical Sciences, said: 'Such a rise in global sea level could result in land loss of 1.79 million square kilometres (1.1 million square miles). 'This includes critical regions of food production - and potential displacement of up to 187 million people.' He added: 'An SLR of this magnitude would clearly have profound consequences for humanity.' The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, analysed melting ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic - and the resulting sea level rise. It provides the most accurate understanding to date of their effect - with SLR posing a threat to coastal communities and ecosystems, said the researchers. This will help in implementing adaptation strategies that require 'quantitative projections' of future SLR based on numerical facts. Such forecasts remain challenging owing to uncertainties regarding the fate of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. There are two main policy responses to climate change - mitigation and adaptation. The former addresses the root causes by reducing greenhouse emissions while the latter seeks to lower the risks posed by the consequences. Humans have been adapting to their environments throughout history by developing practices, cultures and livelihoods suited to local conditions. These range from the Mediterranean siesta to the Vietnamese practice of building homes on stilts to protect against monsoonal rains. But climate change raises the possibility existing societies will experience shifts in temperature, storm frequency and flooding on an unprecedented scale. Adaptation measures include large-scale infrastructure changes such as building ocean defences. So Prof Bamber and colleagues asked the panel to provide plausible ranges for future ice accumulation, discharge and surface run-off for each of the Greenland, West Antarctic and East Antarctic ice sheets. This was under both low and high global temperature rise scenarios. Prof Bamber said: 'SEJ provides a formal approach for estimating uncertain quantities based on current scientific understanding, and can be useful for estimating quantities that are difficult to model. 'Projections of total global SLR using this method yielded a small but meaningful probability of SLR exceeding two metres by the year 2100 under the high temperature scenario. 'This was roughly equivalent to 'business as usual' and well above the 'likely' upper limit presented in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).' That warned of a maximum 98 cm (3.2 ft) rise by 2100. Even this which would threaten the survival of coastal cities and entire island nations. Prof Bamber and colleagues say communities should not rule out a 21st-century SLR above two metres when developing adaptation strategies. The study also provided an opportunity for experts to discuss their scientific rationales for the quantitative judgments they make on uncertainties relating to future ice sheet contributions to sea level. This unique approach also served to identify some poorly understood but potentially critical processes, such as 'marine ice cliff instability', which may act in future as significant tipping points in ice sheet response to temperature rise. Co-author Professor Willy Aspinall, from Bristol's School of Earth Sciences, added: 'It's hoped the results can provide decision-makers with greater awareness of potential high-end SLR, which is crucial for robust decision making. 'Limiting attention to the 'likely' range, as was the case in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, may be misleading and will likely lead to a poor evaluation of the true risks.' GLACIERS AND ICE SHEETS MELTING WOULD HAVE A 'DRAMATIC IMPACT' ON GLOBAL SEA LEVELS Global sea levels could rise as much as 10ft (3 metres) if the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica collapses. Sea level rises threaten cities from Shanghai to London, to low-lying swathes of Florida or Bangladesh, and to entire nations such as the Maldives. In the UK, for instance, a rise of 6.7ft (2 metres) or more may cause areas such as Hull, Peterborough, Portsmouth and parts of east London and the Thames Estuary at risk of becoming submerged. The collapse of the glacier, which could begin with decades, could also submerge major cities such as New York and Sydney. Parts of New Orleans, Houston and Miami in the south on the US would also be particularly hard hit. A 2014 study looked by the union of concerned scientists looked at 52 sea level indicators in communities across the US. It found tidal flooding will dramatically increase in many East and Gulf Coast locations, based on a conservative estimate of predicted sea level increases based on current data. The results showed that most of these communities will experience a steep increase in the number and severity of tidal flooding events over the coming decades. By 2030, more than half of the 52 communities studied are projected to experience, on average, at least 24 tidal floods per year in exposed areas, assuming moderate sea level rise projections. Twenty of these communities could see a tripling or more in tidal flooding events. The mid-Atlantic coast is expected to see some of the greatest increases in flood frequency. Places such as Annapolis, Maryland and Washington, DC can expect more than 150 tidal floods a year, and several locations in New Jersey could see 80 tidal floods or more. In the UK, a two metre (6.5 ft) rise by 2040 would see large parts of Kent almost completely submerged, according to the results of a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science in November 2016. Areas on the south coast like Portsmouth, as well as Cambridge and Peterborough would also be heavily affected. Cities and towns around the Humber estuary, such as Hull, Scunthorpe and Grimsby would also experience intense flooding. Advertisement Advertisement An amateur photographer captured the breadth and versatility of icebergs from his vantage in what's known as 'iceberg alley.' In a series of images from his home in Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland, photographer Mark Gray documented a procession of icebergs as they drifted by in the Labrador Sea through his personal Twitter account. In one photo, Gray is able to snap a comparison picture showing one of the colossal floating chunks of ice next to the Cape's iconic lighthouse. Scroll down for video An amateur photographer captured the breadth and versatility of icebergs from his vantage in what's known as 'iceberg alley.' Above, a giant iceberg dwarfs Cape Bonavista's iconic lighthouse as it drifts through the region 'Our Cape Bonavista Lighthouse looks pretty small in comparison to this huge iceberg!' said Gray on Twitter. In other photos, Gray points out icebergs that appear similar to a 'salad bowl,' ice cream cones, elephant tusks, and one which he dubs 'the lurker' for seemingly hiding behind a land mass. The corridor through which Gray captured the Iceberg's journey across the sea has been dubbed 'Iceberg Alley' where seasonal bergs drift through during late spring or early summer. The 'Alley' stretches from the coast of Labrador to the southeast cost of Newfoundland and attracts site-seers from all over who come to catch a glimpse of the massive natural structures by land sometimes boats that bring them up close and personal. About 400 to 800 icebergs make it to the coast of Newfoundland every year but in some exceptional cases more than 2,000 have been recorded during one banner season in 1984. Icebergs come in various shapes and sizes, some small towering as high as 150 feet. Between late spring and early summer the icebergs float through the Labrador Sea, where visitors flock to get a glimpse One glacier, Gray dubbed the 'salad bowl' for its unusual shape. The 'Alley' stretches from the coast of Labrador to the southeast cost of Newfoundland 'The lurker' is what Gray called this particular berg as it looms behind a large rocky land mass. To get a close glimpse of the floating ice masses, some tourists even charter boats that get them up close and personal. The icebergs themselves consist of 10,000 to 12,000-year-old ice and come mostly from glaciers in western Greenland. They can span as high as 150 feet above water and come in versatile shapes like the ones captured by Gray, including arched, pyramidal, tabular, domed, blocks, and more. According to Newfoundland's official tourism page, icebergs are sometimes so plentiful that locals use the fresh glacier water to make different cocktails that contain gin or vodka, as well as the popular 'iceberg beer.' Gray compared the icebergs pictured above to ice cream cones, stating on his Twitter, 'Would you like a small or large ice cream cone? LOL.' A security researcher has discovered a massive online database that exposes the personal contact information of nearly 50 million influencers and brands. According to a report from TechCrunch, researcher Anurag Sen discovered the database contained the personal contact information of 'prominent food bloggers, celebrities and other social media influencers.' Sen alerted the site to the list's existence in an attempt to find its creator and get it secured, TechCrunch noted. Millions of Instagram influencers and celebrities personal information was found in an online, and publicly available, database. TechCrunch reports that the information in the database appears to have been scraped from publicly available social media accounts and was traced back to a social media marketing firm Chtrbox based in Mumbai, India. Chtrbox, which pays influencers to post sponsored content onto their pages, also included information on what a post with each person listed in the database would cost, including their number of followers, likes, and reach. In some cases, the influencers included in the database said they had never had any involvement with Chtrbox. The company has since pulled the database offline and has not responded to any request for comment including those sent by Mail Online. As noted by TechCrunch, the existence of the list mirrors a data breach dating back two years ago when Instagram acknowledged a flaw in its API that allowed hackers to obtain the personal information - including email addresses and phone numbers - of 6 million users. That data also contained personal information of a swath of well-known celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift. Hackers later sold that information to users of the dark web, offering inquiries into its database for $10 per search. Facebook said it is reviewing the issue but Chtrbox has yet to respond publicly about the database. Celebrities, influencers, and other social media personalities in the public eye have proven to be particularly vulnerable to 'doxxing' - when hackers find and publish private information - as well as other attacks on personal information, including an infamous iCloud hack in 2014. The attack on celebrities' iCloud exposed intimate personal photos of 240 celebrities and eventually lead to the arrest of four hackers. In 2018, the last of the four hackers involved in the attack was sentenced by a judge to serve 18 months in prison. Facebook, which owns Instagram, told TechCrunch that it is reviewing the matter. 'Were looking into the issue to understand if the data described including email and phone numbers was from Instagram or from other sources,' Facebook told TechCrunch in a statement. 'Were also inquiring with Chtrbox to understand where this data came from and how it became publicly available.' Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly suggested that Jose Mourinho should be considered for the Juventus managerial position. Massimiliano Allegri has left Juventus after five trophy-laden years as manager, leaving the Italian giants on the hunt for a new boss. La Gazzetta dello Sport say that Ronaldo has suggested Mourinho takes over from Allegri. Jose Mourinho is being linked with a return to management and the vacant Juventus job Mourinho could link up once again with Cristiano Ronaldo - they were together at Real Madrid Mourinho has been out of work since he was sacked as United manager last December. But he has a track record of success in Italy, steering Inter Milan to the Treble in 2010. Allegri and Juve celebrated the club's eighth consecutive Serie A title on Sunday after they were awarded the trophy following a 1-1 draw with Atalanta. Ronaldo and Juventus celebrated winning Serie A on Sunday evening after facing Atalanta Carlo Ancelotti, another manager Ronaldo is known to speak highly of, has ruled himself out of the running to take over at Juventus. The Italian says he wants to stay in his current job at Napoli. She was pictured passionately kissing a Melbourne barber last week, following her recent split with Dan Webb. But Married at First Sight's Jessika Power, 27, has reportedly now set her sights on former Bachelor Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins, 31. An insider told NW on Monday that the busty blonde recently slid into Nick's DMs on Instagram and the pair are now in the 'early stages' of a romance. Rumour has it! Jessika Power (left) is reportedly in the 'early stages of a romance' with Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins (right) Making her move: Jessika started following Nick on Instagram back in March 'Jess started following Nick on Instagram way back when he was on The Bachelor,' the source said. 'Word is she slid into his DMs after things fizzled with Dan and they've arranged to meet up. 'She wasn't exactly subtle. She thinks he's really, really hot and let him know it... They're the perfect couple if you ask me... They'll be the bogan king and queen of Australia.' Flirting: 'Beautiful shot,' Jess wrote under Nick's recent Instagram photo of Lake Argyle In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, a representative for Nick denied he is dating Jess. 'Nick has never heard of this person before. Hes single,' they said. Jess started following Nick on Instagram back in March. Earlier this month, she left a comment on his latest Instagram post. 'Beautiful shot,' she wrote under his photo of Lake Argyle. Meanwhile, Jess told the magazine that Nick is her celebrity crush. 'I find him so funny, so witty, so so hilarious. I love his Aussie slang and p**s myself laughing when he talks,' she confessed. Splitsville! Jess previously dated Dan Webb (right) - with their relationship starting while she was still 'married' to Mick Gould on MAFS - but they split in April due to 'trust issues' on his part Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jessika Power for comment. Nick is just the latest in a string of men who have been linked to Jess so far this year. She previously dated Dan Webb - with their relationship starting while she was still 'married' to Mick Gould on MAFS - but they split in April due to 'trust issues' on his part. Unfaithful: Jess infamously cheated on her 'husband' Mick Gould (right) with Dan on MAFS She also made advances towards her MAFS co-star Nic Jovanovic, but he brutally rejected her on camera. In April, a leaked video showed her spending time with former MAFS star, Telv Williams, at her home in Perth at 3am. She denied they were more than friends. Last week, she enjoyed a passionate kiss with a barber who goes by the name of AJ. Kate Ritchie and Stuart Webb's marriage is reportedly experiencing 'undue stress' as the retired NRL player faces potential jail time following a drink driving arrest in March. On Monday, Woman's Day magazine claimed that the legal matter had 'exposed' the couple and Kate, 40, is trying 'keep their personal life private'. Earlier this month, Stuart pleaded guilty to the drink driving charge and will return to Waverley Court House on July 2, where he may be sentenced. Scroll down for video 'The situation has exposed them': Kate Ritchie and Stuart Webb's marriage is reportedly 'under stress' after he pleaded guilty to drink driving. Pictured: Kate with daughter Mae in 2016 Kate is 'determined to keep going about her work and everyday business like normal', a source told the publication. The insider added that the scandal has 'been hard' on the Nova FM radio presenter. Former rugby league star Stuart, who now works as a chef, was charged with drink driving on a suspended licence in March. He blew 0.083 when police stopped him in Sydney's eastern suburbs on March 26. Ongoing matter: Earlier this month, Stuart (left) pleaded guilty to the charge and will return to Waverley Court House on July 2, where he may be sentenced Brave face: On Monday, Woman's Day magazine claimed that Kate is 'determined to keep going about her work and everyday business like normal' despite her husband's legal woes The 38-year-old had reportedly run a red light on Avoca Street in Randwick, just a short distance from the couple's home, at about 4pm. Soon after, police learned he was also allegedly driving on a suspended licence. He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 7, with another court date set for July 2. Scandal: Retired rugby league player Stuart, who now works as a chef, was charged with drink driving with a suspended licence in March It was previously reported that Kate was 'preparing for the worst' as her husband-of-nine-years faces the possibility of jail time. If convicted, the former Sydney Roosters and St George Dragons player faces a further six-month licence suspension for the drink driving offence alone, while driving without a licence carries up to 12 months in prison. The couple are parents to a four-year-old daughter, Mae, and Kate has previously denied reports her marriage is in trouble, branding the rumours 'baseless'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kate Ritchie's management for comment. Sofia Vergara and husband Joe Manganiello helped celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hammer Museum's Kids Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P) in Los Angeles on Sunday. The fundraiser was a fun-filled day of art-making, workshops, music and storytelling for children throughout the museum. Looking summer-chic in a yellow floral dress, Vergara was among the high-profile people who helped read some of their favorite children's stories out loud to the kids. Gorgeous: Sofia Vergara stunned in a yellow floral dress for the 10th anniversary of the Hammer Museum's Kids Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P) in Los Angeles on Sunday The Modern Family star, 46, made her grand entrance in the layered number with her husband of three-years by her side. The layers fell off her ample cleavage with a ruffle design, all the while it showed off her curves by hugging her toned waistline. She rounded out her ensemble with cream-colored platform heels, a matching purse, and wore her brown tresses long and flowing to the middle of her back with a center part. Manganiello, who starred in the HBO hit series True Blood, opted for a casual-cool vibe in faded denim jeans with a blue button-down shirt, an olive green cargo jacket and brown boots. Casual-cool: Vergara's layered number fell off her ample cleavage with a ruffle design, all the while it showed off her womanly curves by hugging her toned waistline; she is pictured with her husband of three-years, Joe Manganiello Adoring audience: Vergara sat down in front of some eager boys and girls and read Adam Rubin's children's book Dragons Love Tacos Giving back: Manganiello narrated Sir Tobey Jingle's Beastly Journey by Wallace Tripp After posing for photographers, the stunning couple dove head-first into the various art activities with the children. At one point, Vergara sat down and read Adam Rubin's Dragons Love Tacos to the children. Manganiello, 42, also joined in and narrated Sir Tobey Jingle's Beastly Journey by Wallace Tripp. Some of the high-profile guests to read to the kids included actors Armie Hammer and wife Elizabeth Chambers, John Stamos, Taye Diggs and Ki Hong Lee. Social butterfly: The Modern Family star also shared a highlight of her reading on social media Kid friendly: The True Blood star captivated the kids with his reading The event was also attended by painters, sculptors and artists leading hands-on and collaborative workshops. The Hammer Museum was established in 1990 by Armie Hammer's great-grandfather, Armand Hammer, in November 1990, one month before he passed away at the age of 92. The art museum and cultural center is known for its artist-centric and progressive array of exhibitions and public programs. Proceeds from the K.A.M.P. fundraiser support free programs to over 60,000 children and families throughout the year. Chow time: During their lunch break, Vergara snapped a picture of her man enjoying some classic chicken and waffles and joked that he was eating a 'light lunch' Family affair: John Stamos and Caitlin McHugh brough one-year old son Billy to the 10th anniversary of the Hammer Museum's Kids Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P) in LA on Sunday They have spent a good chunk of their first year of marriage living apart. And Tim Robards, 37, and Anna Heinrich, 32, have now been forced to delay their baby plans due to their 'long-distance marriage'. The former Bachelor, who moved from Sydney to Melbourne after landing a permanent role on Neighbours, told Woman's Day on Monday that work is his priority right now. Baby dreams: The Bachelor's Tim Robards (right) and Anna Heinrich (left) have been forced to delay their baby plans as he remains in Melbourne for work 'Next year would be a good time to make that happen,' he said, referring to the couple having children. 'I am pretty much down here [in Melbourne] for the rest of the year, so that isn't going to be very conducive to a child.' The former chiropractor added that Anna won't be joining him in Melbourne anytime soon because they have just bought a property together in Sydney. 'Well, it's kind of hard. We possibly could [settle in Melbourne] down the track, but we just bought a house in Sydney, and we've set our lives up there,' he explained. Big move: Tim began planning his move to Melbourne from Sydney after landing a permanent role on Neighbours. Pictured in March 'Every now and then I'll get an extra day off, so I make it work,' he concluded. Tim plays Pierce Greyson on the long-running soap and lives in Melbourne from Monday to Friday, but returns home to Sydney on the weekends. The original Bachelor couple dated for four years before getting engaged in 2017. They married in Puglia, Italy in June last year. Love story: The original Bachelor couple dated for four years before getting engaged in 2017. They married in Puglia, Italy in June last year Tim officially relocated to Melbourne in March and Sydney-based criminal lawyer Anna previously said the move has been 'tough'. 'There will be times where it's tough, but I'm keeping busy here [in Sydney],' she told The Sunday Telegraph. 'I think he's got it harder because he's moved to a new city. He has to make new friends and adapt to a new job. 'I've got it easy. I'm surrounded by everything I know. I'm standing by my man.' Khloe gave her 93.5 million Instagram followers another update of her luxurious Turks And Caicos vacation with her daughter True, one, on Sunday. The 34-year-old reality star shared a couple of Insta Stories photos of her little pride and joy adorably hugging a stuffed panda. True is Khloe's daughter by her hunky Cleveland Cavalier ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson, who also has a two-year-old son called Prince by model Jordan Craig. Proud mama: Khloe gave her 93.5 million Instagram followers another update of her luxurious Turks And Caicos vacation with her daughter True, one, on Sunday It emerged Saturday that before she took up with Tristan, Jordan was briefly married to the rapper Tyga, who went on to date Khloe's half-sister Kylie Jenner. Jordan and Tyga were married for only a month in 2010 before filing for divorce, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ. A year after this marriage, Tyga began running around with former stripper Blac Chyna, with whom he welcomed his son King Cairo in 2012. Pals: The 34-year-old reality star shared a couple of Insta Stories photos of her little pride and joy adorably hugging a stuffed panda Chyna appeared on The Wendy Williams Show this week and explained that she and Tyga continued to live together after their breakup in order to co-parent their child. Tyga then began dating Kylie, throwing her a 17th birthday party while he himself was 24, and around that time he allegedly threw Chyna out of the house. Chyna went on to have a turbulent relationship with Khloe's beloved younger brother, the rotund Rob Kardashian, who has lately receded from the public eye. Rob and Chyna co-starred on a self-titled E! reality show about their romance and welcomed a now two-year-old daughter called Dream. The way they were: True is Khloe's daughter by her hunky Cleveland Cavalier ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson, who also has a two-year-old son called Prince by model Jordan Craig The couple had a sensational breakup in 2017 that included Rob's getting suspended from Instagram after he posted revenge porn of Chyna to the site. She has been locked in legal battle with various Kardashians ever since, claiming among other allegations that the family leaned on E! to cancel Rob And Chyna. Kylie and Tyga broke up in 2017, and she quickly started dating another rapper called Travis Scott, whose daughter Stormi she gave birth to last April. The lady herself: Jordan (pictured) was still pregnant with Tristan's baby when he began running around with Khloe, to whom he was allegedly unfaithful Less than 48 hours before True was born last April, DailyMail.com broke the story of Tristan's alleged infidelity to Khloe with New York City strip club bartender Lani Blair. Khloe decided to continue her relationship with Tristan, which lasted until their widely publicized split in February of this year. Tristan and Khloe broke up when news spread all over the Internet that he kissed Kylie's best friend Jordyn Woods at a party the weekend after Valentine's Day. She strutted her stuff on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet earlier on in the night in a pearly pink silk gown. And Kimberley Garner party-hopped from the world premiere of A Hidden Life to the star-studded HFPA Philanthropic party, held at Original Luxury Beach Club on Sunday. Joined by her mother Geraldine, the former Made In Chelsea star, 29, dared to go braless in a classic black suit for the charity event. Party time! Kimberley Garner and her mum Geraldine gained coveted invites to the star-studded Cannes' HFPA Philanthropic party, held at Original Luxury Beach Club on Sunday The plunging neckline drew attention to her statement diamond necklace around her neck, as well as her ample assets. Kimberley also shared the limelight with her mother Geraldine who also opted for a classic look in a black and white suit. She teamed a white blazer with skinny trousers and black pumps, and accessorised with a Chanel Flap Bag. Family: The duo had managed to gain coveted invites to the bash, which was attended by the likes of Hollywood superstars Helen Mirren, Eva Longoria and Andie MacDowell Plunging: The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, dared to go braless in a classic black suit for the charity event Wow: The plunging neckline drew attention to her statement diamond necklace around her neck, as well as her ample assets Earlier on in the night, the blonde bombshell looked utterly sophisticated in a strapless structured pearl-coloured gown, which accentuated her slender legs with a daring thigh-high split that hinted at her underwear. Kimberley's Cannes trip comes after her recent house-hunting trip to Miami. In a chat with MailOnline, the blonde admitted she flew to Florida after purchasing a dream home in the coastal city. 'I worked very hard last year and had even moved home for a few months to save money,' she explained. Stunning: She wore her blonde locks in a stylish blow dry and accentuated her radiant complexion with deftly touches of make-up Daring display: Kimberley flashed plenty of sidebook in the blazer 'I really had my head down working to concentrate on goals, but achieved it on New Years Eve, praise God, and flew over here. Completing the sale on the plane over.' Reflecting on her new home, the swimwear designer confessed it is a world away from her former busy life in London. 'Its right on the beach, and really is a dream come true,' she explained. 'I am over doing the interior design, going for a beachy chilled vibe for the place. 'I wont be moving here, as London is one hundred percent home, but really overjoyed and proud to have achieved it.' She's not afraid to take risks on the red carpet. But on Sunday Salma Hayek, 52, dazzled in an black full-length gown at the Women In Motion Awards in Cannes. Joined by her dapper husband Francois-Henri Pinault, the award winning actress oozed glamour in the figure-hugging frock by Gucci which accentuated her curves. Classy: Salma Hayek, 52, dazzled in an black full-length gown at the Women In Motion Awards in Cannes on Sunday Her dress also featured a gathering detail across her waist, as well as intricate embellishments across the neckline for a touch of sparkle. The sparkle motif was continued with the array of statement rings on her fingers. Salma's shiny raven tresses were styled in a soft wave with a silver headband. Loved up: Joined by her dapper husband Francois-Henri Pinault, the award winning actress oozed glamour in the figure-hugging frock by Gucci which accentuated her curves Glitzy: Her dress also featured intricate embellishments across the neckline for a touch of sparkle. The sparkle motif was continued with the array of statement rings on her fingers For makeup the Frida star opted for a bold red lip for a pop colour that contrasted the mascara on her lashes and youthful visage. The Mexican beauty shared the spotlight with her husband Francois-Henri - the CEO of international luxury retail group Kering. He cut a dapper figure in a classic tuxedo with a bow tie. Beauty: For makeup the Frida star opted for a bold red lip for a pop colour that contrasted the mascara on her lashes and bronze smokey eye shadow Looking good: Salma's husband cut a dapper figure in a classic tuxedo with a bow tie Aside from the acclaimed actress and her CEO husband, the event was also attended by actresses such as Elle Fanning and Eva Longoria. Salma was recently filming scenes for The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard alongside Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in Croatia. Salma and Francois-Henri began dating in 2006, they welcomed their daughter Valentina in 2007 and tied the knot in 2009. Ines Basic has revealed the extent of the 'manipulation' that goes into producing Married at First Sight and the devastating toll it took on her life. In February, reports surfaced that she had lost 12kg in a matter of weeks and had become a 'recluse' due to the backlash over her villainous on-screen portrayal. Ines, 29, told Woman's Day that her life spiralled out of control after appearing on the show and partly blames producers, who made her feel 'manipulated' and 'controlled'. Bombshell: Ines Basic has claimed that her life spiralled out of control after appearing on Married at First Sight earlier this year. Pictured in Brisbane on February 12 'I just did not like how controlled and manipulated I felt,' she said on Monday. 'I really thought the whole experience was going to be fun, but behind the scenes it was so very heavily controlled.' Ines also told KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show that she felt forced in to doing outrageous things at times. Match made in hell? On the show, Ines was paired with 'nice guy' Bronson Norrish (left) and their constant clashes were widely criticised by viewers - with Ines getting most of the blame 'You're in this situation where the pressure is so huge, everything is done at the fastest pace,' she explained. 'Your mentality is operating under stress, you're not thinking right. You're being told to do these things. Honestly you don't have an option.' Ines claimed that producers were only interested in juicy storylines and that even the death of a loved one wasn't enough to garner any sympathy. Backlash: Ines 'cheated' on Bronson with another groom, Sam Ball (right), which cemented her 'villain' status and made her one of the most despised contestants in the show's history 'One of my friends did pass away, I went to the funeral but I had to fly back to Sydney to film [MAFS] the next day,' she claimed. She added that her weight plummeted by 12kg due to the stress and grief she experienced at the time. 'Losing weight when I'm highly stressed is not hard. I had the roughest time on MAFS, filming was really demanding and I had a lot of personal dramas just before the reunion was shot,' she told NW magazine. Drama: Ines claims producers were only ever interested in juicy storylines and that even the death of a loved one wasn't enough to garner any sympathy. Pictured left: Elizabeth Sobinoff This stress was heightened in March, when Ines' legal woes culminated in a court appearance in Brisbane. She pleaded guilty to drink-driving charges stemming from an incident on Christmas Day last year and was sentenced to 70 hours of community service and disqualified for driving for three months. On the show, Ines was paired with 'nice guy' Bronson Norrish, 35, and their constant clashes were widely criticised by viewers - with Ines getting most of the blame. Weight concerns: In February, reports surfaced that Ines had lost 12kg in a matter of weeks and had become a 'recluse' due to the backlash over her villainous on-screen portrayal The former legal assistant also 'cheated' on Bronson with another groom, Sam Ball, which cemented her 'villain' status and made her one of the most despised contestants in the show's history. It comes after former MAFS contestant Clare Verrall revealed she attempted suicide twice after appearing on the Channel Nine reality show in 2016. 'I was so broken and scared, I wouldn't go outside,' the 35-year-old told Channel Seven's Sunday Night. 'I stayed in bed. I just didn't get up and... I just... I was having panic attacks. I mean, like, laying on the floor crying. Feeling like you're going to die. 'I got a lot of death threats. Just really specific threats like, "I hope she gets raped and then dies in a fire."' Suicide revelation: It comes after former MAFS contestant Clare Verrall (pictured) revealed she attempted suicide twice after appearing on the Channel Nine reality show in 2016 Another former MAFS contestant, Tracey Jewel, claimed this week that appearing on the show last year ruined her life too. 'It takes a lot of courage to speak out regarding the after-effects of reality TV. As many know, I've been through similar struggles,' she wrote on Instagram in response to Clare's testimony. 'I don't think it's something you can ever really get over. It becomes a new normal. But with amazing supportive friends and family and finding a new purpose, life can always surprise for the better.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. She's an actress, producer and fashion designer. But on Sunday Sadie Frost played the role of hostess for the Photo London closing party at the Somerset House in London. The 53-year-old flaunted her ample assets long black dress with a multi-coloured pattern for the event, co-hosted with charity Art on a Postcard. Eye-popping: Sadie Frost played the role of hostess for the Photo London closing party at the Somerset House in London, on Sunday She accessorised her look with a long gold necklace that drew attention to her cleavage. For makeup, the beauty kept it minimal with subtle rose cheeks, lashings of mascara, a mauve-hued pout and a dewy finish giving her a youthful glow. At the event she posed for a photo with artist Daniel Lismore, who has also been dubbed as 'England's Most Eccentric Dresser.' She's got front! The 53-year-old flaunted her ample assets long black dress with a multi-coloured pattern Youthful: For makeup, the beauty kept it minimal with subtle rose cheeks, lashings of mascara, a mauve-hued pout and a dewy finish giving her a youthful glow Bold ensemble: At the event she posed for a photo with artist Daniel Lismore, who has also been dubbed as 'England's Most Eccentric Dresser' Friends: Sadie also smiled for a snap with friends Oli Goss (left) and Zoe Grace (right) on a couch, as well as Nina Annan in another photo His ensemble comprised of a chainmail coif adorned with lizard and peacock broaches with a long mustard coat. Sadie also smiled for a snap with friends Oli Goss and Zoe Grace on a couch, as well as Nina Annan in another photo. Also at the event was cook Gizzi Erskine who flaunted her figure in a denim jumpsuit. Party: She also posed for another photo with Oli Goss and another friend Nina Annan Denim diva: Also at the event was cook Gizzi Erskine who flaunted her figure in a denim jumpsuit She posed for a photo with her model pal Sydney Lima who dressed in a black outfit with a gingham and sunflower patterned outfit visible at the hem. Later Sadie posed for a pictured with friends Emma Osman, Daniel Bee and Giada Vagh. Sadie's hosting gig comes after the mother admitted she was 'ready' for her children to move out of the family home back in February. Pals: Gizzi posed for a photo with her model pal Sydney Lima who dressed in a black outfit with a gingham and sunflower patterned outfit visible at the hem The actress revealed with each of her four children - Finlay, 28, Rafferty, 22, Iris, 18, and Rudy, 16 - slowly emptying the nest, she feels relieved at having her own space after 'worrying about domestic stuff for over 30 years'. Speaking in an interview with The Times, she said: 'You know what? I'm ready for it. I love being a mum, but by the time Rudy leaves I'll have been worrying about domestic stuff for over 30 years and it will be my time.' Sadie was previously married to Spandau Ballet guitarist Gary Kemp, 59. The couple married in 1988, welcomed son Finlay in 1990 and divorced in 1995. She met actor Jude Law, 46, on set of the film Shopping in 1994, and the pair married in September 1997, and had three children together. Finlay is a DJ and a member of the band Rivrs, while Rafferty and Iris are models. Georgia Steel has sparked speculation she could make a dramatic return to Love Island after she posted a cryptic Instagram post on Sunday. The reality star, 21, who appeared on last year's show, sent fans into meltdown as she returned to Majorca to 'shoot something very exciting'. Sharing a bikini-clad snap on a sandy beach, she wrote: 'Mid shooting for something very exciting back at the island where it all began.' Is she coming back? Georgia Steel has sparked speculation she could make a dramatic return to Love Island after she posted a cryptic Instagram post on Sunday And Georgia did little to dispel the rumours as she took to her Instagram stories to share a snap of her recent flights. She wrote: 'All within a weeks work... London to NYC, NYC to London, London to Majorca, Majorca to London. 'London to (the next location), and eluding to the mystery, she added a secretive shush emoji. Interesting: The reality star, 21, who appeared on last year's show, sent fans into meltdown as she returned to Majorca to 'shoot something very exciting' (pictured last year) Keeping coy: Georgia later took to her Instagram stories to share a snap of her recent flights, eluding to the mystery, she added a secretive shush emoji about her next mystery destination After dropping the cryptic hint, one fan wrote: Hope you do Love Island again if you want to.' While another said: 'Is she going back?' It comes after Ex On The Beach star Stephen Bear has reportedly been begging the Love Island beauty for a date and showering her with texts. The reality star, 29, met the brunette beauty on a photo shoot and is hoping to spark a new romance after admitting he has his eye on her. Love-struck: It comes after Ex On The Beach star Stephen Bear has reportedly been begging the Love Island beauty for a date and showering her with texts (pictured earlier this month) Speaking about his latest crush at the GHX launch party, Stephen told the Sun: 'She's on a reality show yeah, she's quite big. 'She said to me "everyone says you're like the boy version of me", and I'm like, "really?"' He also added the mystery girl was 'very well liked and very pretty' and had 'brown hair'. Stephen confessed he messaged Georgia soon after meeting her, and is planning on taking her on a date by the end of this month, according to The Sun. He told the publication: 'I like her, I like her, I do man. I've met her in a work environment so that's how I know her, but we get on.' The Love Island star has just appeared on Celebs Go Dating after splitting from ex-boyfriend Sam Bird in 2018 after moving in to their very own love pad together following the hit ITV2 show. Saturday Night Live wrapped up it's 44th season on Saturday with Paul Rudd playing host and DJ Khaled as the musical guest. Critically-acclaimed performer, Childish Gambino (born Donald Glover) and actress Zoe Kravitz were among the high-profile guests who attended the legendary show's famed season ending after party. Not long after leaving the bash, the two were spotted walking with a group of friends in the early morning hours on Sunday. Legendary bash: Childish Gambino (born Donald Glover) was seen hanging with Zoe Kravitz and company after attended the SNL 44th season finale after party in New York City Kravitz, 30, showed of her flare for fashion in a short mini skirt that showed off her petite figure. She matched it with a black t-shirt that was underneath a striking blue jacket. The Big Little Lies star rounded out her ensemble with black loafers shows over white socks and had her hair breaded and flowing to the middle of her back Fashion forward: Kravitz, 30, wore a short mini skirt that showed off her petite figure with a black t-shirt that was underneath a striking blue jacket; Gambino, 35, showed off his unique style in a baggy black patterned jumpsuit Gambino, 35, showed off his unique style in a baggy black patterned jumpsuit. For color, he wore an orange beanie hat that was pushed to the back of his head, while sporting a full beard and mustache. The rapper-actor has two children with partner Michelle White; pal Kravitz has been engaged to actor Karl Glusman since February 2018. The brother of actor Stephen Glover made international headlines late last year after announcing to fans at a US concert that his This Is America tour would be his last under the name Childish Gambino. He had already stated that his follow-up album to 2016's Awaken, My Love! would also be his last work recorded under his stage name. Name change: The acclaimed performer has promised that his current This Is America tour would be his last under the name Childish Gambino Kravitz is set to star in season two of the hit HBO drama Big Little Lies, which premieres June 9. Meryl Streep joins the stellar cast this go-around that already includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley and Laura Dern. Kravitiz is also set to star in the upcoming musical romantic drama, Viena And The Fantomes, alongside Dakota Fanning, Jon Bernthal, Evan Rachel Wood and Frank Dilane. Scarlett Johansson is set to marry her boyfriend of two years, Colin Jost. The couple are officially engaged after two years of dating, reports the Washington Post on Sunday. The 34-year-old actress and 36-year-old Saturday Night Live head writer are yet to set a date after he popped the question. Engaged! Scarlett Johansson is set to marry her boyfriend of two years, Colin Jost (pictured Sept 2018) - it will be wedding number three for the actress Johanssons publicist Marcel Pariseau told The Associated Press Sunday that the private couple is officially engaged after two years of dating, reports the publication. It will be third time lucky for Johansson, 34, who was previously married to actor Ryan Reynolds and journalist Romain Dauriac. She shares daughter Rose, five, with Dauriac. It will be the first marriage for Jost, who is the co-anchor of SNLs Weekend Update. They have kept their relationship on the down-low since first starting dating in July 2017. However, the loved-up couple recently sealed their romance publicly when they walked the red carpet together at the premiere of Avengers: Infinity War back in 2018, in which Johansson plays the character of Black Widow. 'Scarlett says he is different than many of the men she has been with,' a source previously shared with E! News. They added: 'She is pretty picky who she goes out with even if it's just dating. They share many similarities together.' A separate insider told the publication that the pair has 'a good time together.' In 2017, Scarlett spoke about problems with monogamy. The Ghost In The Shell star explained: 'I think the idea of marriage is very romantic; it's a beautiful idea, and the practice of it can be a very beautiful thing. I don't think it's natural to be a monogamous person.' Love: The couple were pictured kissing at the premiere of Avenger's Infinity War, in which they made their red carpet debut in 2018 Scarlett secretly split from her husband Romain Dauriac after two years of marriage back in January 2017. The pair have a two-year-old daughter Rose Dorothy. The actress had been pictured out without her wedding ring around that time, but sources had said at the time that they had split during the summer before. It was reported that it was Scarlett who ended the relationship according to a report from Us Weekly at the time. 'Scarlett initiated splitting up and made the decision,' according to a source for the publication. They went on to explain that 'she felt like they didn't have much in common as far as lifestyle.' The actress began dating Romain in 2012 and they got engaged in 2013. Congratulations: It will be a first-time marriage for Colin (pictured Sept 2018) They married in secret at The Ranch At Rock Creek in Philipsburg, Montana in October 2014 shortly after the birth of their daughter. Last month, Scarlett made a rare comment about her little girl, saying: 'My daughter loves fairytale things. She loves girl things, princess stuff. And I love it, too!' The couple share custody of Rose and remain amicable, being pictured taking their daughter out after they had ended their relationship. Moreover, Scarlett and Ryan Reynolds split up after more than two years of marriage back in 2010. According to U.S reports, Scarlett was once again, the one who initiated the separation. The couple released a statement at the time, saying: 'After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we've decided to end our marriage. The One? 'Scarlett says Colin is different to many of the men she has been with,' a source previously shared with E! News 'We entered our relationship with love and it's with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated.' Ryan and Scarlett got engaged in May 2008 and were married in an intimate ceremony in Vancouver, Canada, that September. While Ryan once gushed that marriage was the 'best part' of his life, Scarlett was less than enthusiastic recently when talking about relationships to Glamour magazine. She said: 'I don't profess to know anything about marriage that anybody else doesn't know, or how to make it right.' And Ryan had, at one point, admitted that marriage wasn't all it's cracked up to be. Old love: Scarlett secretly split from her husband Romain Dauriac after two years of marriage back in January 2017 - pictured together in 2014 The actor told GQ magazine that things had 'changed' since they got married. He said: 'I'm a little more guarded, I think. I'm a little bit more wary of having my relationship turning into a soap opera.' She started dating the Canadian actor in Spring 2007 - shortly after he ended his two year engagement to singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette. Ryan is now happily married to Blake Lively and they have two children together. Blake is now pregnant with their third child. Before her marriage to Reynolds, Johansson was linked to a series of Hollywood men, including Puerto Rican-American actor and film producer Benicio del Toro, Jared Leto and Justin Timberlake. She dated her Black Dahlia co-star Josh Hartnett for about two years until the end of 2006, with Hartnett citing their busy lifestyles as the reason behind their split. He was a part of the first ever same-sex marriage to be broadcast on Australian television. And Neighbours actor, Takaya Honda, 31, is engaged in real life to girlfriend Amy Schwab, 30. Speaking to New Idea on Monday, the 31-year-old recalled his romantic proposal during an Easter getaway in Byron Bay. Wedding bells! Neighbours actor Takaya Honda (left) is engaged to real-life girlfriend Amy Schwab (right) after he proposed in Byron Bay The actor set up a candlelit scene at Tallow Beach and dropped down to one knee clutching a diamond ring. Takaya added a very unique element to the mix with a bespoke card from the couple's favourite game - Cards Against Humanity, which read: 'Will you ____ me?'. As a puzzled Amy tried to figure out what was happening, the actor presented a white answer card that contained the missing word: 'Marry'. Smitten: The actor set up a candlelit scene at Tallow Beach and dropped down to one knee clutching a diamond ring 'I mean, it's not romantic,' he said. '[But] because Amy loves it, that's good enough reason for me! 'I wasn't exactly nervous, because with Amy and myself, it's never been a question of 'if', so thankfully I went into the proposal thinking I knew what the answer would be. I don't know how anyone does it otherwise!' he said. 'Not a matter of if': While Takaya said Amy teared up and was initially shocked, he had no trepidations of what the answer would be The pair are hoping to get married within the next 18 months and Takaya revealed that children are on the cards. Takaya made international headlines last year when his Neighbous character, David Tanaka, married his on-screen boyfriend, Aaron Brennan, played by Matt Wilson, in the show's first same-sex wedding. They announced their charitable jewelry line St. Amos Jewelry, where 100% of the proceeds go to the Childhelp foundation, one year ago to the day. So it makes perfect sense that John Stamos and wife Caitlin McHugh were among the high-profile guests to lend their support for the 10th anniversary fundraiser of the Hammer Museum's Kids Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P) in Los Angeles on Sunday. The event was a fun-filled day of art-making, workshops, music and storytelling for children throughout the museum. Family affair: John Stamos and Caitlin McHugh brough one-year old son Billy to the 10th anniversary of the Hammer Museum's Kids Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P) in LA on Sunday The striking couple were all smiles as they posed for some promo pics as they snuggled up to their one-year-old son Billy. The Full House star, 55, looked age-defying as ever in denim blue jeans that were paired with a black patterned jacket over a black t-shirt. At times he wore stylish light-colored glasses, but he flashed endless amounts of his trademark wide-grin smile when he mingled with the children. McHugh, 32, also went with a casual-cool look in white skinny jeans with a blue button down shirt underneath an orange-brown leather jacket. Captivating: The actor sat down in front of some attentive kids and read I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off A Little Self-Esteem by actress Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrator Laura Cornell Stamos was among the celebrity guest who read some of their favorite children's stories out loud to the kids. He picked-- I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off A Little Self-Esteem by actress Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrator Laura Cornell, to the delight of adoring boys and girls. Other celebrity readers included Armie Hammer and wife Elizabeth Chambers, Sofia Vergara and husband Joe Manganiello, Taye Diggs and Ki Hong Lee. The event was also attended by painters, sculptors and artists leading hands-on and collaborative workshops. The Hammer Museum was established in 1990 by Armie Hammer's great-grandfather, Armand Hammer, in November 1990, one month before he passed away at the age of 92. The art museum and cultural center is known for its artist-centric and progressive array of exhibitions and public programs. Proceeds from the K.A.M.P. fundraiser support free programs to over 60,000 children and families throughout the year. Sweet: Stamos and McHugh announced their St. Amos Jewelry line in May 2018, where all the proceeds go to the Childhelp foundation Stamos started the St. Amos Jewelry line with a bracelet that he hopes will help spread love and kindness, to help make the world a better place for his young son. He credits his wife for coming up with the idea to do their own line together. 'She's extremely creative she had a lot of ideas,' the actor said to People. 'She has a really good creative eye and she really works hard on the design it gives us something else to talk about besides, what color is the baby's poop?' The Childhelp foundation, which all the proceeds go towards, is a non-profit organization that comes to the aid of victims of child abuse. The couple began dating in 2016 and eventually tied-the-knot in February 2018, two months before Billy was born. She is one of the most famous cast members on Home and Away. And on Monday, actress Emily Symons celebrated the 30-year anniversary of her first appearance on the long-running Australian soap. The show's official Instagram account shared a gallery of rare photos of Emily, 49, playing Marilyn Chambers through the years. It's certainly a milestone! On Monday, Emily Symons celebrated the 30-year anniversary of her first appearance as Marilyn Chambers on Home and Away 'It was 30 years ago today when Marilyn arrived in Summer Bay!' the caption read. Home and Away fans have since flooded the post with comments about their favourite Marilyn moments from the past three decades. 'Always loved watching Marilyn. I remember the days when she ran her own beauticians in a room in the diner,' one person wrote. Remember this? Home and Away's official Instagram account shared a gallery of rare photos of Emily, 49, playing Marilyn Chambers through the years 'She is someone we should all model ourselves on,' another fan commented. 'Absolutely love her. Wouldn't be the same without her.' Other fans were quick to remark on Emily's youthful appearance, with one person writing: 'Does anyone else think she doesn't age?' 'Getting younger looking day by day!' another commented. Much loved: Marilyn first appeared on Home and Away in 1989 and has endured two marriages, postnatal depression, cancer, and amnesia after being electrocuted Marilyn first appeared on Home and Away in 1989 and has endured two marriages, postnatal depression, cancer, and amnesia after being electrocuted. While Emily has left and returned to the show multiple times over the past 30 years, her character remains one of Summer Bay's most recognisable residents. The milestone comes after Emily celebrated another significant moment in her life: taking her son Henry to preschool for the first time. What's her secret? Fans were quick to remark on Emily's youthful appearance, with one person writing: 'Does anyone else think she doesn't age?' Golden age: While Emily has left and returned to the show multiple times over the past 30 years, her character remains one of Summer Bay's most recognisable residents. Pictured with co-stars Ada Nicodemou, Ray Meagher and Kate Ritchie Taking to Instagram earlier this month, Emily shared a precious photo of the pair, telling her fans that she 'sobbed' at the school gates. 'A big day for our little family, Henry's first day at preschool!' she wrote in the caption. '[He] happily went in without a backward glance at his sobbing mama.' Emily shares Henry with her ex-husband, Paul Jackson, whom she split with in 2016. He's growing up fast! The milestone comes after Emily celebrated another significant moment in her life: taking her son Henry to preschool for the first time Oprah Winfrey and Angela Bassett took part in college graduation ceremonies around the country on Sunday. Winfrey, 65, was a speaker at the ceremony for Colorado College, while Bassett, 60, was presented with honorary degree at Morehouse College's commencement in Atlanta. The iconic talk show personality, speaking to students at the liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, told graduates that incremental improvements are the biggest catalysts to change. Graduation day: Oprah Winfrey, 65, and Angela Bassett, 60, took part in college graduation ceremonies around the country on Sunday In her address to graduates, according to The Denver Post, Winfrey quoted famed activist Angela Davis in saying, 'You have to act as if it were possible to radically change the world. And you have to do it all the time.' The billionaire media mogul later took to Instagram with a shot of herself with one of the students elated to be taking a step forward in the presence of a legend. 'I dont know who this guy is but he sure is happy to graduate!' Winfrey said. 'I shook hands with all 571 members of @coloradocollege's Class of 2019 and gave them a copy of [her recent book] The Path Made Clear.' (Winfrey included a link for her followers to download the book for free thru Sunday.) In Atlanta, Bassett was presented with an Honorary Degree at Morehouse's 135th commencement, which was in the headlines after tech billionaire Robert F. Smith told graduates he would take on the entirety of their student loan debt - an amount estimated at around $40 million, according to the AP. Overjoyed: Winfrey wrote on social media of this shot, 'I dont know who this guy is but he sure is happy to graduate!' Fan favorite: Attendees brought a sign parodying one of Oprah's most-famed slogans Big hug: Oprah embraced graduate Palesa Mokoena on the celebratory day Mentor: Mokoena had past attended the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, Winfrey said, and 'came to the US as my daughter-girls' Support: Oprah gave Mokoena a double high-five on the momentous day Smith, the speaker at the ceremony, told grads, 'On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, were gonna put a little fuel in your bus. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.' The Avengers: Endgame actress posted a selfie from the ceremony, writing 'My heart is full! Thank you @morehouse1867 for honoring me so,' alongside the shot. The Oscar-nominated actress added the hashtags: #blessedandhighlyfavored, #humbled, #proudofmyblackbrothers, #lovemesomeus and #edmundwgordoninthebackbutstillleading. Southern Belle: In Atlanta, Bassett was presented with an Honorary Degree at Morehouse's 135th commencement Generous: The ceremony was in the headlines after tech billionaire Robert F. Smith (L) told graduates he would take on the entirety of their student loan debt - an amount estimated at around $40 million In the moment: The Avengers: Endgame actress posted a selfie from the ceremony Gorgeous: The veteran actress looked flawless as she posed in her cap and gown Happy: Smith and Bassett shared a laugh with Morehouse President David Thomas at the ceremony She was among the many stars who spent last week in France at the Cannes Film Festival. But on Sunday, Julianne Moore was back home in New York City where she was seen enjoying a meal out with her family. The Oscar-winning actress, 58, stepped out to eat with her husband Bart Freundlich, 49, and their two children, Caleb, 21, and Liv, 17. Reunited: She was among the many stars who spent last week at the Cannes Film Festival. But Sunday, Julianne Moore was back home in NYC where enjoyed an outing with her family The family were dressed down for their casual outing together. Moore wore a navy jumpsuit with a couple of buttons left undone at the neck and rolled up at the bottom. She added black socks and black canvas shoes and sported a pair of round sunglasses. Freundlich, a director, was seen planting a sweet kiss on top of his wife's head as they crossed a street with their son carrying some food to go in a white plastic bag. The couple have been married in 2003. Family time: The Oscar-winning actress, 58, stepped out to eat with her husband Bart Freundlich, 49, and their two children, Caleb, 21, and Liv, 17 Doting: Freundlich, a director, was seen planting a sweet kiss on top of his wife's head as they crossed a street with their son carrying some food to go in a white plastic bag On the go: The couple, who've been married since 2003, treated themselves to gelato for dessert and ate as they walked along side by side Moore poses for the cover of the July issue of Tatler magazine and inside, she speaks about how she went through a period of profound unhappiness when she was younger. 'It wasn't until I was in my early thirties and I was really unhappy that I realised I hadn't made my personal life a priority,' she explained. She said she realized that she did want to be married and to have children, as well as have an acting career. 'Growing up in the late Seventies, I definitely got the message that it was important to have a career and that I had to work to make that happen,' Moore said. 'But there was this idea that you don't need to work for your personal life that it was supposed to be like a romantic comedy: you meet someone, have a couple of dates and there you go.' 'Thats just not true,' she went on. 'Life is finite. This idea that you can do whatever you want at whatever time, its not true in terms of work and its not true in terms of having a family.' Has it all: Moore told Tatler's July issue that she realized in her 30s she wanted to be married and to have children, as well as have an acting career Clare Verrall shocked the nation when she revealed she made two attempts on her life after filming MAFS during a tell-all interview with Channel Seven's Sunday Night. And now, queries stemming from the explosive expose have been forwarded by Channel Nine onto production company, Endemol Shine. On Monday, a spokesperson for Channel Nine told Daily Mail Australia: 'I've forwarded your query to the production unit (Endemol Shine Australia) who produced that series.' Dodging the backlash? Channel Nine is directing queries regarding Clare Verrall's explosive tell-all interview (pictured) about Married At First Sight to 'production unit Endemol Shine who produced that series' The comments come after concerns about Channel Nine's controversial show Married At First Sight were raised by former contestant Clare. Appearing on the Channel Seven program, Clare made a number of bombshell claims about her mental health battle. 'I was so broken and scared, I wouldn't go outside,' a clearly disturbed Clare said of her time filming season two of the show, which aired in 2015. On Monday, a spokesperson for Channel Nine told Daily Mail Australia: 'I've forwarded your query to the production unit (Endemol Shine Australia) who produced that series'. Pictured: Jessika Power and Mick Gould from this year's season of MAFS 'I stayed in bed. I just didn't get up and... I just...I was having panic attacks. I mean, like, laying on the floor crying. Feeling like you're going to die.' Having been paired with 'husband' Jono Pittman on the controversial series, Clare went on to speak about the toxic effect of social media had on her mental state as MAFS went to air. 'I got a lot of death threats. Just really specific threats like, "I hope she gets raped and then dies in a fire,"' Clare said, before explaining that she had reached out to Nine Network producers for psychological help. Difficult days: Appearing on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program, Clare made a number of bombshell claims about her mental health battle Despite the mental hardships she faced as a result of her tenure on MAFS, Clare revealed that she's 'more mentally strong now' after spending time working on herself. She spoke about the risk of Australian reality stars ending their own lives after appearing on TV, given that a reality star in the UK recently died by suicide. And after Clare warned that 'someone may lose their life' as a result of the show, fellow MAFS alumnus Tracey Jewel told 2Day FM Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash that she wholeheartedly agrees with Clare. 'I was having panic attacks': During her interview with Sunday Night, Clare (pictured) made a number of startling claims about her mental health struggles after filming MAFS Whistle-blowers: Fellow MAFS star Tracey Jewel (left) has thrown her support behind Clare Verrall, warned that 'someone may lose their life' as a result of the show on Sunday The single mother, who overdosed on pills last year following her appearance on season five, said on Monday that the program is veering into dangerous territory. She said: 'Look at this year's Married At First Sight, it's getting crazier and crazier. They're pushing it to new limits to get the ratings and I think it's going to do more and more damage to people.' Tracey also claimed that participants would film for up to 17 hours a day, five days a week, leaving them exhausted and vulnerable. Warning: 'Look at this year's Married At First Sight, it's getting crazier and crazier. They're pushing it to new limits to get the ratings and I think it's going to do more and more damage to people,' Tracey told 2Day FM Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash on Monday 'You'd film from 10 or 11 in the morning right up to two or three in the morning. It's a massive day so you can imagine doing that minimum five times a week,' she said. She added: 'You'd say anything just to go to bed! You're so emotionally exhausted. You're so upset all the time, they could edit that upset moment to anything.' Tracey also claimed that while participants shared access to one psychologist, it was often difficult to see them because everyone was so busy on set. Daily Mail Australia has contacted to Channel Nine's publicity department for comment. For confidential help with depression or anxiety call Lifeline on 13 11 14 He was urgently rushed to hospital after crashing his moped in Bali, Indonesia on Saturday night. But Rhyce Power is recovering well following the ordeal and is feeling 'extremely blessed' that his wounds won't scar his face. The former Married At First Sight star, 28, showed off his bandaged head and painful-looking bruised eye in a video shared to Instagram on Monday. In recovery: Married At First Sight's Rhyce Power (pictured) is feeling 'extremely blessed' to be alive after his horrific moped crash in Bali, Indonesia over the weekend He captioned the clip: 'Feeling extremely blessed. Only three stitches. It won't scar, just a very big black eye.' Rhyce revealed on Sunday that he had been involved in a moped accident the night before after a 'few too many' drinks. 'Last night, I was driving a scooter in Bali after few too many drinks and not wearing a helmet as I thought, "I'm close to home, I'll be right",' he explained. 'Can't really remember much but I woke up in hospital 12 stitches later, with no memories of the incident, a huge medical bill and [feeling] pretty bloody sore today.' Ordeal: Rhyce, 28, revealed on Sunday that he'd been involved in a moped accident the night before after a 'few too many' drinks. Pictured in Thailand earlier this year 'I could have been a lot more injured or, even worse, died,' he added. 'I want to get this message out: whether you [are] 2km or 400km from home, please always wear your helmet when riding a scooter in a foreign country, or even your own country. 'And never drink-drive [while] operating any motor vehicles. [I'm] so lucky and grateful I had my friends there with me. Thank you, girls.' 'Chicks dig scars, yeah?' Earlier on Sunday, the Perth-based tradesman had shared footage to Instagram of himself getting stitches on his eyebrow Earlier on Sunday, the Perth-based tradesman had shared footage to Instagram of himself getting stitches on his eyebrow. 'Chicks dig scars, yeah? Wear helmets riding scooters can't stress this enough,' he captioned the gruesome video. Hours earlier, he had filmed himself downing bottles of Bintang on a skate ramp. They kicked off a promotional tour for the Disney live-action remake of Aladdin five days ago in Jordan. But on Sunday, Will Smith and his co-stars Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud touched back down in Los Angeles. The trio took part in a press conference for the American media after stops in the Middle East, Japan, Italy and Mexico. Publicity tour: The stars of Disney's live-action remake of Aladdin - Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud and Will Smith - gave a press conference in Los Angeles on Sunday Smith, 50, stars as the wise-cracking Genie who is conjured up by Aladdin, played by Massoud, 27. Aladdin enlists the genie's help to woo the beautiful Princess Jasmine, played by Scott, 26. The film, that's directed by Guy Ritchie, is set to open in theatres on Friday. A-lister: Smith, 50, stars as the wise-cracking Genie who is conjured up by Aladdin, played by Massoud, to help him woo the beautiful Princess Jasmine, played by Scott Makes role his own: Smith brings his own vibe to the character and has described the movie as 'singing, dancing, rapping... It's spectacular' Big role: British actress Scott, 26, plays Princess Jasmine On trend: She looked stylish in a Balmain ensemble and wore her hair in braids Initially, Smith wasn't sure about taking on the iconic character of Genie that had been voiced by the inimitable Robin Williams in the 1992 animated version. 'Robin Williams smashed that role, you know?' Smith said. 'When you look at things like that you always try to find What would you do differently? What would you add to that?' He explained he started to believe he could bring something distinct to the role of the genie that would make it different from Williams's version and not compete with it. 'It's singing, dancing, rapping - it's everything man,' he enthused. 'It's spectacular.' Hyped: Smith gave Canadian actor Massoud, 27, a big introduction - and Massoud played along Initially, Smith wasn't sure about taking on Genie that had been voiced by Robin Williams in the 1992 animated version but then decided he could bring something distinct to the role Challenge: Meanwhile, Massoud and Scott learned Bollywood dance moves for their roles Helmer: The movie is directed by British filmmaker Guy Ritchie who joined his stars on stage Meanwhile, Canadian actor Massoud and British actress Scott learned Bollywood dance moves for their roles. They show off their moves in the scene where Aladdin wins over Jasmine with a little help from the genie. To add authenticity to the re-telling of the story, parts of the film were shot on location in Jordan. She jetted to the Gold Coast earlier this month to attend her grandmother's funeral. And Margot Robbie was keeping her family close on Monday, when she joined her brother Lachlan to visit their grandfather at his retirement home. The Oscar-nominated actress, 28, looked downcast while sitting in the passenger seat of her mother Sarie Kessler's car. Is everything okay? Margot Robbie looked downcast while visiting her grandfather at a Gold Coast retirement home on Monday Margot and her brother Lachlan were also joined by Lachlan's girlfriend for the visit to the retirement home. The I, Tonya star had accompanied her loved ones for her grandmother's funeral in Dalby, Queensland on May 4. Glum: The Wolf of Wall Street star, 28, was seen waiting in her mother Sarie Kessler's car Family affair: Margot and her brother Lachlan (right) were also joined by Lachlan's girlfriend (left) for the visit to the retirement home Verna Kessler, who was affectionately called 'Narnie' by her grandchildren, passed away on April 13 aged 92. The family had decided to delay the burial in order for Margot to arrive home in time. The Wolf of Wall Street star was primarily raised by her mother, Sarie, after her father Doug Robbie left the family when the children were young. Loved ones: Margot was joined by her brothers Lachlan (pictured) and Cameron at the funeral of their grandmother Verna in Dalby, Queensland on May 4 Margot's maternal grandparents, Verna and Herbert Kessler, reportedly had a significant influence on her childhood. Just days prior to the burial, Margot was pictured looking understandably downcast in New York City. She was in the Big Apple for the Tribeca Film Festival. They were pictured kissing on the streets of Melbourne on Friday night. But it looks like Dan Webb's whirlwind romance with Vanessa Sierra is already over, with the bikini model confirming their split on Monday. During an Instagram Q&A, Vanessa told her followers that the 'stars didn't align' for the pair and they decided to go their separate ways. It's over! Vanessa Sierra has confirmed her split with Married At First Sight's Dan Webb after just TWO WEEKS of dating Vanessa, who is heading to Indonesia with a girlfriend this week, revealed that things cooled off between herself and Dan over the weekend. The 24-year-old brunette described car sales broker Dan, 35, as a 'beautiful human' but said things just didn't work out. Sharing a selfie of the couple, she wrote: 'Dan is such a beautiful human and I hold him close to my heart. 'Our stars aren't quite aligned at this point, but I'm grateful we met.' Case of the ex: Vanessa started dating Dan following the breakdown of his relationship with Jessika Power (pictured), who he met on Married At First Sight Love square! In a bizarre twist, Vanessa had actually dated Jessika's brother Rhyce Power (left) before getting involved with Dan Vanessa started dating Dan following the breakdown of his relationship with Jessika Power, who he met on Married At First Sight. In a bizarre twist, Vanessa had actually dated Jessika's brother Rhyce Power before getting involved with Dan. She has accused Rhyce of assaulting her in Thailand and he is the subject of an intervention order that prohibits him from contacting her. Messy: Vanessa has accused Rhyce of assaulting her in Thailand and he is the subject of an intervention order that prohibits him from contacting her Meanwhile, Vanessa appears to be locked in a bitter feud with Dan's ex. During the same Q&A, she was asked for her thoughts on Jessika and simply replied: 'Prime example of why it is important to raise kids in a healthy environment.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jessika Power for comment. Ouch! During her Instagram Q&A on Monday, Vanessa also took a swipe at Dan's ex Jessika Dan relationship with Jessika was one of the biggest scandals on this year's season of MAFS, as the pair embarked on an affair behind their partners' backs. Jessika had stayed with her 'husband' Mick Gould just so she could explore a secret romance with Dan, despite the fact he was matched with Tamara Joy. The pair eventually confessed to their affair and were controversially allowed to re-enter the experiment as a new couple. However, their relationship spectacularly fell apart during a live interview on MAFS after-show Talking Married on Monday, April 8. Fans may remember her from Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor, but Georgia Tripos found herself in front of a magistrate in Melbourne on Monday. The 27-year-old former reality star fronted court after being caught driving with a suspended license back in November. According to a report in the Herald Sun on Monday, Georgia was driving through Melbourne's Southbank at around 1am, when she was pulled over by police. Headed to court: The Bachelor's Georgia Tripos (pictured) found herself in front of a magistrate in Melbourne on Monday. Pictured attending court in Melbourne on Monday She apparently told officers at the time that she 'had no idea' her driver's licence had been suspended. She was seen arriving at court in a black and charcoal grey ensemble, and was seen clutching papers. Georgia - who famously called the other girls on season four of The Bachelor 'f***ing skanks' as she rode away in a limo after being eliminated from the series - told the court she intended to plead guilty. Driving charges: The 27-year-old former reality star fronted court after being caught driving with a suspended license back in November Stopped: According to a report in the Herald Sun on Monday, Georgia was driving through Melbourne's Southbank at around 1am, when she was pulled over by police Clueless: She apparently told officers at the time that she 'had no idea' her driver's licence had been suspended But the former Bachelor alum, who opted to represent herself in the courtroom, was handed a diversion order by the magistrate. Diversion orders are often handed down to first-time offenders, allowing them to escape conviction by agreeing to certain terms. Georgia told the court she had never been in trouble with the law, and the police prosecutor said there were no previous convictions on her record. Ready to go: She was seen arriving at court in a black and charcoal grey ensemble, and was seen clutching papers On her own: The former Bachelor alum, who opted to represent herself in the courtroom, was handed a diversion order by the magistrate Lenient ruling: Georgia told the court she had never been in trouble with the law, and the police prosecutor said there were no previous convictions on her record Villain: Georgia famously called the other girls on season four of The Bachelor 'f***ing skanks' as she rode away in a limo after being eliminated from the series According to the Herald Sun, the police informant was 'not agreeable' to a diversion order, but the police prosecutor chose to pursue one anyway. It will mean that no finding of guilt is recorded against her. The case was adjourned for six months, with Georgia set to return to court to pay a $200 fee. She's been doing the rounds at numerous Cannes Film Festival events over the past few days. And Eva Longoria was joined by her dapper husband Jose Baston as they enjoyed a glittering date night at the Kering dinner at Place de la Castre in the French town on Sunday night. The actress, 44, oozed sophistication in a emerald semi-sheer midi-dress that was decorated with gems and mirrored tiles as she arrived on the arm of her businessman beau, 51. Date night: Eva Longoria was joined by her dapper husband Jose Baston at the Kering Cannes Film Festival dinner at Place de la Castre in the French town on Sunday night Sheer delight: She looked incredible in her embellished green dress which was see-through in places - and she wore matching bejewelled shoes The former Desperate Housewives star boosted her petite frame with stiletto heels that sported a cluster of large green stones. Ensuring she was the belle of the ball, the mother-of-one slicked her locks off her face in a top-knot. Eva lined her eyes with a green eyeshadow that was colour matched perfectly with her stunning ensemble. Jose was ever the dashing gentleman as he linked arms with his wife while entering the venue. Walking tall: Outside the venue, Eva and her husband were pictured linking arms as they headed inside Wow! The actress, 44, oozed sophistication in a emerald semi-sheer midi-dress that was decorated with gems and mirrored tiles as she arrived on the arm of her businessman beau, 51 Gorgeous: The former Desperate Housewives star boosted her petite frame with stiletto heels that sported a cluster of large green stones Friends in high places: She caught up with Salma Hayek, (right) who is married to Francois-Henri Pinault, who has been the chairman and CEO of Kering since 2005 Catching up: Eva and Jose with the boss himself, Francois-Henri The businessman put on a suave display in a black tuxedo - complete with a bow tie and patent shoes. The genetically-blessed pair - who are parents to baby son Santi, 11 months - were protected from the rain by a security guard who covered their heads with an umbrella. The pair put on a loved-up display as they took their seats to enjoy their night at the high-end event. Eva has been attending a host of events over the last couple of days as part of her longstanding collaboration with L'Oreal - Sunday night's event was the first that her husband has been by her side. The actress has been attending Cannes Film Festival for almost 15 years and first made her debut on the red carpet in 2005. Protected: The genetically-blessed parents were protected from the light sprinkling of rain as they were escorted by a security guard who covered their heads with an umbrella Close: Eva appeared to be rather enamoured with her man who was enjoying a glass of rose Belle of the ball: Eva lined her eyes with a green eyeshadow that was colour matched perfectly with her stunning ensemble Party-hopping: Prior to attending the Kering event with her husband, Eva walked the red carpet at the HFPA Philanthropic party at Nikki Beach Eva and her husband welcomed their first child together, Santiago, in June 2018, and she is stepmother to her husband's three children - Natalia, 24, and twins Mariana & Jose, 16 - from his first marriage to Natalia Esperon. The actress originally met Jose through a mutual friend back in 2013 and they will celebrate their third wedding anniversary on May 21. Prior to arriving in Cannes, Eva revealed that she had been in 'torture' for the last six months as she prepared for the festival. Taking to her Instagram, the beauty shared a video of one of her gruelling workouts with Grant Roberts which she captioned: 'Getting it in before Cannes! Thanks to @grantrobertsfit for the past 6 months of torture!' The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from last 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. Regular: Eva has been attending a host of events over the last couple of days as part of her collaboration with L'Oreal (pictured at the Monaco Yacht Club on Saturday) 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. 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. First time mum: Eva and Jose welcomed their son Santiago, in June last year Louisa Lytton is engaged to be married to her American boyfriend Ben Bhanvra. The EastEnders star, who plays Ruby Allen in the soap, told OK! that Ben proposed during a romantic getaway to the Maldives for her 30th birthday on May 6. The actress, 30, told the publication that she burst into tears when he popped the question and is planning a 2021 wedding in America. Happy news: EastEnders star Louisa Lytton is engaged to Ben Bhanvra after he proposal in The Maldives... (despite it all going a little pear-shaped) Magical: Louisa shared the moment of proposal which took place on May 6 and was taken on a drone camera which was organised by Ben Ben, who moved in with Louisa in the spring of 2018, just four months after they met, admitted the proposal didnt quite go to plan. Ben told the publication: I took Louisa to a quiet part of the island where I knew no one else would be around. 'I told her I wanted to fly my drone to get some aerial pictures of the island, although really I wanted it to capture a video of the moment I proposed. A dream come true: Louisa shared a picture of her diamond ring on social media on Monday Happy news: The couple had been celebrating Louisa's 30th birthday on a holiday in The Maldives when the proposal occurred Oh dear: Ben, who moved in with Louisa in the spring of 2018, just four months after they met, admitted the proposal didnt quite go to plan when they were interrupted by a cleaner As soon as I got it up in the air and reached to get the ring from the bag a cleaner walked past and was so mesmerised by the drone he was just stood next to us staring at it for ages. 'I had to wait for him to leave. The cleaner finally disappeared so I got a speaker out of my bag that I was going to use to play a song for when I proposed but the Wi-Fi signal was bad so I couldnt get it to play. Ben said he just got so frustrated that he grabbed the ring and got down on one knee. Let the good times roll: Louisa admitted she cried when Benny proposed and they are planning on marrying in America in 2021 In shock: Louisa said she never would have thought five years ago that this would happen for her Louisa said she never would have thought five years ago that this would happen for her but has known for some time that Ben was the one for her. In December, Louisa gushed over their relationship as she said: 'Benny moved into my flat in February, four months after we met. Its all been very fast but once we found each other we didnt see the point in hanging about.' She said that she now wants to start a family, saying: 'I want at least two children and Ben wants three so well have to get cracking pretty soon after the wedding! 'I cant wait to have babies, Im very maternal so its been my dream for a long time to be a mum.' Louisa made a dramatic return to EastEnders late last year, as her character Ruby Allen made a comeback to Albert Square after a staggering 12 years away. Speaking on This Morning, Louisa previously revealed she was nervous about returning to EastEnders amid her character Ruby's harrowing rape storyline. She said: '[Producer] John York rang me and said we'd love to bring your character back. Obviously I was a bit nervous, but so far, so good. 'I said to John about the storyline please can we have help from an organisation. You know, its not just another rape storyline on a soap. 'We are highlighting the difference between rape and consented sex its not black and white. Its a grey area.' Before returning to the soap, Louisa had said she had been struggling to make ends meet and had found work as a receptionist. She is an icon of the fashion world. But on Sunday, Naomi Campbell was honouring another talent as she presented a prestigious gong to her friend Quincy Jones at the American Icon Awards in Beverly Hills. The British model, 48, chose a show-stopping gown for the a-list event, flaunting her famous figure in a sheer beaded number. Model behaviour: Naomi Campbell looked incredible as she presented a prestigious gong to her friend Quincy Jones at the American Icon Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday Naomi sashayed onto the stage at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in her floor-length dress. The sheer skirt flashed her long legs, while gold sequins were scattered over the bodice to give some added sparkle. The top half of the dress was just as racy with its plunging neckline and cut out detail, while a cape completed the dramatic piece. Wow factor: The British model, 48, chose a show-stopping gown for the a-list event, flaunting her famous figure in a sheer beaded number Naomi accessoised with dazzling silver cuff bracelets and killer heels. The top model gave a passionate speech about Quincy before the music legend arrived on stage to accept his award. Actor Al Pacino and former pro boxer Evander Holyfield were also honoured at the glitzy event. Stunning: Naomi flashed some skin with the cut-out detail on the bodice of her gorgeous gown Friends: The top model gave a passionate speech about Quincy before the music legend arrived on stage to accept his award Honoured: Naomi flashed a huge smile as she handed her long-time friend his Icon award It's been a busy few weeks for Naomi who was also mingling with the a-list at New York's Met Gala earlier this month. Naomi's glam appearances come after her reported split with Liam Payne, 25, following just four months of dating. Speaking of their split, a source told The Mirror at the time: 'Liam and Naomi had a lot of fun together, they got on well and had a laugh. But it just wasn't meant to be. Check out the bling: The model accessorised her stunning dress with huge sparling rings and silver cuff bracelets Emotional: Naomi was among the a-listers to take to the stage to present awards to Quincy, Al Pacino and Evader Holyfield Ready for her closeup: Naomi's hair and makeup were looking flawless 'They are going to stay friends there are no hard feelings with either of them.' Meanwhile another source told The Sun: 'Naomi has taken the decision to let things fizzle out. 'She's just not into Liam any more and has cast him aside. Quite simply she got a bit bored. He was always the more keen, slightly needy one and, as far as she was concerned, they were never officially an item anyway. It's always been very casual.' Speculation of a blossoming romance between the two began when they celebrated the New Year together in Ghana. Game Of Thrones bosses pleased fans with the release of 35 never-before-seen photographs from the dramatic season eight finale. Fans stayed up late after waiting two years to see the final episode of the lengthy series which has divided viewers across the globe. Now bosses have impressed fans with unseen snaps from the show including the chilling scene where Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) admired the Iron Throne just moments before her expected death. Never before: Game Of Thrones bosses delighted fans as they released 35 unseen photos from the explosive season eight finale In an emotional shot, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) caressed Dany's cheek just seconds before he betrayed her by plunging a dagger into her heart. Another distressing image showed Jon's struggle as he held his dead lover in his arms after he murdered her. Fans will be moved by the shot capturing Drogo's point of view as the dragon laid his eyes on his dead mother when her body was led out on the snow. Heroic: Arya Stark looked heroic in her armour and with her battle scar on her forehead as she prepared to embark on her journey to west of Westeros. Hope: Now bosses have impressed fans with unseen snaps from the show Chilling: Daenerys Targaryen ( Emilia Clarke ) admired the Iron Throne just moments before her expected death Heartbreak: In an emotional shot, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) caressed Dany's cheek just seconds before he betrayed her by plunging a dagger into her heart Torn: Another distressing image showed Jon's struggle as he held his dead lover in his arms after he murdered her But arguably the most harrowing moment of the whole finale saw Drogo nuzzle his mother's body after she has been stabbed to death. Taken just moments later, an impressive picture showed a seething Drogo breathing fire over the Iron Throne that Dany had set her heart on ruling from. Followers revealed they shed tears when the mythical beast flew into the distance carrying the mother of dragon's body in his mouth in the finale. The dramatic moment dragon's fire engulfed the Iron Throne and melted the chair was also documented in an eye-catching still from the episode. Devastating: Fans will be moved by the shot capturing Drogo's point of view as the dragon laid his eyes on his dead mother when her body was led out on the snow Unconditional love: But arguably the most harrowing moment of the whole finale saw Drogo nuzzle his mother's body after she has been stabbed to death Fury: Taken just moments later, an impressive picture showed a seething Drogo breathing fire over the Iron Throne that Dany had set her heart on ruling from Earlier in the episode, a nail-biting over-the-shoulder shot showed Dany overseeing the unsullied army after she burnt King's Landing down to the ground. In contrast, a war-weathered Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) was seen examining the rubble during Dany's reign of terror over the capital. Later, an extremely sad scene allowed Tyrion to unearth his incestuous brother and sister Jaime and Cersei from under the rocks. Elsewhere from the episode, a sweet snap documented Sir Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) paying tribute to her late lover Jaime Lannister as she penned his heroic history in The Book of Brothers. A hilarious sequence saw the King's counsel begin to start their plans for the seven kingdoms as they discussed the prices of brothels. Destructive: Earlier in the episode, a nail-biting over-the-shoulder shot showed Dany overseeing the unsullied army after she burnt King's Landing down to the ground Fierce: The future for Westeros temporarily looked very dark as the unsullied lined up to support the Mad Queen Horror: In contrast, a war-weathered Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) was seen examining the rubble during Dany's reign of terror over the capital A lost love: Later, an extremely sad scene allowed Tyrion to unearth his incestuous brother and sister Jaime and Cersei from under the rocks His perfect ending: A handcuffed Tyrion hoped to inspire hope in the seven kingdoms again as he said Bran should be king Survivor: The 'imp' was the last surviving Lannister as his brother and sister passed away in the penultimate episode As the Starks went their separate ways at the end of the finale, of course bosses chose to highlight the saddening moment in a montage of snaps. Newly appointed king Bran the Broken was seen looking at his brother Jon in complete and utter awe. It was poignant when a tearful Arya embraced her older brother Jon when they said farewell before they parted ways for a final time. A sad parting: Newly appointed king Bran the Broken was seen looking at his brother Jon in complete and utter awe What an ending! A hilarious sequence saw the King's counsel begin to start their plans for the seven kingdoms as they discussed the prices of brothels Breathtaking: The dramatic moment dragon's fire engulfed the Iron Throne and melted the chair was also documented in an eye-catching still from the episode Another kind of love: Elsewhere from the episode, a sweet snap documented Sir Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) paying tribute to her late lover Jaime Lannister as she penned his heroic history in The Book of Brothers An allegiance: Bran was named the king of Westeros while his sister Sansa was given the title of queen in the north This is goodbye: As the Starks went their separate ways at the end of the finale, of course bosses chose to highlight the saddening moment in a montage of snaps Then Sansa took the exiled Stark into her arms and she affectionately rested her head on his shoulder in a scene that left fans in tears. Later, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) looked every inch the leading lady with her silver tiara when she was crowned Queen in the North. As the show triumphed rulers who led by love and not by fear, the men in the north raised their swords for their new queen in an epic snap. Hard to say goodbye: It was poignant when a tearful Arya embraced her older brother Jon when they said farewell before they parted ways for a final time The end: Then Sansa took the exiled Stark into her arms and she affectionately rested her head on his shoulder in a scene that left fans in tears A true queen: In another shot, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) looked every inch the leading lady with her silver tiara when she was crowned Queen in the North The true message: The show triumphed rulers who led by love and not by fear Regal: The men in the north raised their swords for their new queen in an epic snap End of an era: A montage of bleak images showed Jon deep in thought as he returned to the Night's Watch on horseback A hero: Jon sacrificed his place with his family to ensure the rest of Westeros was safe from the murderous Dany Justice: He was courageous when he stood up to Greyworm earlier in the episode A montage of bleak images showed Jon deep in thought as he returned to the Night's Watch on horseback. Despite the pleas for mercy from his sisters Sansa and Arya, he was sentenced to the Night's Watch to live out the rest of his days for the murder of the queen. Jon looked deeply sad when he left Winterfell, where he grew up with the Starks, for the final time. The haunting snaps revealed the loneliness and the isolation of the guards who are protecting the realm. It's the end: Jon looked deeply sad when he left Winterfell, where he grew up with the Starks, for the final time Dark: Despite the pleas for mercy from his sisters Sansa and Arya, he was sentenced to the Night's Watch to live out the rest of his days for the murder of the queen It's over, it's over, it's over: The haunting snaps revealed the loneliness and the isolation of the guards who are protecting the realm A long love: Fans stayed up late after waiting two years to see the final episode of the lengthy series Controversial: Fans have been divided over the ending They have both bagged roles in upcoming BBC comedy, Scarborough, based in the North Yorkshire seaside resort. And Catherine Tyldesley, 34, and Jason Manford, 37, looked like they were having a great time as they filmed scenes for their latest project in Sandside, Scarborough, over the weekend. The comedian and the former Coronation street actress, who play a married couple in their 40s in the series, looked completely at ease as they enjoyed all the fun of the fair in the seaside town. Fun of the fair: Catherine Tyldesley, 34, and Jason Manford, 37, were having a great time as they filmed scenes for BBC's Scarborough in Sandside, Scarborough, over the weekend Jason, who portrays Mike in the series, sported a checked shirt and jeans as he laughed away alongside his screen wife. Catherine, who plays hairdresser Karen, sported a floral blouse and skinny jeans whilst whizzing around on a cyclone twister ride. As the cameras were rolling, Jason wrapped his arm around Catherine and playfully tickled her nose as they got into character. The pair gripped each other's hands as they flew around on the adrenaline-fuelled ride. On set: The comedian and the former Coronation street actress, who play a married couple in their 40s in the series, enjoyed all the fun of the fair Relaxed: The pair looked completely at ease as they filmed scenes whilst whizzing around on a cyclone twister ride Action! Jason, who portrays Mike in the series, looked the every-man in a checked shirt and jeans as he laughed away alongside his screen wife In other scenes, the pair were shot standing in a queue as they waited to hop on a roller coaster. The actors looked relaxed as they stood together during their down time whilst the camera crew set up their equipment. As crowds gathered around to try and catch a glimpse of the filming, Jason and Catherine waved at onlookers and posed for snaps. The talented stars are set to take the screen with Still Open All Hours stars Stephanie Cole and Maggie Ollerenshaw, actor Steve Edge and Brooksides Claire Sweeney. In character: Catherine, who plays Karen, a hairdresser, sported a floral blouse and skinny jeans for the day of filming Take one: Whilst the cameras were rolling, Jason wrapped his arm around Catherine and playfully tickled her nose as they got into character Scream if you want to go faster! The duo gripped onto each other's hands as they whizzed around on the adrenaline fuelled ride Speaking about the upcoming show, BBC comedy controller Shane Allen said: 'It's a real coup to have someone of Derren's great experience land a broad sitcom with a Northern Comedy her to it. It'll do Scarborough very proud.' Derren Litten, who created ITV's much loved series Benidorm will serve as director of the series, which follows the lives of Scarborough residents who gather together for weekly karaoke sessions. Derren announced the news of the new show at the Edinburgh TV Festival, in August last year, and said the series will be based in a karaoke bar in the North Yorkshire seaside resort. Announcing the news on his own Twitter, Derren wrote: 'Hola! Thanks for all your lovely messages re the announcement of my next show 'Scarborough' with the BBC. Talent: The series follows the lives of Scarborough residents who gather together for weekly karaoke sessions - including Catherine and Jason's characters of Geraldine and Mike Woo! The pair looked every inch the married couple as they smiled when whizzing about Faster! As the ride sped up, the pair screamed and looked nervous 'I'm so excited about it, can't wait to get started but first, @benidormonstage ! (Maybe I have to now drop Hola for 'ey up?) #BenidormLive #Scarborough.' He also insisted that the show wouldn't be an extension of the ITV favourite Bendiorm, when a fan asked on the micro-blogging platform. The reports come months after the creator and writer of the popular comedy series denied that the show, based in Spain, wasn't returning to screens. Taking to Twitter in March, Derren, who has worked on the show throughout its entire run, slammed a story that was published, claiming the show had been axed by ITV. The same report insisted Litten had already abandoned the show and has signed a contract with the BBC to pen a new sitcom of the same ilk for them. Reset: Between takes, the actors sported sunglasses as they chatted on set Scene swap: In other scenes, the pair were shot standing in a queue as they waited to hop on a roller coaster Buckle-up! Catherine checked her belt was all in check before they set off on the ride Hey there: As crowds gathered around to try and catch a glimpse of the filming, Jason and Catherine waved at onlookers Fans: The duo posed for snaps as fans gathered around the set to see what was going on Jason's appearance on set follows on from the funnyman opening up on his mental health struggles. In May, the star posted a candid clip to Facebook, where he detailed his struggles and bravely advised men to speak out on the topic. The Bigheads presenter opened the video by explaining the reason behind his social media hiatus. He said: 'At the beginning of the year I had a bit of a health scare and, I wouldn't go as far to say I had a breakdown, but I had a struggle mentally and I found it very difficult to deal with.' In February, the father-of-five sparked concern among fans when he shared a snap from a hospital bed following a mystery procedure. While he returned to work just weeks after his surgery, the Manchester native admitted he still battles with his psychological state following his health scare. Happy days! The pair looked like they were having a fantastic day at work Ready for action: Catherine, who rose to fame on Coronation Street, smiled at onlookers Jason, who shares his four eldest children with ex Catherine, and his youngest with wife Lucy Dyke, said: 'I had a few weeks off from my tour and then I cracked on and got through it. 'I just wanted to say it's taken me this long to be brave enough to say it really, because I've been struggling, finding things hard and I think social media can sometimes really not help with that. 'I'm not just talking about trolls and people being nasty, I mean that's sort of just par for the course. 'Even just bad news, nastiness and world events, and people arguing about whatever the topic of the day is even down to comparing your life.' Down time: The stars chilled out during their time away from the camera Ready for a close up: Catherine was seen having a microphone pack attached to her waist Further into the video, the 8 Out of 10 Cats star encouraged men to speak out about mental health: 'We don't talk about mental health a lot, especially us blokes. The biggest killer in men under 65 is suicide.' He went on to advise: 'I just want to say some things that helped me... your problems are the worst problems in the world [to you]. 'You can only feel your problems. Some people are in worse situations with you, but you can only sympathise with them. You're doing OK.' Reflecting on the 'worst and lowest' moments in his life, Jason added: I felt I let my kids down and couldn't do my job anymore. I suffer from anxiety and depression, and they're not traditional topics for comedians to talk about. Take a break! Jason leaned on the railing as he took a break from filming Hands in the air! The camera was attached to the ride in order to capture the footage as they were thrown around on the fairground ride 'It's really hard sometimes, and then I think how dare you with your lovely life feel bad... Like I said your problems are relative.' 'The advice that gets me through to this day is, just because you're struggling, doesn't mean you're failing', the radio host concluded his clip. Jason, grew up on Manchester's self-styled 'triangle of death' - an area notorious for drug related crime, and rose to prominence as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats from 2007 till 2010. The TV personality has since gone on to carve out a successful career in presenting, acting and stand-up comedy, having starred in shows such as Sunday Night at the Palladium, Bigheads and QI. Dani Dyer was pictured picking up groceries with her new boyfriend Sammy Kimmence on Monday morning. The new couple have just returned from a break to Malta despite having only been linked to the stockbroker for a matter of weeks. Dani, 23, only announced her split from her Love Island beau, 27, back in April, and just 20 days later, she and Sammy were spotted passionately kissing in the street. Dani Dyer PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Love Island star wore a kooky ensemble to do the weekly shop with new boyfriend Sammy Kimmence on Monday after their Malta trip together Happy: The couple appeared to be getting along swimmingly after their month long romance And things appear to be going from strength to strength between the couple, who reportedly dated a year before Dani went on Love Island. She stepped out wearing a patterned co-ord and carried a Louis Vuitton bag across her body. Her brunette locks were worn in an up-do and she hid her eyes behind designer shades. All things bright and beautiful: Dani stepped out wearing a patterned co-ord and carried a Louis Vuitton bag across her body He's in the driving seat: Sammy wore a tracksuit as he kindly pushed the trolley around Moving on: Dani, 23, only announced her split from her Love Island beau, 27, back in April, and just 20 days later, she and Sammy were spotted passionately kissing in the street Smiling Sammy pushed the trolley, which was full to the brim with Sainsbury's bags, while wearing a casual tracksuit. Dani has been filming in Malta, but Sammy had flown out and surprised her during a work trip. Clearly thrilled at his unexpected visit, Dani penned: 'Can't believe you come and see me!! [heart emojis]' Is this love? Dani has been filming in Malta, but Sammy had flown out and surprised her during a work trip In shock: Clearly thrilled at his unexpected visit, Dani penned: 'Can't believe you come and see me!! [heart emojis]' Moving on: The couple reportedly dated a year before Dani went on Love Island Sammy then shared a picture of the couple soaking up the sun on Instagram. He penned: 'Windswept thats why shes smiling...' Clearly amused, Dani wrote: 'Only person I know to wear a shirt on the beach.' Just the day before as Dani's ex Jack Fincham turned 27 on Thursday he declared himself 'too blessed to be stressed', alongside a snap of himself on Instagram. The reality star uploaded the image to the photo-sharing site, standing by the sea on holiday, accompanying it with the caption: '27 today. Feeling incredibly grateful for another year on this earth and grateful for all the good people in my life. Too blessed to be stressed. Have a lovely day everyone.' Sammy shared a picture of the couple soaking up the sun in Malta on Instagram. He penned: 'Windswept thats why shes smiling...' Clearly amused, Dani wrote: 'Only person I know to wear a shirt on the beach' Popular: Sammy Kimmence's popularity has boosted since dating Dani Dyer after his Instagram followers increased by 16,000 'Too blessed to be stressed': Just the day before as Dani's ex Jack turned 27 on Thursday he declared himself 'too blessed to be stressed', alongside a snap of himself on Instagram Jack is said to be 'devastated' by how quickly his ex has moved on from him. He broke the news of the split to his 2.5million Instagram followers, writing: 'There is no easy way to say this and it isn't going to be an easy time but me and Dani are not in a relationship anymore. 'We will always care a lot for each other and I mean that from the bottom of my heart and I wish her nothing but happiness. 'We have some amazing memories together and have been through a lot but sometimes things just aren't meant to be and we really did try and make it work but unfortunately didn't and that is life.' Dani has previously slammed reports that her and Jack faked their on-screen romance in order to win over the British voting public. The claims emerged as it was suggested that she hid her relationship with ex-boyfriend Sammy and had been messaging him before entering the villa last summer. Taking to Twitter, a furious Dani referenced the reports, writing: 'Who has game plans like that?' All true: Dani has previously slammed reports that her and Jack faked their on-screen romance in order to win over the British voting public Hitting back: The claims emerged as it was suggested that she hid her relationship with ex-boyfriend Sammy and had been messaging him before entering the villa last summer He sustained injuries to his face after crashing his moped in Bali on Saturday night. And on Monday, former Married At First Sight star, Rhyce Power shared a sultry snap of himself hours before his horrific accident in the Indonesian Paradise. In a photo shared to Instagram, the 28-year-old was seen shooting the camera a seductive stare while relaxing in his Badung villa. 'Before I met the pavement': Married At First Sight's Rhyce Power shares a sultry snap of himself prior to his horrific moped crash in Bali. Pictured before the accident (left) and after (right) Rhyce, who rose to fame after appearing at his sister Jessika Power's wedding on MAFS, posed topless in the photo, offering fans a glimpse of his heavily tattooed torso. 'Before I met the pavement,' Rhyce captioned the image. He also sported a newly-styled eyebrow which featured two shaved sections. In recovery: Rhyce (pictured) is feeling 'extremely blessed' to be alive after his horrific moped crash in Bali, Indonesia over the weekend Eerily, the shaved eyebrow was also the one which would soon be covered by a bandage following his horrific moped crash hours later. Earlier on the same day, Rhyce revealed he's recovering well following the ordeal and is feeling 'extremely blessed' that his wounds won't scar his face. Rhyce showed off his bandaged head and painful-looking bruised eye in a video shared to Instagram on Monday. Ordeal: Rhyce, 28, revealed on Sunday that he'd been involved in a moped accident the night before after a 'few too many' drinks. Pictured in Thailand earlier this year He captioned the clip: 'Feeling extremely blessed. Only three stitches. It won't scar, just a very big black eye.' Rhyce revealed on Sunday that he had been involved in a moped accident the night before after a 'few too many' drinks. 'Last night, I was driving a scooter in Bali after few too many drinks and not wearing a helmet as I thought, "I'm close to home, I'll be right",' he explained. 'Can't really remember much but I woke up in hospital 12 stitches later, with no memories of the incident, a huge medical bill and [feeling] pretty bloody sore today.' 'I could have been a lot more injured or, even worse, died,' he added. 'I want to get this message out: whether you [are] 2km or 400km from home, please always wear your helmet when riding a scooter in a foreign country, or even your own country. 'Chicks dig scars, yeah?' Earlier on Sunday, the Perth-based tradesman had shared footage to Instagram of himself getting stitches on his eyebrow 'And never drink-drive [while] operating any motor vehicles. [I'm] so lucky and grateful I had my friends there with me. Thank you, girls.' Earlier on Sunday, the Perth-based tradesman had shared footage to Instagram of himself getting stitches on his eyebrow. 'Chicks dig scars, yeah? Wear helmets riding scooters can't stress this enough,' he captioned the gruesome video. Hours earlier, he had filmed himself downing bottles of Bintang on a skate ramp. She took home half of the $50,000 major prize after winning Love Island with her then-boyfriend Grant Crapp. And while her time on the reality show was nothing less than tumultuous, Tayla Damir still looks back fondly on her reality television experience. Taking to Instagram on Monday, the 22-year-old reflected on her time on the show in a thoughtful caption that began with: 'Exactly one year ago I landed in Mallorca, Spain, handed over all forms of technology and contact with the outside world and went in to what we call 'lock down''. 'I remember thinking 'what have I done?': Love Island's Tayla Damir, 22, has reflected on her time on Love Island to mark the one-year anniversary of her debut on the show She went on: 'I spent the next four days stuck in a hotel room not sure what crazy adventure I was about to step in to. It feels like only yesterday but yet a life time ago that I began my journey.' 'It's crazy to think back and see just how much my life has changed over the last year. Tayla continued: 'I remember sitting on the plane thinking 'what have I done', ' what if no one likes me', 'what if my friends back home never talk to me again', ' what if I become hated', the list goes on.' 'Exactly one year ago I landed in Mallorca': Taking to Instagram on Monday, the Instagram star reflected on her time on the show in a thoughtful caption '[But] I took a risk and the universe helped this risk pay off. Everything in life happens for a reason and without Love Island and the amazing production team behind the scenes I wouldn't be where I am today,' she wrote. The stunning brunette then went onto take a thinly-veiled swipe at ex-boyfriend Grant, who, not long after the pair won the series, was revealed to have had a secret girlfriend when he entered the show. 'If you are single (meaning you don't have a secret relationship and yes that's necessary to say because some people don't know the definition of single) registrations are still open for this season,' she said. Reality star: Tayla was a breakout star from the 2018 series which saw her pair up with Grant from day one before going onto to win the program Would you apply? Tayla urged singletons to apply for the hit show, saying: 'If you are single (meaning you don't have a secret relationship and yes that's necessary to say because some people don't know the definition of single) registrations are still open for this season' 'Who knows you might just find some crazy friends and a 'hot blonde hair, blue eyed' boyfriend like mine,' she concluded. Tayla caused national headlines after it was discovered that she had broken up with Grant after discovering he had a girlfriend whilst he was on the show. The pair broke it off just weeks after winning the show in July last year and taking home $25,000 each. Controversy: Tayla caused national headlines after it was discovered that she had broken up with Grant Crapp (pictured left) after discovering he had a girlfriend whilst he was on the show However, despite her love story with Grant ending in tears, Tayla has done okay for herself since the shows explosive finale. Unlike many of her co-stars, Tayla has been able to turn her appearance on the reality show into a legitimate career as an influencer and is spotted at all A-list events in Sydney. She is now dating co-star Dom Thomas, 27. She's no stranger to turning heads in stunning ensembles both on-camera and at high-profile events. And Doutzen Kroes commanded attention once again as she struck a series of flirty poses on a photoshoot for L'Oreal Paris during Cannes Film Festival in France on Monday morning. The supermodel, 34, looked cheery as she playfully blew kisses at onlookers while filming scenes for the event's longtime beauty sponsor. Working it! Doutzen Kroes commanded attention once again as she struck a series of flirty poses on a photoshoot for L'Oreal Paris during Cannes Film Festival in France on Monday Turning up the heat, the catwalk queen went braless underneath a burgundy leather dress by Isabel Marant, which featured a perilously plunging neckline to showcase her cleavage. The Dutch bombshell highlighted her slender figure with help from the ensemble's flattering waist belt. Upping the style ante, the blonde beauty boosted her physique in a pair of black ankle-strap stilettos by Christian Louboutin. Wow-factor! The supermodel, 34, looked cheery as she playfully blew kisses at onlookers while filming scenes for the event's longtime beauty sponsor She's got it! The catwalk queen is no stranger to turning heads in stunning ensembles both on-camera and at high-profile events Ooh-la-la: Turning up the heat, she went braless underneath a burgundy leather dress, which featured a perilously plunging neckline to showcase her cleavage Doutzen protected her eyes from the blazing sun in a pair of circular-framed shades, while accessorising with a diamond silver ring. With her famously glossy tresses styled into beachy waves, the mother-of-two opted for natural-looking make-up to complement her dark-toned outfit. Doutzen, who has been a brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris since 2006, appeared delighted to work with the beauty brand for the film festival. She has been a brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris for since 2006. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival is taking place at the iconic Palais des Festivals until May 25. Ready for my close up! Doutzen worked her angles during the shoot Chic: The Dutch bombshell highlighted her slender figure with help from the ensemble's flattering waist belt Standing tall: Upping the style ante, the blonde beauty boosted her physique in a pair of black ankle-strap stilettos by Christian Louboutin Actress Elle Fanning, French graphic novelist Enki Bilal and the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos, are among jury members during the annual event. Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu currently presides over the panel that decides on prizes, including the top Palme D'Or award. The jury for the festival's 72nd edition also includes Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker and screenwriter named best director at Cannes last year for the impossible love story Cold War. Pensive: Doutzen, who has been a brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris since 2006, appeared delighted to work with the beauty brand for the film festival All in the details: She protected her eyes from the blazing sun in a pair of circular-framed shades, while accessorising with a diamond silver ring Looking good: With her famously glossy tresses styled into beachy waves, the mother-of-two opted for natural-looking make-up to complement her dark-toned outfit Springtime chic: The star paired her stylish number with a stone-coloured trench coat Maimouna N'Diaye, who has directed documentaries and acted in films such as Otar Iosseliani's Chasing Butterflies also sits 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. 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, completes the line-up. On the move: The model put on a stylish parade when she headed back to her hotel in Cannes during the hotly-anticipated film festival She's been jetting around the world to promote her anticipated new movie X-Men: Dark Phoenix. And Jessica Chastain, 42, made another chic appearance at a Moscow photocall for the movie on Monday. The US star stood out in her bright yellow dress as she posed with her co-star James McAvoy atop the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Rainbow: Jessica Chastain, 42, made another chic appearance at a Moscow photocall for her new film X-Men: Dark Phoenix on Monday Jessica, who plays an unnamed alien shapeshifter in the new movie, wowed in her summery shift dress. The yellow dress featured quirky cape detail and showed off the actress' trim figure. The actress added even more colour to her ensemble with her fun rainbow heels, while glam makeup was the finishing touch. All-star cast: The US star stood out in her bright yellow dress as she posed with her co-star James McAvoy atop the Ritz Carlton Hotel Jessica posed for the cameras with her co-star James McAvoy, producer Hutch Parker and director and screenwriter Simon Kinberg. While they were in Moscow promoting the film, co-stars Sophie Turner and Michael Fassbender were busy on a photocall in Berlin, as part of the movie's huge promo trail this month. The film has a star-studded cast with the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult also involved. With a release date of June 7 in the USA and June 5 in the UK, the film tells the story of Jean Grey, played by Turner, who begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Talent: Jessica, who plays an alien shapeshifter in the new movie, wowed in her summery shift dress (pictured with producer Hutch Parker, McAvoy and director Simon Kinberg) All eyes on them! With the Moscow skyline behind them the stars were in the spotlight Bright: The actress added even more colour to her ensemble with her fun rainbow heels, while glam makeup was the finishing touch The X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. Picking up in 1992, nearly a decade after the events of that film, the movie's final trailer finds Jean earning her mutant stripes after a rescue mission in deep space goes horribly wrong, resulting in her being engulfed by a powerful explosion that decimates her ship. Against the odds she survives unscathed, and stunned students at Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters give the the name Phoenix a reference to her unique ability to quite literally rise from the ashes. Whirlwind: Jessica and her co-stars have been jetting around the world this month promoting the hugely anticipated film Huge production: The film has a star-studded cast with the likes of Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult also involved She paid a touching tribute to her Game of Thrones character Sansa Stark in honour of the show's finale on Sunday. And despite saying goodbye to the HBO series, Sophie Turner has still managed to maintain her busy schedule as she attended a photocall for upcoming film X-Men: Dark Phoenix photocall in Berlin, Germany, on Monday morning. The screen star, 23, looked sensational as she rocked a quirky pale blue shirt, embellished with ruffled shoulder pads and floral printing throughout. Busy bee: Sophie Turner attended a photocall for upcoming film X-Men: Dark Phoenix photocall in Berlin, Germany, on Monday morning, after paying tribute to Game Of Thrones' finale Upping the fashion ante, the Another Me actress teamed her bold top with a pair of dark-wash straight-leg jeans. The Barely Lethal star continued to display her flair for fashion as she donned chunky black boots. With her blonde locks styled into a straight fashion, she accentuated her beauty with blush-swept cheeks, heavily-applied mascara and a slick of red lipstick. Standing out: The screen star, 23, looked sensational as she rocked a quirky pale blue shirt, embellished with ruffled shoulder pads and floral printing throughout Looking good: Upping the fashion ante, the Another Me actress teamed her bold top with a pair of dark-wash straight-leg jeans Added height: The Barely Lethal star continued to display her flair for fashion as she donned chunky black boots Star-studded shoot: Sophie was in good company as she joined co-star Michael Fassbender during the shoot Stunning: She accentuated her beauty with blush-swept cheeks, heavily-applied mascara and a slick of red lipstick Sophie was in good company as she joined co-star Michael Fassbender during the shoot. Speaking recently to Lifestyle Inq, Sophie spoke enthusiastically about the film's female focus. She explained: 'All the female characters in this movie are the strongest characters. We have a female protagonist, a female antagonist, all while the female protagonist is also somewhat of an antagonist.'' 'Its all about her relationships, Jeans relationship with the females throughout this movie, which is really very interesting. None of the women in this movie are subservient to a man, which is incredible,' she continued. The film has a star-studded cast with the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult also involved. With a release date of June 7 in the USA and June 5 in the UK, the film tells the story of Jean Grey, played by Sophie, who begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. The X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. Nice to see you! Sophie was pictured embracing Michael, 42, with a hug during the shoot Leading actress: Sophie plays Jean Grey who begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix Upcoming: In the film, the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world Exciting times ahead: The superhero movie has a release date of June 7 in the USA, and will hit cinemas on June 5 in the UK Picking up in 1992, nearly a decade after the events of that film, the movie's final trailer finds Jean earning her mutant stripes after a rescue mission in deep space goes horribly wrong, resulting in her being engulfed by a powerful explosion that decimates her ship. Against the odds she survives unscathed, and stunned students at Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters give the the name Phoenix a reference to her unique ability to quite literally rise from the ashes. Sophie's outing comes after she shared a moving goodbye to her Game of Thrones character Sansa Stark as the show came to an end on Sunday. Taking to her Instagram, the film star thanked the character, who is the eldest daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, for teaching her 'resilience, bravery and what true strength really is'. High spirits: She beamed with delight as she posed by a river during the photocall Co-stars: Sophie joined Michael and Evan Peters at the shoot Looking good: The TV star looked sensational as her blonde locks were styled into a straight fashion End of the road: Sophie's outing comes after she shared a moving goodbye to her Game of Thrones character Sansa Stark (pictured) as the show came to an end on Sunday Sophie, who recently married Joe Jonas in a shotgun Vegas wedding, has starred as heroine Sansa in the fantasy drama since the show first hit the small screen in 2011. Alongside sharing behind the scenes shots from the set, the blonde said: 'Sansa, Thank you for teaching me resilience, bravery and what true strength really is. Thank you teaching me to be kind and patient and to lead with love. 'I grew up with you. I fell in love with you at 13 and now 10 years on... at 23 I leave you behind, but I will never leave behind what you've taught me.' Sophie went on to thank Game of Thrones and the 'people who make it' for making her the person 'I am today'. Touching: Alongside sharing behind the scenes shots from the set, Sophie said: 'Sansa, Thank you for teaching me resilience, bravery and what true strength really is' She said: 'To the show and the incredible people who make it, thank you for giving me the best life and drama lessons I could have ever asked for. Without you I wouldn't be the person I am today. Thank you for giving me this chance all those years ago.' Sophie finished off her emotional tribute with a message to the fans who 'fell in love with these characters' and followed it 'right through till the end'. She ended her post: 'And finally to the fans. Thank you for falling in love with these characters and supporting this show right through till the end. I'll miss this more than anything.' Jenson Button and his fiancee Brittny Ward announced their happy pregnancy news in January. And as she reaches the final trimester, Brittny has posed for a stunning nude shot to show off her growing bump. The Playboy model, 28, who got engaged to Jenson, 38, last June, looked gorgeous as she stripped off for the shoot. Expecting: Jenson Button and his fiancee Brittny Ward announced their pregnancy news in January. And as she reaches the final trimester, Brittny has posed for a stunning nude shot Flaunting a tan, the model, who is seven months pregnant, turned her head toward the camera while her bump took the spotlight. Posting the snap on Instagram, Brittny was keen to point out it doesn't matter how big her bump is, writing: 'My belly may still be small for 7 months, but every womans body is different and ALL bellies should be celebrated big or small.' Last month Brittny took to to Instagram to reveal that the couple are expecting a boy. It's a boy! As Brittny Ward reached the six month mark of her pregnancy, the model revealed that she is expecting a baby boy in an Instagram post on Tuesday The Californian native beamed with delight as she cradled her growing belly while posing for the sweet shot, wearing a pretty floral bikini. In the snap Brittny stood outside a white cladded house wearing a blue bikini top with thick set straps, which she teamed with a pair of matching bottoms. She captioned the glowing image: '23 weeks today! I cant believe Im carrying a little human in my tummy. The female body continues to amaze me.' She captioned the glowing image: '23 weeks today! I cant believe Im carrying a little human in my tummy. The female body continues to amaze me.' The hashtags underneath the caption included #babyboy, which revealed the gender of their baby, which the couple have previously kept under wraps. One commenter, who is presumably pals with Brittny wrote below the snap: 'Yes queen! You are radiant and glowing!!! I cant wait for playdates with our boys.' British racing driver Jenson announced that he is expecting his first child with his fiancee Brittny in January. Happy days: British racing driver Jenson announced that he is expecting his first child with his fiancee Brittny in January earlier this year (pictured in January 2018) Taking to Instagram, the 38-year-old sportsman penned: 'Brittny & I are Delighted to announce the new edition to the family currently having his first seat! Look how comfy he looks! #babybutton'. Brittny took to her own account to also share the news just minutes later with a picture of her baby scan, along with the caption: 'Baby couldnt wait for the wedding, hes decided to make an early appearance. '@jensonbutton_22 and I are very happy to announce baby button is coming this summer #babybutton.' She also uploaded a snap of the scan to her Instagram stories, writing: 'Coming this summer #babybutton' with an image of a car superimposed on the fetus. Scan: Taking to Instagram, the 38-year-old sportsman shared the baby scan Announced: Just minutes later, Brittny followed suit with her own announcement, sharing her due date, as well as an image of a car superimposed on the scan Former Formula One racer Jenson and Brittny have gone from strength to strength since they announced their engagement on social media last June. He lifted the lid on the most romantic thing he had ever planned was lunch in a little boat off Italy's Amalfi Coast in the summer. He told Mail On Sunday's YOU magazine: 'Have lunch in a little boat off Italy's Amalfi Coast this summer with my girlfriend Brittny.' The couple have been dating since March 2016, three months after Jenson's 2015 split from model ex Jessica Michibata was confirmed. She relocated from Melbourne to Bologna, Italy four months ago with her family But on Monday Kate Langbroek, 53, made a surprise return to her native Victorian city to surprise radio co-host, David 'Hughesy' Hughes, 48, live on-air. In a series of posts shared to Instagram, Hughesy appeared utterly amaze when Kate walked through the studio doors and greeted him in the midst of their syndicated drivetime show, broadcast from the Victoria capital. Hughesy said he had 'no idea' about the prank as he believed Kate was still broadcasting from Italy the entire time. Kate, however, was broadcasting from another makeshift studio inside the radio station in Melbourne. 'So we are in the middle of our radio show with Kate in Bologna Italy as usual, she says she has to go to the toilet and I see her leave the Skype screen, then hear her voice behind me! She's flown home for a visit! I had no idea!' Hughesy captioned a photo of the radio duo. 'I've pranked that guy up and down!' Kate Langbroek flew back to Australia to surprise co-host David 'Hughesy' Hughes live on-air...four months after moving her family to Italy What a stitch-up! 'That's weird,' Hughsey said as Kate walked through the studio door in Melbourne on Monday In a separate video, Kate, who was aptly dressed in an Italian T-shirt, told fans she felt 'nervous' about pranking the comedian. 'I'm so nervous! Why am I so nervous? I've pranked that m**o up and down!' she exclaimed in a piece-to-camera. Soon after, Kate was seen excusing herself from the makeshift studio to go to the 'bathroom' so she could instead walk down the corridor and surprise Hughesy. That's amore! The clip concluded with footage of the pair embracing as Italian music played in the background No idea: 'So we are in the middle of our radio show with Kate in Bologna Italy as usual, she says she has to go to the toilet and I see her leave the Skype screen, then hear her voice behind me! She's flown home for a visit! I had no idea!' Hughesy captioned an Instagram photo of the radio duo Seconds later the brunette mother-of-four was seen bursting through the studio doors to greet her radio co-star. 'That's weird,' a surprised Hughsey remarked before adding: 'What is happening here?! That's bizarre.' The clip concluded with footage of the pair embracing as Italian music played in the background. La dolce vita! Kate relocated from Melbourne to Italy four months ago with her family, and has set up a studio to continue hosting the Hit Network's Hughesy and Kate She's no stranger to showing off her sensational physique in beachwear. And Vogue Williams looked incredible in a polka dot swimsuit as she posted a sizzling snap on Instagram while soaking up the sun on the balcony of her London home on Sunday. The model and TV presenter, 33, flaunted her sensational gym-honed physique in an M&S one-piece which accentuated her washboard midriff. Sensational: Vogue Williams looked incredible in a polka dot swimsuit as she posted a sizzling snap on Instagram while soaking up the sun on the balcony of her London home on Sunday The mother-of-one looked like a goddess as she posed up a storm, wearing a large sun hat to shield her from the rays. The Irish television personality showed off her sun-kissed limbs, no doubt bronzed by her own tanning range. Pairing the look with a bright red lip and large sunglasses, Vogue looked ready for summer. The reality star captioned the sizzling snap and wrote: 'Hello summer!!! Last year, I spent most of my free time on my balcony and this year's sunbathing has already commenced!' Sizzling: The model and TV presenter, 33, flaunted her sensational gym-honed physique in the M&S swimwear which accentuated her washboard midriff Vogue also took to her Instagram stories to share various sizzling snaps, as she gushed about the new swimwear range. The TV star shares son Theodore, eight months, with former Made In Chelsea lothario Spencer Matthews, 30. The couple met when they both competed on Channel 4 ski competition, The Jump, in early 2017, and before long, friendship turned to romance. The couple got engaged in January 2018 and tied the knot that June at Spencer's family's sprawling Glen Affric estate in the Scottish Highlands. The pair welcomed Theodore three months later in September 2018, and have made no secret that baby number two could soon be in sight. Beach ready: Pairing the look with a bright red lip and large sunglasses, Vogue looked ready for summer The mother-of-one appeared to be eyeing further additions to her brood, as she appeared on ITV's Lorraine last week. When asked about the prospect of more kids, Vogue stated: 'Yes definitely, hopefully soon, I'll keep practising.' Speaking about Theodore, she said: 'Theodore loves the camera, he's so well behaved. He's sleeping now which makes it so much better... 'You dont get sleep at the start. I love working with Spencer, the more time we can spend together is better. I look back on the reality show and think how did I do that?' Following their hugely successful E4 reality show, Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too, Vogue admitted she did not know about a return as she said: 'I havent heard yet about doing another show, but possibly.' Former Bachelor Nick Cummins has slammed rumours he is dating Married At First Sight bombshell, Jessika Power. Amid reports the pair have started a hot and heavy romance on Monday, the former Wallabies star was resolute in condemning the claims. Nick claimed he had 'never met' the blonde beauty, adding he has also never messaged her in a clip on his Instagram stories. 'G'Day guys, now there's been an article come out about who I'm dating from a credible source. I look forward to shedding some light on these silly billies,' he said. Nick shared a copy of the article from the magazine, with him then writing he has 'never met or messaged her,' The former elite athlete followed that up by saying: 'I have never met this person that you say I am currently dating.' 'I have never met this person': Former Bachelor Nick Cummins, 31, (L) slams reports he is dating Married At First Sight star Jessika Power, 27, (R) claiming he has never even 'messaged' her He added in the caption: 'Truth: I'm single, happy, healthy and enjoying my adventures. All the best.' He then went on an insulting rant about the publication who made the claims, calling for them to do better in 2019. On Monday, Jessika also slammed the report calling it 'fake news' , after the pair were featured on the cover of a magazine. Still a Bachelor! He added in the caption: 'Truth: I'm single, happy, healthy and enjoying my adventures. All the best' Making headlines! Taking to Instagram on Monday, Jessika shared a photo of a magazine cover announcing the pair's supposed 'romance', before laughing off the claims as 'fake news' Taking to Instagram on Monday, the 27-year-old wrote: 'LOL! I swear the media give me a new boyfriend every week. Fake news, guys.' It comes after NW magazine reported earlier on Monday that Nick and Jessika were 'in the early stages of a romance.' 'Jess started following Nick on Instagram way back when he was on The Bachelor,' a source told the publication. Centre of attention: 'LOL! I swear the media give me a new boyfriend every week. Fake news, guys,' Jessika wrote in the caption Making her move: Jessika started following Nick on Instagram back in March They added: 'Word is she slid into his DMs after things fizzled with Dan and they've arranged to meet up. 'She wasn't exactly subtle. She thinks he's really, really hot and let him know it... They're the perfect couple if you ask me... They'll be the bogan king and queen of Australia.' Jess started following Nick on Instagram back in March. Earlier this month, she left a flattering comment on his latest Instagram post. Meanwhile, Jess told the magazine that Nick is her celebrity crush. 'I find him so funny, so witty, so so hilarious. I love his Aussie slang and p**s myself laughing when he talks,' she confessed at the time. Flirting: 'Beautiful shot,' Jess wrote under Nick's recent Instagram photo of Lake Argyle Splitsville! Jess previously dated Dan Webb (right) - with their relationship starting while she was still 'married' to Mick Gould on MAFS - but they split in April due to 'trust issues' on his part She jetted in late for the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend. Yet Vietnamese model Ngoc Trinh made her arrival count as she wore the most daring outfit to A Hidden Life premiere at Palais du Festival, in Cannes on Sunday. The beauty, 29, bared all in a see-through black bodice-style dress as she hit the red carpet with the slew of stars. Sheer delight: Vietnamese model Ngoc Trinh bared all in a sheer bodice-style dress at A Hidden Life premiere in Cannes on Sunday Not leaving anything to the imagination, the bombshell offered a look at her cleavage in the raunchy keyhole neckline. Double thigh-splits ensured a lot of leg was on display but glistening beaded detailing was stitched into the train to preserve some of her modesty. Trinh was on the Cannes red carpet to make a statement as she sauntered her way through the crowds in extremely steep block heels. All eyes were on her slender figure as she arranged her chocolate shade locks into a pinned back bun and defined her features with striking make-up. Saucy style: Not leaving anything to the imagination, the bombshell offered a look at her cleavage in the raunchy keyhole neckline Lady Victoria Hervey, Kimberley Garner, Aishwarya Rai and Victoria's Secret Angel Elsa Hosk led the glamour on the red carpet for the movie premiere. A Hidden Life tells the story of conscientious objector Austrian Franz Jagerstatter who refuses to fight the Nazis in World War II. Since her late arrival in the south of France on Sunday, the beauty has given her 2.2m followers social media fans a look into her trip to Cannes. On point: Trinh was on the Cannes red carpet to make a statement as she sauntered her way through the crowds in extremely steep block heels Racy lady: Double thigh-splits ensured a lot of leg was on display but glistening beaded detailing was stitched into the train to preserve some of her modesty She's a bombshell! All eyes were on her slender figure as she arranged her chocolate shade locks into a pinned back bun and defined her features with striking make-up One of a kind: She joined the likes of Lady Victoria Hervey, Kimberley Garner, Aishwarya Rai and Victoria's Secret Angel Elsa Hosk on the red carpet Trinh was spotted at the star-studded Chopard party where she joined Nick Jonas, 26, and his wife Priyanka Chopra, 36. Among the crowded A-list pack of stars at Cannes, she stands out as one of Vietnam's most glamorous models known for her eponymous line Ngoc Trinh. Thanks to her modelling credentials, Ngoc has achieved the title Photogenic Supermodel Vietnam. Made a name for herself: Among the crowded A-list pack of stars at Cannes, she stands out as one of Vietnam's most glamorous models known for her eponymous line Ngoc Trinh Big name: Thanks to her modelling credentials, Ngoc has achieved the title Photogenic Supermodel Vietnam Jonathan Cheban sure spends a lot of time with his Russian-born mother. Last week the best friend of Kim Kardashian was seen taking his mom Galina Cheban, a real-estate agent who lives in New Jersey, out for lunch on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This comes after the 43-year-old New Jersey native was seen with his pal Gemma Collins in LA. The two met on the set of Celebrity Big Brother. Close to her: Jonathan Cheban sure spends a lot of time with his Russian born mother. Last week the best friend of Kim Kardashian was seen taking his mom Galina Cheban, a real-estate agent who lives in New Jersey, out for lunch on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills Cheban wore a clash of prints for his day in the 90210. He had on a tie-dye bomber jacket over a black T-shirt and wore a thick diamond encrusted chain. His cargo pants had a camo design that could not be ignored. But what stood out the most were his shoe laces. One high top Nike sneaker had black laces while the other had light pink. Outrageous look: Cheban wore a clash of prints for his day in the 90210. He had on a tie-dye bomber jacket over a black T-shirt and wore a thick diamond encrusted chain His mom wore all black - black top, black cigarette pants and black slippers. And proving she is into the Kardashian family, she modeled a Yeezy jacket made by Kim's husband Kanye West. Last week he was seen with Collins on their way to dinner in LA. The two have worked together for years. Down with Ye: His mom wore all black - black top, black cigarette pants and black slippers. And proving she is into the Kardashian family, she modeled a Yeezy jacket made by Kim's husband Kanye West Gemma's appearance comes amid claims she has taken to hiking up Runyon Canyon to burn 400 calories at a time - a similar tactic to that used by Victoria Beckham, 45. A source revealed Gemma is determined to keep off the weight she lost during her stint on Dancing On Ice, and she wants to shed even more. This comes as her boyfriend, James Argent, 31, was told he could die if he doesn't lose 10 stone. Mr FoodGod! On social media over the weekend JC - also known as FoodGod - said he had eggs for breakfast and pizza for dinner His pal from across the pond: On May 14 he was seen with Gemma Collins in LA 'She is going on a Runyon Canyon hike which will burn at least 400 calories a time - like Victoria Beckham,' a source told The Sun. 'She knows she needs to work up a sweat to keep her weight down and she misses the endorphins from when she used to do three hour rehearsals on Dancing On Ice.' The source also claimed that Gemma has fallen head over heels for the Hollywood lifestyle and doesn't plan on coming home to Essex any time soon. A source said: 'Gemma loves the vibe in LA - she even fell in love with the airport when she landed and was waiting thee hours for her crew to arrive so she was just exploring. 'She loves the laid back lifestyle. She is on a soul searching mission and she is trying to find herself. She sees LA as her spiritual home.' Gemma visited a cosmetic surgeon in a bid to have fat removed from her face after he two and a half stone weight loss earlier this week. Dr Simon Ourian, a favourite of the Kardashians, was recommended to Gemma by her pal Jonathan, who is best friends with Kim. Under the knife: Gemma visited the Kardashians' cosmetic surgeon Dr Simon Ourian in a bid to have fat removed from her face earlier this week Taking to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, the former TOWIE star shared a video from her consultation with the acclaimed surgeon. She told her fans: 'Guys, I'm with the top, top cosmetic surgeon in LA Doctor Ourian.' Jonathan then says that Dr Ourian, who has a three month waiting list, had worked with a ton of A-listers and not just 'Instagram stars'. Gemma said: 'They've all been here and now I'm here and I can't wait to show you the results. I need this fat sucked out of my face pronto because I've just lost 2.5 stone but the face don't get any thinner.' The reality star will attempt to crack America with her new six-part show Diva Forever, in which she will be reunited with former Dancing With The Stars partner Matt Evers. The show is set to air later this year. Billionaire property tycoon Nick Candy may be currently facing a 1.5 billion court case, but that didn't stop him enjoying a day out with his wife Holly Valance at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday. The couple appeared in high spirits as they perused the flower displays and sculptures at the annual festival, in the company of fellow celebrities such as Dame Judi Dench, Mary Berry, Dermot O'Leary and Joanna Lumley. Holly, 36, beamed as she cosied up to her husband of seven years in a leopard print blouse with a black lace detailing, skinny jeans and a black blazer. Billionaire property tycoon Nick Candy may be currently facing a 1.5 billion court case, but that didn't stop him enjoying a day out with his wife Holly Valance at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday She wore her honeyed locks loosely around her features and added large dark sunglasses to shield her eyes. She toted a Chanel box purse and added black and gold flats to the look. Also in shades was her husband Nick, 46, who went smart/casual in an open-collar white shirt, blazer and matching slacks. The couple appeared in high spirits as they perused the flower displays and sculptures at the annual festival Laughs: Holly, 36, beamed as she cosied up to her husband of seven years in a leopard print blouse with a black lace detailing, skinny jeans and a black blazer Shady: Also in shades was her husband Nick, 46, who went smart/casual in an open-collar white shirt, blazer and matching slacks The couple's day out comes as Nick is being asked to pay an eye-watering 1.5 billion even though the legal argument is over a building costing less than 10 per cent of that figure. The real estate mogul - who, within the space of a year, successfully fought a 132 million legal battle against former friend Mark Holyoake and enjoyed the infinitely more agreeable experience of being a guest at Princess Eugenie's wedding - is facing the High Court action, and being accused of 'malicious sabotage' even though this is not a term recognised in English law. The claim, brought by company director Michael Brown, concerns Candy's 160 million penthouse the most expensive flat in Britain at One Hyde Park. Fellow revelers: The couple were in the company of fellow celebrities such as Dame Judi Dench, Mary Berry, Dermot O'Leary, Prue Leith [L] and Joanna Lumley [R] Candy (middle) with David Walliams, Jimmy Carr and Vernon Kay after Candy had won his court case with Mark Holyoake The claim also vents at the 'wanton and indecorous and imbecilic behaviours' by a member of the Qatari royal family. 'The deal was for me to arrange the sale of Mr Candy's penthouse at One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, London, for the sum of 175 million,' alleges Brown in his claim, who names Nick Candy as the first among a number of defendants. 'Mr Candy was very concerned with getting this affair sorted after calling me for weeks on end, pleading for help to put arrangements in place which would result in the sale to my clients from the Saudi royal family and the House of Saud.' Candy - who took out an 80 million mortgage on the pad last October, one of the largest loans ever advanced on a British property - issues a derisive response to Brown's action. High stakes: Candy's 160 million penthouse the most expensive flat in Britain at One Hyde Park Hot property: One Hyde Park has stunning views of London as well as being protected by a number of security features such as panic rooms and bulletproof glass 'This claim is pure fiction. The alleged potential purchaser never visited One Hyde Park or the penthouse. In fact, Mr Brown wrote to Nick Candy in July 2016 to advise that he no longer wished to pursue any potential sale,' a statement asserted. 'The property was never sold and Mr Candy maintains that there was no financial loss to the claimant.' Candy and his legal team are certain the claim will be thrown out when a 'strike-out hearing' is held at the High Court next month. He's been keeping busy filming scenes for coming-of-age drama film Little Women, set for release later this year. And James Norton proved there's no rest for the wicked as he touched down in Nice Airport alongside a female pal for the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on Monday afternoon. The Grantchester actor, 33, cut an typically stylish figure as she strolled along the terminal in a sharp black mac coat, teamed with a stone-coloured shirt and indigo jeans. Busy bee: James Norton proved there's no rest for the wicked as he touched down in Nice Airport alongside a female pal for Cannes Film Festival on Monday afternoon Maintaining his suave look, the War & Peace star donned a pair of glossy brown Oxford shoes. The award-winning thespian's stunning pal caught the eye in a vibrant pink belted dress, while nailing sporty chic in white canvas trainers. In the romance department, the screen star is currently dating 28 Weeks Later star Imogen Poots, 29. Off he goes: The Grantchester actor, 33, cut an typically stylish figure as she strolled along the terminal in a sharp black mac coat, teamed with a stone-coloured shirt and indigo jeans Dapper: Maintaining his suave look, the War & Peace star donned a pair of glossy brown Oxford shoes Standing out: The award-winning thespian's stunning pal caught the eye in a vibrant pink belted dress, while nailing sporty chic in white canvas trainers Beaming: James appeared in great spirits a he prepared to hit the star-studded red carpets of the 72nd annual event James and Imogen's romance hasn't been the best kept secret after they were seen smooching during a Christmas shopping trip in December 2017. An onlooker told Daily Mail at the time: They appeared to be very much in love. They are clearly very close and seemed relaxed in each others company. The relationship blossomed shortly after his heartbreaking split from his girlfriend of two years Jessie Buckley. Earlier this year, James joked he 'envies' Tom Brittney, who took over his role as priest-turned-crime solver Sidney Chambers in British drama series Granchester back in January. Loved-up: In the romance department, the screen star is currently dating 28 Weeks Later star Imogen Poots, 29 (pictured together in September 2018) The actor told Radio Times : 'Its a wrench. My head says its time to move forward, but my heart is saying these are my friends wonderful people that Ive spent the last four years with, and had the most incredible time with'. 'It sounds crass to say it, but Grantchester was the first time I was number one on the call sheet in the morning. Thats when youre front and centre of the show.' The actor went on to describe the complex relationship he has with his alter-ego: 'Sidney is an extreme individual, and hes tortured and conflicted like all of us. 'But whats wonderful about returning to him for this series is his goodness. He always sees the best in people and wants the best for them.' She has been pulling out all the stops on her Cannes Film Festival looks. And Kimberley Garner shimmied her way through the streets packed with A-list stars during the Cannes Film Festival, in France on Monday. The swimsuit designer, 29, looked breathtaking in a skimpy slip-on dress which barely covered her enviable model figure. Only in Cannes! Kimberley Garner stunned in a navy saucy slip-on dress as she headed to the red carpet during Cannes Film Festival, in France on Monday The reality star teetered across the Cannes cobbles in very high sandals as she didn't opt out of wearing heels during the afternoon. A natural in front of the cameras as a former Made In Chelsea star, the TV personality arranged her golden locks around her face and applied glam touches of make-up. As a designer following the latest trends, Kimberley toted a microscopic classy handbag with a golden chain. Astonishing: The swimsuit designer, 29, looked breathtaking in a skimpy slip-on dress which barely covered her enviable model figure Ahead of the Monday red carpet, the former Made In Chelsea star made a glam transformation in an aqua coloured one-shoulder ballgown. Silver sequins were stitched into the billowing dress to bring an extra dazzling quality to her appearance. Kimberley has been treading all the hottest red carpets during the Cannes Film Festival after her arrival in the south of France. Ultra glam: A natural in front of the cameras as a former Made In Chelsea star, the TV personality arranged her golden locks around her face and applied touches of make-up How to accessorise: As a designer following the latest trends, Kimberley toted a microscopic classy handbag with a golden chain It was fantastic for the reality star to be propelled in front of the flashing cameras again following her house-hunting trip to Miami. In a chat with MailOnline, the blonde admitted she flew to Florida after purchasing a dream home in the coastal city. 'I worked very hard last year and had even moved home for a few months to save money,' she explained. 'I really had my head down working to concentrate on goals, but achieved it on New Years Eve, praise God, and flew over here. Completing the sale on the plane over.' Amazing in aqua! Ahead of the Monday red carpet, the former Made In Chelsea star made a glam transformation in an aqua coloured one-shoulder ballgown Reflecting on her new home, the swimwear designer confessed it is a world away from her former busy life in London. 'Its right on the beach, and really is a dream come true,' she explained. 'I am over doing the interior design, going for a beachy chilled vibe for the place. 'I wont be moving here, as London is one hundred percent home, but really overjoyed and proud to have achieved it.' She's been enjoying a sun-kissed holiday in Turks And Caicos on one of her many exotic holidays this year. And Sam Faiers, 28, shared a sweet Instagram snap alongside her 18-month-old daughter Rosie as they lounged on the sand during a family beach outing on the Turks and Caicos Islands on Sunday. The Mummy Diaries star looked positively glowing in a striped red bikini that showed off her bronzed physique. Sun-kissed: Sam Faiers shared a sweet Instagram snap alongside 18-month-old daughter Rosie while on the beach in Turks and Caicos on Sunday Proving she has a fabulous figure, the mother-of-two looked sensational as she posed in the sizzling swimwear. Opting for a natural look, Sam went makeup free and shielded her eyes from the sun with statement sunglasses. The reality star looked fresh from a dip in the ocean as she swept her brunette tresses back from her face. Ever the doting mum, Sam posed alongside Rosie who looked sweet in a patterned blue swimsuit. Happy couple: The Mummy Diaries star has been enjoying another exotic holiday with beau Paul Knightley and her two children Cute: Sam has shared a host of fun-filled snaps of her brood (pictured with Paul) and her beau from her sunshine holiday on Instagram She captioned the sweet snap: 'Mermaids'. Sam has shared a host of fun-filled snaps of her children and beau from her sunshine holiday on Instagram. Sam was seen chasing the sun again as she headed to Gatwick Airport with her boyfriend Paul Knightley, son Paul, three, and daughter Rosie for the exotic getaway. The former TOWIE star took to Instagram to tell her fans she was jetting off on 'another adventure' as they checked in for their flight. Their latest trip comes just three weeks after the family jetted to the sunny climes of Dubai to ring in Easter. Bonding: The holiday came after the family recently jetted off to Dubai over Easter The family spared no expense for the trip, staying at the luxury hotel the One & Only Royal Mirage. Sam has just finished wrapping up the last series on ITVBe show Mummy Diaries, which aired earlier this month. The Faiers family watched Sam's sister Billie marry Greg Shepherd in a breathtakingly beautiful Maldives beach ceremony. Fans saw the ins and outs, ups and downs and excitement ahead of their wedding, including Billie's dad Dave nearly missing the big day after he was too inebriated to fly and was escorted off his plane to the Maldives. In the 90-minute special the couple finally said 'I do' in front of 95 guests, after five years together and over a year of planning to reach the big moment. Bethenny Frankel took to social media this weekend to plug her Skinnygirl line, which has made her a multi-millionaire. The Real Housewives Of New York City star launched the line in 2011, starting with alcohol, and then moved into chocolates and even jeans. Now she is selling bras. The 48-year-old New York native wore one of the black Skinnygirl bras with light grey sweatpants after waking up in her Manhattan apartment. Skinny dreams: Bethenny Frankel took to social media this weekend to plug her Skinnygirl line, which has made her a multi-millionaire Bra sale: The Real Housewives Of New York City star launched the line in 2011, starting with alcohol, and then moved into chocolates and even jeans. Now she is selling bras Frankel appeared to have a very small waistline with impressive abs. The TV staple was makeup free with her hair pulled back as if she was about to work out. And she wore her watch and several bracelets. During the quick clip she talked about how wonderful the new bras are. The Scoop Chevron Ribbed Lounge Bralette - which comes in black and spiced melon - sells for $36 for a two pack. They come in Small to XL. Buy it! The 48-year-old New York native wore one of the black Skinnygirl bras with light grey sweatpants after waking up in her Manhattan apartment Her look: Frankel appeared to have a very small waistline with impressive abs. The TV staple was makeup free with her hair pulled back as if she was about to work out. And she wore her watch and several bracelets Bra talk: During the quick clip she talked about how wonderful the new bras are. The Scoop Chevron Ribbed Lounge Bralette - which comes in black and spiced melon - sells for $36 for a two pack Frankel seemed very proud of the bra as she showed off the front, sides and back. Her bed was not made, but she didn't seem to care as she likes to keep it real for her 2M Instagram followers. She began as a natural foods chef where she marketed Bethenny Bakes, her healthy baked goods, to selling Princess Pashminas at house parties, and ultimately creating the first low-calorie cocktail category with the launch of Skinnygirl Cocktails. 'A true entrepreneur, to further build Skinnygirl Cocktails, Bethenny partnered with Beam Suntory in 2011 to grow the portfolio to include wines, flavored vodkas, and ready-to-drink cocktails,' it says on her website. 'Skinnygirl has since expanded into a $100 million dollar lifestyle empire featuring products for women that offer practical solutions to everyday problems. Body type: Frankel seemed very proud of the bra as she showed off the front, sides and back. Her bed was not made, but she didn't seem to care as she likes to keep it real for her 2M Instagram followers 'In 2017, Bethenny expanded the Skinnygirl empire to even higher heights when she partnered with One Jeanswear Group to launch Skinnygirl Jeans, a body inclusive line that celebrates all women.' Frankel also started her own TV production company, B Real Productions, producing two seasons of FYIs Food Porn, and creating, producing, and starring in Bravos Keeping it Real Estate with Bethenny and Fredrik. Recently she signed a deal with MGM and Mark Burnett. Last week she blew up at her ex-husband Jason Hoppy while in court. Skinny life: Earlier this year she posed in a blue bathing suit by a swimming pool They are locked in a bitter custody battle over their nine-year-old daughter Bryn. And on day three of court proceedings in New York, Frankel interrupted Hoppy's testimony in an emotional outburst, RadarOnline reported. As he spoke about how 'furious' he was that Frankel did interviews about their failed marriage, the Real Housewives Of New York star yelled at him: 'You tortured me. You tortured me!' The judge then reprimanded Frankel, reminding her that it was her former husband's time to testify, and then ordered a break in proceedings. Outburst: Frankel, left in November, interrupted testimony by ex-husband Jason Hoppy, right in February 2018, during court proceedings Wednesday, yelling 'You tortured me' According to Radar, the reality star and Skinnygirl businesswoman 'stormed out' of the courtroom and was then seen speaking with her current boyfriend Paul Bernon. Frankel and Hoppy married in 2010 shortly before the birth of their daughter Bryn in May that year. They separated in December 2012 and Frankel filed for divorce in January 2013. It was finalized in 2016 following a bitter fight over the division of property. During cross examination by Frankel's attorney, Hoppy told the court that the marriage faltered after Frankel started her Skinny Girl brand in 2012. Famous mom: The Real Housewives of New York star is seeking sole custody of Bryn, saying she wants more time with her and not have to be in contact with Hoppy over day-today care; seen in 2017 He explained, according to Radar: 'Prior to the deal, we were on equal footingwe were a team and a partnership. Then the deal happened, and it seemed like I was beneath her.' 'She made a lot of money in that deal, and my job was meaningless,' he said.It was no longer a partnership. And anything I would do was not good enough.' For her part, Frankel has repeatedly accused her ex of abusing and torturing her. In 2017, Hoppy was arrested for stalking and harassing Frankel but the charges were subsequently dropped. The Bravo reality star is seeking to gain sole custody of their daughter. She has previously testified that she wants to spend more time with Bryn and not have to be in contact with Hoppy over her day-today care. Hoppy has said he is satisfied with the current shared custody arrangement. She filed a lawsuit against the Kardashian/Jenner family last year following the cancellation of her E! show, Rob & Chyna. And while a judge ruled in December 2018 that Blac Chyna and the Kardashian/Jenner's would face off in February 2020, it has now been revealed a deposition will take place before August 31. A lawyer for the 31-year-old former fiance of Rob Kardashian will reportedly be questioning Khloe Kardashian, 34, and Kylie Jenner, 21, about whether they had anything to do with cancelling her show Rob & Chyna, according to court documents obtained by The Blast. Lawsuit continues: It has been reported that Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian have been ordered for question in the ongoing lawsuit filed by Blac Chyna 'Chyna will get to question the sisters about their relationship with Rob Kardashian and whether or not they interfered with her reality show, Rob & Chyna, by getting the network and producers to cancel the show,' a source told the site. The year 2018 saw the former stripper sue her ex-fiance, Rob, and his sisters, Khloe and Kim Kardashian, as well as his mom, Kris, and half-sister, Kylie Jenner. In February 2019, Us Weekly revealed Chyna had also asked the court to compel executive producer, Ryan Seacrest, to submit a deposition in relation to the messy case as well. Friends to foes: Chyna also sued her former friend, Kim Kardashian, in regards to her show's cancellation Everyone but Kourtney and Kendall! 2018 saw the former stripper sue her ex-fiance, Rob, and his sisters, Khloe and Kim Kardashian, as well as his mom, Kris (pictured), and half-sister, Kylie Jenner (pictured 2013) Is he involved? In February 2019, Us Weekly revealed Chyna had also asked the court to compel executive producer, Ryan Seacrest, to submit a disposition in relation to the messy case as well While reports revealed Ryan had continually refused to appear in person for the deposition, the rest of the Kardashian/Jenner family have continued to claim their innocence. At the time, Chyna asked the radio host for $3,255 to cover costs associated with her motion. Back in November 2018, the court confirmed the case would go to trial. The following month, emails surfaced that showed sisters Khloe and Kylie corresponding about ending their brother and his then fiancee's show. Former stars: Rob & Chyna ran for one season in 2016 (pictured) and was hosted by the E! Network - the same as Keeping Up With The Kardashians 'I feel very strongly about canceling Season 2 for Rob&Chyna,' Kylie wrote in an email to Khloe, as obtained by the courts. 'The only reason Chyna wants to be with my brother is for this show. She does not love Rob and their relationship is too fake and destructive.' The youngest Jenner sister added: 'We all know filming isnt my favorite but I will sacrifice and promise you guys episodes and stories and Im sure all my sisters will be on board to make up for all the episodes Rob&Chyna were supposed to bring in.' Not happy: 'I feel very strongly about canceling Season 2 for Rob&Chyna,' Kylie wrote in an email to Khloe, as obtained by the courts. 'The only reason Chyna wants to be with my brother is for this show. She does not love Rob and their relationship is too fake and destructive' Kholoe: 'The sisters are clearly concerned and uncomfortable for our brothers safety and the credibility of the brand at this point due to how they [Rob and Chyna] are both tarnishing it. We are even considering not moving forward with our show if theirs continues. Thats how strongly we feel this is damaging to our family' (pictured: Khloe, Rob and Kim in 2011) 'The public has been exposed to what a fake relationship they have and its embarrassing and makes us all look fake. The show is giving this toxic woman money and exposure she lives and breathes for and by continuing it. She will proceed with using and physically abusing my brother. Her association is detrimental to our family and Keeping Up W the Kardashians.' And Khloe also wasn't shy on holding back her thoughts. 'The sisters are clearly concerned and uncomfortable for our brothers safety and the credibility of the brand at this point due to how they [Rob and Chyna] are both tarnishing it. We are even considering not moving forward with our show if theirs continues. Thats how strongly we feel this is damaging to our family.' At the time on Monday December 17, 2018, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Randolph M. Hammock ruled that the two parties would face off February 2020. Causing drama: Things have been messy between Chyna and the large reality TV family for some time; seen in2017 New love: After dating Chyna and welcoming son King, six, Tyga moved onto Kylie Jenner in 2014 (pictured 2016) Things have been messy between Chyna and the large reality TV family for some time. Engaged to rapper Tyga, and parents to son King, they first met back in 2011 on set for his music video, Rack City. The pair split around the time that he moved on to Kylie Jenner, throwing her her 17th birthday party in 2014. And another spanner was thrown in the works in 2016 when Chyna found love with Kylie's brother, Rob. They went on to have a very tumultuous relationship, welcoming daughter Dream, two, in November 2016. Rob and Chyna split in 2017 and have only in the past few weeks sorted out their custody battle. Advertisement A slew of stars hit the red carpet on Monday night for the world premiere of La Belle Epoque at the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival. Josephine Skriver, 26, and Petra Nemcova, 39, led the glamour, competing for attention as they worked the red carpet in stunning scarlet gowns. Danish model Josephine opted to shun the cardinal legs or cleavage rule, flaunting both her jaw-dropping curves and lithe limbs in a Pamella Roland plunging chiffon dress, while Petra turned heads in an asymmetric satin frock. Wow factor: Josephine Skriver, 26, and Petra Nemcova, 39, (L-R) led the red carpet glamour for the world premiere of La Belle Epoque at the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on Monday night Josephine appeared in her element as she worked the red carpet in the billowing dress, which had cape sleeves, ruffle detailing and a slash in the skirt. With glittering silver heels, the Victoria's Secret angel added to the drama of her red carpet look by donning a gold chunky necklace and wearing her hair in a bouffant ponytail. Czech beauty Petra also flaunted her tremendous pins in her asymmetric frock, which came complete with a daring thigh-high slit and extravagant bow. Working it: Danish model Josephine opted to shun the cardinal legs or cleavage rule, flaunting both her jaw-dropping curves and lithe limbs in a Pamella Roland plunging chiffon dress Angelic: Perhaps inspired by her Victoria's Secret angel status, Josephine held up the billowing pleated sleeves in a move which looked like angel wings Angel wings: Josephine appeared in her element as she worked the red carpet in the billowing dress, which had cape sleeves, ruffle detailing and a slash in the skirt Gorgeous: The Victoria's Secret angel added to the drama of her red carpet look by donning a gold chunky necklace and wearing her hair in a bouffant ponytail In the spotlight: Josephine ensured all eyes were on her, working the cameras with her dramatic poses Leggy display: Czech model Petra also flaunted her model pins in the asymmetric frock, which came complete with a daring thigh-high slit Strike a pose: Petra oozed confidence as she strutted down the red carpet in the silky dress, amping up the glamour with a dazzling emerald green necklace Strutting her stuff: Petra showed off the trail of the gown as she ascended the stairs Petra oozed confidence as she strutted down the red carpet in the silky dress, amping up the glamour with a dazzling emerald green necklace. Adding a boost to her statuesque frame with silver stilettos, the television host wore her blonde locks in a sleek straight centre parting and finished off the look with a slick of red lipstick. Pixie Lott showed off her fashion prowess in blue tulle dress as she took to the red carpet with her dapper fiance Oliver Cheshire. She's got style: Pixie Lott showed off her fashion prowess in blue tulle dress with a strapless velour bodice Power couple: Pixie took to the red carpet with her dapper fiance Oliver Cheshire Accessories: Pixie, who became engaged to her model beau in 2016, paired her two-tone dress with a silver choker and glittering drop earrings Classic: Fashion model Oliver opted for a classic black three-piece suit for the star-studded event, finished off with an oversized bow tie Daring to be different: Aishwarya Rai stole the show in a white tiered gown and dramatic feather stole Pulling out all the stops: The tulle skirt cascaded behind her as she tottered down the red carpet Confident: The Bollywood star waved to the cameras as she boldly strutted her stuff in the striking gown Better not trip! The beauty required assistance as she headed up the stairs The singer flashed a hint of cleavage in the strapless velour bodice, while her diamond necklace and statement earrings added extra sparkle. The couple, who touched down in Nice Airport on Sunday, posed up a storm for the cameras, with Oliver showing off his model good looks in a classic black three-piece suit and matching bow tie. Marion Cotillard opted for a gothic glamour as she slipped into a shiny crop top and matching full length skirt. Quirky: French actress Marion Cotillard opted for gothic glamour as she slipped into a shiny crop top and matching full length skirt Beauty: Marion, 43, amped up the glamour with gold drop earrings and deftly touches of make-up Turning heads: The La Vie En Rose star posed solo as she arrived for the screening of the film Her boys: Marion was joined by Gilles Lellouche (L) and Jean Dujardin (R) who looked devilishly handsome in black suits Princess: Kimberley Garner, 29, caught the eye in a embellished one-shouldered gown Show-stopping look: Cinching her in at the waist with a slim metallic belt, the dress then billowed out into a voluminous skirt, which was adorned with thousands of tiny silver beads Breathtaking beauty: The former Made In Chelsea star looked like a Disney princess in the sweeping one-shouldered gown Regal: Lady Victoria Hervey looked every inch a golden goddess in a semi sheer metallic foil gown Golden goddess: The socialite, 42, sparkled as she took to the red carpet in the high neck gown, which was encrusted with hundreds of foil splatters Shimmering in the spotlight: The IT girl wore her blonde locks in an elegant chignon and accessorised her premiere outfit with a gold clutch bag and mixed metal bracelets The French actress flashed a hint of her toned stomach in the co-ord as she arrived for the screening of the film with Gilles Lellouche and Jean Dujardin. Kimberley Garner, 29, caught the eye in a embellished one-shouldered gown. The former Made In Chelsea star looked like a Disney princess in the sweeping one-shouldered dress, which cinched her in at the waist with a slim metallic belt. Vision of beauty: Neelam Gill looked ethereal in a voluminous white skirt and satin bandeau crop top Stealing the show: Neelam, 24, stole the spotlight in the bridal-inspired two-piece, with the skirt's trail flowing behind her as she strode confidently down the red carpet Wow: Cindy Bruna rocked a dramatic jumpsuit which came complete with shoulder pads and a long cape Elegant: She worked the red carpet for the screening of the highly-anticpated film Floral queen: Florence Pugh strutted into the cinema in a plunging blue frock which was adorned with flowers The dress then billowed out into a voluminous skirt, which was adorned with thousands of tiny silver beads. French film La Belle Epoque follows Victor, a disillusioned sexagenarian, who has his life turned upside down on the day when entrepreneur Antoine, a brilliant entrepreneur, offers him a new kind of attraction. Victor then choses to relive the most memorable week of his life: the one where, 40 years earlier, he met the great love. There she goes! Natalia Vodianova cut a glamorous figure in a figure-hugging silver sheer dress with a cut-out sequined embellishment Glam: Styling her brunette locks into an updo, Natalia wore diamond earrings and a shimmering bracelet Wow: Adding height to her frame with a pair of heels, she completed her look with a red lip The movie is directed and written by Nicolas Bedos and stars Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic 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. Lady in red: Paola Turani wowed in a shimmering pleated maroon one-shouldered gown 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. 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. His career in front of the camera has spanned more than two decades. And Liev Schreiber cut a dapper figure in a navy suit as he attended a swanky party at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. The actor, 51, proved to be in high spirits as he mingled with the likes of French supermodel, Cindy Bruna, 24, Handsome: Liev Schreiber, 51, cut a dapper figure in a navy suit as he attended a swanky party at Cannes Film Festival on Monday Cindy looked stylish as ever, wearing a grey houndstooth blazer and matching trousers. Letting her raven locks hang loose down her shoulders, she added further glamour to her look with a large silver necklace and matching earrings. The pair chatted at the event while Liev was also seen mixing and mingling with other guests. Liev will next be seen in the romantic comedy A Rainy Day In New York, which is scheduled for release in September. A-list: The actor proved to be in high spirits as he mingled with the likes of French supermodel, Cindy Bruna, 24 Style: Cindy looked stylish as ever, wearing a grey houndstooth blazer and matching trousers The actor stars alongside Elle Fanning, Timothee Chalomet and Jude Law in the flick, which was directed by Woody Allen. The film was completed in 2017 but its distributor Amazon Studios delayed its release due to controversy surrounding Allen and the Me Too Movement. Liev and former partner Naomi Watts, who he split from in September 2016 after 11 years together, share sons Sasha, 10, and nine-year-old Kai. Gorgeous: Letting her raven locks hang loose down her shoulders, she added further glamour to her look with a large silver necklace and matching earrings Party: Liev was seen helping himself to some beverages Naomi and Liev have kept things amicable since ending their romance and are often photographed enjoying a walk in New York City with his dog and their children. The actor is now dating 26-year-old Taylor Neisen who he has been linked with since late 2017. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic 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. Career: Liev will next be seen in the romantic comedy A Rainy Day In New York, which is scheduled for release in September Beginning: Liev made his big screen debut in 1994 when he starred in the film Mixed Nuts with Steve Martin 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. Film: He is also slated to appear in the upcoming flick Human Capital with Marisa Tomei 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. 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. She's one of the world's top models and is known in the industry by the nickname Supernova. And Natalia Vodianova cut a glamorous figure as she attended the screening of La Belle Epoque during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on Monday. The Russian beauty, 36, turned heads on the red carpet in a figure-hugging silver sheer dress with a cut-out sequined embellishment. Event: Natalia Vodianova cut a glamorous figure as she attended the screening of La Belle Epoque during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on Monday The garment also featured a leg slit and a baby pink wrap-style garment that went around the left side of the dress. Styling her brunette locks into an updo, Natalia wore diamond earrings and a shimmering bracelet. Adding height to her frame with a pair of heels, she completed her look with a red lip. Natalia is mother to Lucas, 17, Neva, 13 and Victori, 10, with ex husband Justin Portman. Fashion: The Russian beauty turned heads on the red carpet in a figure-hugging silver sheer dress with a cut-out sequined embellishment The couple split in 2011 and she now has two more sons, Maxim, three, and Roman, one, with husband Antoine Arnault. Natalia previously spoke about her blended family, and how her children deal with having more brothers and sisters. She told The Telegraph: My kids just accepted the situation, as kids do, and anyway they dont think of themselves as half-siblings, were just a family. And on juggling her family, she spoke particularly highly of her mini-me Neva. Style: The garment also featured a leg slit and a baby pink wrap-style garment Glam: Styling her brunette locks into an updo, Natalia wore diamond earrings and a shimmering bracelet Wow: Adding height to her frame with a pair of heels, she completed her look with a red lip 'Theres a lot of running around! But my girl Neva is so calm. Im completely besotted with her. Shes my little angel, always helping me with the babies. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic 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. Success: Natalia is one of the world's top models and is known in the industry by the nickname Supernova Radiant: Showing off her modelling chops, Natalia struck a series of poses on the red carpet Family: Natalia is mother to Lucas, 17, Neva, 13 and Victori, 10, with ex husband Justin Portman and she also has two more sons, Maxim, three, and Roman, one, with husband Antoine Arnault 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. 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. A legion of stars showed up to celebrate the release of Elton John's upcoming biopic on Monday. And Taron Egerton put on a loved-up display with his producer girlfriend Emily Thomas as the pair arrived at the UK premiere of Rocketman at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London with Emily and his mother Christine, 52. The actor, 29, who portrays a young Elton in the Dexter Fletcher-directed flick, cut a dapper figure in a brown and grey striped suit as he planted a kiss on Emily's cheek on the blue carpet. Lovebirds: Taron Egerton, 29, put on a loved-up display with his girlfriend Emily Thomas, 25, as the pair arrived at the UK premiere of Rocketman at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London Taron paired his vintage-inspired suit with a white dress shirt and a purple, orange and blue paisley print tie. His beau Emily, 25, turned heads in a stunning strapless gown with a metallic red and silver top and sheer burgundy tulle skirt. She wore her brunette locks in a messy topknot for the star-studded event, which was also attended by Taron's mother Christine. Family affair: Taron was also spotted planting a kiss on his mother Christine's cheek on Monday Dapper: The actor, who portrays a young Elton in the Dexter Fletcher-directed flick, cut a dapper figure in a brown and grey striped suit Lovebirds Taron and Emily, who split last November after two years together, appeared to romantically reconcile at the pre-BAFTA Filmmakers Dinner in February. The actor confirmed he was single late last year when he insisted he was 'reinventing' himself in the wake of the break up as he shaved his head to play Sir Elton John. 'It was very cathartic and also, not to put a downer on things, I split up with my girlfriend not long ago and it weirdly felt a bit like reinvention to sort of change the way I look,' he said. Vintage: Taron paired his vintage-inspired suit with a white dress shirt and a purple, orange and blue paisley print tie Rocketman tells the fantastical human story of Elton's breakthrough years and is produced by both Elton and his husband David. Richard Madden, who also attended the premiere, plays Elton's manager John Reid in the movie. They first met at a Motown Christmas party, moved in with one another and became lovers. Their romance ended after five years, but John remained Elton's manager until 1998. Stunning: His beau Emily, 25, turned heads in a stunning strapless gown with a metallic red and silver top and sheer burgundy tulle skirt Plot: Rocketman tells the fantastical human story of Elton's breakthrough years and is produced by both Elton and his husband David Emotional: Taron's appearance on the blue carpet comes after he revealed Elton and David both cried as they watched the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival Taron's appearance on the blue carpet comes after he revealed Elton and David both cried and squeezed each other's knees while they watched the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. During the premiere, the actor was fortunate to be watching the film next to the rockstar he portrayed in the much-discussed biopic. And Taron shed some insight on Elton and his husband David's emotional response to the film in a radio interview on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. He told TV host Zoe Ball: 'Dexter and I watched it from a 45 degree angle to watch Elton and David. 'They were grabbing and squeezing each others knees. They were crying. [It was] Really emotional. Its the spirit of their life.' Insight: Taron shed some insight on Elton and his husband David's emotional response to the film in a radio interview on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show Pose: The trio were spotted posing together on the blue carpet at the premiere as Elton, 72, and his husband David Furnish, 56, walked ahead of them. Reconcile: Lovebirds Taron and Emily, who reportedly split last November after two years together, appeared to romantically reconcile at the pre-BAFTA Filmmakers Dinner in February Reinvent: The actor insisted he was 'reinventing' himself in the wake of the break up as he shaved his head to play Sir Elton John in the new biopic Rocketman A flamboyant display: Rocketman's official trailer gave fans a glimpse at the true fantasy's stunning costumes, sprawling musical numbers and Taron's singing - this devil costume was adorned with over 60k hand-embellished crystals She is taking on the role of Elton John's mother, Sheila Farebrother. And Bryce Dallas Howard looked sensational as she attended the UK premiere of Rocketman premiere in Leicester Square, London on Monday. The actress, 38, showed off her style credentials in a chic black dress with a lace neckline which showcased her incredible curves. There she is! Bryce Dallas Howard, 38, looked sensational as she attended the UK premiere of Rocketman premiere in Leicester Square, London on Monday The classic black number perfectly flattered Bryce's silhouette and drew emphasis to her trim midriff. The defining feature of the number was the black lace number which showcased her sensational decolletage. The beauty looked in her element as she posed in a pair of towering black high heels. Incredible: The actress showed off her style credentials in a chic black dress with a lace neckline which showcased her incredible curves Chic: The classic black number perfectly flattered Bryce's silhouette and drew emphasis to her trim midriff Bryce's styled her fiery red locks up into a chic chignon, while her porcelain features were enhanced with a glamorous coat of make-up. The star looked happy and relaxed as she posed up a storm on the blue carpet. Her gorgeous sighting comes after she claimed that Elton and his late mum endured a 'very toxic and damaging relationship' and that he 'wasn't shown love and affection.' Appearing on Lorraine on Monday, Bryce, who has flown to London straight from the Cannes Film Festival, said she had concerns when she first read the script. Wow: The defining feature of the number was the black lace number which showcased her sensational decolletage - with Stephen Graham, Taron Egerton, and Richard Madden Strike a pose! The beauty looked in her element as she posed away Babe: Bryce's styled her fiery red locks up into a chic chignon, while her porcelain features were enhanced with a glamorous coat of make-up She said: 'It was very bad toxic damaging relationship. I think she definitely didn't get him. More than that she was a deeply unhappy person. 'He was raised in a household as an only child, not shown love and affection. If there's that void, it's a difficult thing for him to fill.' Sheila passed away in December 2017, aged 92, two years after she and Elton healed their rift, after a nine year period in which they didn't speak to one another. Posting a picture of her on Instagram following her passing, he wrote: 'So sad to say that my mother passed away this morning. Loving life: The star looked happy and relaxed as she posed up a storm on the blue carpet Candid: Her gorgeous sighting comes after she claimed that Elton and his late mum endured a 'very toxic and damaging relationship' and that he 'wasn't shown love and affection' 'Im just thrilled to be a part of it': Bryce discussed playing Elton's mother Sheila with Collider last year Meet and greet: Bryce was more than happy to sign autographs for the fans Specs appeal: Bryce plays Elton's mother Sheila in the film 'I only saw her last Monday and I am in shock. Travel safe Mum. Thank-you for everything. I will miss you so much. Love, Elton.' Speaking of playing Elton's mother Sheila, Bryce told Collider last year: 'First and foremost, the fact that Elton is involved and his husband, David Furnish, is everything. 'I loved getting to learn about him, and to immerse myself in his world and his music. Its a classic musical. Its so, so fun and transportative and wild. Im just thrilled to be a part of it. Its really exciting.' Spot the difference: The actor looks remarkably similar to the music icon (right in 1976) in the upcoming movie A flamboyant display: Rocketman's official trailer gave fans a glimpse at the true fantasy's stunning costumes, sprawling musical numbers and Taron's singing - this devil costume was adorned with over 60k hand-embellished crystals Alex Jones has delightedly announced that she has welcomed her baby son with husband Charlie Thompson. The One Show presenter, 42, took to her Instagram on Monday to reveal that she had given birth last Monday, and was 'absolutely besotted' by little Kit Thompson. Sharing an adorable black and white snap of the newborn's hand, Alex added the gushing caption: 'And then there were 4!!! Little kit Thomson arrived safely and very speedily last Monday at 2.21am weighing a healthy 7lbs 3.' 'Kit Thompson arrived safely': Alex Jones, 42, has delightedly announced that she has welcomed her baby son with husband Charlie Thompson Alex joyfully continued: 'Teddy, Charlie and I are absolutely besotted by baby brother and are enjoying this special time as we get used to being a foursome and generally breathing in that lovely newborn smell!!! 'A huge thank you to the midwives at the birth centre, Queen Charlotte Hospital for everything you did for us,' she concluded the loving post. During an recent interview on podcast Guide Dogs: By My Side, Alex, who also shares two-year-old son Teddy with her insurance broker partner, shared the differences in family support between her first and second pregnancy. Alex shared: 'Mum was amazing at the beginning with Teddy. She was there for the first three weeks and thank goodness for her because I don't know how we would've done it, actually.' 'And then there were 4!' Alex added a gushing caption to the adorable black and white snap of the newborn's hand 'Absolutely besotted': The One Show presenter, who also shares son Teddy, 2, with husband Charlie (pictured) revealed that she had given birth last Monday The BBC star then asked sprinter Libby if she and her partner Dan Powell had similar family support, to which the sportswoman replied: 'We don't have any family support at the mo' because we live so far away from them.' Drawing parallels between her and Libby's long-distance family relationships, Alex echoed: 'We have the same problem. One set is in New Zealand, Auckland, and one set is in Wales, it's not on the doorstep type of stuff.' She recently admitted she's 'terrified' about becoming a mum of two during an earlier appearance on the podcast. 'Mum was amazing at the beginning with Teddy': During an recent interview Alex shared the differences in family support between her first and second pregnancy Speaking about her second child's impending arrival, she said: 'Everybody has nerves about being a mum and being a parent. 'Pregnancy for any woman is a period of excitement, also slightly terrifying as you don't know what to expect. Even with your second it's like: "how am I going to do two?" Last month, the Welsh beauty said an emotional goodbye to the One Show as she filmed her final scenes with co-host Shane Richie before heading on maternity leave. 'Nerves': She recently admitted she's 'terrified' about becoming a mum of two during an earlier appearance on the podcast (Pictured August 2018) It was revealed also that Strictly champ Stacey Dooley will cover for Alex on the chat show programme. The 32-year-old journalist will join fellow guest hosts, Emma Willis and Mel Giedroyc, as well as Angellica Bell, Angela Scanlon and Michelle Ackerley. Matt Baker will continue to be covered by guest hosts on Fridays with the likes of Shane Richie, Joe Lycett, Rylan, Patrick Kielty, Amol Rajan and Ore Oduba. Family time: Last month, the Welsh beauty said an emotional goodbye to the One Show as she filmed her final scenes before heading on maternity leave Sarah Jessica Parker shared a flashback photo from the 1990s with Matthew Broderick to celebrate their 22 years of marriage. The Divorce actress captioned the snap, 'May 19th, 1997- May 19th, 2019, 22 years, 8,030 days. And a billion memories. Happy anniversary baby. X, SJ.' This comes after the Sex And The City vet posted a letter to social media from The National Enquirer which forced her to deny she was on the rocks with the 57-year-old actor. 22-years strong! Sarah Jessica Parker commemorated her 22nd wedding anniversary on Monday by sharing a throwback photo of herself and husband Matthew Broderick to Instagram The throwback photo saw the beauty stun with her signature loose blonde curls while Matthew sported a pair of round glasses. And it wasn't long until her 5.4 million fans as well as fellow celebrities wished the couple on their special day. Time to raise your glasses: The throwback photo saw the beauty stun with her signature loose blonde curls while Matthew sported a pair of round glasses. And it wasn't long until her 5.4 million fans as well as fellow celebrities wished the couple on their special day 'Beautiful. Congratulations,' wrote Jennifer Garner, while Kelly Ripa add: 'Happy anniversary lovelies.' And while things appear to be blissful between Sarah Jessica and her man on their special day, the beauty wasn't quite as cheerful earlier in the week. Taking to Instagram, she was left defending her 22-year marriage after the National Enquirer asked for comment regarding an alleged public fight they had had in England. Posting the email on her social media account, she ripped into the publication and its 'repeated efforts to fabricate and undermine' her relationship. 'Just like clockwork,' she began, adding: 'Over a decade of the same untrue, disgraceful nonsense.' Not true! And while things appear to be blissful between Sarah Jessica and her man on their special day, the beauty wasn't quite as cheerful earlier in the week. Taking to Instagram, she was left defending her 22-year marriage after the National Enquirer asked for comment regarding an alleged public fight they had had in England 'As usual, days ahead of our anniversary on May 19th, The National Enquirer is making its annual best effort to fabricate and undermine, this time a blissful 4 days with my husband in London.' She continued: 'There was no "screaming match" as alleged in a restaurant or on the street, nor was there a confrontation as alleged about his time in London. My children and I are enormously proud of the work he is doing.' 'After much thought I have decided to share a typical letter of "inquiry" from these people. As if the truth, a response or any comments from me or my publicist had any bearing on what they threaten to "report" .' Jessica finished off her rant by personally addressing the publication. Hitting back: 'As usual, days ahead of our anniversary on May 19th, The National Enquirer is making its annual best effort to fabricate and undermine, this time a blissful 4 days with my husband in London,' she began 'Hey National Enquirer and your sister publications, why not celebrate a marriage of 22 years and relationship of 27 years? Because, despite your endless harassment and wasted ink, we are nearing 3 decades of love, commitment, respect, family and home. There's your "scoop" From a "reliable source".' And fellow celebrities were quick to praise Sarah Jessica for calling out the Enquirer. 'YOU GO SJ!!!!! AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO A BEAUTIFUL LOVING COUPLE!' penned Andy Cohen. Gwyneth Paltrow commented: 'This is brilliant. And happy anniversary.' He has her back! Longtime pal Andy Cohen was one of the many celebrities who priased Jessica for hitting back at the publication and their incorrect story (pictured together May 2019) Parents: In 2009, Jessica and Matthew welcomed fraternal twin daughters, Marion and Tabitha, nine, via surrogate The Divorce actress has been married to fellow actor Matthew since 1997, tying the knot in Manhattan's Lower East Side in a ceremony officiated by Broderick's sister, Janet Kraft. The year 2002 saw the couple welcome their first child, son James into the world. Seven years later in 2009, they were parents of three, welcoming fraternal twins Marion and Tabitha, via a surrogate. Before Matthew, Sarah Jessica was in a relationship with Robert Downey Jr from 1984 until 1991. It's widely credited as the catalyst for reality television programming. And The Real World is set to return on Facebook Watch after a few year hiatus, according to Deadline. The classic MTV reality show 'will launch with three versions' on June 13, in Atlanta, Georgia, Mexico and Thailand, with viewers getting a chance to interact with the show online. Friends! The Real World is set to return on Facebook Watch after a few year hiatus, according to Deadline; the cast of Skeletons, Season 30 is pictured in 2014 Deadline reported that the 'reimagined series expands on connecting people from wildly divergent backgrounds to find common ground on the issues that often divided them.' In the U.S. version, seven strangers come together and 'people stop being polite and start getting real,' the aptly coined MTV slogan used to describe the show. The social media platform will also try to connect fans to participants in the show with Facebook Live, watch parties and other innovations. MTV president Chris McCarthy said it's an opportunity to create a new genre of television. Housemates: The classic MTV reality show 'will launch with three versions' on June 13, in Atlanta, Georgia, Mexico and Thailand, with viewers getting a chance to interact with the show online; the cast of San Francisco, Season 3 is pictured in 1994 New and improved: Deadline reported that the 'reimagined series expands on connecting people from wildly divergent backgrounds to find common ground on the issues that often divided them'; the cast of Hawaii, Season 8 is pictured in 1999 'MTV's The Real World helped to define a generation and created a new genre of television with a simple yet powerful idea of connecting people from wildly divergent backgrounds to find common ground on the issues that often divided them,' McCarthy said. 'By partnering with Facebook Watch and BMP, we have the opportunity to impact culture and create a new genre of television all over again, while engaging the next generation of content consumers around the world.' It will be co-produced by MTV and owned by Viacom Inc and Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP), the studio behind the original series. The Real World aired 32 separate seasons on MTV between 1992 and 2017. PV a World Leader in the Fight Against Homophobia Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The 2019 Vallarta Pride celebrations kicked off on Friday afternoon with an official ceremony for the National Day of the Fight Against Homophobia at City Hall, where Mayor Arturo Davalos Pena recognized LGBT community leaders who, in turn, thanked the municipal president for being an ambassador of inclusive public policies. Accompanied by his wife, DIF President Candelaria Tovar de Davalos, and representatives of various LGBT organizations, the Mayor emphasized that Puerto Vallarta is recognized internationally as the world's second most important destination for the gay community, after Tel Aviv, Israel. "This is an important distinction because it represents economic income, more tourism, more employment, and, above all, the fact that this city belongs to all and is for all," he said. He went on to say that, today, Puerto Vallarta is a world leader in the fight against homophobia, and is considered a model city on various issues, such as the promotion of LGBT tourism, respect for human rights, making the problem visible, and making the decision to take actions to eradicate it. The Mayor thanked the LGBT community for having chosen him as their ambassador, saying he was proud of that trust, which has enabled the team to join forces and align objectives. "In this paradise, the times for homophobia are being forgotten... it is a new era. Personally, I have had the honor of officiating the first civil union of same-sex couples in our city; inaugurating the Office of Gender Equality in Lazaro Cardenas Park, which provides LGBT tourist attention and promotes social diversity; and participating in the Vallarta Pride Parade for two years running," he said. S.E.T.A.C. founder, Ed Thomas, recieves recognition from Puerto Vallarta Mayor, Arturo Davalos Pena. In closing, he confirmed his commitment to continue strengthening Puerto Vallarta as an inclusive destination, a city in which there is equality and non-discrimination, where the human rights of all are respected and the welfare of its people is promoted. In the framework of this commemoration, acknowledgments were given to local leaders of the LGBT community, including Ed Thomas, the founder of Puerto Vallarta's LGBT Community and Wellness Center, S.E.T.A.C., for his tireless efforts to reduce HIV and other STDs in the Banderas Bay area; Francisco Arjona, the current director of SETAC and former director of Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA A.C.; and William Hevener, the first promoter and organizer of Vallarta Pride. Recognition was also given to Paul Crist, the founder of Vallarta Enfrenta el Sida AC., for being one of the city's first promoters of AIDS prevention and support programs; and to LGBT Colectivo Vallarta coordinator, Hector Gabriel Ramirez Betancourt, for his tireless struggle and social and political activism in favor of Puerto Vallarta's LGBT community. Ramirez Betancourt and Vidal Meza Pena, the president of the LGBT Trade and Tourism Association (ACT LGBT A.C.), thanked the mayor for the support provided to the LGBT community in all their concerns and demands. They also thanked Victor Manuel Bernal Vargas, director of Social Development; Misael Lopez Muro, director of Citizen Security; Norma Angelica Joya Carrillo, president of the building commission for Gender Equality and Human Integral Development; as well as members of the City Council, for their ongoing support. With respect to Vallarta Pride, ACT LGBT president Vidal Meza said that its purpose is to celebrate the rights of the community, especially now that they have the support and recognition of local authorities. He reiterated that Puerto Vallarta has become a benchmark for gay tourism, pointing out that Newsweek magazine recently recognized Playa Los Muertos as the second-best Gay Friendly Beach in the world, after Hilton Beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, which is the country of origin of the international ambassador of this seventh edition of Vallarta Pride, Eliad Cohen. The 2019 Vallarta Gay Pride Parade will take place on Thursday, with at least 50 floats decorated to reflect the(Love Included) theme. The parade will start at 5:00 pm in front of the Hotel Sheraton Buganvilias on Avenida Francisco Medina Asencio, wind its way through the streets of Vallarta and down the Malecon, cross the Rio Cuale bridge and continue to Lazaro Cardenas street, where the Vallarta Pride Block Party will offer music, drinks and a "Gay Old Time!" Game of Thrones Rating: Sky Atlantic, last night More than a million people have signed an online petition to see the final season of Game of Thrones remade with competent writers. By the Seven-Faced God, please, no. Being bored to despair once is quite enough. The most bloodthirsty, surprising, controversial, ruthless, ambitious, perverse and sadistically witty show on television has been reduced to a pile of pretentious tripe this year. The finale aired in the UK at 2am yesterday to coincide with the US screening was 75 minutes of the dullest story ever told. This whole pitiful spectacle couldnt have been more stultifying if it had opened with the words, This is a party political broadcast on behalf of the Liberal Democrats of Westeros Showing it at 2am was like serving liquid Mogadon. Tens of thousands of viewers must have fallen asleep before it ended. I watched it in the afternoon and still needed matchsticks to prop my eyes open. At one stage, scheming Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), the last of the Lannisters, went around a palace table straightening the chairs. He was quite literally rearranging the furniture as he waited for other characters to arrive. Amazonian warrior Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) spent what seemed like five minutes writing up the obituary of her dead boyfriend. With a quill. The most bloodthirsty, surprising, controversial, ruthless, ambitious, perverse and sadistically witty show on television has been reduced to a pile of pretentious tripe this year And these scenes were lively, compared to the paralysingly dull speeches at a council of war, about the importance of democracy and the problems inherent with a hereditary monarchy. This whole pitiful spectacle couldnt have been more stultifying if it had opened with the words, This is a party political broadcast on behalf of the Liberal Democrats of Westeros. The problem was that Game of Thrones, once so irreverent and mercurial, started to believe its own press releases. After winning more Emmys than any series in history, it imagined it was Great Art. The finale aired in the UK at 2am yesterday to coincide with the US screening was 75 minutes of the dullest story ever told. Showing it at 2am was like serving liquid Mogadon Since its first episode in 2011, which stunned viewers with two electrifying shocks in the final scene, the show has killed off more than 100 characters, not to mention countless thousands of serfs and nameless soldiers and never paused to regret a single one of them. But that psychopathic streak was forgotten yesterday, as the handful of survivors moped around the city of Kings Landing to a soundtrack of sad cello music. Groan went the strings as Tyrion found the corpses of his evil brother and sister buried under rubble. Creak, saw, sigh echoed the melody as everyone stared at Queen Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and wondered why shed started being so nasty. The one memorable image of the episode saw the Queen arrive to make a victory speech, dragon soaring behind her, so she appeared to have demons wings. Game of Thrones has been the fairytale of Daenerys, the powerless captive princess who was given a gift of three dragons eggs and hatched them by walking though the flames of her husbands funeral pyre. As her dragons grew, so did her realm, until she ruled the world. Along the way she took the rightful king Jon Snow (Kit Harington) as her lover. The series has often been accused of misogyny, in particular for its depictions of rape, so the end of the fairytale was especially disappointing: alarmed that he could no longer control Daenerys, Jon kissed her, then ran her through with his sword. More than a million people have signed an online petition to see the final season of Game of Thrones remade with competent writers. By the Seven-Faced God, please, no. Being bored to despair once is quite enough This looked very much like a man killing his girlfriend for stepping out of line, because he couldnt cope with having a woman more powerful than him. The murder was made easier by the fact that Daenerys, though she had armies of elite soldiers desperate to prove their loyalty by dying for her, never bothered with bodyguards. Even her last remaining dragon was having a kip under the ashes and rubble when the Queen was betrayed. Luckily for Jon, the suicidally loyal soldiers all just shrugged and went home after the woman they worshipped had been kebabed. The dragon flapped off too. The rest of the cast spent an age, earnestly shaking hands and gazing into each others eyes as they bade farewell. That flaming cello wouldnt shut up. Then they wandered away. It was as if all the characters, dragon included, knew it was the end of the series. Or maybe they were just bored. He was moved to tears when his much-anticipated biopic was shown at the Cannes Film Festival last week. But Elton John could barely contain his grin as he attended the premiere of Rocketman at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London with his husband David Furnish on Monday. The Tiny Dancer hitmaker, 72, cut a sophisticated figure in a custom made, royal blue jacket with a glittering Rocketman logo across his back. Elated: Elton John, 72, could barely contain his grin as he attended the premiere of Rocketman at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London with his husband David Furnish, 56, on Monday The father-of-two wore three beetle broaches on the black lapels of his suit jacket as he grinned on the blue carpet alongside David, 56. He paired the dapper ensemble with a matching blue bow tie and donned his characteristic pink tinted glasses for the star-studded occasion. Filmmaker David opted for a black suit embellished with a white beetle print to match his husband's pins as the pair celebrated the biopic - which is set for release on May 22. Glamorous: The father-of-two wore three beetle broaches on the black lapels of his suit jacket as he grinned on the blue carpet alongside David Poised: He paired the dapper ensemble with a matching blue bow tie and donned his characteristic pink tinted glasses for the star-studded occasion Tribute: The Tiny Dancer hitmaker cut a sophisticated figure in a custom made, royal blue jacket with a glittering Rocketman logo across his back He finished off his outfit with a black spotted tie and wore a pair of thick-framed glasses to the event. The film tells the fantastical human story of Elton's breakthrough years and is produced by both Elton and his husband David. Richard Madden plays Elton's manager John Reid in the movie, while Taron Egerton, 29, portrays a younger version of the musician. Plot: The film tells the fantastical human story of Elton's breakthrough years and is produced by both Elton and his husband David Matching pair: Filmmaker David opted for a black suit embellished with a white beetle print to match his husband's pins as the pair celebrated the biopic Emotional: The couple's appearance on the blue carpet comes after Rocketman star Taron Egerton revealed they both cried while they watched the film at the Cannes Film Festival Candid: The iconic musician makes his way inside the venue after walking the blue carpet Elton and John first met at a Motown Christmas party, moved in with one another and became lovers. Their romance ended after five years, but John remained Elton's manager until 1998. The film also stars Bryce Dallas Howard, 38, who plays Elton's beloved late mother, Sheila Farebrother. The couple's appearance on the blue carpet comes after Taron revealed Elton and David both cried and squeezed each other's knees while they watched the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. During the premiere, the actor was fortunate to be watching the film next to the rockstar he portrayed in the much-discussed biopic. Suave: David finished off his outfit with a black spotted tie and wore a pair of thick-framed glasses to the event He told TV host Zoe Ball: 'Dexter [Fletcher] and I watched it from a 45 degree angle to watch Elton and David. They were grabbing and squeezing each others knees. They were crying' Wave: Elton greets fans at the star-studded premiere as he poses for photographs with David And Taron shed some insight on Elton and his husband David's emotional response to the film in a radio interview on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. He told TV host Zoe Ball: 'Dexter [Fletcher] and I watched it from a 45 degree angle to watch Elton and David. 'They were grabbing and squeezing each others knees. They were crying. [It was] Really emotional. Its the spirit of their life.' Elton and David married in 2014 at their Windsor Estate in Berkshire after a nine-year civil partnership. The couple share two sons, Zachary, eight, and Elijah, six. Past: Elton and David married in 2014 at their Windsor Estate in Berkshire after a nine-year civil partnership Family: The couple share two sons, Zachary, eight, and Elijah, six A flamboyant display: Rocketman's official trailer gave fans a glimpse at the true fantasy's stunning costumes, sprawling musical numbers and Taron's singing Marion Cotillard threw her support behind her boyfriend Guillame Canet as she attended the premiere of his film La Belle Epoque on Monday night. Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, the French actress graced the red carpet in a stunning black co-ord, which teased a hint of her toned abs. Daring to be different, Marion opted for gothic glamour as she slipped into the shiny halterneck crop top and matching full length skirt. Sweet: Marion Cotillard threw her support behind her boyfriend Guillame Canet as she attended the premiere of his film La Belle Epoque on Monday night The French actress flashed a hint of her washboard stomach in the two-piece as she arrived for the screening of the film with Guillame, Gilles Lellouche and Jean Dujardin. Elevating her outfit with black stilettos and a matching hairband, Marion amped up the drama with gold drop earrings and deftly touches of make-up, while Guillame looked dapper in a two-piece suit. French film La Belle Epoque follows Victor, a disillusioned sexagenarian, who has his life turned upside down on the day when entrepreneur Antoine, a brilliant entrepreneur, offers him a new kind of attraction. Beauty: Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, the French actress graced the red carpet in a stunning black co-ord, which teased a hint of her toned abs Quirky: French actress Marion Cotillard opted for gothic glamour as she slipped into the shiny crop top and matching full length skirt His big moment: Since October 2007, Cotillard has been in a relationship with Guillaume and have two children; Marcel, eight, and Louise, two Victor then choses to relive the most memorable week of his life: the one where, 40 years earlier, he met the great love. The movie is directed and written by Nicolas Bedos and stars Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25. Turning heads: The La Vie En Rose star posed solo as she arrived for the screening of the film Glowing: She elevated her outfit with black stilettos and a matching hairband Her boys: Marion was joined by with Gilles Lellouche (L) and Jean Dujardin (R) who looked devilishly handsome in black suits Dapper: The men looked devilishly handsome in black suits Adoring girlfriend: Marion beamed with pride as she negotiated the red carpet Since October 2007, Cotillard has been in a relationship with the French actor and director and have two children; Marcel, eight, and Louise, two. They had been friends since 1997, and co-starred together for the first time years later in the 2003 film Love Me If You Dare. Despite common misconception, the couple are not married. Since 2010 Cotillard has been spotted wearing a diamond solitaire on her left hand a present from Canet they are not engaged either. Whoopi Goldberg's doctors have revealed just how close the star came to death when she was admitted to hospital with double pneumonia. Appearing on The View alongside the frail-looking 63-year-old co-host, Whoopi's pulmonologist Martin Greenberg said the EGOT winner was 'in a bad way' when he first met her. 'She had a chance of dying of thirty percent, 1 in 3' said the medical expert. Close call: Whoopi Goldberg's doctors have revealed just how close the star came to death when she was admitted to hospital with double pneumonia When Goldberg called her primary physician Jorge Rodriguez to discuss her condition, he said he could 'barely understand what she was saying'. 'She was gasping for air,' said the physician. 'She couldn't breathe," the doctor said. "Her teeth were chattering, she was obviously in what we call rigors'. Rigors are uncontrollable shivers, usually accompanied by a fever and sweating. Her doctors: Appearing on The View alongside the frail-looking 63-year-old co-host, Whoopi's pulmonologist Martin Greenberg [far left] said the EGOT winner was 'in a bad way' when he first met her. Seen with Dr Jorge Rodriguez [center] and co-host Sunny Hostin Danger zone: When Goldberg called her primary physician Jorge Rodriguez to discuss her condition, he said he could 'barely understand what she was saying'. Seen here with co-host Joy Behar Jorge then revealed that when Whoopi said she was tired and wanted to sleep, he tried to keep her on the phone in case she couldn't be roused. 'I was afraid she wasn't going to wake up,' he said. 'Because you don't know if someone... when they give you those clues, is she really now just tired, or is she going to become unconscious and this is it?' 'So I wanted her talking... that's how serious it was,' the doctor concluded. Healthier: Whoopi seen back in April with actress Chloe Sevigny X-ray: Goldberg shared all the details of her illness with the audience 'She was in a bad way' when he first examined her, said Greenberg. 'It was all hands on deck,' he said of the treatment, after rating Whoopi's initial chance of survival at seventy percent, or 2 in 3. 'She had high fever, she was short of breath, very rapid heart rate, and a low oxygen level which is not a good sign,' added the specialist. No joke: 'The crazy thing is people don't take this seriously,' said Goldberg Concerned: Sunny and co-host Meghan McCain seemed full of concern for the long-time host of the popular ABC talk show 'The crazy thing is people don't take this seriously,' said Goldberg. 'They don't take pneumonia seriously, and you have to. And this idea that we can fight through everything, 'cause that was my problem.' 'I get a cold and I just... I don't take stuff. I just fight through it. And you can't do that.' 'It will kill you. Inactivity, not doing anything, not checking, will kill you. So get your ego together and say, "Yeah, I'm going to the doctor because I don't feel good."' 'It's okay to go to the doctor because you don't feel good. Because you'd rather be alive b***hing about it than dead.' Worried: 'She was in a bad way' when he first examined her, said Greenberg Workhorse: The Tony award winner also admitted she's slowed down her work rate while she recovers: 'I don't do half of the stuff I was doing in terms of work'. Seen here in the 1992 film Sister Act The Tony award winner also admitted she's slowed down her work rate while she recovers: 'I don't do half of the stuff I was doing in terms of work'. 'I slowed it down because you dont want to relapse. I dont ever want to do this again.' 'I didn't like it. This is what happens when you don't take care of yourself,' said the New York native. Advertisement She's on the jury of this year's Cannes Film Festival. And on Monday, Elle Fanning, 21, was joined by her elder sister Dakota, 25, at the star-studded Chopard Trophee dinner in Cannes, France. The Teen Spirit star looked every inch the Hollywood beauty in strapless nude ballgown, while her fellow actress sister sparkled in a sleeveless sequinned dress with an asymmetric hemline. Sister sister: On Monday, Elle Fanning, 21, (left) was joined by her elder sister Dakota, 25, (right) at the star-studded Chopard Trophee dinner in Cannes, France Elle's sweeping gown featured a pleated bust and central bow as well as embroidered flower detailing throughout the floor-length tulle skirt. The Malificent actress donned a ruby encrusted Chopard necklace and matching bracelet, and styled her platinum locks into a half-up, half-down 'do. Keeping her make-up to a minimum, Elle accentuated her natural beauty with a slick of black eyeliner and a pretty peach pout. Meanwhile, Dakota dazzled in a heavily sequinned lilac gown, which boasted a sheer under-layer, which was designed to trail down to a delicate train at once side. Gorgeous: The Teen Spirit star looked every inch the Hollywood beauty in strapless nude ballgown Pretty: Dakota sparkled in an ethereal sleeveless sequinned dress with an asymmetric hemline Fabulous: Elle's sweeping gown featured a pleated bust and central bow as well as embroidered flower detailing throughout the floor-length tulle skirt Natural beauty: Keeping her make-up to a minimum, Elle accentuated her natural beauty with a slick of black eyeliner and a pretty peach pout Sublime: Dakota dazzled in a heavily sequinned lilac gown, which boasted a sheer under-layer, which was designed to trail down to a delicate train at once side Summery: Dakota adorned her tresses with a pretty pink flowers to complete her look The gown also featured a long pink tulle bow at her hip, and the Ocean's 8 actress opted to accessorise with a Chopard bracelet and statement earrings. Dakota boosted her height with strappy stilettos and adorned her tresses with a pretty pink flowers to complete her look. The sisters were joined by a host of stars at the Chopard Trophee dinner, including Marion Cotillard, Colin Firth and Chloe Sevigny. Permanent pose: Elle was rarely caught off-guard, with a hand-on-hip pose which served her well throughout the evening Happy lady: Elle was clearly enjoying her evening as she flashed a wide smile Classic: Marion Cotillard oozed sophistication in a black-and-white gown comprising two contrasting elements, wearing A.W.A.K.E. Mode Fall Winter '19 look 30 dress Elegant: The French actress showcased her curves in the black bardot top half, which was joined at the waist by a white pleated maxi-skirt In good company: Marion was linked by Little White Lies actor Gilles Lellouche Sophisticated: Livia Giuggioli and Colin Firth looked sleek in classic black ensembles for the glamorous event Stunning: Colin's wife jazzed-up her jumpsuit with a pillar-box red mani-pedi a sequin clutch bag and eye-catching Chopard jewels dangling from her ears and hanging around her neck Keeping it classic: Colin Firth looked smart in a classic black tux with white pocket square and polished shoes Happily married: No stranger to the red carpet, the couple looked at ease as they posed for photos The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25. Chopard is a luxury Swiss manufacturer of jewellery and watches and has been a corporate sponsor for the Cannes Film Festival since 1998, sponsoring both the Trophee Chopard prize and the coveted Palme d'Or trophy. Since 1998, Chopard has formed a glittering duo with the Cannes International Film Festival to which it serves as official partner. Wow! Chloe Sevigny put on a leggy display in a silver sequinned mini dress teamed with silver chain-strap stilettos Wow! Chloe's short frock featured a daring split up the side and multiple jewel adorned straps Gal pals: Chloe spent time with French actress Stacy Martin who commanded attention in a dramatic red gown Powerful: Stacey pared-back her hair and make-up look to allow her striking dress to shine Fun times: Chloe Sevigny enjoyed the evening whilst sat with Solco Schuit Babe: Olivia Culpo turned heads in a glittering silver cut-out gown which showed off her toned abs and boasted a thigh-high split white satin shirt Beauty: The former Miss. Universe sported a glossy blowdry while her striking features were enhanced with a glamorous coat of make-up, which was created by Laura Mercier Global Artistry Executive Jerry Johnson Stunning: Natalia Vodianova, 37, stole the show in a form-fitting, one-shouldered red gown Glamorous: The Russian supermodel flashed her toned pins through the dramatic thigh-high split Jewels: She complemented the look with a ruby necklace and matching earrings Dining in style: Natalia was seated with Grantchester actor James Norton at the star-studded event The Trophee Chopard highlights the up-and-coming generation of the international film industry and rewards both a young actress and a young actor poised for a successful career on the silver screen. Trophee Chopard Laureates Francois Civil, 30, and Fighting With My Family star Florence Pugh, 23, posed together after being honoured at the star-studdeddinner. Francois is a French actor best known for playing the roles of Papillon in As Above and So Below and for his portrayal of Baraque in Frank. Florence is an English actress who made her professional acting debut in the mystery film The Falling and had her breakthrough with a leading role in the independent drama Lady Macbeth. Primary ladies: Natalia Vodianova posed with Chopard Co-Founder Caroline Scheufele Sensational: Lea Seydoux flaunted her ample assets in a plunging black gown with ruffled sleeves Gorgeous: The Bond actress cinched in her slim waist with the help of a thick black belt There she is! Neelan Girl worked her model magic as she arrived in a stunning black dress Wow: The one shouldered gown perfectly flattered her slender frame and fell into a striking fishtail Beauties: Neelam looked sensational as she cosied up with Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, who stunned in a grant gold sari-inspired dress Quirky: Maimouna N'Diaye, Caroline Scheufele and Diala Makki drew attention to themselves in quirky gowns Glamorous: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi turned heads in a busty red gown with elegant bardot sleeves Dapper: James Norton oozed sex appeal as he sported facial hair whilst wearing a black velvet tux Suave: The Happy Valley star beamed for the cameras as he made his way into the dinner party 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. Here come the boys: James Norton (left) opted for a classic black velvet tux whilst French actor Francois Civil (right) chose to wear a navy blue version Standing out: Caroline stood out as she posed with some of her VIP guests (L to R: James Norton, Chopard Co-Founder Caroline Scheufele, Colin Firth and Livia Firth) Dashing: Colin Firth and his wife stayed close together as they made their way to and from the venue Pretty: Florence Pugh (left and right) looked pretty in a plunging baby blue Schiaparelli dress which she teamed with bright orange stilettos whilst Josephine Japy (right) sparkled in a sheer nude and gold sequinned gown Honoured: This year, the Chopard Trophee dinner honoured Francois Civil and Fighting With My Family star Florence Pugh Delighted: The actress looked delighted as she held up her trophy for a photograph 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. 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. Honoured: Trophee Chopard Laureates Francois Civil and Florence Pugh posed together after being honoured at the dinner Blonde beauties: Trophee Chopard Laureate Florence Pugh spent time with Chloe Sevigny during the evening VIP guests: The Chopard Trophee dinner was a star-studded affair held to celebrate up-and-coming talent in the acting world Cinderella moment: Elle Fanning looked like a princess as she sashayed away from the Chopard dinner Sublime: Romanian beauty Catrinel Marlon looked sublime in a sweeping red gown Kimberley Garner graced the red carpet in a stunning silver beaded ball gown for the Cannes Film Festival La Belle Epoque premiere on Monday night. The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, jetted into the south of France with her mum Geraldine last week and has been busy attending the many film debuts and glitzy after-parties. Upping the style ante, Kimberley turned heads as she strutted down the red carpet in the embellished one-shouldered gown. Princess: Kimberley Garner graced the red carpet for the La Belle Epoque premiere in a stunning silver beaded ball gown on Monday night Cinching her in at the waist with a slim metallic belt, the dress then billowed out into a voluminous skirt, which was adorned with thousands of tiny silver beads. The reality star turned swimwear designer wore her hair in an elegant chignon and kept her make-up simple to ensure all eyes were on her show-stopping frock. French film La Belle Epoque follows Victor, a disillusioned sexagenarian, who has his life turned upside down on the day when entrepreneur Antoine, a brilliant entrepreneur, offers him a new kind of attraction. Upping the style ante, Kimberley opted for the embellished one-shouldered gown for the launch of the French film Beautiful: Cinching her in at the waist with a slim metallic belt, the dress then billowed out into a voluminous skirt, which was adorned with thousands of tiny silver beads Belle of the ball: Kimberley showed off the extensive detailing in the body of the skirt Cinderella: The dress trailed behind her as she made her way up the stairs Victor then choses to relive the most memorable week of his life: the one where, 40 years earlier, he met the great love. The movie is directed and written by Nicolas Bedos and stars Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier. The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25. Strike a pose! Kimberley posed up a storm for the cameras and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the attention Gorgeous: The reality star turned swimwear designer wore her hair in an elegant chignon and kept her make-up simple to ensure all eyes were on her show-stopping frock Interesting: French film La Belle Epoque follows Victor, a disillusioned sexagenarian, who has his life turned upside down on the day when entrepreneur Antoine, a brilliant entrepreneur Busy schedule: The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, jetted into the south of France with her mum Geraldine last week and has been busy attending the many film debuts Kimberley has been treading all the hottest red carpets during the Cannes Film Festival after her arrival in the south of France. The reality star has recently returned from her house-hunting trip to Miami. In a chat with MailOnline, the blonde admitted she flew to Florida after purchasing a dream home in the coastal city. 'I worked very hard last year and had even moved home for a few months to save money,' she explained. Busy lady: Kimberley has been treading all the hottest red carpets during the Cannes Film Festival after her arrival in the south of France 'I really had my head down working to concentrate on goals, but achieved it on New Years Eve, praise God, and flew over here. Completing the sale on the plane over.' Reflecting on her new home, the swimwear designer confessed it is a world away from her former busy life in London. 'Its right on the beach, and really is a dream come true,' she explained. 'I am over doing the interior design, going for a beachy chilled vibe for the place. 'I wont be moving here, as London is one hundred percent home, but really overjoyed and proud to have achieved it.' Last week she was seen enjoying a stroll with her daughter. And on Monday, Katie Holmes, 40, added up the family time as she headed out for a meal with her mom in New York City. Wearing the same sunglasses her ex-husband had on during his hit 1986 film Top Gun, the actress grabbed lunch with Kathleen Stothers-Holmes at the Delicatessen in the city's SoHo district. Mother daughter duo: On Monday, Katie Holmes, 40, added up the family time as she headed out for a meal with her mom Kathleen Stothers-Holmes in New York City Her inspiration? Tom wore Ray-Bans model 3025 (Aviator Classic) shades to play Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the film Top Gun (1986) Tom wore Ray-Bans model 3025 (Aviator Classic) shades to play Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the film. Holmes' seemed to be the same brand with an updated look. As they made their way out from the restaurant, Katie was spotted wearing easy going dark blue jeans and tan sandals. On top, she rocked a loose white blouse and accessorized with the colorful scarf. Matching the warm hues of the neck tie, Holmes also carried a brown purse. So many accessories: Matching the warm hues of the neck tie, Holmes also carried a brown purse and sported dark sunglasses In classic Katie fashion, she wore her brown tresses pulled back and in a low bun. Her mom also remained simple in grey pants and a grey and sky blue color blocked sweater. Kathleen prepped for the city walk wearing comfortable white sneakers. The Ohio native also mothered four other kids with Katie's dad, Joseph. They share Holly, Tamera, Martin and Nancy together on top of the Hollywood actress. Match made in style heaven! The former Dawson's Creek actress confirmed her romance with Jamie Foxx at the Met Gala, after years of speculation surrounding their relationship This family meal follows the Dawson Creek star's time at the 2019 Met Gala. There, she dazzled in purple and also finally confirmed her romance with Foxx, after years of speculation surrounding their relationship. Jamie's daughter Corinne raved about her father's girlfriend in a recent interview with People Now. 'They're so great and Katie's always so chic,' she said of the couple's Met Gala appearance. Continuing with a blush, she added: 'They're really happy.' Katie was previously married to Cruise from 2006 to 2012. They share daughter Suri, 13, together. An arrest warrant has reportedly been issued for the late Nipsey Hussle's babymama Tanisha Foster after she missed an LA court date Wednesday stemming from a DUI. The Grammy nominee's dimple-pierced ex-girlfriend - who pleaded 'no contest' in 2017 - had her three-year probation revoked, according to TMZ. Tanisha's rap sheet also includes a 2007 arrest for vandalism and disturbing the peace, as well as a 2006 arrest for resisting arrest and disturbing the peace. Wanted: An arrest warrant has been issued for the late Nipsey Hussle's (L) babymama Tanisha Foster (R) after she missed an LA court date Wednesday stemming from a DUI It's for these reasons that Nipsey's younger sister Samantha Smith and brother Blacc Sam are claiming she isn't 'stable' enough to raise her own 10-year-old daughter Emani. During a custody hearing last Tuesday, Tanisha broke down and the judge cleared the courtroom to allow her 20 minutes alone with little Emani whom she hadn't seen in 'months.' Hussle (born Ermias Asghedom) also left behind a two-year-old son Kross with his girlfriend of six years, Poinsettias for Christmas actress Lauren London. Pleaded 'no contest' in 2017: The Grammy nominee's dimple-pierced ex-girlfriend had her three-year probation revoked, according to TMZ (pictured May 29) 'F*** the police': Tanisha's rap sheet also includes a 2007 arrest for vandalism and disturbing the peace, as well as a 2006 arrest for resisting arrest and disturbing the peace (pictured January 31) Custody battle: It's for these reasons that Nipsey's younger sister Samantha Smith (L) and brother Blacc Sam (R) are claiming she isn't 'stable' enough to raise her own 10-year-old daughter Emani (pictured April 11) Legal woes: During a custody hearing last Tuesday, Tanisha broke down and the judge cleared the courtroom to allow her 20 minutes alone with little Emani whom she hadn't seen in 'months' (pictured in 2018) An estimated 21K mourners attended the Crenshaw community leader's April 11 Celebration of Life memorial service - including Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Beyonce, and Snoop Dogg. Nipsey - who was gunned down age 33 on March 31 - scored a posthumous nod for best male hip-hop artist at the BET Awards, which air June 23 from LA's Microsoft Theater. As for the Higher rapper's alleged killer, Eric Holder is searching for a new lawyer after former OJ Simpson prosecutor Chris Darden quit on May 10 over death threats. RIP: Hussle (born Ermias Asghedom) also left behind a two-year-old son Kross (2-L) with his girlfriend of six years, Poinsettias for Christmas actress Lauren London (R) Gunned down age 33 on March 31: Nipsey scored a posthumous nod for best male hip-hop artist at the BET Awards, which air June 23 from LA's Microsoft Theater She is one of the UK's most acclaimed actresses with a career spanning more than three decades. And Emma Thompson, 60, looked in high spirits as she attended the screening of her new film Late Night at the Picturehouse Central in London on Monday. The actress cut a stylish figure for the event, wearing a red top with flared sleeves and matching trousers, completing her outfit with a pair of box fresh trainers. Emma Thompson, 60, looked in high spirits as she attended the screening of her new film Late Night at the Picturehouse Central in London on Monday The film star was clearly in high spirits for the screening, smiling broadly on the red carpet before striking a series of playful poses along with hugging and kissing her fellow attendees. Her husband Greg Wise joined her at the gala screening, wrapping his arms around his other half as they posed for a photo. The couple married in 2003 with their daughter Gaia born in 2000. They are also parents to Tindyebwa 'Tindy' Agaba from Rwanda who they adopted in 2003 after he came to the UK as a refugee. The film star was clearly in high spirits for the screening, smiling broadly on the red carpet before striking a series of playful poses Joining her was fellow actor Russell Tovey who cut a casual figure in a navy top with dark denim jeans and brown shoes. Judge Rinder, whose real name is Robert Rinder, was also in attendance, sporting a white shirt and a pair of dark jeans for the screening. Actress and comedian Katy Brand dramatically embraced Emma when she arrived on the red carpet, with the pair laughing and hugging ahead of the screening. Match made in heaven: Her husband Greg Wise joined her at the gala screening Couple: Greg wrapping his arms around his other half as they posed for a photo Family: The couple married in 2003 with their daughter Gaia born in 2000 and they are also parents to named Tindyebwa 'Tindy' Agaba from Rwanda who they adopted in 2003 Icon: Emma is one of the UK's most acclaimed actresses with a career spanning more than three decades Late Night, directed by Nisha Ganatra, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and is set for release in theatres in the US and Canada on June 7. The comedy drama follows veteran late night talk show host Katherine Newbury (Thompson), who hires her first female writer (Kaling) after she is accused of being 'woman who hates women'. Her new hire, Molly Patel, then teams up with the temperamental host as the pair attempt to save the show's ratings and keep Katherine from being replaced amid pressure from above. Pals: Also joining her was Deborah Frances-White and fellow actor Russell Tovey Guests: Comedians Katherine Ryan (L) and David Baddiel (R) were among the stars at the screening Dapper: Russell cut a casual figure in a navy top with dark denim jeans and brown shoes Joke: Emma and comedian Deborah were certainly in a good mood on the red carpet Casual: Judge Rinder, whose real name is Robert Rinder, was also in attendance, sporting a white shirt and a pair of dark jeans for the screening Friends: Actress and comedian Katy Brand embraced Emma when she arrived on the red carpet, with the pair laughing and hugging ahead of the screening Film: Late Night, directed by Nisha Ganatra, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January Release: The flick is set for release in theatres in the US and Canada on June 7 Plot: It follows veteran late night talk show host Katherine Newbury (Thompson), who hires her first female writer (Mindy Kaling) after she is accused of being 'woman who hates women' Story: Her new hire, Molly Patel, then teams up with the temperamental host as the pair attempt to save the show's ratings Mindy's first feature-length screenplay was inspired by her experience as the only woman in an all-male writer's room for The Office. She told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I vividly remember my experience coming up in the industry with no connections, not having gone to Harvard, being the only diverse person in the room. 'But I also even more vividly because I was living it when I wrote this remember what it's like to be in a power position where you're the show-runner and the star of something. 'You're impatient. You're a little complacent, and you're just kind of a demanding boss that worries a little bit that you've lost touch with people.' Inspiration: Mindy's first feature-length screenplay was inspired by her experience as the only woman in an all-male writer's room for The Office She has been attending Cannes Film Festival for almost 15 years. And Eva Longoria's baby son Santiago, 11 months, followed in her footsteps as he made his Cannes' debut at the Global Gift Initiative bash, held at Palais des Festivals et des Congres on Monday night. The actress, 44, exuded glamour in a navy sequined gown as she joined Santiago and her dapper husband Jose Baston, 51, for the festivities. Family: Eva Longoria exuded glamour in a navy sequined gown as she joined son Santi, 11 months and her husband Jose Baston, 51, at the Cannes' Global Gift Initiative bash on Monday Eva showcased her hourglass figure in the tight high-collared dress, while flashing a hint of leg due to a thigh-high slit in the skirt. Styling her hair in sleek Hollywood curls, the Devious Maids star complemented her red carpet look with silver earrings and a dramatic black smoky eye. Jose and little Santiago meanwhile sported matching black suits and bow ties. Gorgeous: Eva showcased her hourglass figure in the tight high-collared dress, while flashing a hint of leg due to a thigh-high slit in the skirt, while Jose and Santiagi sported matching suits Proud: Eva beamed with joy as Santiago prepared to make his big Cannes debut Beaming with joy: The trio appeared in high spirits as they made their way into the festivities Beautiful: Styling her hair in sleek Hollywood curls, the Devious Maids star complemented her red carpet look with silver earrings and a dramatic black smoky eye Tremendous pins: She added a boost to her height with black strappy sandals Her night: Eva is the acting ambassador of the Global Gift Foundation- a charity that works to raise funds for foundations, charities and organisations that share its vision and aims The proud dad cradled the tot in his arms as the trio made their way to the party. Eva is the acting ambassador of the Global Gift Foundation- a charity that works to raise funds for foundations, charities and organisations that share its vision and aims. Through events such as the various galas and fundraisers the charity funds several projects, including The Eva Longoria Foundation. The charity, founded in 2012, aims to help Latinas build better futures through education and entrepreneurship, and confront the issue of poverty in their culture. Adorable: The proud dad cradled the tot in his arms inside the bash Doting mum: Eva kept a close eye on Santiago as the family enjoyed the festivities Smitten: The actress originally met Jose through a mutual friend back in 2013 and they will celebrate their third wedding anniversary on May 21 Wow factor: Eva hit the red carpet with Lara Fabian, who looked incredible in a strapless monochrome gown Leading ladies: They were also joined by Maria Bravo on the red carpet Eva has been attending a host of events over the last couple of days as part of her longstanding collaboration with L'Oreal. The Desperate Housewives star and her husband welcomed their first child together, Santiago, in June 2018, and she is stepmother to her husband's three children - Natalia, 24, and twins Mariana & Jose, 16 - from his first marriage to Natalia Esperon. The actress originally met Jose through a mutual friend back in 2013 and they will celebrate their third wedding anniversary on May 21. Strike a pose! The Desperate Housewives star also posed with a pal Having a laugh: The pair giggled as they worked the cameras Dolled to the nices: Blanca Blanco and Christophe Guillarme dressed to impress for the charity bash Feminine: Blanca slipped into a champagne silk midi dress, which was adorned with embroidery on the bust Great cause: The charity, aims to help Latinas build better futures through education and entrepreneurship Prior to arriving in Cannes, Eva revealed that she had been in 'torture' for the last six months as she prepared for the festival. Taking to her Instagram, the beauty shared a video of one of her gruelling workouts with Grant Roberts which she captioned: 'Getting it in before Cannes! Thanks to @grantrobertsfit for the past 6 months of torture!' The 2019 Cannes Film Festival takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from last 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. 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 Popular HBO series Game of Thrones ended its eight-year run this week. And Australian TV host Grant Denyer marked the highly-anticipated season finale on Monday night by sharing a photo to Instagram of a bizarre DIY 'Iron Throne'. The 41-year-old comedian posted a picture of a toilet that had been spectacularly transformed with tin foil, alongside the caption: 'This is all I have left now.' Foil-ing around! Grant Denyer paid tribute to Game of Thrones' dramatic finale by sharing a photo of a TOILET that had been transformed into the Iron Throne While many fans assumed Grant had painstakingly wrapped his toilet in aluminium foil himself, he later revealed it wasn't his doing. A spokesperson for Grant's employer 2Day FM confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the photo had actually been sourced from a fan online. The impressive GOT tribute featured a backboard of swords, with foil completely wrapped over the entire toilet. That's dedication! While many fans assumed Grant had painstakingly wrapped his toilet in aluminium foil himself, he later revealed it wasn't his doing Pictured: The Iron Throne is a metonym for the fictional monarchy of Westeros as well as the physical throne of its monarch in Game of Thrones Game of Thrones has garnered a massive global audience since its debut in 2011. The HBO series recorded an astonishing 19.3 million viewers in the U.S. alone on Sunday evening. The first episode of Game of Thrones' final season was also a ratings smash for Foxtel in Australia, with more than one million people tuning in. End of an era: HBO series Game Of Thrones recorded an astonishing 19.3 million viewers in the US. alone on Sunday evening Meanwhile, Grant lives with wife Chezzi Denyer and their two daughters, three-year-old Scout and eight-year-old Sailor, on a 27-acre country estate in Bathurst. The 2Day FM radio presenter recently returned to TV to host quiz show Celebrity Name Game on Channel 10. He famously won the Gold Logie in 2018 for his work on Family Feud, which has since been cancelled. The newly re-elected Morrison government will seek parliament's support for income tax cuts before the end of the financial year. Having miraculously seen off a challenge by Bill Shorten's Labor team on Saturday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison went to church on Sunday before his beloved Cronulla Sharks played in the NRL. "Thanks again to all Australians all across the country," Mr Morrison said. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who fulfilled a promise to shout local voters a beer at a bowling club in his Melbourne electorate of Kooyong, said the government would quickly turn its attention to delivering tax cuts of up to $1080 into the pockets of Australians earning up to $126,000. "We want to bring parliament together. The Labor party have already said they will support that legislation, so it will have bipartisan support, so let's get this legislation passed so that the Australian people get their tax cuts," he said. As counting continued on Sunday, the coalition appeared to be on 73 seats - three seats short of a majority in the lower house - with Labor on 65 seats and six crossbenchers. Of seven in-doubt seats, the Liberals were ahead in Bass, Boothby and Wentworth while Labor was ahead in Chisholm, Cowan, Lilley and Macquarie. While the seat count continues and the government gets back to business, Labor is set for a month of introspection with a leadership ballot. Frontbencher and former leadership challenger Anthony Albanese on Sunday became the first to formally announce a tilt at the top job, following what he described as a "devastating result". "I particularly want to say my heart goes out to all those many tens of thousands of true believers who campaigned strongly over many months," Mr Albanese said. "I am sorry that we collectively did not get the job done." Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek will on Monday announce she will run for the leadership and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen is also expected to do so. Mr Shorten will be interim leader while a postal ballot process is conducted. "I will start the ball rolling (on Monday) so that in a matter of weeks the members of the party and parliamentary party can pick a new leader to take this into the next exciting time in the parliament ahead," Mr Shorten said in Melbourne. A result in the marginal South Australian electorate of Boothby may not be reached for several days, as first-term Liberal MP Nicolle Flint battles to retain her seat. Ms Flint is running neck-and-neck with her Labor opponent Nadia Clancy after a swing of about two per cent against her. She was on Sunday ahead 50.81 per cent to 49.19 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, with 75 per cent of votes counted. The outcome will depend on pre-poll and postal votes, which are expected to favour Ms Flint. Ms Clancy said it was too early to predict which way the seat would fall, but in any event the campaign had been hard fought. "It looks like it will be a while until we know the result in Boothby but no matter the outcome I am so incredibly proud of what my team has achieved," she said on Sunday. "We have fought a positive campaign focused on delivering a fair go for all South Australians, real action on climate change and investment in our schools and hospitals." Either way, the result in Boothby was the only close contest across SA with results in the state's other nine electorates all as expected. In the other seat of interest, Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie romped to another win in Mayo and looked set to slightly increase her majority after seeing off a second challenge from Liberal Georgina Downer. Ms Sharkie said she would prioritise stronger policies on climate action, a federal Royal Commission on the River Murray, protections for the Great Australian Bight and a federal corruption watchdog. "One of my first tasks will be to lobby the new government regarding all the promises made by the major parties in this election," she said. "And I haven't forgotten my pledges to fight for an independent and adequately-resourced ABC, the phasing out of long-haul sheep exports and the creation of a River Murray research institute in SA." In the SA Senate count, the Liberals looked likely to win three seats and Labor two, with sitting Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young favoured to take the final spot. Scott Morrison has given thanks to Australians after pulling off an extraordinary election win. The prime minister went to church with wife Jenny on Sunday morning after celebrating the miracle victory, and spent the afternoon at the footy watching his beloved Cronulla Sharks. "I give thanks to live in the greatest country in all the world," he told reporters outside the Horizon Church. "Thanks again to all Australians all across the country." Hugging members of the church congregation, Mr Morrison praised his local community and team of volunteers. "They have stayed with me ever since I was first elected to parliament in 2007," he said. "You don't get to be prime minister and serve in that capacity unless you are first a member of your local electorate." Pastor Andrew Evans, a former South Australian state politician who founded the Family First party, ministered the service on Sunday morning. World leaders were quick to congratulate Mr Morrison on his re-election. The prime minister has been in touch with US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have also offered their congratulations directly. He is expected to speak to UK Prime Minister Theresa May in coming days. Overnight, the prime minister received a rapturous reception after defying the pundits in a come-from-behind victory. "I have always believed in miracles," he told jubilant Liberal supporters in Sydney on Saturday night, with his wife and two daughters by his side. "I'm standing with the three biggest miracles of my life here tonight and tonight we have been delivered another one." Hundreds of Liberal diehards who packed into the ballroom of the Sofitel Hotel erupted in deafening delight when Mr Morrison entered the room around midnight. But the prime minister declared the surprise election result a victory for "quiet Australians". "It's always been about them." Mr Morrison, who became prime minister less than nine months ago after the Liberal Party rolled Malcolm Turnbull, is hungry to get back to work. "We've got a lot of work to do. We're going to get back to work for the Australians that we know go to work every day, who face those struggles and trials every day," he said. "They're looking for a fair go and they're having a go and they're going to get a go from our government." The coalition will be returned to government after winning at least 74 of the 76 seats needed to form a majority in parliament. A number of seats are still in doubt, but Mr Morrison acknowledged those candidates who defied the odds to buck expected defeats. He singled out the Sunshine State, where Labor failed to make an impact. "How good's Queensland?" he said, to chants of Queensland from the crowd. "I never thought I'd hear that in this room in NSW this close to Origin." Mr Morrison capped off the fairytale weekend by watching the Cronulla Sharks play at home in the Sutherland Shire. Heading into the ground, the prime minister was hopeful the team drew inspiration from his upset win. "I hope so - they sent me some inspiration yesterday before the election," he told reporters. "I always fully support them, and it's so nice they support me." Scott Morrison may need to talk turkey with crossbenchers on climate change if he falls short of a majority, delivering an early test of his leadership. The new independent MP for the Sydney seat of Warringah, Zali Steggall, says she has not been contacted by Mr Morrison but she is willing to talk. "I definitely want to talk to the government," Ms Steggall told reporters in Sydney on Sunday. While Mr Morrison's win was against the odds, Ms Steggall's defeat of former prime minister Tony Abbott in the safe Liberal seat was equally surprising, ending his 25-year political career. A jubilant Ms Steggall, a winter Olympian, compared her electoral victory to winning a medal. "At the moment the coalition are clearly in front of Labor when it comes to the number of seats won," she said. "I think there is clearly a mandate there and I indicated that was my preference anyway during the campaign." But she hopes defeating Mr Abbott will end climate change wars, a key issue in her election campaign. The Victorian seat of Indi is also likely to have a new independent MP in Helen Haines but she has made it clear she will only work on a case-by-case basis with the government and does not intend to operate in a bloc with other crossbenchers. However, she expects they'll work together on issues such as climate change. Ms Haines looks set to take the seat that was previously held by independent Cathy McGowan, winning almost 52 per cent of the vote so far after preferences. It would make her the first independent to succeed another independent in a seat. "I'm not operating as a bloc with the other independents. I very much run my own race in Indi," she told ABC television. "There's no doubt, though, that we do see eye-to-eye on action on climate. I think climate is the one that we will be collaborating very closely on the crossbench." She said she had yet to speak to other members who will make up the crossbench in the House of Representatives. Wentworth independent, Kerryn Phelps, who famously won the Sydney seat in a by-election previously held by another former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, remains in a close contest with Liberal David Sharma. However, independent MP Andrew Wilkie romped home with a 68 per cent of the vote in his Tasmanian seat of Clark. "The government is well aware I have a 'no deals' policy," Mr Wilkie told reporters. "If the government should need my support on any issue ... I'll weigh it up and vote on its merits, which is what I've been doing for the last six months. Other crossbenchers Rebekha Sharkie (Centre Alliance, Mayo, SA), Bob Katter (Katter's Australian Party, Kennedy, Queensland) and Adam Bandt (Greens, Melbourne, Victoria) were also returned. Business groups are hoping for a sensible approach when Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrestles with the possibility of a minority government after his surprise election win. But trade unions are already setting out the battlelines, saying the Morrison government has no mandate "whatsoever" to further pursue an anti-worker agenda. With just over 75 per cent of the vote counted on Sunday, the coalition appeared to hold 73 seats - three short of a majority. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO James Pearson hopes the speeches made by Mr Morrison and outgoing Labor leader Bill Shorten on the importance of bringing Australians together will translate into a "sensible and calm approach" as government is formed. "I'd like to think that that kind of approach is something perhaps we could see a bit more of in the next parliament," Mr Pearson told ABC news on Sunday. "We don't know what the Senate is going to look like, we don't yet know if the government will have a clear majority or will have to govern in some sort of arrangements with independents." Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox expects the narrow win will require "extensive horse-trading". "We would urge all concerned to work together for durable outcomes to deliver widespread benefits and greater investment certainty for business," Mr Willox said in a statement. Both Mr Pearson and Mr Willox want to see the next government develop credible climate change and energy policies, issues that are a key focus of the crossbench in the lower house, made up of minor parties and independents. "If we continue with a succession of rapidly reversed policies or no policy at all, at best we will see a costly patchwork of state and localised interventions," Mr Willox said. "At worst we will see our current energy disadvantage cemented and a receding ability to meet our emissions targets." Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable believes the coalition's win means there is now a clear mandate for resources projects that have lawful approvals to proceed. These include the Adani coal mine in central Queensland and the Yeelirrie uranium mine in Western Australia. "This is a win for regional jobs, particularly in the big resources states," Ms Constable said in a statement. But the ACTU said the government's narrow re-election win means it has no mandate and it will continue its 'Change the Rules' campaign until working people get a fair go. "Morrison's silence, despite repeated requests, on industrial relations policy means he has no mandate to undermine worker's rights, pay or job security," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said in a statement. "This election shows how much the rich and powerful will invest, and how far they will go, to maintain a system that benefits them at the expense of the vast majority of Australians." Scott Morrison was rarely flanked by ministers in the election campaign, but now he faces the task of deciding who will form his refreshed ministry and cabinet. Several gigs are up for grabs, including the women and industrial relations portfolios that were held by retired MP Kelly O'Dwyer. The prime minister also needs a new indigenous affairs minister, with Northern Territory senator Nigel Scullion bowing out at the poll. Australia needs a new human services minister too, since WA MP Michael Keenan has also stepped down. Mr Morrison will have a few more women to choose from for the posts. Women make up at least seven of the coalition's newcomers for the 46th parliament, with pediatrician Katie Allen replacing Ms O'Dwyer in the Melbourne seat of Higgins. The Nationals' Anne Webster, the founder of an organisation that supports mothers, has won the Victorian seat of Mallee left open by Andrew Broad. In western Sydney, psychologist Fiona Martin has taken over outgoing MP Craig Laundy's seat of Reid and community housing executive Melissa McIntosh has picked up Lindsay from Labor. Former University of Notre Dame Vice Chancellor Prof Celia Hammond is succeeding Julie Bishop in Perth's Curtin as the Liberals had hoped. Marketer Angie Bell has taken over retiring Steve Ciobo's seat of Moncrieff on the Gold Coast, while in Tasmania farmer Bridget Archer has won Bass from Labor. The Liberals are also a chance to win the NSW seat of Macquarie from Labor, which would bring local councillor Sarah Richards into the fold. There will be much continuity between Mr Morrison's last cabinet and his next, with the leader saying before the vote that his clutch of national security and economic ministers will stay on. That means Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann will keep their jobs. "These are the critical portfolios that sit at the central agencies of government," he told reporters last week. Mr Morrison has also said that Health Minister Greg Hunt, Education Minister Dan Tehan and Environment Minister Melissa Price will remain on deck. That comes despite Ms Price spending little time by Mr Morrison's side during the election campaign. The minister has rejected suggestions she has been avoiding the media. "I've spoken to all of the local ABC radio stations if they've asked me to... we've responded to numerous national comments," she told ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt on Saturday. WA senator Linda Reynolds has already been chosen to replace Christopher Pyne as Defence Minister, but the coalition will need a new Leader of the House. In Victoria's Corangamite, Sarah Henderson is fighting to hold the seat in a close contest against Labor's Libby Coker. Her departure would open the position of assistant minister for social services, housing and disability services. The independent who defeated Tony Abbott in Warringah says "the handbrake is now off" Australia's action on climate change, blaming the former prime minister for being a major impediment. Mr Abbott lost his Sydney seat of 24 years on Saturday night to Zali Steggall, a barrister who was the first skier to win a Winter Olympics medal for Australia. Speaking with reporters on Sunday, she congratulated Prime Minister Scott Morrison and described her win as "a message from Warringah ... getting away from climate wars". "Mr Abbott was, I think, very negative when it came to progress on climate change policy and I think now is an opportunity for Mr Morrison to get on with the job," she said. "The major person who has been against climate change action, I think, is probably Mr Abbott. "I actually think it is a message from this electorate ... the handbrake is now off." She said climate change had been an important issue for the electorate for some time and the considerable swing against Mr Abbott at the previous election had "just continued" because constituents wanted action. Ms Steggall also said the overall election result reflected voter rejection of Labor's economic policy. Mr Morrison has not yet called to congratulate her. "I suspect he is waiting to see the outcome of the government," she said. In conceding defeat, Mr Abbott said it was disappointing to lose his seat but congratulated Ms Steggall while his supporters booed at the mention of her name. Former PM John Howard said he "grieved" for Mr Abbott's loss and saluted the "enormous contribution that Tony has made to public life in Australia". Mr Abbott hinted he wasn't done with politics, stating: "My public life will, I imagine, go on". With more than 78 per cent of the vote counted on Saturday, Ms Steggall had 57.8 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis while Mr Abbott had 42.2 per cent. The political parties learnt one big lesson from the "unlosable" election of 1993 and Saturday's result seems, sadly, to have reinforced it. The lesson is: Don't go crazy brave on policy because your opponent will mount a scare campaign that will shred you. The parallels with 1993 aren't exact, but they're close enough. In 1991, 18 months before the election, Liberal opposition leader John Hewson launched Fightback! The 650-page document was the biggest collection of radical conservative policies ever presented to the Australian people. They included major changes to Medicare, unemployment benefits and industrial relations. Its centrepiece was a 15 per cent GST. It was far more radical and comprehensive than the changes to negative gearing and imputation credits that Bill Shorten offered this time. Fightback! helped kill Bob Hawke's prime ministership, but Paul Keating was another matter. It would be fanciful to suggest Shorten's proposals helped end Malcolm Turnbull's time at The Lodge. But Scott Morrison, like Keating, wasn't going to die wondering. They both faced consistently depressing opinion polls and they both mounted massive scare campaigns. Keating, however, also produced a comprehensive policy of his own, called One Nation (this was before Pauline Hanson). Morrison only promised economic stability. Even on voting day, the polls suggested the challengers would win, though in Keating's case the gap was narrowing and Morrison was getting some promising trends from private polling in selected marginals. Nevertheless, the result in both cases - Keating picked up two seats - was a major surprise. And the lesson - don't give your opponent anything to attack, particularly if there are losers who can be terrified - is the same. Labor's unclear position on the proposed Adani coal mine sealed its costly Queensland defeat, returned Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says. Several marginal seats across the state swung towards the Coalition on Saturday night, paving the way for Scott Morrison to reclaim government. Senator Hanson-Young said voters had punished Bill Shorten for "sitting on the fence" on the controversial mine proposal. "Labor needed to be much clearer," she told reporters on Sunday. "You can't care about climate change and, on the other hand, be giving the tick of approval to a big new coal mine. "I think Labor would have done much better if they had listened to the views of Australians that wanted real action on climate change." Groundwater plans for the proposed central Queensland mine were approved by federal environment minister Melissa Price on April 8, two days before the May 18 national election was officially called. An anti-Adani convoy directed by former Greens leader Bob Brown galvanised voters when it moved through central Queensland during the campaign. The LNP will likely snare the Townsville seat of Herbert from Labor's Cathy O'Toole, and retain other marginals Dawson, Capricornia and Leichhardt. Senator Hanson-Young credited her party's transparent position with its improved Queensland vote, but said it was South Australia that returned the strongest Greens vote nationwide. She said that result was a sign the state had an appetite for action on climate change. "South Australians don't want our Bight turned into an oil field, and they want the river Murray saved," she said. "Well, that's what we're going to do together and it starts today." The Liberals look likely to win three South Australian senate seats, and Labor the remaining two. Senator Hanson-Young said her first priority on returning to Canberra will be the introduction of new legislation to ban drilling in the Great Australian Bight. Labor's Warren Snowdon looks to have won his Northern Territory seat again but said he was feeling "really sad" in the federal election's wake. One of Australia's longest-serving MPs, the 69-year-old former Rudd minister was first elected in 1987 and served until 1996. He was elected again 1998 and has served ever since. Mr Snowdon has not declared victory yet, with voting from remote polling booths along with pre-poll and postal votes still to be counted. Mr Snowdon's margin has been cut to 2.5 per cent after a 5.7 per cent swing to high-profile Country Liberal opponent Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, a Warlpiri/Celtic woman and Alice Springs town councillor. Darwin-based Solomon Labor MP Luke Gosling declared victory on Saturday night in the NT's other electorate over the CLP's Kathy Ganley, earning a second term. NT Gunner Labor Government insiders had been worried voters would punish the two federal Labor MPs in a protest vote over the chronically indebted Territory budget. Federal Labor had made more concrete promises for the NT, such as $1.1 billion for remote housing compared to the Morrison government's $550 million, $300 million towards a ship lift and quicker funding for Kakadu National Park than the Coalition. Mr Snowdon said he was confident he would hold on, based on Labor support in indigenous communities, but said he was very disappointed in Labor's loss nationally and the swing against him citing a negative CLP campaign with no policies. He said he thought hostility towards the Gunner government that the CLP campaigned on may have had an impact in some areas but that was difficult to discern. "This is a dreadful result, the Morrison Government's Kakadu commitment to roads might be put off to the "never never", the plan for northern Australia we had was immediate, not put off and would've made a significant difference to the NT bottom line," he told AAP. "It would have stimulated investment job opportunities and small business but won't happen now." Ms Price, who has been controversial in her views on Aboriginal Australia's issues with domestic violence and child protection, says she believes she still has a chance. ""I think some of the biggest issues for me is that people want jobs, people want stability, people want to stand on their own two feet," she told the NT News. She also flagged that she would be making a formal complaint, alleging that Labor staffers had been acting undemocratically by driving Aboriginal voters to booths to vote for them. The two Territory senators will include the re-elected Malarndirri McCarthy of Labor and CLP's Sam McMahon replacing the retiring Nigel Scullion. Sally Pearson was delighted with her form after clocking an Olympic qualifying time in the 100 metres hurdles at the IAAF World Challenge meet in Osaka, Japan on Sunday. The 32-year-old London Olympic champion finished second but had the same time - 12.70s - as the winner, US indoor champion Sharika Nelvis. "Legit just walked off the track and into the Drug Testing Room, still trying to catch my breath!," tweeted Pearson. "But I'm over the moon to clock my fastest 100m hurdles time in over 15 months with an Olympic qualifier of 12.70 (+0.4) one step closer to #Tokyo2020". Pearson has battled injuries in recent seasons but she led for most of Sunday's race before being pipped on the line. Fellow Australian Brooke Stratton won the women's long jump with a leap of 6.66m. A 60-year-old man is behind bars charged with fatally stabbing his wife before she was found near a hospital in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The 47-year-old woman died shortly after she was found unresponsive with stab wounds on Barker Street, near the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, at about 8.45pm on Saturday, police say. Mourad Kerollos, her husband from Panania, was arrested nearby and charged with murder on Sunday. Police earlier described the incident as "domestic" related. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused at Parramatta Bail Court later in the day. Kerollos is expected before Central Local Court via video link on July 18. Australian dividends would have shown zero growth yet again during the first three months of 2019 were it not for a special payout from resources giant BHP and growth at Woodside Petroleum. Economic uncertainty appeared to have little impact on global dividends in the three months to March 31, according to the latest Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index on Monday, with 7.8 per cent growth on a headline basis to a record $US263.3 billion. But the global asset management group's research revealed Australian dividends continued a five-year trend of zero growth, while companies from Asia Pacific nations - excluding Japan - delivered the world's strongest dividend growth since 2009. Only once mining company BHP's combined $US6.6 billion special dividend and franking credit payout was taken into account did Australian dividends show modest growth of 3.8 per cent during the quarter. Janus Henderson said the trend should be a major concern for investors who focus solely on local dividends for income. "(It should) really encourage them to look globally for reliable, growing income," the firm said in a release. The biggest contribution to dividend growth in Australia during Q1 came from Woodside Petroleum, which more than doubled its final dividend in February to a fully franked $1.2706 per share after a challenging couple of years. Telco giant Telstra, however, cut its final payout from 11 cents to eight cents the same month after a 28 per cent dive in first-half profit. Commonwealth Bank held its interim dividend flat at $2 in line with a wider trend across the banking sector in Australia. Janus Henderson analyses dividends paid by the 1,200 largest firms by market capitalisation. The United States and Canada broke all-time quarterly dividend records during the reporting period with US dividends hitting a record $US122.5 billion, up 8.3 per cent on a headline basis, with underlying growth even better at 9.6 per cent. US growth has exceeded the global average about 70 per cent of the time over the last five years, as company profits have benefited from a robust economy and favourable tax changes. For the full year, Janus Henderson expects global dividends to reach a record $US1.43 trillion, up 4.2 per cent in headline terms, and 5.2 per cent on an underlying basis. Higher special dividends than originally expected are likely to be broadly offset by a more negative impact from exchange rates, the firm said. Just last week, an 18-year-old woman with a rare cancer was staring down the barrel of paying $7000 a month for a medicine she needs to treat her condition. Rare Cancers Australia chair Richard Vines knows this because a clinician contacted his organisation in hopes of finding a way to alleviate the woman's costly burden. "It's her only chance," Mr Vines told AAP. The woman is among Australians who need a medicine that falls outside the scope of those subsidised by the government through a listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Working in the field he does, Mr Vines encounters such people every day, with some deciding against getting treatment because they can't afford it and don't wan't to bury their families in debt. "It impacts on so many levels," he said. Their experience resonates with some of the findings of a new survey canvassing the attitudes of Australians towards the PBS. The vast majority (87 per cent) of Australians believe the scheme should be funded by the government, according to the Neilsen poll of 2000 people commissioned by Medicines Australia, which represents the pharmaceutical industry. But only one in five people (22 per cent) believe the scheme provides access to the widest possible range of medicines. Many people (82 per cent) also believe that breakthrough treatments should be added to the PBS, making them affordable, more quickly. Medicines Australia chief executive Liz de Somer says the PBS must evolve to more easily support access to freshly discovered treatments. "These findings show Australians want future access to breakthrough medicines," she said of the survey data. "What is critical is to balance this innovation and affordability with the expectations of Australians." Mr Vines believes both government and pharmaceutical industry have contributed to the delay in some medicines being listed on the PBS through lengthy price negotiations. Aside from that, the system is largely geared towards treating the most prominent conditions, he believes. "We should be finding ways to make this better, faster and we can't ignore the fact that you can't design a health system for common diseases, it has to be for everyone." Queenslander Jim Chalmers is considering running for the leadership of the Labor party and wants to play a substantial role in rebuilding after the election loss. The member for Rankin said on Q&A that he was talking to his colleagues and was considering a tilt at the leadership. "I'm considering it. I'm talking to my colleagues about it. I don't think it's unreasonable that a few of us take some time to work out what we want to do," he said on Monday night. The election loss on Saturday was "heartbreaking" but wanted to play a substantial role in the party's future, he said. "I want to play a substantial role in the rebuilding of our electoral fortunes, the rebuilding of our policies. The exact nature of the substantial role is to be determined." It comes as Anthony Albanese announced his intentions for the role and said he would be a different Labor leader to Bill Shorten because of their different paths. "I'm someone who comes from a different background," he told ABC's 7:30 on Monday, after mentioning he was raised by a single mother in public housing in Sydney's inner west. "I have had a range of jobs. I'm an economist by training. I've been in parliament for more than 20 years. "I'm very much a consensus person, and people will judge me by who I am rather than by comparison to Bill Shorten or anyone else." Mr Albanese is the only person to have confirmed he will contest the Labor leadership since Mr Shorten resigned on Saturday after his party's election loss. Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek will not try to fill the top job, despite receiving support from across the party. "Now is not my time," she said in a statement on Monday. "At this point, I cannot reconcile the important responsibilities I have to my family with the additional responsibilities of the Labor leadership." Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen, also from the Labor right, is also considering whether he will run. Labor's national executive committee met on Monday to lay out the framework for the leadership ballot. The full Labor executive, comprising senior MPs and key party officials, will meet on Wednesday. The search for the next leader is expected to take about one month. Rank and file members will first cast their votes, followed by the federal Labor caucus, before the results are averaged out and a winner is crowned. Mr Albanese, who came second in the last leadership ballot in 2013, believes Labor needs to listen to people in the outer suburbs and the regions to understand why the party lost the election. Opposition frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon believes the party has drifted too far to the left. "We certainly have to get back to the centre and we have to reconnect to our working class base," he told ABC Radio National. Doug Cameron, a leading figure in the Labor left who retired from the Senate at the election, disagrees. "This is not the time to panic and move to the 'centre' as a proxy for abandoning progressive policies and capitulating once again to neoliberalism," he tweeted. Police are still hunting for two people who fled the scene of seven-vehicle crash that killed two people during a horror weekend on Queensland's roads. Five men died in four weekend crashes, including two struck by an out of control BMW in the Brisbane suburb of Windsor late on Saturday. The BMW killed a moped rider, 32, and the 23-year-old driver of a Subaru. Three other people were injured, with the crash leaving a trail of wrecked vehicles. Police are still hunting for two people who were in the BMW and fled the scene. Three other men died in separate crashes on Sunday. A motorcyclist in his 20s died at Mount Nebo, west of Brisbane, on Sunday morning when his bike left the road and hit a tree. Also on Sunday morning, a passing driver found the body of a 37-year-old man in the wreckage of a vehicle that hit a tree at Durong, in the South Burnett region. And on Sunday night, a 28-year-old man died at Rosemount when he crashed his car on the Bruce Highway, in the Sunshine Coast region. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating all five deaths. A return to national issues helped the Liberal Party reclaim its blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth, according to Dave Sharma who has claimed victory over independent Kerryn Phelps. The race for the high profile Sydney seat had been neck and neck since Saturday night but Mr Sharma officially claimed the win on Monday afternoon after outgoing independent MP Kerryn Phelps conceded. Mr Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, described the result as "very satisfying" after he lost to Dr Phelps in the October 2018 by-election called after ex-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull quit. "It's been a long continuous campaign for seven months for me," he told reporters in Sydney. Mr Sharma said there was a lot of "anger and protest" during the by-election but Wentworth voters were more focused on national issues during the federal election. "I was helped by the tailwind of a strong national campaign," he said on Monday. Mr Sharma had 51.7 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis to Dr Phelps's 48.3 per cent with 77 per cent of the ballots counted. The newly-minted MP doesn't expect a ministerial role in the new Morrison government but instead plans to focus on delivering for the people of Wentworth. He thanked Dr Phelps for her seven-month contribution in Canberra. Dr Phelps was flanked by a group of "purple army" campaign volunteers when she conceded defeat and thanked her wife and family for supporting her. "There's no way I could have done anything I did in parliament or for the electorate without their undying support," she told reporters in Sydney. During her time in federal parliament, Dr Phelps fought to get refugees off Manus Island and Nauru, and also advocated for stronger action to tackle climate change. "I operated in Canberra with conviction, with integrity and a belief that individuals can impact on the political conversation," she said. "The one thing the past seven months have shown is that one voice can make a difference." Dr Phelps described her by-election win as "almost a miracle" and insisted there was still an appetite for independent thinking in Wentworth. But, she said, voters were conflicted. "They were appreciative of the work I had done but didn't want a Labor government," the 61-year-old said. "Clearly the country decided it wanted to return a Liberal government and I suspect that had something to do with it." Dr Phelps wouldn't be drawn on her future in politics instead saying she would now focus on catching up with family and friends. She kept her place on Sydney City Council after winning the by-election and has also continued working at her Double Bay GP practice. She congratulated Mr Sharma on his win as did Mr Turnbull who held the seat for 14 years. "Congratulations Dave Sharma on winning Wentworth - the best part of the best country in the world! Good luck in the years ahead. And thank you Kerryn Phelps for the great courage and character you showed as our MP," the former prime minister tweeted. A meteor shower in the Northern Territory outback has been captured on camera over the towns of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. NT Police Duty Superintendent James O'Brien said officers received a phone call after midnight on Monday from a Charles Creek Camp resident about a "magnificent, brilliant white light that had lit up Alice Springs like daylight". Police CCTV vision recorded the meteor shower travelling across the sky in both Alice Springs and more than 500 kilometres north in Tennant Creek. There were also reports of noise like thunder, rumbling and windows shaking. Many pieces of rock - about 200 tonnes - from space hit Earth every day but most were too small to be noticed, Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker said. The ones that are noticed such as Monday morning's event were also small, but in this case large enough to be seen burning brightly and colourfully before disappearing into the outback. "It's because they are very dense and they're travelling hundreds of thousands of kilometres an hour so you get a lot of friction therefore a lot of brightness and a big boom," Dr Tucker told ABC radio. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is showered with petals during a campaign stop Voting in one of India's most acrimonious elections in decades entered its final day Sunday as Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi scrambled to hang on to his overall majority. The seventh and final round of voting ended the world's biggest election with 900 million eligible voters from Goa's beaches to Mumbai's slums and Ladakh's Himalayan monasteries. Long queues formed outside polling stations in eight northern states electing the final 59 candidates to India's 543-seat lower house. Polls close at 1230 GMT with vote counting on Thursday. Heavy security was imposed in West Bengal, which has seen street battles between followers of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition groups. India An improvised bomb was thrown from a motorbike at one polling booth in the state capital Kolkata but no one was injured, officials said. One group attacked a makeshift BJP office in the city and police also cleared other activists blocking polling stations. Modi's constituency in Varanasi, the holy city in Uttar Pradesh state, was also among those to vote. The conservative BJP has campaigned aggressively on Modi's strongman image and played up recent cross-border air strikes against Pakistan. The opposition, led by the Congress party and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, have accused him of pursuing divisive policies and neglecting the economy. Modi and Gandhi have hurled insults at each other on a near daily basis with the prime minister calling his rival a "fool" while Gandhi derides Modi as a "thief". - Jaded voters - The animosity has taken a toll on voters. "All the abuse and misconduct claims suggest that standards in Indian politics have slipped badly," Asit Banerjee, a history teacher in Kolkata, said as he queued to vote. The holy city of Varanasi was among those voting "Endless mudslinging and bitter comments pervaded the campaign. We are losing hope in democracy, it is time for a reset," the 60-year-old told AFP. Writing in the Hindustan Times, political commentator Karan Thapar said Modi's message "played on our insecurities and strummed upon our deep inner fears". He also criticised Gandhi's campaign. Pollsters say Modi remains personally popular but his party's overall majority is at risk from a backlash. The 68-year-old Modi has held 142 rallies across India during the campaign, sometimes five a day, but pollsters say the BJP could lose dozens of the 282 seats it won in its 2014 landslide. - $7 billion vote - On Saturday Modi, dressed in a long robe and saffron sash, trekked to a Himalayan shrine to meditate. Indian media widely used images showing him seated on a bed inside a cave in the country's north. Gandhi has struggled to make himself heard above the din of the BJP's campaign juggernaut The Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies estimates that the outlay on this election could top $7 billion, making it one of the priciest contests globally -- with the lion's share of the spending by the BJP. Much has been spent on social media advertising and messages, with the parties using armies of "cyber warriors" to bombard India's hundreds of millions of Facebook and WhatsApp users. Fake news and doctored images have abounded, including of Gandhi and Modi having lunch with Imran Khan, prime minister of arch rival Pakistan, or of a drunk Priyanka Gandhi, a politician and the sister of Rahul. Some 900 million people were eligible to vote in the multi-stage election, with results to be announced on May 23 Violence has also broken out. Maoist rebels killed 15 troops and their driver in the western state of Maharashtra on May 1, the latest attack in a decades-long insurgency. Gandhi, 48, has tried several lines of attack against Modi, in particular over alleged corruption in a French defence deal and over the plight of farmers and on the economy. Modi's government has fallen short on creating jobs for the million Indians entering the labour market every month, the shock introduction of a cash ban in 2016 caused huge disruption to livelihoods, and Indian banks are gasping under bad debts. Lynchings of Muslims and low-caste Dalits for eating beef, slaughtering and trading in cattle have risen during Modi's tenure, leaving some of the country's 170 million Muslims feeling threatened and anxious for their future. In contrast to the Hindu nationalist Modi, Rahul Gandhi has reached out to Muslim voters and stressed his secular credentials Rahul Gandhi, vying to become the latest prime minister from India's most famous dynasty, has worked hard to shed his image as an entitled footloose princeling and political lightweight. But the great-grandson, grandson and son of three past premiers of the world's biggest democracy still faces a tough task beating Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the elections. No relation to independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, Rahul was born in 1970 when his grandmother Indira Gandhi -- daughter of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru -- was premier. In 1984, Indira was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards and she was succeeded by her son Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul's father. Rajiv was himself assassinated in 1991 by a Tamil suicide bomber when Rahul was 20. Rahul was enrolled at Harvard but dropped out after a year, following his father's death. He later graduated from Rollins College, Florida and in 1994 earned a master's degree from Cambridge. While in his 20s, he lived in London, where he worked at a management consultancy for a time. His Italian-born mother Sonia Gandhi, widow of Rajiv, took charge of the Congress party in 1998 before handing over the reins to Rahul, her first-born, in 2017. - 'Empty suit' - Ten years earlier, in 2007, leaked US diplomatic cables said Rahul was viewed as an "empty suit" and "lightweight", with little known about his political beliefs -- if he had any. India's general election 2019 But by 2009, the US assessment was now that Gandhi sounded like a "practiced politician who knew how to get his message across and... was comfortable with the nuts and bolts of party organization and vote counting". "He was precise and articulate and demonstrated a mastery that belied the image some have of Gandhi as a dilettante," a leaked cable by senior US diplomat Peter Burleigh said. After Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) crushed Congress at the 2014 election, Gandhi set about reviving and rejuvenating the party, while keeping older hands onside. A speech in the lower house last year drew widespread applause and forced political pundits to take notice. He ended it by giving an uncomfortable-looking Modi a surprise hug. He has also, in contrast to the Hindu nationalist Modi, reached out to Muslim voters and stressed his secular credentials, and also to women, promising to bring legislation setting aside seats in parliament for them. Last December, Congress secured victory in three key state elections, including in Modi's northern Indian "cow belt" heartland, suddenly making Gandhi look like a serious contender. - 'Not foolish' - During the campaign for the election -- which wraps up on Sunday, with results four days later -- Gandhi has attacked Modi's record on farmers, jobs and his close ties to business. Rahul Gandhi with his mother Sonia in 1998 "Across India, people are frustrated and angry. Mr Modi is attempting to use hyper-nationalism to divert the attention of the people," he said in a recent interview to the Kolkata-based Telegraph newspaper. "But the people of India are not foolish. They can see through this game," he said. Election adverts show him hugging an emaciated peasant woman, while Gandhi's leftist manifesto pledges to end abject poverty by 2030 and give cash transfers to 50 million families. But tea-seller's son Modi is no pushover, using traditional and social media, as well as tub-thumping speeches, to dominate the headlines. Modi has capitalised on India and Pakistan's tit-for-tat airstrikes in February to appear as the patriotic "chowkidar" (watchman) of India. Gandhi's attempts to score points with allegations of dodgy dealings related to India's purchase of Rafale jets from France have also failed to stick with voters in a big way, opinion polls have suggested. And at the same time, Modi seldom misses an opportunity to contrast his own humble beginnings with his silver-spoon adversary, deriding Gandhi as "shahzada" (crown prince). Gandhi "appears to be clinging to the socialist ideas of his grandmother and doesn't realise that people have changed, that even the poor have changed", Parsa Venkateshwar Rao, a veteran journalist and political commentator, told AFP. Oil tanker Amjad, seen here on May 13, 2019, was one of two Saudi tankers reportedly damaged last week in mysterious "sabotage attacks" off the coast of the Gulf emirate of Fujairah Major crude producers are set to meet Sunday to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid rising US-Iran tensions in the Gulf, which threaten to disrupt supply. Key OPEC members and other major suppliers including Russia will assess the oil market and examine compliance to production cuts agreed late last year. But the subject of Iran, which is not present, will dominate the one-day meeting of the OPEC+ group. It comes days after sabotage attacks against tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and the bombing of a Saudi pipeline by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels. The meeting also comes as the full impact of re-instated US sanctions against Tehran kicks in, slashing the Islamic republic's crude exports. Hours before the meeting in Jeddah, host Saudi Arabia said it does not seek war with Iran, but is ready to defend its interests. The meeting is set to make recommendations ahead of a key OPEC summit in late June, to be attended by Iran. President Donald Trump said last month Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members had agreed to his request to boost oil production in order to tamp down rising prices. Massive drops in exports by Iran and Venezuela plus output cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day, implemented by the OPEC+ group since January, have cut supply. But UAE Energy Minister Suheil al-Mazrouei said inventories were still building up. He told reporters Saturday that the job of balancing the market was not yet complete, a hint that any ramp-up in production could send prices crashing as they did in late 2018. - Iran exports tumble - OPEC and the International Energy Agency said earlier this month that global oil supply fell in April due to US sanctions on Iran tightened and OPEC+ production cuts. The IEA said Iranian crude production fell in April to 2.6 million bpd, down from 3.9 million before Washington announced in May 2018 it would withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes Iran's output is already at its lowest level in over five years, but could tumble in May to levels not seen since the devastating 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Energy intelligence firm Kpler sees Iranian exports plunging from 1.4 million bpd in April to around half a million barrels in May -- down from 2.5 million in normal circumstances. Venezuela's output is also tumbling, down by over half since the third quarter of last year. Kpler data shows OPEC+ members have kept to agreed production cuts. But exporters fear a rush to raise production to plug the gap left by Iranian exports could backfire, triggering a new supply glut. - Gulf tensions - Sunday's meeting comes amid soaring Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers off the Emirati coast and drone attacks, claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels, which shut a key Saudi crude pipeline. Both attacks targeted routes built as alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for almost all Gulf exports. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait in case of war with the US, which said this month it was sending an aircraft carrier and strike group to the region. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting "the security of oil supplies... and the global economy". Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said Sunday his country does not want war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih has said Saudi Arabia is ready to boost oil output in case of shortages due to falling Iranian output Riyadh "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it", he told journalists in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia called Saturday for urgent meetings of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions, government news agency SPA said. It also said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about enhancing security in the region. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said last month the kingdom was ready to boost supplies in case of any shortage due to the Iran embargo. That is likely to infuriate Iran and raise questions over the future of OPEC, of which Iran is an influential member. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has said Washington's stated aim of bringing Iran's oil exports "to zero" was "an illusion". President Donald Trump effectively barred Huawei from the US market amid an escalating trade war with Beijing Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is ready to deal with Washington's crackdown and will reduce its reliance on US components, its founder told Japanese media. President Donald Trump effectively barred Huawei from the US market on Wednesday and added it to a list which would restrict US sales to the firm amid an escalating trade war with Beijing. "We have already been preparing for this," Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei told a group of Japanese journalists Saturday in his first interview since Trump's move. Ren said Huawei would continue to develop its own components to reduce its dependence on outside suppliers. Huawei is a rapidly expanding leader in 5G technology but remains dependent on foreign suppliers. It buys about $67 billion worth of components each year, including about $11 billion from US suppliers, according to The Nikkei business daily. The usually elusive Ren, 74, has come out of the shadows in recent months in the face of increasing pressure on his company. Ren's army background and Huawei's opaque culture have fuelled suspicions in some countries that the firm has links with the Chinese military and intelligence services. A former Chinese army technician, Ren Zhengfei founded Huawei in 1987 with only $5,000, according to company lore Huawei is also the target of an intense campaign by Washington, which has been trying to persuade allies not to allow China a role in building next-generation 5G mobile networks. US government agencies are already banned from buying equipment from Huawei. "We have not done anything which violates the law," Ren said, adding the US measures would have a limited impact. "It is expected that Huawei's growth may slow, but only slightly," he said, according The Nikkei. A former army technician, Ren founded Huawei in 1987 with only $5,000, according to company lore. Huawei now claims to have nearly 190,000 employees, operates in 170 countries, and reported revenue of more than $100 billion in 2018. Ren said his company would not yield to pressure from Washington. "We will not change our management at the request of the US or accept monitoring, as ZTE has done," he said, as quoted by The Nikkei, referring to fellow Chinese telecoms giant ZTE which was also targeted by Washington. ZTE came close to collapse last year after US firms were banned from selling it vital components over its continued dealings with Iran and North Korea. Trump later reversed the decision and in return ZTE had to pay a $1 billion fine and accept monitoring by the US Commerce Department. The US has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf Saudi Arabia has called for emergency regional talks to discuss mounting Gulf tensions, saying Sunday that it does not want war with Iran but is ready to defend itself. It comes days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. The United States has also deployed an aircraft carrier and bombers to the Gulf over alleged threats from Iran. King Salman invited Gulf leaders and Arab League member states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent "aggressions and their consequences", the kingdom's official SPA news agency reported late Saturday. Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it," he said. "But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests." The kingdom's regional allies welcomed the Saudi invitation. The UAE's foreign ministry said the current "critical circumstances" require a unified Arab and Gulf stance. The meetings will be a "significant opportunity for the countries of the region to achieve their aspirations for establishing peace and stability," it said. According to Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank, Riyadh wants to show that the region is behind it. "The US maximum pressure campaign against Iran has little support among Western allies," she told AFP. "Saudi Arabia is building, in its eyes, the strongest coalition of Arab and Muslim states that it has ever assembled to push back against its adversary, Iran." - Sabotage probe ongoing - Four ships including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAE's Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital maritime route for oil exports which Iran has threatened to close in the event of a war. That incident was followed by drone strikes Tuesday claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline built as an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz were to be closed. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting "the security of oil supplies... and the global economy". "If Iran is deemed responsible, Gulf allies will presumably support a firm retort, but they may balk at being dragged into a major confrontation," the Washington Institute said on Tuesday. Jubeir said the UAE was leading the probe into the damaged oil tankers, but added that "we have some indications and we will make the announcements once the investigations are completed". Saudi King Salman has invited Gulf leaders and Arab states to emergency summits in Mecca amid escalating tensions in the region The Emirates has said three Western countries -- the US, France and Norway -- would also be part of the investigation, along with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Neither of the two Gulf states, both close allies of the United States, has given details on the exact nature of the ship attacks. Despite international scepticism, the US government has cited increasing threats from Iran, a long-time enemy of both Washington and its regional allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. SPA said Sunday that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about enhancing security in the region. The US has already strengthened its military presence in the region, deploying several strategic B-52 bombers. US President Donald Trump last week predicted that Iran would "soon" want to negotiate. Sudanese protesters wave the national flag outside the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum on May 19, 2019 as talks were to resume between the military rulers and leaders of the demonstrators on a new governing body Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders said more talks were planned for Monday on finalising the makeup of a new ruling body, after hours of negotiations through the night ended without agreement. Both sides have been at loggerheads over the new governing body that would rule Sudan for a three-year transitional period after the ouster last month of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. The latest discussions were launched Sunday evening following pressure from world powers to install a civilian-led governing body -- a key demand of demonstrators. After continuing into the early hours of Monday, the ruling military council announced the talks would resume at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT). "The structure of the sovereign authority has been discussed," Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi, spokesman of the military council, told reporters. "It's agreed to resume negotiations today (Monday) evening... hoping to reach a final deal." The Sudanese Professional Association -- the group that initially launched the protest campaign against Bashir in December, said Monday that it was in no rush to finalise the deal. "We are not in a hurry for the crucial victory... whatever be the outcome, it will be a step forward," it wrote on Twitter without elaborating. The agreement had been expected on Wednesday, but the military council suspended the negotiations for 72 hours. - Islamist warning - Ahead of Sunday's talks, the umbrella protest movement -- the Alliance for Freedom and Change -- raised the ante by insisting that the country's ruling body be "led by a civilian as its chairman and with a limited military representation". Supporters of Sudanese Islamist movements demonstrate against any deal that would exclude sharia law on May 18, 2019 The existing military council is headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the generals insist that the overall new body be military-led. On the eve of the talks, hundreds of supporters of Islamist movements rallied outside the presidential palace in Khartoum warning they would reject any deal that would exclude sharia -- Islamic law -- from the country's political roadmap. "The main reason for the mobilisation is that the alliance is ignoring the application of sharia in its deal," said Al-Tayieb Mustafa, who heads a coalition of about 20 Islamic groups. "This is irresponsible and if that deal is done, it is going to open the door of hell for Sudan," he told AFP. Bashir came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989 and Sudanese legislation has since been underpinned by Islamic law. The protest leaders have so far remained silent on whether sharia has a place in Sudan's future, arguing that their main concern is installing a civilian administration. Saudi Arabia meanwhile on Sunday deposited $250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of an aid package it announced following Bashir's ouster. The UAE said on April 28 it would also deposit $250 million in Sudan's central bank. The oil-rich Gulf states have pledged a further $2.5 billion in aid to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products. - Violence-marred talks - It was Sudan's worsening economic crisis that triggered nationwide protests against Bashir. Before talks were suspended earlier this week, the generals and protest leaders had agreed on several key issues, including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament, with two thirds of lawmakers to come from the protesters' umbrella group. But those talks were marred by violence after five protesters and an army major were shot dead near the ongoing sit-in outside the military headquarters in central Khartoum, where thousands have camped out for weeks. Initially, the protesters gathered to demand Bashir resign -- but they have stayed put, to pressure the generals into stepping aside. The protesters had also erected roadblocks on some avenues in Khartoum to put further pressure on the generals during negotiations, but the military rulers demanded that they be removed. Protesters duly took the roadblocks down in recent days -- but they said they will put them back up, if the army fails to transfer power to a civilian administration. The generals have allowed protesters to maintain their sit-in outside army headquarters. Indonesian soldiers stand guard near one of the seven French fighter jets which were forced to make an emergency landing due to bad weather Seven French navy fighter jets were forced to make an emergency landing in Indonesia's northernmost province due to bad weather, an air force official said Sunday. The Dassault Rafale planes managed to land safely in Aceh province on the tip of the island of Sumatra Saturday after taking part in an exercise. They took off from their aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Indian Ocean, 100 nautical miles west of Sumatra's exclusive economic zone, Aceh air force base chief Hendro Arief said. The planes were diverted to the nearest air base, the Sultan Iskandar Muda air base in Aceh Besar. "We did a security and clearance inspection and coordinated with relevant parties. Everything was clear," Arief said. The crews were all cooperative and none of them carried individual weapons, he added. Five of the jets returned to their carrier Sunday, while two others are still at the Indonesian air base. In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind protests that led to the ouster of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir Saudi Arabia announced Sunday it deposited $250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of a support package for the country following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. "The ministry of finance has deposited 937.5 million Saudi riyals into the central bank of Sudan," it said in a statement. In April, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced three billion dollars (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan. "$500 million has been provided by both countries... to strengthen its financial position," the kingdom's finance ministry said. The UAE said on April 28 it was depositing $250 million in Sudan's central bank. The oil-rich Gulf states pledged to inject $500 million into Sudan's central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said last month. It said the move was aimed shoring up the Sudanese pound. In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind the nationwide protests that first erupted in December and led to the toppling of Bashir by the army last month. Sudan plays a key role in the regional interests of Saudi Arabia and its allies, siding with Riyadh against Shiite Iran and providing troops in the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen's war. Both Gulf nations have voiced backing for Sudan's military rulers, who are facing calls from protesters to cede power to a civilian transitional government. The Sudanese currency had plunged even after the United States lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on the country in October 2017. Expectations that the end of US sanctions would bring an economic recovery failed to materialise, putting pressure on the pound. The country's economic crisis has deepened since the secession of South Sudan in 2011 that took away the bulk of oil earnings. Displaced Congolese have in the past fled inter-communal violence in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo At least 19 people were killed when gunmen attacked a fish market in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo near Lake Albert, local officials said on Sunday. No group has claimed responsibility, but the region around Ituri province has been hit in the past by intercommunal violence between militias from the Hema and Lendu communities. "Nineteen corpses were found in the village of Tara on the edge of Lake Albert, and eight others were wounded," said Pilo Mulindo, a local community leader in Djugu territory. "The attack happened on Wednesday when armed bandits attacked a group gathered on the beach to set up a market," the official said. The UN mission to the DRCongo, known by its initials MONUSCO, reported the attack on Friday without giving a precise death toll. It planned to send a team to the area. The victims were fishermen and their customers, Mulindo said. The area is known as a region where Lendu militia are active. Violence shook Ituri province, particularly Djugu, last year when militias from Hema herder communities and Lendu farmers clashed and killed more than 100 people. More than 300,000 were displaced or forced to flee to Uganda, on the other side of Lake Albert. Lakes in the region are also a cause of tension between DRCongo and Uganda, with claims of Congolese militia members crossing to the Ugandan side for illegal fishing, often accompanied by attacks on locals. US President Donald Trump, seen speaking in Washington on May 17, 2019, called fellow Republican Justin Amash a "loser" Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed as "a total lightweight" the Republican lawmaker who a day earlier became the first member of the party to call publicly for the US president's impeachment. Michigan Representative Justin Amash -- a staunch libertarian on the right of the party -- declared that any other person would have been prosecuted over Trump's multiple attempts to thwart Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian election interference. "Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there," Trump tweeted. He said that if the Michigan lawmaker had "actually read the biased Mueller Report... he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION..." Trump called Amash "a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!" Amash, who has broken with his party before, had laid out his case in a series of tweets. He said Mueller had identified "multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice." "Undoubtedly," Amash added, "any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence." Since Mueller issued his voluminous report, Trump has repeatedly attacked its authors as partisans even while insisting it exonerates him of allegations of collusion with Russia or obstruction of justice. But Democrats note that the report lists around 140 contacts between Trump's inner circle and various Russians and that it exhaustively details evidence of at least 10 cases where Trump appeared to be interfering with the probe. Amash has often been a lone voice in his party, and so his stance carried less impact than if it had come from a party mainstay. A much higher-profile Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, spoke out on Sunday against impeachment even while praising Amash. "I respect him," the Republicans' 2012 presidential nominee and occasional fierce Trump critic, told "Fox News Sunday" of Amash. "I think it's a courageous statement. But I believe to make a case for obstruction of justice, you just don't have the elements." Democrats have been divided on impeachment but support appears to be growing with the Trump administration resisting numerous congressional requests for witnesses or information. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has cautioned against moving too quickly, noting that the Republican-controlled Senate would likely acquit the president should the House of Representatives impeach him. Nigerian Energy Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikw, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih arrive at the one-day OPEC+ group meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Sunday OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and key producer United Arab Emirates said Sunday oil supplies were sufficient and stockpiles were still rising despite massive output drops by Iran and Venezuela. "We see that (oil) inventories are rising and supplies are plenty," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters at the start of a key meeting for oil producers in Jeddah. "None of us wants to see the (oil) stocks swell again. We have to be cautious." The United Arab Emirates' energy minister said there was no need to relax an OPEC+ deal to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day to support prices. "I don't think... that relaxing the cuts is the right measure" based on prevailing market conditions, Suheil al-Mazrouei told reporters. "We have seen inventory building. I don't think it makes sense (to alter the existing deal)." The statements by the two ministers send a clear message that OPEC and its allies appear poised to roll over the output cuts deal for another six months. The OPEC+ producers, which include Russia, control more than half of the world's crude oil production. Oil exporting countries have been under pressure from Washington to ramp up production to compensate for plunging Iranian exports amid US sanctions on Tehran, but are fearful that such a move could send prices plunging. "The picture is foggy," warned Falih. "It is crucial that we don't take hasty decisions", he said. "We should keep inventories under control." "This complexity and intensity will continue to mount while the sheer range of issues impacting our business is pulling the oil market in multiple opposing directions," Falih said. Sunday's meeting comes days after sabotage attacks against tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and the bombing of a Saudi pipeline -- the latter claimed by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels. "We have strong (oil) industry security... everybody is vulnerable to extreme acts of sabotage," Falih said. The meeting will not take decisions on oil output but will make recommendations to another crucial ministerial meeting set to take place in Vienna next month. Iraqi security forces stand guard in Baghdad in this file picture taken on February 9, 2018 A Katyusha rocket crashed Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission, Iraqi security services said in a statement. The rocket -- which came after Washington ordered the evacuation of non-essential diplomatic staff from the Baghdad embassy and the Arbil consulate citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups -- caused no casualties, it said. "A Katyusha rocket crashed into the Green Zone without causing casualties," it said in a brief statement without giving further details. A police source told AFP that "initial reports indicate that the rocket was fired from an open field" in southern Baghdad. The Green Zone is one of the world's most high-security institutional quarters. Located in the centre of the Iraqi capital, it houses parliament, the prime minister's office, the presidency, other key institutions, top officials' homes and embassies. The American embassy in Baghdad -- the world's largest -- lies within the fortified neighbourhood, also known as the International Zone, which is surrounded by concrete walls. As tensions soar in the Gulf amid a standoff between Washington and Tehran, the administration of US President Donald Trump has also dispatched to the region an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers. Iraqi security forces stand guard in Baghdad in this file picture taken on February 9, 2018 A Katyusha rocket was fired Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission, days after the United States evacuated staff from Iraq citing threats from Iran. "A Katyusha rocket crashed into the Green Zone without causing casualties," the Iraqi security services said in a brief statement without giving further details. Tensions between the US and Iran have been high since Washington withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers, and they have soared in the past few weeks. Despite international scepticism, the US government has cited alleged threats from Iran, a long-time enemy of both Washington and its regional allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, but a powerbroker in Iraq. Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump dispatched to the region an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, as well as an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery. And on Wednesday it ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad embassy and the Arbil consulate in northern Iraq, citing "imminent" threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. It was not immediately clear who was behind Sunday's attack. But a police source told AFP that "initial reports indicate that the rocket was fired from an open field" in southern Baghdad. The Green Zone is one of the world's most high-security institutional quarters. Located in the centre of the Iraqi capital, it houses parliament, the prime minister's office, the presidency, other key institutions, top officials' homes and embassies. - World's largest embassy - (FILES) -- File picture dated June 29, 2004 shows a private security guard standing at the front entrance of the new US embassy building in in Baghdad's Green Zone The US embassy in Baghdad -- its largest in the world -- lies within the fortified neighbourhood, also known as the International Zone, which is surrounded by concrete walls. In April this year, Saudi Arabia opened a new consulate compound in the Gree Zone after decades of no diplomatic ties with Iraq. In September last year, assailants fired three mortar rounds into the Green Zone, in a rare attack that did not cause casualties or damage. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. That same month the US shut its consulate in Basra and ordered all but emergency staff to leave the southern port city hit by weeks of protests and relocate to Baghdad. At the time, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian militants for "indirect fire" -- which usually means rockets or artillery -- against the US consulate. Ruled by Shiite clerics, Iran has a strong influence in Iraq, especially in the country's Shiite-majority south. Baghdad has been under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour. The Katyusha rocket attack came as Iraq on Sunday slammed as "political" a decision by US energy giant ExxonMobil to evacuate staff from a southern oil field. "The temporary withdrawal of employees has nothing to do with security in southern Iraqi oil fields or any threats," Oil Minister Thamer al-Ghadban said. "The reasons are political and probably linked to tensions in the region," he added in a statement released by the oil ministry. Ghadban called the move to pull out staff from the West Qorna oil field west of Basra "unacceptable and unjustified". Exxon did not confirm the withdrawal. "We are closely monitoring. As a matter of practice, we don't share specifics related to operational staffing at our facilities," a spokeswoman said. She alights from a black Ferrari convertible, her Christian Louboutin stilettos glinting in the sunlight. The lid of her black lacquer grand piano is propped open in the living room of her plush Beverly Hills home. "I own a chain of elderly care facilities," she says into the camera on Bravo's reality television show "The Millionaire Matchmaker." ''My net worth is $3 to $4 million, probably." Stephanie Costa was 30 and enjoying a lifestyle supported in part by six board-and-care homes she owned in California's Central Valley. But half of that fortune was threatened when she and her company initially were cited for about $1.6 million for labor violations, including wage theft - not paying 11 employees for working much of 24 hours a day, six days a week. Costa, who declined to be interviewed for this story, is a rare public face of a burgeoning multibillion-dollar elder care industry that is enabling operators to become wealthy by treating workers as indentured servants. Across the country, legions of these caregivers earn a pittance to tend to the elderly in residential houses refurbished as care facilities, according to an investigation by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. The federal hourly minimum wage is $7.25. Reveal interviewed more than 80 workers, care-home operators and government regulators and reviewed hundreds of wage theft cases handled by California and federal labor regulators, workers and local district attorneys. The investigation found rampant wage theft has pushed a vast majority of these caregivers into poverty. In this Friday, March 1, 2019 photo, Normita Lim poses for a photograph at her home in Concord, Calif. Lim did not receive back pay from her former employer, Publico, who paid her $2 an hour. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) Workers are left feeling desperate and trapped. Many caregivers say they rise before daybreak to cook meals, shower residents and scrub toilets. At night, they are deprived of sufficient sleep because they have to wake to change adult diapers, dispense painkillers, return wandering dementia residents to their beds and shift the bedridden every two hours to thwart bedsores. Workers describe sleeping in hallways and garages, on couches and the floor. Some care homes deduct $25 a day from caregivers' paychecks for "lodging." Exploited caregivers rarely are allowed a day off; even then, they often must pay their substitutes. Two caregivers recounted having miscarriages after their bosses refused to allow them time off or to stop lifting heavy residents. Because these workers often live where they work, they are under the watchful eye of their bosses. They are bullied into not cooperating with investigators. In some cases, care-home operators have threatened to report undocumented workers to authorities. Human trafficking - in which workers, particularly Filipinos, are coerced, manipulated and exploited - also is not uncommon, according to prosecutors and attorneys. For example, several family members were charged last year with human trafficking and labor abuse in a case involving caregivers in San Mateo County, California, south of San Francisco. "It's a classic tale of human greed," said Tia Koonse, legal and policy research manager at the UCLA Labor Center. "Their entire business model is predicated on not making payroll. It relies on people being willing to work for 24 hours a day for less than a dollar an hour. Only trafficked people will put up with that." ____ The growth of board-and-care homes in neighborhoods across the United States is tied to medical advances, enabling aging baby boomers to live longer despite debilitating illnesses. This has resulted in an increasing number of gravely ill people or their family members seeking an alternative to costly nursing home care. There were about 29,000 residential care communities nationwide and about 300,000 full-time caregivers in 2016, according to the most recent federal figures available. About two-thirds are smaller facilities with four to 25 residents, many with dementia. California leads the nation with more than 7,300 residential care facilities licensed by the state. Stephanie Costa provides a case study in exploiting workers, getting caught breaking labor laws and circumventing full punishment. In 2013, 11 workers brought wage theft claims after providing around-the-clock care in the care homes Costa owned. They changed adults' diapers, comforted the dying and hoisted infirm residents into bed. They worked six days a week and subsisted on meager wages, according to interviews and court documents. The workers said they risked being fired if they left the facilities and had no off-duty rest breaks during the day. Costa's care homes promoted 24/7 care for frail clients. "We knew we were being underpaid," said Juliet Delos Reyes, 60, a former caregiver employed by Costa. "But we were helpless. We didn't know our rights. How could we leave?" Reyes said she was not allowed to leave the home without permission when clients were present. In many cases, workers in the industry fall into jobs that become increasingly abusive. A substantial number are working in the U.S. without authorization or applying to remain legally in the country. They are paid less than they're promised, isolated and restricted to the facilities. Residents in these care homes typically are more than 60 years old. The annual national median cost for each resident is about $48,000. Dementia residents often pay more. Some owners tack on extra charges for those who are incontinent or desire more than two showers a week. Over the last decade, care-home operators across the nation broke minimum wage, overtime or record-keeping laws in at least 1,400 cases, federal data shows. About 35 percent of them were in California. Data obtained by Reveal through a California Public Records Act request shows senior care facilities in the state have pending wage theft claims against them or have been ordered to pay back wages and penalties in more than 110 additional cases. Three months after Costa's star turn on Bravo in 2013, the state labor commissioner's office ordered Costa and her company, Bedford Care Group, to pay about $1.6 million for unpaid wages and penalties. That's when she changed tactics. Papers were then filed with the state to create two new residential care-home companies called Clear View Retirement Group LLC and Copper River Retirement Group LLC. Costa's mother, Alice Hayes, is secretary, one of two officers, of these companies, according to licensing records. Hayes declined to comment. These new companies then received licenses from the state to run the six former Bedford care homes. But the structure and administrative staff in the care homes? Hayes assured residents that they would remain the same. In December 2014, following an appeal, the amount owed for the labor violations was reduced to $665,000. But around the same time, Costa's Bedford Care Group filed for bankruptcy, a legal maneuver that allowed her to effectively slash the amount she owed workers by settling the case for about $200,000, which she paid. Three weeks after Costa's care-home business filed for bankruptcy, her father registered a new company with the state called Property Investment Housing LLC. The company then took over as the new owner of Costa's six care homes. Her father did not return a call seeking comment. Stephanie Costa is the company's chief executive, records show. ___ Stephanie Costa represents a rare case in which an operator paid up, if only a partial amount of the original fine. Residential care facilities for the elderly receive among the largest wage theft judgments of any industry. Yet Reveal found that some facility owners caught cheating their workers are able to evade fines and judgments. Many companies play shell games by not keeping money or real estate holdings in the name of the company against which judgments or fines are entered. They simply abandon their company names - and the judgments against those named entities - rendering the penalties and wage theft judgments meaningless. Across the country, states are charged with regulating board-and-care facilities. In California, the state labor commissioner's office and U.S. Department of Labor, in addition to some local governments, are charged with investigating wage theft. State and federal regulators say privately that they need many more investigators and lawyers to chase down scofflaws and force them to pay. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division declined to make top officials available for an interview. But in a written statement, a Labor Department spokesman said: "Last year the division recovered a record-setting $304 million in back wages for workers and conducted a record-setting 3,600 outreach events to provide information to employers, employees, and other stakeholders about the requirements of the law." The agency noted that in California, it has conducted investigations and "extensive outreach" to care-home operators "ensuring that they pay their workers the wages they have legally earned." At least 20 companies providing care for the elderly, disabled and mentally ill in California continue to operate illegally - many of them under their original names - after ignoring judgments for back wages and penalties totaling more than $1.4 million, Reveal found. A 2016 law barred companies with outstanding wage theft judgments from conducting business in the state. But the state Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division, which is in charge of licensing facilities for the elderly and disabled, has not followed through. Pat Leary, acting director of the Department of Social Services, declined through spokesman Michael Weston to be interviewed. But in an email, Weston wrote that while the law allows his agency to deny a new license or not renew an existing one, the agency can take these steps only if it finds residents' health and safety have been threatened. For her part, Costa's former employee Juliet Delos Reyes desperately needed the total back pay she was owed before the bankruptcy of Costa's company. She now cares for her husband, who is on dialysis. His medical bills are crushing. "We didn't save anything. It affected us badly," Reyes said through tears. "I just hope that someday the government will look at how caregivers are treated." In mid-2016, the California Social Services Department banned Costa from the assisted living business for life after finding multiple health and safety violations. Among the violations: caregivers working without required criminal background checks; caregivers lacking the proper skills to test the glucose of a diabetic resident whose hands had been amputated; taking in hospice patients without the state's permission; and arguing with the friend of a resident who was sent to the hospital, prompting staff there to ask her to leave. Costa ignored the ban and continued to hire and fire workers at the care homes. So state licensing officials in April 2017 had Costa's mother sign a declaration promising Costa would not be involved in "any capacity" with the companies - Copper River Retirement Group and Clear View Retirement Group - that operate the care homes she once ran. But even after that meeting, records show, Costa listed herself as a managing member of Clear View Retirement Group. Costa's name has since been removed from the most recent business filings received by the state. A representative for the care-home industry readily acknowledged wrongdoing but blamed thin profit margins for necessitating the practice of underpaying workers. "Are there problems? There are lots of problems," said Ronald Simpson, a founding director of 6Beds Inc., a lobbying and advocacy organization that represents more than 1,000 operators of small residential care facilities for seniors in California. "Elderly people aren't able to pay what they'd need to pay for these homes to be compliant." Still, for workers earning anemic pay, "it's possible they're happy, too," he added. Simpson then lashed out at Reveal for investigating wage theft in the industry. "What you're doing is not a service to the industry," he said. "It makes the whole industry look like they're getting rich and ripping people off." As he spoke, Simpson was busy organizing one of the group's all-day workshops for care-home operators on labor laws, which the 6Beds website promised would give them a key bit of advice: how to "minimize labor costs." ___ For four years, Sonia Deza rose every morning at 5 a.m. to cook, clean, and wash and medicate her charges at Scienn Hail Home Care IV in Antioch, California, a city of about 100,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area. She could not sit down again to rest until 10 p.m., after she tucked residents into bed and organized their prescriptions for the next day. A long night still lay ahead; some wandering dementia residents needed help back to bed, and others had to be shifted every two hours. Deza rarely took a day off, as she would need to pay her substitute. She earned about $2 an hour. She worried she would be fired if she complained. Then in 2013, federal regulators ordered Deza's bosses, Glenda and Rommel Publico, to pay Deza and 21 other workers more than $133,000 in back wages for violating federal minimum wage and overtime laws. The Publicos wrote Deza two checks totaling more than $17,700 in back wages. But instead of letting her deposit the checks, Rommel Publico demanded the money back, claiming it was his, Deza said in an interview. She said she was frightened he would fire her if she refused. So she served her residents lunch and then took a rare break on two afternoons in July 2013. Rommel Publico picked her up from work and drove her to two different banks. "I took the checks into the banks, then returned to the car and gave him the cash," said Deza, 66. "Oh my goodness, that's my money. I worked so hard for it. I really needed that money. It's big money for me." Publico let her keep $1,000. He called it a bonus, she said. Three of Deza's co-workers said in interviews that they also were forced to return the back wages. According to federal Labor Department records, the Publicos submitted false documents to labor investigators purporting to show they'd paid the back wages. Still other workers never received a check in the first place. They still are waiting. Prosecutors from the Contra Costa County district attorney's office have charged the Publicos with multiple felonies, including grand theft and tax fraud. The case is pending. In a phone interview, Rommel Publico defended the treatment of his caregivers and said the charges against him "hurt my feelings." "When we ran the business, we were like a family," Publico said through tears. "My caregivers, I treat them like my mom. I've never been like, 'I'm the boss.' "Every time I turn around, I have problems," he said of the pending case against him. "It breaks my heart. I cry." Another Publico employee who was not paid back wages is Normita Lim. She worked around the clock as a caregiver in one of their care homes for nearly a decade, earning about $2 an hour. Rarely allowed a day off, she kept working, afraid she would be fired if she complained. On Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, her three children visited her in the cramped room she lived in down the hall from the residents. "I'm still struggling," said Lim, 75. "I needed that money for my medications and food, but he got away with murder by not having to pay. I'm angry, but what can we do?" In late 2017, the Publicos sold the care home where Lim worked. She said she stayed on as a caregiver for just a month under the new owner. She earned about $600 that month to work around the clock, seven days a week, for less than a dollar an hour. A man at the care home said the facility is now called Elizabeth Care Homes 2. But the property still is licensed to Glenda Publico, records show. "I thought, 'This is worse,' so I quit," Lim said. ___ Workers often fear reporting their mistreatment to authorities. They routinely are harassed and fired if they report abysmal pay or overtime violations, according to interviews and court documents. Reveal found 90 caregivers in California who said their bosses intimidated them, threatened to report them to immigration authorities or blacklist them in the industry. In 2014, federal investigators caught Lake Alhambra Center in Antioch cheating its workers - for a second time. When an investigator visited, an employee put him on the phone with Mehrangiz Sarkeshik, who owned the home with her husband. She excoriated the investigator for the intrusion: "You didn't tell me you were coming. Leave right now!" Then the investigator overheard Sarkeshik shout at the worker over the phone: "You need to get him out of there or you will be fired!" She called the police and upon arriving at the home, she again threatened to fire any workers who cooperated with the investigator, according to a court document. When the investigator tried to follow up, workers told him that they were too scared to talk. Soon afterward, the facility changed hands and now operates under a different name. No wage theft fines have been issued to this operator to date. Precilla San Miguel, an owner of San Miguel Homes for the Elderly, which operates three facilities in Union City, near Silicon Valley, kept timesheets that showed caregivers worked eight hours a day, even though their employment manual required them to be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week to seniors. She went as far as fabricating evidence to cover up her wage theft, court documents show. Workers said she offered them bribes to falsify timesheets and required them to sign agreements not to sue her. She also installed surveillance cameras in her care homes to monitor caregivers, workers said. The court ordered the defendants to pay $425,000 in back wages and damages. Last year, four members of a family were charged with various felonies, including human trafficking and labor abuse, in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco. State prosecutors say Gamos family members preyed on Filipino immigrants and "enslaved" some in their Rainbow Bright facilities. Family members forced some to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and some caregivers had their passports withheld, prosecutors say. In court filings, prosecutors allege that some workers slept on mattresses on the floor and in garages and were prohibited from leaving the facilities, where they cared for children, the disabled and some seniors. Some workers who were injured on the job were told to lie to emergency room doctors about how they were maimed. They also were forced to pay their medical bills, according to the court documents. Even as his family cheated workers out of more than $9 million in wages from 2009 through 2018, Joshua Gamos, one of the facilities' owners, collected a fleet of cars, including a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, prosecutors allege in court documents. Gamos also is charged with raping a caregiver. She was 21 when she began working for the facilities shortly after arriving from the Philippines. Joshua, Noel and Carlina Gamos are in jail awaiting trial. A fourth defendant, Gerlen Gamos, pleaded guilty to two felony charges, including wage theft, and is awaiting sentencing. Her attorney declined to comment. Attorneys for Joshua and Carlina Gamos said no workers were forced to work at the facilities. An attorney for Noel Gamos did not return calls seeking comment. "Those allegations are false," said David Cohen, an attorney for Joshua Gamos. "People wanted to work because they wanted the money. It is true that these charges have been brought, but when you actually look at the evidence and the statements that were made, it's a completely different story." Meanwhile, Reveal learned of cases in which workers suffered abuse with devastating consequences. Two caregivers reported having miscarriages after lifting heavy residents and being denied time off. One of them was Julie Riduta, 45, of Concord. More than a decade ago, she arrived from the Philippines to work as a caregiver in a care home in Contra Costa County. She earned $2 an hour to work 24 hours a day. The work was grueling, but she needed the pay to educate her daughter, left behind in the Philippines, from the age of 8. For the first three years, Riduta slept on a thin piece of foam on the floor next to the residents. When they needed help, she said they kicked her awake. "I told my daughter I struggled so much," Riduta recalled. "I feel abused." Then one day in the summer of 2014, she found out she was pregnant. Overjoyed, she and the baby's father, a co-worker with whom she is in a relationship, posted the news on Facebook. She also was overcome with morning sickness and was concerned about having to lift heavy residents. But when she begged her boss for two days off, Riduta said she refused. "Go to the mirror and look at yourself," Riduta recalled her boss saying. "Ask if you're allowed to complain." Riduta had a miscarriage two weeks later. The cause was unknown. The fetus was nine weeks old. "I was crying all night," Riduta said. "I still have this dream that there's a baby crying all the time. They treated us like animals." ___ While some are unsure how to pay their workers properly, care-home owners are certain about one thing: There is money to be made. Entrepreneurs on YouTube urge people to jump into the real estate end of the business by buying single-family homes and converting them into care facilities. One man explains how "to turn a single-family home into a cash flow machine." Another calls care homes "America's untapped business opportunity. . This business is very profitable." Jesse Quezada used to flip houses with his wife. When the market cooled, he said, they looked into opening a care home after a friend told them they could make thousands a month. "Coming from our background, we thought, '$3,500 a month? Wow. Would people actually pay that?' But the demand is there. People are living longer and they're sicker." Quezada and his wife enrolled in a course required by California to run a home. In just two long weekends, they were qualified. They now operate several care homes. "When you have multiple homes, you can literally make $20,000 profit a month," he said. Training requirements for care-home administrators and staff in California are feeble. Administrators must undergo an initial 80-hour program and pass an open-book exam comprising 100 questions. Those overseeing small facilities with 15 or fewer residents must be 21 and have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Staff in assisted living facilities need not be nurses or have any medical expertise. In fact, manicurists in California require more training. Quezada was among more than 200 care-home owners, many of whom arrived in BMWs and Teslas, for a daylong seminar at a Southern California community hall last October. Among the presenters were labor regulators and attorneys who took questions from the crowd. Attendees sought advice on proper pay practices and other labor issues and were advised by the presenters to follow the law. Then George Kutnerian, senior vice president of public policy and legislation for the 6Beds group, took the stage as one of the last speakers. Operators should slash costs by leveraging labor laws to their advantage, Kutnerian urged them. For example, owners do not need to hire two caregivers when they could get away with one, Kutnerian said. "There is no staffing ratio. A lot of people think, 'I can't have one caregiver alone.' That's not true," he advised. "You gotta learn how to use one caregiver," he said. Plus, there's a "nice exception" in state law, Kutnerian continued. Care homes with just one caregiver on duty can require that worker to stay for rest and meal breaks, he noted, adding: "If you have two caregivers there, they have to be able to leave. It's more efficient, OK? "What this is getting you out of is the penalty," Kutnerian boomed over the microphone. "That's the trick. How do you keep them on the premises for rest and meal breaks?" For owners who treat their workers properly, the market pressure is intense. While there are operators who comply with the law and turn a profit, some care homes charge less to attract residents searching for affordable care. "It's frustrating to be undercut," said Jose Umana, who runs Premiere Cottages, which operates several care homes in Long Beach and Huntington Beach. "It's hard to stay in the market when you're competing with other homes that have lower rates. The caregivers are bearing the brunt." William Murphy, a prosecutor with the Alameda County district attorney's office in the San Francisco Bay Area who has handled a dozen wage theft cases involving care homes in the last five years, says the business model depends on squeezing workers. He summed it up in two brief sentences: "It's extreme greed by the owners. The workers are treated horribly." ___ Data reporter Melissa Lewis contributed to this story. Jennifer Gollan can be reached at jgollan@revealnews.org. Follow her on Twitter: @jennifergollan. In this Friday, March 1, 2019 photo, Normita Lim poses for a photograph at her home in Concord, Calif. Lim did not receive back pay from her former employer, Publico, who paid her $2 an hour. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) In this Friday, March 1, 2019 photo, Sonia Deza poses for a photograph at her home in Antioch, Calif. Deza worked for years as a caregiver where she earned $2 an hour from Publico. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) In this Friday, March 1, 2019 photo, Sonia Deza poses for a photograph at her home in Antioch, Calif. Deza worked for years as a caregiver where she earned $2 an hour from Publico. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) In this Friday, March 4, 2019 photo, Julie Riduta poses for a photograph in the home where she works as a caretaker in Berkeley, Calif. At a previous job, Riduta suffered a miscarriage after lifting a heavy patient into bed. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) In this Friday, March 4, 2019 photo, Julie Riduta poses for a photograph in the home where she works as a caretaker in Berkeley, Calif. At a previous job, Riduta suffered a miscarriage after lifting a heavy patient into bed. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo, Rommel and Glenda Publico arrive for a hearing at Contra Costa Superior Court in Pittsburg Calif. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (Paul Kuroda/Reveal via AP) In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo, Rommel and Glenda Publico arrive for a hearing at Contra Costa Superior Court in Pittsburg Calif. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. (Paul Kuroda/Reveal via AP) In this April 16, 2019 photo, Dr. Hina Shah poses at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, where she is a professor and the director of the Women's Employment Rights Clinic, which represents low-wage workers on issues of wage theft, discrimination and harassment. Residential senior care homes are treating workers as indentured servants - and profiting handsomely. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. "Many of the cases that are being brought by workers are challenging flat-rate pay for 24 hours of work, conditions that are akin to modern-day slavery," she said. (James Tensuan/Reveal via AP) MILAN (AP) - Italy's anti-migrant Interior Minister Matteo Salvini led a rally of right-wing populist leaders Saturday seeking historic results in next week's European Parliament elections in their bid to transform European politics. Salvini, the head of Italy's right-wing League party, has positioned himself at the forefront of a growing movement of nationalist leaders seeking to free the European Union's 28 nations from what he called Brussels' "illegal occupation." He pledged to close Europe's borders to migrants if the League wins not just the most votes of any party in Italy, but also of Europe. Salvini was joined by 10 other nationalist leaders, including include far-right leaders Marine Le Pen of France's National Rally party and Joerg Meuthen of the Alternative for Germany party. It was a major tour de force for the expanding movement ahead of the May 23-26 vote that will take place in all 28 EU nations. Still, most of the tens of thousands of supporters that packed the square outside the central Duomo cathedral in Milan were there for Salvini. League flags filled the square, with a smattering of national flags from other nations. A short distance away, some 2,000 protesters marched to protest the right-wing gathering. Matteo Salvini and Marine Le Pen, Leader of the French National Front, attend a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) In front of the Duomo, Salvini railed against unchecked migration and decried Islam, saying it mistreated women. He said Turkey would never be a part of Europe and rejected the label of extremists for the leaders with him. "In this piazza, there are no extremists. There are no racists. There are no fascists. If anything in Italy and in Europe, the difference is between who looks ahead, between who speaks of the future ... instead of making trials of the past," he said. The far-right and populist leaders in Milan are making one of the strongest challenges to the European status quo in decades, united under an anti-migrant, anti-Islam, anti-bureaucracy banner. "It is an historic moment important enough to free the continent from the illegal occupation organized by Brussels for many years," Salvini said. He accused European leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, of "betraying Europe ... by constructing a Europe of finance and uncontrolled immigration." Closing the rally, Salvini clutched a rosary, entrusting his victory to Europe's patron saints as he looked up at a statue of the Virgin Mary atop the Duomo. When he did the same thing before last year's national election, his flaunting of a religious object was roundly criticized as inappropriate in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. Notably absent Saturday was the leader of Austria's anti-immigrant Freedom Party, Heinz Christian Strache, who stayed in Vienna to resign as vice chancellor after two German newspapers showed video of him offering government contracts to a potential Russian benefactor. Despite the political setback for a key member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom parliamentary group, Le Pen predicted it "will perform a historic feat, moving from the 8th place in Europe to third or maybe second" among major political groups in the European Parliament. Speaking to reporters before the rally, Le Pen called Strache's predicament a domestic matter, but expressed surprise "that this video that seems two years old is coming out today, a few days before the election." She said the movement was united "in our conception of cooperation in Europe, our shared desire to protect our citizens, our common refusal to see our country being subjected to the submergence of migration. "The fundamental fight we are waging is a commitment against totalitarianism, globalization and Islamism, to which the European Union is responding, respectively, through accession and complacency," she said. The populist and far-right party leaders want to decentralize some EU policymaking, including for trade, agriculture and banking, while tightening immigration laws. Most share common views over immigration and want some powers to be returned to the member states' capitals, but clash on other economic and social policies. An analysis by the London-based Teneo consultancy forecasts that Europe's two traditional center-right and center-left political groups will be weakened in the May vote, falling short of the 50% threshold of support for the first time. But Teneo said that result will mostly increase the influence of other centrist parties more than that of the nationalists. ___ For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament The League leader Matteo Salvini attends a rally with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Activists wave French flags during a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) A banner with the writing reading "Italy First!" Is seen during a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) The League leader Matteo Salvini attends a rally with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Leader of the French National Front Marine Le Pen, left, and Far-right top candidate of the National Rally party Jordan Bardella attend a press conference before a rally with right-wing EU leaders in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Leader of the French National Front Marine Le Pen, left, and Far-right top candidate of the National Rally party Jordan Bardella attend a press conference before a rally with right-wing EU leaders in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) The League leader Matteo Salvini salutes as he arrives at a rally with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) People attend a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) People attend a rally to oppose a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) People attend a rally to oppose a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) People dance around a portrait of Salvini as they attend a rally to oppose a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) From left, Geert Wilders, leader of Dutch Party for Freedom, Matteo Salvini, Jorg Meuthen, leader of Alternative For Germany party, Marine Le Pen, Leader of the French National Front, Vaselin Marehki leader of Bulgarian 'Volya' party, Jaak Madison of Estonian Conservative People's Party, and Tomio Okamura leader of Czech far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy, attend a rally organized by League leader Matteo Salvini, with leaders of other European nationalist parties, ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - For more than two decades, Nancy Mace did not speak publicly about her rape. In April, when she finally broke her silence, she chose the most public of forums - before her colleagues in South Carolina's legislature. A bill was being debated that would ban all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected; Mace, a Republican lawmaker, wanted to add an exception for rape and incest. When some of her colleagues in the House dismissed her amendment - some women invent rapes to justify seeking an abortion, they claimed - she could not restrain herself. "For some of us who have been raped, it can take 25 years to get up the courage and talk about being a victim of rape," Mace said, gripping the lectern so hard she thought she might pull it up from the floor. "My mother and my best friend in high school were the only two people who knew." As one Republican legislature after another has pressed ahead with restrictive abortion bills in recent months, they have been confronted with raw and emotional testimony about the consequences of such laws. Female lawmakers and other women have stepped forward to tell searing, personal stories - in some cases speaking about attacks for the first time to anyone but a loved one or their closest friend. Mace is against abortion in most cases and supported the fetal heartbeat bill as long as it contained the exception for rape and incest. She said her decision to reveal an attack that has haunted her for so long was intended to help male lawmakers understand the experience of those victims. "It doesn't matter what side of the aisle you are on, there are so many of us who share this trauma and this experience," Mace said in an interview. "Rape and incest are not partisan issues." In this May 13, 2019 photo, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace discusses being sexually assaulted in Columbia, S.C. For more than two decades, Nancy Mace did not speak publicly about her rape. In April, when she finally broke her silence, she chose the most public of forums, before her colleagues in South Carolina's legislature. (Brad Nettles/The State via AP) Personal horror stories have done little to slow passage of bills in Georgia, where a lawmaker told about having an abortion after being raped, or Alabama, where the governor this week signed a law that bans all abortions unless they are necessary to save the life of the mother. In Ohio, a fetal heartbeat bill passed even after three lawmakers spoke out on the floor about their rapes - among them State Rep. Lisa Sobecki, who argued for a rape exemption by recounting her own assault and subsequent abortion. It was gut-wrenching, the Navy veteran said, but her decision to speak out was validated the next day when she was approached in the grocery store by a man in his 70s, whose wife of 41 years had read of her account that morning in the local newspaper. The story prompted his wife to tell him for the first time that she also had been raped. "It's not just our stories," Sobecki said. "It's giving voice to the voiceless, those that haven't felt for a very long time that they could tell their stories and be heard." Four years ago, when a previous fetal heartbeat bill was being debated, state Sen. Teresa Fedor, then a state representative, surprised colleagues with her story of being raped while in the military and having an abortion. She felt compelled to share the story again this year when the issue resurfaced. "It's not something you like to focus on," the Toledo Democrat said. "And it didn't seem to have an impact in stopping the effort, so that's the sad part." The governor signed the bill, without exceptions for rape or incest. Ohio state Rep. Erica Crawley, a Democrat representing Columbus, said she didn't intend to share the story of her sexual assault when floor debate on the heartbeat bill began. But she said she was motivated by a Republican colleague who alleged that witnesses at committee hearings on the bill had exaggerated or fabricated their stories. "I wanted them to know that I'm someone you have respect for, and this has happened to me," she said. Crawley felt she had no choice but to speak out: "Because if I stay silent, I feel like I'm complicit." Kelly Dittmar, an expert on women and politics at Rutgers University, said she would not be surprised if even more female lawmakers begin to speak out about their rapes and abortions. More women feel empowered by the #MeToo movement, she said, and the record number of women who won seats in state legislatures last year gives them a greater voice. "For some women who have healed enough in their own personal battles with this type of abuse, they might be comfortable speaking about this publicly because they see a higher purpose for it," she said. One such woman is Gretchen Whitmer. In 2013, she was minority leader in the Michigan state Senate when she spoke against a Republican-backed effort to require separate health insurance to cover abortion. Seven minutes into her floor speech, a visibly upset Whitmer put down her notes and told her colleagues that she had been raped more than 20 years earlier and that the memory of the attack continued to haunt her. She thanked God that she had not become pregnant by her attacker. In an interview this week, the Democrat said her decision to share her story was the right one. After her testimony, her office received thousands of emails from people thanking her. "That was the thing that bolstered me the most and convinced me that I had to continue speaking out and running for office and taking action," she said. "There are a lot of victims and survivors out there who care, who need to be heard, who need to be represented and who need the law to reflect what we want and need to see in our country." Earlier this week, Michigan's Republican-led Legislature passed two bills to restrict abortions and sent them to the governor. That governor is now Whitmer. She said she will veto both of them. ___ Cassidy reported from Atlanta. ___ Follow Julie Carr Smyth at http://www.twitter.com/jcarrsmyth and Christina Cassidy at http://twitter.com/AP_Christina In this April 16, 2019, photo, State Rep. Lisa Sobecki, D-Toledo, poses for a photo at Bay View Park in Toledo, Ohio. She shared her story of a rape and subsequent abortion on the House floor during deliberations on the heartbeat abortion ban. (Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade via AP) In this April 16, 2019, photo, State Rep. Lisa Sobecki, D-Toledo, poses for a photo at Bay View Park in Toledo, Ohio. She shared her story of a rape and subsequent abortion on the House floor during deliberations on the heartbeat abortion ban. (Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats will hear from former CIA Director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, inviting him to speak next week amid heightened concerns over the Trump administration's sudden moves in the region. Brennan, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, is scheduled to talk to House Democrats at a private weekly caucus meeting Tuesday, according to a Democratic aide and another person familiar with the private meeting. Both were granted anonymity to discuss the meeting. The invitation to Brennan and Wendy Sherman, a former State Department official and top negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, offers counterprogramming to the Trump administration's closed-door briefing for lawmakers also planned for Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Democratic lawmakers are likely to attend both sessions. The Trump administration recently sent an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Persian Gulf region, and withdrew nonessential personnel from Iraq, raising alarm among Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill over the possibility of a confrontation with Iran. Trump in recent days has downplayed any potential for conflict. But questions remain about what prompted the actions, and many lawmakers have demanded more information. Trump and Brennan have clashed openly, particularly over the issues surrounding the special counsel's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Brennan stepped down from the CIA in 2017. FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2016 file photo, CIA Director John Brennan participates in the Senate Intelligence Committee's hearing on worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Democrats will hear from former CIA director Brennan about the situation in Iran amid concerns over the Trump administration's actions in the region. An outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, Brennan has been invited to a private caucus meeting Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) The president last year said he was revoking the former spy chief's security credentials after Brennan was critical of Trump's interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Helsinki. Top national security officials often retain their clearance after they have left an agency as a way to provide counsel to their successors. It's unclear if Brennan actually lost his clearance. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been asking the administration for a briefing for all lawmakers on the situation in Iran, but she said the request was initially rebuffed. The administration provided a classified briefing for leaders of both parties last week. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) - A South Texas church began a fresh chapter of worship on Sunday as it unveiled a new sanctuary a year and a half after a gunman opened fire and killed more than two dozen congregants in the deadliest mass shooting in state history. Parishioners, elected leaders and relatives of those killed or injured at the First Baptist Church in the tiny town of Sutherland Springs gathered at the new sanctuary for its dedication. Some among the hundreds in attendance wore royal blue shirts with "#evildidnotwin" written across the back. In the large, white sanctuary amid a stained glass panel, Pastor Frank Pomeroy told the crowd they were celebrating God's glory while remembering "those who have paid a price for this incredible facility." The church commemorated the victims by reading their names as the church bell rang, and those connected to them stood up in the crowd. Pomeroy's 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle Pomeroy, was among those killed. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott told the worshippers that despite the trying time since the attack, Sunday marked another giant step forward on a path to healing and recovery. "This is a tangible sign as people drive through Sutherland Springs in the future they will know that this is a place where goodness triumphed over evil," Abbott said to loud applause from the crowd. Churchgoers arrive for a dedication ceremony for a new sanctuary and memorial room at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, May 19, 2019. In 2017 a gunman opened fire at the church and killed more than two dozen congregants. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) The new worship center and memorial room honoring the victims were made possible through millions of dollars in donations from around the world. The facility features enhanced security elements, along with a new church bell tower and an additional prayer space. A gunman shot and killed 25 people at the church on Nov. 5, 2017 . Authorities put the official death toll at 26 because one of the victims was pregnant. Places of worship have increasingly faced targeted attacks by extremists. A shooting at a California synagogue in April left one worshipper dead and injured three others, and a white supremacist killed 51 people at a New Zealand mosque in March. Kevin Smith, the director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, said the agency is working with houses of worship nationwide to help them take proper steps to secure their facilities and prepare for potential threats. Smith said the recent attacks have awakened many religious leaders around the country to take action and seek more guidance. He said houses of worship need to assess potential threats in their area, work with local law enforcement and empower their worshippers to be part of the planning process. "We want to make sure during this heightened awareness, we're going to take what was meant for harm and make it good by providing the tools that help and empowering the rest of the churches across the nation to be ready," Smith said. Pomeroy declined to comment on the church's own enhanced security, but said it now has a "safety response team" made up of volunteer worshippers that's undergoing extensive monthly and, at times, weekly training. "We don't want to look like a fortress, but also wanted to make sure that everybody could feel safe on the inside," Pomeroy said. Churchgoers pass a memorial wall following a dedication ceremony for a new sanctuary and memorial room at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, May 19, 2019. In 2017 a gunman opened fire at the church and killed more than two dozen congregants. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, right, holds hands with survivors during a dedication ceremony for a new sanctuary and memorial room at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, May 19, 2019. In 2017 a gunman opened fire at the church and killed more than two dozen congregants. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) The names of victims hang on a Texas flag during a dedication ceremony for a new sanctuary and memorial room at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, May 19, 2019. In 2017 a gunman opened fire at the church and killed more than two dozen congregants. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) A man passes old memorial crosses on the side of a church building following a dedication ceremony for a new sanctuary and memorial room at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, May 19, 2019. In 2017 a gunman opened fire at the church and killed more than two dozen congregants. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom's energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn't looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers- two of them Saudi - were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests," al-Jubeir told reporters. On Sunday night, the U.S. military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no U.S. or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that "a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the U.S. Embassy." The spokesman said that "attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner" and added that the U.S. will hold "Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces." CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the USS Abraham Lincoln sails in the Arabian Sea near the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur, U.S. Navy via AP) Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump tweeted. A senior Iranian military commander was quoted as saying his country is not looking for war, in comments published in Iranian media on Sunday. Fears of armed conflict were already running high after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Trump had appeared to soften his tone in recent days, saying he expected Iran to seek negotiations with his administration. Asked on Thursday if the U.S. might be on a path to war with Iran, the president answered, "I hope not." Sunday night's apparent rocket attack was the first such incident since September, when three mortar shells landed in an abandoned lot inside the Green Zone. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that a Katyusha rocket fell near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy. He said that the military was investigating the cause but that the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. As tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran, there have been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle , just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave. The U.S. Navy said Sunday it had conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with the aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the region to counter the unspecified threat from Iran. The Navy said the exercises and training were conducted Friday and Saturday with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the U.S. Marine Corps, highlighting U.S. "lethality and agility to respond to threat," as well as to deter conflict and preserve U.S. strategic interests. The current tensions are rooted in Trump's decision last year to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and impose wide-reaching sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports that are crucial to its economy. Iran has said it would resume enriching uranium at higher levels if a new nuclear deal is not reached by July 7. That would potentially bring it closer to being able to develop a nuclear weapon, something Iran insists it has never sought. Energy ministers from OPEC and its allies, including major producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, are meeting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss energy prices and production cuts. Iran's oil exports are expected to shrink further in the coming months after the U.S. stopped renewing waivers that allowed it to continue selling to some countries. OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers have production cuts in place, but the group of exporters is not expected to make its decision on output until late June, when they meet again in Vienna. The United Arab Emirates' energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei told reporters at the meeting he does not think relaxing the oil production cuts in place is the right measure. His comments suggest there's support within OPEC and other oil-producing nations, like Russia, to continue propping up oil prices after a sharp fall last year. Oil is now trading above $70 a barrel and closer to what's needed to balance state budgets among Persian Gulf producers. Saudi Arabia's King Salman, meanwhile, has called for a meeting of Arab heads of state on May 30 in Mecca to discuss the latest developments, including the oil pipeline attack. The kingdom has blamed the pipeline attack on Iran, accusing Tehran of arming the rebel Houthis, which a Saudi-led coalition has been at war with in Yemen since 2015. Iran denies arming or training the rebels, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. "We want peace and stability in the region, but we won't stand with our hands bound as the Iranians continuously attack. Iran has to understand that," al-Jubeir said. "The ball is in Iran's court." Al-Jubeir also noted that an investigation, led by the UAE, into the tanker incident is underway. The state-run Saudi news agency reported Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss regional developments. There was no immediate statement by the State Department about the call. An English-language Saudi newspaper close to the palace recently published an editorial calling for surgical U.S. airstrikes in retaliation for Iran's alleged involvement in targeting Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure. The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was quoted Sunday as saying Iran is not looking for war. But he said the U.S. is going to fail in the near future "because they are frustrated and hopeless" and are looking for a way out of the current escalation. His comments, given to other Guard commanders, were carried by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency. The USS Abraham Lincoln has yet to reach the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes. __ Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bassem Mroue in Bahgdad contributed to this report. CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge sail in formation as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur, U.S. Navy via AP) CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge sails in front of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur, U.S. Navy via AP) CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo, released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, right, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge, left, are seen from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as they sail in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael Singley, U.S. Navy via AP) In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Nicholas Hawkins, from Houston, Texas, signals an MV-22 Osprey to land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Smalley/U.S. Navy via AP) KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Sudan's ruling military council resumed meetings with protesters on Sunday to discuss the country's political transition after talks were halted for three days while roads were cleared outside the main sit-in in the capital, Khartoum. The two sides have held several rounds of talks since the military overthrew President Omar al-Bashir last month, ending his 30-year reign after four months of mass protests and sit-ins, which are still underway. The deputy head of the military council, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, meanwhile said late Saturday that security forces have arrested those behind an attack on the protesters last week that killed at least five people, including an army officer. Both the military and the protesters had blamed the attack on al-Bashir loyalists. "The assailants who opened fire (on protesters) have been caught. Their confessions will be broadcast on TV," said Dagalo, who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. He hailed the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, for their role in al-Bashir's military overthrow on April 11. "We want the democracy they are talking about. We want a real democracy, fair and free elections. Whoever the Sudanese choose will rule," he said. 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. Sudan's ruling military council is meeting with protesters on Sunday, May19, 2019, to discuss the country's political transition after talks were halted for three days while roads were cleared outside the main sit-in in the capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo) The negotiations were suspended Wednesday, just hours after the military and the protesters announced they had agreed on the makeup of an interim parliament and a Cabinet for the transitional period, which is to last three years. The military council had called for the roads outside the sit-in in front of the military's headquarters in Khartoum to be opened. The protesters appear to have agreed to the demand, as the roads were cleared without incident on Thursday. The protesters also agreed to open the railway that crosses the area of the sit-in for five hours a day. The generals and the protesters remain divided on what role the military should have in the transition to civilian rule. Sunday's talks are expected to focus on the makeup of the sovereign council, which would guide the nation through the transition. The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change said it insists on "limited military representation" in a sovereign council led by civilians. Saudi Arabia meanwhile announced on Sunday that it had deposited $250 million into Sudan's central bank, part of a package of $3 billion which Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged after al-Bashir's ouster to shore up the economy. Saudi Arabia and the UAE had jointly paid $500 million to the central bank on April 21. ___________ Magdy reported from Cairo. BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) - Poor weather conditions have forced seven French navy fighter jets taking part in a training exercise to make emergency landings in northern Indonesia, an Indonesian air force official said Sunday. The crews of the seven Dassault Rafale combat planes landed safely at Sultan Iskandar Muda air force base in Aceh province on Saturday, 90 minutes after taking off from their aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Indian Ocean, said Aceh air force base commander Col. Hendro Arief. "We had to open our base to them to land as they were in an emergency state due to bad weather," Arief said. He said air force radar confirmed that the planes were initially flying out of Indonesian territory when fog and bad weather forced them to land immediately as they were trying to return to their aircraft carrier, located 100 nautical miles west of Sumatra's exclusive economic zone. Arief said Indonesian air force personnel had completed an inspection of the planes. Five of the seven jets were returned to their carrier on Sunday, while the other two were still having technical problems, Arief said. French diplomats in Indonesia were informed of the incident. Indonesian military personnel walks past one of seven French Navy Rafale jet fighters parked on the tarmac at Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Base in Aceh Besar, Indonesia, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Poor weather has forced the seven fighters from French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle taking part in a training exercise to make emergency landings in northern Indonesia. (AP Photo/Khalis Surry) LILONGWE, Malawi (AP) - Corruption and the need for economic growth are the main campaign issues as Malawi goes to the polls Tuesday for a presidential election that pits the incumbent against his own vice president as well as the country's main opposition party. The need to protect people with albinism has also emerged as a hot election topic in this southern African country. More than 6 million people are registered to vote in the elections that also will decide 193 parliamentary seats in one of the world's poorest countries. As in previous elections, the results of the presidential vote likely will be challenged in court. Although seven candidates are running for president, just three are seen as having a chance at winning. As Malawi has no runoff election, whoever receives the most votes wins, even if the share is well below 50%. The 78-year-old President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party is up against 46-year-old Vice President Saulos Chilima of the United Transformation Movement and main opposition Malawi Congress Party leader Lazarus Chakwera, 64 Former president Joyce Banda has dropped out of the race and is supporting Chakwera via a coalition with her People's Party. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters attend a final election rally led by Malawian President, Peter Mutharika, in Blantyre, Malawi Saturday, May 18, 2019. Corruption and the need for economic growth are the main campaign issues as Malawi goes to the polls on Tuesday for a presidential election that pits the incumbent 78-year-old president Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party against his own vice president, 46-year-old Saulos Chilima as well as the main opposition party leader Lazarus Chakwera, 64. (AP Photo/Thoko Chikondi) While Mutharika pursues a second five-year term, he has been dogged by rivals' accusations of corruption, which he has denied. Political analyst Andrew Mpesi said the graft charges could hurt the president in this election. "Every Malawian is aware that almost every day the front pages of mainstream papers in this country reported government corruption, theft and abuse of public resources," he said. Despite allegations of election-rigging being exchanged by Mutharika and Chilima, Mpesi said Malawi's electoral commission has been transparent during the preparation process, "which gives people some confidence that we can have better elections." Opposition parties appear to have improved their ability to monitor the process, he added. The killing and abduction of people with albinism, and the widespread impunity for those who carry it out, also has emerged as an election issue. Twenty-five people have been killed and 10 have gone missing since late 2014, according to the Association of People Living with Albinism. People with albinism are targeted for their body parts, which are sold to be used in potions made by witchdoctors who claim they bring wealth and good luck. Opposition candidate Chakwera has vowed to end the killings of people with albinism within a month of taking office. Mutharika has rebuked him, however, saying that "it is immoral for any political leader to sink so low and use the suffering of our brothers and sisters with albinism for political gain." Newcomer Chilima, whose party is only nine months old after breaking with Mutharika's party during a power struggle, is appealing to Malawi's younger voters, who make up 54% of those registered in this election. He is promising jobs in a country where unemployment is over 20%. Mutharika, meanwhile, says his government is committed to introducing more infrastructure development projects, pointing to the construction of roads, bridges and hospitals during his time in office. For the first time, the election is being carried out under a new law that regulates funding for political parties, which now must declare all donations exceeding $1,398 from individuals and $2,796 from companies. Campaigning for Tuesday's election ends on Sunday. Voting results are expected to be announced within eight days, though it took 10 days to announce results in the previous election in 2014. Voter Mark Likoswe, who repairs shoes in the city of Blantyre, expressed concern about possible unrest. "I feel that violence might break out because there is tension due to the way rival parties have handled themselves," he said. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Malawian President, Peter Mutharika, arrives at his party's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) final election rally in Blantyre, Malawi, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Corruption and the need for economic growth are the main campaign issues as Malawi goes to the polls on Tuesday for a presidential election that pits the incumbent 78-year-old president Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party against his own vice president, 46-year-old Saulos Chilima as well as the main opposition party leader Lazarus Chakwera, 64. (AP Photo/Thoko Chikondi) Democratic Progressive Party supporters attend a final election rally led by Malawian President, Peter Mutharika, in Blantyre, Malawi Saturday, May 18, 2019. Corruption and the need for economic growth are the main campaign issues as Malawi goes to the polls on Tuesday for a presidential election that pits the incumbent 78-year-old president Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party against his own vice president, 46-year-old Saulos Chilima as well as the main opposition party leader Lazarus Chakwera, 64. (AP Photo/Thoko Chikondi) KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Rescuers on Sunday recovered the bodies of two Indian climbers who died on the world's third-tallest peak this past week and flew them to Nepal's capital. The bodies of Biplab Baidya and Kuntal Kanrar were first carried by rescuers from Mount Kanchenjung's highest camp to a lower camp and then picked up by a helicopter. Helicopters can reach only up to the lower camps on the high Himalayan peaks. Baidya had scaled Kanchenjung, while Kanrar was on the way up but fell sick and died. Baidya became sick on his way down. They both fell sick just below Kanchenjunga's 8,586-meter-high (28,160-foot-high) summit. It is believed they were suffering from high altitude sickness and frostbite, but autopsies will be conducted at the hospital in Kathmandu where the bodies are being kept. Hundreds of foreign climbers and their guides attempt to scale high Himalayan peaks during Nepal's popular spring climbing season, which begins around March and ends this month. Hospital officials unload a dead body of an Indian mountaineer after the same was brought to Teaching hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Two mountaineers died on Nepal's famous Himalayan peaks, while another two climbers were missing, officials said Friday. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) CHICAGO (AP) - Police and Illinois' child welfare agency say staff at a Chicago-area hospital didn't alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed. The woman, Clarisa Figueroa, was charged more than three weeks later with killing the baby's mother , Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, after police found her body outside Figueoa's home. Chicago police say she cut Ochoa-Lopez's baby out of her womb on April 23, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who wasn't breathing. Paramedics took Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Center in suburban Oak Lawn. Ochoa-Lopez's family spent those weeks searching for her and holding press conferences pleading for help finding her, unaware the child was in a neonatal intensive care unit on life support. The baby remained hospitalized on life support on Saturday, according to authorities. Prosecutors say that when Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also say Figueroa, 46, was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth. Advocate Christ Medical Center has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities, citing state and federal regulations. Oak Lawn police said they were not contacted about Figueroa by the medical center or any other agency. A memorial of flowers, balloons, a cross and photo of victim Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, are displayed on the lawn, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Chicago, outside the home where Ochoa-Lopez was murdered last month. Assistant State's Attorney James Murphy says a pregnant Ochoa-Lopez, who was killed and whose baby was cut from her womb, was strangled while being shown a photo album of the late son and brother of her attackers. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jassen Strokosch said Saturday the agency was alerted May 9 that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he couldn't speculate about why the agency wasn't contacted sooner. "We don't know what was happening at the hospital," he said. Strokosch said the Department of Children and Family Services was alerted by someone required by law to contact the department about suspected abuse or neglect, but he couldn't say who contacted the agency. However, that was after Chicago police had connected Figueroa to Ochoa-Lopez's disappearance. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said police learned Ochoa-Lopez was missing when her husband reported it on April 24. On May 7, Chicago police learned from one of Ochoa-Lopez's friends that she had been communicating via a private Facebook group with Figueroa about buying clothing. Police then went to Figueroa's home, where her 24-year-old daughter eventually told them her mother had recently had a baby. "There was nothing to point us in that direction in the beginning," Johnson told reporters on Thursday, after police had arrested Figueroa and her daughter on murder charges. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Saturday authorities had to subpoena medical records from the hospital for Figueroa and the child. He said police didn't learn that Figueroa showed no signs of childbirth until "a couple weeks" after she was examined. Both Johnson and Guglielmi referred questions about hospital protocol and policies to the medical center. A spokesman said in an emailed statement: "We have been cooperating with authorities and as this is an ongoing police matter, we're referring all inquiries to local law enforcement." DNA testing determined Figueroa was not the baby's mother and that Ochoa-Lopez's husband was his father. Strokosch said his department let protective custody of the child lapse on May 13 because his father had been identified. ROME (AP) - The Italian interior ministry vowed Sunday to press ahead with a new decree formalizing the closure of Italian ports to aid groups that rescue migrants, even after U.N. human rights investigators said it violated international law. Ministry officials said the security decree was "necessary and urgent" and was expected to be approved at a Cabinet meeting Monday. In a May 15 letter to Italy's government released Saturday, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Italy to withdraw the decree, calling it "yet another political attempt to criminalize search and rescue operations." The decree "further intensifies the climate of hostility and xenophobia against migrants," said the letter, which was signed by several U.N. human rights rapporteurs. It was issued as a ship carrying more than 40 migrants from the German aid group Sea-Watch remained off the island of Lampedusa waiting for a port to disembark its passengers. Sea-Watch said it had flouted Italy's ban and entered Italian territorial waters on Saturday for humanitarian reasons. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a hard-line populist, proposed the decree before the European Parliament elections this week, where nationalist, anti-migrant parties are hoping to make strong gains. Salvini's League has soared in popularity in part because of his hard-line migration policy, which has involved boosting the Libyan coast guard's ability to rescue migrants and bring them back. FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 file photo, a baby is loaded into the rescue vessel of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea at 45 miles (72 kilometers) from Al Khums, Libya. A judge in Sicily has dropped an investigation against two member of the Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms deriving from a tense high-seas standoff last year when the crew refused to hand over 218 migrants rescued at sea to the Libyan coast guard. Proactiva welcomed the decision to drop the investigation into criminal association and aiding illegal migration Wednesday, calling it ''an additional step toward the truth.'' The group stated that it has always operated according to international roles. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo, File) Among other provisions, the decree leaves it to the interior minister to limit or prohibit entry into Italian territorial waters any ships for public security reasons. It foresees fines of up to 5,500 euros ($6,145) for each migrant transported. The U.N. letter says the measures would violate migrants' human rights, which are enshrined in U.N. conventions that Italy has signed. It said Italy is obliged to rescue migrants in distress and can't impede others from doing so. And it says that Libya can't be considered a safe port for migrants rescued at sea, particularly after the recent spike in fighting. In a statement late Sunday, the Italian foreign ministry said the letter carried no juridical weight and suggested it was based on imprecise information. It noted that since Jan. 1, 2018, Italy has received eight such letters, whereas the U.S. has received 30, Britain 16 and France 12. Interior ministry officials told journalists in a statement Sunday that Turkey and North Korea similarly punish border violations and that Italy has long had fines in its legal code, which have merely been updated. "The hope is that the authoritative U.N. dedicates its energies to the humanitarian emergency in Venezuela rather than engage in electoral campaigning in Italy," they said. Meanwhile, British and French authorities have stopped 61 migrants who tried to cross the English Channel in five small boats over the weekend. The British Home Office said 52 migrants on four boats were intercepted Saturday and Sunday off the Kent Coast and handed to immigration officials. The migrants said they were from Iraq and Iran. The French maritime authority for the Channel and North Sea said a patrol ship spotted a boat carrying nine migrants Sunday off the coast of Cape of Gris-Nez. The nine were suffering light hypothermia and were handed over to border police in Calais. Several of the migrants were children. Illegal migrant crossings across the English Channel are on the rise in recent weeks despite joint British-French efforts to crack down on them. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Austria's president said the first few days of September would be the best time to hold an early election after a covert video scandal shook up the country's politics and warned that the government needed to remain capable of taking part in important European Union decisions in the interim. President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke Sunday after meeting with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Kurz called for a new election after the resignation Saturday of his vice chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, who apologized for his statements in a video where he was apparently offering government construction contracts to a purported Russian investor at a boozy gathering in Ibiza. The video from 2017 was published by two German media outlets. After the scandal broke, Kurz decided not to continue the governing coalition between his center-right People's Party and Strache's anti-immigration Freedom Party, saying he was fed up with missteps by his coalition partner. Those have included a poem in a party newsletter comparing migrants to rats. Van der Bellen said that before new elections, it was crucial for the government to remain "capable of taking action and a reliable partner in the European Union" since after the European Parliament elections, EU member countries will be discussing crucial decisions. Those include deciding on the next head of the European Commission to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, whose term is coming to an end. To that end, Van der Bellen said he would hold talks with the designated Freedom Party head, Norbert Hofer, and with opposition leaders on how to proceed. Pamela Rendi-Wagner, head of the opposition Social Democrats, said that three Freedom Party ministries - defense, interior and justice - should be filled with independent experts in the interim to the elections, the dpa news agency reported. Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen addresses the media during a press conference at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber) In the videos, Strache appeared to discuss ways to receive unreported campaign contributions and how the investor, purportedly the niece of a Russian oligarch, could buy a stake in a major Austrian newspaper and use it to support his party. The 49-year-old politician said he had been set up through illegal surveillance, but conceded his behavior had been "stupid, irresponsible and a mistake." Van der Bellen said the video showed behavior "that is not Austria." He added that "everything must be done to restore trust in officeholders, in the representatives of the people." Strache's resignation was a setback for populist and nationalist forces as Europe heads into the final days of campaigning for elections to the 751-seat European Parliament. Although the EU legislature has limited powers, the campaign has become a test of strength between populist movements seeking to curb immigration and return more powers to national governments from the EU on the one side, and on the other side mainstream center-right and center-left parties supporting the bloc as a force for cooperation among its 28 member countries. The scandal also underlined concerns about Russian influence among European populist movements, in particular because the Freedom Party was in government and could influence legislation and policy. The leader of the parliamentary group Pamela Rendi-Wagner (Austrian Social Democratic Party) adresses the media during an press conference at the Headquarter of the Austrian Social Democratic Party in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber) Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (Austrian People's Party) addresses the media during a press conference at the Federal Chancellors Office in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber) Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (Austrian Freedom Party) addresses the media during press conference at the sport ministry in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Strache says he is resigning after two German newspapers published footage of him apparently offering lucrative government contracts to a potential Russian benefactor. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber) Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (Austrian People's Party) leaves after a press conference at the Federal Chancellors Office in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 18, 2019. Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber) MOSCOW (AP) - Syrian government forces have unilaterally ceased fire in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold, Russia said Sunday, while opposition activists reported continued shelling and airstrikes. Fighting erupted in Idlib late last month, effectively shattering a cease-fire negotiated by Russia and Turkey that had been in place since September. Russia has firmly backed President Bashar Assad's government in the eight-year civil war, while Turkey has supported the opposition. In a brief statement on Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Sides in Syria said government forces had ceased fire as of midnight. It described the move as unilateral, but did not give details. The pro-government Syrian Central Military Media said government forces responded to shelling by militants Sunday on the edge of Idlib. It gave no further details. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitoring group, reported an airstrike on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, saying it inflicted casualties. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defense also reported shelling near the town of Jisr al-Shughour without reporting any casualties. FILE - In this May 3, 2019 file photo, provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows smoke rising after Syrian government and Russian airstrikes that hit the town of al-Habeet, southern Idlib, Syria. Russia said Sunday, May 19, 2019, that Syrian government forces have unilaterally ceased fire in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold. Fighting erupted in Idlib last month, effectively shattering a cease-fire negotiated by Russia and Turkey that had been in place since September. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP, File) Syrian government forces intensified their attacks as of April 30 on Idlib. The area is home to some 3 million people, many of whom are internally displaced. The last round of violence also displaced some 180,000 in rebel-held areas. MADRID, Iowa (AP) - Iowa farmer Tim Bardole survived years of low crop prices and rising costs by cutting back on fertilizer and herbicides and fixing broken-down equipment rather than buying new. When President Donald Trump's trade war with China made a miserable situation worse, Bardole used up any equity his operation had and started investing in hogs in hopes they'll do better than crops. A year later, the dispute is still raging and soybeans hit a 10-year-low. But Bardole says he supports his president more today than he did when he cast a ballot for Trump in 2016, skeptical he would follow through on his promises. "He does really seem to be fighting for us," Bardole says, "even if it feels like the two sides are throwing punches and we're in the middle, taking most of the hits." Trump won the presidency by winning rural America, in part by pledging to use his business savvy and tough negotiating skills to take on China and put an end to trade practices that have hurt farmers for years. While the prolonged fight has been devastating to an already-struggling agriculture industry, there's little indication Trump is paying a political price. But there's a big potential upside if he can get a better deal - and little downside if he continues to get credit for trying for the farmers caught in the middle. It's a calculation Trump recognizes heading into a reelection bid where he needs to hold on to farm states like Iowa and Wisconsin and is looking to flip others, like Minnesota. A March CNN/Des Moines Register poll of registered Republicans in Iowa found 81% approved of how Trump is handling his job, and 82% had a favorable view of the president, an increase of 5 points since December. About two-thirds said they'd definitely vote to re-elect him. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. A February poll by the same organizations found 46% of Iowans approved of the job Trump was doing - his highest approval rating since taking office - while 50% said they disapprove. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points. In this May 22, 2019, photo, farmer Tim Bardole pauses for a photo as he plants a field near Perry, Iowa. Donald Trump won the presidency by winning rural America, in part by pledging to use his business savvy and tough negotiating skills to take on China and put an end to trade practices that have hurt farmers for years. While the prolonged fight has been devastating to an already-struggling agriculture industry, there's little indication Trump is paying a political price. (Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Des Moines Register via AP) Many farmers are lifelong Republicans who like other things Trump has done, such as reining in the EPA and tackling illegal immigration, and believe he's better for their interests than most Democrats even on his worst day. They give him credit for doing something previous presidents of both parties mostly talked about. And now that they've struggled for this long, they want to see him finish the job - and soon. "We are the frontline soldiers getting killed as this trade war goes on," said Paul Jeschke, who grows corn and soybeans in northern Illinois, where he's about to plant his 45th crop. "I'm unhappy and I think most of us are unhappy with the situation. But most of us understand the merits," he added. "And it's not like anyone else would be better. The smooth-talking presidents we've had recently - they certainly didn't get anything done." When the trade war started last summer, China targeted its first round of tariffs on producers in agricultural and manufacturing states that were crucial to Trump's 2016 victory, such as Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Particularly hard hit were producers of soybeans, the country's largest farm export. The most recent round of trade talks between the Trump administration and China broke up earlier this month without an agreement, after Trump accused China of backing out on agreed-to parts of a deal and hiked tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China. China imposed retaliatory tariff hikes on $60 billion of American goods, and in the U.S. the price of soybeans fell to a 10-year low on fears of a protracted trade war. U.S. officials then listed $300 billion more of Chinese goods for possible tariff hikes. As China vowed to "fight to the finish," Trump used Twitter to rally the farming community. "Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now," Trump tweeted. "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." He added: "The Farmers have been 'forgotten' for many years. Their time is now!" To partially offset the plunge in sales caused by the tariffs, Trump has promised an aid package, some $15 billion for farmers and ranchers, following $11 billion in relief payments last year. Beside the help prompted by the tariff dispute, a farm bill that Congress approves every five years provides farmers with hundreds of millions in additional federal aid. The subsidies have remained relatively stable, with the latest farm bill approved in December. Most of the aid helps growers of the largest crops, including corn and soybeans. Farmers also benefit from billions of dollars annually in federal insurance subsidies. It's been six years since farmers did better than break even on corn, and five years since they made money off soybeans. U.S. net farm income, a commonly used measure of profits, has plunged 45 percent since a high of $123.4 billion in 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reflecting American farmers' struggle to return to the profitability seen earlier in the decade. Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings for farm operations in the upper Midwest have doubled since June 2014, when commodity prices began to drop. The hardest hit were farms and dairy operations in Wisconsin, a state that supported Democrats for president for most of recent history before backing Trump and that will be a fierce 2020 battleground. "It's awful expensive to put a crop in," said Morie Hill, looking over countless green shoots peeking up from his fields in central Iowa. He isn't sure why more farmers haven't been forced out. "Everyone I know is squeezing and doing everything they can, trying to go further with less," he said. Brent Renner, who farms with his father in northern Iowa, said while there's strong support for Trump in their area, frustration is growing. Farming friends regularly check Twitter to see what Trump is saying, and how it might move the market. "I don't know how many farming friends I've had who've said 'Why can't someone just take his phone away?'" Renner said. "It's impossible to think he hasn't lost support at some level, but what that level is nobody knows." Patty Judge, a Democratic former Iowa lieutenant governor and state agriculture secretary, agreed people in Iowa haven't rushed to move away from Trump. But she thinks voters will be ready for a change in 2020 - and a president who better understands the country's role in international trade. "It's very important to us and to have gone into a trade war without a plan, without an exit strategy, is dangerous and wrong and I think Iowans are going to understand that before the next election," she said. The 2018 midterms showed Democrats' difficulties outside metro areas. AP VoteCast, a national survey of more than 115,000 voters, found rural and small-town residents cast 35% of midterm ballots; 56% of those voted for Republican House candidates, compared with 41% for Democrats. Among small-town and rural white voters the advantage was greater, tilting 63-35 for Republicans. Jeshke said he gives Trump credit for rolling back regulations that have made it tougher and more expensive for new herbicides to be approved, and for his proposed changes to the Waters of the U.S., an Obama-era environmental measure. Under the act, Jeshke said he needed government approval to mow some areas of his property or make changes to manmade lakes where kids go fishing. "And I dug them!" he said. Jeshke says most farmers are more concerned about getting the situation solved than pointing fingers. But if they were to place blame, most of it would be on China, and the rest would be on previous presidents who could have solved the trade imbalances more easily 15 or 20 years ago. One thing he knows for sure about Trump: "If he rolls over now, we'll never be able to hold them accountable." Renner says farmers are used to having things happen that aren't in their control - the weather, for example - but finding a way through. It's a quality he says is clearly on display now. "We're an optimistic people," he said. "We'll keep our chins up and keep moving ahead." ___ Burnett reported from Chicago. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - A top Saudi diplomat says the kingdom has no information about an Arab activist living in Norway who says the CIA tipped Norwegian security about a threat against him emanating from Saudi Arabia. Responding to a question during a press conference in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Adel al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs, claimed he'd never heard of Iyad al-Baghdadi. Al-Jubeir, however, then said el-Baghdadi's motivation for speaking out publicly could be that he is seeking permanent residency in some country. The Palestinian-born activist says his work investigating possible Saudi crimes have made him a target. El-Baghdadi responded on Twitter, where he has more than 130,000 followers, saying that for the record, "I have no immigration struggles (anymore), I was granted asylum by Norway four years ago." ATLANTA (AP) - As multiple states pass laws banning many abortions, questions have surfaced about what exactly that means for women who might seek an abortion. The short answer: nothing yet. Governors in Kentucky , Mississippi , Ohio and Georgia have recently approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen in the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant, and Alabama's governor signed a measure making the procedure a felony in nearly all cases. Missouri lawmakers passed an eight-week ban Friday. Other states, including Louisiana , are considering similarly restrictive laws. None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all will almost definitely be blocked while legal challenges play out. The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Roe v. Wade said a woman has the right to choose whether to have an abortion. Supporters of the the new laws acknowledge that that they will initially be blocked, but they welcome the challenges. They've made it clear that their ultimate goal is to get the nation's highest court to reconsider its 1973 ruling now that the balance seems tipped in their favor. CAN WOMEN STILL GET ABORTIONS IN STATES WHERE THESE LAWS HAVE PASSED? Yes. Abortion remains legal nationwide. Abortion-rights activists react after lawmakers approved a sweeping piece of anti-abortion legislation, a bill that would ban most abortions in the state of Missouri, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Jefferson, Mo. If enacted, the ban would be among the most restrictive in the U.S. It includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Doctors would face five to 15 years in prison for violating the eight-week cutoff. Women who receive abortions wouldn't be prosecuted. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) Abortion providers say that with all the coverage of the new laws, they've been getting calls from patients and potential patients who are confused about whether the procedure is still available. Although abortion is still legal everywhere, lawmakers in some states have passed less-restrictive measures that make accessing the procedure more difficult. That has resulted in six states having only a single abortion provider, while others have only two or three, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research group. WHO'S CHALLENGING THESE LAWS AND WHERE DO THOSE CHALLENGES STAND? Opponents of the laws are filing lawsuits and fully expect the measures won't be allowed to take effect while the court challenges are pending. A court blocked Kentucky's law from taking effect after the American Civil Liberties Union sued, and that case is ongoing. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood on Wednesday challenged Ohio's law, and they expect a court to keep it from entering effect as scheduled in July. Mississippi's law also is set to take effect in July, but it has been challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights. Alabama's law would become enforceable in six months and Georgia's would take effect Jan. 1, but the ACLU plans to challenge both of those laws. WHY IS ALABAMA'S LAW GETTING SO MUCH ATTENTION? Alabama's law goes farther than the others. It makes abortion a felony in nearly all cases and includes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The only exception is when the pregnant woman's health is at serious risk. Republican state Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the bill, said adding any exceptions could harm the goal of creating a legal case that embryos and fetuses are people with rights of personhood. Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Clyde Chambliss, said the bill was not about privacy, which is the legal foundation for Roe, but rather "the right of an unborn child to live." HOW DOES GEORGIA'S LAW CONFERRING PERSONHOOD ON A FETUS WORK? The law says, "It shall be the policy of the State of Georgia to recognize unborn children as natural persons." That caused some speculation that the law would allow women to be charged with murder if they get an abortion. Although a prosecutor could interpret the law that way, University of Georgia law professor emeritus Ron Carlson said he believes a woman "cannot be successfully prosecuted" under the law, which seems primarily to target abortion providers. Elizabeth Nash with the Guttmacher Institute said some states have tried to enact fetal personhood measures by ballot initiatives in the past, but those have failed. That's partly because it could have such broad implications, including access to fertility treatments, inheritance rights and taxation, she said. "There are a lot of consequences that we don't know yet," she said. Supporters crowd a meeting room before a roundtable discussion at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, May 16, 2019 to discuss abortion bans in Georgia and across the country. Georgia was the fourth state this year to pass anti-abortion "heartbeat" legislation, but Democratic presidential candidates have taken aim at the state's law banning most abortions after six weeks that's set to go into effect in January. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) FILE - In this May 7, 2019, file photo, Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, center, signs legislation in Atlanta, banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks before many women know they're pregnant. Georgia became the fourth state to enact the ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File) In a Tuesday May 14, 2019 photo, Margeaux Hartline, dressed as a handmaid, joins a rally against HB314, the near-total ban on abortion bill, outside of the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) FILE- In this April 11, 2019 file photo, Gov. Mike DeWine signs a bill imposing one of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions, in Columbus, Ohio. Planned Parenthood and Ohio abortion clinics have sued to prevent the state's restrictive abortion law from taking effect. The complained filed Wednesday, May 15 in federal court in Columbus says the ban of abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat is unconstitutional and would prohibit nearly all abortions in Ohio. A detectable heartbeat can come as early as five or six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant. (Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch via AP, File) NEW YORK (AP) - Advocates for legalizing marijuana have long argued it would strike a blow for social justice after a decades-long drug war that disproportionately targeted minority and poor communities. But social equity has been both a sticking point and selling point this year in New York and New Jersey, among other states weighing whether to join the 10 that allow recreational use of pot. Complicating the law-making process, sometimes even among supporters, are questions about how best to erase marijuana convictions and ensure that people who were arrested for pot benefit from legal marijuana markets. Advocates say legalization elsewhere hasn't done enough to achieve those goals. Critics maintain legal pot is even accelerating inequality as the drug becomes big business for companies generally run by white men. "We're at the stage of marijuana reform 2.0," said Douglas Berman, an Ohio State University law professor who follows marijuana policy. The conversation, he said, has shifted from just being about legalization to, "which track should we make sure we head down?" Questions about conviction-clearing and other issues contributed to delaying legislative votes on legalizing recreational pot that had been expected earlier this spring in New York and New Jersey . The states' Democratic governors and legislative leaders support legalization but confronted differences even within their own party. FILE - In this May 5, 2015 photo, marijuana plants grow at a Minnesota Medical Solutions greenhouse in Otsego, Minn. Advocates for legalizing marijuana have long argued it would strike a blow for social justice after a decades-long drug war that disproportionately targeted minority and poor communities. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP, File) The New Jersey measure fizzled this week, when the state Senate president said he'll aim for a 2020 referendum while pursuing separate legislation to expand medical marijuana and expunge low-level pot convictions. Meanwhile, some New York lawmakers said they'll soon unveil an updated proposal to legalize pot and foster racial and economic equity. Activists remain hopeful the state can set an example. "Social justice is what's going to propel us, not what's going to hold us back," said Kassandra Frederique, the New York director for the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance. Federal data shows similar percentages of white and black people use marijuana. But the arrest rate for blacks is higher, according to reports by the American Civil Liberties Union and others. Legalization of recreational pot in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and medical pot in two-thirds of the states, hasn't eliminated the gaps. In Colorado, for instance, a state report found arrests were fewer but the rate remained higher among blacks five years after a 2012 vote for legalization. Meanwhile, the emerging marijuana industry is very white, according to the limited data available. "It's obviously a problem," said Morgan Fox of the National Cannabis Industry Association, which has helped craft suggestions for social equity legislation. Another industry group, the Cannabis Trade Federation, this week announced plans to craft a diversity and equity policy in conjunction with national NAACP officials and other civil-rights advocates. Some would-be minority entrepreneurs have been caught in a cannabis Catch-22, unable to work in a legal pot business because of a past conviction. Others struggle to raise start-up money in an expensive industry that banks are leery about entering because of the federal government's prohibition on pot. "We're not going to have much time to make a space in the market for ourselves," said Jason Ortiz, vice president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association. Marijuana got Ortiz arrested as a teenager, but now he hopes to start a business if recreational pot becomes legal in Connecticut, where he lives. Some states and cities have started post-legalization initiatives to expunge criminal records and open doors in the cannabis business for people with pot convictions. California, for instance, passed a sweeping expungement law last year affecting hundreds of thousands of drug offenders. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker has proposed a national legalization measure that includes expungements and a community "reinvestment" fund, and several of his fellow Democratic senators and 2020 presidential primary contenders have signed on . Some veterans of early state legalization campaigns have reckoned with their limitations. "We were overly cautious at the time, looking back," said Art Way, the Drug Policy Alliance's director in Colorado. "But it didn't feel that way" when legalizing marijuana and ending many arrests were unprecedented goals in themselves. He's been fighting to make Colorado's cannabis industry more accessible to people with drug convictions and entrepreneurs of modest means. Opponents, too, are looking at how legalization has played out. They say it shows authorizing pot is no way to help minorities. "The social justice issue is a big front" for states and big business to make money off marijuana, said New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Ronald Rice, a Democratic senator from Newark and former police officer. He supports ending criminal penalties for marijuana but not legalizing recreational use. "I know what social justice looks like," Rice says. "I also know when people are being used." He doesn't foresee pot shops enhancing neighborhoods where drugs have been a wellspring of problems. And he's skeptical that, even with special incentives, residents would reap the profits in an industry already infused with big money. New York Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes agrees legalizing marijuana isn't a panacea for minority communities. But the Assembly's first African-American majority leader is championing a recreational-pot proposal that's currently being revised. "It will not end racism. But it is a crucial step in the right direction," Peoples-Stokes, a Buffalo Democrat, recently wrote in Newsweek. As an aspiring marijuana businessman in New York, Andrew Farrior is following the legalization debate and its talk of social equity. Farrior, who is black, is intrigued by the possibility of incentives for entrepreneurs like him but not confident such plans would translate into action. Meanwhile, he and co-founder Ethan Jackson are plowing ahead with plans to launch Greenbox.NYC as a subscription and delivery business for hemp and other legal cannabis-related products. "We're ready to take what the market gives us," Farrior said. ___ Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report. ___ Peltz is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. Follow AP's complete marijuana coverage: https://apnews.com/Marijuana . FILE- In this April 24, 2019 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., answers questions during a presidential forum on the Texas State University campus in Houston. Booker has proposed a national marijuana legalization measure that includes expungements of criminal records for marijuana offenses. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File) In this April 26, 2019 photo, a sample Greenbox filled with CBD and hemp-based products is shown on a table in Atlanta, Ga. New York entrepreneurs Andrew Farrior and Ethan Jackson plan to launch Greenbox.NYC as a subscription and delivery business for hemp and other legal cannabis-related products. (AP Photo/Elijah Nouvelage) FILE- In this March 31, 2019 file photo, New York Assembly Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, D- Buffalo, speaks while debating bills in the Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Peoples-Stokes agrees legalizing marijuana isn't a panacea for minority communities. But the Assembly's first African-American majority leader is championing a recreational-pot proposal that's currently being revised. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File) FILE- In this Feb. 14, 2019 file photo, cannabis seedlings grow under lights as part of a research project by students in the new cannabis minor program at the State University of New York at Morrisville, N.Y. Advocates for legalizing marijuana have long argued it would strike a blow for social justice after a decades-long drug war that disproportionately targeted minority and poor communities. (AP Photo/Mary Esch, File) In this April 26, 2019 photo, business partners Ethan Jackson, left, and Andrew Farrior check emails before a meeting in Atlanta, Ga. As an aspiring marijuana businessman in New York, Farrior is following the marijuana legalization debate and its talk of social equity. He and he and co-founder Jackson are plowing ahead with plans to launch Greenbox.NYC as a subscription and delivery business for hemp and other legal cannabis-related products. (AP Photo/Elijah Nouvelage) CAIRO (AP) - A roadside bomb hit a tourist bus on Sunday near the Giza Pyramids, wounding at least 17 people including tourists, Egyptian officials said. The officials said the bus was travelling on a road close to the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum, which is located adjacent to the Giza Pyramids but is not yet open to tourists. The bus was carrying at least 25 people mostly from South Africa, officials added. The attack comes as Egypt's vital tourism industry is showing signs of recovery after years in the doldrums because of the political turmoil and violence that followed a 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Hosni Mubarak. The officials said security forces cordoned off the site of the explosion and the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital. The explosion damaged a windshield of another car, they said. Footage circulated online shows shattered windows of the bus. Police inspect a car and a bus that were damaged by a bomb, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, March 19, 2019. Egyptian officials say a roadside bomb has hit a tourist bus near the Giza Pyramids. They said Sunday's blast wounded at least 17 people including tourists. (AP Photo/Mohammed Salah) The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. Atif Moftah, general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum, said the explosion did not cause any damage to the museum, in a statement issued by the antiquities ministry. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. It is the second to target foreign tourists near the famed pyramids in less than six months. In December, a bus carrying 15 Vietnamese tourists was hit by a roadside bomb, killing at least three of them. Egypt has battled Islamic militants for years in the Sinai Peninsula in an insurgency that has occasionally spilled over to the mainland, hitting minority Christians or tourists. The insurgency gained strength after the 2013 military overthrow of the country's first freely elected president, an Islamist whose brief rule sparked mass protests. NEW DELHI (AP) - The Latest on India's general election (all times local): 7:15 p.m. Voting in India's mammoth national election has ended with the seventh and final phase of a grueling poll that lasted more than five weeks, with exit polls predicting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party and its allies will win the right to govern for another five years. Vote counting begins on Thursday, and the election result will likely be known the same day. Exit polls by two leading television news channels, Republic and TimesNow, projected a victory for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies with 287 to 305 seats out of 543 - far ahead of the 272 seats needed to form the next government. The election is seen as a referendum on Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP's main opposition is the Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has produced three prime ministers. An Indian Muslim woman displays indelible ink mark on her finger after her casting at a polling station, Bengali Tola Inter college in Varanasi, India, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Indians are voting in the seventh and final phase of national elections, wrapping up a 6-week-long long, grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) ___ 7:30 a.m. Indians are voting in the seventh and final phase of national elections, wrapping up a 6-week-long long, grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years. The voting on Sunday also covers Modi's constituency of Varanasi, a holy Hindu city where he was elected in 2014. The election is seen as a referendum on Modi's five-year rule. He has adopted a nationalist pitch in trying to win votes from the country's Hindu majority by projecting a tough stance against Pakistan, India's Muslim-majority neighbor and archrival. The Congress and other opposition parties are challenging him over a high unemployment rate of 6.1% and farmers' distress aggravated by low crop prices. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. An Indian Muslim woman casts her vote inside a polling station in Varanasi, India, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Indians are voting in the seventh and final phase of national elections, wrapping up a 6-week-long long, grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Indian Muslims stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling station in Varanasi, India, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Indians are voting in the seventh and final phase of national elections, wrapping up a 6-week-long long, grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) A Hindu holy man displays the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote in Varanasi, India,Sunday, May 19, 2019. Indians are voting in the seventh and final phase of national elections, wrapping up a 6-week-long long, grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) - An explosion leveled a home in southern Indiana early Sunday, killing one person, injuring two others and leaving several nearby homes uninhabitable, authorities said. Hours after the explosion shattered windows across a Jeffersonville neighborhood and sent debris flying onto roofs, lawns and cars, officials had not said what they believe caused the explosion. Indiana State Police, Jeffersonville police and firefighters were at the scene, along with crews from Vectren, a natural gas provider. Jeffersonville police Lt. Isaac Parker told The Courier-Journal that the house exploded just before 5 a.m. Sunday in the Ohio River city just north of Louisville, Kentucky. He said one person was killed and two others were hospitalized with serious injuries. Officials haven't said if the victims were inside the house that exploded. Aerial footage showed the home's foundation and what appears to be its basement, covered with debris. The images were reminiscent of photos following a house explosion in an Indianapolis neighborhood in December 2012 that killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than 80 homes. Authorities concluded that Mark Leonard had tampered with a gas line to blow up his girlfriend's home so they could claim insurance money. This aerial photo shows the scene of a deadly home explosion in Jeffersonville, Ind., on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Michael Clevegner/Courier Journal via AP) Leonard died in prison last year. Sgt. Jason Ames with the Jeffersonville Fire Department said the explosion Sunday had affected about 20 homes in the Capitol Hills neighborhood. He said it was felt up to 5 miles (8 kilometers) away and that the house where it occurred suffered "catastrophic" damage. Ames did not immediately return a phone message seeking additional details. Fire Chief Eric Hedrick said the house where the blast occurred was largely destroyed and five to six nearby homes were left uninhabitable due to damage. William Short, who lives across the street from the house that exploded, said he was in bed when he heard the explosion. He said he looked outside and saw what appeared to be fireworks before a second blast shattered his windows, blew off his front door and cracked his ceilings. Short looked outside again and saw from the light of a burning car that his neighbor's home was gone. "You don't never think you're going to wake up and see your neighbor's house completely gone," he told The Courier-Journal. Damaged vehicles sit amongst the debris of a deadly home explosion in Jeffersonville, Ind., on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Michael Clevegner/Courier Journal via AP) SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - A leading conservative candidate in next week's European Parliament elections has promised Bulgarians tight measures against illegal migration. Manfred Weber said in Sofia that "the state must win over the human traffickers in the fight against illegal migration." The center-right European People's Party candidate, who is also running to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission president, visited Bulgaria on Sunday as part of his campaign and to back the country's ruling center-right GERB party in next weekend's elections. The German's words about illegal migration, which is of significant concern for voters in Bulgaria, received frenetic applause by the 14,000 GERB supporters. The Balkan country has taken a tough stance against mass migration to Europe by sealing off its border to Turkey with a barbed-wire fence to prevent migrants from entering. Weber praised the diversity of the European continent but added that there is one thing in common - "it is based on Christianity and we are proud of this." Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party waves during ruling party GERB's rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Bulgaria, which joined the European Union in 2007, will elect 17 members of the European Parliament's 751 seats on May 26. According to the latest polls, only three parties will pass the 5.8 percent threshold in the elections - the GERB party, the Socialist party, and the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms. The ruling GERB party of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, which has won almost every national and European election in the last decade, has suffered a setback because of recent scandals over murky real estate deals and the misuse of EU funds by senior officials and is facing now a serious challenge from the opposition Socialists. ___ For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party, on the monitor, applauds after addressing the audience at the Bulgaria's GERB ruling Party rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party addresses the audience at the Bulgaria's GERB ruling Party rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Supporters of ruling GERB party hold banners reading "Weber" as Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party addresses the audience party's rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party, left, is hugged by Bulgarian PM Borissov during ruling party GERB's rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Germany's Manfred Weber of the European People's Party, third left, is hugged by Bulgarian PM Borissov during the ruling party GERB's rally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The rally comes days before more than 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region and elsewhere in the Mideast amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local): 2:30 a.m. The U.S. military command that oversees the Mideast has confirmed an explosion outside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad and says there are no U.S. or coalition casualties. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Bill Urban, says in a statement that Iraqi Security Forces are investigating Sunday's incident. A State Department spokesman says that "a low-grade rocket" landed within the International Zone near the U.S. Embassy and that there was no significant damage or impact on any U.S.-inhabited facility. The spokesman says that such attacks will not be tolerated and will be responded to "in a decisive manner" and that the U.S. will hold Iran responsible "if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces." CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo, released by the U.S. Navy, sailors work around an MV-22 Osprey as it lands on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Smalley/U.S. Navy via AP) ___ 1:05 a.m. Days after saying he hoped the U.S. and Iran would not go to war, President Donald Trump threatened Iran with destruction if it seeks a fight. Trump issued the warning after a rocket landed less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy on Sunday in Baghdad's Green Zone, further stoking tensions in the region. Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iranian officials say the country is not looking for war. Trump had seemed to soften his tone after the U.S. recently sent warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. On Thursday, when asked if the U.S. and Iran were headed toward armed conflict, he answered: "I hope not." ___ 9:55 p.m. An apparent rocket attack has exploded in the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government headquarters and the U.S. Embassy. Iraq's state-run news agency says a Katyusha rocket crashed inside the area without causing any casualties. Alert sirens sounded briefly in Baghdad after the explosion was heard, according to Associated Press reporters on the east side of the Tigris River. The apparent attack comes amid heightened tensions across the Persian Gulf, after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Iraq hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave. 6:50 p.m. The U.S. Navy says it has conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with an aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the Persian Gulf to counter an alleged, unspecified threat from Iran. The Navy said Sunday the exercises and training were conducted with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the U.S. Marine Corps, highlighting U.S. "lethality and agility to respond to threat," as well as to deter conflict and preserve U.S. strategic interests. Also taking part in exercises were the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, both deployed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations in the Persian Gulf. The Navy says the exercises, conducted Friday and Saturday, included air-to-air training and steaming in formation and maneuvering. ___ 11:10 a.m. A top Saudi diplomat says the kingdom does not want war but will defend itself, amid a recent spike in tensions with archrival Iran. Adel al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke early Sunday, a week after four oil tankers were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Saudi Arabia has blamed the pipeline attack on Iran. Gulf officials say an investigation into the tanker incident is underway. A-Jubeir told reporters: "We want peace and stability in the region, but we won't stand with our hands bound." Ministers from major oil-producing countries were to meet in Saudi Arabia later Tuesday. In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Nicholas Hawkins, from Houston, Texas, signals an MV-22 Osprey to land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Smalley/U.S. Navy via AP) CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo, released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, right, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge, left, are seen from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as they sail in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael Singley, U.S. Navy via AP) CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the USS Abraham Lincoln sails in the Arabian Sea near the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur, U.S. Navy via AP) CORRECTS DATE - In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge sail in formation as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea. Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, May 18, 2019, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur, U.S. Navy via AP) SONOITA, Ariz. (AP) - Scenic State Highway 83 gently curves through southeastern Arizona's wine country, past waves of blond grass dotted with orange-tipped ocotillo plants before the dark Santa Rita Mountains loom into view. The Milepost 44 pullout offers a panorama of the range in the Coronado National Forest where a Canadian firm wants to carve out a massive copper mine near Tucson. The $1.9 billion Rosemont Mine, at a half-mile deep and a mile wide, would sprawl across federal, state and private land, leaving a waste pile the height of skyscraper. Native American tribes and environmental groups have sued to stop Hudbay Minerals Inc. of Toronto, arguing its mine could desecrate sacred, ancestral lands and dry up wells and waterways while ravaging habitat for endangered jaguar and other species. Last week, they asked a federal judge to prevent the project from proceeding until the lawsuits are decided. "I pray to our Creator every morning that things will work out," said Austin Nunez, chairman of the Tohono O'odham's San Xavier District, a piece of tribal land just south of Tucson. "Our ancestors' remains are there, along with archaeological sites, including a ball court. We cannot risk any further harm to our ancestral heritage." The Tucson and state chambers of commerce are Rosemont cheerleaders, noting the project will immediately create 500 jobs and pour $16 billion into the local economy over 20 years. The fight comes amid a larger battle across the West over using public lands for mining. In this photo taken Monday, May 13, 2019, a sign for Sonoita stands in the heart of southeastern Arizona where owners of wineries and other small tourism operations worry that the Rosemont Copper Mine proposed to be built in the nearby Santa Rita Mountains could harm their businesses with mining trucks rumbling down scenic state highway 83 that runs past the range. Native American tribes are seeking an injunction to halt work on the copper mine project they say will desecrate burial and other sacred sites in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona. (AP Photo/Anita Snow) The Trump administration in late 2017 slashed about 85% of Utah's Bear Ears National Monument to allow for mining claims. New Mexico tribal leaders have pressured U.S. officials to ban oil and gas exploration near the remnants of an ancient Pueblo civilization at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. And conservationists fret over plans to reopen a gold mine in California's Castle Mountains National Monument, home to ancient rock art and a Joshua tree forest. "You could go to virtually every state and find a push by big corporations to grab resources before it's too late," said Richard White, a historian of the American West at Stanford University. "It's a resurrection of these extractive industries that were so much a part of the Old West." Arizona produces about two-thirds of U.S. copper for wiring and other electronics, generating about $5.38 billion in 2017, according to the Arizona Mining Association. "Mining in Arizona represents 60,000 jobs," said Amber Smith, president and CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce. She is confident Hudbay will mitigate any potential problems by building extra roadways and employing technology to recycle water used in the mining process. Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry spokesman Garrick Taylor said Rosemont would be among the biggest construction projects in Arizona history. "Its impacts will be measured in the billions of dollars," he said. Responding to questions in writing, Hudbay told The Associated Press that delaying the project would result in "significant financial costs" and "we're proposing in the short term to move forward on aspects that don't fall under the litigation." The company said the current project was the result of a dozen years of review and "it's designed intelligently and in accordance with public and policy priorities." It has told Tucson officials the mine would not harm water quality or affect supplies. Still, environmentalists worry about the impacts on the Santa Rita Mountains, where white-tailed deer and black bear, bobcats and the occasional cougar roam among the Apache pines and Douglas firs. Numerous kinds of hummingbirds and woodland warblers fly through Madera Canyon, among the world's premier bird-watching spots. Randy Serraglio, a conservation advocate with the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity, predicted ore trucks would rumble down a scenic highway built in 1927 that stretches some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Interstate 10 to the tourist hotspot of Sonoita. "It's going to look like a nuclear bomb was set off," he said. Winery owner Todd Bostock worries Rosemont could injure a tourism industry that includes boutique lodging focused on wine and the region's natural beauty. "The mine will have a direct, negative and permanent impact on our business," said Bostock, whose Dos Cabezas winery annually produces some 5,000 cases of dry red, rose and white wine. "They are gambling with our investment and our livelihood." Rosemont detractors also point to the yawning Lavender Pit, a former open pit copper mine outside Bisbee that still scars the landscape 45 years after ending operations. Serraglio's group, along with Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition and the Arizona Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club this year sued to stop Rosemont, as did the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the Hopi Tribe. The environmental law firm Earthjustice filed the recent request for an injunction to stop Hudbay from revving up its bulldozers. U.S. District Court Judge James A. Soto has said he hopes to rule on the first three suits by summer's end before tackling two more recent ones filed over a Clean Water Act permit granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a mine operations plan approved by the U.S. Forest Service. ___ Follow Anita Snow: https://twitter.com/asnowreports This photo taken Monday, May 12, 2019, shows what's left of the Lavender pit mine outside the southeastern Arizona city of Bisbee, where the copper operation stopped in 1974. Forty five years later, the pit remains a scar on the landscape, the layering made from potentially toxic mine tailings. Native American tribes are seeking an injunction to halt work on a copper mine project they say will desecrate burial and other sacred sites in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona. (AP Photo/Anita Snow) This photo taken Monday, May 12, 2019, off Arizona scenic state Highway 83 shows the eastern slope of the Santa Rita Mountains where Canadian firm Hudbay Minerals Inc. plans an open pit copper mine. Native American tribes and environmental groups have sued to stop it, saying it could harm sacred ancestral land as well as air and water quality, dry up wells and destroy habitat for the endangered jaguar and other species. (AP Photo/Anita Snow) ROME (AP) - The Latest on migration to Europe (all times local): 5:20 p.m. British and French authorities have stopped 29 migrants who tried to cross the English Channel is three small boats over the weekend. The French maritime authority for the Channel and North Sea said a patrol ship spotted a boat carrying nine migrants, including one minor, off the coast of the Cape of Gris-Nez on Sunday. The nine were suffering light hypothermia and were handed over to border police in Calais. The British Home Office, meanwhile, said 20 migrants on two boats were intercepted Saturday off the Kent Coast. The migrants, including a 12-year-old, were handed to immigration officials in Dover. The group said they were from Iraq and Iran. Illegal migrant crossings across the English Channel are on the rise in recent weeks despite joint British-French efforts to crack down on them. FILE - In this Wednesday April 17, 2019 file photo, The Proactiva's Open Arms rescue boat sits docked in Barcelona, Spain. A judge in Sicily has dropped an investigation against two member of the Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms deriving from a tense high-seas standoff last year when the crew refused to hand over 218 migrants rescued at sea to the Libyan coast guard. Proactiva welcomed the decision to drop the investigation into criminal association and aiding illegal migration Wednesday, calling it ''an additional step toward the truth.'' The group stated that it has always operated according to international roles. (AP Photo/Renata Brito) ___ 1 p.m. U.N. human rights investigators have told Italy that a proposed decree formalizing the closure of Italian ports to aid groups that rescue migrants at sea violates international law. In a letter to Italy's government, the investigators said the decree appears to be "yet another political attempt to criminalize search and rescue operations" that "further intensifies the climate of hostility and xenophobia against migrants." Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a hard-line populist, has proposed the decree ahead of the European Parliament elections this week, where nationalist, anti-migrant parties are hoping to make strong gains. The letter from the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says the measures would violate migrants' human rights, which are enshrined in U.N. conventions. It said Italy is obliged to rescue migrants in distress and cannot impede others from doing so. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Tens of thousands of demonstrators opposed to right-wing populism and nationalism took to the streets Sunday in a number of European cities before May 23-26 elections to the European Parliament. Marches in Germany were held under the banner of "One Europe for Everyone: Your Voice Against Nationalism" in cities including Berlin, Cologne, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg. Organizers from more than 70 groups support the European Union, but also urge changes in migration policy such as support for refugee rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea. Other gatherings under the slogan "No to Hate, Yes to Change" were planned in Budapest, Genoa, Utrecht, Warsaw, Bucharest and other cities. In Bucharest, thousands turned out at Victoria Square, and the crowd formed a heart with the message: "Romania loves Europe." "We want to tell them that their vote matters and that it's very important to go out and vote, to express their selection and to show Europe that Romania loves Europe," rally organizer Catalina Hoparteanu said. A woman holds a European flag as she attends a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) The dpa news agency said organizers reported 20,000 protesters in Berlin, while police estimated 10,000 in Munich, 14,000 in Frankfurt, and 10,000 in Hamburg. The 751-seat European Parliament has limited powers but the poll is being seen as a test of strength both by right-wing, populist and nationalist groups who want curbs on immigration and more authority for national governments on the one hand, and on the other by center-left and center-left mainstream parties who support the EU as a bulwark of cooperation among its 28 member states, rule of law and democracy. ___ For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament People form a heart shape during a pro-Europe event dubbed "All for Europe" outside the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Thousands gathered to express their support for Europe, calling for a high attendance at the upcoming European Parliament elections that will take place on May 26. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A man with his face painted like a European flag, attends a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) A child holds the European Union flag during a pro-Europe event dubbed "All for Europe" outside the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Thousands gathered to express their support for Europe, calling for a high attendance at the upcoming European Parliament elections that will take place on May 26. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) People hold posters reading: 'Elect a Europe for all' and 'Your choice - May 26' as they attend a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) People gather for a protest rally in Hamburg, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP) People wave European flags in front of the Old Opera during a demonstration in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) People, with faces painted like a European flag, arrive for a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. The banner reads 'For Europe". (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Chinese tourists take photographs and selfies in front of the Old Opera during a demonstration in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 19, 2019. People across Europe attend demonstrations under the slogan 'A Europe for All - Your Voice Against Nationalism'. Pink banners reads 'Deselect Nationalism'. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate's top Democrat is calling on the federal government to step in and investigate whether a plan for new subway cars in New York City designed by a Chinese state-owned company could pose a threat to national security. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said in a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday that he's asked the Commerce Department to conduct a "top-to-bottom review" after CRRC, one of the world's largest train makers, won a design contest for new subway cars that would include "modern train control technology." The company hasn't won a contract in New York City, which has America's biggest transit system, but it has been awarded contracts in recent years for new subway cars in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. In announcing the contest winners last year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the subway system, said CRRC had proposed investing $50 million of its own money to develop the new subway cars. The contest was designed to bring out new ideas for future projects but did not lead to any contracts for new subway cars and the MTA is not currently purchasing any new cars. But in the last few years, China has pushed to dominate the U.S. rail car market, a multibillion-dollar industry. CRRC is also believed to be pursuing a $500 million contract with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C. Security experts and members of Congress have raised the alarm about CRRC because it is owned by the Chinese government, warning of prior cyberthreats and hacking attacks linked to Chinese intelligence officials. They fear allowing the company to install technology in America's rail system could potentially expose it to cyberespionage and sabotage. FILE - In this May 14, 2019 photo, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington. The Senate's top Democrat wants an investigation into whether a plan for new subway cars in New York City designed by a Chinese state-owned company could pose a threat to national security. Schumer said in a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday, May 19 he's asked the Commerce Department to conduct a "top-to-bottom review" after CRRC won a design contest for new subway cars in New York City. The company hasn't won a contract in New York, although it has been awarded contracts for new rail cars in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Schumer's call for an investigation comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China after trade talks between the two nations broke up earlier this month without an agreement. Days ago, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to declare a national economic emergency that empowered the government to ban American telecommunication companies from installing foreign-made equipment and technology that could pose a threat to national security. "The MTA has robust, multilayered and vigorously enforced safety and security standards, but we support efforts of government agencies to bolster that work," spokesman Max Young said. A spokesman for CRRC Sifang America - the company's arm in Chicago - said a majority of the components used in its new rail cars come from U.S. companies and said concerns about spying or malware are misplaced. The rail cars meet specific requirements set by the transit agencies, the manufacturer doesn't control the cyber components it installs and it is "not possible" for the company to implant malware in the system, he said. "There is no evidence of a passenger railcar manufacturer, including CRRC, installing any type of new technology that could intentionally open passenger railcars to cyberthreats or pose a threat to commuters and national security," spokesman Dave Smolensky said. "CRRC is eager to address any concerns Senator Schumer has and we welcome an inquiry regarding our U.S. operations." Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that, if passed, would prevent federal funds from being used for rail projects involving Chinese companies. "Given what we know about how cyberwarfare works, and recent attacks that have hit transportation and infrastructure hubs across the country, the Department of Commerce must give the green light and thoroughly check any proposals or work China's CRRC does on behalf of the New York subway system, including our signals, Wi-Fi and more," Schumer said the statement to AP. In 2017, hackers attacked the Sacramento transit system and demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency. The transit agency said at the time that the hackers erased parts of programs on its servers that affect operations like the ability to use computers to dispatch employees and assign buses. In 2016, a ransomware attack on San Francisco's transit system resulted in officials shutting down ticketing machines, allowing free rides for much of a weekend. And last year, the Colorado Department of Transportation fell victim to a similar attack that essentially froze hundreds of computers. In the last few years, the U.S. Justice Department has brought several cases alleging hacking by Chinese intelligence officials and targeting Chinese cyberespionage. "This kind of national security responsibility is just so big, and so complex, that the MTA and other big-city transit systems should not have to foot the burden of going it alone to assess whether or not CRRC's low bids for work, and current contracts across the country, are part of some larger strategy. We just cannot be too careful here, especially now, amidst these tensions and general cyber threats," Schumer said. The Commerce Department did not immediately comment on Sunday. ___ Follow Balsamo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 . JERUSALEM (AP) - Eurovision Song Contest organizers said on Sunday they were taken aback by the display of a Palestinian flag during Madonna's guest appearance, which defied contest rules. While Madonna performed her new single at the contest, hosted in Tel Aviv, two of her dancers onstage flashed Israeli and Palestinian flags pinned on their backs. The European Broadcast Union, or EBU, said that Madonna had not cleared that part of the act with broadcasters and "was advised as to the non-political nature of the event." Madonna later defended the stunt on Twitter, sharing a clip of the dancers and writing, "I am grateful for the opportunity to spread the message of peace and unity with the world." Yet most reactions to Madonna's performance had nothing to do with her political gesture. Many panned her for singing off key. Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams paid over $1 million to bring Madonna in for the event. FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2018 file photo, Madonna presents a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Eurovision Song Contest organizers said on Sunday, May 19, 2019, they were taken aback by the display of a Palestinian flag during Madonna's guest appearance, which defied contest rules. While Madonna performed her new single at the contest, hosted in Tel Aviv, two of her dancers onstage flashed Israeli and Palestinian flags pinned on their backs. The European Broadcast Union, or EBU, said that Madonna had not cleared that part of the act with broadcasters and "was advised as to the non-political nature of the event." (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) EBU also said it is considering "consequences" for Iceland's performers, who whipped out a Palestinian flag during the vote tally. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A man has been charged in the abduction of an 8-year-old girl who was snatched from a street in Fort Worth, Texas, as she walked with her mother. Fort Worth police say the girl was found safe Sunday, about eight hours later, at a hotel in nearby Forest Hill. Police say 51-year-old Michael Webb was arrested on an aggravated kidnapping charge. He is being held without bond. Officer Buddy Calzada says a man grabbed the girl Saturday evening, and sped away with her in a car. Police released surveillance video of the car . Police found Webb and the girl at the hotel after witnesses reported seeing the car there. She was taken to a hospital. Online records don't an attorney representing Webb who can speak on his behalf. MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian gun rights activist serving a U.S. prison sentence for acting as an unregistered foreign agent has released a video asking for money to help pay her legal costs. Maria Butina was sentenced in April to 18 months after she admitted gathering intelligence on the National Rifle Association and other groups at the direction of a former Russian lawmaker. In the video that appeared on social media, Butina speaks on a phone in a dormitory with bunk beds. She says her lawyer is filing an appeal and she asks for contributions to help pay him. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Sunday on state TV that "we aren't financing a lawyer, but we are doing everything so that she will be afforded all rights as a Russian citizen." In this image taken from video, Maria Butina speaks on a phone in a dormitory with bunk beds in Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA. Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, who is serving a U.S. prison sentence for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, has released a video asking for money to help pay her legal costs. (Alexander Ionov via AP) MARACAIBO, Venezuela (AP) - U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. Some drivers said they'd had to wait almost 24 hours to fuel up, and people have been grabbing catnaps on the hoods of cars or in truck beds. Nearing empty and stuck in line, infectious diseases doctor Yoli Urdaneta said she couldn't make her shift to treat patients. "I've spent four days trying to get gasoline," Urdaneta said. "But I couldn't." A satellite cruising over Maracaibo on Thursday captured pictures of cars lined up for a mile (1.6 kilometers) through the city to the pumps, according to by Maxar Technologies, a U.S.-based space technology company. Russ Dallen, a Miami-based partner at the brokerage firm Caracas Capital Markets, said Sunday that stiff U.S. sanctions on top of decaying refineries has begun to hit home. Andres Quintero, left, and Fermin Perez rest on top of Perez's car as they wait in line for over 20 hours to fill their tanks with gas in Cabimas, Venezuela, Thursday, May 16, 2019. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Venezuela doesn't have the cash to import key ingredients to keep up production in a country with the world's largest oil reserves, said Dallen, who estimated that the state run oil-firm PDVSA is producing 10 to 15% of its capacity. "It's all coming together in a toxic brew," Dallen said. "That is really having a devastating effect." The Trump administration this year sanctioned PDVSA in an effort aimed at driving President Nicolas Maduro from office, while throwing its support behind opposition leader Juan Guado. The U.S. sanctions essentially cut off Maduro's government from its Houston-based subsidiary Citgo, depriving officials of an estimated $11 billion in hard currency from exports this year. U.S. officials say this cash flow long bankrolled what they call Maduro's "dictatorship." Sanctions also put the squeeze on Venezuela access to diluents needed to thin its tar-like heavy crude so it can be piped over 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the field to be turned into gasoline. And the political stalemate shows few signs of drawing near its end. In a recent flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at peacefully solving Venezuela's crisis, European officials said they held intensive meetings over two days in Caracas with key players. At about the same time, Maduro's government and the opposition sent representatives to talks in Norway. Officials engaged in both efforts reported no breakthroughs. The panic over shortages has crept into the capital, Caracas, leading to moderately long lines for the last three days at many stations. Across the country in Maracaibo, angry drivers lined up complaining that police were profiting off their frustrations. Drivers said officers overseeing the lines allowed some to pay the equivalent of $3.60 - more than half of the monthly minimum wage - to cut into a shorter line while others waited to fill up their tank with subsidized fuel that costs less than a penny. Jose Eustaquio Perez, 65, said he took the offer. "I'm too old and I'm not in the mood to wait in this long line," he said. "I don't feel good, so I paid it to get out of here." ___ Scott Smith reported from Caracas. People line the street with their vehicles as they wait to fill up with gas at a fuel station, top right, in Cabimas, Venezuela, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Jesus Gonzales fills a container with bagged gasoline he bought at extra cost at a fuel station, in order to not wait in the longer line in Cabimas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 18, 2019. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) A line of cars spills on to the street as drivers wait to fill their tanks at a fuel station in Cabimas, Venezuela, Sunday, May 15, 2019. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) A man fills his tank with bagged gasoline he bought at extra cost at the fuel station, in order to not have to wait in line in Cabimas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 18, 2019. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government say they have captured a key al-Qaida leader in the southwestern province of Taiz. The military said in a statement that special forces had arrested Bilal Muhammed Ali al-Wafi on Saturday in the mountain area of Habashi. Al-Wafi, in his 30s, is a key member of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, and has helped to carry out several deadly attacks including the 2012 bombing of a Yemeni military parade that killed dozens of troops. The U.S. designated al-Wafi as a terrorist in 2017. Al-Qaida has maintained a foothold in the country throughout the chaos and violence of Yemen's four-year civil war, as the internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, battles Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday. The plan, which has been two years in the making, envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown. And the economic workshop, June 25-26 in Bahrain, will not address the most contentious parts of the conflict: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the workshop will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to gather support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. The U.S. wants to ensure security for Israel and economic opportunity to improve the lives of Palestinians. The administration hopes that Arab countries will help bankroll economic incentives, such as infrastructure and industrial projects, to get Palestinians to buy into the plan. But with details of the political aspects of the plan still under wraps, any commitments for economic development won't be easily attained. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority, which has complained that the White House favors Israel, severed ties with the Trump administration following several actions targeting them. FILE - In this April 29, 2019, file photo, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, center, chairs a session of the weekly cabinet meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday, May 19. Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed, Pool, File) Trump closed the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, saying the Palestinians refused to engage in peace talks with Israel. The U.S. stopped funding the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees, slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for projects in the West Bank and Gaza and cutting funding to hospitals in Jerusalem that serve Palestinians. Trump also recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The Palestinians' demand that Israel fully withdraw from all territories it occupies. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for a future state. They also seek the right of refugees to return to the lands and the recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine. It's an open question as to whether the Palestinians will exchange some or all of their demands for the prospect of economic prosperity. In an interview last month with The Associated Press, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh likened that to "financial blackmail, which we reject." Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. A senior administration official told reporters that invitations to the workshop are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The Trump administration decided to roll out the economic and political parts of the plan separately, the official said, adding that there will be no discussion about the political aspects of the plan at the upcoming workshop. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a very detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. ___ Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward contributed to this report. FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2019, file photo, White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner attends a conference on Peace and Security in the Middle East in Warsaw, Poland. The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday, May 19. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - The United Arab Emirates' energy minister said Sunday he does not think oil producing nations should relax the production cuts currently in place. Suhail al-Mazrouei spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Saudi Arabia of the world's major oil producers. His comments suggested there's support within the OPEC oil cartel to extend the 1.2 million barrels a day cut in place since January. "I don't think, as the UAE, that today from the market conditions that we are seeing that relaxing the cut is the right measure," he said. He added that there have not been major oil shortages in the market from U.S. sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan oil exports. As part of the six-month deal reached in December, OPEC countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, were expected to cut production by 800,000 barrels a day while non-OPEC countries, including Russia, trim 400,000. The meeting Sunday in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jiddah was aimed at monitoring and reporting conformity levels of countries to that agreement. Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid al-Falih prepares to chair a meeting of energy ministers from OPEC and its allies to discuss prices and production cuts, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The meeting takes places as tensions flare in the Persian Gulf after the U.S. ordered bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over an unexplained threat they perceive from Iran, which comes a year after the U.S. unilaterally pulled out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) The group, known as OPEC+, is expected to decide at a meeting in late June, based on further data points, whether to rollover the current cuts to the second half of the year. The cuts in place were aimed at propping up oil prices after a sharp fall last year. Oil is now trading above $70 a barrel and closer to what's needed to balance state budgets among Gulf Arab producers. President Donald Trump, however, has called on major Mideast oil producers to keep oil prices from rising. Energy ministers from OPEC and its allies meet to discuss prices and production cuts, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The meeting takes places as tensions flare in the Persian Gulf after the U.S. ordered bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over an unexplained threat they perceive from Iran, which comes a year after the U.S. unilaterally pulled out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak arrives to attend a meeting of the energy ministers from OPEC and its allies to discuss prices and production cuts, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, May 19, 2019. The meeting takes places as tensions flare in the Persian Gulf after the U.S. ordered bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over an unexplained threat they perceive from Iran, which comes a year after the U.S. unilaterally pulled out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) GENEVA (AP) - Swiss voters on Sunday approved a measure to tighten the Alpine nation's gun laws, bringing the country in line with many of its European partners despite the objections of local gun owners, official results showed. The Federal Chancellery said provisional results showed nearly 64% of voters nationwide agreed to align with European Union firearms rules adopted two years ago after deadly attacks in France, Belgium, Germany and Britain. The vote was part of Switzerland's regular referendums that give citizens a direct say in policymaking. It had stoked passions in a country with long, proud traditions of gun ownership and sport and target shooting. Switzerland, unlike many other European nations, allows veterans of its obligatory military service for men to take home their service weapons after tours of duty. The Swiss proposal, among other things, requires regular training on the use of firearms, special waivers to own some semi-automatic weapons and serial number tracking system for key parts of some guns. Gun owners would have to register any weapons not already registered within three years, and keep a registry of their gun collections. Supporters of the measure, who included the Swiss parliament and executive branch, said similar measures adopted by the EU after deadly extremist attacks are needed to ensure strong police cooperation and economic ties with Switzerland's partners in Europe's Schengen visa-free travel zone. They insisted it will not block law-abiding citizens from obtaining legal guns, but would simply do more to track them. Switzerland is not an EU member, but it is in the Schengen zone. Meeting rooms and a poster of the committee against the EU gun laws and policies, prior to the committee's meeting in Burgdorf, Switzerland, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Swiss voters clearly accepted EU's stricter gun control at the national ballot. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP) Opponents insisted the proposal would violate Switzerland's constitution and do little to fight extremism or crime. They said the weapons used in recent attacks in Europe weren't obtained legally. They argued the proposal cracks down mainly on lawful gun owners in Switzerland and rams through what they see as the latest diktat from Brussels. Jean-Luc Addor, a populist Swiss People's Party lawmaker from the southwestern Valais region, said adopting the EU directive would be "unjust, freedom-killing, useless, dangerous, and above all, anti-Swiss." "With no effect on the fight against terrorism, it will only hit honest, law-abiding citizens who possess legal weapons," he wrote on his website. "It's the epitome of injustice." Carmelo Lagana, project manager for foreign trade at economiesuisse, the country's top business federation, insisted Switzerland would suffer if Swiss police couldn't continue to have access to Schengen-zone databases. He also said the country had an important say in negotiations with the European Union. "It is Switzerland, as a member state, that has participated at every level the work to modify this European directive and it was exactly able to introduce some exceptions to preserve Swiss shooting traditions," he said. "You should know that the European Union wanted initially to totally forbid the acquisition of semi-automatic weapons, and in the end, we have a directive that doesn't ban it." Switzerland hasn't faced major extremist attacks like those that have hit France, Belgium, Britain and Germany in recent years, leaving scores dead. Ahead of the vote, most of Switzerland's major political parties - except for the populist Swiss People's Party - favored the measure, with support strongest among Socialists and Greens. The rift on the issue has fallen along a rural-urban divide, with city dwellers more inclined to back the EU directive. Meeting rooms and a poster of the committee against the EU gun laws and policies, prior to the committee's meeting in Burgdorf, Switzerland, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Swiss voters clearly accepted EU's stricter gun control at the national ballot. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP) Werner Salzman, front left, Swiss parlamentarian of conservative party SVP and member of the committee against the EU gun laws and policies, speaks at the committee's meeting in Burgdorf, Switzerland, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Swiss voters clearly accepted EU's stricter gun control at the national ballot. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP) Meeting rooms and a poster of the committee against the EU gun laws and policies, prior to the committee's meeting in Burgdorf, Switzerland, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Swiss voters clearly accepted EU's stricter gun control at the national ballot. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP) The Conservative party faces the risk of being overtaken by a divisive and populist movement after being divided by Brexit, a group of Tory MPs have said. The One Nation caucus of Conservative MPs which includes Nicky Morgan, Sir Nicholas Soames and George Freeman said Theresa Mays successor as Prime Minister needs to unite both Remainers and Leavers. In a letter published on guardian.co.uk, the group said: We have all seen the growing tide of extremism gripping the Republican party in America. We would be naive to think something similar couldnt happen in this country. In many places, it already has. EU Withdrawal Agreement: how MPs voted on March 29 (PA Graphics) The letter added that the nation and the Conservative party was at a crossroads. The next prime minister must redefine Brexit as a One Nation project. If they do not, the door will be wide open for Britains first-ever Marxist government and a likely decade of decline, it said. Cross-party discussions over the Withdrawal Agreement Bill between the Tories and Labour collapsed on Friday, with Mrs May set to call a fourth vote on the subject next month. Regardless of how the vote goes, she will then meet the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, to agree a timetable to elect her successor as party leader, paving the way for her departure from No 10. Calls have been made to grant anonymity to victims of so-called revenge porn putting it in line with sexual offences. The offence of disclosing private sexual images without consent became illegal in 2015 in England and Wales, and carries a maximum sentence of two years. Figures obtained by the BBC show that while the number of cases of revenge porn being investigated by police has risen 117% between 2015/16 to 2018/19, from 852 to 1,853, the number of charges has dropped from 207 to 158 (24%) in the same period. Sophie Mortimer, of the Revenge Porn hotline, called for police to be given more training on the law. She said: Its all very well changing the law and making these things illegal, but if the frontline services dont understand what the law actually means then youve only done half the job. Wed like to see it made a sexual offence because that would guarantee anonymity for victims. (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The figures were collected from 19 police forces in England and Wales, with the BBC reporting that more than a third of victims opted not to proceed with revenge porn cases in the last year. Some cited a lack of anonymity while others said they did not feel supported, the broadcaster said. The Ministry of Justice said the law was drafted to consider revenge porn a communications offence following discussion with victims and campaigners who accepted that the motive for this crime is almost always malicious, rather than sexual. Scotland and Northern Ireland introduced legislation outlawing revenge porn in 2016. A Saudi diplomat says the kingdom does not want war, but will defend itself, amid a recent spike in tensions with Iran. Adel al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Saudi Arabia has blamed the pipeline attack on Iran. Gulf officials say an investigation into the tanker incident is under way. Mr al-Jubeir told reporters: We want peace and stability in the region, but we wont stand with our hands bound. Ministers from major oil-producing countries were to meet in Saudi Arabia later Tuesday. Police searching for two missing girls said both have now been found safe and well. In two separate appeals, officers said they were concerned for 12-year-old Kirsty Gallagher, from Kirkcaldy, and 14-year-old Ellie Fleming, from Johnstonebridge in Dumfries and Galloway. Both had been reported missing from their homes, but on Sunday morning Police Scotland confirmed that the two girls had been located. A police appeal for Ellie Fleming, 14, who was reported missing (Police Scotland/Twitter/PA) Dumfries and Galloway Police had been carrying out Extensive inquiries and searches to find Ellie after she was reported missing on Thursday, Inspector Hugh McCombe said. The teenager was possibly spotted in Carlisle town centre on Saturday, according to an update from the force, before being found overnight. Missing Person Traced - KIRSTY GALLAGHER We would like to thank the public for sharing our appeal for Kirsty Gallagher. She has been traced, safe and well. pic.twitter.com/ycHIjeyevA Fife Police (@FifePolice) May 19, 2019 A search was also launched after Kirsty failed to return home and had not been seen since 8pm on Friday and there were fears she may have travelled to the Kelvinside or Maryhill areas of Glasgow. However, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Fife Police wrote on Twitter: We would like to thank the public for sharing our appeal for Kirsty Gallagher. She has been traced, safe and well. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have marked their first wedding anniversary with a photo montage on Instagram. Harry and Meghan shared a compilation of 14 wedding snaps including some behind the scenes pictures from their big day last year. The couple who welcomed baby Archie earlier this month have had a momentous 12 months since they wed at St Georges Chapel in a glittering ceremony attended by royalty, celebrities and the public. The social media post, which features some never seen before pictures, is accompanied by the song This Little Light Of Mine which they point out was chosen by the couple for their recessional on their wedding day. In a message, the couple said: Thank you for all of the love and support from so many of you around the world. Each of you made this day even more meaningful. The pictures feature a series of black and white images by Chris Allerton, including one that appears to be Harry thumbing a lift and another where Meghan is holding hands with her mother Doria Ragland. The famous picture of the couple sharing a kiss on the steps, by Press Association photographer Danny Lawson, is also among the snaps shared. Harry and Meghan outside St Georges Chapel (Jane Barlow/PA) The birth of Harry and Meghans son came less than a year after the royal nuptials in the grounds of Windsor Castle, a wedding attended by A-list stars like Oprah Winfrey and George and Amal Clooney and the British monarchy led by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, got engaged following a whirlwind 16-month romance after going on a blind date in London. Meghan and Harry in 2017 (Danny Lawson/PA) Meghans wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller posted a throwback video clip, showing the bride stepping out of the car and her veil being arranged before she walked up the chapels steps in front of adoring crowds. Alongside the Instagram post wishing the couple a happy anniversary, Ms Waight Keller wrote: A day and an event in my life I will never forget, it was truly so extraordinarily beautiful and an honour and privilege to be part of a moment in history and their lives. A first wedding anniversary is traditionally celebrated with paper gifts with couples sometimes exchanging presents featuring a paper ticket. Meghans mother Ms Ragland now a grandmother for the first time is thought to be staying with the couple and could perform babysitting duties if the duke and duchess choose to have a romantic dinner to mark their anniversary. Meghan with her mother Doria Ragland (Steve Parsons/PA) Archies birth was registered on Friday, revealing the couple had their baby at Londons Portland Hospital, a private hospital favoured by celebrities wanting a money-no-object birthing experience. The baby, who is the seventh in line to the throne and an eighth great-grandchild for the Queen and Philip, arrived at 5.26am on May 6, weighing 7lb 3oz. He 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. Meghan and Harry show off baby Archie (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The birth certificate also showed Meghan may have been born a commoner but is now a Princess of the United Kingdom as far as her occupation was concerned. When Harry announced to the world his wife had given birth to a boy he could not hide his happiness at becoming a father for the first time, to a baby he said was absolutely to die for. The royal baby, who was not given a courtesy title, met his uncle and aunt, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for the first time on Tuesday, having already spent time with his royal great-grandparents, the Queen and Philip. Two of the 13 MEPs elected in Ireland face an uncertain wait as to when they can actually take their European Parliament seats. While elections usually produce only winners and losers, Fridays poll will create a new category of politician limbo candidates. Ireland is getting two of the 27 seats formerly reserved for the UK that are being redistributed among 14 members states as a result of Brexit. The problem for the duo elected in last place in the Dublin and South constituencies is Brexit has not happened and does not look like happening any time soon. So the UK is participating in the Euro elections and British MEPs are set to attend the inaugural plenary session of the new parliament on July 2. Only 11 of Irelands 13 MEPs will definitely be taking their seats in the European Parliament (John Walton/PA) That will leave Irelands limbo candidates sitting on the subs bench content they have made the match day squad but not knowing when, or even if, theyll get the chance to enter the action. Who to send to the European Parliament is not the only decision facing the Irish electorate on Friday. The local council elections are being held on the same day, as is a referendum on Irelands divorce laws with a Yes vote set to reduce the lengthy time period separated couples have to wait before they can obtain a formal divorce. Voters in Cork, Waterford and Limerick will also be able to participate in separate plebiscites on government proposals to create directly elected city mayoral positions with executive functions. The first few ballots will actually be cast on Thursday, as voting on some of Irelands remote islands happens a day earlier. Counting in the local elections and divorce referendum will begin on Saturday morning. The European election count for Irelands three constituencies Dublin, South, and Midlands-North-West will commence on Sunday morning at centres in Dublin, Cork and Castlebar, Co Mayo. A Europe-wide embargo means the first results in that poll cannot be declared to 10pm that night. If previous elections are a guide, counting is likely to continue through into Monday. Counting in the mayoral plebiscites is likely to get underway in the three impacted cities on the Monday. The European and local government elections will be the first electoral test for Irelands main parties since the inconclusive general election of 2016. The result delivered a hung parliament and precipitated months of negotiations between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties with a century-old enmity dating back to Irelands Civil War. A historic accord emerged that saw Fianna Fail agree to support a minority Fine Gael-led government through a confidence and supply deal for three years. The parties renewed that arrangement late last year, extending what has been dubbed an era of new politics until early 2020. Former Fine Gael taoiseach Enda Kenny struck a historic confidence and supply deal with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin(Chris Radburn/PA) While Fridays elections focus on European and council issues, the results will no doubt be interpreted as a public judgment on Fine Gaels performance in government and how effectively Fianna Fail has managed the delicate balancing act of holding an administration to account while at the same time propping it up. Other smaller parties in the Oireachtas parliament, such as Sinn Fein, the Green Party and Labour, will hope to be the beneficiaries of any potential public disaffection with new politics. In Northern Ireland, the European election will be held a day earlier along with the rest of the UK on Thursday and counting will begin a day later, due to historic reticence to count on a Sunday. There are three seats up for grabs but it would represent a seismic political shock if the two largest parties north of the border the pro-Brexit DUP and anti-Brexit Sinn Fein failed to hold on to their respective seats. So, realistically, only the third seat is in play, with the Ulster Unionists facing a tough fight to hold it. The UUP campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum but the party now advocates for Brexit, insisting it is the will of the people. Northern Ireland voted 56% to stay in the EU three years ago, so the pro-European SDLP and Alliance Party are both confident they can wrest the seat from the UUP a result that would see the region return two Remainers and one Leaver. Adventurers will get the chance to explore one of Britains largest caves as it opens to the public once again. Gaping Gill in Yorkshire opens just twice a year, giving a glimpse into one of the longest and most complex cave systems in the UK. Visiting cavers can travel to the site near Ingleborough Cave in the Yorkshire Dales and be winched down from a hole in the roof into the 129-metre long main chamber. The first successful descent into the cave was made in 1895 by Frenchman Edouard Martel, who used a rope ladder and a candle. The entrance to Gaping Gill (Danny Lawson/PA) Nowadays the main chamber is floodlit but visitors can use a torch to explore the nooks and crannies of the cave. A potholer is winched into Gaping Gill (Danny Lawson/PA) Fell Beck stream, which pours over rock above and crashes to the floor of the cave creating a waterfall, is temporarily diverted by a makeshift dam to allow visitors to explore the cavern. Press Association photographer Danny Lawson, who got a sneak peek when he was lowered 110 metres down, described it as massively impressive. A potholer abseils into the cavern (Danny Lawson/PA) He said: Its a completely surreal experience as you descend into the abyss. Its pitch black at first before your eyes gradually adjust. And its like an echo chamber so you can hear the water running nearby. Its massively impressive. The cave is next open between May 25 and 31. Vincent Kompany has ended his 11-year association with Manchester City and been appointed player-manager of Belgian side Anderlecht. The 33-year-old joined the Brussels club at the age of six, and his career has now come full circle after a trophy-laden stint at City. He announced on his Facebook page: I choose to be grateful for the past but remain ambitious and driven for the future. For the next three years, I will take up the role of player-manager of Anderlecht. Belgiums finest. This may come as a surprise to you. Its the most passionate yet rational decision Ive ever made. Kompany revealed that he had met with Anderlecht chairman Marc Coucke and sporting director Michael Verschueren last summer. I shared my thoughts and listened to their vision for the future: ambitious, courageous and determined to get back to number one, he wrote. I offered my help, no strings attached, should they need it. Kompany says he was then offered the player-manager job in the last few weeks. I want to share my knowledge with the next purple generations, he continued. With that, I will also put a bit of Manchester in the heart of Belgium. This is no goodbye. Its a see you later. The central defender was signed by Mark Hughes from German club Hamburg in the summer of 2008, days before the Sheikh Mansour takeover. He became a key figure in the success which followed, and leaves City having won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups. Kompany said: As overwhelming as it is, the time has come for me to go. And what a season to bow out. I feel nothing but gratefulness. I am grateful to all those who supported me on a special journey, at a very special club. I remember the first day, as clear as I see the last. I remember the boundless kindness I received from the people of Manchester, Kompany added. I will never forget how all Man City supporters remained loyal to me in good times and especially bad times. Against the odds you have always backed me and inspired me to never give up. Sheikh Mansour changed my life and that of all the City fans around the world, for that I am forever grateful. A blue nation has arisen and challenged the established order of things, I find that awesome. Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described Kompany as `the lifeblood of the squad (Martin Rickett/PA) I cherish the counsel and leadership of a good human being, Khaldoon Al Mubarak. Man City could not be in better hands. City chairman Khaldoon paid his own tribute to Kompany. There have been many important contributors to Manchester Citys renaissance, but arguably none are more important than Vincent Kompany, he said. He defines the essence of the club. For a decade he has been the lifeblood, the soul, and beating heart of a supremely talented squad. A booming voice in the dressing room yet a quiet and measured ambassador off it, Vincent can be as proud of himself as we are of him. A 16-year-old boy is in hospital following a shooting in Sheffield. South Yorkshire Police have launched an investigation after emergency services were called to the Spital Hill area in the early hours of Sunday morning. The boy was found injured on Spital Lane and taken to hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound to his leg. His condition is described as serious but stable. Detectives in #Sheffield are investigating after an incident in Spital Hill this morning in which a 16-year-old boy was shot. Read more here - https://t.co/b1iurftCKd South Yorkshire Police (@syptweet) May 19, 2019 Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oughton, leading the investigation, said: There is currently a cordon in place around the area as officers carry out enquiries and we will remain in the area today, speaking to witnesses to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident. Our investigation is in the early stages and what I would ask is that anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious last night and into the early hours of this morning contacts us. Sudans ruling military council was meeting with protesters to discuss the countrys political transition after talks were halted for three days while roads were cleared outside a sit-in in the capital, Khartoum. The two sides have held several rounds of talks since the military overthrew President Omar al-Bashir last month, ending his 30-year reign after four months of mass protests and sit-ins, which are still under way. The deputy head of the military council, General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, said on Saturday that security forces had arrested those behind an attack on the protesters last week that killed at least five people, including an army officer. Both the military and the protesters had blamed the attack on loyalists to Mr al-Bashir. A protester holding her child in a street leading to the sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum (AP) General Dagalo, who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, said: The assailants who opened fire (on protesters) have been caught. Their confessions will be broadcast on TV. He hailed the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, for their role in Mr al-Bashirs military overthrow on April 11. We want the democracy they are talking about. We want a real democracy, fair and free elections. Whoever the Sudanese choose will rule, he said. The negotiations were suspended on Wednesday, hours after the military and the protesters announced they had agreed on the makeup of an interim parliament and a Cabinet for the transitional period, which is to last three years. The military council had called for the roads outside the sit-in in front of the militarys headquarters in Khartoum to be opened. The protesters appeared to have agreed to the demand, as the roads were cleared without incident on Thursday. The protesters also agreed to open the railway that crosses the area of the sit-in for five hours a day. The generals and the protesters remain divided on what role the military should have in the transition to civilian rule. Sundays talks are expected to focus on the makeup of the sovereign council, which would guide the nation through the transition. The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change said it insisted on limited military representation in a sovereign council led by civilians. Extra checks have been conducted on aircraft fuel at Belfast City airport after one delivery failed testing requirements. A Flybe flight was one of a number of services delayed by the incident, with passengers kept on board the aircraft while an alternative fuel load was secured. The incident happened on Thursday, with the 1530 flight to Leeds Bradford among those impacted. Lord Jonathan Caine, a political aide to Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, was one of the passengers affected. The Conservative peer, who had accompanied Mrs Bradley on her visit to the Balmoral agricultural show earlier in the day, described the delay as completely unacceptable and beyond ridiculous. Completely unacceptable delay on @flybe flight to Leeds this afternoon due to no fuel @BELFASTCITY_AIR . Beyond ridiculous. Jonathan Caine (@JMCaine) May 16, 2019 A spokeswoman for Belfast City Airport said: All aircraft fuel arriving at Belfast City Airport is subject to stringent testing at every stage throughout the supply chain. Additional checks were conducted on all fuel at the Belfast City Airport after the incident (Liam McBurney/PA) Commenting on the Thursday incident, she said: One fuel delivery to the site did not meet our requirements and some minor delays were incurred as a result. Precautionary and additional checks were made to all other fuel in storage in accordance with normal procedures. A Flybe spokeswoman said the incident was a matter for the airport, as it was responsible for fuelling all aircraft. The Conservatives and Labour are languishing in joint-fourth place in Scotland, according to a new European election poll. Just one in five Scottish voters said they will back Labour or the Tories in the upcoming election, with Ruth Davidsons party set to lose their one Member of the European Parliament. The SNP lead the YouGov poll with 38% of the forecast vote share, which would secure them three of Scotlands six MEPs. Nigel Farages Brexit Party are in second place, followed by the Scottish Greens who are looking to win their first-ever MEP. Labour would cling on to one seat down from the two they won in 2014 and are polling just 10% of Scots voters, the same as the Scottish Conservatives. The survey found that 22% of Labours 2017 voters are planning to vote Lib Dem at the European elections and 17% will go for the Greens. Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, whose parties are in joint-fourth in a European election poll (Jane Barlow/PA) Where Labour are losing their vote, over three votes are going to pro-remain parties for every vote that goes to a party supporting the UK leaving the EU. Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone MSP said: These are the most important EU elections ever and the polling shows that the people of Scotland look likely to elect our first Green MEP. People know that if they want an MEP who will fight to keep Scotland at the heart of Europe, propose the serious actions needed to tackle the climate emergency and offer hope over hate, then they should vote Green on Thursday. As positive as this poll is, were taking nothing for granted and will keep talking to voters up and down the country until the polls close. Across Great Britain, the poll of 9,260 people by YouGov and Datapraxis commissioned by Best for Britain and Hope not Hate had the Brexit Party on top, with twice the share of the vote of the second-placed Liberal Democrats. Naomi Smith, interim CEO of Best for Britain, said: Our poll is the largest yet, and shows that theres still everything to play for in these European elections. Its fundamentally important that as many people as possible get out and vote, especially those who often get forgotten by politicians young people, renters and minority voices. No matter their frustrations with politics, staying at home on polling day is never the answer. Nick Lowles, CEO of Hope not Hate, said: These results are incredibly alarming. They envision a populist right party storming to victory in these elections. If that happens as this poll suggests, it will be a big boost for the forces of division in this country. Thats why it is so important that progressives get out and vote on Thursday. Some have warned that a confirmatory referendum could deepen divisions, but this poll makes it clear that continuing to pretend this question has been resolved is whats really pulling the country apart. Austrias president has said that the first few days of September would be the best time to hold an early election after a covert video scandal shook up the countrys politics. President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke on Sunday after meeting with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Mr Kurz called for a new election following the resignation of his vice chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, on Saturday. This came after Mr Strache apologised for his actions in a video where he apparently offered government contracts to a purported Russian investor at an alcohol-fuelled gathering in Ibiza. Mr Kurz decided not to continue the governing coalition between his centre-right Peoples Party and Mr Straches anti-migrant Freedom Party. The video was published by two German media outlets. Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP) President Van der Bellen said: Everything must be done to restore trust in officeholders, in the representatives of the people. Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and youngster Phil Foden were among those to pay tribute to Vincent Kompany after the Belgian called time on his career at the club. Kompany helped City to 10 trophies, including this years domestic treble, during 11 years and 360 games at the club. The 33-year-old has been appointed as play-manager of Belgian side Anderlecht, a club he joined at the age of six. Fellow Belgian De Bruyne was among those to take to Twitter to express their feelings. He wrote: Playing for about 10 years with this man for club and country. And what a privilege its been. Big player, big personality and big leader. Learned a lot from you. Wishing you all the best for the future. Current Manchester City players said their thanks to Vincent Kompany after he announced his departure from the club (Gareth Fuller/PA) Kompany signed off his City career with a second FA Cup trophy on Saturday, where City thrashed Watford 6-0 to complete the treble. Young midfielder Foden said his former team-mate had looked after him from day one. Looked after me from day one. Led by example, showed everyone what it means to be a leader, wear their heart on the sleeve, and give everything for this club. We will miss you Captain pic.twitter.com/e8xkzmpjm6 Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) May 19, 2019 Thank you for this years close to you. Thank you for all the moments, all the words to me and to be the best leader which need this big family. You are a legend and we wish you the best in your next stage, @VincentKompany ! pic.twitter.com/un2bJdRFsM Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte) May 19, 2019 From skip to gaffer, the man has it all!! Since I walked through the door Vinny has been amazing to me. He helped me settle in and Ive learned a lot from the big man. Good luck with everything skip, youll be missed #CaptainFantastic #Legend pic.twitter.com/KWqpCWZsXE Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) May 19, 2019 Kompany scored 20 goals during his 360 games, and won four Premier League titles and even those from other clubs praised the centre-back, including former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, ex-Liverpool striker Michael Owen and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker. Neville admitted he wished Kompany had played for his club and said his influence on and off the pitch was huge. No question that the mightily impressive captain of @ManCity has played a big part in building a Club that looks close to unstoppable. Take a bow @VincentKompany Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) May 19, 2019 Good luck to you, @VincentKompany with your new challenge. One of the greatest players, leaders and role models to have played on the green carpets of this country. And what a way to bow out from @ManCity https://t.co/ZE1IOywid7 Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 19, 2019 Lifelong City fan Liam Gallagher wrote: Thankyou Vincent Kompany for everything good luck see ya soon LG x. Veteran Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson has denounced claims that he was a spy for communist Czechoslovakia during the Cold War as a complete fabrication. The Mail on Sunday reported that, according to documents from the Czech archives, Mr Robinson passed information to the StB state security service for three years during the 1960s. The material was said to have included highly sensitive details relating to Britains Polaris nuclear deterrent as well as Nato briefing notes. But in a strongly worded statement, a spokesman for the MP who served as a minister under Tony Blair said the allegations were a lie. These allegations are highly defamatory and false and Mr Robinson strongly refutes them, the spokesman said. The allegations, which are apparently based on documents put together by Czech authorities in the 1960s, are a complete fabrication. Geoffrey Robinson denounces the claims (David Jones/PA) At no time did Mr Robinson ever pass confidential government documents or information to any foreign agent and he did not have access to such material. At the time of the alleged contacts, Mr Robinson now aged 80 was said to have been working in the research department at Labour Party headquarters at Transport House. He subsequently went on to work for the newly-formed Industrial Reorganisation Corporation (IRC), Prime Minister Harold Wilsons attempt to restructure British industry. According to the Mail, between 1966 and 1969 he held 51 meetings with a Czech handler, during the course of which he was said to have passed on 87 pieces of intelligence. He was said to have been given the codename Karko and the material he handed over was said to include information relating to plans to upgrade Polaris and the withdrawal of British troops from West Germany. Mr Robinson was said to have attracted the interest of the StB, in part because of the access they believed he had to Foreign Secretary George Brown and Defence Secretary Denis Healey. The spokesman for the MP said that the translation of the only document which he had been shown a partial document dated February 19 1974 did not support the claims. It describes him as concurrently a Secretary to the Minister of Defence.. Mr Healey. He was never a secretary to Mr Healey, the spokesman said. At the end of the document, it states these moments were neither proven nor clarified so even on its face this document is not proof that such activity took place. The US navy says it has conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with an aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the Persian Gulf to counter an alleged, unspecified threat from Iran. The exercises and training were conducted with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the US Marine Corps, highlighting American lethality and agility to respond to threat, as well as to deter conflict and preserve the countrys strategic interests, it said. Also taking part in exercises were the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, both deployed to the US Fifth Fleet area of operations in the Persian Gulf. The navy said the exercises, conducted on Friday and Saturday, included air-to-air training and steaming in formation and manoeuvring. Rafael Nadal claimed his ninth Italian Open title as he beat Novak Djokovic in three sets on Sunday. The defending champion triumphed 6-0 4-6 6-1 in two hours and 25 minutes in Rome. It was the 54th meeting between world number two Nadal and one Djokovic, and the first in which either player had won a set without conceding a game. Nadals first title of the year was a record 34th ATP Masters 1000 crown as the Spaniard moved one clear of Djokovic on that front. The Serb leads their head-to-head record, 28 wins to 26. While Nadal went into the final having not dropped a set all week, Djokovic had come through tough three-setters in each of the previous two rounds, and the former appeared the fresher on Sunday. Rafael Nadal (right) went into the final having not dropped a set all week (Gregorio Borgia/AP) The opening set lasted 39 minutes as Nadal broke three times and the first bagel of their rivalry was registered, 142 sets in. Djokovic bounced back well, securing the second set via a break in the 10th game, only to then be broken in the opening game of the decider, and Nadal remained firmly in control thereafter. Manchester City midfielder David Silva insists Vincent Kompany will be here forever after the Belgium international announced he is ending his 11-year association with the club. Kompany helped City to 10 trophies, including this years domestic treble, over 360 games since arriving from Hamburg in 2008. Less than 24 hours after lifting the FA Cup, the 33-year-old announced he had been appointed as player-manager of Belgian side Anderlecht, a club he joined at the age of six. He was here the first day I came to the club. Hes been here and he will be here forever. Good luck, captain! #Legend pic.twitter.com/xPBK13mAbu David Silva (@21LVA) May 19, 2019 His City team-mates took to social media to applaud the defenders achievements at the club, with David Silva leading the way after spending nine years alongside him at City. The Spain international wrote on Twitter: He was here the first day I came to the club. Hes been here and he will be here forever. Good luck, captain! #Legend. Kompany signed off his City career with a second FA Cup on Saturday, where City thrashed Watford 6-0 to complete the treble. Vincent Kompany is leaving Manchester City after 11 years at the club (Gareth Fuller/PA) Compartimos 8 anos creciendo con el club. Un placer haber estado este tiempo juntos. Todo lo mejor en esta nueva etapa//We shared 8 years growing in this club. It was my pleasure to share this time together. All the best in this new stage, @VincentKompany pic.twitter.com/sSotPvCJCT Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) May 19, 2019 Striker Sergio Aguero, who moved to the Etihad from Atletico Madrid in 2011, also took to Twitter to thank Kompany for their time together at the club. He said: We shared 8 years growing in this club. It was my pleasure to share this time together. All the best in this new stage, @VincentKompany. Fellow Belgian De Bruyne said it had been a privilege to call Kompany a team-mate, while youngster Phil Foden said his skipper had looked after him from day one. De Bruyne wrote on Twitter: Playing for about 10 years with this man for club and country. And what a privilege its been. Playing for about 10 years with this man for club and country. And what an privilege its been. Big player, Big personality and big leader. Learned a lot from you. Wishing you all the best for the future. Btw picking you up at 2 pm today pic.twitter.com/Upfyo4aZfD Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) May 19, 2019 Big player, big personality and big leader. Learned a lot from you. Wishing you all the best for the future. Foden said: Looked after me from day one. Led by example, showed everyone what it means to be a leader, wear their heart on the sleeve, and give everything for this club. We will miss you Captain. Looked after me from day one. Led by example, showed everyone what it means to be a leader, wear their heart on the sleeve, and give everything for this club. We will miss you Captain pic.twitter.com/e8xkzmpjm6 Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) May 19, 2019 Fernandinho admitted it was hard to say goodbye to Kompany, whom he described as a true legend who honoured Citys shirt every minute played, while fellow centre-back Nicolas Otamendi added: Its been a pleasure playing by your side all these years. Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus both thanked the 33-year-old for his help over the last two seasons at the club, with Kyle Walker saying Kompany has been amazing with since he joined City in 2017. Kompany won four Premier League titles and praise for the centre-back came in from the likes of former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, ex-Liverpool striker Michael Owen and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker. Neville admitted he wished Kompany had played for his club and said his influence on and off the pitch was huge. Lifelong City fan Liam Gallagher wrote: Thankyou Vincent Kompany for everything good luck see ya soon LG x. Billy Monger celebrated his first victory since having both legs amputated following a crash two years ago as he overtook nearly the whole grid to win the Grand Prix de Pau. The 20-year-old, whose legs were amputated following a crash during a British F4 race at Donington Park two years ago, took his first single-seater win with his Carlin team in the Euroformula Open race in France. Cant believe it, I didnt think 2 years on Id be winning races! Monger said on Twitter, adding he was over the moon. PAU GP Championsss!!! Cant believe it, I didnt think 2 years on Id be winning races! Huge shout out to the team @CarlinRacing for all their hard work. Over the moon #BillyWhizz pic.twitter.com/KAs1ove1a9 billywhizz (@BillyMonger) May 19, 2019 Monger, whose car is specially adapted, qualified in 11th place on slick tyres, but headed into the pits at the end of the warm-up lap to switch to wet-weather tyres. And the gamble paid off as he cut through the field, taking the lead when Motopark drivers Julian Hanses and Liam Lawson clashed, and not relinquishing it. Seventeen types of bees are now 'extinct' in parts of the East of England following decades of habitat pollution, climate change and increased pesticide use. A WWF report claims climate change, habitat loss, pollution and disease have all played a role in the eradication of the species. Species like the rare Great Yellow bumblebee and the Potter Flower have been completely wiped out and not spotted in the region for decades. A further 25 species are under threat and 31 more are at-risk, the report claims. Scroll down for video 17 pollinator bees are now considered 'extinct' from parts of East of England, one of the richest habitats for bees. The image shows a picture of the Great yellow bumblebee which is now extinct in the East of England and in the UK (stock) The report was published in association with the charity Buglife and called bees 'essential' to the UK, saying they are worth 690 million ($880m) per year to the economy. The study focused on the East of England, including Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and analysed recorded data for 228 bee species. The East of England has nationally important bee populations, including the Moss carder bee, which is considered vulnerable in the region. Other species found include the Redshanked carder bee, Shrill carder bee, Sea aster colletes and Margined colletes. According to the report, their declining numbers have had a huge impact on farming and consumers - including how many apples are produced by farmers. Climate change, habitat loss, pollution and disease have all been blamed for the losses. The image shows the number of threatened and under concern bee species in the counties that make up the East of England. A total of 17 species are extinct across the region Species like the rare Great Yellow bumblebee and the Potter Flower have been completely wiped out and not spotted in the region for decades. The image shows the Red Mason bee WHICH BEES ARE EXTINCT? The following 17 species are 'regionally extinct' in the East of England across its counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. Barham mini-miner Perkins mining bee Pale-tailed mining bee Potter flower bee Cullum's bumblebee Great yellow bumblebee Short-haired bumblebee Downland furrow bee Shiny-gastered furrow bee Square-spotted mourning bee Flat-ridged nomad bee Tormentil nomad bee Six-banded nomad bee Fringe-horned mason bee A Cliff mason bee Advertisement 'If wild pollinator populations were healthier there would be more apples on British trees (5.7 million [$7.3m] worth of Gala apples alone),' the report said. 'Almost 90 per cent of wild plants and 75 per cent of leading global crops depend on animal pollination. 'Many species of bees are on the brink of extinction in parts of the UK with some types lost entirely'. Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF, said: 'The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and the fact that our precious pollinators are in peril is a sad illustration of the dramatic decline in wildlife we're seeing all around us. 'We desperately need targeted action if we're going to bring under-pressure wildlife back from the brink. Matt Shardlow, chief executive at Buglife, said: 'Our study found that many of the rarer, more specialist bees are battling to keep up with the changing face of their landscape and increasingly hot weather. 'Six species are now so endangered they are only known to survive on single sites this is a very unhealthy picture.' The report (WWF) analysed data for 228 species of bees and cite climate change, habitat loss, pollution and disease for the loss of bees from the region. The image (stock) shows the Moss carder bee which is special to the East of England and is currently a 'vulnerable' species Species like the rare Great Yellow bumblebee and the Potter Flower been have been wiped out, last spotted in the region decades ago. The image shows the shrill carder bee that is a threatened species in the East of England (stock) A further 25 species are under threat and 31 more are at-risk, the report claims. The image shows a Great Yellow Bumblebee The report was published in association with the charity Buglife and called bees 'essential' to the UK, saying they are worth 690 million ($880m) per year to the economy. The image shows a Mining bee The study focused on the East of England, including Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and analysed recorded data for 228 bee species. The image shows a Perkin Nomad bee An important region for agriculture, the research centres where the analysis were conducted were in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The report recommends a number of actions to stabilise populations of bees and reverse declines and called for the upcoming Westminster Environment Act to be 'ambitious enough' to develop a nature recovery network for bees. These include better protection of coastal habitats and the use of sea walls as well as brownfield sites rich with wildlife. Landowners were also encouraged to work together to better manage disjointed habitats across the region. Did you know? The East of England has nationally important bee populations, including the Moss carder bee, which is considered vulnerable in the region People starting a career in early learning and childcare (ELC) will be given a new induction pack to help support them, it has been announced. The pack, produced by the Scottish Government, will provide information including how to get funding for further qualifications and the legal requirements for working in childcare. It is hoped it will help to raise the quality of childcare and ensure that staff, throughout their careers and wherever they work, have the right knowledge and skills to deliver quality learning for pre-school children. The Scottish Government will invest almost a billion pounds annually to fund the huge expansion of early learning and childcare. Read more about what the SNP is doing to increase the availability, choice and flexibility of childcare: https://t.co/iD0OVN2V6K The SNP (@theSNP) May 1, 2018 The Scottish Government is almost doubling entitlement to ELC from August 2020 to 1,140 hours a year. Up to 11,000 additional workers or 9,000 full time equivalents are needed to work in the sector from August next year. Childrens Minister Maree Todd said: We want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up, and that means that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should be given the opportunity to realise their full potential. The pack will provide childcare workers with key information (Dominic Lipinski/pa) Nearly doubling entitlement to 1,140 hours per year has to go hand in hand with raising quality. With 34,000 people already working in childcare in Scotland, and up to another 11,000 set to join them, getting it right from the first moment people set foot in their workplace with consistent advice and support is essential. We have worked with the sector to create the induction resource, and will continue to develop and improve it over time. Lorraine Gray, Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), said: Thousands of new workers are joining the sector to deliver the expansion of early learning and childcare provision, so this induction resource is very welcome. It will help employers provide new staff with key information on SSSC registration, the qualifications they will need to hold or work towards and the SSSC Codes of Practice which outline the values and behaviours expected of workers. It will also help workers know their responsibilities and has useful sources of support. A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting has been set on fire in a symbolic gesture of healing. The Temple of Time public art installation was set ablaze at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. A lone gunman killed 17 students and staff and injured 17 others at the school on February 14 2018. The families of several victims attended the ritual burning of the 35ft tall temple on Sunday. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) Described as therapeutic by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolise the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the centre of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temples needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable as the lace-like designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honour the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. Its kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many, said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. Its the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community. San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600sqft Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs foundation. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. A 120-metre long model of Londons sky line in the 17th Century was set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London (PA file) On Sunday, the artist said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. Lets watch out for one another, Best said. This is a community that went through hell. Best created a wooden sculpture of 17th century London that was burned on the Thames in 2016 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire. He also created a temple in Londonderry that was symbolically burned in 2015. By Emma Batha LONDON, May 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Thousands of North Korean women and girls - some as young as nine - are being trafficked into sexual slavery in China as they try to flee poverty and oppression in their homeland, experts on the reclusive state said on Monday. The sexual exploitation of North Koreans generates at least $105 million in annual profits for the Chinese underworld, according to a report by the non-profit Korea Future Initiative, which includes harrowing accounts from trafficked women. "Victims are prostituted for as little as 30 Chinese yuan ($4.30), sold as wives for just 1,000 yuan, and trafficked into cybersex dens for exploitation by a global online audience," the report's author Yoon Hee-soon said. "Many are sold more than once and are forced into at least one form of sexual slavery within a year of leaving their homeland." An estimated 60% of North Korean girls and women in China are trafficked into the sex trade, according to the report to be launched at an event at Britain's parliament on Monday. Nearly half are pressed into prostitution, about a third sold into marriage and most others pushed into cybersex, researchers said. No one at the Chinese embassy in London was immediately available for comment. Gathering information in North Korea is notoriously difficult. Many North Koreans are enslaved in brothels in districts in northeast China with large migrant worker populations, the report said. TATTOOS OF OWNERSHIP Trafficking survivors said prostitutes in Shanghai were branded with tattoos such as lions and butterflies to show ownership and deter abductions by rivals. Interviewees told of women dying from sexually transmitted diseases and abuse. Girls and women enslaved in cybersex dens are usually aged between 12 and 29 but sometimes younger, the report said. They are forced to perform sex acts or sexually assaulted in front of webcams. A live-stream featuring a young girl can cost $110, researchers said, adding that many subscribers appeared to be South Korean. One woman, referred to as Ms Choi, told how she was taken to an apartment where she was shocked to see pre-pubescent girls. "(There) was a bed in front of a table with a computer and webcam. Four men ... gang raped me. When the third man began raping me (I) was bleeding ... I cannot remember any more." The report said women forced into marriage were mostly sold in rural areas for 1,000 to 50,000 yuan, and were raped and abused by their husbands. Estimates of the number of North Koreans in China vary between 50,000 and 200,000. China's policy of detaining and repatriating North Koreans forces them to live in the shadows, placing them at high risk of exploitation, Yoon said. Some are sold by policemen after arrest, the report said, while others are duped by traffickers offering to get them to countries where they can claim asylum. Abductions are also common. Researchers said some trafficking networks stretched into North Korea where "sub-brokers" scour markets, villages and transport hubs for destitute-looking girls to fulfill orders from Chinese pimps and madams. The London-based Korea Future Initiative urged all states to help North Koreans in China escape and said embassies should accept asylum seekers as refugees. ($1 = 6.9182 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Emma Batha @emmabatha; 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) It is safe to say that Bollywood has turned the Cannes Film Festival into a fashion week. I'm not complaining I'm just disappointed. The prestigious film festival has a history of premiering some of the greatest movies on earth. The 72nd edition of the event this year kick-started on May 14 and is scheduled to end on May 25. While some desi actors have already arrived at the French Riviera, many more are expected to attend in the upcoming days. There was a time when Cannes veteran Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was constantly derided in national publications for ruining desi fashion in the global arena with her outfits at the red carpet events. But not anymore. This years Indian delegation at Cannes is all about couture labels, perfect make-up and gorgeous photoshoots. Cannes veteran Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has often been criticised for her fashion choices on the red carpet. (Photo Reuters) Marketing gimmicks, much? However, barring Kangana Ranauts Kanjeevaram saree by Madhurya Creations and corset by design house Falguni Shane Peacock, not one Indian designer has been repped on the carpet. Just like no Indian film is on the official selection list and there is no Indian member on the Cannes jury either. Could it be because the artists in Bollywood are more concerned with red carpet moments rather than talent? Kangana Ranaut lit up Cannes but more for her clothes than her movies this time. (Photo: Instagram/Team Kangana Ranaut) Veteran film critic Anupama Chopra, who is currently at the ongoing film festival, wrote in the Hindustan Times "A Cannes veteran told me that Indian talent is too hard to manage. They want first class tickets, business class for their entourage, hair and make-up every day, she said, its just too much to deal with. So, while actor Deepika Padukones drool-worthy couture looks at Cannes and her husband Ranveer Singhs subsequent cute social media comments on her OOTDs at the film festival are entertaining, the bottom-line remains that Padukone is repping beauty brand Loreal at the mega event and not her acting chops. This is a shame because I'd rather have her representing her next outing on the silver screen that of an acid-attack survivor in Chhapaak, inspired by the real-life story of activist Laxmi Agarwal. Actors Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are also expected to make an appearance for the same brand, which is one of the official sponsors of the film festival. Queen of Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut, had us smitten with her Indo-western outfit for her second outing at Cannes but she is actually here to represent French vodka brand, Grey Goose. So is Huma Qureshi. Not just a pretty face But maybe the stars are just following suit on what is expected of them. Chopras interview with filmmaker Mira Nair, whose film Salaam Bombay won India its first award at Cannes in 1988, may offer a few clues. She commented, 'She (Nair) said its not necessarily because Indian filmmakers are doing anything wrong but because the tastes and agendas of the selection committee and that of Indian cinema dont necessarily align.' If so, are we content with just being relegated as the country with the most beautiful and best-dressed actors? Maybe there is a way to make our presence felt at Cannes, rather than just flaunting how well we wear international fashion labels. Maybe that way could be by showing that we too can produce movies that entertain, move and wow global audiences. Call it a drop in the ocean but there are some artists who are certainly aiming for just that. For instance, music composer AR Rahman gave a sneak-peek of his directorial debut at the Cannes this year. Titled Le Musk, the virtual reality movie is about perfumes, scent and everything olfactory. The jokes on you if you thought Rahman would take the beaten road and do whats expected of him make his directorial debut with a musical. Musician AR Rahman credits wife Saira Banu for inspiring him to direct the virtual reality movie Le Musk. (Photo: Instagram/AR Rahman) Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra also made an appearance at Cannes. She showed up to support the premiere of the documentary 5B that deals with the humane treatment of AIDS patients in San Francisco by the hospital staff in ward 5B. Do you remember Kashmera Shah, who kickstarted the item song craze with her dance moves in Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar and Dil Ko Hazar Baar Roka? Well, she was very much present at Cannes too, to speak on (ironically) why India should be the place to film in for foreign filmmakers and how we could make it easier for them. She also unveiled the first look of her film Marne Bhi Do Yaaron at the film festival. Sure, her outfits won't make you gush about her sartorial choices but do you feel the femme power? Meanwhile, former Bigg Boss contestant Hina Khan is also at Cannes 2019 to unveil the first look of her short film Lines as well as to address a panel discussion at the India Pavilion. However, instead of acknowledging her achievement, the film industry remains divided between mocking and congratulating her. Especially after an Indian journalist took to his social media handle to poke fun at her humble beginnings. This comment left a bad taste in many mouths. (Instagram/Jitesh Pillai) The entire episode just leaves a very bad taste in many mouths. In a country where thousands of youngsters struggle in hordes in the tinsel town of Bollywood, do we really want to preach that an actor's brand endorsements, rather than their talent, can get them international recognition? Or that filmy elitism demands you look gorgeous at such international dos and who cares whether you reached there with your talent or were flown down by big brands who want you to sit tight and look pretty? I hope not because if so, the entire conversation about nepotism, the casting couch and #MeToo stories coming from Bollywood would have come to nought. Also read: Prabhat Choudhary: Why is he the Prashant Kishor of Bollywood? With the 2019 General Election coming to a close, what has become increasingly visible is the unending rhetoric on Pakistan, the Nehru-Gandhi family and Narendra Modi. This was, however, not the first time that the Nehru family was dragged into the narrative of a political campaign. But the repeated references to Pakistan were surely unprecedented. And so were the echoing references of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to I, me and myself. Even the 1971 Indo-Pak war that compelled a badly defeated Pakistan to give away half the nation and herald the birth of Bangladesh did not propel a victorious Indira Gandhi to go for such self-glorification. I, Me, Myself ki sarkaar? Critics suggest Narendra Modi has taken credit for all positive work in the last five years. (Source: Reuters) It is amply evident to me from his poll rallies from across the country that credit for anything and everything must accrue to the one-man army called Narendra Modi. While leaving no stone unturned to create a hype about impending threats from Pakistan, he made it a point to impress upon all and sundry that if India was safe today, it was only because of him. No sooner than Pulwama happened, and we lost precious lives of our Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, blown apart in a human bomb attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, it led to speculation that this would become a key narrative in the election campaign. Sure enough, the Indian reprisal through a surgical strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist camp in Balakot went a long way in that. Unlike 2014, when Modis development card had peoples aspirations soaring to give him the surge that propelled him to the highest position, the election in 2019 became all about the Modi success story" in Balakot. What followed made it increasingly evident that this election was to be won largely in the name of Pakistan phobia that was being hyped, to my mind, by Modi himself. The utterances of opposition and maha milawat (grand alliance) are making headlines in Pakistani media. Their names are being quoted in Pakistan Parliament. Is it proper to speak the language of Pakistan while staying in this country? Even an illiterate person of our villages will not speak such language, said Modi. On April 17, Modi claimed at a poll rally that India had called Pakistans nuclear bluff. Earlier, terrorists from Pakistan would come here and go back after conducting an attack. Pakistan would threaten us, saying it has the nuclear bomb and will press the button, Modi said. On April 21 at another rally in the Indo-Pak border town of Barmer, Modi returned to the theme: Every other day, they used to say we have nuclear button, we have nuclear button. What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali? He made it a point to emphasise, Atankiyon ke ghar me ghus kar marne ka faisala maine liya. Humne ghus kar mara. Aur ye sabut maang rahe hain (I took the decision of storming into terrorist bastions. We got into their homes and killed them. But they [opposition] want proof)? Target Pakistan: Modi ensured Pakistan remained the focus of his politial campaign. (Source: Reuters) He also reportedly said, Ab Bharat ne Pakistan ki dhamki se darna ki niti ko chod diya. Ye theek kiya na maine? Humne aatankiyon ke dil mein dar paida kiya. (India has said goodbye to its policy of getting intimidated by Pakistani threats. Haven't I done the right thing? I have instilled fear in the minds of terrorists). To drive home his point that he had brought terrorism under control, Modi went on to add, Paanch saal se sab aatanki dhamake band hain na (Havent all terrorist attacks come to an end in these five years?) He also reportedly said, Kya karan hai band hua, doston? Arre Modi kaaran nahi hai, ye aapke vote ki taakat hai ki Modi ye kar paa raha hai. Humne Pakistani ki saari hekri nikal di. Use katora le kar duniya bhar me ghumne ke liye majboor kar diya maine. Theek kiya ki nahi kiya, aap khush hain na (What is the reason that terrorist activities have stopped tell me... It is not Modi but it is the strength of your vote because of which Modi is able to do that. I have silenced the arrogance of Pakistan. I have compelled Pakistan to go around the globe with a begging bowl. Havent I done the right thing? He then comes to the point, Aap paanch sal ka mauka aur dijiye phir dekhiye (You give me a chance for another five years and then see). Modis obsession for Pakistan was reflected in yet another speech during the course of his campaign in Gujarat. "Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, if a resident of Jamnagar has gone to Bhopal and falls sick, he need not come back to Jamnagar for treatment. If he shows his (Ayushman Bharat) beneficiary card, he will get free treatment in Kolkata and even in Karachi," PM Modi apparently said. However, he was quick to realise his faux pas, so he rectified it by adding, "Not Karachi, but Kochi but also apparently hastened to confess, Nowadays my mind is preoccupied with the thoughts of the neighbouring country." As for the blame-game, it is more than evident that he holds the Nehru-Gandhi family responsible for anything and everything that has gone wrong with India since Independence. He has never made any bones about suggesting that Sardar Patel would have been a far better choice than Nehru as the first prime minister of India. Some stories were even created to suggest that there were sharp ideological differences between Nehru and Patel when there was much evidence to establish that the two had the best of relations, not only all through the freedom movement but also after the first government was formed after independence. Referring to Indira Gandhi, he went to the extent of apparently running her down by accusing her of getting pressurised into returning all the Pakistani land India had captured in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, together with the 90,000 soldiers who had surrendered before the Indian army. Has Narendra Modi glorified himself more than Mrs Indira Gandhi, in whose tenure India won the 1971 war against Pakistan? (Source: India Today) He further went on to proclaim at a rally in Barmer, If Modi had then been at the helm of affairs, the scene would have been different. As for Rajiv Gandhi, Modi dismissed him as corrupt number 1. You could smell the vitriol in this election's air. Also read: Modi 2.0: What should Narendra Modi do after May 23 Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. 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The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More Celanese Corp. engages in the provision of technology and specialty materials businesses. It operates through the following segments: Engineered Materials, Acetate Tow, Acetyl Chain and Other Activities .The Engineered Materials segment includes the engineered materials business, food ingredients business and certain strategic affiliates. The Acetate Tow segment serves consumer-driven applications and is a global producer and supplier of acetate tow and acetate flake used in filter products applications. The Acetyl Chain segment includes the integrated chain of intermediate chemistry, emulsion polymers and ethylene vinyl acetate (""EVA"") polymers businesses, based on similar products, production processes, classes of customers and selling and distribution practices as well as economic similarities over a normal business cycle. The Other Activities segment consists of corporate center costs, including administrative activities such as finance, information technology and human resource functions, interest income and expense associated with financing activities. The company was founded by Camille Dreyfus and Henri Dreyfus in 1918 and is headquartered in Irving, TX. 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Ltd., Blinda Industria e Comercio Ltda., Bussmann International Holdings LLC, Bussmann International Inc., Bussmann S. de R.L. de C.V., Bussmann do Brasil Ltda., CBE Services Inc., CEAG Notlichtsysteme GmbH, CI ESI de Colombia, CTI-VIENNA Gesellschaft zur Prufung elektrotechnischer Industrieprodukte GmbH, Cambridge International Insurance Company Ltd., Cannon Technologies Inc., Centralion Industrial Inc., Chagrin Highlands III Limited, Cobham, Componentes de Iluminacion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper (China) Co. Ltd., Cooper (Ningbo) Electric Co. 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Pedersen Co., EIC Holding GP I, EIC Holding GP II, EIC Holding GP III, EIC Holding GP IV, EIC Holding I LLC, EIC Holding II LLC, EIC Holding III LLC, EIC Holding IV LLC, EIC Holding V LLC, EIC Holding VI LLC, ETN Asia International Limited, ETN Holding 1 Limited, ETN Holding 2 Limited, ETN Holding 3 Limited, EX Innovations Limited, Eaton (China) Investments Co. Ltd., Eaton Aeroquip, Eaton Aerospace LLC, Eaton Ann Arbor LLC, Eaton Asia Investments Corporation, Eaton Automation G.m.b.H, Eaton Automation Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Automotive Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Systems Spolka z.o.o., Eaton B.V., Eaton C.V., Eaton CHB LLC, Eaton Capital Unlimited Co., Eaton Controls (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Controls (UK) Limited, Eaton Controls S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Corporation, Eaton ETN Offshore Company, Eaton ETN Offshore II Company, Eaton Electric, Eaton Electric & Engineering Services Limited, Eaton Electric (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Electric (South Africa) Pty Ltd., Eaton Electric (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Electric AS, Eaton Electric ApS, Eaton Electric Company Ltd., Eaton Electric G.m.b.H., Eaton Electric Holdings LLC, Eaton Electric Limited, Eaton Electric Manufacturing Middle East LLC, Eaton Electric S.I.A., Eaton Electric S.a.r.l., Eaton Electric S.r.l., Eaton Electric SPRL, Eaton Electric Sales Ltd., Eaton Electric Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Electric d.o.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o. (Slovak Republic), Eaton Electrical (Zhongshan) Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Electrical Ltd., Eaton Electrical Products Limited, Eaton Electrical S.A., Eaton Electrical S.A. (Venezuela), Eaton Electrical Systems Limited, Eaton Electro Productie S.r.l., Eaton Elektrik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Eaton Elektrotechnika s.r.o., Eaton Energy Solutions Inc., Eaton Enterprises (Hungary) Kft., Eaton Enterprises Limited, Eaton Enterprises S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton FZE, Eaton Filtration, Eaton Filtration (Denmark) ApS, Eaton Filtration (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Filtration (Poland) Sp. z.o.o., Eaton Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Filtration BVBA, Eaton Finance (Ireland) Limited, Eaton Finance S.a.r.l., Eaton Fluid Power (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Fluid Power Limited, Eaton Fluid Power S.r.l., Eaton France Holding S.A.S., Eaton Germany G.m.b.H., Eaton GmbH & Co. KG, Eaton Holding (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Holding (UK) II Limited, Eaton Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding I B.V., Eaton Holding I Limited, Eaton Holding II LLC, Eaton Holding II Limited, Eaton Holding II S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding III B.V., Eaton Holding III Limited, Eaton Holding III S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IV S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IX S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding International LLC, Eaton Holding LLC, Eaton Holding Limited, Eaton Holding S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding SE & Co. KG, Eaton Holding SRL, Eaton Holding V B.V., Eaton Holding V S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VI B.V., Eaton Holding VI S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VII B.V., Eaton Holding VIII S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding X S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding XII B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Holec AB, Eaton Holec OY, Eaton Hydraulics (Luzhou) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Proprietary) Limited, Eaton Hydraulics LLC, Eaton Hydraulics Systems (Jining) Co. Ltd., Eaton I Spolka z.o.o., Eaton II LP, Eaton III LP, Eaton IV LP, Eaton India Innovation Center LLP, Eaton Industrial Clutches and Brakes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industrial Corporation, Eaton Industrial IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Industrial Systems Private Limited, Eaton Industries (Argentina) S.A., Eaton Industries (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries (Belgium) BVBA, Eaton Industries (Canada) Company, Eaton Industries (Chile) S.p.A., Eaton Industries (Colombia) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Egypt) LLC, Eaton Industries (England) Limited, Eaton Industries (France) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Ireland) Ltimited, Eaton Industries (Israel) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Industries (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Jining) Co. Ltd, Eaton Industries (Korea) Limited, Eaton Industries (Luxembourg) B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Industries (Morocco) LLC, Eaton Industries (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Industries (Philippines) LLC, Eaton Industries (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries (Spain) S.L., Eaton Industries (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Industries (U.K.) Limited, Eaton Industries (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries Company, Eaton Industries EOOD, Eaton Industries G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holdings Ltd., Eaton Industries II G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries KFT, Eaton Industries LP, Eaton Industries Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Panama S.A., Eaton Industries Pte. Ltd., Eaton Industries Pty. Ltd., Eaton Industries S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Industries SAC, Eaton Industries Sdn. Bhd., Eaton Industries s.r.o., Eaton International B.V., Eaton International Corporation, Eaton International Industries Nigeria Limited, Eaton Japan Co. Ltd., Eaton LLC, Eaton LP, Eaton Leasing Corporation, Eaton Ltda., Eaton MEDC Limited, Eaton Madeira SGPS Lda., Eaton Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing II G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing III G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing LP, Eaton Middle East LLC, Eaton Moeller B.V., Eaton Moeller S.a.r.l., Eaton Phoenixtec MMPL Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality AB, Eaton Power Quality Limited, Eaton Power Quality OY (Finland), Eaton Power Quality Private Limited, Eaton Power Quality S.A.S., Eaton Power Solution Ltda., Eaton Production International G.m.b.H., Eaton Protection Systems IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton S.A.S., Eaton S.r.l., Eaton SAMC (Shanghai) Aircraft Conveyance System, Eaton SE, Eaton Safety IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Safety Limited, Eaton Senstar Automotive Fluid Connector (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Services S.a.r.l., Eaton Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Switzerland Holding I GmbH, Eaton Switzerland Holding II GmbH, Eaton Technologies (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Technologies G.m.b.H., Eaton Technologies IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Technologies Private Limited, Eaton Technologies S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Technologies S.A., Eaton Trading Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components (Proprietary) Ltd., Eaton Truck Components S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Truck and Bus Components (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton US Holdings Inc., Eaton Worldwide LLC, Eaton-Powerware, Electromanufacturas S de R.L. de C.V., Electrum Group Ltd., Elpro Technologies Pty. Limited, Ephesus Lighting, Ephesus Lighting Inc., FHF Bergbautechnik GmbH & Co. KG, FHF Funke+Huster Fernsig GmbH, FHF New World GmbH, Fast Eaton (Xi'an) Drivetrain Company Ltd., Fifth Light Technology Ltd., Funke+Huster (Tianjin) Electronics Co. Ltd., Funke+Huster GmbH, GeCma Components electronic GmbH, Georgetown Financial Services Ltd., Gitiesse Asia Pte. Ltd., Gitiesse S.r.l., Green Holding Company, Green Motion, Guangzhou Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Hein Moeller Stiftung G.m.b.H., Hernis Scan System do Brasil Comercio E Servicos LTDA, Hernis Scan Systems - Asia Pte. Ltd., Hernis Scan Systems A/S, HuanYu High Tech, IE Power, Illumination Management Solutions Inc., Iluminacion Cooper de las Californias S de R.L. de C.V., Innovative Switchgear Solutions Inc, Institute for International Product Safety G.m.b.H., Integrated Hydraulics, Integrated Partial Discharge Diagnostics, Intelligent Switchgear Organization LLC, Internormen Filters Private Limited, Internormen Technology, Jeil Hydraulics, Kaicheng Funke+Huster (Tangshan) Mining Electrical Co. Ltd., Lian Zheng Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., MP Group SAS, MTL Instruments (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, MTL Instruments B.V., MTL Instruments GmbH, MTL Instruments LLC, MTL Instruments Private Limited, MTL Instruments SARL, MTL Italia Srl, MTL Partners II Inc., MTL Partners Inc., Marina Power and Lighting, Martek Power F SAS, Martek Power GmbH, Martek Power Limited, Martek Power Limited (UK), Martek Power S.A. de C.V., Martek Power SA, McGraw-Edison Development Corporation, Measurement Technology Limited, Menvier Overseas Holdings Limited, Micro Innovation Holding, Moeller Electric (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Moeller Electric Ltda., Moeller Electrical Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Moeller Holding Gmbh & Co. KG, Moeller Industria de electro-electronicos do Amazonas Ltda., Morestana, Nittan BVI Co. Ltd., Nittan Euro Tech Spolka z o.o., Nittan Global Tech Co. Ltd., Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Norex AS, Ocean Technical Systems Limited, Oxalis Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Oxalis Group, Oxalis Group Limited, PKL LLC, PT. Eaton Industries, PT. Fluid Sciences Batam, PerkinElmer - aerospace division, Phoenixtec Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Phoenixtec International Corp., Phoenixtec Power, Pigozzi, Polaron Components Limited, Polimer Hortum Teknolojileri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi Ve Pazarlama, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi ve Pazarlama A.S., Power Distribution, Pringle Electrical Manufacturing, Productos Eaton Livia S.L., Pulizzi Engineering, RTE Far East Corporation, RTK Instruments Limited, Riseson International Limited, Rizhao Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Rolec Comercial e Industrial, SOURIAU, Santak Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Santak Electronics Company Limited, Saturn Insurance Company Ltd., Scantronic Benelux B.V., Schreder-Hazemeyer, Scoremax Limited, Sefelec GmbH, Sefelec SAS, Semelec SAS, Senyuan International Holdings Limited, Senyuan International Investments Limited, Shinhwa Precision Co. Ltd., Shinhwa Takahashi Precision Co. Ltd., Silver Light International Limited, Silver Victory Hong Kong Limited, Standard Automation & Control LP, Sure Power Inc., TGM Automotiva, TT (Ireland) Acquisition Limited, Tai Ah Electrical Ltd., Taiwan Nittan Industrial Co. Ltd., Telkom Kenya, The MTL Instruments Group Limited, The Oxalis Protection Technology India Private Limited, Tractech, Tractech (Ireland) Limited, Tractech Industries (Ireland) Limted, Tripp Lite, Turlock B.V., Tuthill Coupling Group, U.S. Engine Valve Company, UPE Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Ultronics, Ultronics Nordic Sales AB, Ulusoy, Vickers International Inc., Vickers Systems Limited, Viking Electronics Inc., WPI-Boston Division Inc., Winner Hydraulics Ltd., Wireless Power and Communications AS, Wright Line, Wright Line Holding Inc., Wright Line LLC, and Zhenjiang Daqo Eaton Electrical Systems Co. Ltd.. 10 hours ago 3 Stocks That Are Ready to Rip in 2022 These 3 Stocks Could Outperform in 2022 With the new year right around the corner, investors might want to start thinking about the companies with the strongest prospects for 2022. Theres no better way to start off the year than by adding a few potential winners to your portfolio, but finding those types of stocks is easier said than done. Read Article The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. Legal & General Group Plc provides various insurance products and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Legal & General Retirement (LGR), Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), Legal & General Capital (LGC), and Legal & General Insurance (LGI). The LGR segment offers annuity contracts with guaranteed income for a specified time; longevity insurance products for company pension schemes; lifetime mortgages; lifetime care plans; and retirement interest only mortgages. The LGIM segment provides index fund management; active fixed income funds and liquidity funds; active equity management; solution and liability driven investment; multi-asset funds; corporate pension scheme solutions; and real estate funds. The LGC segment offers investment strategy and implementation, and direct investment and structuring services. The LGI segment provides protection products, such as health, disability, critical illness, and accident; individual term assurance; reinsurance; savings and death benefits; and annuities. The company is also involved in the unit trust and institutional fund management, mortgage finance, treasury, building project and modular housing development, general insurance, and open-ended investment businesses, as well as manufacture of sheds. It also engages in the real estate investment, operation, management, and trading, fund general partner, fund trustee, commercial lending, venture capital investing, contractual scheme, management, pension tracing and transfer, investor alternative investment fund, collective asset-management, and investment management activities; and provision of investment advisory, business information consultancy, and technology services. The company was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More North American Construction Group Ltd. provides mining and heavy construction services to the resource development and industrial construction sectors in Canada and the United States The company's Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services. Its Equipment Maintenance Services division provides fuel and lube servicing, portable steaming, equipment inspections, parts and component supply, major overhauls and equipment refurbishment, onsite haul truck brake testing, onsite maintenance support, under carriage rebuild, machining, hose manufacturing, and technical support services, as well as welding, fabrication/repairs, weld certification, and inspection services. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a heavy equipment fleet of 626 units. The company was formerly known as North American Energy Partners Inc. and changed its name to North American Construction Group Ltd. in April 2018. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Acheson, Canada. Read More Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. Ventures LLC, DMM Financial LLC, Deerwood Exploration LLC, Downtown Plaza II, Elk Hills Field, FLAG Development LLC, FP Westport Commodities Limited, FP Westport GmbH, FP Westport LLC, FP Westport Limited, FP Westport Services LLC, FP Westport Trading LLC, Fosters Mill Exploration LLC, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Globrep Representaciones S.A., Grand Bassa Tankers Inc., Grupo OxyChem de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Headwater II LLC, Houndstooth Resources LLC, INDSPEC Chemical B.V., INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Export Sales LLC, INDSPEC Holding Corporation, Ingleside Cogeneration GP LLC, Ingleside Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Interore Trading Ltd., Joslyn Partnership, KERR-McGEE TT E&P LTD., KM BM-C-Seven Ltd., KM International Insurance Ltd., Kerr-McGee Corporation, Kerr-McGee Natural Gas Company Inc., Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP, Kerr-McGee Shared Services Company LLC, Kerr-McGee Stored Power Corporation, Kerr-McGee U.K. Energy Corporation, Kerr-McGee Worldwide Corporation, Kerr-McGee do Brasil Ltda., Kerr-McGee of Canada Northwest Ltd., Laguna Petroleum Corp., Laguna Petroleum LLC, Liwa Oil & Gas Ltd., MC2 Technologies LLC, Mariana Properties Inc., Marico Exploration Inc., Miller Springs Remediation Management Inc., Moncrief Minerals Partnership L.P., NGL Ventures LLC, Natural Gas Odorizing Inc., New OPL LLC, OEVC Energy LLC, OEVC Midstream Projects LLC, OIH LLC, OLCV CE Holdings ULC, OLCV CE US Holdings Inc., OLCV Net Power LLC, OLCV Services LLC, OOG Partner LLC, OOOI Chem Holdings LLC, OOOI Chem Sub LLC, OOOI Chemical International LLC, OOOI Chile Holder LLC, OOOI Ecuador Management LLC, OOOI Oil and Gas Sub LLC, OOOI South America Management LLC, OPM GP Inc., OPM Holdco LLC, OTCF LLC, OTH LLC, OXY CV Pipeline LLC, OXY Campus LLC, OXY Inc., OXY LPG LLC, OXY Libya E&P Area 103 BR4 B.V., OXY Libya E&P Area 35 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P Concession 103 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 102 B.V., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1981 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1985 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P NC 143 144 145 150 B.V., OXY Libya Exploration SPC, OXY Libya LLC, OXY Little Knife LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings I LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings II LLC, OXY Middle East Holdings Ltd., OXY Oil Partners Inc., OXY PBLP Manager LLC, OXY Support Services LLC, OXY Tulsa Inc., OXY USA Inc., OXY USA WTP LP, OXY VPP Investments LLC, OXY West LLC, OXY of Saudi Arabia Ltd., OXYCHEM (CANADA) INC., OXYMAR, Oakwood Exploration LLC, Occidental (Bermuda) Ltd., Occidental (East Shabwa) LLC, Occidental Advance Sale Finance Inc., Occidental Al Hosn LLC, Occidental Angola Holdings Ltd., Occidental CIS Services Inc., Occidental Canada Holdings Ltd., Occidental Chemical Asia Limited, Occidental Chemical Belgium B.V.B.A., Occidental Chemical Chile Limitada, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Occidental Chemical Export Sales LLC, Occidental Chemical Far East Limited, Occidental Chemical Holding Corporation, Occidental Chemical International LLC, Occidental Chemical Investment (Canada) 1 Inc., Occidental Chemical Receivables LLC, Occidental Chemical de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Occidental Chile Investments LLC, Occidental Chile Minority Holder LLC, Occidental Colombia (Series G) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series J) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series K) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series L) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series M) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series N) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series O) Ltd., Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (Canada), Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (International), Occidental Dolphin Holdings Ltd., Occidental Energy Marketing Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures LLC, Occidental Exploradora del Peru Ltd., Occidental Exploration and Production Company, Occidental Hafar LLC, Occidental International (Libya) Inc., Occidental International Corporation, Occidental International Exploration and Production Company, Occidental International Holdings Ltd., Occidental International Oil and Gas Ltd., Occidental International Services Inc., Occidental Joslyn GP 2 Co., Occidental LNG (Malaysia) Ltd., Occidental Latin America Holdings LLC, Occidental Libya Oil & Gas B.V., Occidental MENA Manager Ltd., Occidental Middle East Development Company, Occidental Midland Basin LLC, Occidental Mukhaizna LLC, Occidental Oil Asia Pte. Ltd., Occidental Oil Shale Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas (Oman) Ltd., Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Occidental Oil and Gas International Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas International LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas Pakistan LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas of Peru LLC, Occidental Oman (Block 27) Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 65 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 65 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 72 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 72 LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Company LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman North Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oriente Exploration and Production Ltd., Occidental Overseas Holdings B.V., Occidental PVC LLC, Occidental Peninsula II Inc., Occidental Peninsula LLC, Occidental Permian Ltd., Occidental Permian Manager LLC, Occidental Permian Services Inc., Occidental Peruana Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 101) Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 103) Inc., Occidental Petroleum (Pakistan) Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation Political Action Committee, Occidental Petroleum de Venezuela S.A., Occidental Petroleum of Nigeria, Occidental Petroleum of Oman Ltd., Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., Occidental Power Marketing L.P., Occidental Power Services Inc., Occidental Qatar Energy Company LLC, Occidental Red Sea Development LLC, Occidental Research Corporation, Occidental Resource Recovery Systems Inc., Occidental Resources Company, Occidental Shah Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental South America Finance LLC, Occidental Specialty Marketing Inc., Occidental Tower Corporation, Occidental Transportation Holding Corporation, Occidental West Texas Overthrust Inc., Occidental Yemen Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., Occidental del Ecuador Inc., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Bab) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Shah) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi LLC, Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd., Occidental of Bahrain Ltd., Occidental of Bangladesh Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Chipiron) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Cosecha) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Medina) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Putumayo) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia (Teca) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia PUT-36 LLC, Occidental of Dubai Inc., Occidental of Iraq Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Iraq LLC, Occidental of Oman Inc., Occidental of Russia Ltd., Occidental of South Africa (Offshore) Inc., Occidental of Yemen (Block 75) LLC, Oceanic Marine Transport Ltd., Opcal Insurance Inc., Oryx Crude Trading & Transportation Inc., Oxy BridgeTex Limited Partnership, Oxy C & I Bulk Sales LLC, Oxy Canada Sales Inc., Oxy Carbon Solutions LLC, Oxy Carbon Storage LLC, Oxy Climate Ventures Inc., Oxy Cogeneration Holding Company LLC, Oxy Colombia Holdings LLC, Oxy Colombia TopCo Ltd., Oxy Delaware Basin LLC, Oxy Delaware Basin Plant LLC, Oxy Dolphin E&P LLC, Oxy Dolphin Pipeline LLC, Oxy Energy Canada Inc., Oxy Energy Services LLC, Oxy Expatriate Services Inc., Oxy FFT Holdings Inc., Oxy Holding Company (Pipeline) Inc., Oxy International Ventures Ltd., Oxy LPG Terminal LLC, Oxy Levelland Pipeline Company LLC, Oxy Levelland Terminal Company LLC, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, Oxy Midstream Strategic Development LLC, Oxy Oleoducto SOP LLC, Oxy Overseas Services Ltd., Oxy Permian Gathering LLC, Oxy Permian Plaza LLC, Oxy Petroleum de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Oxy Renewable Energy LLC, Oxy Salt Creek Pipeline LLC, Oxy TL LLC, Oxy Taft Hub LLC, Oxy Technology Ventures Inc., Oxy Transport I Company LLC, Oxy Vinyls Canada Co., Oxy Vinyls Export Sales LLC, Oxy Vinyls LP, Oxy Westwood Corporation, Oxy Y-1 Company, OxyChem Ingleside Ethylene Holdings Inc., OxyChem do Brasil Ltda., OxyChile Investments LLC, Oxychem Shipping Ltd., Permian Basin JV Tax Matters Member LLC, Permian Basin Limited Partnership, Permian VPP Holder LP, Permian VPP Manager LLC, Phibro, Placid Oil LLC, Ramlat Oxy Ltd., Rio de Viento Inc., Rodeo Midland Basin LLC, San Patricio Pipeline LLC, Scanports Shipping LLC, SequestCo LLC, Stetson Exploration LLC, Sun Offshore Gathering Company, Swiflite Aircraft Corporation, Transok Properties LLC, Troy Potter Inc., Turavent Oil GmbH [in liquidation], Tuscaloosa Holdings Inc., UP Petroleo III Ltd., Upland Industries Corporation, Venezuela US SRL, Vintage Gas Inc., Vintage Petroleum, Vintage Petroleum Argentina Ltd., Vintage Petroleum Boliviana Ltd., Vintage Petroleum International Finance B.V., Vintage Petroleum International Holdings LLC, Vintage Petroleum International LLC, Vintage Petroleum International Ventures Inc., Vintage Petroleum Italy Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America Holdings Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America LLC, Vintage Petroleum Turkey Inc., WGR Asset Holding Company LLC, WGR Canada Inc., Wardner Ranch Inc., Western Gas Resources Inc., Western Gas Resources-Westana Inc., Western Midstream Holdings LLC, Woodlands International Insurance Ltd., and YT Ranch LLC. After a "Wheel of Fortune" contestant lost out on a new Audi due to a technicality -- even though she answered the puzzle correctly -- the car company said it would gift her the vehicle instead. A lot of parents out there struggle with what is going to happen for their children at the end of the school day, she said. Craddocks daughter will be attending Brownsville Elementary, which, along with Crozet Elementary, is piloting a new lottery system for registration. She told board members that if her daughter is admitted or not will determine whether she can return to her current job at Greer. I want to pay for afterschool care, she said. I want to stay at Greer. The time to act is now. Hairston said the lottery system is a way to allow everyone to have a chance to sign up rather than just those who are able to try to register early in the morning and have access to a computer. A 2017 program evaluation of EDEP found that it didnt meet the needs of the school community and has struggled with staffing. The division has made changes to improve compensation and benefits for employees since the evaluation, but Hairston said finding staff to work from 2 to 6 p.m. is an ongoing challenge. The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter forBorderland Beat?We love to have you in our team, sendoran email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. IRDAI has proposed to raise the TP premiums by 14.6 per cent for small cars not exceeding 1000 cc. The rates may go up from Rs 1,850 to Rs 2,120. For private cars falling between 1,000 cc and 1,500 cc, the premium can go up by 15 per cent to Rs 3,300 from the existing Rs 2,863. However, for luxury cars (with engine capacity of over 1,500 cc) TP premium might remain at Rs 7,890. (Representational image) Chennai: The insurance regulator has proposed higher motor third party (TP) premium rates for most vehicles, except vintage cars and electric vehicles for FY20. Premiums can go up to 15 per cent for private cars and 21 per cent for some two-wheelers. IRDAI has proposed to raise the TP premiums by 14.6 per cent for small cars not exceeding 1000 cc. The rates may go up from Rs 1,850 to Rs 2,120. For private cars falling between 1,000 cc and 1,500 cc, the premium can go up by 15 per cent to Rs 3,300 from the existing Rs 2,863. However, for luxury cars (with engine capacity of over 1,500 cc) TP premium might remain at Rs 7,890. Premium for two-wheelers below 75 cc is proposed to be Rs 482, up 12.8 per cent from Rs 427. For two-wheelers not exceeding 150 cc it may go up by 4.4 per cent and those below 350 cc by 21 per cent to Rs 1,193. However, no rate hike has been proposed for superbikes or those exceeding 350 cc. Goods carrying public carriers may have to pay premiums higher by 8 to 10 per cent and private carriers, by 10 to 13 per cent. School buses, tractors, car and two-wheeler taxis as well as buses and trucks may also have to pay higher premiums in FY20. There will be no premium change for long-term policies of new cars and two-wheelers. In the case of electric private cars and electric two-wheelers, a discount of 15 per cent has been proposed in the TP premium. Normally, the TP rates are revised from April 1. But IRDAI had not revised the rates in April this time. It has proposed the revision of rates based on the loss ratio in each segment. It has invited comments from stakeholders. NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Shares in various Adani Group companies, including those of flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd, surged on Monday after exit polls predicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi would return to power, even as Australian poll results also spelled good news for the conglomerate. Adani Enterprises rose as much as 29 per cent in afternoon trade, its sharpest intraday gain in over two years. Other Adani Group stocks such as Adani Power, Adani Gas and Adani Green Energy Ltd were all up more than 15 per cent in afternoon trading. The rally in Adani stocks outshone a broader market rally, which saw the benchmark indices close 3.7 per cent higher. Billionaire Gautam Adani's rapid ascent to the top tier of Indian business is often associated with the rise of Modi, who is also from Gujarat. Shares of Adani Enterprises have risen by about 170 per cent since Modi assumed power, compared to around 40 per cent under the previous Congress-led regime. Adani has in the past brushed off any notions that he has been granted undue favours. Separately, news that Australia's conservative coalition has swept back to power with an outright majority also boded well for Adani Mining Australia, which has been struggling for years to kick off its ambitious Carmichael coal mine project in Queensland due to environmental concerns. Adani used the election results to slam the labour government in the state, saying the poll verdict reflected public consensus on the mine. "Let's hope they (Queensland government) realise it is time to start listening to the people of Queensland," Lucas Dow, CEO. New Delhi: After being mocked and trolled by multiple social media users for his tweet asking people not to vote for Sadhvi Pragya, after elections in Bhopal were over, Farhan Akhtar hit the trollers with an epic comeback. "Humne taareek galat samjhi toh galaa pakad liya, Jisne itihaas galat samjha use galey laga rahe ho" (I got the date wrong and was held by the neck, but those who got history wrong are being embraced by all of you)," Farhan tweeted in an apparent reference to multiple BJP leaders who were seen misquoting historical facts during their rallies. Humne taareek galat samjhi toh galaa pakad liya, Jisne itihaas galat samjha use galey laga rahe ho. #priorities Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) May 19, 2019 Long before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections polling started, Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested B-town celebrities to urge their fans to vote. Following his appeal, many celebrities flooded social media encouraging their followers to exercise their franchise. Farhan Akhtar too joined the initiative but was a little too late. Earlier today Farhan posted a tweet, where he not only urged them to vote but also made an appeal to voters of Bhopal to vote against BJP's Pragya Thakur, unaware of the fact that the parliamentary constituency had already voted in the sixth phase of polls on May 12 last Sunday. "Dear electorate of Bhopal, it's time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. #SayNoToPragya #SayNoToGodse #RememberTheMahatma #ChooseLoveNotHate," the actor tweeted. Dear electorate of Bhopal, its time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. #SayNoToPragya #SayNoToGodse #RememberTheMahatma #ChooseLoveNotHate Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) May 19, 2019 Hawk-eyed Twitter users couldn't have spared the actor for his faux pas. They were not only quick in pointing out the delay but also slammed the actor for his reference to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, one of the world's worst industrial disasters which claimed around 15,000 lives. "Making fun of Gas tragedy and it's victims. #Shameless," wrote a user. "Change your internet connection. Your tweets are taking 10 days to be published," read another tweet. Another user wrote, "These guys are so cut off from reality." Despite the flurry of replies and merciless trolling, the "Rock On!!" actor is yet to issue take down his tweet or issue a correction. Four hours after he put up the post on the micro-blogging website, it had garnered over 2,400 retweets and 12,000 likes. Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life stars Bruno Ganz, the Swiss actor who portrayed Adolf Hitler in Downfall (2004). Ganz passed away in February this year and in his last role here he plays the judge hearing Franzs case. Cannes: On Cannes main boulevard, the Croisette, more than 7,000 kms away from Lutyens' Delhi where Prime Minister Narendra Modi lives but has designated other residents of the area as being against him and thus, anti-national, the few Indians lining up to watch films on Sunday evening were also, simultaneously, glued to their phones. All stared at their screens, either smiling or retching, depending on which side of the divide they stood. Exit polls often get it wrong, yet they have managed to inspire Sensex and depress those whose faith in India being a secular republic has been under constant challenge since 2014. Exactly at that point, as the forecast was sinking in, Terence Malicks A Hidden Life had its world premiere at Festival de Cannes, as if in response to those losing hope and wondering if the India they grew up in was now truly dead. Usually, its not easy getting into a Terrence Malick film. If not right at the beginning, like he did in The Tree of Life (2011), his film will pause for his camera and background score to wax lyrical quite literally and challenge you to stay with him. In an age when both our tastes and patience have been sharpened and reduced to focus on pacy plots and hyper dialogue-baazi, this can be taxing, fatiguing, annoying even. My son was 13 when I took him to watch a late night show of The Tree of Life. He fell asleep in 10 minutes, on the floor, while I struggled to stay with the images of the Milky Way. What followed eventually was beautiful, but I wasnt a fan. That changed on Sunday night. Malicks A Hidden Life opens with real, black and white footage of Hitler indoctrinating and organising Germany as the Third Reich official Nazi designation for Germany from January 1933 to May 1945, it means "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", the first two being the Holy Roman Empire (800-1806) and the German Empire (1871-1918) as well as the famous Nuremberg rally in 1938. Everyone is hailing Hitler, the soldiers with the bayonets of their rifles on fire. And then A Hidden Life announces that it is going to tell us a story based on true events. That's the story of an Austrian farmer, Franz Jagerstatter (August Diehl), his wife Fani (Valerie Pachner) who live on a small farm in St. Radegund with their three young daughters, Franzs sister and mother. Franz and Fani work together and are gloriously in love with each other of course, but also their life, their farm, their family. Around 1938, after Anschluss (the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany), Franz is called for military training. He returns home eventually, to Fani who seemed lost without him, but something has changed both Franz, and the village. The villagers, including the mayor, are now enthusiastically aligned with Hitler and his agenda, believing that things were bad before him. We see Franzs unease at this talk, and then we hear him speak of how unjust the war is. Franz refuses to donate to the war and wont accept family allowance that is due to him. And in 1943, during World War II, when he is called for active duty, he tells Fani that he just cant get himself to kill innocent people on behalf of Hitler. Both Franz and Fani know the consequences of his actions, and so he asks the local priest what one should do if our leaders are evil I want to save our lives, but not through lies, he says. Franz is willing to serve as a paramedic, but when he is standing in line with other soldiers and refuses to take the Hitler oath, the conscientious objector is accused of Wehrkraftzersetzung (undermining military morale), and jailed. By all measures, Franzs is a minor act of defiance and he is repeatedly told by everyone who meets him, with every Nazi blow and humiliation, by his own lawyer and even the letters that Fani writes to him, detailing how the villagers have turned hostile that what he is doing is meaningless, insignificant, that it will remain hidden and amount to nothing apart from satisfying his ego at a great cost to those he loves. All of which is true. But then the film asks, through a man who is painting a chapel: Those who worship Jesus now as he hangs on the Cross, and believe that if they had been around then they would have stood with him, whatever the consequences, will they actually do so in real, today? There is little logic in what Franz is doing, but there is his belief in what is wrong, and the instinct that what hes doing is right. And that, A Hidden Life says, is enough. A Hidden Life is an anti-war film, of course. But it is more, much more than that. Its interest is not so much in the power of evil or its complete intolerance for even the slightest dissent as much as in the test that evil poses to individuals and a nation -- a test of moral clarity, resolve to do what is right, resilience, and faith in the values it espouses. A Hidden Life is based mostly on In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jagerstatter, written by Gordon Zahn in 1964. The book details a much more defiant and religious Franz than the film shows, even recording how every time Franz was greeted by the usual Heil Hitler!, he would respond with Pfui Hitler! Pfui is an exclamation of disgust, contempt, annoyance. The conscientious objector was eventually put to death in August 1943, at the age of 36, and in 2007, the Pope declared him a martyr. Apart from its powerful message, A Hidden Life is transcendental in its cinematic aesthetics, beauty, operatic camera work. For the first two hours especially, when the film is in Franzs village, the camera is constantly moving, framing every character, scene from below, with a piece of the sky, the mountains, the meadow as the grand, eternal backdrop. Even when capturing Franz and Fani in close up, the camera is never stationary. The film shows the beauty of the countryside, but also the hardship and the exhausting, unrelenting physical labour of life in a farm. Fani is working, constantly cutting, digging, chopping, collecting... There will be criticism of the length of A Hidden Life 2 hours and 53 minutes and yes, there are bits that could have been shed. But consider this: Take a photograph you like, one that has something as its focus, but also a lively background, maybe people on a street doing their thing, the sky a certain shade of blue or red, clouds in a special formation, someone walking past, gesturing... If someone were to keep just the main image, and cut out the rest, it would still be a photograph, but it would not be a relic of the original, without the context or the beauty it once had. If even a minute of Malick's A Hidden Life were cut, a piece of its lyrical beauty would be lost, and it would be just another film about an insignificant man standing in defiance against an evil empire. It would not be the Terrence Malick film that keeps us floating in Franz and Fanis world long after the end credits have rolled. And it would definitely not be the strongest contender for Palme dOr, 2019. The final episode of Game of Thrones has just aired and what promised to be one of the most highly anticipated series finales of all time somehow just went out on a whimper. Read on at your own discretion as there will be plenty of spoilers below. After seeing the disappointment that was the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones which aired last week, the loyal fans pretty much lost all hope for the series finale. And for whomsoever may have hoped for the best to arrive in the finale; could pretty much have been left disappointed. George R. R. Martin had predicted that the end of the show would be bittersweet and most of us expected that to happen given Danys rampage of the city in last weeks episode. Somehow, there was a sense of foreshadowing when we saw Jon looking on in disbelief as Drogon laid the entire city into ashes as it even though it conflicted him, he had to be the one to put a stop to his aunt. While this was the premise of the entire last episode, it somehow felt rather small in comparison to the rest of the happenings that took place. Image from Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 6 (Photo: HBO) The episode began with Tyrion walking the ash-filled streets of Kings Landing observing the destruction that was caused by Dany and her dragon. He is joined by Jon and Davos but the last living Lannister wants to be left alone as he searches for his siblings Jaime and Cersei. In what was implied but never explicitly shown, Tyrion finds his brother and sister embracing each other under a pile of bricks, dead. The imp breaks down in tears upon seeing his last living relatives being killed. The Unsullied and Dothraki are then shown celebrating their new undisputed Queen as Drogon soars overhead before perching himself on some of the rubble he has created. There was a cool shot with Dany in the foreground and Drogons wings being spread at the back of her making her look almost like a dragon. She then addresses her army by stating her achievements about freeing them from their oppressors and they hail her as their queen. However, Tyrion isnt too happy and walks towards her. Dany tells Tyrion that he had betrayed her as he had freed his brother Jaime. He then responds by stating that she slaughtered an entire city. He then promptly throws the hand of the queen pin away after which Dany asks him to be taken away. Jon is also in this scene and much like he was in the last episode, the last Targaryen was a silent spectator. Dany, after ordering Tyrion to be captured walks past Jon as though he doesnt even exist. Jon then notices Arya and asks her what she was doing there. She responds by saying she had come to kill Cersei but states that Dany got to her first. Arya then tells Jon something he needs to know about Dany, Jon, she knows who you are who you really are. Youll always be a threat to her. And I know a killer when I see one. This jolts Jon back a bit, however, he is still blinded by his love for Dany. Jon then visits Tyrion in prison where he then still continues to defend Danys actions. Tyrion then gives him a reality check by implying that he needs to kill Dany and hes the only one who can do so. This was by far one of the best scenes of the episode as it shows that someone is finally able to knock some sense into Jon. Jon then heads to meet Dany but is stopped in his tracks by a snow/ash clad Drogon. The dragon sizes up Jon before allowing him to proceed. In the great hall, Dany is met by Jon who was seen admiring the Iron Throne. She then tells him about all the stories she had heard of the throne when she was a child and in her imagination, it was a lot bigger than what it actually is. The scene features the title track which gives the viewers a haunting feeling as the inevitable is about to take place. Both of them discuss her wrongdoings and she goes on to tell Jon that they have a future together. As they embrace and kiss each other, Jon stabs Dany in the heart and watches as life leaves her body. This part had been so predictable that we saw it from a few episodes back. It will always be Jon that kills Dany and no one else. As soon as Jon kills Dany, her last living child, Drogon comes into the throne room and tries to wake up his dead mother. It looks like he is about to scorch Jon alive for what he did but he then absolutely destroys the Iron Throne. From the looks of it, Drogon is the only one here with enough sense to know that the Iron Throne is the thing that makes monsters out of men. He then takes Dany away and flies off into the distance. Grey Worm is then shown taking Tyrion to the Lords and Ladies of Westeros. It is then revealed that Jon is captured for his crime of killing Dany. The loyal servant of Dany wants to execute Jon and Tyrion for their crimes, but no one agrees to it. They then set out to cast a vote as to who should rule the Seven Kingdoms but Tyrion interjects by stating that Bran is the perfect candidate for the same. Image from Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 6 (Photo: HBO) When Tyrion asks Bran on his thoughts on ruling the Seven Kingdoms, Bran, in his most monotonous best states, Why do you think I came all this way?" However, Sansa is not the one to bow down to anyone anymore states that the North has always been on its own and she states that it should be its own continent. Bran agrees and now hes the new ruler of the Six Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. Moving on to the fate of Jon, it is decided that he will be moved back to the Nights Watch and he is surprised as anyone that it still exists. He then bids farewell to his sisters Arya and Sansa and bends the knee to Bran, the new king. Brianne, sitting in Kings Landing writes Jaimes name in history which is essentially a Wikipedia of all the happenings of the history. She writes at the end, he dies, protecting his queen. Jon is then shown reaching the Nights Watch where he is finally reunited with his dire wolf, Ghost and his scruffy best friend Tormund Giantsbane where they proceed to walk beyond the Wall along with whats remaining of the free folk. Arya is then shown smiling as she heads out to the west of Westeros on a ship bearing the Stark sigil. All in all, this episode aimed to tie up loose ends, but it ended on a whimper. The shows biggest bad guy, Dany was killed in the most humane way possible and no amount of love between her and Dany could raise the dramatic effect of the shot. In what made us feel that the Night King was the biggest threat to humanity; now makes us feel like a sidequest in the show thats a Song of Ice and Fire. Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and actress Penelope Cruz also supported the movement, wearing the famous green scarf, a few hours before this mobilisation, according to photos published by The Family Planning and the Women's Foundation on social networks. (Photo: AFP) France: A demonstration, under the sign of the colour green, took place Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival to defend the abortion, before the presentation of the documentary ("Que sea ley") on the broken momentum of the Argentines in 2018, demanding the right to abortion. Juan Solanas's film crew and women's rights activists climbed the steps of the Palais des Festivals, a green scarf in their hands, the emblem of the struggle for the legalisation of abortion that has engulfed Argentina in 2018. They also waved a banner in Spanish demanding the right to abortion "safe and free". One of these demonstrators was entirely dressed in green, with a dress on which was embroidered "legalisation abortion". Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and actress Penelope Cruz also supported the movement, wearing the famous green scarf, a few hours before this mobilisation, according to photos published by The Family Planning and the Women's Foundation on social networks. For his film "Que sea ley" (A law, quickly!), Argentine Juan Solanas travelled for eight months to Argentina, to collect testimony in the most remote provinces of the capital. The feminist mobilisations on the streets of Buenos Aires took in 2017 and 2018 an unprecedented scale, with as high as the gatherings before the Parliament, during the examination of the bill by the two rooms. In the end, it was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies but rejected by the Senate. In the screening room of "Que sea ley! green scarves were placed on the back of each chair, an AFP journalist found. Other personalities had to join this movement: the actresses Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julie Gayet, Rossi de Palma, Zabou Breitmann, the directors Claire Denis and Eric Caravaca, among others, announced that they would also wear the green scarf going up the steps of the Palais des Festivals. Missouri wants to sue doctors if they perform interventions after the eighth week of pregnancy, Georgia as soon as the heartbeat of the fetus is detectable ... Asked on Friday about this, in the context of the "Women in Motion" talks, Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives") warned against a possible "domino effect". It is a "threat" that "will affect everyone if we are not careful," said the actress who produced last year for Netflix the documentary "Reversing Roe", the name of the judgment "Roe V. Wade" which guarantees the right of American women to abort while the fetus is not viable. Washington: Attaining a strong physique is something that most men desire, and they are ready to go any length to achieve that. Probably this is the reason why they continue to take a high dosage of steroids despite knowing the side associated with it, a new study has revealed. The study was presented at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE. Findings of the study highlighted that men who use anabolic steroids to improve strength and physical performance are often aware of the side effects but choose to continue the dosage. The use of steroids poses some life-limiting and serious side effects including reduced sperm count, erectile dysfunction, baldness, breast development and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and liver or kidney failure. Despite this steroid misuse persists, a 2014 study estimated that worldwide 3.3% of the population or 6.4% of the male population are abusing steroids. Recent evidence has suggested that not only do steroids pose serious health risks to the individual but that they also cause damage to the sperm. For the study, researchers conducted an anonymous survey of 550 men, who regularly attended the gym, to assess their knowledge of, use of and attitude towards the health risks of anabolic steroids. In the findings, 30.4% said they used steroids, 74.3% of users were aged 22-35 years old and 70.2% of users said they were aware of the side effects. In addition to that, 54.8% of all respondents indicated that they would like to receive more expert information on steroids and their side effects. "These findings were surprising, not only was the prevalence of steroid abuse high, knowledge of the damaging side effects was also high, yet this does not stop them taking them," said Dr Mykola Lykhonosov, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Russia. "We need to tackle this growing public health problem, increasing awareness through the promotion of stories from former users, on how steroid abuse has negatively impacted on their health and lives, could be a good strong message to discourage abuse," he added. During the celebration of Godse's birth anniversary, these Hindu Mahasabha members lit up diyas around Godse's photo, exchanged sweets and sang bhajans in the temple premise. (Photo: Representational) Surat: Six Hindu Mahasabha activists were arrested for allegedly celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse at a temple in Surat's Limbayat area on Sunday, police said. Godse was born in Baramati in Pune district, then part of the Bombay Presidency, on May 19 in 1910. The Hindu Mahasabha activists had organised the celebration in the premises of Suryamukhi Hanuman temple in Limbyayat area of city, following which they were arrested on Monday, said Surat Police Commissioner Satish Sharma. "During the celebration of Godse's birth anniversary, these Hindu Mahasabha members lit up diyas around Godse's photo, exchanged sweets and sang bhajans in the temple premise. They even made videos and took photographs of the event," said Sharma. "Their act of revering Godse, who had killed Gandhiji, deeply hurt the sentiments of citizens. It was an attempt to incite people and disturb peaceful atmosphere," said Sharma. Officials said the six have been arrested under IPC sections 153 (provocation with an intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 153B (making assertions prejudicial to national-integration). Police identified those arrested as Hiren Mashru, Vala Bharwad, Viral Malvi, Hitesh Sonar, Yogesh Patel and Manish Kalal. Tanvar is a victim of it and he was an active party worker, Singh said. (Photo: PTI | Representational Image) Indore: A 60-year BJP worker was allegedly shot dead by a Congress leader in Paliya village in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, police said. The incident took place sometime before the polling for the Indore Lok Sabha seat came to an end, police said. Talking to PTI, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ruchivardhan Mishra said Congress leader Arun Sharma allegedly shot dead Nemichand Tanvar outside his house possibly with a country-made gun from close range around 5:30 pm. At the time of incident, Sharma's two sons were also present there, she said. Tanvar was taken to a nearby hospital, but doctors could not save him, the woman police officer said, adding that the matter was under investigation and a search has been launched to trace the accused. Meanwhile, state BJP president Rakesh Singh said in a statement that the murder was fallout of a political rivalry. Tanvar is a victim of it and he was an active party worker, Singh said. He also alleged that the main accused in the case, Arun Sharma, is close to state Health Minister Tulsiram Silavat. He said that Tanvar and his sons were threatened on Sunday afternoon for working in favour of the BJP during the Lok Sabha polls. They were told that they will face dire consequences for their act. Singh said the accused should be arrested soon and strong legal action must be initiated against him. Efforts to contact Silavat on the issue proved futile. Vijayawada: Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu objected to the use of abusive language in politics and spending crores of rupees in the elections. He came to Guntur on Sunday and participated in a cordial meeting at the Guntur club. He recalled that he had participated in every election and this is the first time he is inactive in the general elections. He claimed that he contested elections with the money donated by people and said that he wants to continue serving people in the coming days. He expressed his anguish over the low quality of political debates during the just-concluded election campaign with politicians resorting to personalised attacks instead of focusing on larger issues of public concern. Speaking at a function organised to felicitate him by his friends and well wishers, following the recent conferment of a honorary doctorate by the University for Peace at Costa Rica, Mr Venkaiah Naidu said that politicians should remember that they are only rivals and not enemies, and said that language should not be abusive. All political parties, people and the press too should seriously ponder over this issue, he added. He recalled that during his younger days as a legislator, he used to be highly critical of and harsh on the policies of government but never indulged in personal attacks. He underlined the importance of respecting the institutions of the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, leader of the opposition and other public representatives. Mr Venkaiah Naidu expressed anguish over falling standards in every walk of life. He appealed to all, including legislators, political parties, institutions and people in public life, to uphold high standards and values. He also urged people to select and elect their representatives on the basis of character, caliber, conduct and capacity to strengthen democracy, although four other Cscaste, cash, community and criminality were trying to be predominant. Mr Venkaiah Naidu also took dig at the growing trend of defections and freebies offered by political parties. Referring to his interactions with foreign dignitaries in India and during his visits abroad, he said the world was impressed with Indias economic momentum. India is being recognised and respected the world over, he asserted and pointed out that the Indian economy was moving forward while the global economy was slowing down. Mumbai: Have you missed any news today? Here are the top national, international headlines of the day. Stalin refutes reports about meeting UPA on May 23: DMK chief M K Stalin on Monday said there was no meeting of the UPA being convened by Sonia Gandhi on May 23, the day votes in the Lok Sabha elections will be counted. READ: No UPA meeting on May 23: Stalin dismisses reports Section 144 imposed in Bhatpura: Election Commission has now imposed Sec-144 (which prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. READ: EC imposes Section 144 in Bhatpura for undefined time-period Non-BJP front in discussion: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence in Kolkata on Monday to decide on forming a non-BJP government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict, TMC sources said. READ: Naidu, Banerjee prepare for hung verdict, non-BJP front in discussion Air strike controversy: Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Monday confirmed that the first surgical strike was carried out by India in September 2016. Read: Refuting Cong claims, Army top official says 1st surgical strike was in Sept 2016 Julian Assange prosecution: The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. Read: Swedish prosecutor files request for Assange's arrest over rape allegation Kumaraswamy lashes out at media: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy hit out at media organisations for "belittling" politicians on their satirical programmes, saying he was thinking of bringing a law to curb the practice. Read: Are we cartoon characters?: K'taka CM slams media for 'belittling' politicians Rajbhar's dismissal from UP cabinet: Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief OP Rajbhar on Monday welcomed the decision of his dismissal from Uttar Pradesh cabinet and accused the state government of not doing enough for the backward caste people. Read: Good decision, I welcome it: Rajbhar on his dismissal from UP cabinet AIADMK fears defeat: The exit polls have predicted a clear majority for the ruling National Democratic Alliance but its ally in Tamil Nadu is not impressed. Tamil Nadus chief minister E Palaniswami has called the exit polls a lie. Read: 'Routed' in Tamil Nadu, Palaniswamy calls exit polls a lie Tajikistan prison riot: Three prison guards and 29 inmates have been killed in a high-security prison in Tajikistan after convicted Islamic State militants started a riot, the Central Asian nation's Justice Ministry said on Monday. Read: 32 including 3 guards killed in Tajikistan prison riot Ram Madhav confident of win in West Bengal: Backed by exit poll predictions, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Monday said that his party will surprise political analysts with a performance in West Bengal similar to that of Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Read: BJP will repeat 2014 UP victory in WB; 'Mahagathbandhan' vision-less: Ram Madhav Majority in question in Madhya Pradesh: The BJP has written a letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and asked for a special session of the state assembly, claiming that the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state doesnt have a majority. Read: BJP writes letter to MP Governer, asks Kamal Nath govt to prove majority Delayed results in Delhi: Declaration of results for the Delhi Lok Sabha seats may get delayed by around five to six hours on May 23 as more time will be spent on counting VVPATs from each of the 70 Assembly segments of the national capital, Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said. Read: Results of Delhi LS poll may get delayed by 5-6 hrs: Chief Election Officer Rajiv Gandhi convicts: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday said his government was committed to the release of seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts and expressed hope the state Governor will act on the cabinet recommendation for setting them free. Read: TN govt committed to release of Rajiv case convicts: CM Palaniswami Akhilesh-Mayawati meet: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati held a meeting at the latters residence in Lucknow on Monday. This comes the day after the exit polls were released. Read: Akhilesh, Mayawati meet day after exit poll projections They also questioned the accused's parents, who were in the house during the search, police said. (Photo: File) Coimbatore: CBI Monday carried out searches in the house of an accused in the case of sexual harassment of women by a gang in nearby Pollachi, police said. Two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has taken over the probe from Tamil Nadu CB-CID police recently, conducted the searches at the house of Sabarirajan, among the five people arrested in the case. They also questioned the accused's parents, who were in the house during the search, police said. A 19-year old woman student in February lodged a complaint with the police that a gang of four men had allegedly tried to strip her inside a car, shot a video of the act and blackmailed her using the visuals. The gang was believed to have sexually harassed and blackmailed a large number of women in Pollachi over a period of time. The issue triggered a public outrage, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to first transfer the case to the CB-CID police and later to the CBI. The case assumed political overtones after a local functionary of the ruling AIADMK allegedly attacked the victim's brother for lodging the complaint. He was expelled from the party later. Five people had been arrested so far in the case. CBI had last week carried out raids in premises of key accused Thirunavukkarasu. Addressing media persons, he said, 'We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue did not affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there.' (Photo: ANI) Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday asserted that Sabarimala issue did not affect polls in Kerala. He in a veiled attack on the BJP said that it was the latter party which created trouble in the state. Addressing media persons, he said, "We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue did not affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there." Asserting that those who created trouble during Sabarimala row are facing in-fighting now, Vijayan said, "Now there is in-fight within those people. Some among them have said that a group of people intervened with the intention of creating trouble there." The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests since October last year over the Supreme Court's decision to quash restrictions on the entry of women between 10 and 50 years. Nearly four months after the apex court permitted women of all ages to enter the temple on September 28 last year, two women aged below 50 years entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer prayers. Violent protests broke out all across the state, while a purification process took place in the temple following the entry of these two women -- Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga. In March, this year BJP's Kozhikode Lok Sabha candidate Prakash Babu was also remanded to judicial custody on Thursday for 14 days in a case related to violence at Sabarimala. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Rajbhar, a minister for backward class welfare and 'divyangjan' empowerment had earlier resigned from the cabinet but his resignation was not accepted. (Photo: ANI) Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Monday accepted Yogi Adityanaths request and dismissed Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' empowerment in UP cabinet with immediate effect. Earlier on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to state Governor Ram Naik requesting him to immediately dismiss OP Rajbhar from the state cabinet. Rajbhar, a minister for backward class welfare and 'divyangjan' empowerment had earlier resigned from the cabinet but his resignation was not accepted. Informing about the same, office of Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh tweeted, "Today UP CM Yogi Adityanath has written a letter to Governor and have requested him for immediate dismissal of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from the cabinet." Adityanath also recommended that all other Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately, an official spokesperson said here. Rajbhar who is also the chief of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), had on May 1 stated that he has resigned as a cabinet minister from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government over the seat-sharing agreement with the BJP. "I had resigned on the night of April 13 from the post of state minister when they (BJP) said that you have to contest on our symbol. I told them I will contest from only one seat but from my own party. However, they did not agree to that either. Following which, I immediately resigned but they did not accept my resignation," said OP Rajbhar while speaking to media persons here. SBSP is an ally of the BJP since 2017. Earlier on April 16, Rajbhar had announced that his party will go 'solo' in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. He had alleged that the BJP wanted to "eliminate" the SBSP as it did not give them a single ticket. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Hyderabad: Old bathroom fittings were replaced with new ones including the geyser, a new wi-fi router was in place, besides a phone, the room was plastered to give it a new look, electricity supply was restored and a brand new room heater with radiator was purchased. In no time, the rudra cave was spruced up with all new facilities. The second was the local police with whom were present the personal staff of the PM, while the outer and third cordon was where a mixed component of local police, SDRF personnel, doctors, porters and palkiwallahs were stationed, all of whom had been given a thorough briefing on how they should coordinate and act in the event of immediate evacuation. As the temperature dipped to minus three in the night, the security personnel remained alert, and braving the cold continued that way till morning. The PM's aides had done a weather check and they informed the Uttarakhand administration that the PM is sure he would stay in the cave itself, despite the dipping temperatures and related health concerns. The Uttarakhand administration, like that of any other state, has handled many VVIP visits but this one was the first of its kind where more than man-made threats, the hostile weather and the choice of accommodation (a cave) came as a huge challenge. But in the end, the Uttarakhand administration did a great job despite the challenges, one senior official based in New Delhi told this newspaper. The University of Bristol and science incubator Unit DX last week celebrated the second anniversary of its partnership and announced over 20 million raised by Unit DX members. The companies' technologies span biosciences, materials science, chemistry and quantum. The University has seen spin-out numbers reach record numbers in the last two years, partly attributed to the fruitful partnership with Unit DX. Dr Harry Destecroix, CEO at Unit DX, said: "Bristol is unlocking much more of its outstanding research base now that the right investment, facilities and support are in place. We all have a responsibility to make sure that the resources and lab space are available to maintain this growth and provide even more jobs for Bristols scientists." Unit DX, based in St Philips, has recently reached 100 per cent occupancy and is now home to over 100 jobs across 37 science and engineering companies, many of which are either linked to, or spin-outs of the University. STEM outreach programmes organised by Unit DX with volunteers from the University of Bristol have now welcomed over 1,000 schoolchildren. The team announced its economic impact figures during their second anniversary event at the Arnolfini last week. Unit DX Headline Statistics Over 20 million in investment and grant funding raised 100 per cent building occupancy 37 members Over 100 jobs created STEM Outreach Programmes have hosted over 1,000 children 4.3 million combined annual wage bill 26 internships/placements completed Nishan Canagarajah, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise at the University of Bristol, said: "The shift in approach to commercialisation and partnerships in Bristol over the past two years has been palpable. The University has seen a step change in the number of academics interested in the spin-out route, and we look forward to working with Unit DX to increase the facilities on offer for science companies in the city." One of the first companies to move to Unit DX was Ziylo, a University of Bristol spin-out whose struggle to find lab space inspired the creation of Unit DX. In 2018, Ziylo was acquired by Novo Nordisk in a staged deal worth a potential $800 million. The sale has put Bristol on the map and attracted additional investment to the sector. Some of the former Ziylo shareholders have gone on to make seed stage investments in over 10 Bristol science companies at Unit DX. The University of Bristol Enterprise Fund and Bristol Private Equity Club have also made significant investments. With Unit DX at capacity, plans have been set in motion to deliver more space for the growing scientific community in partnership with the University of Bristol. Space will be delivered in two phases Unit DY and Unit DZ. More details will be announced later this year. Vijayawada: Telugu Desam supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu is very confident of retaining power in the state and reiterated that nobody can stop the TDs victory. He said that in 2014, too, all the exit polls had predicted that the YSR Congress party would win and the party had also prepared a list of ministers. Mr Naidu added there is no second thoughts on TD retaining power and it is 1000 per cent sure. He said that the Election Commission had lost credibility and demanded yet again that 50 per cent of VVPATs need to be counted. He also said that there are rumours that EVMs may be manipulated and even replaced and the code can be changed using frequency from outside. Addressing a press conference here on Monday he said that there are many indications of a TD win. With the one call he had given on TV, many people stood in long queues and waited patiently till the early hours as early as 4:30 am to vote. He also said that despite Telangana government cancelling buses from Hyderabad, many reached their destinations in Andhra Pradesh to vote using whatever mode of transport they could find. He said seeing the development that had taken place in the last five years in the state, and the welfare schemes that were implemented, everyone voted for the TD. He ridiculed the decision of the Election Commission to send additional central forces for counting day instead of deploying them when needed during elections. The additional central forces will only be an added burden on the state's exchequer, he said. Earlier, in a teleconference with party leaders and cadre, Mr Naidu had alleged that some people are trying to play mind games and spreading chaos. He had said that the TD is going to win 18 to 20 Parliament seats and 110 Assembly seats on May 23. He said it would not be surprising if the party gets 130 seats. New Delhi: Upbeat over the exit poll predictions, the BJP has called a meeting of its NDA allies on Tuesday, which will be followed by a dinner hosted by party president Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present on both occasions. With most of the exit polls predicting a second term for the Narendra Modi-led NDA with a thumping majority, the BJP, sources said, could also hold a meeting of its MPs on May 24, a day after the Lok Sabha election results are is out. The BJP, including Mr Modi, had been asserting that the ruling alliance would retain power by a comfortable majority. In a related development, Union minister Nitin Gadkari met RSS second-in-command Bhaiyyaji Joshi in Nagpur, at the Sanghs headquarters. The RSS and its cadre play a key role in the BJPs election strategies and both leaders, it was learnt, also discussed the exit poll verdict as well as the feedback from the ground received by the RSS from parliamentary seats across the country. Sources said JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are likely to attend Tuesdays meeting. Sources said that before the NDA leaders meet, the BJP top brass, including Prime Minister Modi, Mr Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh and Mr Gadkari, among others, would meet at the party headquarters. In a boost to the NDA, Odishas ruling BJD led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik indicated it might join hands with the BJP-led coalition if it forms the government at the Centre. Odisha is the one of the key states where the BJP failed to gain much in 2014 and was under Mr Shahs radar for expanding the partys organisational and support base. The exit polls have predicted significant gains for the BJP in Odisha. Going by the exit polls, if the NDA forms the government at the Centre, then we could very much be part of the government. Whoever understands our problem like special category status, we are with them. We are open to that, BJD spokesperson Amar Patnaik was quoted as saying. The BJD had at various times backed the NDA government. According to the police Fakhruddin along with his wife Kajabi, 38 and two children Tabasamu, 16 and Akram, 12 were at the farm when suddenly they were caught unaware by a thunderstorm followed by heavy rain. (Representional Image) Hyderabad: Thunderstorm claimed three lives from the same family in Vikarabad district. According to the police Fakhruddin along with his wife Kajabi, 38 and two children Tabasamu, 16 and Akram, 12 were at the farm when suddenly they were caught unaware by a thunderstorm followed by heavy rain. They immediately took shelter under a nearby tree. But during the storm, the tree fell on them killing Kajabi and the two children. Fakhruddin was injured. The villagers rushed them to hospital where the three were declared brought dead. Doctors have put Fakhruddin under medical care. Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh BJP has asked governor Anandiben Patel to call a special session of the state Assembly to hold a floor test of the Congress government led by chief minister Kamal Nath alleging that it had lost its majority. Speculation had been rife in MP that the BJP could make such an attempt if it gets a majority in the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the Kamal Nath government through the use of corrupt practices and said that in doing so they are trying to negate the mandate of the people of the state. The Congress Madhya Pradesh in-charge, Mr Deepak Babaria, said: The BJP is trying to destabilise the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh through corrupt practices. They are trying to negate the mandate of the people of Madhya Pradesh given in favour of the Congress in the Assembly elections a few months ago, and the people will not forgive them for this. In elections for the 230-member Assembly last year, the Congress won 114 seats and the BJP, coming a close second, got 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party has two seats, the Samajwadi Party one and Independents four seats. The Congress had taken power from the BJP after the Assembly polls. Two short of the majority mark on its own, the Congress has the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party in the House. Hours after the BJP demanded the Congress government in the state prove its majority in the Assembly. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath on Monday said his government was ready for a floor test. Leader of the Opposition Gopal Bhargava said his party will ask governor Anandiben Patel to convene a special session of the Assembly "to discuss important issues and test the Congress government's strength." The parties would be demanding 100 percent VVPAT counting in Assembly segments where any mismatch is found. New Delhi: As exit polls predicted a clean sweep for the NDA, Opposition parties have decided to meet the Election Commission on Tuesday demanding a 100 percent VVPAT count in case a mismatch is found in any Assembly segment even as BSP chief Mayawati quelled rumours of coming to Delhi to meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. If the BSP chief would have met the Gandhis, it would have been a significant step towards consolidation of Opposition moves. However, her aide and BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said, Mayawatiji has no programmes or meetings in Delhi on Monday. She will be in Lucknow. Later, however, Ms Mayawati met with Samajwadi President Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow. On Sunday she had met TDP chief N. Chandra-babu Naidu, who has been trying to bring the Opposition parties on a common platform. Mr Naidu flew to Kolkata to meet Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and would reach the national capital late tonight. On Tuesday, Mr Naidu would lead the Opposition delegation to the Election Commission and is likely to sit on a dharna outside the EC at around 3 PM. Other leaders who would be present, sources told this newspaper are NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Kapil Sibal, BSPs Satish Mishra, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPIs D. Raja besides representatives from parties like Trinamul Congres and DMK. The parties would be demanding 100 percent VVPAT counting in Assembly segments where any mismatch is found. On VVPATs and the EVM tally, the EC is yet to come out with a procedure in case there is a mismatch. Even if there is one mismatch in the VVPAT samples picked for counting and EVMs, to maintain integrity of the electoral process, all VVPATs in that assembly segment must be counted, Mr Yechury tweeted on Monday. Despite demoralising predictions by exit polls, Mr Naidu has taken a lead in getting the Opposition act together. Mr Naidu had on Saturday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and a host of other senior Opposition leaders. The Opposition parties also had plans of submitting a letter to President Ramnath Kovind with the signatures of all Opposition anti-NDA parties requesting him to consider them as a single block whicle extending invitation to form the government. The Opposition led by Congress had also initiated contact with YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekar Rao to join the UPA in case of a hung Lok Sabha. Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that his recent European tour was highly successful and that it would pave the way for investments in various sectors and launching of projects in port, transport, agriculture, coir and horticulture sectors. Business delegations from the Netherlands and Switzerland would visit the state soon. Mr Vijayan told reporters here that the decisions taken during the trip would be followed up by a committee headed by the chief secretary. The government was planning to set up a centre of excellence in horticulture and floriculture sectors in the state with the assistance of Netherlands agriculture department. Preliminary discussions on the project were held with the Dutch agriculture secretary-general during the visit. Officials from the state will take the matter forward with the agriculture ministry and Dutch embassy in Delhi. The chief secretary will hold talks for extending the operations of Dutch plant in Kerala to strengthen the coir sector in the state. Steps would be taken to increase the shelf life of banana through agricultural diversification and improve eco- tourism facilities in the state. A Dutch business delegation will visit Kerala for exploring the possibility of developing the shipping sector. A team of experts from Rotterdam port will be invited through the Dutch embassy for cooperation in the maritime sector. An MoU will be signed by October 2019 for development of ports for which the government has convened a high-level meeting.A delegation of representatives of Dutch industry will be invited to visit Kerala. The decision was taken during a meeting with VNO NCW, a Dutch Employers Federation. The state can benefit from the Dutch companies which have expertise in various sectors, including agriculture. An exhibition on the Indo-Dutch relations will be held in Kochi this year. The services of a company- ARS Traffic and Transport Technology-- will be sought for easing the traffic congestion in Thiruvananthap- uram, Kochi and Kozhikode. The company has agreed to conduct a pilot study in Thiruvananthapuram. During the meeting with CEOs and top government officials of Switzerland, the possibility of investment in Kerala was explored, he said. Many CEOs have evinced interest in investing in industrial parks in Kerala. Engineering companies are keen on extending their operations to the state. A delegation of Swiss CEOs will visit Kerala soon for this purpose, he said. New Delhi: A day after seventh and the last phase polling for the Lok Sabha elections concluded and most exit polls predicted BJP led NDA retaining power with a thumping majority, NDA ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was sacked from Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on Monday. Sulking over seat-sharing formula and miffed with not giving due importance in the state government, Mr Rajbhar had fielded party candidates from several constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and supported Congress and SP-BSP alliance candidates on some seats in Lok Sabha polls. Mr Rajbhar had recently sent a letter to the chief minister stating that he was resigning from the Cabinet but was not accepted then. The UP chief minister recommended to the state governor Ram Naik immediate sacking of Mr Rajbhar from his Cabinet for his outbursts against senior NDA partner BJP. Governor Ram Naik accepted the recommendation and relieved Mr Rajbhar from his post of backward class welfare and divyangjan empowerment minister, an official spokesperson said on Monday. Chief minister also recommended that all other SBSP members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately, the spokesperson said. Mr Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be thrashed with shoes. He had handed back the portfolio to the Yogi Adityanath government in February, accusing it of neglecting OBCs and discriminating against them. A recalcitrant Rajbhar appeared before the media soon afterward and welcomed the decision of the CM. I welcome the decision (to sack me). The decision taken by the chief minister was a delayed one, Rajbhar said. Had the decision been taken around 20 days ago, it would have been much better. By taking the decision, he (Adityanath) has proved he does not endorse my war against poverty, he told reporters. However, patronage for the offer is not encouraging because TD men are doubtful over a victory with several organisations giving the edge to the YSR Congress. (Representational image) Nellore: YSRC leaders are in an upbeat mood after most exit polls coming out in their favour in the region. Sources in the YSR Congress said that betting was in the ratio of 1:1 before the polls and their leaders have been offering two times more (1:2) to whatever amount punters are ready to bet after the exit polls from Sunday. However, patronage for the offer is not encouraging because TD men are doubtful over a victory with several organisations giving the edge to the YSR Congress. Before the exit polls, YSRC men were challenging TD leaders to betting on seats identified as tight in Nellore district. Nellore city and Sarveypalli and Atmakur Assembly seats as well as the Nellore Lok Sabha seat have witnessed fierce battles between TD and YSR Congress nominees. Urban development minister P. Narayana has been contesting against sitting YSR Congress legislator Dr Anilkumar Yadav in Nellore city while agriculture minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy is pitted against his arch rival and sitting YSRC legislator Kakani Govardhan Reddy at Sarveypalli. In the case of Atmakur, sitting YSRC legislator Mekapati Gautham Reddy has locked horns with former legislator Bollineni Krishnaiah of the TD. With respect to Nellore Lok Sabha, former minister Adala Prabhakar Reddy is in the field as the YSRC nominee against Beeda Masthan Rao. In fact, TD leaders have been banking on these seats notwithstanding the tight fight on the plea that women and pensioners have voted in favour of the TD. Notwithstanding TD hopes, the YSRC is offering 1:1 to whatever TD leaders are ready to gamble. A YSRC functionary said that betting was quite high in favour of TD Nellore Lok Sabha seat nominee Beeda Masthan Rao in the past but the scenario has changed after the exit polls are out. Betting activity is in full swing in lodges and even in the Childrens Park at Nellore. Those involved in the activity have been taking steps to prevent leakage of information. They are keeping the betting money with middlemen and offering 2 to 5 per cent commission of the betting amount. Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area, and Vikas Dalal had several cases of murders, extortion and robberies registered against them in Delhi and Haryana, Delhi police said. (Photo: File I Representational) New Delhi: Two suspected criminals were killed following a shootout between two rival gangs near the Dwarka Mor metro station in South West Delhi on Sunday, the police said. Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area, and Vikas Dalal had several cases of murders, extortion and robberies registered against them in Delhi and Haryana, they said. The shootout was an outcome of a property dispute, according to the police. The incident happened around 4 pm when three men in a car intercepted another car in which Parveen Gehlot was travelling and opened fire at him. Fifteen rounds were fired in the busy area, leading to panic among commuters, a senior police official said. Police officials in a PCR van near the metro station reached the spot and fired gunshots at the criminals and killed one of them, he said. Two people involved in the shootout managed to flee. The police said they have identified them and efforts are on to arrest them. A case of murder has been registered at Bindapur police station, the officer said. Dalal was on the run after escaping from Haryana police custody in 2018, he added. It will fall on its own, said Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Gopal Bhargava in MP. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The BJP has written a letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and asked for a special session of the state assembly, claiming that the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state doesnt have a majority. "We are sending a letter to the Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues... It (the Madhya Pradesh government) will fall on its own. I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Gopal Bhargava was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. He also said he wants "to discuss important issues and test the Congress governments strength". "I am writing a letter to the Governor for convening a special session of MP Assembly shortly. We want discussion on important issues like farm loan waiver and (to) test the government strength," Bhargava told PTI. The Congress retaliated by accusing the BJP of attempting to destabilise the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh through use of "corrupt practices" and said in doing so they are trying to negate the mandate of people of the state. Congress general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Deepak Babariya said the people of the state had rejected the BJP and voted them out in the assembly elections. "The BJP is trying to destabilise the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh through corrupt practices. They are trying to negate the mandate of people of Madhya Pradesh given in favour of the Congress in assembly elections held a few months ago and people will not forgive them for this," he told PTI. Babariya said the people had rejected the BJP government's policies and had voted them out of power due to their "malgovernance". In elections for the 230-member Assembly last year, the Congress won 114 seats and the BJP coming a close second with 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party has two seats, the Samajwadi Party one and e Independents four seats. The Congress had captured power from the BJP after the assembly polls. Two short of the majority mark on its own, the Congress has the support of BSP and SP in the House. The BJP demand comes a day after exit poll projectoins that predicted a thumping victory for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Rakesh Singh, BJP: Their govt(MP)won't go on. Theirs is minority govt standing on crutches. It'll collapse due to its internal conflicts. But today we're focussing on elections results&forming govt at centre. Today we aren't discussing whose govt will be or won't be there in MP. pic.twitter.com/jQgNSHFIft ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. NEWTOWN BOROUGH >> Comedian Tom Cotter from Americas Got Talent will appear at the historic Newtown Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $35 and are available at TheNewtownTheatre.com/comedy. Cotter has taken the comedy scene by storm since finishing as runner-up and becoming the breakout star from season 7s Americas Got Talent. He was the... New Delhi: Reiterating its demand for new rules for counting of votes in constituencies where VVPAT slips do not tally with EVM figures, the CPI(M) on Monday said in such cases, all VVPAT slips should be counted. Opposition parties have urged the Election Commission (EC) to frame new rules for counting of votes in constituencies where VVPAT slips do not tally with EVM figures. This is after the Supreme Court rejected a review petition filed by 21 opposition parties for increasing VVPAT tallying with EVM figures to 50 per cent. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury took his complaint to the Twitter: On VVPATs & the EVM tally, the EC is yet to come out with a procedure in case there is a mismatch! Even if there is one mismatch in the VVPAT samples picked for counting and EVMs, to maintain integrity of the electoral process, all VVPATs in that assembly segment must be counted Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) May 20, 2019 Polling for the seven-phased Lok Sabha election came to an end on Sunday and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. West Bengal has witnessed violence all through the seven phases of the voting. (Photo: ANI) Bhatpura: Election Commission has now imposed Sec-144 (which prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. West Bengal has been voting all through the seven phases and has seen violence in every one of them. There has been numerous cases of vandalism, breaking of cars and deaths here and there. READ: BJP requests EC to conduct repolling in booths affected by violence in the LS polls Vivek Dubey, Special Police Observer for West Bengal: A strength of 200 Companies of Central forces will be retained in West Bengal to assist in counting&to handle post-poll violence. This force will be deployed all over state. Remaining 510 Companies will move out of the state. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. 'People will surely tell their 'Mann Ki Baat' to PM Modi. This time, it has been ensured that Prime Minister Modi and BJP government will be in power till 6 am on May 23 and after 6 pm they will not be in power,' Babbar said. (Photo: ANI) Agra: Congress leader Raj Babbar on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP government will remain at the Centre only till 6 am on May 23 and they will be thrown out of power by 6 pm. "Exit polls are being shown by the media. But what is in the people's heart will be reflected in the results on May 23. People will surely tell their 'Mann Ki Baat' to PM Modi. This time, it has been ensured that Prime Minister Modi and BJP government will be in power till 6 am on May 23 and after 6 pm they will not be in power," Raj Babbar said while speaking to ANI here. The Congress leader, who is contesting from Agra, took a dig at Prime Minister Modi's Kedarnath visit and the traditional Garwali outfit which he sported while offering prayers at the temple. "I wore several traditional outfits in my acting career and even went to sacred pilgrimage. I believe one should not comment on an individual's religious sentiments but this was too much," he said. Several opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, have been targeting Modi for his visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath temples stating that his action was a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and it influences voters through a public display of his personal religious activities. Prime Minister Modi on Saturday offered prayers at the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath, a day after campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls came to a close. After spending over 15-hours meditating inside a holy cave of Kedarnath, he visited Badrinath, another temple in Uttarakhand's revered 'Char Dham' on Sunday. The exit polls are giving a clear majority to BJP-led NDA at the Centre. ABP-Nielsen poll projected 267 for the NDA, 127 for the UPA and 148 for 'Others' while CNN News 18-IPSOS exit poll gave the BJP and its allies the highest number of 336 seats with the saffron party on its own getting 276 seats, four more than it had won in the 2014 elections. Voting was held on Sunday for 59 Lok Sabha seats -- 13 each in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, nine in West Bengal, eight each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, all four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand and the lone seat of Union Territory Chandigarh. As per the EC, a voter turnout of 62 per cent was registered till 7 pm in the seventh phase. Counting of votes is scheduled on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. The meeting also discussed possibilities of forming a non-BJP government including regional parties with the support of the Congress, they said. (Photo: ANI) Kolkata: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence in Kolkata on Monday to decide on forming a non-BJP government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict, TMC sources said. Naidu, who reached here from Amaravati, held a 45-minute-long meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagatbandhan" (Grand Alliance), the highly-placed sources said. The meeting also discussed possibilities of forming a non-BJP government including regional parties with the support of the Congress, they said. "It was decided at today's meeting that a detailed discussion will be held among other political players of the Mahagatbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, the sources said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23, the sources said. Naidu, who is making efforts to bring together opposition leaders against the BJP, left for New Delhi after the meeting. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the proposed strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", the sources said. The TDP President had on Sunday called on National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and had also met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday he had met BSP chief Mayawati and Yadav. During his meeting with Banerjee, the TDP chief spoke about the meetings, the TMC sources said. The exit polls gave a clear verdict in favour of the BJP, which was promptly dubbed by Banerjee as "gossip". The TMC supremo had said that she does not trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Some non-UPA party leaders were also said to have been sounded for the meeting, it was reported. (Photo: File) Chennai: DMK chief M K Stalin on Monday said there was no meeting of the UPA being convened by Sonia Gandhi on May 23, the day votes in the Lok Sabha elections will be counted. "Who said there is an opposition parties meeting on the 23rd. The meeting will be useful only election results," he told reporters here. Earlier there were reports that Sonia Gandhi has invited leaders of the constituent of United Progressive Alliance in Delhi for planning a strategy to checkmate BJP from staking claim to power if the NDA falls short of majority. Some non-UPA party leaders were also said to have been sounded for the meeting, it was reported. Hyderabad: Following the predictions by exit polls which are highly favourable to the BJP-led NDA, some regional parties are changing their stand. In Tamil Nadu, DMK chief M.K. Stalin said that his party will decide who to support at the Centre only after May 23 when the actual results are out. In Odisha, Naveen Patnaiks Biju Janata Dal also changed its mind and announced that it would support any party or alliance that forms the government at the Centre. And Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, who was supposed to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, cancelled her Delhi visit on Monday. In another possible fallout of the exit polls, the proposed meeting of Opposition parties convened by Ms Gandhi on May 23 is likely to be postponed. All these days the DMK has maintained that it will not leave the Congress alliance. When TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao met Mr Stalin and requested support for the Federal Front, he said the same thing. But surprisingly, on Monday, a day after the exit polls were out, Mr Stalin changed his tone and tune. The other day DMK leaders were announced that they will attend the Opposition parties meeting proposed on May 23. Talking about exit polls on Monday, Mr Stalin said that even as the exit polls predicted a good show by his party, he does not take the projections seriously and would wait for three days to know the peoples mandate. When asked if the DMK would be a part of the next Cabinet formed by whichever party, Mr Stalin said that he will respond to this only after the conclusion of counting on May 23. He did not say that his party will go with the Congress only but kept his options open. When asked about the Opposition parties meeting, Mr Stalin said, Who told you there is a meeting on May 23? He said such meetings will be useful only if held after results are known. In fact, Sonia Gandhi proposed to hold the meeting on May 23 evening by which time the LS results would be known. Meanwhile, in Odisha, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has so far maintained an equal distance between the BJP and the Congress. In the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections, the BJD contested alone. But surprisingly, on Monday, the BJD hinted at supporting the BJP-led NDA. BJDs senior leader Amar Patnaik said, We would probably support some party or some kind of combination whoever forms the government at the Centre. With exit polls favouring the BJP, it seems like the BJD is not averse to hooking up with the NDA alliance. After discussions with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the BSP chief Mayawati had decided to meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Monday. But the exit polls have made her change her mind. The Congress high command is also thinking of postponing the proposed Opposition parties meeting scheduled for May 23. UPA allies have suggested that it will be better to meet after the results are out. The meeting may take place on May 24 or 25. Some exit polls have said the ruling Telugu Desam will retain power, while others said that the main Opposition YSR Congress will be the winner. (Representational image) Hyderabad: With the excitement of the exit polls over, people and political parties are anxiously awaiting the final results which will be out in the next 48 hours. In AP there is more anxiety about the Assembly results where the exit polls have thrown up no clear picture. Some exit polls have said the ruling Telugu Desam will retain power, while others said that the main Opposition YSR Congress will be the winner. There is a great deal of interest in the fate of AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidus son Nara Lokesh who contested from Mangalagiri, and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, who contested from Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram. Both are first time contestants. Mr Naidu on Monday said that he has no faith in exit polls and told the party cadre not to bother about them as the victory of the TD in the Assembly elections is assured. Some exit polls in Telangana state predict a clean sweep for the TRS, while others say the Congress and BJP may win one or two Lok Sabha seats each. The TS Congress leaders are confident of winning four to five seats. TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said, We are confident of winning five Lok Sabha seats. It is certain that the ruling TRS cannot win 16 Lok Sabha seats as Mr Rao and TRS leaders are telling us from the beginning. Telangana state BJP president K. Laxman claims that his party has given a tough fight to the TRS in seven Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP is hoping to win two or three Lok Sabha seats. Hyderabad: Old bathroom fittings were replaced with new ones including the geyser, a new wi-fi router was in place, besides a phone, the room was plastered to give it a new look, electricity supply was restored and a brand new room heater with radiator was purchased. In no time, the rudra cave was spruced up with all new facilities. Besides the multi-layered security three layers to be precise who stood guard for Indias most powerful man in temperatures which dipped to minus three degrees, a battery of doctors including cardiologists, were present. Dozens of personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) along with the local police and of course the Special Protection Group (SPG) all had their eyes fixed on the cave while a group of electricians and plumbers remained on stand-by throughout the night as did two dozen porters (for transporting luggage and material) and several palkiwallahs, just in case the VVIP had to be moved in the palki. Contingency plans are always there for the visit of any Prime Minister to any state or country. But the recent night halt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside the rudra cave in Kedarnath, at an altitude of 11,700 feet in the Himalayas, kept the SPG personnel and the Uttarakhand district administration on the edge throughout the 17 hours he spent inside the cave. This was probably the first time they had to guard a VVIP who chose to stay in a cave in hostile weather conditions that were perhaps a bigger threat than the ones emerging from the usual quarters. 'We came to know about his visit to Kedarnath five days ago and to make arrangements in the cave, 11,700 feet up in the Himalayas. It was no ordinary task at this short notice. We swung into action and started making all the arrangements, top Uttarakhand government officials told Deccan Chronicle. In the next 24 hours, top government officials made multiple recces even as it snowed heavily, followed by spells of rainfall. As is the normal drill before any visit of the PM, the SPG had already taken over Kedarnath four days prior to the Mr Modis visit. He arrived in Dehradun on May 18 on a two-day visit and flew down straight to Kedarnath in a special helicopter. The first task was to spruce up the cave and upgrade it completely for the use of the PM. 'From bathroom fittings to plastering the walls to wi-fi, phones, room heater etc, we had worked on everything including the back-up (generators). Fresh roads were laid from the cave to the shrine. There was a contingency plan for everything and we had made separate accommodation ready just in case the PM wanted to shift from the cave. But he spent the entire time in the cave. At this altitude, oxygen is less and health is a major concern and therefore a battery of doctors including cardiologists were on stand-by,' sources said. Never in the past had the SPG found itself in a situation where it was tasked with securing a cave in which a VVIP was present. The three layered security thrown around the cave consisted of SPG personnel as the first core layer. The second was the local police with whom were present the personal staff of the PM, while the outer and third cordon was where a mixed component of local police, SDRF personnel, doctors, porters and palkiwallahs were stationed. Hyderabad: Emboldened by the exit polls putting the Bharatiya Janata Party in the forefront, Telangana state BJP president K. Laxman said that after West Bengal, the partys target is Telangana, and added that the West Bengal situation would be replicated in the state. Speaking to the media on Monday, Mr Laxman said, The day is not far off when two Telugu states would be freed from Chandragrahanam. He said after the exit polls were out, Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao left for the jungle in the name of inspecting the Kaleswaram project, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is doing the rounds of Delhi and Kolkata. He said after May 23, when the Lok Sabha results are out, a lot of changes will happen in Telangana state. The BJP will concentrate on the state once the Karnataka mission is over, and Telangana state is all set for a two-party system of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the BJP, he said, and added that the Congress has no option but to dissolve or disintegrate. Telangana state will become the Bengal of the south shortly and people will put an end to the dictatorial, dynastic and corrupt government in the state, he declared. In TS, there is no democracy and the TRS government is resorting to arrests and suppress the voices of protest. People are waiting to topple the government in the state, he claimed. Mr Laxman said he was surprised that the Chief Minister is mulling over extending support to the Congress when he is talking about a Federal Front. He asked why at such a crucial time the TRS key leader and MLA, T. Harish Rao, has left for the US and what was the secret behind his US visit. He said in Telangana state, the BJPs vote bank has improved and in seven Lok Sabha seats, the Congress will get third place. He said that the entire Opposition is in the grip of Modi phobia but the UPA and mahagathbandhan have failed to make any impact on the BJP-led coalition. He declared that according to the exit polls the country is going to witness Rama Rajyam again under Narendra Modi. He said people have voted for the BJP because of the Modi governments performance, corrupt-free government, development and welfare schemes implemented by the NDA government and Mr Modis courageous decisions on various issues including security of the nation. Politicians pretend that they do not like exit polls, even when they are shown to be winning. It is not surprising. The politicians know that the real test is the actual outcome. Conjectures, however close and legitimate, are not satisfying. And the politicians who are on the losing side do not want to accept defeat until it really hits them. The May 19 exit polls conducted by a dozen and more television news channels and professional pollsters mostly indicated Narendra Modis BJP-led NDA was the winner. The BJP leaders are maintaining a smug silence, and saying their tally would be better than projected by the most favourable poll. Those who are arrayed against Mr Narendra Modis right-wing politics perhaps Mr Modi doesnt care what his politics is called as long as he is winning, and he loves to win every time are not only sceptical about the exit poll projections, but are positively negative about the findings. The hostility is understandable, especially if Mr Modi is to emerge the winner on Many 23, as predicted by the exit polls. It would be necessary and interesting to look at the phenomenon of exit polls on their own terms. The exit polls are not part of any conspiracy because if the actual poll outcome were to prove them wrong, the purpose of conspiracy to hide the truth would be of no avail. The exit polls are to be seen as a legitimate media exercise. To get it right would be a bonus but getting it wrong does not de-legitimise them. An exit poll, like opinion polls and surveys, is a statistical exercise. And over the years, the methodology has been refined, and the sample size enlarged and attempts made to account for diversity. And if inaccuracies remain, it is not to be imputed to bad faith. It is also not right to argue that exit polls dont serve any purpose when the actual results are but days away, as in the India case. Speculation is part of the media exercise, and it cannot, and should not, be given up. The May 19 exit polls do indicate the general feeling among politicians and among people: Mr Modis likely return as Prime Minister for a second term. Even Congress president Rahul Gandhi didnt rule out the BJP-NDAs victory. He argued Mr Modi wouldnt be Prime Minister even if the BJP-NDA won. So the exit polls showing a NDA win, by a small margin in some and big in others, is not going against current opinion. Many of the conservative projections also show that the BJP is not scoring a spectacular victory and that it is getting back to office on the back of support that comes from its allies. All the exit polls show the BJP losing ground in Uttar Pradesh, in comparison with its 2014 tally of 73 out of 80. They show the BJP holding its ground in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, all strong bastions of the saffron party over the years. So the exit polls havent really shown a pronounced bias in favour of the BJP. The BJP-NDA win indicated by the different exit polls cant be used to infer that it is the victory of Mr Modis charismatic leadership. It seems more likely the case that people have voted for what appeared to be a stable BJP-NDA. This is not a ratification of what the Modi government did in its first term, nor is it a stamp of approval for Mr Modis stylised personal politics. This is a vote for political stability and continuity. Very clearly, the Opposition parties gave no sign of being a united and stable formation. The talk of post-poll alliances has given rise to fears that things may not work smoothly. The intriguing question then is whether the fact that the Opposition had no prime ministerial candidate made its case weak in the eyes of the people, and that Mr Modi as the unanimous PM candidate for a second term turned out to be an advantage for the BJP-NDA? One of the conspicuous facts of the 2019 election is that it has not been an election about Mr Modi, though the BJP and the Opposition almost made it look like one. There was enough evidence in the 2014 election that many voted for the BJP as they were impressed by Mr Modi. In 2019, most people voted for the BJP but remained critical of Mr Modis failures on the job front and his disastrous decision about the November 2016 demonetisation. Mr Modis claim to have proved his credentials as a strong PM by ordering the Balakot airstrike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp after the JeM suicide attack in Pulwama did not turn out to be the key issue. There were other things on the minds of the people. So if Mr Modi has been preferred, as indicated by the exit polls, it shows the people have come to the realistic assessment that Mr Modi is not the best, but he is the better one. The truth or otherwise of the exit polls will be borne out by the results on May 23. As we wait for D-Day, the exit polls provide enough cud to chew about the seven-phase five-week general election process. The key issues did not remain constant through the protracted election schedule. People were not carried away by the Balakot rhetoric and they did not buy into the charges of corruption surrounding the Rafale fighter deal. They weighed many more issues and it seems that the verdict reflects their deliberative decision. The exit polls also point to the fact that the Opposition has not been turfed out as the BJP and Mr Modis fanatical fans on the social media would have wanted. And the BJP has not really been given a carte blanche to do whatever they would want to. The author is a Delhi-based commentator and analyst The exit polls showed the trend right in 2014, although they mostly failed to indicate the impressive nature of the BJPs victory under the leadership of Narendra Modi. The massive Indian poll show the greatest on earth is over with the completion of the voting process on Sunday to elect the 17th Lok Sabha. Around 60 crore electors out of a possible 90 crore pressed the buttons on electronic voting machines to send 542 representatives to Parliament. It was truly a spectacular event, in which 8,000 candidates from dozens of parties and Independents were in the fray. There was only a very small increase in the percentage of voting in 2019 over the last Parliament election in 2014. But the 67 per cent who voted comprise almost equally men and women, with the menfolk being ahead by just 0.4 per cent. Women stepping out to vote in large numbers is perhaps the most significant takeaway from this election, marking a shift in the gender pattern. Given the rising female participation, it is ironical that too few women were in the fray as party nominees. For reasons that arent wholly clear, parties dont seem to regard women as winnable candidates. Conseque-ntly, barely 10 per cent of MPs in India are women, and many of them have familial links with prominent male political leaders. The exit polls that were available on Sunday have spiced up political calculations with the finding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was winning big and set to begin his second innings. It has to be seen if these calculations are confirmed by the actual count. Exit polls in India have had a far from robust record. While they have been around in patchy form from the late 1990s, such surveys have increased since the 2004 Lok Sabha polls where they were hopelessly out of kilter with ground reality. They not only failed to point to the Congress return at the head of the UPA, each gave then PM Atal Behari Vajpayee who ran on the India Shining! slogan a big cha-nce of victory. In 2009, they showed the BJP and Congress neck and neck when, in fact, the Congress was far ahead and Dr Manmohan Singh became PM for a second term. The exit polls showed the trend right in 2014, although they mostly failed to indicate the impressive nature of the BJPs victory under the leadership of Narendra Modi. But pointing to the correct trend could not earn the pollsters big brownie points as anyone on the street was feeling the Modi wave anyway. This time around, there is no wave or undercurrent being felt by the man or woman on the street. So lets just wait for the real verdict. The sigh of relief as the general elections campaign in the worlds loudest democracy wound up may have been heard from well beyond India. There had never been such belligerent noises in an election. Diverse views on multiple topics may never have been in short supply in India, but for sheer vituperative attacks in an up close and personal manner, the 2019 polls must take the biscuit. Hot issues were freely spoken of at the hustings. From Narendra Modi to the Modis who looted and scooted, from Gandhi to Rahul, God to Godse, Mallya to Maya, Mahabharata to the Ramayana and from Pulwama to Balakot - the topics covered were so numerous that it is moot whether voters were any the wiser in this tit for tat, barb for barb, jibe for jibe campaigning. A seven-week intense campaign period after the polls began on April 11 meant that the voices, driven by despair in a high stakes poll, got shriller as the weeks went by. They even made a visit to a cave in Kedarnath by one of the principal actors a poll issue by adverting that the Model Code of Conduct had been breached again. It was apparently fine for all leaders to visit temples and godmen to further their prospects or draw moral strength to keep going at this election madness, but when it came to the Prime Minister taking time off to meditate at the end of the campaign seemed to draw political fire from the illiberal left and others similarly inclined not to be charitable about faith and prayer. Adding to the cacophony was Kamal Haasan, at best a minor player in the political game, who suddenly discovered a historical truth that the man who shot Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu. Why bring religion into the terrible Indian event of 71 years ago unless the actor wished to cast his net for a few votes that might come his way if he identifies Gandhis killer by his religion? The pressures of another comment going down the wrong way with people may have forced him to see very soon the larger truth that there are terrorists in all religions. Terror has no religion. There are terrorists roaming the world today who were born into so many religions - Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Hindu. But to consider them to be driven only by zealotry is to be naive. What Godse, the assassin, did was pure evil in killing an apostle of peace, the Mahatma of ahimsa. It was the vilest hate crime in history. But how did it become important then to name the religion of Gandhis assassin while the same politician had said, in a platitude, that Violence can never be the final solution to human disagreements, but thought the Sri Lankan government had to be impartial and swift in rendering justice. Coordinated Islamist terror hit various churches on the island and the acts were universally condemned. The white supremacist who shot down worshippers in New Zealand mosques was no less a terrorist than those from other faiths who are as equally misguided. There is no denying that numerically more terror acts in India and around the world have been carried out by misguided Muslims in recent years. Much of the terror on Indian soil has been inspired by Pakistan but that is a different issue. Even those who take a gun into campus and shoot at random are terrorists and they aim to disrupt society for no other reason than to satisfy their itchy terror finger, giving way to impulses born of an inner madness. Considering the background of terror around the world, it was vacuous on the part of one politician to come out with a statement that an event 71 years in the past should be opened up as a poll issue. Terror and national security were freely spoken of in the course of the campaign but does the Mahatma Gandhis assassination fit into it. Having acted as the social gadfly for a year and more after entering politics, Kamal had consistently steered well beyond political correctness to bring up vague points, including a Kashmir plebiscite which they have stopped speaking about even in Pakistan. His personal faith, or lack of belief in god, is his own. Trumpeting atheism is probably as undesirable as bringing religion into politics to attract votes. The bottom line appears to be that politicians will speak anything, stray into any topic if there is a vote to be attracted. It would be ironic if the gadflys campaign is unable to win a seat if only to justify the stirring of the pot. India will never be the same again. Not because vicious vituperation sank to a new low in this election but because the norms of Indian society seem to have changed. We live in an age of irrelevance where Hamleys toys and Rafale fighters matter more than jobs, housing, education, health, medical care and all those other indices of well-being in which we now have to compete even with Bangladesh. Whether its the mystery that still surrounds the murder of Haren Pandya, Gujarats former home minister, or Mukesh Ambanis latest $88.5 million toy or the spat in the three-member Election Commission, the well-springs of thought and action could not be farther removed from what is lovingly thought of as the Indian ideal. Ironically, well-meaning observers abroad hailed the verdict of the hustings five years ago as a much-needed return to national grassroots. Their case was that ruled by the Congress Party and its variants and offshoots since 1947, India still moved on the momentum of the British Raj. Jawaharlal Nehru even described himself (perhaps with a touch of pride?) as the last Englishman to rule India. But his successors also had to work with and through practices and precedents that the British had left behind. The expectation in 2014 was that Narendra Modi would achieve what Atal Behari Vajpayee did not even attempt and create an altogether new narrative to reflect a creative native identity. When we read of new school and college syllabi, of the transformation of existing institutions, of people singled out for promotion or doomed to be discarded, and of bizarre scientific and medical theories, it does sometimes seem as if the prophets were right. But, then, I am reminded of the claim by South African social scientist Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni that the post-colonial is yet to be born. As he elaborated, This is because colonialism, if it was ever buried, it was buried alive. In other words, to adapt the old European monarchical chant, The King is dead. Long live the King! Narendra Modi might pay highly publicised visits to Kedarnath and Badrinath and have himself photographed ostentatiously meditating in a cave, but these are not fundamental departures from the past. Modest brass plaques if they havent been robbed or vandalised on the front pews of Christ Church in Shimla reading Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief are reminders that the highest in the land in British India did not neglect the deity they believed in. As the French say, Plus ca change, plus cest la meme chose! The more things change, the more they stay the same. The difference between now and then is not that we have reverted to some authentic indigenous type but that we have made a different selection from the same international smorgasbord that has always been on offer. But whereas the items picked up under the influence of leaders like Nehru were chosen with intelligent and educated care, the selection now reeks of crass wealth and the desperate desire to dazzle. Mr Modis monogrammed coat is not the only example of showmanship, although his sartorial elegance does betray what rightly or wrongly is regarded as the Indian ideal. When he describes himself as a faqir who will pick up his jhola and go, he is tactfully acknowledging the austerity and simplicity that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi identified with India. Our public interlocutors have become so sycophantic that no one points out the gulf between practice and profession. Pandyas murder and the Gujarat governments decision not to allow the CBI to prosecute D.G. Vanzara, the former deputy inspector-general of police, could be the replication of a passage from the history of Chicago in its years of turbulence. While the chief election commissioner cannot be blamed for not acting as Ashok Lavasa would have had him do, the decision not to acknowledge his dissenting voice violates all democratic procedures. What should cause most concern, however, is not something the government explicitly does but something that it tacitly encourages the crass consumerism that spawns crony capitalism and distorts the liberalisation that P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh ushered in. The alacrity with which Indians have taken to the capitalist road makes one feel we were all hypocrites when a socialistic pattern of society was supposed to be the model. The Rafale contract indicates that even a major public sector undertaking like Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd must yield to the private sectors profit motive. We live in parlous times. Foreign direct investment is falling. Mr Modis Make in India has had little or no impact. The GDP has declined from 7.8 to 6.5 per cent. Unemployment at 6.1 per cent is higher than it has been in the last 45 years. It has been calculated that a mere one per cent of the population owns 58 per cent of the national wealth while 60 per cent of 1.3 billion Indians languish below the poverty line. Yet, miraculously, the economy has played little part in this election campaign. The official emphasis on security, Pakistan and terrorism has enabled the BJP to distract attention from unsatisfied basic needs. Meanwhile, the purchase by one of the Prime Ministers favourites of Hamleys, the loss-making British toy firm that has been owned in recent years by Icelandic, French and Hong Kong Chinese, must set a new mark for irrelevance. Mukesh Ambani, reputedly Asias richest man, cant be told what to do with his money. Certainly not if brother Anil is allowed to make all those Rafale aircraft. But the question may well be asked: When the ordinary Indian who is still reeling from the impact of demonetisation wants a job, will he be offered a Hamleys toy or a Rafale fighter? The writer is a senior journalist, columnist and author. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal. (Photo: File) Washington: US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran on Sunday, suggesting that if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise as the United States has deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian "threats." Iran's foreign minister downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region on Saturday, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the "illusion" the Islamic republic could be confronted. "We are certain... there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region," Mohammad Javad Zarif told state-run news agency IRNA at the end of a visit to China. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. Washington: Republican lawmaker Justin Amash said on Saturday that he believed Donald Trump has engaged in "impeachable conduct," becoming the first politician of his party to call for removing the president from his party. The Michigan representative also accused Attorney General William Barr of "deliberately" misleading the public over the actual content and tenor of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference aimed at tipping the election to Trump. In a series of tweets, Amash -- a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus -- said "few members of Congress even read Mueller's report," which identified "multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice." Contrary to Barrs portrayal, Muellers report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019 "Undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence," he added. "Contrary to Barr's portrayal, Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment." Amash's comments went even further than those by most Democratic leaders in Congress. Fellow Michigan lawmaker Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat, urged Amash to co-sponsor her impeachment resolution. "@justinamash come find me in 1628 Longworth. I've got an impeachment investigation resolution you're going to want to co-sponsor," she wrote in response to Amash's thread. Trump has proclaimed he was fully exonerated by Mueller's report. But some Democrats argue that the document lays out multiple occasions in which the president may have obstructed justice, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, a 2020 presidential candidate who has called for impeachment proceedings. Other senior Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have cautioned against such a move, stressing it could deeply divide the nation of about 325 million people. They warn it could backfire politically in the run-up to the 2020 election, especially with the Republican-controlled Senate likely to acquit the president in the event of impeachment by the House of Representatives. Washington: Sailors belonging to US Navy submarine circulated sexually explicit lists that ranked female members aboard, an investigation found. The list, first mentioned and reported by Military.com, was revealed through a Freedom of Information Act request. The 74-page report reveals two lists- one with yelp like star ratings on women and another containing lewd and sexist comments next to each womans name, according to military.com. USS Florida, the guided missile submarine, in Feb 2018 became the second to integrate female members. The misconduct came to light four months later, when two sailors aboard the Florida brought the lists to the head, reporting that they were stored on an internal computer network and updated regularly, Military.com reported. Also Read: Witness says US sex cult leader had gatherings with 'naked' women slaves During the revelation, the submarine employed 32 women in its 173-person crew. The list which the military.com characterizes as rape lists- were described as ranking females by appearances, their characteristics and various obscene sexual acts the creators of the list would wish to perform on them, including aggressive sexual activity. The lists do not refer non sexual acts, the report mentioned, according to military.com, noting that a search of submarine networks by the officer in command. Gregory Kercher and a forensic test by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service did not locate any of the list. The officers reported the presence of the list in early June, reported the outlet. By the time the complaint reached Kercher, the investigation opined, that Kerchers higher-up adviser had already been giving a heads up about the presence of the lists. (Photo:Pixabay) Kercher, who did not respond to The Washington Posts request for comment, did not open discussions or investigations with his command, according to Military.com. Instead, he addressed the problem by identifying crew members who were accessing and circulating the lists. Navy officials above Kercher found out about the lists and opened a formal investigation while the submarine was in Indian Ocean. The date the investigation began is not known. The investigation made it clear that trust up and down the chain of command was negligible, according to Military.com With rumours doing the rounds, relations internally among the shipmates worsened. One woman told Military.com that she began to question and distrust all males on the boat. Another said she felt compelled to send the images of the lists to family members back home; as she worried that the top officials would sweep the lists under the rug. Also Read: Watch: This US congressman said rape can be 'consensual' Commander of Submarine Group 10, Jeff Jablon wrote in a letter obtained by Military.com that few crew members knew exactly what action had been taken by higher-ups. "Significant number of females were worried for their safety," he wrote, "and male members who learned of the list were equally shocked and dejected," the outlet reports. Kercher was fired, as a result of the investigation; he had held the position for five months, a stint during which there were also complaints of high workloads. Jablon said Kercher fell short of expected norms and standards for an event of this size." Two sailors were discharged, and additional administrative actions were rightfully taken against several others who mishandled the whole situation and the investigation inferred that the equal-opportunity reporting process was unwarranted and deeply flawed, US submarine services spokeswoman Sarah Self-Kyler told Military.com. In an assertion provided to Military.com, Chas Richard, commander of US Submarine Forces, said: "While I cannot guarantee that the incident such as this will not happen again, I can guarantee that we will continue to enforce our high standards of our character and conduct in the Force," adding that whoever falls short of the required expectations would be held accountable. Of course, Smith received a thunderous round of applause from the 400 graduates -- and from their parents. (Photo:AP) Washington: Sunday was already a day of joy and pride for the graduating class at historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia -- and then it got a whole lot better. Robert F Smith, an African-American businessman with a fortune estimated at USD 4.4 billion, told the new graduating class that he plans to pay off the entirety of their student debt: an estimated USD 40 million. Of course, Smith received a thunderous round of applause from the 400 graduates -- and from their parents. Also Read: London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for preferential norms for Indian businesses, students "My family is going to create a grant to eliminate your student loans," Smith told the assemblage, according to the college's Twitter account. "This is my class," said Smith, who was at the ceremony to receive an honorary degree. "I know my class will pay this forward" and help improve the lives of other black Americans. Billionaire technology investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith announces he will provide grants to wipe out the student debt of the entire 2019 graduating class at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Smith had earlier this year announced a USD 1.5 million donation to the school, but Sunday's news came as a surprise even to staff at Morehouse, according to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. A spokesman said it was the biggest gift in the history of the school, whose graduates include civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Samuel L Jackson. "If I could do a backflip, I would," Elijah Dormeus, a business major, told the newspaper. "I am deeply ecstatic." He said he has USD 90,000 in student debt. His mother, Andrea Dormeus, is a school bus driver in New York's Harlem neighborhood. Smith, a graduate of Cornell and Columbia universities, founded Vista Equity Partners in 2000, and by 2015 had become the richest African-American, according to Forbes magazine, with a fortune surpassing even that of billionaire celebrity (and fellow Morehouse donor) Oprah Winfrey. Graduates react after hearing billionaire technology investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith say he will provide grants to wipe out the student debt of the entire 2019 graduating class at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) In recent years, the soaring costs of college education -- and the rising number of defaults -- have made student debt a growing national issue, addressed by many of the Democrats seeking their party's presidential nomination. Total student debt now exceeds USD 1.5 trillion, according to the Fitch ratings agency. So at least at Morehead, Robert Smith had folks breathing a sigh of relief on Sunday. Charles Releford Jr., the father of one newly minted graduate and of a second son in Morehouse's class of 2020, has a fervent wish for Smith. "Maybe he'll come back next year," he said. A Tajik special forces colonel who defected to Islamic State in 2015 and, according to the ministry, has since been killed in Syria. (Representational Image) Dushanbe: Three prison guards and 29 inmates have been killed in a high-security prison in Tajikistan after convicted Islamic State militants started a riot, the Central Asian nation's Justice Ministry said on Monday. The ministry said the riot broke out late on Sunday in the prison in the city of Vakhdat, 10 km (six miles) east of the capital Dushanbe, as militants armed themselves with knives and killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. One of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, a son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to Islamic State in 2015 and, according to the ministry, has since been killed in Syria. Security forces have killed 24 militants and restored order in the prison which has 1,500 inmates, the ministry added. Islamic State, which at one point controlled large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq but has now lost its strongholds, claimed responsibility for another Tajik prison riot last November, which followed a deadly attack by its followers on Western tourists in July 2018. Mangal's mother believes it was her dedication to home and career that got her killed. (Photo:AP) Kabul: Minutes before Mena Mangal, a prominent Afghan journalist and parliamentary adviser, was shot dead by two men in Kabul, she had slammed the door of her parent's home after reminding them to pay the neighbourhood shopkeeper 15 Afghanis (20 cents). "Mena never forgot her duty towards our home and work. After years of struggle she had achieved success and happiness," said Anisa Mangal, Mena's mother, told Reuters, as she sat surrounded by her husband, four daughters, a son, grandchildren at her two-story home in eastern Kabul.. "She did the right things ... worked very hard to become a professional woman." No-one has been arrested over the broad daylight killing, but police officials said Mangal's family had filed a case against four men, including her ex-husband. "These four people are on the run but the police are trying to arrest them," said Kabul police spokesman Firdaws Faramarz. Also Read: Afghani journalist shot dead by unidentified gunmen Mangal's mother believes it was her dedication to home and career that got her killed. She accuses her daughter's ex-husband of involvement in the murder because Mangal would not give up her job and continued to appear on television. Reuters was unable to contact Mangal's former husband. Calls to family members went unanswered. The brazen attack on Mangal has drawn widespread condemnation including from US officials and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and highlighted what activists say is the continuing plight of Afghan women, who still suffer high levels of sexual and domestic violence and discrimination. Educated Afghan women, the torchbearer's of a drive to improve women's rights since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, say they still face hostility, be it from conservative family members or hardline Islamist groups, for pursuing professional and financial independence. Earlier this month, for example, the Taliban, launched a deadly attack on the head office of US-funded aid group Counterpart International in Kabul, citing the "intermixing" of women and men working at the site and its promotion of "western activities". At least nine people were killed and 20 were wounded in a siege that lasted for more than seven hours. "The Taliban want to kill women who work with men. If I die, there will be no one to feed my parents and siblings," said an Afghan woman who has worked at Counterpart for more than three years, speaking on condition of anonymity. "If I sit at home will the Taliban come to pay the bills?" Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said its fighters targeted Counterpart because it was funded by US aid agencies. Women could study and work, he said, but the intermingling of the genders ought to be kept in check in Afghanistan. Though many hardships remain, access to public life has improved for Afghan women since US-backed forces ousted the Taliban, especially in cities such as Kabul, where tens of thousands now work outside the home. But for many, concerns about the hazards of going out to a job extend beyond their own safety. Until April, thousands of Afghan women now working for the government were happy to bring their children to the office. The daycare centre attached to every government building provided reassurance their children were close by and safe. The centres were originally established in 1945 to encourage women into the workforce, but closed under the Taliban, who ruled from 1996 to 2001 and did not allow women to go to school or work, nor walk on the street without being accompanied by a male relative and wearing the all-enveloping burqa. Now reopened, the government runs more than 370 creches where around 17,000 children aged from 3 months to 5 years are provided with milk, food, cots, toys and education at subsidized rates. "Having a daycare centre next to my office is a blessing, I feed my child after every two hours and get back to work without any stress," said Sadia Seddiqi, an HR official at a government ministry. But this sense of security changed in April, after a suicide bomber and gunmen belonging to the Islamic State group attacked the Afghan communications ministry in central Kabul. About a dozen people were killed during the attack. Police evacuated about 100 children along with 2,800 employees from the complex. Harrowing TV pictures of children, teachers, and mothers screaming for hours after every gunshot inside the ministry building has forced hundreds of mothers to re-think their childcare. Meena Ahmadi, who works at the communications ministry, said several of her colleagues do not bring their kids to daycare after the attack and some of them had chosen to resign. "I am afraid of coming to the office," she said. "I get upset when I remember my colleagues who were killed. The attack has impacted my child too." In November last year, Modi had visited the Maldives. (Photo:ANI) New Delhi: With most of the exit polls predicting a majority for the NDA, former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hoping that the island nation would continue to have close cooperation with the BJP-led government. "As Indian polls close, congratulations are in order for @narendramodi and the BJP. I am sure the Maldives people and Govt will be delighted to continue their close cooperation with the PM and the BJP-led Govt," Nasheed wrote on his Twitter handle on Sunday. In November last year, Modi had visited the Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih after he surprisingly defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. During Solih's visit to India in December, New Delhi had announced financial assistance of USD 1.4 billion to Male. Nasheed's congratulatory message comes even as the counting of votes in the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will begin on May 23. Several exit polls on television channels have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Three exit polls including that of CNN News 18-IPSOS and India Today-Axis My India have predicted the NDA will retain power at the Centre with over 300 seats. In the 2014 general elections, the NDA got 341 seats of which BJP alone accounted for 282 seats. The UPA had 60 seats of which 44 were won by the Congress. Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. (Photo: File) Stockholm: The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday. She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him. Swedens decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubt on where Assange may eventually end up, with US authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information. A lawyer representing Assange in Sweden said he would tell the District Court it could not investigate the prosecutors request until he had conferred with his client and learned whether or not he wished to oppose a detention order. Since he is in prison in England, it has so far not been possible even to speak to him by telephone, Per Samuelson told Reuters. Assange, an Australian national, took refuge in the embassy after fighting unsuccessfully through the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden. The British courts will have to rule on the Swedish and US extradition requests, with interior minister Sajid Javid having the final say on which one takes precedence. The outcome of this process is impossible to predict, Persson said. Citing information from UK authorities, she said Assange would serve 25 weeks of his UK sentence before he could be released. A British judge has given the US government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump dispatched to the region an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers. (Photo:AP) Baghdad: A Katyusha rocket was fired Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission, days after the United States evacuated staff from Iraq citing threats from Iran. "A Katyusha rocket crashed into the Green Zone without causing casualties," the Iraqi security services said in a brief statement without giving further details. Tensions between the US and Iran have been high since Washington withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers, and they have soared in the past few weeks. Also Read: If Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed: Trump Despite international scepticism, the US government has cited alleged threats from Iran, a long-time enemy of both Washington and its regional allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, but a powerbroker in Iraq. Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump dispatched to the region an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, as well as an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery. And on Wednesday it ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdadembassy and the Arbil consulate in northern Iraq, citing "imminent" threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. It was not immediately clear who was behind Sunday's attack. But a police source told AFP that "initial reports indicate that the rocket was fired from an open field" in southern Baghdad. The Green Zone is one of the world's most high-security institutional quarters. Located in the centre of the Iraqi capital, it houses parliament, the prime minister's office, the presidency, other key institutions, top officials' homes and embassies. The US embassy in Baghdad its largest in the world lies within the fortified neighbourhood, also known as the International Zone, which is surrounded by concrete walls. In April this year, Saudi Arabia opened a new consulate compound in the Gree Zone after decades of no diplomatic ties with Iraq. Also Read: Iran rubbishes talk of conflict; make it clear they do not want war In September last year, assailants fired three mortar rounds into the Green Zone, in a rare attack that did not cause casualties or damage. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. That same month the US shut its consulate in Basra and ordered all but emergency staff to leave the southern port city hit by weeks of protests and relocate to Baghdad. At the time, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian militants for "indirect fire" which usually means rockets or artillery against the US consulate. Ruled by Shiite clerics, Iran has a strong influence in Iraq, especially in the country's Shiite-majority south. Baghdad has been under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour. The Katyusha rocket attack came as Iraq on Sunday slammed as "political" a decision by US energy giant ExxonMobil to evacuate staff from a southern oil field. "The temporary withdrawal of employees has nothing to do with security in southern Iraqi oil fields or any threats," Oil Minister Thamer al-Ghadban said. "The reasons are political and probably linked to tensions in the region," he added in a statement released by the oil ministry. Ghadban called the move to pull out staff from the West Qorna oil field west of Basra "unacceptable and unjustified". Exxon did not confirm the withdrawal. "We are closely monitoring. As a matter of practice, we don't share specifics related to operational staffing at our facilities," a spokeswoman said. The city police have unearthed a fake visa racket after a 34-year-old electrician from Tamil Nadu was arrested by immigration officials after he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) from Kuala Lumpur with fake Canadian visa on Saturday. The accused, identified as Tamilselvan, was handed over to the BIAL police, who booked him under forgery and cheating. He was later produced before the magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. Malaysian cops contacted The police said they have sent a letter to their Malaysian counterparts to deport four others who are said to be in Kuala Lumpur and also involved in the fake visa racket. During the interrogation, Tamilselvan claimed that he was working as an electrician in Canada for British Petroleum for the past two years and returned home on vacation. Police said that a Chennai-based travel agent, identified as Vijaya Prathaban Jothi and the kingpin of the scam, had promised better jobs in Canada to Tamilselvan and three others - Krishna Murthy Ananda Shankar, Ramalingam Venkatesan and Selvakumar Muthukrishnan for a sum of Rs 4.5 lakh. As part of the deal, the four had to pay him Rs 1.8 lakh initially and the rest of the amount after reaching Canada and confirming their job. Accordingly, Jothi sent the four to Indonesia on April 3 with fake Canadian visas. From Indonesia, they proceeded to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on May 3. But the accused ended up being stranded in Kuala Lumpur as they didnt have flight tickets. However, Tamilselvan had to return to India since the validity of his tourist visa expired. Efforts are on to nab Jothi while alerts have been sent to all airports to nab the other three when they land in India. As photos of Narendra Modi in a saffron robe meditating in Kedarnath, a day before Varanasi goes to polls went viral on social media, Opposition parties trained guns on the prime minister saying he violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and ridiculed his red carpet welcome at the shrine. Commenting on the photo where Modi is seen walking on the red carpet pathway, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, true devotees go visit the shrine of Baba (Lord Shiva) only after giving up their ego and pride and not by getting the red carpet spread for them. Modiji, you must be known at least this much. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said, Religion is a matter of personal faith and EC has reiterated that it cannot be used for garnering votes. But Modi violates the MCC brazenly with footage of his Kedarnath religious activity over TV channels during the silent period before polling. And EC continues to sleep on the job. AICC secretary Manickam Tagore tweeted a news report from 2015 about how Rahul chose to trek to the shrine instead of flying there. In a similar fashion, on the day voting was happening to the Karnataka Assembly polls last year, Modi had surprised all by making a sudden visit to Muktinath and Pashupatinath temples in Kathmandu in Nepal. Television channels had then run hours-long programmes of Modi at the temples, evoking criticism from the Opposition, who called it a violation of the MCC. Temple trips have become a common feature of the campaign strategies of both the BJP and Congress. Rebel Uttar Pradesh minister and president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an alliance partner of BJP in the state, Om Prakash Rajbhar, who had been spewing venom against the saffron party for the past several months, was on Monday sacked, a day after the completion of polling. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath recommended for dismissal of Rajbhar from the ministry to the state governor Ram Naik. The governor gave his approval a little later. A furious Rajbhar later dubbed the BJP as an ''anti-backward'' and ''anti-SC,ST'' party and vowed to continue to fight for their interests. ''I was dismissed for raising my voice against the step-motherly treatment being meted out to the SCs and OBCs in the state by the BJP government....I shall continue to take up their issues,'' he said. BJP sources said that Rajbhar had been criticising the government and the party for the past several months. ''We ignored his outbursts thinking that he would mend his ways but he did not,'' said a senior state BJP leader here. A case was recently registered against Rajbhar after he had allegedly used objectionable words against the saffron party at an election rally. Rajbhar said that he already resigned from the cabinet and that his sacking was meaningless. Many of Rajbhar's associates, who were recently accommodated as heads of public owned entities and given status of ministers of state, were also sacked. The SBSP chief had earlier declared a list of 39 candidates, including one against prime minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. 'Rajbhars', who formed around four per cent of the total electorate in the state, have a sizable strength in Azamgarh, Mau, Ghosi, Ballia, Salempur, Jaunpur, Lalganj Ghazipur, Deoria and some other seats in the region. SALT LAKE CITY There's a chance "Yellow Submarine," the Beatles' trippy, psychedelic 1968 feature cartoon, is the most famous show Ron Campbell ever worked on. But the time he spent on it doesn't represent much more than a moment in his years of work. "It was eight months in a 50-year career," Campbell said in a recent interview ahead of his art show at Holladay's Relics Framemakers & Gallery. " It took us eight months to do 12 minutes of the film. At the same time, I was doing other things I was working on the fifth season of 'Scooby-Doo,' and 'George of the Jungle' and others shows, so I was a busy boy that year. It was a memorable year." Campbell's resume includes many of the iconic cartoons from the late '60s through the '80s, from "Scooby-Doo" and "The Smurfs" to "The Jetsons" and "The Flintstones," to "Rugrats" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," to name just a few. As head of his own studio, he also created and directed the Peabody Award-winning animated show "The Blue Marble" that ran from 1974 to 1983. Campbell's fascination with animation hit him when he was a kid living in his native Australia, even if initially he didn't realize that the "Tom and Jerry" cartoons he watched during Saturday matinees at the local movie house weren't real. "I was really confuse because they didnt look like they were real, you know, with their big ears and all of that, (but) Id never seen anything like it," he said. "So when I was telling my great-grandmother about it, she said, 'Ronnie, its a drawing!'" Like many children, Campbell liked to draw, but he had never considered that his work could be anything more than lines on a page. "It hit me like an epiphany 'I can do drawings that can come alive! Maybe I can do that!'" he recalled thinking. It was a thought that guided him the rest of his life. Campbell went to art school and then talked his way into animation jobs in the medium's early television days. After gaining experience working on commercials, he got a call from an American producer to work on an animated show called "The Beatles" "and I said: 'Insects make terrible characters in cartoons,'" he recalled telling the producer. "Of course, he berated me for being so stupid." "The Beatles" ran for three seasons, and Campbell's work on the popular kids show helped him get a job with the California-based animation studio Hanna-Barbera (where he relocated), and in 1968, he worked on "Yellow Submarine." He never went to London or met the Fab Four during or after his work on the show, but even after all of these years, Campbell does see in it something unique. "When you watch that film, it explains to you what it felt like to be alive in 1968, in a very strange way," he said. "If you were alive and you saw that film in 1968, youd be reminded vividly what it felt like, and if you werent yet born and you watch it now, you do get a sense of what it was like to be alive then." He readily admits that the storyline for "Yellow Submarine," such as there is, is "weird," but that "the design work is out of this world beautiful," he said. Campbell was an instrumental part of the content that appeared on the golden years of Saturday morning cartoons that so many kids grew up with, something he has learned was "an island of relief," for many young viewers. Now that he's retired and traveling around the country for art shows, he gets to meet the people who were, for most of his career, just "numbers on a page." "That Saturday morning experience rushing downstairs, rushing to get to the TV to turn it on, the argument about what channel to watch and what show to watch represented to all children a highlight of their weekly life," he said. "If you had a very unhappy childhood or if your childhood was perfect in every way, it's aways the same: The highlight of your week was the Saturday morning cartoon." The cartoons that Campbell favored then and now have a sweetness to them shows that have with what he called a "gentle humor" and a "caring, worthwhile message." His love for these shows and his work is largely what keeps him still working years into his retirement. In spite of a stroke, his drawings are still as clear and vibrant as they were in his working years, and these days, he travels the country to art shows, meets fans and talks about the job that he enjoyed. In fact, he said, loving your job is the hallmark of the animator's working life. "We never wake up in the morning and say, 'Oh (no), I have to go to work.' In other words, if youre in animation, youre there because you love it." If you go What: Ron Campbell art show When: May 23-25, 27, times vary Where: Relics Framemakers & Gallery, 4685 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay Phone: 801-272-8312 Web: www.relicsgallery.com SALT LAKE CITY Disneys new Star Wars: Galaxys Edge park might be more for adults than children, according to Bloomberg. The park, which opens at the end of the month, offers alcohol and other items that are suitable for adults. Disney has shifted to marketing their parks to affluent adults who have more money to spend than young parents with children. Bobby Palta, who studies the industry for the real estate brokerage CBRE Group Inc, told Bloomberg that Disney has aimed to expand its demographic. Disney and other theme-park operators have looked to broaden their customer bases in recent years, coming up with attractions and events that appeal to adults and empty nesters. Thats bolstered attendance outside the peak spring break and summer periods, Bloomberg reports. Jay Burress, head of Anaheims tourism office, told Bloomberg that this represents a change to the wider California theme park space. Upscale food courts and high-end hotels are opening up in places that were previously aimed at families, he said. For years this was known as a place for chain restaurants where families eat, Burress said. But now, he said, Disney is appealing to a different audience, a new audience in many ways, which is fantastic for us. Of course, there will be options at Star Wars: Galaxys Edge without alcohol, according to StarWars.com, including the Tatooine Sunset and Moof Juice drinks. A lighthearted look at the news of the day: I dont know which is more entertaining: Watching the numbers tick away on the internets national debt clock, or watching the numbers tick away in the field of Democratic presidential candidates. --- With New York Mayor Bill de Blasio entering the race last week, the total number of Democrats now is officially higher than all the Democrats in the Utah Legislature, and its approaching the states average public school class size, which we are consistently told is unwieldy. --- De Blasio started his campaign with a 3-minute video called, Working people first. Unfortunately, most people were at work and didnt see have time to see it. --- A recent poll found that 76 percent of New Yorkers did not want de Blasio to run for president. Im guessing its not because they dont want to lose him as mayor. --- In his defense, however, de Blasio would need only 24 percent or so in order to beat out the other 22 candidates. --- Meanwhile, Beto ORourke is doing his best to stand out against the competition. Last week he livestreamed himself getting a haircut, talking about how important it is to get rid of nasty ear hair. Theres a slogan: vote for me and Ill cut the nasty ear hair out of Washington. --- President Trumps trade war with China already is paying dividends. Some companies are moving operations away from China to places where trade is easier. Thats good news, except theyre not all coming here. Lets just say the White House is helping to make Mexico great again. --- China, meanwhile, has reduced its holdings of U.S. debt by $20.5 billion. Thats like being at college and having mom and dad cut off your access to their credit cards. --- President Trump last week said he was having a little squabble with China. President Xi heard that wrong and immediately sat down with advisers to strategize on ways to get the most triple word scores. --- Taco Bell announced it soon will open a hotel in Florida. Im hoping guests will have the choice of sleeping on soft sheets or ones made out of crispy Doritos chips. PROVO The fence and building at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was heavily vandalized overnight, spray painted with hateful religious and political speech. Provo police detective Nick Dupaix said vandals targeted the Edgemont 2nd Ward at 555 E. 3230 North sometime late Saturday evening or early Sunday. The damage was discovered by worshippers on Sunday. "There were a lot of profane things" on the property, Dupaix said, adding that the extent of damage would be pretty devastating to churchgoers. "I would imagine I would feel quite angry, too," he said. On Sunday, church spokesman Eric Hawkins released a statement in response to the incident. "Our church buildings are places of worship and community gathering where all are welcome. We are saddened by the damage that has occurred at this location. At this point authorities are conducting their investigation, and would be the appropriate source for any additional details." Detectives will look at the tagging and determine if there are specific signatures or other signs that would lead them to the culprits. Dupaix said graffiti isn't uncommon in Provo, and trained officers familiarize themselves with handwriting and other components of the vandalism. The graffiti will require time and the investment of money to erase, he added. "There are other ways to get your message out," he said. "It is damaging other people's property. It is very unfortunate." SALT LAKE CITY Primary elections in Utah could change significantly as state lawmakers consider ways to deal with concerns about winners advancing to the general election ballot with less than a majority of the vote. Work on what's being called a plurality issue is just getting underway by members of the Legislature's Government Operations Interim Committee, who are looking to come up with a bill for the 2020 Legislature. Of course, lawmakers also have the option of joining 35 other states across the country that don't address what happens when more than two candidates are on a primary ballot and none of them receive over 50 percent of the vote. "The idea of plurality seems concerning," Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, the co-chairman of the committee, said at a recent meeting. "I was very concerned about this issue, but so far, I haven't been able to find a case of that occurring." Thatcher said nonpartisan municipal elections that advance the top two vote-getters to a general election ballot have been conducted in Utah for decades, apparently without plurality being seen as a problem. But with the passage of a controversial election law still known as SB54 in 2014, plurality became a possibility in partisan primary elections because it created an alternative path to the ballot. Instead of political party delegates either selecting their nominees outright or sending two candidates to a primary, SB54 permits candidates to gather voter signatures for a guaranteed place on the ballot. There are four other states that have a caucus and convention system for nominating candidates as well as an alternative way to access a primary ballot: New Mexico, Colorado, North Dakota and Connecticut. None of those states have laws dealing with plurality, according to legislative staff. Of those states that do have plurality laws, 10 call for a runoff election when no candidate gets a majority of the vote; four advance the top two candidates to a general election regardless of party; and one, Maine, has ranked-choice voting. Voters in a ranked-choice system rank all the candidates on a ballot in order of preference. If the first choice of the most voters doesn't have a majority, the rankings are used to adjust the results until someone reaches more than 50 percent. Since SB54 became law, legislators have proposed a variety of fixes, ranging from letting political parties pick the nominee to holding a runoff election to ranked-choice voting. Only ranked-choice voting has been approved by the Legislature, but as a pilot project. Just two Utah County communities, Payson and Vineyard, are participating in the pilot project in upcoming municipal elections. Thatcher made it clear he has little interest in pursuing ranked-choice voting. "I am completely and totally biased and I own that," he said, describing how when ranked-choice voting was used to select nominees in the 2004 governor's race by the Utah Republican Party, it changed how candidates campaigned. Instead of attempting to win in the crowded field outright, Thatcher said candidates instead ran for second place, trying to "not polarize" the GOP delegates by taking strong stances. But Rep. Marc Roberts, R-Salem, the sponsor of the 2018 ranked-choice voting bill and a member of the committee, defended what he said might be more accurately labeled instant runoff voting. Roberts acknowledged there are challenges at the statewide level, including whether voters will understand how it works. He said additional vote tabulations could slow results, especially if multiple counties are involved. Still, he said, "It's no different than having a runoff. You just do it all at once." Thatcher said going forward, the committee will look at holding a second election if there's no majority winner in a primary and advancing the top two candidates from a ballot that includes candidates from all political parties. A runoff election could cost as much as $3 million in a statewide race and would require compressing the election cycle, possibly moving the June primary in non-municipal election years to May. What's known as a "jungle" or top-two primary could result in some savings, because there would be a single ballot rather than separate ballots for every political party that has multiple nominees. While those are the choices the committee will consider, proposing no action remains an option. Weber County Clerk/Auditor Ricky Hatch suggested no fix is needed. "We're referees. The plurality for us, it's not an issue because we report the results and let the policymakers make the decisions on that. We don't see it as real impediment," Hatch said. "We don't see that as a huge issue." Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, offered a similar perspective. "I'm just not sure I see some grand difference between the primary election results and the general election results where we seem to be OK with plurality," because there are often more than two political parties on the ballot, Brammer said. Changing the law to ensure primary candidates win by a majority may not be necessary, he said. "I'm not sure I see the need," Brammer said. "Maybe there's some red-blooded American desire to have someone above 50 percent." SALT LAKE CITY Child pornography arrests have nearly doubled in Utah over the last five years, mirroring a nationwide trend that experts say has been fueled by rapid developments in technology. New advancements have both made it easier for users to find the images and for investigators to catch them, authorities said. In 2013, Utah police arrested 133 people accused of downloading child pornography, according to department statistics. Last year, they arrested 226 people on such charges. Child pornography crimes have steadily increased throughout the country as well. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization that works with victims of child abuse, received more than 18 million CyberTipline reports of possible cases in 2018, compared with 10 million reports in 2017, said John Shehan, a vice president at the center. Better technology has helped agencies like Utah's Internet Crimes Against Children task force to detect child abuse, but the internet and smart devices have also given people with a sexual interest in children easier access to child pornography, Cmdr. Jessica Farnsworth said. Her unit is set to outpace 2018's total this year, with 104 arrests already made in the first three months. There has been an influx of reports around the U.S. following the passage of a federal law in 2012 requiring frequently used platforms like Dropbox, Facebook, Instagram and others to report child pornography as they become aware of it, Shehan said. In Utah, police are seeing more victims aged five and under, Farnsworth said. A recent case involved a newborn baby. Younger victims who don't understand abuse make it harder to find who is producing the material, she added. "This state is like a candy store for predators. We have a lot of children, and we're friendly, forgiving people here," Farnsworth said. Still, not everyone found guilty of possessing child pornography online is a stereotypical predator, Utah defense attorney Greg Skordas said. Many are "bored, lonely or depressed" young men looking for stimulation online and adults who struggle with unhealthy relationships, he said. "People don't realize, if you're sitting in the privacy of your home looking at images, that you could hurt someone," Skordas said. "But the penalties are serious, and it screws up your life." For child victims, the emotional and physical damage can be long-term, especially because the images can exist online forever, said Bethany Warr, a lawyer with the Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic. "It's a wound that never heals. The material is out there, and you don't know who in the world has seen you, seen your abuse and pain, and enjoyed it," she said. SALT LAKE CITY The general counsel for the Utah System of Higher Education raised the concept Friday of a designated hearing officer to conduct Title IX hearings on all public college and university campuses as an alternative to the current practice. Most campuses have no designated hearing officer to conduct proceedings to determine whether a student has engaged in sexual misconduct, sexual assault or sexual discrimination, said Geoffrey Landward, assistant commissioner of policy and law. Nor do most schools have a designated hearing committee. "These are often put together on an ad hoc basis, pulled from people on the campus and then they're brought together to hold these hearings," Landward told members of the Utah State Board of Regents, which met Friday at Snow College's Ephraim campus. Attorneys that work for the institutions or assistant attorneys general advise hearing panels as they conduct the hearings. "That's kind of training on the go," Landward said. Students accused of sexual misconduct have the right to be represented by advisers, including attorneys. Advisers can offer opening and closing statements on behalf of their clients and interrogate witnesses according to hearing procedures. One option would be to have a trained designated hearing officer for the system of state colleges and universities who could travel to campuses, run Title IX hearings but leave the decisions to the institutions. The hearing officer would ensure the alleged perpetrators' and victims' rights are protected "and when attorneys are participating, make sure the attorneys are under control. It's very difficult to do from what I understand," Landward said. State lawmakers and government attorneys presently advising hearing panels are interested in the concept, he said. "Maybe that will get some traction as we move forward." Landward's comments came in advance of the regents considering proposed updates to the system's safety policy. Some of the changes are codified in SB134, passed by the Utah Legislature during its general session earlier this year. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jani Iwamoto, D-Holladay, requires that campuses have safety plans and publicize the steps they take to help victims and requires bystander training for more students. The legislation also requires the Utah System of Higher Education to report on campus safety annually to the Utah Legislature's education and law enforcement and criminal justice interim committees. Utah's public colleges and universities have campus safety plans to comply with the federal Clery Act, Landward said. The act requires institutions that participate in federal financial aid programs to maintain and disclose campus crime statistics and security information. The revised policy adopted by unanimous vote of the regents also calls for reporting on institutions' increased efforts in the preceding 18 months about how they have improved serving victims and identifying future efforts the institutions expect to achieve in the upcoming 24 months. University of Utah President Ruth Watkins said the University of Utah's campus safety website, safeu.utah, is a "good road map" for other institutions seeking information or guidance on campus safety. "With the very tragic murder of Lauren McCluskey on our campus, we have had the difficult opportunity to very carefully examine our processes and our practices and personnel around safety and we've tried to be very open and very transparent about that," she said. An independent review of McCluskey's killing on Oct. 22, 2018, and related safety issues resulted in 30 recommendations. The university has been very open about its weaknesses and actions taken to address those findings, she said. "We are an urban campus. There are very useful lessons, I think, for all of us in terms of coordination and communication of information, of how we can learn from a very tragic event to be safer and better institutions. That's been our commitment," Watkins said. SALT LAKE CITY America would be a more violent place without religious freedom protections, but it hasn't exactly been a peaceful place with them, according to Steven Waldman, a religion expert and author. In his new book, "Sacred Liberty: America's Long, Bloody and Ongoing Struggle for Religious Freedom," Waldman outlines countless attacks on people of faith throughout the country's history and interreligious tension that persists to this day. "It's the nature of religious belief that you feel like you've found the one truth. If you've found the truth, it can be quite difficult to be tolerant of someone else who hasn't," he told the Deseret News. Despite tough conclusions like this, Waldman isn't arguing that America's religious freedom laws are worthless. Instead, he hopes to help people see why this right is worth fighting for. Waldman, who previously served as national editor of U.S. News and World Report and a national correspondent for Newsweek, celebrates America's faith-related efforts, even as he exposes their dark side. "The genius of the American system is you don't have to accept the validity of someone else's religion," he said. You do, however, have to let people be wrong. It's the nature of religious belief that you feel like you've found the one truth. If you've found the truth, it can be quite difficult to be tolerant of someone else who hasn't. Steven Waldman, a religion expert and author This week, Waldman spoke to the Deseret News about the lessons we can learn from America's long struggle against religious intolerance and what religious freedom advocates should be paying attention to today. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Deseret News: What do Americans misunderstand about religious freedom? Steven Waldman: I think many people embrace the myth that America was founded as a bastion of religious freedom. It really wasnt. In fact, we really havent had robust religious freedom for most of our history. But we do have religious freedom now. I think its important for people to understand how we got it. It happened as a result of hundreds of years of struggle, including persecution of groups like Mormons and Catholics and Quakers. The whole idea as envisioned by James Madison was to have something like a marketplace where the presence of what he called a 'multiplicity of sects' guarantees religious freedom. Basically, he thought that pluralism ensured one religion wouldn't dominate the others. In a way, the rise of Mormonism proves that point. It exists because of religious freedom and then it helps to, in later years, advance religious freedom when its members demand equal rights. DN: Speaking of Latter-day Saints, why did you write a full chapter about them? SW: As a non-Mormon, I was astonished to learn about the level of persecution in the history of (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The level of brutality and the government's role in it surprised me to some extent. I thought it was really important for the rest of America to understand both what Mormons went through, why their religious freedom rights were denied, how they eventually got them and what they teach us about some of today's faith-related conflicts, like attacks on Muslims. DN: What does Mormon history have to do with Muslims today? SW: One of the things that was said about Mormonism was that its not really a religion. People claimed it was a political system. That's said about Islam, too. Anti-Muslim activists say it's a political system and therefore doesn't deserve First Amendment protections. Mormons were also stereotyped as violent and unable to embrace democracy, which is something you hear about Muslims, as well. As far as I know, before 2016 we'd never had a successful presidential candidate make an attack on a particular religion an important part of his presidential campaign. Steven Waldman, a religion expert and author Also, and this surprised me, immigration was a factor. In the 1830s, Mormons in Missouri and Illinois were attacked because people worried about scary immigrants from Canada. Criticisms against Muslims are related to immigration, too. I think those parallels are worth thinking about. DN: Near the end of your book, you express concerns about President Donald Trump's relationship to religious freedom and particularly his treatment of the Muslim community. Is he responsible for today's attacks on Islam? SW: Attacks on Muslims started before Trump. They were picking up steam around 2010, when you saw communities trying to block the construction of mosques and state legislatures passing anti-Sharia laws. There was a big controversy over the Ground Zero Mosque in New York. However, the demonization of Muslims was kind of a fringe movement until Trump's presidential campaign. Trump normalized it and accelerated it. As far as I know, before 2016 we'd never had a successful presidential candidate make an attack on a particular religion an important part of his presidential campaign. DN: But I've noticed in my reporting that many people of faith are thankful for Trump's leadership. They believe he's doing much more to defend religious freedom than previous presidents. I think Democrats sometimes fall into the trap of interpreting the separation of church and state in such a rigid way that it gives religion second-class status. Steven Waldman, a religion expert and author SW: I think (Trump) sees religious freedom as a way of appealing to one particular religion. That doesn't make related policies wrong. Some of the conscience exemptions that he's advocated for make sense. But my view is that if youre advocating religious freedom for one particular religion thats not actually religious freedom. Religious freedom has to be universal for it to be meaningful. DN: Do you also have concerns about how Democratic leaders approach religious freedom these days? SW: I think Democrats sometimes fall into the trap of interpreting the separation of church and state in such a rigid way that it gives religion second-class status. I was just talking to someone about the Alabama abortion law and they were arguing that it violates separation of church and state because its proponents were religiously motivated. I totally disagree with that. You should be able to have a religious motivation for your public policy views just as much as a secular one. I said, 'So are you saying that it would only be OK to oppose the Iraq War if you did so on practical grounds rather than moral grounds? That doesn't make any sense.' I think its totally appropriate and, in fact, good for people to have their public policy views informed by their religion. Making only a religious argument may not be the best way to persuade other people, but it's not a violation of the separation of church and state. I think liberals sometimes devalue religion and its role in society. I think its our turn to save religious freedom. It was earned through blood and toil and sacrifice but its still fragile. Steven Waldman, a religion expert and author DN: As you pointed out at the beginning of this conversation, clashes over religious freedom have long been part of the American experience. But what makes today's conflicts unique? SW: I may get in trouble for saying this, but we're actually fighting mostly over gray areas at this point. We have tremendously passionate debates and there are legitimate concerns about competing values. But we have largely vanquished more serious forms of religious persecution and discrimination. We should keep a sense of perspective. Weve really come a long way and have a very robust system of religious freedom. People might get mad at me because it sounds like I'm minimizing what they feel are important religious freedom claims. But honestly, arguing about having to fill out a piece of paper to be exempted from parts of the Affordable Care Act is not the moral equivalent of being hung from a tree in Boston because you're a Quaker. DN: In addition to discussing prominent lawmakers and faith leaders, your book celebrates the role regular citizens played in defending religious freedom. What can everyday people do today to ensure related laws remain strong? SW: I think its our turn to save religious freedom. It was earned through blood and toil and sacrifice but its still fragile. We really had better understand it and appreciate it and defend it or we will lose it. WASHINGTON The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday. The plan, which has been two years in the making, envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown. And the economic workshop, June 25-26 in Bahrain, will not address the most contentious parts of the conflict: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the workshop will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to gather support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. The U.S. wants to ensure security for Israel and economic opportunity to improve the lives of Palestinians. The administration hopes that Arab countries will help bankroll economic incentives, such as infrastructure and industrial projects, to get Palestinians to buy into the plan. But with details of the political aspects of the plan still under wraps, any commitments for economic development won't be easily attained. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority, which has complained that the White House favors Israel, severed ties with the Trump administration following several actions targeting them. Trump closed the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, saying the Palestinians refused to engage in peace talks with Israel. The U.S. stopped funding the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees, slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for projects in the West Bank and Gaza and cutting funding to hospitals in Jerusalem that serve Palestinians. Trump also recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The Palestinians' demand that Israel fully withdraw from all territories it occupies. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for a future state. They also seek the right of refugees to return to the lands and the recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine. It's an open question as to whether the Palestinians will exchange some or all of their demands for the prospect of economic prosperity. In an interview last month with The Associated Press, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh likened that to "financial blackmail, which we reject." Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. A senior administration official told reporters that invitations to the workshop are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The Trump administration decided to roll out the economic and political parts of the plan separately, the official said, adding that there will be no discussion about the political aspects of the plan at the upcoming workshop. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a very detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. ___ Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward contributed to this report. 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. SALT LAKE CITY U.S. citizens in Austria who feel in distress can now go to their local McDonalds for help, BBC News reports. McDonalds and the U.S. embassy struck an agreement that allows any American who is in distress or who has lost their passport or had their passport stolen to go to one of the 194 Austrian McDonalds locations to get assistance. The restaurant staff will then help the American citizens get into contact with the embassy. There will also be a 24-hour hotline that will connect directly to the embassy, BBC News reports. A spokesman told BBC News that this will "help anyone who finds themselves in need of assistance, for example, by calling the police or emergency services." The U.S. Embassy Vienna shared the announcement in a Facebook post this week. Info from the Consular Section: New partnership with McDonald's Austria to help U.S. citizens in need - Ambassador... Posted by U.S. Embassy Vienna on Friday, May 10, 2019 "American citizens traveling in Austria who find themselves in distress and without a way to contact the U.S. Embassy can enter -- as of Wednesday, May 15, 2019 -- any McDonald's in Austria, and staff will assist them in making contact with the U.S. Embassy for consular services," the Facebook post reads. The Memorandum of Agreement was signed last Friday and went into effect on Wednesday, CNN reports. SALT LAKE CITY A 15-year-old boy who police say tried to rob two acquaintances and shot one in the process, now faces numerous felony charges. The teen was charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court with two counts of aggravated robbery firing a gun that caused serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. He was also charged with discharge of a firearm causing injury, obstructing justice, and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, all second-degree felonies. The Deseret News is not naming the boy at this time. On April 26, Salt Lake police responded to a shooting near 800 North and 1100 West. According to charging documents and a recently unsealed search warrant, the 15-year-old was at a park and contacted two other boys to give him a ride. "They picked up (the teen) and (the teen) got in the rear passenger seat. As soon as (he) sat down, (he) produced a gun, pointed (it at the other two) and said, 'I'm robbing you, get out.' At that point there was a struggle for the gun," the warrant states. The front seat passenger attempted to get the gun away from the 15-year-old, who "started shooting," the charges state. At one point, the passenger got out of the car and ran, and police say the 15-year-old fired six or seven times at him, but missed. The other occupant of the car, the driver who picked up the teen, told police that the 15-year-old attempted to shoot one of the other boys in the face. "The gun flashed and made noise but no projectiles came out," the charges state. (The victim) believed that the magazine was initially loaded with blanks because after four blanks, the gun fired two bullets which struck him in the arm and leg The victim was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition. After learning the teen's identity, members of the Salt Lake police gang unit went to his house where they were able to eventually arrest him. The boy told police he attempted to rob the two other men "for their marijuana," the charges state. SALT LAKE CITY Twenty years ago, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace reintroduced the classic sci-fi series to new audiences and promptly fell flat on its face in some respects. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film which was released on May 19, 1999 received a mixed reception from film critics, while only 59 percent of audiences liked it. Polygon also notes that even before the film released, director George Lucas recognized the film had some issues. I may have gone too far in a couple of places, Lucas said following a showing for an early cut of the film. Some of the films actors also bore the brunt of the negative response Jake Lloyd, who played Anakin Skywalker, left the film industry and BBC reports Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks) considered taking his own life. Lucas also wondered out loud why he should make more Star Wars movies if people continued to attack him over The Phantom Menace, according to The New York Times. But despite early criticisms, time has been kind to the prequel film. The Verge notes the film and its sequels served as a strong basis for multiple spinoffs in books, video games and television. It also predicted and encouraged the current franchise-centric climate in Hollywood today giving rise to sagas like The Lord of the Rings or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans on Twitter have also voiced their appreciation for the film in commemoration of its anniversary, with a few saying the movie introduced them to "Star Wars" as children. Others noted the positive aspects of the film, like strong central actors, a powerful score and an interesting villain. I disliked The Phantom Menace when it first released, but 20 years later its my favorite of the prequel trilogy because it has the: Best music Coolest villain Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon Best lightsaber fight No whiny teen Anakin Most practical effects/sets Happy 20th, TPM pic.twitter.com/60qFIigd6I Brian Altano (@agentbizzle) May 19, 2019 Phantom Menace showed that movie studios dont just invest in films, they invest in worlds. Thanks for the shout-out in this piece on @verge, @AndrewLiptak! #starwars #PhantomMenace https://t.co/q3lHoPiRte Glendon Mellow (@FlyingTrilobite) May 20, 2019 Happy 20th anniversary #PhantomMenace! My fav. #starwars & 2nd fav. movie period. A film that epitomizes the best of all things SW in its characters, themes & underlying philosophy as well as its envelope pushing FX and technical filmmaking craftwork pic.twitter.com/plH6PbLXsl Andy Schroeder (@That_Andy_S) May 19, 2019 Part of celebrating #PhantomMenace is celebrating @ahmedbest! He embodied Jar Jar from head to toe and selflessly gave us smiles for 20 years. #BestStarWars pic.twitter.com/MNiPH8f1HI Kelly Knox (@kelly_knox) May 19, 2019 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is 20 years old today. The excitement I had for that movie, the experience of seeing it at the height of late 90s movie theater excess, and being a teenager seeing it with friends holds it among my favorite moviegoing experiences of my life. pic.twitter.com/xmEX4YH2N3 Alan Johnson (@TheAlanJohnson) May 19, 2019 Others talked about the hype and disappointment surrounding the movie at its release. 20 years ago I waited eight hours in line in the Florida sun on May 12 to get tickets and then waited 5 1/2 hours in line May 18 to get good seats to watch the 12:01 AM May 19th debut of Phantom Menace after waiting 16 years for a new Star Wars movie. It was a very bad movie. pic.twitter.com/MzMiUHVpqq Jared Petty (@pettycommajared) May 19, 2019 Me in early 1999: The Phantom Menace is going to be the greatest movie ever! Me in mid 1999: The Phantom Menace is the worst movie ever! Me in 2019: The Phantom Menace is fine https://t.co/KEKCNga06R Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) May 19, 2019 Two decades ago tonight, I was standing in line to see THE PHANTOM MENACE at a Cinemark outside of Dallas, TX, convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would rule extremely hard. lol owned, indeed. pic.twitter.com/2SNgywrRyZ Scott Wampler (@ScottWamplerBMD) May 19, 2019 Happy 20th Anniversary, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. There's a lot I wish were very different about TPM and plenty I admire. What a fascinating mixture of excitement and disappointment this film represents when I look back on my moviegoing experiences. pic.twitter.com/RVJdUDyQFm Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) May 19, 2019 The Phantom Menace is 20 years old ~ For a film that drew such incensed vitriol on release time has not been kind, perhaps the biggest disappointment in retrospect is the feeling of such wasted potential pic.twitter.com/Lb7wlLHhxE Samuel J. May (@sjmay92) May 19, 2019 Actors and crew members from the film and other Star Wars movies also took time to highlight the film and discuss their memories. #PhantomMenace was the first Star Wars movie I saw in the theaters at 12 years old. Ill never forget the hum of Mauls dual lightsabers and the brave Jedis who fought him! https://t.co/6Fq15EWhKY Joonas Suotamo (@JoonasSuotamo) May 19, 2019 20 years of The Phantom Menace. Crazy. I saw it a few days early, because I was the "local angle" guy for newspapers in Winnipeg, and I traded an interview for a press screening. Randall King, who was at the Sun at the time, got me to see it early, and then he did the interview. Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) May 19, 2019 I you as well. Its been a roller. Coaster ride of emotion being a part of #starwars. Im so grateful to all who have lifted me up all these years. #grateful #honored. https://t.co/MrCqQaPr48 Ahmed BEst (@ahmedbest) May 19, 2019 On this day 20 years ago, I met @IAMRayPark at a theater in Skokie, Illinois. I wasn't yet an actor. Could never have guessed what was to come.#Maul https://t.co/3KzGoCSAoz Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) May 19, 2019 The Star Wars saga concludes its throughline with the Skywalker family in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, which releases on Dec. 20, 2019. SOUTH SALT LAKE A woman accused of trying to kill her boyfriend by feeding him spoonfuls of Drano was scheduled to be back in court Monday. Elle Yoshio Weissman, 43, of South Salt Lake, is charged in 3rd District Court with attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony; and surreptitious administering of a certain substance, a second-degree felony. On April 29, Weissman gave her 50-year-old boyfriend "a spoonful of Drano crystals and then some water while he was very sleepy," according to charging documents. She told him it was his medicine, the charges state. Weissman told police "that she was helping (the boyfriend) to have 'eternal sleep' and 'death that way,'" the charges state. In another interview with police, Weissman said "Earlier in the day, she felt there was too much 'hate' occurring and thought she and (her boyfriend) would be better off dead," according to a recently unsealed search warrant affidavit. "She then planned to kill herself by stripping an electrical cord and placing the ends in a container of water. She opted not to go through with the suicide and after some hours, ordered an Uber," the warrant states. The boyfriend told investigators that he didn't know he was being fed Drano, which contains sodium hydroxide, until he saw the bottle on the floor, according to charging documents. He said Weissman then waited for about an hour before taking him to the hospital. The boyfriend suffered "caustic esophageal injury, burns caused by caustic alkali and acute respiratory failure, the charges state. He required intubation due to the burning, bleeding and swelling of his throat. The urgent care clinic that first saw the boyfriend noted his "lips and throat were black and swollen. He was having severe respiratory issues," the warrant states. He was taken from there by ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center. SALT LAKE CITY Is the same anonymous source talking to CNN and US Weekly about Lori Loughlin? If it's not the same source, someone is definitely dishing out the same talking points. An unnamed source told US Weekly back on May 15 that Loughlin doesnt expect to receive prison time for her role in the college admissions scandal and that she will return to her acting life. And CNN spoke to an unnamed source who said something similar. (Lori) reads everything thats written about her and its killing her that her squeaky-clean reputation has done a total 180, the source told US Weekly. She thinks shes not going to serve jail time and (will) return to work. Of course, the report comes from an unnamed source in US Weekly so its in no way a confirmation that Loughlin feels that way. But we've seen this before. Two crisis management executives told CNN that Loughlin is obsessed with fixing her public image after the scandal. One source even used a similar quote to the US Weekly one in an interview with CNN on May 3. "It's killing her that her squeaky-clean reputation has done a total 180," the CNN source said. "She reads everything that's written about her, and she's already thinking about how she can turn her image around." Another source told CNN in the same article, "I truly believe she thinks she's going to not serve jail time and return to work." Let's review the quotes together again they're the same thing. US Weekly : "Its killing her that her squeaky-clean reputation has done a total 180. She thinks shes not going to serve jail time and (will) return to work." "Its killing her that her squeaky-clean reputation has done a total 180. She thinks shes not going to serve jail time and (will) return to work." CNN: "It's killing her that her squeaky-clean reputation has done a total 180. She reads everything that's written about her, and she's already thinking about how she can turn her image around." The other source said. "I truly believe she thinks she's going to not serve jail time and return to work." It's unclear if these are the same sources. But the message is clear Loughlin doesn't expect to serve jail time and plans to return to work. Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were arrested for their alleged involvement in the college admissions scandal. The couple reportedly paid $500,000 in bribes so their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Giannulli, would be crew team recruits for the University of Southern California despite never participating in crew before. The couple pleaded not guilty in the scandal. Loughlin previously starred on Full House before she found work on the Hallmark Channel. She notably played Abigail Stanton on When Calls the Heart. Hallmark cut ties with Loughlin in the immediate aftermath of the scandal. However, the When Calls the Heart showrunner has hinted that Loughlins character could return to the show. Actor John Stamos teased Loughlins possibe return to Netflixs Fuller House, where Loughlin plays Aunt Becky. The Fuller House cast may have pledged support for Loughlin during the scandal. SALT LAKE CITY Greg Hartley, who holds the top administrative spot in the Utah House, said Monday he's stepping down as chief of staff and expects to help run former House Speaker Greg Hughes' anticipated bid for governor. "I'll probably be involved in the 2020 gubernatorial race, most likely with Hughes," said Hartley, who served as chief of staff under Hughes as well as the current House speaker, Kaysville Republican Brad Wilson. Hughes said that if he gets in the governor's race, Hartley will have whatever role he wants in the campaign. "Greg Hartley has the Midas touch," Hughes said. "He is effective and accomplishes whatever he puts his focus and energy towards. For every public policy issue we took on during my time as speaker, Greg Hartley was the X-factor." He said Hartley "has no equal" in the political arena. But Hartley also could end up working for a different candidate, former Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr., now the U.S. ambassador to Russia, should Huntsman decide to run for what would be a third term as Utah's governor. A source told the Deseret News in April that Huntsman, elected governor in 2004 and again in 2008, has not ruled out getting in what will be a wide-open race since Gov. Gary Herbert is not running again. Huntsman, who ran for president in 2012, has not commented on the race, saying only there is "nothing to consider until our current commitment is done." He will have served two years in Moscow this fall. Hartley, who worked with both the Huntsman and Herbert administrations, has been the House chief of staff since Hughes became speaker in 2015. Hughes did not run for re-election to the Legislature last year. Wilson announced that Abby Osborne, the Salt Lake Chamber's vice president of government relations and public policy, will start work as House chief of staff on July 1. The speaker said Hartley's "service to the House of Representatives has been extraordinary" and praised him for working on complicated issues while developing a team to handle constituent affairs, policy, communications and lawmaker support. Hartley said he'll stay on the job after Osborne comes on board through an unspecified transition period. "I've also got some business and consulting opportunities that I will be pursuing," Hartley said, adding he is "committed to ensuring I work closely with Abby through a transition to make sure things run smoothly." Osborne will supervise the 13 full-time employees in the Utah House as well as advise Wilson and the GOP majority leadership team. An additional 42 employees plus interns work in the House during the annual legislative session. "The Legislature is a remarkable institution and I have the deepest respect for those who give their time to serve and better our state," said Osborne, who heads the chamber's legislative efforts in her current post. The governor's race is already heating up, with Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox announcing his run last week. A number of Republicans in addition to Hughes and Huntsman are considering a run for the seat last won by a Democrat in 1980. Possible candidates include Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah; former congressman turned Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz; former Utah Jazz CEO Greg Miller and Attorney General Sean Reyes. SALT LAKE CITY Two approaches to gender roles that seem opposite may both result in marital happiness. When it comes to marriage, women are most satisfied if they are half of a religious couple embracing traditional gender roles or if they are half of a secular, progressive couple embracing egalitarianism. Women tend to be less satisfied, however, if their partnership straddles the ideological middle, according to new research. Highly religious, traditional couples fare best, reporting the greatest satisfaction with their relationship and sex life. Those couples are a bit ahead of progressive, secular couples, and this pattern forms what researchers call a "J-shaped curve." Less religious or mixed-religious couples whether they approach gender roles traditionally or are more egalitarian form the dip in the J, reporting less relationship satisfaction. That's according to the 2019 World Family Map report, The Ties That Bind: Is Faith a Global Force for Good or Ill in the Family? The report was produced by the Institute for Family Studies and the Wheatley Institution at BYU. It focuses on how or if faith impacts couple satisfaction, fertility, domestic violence and infidelity in the United States and 10 other countries. Researchers have disagreed on what religion brings to family in terms of well-being, some highlighting benefits and others pointing out its role in conflict. As the report asks, "Does religion foster solidarity or fuel conflict and inequality? Todays headlines suggest the answer is 'yes' to both." The report's findings suggest that religion plays a largely supportive role in families, with some room for improvement. Explaining the J-curve, W. Bradford Wilcox of the Institute for Family Studies said both traditional and egalitarian couples may benefit from having "a clear model of what you'd like to see in your family." "In their own ways, paradoxically, feminism and faith encourage men to engage in their families. You see a progressive, egalitarian husband being the new dad and doing a lot around the household and being engaged with his kids in a big way. And likewise you can imagine a faithful father being really engaged as well with his wife and children," said Wilcox, a co-author of the report. How men and women behave within the two types of relationships and the roles they assume "look different" but provide great benefit to their families, he said. Religiosity and gender equality and feminism "have been powerful" in calling out "the dignity of the person and the value and respect that should be there" in relationships, said Jason Carroll, Brigham Young University professor and associate director of the Wheatley Institution, during a briefing at the Brookings Institution Monday morning to introduce the report. He told the Deseret News that highly satisfying relationships are those in which couples offer each other respect, whether for different, complementary traditional roles or for egalitarian roles. Still, religion is not always a force for good in a relationship. The report says faith does not protect women from domestic violence, which study authors suggest religious leaders should address in their churches, synagogues and mosques. "Religion is falling short of its potential as a protective factor" against domestic violence, said Laurie DeRose, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and one of the report's authors. DeRose noted that individuals suffer in silence and clergy often have little or no training in dealing with domestic violence and other negative aspects of relationships like infidelity. Faith leaders should learn to address those issues because it "matters to the spiritual health of the congregation," she told the Deseret News. "They have abusers they need to help and abusees they need to protect and it doesn't look like they are actually doing either." Faith, feminism and family The report's chapters are written by an array of researchers and family life experts, based largely on data from the World Values Survey conducted by a network of social scientists in 100 countries, and the Global Family and Gender Survey. The latter is conducted in 11 countries: Argentina, Australia, Chile, Canada, Colombia, France, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, the United Kingdom and the United States. The report focuses on heterosexual relationships in these 11 countries. A key theme in the report is that "relationships between faith, feminism and family outcomes are complex. The impact of gender inequality on contemporary family life may vary a great deal by whether or not a couple is highly religious, nominally religious or secular." For example, men in secular relationships and women in highly religious relationships are more prone to embrace joint decision-making than their peers in less religious or mixed-faith couples, the report found. It also found that the positive impact of faith on relationship quality was "remarkably similar" across religions and "generally greater than for those reporting no affiliation or that are 'spiritual but not religious,'" the report said. Wilcox noted, however, that religion does not have as much positive influence in more secular, developed countries, such as Australia, as it does in more religious countries, such as those in Latin America. Married couples reported higher relationship quality than cohabiting couples, and the presence of children had an impact, too. "Interestingly, couples with children in the home reported slightly lower levels of quality than couple without children in the home, perhaps reflecting the time and financial pressures on parents," the authors wrote. The report also looked at gender roles. Couples who agree it's usually better if men take the lead working outside the home while women take the lead caring for home and family are described as "traditionalists," and those who disagreed are described as "progressives." The report did not find a consistent link between these gender ideologies and relationship outcomes. "We found that gender progressives are somewhat more likely to share decision-making in their relationships than gender traditionalists. However, when it comes to relationship quality, gender ideology makes no difference for either men or women. Finally, for sexual satisfaction we find that traditionalists both men and women are more satisfied." All the report's findings are stronger for women than for men, which makes some sense to co-author Spencer James, assistant professor in the School of Family Life at BYU. He cited 1950s marriages, typically designed "for the benefit of men, with women serving men," noting "all sorts of interesting advertisements of the time that are clearly sexist." So as the country shifts to marriages "with shared orientation in everything that marriage and family life requires, it would make sense that women may report higher levels of relationship quality," said James. The report established only a correlation, not a causal relationship, between religion and relationship satisfaction. "It is possible that simply being married is more important to highly religious women, which may raise their satisfaction ratings. ... It is also possible that respondents with different attitudes towards gender and religion have different expectations of marriage, including their sex lives. On the other hand, highly religious women may also enjoy higher levels of trust, emotional security and perceived permanence, which rebound to the benefit of their relationships," the report said. Being part of a faith community may provide couples with a network that is supportive, "especially in times of trouble," the report found. Other groups can do that, too, including secular civil institutions, social networks in workplaces or neighborhoods and those that unite people through shared interests. "But perhaps many religions are able to provide more of these benefits in the same local congregation, at least for some people." Family challenges Even highly religious couples sometimes founder, despite the benefits that faith brings to family life, Wilcox said and the report's findings on domestic violence show that. The measure of domestic violence used in the report picked up not just physical hitting and sexual violence, but also controlling behavior. "For instance, if the husband was perceived by his wife to be overly controlling, but not physically violent, this index would pick that up," Wilcox said. Still, he noted, 1 in 5 women overall reported experiencing interpersonal violence. And the same ratio of men, roughly 1 in 5, admitted doing it. "So it's a large minority," Wilcox said. And in this case, the report did not find statistically significant differences among the highly religious. If equality is sameness, then equity is fairness. Respect for other people's choices doesn't mean we have to make the same choices. Spencer James, assistant professor in the School of Family Life at BYU "It is the case, I think, that in many religious congregations, you don't hear pastors, priests, rabbis, etc., specifically addressing the issue of domestic violence from the pulpit. I think one thing that may be happening here is these are the topics that are either off the radar screen or are too hot to touch in some communities." Another negative behavior in relationships infidelity is also less likely in couples with shared ideology, whether that ideology is commitment to a religion or to none at all, the report says. On both ends of the ideological spectrum, couples are finding ways to get things done with shared decision-making and dividing tasks in ways that make sense to them as a couple, the report concludes. Equality vs. equity is an important notion throughout the global report, James said. "If equality is sameness, then equity is fairness," he said. "Respect for other people's choices doesn't mean we have to make the same choices." Day 5 of Cannes Film Festival can be called a complete Bollywood show. While some of the celebs like Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut have already landed in India from Cannes, and some like Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor did not appear on the Red Carpet, it was still Bollywood actresses who spread some sunshine at the prestigious event. Even though not on the Red Carpet, Sonam Kapoor did make a glam appearance as she landed in Cannes. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan let her inner mermaid out, as she walked the red carpet with daughter Aaradhya. Huma Qureshi and Diana Penty too slayed with their red carpet looks. Check out the pictures of Bollywood celebs on Day 5 of Cannes Film Festival here: The day we have been dreading is finally here. Game of Thrones has ended and we are overwhelmed and underwhelmed in equal measure and this will take some time to sink in perhaps. In the last episode, we left the characters reeling under the magnitude of the devastation that Daenerys brought upon Kings Landing. Cersei and Jaime are dead and so is the purpose that had almost the entire Westeros rallying behind her. Also See: Game of Thrones Fans On Twitter Are Angrier Than Cersei, Daenerys And Drogon Put Together At The End Of The Show, Here's Proof The episode opens with Tyrion taking a walk in the ravaged city of Kings Landing on his way to meet the queen. He finds Cersei and Jaimes dead bodies under the rubble and breaks down giving us a heart-wrenching moment. Torgo Nudo, on the orders of her queen, is slaughtering the captured prisoners and Jon and Ser Davos makes one last attempt to bring sanity but the deed is done anyway. Things start going downhill from there and in a spine-chilling moment, just when Daenerys is holding the dream of Iron Thrones in her hands, Jon puts the dagger through her and ends the possibility of Daenerys becoming a tyrant to the future generation. Drogon grieves her death as a dragon would and carries her lifeless body away from the land that she ruled over for five minutes. The scene of the Iron Throne melting away is as powerful as it can get. It is from this moment on that everything starts going downhill and the show gives us an ending that is going to give the fans nightmares for years to come. Tyrion, who was held a prisoner by Torgo Nudo for treason just assumes power in the most illogical fashion ever and all the major lords and ladies of Westeros, on the recommendation of Tyrion, chooses Bran to be the new king. Sansa demands a North to be a free country and is granted the same. Bran, surprisingly enough, agrees to be the king and chooses Tyrion to be his hand. Torgo Nudo decides to sail to the Island of Naath, as he promised to Missandei. We then see Tyrion and Jon meeting in a prisoners cell where he is being held captive for murdering the queen. Tyrion informs him that he has negotiated for him to be sent back to Castle Black to serve in the Nights Watch. As the most underwhelming finale of the biggest phenomenon on TV draws to a close, we see Arya sailing for whatever is there west to Westeros, Sansa assuming the title of Queen in The North and Jon leading men and women, beyond the Wall from the Castle Black, perhaps to a new civilization. When the makers and the cast talked about a bittersweet ending to the series, none of us expected it to turn out this way. Although beautifully shot, the ending just leaves too many loose threads. What happened to the prophecy of Azhor Ahai, The Prince That Was Promised? Why did Arya ride off at the end of the last episode so dramatically when she basically does nothing after that? What happened to Mellisandres prophecy that she would shut all the eyes, brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes? If Jon was arguing on behalf of Daenerys a minute earlier, what drove him to kill her the very next moment? When did all the lords and ladies of Westeros accumulate in Kings Landing? Did Bran know that he was going to be the king and still let all the devastation take place? Why did Jon Snow lead people beyond the North? Is he going to become the King Beyond The Wall? Why was everything so shoddily written and after loving the show for ten years did we really deserve such an ending as fans? Did the characters really deserve the ending they got? Makers and fan theories might attempt to answer these questions, but it will never redeem the show from disappointing a fan base that has been fiercely loyal to the show. Perhaps, things deteriorating so catastrophically in the final season made it a little easier to accept that Game of Thrones has finally ended and we will never get a new episode around which we planned our entire schedules. As the sun sets on the saga of Westeros, it is not only the end of an era, but it is also the end of something we so dearly loved and held in such high esteem. At this point, we do not know what to mourn, the end or the way it ended. Somehow, both feels equally painful. Varun Dhawan has teamed up with director Remo D'souza again for 'Street Dancer 3D'. The team of Street Dancer is back in action as they commence shooting for the second schedule of the film in Dubai. The lead actors, Varun and Shraddha, along with the entire crew have been prepping hard for the film with Remo and his team. The cast earlier shot for Street Dancer 3D in London for their first long schedule. After a break, Varun, Shraddha, Prabhu Deva and Nora have been rehearsing for a long time to perfect the dance sequences. The crew along with Varun have flown to Dubai to start their second schedule which will be of 18 days. Joining Varun and Remo, the rest of the cast and crew including Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhu Deva, Nora Fatehi along with all the lead dancers will join the shoot. They will be filming the most interesting dance sequences of the film in Dubai. Having worked together in the earlier dance film, this one big happy family is yet again bonding over dance rehearsals, daily lunch sessions. In fact, even their work out routine has been the same. 'Street Dancer 3D' produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Lizelle DSouza, directed by Remo DSouza, starring Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudeva and Nora Fatehi releases on 8th November 2019. Hyundai Venue to launch today: what to expect from the new Korean subcompact SUV The Hyundai Venue is easily one of the most anticipated cars in India and possibly other markets. Unveiled globally at the 2019 New York International Auto Show about a month ago, the new Hyundai Venue is all set for a launch in India later today. What do we know about it so far? It's a subcompact SUV from the popular Korean maker, it's expected to be priced very competitively, and it should come with a slew of connectivity features we haven't seen in cars before. Let's dig a little deeper: Hyundai Blue Link Some ten days before the Hyundai Venue was unveiled Hyundai India invited a number of journalists to its testing centre in Faridabad to demonstrate Hyundai Blue Link, the upcoming Venue's party piece. Debuted first in the US in 2012, Blue Link is Hyundai's internet-based connectivity solution for cars. It allows a Hyundai car owner to operate some of the features of their connected Hyundai car using their smartphone. To achieve this, owners will need the Blue Link app. Using Blue Link, a Hyundai car owner will be able to perform a number of functions remotely using their smartphone. For example, they will be able to turn the car's air conditioner on before the step into it, view analytical data about their driving style, look up destinations and other points of interest on the car's navigation app, etc. The system will work in conjunction with the car's advanced infotainment system, which consists of a large touchscreen display in the middle of the dashboard. According to Hyundai India, the Blue Link solution comes with a total of thirty-three features, ten of which are India-specific. In the area of safety, Blue Link lets the driver call for immediate assistance using two dedicated buttons on the cars inside rear-view mirror: SOS and Roadside Assistance. These buttons can be used to call for medical assistance in case of an accident. They can also be used to contact the police or the nearest authorised service centre for breakdowns. In addition to all of this, the car's infotainment system will also accept voice commands from the user. For example, they will be able to use their voice to find nearby points of interest (like petrol stations and restaurants). They can also make use of Hyundais 24-hour customer care service to search for results. To enable all these features in the Blue Link solution, Hyundai India says that it has tied up with various technology partners, including Vodafone Idea (for in-vehicle internet connectivity), AccuWeather (for weather data), SoundHound (for voice recognition), and Hyundai subsidiary Mobis (for developing the infotainment system). Auto enthusiasts will know that MG Motor has a similar feature called iSMART on its upcoming Venue-rival, the MG Hector. Powertrain and Price The Hyundai Venue is expected to be launched with three engine options: a 1.0-litre Kappa T-GDI petrol motor, which churns out 120 horsepower; a 1.2-litre petrol motor, which throws out 83 horsepower; and a 1.4-litre diesel motor, which produces 90 horsepower. While the diesel engine will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the two petrol motors will be married to a five-speed manual gearbox. In addition, the 1.0-litre Kappa motor will get a seven-speed automatic DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) option. The Hyundai Venue's attractive estimated price tag is one of the reasons it has been so frequently searched for on the internet in the past few months. According to numerous sources online, the Hyundai Venue will start at Rs 8 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 12 lakh. Since nothing has been confirmed yet, we advise you to take this bit of information with a pinch of salt. When on sale, Hyundai's latest subcompact SUV will compete with the likes of the Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, and Tata Nexon, and the newly launched MG Hector. Hang tight for more news later today. Subscriber content preview By ELANA SCHOR, HUNTER WOODALL and ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press MASON CITY, Iowa A half-dozen presidential candidates back Medicare for All, a proposal that would put the government in charge of most health benefits. But some of the Democrats they're courting aren't sure that the nation's health care system should be overhauled so dramatically. After watching Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Medicare for All supporter, speak in a packed northeast Iowa tavern, 67-year-old Connie Suby said she backed the ambitious proposal as an ultimate goal. But she cautioned that we're not ready for that as a country, urging baby steps that keep private health insurance in place. . . . Subscriber content preview By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) The Trump administration cancelled nearly $1 billion Thursday in federal money for California's high-speed rail project, further throwing into question the future of the ambitious plan to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco. California Gov. Gavin Newsom immediately pledged to take the administration to court, though the state has not yet filed a lawsuit. . . . Subscriber content preview VANCOUVER (AP) The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has fined a Dollar Tree store in Vancouver just over $500,000, alleging unsafe conditions. The Columbian reports the fine announced Thursday is one of the largest the agency has ever issued. . . . Subscriber content preview KENMORE The Sammamish River Apartments, at 7345 N.E. 175th St.in Kenmore, have sold for just under $10.4 million, according to King County records. The seller was Riverfront Commercial Property LLC, a family group that had owned the property for decades. . . . Vue aerienne de Buea le 5 octobre 2018. AFP/Archives/FLORIAN PLAUCHEUR Uncertainty looms in Buea as Cameroonians the world over celebrate the country's National Day this May 20 - the feast of National Unity. The legendary city of excellence woke up today to deserted streets following a ghost town period imposed by armed men fighting for the restoration of the independence of a country they call Ambazonia. Deafening gunshots were heard all through the night sometime after 3:00am with arson attacks reported. "Some houses have been set ablaze at Check-point Molyko - Buea, among which is Super Phone Shop and prominent beer parlour, Oku Bar. In fact, all stores around Check Point in Molyko, Buea, that were opened on Sunday out of fear of Council's repression have been set ablaze," a local, Mua Paul Kum said. He adds that: "shootings have been reported around the campus of the University of Buea, Malingo and Bokwaongo. There are growing fears that the usual manifestations at the Buea Independence Square presided at by South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, will be highly perturbed this year, to turn out worse than the dwindling levels from 2017, after the Anglophone crisis broke out." Armed men operating in Cameroon's North West and South West Regions had vowed to frustrate International Labour Day activities last May 1 and National Day today May 20. Local administrative and security officials had since taken measures to restore normalcy and assure the population of their security and safety. But recent events have gone to instill fear in the minds of locals. Rebel spokesman Tapang Ivo Tanku is said to have warned locals to respect the civil disobedience calls of the armed men under pain of dire consequences. Though the armed separatists are not known to have claimed responsibility for the recent arson in Buea, pundits are all agreed that they may well be the authors of the acts. South West Governor, Okalia Bilai Bernard had enjoined traditional rulers in the area to mobilise their kiths and kins in a bid to give the National Day parade at the Buea Independence Square the colour and pomp it deserves. The Buea ceremonial ground is however in celebration mood. Ah, Timex you may have heard of the name but known little about this humble American watch company that was founded in 1854 as the Waterbury Clock Company in Connecticut, a firm which specialised in manufacturing clocks using brass wheels and gears before moving onto defence instruments. Timex History Fast forward almost 90 years and a man named Thomas Olsen would purchase the Waterbury Clock Company in 1941 before renaming the company as Timex. His business partner Joakim Lehmkuhl would also play a pivotal role following the the end of the Korean war in the 1950s in which defence equipment tools produced by the company was waning in demand. Lehmkuhl was convinced that an inexpensive watch that was both accurate and durable would be a marketing success. He felt that low cost could be accomplished through the combination of automation, precision tooling techniques used in making fuse timers, and a simpler design than that of higher-priced Swiss watches. Durability was accomplished through a new hard alloy, Armalloy, developed through wartime research. The material was used to produce long wearing bearings, replacing the expensive jewels traditionally used in a watchs movements. These innovations led to the eventual public debut of the Timex brand in 1950. How To Wear Timex Watches Daily wearability and affordability still rings true to the large range Timex watches of today. Many of them now employ the inexpensive Quartz movement which allows Timex to keep prices in check whilst focusing on heritage design instead. What does this mean for the daily watch aficionado? Choices to suit any look or style without breaking the bank. The ten Timex watches weve hand picked are made for every type of man. The full stainless steel construction of the Easy Reader Day Date perfectly pairs to more formal occasions whilst the black knurled casing of the Allied LT is best suited to more semi-casual affairs that demand a bit of flair think denim, casual jackets and motorcycles. TImexs Expedition and Coastal models are more robust units built for exploration and adventure so pair these with your best outdoor gear. Those who want to go black tie without breaking bank can opt for the slick design of the Fairfield Chronograph or Marlin Automatic both easily paired with a tuxedo or black suit. Theres even a military watch to round out the crop to ensure that any personality is catered to in good time. Check out the cool selection below and then find out the right way to wear them with your clothes. Trump's merit-based immigration plan seen favouring Indians The United States will shift to a merit-based immigration system to favour applicants who speak English, are well-educated and have job offers, senior administration officials said. President Donald Trump will today outline a plan to overhaul US immigration laws that have so far given priority to family-based immigration, a move that could be positive for Indian professionals. Under the new immigration system, applicants would receive points for age, English proficiency and offers of employment at a certain wage threshold in order to protect low-wage American workers, the official said. The policy proposal also points to immigration systems of other countries. Studies have found that only 12 per cent of migration to the United States was based on employment and skill, compared with 63 per cent for Canada, 57 per cent for New Zealand, 68 per cent for Australia and 52 per cent for Japan. So far, about two-thirds of all people granted green cards each year have family ties to people in the United States. Trumps new immigration policy proposal that favours applicants who speak English and well educated and is harder on illegal immigrants,is seen an effort to rally Republicans on an issue that has often divided them. The policy proposal, a product of senior advisers Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller and economic aide Kevin Hassett, however, will struggle to get support from Democrats and get approved by Congress. But, the plan will give Republicans an outline as to why they should be favouring Trump as the November 2020 presidential and congressional elections approaches. Under the plan, legal immigration into the US would be kept at 1.1 million people a year, and priority would be given to high-skilled people with job offers while family-based immigration would be limited to only a third of the total. These skilled immigrants would also be allowed to bring with them their spouses and children, While House officials told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday. On the southern border with Mexico, besides the proposed border wall, the administration plans to improve inspections of goods and people at ports of entry to fight drug smuggling. It would propose an increase in fees collected at the border to pay for border security infrastructure. "Our goal in the short term is to make sure that we are laying out what the president's policy is in terms of what he's looking for from immigration reform, and we would like to see if we could get the Republican Party to come together on these two pillars, which we think is a very, very logical, very mainstream point of view," said one official. Trump will present an overview of the plan, with details of the "very large document" to be released in coming weeks, the official said. The plan also proposes changes to the asylum process, which the Trump administration says is abused. It would result in 10 per cent of green cards being given to immigration for humanitarian reasons, down from 22 per cent currently. The policy fails to address issues like addressing the surge of people crossing the southern border from Mexico. Nor does it deal with the "Dreamer" children of illegal immigrants or those under Temporary Protected Status. Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham proposed legislation on Wednesday to deal with the surge of migrants from Central America at the southern US border, changes the administration officials described as needed to address the immediate crisis. Merged Bank of Baroda looks to rationalise 800-900 branches State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) is considering the option of rationalising 800-900 branches across the country following the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank as the merged entity seeks to improve operational efficiency. The merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with BoB became effective from 1 April. Accordingly, the bank will merge operations of branches of Dena and Vijaya at the same location since both have been merged into BoB, a senior bank official said. "There are cases where branches of three banks are at one location or one building. So these branches have to be either closed or rationalised as duplication is a drain on efficiency," the official said. After comprehensive review, BoB has identified 800-900 branches which needs to be rationalised, the official said, adding that the lender could opt for re-location and in some cases closure. Besides, there is also need to close regional and zonal offices of merged entities as they would not be required. The bank also needs to expand in eastern part of country as it has strong presence in South, West and northern part of the country now. With the first ever three-way merger, BoB has now become the second-largest public sector lender after State Bank of India with over 9,500 branches, 13,400 ATMs, and 85,000 employees to serve 12 crore customers. The consolidated entity started operation with a business mix of over Rs15 lakh crore on the balance sheet, with deposits and advances of Rs8.75 lakh crore and Rs6.25 lakh crore, respectively. The maiden three-way amalgamation is considered as the major step in the consolidation of the public sector banking industry recommended in 1991 by the Narasimham Committee report. It is to be noted that when State Bank of India (SBI) amalgamated its five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank in April 2017, it rationalised about 1,500 branches across the country. Grants worth more than 580,000 have been awarded for coastal communities around the county. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under Irelands European Maritime & Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector. Forty-six projects in Donegal have been awarded grants. Minister for Education and Skills and Donegal TD Joe McHugh welcomed the announcement. This is a fantastic investment in our coastal communities the enterprises, festivals, local groups, events and those who work to support their local areas along the Atlantic, Minister McHugh said. Its an endorsement of their work and initiatives along the Donegal coast to make a positive impact for the people who live and work there. A total of 581,413 in grants is being awarded to 46 projects this year with the focus on enterprise, innovation, job creation and enhancing skills all of which play a special part in helping to revitalise and sustain our communities along the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal. The Minister for Education and Skills added: Everything from fishing to aquaculture and maritime industries to tourism and culture is being supported in the EMFF programme and the backing that it gives is making a big impression around our county. And I also want to acknowledge all the hard work and enterprise of the representatives on Flag groups for helping to make this scheme as successful as it is. Details of the FLAG scheme and how to apply can be found at www.bim.ie/schemes/ A new scholarship announced today recognises the work of Professor William C Campbell, the Donegal Nobel Prize winner in medicine and fighting river blindness disease Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD, announced the establishment of the new scholarship for students with the Professor William C Campbell Bursary. The scholarship recognises the work of Nobel Prize winner Prof Campbell, from Ramelton. The competition for the award will be open to students who completed their Leaving Certificate at a Deis school and are beginning their undergraduate studies in the 2019/2020 academic year. Professor Campbell was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for his development of a cure for River Blindness while working with pharmaceutical company MSD. The disease is caused by a parasitic worm. Prof Campbells treatment has saved the sight of hundreds of millions of people in Africa, Latin America and Yemen. Minister McHugh spoke to Professor Campbell at his home in the US to confirm the plans. The Minister said: I am delighted to announce the establishment of a bursary to recognise a giant in the world of science and preventative medicine and a proud Donegal man, Professor William C Campbell. "The aim of the award is to encourage the next generation of students to strive to replicate achievements like Prof Campbell which have transformed the lives of millions of people across the world. Professor Campbell is an inspiration. His life and his work has left a huge legacy and that is something I believe we need to build on. We should have bigger ambitions than just one scholarship fund like this. I would like to see further scholarships created to honour the work, talent and legacy of all 11 Nobel laureates from our island. I have had discussions with both the Royal Irish Academy and officials in the Department about ways to progress this ambition. Under the Professor William C Campbell Bursary, students are eligible for consideration for a 5,000 annual bursary if they sat their Leaving Certificate in a Deis school. The first round of applicants must have participated in the 2019 Leaving Certificate programme and be exempt from their Leaving Certificate fee. Applications are necessary for the Professor William Campbell bursary and application forms are available at https://www.education.ie/en/ Learners/Services/ Scholarships/Scholarships- Bursaries.html or participating schools. The student must have studied at least two science subjects at Leaving Certificate and have applied to study an approved course leading to a primary degree in Zoology, Medicine, Physiology or Biomedical Sciences at undergraduate level in an approved Higher Education Institution. The bursary will be awarded to the applicant who has the highest number of marks on their exam papers in any combination of two science subjects counted for CAO purposes, one of which must be biology. The 5,000 in funding will be awarded to the successful applicant in each year of their studies at undergraduate level in either Zoology, Medicine, Physiology or Biomedical Sciences. Minister McHugh said: Professor Campbells lifes work was ignited by an interest in worms as a child and the effect of fluke on cattle. Im told he also had an inspiring teacher. I think we should be doing more, both in his home county and through schools, to honour Prof Campbells life and legacy and show budding scientists where their interests can take them. Discussions are ongoing across Government and with education providers in Donegal and elsewhere to ensure we do that. Zonta Club of Dothan will host their Annual Appreciation and Awards Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center. The club will announce the winners of the Young Women in Public Affairs and Jane M. Klauseman scholarships, as well as recognizing outstanding volunteers through the Phyllis Walch Award. Gifts will also be given to global projects that Zonta Club supports and to local service partners (Chrysallis Home for Girls, Girls Inc. of Dothan, Exchange Center for Child Abuse Prevention and House of Ruth). Zonta International is an organization of professionals and executives who are committed to improving the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. A Dothan man accused of breaking into an Oakdale Circle residence on May 19 has been charged with third-degree burglary. Hunter Johnston Hughes, 22, of Dothan, was arrested May 19. Police say Hughes had broken into the residence and was in the process of burglarizing the home when the homeowner interrupted Hughes. Once the homeowner arrived at home and entered the residence, Hughes fled the scene, dropping the homeowners possession as he fled, Dothan Police Lt. Lynn Watkins said. Watkins stated a BOLO (be on the lookout) was issued for Hughes and he was later taken into custody by the Geneva County Sheriffs Office. Hughes was turned over to the Dothan Police Department and is now in the Houston County Jail on a $6,000 bond. Follow Michele Forehand on Twitter @micheleforehan1 Get Breaking News Alerts Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Murder charges have been dropped against a man accused in the death of his infant son, who was left in a freezer in a Dothan motel. Carlton James Mathis, 28, of Gainesville, Georgia, was indicted May 16 on a lesser charge of manslaughter. Mathis is charged along with co-defendant Amanda Gail Oakes, 36, in the death of 6-month-old Curtis James Oakes, who was found in a freezer in a Dothan motel in June 2018. A trial scheduled for May 20 for Mathis has been continued, according to Raynor Clifton, a defense attorney for Mathis. No new trial date has been set. Court documents show Clifton entered a plea of not guilty for Mathis Thursday, May 16, and waived his clients arraignment hearing. Although Mathis was indicted in November of 2018, he did not make his first Dothan court appearance until May 10 and it remains uncertain as to when Mathis will go to trial. Mathis and co-defendant Oakes fled the Dothan area after police received a tip from Georgia authorities that the two were traveling from Georgia with an infant that could be deceased. Alabama Rep. Jeff Sorrells told more than 170 Troy University graduates Sunday to embrace change but remain true to themselves. Sorrells spoke to the graduates during Troy Dothan spring commencement exercises, which took place at the Dothan Civic Center. Things change, said Sorrells, who represents District 87. You have to remember to embrace that change but also to never forget who you are. When difficult decisions have to be made, always look back to yourself for those decisions. I promise if you educate yourself before making these decisions and do what you feel is right, you will always be able to defend those decisions. Sorrells, who is a Troy Dothan graduate and the former mayor of Hartford, also assured students that challenging times will arise. Life is not easy, he said. Anybody who tells you otherwise is living in a dream world. Difficult times will come some will be small, some will be great. Some of you have experienced these times already. The manner in which you fought through and fight through them is going to make you stronger, I assure you. Ndifor Richard, Historian/Civil Society Advocate Atia Azohnwi Ndifor Richard, Historian/Civil Society Advocate has said 20th May in Cameroon is believed to be the celebration of the colonisation of Southern Cameroons by La Republique du Cameroun. He ponders: "As we observe 20th May Celebration Today, let us reflect on The big question of the day: What does 20th May signify in the history of Cameroon?" Ndifor writes that: "In most African countries, National Day celebrations are done on the day of their Independence or the day some significant event happened in their country. "In Cameroon, Anglophones believe they are celebrating the colonisation of Southern Cameroons by La Republique du Cameroun. "French Cameroon did not become independent on the 20th of May. Southern Cameroons did not attend independence on 20th May. Reunification did not take place on that day. Instead, that was the day article 47 of the Foumban accord was grossly violated. For the record,that article stated inter-alia that "any proposal for the amendment of this constitution, that will impair the unity and integrity of the federal structure, shall be inadmissible". "Ahidjo on the 20th of May 1972 violated this clause and did not just impair the Federal Structure he destroyed it. As if to say let's celebrate having conquered these guys, he made the 20th of May a National Day. So, most Anglophones see it as the celebration of the colonization of Southern Cameroons by La Republique du Cameroun. So, Anglophones do not feel a sense of belonging. "Ahidjo went to Foumban with federation in the left hand, and annexation in the right. Neither Ahidjo, nor his French mentors, believed in a federation. they agreed to federation in 1961, either only to lure Southern Cameroonians into a pseudo union that would be the first step to annexation, or to conform to the prescriptions of the UN. "Almost immediately after the federation was established, President Amadou Ahidjo began taking steps to dissolve it. "On October 25, 1961, just two months after the Foumban Conference, he divided the Federal Republic into six administrative regions headed by Federal Inspectors. He made West Cameroon a region equal to the other five and appointed a Francophone as Federal Inspector in West Cameroon. "The Federal Inspector who was The direct representative of Ahidjo, had wider powers than the Prime Minister who was virtually transformed into a glorified puppet. "The next step was the 1966 ban of all political parties, a dispensation greatly facilitated by the reign of terror Ahidjo had instituted in the country. Hence, the implementation of the third step, annexation by a referendum in 1972, happened in an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, repression, arbitrary arrests, imprisonment and summary execution. "For the eleven years the federation existed, Ahidjo did everything to strip the Southern Cameroons off every political and economic structure reminiscent of an independent entity. "The West Cameroon police force was immediately abolished and replaced with streams of French speaking military police. That was the single act that began the French Cameroun conquest of Southern Cameroons. Unfortunately, our representatives were either sleeping, or were too godly to be suspicious. "These are the wrongs the current generation is seeking to address, separation may not be the best option, but there is urgent need to go back to the drawing board, and redress this issue. "Anything short of that will only be postponing the problem to a later date." Sean Kelly, local election candidate in Dundalk and Carlingford electoral area, believes that local government needs to provide supports for community policing in the area after a number of burglaries in the Ard Easmuinn and Carrick Road areas. Kelly commented: People are living in fear and particularly afraid to open their doors given what has happened recently. We need to support these communities by providing grants to local residents to set up Community Alert Schemes in town, similar to the ones which operate in rural areas. A text warning system when something happens in an area will be helpful and practical as it will warn local residents to be vigilant on the day instead of hearing about it days later on social media or local papers when it is too late. Kelly believes this is one of a number of practical areas that local Councillors could work on to help and assist the people they are representing going forward. The local election candidate also voiced his concerns about the need for Louth County Council to support the business community and surrounding areas of Bridge Street and Church Street, which has been excluded from the regeneration of Clanbrassil Street due to a funding shortfall. Mr. Kelly added: This area has been long deprived. We need to act now. 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. About Us Dynamic Business has been helping business owners and managers for 27 years Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more Google showed off its chops in artificial intelligence and machine learning, renewed its commitment to giving users greater control over their data, and introduced a new economically priced smartphone during a keynote presentation at its annual I/O conference held in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday. They were there to hammer home the point that when it comes to AI, they are ahead of their peers, said Paul Erickson, a senior analyst at IHS Markit, a research, analysis, and advisory firm based in London. Whether it be translation for the disabled or some of the other things they showcased, they wanted to put a different face on what theyre doing with their AI outside the tech industrys typical use cases, he told TechNewsWorld. During its presentation Google announced Live Caption, an addition to its Live Transcribe app, which is designed for the hearing impaired. It transcribes phone calls in real time. Live Caption will display captions for the speech content in any app with little or no lag, because it runs entirely on the device its installed on. Google also profiled Project Euphonia, which provides translations for the speech-impaired. When the person speaks, the translator will display speech as conventional text. Focus on Privacy Google also focused on privacy and user control of data during its keynote. Privacy is a strategic and competitive necessity for them, Erickson said. Theres much more scrutiny now about whats being done with user data. That scrutiny is not only coming from government, but from buyers. Apple has used privacy to its competitive advantage in the consumer, government and enterprise markets, he noted. If Google wants to navigate in this political and social mood that is more concerned with privacy, it has to be more proactive in functionally protecting privacy and giving users greater control over their data, Erickson suggested. Googles presentation shows its continuing to push toward giving people more control over the information collected about them, noted Stephen Baker, an analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm based in Port Washington, New York. Theyre pushing hard to create an ecosystem where people have management tools to understand whats happening with their data and fix what they dont like, he told TechNewsWorld. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Easier Access to Security Settings During Googles keynote, CEO Sundar Pichai noted that privacy and security is for everyone, not just a few. This is why powerful privacy features and controls have always been built into Google services, he said. The company launched Incognito Mode in Chrome more than a decade ago and has added Google Takeout, which is an easy way to export data from a Google account, Pichai pointed out. Other privacy enhancements announced in the address: Easier access to privacy and security settings through a users profile photo; While in search, tapping the accounts photo displays its security settings. A new auto-delete feature in those settings allows a user to determine how long search data will be stored. Google also is adding an Incognito Mode for its maps app. When its activated, locations searched and visited during a session will not be linked a users account. In addition, there are almost 50 security and privacy features in the latest version of Android, said Stephanie Cuthbertson, Googles senior director for Android, during the keynote. One of those features keeps users aware of the apps using their phones location services. Premium Phone at Lovable Price Google also announced two new Pixel smartphone models, the 3A and 3A XL. The US$399 3A and $479 XL are targeted at consumers tired of ever-rising prices for a quality smartphone. Theres been a really troubling trend in the smartphone industry, said Rick Osterloh, Googles senior vice president for hardware, during the keynote. To support the latest technologies, everyones high-end phones are getting more and more expensive. The 3A and 3A XL are designed to deliver premium features at a price people will love, he added. The phones, which will be available from all the major carriers, are offered in three colors: black, white and purplish. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Both models have OLED displays. The 3As 5.6-inch screen has a resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels, and the XLs 6-inch display is 2160 x 1080 pixels. The units have the same camera found in Googles more expensive models. Google says the battery life can be as long as 30 hours, and 15 minutes of charging can last seven hours. Apple in Rear-View Mirror? The Pixel 3A, coupled with the advancements in Google Assistant announced at I/O, will put real pressure on Apple, maintained Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Oregon. The advancements to Google Assistant are massive, he told TechNewsWorld. Having the ability to have a two-way conversation with Assistant, to know who you are, and to share data across devices is a generation in front of Apples Siri, Enderle observed. Whats more, the Pixel phones are priced below Apples offerings and have capabilities well above Apples offerings. Thats not a great combination for Apple if it wants to capture new customers, he added. When you start talking about devices that outperfrom and sell at about half the price, the wallet dictates where the user will move, Enderle remarked. More Than Search Google also announced the expansion of a Google News feature called full coverage to general search. The feature creates context around news stories by displaying information from a wide variety of sources. In addition, Google is going to start indexing podcasts not only by title but by their content. Searchers will be given the option of listening to the podcast immediately or saving it for later listening. During the keynote, Jeff Dean, Googles AI lead, maintained the company was moving from one that helps people find answers to one that also helps them get things done. Thats a great tagline, NPDs Baker said. It makes a lot of sense. They cant be a search company forever. If they want to keep growing, theyve got to expand their vision. 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Check your syntax! (ID: 17) Recent severe weather events, which resulted in the loss of life and the destruction of property in Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa, have raised concerns about climatic changes in the region. The Department of Environmental Affairs published its draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy document recently which outlines the Departments goals, vision, objectives and intervention strategies. This is an introduction to the official document Click here to download the full document South Africa is experiencing significant effects of climate change particularly as a result of increased temperatures and water variability. The observed rate of warming has been 2C per century or even higher more than twice the global rate of temperature increase for the western parts and the northeast. There is evidence that extreme weather events in South Africa are increasing, with heat wave conditions found to be more likely, dry spell durations lengthening slightly and rainfall intensity increasing. Climate zones across the country are already shifting, ecosystems and landscapes are being degraded, veld fires are becoming more frequent, and overused natural terrestrial and marine systems are under stress. According to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) climate change is likely to increase the frequency and magnitude of many extreme events and will certainly increase the risk of slow-onset events such as sea level rise and drought. Climate change has the potential to redress the gains made on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and impede the countrys ability to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also poses risks to opportunities for socioeconomic development. There is increasing international recognition that strong and sustainable socioeconomic development can reduce vulnerability to climate change and ensure resilience. Adaptation to climate change presents South Africa with an opportunity to transform the economy, strengthen the social and spatial fabric, and become more competitive in the global marketplace. The National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) provides a common vision of climate change adaptation and climate resilience for the country, and outlines priority areas for achieving this vision. The NCCASs vision draws on South Africas National Climate Change Response Policy (NCCRP), the National Development Plan (NDP), the adaptation commitments included in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), sector adaptation plans, provincial adaptation plans and local government adaptation plans. The NCCAS is an important step forward for South Africa, as it: Acts as a common reference point for climate change adaptation efforts in South Africa in the short to medium-term, providing guidance across all levels of government, sectors, and stakeholders affected by climate variability and change. Provides a policy instrument which national climate change adaptation objectives for the country can be articulated to provide overarching guidance to all sectors of the economy. Facilitates the degree to which development initiatives at different levels of government and business integrate and reflect critical climate change adaptation priorities, and thus inform resource allocation by the various stakeholders towards climate change resilience. Guides stronger coherence and coordination on climate change adaptation activities between different institutions and levels of government. Supports South Africa in meeting its international obligations by defining the countrys vulnerabilities, plans to reduce such vulnerabilities and leverage opportunities, outlining the required resources for such action, whilst demonstrating progress on climate change adaptation. The NCCAS serves as South Africas National Adaptation Plan and fulfils South Africas commitment to its international obligations as outlined in the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The NCCAS will be used as the basis for meeting South Africas obligations in terms of the adaptation commitments outlined in the NDC. The NCCAS is a ten-year plan which will be reviewed every five years. The NCCAS is divided into sets of strategic objectives, strategic interventions and strategic outcomes with associated actions. The document is directed not only at national government departments but speaks to all of South African society, not just the key relevant sectoral institutions, provincial and local governments, and non-governmental entities including the private sector, the research community and civil society. Context and goals South Africa is a party to UNFCCC which aims to achieve the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [human induced] interference with the climate system (UN 1992, 4). Under the UNFCCC, it is envisaged that: Such a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner (UN 1992, 4). The two key Conference of Parties (COPs) to the UNFCCC which prioritised the importance of climate change adaptation were COP16, held in Cancun in 2010, and COP21, held in Paris in 2015. COP16 resulted in the adoption of the Cancun Adaptation Framework, which placed climate change adaptation on the same level of importance as climate change mitigation for the first time. It also established the National Adaptation Plan process. The Cancun Adaptation Framework laid the foundation for the Paris Agreement, an outcome of COP21. The Paris Agreement elevates the importance of climate change adaptation through the establishment of a global goal on adaptation of enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change and provides extensive guidance on how countries should approach adaptation as a priority (UN 2015a Article 7). As a signatory, South Africa is required to compile a set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) which outline the countrys contributions to the global goals to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. South Africas goals, as outlined in its NDC document, are: Develop a National Adaptation Plan and begin operationalization as part of implementing the NCCRP for the period from 2020 to 2025 and for the period 2025 to 2030. To take into account climate considerations in national development, sub-national and sector policy frameworks for the period 2020 to 2030. Build the necessary institutional capacity for climate change response planning and implementation for the period 2020 to 2030. Develop an early warning, vulnerability and adaptation monitoring system for key climate vulnerable sectors and geographic areas for the period 2020 to 2030, and reporting in terms of the National Adaptation Plan with rolling five-year implementation periods. Development of a vulnerability assessment and adaptation needs framework by 2020 to support a continuous presentation of adaptation needs. Communication of past investments in adaptation for education and awareness as well as for international recognition. Africa is likely to experience changes in climate earlier than other regions, and therefore adaptation measures are urgently required on the continent. The costs of adaptation in Africa could increase to US$100-billion per annum by 2050 in a world that experiences more than 4C warming by 2100. Increased funds from developed countries for adaptation in African countries would help to fund these costs. However, finances for adaptation are required from continental and national levels as well. The SADC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (2015) emphasises the need for enhanced climate change adaptation responses in Africa due to the wide range of pressing vulnerabilities. The CCSAP aims to coordinate regional and national climate change responses in Africa, and to climate proof SADCs policies, strategies and protocols. Vision of the NCCAS To transition to a climate resilient South Africa, which will follow a sustainable development path, guided by anticipation, adaptation and recovery from a changing climate and environment to achieve our development aspirations. This vision will be realised by the achievement of the following objectives and interventions. Objectives Build climate resilience and adaptive capacity to respond to climate change risk and vulnerability. Promote the integration of climate change adaptation response into development objectives, policy, planning and implementation. Improve understanding of climate change impacts and capacity to respond to these impacts. Ensure resources and systems are in place to enable implementation of climate changes responses. Interventions Reduce human and economic vulnerability, ensure resilience of physical capital and ecological infrastructure and build adaptive capacity. Develop a risk, early warning, vulnerability and adaptation monitoring system for key climate vulnerable sectors and geographic areas. Develop a vulnerability and resilience methodology framework that integrates biophysical and socio-economic aspects of vulnerability and resilience. Facilitate mainstreaming of adaptation responses into sectoral planning and implementation. Promote research application, technology development, transfer and adoption to support planning and implementation. Build the necessary capacity and awareness for climate change response. Establish effective governance and legislative processes to integrate climate change in development planning. Enable substantial flows of climate change adaptation finance from various sources. Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation system that tracks implementation of adaptation actions and their effectiveness. The document contains specific actions which should be undertaken and includes proposed key messages for a climate change communication and outreach programme as well indicators for monitoring and evaluating the NCCAS strategic outcomes. This is an introduction to the official document Click here to download the full document Send your comments to energize@ee.co.za Related Articles Designers must consider the battery, power management and control techniques, and the right power management IC to deliver longer battery life and improved performance in mobile device designs By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio, contributing writer Portable devices such as mobile phones and tablets require power management techniques to meet the increasingly challenging performance requirements. Consumers are using their smartphones in new ways: They want to display high-definition GPS videos and maps; make two-way video calls; play more engaging games; and stream music. System-on-chip (SoC) projects for this type of application must also comply with stringent heat dissipation targets while meeting the long battery life requirements. Third-generation smart mobile phones combine the traditional mobile phone with functions like personal data assistants (PDAs), digital cameras (DSCs), and music players (MP3s). The rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is the power source for mobile electronics. Its high energy density guarantees greater power in size and weight than other types of batteries. Furthermore, its operating voltage makes it possible to obtain a long life and high conversion efficiency for DC/DC solutions. Estimating the energy consumption of a mobile device is a fundamental element of the design. The aim is to design the device to minimize its energy consumption. Individual components such as the oscillator, CPU, I/O ports, and analog peripherals must be considered as part of the calculation. Effective energy management presents an increasingly complex range of design challenges. Low battery life contributes to customer dissatisfaction. The battery To meet these design goals, the design of the power management subsystem starts with the battery. Factors such as recharge cycles, aging, and temperature can degrade the performance of the lithium-ion battery over time. Proper management and control of a rechargeable battery are essential to optimize battery life. Battery management consists of three parts: charge monitoring, protection, and control. Battery monitoring and protection ICs are usually supplied with the battery itself. However, charge control is part of the portable device. The charge control devices have evolved significantly over time, implementing lower minimum gate lengths for high-density, high-speed digital circuits but also higher-voltagecapable devices for more analog and power applications. The linear control topology works well in applications with low-power battery packs that are charged to less than 1 A. However, the switch-mode topology is more suitable for large battery packs that require charging speeds of 1 A or higher. Switching-mode topology is more efficient and minimizes heat generation during charging but can produce electromagnetic interference (EMI) if it is not packaged correctly. Fig. 1: Texas Instruments bq24259 for battery charge management. (Image: Texas Instruments) The bq24259 from Texas Instruments is a switch-mode battery-charge management and system-power-path management device for a one-cell Li-ion and Li-polymer battery (Fig. 1 ). The IC automatically charges the battery in three phases: pre-conditioning, constant current, and constant voltage. Designers of mobile and portable Li-ion devices can improve performance by extending battery life and providing information on the state of charge (SOC) of the battery using charge level indicators with the MAX17262 single-cell and MAX17263 single-/multiple-cell integrated circuits from Maxim Integrated. The MAX17262 and MAX17263 devices combine the traditional coulomb counting with the new ModelGauge m5 EZ algorithm for the high-precision SOC of the battery without requiring the characterization of the battery itself (Fig. 2 ). Fig. 2: Simple fuel-gauge circuit diagram. (Image: Maxim Integrated) Power management for multicore chips The amount of computation continues to increase in SoC projects to add more functionality via hardware accelerators that perform machine-vision and other deep-learning algorithms. At the same time, however, these powerful multicore chips require solutions that further improve energy efficiency and create more flexible power supply sequences. The need for lower energy consumption and the ever-increasing advent of mobile devices have directed microelectronics toward increasingly ultra-low-power solutions exploiting environmental energy sources such as kinetics, solar, thermal, and radio frequency (RF). Getting the most out of these sources is not easy. Detection, control, and conditioning are critical factors in the design and can determine the overall efficiency of the energy-harvesting system. The challenge of a power management system is to provide constant voltage output with maximum efficiency. With the recent advances in microelectronics, low-power systems can manage energy harvesting to meet the low power consumption of the microwatts and nanowatts that involve todays integrated circuits in different operating situations. The importance of optimizing energy performance becomes more critical and technically more difficult. Power management integrated circuits (PMICs) are highly programmable, allowing them to support voltage sizing and power supply sequencing required by single- or multicore application processors, as well as all smartphone subsystems, such as the network and stack connectivity (3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC), displays, megapixel cameras, and more. The PMIC must manage up to 30 bus-rails, in addition to the baseband processor with the right combination of voltage and current. SoC designers can improve power management costs by using individual low-voltage and low-current power bars provided by the dedicated PMIC. Todays digital modulation techniques compress more bits of data in each RF channel, resulting in a more complex circuit layout with higher crest factors, expressed as a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). The PMICs give OEM engineers greater design flexibility in the development of smartphone platforms and enable them to launch more models and projects for different markets and for the life cycle of that product. PMIC examples Solutions offered by NXP, Renesas Electronics, and Texas Instruments (TI) provide scalable, secure, and flexible solutions for various power management applications. These PMICs can support a wide range of devices to extend battery life and reduce power dissipation. All solutions offer programmability, efficiency, and high levels of integration. For example, TIs TPS65216 PMIC is specifically designed to provide power management for the AMIC110 and AMIC120 processors. (Fig. 3 ). Fig. 3: A typical application circuit of TIs TPS65216. (Image: Texas Instruments) NXP offers a series of ICs for various families of i.MX application processors to optimize energy efficiency and software/hardware integration. They integrate both switching and linear regulators with battery management functions. ROHM Semiconductor also continues to support NXP processors through its BD71837MWV. This device integrates all of the power rails required by i.MX 8M processors and system peripherals. I.MX 8M Mini processors allow customers to integrate the voice interface on audio- and video-streaming devices at a minimal cost. Together with the BD71837MWV, ROHM also introduced the BD71847AMWV, which integrates the power supplies for DDR and the IO system. (Fig. 4 ). Fig. 4: Typical application circuit for ROHMs BD71837MWV. (Image: ROHM Semiconductor) The ISL95852A from Renesas integrates power MOSFETs, fault protection, and monitoring functions for three highly efficient synchronous buck regulators. The ISL95852A is offered in a WLCSP package. The PMIC controllers convert the system voltage from a battery or adapter into the three necessary processor voltages required by Intels IMVP8 specifications. Dialog Semiconductors DA9070 PMIC integrates a linear charger with a current up to 500 mA and offers several power-saving modes to increase battery life. The integrated PMIC reduces power management footprint by 25% compared to other discrete solutions. Conclusion Mobile phones continue their expansion, becoming personal information devices for our daily needs. Energy performance will increasingly represent a design challenge. The internet of things (IoT) demonstrates the need for a wireless world, putting further pressure on the battery life of portable devices, requiring unceasing attention to energy management innovation. Learn more about Electronic Products Magazine Maxim Integrated NXP Semiconductors Renesas Electronics America Texas Instruments A rocket fired near Iraq's US Embassy The Iraq military said the rocket fell in the middle of the Green Zone, near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. A rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, on Sunday night, falling near the US Embassy but causing no casualties, the Iraqi military said. "WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY" The attack came two weeks after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraqi leaders during a surprise visit to Baghdad that if they failed to keep in check Iran-backed militias, which are expanding their power in Iraq and now form part of its security apparatus, the United States would respond with force. His visit came after US intelligence showed Iran-backed Shiite militias positioning rockets near bases housing US forces, according to two Iraqi security sources. A US State Department official noted that there had so far been no claim of responsibility, and that no US-inhabited facility was impacted. But, we take this incident very seriously, the official said. We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly. Defense chiefs discuss Idlib and Syria in phone call In the phone call, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu treats measures to be taken to reduce tension in the region. Top defense officials of Turkey and Russia had a phone call on Monday to discuss latest developments in opposition-held Idlib, a northwestern Syrian province, according to an official statement. "Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar discussed over the phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu regional security issues, especially the latest developments in Idlib province of Syria and measures to be taken to reduce the tension in the area, within the scope of the agreement signed in Sochi," a statement issued by Turkey's Defense Ministry said. At least 167 civilians have lost their lives in Idlib since April 25, with more than 415 civilians injured, according to civil defense sources. Some 1,5 million people currently reside in Idlib. Half of them are displaced from other parts of the civil war-torn country. Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression would be expressly prohibited. The regime, however, has consistently broken the terms of the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests. Israel forces arrest 8 Palestinians in West Bank According to Palestinian figures, some 5,700 Palestinians continue to languish in Israeli detention facilities, including scores of women and hundreds of minors. Israeli forces rounded up eight Palestinians in overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli military on Monday. 8 PALESTINIANS ARRESTED The individuals were arrested for "suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities", the army said in a statement, without elaborating on the nature of these activities. "The suspects have been taken into custody for further investigation," it added. The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians. Trump: Irans threats would be the end of the country "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," said US President in his Twitter account. US President Donald Trump on Sunday told Iran not to threaten the United States, saying it will be Tehran's "official end". "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump tweeted. HE DID NOT ELABORATE ON THE NATURE OF THE THREAT Over the past few weeks, tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated as the US deployed a carrier strike group and bomber task force to the Middle East, citing an imminent threat from Iran. On Thursday, the New York Times cited intelligence sources as saying that Iran had recently deployed military vessels -- armed with missile-launchers -- in the Gulf, raising fears of possible conflict. Turkish airstrikes hit PKK terror targets in N. Iraq Weapon positions, shelters, and ammunition depots of terror group destroyed in the Zap region. Turkish airstrikes on Tuesday hit PKK terrorist targets in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The Turkish jets destroyed weapon positions, shelters, and ammunition depots used by PKK terrorists in the Zap region, the ministry said in a statement. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. Turkish and Greek officials to hold talks over Agean Sea disputes Officials to meet over the several disputes in the Aegean including the extent of territorial waters. Turkish and Greek defense officials are set to hold talks over issues related to the Aegean Sea in Athens on May 20-25, according to a statement from Turkish Defense Ministry on Monday. THE SUMMIT WILL BE HELD ON 20-25 MAY "The Technical meeting between the delegations of the Turkish and Greek Ministries of National Defence, to enhance the cooperation especially in Confidence Building Measures and Code of Conduct in the Aegean Sea, will be held in Athens on 20-25 May 2019," the statement said. On Saturday, footage released by Turkish security sources showed a Greek assault vessel harassing a Turkish corvette during Turkish military exercise Sea Wolf (Denizkurdu) 2019. Turkey and Greece have several disputes in the Aegean Sea, including the extent of territorial waters, airspace and continental shelf. UK sells 11.5 million of arms to S. Arabia British governments data showed that the UK sold military equipment worth millions to Saudi Arabia. According to Sky News reported, UK government licenced the sale of 11.5 million worth of military equipment to Saudi Arabia in the three months after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. UK APPROVED MILITARY LICENCE JUST THREE DAYS AFTER KHASHOGGI'S DEATH Department of International Trade (DIT)authorities compiled by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), and verified by Sky News, shows between October and December 2018 a total of 11,414,054 military licenses were granted to Saudi Arabia. The figure for October to December that year amounts to almost 1m a week. It is a 94% increase on the same period the year before and a 609% increase on the three months before. The UK approved a 9.1m military export licence for what is listed as military patrol. According to CAAT, this happened just three days after Mr Khashoggi was last seen and as investigations into his disappearance surged on amid suspicions he had been killed. The UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia came under scrutiny after Mr Khashoggi's murder, which UN has said was planned by Saudi officials. UN chief warns: High risk that Ebola may spread The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says the risk that the Ebola virus will spread remains very high. Government and opposition leaders of Congo must strive to find a bipartisan solution to the Ebola outbreak as ongoing violence in the country gives the virus an advantage, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said. THE DEATH TOLL INCREASES DAY BY DAY "Ebola does not take sides. It is the enemy of everybody," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of the organisation's annual assembly in Geneva. The world's second biggest Ebola outbreak has killed more than 1,000 people in a part of eastern Congo plagued by militia violence. Ghebreyesus noted that the current Ebola outbreak is so far contained to two provinces of eastern Congo that are wracked by violence perpetrated by armed groups. The WHO chief hailed that efforts to rein in the virus, including the vaccination of more than 120,000 people, have so far succeeded in limiting the outbreak to the conflict-wracked North Kivu province and neighbouring Ituri region of the DRC. US warship sails in China Sea amid trade tensions China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and slams the US and its allies over naval operations near Chinese islands. The US military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, a move likely to anger Beijing at a time of tense ties between the worlds two biggest economies. THE SECOND US OPERATION IN THE LAST MONTH The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the US-China relationship, which also include a trade war, US sanctions and Taiwan. The US destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a US military spokesman said. Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, said Commander Clay Doss. It was the second such US military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the US Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. The US military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. Agrarian distress and rural unemployment have always been concerns in India. After the 1991 reforms, the government made inclusive growth the theme of development and undertook policy initiatives to boost rural employment. One such initiative, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, aims to provide landless labourers and marginal farmers work in the lean season and, thus, income. It seems to have succeeded, although it has not created new jobs in general. In most developing countries, employment generation, especially in rural areas, has traditionally occupied an important place in the policy syllabus, and agriculture has generated productive income and employment for the bulk of the rural masses. Recently, however, in India, agriculture seems to have exhausted its potential in augmenting income and employment for most rural people. Demographic pressure and the exhaustion of cereal-based agriculture have led to diversification in agriculture from cereals to cash cropping and livestock. Rural occupations range from agricultural and non-agricultural activities in the secondary and service sectors. Large and medium producers, and small and marginal ones, work as wage labourers, salaried workers, or are self-employed. Since independence in 1947, rural employment has been affected by agrarian distress, rural poverty, inequality, and unemployment. The post-1991 reforms in India led to growth but also to setbacks in the agrarian and rural economy, especially a decline in rural employment (Chadha and Sahu 2002; Sundaram 2001; Chadha 2001; Bhaumik 2003, 2007; Ghosh 1995; Himanshu 2011). New terms and concepts for expressing Indias growth story, like predatory growth and jobless growth, are now common in academic debates and discussions. 1. Glucocorticoid use associated with nearly double the risk for infection after joint replacement surgery in patients with RA Biologics had similar risk for adverse events across treatments Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-2217 Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M19-1088 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Glucocorticoid use, especially with dosages above 10 mg/d, was associated with greater risk for adverse events among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing joint replacement surgery. Risk for hospitalized infection, prosthetic joint infection, and readmission were similar across biologics. Findings from a cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Patients with RA frequently have orthopedic surgery, especially total hip or knee replacement. Biologic medications are increasingly used to treat RA and are associated with greater risk for serious infection, yet it is not known how these medications affect the risk of infection after surgery and whether risk varies across medications. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital used administrative claims data to compare infection risk across biologic therapies for primary or revision hip or knee joint replacement surgery in adults with rheumatoid arthritis. They also evaluated the risk for postoperative infection associated with glucocorticoids. They found that the rates of serious postoperative infection and 30-day readmission were similar between biologics. In contrast, glucocorticoids were associated with a dose-dependent increase in the risk for adverse outcomes, with greater risk even with modest doses. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that limiting glucocorticoid use should be a focus of perioperative management. The authors of an accompanying editorial from the University of Toronto agree that the study provides compelling evidence of the risk for adverse post-operative outcomes with glucocorticoids but note that the study does not resolve the question of whether withholding biologic therapies in the perioperative period reduces patients' overall risk for infection complications. They suggest that more research is critical to answering that question. Notes and media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To speak with the lead author, Michael George, MD, please contact Frank Otto at Frank.Otto@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. 2. Hospital readmission rates vary little among primary care physicians Policies that hold PCPs accountable for reducing readmissions may miss the mark Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-2526 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Thirty-day hospital readmission rates vary only slightly among primary care physicians, suggesting that policies holding them accountable for reducing readmissions may be ineffective. Findings from a retrospective cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Programs directed at decreasing payments to hospitals with excess 30-day readmission rates seem to have succeeded in reducing readmissions. With this in mind, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a policy incentivizing primary care physicians to reduce hospital readmissions. However, it is not actually known whether readmission rates vary by primary care physician. Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin and University of Texas Medical Branch studied Texas Medicare claims from 2008 to 2015 to compare 30-day readmission rates for more than 4,000 primary care physicians. The researchers looked at data for a 47 month period because any evaluations based on yearly data would have only about a quarter as many cases. They also only reviewed data on physicians with at least 50 hospital admissions, which excluded 65 percent of the primary care physicians in the Texas Medicare data. They found almost no variation in the readmission rates by primary care physician. After adjusting for patient characteristics, the readmission rate at the 99th percentile and the mean rate for the 4,230 physicians studied varied by only 1.1 percentage points. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that pay-for-performance programs to reduce readmissions on the basis of variation in readmission rates among primary care physicians may not be effective. Notes and media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. The lead author, Siddhartha Singh, MD, MS, please contact Holly Botsford at hbotsford@mcw.edu. 3. Poor broadband penetration in rural counties may limit the potential of telemedicine Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M19-0283 Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M19-1200 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Broadband penetration rates are substantially lower in many rural counties where access to primary care physicians and psychiatrists is inadequate, which limits the potential of telemedicine to mitigate barriers to care. Findings from a brief research report are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Telemedicine has been proposed as a way to improve access to care in areas where physicians are in short supply, but it can only work if doctors and patients can access the Internet. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University used IQVIA's OneKey healthcare provider database and Google Maps to determine whether counties had adequate driving time-based access to primary care physicians and psychiatrists, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data to measure whether counties had sufficient broadband internet access. The researchers found that broadband penetration rates decreased as counties became more rural, and counties with inadequate access to primary care physicians and/or psychiatrists generally had poorer broadband penetration rates. For example, the broadband penetration rate in the most rural counties was 62.4 percent if primary care physician access was adequate, compared with 38.6 percent if it was inadequate. This relationship between access and broadband penetration was similar for psychiatrists. The authors suggest that telemedicine cannot address geographic barriers to care until telecommunications infrastructure is improved. The authors of an accompanying editorial from Project ECHO, University of New Mexico, suggest that broadband penetration may not be the only issue deterring use of telemedicine in rural areas. The authors propose several recommendations for increasing adoption of telehealth in rural areas that include more efficient use of telemedicine; alignment of incentives and policy to support training of primary care clinicians; changes in policy and regulation to allow greater convenience for patients; and adaption of proven solutions to meet patient needs in areas that lack medical providers. Notes and media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. The lead author, Coleman Drake, PhD, please contact Allison Hydzik at hydzikam@upmc.edu. ### Also New in this issue: Cases in Precision Medicine: The Role of Pharmacogenetics in Precision Prescribing Bohan Lin, BA, and Wendy K. Chung, MD, PhD Precision Medicine Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-2357 Article published online by Journal of the American College of Surgeons reflects the consensus of 42 professional organizations on a constructive approach that can be taken to reduce injury, disability, and death from firearm violence in the United States CHICAGO (May 20, 2019): Proceedings from the first-ever Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention have been released and published on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website as an "article in press" in advance of print publication. Leaders from the 43 national medical organizations and the American Bar Association attended the historic meeting on February 10-11 in Chicago, which was hosted by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT). Organizations represented lawyers, physicians, nurses, public health professionals, and emergency medical service providers, with attendees providing perspectives from the front lines of caring for seriously injured patients as well as dealing with the aftermath of violence in communities. "We've reached a point where tens of thousands of Americans are seriously injured, permanently disabled, or die annually from firearm incidents," said David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, ACS Executive Director. "By working together with other stakeholder organizations seeking to remedy this crisis, we can collectively find and put forth viable solutions to this epidemic that continues to inflict tragedy on Americans' lives." Throughout the Summit, attendees expressed their compelling interest in reducing deaths, injuries, and disabilities from firearms in the U.S. The collegial environment of the meeting set the scene for fostering an inclusive dialogue on how to work together to identify opportunities for the medical community to reach a consensus-based, apolitical approach to firearm injury prevention focused on understanding and addressing the root causes of firearm violence while making firearm ownership as safe as possible. Summit attendees identified opportunities to collaborate in the areas of research, education, and targeted injury prevention initiatives. Using a public health framework, attendees engaged in collegial discussions to build consensus on actionable items for firearm injury prevention that the group could support as a unified voice. Following the meeting, consensus statements were compiled by the planning committee and brought to the attention of attendees for further internal consideration by their organizations. The just-released Summit proceedings article identifies a comprehensive public health approach to addressing this problem that 42 of the participating organizations have formally agreed to support and provides a road map that can be implemented through collaboration among medical, legal, and community organizations. Briefly summarized below, these consensus-based points for potential action address the need to: Recognize firearm injury as a U.S. public health crisis, and take a comprehensive public health and medical approach to address it firearm injury as a U.S. public health crisis, and take a comprehensive public health and medical approach to address it Research this public health crisis using a disease model, and call for research funding at federal and philanthropic levels commensurate with the burden of the disease on society this public health crisis using a disease model, and call for research funding at federal and philanthropic levels commensurate with the burden of the disease on society Engage firearm owners and communities at risk as stakeholders to develop firearm injury programs firearm owners and communities at risk as stakeholders to develop firearm injury programs Empower the medical community across all health care settings to act in the best interests of their patients in a variety of palpable ways: counsel patients on safe firearm storage; screen patients at risk for firearm injury or death; and engage the community in addressing the social determinants of disease through hospitals and healthcare systems the medical community across all health care settings to act in the best interests of their patients in a variety of palpable ways: counsel patients on safe firearm storage; screen patients at risk for firearm injury or death; and engage the community in addressing the social determinants of disease through hospitals and healthcare systems Commit professional stakeholder organizations to ensure that these statements lead to constructive actions for improving the health and well-being of our nation (Read the complete Executive Summary of the Summit proceedings. Addendum follows.) "A key driver for this movement is to take a systems-based approach toward addressing the problem and base it on the public health model," explained Ronald M. Stewart, MD, FACS, article coauthor, who is Medical Director of ACS Trauma Programs. "This approach involves not only engaging firearms owners as part of the solution--not the problem--but also engaging people who live in communities at risk as part of the solution, and not the problem. We must identify our society's structural factors and social determinants that create or perpetuate the cycle of firearm violence and call for a commitment for research funding that matches the burden of this disease in America." "Despite the fact that many organizations have been leading efforts for years to address the dire consequences of firearm violence, a national collaborative effort led by the medical profession as a whole has yet to take flight," said Eileen M. Bulger, MD, FACS, Summit moderator, coauthor, Chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma, and professor of surgery, University of Washington, Seattle. "And yet--while the medical community has successfully worked together to reduce death rates from traffic injuries, HIV, and cancer--U.S. death rates from firearm violence have risen. The precedent is already there: by taking a public health approach to addressing this problem, we can work more effectively as a whole to reduce death, disability, and injury from firearms." As the authors write, "coming together as a professional community and approaching this epidemic as a disease and a public health problem promises to make our neighborhoods and our country safer, stronger, and more resilient. We believe this can be done in a manner which preserves (or even enhances) freedom. This professional approach requires freedom with responsibility." ### In addition to Dr. Bulger and Dr. Stewart, other article coauthors are Deborah A. Kuhls, MD, FACS; Brendan T. Campbell, MD, FACS; Stephanie Bonne, MD, FACS; Rebecca M. Cunningham, MD, FACEP; Marian Betz, MD, FACEP; Rochelle Dicker, MD, FACS; Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, FACEP; Chris Barsotti, MD, FACEP; Stephen Hargarten, MD, FACEP; Joseph V. Sakran, MD, MPH, FACS; Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH, FAAP; Thea James, MD, FACEP; Dorian Lamis, PhD; Gary Timmerman, MD, FACS; Selwyn O. Rogers, MD, FACS; and Bechara Choucair, MD. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Citation: Proceedings from the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention: A Public Health Approach to Reduce Death and Disability in the U.S. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2019.05.018. Note: The Journal article contains a list of the participating organizations and resources that these groups have already publicly put forth on firearm injury prevention. Medical and Injury Prevention Organizations that Support the Consensus Statements from the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention - Listed online Addendum: Executive Summary, Proceedings from the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention About the American College of Surgeons The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 82,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit http://www.facs.org. Executive Summary Proceedings from the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention Chicago, IL In collaboration with 43 leading professional organizations in the United States, the American College of Surgeons hosted a historic Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention in February 2019. The leadership of these organizations came together around developing a public health approach to minimize death and disability related to firearm injuries in the U.S. The publication of the proceedings from this conference demonstrates the extremely strong commitment of the professional medical and legal communities in eliminating needless death and suffering related to firearm injury. The report provides a road map for a comprehensive public health approach that can be implemented through these medical, legal, and community organizations. The document also provides a summary of the current activities by each of the participating organizations. The publication concludes with the following consensus statements supported by 42 of the participating organizations: Firearm injury in the United States is a public health crisis. A comprehensive public health and medical approach is required to reduce death and disability from firearm injury. Research is needed to better understand the root causes of violence, identify people at risk, and determine the most effective strategies for firearm injury prevention. Federal and philanthropic research funding must be provided to match the burden of disease. Engaging firearm owners and populations at risk is critical in developing programs and policies for firearm injury prevention. Health care providers should be encouraged to counsel patients and families regarding firearm safety and safe storage. Educational and research efforts are needed to support appropriate culturally competent messaging. Screening for the risk of depression, suicide, intimate partner violence, and interpersonal violence should be conducted across all health care settings and in certain high-risk populations (such as those with dementia). Comprehensive resources and interventions are needed to support patients and families identified as high risk for firearm injury, who have access to a firearm. Hospitals and health care systems must genuinely engage the community in addressing the social determinants of disease, which contribute to structural violence in underserved communities. Our professional organizations commit to working together and continuing to meet in order to ensure these statements lead to constructive actions which improve the health and well-being of our fellow Americans. A comprehensive public health approach requires an in-depth understanding of the epidemiology of violence and culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. This approach requires a significant investment in firearm injury prevention research and collective effort to address the social determinants of health and structural violence in our communities. The report outlines the current evidence for specific interventions to address suicide, unintentional injury, and intentional interpersonal violence such as: counseling patients and families regarding safe storage of firearms; lethal means safety for suicide prevention; hospital-based violence intervention programs; identifying patients at risk for violence; the relationship between mental health and firearm injury; and issues of public policy. Many of these practical interventions can be implemented without the need for political debate. We believe that by investing in research and empowering the professional community to address this issue we can improve the health and well-being of all Americans. May 20, 2019--(BRONX, NY)--In research that could make biopsies more useful for many diseases, scientists have used a powerful new tool to zero in on individual cells in a patient's diseased organ and reveal the cells' underlying glitches in gene expression--information that may allow for more precise and effective treatment. The findings, by scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Health System, and other medical institutions, are published online today in Nature Immunology. The researchers looked at nephritis (kidney inflammation), which affects half of all people who have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease that inflames and damages tissues and organs throughout the body. "Lupus inflammation can destroy kidney tissue and is a leading cause of death among patients with SLE," said Chaim Putterman, M.D., the paper's co-corresponding author, professor of medicine and of microbiology & immunology, and chief of rheumatology at Einstein and Montefiore. The kidney biopsy has been the gold standard for diagnosing the condition, assessing its severity, and monitoring patients' response to therapy. But it requires interpretation of stained tissue sections, which is not always sufficiently accurate for assessing disease severity or guiding treatment decisions. Harnessing Advanced Technology By contrast, said Dr. Putterman, "We used a much more sensitive tool called single-cell RNA sequencing, or scRNA-seq, which requires only a tiny amount of clinically obtained tissue to reveal the gene expression of individual cells. With scRNA-seq, we can see the inner workings of different types of kidney cells and identify disease-associated genetic 'signatures' within those cell types." Dr. Putterman and colleagues also found that scRNA-seq testing of skin cells mirrored the results obtained on kidney cells--opening up the possibility that patients with lupus nephritis may one day be able to avoid kidney biopsies altogether. The Nature Immunology paper involved 21 patients in the New York area, primarily women between the ages of 16 and 53 who have lupus nephritis. Researchers used scRNA-seq to analyze the gene expression in several types of biopsied cells, including skin cells and cells from tubules, the tiny kidney structures that reabsorb essential filtered substances and transport wastes that end up in the urine. Damage to tubules determines the ultimate severity of kidney damage in lupus nephritis patients. Seeking Genetic Signatures The researchers first focused on genes involved in the interferon-response pathway. Interferons are proteins that regulate the immune response. Previous studies showed that interferons play a role in SLE and appear to cause flare-ups in patients with lupus nephritis patients. In both tubule cells and skin cells from these patients, interferon-pathway genes were expressed at a significantly higher level than in comparable cells obtained from a control group (three healthy women who did not have lupus). Moreover, those with lupus nephritis who had not responded to treatment six months after their biopsies had significantly higher interferon scores in their tubular cells at baseline as compared with patients who responded partly or completely to treatment. "This finding suggests that those with lupus nephritis whose scRNA-seq test showed high interferon scores could potentially be good candidates for drugs now in clinical trials that inhibit interferon signaling," said Dr. Putterman. "It also makes sense that interferon-associated genes activated in kidney tubules would be activated in their skin cells as well, since skin cells of these patients are exposed to the same interferons in the bloodstream." Next, the researchers analyzed the patients' tubule and skin cells for genes involved in scarring--a serious consequence of lupus nephritis. Once again, those with lupus nephritis who proved unresponsive to therapy six months after biopsy had higher expression of scarring-associated genes in both skin and tubule cells than patients who responded well to treatment. Notably, standard kidney biopsy testing done on several treatment-unresponsive patients did not detect scarring; this suggests that scRNA-seq testing can detect kidney scarring at an early stage, when aggressive treatment might prevent scar formation from leading to kidney failure. "While our study focused on the kidney," said Dr. Putterman, "we're optimistic that scRNA-seq can potentially be similarly employed to improve on results obtained from many other types of clinical biopsies, such as those done on the prostate, breast, and skin." ### In addition to Dr. Putterman, other Einstein and Montefiore researchers involved in the paper, "Tubular Cell and Keratinocyte Single-cell Transcriptomics Applied to Lupus Nephritis Reveal Type 1 IFN and Fibrosis Relevant Pathways," are: Evan Der, Ph.D., Beatrice Goilav, M.D., Mordecai Koenigsberg, M.D., Michele Mokrzycki, M.D., Helen Rominieki, N.P., Jay A. Graham, M.D., Juan P. Rocca, M.D., Nicole Jordan, Emma Schulte, and James Pullman, M.D., Ph.D. Other researchers involved in the study are co-corresponding authors Jill Buyon, M.D., of NYU School of Medicine and Thomas Tuschl, Ph.D., of Rockefeller University; Hemant Suryawanshi, Ph.D., Pavel Morozov and Manjunath Kustagi of Rockefeller University; Peter Izmirly, M.D., Robert Clancy, Ph.D., H. Michael Belmont, M.D., Nicole Bornkamp, and Ming Wu, M .D., of NYU School of Medicine; Kamil Slowikowski , Ph.D., and Soumya Raychaudhuri, M.D., Ph.D., of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Saritha Ranabathou, M.D., of Arkansas Children's Hospital; Joel Guthridge, M.D., and Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and the Accelerating Medicine Partnership Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Consortium. Funding support for the study was provided by grants from the National Institutes of Health, with additional funding support from the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Rheumatoid Arthritis/Lupus Network. About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2018-2019 academic year, Einstein is home to 711 M.D. students, 160 Ph.D. students, 107 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 265 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,800 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2018, Einstein received more than $172 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, cancer, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States through Montefiore and an affiliation network involving hospitals and medical centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and on Long Island. For more information, please visit http://www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and view us on YouTube. WASHINGTON -- People who see themselves as being in a higher social class may tend to have an exaggerated belief that they are more adept than their equally capable lower-class counterparts, and that overconfidence can often be misinterpreted by others as greater competence in important situations, such as job interviews, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. "Advantages beget advantages. Those who are born in upper-class echelons are likely to remain in the upper class, and high-earning entrepreneurs disproportionately originate from highly educated, well-to-do families," said Peter Belmi, PhD, of the University of Virginia and lead author of the study. "Our research suggests that social class shapes the attitudes that people hold about their abilities and that, in turn, has important implications for how class hierarchies perpetuate from one generation to the next." The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Belmi and his colleagues conducted a series of four investigations looking at the connection between social class and overconfidence and how that might affect others' perceptions of a person's competence. The largest involved more than 150,000 small business owners in Mexico who were applying for loans. To measure social class, the researchers obtained information about these applicants' income, education level and perceived standing in society as part of the application process. Applicants were also required to complete a psychological assessment that would be used to assess their credit worthiness. Part of that included a flashcard game, a cognitive test where participants are shown an image that goes away after they press a key and is replaced by a second image. They then have to determine whether the second image matches the first. After completing 20 trials, applicants were asked to indicate how they performed in comparison with others on a scale of 1 to 100. When the researchers compared the actual scores with applicants' predictions, they found that people with more education, more income and a higher perceived social class had an exaggerated belief that they would perform better than others, compared with their lower-class counterparts. Another two investigations involving more than 1,400 online participants found a similar association between social class and overconfidence. In one, the researchers gave participants a trivia test. Those from a higher social class thought that they did better than others; however, when the researchers examined actual performance, it was not the case. For the final investigation, the researchers recruited 236 undergraduate students, had each answer a 15-item trivia quiz and asked them to predict how they fared compared with others. They also asked them to rate their social class and for their families' income and their mothers' and fathers' education levels. A week later, the students were brought back to the lab for a videotaped mock hiring interview. More than 900 judges, recruited online, each watched one of the videos and rated their impression of the applicant's competence. Once again, the researchers found students from a higher social class tended to be more overconfident, but they also discovered that this overconfidence was misinterpreted by the judges who watched their videos as greater competence. "Individuals with relatively high social class were more overconfident, which in turn was associated with being perceived as more competent and ultimately more hirable, even though, on average, they were no better at the trivia test than their lower-class counterparts," said Belmi. The overconfidence effect may be partially due to differences in values between the middle and working classes, according to Belmi. "In the middle class, people are socialized to differentiate themselves from others, to express what they think and feel and to confidently express their ideas and opinions, even when they lack accurate knowledge. By contrast, working-class people are socialized to embrace the values of humility, authenticity and knowing your place in the hierarchy," he said. "These findings challenge the widely held belief that everybody thinks they are better than the average. Our results suggest that this type of thinking might be more prevalent among the middle and upper classes." The findings join a growing body of research on why class-based hierarchies continue to persist generation after generation, according to Belmi. "Our results suggest that finding solutions to mitigate class inequalities may require a focus on subtle and seemingly harmless human tendencies," he said. "Although people may be well meaning, these inequalities will continue to perpetuate if people do not correct for their natural human tendency to conflate impressions of confidence with evidence of ability." ### Article: "The Social Advantage of Miscalibrated Individuals: The Relationship Between Social Class and Overconfidence and Its Implications for Class-Based Inequity," by Peter Belmi, PhD, University of Virginia; Margaret Neale, PhD, Stanford University; and David Reiff, BA, and Rosemary Ulfe, BA, LenddoEFL. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published online May 20, 2019. Full text of the article is available online at https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspi0000187.pdf Contact: Peter Belmi can be reached via email at BelmiP@darden.virginia.edu or by phone at (434) 924-7489 The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 118,400 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives. California Study Warns Obscure Q Fever a Bigger Threat Than Once Believed In Bolivia, Mass Treatment Associated with Near Elimination of Parasitic Worm Disease California Study Warns Obscure Q Fever a Bigger Threat Than Once Believed Chronic disease and deaths from infections with Q fever, a little-known disease caused by a bacterium carried by livestock, may be far more likely than previously believed, according to a new study in Southern California published today online in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Researchers from Loma Linda University examined the experience of patients who were diagnosed with acute Q fever at their hospital between 2000 and 2016. They found that of 20 patients who had acute disease, three went on to develop chronic Q fever and two died. Acute cases of Q fever are often mild, with just flu-like symptoms, and treatable with antibiotics. But the study notes chronic cases can cause dangerous heart and blood vessel infections and have a poor prognosis. While they were looking at a relatively small number of infections, the scientists found a much higher proportion of patients with acute illness progressing to chronic Q fever and a higher case fatality rate than the national average. They note that while other studies have found cases of Q fever rarely progress to chronic infection, in their study 15% of acute cases worsened to chronic infections. And the 10% case fatality rate in their study was five times the rate (2%) for Q fever cases reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But they note their study is probably not capturing the total number of infections in their region because many people infected with the bacterium don't get sick enough to seek treatment. They also point to a lack of international consensus on distinguishing acute from chronic infections and evidence that there may be different types of chronic infections, with some more likely to produce deadly heart problems than others. Q fever infections can be caused by either direct contact with livestock that harbor the bacterium Coxiella burnetii or by inhaling bacterial spores that can be carried long distances by dust and wind. The patients in the study lived in an area of Southern California where dusty, dry, windy conditions form an "ideal climate for the propagation and spread of the disease," the researchers said. The study cites previous research finding that Q fever is underdiagnosed and under-reported in the U.S. Abstract (embargoed until 5 p.m. EDT May 20): https://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/10.4269/ajtmh.18-0283 In Bolivia, Mass Treatment Associated with Near Elimination of Parasitic Worm Disease Wielding an affordable, safe, and effective drug, the Bolivian Ministry of Health has used a mass drug administration (MDA) campaign to all but eliminate a debilitating human infection from a parasitic worm in a region where it was once found in up to a quarter of the population, according to a new study. Researchers from Bolivia's FUNDERMA, Institute of Health and Environment, and SEDES La Paz found infections with human fascioliasis, a condition caused by ingesting a parasitic worm that contaminates fresh water and freshwater plants, were practically undetectable following an eight-year MDA campaign with triclabendazole, which is lethal to the worms. The authors of the study initially had planned to conduct a treatment trial in Bolivia's Altiplano (high plain) region to further explore the effectiveness of triclabendazole against the Fasciola hepatica worms, also known as liver flukes. This region bordering Lake Titicaca is believed to have the world's highest rate of human fascioliasis infections, which start out causing fever and abdominal pain before progressing to a chronic condition that can produce nausea, jaundice, and bacterial infections. But the scientists say they were surprised when they "found it impossible to identify sufficient subjects." In one area, where in 1999 about 27% of the population was infected, in 2017 only 0.7% was infected. The study could find no other examples of using a mass treatment strategy--in which all accessible members of a large population are treated regardless of symptoms or signs of infection--with triclabendazole to combat fascioliasis. The researchers note that, by contrast, the traditional strategy worldwide has involved diagnosis via stool samples followed by treatment of those infected. But they note that the Bolivian government's mass treatment strategy in communities at high risk of infection was much less costly and much more efficient and effective. ### About the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, founded in 1903, is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. It accomplishes this through generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence, and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research. For more information, visit astmh.org. About the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Continuously published since 1921, AJTMH is the peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the world's leading voice in the fields of tropical medicine and global health. AJTMH disseminates new knowledge in fundamental, translational, clinical and public health sciences focusing on improving global health. Bridget DeSimone, +1 301.280.5735, bdesimone@burness.com Preeti Singh, +1 301.280.5722, psingh@burness.com Transcription is the process of synthesizing messenger RNA by RNA polymerase based on the DNA sequence of a gene and is the initial step in gene expression. In bacteria, factor is a key component of RNA polymerase for promoter recognition and transcription initiation. In recent years, a type of factor SigI and its co-transcribed anti- factor RsgI have been found widely in some Clostridia and Bacilli. They represent a new class of bacterial /anti- factors. Previous studies have shown that these SigI/RsgI factors are responsible for cellulosome regulation, while the structural and functional mechanisms of these factors are still unknown. Prof. FENG Yingang and his colleagues from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently revealed the structural and functional mechanism of the SigI/RsgI factors from C. thermocellum. The results have been published in Nucleic Acids Research. Cellulosomes are multi-enzyme complexes secreted by some anaerobic Clostridia and are efficient lignocellulose-degrading machines with important applications in both lignocellulose bioconversion and biotechnology development. The synthesis of cellulosomal components is regulated along with the extracellular substrates. Thus, the study of the substrate-induced regulation mechanism is crucial for the engineering of cellulosomes aimed at high activity and their applications. To study the mechanism of SigI/RsgI in cellulosome regulation, the researchers investigated the interaction between RsgI and SigI through nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and found that the intracellular domain of RsgI formed a stable complex with the C-terminal domain of SigI. The three-dimensional structure of the complex is completely different from the known structures of other /anti- factor complexes, representing a new class of /anti- factor complex structure. Further structural and mutagenesis analysis revealed a critical region on SigI that recognizes the promoter -35 region DNA. The recognition specificity among different pairs of SigI/RsgI factors is achieved by the synergistic interactions between multiple pairs of residue on the two proteins. "The SigI/RsgI factors we worked on are unique among known /anti- factors," said FENG, the corresponding author of the study. "Our findings on these interesting regulation factors enrich our understanding of the structure and function of /anti- factors." "The research not only provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of bacterial response to the extracellular environment, but also helps to explain the regulation mechanism of cellulosomes and will promote the engineering and application of cellulosomes in the future," said Prof. Edward A. Bayer from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, co-discoverer of the cellulosome. ### The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Shandong Province. Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome that occurs in patients suffering from chronic infections such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. In addition, 50% to 80% of cancer patients are affected by cachexia (Argiles JM et al. Nature Reviews Cancer 2014). Due to reduced food intake and altered metabolism, patients unintentionally lose body weight and lose their strength. Their fat reserves and skeletal muscle mass are progressively depleted, which cannot be reversed by nutritional supplementation. Cachexia severely impacts the patient's quality of life and worsens the outcome of ongoing therapies. Despite this tremendous clinical need the standards of diagnosis and care for cachectic patients remain insufficient and effective treatment options are elusive so far. In recent years, studies using experimental models of cancer-associated cachexia greatly improved our understanding of how inflammation may trigger cachexia and the associated metabolic alterations. These studies showed that secreted inflammatory factors can induce weight loss through either direct or indirect mechanisms that affect appetite and alter fat and muscle metabolism. In the context of infectious diseases, the knowledge of cachexia is lagging behind, and it is not understood whether the same or different mechanisms of cachexia occur during infection and cancer. The research group of Andreas Bergthaler, Principal Investigator at CeMM, together with collaboration partners from the University of Graz, the Medical University of Vienna as well as international collaboration partners from Germany, Switzerland and the USA elucidated a novel mechanism of how chronic viral infection leads to cachexia. These results are published in the recent issue of Nature Immunology (DOI: 10.1038/s41590-019-0397-y) and describe the organism-wide pathophysiological changes associated with cachexia during chronic viral infection. By using well-controlled animal infection models, the researchers identified the key molecular players that lead to cachexia. Viral infection resulted in a reduction of body weight. This weight loss could only partially be explained by decreased food intake and it was not prevented by nutritional supplementation. The researchers went on to show that the viral infection led to a severe reorganization of the architecture of the fat tissue which coincided with the activation of lipolysis, a molecular cascade of processes that the body uses to melt its fat depots. Yet, none of the inflammatory mediators known to induce cachexia in cancer seemed to play an important role during infection. "This came as quite a surprise to us", says first-author of the study, PhD student Hatoon Baazim. The researchers continued to study other potential mechanisms and realized that CD8 T cells were responsible for triggering cachexia. CD8 T cells are important cells of the immune system, which are able to recognize and kill virus-infected cells or cancer cells. In this study the researchers could show that in order to trigger cachexia, the CD8 T cells required additional signals from the antiviral cytokines type I interferons and needed to recognize the virus. This study by Baazim et al. elucidates the inflammatory drivers of infection-associated cachexia and offers a valuable model for future investigations about the mechanisms of infection-associated cachexia to the international research community. This will allow for new molecular insights into how infectious pathogens including HIV, mycobacterium tuberculosis or various parasites cause cachexia. In addition, as last-author Dr. Andreas Bergthaler puts it, "We are convinced that future studies that compare cachexia in the context of both infection and cancer, ideally through the integration of experimental models and clinical patient data, are going to provide much needed advancements for our understanding of this still very mysterious disease." Such new insights from basic research may stimulate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies to alleviate the burden of cachexia and associated life-threatening chronic diseases. ### The study has been supported by the European Research Council (ERC), the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the US National Institutes of Health. The mission of CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is to achieve maximum scientific innovation in molecular medicine to improve healthcare. At CeMM, an international and creative team of scientists and medical doctors pursues free-minded basic life science research in a large and vibrant hospital environment of outstanding medical tradition and practice. CeMM's research is based on post-genomic technologies and focuses on societally important diseases, such as immune disorders and infections, cancer and metabolic disorders. CeMM operates in a unique mode of super-cooperation, connecting biology with medicine, experiments with computation, discovery with translation, and science with society and the arts. The goal of CeMM is to pioneer the science that nurtures the precise, personalized, predictive and preventive medicine of the future. CeMM trains a modern blend of biomedical scientists and is located at the campus of the General Hospital and the Medical University of Vienna. Over one-third of all FDA-approved drugs act on a specific family of proteins: G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Drugs to treat high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, diabetes and myriad other conditions target GPCRs throughout the bodybut a recent study shows what happens next. In results published in Cell, researchers outline the timeline of events, including precisely when and how different parts of a GPCR interacts with its G protein signaling partners. The findings provide new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of drug-induced signaling in cells, including ways to identify the most critical portions of GPCRs for targeting development of novel therapeutics. Were able to seefrom millisecond to minutes timescalesthe detailed sequence of events where a GPCR encounters its downstream signaling partner and catalyzes a change in its structure, providing the basis for understanding its signaling, said corresponding author David Lodowski, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The most exciting part is that we can follow the signaling in a time-resolved manner. We first rapidly mix the activated GPCR and its G-protein signaling partner, and then capture time-resolved details along the natural signaling pathway. The researchers observed the formation of the GPCR signaling complex using a powerful technique called radiolytic footprinting that couples chemical labeling of proteins with mass analysis. In this technique, high intensity X-rays are used to generate highly reactive chemical labels from the water surrounding proteins, enabling a snapshot of the proteins regions of interest. This x-ray footprinting technique was pioneered by Mark Chance, PhD, vice dean for research at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a coauthor on the manuscript. Our footprinting approach efficiently labels the outside of proteins, Lodowski explained. If a protein in isolation is labeled on one side, and then in complex is no longer labeled there, we know thats most likely the interaction surface. This approach helped the researchers understand how a GPCR uses its different parts of its surface to engage with the G protein. Previous studies have shown what GPCRs look like at rest (before activation) and long after theyve formed complexes with other proteins (and signaling is over). The in-between steps have been more elusive. Said Lodowski, We are now moving into the fourth dimensionthe temporal dimensionof how these complexes form. Activated GPCRs form a complex with particular G proteins inside cells that control cell functions. The process transfers information (e.g. the signal) from the GPCR to the signaling partner. The study reveals specifics in this process, called the G protein cycle. In milliseconds to seconds, GPCRs identify a signal (such as a hormone or drug), reconfigure themselves, recruit specific G proteins inside cells, and activate cellular signaling cascades. The new analysis technique can identify when a certain portion of a GPCRindividual amino acids, for examplelocks in with target amino acids inside a G protein. It thus reveals precise amino acids most central to GPCR function. If applied to GPCRs known to cause disease, such a detailed analysis could potentially uncover new sites for precision drug targeting. We can use the same techniques to identify precise regions on GPCRs to target therapeutically, Lodowski explained. If we know site A gets touched before site B in the cycle, then we can design better, more effective drugs. GPCRs are not easy subjects to study. They are embedded in cell membranes, a natural location that facilitates their ability to transmit information from outside to inside the cell. However, this location complicates their isolation, purification and analysis. Due to these difficulties, structures of GPCRs and their complexes have been exceedingly difficult to solve, with the first structure of a GPCR only determined in 2000. Extensive GPCR structure determination efforts over the past 20 years have enabled the structure determination of a number of GPCRs, including the first GPCR-G protein complex structure in 2012, which earned Brian Kobilka, MD, of Stanford University the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Kobilka was also a corresponding author on the new Cell publication. This work would not have been possible without our world-class team of investigators including collaborators at Stanford, Sungkyunkwan University in Korea, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the scientists and engineers at the Case Center for Synchrotron Biosciences at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chance said. The Case Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, located at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven laboratory, operates the custom footprinting beamline (BM-17) the researchers used in the new study. Going forward, the researchers plan to use the beamline at NSLS-II to further analyze activation of GPCRs and their complexes. Theyll combine their findings with existing GPCR structural data to better understand how GPCRs work. The results could lead to better beta-blockers, chemotherapy drugs, even drugs to treat vision or cognitive deficits. GPCRs are critical targets for a variety of new drugs, Lodowski said. Weve had some ideas of how GPCRs and their signaling complexes come together, but not the sequence of events with molecular detail. Its exciting that this novel time resolved approach allows us to extract more meaning from these structures. ### This research used Beamline BM-17 (XFP) of the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated by Brookhaven National Laboratory under contract DE-SC0012704. Funding was provided by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018R1A2B6001554 and NRF-2012R1A5A2A28671860 to K.Y.C.); the Lundbeck Foundation (to S.G.F.R.); the Danish Medical Research Council (to S.G.F.R.); the Carlsberg Foundation (to S.G.F.R.); the UNIK Center for Synthetic Biology (to S.G.F.R.); the German Academic Exchange Service (to D.H.); the National Institutes of Health (R00EY09718 to D.T.L., P30EB09998 to M.R.C., and R01GM083118 to B.K.K.). The National Science Foundation provided funding to develop and build BM-17 through a MRI grant (DBI-1228549 to M.R.C.). B.K.K. is also a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigator. Du, Y, et al. Assembly of a GPCR-G Protein Complex. Cell. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.022 For more information about Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, please visit: case.edu/medicine. A study of more than 19,000 people has found that women with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than men with the condition, according to research published in the European Respiratory Journal [1]. OSA, where the airways close completely or partially many times during sleep, reduces the levels of oxygen in the blood, and common symptoms include snoring, disrupted sleep and feeling excessively tired. The new study suggests that people who experience more closures of the airways during sleep and whose blood oxygen saturation levels drop below 90% more frequently are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than people without OSA. The study also found that cancer was more prevalent among women with OSA than men, even after factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status and alcohol consumption were taken into account, suggesting women with OSA may be at greater risk of being diagnosed with cancer than men with OSA. The study was led by Athanasia Pataka, who is Assistant Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Aristotle University and works at the George Papanikolaou General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece. She explained: "Recent studies have shown that low blood oxygen levels during the night and disrupted sleep, which are both common in OSA, may play an important role in the biology of different types of cancers. But this area of research is very new, and the effects of gender on the link between OSA and cancer have not been studied in detail before." The researchers analysed data from 19,556 people included in the European Sleep Apnoea Database (ESADA), an international multi-centre study that includes patients with OSA, to explore the link between OSA severity, low blood oxygen levels and cancer development. The participants included 5,789 women and 13,767 men in total, who were also assessed for their age, BMI, smoking status and level of alcohol use, as these factors can impact the risk of developing cancer. To assess OSA severity and the link with developing cancer, the researchers looked at how many times the participants experienced partial or complete airways closure per hour of sleep, and how many times during the night their blood oxygen levels dropped below 90%. The data showed that among the ESADA participants, 388 people (2%) had been diagnosed with a serious cancer; this included 160 women and 228 men, which is 2.8% of all women and 1.7% of all men in the ESADA group. Those who were diagnosed with cancer were likely to be over 50 years of age and less overweight, and the most common type of cancer among women was breast cancer, while prostate cancer was the most prevalent among men. When the researchers analysed the data again according to the participants' sex, they found that the odds of cancer diagnosis were higher in women with severe OSA and who had more severely lowered blood oxygen levels during sleep compared with women without OSA. But this trend was not the same when comparing men with OSA versus men without OSA, even after the research team accounted for the other variables that could impact the risk of developing cancer, such as BMI, age, smoking status and alcohol use, which suggests that women with OSA are more likely to develop cancer than men with OSA. Professor Pataka explained their results: "Our study of more than 19,000 people shows that severity of OSA is linked to a cancer diagnosis. This link was especially strong in the women that we analysed, and less so in the men, and suggests that severe OSA could be an indicator for cancer in women, though more research is needed to confirm these findings. "Our study did not explicitly explore the causes of different cancers, but cancer may differ between men and women because of factors such as how hormones affect tumour growth; how the different types of cancer that were more prevalent in men and women are affected by low blood oxygen levels; or how gender specific exposure to cigarette smoking may play a role." Professor Pataka added: "The classic symptoms of OSA such as sleepiness, snoring and stopping breathing during the night time are reported more frequently in men, but other lesser known symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, depression and morning headaches are more common in women, therefore clinicians should be more careful when evaluating their female patients for possible OSA." The researchers note that their analysis did not account for other factors that may affect cancer risk, such as participants' physical activity, marital status, education level and occupation, which potentially limits the study. They also stressed that their results cannot show that OSA causes the increased risk of cancer, only that there is an association between the two, and say that further research is needed to understand how OSA symptoms and treatment may affect cancer. Professor Anita Simonds is a Consultant in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, UK and Vice President of the European Respiratory Society, and was not involved in the research. She said: "This study adds to the growing evidence on the possible link between the effects of OSA such as low blood oxygen levels and the risk of developing cancer, and provides new data on potential gender differences. "In this study the overall cancer prevalence was low at just 2%, therefore OSA patients should not be alarmed by this research. Clinicians should continue to be vigilant when assessing patients with possible OSA, especially among women who may present with less common symptoms. Both female and male OSA patients should be advised to adhere to therapy and follow a healthy lifestyle to manage their condition most effectively, including by being physically active, achieving ideal body weight, limiting alcohol use and not smoking." The research team plan to conduct a follow-up study to evaluate the number of cancer diagnoses and cancer deaths in the ESADA population with OSA, and to look at specific cancers in more detail and how OSA treatment may affect outcomes. ### This study was funded by the European Respiratory Society's Clinical Research Collaboration and supported by unrestricted grants from ResMed, the Philips Respironics Foundation and Bayer AG. In a situation of rapid digitalisation of public and private sector services the methods for digital identity verification and authentication are also becoming increasingly important for citizens. E-residency is a form of digital authentication, which gives remote access to digital services without the need to actually live in the country. The e-residency research group from TalTech Ragnar Nurkse Deparment of Innovation and Governance led by Professor Anu Masso recently published the article "Transnational Digital Identity as an Instrument for Global Digital Citizenship: The Case of Estonia's E-Residency". The article examines the aspects concerning the digital opportunities and digital inequalities related to e-residency by analysing the links between the individual motives to apply for a digital identity and the level of e-government development in the country of origin. A member of the research group and the first author of the article, a PhD student of the Institute of Social Studies of the University of Tartu, Piia Tammpuu says, "The Estonian e-residency application data of 2014-2017 used in our analysis indicate that although the e-residency programme achieved a global reach already in the first years, the background of applicants in terms of the country of origin is geographically very uneven." Estonian e-residency as a government-supported transnational digital identity is argued to provide an advantage particularly to citizens from countries with lower levels of e-government development. Therefore, the aim was to analyse whether and how does the e-residency programme compensate the lack of digital opportunities particularly for citizens from countries with relatively lower level of e-government development. The analysis, however, showed that the majority of the applicants come from digitally advanced countries: 90% of the applicants are citizens of the countries with a high or very high level of e-government development, measured by the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) of the United Nations. Only one tenth of applicants are from countries with an average or low level of government development. Thus, the e-residency programme will potentially benefit mostly those citizens who are already more privileged in a global context in terms of the digital opportunities offered by their country of origin. In other words, despite a global reach of the e-residency programme, the programme tends to be more available to those who are already "digitally more empowered" and therefore reflects the existing digital divides between countries and regions. According to the authors, the main contribution of the study was to explain, by using the multilevel analysis method, the applicants' motives, taking into account their socio-demographic background (e.g. citizenship) as well as the differences in the digital and economic development in their countries of origin. The findings suggest that individual motives to apply for e-residency vary depending on both the EU citizenship of applicants and the level of e-government development in the country of origin. Citizens of digitally more advanced countries are more likely to apply for e-residency because of their general interest and define themselves as "fans of e-residency". Citizens from digitally less developed countries, however, applied for e-residency in particular out of practical interest to use certain e-services and digital solutions. Thus the findings imply that e-residency still tends to provide a certain "compensation effect" for them. "In conclusion, the study draws attention to the aspects of the digital divide related to the Estonian e-residency programme and raises a question whether initiatives similar to e-residency reduce or rather contribute to the reproduction of transnational digital inequalities in the long run," Anu Masso says. According to Masso, it can be assumed, based on the study carried out, that the abovementioned inequalities may occur in certain usages of the e-resident's ID card: accessibility to various services, awareness of the potential data created in the course of e-residency, opinions on potential risks and opportunities. However, these topics require a further quantitative and qualitative analysis for further explaining the mechanisms of the digital inequalities. Currently the research group led by Professor Masso is carrying out further in-depth interviews among e-residents to find out their understanding of the rights and obligations as global digital citizens and the opportunities and risks related to their digital footprints. ### Source: Information Systems Frontiers "Transnational Digital Identity as an Instrument for Global Digital Citizenship: The Case of Estonia's E-Residency" https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-019-09908-y Additional information: Professor at TalTech Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance Anu Masso, anu.masso@taltech.ee Kersti Vahi, Research Administration Office Exposure to environmental pollutants can cause alterations in brain development that affect sexual development and fertility for several generations, according to findings to be presented in Lyon, at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2019. The offspring of pregnant rats exposed to a mixture of common endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), at doses equivalent to those commonly experienced by people, showed impairments in sexual development and maternal behaviour that were passed on through several generations. These findings suggest that current levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our environment may already be causing long-lasting harm and that people and agencies should take measures to minimise exposure. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can interfere with the normal function of our hormones and have previously been associated with infertility and altered sexual development in animals and people. We are exposed to hundreds of these pollutants in our daily lives, as they are used in the manufacture of plastics, pesticides and medicines. However, the extent of damage being done to our health and the consequences to future generations remains unclear. Rodent studies have suggested that exposure to EDCs can affect brain development through several generations but the generational effects on sexual development and reproduction have not previously been investigated. In this study, David Lopez Rodriguez a graduate student in Anne-Simone Parent's lab at the University of Liege in Belgium monitored the sexual development of three generations of rats, whose parent generation only were exposed to a mixture of common EDCs during pregnancy and lactation. The female rats born in the first and second generation showed impairments in their care for their own pups. However, the female rats in the second and third generation exhibited a delayed onset of puberty and altered reproductive cycle and ovarian follicle development, indicating that their fertility was affected, even though they were never themselves exposed to the EDCs. These changes were associated with altered gene expression in their brains that are known to affect how reproductive hormones are regulated. Prof Parent says, "Our results raise real concerns about the effects of these pollutants in our environment. We found effects of EDCs in generations of animals that had not been directly exposed to the chemicals. We exposed the parent generation only and found long-term effects on fertility. Of course, in everyday life this would not happen and exposure to these harmful chemicals would continue, which means even more damage could be done." The team are now interested in how the changes are carried through generations, and are looking at whether impaired maternal care is the trigger for the altered development in the following generations. Mr Rodriguez comments, "These findings raise questions about the legacy we are leaving future generations. Current European legislation on EDCs does not consider how mixtures of low dose pollutants in our environment could be causing harm and affecting our children and wildlife in future generations, our data suggest an urgent need to follow the precautionary principle." ### Conference abstract, experimental study, animals Public spaces were the focus of the HERA programme's 6th funding call. HERA stands for Humanities in the European Research Area. The programme, which is funded within the framework of the EU research funding programme Horizon 2020, focuses particularly on the humanities. Submitted applications were required to deal with the culture and integration of public spaces in Europe. "Visual Culture of Trauma, Obliteration and Reconstruction in Post-WW II Europe" is the title of the project with which Professor Vinzenz Hediger from Goethe University and his colleagues from France, Italy and the Czech Republic were successful. With the plan to investigate war destruction and reconstruction in non-fiction film from 1949 to 1953, they were able to assert themselves along with 21 other projects out of a total of 300 applicants, and to exhaust almost the entire funding amount of a maximum of one million euros. The German subproject, which is also responsible for the coordination, will receive approximately half of this sum. The funds come mostly from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Frankfurt is an ideal central location for this research in film studies: the city on the Main was heavily damaged, and debates have taken place here over reconstruction vs. starting new like in hardly any other city in Europe - to this day. The project, however, will concentrate on the years following the war: there is a lot of material to be examined. To gain access to this material the four principal investigators - in addition to Hediger, Professor Francesco Pitassio in Udine (Italy), Dr. Lucie Cesalkova in Prague and Professor Sylvie Lindeperg in Paris - have recruited the assistance of the national film archives. With their expertise and equipment, the material can be digitised and made available to a wider scientific community, says Hediger. The project focuses on public spaces such as the Romer in Frankfurt, marketplaces and other politically relevant places. Both formal and substantive aspects will be examined: how many aerial photographs are there? Can repeating elements be determined? Are there symbols that repeatedly surface in the debate? What effect did filmic reporting and documentation have on the debate? What are the differences and commonalities among the various European countries? "Our hypothesis is that these films not only presented, but also made a massive contribution," says Hediger. Public spaces play a central role in democracy, as does their presentation in the media. In addition to the three principal investigators, one or two postdocs each will be involved in the project. The kick-off meeting to begin the three-year research project took place on 9th and 10th May in Frankfurt. The research team successfully developed workflows and refined research tools, which includes the creation of a sophisticated research database and the outlines of the main deliverable of the project, the Virtual Exhibition, a multi-lingual, film based educational experience which will be attached to the European Film Gateway (https://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu). Further Information: Prof Vinzenz Hediger, Professor for Film Studies, Institute for Drama, Film and Media Studies, Faculty 10, Westend Campus, Tel. +49 (0)69 798-32079: +49 (0) 151 644 188 35, hediger@tfm.uni-frankfurt.de Current news about science, teaching, and society can be found on GOETHE-UNI online (http://www.aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de) Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre Frankfurt am Main. The university was founded in 1914 through private funding, primarily from Jewish sponsors, and has since produced pioneering achievements in the areas of social sciences, sociology and economics, medicine, quantum physics, brain research, and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a "foundation university". Today, it is one of the three largest universities in Germany. Together with the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Mainz, it is a partner in the inter-state strategic Rhine-Main University Alliance. Internet: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de Publisher: The President of Goethe University Editor: Dr. Anke Sauter, Science and Humanities Editor, International Communication, PR & Communication Department, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Tel: +49(0)69 798-13066, Fax +49(0)69 798-761 12531, sauter@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de. ### DKD protective factors could be used as biomarkers and for personalized clinical intervention BOSTON -- (May 20, 2019) -- A new study from Joslin Diabetes Center has proven that certain biological protective factors play a large role in preventing diabetic kidney disease in certain people. The study was published online in Diabetes Care. This study built on the findings from a 2017 Joslin Medalist Study of protective factors and diabetic kidney disease (or DKD). The 2017 study focused on Joslin Medalists--people who have had diabetes for more than 50 years with little to no complications. The Medalists who never developed kidney disease had higher levels of a group of enzymes involved in glucose metabolism than people who did develop kidney disease. The research team was led by Hetal Shah, MD,MPH, Research Associate at Joslin Diabetes Center and HMS Instructor in Medicine, Daniel Gordin, MD, PhD, Adjunct faculty at Joslin and Associate Professor at University of Helsinki, Finland, and George King, MD, Joslin Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer and HMS Professor in Medicine, In their new study, Drs. Shah, Gordin and King were able to show that protective factors are also present in kidney-disease-free people with shorter-duration type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. This finding indicates that these enzymes, and one in particular known as PKM2, play a strong protective role against kidney disease. The enzymes could be used as both biomarkers and, potentially, targets for DKD intervention. Kidney disease is a major concern for people with diabetes. But not everyone with type 1 diabetes develops DKD. The fact that Joslin Medalists have such low rates of complications has intrigued researchers' worldwide. "That built up the rationale that there must be something protecting these people from diabetic kidney disease. This would explain how these individuals have been able to live with insulin dependent diabetes for so many years," says Dr. Gordin. The researchers set out to investigate three questions related to the 2017 discovery. First--was PKM2 protective in non-Medalists? Second--was PKM2 circulating in the Medalists' plasma, or was it only found in the kidney? And third--do the Medalists have any other protective factors to be explored? To answer the first question, they studied the postmortem kidneys donated by people in all of the cohorts they wanted to investigate. For the second question, they used cutting edge proteomic and metabolomic techniques to study the circulating plasma of Medalists. For the third question, they looked at the plasma and identified a number of metabolites and proteins that were also elevated. They mapped the associated genetic pathways to understand the cause and effect of the elevations. "We were able to replicate the findings of the elevated PKM2 in those with good kidney function in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Shah. "Also, through the plasma proteomic and metabolomic studies in the Medalists, we found that there's this amyloid precursor protein, or APP, that shows up as a potential protective factor against diabetic kidney disease." The identification of APP as a possible protective factor was surprising, considering its main known association is an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. "[But it also seems to be] potentially protective in multiple vulnerable tissues in people with diabetes. With that said, we would need further studies to confirm this," says Dr. Shah. Understanding the DKD protective factors could have clinical implications. If a biomarker circulates in the bloodstream, it could allow doctors to perform a simple blood test to determine a patient's risk for developing DKD. They could then create personalized intervention courses. Once the protective mechanisms are explicitly mapped, they could even be used as therapeutic targets. "Diabetic kidney disease is a devastating disease," says Dr. Gordin. "It is a powerful driver of cardiovascular disease, and also, eventually, mortality. We have urgent need to find something to help these people. All [these studies] take time, but this is very promising." ### Funding for this study was as follows: The 50-Year Medalist Study is funded by NIDDK (P30DK036836, UL1 RR025758-03, R24 283, DK083957-01, DP3 DK094333-01, T32DK007260), JDRF (17-2013-310), the Tom Beatson, Jr 284 Foundation and many Medalists. This study was also supported by a basic research grant from Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Dr.Gordin was supported by Mary K. Iacocca Fellowship provided by the Iacocca Foundation, and grants from the Wilhelm and Else Stockmann Foundation, The Medical Society of Finland (Finska Lakaresallskapet), the Finnish Medical Foundation, and the Biomedicum Helsinki Foundation. Citation: Characterization of Glycolytic Enzymes and Pyruvate Kinase M2 in Type 1 and 2 Diabetic Nephropathy http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2019/05/03/dc18-2585 About Joslin Diabetes Center Joslin Diabetes Center is world-renowned for its deep expertise in diabetes treatment and research. Joslin is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives. We develop and disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world. Joslin is an independent, non-profit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and one of only 11 NIH-designated Diabetes Research Centers in the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.joslin.org or follow @joslindiabetes | One Joslin Place, Boston, MA 617-309-2400 WOODS HOLE, Mass. -- The slender, rod-shaped Bacillus subtilis is one of the best-studied bacteria in the world, a go-to system for exploring and understanding how bacteria grow, replicate, and divide. One of its outstanding mysteries has been how it manages to keep its precise diameter while growing and and getting bigger end-to-end. This week, a team led by Ethan Garner of Harvard University describes the opposing and balanced enzymatic actions that keep B. subtilis from bulging wide while it builds up its inner cell wall and elongates. The study, in Nature Microbiology, is a collaboration with microscopy developer Rudolf Oldenbourg of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). "I had been impressed by Rudolf's work for many years and always hoped that I (or someone) would introduce polarization microscopy to bacterial cell biology," Garner says. This paper was his opportunity. With polarization microscopy, scientists can visualize the orientation of individual molecules in a live cell, and how that orientation may change over time. "Polarization microscopy was key to this project," Garner says, giving his team essential and hard-to-obtain information on the orientation of material that B. subtilis adds to its cell wall as it grows. "As I have been giving talks on this work, the bacterial community has been incredibly impressed by this [polarization microscopy] assay," Garner says. "There are many other bacteria that people want to explore with it." Oldenbourg, a senior scientist at MBL, is happy to oblige. "We are standing ready to support the bacteria research community through the OpenPolScope Resource at MBL," he says. ### The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery - exploring fundamental biology, understanding marine biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago. "This is the first time that we can show the impact of the mother's presence on a very important male fitness trait, which is their fertility," says Martin Surbeck, a primatologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. "We were surprised to see that the mothers have such a strong, direct influence on the number of grandchildren they get." Surbeck and his colleagues observed wild populations of bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as wild populations of chimpanzees in Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Uganda. They found that while both bonobo and chimpanzee mothers would advocate for their sons in male-on-male conflicts, bonobo moms went the extra mile to aid their sons' copulation efforts. This involved protecting their sons' mating attempts from other males and intervening in other male's mating attempts. The bonobo mothers were also able to use their rank in the bonobo's matriarchal society to give their sons access to popular spots within social groups in the community and help them achieve higher male status - and therefore, better mating opportunities. The authors note that these interactions were rare in chimpanzee societies and did not have an effect on male fertility; in chimpanzees males hold dominant positions over females, making the actions of chimp mothers less influential than those of bonobo mothers. Interestingly, bonobo moms did not extend similar help to their daughters, nor were there any observations of daughters receiving assistance in rearing their offspring. "In bonobo social systems, the daughters disperse from the native community and the sons stay," Surbeck says. "And for the few daughters that stay in the community, which we don't have many examples of, we don't see them receiving much help from their mothers." Moving forward, Surbeck and his team would like to better understand the benefits these behaviors confer on bonobo mothers. Currently, they think that it allows for an indirect continuation of their genes. "These females have found a way to increase their reproductive success without having more offspring themselves," he says, noting that the prolongation of the post-reproductive human female lifespan, as well as the early-age at which human women can no longer bare children, may have evolved from this indirect method of continuing their genetic line. Surbeck acknowledges that gathering data on post-reproductive lifespans of females in chimp and bonobo communities will require a long-term, collaborative study, similar to this one. "Without the help and participation from all of the field sites where data was collected, these important interactions could have been overlooked," he says. "Now as the director of a bonobo field site, I'm looking forward to further exploring this topic." ### Social media and other online tools have changed the way people seek and share health information. Recent consumer interest in natural, organic, and ethically-made personal care products has led to an increase of shared recipes for homemade products including sunscreen. A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Brooks College of Health at University of North Florida examined how homemade sunscreens were portrayed on Pinterest. The study, published today in Health Communication, found that nearly all (95%) pins, or bookmarks, for homemade sunscreen positively portrayed the effectiveness of homemade sunscreens and most (68%) recommended recipes for homemade sunscreens that offered insufficient UV radiation protection. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) claims were made in a third of pins with a range of SPF 2 to SPF 50. This is concerning because the ingredients recommended in homemade sunscreen pins offer minimal scientifically proven broad-spectrum protection from UV radiation yet are widely shared and promoted as safe alternatives to commercial sunscreens on Pinterest. The average number of saves for a pin was 808, with one pin being saved more than 21,700 times. "The internet is a great place for families to go to for recipe inspiration and arts and crafts projects, but not necessarily for making their own safety-related things," said Lara McKenzie, PhD, co-author of this study and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's. "Homemade sunscreen products are risky because they are not regulated or tested for efficacy like commercial sunscreens. When you make it yourself, you don't know if it's safe or effective." With rising skin cancer rates, the use of effective broadband sunscreen is critical to protect the skin from UV radiation and reduce incidence of skin cancer. Just because you make it yourself or something is labeled as natural or has fewer ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it's safer. The best sunscreen is one that can be regularly applied and stay on the skin without causing irritation or other side effects, which usually depend on the child and the activity. It often takes a trial of several sunscreens before finding the one that does the job best for your family, even if that means everyone uses a different type of product. Here are some tips on how to protect your child's skin: Use an FDA-approved sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone 6 months and older wear sunscreen. Make sure the sunscreen has these characteristics: Broad spectrum, which protects against UVA and UVB sunrays. Water-resistant (effective for up to 40 minutes in water) or very water resistant (effective for up to 80 minutes in water). Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Start early. Children whose parents regularly apply sunscreen at an early age are more likely to continue using sunscreen as teenagers and adults. Make a habit of using sunscreen to set kids up for a lifetime of safely enjoying outdoor activities. Apply early and often. Sunscreen should be applied in a thick layer (about teaspoon for a toddler's face), 30 minutes before heading outside and reapplied every 2 hours. If children are swimming or sweating a lot, reapply sunscreen more often and use a water-resistant formula. For a week-long beach vacation, a school-aged child should go through an entire 8 oz. bottle of sunscreen, applying it twice a day. Throw out expired or old sunscreen. Look for an expiration date on the bottle and throw out expired sunscreen. If there is no expiration date, throw out sunscreen three years after opening. If your sunscreen looks or feels really different - it's much thicker or thinner or the color has changed - throw it out. ### The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, policy, and advances in clinical care. For related injury prevention materials or to learn more about CIRP, visit http://www.injurycenter.org. Children as young as three years old are willing to punish others' bad behavior, even at personal cost, finds a new study by psychology researchers at New York University. The work adds to growing evidence that human beings distinguish between right and wrong at a very young age and are willing to pay a personal cost to encourage positive behavior in others. "Morality is about more than just doing good oneself--it is also about encouraging good behavior in others," says lead author Daniel Yudkin, a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University and an NYU doctoral student at the time of the study, which appears in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. "These results highlight a distinctly human aspect of moral behavior." The scientists, who included NYU psychology professors Marjorie Rhodes and Jay Van Bavel, sought to better understand a uniquely human trait: our willingness to punish, at personal cost, "bad actors" who haven't harmed us directly. "This behavior, known as 'costly third-party punishment,' is interesting because it is believed to underlie people's conception of justice," Yudkin explains. "Specifically, it relates to justice because it involves people making sure others are acting fairly, even if their behavior doesn't impact them." The researchers focused on young children to better understand this behavior for the following reason: seeing how we think about punishment early in life can help shed light on the underlying psychological processes driving this behavior. Yudkin and his colleagues deployed a naturalistic experiment--one aimed at capturing the reality of children's everyday lives. In it, more than 200 children, aged three to six, were recruited from the Children's Museum of Manhattan and brought one at a time into a classroom with a large red slide in the corner. The children were given the chance to try out the slide and all of them reported enjoying doing so. Next, they were shown a video of a little girl ("Stacey") tearing up someone else's drawing, then were told that Stacey planned to come back into the room later in the day to play on the slide. The children were then given a sign--one side of which said "Open" and the other "Closed." They were told that if they put the "Open" sign on the slide, then they could go down the slide and Stacey could, too. If they put the "Closed" sign on, then they could stop Stacey from going down, but then they couldn't go down, either. In other words, punishing Stacey came at a cost to themselves, too--they would be denied the chance to do something they previously said they enjoyed (all children confirmed their understanding of the significance of their choice to the researchers). Surprisingly, about half the children across all age groups--including some as young as three years old--enacted costly punishment. Rates of punishment increased with age: children aged five and six punished at about three times the rate of those aged three and four. In a follow-up experiment, the researchers wanted to test what makes children more or less likely to punish. To do this, they randomly assigned participants to different conditions. Under one, some learned that Stacey was a member of the Children's Museum or while others learned she was a member of the Boston Museum (thereby manipulating Stacey's "group membership"). In another, some children wore a sheriff's badge while others did not (thereby manipulating punishers' sense of "authority"). They then examined whether rates of punishment differed according to which condition participants had been assigned. The results showed that group membership and authority did in fact affect children's likelihood of punishment, but in an unexpected way. Typically, social science experiments show that people treat out-group members more harshly than in-group members. Thus, participants might be expected to punish Stacey more when they believed she was a member of the Boston museum rather than as a member of the Children's Museum, since the former would designate Stacey's membership to an out-group. And indeed, among the youngest children, this is exactly what happened: children were more than twice as likely to punish Stacey in the former than the latter condition. However, this finding occurred only when the children were not wearing a sheriff's badge. When they were wearing the badge, they demonstrated precisely the opposite pattern, punishing Stacey more when she was a member of the Children's Museum than when she was a member of the Boston Museum. The researchers termed this effect "in-group policing" and concluded the following: people become more committed to ensuring that members of their own communities are behaving well when they feel a sense of responsibility. More generally, the researchers note that we frequently encounter examples of those who perform third-party punishment--from those who risk arrest at a protest over a matter that doesn't directly affect them to others who stand up to protect a stranger being harassed on the subway. What's behind the acquisition of this tendency is unclear. One possibility is reputational: that people do it merely to look good to others. Another possibility is that it is innate: that people are intrinsically willing to uphold moral rules. "By showing that even some children as young three years of age do enact costly punishment, we provide evidence that reputation isn't the only thing driving this behavior," notes Yudkin, who adds that past research suggests that children at this age don't take into account their reputations when making decisions that affect themselves or others. "Of course, we cannot tell for sure whether this behavior is innate or learned in the first few years of life," he concludes. "But it does add to growing evidence that, at a very young age, humans are predisposed to do good themselves and encourage good behavior in others." ### The research was supported by a Research Challenge Grant for Women in Science, a James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative in Understanding Human Cognition-Scholar Award, and the National Science Foundation (1349089). DOI: 10.1037.xge0000613 HOUSTON -- (May 20, 2019) - Free-standing emergency departments (EDs) in Texas' largest cities have not alleviated emergency room congestion or improved patient wait times in nearby hospitals, according to a new paper by experts at Rice University. That finding contradicts arguments made by proponents of free-standing EDs, who have claimed the proliferation of stand-alone emergency rooms would speed care in overcrowded hospitals, said the authors. But unlike in Texas' biggest cities, the research indicates that free-standing emergency rooms can indeed reduce wait times in smaller communities. The researchers reached their conclusion by studying data from the American Hospital Association annual survey, the American Community Survey and free-standing ED licensing data from the Texas Department of State Health Services from 2010 to 2016. The paper entitled "Freestanding emergency departments in Texas do not alleviate congestion in hospital-based emergency departments" was co-authored by Yingying Xu, a Ph.D. student in Rice's Department of Economics, and Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics and director of the Center for Health and Biosciences at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy. It is published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. "We looked at how entry of more free-standing EDs in local markets influenced the flow of patients in nearby hospital EDs," said Ho, who is also a professor of economics at Rice and a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "Overall, entry of nearby free-standing EDs did not affect the number of visits to hospital EDs, emergency room wait time, length of visit for discharged patients or the rate of patients who left without being seen in hospital EDs." However, in areas outside of the four major metropolitan areas in Texas (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin), the authors found that if a hospital opened satellite free-standing EDs in the community, wait times in the hospital's ED and length of stay in the ED both fell. "Overall, the results suggest that free-standing EDs in general don't function as a perfect substitute for hospital EDs," Xu said. "Instead, our results imply that free-standing EDs are increasing utilization of emergency care. They appear to locate in major metropolitan areas where there will be patients who are seeking emergency room care, but they don't alleviate the burden of overcrowded hospital EDs. "Whether this additional care is beneficial to patients has not been shown," Xu said. "But other studies have shown that visits to free-standing EDs are often associated with surprise medical bills for patients, and they have also contributed to higher emergency care spending in Texas." Ho said a recent move by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to lower reimbursement rates for free-standing EDs within six miles of a hospital ED is sensible. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with Ho or Xu, contact Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775. Related materials: Article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735675719303316 Xu bio: https://economics.rice.edu/students/yingying-xu Ho bio: http://www.bakerinstitute.org/experts/vivian-ho Follow the Baker Institute via Twitter @BakerInstitute. Follow the Baker Institute's Center for Health and Biosciences via Twitter @BakerCHB. Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Founded in 1993, Rice University's Baker Institute ranks among the top three university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute's strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes -- including a public policy course -- and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at http://www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute's blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog. A Rice University-led team of neuroengineers is embarking on an ambitious four-year project to develop headset technology that can directly link the human brain and machines without the need for surgery. As a proof of concept, the team plans to transmit visual images perceived by one individual into the minds of blind patients. "In four years we hope to demonstrate direct, brain-to-brain communication at the speed of thought and without brain surgery," said Rice's Jacob Robinson, the lead investigator on the $18 million project, which was announced today as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Next-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology (N3) program. Sharing visual images between two brains may sound like science fiction, but Robinson said a number of recent technological breakthroughs make the idea feasible. Just how feasible is the question DARPA hopes to address with a series of N3 awards to the Rice-led team and five others that have proposed different technological solutions for the broader challenge of connecting brains and machines. "Speed is key," said Robinson, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering in Rice's Brown School of Engineering. "We have to decode neural activity in one person's visual cortex and recreate it in another person's mind in less than one-twentieth of a second. The technology to do that, without surgery, doesn't yet exist. That's what we'll be creating." Because surgery is a nonstarter, all the N3 teams plan to use some combination of light, ultrasound or electromagnetic energy to read and write brain activity. Rice's "magnetic, optical and acoustic neural access device," or MOANA, will test techniques that employ all three. The MOANA team includes 15 co-investigators from Rice, Baylor College of Medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Duke University, Columbia University and Yale's John B. Pierce Laboratory. Robinson said a big differentiator between N3-funded teams is how they plan to deal with the 50-millisecond latency threshold as well as DARPA's requirements for spatial resolution. The agency is seeking devices that can read from and write to a minimum of 16 locations in a volume of the brain about the size of a pea. Robinson said MOANA's decoding and encoding technologies will each employ viral vector gene delivery, a technology that's in clinical trials for treating macular degeneration, as well as some cancers and neurological conditions. Genetic payloads, which differ for decoding and encoding, will be delivered with the help of ultrasound to select groups of neurons in the 16 target areas of the brain. To "read" neural activity, the MOANA team will reprogram neurons to make synthetic proteins called "calcium-dependent indicators" that are designed to absorb light when a neuron is active, or firing. Rice co-investigator Ashok Veeraraghavan said red and infrared wavelengths of light can penetrate the skull, and MOANA's device will utilize this. The optical subsystem will consist of light emitters and detectors that are arrayed around the target area on a skull cap. "Most of this light scatters off the scalp and skull, but a small fraction can make it into the brain, and this tiny fraction of photons contain information that is critical to decoding a visual perception," said Veeraraghavan, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science. "Our aim is to capture and interpret the information contained in photons that pass through the skull twice, first on their way to the visual cortex and again after they are reflected back to the detector." MOANA's photodetectors will be both ultrafast and ultrasensitive. The former is important for ignoring light that scatters off the skull and instead capturing only those photons that have had enough time to travel all the way to the target area of the brain and back. "By utilizing ultrasensitive, single-photon counting detectors, the tiny signal from brain tissue can be selectively sensed," Veeraraghavan said. Veeraraghavan, Robinson and MOANA collaborators Kenneth Shepard and Andreas Hielscher from Columbia Engineering plan to use the detectors to develop a technology called "time-of-flight enhanced functional diffuse optical tomography," or ToFF-DOT. Like a CT scanner, ToFF-DOT constructs a real-time 3D image of what's inside the body, but whereas a CT scan uses X-rays, ToFF-DOT uses visible light. Robinson said neurons in the 16 target regions of the visual cortex are expected to show up darker than normal on ToFF-DOT scans when they are firing and their calcium-dependent indicator proteins are absorbing light. Interpreting the dynamic changes from dark to light in the target areas is what MOANA will do to "read" neural activity. Robinson said three years of work, first in cell cultures and then animals, will precede any work with human patients. But he said the MOANA team will coordinate its efforts with Baylor Department of Neurosurgery's Daniel Yoshor and Michael Beauchamp, who are conducting clinical trials to restore sight to blind patients using an experimental prosthetic that directly stimulates the visual cortex with surgically implanted electrodes. "There may be patients who prefer a visual prosthetic that doesn't require brain surgery," Robinson said. "If our work in cells and animal models goes well, MOANA could be approved for clinical tests as a nonsurgical alternative. It would require gene therapy, but not brain surgery." In the brain receiving an image, MOANA would "write" information to neurons that are reprogrammed to fire in response to magnetic signals. The gene therapy payload delivered to these neurons will create proteins that tether either naturally occurring or synthetic iron nanoparticles to ion channels inside the neurons. The release of calcium through these ion channels is what "fires" a neuron, causing it to actively transmit an electrical impulse. "We plan to use magnetic fields to heat the iron, which in turn will open the channel and fire the neuron," Robinson said. "But it's not enough to do that every second or two. Our system must respond in milliseconds for the receiver and perceiver to experience the perception close enough in time that it seems simultaneous." Human thought involves the coordinated firing of many neurons, sometimes in different regions of the brain. Rice co-investigator Caleb Kemere said the quality of communication that can be achieved with 16 channels of information is an open question. "We know that the circuits of the brain that are involved are very dense," said Kemere, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering who has previously studied neural circuits using invasive technologies. "It's possible or even likely that early 16-channel demonstrations may deliver somewhat muddied perceptions, but this is an exciting path towards a more noninvasive future. The timing, density and performance of the systems we are developing will be orders of magnitude more sophisticated than anything currently available." ### Other MOANA co-investigators include Rice Bioengineering's Gang Bao and Omid Veiseh, Columbia Engineering's Elisa Konofagou and Columbia Neuroscience's Vincent Ferrera, Yale Pierce Laboratory's Vincent Pieribone, Duke Psychiatry's Angel Peterchev and Stefan Goetz, Baylor Neuroscience's Andreas Tolias, Matt McGinley and Benjamin Arenkiel. McGinley and Arenkiel are also Duncan Institute investigators. Robinson, Kemere, Veeraraghavan, Veiseh, Beauchamp and Tolias are also faculty investigators in Rice's Neuroengineering Initiative, a strategic initiative launched in 2018 to improve lives by advancing the world's understanding of the brain. IMAGES are available for download at: https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2019/05/0415-MOANA-sch1h-lg.jpg CAPTION: Rice University neuroengineers are leading an ambitious DARPA-funded project to develop MOANA, a nonsurgical device capable of both decoding neural activity in one person's visual cortex and recreating it in another's in less than one twentieth of a second. (Image courtesy of J. Robinson/Rice University) Animated version: https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/MOANA-2-128-270-15f3zxf.gif Still version: https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0415-MOANA-headset-lg-2a3bqb5.jpg CAPTION: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has funded an ambitious four-year project to develop headset technology that can directly link two human brains without the need for surgery. Led by neuroengineers at Rice University, the team is creating MOANA, a nonsurgical device capable of both decoding neural activity in one person's visual cortex and recreating it in another's in less than one-twentieth of a second. The above image and animation depict the planned components of the MOANA headset. (Image and animation courtesy of J. Robinson/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0415-MOANA-grp3-54-lg-1ki1hcd.jpg CAPTION: Rice University MOANA engineering researchers (from left) Ashok Veeraraghavan, Jacob Robinson and Caleb Kemere. (Photo by M. Williams/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0415-MOANA-graphic-orig-10ykac1.jpg CAPTION: Rice's "magnetic, optical and acoustic neural access" (MOANA) device will test techniques that use light (bottom panel) to read brain activity and electromagnetic energy to write that activity into another person's brain in less than 50 milliseconds. (Image courtesy of J. Robinson/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0415-MOANA-grp1-06-lg-16y43gd.jpg CAPTION: Rice University's MOANA team includes (from left) Charles Sebesta, Josh Chen, Jacob Robinson, Amanda Wickens and Gillaume Duret. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0415-MOANA-grp2-17-lg-1o4nmsr.jpg CAPTION: Rice University's MOANA team includes (from left) Yongyi Zhao, Ankit Raghuram and Akshat Dave. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) Links and resources: George R. Brown School of Engineering: engineering.rice.edu Rice Neuroengineering Initiative: neuroengineering.rice.edu Robinson Lab: robinsonlab.com Rice Department of Bioengineering: bioengineering.rice.edu Rice Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: ece.rice.edu Related research stories from Rice: Wearable hospital lab: NSF awards $10M for bioimaging -- Feb. 27, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/02/27/wearable-hospital-lab-nsf-awards-10m-for-bioimaging/ Veeraraghavan wins NSF CAREER Award -- March 20, 2017 https://news.rice.edu/2017/03/20/veeraraghavan-wins-nsf-career-award/ Rice team developing flat microscope for the brain -- July 12, 2017 http://news.rice.edu/2017/07/12/rice-team-developing-flat-microscope-for-the-brain/ No lens? No problem for FlatCam -- Nov. 23, 2015 http://news.rice.edu/2015/11/23/no-lens-no-problem-for-flatcam/ This release can be found online at news.rice.edu. Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. DARPA Distribution Statement "A" (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited) Rice University synthetic biologists have hacked bacterial sensing with a plug-and-play system that could be used to mix-and-match tens of thousands of sensory inputs and genetic outputs. The technology has wide-ranging implications for medical diagnostics, the study of deadly pathogens, environmental monitoring and more. In a project spanning almost six years, Rice bioengineer Jeff Tabor and colleagues conducted thousands of experiments to show they could systematically rewire two-component systems, the genetic circuits bacteria use to sense their surroundings and listen to their neighbors. Their work appears in a study published this week in Nature Chemical Biology. Tabor's group rewired the outputs of known bacterial sensors and also moved sensors between distantly related bacteria. Most importantly, they showed they could identify the function of an unknown sensor. "Based on genomic analyses, we know there are at least 25,000 two-component systems in bacteria," said Tabor, associate professor of bioengineering at Rice's Brown School of Engineering and the lead scientist on the project. "However, for about 99% of them, we have no idea what they sense or what genes they activate in response." The importance of a new tool that unlocks two-component systems is underscored by the 2018 discovery of two strains of a deadly, multidrug-resistant bacterium that uses an unknown two-component system to evade colistin, an antibiotic of last resort. But Tabor said the possible uses of the tool extend beyond medicine. "This is nature's greatest treasure trove of biosensors," he said. "Based on the exquisite specificity and sensitivity of some of the two-component systems we do understand, it's widely believed bacterial sensors will outperform anything humans can make with today's best technology." Tabor said that is because bacterial sensors have been honed and refined through billions of years of evolution. "Bacteria don't have anything nearly as sophisticated as eyes, ears or a nose, but they travel between very different environments -- like a leaf or an intestine or the soil -- and their survival depends on their ability to sense and adapt to those changes," he said. "Two-component systems are how they do that," Tabor said. "These are the systems they use to "see" light, "smell" the chemicals around them and "hear" the latest community news, which comes in the form of biochemical tweets broadcast by their neighbors." Bacteria are the most abundant form of life, and two-component systems have shown up in virtually every bacterial genome that has been sequenced. Most species have about two dozen of the sensors and some have several hundred. There are more than half a dozen broad categories of two-component systems, but all of them work in a similar way. They have a sensor kinase (SK) component that "listens" for a signal from the outside world, and upon "hearing" it, initiates a process called phosphorylation. That activates the second component, a response regulator (RR) that acts upon a specific gene -- turning it on or off like a switch or up or down like a dial. While the genetic code for the components is easily spotted on a genomic scan, the dual mystery makes it almost impossible for biologists to determine what a two-component system does. "If you don't know the signal that it senses and you don't know the gene that it acts on, it's really hard," Tabor said. "We know either the input or the output of about 1% of two-component systems, and we know both the inputs and outputs for fewer still." Scientists do know that SK's are typically transmembrane proteins, with a sensing domain, a kind of biochemical antenna, that pokes through the bacteria's saclike outer membrane. Each sensor domain is designed to latch onto a specific signal molecule, or ligand. Each SK has its own target ligand, and binding with the ligand is what starts the chain reaction that turn a gene on, off, up or down. Importantly, though every two-component system is optimized for a specific ligand, their SK and RR components work in similar ways. With that in mind, Tabor and study co-lead author Sebastian Schmidl decided in late 2013 to try swapping the DNA-binding domain, the part of the response regulator that recognizes DNA and activates the pathway's target gene. "If you look at previous structural studies, the DNA-binding domain often looks like cargo that's just hitching a ride from the phosphorylation domain," Tabor said. "Because of that, we thought DNA-binding domains might function like interchangeable modules, or Lego blocks." To test the idea, Schmidl, then a DFG Postdoctoral Fellow in Tabor's group, rewired the components of two light sensors Tabor's team had previously developed, one that responded to red light and other that responded to green. Schmidl rewired the input of the red-light sensor to the output of the green-light sensor at 39 different locations between the phosphorylation and DNA-binding domains. To see if any of the 39 splices worked, he stimulated them with red light and looked for a green-light response. "Ten of them worked on the first try, and there was an optimum, a specific location where the splice really seemed to work well," Tabor said. In fact, the test worked so well that he and Schmidl thought they might have simply gotten lucky and spliced together two unusually well-matched pathways. So they repeated the test, first attaching four additional DNA-binding domains to the same response regulator and later attaching five DNA-binding domains to the same sensor pathway. Most of those rewirings worked as well, indicating the approach was far more modular than any previously published approaches. Schmidl, now an assistant professor of biology at the Texas A&M University System's RELLIS campus in Bryan, left Rice in 2016. Co-lead author Felix Ekness, a Ph.D. student in Rice's Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology (SSPB) program, then took up the project, engineering dozens of new chimeras and conducting hundreds more experiments to show the method could be used to mix and match DNA-binding domains between different species of bacteria and between different families of two-component systems. Tabor knew a top-flight journal would require a demonstration of how the technology could be used, and discovering the function of a totally new two-component system was the ultimate test. For this, postdoctoral fellow Kristina Daeffler and SSPB Ph.D. student Kathryn Brink transplanted seven different unknown two-component systems from the bacterium Shewanella oneidensis into E. coli. They engineered a new E. coli strain for each unknown sensor, and used DNA-binding domain swapping to link all their activities to the expression of green fluorescent protein. While they didn't know the input for any of the seven, they did know that S. oneidensis was discovered in a lake in upstate New York. Based on that, they chose 117 different chemicals that S. oneidensis might benefit from sensing. Because each chemical had to be tested one-on-one with each mutant and a control group, Brink had to perform and replicate almost 1,000 separate experiments. The effort paid off when she discovered that one of the sensors was detecting changes in pH. A genomic search for the newly identified sensor underscored the importance of having a tool to unlock two-component systems: The pH sensor turned up in several bacteria, including the pathogen that causes bubonic plague. "This highlights how unlocking the mechanism of two-component systems could help us better understand and hopefully better treat disease as well," Tabor said. Where is Tabor taking the technology next? He's using it to mine the genomes of human gut bacteria for novel sensors of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease and cancer, with the goal of engineering a new generation of smart probiotics that can diagnose and treat these diseases. ### Additional co-authors include graduate student Karl Gerhardt, former graduate student Brian Landry and former undergraduate research assistants Katri Sofjan, Nikola Dyulgyarov and Ravi Sheth. High-resolution IMAGES are available for download at: https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0429_TABOR_gp01-lg-2o9gp0n.jpg CAPTION: Rice University synthetic biologists have hacked bacterial sensing with a plug-and-play system that could be used to mix and match tens of thousands of sensory inputs and genetic outputs. Those involved with the years-long project include (from left) Sebastian Schmidl, Jeff Tabor, Karl Gerhardt and Felix Ekness. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0429_TABOR_kb184-lg-2ke5yu4.jpg CAPTION: Kathryn Brink is a Ph.D. student in Rice University's Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology Graduate Program. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0429_TABOR_lb64-lg-28l4i9l.jpg CAPTION: To discover the function of a totally new two-component system, Rice University synthetic biologists rewired the genetic circuitry in seven strains of bacteria and examined how each behaved when exposed to 117 individual chemicals. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/04/0429_TABOR_kb83-lg-12npenx.jpg CAPTION: In the final phase of the study, Rice University graduate student Kathryn Brink performed and replicated almost 1,000 separate experiments to isolate the previously unknown function of a bacterial two-component sensor. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2018/04/0416_SENSOR-1-WEB-1u4wchj.jpg CAPTION: Jeff Tabor is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering and of Biosciences at Rice University. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) The DOI of the Nature Chemical Biology paper is: 10.1038/s41589-019-0286-6 A copy of the paper is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41589-019-0286-6 George R. Brown School of Engineering: engineering.rice.edu Rice Department of Bioengineering: bioengineering.rice.edu Related research stories from Rice: Switch-in-a-cell electrifies life -- Dec. 17, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/12/17/switch-in-a-cell-electrifies-life/ Rice U. announces $82 million in strategic research initiatives -- Oct. 16, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/10/16/rice-u-announces-82-million-in-strategic-research-initiatives/ Grant aims students toward next-gen bioelectronics -- Sept. 4, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/09/04/grant-aims-students-toward-next-gen-bioelectronics/ Models give synthetic biologists a head start -- Aug. 14, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/08/14/models-give-synthetic-biologists-a-head-start-2/ Sensor strategy a boon for synthetic biology -- April 12, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/04/12/sensor-strategy-a-boon-for-synthetic-biology/ Rice U. biologists create toolkit for tuning genetic circuits -- Jan. 11, 2018 http://news.rice.edu/2018/01/11/rice-u-biologists-create-toolkit-for-tuning-genetic-circuits/ New tools advance bio-logic -- Aug. 4, 2014 http://news.rice.edu/2014/08/04/new-tools-advance-bio-logic/ Rice synthetic biologists shine light on genetic circuit analysis -- March 9, 2014 http://news.rice.edu/2014/03/09/rice-synthetic-biologists-shine-light-on-genetic-circuit-analysis/ No bioengineered gut bacteria, no glory -- May 12, 2014 http://news.rice.edu/2014/05/12/no-bioengineered-gut-bacteria-no-glory/ Rice to genes: Why the wait? -- Aug. 14, 2012 http://news.rice.edu/2012/08/14/rice-to-genes-why-the-wait/ Rice, UW win $2M grant for synthetic biology research -- Sept. 16, 2011 http://news.rice.edu/2011/09/16/rice-uw-win-2m-grant-for-synthetic-biology-research-2/ This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu. Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Oak Brook, IL - The June issue of SLAS Technology features the article, "Next Generation Compound Delivery to Support Miniaturized Biology," which focuses on the challenges of changing the established screening paradigm to support the needs of modern drug discovery. The article also leads this special collection on The Science of Sample Management: Enabling Discovery from Bench to Clinic, based on content from SLAS 2018 Americas Sample Management Symposium. In the article, authors Snehal Bhatt, Ph.D., (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science University), Sue Crimmin, Ph.D., (GlaxoSmithKline) and Lorena Kallal, Ph.D., (GlaxoSmithKline) explain the shift from traditional microtitre screening to the use of well-less plates. This shift enables the use of disease-relevant cells and tissues for miniaturized biology, which more effectively mimic the disease state. A more effectively mimicked disease state in turn provides better indicators of efficacy therefore reducing the high level of attrition that normally impacts conventional drug discovery. Running miniaturized biological platforms in well-less formats requires novel approaches to sample handling. These unique approaches then enable the introduction of small molecules into new assay formats such as arrays and nanowells. The authors describe proof-of-concept experiments using a microarray device onto which cells can be deposited and grown in less than 100 nL volumes. The dispensing of 2.5 nL droplets of drug-like molecules into cellular assays on these arrays shows the feasibility of developing ultraminiaturized assays for drug screening. Proof of concept experiments like those included in their research are paving the way to a future where patient samples and human cell samples will be used to screen, test and design the drugs of the future. ### June's SLAS Technology special issue can be accessed at https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jlad/24/3 through June 20. For more information about SLAS and its journals, visit http://www.slas.org/journals. SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international community of 19,000 professionals and students dedicated to life sciences discovery and technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. SLAS Technology: 2017 Impact Factor 2.632. Editor-in-Chief Edward Kai-Hua Chow, Ph.D., National University of Singapore (Singapore). SLAS Technology (Translating Life Sciences Innovation) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Laboratory Automation (JALA). SLAS Discovery: 2017 Impact Factor 2.355. Editor-in-Chief Robert M. Campbell, Ph.D., Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN (USA). SLAS Discovery (Advancing Life Sciences R&D) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Biomolecular Screening (JBS). Oak Brook, IL - The June cover of SLAS Discovery features cover article "A Perspective on Extreme Open Science: Companies Sharing Compounds without Restriction," by Timothy M. Willson, Ph.D., a noted University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy (Chapel Hill, NC, USA) Research Professor and Chief Scientific Officer for the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) (Oxford, UK). The article focuses on how the validation of new targets for drug discovery remains a considerable hurdle to the exploration of new and innovative medicines. For instance, although the human genome sequence was published over 15 years ago, the biological role of most of the proteins it encodes is still not known or even studied. Dr. Willson and his team outline their experience with the open sharing of small molecule kinase inhibitors as a disruptive approach to explore the biology of some of these "dark proteins." Therefore, by leveraging the pooled knowledge of the scientific community, several dark kinases have emerged as potential drug targets. Furthermore, the principles of open science often present challenges for pharmaceutical and other for-profit companies due to their conventional research and intellectual property practices, especially when small molecules are involved. Working within GlaxoSmithKline, Dr. Willson and his colleagues overcame these obstacles by creating a chemogenomic set of published kinase inhibitors in which they gained support for the open sharing of the compounds. Their critical argument was that the public data generated by use of the inhibitors would "bake a bigger pie" of knowledge from which the company could initiate internal drug discovery projects. "GlaxoSmithKline was a pioneer in the unrestricted sharing of kinase inhibitors to support basic research," says Dr. Willson. "Now we are seeing many more pharmaceutical companies making small molecule tools openly available to the research community through our SGC laboratories." Access to June's SLAS Discovery special issue is available at https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jbxb/24/5 through June 20. For more information about SLAS and its journals, visit http://www.slas.org/journals. ### SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international community of 19,000 professionals and students dedicated to life sciences discovery and technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. SLAS Discovery: 2017 Impact Factor 2.355. Editor-in-Chief Robert M. Campbell, Ph.D., Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN (USA). SLAS Discovery (Advancing Life Sciences R&D) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Biomolecular Screening (JBS). SLAS Technology: 2017 Impact Factor 2.632. Editor-in-Chief Edward Kai-Hua Chow, Ph.D., National University of Singapore (Singapore). SLAS Technology (Translating Life Sciences Innovation) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Laboratory Automation (JALA). Putting their own twist on robots that amble through complicated landscapes, the Stanford Student Robotics club's Extreme Mobility team at Stanford University has developed a four-legged robot that is not only capable of performing acrobatic tricks and traversing challenging terrain but is also designed with reproducibility in mind. Anyone who wants their own version of the robot, dubbed Stanford Doggo, can consult comprehensive plans, code and a supply list that the students have made freely available online. "We had seen these other quadruped robots used in research, but they weren't something that you could bring into your own lab and use for your own projects," said Nathan Kau, '20, a mechanical engineering major and lead for Extreme Mobility. "We wanted Stanford Doggo to be this open source robot that you could build yourself on a relatively small budget." Whereas other similar robots can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars and require customized parts, the Extreme Mobility students estimate the cost of Stanford Doggo at less than $3,000 - including manufacturing and shipping costs - and nearly all the components can be bought as-is online. They hope the accessibility of these resources inspires a community of Stanford Doggo makers and researchers who develop innovative and meaningful spinoffs from their work. Already Stanford Doggo can walk, trot, dance, hop, jump and perform the occasional backflip. The students are working on a larger version of their creation - which is currently about the size of a beagle - but will take a short break to present Stanford Doggo at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation May 21 in Montreal, Canada. A hop, a jump and a backflip In order to make Stanford Doggo replicable, the students built it from scratch. This meant spending a lot of time researching easily attainable supplies and testing each part as they made it, without relying on simulations. "It's been about two years since we first had the idea to make a quadruped. We've definitely made several prototypes before we actually started working on this iteration of the dog," said Natalie Ferrante, '19, a mechanical engineering coterminal student and Extreme Mobility Team member. "It was very exciting the first time we got him to walk." Stanford Doggo's first steps were admittedly toddling, but now the robot can maintain a consistent gait and desired trajectory, even as it encounters different terrains. It does this with the help of motors that sense external forces on the robot and determine how much force and torque each leg should apply in response. These motors recompute at 8,000 times a second and are essential to the robot's signature dance: a bouncy boogie that hides the fact that it has no springs. Instead, the motors act like a system of virtual springs, smoothly but perkily rebounding the robot into proper form whenever they sense it's out of position. Among the skills and tricks the team added to the robot's repertoire, the students were exceptionally surprised at its jumping prowess. Running Stanford Doggo through its paces one (very) early morning in the lab, the team realized it was effortlessly popping up 2 feet in the air. By pushing the limits of the robot's software, Stanford Doggo was able to jump 3, then 3 feet off the ground. "This was when we realized that the robot was, in some respects, higher performing than other quadruped robots used in research, even though it was really low cost," recalled Kau. Since then, the students have taught Stanford Doggo to do a backflip - but always on padding to allow for rapid trial and error experimentation. What will Stanford Doggo do next? If these students have it their way, the future of Stanford Doggo in the hands of the masses. "We're hoping to provide a baseline system that anyone could build," said Patrick Slade, graduate student in aeronautics and astronautics and mentor for Extreme Mobility. "Say, for example, you wanted to work on search and rescue; you could outfit it with sensors and write code on top of ours that would let it climb rock piles or excavate through caves. Or maybe it's picking up stuff with an arm or carrying a package." That's not to say they aren't continuing their own work. Extreme Mobility is collaborating with the Robotic Exploration Lab of Zachary Manchester, assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford, to test new control systems on a second Stanford Doggo. The team has also finished constructing a robot twice the size of Stanford Doggo that can carry about 6 kilograms of equipment. Its name is Stanford Woofer. ### Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have demonstrated that stem cells derived from the placenta known as Cdx2 cells can regenerate healthy heart cells after heart attacks in animal models. The findings, published in the May 20 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), may represent a novel treatment for regenerating the heart and other organs. "Cdx2 cells have historically been thought to only generate the placenta in early embryonic development, but never before were shown to have the ability to regenerate other organs, which is why this is so exciting. These findings may also pave the way to regenerative therapy of other organs besides the heart," said principal investigator Hina Chaudhry, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "They almost seem like a super-charged population of stem cells, in that they can target the site of an injury and travel directly to the injury through the circulatory system and are able to avoid rejection by the host immune system." This team of Mount Sinai researchers had previously discovered that a mixed population of mouse placental stem cells can help the hearts of pregnant female mice recover after an injury that could otherwise lead to heart failure. In that study, they showed that the placental stem cells migrated to the mother's heart and directly to the site of the heart injury. The stem cells then programmed themselves as beating heart cells to help the repair process. The new study was aimed at determining what type of stem cells made the heart cells regenerate. The investigators started by looking at Cdx2 cells, the most prevalent stem cell type in the previously identified mixed population, and found them to comprise the highest percentage (40 percent) of those assisting the heart from the placenta. To test the Cdx2 cells' regenerative properties, the researchers induced heart attacks in three groups of male mice. One group received Cdx2 stem cell treatments derived from end-gestation mouse placentas, one group received placenta cells that did not express Cdx2, and the third group received a saline control. The team used magnetic resonance imaging to analyze all mice immediately after the heart attacks, and three months after induction with cells or saline. They found that every mouse in the group with Cdx2 stem cell treatments had significant improvement and regeneration of healthy tissue in the heart. By three months, the stem cells had migrated directly to the heart injury and formed new blood vessels and new cardiomyocytes (beating heart muscle cells). The mice injected with saline and the non-Cdx2 placenta cells went into heart failure and their hearts had no evidence of regeneration. Researchers noted two other properties of the Cdx2 cells: they have all the proteins of embryonic stem cells, which are known to generate all organs of the body, but also additional proteins, giving them the ability to travel directly to the injury site, which is something embryonic stem cells cannot do, and they appear to avoid the host immune response. The immune system did not reject these cells when administered from the placenta to another animal. "These properties are critical to the development of a human stem cell treatment strategy, which we have embarked on, as this could be a promising therapy in humans. We have been able to isolate Cdx2 cells from term human placentas also; therefore, we are now hopeful that we can design a better human stem cell treatment for the heart than we have seen in the past," explained Dr. Chaudhry. "Past strategies tested in humans were not based on stem cell types that were actually shown to form heart cells, and use of embryonic stem cells for this goal is associated with ethics and feasibility concerns. Placentas are routinely discarded around the world and thus almost a limitless source." "These results were very surprising to us, as no other cell type tested in clinical trials of human heart disease were ever shown to become beating heart cells in petri dishes, but these did and they knew exactly where to go when we injected them into the circulation," said first author Sangeetha Vadakke-Madathil, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in Medicine (Cardiology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. ### Mount Sinai Heart is one of the nation's top 10 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,480 primary and specialty care physicians; 11 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 12 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in six other specialties in the 2018-2019 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked nationally in five out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology and 44th for Ear, Nose, and Throat. Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, Mount Sinai West, and South Nassau Communities Hospital are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Temple University hospital played key leadership role in two international phase III clinical studies that found asthma drug benralizumab not effective in reducing exacerbations for patients with moderate to very severe COPD (Philadelphia, PA) - More than 15.3 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the third leading cause of death in this country, according to the American Lung Association. Patients often experience potentially life-threatening exacerbations, which can include days-long flare-ups of symptoms including shortness of breath that occur when the airways narrow from muscle tightness, swelling and mucus. New research published online May 20 by the New England Journal of Medicine and co-led by Temple's Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP shows that the asthma drug benralizumab failed to decrease annual COPD exacerbation rates for patients with moderate to very severe COPD, a history of frequent moderate and/or severe exacerbations, and eosinophilic inflammation. Eosinophilic inflammation occurs when a type of white blood cells known as eosinophils, which help fight off infections and play a role in the body's immune response, build up in one location. Eosinophilic inflammation is associated with an increased exacerbation risk. The research was co-led by Bartolome R. Celli, MD, from the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and was published in conjunction with a presentation at the American Thoracic Society International Conference 2019. "COPD is a life-altering condition that causes serious long-term disability for patients," said Dr. Criner, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Director of the Temple Lung Center and corresponding author on the study. "Discovering treatments that prevent and/or limit exacerbations is a priority for clinicians and researchers as we seek to improve the quality of life for patients. Unfortunately benralizumab did not accomplish that objective in these studies, but the findings will inform current and future avenues of exploration for new treatments." The Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trials GALATHEA and TERRANOVA evaluated the efficacy and safety of benralizumab for the prevention of exacerbations in patients with moderate to very severe COPD, eosinophilic inflammation, and increased risk of exacerbations. Benralizumab is a type of drug called an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody. It is approved by the FDA for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. An earlier, Phase II trial of benralizumab found a non-statistically significant reduction in COPD exacerbation rate for patients with eosinophilic inflammation in the airways. In this Phase III trial, the researchers sought to discover whether benralizumab's ability to deplete the airways of blood eosinophils in patients with eosinophilic inflammation would lead to a reduction in COPD exacerbations. More than 3,000 patients aged 40-85 who met the inclusion criteria were randomized across the two studies at hundreds of sites around the globe. Patients received placebo or benralizumab via subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks for the first three doses, then every 8 weeks thereafter during the 56-week treatment period. "The findings in these two trials suggest that eosinophil depletion may not completely ameliorate exacerbation outcomes for patients with COPD," added Dr. Criner. "However, as one of the nation's premier lung-disease research centers, the Temple Lung Center continues to investigate alternative treatment options and offer patients access to leading-edge clinical trials." ### GALATHEA and TERRANOVA were sponsored by AstraZeneca, which manufactures benralizumab and markets it under the name Fasenra. MedImmune, LLC was a collaborator on the studies. MedImmune is the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca. Editor's Note: Dr. Gerard Criner has received consulting monies from AstraZeneca. About Temple Health Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $2.1 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System consists of Temple University Hospital (TUH), ranked among the "Best Hospitals" in the region by U.S. News & World Report; TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; Fox Chase Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Jeanes Hospital, a community-based hospital offering medical, surgical and emergency services; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; and Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices. TUHS is affiliated with the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, and Temple University Physicians, which is Temple Health's physician practice plan comprised of more than 500 full-time and part-time academic physicians in 20 clinical departments. The Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM), established in 1901, is one of the nation's leading medical schools. Each year, the School of Medicine educates more than 800 medical students and approximately 240 graduate students. Based on its level of funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Katz School of Medicine is the second-highest ranked medical school in Philadelphia and the third-highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to U.S. News & World Report, LKSOM is among the top 10 most applied-to medical schools in the nation. Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Katz School of Medicine. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. It is the policy of Temple University Hospital, Inc. that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment. CINCINNATI--Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are looking to enroll participants in a clinical trial, only being offered locally, to determine how the use of proton radiotherapy can be used for patients with early stage breast cancer. This trial, led by Teresa Meier, MD, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the UC College of Medicine and a UC Health radiation oncologist, is being funded by grant money from Ride Cincinnati. "This study will evaluate the effectiveness and cosmetic outcome of using pencil beam scanning proton therapy for partial breast irradiation in patients with early stage breast cancer," she says. "Additionally, we'll evaluate side effects patients experience as well as cancer recurrence rates." Proton radiotherapy is a form of radiation treatment used for certain types of cancers and lymphomas. A major advantage over traditional forms of radiotherapy is its ability to deliver radiation to a tumor with remarkable precision, sparing healthy tissues. The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center/UC Health Proton Therapy Center is the only facility of its kind locally and only one of about 29 in the country. Innovative research like this is an example of one of the key platforms of UC's strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Meier says this investigator-initiated trial is unique nationally and will hopefully shed light on ways proton therapy can be used to further combat cancer and possibly spare patients from some of the associated side effects. "Breast cancer will affect one in eight women during their lifetime, and nearly two-thirds of women are diagnosed with early stage disease, with most living many years beyond their diagnosis with the side effects of their cancer treatments," Meier says. "For these patients, treatment has evolved from mastectomy to breast conservation therapy, which consists of a smaller surgery followed by daily radiation to the entire breast over four to six weeks. However, about one-third of women will experience significant skin toxicity--or redness of the skin which can be painful or tender--related to radiation. "Additionally, the majority of cancer recurrences occur close to where the surgery took place, and proton therapy is able to target a specific area, sparing healthy breast tissue and eliminating unnecessary irradiation of nearby organs, like the heart and lungs. The beam is able to 'paint' the targeted area spot-by-spot." Meier says for this small pilot study, researchers are looking for women, aged 50 and above, who have been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (stage 0 or IA)--a tumor that is less than 3 centimeters in size and has not spread to the lymph nodes. "Patients will undergo standard of care--surgery followed by radiation, which will be proton radiotherapy," she adds. "Partial breast radiation will be delivered twice a day, at least six hours apart, over five treatment days. We will provide this treatment to 21 patients with follow up over a period of three years." "We're excited to offer this trial to patients and hope it provides insight into ways we can better and more effectively treat them for overall better quality of life," she adds. ### If you're interested in participating in this trial, call 513-584-BEAM (2326) or toll free at 1-844-532-2326. Find out more about Ride Cincinnati at https://ridecincinnati.org/. A 2.7m project is to use artificial intelligence to adapt and personalise live radio, with the aim of transforming life for people living alone with dementia. Radio Me will address key causes of hospital admission for people with dementia, such as agitation and not taking medication correctly. As a result, it is hoped quality of life will improve, and people will be able to remain living independently at home for longer. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)-funded project will capitalise on the popularity of radio among the age group most likely to be living with dementia, developing a way to seamlessly 'remix' live digital broadcast so that listeners will receive personalised reminders, information and music. Running for 50 months, Radio Me will be trialled among people with dementia in Cambridgeshire and Sussex. The project, which is being led by researchers from the University of Plymouth, is a partnership between the University's Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR), and the Centre for Dementia Studies at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the Glasgow Interactive Systems group at the University of Glasgow, and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University. Using a commercial bio-bracelet to measure physical signs like heart rate, as well as wireless speakers and an internet connection, Radio Me output will be produced in users' homes by artificial intelligence software to be created at the University of Plymouth. An electronic diary completed by users and their carers will also be a key element. The project includes a substantial ethical element, with significant time and money built in to ensure the technology is developed and co-designed with people with dementia, and is not open to misuse. Professor Eduardo Miranda and Dr Alexis Kirke from the University of Plymouth are leading the project. Professor Miranda said: "Radio Me builds on research carried out as part of our previous EPSRC-funded project into a Brain Computer Music Interface, as well as our work on artificial intelligence, music influencing emotion, and the University's long-running involvement in shaping national policy on dementia. Helping people with dementia to stay in their homes for as long as possible, even if they live alone, is a key aim of the project. Technology exists to display reminders about vital daily tasks, but research has shown older adults find modern electronic devices difficult to use, and people with dementia have particular problems." Dr Kirke said: "Radio Me will create and use cutting-edge technology, but users will experience it through the familiar and reassuring medium of radio. It is an exciting and hugely innovative project, and a real vote of confidence in our research and the University. "Our partners in Radio Me are all experts in their fields. Some, like BBC Radio Devon and the Alzheimer's Society, we have worked with in the past, and we look forward to continuing these relationships and building new ones as the project progresses." Professor Sube Banerjee of Brighton and Sussex Medical School said: "Dementia is the great health and social care challenge of the 21st century. This project is a fantastic example of the potential for interdisciplinary working, bringing together experts in science and technology with those with clinical expertise and with people with dementia themselves, to create seamless interventions that enable people to live well with dementia." Jorg Fachner, Professor of Music, Health and the Brain at Anglia Ruskin University, said: "Our role is to investigate precisely how people with dementia can benefit from this interactive radio experience. Music therapists at Anglia Ruskin University and partner organisations will use biomarker responses to fine-tune playlists in order to deliver emotional and cognitive stimulation, and evaluate exactly how interactive music interventions, using AI, can benefit people with dementia in their own homes and in assisted living environments." The non-academic partners in Radio Me are: Sussex Partnership NHS Trust; the Alzheimer's Society; national older person's charity MHA; Bauer Media, the UK's largest digital radio broadcaster; and CereProc, which specialises in expressive speech synthesis and voice cloning. BBC Research and Development and BBC Radio Devon are also heavily involved in the project. Colin Capper, Head of Research Development and Evaluation at Alzheimer's Society, said: "We're proud to be partners of this cutting-edge technology, which could really help to improve the quality of life for around 850,000 people living with dementia and help them to live at home for longer. We can't prevent, cure or, even slow down the progression of dementia, but while we remain dedicated to finding a cure, it's important we also find ways to support people to live well with the condition today. We need to harness technologies like artificial intelligence and we're confident Radio Me will be a hit - it offers practical as well as personalised support, which is vital as everyone's journey with dementia is different. We're excited about what this project will reveal about the potential impact of technology on the lives of people with dementia." The EPSRC and commercial funders have granted a total of 2.43m to Radio Me. How Radio Me might work: A user switching on the radio in the morning might find their usual local station. However, at a point dictated by the electronic diary, and at the start of a song, a DJ-like voice could override the real DJ and remind the listener to have a drink, take medicine, attend a memory cafe or anything else. Another time, Radio Me might detect that the listener is becoming agitated via their bio-bracelet readings. The software could then override the scheduled song choice and select a song from the user's personal library, known to be likely to calm them. Calming material could continue to be played until Radio Me detects the user is no longer agitated. ### Researchers: Car seats are essential for safety but must be used as directed Car safety seats are vital to protect children while traveling, but a new infant death study underlines the need to follow the seats' instructions and to use them only for their intended purpose. In a review of infant deaths that occurred while children were sleeping in sitting devices, researchers determined than more than 60% of the deaths were in car seats. The car seats were used as directed in less than 10% of those cases. "While car seats are important when you're traveling with an infant, it's best not to have the infant sleep in the car seat when you're at home," said researcher Rachel Moon, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. "The safest place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface." Sleep-Related Infant Deaths in Sitting Devices Moon and colleagues set out to shed light on a poorly documented category of infant deaths: deaths while sleeping in sitting devices, such as car seats and strollers. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages allowing children to routinely sleep in such devices. Of almost 12,000 infant sleep-related deaths reported between 2004 and 2014, approximately 3% - 348 deaths - occurred in sitting devices, the researchers found. Car seats were the site of 62.9% of these deaths, but in the "great majority" of cases, the infant was not traveling in a car, the researchers report. Out of the total deaths in a sitting device, only .2% occurred in a vehicle that was in motion or temporarily parked. More than half of car seat deaths occurred at the child's home. While the researchers did not establish why the infants were in car seats when not traveling, they note that some parents may not be able to afford a crib or bassinet, or people may use the seats to hold the child while doing other tasks. After car seats, the most common site for sleep-related infant deaths while sitting were bouncers, swings and similar devices (122 deaths, 35.1%). Strollers were the site of only 2% of deaths (seven of the 348). Overall, nearly two-thirds of the deaths in sitting devices occurred while the devices were not being used for their intended purpose and in compliance with their instructions, the researchers report. The researchers emphasize that their findings in no way call into question the safety of car seats when used as directed. Car seats are a "safe and effective way of transporting an infant and should always be used when transporting an infant in a motor vehicle, whether the infant is awake or asleep," the researchers write. ### Findings Published The researchers have published their findings in the scientific journal Pediatrics. The study's authors were Peter Liaw of UVA, Moon, Autumn Han of Missouri's Capital Region Medical Center and Jeffrey Colvin of Missouri's Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. Funding for the Child Death Review Case Reporting System used in the study is provided by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, grant UG7MC28482. Moon disclosed that she testified in 2016 as a paid expert in a case of sleep-related infant death. The researchers reported no other potential conflicts of interest. To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog at http://makingofmedicine.virginia.edu. MADISON, Wis. -- In August 2016, areas of Yellowstone National Park that burned in 1988 burned again. Shortly after, in October 2016, ecologist Monica Turner and her team of graduate students visited the park to begin to assess the landscape. "We saw these areas where everything was combusted and we hadn't seen that previously," says Turner, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has closely studied Yellowstone's response to fire since 1988. "That was surprising." In a study published this week [May 20, 2019] in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Turner and her team describe what happens when Yellowstone -- adapted to recurring fires every 100 to 300 years -- instead burns twice in fewer than 30 years. Yellowstone as we know it faces an uncertain future, the researchers say, and one of the big questions they hope to answer is whether the forests can recover. With Rapid Response Research funding from the National Science Foundation, Turner and her team returned to Yellowstone in the summer of 2017 to study the areas that re-burned. These include the Maple Fire, which burned 28-year-old lodgepole pines that regenerated following the 1988 North Fork Fire, and the Berry Fire, which contained 28-year-old lodgepole pines that had regenerated after the 1988 Huck Fire and 16-year-old trees that regenerated following the 2000 Glade Fire. In each area, they compared to areas that burned in 1988 or 2000 but did not burn again in 2016. In some areas, fire burned so severely that nothing but the stumps of young trees remained. Logs that had once been scattered on the forest floor combusted, leaving negatives of their former selves -- ghost shadows -- where they'd fallen. "Everything was gone," Turner says. "That was astonishing." Typically, most trees killed by fire remain standing for years. Surface fires leave dead needles on trees. Crown fires burn needles off but leave standing trunks. However, four of the 18 re-burned plots Turner's team sampled saw fire so severe they had to come up with a new name to describe them: crown fire plus. In these, 99 percent of the stems of previous trees combusted. In 2011, modeling work by Turner's group challenged pre-existing notions that young forests lack enough fuel in the form of trees and downed logs to sustain severe fire. The 2016 fires confirmed their predictions. "The idea was that if fires are recurring more frequently, we will we see some self-limitation, young forests will not be able to re-burn," says study co-author, graduate student Kristin Braziunas. "We definitively saw this was not the case -- even at just 16 years old, there was sufficient fuel for these forests to burn at the highest possible level of severity." The team also found a six-fold decline in the number of lodgepole pine tree seedlings that re-established in the first year following the 2016 fires. In some patches of re-burned forest, regeneration rates were significantly lower. Dense, young forests were converted into much sparser ones. Lodgepole pine trees are known for their serotinous cones, which are adapted to open in fire and release their seeds, replenishing the forest with a thick blanket of new trees once the blaze has fizzled. Historically, the 100-to-300-year fire intervals gave trees the chance to mature and build up their seed banks. But younger trees have not yet built up their savings, so a quick re-burn is like dipping into a bank account before the funds have been replenished. The researchers also found that the re-burned forests lost significant carbon storage capacity. Nearly two out of three logs on the forest floor were consumed in the 2016 fires. These pieces of dead wood were carbon sinks, storing carbon that the tree took up while alive. When burned, they release carbon into the atmosphere. Turner explains that once an old forest burns, it takes about 90 years for the forest to recover its lost carbon. "We care about carbon storage and recovery because forests play a very important role in the global carbon cycle," says Braziunas, who before joining Turner's research group spent more than seven years working as a municipal firefighter in Oberlin, Ohio. Braziunas adapted a model previously created by Turner's collaborator, Rupert Seidl, to estimate how long it would take for the forest to recover the carbon it had lost to the atmosphere in the 2016 fires, between tree loss, downed wood consumption, and reduced tree regeneration density. She found it would take more than 150 years, assuming the forests do not burn again in that time. "We were essentially able to reconstruct what the forest looked like before the fire happened, how many trees there were and how big they would have been," Braziunas says. "Because we also measured nearby stands (of trees) that didn't burn, we could compare what happens after the reburns and game out the scenarios in the model." The estimate, she and Turner say, represents a best-case, conservative scenario. With a warming climate and increased frequency of drought, the forests are likely to burn again in short intervals. However, the forest has long shown itself to be resilient. "The landscapes are going to look different than they have in the past," says Turner, "but that doesn't mean they won't be beautiful. There will be species that benefit and species that see their ranges contract." "Change is going to happen and change is going to happen more quickly than we thought it would," she adds. "We are learning how the system responds, but we don't know to what degree it will be resilient or adapt in the future. But I am not ready to write it off. We have been surprised in the past." ### The study was supported by NSF grant DEB-1719905, the Joint Fire Science Program 16-3-01-4, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Vilas Trust, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation UW2020 initiative, the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Columbia University's Center for Climate and Life. Other co-authors include Winslow Hansen at Columbia University and Brian Harvey at the University of Washington. Kelly April Tyrrell, kelly.tyrrell@wisc.edu, 608-262-9772 IMAGES AND VIDEO LINK AT https://uwmadison.box.com/v/yellowstone-reburn New funding is enabling Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers to develop new approaches to potentially help people with Prader-Willi syndrome, a devastating and incurable genetic condition. Research grants from the Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia and the US Foundation for Prader-Willi Research will enable Associate Professor Marnie Blewitt to investigate whether awakening 'sleeping' genes could overcome some of the genetic errors underlying Prader-Willi syndrome, and reduce the severity of some of its symptoms. The researchers hope that in the long-term new drugs could be developed that keep these key genes awake, improving the quality of life of people with Prader-Willi syndrome. At a glance - Prader-Willi syndrome is a devastating and incurable genetic condition, caused by an unusual form of inheritance whereby patients have functional genes in a 'sleeping' state. - Our researchers have discovered a potential approach to waking up the sleeping genes, which may reduce some of the severe symptoms experienced by people with Prader-Willi syndrome. - The next step of this research can now proceed with funding from Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia and the US Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. Unusual inheritance People with Prader-Willi syndrome have a range of severe and devastating symptoms including low muscle tone, an insatiable appetite and obesity, developmental delays and intellectual disability, scoliosis and short stature, and hormone dysfunction. Around one in 17,000 Australians are born with Prader-Willi syndrome, and require intensive care from families and health professionals to manage these symptoms. Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by changes in certain genes - in this case, the relevant genes are located on a section of chromosome 15. Unlike most genetic changes Prader-Willi syndrome only occurs if the copy of these genes inherited from the father is affected, said Associate Professor Blewitt. "This is because it is only the copy from the father which is 'awake' and being used." "People with Prader-Willi syndrome have another copy of chromosome 15 - with the healthy form of the genes - that they have inherited from their mother. The problem is that these 'maternal' genes are inactive, or 'sleeping', and can't compensate for the father's copy being absent or having an altered function," she said. "If the maternal genes on chromosome 15 could be awakened, they could help to reduce the severity of some symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome. We think this could improve the lives of people with Prader-Willi syndrome and their carers. Our new funding from Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia and the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research will help us to explore a potential approach to awakening these genes." Waking up genes Associate Professor Blewitt and her research team study how genes shift between 'sleeping' to 'awake' states, and how this impacts a range of diseases. "A protein called SMCHD1 keeps many genes in their sleeping state," Associate Professor Blewitt said. "We discovered that SMCHD1's targets include some of the maternal genes that are involved in Prader-Willi syndrome. We have already discovered that if the function of SMCHD1 is blocked, these genes will wake up and become functional." The two research grants Associate Professor Blewitt has received will allow her to test the effect of removing SMCHD1 in cells provided by people with Prader-Willi syndrome: funding from the Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia will enable the team to develop the necessary tools for these experiments; while the experiments in these cells will be carried out with the support of Foundation for Prader Willi Research. "If removing SMCHD1 does wake up the maternal genes in the cells of people with Prader-Willi syndrome, we would want to explore whether medicines that can block SMCHD1 could have the same effect," Associate Professor Blewitt said. "Excitingly, we are already developing these medicines, and we hope they might help people with Prader-Willi syndrome by reducing some of the serious symptoms and improving their quality of life." Ms Kathlene Jones, CEO and founder of the Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia, said this research gives people with Prader-Willi syndrome and their families incredible hope for a life-changing treatment. "Prader-Willi syndrome is such a complex, multisystemic condition that the treatment of each symptom would involve an enormous research and development effort and require the person to take a multitude of medicines and interventions," she said. "Targeting the genetic cause of Prader-Willi syndrome hopefully means a more focused development pathway and a more comprehensive, effective and easier to administer treatment." ### Associate Professor Blewitt's research has also been supported by the Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Medical Research Trust. this news is not available UPDATE: Global politics remain at the fore into Tuesday's session with Brexit, Indian elections and US-China trade all prominent market-driving factors. On the Brexit front, PM May is expected to meet with her cabinet on Tuesday to discuss options to break the current Brexit impasse. With limited expectations for May's Withdrawal Agreement Bill to pass the early June House of Commons vote, cabinet ministers are expected to explore alternative options - with the potential for a fresh round of indicative votes. Meanwhile, the hunt for May's successor appears to be in full swing with Boris Johnson leading the Conservative Party polls. While a change of leadership could inject some energy into the process, May's replacement is expected to be of the Euro sceptic hue which would be seen as elevating the odds of a no deal outcome. "The perceived risk of a no-deal Brexit has probably risen in the past few weeks, theres a kind of acceptance that there will be a new prime minister who will probably be a eurosceptic, wrote developed markets economist, James Smith. With such levels of political uncertainty, the Sterling's continued to decline against major peers with little on the horizon to suggest a reversal in sentiment in the near-term. Meanwhile in India, stocks recorded their strongest intr-day rally in over three years following further exit polls pointing to a Bharatiya Janata party-led coalition victory. The Indian Rupee also strengthened 1.1% versus the US Dollar. "The outperformance of Indian markets and the currency since February . . . reflects increased investor confidence of the incumbent staying in power, said economist Prakash Sakpal at ING. Elsewhere, US-China tension looks set to continue following Washington's crackdown of Chinese telecomms giant Huawei. Its going to get worse before it gets better, said Curtis Chin of the Milken Institute think tank, adding he expects strong nationalistic sentiment to force President Xi Jinping to adopt a hard-line stance with the US. In response to President Trump's continued tweets in which he blamed China, stating they "had a deal" but China "changed it", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang denied that China had agreed to anything. Lu Kang said "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about. Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to." The Dollar's relative safe-haven status saw it climb to a two-week high on Tuesday. Incumbent Scott Morrison managed to secure a majority government in the Australian election. Indian leader Modi also managed to hold on to power. Trump delays tariffs on Japan and the eurozone, but the matter is far from settled. The markets are off to a quite start to the week, which is perhaps a welcome change given the last two Mondays have been extremely volatile due to flare ups in the US China trade war. Stock markets are generally flat, as are most currencies, with the stand out being the Australian Dollar which is higher after the weekend election which saw the incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison secure a majority government. Exit polls suggested the Labor Party could win for the first time in six years, but Morrison pulled ahead and won over the necessary 76 seats for a majority, leading to the resignation of Labor leader Bill Shorten. Currencies tend to respond well to majority governments, especially conservative ones, and the AUD is higher by around 1%. However, with several rates cuts expected this year, it will be hard for AUD to make any sustained move higher. Staying with politics, the exit polls in the Indian election also show the incumbent, Modi is likely to win. Elsewhere there are more elections to look forward to in Austria after vice-chancellor Strache from the far-right FPO party resigned over a corruption scandal. Yet these events arent likely to drive global markets, which are still very much focused on the escalations in the trade war. Last week saw many risk markets recover as President Trump tried to strike a positive tone on China and also side-stepped a fresh front to the war with Japan and the eurozone. For now, the US-China trade tension seems to be quite enough for President Trump. With a delay of at least 180 days, the US has avoided a further escalation of the trade war on the Japanese and European fronts. Despite this delay, however, tariffs are still possible. If negotiations between the US, EU and Japan fail, the conflict may well escalate again, reported ING. 180 days is plenty time for the markets to focus on other matters and recover, but this issue is a challenge to all concerned and could come back to trouble the markets. If it werent for the break-down in talks with China, President Trump may have been much tougher and imposed tariffs straight away. Heres ING with more insight, Currently, trade negotiations are at an impasse. The US is demanding access to the EU and Japanese agricultural markets, which has been met with resistance. Japan is demanding a similar advantage to the US in return. This would be an unlikely compromise for the US since the White House views the current terms of trade with Japan as unfair. The EU has stated that access to its agricultural market is not part of the negotiations as it doesnt have a mandate from its member states to negotiate access to the agri-food market. It is hard to imagine that the EU will budge on this issue as agriculture has also proved to be one of the most sensitive and difficult topics in the abandoned TTIP negotiations. If the China matter is resolved when the 180 days are up, Japan and the Eurozone could be next in line and the Euro in particular could fall heavily. Politics continues to be one of the main drivers of GBP, and while Brexit news has lessened in recent weeks, the Conservative - Labour talks look to have collapsed and have taken Sterling with it. GBP fell to its weakest level since February and EURGBP is comfortably back above 0.87. Theresa May promised to make a "bold offer" and set out a "new and improved" Brexit deal as she tries to pass her EU withdrawal treaty at the fourth attempt in early June. Although the new offer is said to include improvements on workers' rights, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is widely quoted as being sceptical of any deal passing and hence a June agreement is already facing headwinds. On previous occasions the GBP would rally mildly on the news of a change in the impasse and this could very well happen again in the coming week. However, overall, we remain skeptical... reported Danske Bank. Elizabeth Irvin is grateful for a life that almost passed her by. She and her husband joined friends Saturday evening at Maverick Park as people made a fuss over their 8-month-old baby, snug in a stroller. They were among more than 50 people who had gathered for Just One Night, a fundraiser to benefit organizations that help San Antonios homeless teens. Nine years ago, Irvin was one of those teens. The streets of San Antonio were her world. She was 16, squatting in an abandoned house, out of sight from sexual predators, drug addicts and violent offenders. She did things that shes not proud of, but she said they helped ensure she lived to see another day. Irvins life changed when she met Rachel and Herb Mayfield from the nonprofit Stand Up for Kids during one of their Tuesday evening visits to Church Under the Bridge, held beneath the U.S. 281 overpass. The organization focuses on providing apartment support, street outreach and mentoring of the youth. The Mayfields provided the resources, training and transportation that led to a job and built her self esteem, she said. They helped me get on my feet, said Irvin, 24, and have the family I never had. Theyve always been there for me. The Mayfields said Irvins case turned out better than some of their other outreach efforts, in large part because of her efforts to improve her situation. She did everything we asked of her, said Rachel Mayfield, 48. Shes the perfect example of what we want kids to do. On ExpressNews.com: Homeless youth in Texas not getting help they need, advocates say This was the second year for the event, which raises funds while also drawing attention to the issue. Its set up as an overnight sleepover, but organizers ended it at 9 p.m. because of possible rain. Organizers said proceeds would benefit Stand Up for Kids and the Thrive Youth Center that works at Haven for Hope to provide homeless LGBTQ youth a safe place off the streets. The event was sponsored by the San Antonio Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The group was founded by four people on Easter 1979 in San Francisco and has since grown into dozens of chapters across the country and the world. Its mission includes community service, education for safer sex awareness and promotion of human rights. Members wear nun habits and face paint to draw the publics attention so they can explain their causes. Mike Green, also known as Sister Eliza Doesalot, said their attire is not meant to mock nuns. Alexander Darke, also known as Sister Dottie Bair, started Just One Night because he was once a homeless gay teen. He emphasized that Just One Night is a symbolic act and is not meant to be an experience of what homeless teens face on the streets. He said thanks to caring people he was able to get a GED, go to college, have a house and a husband. Darke, 47, said having LGBTQ-specific shelters is critical to helping teens. If a queer kid is on the streets, its for one of two reasons, Darke said. They were either thrown out or they fled an unsafe environment. Getting kids back home is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Its trying to make sure that kids like me find their happily ever after rather than get lost in the nightmare that is living on the streets. Thrives executive director Sandra Whitley said there around seven shelters for LGBTQ teens in the United States. She said they only have 10 beds at Haven for the teens, with an estimated 200 beds across the nation. The nonprofit helps young people from 18 to 24. Theres a huge need, said Whitley, 57. There are so many more hurdles, so to speak, to open up a shelter for anybody who is not an adult. Its very much needed in this state. On ExpressNews.com: Number of people living on the streets of San Antonio up in 2018 Stand Up For Kids also offers aid at the public library on Saturday afternoons. Spokesman Adrian Ramirez said as far as homeless teens are concerned, the citys annual homeless count is misleading. They fear being picked up by the police or being found by someone they dont want to find them, Ramirez said. We counted in one night much less than what we see in a month. Its the biggest challenge that San Antonio faces. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis After three decades of working long days, night classes and life challenges, Joyce Raposo has completed a long, sought-after goal at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The growing South Side campus is where she found her writing voice. Its where the 55-year-old San Antonio native connected with classmates and shared her life experiences. And its where shes ready to bid farewell and seek new possibilities. Raposo graduated from TAMUSA, along with thousands of college seniors in multiple ceremonies across Bexar County this weekend. Across town, the University of Texas at San Antonio is graduating its largest class in school history: 5,100 students. Raposo, a nontraditional student, achieved stellar grades while juggling family responsibilities and extracurricular duties. The communication major graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average and an invitation to the Lambda Pi Eta honor society of the National Communication Association. Its so surreal, she said, days before graduation at the Jaguar Java coffee shop. It gives me options. It was a goal I have always wanted to have. She served as editor-in-chief of the universitys online student newspaper, the Mesquite, and interned at the universitys El Espejo print magazine. The Texas Intercollegiate Press Association awarded her first place for her feature story about Marikate Maggio, an 18-year-old freshman at TAMUSA who died in a car accident in September. Raposo was the first recipient of a $5,000 Freedom Grant from My Education Solutions for an essay about her legacy at the university. She hopes to pursue a career as a music journalist. On ExpressNews.com: TAMUSA president returns to her roots Melinda Thomas, the director of admissions, said the definition of a nontraditional student has changed significantly with so many pathways to education. In 2018, the average age of students at the university was 28. For a lot of nontraditional students, many of their past experiences have been that they may have been at a larger institution, Thomas said, or just at a different point in their life where they just felt like a number, and here thats not the case. Before she received her bachelors degree Friday, Raposo reflected on her 38-year journey. She graduated from high school in May 1981, when Ronald Reagan was president and the No. 1 song was, Bette Davis Eyes, by Kim Carnes. At 17, she was more preoccupied with having fun than concentrating on studying at San Antonio College. Raposo dropped out and went to work. Her absence from academics ended at age 30, when her boss suggested that she apply for financial aid and go back to school. She attended St. Philips College, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA. She went to the University of Texas at Austin but couldnt get the classes she needed. She took classes at Texas State University and later transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio for night classes. Her studies came to a halt when the university didnt offer classes for her degree. There was a change of fortune. Twelve years ago, a friend introduced her to her future husband, Robert Raposo, and they bonded right away over a shared sense of humor and attending live music concerts in Austin. They were married nine months later. A fall down a flight of stairs left her with a brace on her left leg. One night in rural Floresville, she left a friends house and was bitten on her right ankle by a copperhead snake. At the emergency room, the wound required five bags of anti-venom. While in rehab, she lost her job. The company was unable to hold her position while she recuperated, but she used her experience in the medical field to return to work as a marketing representative for Sendero Imaging. Raposo thrived as she worked for an imaging center, physical rehabilitation center and in the medical marketing field. When her company was sold, she left, and after 15 years in her field, she couldnt get any interviews. One thing was missing: a bachelors degree. After one year of school, Raposo had to adjust her pace when they took in her husbands niece and nephew. Her husband encouraged her to keep going. I would not be here if it wasnt for him, Raposo said. Hes given me financial support and the freedom to not work. Katherine Otten commended her daughter and son-in-law for following their plan. She tackled what seemed like an insurmountable challenge, Otten, 75, said of her only child. Its been a hard two years, with a family, and a long commute from the North Side. Once shes invested, shes all in. On ExpressNews.com: At San Antonios still new A&M campus, dorm is a rural outpost The founding director and academic coordinator of Jaguar Student Media, Jenny Moore, credited Raposo for her role at the Mesquite, which tells the stories of underserved students on the South Side. She was committed to making sure that the staff would represent the mission of the news site, Moore said, which is connected to the overall mission of the university to provide job preparation and a solid education to the community. Its wonderful to have a strong woman leader as an editor, said Mesquite photo editor Deidre Carrillo, 23. Shes one of us. She has this fire inside of her to do great things. The vast landscape of the South Side can be seen from the third-floor windows of the Mesquite in the Central Academic Building. Beyond acres of mesquite trees and scrub brush, Raposo could see the quadrant where she grew up near Brooks City Base. And she could see the promise of growth, as wide as the opportunities on her horizon. Staff Writer Krista Torralva contributed to this report. | Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis SUTHERLAND SPRINGS Karla Holcombe used to walk methodically through a weedy plot of land neighboring the old First Baptist Church building and pray it would one day be used. I pray for our little church. I ask you to deliver the empty lot next door into the hands of your church, she wrote in neat, cursive writing three years before she died. Sarah Slavin, her daughter, found those writings in a spiral notebook on her moms nightstand months after Holcombe, 58, died in the Nov. 5, 2017, mass shooting at the Sutherland Springs church that took 26 lives, including that of an unborn child. On Sunday, her late mothers wishes came true when the church opened a $3 million building on that very lot, feet away from the old sanctuary that was converted into a memorial for the people who died. The new church was donated to the congregation by the North American Mission Board, and designed for free by Myrick, Gurosky & Associates. Visible off Highway 87, its now the tallest building in the 600-population town. Texas religious leaders and Sen. John Cornyn and Gov. Greg Abbott attended Sundays public dedication, held after the congregations private services for their tight-knit community. Its like a new beginning. Its fulfilling my moms prayers, said John Holcombe, Karla Holcombes son. In addition to losing his mother, he also lost three children and his pregnant wife in the 2017 shooting. And it honors those that went ahead of us beautifully. Entering the clean, off-white church with long windows that stretch to the ceiling, theres a wooden cross to the left, draped in a piece of white silk. It had been hanging behind the altar at the original church on the day of the shooting. To the right is the memorial room, with its wall filled with plaques and photos representing the 26 victims. In the corner, theres a bouquet of gold-dipped roses all colored red except for one small pink one for Carlin Brite Billy Bob Holcombe, the unborn child. Also in the room is a large framed photo of the old church with a rainbow arcing from the sky to its roof. Isnt it beautiful? Deborah Braden, whose husband was killed in the shooting, said in the memorial room before morning services. A crane lifted a large American flag into the air as the ceremonies began. Evelyn Hill, an energetic 8-year-old girl who lost two sisters, a brother and her pregnant mother in the 2017 shooting, abandoned her pink rain boots and played on the seats. In the private morning ceremony before the main event, Pastor Frank Pomeroy spoke about the joys of having a new building, and the price they had to pay for it. The dedication has been costly to may of us. Physically, mentally, emotionally. And for 26 of our precious friends and family, it cost them everything, Pomeroy said. He said the building is just brick, stone, wood, glass and the real church is the people, the heart of the people. I have been blessed as a pastor to be amongst a bunch of people who chose not to look to into themselves, but to look beyond themselves to others, Pomeroy said at the pulpit. Sherri Pomeroy, his wife, spoke about Karla Holcombe, who was also her best friend. She recounted how Karla Holcombe would walk the tall weeds of the empty lot and pray to God that one day it be theirs. Were not sure, but maybe the very last day she prayed for this land was on Nov. 5th, Sherri Pomeroy said. Maybe God then said to her: Are you ready Karla? On Friday and Saturday, the churchs security team practiced active shooter training in the church. They learned how to use flashlights to disarm attackers and developed defense tactics based on the shape and structure of the new building. The team, made up of volunteer congregants, was formed after the mass shooting. In addition to the security team, the new building was designed to prevent another shooting, with security features such as additional cameras and keyed access. But the new sanctuary was off-putting to some of the members. Julie Workman, a survivor of the shooting, said it felt too different. She said she mourned for the old church on Saturday. Weve made no memories in here. Its very stark. And until we start having memories, its not going to feel like our church, she said. In the old building, we always felt comfortable putting duct tape on the walls, nailing holes in the ceiling, decorating it however we felt. But in this building, I dont have that comfort yet, Workman said. The service was somber but lighthearted too. At one point, Pomeroy remembered to put on his glasses and exclaimed, Hey! I can see now! Hey, theres people here! evoking a chuckle from the congregation. At another point, he sneezed and remarked as the audience shouted bless you: I dont think Ive ever sneezed at the pulpit. I dont even know where I was at now Oh, the Gospel! As the hour hand of the beige-and-blue wall clock the words Love Never Fails below it struck 11, the survivors and victims family members were joined by hundreds of others, who poured into the church sanctuary for the public dedication. Its overwhelming, said Neil Johnson, who lost both of his parents in the massacre and now sings in the choir. I liked the first service because it was just us, but now all the big-wigs are here, and Im nervous. Between the two ceremonies, coffee with a dove crafted in the white, frothy milk and over 1,000 doughnuts were served. Theres lots of faces I dont know, Julie Workman said. And after what happened that makes me nervous. The worship teams first song during the dedication was It Is Well With My Soul. As the music reverberated in the high-ceilinged sanctuary, parishioners rose their hands in praise, sang and dabbed their eyes with tissues or their sleeves. Mark Collins, the churchs associate pastor, listed the names of those who died one by one, each with a toll from the bell in the tower. Farida Brown, a survivor who moved to Houston after the shooting, had returned for the ceremony and sobbed into her friends arms. Jennifer Holcombe broke down when the names of her husband and 1-year-old daughter were called. Family members of the dead stood up from their seats as their loved ones name was called, vulnerable and resilient. Let us stand, said Collins. As love never fails, and evil never wins. The morning services echoed louder in the large sanctuary than they had in the small, clapboard church. But its larger size allows it to seat over 250 people, allowing room for a congregation has more than doubled since Nov. 5, 2017. Yesterday it was a building, Johnson said. But today, with all of us here, its starting to feel like home. Silvia Foster-Frau covers immigration news in the San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF After simmering in the background for weeks, the issue of domestic violence was thrust to the forefront of the San Antonio mayoral campaign Monday. A newly formed group of activists demanded that candidate Greg Brockhouse address in detail two incidents in which women married to him have accused him of assault. The Brockhouse campaign responded that one of the groups leaders was in no position to criticize the councilman because she herself was charged with assaulting an ex-boyfriend in 2007. The spectacle put domestic violence in the middle of the mayoral campaign weeks ahead of a June 8 runoff between Brockhouse and incumbent Ron Nirenberg. This is why were rising up, because so many of us have lived in and will be subjected to things like this, Kathy Sosa, one of the leaders of the new group, Metu: Diversity Defeating Violence, said at a news conference Monday. We want a community where this is not acceptable. Sosa, a well-known local artist, said she and three friends decided to form the organization after watching Brockhouse largely avoid questions about the two allegations for much of the campaign. In the first incident, Brockhouses second wife, Christine Rivera, from whom he was separated, told police he assaulted her April 29, 2006, when he returned to their home on the Northwest Side to retrieve some belongings. Rivera told the San Antonio Express-News that Brockhouse pushed her into a wall. Both she and Brockhouse called police to report the incident. Brockhouse claimed he was the victim and that Riveras boyfriend hit and choked him. In the second incident, his third and current wife, Annalisa, told police on the night of Dec. 23, 2009, that Brockhouse grabbed her, threw her to the ground and tried to hit her. He climbed on top of her and got off only when their children came into the room and told him to stop, according to a police report. She told police her husband had been drinking over a job loss, the report says. There is no record that Brockhouse was arrested or charged in either incident. Annalisa, a special education teacher, has since denied that her husband assaulted her. I have never been in nor would I ever stay in an abusive relationship, and I certainly wouldnt keep my kids in an abusive environment, she said in a statement. I have never been hurt by my husband, at ANY point in our relationship. Brockhouse, in a statement of his own Monday, said: These allegations are false, and my wifes statement is the best proof there is. On ExpressNews.com: Some wonder why domestic violence not a focus of San Antonios mayoral campaign Sosa said she and the co-organizers of Metu a combination of English and Spanish words meaning me and you were also concerned about the increasing number of deaths related to family violence in Bexar County. According to the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, at least 29 people were killed in family violence incidents last year. One advocacy group estimates that Bexar County has the highest per capita rate of intimate partner homicides in the state. During the news conference, the Metu organizers unveiled a Change.org petition, signed by more than 600, that says Brockhouse is not fit to be mayor. Some of us are survivors of domestic abuse, all of us are horrified that a man who has been accused of domestic violence by both a former and current wife might well become the mayor of the seventh-largest city in the country, the petition reads. We are worried what the election of this man would say to our sisters, sons and daughters. We are convinced his election would set the cause of women back decades in our city. Within hours of the news conference, Brockhouses campaign pointed out that one of the groups co-chairs, Gina Galaviz Eisenberg, a former TV reporter who now oversees a local communications firm, had a history of domestic violence. According to court records, police were called to the home of Eisenbergs then-boyfriend, Ron Segovia, for a disturbance with a gun in July 2004. Eisenberg told police that Segovia, a city councilman at the time, had pointed a .40-caliber Glock at her and caused a bruise on her back by throwing an apple at her. Segovia was not arrested, and a grand jury declined to indict him. In July 2007, Eisenberg was involved in an incident at the Cadillac Bar downtown with another boyfriend, Ronald Aguillen. According to court records, Aguillen struck her, giving her a black eye. She said Monday that she bit him to defend herself. Both Aguillen and Eisenberg, who lost her job at KSAT after the incident, were arrested and charged with assault. After they pleaded no contest, a judge sentenced them to 90 days of probation. The charges against them were eventually dismissed. Eisenberg said she expected Brockhouse to bring up the past allegations against her. She said she was in a series of abusive relationships and went through counseling after the 2007 arrest. Im a survivor of domestic violence, Eisenberg said. Im not afraid to talk about my past. I wish the candidate who is running for mayor would be open about it. Im just a mom whos had experience and whos lived it. A community issue Dozens of local activists showed up for the Metu news conference Monday at the Cherrity Bar on the near East Side. Many held signs that read We read the report a reference to the police report on the 2009 incident involving Brockhouse and No hitting, no hating, no hurting. Among the speakers was Lori Rodriguez, an assistant professor of humanities and Mexican-American studies at Palo Alto College, who spoke publicly for the first time about a domestic violence attack. Rodriguez recalled how her ex-boyfriend violently attacked her four years ago, resulting in a deep gash on her forehead, which required 18 stitches, and muscle damage that may never fully heal. Rodriguez said she was compelled to tell her story to draw attention to the epidemic of domestic violence in Bexar County. She said Brockhouse hasnt adequately addressed the two allegations of past domestic violence and, as such, isnt fit to be mayor. We as a city must hold our leaders and perspective leaders accountable for perpetuating egregious acts upon other human beings, as is the case with domestic abuse, Rodriguez said. It is not a womans issue but a community issue, she added. We cannot possibly allow an alleged domestic abuser to run for office without at very minimum addressing these issues publicly. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton About 24 hours before Councilman Greg Brockhouse pushed him into a runoff, Mayor Ron Nirenberg took the stage at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre downtown to welcome Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and give him a green-glowing digital key to the city. The crowd of about 760 a mix of young techies, entrepreneurs and other creatives excitedly called out and hooted as the mayor settled in behind the podium. They were Nirenbergs people. Nirenberg thrilled his audience with winking references to disrupting public policy and a charter school chains skill at disrupting public education. Then he called up Hastings, who sneaked a selfie with Nirenberg as the mayor read a city proclamation honoring the Netflix CEO. OnExpressNews.com: How SAHA is reducing the 'digital divide' If it had been up to this audience alone, Nirenberg would have trounced Brockhouse in the May 4 election. The council district where the theater is located and where many in the audience live, work and play came out big for the mayor. District 1 voters chose Nirenberg by 65 percent to Brockhouses 28 percent. Among the 10 council districts, it was Nirenbergs best showing on election day and Brockhouses worst. Of course, neither the Empire Theatre crowd nor District 1 single-handedly determined the outcome. Brockhouse carried four other districts on the Southwest, West, North and Northeast sides proving again that this city is deeply divided. San Antonios newest dividing line cuts Nirenbergs stronghold in half. District 1s 22 square miles include some of San Antonios oldest and most neglected neighborhoods. The other District 1 encompasses downtown and its embryonic tech hub; the Pearl and the Broadway corridor, both honeycombed with luxury apartments and condos; and the neighborhoods where young professionals are driving up home prices and property values. San Antonio is changing fast in the center city. With the construction of more than 7,000 downtown apartments and condos over the past decade not to mention the blazing housing market in neighborhoods ringing downtown its new residents are younger, better educated and, frequently, more affluent than San Antonians as a whole. In broad strokes: They desire a denser, closer-in, more walkable city rejecting the kind of sprawling suburbs they grew up in and a convenient, fully formed mass transit system because many of them dont own cars. They turn out to hear what a tech billionaire has to say, and many of them are sympathetic to his argument that the solution to underperforming public schools is to chip in for private, nonprofit charter schools. And by and large, they appreciate a policy wonk like Nirenberg who wants what they want. David Heard, chief marketing officer of cybersecurity company SecureLogix and CEO of Tech Bloc, an industry advocacy group, emceed the May 3 evening with Hastings. And he thinks he understands part of Nirenbergs appeal to that crowd. In general, young people who work in tech are more progressive, and the mayor has been with Tech Bloc since day one, Heard said. He wants a strong urban core and a transportation plan, and he has a lot of personal, individual relationships with a lot of people in that audience. Ron is very likable no one should underestimate likability. Although Heard is one of the chief advocates for San Antonio tech, hes realistic about its current state. OnExpressNews.com: Progressive group stays on the sidelines in San Antonio mayor's race We have suburbs out the wazoo, but we lack that urban tech neighborhood, he said. These are the very early days for a hub for techies, and its largely developer-driven. That is, its not so much that information technology and cybersecurity companies as well as financial and professional services firms are clamoring for downtown addresses. Its that real estate companies such as Weston Urban are busy building them roosts. Backed by former Rackspace Chairman Graham Weston, who interviewed Hastings on stage, Weston Urban redeveloped the Rand Building on Houston Street, home to Geekdom, and is constructing the Frost Bank Tower and updating the Milam Building. But Heard credits another developer with setting the stage: billionaire Christopher Kit Goldsbury, whose Silver Ventures built the Pearl out of the ruins of its namesake brewery. The Pearl has done more for tech in San Antonio than anything else in the last 30 years, Heard said. Most city tours for corporate relocation prospects include a stop at the home of Hotel Emma, the Culinary Institute of America, enviable apartments, and trendy shops, restaurants and bars. In one moment, their perception of our city changes, Heard said. Companies considering San Antonio for a big move or expansion like the Pearl because its the kind of amenity that appeals to many young professionals, a mashup of the Big 3 uses: living, leisure and work. But its not only developers that are behind the revival of Broadway and downtown. Local government, often the city and county working together, seeded the redevelopment with huge investments in incentives for apartment and condo construction, streets and drainage projects, including $43 million for Broadway in a 2017 bond package, and attention-grabbing amenities such as the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum Reach. Without most of this spending, the Pearls impact would be muted at best. Downtown resident Jamilyn Keeton likes the progress so far. But she wants more of it. In 2017, when Keeton was a public administration major at the University of Texas at San Antonio, she was eager to vote for Nirenberg for mayor. She believed that he would do what it takes to create an exciting downtown and a transit system to move people efficiently from Point A to Point B. The 24-year-old San Antonio native now has her bachelors degree and works at MOVE Texas, a nonprofit whose mission is to get young adults more engaged in their communities. She again voted for Nirenberg, but joylessly this time. It felt like Clinton vs. Trump, Keeton said, casting Nirenberg as Clinton and Brockhouse as Trump. It felt like we had to vote for Nirenberg. Her problem with Nirenberg, she said, is how little ground he seems to have covered over the past two years on affordable housing in the center city, his Connect SA transportation plan and other initiatives. What Keeton, who lives in an apartment near UTSAs Institute of Texas Cultures, wants to know is: When is the implementation happening? When are things going to start moving? She lacks the enthusiasm of the Empire Theatre crowd. But theyre ultimately cheering for the same things. AUSTIN U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar warned against elected officials who fuel Islamophobia and pit religious groups against each other at an Iftar dinner Saturday night in Austin, just days after Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called on Austin Mayor Steve Adler not to attend the event. It is through strength and unity that we push back, and that is what this night is all about, said Omar, D-Minnesota. Mayor Adler and the Muslim community knew that the best way to push back when people seek to divide our communities is by coming together and affirming that there is more that unites us than divides us. Omar, 37, was the keynote speaker at the Annual Austin Citywide Iftar Dinner, a ceremonial meal to break the fast during Ramadan. Adler, who has attended each of the previous city-wide Iftars, was the guest of honor. In November, Omar made history when she and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, became the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Since then, Omar has stirred controversy with comments seen as anti-Semitic and remarks viewed as dismissive of the 9/11 attacks. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Omars critics accuse her of playing into anti-Semitic stereotypes when criticizing Israel and its supporters. In 2012, she tweeted that Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel, and later apologized for her use of the word hypnotize and the ugly sentiment it holds. On Tuesday, Miller called on Adler, who is Jewish, to stay home and suggested replacing Omars participation with Jewish community leaders. "It's not inclusive to have a keynote speaker at a dinner who has repeatedly attacked the Jewish faith and its adherents," Miller said in a statement. "Mayor Adler should help Austin stay true to its roots and use this opportunity as a teaching moment for Muslims, Jews, Christians and those of other faiths to come and break bread together in the spirit of unity and love, not hate. More than two dozen protestors and counter-protestors gathered outside the event. Some danced to drums while holding a banner reading Jews stand with Ilhan, while a handful of others stood quietly in body armor, and openly carrying rifles. During the keynote address, Omar said hate against Muslims is on the rise everywhere including Texas. Mosques in Texas regularly face death threats, and Austin has seen a rise in hate speech against Muslims, she said. The attacks that Muslims face are "the same as the ones that Jews face every single day, she said. Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are two sides of the same bigoted coin, Omar said. Attacks on faiths are linked, and we must confront them together. Omar applauded the solidarity shown between Jews and Muslims in the wake of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the March mass shooting in a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. Every time we feel threatened, we show up with love and others stand with us, Omar said. We say together that we will not be terrorized, that we are strong and we are resilient, that we will always show up because we know that we, just like everyone else in this country, have a right to a dignified life. Omar urged the audience not to let the hate around us divide us. As Americans, we must all stand together in rejecting hate and embracing one another to create a country and culture of unity and justice, she said. Miller himself has been called out for racist statements in the past, such as in 2015 when his campaign made a Facebook post suggesting nuclear bombs as a way to make peace with the Muslim world. Last year, Miller faced criticism for liking a comment on his Facebook page that was an apparent reference to lynching. A historic monuments bill that would have blocked relocation of the 1930s Alamo Cenotaph and possibly interfered with its repair died this week in the Legislature, clearing the way for the city to proceed with the move as part of a major Alamo Plaza overhaul. The debate over moving the monument about 500 feet south has been one of the most contentious issues in a public-private project to build a museum and convert Alamo Plaza into an open interpretive space, free of traffic and the six-story monolithic Cenotaph. The monument honoring the fallen Alamo defenders sits at the north end of the plaza, where it was dedicated in 1940 as part of the Texas centennial. Design experts and scholars have long argued that the Cenotaph depicting David Crockett and other defenders in statues carved by Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini is out of scale and context with the mission-era Alamo church and Long Barrack. But in the past two years, as the city, the state and the nonprofit Alamo Endowment have worked on an Alamo plan that would move the monument, a group of passionate Texans have vehemently pushed back, chanting, Not one inch! at public meetings. Those Alamo enthusiasts want the monument to stay within the historic footprint of the 1836 fort, where the heaviest fighting occurred in the early morning battle. The Alamo plan would place it in front of the Menger Hotel outside the area of the fort. On ExpressNews.com: Bills to halt Cenotaphs move could hurt needed repairs Rep. Kyle Biedermann, R-Fredericksburg, is one of three Republican legislators who sponsored bills that would have made it more difficult for the city to move the monument. He said he will keep fighting the relocation. Its unfortunate. We have the most sacred ground in Texas, Biedermann said Monday. We should keep the Cenotaph there, as a reminder of why its sacred. A bill filed by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, aimed at protecting monuments, included verbiage aimed specifically at the Cenotaph, saying, no entity may alter, remove or relocate the monument. The bill was passed by the Senate in a 19-12 vote, despite opposition from Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, who warned that it could threaten millions of dollars in private investment in the Alamo project. But the bill, which also would have made it hard to remove, relocate or alter other monuments on public property, was never set for a vote on the House floor. The Texas General Land Office, the agency leading the Alamo makeover, raised concerns that the bill might prevent badly needed repairs to the massive monument, which has cracks and structural instability caused by rainwater penetration, according to engineering reports. The Cenotaph also has at least 47 historical inaccuracies, including defenders names misspelled or omitted, according to the Land Office. The Alamo plan calls for the addition of missing names to the monument and replacement of its original steel, brick and concrete interior with a stainless steel frame. The Land Office said Monday that it is committed to telling the story of the 1836 battle. We look forward to moving ahead with the restoration and preservation of the Shrine of Texas Liberty, the agency said. It is our goal to increase programming across the entire Alamo complex, including reenactments and living history tours. On ExpressNews.com: As Cenotaph ages, its location is subject of debate Although the Land Office does not typically take a position on specific legislation, Land Commissioner George P. Bush said in March that the decision to move the Cenotaph has already been deliberated over in hundreds of meetings and supported by a citizens panel. City Councilman Roberto Trevino, who sits on a six-member Alamo plan management committee, had said passage of the monuments bill would be tragic. He believes that an open plaza is needed to create a full opportunity to tell as complete a story as you can of the 1700s Mission San Antonio de Valero and the 1836 siege and battle. Using a robust public engagement process, the city of San Antonio, the state of Texas and the Alamo Endowment worked with the Citizens Advisory Committee to engage the public over the last 4 years to create a plan that will definitively tell the complete story of the Alamo, Trevino said in a statement Monday. The state has recognized we are relocating the Cenotaph not removing it, he said. Staff Writer Allie Morris contributed to this report. | Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Photo: Contributed If you or your pet has been bitten by a tick, bring it to Hoodoo Adventures. The Penticton outdoor adventure guide has agreed to help a research group learn more about these unwanted blood suckers that can carry debilitating diseases like Lyme disease. We have collected over 50 ticks so far, said Hoodoo co-owner Lyndie Hill, explaining they have been collecting ticks from the public since mid-April- at the start of tick season. We do a tick check everyday with our after school kids. Because we are doing adventures in the mountains and areas like Carmi Hill we are finding them on kids, on their heads and legs. The staff are well trained on how to properly remove them. She said the ticks are common in places like Campbell Mountain, Skaha Bluffs and up Carmi Hill. They start to show up when the weather warms up and can be found in the long grass or on branches. We have a safe container here at Hoodoo HQ on Ellis Street, she said. We will safely store ticks to be collected and analyzed for disease and other valuable information. The research group has come to pick up the ticks three times already, she said. They are studying and testing them for disease. Hoodoo Adventures will continue to collect ticks for however long tick season goes to this year, she added. This appears to be a particularly bad season for ticks, which are spreading and growing in numbers in B.C., according to B.C. Public Health. There are two different kinds of ticks in the Okanagan the wood and deer tick. The wood tick is the size of a pea and is not known to be a carrier of Lyme disease, says Interior Health. The deer tick is the size of a sesame seed and has been linked to a handful of cases of Lyme disease locally, added Interior Health. Dogs are more likely to bring home ticks than humans, often in their ears and on their heads. It is important to remove ticks found on people and pets. To do so, wear gloves and use needle nose tweezers to gently grasp the tick close to the skin. Pull the tick straight out without squeezing it. After it is removed, clean the area with soap and water, said an Interior Health information sheet put out last April. Although most tick bites are harmless, it is important to watch for signs of illness and see a doctor as soon as possible if you notice a bulls eye rash or other symptoms like achy muscles, fever and fatigue. IF YOU FIND A TICK bring it to Hoodoo Adventures: Let us consider the word war. Its all over the place (including in a Michael Gerson column on this same page). Yes, its currently top of mind because honest-to-badness war is happening. Were still in Afghanistan after 18 bloody years, with no end apparently in sight. Were mopping up, or have mopped up, ISIS in Syria, withdrawal apparently imminent. All options are allegedly on the table when it comes to poor, suffering Venezuela. And looming, were told, is trading missiles with Iran and maybe even using ground troops. To which there are obvious responses. Among them: You gotta be kidding. Enough already. Afghanistan threatens to become our forever war. We mustnt let it. In Syria, even with ISIS vanquished (but not everywhere), the monster Bashar Assad who uses chemical weapons on his own people remains. And a fuller war there is still unthinkable, quagmire and a clash with Russia written all over it. Venezuela? Military intervention only helps Nicolas Maduro hang onto power and turns our allies in the quest to force him out into his best buds. And with Iran, the hawks are seeing long-standing threats suddenly transformed into imminent danger, causing them to loudly thump those war drums risking an accidental war or conflict we simply drift into. But lets consider the term war more generally. For instance, theres the war on drugs and then theres the trade war. And there are instances in which the word war is never used, but strategic verbiage still gets the message across. Immigration comes to mind. There is danger when we use that word or words that pretty much amount to the same thing. We set up red lines in the sand and us-and-them characterizations youre with us or with those dirty so-and-sos. War denotes the need for full-on mobilization, all carnage-producing tools in our war belt employed. So, just recently, while the word war wasnt used that I could notice, the mindset was clearly in evidence. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick declared dead in the Senate a House bill that would have commonsensically reduced the penalty for small amounts of marijuana. Horrors! Therein lies the path to gasp and deep shudders full legalization of marijuana. And then presumably other horrors follow, an expanded tax base that pays for schools and other needed services never mentioned among them. Sorry, all this bill does is take people who shouldnt be there out of overcrowded jails so they can take care of their families and their jobs and not clog up a system better used for people who harm other people. And speaking of forever wars, our war on drugs has been around as long as Ive been cognizant that drugs were, well, all around a child of the 60s and 70s, you know. And weve been losing this war since Ive gained that cognition. In forever wars, losing or at least not winning seems to be the point, constituting a full-employment-and-funding act in some quarters. And in others, forever talking about the need for the war is the means to show how tough they are. And the rest of us are really dumb for listening to them. Trade war with China? So far, weve witnessed plunging markets, ailing U.S. farmers besieged by tit-for-tat tariffs, U.S. manufacturers paying more for the materials they need, and U.S. consumers not China actually paying those tariffs. But, in war, you know, sacrifices must be made. Another bailout commonly called welfare in other circumstances is coming for you, farmers (though not likely making you whole). But you others, suck it up. This is war! That term trade war is being used more often by my fellow journalists than anyone else, but thats because its an apt description the presidents bellicose actions making the point. Yes, China is employing unfair trade practices, but there are better ways of handling this. Immigration? According to the president, asylum-seekers are lurking gangbangers. Oh, yes, and were too full for more brown people anyway. Other migrants are similarly described as criminals, rapists, breeders and infestations. Taking away our jobs? OK, you pick my fruits and veggies. Let them come in legally? Sure, how about we develop a system that actually gives them a shot at doing that. Oh, yes, too many are from (expletive)hole countries, according to the president. Right, no us-and-dirty-so-and-so characterizations employed at all. So, because Im a child of the 60s and 70s, Ill borrow this lyric: War, what is it good for? When it comes to drugs, trade and immigration, I agree with Edwin Starr, absolutely nothing. o.ricardo.pimentel@express-news. Google maps BRIDGEPORT - A man, who was wounded in the buttocks, claims someone shot him while walking on Huntington Turnpike Sunday morning. Police got a call at 10:14 a.m. from Bridgeport Hospital reportinng that a male arrived with a gunshot wound. Officers and detectives responded to the hospital and spoke with a male victim who was alert and conscious. STAMFORD It was brother versus brother at Curtain Calls 12th annual Dancing with the Stars event Saturday night at the Palace Theatre. Chris Carozza, of the Carozza Realty Group, bested his brother, Michael Carozza, of Carozza Fitness, by winning the Judges Choice Award in the male division. Chris professional partner was Iraida Volodina, of Arthur Murray Greenwich. Pina Abbazia, from F.A. Bartlett Tree Experts, and her professional partner, Justin Allen, also of Arthur Murray Greenwich, won the Judges Choice Award in the female division after whipping the crowd into a frenzy dancing to the 1974 hit song, Killer Queen. The Peoples Choice Awards (male and female divisions, respectively) went to Kyle Foti, a realtor with Coldwell Banker, and his professional partner, Kimberly J. Charles, of Latin Moves Dance Studio, and Dr. Biana Lanson, from the Ear, Nose & Throat Center, and her professional partner, Ted Thomas, of New England Academy of Dance. Tom Gallagher, owner of Thomas Gallagher Funeral Home, with his professional partner, Lauren Nicole Sherwood, of Diva Star Productions, was recognized with the Friend Raiser Award for garnering support for the event from so many different individuals This years event was presented by Ear, Nose and Throat, LLP, with support from many other businesses, organizations and individuals. Judges for the event included George H. Croom, a longtime Curtain Call director and professional performer; Broadway veteran Frank Root; and Maureen Pavia, director of Dancing Classrooms and a former professional dance partner at this event. In addition to the twelve dance routines by this years volunteers, the audience of about 1,100 was also treated to performances by the cast of Curtain Calls upcoming production of Big River, the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Huckleberry Finn. We truly appreciate the patrons in attendance, those who voted online, purchased ads for the event journal, the food and beverage sponsors, the volunteers. ... Everyone who had a hand in helping us raise more than $150,000 this year, said Curtain Call Executive Director Lou Ursone. Curtain Call is the nonprofit community-based theater company in residence at the Sterling Farms complex, 1349 Newfield Ave. in Stamford. cracine@hearstmediact.com GREENWICH A great white shark tracked by a marine science organization turned up in the waters off Greenwich on Monday. OCEARCH, a research and educational organization, tagged the 9-foot male shark off Nova Scotia last year with a digital monitor and named it Cabot. Since then, the sharks travels through the ocean have been monitored by OCEARCH and then posted on social media. It appears he has been enjoying the refreshing waters of Long Island Sound off Greenwich, with a ping marked just off shore. Hello Greenwich how are you today?! the sharks monitors posted via Twitter. OCEARCH has tagged hundreds of sea animals, including sharks, whales and turtles. It calls itself a data-centric organization built to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean. As word spread throughout the day of the shark, the OCEARCH website became overloaded. Oops...looks like my little stunt visiting the Long Island Sound overloaded the @OCEARCH tracker!!! My bad. The Tracker is running kinda slow since you many of you logged on to check out where Im at. said a Tweet from @GWSharkCabot in the late afternoon. Cabot, named after the explorer John Cabot, has been found off Florida and Maryland in recent months. Associated Press The Bruce Museum got into the fun, too. They tweeted, Cabot welcome to Greenwich. You must come to our Sharks! exhibition and compare your jaws and teeth with some of the 20 different species we have on view till September 1. Dave Sigworth, a spokesman for the Maritime Aquarium at Noralk, said it would be unusual for a great white to be found in the Sound. The staff at the aquarium is interested in following Cabots movements and getting more data on the apparent discovery, Sigworth said. It appeared that OCEARCH had noted the presence of a great white in the Sound a few years ago a shark named Montauk was supposedly found near Guilford in September 2016, Sigworth said. The great white shark doesnt appear to pose a risk to the public, Sigworth said. I wouldnt worry about it, if people want to swim in Long Island Sound. The local waters are home to four native species of sharks: sand tigers, brown sharks (also known as sandbar sharks) and two species of dogfish. Great whites are fairly common in Block Island Sound, Sigworth said. Its all about food theyll eat other types of fish, and seals, Sigworth said, Whos to say one wouldnt stick his toe in Long Island Sound once in a while? It was important to leave the big fish in peace. The last thing we want is for everybody to jump in a boat to try and find him. Leave him alone, Sigworth said. The last time a person was attacked by a shark in the Sound was in 1961, according to Sigworth, on the north shore of Long Island. Greenwich Harbor Master Ian Macmillan said the public shouldnt be alarmed, though kite-surfers around Tods Point might want to exercise some extra vigilance. Not a problem, Macmillan said. I think its probably well fed. Barcroft Media / Barcroft Media via Getty Images Water quality in the Sound has been improving in recent years, he said, and seeing new kinds of aquatic life in the region was a good thing. Diversification is a positive, he said. The data on sharks and other forms of sea life being collected by OCEARCH was valuable, said Sigworth, the aquarium spokesman. What theyre learning about sharks in commendable and its fun to watch, he said. The Bruce Museum got into the fun, too. They tweeted, Cabot welcome to Greenwich. You must come to our Sharks! exhibition and compare your jaws and teeth with some of the 20 different species we have on view till September 1. The attention to Cabots travels in the Sound was so intense that OCEARCHs tracking software on social media was put out of commission Monday afternoon. Here are some stories you may have missed this weekend: Connecticut could be at forefront of recreational pot, social justice mix Richard Vogel / Associated Press Cannabis laws have created intertwining criminal justice, poverty and race inequities, many lawmakers say. And in a growing number of blue states, recreational-use legislation is now targeting those problems by supporting minority-owned businesses, expunging criminal records and reinvesting in urban communities. If Connecticut approves its own marijuana bill this year still a big if with two and a half weeks until the legislature adjourns the state will be among the more progressive in the nation in this sense. Social justice provisions or not, Connecticut could make history: if it acts soon, it may become the first state to create a legal retail market for the drug through its legislature. But advocates in Connecticut will not be satisfied by a simple legalization law, they said. CTs religious vaccination exemption subject of heated debate Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media The contentious issue of ending the religious exemption for parents who dont want their children vaccinated was always going to be a long-shot this year for a General Assembly burdened by about 900 bills and a smorgasbord of controversial legislation on Gov. Ned Lamonts wish list. But a recent seven-hour hearing attended by hundreds of opponents to the legislation, combined with a Department of Public Health that has yet to take a position on the religious-exemption issue, made general compliance seem adequate at a time when there have been just three reported cases of measles. Ganim cashes in vacation days, despite time on governor campaign trail Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Despite engaging in a time-consuming run for governor last year, Mayor Joe Ganim only used one day off to campaign, and recently received the highest annual payout in City Hall for unused vacation. Torched mosque a second house to Muslims, many with connection to Turkey Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media People call their place of worship their spiritual home for good reasons. When flames destroy that sanctuary, its a blow to the soul. Members of New Havens Diyanet Mosque are still picking up the pieces and searching for answers after their spiritual home was damaged by fire last week. Ex-Bridgeport cop: Departments response to protest absolutely ludicrous Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Some law enforcement experts, including a former Bridgeport cop who has experience handling protests, said the city police department mishandled a demonstration this month when several people were arrested while marking the two-year anniversary of a 15-year-old boys death. Lamont often too unclear on details of major initiatives, some lawmakers say Jessica Hill / Associated Press / Four months into the Lamont administration, nearly two dozen legislators and lobbyists interviewed by Hearst Connecticut Media say the governor has made many missteps, most notably appearing unsure in public on details of major legislative proposals. Respected public defender takes on Stamfords toughest cases for 30 years Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media For 33 years, public defender Howard Ehring has been toiling in the Stamford courthouse, representing those on the edge of society, whose legal troubles are so serious, the states case against them so pat, few private attorneys would go near them, even if they had money, which they do not. Greenwich restaurants cited for health violations Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media Health inspectors found violations requiring urgent correction at more than a dozen restaurants in Greenwich in the latest round of inspections in the first three months of the year. A number of eating establishments were cited for numerous sanitary and storage violations, town records show. BURLINGTON A bear was killed after it attacked and killed a dog in Burlington, according to state police. The incident occurred on Bradley Road about 1:44 p.m. Monday afternoon, when a resident called state police saying a black bear had attacked and killed her dog. When police arrived the homeowner told them that when she let her two dogs out, one was immediately attacked and killed by a large aggressive black bear, state police said in a prepared statement. The bear then became aggressive toward police, so it was shot and killed. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was notified and responded to the scene, police said. Black bear sightings are becoming increasingly common in Connecticut, according to DEEP. Yesterday, Derby police posted on Facebook asking residents to avoid feeding or harassing a bear sighted several times on the citys west side. Last week a bear was suspected of killing a lamb in Plainfield. Last month in Burlington, a bear killed five goats. On April 29, Grazin' Goats Farm reported that the bear had climbed over the six-foot high kennels and killed five goats named Inky, Ginger, Stitch, Junior and Frost. In October 2018, a Prospect man shot a bear that got into a goat pen. The goat sustained severe injuries and later died. And in November 2017, a small female black bear was killed after it attacked two miniature horses on a Southbury farm. The bear killed one of the horses before environmental police were able to euthanize the animal, which weighed around 150 pounds. Photo: Castanet.net As elected officials we encourage citizen participation and open dialogue to strengthen democratic participation. But increasingly, individuals are using these opportunities to express anger: against government against authority against each other. Last weeks events surrounding the violent message directed at Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran cannot be ignored. The fact that the RCMP took this threat seriously sends an important message to others who think there is no harm in inciting violence against others, however frequent an occurrence it has become. Indeed, the need to respond effectively grows more important by the day. Recent events including the Brexit outcome and the U.S. election, as well as more frequent reports of spying and illegal information sharing of personal data has many alarmed that the rules and regulations governing the internet and social media platforms are not robust enough especially as we head into the next election. Last January, Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan made multiple announcements regarding potential threats to Canada's democratic process. One announcement was a new "critical election incident public protocol" group that will alert the public if it becomes aware of interference during the campaign period. While there is no plan to call out the usual political spin on the campaign trail, threats deemed "disruptive" to a free and fair election, such as email hacking or viral videos spreading false information, will be. The government is also taking measures to address the fact that the internet has increasingly become a tool for terrorism and violent extremism, including coordinated action to prevent social media and other online platforms from being used to incite, publish, and promote terrorism, violence, and hatred. Last December, our government launched our National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence and on May 15, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron, other government leaders, and industry leaders to adopt the Christchurch Call to Action. The Call to Action is a global pledge to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The pledge aims to build more inclusive, resilient communities to counter violent radicalization, enforce laws that stop the production and dissemination of terrorist and extremist content online, and encourage media to apply ethical rules when reporting on terrorist events to avoid amplifying terrorist and violent extremist content. Closer to home, citizens like Kelownas Janice Taylor are taking actions of their own. Janice initiated petition E-2133 calling for legislation that protects the data privacy and online safety of children under 13 years old. More information can be found on the House of Commons e-petition website at www.ourcommons.ca. Finally, while governments, authorities and organizations are actively working to ensure online platforms remain open and are not used to disrupt civil society, we all must demand more of ourselves. Its not enough to be appalled by the misinformation or mischaracterization of others that fuel the kind of comments we saw last week. We each have a responsibility to actively reject and denounce such behaviour and demonstrate through our actions a commitment to uphold decency, fair mindedness and fact. I encourage all of us to do our part. Chinese buyers have long been attracted to Greenwich as the ideal community to establish a United States home base. The No. 1 attraction is the access to superior education both at the secondary and collegiate level. Greenwich has top-notch public and private schools, and it is also conveniently located to the premier boarding schools in the nation. WASHINGTON The governments of the United States, Mexico and Canada have reached an agreement to roll back metal tariffs, known as Section 232 tariffs, a move that could hasten passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The deal, which includes the U.S. lifting import taxes on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum, was announced Friday, May 17. As part of Fridays arrangement, the Canadians and Mexicans agreed to scrap retaliatory tariffs they had imposed on U.S. goods. Those retaliatory tariffs included some against U.S. dairy products duties as high as 25 percent on U.S. cheese exports to Mexico. Americas struggling dairy farmers are in need of some good news, and todays announcement certainly helps, said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. This paves the way for Mexico to drop retaliatory tariffs that have harmed dairy, and for Congress to take its next step to help our producers to vote on USMCA and quickly ratify it. Mexico is, by far, Americas biggest dairy customer, with $1.4 billion in sales last year. U.S. products accounted for 80 percent of Mexican dairy imports by value in 2018, but that dominant market share was jeopardized by the retaliatory tariffs. Pork producers happy David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C., and president of the National Pork Producers Council, said the trade dispute has placed enormous financial strain on American pork producers. The council estimates Mexicos 20% retaliatory tariff on U.S. pork has cost U.S. producers $12 per animal, or $1.5 billion on an annualized, industry-wide basis. Removing the metal tariffs restores zero-tariff trade to U.S. porks largest export market, he added. Last year, Canada and Mexico took over 40% of the pork that was exported from the United States. The announcement was also good news to U.S. wheat growers, as the USMCA agreement retains tariff-free access to imported U.S. wheat for flour milling customers in Mexico, and the updated USMCA agreement would enable U.S. varieties registered in Canada to be afforded reciprocal treatment. Focused on China In a joint statement, the U.S. and Canada said they would work to prevent cheap imports of steel and aluminum from entering North America. The provision appeared to target China, which has long been accused of flooding world markets with subsidized metal, driving down world prices and hurting U.S. producers. The countries could also reimpose the tariffs if they faced a surge in steel or aluminum imports. Section 232 Although imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 which lets the president impose tariffs on imports if the Commerce Department deems them a threat to national security the steel and aluminum tariffs were also designed to coerce Canada and Mexico into agreeing to a rewrite of North American free trade pact. The new USMCA trade deal needs approval from legislatures in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Several key U.S. lawmakers were threatening to reject the pact unless the tariffs were removed. And Canada had suggested it wouldnt ratify any deal with tariffs still in place. Auto tariffs Earlier Friday, the White House said President Donald Trump is delaying for six months any decision to slap tariffs on foreign cars, a move that would have hit Japan and the Europe especially hard. Trump had faced a Saturday deadline to decide what to do about the auto tariffs. He is still hoping to use the threat of auto tariffs to pressure Japan and the European Union into making concessions in ongoing trade talks. If agreements are not reached within 180 days, the president will determine whether and what further action needs to be taken, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. Taxing auto tariffs would mark a major escalation in Trumps aggressive trade policies and likely would meet resistance in Congress. The United States last year imported $192 billion worth of passenger vehicles and $159 billion in auto parts. I have serious questions about the legitimacy of using national security as a basis to impose tariffs on cars and car parts, said Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Finance Committee who is working on legislation to scale back the presidents authority to impose national security tariffs under Section 232. Trump deferred action on tariffs for 180 days to give negotiators time to work out deals but threatened them if talks break down. In justifying tariffs for national security reasons, The Commerce Department said the U.S. industrial base depends on technology developed by American-owned auto companies to maintain U.S. military superiority. Because of rising imports of autos and parts over the past 30 years, the market share of U.S.-owned automakers has fallen. That has caused a lag in research and development spending which is weakening innovation and, accordingly, threatening to impair our national security, a statement said. (2019 Farm and Dairy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.) Governments have held emergency talks on how to respond after a brown bear introduced in France killed eight sheep in Spain, alarming farmers. France released two Slovenian brown bears in the Pyrenees in October 2018 in an attempt to reintroduce the animals to the area. But one of the bears, Claverina, managed to make its way over into Spain, consequently killing eight sheep in the northern region of Navarre. Local farmers in the region, furious with both governments, have now had to install tracking devices on sheep and guard dogs could soon be deployed. It comes as Slovenia helps France reintroduce the bears to the Pyrenees where numbers are low due to hunting. But farmers are not happy. We are not going to allow farmers and livestock to face danger from wild species introduced in the area without taking our views into account, the Navarre Union of Farmers and Livestock Rearers said in a statement. Following emergency talks on Friday 16 May, dubbed the 'summit of the bear', officials in France and Spain have now agreed to 'speed up the exchange of information on following up the bears' and their activities. Both governments also announced an increase in preventive measures to help farmers protect sheep. Meanwhile, in the UK, the government recently refused Lynx UK Trust's application to reintroduce Euasian Lynx in Northumberland because it did not meet the necessary standards. Lynx UK Trust wanted to reintroduce six Lynx into Kielder Forest. However, farmers frequently criticised the proposals, saying how after more than 1,000 years of extinction, the UK's natural life would not be prepared for the lynx. Cheesemakers have succeeded in overturning recent guidance by Food Standards Scotland which could have made raw milk cheese production 'unviable'. The five Scottish cheese companies have succeeded in their campaign to overturn recent guidance for the production of raw milk cheese in Scotland. They feared the guidance would 'eradicate decades worth of knowledge' from Scotland's nations food heritage, and would remove award winning fine cheeses from its national cheeseboard. As a result of the action, the FSS and the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC) has published new guidance. This is now in line with World Health Organisation and EU recommendations. The cheesemakers have now dropped their action as a full judicial review was no longer required. The producers said they are 'delighted' with the outcome of the ruling, adding that the guidance has now undergone significant changes which secures of future of raw milk cheese production in Scotland. Crowdjustice campaign It comes as the five dairy businesses, Errington Cheese, Isle of Mull Cheese, Galloway Farmhouse Cheese, Cambus OMay Cheese Co. and Finlay's Farm Ltd, launched a Crowdjustice campaign in February. They exceeded the initial 15,000 funds for legal fees allowing for the preparation and submission of a potential judicial review. The businesses believed the FSSs guidance was contrary to agreed EU industry guidance and established best practice, concerned that it would make raw cheese production in Scotland unviable. Initially requesting a suspension of the guidance to enable changes to be considered, the group sought legal support and lodged a petition to overhaul the new protocols. In addition to the successfully amended guidelines, Food Standards Scotland abandoned its motion to seek expenses against from the cheesemakers. 'Stressful period' Selina Cairns, director at Errington Cheese, said it has been a 'stressful period' for the cheesemakers, who are now looking forward to increasing production and sales. I want to say a huge thanks to those who have supported us over the past few months. This has been a stressful period everyone and we really couldnt have done it without the public support. Its a massive relief, she said. We dont believe that Food Standards Scotland would have made any changes to the document had we not gone ahead with the judicial review only made possible by the support given to the crowdfunding campaign. Were extremely hopeful that this is the last chapter of what has been an incredibly hard couple of years, with actions from Food Standards Scotland having detrimental impacts on our business and sales growth. Ms Cairns added: Now that we have fair and achievable guidelines in place, we look forward to getting back on track with production and sales, with the hope that we can begin to rebuild our local workforce. Summary of changes The first changes are in relation to the requirements to test for (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) STEC. The new guidance now recognises that full validation of hygiene controls for STEC is not possible. Similarly, it is now recognised that the requirement for elimination is not realistic and this has been replaced with a requirement that it not be present in the end product. Minimising the risk is now acceptable. The second changes are in relation to the assumption that all STECs are pathogenic. The new guidance now implicitly recognises that there is a need for a risk assessment following the detection of STEC of unknown pathogenicity. The third changes are in relation to the micro-limits. The generic E-coli limits from the first version are now changed to targets in the new guidance. The ACC limits have been raised to comply with EU limits. The need for a risk-based approach is now much more clearly set out in the new guidance. The new guidance stresses the importance of testing for generic E-coli is in relation to the verification of hygiene controls at milking stage and the effective controlling of faecal contamination. On the issue of failure to consult, the new guidance now states that the guidance will continue to be updated . . . following any further feedback received from enforcement officers and businesses (emphasis added). This was not contained in the original guidance. The new guidance continues to refer to E-coli 0157 as an STEC. It is understood that SFELC explicitly refused to change 0157 to 0157:H7 which is more accurate. The new guidance, however, describes 0157 as a proxy for STECs. The petitioners view this is implicit acceptance that principal testing in Scotland is for 0157:H7 rather than anything else. The new guidance accepts that business operators would not be expected to include all of the criteria listed in Annex 2, but should choose the most appropriate sampling points for their verification tests. It also departs from the original guidance by not requiring the testing of every batch of raw milk. The requirement to inform the local authority has been altered so that business operators are reminded of their obligations under the current legal position. The prescriptive nature of the guidance has therefore been altered fundamentally. Photo: The Canadian Press Huawei could lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse. The Trump administration move, which effectively bars U.S. firms from selling components and software to Huawei, ups the ante in a trade war between Washington and Beijing that partly reflects a struggle for global economic and technological dominance. Google said basic services would still function on the Android operating system used in Huawei's smartphones and existing smartphone owners would not lose access to its Google Play app store or security features. But unless the U.S. Commerce Department grants exceptions, the ban announced last week on all purchases of U.S. technology would badly hurt Huawei, analyst say. Washington claims Huawei poses a national security threat, and its placement on the so-called Entity List by the Trump administration last week is widely seen as intended to persuade resistant U.S. allies in Europe to exclude Huawei equipment from their next-generation wireless networks, known as 5G. "This is major crisis for Huawei. Instead of being the world's largest handset manufacturer this year, it will struggle to stay two, but probably fall behind," analyst Roger Entner said. "How competitive is a smartphone without the most well-known and popular apps?" Huawei will likely use its own, stripped-down version of Android, whose basic code is provided free of charge by Google. But it's not yet clear what other Google software and services such as maps, Gmail or search it will be able to use. Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, said Google itself won't have a large direct impact, "as consumers will shift to other Android devices. The biggest concern is not to be caught in the crossfire of two governments." Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen said 48% of Huawei's phone shipments last year were outside of China and the company will need to scramble not to lose market share. Samsung led global smartphone sales in the first quarter of this year with a 23.1% share. Huawei was second with 19%, followed by Apple at 11.7%, according to IDC. Huawei's smartphone sales in the U.S. are tiny and the Chinese company's footprint in telecommunications networks is limited to smaller wireless and internet providers so any impact on U.S. consumers of a Google services cutoff would be slight. Hardware suppliers led by Qualcomm, Broadcom and Intel would also be forced to halt shipments to Huawei under the Commerce Department rule, which requires all U.S. technology sales to the company to obtain U.S. government approval unless exceptions are made. The global risk assessment outfit Eurasia Group said the Commerce Department was expected to set a 90-day grace period this week. Department officials did not immediately return phone calls and emails seeking comment. In a report, Eurasia Group said that if the Commerce Department sanction process helps persuade European carriers to shun Huawei equipment, a full ban on purchases of U.S. technology products and services could be avoided. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., said in a statement late Sunday that it was complying with and "reviewing the implications" of the requirement for export licenses for technology sales to Huawei, which took effect Thursday. "For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices," it added. Google did not immediately respond to questions about whether it planned to request Commerce Department approval to be able to continue to provide Huawei with the value-added services and apps that have made Android the world's most popular mobile operating system. Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, said it's unclear what Google has told Huawei, but any disruption in getting updates to software would have "considerable implications" for its consumer device business. The U.S. government says Chinese suppliers including Huawei and its smaller rival, ZTE Corp., pose an espionage threat because they are beholden to China's ruling Communist Party. But American officials have presented no evidence of any Huawei equipment serving as intentional conduits for espionage by Beijing. Huawei, headquartered in the southern city of Shenzhen near Hong Kong, reported earlier that its worldwide sales rose 19.5% last year over 2017 to 721.2 billion ($105.2 billion). Profit rose 25.1% to 59.3 billion yuan ($8.6 billion). Huawei smartphone shipments rose 50% in the first three months of 2019 to 59.1 million, compared with a year earlier, while the global industry's total fell 6.6%, according to IDC. Shipments from Samsung and Apple both declined. Huawei defended itself Monday as "one of Android's key global partners." The company said it helped to develop a system that "benefited both users and the industry." "We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally," the company said. A foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said China will "monitor the development of the situation" but gave no indication how Beijing might respond. The U.S. order took effect Thursday and requires government approval for all purchases of American microchips, software and other components globally by Huawei and 68 affiliated businesses. Huawei says that amounted to $11 billion in goods last year. That could certainly create some collateral damage for U.S. companies. The California chipmaker Xilinx Inc. tumbled 4% Monday. David Wong, an analyst with Nomura, said Xilinx has benefited from demand in next-generation, 5G technologies and "action against a major maker of communications infrastructure equipment like Huawei likely poses risk for Xilinx." Farmers have called for strong action to ensure food production in the Fens is protected in an area vulnerable to climate change. The importance of Fenland farming in eastern England has been put in the spotlight in a new report launched on Friday 17 May. 'Delivering for Britain: Food and Farming in the Fens' offers a look into the contribution of this rich agricultural and natural landscape to food in the UK. The document maps out how local farmers grow produce in abundance and are at the forefront of mitigating the impact of climate change. Farmers have now issued strong calls for action to ensure the area is protected for the future. Ever since the first attempts to drain the Fens a millennium ago, there has been an ongoing battle to protect its soils from sea and river flooding. The Fens is well protected, with more than 60 miles of coastal sea banks and 96 miles of fluvial embankments. However, climate change poses a serious threat. Predictions of sea level rises of up to one metre by 2080, together with an increase in the frequency and intensity of storm surge events, mean it is crucial flood defences in the Fens are both maintained and improved. 'Successful and sustainable future' NFU Vice President Stuart Roberts launched the report at an event at Park Farm in Thorney, Cambridgeshire on 17 May, saying Fenland agriculture is 'hugely important'. He said the report will act as a one-stop shop for key decision makers to inform policy in the years ahead and secure a successful and sustainable future for this unique landscape. The report points out that well-maintained flood defences are essential to protect the people, businesses and the 1,500 square miles of the Fens, much of which is below sea level. Internal Drainage Boards are responsible for land drainage and flood defences and they maintain a staggering 3,800 miles of watercourses and 286 pumping stations, with a combined capacity to pump the equivalent of 16,700 Olympic-sized swimming pools in 24 hours. Many of the farmers featured in the report attended the launch, along with representatives from local and national government, wildlife and environmental organisations and voluntary groups. Prominent Fens farmer Michael Sly hosted the event and took guests on a tractor and trailer tour to demonstrate how the farm combines productive agriculture with protecting and enhancing the environment. TV presenter and farmer Jimmy Doherty has written the foreword for the report, saying: The Fens is the engine room of British agriculture and horticulture, and a unique farming hub. Blessed with superb, nutrient-rich soil, which helps us grow and sustain an abundance of high quality produce that is the envy of the world, the Fens provides everyone from top restaurants and supermarkets to home cooks with the best possible raw ingredients for their dishes. A new meat marketing campaign has been launched in Scotland which aims to raise awareness of the country's animal welfare and sustainability credentials. People who work in Scotlands beef, lamb and pork industry are being urged to take part in the new Meat with Integrity marketing and public relations campaign. This initiative, due to launch this summer, will be focused on promoting Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork in a campaign covering all three brands. It is being launched by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), who are looking for farmers in the coming months to help in the campaign. The aim of Meat with Integrity is to drive consumer awareness of the Scottish red meat industrys exceptional credentials, said Carol McLaren, Marketing Director with QMS. The campaign will also highlight our industrys world-renowned quality assurance schemes which cover the entire production process, including farms, hauliers, feed companies, auction markets and processors. She added: It will also aim to increase public awareness of the heritage and expertise in the industry and the importance of animal welfare and wellbeing. Faces of the campaign The red meat body is currently looking for farmers and crofters who could support the faces of the campaign. They are also keen to hear from others - from auctioneers to hauliers and processors to butchers and chefs - willing to get involved with the marketing and PR activity. This will range from photography and short films to being social media influencers actively helping to cascade the positive stories the industry has to offer. Ms McLaren said: We were hugely encouraged by the support we received from producers who helped us with PR behind our recent Scotch Lamb, Naturally, Go Places with Pork and Know Your Beef campaigns. This support can make a huge difference to what we can achieve and we are hoping that we can build on that for this brand new Meat with Integrity campaign. Farmers and others interested in getting involved in the new campaign should email info@qmscotland.co.uk for more information. Scottish prime cattle producers have seen prices climb by 5% since the start of April, but producer prices remain 5% lower than last year, the latest analysis shows. With the exception of February, when the kill was 6% higher than last year, Scottish abattoirs have handled very similar numbers of cattle to last year over the first quarter. Steer numbers have, however, been lower and it is the significant increase in heifer slaughterings that has maintained slaughter volumes, analysis by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) shows. However, during April supplies began to tighten up but the volume of beef available is being helped by increases in carcase weights of 3-4kg per animal. With the average Scottish carcase weight for steers creeping above 380kg, the implication is that higher numbers of steers will be falling outside the ideal retail weight limit, said Stuart Ashworth, QMS Director of Economics Services. The average carcase weight of Scottish heifers does, though, remain well below the benchmark 380 kg, he added. Weekly abattoir throughputs across the UK, as a whole, were also higher during January and particularly February than in 2018 but have tightened since then. During April, the UK weekly kill of prime cattle was 1% lower on the year, said Mr Ashworth. Consequently, April was the first month in 2019 when UK beef production fell below last years levels. According to Mr Ashworth, this tightening of the pool of prime cattle is likely to continue for the foreseeable future as Scottish calf registrations during 2017, and currently reaching slaughter age, were 0.25% lower than in 2016. Scottish registrations have continued to trail last years levels since then, with the 2018 registrations being 2.5% lower than in 2017. A similar pattern occurred in England and Wales. With regard to exports, the UK is not a big exporter of beef but did see modest increase during January and February 2019. Imports dipped slightly, although delivery volumes from the Republic of Ireland were maintained at the expense of other smaller suppliers like Poland, France, Namibia and Botswana. Because of the extra volume of domestically produced beef, the net beef supply during January and February wasnt much different from a year ago. With retail sales of fresh and frozen unprocessed beef under pressure in the first quarter of the year, the home market remained well supplied pressurizing wholesale and farmgate prices, commented Mr Ashworth. While Scottish producer prices trail last years levels by 5%, Irish producers are currently receiving 8% less than a year ago. Meanwhile across Europe, the average price of prime stock is 3% lower than last year. Contributing to the decline in the Irish producer price is the considerable increase in slaughter volumes, said Mr Ashworth. So far this year, the Irish have slaughtered 6% more cattle than a year ago with young bull numbers increasing 19% and heifer slaughterings up 11%. Recently the level of increase on last year has dropped so that it currently stands at around 1% and their price has started to strengthen as well. The Irish December census showed a decline of 0.25% in one to two-year-old cattle in December 2018 and a 4% decline in under one-year old cattle at December 2018. Consequently, like Scotland, Irish prime cattle numbers are likely to tighten through the year helped by a more than 35% increase in live cattle exports so far this year, concluded Mr Ashworth. UK genetics company Genus has announced its plans to help develop pigs that are Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) resistant. Genus will work with Beijing Capital Agribusiness Co Ltd (BCA), a leading Chinese genetics business, to research and market pigs in China that are resistant to the virus. The disease causes severe breathing problems in young pigs and breeding failures in pregnant females. PRRS is endemic in most pig producing countries worldwide, and is responsible for billion-dollar losses each year. Vaccines have mostly failed to stop the spread of the virus, which continues to evolve rapidly. Consequently, it is one of the greatest challenges facing pig producers today. In Europe alone, the disease is estimated to cost the pig industry more than 1.5 billion each year. Announcing the collaboration, Genus said it marks an 'exciting step forward in the development of PRRS resistant pigs for pork producers in China'. The combination of Genus PRRS resistance technology, elite genetics and breeding know-how along with BCAs deep understanding of the porcine sector in China and its distribution channels plays to the strengths of each party, said Bill Christianson, Chief Operating Officer of Genus PIC. We are looking forward to rapidly progressing the PRRSv resistance program in collaboration with BCA and launching this important new product in China. The initial phase of the collaboration is expected to take several years and focuses on the research, development and regulatory approval in China of PRRSv resistant pigs. Over the past six months, I have found myself hanging around the SE postcodes in London a lot more than I would have ever anticipated. While this is mostly down to personal reasons, Ive also noticed an increase in the number of restaurant invites coming from this side of town. Theres no need to say its having a boom time, as this part of town has always been pretty lively and attracts a lot of foot traffic from locals, weekday workers and tourists alike. It makes sense for restaurants to open doors here, or in the case of this review, for talented chefs to take up residencies. Yes, my latest foodie moment came courtesy of James Donnelly, who is currently whipping up a killer menu at the Bermondsey Bar & Kitchen, located just a stones throw from London Bridge Station. On a Saturday morning in April, we found ourselves tucking in, for the first time, to experience brunch, Donnellys style. What was delivered to the table certainly didnt disappoint. As we were sitting for brunch, and as calories on the weekend dont really count, we threw caution to the wind and went full in for the indulgent foods. From a seriously decadent scotch egg to a finishing sweet breakfast treat, there wasnt a bite that one would regret. This is comfort food at its best and thats exactly what you sign up for when sitting for brunch. You dont want some light bites. You want a meal that will leave you caressing your tummy with great satisfaction at the end. Eat big or go home, I say. Well, we ate big. We started with the aforementioned scott egg and some truffle mac and cheese. That first dig into the mac and cheese, as the fork dives and retrieves about a half dozen bits of pasta, cemented together by oodles of melted cheese, is monumental. It is difficult to eat this without making a bit of mess, but no one cares. Its a moment of stringy-cheese-running-down-the-chin indulgence. The starters are devoured. There isnt a morsel remaining on either plate. And then came the mains. We both went for the meat-eaters delight, I with the burger and my guest with the steak, both cooked to perfection and a clear reflection of the chefs obsession with sourcing only the best local ingredients for his creations. But, if were being picky about pointing out the best of the best here, the real winner goes to the dessert, which is in fact a plate one can order as a main on the menu for brunch. This is the french toast. Now, it must be known that I am a bit of a snob when it comes to french toast. That might have something to do with my mother being the master of this dish. It was my favourite growing up and always a sweet treat when it was announced as a weekend breakfast surprise. But, no other dish has ever come close to my moms style of french toast, until now. One bite into this eggy bread and I was instantly taken back to Charlotte, North Carolina, as a teenager biting into a Saturday morning family serving of Momma Js french toast. I could not have had a bigger smile on my face. James Donnelly, you are a master of the kitchen. You serve up a mean burger and put together a terrific truffle mac and cheese. But you, my friend, should win awards for that french toast! Visit Donnellys for more information. Bermondsey Bar & Kitchen SE1 The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Ananya Panday has time and again been spotted with best friends Suhana Khan and Shanaya Kapoor. She keeps her inner circle close and spends a lot of time with them. Now that the young actress has made her debut, she was questioned if she still gets star struck, to which she replied that she hasnt ever been on a set as a child. Also her close friends are not directly related to the movies, so yes, she still gets star struck she said candidly. She was later asked about Suhana Khan. She shared that her best friend in the industry is Suhana and she considers Shah Rukh Khan as her second dad. She added that she spent a lot of her childhood around him. Ananya recently made her debut with Student Of The Year 2 and is now to begin shooting for her next with Kartik Aaryan and Bhumi Pendnekar, titled Pati Patni Aur Woh. critic's rating: 2.5/5 Trailer : Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka After regaling viewers in films such as Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan, Chhota Bheem and the Throne of Bali, and Chhota Bheem: Himalayan Adventure the ever popular TV character gets another big-screen iteration in Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka.The action shifts to China in this film. Chhota Bheem and his group of friends, Chutki, Raju, Kalia, Dholu, Bholu and Jaggu the monkey are shown to be Kung Fu experts and travel from Dholakpur to China to take part in the annual Kung Fu contest organised by Emperor Jian and held on Princess Kias birthday every year. The princess was blessed by a legendary dragon, who appeared out of the blue when she was born and fixed his mark on her. Since that day, people began to see her as the dragons favourite and the King declared her has his heir. The kings nephew Zuhu wanted the throne for himself and tried to kill the princess when she was an infant. He was banished from the kingdom as a result and swore revenge. He not only wants to be the emperor but wants the firestone which gives the dragon its powers. He kidnaps Kia for that purpose. Bheem, his Dholakpur gang and some various other warriors gathered for the tournament embark on Kias rescue. How they come about it forms the crux of the film...As the film is set in China and involves Kung Fu, be prepared to find a mysterious stranger stepping in to teach Chhota Bheem some cool new techniques. Like Kung Fu Panda before him, Chhota Bheem learns that the answers lie within him. He gets a better grip on his emotions, understands the true nature of Kung Fu, and ultimately, is able to defeat evil Zuhu.One must say that the film is mounted better than the earlier full-length affairs. The artwork is bright and colourful and the 3D effects are nice as well. The pink coloured dragon has been rendered quite well. Care has been taken to incorporate the Chinese elements in the frames.The plus points are marred by the inclusion of songs, which bog down the proceedings and unnecessarily stretch the runtime. Also, the proceedings are so predictable that you know beforehand that Chhota Bheem will rise to the occasion and rescue the princess. One wishes that the plot twists were more intricate and the level of difficulty much harder. Also, a better representation of Chinese characters in the rescue -- it was their princess after all -- would have added another layer to the film.Having said all that, Chhota Bheem is a character whom children look up to as a laddoo eating superhero, so perhaps the target audience wont mind such kind of inconsistencies... Salman Is Done With PeeCee Deccan Chronicle quoted a source as saying, "We don't know why Priyanka Chopra backed out after requesting for the role. But Bhai (Salman Khan) is done with her. He has moved on for good." No More Chances Of Seeing Salman & Priyanka Together The source further added, "Not that it matters to either of them. But it's a pity when relations between two majors stars get so ugly that the chances of them working together are nil." Not So Long Ago, Atul Agnihotri Had Slammed Priyanka While speaking about Priyanka's sudden exit from Bharat, the producer of Bharat, Atul Agnihotri had told Pinkvilla, "As a producer, I face challenges everyday. I feel with Salman bhai, nobody looks better than Katrina. There couldn't have been a better time than making a film like Bharat. It's meant to be for them." 'Priyanka Still Hasn't Texted Me' "Priyanka still hasn't texted me. She never spoke to me about walking out of Bharat. It was a message I received on the set. I was like, 'It's okay, yeh ho gaya. But let's now fix it'. The news came to me via people. I understand she was getting married and was in love. So, it's okay because that's the bigger decision of her life.'' Was Atul Agnihotri Upset With Priyanka? "It doesn't hurt. But it upsets your planning. It's a Salman Khan film so the timing of the information left us a little unsettled for a bit. But we are fortunate to have friends and supporters who know that our only intention is to make a great film. Whoever saw that and came on-board, their contribution is priceless. It can't be reciprocated in words.'' Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Washington. Trump is returning from a trip to New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A federal judge in Washington ruled Monday against President Donald Trump in a financial records dispute with Congress. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, said Trump cannot block a House subpoena of financial records. He said the Democratic-led House committee seeking the information has said it believes the documents would help lawmakers consider strengthening ethics and disclosure laws, among other things. The committee's reasons were "valid legislative purposes," Mehta said, and it was not for him "to question whether the Committee's actions are truly motivated by political considerations." The decision comes amid a widespread effort by the White House and the president's lawyers to refuse to co-operate with congressional requests for information and records. In the case before Mehta, Trump and his business organization sued to block the subpoena issued in April to Mazars USA, an accountant for the president and Trump Organization. Trump's lawyers accused Democrats of harassing Trump and said the subpoena "has no legitimate legislative purpose." Trump's lawyers, in suing in both Washington and New York in attempt to beat back congressional subpoenas, said congressional investigations are legitimate only if there is legislation that might result from them. In the New York case, Trump, his business and family have sued Deutsche Bank and Capital One to prevent the financial companies from complying with subpoenas from the House Financial Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee for banking and financial records. A Wednesday hearing is planned in that case. Even before the ruling, scholars had said Trump's legal argument had little merit and that Congress has broad powers to investigate. New investment will accelerate its tremendous growth, customer momentum and innovation in commercial and wholesale payments Capital provides global opportunity as B2B transactions processed by pureplay digital operators will reach $14 trillion by 2023, up from $6.7 trillion in 2018, according to Juniper Research report featuring Modulr Funding follows the launch of major partnerships with Sage and Paxport in Q1 2019 Modulr, the Payments as a Service API Platform for digital businesses, today announced that it has completed an investment of 14m. The investment round has been led by new investors Frog Capital as well as further investment from existing investors including Blenheim Chalcot. This scale-up capital takes the total amount raised to 24.5m and will enable Modulr to accelerate its vision of enabling partners and direct clients to quickly and easily integrate new payment services into their core products. The Modulr platform delivers a fully integrated service providing a fast, easy and reliable digital alternative to processing payments via traditional business and corporate banking. Modulr is already moving billions of pounds for businesses across alternative lending, employment services, accounting platforms, marketplaces, FinTech companies and the travel industry. The total value of payments in and out of Modulr's platform exceeded 10 Billion this month, since the start of 2017. The capital will help increase the speed at which new payment types and functionality are added to the Modulr platform which will accelerate growth into existing industry verticals as well as supporting entry into new industry verticals. The capital will support the continued growth of the teams located in London and Edinburgh, two of the UK Europe's leading FinTech hubs. The recent establishment of an additional office in Dublin will be the focus for expansion into Europe. Myles Stephenson, Chief Executive, Modulr, said: "We're extremely pleased to have completed our latest funding round, led by Frog Capital, and to have found a likeminded investor to work closely with the leadership team and our existing lead investor, Blenheim Chalcot, to pursue the significant global opportunity for our business. We've rapidly demonstrated the size of the market opportunity having processed more than 10bn of payments through the platform in our first two full years of operation. The investment allows us to take the next step in pursuing our vision to become the world's leading digital alternative for commercial wholesale payments". Jens Duing, Senior Partner, Frog Capital, said: "Ever since the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) we have monitored the markets across Europe for leading innovative scale-ups addressing this sizeable segment. Modulr stood out with the quality of its team, its product and the unrivalled traction the company has already managed to achieve." Rob Devey, Chair Senior Non-Executive Director, Modulr, Advisory Partner, Blenheim Chalcot, said: "We are delighted to have Frog onboard and we are greatly looking forward to working together to capture the massive opportunity that lies ahead." -ENDS- About Modulr Modulr is the Payments as a Service API platform for digital businesses and can be integrated into any product or system. Modulr's new type of payment accounts are built for businesses that need a faster, easier and more reliable way to move money. Once integrated, businesses can instantly set up as many accounts as they need. Getting paid, reconciling and making payments is fully automated and can be managed in real-time, 24/7 through their existing software applications. Modulr's API makes it easy for businesses to streamline existing services, launch new products and scale more efficiently. Modulr combines its API enabled platform with authorisation from the UK's Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Electronic Money Institution to deliver a fully regulated service. For further information please go to www.modulrfinance.com About Frog Frog is a specialist European software investor, investing in companies at the Scale-Up stage. They invest in businesses that have proven product-market fit, strong momentum and positive unit economics, typically with 3m+ revenues and 40% growth. Frog work with the companies they invest in using their 'Scale-Up Methodology' to help continue their growth. With a team of VC/PE investors, operational experts and entrepreneurs, they provide the required advice and skill-set at the Scale-Up stage across a broad range of sectors. This reduces downside risk, while creating value and maximising the upside. For further information please go to www.frogcapital.com About Blenheim Chalcot Blenheim Chalcot is the UK's leading digital venture builder, investing more than just funds; they invest knowledge and experience, ideas and infrastructure. They specialise in digital businesses that transform industries. Their approach is to identify high growth sectors, typically undergoing some market, technology or regulatory discontinuity, and look to build scalable platforms that satisfy real customer needs. Blenheim Chalcot aim to build profitable companies, with sustainable business models. Working alongside entrepreneurs and co-founders, they support ventures from start-up to scale-up to exit, giving them access to the global networks and services they need to grow. This support is bolstered by the innovative partnerships they forge with big businesses. Blenheim Chalcot's digital expertise helps their ventures be more agile, while their partners' global scope helps them scale faster. For further information please go to www.blenheimchalcot.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005059/en/ Contacts: Modulr PR Scott Girling-Heathcote +44 (0)330 043 1315 scott@skyparlour.com Justin Harley brings shared space expertise to the global real estate technology firm LONDON, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Yardi has announced that Justin Harley has joined the company's coworking leadership team. Harley joins Yardi coworking executives Tony Freeth and Gary Smith, who are leaders in the international coworking and business centre market. Justin was previously the UK's executive producer for the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC) and brought the GCUC conference to London in 2018. GCUC is the industry's preeminent conference series. Prior to his work at GCUC, he founded Hubcreate, a business centre software provider, before the company was acquired by essensys. "It's a privilege to be part of the coworking sector. The real estate industry has realized that coworking is not a fad or a blip. Coworking is the spark that was needed to revolutionize the real estate sector as we know it," said Harley, who will be the Yardi regional coworking director for UK and Ireland. "I am excited to be part of an organization that will play a leading role in providing the technology to enable the sector to grow and provide even greater customer experiences," Harley said. "Justin brings a wealth of coworking experience to Yardi," said Neal Gemassmer, vice president of international for Yardi. "His knowledge of the coworking sector combined with his experience building a software business will be invaluable in positioning Yardi as this sector grows worldwide." Find more information about Yardi's coworking solutions at yardikube.com. About Yardi Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, Calif., and serves clients worldwide from offices in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. For more information, visit yardi.com/uk. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/737275/Yardi_Logo.jpg) Cotes-de-Provence PARIS, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Moet Hennessy has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Chateau du Galoupet, Cru Classe in the Cotes-de-Provence. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2019. Located along the coast in La Londe-les-Maures, Chateau du Galoupet enjoys an exceptional setting against the Salins islands of Porquerolles, Port Cros and Le Levant. The estate, already recognized and referenced at the end of the 17th century, benefits from a micro-climate which refreshes the vines with temperate and salty winds and is conducive to elegant wines and consistent yields. Cru classe since 1955, the vineyard spans exceptional land with diverse soils. The 68 hectares of vines are located within a single block and produce three categories of wines: rose (90%), red (5%), white (5%). The vines have an average age of 25 years, assuring wines of character and structure. In response to growing demand in France and around the world, Chateau du Galoupet offers a renowned rose wine, combining ancestral methods and technical precision, adhering to the strict requirements of the fine wines of Provence. All the Chateau's wines have won awards from guidebooks or international competitions. Moet Hennessy will share its expertise in winemaking to further the commitment to quality and international exposure. Finally, Moet Hennessy aims to enhance the 89 unplanted hectares, respecting the extraordinary preserved environment and offering a natural foreground. Moet Hennessy, leader of luxury wines and spirits, is proud to share its expertise in the development of the domaine and to add a Cru Classe de Provence to its portfolio, its first rose wine. About Moet Hennessy Moet Hennessy is the wine and spirits division of LVMH, the world's leading luxury products group. Moet Hennessy, the largest luxury wine and spirits company in the world, encompasses 21 prestigious brands internationally renowned for the richness of their land, the quality of their products and the expertise with which they are crafted: Hennessy, Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Ruinart, Krug, Mercier, Belvedere, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Chandon, Newton, Cheval des Andes, Terrazas de los Andes, Cloudy Bay, Cape Mentelle, Numanthia, Ao Yun, Volcan De Mi Tierra, Woodinville Whiskey Company & Clos19. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/889498/Chateau_du_Galoupet_1.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/889499/Chateau_du_Galoupet_2.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/889500/Chateau_du_Galoupet_3.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/530217/Moet_Hennessy_Logo.jpg MEF 3.0-certified compact cell site gateway device with full phase sync support key to 5G mobile services London, UK. May 20, 2019. ADVAto enable mobile network operators (MNOs) to roll out small cell services throughout the UK. Openreach will house the compact edge demarcation product in street furniture access points to support its Street Access service. The ultra-compact version of the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro is the smallest cell site gateway device on the market with a ruggedized design for deployment in challenging and space restrictive environments. MEF 3.0-certified and with a uniquely rich feature set, it will support Openreach's 1Gbit/s Carrier Ethernet and IP services and deliver the precise phase synchronization needed for 5G mobile connectivity. "The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro is a key tool in our drive to address urgent small cell challenges. Its design and feature set enables us to roll out the highly efficient mobile backhaul architecture we need to support our 1Gbit/s Street Access product as well as LTE Advanced and 5G services," said Mark Logan, product director, Openreach. "The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro requires no expensive air conditioning system. It also has an extremely compact form factor coupled with a design ruggedized to withstand harsh conditions, making it ideal for deployment in lampposts and street cabinets. And, despite being the smallest network terminating equipment solution on the market, the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro provides true carrier-class capabilities including automated testing, in-service monitoring and full phase sync support." A unique combination of features makes the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro an important linchpin for connecting small cell sites. Easy to install and simple to configure, this highly compact member of the market-leading ADVA FSP 150 family provides a comprehensive set of protocols for fast and efficient service activation, testing and monitoring. With multi-layer Carrier Ethernet and IP integration, service lifecycle management and precise, assured distribution of phase and frequency synchronization, the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro ensures that Openreach can cover a wide range of applications with a single demarcation product. The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro offers open programming interfaces, supporting bandwidth slicing, and provides unrivalled deployment flexibility through moisture resistance, extended temperature range and power-over-Ethernet support. "Mobile data consumption is soaring and MNOs need to keep pace by rapidly improving capacity, reliability and availability. But with mobile broadband revenues rising more slowly, a major efficiency boost in the backhaul infrastructure is needed. Our FSP 150-GO102Pro is the way forward," commented Sarah Mendham, senior director, sales, ADVA. "Being selected by Openreach to take the UK's MNO market to the next level highlights the unique value of our FSP 150-GO102Pro. No other range of outdoor Carrier Ethernet and IP demarcation technology can provide all the capabilities we've squeezed into our compact device. Standout features include a highly automated provisioning process that minimizes manual configuration and service activation time. What's more, our device couldn't be easier to install and manage." The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro will be on display at SCWS World from May 20 to May 22. Further details on the solution can be found in this video: https://youtu.be/5He71xEMtFQ . About ADVA ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. We're continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. It's these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to today's society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at: www.advaoptical.com . Published by: ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany www.advaoptical.com For press: Gareth Spence t +44 1904 699 358 public-relations@advaoptical.com For investors: Stephan Rettenberger t +49 89 890 665 854 investor-relations@advaoptical.com Attachment LONDON, PARIS and BERLIN, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the AI marketing solutions provider iPinYou has passed the highest level of national information security assessment in China. The assessment aims to promote industry standards for big data system construction and collaboration. This national recognition marks an important step for iPinYou in the efforts of establishing a comprehensive data security system, which has become an increasingly crucial link in AI driven marketing solutions. As a milestone in data protection endeavor, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was enforced in May 2018, which was designed to protect and empower all EU citizens' data privacy. It requires all publishers, technology vendors, and advertisers to comply with the regulations in transparency, user-consent, and security measures. While most of us were focused on meeting the GDPR deadline, China had been constantly strengthening its own data privacy laws. China's Cybersecurity Law governs the collection and use of the personal data of Chinese residents by network operators, including international brands that own or manage a business in China. As an AI driven company that facilitates the digitalization of many international corporations, iPinYou has always strictly abide by relevant laws, regulations and industry standards. To provide clients with a full range of specialized solutions in big data management, transmission, and services, iPinYou established three systems that ensure legal compliance in China and international markets. The company's goal is to provide transparency in the deployment and selection of data partners, thus offer quality data collecting and targeting capabilities. According to David Nottingham, General Manager of Europe iPinYou: "Our diligent approach to the collect and application of verified data partners is vital to our European customers. By creating synergies with the global data compliance standards, we can ensure every campaign utilizes the most effective and transparent data sets available in the Chinese programmatic ecosystem." First, when using AI technology in user value mining, iPinYou is committed to building a "complete lifecycle" security system covering data collection, transmission, storage, processing, sharing, and destruction. The company removes sensitive information of clients' first-party user data through an irreversible approach. Adopting a forward-looking hybrid solution, iPinYou has built DMP for many large well-known enterprises with a transparent and automated implementation process. When collaborating with third-party data service partners, iPinYou requires them to engage in robust data compliance practices. Such practice ensures that all shared data are traceable, approved, and certified. Second, iPinYou has built a strategic data security system through a comprehensive IT security assessment for all of its business operational systems. The assessment took multiple phases to examine eight aspects of the company's intelligent decision platform, including host security, application security, data security and backup recovery, security policy, security management organization, personnel security management, system construction management, and system operation and maintenance management. iPinYou has been the first in the industry to pass the assessment and obtained the highest-level IT system security certificate issued by China Ministry of Public Security. This marks that the products and services of iPinYou have gained government authorization and recognition in data security compliance. Third, iPinYou aims to build an honest data security value ecosystem. Since the beginning of the business, the company has been following the core value of integrity. The industry leader takes the initiative to make data compliance suggestions while encouraging clients to adopt more secure first-party and third-party data solutions. For partners in this value ecosystem, iPinYou inspects their qualifications and data sources, to ensure that data partners meet particular information security standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001/27002. While embracing AI and enjoying the "dividends" of the digital era, companies must overcome the challenges in security, ethics, laws, and social governance when employing new technologies. iPinYou holds the belief that promoting a harmonious, healthy and civilized society is the true meaning of technological development. Due to the differences between GDPR and China's cyber security laws, iPinYou provides data compliance guidelines for international companies to expand their business in China. Since GDPR regulates data usage in EU countries specifically, iPinYou suggests that foreign companies meet the standards set by China's cyber security laws when collecting and processing data for business operations in China. Moreover, the company requires clients to host servers in China during data collection and prevent clients from transmitting data to overseas servers. iPinYou advises clients to embed an opt-in pop-up window on website or in app to get visitors' consent if their IP addresses are from EU countries. In addition, international advertisers should carefully select media vendors that meet China's standards of information security. With the three established systems, iPinYou provides foreign enterprises with data solutions that meet the legal requirements of cyber security laws in China. For more information, please contact iPinYou at international@ipinyou.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE:TCAN: XETR: TH8) ("TransCanna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the execution of a non-binding Letter Of Intent dated May 17, 2019 (the "LOI") with Lyfted Farms, Inc. ("Lyfted"), of Modesto, California, to acquire the business and assets of Lyfted (the "Proposed Acquisition"). Lyfted Farms is a state licensed producer of high quality indoor grown cannabis. The three permanent state licenses that Lyfted owns are for cultivation (nursery), cultivation (grow), and distribution. "The Proposed Acquisition includes an exceptional brand, with a range of high-end flower, growing revenues, fifty exotic and unique genetic strains and a team that's been a staple in the Modesto valley with over two decades of cultivating experience. In short, this is another example of an ideal acquisition candidate for TransCanna that offers SKU velocity, growing revenues and branded products that differentiate from others in the marketplace," stated Jim Pakulis, CEO of TransCanna. "Being a premier cultivator, we thrive on new, cutting edge processes to generate superior results. We're extremely excited about joining forces with the team at TransCanna," stated Bob Blink, President of Lyfted Farms. "The acquisition by TransCanna would allow us to solve our biggest current challenge, which is the limited cultivation space at our indoor facilities. We're already the number one selling vendor of products among the top seven dispensaries locally. It's now time for us to scale throughout the state. TranCanna's impressive facility in Modesto, not far from our present location, and their vertically integrated strategy, including distribution, will enable us to achieve that." On closing of the Proposed Acquisition, Lyfted will receive total consideration of US$5.5 million in cash and one million shares. The Company will pay US$2.75 million at closing and issue a 12 month, unsecured, interest only note for $2.75 million at 7% interest p.a. (the "Note"). The Note is repayable by the Company in part or in full anytime during its 12 month term. The Company is paying a non-refundable deposit of US$50,000 in cash, which is deductible from the total consideration payable under the terms of the Proposed Acquisition. The Proposed Acquisition is subject to completion of due diligence, execution of a definitive asset purchase agreement, which is to be completed within 45 days of the date of the LOI, and relevant regulatory approvals. There can be no assurances that the completion of the Proposed Acquisition will occur on the terms set forth above or at all. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com . About TransCanna Holdings Inc. TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a Canadian-based company focused on providing integrated branding, transportation and distribution services, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries, to a range of industries including the cannabis marketplace. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com or email the Company at info@transcanna.com. Media Contact TransCanna@talkshopmedia.com 604-738-2220 On behalf of the Board of Directors James Pakulis Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 609-6199 The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the expected purchase of Lyfted, the terms of the Asset acquisition" the ability of the Company to secure financing and the acquisition of appropriate licenses. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Corporate Communications: NetworkWire 212.418.1217 Office Editor@NetworkWire.com ALBANY, New York, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new research report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global warehouse robotics market is expected to reach value of US$ 9,579.3 Mn by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 12.0% from 2019 to 2027. According to the report, the global market is likely to continue to be influenced by a range of macroeconomic and market-specific factors in the next few years. In terms of demand, Asia Pacific is projected to continue to lead the global market, with the market in the region expanding at a CAGR of 13.3% between 2019 and 2027. Request a Sample for extensive research insights: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=42617 Rising demand for warehouse automation from e-commerce sector driving the global warehouse robotics market The global warehouse robotics market has witnessed strong growth over the last decade. One of the major drivers of the market is rising demand for warehouse automation from the e-commerce industry led by intense competition prevailing among key players in the industry. Robots have been leveraged in this industry for a long time and they have made the human work easier by operating large industrial settings. Robots in factories have typically been large-sized, caged devices performing repetitive, dangerous works in lieu of humans. Robots are used in factories to help workers perform their tasks by tracking them and correcting them in case of any deviation from the task. Furthermore, robotics and automation allow warehouses to have 247 operations. These factors are anticipated to propel the global warehouse robotics market during the forecast period. Request For Multiple Chapters: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=42617 Global Warehouse Robotics Market: Scope of Report The global warehouse robotics market has been broadly segmented in terms of robot type, application, end-use industry, and region. Based on robot type, the market has been divided into ASRS, articulated robot, gantry Cartesian robot, collaborative robot, SCARA, and others. The articulated robot segment was dominant, holding 31.66% share of the global market in 2018. On the other hand, the collaborative robot segment is anticipated to expand at the maximum CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to superior features of collaborative robots such as low cost, better performance, mobile friendlies, and semi-autonomous functionality. Also, collaborative robots are light in weight. They can operate in fast-paced environments, wherein they can be easily deployed for multiple applications. In terms of application, the global warehouse robotics market has been classified into palletizing, transfer & transport, picking & packaging, and others. The picking & packaging segment is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. The segment is expected to expand at a high CAGR of 12.6% from 2019 to 2027. Based on end-use industry, the warehouse robotics has been categorized into food & beverages, pharmaceutical, e-commerce, automotive, chemical, rubber and plastic, and others. Among these, the e-commerce segment is anticipated to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period. The segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.9% from 2019 to 2027. This growth is attributable to significant investments from e-commerce firms, such as Amazon, in the deployment of robots in their warehouses in order to reduce operational costs and improve productivity and safety. Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=42617 Geographically, the global warehouse robotics market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. In 2018, Asia Pacific accounted for 32.60% share of the global warehouse robotics market. This was attributable to increasing deployment of robots in warehouses in the region and presence of key providers of warehouse robots, such as ATS Automation Tooling System, Yasakawa, and Omron Corporation, in the region. The region is anticipated to hold the maximum share of the global market during the forecast period. The market in the region is projected to expand at the maximum CAGR during the forecast period. Request For Custom Research: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=42617 Global Warehouse Robotics Market: Competition Dynamics The research study includes profiles of leading companies operating in the global warehouse robotics market. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments. Some of the prominent players operating in the global market are ABB, Amazon Robotics LLC, ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc., FANUC America Corporation, Fetch Robotics, Inc., KUKA AG, OMRON CORPORATION, SSI SCHAEFER, Wynright Corporation, and YASKAWA. Companies are focusing on expanding their business through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. The global warehouse robotics market has been segmented as follows: Global Warehouse Robotics Market, by Robot Type ASRS Articulated Robot Gantry Cartesian Robot Collaborative Robot SCARA Others Global Warehouse Robotics Market, by Application Palletizing Transfer & Transport Picking & Packaging Others Global Warehouse Robotics Market, by End-use Industry Food & Beverages Pharmaceutical E-commerce Automotive Chemical, Rubber and Plastic Others Global Warehouse Robotics Market, by Region North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America Europe Germany U.K. France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East &Africa (MEA) &Africa (MEA) GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa & South America Brazil Rest of South America Browse Electronics & Semiconductors Market Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Smart Pole Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-pole-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-pole-market.html Inertial Measurement Unit Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/inertial-measurement-unit-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/inertial-measurement-unit-market.html E-Scrap and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Scrap Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/e-scrap-printed-circuit-board-e-scrap-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/e-scrap-printed-circuit-board-e-scrap-market.html Nano Positioning Systems Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nano-positioning-systems-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/ Boston, May 20, 2019, the leading provider of innovation and intellectual property management solutions, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with top ten global law firm Hogan Lovells. Hogan Lovells is one of the world's most innovative law firms and was recently named Managing Intellectual Property's "Global IP Firm of the Year," for a second year running. The firm's intellectual property practice has close to 400 dedicated professionals spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia; and boasts a client base which includes over 50% of the world's largest brand owners. Through the new partnership, ANAQUA will provide the trademark team at Hogan Lovells with a unified platform to further drive process standardization and automation across their offices worldwide. The platform's multi-language functionality will support the firm's international operations and diverse client base. Constanze Schulte, trademark partner at Hogan Lovells leading the transition to Anaqua, said: "Partnering with Anaqua makes a lot of sense for our global practice, which relies on close and efficient collaboration on a daily basis." Teaming up with Anaqua is a further example of the firm's focus on innovation and ongoing investment in state-of-the-art technologies to increase automation and enhance its service offerings to clients. "Transitioning to Anaqua demonstrates our commitment to leverage leading technology to streamline processes and reduce costs for our clients," said Burkhart Goebel, Global Head of the Intellectual Property, Media and Technology practice at Hogan Lovells. "It complements our Total Brand Care program; an initiative that leverages leading edge technology by implementing intelligent analytics within our trademark services to speed up the launch of new brands, and create greater efficiency for our clients' brand protection." Bob Romeo, CEO of Anaqua, added: "Hogan Lovells recognizes the need for law firms to maximize efficiency and enhance collaboration between offices in order to increase their competitive edge and better support global clients. Their decision to strategically partner with Anaqua for IP management underlines the strength and capabilities of our IP software and services, as well as the added value we are able to bring to global law firms." 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. LONDON, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Block reward halvings will, by Bitcoin's design, occur about every 4 years. The BTC chain abandoned on-chain scaling and thus will never fit high transaction volumes into a block, and thus miners will never earn large amounts of transaction fees from a block. Given those dynamics, Wright wanted to demonstrate how upcoming block reward halvings would impact the economics of the BTC chain and revenue to BTC miners. The results show, in black and white, the lack of sustainability of BTC over the long haul. Consider the fact that the BTC block reward is scheduled to halve to 6.25 coins in 2020, halve again to 3.125 coins in 2024 and to just over 1.5 coins by 2028. HODLer dogma says BTC miners will continue to expend their time, energy and cash because the value of each individual coin will skyrocket over the next nine years. States Wright, "Bitcoin (now back in the form of BSV) will see its block reward halve next year, just as Corecoin (BTC). Let's investigate the premise of constant increasing of Bitcoin's price value and see where that gets us. We'll assume the constant call for BTC to reach a value of USD $100,000 USD. Except I'm going to be realistic and do calculations based upon BTC going up in value incrementally in real terms, rather than just magically jumping up to higher amounts. The reality is that BTC won't even get to $100,000. If you start looking at the calculations, the block reward halvings mean that the BTC chain will need $20 fees or more for every individual transaction in order for mining revenue to remain sustainable. It never becomes viable." He is able to demonstrate this easily through the maths: Even assuming individual coin value reaches $61,440 by 2028, the actual returns from the block rewards will continue to shrink, forcing miners to make up this shortfall by increasing the amount of individual transaction fees because there will not be enough transactions in each block. But given how few transactions (at most 1,800) can be fit into a small BTC block, even having $20 transaction fees will not be enough to keep mining profitable as the block reward halves and halves again. As Wright's insight reveals, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes of Bitcoin's design that only those with a solid grasp on economic theory and financial markets can understand-it's not difficult to assess that most crypto developers do not fit in either of these categories. Explains Wright, "In the next 10 years, bitcoin will not replace all global money. To do that, it first of all needs to be the only form of electronic cash. It would need to replace all government systems. It won't. The reality is we could expect by 2030 [is that Bitcoin represents] 1/3 of global money. Let's round up to 2 trillion worth of total value for bitcoin and round up the number of mined bitcoins to 20 million. That means Bitcoin must reach a value $100,000 per coin. To achieve that, bitcoin needs to be 33% of global cash." For this to happen, the solution requires massively increasing transaction volume on the Bitcoin network, and that requires massive scaling. Terabyte blocks will be needed and this is where BTC is going to fail. BTC developers have already made it clear that bigger blocks are not in their plans and have tried to assert that they're not feasible, even though Bitcoin SV has already proven this wrong. On-chain scaling is a vital and necessary component to sustain mining profitability, and thus sustain the health of the blockchain. With BSV's proven ability to scale, Wright can easily project a day when each block contains 3m transactions (5K per second) and transaction fees fall to as little as 0.005 of a penny. That's a level that can easily compete established payment channels, making BSV the only blockchain technology with a viable path to global success. The above scenario would hold untold benefits for billions of individuals, particularly those in developing countries, while also offering merchants an attractive alternative to the swipe fees charged by VISA and Mastercard (in the US, around 2% of the purchase amount, despite processing costs of only 5 per transaction). Scaling is just one of the many topics to be discussed at the upcoming CoinGeek Conference Toronto. The two-day event gets underway May 29 at the Carlu and promises to be an important event for anyone interested in Bitcoin and where crypto is headed. This is the first time CoinGeek has held one of its famous conferences in North America and crypto enthusiasts definitely don't want to miss this incredible opportunity. Note: Tokens on the Bitcoin Core (SegWit) chain are referenced as BTC coins; tokens on the Bitcoin Cash ABC chain are referenced as BCH, BCH-ABC or BAB coins. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/889846/Coingeek_Bitcoin_Mining.jpg The "The Netherlands Defense Market: Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report offers detailed analysis of the Netherlands defense industry with market size forecasts covering the next five years. This report will also analyze factors that influence demand for the industry, key market trends, and challenges faced by industry participants. The Netherlands defense budget is expected to reach US$17.9 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 7.93% over the forecast period. The Netherlands has the 18th largest economy in the world and the sixth-largest in the European Union. During the historic period, the Netherlands military expenditure, which stands at US$12.4 billion in 2019, is anticipated to grow from US$13.2 billion in 2020 to value US$17.9 billion in 2024, registering a CAGR of 7.93%, over the forecast period. The growth will primarily be driven by the country's military contributions to NATO operations. The Netherlands is an active participant in joint operations with the European Union (EU) and peacekeeping operations with NATO and the United Nations (UN), and as such, seeks higher spending in terms of its defense sector. Although, military expenditure will be driven by modernization programs and the NATO mandate to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on defense, the Netherlands is anticipated to allocate an average of 1.4% of GDP to defense over the forecast period. The country's per capita defense expenditure is expected to increase from US$766.1 in 2020 to US$1,027.7 in 2024. Over the forecast period, the country's capital expenditure allocation is expected to average 25.2% of total expenditure, and revenue expenditure is expected to average 74.8%. Capital expenditure over the forecast period is expected to increase at a CAGR of 8.83%, from US$3.2 billion in 2020 to US$4.5 billion in 2024, due to the significant uptick in weapon procurement plans, and the procurement of defense equipment to replace outdated ones. Opportunities related to the procurement of defense equipment in Netherlands are expected to be in areas such as reconnaissance vehicles, M-Class Naval Vessels, multi-role Tanker-Transport, Wheeled Vehicle Replacement Program (DVOW), submarine replacement program. The army accounted for the highest budget allocation during the historic period, with an average share of 14%. Over the forecast period, the army's share is projected to remain unchanged. Navy expenditure which represented an average share of 8.3% of defense expenditure during the historic period is anticipated to decrease to an average share of 8.2% over the forecast period. The air force, which accounted for an average share of 7.8% during the historic period, is expected to account for a share of 7.7% of the defense budget over the forecast period. After valuing US$11 million in 2014, defense imports recovered in between 2015-2018 and are set to increase over the forecast period due to the procurement of F-35s, armored vehicles, and modernization programs for naval vessels. During 2014-2018, Germany was the country's main arms supplier, followed by the US, Italy. Aircraft, armored vehicles and missiles, occupy the majority of the market share of imports. Defense exports declined during 2014-2016, before rising in 2017, due to a reduction in procurements by Portugal, Greece, and Italy as a consequence of the weak economic climate. Over the forecast period, exports will recover, driven by procurements beyond Europe, including Jordan, Indonesia, the US, Canada, UAE, Mexico among others. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the following: The defense industry market size and drivers: detailed analysis of the Netherlands defense industry during 2020-2024, including highlights of the demand drivers and growth stimulators for the industry. It also provides a snapshot of the country's expenditure and modernization patterns Budget allocation and key challenges: insights into procurement schedules formulated within the country and a breakdown of the defense budget with respect to capital expenditure and revenue expenditure. It also details the key challenges faced by defense market participants within the country Porter's Five Force analysis of the Netherlands defense industry: analysis of the market characteristics by determining the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitution, intensity of rivalry, and barriers to entry Import and Export Dynamics: analysis of prevalent trends in the country's imports and exports over the last five years Market opportunities: details of the top five defense investment opportunities Competitive landscape and strategic insights: analysis of the competitive landscape of the The Netherlands defense industry. It provides an overview of key players, together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives, and a brief financial analysis. Companies Mentioned Boeing Raytheon Missile Systems Lockheed Martin Leidos Inc. Honeywell International Inc. ARTEC GmbH GKN Aerospace Elbit Systems Terma SABCA Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Saab Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) TNO Defense Thales Nederlands RH Marine Group For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o3z7i0 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005631/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Related Topics: Military Aerospace and Defense Results of pivotal Phase III SENSCIS trial published today in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and presented at the American Thoracic Society Conference in Dallas, USA trial published today in the and presented at the American Thoracic Society Conference in Dallas, USA Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a key driver of mortality in people living with systemic sclerosis (SSc) also known as scleroderma and the absence of approved treatment options constitutes a high unmet need 2,3 FDA grants priority review to application for regulatory approval for nintedanib in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that the SENSCIS trial met its primary endpoint: reduction in the annual rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVCa) in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Results show thatnintedanib slows the loss of pulmonary function in patients with SSc-ILD compared to placebo. Patients taking nintedanib showed a 44% reduction in the rate of decline of their lung function, measured in FVC assessed over 52 weeks1. These new data were today published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and presented to the medical community at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference, in Dallas, USA. SENSCIS is the largest randomised controlled trial to be conducted in patients with SSc-ILD, a disease for which there are currently no approved treatments.1,3,4 Results also showed that nintedanib had a safety and tolerability profile similar to that observed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)1, with the most common adverse event being diarrhoea. Nintedanib is already approved in more than 70 countries for the treatment of IPF. These trial results formed the basis of the application for regulatory approval of nintedanib in SSc-ILD that was filed with the FDA and EMA by Boehringer Ingelheim in the first quarter of 2019. The FDA recently granted priority review to the supplemental application for nintedanib in SSc-ILD. The regulatory submissions are part of the company's ongoing commitment to improving the lives of people living with pulmonary fibrosis, in particular those affected by rare diseases with a high level of unmet need. Systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma, is a rare incurable autoimmune disease affecting connective tissue.3,4,5 It can cause scarring (fibrosis) of the skin as well as major organs such as the heart, lungs, digestive tract and kidneys and can have life-threatening complications.2,3 Approximately 25 percent of patients develop significant pulmonary involvement within three years of diagnosis.6 When SSc affects the lungs it can cause interstitial lung disease (ILD), known as SSc-ILD.2,3 It is a key driver of mortality among people with SSc, accounting for approximately one third of deaths.7,8 SENSCIS, a Phase III double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, involved 576 patients across more than 32 countries. The primary endpoint was the annual rate of decline in FVC in mL over 52 weeks.1 At the end of the 52-week trial, patients receiving nintedanib had an adjusted annual rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) of -52.4 with nintedanib, versus -93.3 with placebo (absolute difference 41.0mL/year [95% CI 2.9, 79.0]; p=0.04). This corresponds to a relative difference of 44% reduction in lung function decline1,similar to the results from the Phase III INPULSIS trials in IPF.12 FVC is an established measurement of lung function. As ILD progresses, lung function gradually and irreversibly deteriorates.9 "The SENSCIS results provide positive news for people living with SSc-ILD and their physicians because currently there are no approved treatments" explained Professor Oliver Distler, Professor of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich and lead investigator of the trial. "A 44% reduction in lung function decline indicates a significant slowdown in disease progression. Nintedanib could make a considerable difference to the lives of people with this rare and often life-threatening disease." "We are pleased to be able to share the positive results of the pivotal SENSCIS trial that are very consistent with the database from IPF and formed the basis of the recent submissions Boehringer Ingelheim made to the FDA and EMA for regulatory approval of nintedanib in February and March 2019", said Dr. Susanne Stowasser, Associate Head of Medicine, Respiratory at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Fibrotic lung diseases including SSc-ILD continue to have a devastating impact on people's lives and our focus remains on making treatments available to improve the lives of patients in areas of high unmet need." ~ENDS~ Please click on the link for 'Notes to Editors' and 'References': http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/nintedanib-slows-pulmonary-function-loss-in-people-with-ssc-ild View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005645/en/ Contacts: Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Communications Media + PR Alexander Kurz 55216 Ingelheim/Germany Tel.: +49 (6132) 77-184531 Mobile: +49 (151) 68948378 Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com Daliresp is a prescription medicine used in adults with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Hyderabad: Pharma major AstraZeneca has filed a petition in a US court, alleging that Aurobindo Pharma is attempting to come out with the generic version of its patented drug Daliresp (Roflumilast Tablet 500 mcg). In a petition filed in the United States District Court for the District Court of New Jersey on 15 May, AstraZeneca alleged that the Indian drug makers proposed generic Daliresp would infringe the patents on three counts and requested the court to pass an injunction order against manufacturing, importing and selling that drug in the USA. Daliresp isis a prescription medicine used in adults with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to decrease the number of flare-ups or the worsening of COPD symptoms (exacerbations). AstraZeneca prayed for a permanent injunction, restraining and enjoining Aurobindo Pharma from making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing any product that infringes the 206, 064, and 142 Patent, including the product (Dalisrep). AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP is the current holder of New Drug Application for Daliresp (Roflumilast) Tablet 500 mcg, which was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration on 28 February 2011. Aurobindo Pharma wrote to AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP and AstraZeneca AB on 5 April, 2019 (Notice Letter), saying they had submitted US FDA an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA ) with paragraph IV certifications for the 206, 064, and 142 Patents, the petition said. Under this, a company can seek FDA approval to market a generic drug before the expiration of patents related to the brand-name drug that the generic seeks to copy. A city-based pharmaceutical company senior official said patent infringement cases are not uncommon for generic drug makers in USA and the lawsuit would not have any implications on the company's performance. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's senior diplomat Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday that recent U.S SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's senior diplomat Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday that recent U.S. words and actions had harmed the interests of China and its enterprises, and that Washington should show restraint, China's foreign ministry said. Speaking to Pompeo by telephone, Wang said the United States should not go "too far" in the current trade dispute between the two sides, adding that China was still willing to resolve differences through negotiations, but they should be on an equal footing. On Iran, Wang said China hoped all parties will exercise restraint and act with caution to avoid escalating tensions. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that Pompeo spoke with Wang and discussed bilateral issues and U.S. concerns about Iran, but gave no other details. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent days, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Earlier this week the United States pulled some diplomatic staff from its Baghdad embassy following attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday, suggesting a resumption of talks between the world's two largest economies would be meaningless unless Washington changed course. The tough talk capped a week that saw Beijing unveil fresh retaliatory tariffs, U.S. officials accuse China of backtracking on promises made during months of talks, and the Trump administration level a potentially crippling blow against one of China's biggest and most successful companies. The United States announced on Thursday it was putting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecoms equipment maker, on a blacklist that could make it extremely hard to do business with U.S. companies. The U.S. Commerce Department then said on Friday it may soon scale back restrictions on Huawei. It said it was considering issuing a temporary general license to "prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment." Potential beneficiaries of this license could, for example, include telecoms providers in thinly populated parts of U.S. states such as Wyoming and Oregon that purchased network equipment from Huawei in recent years.On Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked about state media reports suggesting there would be no more trade negotiations, said China always encouraged resolving disputes with the United States through dialogue and consultations. (Reporting by Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG, David Stanway in SHANGHAI and David Brunnstrom and Nadita Bose in Washington; Editing by Daniel Wallis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Andrew Hay (Reuters) - Companies operating in Alabama and Georgia, ranging from Toyota to Netflix, as well as an Alabama music festival faced boycott threats on Friday after the states passed near-total bans on abortion. Responding to the United States' most restrictive laws on the procedure, activists have taken aim at media companies that use Georgia as a production hub and Alabama-based automakers such as Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. By Andrew Hay (Reuters) - Companies operating in Alabama and Georgia, ranging from Toyota to Netflix, as well as an Alabama music festival faced boycott threats on Friday after the states passed near-total bans on abortion. Responding to the United States' most restrictive laws on the procedure, activists have taken aim at media companies that use Georgia as a production hub and Alabama-based automakers such as Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. A day after Maryland and Colorado officials told staff not to travel to Alabama to protest its abortion law passed Tuesday, people took to Twitter to say they were cancelling convention visits and beach vacations in the state. Hangout Fest, a May 16-19 music festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama was targeted, with activists urging radio station SiriusXM to stop advertising the event and artists such as Cardi B, Travis Scott, Khalid and The Lumineers to boycott it. Alabama earned $14.3 billion from nearly 27 million visitors in 2017, according to state data. Activists were inspired by the partial success of boycotts that targeted Indiana over its 2015 religious freedom law, and North Carolina for its 2016 "bathroom bill" restricting their use by transgender people. It remained to be seen whether large corporations would take a public stand on the polarizing issue of abortion. None of the companies named in this story immediately replied to requests for comment. Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Cranfield was unavailable for comment. A spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Economic Development declined to comment. To date, only a few small film production companies have pulled out of Georgia, known as the "Hollywood of the South" for its $9.5 billion media production industry. Boycott opponents, some of them Democrats, said it made no sense to economically punish Alabama, already one of the poorest U.S. states. Others said no amount of economic pain would sway them from their fight to defend unborn children's rights. Christopher Tyler Burks, who described himself as a "progressive Birmighamian," urged people to support local groups like Emerge Alabama that fight for women's reproductive rights. "Rather than hate and #BoycottAlabama, use your voice to support the people in this state," tweeted Burks, a researcher at American University in Washington. (Reporting By Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Earlier this month, McDonald's reached an out-of-court settlement with Bakshi, buying out Connaught Plaza Restaurants from the joint venture New Delhi: McDonald's India and its estranged partner Vikram Bakshi have been directed by the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) to appear before it and deposit the proceeds of the proposed settlement with respect to their joint venture firm CPRL. Earlier this month, fast food chain McDonald's reached an out-of-court settlement with Bakshi, buying out Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd from the joint venture. Allowing an application by the state-owned HUDCO on 9 May, the presiding officer of DRT II Delhi has directed Bakshi not to transfer his 3,100 attached share of Connaught Plaza Restaurant Ltd (CPRL), a Joint venture between him and McDonald's India to operate fast food chain in northern and eastern India. Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), which is claiming dues of Rs 194.98 crore from Bakshi and his related entities, in its petition filed before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), informed that notices regarding orders of the DRT were already served to both the partners. "The presiding officer directed McDonald's India and Vikram Bakshi to appear before the DRT and deposit the proceeds of the settlement with the DRT II, Delhi. "Furthermore, Vikram Bakshi was directed not to transfer the attached shares (of CPRL) and also to file the details of the rates of the shares as on date," said HUDCO. The DRT had also issued attachment notice with respect to the bank accounts of Ascot Hotels & Resorts. "It is clear that respondent Vikram Bakshi can not alienate or transfer his shares in CPRL in view of the specific directions of the DRT vide order 2 February, 2016, where Vikram Bakshi was restrained from transferring or alienating or creating any third party interest in respect of the said shares," the corporation said. However, it is not clear whether Bakshi and representatives of McDonald's India have appeared before the DRT yet. Bakshi had given guarantee to HUDCO against a loan of Rs 62.38 crore to Ascot Hotels and Resorts for a commercial project in Noida, UP in 2006, which was defaulted and declared as NPA in August 2011. To recover it, HUDCO then had moved the DRT in 2013 and requested to attach 3,100 shares (having a value of Rs 1,000 each) in CPRL, which were in the name of Bakshi. "The respondent Vikram Bakshi had given his affidavit and undertaking that the shares held by him in CPRL will not be alienated or transferred," said HUDCO while annexing copy of Bakshi's affidavit in its petition filed before the NCLAT. Passing the judgment, the DRT had on 12 August 2015 issued recovery certificate in favour of HUDCO to recover the sum along with 14 percent interest from Ascot Hotels, Vikram Bakshi, Madhurima Bakshi, and Vikram Bakshi & Co Ltd. Thereafter, respondent, including Bakshi, was asked to disclose their details of movable and immovable assets. However, on their repeated failure to do so, HUDCO moved the DRT again for attachment of their bank account and 3,100 shares held by Bakshi in CPRL. On this, DRT had on 2 February 2016 issued "interim directions restraining Vikram Bakshi from alienating or transferring or creating any third party interest in the 3,100 shares of CPRL or any other quantity in the name of Vikram Bakshi till further orders." Last week, when HUDCO came to know about the settlement between Bakshi and McDonald's, it moved an intervention application before the NCLAT, where both have filed a petition against each other. "The settlement so arrived at between the appellant (McDonald's India) and respondent (Bakshi) with regards to transfer of shares to the appellant without settling the dues of the applicant/intervenor (HUDCO) will cause grave and irreparable losses to the public exchequer," said HUCO, adding that it can not proceed without its approval. HUDCO in its petition has requested the appellate tribunal to direct Bakshi "to furnish complete particulars and documents relating to the settlement" and to "deposit the entire proceeds of settlement" before the DRT for the discharge of liability towards it. Earlier on 6 May, estranged partners McDonald's and Bakshi had informed the NCLAT that they were working towards an out-of-court settlement to end their dispute. On 9 May, they announced an out-of-court settlement with the US fast food chain agreeing to buy Bakshi's stake from their joint venture that operated outlets of the chain in the north and east India. The details of the pact, including financial terms, were not disclosed. During the last hearing on 15 May 2019, the NCLAT had suggested Bakshi and his entities to settle the matter with HUDCO and has posted the matter on 27 May for the next date of hearing. Meanwhile, a two-member NCLAT bench headed by Chairperson Justice S J Mukhopadhaya also said: "The pendency of the appeal will not come in the way of Vikram Bakshi & Others to negotiate and settle the matter with HUDCO". While dole economics is bad, yet the government has to operate on merit-based subsidy and free schemes. In the rough and tumble of electioneering, issues had a very short shelf life with politicians providing fresh grist every day to the Opposition. But in the grinding and tortuous process of creating economic opportunities, five years often prove to be woefully inadequate. The new government to be sworn in after 23 May must have its economic agenda ready, the one that is rooted in sound economics, away from the here and now of populism. The new government, as a part of a comprehensive economic package for the nation designed to address the massive 8 percent unemployment rate, must announce a huge industrial park in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). There is a huge sense of alienation besides the empty-mind-is-devil's workshop dictum playing out there. The central government together with the state government must set the pace and give the lead by setting up a massive silk or carpet-making facility the state is justly famous for as a 100 percent export-oriented unit. Private capital shies away from the state fearing terrorists attacks. The government must lead from the front to address this genuine fear. Private capital will automatically follow. Chennai has been facing water crisis for decades now. Yet its denizens have been left to fend for themselves by investing in water table depleting borewells. The state has woken up to the potential of desalinated water from the sea quenching its thirst but the criticism has been it is highly expensive. It is time the Indian government took the lead and signed a collaboration agreement with Israel which now depends on desalinated water for as much as 40 percent of its water needs. It reportedly cuts cost through intelligent and frugal engineering practices. Chennai is not alone in grappling with the water crisis. Large swathes of the nation are. The point is the central government must play a catalytic and path-breaking role in economic activities without spreading itself thin. The Narendra Modi government was obsessed with fighting black money so much so that it gave short shrift to creating massive employment opportunities the country needed. To be sure, black money must be fought but through the carrot-and-stick of mainstreaming measures like goods and services tax (GST). There is a huge potential for agro-based industries in the country that would at once provide employment, stop the urban exodus and minimise farm wastage in the form of loss to the elements. If the BJP returns to power, it can blaze the trail in this regard by forming AMUL-like producers cooperatives in rural areas so that farming does not remain hostage to nature and primitive practices. Fuel, i.e. petroleum products, must be immediately brought within the ambit of GST. It would bring down the bunk prices by a whopping 50 percent. Let this sensitive product not be the milch cow for governments both at the center and states. The resultant loss of revenue should be made up for through Robinhood taxation. There is no reason why the capital gains from stock exchanges should be cosseted with a soft 10 percent tax that too after sparing the first Rs 1 lakh secularly for everyone. Wealth tax at the rate of 3 percent on net wealth in excess of Rs 3 crore would yields tremendous revenues for the central government especially if the tax does not discriminate between productive and non-productive assets. This was the vice in the 1992 Act suffered from before it was abolished in the manner of throwing the baby with the bathwater. A stiff estate duty at the rate of say 30 percent on large estates say in excess of Rs 5 crore too would yield good revenue. While dole economics is bad, yet the government has to operate on merit-based subsidy and free schemes. Ayushman Bharat is a classic example of government spending for a good cause. The scheme is targeted at poor, deprived rural families and identifies occupational category of urban workers' families. So, if we were to go by the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data, 8.03 crore families in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas will be entitled to be covered under these schemes, i.e. it will cover around 50 crore people. It should cater to more and more people because health is one area where people should not be condemned to fend for themselves. It is about the economy. If it is fixed, social and filial tensions would also be fixed. Gainfully employed people dont root for doles nor do they become handmaidens of divisive and anti-social forces. (The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan) Insolvency resolution proceedings of Essar Steel had commenced on 2 August 2017 New Delhi: Debt-ridden Essar Steel has registered an EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) of Rs 4,229 crore during its Corporate Insolvency Resolution period (over 600 days). In an affidavit filed before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) last week, its resolution professional has informed that the company earned Rs 4,000 crore from its operations between August 2017 and February 2019. In addition, the RP also mentioned an earning of Rs 229 crore for March this year. Moreover, this amount "excludes Rs 734 crore EBITDA utilised for Finance Costs (Financial Lease, LC/BG Charges to banks and finance charges on payables to suppliers, etc) for maintaining the Corporate Debtor (Essar Steel) as a going concern," the affidavit said. The affidavit was filed following the directions of the appellate tribunal, which-on 7 May 7 2019- directed the RP of Essar Steel to submit the details of earnings from operations of the company during the corporate insolvency period. The affidavit, however, said that "figures from 1 April 2019 till date are not available". Insolvency resolution proceedings of Essar Steel had commenced on 2 August 2017 after the application under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 was admitted by the NCLT, Ahmedabad Bench. The Committee of Creditors (CoC) had voted in favour of Rs 42,000 crore take over the plan of the global steel major ArcelorMittal. Later, the National Company Law Tribunal had also approved the ArcelorMittal's resolution plan, however, it had asked the CoC to look into the issues of distribution of money to the operational creditors of the company. The operational creditors of Essar Steel are not satisfied with the CoC over the distribution of Rs 42,000 crore coming from the resolution plan by global steel major ArcelorMittal. The CoC of Essar Steel has divided operational creditors of the company into two categories -- one with claims under Rs 1 crore and another above Rs 1 crore. On 16 May, the CoC had informed the NCLAT that out of Rs 42,000 crore coming from the resolution plan of ArcelorMittal, Rs 2,500 crore has been marked as the working capital of the debt-laden firm. The CoC submission before a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) implied that only Rs 39,500 crore would be available for distribution among the financial and operational creditors. It had also informed the appellate tribunal that the actual upfront amount is Rs 39,500 crore and the rest Rs 2,500 crore has been committed as working capital for Essar Steel. By Marcelo Rochabrun SAO PAULO (Reuters) - U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management is opposing a new plan by Brazilian airline Azul SA to purchase some of the routes operated by financially troubled rival Avianca Brasil for $145 million, according to a legal document seen by Reuters. Elliott, known in Latin America for forcing Argentina into bigger repayments on defaulted bonds, is Avianca Brasil's largest creditor by a wide margin, with claims totaling almost $490 million By Marcelo Rochabrun SAO PAULO (Reuters) - U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management is opposing a new plan by Brazilian airline Azul SA to purchase some of the routes operated by financially troubled rival Avianca Brasil for $145 million, according to a legal document seen by Reuters. Elliott, known in Latin America for forcing Argentina into bigger repayments on defaulted bonds, is Avianca Brasil's largest creditor by a wide margin, with claims totaling almost $490 million. Avianca Brasil filed for bankruptcy protection in December, setting off a dispute for its routes among Brazil's top three airlines. The fight underscores how the routes of Avianca Brasil, which is controlled by the same holding company as publicly traded Colombia-based Avianca Holdings SA, have become fiercely sought after despite the financial woes that sent it into bankruptcy protection. Behind the scenes, Elliott has used its dominance as a creditor to influence the dispute over the routes. Legal documents show that Elliott crafted the current bankruptcy reorganization plan, which Azul has countered with its own new proposal this month. Although the final verdict is in the hands of a judge, the hedge fund is asking the court to dismiss Azul's proposal and keep its own plan intact, which would benefit Azul's two larger Brazilian rivals: Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA and LATAM Airlines Group. Gol and LATAM have signed agreements with Elliott to pay the hedge fund a combined $70 million. Elliott's influence in the bankruptcy process has raised questions among creditors regarding the origin of its loans, including by airport handling operator Swissport International AG, which Elliott now accuses of working to further Azul's agenda. Documents show Elliott has not lent money directly to Avianca Brasil, but instead to companies controlled by the same holding group, including a palm oil field in Colombia and a shipyard based in Rio de Janeiro. While Azul has previously accused Elliott of engaging in "spurious" deals meant to harm the competing airline's business, the hedge fund said in response that Azul's claims were "clumsy - typical of someone frustrated with their own failure." Avianca Brasil itself has yet to weigh in on Azul's plan and declined to comment on Monday. A union representing some of its aircraft workers, however, has endorsed Azul's plan as superior to Elliott's. The union carried out a strike over the weekend alleging that the airline has fallen behind in its payroll. Azul said in a statement on Monday that its plan offers Avianca Brasil's workers, clients and creditors a "superior option" to Elliott. "Elliott is against Azul's proposal because the hedge fund has already received payment, contrary to the thousands of workers of Avianca Brasil." Gol also opposes Azul's plan. LATAM has yet to give an opinion. TRADING ACCUSATIONS Azul first made an offer to buy Avianca Brasil's routes back in March, offering $105 million and signing a tentative deal with the carrier. In particular, it wanted to break in to the lucrative Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro air shuttle business. But after Azul closed the preliminary deal, Elliott contacted rivals Gol and LATAM and obtained higher bids from them totalling $140 million. At a creditors meeting in April, Elliott's plan was approved and a bankruptcy auction was scheduled, sidelining Azul. Earlier this month, Azul upped its bid to $145 million and asked a judge to approve its plan over Elliott's. That decision is still pending. The Elliott-Azul dispute has pulled in a third company, airport handling operator Swissport, which recently obtained an injunction that suspended the bankruptcy auction at the eleventh hour. Elliott said in its legal filing that Azul and Swissport International worked "in apparent coordination" to undermine the hedge fund and other creditors. Swissport did not respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo; Editing by Christian Plumb and Matthew Lewis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Indian Oil plans to pull down the 1 million tonnes per year Nagapattinam refinery of its subsidiary Chennai Petroleum Corp Ltd New Delhi: Indian Oil Corp (IOC) will evaluate the implications of US sanctions if Iran was to invest in its subsidiary Chennai refinery's Rs 35,700 crore expansion, its Chairman Sanjiv Singh said. IOC plans to pull down the 1 million tonnes per year Nagapattinam refinery of its subsidiary Chennai Petroleum Corp Ltd (CPCL) and build a brand new 9 million tonnes unit in the next five to six years. National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC), which holds 15.4 percent stake in CPCL, is keen to participate in the expansion project, Singh said. Following the US decision to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran, IOC will examine the impact of NIOC investing further in CPCL. "We are evaluating that," he said, when asked about the impact of US sanctions on NIOC investing further in CPCL. NIOC's investment in CPCL had been made several years back and that as such will not draw any impact of US sanctions but fresh investments in the company need to be studied. "NIOC is keen to remain committed to investing in CPCL. Now we have to see (the impact of US sanctions on such a move)," he said. "The (expansion) project has not been approved (by the board) yet." After the US reimposed full economic sanctions against Iran beginning 5 November 2018 and ended waivers six months later, India has stopped buying oil from its third-largest crude oil supplier. Prior to the waivers ending on 2 May, India paid Iran for oil purchases in rupees. These rupee payments are made into a UCO Bank account of NIOC. The government had allowed NIOC to use the money it got in the UCO Bank account for paying for commodities Iran buys from India as well as for direct investments in Indian projects. Naftiran Intertrade, the Swiss subsidiary of NIOC, holds 15.4 percent stake in CPCL. Whether the same money can now be invested by NIOC as its share of equity portion of the expansion project is being evaluated by IOC. IOC holds 51.89 percent stake in CPCL. The expansion was to originally cost to Rs 27,460 crore but is now estimated to cost Rs 35,698 crore. Officials said CPCL plans to achieve financial closure of the refinery expansion in 2019. It also plans to build a petrochemicals plant of about 475,000 tonnes per annum capacity. Detailed feasibility report for the expansion project is expected to be completed by June. CPCL, formerly known as Madras Refineries Ltd, was formed as a joint venture in 1965 between the Government of India, AMOCO and NIOC having a shareholding in the ratio of 74 percent, 13 percent and 13 percent. In 1985, AMOCO disinvested, following which the government held 84.62 percent and NIOC 15.38 percent. The government later disinvested 16.92 percent of the paid-up capital. The company was listed in 1994. IOC acquired the government's holding in 2000-01 and holds 51.89 percent stake in CPCL while NIOC has 15.40 percent. CPCL has two refineries with a combined refining capacity of 11.5 million tonnes per annum. The Manali refinery has a capacity of 10.5 million tonnes per annum and is one of the complex refineries in the country. Its second refinery is located in Nagapattinam at Cauvery Basin. This unit has a capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum. CPCL refineries produce LPG, petrol, kerosene, aviation turbine fuel (ATF), diesel, naphtha, bitumen, lube base stocks, paraffin wax, fuel oil, hexane, and petrochemical feedstocks. IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir have been rushing to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of Jet Airways, once Indias largest carrier, and gain control of its valuable slots. New Delhi: One of the co-founders of Indias largest airline IndiGo has no plans of taking control of the carrier, its Chief Executive said on Saturday, two days after parent InterGlobe Aviation Ltd shares fell over a media report about alleged differences between the co-founders. InterGlobes shares fell 9 percent on Thursday after it was reported that the co-founders and two largest shareholders were at odds over its expansion. The shares were up slightly on Friday. Co-founders Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal, along with their respective families, each control stakes of slightly less than 40 percent in the airlines holding company, giving them both a major say in its strategy and plans. I am authorized by Rakesh Gangwal to make the following statement on his behalf: I am categorically and clearly stating that there is no interest or desire whatsoever on the part of the RG Group to take control of the company, Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive of IndiGo said in a statement. IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir have been rushing to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of Jet Airways, once Indias largest carrier, and gain control of its valuable slots. IndiGo, launched in 2006, has a nearly 47 percent market share in India. The airline has a fleet of 225 aircraft and flies to more than 70 destinations globally. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's top diplomat on Saturday dismissed the possibility of war erupting in the region, saying Tehran did not want a conflict and that no country had the 'illusion it can confront Iran', the state news agency IRNA reported. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent days, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's top diplomat on Saturday dismissed the possibility of war erupting in the region, saying Tehran did not want a conflict and that no country had the "illusion it can confront Iran", the state news agency IRNA reported. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent days, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Earlier this week the United States pulled some diplomatic staff from its Baghdad embassy following attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf. "There will be no war because neither do we want a war, nor has anyone the idea or illusion it can confront Iran in the region," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told IRNA before ending a visit to Beijing. President Donald Trump has bolstered economic sanctions and built up U.S. military presence in the region, accusing Iran of threats to U.S. troops and interests. Tehran has described those steps as "psychological warfare" and a "political game". "The fact is that Trump has officially said and reiterated again that he does not want a war, but people around him are pushing for war on the pretext that they want to make America stronger against Iran," Zarif said. He told Reuters last month that Trump could be lured into a conflict by the likes of U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, an ardent Iran hawk. In Tehran, Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, said on Saturday that Iran had nothing to fear from the United States, which he said was in decline, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported. "The U.S. political system is full of cracks. Though impressive-looking, it has osteoporosis. In fact, America's story is like the World Trade Center towers that collapse with a sudden blow," Salami, known for his fiery rhetoric, was quoted as saying. He was referring to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. REGIONAL TENSIONS In a sign of the heightened tension across the region, Exxon Mobil evacuated foreign staff from an oilfield in neighboring Iraq after days of sabre rattling between Washington and Tehran. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain warned its citizens against traveling to Iraq or Iran due to "unstable conditions". In Washington, officials urged U.S. commercial airliners flying over the waters of the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. A Norwegian insurers' report seen by Reuters said Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards were "highly likely" to have facilitated the attacks last Sunday on four tankers including two Saudi ships off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Iranian officials have denied involvement in the tanker attacks, saying Tehran's enemies carried them out to lay the groundwork for war against Iran. U.S. officials, however, are concerned that Tehran may have passed naval combat expertise onto proxy forces in the region. Following the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions, a senior Iranian maritime official said Iran had adopted new tactics and new destinations in shipping its oil exports. Iranian crude oil exports have fallen in May to 500,000 barrels per day or lower, according to tanker data and industry sources, after the United States tightened the screws on Iran's main source of income. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Helen Popper and Ros Russell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's oil exports from its southern ports have reached 3.5 million barrels a day (bpd) crude oil as of Saturday, South Oil Company chief Ihsan Abdul Jabbar told Reuters. Exxon Mobil's decision to evacuate its foreign staff from the West Qurna 1 oilfield is a 'precautionary and temporary measure', he said, adding that the field is still operating at full capacity and producing 440,000 bpd BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's oil exports from its southern ports have reached 3.5 million barrels a day (bpd) crude oil as of Saturday, South Oil Company chief Ihsan Abdul Jabbar told Reuters. Exxon Mobil's decision to evacuate its foreign staff from the West Qurna 1 oilfield is a "precautionary and temporary measure", he said, adding that the field is still operating at full capacity and producing 440,000 bpd. Abdul Jabbar is the first named source to confirm the evacuation, which took place late on Friday and early Saturday. (Reporting by Aref Mohammed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. During the early trade, IT index was the only one trading in the red. However, it ended in green by gaining 0.69 percent to 15,515.99 New Delhi: IT stocks Monday showed a mixed trend even as the broader market soared after exit polls suggested another term for the ruling NDA government. During the early trade, IT index was the only one trading in the red. However, it ended in green by gaining 0.69 percent to 15,515.99. Among the IT stocks, Infosys fell 0.19 percent to close at Rs 722.40 on the BSE. During the day, it was trading 2.34 percent lower at Rs 706.85. Some of the other IT stocks that closed the counter with losses are Larsen & Toubro Infotech (down 1.54 percent), Tech Mahindra (down 1.04 percent) and Allsec Technologies (down 0.79 percent). On the other hand, TCS bounced back to close at Rs 2,139.30, up 2.05 percent. Intra-day, it was trading 2.19 percent lower at Rs 2,050.25. Other IT stocks that ended in green include Mphasis (up 0.36 percent), Mindtree (up 0.12 percent) and Hexaware Technologies (up 0.93 percent). The trend in the IT counter assumes significance as the broader market witnessed heavy buying. The BSE-benchmark Sensex soared 1,422 points, or 3.75 percent, to end at 39,352.67, while the broader NSE Nifty jumped 421.10 points to 11,828.25. Market analysts said the rising rupee is expected to add pressure to IT stocks as most of these companies depend heavily on exports. The rupee appreciated 49 paise to settle at 69.74 against the US dollar on Monday. Jet Airways is expected to get about half of the rights on high-demand routes and the remaining would be given out in proportion to a carriers domestic flights Several airlines have reportedly objected the formula for distributing the foreign flying rights of the grounded Jet Airways, a media report said. Jet Airways is expected to get about half of the rights on high-demand routes and the remaining would be given out in proportion to a carriers domestic flights, The Economic Times said. This would mean IndiGo is likely to get the most since its the market leader. The report added that SpiceJet, Vistara and GoAir have objected to this saying this would create a monopoly". With each of the Indian airlines vying for the maximum share of the Jet Airways' foreign flying rights, Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola last week said the ministry would create a transparent standard operating procedure (SOP) to allocate these rights on a temporary basis. "We had asked airlines to confirm their requirement of (domestic) slots and (international) traffic rights...Their requests have been officially logged in. Our people will do analysis now and we will evolve a transparent SOP based on which the rights will be given," Kharola said. The airfares have risen dramatically on many international routes since Jet Airways suspended its operations on 17 April. The central government, therefore, is planning to allocate Jet Airways' international flying rights to other airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara. With Jet Airways out of the picture, Air India remains the only airline in the country that has wide-body aircraft to operate non-stop long-haul flights to areas such as Europe and the United States. However, other Indian airlines have major international expansion plans and, therefore, each of them is trying to get maximum share of Jet Airways' foreign flying rights, a senior government official told PTI on the condition of anonymity. With PTI inputs Three years after Johnson & Johnson, the US healthcare company, completed construction of production facilities for cosmetics and baby products on the 47-acre site, they stand idle. Penjerla/New Delhi: It was supposed to be Johnson & Johnsons biggest manufacturing plant in India. It was to eventually employ at least 1,500 people and help bring development to a rural area near Hyderabad in southern India. Yet, three years after the US healthcare company completed construction of production facilities for cosmetics and baby products on the 47-acre site, they stand idle. Two sources familiar with J&Js operations in India and one state government official told Reuters production at the plant, at Penjerla in Telangana, never began because of a slowing in the growth in demand for the products. One of them said that demand didnt rise as expected because of two shock policy moves by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a late 2016 ban on then circulating high-value currency notes, and the nationwide introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) in 2017. J&J spokespeople in its Mumbai operations in India and at its global headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey, declined to respond to a list of questions from Reuters. Narendra Modis office did not respond to a call and an email with questions. Aimed at rooting out corruption and streamlining the tax system, the double whammy of demonetisation and GSTwere two of Modis signature policy moves. But instead of encouraging economic activity as intended, they did the opposite, at least in 2016-2018, by sapping consumer demand, according to some economists. Many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, complained publiclysome in their financial statementsthat they suffered a drop off in orders. The suspended J&J project stands as one of the most vivid examples of the impact on the broader investment picture. In the first month after demonetisation, some business surveys showed that sales of products such as shampoos and soap fell more than 20 percent. Lack of jobs growth and a farm-income crisis because of low crop prices have hurt Narendra Modi in the current general election, according to several political strategists. Still, Modi and his ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are expected by many of the strategists to be in a position to get a second term probably with the support of some other parties - when votes are counted on Thursday, partly because of his strong stance on national security issues. Big investments, great expectations A range of Modis business policies, such as capping prices of medical devices, forcing tech companies to store more data locally and stricter e-commerce regulations have in the past two years hurt plans of American multinationals such as J&J, Mastercard, Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart. The groundbreaking of the J&J facility in Penjerla, its third in the country, was carried out with much fanfare in 2014, attended by Telanganas Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao, who hailed the foreign investment as a big win for local communities. A document dated April 2017 that lists products the company planned to make at the facility, submitted to the Telangana government and reviewed by Reuters, names baby oil, baby shampoo, baby lotion, baby hair oil, face wash and creams. Shaukat Ali, running a tea shop under a bamboo stall on barren land outside the plant, said local workers check in routinely for possible vacancies at the J&J site, but nothing has come up in years. At the local pollution control board office, the member secretary Satyanarayana Reddy said the J&J plant had all the required approvals and he was not sure why it hadnt started production. It is unusual for such a big plant to stay idle for so long, he said. But there is no problem from our side. Chandrasekhar Babu, an additional director at the Telangana industries department, said a J&J company official told him the plant hadnt started due to lack of demand. GST and demonetisation were two key reasons the plan didnt kick off, one of the sources said, adding that lack of consumer demand since then dented companys plans. The second source familiar with J&Js plans said the company miscalculated Indian market demand. On a recent visit by a Reuters reporter to the J&J plant, plush, furnished conference rooms and cubicles sat inactive; M. Sairam, who said he was the site manager, told Reuters production areas with machines were idle too. Planned further expansion Local officials had hoped the initial J&J plant would be only the beginning. After the groundbreaking in 2014, Pradeep Chandra, who was Telanganas special chief secretary of industries, told Business Today magazine that based on the extent of land (J&J) have acquired we believe that they are looking at much larger expansion here. Local media reports at the time said the J&J facility would employ some 1,500 people. A J&J official, who was not identified by name, was reported subsequently in December 2016 in Business Standard as saying that the $85 million plant would be operational by 2018 after it had overcome procedural delays. The official was quoted as saying the company had earmarked an additional $100 million for expansion. Vikas Srivastava, the managing director of J&J Consumer (India), who was at the 2014 groundbreaking, did not respond to calls for comment. Reuters also talked to two workers outside a sprawling Procter & Gamble facility making detergents and diapers, which is next to the J&J plant. They said they were part of the P&G plants production team and the plant had been running below capacity. A P&G spokesperson denied that, saying the plant was operating at full capacity in line with our business plans. India is a priority market for P&G globally and in recent quarters, P&Gs business in India has registered strong double-digit growth consistently, the company said. The weak rural economy, where most Indians work, has also hurt growth in sales of basic items such as detergents and shampoo in the past year. Hindustan Unilever Ltd, an industry bellwether that would compete with the likes of J&J and P&G in some categories, said its volume growth shrank to 7 percent in the quarter ended 31 March, down from double-digit growth in the previous five quarters. The company warned that the daily consumer goods segment in India was recession resistant ... not recession proof. Top gainers in the Sensex pack include Maruti, L&T, SBI, ICICI Bank, RIL, M&M, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank and Vedanta, rising up to 4 percent. A day after exit polls showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi would retain power with a bigger majority in the Parliament, with financials leading the charge, shares surged on the bourses on Monday. Domestic financial markets cheered exit poll results showed that ruling NDA is likely to will the general Lok Sabha elections on Monday, with the benchmark BSE Sensex skyrocketing over 1,100 points, and the rupee appreciating 79 paise against the US dollar. After soaring over 962 in the early session, the 30-share index pared some gains and was trading at 39,047. In similar movement, the broader NSE Nifty was trading 203.05 points, or 1.78 percent, up at 11,610.20. Top gainers in the Sensex pack include Maruti, L&T, SBI, ICICI Bank, RIL, M&M, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank and Vedanta, rising up to 4 percent. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto, Infosys and HCL Tech slipped up to 2 percent. Exits polls, following the mammoth seven-phase voting, showed Narendra Modis National Democratic Alliance (NDA) projected to win between 339 and 365 seats in the 545-member lower house of parliament. The results of the seven-phase polls will come out Thursday. "The exit polls have been better than market expectations, with the ruling party getting a comfortable majority. The market is likely to rally further, but the rally may not be significant as there are challenges of not so encouraging earnings growth, lower liquidity, slowing economy and global challenges," said Naveen Kulkarni, Head of Research, Reliance Securities. There could be sector-specific rally. Infrastructure and banking stocks could do well, he added. I expect another 2-3 percent rally in the market in the next 3-4 days based on the cue, said Samrat Dasgupta, a fund manager at Esquire Capital Investment Advisors. "But once the results are out on Thursday, even if it is as expected, I dont see much upside to the market. The economy is passing through a rough patch because a lot of data indicators are showing a slowdown, so people will wait for announcements from the new govt/cabinet to see what policies will be made, Dasgupta said. Despite facing criticism for weak job growth and farm prices, Modi turned the campaign into a fight for national security after tensions with Pakistan escalated earlier this year. I expect another 2-3% rally in the market in the next 3-4 days based on the cue, said Samrat Dasgupta, a fund manager at Esquire Capital Investment Advisors. Meanwhile, market regulator Sebi and stock exchanges have beefed up their surveillance mechanism to check any manipulative activities in the market this week in view of the high-octane election-related events lined up. Foreign institutional investors sold equity worth Rs 1,057.82 crore on Friday, while domestic institutional investors purchased shares to the tune of Rs 1,809.76 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed. Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in China, Japan and Korea were trading on a mixed note in their respective early sessions. Brent crude, the global benchmark, was trading at 73.28 per barrel, higher by 1.48 percent. Rupee appreciates The rupee appreciated 79 paise to 69.44 against the US dollar in opening trade Monday after exit poll results suggested another term for the ruling NDA government, even as crude oil prices firmed up. Forex traders said investors welcomed the exit poll results that predict a thumping majority for the current BJP-led government. Sentiments were also buoyed by positive opening in domestic equities. The rupee opened at 70.36 the interbank forex market, then gained further ground to touch 69.44 per dollar, displaying gains of 79 paise against the greenback. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 70.23 against the US dollar. Foreign funds pulled out Rs 1,057.82 crore in the capital markets on a net basis Thursday, provisional data showed. The benchmark BSE Sensex was trading with gains of 718.11 points, or 1.89 percent, to quote at 38,657.65, while the NSE Nifty was trading at 11,615, up 207.85 points, or 1.82 percent. --With agency inputs By Aftab Ahmed and Devjyot Ghoshal NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to return to power with an even bigger majority in parliament after a mammoth general election that ended on Sunday, exit polls showed, a far better showing than expected in recent weeks. Modi faced criticism early on in the campaign for failing to create jobs and for weak farm prices, and analysts as well as politicians said the election race was tightening with the main opposition Congress party gaining ground. But he rallied his Hindu nationalist base and turned the campaign into a fight for national security after tensions rose with Pakistan and attacked his main rival for being soft on the country's arch foe. By Aftab Ahmed and Devjyot Ghoshal NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to return to power with an even bigger majority in parliament after a mammoth general election that ended on Sunday, exit polls showed, a far better showing than expected in recent weeks. Modi faced criticism early on in the campaign for failing to create jobs and for weak farm prices, and analysts as well as politicians said the election race was tightening with the main opposition Congress party gaining ground. But he rallied his Hindu nationalist base and turned the campaign into a fight for national security after tensions rose with Pakistan and attacked his main rival for being soft on the country's arch foe. Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is projected to win anything between 339-365 seats in the 545-member lower house of parliament with the Congress party-led opposition alliance at a distant 77 to 108, India Today Axis exit poll showed. To rule, a party needs to win 272 seats. Modi's alliance won 336 seats in the 2014 election. The exit polls showed that he not only held to this base in the northern Hindi belt but also breached the east where regional groups traditionally held sway. Only the south largely resisted the Hindu nationalist surge, except for Karnataka, home to software capital Bengaluru. Counting of votes recorded in hundreds of thousands of computerised machines will begin early on Thursday and results are expected by noon. According to another poll released by Today's Chanakya, Modi's alliance is likely to get around 350 seats. One poll by Neta Newsx, though, forecast Modi's group falling 30 seats short. Exit polls, though, have a mixed record in a country with an electorate of 900 million people - around two-thirds of whom voted in the seven-phase election. They have often gotten the number of seats wrong, but the broad direction has generally been correct, analysts say. With three out of four of the polls indicating a clear majority for Modi's alliance, Indian equity markets are expected to rally sharply on Monday, while the Indian rupee is also likely to strengthen versus the U.S. dollar, according to market participants. A clear win would mean Modi can carry out reforms investors expect to make India an easier place for doing business, they said. "I expect a positive reaction from markets on both the rupee and equities," said Sajal Gupta, head of forex and rates at Indian brokerage firm Edelweiss Securities. "Equity indices should have a rally of maybe 250-300 points," said Gupta, adding the Indian rupee may test the 69 level against the U.S. dollar before retreating. HINDU HARDLINE FEARS But a big win for Modi would fan fears that Hindu hardliner groups would be further emboldened to pursue partisan programmes such as punishing Muslims for the slaughter of cows, considered sacred by Hindus, rewriting school textbooks to reduce India's Muslim history, and attacking liberals. Critics say Modi sought to win votes by stoking fear among the Hindu majority of the potential dangers posed by the country's Muslims and Pakistan, and promoted a Hindu-first India. But his supporters say Modi and his allies are simply restoring Hinduism to its rightful place at the core of Indian society. Muslims make up about 14% of India's 1.3 billion population. "The massive crowds and response at every rally of Prime Minister Modi were a clear indicator of their approval for his leadership, the performance of the past five years and the vision for the future," Nalin Kohli, a spokesman of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said. Dilip Agrawal, 46, who runs a mill in Madhya Pradesh, said he had voted for Modi, despite the difficulties faced by farmers. "He is doing so much for our country, our national security. Of course farmers want better rates than they are getting, that's only natural. Only a strong leader can meet our aspirations, and Modi is that leader." GANDHI LOSS The Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that ruled India for decades following independence, focused on Modi's failure to deliver on the promises he made to transform the economy and turn India into a manufacturing hub. Congress spokesman Sanjay Jha dismissed the poll projections, saying that an alliance led by his party would defeat the BJP when votes are counted on May 23. "Many of the pollsters, if not all of the pollsters, have got it wrong," he said, adding that a polarised atmosphere and fear had kept voters from telling pollsters about their actual allegiance. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and a bitter opponent of Modi, said the fight was not over. "I don't trust exit poll gossip," she said on Twitter. "I appeal to all opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together." Voting began on April 11 and ended on Sunday in the world's biggest democratic exercise. Although Modi's party is poised to lose seats in Uttar Pradesh, which elects the most lawmakers out of all Indian states, the party's return to power will be on the back of a strong showing in other northern heartland regions and two eastern provinces, CVoter's polling showed. (Additional reporting by Aditi Shah; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Louise Heavens) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. OTPC runs the Palatana power project in Tripura. ONGC has a 50 percent stake in the project, IL&FS holds 26 percent, and GIP has a 23.5 percent stake Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC), Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and the Tripura government are reportedly planning to buy a stake in ONGC Tripura Power Co. Ltd (OTPC), a media report said. According to Mint, the above-mentioned entities are planning to buy IL&FS's 26 percent stake in the Rs 3,804-crore OTPC. OTPC runs the Palatana power project in Tripura. ONGC has a 50 percent stake in the project, IL&FS holds 26 percent, and GIP has a 23.5 percent stake, with the Tripura government holding a 0.5 percent stake, the report added. The 726.6 MW gas-based power project, run by ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC), was formally started in 2014 as a joint venture of the ONGC, the IDFC, the IL&FS and the Tripura government. Last month, ONGC got clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forest and the state authorities to start drilling for gas in south Tripura, The Times of India had reported. Meanwhile, IL&FS on Sunday said Japan's Orix Corporation, which owns 49 percent share each in its seven operating wind power plants, has expressed intent to buy the remaining stake in those assets. The seven wind power plants, in the form of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and owned by IL&FS Wind Energy Limited (IWEL), are spread across 12 states with a total generation capacity of 874 MW. The group had initiated the process of the sale of controlling stake in the wind power plants in November last year by inviting expressions of interest. The cash-strapped group had earlier said that Gail (India) Ltd had emerged as the highest bidder to acquire seven wind power plants, offering Rs 4,800 crore for 100 percent of enterprise value with no hair cut to the debt of the SPVs, which is close to Rs 3,700 crore. The board of diversified IL&FS group, which is estimated to have a debt burden of over Rs 94,000 crore, was superseded by the corporate affairs ministry in October last year. Since then, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)-appointed board is managing the affairs to ensure orderly settlement. As part of the resolution efforts, the group companies have been classified into three categories, mainly based on their financial positions -- green, amber and red. With PTI inputs JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A ministerial panel of major OPEC and non-OPEC producers will not recommend a course of action on oil output policy on Sunday, but will highlight the need to continue monitoring the market until the next meeting in June, a source familiar with the discussions said. The panel of top oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, was meeting in Jeddah on Sunday. JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A ministerial panel of major OPEC and non-OPEC producers will not recommend a course of action on oil output policy on Sunday, but will highlight the need to continue monitoring the market until the next meeting in June, a source familiar with the discussions said. The panel of top oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, was meeting in Jeddah on Sunday. The source added the meeting would task the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to continue with market analysis and monitoring until June. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Mark Potter) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The SEBI conducted an investigation into the trading of the scrip of Exdon between May 2013 and March 2015, and found that the entities were connected to each other. New Delhi: Market regulator SEBI has slapped a total penalty of Rs 60 lakh on nine entities for indulging in manipulative trading in the scrip of Exdon Trading Company Ltd. Out of the nine entities, Henal C Patel, Dantara Amish Vijaykumar and Henal Hemantbhai Shah have been fined Rs 10 lakh each while others including Dhanlaxmi Lease Finance have been fined Rs 5 lakh each. These nine entities are the noticees. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) conducted an investigation into the trading of the scrip of Exdon between May 2013 and March 2015, and found that the entities were connected to each other. "The noticees were instrumental in establishing a price higher than the last traded price and thus contributed to increased scrip price with each of their trades. Such trades would lead to an artificial rise in the price of the scrip and the same would misguide the general public," SEBI said in an order dated 17 May. Trades of the entities contributed to manipulation in the scrip price and created a misleading appearance of trading and thereby contravened provisions of PFUTP (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices) Regulations, it added. On Monday, the benchmark index Sensex closed 1,421.90 points, or 3.75 percent higher at 39,352.67. Indian stock markets are booming since major exit polls predicted a clear majority for Narendra Modi-led BJP/NDA in 2019 Parliament elections. On Monday, the benchmark index Sensex closed 1,421.90 points, or 3.75 percent higher at 39,352.67. On 18 May 2009, the biggest-ever single-day gain was 2,100 points. On Monday, the Indian rupee surged above 70-mark gaining over 86 paise. Why do the prospects of Modis return to power thrill investors? Well, the answer is simple. The stock market loves Modi over a Congress-led weak coalition government as a business-friendly leader that can push the reform juggernaut ahead. That image hasnt changed since 2014. The so-called Modi-wave hasnt faded, at least going by the exit polls outcome. In fact, Modi has been never shy to be seen with businessmen, unlike his principal political opponent Rahul Gandhi. The Congress chief has repeatedly attacked Modi for favouring the corporates, particularly in the context of large corporate loan write-offs and made this a part of his central agenda in the campaign. Two days prior to the exit polls when this writer spoke to senior professionals in the financial services sector about their preference, the answer was unanimous and largely sounded like this. Well, of the two, Modi is a better choice. At least he brought back the activity back on the reform front. They believed Modi will score big in this election despite the myriad attacks against him by the Opposition parties and said the trend will be clear on 19 May evening. And it did. Most exit polls predicted a thumping victory for Modi with the tally for NDA being predicted between 277-352. Why the market loves Narendra Modi The following are the major reasons for the markets surging post-exit polls on Monday when they opened for trade: Primarily, it is a hope for the continuity of policy. The stock market is worried about sudden changes in the policy course of the government. It cause panic among large foreign institutional investors (FIIs). This concern is addressed if Modi remains in power. From the markets point of view, policy continuity is critical particularly in relation to the tax policies. Second, both Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and Goods and Services Tax (GST) is seen to be the big wins of the Modi government's five-year rule. Though demonetisation has hurt the informal sector, markets seem to have forgiven Modis economic misadventures and find him as a pro-reform reader. Third, markets hate a weak government that is bound by coalition pressure. That has been traditionally so and a Congress win would probably bring back coalition politics. The stock markets think Modi is probably better positioned than Gandhi at this point of the economic cycle where there arent much positive news both in India and abroad. The Indian economy is now facing a serious demand slump. Fourth, what dominated the whole Congress-campaign was the anti-Modi rhetoric. The Congress-led Opposition did not have a better economic plan or a reform roadmap to offer to the markets. The clear shift to competitive populism with schemes like NYAY was seen as a fiscal threat on the already shaky balance sheet of the government. Over the past few weeks, the markets were undecided which way the wind will blow and now they know with the result of the exit polls. If the trajectory of exit polls turns out to be true, and dont prove to be way off mark on 23 May, the upside wave will likely continue in the near-term. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will hold an international economic 'workshop' in Bahrain in late June to encourage investment in the Palestinian areas as the first part of President Donald Trump's coming Middle East peace plan, the White House said on Sunday. The conference will bring together government and business leaders to help jump-start the economic portion of the U.S. peace initiative, the White House said in a statement. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will hold an international economic "workshop" in Bahrain in late June to encourage investment in the Palestinian areas as the first part of President Donald Trump's coming Middle East peace plan, the White House said on Sunday. The conference will bring together government and business leaders to help jump-start the economic portion of the U.S. peace initiative, the White House said in a statement. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav trashed exit polls predicting victory for the NDA in the general election as 'fraud' and contrary to the ground reality against the BJP-led ruling coalition Patna: The RJD on Monday trashed exit polls predicting victory for the NDA in the general election as "fraud" and contrary to the ground reality against the BJP-led ruling coalition. Besides predicting a second term for Narendra Modi as prime minister, the exit polls have forecast a tally of 30 or more for the NDA out of a total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. The NDA in Bihar comprises BJP, JD(U) of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. In a statement, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said reject these exit polls which are simply compulsions of the market purveyed through a different name. It is an old trick of psychological manipulation of the deprived classes by Sangh-supported institutions and resources. Reminding the people of the 2015 Assembly polls wherein he had made his electoral debut and went on to become the deputy chief minister, Yadav said on the day when counting of votes was taking place, trends shown in the media suggested that we were losing. BJP and its allies had even started bursting crackers. The Grand Alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress had swept the assembly polls, winning more than two-thirds of the total number of seats of the 243-strong assembly. Keep a close watch on strong rooms so that those adept at dirty games do not succeed in their tricks, Yadav signed off hinting that he suspected manipulation of EVMs, a charge levelled by many opposition leaders. Veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav, who is contesting from Madhepura on the ticket of the RJD with which he is expected to merge his own party LJD, also tweeted exit polls of Lok Sabha elections are fraud and not the truth. Ground reality was totally different and against the NDA. Union minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh used the exit polls projections to attack opposition parties. Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu and all other opposition leaders have gone into the ICU, politically speaking, after viewing the exit polls. After 23 May, these leaders must observe political penance (raajnitik pashchatap) so that they could attain political salvation (raajneetik moksha), Singh tweeted in Hindi. The firebrand BJP leader, known for his acerbic and often controversial remarks, is himself in the fray from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in Bihar where he was locked in a triangular contest with CPIs Kanhaiya Kumar and RJDs Tanveer Hassan. The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Odisha will not announce the results of Class 10 board exams today (Monday, 20 May). Students can check bseodisha.ac.in and orissaresults.nic.in. BSE Odisha Class 10th (Matric) Result 2019 Declared | The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Odisha announced the results of the Class 10 board exams today (21 May). Students can check official websites bseodisha.ac.in and orissaresults.nic.in. On Monday, when the board was expected to declare the results amid confusion, BSE president Jahan Ara Begum had said the results were delayed as it took time to restore power in Odisha following the massive damage caused by Cyclone Fani. Once the results are announced, candidates can their Class 10 scores on the official websites. The results were delayed due to the disruption caused by the onslaught of Cyclone Fani, which made landfall in Puri district on 3 May. In 2018, the Odisha BSE had released the results on 7 May. How to check BSE Class 10 result 2019: Step 1: Visit the official websites bseodisha.ac.in and orissaresults.nic.in. Step 2: Click on the link for BSE Class 10th Results 2019 Step 3: Enter your name and registration number and click on the Submit button Step 4: Your results will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Download the result from a relevant link and take a printout of it for future reference. In 2018, the overall pass percentage stood at 76.23 percent. The highest pass percentage of 88.25 percent was recorded in Baleswar district of Odisha. The Board of Secondary Education, Odisha was formed under the Odisha Education Act 1953. It controls and maintains all the secondary education-related affairs in the state. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday clarified that their supremo Mayawati will not be holding any meetings with the leaders of Opposition in the national capital. Delhi: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday clarified that their supremo Mayawati will not be holding any meetings with the leaders of Opposition in the national capital. The statement from the BSP came after reports of Mayawati holding meetings with Opposition parties came to fore. Speaking to ANI, Senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said, "Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow." Several media outlets were reporting that Mayawati is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election result on 23 May. On Saturday, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu met Mayawati in Lucknow. After the culmination of polls on Sunday, several exit polls on television channels have projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Follow LIVE updates on Lok Sabha election-related news here Multiple regulations have been passed to protect animals in pet trade, none have been implemented fully. Markets in India are filled with pet stores that cram hundreds of birds into cages, and puppies and kittens into spaces no larger than shoe boxes. Tanks, too, are overcrowded with fish that stew in their own faecal matter till they are rescued by a purchaser or death. The very same shops also make money selling animals that are protected under The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the consumer is often unaware of the crime they are committing by being a party to this commodification of the living. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018 was passed to protect animals in the pet trade. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2017 was passed to protect dogs in the breeding process. However, neither of these have been fully-implemented by any state in India. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Aquarium and Fish Tank) Rules, 2017 have been withdrawn by the Government, and fish are openly and rampantly traded with no regard for their lives. Front for wildlife trade, a drain on the exchequer Among the many ills of pet trade is the fact that finances are hardly ever accounted for. The Government doesn't have the slightest clue as to where traders get funding to acquire animals or where the profits of the trade go. The Elephant Action League (EAL) conducted an 18-month undercover investigation into the link between funds of the illegal wildlife trade and the Al-Shabaab terrorist group. The National, a newspaper in Dubai, recently reported on how the illegal online wildlife trade was fuelling organised crime in the region. Closer to home are some disconcerting reports on the illegal cattle trade funding terrorism. The Law Commission of India's Report No. 261 highlighted the fact that the global illegal pet trade industry is estimated to be worth millions in US dollars. Undocumented wealth and criminal activity aren't new bedfellows, but certainly needs to be acted against. Policy changes have swept the world World over, animal rights communities and compassionate citizens have been exposing the cruelty behind the pet trade. These efforts have paid off in part, with significant policy changes over the last couple of years. AB 485, a Californian law that took effect early this year, only permitted retailers from selling cats and dogs from animal shelters and prohibited selling dogs and cats from breeders. Lucys law, a regulation which prohibited the sale of pups and kittens from third parties making buyers deal with breeders directly in England, was laid before parliament this week. According to Englands Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, it is expected to come into force on 6 April 2020. The law was named after Lucy, a dog who died in 2016 after being poorly treated by a commercial breeder. Pet trade in India The Animal Welfare Board of India recommended regulation of the pet shops almost a decade ago. "It took a decade of lobbying, hundreds of FIRs against pet shops, the Law Commission recommending the regulation of the pet trade and a PIL being filed in the Delhi High Court for the Government to pass rules which regulate the trade," explains Gauri Maulekhi, animal rights activist who filed the Petition in the Delhi High Court. The rules task the licensing of pet shops to the State Animal Welfare Board. They mandate an inspection which evaluates the standards for accommodation, infrastructure, housing, general care and veterinary care. They disallow the usage of wire mesh for the floors of the enclosures and have a protocol for the keeping of registers on the health and mortality of the animals. There is a complaint mechanism whereby if an individual sees an animal being treated inhumanely in a pet shop, they can raise this with either the local corporation or the SPCA who are charged with verifying the complaint. Any animal who is found to be ill-treated or sick shall be confiscated and sent to an animal welfare organization for treatment. The pet shop owner shall be liable for any expenses for the care given to the distressed animals. While the Honble Bombay High Court and Uttarakhand High Court have both passed orders directing the government to implement the rules, the trade is unabated and continues to flourish. The challenge with implementing the rules is that most states dont have a duly constituted State Animal Welfare Board or the districts do not have Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs). The state of Maharashtra has set up SPCAs in 33 out of 36 districts this year. All of these chaired by the Collector, are composed of representatives of NGOs, the animal husbandry department, the police, and the wildlife department. Their mandate is to prevent cruelty to animals in the district and ensure enforcement of animal protection laws. Currently, pending a budgetary allocation to carry out their mandate, their activities are limited. "The first agenda item I tasked my board with was to ensure that each district had an SPCA, to sensitise the officers on the laws to prevent cruelty and seek a budget from the government for animal welfare. While it has not been an easy task we are committed to the implementation of the rules," states Poonam Mahajan, Member of Parliament and Chair of the State of Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board. What you can do to slash pet trade Adopt don't shop. There are thousands of dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted. We must understand that a pet is a family member and will live with us for many years. Animals are sentient and a rescued animal has so much love and regard for a family that rescues them. We often dont realise that the breeds we covet are not made for the Indian climate. Indian dogs thrive in our cities and the streets imagine what valuable companions they would make in our homes. Raise your voice. If you see a shop treating animals badly, raise the issue with your local authority. Write to your local SPCA, District Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry and your Municipal Corporation. Animals cannot speak it is the role of every compassionate citizen to speak for them. The author is an Advocate who filed the PIL against the illegal pet trade in the Delhi High Court and is a Member of the Maharashtra State Animal Welfare Board. #ButtonDabaoDeshBanao initiative wants to encourage citizens to participate in the electoral process The stage is set for the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 and Network 18s #ButtonDabaoDeshBanao initiative wants to encourage citizens to participate in the electoral process and help take the total voter turnout higher than it has ever been. Episode 7 sees News18 Indias Senior Editor, Jyoti Kamal head to Lovely Professional University campus in Jalandhar to discuss the importance of voting, the role of the youth and voter expectations in Punjab with a panel of experts. In attendance are students from the university watching the lively discussion between Social Activist Deepak Rana, Neta App creator Pratham Mittal, Professor and Executive Dean of Lovely Professional University Sanjay Modi and Co-Founder of UniRely Srishti Mittal. Check out the video below to see the whole episode! Button Dabao Desh Banao is a Network18 initiative, presented by RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, urging every Indian to VOTE in the ongoing general elections. Follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ButtonDabaoDeshBanao. This is a partnered post. The discussion tackles tough topics like the lack of awareness, the urban-rural voter divide in politics, perception issues that need to be addressed. The stage is set for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 and Network 18s #ButtonDabaoDeshBanao hopes to encourage more people to turn up and cast their votes this time around. Recorded with students of the IMI Kolkata in attendance, this final episode has CNBC-TV18s Managing Editor Shereen Bhan in conversation with Chairman of RP Sanjiv Goenka group and campaign sponsor, Sanjiv Goenka about the significant issues we have seen during this years election and the impact of this campaign. The discussion tackles tough topics like the lack of awareness, the urban-rural voter divide in politics, perception issues that need to be addressed and more. Click below to watch the complete episode! Button Dabao Desh Banao is a Network18 initiative, presented by RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, urging every Indian to VOTE in the ongoing general elections. Follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ButtonDabaoDeshBanao. This is a partnered post. Pollsters predicted that Bihar is among those states that will play a major role in BJP's likely stellar performance for the second successive Lok Sabha election. Exit poll projections suggest Nitish Kumar could be in for a tough time as part of an NDA government Pollsters predicted that Bihar is among those states that will play a major role in BJP's likely stellar performance for the second successive Lok Sabha election. When viewed in conjunction with the BJP's performance in other states, if the actual verdict on 23 May matches high-range forecasts, it would be read as a personal success for Narendra Modi, the programmes he has initiated or rebranded and the ideology he espouses. This would also put JD(U) president Nitish Kumar in an awkward position because of his continued attempts to ideologically distinguish his party from the BJP. Sensex gains 1,422 points in single day as exit polls give investors just the right hint Indian stock markets registered impressive gains on Monday as major exit polls predicted a clear majority for Narendra Modi-led BJP/NDA in 2019 Parliament elections. On Monday, the benchmark index Sensex closed 1,421.90 points, or 3.75 percent higher at 39,352.67. Though the single-day gains on Tuesday weren't as high as 18 May 2009, when the Sensex gained 2,100 points, the prospect of Modis return to power seems to have thrilled investors. Why? Well, the answer is simple. The stock market loves Modi over a Congress-led weak coalition government as a business-friendly leader that can push the reform juggernaut ahead. Game of Thrones season 8 episode 6 review: An imperfect finale that still feels remarkably poignant Recent criticisms of Game of Thrones have dwelt on how the series has forgotten the dictum of "show, don't tell". It was a sad development for a production that previously had such rich symbology. But over episodes 5 and 6 of season 8, there has been a compelling visual statement made about Daenerys' complete acceptance of her Dragon Queen persona. Dutee Chand's brave coming out opens up new avenues of discussions on homosexuality, bisexuality, queerness in sport Coming out in sport is still a relative rarity, especially in team sports, and while it now happens with increasing frequency in the West, in South Asia, it is still far less frequent to see an "out" sportsperson. Athlete Dutee Chand was able to take control of her coming out, unlike so many sportswomen in the past most crucially, Billie Jean King, who was forcibly ousted by a blackmailer. And seizing her own narrative is, as Dutee said, one of the most crucial parts of coming out in the first place. Enter Sultana's Reality: Exploring the relationship between women and books in India Enter Sultanas Reality an animated project, by Goa-based artist Afrah Shafiq is a captivating Alice in Wonderland-style adventure exploring the relationship between women and books in India. Using gifs, music, videos, statistics, comics, and little hidden notes of history, she tells the stories of women who challenged societal conventions theres Kashibai Kanitkar, the first female Marathi novelist, Anandibai Joshi, the first Indian woman to get a degree in Western medicine, and Savitribai Phule, who started the first school for Indian girls in Maharashtra, among other revolutionary women. The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, Government of Kerala has released the results for the Higher Secondary Centralised Allotment Process (HSCAP) 2019 on Monday HSCAP Kerala Plus One Trial Allotment 2019 Result | The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, Government of Kerala has released the results for the Higher Secondary Centralised Allotment Process (HSCAP) 2019 on Monday. All the students who appeared for the Kerala Plus One Trial Allotment Exam 2019 can check their results on hscap.kerala.gov.in. This list a provisional one prior to the first main Plus One allotment list scheduled to be published on 24 May and appearance in this list will not guarantee admission of candidates in Plus One. The result can be checked till 21 May by following these steps: Step 1: Visit the official HSCAP website Step 2: Click on Kerala Plus One Trial Allotment Result 2019 Step 3: Log-in to check using application number, date of birth and district Step 4: Download or take print out of the result Students can submit their applications for correction to the same school where Kerala Plus One Admission application was previously submitted. The deadline for receiving receipt of the correction form is 4 pm on 21 May. The form should have candidates name, application number, SSLC registration number (or registration number of any other equivalent exam), signature of both the candidates and the guardian and the details about the information to be corrected. Kerala education department had released the SSLC or Class 10 results on 6 May. Students from other Boards like CBSE and CISCE will be allowed to apply for Kerala Plus One single window admission process. The second trial allotment list will be released in the third week of June 2019. The admission for Kerala Plus One will begin from last week of June 2019. The classes will begin in the third week of June 2019. As per reports, over 4.7 lakh students have applied for Kerala Plus One Admission 2019. Last year, in the first round, the board had allotted 47,289 seats to eligible candidates. NAM 2019: First media announcement Around 500 astronomers and space scientists will gather at Lancaster University, from 30 June - 4 July, for the Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting 2019 (NAM 2019). The conference is the largest annual astronomy and space science event in the UK and will see leading scientists from the UK and around the world present the latest cutting-edge research. NAM 2019 incorporates the RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM), and includes the annual meetings of the UK Solar Physics (UKSP) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere Solar-Terrestrial (MIST) groups. The conference is principally sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Lancaster University. Sessions at NAM 2019 will cover a diverse range of topics in 34 parallel sessions, including galaxies, the history and fate of the Universe, future instruments and space probes, and the impact of the Sun on the Earth. Alongside the formal meeting will be a public lecture by Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who will speak about the 1919 expeditions to Principe and Sobral to verify Einstein's general theory of relativity. Meeting arrangements and a full and up to date schedule of the scientific programme can be found on the official website https:/ / nam2019. org and via the conference Twitter account https:/ / twitter. com/ rasnam2019 Details of media releases, and registration information, are on our dedicated conference media page at https:/ / nam2019. org/ press-releases Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the meeting and can register at no cost. Press room facilities will be available for the duration of the conference - from 0900 BST on Monday 1 July to 1500 BST on Thursday 4 July. A series of releases, issued under embargo, will cover key scientific results presented at the meeting. For free registration, and to obtain access to embargoed releases via the (password-protected) media site, please contact a member of the press team (see below). ### Media contacts Dr Robert Massey Royal Astronomical Society Tel: +44 (0)20 7292 3979 Mob: +44 (0)7802 877 699 nam-press@ras.ac.uk Ms Anita Heward Royal Astronomical Society Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243 nam-press@ras.ac.uk Dr Morgan Hollis Royal Astronomical Society Mob: +44 (0)7802 877700 nam-press@ras.ac.uk Notes for editors About the Royal Astronomical Society The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS, http://www. ras. ac. uk ), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organises scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 4,000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others. Twitter: https:/ / twitter. com/ royalastrosoc Facebook: https:/ / facebook. com/ royalastrosoc Instagram: https:/ / instagram. com/ royalastrosoc YouTube: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ user/ RoyalAstroSoc About the Science and Technology Facilities Council The Science and Technology Facilities Council is part of UK Research and Innovation - the UK body which works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. STFC funds and supports research in particle and nuclear physics, astronomy, gravitational research and astrophysics, and space science and also operates a network of five national laboratories as well as supporting UK research at a number of international research facilities including CERN, FERMILAB and the ESO telescopes in Chile. STFC is keeping the UK at the forefront of international science and has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar. STFC's Astronomy and Space Science programme provides support for a wide range of facilities, research groups and individuals in order to investigate some of the highest priority questions in astrophysics, cosmology and solar system science. STFC's astronomy and space science programme is delivered through grant funding for research activities, and also through support of technical activities at STFC's UK Astronomy Technology Centre and RAL Space at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. STFC also supports UK astronomy through the international European Southern Observatory. T: https:/ / twitter. com/ stfc_matters About Lancaster University Lancaster is a research-intensive university which combines world-class research with excellent teaching and high levels of student satisfaction. Lancaster University is among the best in the UK. Top 10 in all three major national league tables, it is also highly ranked in international league tables such as the QS World Rankings. Its 6th-place ranking in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, as well as the award of the coveted University of the Year title for 2018, cements its place as an elite UK university. For more information please see http://www. lancaster. ac. uk/ about-us/ rankings-and-reputation/ This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Analysts say BJP hasn't got any benefit in Kerala from the Sabarimala row, including in Pathanamthitta the hotspot of Sabarimala protests where exit polls predict a sizeable gap between BJP candidate K Surendran and Congress candidate Anto Antony The exit poll results of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, which voted on 23 April, does not indicate a Hindu consolidation in favour of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The saffron party had viewed the Sabarimala womens entry issue as a golden opportunity to increase its foothold in the state, however, most of the exit polls suggest only a minor increase in the total vote share of the BJP. According to the Mathrubhumi News-Geowide India exit poll results, the NDA share will go up from 10.81 percent in 2014 Lok Sabha election to 16 percent in 2019. There is nothing much to cheer for the BJP in this increase since its alliance, though gained in vote share as compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the saffron vote share (16 percent) is the same as the party had recorded during the 2016 Assembly election in Kerala. This means the party has not got any benefit across the state from the religious issue. The exit poll survey also does not predict a win for the party in Pathanamthitta, the hotspot of the Sabarimala protests. The exit polls suggest a sizeable gap between BJP candidate K Surendran who was at the forefront of the Sabarimala protests and the Congress candidate Anto Antony in Pathanamthitta, where the temple is located. The only seat where the exit polls give BJP a chance is Thiruvananthapuram, where party had ended runner up in the 2014 Lok Sabha election without any emotive issues such as Sabarimala. Political analysts believe that a slight edge that exit polls have predicted for Kummanam Rajasekharan (BJP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram) in the state capital is not on account of Sabarimala but due to the natural growth of the saffron partys votes in the constituency and the stature of the candidate. The BJP had won its only seat in the Assembly from the Nemom segment of the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in 2016. "If Sabarimala issue had led to a Hindu polarisation, Kummanam and Surendran would have won Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta hands down. None of the exit polls are suggesting an easy victory for both. I personally believe that the exit poll giving an edge to Kummanam will turn out to be wrong," says Sunnykutty Abraham, a senior journalist based in Thiruvananthapuram. Apart from Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta another constituency where BJP has shown an increase in its vote share is Thrissur, where the appeal of its candidate Suresh Gopi as an actor is likely to be the key factor rather than the Sabarimala issue. The exit polls does not indicate any substantial increase in the BJP vote share in the other Lok Sabha constituencies either. On the contrary, the saffron votes have dropped from 16 percent to 12 percent in Palakkad, which was in the list of the seats that BJP was counting on. Political analysts see this as a clear indication that the Hindus in Kerala are still not ready to embrace the Hindutva politics that helped the BJP sweep the cow belt. Left-leaning analyst NP Chekutty said that the Hindus in the state are strongly rooted in the secular tradition and they will not fall for BJPs political gimmicks. The exit polls, however, have sent alarm bells ringing in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which was hoping that the BJP growth in Kerala will affect only its traditional rival. The left camp remained confident because the sharp rise in the BJP votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and 2016 Assembly election had led to big loss for the UDF. The confidence stemmed from the feeling that the lower caste and backward Hindus who traditionally supported the left wont change their political affiliation. However, the Sabarimala issue seems to have caused a crack in this solid vote bank. This is evident from the sharp fall in the LDF vote share predicted by the exit polls. Most of the exit polls, including two by two leading Malayalam television channels, have indicated a 3 to 5 percent dip in the LDF vote share in the current election. The Mathrubhumi News-Geowide India exit poll results show the LDF vote share coming down from 40 percent in 2014 to 37 percent in 2019. The Manorama News-Karvy Insights give LDF only 36 percent votes this time. This shows that the over five percent additional votes that the NDA garnered this time as compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls have come entirely from the left kitty and not the UDF. In fact, a sizeable number of LDF votes seems to have also gone to the Congress-led UDF, whose vote share shows an increase from 42 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2019. In the past, the LDF had mostly benefited from an increase in BJP vote share. The LDF had increased its seats from four in 2009 to eight in 2014 when the BJP vote share saw a substantial increase from 6.44 percent to 10.81 percent. This was despite a marginal fall in the LDF vote share from 41.97 percent in 2009 to 40.11 percent in 2014. Constituency-wise analysis of vote share, as predicted by exit polls, reveals LDF losing wherever BJP is gaining. For example, the LDF has been pushed to third position in Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta that BJP expected to win this time. The exit poll has predicted an easy win for LDF candidate at Palakkad, where the BJP vote share is found dropping from 15 percent in 2014 to 12 percent now. The exit polls indicate a division in the Hindu votes between the NDA and the UDF. In fact, Congress leaders believe that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had decided to implement the 28 September Supreme Court verdict allowing entry to women of all ages in the Ayyaappa temple in a haste hoping that it will take their traditional Hindu votes to the BJP and help his camp indirectly. But in effect, the LDF has seen a sizeable flow of Hindu votes to both the NDA and the UDF. Political analysts feel this coupled with a minority consolidation could be the key factor in a sweep the pollsters have indicated for UDF this time. Most of the surveys have predicted 14 to 16 seats for UDF, four to six seats for LDF and one for the BJP. The UDF had won 12 seats in the 2014 polls while the LDF had managed to win eight seats. The LDF could win eight seats in the last election because of division in the minority votes that traditionally favoured the UDF. The left made major gains in Muslim and Christian belts in the last two elections by playing the Hndutva card against the Congress and projecting itself as the saviour of the minorities. The virtual sweep the exit polls have predicted for the UDF in Muslim-dominated northern districts and the Christian-dominated Central Kerala shows that Rahuls candidature may have helped the UDF in regaining the minority votes that went to the LDF in the last two elections. With Rahul leading the fight against the BJP, the LDF's claim as the saviour of minorities lost its relevance. The biggest concern in the LDF camp, however, is the erosion in its Hindu vote bank. A substantial chunk of lower caste and backward Hindu communities that formed the backbone of Communist parties seem to have deserted the LDF on account of the Sabarimala issue. The CPM has not given any credence to the exit polls. The chief minister claimed that they will win majority of the seats. However, left strategists find the trend dangerous. They have warned that if the growth of the BJP continues, the saffron party may walk into their space as in West Bengal and complete the total fall of left citadels in the country. The exit polls that began soon after the massive exercise of the Lok Sabha election wrapped up on Sunday, were watched with bated breath by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, the Congress-led Opposition, and the electorate. The exit polls that began soon after the massive exercise of the Lok Sabha election wrapped up on Sunday, were watched with bated breath by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, the Congress-led Opposition, and the electorate. Towards the end, the outcome was clear as most pollsters predicted a comfortable win for the BJP and its allies, with some surveys projecting that the ruling coalition will cross the 300 seat-mark. While members of the ruling government could barely contain the anticipation of being re-elected, the Congress and other Opposition leaders tried to highlight that the exit polls are usually only a broad snapshot of a likely outcome and are not set in stone. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was the first to dismiss the exit poll predictions, terming it as "gossip". "I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together," she tweeted. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, however, pointed to the elections in Australia last weekend to back his claim of the exit polls being "all wrong", when "Fifty-six exit polls were proved wrong". Strike rate of exit polls abroad Australia's ruling Conservative Coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday made a "miraculous" comeback in the general election, defying exit polls and demolishing the opposition Labor Party, forcing its leader Bill Shorten to step down. A Nine-Galaxy poll released shortly before the voting stations closed in Australia showed a victory for the Labor party and Liberal Party-led coalition losing its bid for a third three-year term. The poll showed the Labor winning as many as 82 seats, beating the ruling Coalition. On Friday, media reports had also endorsed Labour leader Shorten as the best chance to end a "cycle of instability" in Australian politics. Another poll, the Newspoll survey predicted that Labor would swing the votes in its favour, but also said that the leader approval rating favoured Morrison, with 45 percent saying he would make a better prime minister as compared to Shorten. A similar situation about the accuracy of exit polls was analysed by The Guardian in the United Kingdoms, and the reports said that the agencies had consistently gotten the predictions wrong until the 2005 election. Vox reported on the 2018 US mid-term elections and said,"Exit polling can be a tricky business, though, and not necessarily reflective of how elections will turn out some early exit polls in 2016 pointed to a victory for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, for example." In the 2015 Israel General Election, the pollsters' predictions were off by several seats, saying that Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party would lose to the opposition Zionist Union led by Isaac Herzog by four seats. However, Netanyahu went ahead to secure a fourth term as Israel's prime minister. With inputs from agencies The defamation case filed by MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani over sexual harassment case, which was one of the most prominent cases in the Me Too movement in India, has been posted for further hearing on 6 July and will be heard in Delhi's Rouse Avenue court The defamation case filed by MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani over sexual harassment case, which was one of the most prominent cases in the Me Too movement in India, has been posted for further hearing on 6 July and will be heard in Delhi's Rouse Avenue court. The case came up before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal on Monday. Akbar was cross-examined by Ramani's advocate Rebecca John. The hearing on Monday saw a heated exchange between the two senior advocates Akbar's counsel Geeta Luthra and John as Luthra objected many questions asked by John. The Patiala House court on 7 May had deferred the cross-examination of the former union minister in the defamation case filed by him against Ramani after she levelled a charge of sexual misconduct against him. Akbar was partly cross-examined by senior advocate Rebecca John appearing on the behalf of Ramani. Other senior women journalists were present during the hearing in support of Ramani. Advocate Geeta Luthra appeared on behalf of Akbar in the court. During the course of hearing, Akbar contended that the allegations made by Ramani "maligned" his reputation. "I filed a criminal defamation complaint against a tweet that Priya Ramani issued last year in October. The tweet was based on an article that the accused had written in Vogue in 2017. The language used in her tweet was deeply offensive and a web of the fabricated lies." He also asserted that he has a "clean history", to which, Rebecca asked him about the "ideological and political U-turns" Akbar took during his career as a politician. "Were you not associated with Congress in 1989 and shifted your loyalty in 2014 when you joined BJP?" she asked. She also counter-questioned him on the allegations of sexual misconduct levied by Ramani. Responding to the same, he said, "I don't remember." Speaking to media persons after the hearing, senior advocate Rebecca John said, "It is not the story of Priya but countless other women who have been sexually assaulted by Akbar. We want to make it clear that women no longer accept sexual harassment at the workplace. I hope it comes out in the testimonies of various witnesses we will produce. In the end, we hope that the judge acquits her." Ramani had on 10 April pleaded not guilty before the court and claimed trial after the court framed defamation charges against her on a criminal complaint of Akbar. In the last hearing, Vishal had also granted a permanent exemption to Ramani from personal appearance in the hearings to follow. In February, Ramani was granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000. Ramani was the first woman to accuse Akbar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo campaign. Akbar, the former Minister of State for External Affairs, had filed a defamation case against the journalist for accusing him of sexual misconduct. The allegations levelled against him forced him to resign from the Union Cabinet on 17 October, 2018. With inputs from agencies The Election Commission clamped prohibitory orders in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, following violence in the area during the assembly by-election on Sunday Kolkata: The Election Commission on Monday clamped prohibitory orders in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, following violence in the area during the assembly by-election on Sunday, a senior official said. Keeping in mind the "sensitive" situation in Bhatpara, it was decided to impose Section 144 of the CrPC, the EC official told reporters here. The commission had sought a report from the district magistrate on Sunday's poll-related violence in Bhatpara. "Going by the report of the DM, Section 144 was clamped. It will prohibit assembly of five or more people. Our security forces are posted in the area and we are keeping a tab on the situation," he said. Madan Mitra, the TMC candidate for the Bhatpara assembly constituency, on Monday visited the EC office, accusing BJP leader Arjun Singh of "using force" to stop him from entering the town. The former state transport minister, who is pitched against Singh's son Pawan, also said that if he was not allowed to enter Bhatpara on Tuesday, he would start a "satyagraha" (protest). Bhatpara, considered to be the stronghold of former TMC MLA Arjun Singh, turned into a virtual battle zone on Sunday when the by-election was underway, with BJP and TMC activists allegedly clashing with each other in Kankinara under the Bhatpara Assembly constituency. Bombs were also reportedly hurled and an office of the ruling TMC in Kankinara was set on fire, as central forces restored to lathicharge to bring the situation under control. The violence caused injury to 14 people, damaged shops and houses, and left Mitra's car vandalised, police said. Meanwhile, around 200 companies of central forces would continue to remain in West Bengal till 27 May in the wake of possible post-poll violence in the state, officials said. "Steps have been taken to guard the strongroom where the EVMs and the VVPATs are kept. The number of observers who will keep a tab on the counting process on 23 May, has also been increased," an EC source said. 'Fake news, hate speech and defamatory content has grown on these platforms and spreads like wildfire. A more proactive approach is needed to address this.' Anurag Singh Thakur is a member of 16th Lok Sabha from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh and has sought re-election from the same constituency in the just concluded elections to 17th Lok Sabha elections. Thakur is a three-time MP and is the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Information Technology in Parliament. This committee has been instrumental in summoning Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook and Google to discuss measures they were to take to ensure the protection of data privacy of users, smooth running of elections and preventing the spread of misinformation. Thakur in an e-mail interaction with Sameer Sachdeva of Firstpost discussed a range of issues related to privacy in the internet world. Edited excerpts from the interview follow. Firstpost: The parliamentary committee on IT is examining the issue of citizens data security and privacy. What are the contours it is addressing in the examination? Anurag Thakur: There are multiple aspects from a national as well as international perspective that concern citizens data protection and privacy. We are looking at the best practices within India as well as in other countries in order to strengthen the Indian ecosystem on this issue. The internet transcends boundaries, however, we would like to ensure that we have the requisite jurisdiction to safeguard Indian citizens rights not just within our national boundaries. Firstpost: Are you also looking into norms and regulations that will govern social media? Thakur: Regulation is always the last resort. Efforts are underway to promote an open internet with minimum government involvement along with adequate oversight on issues that affect national security. A self-regulatory framework with adequate checks and balances in place would be the ideal solution. Tech companies must show greater transparency and leadership on data protection; if they fail, users may log off. Firstpost: Justice (retd.) Sri Krishna Committee has submitted its report along with draft Data Protection Bill to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). What is your take on the same? Thakur: We will take a holistic view when it comes to the committee and members deliberate on the issues. Firstpost: European Union has implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on 25 May 2018. What is the cause of the delay for a similar legislation in India? Thakur: The process had already begun with the Justice (retd.) Sri Krishna committee multi-stakeholder discussion on the issue. It has submitted its report along with draft Data Protection Bill to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Indias parliamentary committee is the fourth in the world to take up the issue after Singapore, United States, United Kingdom and European Union; in fact it was our committee that first raised the issue of Net Neutrality months before it became a national issue in India, recently TRAI presented guidelines on the issue. Firstpost: Has the committee taken note of the media reports that Cambridge Analytica and its associate had harvested Facebook data for political purposes in the past elections in India? Thakur: We have taken note of Facebook's involvement with Cambridge Analytica. Prior to our meetings, we invite all stakeholders to send us their views and concerns directly to the committee. Firstpost: Even though the CBI is the investigator on the matter, a year has passed and not even an FIR has been filed? Has the committee taken note of the delays from CBI in the above matter? Thakur: It depends on the Government to take a view on that. Firstpost: The Standing Committee on IT had summoned Twitter and later Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram to appear before it. What were the discussions with these companies? Thakur: We asked all of these organisations to ensure that the integrity of the Indian Elections in the immediate future was maintained, that they work in real time with the Election Commission of India(ECI) and appoint a nodal officer to resolve issues flagged by the ECI. This was a unanimous decision of the Members. The detailed discussions cannot be disclosed in the public domain till the time the report is tabled in Parliament. Firstpost: What is your take on the spread of fake news through social media and what steps has the committee suggested to these social media companies? Thakur: Fake news, hate speech and defamatory content has grown on these platforms and spreads like wildfire. A more proactive approach is needed to address this. Companies also need to sensitise their employees addressing these issues regarding India and cannot have a one size fits all approach. Employee bias should not feed into the algorithm that flags these issues. Firstpost: Protection of data on the internet being a complex issue, how do you propose to address the same in case voted back to power? Thakur: India has leapfrogged towards mobile, affordable and accessible internet for all; this will grow by the millions due to the Digital India program which has laid the groundwork through high-speed optical fibre networks in villages across India. We will take on all issues through a multi-stakeholder approach and keep the concerns of citizens and industry in mind while making policy. Just the facts and history in the Supreme Courts judgment this month in BK Pavitra vs State of Karnataka (2019) make for exhausting reading. It all starts in 1978, when Karnataka introduced reservations in promotions for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. In doing so, it was one of many states in India to have undertaken this move which has seen multiple rounds of litigation in the Supreme Court and multiple amendments to the Constitution. The latest judgement, upholding the law granting reservation in promotions in government jobs in Karnataka, and consequential seniority to such promotees, is actually the second round of litigation from the state on just this issue. In the first round (BK Pavitra I, 2017), the Supreme Court had struck down a 2002 reservation law passed by Karnataka which guaranteed consequential seniority (more on this later) to those promoted to reserved jobs, by relying upon the constitution bench judgement in M Nagaraj v State of Karnataka (2006). In another subsequent case (Jarnail Singh v Lacchmi Narain Gupta, 2018) the correctness of the top courts judgment in Nagaraj was questioned and the Supreme Court clarified certain aspects of the ruling. Following this, a fresh law was passed by Karnataka in 2017, providing reservations in promotion and consequential seniority which was challenged in this particular case that I will refer to as BK Pavitra II. Why are questions of promotion and seniority prompting such bitter and long-drawn out court battles? After all, it is not a matter of exclusive access to scarce government jobs but the conditions of service of those who already have these jobs. Seniority in government jobs is not a trifling matter however it is an important consideration for further promotions and eventual access to the topmost posts in the administration. It is always a great source of resentment in government service to find someone more junior having leapfrogged over oneself to a better post. With reservations in promotions, and the reserved category promotees getting seniority over those not promoted from the general category, the resentment can reach epic proportions. A nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney v Union of India (1992) had held reservations in promotion to be unconstitutional, but this was undone by the 77th amendment to the Constitution. When the 77th amendment was challenged in Nagaraj, it was upheld but with two caveats that reservations in promotion must be carried out on the basis of objective material to show under-representation and the creamy layer must be excluded. However, in Jarnail Singh, it was clarified that the requirement to show under-representation was not mandatory though the exclusion of the creamy layer was mandated. On the basis of this clause, the Supreme Court in BK Pavitra II upheld the 2017 Karnataka law. While finding the Act to be based on not just the law, but also the need to rectify the lack of SC/ST representation, the court also dismissed the contention that reservation in promotion is somehow antithetical to the needs of efficiency in administration an express requirement under Article 335 of the Constitution. In outlining what it means by efficiency, the Supreme Court also ties it to the concept of substantive equality in an interesting passage which bears repeating in full: The benchmark for the efficiency of administration is not some disembodied, abstract ideal measured by the performance of a qualified open category candidate. Efficiency of administration in the affairs of the Union or of a State must be defined in an inclusive sense, where diverse segments of society find representation as a true aspiration of governance by and for the people. This interpretation is not novel but still relevant in the present circumstances. The BK PavitraII judgment, therefore, suggests that the Supreme Court gets the purpose of reservations in the context of government jobs. That they see this as not some charity to be handed out to oppressed and excluded groups of citizens but something that is inherent and essential to the constitutional vision of equality in the constitution. Or do they? The series of events around the sexual harassment allegations against CJI Ranjan Gogoi tells us that the court (and not just a few stray judges) seems to think that the Constitution, law, and rules, apply to everyone else but them. That things like the principles of natural justice, fairness, transparency, among other things are to be enforced against the government and other institutions leaving the court to operate in a rarefied realm untouched by any of these. Likewise are the questions of representation in the judiciary. While the subordinate judiciary (namely the level below the high courts) are governed by state government laws which mandate some form of reservations in appointment, the higher judiciary, namely the high courts and the Supreme Court have resisted all calls for greater representation and diversity among their ranks. As a recent study by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy has shown, barely 10 percent of high court judges are women, even though 27 percent of judges in the subordinate judiciary are. While SCs form 14 percent of all subordinate judiciary judges and STs, 12 percent, OBCs still remain under-represented at just 14 percent. The numbers are, however, worse for the higher judiciary. According to the last available figures, from 2011, there were only a total of 21 judges from the SC/ST communities in the high courts out of around 600 judges in total. There has been only one judge belonging to the Dalit community appointed to the Supreme Court in the last two decades. If Justice BR Gavais elevation goes through, that will take the number to two. The collegium resolution recommending the elevation of Justice Gavai seems to suggest that the Supreme Court is at least aware of the need to increase the representation of SC/ST/OBC communities among the higher judiciary. But given the structure of the appointment system that the court has created and follows, it is apparent that it thinks tokenism is the same as representation. Nearly 70 percent of high court judgeships are reserved de facto for the members of the Bar while only 30 percent are reserved for members of the subordinate judiciary. This is not a formal reservation but as I wrote in 2016 for the Economic and Political Weekly, this has become the practice under the collegium system of appointment of judges. Given that the Bar is dominated by a few castes who have the networks and access to stay in practice long enough, this effectively results in a higher judiciary dominated by savarna men who go on to appoint more savarna men in a self-perpetuating system. Witness the Supreme Court collegium relaxing its age criteria to recommend Advocate Vishal Mishra (a relative of Justice Arun Mishra of the Supreme Court) to judgeship in Madhya Pradesh High Court. When its own appointment and promotion system is beset with non-transparency, favouritism, and nepotism, it is somewhat hard to take the Supreme Courts soaring rhetoric in BK Pavitra II seriously. A cynical view would to be treat the BK Pavitra II judgment as a nice essay written to no real effect since the Karnataka state government gets to keep doing its good work and the petitioners continue to do what they do. The less cynical and more optimistic view would be to hope that the BK Pavitra-II judgment might prompt honest soul-searching in the judiciary as to whether it has been able to uphold the constitutional principles it claims to espouse in this case. When traditional publishers passed on her ideas for food-related books, Nandita Godbole decided to dive into crowdfunding and publishing her first book as an independent author. In this Writer's Room conversation with Krupa Ge, she speaks about DIY publishing, the pressures of marketing one's own work as a writer, and the food writing that moves her Editor's note: Writer's Room is a new books column, curated by Krupa Ge along with 15 writers across India. The column seeks to introduce new works as well as allow a peek into the writer's studio, accompanied by recordings of book readings. *** Nandita Godbole grew up in India, in Mumbai, and during her undergraduate and postgraduate years, friends would often find her with her nose buried in Botany books, sketching or painting, or writing poetry". Food and food-related businesses were part of her family for most of her childhood. I spent a good chunk of the year on our mango and coconut farm, which kept me connected with nature and I got to experience the nascent version of the farm-to-table phenomenon even before it became fashionable, she says. Nandita used to host secret suppers in Atlanta for many years, and her guests would ask her why there werent books that included recipes for foods that were traditional Indian celebratory or festive meals". Her guests asked her to write one. However, it wasnt all that easy for Nandita. Traditional book agents did not see potential in an Indian cookbook by a homemaker, so they passed it on. I decided to dive into crowdfunding, and ended up publishing my first book as an independent author, she explains. Does indie publishing make most sense in the food writing domain? Yes, and no. Cookbooks, like other genres, thrive on the interest of niche audiences. Most traditional publishers look for potential sales to commit to a book project, because their investment is multi-tiered and includes a complicated network of many people. Many traditional publishing houses have a larger footprint to sustain, and therefore may not have the ability to nurture lesser known voices. Imagine a pyramid, with the author at the very top, probably the smallest piece of the pyramid and everyone else below. He or she essentially represents the least important piece of that pyramid. The publishers strategy affects cookbooks and food writing the most. Not everyone is a celebrity chef. Non-celebrities seldom land a traditional book contract, unless they have a large business or social media following, or have an influencer status. The audiences for regional cuisines are even smaller, only compounding the problem, she explains. Nandita presented her first book A Dozen Ways to Celebrate at a food writing panel in New York alongside Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Suvir Saran and Chef Saransh Goila all celebrity chefs with unique profiles. She was stunned when Vikas Khanna said that five of his first books were self-published, and that it took his current publisher several years to evaluate his success before they offered him a book deal. Nandita also talks about the thing a lot writers dont openly acknowledge when she says, As glamorous as it sounds, authors may be at the top of the pyramid but they are also the least paid people in the entire pyramid of publishing, if one accounts for the many hours they spend writing, testing recipes, and later marketing it. Multiply this effort a few times for indie authors and one will understand that they settle for the satisfaction of doing something they love. I personally wish that traditional publishing houses would consider showcasing diverse and unique voices with remarkable stories via limited-edition print runs, so that all these stories are shared farther out into the world, and we are all culturally richer for it. But what is DIY publishing like? DIY publishing is like taking on any other challenge, except adding on a heavy layer of thrilling and exciting moments, as well as disappointments and the feeling of being alone, she says. Writing is in itself a lonely affair, and self-publishing can be further daunting. The learning curve is really sharp and one must have a faithful set of people who support the process whole-heartedly, redlines, deadlines and all. DIY publishing experiences vary, most definitely by gender, age, family dynamics (single vs married, number of children, household income), the moral support, geographic region, genre of work, as well as the strength of ones peer/professional network. I find most of the process extremely enjoyable. There is an indescribable joy in connecting with people who believe in supporting entrepreneurship and enterprise, it allows me complete creative freedom and control. In todays publishing world, authors are expected to also double up as a books marketing agent, promoting their own selves and their work across social media and elsewhere. Marketing is a top pet-peeve of any author, traditionally published or not, so this is not exclusive to DIY publishing, but indie authors experience their own challenges. Much like a small family-run business, every penny and paisa must be accounted for without cutting corners. The margins are very tight on indie books, so it is impossible to offer discounts or free books that many people (readers, family members, reviewers) assume a DIY published author has available to give away. This practice is perpetuated under the review-copy culture that traditional publishers offer to bloggers and reviewers. Those who do not know the dedicated amount of work that goes into DIY publishing often discount it as being unprofessional. Any indie author who has given away hundreds of free books to reviewers and influencers will attest that most reviewers dont feel obligated to even read indie books, and another free book will not change that. Today, social media presence plays a large role in public perception. Unlike traditionally published authors, many indie authors are secretly more comfortable with readers who truly love and appreciate their work, over a large following of people merely looking for free content. In her book Ten Thousand Tongues (2018), fact and fiction meet. It is a biographical fiction work based on five generations of women of my family, who have bequeathed me a very complex, rich and diverse culinary heritage. Seven of these eight women shaped the comfort foods in our home, lived rather simple and unglamorous lives but in doing so, they paved the way for the next generation of young women and men and gave them the comfort and security of home, to rise above their social circumstances. The protagonist, Ana, is of this generation, based on my own life experiences. Her story describes the culturally nuanced journey of being a child, a daughter, a wife, a mother and then an author, of being an immigrant in a foreign land. In a world only too eager to keep a woman subservient, Ana struggles to make room for herself, and hopes to pave the way for the success of her own child. Now, Nandita has another book out. Many readers had asked me for a book on Indian rotis and naans. When I looked through classic Indian cookbooks, I spotted only small sections with perhaps four to eight recipes. Many young adults of Indian origin can rattle off the names of 30 different kinds of pastas and their complimentary sauces, but cant identify more than five kinds of breads of Indian origin much beyond rotis, parathas or naans. Even if I were to count the basic kinds, there were at least a few dozen. So, I wrote my most recent book, Roti: 40 Classic Indian Breads & Sides (2019). About her food writing inspirations, Nandita says, I resonate more with those who share stories greater than the food itself. They take readers on an unforgettable journey, are not egocentric but respectfully inclusive and educate us along the way. Such writers share context, relationships, and discuss seasonality and spirituality as it relates to the existence of even a single grain or morsel on a plate. Seasoned writers like Madhur Jaffrey, Neelam Batra offer classic insight, whereas Suvir Sarans ever entertaining and informative social media feeds get me excited about our wonderful Indian cuisine. When preparing for Ten Thousand Tongues, I read many food memoirs and food essays on current issues and continue to find joy in new emerging voices that offer refreshing perspectives. An excerpt from Ten Thousand Tongues: Secrets of a layered kitchen Chapter Twenty: Whats In A Name? By the end of the dinner, Ana and her dinner mate, the funny chap, had fallen into polite conversations of their own, in their vernacular, common, and comfortable Indian English, dropping the strained mechanisms they had trained themselves to use around others, because it was unnecessary with each other. Starved for an easy going conversation, Ana and the boy had happily ignored the faculty speeches and chatter around them, because it was after all, white noise. Dinner ended at 9.00 pm, Ana and her new friend were still talking, laughing and deep in conversation. They stopped at the local coffee shop to continue, it closed at 11.00 pm, but the evening was not over yet for them. They each paid for a hot chocolate and decided to walk home in the cool May evening, but found a breezy outdoor patio instead near an old theatre. They sat down to chat some more. For the first time since Suhas, Ana had spent an entire evening with someone who was unpretentiously simple, easy to talk to, and who was enjoying a conversation with her. They were not rushed, had nowhere to be, their conversations had unfolded. Anas companion was not flamboyant like the other young men who courted her, or met in India or on campus, nor was he like any of those America-returned alliances who thought they were looking for a wife, but were in fact searching for a presentable and educated housekeeper. Although he had lived in America a few years, this young fellow simply was not bothered by appearances. He appeared extremely practical and was oddly aware of his own shortcomings. He came from a middle-class home like she did. He was from Pune, like Suhas, but his Marathi was terrible, because he was a transplant there, a Tamilian whose family was still tied to the muggy and hot Southern India even thirty years after they first moved here. Hearing what he had to say, it felt like they lived and breathed in a time and space that was elsewhere from where they were, never really coming to terms with the change, constantly bound by a longing, a homesickness, a malaise of a different land and its people. But Ana decided not to judge for she had never met them. Their evening carried on until 1.00 am on that breezy patio of the theatre building until campus police reminded them to go home. They walked several blocks to a late-night shuttle, he walked her up to her apartment and then to his own apartment a few more blocks farther. This was Ravi. Odissi is a young dance form, though it has assimilated and is born of ancient temple dance traditions, music, poetry, and devotion to Jagannatha. At a recent performance of Odissi on High, an all-male ensemble achieved striking masculine vigour with quintessential movements movements that only easily lend themselves to execution with feminine grace. Odissi is a source of endless beauty and wonder. From its stunning sun motif costume, to its curvaceous, graceful movements that swaying torso which miraculously avoids the obscene, that tribhanga and the chaukha, langorous music, the resonant pakhawaj, with Krishnas love and worship of Jagannatha at its heart, Odissi is beautiful. It evokes wonder and teases the mind male dancers swaying their torsos and necks in delicate feminine movements, female dancers swirling around to come back to the chaukha, their legs and arms spread out to form a square, a very masculine posture. It all fits; male, female, grace, vigour, delicacy, strength all co-exist without jostling for space. Equally wondrous is the music names of many of its ragas and talas are found in Carnatic music: Sankarabharanam, Mukhari, Chakravakam, (not Ahir Bhairav), Triputa tala, Eka tala. They are however rendered in a style closer to Hindustani music. Odissi is a young dance form, though it has assimilated and is born of ancient temple dance traditions, music, poetry, and devotion to Jagannatha. Reinventing itself as a classical dance form of India, it has a repertoire of pure dance as well as of abhinaya. Bharatanatyam, thanks to the Tanjai Nalwar or the Tanjore Quartet, is perhaps the most systematised among our dance forms; the adavus or groups of dance steps give it a strong system of basic building blocks, not found in other dance forms. But Odissi had brilliant gurus like Kelucharan Mahapatra, Pankaj Charan Das, Debaprasad Das and others who created a repertoire that is definitive of the dance form. Pallavi is usually the first item, after the mangalacharan, to be performed and is a pure dance item, one without abhinaya. Pallavi begs comparison with the Alarippu of Bharatanatyam both mean sprouting, blossoming. Delicate movements of the neck, the arms, the hands, the wrist, the eyes, the eyebrows, the head, and in the case of Odissi, of the torso, and the hip too, enticingly bring the body of the dancer alive for the audience. Angika as described in the Natyasastra is the focus here. Alarippu, however, is performed standing centre stage and then creating a squarish area where the dancer draws straight lines in movement, while Odissi explores the whole stage in sinuous movements drawing circles within circles. The Pallavi arguably was designed for one dancer to present a beautiful range of stylised movements bringing the angas alive. It is pure dance with place for no other emotions or rasa, if you will, than the sheer joy of movement. Each delicate movement, each circular movement of the arms, each sway of the torso demands audience attention with the promise of exquisite beauty and joy. When it is presented in a group, one wishes for a thousand eyes, as that poet said (kaana kaN ayiram vendum). Odissi on High (ticklishly abbreviated to 'OOH') pushes the boundaries of Pallavi on both these counts to present it in a group and to weave in bhava/moods. OOH is the coming together of Sutra Foundation, Ramli Ibrahims dance school in Malaysia, and Rudrakshya Foundation, the dance school of Guru Bichitrananda Swain in Bhubhaneshwar with boundless verve and audacity, a description that turned out to be apt and justified. OOH was premiered in Chennai by Aalaap before a houseful audience with senior Bharatanatyam dancers attending in warm support. This was the penultimate show of their India tour of seven cities. A smoke screen and the sound of the flute ushered in a languid mood, though the smoke screen did raise misgivings, since one associates it with slightly reduced artistic seriousness. The dancers were all fabulous, costumes exquisite and the themes varied enough to keep the attention piqued and engaged. Male and female dancers moved in and out with grace and rehearsed perfection, forming quick patterns and dissolving as quickly. The themes ranged from love for Krishna, the divine flute player, to the personification of the Raga Mukhari (identical with the Carnatic Mukhari, except for the absence of the flat Dhaivat), to the apsaras tempting a renunciate. The most outstanding piece was Tala Taranga, a dance composition of Guru Bichitrananda Swain. The all-male-ensemble presentation was brilliant because of its choreography as well as the performance. It achieved striking masculine vigour with quintessential Odissi movements movements that only easily lend themselves to execution with feminine grace. Using the Pallavi in Chakravaka (another Carnatic connection here) to depict the temptations of the senses and a renunciates struggle was quite a novel idea. Recast by Sutra Collectives, it laudably avoided explicit sensuality. While the idea of suggesting or depicting themes and moods is entirely welcome, one wonders about Odissi in group performances. All our classical dance forms are essentially for solo performances, if we discount the theatre aspect of Kathakali. Why would one want to cast any of them in group performances? Group performances can create patterns, visual shapes and movements of lines and circles that a solo performance cannot. For this a dance form with straight lines like Bharatanatyam is more easily suited, because co-ordination is easier to achieve. Perfect group coordination is harder to pull off in Odissi with its curves and waves. Movements of the arms above the head in a sideways arc, for example, had different arms at different points. One wanted to devour each single dancers exquisite movements separately; the group effect was not always easy to see. One wonders if it is not excessive to present Odissi in a group of such fabulous dancers, rendering it difficult to absorb fully. A word about the artistic exuberance of Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, Bringing together two dance schools in different countries, conceptualising and executing an entire production based on one item of the Odissi repertoire, not backing off from a bit of audacity at that, raising funding for it and taking it on extended tours is no easy achievement. Politically alert and outspoken, culturally informed, and artistically adventurous he is a phenomenal combination. Dr Lakshmi Sreeram is a Carnatic and Hindustani musician and researcher. She writes about art and culture using myth, story, philosophy, and everything in between. Write to her at larasriram14@gmail.com. Nuskha-e-Shahjahani recaptures the nostalgia of the Mughal era, presenting the recipes and unveiling the mystique of the royal kitchens during Shah Jahan's reign Mughal cuisine was shaped by all kinds of influences: Turkish, Afghani, and Persian, mixed in with Kashmiri, Punjabi, and a touch of Deccan. Each emperor also had his favourites, and Shah Jahan is credited with adding new spices to the cuisine. Meals in the royal household began with the recitation of the Bismillah-e-Rahaman-e-Rahim in the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful. Salma Yusuf Husain records recipes from the kitchen of the emperor Shah Jahan in a new book The Mughal Feast (Roli Books, 2019) a transcreation of the Nuska-e-Shahjahani. The following excerpt from The Mughal Feast: Recipes from the Kitchen of Emperor Shah Jahan has been republished with permission from the author and Roli Books. *** Shah Jahan, considered one of the greatest Mughals, was the fifth Mughal emperor of India. He ruled over the vast empire left by his grandfather Akbar from 1628 to 1658. As the third son born to Emperor Jahangir, initially it seemed unlikely that he would be the chosen heir to succeed his father. Even after the death of Akbar, he remained distant from court politics when his brothers were engaged in conflicts over the throne. However, with time he became ambitious, grew closer to his father and was finally named the emperor upon Jahangirs death in 1627. In 1638, Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to Delhi, perhaps due to the summer heat of Agra, and called it Shahjahanabad. Shah Jahans reign was essentially a period of peace in which literature flourished, education made mighty strides, and architecture, painting, poetry and music progressed in leaps and bounds. He made India a rich centre of arts, crafts and architecture, and is rendered memorable in history for the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort of Shahjahanabad. The silver twilight of Mughal civilisation began with Shah Jahan. Delhi was now a sanctuary of an urbane, sophisticated court which had taste, even elegance. By early 1730 the city had absorbed various elements from neighbouring regions and witnessed a mingling of international as well as national strains and an interchange of ideas, customs and food. The Portuguese relationship with the Mughals had already been established a long time back, along the trade routes. Hence the imperial kitchens, besides Indian ingredients, saw an additional ingredient brought by the Portuguese the chilli. The chilli was very similar to the long pepper, already in use, and therefore did not look too unfamiliar to royal chefs, but had the hot taste. Other vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes also appeared on the scene and the food of the Red Fort became rich in colour, hot in taste, and varied as compared to the bland food of its ancestors. Qormas and qaliyas, pulaos and kababs, and vegetables in different garb, besides European cakes and puddings, adorned the table. Cooking and serving food in the royal kitchens was a riot of colours, fragrances, experiments, table manners and protocols. The emperors usually ate with their queens and concubines, except on festive occasions, when they dined with nobles and courtiers. Daily meals were usually served by eunuchs, but an elaborate chain of command accompanied the food to the table. The hakim (royal physician) planned the menu, making sure to include medicinally beneficial ingredients. For instance, each grain of rice for the pulao was coated with silver warq, which aided digestion and acted as an aphrodisiac. One account records a Mughal banquet given by Asaf Khan, the emperors wazir, during Jahangirs time to Shah Jahan though no outsider had ever seen any emperor while dining except once when Friar Sebastian Manriquea, a Portuguese priest, was smuggled by an eunuch inside the harem to watch Shah Jahan eat his food with Asaf Khan. Once the menu was decided, an elaborate kitchen staff numbering at least a few hundred swung into action. Since a large number of dishes were served at each meal, an assembly line of staff undertook the chopping and cleaning, the washing and grinding. Food was cooked in rainwater mixed with water brought in from the Ganges for the best possible taste. Not only the cooking but the way the food was served is interesting to note food was served in dishes made of gold and silver studded with precious stones, and of jade, as it detected poison. The food was eaten on the floor; sheets of leather covered with white calico protected the expensive carpets. This was called dastarkhwan. It was customary for the emperor to set aside a portion of food for the poor before eating. The emperor began and ended his meal with prayers; the banquet ran for hours as Shah Jahan liked to enjoy his food, spending long hours at dastarkhwan. With the passage of time, indigenisation in the cooking style became obvious and certain Indian ingredients, like Kashmiri vadi, sandalwood powder, suhaga, betel leaves, white gourd, and batasha, and fruits like mango, phalsa, banana, etc., were used to give different flavours to dishes. Like his ancestors, Shah Jahan also enjoyed fresh fruits. The Mughals gave India a variety of fruits like cherries, apricots, grapes and melons, but their love for mangoes was unbeatable. Shah Jahan liked to weigh fruits in front of him and once became angry when one of his sons, instead of sending mangoes from his favourite tree in Deccan, ate them all. Shah Jahans love for mangoes made the imperial kitchens prepare imaginative recipes of qaliya and pulao to please the emperor. Though the cooking of pulao finds its mention in early Tamil literature of the 3rd and 6th centuries, its refinement was brought by the Mughals, for whom the cooking of rice was indeed an art. It required a certain finesse to cook it to perfection. In the hands of the culinary masters of the royal kitchens, cooking became yet another medium of expression and pulaos became a sophisticated dish of royal cuisine. A variety of exotic pulaos, like moti pulao, narangi pulao, mutanjan pulao and muresseh pulao were created and presented on the royal dastarkhwan to suit the royal palate. A lover of aesthetics, Shah Jahans kitchen was an exhibition ground of boundless creative energy and finesse. There are two manuscripts, Alwan-e-Nemat (Bounties of the Table) written during Jahangirs time now in the collection of the National Museum in New Delhi, and Nuskha-e-Shahjahani, in the British Library in London, that talk about Shah Jahans kitchen. A copy of Nuskha-e-Shahjahani is also available in the Government Oriental Manuscript Library, Chennai, critically edited by Syed Muhammed Fazlulla Sahib, and published in 1956. [My book is a translation of the Persian text of the manuscript, with no changes made with regard to the measures mentioned in the original text.] Nuskha-e-Shahjahani recaptures the nostalgia of the Mughal era, presenting the recipes and unveiling the mystique of the royal kitchens. Until now, no efforts were made to bring to light the treasure of recipes revealing the art of cooking in the time of the Mughals. The original manuscript begins without any trace of the author or date of its compilation. The chapters describe the preparations of different dishes of those days in detail, and include recipes for making and preparing breads, soups, pulaos, kababs, do-piyazahs, fish, samosas and sweets. It takes you inside the imperial kitchens, where food was cooked with the right amount of spices to enhance the base flavours of the dishes. Specific combinations of herbs and flavouring agents characterised these foods, the blend of which was developed by expert cooks in keeping with the advice of the royal hakims. Nuskha-e-Shahjahani reveals that few spices were used in cooking; cartloads of almonds, pistachios, walnuts, apricots, plums, raisins and saffron were imported along the new roads that were constructed to facilitate trade. The sweet and salty tastes relished by the Mughals are quite apparent from the selection of recipes in the manuscript. The extensive use of nuts, gold and silver leaves, saffron and aromatic herbs made food exotic and flavourful. Most of the dishes mentioned in the manuscript were prepared in bulk, as there were many guests and family members to cater to, so the quantity of ingredients was huge. However, today recipes are mostly prepared for much smaller groups. Thus, one may reduce the quantities of the ingredients mentioned in the manuscript as per ones liking. Furthermore, some recipes, such as Yakhni Talavi, may appear to be incongruous with their chapter descriptions, but since they are placed this way in the original manuscript, we have decided to leave them as they are. Also important to note is the old use of shangarf or cinnabar for food colouring [as my book is a translation, it has been left in, but it is not to be used due to certain health risks]. The manuscript also provides helpful tips for cooking. Methods to clean fish, soften bones, make artificial bone marrow and colour food using juices of vegetables and essence of flowers throw light on the creativity of the cooks of the royal kitchens. It mentions the method of cooking zeer biryan through indirect cooking by placing bamboo sticks at the bottom of the pan and placing the main ingredient of the dish like meat, fish or paneer over it. The dish was then cooked on dum. It was common to cook food on low heat and finish on dum, a technique adopted extensively in India under the name dum pukht. The arrival of every dish was a ceremony and history will never forget the pomp of those times, along with the flavours which remain only in the pages of handwritten manuscripts of those days, such as Nuskha-e-Shahjahani. Not only the imperial kitchens of the emperor, but also the bazaars of the city were charged with the smoke of different kababs, and the environment was filled with the fragrance of nahari, haleem, qormas and qaliyas. The array of breads was dazzling. Festive occasions were never complete without baqarkhani, kulchas and sheermals. Sharbat ke katore and kulfi ke matke added colour to the scenario. The city of Shah Jahan was a paradise of food, with the creations of local and foreign chefs. This luxurious way of serving and preparing food continued only till the time Shah Jahan ruled, as his son Aurangzeb did not believe in luxury, pomp and show. Unfortunately, the last years of this great emperor were unhappy. Deposed by his son Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan was imprisoned in Agra Fort and remained there for eight years until his death in 1666. Legend has it that Aurangzeb ordered that his father be allowed only one ingredient of his choice, and Shah Jahan chose chickpeas. He chose them because they can be cooked in many different ways. Even today, one of the signature dishes of North Indian cuisine is Shahjahani dal, chickpeas cooked in a rich gravy of cream. Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are likely to attend the meeting, which will take place two days before the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls on May 23. New Delhi: With exit polls forecasting NDA's return to power, top leaders of the BJP-led alliance will meet on Tuesday over dinner to be hosted by party president Amit Shah where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present, party sources said on Monday. Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are likely to attend the meeting, which will take place two days before the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls on May 23. A meeting of key BJP leaders, including Union ministers and Modi, is also scheduled to be held in the party headquarters before the dinner meeting with allies. The BJP's decision to host the dinner comes following the exit polls which have been unanimous in projecting another term for Modi. Modi and Shah at a press conference on 17 May had exuded confidence that the saffron party-led alliance will return to power, and exit polls have furthered boosted their hopes. Exit polls telecast by almost all major new channels have forecast that the BJP-led NDA will cross the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Polls have been held for 542 seats as the Election Commission had deferred the election for Vellore seat due to allegations of the use of money to influence the voting. Several BJP leaders asserted on Monday that the party will get a majority on its own, repeating the unprecedented feat it achieved in 2014 by winning 282 seats. The BJP is preparing to meet coalition partners to discuss a new government, two sources said, after exit polls predicted a better-than-expected results. New Delhi: Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing to meet coalition partners to discuss a new government, two BJP sources said on Monday, after exit polls predicted a better-than-expected result for it in the general elections. The talks will most likely be held on Tuesday afternoon, the two sources in the BJP said. They declined to be identified as they are not authorised to speak about the meeting. Nalin Kohli, a spokesman for the BJP, declined to comment. Follow LIVE updates on the exit polls and Lok Sabha elections here Indias seven-phase general election, billed as the worlds biggest democratic exercise, began on 11 April and ended on Sunday. Votes will be counted on Thursday and results are likely the same day. Prime Minister Narendra Modis BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is projected to win anything between 339 and 365 seats in the 545-member Lower House of Parliament, with the Congress-led Opposition alliance getting only 77 to 108, an exit poll from India Today-Axis showed on Sunday. A party needs 272 seats to command a majority. Indian stock markets and the rupee were sharply higher on expectation the business-friendly Modi would stay on at the helm. The benchmark NSE share index was up 2.8 percent, its best single day since March 2016. I expect another 2 to 3 percent rally in the market in the next three to four days based on the cue, said Samrat Dasgupta, a fund manager at Esquire Capital Investment Advisors. Congress spokesman Sanjay Jha cast doubt on the exit polls, saying on Twitter he believed they were wrong. If the exit poll figures are true then my dog is a nuclear scientist, Jha said, adding that he expected the next prime minister would come from outside the BJP alliance. Modi and his BJP faced criticism in the run-up to the election over unemployment, in particular for failing to provide opportunities to young people coming onto the job market, and for weak farm prices. But Modi rallied his Hindu nationalist base and made national security a central theme of the campaign after a surge in tension with Pakistan in February following a suicide bomb attack in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan based militants. Modi ordered air strikes on a suspected militant camp in Pakistan, which led to a surge in tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours. But many Indians applauded Modis tough stand and he was able to attack the Opposition for being soft on security. Ram Madhav, a senior leader in the BJP, said the results would be even better for the party than the exit polls were suggesting, particularly in West Bengal state. West Bengal has the third largest number of MPs and has been hotly contested between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, one of the most powerful parties in the coalition trying to unseat Modi. Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there, Madhav said. Everyone has seen the tremendous support for PM Modi and the BJP in Bengal. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu doubled his efforts to unite the Opposition in an effort to form a non-NDA front, as Lok Sabha election exit polls predicted a comfortable win for the BJP-led coalition on counting day scheduled for 23 May. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu doubled his efforts to unite the Opposition in an effort to form a non-NDA front, as Lok Sabha election exit polls predicted a comfortable win for the BJP-led coalition on counting day scheduled for 23 May. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, who was an ally with the saffron party in the NDA, met several Opposition leaders over Sunday and Monday. Naidu also said he was "1,000 percent confident" that the TDP will win the Assembly election in Andhra Pradesh. "I am 1,000 percent confident that TDP will win the elections. I do not have even 0.1 percent doubt. We are going to win," he said at a press conference on Monday. EC is losing credibility: Naidu Naidu, in a press conference on Monday criticised the Election Commission for refusing to give in to the demand for increased EVM-VVPAT verification. Naidu has been at the helm of the demand to have 50 percent of the EVMs verified with VVPAT slips. In April, 21 Opposition parties had put forth the appeal in the Supreme Court, after which the apex court had increased the number of EVMs to be verified from one to give in each Assembly constituency. However, the Opposition was dissatisfied with the order and has continued to voice its disapproval with the EC. Naidu said, "I have been fighting over this issue for the last ten years. VVPAT slips are the main issue for us. If we get a printout, we will believe. Now VVPATs will be counted in only five polling booths (per Assembly segment)." "The Election Commission is complicating the issue by saying that it will take six to seven days to count VVPATs. SY Qureshi (former Chief Election Commissioner) supported our arguments. Not only us, but even former EC officials are raising the matter," he added. Claiming that the EC is "losing its credibility", Naidu said that VVPAT slips should be counted first and verified properly. "There are many problems relating to the counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve them. There are many rumours including that printers may have been manipulated and control panels changed," he said. Naidu to meet Mamata Banerjee today Naidu, who met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday, is likely to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source was quoted by PTI as saying. During his interaction with Mamata, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend. Naidu had a busy weekend as he called on Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, in addition to the Gandhis. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Sunday's meeting assumes significance as Naidu is meeting Rahul and Pawar after holding talks with the SP and BSP chiefs, who have not openly come in favour of an Opposition alliance so far. The Telugu Desam Party chief has held several rounds of discussion with various Opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Exit polls never capture 'pulse' of people, says Naidu The Opposition has been vocally confident that the sweep predicted for the Narendra Modi-led BJP in the exit polls is not the true picture on the ground. Naidu, on his part, on Sunday said that the exit polls had failed to catch the people's pulse. "Time and again exit polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in Andhra Pradesh, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. With inputs from agencies A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday Kolkata: A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, sources said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on 23 May. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Follow LIVE updates on Lok Sabha Election 2019 here Dubbing the exit polls "gossip", Banerjee Sunday said she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Akhilesh Yadav, who had formed a coalition with the BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to take on the BJP in the ensuing 2019 general elections, drove to the residence of the BSP supremo. Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav met in Lucknow on Monday after exit poll projections that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is all set to form the government again at the Centre. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/j76Ut5MqBJ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 Yadav, who had formed a coalition with the BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to take on the BJP in the ensuing 2019 general elections, drove to the residence of the BSP supremo. Details of what transpired between the two top leaders from Uttar Pradesh was not known immediately. On the other side, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on 23 May. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Mamata, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. The exit polls for Punjab show Congress may win 10 seats out of 13; whereas the NDA two and AAP may get one seat. Going by the predictions of the exit polls, the three states may not turn victories in its favours as in the case of Punjab, with a strong regional leader Captain Amarinder Singh. Predictions by various exit polls announced on Sunday evening indicate a sweeping victory for the BJP, including in three Congress-ruled states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where the latter had won in the Assembly elections held toward the end of 2018. But, there's a caveat. The exit polls predictions are based on sample surveys done by various agencies and are not the final outcome, which will be announced on 23 May. According to News 18-IPSOS survey, in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP may win 24 to 27 seats out of 29 seats and Congress two to four. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, out of 11 BJP is expected to get seven to nine seats and Congress two to four. In Rajasthan out of 25 seats, the BJP-led alliance NDA may win 22 to 23 seats and Congress two to three. The India Today-Axis survey predicts 26 to 28 seats for BJP and one to three for Congress in Madhya Pradesh. In Chhattisgarh, the saffron party may bag seven to eight seats and Congress three to four. Similarly in Rajasthan, BJP is predicted to win 23 to 25 seats and Congress zero to two. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES FOR LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 HERE Chanakya's exit poll predicted a clean sweep for the BJP and its allies in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. According to the poll survey, the Congress may be limited to just two seats in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and may not win even a single seat in Rajasthan. Scenario 2014 Lok Sabha election In 2014 Lok Sabha Election, BJP had won 27 of the 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. Congress won Guna and Chhindwara seats of Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath, respectively. However, in 2015 bypolls, Congress won the Ratlam seat as Kantilal Bhuria won from this seat, after the death of a BJP MP. Similarly in Chhattisgarh, out of 11 seats, the BJP had won 10 seats and Congress had to be content with one. In Rajasthan, BJP had won all the 25 seats. Has Congress failed to leverage its Assembly polls victory? Public anger against the ruling BJP government in three Hindi heartland states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan had helped Congress to emerge victorious in these three states in the Assembly elections in 2018. Out of these three states, Chhattisgarh emerged as a winning template for the Congress party, as it swept the assembly election last year by winning 68 seats in the 90-seat assembly and restricted the BJP to15 seats. It was a phenomenal victory for Congress. The anger against Raman Singh government got translated into votes against the ruling dispensation. While in Madhya Pradesh, out of 230 seats, the Congress bagged 114 seats and the BJP 109. It was a tough fight between the two. The BSP and independent candidates helped the Congress to form the government. Both in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, three-term governments of the BJP came to an end. In Rajasthan, out of 199 seats, the Congress won 99 and the BJP 73. However, as the exit polls show, BJP will gain in all these three Congress-ruled states like in 2014. It would be too early to draw any conclusion as it will be speculating needlessly from the exit poll results, which is just an indication and not the final results which are due on 23 May (Thursday). But even if these trends are to be believed, the ruling Congress in these three states would fail to leverage from its victory. Going by the predictions of the exit polls, the three states may not turn victories in its favours as in the case of Punjab, with a strong regional leader Captain Amarinder Singh. The exit polls for Punjab show Congress may win 10 seats out of 13; whereas the NDA two and AAP may get one seat. In Chhattisgarh, it was expected that the Congress would win 8 to 9 seats (initially the party claimed of winning 10), but News18-IPSOS predicted two to four and India Today-Axis gave three to four. That's minimum 2 and maximum 4 the only relief is that the Congress will improve its tally from its present one seat. In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress may improve its tally marginally from the present three seats to four (as per News18-IPSOS). The seats of Scindia and Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath are a sure shot win. As Kamal Nath vacated his parliamentary seat and contested in assembly bye-poll from Chhindwara, his son contested as Congress candidate. In addition, it may win the tribal seat of Ratlam as sitting MP Kantilal Bhuria has been consistently winning from this constituency. However, all eyes are set on high-profile Bhopal constituency from where former two-term CM Digvijay Singh from Congress contested against BJP's candidate and Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. Amid controversies and rumours, this much-talked-about the seat is a BJP bastion for three decades. Breaching Bhopal fortress is a big challenge for the Congress party. In the case of Rajasthan, as the exit polls predict, if the Congress fails to win a single seat, the party may have to go for deep introspection as despite having two strong leaders like Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, it would have failed in Lok Sabha polls. But as of now, it's all speculation. Exit polls only give an indication of a trend in some cases, the predictions are right, and sometime they are totally off the mark. Like Congress leader Sashi Tharoor said in a tweet: I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people dont tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results. Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 19, 2019 The Modi factor? Factors which led to Congress victory in these three states were partly anti-incumbency and the rest were due to the grievances of voters against the BJP and couple of other local factors like poor governance and corruption. According to exit polls, the BJP may sweep in these three states. But what makes the BJP win? News18-IPSOS exit polls survey mentions, "There is a stark difference in the manner in which Modi was perceived during state assembly election, and as he is perceived in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls." The survey further states that initially Modi was seen as being irrelevant to the state elections, with many voters suggesting this was an election on local issues. In some quarters, there was the belief that Modi, instead of supplementing Shivraj Singh Chouhan's campaign, was dragging it down. But five months later, Modi has returned in the political consciousness of the state. This is, once again, Modi's 'chunav'." Has Congress failed to leverage its assembly polls victory? News18-IPSOS exit polls survey states, "The farm loan waiver was a big issue in rural MP. This was INC's key promise during the assembly polls and it is widely believed in the state that this is what swung a substantial segment of farm voters towards the party. But on the ground, there is an increasing belief that the party has failed to deliver on its promise." These numbers would be up for a challenge on Thursday, the day of counting, but assuming that all exit polls might not be completely misreading the picture or hatching a grand conspiracy, as Mamata Banerjee has suggested, we are going to see Modi return for a second term. Lets start with a disclaimer. Exit polls are after all, exit polls, and they can go horribly wrong. It wont be preposterous to suggest that the real result on 23 May might be completely, or partially different and Modi Wave 2.0 might not be a reality. Who knows, the BJP may yet fail to become the single-largest party, the mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh may thwart and halve saffron tally and we may see a coalition government at the Centre. Stranger things have happened in politics. It is not easy in a country of this scale and diversity to get the complex numbers right. That said, taken together, all exit polls and surveys may point towards a broad trend. Remember also that exit polls tend to deliberately underplay the projections for the winner to err on the side of caution. Therefore, while a reversal in numbers remains a theoretical possibility, a likely outcome could be BJP achieving even greater numbers than projected. I call this a likely and not a theoretical possibility because all exit polls have pointed towards a massive mandate for BJP and a second term for Narendra Modi. These polls are done by different agencies, they have different sample sizes and employ various methodologies. It is a little difficult to imagine that all of them could go horribly wrong. One glance at the numbers suggests near total domination of the BJP. It would seem from these projections that the lone bulwark against another saffron sweep the SP-BSP tie-up in Uttar Pradesh has failed to work. According to My Axis-India Today exit poll that boasted of a sample size of 8 lakh, the BJP may end up winning a staggering 48 percent vote share in the state that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. This is quite close to the BJPs stated aim of 50 percent vote share in Uttar Pradesh and may translate into 62-68 seats in the crucial Hindi heartland state. The Akhilesh-Mayawati-Ajit Singh alliance may settle for only 10-16 seats with 39 percent vote share, according to this survey. Priyanka Gandhis entry into the Uttar Pradesh may fail to halt the slide of the Congress that may get only eight percent votes. Its only ABP News-AC Nielsen survey that has predicted a big win for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh with 56 seats, reducing BJPs number to 22 (it had won 71+2 in 2014). Most pollsters predict majority for BJP in Uttar Pradesh but its tally is shown to fluctuating between 65 to 33. This indicates that though BJP remains the frontrunner in UP, the gathbandhans chances cannot be ruled out. So, the question is, if BJPs numbers take a hit in UP (it could be a small quantum of 5-6 seats compared to 2014 or a clean half or even less) how does it square up with BJPs projected overall tally of over 300? It is likely that BJPs projected losses in Uttar Pradesh would be made up through its gains elsewhere, especially in the eastern seaboard states of West Bengal and Odisha where the BJP is expected to do quite well. In fact, so spectacular might be its gains in Mamata Banerjees West Bengal that sends 42 seats to the Parliament, that the BJP may be able to mitigate its losses in the Hindi heartland. The overall result, therefore, looks quite pretty for the BJP. Todays Chanakya Exit Poll predicts a landslide for Modi-led NDA with seats as against 70 seats for UPA. Thats a total decimation of the Opposition. Times Now-VMR projects 306 seats for NDA and 132 for Congress-led UPA. Republic-CVoter forecasts a tally of 287 for the NDA and 128 for UPA. The ABP-Nielsen gives NDA 277 (less but still enough to form a government) and 130 to UPA. India Today-Axis My India Exit Poll says NDA may get between 339 and 369 seats while the UPA may settle for 77 to 108 seats. These numbers would be up for a challenge on Thursday, the day of counting, but assuming that all exit polls might not be completely misreading the picture or hatching a grand conspiracy, as Mamata Banerjee has suggested, we are likely to see Modi return for a second term. This should immediately call for a new lexicon to define BJPs popularity under Modi. Are we returning to the pre-coalition era when massive mandates for a single party was the norm? This is possibly a misleading interpretation. Indias open economy, high GDP growth, the rise of a neo-middle class, eradication of poverty and advancement of technology are big enablers that have given rise to new realities. India in 2019 is a more vibrant, ambitious and comparatively prosperous democracy than in the 1960s and 70s. The coalition era was the symbol of greater federalism in Indian Union, empowerment of the powerless and a shift in power equation from the Centre to the states. Follow Live Updates for Lok Sabha Election 2019 Here What may have happened to reverse this trend? The BJP won an absolute majority in 2014 (282) and five years later Modi is on the cusp of a greater mandate defying all rules of incumbency. What made this possible? While defining Modis popularity, analysts tend to follow two broad trends. One, that is critical of Modi, make him the beneficiary of a lacklustre Opposition. They claim that Modi had failed in various parameters during his tenure but is still the frontrunner because there is no one else. That may be partially true. The Oppositions dichotomy is evident. The only pan-Indian party that may throw a challenge to the BJP is a shadow of itself, led by a fourth-generation dynast who seems ill-fitted for the job despite the tall claims made by the Congress ecosystem machinery. The powerful chieftains who may rival Modi in the mass appeal are hemmed in by geography. But to attribute Modis success which if the exit poll numbers hold would be quite astounding to lack of alternative among the Opposition is a cynical interpretation that seeks to downplay Modis strengths. The other set of analysts tend to portray Modi as a strong leader capable of taking tough decisions, a tireless worker, an excellent communicator who has turned the aspirational middle class into his permanent vote bank and has extended appeal among the poor with wide-ranging welfare schemes with excellent last-mile delivery mechanism. For Modis core voters, he is a Hindutva icon who offers an alternative reading of the idea of India, triggering Hindu nationalism as the bulwark of a new Hindu awakening and establishing true secularism in a country that draws inspiration not from imported ideas but its own civilisational past. It seems likely that Modis popularity that far outstrips that of his party is a combination of these factors and another phenomenon that is readily overlooked. Modi enjoys a huge amount of trust among the electorate. Conducted in April this year, Firstpost Trust Survey pointed towards this phenomenon. At that time, Modi had quadrupled his trust factor over Rahul Gandhi, his nearest competitor. The problem with trust as a measure of a leaders popularity is that it does not easily lend itself to metrics that may be analysed. Yet, downplaying this factor leaves large gaps in analyses. Many analysts are confounded how Modi, despite the lack of well-paying jobs, rural distress, stuttering economy and teething issues over Demonetisation and GST manages to hold on to, and even increase his popularity. The often-overlooked reason is trust, which allows Modi more leeway among the electorate compared to his peers. This trust factor also enables Modi to make mistakes and get away relatively lightly, because the masses interpret his mistakes as those committed by an individual who is dedicated in his work and is at least trying to do something for the nation instead of just plotting for power or enjoying its perks. This trust factor has not been achieved in a day. Through innovative communicative strategies such as Mann Ki Baat or Pariksha Pe Charcha that are apparently apolitical but serve to underline his credentials as a leader who towers above his peers, Modi has broad-based his appeal and drove it deeper than any political leader or PR agency have thought it possible. What we see now is a reflection of that creativity. It was arrogant of Rahul to have uttered that he has successfully dismantled Modis image. Repeating chowkidar chor hai is not enough to dismantle the image of a leader who enjoys high degree of trust among voters. When the prime minister said recently that his image is the result of 45 years of tapasya (meditation), he wasnt indulging in mere rhetoric. Lok Sabha Election Results: The Election Commission of India will start counting votes for 17th Lok Sabha elections on 23 May, 2019 (Thursday). With VVPAT counting to be introduced in this Lok Sabha election, the results on 23 May are likely to get delayed by five to six hours, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said. Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 | The Election Commission of India will start counting votes for 17th Lok Sabha elections today - 23 May, 2019 (Thursday) at 8 am. With VVPAT counting to be introduced in this Lok Sabha election, the results are likely to get delayed by five to six hours, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said. He said after the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting is over, the voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) will be counted as per the Supreme Court guidelines. Speaking about the Assembly constituencies of Delhi, Singh said, "From every Assembly constituency, five (VVPATs) will be randomly selected and they will be counted. There is a special VVPAT booth in every counting hall. It will take place in five rounds." Delhi has 70 assembly constituencies and in all 350 VVPATs will be counted. "Every assembly segment had 200 polling stations and five polling stations will be selected randomly. This will delay the formal results. But trends will be out early. Formal declaration of results will be delayed by five to six hours," Singh told PTI. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES ON LOK SABHA ELECTION RESULTS 2019 He also briefed Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev about the expected delay in results, officials said. Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik was present during the briefing and he apprised them about the security arrangements that will be made in accordance with the Election Commission guidelines. Delhi has seven parliamentary constituencies and there is one counting centre in each of them. The counting centres will have one counting hall for each of the 10 assembly segments, officials said. In each counting hall, a maximum of 14 tables can be put and machines that would come in the first round, their results will be compiled and uploaded on the 'Suvidha' app of the Election Commission. The counting will commence at 8 am with postal ballots. Officials will have to ensure that the postal ballot counting is over with at least two rounds of EVM counting yet to be done. After the EVM counting is over, the VVPAT counting will commence. The Supreme Court has made it clear that random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs will take place in five polling booths per assembly segment. Accordingly, the exercise will be held in 20,600 of the 10.35 lakh polling stations across the country. Nearly 39.6 lakh EVMs and 17.4 lakh voter-verifiable paper trail machines (VVPAT) are being used in these polling stations. These include reserves. With the Lok Sabha election drawing to a close on Sunday, most exit polls expect the NDA to return with a clear majority With a majority of exit polls predicting a clear win for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, there are concerns in Kashmir that a victory may embolden the saffron party to adopt a more aggressive approach in the Valley and possibly call for the abrogation of the state's special status. With the Lok Sabha election drawing to a close on Sunday, most exit polls expect the NDA to return with a clear majority. In Kashmir, there were hopes that even if the BJP was return to power, it would lose some seats, making it dependent on allies. This, in turn, was expected to push the party to adopt a "softer approach" to the Valley. "This is not good for Kashmir," said Aftab Ahmad, a private school teacher in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, "The return of tje BJP would mean brazen human rights violations and killings. The humiliation of Kashmiris will only get worse." Aftab's thoughts are shared widely by the people of Kashmir, who believe that the aggressive security approach adopted by the BJP since it came to power in 2014 has only created more problems for New Delhi in Kashmir in the longer run. Since the Narendra Modi government came to power in New Delhi in 2014, it has adopted a security-centric approach when it comes to the Valley. In the past five years, hundreds of people have been killed, including security forces. The attack by a Kashmiri suicide bomber on 14 February left 40 soldiers dead in south Kashmir. However, the approach has failed to achieve its objectives. The local insurgency, by all accounts, has flourished in these years and fresh militant recruitment is underway in the Valley, despite a record number of militant killed in the past three years. Most importantly, never in the past 29 years of insurgency has the Valley drifted so far away from New Delhi as seen in the past three years. "The security-centric approach has not worked," said Aijaz Ahmad Wani, a political scientist based in Srinagar, "In the past few years, Kashmiris have been pushed to the wall." The biggest victims of this policy, Wani said, are the regional political parties who have been painted as some sort of "villains" by the BJP leaders in New Delhi. The party has been consistently portraying the Kashmir-based political parties as separatists and "Pakistan sympathisers". This approach has led to more friction and political uncertainty. Both National Conference and the PDP, the former ally of the BJP, have heavily criticised the BJP when it comes to Kashmir. Every other day, the regional parties chastise New Delhi for delaying the state Assembly elections and ruling the state of Jammu and Kashmir by proxy for 'sinister' reasons. Despite the Kashmir crackdown, the BJP is expected to win at least two seats from the Jammu region while, according to exit polls, the National Conference, the Grand Old Party of Jammu and Kashmir, is expected to all win three from Kashmir. Some exit polls have also forecast a victory for PDP from at least one seat in Kashmir. "It is good that the BJP is coming back to power. The way it used Kashmir in these elections, is an indication of how it is going to deal with the issue in coming years. That will only strengthen our resolve," said Shuaib Ahmad, a resident of Pulwama, who was hit by a bullet last year in the Muran area. That feeling is shared by mainstream politicians. With Lok Sabha polls ending in Kashmir, the forces have intensified their campaign against militants, especially in south Kashmir which has been the epicentre of the new insurgency in the Valley and where most of the militants were killed in the past three years. Since 10 May, 12 militants have already been killed in eight counter-insurgency operations. "They (BJP) have been always seen as anti-Kashmir and their stand on everything is anti-Kashmir. If the BJP returns to power, it will spell doom for the state," Nasir Aslam Wani, senior National Conference leader, said. On the other hand, the Hurriyat Conference is hoping that the new dispensation in New Delhi will revisit its Kashmir policy. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Hurriyat Conference on Sunday, moderate Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the Kashmir issue will not be resolved through military might or any violent methods. "The Government of India has to change its policy on Kashmir. Anti-Kashmir measures like closing down of highways, raids by NIA, ED, PSAs, transferring land to forces will not lead to any solution. We expect the new government to review its Kashmir policy," Mirwaiz said. "The new government should think that the resolution of Kashmir will come through dialogue. Kashmiri people, whether the youth or Hurriyat Conference, support dialogue and peaceful resolution of the issue," he said. The biggest festival of democracy, the Lok Sabha election 2019, was a two-month long event spanning seven phases of polling. The biggest festival of democracy, the Lok Sabha election 2019, was a two-month long event spanning seven phases of polling. Assembly elections of four states were also held along with it. The election process will conclude on 23 May with the announcement of results. In this election, 10 lakh polling stations were set up, as against about nine lakh in 2014. Here are a few of the firsts this election witnessed: -The voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) was used in all polling stations for the first time in a Lok Sabha poll. -Candidates with criminal antecedents were required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through television channels on three occasions during the campaign period. The political parties that gave tickets to such candidates were also required to publish information about their criminal background, both on their website and also in newspapers and television channels on three different occasions, which wasn't the norm earlier. -The EVMs and postal ballot papers carried the photograph of all candidates to help voters identify the political leaders in the fray. -Moreover, all political advertisements on social media required pre-certification. This year, of the total electorate of over 900 million, around 15 million were in the age group of 18 to 19 years, and were counted as first-time voters. As many as 2,293 political parties were registered with the Election Commission of India on 9 March, out of which seven were recognised national parties and 59 state parties. Interestingly, 2.6 million bottles of indelible ink were ordered for the polls costing about Rs 33 crore, News18 reported. The voter turnout in this election was the highest since independence, at approximately 67 percent. Meanwhile, the highest jump in figures came from women voters. The gender gap this election came down to 0.4 percent in the first six phases of polling, as mentioned by the Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena. The turnout of women also exceeded that of men in at least nine states and Union Territories, with the highest in Manipur at 84.16 percent and Meghalaya at 73.64 percent, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Uttarakhand, Goa, Mizoram and Lakshadweep. The BJP will write to the governor to demand a special session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly for the Kamal Nath-led Congress government to prove its majority. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said it will write to Governor of Madhya Pradesh Anandiben Patel to demand a special session of the Assembly at which the Kamal Nath-led Congress government must prove its majority. The BJP has claimed that the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh is in minority, demanding that Chief Minister Kamal Nath prove majority support in the House. Leader of Opposition in Assembly Gopal Bhargava said the BJP will ask the governor to convene a special session of the state Assembly "to discuss important issues and test the Congress government's strength" in the House. "I am writing a letter to the governor to convene a special session of Madhya Pradesh Assembly session shortly. We want a discussion on important issues like the farm loan waiver and to test the government's strength," Bhargava said. He claimed that instead of debating issues in the Assembly, the Congress was dumping papers at former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence, alleging that loans of 21 lakh farmers in Madhya Pradesh had been waived. Follow LIVE updates on the exit polls and Lok Sabha elections here The BJP demand comes a day after nearly all exit polls predicted a thumping victory for the saffron party in the Lok Sabha election. They forecast that the BJP will win 20 of the 24 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, a state it lost to the Congress in the Assembly election in December by a thin margin. In the 2018 Assembly election, the Congress had won 114 seats in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, one short of the halfway mark in the 230-seat House. The BJP had come a close second with 109 seats. The Congress formed the government with support from Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was quoted as saying by NDTV: "We will not try to dislodge the government, but the Congress is a divided house. They are in minority and even the minority is divided." The Congress, however, on Monday accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise its government in Madhya Pradesh through "corrupt practices". "They are trying to negate the mandate of people of Madhya Pradesh given in favour of the Congress in Assembly elections a few months ago, and the people will not forgive them for this," said Congress general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Deepak Babariya, adding that the BJP was voted out of power due "malgovernance". With inputs from PTI Pragya Thakur's candidature was the BJPs attempt to showcase Congress as an 'anti-Hindu' party that had falsely implicated Hindus by propagating the term 'saffron terror'. BJP's Bhopal candidate and 2008 Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur has been a double-edged sword for the saffron party, which has projected her as the face of Hindutva in the fight against Congress' Digvijaya Singh who was the force behind the coinage of the term 'Hindu terror'. Thakur's candidature was the BJPs attempt to showcase Congress as an anti-Hindu party that had falsely implicated Hindus by propagating the term "saffron terror". BJP president Amit Shah had described her candidature as a satyagraha against the "myth" of saffron terror, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called it a symbolic answer to all those who falsely labelled the rich Hindu civilisation as terrorist. However, ever since Thakur started her campaign for the Lok Sabha election 2019, she has been embroiled in controversies over her statements, including one terming Nathuram Godse as a "patriot." Thakur was asked to apologise for the same by the party, but Modi subsequently said that he would not be able to forgive insulting comments about Mahatma Gandhi. Later, notices were served to two more party leaders from Karnataka Anantkumar Hegde and Nalin Kateel for tweeting statements supporting Thakur's stance and an internal inquiry was also initiated against all three by Shah, who distanced BJP from the remarks. However, subsequently, Madhya Pradesh BJP's IT cell head Anil Saumitra called Gandhi not the Father of the Nation but the father of Pakistan on Facebook and remained defiant about his post. No scholar can prove me wrong. I will not delete my post," he said. Saumitra was later suspended from the partys primary membership. Such statements by party leaders put Modi in a catch-22 position. The prime minister has proudly claimed the legacy of some Congress icons in his quest to both moor his ideas and make the BJP a party concomitant with Indias political history, as pointed out by Sreemoy Talukdar in this article. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched as an imprimatur of Gandhi, a mention he doesn't forget to make, as the article further states. Recently, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar also strongly condemned Thakur's remark and said that the BJP should consider expelling her from the party. This is not the first time that Thakur has brought trouble for her party. Previously, she had drawn the ire of the Election Commission for her remark on the Babri Masjid demolition, which led to a 72-hour ban on her poll campaign. Before that, she stirred a major controversy due to her claim that former Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare died in the 26/11 terror attack because of her curse which she gave him for her detention and alleged torture as an accused in the Malegaon blast case, which he was investigating. The BJP had to distance itself from her remark, and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated the party's respect for Karkare and his sacrifice. Meanwhile, Thakur has also given dubious advice on Ayurvedic medical treatment and 'cow care'. Thakur is out on bail for medical reasons, which include treatment for breast cancer. She claimed that her ailment was cured by a mixture of 'gau mutra' (cow urine) and other products derived from the animal. Among other claims, Thakur in an interview stated that rubbing a cow's back in a forward motion can help ease blood pressure. However, a surgeon from Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow said Thakur had undergone a bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts) to prevent recurrence of her cancer. And cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Dr SS Rajput, who has operated on Thakur three times, said she was diagnosed with stage-1 or early-stage cancer, which was of an aggressive nature. I operated on her first in 2008 at the Mumbais JJ Hospital when she had developed a tumour in the right breast. At that time, the report of the tumour was inconclusive. In 2012, the tumour recurred, Dr Rajput said. Thereafter, a surgery which involved removing one-third of her right breast along with the tumour was carried out followed by another surgery, the doctor told The Hindu. 'I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India, many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results,' Tharoor tweeted. New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday rejected the predictions of exit polls and said that he will wait till 23 May for the "real results". "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India, many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results," Tharoor tweeted. In another tweet, Tharoor wrote, "Actually they CAN all be wrong, as Australia (a much smaller and less diverse country than India) showed us last weekend. But you're right that we are all better off waiting for the 23rd than wasting our time in empty debate about these imaginary numbers." Besides him, several other Opposition leaders have expressed disappointment over the exit polls."Every single exit poll can't be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd," tweeted National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah. Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu too on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. "Time and again exit polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. Exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the ensuing Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be 'thrashed' with shoes. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik Monday accepted chief minister Yogi Adityanath's request and dismissed Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' Empowerment in Uttar Pradesh cabinet with immediate effect. Seven members of SBSP including Rajbhar's son Arvind were also dismissed from their services in committees set up by the Uttar Pradesh Government. Earlier on Monday, Adityanath had recommended to the governor the immediate sacking of Rajbhar from his cabinet for his outbursts against senior National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Adityanath also recommended that all other Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately," an official spokesperson said in Lucknow. Taking a jibe at Adityanath, Rajbhar said that the Uttar Pradesh chief should implement the Social Justice Committee's report as quickly as he took the decision of sacking him from the cabinet. OP Rajbhar:We welcome his decision. CM has taken a very good decision. He formed Social Justice Committee&threw its report in a dustbin,he didn't have spare time to implement it.I request him to implement Social Justice Committee's report as quickly as he took this decision today pic.twitter.com/SHYyg9fS4Y ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the ensuing Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes. He had recently sent a letter to the chief minister stating that he was resigning from the cabinet where he held the portfolio of backward welfare and Divyangjan welfare minister. Narendra Modi, who is tipped to win the Lok Sabha polls according to exit polls, will need to tackle a host of issues ranging from unemployment to weak economic growth. New Delhi: Exit polls after the end of Indias general election on Sunday showed Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies retaining power with an overwhelming majority. The Hindu nationalist leader will need to tackle a host of issues ranging from unemployment to weak economic growth: Jobs Creating work for an estimated 1.2 million young people entering the market each month will be a key challenge. Economists say the next prime minister will need to encourage businesses to step up investment to create job opportunities. Unemployment rose to 7.6 percent in April, the highest since October 2016, and up from 6.71 percent in March, data from private think tank the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy showed. An official survey that was withheld by the government showed Indias unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent, the highest level in at least 45 years, in 2017/18, the Business Standard newspaper reported in January. Economy Economic growth, which hit a five-quarter low of 6.6 percent in October-December, appears to be slowing further. Car and motorbike sales have tumbled and industrial output contracted for the first time in nearly two years in March. Rural demand and manufacturing growth have also weakened. Economists have also questioned the quality of the official economic data, saying the on-the-ground situation is far bleaker. The new government will have limited options to boost the economy given the prevalent revenue constraints it may need to rework its expenditure plans and deploy more funds to schemes that can help boost weak consumption in rural areas. The government will also need support through rate cuts and liquidity measures from the Reserve Bank of India to help bring down cost of funds for banks and make loans cheaper for consumers. Trade Indias trade relationship with major partners, including the United States and China, remains on a shaky footing. US President Donald Trumps administration has called out India on its high tariffs, price caps on imported US medical devices and rules around e-commerce trade. Indian government officials say they fear Trumps administration will soon end preferential trade treatment for India, which allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States. Adding to Indias troubles is the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, which is likely to benefit countries such Japan and South Korea. India remains vulnerable to dumping of cheap Chinese imports. Pakistan National security issues and relations with arch-rival Pakistan will be high on agenda. Tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours has been high after Modi this year sent warplanes into Pakistan to avenge the killing of 40 Indian police officers in a militant attack which was claimed by a Pakistan-based group. In recent weeks, Pakistani leaders have suggested that they are tired of conflict, opposed to extremism and open to peace talks with India, but those offers have been met with scepticism. India is steadfast in its demand that Islamabad stop its support for militant groups, particularly those operating in the Kashmir region, and has said it isnt open to talks until then. Religion Allies of Modis BJP will likely renew their controversial demand to build a Hindu temple on the ruins of a 16th century mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya. A violent Hindu mob destroyed the mosque in Ayodhya in 1992, triggering riots that killed about 2,000 people in one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence since independence from colonial rule in 1947. Indias Supreme Court has set up a panel to arbitrate the decades-long dispute. Modi could also end the special constitutional status given to Indias only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir, as the BJP believes the status prevents outsiders from buying property there and hinders its integration with the rest of India. Follow live updates on the lead-up to the Lok Sabha election results here Agence France-Presse Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 Max flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. "Boeing has made corrections to the 737 Max simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 Max, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle. "Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 Max customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year." American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 Max simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. "As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added. Certification process The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a Max simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 Max in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. US airlines train their pilots flying the Max on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 Max in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said that's because during the certification process for the Max, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the Max in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 Max. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 Max. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service. US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 Max. tech2 News Staff Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licenses, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the US government has sought to blacklist around the world. To put it simpler terms, Huawei will no longer have access to Google's security updates and technical support, and future devices will no longer have apps such as YouTube and Google Maps. As clarified by the BBC in a report, Huawei can continue to use the Android operating system since that's available through an open source license. The move from Google arrives after the United States added Huawei to its 'Entity List' last week, which essentially meant that US companies can no longer do business with Huawei without explicit government approval. Details of the specific services were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the US Commerce Department's actions, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment. Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license that is freely open to anyone who wishes to use it. Oh man. Well see where the Google/Huawei thing plays out, but inhibiting consumers from getting updated Android (more) in any way does not spark joy. Ive spent a lot of my career dealing with maybe-, and fully recognize most peoples threat model isnt usually nations. Lesley Carhart (@hacks4pancakes) May 19, 2019 But Google will stop providing any technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services to Huawei going forward, the source said. On Thursday the Trump administration officially added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the technology giant to do business with US companies. Tech2 has reached out to Huawei India for a comment on how this will play out for Indian owners of Huawei smartphones and will update the story accordingly. Several countries blacklisting Huawei The US isn't the only country blacklisting the Chinese smartphone and telecom giant. Huawei is currently facing a growing backlash from a number of countries, led by the US. But why? As per the US, Huawei devices and equipment posses the possible concern of being used by China for surveillance. Australia and New Zealand recently blocked Huawei and ZTE from providing equipment for its 5G network, which is set to launch commercially in 2019. The German government, meanwhile was considering banning Huawei from providing 5G equipment in the country saying security concerns are of "high relevance." As per an earlier report, the European Union is also considering proposals that would effectively amount to a de-facto ban on Huawei equipment for 5G mobile networks. Huawei has vehement reiterated that its work does not pose any threats and that it is independent from the Chinese government. Does Huawei have a backup plan? As per Google, Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), that is available for free. Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan of sorts by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said. In an interview with Reuters, the rotating chairman of Huawei, Eric Xu, said, "No matter what happens, the Android Community does not have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license." Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google. But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will be able to download app updates provided by Google. After the incident, Android's official Twitter handle put out a tweet letting users know they will comply with the US government. For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device. Android (@Android) May 20, 2019 They were flooded with tweets from concerned users who expressed their frustrations at the situation. Is not about keep functioning. What if tomorrow Trump decides to put Samsung or Xiaomi on that black list? As users, consumers and customers we need to know you're looking for us, not for that crazy man craziness Mahoricio (@mahoricioo) May 20, 2019 I was seriously eyeing the P30 Pro. But now I'm not sure. Thanks for nothing Trump! David Braz (@dvdbraz) May 20, 2019 So because of a US law, you actually punish millions of international users by banning them? How can consumers outside the US trust you at all? I'm just wondering what's next. Andreas Benjaminsen (@photolsen) May 20, 2019 The bad decisions of such an inept government should not stop the technological development achieved. Users do not deserve to regress! Randy (@randytter) May 20, 2019 In the name of national security anything is granted ; dont kneel to protectionism remember your roots pic.twitter.com/HL4TnSByYf JSMN (@jsmnX) May 20, 2019 What about people in the UK? DJ Broke Woke Bruce (@DeejBruce) May 20, 2019 Necessity is the mother of all invention. Best wishes to Huawei that their own OS will soon give Android & Windows a run 4 their money. With support from a sizeable home population, why not? Next, PRC announces the two OS soon unable to operate on Unicom & China Telecom. OMG Malaysia (@omgmalaysia) May 20, 2019 I hope so. I'm very worried I'm the owner of a P30 Pro which I bougt a month ago. I don't know if I will have any updates any more. Many people are very worried about that too... Ania K. (@kuleczka1983) May 20, 2019 This is ridiculous. The P30 Pro is better than any iphone I've had and now because Trump is overreacting. I'm in support of Huawei and I hope a solution is found soon! ~*Em.K*~ (@MarySedai) May 20, 2019 Huawei user NOW pic.twitter.com/oFPI1VZNwg Abo Humad (@Ab0Humad) May 20, 2019 With inputs from Reuters Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension tech2 News Staff German chipmaker Infineon has suspended shipments to Huawei Technologies, in a sign that Washingtons crackdown on the Chinese tech company is beginning to hamper its supplies beyond the United States, Nikkei Asian Review reported on Monday. Infineon had no immediate comment. Citing two people familiar with the matter, Nikkei reported that Infineons decision to stop deliveries came after the Trump administration on Thursday officially added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the telecom firm to do business with U.S. companies. Infineon will hold meetings this week to discuss the situation and make assessments, Nikkei reported, adding that it was not yet clear whether Infineon would resume doing business with Huawei after it clarifies the legal issues. Infineons annual sales to Huawei amount to $100 million or less, Nikkei said. Separately, Alphabets Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, Reuters reported. Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension tech2 News Staff While things are heating up between Huawei and Google wherein the latter stopped Android services on the latter's phone, Honor, a sub-brand of Huawei, is still full steam ahead for its launch tomorrow for the Honor 20. The company has released a poster for the device which shows quite a collaboration of the company with an upcoming Hollywood movie. As per the company's poster released on Weibo, Honor is partnering with the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix movie. The poster shows Jean Grey, the character around which the movie is centred, holding a device although at this point it isn't clear if she is holding the Honor 20 or Honor 20 Pro. There is also no mention if there will be a special X-Men version of the device. The poster confirms that the Honor 20 will be launching in London on 21 May and 31 May in Shanghai. It also appears that the device will have a quad-camera setup at the back which sits accurately with previous rumours about the phone. The poster also states that Honor will be giving away 50 tickets to lucky winners to watch the movie. The Honor 20 or the Honor 20 Pro are purported to be coming with Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC. Software-wise the Honor 20 should come with Android 9.0 Pie with the EMUI interface. Storage configurations should include 6 GB and 8 GB RAM options, along with 64 GB to 128 GB storage options. The Honor 20 Pro should be priced around CNY 2,999 (approx Rs 30,000). Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension Reuters Huawei will support its smartphones and tablets by providing security updates and services, it said, after Google barred it from updates to the Android operating system. But the Chinese technology firm did not say on Monday what would happen with phones it sells in the future, which are unlikely to have access to Googles popular services, including Gmail, YouTube and maps unless a special licence is obtained. Huaweis devices in its home market use a custom operating system based on open source Android but do not include access to any Google services, which are banned in China. But Googles curbs will hugely damage Huaweis global appeal. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally, a Huawei spokesman said by email. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, Huawei, which aspires to leap-frog Samsung to be the worlds biggest smartphone maker, said. As one of Androids key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry, it added. Almost half of the 208 million phones Huawei shipped in 2018 went outside mainland China, and Europe is the most important overseas market where its devices had a 29 percent market share in the first quarter of 2019, technology research firm IDC says. The Google loss was likely to cost Huawei all of its smartphone sales outside China as device purchasing is now almost entirely driven by the ecosystem, industry analyst Richard Windsor said. Huawei will not lose access to Android itself, which is open source, but Android devices outside of China must offer access to Google services in order to have any prospect of being sold, Windsor added. Trade Blacklist Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, said it would enact restrictions on Android updates after US President Donald Trump added Huawei to a trade blacklist, making it extremely difficult for it to do business with US counterparts. We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications, a Google spokesman said. Huawei, which is the largest supplier of telecom networking equipment, is at the centre of trade tensions between Beijing and Washington. The United States has said its gear could be used by China to spy on Americans, allegations Huawei has repeatedly denied. Google said its Google Play app store and the security protections from Google Play Protect would continue to function on existing Huawei devices. As well as restrictions on the software running its devices, Huawei faces the prospect of losing access to some of the US hardware suppliers it needs to produce its technology. Chipmakers including Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Xilinx Inc and Broadcom Inc have told their employees they will not supply critical software and components to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reported. Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension tech2 News Staff Google announced that they will be suspending all business interactions with smartphone manufacturer Huawei. This meant Google wont be conducting any kind of business involving hardware or software with Huawei, apart from the components covered by open source licenses. While Google already clarified earlier that services like Google Play and Google Play Protect will continue working on existing Huawei devices, it was still unclear how Huawei was handling the situation. As reported by Android Central, Huawei has released a statement on the same. The company says that it will continue providing security updates and after-sales services to existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products. It will cover all the products that are currently being sold as well. However, whether it will be receiving security patches and updates after Android Q in the future is still unclear. Huawei also confirmed that the trade blacklist isnt going to affect the launch of its upcoming Honor 20 Series smartphones, which are scheduled for 21 May (tomorrow). Heres Huaweis full statement: "Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android's key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally. Plus, nothing has changed for HONOR. We will be having our exciting launch event tomorrow in London for HONOR 20 Series." Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension tech2 News Staff It's not even been a day since Google announced that it was pulling off support for some of its services from being accessed by Huawei devices than we have more news on that front. US chip giants Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Xilinx have also pulled off from supplying vital components for Huawei devices. According to a report by Bloomberg, the chipmakers Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Xilinx have told their employees that they will not be providing Huawei with supplies until further notice. Intel is a major chipset provider to Huawei for its laptop line as well as provides server chips to Huawei. Qualcomm provides Huawei with modems and processors for many of its smartphones, irrespective of Huawei having its own HiSilicon Kirin chipsets. Xilinx sells programmable chips which are used in networking. Broadcom supplies Huawei with switching chips which is critical for networking equipment. To cut a long story short, each of these chip suppliers has a major role to play in Huawei products. According to analysts quoted by Bloomberg, this ban could prevent the quicker rollout of 5G networks in China as Huawei is heavily dependent on US semiconductor products. At the same time, Huawei is said to have stockpiled chips and other major components that will last it for three months at least, by when we should get a more clear idea as to whether this ban is here to stay or there will be a resolution on this. Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licenses, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the US government has sought to blacklist around the world. These restrictions are to comply with the Trump administration's blacklisting of Huawei and 70 affiliate companies from dealing with US companies. Under the order, Huawei will need a US government license to buy American technology. This decision is the culmination of the Trump administration's reservations against using Huawei's next-generation 5G networks as it feels that Huawei's close ties with the Chinese government could be detrimental and lead to cyber espionage. Trump administration also imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods amid an escalating trade war. Read more on the Huawei banning saga: Huawei's Android license has been revoked: Here's what Huawei has to say about it Huawei's Android licence revoked: What it means for existing Huawei and Honor phone users Intel and Qualcomm join Google in cutting off ties with Huawei following Trump ban After Huawei blacklist, 'Boycott Apple' campaign gaining steam in China: Report German chipmaker Infineon suspends shipments to Huawei after US trade blacklist Huawei is reportedly releasing its own Android alternative called IndeoenOS this fall Huawei accuses US of bullying, says working with Google to respond to ban Huawei doesn't mention Android at its new Honor 20 series smartphone launch event Huawei's trade ban by the US could advance local Chinese chip suppliers Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei claims the US's 90-day reprieve does not bear 'much impact' Some Huawei Mobile users are considering a switch after Google suspension Sameer Sachdeva TikTok was in the news recently for its ban by the Madras High Court that was subsequently revoked on 24 April. The app was temporarily taken off from the Google Play Store and iOS App Store for less than a week, when the ban kicked in on 19 April. Helena Lersch, Director, Global Public Policy, TikTok, gave a freewheeling email interview to tech2 (Firstpost) on the matter, where she answered a range of questions such as the impact on the Chinese social media giant because of the raging controversy and what damage control steps have been taken. Edited excerpts from the interview follow. tech2: The Madras High Court has lifted the ban on TikTok. What was your first reaction on this? Helena Lersch (HL): We are glad about this decision and it is also greatly welcomed by our thriving community of over 200 million users in India, who use TikTok as a platform to showcase their creativity. While were pleased that our efforts to fight against the misuse of the platform have been recognised, the work is never done at our end. We are committed to continuously enhancing our safety features as a testament to our ongoing commitment to our Indian users and their safety. tech2: The HC ban was to prevent pornography and paedophilia. How is the company geared to address the HCs concerns and the petitioner? HL: At TikTok, the safety of our users is a key priority. We are constantly working towards improving our mechanisms by introducing industry-leading safety features such as increased privacy settings, in-app reporting, comments filter, strict Community Guidelines , a safety resource centre to ensure user safety and a positive in-app environment for our users to showcase their creativity and talent. We in no way endorse or promote content that is a violation of its comprehensive Community Guidelines . For instance, we recently removed six million content videos that were violating our community guidelines. We will continue to follow a rigorous mechanism to remove inappropriate content and accounts from the platform. We have proactively included features such as notification banners added to videos that may be inappropriate for younger audiences. Besides, there is a Restricted Mode and Digital Wellbeing function within the app that allows users to control time spent on TikTok, as well as to limit the appearance of content that may not be appropriate for minors. tech2: How are you ensuring the privacy of your users? HL: Along with having complete control over their privacy settings which allows users to approve or deny followers and restrict the visibility of their uploaded content and incoming messages to followers only, our users also have access to in-built protection features such as filters and in-app reporting. We actively work towards giving our users more control over their online presence on the app. TikTok recently introduced a new feature called Filter Comments to give its users the ability to decide on who can comment on their videos. Our users can self-define up to 30 keywords in English and Hindi that they would like to automatically filter out from their comments section. Earlier this year, we also launched the Safety Center , a local website that consists of safety policies, tools and resources to equip users with product education and protection measures when using TikTok. It is available in 10 major Indian languages and apart from guidelines, it also links out to two resource pages tackling anti-bullying. tech2: You have also implemented an age-gate in India? What more customisation has been done so far for Indian operations? HL: We have introduced 13 industry-leading safety features that ensure a safe and comfortable in-app experience for our users. The launch of our age-gate feature in addition to the recent takedown of six million videos reinforces our ongoing commitment to ensure that our platform remains a safe and positive space for our Indian users and we discharge our obligations under the Intermediary Guidelines of India, in a meaningful manner. We are looking forward to introducing more relevant features and initiatives to help Indian users be safe and continue to enhance their experience with TikTok. For example, we will shortly introduce Device Management giving users greater control to manage their login devices to prevent their accounts from being hacked and will also be revamping our notification tab and notification controls, which will make users digital lives easier. tech2: Do you think that of all the social media sites, TikTok was singled out unfairly? HL: We believe that content moderation on user-generated platforms is an industry-wide challenge that we take very seriously. We recognise that no system can prevent all instances of inappropriate activity, but we are committed to continually improving our safety features and localising moderation efforts to ensure a safe, welcoming and positive community environment for our users. tech2: ByteDance had plans of $1 billion investment in India. What will be the areas of investment? HL: India is a strategic market for ByteDance, and were looking at investing $1 billion over the next three years, in line with our long-term growth ambitions in India. We are looking at ramping up local hiring efforts, infrastructure, research and development efforts as well as partnerships. tech2: Do you agree that the ban in some way has given publicity to TikTok and it is expected that the user base will multiply after it has been lifted? HL: TikTok is a global platform that caters to millions of users across the world. It already enjoys great popularity across India and has over 200 million users in the country who use the platform for creating and sharing exciting and innovative content. It is a platform for creators and empowers its users by giving them a platform to showcase their talent to a global audience. We are glad that TikTok is available on Google Play and iOS once again. We look forward to continuing serving our thriving community in India and look forward to welcoming new users as well. tech2: What steps you will now take to adhere to the IT Act 2000 (Section 69A and Section 79) and the rules therein? HL: We are committed to abiding by local laws and regulations. We fully comply with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011. Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment at TikTok is our priority. We have robust measures to protect users against misuse, protect their privacy and digital wellbeing. This includes easy reporting mechanisms that enable users and law enforcement to report content that violates our terms of use and comprehensive Community Guidelines so that everyone on TikTok feels welcome and safe. We combine algorithm-based moderation technology with a robust human moderation team that covers major Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati and more. We work continuously to make our over 200 million users feel safe and comfortable within the community by empowering them with the right safety tools and resources. tech2: Have you appointed a grievance officer as mandated by Indias IT Act? How can Indian users reach him or her with their grievances? HL: Yes, in order to better coordinate with law enforcement agencies, we have appointed a Chief Nodal Officer based out of India. tech2: How did the industry, associations and users support you during the tough period of the ban? HL: We would like to clarify that this was only an interim takedown from app stores and not a ban. During the time of the takedown, we received an overwhelmingly positive response from TikToks existing community, who continued to use the platform to showcase their creativity and capture moments that mattered to them. tech2 News Staff NSO Group, an Israel-based cyber intelligence group linked to WhatsApp's most recent privacy scare is now facing a lawsuit backed by Amnesty International. Amnesty claims that the organisation fears its staff may be under surveillance from spyware installed via the messaging service. As per a report by Digital Trends, the lawsuit has been filed in Israel by about 50 members and supporters of Amnesty International Israel and others from the human rights community. Amnesty has also called on the country's ministry of defence to ban the export of NSO's Pegasus software, which can quietly take control of a mobile phone, copy its data and turn on the microphone for surveillance. An affidavit from Amnesty filed in court concludes that "staff of Amnesty International have an ongoing and well-founded fear they may continue to be targeted and ultimately surveilled" after a hacking attempt last year. Amnesty, meanwhile, also sought to revoke the export license for NSO following the breach which allowed attackers to inject spyware onto phones by simply placing a WhatsApp audio call. While it did not comment on specific attacks, NSO said in a statement following a breach last week said that it would investigate any "credible allegations of misuse" of its technology which "is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies." This, however, isn't the first time that NSO Group has been accused of wrongful surveillance. An investigation by the New York Times, earlier this year, found that NSO's Pegasus software also played a role in the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Also read: WhatsApp Hack: How a simple VOIP call can open your phone up to hackers) Reuters Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue on Monday due in part to steady growth in sales outside its home market. The results indicate Xiaomis overseas expansion and focus on markets such as India and Europe are paying off as the smartphone market in China, the worlds biggest, slows. Xiaomis revenue rose 27 percent in the quarter ended March from a year earlier to CNY 43.8 billion ($6.3 billion), beating an average estimate of 42.109 billion yuan in a survey of analysts polled by Refinitiv. Xiaomi gets most of its revenue by selling mobile handsets, but it also makes money from selling online ads and other types of consumer hardware - an approach it described as a triathlon business model when it listed in Hong Kong in 2018. Its adjusted net income for the first quarter rose to CNY 2.1, versus 1.7 billion a year ago. According to data from Counterpoint Research, the overall smartphone market in China contracted 7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019. Xiaomis share of the domestic smartphone market shrank 21% over the period, the same study shows, while rivals Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei each saw gains. Xiaomi has tried to compensate for the slowdown at home by expanding abroad aggressively. It remains the leading phone vendor in India, and has grown steadily in Europe after launching across the continent throughout 2018. Xiaomi has also attempted to move upmarket and raise the price of its flagship devices, while siphoning off its cheaper models into sub-brands. Kavya Narayanan The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, part of India's first attempt to land on the moon with the Chandrayaan 2 mission, appear to be incommunicado on the moon's surface after a failed 7 September crash landing. But the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO's) has a packed couple of years ahead, with a string of interesting (and interplanetary) projects on its to-do list in the near-future. The Chandrayaan 2 mission (and the Gaganyaan manned mission planned for 2022 are two of the better-known, bigger-budget missions, but far from the only ones for which work is underway. The agency is also working on a total of seven interplanetary missions in the coming decade. Among the destinations are Mars, the Moon, Venus, the Sun's corona and interplanetary space to study space. The first of these will be in April 2020, with the Aditya-L1 mission to the Sun. April 2020 (estimated): Aditya-L1 mission The Aditya-L1 mission is ISRO's first planned probe to study the Sun's corona and its atmosphere. The corona is the outer layer of the Sun, which extends thousands of km above the visible disc around it. Interestingly, it has temperatures over a million degree Kelvin far higher than the surface of the Sun (6000 degrees Kelvin). How the corona gets heated to such high temperatures is still an unanswered question in solar physics, and something NASA's Parker probe is currently exploring. ISRO's Aditya L-1 will also soon follow suit and study this astrophysical mystery. The probe is expected to launch in April 2020 on a PSLV rocket from Sriharikota, according to ISRO's website. (Also read: All about the Aditya-L1: ISRO's upcoming satellite to unveil secrets of the Sun) December 2021/January 2022: Gaganyaan mission In his 2018 Independence Day address, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will attempt to send astronauts to space on a spacecraft called the 'Gaganyaan' by 2022. The mission will make India only the fourth nation in the world to accomplish the feat if successful, he added. At Rs 10,000 crore, Gaganyaan is slated to be India's biggest, boldest space mission so far. The Gaganyaans crew module to house astronauts, its life support systems to keep them alive in space, and the spacecraft's environmental control systems have already been developed, and are being tested at a new facility opened by ISRO for human spaceflight missions. The mission is "highest priority" for ISRO in 2019, the space agency announced, with plans to have the first unmanned tests for the mission in December 2020 and second in July 2021. If these tests are successful, the manned mission will happen as planned in December 2021. 2022-2023: Mangalyaan-2 (or the Mars Orbiter Mission-2) India's second mission to Mars, the Mars Orbiter-2, is another planned mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) between 2022 and 2023. The Mangalyaan-2 orbiter will use aerobraking to lower its initial apoapsis and enter into an orbit more suitable for observations. This mission, much like the Mangalyaan-1 mission has been planned as an orbiter-alone mission, and won't feature a lander or rover. India's ISRO and French CNES space agencies were intended as partners building the MOM-2 module by 2020, but by April 2018, France was not yet involved in the mission. In a sign of encouragement, the Indian government-funded the MOM-2 mission in its 2017 budget proposal, leaving ISRO mulling over whether the best path is a MOM mission with an orbiter, lander and rover will be feasible or an orbiter alone with instruments more sophisticated than those on MOM-1 would be the way to go. Late 2020s: Chandrayaan-3 mission While the second mission in the Chandrayaan (India's lunar exploration) programme is still currently underway, K Sivan announced in January this year that the third mission in the series will also be carried out in the coming decade. The Chandrayaan program was always intended as a multi-mission space programme. "The Moon is a good candidate as a staging point for carrying out our deep space human spaceflight missions, and Chandrayaan-2 will assess the suitability of the Moon for such activities," Chairman K Sivan said in an interview to Current Science. ISRO will also soon initiate a space robotics programme to look at the possibility of an Indian robot on the Moon, he added. With the first mission in the program featuring an Orbiter and the second featuring a soft lander and rover, it sure is interesting to consider what India's third lunar mission might bring to the table. Could Chandrayaan-3 be the mission to put an Indian robot on the Moon? 2023-2025: Shukrayaan mission to Venus Our neighbouring planet Venus is often described as Earth's 'twin sister' due to similarities in their sizes, densities, composition and gravity. Some theories suggest both planets share a common origin, forming at the same time from the same condensing swirl of gas and dust all those 4.5 billion years ago. Being 30 percent closer to the Sun than the Earth, Venus has a much higher exposure to solar radiation, effects of solar flares and other solar phenomena, which makes it an object of interest for ISRO to study. ISRO intends to send an orbiter mission to study the atmosphere of Venus, which is made up primarily of carbon dioxide. The Shukrayaan mission will study the dense, hot atmosphere of Venus and the planet's surface using a probe. The satellite configuration and payloads on Shukrayaan-1 are yet to be finalised. But the science objectives that will feed the design of the spacecraft are The "super-rotation" of the Venusian atmosphere and how it interacts with solar radiation and solar wind are also among the mission's science objectives, according to an ISRO release. Late 2020s: EXPOSat Planetary exploration The EXPOSat mission appears to be a follow-up to the AstroSAT mission, ISRO's multi-wavelength X-ray astronomy observatory studying X-ray sources in the universe. Considering the great success of AstroSAT, the EXPOSat mission will further explore X-rays in the universe specifically, the polarisation of bright X-ray sources in our universe. These objects could be neutron stars, supernova remnants, pulsars and regions around black holes that could give scientists information about the electromagnetic nature of space radiation. Understanding space radiation better could be used to protect spacecraft and astronauts in the future, but also pave the way for space technology to better understand happenings in the universe. These, K Sivan said at the briefing, are only some of the planned interplanetary missions ISRO has in mind for the decade to come. 2023: India's Space Station Another plan in the pipeline is a space station that will be built by India. Currently, the International Space Station is the only functioning one but it is supposed to be winding up by 2028. The proposed station will weigh 15-20 tonnes and will be able to host people for 15-20 days. It will be used to conduct microgravity tests said Kailasavadivoo Sivan the chairperson of ISRO to Business Standard. The space station according to Sivan is a logical extension of the RS 10,000 crore Gaganyaan mission that will be sending human beings to space in 2022. The timeline for the mission is five to seven years which should be a challenge but ISRO has been developing the necessary technologies like the space docking technology that should keep it on track said Ajay Lele, a senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. (Also read: India plans to have an orbiting space station by 2030 here's what we can expect) Agence France-Presse On 11 December 2017, US President Donald Trump signed a directive ordering NASA to prepare to return astronauts to the Moon "followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations." The dates fixed by the space agency are 2024 for the Moon and Mars in 2033, but according to experts and industry insiders, reaching the Red Planet by then is highly improbable barring a Herculean effort on the scale of the Apollo program in the 1960s. "The Moon is the proving ground for our eventual mission to Mars," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said at a conference this week. "The Moon is our path to get to Mars in the fastest, safest way possible. That's why we go to the Moon." According to Robert Howard, who heads up the lab developing future space habitats at the legendary Johnson Space Center in Houston, the hurdles aren't so much technical or scientific as much as a question of budget and political will. "A lot of people want us to have an Apollo moment, and have a president stand up like Kennedy and say, we've got to do it and the entire country comes together," he said. "If that happened, I would actually say 2027. But I don't think that's going to happen. I think in our current approach, we are going to be lucky to do it by the 2037 date." But Howard said if he were to be pessimistic, and assume political dithering lay ahead, "it could be the 2060s." Psychological challenges of deep space missions From the design, manufacture, and testing of the rockets and spaceships required to learning the best way to grow lettuce: all the groundwork remains to be done. Just getting there will take six months at least, as opposed to three days to the Moon. The whole mission could take two years since Mars and the Earth are closest to each other every 26 months, a window that must be taken. Key tasks include finding a way to shield astronauts from prolonged exposure to solar and cosmic radiation, said Julie Robinson, NASA's chief scientist for the International Space Station. "A second is our food system," she added. The current plant system ideas "are not packageable, portable or small enough to take to Mars." And then there's the question of dealing with medical emergencies: astronauts will need to be able to treat themselves in case of any accidents. "I actually think a big deal is the suits," added Jennifer Heldman, a NASA planetary scientist. One of the major gripes of the Apollo astronauts was their gloves, which were too inflated and prevented them from doing dexterous work. NASA is developing a new suit, the first in forty years, called xEMU, but it won't be ready for its first outing in the International Space Station for a few more years. On Mars, dust will be even more of a problem than on the Moon. The Apollo astronauts returned with huge amounts of lunar dust in their modules. Keeping it out of habitats will be critical for a mission that involves spending months on the Red Planet. Techniques to exploit Martian resources to extract water, oxygen and fuel necessary for humans to live there don't yet exist and must be tested on the Moon by the end of this decade. Finally, there's the most fundamental question: how will a group of people cope with the psychological stress of being totally isolated for two years? It won't be possible to communicate in real time with Houston mission control: radio communications will take between four and 24 minutes between the planets, one-way. NASA plans to test out delayed-communication exercises on board the ISS in the coming years. Artificial intelligence must also be developed to assist and guide the astronauts. A researcher commissioned by NASA to study the likelihood of getting to Mars by 2033 concluded the objective was "infeasible." "It isn't just budget," said Bhavya Lal of the Science and Technology Policy Institute. "It's also organization bandwidth, how many things can NASA do at the same time?" For Lal, the more realistic timeframe was 2039. Press Trust of India NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water ice, and organic molecules on Ultima Thule's surfacethe farthest world ever explored by mankind. The US space agency has published the first profile of Ultima Thulean ancient relic from the era of planet formationrevealing details about the complex space object. Analysing just the first sets of data gathered during the New Horizons spacecraft's New Year's 2019 flyby of the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69nicknamed Ultima Thuleunveil much about the object's development, geology and composition. Researchers are also investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs, and craters and pits on Ultima Thule. The largest depression is an eight-kilometer-wide feature the team has nicknamed Maryland craterwhich likely formed from an impact. Some smaller pits on the Kuiper Belt object, however, may have been created by material falling into underground spaces, or due to exotic ices going from a solid to a gas and leaving pits in its place. In colour and composition, Ultima Thule resembles many other objects found in its area of the Kuiper Belt. Its reddish hue is believed to be caused by modification of the organic materials on its surface. According to the research published in the journal Science, the team found evidence for methanol, water ice, and organic molecules on Ultima Thule's surfacea mixture very different from most icy objects explored previously by spacecraft. "We're looking into the well-preserved remnants of the ancient past," said Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado. "There is no doubt that the discoveries made about Ultima Thule are going to advance theories of solar system formation," said Stern, Principal Investigator of the New Horizons mission. Ultima Thule is a contact binary, with two distinctly differently shaped lobes, NASA said. At about 36 kilometers long, Ultima Thule consists of a large, strangely flat lobenicknamed "Ultima"connected to a smaller, somewhat rounder lobedubbed "Thule"at a juncture. How the two lobes got their unusual shape is an unanticipated mystery that likely relates to how they formed billions of years ago, NASA said in a statement. The lobes likely once orbited each other until some process brought them together in what scientists have shown to be a "gentle" merger. For that to happen, much of the binary's orbital momentum must have dissipated for the objects to come together, but scientists do not yet know whether that was due to aerodynamic forces from gas in the ancient solar nebula, or if Ultima and Thule ejected other lobes that formed with them to dissipate energy and shrink their orbit. The alignment of the axes of Ultima and Thule indicates that before the merger the two lobes must have become tidally locked, meaning that the same sides always faced each other as they orbited around the same point. Data transmission from the flyby continues and will go on until the late summer 2020. In the meantime, New Horizons continues to carry out new observations of additional Kuiper Belt objects it passes in the distance. The New Horizons spacecraft is now 6.6 billion kilometers from Earth, operating normally and speeding deeper into the Kuiper Belt at nearly 53,000 kilometers per hour. CAIRO (Reuters) - An explosion targeting a tourist bus injured at least 12 people on Sunday, mostly South African tourists, near a new museum being built close to the Giza pyramids in Egypt, two security sources said. A third security source said the bus was carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids area, and that four Egyptians in a nearby car were also injured by broken glass. Security and judicial sources said a rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal had been detonated remotely on the perimeter of the Grand Egyptian Museum, not far from the site of a roadside blast that hit another tourist bus in December CAIRO (Reuters) - An explosion targeting a tourist bus injured at least 12 people on Sunday, mostly South African tourists, near a new museum being built close to the Giza pyramids in Egypt, two security sources said. A third security source said the bus was carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids area, and that four Egyptians in a nearby car were also injured by broken glass. Security and judicial sources said a rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal had been detonated remotely on the perimeter of the Grand Egyptian Museum, not far from the site of a roadside blast that hit another tourist bus in December. Pictures posted on social media showed a bus with some of its windows blown out or shattered, and debris in the road next to a low wall with a hole in it. One witness told Reuters he heard a "very loud explosion" while sitting in traffic. South Africa's foreign ministry said staff from its embassy in Egypt were visiting hospitals to check on the reported injuries. The museum is due to open next year as the new home for some of the country's top antiquities on a site adjoining the world-famous Giza pyramids. It is part of an effort to boost tourism, a key source of foreign revenue for Egypt. The sector has been recovering after tourist numbers dropped in the wake of a 2011 uprising and the 2015 bombing of a Russian passenger jet. There was no damage to the museum from the blast, which happened 50 metres from its outer fence and more than 400 metres from the museum building, the Antiquities Ministry said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Egyptian security forces are waging a counter insurgency campaign against Islamist militants, some with links to Islamic State, that is focussed in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. Attacks outside Sinai have become relatively rare, though there have been several security incidents in recent months in Giza, across the Nile from central Cairo. In December, three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when a roadside bomb hit their tour bus less than 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from the Giza pyramids. (Reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Haithem Ahmed and Mostafa Salem; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Mark Potter) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. In Westminster, as politicians intrigue over their individual futures, Northern Ireland is too remote to matter. Editor's note: This is the third in a four-part series of reports on Brexit from the UK, leading up to the EU elections on 23 May. It will relay voices of everyday British folk on the coming departure from Europe. *** In the town I loved so well .. sang the legendary Irish balladier Luke Kenny of the folk Irish band Dubliners after Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in Northern Ireland in 1972: There was music there in the Derry air, Like a language that we could all understand. But when I returned, how my eyes have burned To see how a town could be brought to its knees Seen but dismissed like a morning dream by politicians in Westminster is the real possibility that the Brexit ship now sailing fitfully for three years may run aground on the hard border question in Northern Ireland. And if it does, the consequences for the United Kingdom can be devastating. It is on this single question of a no-border between Ireland and Northern Ireland that a potential challenge to the current contours of the country lies. True, all parties agree that there should not be a hard border between the two countries. But there the consensus ends. Nobody knows how this would be possible if Brexit, voted for by the British public in the 2016 referendum, is to go ahead. In Westminster, as politicians intrigue over their individual futures, Northern Ireland is too remote to matter. In the 1960s and well into the 90s, when secessionist violence claimed many lives in Northern Ireland, there was a hard, international border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a former colony which won independence from the British in 1922. In fact, Dublin was the scene of the first Bloody Sunday massacre (21 November, 1920) by British troops which caused widespread outrage at home and abroad. It finally led to Irish independence. Londonderry, which had a large Catholic Irish population, remained in the United Kingdom, cut off from its economic hinterland in the Irish mainland. It became a border town. In Derry, the more popular name of folklore, the Irish Catholics were slightly outnumbered by Protestants, both communities then neatly divided along the River Foyle, which cuts through the town as it meanders through the broad countryside to merge in the Atlantic Ocean. When what the Irish delicately call Troubles started in the late 1960s, the demographics began to shift, with Protestants fleeing the violence. But today, after 20 years of peace, only a small percentage of Catholics outnumber the Protestant inhabitants of Londonderry. The political dynamics in Northern Ireland changed in the late 1990s with the Good Friday agreement between those who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland and those who wanted to remain in the UK. Significantly, the agreement left the big question open: It provided for a future referendum on joining the Republic of Ireland. Alongside, the European Union juggernaut rolled on: beginning in 1992, when European Union became a common market, the hard border began to soften with the free movement of goods and services into Northern Ireland. In 2005, the last of British military checkpoints were removed from the border, which is the UKs sole land link with the continent of Europe. Ever since, the links between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have only become stronger. Today, they are practically inextricable. Nobody wants a border, says Jerry, who refused to give his last name and provided a first name only as an afterthought. A middle-aged man, who did not state his profession, Jerry has dual citizenship of Ireland and the United Kingdom but grew up in Londonderry. He lives just a 10 minutes drive across the soft border from Londonderry, and spends all his free time in town with his friends. He is Catholic. I cannot imagine how it will complicate my life to go back to how it used to be. All the border checks! says Jerry, who makes the short drive across for a swim at a pool whenever he has time. Sean, a young parent of a toddler in his 20s does not want to see an international border with Ireland. It (a hard border) will not happen. My parents live in Ireland, and they babysit my daughter while I am at work, he says. Family gatherings across the border are commonplace. In this town, it always mattered whom you asked. Catholic and Protestant Northern Irishmen inhabit different worlds. However, the broad Irish community, which is spread across the continents of America and Australia is mainly Catholic. After the European experiment, the Protestant Irish, who describe themselves as Unionist seem to be caught between the receding footprint of the UK government and their economic interests, which have sometimes allied with the EU. Farmers and small businesses earn a European subsidy, which is a welcome change for Northern Irelanders of either religion. The UK government has neglected this region of the country. Mostly, the Protestants venture no opinion on Brexit, dismissing the politicians as ineffective, and lining their own pockets. Across Northern Ireland, religious tensions are simmering just under the surface. Even good friends, when the topic is introduced, publicly fall out. At a local bar, in the centre of the old walled city, the female Catholic owner has forbidden discussion of politics among her customers. It is a restriction her regular customers, who are both Catholic and Protestant, largely respect. The lone Protestant at the bar, unfailingly polite as most across the UK, just offers this with a diminutive shrug after initially refusing to comment: I say, let sleeping dog lie. No good will come out of such talk. At another bar more frequented by Unionists down the street, contrary opinions voiced by members of the two communities lead perilously close to a fight. One man, a Protestant, walks out suddenly, in the middle of a heated Catholic opinion. Shared history of the two communities does prompt the offender to offer to make a full apology but all this tension is only at the prospect of Brexit. It is anyones guess where it may go if a full Brexit does indeed come to pass. This tension is best reflected by a Catholic Irish man with an English accent, which sounded incongruous on the streets of Londonderry. The man, who refused to provide even his first name, encounters hostility at the Irish Catholic pubs he likes to frequent. I am Irish Catholic but I worked abroad most of my life, he says explaining his accent, which he calls his misfortune. The other day, I was speaking to a tourist in a bar when a woman (obviously Catholic) gave me a venomous look, he says. Religion is central to the story of Londonderry, whose differing iterations of the citys name itself is telling. To the Unionists, Londonderry signifies allegiance to the Crown. To the Irish Catholics, Derry is preferable. The city was directly affected by the Protestant Reformation in 16th century England. Across the River Foley closer to the Ireland border, a peace wall separates the Protestants from the more numerous Catholics. Within, Old City walls ring a Protestant cathedral built in 1633 by the City of London. Catholic Irishmen, who nurse a sense of grievance against the Protestant English, see themselves as part of an Irish family around the world. Currently an estimated 80 million around the world trace their ancestry to Ireland. Over 30 million of them live in the US. The Irish migrated to the East Coast, and played a large role in building cities in Massachusetts on the East Coast. In Londonderry, the Irish-American connection is proudly preserved, with inscriptions on city walls. The peace wall displays murals of the citys first bridge, a wooden one, that was built across the River Foley by an American firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. In the local bars, country western music with Irish roots plays. This neatly laid out city, which is now the only remaining city with its walls intact anywhere in Europe, also played a large role during WWII. It hosted secret visits by United States Navy ships even before America entered the war. Later, the Americans built a naval base which housed Canadian and British Royal Navy troops. Two decades hence, the event that give this city its smouldering, on-edge character took place. On Sunday, 30 January, 1972, as a peaceful march civil rights march drew to an end, British paratroopers shot dead 13 unarmed civilians, six of them children. Today, the distrust of the government is palpable but the Irish Catholics have rarely been so sanguine about their prospects. Nobody wants the Troubles to come back though, but everything will depend on how the UK government solves the Brexit crisis. The Dubliners song from the 70s still resonates: Now, the musics gone but I still carry on For the Spirits been bruised but never broken For whats done is done and whats won is won And whats lost is lost and gone forever I can only pray for a bright brand new day In the town I loved so well By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may have won more than just another three years in office for his conservative coalition government. By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may have won more than just another three years in office for his conservative coalition government. By winning what was seen as an unwinnable election, the unexpected leader has cemented his authority over the Liberal Party, giving him the muscle to end a decade of instability that has seen a revolving door of prime ministers. It was a stunning personal victory for Morrison, who largely flew solo during campaign as senior ministers stayed close to home to defend seats thought to be at risk. "It was a one-man show. There will be much written about this in the years to come," Haydon Manning, a professor of political science at Flinders University, told Reuters. "He delivered the victory against the odds." Morrison became prime minister as a compromise candidate after a right-wing faction ousted Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal Party leader last August. The resulting Liberal-National coalition was behind in every opinion poll - including an exit poll on Saturday - since Morrison took over, with voters angry at Turnbull's ouster and frustrated by a perceived lack of action over climate change and a dearth of fresh polices. But Morrison on Saturday defied those odds, securing re-election in what he described as a miracle. The coalition is on course to win a third term either with the support of independents or through an outright majority. After a decade of political turmoil that saw both Labor and the coalition depose several prime ministers, changes Morrison introduced last year mean that it is now very difficult for his party to remove him now that he has won an election. ASPIRATION MESSAGE The secret of Morrison's success, lawmakers, election strategists and analysts say, was twofold. First, he could see a path to victory through target areas such as the urban fringes of Queensland state, where he won enough seats to offset expected swings against the government in city-based seats. And he was able to frame the ballot as a contest between him and Labor leader Bill Shorten, whose reform agenda was portrayed by the government as at odds with Australian aspirations. "Morrison's biggest asset was Bill Shorten. He made the election a personal contest and in the end, the people never liked or trusted Shorten," John Hewson, former leader of Australia's Liberal Party, told Reuters. Hewson now shares a connection with Shorten: as Liberal leader in opposition in 1993, he similarly lost what was considered an unloseable election after releasing a detailed and comprehensive tax reform policy well ahead of the vote. In this weekend's election, Labor proposed removing two generous tax concessions enjoyed primarily by older, wealthy Australians. But rather than winning favour with younger voters, the policies become the target of Morrison's campaign, fostering suspicion of Labor. Morrison - who centred his campaign on his government's economic credentials - used Labor's tax proposals as evidence that the opposition was "coming after your money". A Labor strategist said the government successfully cobbled together a coalition of support among voters in urban fringes and rural townships. "They won a lot of voters from older Australians with its attacks about a retirement tax. But we lost votes from younger people that we didn't expect," said the strategist, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to talk to the media. "We didn't do enough to talk about jobs for these people in these regions." NEVER STOPPED CAMPAIGNING Shortly after the first vote counts were released on Saturday evening, it was clear a shock was in the works. Although Morrison's support for the mining industry was expected to deliver victories in the north of Queensland, a state where coal is a major employer, victories in the outer suburbs in the south of the state belied exit polls. On Saturday, Morrison embarked on a last-ditch visit to the southern island state of Tasmania before flying back to his Sydney electorate to vote. That bore fruit, with the government's winning two seats in Tasmania from Labor that may help deliver an outright majority. Morrison was also able to limit swings against the government in Victoria, seen as the major weak spot after a stinging rejection of the Liberal Party at state elections in November. In rural areas, the National Party comfortably fended off what were expected to be strong challenges from independent candidates after the party had lost safe seats in state elections. Throughout the campaign, Morrison continued to privately stress that a victory was possible, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Sunday. But he often seemed alone in that belief. "I have to say, until it happened, I didn't think it would happen," Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos said on ABC TV late on Saturday night. (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by John Mair and Gerry Doyle) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said on Sunday after the kingdoms energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said on Sunday after the kingdoms energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. US president Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isnt looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers two of them Saudi were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests, al-Jubeir told reporters. On Sunday night, the US military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no US or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the US Embassy. The spokesman said that attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner and added that the US will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces. Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Trump tweeted. A senior Iranian military commander was quoted as saying his country is not looking for war, in comments published in Iranian media on Sunday. Fears of armed conflict were already running high after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The US also has ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Trump had appeared to soften his tone in recent days, saying he expected Iran to seek negotiations with his administration. Asked on Thursday if the US might be on a path to war with Iran, the president answered, I hope not. Sunday nights apparent rocket attack was the first such incident since September, when three mortar shells landed in an abandoned lot inside the Green Zone. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that a Katyusha rocket fell near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the US Embassy. He said that the military was investigating the cause but that the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. As tensions escalate between the US and Iran, there have been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle , just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 US troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those US forces to leave. The US Navy said Sunday it had conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with the aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the region to counter the unspecified threat from Iran. The Navy said the exercises and training were conducted Friday and Saturday with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the US Marine Corps, highlighting US lethality and agility to respond to threat, as well as to deter conflict and preserve US strategic interests. The current tensions are rooted in Trumps decision last year to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and impose wide-reaching sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports that are crucial to its economy. Iran has said it would resume enriching uranium at higher levels if a new nuclear deal is not reached by July 7. That would potentially bring it closer to being able to develop a nuclear weapon, something Iran insists it has never sought. Energy ministers from OPEC and its allies, including major producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, are meeting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss energy prices and production cuts. Irans oil exports are expected to shrink further in the coming months after the US stopped renewing waivers that allowed it to continue selling to some countries. OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers have production cuts in place, but the group of exporters is not expected to make its decision on output until late June, when they meet again in Vienna. The United Arab Emirates energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei told reporters at the meeting he does not think relaxing the oil production cuts in place is the right measure. His comments suggest theres support within OPEC and other oil-producing nations, like Russia, to continue propping up oil prices after a sharp fall last year. Oil is now trading above $70 a barrel and closer to whats needed to balance state budgets among Persian Gulf producers. Saudi Arabias King Salman, meanwhile, has called for a meeting of Arab heads of state on May 30 in Mecca to discuss the latest developments, including the oil pipeline attack. The kingdom has blamed the pipeline attack on Iran, accusing Tehran of arming the rebel Houthis, which a Saudi-led coalition has been at war with in Yemen since 2015. Iran denies arming or training the rebels, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. We want peace and stability in the region, but we wont stand with our hands bound as the Iranians continuously attack. Iran has to understand that, al-Jubeir said. The ball is in Irans court. Al-Jubeir also noted that an investigation, led by the UAE, into the tanker incident is underway. The state-run Saudi news agency reported Sunday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss regional developments. There was no immediate statement by the State Department about the call. An English-language Saudi newspaper close to the palace recently published an editorial calling for surgical US airstrikes in retaliation for Irans alleged involvement in targeting Saudi Arabias oil infrastructure. The head of Irans Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was quoted Sunday as saying Iran is not looking for war. But he said the US is going to fail in the near future because they are frustrated and hopeless and are looking for a way out of the current escalation. His comments, given to other Guard commanders, were carried by Irans semi-official Fars news agency. The USS Abraham Lincoln has yet to reach the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes. ZURICH/GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss voters agreed by a nearly two-to-one margin on Sunday to adopt tighter gun controls in line with changes to European Union rules, heading off a clash with Brussels. The measure passed in the binding referendum under the Swiss system of direct democracy by a 64-36% margin, provisional final results showed. The restrictions, which apply to non-EU member Switzerland because it is part of Europe's Schengen open-border system, had raised hackles among shooting enthusiasts ahead of the vote. ZURICH/GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss voters agreed by a nearly two-to-one margin on Sunday to adopt tighter gun controls in line with changes to European Union rules, heading off a clash with Brussels. The measure passed in the binding referendum under the Swiss system of direct democracy by a 64-36% margin, provisional final results showed. The restrictions, which apply to non-EU member Switzerland because it is part of Europe's Schengen open-border system, had raised hackles among shooting enthusiasts ahead of the vote. Failure to adopt the rules could have forced Switzerland to leave the passport-free Schengen zone and the Dublin joint system for handling asylum requests. After militants killed scores of people in Paris in 2015, the EU in 2017 toughened laws against purchasing semi-automatic rifles such as the ones used in those attacks and made it easier to track weapons in national databases. The initial EU proposal provoked an outcry because it meant a ban on the Swiss tradition of ex-soldiers keeping their assault rifles. Swiss officials negotiated concessions for veterans and gun enthusiasts who take part in the country's numerous shooting clubs, but any restrictions imported from the EU go too far for right-wing activists concerned about Swiss sovereignty. "To me, the new obligations linked to the possession of guns are not that restrictive, while the risk of not being able to benefit from Schengen's advantages are very real," said one bank employee who gave his name only as Philippe. "It has nothing to do with blackmail, it is just that Switzerland has to align itself with a system to which it participates." Gun rights proponents complained the rules could disarm law-abiding citizens and encroach on Switzerland's heritage and national identity, which includes a well-armed citizenry. (Reporting by Michael Shields and Marina Depetris; Editing by Louise Heavens and Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Thousands took to the streets in the southern US state of Alabama on Sunday to rally against the nation's most restrictive bans on abortions in decades Montgomery: Thousands took to the streets in the southern US state of Alabama on Sunday to rally against the nation's most restrictive bans on abortions in decades. Around 500 women's reproductive rights defenders gathered in state capital Montgomery, while in the cities of Birmingham, Anniston, Huntsville and Mobile around 3,000 more joined in denouncing the "Alabama Human Life Protection Act," local media reported. The act, known as HB314, virtually outlaws terminations of pregnancy. Protesters in Montgomery held up signs reading "her body, her choice" and "we are not ovary-acting." A woman wearing beige underwear that made her look naked had a drawing of her reproductive system attached to her abdomen and a banner reading, "More than an incubator." Several other women were dressed as characters forced to bear children in the dystopian novel and television series The Handmaid's Tale. One of them, who gave her name only as Amanda, accused Alabama's legislators of "trying to imprison women and doctors." "Wearing the Handmaid's Tale outfit is sending a message that you're trying to turn us into slaves, reproductive slaves," the 40-year-old-lawyer told AFP. "They're trying to fill prisons, more private prisons so that women will do hard labor after they get convicted of these 'crimes' of abortion." Last week, Alabama passed a law that prohibits all abortions - even in cases of incest and rape - unless there is a risk of death for the mother. "Our call center's been getting hundreds and hundreds of phone calls from concerned citizens asking us what this means," said Barbara Ann Luttrell, director of communications and marketing for Planned Parenthood Southeast. Planned Parenthood is not currently providing abortion services in Alabama. "We'll be having abortion services up and running again as soon as possible," she said. There are only three clinics that perform the procedure. None of them responded requests of comments. The Alabama law is likely to be blocked in state courts before its November launch date but Republican Governor Kay Ivey acknowledged when she signed it that it was part of as a wider Republican offensive to get the issue relitigated on the national stage."We're going to return to the back alleys. We're going to return to where women will do abortions to themselves," 81-year-old Maralyn Mosley told the Montgomery Advertiser. She had an abortion at 13, after her uncle raped her. "We will return to the coat hangers and perforated uteruses. We will return to where women will bleed to death," she warned. Conservative activists hope to get a Supreme Court decision against the landmark 1973 ruling Roe v Wade that said unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional. Conservatives are counting on support at the highest court in the land, where liberal justices are in a minority after the arrival of two conservative members appointed by President Donald Trump. Trump appeared to suggest Alabama lawmakers had gone too far in a series of tweets late Saturday in which he described himself as "strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions - Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother." He urged the anti-abortion side to "stick together and Win for Life" when it comes to voting in 2020. While the Alabama measure is seen as particularly draconian, at least 28 US states have introduced more than 300 texts since the start of the year limiting abortion rights, according to activists. Kentucky and Mississippi have banned abortions as soon as a fetus's heartbeat is detectable, or around the sixth week of pregnancy. Similar measures are being adopted in Georgia, Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee. A judge has blocked the implementation of the Kentucky law, while the Mississippi law is set to come into effect in July. The country's largest human rights organization, ACLU, has said it will file suit against Alabama's law as unconstitutional. HB314 seeks jail terms of between 10 and 99 years for doctors performing terminations, which are counted as homicides. It stipulates no penalty for the mother. Around two thirds of Americans say abortion should be legal, a Pew Center poll found last year. Joe Biden is finding support from the US electorate supporting the Democrats even though the crowded 2020 presidential race features six women, three African Americans, and a dozen youthful contenders. Philadelphia: The crowded 2020 presidential race features six women, three African Americans, and a dozen youthful contenders. But Denise Haley is going old school, supporting white male frontrunner Joe Biden as the Democrat best positioned to beat Donald Trump. "He could lead the nation and bring us back together," Haley, who is black, told AFP of the 76-year-old former vice president, reflecting what appears to be a solidifying sentiment amid voters whose support has given Biden a commanding poll lead. Haley, a 60-year-old health care professional, was in the crowd on Saturday when Biden came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to address the biggest, most boisterous rally of his four-week-old White House campaign. Many attendees thrilled at Biden essentially sidestepping discussion of the gruelling primary battle ahead and focusing on the general election face-off with Republican Trump, whom he often attacked with explicit condemnation. "Biden is Trump's biggest rival and has the highest chance of kicking Trump out of office," high-schooler Ankita Kalasabail, who is 16 but will be old enough to vote in 2020, said in explaining her support for a man 60 years her senior. "We need to beat Trump" and Biden has a stronger shot than the 22 other Democratic candidates, said Mickey Kirzecky, a consultant. Biden, a veteran Democrat who spent 36 years in the US Senate, boasts the thickest resume of any candidate seeking to deny Trump a second term. But crucially, said Kirzecky, he has a knack for connecting with all-important blue-collar voters. "I hate to use the word electability, but I think that's part of what comes into play," she added, stressing Biden's more moderate politics and his popularity with working-class Americans a constituency that helped Trump win the White House in 2016. "I think he might be a healing candidate," she added. The historically diverse race is cluttered with progressives vying for the votes of Democrats witnessing their party's steady leftward shift. But Haley, the health professional, said her candidate criteria are based not on skin-color, age, or gender, but capacity to win and to get the job done. "I don't think you have to be a woman or an African-American to do that," she said. "I just think you have to be a strong leader and I think he (Biden) shows those qualities." As for Biden being one of three septuagenarians in the race, along with Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders, Norda Lewis brushed it aside. "I don't think that age matters," said the 36-year-old teacher from the Philadelphia suburbs, describing Biden as "a man for the people" who can appeal to traditional Democrats, independents, and working-class Republicans. 'We need good again' John Lester, a graphic designer from Philadelphia, said Biden's age could become a concern, although "he does seem like a healthy guy." What draws him to Biden is the candidate's "broader appeal" and moderate politics, Lester, 61, said. "I support the issues of diversity," but moving too quickly toward a liberal agenda at a time of deep political divisions might backfire, he added. "I like that fact that he's steady and I trust him," added Lester's wife Doreen. "I believe that he's a good guy, and I think we need good again." Biden spent eight years in the White House with president Barack Obama, and his close alliance with the nation's first black commander in chief has earned him strong support from the coveted African-American voting bloc. But Biden's legislative record and past actions, such as his treatment of Anita Hill the woman at the center of emblematic sex harassment hearings in the Senate almost three decades ago -- or his support for a crime bill that led to mass incarcerations of black men, have come under scrutiny. His tactile campaign style that has led women to accuse him of making them uncomfortable also bolsters the notion of Biden as a politician slightly behind the national current. "I think that his time has passed," Laura Benedetto, who works for an education non-profit, said Friday at a Virginia campaign event featuring liberal candidate Elizabeth Warren. Biden's campaign pushes back against the argument that he is a political relic, or that he might lack the energy to mount an 18-month campaign. "Vice president Biden is up to the challenge. He wouldn't have gotten into this race if he wasn't," senior advisor Symone Sanders told AFP. "We're up right now," she said of the favorable polls, "but we are running this race as if we're the underdog." Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) is off to a strong start in 2019. The world's largest defense contractor has seen its stock price rally about 30% so far this year, following its strong first-quarter results. Still, plenty more gains could still lie ahead for investors. Here's why. 1. A strong product portfolio At the core of Lockheed Martin's portfolio lies the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It is one of the Department of Defense's most important programs, as the multi-role aircraft is designed to be the most advanced strike aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The F-35 is so important to the nation's security, in fact, that it's unlikely the Defense Department will let the program fail. Instead, the F-35 is almost certain to remain a core part of the U.S. military's -- and many of our allies' -- air defense plans for decades to come. Thus, Lockheed Martin is likely to enjoy a level of revenue stability and visibility that few other businesses experience. Yet Lockheed Martin is far more than just a one-trick pony. The F-35 accounts for about 30% of the company's revenue. The rest is derived from other businesses such as missile, helicopter, and satellite systems -- all of which are seeing rising demand from the military. Lockheed Martin is particularly adept at hypersonics, or weapons that travel at least five times the speed of sound. With China and Russia having formidable technology in this area, the U.S. military has made hypersonic technology a focus area. Thus, Lockheed Martin is likely to enjoy strong demand for its hypersonic missile and missile-defense systems in the years ahead. All told, Lockheed Martin ended the first quarter with a backlog of more than $130 billion, including some of the military's most important programs. This puts the country's leading defense company on solid footing to deliver strong revenue and earnings growth in the coming decade. 2. Bountiful cash flow and capital returns Better still, Lockheed Martin is becoming more profitable as it expands its revenue base. The company's consolidated operating margin improved to 15.9% in the first quarter, up from 14.8% in the prior-year period. In turn, Lockheed Martin produced a whopping $1.7 billion in operating cash flow, up from $630 million in the first quarter of 2018. That allowed Lockheed Martin to return more than $900 million to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases in the first quarter alone. The stock currently yields 2.48% -- tops among major defense companies: 3. A bargain price Despite its strong product portfolio, massive backlog, and strong cash flow production, Lockheed Martin trades at a discount to the average S&P 500 stock. The leading defense contractor currently trades for 13.6 times forward earnings estimates, compared to more than 17 times estimates for the S&P 500. While defense stocks tend to trade at lower price-to-earnings multiples than the broader market due to the cyclical nature of their business, I find Lockheed Martin's valuation attractive during a time when many other high-quality businesses have seen their P/E multiples expand to unjustifiable levels as the market has reached new highs. Moreover, Lockheed Martin is trading at an even more attractive price when factoring in its expected long-term earnings growth rate. Analysts predict that the defense giant will increase its profits by 14% annually over the next five years. Although that may seem high for a defense stock, analysts expect the U.S. military's high-priority projects -- such as the F-35 and hypersonic missile defense systems -- to drive above-average growth for Lockheed Martin over the next half-decade. That puts Lockheed Martin's forward price-to-earnings-to-growth, or PEG, ratio at less than 1, which indicates an undervalued stock. Investors may wish to use this opportunity to buy shares of this best-in-class defense company at a bargain price. At a time when utility stocks are doing well, U.S. and U.K. utility National Grid (NYSE:NGG) has been a notable laggard. Even though it's making some impressive progress on management's objective to diversify the business with investments outside its regulated segments, there are some forces outside the company's control hanging over its stock. Let's take a look at the company's most recent earnings report, as well as some of the issues facing National Grid and their impact over the long term. National Grid's earnings: The raw numbers Metric* 2019 2018 Change Revenue $19.56 billion $20.74 billion (5.7%) Operating profit $3.76 billion $4.75 billion (20.8%) After-tax profit $1.97 billion $4.81 billion (59%) Earnings per ADR** $2.90 $6.97 (58.4%) This past quarter's results contained several one-time charges and events that weighed heavily on results. The largest of those charges related to writing down the connector development costs for two canceled nuclear power plants in the U.K. (137 million British pounds, or GBP) and resolving a labor dispute with a labor union in the U.S. (283 million GBP). Excluding these items management deemed as exceptional to normal operations, its underlying operations were mostly on par with the prior year. It also noted that lower rates of return for some of its regulated U.K. assets and U.S. tax reform dcreased underlying operating profit by about 2% compared to the prior year. What happened with National Grid this quarter? National Grid made a push into renewable energy development by American wind and solar power developer Geronimo Energy for $100 million. In addition, the company has agreed to purchase a 51% share in 378 megawatts of renewable energy projects Geronimo is currently developing for $125 million. This is National Grid's first foray into owning and operating power generating assets in the U.S. The company announced it had submitted regulatory filings with Massachusetts and New York to increase its capital spending rates in both states. It also announced it had reached an agreement with its labor union in Massachusetts for a five-and-a-half-year contract. National Grid is in ongoing negotiations with Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets in the U.K.) to establish new regulatory rates. According to management, the new framework, as written, would severely reduce the overall rate of return and doesn't encourage performance. What management had to say National Grid's business is facing a lot of questions in its home country right now, mostly in the form of politics. No, it isn't Brexit, but rather a recent proposal from the U.K. Labour Party to nationalize large swaths of the infrastructure, starting with the gas and electric grids. When asked about Labour's policies, CEO John Pettigrew was rather standoffish in his response. So our position very clearly is that we don't believe that the proposal the Labour has set out are in the interest of consumers in the U.K. The key question I think to be asked is what's the problem that the state ownership is trying to solve. And from our perspective, when we look at the proposals, it's not clear to us. So the U.K. has one of the world's most reliable and safe networks, as you know. We're investing massively in the networks, the National Grid invested GBP10 billion over the last six years Pettigrew was also asked if he thinks there is a path toward National Grid splitting into two entities in the event of a nationalization. His response: The Board has a duty to consider valuation of the business, and it does that, as you'd expect, on a regular basis, but we don't see splitting National Grid as a response to what is currently a proposal by the Labour Party. You can read a full transcript of National Grid's conference call here. Looking forward For the most part, investors are better off ignoring politics. The knee-jerk reactions from Wall Street or some talking head rarely come to fruition. When the U.K. is talking about nationalizing its electricity and gas networks and paying shareholders with government bonds, however, it may be time to pay a little more attention to the political machinations of the day. If Labour's proposals go through, then there's a good chance of an epic legal battle. The threat of political action against National Grid has weighed on the stock recently, and as a result, its shares look quite cheap. Its dividend yield is close to 6%, which is one of the highest levels over the past 10 years. It's entirely possible that this Labour proposal is much ado about nothing. If that's the case, then the stock looks compelling. If this plan to nationalize the U.K.'s energy infrastructure materializes, though, tough times could be ahead for shareholders. Crestwood Equity Partners (NYSE:CEQP) recently reported exceptional first-quarter results as earnings surged more than 13% while cash flow zoomed almost 28%. Because of that, the company's 6.6%-yielding dividend is on an even firmer foundation. However, as good as those numbers were, they weren't the central theme running through the accompanying conference call. Instead, the company's management team spent lots of time discussing its acquisition of the other half of its Powder River Basin joint venture. CEO Bob Phillips provided a great deal of color on the transaction during the call, pointing out several reasons his company is so excited to have full control over that asset. It checks all the boxes Phillips led off his comments on the deal by saying that it "is another big strategic step for Crestwood." That's because it met the company's promised parameters to "only acquire additional assets if they fit our financially disciplined growth model." To do that, Phillips pointed out that acquisitions must: Be in the company's core basins. Deliver returns above its weighted average cost of capital. Be accretive to DCF (distributable cash flow) per unit, while being leverage-neutral or leverage-enhancing over time. "This acquisition clearly fits all three guidelines for us," according to Phillips. That's because it's in the Powder River Basin -- which is one of its core areas -- it will exceed the company's 15% return hurdle, and it will immediately boost the company's cash flow per unit growth rate from 15% up to 20% annually through 2020. Further, leverage will fall over that time frame. It has a significant upside potential Crestwood's CEO then ran through what's ahead for the asset. He noted that when the company bought its initial 50% interest in the business in 2013, it was only generating about $12 million in cash flow. Since that time, drillers like Chesapeake Energy (OTC:CHKA.Q) uncovered a treasure trove of oil and gas in the region. As they've tested new areas, oil companies have ... determined that there's over a mile of economic stacked pay in the reservoir and the acreage that's dedicated to us. It's very similar to the Delaware Basin, and some of the other basins where we enjoy the benefit of the early development of the significant amount of stacked pays. Because of that, there's lots of running room as companies like Chesapeake drill more wells that will drive additional expansion on the system. In Crestwood's estimation, as volumes from those new wells come online, it should grow the cash flow of this asset from $100 million this year to about $150 million by 2021. In addition to the growth of Chesapeake, which is the main producer on this system, Crestwood believes it can attract other drillers now that it has full control over both the commercial and operational functions of the asset. "We think this is going to afford us a real competitive advantage in securing incremental organic expansion opportunities," stated Phillips. In the company's estimation, it should be able to grow cash flow from the asset at a 10% to 15% compound annual growth rate from 2021's level, and that's assuming it doesn't add any more major customers outside of Chesapeake. A great deal Crestwood Equity Partners was already on track to grow its cash flow at a 15% compound annual rate without this transaction. Because of that, it was well positioned to potentially increase its above-average dividend in the future. However, it couldn't resist the opportunity to make this deal, which not only checked all of its boxes but comes with significant upside potential. As such, it enhances the long-term sustainability of the company's high-yield payout while increasing the probability that it will head higher in the future. Over 3,000 Chicagoans Show Up For National Pizza Party Day At Maggie Daley Park Celebrating 60th Anniversary Of Aurelio's Pizza Lou Malnati's And Home Run Inn Pizza Also Join The Fun CHICAGO, May 17, 2019 // PRNewswire // - Three of the most well known Chicago-born pizza families, Aurelio's Pizza, Home Run Inn Pizza, and Lou Malnati's came together to give back to the community and celebrate National Pizza Party Day on Friday, May 17. Joe Aurelio celebrated Aurelio's Pizza's 60th anniversary on National Pizza Party Day by inviting two other Chicago native pizza restaurateurs and fellow friends in the industry. Aurelio's Pizza, Home Run Inn, and Lou Malnati's gave away 60 minutes of free pizza to guests that come out to Maggie Daley Park. Over 3,000 slices were given away to the pizza fans. Aurelio's Pizza served their thin crust tavern cut slices, Lou Malnati's served their deep dish slices, and Home Run Inn served their thin crust slices. The pizza was free for guests, but the three Chicago pizza restaurateurs asked that guests make a donation to Advocate Children's Hospital. "We brought together the traditionally south side Aurelio's Pizza, north side Lou Malnati's, and then Home Run Inn that started right in the middle off of 31st street. There's no bigger debate in Chicago than deep dish versus thin crust pizza, but one thing we can all agree on is that Chicago has the best pizza," said Joe Aurelio, President of Aurelio's Pizza. About Aurelio's Pizza Aurelio's is Chicagoland's first and the nation's fifth established pizza chain. With a history as rich and entrenched in the community as the pizza it's famous for, the original Aurelio's Pizzeria opened on Ridge Road in Homewood, IL by Joseph A. Aurelio, Jr. at the age of 26. With its legendary "old oven" dating back to 1959 in its Homewood location, Aurelio's was a pioneer in the concept of the Family Pizzeria in the United States and helped to launch pizza into the American lexicon. Since that time, Aurelio's has become one of Chicagoland's claims to fame. And, transplanted Chicagoans all over the map have helped to bring their favorite pizzeria franchise to over 40 locations across six states, growing a strong fan base for the taste of Aurelio's. SOURCE Aurelios Pizza ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus For now, the entrepreneur is putting off one other step many small start-ups look for: an infusion of money from one or more investors. She looked at taking on an investor, but had second thoughts when she saw the agreement outlining the investment called for her giving away more power and control than she wanted to at this point. This is my idea and my work so far, and I dont want to give away any of the ability to keep moving in the direction I see for it, said Lattimore. She noted that if the company grows as it has been, she thinks it will be critical to soon begin putting most of her time into marketing and growing the brand, though shell always review and have final say on what goes out to the kids. Some of her marketing efforts so far: being involved in the Shark Week competitions and the FedEx grant contest, joining an association of subscription box services and getting her Snail Mail For Kids named one of the Best New Products of 2019 at the National Stationary Show in New York, where she had a booth. What I really need right now it to get that big piece of publicity, a mention on The Today Show or something else that can go viral, she said. I feel like this is a product that can work for children and classrooms all over the country and the world. I just need that big spark to reach that potential. 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. As Union Bank & Trust has rapidly grown to become the largest financial institution based in Virginia with $16.9 billion in assets, a rebranding was needed, Asbury said. The company is converting 146 branches in Virginia and two locations in Maryland to the new name. As we have grown, it was time to address the issue, to have one brand, Asbury said. We are not just a Virginia bank. We are more of a Mid-Atlantic bank that operates branches from Maryland to North Carolina. We predict further expansion into Maryland and North Carolina. The new Atlantic Union Bank moniker, he said, not only better reflects the companys geographic expansion in recent years but also should eliminate any confusion that customers and potential investors have. It also gets rid of any legal issues that has prevented the company from using the Union Bank name in certain markets. Theres only one Atlantic Union Bank, Asbury said. Kent Engelke, chief economic strategist and managing director at Capitol Securities Management Inc., a brokerage and investment firm in Henrico County, said the rebranding is a good move to avoid confusion in the market with a name that encompasses the companys growing regional footprint. An Orange County man who had recently been released on bond after being accused of assaulting and abducting a woman is now accused of raping and trying to kill the same woman, authorities said. Cruz Humberto Gallegos Grajeda, 52, was arrested last week and charged with rape, attempted murder, burglary with the intent to commit a felony, abduction and violating a protective order, according to a release from the Orange County Sheriffs Office. Gallegos Grajeda is being held in the Central Virginia Regional Jail under no bond. According to the Sheriffs Office release and court records, Gallegos Grajeda was charged with abduction and assault and battery on April 23 in connection with an incident involving the woman. He was released on bond on April 30. On May 13, the woman showed up at the Orange courthouse seeking assistance with an alleged protective order violation. An Orange investigator responded to the request and was told that Gallegos Grajeda had committed a number of crimes against her on May 9 in the 13000 block of Constitution Highway, the release said. Following an investigation, authorities obtained a number of new warrants and took the suspect back into custody. Rape carries a potential life sentence. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LAST week, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved Arlington Countys request to change the name of U.S. 1 from Jefferson Davis Highway to Richmond Highway. The roads name has long been Richmond Highway in Fairfax County, and Alexandria made the change last year because the council wanted to be rid of the Confederate presidents name. Arlington officials said the same thing drove their request. Most of the rest of U.S. 1 in Virginia is named Jefferson Davis Highway, including the section that runs through the Fredericksburg area. Making any change to the highways name might prove combustible in a region where the Civil War is by and large sacred territory. Fredericksburg City Councilman Matt Kelly, a Civil War buff who also sits on various transportation boards, said there were conversations last year about changing Jefferson Davis Highways name in the city. Nothing came of it, but Kelly wouldnt be surprised if the issue returns. He emphasized that its a complicated matter, in more ways than one. A two-week trial begins Monday in federal court in Richmond over challenges to four Virginia abortion laws as some other states, such as Alabama, have moved to further restrict abortions. The case came close to overturning Virginias abortion landscape earlier this month when U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson tossed out the requirement that first-trimester abortions be carried out by a physician, the first such ruling in the country. Then, unexpectedly, Hudson rescinded his ruling on the pretrial motion Tuesday in a brief order that said he wanted to hear more evidence on the question of whether the physicians-only law presents an undue burden to Virginia women who seek an abortion. Meanwhile, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed a measure to bar most abortions in that state. In Missouri, lawmakers last week sent Gov. Mike Parson a measure that would ban abortions at eight weeks. Sony and Microsoft announced last week that the companies had forged a partnership centered around streaming, cloud, and AI technology, but a report from Bloomberg suggests that staff at Sonys game division didnt know about the deal until the moment of the public announcement. A spokesperson speaking to the publication confirmed that Sony had been in talks with Microsoft since last year, but declined to elaborate further. Bloombergs sources, meanwhile, say that PlayStation staff were caught off-guard by the announcement and that the deal was made largely without the involvement of staff at PlayStation. Last weeks deal with Microsoft sees it and Sony collaborating on the development of streaming technology driven by Microsoft Azure and Sony utilizing current Azure technology for some of its own streaming services. PlayStation notably has its own game streaming service in PlayStation Now, but the cloud-based game service space is getting more crowded as Googles Stadia and other platforms enter the fray. 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. According to a report from Bloomberg, Microsoft wasnt the first choice of Sony when it came to partnering with a big company to build a new streaming service. Indeed, says the report, Sony and Amazon had a talk last year for a similar deal, but they didnt manage to get an agreement on commercial terms. This means that the makers of PlayStation were kind of forced to talk with Microsoft since they and Amazon are the biggest players in the cloud services field now. The companys other online game service and main cash cow, PlayStation Network, enables multiplayer matches of games running on PlayStation 4 consoles. For now that is still hosted by the other giant of cloud computing: Amazon Web Services, says Bloomberg. Sony and Amazon held talks last year for a deeper collaboration on cloud gaming, but couldnt agree on commercial terms, according to a person familiar with the matter. That has led Sony to had a talk with gaming rival Microsoft, someone they would never reach if not forced to do so. But why Amazon and PS4 platform owner didnt reach an agreement? Based on rumors, Amazon is working on a cloud gaming service itself, as learned last year. Theres a chance that Amazon could have asked a contribution to building its software portfolio, and perhaps they wanted some PlayStation games to be running on that streaming service. That request would never be accepted if it has never been done, so that couldve led to the failure in the discussions. Thats without even taking into account rumors that Nintendo could also be working with Microsoft on its own streaming service. What a time! Samaritan worker wins breastfeeding honor On Jan. 3, the Linn Benton Lincoln County Breastfeeding Coalition honored Rocio Badger, maternity care coordinator of Samaritan Health Services, with the coalitions third annual Breastfeeding Advocate of the Year award. Badger connects prenatal Spanish-speaking clients with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children and other resources so they can connect with programs they need and get support and education about breastfeeding. She calls WIC when babies are born to translate and report the births of the babies and to get mothers connected with support. She helps the families she works with fill out paperwork for the Oregon Health Plan and Social Security. The coalition is a regional collaborative that empowers and educates the community to support families in reaching their breastfeeding goals. Member agencies work toward increasing access to lactation resources, improving knowledge of best practices, and enhancing a supportive work and social environment. Bank names new branch manager Citizens Bank recently announced the hiring of Anthony Thompson as vice president and branch manager for the Circle Branch in Corvallis. Thompson succeeds Peggy Obrist, who retired on March 22. He grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Francis Marion University in South Carolina. He worked for three U.S. senators in Washington, DC. He then managed the public affairs company of a retired senator who also was serving as a U.S. ambassador at large. Thompson lived in London for five years as head of marketing and public relations for a British-American management consulting group. He returned to the United States to manage a private real estate and equity portfolio belonging to a member of the Ford family in Palm Beach, Florida, before moving to the Bay Area in 2001. Thompson began his banking career in 2001 as a private banker for Summit Bank in Oakland, California. He found his calling as a community bank commercial banking officer for the Bank of Alameda. Last year, he had the opportunity to relocate to Corvallis. Real estate broker earns designation RE/MAX Integrity recently announced that Tamara Rousso, licensed real estate broker, has been awarded the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation from the Senior Real Estate Specialist Council of the National Association of Realtors. Rousso joins more than 15,000 real estate professionals in North America who have earned the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation. To earn the designation, agents are required to complete a comprehensive course in understanding the needs, considerations and goals of real estate buyers and sellers age 50 and up. The Senior Real Estate Specialist Council, founded in 2007, is the world's largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing senior clients in real estate transactions. The organization has more than 15,000 active members worldwide. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Virgin Holidays is looking for someone to man the famous Floyd's Pelican Bar in the Caribbean. On Virgin's website, they state that Floyd, who has been manning the bar since opening in 2001, is in serious need of a break so they're looking for someone to come bartend in return, they'll offer up flights & seven nights accommodation. Tour guides or foreign agents - what is happening in Georgia? - GeorgianJournal Huawei loses early access to Android & Google services as Trump Govt blacklists Huawei News oi-Vivek Here is everything you need to know about the latest development between Huawei and the US In the latest political move between China and the US, Google has suspended some of the services from Huawei, which might be a huge deal breaker for Huawei and Honor smartphone users. According to the latest report from Reuters, Google has stopped all-sort of transactions between Huawei, including the transfer and software and hardware products. What happens to the Huawei smartphones now? If the suspension is not lifted, then, Huawei will lose early-access to the Android OS and Google monthly security patch. Similarly, Huawei and Honor smartphones (outside China) will not be able to access Google apps and services like Google Play Store, Google Maps, and Google Mail. On the 16th of May 2019, Trump administration has officially listed Huawei in the trade blacklist, where none of the US companies, including Google, cannot work with Huawei until the ban is lifted. Not the best time to buy a new Honor/Huawei smartphone If you leave outside China and has bought a Huawei/Honor smartphone, then, there is nothing to worry, as it already comes with Google services. However, if you are planning to buy a new Honor/Huawei smartphone, then think twice before you make your move. As the upcoming Huawei/Honor smartphones will not support Google services, which means, you will not be able to use your favorite apps and games via the Google Play Store. Huawei can still use AOSP As Android OS itself is an open source software (AOSP - Android Open Source Project), Huawei can still use the same to build the operating system. However, Google will not help Huawei to streamline the OS, and the company will not provide any sort of technical support to Huawei. As Huawei loses early Android OS access, the company will take some time to push the software updates to the Huawei/Honor branded devices. As of now, Huawei is yet to comment on the following development. Stay tuned to GizBot to learn more about upcoming Huawei and Honor smartphones. 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 Realme assures two-year Android update cycle for all its smartphones News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The company has also assured that there will no pop-up ads that will be displayed on the Realme smartphones. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme is quite popular amongst the masses for its affordable smartphones. The company has launched a bunch of smartphones this year including the Realme 3 lineup, Realme C2, and the Realme X. The company is one of those brands which is dominating the budget smartphone segment in India besides Xiaomi and Honor amongst others. Realme is also well known for releasing timely software updates for its smartphones. Recently, the company had made an announcement that all of the Realme smartphones which were launched in the past will get an Android Pie OS. The company revealed this during the launch of the Realme 3 smartphone earlier this year. Now, the company has revealed some more information on the firmware update rollouts for the Realme smartphone. Realme has now revealed that all the of the smartphones launched by the brand will get Android firmware updates including security patches and new versions for 2 years following their launch. For instance, the Realme devices that were launched in the year 2018 will get timely Android updates till the year 2020 and the devices launched in 2019 will receive updates till 2021. It is worth noting the fact that the recently launched Realme 3 Pro is already set to receive an Android Q update. Besides, the company has also assured that there will no pop-up ads that will be displayed on the Realme smartphones. It is good to see that the company is making efforts to further improve the overall user experience of its older releases. Just to recall, Madhav Sheth, Realme CEO, has revealed some information on the availability of the Realme X in the Indian market. Sheth recently took to Twitter to reveal that the Realme X will be launched with some different hardware as compared to Chinese variant of the device. The mid-range smartphone is tipped to carry an approximate price tag of Rs 18,000 and will be available in Onion and Garlic color options. 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 Select Nokia smartphones get up to Rs. 6,000 discount but just for a day News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia Phones Fan Festival is here once again. HMD Global is back with a discount offer for the Nokia fans. Last week, the company hosted the Nokia Phones Fan Festival sale offering discounts only for one day. Now, the company appears to have hosted another sale, which will happen for one day, which is on May 24. This time, the company will provide discounts on select Nokia smartphones including Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 7.1 and Nokia 8.1. The company will provide a discount of up to Rs. 6,000 during the Nokia Phones Fan Festival sale. And, this offer is available only on purchases made via the official Nokia India website. Nokia Phone Fan Festival discounts During the Nokia Phones Fan Festival sale, the Nokia 8.1 base variant with 4GB RAM will be available at a flat discount of Rs. 6,000. This discount will be applied on using the promocode FAN6000. Besides this, the Nokia 8.1 variant with 6GB RAM will be available at a discount of Rs. 4,000 on using the promocode FAN4000. Talking about the Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco, these smartphones will be available for a discount of Rs. 1,000. To avail this discount, buyers will have to use the promocode FANFESTVAL. Recently, HMD Global announced a price cut on the affordable Nokia 5.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1 Plus. The 3GB RAM variant of the Nokia 5.1 Plus and the 4GB RAM variant of the Nokia 6.1 Plus have received a promotional discount of Rs. 1,750. Also, buyers of these smartphones availed additional 240GB of data benefit from Airtel. As mentioned earlier, the Nokia Phones Fan Festival sale was hosted previously on May 13. During this sale, there were attractive discounts on a slew of smartphones to entice the buyers. Now, it looks like the company has hosted it again in order to attract more buyers and achieve more sales. So, are you interested in buying a Nokia phone during this sale? If so, which smartphone are you planning to buy? Do let us know via the comments section below. 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 NASA Hubble Telescope snaps new star formation from galaxy collision News oi-Vishal Kawadkar NGC 4485 galaxy showing signs of a collision with a bypassing galaxy. NASA scientists have suspected that the NGC 4485 has been involved in a collision with a bypassing galaxy. Rather than destroying the galaxy, there's a possibility of a new generation of stars, and possibly planets. The right side of the galaxy is ablaze with star formation, while the left side looks pretty intact. It shows the galaxy's old spiral structure, which was witnessing normal evolution at one point. Both galaxies surpassed each other millions of years ago and are now 24,000 light-years apart. The gravitational pull among the two created ripples of higher-density gas and dust with both galaxies. This process also triggered the formation of new stars. The new images chronicled by NASA's Hubble Wide Field Camera (WFC3), gave the astronomers further peek into the complexities of the evolution of the galaxy. Previously, NASA's Hubble Telescope has found more evidence of water on the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. It is one of the 50 moons orbiting the gas giant and is also considered to be a "top candidate" for life elsewhere in the solar system. "We are presenting new Hubble evidence for water vapor plumes being expelled from the icy surface of Europa," William Sparks, an astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore told the media. Last year, Hubble data confirmed that Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, has an underground ocean which has more water than the oceans on Earth. "For a long time, humanity has been wondering whether there is life beyond Earth, and we are lucky to live in an era when we can address questions like that scientifically," said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division at Nasa headquarters. 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 NASA successfully tests first Astrobee robot in space News oi-Vishal Kawadkar NASA readying its space robots for deep space missions. NASA has successfully finished the first hardware test of a robot in space. The robot will be taking care of the International Space Station (ISS) in the coming years. Dubbed Bumble, the robot is one of the three Astrobee robots that will research automated caretaking on the SS. Bumble and its partner robot called Honey were launched to the ISS on April 17 placed atop Northrop Grumman's eleventh commercial resupply services mission from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. If required, the robots are capable of returning to the docking station without any assistance and recharge their batteries, NASA said in a statement. Astrobee is a free-flying robot system that will provide a research platform for the International Space Station. The system includes three robots and a docking station for the bots to refuel. These robots will come in handy during the space agency's lunar missions and other deep space missions. Besides, NASA has shortlisted 11 firms including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to build prototypes of human landers for its Artemis lunar exploration mission. The space agency aims to put the first woman on the Moon's south pole by 2024 and continue with more advanced missions in 2028. NASA also has plans to build a lunar gateway for deep space missions. The Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway will be a base in the Moon's orbit for studying deep-space environment. It will also serve as a station for astronauts going on a mission to Mars. The space agency has already confirmed that an Orion spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin will ferry astronauts to the lunar gateway, and the service module will be supplied by the European Space Agency (ESA). The spacecraft will take its first flight in 2020. The space agency has taken an aggressive approach after the Vice President's challenge to start the lunar mission withing next five years. 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 Project 885 Graney-M / Project 885M Yasen - Kazan class Project 885M Yasen Kazan multipurpose nuclear submarine undergoing state tests differs markedly from the lead ship of the PLARK series (nuclear submarine with cruise missiles) Severodvinsk. The Kazan submarine of project 885M received a number of characteristic differences from the lead ship of the series. He became shorter, her nose was pointed, and the number of torpedo tubes was reduced. In addition, the submarine was equipped with installations for protection against enemy ammunition. The same modernization awaits all subsequent nuclear submarines of this series. In June 2019, Christopher Carlson, a former expert analyst with the US Department of Defense Intelligence Agency, published a comparative analysis of the Kazan submarines (Yasen-M project and Severodvinsk project (Yasen project). According to this analysis, which was online only briefly and the sources of which were not disclosed, the Kazan submarine of the Yasen-M project is shorter than the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine on 8.3-9.1 m. The total length of the submarine "Kazan" project "Ash-m" 130 meters, up to 9 meters less than submarine "Severodvinsk" project "Ash", the length of 139 meters. Most Russian reports state Kazan is 10 meters shorter with 4 meters being taken from the living compartment. As Kazan started her sea trials, additional photos also indicated the bow was shorter than Severodvinsk. According to available data from some open sources, the crew compartment has been reduced by 4 meters, the reactor compartment by 0.8-1.6 meters, and the bow compartment by approximately 3.5 meters. The reduction in teh crewe compartment length is consistent with Russian news reports that Kazan had a compliment of 64, while Severodvinsk was reported to have a crew of 8590. Projects 885 and 885M use a mixed construction system, when the lightweight body covers only part of the sturdy nose part to reduce noise. It is made of high strength low magnetic steel. This allows Kazan to dive to a depth of more than 600 m, which makes it practically unattainable for all types of modern anti-submarine weapons. Conventional submarines plunge at 400 m. "The second submarine will have improved electronics and fire-control systems, and will be built exclusively with Russian-made materials and components," Sevmash spokeswoman Anastasia Nikitinskaya said. The submarine's armament will include 24 cruise missiles, including the 3M51 Alfa SLCM, the SS-NX-26 Oniks SLCM or the SS-N-21 Granat/Sampson SLCM. It will also have eight torpedo tubes as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-16 Stallion. For firing it uses eight vertical launchers and SLTs. In the arsenal of submarines - the most modern Russian cruise missiles "Caliber" and anti-ship "Onyx". The firing range of the first is more than 1,500 km, which allows such boats to keep at gunpoint territories remote from the sea or ocean coast. "Onyx" are designed to combat surface naval groups and single ships in the face of strong fire and electronic countermeasures, as well as for strikes against ground targets. In the future, the boat will be able to use hypersonic Zircons. They can accelerate to Mach 8 and hit targets at ranges of up to 500 km. The speed of Mach 2.5 is the limit for modern air defense systems, which will allow missiles to overcome any defense. Also, the boat can take on board anti-submarine torpedoes, which will be needed to destroy enemy submarines. The nuclear submarine reactor is manufactured according to a new technology: the primary coolant pipes are located inside its body. This arrangement is considered innovative, as it significantly reduces the likelihood of accidents and radioactive exposure to the crew. Without recharging, the reactor can last 2530 years, which is comparable to the service life of the submarine itself. This will greatly simplify its operation. The Kazan features more advanced equipment and weaponry than the Severodvinsk, which had been under construction since 1993. Russia planned to have at least eight Yasen class cruise-missile carrying attack boats in its submarine fleet. Russia's latest Project 885M Yasen-class attack submarine will have an advanced sonar system allowing it to detect enemy ships at an early stage, the submarine's engineering bureau said on 26 July 2013. The Novosibirsk, the third of eight Yasen-class boats (designated Graney-class by NATO), is to be laid down at the Sevmash shipyard near the White Sea. The boat's designer, the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau company said ahead of the ceremony that the new Yasen-M will be have an advanced design that would significantly increase its ability to detect enemy vessels at speeds far higher speed that those of its predecessors. The updated submarine received a more pointed nose. In the numerous photographs of Kazan, this cannot be discerned, since most of it is hidden under water. In addition, the number of torpedo tubes (TA) on the submarine decreased from 10 to 8. It is noteworthy that for projects 885 and 885M, for the first time in the practice of domestic shipbuilding, TAs are located not in the bow of the ship, but next to the compartment of the central post. Its bow section is "acoustically clean" and will be entirely dedicated to housing sonar systems, with the torpedo systems relocated to another part of the boat, according to the company. In order to reduce noise and increase its stealth capability, new power supply and acoustic defense systems have been developed for the boat, Malakhit said. In addition to the torpedo tubes, the Yasen class will be armed with a multirole missile system including a vertical-launcher for cruise missiles. Both the torpedo and missile tubes could be used "for a variety of weapons without being specially re-equipped," the company said. In the nose closer to the compartment of the central post are launchers for launching anti-torpedoes. Also, the submarine increased the size of the forage plumage. Izvestia wrote that the length of the submarine was reduced by 10 m, and the living compartment was cut by 4 m. These design changes could be made through the use of more advanced and compact electronic weapons and automation equipment. By October 2020, preparations were at Sevmash (part of the USC) underway for the introduction of modular technology for creating nuclear submarines. It is a method of assembling ships from large blocks loaded with equipment. It is assumed that the use of modular technology will make it possible to reduce the labor intensity and terms of building nuclear submarines. Nowadays, a modular-aggregate method is used in production, which was introduced during the construction of third-generation nuclear powered ships. According to this method, the finished, but not yet tested, block sections of the future nuclear submarine are transferred from the hull-welding production to the slipway, from which blocks are formed that pass the stage of hydraulic tests. After its completion, the sections are again disconnected. This technology lengthens the construction period of the ship. When using the block-modular method, it is planned to reduce not only the slipway period, but also the costs due to the transfer of a colossal amount of work from the slipway to specialized workshops. "In 2016, under the leadership of Sevmash General Director Mikhail Budnichenko, initiative studies of a new technology for building nuclear submarines were started", said the project manager, head of the PKB bureau Alexander Spiridonov. "A working group was created with the participation of submarine designers. Within the framework of the USC, a project was opened to create a block-modular method and the transition to the construction of new generation boats using this technology". To introduce a new method of building ships at Sevmash, production facilities are being modernized, a new infrastructure is being created. It will also be necessary to build new logistics for the supply of equipment and services. Now a project for the implementation of the block-modular method is being developed and is undergoing a discussion stage in the relevant departments. In the future, Sevmash may become the first enterprise where this innovative technology will be applied in submarine shipbuilding. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TORONTO, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World Class Extractions Inc. (World Class) (CSE: PUMP) (FRA:WCF) is pleased to announce that its acquisition target Quadron Cannatech Corporation (the Company or Quadron) (CSE: QCC), will begin to take reservations to toll process hemp or cannabis with the BIG BEAST, a fully automated, touch screen control continuous flow Ethanol Extractor System. The BIG BEAST is the latest addition to the BEAST family of extractors, with estimated processing capacity of up to 20,000 kg of biomass per day - over 5,000,000 kg of biomass annually. The BIG BEAST will be in production later this year following extensive innovative engineering which anticipates extracting and processing industrial scale biomass for the hemp and cannabis industry. Some Key BIG BEAST Advantages: Compliant with GPP (Good Production Practices) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) Advanced proprietary biomass cooling with ERS (Energy Recovery Exchange) Continuous flow extraction with inline solvent recovery and surge storage Equipped with proprietary Crossflow ethanol maximizer to operate within daily NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) ethanol limits Advanced filtration stacks The BEAST family of extractors compliments Quadrons portfolio of the BOSS line of extraction systems the next generation co-solvent cannabis and hemp extraction systems that were built to simplify extraction with the benefits of automation and data analytics; as well as the Companys Mobile Extraction Module a state-of-the-art self-contained and fully portable extraction and processing laboratory. The Company is also preparing several additional machines with novel inhouse technology for the cannabis and hemp industry, including: a biomass dehydration system, a preparation and grinding unit, as well as an advanced filtration system. Rosy Mondin, CEO of Quadron commented, We are excited about the development of the BIG BEAST, the first of its kind in North America. The BIG BEAST is a high efficiency ethanol extraction system which represents the end result of extensive research and development. The BIG BEAST should have the capability of providing farmers and licensed participants the ability to process extraordinary amounts of biomass per day. We are excited by Quadrons latest technological advancement towards developing a high efficiency, low cost extraction solution for the hemp and cannabis markets, said Michael McCombie, CEO of World Class Extractions. This latest development allows WCE to focus on large scale extraction and supply of CBD derived from hemp in the United States. The Company will deploy the BIG BEAST later this year in selected US states and Canada. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Company directly for more information. About World Class Extractions World Class is a Canadian based developer of an innovative, large scale extraction process for both the hemp and cannabis industry. The Company intends to provide single step continuous flow extraction services to the hemp and cannabis industry. Using patent pending technology, World Class results produce higher yields and better quality full spectrum crude hemp oil at faster rates. The technology allows the extraction of CBD Oil and other related extracts from wet or dried natural plants. World Class can save its clients floor space, utility drying costs, equipment and processing labour costs. For more information, visit: www.wcextractions.com . On behalf of the Board of Directors of WORLD CLASS EXTRACTIONS INC. Michael McCombie Chief Executive Officer mike@wcextractions.com Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking statements. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, the parties have applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the parties' current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the parties. Although the parties consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to them, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The parties do not intend, and expressly 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. English French Nuage chaise will make its worldwide debut at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition on May 21, 2019 Nuage chaise will be ready to install on board the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft upon entry-into-service as planned later this year Innovative lounge seating converts into a flat surface for sleeping or banquet-style dining around the conference grouping table Adds new dimensions to the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft with revolutionary four-in-one seating options in the conference suite Designed around Bombardiers patented Nuage seat, the spacious cabins aboard the newest additions to the Global family of aircraft feature unique levels of innovation, comfort and the smoothest ride GENEVA, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier will unveil a prototype of its Nuage chaise, a revolutionary seat innovation on board the Global family of aircraft, at the 2019 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE). The innovative Nuage chaise is business aviations first and only lounge chair that converts into a flat surface for sleeping or banquet-style dining around the conference grouping table. Within the fluid lines of its exceptionally crafted architecture is a marvel of furniture engineering, meticulously designed to maximize comfort in flight. In designing the Nuage chaise, we wanted to bring flexibility to the cabin experience, maximizing comfort and relaxation on long-haul flights. The Nuage chaise introduces an all-new, ergonomically-perfected lounge position not offered on any other business aircraft, said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. Our customers will benefit from the most comfortable cabin experience with exclusive features that are as innovative as they are luxurious, all the while enjoying the unrivalled performance and smooth ride, signature to Bombardiers industry-leading Global aircraft. The Nuage chaise is a first in business aviation; its modular architecture merges utility, comfort and style. Inspired by a chaise longue, its minimalist style lends to the cabins open feeling, while its varied functionality gives this space unprecedented versatility. A revolutionary four-in-one design, the Nuage chaise can be used for meetings, dining, lounging and sleeping, effectively broadening the utility of the whole cabin. The Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft will enter service with stunning new cabins, featuring the patented Nuage seat, engineered for maximum comfort on long flights, and debuting the industry-first Nuage chaise in the conference suite. Ultra-fast connectivity combined with the industrys first 4K, ultra-high-resolution system, will maximize productivity and comfort, and customers will have safe access to baggage at all times. Bombardiers Global family of aircraft is entering a new era. Passengers will benefit from unrivalled performance in absolute comfort, all the while enjoying Bombardiers signature smooth ride. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries as well as a broad portfolio of products and services for the business aviation, commercial aviation and rail transportation markets. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier . Notes to Editors Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft website for more information on our industry-leading products and services. Follow @Bombardierjets on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from Bombardier Business Aircraft. To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feed section. Bombardier, Global, Global 5500, Global 6500 and Nuage are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. LONDON, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The business environment in Brazil is fast developing to become more welcoming of entrepreneurs and start-ups. One institution working to support its business-minded population is FIA Business School. The school has the advantage of being located in Sao Paulo, Brazil's dynamic financial centre. The capital of Sao Paulo State has a population of 12 million people or 20 million, taking into account the metropolitan area making it one of the largest cities in the world, and the biggest in the continent. Its a place of other impressive numbers: 90,000 events are hosted in the city per year, 12,500 restaurants of the most diverse global cuisines can be found in its perimeter, as well as a fleet of 6.2 million vehicles. Brazil has been built on the basis of immigration. Most of the countrys population descends from immigrants of many nationalities, who migrated primarily at the beginning of the 20th century. These newcomers have greatly contributed to the development of the country and their presence stimulated the creation of a culture of hospitality. Today, immigrants continue to settle in Brazil, and Sao Paulo is where most of these foreigners are headed. The city is eager to welcome people from other nations, who bring with them innovative thinking and opportunities for development. Home to the largest stock exchange in Latin America, Sao Paulo is a major financial centre on the world stage. This is reflected by the number of companies that call the city home. It boasts the country's greatest concentration of start-ups, at more than 50 percent, according to the latest research by the Brazilian Start-ups Association, which also revealed that from 2017 to 2018 Brazil doubled the number of start-ups. Business schools are responding to this emerging market by offering courses tailored to new entrepreneurs. Aligned with the latest trends, FIA offers programmes taught in English and provides a trip to Californias start-up haven, Silicon Valley. To discover more about Brazils developing business sector, check out an exclusive article in the latest issue of The New Economy, available online and in print now. www.theneweconomy.com World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, which enjoys a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of prominent decision-makers around the world. Continent-wide analysis of African economies demonstrates positive correlation between economic growth and rising governance indicators Ethiopia and Cote dIvoire demonstrate consistent annual average real per-capita growth of >5% since 2013 Particularly strong growth among East African economies (average 3% per capita), while Central Africa has struggled (fall by average 1.3%) Global analysis highlights slowdown in manufacturing sector linked to US-China trade war LONDON, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The latest edition of PwCs bimonthly Global Economy Watch has found that African economies could receive a windfall of 23bn if each economy applied similar governance reforms equivalent to those made by Cote dIvoire since 2013. The continent-wide economic analysis modelled the performance of each country across six of the World Banks Worldwide Governance Indicators (2013-17), which covers aspects such as regulatory quality, rule of law and government effectiveness. The analysis has found that if each African economy made an improvement to governance equivalent to that made by Cote dIvoire over the past four years, these gains would be worth around $23bn if realised across the continent. The countries with the largest potential gains are those with a comparatively high GDP per head but a poor track record on governance. Accordingly, oil-rich Libya and Equatorial Guinea would see the greatest increase, with each person gaining an additional $400 and $200, respectively. Those with lower GDP per capita, such as Niger and Malawi, would see a smaller improvement, despite their governance rank being below the average for the region. By contrast, economies like Rwanda, which have made similar improvements to Cote dIvoire, would also only realise a small benefit, with greater gains made through further diversification of their economies. Regional differences are significant The forecast also notes strong regional differences in economic growth across the continent. Economic growth has been particularly strong in East Africa (at around 3% a year since 2013). Central Africa, by contrast, saw annual real GDP per capita fall by an average of 1.3% over the period. North Africa and the Southern region experienced very sluggish growth (of 0.4% and 0.8% a year respectively), while West Africa saw faster growth of 1.9% a year. Mike Jakeman, senior economist at PwC UK says, Given that Africa contains more countries than any other land mass on earth, it is vital that we consider each economy in its own terms. Economic performance has varied wildly in recent years, but the correlation between strong economic growth and improvements in governance suggests a way for all of Africa to grow more quickly. It is important to acknowledge the real benefits that governance reform can bring. Improved governance can also help countries identify other opportunities for growth. Although we should move away from a single narrative about the African economy, we can also acknowledge areas of mutual interest and benefit across regional economies. Manufacturing has driven the global slowdown Looking at the recent performance of the global economy, the report also explores the causes of the slowdown since mid-2018. The weakness appears concentrated in the manufacturing sector, with purchasing managers indices for the US, China and the euro zone, in particular, declining. Mike Jakeman says, There are two interrelated stories here. The first is the effect of the US-China trade conflict, which is causing disruptions to supply chains suppressing appetite for trade. This is bad news for Europe, especially, which is a big exporter to both the US and China. The second is the Chinese governments attempt to deleverage its highly indebted corporate sector, which is likely to have exerted downward pressure on its own manufacturing output and those of its main suppliers. However, the cooling effect of the trade war on the economy has led the government to prioritise its GDP target of 6-6.5% over its deleveraging programme. This short-term relaxation of policy, especially if combined with an armistice on trade, could be enough to re-inject some momentum into the global economy in the remainder of 2019. Notes to editors: Find the full report: at https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/economy/global-economy-watch.html Follow us on twitter: @PwC About PwC At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. Were a network of firms in 158 countries with over 250,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com. PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. 2019 PwC. All rights reserved Selbyville, Delaware, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ransomware segment of healthcare cybersecurity market held around 22% revenue share in 2018. Ransomware is a malicious software that avoids healthcare organization access some parts of systems by disrupting data integrity. This creates hinderance in the healthcare services provided that results in delayed patient care. Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) mentioned 2016 as ransomware year due to highest crimes caused by ransomwares. As a result, 89% of healthcare organization are installing anti-virus solutions to protect healthcare data. Aforementioned factors augment the segment growth. Network security segment is anticipated to foresee over 19% growth over forthcoming years. Due to emergence of healthcare IT, medical data is easily accessible over large networks that has facilitated the treatment process. However, rising connectivity of computer networks has exposed medical data to vulnerability. Rising incidences of data fraud in hospitals and other healthcare facilities due to network jamming boosts segmental growth. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/3147 Cloud-based segment of healthcare cybersecurity market is expected to show substantial around 20% growth during forecasted time period. Data security in healthcare organizations is growing concern recently. Valuable data is often prone to virus attacks that may give rise to adverse issues. Recently developed cloud-based computing security solutions will enable healthcare organizations to keep data synchronized and secured. Hence, demand for cloud-based segment will increase in forthcoming years. Global Healthcare Cybersecurity Market is set to surpass USD 27 billion by 2025; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Increasing incidences of healthcare data leaks is forecasted to boost healthcare cybersecurity industry growth during the analysis period. Healthcare data is vulnerable to virus attacks and every year huge amount of data is lost as a result of weak security. Healthcare data includes patient name, medical record numbers, addresses, health insurance information, visit dates and healthcare providers, etc. Loss of such valuable data will result in serious complications and may hamper the brand image of hospitals or healthcare facilities handling it. Thus, above mentioned factors are predicted to increases the demand for healthcare cybersecurity solutions in near future. Favorable regulatory scenario positively impacts the healthcare cybersecurity market growth. For instance, NIST cybersecurity framework is collective initiative framed by the U.S. government to provide superior quality cybersecurity software to hospitals and research centers that deal with large clinical as well as administrative data. Key industry players operational in healthcare cybersecurity market comply to regulations that ensure maximum protection of the data. However, high cost of healthcare cybersecurity solutions predicted to impede business growth to some extent. Browse key industry insights spread across 125 pages with 90 market data tables & 8 figures & charts from the report, Healthcare Cybersecurity Market Size By Type of Threat (Ransomware, Malware & Spyware, Distributed Denial of Services (DDos) and Phishing, Spear-phishing), By Security measures (Application Security, Network Security, Device Security) By Deployment (On-Premise ,Cloud-Based) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, India, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE), Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 - 2025 in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-cybersecurity-market North America healthcare cybersecurity market held around 37% revenue share in 2018. Considerable regional market growth is attributed to increasing threats to healthcare data. Key industry players are taking initiatives for providing efficient solutions to prevent threats from viruses. For instance, Atos SE has developed solutions that safeguard patients information across whole network. Availability of such upgraded software solutions for securing medical data will drive the industry growth in coming years. Notable industry players operational in healthcare cybersecurity market are Imperva, Symantec Corporation, Cisco Systems., FireEye, Inc, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, Fortified Health Security, Trend Micro Incorporated, McAfee, Atos SE and Northrop Grumman Corporation. Key players have adopted numerous strategic initiatives such as geographic expansion, product launch and acquisition to acquire prominent market share. For instance, in 2019, Atos SE launched comprehensive cyber security solutions that will enable healthcare organizations to protect their valuable data. Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/3147 Browse Related Reports: Healthcare Data Interoperability Market By Level (Foundational, Structural, Semantic), By Deployment (Cloud-based, On-premise) By Application (Diagnosis, Treatment), By Model (Centralized, Hybrid, Decentralized) By End-users (Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Hospitals), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, The Netherlands, Japan, India, China, Australia, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE), Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 - 2025 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-data-interoperability-market Healthcare Cloud Computing Market By Application (Clinical Information Systems {Health Information System, Telehealth, Picture Archiving & Communication System [PACS], Pharmacy Information Systems, Laboratory Information Management System, Radiology Information Systems, Computerized Physician Order Entry, Ambulatory or Outpatient CIS}, Nonclinical Information Systems {Revenue Cycle Management, Supply Chain Management Solutions}), By Component (Services {Software as a Service [SaaS], Infrastructure as a Service [IaaS], Platform as a Service [PaaS]}, Software), By Deployment (Public Cloud, Private Cloud), End-use (Hospitals, Pharmacies, Diagnostic & Imaging Centers, Ambulatory Centers, Private Payers, Public Payers) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 - 2025 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-cloud-computing-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. BANGOR, MAINE, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the 1960s, Bruce Plummer graduated from the University of Maine in Orono (UMO) with a degree in animal husbandry. After graduation, he started working at The Jackson Laboratory. Young, married, and college educated, Plummer had all the ingredients a young man in the 1960s needed for success. There was just one problem. During his time at The Jackson Laboratory, Plummer discovered he was severely allergic to animals. His doctor recommended that he change his profession. Unfortunately, the degree he earned at UMO wasnt going to be something he could use. First GenerationPlummer decided to go back to school. In 1969, he graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in pharmacy. After graduation, my grandfather moved to Farmington and started working at Howard Liggets Rexall, said Caitlin Brittelli, a fourth-year pharmacy student at Husson University. He later became the first pharmacist at Franklin Memorial Hospital. As the hospitals program grew, so did my grandfathers responsibilities. He later became the director of pharmacy at the hospital. My dad was always a very caring person, said Robin Brittelli, a pharmacist at Walgreens in Bangor, Maine and Caitlins mother. He was the kind of person who always wanted to help the underdog. My dad believed it was important to be supportive of family, friends and the community. He wanted to make sure that no one did without. I guess thats why he was such a good pharmacist. He cared about helping others. After working at the hospital, Plummer bought a local drugstore in Farmington with a business partner. Toward the later part of their careers, Plummer and his partner sold their business and went to work as pharmacists for Hannaford where they stayed until they retired. Second GenerationThe earliest memories Robin Brittelli has of being in a pharmacy was when her father was working at Franklin Memorial Hospital. There werent any personal computers or word processors when I was young. All of the prescription labels were made using a typewriter. I clearly remember dad sitting at a typewriter, typing labels, memos and other documents for the hospital and patients. Bruce Plummer inspired his daughter to pursue a career in pharmacy. I knew I wanted to be a healthcare professional. My mother was a nurse and my father was a pharmacist. After investigating both careers and talking to my parents about their experiences I realized that becoming a pharmacist would be a fantastic career. Unlike some other professions, I knew female pharmacists received equal pay. As a woman, thats important to me. I also thought that I could give back more to the community as a pharmacist and be able to have a family when the time arose. Robin went to Ohio State University to earn her degree. Even though it was far away from Maine, her parents always encouraged her. Dont let distance be the deciding factor, theyd say. The Ohio State University campus is like a city unto itself. After coming from a small town in Maine, the move was quite a change. On the positive side though, I met my husband there. After graduating, Robin moved to Connecticut where her husband was stationed in the Navy. He was assigned to a nuclear submarine, the USS Boston, a Los Angeles-class submarine as a Petty Officer First Class. His base was in New London, Connecticut. I worked for Brooks at the time, a pharmacy that was subsequently bought out by Rite Aid. We were there until he broke his ankle and had to have surgery, which ended his military career. After his stint in the Navy, we went back to Dayton Ohio, continued Robin. My husband went back to school to get his degree in teaching and I went to work in home infusion services in Dayton, Ohio. Home infusion pharmacies are facilities that provide intravenous medications that are administered to patients in their homes. Pharmacists work in conjunction with nurses to provide these services. After 15 years in Ohio, and two children, the organization I was working for decided to streamline and sold off that part of the organization. We decided to move back to Maine to be closer to my family. Initially, I worked for Northern Light/Eastern Maine Medical Center until I accepted an opportunity to help develop the pharmacy services at Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC). Today, I work as a pharmacist at Walgreens in Bangor where I am able to work closely with patients and employ the skills I have culminated throughout my career. Third GenerationRobins daughter Caitlin Brittelli, a fourth-year pharmacy student at Husson University, just graduated in May. Her first exposure to the healthcare industry happened at her moms office. While working in home infusion pharmacy in Ohio, my children would visit sometimes and wed let them gown up in oversized bonnets, masks, gloves, and booties, said Caitlins mother Robin. Wed let them pretend to prepare medications with plastic oral syringes. Apparently, it made a big impression on Caitlin. She referenced the experience in her college entrance essays. Caitlin remembers being interested in healthcare from a very early age. During my first year of College, I knew that I wanted to enter the medical field, said Caitlin. I have always been inspired to help people and Ive always been interested in chemistry, biochemistry and science. My mother, grandfather, and aunt are pharmacists. Since there was so much pharmacy in my family, it has always been an option in the back of my mind. During my first-year in college, the field really started to pique my interest and I began thinking, maybe this would be perfect for me too. Caitlin has been working at Walgreens for five years while she pursued her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Husson University. This work experience and her clinical rotations helped Caitlin solidify her career choice. I found that I loved working in community pharmacy, said Caitlin. It has really worked out for me. Studying at Husson allows me to work, live my life and see my family. Its been wonderful.Talking about why the occupation appealed to her, Caitlin said, I love that I can make a difference in peoples lives. Its a lot of responsibility and thats why education is so important. As a pharmacist, youre responsible for someones health. Youre the last person who sees the patient before they go home. Its your responsibility to see that your patients are getting optimal care and living the healthiest lives they can. The patient interaction, talking to people, counseling them and helping them find solutions to their everyday health issues, are some of the things that I enjoy the most about this job. It feels great to go home every day and know that Ive helped someone. Husson University was definitely the right fit for me, said Caitlin. If you like a large University, thats OK, but thats not Husson. As a Husson student, Ive had the opportunity to get to know my classmates and my professors. If you want to be part of a community, and you enjoy the atmosphere and culture of Maine, then Husson is for you." Caitlin talked about her other options. I could have gone to UNE down in Portland, but I like living where theres more access to the outdoors and being part of a tight-knit group. The class sizes are small and its nice to have close relationships with my classmates and my professors. I can talk to them on a personal level. Everyone knows you by name and Im never afraid to talk to someone if I need some help, solve problems or share ideas. Were all going through the same struggles at the same time and work together to support one another. To quote one of my classmates, Its better than a family; its a pharma-ly. Caitlin sees her career journey as something that has come full circle for her family. Im graduating exactly 50 years after my grandfather graduated from pharmacy school. He graduated in 1969 and Im graduating in 2019. I definitely feel that my degree from Husson has made me part of something larger. As a pharmacist, Im helping to keep my community healthy and thats a great feeling. To learn more about how a Doctor of Pharmacy degree can help you find a rewarding career contact Melissa Rosenberg in Husson Universitys Office of Graduate Admissions. Her phone number is (207) 404-5660. You can also reach her via email at rosenbergm@husson.edu or graduateschool@husson.edu. Attachments Future use of the MDX Viewer likely to start in operating rooms, clinical trials to measure tissue balance in stroke, and to test the viability of an organ before transplantation BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIOXYTRAN, INC. (OTC: BIXT), a developmental stage biotechnology company with a pipeline of anti-necrosis drugs designed to treat hypoxia by delivering a small molecule carrying oxygen to the brain of stroke victims announced today that the Journal of Emergency Medicine and Care published a peer reviewed article that describes a revolutionary new vital sign called the Tissue Metabolic Score (TMS). The monitoring device measures mitochondrial function and microcirculation hemodynamics that are integrated and displays the TMS and plots it versus time. The article, entitled Oxygen Balance Homeostasis and Tissue Metabolic Score (TMS) of Patients In Emergency and Critical Care Medicine was published by Prof. Avraham Mayevsky in Volume 1, Issue 2 in the Journal of Emergency Medicine and Care. The FDA approved monitoring device -CritiView- was renamed by MDX Life Sciences to the MDX Viewer. Bioxytran has an exclusive licensing agreement with MDX Life Sciences to measure cellular health. The premise of the article is that patients that are admitted to the operation rooms or intensive care units (ICUs) need real time monitoring of a new vital sign called TMS. Monitoring the TMS allows clinicians and surgeons an early warning sign into the health of most vital organs like the heart and brain. The article covers the evolution of the monitoring device and the inner workings of the MDX viewer. The device measures 4 parameters and uses an algorithm to calculate the Tissue Metabolic Score. The primary concept that underpins the technology is Oxygen Balance Homeostasis that dates back to 1914. The principal of Oxygen Balance Homeostasis is that organs are unable to increase their activity without a corresponding increase in oxygen consumption delivered by increased blood flow. Monitoring the TMS in certain less vital organs serves a proxy of tissue health in the most vital organs. The MDX viewer uses a minimally invasive multiparametric monitoring device connected to the patients urethral wall via a 3-way Foley catheter to measure TMS. When vital organs in the body are stressed, blood flow is diverted from less vital organs to the most vital organs and the TMS will fall. These changes can be measured with the MDX viewer to track tissue oxygenation levels in vital organs. A key case study done in cardiovascular operated patients underwent bypass of the coronary arteries procedure. During this type of operation, the TMS of the Urethral wall decreased significantly and then recovered toward the end of the operation as expected. Measuring the level of tissue oxygenation in diseases and surgical procedures could have a profound effect in clinical research said Dr David Platt, CEO of Bioxytran. In the past, researchers trying to prove the efficacy of a procedure on a vital organ like the brain had to rely on surrogate markers such as cognitive tests which require large patient populations and relatively subjective tests. With the advent of the FDA approved MDX Viewer, researchers can now accelerate their studies using the TMS biomarker and likely save a lot of money in the process. Tissue oxygenation levels are also important in tissue regeneration, stem cell transplantation, tissue transplantation, and tissue viability. The licensing opportunities in this area are boundless. Bioxytrans initial focus will be for patients of a stroke, Acute Respiratory Deficiency Syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, and heart failure. The stroke market is estimated at 900,000 annually. Since there is an unmet medical need in the stroke indication, Bioxytran will be primarily focusing its efforts in advancing BXT-25 through the clinical trials. About MDX Life Sciences Inc. MDX Life Sciences, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing autologous transplantation techniques for tissue and organ regeneration. The focus of the development programs is on Myocardial Ischemia, reperfusion injury, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury and neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. These diseases include Huntingtons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis/Optic Neuritis, Wolfram Syndrome, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Alzheimers Disease, and Parkinson Disease. Continuing research has linked these diseases to various malfunctions of the mitochondria. Mitochondrial transplantation is a procedure that can open up the possibilities of disease modifying treatments resulting in tissue regeneration which would be a clear clinical endpoint for almost all these diseases. Using the Total Metabolic Score (TMS) calculated by the MDX Viewer will open up a new era in monitoring of patients during operations as well as in the Intensive Care Units. For additional info on our MDX Lifesciences, please visit www.mdxlifesciences.com About Bioxytran, Inc. Bioxytran Inc. is a developmental stage biotechnology company. The company is working towards a first-in-class oxygen treatment platform for victims of brain stroke trauma. The first product to proceed to testing is BXT-25, which will be evaluated as a resuscitative agent to treat strokes, especially during the all-critical first hour following a stroke. The product will also be evaluated for its efficacy in treating other brain trauma issues. BXT-25 is based on a new molecule designed to reverse hypoxia in the brain. Hypoxic brain injuries such as ischemic strokes, could be treated with BXT-25 via an intravenous injection that quickly allows the drug molecule to travel to the lungs and bind with the oxygen molecules. From the lungs the molecule mimics a red blood cell traveling to the brain. Since the molecule is 5,000 times smaller than red blood cells it can penetrate the clot and deliver the oxygen to the critical areas in the brain blocked by the clot. The MDX Viewer will be used in evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the BXT-25. To learn more, visit our website: http://www.Bioxytraninc.com Investor Relations Resources Unlimited NW LLC 860.908.4133 info@resourcesunlimitedllc.com OXNARD, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CURE Pharmaceutical (OTC: CURR), an innovative drug delivery and development company, today announced the addition of four key hires to their growing leadership team. Michael Redard will serve as CUREs Chief Financial Officer. Josh Held becomes an independent new board member, Bhaumik Patel is CUREs director of new technologies and Teresa Virgallito will be a scientific advisor. Patel, Virgallito and Held join CURE as a result of its recent acquisition of Chemistry Holdings Inc. , a formulation technology company, in an all-stock transaction. The expertise and in-depth experience from this new crop of hires within this industry is unmatched, says Rob Davidson, CEO of CURE Pharmaceutical. Our team is growing at a fast-pace and this trusted team of experts are bound to lead us to new heights as we continue to develop solutions to improve drug delivery. Redard joins CURE with over 30 years of experience in financial operations, strategic planning and capital markets. His career has spanned a broad range of industries, including medical devices, healthcare, consumer products and manufacturing. Prior to CURE, Redard held CFO, vice president and general manager positions with several venture capital and private equity-backed companies, including Inogen, Medical Analysis Systems (acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific), CDTi Advanced Materials and Abrisa Technologies. He has a B.S. in business administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Held is a third-generation entrepreneur whose diverse expertise spans finance, law, sales and marketing. A forward-thinking innovator, he has broad experience in corporate development, deal origination, complex deal structures, legal planning, business succession planning, new brand build-outs, media planning, and cross-disciplinary leadership. He was founder and CEO of Chemistry Holdings, a formulation technology company that created innovative, sustainable delivery systems for a variety of industries. Josh is also the founder and CEO of Made by Science, which is at the forefront of the creation of next-generation delivery systems for cannabis product manufacturers and sellers. Patel is an expert in drug encapsulation and has developed dosage forms such as tablets, soft gel and hard-shell capsules, pharmaceutical suspensions and semisolids. Prior to joining CURE, he served as a senior scientist group lead at Chemistry Holdings, Inc. He holds a Master of Science with a specialization in industrial pharmacy from Long Island University. Virgallito has specialized in physical and mechanical encapsulation, ingredient engineering, food law regulations and food safety, microbiology and chemical instrumentation. Before CURE, Virgallito was the EVP of Chemistry Holdings, Inc. She has developed drug delivery and formulation solutions for Procter & Gamble, Kraft, Unilever, Cargill, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy. About CURE Pharmaceutical CURE Pharmaceutical is a vertically integrated drug delivery and development company committed to improving drug efficacy, safety, and the patient experience through its proprietary drug dosage forms and delivery systems. CURE has a full-service cGMP manufacturing facility and is a pioneering developer and manufacturer of a patented and proprietary delivery system (CUREfilm), one of the most advanced oral thin film on the market today. CURE is developing an array of products in innovative delivery platforms and partners with biotech and pharmaceutical companies. CURE has positioned itself to advance numerous therapeutic categories, including the pharmaceutical cannabis sector with partnerships in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. The company's mission is to improve people's lives by redefining how medicines are delivered and experienced. For more information about CURE Pharmaceutical, please visit its website at www.curepharma.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, the ability to successfully market our products, the difficulty in predicting the timing or outcome of other product research and development efforts, potential product characteristics and indications, marketing approvals and launches of other products, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the acceptance and demand of new pharmaceutical products, the impact of patents and other proprietary rights held by competitors and other third parties and the ability to obtain financing on favorable terms. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the Company's judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 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 our 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. VALENCIA, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SetPoint Medical, a clinical-stage bioelectronic medicine company developing therapy for chronic autoimmune diseases, today announced new positive clinical data from a proof-of-concept study evaluating its bioelectronic medicine approach for the treatment of Crohns Disease, a debilitating condition caused by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The results, presented in an oral presentation during Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2019 in San Diego, CA, show clinically meaningful reductions in disease activity in the majority of patients, along with improvements in mucosal healing as documented by endoscopy. New biomarker data revealed reductions in several key inflammatory mediators and improvement in disease-associated autonomic imbalance. Quality of life assessments demonstrated improvements in patient-reported outcomes in a significant proportion of highly drug refractory Crohns Disease patients. The single-arm, open-label study conducted across five centers in Europe treated 16 biologicrefractory patients with active Crohns Disease. All 16 patients were implanted with a vagus nerve stimulating (VNS) device to deliver proprietary digital doses of electricity designed to activate the innate inflammatory reflex to produce a systemic anti-inflammatory effect and help regulate the immune system. Patients were separated into two cohorts: the first were washed off their biologic drugs and received only VNS monotherapy and the second cohort continued their biologic drugs, to which they had inadequate clinical response, in addition to adjunctive VNS therapy. At 16 weeks, enhanced clinical response, with CDAI score improvement of 100 or more points, was observed in eight of 16 patients, with four patients achieving CDAI remission (CDAI below 150). On average, levels of serum biomarkers associated with inflammation, such as IL-1, TNF-, TNF-, and IL-12p70, at 16 weeks were reduced compared to baseline, while an anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, increased from baseline indicating pharmacodynamic activation of the inflammatory reflex. Patient-reported outcomes indicated a significant improvement in quality of life for seven of the 16 patients who had previously been refractory to biologic therapy. Over the course of the study, ten patients had an improvement in their autonomic balance, the ratio of sympathetic to vagal tone as measured by heart rate variability, with the shift towards values typically observed in the healthy population. This study demonstrated meaningful improvements in the clinical scores of disease activity for patients with biologic refactory Crohns Disease, said David Chernoff, MD, Chief Medical Officer of SetPoint Medical. These clinical results accompanied with the new biomarker confirmation are important as they demonstrate the underlying pathways that are modulated by activating the inflammatory reflex via vagus nerve stimulation. By significantly reducing pro-inflammatory biomarkers these results further validate our unique bioelectronic approach for treatment of inflammation-mediated autoimmune diseases. Patients with Crohns Disease and other related inflammatory disorders who have failed biologic therapy need new therapeutic options. We are committed to delivering novel alternative approaches for the treatment of patients with Crohns Disease. Results of the study were presented in an oral presentation, titled, Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Disease Activity and Modulates Serum and Autonomic Biomarkers In Biologic-Refractory Crohns Disease, by Geert DHaens, MD, PhD, Head of the Academic Medical Centre (AMC)-Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sunday, May 19th during DDW 2019. The positive interim safety and efficacy data from the proof-of-concept study were initially presented at DDW 2018.i About SetPoint Medical SetPoint Medical is a privately held clinical-stage bioelectronic medicine company dedicated to treating patients with chronic autoimmune diseases. SetPoint Medicals bioelectronic medicine platform is intended to offer patients and providers a treatment alternative for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic autoimmune conditions with potentially less risk and cost than drug therapy. The company is developing a novel bioelectronic medicine platform that stimulates the vagus nerve to activate the inflammatory reflex to produce a systemic immune-restorative effect. Current investors in the company include New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Morgenthaler Ventures, Topspin Partners, SightLine Partners, GlaxoSmithKlines Action Potential Venture Capital and Boston Scientific as well as an additional undisclosed strategic investor (leading medical device company). For more information, visit www.setpointmedical.com. Contacts Media Contact: Kirsten Thomas The Ruth Group (508)-280-6592 media@setpointmedical.com References i SetPoint Medical. DDW 2018. https://setpointmedical.com/setpoint-medical-presents-positive-data-from-its-clinical-study-of-bioelectronic-medicine-for-treatment-of-crohns-disease/ IRVINE, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates today announced that QC Commercial Properties, a commercial real estate company in the greater Charlotte metro area, has joined the company to help in its expansion efforts. Led by principal and broker Chris Wannamaker (CCIM), QC Commercial Properties specializes in multi-family and retail properties. Sperry Commercial has unmatched reach in the market and we look forward to the tremendous opportunities to leverage and add on to what theyve built, said Wannamaker. They are a close-knit network of successful brokers working to collectively expand their businesses. Our goal is to build a successful brokerage business, specifically for multi-family properties, Wannamaker added. We also hope to expand our business into other facets of commercial real estate. Chris Wannamaker has been a broker since 2000 when he joined Providence Commercial Real Estate Advisors. In 2006, he became a principal of the firm. Recently, Wannamaker and broker Rob Grier founded QC Commercial Properties, LLC. He focuses his practice on sales acquisitions and dispositions, tenant representation, and project leasing. Wannamaker is licensed in North and South Carolina and is a member of the Charlotte Region of Commercial Board of Realtors. We are thrilled to have Chris on our team, said Rich Enderlin, chief operating officer at Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates. His expertise, knowledge, and work ethic have served him well, and hell be instrumental as we expand in the Charlotte area. About Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates, LLC: Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates, LLC offers the highest level of commercial real estate services available through thoughtful, cooperative, and ethical practices. The firm is headquartered in Irvine, CA, and combines more than 200 sales professionals and 43 affiliate operations across 45 offices throughout the United States. Unique to Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates, LLC are a system of tools for affiliates that include a comprehensive real estate intranet and transaction management platform named Sperry CENTRAL and a custom designed marketing support software system called SperryLINK, among other immediate industry advantages. For more information, visit www.sperrycga.com . DALLAS, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Worksoft, an SAP silver partner and leading global provider of continuous test automation software for enterprise applications, today announced that Deutsche Telecom, the worlds fifth largest telecom company, today showcased how they are employing intelligent automation to transform their Enterprise Resource Program (ERP) as a featured presenter at the Gartner CIO & IT Executive Summit 2019 being held May 20-21 in Munich, Germany. Deutsche Telecoms session, Worksoft: Deutsche Telekom's Successful ERP Transformation Driven by Automation, was held on Mon., May 20, at 12:40pm CET. Dirk Keweloh, Senior Vice President Digitalization and Transformation presented how Deutsche Telecom realized an ambitious ERP transformation program to standardize data models, business processes and IT across the group with the adoption of intelligent automation. He shared key results, including how they utilized the Worksoft platform to liberate resources from manual testing activities, as well as the organizations future plans for expanding automation. Deutsche Telekom is redefining what it means to transform the enterprise through automation responded Lee Constantino, CEO Worksoft. Their Build Your Own Test-bot program is a shining example of how leading enterprises are using Worksofts codeless solution to democratize automation enabling business users to be transformation accelerators; real-world proof that an Automation CoE is the success model for the modern enterprise. Worksoft is exhibiting at Gartner CIO and Executive Summit 2019 in booth S5, offering attendees the opportunity to speak with Worksoft automation experts about real-world use cases where Worksoft customers are meeting the challenges of digital business with continuous intelligent automation and Agile-plus-DevOps adoption strategies. Worksoft experts are demonstrating how organizations with complex enterprise landscapes can leverage existing assets while implementing digital transformation initiatives with the markets only proven platform for building and sharing automation-at-scale. About the Gartner CIO & IT Executive Summit With two-thirds of CEOs and CFOs anticipating business models to change frequently due to digital transformation, how will senior leaders achieve success in an era of constant change? At the Gartner CIO & IT Executive Summit 2019, analysts will dive deep into ContinuousNEXT an approach that helps build strategies and behaviors to make an organization become more dynamic and adjust to perpetual innovation, integration and delivery. The event will provide senior IT leaders with practical guidance, best practices and insights on how to achieve success no matter where they are in their digital business journey. Find out more about the event at: www.gartner.com/eu/ciode . Follow news and updates on Twitter and LinkedIn at #GartnerCIO About Worksoft Inc. Worksoft is the industrys leading continuous test automation platform for Enterprise Packaged Apps, offering a diverse ecosystem of service providers, software integrations, and machine learning solutions to enable true end-to-end, unattended automated testing of mission-critical business applications, including SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, Workday, SuccessFactors, ServiceNow, and more. Microsoft, Cardinal Health, P&G, Honda, 3M, Intel and Siemens are just a few of the worlds leading global companies who have turned to Worksoft to achieve unparalleled continuous testing at scale and realize DevOps and Agile initiatives. Chosen by the worlds foremost Global System Integrators, Accenture, IBM and Cognizant, Worksoft is embedded into their ERP practices to support their Agile, DevOps, and SAFe methodologies and accelerate digital transformations. For more information, contact Worksoft at info@worksoft.com or visit www.worksoft.com. For media inquiries, contact Liz Blackman, info@worksoft.com, or +1 (972) 993-0560. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/11bd4dc8-62a5-478d-b44b-c8fc181b9fa1 Chicago, Illinois, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the announcement of the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative, Illinois is poised to make dramatic changes that help the lives of many state residents who have been convicted of non-violent crimes. Attorneys at Illinois criminal defense law firm Wolfe & Stec believe the efforts are much-needed. The publics attitudes about non-violent offenders have evolved significantly over the years, but our justice system hasnt kept the pace, said Marc Wolfe. Many lawmakers are ready to make reform happen, and the formation of this office is a sign that we are finally heading in the right direction. Many polls have shown that Americans want to reduce mass incarceration in the United States, and a majority of people polled believe that non-violent offenders with a low-risk of committing another crime should face less prison time. One poll suggested that more than 90 percent of Illinois voters favor reducing prison time for individuals convicted of low-risk, non-violent offenses in Illinois prisons. The Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative plans to tackle several issues that concern reform advocates, including marijuana legalization, reducing recidivism rates, smarter sentencing protocols and pushing for economic development in poorer communities. Though these reforms have long been pushed by reform advocates, the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative plans to connect groups with similar goals to bolster support and create a dialogue over needed reforms. Theres broad support for many aspects of criminal justice reform, said Natalie Stec. Support crosses party lines and appeals to several groups that believe we have a flawed justice system. Centralizing reform efforts is essential if we want to make significant changes. The criminal defense attorneys at Wolfe & Stec said that the longer Illinois lawmakers wait to address our criminal justice systems shortcomings, the more people will be placed into a system that presents unjust setbacks in life. Recidivism rates in Illinois tell the story of how our system is failing our residents, Stec said. People that we should rehabilitate are instead punished, and they face nearly insurmountable challenges when they attempt to re-enter society. We need reform, and we need it soon. Conference Call Scheduled for Tuesday, May 21st, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time Niwot, Colorado, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Healthcare REIT, Inc. (OTC:GBCS) (the Company) will hold a conference call on Tuesday, May 21st, 2019 at 4:30 p.m Eastern time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time) to discuss its financial results for the first quarter of 2019. Financial results will be available via our 10-Q filing with the SEC prior to the call. "As part of our ongoing business plan, we have continued to optimize our cost structure while diligently working to stabilize non-performing assets. We made significant progress as demonstrated by our first quarter 2019 results," commented Mr. Zvi Rhine, President and Chief Financial Officer of Global Healthcare REIT. "Furthermore, we are focusing our efforts on expanding our asset base through accretive acquisitions." Global Healthcare REIT management will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period. Date:Tuesday, May 21, 2019 Time:4:30 p.m. Eastern time (1:30 p.m. Pacific time) U.S. toll-free:1-857-232-0357 Passcode: 816059 Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. To ask a question, please pick up your handset and press 5*. For Further Information Contact: Zvi Rhine, President 303-449-2100 MERCEDES-BENZ is undergoing significant research and development investment in order to help bring about the advent of price parity for electric and internal-combustion vehicles, however achieving parity is still several years away. The German car-maker is set to release its first-ever series production full-electric vehicle, the EQC, in global markets from July, with an Australian arrival slated for around October. While local pricing is yet to be confirmed for the EQC, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific is targeting a price of about $140,000 plus on-road costs, pitting it against the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace EV400 HSE and Teslas Model X Performance. Speaking to Australian journalists at the global first drive of the EQC in Oslo, Norway, current Mercedes-Benz head of R&D and soon-to-be chief of Mercedes-Benz Cars Ola Kaellenius said the brand is seeing a major shift in R&D funding towards full-electric and electrified powertrains, as part of the brands recently announced Ambition2039 business plan. The investment program alone for the EQ family is 10 billion, for those first vehicles that are coming now, he said. So, it feels like we are already tilting very heavily into this direction. I would like to say, though, if we take the ambition from 2030 to have about 50 per cent EVs, this means about 50 per cent will still have a combustion engine. Obviously the 48V and plug-in hybrids, so we are continuing investing on making that better, both of the emission side and the fuel economy side, because thats also a contributor to reduction of CO2. So, you have to do both during the transition, but needless to say (there is) a very, very strong shift towards electrification as we speak. When asked if Mercedes knows when EVs will become as affordable as their internal-combustion equivalents, Mr Kaellenius said there was no concrete timing yet, but it was still many years away. As we sit here today, the product cost structure for electric vehicles is significantly higher than what we have been used to on a combustion-engine vehicle, he said. With tightening regulations all around, the product cost of combustion-based vehicles will go up in the future as well. From a total cost of ownership point of view, depending on prices of petrol or diesel and electricity, and of course depending on tax regulations in individual countries, for the customer the total cost of ownership point can be much quicker. In the long term, though, we cannot rely on a subsidy to forever create that potential, that TCO parity, so our job and thats what were working on is to in the next several years significantly engineer cost out, improve the chemistry of the cells together with the battery cell suppliers, work on scale and start shaving cost layer after cost layer off. I dont want to pick a date, but it is several years away. While Mercedes builds its own engines and transmissions, it currently purchases its battery cells and electric motors from a wide range of outside suppliers and has plans to do so for the foreseeable future. This could change further down the track, with the brand working on developing its own battery cell technology that could be used in the future, which would help reduce cost for its EVs. On the battery side, which is the most expensive part, on the R&D side, we are invested all the way down to the research level, all the way down to chemistry, said Mr Kaellenius. But for economy of scale reasons, battery cell production needs to be massive, as there is a very dynamic competition going on here both on the technical side and the commercial side. Mercedes is also developing its own electric axles at the R&D level, and while it has chosen to work with suppliers for the first couple of generations of its EVs, future generations could feature in-house motors. According to Mr Kaellenius, the brands R&D developments in battery technology are game-changing and slated for production around 2025, including a silicon-based anode that could improve batteries by up to 20 per cent either in increased range or reduced cost. Mr Kaellenius also hinted at Mercedes developing its own dedicated EV architecture, unlike the EQC which is built on a modified version of the GLC mid-size SUVs platform. We have not been very forthcoming with our technical strategy, so I dont want to shed too much light on it now, he said. What I would like to say is watch this space. You will see a very comprehensive product strategy unravel for Mercedes in the next two to three to four years, and obviously on the way to 2030 we have big plans. The Road to Recovery podcast series Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation. One of America's great traditions is citizen participation in public decision-making. From New England-style town meetings to inviting public comment on proposed regulations, when citizens who will have to live with the consequences of governmental decisions are involved in making them, discussions are more well-rounded and, ultimately, solutions are more considerate of their needs.But somehow, the boards that govern public colleges and universities -- even those that oversee billions of dollars in public assets -- have largely been exempt from hearing from diverse voices. In 39 states, there is no requirement that boards of trustees or regents consult the public prior to making major decisions that significantly impact students and families. This is despite the fact that more than 70 percent of American postsecondary students are enrolled in public colleges and universities.Typically, trustees hear only well-packaged plans from the institutions' presidents and other top administrators. And when colleges are challenged to consider other viewpoints, those efforts are all too likely to be viewed as intrusions or even assaults.Of course, it's no secret that most trustee appointments are considered plum picks delivered by governors looking to reward campaign supporters who are not known for their higher-education acumen. In a closed system built on insider favors, isolation brings with it the considerable risk of reinforcing a narrow, insider viewpoint.At its core, the problem of not listening to the voices of those most affected before making decisions can leave well-meaning trustees tone-deaf and disconnected from the realities of students and a public they were appointed or elected to serve. This too often leads to decisions that ultimately exacerbate very real challenges facing today's students.On a larger scale, opaque governing processes stand as one more barrier to building trust with a skeptical public amid polls that show dampening confidence in higher education , along with high-profile administrative scandals such as the unfolding admissions bribery scheme that has ensnared some of our most prestigious universities.When students have the opportunity to be heard, the playing field is, if only for a moment, more level. And when that happens, trustees sensitized to the financial plight of many college students can make more informed decisions.Consider that in the vast majority of states public spending on higher education has been on the rise since 2013, after years of disinvestment brought on by the Great Recession. However, too few trustees are asking why the institutions they oversee haven't responded with tuition constraint. And who asks how tuition and fee increases will add to student debt loads or how many students will be driven into food or housing insecurity?Something needs to change, and in some places it has. This year, for example, our organizations joined forces in Virginia - where, despite five years of increased state spending, tuition and fees have climbed to sixth-highest in the nation -- to change state law and require that trustees listen to students and others who are affected before setting tuition and fees.Virginia will become the 11th state with such a statutory or regulatory requirement, thanks to near-unanimous bipartisan approval and support from AARP-Virginia, the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, the K-12 teacher's lobby, student groups and even experienced trustees. This policy and its broad base of support should be replicated across the country.Occasional public comment won't solve everything, however, and doesn't substitute for ongoing constituent engagement. While research show s that even informal inclusion of students brings benefits to campus governance, too few boards welcome students as members. One of us (James Toscano) is a former university student board member, and the other (Andy MacCracken) is a former university student body president. We both recognize that broader public engagement empowers student representatives and board members alike to respond to the evolving needs of students today.Governing boards must step up and invite increased transparency and discourse. To be sure, listening to opposing views can be disquieting. But what's worse and unacceptable is for those in power to think that students and others shouldn't be allowed or encouraged to speak up. With concerns over the management of public higher education mounting, it's too much to expect students and the public to hold their peace. Gov. Laura Kelly finalized the decision Thursday to terminate a pair of 10-year contracts with CGI Technologies valued at $111 million that were negotiated by now-departed officials at the Kansas Department of Revenue who engaged in a secretive bidding process.The contracts with CGI, voided for nonperformance issues, included the 2017 deal to upgrade the revenue department's tax collection, fraud analysis, auditing and deposit systems. The other contract, signed in 2018, put CGI in charge of maintaining the agency's internal IT systems."CGI was not able to adequately perform its obligations under the contracts," said Mark Burghart, revenue secretary in the Kelly administration. "After a thorough review, we determined it was necessary to end these contracts and take a different approach to obtaining enhancements to the state's tax operating systems."The state has paid $28 million to CGI under the agreements reached while Republicans Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer were governor.Last year, the revenue secretary under Brownback and Colyer, Sam Williams, said he was sufficiently confident in the ability of CGI to deliver that he moved to privatize technology services at the agency and drop more than 50 state employees from the payroll. Williams also said he was unconcerned about criticism of his handling of the CGI deals."The decisions I make, the negotiation of whether that was a good decision or a bad decision, is going to be between me and my boss, not between me and the public. Because I wasn't elected -- I was appointed. The governor was elected, OK?" Williams said.To secure the deal with CGI, Williams said, the revenue department decided not to take open bids. He said the process was appropriate if he limited negotiations with companies that had an existing relationship with state government. Once negotiations were completed with CGI, the company's competitors were given one week to object to the contracts.Kelly said the process relied upon by the Colyer and Brownback administrations to hire CGI was contrary to the guidelines for state procurement and produced agreements not in the best interests of the state."For many years, I have voiced concern about the frequent use of 'no-bid' contracts under the previous administration," Kelly said. "This practice bypasses the official state bidding process designed to ensure that contracts are transparent and in the best interests of Kansans."A formal letter was sent to CGI terminating the contacts, but the Kelly administration had been reviewing IT operations in the revenue department since taking office in January."My administration will continue to review contracts from the previous administration, limit the use of 'no-bid' contracts, and increase transparency," Kelly said. A flight of migrant families who crossed illegally into the Rio Grande Valley area of the southwest border will arrive in San Diego this afternoon, according to Border Patrol.It is the first official flight here in a new plan to help agents in the Rio Grande Valley sector process everyone in its custody. That sector, which is over capacity, had more than 6,000 people in custody this morning, compared with about 800 in custody in the San Diego area, according to Border Patrol."That's our Border Patrol sisters and brothers in the Rio Grande Valley who are faced with this wave of people," said interim Chief Patrol Agent Douglas Harrison, who has been on the job in San Diego for three days after the sector's chief was sent to Washington on special assignment. "We want to help the overall organization."The San Diego plan is in addition to migrants who are already being transported from the Rio Grande Valley to the Del Rio Sector in another part of the Texas border. There are other plans under discussion that would ship migrant families to Florida and parts of the Northern border as well, Harrison said.As a start, Border Patrol plans to send three flights per week of 120 to 135 people each to San Diego, Harrison said. Those flights and the subsequent buses to Border Patrol stations will be operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or its contractors, Harrison said. He deferred further details on ICE's work to that agency.Rio Grande Valley agents will do an abbreviated intake of those it sends to San Diego to gather basic biographical information and do medical screenings to make sure the family members are well enough to travel. Upon arrival in San Diego, migrants, under the current plan, will go to Border Patrol's Brown Field Station, though that may change based on individual station capacity.Agents there will conduct a full intake of the migrants, which includes taking fingerprints and photographs. That process can take several hours.Agents will not know how many of the migrants are asylum seekers until they are processed in San Diego, Harrison said.No unaccompanied children will be included in the flights, but agents are preparing for the possibility of fraudulent family claims when the migrants arrive in San Diego. Children can be separated from adults who immigration officials determine are not actually their parents, and those children become unaccompanied minors in the system.ICE investigators will be on hand to make those determinations during intake, Harrison said.Once Border Patrol finishes processing the arrivals, agents will turn them over to another part of ICE for custody determination. How quickly that happens can vary, Harrison said, from a few hours to a few days. The goal is to move people out of Border Patrol's holding cells within 72 hours.The additional work, he said, could affect resources for San Diego operations."We're going to do the best we can to do both," Harrison said. "There's logically a potential impact."ICE will decide whether to detain the families or release them into the community.Because of constraints on the amount of time children can be held in detention, and the fact that there are no family detention centers in California, ICE generally releases families with ankle monitors on the adults to ensure they show up for their court dates.When ICE ended a program that helped those released families make contact with relatives or friends already in the U.S. so that they would have a place to go and a way to get there, local nonprofits working together as the San Diego Rapid Response Network opened a shelter that has since gotten support from local and state officials.It is likely that many of the additional families coming to San Diego will end up in the Network's shelter in downtown San Diego before moving on to their final destinations in the homes of family and friends.It was not immediately known if the arriving migrant families might be subject to Migrant Protection Protocols, a program that returns some Central American asylum seekers to Mexico to wait for their U.S. immigration court cases.Harrison, who is on loan from the Detroit Sector, said he is proud of the work he has seen so far in San Diego in response to the increased number of arriving families along the southwest border."They're doing baby formula. They're doing diapers," Harrison said. "They're doing great work."Yesterday when he visited the Imperial Beach station, he said, he learned of an infant being held there who is lactose-intolerant and needed a special baby formula. The station didn't have any on hand, so one of the supervisors went out on his own to get it, Harrison said.San Diego Border Patrol received a test flight of migrant families, 126 people total, on Tuesday, the interim chief said. The plan is set to continue indefinitely."This is a contingency operation," Harrison said. "We've got to give the people in Rio Grande Valley some relief." (TNS) The head of North Dakota's public colleges and universities said a "macro technological revolution" is making cybersecurity and data privacy of the utmost importance.About a year ago, the State Board of Higher Education formed an advisory group to explore and report on issues surrounding data privacy.Since the formation of that group, North Dakota University System chancellor Mark Hagerott said he didn't expect data privacy would become as prevalent as it is today."Eighteen months ago, we (convened the group) because we felt students' data was something that would follow them for the rest of their lives," Hagerott said Wednesday at a data privacy event at Bismarck State College. "Now, it's becoming this huge issue."Hagerott pointed to recent data privacy scandals within Facebook and a decision Tuesday by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to outlaw the use of facial recognition surveillance technology.The event Wednesday at BSC was held to help inform advisory group members as they continue to address data privacy, according to Hagerott.It included a video discussion with a New York University computer science professor and member of a task force looking at New York City's use of algorithms to aid in decision-making. There was also a representative from Microsoft in attendance."We're just trying to think through this, to exchange ideas (and) inform people," Hagerott said.Also at the event was a recent graduate of North Dakota State University, Jared Melville, who discussed the North Dakota Student Association's draft bill of rights protecting students' data in the university system."All kinds of organizations collect massive amounts of data, including the university system, so this bill of rights is largely addressed at ensuring that the university system is appropriately collecting, handling and securing the data it collects on students," said Melville, former president of the student association.Melville said students have been working on the bill of rights over the past academic year, and it started as part of an "ongoing conversation with the university system over cybersecurity, data privacy" and related topics."Naturally, this is kind of something that affects students, so we have an interest in it," he said.Melville said the student association didn't find any other states with a comparable bill of rights protecting student data in higher education. The closest comparison was in New York, where the state's Education Department has a parents' bill of rights that protects the data of K-12 students.Hagerott applauded the students' initiative as well as efforts across the state related to data privacy. This includes a recent push to offer computer science and cybersecurity education in K-12 schools, as the state Legislature may launch a study to grapple with personal data issues."We don't expect to solve anything today," Hagerott said, adding that he's hopeful discussions will continue. (TNS) Mike Friel of Tucson has suffered from breathing problems his whole life a consequence of being born with cystic fibrosis. His first hint of asthma came at age 5, when he started wheezing. His family moved to Arizona in the 1970s when he was 14, with hopes that the dry air would alleviate his symptoms.For decades it seemed like the right move, until about four years ago when Friels asthma started acting up.Ive had trouble sometimes where you just cant breathe, said Friel, who is now 56. You feel like your lungs have turned to wood or something.Sometimes, ozone pollution in the air makes his asthma worse, he said.The ozone is like a molecule that can definitely get into your chest, way down into your lungs, he said.Tucson was once a haven for people plagued with respiratory problems. From the 1960s through the 80s, droves of families relocated here, seeking sanctuary in what was considered one of the nations best areas for asthmatics.Thats no longer the case.A steady increase in population brought with it more tailpipe pollution as well as pollution from power plants as the area industrialized. The new concrete and bricks raised temperatures in a desert city, compounding the effects of global climate change. Along with an increase in pollen blowing out of non-native plants imported by newcomers, these factors have made it harder for residents like Friel to breathe.Now, ozone levels in Tucson and other Arizona urban areas are increasing just as temperatures here hit record or near-record levels every year. There is a growing scientific consensus that continued increasing temperatures will make future ozone levels worse.Some specifics:While ozone levels are lower today here than in the 1990s, last month, the American Lung Associations annual State of the Air report for 2018 gave Pima County a D grade for ozone. It was the third year out of the last four in which the association gave the countys air a D or F.Our ozone pollution seasons are starting earlier today than in the recent past. For three of the past four years, Pima Countys highest monthly average ozone reading has been in April a month earlier than was the case before 2015, said Beth Gorman, a Pima County Department of Environmental Quality program manager.Preliminary air quality data from the department last year indicated that parts of Tucson violated federal ground-level ozone levels for the first time. The department reported in August that annual ozone levels in Saguaro National Park East had exceeded the 70 part per billion health standard for ozone set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over a three-year period.Tucsons temperatures have risen faster than those in most American cities since 1970 and are on average 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer now, Climate Central analysts found after analyzing weather data from 242 cities.Also, Arizona is one of Americas fastest-warming states, outpaced only by Alaska and New Mexico, federal data show.More Arizonans are affected by asthma than the national average, with nearly 10 percent of adult residents and nearly 11 percent of youths suffering from it, according to the American Lung Associations 2016 Arizona Asthma Burden Report.The occurrence of asthma in this state is rising at a faster pace than nationally, the report said.Also known as smog, ozone needs two key ingredients: sunlight and air pollution. The higher the temperature, the faster ozone is produced through chemical reactions occurring inside polluted air. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds in the air, most commonly from motor vehicles, react in sunlights presence.The higher ozone levels are a threat to public health, said Eric Betterton, a University of Arizona atmospheric sciences professor and an air pollution monitoring and modeling expert.That (EPA) standard of 70 parts per billion has been set to protect human health, Betterton said. If we are violating it, we should be concerned, especially people who are susceptible to poor air quality: children, the elderly and asthmatics.Betterton, the UAs head of hydrology and atmospheric sciences, this year started monitoring air quality on campus. His research could help Pima County draft a plan to put the county back in compliance with ozone standards. Hes measuring volatile organic chemicals, which hasnt been done here before.He said it may take up to a decade to determine if warming temperatures are contributing to ozone problems here.Its a complex system. Its too early to say after two to three high-ozone seasons, Its climate. I dont know what other variables have changed, Betterton said. This is going to take years to play out.Lung association officials, however, are more convinced that rising temperatures already are driving up ozone levels. In part, thats because theyre not just rising in Pima County.In Arizona, for instance, the annual number of ozone bad air days in Maricopa and Pinal counties has risen at roughly the same pace in the past decade as here close to or slightly more than double the number today compared with 2010.The bad air days are days in which authorities warn older adults, children and people with lung disease or otherwise sensitive lungs to stay indoors or avoid outdoor exertion.Nationally, the Lung Associations State of the Air report for 2018 found that 7 million more people were living in cities with F rankings for ozone than were found in the same report in 2017. Among the U.S.s 25 most polluted cities, 17 had more bad ozone days in the 2015-2017 period covered by the 2018 report than in 2014-2016.Every indication is that climate change is having that impact on ozone, said Janice Nolen, the lung associations assistant vice president for policy. Other factors contribute to it, but climate change overall is making it harder to clean up and more likely to form.These trends are consistent with the last three years being the hottest on record globally, she said.In Tucson, 2018 was the fourth warmest year on record. All five warmest years on record here have occurred from 2014 through 2018.While the EPA tightened ozone air quality health standards in 2015, the lung association has recalculated the number of bad air days in earlier years based on the 2015 standard, making comparisons with past years apples to apples, Nolen said.While unhealthy ozone days occur less frequently both in Tucson and nationally today than before the Clean Air Act was enacted in 1970, warming temperatures threaten to make ozone levels worse in the future, two studies have found.Researchers found in a 2014 study that assuming that greenhouse gas emissions rise until 2050 and then level off, the resulting temperature increases would boost summertime ozone levels over most of the U.S.That would increase the number of days nationally where ozone levels exceeded the then-current EPA standard by 70 percent. The research was led by Gabriele Pfiester, an atmospheric scientist for the National Center for Atmospheric Research.But ozone levels would drop to as little as 1 percent of todays total by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions are controlled through rapid adoption of clean energy, researchers found. The study was published bya journal run by the American Geophysical Union.A 2016 study concluded that unhealthy ozone days would increase by nine days in California and the Northeast and by up to 2.3 days in much of the rest of the country by 2050 unless climate change is substantially slowed.That study, by researchers at Harvard University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, was published in the journalWhile the relationship between ozone and public health is complex, a growing body of evidence shows that pollution increases the risks of respiratory and cardiovascular problems that can lead to death.Air pollution, more pollen and just the arrival of more asthmatics have all been advanced as theories underlying Arizonas growing asthma problem. But no studies have been done to pinpoint the exact causes, said Stacey Mortenson, director of health promotions for the lung associations western division.Air pollution is definitely a factor in Arizonas asthma problems, although the fine particles emitted by industries and found in dust are bigger contributors than ozone, said Al Brown, an Arizona State University lecturer and former state and Maricopa County environmental official.I recognize how important air quality is to health, said Dr. Tara Carr, an allergist, immunologist and professor at the University of Arizonas Department of Medicine. If this (ozone) trend continues in the wrong direction, I think it will have potentially significant impacts on health for our patients with lung disease.A 2018 study by scientists across the world, led by George Washington University, found ozone and other industrial air pollution was responsible for roughly one out of every 10 asthma-related emergency room visits across the U.S.And in 2017, a Harvard study documented a link between ozone and risk of mortality among Medicare recipients in the U.S.Ozone can trigger heart attacks, in extreme cases, by causing lungs to start leaking and bleeding, said Dr. David Friedman, a Tucson allergist.As temperatures rise and ozone pollution gets worse, these impacts are causing misery as they play out inside the bodies of Tucson residents like Mike Friel.He notices tighter lungs and worsening asthma symptoms on higher ozone days here, and finds his lungs cant handle Phoenixs more severe ozone levels at all.On April 15, for instance, he drove to Maricopa County to help celebrate the birth of a nephew. He left after two hours because he feared a serious asthma attack if he stayed longer.As it was, it took me two days to get over spending two hours in Phoenix, he said.Overall, Friel estimates he suffers severe asthma attacks 10 times a year.It feels like someone maybe strapped a belt across your chest, he said. If you let it get worse, you cant even get a breath out.This story was produced through a partnership between Climate Central, a non-advocacy research and news group, and thein Tucson.Contact reporter Tony Davis at tdavis@tucson.com or 806-7746. On Twitter@tonydavis9872019 The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.)Visit The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.) at www.tucson.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Montana CIO Tim Bottenfield has been on the job for nearly a year, and in that time hes established a foundation for the State Information Technology Services Division (SITSD) thats grounded in five main areas: fiscal responsibility, shared services, cybersecurity, digital government for citizens and a service-first mindset.At the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Midyear conference earlier this month, Bottenfield said that in the most recent legislative session, hes gotten support for a number of his initiatives, particularly cybersecurity. Coming into the state CIO role, he said, his biggest concern was around staffing for cyber since SITSD didnt have the manpower or funding to make use of all the tools that were potentially available to them to protect Montanas systems.Bottenfield took advantage of the 2019 legislative session to request additional funding for cyber, which will add around 10 full-time employees to the security team over the next two years, effectively doubling their current numbers. Over the past several years the state of Iowa has undertaken a massive effort to increase election security, investing in cybersecurity and training as a means to prevent bad actors from deterring voter turnout."First in the nation in voting demands, first in the nation security," said Secretary of State Paul Pate, at a press conference in August of 2018, publicly announcing the goal of expanding cybersecurity services to counties throughout the state.Pate's efforts began in 2015, when he made clear to state officials his intentions to create a "Human Firewall" against voter election interference. Training, outreach and coordination with counties throughout the state was the process by which Pate planned to expand and secure coverage. These efforts have culminated in an increase in county access to protective services offered by the state.For example, in August 2018, only 27 of Iowa's 99 counties were participating in cybersecurity services offered by the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Now, less than a year later, all 99 counties have signed up for at least one cybersecurity service from the OCIO, and as many as 90 counties are now covered by three or more services, according to the office.The threat to voting security in the U.S. has grown in recent years. In 2016, two of Florida's 67 counties had their election systems breached by Russian hackers. Information about the attack surfaced in the Mueller report released earlier this year. The hacking attempt, which appears not to have led to any changes in votes, has raised awareness and an increase in federal, state and local resources and coordination to improve election security, according to Wired In Iowa, the recent increase in stepped-up election security strategies is the byproduct of the last three years of work, as well as of myriad partnerships between the OCIO and state and federal organizations, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Iowa National Guard and the Iowa Counties Information Technology organization.Were a big target because were the first to start elections," said Jesse Martinez, IT specialist with the Information Security Division (ISD) of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, which is in charge of security operations. "So that can make us an attractive target for cyberattackers.The recent 2018 elections were a good test for the defenses that have been built up over the last several years, Martinez said.We wanted to make sure that they had cybersecurity services in place tools and intelligence that would give them a good defense and prepare them for anything that could potentially happen with the elections, he said.The Department of Homeland Security has also played a big role in this process, supplying grant money for added security programs and procedures, while also conducting intelligence sharing about potential bad actors and threats to infrastructure, Martinez added.[The ISD's] part in that would be offering cybersecurity services [to counties]: security awareness training, intrusion detection systems, vulnerability scanning and anti-malware, Martinez said.Most counties have security procedures in place, but the ISD looks to identify and fill security gaps that may exist.Some counties have a good, solid IT staff and some counties just dont, Martinez said. Even the counties that have IT, they can kind of be overwhelmed [with other activities]; theyre doing the regular stuff and cybersecurity is off to the side, so we can supplement them with our services and help in any way that we can.Hackers will scan for vulnerabilities far before elections so that they can identify weak spots for exploitation. When it comes to Election Day, they try to target vulnerable areas.The main thing they want to do is [spread] disinformation and obviously change results if possible, but also undermining the elections process as a whole and chipping away at public confidence," he said. "So we want to try to get ahead of them. We want to make sure that machines are patched for vulnerabilities. There are systems that can do continuous network monitoring. We have back up programs in place two factor authentification programs.Much of this assistance can be rendered through the ISD's Security Operations Center, a large office created several years ago for live monitoring and defense operations that assists with protection during elections. Still, so much of security is simply about education and proper training of state employees in preparation for potential incidents, Martinez added.We want to pass as much information along as we know and give them an opportunity to self-assess or ask for help, he said. Q: News reports often refer to progressive proposals to tax the wealthy as soak the rich taxes. But why soak? If the rich are drenched in wealth, shouldnt their bank accounts be dried out, not soaked? A: The use of soak in the expression soak the rich comes from the slang use of the verb soak in the late 19th century to mean overcharge, tax heavily, or extort money. When the verb showed up in Anglo-Saxon times as socian, it meant (as it does now) to lie immersed in a liquid for a considerable time, so as to be saturated or permeated with it; to become thoroughly wet or soft in this manner, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The first OED example is from Old English Leechdoms, a collection of medical remedies from around 1000: Dweorge dwostlan weorp on weallende wter, lt socian on lange (Throw pennyroyal in boiling water, letting it soak a long time). The verb soak has had several other meanings over the years, but well just discuss the relevant ones. Near the end of the 19th century, according to Oxford citations, soak took on the slang sense of to impose upon (a person, etc.) by an extortionate charge or price; to charge or tax heavily; to borrow or extort money from; to cost a high price. The dictionarys first example is from the New York Dramatic News, Nov. 23, 1895: This little scheme sometimes enables the photographer to soak them. The OED says this sense of soak led to the use of soak-the-rich as an attributive, or adjectival, phrase applied to a policy of progressive taxation. The first citation is from Hell Bent for Election (1935), a critique of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal, by James Warburg: He thought he was being clever when he tried to steal Huey Longs thunder by suddenly coming out with his soak the rich tax message. The author, a member of the Warburg banking family, had been a financial adviser to Roosevelt before breaking with him over policy disagreements. He rejoined the government when the US went to war in 1941. The next Oxford example is from a Dec. 14, 1935, article in the Literary Digest by Harold L. Ickes, FDRs Interior Secretary: Soak the Rich (Antonym, Soak the Poor)Newspaperese for a system of taxation founded upon the absurd and revolutionary theory that a man should be assessed taxes in proportion to his ability to pay. (Ickes was satirizing criticism of the New Deal.) We suspect that this usage may have been influenced by the use of soak a bit earlier in the 19th century to mean punish, especially in the phrase soak it to (someone), a variation on sock it to (someone). The first OED citation for soak used in the punish sense is from the Columbus (Ohio) Evening Dispatch, July 29, 1892: To-days Washington Post soaks it to the Southern Democrats in the House who were so rallied in 1885 in their support of the bill making an appropriation to the New Orleans Exposition, but are now opposed to a similar appropriation for the Worlds Fair. When sock it to (someone) showed up in print 15 years earlier, Oxford says, it meant to strike, deal a blow to (that person), as in this entry in an 1877 edition of John Russell Bartletts Dictionary of Americanisms: Two loafers are fighting; one of the crowd cries out, Sock it to him. Help support the Grammarphobia Blog with your donation. And check out our books about the English language. Niki Lauda's push to return to good health and the F1 paddock has suffered yet another setback. Osterreich newspaper reports that the F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman is currently receiving kidney dialysis treatment at a private clinic in Switzerland. It follows an earlier setback for the 70-year-old in the wake of his lung transplant last year, when he had to return to intensive care with Influenza. In addition to his 2018 lung transplant, Lauda had kidney transplants in 1997 and 2005. "Due to kidney problems, he had to be transferred from the rehabilitation centre to a private clinic for dialysis," Lauda's brother Florian confirmed. Lauda's business partner at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that he visited the great Austrian last week. "Niki has good weeks and also some setbacks," Wolff said. McLaren looks set to lose a major sponsor. The Brazilian state run oil company Petrobras signed a five-year, $200 million deal with the Woking based team last year. But a new Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, was sworn in this year, and he has announced that the McLaren-Petrobras collaboration will end. "At the moment, by decision of my government, Petrobras seeks a way to terminate the contract," Bolsonaro said. Globo reports that a government envoy was at McLaren's UK headquarters last week to negotiate the termination. It is bad news all round for McLaren, with Fernando Alonso failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 over the weekend in the new McLaren entry. McLaren boss Zak Brown said: "Our contract with Fernando goes beyond the Indianapolis 500." Brown said he is confident the famous F1 team will eventually return to the top step of the podium. "As a team we are doing much better than before. I think we will win again in a window of two to ten years," he said. But at approaching the age of 38, Alonso is unlikely to be at the wheel for that. Sky Italia quoted an unnamed insider who said the Spaniard wanted to switch to a faster team rather than quit F1 at the end of last year. "He offered himself for free," the insider is quoted as saying. Two F1 experts are worried the sport is about to mess up the big opportunity of the new Concorde Agreement for 2021. Officials have spoken about grand plans including new rules, better governance and income distribution, lower costs and more exciting cars. But Auto Motor und Sport claims that although a delay until October was on the cards, the teams have rejected that and the new rules must now be set by the end of June. "On the engine side, we will keep regulations that are similar to now," Renault team president Jerome Stoll told Ouest France newspaper. "But that's the only thing we know at the moment." That is because Liberty Media and the FIA have tried a conciliatory approach, attempting to reach consensus among ten teams with highly competitive interests. "There are ten teams and ten opinions. Everyone thinks only of themselves," an unnamed team boss said. Gunther Steiner, the team boss at Haas, worries that the situation means the 2021 rules will end up being a "compromise" to keep the existing teams happy. "It will end up with a compromise. The system we have today has evolved over decades and it won't go back to zero in a single day," he predicted. Martin Brundle, a former driver and long time British commentator, says he is "disappointed" in both Liberty and the FIA. "The 2021 regulations were a fabulous opportunity for radical change for the better. But based on everything I heard in Barcelona, it's not going to happen," he is quoted by Speed Week. The "leaky pipeline report" is the shorter and more casual name of a recent study of educational attainment in North Carolina. (The report's formal title is "North Carolinas Leaky Educational Pipeline & Pathways to 60% Postsecondary Attainment. Yeah, I'll stick with the short title, thanks.) The 86-page report includes plenty of charts, graphs, words and numbers to explain why the state's education pipeline is so leaky. I won't attempt to summarize it the reasons are many and varied so I'd encourage you to check it out yourself. But here's a fascinating follow-up blog post from the Carolina Population Center at UNC-Chapel Hill (one of the two organizations behind the leaky pipeline report) that gives a quick snapshot of where the holes have sprung open. If you start with 100 children who started at a North Carolina public high school in 2014, according to the center's projections: 86 will graduate within four years. After painful losses, the state has finally gotten an economic win. "A world-class company has taken notice of the way we do things. This company could have gone anywhere in the world, but they chose North Carolina," said Machelle Sanders, North Carolina's Secretary of Commerce. Henry County Sheriff Lane Perrys plan to announce that he would seek a fourth term as the sheriff of Henry County was constructed carefully, communicated purposefully and included public employees, public facilities and even law enforcement agents perhaps on the clock in surrounding jurisdictions. Perry in early April directed his captain to stage a press conference and to keep the subject of that briefing unstated to ensure it would attract cameras, microphones and notepads. He also invited his fellow public officials to stand behind him in their uniforms in a show of solidarity. Emails from Perrys office concerning the press conference, obtained under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act by the Martinsville Bulletin, suggest that Perry planned to use county facilities and personnel to establish his campaign announcement and to hide from area media the reason for the press conference so that it would be covered more widely. "The media will try to start picking to find out," Perry wrote in one email to his captain. "If they know, they start weighing out which story they're working on." Perry's actions, experts say, perhaps violated state or federal laws, including the Hatch Act, which places restrictions on election campaigns, including those at the state level. The plan unfolds A timeline of emails about Sheriff Lane Perry's press conference An edited transcript of the email exchanges. Spelling and grammar are preserved as written. All of this spins from the tactics described in the emails that Perry and his staff employed leading up to April 9, when he announced not a major development in protecting the public but the recitation of his resume. On March 26, Sheriff Perry sent an email with the subject campaign announcement to Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith, Martinsville Sheriff Steve Draper, Danville Sheriff Mike Mondul, Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor, Martinsville Police Chief Eddie Cassady, Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton, Patrick Henry Community College Police Chief Gary Dove and Danville Police Chief Scott C. Booth. It said, in part: At the last Academy meeting, I said I would soon be making an announcement of running for re-election again. I am flexible on this, but was wondering about April 8th or 9th, which is a Monday and Tuesday, Maybe around 2 pm or possibly 3 pm. If needed, I can do Friday, April 5th. If anyone wishes to participate it will be greatly appreciated!! If youre unable to, I understand. Thank you!! A series of email exchanges followed about the date and time of the event, and at 10:11 a.m. March 28, Perry sent an email saying, If I read the emails correctly, it looks like Tuesday, April 9th at 3 pm works for everyone the best. Is this good with everyone? THANK YLL VERY MUCH FOR THIS!!! On Monday, April 8, at 10:04 p.m., Sheriff Perry sent an email to Capt. Wayne Davis, who handles public information for his office, saying: I forgot to ask you this evening if you would put out a Media release for a press conference tomorrow afternoon [April 9] at 3. Can you do that at your convenience in the morning. Thank you. At 7:10 a.m., on April 9, Davis sent an email to Perry saying, I have a Crimestoppers meeting at 0830. Ill head straight to the office after that and get it sent. Anything in particular that you want to say in it? At 8:44 a.m. Perry responded to Davis, saying, I cant think of anything other than just announcing we will be holding a press conference. The media will try to start picking to find out. If they know, they start weighing out which story theyre working on. Thank you. Capt. Davis emailed an announcement at 10:33 a.m. to representatives of news media saying: Sheriff Lane Perry will be conducting a press conference today, April 9th at 3:00 p.m. This will be held at the Henry County Sheriffs Office, 3250 Kings Mountain Rd., Martinsville, VA. All media outlets are invited and encouraged to attend. We look forward to your attendance. Questions about the topic Immediately media outlets, expecting this might be a significant news story, started to question Davis and Perry about what the agenda might be. At 10:34 a.m. Tosha Brown, News First at 10 producer at WFXR-WWCW in Roanoke, sent Davis an email asking, Are you able to give any insight as to what this conference is in reference to? At 10:38 a.m. Lesa Layno, assignment editor/special projects at WGHP-Ch. 8 in High Point, N.C., wrote to ask Davis if the press conference would have anything to do with the Short Family [homicide] case? At 10:47 a.m. a Bulletin reporter sent an email asking, Whats this about? At 11:06 a.m., Anstaett Colter of WSLS-TV: Do you know what this afternoons news conference is going to be about? I have some stories that I will have to rearrange in order to be there, So I want to make sure this news conference is going to be worthwhile. At 11:07 a.m., a Bulletin reporter sent an email to Perry asking, Whats this about? At 11:07 a.m., Brian Neal, assistant news director at WXII-Ch. 12 in Winston-Salem, N.C., asked Davis, Off the record, would you be able to tell us whether this is related to the Jennifer Short case? At 11:27 a.m., a Bulletin reporter sent an email to Henry County Commonwealths Attorney Andrew Nester asking if he knew what the purpose of the sheriffs office press conference was. Nester responded at 11:31 a.m.: I don't. All of us attorneys are out of town. The HCSO has not let me know anything about this press conference. Nester sent an email to Davis one minute later saying, I already told Paul [Bulletin reporter Paul Collins] I dont know anything about this. What say You? Davis to Nester two minutes later: Its the Sheriffs reelection announcement, we didnt tell the media what it was in relation to so just ignore Paul. If he wants to know what its about he can stop by. Nester sent an email to Davis at 11:37 a.m. saying, 10-4. I figured it was along those lines. Paul [Collins] wont hear it from me. About a half-dozen news media representatives went to the sheriffs office. A little after 3 p.m., Sheriff Perry stepped to a lectern erected outside the front door of the sheriffs office, against a backdrop of various flags. Draper, Mondul, Taylor, Overton and Dove stood shoulder to shoulder behind him. Perry proceeded to announce his candidacy for re-election and gave a speech about why he is running and what his department has accomplished. The other sheriffs and police chief made remarks endorsing him. Responding this week to a question about his approach, Perry wrote in an email that our office has always had a good working relationship with the media and have always been as accommodating to the media as possible. Once again, as stated before, a press conference was announced and if anyone wanted to attend that was fine and if they didnt attend, we gladly provided information as requested afterward. At no time was any indication or insinuation made toward the Short case. Is this legal, ethical? But this isnt a question about whether Perry used his office and public employees, money and facilities to manipulate the media into covering his political announcement a practice media treat with strict rules about fairness for all candidates but rather whether he broke laws or rules or simply ethical boundaries in the process. A Bulletin reporter sent an email to Nester about two hours after the sheriffs press conference asking if Nester thought there were any potential violations of campaign or election laws or regulations. Nester responded about four hours later in an email: "I am not lawfully permitted to give 'advisory opinions' on hypotheticals or other such general inquiries into specific facts as they relate to the law and, thereby, give what is tantamount to private legal advice. . Thus, unless a formal complaint is being lodged against the sheriff, I cannot begin to research if any campaign laws have or have not been violated. "Since the sheriff is an elected official, by law, I am not permitted to engage into any investigation of him or his activities unless the Attorney General of Virginia gives consent to move forward. This typically involves a formal complaint being made to a law enforcement agency (typically the Virginia State Police) of competent jurisdiction and then a request is sought from the Attorney General as to whether or not the case can move forward from there." Two minutes later, at 9:30 p.m., Nester sent an email to Perry and Davis to explain his communications with the Bulletin: Below is an email I read about 8:30 this evening. I wanted to make you aware of the email as well as my response. All other media outlets contacted for this article declined to say for the record how they reacted to the handling of this matter. Federal law is the issue Questioning whether similar behavior from other sheriffs may have violated state law has not led to any clear-cut answers, said Rebecca Green, a law professor at the College of William and Mary. But the issue would make an excellent paper for a law student, she said because it is a difficult, little-explored area of the law. She gets questions about it every year. I have not found anything that is totally conclusive, she said. Maybe it is the case where it has never risen to a high level for anyone to do anything about. Numerous other law professors did not respond to emails, voice messages or calls requesting comment on the subject. But federal law is another story. The federal Hatch Act enacted in 1939 spells out electoral rules for federal employees: pertinently, they cannot use their positions to influence an election. Some elected positions, like members of Congress, are exempt from the act, but its reach goes beyond the federal government to cover select state employees as well. Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush and professor of law at the University of Minnesota, said that many sheriffs are covered by the federal act, which states, A State or local officer or employee must not use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office, according to the code. The press conference Perry held, Painter said, goes to the Hatch Acts core function: preventing elected officials from using their office to their advantage. Using a subordinate to send out notice of the conference and the offices clout to draw reporters to the campaign announcement, he said, goes beyond what is permitted under the act. Using the sheriffs office to throw a press conference people think it is official, he said. That is clearly the exact type of thing the Hatch Act is designed to prevent. Briefed on the events and told of the acts local applicability, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute Norman Ornstein agreed with Painters assessment [R]eading the text it would seem to apply, and his actions would be a clear violation, Ornstein wrote in an email. Its an abuse of power A man who has filed to run against Perry made it clear he thinks this was a clear abuse of power and a violation of federal law. When asked about Sheriff Perrys press conference and the events leading up to it, John Cassell, who also is running for sheriff, said, Hes abusing his power,. This is clear evidence of that. Its a violation of the Hatch Act, said John Cassell, a former deputy who lives in Ridgeway. Hes using his emails. Hes using trickery to hoax the media there. He is using deception to call all the media out from their busy day for his personal benefit. This right here is not being open with the public or with the media. It is using them for his own personal gain and benefit. He also questioned what he called the good old boy system of including other law enforcement officials. You look out for me this time, and I'll look out for you when you're running, Cassell said. These are all sheriffs except one police chief, and I don't even understand how that police chief, who is representing a state-funded college, can endorse an elected official. That's going to be an issue that's going to be looked into, I'm sure. What about the use of public resources for political purposes? All of them, I would say, drove state vehicles, using state gas. Three o'clock in the afternoon's going to be state time, Cassell said. Perry: This is getting twisted Asked if he thought the press conference was deceptive or if he lured media to attend with his position, Perry said that he has always dealt respectfully with the media. Media attendance at the conference was not compelled, he said, so the choice to come was on reporters. If we do something, if they show up, they show up; if they dont show up, they do not show up, Perry said. I cannot see where I have ever not dealt respectfully with media. Perry said he was at a funeral for a retired officers wife that day. He said he felt the press conference was getting blown out of proportion. Davis did not respond to questions about the press conference and email string preceding it. I personally believe this is just something that is getting, I will almost say, twisted, Perry said. My comments on this are through. He said he was not subject to the Hatch Act. When it is a non-partisan race, it does not come under the Hatch Act, he said. There is nothing that has been done that is wrong. But Painter said the type of election does not matter. It just says an election, he said. An election is an election is an election [the law] does not use the word partisan election [to apply in this case]. Said Cassell: [Perry is] worried about this [election], and he's trying to reach and use every political tactic that he can. This is a clear sign of desperation to me. A timeline of emails about Sheriff Lane Perry's press conference An edited transcript of the email exchanges. Spelling and grammar are preserved as written. Paul Collins is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin and can be reached at paul.collins@martinsvillebulletin.com. James Whitlow is a reporter for the Danville Register & Bee. He can be reached at jwhitlow@registerbee.com. Both newspapers are owned by BH Media. Silent about Sam Maybe the dog ate the UNC Board of Governors homework? A promised plan on how to resolve the Silent Sam issue at UNC-Chapel Hill, once and for all, has been postponed. Again. As Joe Killian of NC Policy reported last week, the board was scheduled this week to discuss a plan for what to do with the statue of the Confederate soldier, which was toppled last August by protesters. The monument, which was erected during the Jim Crow era in an area appropriately considered the campus front yard, was then removed to an undisclosed location. But Sam remains front and center in a debate over what to do with him next: Restore the statue to the same spot or move it elsewhere? But in a written statement, board Chairman Harry Smith said Sam wont be discussed this week: A small group of board members is prepared to review and discuss options at an appropriate time. However, our Board and universities have also been focused on a number of other issues, including the legislative session, and there is nothing to report at this time. RALEIGH A Reidsville woman has been charged with falsely reporting to her insurance company that her vehicle had been stolen, two weeks before it was repossessed. Saphonia Denise Sellars, 26, of 528 N. Scales St., was arrested by North Carolina Department of Insurance special agents and the Eden Police on May 8, according to a news release. Sellars was charged with felony insurance fraud and given a $1,000 secured bond. According to an arrest warrant, somewhere between Dec. 29, 2018 and Jan. 22, 2019, Sellars told Sentry Insurance Company that her 2008 Ford Explorer had been stolen. The report came about two weeks after the vehicle had been repossessed, according to Department of Insurance officials. No other information about the crime has been released. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey estimates that fraud costs state residents between 15 and 20 cents on every dollar paid on insurance premiums. He said that fraud is felt every time consumers pay their insurance premiums. Bailey further provided Bartlett with an old revolver with which Bartlett hid in the kitchen with, Hux said. Bartlett waited there on the day of the homicide until Pulliam arrived. Once Bailey brought Pulliam to the house, Bartlett cocked the pistols hammer and pointed it at Pulliam to scare him, Hux said. Bartlett told Hux that once he let go of the hammer, the gun went off, the defense attorney said. He dropped right on the spot, Hux said, describing Pulliam through Bartletts testimony. He just shot him about between the eyes. Bartlett, who believed early on in the case that the gun malfunctioned, stated in court that he didnt intentionally shoot Pulliam. He didnt deserve that, Bartlett said, when allowed to speak before the court and 10 of Pulliams family members and friends. Im sorry this all had to happen. The defense requested the revolver be examined by a firearms expert following Bartletts arrest in January 2017. The expert ruled the weapon did not malfunction and that it was more likely went off due to Bartletts misunderstanding of how to use it, Hux said. Its like deja vu all over again. Yogi Berras Yogi-ism came to mind as I prepared to write about Nathaniel Witherell, the town-owned Skilled Nursing and Short-term Rehabilitation Center that so many Greenwich residents cherish as a community treasure. Originally a municipal hospital for infectious diseases, Witherell has been part of the Greenwich landscape for more than a century. Its function, however, has varied over time, adapting to the health care environment and changing community needs. Wednesday afternoon, three Witherell representatives board chair Larry Simon, board member Dr. Nirmal Patel, and executive director Allen Brown appeared before a special committee of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) to review the recommendations in consultant reports prepared for the BET by Health Dimensions Group (HDG), a health care consulting and management firm, and the accounting firm of PKF OConnor Davies. This BET committee the Nathaniel Witherell Strategic Planning Committee chaired by Arthur Norton, is now in its second incarnation. Created in March 2016, and recreated in January 2018, it has been at work for more than three years. Simon, assisted by Brown, gave the committee detailed responses to each of the accounting, financial, and operations recommendations in the two reports. And Patel addressed the potential impact of the change in Medicares reimbursement system that is to take effect Oct. 1. This shift away from a therapy-based system to one based on medical diagnosis may actually present Witherell with exciting new revenue opportunities, she said. Not discussed Wednesday were the strategic options that HDG considered: continue as a town-owned facility and seek greater operational efficiencies; sale/lease to a 501 (c)3 not-for-profit corporation; sale/lease to a for-profit corporation. HDG recommended further examination of the not-for-profit option. But Simon was emphatic that Witherell is not considering any option other than being a town-owned facility that continues to seek operational efficiencies. The BET special committee will take up those strategic options at its next meeting May 19, when members will discuss what the committee hopes to ultimately accomplish. They should give serious consideration to opting for Witherell to remain a town facility. In so doing they will reaffirm what the Greenwich community has already affirmed. In 2007, the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting (RTM), after extensive study and community discussion affirmed that Nathaniel Witherell should remain a town facility. This decision was reinforced in 2011 when the BET and RTM approved bonding for the $27 million renovation known as Project Renew. This town commitment to Witherell was further reinforced in 2012 with approval of an additional appropriation and bonding authorization of $2,426,000 for Project Renew. The Project Renew public hearings made clear that the Greenwich community wants Witherell to survive and thrive as a town-owned institution, with taxpayers making a considerable investment in Witherells future. So why are we experiencing this deja vu all over again? Theres concern that a changing market and reimbursement environment will adversely impact Witherells revenues and require increasing town subsidies. But these changes affect all nursing and rehabilitation facilities, regardless of ownership structure. Witherell, as a municipal facility with a town subsidy, may be in a stronger position to compete in this environment than its for-profit competitors. All nursing facilities in our market area, with the exception of Witherell, are for-profits. Most have lower occupancy rates than Witherell. Witherell, a known brand in this market area, has a very high occupancy rate, provides an excellent quality of care, and is Greenwich Hospitals nursing home and rehabilitation facility of choice. Witherell is well positioned to build upon its fine reputation. We will become, we hope, everybodys favorite nursing home, Patel said during the presentation. But why is the town in this business, some ask? Its part of what makes Witherell special. We can all feel at home there. Witherell belongs to all of us, touching countless Greenwich lives over the years. When BET committee members discuss strategic options this week, they should consider the costs to the community of removing Witherell from town hands, and the huge risks involved. They should ask what its worth to Greenwich taxpayers to safeguard this valuable town asset thats served the community so well for more than a hundred years. Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is atblog.ctnews.com/rutgers GREENWICH Police confiscated a cache of LSD and Molly, a mind-altering drug, after a traffic stop on Ritch Avenue in Byram on Saturday evening, according to an arrest report. A vehicle driven by Scott Kaiser, 48, of Wilcox Ave., Meriden, was stopped because it was missing a front license plate, police said. Officers discovered that Kaiser was wanted in Colorado on a criminal matter, and brought in a canine unit, police said. The dog indicated the presence of drugs, according to the arrest report. Key US companies have stopped trading with Huawei in a move that can change the entire mobile landscape. The issue may start with Huawei, but it will ripple out to consumers, components suppliers and other smartphone makers. Its hard to predict what will happen going forward, but its clear that some have much to lose while others have something to gain. Heres a quick rundown. Losers The list starts with Huawei and sub-brand Honor, of course. Current phones as well as some upcoming models will continue working and getting security updates and access to the Google Play store, Google said as much. So, the Honor 20 (which will be unveiled tomorrow) should be able to launch and not face issues immediately. But current models may be stuck on whatever Android version they are running today. Its not clear if they will be able to upgrade to Android 10 Q, the one after that is certainly a no-go. No new Huawei or Honor models will be able to launch with Google services. The one that stings the most is no app store. Huawei cant even turn to Amazon or Epic to use their app stores, those two are bound by the same rules as Google. Who will buy a phone that cant install most apps and games? Who will buy a phone that may never get a major upgrade? Sure, Huawei and Honor phones have been doing fine without Google in China, but thats a closed off market with its own content apps, games, social network and utilities (e.g. maps). Users also lose from this development. Huawei was at the forefront of mobile cameras and was breaking up the Apple/Samsung duopoly in the premium market. Honor phones offered an alternative to Samsung, Xiaomi and others in the mid-range segment. Google lost from this exchange too as Android was its way to funnel users to its services. Huawei and Honor made up a significant chunk of those users, but going forward the market will contract (at least temporarily). Androids brand was tarnished too. How many makers have started wondering if they are next and if they should have a Plan B? Huawei does have a Plan B, an in-house OS called Hongmeng. Whether or not its ready for prime time is another question. Samsung similarly hedged its bets with Tizen, but ultimately decided that Android phones are more desirable. All of this will wreak havoc with component suppliers too. While Huawei has its own chipsets and modems to lean on, it doesnt have everything. For example, the P30 Pro uses Micron memory, but Micron joined the ranks of companies that no longer sell to Huawei. Micron storage chip on the Huawei P30 Pro motherboard (image by iFixit) Now those component suppliers will have to find new buyers for their products. And Huawei will have to find new suppliers. It certainly wont stop making phones, even if its just for China. But new contracts will have to be signed, which will take time, and Huawei isnt in a strong position to negotiate a good price. Winners Other smartphone makers have less competition. Xiaomi and BKK's Oppo and Realme are busy expanding in Europe and Southeast Asia and will be happy to gobble up the gap in the market left by Huawei and Honor. This could push Huawei to focus more on the home market, which means a better deal for Chinese consumers. In the short term, they will get better deals. In the long term, a weak Huawei will reduce the competition in the Chinese market and thats usually bad for buyers. Its not all bad, all users globally may gain something from this. The smartphone OS field shrunk to just Android (Apple lives in a world of its own), but going forward, we may see companies put more effort into second OS phones. Neither Symbian (owned by Finlands Nokia) nor webOS (owned by Koreas LG) could have been used as leverage in the US/China trade war. All of this could blow over quickly. If the US reverses its decision, things will proceed as normal (well, except Huaweis work on an in-house OS getting more funding). If this lasts a few months or longer, smartphone makers and buyers alike will have to adjust to a new reality. Haiti - Politic : The Senate Majority Group, rejects the demands of the 4 senators of the opposition Friday, in response to the preconditions required by 4 senators of the minority opposition for the resumption of the ratification session of the Prime Minister named Jean Michel Lapin https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27747-haiti-flash-the-4-senators-of-the-opposition-pose-their-conditions.html the Majority Group of the Senators for the Political Balance (GSEP), reacted Friday in a correspondence signed by 12 senators, addressed to the President of the House Senator Carl Murat Cantave, whose copy was sent to President Jovenel Moise and the appointed Prime Minister. Recall that four senators of the opposition (Evaliere Beauplan (PONT), Antonio Cheramy (VERITE), Ricard Pierre (Piti Dessalin) and Nenel Cassy (Famni Lavalas) who have defeated by two times the presentation session of the General Policy of the Prime Minister on Sunday 12 May https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27715-haiti-politic-the-opposition-minority-forces-the-senate-to-postpone-the-ratification-meeting-of-the-pm.html and Tuesday, May 14 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27730-haiti-flash-violence-in-the-senate-the-opposition-wins-a-2nd-victory-the-pm-ratification-postponed.html required as a prerequisite for the resumption in the calm of the session: 1) Presentation in the Senate of a full ministerial cabinet and without multiple positions as required by the law of November 8, 2006 repealing the 2005 decree. This law, which is an application of article 167 of the Constitution, condemns with the article 221 of this last the accumulated postition https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27738-haiti-flash-president-cantave-apologizes-for-the-hideous-spectacle-in-the-senate.html ; 2) Withdrawal from the ministerial cabinet of the Ministers who have been part of the Government of Jean Henry Ceant because according to the principle of the government solidarity prescribed by the Constitution, all the ministers of Ceant were struck by the motion of censure voted by an overwhelming majority at the House of Representatives; 3) Making available to the 4-member group of all ministers' files for a thorough examination; 4) The urgent convening of a Conference of Extraordinary Presidents to rule on the bellicose behavior of Senator Joseph Lambert against our colleague Ricard Pierre at the meeting of May 14, 2019 while he was protesting the violation of the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. [...]" The Senators recall in the preamble that there is no political bloc in the Senate called "Group of 4", stressing that the arguments used by the opposition senators are wrong. Regarding point 1, the GSEP recalls once again that the "law of 8 November does not repeal the 2005 decree. Its final provisions only specifically repeal the texts that are contrary to it". With regard to point 3, GSEP Senators recall that nowhere a bloc is allowed to exercise such a right, let alone individual senators, stressing that "This request constitutes a flagrant distortion of the Regulation [...]" Furthermore, in response to point 4, the GSEP requests the Conference of Presidents to apply disciplinary sanctions against their colleagues as required by the Senate's rules of procedure, which they accuse of intentionally delaying the installation of the new Government, preventing the session from being held by inappropriate acts and behavior. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27747-haiti-flash-the-4-senators-of-the-opposition-pose-their-conditions.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27738-haiti-flash-president-cantave-apologizes-for-the-hideous-spectacle-in-the-senate.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27730-haiti-flash-violence-in-the-senate-the-opposition-wins-a-2nd-victory-the-pm-ratification-postponed.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27715-haiti-politic-the-opposition-minority-forces-the-senate-to-postpone-the-ratification-meeting-of-the-pm.html TB/ HaitiLibre iciHaiti - Politic : First National Plan to respond to exceptional health situations Dr. Marie Greta Roy Clement, the Minister of Public Health in the presence of First Lady Martine Moise, Ministers Jouthe Joseph (Environment), Mrs. Mamatha Irene Ternier (Diaspora), Elise Gelin (Social Affairs), of the Director General of the Ministry, the Director of Civil Protection and the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System via his National Unit for the Management of Sanitary Emergencies has recently made the official presentation of the first National Plan of Response to Exceptional Health Situations. This pragmatic plan, which is operational and adaptable to the various scenarios, will ensure the establishment of a coherent organization of the health system that will allow the formulation of progressive responses, adapted to the needs of the population and the scale of the event, associating all sectors involved in the provision of care. IH/ iciHaiti Haiti - FLASH : Imports of petroleum products new endangered in the country 6 oil companies (Kimazou, Bandari Haiti SA, CapInvest, Dinasa, Sol Haiti and DNC) warn in a correspondence, the Minister of Economy and Finance that due to "[...] amounts recently owed by the customs administration to our companies [reimbursement of taxes owed by the State] are of a magnitude [...] such that today, our industry predicts that it will no longer have the financial resources to supply the local market in the weeks to come. It is therefore our duty to inform you of the urgency of this alarming situation." The 6 companies, while respecting the decision of the government to subsidize the fuels, underline "[...] this subventionwill not be able any more to be financed by our industry" explaining that "the deficits of the oil companies, generated by the taxes to be refunded of the structure do not allow us to negotiate financing with banks that find an insolvency out of our control "and request an emergency meeting with the Minister of the Economy Ronald Decembre "so that corrective measures are taken as soon as possible." Note that for the month of April, the State should owe more than 20 million dollars that have not been paid to companies, because of the difficult situation in which is the Treasury... TB/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... The TPI registry of Port-au-Prince burgled Saturday evening, the registry of the Court of First Instance (TPI) of Port-au-Prince was robbed by unidentified individuals, according to a source close to the prosecutor. "The speech of Moise a tissue of lies" dixit Andre Michel For Me Andre Michel, Andre Michel, Advocate, spokesman for the radical opposition called "Democratic and Popular Sector" "The speech of Jovenel Moise in Arcahaie was a tissue of lies [...] This speech does not fit with his power management. Jovenel Moise denounces the oligarchy and the monopoly while he reinforced the privileges of the richest to the detriment of the people during the 27 months he came to power [...]" Speech of the Head of State: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27764-haiti-216th-of-the-flag-me-your-servant-i-am-an-accident-of-this-system-dixit-jovenel-moise.html The mayor of Arcahaie without wood tongue On Saturday, the mayor of Arcahaie Rosemila Petit-Frere in her speech spoke without wood tongue while emphasizing that "The flag is in danger when the Nation goes wrong. The people can not celebrate when the flag is trampled and soiled by corruption," she recalled that the President "Jovenel Moise has an obligation of change and not promise. It has an obligation of result and not of means" without sparing the Parliamentarians who do nothing to improve the lot of the population but who organizes sessions only to try to bring down governments. 216th : Presidential Floral Offering On Saturday, as part of the 216th anniversary of the national bi-color, President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by the First Lady, Martine Moise and Prime Minister Jean Michel Lapin, laid a wreath at the foot of the Arcahaie statue dedicated to Catherine Flon See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-5706-haiti-diaspora-atlanta-the-needle-of-catherine-flon.html The Estates General Commission has submitted its report One year after its official launch, the Commission in charge of steering of the Sectoral General Estates of the Nation, submitted its detailed report to the National Palace. Download the full report (French PDF) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/EGSN-RAPPORT-15-Avril-19-Gouvernance-politique-economique-socioculturelle.pdf See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27736-haiti-politic-the-sectoral-general-estates-of-the-nation-recommends-the-suppression-of-the-senate.html Football in French Guiana, victory for Haiti The Consulate of Haiti in French Guiana, which commemorated this Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the City Hall of Saint Laurent du Maroni, the 216th anniversary of the creation of the Haitian bi-color in the presence and with the collaboration of Mayor Sophie Charles and the association Ouest-Union, congratulated the two football teams, especially the Haitian selection of French Guiana who won Saturday, May 18 [2-0] the football match against the Amerindian selection as part of the commemoration of our two colors. HL/ HaitiLibre A jewel of the Westhampton community, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center opened its doors on July 4, 1998. Created from a shuttered movie theater, the Performing Arts Center has become a beloved community resource and a regional performing arts center. Hamptons.com recently spoke with Executive Director Julienne Penza-Boone about the center's programs and performances. Ms. Penza-Boone has been with the PAC for 13 years, building the after-school programs and becoming interim Executive Director in 2019; the position was made permanent in 2020. The Center has come a long way since its early days, with a... Dear Eurosceptic, Lets talk about Europe. Youd rather not? Youre not against Europe, just tired of it? That doesnt surprise me. Youve developed an acute allergy to political sermons and calls to rally around the European flag? Me too. You dont want to hear anything more about quotas, product bans, and emission thresholds? I can readily understand. Youve stopped following every minor skirmish in the War of the Roses between the EU and the UK? Who hasnt. And yet: we have to talk about Europe. Because, whether we like it or not, Europe remains our only opportunity to hold our own in the complex and challenging world of the twenty-first century. The desire for a small, manageable, and secure homeland is understandable. Jetzt die besten Jobs finden und per E-Mail benachrichtigt werden. But the truth is: that alone wont ensure us a good future. We have to talk about Europe because Europes future is more uncertain than many think. In losing the UK, Europe is losing on its strongest pillars. In economic terms, its as if the EUs 19 smallest economies left at once. A deep and painful loss. But Eurosceptics are gaining ground not just in the UK but in other member states as well. Nevertheless, Europes biggest problem isnt that it has so many opponents. Rather, its biggest problem is that so few of its supporters are willing to state their allegiance openly and to act accordingly. Even though they know how much we need the EU today and how much more well need it in the future in order to live the way we Europeans take for granted: in peace and prosperity. For once lets not look west across the Channel but east, across the former boundary between the twentieth centurys two competing systems, to Eastern Europe. Because there well see what great things we in Europe are still capable of. The EUs two waves of eastern expansion in 2004 and 2007 put the countries of Central and Eastern Europe where theyd always been and where they belong: in the heart of Europe. The liberation from dictatorship and dependence on a foreign superpower began a success story that has improved the lives of the people who live there and has also enriched all of Europe. Economic growth in Eastern Europe is consistently stronger than in the West and, increasingly, is benefiting ordinary citizens. Although wages are lower than in the West, theyre rising swiftly across the region. At the same time, unemployment is significantly lower. The unemployment rates in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary are now among Europes lowest. A shortage of skilled labor is emerging in some job categories, just like in the West. These countries have achieved so much, right in the heart of Europe. At E.ON, were proud to be part of this success story. The roots of our operations in Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary extend far into the last century. We supply energy to 7.8 million customers in these countries. Our planned takeover of innogy will significantly enhance our operations in Eastern Europe and extend them to other countries in the region. This article is an extract from the book: Sven Afhuppe, Thomas Sigmund (Hg.): Europa kann es besser Wie unser Kontinent zu neuer Starke findet. Ein Weckruf der Wirtschaft Herder publishing house 2019, 240 pages, 20 euros ISBN 978-3-451-39360-0 Published on 15. April 2019 Order the book on amazon. All of this will benefit our customers there. Weve witnessed these countries impressive progress, economic upswing, and renascent European identity from up close and done our best to support these welcome trends. From our own experience, were just as familiar with the successes this has brought as with the almost unavoidable social tension. My many visits to Eastern Europe have given me a lot of sympathy for this region and its warm-hearted, pragmatic people who are justly proud of their achievements. They provide strong evidence that the European idea is alive and deserves the support of Europeans everywhere. Western Europe perceives some of the EUs Eastern European members as irritating, or, to put it less diplomatically, obdurate. The debate about issues like migration, the rule of law, and relations with Russia is frequently divided along east-west lines. As a result, some people have an image of Eastern Europe characterized by narrow-mindedness, nationalism, and intolerance. This viewpoint ignores not only the considerable differences between the countries of the region but also the enormous achievements of its peoples. They have every reason to be proud of the democratic institutions theyve established after decades of repression. And every right, within the bounds of shared European values, to chart their own course. In view of their historical experience, who can seriously wonder that people in Eastern Europe are hypersensitive to patronization from the West. One doesnt have to defend every political development in Eastern Europe to expect this core region of Europe to be treated respectfully. Western Europe would do well to expend more effort to learn to understand and to respect the specific, historically determined situation of its Eastern neighbors. Finally, the concerns of Eastern Europeans are shared by many in Western Europe. They too wonder how to belong to an open and tolerant Europe but still retain our countries many particularities. The descent of this into chauvinism or narrow-minded nationalism isnt just a peculiarity of a few Eastern European countries. Bulgarian political scientist Ivan Krastev writes that the divergence between Western and Eastern Europes attitudes toward diversity and migration is very similar to the divergence between urban and rural attitudes in the West (After Europe, 2017). In short, Western Europe has no grounds for self-righteousness. The gilets jaunes arent marching in Prague or Bucharest. Brexit isnt taking place in Poland or Hungary. The sense of alienation and uncertainty extending across Europe is dividing threatens to sunder the European community. A Europe of elites wont work. My interactions in Eastern European countries have shown me again and again that their peoples have retained a strong sense of the plurality of cultural traditions. Of the role plurality plays and the opportunities it creates. That some things should be standardized but not everything. Thats a fundamentally European notion. Plurality is Europes strength, particularly today. Because the world has reentered a phase in which technology will play a decisive role in determining the future global distribution of prosperity and the relative competitiveness of the various regions of the world. In this it resembles the race to industrialization of the nineteenth century. But this time Europe is lagging behind. We need to catch up. It would be naive to think we can simply copy Silicon Valley, which emerged at a certain time under very specific circumstances that cant be replicated. But the preconditions for dynamic innovation arent restricted to Silicon Valley: innovations happen where people with a wide variety of personal, cultural, and professional backgrounds can share ideas freely and openly. We can do that in Europe and perhaps even better than in some other places around the world. A productive plurality is traditionally a European strength that, however, has somewhat fallen from view. Yet as early as 1997 Ernst-Wolfgang Bockenforde, a former judge on Germanys Federal Constitutional Court, said that Europe is in the process of allowing economic forces to homogenize the peculiarities of its peoples. Of course, there are areas in Europe where we need a uniform regulatory environment. Energy, climate protection, and telecommunications, to name just three. Of course, the single European market and a common currency provide big advantages for citizens and companies alike. But those alone cant provide Europe with a good future. Large segments of the population wouldnt accept the unification of Europe for economic reasons alone or out of cold pragmatism. Europe therefore needs to rediscover its plurality. If we cant become like the United States and certainly not like China and dont even want to, then we should become more European again. And that means embracing plurality and utilizing its productivity. In line with its shared values, Europe needs more subsidiarity in decision-making processes, more room for the plurality of regional and cultural identities, more different and attractive ways of living, particularly in rural areas. Europe must once again be a sanctuary for not a threat to the right of its citizens to live as they wish. So lets talk about Europe. About the Europe that needs you and the other skeptics: your constructive criticism, your commitment, and your vote in the European elections. Particularly at a time when, to use Bertrand Russells words, fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. Best wishes, Johannes Teyssen The European millennium is a hundred years in the past and it seems the American millennium that succeeded it is history, too. China has been preparing to supersede the United States for a long time now, and Europe is on a long braking path to permanent standstill. Hegelian dreams of a World Spirit settled at long last if not in Germany, then at least in Europe , have faded, and the end of the Arabellion probably showed even the most persistent optimists a far different reality: Western democracy is anything but a natural phenomenon spreading effortlessly across the globe. She was once the beautiful sister of capitalism, successful not on account of her higher morals but by virtue of greater efficiency. Democracy is the market of political ideas, while the market is democratic competition among products and services. Once upon a time, the market outlived its usefulness as a customer seismograph once all the data had been gathered. Speaking at this years World Economic Forum 2019 in Davos, Catalan economist Xavier Sala i Martin said that democratic consensus-building is ultimately only an obstacle to implementing the product strategy that has already been acknowledged to be the right one. Top-Jobs des Tages Jetzt die besten Jobs finden und per E-Mail benachrichtigt werden. Standort erkennen China has shown us that you dont necessarily need civil liberties to thrive. State capitalism is building a magnetic levitation train line, while preliminary building enquiries have stalled in the country of its inventors. Autocratic Turkey is inaugurating Eurasias largest airport while diesel cars bullied off the market stand parked in the construction ruins of our failed Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport (BER). No wonder Europe is not only no longer sexy; it really is the Old World only the term hardly stokes the pride that it once did. So what remains of the European millennium? While trousers, jacket, shirt and (sometimes even) a tie have displaced local clothing almost everywhere in the world, parliamentarianism, separation of powers and freedom of the individual are no longer export hits. Everything we hold dear seems to have little appeal beyond European borders, and were already beginning to feel it. We are no longer the great model for other states and societies, and even we are starting to doubt ourselves. Brexit has taught us many things, not least the advantage of representative democracy over public referendum. But it has also demonstrated how easily a population would toss a united Europe in the bin for nebulous promises of a return to former glory. In a way, Brexit was perfectly timed to show us how thin this European plant-nourishing humus layer really is. Making Europe more effective involves countless tangible projects that should have been implemented long ago: from a common tax policy to a pan-European military strategy to an apparently hopeless shared migration policy. One could write volumes listing all the concrete steps that need to be taken to ensure that Europe remains a halfway serious global partner in the future, but and this is a very, very big BUT even if all these projects had worked out, it wouldnt have made a difference. This article is an extract from the book: Sven Afhuppe, Thomas Sigmund (Hg.): Europa kann es besser Wie unser Kontinent zu neuer Starke findet. Ein Weckruf der Wirtschaft Herder publishing house 2019, 240 pages, 20 euros ISBN 978-3-451-39360-0 Published on 15. April 2019 Order the book on amazon. After all, it is ultimately the people who live in this Europe of ours who decide what happens to us. And as absurd as it sounds, Brexit is not proof of Europes failure, but of its greatness. Where else would a government, against all reason and its own understanding, implement the will of the majority of the people simply because it is the will of the people? Just as human beings are the only animals that can end their own lives in a self-determined way, democracy is the only form of government that can run to misery on its own accord with its eyes wide open. The result is often regrettable, yet it is also one of the greatest achievements of human coexistence and ... our shared European heritage, of which we can be proud. Still, if Europeans cannot manage to rekindle its citizens enthusiasm for it, then even a merger of Siemens and Alstoms train divisions would not help. All will be in vain if voters in Poland which reaps the EUs economic benefits like hardly any other country in Eastern Europe put anti-European parties in power; the same can be said of Hungary, France, and even Germany, albeit not to the same extent. Every euro spent on saving Italys ailing public finances is money wasted if Italian voters put a bunch of lunatics in government. The old adage that people hate nothing as much as the hand that feeds them seems particularly apt in that regard. In a recent study on disenchantment with Europe, Andres Rodriguez-Pose of the London School of Economics drew a map of European discontent. What it shows is that this is not happening in the poorest corners of Europe, but in deindustrialised regions whose inhabitants mourn their past stature and importance. The feeling is not alleviated by social boons, either: Those left behind by the global shift in production are taking revenge at the ballot box. Anyone who used to assemble Nokia mobile phones for a living now has to deliver Samsung smartphones as a courier driver and their psyches cant cope. If even entire regions are de-industrialised like southeastern Saxony, then all thats missing is unconditional basic income as the ultimate scrapping premium for civic participation. If we do not succeed in winning citizens votes there through economic revitalisation, then Macrons transfer union wont be of any use, either. Its the economy, stupid! Yes, but hardly anything is monocausal. Even awareness of living in a common Europe is declining. Europeans have become alienated from one other; they no longer meet. Gone are the days when German marksmens clubs still travelled to their French twin city, when pupils spent a year in another European country instead of hitchhiking through Australia. It is these apparent trivialities that show us that Europe no longer comes first. A video on YouTube shows 10,000 Japanese singing Beethovens Ode to Joy in German! (It may sound strange but that is also why the EU-Japan trade agreement, or EPA, was so easily brought into being.) Why is it impossible to even imagine 1000 Britons or 100 Greeks singing the European anthem in German or Germans singing in Romanian when the country holds the EU Presidency? There is a Europe Day on 9 May, but it is only a public holiday in Kosovo and, starting 2019, in Luxembourg as well. 2018 saw the Northern German states introduce Reformation Day as a public holiday, and the State of Berlin which clearly has nothing else to worry about brought back the old socialist Womens Day. Its national narrow-mindedness wherever you look. Weve been further along. The introduction of the single currency and the Schengen Agreement showed the eurozones 350 million inhabitants just how far weve come in the unification process. There has been no joint project since then to instil the European idea in citizens everyday lives. Instead the self-proclaimed model pupil Germany has been going it solo: phasing out nuclear energy, then coal, and soon the combustion engine as well with all the highhandedness of morally, ecologically superior authorities. Irrespective of whether these decisions were the right ones to make, they are wrong-to-short-sighted in two respects: They are wrong above all because none of the other partners were involved in these solitary decisions. Much of the European resentment that has arisen in Eastern and Southern Europe is basically resistance to German arrogance. The good news is that we can change this ourselves. Rather than import evil nuclear power from France when our wind turbines lull and disposing of sorted-out Euro-V diesel in Poland, a European vote on a common energy and climate policy would be prudent. The German solo efforts were and are short-sighted for the simple reason that major economic investments cannot be made as often as one likes. Better a hundred thousand working torches than ten state-sponsored lighthouses! The immense financial resources required for an energy turnaround, from grid expansion to storage, can no longer be spent elsewhere that much is certain. And this not-so-exotic elsewhere country is right on our doorstep: broken roads and bridges, dilapidated public buildings, collapsing railways, large-scale projects that take more than a lifetime to complete. And these are just the good old analogue tasks that are waiting to be tackled and paid for. What person is going to listen to a politician babbling about digitisation for the umpteenth time when he himself has to drive daily through a patchwork of signal dead spots and the loose ends of the fibre optic cables in front of his house have been sadly peering out of the holes in the ground for months. In other words: Germany has every reason to lower its sights and act smaller on the European stage. Instead of wallowing in complacency as the only advocate of the human West, one might ask how Estonia manages to supply its small population with fast Internet before Huawei shows the Germans how they do things in China. And here we come again to the beginning of our story: Europe, this vermiform appendix on the western edge of Asia, is a tremendously rich country in terms of culture, prosperity and shared history. The sad thing about wealth is that it is usually harder to secure it than to acquire. And that is precisely the position Europe is in today. The status quo of social, economic and above all democratic achievements is fragile. Post-war Europe is a wonder of world history for which we should be grateful, a truly awesome and humbling accomplishment! The best approach is to put our own freedoms on a healthy economic basis, otherwise they threaten to disappear along with it and we should do this before the 30 millionth pensioner closes his old computer with dead software for the very last time at age 63. German politicians can also do a lot to make this happen: Rep. Jacob Bachmeier D-Havre gives a personal anecdote while speaking before a crowd at the annual Rail Passengers Association Northwest Division meeting Saturday at the Elk's Lodge in Cut Bank. Montana lawmakers attended a Rail Passengers Association meeting, in person or with representatives or videos shown, and supported long-distance rail passenger service. "The railroad is truly one of the great equalizers and it must be protected and advocated for all and by all," state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, said. "If we want to continue to protect our passenger train services, we have to fight for it. We need more wealthy CEOs and politicians to ask the important questions like, 'What is on your heart?' And if they don't ask, we must communicate our values with them anyway." Sens. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, and Russ Tempel, R-Chester, also attended the NRPA Northwest Division annual meeting, although they did not speak. U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., was scheduled to speak but due to weather was unable to attend and a representative read a statement from him. Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Steve Daines, R-,Mont., prepared video presentations that were shown at the meeting in which they both spoke on the importance of the Empire Builder and passenger rail services for rural communities. Rail Passengers Association President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Mathews said that he was impressed the issue has been able to bridge the political gap between Republicans and Democrats, both sides advocating to passenger rail services. "I like to tell people that rail is not only bi-partisan, it's non-partisan," he said. Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate was faced with the choice to continue the Southwest Chief, he said. Ninety-five senators voted to keep the route. Mathews added that especially in the current political environment having so much support across the aisle was unusual, but very positive. He added that the members of Montana's congressional delegation have been great partners in protecting long distance services in the country and are good examples for the country to follow. "Really, the Montana delegation has, I would say, been punching above its weight when it comes to support for passenger rails," he said. Mathews said that passenger rail service connects the country together and helps grow communities. "It connects America, it unites America, it helps America grow and it helps towns like Cut Bank and Havre and Shelby continue to exist, continue to thrive and continue to have a place in the country," he said. In his video, Tester said that train travel is critically important to rural communities across the country. President Donald Trump's administration has made drastic cuts to Amtrak's budget, he said, and he will fight to make sure Amtrak receives the resources it needs and Montana deserves. He added that last year Havre and Shelby both lost their ticket agents because of budget cuts. Tester said that he worked with both parties to secure an additional $1.3 billion in national network grants to support Amtrak's long distance services. "But if we want train travel to thrive, we must also invest in our aging infrastructure, like bridges and tunnels and railways," Tester said. "We need train service in America to look more like it does in Europe, where trains are affordable, convenient, enjoyable and on-time. So instead of cutting budgets we should be beefing them up so folks in rural states like Montana can stay connected." He added that he will continue to fight until the Trump administration invests the attention and resources in rail travel so it can thrive. Daines said he will continue to fight to modernize policies, update existing railways and expand opportunities and access for Montana families. "The Empire Builder is a vital component of our states transportation system and promotes economic growth and connectivity in our rural Hi-Line community," he said. "... I will oppose any effort to cut or reduce the services." Gianforte said in his statement that the Empire Builder has a rich history and played a roll for him personally. In the 1980s, he said he took a train from Philadelphia, to West Glacier. It was while on the Empire Builder he first experienced Montana and decided to move to the state. For the last year, he has fought hard to secure ticket agents in the Havre and Shelby stations and to protect Amtrak's funding. "We must have reliable access to rail services," he said, "particularly in our rural areas because it keeps us connected." Gianforte added that another way to keep Montana connected is reliable cellular telephone coverage, which he is also working on securing for Montana in the U.S. Congress. Rail Passenger Association Vice President Art Poole said it is good to talk about the importance of ticket agents, but that is not all that they do, such as checking luggage or assisting an underage child without a guardian. "Our station people do a lot more than just sell tickets," he said. Bachmeier said that he was born and raised on the Hi-Line and understands the importance of rural transportation. When he first campaigned in 2016, he said that one question he asked everyone was, "What is on your heart?" For too long politicians failed to ask questions about the values of our constituents, listen and truly represent them," he said. "For me that question, 'What is on your heart?' broke through that anger and frustration of the world that politics has become." One thing that is constantly on the hearts of people on the Hi-Line is ensuring that the future of passenger trains remains a viable form of transportation, Bachmeier said. Passenger trains are facing a threat like never before from corporations that want to save money and focus only on the profit margin. Passenger trains help some of the most vulnerable constituents in the country and should be the top priority. In Havre, Amtrak is the most used form of public transportation and plays a big roll in the local economy, he said. The Hi-Line not only has an incredible history of railroad passengers, it has an incredible responsibility to provide quality transportation for its passengers, he added. He said that during the legislative session the Legislature passed House Joint Resolution 34, introduced by Reps. Andrea Olson, D-Missoula, and Mark Sweeney, D-Philipsburg, to study how to improve transportation services in Montana. The study is open to citizens of Montana who are encouraged to participate in process, voice concerns and provide feedback with how legislators can work to improve quality for transportation in Montana. The results of the study will be reported to the Legislature next session. The committee members which will be conducting the study is made up of four senators and four representatives - Sens. Carlie Boland, D-Great Falls, Diane Sands, D-Missoula, Gordon Vance, R-Belgrade, and Jeff Welborn, R-Dillion and Reps. Olson, Sweeney, Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, and Denley Loge, R- Saint Regis. The study will observe the benefits of passenger rail, air and bus services to local communities in Montana and how to better serve communities which have poor public transportation. The study will work to develop a plan to how to better serve communities and citizens who rely on public transportation and provide recommendations to the state legislative appropriations committee on a course of action for the future. The committee meetings are open to the public and will be concluded prior to Sept. 15, 2020. For more information on HJ 34 or to see when community meetings are scheduled for the study visit https://leg.mt.gov/committees/interim/2019tric/. People can visit National Rail Passengers Association Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/narprail/. RPA president Jim Mathews speaks with attendees during a break at the Rail Passengers Association Northwest Division meeting Saturday at the Elk's Lodge in Cut Bank. Rail passenger advocates Saturday in Cut Bank made arguments that the federal government should be increasing, not cutting back, its investment in Amtrak. Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews said during RPA's Northwest Division annual meeting that the time is good to push for money for Amtrak, but the association needs the help of the people who ride the train. "The reason any of this works is because the folks who live here, work here, raise their families here and vote here call, write, email and say, 'I live here, I work here, I raise my family here and I vote here and this is important to me," Mathews said. "That's what I'm armed with when I go visit these folks on the Hill, it's not me, it's not the staff, it's the fact that we have thousands of people who are willing to stand up and be counted." The meeting came in the wake of attempts to cut some of Amtrak's Southwest Chief service and cuts to ticket agents from stations, including in Havre and Shelby. President Donald Trump's proposed budget plans to give grants to states to use for long-distance rail service and to eventually phase out federal funding of long-distance trains. In the funding passed this year to keep the federal government operating, the full route of the Southwest Chief was continued and Amtrak was ordered to put customer service agents back in the stations where ticket agents were cut last year. Amtrak has said ticket agents will not go back to those stations, but customer service agents would be hired. At Saturday's meeting, representatives of the national congressional delegation, local legislators, community leaders and community members discussed rail passenger services, and the conference also celebrated the Empire Builder's 90th year of continued service. Rail Passenger Association Vice Chair Emeritus and master of ceremonies Art Poole of Oregon said that before Mathews became president of the Rail Passenger Association in 2014 he worked as the executive editor and chief editor for aviation and space technology magazines for 26 years. He also served as a firefighter and medic for 13 years. Poole added that Mathews is familiar with the transportation industry and his background in the aviation industry is helpful to the association. "You can't pull the wool over his eyes in those matters," Poole said. Mathews said that support of passenger rail services has grown on a federal level and the key to securing services in the future is for communities to support the service. He said that since be became involved with the association in 2014 the nature of the conversation with members of Congress has changed from people questioning the need of long-distance rail services to almost every member's office understanding the critical need for passenger rail services. "That's a dramatic change from where we were four years ago," he said. "The questions now are more along the lines of why can't Amtrak be better? Why can't this be changed?" He added that the association has visited more than 300 offices of members of Congress in the past year and in practically every office people are interested and passionate about supporting passenger rail services. Mathews said that many of the offices has requested more information from the association or assistance of drafting language, data and input. The change was because of people who voiced their concerns, he said. "It takes a long time," he said. "... But keep with it, because it is working." How Amtrak makes money for the community Arguments against passenger rail services about profitability are surfacing again, he said, such as the opinion editorial piece published May 3 by The Washington Post's editorial board titled "Amtrak has reached a crossroads. Congress can help." The editorial board argues that the federal government should not invest money in Amtrak if it is not making any profit, he said. He added that the concern has become a repetitive theme and is not a new argument against passenger rail services. The concern that Amtrak is not cost-effective is not accurate, he said. RPA has been working with University of Southern Mississippi's Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation Research Professor Yuanyuan Zhang to show the direct and indirect benefits of passenger rail services. Trains like the Empire Builder make money, Mathews said, but not for Amtrak. He said passenger rail services has great value to families, reservations, businesses and local governments by providing clean, safe public transportation, and brings money to communities where the trains stop. "Passenger trains make money, but not for the railroads that operate them," he said. Using Cut Bank as an example, he said, the station saw about 2,400 passengers last year. The passengers created more than $378,725 for the community. He added that the $378,725 came to the community through spending from people who would have not traveled to Cut Bank without the rail service and an increase in property value, reduced traffic crashes, and reduced maintenance on roads and highways . The Rail Passenger Association has been able to collect similar data from other counties on the Hi-Line using the University of Montana's tourism and recreation research data which found Amtrak brings $3.4 million in spending to the state of Montana. "That's what the Empire Builder does for the state of Montana, just in that category alone, induced visitor spending," Mathews said. The state also saves money on highway maintenance, he said. The money isn't additional income but by reducing the need for road maintenance the funds are able to be used elsewhere. The avoided automotive vehicle miles traveled saves the state a total of $1.4 million in accident spending and $26 million in maintenance. He added that the numbers are also a conservative estimate due to a number of factors playing a roll. Mathews said that $57.6 million is appropriated for passenger rail service on the Empire Builder route through seven states, and in all states, including Montana, communities get a high return. "That's a pretty good return on investment," he said. "These communities make money and thrive because we have an Empire Builder." Long distance ridership He added that another argument against passenger rail services is low ridership in rural areas. If the ridership at each station is looked at, he said it does show low ridership, but what people should be looking at is riders for the whole line, which is significantly higher. Mathews said that the Rail Passengers Association needs updated testimonials from riders. The testimonials that association has are getting out of date. He added that what they want in the testimonials is how passenger rail services impact people's lives. Indian reservations, mayors, local businesses, chambers of commerce and community members are all able to send their testimonials. He added that photographs are also welcome. "We can give you the tools and we can advocate in D.C., but this doesn't work without you guys doing the work that you do, talking to your local folks, because that is where this actually works," he said. In the past, many politicians in Washington, D.C., have not been supportive of long distance rail systems, he said, even encouraging people to move to more populated areas where sufficient transportation is available. "Small communities have a right to exist," Mathews said. "... This is, I think, a really exciting time to be in rail advocacy. We have a congress that is largely unified in its desire to maintain and grow rail service." The White House proclamation said the president agreed with a Department of Commerce finding "that automobiles and certain automobile parts are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States." The department report was turned over to the White House in February but never released. Bear Paw Battlefield holds summer speaker event From U.S. National Park Service CHINOOK Bear Paw Battlefield will host Silas Whitman, a Nez Perce elder, at Blaine County Museum the weekend of June 8 and 9. Whitman has decades of traditional Nez Perce knowledge of medicines, foods, and everyday survival. Also as a descendant of those who fought at Bear Paw, he has stories and perspectives passed down through his family not found in any book. People who would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity can come to the Blaine County Museum at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, June 8, or Sunday, June 9, at 1 p.m. There is no cost to visit the museum or attend the event. The Blaine County Museum is located at 501 Indiana Street Chinook, MT 406-357-2590, or visit http://www.blainecountymuseum.com/. For more information, people can contact Bear Paw Battlefield at 406-357-3130, or visit http://www.nps.gov/bepa/. MORE than 140 Henley summer hanging baskets have now been sold, writes Axel Fithen. Businesses and residents have bought almost 50 in the past week following an appeal by Henley in Bloom chairman David Eggleton. Only 95 baskets had been sold compared with 156 at the same time last year and Councillor Eggleton challenged the town to reach 150 in a week. He said: I am really pleased that we have now got to 141 but I would still urge businesses to buy a basket and do their bit for the town and environment. Youll make your property look nice. Businesses and residents can order the baskets as part of the annual initiative supported by the Henley Standards Buy a Basket campaign. They are supplied by WindowFlowers, of Burnham, which installs and maintains them all summer. This year the baskets will contain purple or blue vein surfinia, pink pelargonium peltatum ivy leaf, begonia, fuchsia, bidens aurea and silver cineraria maritima, which have been selected to support bees and other pollinating insects. They also contain hairy plants to absorb toxins from the air in order to tackle pollution. Cllr Eggleton, the new Deputy Mayor, added: I would like to say to those people who have bought a basket thank you for supporting Henley in Bloom and making our town look welcoming to all the visitors. Whether it is for a house, business or whatever, the baskets have a big impact and create a wow factor for people coming into the town. Now lets go for 180 baskets. They are value for money and WindowFlowers does an excellent job. Last year the final total was 228 thanks to almost 100 businesses, shops and residents that bought at least one. Ballards estate agents in Hart Street have bought three baskets again this year. Director Guy Symons said: It helps our building and we think its important that the building looks its best because its one of the first things people see coming over the bridge. We are right on the corner. I think it brings a bit of colour to the town. Jim and Val Stoner have again bought two hanging baskets for their home in Wyndale Close. Mr Stoner said: The baskets make the town more attractive to visitors. Henley has always been a very nice town and this just raises the ambience and makes it more beautiful and a better town for visitors and residents. I have lived here for more than 60 years, so I care very, very much. Frost Borneo Opticians in Hart Street has bought one hanging basket again this year. Practice manager Clare Willis said: We buy one summer basket every year because we like to support our lovely town of Henley and the baskets look beautiful. It is nice that they are looked after so lovingly and I feel they are a welcome addition for the town and visitors. McQueen Turner Solicitors in Station Road have bought a basket again this year. Legal executive Julia Turner said: We are always one of the first to buy ours because we are very community minded. When you have a business here, you need to be supportive of the town. The baskets are lovely and I think they really do add something. They provide a lovely bit of colour for people who get off the train and walk up Station Road. It looks lovely when all the baskets are up as they all match. We have a lot of visitors here and this makes it an attractive place to come. The Row Barge pub in West Street, has ordered two baskets this year. Landlady Cath Howie said: We take part to support the community and the hanging baskets campaign. They are really beautiful and we get comments from customers. It has a massive effect and makes the town look a lot prettier as the baskets are so beautiful. Building merchants Gibbs & Dandy in Reading Road have bought four baskets again this year. Branch manager Michael Fuller said that the first thing he was asked when he moved to the Henley branch from Slough in 2011 was whether he wanted to continue buying hanging baskets and he said yes. He said: Its a tradition now. Its very nice and all the local businesses do it. I think its uplifting and shows what Henley is all about. People say that its quite unusual for a building merchants to have hanging baskets but I think its superb. Fr Paul Fitzpatrick, of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vicarage Road, has ordered three baskets again and said the scheme was evidence that people cared about their community. He said: I think its fantastic. The baskets make the church so beautiful. I think its very important to support Henley and the local community. We think its important from an environmental point of view, too. I do think more people should take part. I do not think that all the churches have them and I often think they should. It is true that some of the reasons we do it is to encourage other institutions to do the same those places that do support it, I will give them my custom. The cost of a basket, including maintenance, is 64, including VAT. To place an order, complete and return the form printed here. Order forms can also be found at the tourist information desk at the town hall. They should be returned by Friday, May 24. A WORLD famous chamber orchestra is returning to the Wargrave Village Festival. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields will play at St Marys Church in Mill Green for the classical evening of the biennial festival on Monday, June 17. The orchestra was founded by Sir Neville Marriner 60 years ago and is well-known for its rendition of classical favourites, all performed without a conductor. It appears at concert venues across the world and is the most recorded orchestra in the UK. The orchestra, which performed at the last village festival in 2017, created the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning 1985 film Amadeus. Peter Dart, director of music at St Marys, said: It is an enormous privilege to be able to host the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in the church. The theme of the festival this year is Thats Magic and we would like to believe that we have assembled a magical programme of classical music which will comprise Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No 3, Mozarts Clarinet Concerto and Symphony No 41 and Mendelssohns wonderfully atmospheric Hebrides Overture. Tomo Keller will lead the 35-strong orchestra on violin with James Burke on clarinet. Tickets costs from 25 to 100 and are available by emailing tickets@pursuitnha.com The festival theme is in honour of the late Paul Daniels, the TV magician who lived in the village. Events will be held over three weeks in June. These include the annual sprint triathlon, a family food day run by Sticky Fingers and a cooking school for children. For more information, visit www.wargravefestival.org.uk BANK Holiday Monday saw a complete cross section of Henley Rowing Club competing at Marlow Spring Regatta. The regatta is run over approximately 1,000 metres from Bisham Abbey to Higginson Park. Racing is up to three abreast and the event is run in three waves which gives opportunities for doubling up. The J16-18 boys squad raced in the singles while the J17 event saw Tom OReilly and Alex Carr in their heats with Carr comfortably making the final where he finished second. Cameron Seager, in the J16 singles event, raced in a straight final and powered through to win by more than four lengths. The J15 boys of Joe Hart, Elio Dal Lago, David Wallace, Jamie Mclellan and cox James Oldham had a strong heat win and with a measured performance in the final saw them beating crews from Claires Court and Reading Blue Coat School. The J13 and J14 boys had mixed fortunes. The J14 boys quad was up in the first wave but were unable to progress to their final. However, Matthew Provoost and Connor OShea-James then rowed in a double scull in the second wave, managing to win their event. In the same wave, the J13 boys double of Alfie Reineke and Noah Lowe were beaten by the eventual winners. In the third wave the two boys joined forces with Albert Butler, Theo Szweda and Charlie Williams to take the J13 quad event, winning the final by a comfortable margin. The J13 girls squad had a good day in their first event of this type as a side-by-side race. The second quad of Pia Butcher, Lisanne Shoenmakers, Ella Dickson, Ruby Rodger and Roey Acton as cox beat Great Marlow School by three feet to get them to the final where they lost to the first quad of Emily Simmons, Tabitha Hall, Florence Lenthall, Freya Weiser and cox Katia Loggie and a crew from Headington School. The girls J13 double of Anna Merritt and Gwennie Hunter also went on to win in the final against crews from Reading Rowing Club and Headington School also by a wide margin. The masters squad were also out in force getting ready for the new season. Four womens quads two Vet D, one with a late substitute on the day, and two Vet E raced and one masters men Vet E quad. For some it was their first experience of side by side racing and proved valuable. The Vet D quad of Emma Alvey, Jan Watson, Anna Stevens and Jo Paice (steers) overcame a mishap at the start to win their heat. However, they could not repeat this in the final against a Marlow crew. The Women Vet E quad of Janet Dutton, Helen Knowles, Margaret Hall and Julia Lock (steers) gained a medal in their straight final against Marlow and the other Henley Vet E crew. Henley masters crews also competed last weekend at Nottingham City and Masters Regatta. The Vet D double scull of Helen Turnell and Nikki Orr won their final by half a length in a tough battle with an RAF/Newark Composite. The Vet F double of Janet Dutton and Margaret Hall were competing in the double for the first time but came up against a world class crew in the tier one event. They were later joined by Helen Knowles and Julia Lock for the Vet E quad again gaining valuable race experience, but sadly no medal. Three of the crew Janet Dutton, Helen Knowles and Margaret Hall an hour later joined with Walbrook in a composite Vet F 8, rowing through Bewdley mid-race to win by over a length. In the open events Tom Moon won the band three single sculls while the womens double of Natalie Atkinson and Becci Norman finished fourth in their semi-finals. I have a hard time believing youre really picking up an amenity value through these pot shops thats not also just explained by something else thats related, the economic health of cities or whatever else that made that selection bias happen, Olsen said. Still, all the talk of recreational cannabis is giving some homebuyers hope that future marijuana revenues could one day help offset property tax increases, said Leigh Marcus, a real estate agent with @properties. The son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) has publicly called on Ireland to support the Paris murder trial next week over his mother's brutal killing as he said his family had firmly placed their trust in the people of west Cork. "Sophie fought like a lioness against the most atrocious violence there is," Pierre Louis Baudey-Vignaud (37) said. Monster "The violence used by a monster that nothing stops - the one that struck her for no reason, for nothing. "I still come back here every year because it is the only way for me to defy this violence and destroy it. "For 20 years I have trusted you. Do not betray me. Do not betray yourselves," he said. Mr Baudey-Vignaud issued the appeal as he spoke to the media in west Cork in advance of the Paris murder trial of British freelance journalist Ian Bailey (60). Mr Bailey faces trial in absentia next week over the killing of the French mother-of-one in west Cork 22 years ago. Ms du Plantier was found battered to death by the side of a laneway leading to her isolated cottage at Toormore, outside Schull, at 10am on December 23, 1996. No one has been charged in Ireland with her killing. Mr Bailey has consistently protested his innocence and in 2012 successfully fought extradition to France. He has maintained the Paris prosecution is "farcical" and "a show trial". Mr Baudey-Vignaud, who attended mass in Goleen with his uncle, Bertrand, urged Ireland to support the French campaign to see justice done for his mother. A number of garda murder case witnesses have now received letters asking them to attend the Paris trial. They cannot be compelled to attend - and Mr Bauday-Vignaud asked everyone in west Cork who can support the Paris prosecution to do so. Truth "This trial isn't just about my mother, it is the trial of the truth. I want to make an appeal to all the people here, anyone who has received requests from the magistrates in France, come and tell [your story]. We must be all together against violence. "If God is love and if this Church is his, let us pray for my mother to find peace and that God's righteousness may join that of men. "This case is first and foremost about an innocent woman. This is a trial of a crime you and I did not deserve, whether it takes place here or in France." The murder trial is scheduled to begin on May 27. Imogen Poots stars in Dublin-made film Vivarium, which was given its premiere at Cannes on Saturday. Photo: Getty A Dublin-made film was chosen out of more than 1,000 to be one of seven given a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. Vivarium was picked as part of Critics' Week at the prestigious festival - the first Irish film chosen since 1968, when The Rocky Road To Dublin was shown. Clontarf-based producer John McDonnell - who runs Fantastic Films with Brendan McCarthy - said it was "like being an expectant father" they were so nervous ahead of the premiere. Amazing The film, which stars Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg, had never been shown to an audience before, apart from a test screening. Jesse was in Cannes with John and Brendan to join the critics watching the film. "It was like being an expectant father. We'd never screened it to an audience and you always hope that you'd made an amazing film. It went down a storm," John told the Diary. He said they had been "lucky" to work with the actors. "They were fantastic. Imogen, I don't even have the phrase for her. She is amazing. "Jesse is fantastic and they were both so lovely to work with," he said. The majority of the film, which is directed by Irish director Lorcan Finnegan, was shot in Ardmore Studios in Wicklow. Being shown during Critics' Week gives the film a brilliant platform to be snapped up by distributors. The crew is hopeful it will then be released in Ireland later this year or in 2020. hunting The film follows a couple, played by Poots and Eisenberg, who are hunting for their perfect home in suburbia. However, they become trapped in a labyrinth-like world of identical houses. With cuckoo funds so prevalent in Irish society, the film hints at this harsh cycle in the housing sector. "There are no jump-scare bits but I think it is one of the scariest films we've made. It's so horrific," said John. "We have a young couple setting out for the perfect place and it turns into hell." The operation to recover an Irish father-of-one who fell from the world's highest mountain may not go ahead due to safety concerns, a leading mountaineer believes. Pat Falvey, who has twice scaled Mount Everest, said it remains unclear how Seamus Lawless (39), from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell some 500m as he was descending from the 8,848m summit. The assistant professor in artificial intelligence at Trinity College's School of Computer Science and Statistics had successfully reached the summit last Thursday along with several others in his group of eight, led by well-known Co Down adventurer Noel Hanna - just hours before he went missing. Mr Falvey, who runs Pat Falvey Adventures from his base in Kerry, said that "a lot of questions currently remain" about what happened. The Cork native was the first person in the world to complete the Seven Summits twice by climbing Mount Everest from its north and south sides. The search has now been confirmed as a recovery operation by the Seven Summits Treks company and by Mr Falvey. "If any type of search, rescue and recovery operation is planned, it will not go ahead if it is too dangerous to do so," Mr Falvey said. "Paying to put lives at risk, such as the Sherpas, should not happen if weather conditions are not conducive to do so. The fundraising campaign launched to help to locate Mr Lawless is to be commended. Unfortunately, no insurance company would sponsor you in the event of having a fatal injury." "It is an unwritten rule in mountaineering, and especially in dangerous areas, that remains are often left there as a sign of respect to the person, the Sherpas and the mountain," he said. Chill "So much is stacked against you. It could be weeks before any type of a recovery operation could take place. "Throughout the past week, high winds of 55kph and frigid temperatures of -27C, with a wind chill making it feel more like -43C, have been persistent." Meanwhile, Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told RTE's This Week that he had spoken to Mr Lawless's wife Pamela and was committed to providing as much help as his department can. The fundraising campaign has raised over 220k so far. The heartbroken parents of murdered student Jastine Valdez have attended a memorial mass in honour of their beloved daughter, who was tragically killed a year ago. Tess and Danny Valdez, as well as other bereaved family members, marked the one-year anniversary of the murder of the 24-year-old student at a mass at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, on Bachelors Walk in Dublin, yesterday. Expand Close Jastine Valdez / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jastine Valdez The bizarre and horrific killing of the young woman unfolded in the picturesque village of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on Saturday, May 19, 2018. Ms Valdez was returning to the village where she lived with her parents, who moved to Ireland from their native Philippines nearly three decades ago. She had joined them only three years previously and was studying accountancy at the Institute of Technology, in Tallaght. She had boarded a bus from Bray, Co Wicklow, and arrived in the village shortly after 6pm. Twenty minutes later, she was bundled into a car by married father-of-two Mark Hennessy (40), a construction worker from Bray, in what gardai believe was a completely opportunistic and random attack fuelled by his apparent drug and alcohol problems. A witness rang 999 after her 12-year-old son saw a man forcing the student into the boot of a Nissan Qashqai at around 6.24pm. Distressed Around an hour later, another witness rang gardai after seeing a young woman in a distressed state banging on the back window of an SUV, sparking a massive manhunt for Hennessy, who would be shot dead by gardai the following day. They found a note on his body, saying 'sorry' and 'Puck's (Castle) Lane', where her body was found the next day. "We're excited that at least this portion of the trade war looks to be coming to an end," he said Monday. "Now we hope the administration can turn its focus to the EU, which is our biggest market by far, and get us back to zero tariffs in that critical area." At one time, Hermann says he worked as many as 90 hours a week here, when the restaurant served lunch and dinner day after day. Its a tough business, Hermann said. You have to dedicate your life to the restaurant if you want it to succeed. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Eventually, Hermann decided to discard the lunch offerings. He shut the doors on Sundays. And he tried to relax a little. On May 1, Hermann sold the restaurant business to his longtime manager, 30-year-old Josh Fuller, who grew up in Abingdon and attended Patrick Henry High School in Glade Spring, Virginia. Fuller remembered coming to The Tavern for his first time at a high school prom in 2005. Years later, Fullers wife, Celia, a server at the restaurant, helped him get a job at The Tavern. That was in 2012. For the first six months, Fuller bused tables. But he soon moved into a management position, ultimately taking the top spot as The Taverns general manager. For all the parents who deserve a school system that expects every student to earn a diploma; for all the neighbors who deserve to walk home on safer streets; for all the taxpayers who deserve a city government that is more effective and costs less; and for all the people in the hardest-working city in America who deserve a strong economy so they can find jobs or create jobs this is your day, he swore. How many new COVID-19 cases in Washington County? We don't know Wounded man ordered to serve six years in 2018 Hagerstown gunfight A Hagerstown man charged in a 2018 gunfight in the city entered an Alford plea to first-degree assault and was ordered to serve six years in prison. No official in the city of Chicago, elected or appointed, should ever profit from his or her office, she said. Never. Ever. And to underscore that, later this afternoon, I will sign an executive order to end the worst abuses of so-called aldermanic privilege ... ending their unilateral, unchecked control over every single thing that goes on their wards. She signed just such an executive order within hours of her speech. And this: Im particularly focused on the West Side and parts of the South Side that I think are so far behind. Were starting to engage in conversations anew with people in those neighborhoods about what the opportunities and resources are. It varies by area, but basic infrastructure that youre really going to need to build a development plan around doesnt exist. Things like not just good-quality schools, but roads, vacant lots, IT and broadband access. Those things are lacking remarkably in parts of our city. Carrigan Price, 18, always dreamed of going into the medical field and achieve her dream by attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She applied for the Morehead-Cane Scholarship in October 2018, but was denied after making it to the semi-finals. It was really devastating, Price said. It put me in a hard position spiritually. As Price continued to apply for more scholarships her faith was continually renewed as she received other opportunities. Price was offered a full-ride scholarship to Gardner-Webb University, but something just didnt feel right to her. Price then applied for the Robertson Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in February of this year, but didnt hear from them. She needed to make a decision on the scholarship she was offered at Gardner-Webb. Taking a chance, Price declined the scholarship there and prayed. The risk paid off as Price was granted the Robertson Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will cover all her college expenses. The Rotary Club of Hickory recognizes the value of a good education. Since 2005, 37 students have received SAS scholarships, totaling more than $270,000. SAS recipients have attended Appalachian State University, Davidson College, Duke University, East Carolina University, Furman University, Gardner-Webb University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, University of Alabama, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of South Carolina, and Catawba Valley Community College, among others. Sidney Brockenborough is the daughter of Suzanne and Nelson Brockenborough. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she plans to major in communications followed by a career in journalism. She participated in the HHS Interact Club during her four high-school years and served on the executive board. She also served as a member of the Beta Club, the student council, and Juniorettes. In these school clubs and organizations beyond the HHS campus, Sidney lives by the Rotary motto, Service Above Self. She yearns to connect journalism and music advocacy. She has an inherent curiosity about people and cultures. Her curiosity is evident in her hobbies which include playing the cello, singing with the Lenoir-Rhyne Youth Chorus, music theater with Molly Bass, involvement with her congregation, and spending time with her family. In a shocking development, a Rohingya Muslim from Myanmar was arrested Wednesday from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi with fake Indian documents. According to reports, he was arrested for procuring fake Indian passport and Aadhaar card for travelling to Indonesia. Identified as Mohammed Faisal, the 24-year-olds application seeking refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR) was under consideration. While nothing suspicious was reportedly found out in the joint interrogation of the man by the Delhi police and the Intelligence Bureau officials, an FIR has been registered. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport), Sanjay Bhatia, Faisal was interrogated for terror links. He told us that he is a Rohingya and was going to Indonesia in search of work, Bhatia added. According to the police, Faisal introduced himself as an Indian passenger during immigration clearance after his arrival at the airport. Faisal had introduced himself as an Indian passenger and produced Indian passport and Aadhaar card before the immigration officer. He was caught after some discrepancies were found in his travel documents, a police officer said. Apart from the fact that he failed to give satisfactory answers regarding his trip to Indonesia, a UNHCR document was also recovered from him, which established his Myanmar nationality. Also, when he was questioned about his trip to Indonesia, his replies were not found satisfactory. After this, all the documents he was carrying were checked, and a copy of a certificate issued by the UNHCR, dated March 20, 2017, was recovered, which established him as a citizen of Myanmar. The documents mentioned his permanent address as Rakhine, Myanmar, added the police officer. According to Faisal he came to India from Bangladesh about six months ago through land route and travelled to Mewat via Agra. He got the fake passport made through his contracts in Hyderabad. Faisal told us that he had come to India about six months ago from Bangladesh where he lives with his family. He said he got a Bangladeshi passport made and entered India through the land route. He then travelled up to Agra and then to Mewat where his relatives live. He got a fake passport made with the help of his contacts in Hyderabad during his stay in India, revealed the officer. Source : OpIndia It was the night of May 21, 1991. There was a knock on the window. I opened it to see a policeman who said, Saab is gone ma. I thought it was my husband. Where, how, when? I shouted. Near Chennai, a bomb blast ma, Rajivji has died, he replied. Suddenly everything had collapsed. My leader, my friend, the icon of millions was gone. The next three days in Delhi were a whirl, as Rajiv Gandhi's body lay in state at Teen Murti House exactly where his mother had been seven years ago. I recalled 1984, when a stoic Rajivji had received leaders and grieving crowds. Even as the young prime minister took charge of the government, the party began to gear up for the elections, he was clear that he had to seek the peoples mandate. He won with the highest ever seats in Parliament (401) prompting that memorable comment from Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the opposition, Indira Gandhi has proven herself more powerful dead than alive. Rajivji was sworn in as prime minister again on December 31, 1984, with his own team of young new faces. I had the privilege of being one of them. I am young and I have a dream he declared, setting about to create a new India. Ministries were reorganised, the Ministry of HRD created with emphasis on women, youth and child development programmes. The two pathbreaking initiatives he spearheaded were 33% reservations for women in elected bodies and lowering the age of voting to 18. The PM never sleeps and does not let us sleep either was the lament in bureaucratic circles. It was a joy working with him. We were a team. We argued, we differed, we joked, we travelled and shared experiences. Calling him sir was frowned upon. I have a name, he would insist. Although we had a wonderful relationship, there were two issues on which I differed strongly with him. One was the reversal of the Shah Bano judgment and the other sending our forces to Sri Lanka. Both I believed were disastrous for him, for the party and for the country. With his massive majority in Parliament, legislation of far-reaching consequences were passed, the first steps at the liberalisation of the economy taken, computers in administration introduced and the countrys defences modernised. Things were going so well. But, this did not suit certain vested interests at home and abroad. Suddenly, we heard an unknown source claim in a Swedish Radio broadcast, about pay-offs in a defence deal between Sweden and India and sought to implicate the PM. The deal to purchase 155 mm Bofors guns for the Indian Army, became the one point issue for the onslaught which damaged and hurt him deeply. The Congress readily agreed to a joint parliamentary committee on the Bofors issues, which completely exonerated Rajivji. Yet the matter was taken to court. VP Singh, the ambitious finance minister who had also served as defence minister resigned to lead the campaign against him. As the 1989 elections approached, the campaign against Rajivji gathered momentum leading to the Congress defeat. All efforts to implicate him over 21 years have failed with hundreds of crores spent to try and pin an alleged 78 crore bribe on him. The Congress won 197 seats in 1989. As the leader of the single largest party, Rajivji was invited to form the government. He refused. The people have rejected us; we must submit to their verdict, he insisted. And so VP Singh led a coalition and achieved his ambition, though not for long, of becoming PM. A handful of senior Congress leaders came to tell him that they had decided to boycott the traitor. Rajivji calmly replied, He is being sworn in as the nations prime minister. I am going to attend. He then got into his car and drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan to attend the swearing-in. The next two years saw governments come and go, finally taking us to the 1991 mid-term poll. The government in power played around with his security, even withdrawing his special cover despite a serious threat perception. The 1991 general election campaign had been a harrowing one, Rajivjis hands and feet were scratched and bruised. But he was full of enthusiasm, putting fresh energy into the team, warning that time was running out. Today, 28 years after that tragedy, the nation watches as a prime minister makes wild and unproven allegations against a martyred predecessor. If Rajivji could speak today, his words would be those of Christ on the Cross Father forgive them for they know not what they do. May his soul rest in peace. Margaret Alva is a former governor, Union minister and general secretary of the Congress The views expressed are personal 2019 May 16, Frankfurt/Hangzhou. Geely Auto Group (Geely Auto), Chinas leading privately-owned automotive company, has formally opened a new research and development facility at Raunheim, Germany, to accelerate innovation in new propulsion systems and next-generation mobility technology. The Geely Auto Technical Deutschland (GATD) facility, close to Frankfurt airport, is expected to employ around 300 engineers and technology specialists within the next few years, as the group accelerates its presence in electrification and new energy vehicles. The new centre will have a particular focus on developing premium electric cars, augmenting R&D already underway at facilities across the Geely network, which includes the world-leading Geely Research Institute in Hangzhou Bay as well as the China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT) in Gothenburg, and centres in Linjiang, China, and Coventry, UK. Geely Auto Group currently has over 20,000 engineers of which over 2500 are focused on new energy technologies. The new research and development center will be report directly to Mr. Feng Qing Feng, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Geely Auto Group. Mr Feng Qing Feng said: We are delighted to extend our worldwide R&D capabilities to Germany, where we hope to take advantage of high-quality skills and technical capabilities in the countrys automotive industry. Technologies developed at GATD will enhance the pace of innovation at our portfolio of brands, which are pioneering new systems in electrification, autonomous-drive systems and connectivity. Through Prysm, Sterling Bay and other investors will provide funding to early stage companies with the goal of creating new, high-paying jobs in the city. Companies that outgrow the incubator could move to space at Lincoln Yards, which Gloor said is expected to have a large portion of life sciences research space. Expanding companies that move to Lincoln Yards would further boost the value of Sterling Bays investments in the startups. According to the recent estimates released by the International Labour Organization (ILO), 2.78 million workers die every year from occupational accidents and work-related diseases, and 313 million workers suffer from non-fatal occupational accidents and diseases. It means that 7,500 people die every day due to unsafe and unhealthy working conditions. In India, available government statistics show a decreasing trend in occupational injuries in manufacturing and mining sectors. However, caution is needed when interpreting the statistics as unregistered factories and mines are not covered. During 2011-16, the number of cases of occupational diseases reported to the government in India was only 562. In contrast, a scientific article published in the National Medical Journal of India, 2016, indicates prevalence of occupational diseases such as silicosis and byssinosis. Even in countries with the most well-established data collection systems, underreporting, particularly of non-fatal occupational accidents and especially work-related diseases, is common. It is critical that India establishes efficient Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) data collection systems to better understand the situation for effective interventions. We often overlook the needs of those who are most vulnerable in the world of work. We must address the safety and health of workers active in the micro and small enterprises, those in the informal economy and in rural and agricultural sectors. Many of these workers are women. We have to strengthen our efforts to reach out to those vulnerable groups of workers. Lets create safe, healthy and productive workplaces. India has been strengthening national OSH policy frameworks for providing adequate protection to workers. The government, in consultation with employers and workers representatives, adopted the National Policy on OSH in 2009. India is in the process of finalising its first national OSH profile. A national action plan to promote OSH for all workers is now required. For effective enforcement, labour inspection systems need to be strengthened. Strong cooperation and information sharing among the authorities concerned with OSH should be promoted. OSH training and information activities for small enterprises and the unorganised sector needs to be enhanced. Training of medical doctors and health professionals on occupational disease diagnosis is necessary for early detection, treatment and compensation. Public awareness for preventing work-related accidents and diseases and improving hazardous working environments should increase. India can undertake stronger national campaigns and awareness raising activities for workers and employers. The mass media and journalists could highlight the safety and health challenges of workers in various economic sectors and disseminate information on how to mitigate accidents and diseases. At the workplace level, the first thing to do is to establish OSH committees and involve workers for identifying hazards and improving OSH. Workers are in the frontline to notice OSH risks and implement solutions. It has been well established that a safe and healthy workplace is a productive and dynamic one, leading to sustainable businesses. The ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work report is calling for the recognition of safety and health as a fundamental principle and right at work. The world of work is undergoing profound changes. It is important for governments, employers and workers, and other stakeholders to seize the opportunities to create a safe and healthy future workplace for all. Their day-to-day efforts to improve safety and health at work can directly contribute to the sound socioeconomic development of India. India has a comparative advantage of having a large youth population as demographic dividend. Lets include these youth in this endeavour. Young people are especially vulnerable to OSH risks and need to play an active role in finding OSH solutions. Dagmar Walter is director, ILO Office for India and Decent Work Team for South Asia, New Delhi The views expressed are personal After her glamorous debut at Cannes Film Festival in southern France, Priyanka Chopra is off to Ethiopia for a Unicef function. The actor took to Instagram stories to post special message for her fans about her trip. In a video posted as an Instagram story, she says: Hi everyone, I am on a very special trip. I have just touched down on Ethiopia and it is raining. We are in Addis (Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia) right now. Apparently, it is the first day of rain here. So I feel good about that. But it is extremely special trip. I hope that you all will come on this journey with me. I am in Ethiopia for a specific reason. I want to highlight Unicefs education programme when it comes to children and youth the country. There is a huge barrier when it comes to access to education for children because there are so many dropouts which begin as soon as kids start school. The primary education goes from Std 1 to Std 8 and secondary education is after that. We see dropouts from Std 1. Also read | Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos On May 17, Priyanka made her debut on the red carpet at Cannes when she attended the premiere of the film Rocketman. For her debut at the Cannes red carpet, Priyanka chose a bold black and red embellished ensemble, a custom creation by Roberto Cavalli. She carried the strapless gown with a thigh-high slit with panache. In the day, she also attended the screening for a documentary on AIDS. On May 18, she attended a Chopard event at the festival with husband Nick Jonas. Priyanka, who was last seen in Hollywood film Isnt It Romantic, has completed shooting for Shonali Boses Bollywood film The Sky Is Pink, which also stars Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim. Later in the year, she will start shooting for her film with Hollywood stars Mindy Kaling, which is reportedly based on big, fat Indian wedding. (With agencies inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more After the success of Uri: The Surgical Strike, another film on the Indian armed forces is in the pipeline. Based on the daring attacks on the Karachi harbour by Indian Navy in 1971, the film will be produced by Bhushan Kumar, along with Tanuj Garg, Atul Kasbekar and Swati Iyer Chawla, according to a report in Mumbai Mirror. The report adds that the film will be lavishly mounted. In 1971, during the Indo-Pak war, the Indian Navy attacked the Karachi harbour as part of the Operation Trident, completely decimating the opponent. The operation was commanded by Admiral Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda and took place on the night of December 4 and 5. Also read | Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos Quoting Bhushan Kumar, the report said: Our navy suffered no losses and caused heavy casualties on the enemy side. Its an extraordinary tale of strategy, thrill and bravery. The film is expected to go on floors by mid-2020. The report adds that the film will be directed by ad filmmaker Razneesh Ghai. The films script will be finalised by August-September after extensive research. Speaking about the choice of Razneesh, Tanuj was quoted in the report as saying: After Ram Madhvani (Neerja) and Suresh Trivedi (Tumhari Sulu), we are launching another leading figure from Indian advertising. Hes an army kid who shot the campaign to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the Indian Air Force and motivate youngsters to reach for the skies. With the panache of his story-telling, Im sure Razneesh will bring a new approach to the genre. Uri: The Surgical Strike, starring Vicky Kaushal and directed by Aditya Dhar, was based on Indian Armys response to attack on Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in 2016. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood has fallen in love with Maldives. After a host of big names from the industry including Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora and Aishwarya Rai went on a vacation to the island nation, now it is the turn of actor-producer Arjun Rampal. The actor shared a picture from a resort named Anantara Veli resorts in the company of his girlfriend. Sharing a picture, Arjun wrote: When you wake up to this, you know you are blessed. In the picture, he wraps his hand around his girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades with the bright blue Indian Ocean stretching beyond. Also read | Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos Earlier in the month, the actor had shared another picture with Gabriella where both were seen twinning in shades of white. The two are seen wearing a white top and sunglasses. He captioned the image: Summer vibes. Just last month, the Daddy actor announced his girlfriend Gabriellas pregnancy on social media. Sharing the information, he had written: Blessed to have you and start all over again....thank you baby for this baby. Gabriella is a South African model and actor. She has also acted in Bollywood film Sonali Cable. Arjun was earlier married to former Miss India Mehr Jesia. But the two announced their separation in May 2018. The couple mutually decided to part ways but continue to stay friends. They tied the knot in 1998, and have two daughters Mahikaa and Myra. On the work front, Arjun has shortlisted three feature films as his next projects and says they belong to different genres, including horror which he will star in and produce too. Ive shortlisted three subjects which Ill be getting into the shooting soon. There are two thrillers, but both different than each other, and one adventure film. Ive been wanting to do something like this since a while, said Arjun. (With inputs from agencies) Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan debuted two new looks at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, where she is an annual fixture. Aishwarya had walked the red carpet on Sunday, in a metallic mermaid gown by Jean Louis Sabaji. Pictures of the actor, out and about the French seaside town, were shared online. Elle magazines official Instagram shared two new pictures of the global star, the first showed her in a horizontal striped red-and-white dress, and the second showed her in a denim jacket and white T-shirt combo. Aishwarya wore dark glasses and waved to the crowd. The actor is accompanied by daughter Aaradhya Bachchan, whom she posed with ahead of her red carpet appearance on Sunday. The actor also took to Instagram to share pictures with Aaradhya, who was twinning with her mother in a yellow dress. Aishwarya captioned the post, My Sunshine Forever. Her husband, actor Abhishek Bachchan, wrote in the comments section of the post, The gold standard. Aishwarya is a regular fixture at Cannes, and her annual appearances are studied with much interest. The actor is appearing, as usual, for the makeup brand LOreal. Aishwarya isnt the only Indian at the prestigious festival. Others such as Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, Mallika Sherawat, Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan have already made appearances. Sonam Kapoor is expected to debut later this evening. Follow @htshowbiz for more TV star Hina Khan walked the red carpet at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2019 for the first time and impressed many people with her sartorial choices and attitude. While she made headlines for her gorgeous outfit, she also made headlines for an unpleasant comment on Instagram by a media personality. In a freewheeling chat, the actor, who launched the poster of her first feature film at the festival, talks about moving on, being overwhelmed with the love she received and her experience at Cannes. Hina Khan poses at 72nd Cannes Film Festival at the screening of the film Bacurau on May 15, 2019. (REUTERS) What expectations did you have about being at Cannes? I didnt know what to expect. I am not a Bollywood celebrity; I am a TV celeb, so I was nervous and didnt know if people would even acknowledge me. I have been overwhelmed with the reactions. I have cried seeing all the love and support I got. Thank you everyone. I know I have to work even harder now. Also read | Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos Tell us about your experience walking the red carpet? I was nervous as I was walking the Cannes red carpet for a feature film and people look up to me as a style icon, so I kept wondering, will I be able to do it properly? Am I choosing the right outfit? But we were preparing for Cannes since a while. I got a great response from international designers, who wanted me to wear their creations. I have more outfits than events to wear them at (laughs). At Cannes, I got the right piece of advice that other than the famous Hollywood celebs, the international photographers dont know most celebrities from other countries, so they look for celebrities who present themselves well and have the right attitude. So, if they like you, they will keep clicking your photo. I thank the Almighty that they loved me. Other than appreciation and praise from peers and fans alike, there was a unpleasant remark from a media personality, which caused uproar amongst the TV fraternity. What was your reaction? I did feel disheartened to hear something like that. Why would someone look down upon TV? Give us the opportunity and we will shine. If you cant say anything good, dont say this either. I have worked hard to be where I am. I know how I managed to shoot the film and my TV shoot. But, I can never play a victim as I have confidence in myself and I will prove my worth with time, with Gods grace. And I am grateful that so many people stood by me. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut returned to Mumbai after making fans go gaga over her red carpet looks at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2019. She was spotted at Mumbai airport in a chequered grey skirt, matching jacket and a striped beige coloured shirt late on Sunday. Earlier, Kangana raised the temperature with her sizzling looks. In her final ensemble, she was seen posing on a yacht dressed in a floral Ralph & Russo maxi gown which had hues of blue and pink with plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit. The actor opted for bold cat eye makeup with frizzy curls to complete the look. Also read: Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos Sharing Kanganas sizzling photos on Instagram, her team wrote, Live like you are on the French Riviera. Fans also gave a thumbs-up to the ensemble. U outshine urself each time, wrote a fan. She killed the Cannes this year, wrote another. On Saturday, the 32-year-old actor shared her fourth look from the 72nd edition of the Cannes film festival. She was dressed up in a plain white Toni Maticevski gown. With a full sleeve on one side, the white ensemble had a halter neck design on the other with a ruffled neckline. To break the monotony, the actor went for a pair of blue strappy heels. The Manikarnika actor kept the makeup minimalist but highlighted the eyes with a blue shimmery winged eyeliner. Keeping her hair tied in a top neat bun, Kangana gave a striking pose in the photo shared by her team. On the work front, she has completed shoot for Ashwini Iyer Tiwaris Panga where she plays a kabbadi player. She will also be seen in Mental Hai Kya opposite Rajkummar Rao later this summer. Follow @htshowbiz for more After a host of new faces including Hina Khan and Diana Penty making their Cannes debut, it is time for old favourites to take over. Actors Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are in French Riveira and have been posting pictures from the beach town. Sonam donned a fresh look at Cannes on Sunday. Wearing a beige and brown free-flowing and full-length dress, Sonam looked fresh and happy. Sporting big aviators and asymmetrical loop earrings, Sonam was a picture of calm and serenity. She completed the look with a top knot, comfortable flat sandals and a small handbag. Also read: Priyanka Chopra leaves Cannes but not without a final batch of pics with Nick Jonas. See them here Earlier on Sunday, pictures of Sonam along with her sister Rhea Kapoor landing at Cannes appeared online. The 33-year-old posted a small video on her Instagram where she can be seen walking her way in style. Bonjour de Cannes!, she captioned the post. Amid much excitement, the actor shared another picture from the aircraft as soon as she touched down France to express her excitement. Showing a glimpse of her hotel suite in Cannes, the actor shared a video on her Instagram story where she is seen showing off her room while a tired Rhea and her team members can be seen lying on the sofa. Early on Sunday, the actor along with her sister was snapped outside the Mumbai airport as the duo were about to take off for Cannes. Sonam was seen wearing a pair of loose blue capri and a red top completing the look with a khaki jacket. Last year a newlywed Sonam aced the red carpet event with her gorgeous looks. Donning chooda (wedding bangles) and mehendi (henna), she made heads turn as she wore a Vera Wang couture beige gown for her second red carpet appearance. On the work front, the actor was last seen in the film Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and will be next essay the role of Zoya Singh Solanki in Zoya Factor, where she co-stars with Malayalam sensation Dulquer Salmaan. (With ANI inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Vivek Oberoi has commented on reactions to a controversial tweet that he posted on Monday, which seemingly made fun of actors Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. The tweet was met with widespread condemnation by several notable personalities, including actor Sonam Kapoor, who called it disgusting and classless. Vivek has reacted by advising Sonam to not overact and overreact. He said, according to ANI, ...Aap apni filmon mein thoda kam overact karein aur social media pe thoda kam overreact karein (I would advise you to not overact in your films, and dont overreact on social media). Ive been working in women empowerment for 10 years now. I dont think this is hurting anyones sentiments Watch | Vivek Oberoi reacts to Sonam Kapoors remark over Twitter meme on Aishwarya Rai Vivek, who reportedly dated Aishwarya in the early 2000s, posted a meme with three panels, one with him, another with Salman Khan and a third with her husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya on Twitter. The tweet also came under the scanner of National Commission for Women. "Very disgraceful and in extreme bad taste of #VivekOberoi to put up such a disrespectful post. At least show the decency to pull off the post if not apologise to the lady and her little girl," actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar tweeted. The NCW sent a notice to the actor asking him to give an explanation for sharing the "insulting" and "misogynist" tweet. "This tweet is absolutely disgusting, distasteful, and degrading a woman. @NCWIndia will be serving notice to @vivekoberoi," NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma tweeted. In their notice, the NCW said the actor should not have carried a minor girl and a woman's picture for a sly reference. "You have made insulting and misogynistic post on twitter carrying picture of a minor girl and a woman. It has been reported that you had drawn a sly comparison between the poll result and a woman's personal life," the notice by NCW read. Im waiting for National Commission for Women, State Commission for Women. Id like to meet them, Ill also like to explain myself because I dont think I have done anything wrong, Vivek said. Vivek continued, People are saying apologise, I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done? If I have done something wrong I will apologise. I dont think I have done anything wrong. Whats wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it. With PTI inputs Follow @htshowbiz for more President Donald Trump said he was very happy with the trade war and that China wouldnt become the worlds top superpower under his watch. Were taking in billions of dollars, Trump told Fox News Channels Steve Hilton when asked about the end game on the trade war. China is obviously not doing well like us. Trumps comments signal hes in no rush to get back to negotiating with Beijing after talks to end the trade conflict fell apart earlier this month. He has since raised tariffs on Chinese goods and moved to restrict Huawei Technologies Co.s access to the U.S. market, putting the Chinese telecom giant and scores of its affiliates on a blacklist that curtails access to key American suppliers. Chinas economy is not great at the moment, Trump said. Our economy has been fantastic. Because they were catching us, they were going to be bigger than us. If Hilary Clinton became president, China would have been a much bigger economy than us by the end of her term. And now its not even going to be close. The president also told Hilton he believed China wants to replace America as the worlds leading superpower, and its not going to happen with me. I think thats their intention, he said. Why wouldnt it be? I mean theyre very ambitious people, theyre very smart. Economists at HSBC Holdings Plc in 2018 projected China is on course to be the worlds biggest economy by 2030. The nations gross domestic product will stand at $26 trillion in 2030, while U.S. GDP will rise to $25.2 trillion, according to the HSBC projection. The International Monetary Fund also last year said China could become the worlds largest economy by 2030. Purple mattresses are rarely offered at a discounted price, so this sale is a big deal. In fact, this is only the second time Purple has ran a promo on their mattress models. This Memorial Day you can save $100 on all Purple mattresses sized full and up. Twin and Twin XL models will be $50 off. You can also get 10% off all other Purple products and BOGO blankets during the sale period. What is the BJPs track record in the areas of environment, energy and climate change? The important themes of national security, economic management, and farmer distress are the battlegrounds of this election. Yet it is important not to lose sight of environmental performance because a deteriorating environment undermines both the economy and quality of life. The data show that there are reasons to be concerned. The Centre for Science and Environment finds that 275 of 445 rivers are polluted, up from 121 in 2009, and that 90% of solid waste is unprocessed in a rich state like Maharashtra and 48% in Delhi. Air quality is a public health crisis. Greenpeace finds that 228 out of 280 cities are not compliant with standards. According to Lancet, air pollution is estimated to cause 1.24 million premature deaths in India. The impacts of climate change are projected to reduce agricultural incomes in unirrigated areas by 20-25% in the long run, according to the Economic Survey 2017. In 2018, India was ranked 177th out of 180 countries in a Yale-Columbia Environmental Performance Index. Can India afford further deterioration in the quality of our environment? Clearly, this crisis has been long in the making, and transcends any single government. But equally, the trend has not substantially reversed under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the past five years, India has gone backwards on environmental quality regulation, has tried bold ideas in energy but with implementation challenges, and has improved messaging on climate policy but made limited change to the substance. On environment, the Union government has sought to ease the cost of doing business through faster, easier clearances. For example, the government has attempted to exempt building and construction projects from the requirements of environmental impact assessment and consent requirements under the Water Act. Infrastructure projects have been allowed to fell trees on forest land before clearances are granted. Amendments to the Coastal Zone Notification loosen requirements for reclamation of land and developmental activities. Stricter emission controls from coal power plants were pushed back by five years through an appeal to the Supreme Court. And key institutions such as the National Green Tribunal have been hamstrung through lack of timely appointments. While unnecessary red tape is in no ones interest, measures that cannibalise the basis for future growth are unproductive. We need streamlined but effective regulation, not gutted regulations and weakened institutions. The BJPs initial reaction to the air quality crisis downplayed the impact on health, and even weakened regulations on power plants and polluting vehicles. While the tone remained defensive, more recently the issue has been taken more seriously with the passage of a National Clean Air Programme, which is an important step, albeit one with limitations. On energy, the story is one of useful visioning, but limited follow through. The government deserves applause for the Ujjwala scheme to provide subsidised cooking gas across India, which promises increased convenience and time for women, and reduced exposure to hazardous indoor air pollution. The government also deserves credit for building on previous administrations successes at extending the grid in rural areas and pushing ahead on household electrification. The rapid growth in renewable energy, driven in part by ambitious targets and clever incentives, is also worth noting. That the energy glass is half full, however, is illustrated by implementation challenges in all these areas. Despite its undoubted gains, reports suggest that the gas cylinder scheme has not consistently resulted in sustained use of gas. Providing electricity, in practice, is hampered by the failure to reform distribution companies, as a result of which poor rural users are still frequently starved of electricity despite the presence of electricity lines. Both current and past governments share blame for this failure. The government has also risked confusing the renewable energy transition through mixed signals. While signalling support for renewable energy, it has put in place domestic incentives that have had mixed effects and has also called for a doubling of coal production. For the future, a more clear policy direction from the government consistent with its vision would be helpful. On climate change, the BJP government has astutely managed global perceptions, shed the tag of a climate spoiler at the high profile Paris Agreement negotiations, and gone on the front foot with the creation of the International Solar Alliance. These are important gains of position and posture. But beneath this, the approach to climate change remains limited to one of image management. India has yet to seriously put its weight behind global efforts to address this challenge, or build the domestic ability to protect its citizens from the worst effects of climate change. Can India grow now and clean up later, as the BJPs emphasis on easing the cost of doing business implies? No. Indias GDP is one third of Chinas but we already have worse air pollution. Growth without attention to environment risks making the country unliveable and undercutting the basis for future economic prosperity. There is more than enough blame to go around, across the current and past governments. The question now is whether the next government will address these problems with the seriousness they deserve. Navroz K Dubash is professor, Centre for Policy Research The views expressed are personal All eyes are now on what kind of government will emerge from these Lok Sabha elections. These elections have challenged the very soul of India. Has all decency, morality, self-respect, harmony and co-existence been lost forever in political discourse? Those who believe in the mythology may consider the Mahabharata as our perennial destiny, but living societies must think of the future and not of the past. In recent years, the practice of trying to expose the skeletons in each others cupboard has become a favourite political past time. This is both shocking and frightening. The youth of this country need a clear road map for the future. A consensus on this among political parties is imperative, but that is not happening. Farmers, workers, women and the oppressed have just been reduced to political pawns. On serious issues like defence and security, we get a whole lot of noise and no substantial debate. Whatever good or bad previous governments did, one thing was clear there was a kind of unwritten consensus on a number of issues. Let me take you back 52 years. It was 1967. Embarrassed after the defeat by China in 1962 and severely damaged on the economic front by the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the Army was compelled to fight an undeclared war. At Nathu La on the Chinese border, the Red Army had created trouble. In response to it, the Indians took decisive action. More than 300 Chinese soldiers were killed. Sixty five of our soldiers lost their lives. This battle was fought at 14,200 feet and was the last major conflict between the two countries. China understood that the attitude of our army was aggressive and it decided against further adventures. Those days Indian politics was characterised by decency. Instead of spreading and publicising this news, it was suppressed. For years, most people were unaware of this. As a result, there was no bitterness between the two countries and it became easy for India to present its side on strategic platforms. Most army actions are expected to be greeted with the same caution, but now, the world has changed. Its not that defence has become a topic of discussion everywhere only in India. From World War II till 1983, Britain too followed the principle of silence and secrecy on defence matters. But the American way of letting it all hang out has taken over there too. Its consequences may have some short-term benefits for 10, Downing Street or the White House, but it creates dissatisfaction and aggression in the rest of the world. This is the reason why Barack Obama who watched the killing of Osama Bin Laden live could not eliminate al-Qaeda. Even after many attacks on it, Daesh is capable of creating havoc even today. The recent attacks in Colombo is an example. While leaders in many developed countries are aggressive in their speeches, some others are seen as guarding the peace and their people. The prime minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern is an exemplar of democratic leadership. On March 15, when a fanatic killed 50 Muslims praying in a mosque at Christchurch, she was seen acting with commendable calm, control and balance. In her first speech after the gruesome attack, she made it clear that the government will not make public the identity of the attacker. Not only this, after taking the oppositions consent, she took several steps to ensure that such an assault could be prevented in future. She also attended a condolence meeting wearing a black scarf. The world media highlighted her photo. Will our leaders steeped in the politics of division ever behave like this? New Zealand is considered one of the cleanest and healthiest democracies in the world. In the last seven phases of polling for the general election in India, people who cast their votes may have had noble intentions. They must have voted thinking that their leaders will, despite the negative campaign rhetoric, deliver on promises of healthcare, education and jobs among other things. But this whole election exercise has become one of name calling and raising irrelevant issues which have little connect with the actual lives of people. It would seem that the electoral arena has become one where the ability to fling mud on each other and shout down opponents are seen as vehicles to success. I cannot honestly think of a single leader who has displayed high standards of decorum and probity in this campaign. The future does not look too bright, does it? Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan The views expressed are personal Forest Research Institute Dehradun, IIT Roorkee and Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR) Dehradun, will collaborate on a research project where water isotope technology will be used to study and identify critical water recharge zones of Nainital Lake. The 1.8 crore project funded by Central government, will be completed by 2022, said Vishal Singh, deputy executive director CEDAR and an expert on Himalayan water bodies. Under this project, we will put isotope water in different areas on the slopes around the Nainital lake and take measurements related to its seepage and recharging of the lake. As we can differentiate normal water from the isotope water, we can get a lot of details about the way the water is seeping into the lake through different recharge zones. This will help in locating critical water recharge zones of the lake, he said. Singh said this will be a first of its kind detailed study to identify all major water recharge zones around the Nainital Lake. The data we get from the study will help us know what needs to be done to save this Himalayan lake, given the fluctuations in its water level and reduction in overall depth, he said. Singh added the project is being funded by the Union ministry of water resources. CEDAR will be the lead collaborator in the project given our expertise in such projects. We are conducting a similar research project in Mussoorie, he said. CEDAR is already studying the critical water recharge zones in Mussoorie under the Climate Adaptive Water management practices in Mussoorie funded by Canada-based International Development Resources Centre. The project which started in 2016 will conclude in September 2019. Singh, along with researchers from the geography department of Cambridge University, have studied the critical water sources of Nainital Lake over the years and found that Sukhatal, nearly one kilometre above the lake, was supplying 40 to 50% of the subsurface water to the lake and needed to be revived along with other recharge zones for the long term protection of the lake. Nainital Lake, surrounded by hills, is situated at an elevation of 1,938 m. It is under threat from factors like over-dependence on its water for drinking, changes in demographics, climate change, development initiatives, surge in population, siltation, constructions and encroachments on the slopes around the lake, rampant concretisation and lack of long term planning. United States (US) President Donald Trump unveiled a new immigration plan for his country on Thursday. The idea, in the words of Mr Trump, is to move to a merit-based, high security plan. One part of the plan is a crackdown on illegal immigration. This is directly concerned with making America more secure. The other part is to prioritise young, educated and skilled workers over those that seek entry purely as relatives of people in the US. Under the current arrangement, 66% of the Green Cards go to relatives and 21% to asylum seekers and those selected randomly. Only 12% of the 1.1 million Green Cards go to those selected on the basis of skill and merit. Mr Trump wants to elevate this last number to 57%, and possibly even higher. Mr Trumps plan is unlikely to get the nod of the Democrats, especially not unless the plan gives some relief to Dreamers young immigrants brought to the US as children. The total number of Green Cards being allocated is not going to change. Therefore, Indians seeking Green Cards need not be too worried. Indians are anyway among the most educated and highest earning communities in the US. But does the new plan benefit India? In the past, New Delhi has often lobbied and continues to do so to protect Indians from adverse changes in H-1B rules. A country which so strenuously wants its best talents to move to and prosper in another country does not appear to be confident in its ability to provide good jobs and a conducive business environment at home. While Mr Trumps plan may not cut the Gordian knot of American domestic politics, the question for New Delhi is much bigger and starker. The US is ready to make the maximum use of Indias best, but are we? The armys northern command chief, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, on Monday said the September 2016 surgical strike on terrorist launchpads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was the first such operation to be carried out. He said this while citing a recent reply of the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act . A few days ago, DGMO said in a reply to an RTI query that the first surgical strike happened in September 2016. I do not want to go into what political parties say. They will be given an answer to by the government. What I have told you is a statement of fact, Lt Gen Singh told reporters in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur. He was referring to the DGMOs reply in which it said on May 8 that the army had no data to suggest that surgical strikes were conducted across the de-facto India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir the Line of Control (LoC) before September 2016. He was responding to Congresss claims that six surgical strikes were conducted when it led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre until 2014. This is for the first time that a senior officer has spoken on the record about whether the September 2016 strike was the armys first such targeted operation. It comes a day after the conclusion of the final phase of Lok Sabha polls during which the controversy over targeted operations in PoK peaked. Lt Gen Singhs statement came days after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told HT on May 2 that his government conducted multiple surgical strikes when it was in power but did not believe in using them for vote garnering. Singhs statement triggered a war of words between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the middle of the Lok Sabha elections. Finance minister, Arun Jaitley, reacted to his comments saying those strikes were invisible and unknown. Lt Gen Singh headed the Directorate of Military Operations when the September 2016 strikes were carried out in response to an attack on an army camp in Jammu and Kashmirs Uri in which 19 soldiers were killed. HT spoke to several serving and retired army officers following Manmohan Singhs comments about the strikes. They confirmed that there had indeed been several cross-border operations before 2014. However, the difference is that the previous regime did not talk about the targeted operations. This government took ownership of the strikes and announced to the world that India would pursue terrorists beyond its boundaries, one of them said on condition of anonymity. The officers said the UPA-era strikes were ordered at the tactical level and were not cleared by the top leadership of the day. Lt Gen Singh also lauded the February 26 air strike in Pakistans Balakot and described it as a major achievement as Indian fighter jets went deep into enemy territory and struck a terror camp. Congress leader, Abhishek Singhvi, reacted to Lt Gen Singhs statement saying this is why they have condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for drawing the armed forces into controversy and debate with political classes. Frankly I would not like to reply to the army commander and would not like to draw him into a political debate, he said, pointing out that even former PM Manmohan Singh has mentioned that several surgical strikes were carried out in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule. Three Jharkhand police personnel were airlifted to Ranchi after they were injured in an attack by left-wing extremists, also known as Maoists, near Hudungada village in Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Monday. Two jawans sustained bullet injuries during an encounter with CPI (Maoist) extremists led by sub-zonal commander Maharaj Pramanik in Kharsawan today morning. A joint force of state auxiliary police (SAP) and Seraikela-Kharsawan district police were conducting a long-range patrol (LRP), when they were attacked, said Kuldeep Dwivedi, deputy inspector general of police , Kolhan. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, who was sacked by chief minister Yogi Adityanath from his cabinet on Monday, said he was targeted for raising his voice for the welfare of other backward classes (OBCs). On Saturday, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against Rajbhar for allegedly abusing and threatening BJP workers at a public meeting in Ratanpura area of Ghosi on Friday. In a series of tweets after his sacking, Rajbhar said, Whenever anyone has raised voice for OBCs, dalits and minorities, there have always been attempts to suppress it. I demanded implementation of social justice committee report to divide 27 per cent reservation into three categories OBC, extreme OBC and most backward but the CM dumped the report. The SBCP leader who had a tempestuous relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party said BJP leaders also did not like his demand for ban on liquor sale in UP. I became gunahgar (guilty) in the eyes of the BJP because I demanded infrastructure and quality education for 1.57 crore children enrolled in government primary schools across the state, Rajbhar said. I have been targeted because I talked about fee reimbursement, scholarship and free education for OBC children from Class 1 to graduation, he added. I will call on my supporters to finalise the future course of action, Rajbhar said, adding he would continue to struggle for the cause of all sections of the society. An expert committee headed by former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami has asked Reliance Foundations planned Jio Institute, to file a report on the progress it has made, including towards the acquisition of land for its campus. It has asked the institute to fill up a specially designed form meant for greenfield educational institutions that serves as a status report. The new form seeks specific details such as land availability and the size of its corpus fund, said a government official involved in the process who spoke on condition of anonymity. Last month, the Gopalaswami panel conducted a review wherein it raised questions on the progress made by Jio Institute, one of six institutions of eminence selected by the government last year that will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy. Jio, named after Reliance Industries Limiteds telecom subsidiary, was asked whether it could build the campus in Karjat, near Mumbai, as had been proposed by its promoters. Jio Institute filed a report in response, but the panel has asked it to submit the details again,this time in a format that provides specific details, the official cited above said. It was felt that specific details on whether the infrastructure can be built in Karjat, where an 800 acre campus is expected to come up, or whether land is available at Navi Mumbai which is also mentioned {as a potential location}... Therefore, the institute has been asked to provide specific information in the new format, the official added. The committee is keen that Jio Institute meets the commitments it has made such as a land bank and corpus fund, he added. When reached for comment, Gopalaswami confirmed that the institute had been asked to file the report in the prescribed format. Weve asked them to put the reply in a particular format which we have prescribed now. They are a new institution unlike others which are old institutions. The older institutions have presented in a particular format which is okay. The newer institutions, they cannot go with the same format, he said. Asked if there were concerns related to land, Gopalaswami replied: Not only land, every activity had been listed out. We have asked for the information, let it come. The conceptualisation and planning of the Jio Institute is progressing well; we have had multiple discussions and presentations with Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) for providing updates on implementation in accordance with the envisaged framework. We continue to be in a constant dialogue with EEC and will provide required information to EEC as and when asked for, said a Reliance spokesperson A person familiar with the development said the institution may be built in Navi Mumbai instead of Karjat, adding that the availability of funds for the institute was not an issue. Project development is an ongoing process. There are a number of meetings and matters were discussed about formats which is in the process of resolution, the person said on condition of anonymity. The Centre launched the Institute of Eminence (IoE) initiative to improve the global rankings of Indian educational institutions. The other five institutions given the tag were the Indian Institute of Technology -Delhi, IIT-Bombay, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, BITS Pilani and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Jio Institute, being a startup, was given a letter of intent (LoI) by the government to recognize it as an institution of eminence. Jio Institute is expected to be an inter-disciplinary institution whose courses and subjects would be decided under the supervision of the Gopalaswami panel. An educationist said the focused attention of the expert committee on Jio Institute was justified. Now that almost a year has elapsed since the grant of LoI, the empowered committee must monitor the progress made. The process of land acquisition and creation of world-class academic infrastructure must proceed...Simultaneously Jio Institute must indicate the kind of inter- and multi- disciplinary innovative and modern frontline academic culture it plans to introduce, said Inder Mohan Kapahy, a former member of the University Grants Commission. Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad has suffered half-a-dozen infections in the last few months because of age and health-related ailments, doctors at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences said. Dr Umesh Prasad, who treats him, said that the RJD leader suffered from acute pain because of a festering boil in his leg. He was provided with anti-biotic medicines, following which his condition improved. The doctor said that Prasad was hypertensive and diabetic, and had undergone valve replacement surgery at Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai for cardiac problems. Prasad was also suffering from kidney and liver ailments, he said. Prasads health ailments are compounded because of old age. His immune system has weakened over a period of time. This has resulted in repeated infections, Dr Prasad said. Prasads pulse rate, blood sugar and blood pressure were within the normal range, he said. Lalu, who has been convicted in three separate fodder scam cases since December 23, 2017, surrendered before a court in the state capital on August 30, 2018, after his provisional bail in a fodder scam case ended. Later Birsa Munda Central Jail authorities shifted him to RIMS. On August 25, 2018, Jharkhand high court had rejected Lalu Prasads plea for extending the bail to another three months. The court had directed him to surrender, saying his health condition had improved. Pakistans ambassador to France, Mueen-ul-Haq, has been named the countrys new high commissioner to India. Mueen is a career diplomatic and previously served as the chief of protocol at the foreign office. The post of high commissioner to India fell vacant after Sohail Mehmood was appointed the foreign secretary in March. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday approved the appointments of over two dozen ambassadors in various countries, India and China. The appointments were long due as several Pakistani missions were without envoys since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government took charge last August. Qureshi said Naghmana Hashmi, career diplomat, was being sent to China. The minister expressed hope that these Ambassadors will play a pivotal in promoting the soft image of Pakistan. Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday held a detailed meeting with PM Khan, who formally approved the new appointments. Mueen-ul-Haq takes over at a time when there is a chill in the bilateral ties. Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and Qureshi are expected attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation beginning Tuesday in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, though New Delhi has ruled out the possibility of a bilateral engagement on the sidelines. Brian Sitz stood alone third in line, yet his family was with him in spirit. My brother and sister-in-law live in Ann Arbor and one of the places we always go is Zingermans, said Sitz. My mom recently has had some health issues, so I decided that because she loves Reubens that I would pop down here and get a sandwich for her rehab. Shes in the north suburbs. Union minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday launched a fresh poster of PM Narendra Modi, a biopic on the Prime Minister, ahead of its release later this week. Aa rahe hai dobara PM Narendra Modi, ab koi rok nahi sakta (PM Modi is coming back again, now nobody can stop him), the poster of the Vivek Oberoi-starrer biopic said. The poster was shared on the official Twitter handle of the film as well. (In India, all big things are started with a blow of the conch) Heres presenting the new poster of #PMNarendraModi, it read. The makers of Vivek Oberoi-starrer biopic on the Prime Minister have said the film will be released on May 24, a day after the results of the Lok Sabha elections are to be declared. The Election Commission had stopped the screening of PM Narendra Modi on April 10, a day ahead of its release, till the end of national elections on May 19. The poll panel had said that any such film that subserves the purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media. Also read| Biopic on PM Modi to release on May 24, day after Lok Sabha poll results The Congress party had alleged that the films release close to the national election violated the model code of conduct and said it was designed to manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters. The party had also pointed out that four office-bearers of the BJP were among the producers of the Modi biopic, which tells the PMs journey from his days selling tea at a train station. The films producers had challenged the films ban in the Supreme Court. But, the top court had refused to lift the ban and declined to interfere with the poll bodys order. Directed by Omung Kumar, the film also features Boman Irani, Manoj Joshi, Prashant Narayanan, Zarina Wahab, Barkha Sengupta and Darshan Kumaar, among others. Suresh Oberoi and Anand Pandit are co-producers of the film. Betel farming in Bharatpurs Weir sub-division has left a bad taste in the mouth of farmers who say they are being forced to give it up for lack of subsidy and crop insurance to cover their losses. Many have migrated to Jaipur for daily wage jobs. In Bharatpur, betel is grown in around four hectares in Umred, Bagrain and Khan Kheda village for its leaves which are chewed in India and some other Asian countries. The annual production in the district is around 350 million leaves. In Umred, 15 families grow the betel plant for their livelihood. But high cost of production and risk to yield due to hail or direct sunlight are forcing many of them to give it up. We depend on betel leaves for our living. The family sells 45 leaves for Rs 100. We want to increase the acreage but cannot do it because of poor rainfall here and lack of water for irrigation, says Girish Kumar. Uday Bhan says the farmers expect the government to provide loan for setting up greenhouse to save the betel crop from hail storm and sunlight. Farmers in Umred say hundreds of families of the Tamoli caste in the village grew betel in the past. Our ancestors told us that Mughal Emperor Akbar was particularly fond of betel leaves from our village and had even visited Umred once, says Radhey Lal. But the government doesnt support us. He says there is an urgent need for water for irrigation and crop insurance to cover losses due to inclement weather. Its not lucrative anymore, says Jamuna Prasad. Input cost is rising and we lack technical support to fight diseases, forcing us to migrate to big cities for daily wage works to raise our families, he adds. According to the district agriculture department, betel plants are grown in March and leaves are plucked till October and November. Leaves grow on the vines for three or four years. Betel farms need to be watered nearly five times a day. The leaves are covered with grass and clothes to protect them from sunlight. Agriculture departments joint director Deshraj Singh said for a crop to be covered under the crop insurance scheme, it has to be grown on at least 500 hectares in each tehsil. The total acreage of betel in Bharatpur is less than 5 hectare, making it ineligible for crop insurance, he added. Horticulture departments assistant director Janak Raj Meena said a project to include betel in horticulture was sent to finance department three years ago. If the project comes through, farmers will be able to get subsidy and benefits of other government schemes for betel farming, he said. An officer of the agriculture department said on conditions of anonymity that the previous BJP government moved a proposal to provide subsidy Rs 1 crore for betel farmers in the state. The proposal is lying in the finance department and the current government doesnt seem very interested in pushing it through, he added. Kazakhstans efforts to forge greater connectivity with India via an eastern expansion of the North-South corridor running through Iran have hit a speed bump because of US sanctions, a senior Kazakh official has said. Despite the hiccup, Astana continues to be hopeful of building closer trade and transit ties with New Delhi through Irans Bandar Abbas port and even extending connectivity to the strategic Chabahar port once a new railway link is built. Kazakhstan is focusing on India to attract investments and to access the countrys market of more than one billion people, the chairman of state-run Kazakh Invest, Saparbek Tuyakbayev, said on the margins of the Astana Economic Forum. However, the transport of some goods via the Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railway link to Bandar Abbas has been hit by sanctions imposed by the US, he acknowledged without giving details. We are interested in India as it is a market of over one billion people. But the level of investments is low compared to the potential and the main reasons are logistics and communications, said Tuyakbayev. Bilateral trade was worth almost $1 billion in 2017, with the balance in Kazakhstans favour. Kazakhstan is the largest supplier of uranium to India and both sides have strong defence and strategic ties. Indian and Kazakh officials admit there is much scope to ramp up investments and trade, especially exports from India, including pharmaceuticals and food products. India has been keen on the eastern expansion of the International North-South Trade Corridor (INSTC), and there are plans to connect Gujarats Mundra port to Bandar Abbas and then link it to the Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railway link to cut the time for transporting goods from Central Asia and to access markets in the landlocked region. Kazakhstan is also open to the idea of connecting the transit network to Chabahar, which is being developed by India, once Irans railway network is extended to the strategic port. Though Chabahar is exempted from US sanctions because of its role in transporting supplies to Afghanistan, the American restrictions have resulted in uncertainty about doing business in Iran. People familiar with developments acknowledged the need to gain an economic foothold in Kazakhstan and use the country as a hub for business activities in Central Asia in the face of Chinas growing presence through its Belt and Road Initiative, especially the funding of big ticket infrastructure projects. The Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a Delhi-based think tank, recently recommended that India and Kazakhtsan should frame plans to overcome the sanctions. India should look at Kazakhstan as a stepping stone to the markets of Central Asia and develop a strategy to compete with Chinas growing presence, ORF said. (The writer was in Astana at the invitation of the Kazakh government.) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, who challenged the appointment of his junior Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next navy chief, withdrew his petition from the Armed Forces Tribunal on Monday with the liberty to file a fresh plea, his lawyer said. The move comes two days after the defence ministry rejected Vermas statutory complaint challenging Singhs appointment as the next navy chief. Rejecting his April 10 complaint, the ministry said while seniority plays an important role in the appointment of service chiefs, it is not the sole determining factor. In view of the new development, we will file a fresh plea in AFT on Tuesday, said Vermas lawyer Ankur Chhibber, adding that the matter was likely to be heard on Wednesday. Verma, who heads the Andaman and Nicobar Command in Port Blair, would have been the senior-most officer in the navy on May 31 when Admiral Sunil Lanba retires. But the government decided against appointing him the next navy chief and opted for Singh who currently heads the Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command. Dismissing Vermas plea last week, the ministry said it had been carefully examined and found to be devoid of merit. It added that the government was satisfied that the selection process was fair and transparent. The government announced on March 23 that Admiral Singh will take over as the next navy chief when Admiral Lanba retires, superseding Verma who would have been the senior-most naval officer on that date. Verma moved the AFT against his supersession on April 8, seeking to know the criteria followed to make such top appointments and also demanded that Singhs appointment be quashed. He, however, withdrew his plea a day later after the AFT asked him to first raise the issue of his supersession with the defence ministry. It was after this that he filed a statutory complaint on April 10, requesting the ministry that his plea be addressed in 10 days. Verma moved the AFT again on April 23 after the 10-day period ended and there was no response from the ministry. Hearing the matter on April 25, the tribunal asked the ministry to address Vermas complaint within three weeks. With the government having responded, Verma will now challenge its decision the reason for filing a fresh plea. While seniority is usually followed when a new service chief is named, there have been instances when the government has overlooked it. When General Bipin Rawat was named army chief in December 2016, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government ignored the seniority principle and superseded two lieutenant generals who were senior to Rawat. Then-defence minister Manohar Parrikar had then famously said that if seniority was the only criterion then the computer could have selected a service chief on the basis of date of birth and there was no need to follow a rigourous procedure spanning months, analyse Intelligence Bureau reports of candidates or seek the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government also overlooked seniority in 2014 when Admiral Robin Dhowan superseded a senior officer to become the navy chief. Seven houses in a Rajasthan village on the banks of the Chambal river recently lighted up after they got electricity from government supply. The village didnt have electricity since Independence. The village got electricity supply due to the efforts of a medical student and the seven families got connections with the help of funds from Norway. Rajghat is a small village of 39 families. It has featured in Indian films, Bandit Queen and Pan Singh Tomar, based on dacoits. But it didnt have any signs of development until a few years ago no roads, no electricity, no drinking water. The village is inhabited by boatmen, who work as daily-wage labourers. In 2015, Ashwani Parashar, an MBBS student from Jaipurs SMS Medical College, learnt about the village and decided to run a campaign to bring development to it. Parashar started a social media campaign, titled #Saverajghat, and mobilised people to donate for development work in the village. He also filed a PIL in the Rajasthan high court for lack of development in the village that is just 5km from the district headquarters in Dholpur. They laid electricity lines and are laying pipelines for drinking water. It has been slow work but finally things are looking up in Rajghat, says Parashar, who has completed his MBBS and is planning to get into a postgraduate course soon. Even after electricity supply arrived in the village, the families didnt have the money to take connections. Thats when we heard from Norway. The Indian Norwegian Community, a non-profit organisation, wanted to help us in bringing development to Rajghat, Parashar adds. The Norway NGO heard about the Save Rajghat campaign in January 2019. We were looking for our next project and planning to establish some work in a village of Rajasthan. We got to know about Rajghat through social media, and contacted Parashar. We talked to him about their problems and decided to help them. We were impressed by efforts of our young generation, and got attracted to help Rajghat. They are making efforts and we decided to give funds and other help we can do, said Jyoti Sharma, spokesperson of Indian Norwegian Community, in an email. The Norway NGO launched a project, called SAKSHAM, to make people independent. Rajghat is the first project under this, Sharma added. We started with providing funds for electric connection to seven families. It will continue until all families in Rajghat get that. Besides that, we plan to renovate school in Rajghat and so on. We have long-term plans for the village, said the spokesperson of the Norway NGO, which was founded by Norwegians of Indian origin in 2014. The Indian Norwegian Community raises funds through events and sponsors in Norway. Every penny received from supporters will be used for Rajghat, Sharma said. For us, its a kind of adoption we believe that people there are part of our family and we will make all efforts in our rights to make their life better, Sharma added. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the prime driver of the proposal to rush to President Ramnath Kovind to apprise him of the contours of the opposition alliance, may scrap the plan after his meeting with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress boss, who is as convinced as Naidu and other opposition leaders that the exit polls did not capture the public sentiment, is learnt to have been of the view that going to President Kovind to ask him to treat the opposition parties as one bloc at this stage would not serve a purpose. Naidu had flown to state capital Kolkata hours after a press conference in Amravati where he spoke about his proposal. HT had first reported Naidus formula to improve the oppositions chances of getting an invite from the President in case the election results on May 23 are wildly different from the prediction by multiple exit polls that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get a second term. Opposition leaders who have interacted with the Andhra chief minister over the last few days told HT that Naidus assessment was that the BJP could end up with less than 200 seats. If this happens, Naidu believes the gap between the NDA and the opposition parties would not be wide and the opposition parties should be prepped to move in to stake claim. Naidus formula is that opposition parties should submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind declaring their intent to form a coalition government even before the votes are counted. His hope was that the coalition should be treated on par with a pre-poll alliance. Mamata Banerjee, like many other opposition leaders, was all for the plan to scale up the offensive against electronic voting machines and the election commission. But she too was less than convinced about the utility of approaching the President before the votes are counted. Naidu had made it clear early in the day that the proposal to knock at Rashtrapati Bhavans doors would be taken with consensus. After discussing with Mamata, I will go to Delhi later in the evening to continue deliberations with the other parties. Later, we shall take a decision on meeting the President of India, Naidu said before embarking on the Kolkata mission. Neither Naidu nor Mamata Banerjee spoke to reporters after the meeting. News agency PTI, quoting a source, said the leaders had decided to hold detailed talks on the opposition grand alliance only after the votes are counted. It was decided at the meeting that a detailed discussion will be held with other players of the Mahagathbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, a source said, according to PTI. A Congress leader said the argument that a joint representation to President Kovind before counting of votes would convince Rashtrapati Bhavan to treat a post-poll alliance as a pre-poll one appeared to be misplaced. This is something that should have been done long back It is too late, the leader said, underlining that this was a format advocated by Ghulam Nabi Azad many months back. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury spoke to Saubhadra Chatterji about exit polls giving the edge to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, the prospects of the Left parties, and the role of the Election Commission (EC) in the 2019 elections. Edited excerpts: What is your take on the exit polls? We dont believe in exit polls; they have nowhere come out to be accurate. Even in exit polls in advanced countries, like we saw in Australia yesterday, the actual result was completely opposite to what they had predicted. I dont take exit polls seriously. I also would like to remind this generation about an RK Laxman cartoon. It depicted after the first exit poll of India - husband tells wife that he has stamped the wrong ballot. When his wife is about to scold him, he says, dont worry I have corrected myself in the exit poll. This is the Indian reality. It looks like an existential crisis for the Left, at least electorally. Are you hopeful of a revival? Between 2004 and 2014, the Lefts numbers came down to a historic low. This year, our sole target was to increase our numbers. Lets see how we have fared on May 23. But in West Bengal particularly, in at least six constituencies, there was large-scale violence, large-scale rigging and our voters were prevented from casting their votes. And the crucial thing that I had been saying is that if our vote is allowed to be polled, it would make a big difference. But they were not allowed to be polled by the BJP in Tripura and the Trinamool in West Bengal. But there was a huge deployment of security forces in West Bengal by the EC. Deployment is not sufficient. They must be given proper duties. If the law and order is maintained by the state police then what is the role of the central forces? Also read | Four different scenarios predict victory for NDA; over to May 23 How do you assess the role of EC in this poll? We are very disappointed with the role of the Election Commission. I myself have written a number of complaints to the poll body and I continue to maintain that those were blatant violations of the poll code. But as some people such as the PM and the Bharatiya Janata Party chief were let off by EC, it has raised a lot of questions on the fairness of the commission. This is very ominous for Indian democracy. The way the election commissioners differed among themselves is very strange. Here is a look at numbers: SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after the Lok Sabha elections ended and exit polls predicted gains for the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav called on his Bahujan Samaj Party counterpart Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow on Monday. The two leaders met to discuss the likely political scenario in view of the exit poll results and made a constituency-wise assessment of the SP-BSP alliances performance and decided to opt for the wait and watch policy till the actual results were out, sources said. The meeting went on for about an hour at the Mall Avenue residence of Mayawati. Later, Akhilesh Yadav posted a photograph of the meeting on Twitter post with the caption: Now, getting ready for the next step. Political observers say Akhilesh may be hinting at the possible post-poll alliance attempts or the SP-BSP alliance going beyond 2019 just the way Mayawati had said at the January 12 press conference where the tie-up was announced. Before the two leaders met, Mayawati cancelled a scheduled trip to Delhi. The BSP said: (It) was not meant (for) any scheduled meeting with any political leader in Delhi. In a one-line statement soon after his meeting with Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav said: We will talk after the results on May 23. I maintain my stand that the gathbandhan is winning 56 seats in UP. People familiar with the matter in the Samajwadi Party said the two leaders would now make courtesy phone calls to the non-Congress leaders such as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee or Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. The meeting was held three days ahead of the counting of votes and in the backdrop of efforts at opposition unity by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu visited Lucknow on Saturday and met both Akhilesh and Mayawati separately. He invited both to the May 21 opposition meeting in Delhi. However, according to a senior SP leader, both alliance partners were non-committal. The senior SP leader said that Akhilesh and Mayawati were not keen on participating in any formal opposition meeting before the result day. In Uttar Pradesh, the gathbandhan hopes to ride on the arithmetic based on social calculations in a bid to outclass the BJP. The BJP and ally Apna Dal won 73 (71+2) of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, and the Congress two. The SP had won five seats while Mayawatis BSP failed to open its account in 2014. For this years general election, the two parties, which were arch rivals for 24 years, joined hands in an attempt to limit the BJP. The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Hassan in a case filed by the Hindu Munnani party over his comments on Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse. Kamal Haasan had said on May 12 that free Indias first extremist was a Hindu in a reference to Nathuram Godse while campaigning for his partys candidate S Mohanraj for the Aravakkurichi assembly by-poll. The polls were held on Sunday. Nathuram Godse, a right-wing activist, had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. Eight men were convicted in the murder trial inside the Red Fort by a special court, constituted by an order of the central government. Godse and co-conspirator Narayan Apte were hanged for the murder of the Father of the Nation on November 15, 1949. Haasan had approached the high court after RSS-affiliated Hindu Munnani (Hindu Front) registered a case against him with police in Aravakurichi of Karur district. Police had booked Haasan under non-bailable sections 153 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), charging him with creating enmity between religious groups and fomenting trouble. Also read| All religions have extremists: Kamal Haasan after slipper attack, Godse row The Bharatiya Janata Party, Hindu Munnani, Indu Makkal Katchi and other RSS affiliates as well the BJPs ally the ruling AIADMK made Hassan the target of their attack after his comment on Godse. The BJPs Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundarrajan accused Hassan of indulging in minority appeasement and the partys national secretary H Raja described the MNM as a poisonous shrub which had to be nipped in the bud. The AIADMKs minister Rajenthira Bhalaji even called for chopping off the actors tongue. His MNM said Kamal Haasan was calling for religious tolerance and co-existence and that his speech was taken absolutely out of context and painted as anti-Hindu with a malafide intent. Amid the controversy, slippers, eggs and stones were hurled at Kamal Haasan during his public meetings last week. In his petition before the high court, Hassan said he had only spoken about Godse and not about Hinduism. Even Godse had admitted to assassinating the Mahatma in the book Why I killed Gandhi and what he had spoken was a historical fact, he said. The actor-turned-politician also contended that his speech was edited to paint him in the black. Opposing the grant of advance bail, the prosecution contended that an abnormal situation was prevailing following the actors Godse remark. It said granting relief to Kamal Haasan would set a wrong precedent, pointing that more than 50 complaints have been lodged against the leader. However, Justice B Pugalendhi, who had reserved his order last week, rejected the objections and granted conditional bail considering Hassans speech made during by-poll campaign in Aravakurichi, in its entirety. The judge also directed the actor to appear before the concerned judicial magistrate and execute the surety within 15 days. Also read| Cant change my hero: Kamal Haasan calls Mahatma Gandhi a superstar A little after exit polls projected an easy win for his party in Telangana and the ruling NDA in Delhi on Sunday evening, K Chandrasekhar Rao summoned his team of senior Telangana Rashtra Samithi, or TRS, leaders in state capital Hyderabad. Exit polls had projected that the TRS he had founded would sweep the elections, cornering 13-14 of Telanganas 17 seats in the Lok Sabha. The TRS leaders discussed the post-results scenario in the state. K Chandrasekhar Rao told his party leaders that the exit polls had underestimated the partys victory and told them that the TRS would outperform the predictions. The chief minister was confident that the TRS would win 16 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state, a TRS leader familiar with the development told HT. But this time, KCR as the chief minister is popularly referred to - did not say a word about the federal front that he had been hoping to stitch in Delhi. Something similar to the role that his rival from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, seeks to play as he flies between Kolkata, Delhi and Lucknow for now. Asked about the change in the chief ministers outlook, TRS lawmaker B Vinod Kumar said there was no need for KCR to make a brouhaha like Naidu to be in the media limelight. We shall wait and watch till the results are declared on May 23. There is no hurry, B Vinod Kumar told HT. Vinod, who has been playing a key role in negotiations with various parties, said the federal front would have a role if Congress or BJP didnt get sufficient numbers. Since almost exit polls have predicted NDA victory, we have to wait till the actual results are declared before making any further moves, he said. KCR had never made a secret of his aspirations in national politics after his party swept the 2018 state elections. It would also give his son KT Rama Rao, who he had simultaneously upgraded as the partys working president, a free hand to run the state. In national politics too, Telangana will have an important role to play. We are going to play a crucial role in national politics, we will give new definition to a new national scenario, KCR had told his supporters in his first speech after results for the December 7 assembly elections were declared. The TRS had secured 88 seats in the 110-member assembly. But KCR, who was aspiring to emerge as the kingmaker in the national elections, has had less than consistent track record in promoting the front. He was also seen to be a little too ambitious, advocating a non-BJP, non-Congress front when this front did not really have the numbers on its side. If the national election results are anywhere close to exit poll predictions some even gave the BJP 300 plus seats there may not be much of a role for KCR. TRS sources, however, insist that KCR hadnt given up on the outreach for the federal front and was also planning to go to Bengaluru to meet Janata Dal (S) chief HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy. However, Gowda during his visit to Tirumala on Saturday, has already made it clear that he had chosen his side and would stick with the Congress-led coalition at the state and at the Centre. So far, the TRS leader said, there is no indication from the TRS chief as to what role he is going play at the national level. He will take a call only after the results are declared. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Dear Amy: Three years ago I was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. When I am sitting down, its not always noticeable that I have a terminal illness with a dim future. For various reasons, I have needed to tell people what I am facing. Most people who know me usually respond with tears in their eyes. Ive learned to accept that and help them feel better about my future by explaining how I feel. West Bengal, the third-largest electoral state in India, may see a boost for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), several exit polls suggested on Sunday, bearing out what leaders of the party have been claiming. India Today-Axis predicted the BJP might get between 19 and 23 seats, the highest tally predicted for the BJP in a state where it currently has just two seats. Times Now-VMR and Republic TV C-Voter pegged the NDA tally at 11 while ABP News-Nielsens exit poll gave 16 seats to the BJP. West Bengal, which sends 42 representatives to Parliament, has seen an intense battle between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has 34 representatives in the outgoing Lok Sabha. Last years panchayat polls made it evident that the BJP was the second strongest political force in the state after the TMC. Ahead of the elections, several BJP leaders expressed the hope that the state would help it compensate for some of the losses it could suffer in the Hindi heartland which it swept in 2014. If the exit polls have got it right, the TMC, the Left Front, and the Congress will all suffer losses in West Bengal. The most optimistic estimate of the TMCs seats is 29, by Republic TV C-Voter. The least is 19-22 by the India Today-Axis exit poll. Times Now-VMR and ABP News-Nielsen pegged Trinamools seats at 28 and 24 respectively. In the current Lok Sabha, Trinamool was the second-largest opposition party after the Congress. The party was also hoping to emerge as a kingmaker in 2019. Banerjee, however, rejected the exit polls as gossip. The predictions are a ploy to create a situation in which opposition leaders will face difficulty in holding talks on coalition. And, it is also a strategy to raise share prices so that those who provided BJP with funds can get their money back. I request people in all states to keep vigil on places where EVM machines are kept. I suspect that these will be replaced so that the final figures tally with these projections, said Banerjee. Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh also rejected the exit polls but for another reason altogether. He said, I think the exit poll projections on Bengal are not entirely correct. Under no circumstance will we get less than 23 seats. We will surely win more seats than the Trinamool Congress. The exit polls portray a sad picture of the CPI(M)-led Left parties, who are fighting for survival in their erstwhile bastion. Three exit polls give the Left zero seats in the state, a first since Independence, and one poll gives it just one seat. The Left parties ruled Bengal for 34 years till Banerjee ousted them in 2011. The Congress, too, may see a decline from its present tally of four seats. All the exit polls predicted Congresss tally between zero to 2. A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, sources said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the mahagatbandhan (grand alliance), a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. Also read: Four different scenarios predict victory for NDA; over to May 23 Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Dubbing the exit polls gossip, Banerjee Sunday said she doesnt trust such surveys as the game plan is to use them for manipulation of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Also read: From 2 seats to double digits, exit polls predict big BJP impact in Bengal Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday expressed hope the new government at the Centre would revisit the Kashmir policy and said his organisation was ready to support all efforts by India and Pakistan aimed at ending hostility in the restive state. A statement by Hurriyat said that Mirwaiz made the comments during a seminar titled The Importance of Dialogue in the Backdrop of Strained Indo-Pak Relations in connection with the ongoing martyrs week. The Mirwaiz said he hoped once the new dispensation in New Delhi takes charge, it would also analyse whether the existing one on the restive state had gone in its favour or instead worsened things on all fronts. He said Hurriyat was hopeful whosoever takes charge in New Delhi would admit the reality of the Kashmiri dispute and engage with the leadership to end the hostility so that a dignified solution is found to the vexed dispute of Kashmir. Mirwaiz said he feels the pain whenever any youth is killed in action by security or in encounters. It was beyond doubt that the gun-wielding local boys were the products of the ongoing oppression and they are getting consumed in the ongoing unresolved conflict, he said. The Hurriyat is observing a week-long programme in memory of Mirwaizs father Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq and another Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, who were assassinated on May 21 in 1990 and 2002 respectively. Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat had participated in the dialogue process with the former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh and also the then Pakistani president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. It was Vajpayee who had realised the need for resolving the Kashmir issue as he advocated that Kashmir needs to be dealt with in the ambit of humanity, he said. Hurriyat, he said, was ready to support all efforts by India and Pakistan aimed at ending hostility and seeking a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. He termed the present prevailing situation in Kashmir as sensitive and painful stating that there is no letup in the policies of repression and intimidations as killings, harassment and CASOs (cordon-and-search-operations) continue unabated even in this holy month of Ramadhan. Mirwaiz demanded the release of all political prisoners, repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) and taking back all anti-Kashmiri measures so that an atmosphere of trust is created in Kashmir. Another senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat said India and Pakistan must realise the need for resolving the Kashmir issue for the larger interests of the people of South Asia and for that the two nations must take some bold steps. Bhat urged all the pro-freedom leaders and parties to work for a united Hurriyat like the one in 1993. Let there be one single platform and a joint strategy so that we achieve our mission collectively, he said. Chandrababu Naidu, along with 21 opposition parties leaders, will meet Election Commission tomorrow Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, along with 21 opposition parties leaders, will meet Election Commission tomorrow at 3 pm. Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, along with 21 opposition parties leaders, will meet Election Commission tomorrow at 3 pm. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/z9gY0PWgpv ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 The opposition stands united: Chandrababu Naidu The opposition stands united: Chandrababu Naidu. Called on West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial ji in Kolkata today. Had a good discussion prior to the announcement of Lok Sabha election results. The opposition stands united. pic.twitter.com/RM3IdnfzbH N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) May 20, 2019 Discussion held on possibility of forming a non-BJP government at the Centre Discussion held on the possibility of forming a non-BJP government at the Centre comprising regional parties with Congress support : TMC sources, reports news agency PTI. Government is ready for floor test: Kamal Nath Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath: They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1,have proved majority at least 4 times in last 5 months.They want to do it again, we have no problem.They will try their best to disturb present govt to save themselves from getting exposed. Government is ready for floor test. MP CM Kamal Nath: They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1,have proved majority at least 4 times in last 5 months.They want to do it again, we have no problem.They'll try their best to disturb present govt to save themselves from getting exposed. Govt is ready for floor test. pic.twitter.com/rcVjU3B4HM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee decide to hold discussion with other Mahagathbandhan leaders after poll results Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee decide to hold detailed discussion with other Mahagathbandhan leaders after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared on May 23 : TMC sources said, reports PTI. Maharashtra Congress MLAs pass resolution that decision on name of the Leader of Opposition of State Assembly will be taken by Rahul Gandhi Maharashtra Congress MLAs unanimously pass resolution that decision on name of the Leader of Opposition of State Assembly will be taken by Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had resigned as Leader of Opposition(LoP) last month, reports news agency ANI. Meeting between Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee ends Meeting between Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee ends. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu meets CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/7a1ndgwYwf ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet Mamata Banerjee Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet chief minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Read here: Lok Sabha elections 2019: Undaunted by exit polls, Chandrababu Naidu sets up meeting with Mamata Banerjee. He has a plan Devendra Fadnavis has called a state core committee meeting later today to review elections Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has called a state core committee meeting later today, at his residence, to take a review of the elections. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has called a state core committee meeting later today, at his residence, to take a review of the elections. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/rrO2AqHDXt ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 We would probably support some party or some kind of combination: Amar Patnaik Amar Patnaik, BJD: We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the government at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha. Amar Patnaik, BJD: We would probably support some party or some kind of combination, whoever forms the govt at the Centre and agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long pending issues of Odisha. pic.twitter.com/YmqJaogvY4 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Nagpur: RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QLFaEObugx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Kumaraswamy voices concern over vulnerability of EVMs With most exit polls forecasting another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP almost sweeping Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday expressed concerns over the vulnerability of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Hitting out at the pollsters, the chief minister in a series of tweets alleged that the artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodis rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supreme Court asking for a traditional ballot paper electionsto avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud, Kumaraswamy said. World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party, he said in another tweet. Congress workers reject exit polls, say results will be different Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be onesided as shown projected, and their party would perform better. Most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Even as the atmosphere at the Congress headquarters remained sombre Monday morning, party workers rejected the exit polls and said May 23 would give results quite different from the projections. The exit polls are an attempt by the BJP to spread rumours and they might try to manipulate EVMs after creating such atmosphere, said Congress worker Jagdish Sharma. We will perform better and win. It would not be onesided as projected. We have seen the real atmosphere at the ground and no one is believing the exit polls except the BJP, he said. Rajbhar shattered decorum of alliance dharma: BJP Hours after Om Prakash Rajbhar was sacked from the Uttar Pradesh council of ministers, the BJP said he has shattered the decorum of alliance dharma by continuously speaking against the party despite being an ally. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended to governor immediate sacking of Rajbhar, also the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief, from his cabinet for his outbursts against senior NDA partner BJP. Governor Ram Naik accepted the recommendation and relieved Rajbhar from his post of Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment Minister, an official spokesperson said. The BJP is a party which gives full respect to its allies and honours the coalition dharma. But, it is unfortunate that our alliance partner in UP, Om Prakash Rajbhar, not just violated the decorum of alliance dharma, but shattered it. It is for this reason that the party and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were compelled to take such a strong step, state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said in a statement. Most of exit poll agencies are pro-BJP channels: CPI The Communist Party of India Monday sought to discredit the agencies which predicted a second term for the Narendra Modi government in their exit polls, and claimed the NDA would fall short of the majority mark. Most of them are pro-BJP channels; This was expected from them, this is part of the BJPs election campaign; from the beginning till now, they are continuously with them. So, I dont give much value for that, CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI. Exit polls not final decision, but hint at BJPs win: Gadkari Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said the exit polls are not the final decision but indicate that the BJP will once again come to power, riding on the development work done by the NDA government. The senior BJP leader was speaking at the launch of a poster of PM Narendra Modi, a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being released this Friday. Exit polls are not the final decision, but are indications. But, by and large, what comes out in the exit polls also reflects in the results, Gadkari said, replying to a query. BJP demands re-poll in Bengals violence-hit constituencies A BJP delegation on Monday met Election Commission officials and demanded re-polling in the violence-hit constituencies of West Bengal. We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers and reiterated our demand for re-poll in constituencies where violence occurred in seventh phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal, Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters Not bothered about exit poll results, says Stalin A day after eight separate exit polls, conducted by different polling agencies, commissioned by different media houses, predicted that Narendra Modi was best positioned to return as Indias Prime Minister, DMK chief MK Stalin said that he wasnt bothered about the exit poll results. Sabarimala issue didnt affect polls, will win big: Kerala CM We are going to win big. Sabarimala issue didnt affect polls in Kerala. All of us know who created troubles there, said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reported news agency ANI. Informed EC about violence inflicted upon BJP workers: Piyush Goyal We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers. We reiterated our demand for re-poll for constituencies where violence occurred in 7th phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal, said Union minister Piyush Goyal, as reported by news agency ANI. Opposition can daydream till May 23: Ram Madhav With opposition parties citing the example of Australia federal elections in which exit polls predictions went wrong, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Monday mocked his rivals saying they were daydreaming. He asserted that such a situation will not arise in India and said that BJP will win a bigger mandate than what exit polls are showing. The Opposition can keep on dreaming day and night till May 23. By 12 pm on that day, their dream will not come true. We will wait for the exact results. But, I am confident that we will get a bigger mandate than what exit polls are showing, Madhav told ANI. Entire Opposition in political ICU after exit polls: Giriraj Singh Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Monday said that the entire Opposition leaders slipped into oblivion after the exit polls came out on Sunday. His jibe at the Opposition came after exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Singhs tweet in Hindi roughly translates as, The entire Opposition, including Mamta Banerjee and N Chandrababu Naidu, has reached ICU politically after seeing exit polls. Now after 23rd, all these people should introspect for a better future, However, the Opposition parties have termed the exit polls as wrong. Akhilesh Yadav leaves Mayawatis residence Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav left after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. TMC busy with post-poll calculations after exit polls Miffed with exit poll predictions, the Trinamool Congress is busy with post-poll calculations based on reports received from the districts, a senior party leader said Monday, reported news agency PTI. Dismissing the exit poll predictions, he said, We do not have to worry about these exit poll reports, which in most cases do not match. We have our internal party report. We also have reports from districts and each and every constituency. The TMC leadership is also in talks with various opposition parties in the country, party sources said. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav meets BSP supremo Mayawati Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Monday reached BSP supremo Mayawatis residence in Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow. Andhra CM to meet Mamata Banerjee for post-poll alliance talks A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, sources said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. Even as exit polls at the end of the 17th general election on Sunday pointed to a clear edge for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a section of the Opposition was planning to launch a pre-emptive strike by submitting a list of parties committed to an alternative government to the President before May 23, when the results will be declared. Opposition leaders said Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu had taken the initiative to submit such a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind. The move is aimed at improving the chances of an Opposition coalition being invited to form the next government by the President in case a hung Parliament emerges from the seven-phase election. Naidu told opposition leaders that if there was no such prior intimation to the President, the BJP and its pre-poll partners in the NDA would have a clear edge in getting the first chance to form government and proving a majority in the House. His calculation is that the BJP will end up getting less than 200 seats and if that happens, the gap between the NDA and the other side would not be wide. But if the letter of intent with signature of all willing parties are not given to the President, the scattered Opposition is no match against the NDA, a senior Opposition leader said on condition of anonymity. Also read | Four different scenarios predict victory for NDA; over to May 23 According to the Sarkaria Commission report, if a leader has to be selected from among a group of parties, in the order of preference, an alliance of parties that was formed prior to the Elections comes first. The Punchhi Commission guidelines also said: The party or combination of parties which commands the widest support in the Legislative Assembly should be called upon to form the Government. If there is a pre-poll alliance or coalition, it should be treated as one political party and if such coalition obtains a majority, the leader of such coalition shall be called [to form government]. Naidu met Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati before holding a meeting with Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi on Sunday. The Left is not keen on the course of action suggested by Naidu. A senior Left leader said, We dont need to go to the President till the results are actually out. We have advised other parties that we should maintain our unity in the public ...and give public statements about our commitment. We can only meet the President after the results are actually out. The Congress and some other parties had been keen on drafting a pre-poll Common Minimum Programme (CMP) to showcase the strength of the anti-NDA camp in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election. That initiative didnt go beyond preliminary discussions. Also read | 1998 to 2014: What exit polls predicted and what voters decided. A look During the day, Naidu held a second round of talks with Congress president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the outcome of his meetings with Mayawati and Yadav in Lucknow on Saturday. Naidu also met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. He also met the Congresss Sam Pitroda. During the meetings, the opposition leaders discussed the strategy to be adopted after the results are declared on May 23. Soon after his meeting with Naidu, Pawar said they had assessed the likely election outcome in their respective states.. We assessed the elections in our respective states. We are waiting for counting day to take further steps, he said. About the possibility of a meeting of the combined Opposition, he said it will take place only after May 23. Also read | From 2 seats to double digits, exit polls predict big BJP impact in Bengal The BJPs Pragya Singh Thakur said on Monday she will undertake a vow of silence to atone for her comments and sought an apology for several of her remarks, which provoked all-round criticism during the Lok Sabha election. After the election procedures, it is now time for contemplation and thinking. If my words have hurt patriots in the country, then I apologise and I will strictly follow a vow of silence in accordance with public life for 21 prahar (around three days) to atone for them, Pragya Thakur tweeted in Hindi. Also read: Amit Shah ticks off 3 BJP leaders for Godse shocker, says not the party line Pragya Thakur was named the BJPs candidate from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal in a surprise choice against the Congress former chief minister Digvijaya Singh. She is facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case where six people died and at least 100 were injured. Thakurs latest comment was on Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse, who she said was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot those who call him a terrorist should look within they will get a reply in this election. She was responding to a comment made by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, who had claimed Godse was the first Hindu extremist in independent India. Also read: Will never forgive Pragya Thakur for her remarks on Bapu, says PM Modi The saffron-clad woman monk later apologised for her statement as she was hit by a barrage of criticism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on last Friday he will never be able to forgive Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi. The BJPs president Amit Shah also said on Friday that the party had served Thakur a show cause notice and asked her to reply within ten days over her comment. Before that the 49-year old had said in April that former chief of the Mumbai anti-terrorist squad Hemant Karkare was killed because of her curse. Thakur had alleged Karkare tortured her while she was in custody in connection with the Malegaon blasts case. Karkare was killed fighting terrorists during the attacks on Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Also read: Pragya calls Godse patriot, retracts after BJP steps in She also boasted about her role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. Thakur again apologised for her remarks on Karkare and Babri Masjid. The Election Commission barred her from campaigning for 72 hours over her two comments. Pragya Thakur was on a maun vrat last month as well after she told a television news channel that she had taken part in the demolition of the disputed shrine at Ayodhya in 1992 and was proud of it. Exit polls on Sunday predicted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will increase its tally of Lok Sabha seats in the northeast. News24-Todays Chanakya projected seven to 13 seats for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Assam, which has 14 Lok Sabha seats. It projected 0 to six seats for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Times Now-VMR has predicted the NDA will win six seats in Assam, and UPA will bag seven and others 1. NDTVs poll of polls predicted the BJP-led alliance was likely to win nine seats and the Congress four in Assam. ABP News-Nielsen and News18-IPSOS have made projections for the regions all 25 seats. News18-IPSOS gave the NDA 17 to 19 seats and the UPA 4 to 6. ABP predicted 13 seats for NDA in the region and six for the UPA. The BJP and Congress won eight seats each in the region in 2014 while regional parties managed to get nine. Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said the media overestimated protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the region. In spite of it, the BJP won the panchayat polls in December. Congress tried to make it an issue and yet people voted for us. All along, I have maintained that Assam supports the bill. This is a vote for the Prime Minister [Narendra Modi], for development, and a vote against the politics of appeasement, Sarma said. Congresss Assam president, Ripun Bora, dismissed the exit polls as unscientific. They are not foolproof and not free from human bias. The sample size of a handful is generalised to project the preference of 15-17 lakh voters. The public perception is with Congress and we are waiting for May 23 [when the election results would be declared. Here is the look at the numbers: The Telugu Desam Party which won 15 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 faces a tough fight with exit polls favouring the YSR Congress party led by Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Times Now-VMR Exit Poll has predicted 18 of the states 25 seats would go to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) while the India Today-Axis My India exit poll gives YRSRCP 18-20 seats with a vote share of 45 per cent. The INS-CVoter exit poll, on the other hand, projected 14 seats for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidus TDP as compared to 11 seats for the main rival YSR Congress. Exit polls often get it wrong and the actual results will only be known on Thursday, May 23 when votes are counted. Andhra Pradesh went for simultaneous polls for 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the first phase of elections on April 11 in a do-or-die battle for 69-year-old chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his main opponent YSR Congress party headed by 46-year-old Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. Heres a look at exit poll numbers: Naidu has had to encounter twin challenges during the electioneering: first, to bring his party to victory by overcoming the anti-incumbency among the people due to non-fulfilment of many promises and incomplete works on his dream capital Amaravati and major irrigation project Polavaram. Also read: Exit Polls 2019 Live Updates: BJP will win all 7 seats in Delhi, claims exit poll Secondly, he has been fighting a high-voltage battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national level by bringing all the anti-BJP forces together. Throughout the campaign, Naidu has focused on attacking Modi for betraying the state by not fulfilling the promises made in the bifurcation Act. But the YSR Congress has accused him of blaming Modi to cover up his failures in the last five years. On the other hand, Jagan Reddy fought the elections with a single point agenda of pulling down Naidu from power in the state. He focused on the Naidu governments failures, rampant corruption among the ruling party, breakdown of law and order as was evident from the attack on his life at Visakhapatnam airport last year. Besides, he also came out with a set of attractive promises to attract all sections of people. The Congress and BJP have been shunted to the sidelines in the state. The only other party with some impact on the electorate at least in some pockets is the Jana Sena, headed by popular actor Pawan Kalyan, who allied with the Left Parties and the BSP. The mood in the YSRC is very much upbeat as it is confident of coming to power by crossing the three-figure mark in the 175-member assembly and at least 16-18 Lok Sabha seats. On the other hand, the TDP leaders have kept their fingers crossed, though Naidu has been putting up a brave front saying the TDP will definitely come to power for a second term, irrespective of what the exit polls and pre-poll surveys say. Three days before counting of votes for the Lok Sabah elections, controversy erupted with a group of SP-BSP alliance and Congress workers staging a demonstration at Navin Krishi Mandi Sthal in Chandauli on Monday evening alleging that electronic voting machines (EVMs) were being changed at the instance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protest took place when additional EVMs from the Sakaldiha assembly segment were brought there. Chandauli had gone to poll in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha election on Sunday. The administration, however, denied the allegation that EVMs were being changed. It said additional unused EVMs from Sakaldiha assembly segment were brought to Naveen Mandi Sthal and they were meant to be stored in a different room at the place. Thirty five additional unused EVMs were kept at the Sakaldiha tehsil. These couldnt be transported on Sunday and were brought from Sakaldiha on Monday to be stored in a different place, district election officer Navneet Singh Chahal said. Also read: On Mamatas instructions, TMC workers guard counting centres 24x7 The EVMs used for voting were already sealed in the strong room at the Navin Mandi Sthal in presence of the leaders of the all the parties on Sunday night, officials said. Additional chief electoral officer BDR Tiwari said the reserved/unused EVMs from Sakaldiha assembly segment in Chandauli arrived late. When the vehicle transporting the EVMs unloaded the EVMs, the leaders and workers of some political parties objected, he said. They were told the EVMs were unused, he said, adding they were taken to the strong room and shown the seal on the door. The district administration officers held a meeting with the leaders of all the political parties to resolve the matter, Tiwari said. Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party MLA Prabhunarayan Yadav, who represents Sakaldiha segment, and a number of Congress and the BSP leaders reached the spot. He alleged that the EVMs were being replaced at the instance of the BJP. The leaders demanded that the EVMs should be kept somewhere else. In Ghazipur, SP-BSP alliance candidate Afzal Ansari staged a demonstration a few metres from the strong room, alleging that EVMs from other districts were being brought there. The administration denied the charge. District election officer K Balaji reached the spot and tried to convince Ansari, telling him that tight security arrangements were in place for the EVMs at the strong room. His allegations had no basis, the officer said. As the district officer rejected his demand, Ansari continued his sit-in. The administration then deployed additional forces at Navin Mandi Sthal. Ansari, along with some leaders and workers of the alliance, continued their the sit-in till late night. Talks were on between him and the administration to resolve the stalemate. Heres one more reason to love Alphonso mangoes: Mango orchards in the Konkan belt absorb carbon dioxide equal to annual emissions from 2.1 million vehicles. These findings were published in a study by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)-Indian Institute Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. The 106,210 hectares of Alphonso mango orchards in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka are helping fight climate change by sequestering 9.913 million tonnes (mt) of carbon annually. This is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emitted from burning 54,084 railway wagons of coal, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agencys greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator. Maharashtra has the most area under mango cultivation and sequesters 9.743 mt of carbon. The information on carbon credit for mango in this environmentally-fragile ecosystem is generated for the first time in this country, said Dr. AN Ganeshamurthy of IIHR, lead author of the paper that was published in May, in the peer-reviewed journal, Current Science. Carbon sequestration is the long-term capture and storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. Growing concentration of carbon dioxide can cause climate change as it traps heat in the atmosphere. There is a lot of discussion on innovative methods to quantify ecological benefits of such plantations and how they absorb carbon, said Anumita Roy Choudhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A: They said if you want to go there, we will support you. If you dont want to go there, well support you. They came to me and told me to make up my mind and stick to it. There was no maybe for a few days and then Id quit. They wanted me to realize the seriousness of it. In the beginning, it was no big deal. But after the first day, it became clear that you have to decide. No matter what you chose, you would be subject to criticism by somebody, but it was my choice. I was the one who wanted the education. I could see no reason why I shouldnt get that education. It was the only logical thing to do. In a first, the University of Mumbai (MU) has allowed a student with a form of learning disability (LD) to take his semester examination on a computer, instead of using pen-and-paper. Kshitij Raimane, a second-year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student at Navinchandra Mehta Institute of Technology and Development (NIMTD), Dadar, has dysgraphia, which makes it difficult for him to write coherently. He will now write six papers of the fourth semester examination as well as six repeat papers of previous semesters on a computer in his college. According to the university, this is the first time such a facility is being extended for an examination conducted by the university, although the university had permitted Kirti College in Dadar to provide a computer to an LD student for an examination conducted by the college. The university decided to provide the facility, after a request from the students mother, said Vinod Malale, deputy registrar (public relations). Dr Madhuri, Kshitijs mother, said she approached the university and college officials, as her son was lagging behind due to his poor writing skills. His writing is not very legible. He cant write long sentences. With each passing class, it became increasingly difficult for him to perform in the examination. Being a postgraduation course, MCA has a vast syllabus and the question paper contains a large number of questions requiring detailed answers, she said. While the state education board and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have been providing various facilities to differently-abled students during their examinations for the past many years, the state, in May 2017, issued a government resolution (GR) providing detailed guidelines for college and university exams. The GR, which had listed 21 different types of disabilities, directed higher education institutes to allow LD students to take the examination on a computer or seek help of a writer. The students can also attempt the examination using audio-video recorders. The 23-year-old has so far sought help of a writer only once during his Class 10 examination. The rules require a writer from a lower class and a different stream of education. Its very difficult to convince someone to be a writer. We opted for computer as Kshitijs typing skills are better than his writing skills, said the mother. Kshitij is glad that he will now be able to write detailed answers. Earlier, I would write my answers in short and the points were not relevant to the questions. As a result, I wouldnt get the desired score. Now, I can write as much as I want in the answer paper. I will also make sure that I attempt all questions, he said. Kshitij and his mother said the university also needs to make teachers aware of the guidelines for assessing papers of students with special needs. While the government has issued guidelines for assessment, not all teachers are aware of them, said the mother. Last year, the MU began stamping papers of students with special needs with the alphabets P-W-D, acronym for person with disability, so that they are identified by the examiners. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Many Game of Thrones fans have described the final season of the hit HBO show as being trash, but not because of the actual trash that keeps making appearances on screen. After a stray Starbucks cup was spotted in an earlier episode, eagle-eyed Game of Thrones fans have spotted plastic water bottles in a couple of different shots in the series finale, The Iron Throne. The water bottles appear in one scene in particular, when Tyrion Lannister seemingly escapes death after the concept of democracy is invented, much to the amusement of the gathered lords and ladies. One of them, Samwell Tarly, appears to have put his water bottle beside his chair. It appears around the 46 minute mark in the episode, which aired to mixed response on Monday morning in India. The second water bottle can be seen under Liam Cunninghams chair a couple of minutes later. Cunningham plays Ser Davos in the fantasy show. Several fans took to Twitter to express disbelief at the fact that HBO could make this sort of mistake again, especially after all the negative attention the Starbucks cup generated. LMAOOO I CANT BREATHE THEY DID IT AGAIN. First Starbucks now a water bottle this show is a joke, one person wrote, alongside a conveniently highlighted screengrab of the Sams bottle. They shouldve made the water bottle king of Westeros, wrote another, perhaps commenting on the scenes purpose, which was to elect a new leader, after the death of Daenerys Targaryen. Are you trying to tell me the 3 eyed raven didnt see this shit coming? All hail Bran the Broken, first of his name, ruler of 6 of the 7 realms, 3 eyes, 2 wheels and 1 water bottle. May his reign be long and recyclable, joked a fan. You can check out more reactions here: LMAOOO I CAN'T BREATHE THEY DID IT AGAIN First Starbucks now a water bottle this show is a joke #GameOfThrones #GameOfThronesFinale #TheFinalEpisode pic.twitter.com/9YaFF8Pnm6 ||GoT Spoilers (@JonxDanyy) May 20, 2019 Are you trying to tell me the 3 eyed raven didnt see this shit coming? All hail Bran the Broken, first of his name, ruler of 6 of the 7 realms, 3 eyes, 2 wheels and 1 water bottle. May his reign be long and recyclable. #GameOfThrones #BranStark pic.twitter.com/dv5sRhvBsl (@bnifoc) May 20, 2019 Even the most important lords of the seven kingdoms need to stay hydrated.#gameofthrones #waterbottle pic.twitter.com/NS22F3SQgV savvyshopaholic (@Savanna39803740) May 20, 2019 THE WATER BOTTLE. THIS IS NOT EVEN FUNNY ANYMORE. Weve had a coffe cup, a cameraman, sneakers, Jamie two handed, Drogon flying alone over KL and now a water bottle. Writing Editing Being the worst GoT departments pic.twitter.com/d6dDpXYsPB C. | that is NOT my canon (@carohuntz) May 20, 2019 It's not just there, I actually found the second water bottle next to Ser Davos. #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/rZHqiWmDU4 Bala Yogesh (@Yo_Bala) May 20, 2019 Youve heard of coffee cup now get ready for plastic water bottle? #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/iZLZ7kx3Xa harman. (@woIgang) May 20, 2019 The Starbucks cup (which wasnt really a Starbucks cup) was spotted on a table in episode four. The official Game of Thrones Twitter account jokingly acknowledged the gaffe: The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea. The official Starbucks account joined in on the fun, writing, TBH were surprised she didnt order a Dragon Drink. Some experts believe that the gaffe generated $1 billion worth of free publicity for Starbucks. Also read: Game of Thrones finale review The Iron Throne: A disappointing end as all prophecies, secrets, plotlines are set on fire HBO digitally erased the cup shortly afterwards without any further announcements. HBO had previously edited out two stray cameramen whod entered the frame in an episode of Westworld. Follow @htshowbiz for more After the initial hiccups, the ongoing 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival managed to throw up some gems. Ladj Lys Le Miserables is an explosive feature that has been inspired by Victor Hugos account of 19th century France with its squalor and poverty and the downtrodden. The movie unfolds in the helmers native Montfermeil where part of the novel was set -- and what a deadly picture it presents. Le Miserables may be predictable in places, but is a damning look at how some of Parisian suburbs have degenerated beyond recognition today. The movie just gripped me with its tightly written script and a narrative style that kept you tied to what was happening to the innumerable characters on the screen. Unfolding on a single day, the film follows a three-member police crime patrol headed by Chris (Alexis Maneti) and his two assistants, Gwada (Djebril Zonga) and Stephane (Damien Bonnard). Basically, Ly tells us how the children on the streets, completely brutalised and hardened by a life of crime, take on the cops in what seems dangerously defiant. Also read | Cannes 2019: Aishwarya Rai looks stunning as she walks the red carpet, poses with daughter Aaradhya. See pics, videos A still from Ladj Lys Le Miserables. As the plot kicks in, we see Issa (Issa Perica) stealing a lion cub from a visiting circus troupe, an act that literally starts a gang war. The policemen step in, but when Gwada fires a flash-ball gun that nearly blinds Issa, the situation gets out of hand. And recording all this with the help of a drone is a little boy, and the cops feel that that they have to somehow get the footage, which can be telling and leave them vulnerable. What follows is a free-for-all with thugs and street urchins and policemen getting into a battle. The other title that was as powerful was Ken Loachs Sorry, We Missed You. The British master was returning to Cannes three years after winning the Palm dOr for his I, Daniel Blake. Earlier, he had given us works as hard-hitting at The Wind That Shakes the Barley and Bread and Roses. Ken Loachs Sorry, We Missed You tells the story of a working class family at the mercy of corporates. This time, Loach knocked me out with Sorry, We Missed You. A movie that most Indians living in cities can identify with, Loachs work is about the sheer cruelty of the corporate world and how it humiliates and tortures the men and women working here. We in India have seen the way food delivery boys zig zag on our killer streets trying to keep insanely unreal deadlines. In Loachs England, the picture is as bleak. At 82, he is still as angry as he was in his younger days. His latest outing, Sorry, We Missed You, is a painful look at the struggles of the working class living amidst corporate cruelty. This film is an apt companion piece to I, Daniel Blake, which spoke about the unfairness of the welfare system in the UK. Sorry, We Missed You is even more disturbing, because it focusses on the relatively young people in contrast to Blake that spoke about the ageing class. And Loachs open ending could not have hit me harder, and an ace Indian director like Rajiv Menon (whose Sarvam Thala Mayam caused waves recently and can be still seen on Netflix), told me soon after the screening of Sorry, We Missed You that he openly wept during the movie. Loachs world is simple, and he goes about showing it in all its earnestness. Rick (Kris Hitchen) and Aby (Debbie Honeywood) is an ordinary couple, and they love each other and their two children - 11-year-old Liza Jane (Katie Proctor) and her older brother, Seb (Rhys Stone), just 15. Having just lost his job in a construction company soon after the global banking crisis a decade earlier, Rick thinks he strikes gold when he lands a job in a busy parcel delivery depot. His boss, Maloney (Ross Brewster), is a difficult taskmaster, who would never hear a reason for a slip-up, and Rick finds the delivery deadlines almost impossible to keep. Yet, he struggles on, for want of a choice. Abby is a caregiver, working long hours tending to the old and sick, who are often rude and unreasonable. But soon enough, the strain of their workload begins to tell, and when Seb begins to misbehave in school, typical of a teenager, cracks appear in the family. Ricks life and his mounting debts that drown his earlier optimism (which drives Abby to sell her car so that Rick can but a delivery van, a precondition for his job) may be seen as running as parallel to many of the drivers in India who operate call taxis. Having spent huge amounts in buying cars in the hope that the assignment would fetch them handsome rewards, the drivers soon realise that they themselves have been taken for a ride - much like Rick. Loach underlines the horrors of the system - sometimes sweetly, sometimes strongly. And they are shattering. A police officer gives a pep talk to Seb when he is caught shoplifting, telling him to treat the incident as motivation to change his lifestyle. Later, when Maloney gets rude and unreasonable over the phone after Rick is injured in a gang attack, Abby gives the manager an earful, firmly putting him in his place. (Gautaman Bhaskaran has been covering the Cannes Film Festival close to three decades.) Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdoms energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isnt looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. He also tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers two of them Saudi were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests, al-Jubeir told reporters. On Sunday night, the US military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no U.S. or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the US Embassy. The spokesman said that attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner and added that the US will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces. Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Trump tweeted. A senior Iranian military commander was quoted as saying his country is not looking for war, in comments published in Iranian media on Sunday. Fears of armed conflict were already running high after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The US also has ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Trump had appeared to soften his tone in recent days, saying he expected Iran to seek negotiations with his administration. Asked on Thursday if the US might be on a path to war with Iran, the president answered, I hope not. Sunday nights apparent rocket attack was the first such incident since September, when three mortar shells landed in an abandoned lot inside the Green Zone. Iraqi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that a Katyusha rocket fell near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the US Embassy. He said that the military was investigating the cause but that the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. As tensions escalate between the US and Iran, there have been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle , just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 US troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those US forces to leave. The US Navy said Sunday it had conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with the aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the region to counter the unspecified threat from Iran. The Navy said the exercises and training were conducted Friday and Saturday with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the US Marine Corps, highlighting US lethality and agility to respond to threat, as well as to deter conflict and preserve US strategic interests. The current tensions are rooted in Trumps decision last year to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and impose wide-reaching sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports that are crucial to its economy. Iran has said it would resume enriching uranium at higher levels if a new nuclear deal is not reached by July 7. That would potentially bring it closer to being able to develop a nuclear weapon, something Iran insists it has never sought. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn donned a patka and served food during langar at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Southall on Sunday as part of campaigning for the May 23 elections to the European Parliament, and reiterated promises to the Sikh community. Accompanied by shadow chancellor John McDonnell, Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma, Slough MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and others, Corbyn reiterated the partys promise that in power it would formally apologise for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. An image of Corbyn at the gurdwara occupied most of the front page of The Guardian on Monday, with the title Day of spirituality and hard-nosed politics. Veerendra Sharma told the gathering: May 23 is the day when you decide to leave or stay in the European Union. I am totally in favour of remaining in the EU because that is best for the UK economy. Labour can play a major part in consolidating the Remain position. Corbyn also visited the Regents Park mosque during the day and broke fast, following the practice in recent elections of leading British politicians visiting Hindu temples, gurdwaras and mosques to woo the increasingly influential vote of the British Asian community. Besides the issue of an apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Corbyn and other speakers spoke about Labours commitment in the 2017 manifesto to set up an independent inquiry into the UKs role in the 1984 Operation Bluestar. Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill has also been seeking cross-party support for a separate Sikh ethnic tick box in the 2021 Census, a demand that has so far been resisted by the Office for National Statistics. Campaign group Sikh Federation (UK) said McDonnell announced during the visit that the Labour leadership will meet Sikh organisations with grassroots support to help formulate Labours next election manifesto. Corbyn interacted with devotees during the visit, while speakers included Onkar Singh Sahota (member of the London Assembly), Seema Malhotra (Labour MP), and Neena Gill and Claude Moraes MEP (both members of the European Parliament), who are candidates in the May 23 elections. Also read | PM Theresa Mays offer of new bold Brexit deal prompts scepticism SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Washington, May 19, 2019 (AFP) - President Donald Trump issued an ominous warning to Iran on Sunday, suggesting that if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise as the United States has deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian threats. This account has been met with widespread skepticism outside the United States. The White House has sent mixed signals in recent days, amid multiple US media reports of infighting in Trumps cabinet over how hard to push Washingtons arch foe Iran. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers to the region. On Sunday, a Katyusha rocket was fired into Baghdads Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. According to US media reports, Trumps long-hawkish national security advisor John Bolton is pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Trump himself said recently that he has to temper Bolton. Also read: The world agrees with Donald Trump on one thing when it comes to Iran Irans foreign minister downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region on Saturday, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the illusion the Islamic republic could be confronted. We are certain... there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region, Mohammad Javad Zarif told state-run news agency IRNA at the end of a visit to China. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. Saudi Arabia called Sunday for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions, saying that it does not want war with Iran but is ready to defend itself. It comes days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. King Salman invited Gulf leaders and Arab League member states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent aggressions and their consequences, the kingdoms official SPA news agency reported late Saturday. Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it, he said. But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests. Also read: Jobs, not family ties, key to US immigration The kingdoms regional allies welcomed the Saudi invitation. The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry said the current critical circumstances require a unified Arab and Gulf stance. Oil producing countries met Sunday in Saudi Arabia to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid the rising US-Iran tensions, which threaten to disrupt global supply. Oil supplies are sufficient and stockpiles still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said at the meeting in Jeddah. Childish regimes Qatar Sunday weighed in on the escalating tensions, saying it did not believe the US or Iran wanted a war in the region. US President Donald Trump has said he does not want war, and I do not think Iran wants war or instability in the region, minister of state for foreign affairs Sultan al-Muraikhi told AFP on the sidelines of a Qatar Fund for Development briefing. I think if we move away from the childish regimes in the region, all troubles will be settled. Muraikhi said Doha -- which remains isolated by neighbouring former allies in a long-running diplomatic dispute -- has not yet received a formal invitation to either meeting. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt are among the countries that cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 over accusations it supports terrorism and seeks closer ties with Tehran. Four ships including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAEs Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital maritime route for oil exports which Iran has threatened to close in the event of a war. That incident was followed by drone strikes Tuesday claimed by Yemens Iran-aligned rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline built as an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz were to be closed. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting the security of oil supplies... and the global economy. Also read | As Donald Trump warns Iran, Saudis say they will defend themselves US Senator Kamala Harris, one of two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, on Monday proposed closing the gender pay gap by requiring companies to disclose pay data and secure an equal pay certification or be fined. Harris proposal aims to shift the burden from workers, who now must prove pay discrimination by employers, to corporations, which would have to show they eliminated pay disparities between men and women doing work of equal value. In 2017, full-time, year-round working women earned 80% of what male counterparts earned, the US Census Bureau says, and minority women earned even less. At a college rally in Los Angeles on Sunday, Harris decried the pay gap between men and women. This has got to end, she said, to audience cheers. Harris said her plan would incentivize corporations to close the pay gap, because There will be penalties if they dont. Under Harris proposal, which would require approval by the US Congress, companies with 100 or more employees would give their pay data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They would also have to prove existing pay gaps were not based on gender but merit, performance or seniority, and commit to policies barring mandatory arbitration pacts for job disputes and questions about salary history during hiring. Companies falling short of the criteria would be fined 1% of their profits for every 1% wage gap found after adjusting for variables such as experience and performance. Harris campaign said it estimated the plan would generate $180 billion over a decade, with revenue falling as new pay policies are adopted. The fines would go to offset the cost of universal paid family and medical leave policies she backs. In an acknowledgement that implementing such legislation would be difficult, if not impossible, if Democrats did not also maintain control of the House of Representatives and win control of the Senate, Harris outlined how she would use the presidents executive authority to force companies competing for federal contracts worth $500,000 or more to obtain the certification. Harris campaign said 28 million US workers would be covered by such executive action. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) A Sri Lankan parliament official was among six people arrested for their alleged links to the banned Islamist extremist group, National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ), which carried out the deadly suicide attacks on Easter Sunday, a senior police official said on Monday. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing more than 250 people. The ISIS claimed the attacks, but the government blamed NTJ for the bombings. Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told the media that initially three suspects had been apprehended after a NTJ training facility was discovered at a coconut estate upon a tip-off received by the Kurunegala Police. Gunasekara said the suspects, which included the land owner, were arrested on May 9 and have been remanded until May 24 after being produced before a court. Details pertaining to two more individuals including that of a Kurunegala hospital staffer had emerged following questioning of the three suspects. Gunasekara said several cheques had been discovered in the possession of the hospital staffer. Investigations had also revealed that cash deposits had been made to the suspects bank account from various places. Following the questioning of the two suspects, police arrested an individual in the Alawathugoda area last Saturday. This suspect was identified as an employee of the Parliament Hansard Department, Gunasekara said. The man had been employed at parliament over the last 12 years. He has been found to be a main preacher of the NTJ and had conducted NTJ preaching all over the island, he said. The northwestern Kurunegala police arrested him and a detention order for 90 days was obtained for his questioning, he added. The 42-year-old suspect is a father of two children and a resident of Alawatugoda in the central district of Kandy. Sri Lanka banned the NTJ after the deadly attacks and arrested over 100 people in connection with the Easter blasts, which killed over 250 people including foreigners. The opposition JVP said on Monday that they would be moving a parliamentary motion of no trust against the government over its failure to prevent the Easter attacks. The government failed in its duty to protect the people despite the availability of intelligence on the possibility of the attack, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) My first and second transplants, I was very, very sick going into them, and this time, Im a lot more healthy, so I can actually think about it, and I can actually freak out about it. They say the third time is a lot more risky theres going to be a lot of scar tissue, theres going to be more bleeding, and the surgery is just very rare. Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant. The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a US extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and US extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. The request added there was an aggravating circumstance because Assange didnt use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Swedens center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. A police officer who heard the womens accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK, Persson said in a statement. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today Rain showers this morning with mostly cloudy conditions during the afternoon hours. High 51F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low around 40F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Now Open 20 May 2019 Best Western Hotels & Resorts this week celebrated the Canadian arrival of its modern and energetic boutique brand, GLo. This is the first GLo hotel to begin welcoming guests in Canada. An opening event was held to celebrate the innovative brand's arrival with brand executives, local dignitaries, friends and families. GLo offers an iconic experience that connects guests with state-of-the-art technology and modernized designs. Designed with today's traveler in mind, the addition of digital keys, a digital concierge, and communal workspaces position the GLo brand as a powerful innovator in the growing upper-midscale market. Already open in Asheville, North Carolina and DeSoto, Texas, GLo hotels are set to light up premier destinations across North America including Brooklyn, New York and Nashville, Tennessee. Travelers will immediately be drawn to the warmth of GLo Kanata Ottawa West with its welcoming lobby for unwinding or networking with colleagues and friends, meeting space, state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center, and guestrooms uniquely designed with a contemporary ambiance. Guests will wake refreshed after a restful sleep on gel-topped signature mattresses, enjoy stylish bath amenities and start their day with a complimentary full hot breakfast. Located in the capital city of Canada, just a few miles away from the Canadian Tire Center, home to the NHL's Ottawa Senators, this 69-room property is ideal for travelers visiting for sporting events and concerts. The boutique hotel is also in close range to the downtown area, where travelers can indulge in an array of activities such as shopping, nightlife, and dining. Guests are a short ride away from the Rideau Canal, Parliament Hill, Canadian Museum of History and ByWard Market, popular must-sees in the area. Ottawa is a suburban area with grand Victorian architecture and museums ideal for this upper-midscale brand, which has a strong pipeline of properties in secondary markets, complementing the urban locations of its sister brand, Vib. The group, like al-Qaida in the past, has sought to undermine the Al Saud royal family's legitimacy, which is rooted in part in its claim to implement Islamic Shariah law and to be the protectors of Islam's most sacred sites in Mecca and Medina that are at the center of hajj. Now Open 20 May 2019 Take a stroll along the Riverwalk and the impressive eight-story building can be seen from about a mile away, its rooftop terrace towering over the Manatee River. Walk west past the beach volleyball courts, the outdoor living rooms, the fishing pier and, just as you reach the splash pad and playground, the sign on the building comes into focus: SpringHill Suites. The same sign, illuminated at night along with LED lights glowing from the rooftop, will be seen as drivers traverse either the DeSoto or Green Bridge on their way across the Manatee River to The Friendly City. The most highly anticipated downtown Bradenton opening since Riverwalk debuted in 2012, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott will welcome its first guests at 3 p.m. Friday. Cocco's company North Star Lodging Management, based in Pittsburgh, with its partner NDC Construction in Bradenton, developed and constructed the 131-room, custom, high-rise hotel with the rooftop swimming pool, bar and lounge area. Visiting from his native Pennsylvania, Cocco originally thought the space, formerly occupied by the Manatee Players Riverfront Theater, didn't provide enough room, but then he recalled the adjacent parking lot. City leaders cooperated, and soon hotel guests will enjoy complimentary parking in the first floor of the new parking garage in the heart of downtown Bradenton. Locals will then be able to enjoy the rooftop bar and first-floor restaurant that Sarasota-based Oak & Stone hopes to have completed later this summer. The suites, each with a refrigerator and microwave, start at $149 a night. There are also two 700-square foot executive suites and plenty of balcony rooms as well as docking options for boaters at Twin Dolphin Marina. In addition to the rooftop pool and bar, amenities include a fitness facility, complimentary Wi-Fi, a free hot breakfast, and fully equipped business center. The main attraction, though, is the location. SpringHill Suites is right by Bradenton Riverwalk, with a mural reminding guests of its presence painted near the hotel entrance, and the newly renamed Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, which plans to open the Mosaic Backyard Universe for children in its North Education Center this summer. Then there are all the nearby downtown Bradenton restaurants as well the Manatee Performing Arts Center, the Village of the Arts and LECOM Park, home to the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training games. There's Anna Maria Island, too, with all its beautiful beaches and charming restaurants, about eight miles away. To give guests the best Bradenton experience, SpringHill Suites has put a premium on hiring people who know and love the area. Now Open 20 May 2019 Radisson Hospitality AB, part of Radisson Hotel Group, is proud to announce the opening of a new addition to the group's premium lifestyle brand - reserved for its most outstanding properties. The Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw has opened its doors in the heart of the Polish capital to offer unique guest experiences through its exceptional interior design and guest amenities. This opening follows a remarkable transformation of the hotel, with major capital investment going into the project to upgrade and rebrand the former Radisson Blu property. Today, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw features 311 rooms and suites, a significantly upgraded modern lobby, lounge and open-plan communal areas - as well as a restaurant venue. The design changes were inspired by the philosophy of Radisson Collection. Each property has a character that feels authentic to its location and offers the ultimate template for contemporary living - united by modern design and exceptional experiences. The new hotel lobby has been restyled to provide a flexible space that is adaptable to its different users. From the working area to the bar and an excellent variety of restaurants, the communal areas provide guests with magnetic social spaces.The hotel property also offers a well-equipped gym and a spa, including a swimming pool and sauna to relax after a busy day. Every single guest room and suite has undergone extensive renovation work to bring the philosophy of Radisson Collection to life. Guests can choose from romantic vistas of the city in upper floor rooms or opt for one of the elegantly appointed suites to indulge in the best that the city has to offer. The hotel is the ideal venue for meetings, intimate social events or memorable weddings. Boasting more than 590sqm of chic spaces, it hosts up to 400 delegates, while delivering outstanding service and attention to detail. Situated in Warsaw's business district, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw is close to the city's Financial Center and the eye-catching Rondo ONZ Tower - making it an ideal base from which to attend meetings. For leisure visitors, there's an abundance of historical and cultural attractions nearby, including the Jewish Ghetto and Roma Theater - both within 2km of the hotel. The hotel also benefits from excellent transport links, with Warsaw Chopin Airport only 25 minutes away and the newly renovated Central Railway Station just 1km away. This provides convenient access to other Polish cities as well as major business hubs such as Berlin, Paris, London and Rome. Appointment 20 May 2019 Eric Manning returns to InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) as Director of Sales & Marketing for InterContinental San Diego where he will lead group sales efforts for the hotel's 400 rooms and 95,000 square feet of meeting and event space. A longstanding San Diego resident, Manning began his hospitality career in 2003 as Sales Manager for Evans Hotels and later dedicated seven years to leading the Kimpton Solamar (an IHG property) sales team towards new successes. Most recently, Manning served as the Director of Sales & Marketing for Omni Hotels & Resorts in San Diego. Now with over 15 years of professional experience, he brings strong sales leadership and extensive local market expertise to the InterContinental San Diego team, with a primary focus on driving top line revenues and building client loyalty. Manning was born and raised in San Jose, Calif., where he attended San Jose State University. Appointment 20 May 2019 Airbnb's mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. To advance our mission, we are focused on reimagining travel by building an end-to-end travel platform that combines where you stay, what you do, and how you get there, all in one place. To achieve this goal, we must have a Board of Directors that helps us implement this vision and institutionalize our intentions. That is why we are proud to announce that Angela Ahrendts has joined Airbnb's Board of Directors as our third independent non-affiliated Board Member, joining Ken Chenault and Ann Mather. A world-renowned leader in the retail space, Angela brings to the Board a profound creativity, enormous expertise in scaled services, and a passion for building community among customers. For the past five years, she oversaw global retail at Apple, creating a seamless customer experience designed to foster greater human connection by integrating the company's physical and digital businesses across its online store, app and more than 500 retail stores in 25 countries. Under her leadership, the Today at Apple program turned stores into gathering places, reshaping Apple's retail experience to inspire community and unlock creativity. Prior to Apple, Angela spent eight years as CEO for luxury brand Burberry, one of the most coveted and iconic brands in the fashion industry. She led the company's turnaround by focusing on world-class design and service and emphasizing culture, values and positive energy, resulting in a tripling of the business. Throughout Burberry's resurgence, she was committed to giving back to the community, creating the Burberry Foundation that dedicated one percent of the company's profits towards programs that unlock the creative thinking of children. Before Burberry, Angela spent 25 years in New York as Executive Vice President at Liz Claiborne Inc., and earlier in her career as President of Donna Karan International. A native of Indiana, Angela has a B.A. from Ball State University where she was awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters in 2010. She was also a member of the UK's Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council from 2010 to 2015, and named Honorary Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2014. Appointment 20 May 2019 In addition to her current position as commercial director, as of 17 May Femke Groeneveld-Weller (52) will also assume the role of deputy general manager and will consequently have a different position in the management team. After gaining more than 20 years of experience in the international hotel sector, Femke Groeneveld-Weller joined Hotel Okura Amsterdam in 2009 to continue her career in the hospitality industry. She initially joined our hotel in the position of director of conferences & events, before being appointed as commercial director with responsibility for the hotel's commercial strategy in 2011. In her new role, Femke will remain responsible for the hotel's commercial departments, while taking on the additional role of acting general manager in the absence of general manager Michiel Roelfsema. Supplier News 20 May 2019 Leading hotel representation, sales, marketing and distribution provider HotelREZ deepens its successful two year partnership with leading hospitality business Dorint Hotels & Resorts, based in Germany, hosting their private-label chain code, DO, for Dorint on the Global Distribution System (GDS). HotelREZ has supplied full service GDS representation, a booking engine REZbooker together with a fully interfaced channel manager and PMS platform to the prestigious German hotel group for two years. The continuing partnership sees HotelREZ manage the brand's distribution via a dedicated private GDS chain code, DO for Dorint, allowing the hotel group's 60 properties to gain instant access to over half a million travel agents and OTA partners globally. Dorint Hotels & Resorts will continue to benefit from HotelREZ's extensive list of services, including ticketed service delivery support, corporate RFP lead generation, pay-on-performance access to TMC's and consortia, as well as access to worldwide agency preferred partnership agreements. The prestigious German hotel brand, Dorint Hotels & Resorts, celebrates 60 successful years in the hotel industry. Dorint has a strong reputation for high quality and exceptional service. Plans for this significant anniversary include the launch of two new brands. Hommage, a highly anticipated exciting five (5) star collection of luxury hotels in Germany, and Essential will meet the growing demand for great quality three (3) star hotel stays, offering a home away from home with comfort and service all from the renowned Dorint stable. Its work with HotelREZ is to target business and leisure travellers using the best distribution platforms and systems available in the marketplace. Mark Lewis, CEO, HotelREZ, commented: "We are thrilled to continue to support Dorint Hotels & Resorts at such an exciting time for its business and brands. Their confidence in HotelREZ is a point of pride for the team here and we not only wish them great success with their 60 year anniversary, but we are delighted to see their hotel portfolio grow with the addition of Hommage and Essential this year. We are pleased to see this successful German hotel brand take advantage of our new chain code, which will give their brands greater visibility and our bookers easier access to Dorint's portfolio of wonderful properties." To learn more about HotelREZ, please visit HotelREZ.com. Supplier News 20 May 2019 Exhibiting for 12 yearscheck, company President that is a 14-year member and current Chapter Presidentcheck, Alright, there simply isn't enough room in one press release to tell you about VENZA's long relationship with HFTP, we guess it was just a matter of time before our relationship shifted from member/exhibitor to vendor. VENZA could not be prouder to announce its new relationship as a vendor for HFTP providing our Matterhorn program as well as our HR Suite of training. HFTP will be using VENZA's InfoSec Awareness Program (PCI/PII/GDPR) training their "human firewall" to protect against data breaches. In addition, HFTP will also be taking advantage of a suite of courses specific to HR needs within the hospitality industry including Sexual Harassment Prevention, Diversity/Guest Relations, Anti-Bribery, Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use. While HFTP serves an international membership in several offices across the globe from its headquarters in Austin, TX, VENZA will be specifically tasked with serving the US and International corporate staff, student members totaling 550 students in 10 student chapters, 10 Universities (including the University of Central Florida, Cornell University and and all non-student chapter affiliated members as well. With 67 years-worth of member information to protect, any and all organizations, non-profit or for-profit, must do what they can to be good stewards of personal data; with the changing views of data privacy, advances in technology and the dangers of data misuse, HFTP is working to keep pace. It has been a leader by starting groups like the Hospitality Data Protection Officer (HDPO) & GDPR Task Force. HFTP led the way by organizing 23 hospitality industry experts (of which Daniel Johnson, Partner/Co-Founder of VENZA is an appointed member) and tasking them with developing hospitality-specific guidelines to assist with GDPR compliance. The importance of data privacy has been common ground between VENZA and HFTP. The two organizations are challenging the hospitality industry to make operational changes to conform with data privacy regulation compliance. "The hospitality industry accounts for over 10% of the total data breaches in the last year and beyond our current security posture we will be using VENZA's training program to reinforce our staff's knowledge of data privacy," said Thomas Atzenhofer, CFO with HFTP. "VENZA is excited to start this new chapter of our long-standing relationship with HFTP", said Josh Bergen, President of VENZA. "We look keeping their members and staff updated with the latest strategies in privacy regulation compliance as well as human resources training," said Bergen. VENZA doesn't see this as a move to becoming just another vendor for HFTP but a way to further reinforce an already great relationship with this trusted organization. About HFTP Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in Hong Kong, United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Dubai. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and conferences/events such as HITEC. HFTP also owns the world's only hospitality-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. For more information about HFTP, email [email protected] or download the HFTP/HITEC media kit via the HFTP website. Read industry updates on the suite of HFTP hospitality news sites: HITEC Bytes, Club Bytes, Finance Bytes and HFTP News. Supplier News 20 May 2019 As the hospitality industry's guide in today's ever more treacherous journey toward data protection, VENZA has always sought to provide up-to-date expertise and tools to achieve, assess, track and document progress. For example, during VENZA's central involvement in HTNG's GDPR for Hospitality workgroup, close attention was given to the unique needs that hotel groups have with regards to privacy regulations (i.e. GDPR, CCPA). As a result, VENZA launched a program that includes access to the Privacy Nexus privacy management system. Flush with multiple functionalities to facilitate compliance (e.g. Data Inventory, Data Subject Request Management, Incident & Breach Management, 3rd Party Management), through the partnership with VENZA, Privacy Nexus is equipped with templates for hotel systems and processings. These templates, along with the always-welcome assistance of VENZA's on-staff Privacy Engineers, ensure maximum meaningful application of the system. "Consisting of a team of privacy consultants and software experts, working with Privacy Nexus makes good sense for any organization seeking to satisfy their privacy regulation responsibilities", says Renske Nouwens, Privacy Nexus's Commercial Director. "By combining our team with VENZA's hospitality-industry expertise, we've achieved a product that can deliver value soon after rollout." Privacy Company (parent to Privacy Nexus) Director, Frank Koppejan, added, "We seek to make sure that our products are designed to make privacy as practical and easy as possible. When it comes to hospitality, I cannot imagine a partnership better suited to deliver against that goal than working with VENZA." "Our singular focus is to assemble a suite of resources, from corporate to on-property, tech stack to culture, for an industry hungry to protect data and demonstrate a commitment to privacy," said Daniel Johnson, Partner/Co-Founder of VENZA. "Our close collaboration with the Privacy Nexus team, who just happens to be located a little less than one kilometer from VENZA's Dutch office, has been and continues to be the epitome of effective teamwork." In addition to serving as a vehicle for privacy regulation compliance, studies show that generating thorough processing inventories and other required activities can lead to significant additional organizational benefits. Not least of which, GDPR compliance has shown to reduce data breach risk by 15%. Compliance is a journey and as your guide, VENZA and their partners (e.g. Privacy Nexus) aim to ensure that hoteliers reap the maximum benefits from their very necessary investment in data protection. About Privacy Nexus Privacy Nexus is a privacy-management software tool (SaaS) proudly presented by Privacy Company. We offer a complete portfolio of privacy-consultancy and privacy-management software. Privacy Company is a privately held company, with offices in The Hague and in Berlin. As a team, with more than 100 years of privacy experience, we strive for privacy innovation by sharing knowledge to make privacy and data protection clear and easy for everyone. We serve customers, with a local as well as a global footprint, with privacy regulation implementations in different types of industries. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser U.S. hotel industrywide house profit reached $80 billion in 2018 even as labor costs increased at a higher rate than revenues. Results from STRs 2019 HOST Almanac show that U.S. hotel industrywide house profit reached a record-breaking $80 billion in 2018 even as labor costs grew at a higher rate than revenues. STRs HOST (Hotel Operating Statistics) P&L program compiles data from more than 10,000 hotels annually. Those properties comprise more than 2.3 million rooms around the globe. U.S. revenues topped an estimated $218 billion in 2018, which was an increase of $10 billion from the previous year. Just like the industrywide house profit, the total revenue figure was an all-time high for the industry. Using a same-story analysis for 4,700 hotels that participated in the HOST program in both 2018 and 2017, total labor costs grew 3.2%, which was below the 4.0% growth levels of 2016 and 2015, but higher than revenue growth for the second straight year. Overall, gross operating profits (GOP) increased 2.8% on 2.9% total revenue growth. Although expenses continued to outpace revenue in terms of growth, 2018 produced stronger profits than expected. said Joseph Rael, STR senior director of consulting & analytics. As weve noted in recent performance results, maintaining profitability will be a challenge moving forward with flattening occupancy levels, diminished pricing confidence and low unemployment creating a smaller talent pool and higher wages. Full-service hotels grew house profit 3.2%, while limited-service properties experienced a slight profit increase of 1.1% from levels achieved in 2017. Among the class segments, Luxury hotels achieved the greatest profit increase (+5.3%), while Midscale/Economy saw a profit decline of 0.5%. For the fifth year in a row, miscellaneous income (including resort and cancellation fees) led all revenue departments with 11.3% growth, which is the largest increase in miscellaneous income among the last five years. Top Markets For the second consecutive year, STR modeled industry profitability for all U.S. hotels to cover industrywide departmental revenues and expenses as well as individual segments and markets. Based on the model, STR estimated total U.S. F&B revenues of $40 billion (up $2 billion from 2017), other department revenues of $7 billion and miscellaneous income of $6 billion. Las Vegas led all markets with nearly $14 billion in total revenue (excluding gaming), while New York City ranked second at $12 billion. Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Orlando rounded out the top five with total revenue all in excess of $6 billion. 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 Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Police and paramedics were called to the 4600 block of South Fairfield Avenue in Brighton Park around 2:30 a.m. and found the girl with gunshot wounds to her right foot and left shin, according to police. This opening follows a transformation of the hotel, with major capital investment going into the project to upgrade and rebrand the former Radisson Blu property. The Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw has opened its doors in the heart of the Polish capital to offer unique guest experiences through its exceptional interior design and guest amenities. This opening follows a transformation of the hotel, with major capital investment going into the project to upgrade and rebrand the former Radisson Blu property. Today, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw features 311 rooms and suites, a significantly upgraded modern lobby, lounge and open-plan communal areas as well as a restaurant venue. Yilmaz Yildirimlar, Area Senior Vice President, Central & Southern Europe, said: "Warsaw represents a dynamic business city it is a vibrant and diversifying place and we are extremely proud of our Polish debut for the Radisson Collection. Within a very short time, we have accomplished a massive transformation of the hotel, in which guest rooms and public spaces were completely redesigned. The refurbishment and rebranding represent a key step in the development of the property in line with the Radisson Hotel Group brand strategy. We look forward to welcoming business and leisure guests from around the world." The design changes were inspired by the philosophy of Radisson Collection. Each property has a character that feels authentic to its location and offers the ultimate template for contemporary living united by modern design and exceptional experiences. The new hotel lobby has been restyled to provide a flexible space that is adaptable to its different users. From the working area to the bar and an excellent variety of restaurants, the communal areas provide guests with magnetic social spaces.The hotel property also offers a well-equipped gym and a spa, including a swimming pool and sauna to relax after a busy day. Every single guest room and suite has undergone extensive renovation work to bring the philosophy of Radisson Collection to life. Guests can choose from romantic vistas of the city in upper floor rooms or opt for one of the elegantly appointed suites to indulge in the best that the city has to offer. The hotel is the ideal venue for meetings, intimate social events or memorable weddings. Boasting more than 590sqm of chic spaces, it hosts up to 400 delegates, while delivering outstanding service and attention to detail. Marco Eichhorn, General Manager, Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw, said: "Poland's capital impresses with its history and eye-catching architecture, and we're looking forward to our guests experiencing our finest new design details with truly memorable stays. I'll bring my experience in different markets to my new role as General Manager in Warsaw and look forward to working with my passionate hotel team." Situated in Warsaw's business district, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw is close to the city's Financial Center and the eye-catching Rondo ONZ Tower making it an ideal base from which to attend meetings. For leisure visitors, there's an abundance of historical and cultural attractions nearby, including the Jewish Ghetto and Roma Theater both within 2km of the hotel. The hotel also benefits from excellent transport links, with Warsaw Chopin Airport only 25 minutes away and the newly renovated Central Railway Station just 1km away. This provides convenient access to other Polish cities as well as major business hubs such as Berlin, Paris, London and Rome. James Pennington, Director at Europa Capital, commented: "This major refurbishment program has been delivered to business plan and timeline and we are delighted with the result. The newly refurbished Radisson Collection Hotel, Warsaw is a modern, fit-for-purpose hotel that will meet the demand for premium accommodation from the city's growing number of business travelers and tourists." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Harris Bay announces the ARTISTA HOTEL, a lifestyle and art-centric boutique hotel along the world-famous San Antonio Riverwalk. The hotel site was purchased in late April 2019 and will be transformed into a new 112-room boutique hotel. Harris Bay announces the ARTISTA HOTEL, a lifestyle and art-centric boutique hotel along the world-famous San Antonio Riverwalk. The hotel site was purchased in late April 2019 and will be transformed into a new 112-room boutique hotel with a focus on celebrating the contributions of the creative community, both local and beyond. At its core, the design concept is driven by an experiential encounter with the artistic, cultural and maker communities. The ARTISTA HOTEL will focus on authentic local culture, a genuine appreciation for design, and unique experiences that connect a community of travelers through a hotel that defies the conventional notions of luxury. The hotel will feature many unique artisan crafted pieces like furniture, ceramics, murals, audio and visual displays, and many others. ARTISTA HOTEL is more than just a place to hang your hat while visiting San Antonio. It is a place where visitors hangout alongside locals, featuring a lobby that is open to all and a vibrant restaurant and bar scene that offers all day eating and drinking. Whether you are looking for a spot to co-work with a coffee, grab a locally distilled cocktail or chow down on a delicious chef-inspired meal, ARTISTA HOTEL has you covered. Jake Harris, Managing Partner of the private equity group Harris Bay, has noted that the economic development program of Opportunity Zones played a major factor in the decision to pursue the project. Nationally, we dont see people paying attention to what is happening on the horizon for Downtown San Antonio with USAA, Frost Tower, San Pedro project and UTSA campus as just a few. But, with Opportunity Zone investment we could take a longer lens focus on the city and felt that a downtown lifestyle boutique was underrepresented in one of the top tourism cities in the world. CREO, a San Antonio based architectural firm, will be the lead designer on the project and will be exploring some unique design and program features including bunkrooms replacing some of the traditional suites. Kris Feldmann Design Principal at CREO said, This project is an opportunity to create a destination for locals and visitors that share a common pursuit of unique experience, artistic inspiration, and a realization that every day and night calls us to live life to the fullest. 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 Whitleys renovation includes a redesign of all 507 rooms (including 56 spacious suites) and a remodeled reception and lobby area that reflects a traditional Southern front porch. All eyes will be set on Atlanta this June as The Whitley, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Atlanta Buckhead, owned by Host Hotels & Resorts, officially unveils its multi-million-dollar transformation to reclaim the hotels standing amongst the most luxurious hotels in the country. The Whitleys renovation includes a redesign of all 507 rooms (including 56 spacious suites) and a remodeled reception and lobby area that reflects a traditional Southern front porch. In addition, a 5,000-square-foot Legacy Ballroom has been recently added with space for 300 guests, Trade Root Restaurant and Lounge has been renovated and its menu updated to include more Southern-inspired dishes and handcrafted cocktails, and The Spa is being restored to enhance the guest experience with the addition of a Himalayan salt room and expanded dressing areas. Located in Atlantas coveted Buckhead neighborhood, a hub for world-class shopping, art galleries, and live performances, The Whitley began renovations in Fall 2018 which will debut in June 2019. Formerly The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, the hotel reopened its doors in late 2017 as The Whitley, paying homage to Buckheads legendary founder and trailblazer, John Whitley, a farmer, hunter, and tradesman who migrated to the area in the 1800s seeking a place for gathering, conducting business, and sharing ideas. Whitley settled on the side of the Chattahoochee River where he mounted the areas namesake bucks head. The Whitleys stunning transformation reinforces The Luxury Collections commitment to restoring iconic hotels in the U.S. and across the globe, said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection. We are thrilled to deliver enhanced accommodations and public spaces while still allowing guests to experience the authenticity of one of Atlantas most storied cities. The Whitley will set a new benchmark for luxury in chic Southern style, said Michael Miner, Senior Vice President of Operations, HEI Hotels & Resorts. The hotel offers a contemporary respite for world travelers and locals alike while paying homage to the area, steeped in rich heritage and Atlantas authentic charm. The Whitley Lobby Greets Guests with Southern Hospitality Visitors seeking a break from the buzzing energy of Buckhead will be greeted like neighbors when they step inside The Whitley. The expanded lobby includes millwork panels and a blue ceiling above the registration desks modeled after a Southern home in addition to areas for reading, learning, relaxing or mingling. These designated areas include: the Hearth Lounge, where guests can share the days news with a drink by the fire; the Front Porch Lounge, symbolic of quintessential Southern hospitality and sense of community; the Explorers Library, filled with unique artifacts and literature detailing the local history; and the Sanctuary Lounge, a cozy, chic sitting area with a life-size buck sculpture by local artist Kevin Chambers. Advertisement The Whitleys Design Concept Captures Nature with Indigenous Flair In re-envisioning the new Whitley, the Boston-based interior design firm, Parker-Torres Design, Inc., sought to capture the wild land of Buckhead prior to becoming the metropolis it is today. The firm used refined furnishings accented by organic touches as a nod to the farming heritage of the land, and cool muted Earth tones of taupe, soft greens, and grey balanced by black. In addition, thoughtful metal and craft-artisan details are reminiscent of Whitleys blacksmithing forge. The design also incorporates art and custom wall coverings, as well as glass and metal antique chandeliers from Currey & Company and custom sconces by Alger Triton. With the transformation underway for all guest rooms and suites, which range in size from 720 to 1,800 square feet, every room will offer guests the opulent comforts of a luxurious living area and marble bathroom. Visitors can enjoy sweeping city views from the hotels spacious rooms, elegantly appointed with rich mahogany hardwood floors, Italian marble vanities, luxury Frette linens, Byredo bath products, refreshment centers, honor bars and The Luxury Collection feather beds with 400-thread-count linens. Club-level rooms and suites have access to The Whitley Club Lounge where guests can enjoy chef-created breakfasts, hors doeuvres, desserts, cocktails, wine and beer. Guestrooms include a modern porch-like theme with woven raffia headboards, contemporized dogwood emblems, blue ceilings, and flora and fauna accents. As the local Buckhead neighborhood is an interconnected network of parks, trails, and green spaces, nature is reflected in the playfully curated bird artwork on the guestroom walls. The rooms also feature sketches of local notable figureheads that were brought to life and curated by Parker-Torres Design, with the assistance of SoHo Myriad Art Consulting. The guestroom corridor features discreet buck racks in the lighting scones as an homage to the areas namesake. The carpets filtered light design represents sunlight peeking through Georgia pines. Meeting Spaces Abound at The Whitley on Peachtree Road The Whitley maintains Buckheads historic purpose as a meeting space, serving as the premier location for business, leisure, meetings and events. Boasting 40,000 square feet of customizable event space with 31 versatile set-ups, The Whitley presents the perfect backdrop for intimate corporate retreats or large group meetings as well as memorable weddings, galas and lively social gatherings. Chief among the enhancements is the recent addition of a 5,000 square-foot Legacy Ballroom with space for 300 guests, featuring 14-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows and a private al fresco terrace. R&RThe Whitley Way Guests can melt away distractions in the tranquility of The Spa, an award-winning holistic haven, featuring a selection of treatments ranging from massages and facials to body scrubs and salon services. Following the renovation, The Spa will also include one of the only Himalayan salt rooms in an Atlanta hotel, a 75-square-foot space custom-designed by Salt Chamber. The Spa amenities also include a state-of-the-art fitness center, junior-Olympic sized indoor pool and whirlpool, relaxation lounge, nail salon, couples suite, sauna, and luxurious product lines like Eminence Organics Skin Care, Farmhouse Fresh, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare and Kneipp. Southern Flavors at Trade Root Restaurant and Lounge Visitors seeking a taste of Southern cuisine can try Trade Root Restaurant and Lounge, led by Executive Chef Marc Suennemann. Trade Root embraces local tastes and sources regional ingredients, celebrating Southern-inspired cuisine with seasonal dishes and handcrafted cocktails. Diners can enjoy Crab Cake Benedict, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Trade Root Farm Egg Frittata, and Lemon Poached Georgia Trout, to name a few. Guests can also indulge in 24-hour room service or head down to the lobby in the evening to enjoy a pecan bourbon tasting for an authentic Southern stay. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource In 2019, Avani Hotels & Resorts will welcome Avani Central Busan in South Korea, Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok in Thailand, Avani Seminyak in Bali, an Avani managed hotel in Siem Reap, as well as two Avani Residences in Australia and Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Avani Hotels & Resorts announced that expansion plans are on track with 2019 set to welcome seven new Avani properties including in three new countries. Currently with 24 properties in 15 countries, the brand operates over 4,500 keys and is currently developing another 5,000 keys in the pipeline. In 2019, Avani Hotels & Resorts will welcome Avani Central Busan in South Korea, Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok in Thailand, Avani Seminyak in Bali, an Avani managed hotel in Siem Reap, as well as two Avani Residences in Australia and Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. A significant Avani evolution in 2018 was the introduction of the Avani+ brand extension with Avani+ Luang Prabang, followed by Avani+ Samui. Already focussed on sharing the true personality of each destination with every visitor, every Avani+ property takes that genuine Avani feel and adds its own exclusive signature, elevating experiences to a PLUS. Recently joining Avani+ Luang Prabang and Avani+ Samui are: Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Set along the banks of Bangkoks picturesque Chao Phraya River, Avani+ Riverside Bangkok offers a smooth blend of contemporary style, modern warmth, and stunning views of Asias most dynamic city. Each guest room and suite features floor-to-ceiling river views, all the way up to the 26th floors incredible panoramas from the infinity pool and SEEN, one of Bangkoks newest rooftop bars and restaurants. Avani+ Hua Hin Avani+ Hua Hin in Thailand boasts a prime beachfront location just north of Klai Kangwon Palace, a 10-minute drive from the town centre. With 196 new contemporary and colourful rooms, suites, and pool villas surrounding a central lagoon pool framed by lush foliage, Avani+ Hua Hin creates a modern beach sanctuary in a historic holiday spot. Opening Avani+ Luang Prabang demonstrated that travellers wanting a modern, laidback experience can also expect premium touches to their stay. And as we grow with our owners, we will ensure that every Avani+ exudes that extra special signature that merges well with the destination, from distinct dining experiences to locally inspired spa treatments and amenities, said Javier Pardo, Vice President of Operations for AVANI Hotels & Resorts. Avani currently operates 24 hotels and resorts in 15 countries. The brand recently debuted in Australia, New Zealand, and Laos. Avani currently has 15 new hotels in the pipeline, including recent signings in Kota Kinabalu, Dubai, and a second Avani in Busan. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Azealia Banks is the latest public figure to address the issue of Alabama's change in legislation governing abortion. For the sake of objectivity, I'll refrain from criticizing her opinion, mostly due to the fact that as a woman of color, Azealia Banks has more to gain/lose from this ongoing debate. That said, Azealia Bank's decision to stand behind what other's perceive as oppressive measures by the Alabaman senate (and other caucuses in the Confederate States) is riddled with nuances and contradictory statements. Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic/Getty Images For starters, Azealia Banks stands on two fronts. She stands behind the criminalization of Abortion, but only as it pertains to control the Pharmaceutical Industry maintains over the practice itself. In the closing sentence of her public address, Banks defines abortion as a "modern luxury provided by modern science," while altogether showing a semblance of solidarity with the anti-establishment and pro-choice movement in America. As she clearly states in the caption of the Instagram posting, her PSA was written in response to Munroe Bergdorf dedicated efforts on the same platform. For added context: Bergdorf is an English transgender model and activist who was herself ejected from a lucrative L'Oreal sponsorship after her racial commentary was taken out of context. Cardi B fans who were eager to see her hit the stage this weekend in Upstate New York are surely disappointed that it's now been postponed. Cardi was set to perform at St. Josephs Health Amphitheater and Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26 respectively. The "Wish Wish" rapper had to postpone due to circumstances beyond her control," Live Nation said in a statement. Cardi's performance is for the Femme It Forward tour that includes Teyana Taylor, City Girls, and Nicole Bus. Cardi will be back to perform on Saturday, September 7th at the Amp and Friday, September 6th at SPAC and all tickets will be honored for the new event. Jerritt Clark/Getty Images "This past year has been an exceptional one for women in music and entertainment, and with the incredible contributions of women, it is fitting that we honor the future of music and its continued steps on the path to inclusion." Heather Lowery, Live Nation Urban VP of Talent & Touring said of the concert series that puts a spotlight on "the entertainment industrys most creative and accomplished female visionaries, both on the stage and behind the scenes." According to TMZ, Federal prosecutors claim they are in possession of evidence linking Kodak Black to a March shooting taking place near his old stomping grounds in Pompano Beach. The report indicates that Kodak Black is likely to have played a direct role in the shooting, as his fingerprints figure on the gun that inevitably "jammed up" in the heat of the moment. They also found a Porsche Panamera (rented out to Kodak that week) abandoned 14 miles from the crime scene, in a total state of disrepair. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images Investigators proceeded to download the vehicle's (GPS) navigational components and were thus able to pinpoint the Panamera within the Golden Acres neighborhood when the shooting took place. To make matters worse, the Feds say they have witnesses to prove he was there. A licensed arms dealer in Florida then provided authorities with a transcript of Kodak Black's purchase records at the store, indicating the sale of three weapons in total, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Among those purchases, a Sig MPX K 9mm pistol was then attributed to shell casings found at the crime scene. Kodak also copped a Mini Draco pistol and a Sig P238 .380 during the same visit to Lou's Police Distributors. However, those two weapons were not used during the shooting, according to authorities. Kodak's attorney Bradford Cohen has so far debunked the authenticity of these findings. "Witnesses came forward to us as well and stated they did not see Kodak Black at the scene that night," he expressed in a private conversation with TMZ. [Via] A pharmaceutical company working with several Houston hospitals to help supply scarce drugs has partnered with a Danish company to manufacture generic antibiotics for severe infections. Utah-based Civica announced a contract with Xellia Pharmaceutical, a Copenhagen drug company with manufacturing plants in the United States, to produce Vancomycin and Daptomycin used in the intravenous treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. The generic drugs are the first two announced by Civica as part of a unique initiative that it launched last year. The drug company works directly with partner hospitals to identify needed medications that are often in short supply. The process is designed to help bring down cost as scare drugs can drive prices to "artificially high" levels, the company said. The two antibiotics should be available to member hospitals by summer's end, the company said. CIvica hopes to deliver 14 drugs by the first of 2020. "We thank Xellia for helping lead the way in efforts to reduce chronic generic drug shortages in the U.S., including treatments for serious infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to other antibiotics," said Martin Van Trieste, CEO of Civica, in a statement. About 900 hospitals have joined with Civica, the company said. In Houston, HCA Houston Healthcare's 15 area hospitals, Memorial Hermann Health Service's 13 area hospitals and Catholic Health Initiatives, which includes St. Luke's health network, have signed on with Civica. In addition, the Houston-based Laura and John Arnold Foundation gave $1 million to help launch the venture. "We are thrilled to support Civica Rx as it makes good on its pledge to reduce chronic drug shortages and help make essential medications, like these two antibiotics, more accessible and affordable for all," Dr. Angela Shippy, chief quality officer at Memorial Hermann, said in a statement. The direct collaboration between hospital and drug maker is part of a larger trend in health care as traditional boundaries are blurred to create efficiencies and bring down costs. Imagine if all Houstonians had to move away every summer because the heat routinely reached unbearable levels. Millions of residents of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will need to leave their homes by the end of the century if global temperatures continue rising at the current pace. While climate change will bring warmer temperatures, more prolonged droughts and more destructive storms to Texas, the Middle East will literally become uninhabitable, with summer heat indexes exceeding 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The irony that global warming will make the worlds most important fossil fuel-producing region unable to sustain human life will trigger schadenfreude among some. But for the royal families that rule these nations, climate change is a threat to their very existence and a potential refugee crisis for the rest of us. On HoustonChronicle.com: The world has already found all the oil it should ever burn Greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the earths atmosphere, dramatically raising average temperatures. Higher temperatures vaporize more water, increasing humidity. Hot and humid weather is harder on humans than dry heat, which is why we calculate a heat index that includes humidity. Humans cannot survive more than six hours in a heat index exceeding 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and it takes an astronomical amount of energy to cool such air. If global temperatures continue to rise at the current pace, the Middle East will be about 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer in 2050. Thats 50 percent higher than the average global increase, according to researchers at the Italian Aerospace Research Center and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Entire afternoons with heat indexes exceeding 165 degrees will become routine after 2070, according to the researchers. In 2003, Saudi Araba recorded the modern eras highest heat index of 178 degrees Fahrenheit. The Saudis are going to be an early victim of climate change, said Jim Krane, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute and author of a new book, Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf. Saudi officials no longer deny human-driven climate change, and they support the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius. But preventing the worst of the warming will come at a high price for oil-producing countries. Climate action is going to destroy their economies as they are now, Krane said. If the world is going to make a concerted effort to turn away from fossil fuels, there needs to be a comprehensive plan of action that protects countries that depend on them for their livelihood. The leaders of oil-producing countries want help diversifying their economies and creating good jobs outside of fossil fuel production. But they know the world has rarely followed through on promises to help nations that suffer from global action. OPEC nations consistently try to block binding limits on fossil fuel uses, while paying lip service to climate change. Cynically, authoritarian rulers know that climate action will take an immediate political and economic toll, while their nations will overheat long after they are dead. While some regimes focus on retaining power, Middle Eastern business leaders are looking for new uses for oil and gas. The demand for petrochemicals is growing faster and more quickly than for fuel, and its a non-combustion use for crude, Krane added. Its a feedstock where the carbon is locked in the product. National oil companies are funding research into capturing carbon from the atmosphere, pushing for tighter limits on other greenhouse gases and reducing the carbon footprint of their carbon by boosting energy efficiency and emissions controls in the oil fields. Their emissions are a tiny fraction of ours, Krane said. Domestically, they want to bring in renewables, energy conservation, and higher fuel prices. They are imposing appliance standards, even for their cars. On HoustonChronicle.com: True leaders worry about their legacies, and climate change These small steps, though, are insufficient. The region is already heating up, sea levels are rising and soon residents will begin moving out of the area long before it technically becomes uninhabitable. Outdoor workers already wear special cooling vests in summer, and electricity demand for air conditioning is skyrocketing. The Dead Sea has shrunk by a third over the last decade from higher temperatures, while the Persian Gulf is rising due to polar melting. Poorer Middle Eastern nations like Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen will suffer the most. Residents have little extra money to spend cooling their homes and businesses. The risk of mass migration is high. Climate change presents an extreme dilemma for the Middle East, one they have not fully confronted. Texans face a similar challenge, and we have not done much better. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 20, GAC NIO New Energy Automotive Co.,Ltd (GAC NIO) launched an all-new car brand dubbed HYCAN in Hangzhou, the capital of Chinas Zhejiang Province, according to the automaker. At the same time, the NEV maker unveiled its first concept model, whose mass-produced version is planned to be launched at the end of the year and handed over to consumers in the first half of 2020. GAC Group and NIO signed a strategic cooperation agreement and NEV project agreement on December 28, 2017. According to the agreements, the two companies would cooperate in such areas as the R&D of intelligent-connected NEVs and manufacturing of automotive parts, and operations. Meanwhile, two sides announced that they would fund a new company, namely, GAC NIO. Primary operations of the company include R&D, sale and services related to intelligent-connected NEVs. GAC NIO was officially founded in April, 2018 with a planned investment of RMB1.28 billion and registered capital of RMB500 million, of which, GAC Group and Shanghai-based NIO account for 22.5% and 22.5% ownership respectively. GAC NIO previously said it is essentially a co-creation company rather than a co-funded joint venture in traditional sense. It is worth mentioning that the new brands Chinese name Hechuang means co-creation in English. Under this business mode, GAC NIO will build an open, independent platform available for sharing that integrates resource of the whole value chain, making innovation from aspects of industry, resource, technology and users, so as to jointly build an all-new mobility ecosystem. Regarding respective responsibilities for GAC NIO, GAC Group oversees the R&D and production of complete vehicles, while the EV startup will offer support of intelligent connectivity technologies and energy. Its a hard moment to capture, Valencia said after the ceremony. There is this rise of energy of leaders and new women in Congress ... and now were seeing it in city government. Its exciting to see what opportunity we have with this moment and this momentum of three women, and strong women, running the city of Chicago. The Houston bar community doesnt need reminding that the hooch-slinging staffers at Johnnys Gold Brick are bartending hotshots. But just in case anyone needs reminding, Johnnys Gold Brick proved it is up there with the best bars in the country. Earlier this month the staff of the Heights bar at 2518 Yale won the 2019 Bar Fight Club throw-down, besting six bars invited to participate in the bartending competition held at the annual Chicago Style Cocktail Conference in the Windy City. The judges panel chose Johnnys over Existing Conditions in New York, Good Measure in Chicago, Pretty Ugly in Toronto, True Laurel in San Francisco and Nickel City in Austin. Nickel City won the peoples choice award for a Texas sweep of the competition. Who has the best tacos in Houston? At the 2nd annual Tacos Over Texas a fundraiser for the Ninfa Laurenzo Scholarship Fund held Sunday the Original Ninfa's on Navigation came out on top. It was a fitting win at the taco competition where 16 Houston restaurants were tasked with creating tacos that honored the legacy of the legendary Mama Ninfa Laurenzo. Ninfa's chef Alex Padilla and his crew created a lamb barbacoa taco with a bracing lamb broth shooter. Killen's TMX, Ronnie Killen's Mexican restaurant in Pearland, took second place with smoked carnitas tacos. And Laurenzo's Restaurant, owned by the direct descendants of Mama Ninfa, came in third with prime rib al pastor tacos on a guajillo chile-rubbed tortilla. Last year Laurenzo's took first place for its prime rib carnitas cooked with Dr Pepper. ICONIC TEX-MEX: The Original Ninfa's lays out expansion plans The People's Choice award, voted on by event-goers, went to Cordua Catering (chefs Michael and David Cordua) which offered pani puri (small hollowed Indian puri cups) filled with taco meat, guacamole, sour cream, pickled onion, lettuce and cheese. Michael Cordua called it a play on Taco Bell with an Indian accent. Tony Mandola's Gulf Coast Kitchen was judged most creative for its tacos filled with coconut shrimp and pork belly with a pineapple salsa. Participating restaurants included Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, Harris County General Store BBQ, El Tiempo Cantina, Elliot's Table, Grace's on Kirby, Mia's Table, Riel, Saint Arnold's Brewing Co., Tout Suite, La Calle Tacos and BB's Cafe. Last year's inaugural Tacos Over Texas, a fundraiser for the Ninfa Laurenzo Scholarship Fund, raised more than $100,000 to financially assist students in economic need to reach their educational goals. Legacy Restaurants, which owns the Original Ninfa's brand, is opening a new Ninfa's at 1700 Post Oak in the former Peska space. It's expected to open in June. Ninfa's also has created a new concept, Mama Ninfa's Tacos y Tortas, which will open in Understory, a culinary market in the downtown tunnel system, later this year. Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. May 10 An officer was dispatched to Harris County Sherriffs Office JPC to pick up a prisoner in custody with one outstanding West University Place warrant. The prisoner (Jordan Grant) was transferred to the West University jail facility and booked without incident. May 11 An officer was dispatched to the 5300 block of Southwest Fwy to meet with a Bellaire Police Department Officer who had an individual in custody with outstanding warrants through the City of West University Place Municipal Court. The individual was taken into custody and transported without incident. At 9:14 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Shell Gas Station at Highway 59 and Weslayan to pick up a prisoner with outstanding West University Place Police Department warrants from a Bellaire Police Officer. The officer took custody of the prisoner (Cedric Austin) and transported him to the West University Place Police Department Jail for booking. May 12 An officer observed a vehicle traveling westbound in the 3600 block of University with a defective brake light and expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver (Marcus Jones) was arrested for Driving While License Invalid. The driver was found to be in possession of multiple items possibly containing illegal narcotics. Those items were seized and will be submitted to a forensic lab to be tested for the presence of illegal narcotics. An officer checked by with West University Place Medic 1 in regards to an injured party. Upon arrival and through investigation, it was discovered an assault transpired. Subsequently, the aggressor was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault. An officer was dispatched to the 6000 block of Charlotte in reference to a burglary of habitation that had already occurred. May 13 An officer observed a vehicle in the 6700 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was initiated and the officer was able to detect an odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle. A probable cause search was conducted and marijuana was found on the passengers person. The passenger was given the opportunity and agreed to participate in a Harris County drug program. The passenger was provided the necessary information and released from the scene. May 14 An Officer was dispatched to 700 San Jacinto, Houston, TX to pick up a subject that had warrants with the City of West University Place. The subject (Tyinae Flynn) was then transported and booked into the west university place jail without incident. An officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to a walk-in report of a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to lost property that was discovered in the 3700 block of University. A Found Property report was generated. An officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for defective license plate lights in the 6400 block of Buffalo Speedway. Upon further investigation, the driver was found to have a Not Eligible Texas Drivers license status and was arrested for Driving While License Invalid. May 15 An officer was flagged down for a report of a burglary of a motor vehicle in the 4200 block of Bellaire Blvd that had already occurred. An officer with observed a vehicle traveling northbound, above the posted speed limit, in the 6300 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. May 16 An officer was dispatched to Harris County Sherriffs Office JPC to pick up a prisoner in custody with West University Place warrants. The prisoner was transferred to the West University jail facility and booked without incident. At 10:06 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Harris County Joint Process Center to pick up a prisoner with outstanding West University Place Police Department warrants. The officer took custody of the prisoner (Kelvin Brazos) from jail staff and transported him to the West University Place Police Department Jail for booking. An Officer was dispatched to 610/Fannin to meet with Pearland PD in reference to a subject with outstanding warrants. The subject was taken into custody and booked on the warrants without incident. An officer was dispatched to the Harris County Sheriffs Office Jail to pick up an individual with outstanding warrants through the City of West University Municipal Court. The individual (Ervin Davis) was taken into custody and transported without incident. May 17 An officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound, above the posted speed limit, in the 6300 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. The passenger (Adam Garcia) was found to have an outstanding warrant for Possession of Marijuana and taken into custody as well. Although the Barbara Bush Library has reopened after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 when the library received feet of floodwater, Harris County Flood Control District is working to ensure the library will not flood again. During the latest meeting of the Barbara Bush Library Friends, a nonprofit organization with the mission of improving and volunteering for the Barbara Bush Library, Harris County Precinct 4 representatives told the crowd about plans for floodplains and flood prevention for the library and surrounding areas. Will Sherman, property manager for HCFCD, said HCFCD is deciding where to build detention basins to mitigate flooding. In August 2018, HCFCD received approval for a $2.5 billion bond to mitigate flooding and upgrade flood prevention methods in the greater Houston area. Sherman said HCFCD is currently working on floodplain preservation by buying undeveloped land and buying homes from residents in floodplains if they volunteer to do sell. Sherman said there are no mandatory buyout programs in the nearby area at this moment. The area surrounding Barbara Bush Library is in both the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. CYPRESS CREEK: Development proceeds amid resident concerns A lot of times we get the funds from FEMA and we have certain criteria for when we can or cant purchase, he said. A lot of times if its bought with FEMA theres never going to be anything built on that property. Of course, were obtaining right of way for future detention basins. Areas directly surrounding the Barbara Bush Library, specifically the back of the library closest to Cypress Creek and in nearby neighborhoods, tend to have ponding, Sherman said. Ponding causes streets to overflow and take longer to drain than usual, carrying floodwaters even farther toward nearby bayous. 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 Sherman said the implementation of flood basins will significantly improve flood prevention in the area, and that HCFCD and HCED do not plan to build other structures on land bought. Sherman said Harris County is currently trying to buy undeveloped land in previously flooded areas. As of today, we have more than 6,000 acres of property and 300 acres of detention basins in Cypress Creek, he said. Its kind of an older area as far as the infrastructure goes so weve had quite a few failures (during heavy rain events). Were working with the precinct to be more proactive. RELATED: Flood mitigation projects along Cypress Creek are underway, officials say Sherman said floodplains in the area will be updated and upgraded for flooding within the next two to three years for Little Cypress Creek and Cypress Creek watersheds. He said the process of specific projects, such as flood basin building and storm water drainage fixes, have yet to be implemented. Some residents have expressed concern over two apartment complexes planned near Cypress Creek and Pillot Gully in The Vintage. Nearby homes, businesses and the cultural district experienced flooding during Hurricane Harvey. I know theres some controversial projects around Vintage Park, so were definitely working in the future to try to try to get everything that we can before its developed. That way, at the very least, it can be turned into park land. This synagogue is so central to so many people in this neighborhood, and this is such a wonderful city to be Jewish, so its shocking to realize there can be someone so filled with hate to engage in an action like this, Wolkenfeld said in an interview. New York is on the cusp of enacting a law that could help congressional Democrats gain access to President Donald Trump's state tax returns, potentially opening the door for Congress to obtain tax records for any New York resident or business they want to investigate. That has some tax and ethics experts worried that Republicans and Democrats alike could use the provision and a similar one at the federal level to target political opponents or others to advance policy goals. The question of accessing the tax records of a public official started when Trump broke from decades of precedent by refusing to release his federal returns as a presidential candidate, despite promising to be an "open book" about them before he ran for office. These tax-return disclosure laws should only apply to presidents and top-level government officials, not private citizens, said Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. While Somin said there's nothing wrong with seeing a president's tax returns, New York's measure is "written to allow the same thing to happen to politically controversial people." As an example, he said, Republicans could demand billionaire Democratic donor George Soros' tax returns, or Democrats could target Charles and David Koch, whose donor network gives millions of dollars to Republicans. Democrats have targeted the chief executive officers of major banks like JP Morgan Chase's Jamie Dimon and Citigroup's Michael Corbat; Republicans have wanted to know more about the Clinton Foundation, run by former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Accessing their tax returns could become part of that process, experts said. "New York and Democrats in Washington are setting a dangerous precedent where political parties go after their political enemies and try to release and embarrass and harass them," said Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. The legislation, which the New York State Assembly could vote on this week, would give chairmen of the congressional tax committees access upon request to the state returns of any New York resident or business. The New York Senate passed the bill earlier this month and Gov. Andrew Cuomo backs it. Those lawmakers can already access federal tax returns using a 1924 law, even though Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin refused on Friday to comply with a subpoena for six years of Trump's personal and business returns. The New York law would allow the same congressional tax committee chairmen to request the state returns of any New York resident or business. In the case of Trump, the Democratic-led state government is probably more sympathetic to House Democrats' goal. It's not yet clear if House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal would avail himself of Trump's state returns, because doing so could undercut his stated reason for needing the federal records -- that he wants to make sure the Internal Revenue Service is properly auditing presidents. The requests could go beyond tax returns, said Andy Grewal, a tax law professor at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Officials in Republican-led states could look to make medical or educational records public to embarrass Democrats, he said. "Just imagine Beto O'Rourke. Texas is a red state. What if you wanted to get all the student and disciplinary records?" Grewal said, referring to the 2020 presidential hopeful. "There are ripple effects that go beyond tax." But some legal experts say that the New York bill and the 1924 federal law have safeguards that prevent improper disclosure. The bill would require the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to redact Social Security numbers, financial account numbers and home addresses before to handing over the documents to Congress. The committees also need a legislative reason to see the state returns, something that isn't specifically mentioned in the federal law, but that some courts have concluded is needed for federal returns. Congressional committees would also have to keep the returns private, unless the committee votes to release them to full House. "We've spent time thinking about privacy and we are comfortable with this law," said Robert Weissman, president of consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. State and federal tax returns show much of the same information about income and tax breaks, although state filings don't drill down on the specifics of out-of-state income. The New York returns also don't show charitable giving, something Democrats have said they're curious to see in Trump's returns. "This bill is a critical piece of legislation that would not only allow Congress to investigate President Trump and his various financial entanglements, but would also allow the American people to hold him accountable for his deeply troubling conflicts of interests," a series of progressive groups, including Americans for Tax Fairness and Stand Up America, said in a letter to New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. The fight over Trump's tax returns is an unusual case since for four decades, presidential candidates have released their tax returns. But now that Trump hasn't, the need to use these provisions to disclose presidential candidates tax information involuntarily could become more prevalent. "It can't be about politics. It has to be about the integrity of the tax system," said Francine Lipman, a tax law professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The tax return disclosure provisions "are not a fishing game for dirt. That's not the charge of the committee." All the talk about tax privacy -- and how Congress uses the powers it currently has -- could ultimately lead to stronger rules, such as limiting the disclosure to public officials or implementing new restrictions on making the documents public. "Tax privacy is an important norm to reinforce," Ari Glogower, a law professor at the Ohio State University in Columbus. "It needs to be balanced with Congress's need to do its job." - - - Bloomberg's Keshia Clukey contributed. John Walker Lindh's eyes, dark and wild, were ubiquitous across magazine covers and cable news channels, alongside militants in Afghanistan, after he was captured in November 2001. He was a long-haired guerrilla with a California address - a traitor to some, a misguided kid sucked into Islamic jihad to others. Dubbed the "American Taliban," Lindh was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to supporting militants who harbored al-Qaida as it planned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But in a surprise move to some, Lindh will be released from federal prison on Thursday, three years early, federal officials said. Lindh and other incarcerated American supporters of Islamic militants present a quandary with growing urgency: Is the United States prepared to try to rehabilitate extremists and foreign fighters, and welcome them back into society? "There is very close to nothing in terms of de-radicalizing programs at the federal level," said Bennett Clifford, a research fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism. "The current model is hoping long prison sentences for material support of terrorism will be a deterrent." The Federal Bureau of Prisons is stymied by budget constraints, a sprawling corrections bureaucracy and a top-down approach that focuses on traditional rehabilitation, such as turning away prisoners from gang activity or drugs, Clifford told The Washington Post. About 500 federal prisoners been sentenced for terrorism-related crimes, and about a fifth will be released within five years, 62 of them U.S. citizens, researcher Kevin D. Lowry wrote in the Journal for Deradicalization in 2018. With Lindh's release, and with inmates who have Islamic State ties nearing the end of their sentences, there may be a new focus on culling extremist beliefs before prisoners head back into civil society. But time is nearly up for many. "The offenders about to be released would receive resources at the end of their sentence," Clifford said. Federal officials have signaled interest in expanding recidivism-prevention and reintegration efforts, although it amounted to one paragraph in the White House's 2018 counterterrorism strategy and focused on radicalization in prison. There are some breakthroughs. The U.S. District Court for Minnesota, which has had an influx of Islamist terrorism suspects, has pioneered efforts to focus on deradicalization from extremist beliefs, efforts that include civic education, family involvement and mental health counseling for inmates, Lowry wrote. Those models were adapted from European programs and include efforts to combat white-supremacist beliefs. But there is no similar national program within federal prisons, Lowry noted. Lindh will be monitored for three years by federal probation officials, the Bureau of Prisons said. His early release is opposed by Sens. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., who wrote a letter Friday to the Federal Bureau of Prisons requesting details about agency efforts to prevent recidivism from militants released from its facilities. "We must consider the security and safety implications for our citizens and communities who will receive individuals like John Walker Lindh, who continue to openly call for extremist violence," the letter reads. Bill Cummings, an attorney for Lindh, did not respond to a request for comment. The lawmakers asked for information about other convicted "terrorist offenders" who may be released from federal prison in coming years, and they inquired about the steps prisons take to determine whether someone is an "ongoing public threat." Th Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that it "participates in national and international efforts to identify new programs and approaches tailored to reduce the risk terrorist offenders pose inside and outside of prisons." Lindh, who was raised in California and Maryland, converted to Islam, met Osama bin Laden and joined the Taliban in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks, although his attorneys maintained that the attacks soured his outlook. They point to the dropping of terrorism charges as the government's acknowledgment that he did not want to kill Americans. Lindh avoided a life sentence with that plea deal. Last month, Shelby invoked the death of CIA officer Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann, who interrogated Lindh at a prison near Mazar-e Sharif in northern Afghanistan after his capture. Spann was shot and killed in a revolt by prisoners later that day, and Spann's father has repeatedly accused Lindh of playing a role in his son's death by not alerting Spann and others of the revolt. "He's as much responsible for Mike's death as the people who beat him and shot him," Johnny Spann told AL.com. Lindh has maintained he was surprised by the revolt. U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III, who ordered Lindh's sentence, said there was no evidence that linked Lindh to Spann's death. Hundreds of prisoners died in the days-long fight, and Lindh was one of the survivors. In April, Shelby said President Donald Trump agreed that Lindh should serve the remainder of his sentence, though it is unclear if the president could wield any influence in the process. The White House did not reply to a request for comment Friday about the reported conversation and Trump's thoughts about Lindh's imminent release. Lindh remains in custody at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Institution in Indiana. Inmates can earn early release through good conduct and previous time served in custody, the Bureau of Prisons said. Credits for good behavior can reduce an inmate's sentence by up to 15 percent, which in Lindh's case, would amount to three years. Federal officials requested numerous conditions for Lindh's release, according to court filings. He will need permission to acquire Internet-capable devices, which would be monitored "continuously." Lindh was ordered to undergo mental health counseling and will not be allowed to communicate online in any language other than English without approval. He is also barred from having a passport, communicating with known extremists or accessing material that reflects "extremist or terroristic views," according to the documents. Lindh initially objected to those conditions but agreed to comply in late March after consulting with an attorney. Most of those conditions are routine, Clifford said, although the language restriction appeared unusual for felons such as Lindh. Lindh has expressed remorse for his crimes. He tearfully told the judge during his 2002 sentencing: "I have never supported terrorism in any form, and I never will. . . . I made a mistake by joining the Taliban," he said at the time. "Had I realized then what I know now, I would never have joined them." In 2017, an investigation by Foreign Policy magazine painted a different picture. It cited documents obtained that year from the National Counterterrorism Center, which said that as of May 2016, Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts." The center also wrote that Lindh "told a television news producer that he would continue to spread violent extremist Islam upon his release." The report, which Shelby and Hassan cited in their letter, notes that there is no record of Lindh participating in media interviews. In the documents, the National Counterterrorism Center said "homegrown violent extremists" like Lindh were likely to "reengage in terrorist activity" after being released from prison - an assertion that Clifford doubts. "There is not much data of recidivism [of terrorism suspects] in the United States because it's a new problem," he said. Joshua Dratel, a lawyer who has defended suspected and convicted terrorists, told The Post that Shelby and Hassan were overreacting to Lindh's early release. He called their letter "a solution in search of a problem" and likened it to fearmongering. "Beyond John Walker Lindh, anyone whose offense involved actual violence is not getting out soon," Dratel said. "In a certain sense, saying, 'Dangerous terrorists are going to be out there' is not true. These people were sentenced accordingly by judges." - - - The Washington Post's Tom Jackman, Felicia Sonmez and Rachel Weinter contributed to this report. WASHINGTON -- The leafy neighborhood surrounding Holy Comforter Saint-Cyprian Roman Catholic Church has transformed in recent years. Longtime parishioners have watched as the African American families who found a home at this church for more than a century left for more affordable housing in the suburbs, and young white families moved into the newly renovated townhouses surrounding the District of Columbia's Lincoln Park, east of Capitol Hill. So when Judy Rodney, a stalwart attendee at Holy Comforter, went to visit her son in a similarly gentrifying neighborhood in Atlanta, she expected to find tension in the Catholic parish similar to the unease she sometimes witnesses between white newcomers and black residents at home. Instead, she was awed by what she saw. "I was shocked to see this church. It was very diverse, and it was standing room only. We had to get there half an hour early to get a seat for Mass," Rodney told her fellow Bible study attendees at Holy Comforter, all of them African American, after her trip. She credits Atlanta's archbishop, Wilton Gregory, for fostering a church culture that made that inclusiveness possible. And this week, Gregory will leave Atlanta to become the first African American archbishop of Washington, D.C. "It may make a positive change for us, too," Rodney said to her Bible study group. As the longtime cleric officially assumes his appointment by Pope Francis to one of the most prominent leadership roles in the American Catholic Church on Tuesday, Washington's black Catholics are watching his first steps with pride and excitement - and with hope that Gregory can address the needs of their community. Black Catholics are a small segment of the Catholic population nationwide, about 3%. But in Washington, the community has always been significantly larger (15%, by the Pew Research Center's count in 2014) and a wellspring of civic involvement. When the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops published a list of the nation's historically black parishes, it included more in the Archdiocese of Washington than any other diocese in the country except Lafayette, Louisiana. The District's four most recent mayors - Muriel Bowser, Vincent Gray, Adrian Fenty and Anthony Williams - are all African American Catholics or were educated in Catholic schools. Karl Racine, the District's attorney general, fondly recalls his roots in the city's predominantly African American parishes and boasts of the nuns and priests who are among his relatives. He said that when he heard Gregory would be the next Washington archbishop, he asked friends in Atlanta about Gregory's involvement in black community issues and was pleased by what he heard. "I'm sure you're going to see this is a city with a high percentage of black folks who are going to be supportive of him, that need him. . . . There's always been a difficult relationship, at least what I've observed, between African Americans and Caribbeans and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church," he said. "The Catholic Church does a lot in the community, but obviously scandal, as well as instances of timidity on issues of race, sometimes cause members like me to want more out of leadership." Racine is one of well more than a dozen attorneys general nationwide investigating sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy. He said that his inquiry will continue after the departure of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who retired early because of revelations about his supervision of abusive priests when he was bishop of Pittsburgh. And Racine also proposed other agenda items that he hopes the new archbishop takes up with regard to race. "In the District of Columbia, there is too great a disparity in income and opportunity [between those west and east of the Anacostia River]. Those issues that relate to long-standing trauma and violence should be addressed by the church. The church can be an important convener," Racine said. He also pointed to students at Georgetown University who have recently advocated for the school to more deeply address its history as a slaveholding institution, and said he hopes Gregory will further that effort. "Locally, we really need to have a reckoning, a deep conversation, that leads to positive action in regard to the impact of slavery and institutional racism. I would hope that he would bring the voice of peace and redemption and forgiveness, and the call for action," Racine said. Bishop Roy Campbell, the auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C., said that he has found that parishioners are hungering for African American leadership in the Catholic Church. "It will be a definite change here in the Archdiocese of Washington," he said. "Hopefully . . . our black Catholics will see that they are as relevant as any other Catholics in the community. Sometimes you can feel that you might be not heard as much as others." Campbell said that as a black bishop himself, "you can understand the feelings of people who have experienced, whether it is subtle or overt, instances of racism, even when it's not intentional, because I have experienced the same thing. I can understand where they're coming from and help them in how to address that. . . . Here we have an archbishop that I think has experienced the same thing." In recent memory, many of the city's black Catholics were most hurt by the archdiocese's attitude when it came to parish schools. The archdiocese proposed in 2008 closing eight of its 28 schools in the District of Columbia, many of them attended predominantly by students of color, and then handing the buildings over to house nonreligious public charter schools. Some parishes, including St. Augustine, a church known as the "mother church of African American Catholics," successfully fought the idea and kept their schools operating. But others, including Holy Comforter, had their schools turned to charters. As Gregory arrives in Washington more than a decade later, that still rankles. "They just forgot about us. There was nobody fighting to keep our school here," Helen Pruce said mournfully at Holy Comforter's Bible study on Wednesday. She sent her daughter to the parish school. Others at the study session agreed, complaining that it seemed at the time that the archdiocese specifically picked majority-black schools for closure. Last year, 52 percent of students at the archdiocese's 92 schools in the District and Maryland were white, and 28 percent were black. It's a common concern for black Catholics nationwide. "Hispanics, African Americans - if those populations are very small in [some bishops'] dioceses and those aren't big donors, they tend to be underserved," said Grant Jones, executive director of the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, a historically black fraternal organization. The Knights focus not only on providing a social community for black Catholics but also on fostering church efforts to combat systemic racism, promote criminal justice reform and support victims of domestic violence. "Ethnic ministries are closed. When there's budget cuts, those are the first churches closed," Jones said. Gregory, who has been a member of the Knights of Peter Claver since 1984, according to Jones, is more likely to listen to minority members' concerns for their parishes, Jones said. "I think he's very aware of that. He will look past the bottom line and say, 'No, this is important'," he said. Many in Washington's parishes will be watching eagerly - starting at Gregory's installation ceremony. At Holy Comforter, that's what all the buzz has been about this week, with churchgoers swapping tips about secret places to park and boasting of their plans to arrive five hours early, with plenty of snacks. When Washington's first black archbishop takes his place, they want to make sure they have a spot. Blue police lights lit up the underbelly of the L as a group of officers convened at the north end of Hermitage to search for shell casings. Their flashlights uncovered a group of casings spread out in front of a red SUV facing north on Hermitage. The officers continued moving their lights throughout the ground and over other vehicles parked on the two-way street. An elderly woman died in a three-vehicle T-bone crash Monday on the Northwest Freeway feeder road, police said. The driver of a ReadyRefresh refillable water truck was northbound on the feeder road near Gessner around 11:40 a.m. when the driver ran a red light and slammed into the right side of a silver GMC pickup truck in the intersection, police said. Wrecker drivers in the area spotted the crash and hooked up the water truck, pulling it so firefighters could work to extricate the victims from the mangled pickup, police said. NORTHEAST HOUSTON: Driver found dead after car fire A 79-year-old woman in the passenger side of the pickup truck was rushed to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The male driver of the pickup truck suffered life-threatening injuries, police said. The driver of the water truck is expected to be OK. A gold Toyota passenger car was also hit in the crash, although police reported no other injuries in the wreck. A Nestle Waters North America spokesperson released this statement: "Earlier (Monday), a ReadyRefresh truck was involved in a multi-vehicle accident at the intersection of North Gessner and US 290 Northwest Freeway in Humble, Texas. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the individual who lost their life, and everyone who was involved in the accident. At Nestle Waters North America, safety is one of our top priorities, and we are investigating the matter further to understand what happened. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement." Police said no one has been charged in the crash, although the investigation is ongoing. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A driver was found dead after a car fire along the Eastex Freeway on Monday, police said. The driver was in a gray Toyota Camry heading south on the freeway near Tidwell at a slow speed when a fire started inside the vehicle, witnesses told Houston police officers. The Camry exited the freeway and hit water-filled collision barrels before coming to a stop, police said. Zainab Altameemi stood in the outdoor pool of the Trotter Family YMCA in west Houston on a recent Monday, donning a black burkini, a swimsuit that covers her hair and entire body. Altameemis swim instructor, Kirby, was trying to get her to float on her back. A skeptical, hesitant look appeared on her face. The Iraqi refugee has been taking swimming lessons since January, along with half a dozen other refugee women. For many of the women, coming from more conservative societies in Iraq and Syria, this is one of the first times theyve had the opportunity to learn to swim. But the classes, organized by Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston volunteer Chloe Krane, mean more than just learning to swim: they signify the women overcoming their fears and building a thriving, independent life in a new country. Its the first step here in America, said Sonobar Badeel, one of the students and a refugee from Iraq. The salty, blue-green waters of the Mediterranean Sea lapped up onto the sandy shores in Alexandria, Egypt, getting dangerously close to Altameemis toes when she was vacationing there a few years ago. She thought she would try to swim for the first time, peering out to see her husband fully immersed in the water and in joy. But her fear stopped her. Altameemi, 35, is from Baghdad, but moved to Egypt with her parents in 2001 for her fathers job. By the time her dad had finished his work stint four years later, Iraq was embroiled in the war with the United States and was no longer safe so Altameemi stayed in Egypt, eventually getting married and having two children. Life in Egypt wasnt easy, and going back to Iraq wasnt an option. In Egypt, the day-to-day life was hard, she said in Arabic. Schools were expensive, cost of living was expensive and work was hard to find. Houston, where Altameemi came with her family as refugees in 2016, is the polar opposite. Schools are better, the opportunities for her now-three children ages 11, 7 and 18 months abound and there is support. Here, you feel like youre a person, you have a character, you can learn even if you get older, she said. When Krane brought up her swimming lessons idea to the women in the empowerment group she heads, Altameemi thought, No way. But when she thought of the approaching summer season, and how much her kids enjoy swimming, she reconsidered. Plus, she said, Its something just for me. I like to learn, I feel joy. The group of women desperately clung to the wall of the pool as they stood in the shallow end during their first class. Panicked, each woman tried to encourage another one to let go of the wall in between nervous laughs. Eventually, Badeel was the first one to let go and she said it felt like the greatest achievement. It was so hard the first day, but then it was just an incredible feeling, she recalled, beaming. Fear, and subsequently courage, are not unfamiliar to Badeel. The 36-year-old is from the Iraqi village of Bashiqa, less than 20 miles northwest of Mosul. She and her family are Yazidis, the ethno-religious minority that was persecuted by ISIS. We didnt plan to leave Iraq at all, Badeel said. We had a life there. My husband and I were teachers, we bought land and were planning to build a house. But then ISIS took over Mosul in 2014, and was on its way to Bashiqas large Yazidi population. Yazidis were being murdered, the women raped and taken as sex slaves, the children sacrificed or trained to be child soldiers. It was a nightmare. For two weeks, Badeel and her husband didnt sleep, patrolling their home to protect their children. They fled to Kurdistan in 2014, and came to the U.S. two years later. When she resettled in Houston in 2016, Badeel and her husband were depressed and hopeless. But Badeel started to see it as a fresh start to build a safe, happy life for her family. And although she had fears, she was driven to overcome them. There are other refugee women, Badeel said, who are too scared to even leave their homes and they are shocked to see Badeel going out on her own. When shes in the water, the burdens are lifted off her shoulders and worries escape her mind. I dont want my kids to be afraid of anything, whether its swimming or anything else, Badeel said. When kids see that were not afraid, theyre not even going to think of a reason to be scared. Badeel and Altameemi never thought to try to swim in Iraq. Its not acceptable for women to go to the pool back in Iraq, Badeel said. Their place is in the house, whether or not theyre married. Going from a society where swimming is unacceptable for women, to one where its normal, highlighted for Badeel and Altameemi the opportunities they have in the U.S. They know that theyll be able to achieve so much more. Badeel, for instance, is studying to re-validate her teaching certificate to teach elementary school. She has seven years of experience in Iraq. Altameemi wants to master English for more independence. I need it to go to the doctor, to buy groceries, anything, she said. After that, she wants to learn computer skills, like how to use Excel. It isnt to say that there havent been, and wont be, challenges in adjusting to a new country. Money can be tight, visas and citizenship issues are headache-inducing and lack of community is isolating. But, Zainab said, when someone is determined, even if theyre scared, they can learn. Back at the pool, Zainab and the other women walked out of the shallow end and buckled flotation devices around their waists. Bismillah which means In the name of God, Zainab said as she lowered herself into the deep end. massarah.mikati@chron.com More than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling for the end of "Go Topless Galveston," an event that brings together hundreds of Jeep owners for a weekend on Crystal Beach. This year, the event kept police responding to nonstop calls for public intoxication, driving while intoxicated, vehicle burglary and other offenses, according to earlier reports in the Houston Chronicle. More than 100 people were arrested from Thursday to Sunday, according to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. Authorities also confirmed to ABC13 that at least six people were hospitalized. The petition collected close to 11,500 signatures by 11 a.m. "Go Topless weekend in Crystal Beach has become more and more dangerous over the years," the petition said. "It has become a danger for the people attending and for the residents of Crystal Beach." WEEKEND ARRESTS: Over 100 arrests made during "Go Topless" weekend in Galveston Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset told the Houston Chronicle that people were seen falling out of vehicles and hitting their head. He said a head-on collision and vehicle fire were also reported. Trochesset had not seen the petition, but he said the crowd size was similar to the number of attendees before Hurricane Ike. "A lot of my guys who were used to it, who worked the beach before Ike, said it was a blast from the past," he said on Monday. Trochesset said from Thursday to Sunday, 125 people on the Bolivar Peninsula were arrested and booked into the county jail. He said deputies responded to nearly 600 calls for service. On Saturday alone, he said around 50 sheriff's office employee worked overtime. "So it was busy weekend," he said. ELSEWHERE IN GALVESTON CO.: Bathing beauties show off at annual contest Many comments on the petition page suggest that the event has gotten "out of hand" over the years. One person commented on the petition saying their family member had to be taken to a hospital via Life Flight over of the weekend. "She is in critical condition," the comment said. "She has four young children. Please stop this event and events like this." Some partygoers responded to the backlash of Facebook, saying they were drinking and having fun responsibly. The Facebook group Rednecks with Paychecks Offroad said some people blamed their group for leaving trash on the beach. "We do not drink and drive, had no minors with us, do not move the mega trucks (only use for advertisement), and we bring our own trash bags and clean up every morning!" according to a post from the Facebook page. Another group, the Texas Patriot Network, held a simultaneous event on the beach called "MAGA Beach Bash 2019," according to the Facebook event page. The event page asked people to "bring out those Jeeps" for the topless event, but the group said it wasn't responsible for "unfortunate accidents" on another part of the beach. "Please remember that some unfortunate accidents took place at the other end of the beach not related to our event, but please keep those people and their families in your prayers," according to a post from the Facebook group. 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. AUSTIN Despite welled eyes and emotional stories by members of Texas first LBGTQ Caucus, the Texas House on Monday tentatively approved the so-called Save Chick-fil-A religious freedom bill spawned by San Antonio City Councils refusal to let the food chain open an airport location because of the companys anti-LBGT record. Senate Bill 1978 would bar Texas government agencies from punishing people and companies for affiliating with or donating to a religious organization. The bill passed on a 79-62 vote largely along partisan lines with Democrats voting against. Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, broke ranks and voted against the bill. The government should not be able to take an action against you for something you do in private, something you donate to, something you affiliate with and are associated with, said Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, who sponsored the bill in the House in reaction to the city councils decision to ban Chick-Fil-A from the San Antonio airport this spring. For subscribers: Texas Senate revives Save Chick fil-A bill that House LGBTQ Caucus killed Several members of the Houses LBGTQ Caucus who managed to kill an earlier version of the bill last week spoke against it again, saying the measure is personal to them as they fought back tears. It sends a message that Texas is not welcome and open to all, said Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Carrollton, Nothing new is accomplished by this bill. The measure requires a final vote of approval from the House on Tuesday and one further vote from the Senate in the next week before it can be sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for his approval. If passed and signed by Abbott, the legislation would go into effect in September. Organizations and people who believe they were punished for their affiliations would then be able to sue the government entity either to overturn a government decision or test whether it breaks the law and could be entitled to court costs and attorneys fees. There are now two different versions of the bill, which provide different enforcement mechanisms. The Senate bill would allow the Texas attorney general to bring action against a governmental entity, officer or employee to enforce compliance. The House amended the bill to remove that provision. Should the bill win approval, it would go into effect Sept. 1, 2019. It is uncommon for bills to go into effect retroactively, but it appears the law would affect Chick-fil-A, should the chain try again to secure space in a government-owned facility. AUSTIN Rep. Briscoe Cain stood in front of the Texas House and shared a secret. The Deer Park Republican has Aspergers Syndrome, making him one of the estimated 400,000 Texans with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The condition is why he has difficulty looking people in the eye for a long time, he said, and why he sometimes may come across as awkward. If I don't maintain eye contact with you, it's not an intentional nonverbal cue of disrespect. Body language, reading it and appropriate use of it does not come naturally for those on the spectrum, he said. Cain was the third lawmaker to talk openly this year about having a disability including the House Speaker and the head of the House education committee in a series of testimonials cheered by advocates who want to dispel stigma around disorders such as autism and dyslexia. That outpouring of support for people who struggle with disabilities will translate to more money to serve special education students this legislative session as the state beefs up its investment in public schools by more than $6 billion. Lawmakers are negotiating a series of school safety bills and a major education package that includes more teacher training and new funding for students who need special accommodations in mainstream classrooms, as well as those with dyslexia. But advocates for the nearly 532,000 public school students with disabilities characterize those changes as incremental. Students and their parents may hardly notice the difference, they say. Meanwhile, three years after a Houston Chronicle investigation shined a spotlight on how Texas schools illegally denied special education services to tens of thousands of students, the federal government continues to pressure Texas to address deficiencies in special education funding, and inequities in who is allowed to receive the services. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Sadly, we have been so far behind in the state at truly doing what we need to do for special education, said Rep. Mary Gonzalez, an El Paso Democrat whose sister has Down syndrome. We were never going to be able to truly get to the top of the mountain in one session. Other high-profile initiatives to increase school funding and improve security sucked all the air out of the Legislature when it comes to public schools, said Steven Aleman, policy analyst with Disability Rights Texas. We havent heard a lot about school testing, we havent heard a lot about school accountability, you havent heard a lot about special education. So its not just students with disabilities who kind of got pushed to the side. A lot of other issues did as well. Tiffany Williams, policy analyst for the Coalition for Texans with Disabilities, agreed: Unfortunately it was not a priority for this legislative session. Texas lawmakers turned their attention to special education in earnest in 2017 amid the Houston Chronicle investigation that found the Texas Education Agency began illegally capping special education enrollment in 2004, pressuring districts to limit the percentage of students receiving special accommodations to 8.5 percent. The national average of students receiving special education is 13 percent. Tens of thousands of students with disabilities were denied access to special education, the investigation found. The U.S. Department of Education confirmed those findings in 2018 and has since required the state develop an action plan to ensure that the services are available to the children who need them. Officials with the DOE continue to monitor the state, including with a visit this month to the Houston Independent School District and five other stops to check on the states progress. Today, 9.7 percent of students are receiving special education services, according to the TEA. Lawmakers are consider legislation that includes more money per school district for some high-needs students, but the amount is not set. Certainly, we are looking at a strong probability that there will be an increase in the states expenditures on behalf of students with disabilities in Texas public schools, said Aleman. The major education bill also increases funding for dyslexia, a condition that both House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, and House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Humble, say they struggled with as children. It wasnt easy being a dyslexic student growing up in the 70s and 80s and it still isnt easy for Texas kids today, Bonnen said in a Facebook post. But I want every child struggling with dyslexia to know that they can and WILL succeed with the proper learning tools in place. Students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia were those most likely to be denied services under the 8.5 percent cap. To have some new state money devoted to at least a sub-population under that category of learning disability is a win, said Aleman. Some of the improvements are not optional. Lawmakers are obligated by a court order to spend several hundred million dollars more, at a minimum, on special education in the near future. Federal law prohibits states from reducing funding for special education services. However, a federal appeals court ruled the Texas Education Agency short-changed special education funding by $33 million in 2012. In April, the agency said it will owe a total of $223 million for reducing its special education budget over the last seven years. The state is required to pay back the federal government the $33 million for reducing funding in 2012. The state is negotiating whether and how much to pay the federal government back for other years. Lawmakers hope they can inject about $111.6 millioninto the budget to cover the shortfall this year and avoid a penalty for 2019. But parents and students may not feel the effect of that new money, said Aleman. When the state reduced funding, local school districts made up the difference, he said. The vast majority of the new money will likely replace money school districts currently spend, he said. In the future, the court loss will force the state to meet standards it has fallen short of for years. If meeting minimum federal standards is a win, then we will take that, said Aleman. There does seem to be a commitment to try to fix it. One in 59 children is diagnosed with autism, according to 2018 estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lawmakers expect the major education bill will include an incentive for teachers to undergo training to better understand how to teach students with autism. Larry Gonzales, whose son has autism, said hes OK with what he and other parents of children with special needs will see from the Legislature this year. The major education bill increasing the base amount of school funding will help all students, including those in special education, he said. When we talk about the numbers of teachers, inclusion teachers, those types of people who are with the children every day helping them, that is expensive, said Gonzales, a lobbyist for Autism Speaks and a former state representative from Round Rock. You have all these silos of need, all these buckets of need. Which buckets do you fill up first and how much. Cain, the representative from Deer Park, said he wasnt in any special classes as a child, but did receive accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act in law school. He said he spoke out to let others know that medical diagnoses do not define them. For the Texas children struggling to come to terms with their autism, I want you to know that Ive been in your shoes, he said. andrea.zelinski@chron.com twitter.com/andreazelinski AUSTIN A bill that would have made it harder for Texas cities and counties to relocate decades-old historic and Confederate monuments died this week. Senate Bill 1663 passed the Senate after hours of debate, but was never scheduled for a vote on the House floor. The legislation also would have blocked San Antonio from moving the Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza, meaning the state can likely move forward with plans to relocate the monument honoring Alamo defenders. Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Conroe Republican who sponsored the bill, said he hopes the measure will still have an affect. Thousands of bills will not be passed this session, however it is my hope that the support shown for SB 1663 will discourage deleting Texas history out of haste, and lead to local governments taking a more thoughtful, transparent and collaborative process when considering historical monuments, he said in a statement. Efforts to remove Confederate imagery in Texas and nationwide gained momentum after a woman was killed during racially charged protests in Charlottesville over a statue of Robert E. Lee. Houston renamed seven schools and a street, though two controversial Houston monuments still remain: the Spirit of the Confederacy statue in Sam Houston Park and a monument commemorating Dick Dowling in Hermann Park. In San Antonio, a Confederate statue in Travis Park was taken down in 2017 and Lee High School was renamed. This year, the states preservation board, headed by Abbott, voted to remove a Confederate plaque in the Capitol that long angered critics for its inaccurate claim that slavery wasnt an underlying cause of the Civil War. This is a developing story; check back for updates. The Alabama law comes timed with proposals and passed legislation in red states across the country restricting access to abortion, in some cases after as little as six weeks of pregnancy and even in cases of rape or incest. Since politicians are newly fascinated by our monthly cycles, we might as well note this too: Girls and women often have no idea they're pregnant at six weeks. The Texas dance halls and honky tonks that launched legends like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Lyle Lovett are turning to the state government to help them keep the pipeline of music stars flowing from the Lone Star State. Independent music venues have organized and are asking the state Legislature to pass a bill that would give back to the venues a portion of alcohol sales taxes that they pay. The money would go into a $10 million music incubator fund to help honky tonks pay for booking live music, promotions and venue upkeep. Venues and music festivals could apply for up to $100,000 worth of alcohol and sales tax rebates. Musician Pat Green is among those who have put down their guitars and headed to Austin to testify at committee hearings and lobby lawmakers on the concept. He said hes worried that the financial pressure from rising rents and property values are squeezing out iconic music venues that are part of Texas lore. Related: Blancos one of Houstons last honky tonks, torn down in 2016 The music business is such an enormous part of the state of Texas and the identity of the state that it is important that we give our local owners a leg up, said Green, a San Antonio native whose song Wave on Wave reached No. 3 on the county music charts in 2003. In Austin, one of those famous venues, Threadgills, closed its downtown location in 2018, citing escalating property taxes and increased operational costs. Green said others are struggling to hang on too, especially in rural communities. He said places like Gruene Hall, Floore Country Store in Helotes, the Broken Spoke in Austin, and the Backyard in Waco are where new musicians are cutting their teeth to keep the states rich music tradition alive. It gives the small and medium music venues in the state of Texas a fighting chance, especially in the rural areas, said Green, who is part of a group that owns The Rustic, which operates in Houston and other Texas cities. Green said the program is aimed at venues with a capacity of 3,000 or less and there are protections to make sure the money is only going to bars and clubs that truly promote Texas music. Specifically the legislation requires eligible venues to have been around for at least two years, have contracts with musical performers that give them a portion of ticket sales or an advance fee, and market their venue as a live music location, among other criteria. Green said they want to make sure that some bar doesnt try to get the rebates by just putting a guy with a guitar in the back. Without stepping stones like those places, there is no way I would have made it to playing places like the Astrodome, Green said moments after personally pitching Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick outside the Texas Senate chambers. The venues are not limited to just honky tonks. Any venue, regardless of the type of music, could get the rebates on their alcohol sales taxes if they meet the criteria spelled out in the bill. Music festivals could get the rebates too, but only if they are in a county with less than 100,000 people. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, has already sailed through the Texas House, but has struggled to advance in the Senate. The bill had its first hearing in the Texas Senate last week, but has yet to be voted on by the Senate with just a week remaining in the Legislatures session. The bill has opposition from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative group based in Austin. Carine Martinez, a policy analyst for the TPPF, testified against creating the music incubator program saying it would be an example of the government trying to pick winners and losers in the market place. To help those local venues and other businesses, she said the state should be trying to lower property taxes, not create a new rebate program that benefits some businesses over others. Rebecca Reynolds, of the Music Venue Alliance, said dance halls and honky tonks arent asking for a government subsidy, but just a break on the taxes they are contributing through the economic impact they are creating in Texas because of tourists and others visiting the state for music. State Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, said she still thinks House Bill 2806 can get moving in the Senate. Unfortunately, Texas music venues are now disappearing because of increasing operations costs, Alvarado said. Washington appears to be itching for a war. It seems that every day tension is ramping up between the U.S. and another country Mexico, North Korea, China, and now, Iran. On May 13, the Pentagon presented the Trump administration with a plan to deploy up to 120,000 ground troops to Iran. The president later denied any plan to send ground troops, leaving us all baffled as to what policy Trump will roll out next. Then on Sunday night, he tweeted, If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Amid the noise and uncertainty, it is safe to say that the American public has tuned out. Thats dangerous. Congress is right to make a stand against more war and to ask for justification in the meantime. There is no credible intelligence yet linking the sabotage of Saudi and Norwegian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf to Iran. The first Gulf War in 1991 and the second in 2003 were sold to the American public based on false intelligence. Since the 9/11 attacks in 2001, wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed an estimated half million people, including 14,000 Americans. The wars cost U.S. taxpayers more than $6 trillion. They destabilized the region and birthed the so-called Islamic State (ISIL, ISIS), contributing to global terrorism. In these wars we are not the good guys. We are the bull in the china shop. Iran is already encircled by U.S. military bases located throughout the Arab Gulf states, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan. U.S. air strikes have intermittently pummeled countries in the region since 1991. Since 2006 we have punished the Iranian people with economic sanctions in hopes the Islamic Republic would dismantle its nuclear program. The Iran Nuclear Deal signed by President Obama in 2015 succeeded in de-escalating tensions for some time, and it afforded Iran some much needed sanctions relief. According to the U.S. Department of State, the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international watchdogs, Iran was in compliance with the agreement. This did not stop Trump from breaching the agreement in 2017 and re-imposing sanctions in 2018. The irony is that Trump campaigned on a platform of America First, which included pulling out of wars in the Middle East. Now, the Syrian Civil War is winding down, and ISIS is all but defeated. Furthermore, Iraqs security situation is fragile but holding. So who in Washington is hell-bent on making war with Iran? In short, the presidents inner circle. It includes National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, each of whom has made a career out of war with the Middle East. There is no denying Irans wide and controversial influence across the Middle East. However, its tentacles only spread across the region between 2003 and 2006, after the U.S. toppled Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and dismantled the Iraqi armed forces, creating a power vacuum. In the wake of the Arab uprisings of 2010 and 2011, Iran entrenched itself in the carnage in Syria and Yemen as well. And it famously supports Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel. It is no surprise that the Arab Gulf states especially Saudi Arabia and Israel are best friends with us, and worst enemies with Iran. Still, we cannot forget that geopolitics is inextricable from energy security. In this age of climate change, strides in clean energy and divestment from fossil fuels, the oil and gas industry has invested millions of dollars to elect politicians to do their bidding. Washingtons enduring policy to divide and conquer the Middle East means we are always one airstrike away from another oil war. Iran sits on the fourth largest proven oil reserves and the second largest proven natural gas reserves. It controls the Strait of Hormuz, the volatile choke point for the global energy market. Twenty to 30 percent of the worlds oil and gas supplies squeeze through an international waterway just 21 miles wide. Is it any surprise that Washingtons hawks are suffocating Iranian oil exports and sending aircraft destroyers to Iranian shores? We cannot allow another reckless administration to drag our country back into war in the Middle East. Such a war is a crime against humanity, plain and simple. And though it may be profitable for Lockheed Martin and Halliburton, but it would drain Americas economy dry. Despite all the noise, Americans must not tune out. El-Badawi (@EmranE) is the program director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Houston. 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. 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Let's also not pretend that what was said from the St. Sabina pulpit were just harmless words. Words lead to deeds. Father Pfleger allowed Farrakhan to speak those words just days after shiva, the seven-day mourning period, ended for the family of Lori Kaye. Kaye was murdered by a white supremacist in her synagogue in Poway, Calif. Her murderer is on the other end of the political spectrum as Farrakhan, yet they share very similar ideas about Jews. Both believe we are satanic. Both believe we are the ultimate enemy. Both believe we must be defeated or destroyed. Travis Scott, Maggie Rogers Pledge Merch $s To Abortion Ban Battle, Billie Eilish Speaks Out A growing chorus of musicians and other celebrities are speaking out in opposition to recent attempts in Alabama, Georgia and elsewhere ban abortions, with two artists also pledging a days proceeds from their merchandise sales to Planned Parenthood. I have no words for the bitches in the fking White House, 17 year old pop sensation Billie Eilish told Variety. Its so unbelievable. It makes me, like, red. It makes my ears fing steam out of my head. Women should say, should do and feel and be exactly what they want. There should be nobody else telling them how to live their life, how to do st. It just makes me so mad that if I start talking about it, I wont stop. Men should not make womens choices thats all I have to say. Travis Scott and Maggie Rogers went a step father. During his Saturday set at Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Travis Scott pledged to donate the proceeds from that day's merchandise sales to Planned Parenthood. The crowd cheered as he addressed his fans: I love yall and I just want everyone to know that love is the strongest thing we can have. Travis Scott says hes donating all his merch sale money form his show last night all to Planned Parenthood. He also talks about Alabama. respect @trvisXX pic.twitter.com/qXzvG3DeUK (@ripscrew_) May 18, 2019 Maggie Rogers raised $17,500 through a one day online merch sale to benefit the Yellowhammer Fund, which aids those in need of services at one of Alabama's three existing abortion clinics. She filmed a brief thank you message for her fans: "It is so special to see [this community] create real change in the world." Individual rights should be respected in every way. Religion was never supposed to be a part of our government, Blondie's Deborah Harry told Variety. The world population is out of balance and for economic reasons as well as whatever your personal reasons are, said Harry. That should be respected. Blondie collaborator Chris Stein added: The abortion ban is completely screwed up. It has nothing to do with life or death. Its about controlling womens sexuality. Its crazy, you know, and the patriarchy just wont give up without a last gasp. My fear is Im not going to live to see an end to this bullst. Share on: Major UK retailers sign EJF charter for fishing transparency May 19,2019 | Source: Marex Marks & Spencer and Waitrose & Partners have become the latest major retailers to sign the Environmental Justice Foundations (EJF) Charter for Transparency. They join the Co-op, Sainsburys and Tesco in making a commitment to ensure their seafood supply chains are free from illegal fishing and human rights abuse. This is a significant and unifying step forward, says EJF: together these five companies represent the vast majority of grocery sales in the U.K. The lack of transparency in the global seafood industry means that illegal fishing is rife, costing the global economy an estimated $10 - 23.5 billion every year. As fish stocks fall, so does income from the vessels. To scrape a profit, some companies exploit workers, engaging in violent human rights abuses and employing forced, bonded and slave labor. EJF has documented abuse aboard fishing vessels across the world from slavery to murder all facilitated by a lack of transparency. Supermarkets are a vital part of ensuring that seafood sold was caught legally, ethically and sustainably, says EJF. The charter includes detailed recommendations retailers can use with suppliers to make sure no boat associated with illegal or unethical practices is in their supply chain. Central to this is the use of traceability systems that allow fish to be tracked from net to plate, accompanied by necessary evidence showing it was caught legally and ethically. These should be backed up by third party audits, focused on those areas of the supply chain with the highest risks. In addition, supermarkets have a powerful voice that they can use to call on governments to make critical reforms. The charter calls on them to support the adoption of EJFs 10 principles for global transparency in the fishing industry. These simple, low-cost measures which include publishing license lists and giving vessels unique numbers are well within the reach of any country, says EJF. Waitrose & Partners Ethical Trade Manager Sam Ludlow Taylor said: We have been working on responsible seafood sourcing for over 20 years, only sourcing fish from fisheries and farmed aquaculture operations that are responsibly managed and fully traceable. Our leading approach to responsible fishing extends to the welfare conditions of all workers in our supply chain as their well-being is equally important to us. By signing this charter, further safeguarding measures will be implemented to ensure all workers are operating within a safe and ethical environment, as well as practicing the high standards both we and our customers expect. Mike Mitchell, Fisheries Specialist at M&S, said: At M&S, were committed to sourcing all our fish responsibly, and were proud to lead the sector on transparency with our interactive supplier map, which shows where every type of fish or seafood we sell is caught or farmed. We believe collaborating with EJF and the wider industry to prevent illegal fishing will enable us to create meaningful and lasting change in seafood. 2019 The Maritime Executive, LLC Theme(s): Others. It's happened many times. The Irish were treated abominably for much of the 19th and early 20th century because they were poor and Catholic and only gained full respectability with the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960. Italian immigrants were hated because they were Catholic and suspected of being communists. The same for Greeks. Jews were hated because they weren't Christian and were suspected of being communists. Scandinavians were considered fit only for the most menial of jobs. Congress closed the door to immigration in 1921 because of Italian, Greek, Scandinavian and Jewish immigration. Chinese weren't allowed to come to America, and those already here weren't allowed to become citizens. The Japanese were also excluded and those already here were incarcerated during World War II for their own protection. African Americans suffered 300 years of violence, repression and abuse after they were forcibly brought to America as slaves. Native Americans were finally granted citizenship in 1924 after 300 hundred years of war, brutality and genocide. Ramadan becomes a struggle in cyclone-hit northern Mozambique by Tendai Marima May 19,2019 | Source: Al Jazeera Piles of debris lie where thatched mud huts once stood in the village of Guludo in northern Mozambique. Broken pieces of furniture and muddied books litter the landscape and many like Asma Mushillah, 53, spend their days trying to salvage what they can from the rubble. In an ordinary year, the villagers would be observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, fasting from sunrise to sunset and praying, but this year, life seems extraordinarily difficult. Many are trying to rebuild their lives nearly a month since Cyclone Kenneth ripped through the northern coast, where the majority of Mozambique's Muslims live. The country's central region was still reeling from Cyclone Idai that made landfall over two days in mid-March causing devastation across three Southern African countries, killing over 1,000 people. Then on April 25, Cyclone Kenneth hit the already water-logged country killing an estimated 45 people affecting 375,000 people who remain in need of emergency assistance, according to the UN. Mushillah says her observance of the Ramadan fast has been irregular because of the storms. They washed away her food supplies along with her home, that she hopes to rebuild with a tarpaulin roof. "The wind and the rain were too strong for my house, I lost everything. I found a few pots after the flooding, but I don't have a house. My sons can help me to rebuild, but after that, we will still need food. "I should be fasting, but I can't do it very well. It's a fast without order, some days I eat because I don't know when next I will get food. I'll fast properly if we get more food aid, then I will know I have something," she said. Many Muslims in this fishing village of about 2,500 inhabitants have had their holy month disrupted. Cyclone Kenneth, with wind speeds of over 200 km/hour, demolished the local mosque leaving them with nowhere to gather for worship or for the evening meal that breaks the fast. Muzasufar Abakari, 45, the chief of Guludo, told Al Jazeera the walls of the mosque had collapsed. "The mosque is damaged so there are no prayers, there is no call for prayers and there is no place to come together. "At this moment people are scattered, they live in different places so they pray separately, but with time we will organise ourselves and find an open place to pray," he explained. Al Jazeera Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. For me, that started with making sure that we sign the executive order ending aldermanic prerogative in our city, Lightfoot said. Well work with members of the City Council of course and members of the executive agencies. I want to be clear: This is not ending aldermanic influence, its not ending the way in which aldermen conduct their business every day and do hundreds of good things for people in their wards. It was (a shot across the councils bow), but it was a good one, said Waguespack, whom Lightfoot wants to chair the powerful Finance Committee. It was one thats been waiting a long time to happen. I think she was very direct about it, and she wants everybody here and in the city to know that weve got to move forward on these issues immediately, that its not going to wait. IFJ affiliates in Asia Pacific held different activities, ranging from freedom festival to discussions and marches to celebrate the World Press Freedom Day 2019. Heres the run down from the region: Timor Leste Press Union (TLPU) Timor-Leste Press Union together with Timor-Leste Journalists Association (AJTL) had a long march along the route of Liberdade Impress or the Press Freedom Street. They walked around 3 kilometers to spread the message on how importance to protect the freedom of the press in the country. The journalists also visited the site where Sander Robert Thoenes, a journalists worked for Financial Times in Dili, killed on September 21, 1999 when East Timor at that time was still in turmoil. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) NUJP together with different organization defending the press freedom and free expression in the Philippines held the Freedom Festival. They had different events, ranging from discussion, protest, online screening, launching of video for change impact toolkit, and ended with Freedom Festival Jam. The event is important since media in the country is facing threats, particularly after the Presidential Palace announced the matrix or the alleged plot of the media and groups of lawyers to take down the government. The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia AJI Indonesia which has 38 chapters across the country celebrated the World Press Freedom Day with various events. Most of the chapters had a rally and discussions of the press freedom in Indonesia. The violence against journalists in Indonesia, particularly during political years, kept increasing. Based on the data published by AJI, there were 64 cases of attacks on journalists in 2018, rose from 60 cases in 2017. The total number was the second highest in 10 years. The type of violence was ranging from the physical attacks, intimidation, and limit journalists access. Aside from this, the cyber-attacks has also risen. The libel cases using the cyber-law has become another type of threat for journalists and media workers in Indonesia. The media ownership by politicians has also caused the newsrooms to lose their independency. Instead of serving the public interests, journalists are more loyal to the owners of the media or politicians. National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM) The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM) has published the statement for this years World Press Freedom Day. The union has urged the newly elected government to repeal the 1984 Printing, Presses and Publishing Act (PPPA) and other relevant laws and regulations that curb the freedom of the press in the country in the democratic process. In one of NUJMs chapter, the NUJ New Straits Times Press (NSTP) has celebrated the WPFD 2019 with charity bazaar. The proceed will be used to help the unions members, particularly Jason Gerald, a former NST Melaka correspondent. Jason was diagnosed with diabetes and had his left foot amputated recently. Due to his condition, Jason is now unable to work. His family is now appealing for funds to meet monthly medical bills, follow up treatment, and other expenses. Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA) The Myanmar Journalists Association has released a statement to demand the government to strengthening the commitment to improve press freedom in the country. Media will definitely take a huge part to support the democracy. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has published a statement. One of the point they highlighted was calling the government to take immediate steps to ensure their security. Also to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day, the union were lit the candles. Journalists safety and the culture of impunity are still lingering in Pakistan. Last year, there were 94 journalists and media workers were killed. Out of the total victims, five were from Pakistan. On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we're going to put a little fuel in your bus. Now, I've got the alumni over there, and this is the challenge to you alumni. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans. With so much attention on gender and diversity gaps in the workplace today, knowing how your company stacks up is vital. While hiring managers typically have access to data such as diversity stats, employee salaries, and performance metrics, they don't usually have an easy way to analyze all of it. That's where Twine comes in. The New York City-based startup's software aims to help human resources teams organize and analyze employee data so that company leaders can make more informed HR-related decisions. Clients can use the dashboard to monitor the progress of specific initiatives, such as narrowing the gender pay gap or hiring with diversity in mind. Companies can also get granular by assessing an employee's individual trajectory. You can see if an employee is due for a raise or perhaps a promotion, among other things. "It can answer those ad hoc questions that come up frequently in senior leadership meetings that would take hours or weeks to pull data and turn into analytics," says Joseph Quan, the 29-year-old co-founder of Twine. The company he co-founded in 2017 alongside Wharton business school classmate Nikhil Srivastava, 31, is still operating under the radar until its formal launch later this year. Even so, it already has worked with the likes of note-taking app Evernote and blood-test company Guardant Health, says Quan, who declined to provide revenue details. At launch, Twine expects to charge corporate customers between five and six figures annually for services, depending on a company's size and other factors. The startup has raised a total of $2.7 million in funding from angel investors and the Menlo Park, California-based venture capital firm Trinity Ventures. While Twine now appears to have hit on a product other companies want, it took the founders three tries before settling on their current company's mission. Searching for a problem Quan and Srivastava's first idea was to use Wharton's network of current students and alumni to create a white-label match-making service for people with similar professional interests. Users fill out a survey and an algorithm connects people based on their career aspirations. They scored a contract with Wharton and hundreds of people signed up within the first couple of weeks, says Quan, who still helps the school run the service today. They crafted another business idea--which would match employees with jobs based on their industry or interests--but that flopped, as companies, which were expected to purchase the service, typically don't want to help talent out the door. At that point, they had reached an impasse: Despite their skills in analytics, the co-founders lacked a problem to solve. Quan and Srivastava set out on a listening and learning tour, meeting with more than 200 chief people and chief human resources officers in New York City and Silicon Valley to hear their biggest pain points. They learned about the challenges of using several types of platforms that don't necessarily talk to each other. For example, the employee-benefits tracking system Bamboo HR, which includes an applicant tracking system, doesn't integrate with the recruiting software service Greenhouse. To allow these tools to communicate on a single platform, the founders learned, would be infinitely useful for companies. It would help HR staffers focus on how to keep the people they've already found. "What gets measured gets managed," says Quan. "When you know who is leaving and why and what makes people stay, you're able to make much more effective investments in time and energy." Growth potential That's the key benefit of Twine, say investors like Sarah Smith, a partner at Bain Capital Ventures. In 2018, while she was a partner at San Francisco's Graph Ventures, she proposed the seed-stage investment firm invest in Twine. "I think HR department investing in tech used to be a nice thing to have; now it's a must-have," she says. With the unemployment rate hovering at 3.8 percent, companies need to get better about giving employees a reason to stay, Smith says, adding: "That's where Twine is a great opportunity." To be sure, Twine has ample competition. Its biggest rivals include HR data collection and visualization companies like Tableau and Looker, both of which produce charts or graphs to help users understand their employment picture. While these platforms collect impressive data, they don't seamlessly communicate with each other so that users can easily analyze it all, Quan says. The company also faces internal challenges, as Quan notes he's still transitioning from co-founder to CEO and leader. It's a move that will require him to relinquish his current role as the company's chief salesperson. As one of the company's creators, he was responsible for calling prospective clients and wooing them; now he must trust that responsibility with someone else. "It's founder magic: I have the enthusiasm and know the market, and that helps close customers," he says. "It's a unique challenge to find that sales person and pass the torch." EXPLORE MORE Rising Stars COMPANIES I will have the privilege of leading, but clearly a single leader cannot heal all the ails us. A single leader cannot by herself conquer all of the challenges that would be present on day one. We all have to be part of that solution. We all must make the sacrifices necessary to identify problems and forge solutions. And, my friends, we must not merely depend on the politicians, the preachers, the police, the teachers, the activists and others to show us the way. We can no longer continue to cede control of our destiny to someone else. Editor's Note: In honor of National Small Business Week, Inc. is exploring clusters of small companies around the country that share distinctive strengths, challenges, and characters. Welcome to Flint, Michigan: Home of the $20 baked potato. OK, to be fair, the top-dollar item on Keysa Smith's menu is a $12.95 meat lover's potato. But, Smith says, some customers at Spectacular Spudz--her three-year-old tuber emporium in the Flint Farmers' Market--"put on so many add-ons like shrimp, cheese, and veggie mix that their potato is $20." A Flint native, Smith was in college studying culinary arts when an arrest for selling marijuana--followed by four-and-a-half years in federal prison--suspended her career plans. After her release she finished school and launched Spectacular Spudz as homage to The Potato Patch, a beloved Flint restaurant from her childhood. "Me and my mom created the recipes, and it took a year to perfect them," Smith says. "We make everything from scratch, right down to the Alfredo sauce." Downtown Flint, once largely shuttered, is showing new life thanks in part to small businesses like Smith's. Square, the mobile payment-processing company, says since 2014 sales at its Flint clients have increased to $36 million from $10 million, and the number of new businesses that use its services is up 40 percent during that period. The company, which made a video about entrepreneurship in Flint five years after the water crisis, has provided nearly $2 million in financing--with average loans of $6,700--through its capital arm to small business in that period. "There's been a really dramatic change in the physical landscape and how the city is operating," says Erin Archuleta, a small-business advocate for Square and a Flint native. "Small businesses are really emerging, really thriving." Also helping to revitalize the city is the significant public and private investment--most of it in the last two years, with $200 million in 2019 alone--that among other improvements restored the historic Capital Theatre, launched a culinary arts institute, created an incubator and co-working space called the Ferris Wheel, and built or refurbished numerous residential and commercial buildings. Linnette Phillips is Flint's deputy director of economic development, a department that didn't exist until a year ago. In addition to other efforts, the city created a pilot program for pop-up businesses and one that combines entrepreneurship education with the opportunity to sell products to the public. "The next step is to assist those businesses with gap funding and connect them with some type of space," Phillips says. (Phillips had no concurring data on business formation but thought the Square numbers sounded about right.) There's still plenty of work to be done. Things have been bad in Flint for decades. With a median income of $16,544, it is among the poorest U.S. cities and has one of the highest rates of violent crime. The crisis that ensued when officials in 2014 switched water sources to save money--exposing residents to elevated lead levels and bacteria that caused illness and death--is still playing out in the courts and in public distrust. Bottled water distribution in Flint continues; replacement of lead pipes has slowed. Starting a business in an impoverished city in the midst of a public health crisis sounds counterintuitive at best. But Flint's new founders have their reasons. Rents are low. Competition is scarce. And most important: The city they love really needs them. Tony Vu, whose Vietnamese restaurant, MaMang, started as a food truck in 2014, says Flint's residents face a choice: "You are either part of the hopeful crowd who believes things are going to turn around or are part of the other side--bitter and jaded and almost heartbroken because you keep seeing this town and all these opportunities squandered." Vu believes the burgeoning business community suggests that optimists are gaining ground. "It feels as though we are uplifting ourselves," he says. "After all this negativity, people are doing things that have Flint's best interests in mind." Manis, pedis, and pride Spectacular Spudz employs 10 people just to feed the lines filing through almost nonstop during the 18 hours a week the market is open. Even with that abbreviated schedule, sales last year totaled $315,000, enough to justify the restaurant's move to a 1,300-square-foot standalone space this summer. Smith is talking to a potential franchisee in Fenton, Michigan, and has had inquiries from Toledo, Atlanta, and Denver. She hopes to open three franchises in 2020. That Spectacular Spudz is in Flint "was God's plan," says Smith. She originally hoped to start elsewhere, or at least launch from a food truck so she could seek customers in other cities if necessary. Then the Farmers' Market, which reopened downtown in 2014 and is among the city's prime drivers of entrepreneurship, offered to incubate her startup in its commercial kitchens. Other Flint-specific funding came through, including a grant from the Chamber of Commerce and an SBA loan that targets Flint companies, funded, in part, by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores. "All these opportunities kept falling in my lap right here," she says. "I never in a million years thought we would be doing this well right here after the water crisis." While Smith contemplated leaving Flint, her sister, Natalie Kadie, wanted back in. In 2015, Kadie and her husband Alex were living in Flint Township, which is adjacent to Flint. The Kadies, who love to be around music and people, had always wanted to live downtown. The water crisis--and new construction that began earlier--meant lots of vacancies and low rents. "People told us we were crazy," Kadie says. "We said, 'Yeah, I guess we are crazy.' But we still believed in the city." At the time Kadie was working as an independent nail technician at a salon in nearby Grand Blanc. On a trip to Detroit, the couple visited a nail bar offering manis and pedis in a pampering, social atmosphere. "It was doing great business," Kadie says. "And we thought, 'Oh my gosh, what if we bring something like this to our city? People are hungry for things to do.'" Last year, the Kadies opened Eight Ten Nail Bar in a cool industrial space--huge windows, concrete floor--a block from their new-construction loft. They funded it through their savings and friends and family. Smith was among the early investors. The first clients came with Kadie from her old salon. "Some of them were like, 'I don't know if I want to come downtown,'" she says. "'Are you terrified when you are there?' I'm like, 'No. I live there.'" All but one of her roughly 70 former Grand Blanc regulars now patronize Eight Ten. The business, which employs two additional nail techs and a receptionist, has more than 200 clients. Although Eight Ten is the only game in town, the Kadies still strive to distinguish it through exceptional service. There is complimentary wine and coffee. At customers' request, Alex will fetch food from nearby restaurants (including Spectacular Spudz). For older clients, he will park and retrieve cars. Like her sister, Kadie plans to expand the business nationally--even globally. "We called it Eight Ten Nail bar because that is our area code," says Kadie. "We want to take Flint everywhere." An oasis in the food desert Nail bars and gourmet potatoes make Flint fun. Erin Caudell and her partner, Franklin Pleasant, are addressing a more basic need. The city is awash in food deserts: communities without access to fresh and nutritious food. "Lots of liquor stores and not many supermarkets," Caudell says. Caudell, who has a degree in horticulture, and Pleasant, an engineer, are both from the area. In 2013, they started a farm outside the city called The Flint Ingredient Company, selling produce through the Farmers' Market. Three years later, they opened The Local Grocer, a store on the border between Carriage Town and University Village. The Local Grocer specializes in fresh produce from the owners' farm and, to the extent possible, other Michigan growers. Some of its specialty items, including Withers Mountain Honey and lotions from Cindy's Beauty and Health, are produced by local makers. Flint Coffee Company roasts upstairs. An in-house kitchen produces, among other things, sustainable vegan and vegetarian meals. Operating a business that sells typically high-priced items like organics and fresh meat is challenging in a high-poverty area. Caudell and Pleasant "have a variety of price points to address that need," she says. Some customers buy with their government-issued EBT cards. Also popular is a Michigan program called Double Up Food Bucks that gives qualified customers $1 credit toward fruits and vegetables for every produce dollar they spend up to $20. Although there are no other grocers nearby and only one big chain store (a Kroger) on the city's outskirts, The Local Grocer still competes with the internet and big box stores further afield. Like many Flint companies it does so through community-building events like game and crafts nights. It also participates in city activities like Flint's ArtWalk and Restaurant Week--which are signs of resurgence in their own right. "Every time someone visits," says Caudell, "they are surprised to see these things going on." The chef who mints chefs For some small-business owners, community spirit finds expression in mentoring other entrepreneurs. Tony Vu, the son of Vietnamese immigrants, grew up in a farm town just outside of Flint, and then attended high school there. He left in the mid-2000s, repulsed, he says, by the opiate crisis, which still bedevils the city. Using money saved from IT contracting work, he traveled to Peru and then Vietnam. It was both a spiritual awakening and a new direction. "My mind was set that I would do something with food and tap into my culture," Vu says. Back in Flint in 2014, Vu bought a beat-up 1959 Ford step van and started a food truck, serving dishes made from his mother's recipes. It was a hit from the get-go. "There were times when there was a full-on winter storm, and we had a queue of people waiting to get their bowls while we were inside the truck trying to stay warm," he says. Four years ago, Vu moved his business, now called MaMang, into the Farmers' Market. On days the market closed he began hosting pop-up events featuring other local chefs. He named that series, which routinely sold out, the Flint Social Club. Last year, he adopted a mentorship model, throwing five- or six-course dinners staffed by 10 chefs--some professionals but many culinary school or even high school students. "Everyone was learning from each other: the different aspects of how to run a kitchen, how to time it all," Vu says. Recently, Vu bought a building downtown to house both MaMang and the Flint Social Club. It will have two kitchens, one with a pop-up space attached. The Club will sponsor six-week mentorship programs, each with six chefs interested in starting their own food businesses. Vu will give some chefs their own pop-ups and mentor the best of those in a food truck. Finally, he will introduce them to local lenders and help them seek grants. He expects to dedicate roughly 5 percent of MaMang's sales to the program. (Sales in 2018 were $118,000 during the Farmers Market's limited hours of operation.) Vu's specialty is his mother's pho, which is, of course, largely water. The Farmers' Market has been hugely helpful reassuring people, he says, posting weekly reports of its own water tests and educating the public on how healthy food can counteract the effects of lead. Still, Vu says, fear lingers. "There is a whole generation of kids who only know what comes out of the faucet as poison." Small-business owners, like other community leaders, will be answering such questions for some time. The water "is not OK just because I told you it is," he says. "It is OK because I showed you, by building a thriving business." Stitched in Flint Streetwear has attitude. "You want to be edgy and tough and show bravado," says Oaklin Mixon. "Everyone is trying to be a bad boy." But when you want to revive a city on the FBI's list of most violent, that kind of attitude sends the wrong message. So Mixon named his urban apparel business GoodBoy Clothing, as testament to, "the people who inspired me by contributing to this community," he says. "I thought it was kind of cheesy at first. But we need to get that out into the culture." Mixon bounced around the foster system before landing in Flint in 1997, at age 13. He was an artistic kid. College didn't suit him, so he dropped out and got a job at a friend's new business, The Flint Crepe Company. With $1,000 in savings and experience at a startup, he launched GoodBoy in 2014. For two years, Mixon operated lean, selling his T-shirts from pop-up shops and at events. The water crisis briefly unnerved him. "As a businessperson, I was like, 'Is this going to turn people away?'" he says. "But I decided to push through because I knew Flint would push through." In 2016, Mixon won second place in a small-business contest sponsored by AT&T and Chris Gardner, the once-homeless millionaire entrepreneur played by Will Smith in the film The Pursuit of Happyness. The $20,000 award bought equipment and inventory. In 2017, Mixon opened a store with a small apparel factory in back. Today, Mixon and his four employees cut and sew between 100 and 200 T-shirts and sweatshirts a week. In-house production is critical to Mixon's vision of restoring Flint to its manufacturing roots, only this time with fashion instead of automobiles. Hand-sewn items cost between $70 and $100, but Mixon also sells clothes he designs but manufactures more cheaply elsewhere in the U.S. or--cheapest of all--overseas. ("Sweatshop-free," he emphasizes.) Those shirts cost around $25 and comprise much of the stock moving through the store. (The business also sells online.) "We are very, very sensitive to price," Oaklin says. "This way, people from any socioeconomic class can walk in and leave with a GoodBoy garment." Theres a tendency to underestimate how much work goes into being an extra. Its not just an easy opportunity to bask in the glow of your favourite Hollywood A-listers. These are long days that alternate between quick bursts of action and hours of standing around, patiently waiting to be called on again. Its almost always exhausting. On top of that, you have to accept that youre one of the many key parts of the artistic process that will rarely get any credit, despite the fact that whatevers happening in the background can have a huge impact on the mood of the scene. A great reaction shot from an extra can instantly make us empathise with the situation at hand, while a bad one will quickly make the whole film feel cheap and lazy. That said, sometimes thinking out of the box is the only way to get noticed. For better or worse, here are 15 movie extras that really made their mark, in the likes of Star Wars, The Dark Knight, and Jaws. And most of them achieved it all without uttering a single word. Click through the gallery below. Dear readers, I have found the wellness gadget of the year and it costs just 24.99. Its a Crane vibrating massage foam roller and you can find it at Aldi. Hurry now while stocks last. The website describes it thus: your perfect post-workout partner. Id go further than that. Id describe it as the secret to happiness. At least for this week. I had no idea such things even existed until last Friday at a Trigger Point Pilates class at Londons PI Studios. Trigger Point Pilates is a combination of Pilates and Myofascial Release, in which sustained pressure on the fascia, the connective tissue which wraps our muscles, helps to improve circulation and increase mobility. As we students lay flat out at the end of a particularly painful workout, instructor Kiki Lier Laursen did a circuit of the room, placing the vibrating rollers behind our knees. It was impossible not to laugh as we lay there and jiggled. Many Pilates exercises seem like the instructor just made them up for a giggle. In The Seal, for example, you roll backwards and forwards like a demented egg while clapping your feet together. Swimming involves laying face down on a mat and pretending to snorkel. The Reluctant Owl involves gently flapping your elbows while pulling a silent hooting face OK. I did make that last one up. But its hard to imagine at first sight how many of the exercises German prisoner of war Joseph Pilates developed in a WW1 internment camp on the Isle of Man are improving your fitness. The Seal definitely seems like something youd come up with to amuse your cellmates after several weeks of confinement. Likewise when Kiki brought out the vibrating rollers, I wondered where the hidden cameras were. I was sure there could be no actual fitness benefit to all the shaking except though it would make an amusing clip for YouTube. Many species of bee are on the brink of extinction in parts of the UK and some types have been lost entirely, a report has found. Climate change, habitat loss, pollution and disease are threatening the pollinators, the analysis of 228 species concluded. It discovered that 17 species were regionally extinct including the Great Yellow Bumblebee, the Potter Flower Bee and the Cliff Mason Bee with 25 types threatened and another 31 of conservation concern. The bees pollinating services are worth 690m a year to the UK economy. Published on World Bee Day, the Bees Under Siege report by WWF and Buglife recommends a number of conservation actions to help reverse declines: Ensure that coastal management plans protect coastal habitats and promote the management of sea walls Safeguard wildlife-rich brownfield sites and promote beneficial management Identify opportunities to connect disjointed habitat fragments and promote coordinated management between landowners and landholdings Local authorities can work with and support local communities in urban areas to restore and create new habitats Ongoing survey and monitoring of bee populations Maintain and increase awareness, advice, support and funding for practical delivery projects. The report also called on the new Westminster Environment Bill to be ambitious enough to develop a nature recovery network for bees. Endangered and threatened species of Britain Show all 10 1 /10 Endangered and threatened species of Britain Endangered and threatened species of Britain Hedgehog In 1950 there were an estimated 36 million hedgehogs in the UK, there are now only one million Getty/iStock Endangered and threatened species of Britain Hazel dormouse The population of the hazel dormouse is thought to have declined by over one third since 2000. It is threatened by loss of habitat Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Red squirrel Famously ravaged by the North American grey squirrel, the red squirrel is nowadays very rare with a population of around 140,000 Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Mountain hare The population in Scotland stands at 1% of its 1950 level and only one colony remains in England in the Peak District Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Natterjack toad Threatened by the disappearance of their coastal habitats, the natterjack toad is now only found at a handful of site across the UK Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Water vole Once found across Britain, the water vole is no longer anywhere to be seen in 90% of waterways Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Turtle dove On the Red List of conservation concern, the turtle dove population has declined by 97% since 1970 Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Small tortoiseshell butterfly Amid a general decline in butterfly population since records began in the 1970s, the small tortoiseshell saw a 38% drop in population in 2018 Getty Endangered and threatened species of Britain Noble chafer beetle Classed as vulnerable, the noble chafer beetle became increasingly rare throughout the 20th century due to habitat loss. Members of the public are encouraged to report any sightings to the People's Trust for Endangered Species gbhone Endangered and threatened species of Britain Stag beetle Their population is not known but due to habitat loss and other threats they are a protected species. Members of the public are encouraged to report any sightings to the People's Trust for Endangered Species Getty The research centres were in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk all home to nationally and internationally significant pollinating populations. International scientists nearly three weeks ago warned of the worlds alarming loss of biodiversity. Just weeks ago, a separate report warned that wild pollinating insects have vanished from a quarter of their former habitats across Britain. Last year the European Union agreed to ban neonicotinoids, the worlds most widely used insecticides, from all fields because they were killing bees. Urban beekeeping is now considered another threat to wild populations, by creating fierce competition for food and even spreading disease. Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF, said: The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and the fact that our precious pollinators are in peril is a sad illustration of the dramatic decline in wildlife were seeing all around us. We desperately need targeted action if were going to bring under-pressure wildlife back from the brink. The Environment Act gives us a golden opportunity to restore our natural world we need to ensure its ambitious enough to do that. Recommended How urban beekeeping is killing our precious pollinators Matt Shardlow, chief executive at Buglife, said: Our study found that many of the rarer, more specialist bees are battling to keep up with the changing face of their landscape and increasingly hot weather. Although a few species have expanded their populations and range, more species are in decline, 17 species are already extinct in the region and another six species are now so endangered they are only known to survive on single sites this is a very unhealthy picture. A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: We are working hard to support our bees and other pollinators as these species are essential for pollinating crops and in turn human survival. Through our 25-Year Environment Plan, we have already committed to developing a Nature Recovery Network to protect and restore wildlife, and our Biodiversity and National Pollinator strategies have helped to create over 130,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat. Furthermore the Bees Needs campaign brings together conservation groups, farmers, beekeepers to promote good practical advice so we can all do more to provide suitable habitats for bees and other insects. Global sea levels could rise by more than two metres by the end of this century if emissions continue in a business as usual scenario, a United Nations body has warned. The international team of researchers said this would have catastrophic consequences for the whole world, forcing 187 million people off their land. Parts of London, Los Angeles, New York and Rio de Janiero could be submerged, leaving 1.79 million km2 of land lost globally, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The results were worse than we anticipated, lead researcher Jonathan Bamber, from the University of Bristol told The Independent. If emissions continue to grow unchecked in the business as usual scenario, global temperatures could increase by 5C by 2100, the report states. The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres Show all 6 1 /6 The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres UK and Netherlands All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres New York All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres Florida All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres Egypt All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres Shanghai All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle The cities that would be under water if sea level rises by nine metres Bangladesh All images are giving an indication of what an increase of 9m to sea level would look like Alex Tingle Five degrees warming by 2100 is a pretty awful scenario, you just dont want to think about the consequences of that for the whole planet. It would mean that we as a species and many parts of the Earths systems would be under serious threat, Prof Bamber said. The findings suggest coastal communities should not rule out the possibility of 21st century sea level rise in excess of two metres when developing adaptation strategies. Were closer to business as usual than what we would hope, Prof Bamber added. Scientists found that if nations reach emissions targets set by the Paris climate agreement, temperatures would rise by around 2C by the end of the century, causing 26cm sea level rise. Pictured is a German supply ship moored at the edge of an ice shelf in West Antarctica (Jonathan L. Bamber) Traditional methods for predicting rising sea levels from the melting ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic are based on numerical modelling. Such projections remain challenging due to uncertainty about how the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are responding to climate change. A team of international scientists used a technique called structured expert judgment to ask 22 ice sheet experts to estimate plausible ranges for future sea level rises. They asked them to consider the projected melting of each of the Greenland, West Antarctic and East Antarctic ice sheets under low and high future global temperature rise scenarios. Prof Bamber said: Structured expert judgment provides a formal approach for estimating uncertain quantities based on current scientific understanding, and can be useful for estimating quantities that are difficult to model. A two-metre rise in global sea levels could result in land loss of 1.79 million km2, including critical regions of food production, and potential displacement of up to 187 million people, Professor Bamber said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The structured expert judgment process provided an opportunity for experts to discuss their scientific rationales for the quantitative judgments they make on uncertainties relating to future ice sheet contributions to sea level. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. A whopping 74 per cent of Indias electricity generation comes from coal-fired power plants, and coal use in the country continues to increase, but we may be seeing the beginning of the end of coals rein as renewable energy investments have begun to outpace those in fossil fuels. A major shift is underway in the country which is the worlds third-largest contributor to greenhouse gases, after the US and China. According to the International Energy Agency, Indias move towards spending on renewables has been driven both by policy and by the rapidly falling costs of bringing solar power online. For the past three years in a row India has seen greater total investments in renewables than in fossil fuels, the report shows, while spending on solar energy overtook spending on coal-fired power generation for the first time in 2018. There has been a very big step change in terms of the shift in investments in India in just the past three years, Michael Waldron, an author of the report, told Inside Climate News. Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London Show all 8 1 /8 Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London AFP/Getty Images Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London AFP/Getty Images Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London REUTERS Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London AFP/Getty Images Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London AFP/Getty Images Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London REUTERS Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London REUTERS Thousands of mothers stage climate protest in London REUTERS But there are a number of risks around whether this shift can be continued and be sustained over time, he said. The threat to a continuation of this progress includes the potential for a growing appetite for coal, as well as the governments policy decisions in the coming years. Energy demands in the country still remain comparatively small each person in India uses a 10th that of a US citizen but that is changing fast with people increasingly consuming larger amounts of energy. As a result, BP has estimated Indias overall energy demands could double by 2040 due to further population growth and economic development. Despite its growing use of coal and increasing demands, the country appears to remain on track to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement, in which it pledged to bring 175 gigawatts of renewable energy online by 2022. So far the country has installed over 77GW double its renewables capacity of four years ago and has signed off a further 60GW for construction. Meanwhile, Indias new coal power generation has dropped from roughly 20 gigawatts of additional capacity being added each year to less than 10 gigawatts added in each of the last three years, Sameer Kwatra, a climate change and energy policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council told Inside Climate News. There is a realisation that renewables are quicker, cleaner, cheaper and also strategically in Indias interest because of energy security; it just makes financial sense to invest in renewables, he said. The slow move away from coal in India fits with global trends in investment in fossil fuels which have tumbled over the last three years. Despite the apparent progress, the International Energy Agency has warned much more investment in renewables across the world is required to prevent more than 1.5C of average global warming as set out under the terms of the Paris climate agreement. Energy investments now face unprecedented uncertainties, with shifts in markets, policies and technologies, said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEAs executive director. But the bottom line is that the world is not investing enough in traditional elements of supply to maintain todays consumption patterns, nor is it investing enough in cleaner energy technologies to change course. Whichever way you look, we are storing up risks for the future. An alien ocean could be hiding underneath the surface of Pluto suggesting that alien life might be more likely than we thought, scientists have said. The dwarf planet could be wrapped in a gassy insulating layer, which keeps water beneath its surface liquid, according to new research. If true, that might mean the universe is filled with far more alien oceans than we had previously realised, the new study found. That would make the possibility that some of them are home to extraterrestrial life far more likely. When Nasa's New Horizons mission flew past Pluto in 2015, it sent back the first ever close-up images of its surface. They showed that the dwarf planet looked strange: it seemed to have a large basin near its equator, for instance. By examining its location and other details, scientists came to believe there is an ocean lurking beneath the ice shell, which is thinned at that basin. However, such a possibility shouldn't be possible given the age of Pluto, which is so old that its ocean should have frozen and the ice shell around it would have been expected to flatten down. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Now researchers from across the world have proposed a new explanation for that warm subsurface ocean to sit alongside the dwarf planet's frozen and bumpy shell. It could be kept that way by a special layer of gas that is serving as insulation, they suggest. The researchers tested that possibility in computer simulations that replayed a timescale of 4.6 billion years, whent the solar system was forming. They created two different scenarios, allowing them to compare that process with or without the insulating layer of gas. The two simulations showed that without the insulation, the sea would have completely frozen hundreds of millions of years ago. With one, however, it hardly freezes at all and the water would still be liquid. Those same layers of gassy insulation could be found throughout the universe, on similar objects to Pluto, researchers said. That might mean that other plaes like it where they are relatively large but not very well heated could also serve as homes for alien life. "This could mean there are more oceans in the universe than previously thought, making the existence of extraterrestrial life more plausible," Shunichi Kamata of Hokkaido University, who led the team, said in a statement. Having a propensity for dogs could be in your genetic makeup, scientists have claimed. The question of whether or not you're a cat or a dog person is one that causes many a heated debate among devoted pet owners. While some may think a preference for a canine companion could be attributed to the animals you were surrounded by throughout your childhood, a new study has argued it may actually be a case of nature over nurture. A team of Swedish and British scientists conducted an investigation to assess the "heritability of dog ownership". The researchers compared the genetic makeup of 35,035 pairs of twins by using data from the Swedish Twin Registry for the study, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports. The dog in photography: 1839-Today Show all 11 1 /11 The dog in photography: 1839-Today The dog in photography: 1839-Today Elena Lusenti, 2016 Courtesy of the artist/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Nadar (Gaspard Felix Tournachon), Paul and His Dog, c 1865 The J. Paul Getty Museum/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Studio Bengue & Kindermann, c. 1890 Hans Christian Adam/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Arnold Genthe, c1913 The Library of Congress/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Lisette Model, Dog Show, New York, c. 1946 Lisette Model Foundation/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today John F. Kennedy, 1949 John F. Kennedy Library/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Todd Webb, 79th Street, New York, 1952 Yancey Richardson Gallery/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Bruce Davidson, East 100th Street, Harlem, New York, 1966 Magnum Photos/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today William Wegman, To Sleep, 1995 Pace/MacGill Gallery/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today Fatima NeJame, 2012 Courtesy of the artist/TASCHEN The dog in photography: 1839-Today The Dog in Photography 1839Today Raymond Merritt Hardcover, 14 x 19.5 cm, 688 pages US$ 20 | 15 | 15 TASCHEN While identical twins share their entire genome, non-identical twins only share approximately half their genome. Therefore, by analysing the genetic makeup of twins, scientists can compare the impact of environment versus genetics. According to the study, if one half of identical twins owns a dog, both are more likely to be dog owners, a finding the scientists attribute to their shared genome. Meanwhile, when it comes to non-identical twins, they are much less likely to both own dogs. Another factor which could determine whether or not twins are likely to both own a dog is living in a shared environment, a factor which the researchers only assessed in early adulthood. "We found that additive genetic factors largely contributed to dog ownership, with heritability estimated at 57 per cent for females and 51 per cent for males," the researchers stated. Tove Fall, lead author of the study and professor of molecular epidemiology at Uppsala University, said the team were "surprised to see that a person's genetic makeup appears to be a significant influence in whether they own a dog". "As such, these findings have major implications in several different fields related to understanding dog-human interaction throughout history and modern times," the professor stated. Carri Westgarth, lecturer in human-animal interaction at the University of Liverpool and co-author of the study, added that the study's findings are significant as they "suggest that supposed health benefits of owning a dog reported in some studies may be partly explained by different genetics of the people studied". Patrick Magnusson, senior author of the study and associate professor of epidemiology at Karolinska Insitutet, explained that the study could not identify exactly which genes may determine whether a person is likely to own a dog. However, the study does "at least demonstrate for the first time that genetics and environment play about equal roles in determining dog ownership", Magnusson said. "The next obvious step is to try to identify which genetic variants affect this choice and how they relate to personality traits and other factors such as allergy," the professor added. According to a study published in December by Exeter and Canterbury University, dogs may not be as intelligent as people think. This claim prompted fury across Twitter, with many users defending the intelligence of their canine companions. When Halifax historian Helena Whitbread was working on the diaries of Anne Lister, a 19th century local landowner, in the 1980s she was surprised to discover that some sections of the diaries were written in code. It turned out that once decoded, these sections provided an astonishing source. They documented in detail Listers explicit sexual activities with a number of women, which culminated in her marriage to Ann Walker in 1834 at Holy Trinity Church in York. Listers life and exploits are currently being celebrated in an HBO/BBC drama starring Suranne Jones in the title role. While it is extraordinary to find material which shatters traditional ideas and beliefs about 19th century women and their sexuality, there is more to Lister than her lesbianism. She was an astute landowner, developer, mountaineer and politician. Her refusal to bow to public conventions regarding her sexuality (she dressed in a masculine fashion, celebrated her liaisons publicly, and was known locally as Gentleman Jack) were equally relevant to other areas of her life, in particular her politics. From an early age Lister had shown a lively interest in current affairs, and she remained an active and committed Tory all her life. But it was her succession to the Shibden Hall estate in Halifax in 1826 that meant she had the money, power and influence to indulge her passion for politics. From an early age Lister had shown a lively interest in current affairs, and she remained an active and committed Tory all her life The 1832 Reform Act provided the borough of Halifax with two seats and from the outset was dominated by the local Liberal interest, with radicals also having a foothold. Charles Wood, later Viscount Halifax, first became MP in 1832 and remained the sitting member until 1865, first as a Whig but later as a Liberal. For the Tory party, this was not fertile ground. The scale of the task did not discourage Lister and she set about building up a Conservative electorate in the town, primarily by letting tenancies on her estate and that of Walker, to Tory voters. Her diary explains her efforts in detail, relating conversations with her tenants. For example: Told AG I did not want anyone to change his vote against his conscience for me, but I had made up my mind to take none but blue tenants so long as there remained people of this way of thinking; and when there were none I must try to change myself. While it is extraordinary to find material which shatters traditional ideas and beliefs about 19th century women and their sexuality, there is more to Lister than her lesbianism As properties from the Shibden estate came to the end of their leases, Lister began to fill them with tenants who supported her political persuasion. One example was the mortgaging and subsequent letting of the Northgate Hotel in Halifax in 1835. This was an opportune moment to increase the number of Tory votes she could control, and that factor was clearly more important than the level of rental income that she would receive. In an interview with a prospective tenant, she reduced the annual rent in return for the creation of seven Tory votes from the tenants staff. She canvassed her tenants directly, touring her estate during the run-up to the elections, which ensured that they voted in support of the Tory candidate who throughout the 1830s was James Stuart-Wortley, youngest son of Baron Wharncliffe. Electioneering Lister was also involved in the more disreputable side of electioneering and appeared to have no qualms about threatening and carrying out evictions of tenants who refused to vote in accordance with her wishes. Although she employed a steward, she undertook the persuasion of her tenants herself. She and her partner, Walker, refused to renew the tenancies of a number of voters who refused to cooperate with their political ambitions. Her diary for 1835, for example, related an encounter with one of Walkers tenants who refused to change his vote: We came away, she determined to quit the people and I quite agreeing she was right. Her efforts were rewarded in 1835, when the unthinkable happened and James Stuart-Wortley took one of the Halifax seats by just one vote. Her energy and commitment to the creation of votes and lobbying of tenants had turned a solidly Liberal borough into one where the Tories had the potential to succeed. The resulting wave of disappointment in the town, especially among those with no vote, led to a riot resulting in thousands of pounds worth of damage and several serious injuries. The following day, Lister walked down into Halifax and was confronted by a mob of women and boys: They asked if I was yellow they looked capable of pelting me. Nay! said I, Im black Im in mourning for the all the damage they have done that seemed to amuse them and I walked quietly and quickly past. Her bravery, then, was not merely in her open acknowledgement of her sexuality but also in her determination to establish a political interest which could include facing down a mob. Such ambition may appear unremarkable for men of the period, but the accepted narrative of the politics of 19th century women, is to consider they had no influence at all. The activities of Gentleman Jack demonstrate the need to rewrite and reassess that perspective. Sarah Richardson is an associate professor at the Department of History in the University of Warwick. This article was originally posted on The Conversation. Climate change activists blocked entry into BPs London headquarters on Monday, demanding an end to new oil and gas exploration. Greenpeace protesters lifted five large containers into place in front of the doors to the oil giants offices in St James Square at around 3am while other campaigners abseiled down the side of the building to unfurl banners across windows. Two activists are inside each container with enough supplies to last at least a week, Greenpeace said. Ahead of BPs annual general meeting on Tuesday, Greenpeace is demanding more action on the climate emergency. Business as usual is just not an option, said Greenpeace activist Paul Morozzo. BP is fuelling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and the future of the living world. Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Show all 8 1 /8 Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Greenpeace activists block the entrance to BP headquarters using barricades made from shipping containers PA Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Greenpeace is demanding that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas and switches to investing only in renewable energy PA Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London The barricade is being put in place ahead of BP's annual general meeting Reuters Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Activists work atop the barricade blocking the entrance to the BP headquarters PA Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Greenpeace activists prepare to abseil down the facade of the BP headquarters in London Reuters Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London The organisation is demanding that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas and switches to investing only in renewable energy PA Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Greenpeace activists block the entrance to BP headquarters using barricades made from shipping containers PA Activists block entrance to BP headquarters in London Greenpeace activists block the entrance to BP headquarters using barricades made from shipping containers PA The science is clear we must stop searching for new oil and gas if we want a liveable planet. BP must clean up or clear out. Last week, a group of investors holding 10bn of BPs shares announced a resolution forcing the company to be more transparent about the risks it faces from climate change. Under the resolution, BP would have to provide a detailed strategy on how it will comply with the Paris agreement which seeks to keep global temperature rises to 1.5C or below. Experts have warned that the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves which are currently in the ground must stay there if the 1.5C goal is to be achieved. Yet research published last month by Global Witness revealed that large fossil fuel companies are planning to spend a staggering $5 trillion (4trillion) exploring for, and extracting, more oil and gas over the next decade. BP invested around $16bn to exploit new oil and gas reserves last year, compared to just $500m on alternative energy sources, In a statement, BP said: We welcome discussion, debate, even peaceful protest on the important matter of how we must all work together to address the climate challenge, but impeding safe entry and exit from an office building in this way is dangerous and clearly a matter for the police to resolve as swiftly as possible. Its necessary to clean up the first level in order to get to the second level, and I believe both Lightfoot and Waguespack will do a good job of that. Like one columnist said: You cant run the city, all you can do is attempt to clean up the government and let the government work hand in hand with the private sector to get things moving. Its too gigantic of a beast to centrally control, Ceravolo said. Google suspended support for its Android operating system on Huawei smartphones after an executive order from Donald Trump prohibiting foreign adversaries using American tech without government approval. Mr Trump accuses the worlds second-largest smartphone maker of allowing its equipment to be used by Chinese spies. But what exactly has Google done and what impact might it have? To comply with US government changes, Google has suspended Huawei's Android license meaning that devices will no longer receive key software and security updates for the operating system that they rely on. Existing customers can update their phones and apps, but won't be able to download future versions of Android. Upcoming phones will go without apps like the Google Play Store and Gmail. Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Show all 8 1 /8 Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Karl Theodor Bridge in Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Karl Theodor Bridge in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Heidelberg in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Cesky Krumlov in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Heidelberg in Huawei City, China Getty Chipmakers including Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom have told employees they will not supply Huawei until further notice. What effect will this have? It marks an escalation in the trade war between China and the US that could have far-reaching implications. Huawei is reliant on parts and software from the US which it will no longer be able to buy. If the ban is applied stringently, it could seriously damage one of Chinas most high-profile companies employing more than 180,000 people. Huawei has made contingency plans but Trump's executive order is likley to affect companies and jobs in China, the US and beyond. US companies that make components for Huawei stand to lose a significant slice of business from further damage to trade relations with China, the world's largest market for smartphones, personal computers and other mobile devices. American and European firms also depend on Huaweis cheap networking equipment. A Huawei thermal engineer performs a heat test in the research and development area of the Bantian campus (Getty Images) Trade war escalation Perhaps most importantly, an intensification of the trade war between the US and China could have damaging effects on global stability more generally. Huawei, with revenues of more than $100bn last year, is seen as a national champion in China. It feels that it is being treated unfairly by Trump in a battle that is less about national security fears than it is about inflicting damage on rivals to American firms like Apple, Google and Amazon. Until now, Beijing has repeated its line that increasing protectionism is bad for all parties; a line that most observers firmly agree with. But if Huawei is badly hurt by the latest US attacks, Chinese authorities are unlikely to take it lightly. What might Beijing do next? Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Monday that trade and investment between countries "must be based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit but remained tight-lipped on potential countermeasures. Hawks in China have called for tough retaliation such as banning exports of rare earth metals - important for many electronic components - to the US. A replica of Versailles is seen in the Paris area of Huawei's new sprawling 'Ox Horn' Research and Development campus (Getty Images) And Washington? The US president doubled down on his belligerent rhetoric, telling Fox News that he was very happy with the trade war and that China wouldnt become the worlds economic superpower on his watch. Were taking in billions of dollars, Mr Trump said. China is obviously not doing well like us. Mr Trump appeared to confirm a view of the world economy as a zero-sum game among competing nations. Our economy has been fantastic, he said. Because they were catching us, they were going to be bigger than us. If Hillary Clinton became president, China would have been a much bigger economy than us by the end of her term. And now its not even going to be close. The real danger is that the globalisation that has opened up markets and helped to increase international co-operation goes into reverse. Such periods in history have not tended to end well. (Getty Images (Getty Images) Could Huawei collapse? Huawei is in pretty good shape. It overtook Apple this year to become the second-largest smartphone maker in the world and is the leading supplier of the equipment for mobile phone networks. Despite signs of a slowdown in the smartphone market, Huawei grew sales 50.3 per cent on last year now has 17 per cent of global market share. In China, Trump's changes will have less impact as no phones are allowed to use Google's apps. But the company will have a big job to do to source new parts from suppliers outside the US while at the same time implementing an alternative to Android. Still, it would take a widespread, concerted effort from suppliers and customers to topple a company of Huawei's size and strength. Of course, this is exactly what Trump is trying to mount, with the help of US technology firms and global political allies. To deal with the threat, Huawei is said to have stockpiled vital components to keep its business running for at least three months. It will also have the backing of Beijing to help it weather its current troubles. Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Show all 20 1 /20 Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An employee enters a train in the Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A worker cleans a waterway as office buildings are seen at Huawei's new Ox Horn Research and Development campus in Dongguan, near shenzen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's Ox Horn campus modelled after Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The real Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees sleep in their cubicle in the research and development area after lunch at the Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's Ox Horn campus modelled after Heidelberg in Germany Getty Images Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees play basketball on a court within the staff housing complex at the end of the workday at the Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A replica of the Karl Theodor Bridge in Huawei's Ox Horn campus Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The real Karl Theodor Bridge in Heidelberg, Germany Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees ride the bus home at the end of the workday from the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Huawei workers eat their subsidised lunch in one of many large cafeterias at the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Reception staff walk in front of a large screen showcasing different technologies in the foyer of a building used for high profile customer visits at the campus in Shenzen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An employee reads in the staff library on a break at the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's new Ox Horn campus modelled after a European City Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Servers are seen inside Huawei's factory campus in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The conductor waits for a train in the Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A general view shows the research and development centre at Huawei's Ox Horn campus AFP/Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees works on a mobile phone production line at Huawei's factory campus in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An office building on the Huawei campus in Dongguan AFP/Getty Suppliers outside the US may have more freedom to act than their US counterparts. For example, Infineon Technologies one of Europes largest chipmakers said the majority of products it delivers to Huawei are not subject to US restrictions while Austria-based AMS also said that it had not suspended shipments to Huawei. Could this backfire for Trump? Jeremy Thompson, Huawei's UK executive vice president said that the company had developed its own operating system in preparation for US action. We have a parallel programme in place to develop an alternative which we think will delight our customers, Mr Thompson told the BBC. In the short-term it's not good news for Huawei, but I think we can manage that. He added: This is 100 per cent about trade and we did expect something along these lines - not perhaps as cynically-timed as it is right now, but we are developing parallel operating systems - that's why we invest $14bn a year in R&D, and we have used some of that investment to find alternatives. These products may become more costly in the trade war Show all 9 1 /9 These products may become more costly in the trade war These products may become more costly in the trade war Orange Juice, which Florida is known for, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war The EU lists 'footwear with outer soles of rubber or of plastics and uppers of plastics' amongst the goods that may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Cosmetic products, such as US brands Maybelline, MAC and Avon, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images for Rebekka Ruetz These products may become more costly in the trade war Jeans, the all-American trousers, are on the EU's list of goods that may be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Bourbon whiskey is on the EU's list of over 100 US products that may be subject to import tariffs Getty These products may become more costly in the trade war US peanut butter products are on the EU's list of goods that may soon be subject to tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war US motorcycles, such as the Harley-Davidson, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Cranberry products, a major US crop export, may soon become more expensive Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war All tobacco products are on the EU's list of US goods that may be subject to import tarifs AFP/Getty Images Alternative software would have big obstacles to overcome. It remains unclear how many apps would be available for any new operating system, a key factor in determining whether consumers would take to it. Samsung created its own Tizen OS but it failed to win much support. Nokia also tried and failed. It remains to be seen what Huawei has up its sleeve but it is understood to have been working on its software for years in preparation for this eventuality. It raises the prospect that hundreds of millions of Huawei handsets could switch away from Googles Android to a new rival operating system. Given that Android is installed on more than 80 per cent of smartphones, some have argued that a new competitor to Google in this area is much needed. If Huawei were to succeed where others have comprehensively failed, it's safe to say the outcome would not be the one that Donald Trump had in mind. Millions of Britons do not know the internet, the colour television and jet engine are British inventions, a survey has claimed. Around half of 2,000 adults polled were not aware that London based Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web in 1989. Fifty-five per cent did not realise John Logie Baird, of Dunbartonshire, was the first person to demonstrate a working colour television in 1928. And 51 per cent did not know Frank Whittle from Coventry made the very first jet engine having patented the invention in 1928. For the last 50 years the award has celebrated ground-breaking engineering innovations that have established the UK as a global leader," said Dr Dame Sue Ion DBE, chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Things named after their inventors Show all 10 1 /10 Things named after their inventors Things named after their inventors Batteries Alessandro Volta invented the first electric battery in 1800 TON KINSBERGEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Things named after their inventors Ball-point pens The trusty biro ball-point pen was invented by Laszlo Biro before being patented in 1938 Things named after their inventors Dr Marten's boots Dr Martens boots were invented by Klaus Martens, a Second World War medic in the German army who found normal boots too painful to wear on his injured foot AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL Things named after their inventors Powdered custard Alfred Bird invented the original powdered custard in 1837, branded Bird's. The recipe was made without eggs as his wife was allergic to them Things named after their inventors Jacuzzi The bubbly Jacuzzi was invented by an Italian-American called Candido Jacuzzi for his 15-month-old son who was born with rheumatoid arthritis Things named after their inventors Kalashnikov guns Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of the iconic AK-47 assault rifle which he is pictured with Getty Things named after their inventors Braille The Braille system, used by tens of thousands of blind people worldwide, was first set up by Frenchman Louis Braille around 1824 Getty Images Things named after their inventors Bowler hats Bowler hats, favoured by bankers and mime star Charlie Chaplin, were invented by London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler in 1849 Getty Images. Things named after their inventors Molotov cocktail The makeshift weapon consisting of a bottle filled with flammable liquid that is lit and thrown was invented by Vyacheslav Molotov, a Russian foreign minister (second left) Getty Images Things named after their inventors Watts Scotsman James Watt invented the use of the watt unit of power for electricity Getty Images It commissioned the poll ahead of announcing the finalists for its prestigious MacRobert Award for engineering innovation in June. Dr Ion added: Leading the judges for the MacRobert Award over the past five years I have been privileged to see at first hand the engineering behind products that are changing our lives for the better. The incredible work being undertaken around the country right now will help to generate jobs and growth in the future. Only a third of those polled had heard of Ada Lovelace, of London, the inventor of the computer algorithm and only 12 per cent were familiar with the person responsible for the worlds first programmable computer, Tommy Flowers MBE, from London. A total of 79 per cent of those polled did not know the worlds first commercially available bionic hand was developed in the UK by Touch Bionics of Livingston, which won the MacRobert Award in 2008. But 88 per cent said they are proud of Britain's engineering achievements to date. And 90 per cent said they think engineering is important to the UK economy. Dr Dame Sue Ion DBE added: The UK has a rich engineering heritage and this poll suggests that people want to hear more about modern engineering developments. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It is very encouraging to see that the public is positive about what the future holds for UK engineering and its importance to our economy. Celebrating current engineering excellence is crucial if the sector is to receive the support it needs and to inspire the next generation of engineers. Last year, Cambridge-based Owlstone Medical won the award for its ReCIVA Breath Sampler which can detect signs of cancer and other diseases in their infancy. SWNS The EU Commission has confirmed that it will be making no changes to the Brexit withdrawal agreement following a claim by Theresa May that MPs would be voting on a new, better deal. A spokesperson told reporters in Brussels that collapsed talks between the government and Labour were a Westminster process and that there was nothing that we can do at this stage. I think its clear that were in a situation where London talks to London, so there is nothing that we can do at this stage, as we think we said on many occasions in the past, the spokesperson said. When this process in London is over, then of course we are here, within the caveats that you all know, ready to engage, and of course, keeping always the 31 October deadline very present in the picture. Over the weekend the prime minister claimed she would bring forward a bold offer and new and improved deal for MPs, who will be voting on the deal for a fourth time in early June. Nobody in Westminster expects the deal to pass. On Monday, a Downing Street spokesperson would not elaborate on what significant changes would be made to the withdrawal agreement, but if there actually are any they are likely to be cosmetic and non-binding. Brussels has long washed its hands of the negotiation process and for months said it will not renegotiate the deal. There have been no further talks between the UK and EU this year. Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, also on Monday reiterated the blocs position that the EU is ready to be more ambitious in the political declaration if UK so wishes. The prime minister has however refused to countenance such changes in talks with Labour which would need to include a customs union and single market access to bring the opposition party on side. Any move to do so would be hugely unpopular with Tory MPs who do not want a close economic relationship with the EU, and would not address their existing concerns which mostly relate to the controversial Northern Ireland backstop arrangement. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA The commission spokesperson also confirmed that for as long as the United Kingdom stays in the European Union the United Kingdom will have the full rights and obligations of all participating member states including the right to nominate a commissioner after this weeks European parliament elections. MPs next vote on the withdrawal agreement is scheduled for the first full week of June, though a specific day has yet to be publicly chosen. British voters will participate in European parliament elections on Thursday and elect MPs to the blocs parliament, after the prime minister again failed in her pledge that Britian would leave before the contest. Tory leadership hopeful Esther McVey has called for billions of pounds of foreign aid spending to be channelled into policing and schools, in a pitch to "blue collar" Conservative voters. The former work and pensions secretary tore into her party's record, saying Conservative grassroots were "demoralised" due to Theresa May's "failure to deliver Brexit". In a thinly-veiled pitch at the leadership, Ms McVey said the next prime minister must be a Brexiteer and the UK should leave the EU on 31 October "with or without a deal". Senior Tories are openly setting out their stalls for a leadership contest in the summer, as Ms May will set out the timetable for her exit after a crunch vote on key Brexit legislation in June. Boris Johnson and cabinet ministers Rory Stewart declared they will stand, while a string of other cabinet ministers are said to be considering a tilt at the leadership. More than a dozen Tory MPs were in attendance at Ms McVey's "Blue Collar Conservatism" event, including minister Kit Malthouse, Philip Davies, Jack Brereton, Iain Duncan Smith, Philip Hollobone, John Lamont, Ben Bradley and Scott Mann. Ms McVey told the event in Westminster: "It's not an easy time to be a Conservative activist. "Our failure to deliver Brexit has left many feeling demoralised with no obvious light at the end of the tunnel and most of us know that ahead of us is still a bumpy ride." She said the Tories had to do more to appeal to working class voters, who she claimed were abandoning Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party. The government needs to pursue a "radical Conservative agenda" to win back the trust of disillusioned voters, and take the party "out of [its] comfort zone", she said. Her proposals included cutting foreign aid spending back to 2010 levels, which she claimed would free up 7bn for schools and policing. She said: "By doing this we would be doing more than making up the shortfall here and there. "We would be providing transformative funds which communities will feel." Taking funding back to Labour levels will satisfy voters who prioritise foreign aid, while putting cash into other areas, she argued. The staunch Brexiteer also told the event that delivering on the referendum voter was "essential" and she believed the next prime minister had to be a Eurosceptic. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She said: "What is also key is the date of 31 October. We will be out. No more backsliding and if it means without a deal, we will be out." Her comments came as health secretary Matthew Hancock refused to rule out a leadership bid. He told the Today programme: "It's flattering that lots of people have asked me to put my name forward and proposed to support me if I do but that isn't the point, which is we still have to get this legislation to deliver Brexit through." He said the leader should put the Tories "four-square in the centre ground", a view that will be echoed by big hitters at a meeting of the One Nation group of Tories in parliament on Monday night. Home secretary Sajid Javid, another potential contender, said "there won't be a shortage of candidates" for the job but "whether I will be one of those, you'll just have to wait and see". The electoral watchdog is being urged to investigate how Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is financed amid broader concerns over anonymous donations being used as a "cover for dirty money". Former prime minister Gordon Brown has written to the Electoral Commission to demand a probe into the insurgent party's funding structures. The row comes after Mr Farage boasted his newly-formed Brexit Party was receiving more than 100,000 in donations a day, as it soared to first place in the polls ahead of the upcoming European elections. The Brexit Party allows donations of under 500 by Paypal on its website, prompting concern that it could be vulnerable to foreign influence. At a speech in Glasgow, Mr Brown was expected to say: Nigel Farage says this election is about democracy. Democracy is fatally undermined if unexplained, unreported and thus undeclared and perhaps under the counter and underhand campaign finance from whom and from where we do not know is being used to influence the very elections that are at the heart of our democratic system. 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 Now Mr Farage heads a new Brexit party, which is making questionable claims about the true source of its funding at a time when the Electoral Commission has warned of the dangers of multiple, small, anonymous donations being a cover for dirty money. Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice said allegations of impropriety were "absolutely ridiculous" and accused critics of being "jealous" of the party's success. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The reality is that we are the fastest growing political movement. "We have got over 100,000 supporters who have paid at least 25, we've had two investigative journalists come and look at it. "The reality is people are just jealous of our success." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Asked if they took donations in foreign currencies, Mr Tice said there was a Paypal account for people paying less than 500 but he did not "sit in front of the account" all day so he did not know what currencies people were using. Pressed again, he added: "As I understand that is not illegal. Of course we apply appropriate Electoral Commission law. "The truth is hundreds of thousands of people want to support us, they back what we are trying to do and trying to achieve and they know we are the only party who can be trusted with democracy and trusted to deliver a proper Brexit." It comes as Mr Farage's outfit was expected to triumph in the European elections on Thursday, as both the Tories and Labour brace for a drubbing at the polls. Recommended Brexit Party overtakes Tories in general election poll A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said all registered political parties must comply with laws that "require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source", as well as rules for reporting donations, loans, campaign spending and end-of-year accounts. The commission said: These rules are in place to ensure fairness and transparency of all political party finance. "As part of our active oversight and regulation of these rules, we talk regularly to parties, including the Brexit party, about ensuring they have robust systems in place so that they comply with the law. "If we see evidence to suggest the rules have been broken, we will consider it in line with our enforcement policy. Mr Farage is facing a separate investigation by European parliament authorities over claims that he failed to declare nearly half a million pounds in gifts from Arron Banks, an insurance tycoon under investigation by the National Crime Agency. British consumers could face a greater risk of exploitation after Brexit, if it loses the EU's clout to fine multinational companies, according to the Liberal Democrats. New analysis by the party shows 44 companies have been fined a total of 13.8bn (12.1bn) by the European Commission since May 2017, for offences that increase prices and reduce choice for consumers, such as operating cartels, abusing market dominance and misleading competition authorities. Tech giant Google has been fined some 8.26bn for several antitrust violations, including preventing rivals from advertising on third-party websites, pushing its shopping service on search engine users, and imposing restrictions on Android devices to cement the dominance of its search engine. The firm was also fined 50m in January by a French regulator for breaching the EUs data protection rules. Other big firms to incur fines in the same period include truck firm Scania (881m), Mastercard (571m), Citigroup (311m), Facebook (110m) and Nike (12.6m). Ahead of the European parliament elections on Thursday, Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson warned that the UK would not have the same clout to stand up to multinationals on its own. She told The Independent: Labour and Conservative governments have consistently shown that they are both unwilling and unable to stand up to giant multinational companies when they exploit consumers. Only with the combined strength of 28 countries acting together through the EU can we protect consumers from rising prices and limited choice by breaking up international cartels and monopolies. "Only together can we fight tax avoidance and the abuse of personal data. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA Ongoing Brexit chaos in Westminster has cast a cloud of uncertainty over whether certain aspects of EU law will apply in Britain. Under the terms of Theresa May's deal, competition law would have continued to apply until the end of the transition period in December 2020. But if the UK crashes out without a deal, it will no longer be covered by the commission and UK domestic law will be supreme. Google has made changes to its products in response to formal concerns from the commission, including changes to Google Shopping and Android products. The election watchdog is to investigate Nigel Farages Brexit Party after criticism of its under-the-counter and underhand foreign donations. Officials from the Electoral Commission will demand to see documents at its headquarters on Tuesday, amid a growing controversy over its fundraising methods. The move comes after the Brexit Partys chair admitted he did not know whether its PayPal account was taking foreign cash, saying: I dont know what currencies people are paying in. Gordon Brown led the criticism in a major speech, warning: Democracy is undermined when we have undeclared, unreported, untraceable payments being made to the Brexit Party. We have the potential for underhand and under-the-counter payments being made. 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 A commission spokesperson said: We are attending the Brexit Partys office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds, including donations over 500 that have to be from the UK only. If theres evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our enforcement policy. The row has blown up because the Brexit Party does not have traditional members, merely a PayPal model that does not demand detailed personal information from donors. Gordon Brown calls for an investigation into the finances of The Brexit Party The former Labour prime minister pointed to the ongoing investigations into Leave.EU, Mr Farages campaign group during the 2016 referendum, and his key funder Arron Banks. Last week, it was reported that Mr Banks had allegedly bankrolled his allys lavish lifestyle to the tune of 450,000 in the year that followed. You know the history of this Leave.EU, Nigel Farage and Arron Banks campaign is now under criminal investigation, Mr Brown said. You can pay to this party in Russian roubles, American dollars, Malaysian ringgit and, of course, probably to his disdain, euros as well, to join that Brexit Party. And Chris Bryant, a Labour MP, added: It would be simple for a foreign power or individual to fund [the Brexit Party] by paying hundreds or thousands of 499 in sterling or other currencies as the party does not even verify names. Our democracy is basically up for sale. The Brexit Party leader was doused in milkshake in Newcastle on Monday (Reuters) However, it is understood that rules on identification do not apply to sums of less than 500 given to parties, because they are not recognised as official donations. Gifts of 500 or more must be given by a permissible donor, who should either be somebody listed on the UK electoral roll or a UK-operating business registered at Companies House. Recommended Nigel Farage hit by milkshake thrown by protester in Newcastle Brexit Party chair Richard Tice described the accusations as utterly ridiculous, telling the BBC: People are just jealous of our success and the fact were on course to win these elections. Weve got a PayPal account for people paying less than 500; above that we apply the appropriate Electoral Commission rules. Asked if that meant the party did take cash from foreign citizens, Mr Tice said: I dont sit in front of the PayPal account all day so I dont know what currencies people are paying in, but, as I understand it, the PayPal takes it in sterling. Voting is under way on the final day of elections for the European Parliament elections. Heres everything you need to know about them. What is the vote for? The European Parliament is one of the EUs institutions, and its democratically elected by all 28 member states. Because the UK hasnt left yet, it will also elect MEPs 73 of the total 751. Because of its large population UK elects the third most MEPs after any country, with Germany (96) and France (74) electing the most. What do the elections decide? Theyll decide the composition of the European Parliament, which has to pass EU laws and scrutinises the activities of the EU. The Parliament also plays a role in choosing the next European Commission president the EUs executive. Theyll replace the current president, Jean-Claude Juncker, after a negotiations between the parliament and member state governments. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA This also means the result will be roughly proportional to the votes cast, so every vote potentially counts towards the final result. Smaller parties will get representation too, unlike at Westminster. Each UK party is also affiliated with a wider European group so Labour sit in the socialist group, the Liberal Democrats sit in a pan-European liberal alliance, etc. Will this affect Brexit? The results wont directly affect Brexit MEPs dont really have actual input into the Brexit process. Indirectly, some voters may choose to use the elections to send a message to other parties about their Brexit policies, if they are so inclined. Who is going to win? The polls show the Brexit Party, Nigel Farages outfit, well ahead of the other parties, with the vast majority of surveys showing Labour in a clear second place and others behind. When this all happening? The UK voted on Thursday though other countries vote on slightly different days, as different states prefer to have their elections on specific days of the week. The results will be sealed until polls close in the last member states, at 10pm UK time on the Sunday evening, when final counting will start. The results are expected shortly after that throughout the night, though some member states might take longer. Northern Ireland and the Scottish isles also do not count on a Sunday, so their results will come on Monday, when the full picture will start to emerge. How do I vote? You should have already registered to vote by now. If you have, you should be sent a polling card with instructions of where to go on Thursday to cast your ballot. A man was caught on camera stealing a cancer patient's medication from his doorstep just 10 minutes after it had been delivered. The victim, James Mills, suffers from a form of brain cancer and was set to start chemotherapy on Monday. He is part of clinical trial which requires his medication to be taken at specific times. He told KFOR: "It's absolutely essential. I'm in a clinical trial where everything has to be taken at a certain time. A certain dose at a certain time, and I'm scheduled to start that tomorrow," he said. A UPS notification had informed Mills that the medication had been delivered to his Oklahoma City home, but less then 10 minutes later Mills found it gone. The alleged thief, which KFOR has dubbed a 'porch pirate,' was caught on tape by Mills' security camera. In the footage, the man can be seen snatching up the package less just 8 minutes after had been delivered. Mills said the crook looked like knew what he was doing; the unidentified man kept his head down and had his face concealed by a hood. The event only complicates an already difficult ordeal for the family. It was frustrating, I was pretty angry. Its not easy, I mean, we had trouble getting that medicine to begin with. Having to call the pharmacy, go through the doctor to get approvals and things like that. That in itself is frustrating," Mills' wife Heather said. Independent Minds Events: get involved in the news agenda The family hopes they can get replacement for the medicine, but getting one in time for the Monday therapy seemed unlikely. A US Border Patrol agent charged with allegedly hitting a migrant with a truck had a long history of making hostile statements about border-crossing immigrants, say prosecutors. Matthew Bowen, 39, allegedly texted another border agent with the message: PLEASE let us take the gloves off trump! He also said migrants were disgusting subhuman s*** unworthy of being kindling for a fire in November 2017. Less than two weeks later, prosecutors say, Mr Bowen hit one such migrant with his truck, coming inches away from running the man over and then lied about the incident in a report. The texts came to light in filings last month in the US District Court in Tucson, Arizona, as Mr Bowen's lawyer fought to suppress a flurry of messages in which the agent used slurs and made light of violence by agents. But Mr Bowen's views are hardly extraordinary, argued his lawyer, Sean Chapman. Rather, his sentiments are commonplace throughout the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, Mr Chapman wrote, adding that such messages are part of the agency's culture. Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Show all 14 1 /14 Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Immigrant children, many of whom are separated form their parents, are housed in Texas' tent city Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A two-year-old Honduran asylum seeker cries as her mother is searched and detained near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented migrants ride on the top of a freight train referred to as the beast, or La Bestia Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A cage inside a US Customs and Border Protection detention facility in Texas Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy All new agents must complete a months-long training course at the New Mexico facility before assuming their posts at Border Patrol stations, mostly along the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence A group of young men walk along the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border fence in a remote area of the Sonoran Desert Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence in the US Man looks through US-Mexico border fence into the US in Tijuana, Mexico Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence US Border Patrol agent Sal De Leon stands near a section of the US-Mexico border fence while stopping on patrol on in La Joya, Texas Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy US Border Patrol instructor yells at trainees after their initial arrival to the academy Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Memorial service in Guatemala Families attend a memorial service for two boys who were kidnapped and killed in San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Crime drives emigration from Guatemala to the United States, as families seek refuge from the danger Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Arrests on the border Undocumented immigrants comfort each other after being caught by Border Patrol agents near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Detention holding facility A boy from Honduras watches a movie at a detention facility run by the US Border Patrol Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican farm workers Mexican migrant workers harvest organic parsley at Grant Family Farms in Wellington, Colorado Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican family in Arizona A Mexican immigrant family sits in the living room of their rented home in Tuscon, Arizona. The family that Arizona's new tough immigrant law had created a climate of fear in the immigrant community. Getty The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol did not immediately return a message about the texts, though it told The Arizona Daily Star that agents are held to the highest standards, and any action of misconduct within our ranks will not be tolerated. The inflammatory messages are the latest public relations challenge for an overwhelmed agency facing a massive wave of asylum seekers at the southern border and regular allegations from immigration and civil rights groups of abusive behaviour towards migrants. In the dozens of texts introduced in a 4 April filing, Mr Bowen uses racial slurs and insults like s*** bags to refer to migrants. He often used the word tonk, which some agents claim is an innocent acronym, the The Arizona Republic reported. Others say is a slur derived from the sound of hitting an immigrant on the head with a flashlight. In one text exchange, an unnamed agent asked Mr Bowen, Did you gas hiscorpse (sic) or just use regular peanut oil while tazing?? For a frying effect. Mr Bowen responded: Guats are best made crispy, with olive oil from their native pais, using the Spanish word for country that doubles as an insult towards Guatemalans, the Daily Star reported. In another text, he refers to mindless murdering savages. The criminal case against Mr Bowen dates to the morning of 3 December 2017, when a US Customs and Border Protection camera operator spotted a 23-year-old Guatemalan man named Antolin Lopez Aguilar, who was suspected of jumping the border fence in Nogales, according to a federal indictment. As Lopez sprinted to a nearby gas station, Mr Bowen and two other agents responded in separate vehicles. While one agent hopped out and found Lopez hiding under a semi-truck, Mr Bowen circled the station in his Border Patrol-issued Ford F-150. When the migrant tried to run back towards the border, prosecutors say, Mr Bowen accelerated aggressively in his truck. He hit Mr Lopez twice from behind, knocking him down the second time and screeching to a stop within inches of running him over, according to the police. Mr Lopez was treated at the hospital for abrasions and later sentenced to 30 days in federal prison for illegally entering the country, the Republic reported. Prosecutors say that Mr Bowen later filed a false report about what happened that morning. In text messages included in the court filing, he repeatedly complains about facing scrutiny over the incident. I bumped a guat with a truck while driving about 7 mph, he wrote in one text. No injury at all and tonk refused medical. In another, he wrote that If I had to tackle the tonk I would still be doing memos, adding: I wonder how they expect us to apprehend wild... runners who don't want to be apprehended?" Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events One day after the incident, he texted with Agent Lonnie Swartz, who would later be acquitted of manslaughter for firing 10 rounds into an unarmed Mexican teen as agents were being hit by rocks thrown across the border. He texted Mr Swartz that the incident was just a little push with a ford bumper. Prosecutors have argued in court filings that the texts show that Bowen had great disdain for the migrants he policed at the border, the Daily Star reported. But Chapman countered that such language was so common among border agents that they say nothing about Mr. Bowen's mind-set. Mr Bowen has pleaded not guilty to charges of deprivation of rights under colour of law and falsification of records in a federal investigation. Mr Chapman did not immediately respond to a message. Mr Bowen, who was hired in 2008, was put on indefinite leave without pay after his charges were filed in May 2018. His trial is scheduled to start on 13 August. The Washington Post Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris has announced a proposal to use fines to force businesses to pay women as much as men for work of equal value. Studies say that American women make around 80 per cent of what is paid to men, with the latest weekly wage statistics from 2018 putting the figure of 81.1 per cent, a drop of 0.7 per cent from 2017. The situation is even worse for black and Hispanic women, who earn 65.3 per cent and 61.6 per cent of a white man's wage. Black women earn 89 percent of what a black man earns, while Hispanic women earn 85.7 per cent of what a Hispanic man earns. When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up their families, their neighbourhoods, and all of society, Ms Harris said at a Los Angeles rally ahead of the announcement. And its an issue thats been around for far too long without much progress at all. The plan from the California senator would involve all corporations having to receive equal pay certification from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and fines of one per cent of profits for every one per cent of wage gap that exists after accounting for differences in job title and experience. 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 The move would shift the onus from the employee, who currently has to prove pay discrimination, and would ensure companies submit data and the state of equal pay at each firm. Companies with more than 500 employees will have two years to implement the plan, while companies with between 100 and 500 workers will have three years. What I am proposing is we shift the burden: It should not be on that working woman to prove it, it should instead be on that large corporation to prove they're paying people for equal work equally, Ms Harris said. It's that simple, it's literally that simple. And this, then, is not only about fairness and equality, it's about transparency. Show us what you got. That's it. The government would use the money collected through the fines to help finance universal paid family and medical leave. A lack of such paid leave hits women particularly hard according to Ms Harris' campaign, reducing the ability to maximise earnings over a lifetime. Ms Harris' campaign believe the new plan will raise more than $180bn over 10 years, meaning that it would succeed without money from Congress. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The plan is not the first from a 2020 candidate, with Bernie Sanders making pay equality part of his 12-point economic plan. A number of candidates, including Ms Harris, have also supported the Paycheck Fairness Act which has passed the House of Representatives and looks to close loop holes in the Equal pay Act of 1963. The new proposals face difficulties with the business community who will likely look to resist another piece of government regulation - but the California senator said she is ready for a battle. I've been in those fights before, Ms Harris said. I've been in the fights with the big banks around the foreclosure crisis that hit California and Nevada and a bunch of states around our country. I've been in those fights before. Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has received a standing ovation from a Fox News audience following a broadcast in which he tore into two of the networks presenters and branded Donald Trump grotesque. The 2020 candidate ignored calls from some Democrats for the party to boycott the right-wing channel - one of the president's favourites to watch - taking questions from voters in a town hall session in Claremont, New Hampshire. Defending appearing despite concerns about the networks bias towards Republicans and its close relationship with the US president, he said: I get where thats coming from especially when you see what goes on with some opinion hosts on this network. I mean when youve got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty, when youve got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centres with children in cages to summer camps then there is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem. But he added that even though some of those hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people who tune into this network do it in good faith. 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 Mr Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend in Indiana, said he also understood why people including the media were mesmerised by Mr Trumps tweets. "It is the nature of grotesque things that you can't look away, he said. The president suggested Fox News was wasting airtime on the 37-year-old Democrat, who has no experience on the national stage. Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems, he tweeted on Sunday. "Alfred E Newman will never be President, he added, likening Mr Buttigieg to US humour magazine Mads fictitious child mascot Alfred E Neumann. Asked by Fox News host Chris Wallace how he responded to such name-calling, Mr Buttigieg replied: Dont care. He said Democrats needed to spend less time focusing on Mr Trump and more talking about what they would do for the American people. Mr Buttigieg, who would be the first openly gay president if elected, conceded a millennial, midwestern mayor is not what leaps to mind when you think about a prototypical candidate for the White House. But he told the audience in a closing speech: What were trying to do here is different because the moment that were in is different. If its hard to figure out whats going on right now, its because we are living on one of those blank pages in between chapters of American history. And what comes next could be ugly or it could be amazing. I believe running for office is an act of hope, and so is voting for somebody, and supporting somebody and volunteering for somebody. I hope youll join me in making sure that that next era is better than any weve had so far. The crowd stood up and applauded as he finished the speech, prompting Mr Wallace to exclaim: Wow, a standing ovation. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds The Democratic National Committee said earlier this year it would block Fox News from hosting its candidates political debates ahead of next years election. Committee chairman Tom Perez said a New Yorker expose on the inappropriate relationship between the president and the network had cast doubt on its ability to host fair and neutral political coverage. There has been a recent uptick in legislative attempts to restrict abortion access in America, a medical practice which many consider a human right. Exemplified by increasing numbers of so-called 'heartbeat bills' and Alabamas all-out ban designed to challenge Roe v Wade, there has been a turn in state initiatives towards restricting abortion access to protect life. In the wake of abortion rights being challenged by Republicans in America, The Independent has compiled a list detailing up to what point in a pregnancy selective abortion is available in all 50 US states and Washington DC. Despite these initiatives to restrict pregnancy termination, abortion currently remains legal in all 50 states until the point in pregnancy detailed below: Alabama: 20 weeks Current law: Allows for abortion up to 20 weeks in all cases, allows beyond 20 weeks for rape, incest, or health of the mother. Proposed changes: Governor Kay Ivey has signed the Human Life Protection Act aiming to criminalise abortion provision as a class A felony. The act fails to provide exceptions for rape and incest. Lawmakers hope it will end up in the Supreme Court. The HLPA has not criminalised abortion provision yet, it is slated to become enforceable law in six months. Until then, Alabamas three abortion clinics will remain active. Alaska: No gestational limits on abortion Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Show all 23 1 /23 Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Pro-life activists pray on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller looks on as Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights speaks to the media outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller wipes a tear as she walks down the steps of the United States Supreme Court with Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activist Morgan Hopkins of Boston, celebrates on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of a ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Pro-choice activist, Alissa Manzoeillo, of Washington, D.C. waits for rulings in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. A ruling is expected in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a Texas case the places restrictions on abortion clinics, as well as rulings in the former Virginia Governor's corruption case and a gun rights case. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images Arizona: Viability (A term used in United States constitutional law since Roe v Wade, referring to the potential of the foetus to survive outside the uterus after birth, natural or induced, when supported by up-to-date medicine) Current law: Allows for abortion up to the second trimester, without exceptions for rape or incest, but with exceptions for the physical health of the pregnant person. Selective abortion beyond the first trimester is a criminal act. Abortion seekers must attend a mandatory counselling session 24 hours before they are permitted to get an abortion. Proposed changes: State Representative Walter Blackman, in response to the Alabama abortion ban, suggested changing abortion policy in increments. Blackman suggested a mandatory 48 hour waiting period and parental notification for minors, and noted hed consider exceptions for rape and incest in a ban. Arkansas: 20 weeks California: Viability Colorado: No gestational limits on abortion Connecticut: Viability Recommended Rape victim who had abortion aged 13 speaks out on new Alabama law Delaware: Viability Current law: Selective abortion until viability, post-viability abortion in cases of foetal abnormalities and the health of the pregnant person. Parental notice mandatory if the abortion seeker is under 16 with no exceptions for rape, incest, or child abuse. Proposed changes: Republican state lawmakers have presented two bills, one banning abortions after 20 weeks, and another bill where physicians would be required to offer an abortion seeker the opportunity to see their ultrasound and hear a fetal heartbeat. These bills have yet to make it to a floor vote in the Democrat controlled house. Washington, DC: No gestational limits on abortion Florida: 24 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 24 weeks, abortion available in the third trimester with two physicians noting in writing that carrying or delivering the foetus will bring the pregnant person serious physical harm or risk their life. State mandated information must be provided to abortion seekers, 24 hour waiting period between information sessions and abortion provision. Parental notice to those under 18. Proposed changes: Republican state lawmakers introduced a foetal heartbeat bill in February but the bill failed. Representative Mike Hill plans to reintroduce the bill after removing exceptions for rape and incest Georgia: 20 weeks (until July 10, 2019, then 6 weeks) Current law: Selective abortion up to 20 weeks, abortion after 20 weeks is a criminal act except for if performed for the health or life of the pregnant person. No exceptions are made in the case of rape or incest. There is a 24 hour waiting period between mandatory counseling and abortion provision, and a parent must be notified if the abortion seeker is under 18, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Proposed changes: Governor Brian Kemp, an anti-choice Republican, signed a heartbeat bill (six week abortion ban) into law, slated to take effect on July 10th, 2019. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit to block the law from being enforced. Hawaii: Viability Idaho: 20 weeks Illinois: Viability Current law: Selective abortion until viability, post-viability abortion to preserve the pregnant persons health or life. For minors, parents must be notified of their childs abortion 48 hours before the procedure, with exceptions for incest and abuse. Proposed changes: The Reproductive Health Act is heading to the state legislature to protect abortion choice. Heartbeat bill legislation is also headed to the capitol to be debated. Indiana: 20 weeks. Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks, post-viability abortion for the health and life of the pregnant person with two physicians attending. Mandated counseling 18 hours before abortion provision. For minors, a parent must offer written consent before abortion provision. Proposed changes: In January of 2019, Indiana banned dilation and evacuation abortion provision, a common method for second trimester abortions. No other proposed changes at this time. Iowa: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks, post-viability abortion for the health and life of the pregnant person, no exceptions for rape or incest. Prior to the procedure, must be offered to view an ultrasound or hear a heartbeat. Parental notification for minors seeking abortion. Proposed changes: In spring of 2018, lawmakers passed a heartbeat bill, but the law was blocked permanently as it was unconstitutional. It is currently making its way through the courts. Kansas: 20 weeks Kentucky: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks or viability, post-viability abortion for the health and life of the pregnant person. Mandated counselling 24 hours before abortion provision. Written consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: No proposed changes yet, but Governor Matt Bevin supports anti-abortion legislation. Louisiana: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks or viability, post-viability abortion for the health and life of the pregnant person with two physicians in attendance. No exceptions for rape or incest. Mandated counselling 24 hours before abortion provision. Written consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: There are two tentative laws restricting abortion: one which bans abortion in near entirety if Roe v Wade is overturned, and another that bans abortion at 15 weeks without reasonable exceptions that will go into effect if Mississippis similar ban is deemed constitutional. A 6 week heartbeat bill banning abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy, was passed by politicians on 29 May 2019. Louisiana's Democratic governor has broken from his party and vowed to sign the bill to make it law despite opposition from national party leaders. Maine: Viability Maryland: Viability Massachusetts: 24 weeks Michigan: Viability Current Law: Selective abortion until viability, post-viability exceptions for the life and health of the pregnant person. Mandated counseling 24 hours before abortion provision. Consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: In May of 2019, Michigan state lawmakers introduced a bill to ban dilation and evacuation abortion provision, a common method for second trimester abortions. No other proposed changes at this time. Minnesota: Viability Mississippi: 20 weeks Current Law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks, post-20 week abortion for the life or health of the pregnant person with exceptions for rape or incest. Dilation and evacuation abortions, a common and safe method of second trimester abortion provision, are banned. Mandated counseling 24 hours before abortion provision. Consent in writing from both parents if the abortion seeker is a minor prior to abortion provision. Proposed changes: Mississippi governor Phil Bryant signed a six-week abortion bill into law in March with exceptions for the health and life of the pregnant person but none for rape or incest. Missouri: Viability Current Law: Selective abortion until viability, post-viability abortion for the health and life of the pregnant person with a second physician attending. Mandated counselling 72 hours before abortion provision. Consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: Republican-lead state house and senate passed an 8-week abortion ban, which has yet to be signed into law, but Governor Mike Parson has indicated his support for the measure. Montana: Viability Recommended Missouri congress passes bill banning abortions at 8 weeks Nebraska: 20 weeks Nevada: 24 weeks New Hampshire: No gestational limits on abortion New Jersey: No gestational limits on abortion New Mexico: No gestational limits on abortion New York: 24 weeks North Carolina: 20 weeks North Dakota: 20 weeks Recommended Elizabeth Warren announces plan to fight Alabama abortion ban Ohio: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks, post-20 week abortion for the life or health of the pregnant person if two physicians write that abortion is necessary. Dilation and evacuation abortions, a common and safe method of second trimester abortion provision, are banned. Mandated counselling 24 hours before abortion provision. Consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: In April of 2019, Ohio governor Mike DeWine signed a foetal heartbeat bill limiting selective abortion to five weeks, or one week after a missed menstrual cycle, at which point many women do not realise they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. Oklahoma: 20 weeks Oregon: No gestational limits on abortion Pennsylvania: 24 weeks Rhode Island: 24 weeks South Carolina: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 24 weeks, post-24 week abortion for the life or health of the pregnant person if two physicians certify in writing that abortion is necessary. Mandated counselling 24 hours before abortion provision. Consent from one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: A foetal heartbeat bill passed in the state house, but may not make it to the state senate until 2020. South Dakota: 20 weeks Tennessee: Viability Texas: 20 weeks Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Utah: Viability Vermont: No gestational limits on abortion Virginia: 27 weeks Washington: Viability West Virginia: 20 weeks Current law: Selective abortion until 20 weeks, post-20 week abortion for the life or health of the pregnant person. Dilation and evacuation abortions, a common and safe method of second trimester abortion provision, are banned. Mandated counselling 24 hours before abortion provision. Notice of one parent if the abortion seeker is a minor. Proposed changes: A heartbeat bill was introduced in February with exceptions for rape and incest, but has yet to be voted on. Wisconsin: 20 weeks Wyoming: Viability Having become the first Republican in Congress to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump, Justin Amash reward is a challenger for his seat. The Michigan congressman brought the wrath of his entire party into himself with a number of tweets over the weekend suggesting that the possible attempts of obstruction of justice against the president raised by special counsel Robert Mueller amounted to impeachable conduct. Mr Amash said Mr Mueller had identified multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice during his investigation into Russian election interference, adding that any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence. Attorney general William Barr said that the 11 examples raised did not constitute obstruction of justice, with the Mueller report having already said that the president was not involved in a conspiracy with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election. But Mr Amash accused Mr Barr of having deliberately misrepresented the investigation and that it was up to Congress to decide what happens next. 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 Contrary to Barrs portrayal, Mr Amash tweeted. Muellers report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behaviour that meet the threshold for impeachment, he added. Talking about impeachment he said it simply requires a finding that an official has engaged in careless, abusive, corrupt or otherwise dishonourable conduct. Now Michigan state representative and Republican Jim Lower has announced that he will be challenging Mr Amash for the third district seat the congressman won in the Tea Party wave of 2010. I am a pro-Trump, pro-life, pro-jobs, pro-second amendment, pro-family values Republican, Mr Lower said in a statement. Justin Amashs tweets... calling for President Trumps impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents. Mr Amash had faced a difficult 48 hours, with the whole Republican Party establishment admonishing him. Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, accused him of parroting the Democrats talking points on Russia. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, called the move disturbingquestioned if he was truly a Republican. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Its very disturbing. This is exactly what you would expect from Justin. He never supported the president. And I think hes just looking for attention, Mr McCarthy said. Mr Amash has gone against his party on some major legislation over the years, but has backed Mr Trumps wishes more often than not. As for the president, he called Mr Amash called a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies. As for the Democrats, senator Chris Coons summed up the mood when he said he was surprised to see a Republican congressman saying publicly what I think many are thinking privately. Donald Trump has attacked the corrupt mainstream media over a report that Deutsche Bank staff flagged potentially suspicious financial moves by entities controlled by the president. Mr Trump claimed that US media has never been as corrupt and deranged as it is today and that he doesnt need banks to do business. He repeated his often-used phrase that journalists are an enemy of the people a stance that the president has been continually and vociferously criticised for as potentially putting media employees in danger and stopping them doing their jobs. The presidents latest tweet tirade running to five separate messages comes after The New York Times said it had spoken with five existing or former employees who said that they had been alerted to possible illicit activity while working in the team responsible for tackling money laundering. The alerts from 2016 and 2017 involved entities controlled by both Mr Trump, including his now-closed foundation, and his son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner. The transactions set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect possible crime and when they were reviewed by compliance staff, they believed should be sent to to a unit of the Treasury Department that deals with financial crimes. According to the newspaper, staff said executives at the German bank rejected the advice and the reports were not filed with the government. The NYT report said some transactions involved money being transferred back and forth between foreign entities and individuals. Property developers like Mr Trump and Mr Kushner do often deal in all-cash payments to those outside the US, which can be flagged as suspicious. Such red flags do not necessarily mean that the transactions were improper. 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 According to the bank staff, the decision not to send the suspicious activity forms to the government was part of a pattern of ... rejecting valid reports to protect relationships with lucrative clients. Deutsche Bank is said to have lent up to $2bn to Mr Trump in total. You present them with everything, and you give them a recommendation, and nothing happens, said Tammy McFadden, a former Deutsche Bank anti-money laundering specialist, who reviewed some of the transactions and was the only employee to go on the record. Its the DB way. They are prone to discounting everything. Ms McFadden said she was terminated last year after she raised concerns about the banks practices. Ms McFadden has since filed complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators. Deutsche Bank denied that any reports had been blocked. At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious, a spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. Furthermore, suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false. We have increased our anti-financial crime staff and enhanced our controls in recent years and take compliance with the AML/BSA laws very seriously, the statement added. Mr Trump called the story phony and wrong saying that it was his great business that allowed him to deal in cash. Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money. Fake media only says this to disparage, and always uses unnamed sources. He described Deutsche Bank as very good and highly professional to deal with. The Trump Organisation said it had no knowledge of any flagged transactions with Deutsche Bank. Kushner Companies said any allegation involving its links with Deutsche and money laundering were totally false. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The New York Times has been a frequent source of frustration for the president with Mr Trump falsely accusing the paper of leading a fake news conspiracy against him. But the issue of Deutsche Bank extends to congress, where Democrats investigating the presidents finances want to look at the link between the Trump Organisation and Deutsche Bank. The bank has been one of the biggest and most consistent lenders to the president throughout his career. Last month two House committees financial services and intelligence issued subpoenas for documents from the bank. Mr Trump counter-attacked by launching a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and another financial institution seeking to stop it complying with the subpoenas. The lawsuit claimed the demand for documents amounted to harassment of the president and his family. Arguments in the case are set to be heard in the case on Wednesday. Donald Trump has told Don McGahn, the former White House counsel, to ignore a congressional subpoena from Democrats, and to skip a planned hearing this week. The reports that the president instructed the former White House lawyer to do so come as Mr Trump and House Democrats have clashed over the Russia investigation report compiled by special counsel Robert Mueller. Democrats have sought witness testimony from individuals like Mr McGahn, and have demanded that the Justice Department hand over the full Mueller report alongside all of its underlying evidence. The White House, meanwhile, has largely resisted those efforts, and Mr Trump has repeatedly insisted that the report exonerated him which it specifically did not do. The presidents ask of Mr McGahn to resist the subpoena will likely mean that Democrats will vote to hold him in contempt, which Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler pledged to do last week when confronted with the prospect the witness would snub him. 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 But being charged with contempt could be a smaller price to pay for Mr McGahn, who could risk his career in Republican politics if he does not heed Mr Trumps demands. Plus, his Washington law firm could be impacted if Mr Trump begins to urge his allies to withhold their business. The portions of the Mueller report that have been released indicate that Mr McGahn was a key witness for the special counsels office, and cited him more than any other witness in the portion discussing whether Mr Trump attempted to obstruct justice. Mr McGahn, during interviews with Mr Muellers team, detailed several instances in which Mr Trump attempted to use his position to protect himself from the Russia inquiry. In at least one instance, Mr Trump attempted to get Mr Mueller fired. Close Joe Biden takes aim at Donald Trump's 'alternative facts' during campaign rally Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to threaten Iran and harangue Republican congressman Justin Amash for suggesting he had engaged in impeachable conduct while also criticising Fox News for wasting airtime by covering his 2020 Democratic challengers. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! the president wrote in response to heated rhetoric from Tehran and the firing of a rocket close to the US embassy in Iraq as tensions over sanctions and the US military presence in the Gulf continue. Mr Trump was annoyed by a Twitter thread written by Representative Amash in response to his reading of the Mueller report and Fox for broadcasting a town hall event with Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, rare examples of him turning on his allies. Mr Buttigieg has mounted a surprisingly strong candidacy, but would still need to beat Joe Biden if he hopes to take Mr Trump on during the 2020 election. Meanwhile in the 2020 election, Mr Biden saw some troubling polls in Iowa, where Bernie Sanders tied up with him in the state. 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 Elizabeth Warren followed behind those two men, but posted the best favourability ratings in the poll that was released. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load An advert showing two men holding hands on a beach has been banned from Hong Kongs public transport system and city airport. The autonomous territorys Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and Airport Authority have refused permission for the Cathay Pacific poster campaign showing a same-sex couple, according to the South China Morning Post. Unnamed sources from both transport authorities told the newspaper the ad featuring the smiling couple alongside the slogan move beyond labels had been rejected because of the LGBT content. The advert was only one of a series created as part of the airlines rebrand and the companys other posters have been on display in MTR stations. It has not commented on the ban directly, but a spokesperson said: We embrace diversity and inclusion. We are very diverse and our customers are too. Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Show all 10 1 /10 Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage supporters hug outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan AP Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage supporters kiss outside the Legislative Yuan AP Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage supporters celebrate after Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage supporters hold umbrellas and rainbow flags as they take part in a rally during a parliament vote on three different draft bills of a same-sex marriage law, outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan Same Sex Marriage A couple kisses as they celebrate after Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan EPA Taiwan Same Sex Marriage Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan EPA Taiwan Same Sex Marriage People celebrate after Taiwan's parliament voted to legalise same-sex marriage Getty Taiwan Same Sex Marriage People celebrate after Taiwan's parliament voted to legalise same-sex marriage Getty Taiwan Same Sex Marriage People celebrate after Taiwan's parliament voted to legalise same-sex marriage on May 17, 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan Getty A spokesperson for MTR said its advertising bookings were sub-contracted to the French company JCDecaux, which was given guidelines on the suitability of ad campaigns in its contract. JCDecaux explained that two clauses in its contract governed its decisions to refuse certain ads. One prohibits any content deemed to be offend the generally accepted standards of public decency or the social or cultural standards of the society. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The other rejects content which causes discomfort, fear, distress, embarrassment or distaste to the public. The [same-sex couple] advert from Cathay Pacific came with a series of options, a JCDecaux spokesperson told the South China Morning Post. Therefore alternative visuals were used in this campaign. Hong Kongs first openly gay legislator Raymond Chan Chi-chuen described the ban as a step back on Twitter and said he was not satisfied by the authorities explanations. Which law or regulation does this advert fail to comply to? Is there an internal guideline from either the MTR or Airport Authority that does not allow LGBT-friendly ads? How can they have such a ridiculous and arbitrary censorship system in place? The public needs to know how this censorship comes to be. Leading figures in the territorys LGBT community called on the Hong Kong government to follow Taiwan after it became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage last week. Tens of thousands of North Korean women and girls are trafficked and sold into the sex trade in China where they are forced to endure systemic rape, sexual slavery and cybersex trafficking, according to a new report. The investigation, by the Korea Future Initiative, has uncovered new and disturbing patterns of horrific sexual abuse perpetrated against trafficked North Korean women and girls in mainland China. It found women are also being subject to sex trafficking, sexual abuse, prostitution and forced marriage there. Pushed from their homeland by a patriarchal regime that survives through the imposition of tyranny, poverty, and oppression, North Korean women and girls are passed through the hands of traffickers, brokers, and criminal organisations, the report says. Before being pulled into Chinas sex trade, where they are exploited and used by men until their bodies are depleted. The piece of research found a complex and interconnected network of criminality accrues an estimated $105 million annually from the sale of female North Korean bodies. Yoon Hee-soon, the reports author and a researcher at Korea Future Initiative, said: The exploitation of North Korean women and girls generates annual profits of at least $105 million for the Chinese underworld. Victims are prostituted for as little as 30 Chinese Yuan ($4), sold as wives for just 1000 Chinese Yuan ($146), and trafficked into cybersex dens for exploitation by a global online audience. North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Show all 20 1 /20 North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border People have their picture taken with North Korea in the background, in Tumen, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A North Korean woman is photographed from the Chinese side of the Yalu River near the town of Changbai, China as she walks between houses in the North Korean town of Hyesan. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean souvenirs are displayed for sale on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong in Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A large screen, which faces North Korea, broadcasts propaganda videos on an island on the Yalu River between North Korea and China, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A piece of clothing is used to make a gap in barbed wire near the closed bridge over the Yalu River on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea between towns of Ji'an and Linjiang, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea showed places where it is porous. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A tourist uses binoculars to look across to North Korea from a tower built on the Chinese side of the border between Russia (L), China (C) and North Korea (R) near the town of Hunchun in China. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women participate in a group dance exercise close to the Yalu River which runs between China and North Korea, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A sign reading, "Take the initiative to preserve order along the border," stands in a field at the border between China and North Korea just outside Dandong, Liaoning province, China. Reuters North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A couple prepare for a wedding photography session on a boat which takes tourists on sightseeing tours from the Chinese side of the Yalu River, close to the shores of North Korea, near Dandong, Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Tourists travel on a boat taking them from the Chinese side of the Yalu River for sightseeing close to the shores of North Korea, near Dandong, Liaoning province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women walk across a bridge from an island on the Yalu River, dividing North Korea and China, in the town of Linjiang in Jilin province, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A North Korean soldier and locals are photographed from the Chinese side of the border north of Dandong, China as they stand on the banks of the Yalu River, north of Sinuiju, North Korea. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean girls are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they collect water from the frozen Yalu River near Linjiang, China. A week-long road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea revealed stark contrasts between China's bright towns and North Korea's dark villages. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border A man looks through binoculars towards North Korea on the Broken Bridge over the Yalu River that connects the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in Liaoning Province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand next to the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Korean fishermen are seen as a Chinese flag flutters from the Broken Bridge as the sun sets over the Yalu River between the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in Liaoning Province, China. In the Chinese city of Dandong, signs of neighbouring North Korea are pervasive. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border North Koreans are photographed from the Chinese side of the border as they stand in the freezing Yalu River near the town of Linjiang, China. On a road trip along China's side of its border with North Korea, reporters found a group of North Koreans diving in the Yalu river who the Chinese locals said were searching for gold. REUTERS North Korea: A road trip on the edge of the Chinese border Women, photographed from the Chinese side of the border, are seen through binoculars fixed on a building on the Chinese side of the border for sightseers to look across to North Korea, as they cross the bridge from Namyang in North Korea towards the town of Tumen in China, Reuters She added: Commonly aged between 12-29 and overwhelmingly female, victims are coerced, sold, or abducted in China or trafficked directly from North Korea. Many are sold more than once and are forced into at least one form of sexual slavery within a year of leaving their homeland. Ms Hee-soon said that prostitution had overtaken forced marriage as the primary pathway into the sex trade for North Korean women and girls. Recommended North Korea propaganda artist reveals stark reality of life in regime Enslaved in brothels that litter satellite-towns and townships close to large urban areas in northeast China, victims are mostly aged between 15-25 and are habitually subjected to penetrative vaginal and anal rape, forced masturbation, and groping, she added. Cybersex trafficking is a small, rudimentary, but expanding component in the trade for female North Koreans, she said. Girls aged as young as nine are forced to perform graphic sex acts and are sexually assaulted in front of webcams, she added, which are live-streamed to a paying global audience. The researcher noted that forced marriages continue to be an enduring component of the Chinese sex trade and the issue is persistent in rural areas and townships - with North Korean women continuing to be bought, raped, exploited, and enslaved by Chinese husbands. Prospects for North Korean women and girls trapped in Chinas multi-million-dollar sex trade are bleak, she said. Many victims have perished in China, while small rescue organisations and Christian missionaries struggle to perform rescue work. Urgent and immediate action, which will run contrary to the prevailing politics of inter-Korean dialogue, is needed to save the lives of countless female North Korean refugees in China. The report argues that the fact the Korea Future Initiative - a small non-governmental organisation which gets no funding or support from governments, human rights institutions, or grant-giving bodies - was able to uncover abuses chiefly ignored by the international community should serve as an incentive to others. The Korea Future Initiative is a London-based not-for-profit that helps North Koreans in danger and publishes reports on human rights abuses to support redress for exiles. The report's findings are the result of long-term engagement with victims living in China and exiled survivors in South Korea and mark the first time the majority of interviewees felt able to talk about their experiences of sexual violence and sex trafficking. Recommended How people in North Korea secretly celebrate Christmas A damning report by Human Rights Watch from November last year found North Korean officials sexually assault women with near total impunity and sexual abuse is so prevalent it has been normalised. The report said women in the country are routinely forced to endure sexual violence by government officials, police, prison guards, interrogators and soldiers. The profoundly patriarchal society means many women are ashamed of the abuse they experience and feel unable to demand accountability deciding not to speak out because of feeble law enforcement and support services. Reports like these about the so-called hermit kingdom the most secretive and isolated regime in the world are rare. The black markets that have become a crucial source of income for many families are an area where sexual violence is prevalent. They consider us [sex] toys. We are at the mercy of men, Oh Jung-hee, a former trader in her 40s, told researchers. It happens so often nobody thinks it is a big deal. We dont even realise when we are upset. But we are human, and we feel it. So sometimes, out of nowhere, you cry at night and dont know why. The US military says one of its warships has sailed close to a disputed island in the South China Sea, eliciting an angry response from Beijing. The US destroyer Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Seventh Fleet, said. The move comes against a background of increased tensions between the US and China as their trade war escalated. Last week Beijing announced new tariffs in retaliation to a US decision to increase levies from 10% to 25% on Chinese imports worth $200bn (157bn). Chinas foreign ministry said the USS Preble had entered waters near Scarborough Reef without permission and that the Chinese navy had told it to leave. Lu Kang, a foreign ministry spokesman, accused the US of trying to undermine peace and stability in the region. He said: I must stress once again that the US warships relevant actions have violated Chinas sovereignty and undermined the peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas. China is firmly opposed to this. We strongly urge the United States to immediately stop such provocative actions so as not to undermine Sino-US relations and regional peace and stability. Washington has long insisted that such naval operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and that they are separate from political considerations. The US government accuses China of trying to limit navigation in the area. Beijing claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and has built military installations on artificial islands and reefs, citing defence needs. However, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region. Additional reporting by agencies Vladimir Zelensky was sworn in as Ukraines sixth president on Monday morning, with the one-time showman dramatically vowing to dissolve parliament and provoke snap parliamentary elections. Mr Zelensky, who previously had no political experience, has long indicated he intended to disband the Verkhovna Rada, the Supreme Council of Ukraine, which was elected in 2014 and is largely hostile to him. But it was not immediately clear whether he had the legal authority to do so, and judicial arguments are likely to follow. In a punchy 40-minute inauguration speech, Mr Zelensky hit on themes of anti-establishmentarianism and inclusivity. The administration he was replacing had done nothing to make many Ukrainians feel Ukrainian, he said. His term would be different and would work for all regardless of who they voted for. It was a common victory. Every one of us has taken the oath today, he said. Each of us carries a responsibility for the Ukraine that we want to leave to our children. Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Show all 26 1 /26 Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre right, and his wife Olena Zelenska, greet supporters after exit polling gave the comedian a commanding lead AP Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko raises his hand with his wife Maryna at his party headquarters in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll REUTERS Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Comedian and leading Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy plays ping pong with a journalist at his election night gathering in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Election officials count ballots at a polling station in Kiev during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures People walk in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen sit in a truck to head to a polling station, near the front line with pro-Russian separatists, near Butivka, Donetsk region AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishke AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, on. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 2 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky waves in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky casts his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky gestures in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky walks with his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A view of the building of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) casts his ballot at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, The 53-year-old president has positioned himself during the political campaign as the only person able to stand up to the Kremlin and has promised to return Crimea to Ukraine if he is re-elected. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A voter emerges from the voting booth after filling out her ballot for Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21. Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian president Petro O. Poroshenko (C), running for re-election, receives his ballot in Ukraine's presidential election on in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A woman holds her ballot as she leaves a voting booth at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. - Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen queue to cast their ballots at a polling station near the front line line with pro-Russian separatists near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Mr Zelensky said his main priority was to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where a war with Russia-backed militias has been raging for the past five years. To the end of stopping heroes dying he said he was ready to do anything, including sacrificing popularity and post. At several points, Mr Zelensky obviously reached out to the Russian-speaking east of the country, whom he said had been forgotten. He also promised citizenship to anyone wishing to build the new Ukraine. The rhetoric was demonstrably inclusive, and contrasted strongly with the ethnic nationalism espoused by his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, who was sat among several dozen foreign dignitaries in parliament. The inclusive tone also provoked an obvious reaction from nationalistic elements in parliament. At one point, the populist MP Oleh Lyashko even entered into dialogue with him, ostensibly over his use of Russian. Enough, Mr Lyashko, was the presidents response. Enough dividing people. We are all Ukrainians. Ukraine is what is written on our passport. Ahead of the ceremony, Mr Zelenskys aides promised a show that would ditch protocol. So it was to be. He arrived at parliament on foot, ditching the presidential motorcade. Following his speech, he left parliament for a victory lap, giving high-fives to the crowds he had invited to attend. It was an obvious exhibition of his folksy manner and overwhelming popularity. It also seemed to be a declaration of intent to a parliament he had just taken on. Ukraines parliamentary-presidential balance of power undoubtedly presents Mr Zelensky with his biggest challenge. The president has only limited powers of appointment, cannot fire ministers, and cannot pass legislation without parliamentary approval. He also has few obvious allies in parliament. Mr Zelenskys desire to dissolve the body and trigger fresh elections is understandable enough. But the logistics of doing so are more complicated than he suggested on Monday, and hostile parliamentarians are likely to put up a fight. According to Ukrainian law, the president can dissolve parliament if and when there is no prospect of a working coalition. But a quirk of the law also allows a coalition 30 days to establish itself. The law also states that the president cannot break up the parliament in the six months prior to ordinary parliamentary elections that were scheduled for October. This combination appeared to be behind the 17 May announcement by Peoples Front, a junior coalition partner, that it was leaving the coalition. Many assumed the manoeuvre had removed the window of opportunity for Mr Zelensky to call early elections. On his first day in office, Ukraines new president boldly challenged those assumptions. With legal challenges inevitable, Mr Zelensky is banking that his popular backing will triumph over matters of procedure. Lawyers say there are grounds to dissolve, though that will be argued in court, suggested the independent political expert Vladimir Fesenko in comments to The Independent. It may be irrelevant. In Ukraine, the logic of politics always dominates the logic of law. A Saudi mother seeking asylum in Greece has appealed for help on social media, claiming her life is in danger and she will be separated from her husband and children if she is forced to return to Saudi Arabia. Ghada al-Fadl, 40 is the latest Saudi woman to turn to Twitter for help after allegedly fleeing abuse within the ultraconservative Kingdom, where female citizens are subject to oppressive male guardianship laws. Over the weekend the mother-of-three began tweeting human rights groups and agencies including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations to assist her in securing refugee status in Greece. A photo of her passport and the plea was shared and liked nearly 10,000 times. She told The Independent from Ioannina, in northern Greece, that if her asylum request is rejected she will be forced to go home where she will be torn from her three children and Syrian husband, as her marriage and so family, is not recognised by the Saudi authorities. The Independent was unable to independently verify her story. The authorities did not reply to a request for comment. Saudi sisters trapped in Georgia after fleeing their country beg for help and say they are 'in danger' The former resident of Qatif, in eastern Saudi, claimed she left the Kingdom in 2010 for Syria, after her shop was repeatedly raided by religious police because she was a working woman. She also feared being forced into a marriage by her family. She later married a man in Syria, but claimed the Saudi authorities in 2011 refused to register her marriage on the grounds he was a foreigner. When the Syrian civil war erupted and Saudi citizens were encouraged to return home, the authorities apparently would not permit Mrs al-Fadls husband to accompany her. The family then fled Damascus in 2017 by crossing illegally into Turkey and taking a migrant dinghy to Greece, where Mrs al-Fadl is trying to claim asylum. My life and my children's lives are in danger. We contacted UNCHR to approve our asylum claim but we haven't heard back from them. I'm urgently asking all human rights organisations to save my life and my children's lives, she said. The biggest threat to me is being sent back to Saudi Arabia. My husband and my children cannot enter Saudi Arabia they are not recognised by the Saudi authorities. They will make me go back alone, without my children or husband. The Saudi will divorce me from my husband and I may be forced to marry again because of the customs and traditions of Saudi society, to be harassed again and return to the life of hell, which I had lived before." She claimed she first fled Saudi Arabia to avoid being forced into a third marriage, after divorcing two abusive husbands, including one she was married off to aged just 13 years old. She said she applied for asylum in Greece via Intersos rights group and the UN but was told she would likely be rejected. As of May 2018 Greece was host to more than 60,000 refugees and migrants - many of them fleeing the Syrian conflict, according to UNHCR. We are harassed because I have Saudi nationality and they tell us we do not deserve asylum because we are from a very rich and safe country, she added. But if they do not accept my application, I will return home alone without my three children Daniel, who is 8, Ibrahim, who is 3 and Ghada who is just two. It is not possible to independently verify Ghadas story. She shared official documents and several videos which appeared to back up the events. Saudi Rights group Al-Qst, which has worked on similar cases, told The Independent they were still trying to follow up and verify the case. But it follows at least four similar cases of vulnerable women fleeing the Kingdom that rights groups have documented since 2017. Under oppressive guardianship laws Saudi women must secure permission from a male relative to work, marry, travel and even undergo some surgical operations, leaving them at the mercy of their families. Many have tried to escape the Kingdom, where several women's rights activists have also been locked up, and allegedly tortured while campaigning for reforms. Last Month Apple and Google authorised a new Saudi government-backed app which allows its users to complete administrative tasks such as renewing drivers licences but also to monitor and control female relatives travel. The app, called Absher, gives men the power to grant or revoke travel permission of their dependents and get text alerts when female relatives use their passports. It sparked uproar particularly as weeks before two sisters Maha and Wafa al-Subaie, 28 and 25, tweeted that they were trapped in Georgia after fleeing abusive family in Saudi Arabia and seeking asylum. This month they were granted asylum in a third country which was not made public so that they could not be reached by their relatives. They said they were only able to escape to Georgia because they stole their fathers phone to secure passports and authorisation to fly to Istanbul. They apparently knew dozens of women in a similar position. Mrs al-Fadl says she will be separated from her three children (pictured here) and husband if she is forced to return to Saudi Arabia (Ghada el-Fadl) In January Saudi teenager Rahaf al-Qunun had to barricade herself into a hotel room at Bangkok airport when the Thai and Saudi authorities tried to deport her back to the Kingdom where she had allegedly fled abuse by her family. Her desperate pleas on Twitter were picked up by international media and she was eventually granted asylum in Canada. Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of young and powerful crown prince Mohamed Bin Salman has eased its oppressive laws on female citizens, eventually allowing women to drive in 2018, and defanging the religious police who once patrolled most cities enforcing modest dress and behavioral codes. In February Saudi media reported that the authorities were looking to review the male guardianship laws after Rahafs case gripped global headlines. Ghada al-Fadl from Saudi Arabia claims she will be separated from her family if she is not granted asylum in Greece (Ghada el-Fadl) Saudis crown prince himself told The Atlantic that the Kingdom had to figure out a way to treat this that doesnt harm families and doesnt harm the culture in an interview about guardianship. But the laws are still in place. Mrs al-Fadl claimed that she appealed to the Saudi embassy in Beirut where officials warned she would have been immediately removed to Saudi Arabia alone had she not been pregnant at the time. Saudi officials apparently visited her in her home in Greece three months ago but again did not promise to keep her family together. Similar attempts to appeal to government bodies in Saudi Arabia went unheeded. Please help me and help my children, she added. For months, tension between the US and Iran has been simmering with Washington urging allies not to do business in Tehran, and Iranian proxies or allies launching attacks at the US and its partners, including two ballistic missiles reportedly fired towards Jeddah and Mecca on Monday. And the rhetoric is escalating. In this face-off they are the ones who will be forced to retreat, said Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech last week. If Iran wants to fight, US president Donald Trump wrote in a tweet after a rocket fell about a mile from the US embassy compound in Baghdad on Sunday, that will be the official end of Iran. Fears of a full-on war between the US and Iran have spiked in recent days. But the two countries and have been locked in a low-simmering conflict for decades. Its not a very cheery relationship. More often than not they have managed their considerable disagreements through threats, hostage-taking, economic blackmail, bombings and assassinations. The conflict began shortly after Irans Islamic revolution, when students stormed the US embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding Americans hostage for 444 days, in an expression of anger for Washingtons quarter-century of support for the dictatorial monarch it installed after a 1953 CIA-backed coup. 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 The animosity continued during the 1980s, when Tehrans allies bombed US embassies and military barracks, and the US torpedoed Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf. In the 1990s, the US sought to strangle and isolate Iran with sanctions, and Tehran did its part to blow up the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that was supposed to herald the start of a new Middle East. In the 2000s, the administration of George W Bush again ratcheted up the sanctions on Iran, threatening it with military action over its nuclear programme as it pursued its stillborn project to bring democracy to the Middle East, by way of Iraq. Iran responded by handing out explosively formed penetrators to its proxies in Baghdad, where they devastated US armoured vehicles. Both sides launched cyberattacks against each other. Israelis, likely with US acquiescence, gunned down and blew up nuclear scientists in Tehrans streets. Accompanying the steady drumbeat of bombs was shrill rhetoric, each sides threats and outrageous antics strengthening hardline counterparts. President Barack Obama and his team sought to end the cycle with the nuclear deal, which was meant to serve as a cornerstone for improving relations. Mr Trump withdrew from the deal a year ago, promising to pressure Iran into submitting to a better deal that would encompass Tehrans missile programme and its support for militant groups. Ripping up the nuclear deal and resuming sanctions, the two countries relations have returned to default settings. As the US has increased pressure, attempting to strangle Irans economy, Tehran has begun to respond. US decisions to remove waivers on all international oil trades with Iran coupled with the designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation created the consensus within the Iranian leadership that they need to escalate or impose some costs for the US behaviour, according to Ellie Geranmayeh, an Iran expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, adding: The US has gone so far in cornering Iran that Iran is already in a state of war when it comes to the economic landscape. Iran already perceives itself as under attack, surrounded by US military hardware and personnel in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Caucasus, and strangled by sanctions. Recommended Iranians barely hanging on brace for impact of new US sanctions And the Trump administration has described Iran as the source of much of the worlds woes, calling it the worlds number one backer of terrorism and blaming it for everything from backing the Taliban to strengthening Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Both Ayatollah Khamenei and Mr Trump have said they dont want to push for an all-out war. But the US has begun positioning hardware and personnel in preparation for any attack. Iranian officials, including major general Hussein Salami, the newly appointed chief of the Revolutionary Guards, have boasted in recent days that Iran too has set up networks, allies and infrastructure all over the region to exact costs on the US and its allies for Washingtons pressure campaign. Sundays rocket attack towards the US embassy in Baghdad was seen as a message to the Americans, although there is no solid evidence it was necessarily directed at the outpost and it has as yet been unclaimed. One European diplomat involved in Iranian affairs said they expected more messages through proxies increasing in the coming weeks. Iran Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Iran is 'not seeking war with US' European officials have assured themselves that Mr Trump will restrain the more hardline players in his orbit, including his hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, who has long sought regime change in Iran and has publicly advocated for a campaign of airstrikes against the country. Asked about Mr Trumps latest tweet, threatening to destroy the entire Iranian nation, the European official quipped: Which one? There are 10 a day. Others are less convinced of distance between the Trump and Bolton and other hardliners positions on Iran, or that it even matters what either thinks. Once the US scuttled the nuclear deal and chose the path of pressure, the longstanding dangerous state of affairs the one Obama sought to dismantle was inevitable . What is taking place now was all too predictable, US Democratic Party lawmaker Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CBS News on Sunday, citing the administrations decisions to pull out of the nuclear deal, label the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organisation and up the rhetoric. All of these policy decisions have led us to a state where confrontation is far more likely. When you take a series of steps that ratchet up tensions, you shouldnt be surprised when the intelligence tells you, hey, tensions have been ratcheted up. Trust the bookies, and this race is over before it has officially begun. Some time this summer, Boris Johnson will become prime minister. Take a moment to fetch the antiemetics, or make use of the nearest receptacle if a strong gag reflex leaves no time for that. And now, if weve all recovered, to the well known and marginally encouraging fact that never once has a front runner won the Tory leadership. If all the worlds a stage, then Brexit is the Shakespearean tragedy that simply wont end. Every time we think this nightmarish play is on its last act, the playwrights sadistically add another plot twist that only elongates this painstaking process. But who are the playwrights, the actors and the directors in this hellscape? Who takes centre stage? These questions have deeply contested answers but I can tell you who isnt even allowed into the theatre: for nearly three years 8 million Bame (black, Asian, and ethnic minority) people in the UK have been met with nothing more than empty platitudes, and as of yet, little has changed. Since the thundering wrath of the public at Jon Snows comment about the number of white people at the Leave Means Leave rally in March, it is clear that people arent quite ready to discuss the remarkable whiteness around Brexit. As someone who is campaigning with the Peoples Vote movement, I have had to take a step back and ask: why arent there more people that look like me in this campaign? Many Leave campaigners relish pointing out the alleged middle class and white nature of the campaign; and while hypocritical, these claims are not necessarily untrue. "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Show all 15 1 /15 "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage waves from the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus on the march from Sunderland to London Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers pass a sign to "Cuckoo Land" in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher holds up a blue passport as the march passes Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses for a photo in a pub in Hartlepool Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage pays his respects to Tommy, the statue of a First World War soldier in Seaham, County Durham Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march An anti-Brexit van has been graffitied in Sunderland on the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher carries a Union flag reading "Storm Brexit" in Sunderland Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A couple push a Save Our Sovereignty trolley through a tunnel in Easington, County Durham during the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage enjoys a pint with fellow marchers in Hartlepool Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A pro-European counter-marcher lets off a smoke grenade with the colours of the EU flag Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage leads the march in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage takes part in the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses on the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus in Seaham Getty However, it is not as simple as many people would like to pretend. The existence of groups like Ethnic Minorities for a Peoples Vote is testimony to the fact that there is a concerted effort from Bame activists and the Peoples Vote movement itself to champion diversity and inclusion. But these efforts are frequently met with an uncomfortable silence. This issue clearly transcends the Peoples Vote campaign specifically, and speaks to a problem that plagues the political landscape across this country. Bella Frimpong and Tanya Arackal, both Bame activists within the Peoples Vote campaign, have told me of the frustration that they felt within the movement because of the lack of urgency in recruiting Bame voices. Arackal described the explicit racism she has experienced since the referendum, including people calling her a Paki and telling her to go home on social media. This has been the devastatingly ordinary reality for so many people of colour in the wake of 2016; recorded hate crimes increased by 17 per cent to 94,098 in 2017. This is a 123 per cent increase since 2013. The dismissal of Bame experiences has real consequences. Frimpong expressed exasperation in recalling an event that she was invited to speak at as an EU citizen. The woman coordinating the event incredulously said I thought you were meant to be Italian. She demanded Bella say something in Italian to, I assume, prove her Italian-ness. Apparently, the idea of a black woman also being Italian was just a little too much for her to understand. Kobe Bibbon, another activist with Our Future Our Choice (OFOC) and young candidate for councillor in Manchester has voiced his concerns to me about this, stressing that we need to focus on the most marginalised communities. Because if we wont, who will? Any economic impact as a result of Brexit would hit our communities the hardest. Industries like the clothing sector and jobs on production lines will be the most affected by Brexit and are dominated by ethnic minorities. Bame communities are more likely to be in lower paid, precarious jobs and generally have less savings. There is plenty of evidence to show that Bame communities are among the most vulnerable to economic disruption; but this is rarely discussed. The truth is, a network of politically engaged and conscientious Bame activists exists. We need to do more to appeal to them. That means, as Kobe and other Bame activists have said, talking candidly about the continuing role of racism and xenophobia in Brexit. This means talking about Bame EU citizens, hate crime, and the disproportionate economic toll Brexit will take on Bame communities. Independent Minds Events: get involved in the news agenda It isnt just a moral issue it would be a tactical mistake to exclude such a significant proportion of voters. While the heavyweights of the Leave campaign continue to promise a nostalgia-fuelled vision of Britain harking back to empire and expansion, we need to propose a forward-looking and positive image of our future that celebrates inclusion and diversity. The Peoples Vote movement is doing great things, but the exclusionary problem that riddles most areas of political life in this country must be actively tackled. Diversity does not naturally happen in a society that does not value it. The need to appeal to a broad base should not come at the expense of the people that make this country the multicultural melting pot that we are trying to preserve. We need to be more vigilant, give Bame activists a larger megaphone, and talk about issues which affect the most vulnerable in society. Nimo Omer is a student at Manchester University, and an OFOC activist European elections have long been seen in this country as an opportunity for a protest vote. For many citizens, furious at the failure of the government to take Britain out of the European Union, that is all this Thursdays vote will be. But voters should remember they are also sending representatives to the European parliament and they will have a job to do for however long they are there. Those people who intend to vote for Nigel Farages Brexit Party to send a message to the government should pause to consider whether they are wasting their votes. The Conservative Party, they can rest assured, is well aware of the damage caused by its failure to deliver Brexit. The only question is whether it gets rid of Theresa May by the end of July or by the end of September. It is not obvious how her successor would be able to take the UK out of the EU, given deadlock in the House of Commons, the unwisdom of calling an early general election and the reluctance of the Tory party to contemplate a new referendum. But the next prime minister will be trying hard to deliver Brexit regardless of the number of Farageist MEPs elected to Strasbourg. The only argument for voting for the Brexit Party, for those who support a no-deal exit, would be that Mr Farage and his listmates would make themselves so obnoxious in the European parliament that EU leaders might refuse to grant us a further extension after 31 October. That is not a great reason, though, is it? Mr Farage and the remnants of Ukip, his former party, had 24 seats in the last parliament and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was persuaded to grant us an extension last time. So The Independent would urge Brexit Party supporters and everyone else to cast their votes on Thursday for those parties or independent candidates that can best influence EU lawmaking. As long as we are in the EU and we may remain a member state for some time we need active and responsible representatives in the European parliament. So we would urge readers above all to vote, but also to take the trouble to find out about the party manifestos. Read about the emphasis on enterprise of the Conservatives, part of the conservatives and reformists group. Or the liberalism of the Lib Dems; or the environmentalism of the Green Party; or the open-mindedness of Change UK. Protest is all very well, but this Thursday remember we are electing representatives to an important parliament that embodies the unity however imperfect and provisional of the peoples of Europe. The Minister for Justice has confirmed that plans for a dedicated Garda insurance fraud unit have been shelved. Blueprints for the unit had been in the works since early 2017 and were fully endorsed by the Personal Injuries Commission. It was planned as a key response to what has been labelled an ongoing insurance crisis, but has been abandoned in favour of a more general anti-fraud approach. Businesses across a number of industries have expressed concerns about increases in insurance premiums over the past year, with fraud cited as one of the factors leading to high insurance costs. Expand Close John Curran (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Curran (Liam McBurney/PA) In April, Neil McDonnell, chief executive of the Irish SME Association (ISME), told the Oireachtas Finance Committee that spiralling insurance costs were forcing businesses to close. Linda Murray, who owns a play centre in Navan, Co Meath, told the committee her insurance premium has increased by more than 1,000% in the last six years. Responding to a written question from Fianna Fails John Curran, minister Charlie Flanagan said: The Garda commissioner is of the view, with regard to fraud investigations including insurance fraud, that a divisional focus is preferable rather than the establishment of a centralised investigation unit. This approach is aligned with a general divisional-focused Garda model. It is the intention of the commissioner that the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) will guide divisions and provide training in the investigation of insurance fraud. The announcement was condemned by critics who accuse the Government of not taking the issue seriously enough. Peter Boland, director of the Alliance for Insurance Reform, said a properly funded unit is essential to tackle the issue. After two years of delay, it now appears that a fudge is being developed by way of generalised divisional fraud units. If the highly specialised and technical crime of insurance fraud is to be properly tackled, this structure must at very least have a properly funded, specialised unit at headquarters level co-ordinating a specific response to insurance fraud. Not only would such a structure provide a dedicated channel for complaints and prosecutions regarding insurance fraud, but it would act as a clear deterrent to anyone considering lodging a fraudulent or exaggerated insurance claim. If what has been announced is just part of a restructuring with no new resources, then we can have little confidence that insurance fraud will get the priority it deserves. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board has reserves of over 17 million euro which consists primarily of fees paid by policyholders against whom claims have been lodged. So it would make absolute sense that the Government use these funds to establish a dedicated Garda unit that would be central to the fight against fraudulent claims. The Governments political opponents claim the department has wasted two years on the plans. Expand Close Michael McGrath (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael McGrath (Niall Carson/PA) Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath said: For over two years now the Government has held up the establishment of an insurance fraud unit as the key reform in tackling fraudulent insurance claims. All the while, businesses the length and breadth of the country are facing massive increases in their insurance premium. Insurance fraud is one of the factors leading to high insurance costs. Insurance fraud continues to be a major issue and the Government is not taking it seriously enough. To this day, we have no idea how many complaints have been made to An Garda Siochana in relation to insurance fraud. Insurance fraud is not a victimless or a costless crime. Not only does it cost the business or motorist against whom a fraudulent claim is being made, but it also costs the rest of us by way of higher premiums. It is critical that this issue is tackled head-on. The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment. Nicola Sturgeon has suggested she would push for a second independence referendum even if the UK remained in the EU. The Scottish First Minister, who has used Brexit to justify plans for a referendum by 2021, indicated she still wanted a vote on independence following a hypothetical people's vote that kept the UK in the EU. Ms Sturgeon also said there is now an obligation on her party to provide a "beacon of light and hope" ahead of voters going to the ballot box on Thursday. "Senior Tories are now openly calling for an electoral pact at the next Westminster election with Nigel Farage," she said. "Even a few months ago the idea of a Boris Johnson premiership, supported by Nigel Farage, would have been dismissed as a joke. "It is no longer funny. It is a deadly serious possibility and for Scotland it would be a nightmare. Faced with Brexit - very possibly an extreme Farage-Johnson style Brexit - people in Scotland deserve the right to decide whether Scotland should become an independent member of the EU instead." Prime Minister Theresa May's final attempt to get a Brexit deal through the British parliament appeared doomed last night as a leaked document suggested it was nothing more than a "retread" of old ideas. Mrs May claims she has a "bold offer" to put to MPs next month, but it is understood it contains nothing new on customs arrangements and retains the backstop. To stand any chance of winning the vote, Mrs May must persuade Brexiteer Tory MPs who opposed her deal in the previous three votes to change their minds. However, leading Eurosceptics last night said there was "nothing new" to tempt them. If Mrs May loses the vote in the first week of June, she will be expected to announce her resignation plans immediately and call a leadership election to find her replacement. Boris Johnson, the favourite to replace Mrs May, is being given daily advice by Tory election guru Lynton Crosby, who helped Scott Morrison, Australia's prime minister, to a "miracle" win at the weekend. In a sign of the dramatic demise of the Conservative Party, just 13pc of over-70s told a YouGov poll that they would vote Conservative. In the 2017 general election 69pc of over-70s backed them. Expand Close Talks collapsed: UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ended discussions. Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Talks collapsed: UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ended discussions. Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout via REUTERS Mrs May announced yesterday that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, the legislation needed for Britain to leave the EU with a deal, would "represent a new, bold offer to MPs across the House of Commons, with an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support". But a five-page summary sent to the Cabinet last week appeared to contain no new ideas. Instead, it promises to incorporate Tory MP Hugo Swire's January proposal to give parliament the final say on implementing the backstop as well as obliging the UK government to seek alternative arrangements to the backstop by the end of 2020. Bill Cash, the Brexiteer Tory MP who has consistently voted against Mrs May's deal, said: "This is pretty cosmetic stuff. It will not have any effect on Leave-supporting MPs and in fact there are votes coming back to our side from people who backed the deal last time." David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, said he would vote against the Bill to prevent MPs trying to pass amendments that would tie Britain into a customs union or a second referendum. A Whitehall source told the 'Daily Telegraph': "It is simply a retread of old ideas." In an article in 'The Sunday Times', Mrs May wrote: "Whatever the outcome of any [indicative] votes, I will not be simply asking MPs to think again. Instead I will ask them to look at a new and improved deal with a fresh pair of eyes - and to give it their support.". She said she still believed "there is a majority in parliament to be won for leaving with a deal". Brexit talks between Mrs May's Conservatives and the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn collapsed on Friday, hours after the prime minister agreed to set out in early June a timetable for her departure. Last night, Tanaiste Simon Coveney warned that, no matter who is the UK's next prime minister, the EU would not renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement. "The personality might change but the facts don't," he said. Just over 15 years ago, my then editor Mairead McGuinness called to tell me that, instead of posing the hard questions as she had for many moons previous, she was going to move to try to answer them, by running for Europe. Duly elected, her star has fittingly risen steadily and hopefully it still has a way to go. I only realised a few weeks ago that we, in Laois/Offaly, had moved constituency, and I needed to find someone else to vote for. So, last week, I headed off to an IFA-organised meeting of European Parliament candidates in Kilkenny, which attracted a decent crowd of around 200. Thirteen out of the massive line-up of 23 candidates turned up and they packed in tight at the top table, waiting for the turn to set out their stall. I was impressed with Malcolm Byrne. Aged 45, he is the head of communications with the Higher Education Authority and a member of Wexford County Council. He demonstrated a good knowledge of his brief and audience. Labour's Sheila Nunan, a teacher and current president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, also did well, pressing a lot of the right buttons and she finished strongly. Nenagh dairy farmer Liam Minehan (Independent) rose to prominence as founder of Fight-The-Pipe campaign but has now broadened his platform into reinvigorating rural Ireland. The highest profile Independent candidate is Mick Wallace, somewhat of a surprise participant given his well-publicised anti-EU views. Perhaps he hopes to stir things up in Europe as he has in the Dail. In what was a generally tame event, young, bright-haired, Solidarity-PBP candidate Adrienne Wallace stood out. From Carlow, she also contested the 2016 general election. Her repeated naming of our biggest beef baron as "Mr Goldman" won't have helped her chances but her day may come. This time round, Kerryman Sean Kelly's long service allied to his GAA connections should see him keep his seat. Sinn Fein's Liadh Ni Riada is a good speaker and her increased profile from running in the presidential election should also see her home again. The retirement of Brian Crowley throws the rest of the field wide open. There will be at least one Fianna Fail seat. Billy Kelleher is well placed having spent over 20 years in the Dail. However, he faces opposition from party colleague, Malcolm Byrne, though FF could also win another seat. A second Fine Gael seat seems likely. The sitting MEP is Deirdre Clune who struggled last time round and the addition to the ticket of current Junior Minister for Agriculture, Andrew Doyle, could help - or hinder - her showing. The candidate who could benefit most from Brian Crowley's departure is fellow Corkonian Diarmuid O'Flynn, the anti-bailout campaigner who almost won a seat last time round, out of nowhere. He has been assistant to MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan since 2014. He could be joined in the battle for the last seat by a FF candidate, a FG candidate, Mick Wallace and Green Party's Grace O'Sullivan (Waterford), who has also been clocking up the political miles. Thomas Reid of Hedsor House, Leixlip, Co. Kildare pictured outside the Four Courts Kildare County Council has given the green light to plans by Intel for its planned new $4 billion (3.53bn) manufacturing fabrication (FAB) facility at its Leixlip plant. The planning authority has given the chip giant the go-ahead in spite of a small number of objections against the proposal including one from long time planning opponent of Intel at Leixlip, local farmer, Thomas Reid. The 10 year permission to Intel will provide a windfall of 9.723 million for Kildare County Council - if work on the project proceeds. The follows the Council, in response to the scale of the project, including in one of the 34 conditions attached to the permission a requirement that Intel Ireland Ltd pay the Council 9.723 million in development contributions. The planning permission follows three years on after Intel secured planning permission for the first phase of the fab facility valued at $4 billion. In total, the two planning permissions represent a $8 billion (7 billion) investment which will employ 6,000 construction workers at peak and 1,600 full time jobs on completion. The projects represent the largest single private investment in the history of the State on one project if given the go-ahead by Intel globally. Consultants for Intel have told the Council that the firm has already invested $12.5 billion on its site at Leixlip. The Council gave the plan the go-ahead after concluding that the proposal accords with national, regional and local planning policy and would not be injurious to the general amenity of the area and would be in proper accordance with the planning and sustainable development of the area. In giving the project the go-ahead, the Council had regard to the Governments Project Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework and the planning history of the site. However, the Councils grant of planning permission is almost certainly to be appealed to An Bord Pleanala by objectors. This would result in a planning permission - if granted by the appeals board - towards the end of the year. Even before the Council granted planning, well known environmentalist Peter Sweetman wrote to the Council last month to say that he would be appealing any decision to grant planning to the appeals board or to the High Court. Mr Sweetman - who had lodged an earlier submission with the Council on the Intel plan - told the planning authority that he failed to understand why it did not inform him of the significant further information submitted by Intel on the application. He wrote: The fact that Kildare County Council have excluded me from participating in the Environmental Impact and HabtitatsAssessment leaves me no alternative but to appeal any decision to grant permission to An Bord Pleanala or to the High Court. Local farmer, Thomas Reid of Hedsor House, Blakestown, Carton, Maynooth has also lodged an objection against the plan - the current application is the seventh Intel Leixlip application the farmer has objected to since 2012 with six previous Intel applications brought before An Bord Pleanala by Mr Reid. Mr Reid unsuccessfully opposed the $4 billion first phase of the fab plan in 2017 when lodging an objection against the application and then appealing the Council decision to An Bord Pleanala. In 2015, Mr Reid emerged victorious in his battle with the IDA where a unanimous Supreme Court found that the IDA making of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for Mr Reids 72 acre farm adjacent to the Intel campus had been in excess of the IDAs powers. GARDAI have arrested a Limerick man in connection with 16 bales of silage being slashed to pieces in the dead of night. Last October, half of 32 bales made on land in Ardroe, Pallasgreen, County Limerick, owned by Patsy OKeeffe, were cut. It is believed the perpetrator, armed with a knife or sharp implement, damaged the precious fodder under the cover of darkness. Gardai picked up a male at his home address in east Limerick at around 7.30am on Saturday morning, May 11. He was conveyed to Bruff Garda Station where he was questioned by investigating officers about the criminal damage to Patsy OKeeffes property and a number of other related incidents. The man, aged in his sixties, was released without charge by gardai on Saturday afternoon. A file is being prepared by gardai for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Last October, Limerick IFA chairman, Shay Galvin said he never heard of anything like this happening before and called it wanton vandalism. And especially after a year like this when there is a fodder crisis, said Mr Galvin. Patsy OKeeffe described it as a despicable crime. It is a chilling thing to see a field full of bales and half of them cut to shreds, said Mr OKeeffe. We consider ourselves a decent, hard-working family and we cant understand why somebody would do this, he continued. Mr OKeeffe, aged 60, lives in Kilteely but farms 10 acres in Pallasgreen that were left to him by his late mother. He sold the silage crop from a five acre field to a neighbour. It was a fine crop - it was top quality silage. My neighbour sent down a lad to bring them back to his farm. The lad rang my neighbour straight away when he saw there was 16 - exactly half of the bales cut and damaged. It was right through the plastic and netting. My neighbour rang me. It was shocking in the extreme, despicable carry on. It was pure blackguarding, said Mr OKeeffe. Each silage bale is valued at around 40 so Mr OKeeffe was at a significant financial loss. The money was ear-marked towards his three sons college fees and accommodation. The number of international conferences won by Ireland is up 15pc year on year, according to Failte Ireland. So far this year 162 global conferences worth 67m have been secured, up from 56.5m in the same period last year. The Tourism Development Authority sees corporate tourism as a priority as the sector here prepares for Brexit. A big focus for Failte Ireland will be to grow business tourism in the regions outside Dublin. So far this year, it has supported the conversion of 14m worth of business for locations outside the capital through Regional Convention Bureaux in Shannon, Cork, Kerry and Galway. Failte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly said the sector "has huge potential for growth". "Testament to this is the fact that, just ahead of the mid-year mark, we are already on track to exceed our growth targets for business tourism in 2018," Mr Kelly added. The authority is aiming to further increase wins in the sector when it attends the annual IMEX Frankfurt event, starting tomorrow. Employers must sell themselves to win staff in an increasingly competitive jobs market, including tapping into younger workers' environmentalism, according to Veolia Ireland executive Sinead Patton. Recruitment of staff such as engineers remains "competitive" in an economy close to full employment, but younger workers are increasingly looking to work with what they deem to be socially responsible employers, the chief financial officer and chief commercial officer of the multinational giant's operations in Ireland said. "Recruitment is a challenge," said Ms Patton. "When you're out in the marketplace, there is a lot of demand. Ireland is doing well, so there's more choice for people. We are hiring a lot of people within Ireland, but we do have a mobility programme as well where we look wider, so if there are people abroad - Irish or otherwise - we can seek to bring them in as well. "We are finding with some people, that they like what we are doing, they like what we can do for the environment - that's a hot topic, particularly for young people. They want to make sure the world is a better place." In Ireland, Veolia is involved in the energy, water and waste sectors. It employs more than 600 people in the Republic and about 120 in Northern Ireland. It has hired 43 staff this year and has 60 vacancies. Veolia - which is headquartered in Paris - generated turnover of 130m across the island of Ireland last year, a figure which is expected to rise by about 5pc this year. Ms Patton insisted the challenges in worker availability won't hinder the company's expansion plans in Ireland. Veolia's energy unit accounted for 56m of turnover in 2017, and adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 3m. Its water unit generated turnover of 54m and adjusted EBITDA of 2.1m in 2017. Its environmental services division reported turnover of 20.4m (23.3m) and adjusted EBITDA of 2m (2.3m). Last year, Veolia started work on an 80m project to upgrade the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant in Dublin for Irish Water. A new facility launched by Revenue is expected to ensure fewer people over-pay their income tax. From this week, taxpayers can see up-to-date information on all the taxes and other charges on their income. This includes employees and people getting an occupational pension. Taxpayers are being encouraged to set up an online account with Revenue to see the details. Since the start of the year, employers have had to submit information on a monthly basis for each employee. The tax authority has so far received 2.2 million payroll submissions from employers in relation to 2.6 million employees and pension recipients. It covers almost 36bn in payments. This includes details of pay, income tax, universal social charge (USC), PRSI (pay related social insurance and income tax rate for the staff member. If the local property tax is being paid monthly through salary or a pension, it will also be captured. Also included in the system are pension contributions paid by employers and any share-based salary. All this information can be assessed by taxpayers by signing into myAccount on the Revenue's website. The new system will allow taxpayers to double check the accuracy of what is being submitted to Revenue on their behalf and not just what is on their payslip. The new system has led to the abolition of paper forms such as the P60, P45 and P30. Revenue said the system, the first major moderation of PAYE since the 1960s, will mean less chance of people paying too much tax. That can happen because they are on emergency tax or paying the wrong income tax rate, or not claiming a relief such as home carer's credit. Tax experts said last week that thousands of families are losing out on a valuable tax relief large enough to help pay for a summer holiday. They estimate up to 60,000 families are missing out on the home carer credit. It is worth 1,500 this year and can be claimed by a married couple and those in civil partnerships. Home carer's credit can be claimed using the myAccount system. Revenue, in a briefing for the Irish Independent, said the new system means taxpayers will no longer have to wait days for amendments to tax credits or for a rate band adjustment. "Consequently, in overall terms it is expected that the number of employees on emergency tax will be less under the new regime than would have traditionally been the case," a spokesperson said. To set up a myAccount you will need a Personal Public Service number (PPS), and have to enter your date of birth, a phone number, email address and home address. The system can accessed on a computer, and on a mobile phone through an app. Helen Dixon: Hopes to stay on after her term ends in September. Photo: Collins Children have a better grasp of data protection than adults, according to the country's Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon. Having undertaken a consultation with children, the Data Protection Commission is currently reviewing the responses it received. Ms Dixon said younger people are more tuned in to the agreement at the centre of most free internet services, such as the exchange of your personal data in place of money. The Facebook Cambridge Analytica fallout last year saw the general public become more interested in the issue of data protection, but they did not necessarily understand the area, Ms Dixon said in an interview with the 'Sunday Business Post'. There is a lot of misunderstanding around the remit of the office of the Data Protection Commission, she said. The Data Protection Commission is a supervisory authority with responsibility for upholding the rights of people to have their personal data protected. "It does not cover issues such as cyber bulling and 'revenge porn'. "As a regulator, we can only operate under the legal framework that provides the mandate for what we do," Ms Dixon said. Next Saturday, May 25, will mark the one-year anniversary of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Ms Dixon has said that the first batch of major investigations by her office under the regulations into companies like Facebook and LinkedIn will "conclude over the summer of 2019". Earlier this month Ms Dixon said her office currently had 51 "large scale" investigations under way. "Seventeen relate to the large tech platforms and span the services of Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram," she told the US Senate. Of the 17 cases, 11 relate to Facebook or its subsidiary firms, Instagram and WhatsApp. Under GDPR law, the Irish Data Protection Authority can fine companies up to 20m or 4pc of global turnover. Ms Dixon's term is due to end in September, however she would like to remain in place. "I think it is in the best interests that I would serve beyond September," she said. It will be up to the Government as to whether or not she remains in her role from autumn, but it is predicted that she will get another five-year term. Investigation Meanwhile, the Data Protection Commissioner's investigation into Independent News and Media (INM) is set to finish up within months. Ms Dixon said that she received an update two weeks ago from the investigator who said the investigation was "substantially advanced to the point of near completion". Throughout its 500-year relationship with the West, Beijing has sought to profit from its wealth without truly embracing its ideals and norms. That long-standing ambivalence is playing out in trade negotiations today and probably doomed them before they even got under way. The notion China can be turned "Western" has been the mainstay of US foreign policy toward Beijing since President Richard Nixon held his famous 1972 meeting with Mao Zedong. But the thinking goes back much further. In the 18th century, the European powers, frustrated by Chinese trade practises, wanted the Qing Dynasty to adopt its economic principles, too. Back then, China was more than happy to trade porcelain and tea for silver, but the court tightly controlled such exchanges. That seemed unfair to merchants who desired free trade. In 1793, the British sent a mission led by Lord Macartney to Beijing to plead for market opening and other reforms. But Macartney's refusal to perform the standard, obsequious kowtow before the emperor enraged protocol-obsessed mandarins. The emperor sent Britain's King George III a condescending letter rejecting the requests. "How can our dynasty alter its whole procedure and system of etiquette, established for more than a century, in order to meet your individual views?" he asked. The Qing never willingly accepted Western-style trade and diplomatic practises. They were bombarded into it - literally, by the cannon fire of the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century. Only then did China open wider to foreign commerce and culture, and begin to accept European-style state-to-state relations. Resistance, though, hasn't been China's only response. Beginning in the late 19th century, Chinese intellectuals, reformers and revolutionaries came to believe the country had to become more like nations such as Britain and the United States. As the Qing Dynasty tottered, these thinkers saw salvation in copying overseas institutions and practises - such as a constitution, elected assemblies and Western-style schools. Still, debate raged over how westernised China had to become. Some argued merely buying Western guns and learning its new technology would be sufficient; China's core institutions didn't have to change. Others saw China's traditions as outdated and backward. Only wholesale adoption of foreign ideas could rebuild its greatness. It's ironic the trade talks fell apart near the 100th anniversary of the May 4 Movement. Named after student protests in 1919, the term signifies a wider campaign to change society. "I would much rather see the past culture of our nation disappear than see our race die out now because of its unfitness for living in the modern world," Chen Duxiu, a founder of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote. This spirit carried into the 1980s. Under China's pro-market reforms, the country adopted free enterprise, invited in overseas investment, heeded Western economists and joined institutions such as the World Trade Organisation. No less a figure than Hu Yaobang, the party's general secretary, suggested Chinese should eat with knives and forks rather than chopsticks. But wariness of the West never went away, and as China's economic might has grown, so has its determination to chart its own course. On the global stage, President Xi Jinping has pushed Chinese alternatives to the Western world system, such as his Belt and Road infrastructure-building programme. At home, Xi has emphasised the role of the state over greater liberalisation and promoted traditional Chinese culture and philosophy to ward off unwanted ideas such as democracy. This love-hate attitude is playing out in the trade talks. On the one hand, Beijing realises it benefits from being part of the current US-led global order. On the other, Beijing isn't willing to embrace that order fully and accept its norms. The Trump administration faces the same frustrations as 18th-century traders. With his tariffs and threats, Trump is effectively saying: "OK, China, if you won't follow our rules on your own, we'll just have to force you." It may appear unfair China won't reciprocate the openness that many in the West hold so dear. Arguably, the Chinese economy would be better off if it did. That doesn't mean China will. Trump's attempt to force its hand will fail, no matter how high he raises tariffs. Washington has to learn to deal with the China it has, rather than the China it would like to see. Michael Schuman, who is based in Beijing, is the author of 'The Miracle: The Epic Story of Asia's Quest for Wealth' and 'Confucius and the World He Created' Negotiations are at an advanced stage over the repatriation of Isil bride and former Defence Forces member Lisa Smith (37) to Ireland. The Government has been engaged in painstaking talks with charities, aid agencies and several foreign governments for the past two months over how to get the Louth woman and her child from northern Syria to a third country where they can be flown to Ireland. However, a senior Government source dismissed suggestions the return of the former Air Corps recruit was imminent. "It is a very complex process. It may well yet take some time to resolve," he said. The source also dismissed rumours that Ms Smith was already on her way back to Ireland, saying: "That is not the case." Ireland has been working with a number of other European countries who also have nationals in Syria. Isil brides from countries including the UK, France, Denmark and Sweden are demanding repatriation - and Ireland has been using these diplomatic contacts to secure a channel to get Ms Smith home. Kurdish fighters, who operate the camps where Isil brides, sympathisers and fighters are now being held in northern Syria, said they wanted to ease pressure on swelling camp numbers by shipping home European detainees in groups rather than as individuals. Backed by their US allies, the Kurds have demanded that European countries accept responsibility for handling Isil sympathisers from their jurisdictions. The Kurds fear that individual repatriations could take months or even years to negotiate. It had been hoped that transfer of small groups of Isil sympathisers to a third country such as Jordan or Turkey for onward repatriation would prove much faster than protracted individual transfers. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney both indicated efforts are under way to get Ms Smith and her two-year-old daughter Ruqayya to Ireland. A BOY accused of murdering Ana Kriegel initially refused to call to her house for her but agreed to do so after his co-accused repeatedly said to him "please, please, please", a trial heard. Boy B told garda interviewers that he and Boy A were in his bedroom chatting when Boy A asked him to call for Ana. "At first I said no", he said, "but then he started saying please, please, please". "At last I agreed", Boy B said. The two youths, aged 13 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 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. The jury has begun to hear the first interview which gardai conducted with Boy B at Finglas Garda Station. Inspector Damien Gannon told the Central Criminal Court that Boy B was arrested by appointment at 8.02am on May 24, 2018 and detained for questioning. Present during the first interview which commenced at 11.08am were Boy B, his mother, his solicitor David Powderly, Detective Garda Donal Daly and then Detective Sergeant (now Inspector) Damien Gannon. Asked by gardai if he could explain the difference between right and wrong, Boy B said good was giving a homeless man money and bad was taking money from a homeless person. Asked if he could explain the difference between truth and a lie, Boy B said if you did something the truth was "what happened exactly in the story", while a lie was if you were telling a fake story or you weren't there or you weren't present. Gardai then showed Boy B an aerial photograph, and he pointed out a number of places on it, including the gates to the park, the spot where he met Boy A, the changing rooms where he got water from an outside tap and where he saw Ana when he was walking out of the park. Boy B told garda interviewers that he said hello to Ana but she "looked really sad". He walked on a bit and when he looked back she was gone. Asked by gardai about the abandoned house, Boy B said he didn't know the name of it and he and his friends just called it the abandoned house. He said there used to be some animals in it and it had burnt down and been destroyed. He had been exploring with his friends, he added, when they saw the abandoned house. This was "a couple of months ago", adding "some time last year, I think". Gardai then asked Boy B to tell them what had happened on Monday, May 14 - the day Ana disappeared. This was Boy B's opportunity to tell the truth, gardai said. Boy B told gardai that he woke up, put on his clothes, ate his breakfast and then brushed his teeth. He went to school, and when school finished he came home and changed his clothes. He then went into the bathroom. It was around 4pm, he said. Boy B said he left the bathroom around 4.20pm. When he was in the bathroom Boy A called for him. They went into his room so they could chat. Boy B said it was around this time that Boy A asked him to call for Ana Kriegel. He refused but eventually agreed. He then did some chores and left the house about 4.55pm. The jury will continue to hear the interviews which gardai conducted with Boy B tomorrow. Earlier, forensic scientist Marce Lee-Gorman said a black vest top found in the room near Ana's body was stained with semen which matched the DNA profile of Boy A. Ms Marce Lee-Gorman said there was semen staining on the back hem area and the upper right shoulder area of Ana's black vest top. She also said the black top was damaged. It was torn completely along a side hem, the right shoulder strap had been stretched and pulled and the left shoulder strap was torn in two pieces, one of which was still attached. Ms Lee-Gorman cut out samples of the areas to further examine them under the microscope for any DNA. She found two main contributors and one trace contributor in the semen sample. The trace contributor sample was not suitable for interpretation, she said. Ms Lee-Gorman said she had looked at two possibilities, that either the mixed DNA profile was a match for Ana Kriegel, Boy A and an unknown or that the DNA was a mix of three unknown people unrelated to Ana. Ms Lee-Gorman said her finding was that it was a thousand million times more likely that the DNA was a match to Boy A, Ana and an unknown. She said that she could not determine when the semen was deposited, but it had happened since the top was last washed. Ms Lee-Gorman also examined a white bra. The fabric joining both cups and the band below the cups was torn. The bra was "quite sturdy" and it would take a lot of manipulation and "pulling and tugging" to tear it apart, she said. Ms Lee-Gorman said there was blood staining on the bra, and the DNA matched Ana's. There was minor male DNA on the bra but this could not be identified, the court heard. In his evidence, Dr Edward Connolly, also from Forensic Science Ireland, said he examined a role of Tesco-branded blue tape, which was found around Ana's neck. The DNA on one of the tape ends matched Ana's DNA. Gardai have also given evidence of obtaining a search warrant and searching Boy B's home on May 24, 2018. Garda Suzanna McGrath agreed with Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, that a total of 33 exhibits was taken from Boy B's home. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is insulting the Irish courts by seeking to go around a Supreme Court "bar" on Ian Bailey's extradition to France in relation to the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, according to lawyers for the Englishman. Mr Bailey (60), of Liscaha, Schull, Co Cork, denies involvement in the death of Ms du Plantier, who was found dead outside her holiday home in Schull in December 1996. French authorities previously sought the surrender of Mr Bailey in 2010, but this application was refused by the Supreme Court in 2012. A second extradition request was transmitted to Ireland in recent months, seeking the surrender of Mr Bailey for alleged voluntary homicide. Mr Bailey, who claims gardai tried to frame him for the killing of Ms du Plantier, could be tried in France in his absence. Opposing surrender yesterday, counsel for Mr Bailey, Garrett Simons SC, said his client had a "very straightforward and obvious case". Mr Simons said there was "no way around" the Supreme Court decision in 2012 which identified an "absolute jurisdictional bar" to Mr Bailey's extradition to France in relation to the alleged offence. It was an "abuse of process" for the minister, who has litigated an issue all the way to the Supreme Court, to seek to litigate the issue again, Mr Simons submitted. Counsel for the Justice Minister Robert Barron SC said there were no grounds for criticism of the minister. Mr Barron said extradition was a process between judicial authorities and the minister's role was to produce warrants to the courts for endorsement. Once the warrant is received, it must be presented to the court for endorsement. He said the minister had no power to refuse a warrant and it had never happened, as far as he knew, before. Mr Barron will continue making submissions before Mr Justice Tony Hunt in the High Court today. A former psychic charged with deception and money laundering offences involving approximately 1.7 million acknowledged controlling an account which transferred over 660,000 into various accounts controlled by himself and others over a four day period, a court has heard. Simon Gold (54) with an address of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments on dates between January 1, 2010 and October 22, 2012. The trial has heard that Mr Gold accepted he had used the names Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. On the third day of evidence before the jury, Susanne Lindsey a senior crime analyst and civilian member of An Garda Siochana, told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that she was asked to make a chart based on all mentions of transactions of a bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd in the transcript of an interview of Mr Gold by gardai. Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged he was responsible for the Ulster Bank College Green account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. She said he acknowledged receiving a transfer of 800,000 from Danish businessman Kurt Lauridsen on October 15, 2012. She said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on the same date 10,000 was transferred from this account to an AIB Navan account in the name Niall O'Donoghue and a further 12,686.64 was transferred to an Ulster Bank Belfast account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd. Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 16, 2012, a further 1,856.50 was transferred to an AIB Navan account in the name Niall O'Donoghue and 94,782.38 was transferred to an Ulster Bank Belfast account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd. She said Mr Gold during the interview acknowledged that on the same date a further total of 410,018.38 was transferred into three other bank accounts. Ms Lindsey said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 18, 2012, a further 15,000 was transferred to an AIB Navan account in the name Niall O'Donoghue. She said Mr Gold acknowledged that a further 118,000 was transferred into three other accounts. She said that during the interview Mr Gold acknowledged that on October 19, 2012, a further 800,000 from Kurt Lauridsen was transferred into the Ulster Bank College Green account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. The trial has previously heard that Mr Gold told gardai in interview it was his understanding that the two sums of 800,000 were to be used for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast and that Anglo Irish Global Ltd would receive about 20pc of whatever funds went through the account. The trial continues on Wednesday before Judge Nolan and a jury. A taxi driver who sexually assaulted three young women within two weeks has been jailed for five years. Mansoor Uddin (41), a married father of three, of Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial last February at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault on January 30, 2016 and two sexual assaults on February 16, 2016. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain sentenced Uddin to three years imprisonment for each count of sexual assault. She said the sentences on the latter two counts will run concurrently with each other, but consecutive to the earlier count of sexual assault. Judge Ni Chulachain also suspended the final year of the sentences for counts two and three for two years on strict conditions for an effective operating sentence of six years imprisonment with one year suspended. She also gave Uddin credit for any time he has already spent in custody. Expand Close 09/04/19 Mansoor Uddin (41), of Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, leaving court after the case. PIC: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 09/04/19 Mansoor Uddin (41), of Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, leaving court after the case. PIC: Collins Courts The court heard at a sentence hearing last month that Uddin sexually assaulted two of the women on the same night after demanding that one of them get out of his taxi when he saw her trying to get a photo of his identification. This 18-year-old victim had also called a friend while in the vehicle and gave her Uddin's name and some of his taxi number. She tried to take a photograph of Uddin but he stopped her. At the hearing in April Sergeant Aoife Cronin told Sinead McMullan BL, prosecuting, that gardai used CCTV footage, a database of registered public service vehicles and a computer generated likeness from the first victim to identify Uddin. As part of the garda investigation, officers also used GPS co-ordinates from the HALO taxi app which confirmed that Uddin had travelled the three routes the women had outlined to gardai. The court heard that as part of his bail conditions a female passenger was not permitted to be a front seat passenger in Uddin's taxi. He was also subject to a curfew which meant that he wasn't permitted to work as a taxi driver at night time. Seamus Clarke SC, defending, said the bail conditions had been put in place by the High Court and that gardai policed Uddin while he was on bail. His license was revoked when he subsequently entered guilty pleas in February. Today Mr Clarke said his client had been provided with documentation to surrender his tenancy, but that his wife and children would be allowed to remain in new accommodation once it is ready. Mr Clarke said that a psychological report showed Uddin as being someone with low levels of intellectual function. Judge Ni Chulachain said the case was aggravated by Uddin abusing his position as a taxi driver, his being aware of the vulnerability of the injured parties, his refusing to stop the taxi in two of the three cases, the timing of the offences being at night, his touching one of the women on her bare skin under her clothing and the somewhat planned targeting of the third woman. She said the mitigating factors were his guilty plea, his losing his livelihood, his losing of his tenancy, his difficulties in early life, his mental health difficulties, his previous good character and his lack of previous convictions. Desperate househunters are seeking divine intervention in a bid to help them find accommodation. Clonmel priest Fr Michael Toomey appealed at all Masses in the parish of St Peter and Paul over the weekend for urgent help in finding a house for a family to rent. The couple and their two children are currently homeless through no fault of their own. Fr Michael told the congregation the man is in full-time employment and volunteers in a local charity. The unusual step is an indication of the desperation that many families are facing into as the homelessness crisis continues to escalate. The young couple, who wish to remain anonymous, had been renting a house up to very recently with their three-year-old daughter and they were expecting a second child. However, the owner of the property contacted them earlier in the year to ask them to vacate it. "Their situation is truly heart-breaking," Fr Michael told parishioners. The family approached Fr Michael last week, desperate to see if he could help in any way. He also asked why there are so many vacant houses, some owned by the council, when there are people like this family left walking the streets. Speaking to the Irish Independent, the priest hit out at bureaucracy and red tape surrounding the housing crisis. Acknowledging that the housing department in the council is stretched and under pressure, he also questioned why there was such a "lack of empathy". "I made the appeal to highlight that the homeless crisis isn't just in Dublin - it is happening everywhere, it is a national emergency," Fr Michael said. "This could happen any of us who are renting a property - we could be asked to leave through no fault of their own. "We have a food bank in Clonmel to feed people who are homeless. "To have a food bank in Clonmel in this day and age is scandalous. It is a whole system breakdown." Appeal: Son Pierre Louis Baudey-Vignaud in Cork yesterday to ask for information about the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier ahead of the trial of Ian Bailey. Photo: Provision The son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has publicly called on Ireland to support the Paris murder trial next week over his mother's brutal killing, saying his family have placed their trust in the people of west Cork. Speaking yesterday, Pierre Louis Baudey-Vignaud (37) said: "For 20 years I have trusted you. Do not betray me. Do not betray yourselves." He said his mother "fought like a lioness against the most atrocious violence there is". "The violence used by a monster that nothing stops - the one that struck her for no reason, for nothing. "I still come back here every year because it is the only way for me to defy this violence and destroy it," he said. Mr Baudey-Vignaud issued the appeal as he spoke to the media in west Cork in advance of the Paris murder trial of British freelance journalist Ian Bailey (60). Expand Close Ian Bailey. Photo: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Bailey. Photo: Collins Courts Mr Bailey faces trial in absentia next week over the killing of the 39-year-old mother of one in west Cork 22 years ago. Ms du Plantier was found battered to death by the side of a laneway leading to her isolated cottage at Toormore outside Schull at 10am on December 23, 1996. No one has ever been charged in Ireland with her killing. Mr Bailey has consistently protested his innocence and in 2012 successfully fought extradition to France. He has maintained the Paris prosecution is "farcical" and "a show trial". Mr Baudey-Vignaud, who attended Mass in Goleen with his uncle Bertrand, urged Ireland to support the French campaign to see justice done for his mother. Letters Expand Close Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: PA A number of Garda murder case witnesses have now received letters asking them to attend the Paris trial. They cannot be compelled to attend - and Mr Baudey-Vignaud asked everyone in west Cork who can support the Paris prosecution to do so. "This trial isn't just about my mother - it is the trial of the truth. "I want to make an appeal to all the people here - anyone who has received requests from the magistrates in France, come and tell [your story]. We must be all together against violence. "It is the trial of a crime that bears the mark of a country in which a woman, my mother, had such confidence that she opened her door to the person who murdered her. She would not have done this in Paris. "She opened her door here in Ireland because she was so confident that nothing bad would happen to her," he said. Mr Baudey-Vignaud said that since the murder his family have been trapped in a prison of undelivered justice. "It was my last day of being a child," he said of the day he learned his mother had been murdered. "I was eight years old the first time I came here and I was 15 years old when my mother was brutally killed. "It is time today to turn one of the saddest pages of your history - the darkest page of mine. "We must turn this sad page together because my mother, you and I, must refuse to see these hills sink into one of the worst tragedies and injustices." A French investigation was launched after the Director of Public Prosecutions here ruled out taking any action against Mr Bailey. Mr Bailey's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said his client would not travel to Paris for the trial and will not be mounting a defence. Speaking to RTE, Mr Buttimer said: "He doesn't recognise that the proceedings are valid or just. "He has been entirely exonerated in this country. The Director of Public Prosecutions has long since decided that there is no evidence upon which he can be put on trial. "The French have decided that the exact same evidence is sufficient to put him on trial. "The situation is, quite frankly, farcical and, of course, extremely unjust." With the local and European elections hogging the headlines, it is almost easy to forget that there is another matter to vote on. There will be also a referendum about a proposed change to the constitution in relation to divorce. The main change would be reducing the time needed to be living apart before applying for a divorce. With only days to go until polling day, Independent.ie took to the streets of Dublin to ask members of the public what they know about the upcoming referendum. Some of them have heard about the general issue of the referendum but still want to do their research before Fridays vote. It is about hastening the process for divorce but Im not fully aware of the fine details yet. So I need to review that before I cast my vote on Friday, said Oisin Kelly from Rathfarnham. Tina Darcy from Dublin brings in her personal experience: I will definitely be voting Yes because I think it is a very good idea. I went through a divorce myself and it is horrible when people are trapped in a situation like that. James A. Kelly from Co Kerry feels lucky that he has not been affected by the current legislation. It hasnt applied to me because I have already been divorced in England. So I wont be having this problem here. Asked on why he thinks some people would vote against a change of the constitution, he jokingly guessed that maybe some people just want to prolong other peoples misery. It's not every day an international business call gets photobombed by a world leader, but software developers across four countries were left stunned when the Taoiseach popped his head into their Skype call. Leo Varadkar surprised software developers in Spain, the UK and Italy when he appeared on their live conference call from Galway. The Taoiseach was visiting the Portershed business centre in the city when he popped his head into one of the booths used for private calls. The Taoiseach was in Galway on a canvassing tour with European election candidate Maria Walsh. Described as "gold dust" by party colleague Frank Feighan, Ms Walsh was lauded as a positive advocate for change in the west. The former Rose of Tralee gave a speech to friends and supporters, vowing to introduce a year of promoting positive mental health. "We saw Marian Harkin do this for volunteers in 2011," she said. "I'm unbelievably fortunate to have a link with Jigsaw as their ambassador and I passionately believe this will happen, a European year. Think about how much funding, networking and opportunities will be in our grassroots programme." Ms Walsh said she wanted to ensure we as a country were accountable to future generations. The pair began their day with a trip to the Connacht Rugby grounds where Leo met some of the players and was presented with his own number 10 jersey. Meeting Bundee Aki and Jarrad Butler, the Taoiseach revealed he still plays a game or two of rugby each year for the Oireachtas team before realisation dawned as to who he was talking to and he quickly added: "Not very well, though." Leaving the Sportsground, after dropping some serious election hints that the grounds would soon benefit significantly from government funding, Leo and Maria took to the streets of Galway. With the exception of one lone protester holding a placard highlighting the homeless crisis, the pair were greeted warmly. But while he may have been in jocular form after his reception in Galway, the Taoiseach was more sombre about the European elections warning he had "a real sense" they could possibly be the most important in the last 40 years. "That is partly because the European parliament has much more power now than it had in the past but it's also because so many of the big issues facing Ireland are decided at European level or at least large elements of what has to be done are decided at European level," he said. Brexit, trade deals and the EU budget, decisions on climate change and CAP were just some of the issues that would be overseen by the next tranche of MEPs. "We can actually go backwards if the wrong type of people on the far left or far right populace get elected to the European Parliament and that's why we need to make sure that we've good people with the right values elected to the European Parliament from across Ireland and across Europe next Friday," he warned. Support for Taoiseach Leo Varadkars party stands at less than 30pc according to two opinion polls at the weekend. Photo: Frank McGrath Fine Gael ministers fear the controversy over the cost of the rural broadband rollout is damaging the party's election chances in urban areas. Support for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's party stands at less than 30pc according to two opinion polls at the weekend as he faces his first electoral test as leader. Ambitions of overtaking Fianna Fail as the largest party in local government are being reined in as ministers have begun to spin any increase in council seats by the Government party as a "win" after polling day on Friday. The highly controversial National Broadband Plan (NBP) has been identified as one issue hurting Fine Gael. The State is expecting to invest up to 3bn to ensure every premises in the country has the opportunity to hook up to high-speed internet, . Opposition politicians have been severely critical of the plan after the costs emerged last week. One minister told the Irish Independent he blamed the NBP row for a five-point drop by Fine Gael to 28pc in one poll. Expand Close Election: Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh could cause an upset by winning a European seat in Midlands North-West for Fine Gael. Photo: Brian McEvoy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Election: Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh could cause an upset by winning a European seat in Midlands North-West for Fine Gael. Photo: Brian McEvoy He said "urban people don't like the rural broadband plan", adding he suspected the drop in support was happening in the cities "where we were riding very high". The source still predicted the party will do better than what he termed the "horrendous" 2014 local elections, which came at the height of the protests about water charges. Another minister said the target of Fine Gael winning 50 extra seats was unlikely to be achieved. "I think we'll hold what we have. I think we'll add to it. Will we hit 50? Fifty would be a tall order," he said. He also pointed to broadband as an issue denting support in urban areas. "Rural people are saying, 'Thank God somebody's finally done it.' It's going to cost a lot of money, but it's going to be done," he said. He add that households in the cities "don't think it [the 3bn] should be spent at all". Fine Gael sources argued Mr Varadkar's election performance should be judged more on how Fine Gael does in Europe than in the council elections where government parties are traditionally given a kicking. The polls show Fine Gael on course to retain four seats in the European Parliament with former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh in the mix for a possible upset in Midlands North-West, where she could win a seat alongside Mairead McGuinness. One Dublin-based Fine Gael TD said broadband had been raised on doorsteps but said the spiralling cost of the 1.7bn National Children's Hospital was coming up even more frequently. The source expressed concern for what the poll numbers could mean for a general election and the possibility the country could be end up with another minority government. "It's a real problem - there's no surge there that deliver the much-needed extra 10-15 seats," he said. Fine Gael dropped from 33pc to 28pc in the 'Sunday Business Post'/Red C poll in less than a month. Fianna Fail is on 24pc (+1pc); Sinn Fein is on 13pc (-1pc) and Labour stayed the same on 5pc. The Green Party enjoyed a four-point bump to 7pc amid growing public concern over climate change. Eamon Ryan's party also saw a four-point boost to 5pc in the 'Sunday Times'/Behaviour and Attitudes Poll. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were level on 28pc each; Sinn Fein is on 19pc (-2pc) and Labour is unchanged on 4pc. Speaking on the campaign trail in Mullingar, Mr Varadkar sought to play down the significance of his party's poor showing, saying: "The poll that matters is the poll on Friday when people go out to vote." He urged voters to turn out. Even though hes gone down on the rehab assignment, its not like playing every single day, Renteria said. We want to make sure hes come through it well. But just throwing him out there every single day would be, probably, a little premature. The distressed couple at the centre of the tragic abortion case say the result of a second test, showing the baby they terminated was healthy, was not communicated properly to them when they were asked to a meeting with doctors about the findings. It is alleged that it was only after they left the early April consultation at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, where the testing and termination were carried out, that the shocking discovery became clear. The results were contained in an envelope they were given. The full extent of the result became clear after a genetics specialist explained the upsetting finding to them after they had sought his expertise privately. A consultant in Holles Street wrote to the couple last month admitting problems in the manner in which the second test result was delivered to them. The distraught couple had been told in black and white terms there was no hope for their unborn baby in March. This followed the results of the first test involving chorionic villus sampling (CVS) showing their baby had trisomy 18, known as Edward's syndrome. The abortion was carried out by the hospital based on the information from the first test. But the more detailed lab investigation, which was returned after the termination, later revealed the baby was clear of abnormalities. The manner in which the results of a second test, showing the unborn baby did not have the fatal foetal abnormality, was communicated is expected to be part of an external investigation which is to be held into the case. Asked for a response to the claims yesterday, a spokesman for the National Maternity Hospital declined to comment. An external review overseen by specialists from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK is to get under way to examine the circumstances of the case. The couple's solicitor, Caoimhe Haughey, said yesterday they will want to not only have an input into the terms of reference, but will also insist on having a say on who will sit on the inquiry. She said some documents relating to the abortion were only furnished by the hospital on Friday, although the couple had sought all their medical records in April. They received most of the records on May 10 but it was only on Friday, following another request, that the consent form to the termination was released. The hospital also released the termination notification to the Health Minister, which is required under law. "I will be examining the authenticity of both documents," said Ms Haughey. Meanwhile, it has emerged that there are no national guidelines for doctors on antenatal ultrasound or prenatal screening or diagnosis. This case is likely to lead to these guidelines. Hospitals have access to international guidelines although it appears practices vary between different units. Obstetricians and gynaecologists were issued with some guidelines earlier this year on the care and treatment of pregnant women under the new abortion law which came into effect in January. These include women whose unborn baby has a suspected or diagnosed fatal foetal abnormality. However, the guidelines are general and do not go into specifics about testing and what level of accuracy is needed before diagnosis and termination. Survivor: Paudie McGahon has called on other IRA rape victims to come forward. Photo: Owen Breslin The victims of an IRA man who raped them as children have urged a full investigation be held into claims that members of Sinn Fein and the IRA tried to prevent the crimes being reported to gardai. In an exclusive interview, Paudie McGahon (44) said he had decided to waive his anonymity to speak out. This month, 'IRA man' Seamus Marley was jailed for seven years for raping two teenage boys at a "republican safe house" two decades ago. Mr McGahon was one of the boys and told how an IRA kangaroo court was convened in 2002 after the men first brought their abuse allegations to the attention of Louth Sinn Fein councillor Pearse McGeough. Cllr McGeough has denied involvement in the kangaroo court. Last night, both he and Sinn Fein maintained both of the victims were advised to go to gardai at the time. The second victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, has authorised Mr McGahon to speak publicly. Seamus Marley (45) is a member of a prominent Belfast republican family. A jury in the Central Criminal Court found him guilty on eight counts of sexually assaulting and raping Mr McGahon and the second man when they were boys. The men claim that the kangaroo court was organised by Mr McGeough, a close family friend of Mr McGahon's father, and chaired by prominent Belfast republican Padraic Wilson. Wilson was also accused of carrying out a similar function at a kangaroo court interrogating Mairia Cahill's rape allegations against another IRA man. Cllr McGeough has previously denied that he was involved in the kangaroo court and said he advised Mr McGahon and the second victim to go to gardai. Last night, he said: "The testimony of the victims in this case was harrowing. I want to commend them for their courage in pursuing this matter." He reiterated that the party's advice at the time was to bring the allegations of abuse to the Garda. Wilson has also denied the allegations. At a subsequent "hearing", the men allege that Wilson informed them that their allegations had been proven correct and offered them three alternative punishments for Marley: have him shot by the IRA; they could beat him up; or he could be exiled. Mr McGahon said they opted for the least violent option. "We didn't know any better at the time, we had been reared in the republican culture and there was a climate of intimidation so going to the police was just not on because you knew what could happen to you. It was only years later we began to realise what was really going on - Sinn Fein and the IRA were keeping us quiet," Mr McGahon told the Irish Independent last night. However, last week the victims found Marley was never exiled by the IRA and for two years after the "investigation" Marley had been working with children in Dublin. "When we discovered that Marley had not even been exiled at the time and that he was left working with children after all that, we were sick and it just convinced us even further that we are determined this conspiracy to silence us and pervert the course of justice is fully investigated," said Mr McGahon. When the two men made an official complaint to gardai in 2014, detectives launched two investigations - one focusing on the rape allegations and the other on an attempt to pervert the course of justice. During Marley's trial, Mr McGeough was referred to on a number of occasions by witnesses as the person who brought him to Mr McGahon's home in the early 1990s. In his victim impact statement, the second man described how he had called Mr McGeough to ask for help, but that after the call he knew he was on his own. A celebration of peace took place to mark the return visit of the British royal couple, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall. On their fifth annual consecutive visit to this country, the royal couple were today in the Glencree centre for Peace and Reconciliation in Wicklow. They sat in on a series of workshops discussing womens leadership, Legacy and Young Peacebuilders. The couple were met by President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina who welcomed them to Ireland. Its wonderful to be back, the Prince of Wales told the President, while his wife Camilla told Mr Higgins: How nice to see you again. Mrs Higgins told Camilla that she was looking very well. Amongst guests at the event were Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former First Minister of Northern Ireland Peter Robinson, together with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. The British Ambassador Robin Barnett was also present. A granite plaque engraved with a poem written by founding member of Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Una OHiggins OMalley in 2002. Speaking at the event, Barbara Walshe, chairperson of Glencree said the symbolism of todays event reminds us of how deeply entwined our countries are physically, socially, economically, culturally and historically. While much of this history has been acknowledged as difficult and has given rise to conflict we have found that an answer lies in the restoration of relationships through dialogue, she said. Naoimh McNamee CEO of Glencree said the presence of the Prince of Wales with President Higgins speaks to the progress that can be made when people learn to speak to each other in a spirit of generosity. Students from St Colmcilles community school in Wicklow, St Louis secondary school in Dundalk and New-Bridge Integrated college in Banbridge, Co Down were in attendance, sharing their reflections and the future relations across these islands. In a closed session at Glencree, the royal couple met with survivors of the Troubles in the north, including Steven Travers, who was injured in the Miami Showband massacre in July 1975 when five people were killed, including two members of the band, by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group. I presented Prince Charles with a copy of the book on the massacre, said Mr Travers afterwards. I also expressed my condolences over what happened to his great-uncle, he added, referring to the murder of Lord Mountbatten by the IRA in Mullaghmore, county Sligo in 1979. Mr Travers said that by visiting Glencree, he believed that Prince Charles was probably trying in some way to send a message. I hope he is. We got the impression that there was no harm in the man. Him coming here is highlighting ordinary decent people being able to have a say. Also present was Eugene Reavey whose three brothers Anthony, Brian and John Martin, were gunned down in their county Armagh home in 1976 by a UVF gang. They also spent time speaking with secondary-level students from St Colmcilles Community School in Wicklow, St Louis Secondary School for Girls in Dundalk, Co Louth and New-Bridge Integrated College in Banbridge, Co Down. They were welcomed by Eamon Rafter, a learning-coordinator at Glencree. Prince Charles and Camilla and Mr and Mrs Higgins spent some time speaking to each group about their discussions about British-Irish relations and the role of young people in promoting reconciliation. They are a lot more human than I expected. It would have been great to have more time with them, to sit down and get everyones opinion said Hannah Pheifer (17) from St Louis School. But it was nice to see how engaged they are with people. Speaking after meeting the royal couple, Peter Robinson said, Hes always taken an interest in the plight of victims and its great to see him here continuing that interest. This is the Royals fifth annual visit to Ireland since 2015, and the couple has previously visited several counties, including Cork, Kerry, Sligo, Clare, Kilkenny and Kildare. Themes of this years programme will focus on environmental sustainability and community involvement as well as highlighting Irish culture and the countrys natural beauty. Parents are facing a severe shortage of creche places for babies and toddlers because of the success of the free pre-school programme for three to five-year-olds. The Government-funded Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme has grown to cater for 120,000 children a year, more than double the 52,600 in 2009. It has transformed the early childhood experience in Ireland, but with the unintended consequence of squeezing out babies and toddlers from childcare facilities. Many childcare providers are overwhelmingly focused on the ECCE scheme at the expense of places for younger children. The shortage of places is wreaking havoc for mothers seeking to return to work after maternity leave, typically when a baby is nine to 12 months old. Some mothers are asking employers whether they can delay their return to work because of their difficulties in organising childcare. Expand Close Stock Image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stock Image It is also heaping pressure on other family members, including grandparents, to weigh in on child-minding. The most recent figures analysed by the Irish Independent show that, in the early-years sector, toddlers aged one to three years accounted for only 16pc last year, down from 20pc in 2015-16. The huge majority (67pc) of the 179,000 children enrolled in childcare facilities nationwide were pre-schoolers, many in the ECCE scheme. Childcare providers are also aware that they can cater for more children in the over-threes age bracket, because they need only one staff member per eight children. Baby rooms require a staff-to-child ratio of 1:3 and the children are too young to be included in the ECCE scheme. Teresa Heeney, chief executive of Early Childhood Ireland (ECI), which represents the sector, said: "The second pre-school year cannibalised places for younger children. That is what is happening. It is particularly acute in areas of population growth." The Department of Children acknowledged the pressures, stating it was "aware the higher cost of baby rooms may be contributing to an emerging capacity issue". The scale of demand from parents for the ECCE scheme along with the higher costs associated with running "baby rooms" are driving providers to focus on the pre-school programme. The Department of Children said it was "monitoring this situation closely", and added that decisions were due to be made soon on a previously announced dedicated-funding stream in respect of baby room provision. Much of the extra expense associated with baby rooms arises from the requirement to have a staff-child ratio of one to three, compared with one to eight for the over threes. Apart from costs, recruitment and retention of staff is a challenge, blamed on the 38- week year, which forces many on to the dole for the summer. Early Childhood Ireland first warned of a capacity problem in its 2016 report 'Doing the Sums'. This found that baby and toddler rooms, in general, could not compete with the predictability and dependability of the revenue stream produced by an ECCE room. The report warned of providers moving towards an ECCE-only model, alongside school-age childcare, warning: "If left unchecked, non-ECCE services may be further reduced, or removed entirely." Now, the latest statistics on childcare lay bare the realities facing many parents across the country. The most recent figures from the Government agency Pobal for 2017-18 show the shift towards older children. There was a total of 179,137 enrolled in childcare facilities. Some 67pc were pre-schoolers, which is associated with the high uptake (118,673) of ECCE. Meanwhile, toddlers aged one to three years accounted for just 16pc. The proportion of pre-schoolers was up from 63pc in 2015-16, while the proportion of toddlers fell from 20pc to 16pc in the same period. Ms Heeney said providers who were turning parents of babies and toddlers away were reluctant to expand because "they are afraid they won't get the staff and because the regulations are so tight". Childcare is a major concern for employers' organisation Ibec, particularly in how it relates to female labour- market participation. Ibec senior labour-market policy executive Kara McGann said "despite all the very good work that has been done, we are still not meeting the needs fully". She said costs are a significant issue both for parents and childcare providers, with providers experiencing difficulties around rent and rates, while there are "particular challenges around the ratios of adult to child". "If it comes to one parent having to step out of the labour market, more often than not that falls to the female. We know female labour participation has been a driver of economic growth, but we don't want to go backwards," she said. The ECCE scheme started as a one-year programme for children aged between three years and two months up to four years and seven months, but it has undergone two significant expansions. The Government now pays for two academic years, from age two years and eight months until primary school. It is offered for three hours a day, five days a week. When Seamus Marley, the former IRA volunteer, was convicted by a jury of raping and abusing me and another man, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders and I could breathe for the first time in 27 years. Both me and the other person now want the world to know that we were victims - but now we are survivors, we got justice. We want to urge other people who were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of IRA members around the country to know that they should no longer be afraid, they will be listened to and believed. The reason that I have decided to go public is to call on the Garda Commissioner to ensure gardai proceed the investigation of the other side of this criminal conspiracy - the attempt by Sinn Fein and the IRA to pervert the course of justice and cover up what happened to us when they organised a kangaroo court. Four of us, including our two wives, have already given gardai full statements but the decision was taken to get Marley's more serious crimes dealt with first. This investigation is the only way that victims can be made feel comfortable to come forward knowing that they will be free of intimidation from the Republican movement. It will also expose Sinn Fein's real attitude to the rule of law and the courts of this land. A kangaroo court made up of two men and a woman, and chaired by prominent Belfast Republican Padraic Wilson, was organised after we went to Sinn Fein councillor Pearse McGeough. For the past 27 years I lived in a mental state of despair about what Marley did to me and constant fear of what would happen to me if I ever spoke about it. In my testimony to the court I said when Marley raped me, he told me that if I ever opened my mouth that I'd be shot and found on a Border road... I would be shot dead. We had been indoctrinated by my father into thinking that volunteers like Marley were brave heroes fighting for the cause, but he was held in even higher esteem than many of the others who came to hide out in our home because his father was Larry Marley, the architect of the great Maze escape in 1983. That is largely why I chose to bottle it all up and try to get on in life but it continued to haunt me with plenty of sleepless nights and over-use of alcohol. And then I found out one day that I had not been Marley's only victim when another man confided in me that he too had been raped and abused by Marley. I went with him to Pearse McGeough, a close friend of my father, and told him what had happened to us. Up to that time, Pearse had no knowledge that Marley was a paedophile. Sometime later, Pearse informed us to meet him at a certain time one evening at my father's home. There were up to 12 IRA members inside and outside the house doing security and Pearse got us to take our mobile phones apart. Our two wives were with us and they witnessed all of this. Then myself and the other man were led up to my old bedroom, where my original abuse had taken place, and were then quizzed by three people, a woman and two men. The man in charge was Padraic Wilson, the top Belfast IRA Army Council member, because I recognised him some time later on TV. At a second meeting, Wilson told us: "We have him [Marley], we have interrogated him and we just need to know what you want to do with him." We had three choices: have him shot, beat him or have him expelled. We are not killers or violent people so we went for the easiest option, which was to have Marley expelled. But recently we learned that this too was a lie and Marley was never expelled but instead was actually working with autistic kids in Dublin. A few years later I went to Sinn Fein again and Arthur Morgan just sent me a letter advising me to go to the Garda and if I wanted, he or Pearse could go with me. But I was told later that if I did take that course of action then it could have a detrimental effect on the psychological state of the second victim. So I sat back and stayed silent. The final straw for me came in October 2014 when I saw the way Mairia Cahill was treated by Sinn Fein after she came forward and described how the IRA organised a kangaroo court to investigate her claims of being raped by a provo. The minute I heard her description of what happened I knew she was telling the truth - it was exactly like what we had experienced. The moment I decided I was going to gardai was while watching the debate around the Mairia Cahill situation in the Dail. I was taken by Mary Lou McDonald's demeanour. After that I told my story in the Irish Independent and also did an interview with the BBC 'Spotlight' programme. I wanted the world to know that Mairia Cahill wasn't the only one. I was aware that I would be seen by some as a traitor or a tout. I was taking on a powerful monster with limitless resources and a record of burying anyone who ever tried to expose the truth at the centre of its rotten heart. A few sad childhood rape victims could be easily swatted away and silenced. A good example of the Sinn Fein response was given by Mid-Ulster MP Francie Molloy, who tweeted after the programme and the story appeared: "Another load of rubbish on spotlight tonight. Joint Indo bluesh ... production". I wonder what he and his comrades will say this time. A detail of the hallway, which is painted in Farrow & Ball's Bone. "I had a yellow hallway and I didn't want people to come to my house. Since I changed the colour, I love it," Rhoda says Rhoda outside her period home in Dublin 4 with Juliet and Samuel. She originally bought the house with her sister Sinead who has a business, housedr.ie. Padraig Pearse lived here from the age of seven to 11. Photo: Tony Gavin Rhoda McDonagh fell in love with the period details of her 19th-Century home in Dublin 4 - the coving, the mantlepieces, the high ceilings. The dining-room table was her late mother's and Rhoda uses it regularly when entertaining family and friends Entrepreneur Rhoda McDonagh in her drawing room where she loves to light real fires. The sofas are from Caseys in Cork, the coffee table was bought in Castleisland, Co Kerry, and the harp is her own. I used to play for the guests in Dromoland and Adare, she explains. Photo: Tony Gavin When Rhoda McDonagh spotted a 19th-Century redbrick for sale in a leafy residential neighbourhood in Dublin 4, she felt as if she was drawn by an invisible force to view the house. At the time, Rhoda was a carefree career woman, as was her sister Sinead, with whom she was planning to buy a house, and this was not the kind of house either originally had in mind. Yet Rhoda was adamant she could not resist its pull. Rhoda now feels as if it was fate; it's turned out that the house - which the two went on to buy - is perfect for her family, her lifestyle and the company she went on to set up. Rhoda is owner of Designer Room, a business whereby she hires out stunning designer dresses for special occasions. The dresses are designed by the fashion world's top creators, including Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham. Rhoda has a spacious studio, full of light and height, where the dresses can be tried. Rhoda, a bubbly brunette with a wonderful Clare accent, is the first to admit that her only credentials for setting up such a business are a year in her twenties spent working in a boutique in the States, and her addiction to shopping. Her previous career was in the hospitality sector and banking. Expand Close Rhoda McDonagh fell in love with the period details of her 19th-Century home in Dublin 4 - the coving, the mantlepieces, the high ceilings. The dining-room table was her late mother's and Rhoda uses it regularly when entertaining family and friends / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rhoda McDonagh fell in love with the period details of her 19th-Century home in Dublin 4 - the coving, the mantlepieces, the high ceilings. The dining-room table was her late mother's and Rhoda uses it regularly when entertaining family and friends Originally from Cratloe, near Shannon, where her family has an engineering business which employs 150, and where her father also trains horses, Rhoda decided after school that she wanted to travel. She felt the best way to do so would be to go into hotel management, so she applied to go to the college in Shannon. However after a summer working in a hotel in Bunratty making beds, Rhoda asked herself if she really wanted to go back to studying for four years. "School and me were never really good together," she volunteers. The answer she gave herself was no. "Instead I asked for experience in reception," she says, "which I got, and then the reservations office. From there, I decided to take off for New York for a year." Rhoda worked in a boutique in the Hamptons and rented a large house and, displaying her entrepreneurial streak for the first time, she let out the other rooms to holidaymakers. After a year, she returned to Ireland, this time settling in Killarney, where she worked again in hotel reception and reservations. "After eight years there, I got itchy feet again, and I took off to Australia for a year," she says. "I went with a guy and we split up when we came back, so I didn't have any interest in going back to Kerry. My sister Sinead was in Dublin so I moved to Dublin." Rhoda was lucky in that she immediately got a great job in the AIB, working on the business team. "It was 2001, the euro was just coming into Ireland, and they thought with my hotel background, I could organise events for the business sector. They were doing roadshows on how the euro would affect businesses," she says, adding that shortly after, a sponsorship role within the bank, working on GAA and rugby sponsorship, came up and she got it. It was a fabulous job and Rhoda loved it. Then, after about eight years there - "my life seems to go in eight-year cycles," Rhoda says with a laugh - she decided to take a career break and headed to Africa to volunteer. "It was 2009, the banking crisis had happened, budgets had stopped, I was single, 34, I suppose I was going through a midlife crisis and I thought, 'What am I going to do?'". Expand Close Rhoda outside her period home in Dublin 4 with Juliet and Samuel. She originally bought the house with her sister Sinead who has a business, housedr.ie. Padraig Pearse lived here from the age of seven to 11. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rhoda outside her period home in Dublin 4 with Juliet and Samuel. She originally bought the house with her sister Sinead who has a business, housedr.ie. Padraig Pearse lived here from the age of seven to 11. Photo: Tony Gavin For some reason, the idea of working for a charity appealed and she went to Kenya with African Impact. "I worked in an orphanage for six months. That put a whole new emphasis on life and appreciation and children. I was the last one to be saving the world. I would be the first to go into Brown Thomas to buy something expensive, but maybe Africa was something I had to do," she laughs. After Kenya, she went to Zanzibar and taught in a business-tourism school and also a kindergarten. "I was there for five months," says Rhoda. "That was where I met the father of my two children, who was working in a bar there. We, the volunteers, used to socialise in that particular bar, and between the sun and the sand and the sea and no shoes, a romance blossomed." "I thought I fell pregnant, but it turned out I wasn't," she recalls. "However, something in me said, 'I want to be pregnant.' So I went for it, even though I come from a traditional Irish family, and expecting that I'd not be spoken to when I'd come back to Ireland." Rhoda came home when she was three months' pregnant. It was quite a shock to the family, but she realised it didn't matter what anyone thought. "All I knew was that I was carrying a child and it would be fine. Having said that, I didn't know what the future of my partner and I was going to be," Rhoda says, adding that her family were fabulous and embraced first her daughter and later her son. Her beautiful Juliet was born in November 2010. Her partner came to Ireland for three months and then returned home. Rhoda went back to Zanzibar when Juliet was six months old to see her partner's family. To her delight, she became pregnant again, and her son Samuel was born in 2012. Her partner wanted the family to stay in Zanzibar, but she felt Ireland would be a better place to bring up the children, so she and her partner, who managed to get a working visa, returned to live in Ireland. He stayed three years but it didn't work out. "It was a complete culture clash," says Rhoda. "He was the lion, I was supposed to be the lioness. He wouldn't be used to women going out on their own and socialising, which I had to do for work. My life experience was that my father and mother were a team, they had each other's back. I wanted to show my kids that a relationship should be team work and, to be honest, it just wasn't happening. We split up at the end of 2015." Expand Close Obviously there's no shortage of toys and cuddlies in Juliet and Samuels bedroom / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Obviously there's no shortage of toys and cuddlies in Juliet and Samuels bedroom The following year, the situation hit Rhoda like a ton of bricks. "I went into a dark place, and having the pressure of being the sole provider for the two kids, I just crashed. My sister Sinead McDonagh, with whom I used to share the house, is a Feng Shui master and she was great. She is the most special person," Rhoda explains. "I also went to lots of counselling. One of the best things I got from it all was when the counsellor told me to write down everything I truly love in life - anything, my kids, a walk in the park, buying clothes - on a sheet of paper. She said that when you live with that list, you'll realise what you want." And it worked. "I loved my job but I wanted to do something different, that would enable me to spend more time with the kids and earn a living. Something triggered in my brain, the clothes element, and I remembered one time when I was going to a wedding and I was looking to hire a Victoria Beckham dress and couldn't find anywhere where I could do that. I thought maybe I could buy the dresses and hire them out. I started to research that whole field". The result is Designer Room - she has over 300 top-quality dresses available for hire - and it's all done through her website. Oportunities to view the dresses are by appointment only, which means she can work around the kids' timetables. She has added a new dimension recently, whereby a person who has lovely occasion-wear but rarely gets the opportunity to wear it, can hire it out through the Designer Room while still owning it, and they get a percentage of the charge for themselves. One of the nicest aspects of Rhoda's business is that it's all done in her home and she has a wonderful studio - comprising the dress-display area and fitting rooms - which is the former master bedroom of her lovely house in Dublin 4. It's the house she bought with her sister back in 2003, and it was just after their beloved mother, who got cancer, had died. "My mother was amazing, and before Mum died, she said she wanted myself and Sinead to have a home in Dublin, as we both worked in Dublin. Two of my brothers are in the family business and the third has a pub in Moscow. She really wanted us [daughters] to have something." "She died in March, 2003, the third of the third, 2003," Rhoda goes on to explain. "Even though I never knew this road, six months after she died we came down here and saw the 'For Sale' sign. There was an open viewing and the door was open and for some reason, I said to my sister, 'Stop the car, let's go in.' She said, 'Come on, it's out of our league.' I said, 'This is it,' and the minute I walked in that front door, whatever sense I got, I just knew this house was going to be mine. I got a beautiful presence from this home. I know people might think I'm away with the fairies, but I think it was my mother sending it to us." Everything about the house which had once, briefly, been lived in by the Easter Rising patriot Padraig Pearse - possibly another presence - was perfect. It had been renovated by a builder and his interior-designer wife and all the sisters had to do was move their furniture in. Rhoda bought Sinead out shortly after, but they are still the best of friends. Over the years, Rhoda changed the colour schemes and insulated the house - "my eldest brother gave me that as a present" - but little else had to be done. She also discovered that it has a fantastic basement, ideal for storage. And given Rhoda's new business, there's every possibility that the basement was one of the reasons her mother picked the house. If there's one thing Rhoda and her flourishing business need, it's lots of storage. designerroom.ie A balloon flies over the city of Brno at sunset, with the cathedral seen in silhouette As someone who grew up in a 'second city', I know what it feels like to be a tad overlooked. So when an opportunity came to visit the lesser known cities of the Czech Republic, I jumped at it. Not that I'm really suffering from an inferiority complex or 'second city syndrome' but I genuinely find that cities outside the capital of any country are often prettier, friendlier and easier to get around, so what's not to like. Prague is a beautiful city but so are other cities in Czechia. I had never heard of any of them before but I won't forget them in a hurry. They are all easily accessible by train and bus as Czechia is much the same size as Ireland. Hiring a car is another option - and the roads are good. We were travelling in Moravia and Bohemia. The very names sound exotic and conjure up pictures of medieval castles and fairy tale scenes. And we weren't disappointed. We started our adventure in the industrial city of Ostrava, in the west, near the Polish border. In 1828 Archbishop Rudolf built a blast furnace and paid for it himself. The ironworks was subsequently bought by the famous Rothschild family and expanded as time went on. The works were responsible for the manufacture of the rivets used on the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Harbour Bridge. They closed in 1998 but instead of pulling them down, it was decided they should be rebuilt as a vast technical monument. Expand Close Large historical centre of Olomouc / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Large historical centre of Olomouc The industrial architecture is amazing. A glass structure called Bolt Tower is built on top of a blast furnace. It's named after Usain Bolt who has visited Ostrava many times, and if you have a head for heights, the trip to the top is well worth it for the views alone, but there's a lovely cafe near the top as well. The whole industrial park houses lots of interesting conversions. The old gas tank is now 'The Gong', a multifunctional hall. There are two interactive museums with all sorts of wonderful ways to educate and entertain kids for hours on end. Music festivals, catering for 50,000 people, are a regular occurrence here - The Cure are just one of many acts booked for this summer. The city itself is full of surprises. The Ostravice river takes pride of place. It is said that, some time ago, if you ran out of nail varnish remover you could just dip your hands in the water and because the toxins were so bad you'd be ready to apply a fresh coat in no time. Not today. People swim happily in its pristine waters. From vast murals on walls to a magical performance from the Fairytale Clock, there's a surprise around every corner of Ostrava. Another great vantage point is the top of the New City Hall. It's a massive building with an impressive tower. We were able to see Poland when we reached the top - 73m from the ground. Olomouc is just down the road. It's a small city, and almost a quarter of its population is made up of students. Lonely Planet has included Olomouc as one of the most beautiful but less well-known European cities. Columns and fountains abound in the squares (actually most of them are irregular or triangular) all boasting beautiful buildings with elegant facades reminiscent of cities like Vienna. St Maurice's Church is home to the biggest church organ in Central Europe. There are also some amazing stained glass windows and an outdoor staircase housed in a cage. The Town Hall clock draws a crowd at midday when the bell sounds and figures leap into action. They are not the original figures though. The originals were saints but under the communist regime these were replaced by peasants. They are big into their bells and clocks in Czechia. We lunched at Long Story Short, a hostel and cafe like no other. My memory of a hostel in my youth was that of a grimy, flea-infested dive. This, on the other hand, was a work of art, brewing its own beer and serving up delicious corn soup and a chicken and quinoa dish to die for. The 11 bedrooms were pristine and funky ranging from dorms to private rooms, with or without en suite. Brno is the jewel in Czechia's crown. The second largest city in the country, it positively buzzes. We stayed at the lovely Hotel Grandezza, ideally located at the edge of Cabbage Market Square or Zelny Trh. We explored the labyrinth that criss-crosses under the market and its surroundings. There's the wine cellar under the theatre where patrons used to go for drinks, the cosy tavern - and then there's the torture chamber. A Fifty Shades of Grey vibe. Freedom Square is just around the corner where another daily market creates an atmosphere of bonhomie. Expand Close An evening view Brno city in Morawia, Czech Republic / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An evening view Brno city in Morawia, Czech Republic During the Thirty Years War in the 17th Century, Brno was the only city to defend itself against the marauding Swedish invaders. The Swedes laid siege to Brno for three months until the Swedish commander, Lennart Torstenson, issued an ultimatum: "Tomorrow we shall make our last attack on the city. Before the bells on Petrov strike noon, Brno must be ours. If not, we shall retreat." On the day of the battle, Brno's citizens fought bravely to defend the city. But at 11am when they finally began to break down the walls, Brno's commander, Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches, ordered the bell ringer to strike 12 o'clock in St Peter's Cathedral. Upon hearing the bell, the Swedes ceased fighting and were gone before nightfall. Since then, the Petrov bells have always struck noon at 11 o'clock to commemorate how the city was saved. A somewhat phallic structure stands proudly in Freedom Square. It's meant to be a bullet and it is there to commemorate the victory. At 11 o'clock every day, balls the size of a squash ball are released and wind down the column. There are four apertures and if you're lucky you can retrieve one and keep it as a souvenir. It appears one family is obsessed with this and a family member turns up every day. Nightlife in Brno is hopping. Every second building is a cocktail bar. Prices are very reasonable. We bounced from 4pokoje (4 rooms) to Bar Ktery neexistuje (the bar that doesn't exist) to the famous Super Panda Circus and indulged in cocktails containing anything from mango to curry to fried onion. My book club read a book called The Glass Room by Simon Mawer some years ago and we all loved it. It was based on a house built in a very futuristic style nearly a hundred years ago. I became weak with excitement when I realised that the Villa Tugendhat on the outskirts of the city is the said same house. It was built in the functionalist style and designed by German architect Mies van der Rohe for textiles magnate Fritz Tugendhat and his wife Greta. 'Less is more' was the theme. The Nazis occupied it during the war and the Communists after. It has been recently restored and opened to the public. Kutna Hora is a charming medieval town about 50 miles south east of Prague. Beautiful buildings abound. St Barbara's Cathedral, a stunning Gothic structure, is visible from far and near. Twelve side chapels each has its own story and the art nouveau-style stained glass windows are fabulous. Poor St Barbara had a rough innings. Her father wanted her to marry a pagan king and when she refused, he chopped her head off. Our guide told us that St Barbara is the patron saint of 'suddenly dying people' and of miners too. Silver mining became synonymous with Kutna Hora when deposits were found here in the 13th Century. The Italian Court which houses the mint is a palace so named because of the Italian experts who were involved. Nowadays you can take a tour of the silver mine equipped with a mining tunic, helmet and a lamp. Food and drink are always very high on my priorities when visiting another country and Czechia didn't let me down. The local wines, both red and white, were lovely and the beer was divine. Traditional Czech food is hearty. Vepro-knedlo-zelo, the national dish, consists of roast pork, bread dumplings and stewed cabbage. Goulash is also a staple. Smazeny Syr, or deep fried cheese, is on every menu and is really lovely. There were lots of appealing looking dishes that I never got to try but I'll be back to Czech them out. Take Two: Top attractions Raise your glasses Expand Close Microbreweries are every where / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Microbreweries are every where Beer is very popular in Czechia. Microbreweries abound. I tried both orange- and cherry-flavour beers, and they were sublime. Some restaurants do a tasting selection of six small beers with your meal. Villa Tugendhat Expand Close Villa Tugendhat / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Villa Tugendhat Way ahead of its time with open-plan living and large glass windows, it's an architectural triumph. Finished in 1930, it was the first private home in Europe to be built from steel and reinforced concrete. Getting there Both Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com) fly daily from Dublin to Prague. Ostrava, Olomouc, Brno and Kutna Hora can all be reached by direct trains from Prague. The average price for a one-way train ticket is 5-15. For details about transport in Czechia visit idos.cz. For more information about Czech cities visit czechtourism.com. NB: This feature originally appeared in The Sunday Independent. 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 What comes out of those ballot boxes in the count centres across the country next Saturday will shape the futures of Leo Varadkar, Micheal Martin, Mary Lou McDonald, and quite a few others. So, watch for a rise in campaign tone and tempo from today. Many prospective voters have struggled to contain their apathy thus far about these council and European elections ahead of polling on Friday. But for our political leaders, it is big stuff. For Leo Varadkar, it is his first test at the hands of the voters at a time when opinion polling is telling him the extended honeymoon, since he took over just 23 months ago, is very definitely over. The Taoiseach is on a dangerous corner. A bad result on Friday could really hurt into the longer term. Micheal Martin's Fianna Fail needs to maintain impetus and show progress, especially in Dublin despite the constraints of 'propping up' a minority coalition led by its arch-rival Fine Gael. A general election is a maximum of 12 months away - the doubts persist about his becoming the only party leader never to have been Taoiseach. Mary Lou McDonald's Sinn Fein is stuck in the polls, and had a dreadful experience in her first electoral outing as leader in last October's presidential election. The expected move to a post-conflict leadership, making the party more attractive to middle-class and women voters, just has not happened. A bad day out on Friday could raise questions about her leadership. And while we're at it, Labour's Brendan Howlin will recall the speed with which one of his predecessors exited the leadership after huge losses in these very elections five years ago. No prizes for guessing what Alan Kelly will do if Labour candidates are disappointed in numbers this week. Fine Gael began these campaigns in a very ebullient mood. On Friday, May 3, launching its local and European Parliament campaigns in Moate, Co Westmeath, its local campaign director, John Paul Phelan, said Fine Gael aimed to be the first party of government to increase its presence in the councils. It has long been accepted as a given that the party in power suffers losses in the locals as a kind of kickback from voters. The Carlow-Kilkenny TD said it was targeting going from 230 councillors on a bad day in May 2014 up to 280 on Friday. He said these ambitious targets were realisable. We shall see on Saturday. It is true that the party is blessed with a stellar group of outgoing MEPs and new candidates who are campaigning well and showing well in the opinion polls. Frances Fitzgerald in Dublin, Mairead McGuinness in Midlands-North-West, and Sean Kelly in South are all set to win. There is also every chance that either Deirdre Clune or Andrew Doyle will take a seat in the South. For the outgoing contestants, it is based on a huge volume of hard work over the past five years. McGuinness and Kelly have impressed in Brussels on a number of issues and were seen as huge advocates for Ireland's case over Brexit. McGuinness especially, as senior parliament vice-president, is Ireland's best known MEP who can hold her own in any debate. But think 'broadband and beef' when it comes to the locals. In the past two weeks, Fine Gael has sought to address the legend, much of it put about by Fianna Fail, that it has no great commitment to areas beyond the Pale. Two weeks ago, the party unveiled its 3bn plan to bring broadband to every home and business still waiting for what is an essential service. Last week EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan signalled a 50m beef support package which Agriculture Minister Michael Creed indicated will be matched by another 50m in national money. When you drill down into recent survey data, you find that the flat-lining in Fine Gael support is in part due to farmers losing faith in the party. It is clear that stricken beef farmers feel more could have been done for them amid all the Brexit market turmoil. So these two packages are a tacit admission that Fine Gael must try harder in the country. Fianna Fail is clearly hoping that in an ideal world, rural voters will not believe Fine Gael on broadband. Martin's party will also hope that older urban voters will see the broadband announcement as an abrogation of Fine Gael's fiscal probity. But that may be a bit too much of a stretch at a time of almost full prosperity when there is a great deal of contentment across the land. Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein know they have a difficult row to hoe when it comes to rural broadband. Criticisms of Fine Gael on the issue of broadband can also amount to telling country voters that they must continue to wait even while the internet infiltrates every aspect of daily life in education, health, agriculture and other things. Fianna Fail is facing its first electoral test since it opted to support this hybrid minority Fine Gael-led Coalition in May 2016. After its general election meltdown in February 2011, its performance in the last locals in 2014 was hailed as an achievement, making it the largest party in local government. Martin needs to maintain momentum to silence internal critics unhappy with propping up Fine Gael. In 2014, the party's European Parliament performance was poor, returning only Brian Crowley in South - and he promptly parted company with it. On that front the indicators are good, with Barry Andrews tipped to win back a seat in Dublin, which the party last held in 2009. In South, Billy Kelleher will win and Malcolm Byrne has a fighting chance of also coming home. Midlands-North-West risks seeing a repeat of the 2014 debacle where two Fianna Fail candidates dragged each other down. You will see a huge commitment of resources to former agriculture minister Brendan Smith in these final days in an effort to redress that and avoid a repeat. In the 2014 locals, Fianna Fail picked up some future stars like Fiona O'Loughlin in Kildare South and James Lawless in Kildare North. They will hope for some more people to emerge in Saturday's counts, bringing them to 50-plus TDs in the next general election and raising hopes that Martin will become Taoiseach after all. They need fresh faces for the road ahead. Back with Sinn Fein, while Gerry Adams never had to worry about a leadership challenge over his 35 years at the helm, if this election is a bad day for them, the same will not be said for Mary Lou McDonald. Their presidential election amounted to a shambles last year and she badly needs a good result this week. The news from London just gets worse - and it is time the Irish Government faced reality and stepped up preparations to cope with a no-deal Brexit this autumn. On Thursday, the UK voters face the absurd prospect of picking deputies for a parliament which makes laws for an entity they are intent on leaving. This surreal election comes because the UK's political leaders cannot agree on the Brexit terms - and by law all EU member states must hold European Parliament elections over the coming weekend. The party of UK Prime Minister Theresa May faces huge political losses on Thursday, making her own exit from office and leadership of the Conservative Party swift and inevitable. For now, Mrs May is clinging to one final and desperate throw of the dice to allow her to depart politics with some modicum of dignity. She hopes a shocking result for her own party, and for Labour, will make mainstream MPs at Westminster see sense and finally vote at the fourth attempt to ratify the draft EU Withdrawal Agreement she agreed at a special summit on November 25 last. The move is very much a long shot and Mrs May is most likely to lose for a fourth time early in the week starting on June 3. It is likely that she will have become history by the middle of next month. A Conservative Party leadership contest will follow. It may well be won by arch-Brexiteer Boris Johnson, or another candidate equally hell-bent on re-negotiating the EU-UK divorce terms. That would see the new UK prime minister returning to Brussels seeking to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement talks. When that re-negotiation gambit surely fails, we will see a number of other options emerging: there could be a Brexit-themed general election; or, less likely, another Brexit referendum. But a no-deal exit on October 31 will be a real threat - and the default outcome in the absence of anything else. On April 11, when EU leaders agreed to extend the Brexit deadline until October 31, the chairman of the special leaders' summit, Donald Tusk, made a heart-felt public plea to the UK's political leaders. "Please, do not waste this time," the former Polish premier said. Details of the leaders' discussions which emerged later showed not everyone was keen on extending Brexit and French President Emmanuel Macron took some convincing. There were strong views among many of the leaders that the only semblance of movement within the UK on resolving its Brexit disagreements came when a deadline loomed close. Ireland would favour a second extension and may have the support of others such as Germany and Netherlands. An extension for a general election or even a second referendum would be hard to refuse. But nothing can be taken for granted and requires unanimity. These calamitous events would be building to a climax as Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe was putting the finishing touches to his Budget. Expectations of over 3pc economic growth in 2020 would have to be binned. Michael Kelly (Irish Independent, May 17) decries the manner in which first communion has more or less lost its religious dimension and become primarily a milestone in a childs development. However, the Catholic Church must take considerable responsibility for this, due to its dominance of primary education. The 2016 census shows in Dublin, less than two-thirds of the population is Catholic, but 90pc of primary schools are under Catholic Church control. Michael Kelly forgets that his atheist friends almost certainly had no choice but to send their children to Catholic schools. There, those children, with Muslims, Buddhists and every other religion, in addition to the children of the one-third of Catholics who never attend Mass, are obliged to attend faith-formation classes. Regardless of the parents religion or belief, there is no right for their children to opt out. Very recently, those with a vested interest in religious education (including, to their shame, teachers) resisted an attempt by the Education Minister to introduce an opt-out from religious education for parents. By insisting on all children attending faith-formation classes, the Catholic Church shows scant respect for those of other religions, or none. Catholic is as Catholic does. So who can blame those non-religious parents for returning the compliment and treating first communion, and other childhood sacraments, as nothing more than a family day out? Anthony OLeary Portmarnock, Co Dublin New US laws support stance of anti-abortion groups here Its interesting that as Ireland recently voted for abortion, more and more US states are virtually outlawing the procedure. So while Ireland is actually paying (some would suggest bribing) doctors to perform abortions, some US states are suggesting life imprisonment for abortionists. The difference of course is that the US has had the experience of more than 40 years, and periodically witnessed the horrors that go with a liberal abortion regime. The most dramatically gruesome being the Kermit Gosnell case, and the journalistic exposure of Planned Parenthood executives laughing over the harvesting of the vital organs of partially aborted infants. Its quite ironic that Alabamas (and those of some other states) new laws in this regard mirror in many respects Irelands former Eighth Amendment rules. It seems that as the science regarding ultrasound etc has progressed, the appetite for abortion reduces. So despite the accusations from some campaigners that we were backward, regressive etc, the opposite may be the case. Eric Conway Navan, Co Meath Billys conviction could not foresee morbid prediction Billy Keane (Keanes Kingdom, Irish Independent, May 18) doubts the authenticity of Madame Nora Mary. I dont know one way or the other. But I was present at Listowel Writers Week 1997 when the said clairvoyant told a north Kerry woman, a cash customer, your husband will meet a violent death. The Rathea woman had faith in the prediction. Otherwise why would she have asked: Will I be convicted? Mattie Lennon Blessington, Co Wicklow Time for Housing Minister to fade away like ageing actor The photograph of Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy accompanying your report, (Eviction banned for long-term renters, Irish Independent, May 18) confirms the adage well known to ageing Hollywood leading stars, the camera never lies. Mr Murphys perplexed expression is exactly what one would expect given the hames he is making of the job he is most handsomely paid to do. His obvious state of bewilderment is clearly not helped either by his constant massaging of the statistics around the homelessness crisis. The piece too confirms Mr Murphy is either out of his depth or is not inclined to do what ought to be done to resolve this most devastating crisis that he is overseeing. His efforts to hide behind the Constitution will not work. He is quoted as saying: It is an emergency. But declaring it one does not mean we can just suspend our laws or the Constitution. Is there someone nearby that can draw his attention to the fact since Fine Gael came to power, weve been changing the Constitution for fun, it seems. In fact, it appears to be one of the favoured tools of Government spinners charged with the job of distracting the peoples attention away from its many failures, of which the housing crisis stands out as by far the most diabolical. Time to do, minister, what ageing Hollywood stars can do so well fade away and, in your case, make way for a person more committed to serving the people rather than an ideology. Jim OSullivan Rathedmond, Co Sligo Prince Harry has been much praised for his warm, informal approach in announcing the birth of his son, Archie: it's said that he and Meghan are really modernising the British monarchy. Archie being of mixed race is a bonus. Harry addressed media and public as "you guys", and unlike his predecessors, he no longer requires interviewers to call him "Sir". The monarchy is getting with the programme! Yes. But careful, now, Harry. This is a project that every institution has faced - political parties, churches, retail businesses, media and communications. How do you modernise and adapt to a changing world while nevertheless retaining your brand identity? If the British monarchy were to 'modernise' fully it would do away with itself altogether. Monarchy is an archaic constitutional arrangement. It has no basis in rationality, let alone equality: why should one family inherit privilege through a dynastic form? The ultimate modernisation of royalty is abolition. Expand Close Mary Kenny, writer and author. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary Kenny, writer and author. Photo: Tony Gavin Thus monarchies have to proceed cautiously. Yes, adapt to changed values and new ways. But a monarchy is nothing without history and tradition, and continuity has to be maintained if the brand is to be plausible. Supposing that Harry and Meghan, instead of having that very pretty wedding ceremony just a year ago, with church ceremonial, music, hymns, prayers and scripture readings, had just popped down to the Windsor Register Office for a simple civil procedure? Or just shacked up together in agreed cohabitation? Modern, yes. But if royals start doing everything like everyone else, they lose their reason for existing - which is to provide a mystique based on dynastic tradition, rich in symbolic meaning. Modern royalty only survives when it is popular. That doesn't always entail being modern in every way. A little bit modern, yes. A little bit diverse, sure. But keep an eye on the continuity. We know the pace of global change has been rapid since the millennium - the American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt reckons that a quantum leap occurred around 2014, when social media really took off. It was predicted that books would disappear, with the rise of Kindle (2007) and the availability of texts on screen. The book trade did indeed take a hit, and bookshops struggled. Why pay good money for something printed and bound in paper and cardboard which clutters your home when you can read every classic ever written by downloading it, cheaply or even free? But the book industry fought back: books were re-branded as objects worth having, with attractive jackets and quality presentation. Book stores sometimes added little coffee shops to their premises, reading spaces, and, above all, events, where people could meet and talk to authors. Book publishers smartened up on the art of hype. Result: last year, the Publishers' Association announced that physical book sales (non-digital) were up by 5pc - demonstrating that you can "modernise" by using imaginative thinking rather than defeatist thinking. The retail trade has been hit by similar upheavals. Personally, I'll never get over the loss of Clerys on O'Connell Street (and small wonder that boulevard is now judged to be drab and slummy, with shuttered-up window fronts), but I suppose it was no longer adapted to the way that people shop today. The long-established English store, Debenham's, has had a similar struggle and is set to close down 22 of its outlets in the UK. Quite how it can modernise and adapt has vexed better business brains than mine, but it's noticeable that some retailers still survive by a canny blend of change and continuity. Can political parties modernise and still maintain their brand? Sinn Fein will surely be a social study for future political PhDs. In recent years, it switched from being anti-EU to being European Union cheerleaders; and from being aligned with traditional Catholic social values, as it often was, to supporting same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Expand Close Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex hold their baby son Archie, during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/Pool via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex hold their baby son Archie, during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/Pool via REUTERS Video of the Day There's now a millennial generation who would favour these values, in general, and in reaching for their votes, Sinn Fein can be said to be modernising. How much it will retain of its original "brand" of trademark Irish patriotism is yet to be seen. The Catholic church began a modernising process back in the 1960s. Nuns were still wearing 17th century habits, so modernisation was certainly needed. But the French religious scholar Olivier Roy claims that the church literally threw away the most engaging aspect of its old brand: beauty and tranquillity. Ugly churches and banal liturgy did nothing for spirituality. We veteran journalists have seen huge shifts in the media world. When the digital revolution began, the word went out: "It's the dissolution of the monasteries." Quite so! But the monastic scribes adapted, too, and new and stimulating forms emerged. The printed word, whether on screen or on paper, is still a great way to communicate ideas from one mind to another. That's the core value. Watch how far Harry and Meghan go in modernising royalty - and how much, nevertheless, they retain of the old brand. It's a lesson for us all. Sarah Cass from Castlekelly, Gowran, Co Kilkenny, was crowned Best Dressed Lady at The Royal Ascot Trials and Ladies Day at Naas Kilkenny native Sarah Cass has landed the best dressed title at the races for the second time this month, after impressing judges with her style as Naas Racecourse today. The Dublin-based midwife turned heads at Punchestown earlier this month when she walked away with the Best Dressed Lady prize on the third day of the festival. The theme for today's Royal Ascot Trials and Ladies Day at Naas Racecourse was 'Breaking the Mould', with women encouraged to embrace the concept that racing fashion "does not have to be traditional and predictable". Ms Cass stunned the judges in a printed Rixo dress, hat by Laura Hanlon Millinery and classic Lulu Guinness 'lips' bag. Expand Close Sarah Cass at Naas Racecourse. Photo: Morgan Treacy, INPHO Photography / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sarah Cass at Naas Racecourse. Photo: Morgan Treacy, INPHO Photography Speaking after the win, head judge Lottie Ryan said it was difficult to pick a winner as their was so much interest in the competition this year. "In the end it was Sarah Cass who really stood out as her eye-catching, colourful outfit was paired with fabulous accessories," she said. "It was great to see how Sarah embraced the theme of Breaking the Mould her hat was really incredible, and she just looked effortless." Sarah received a prize to the value of 8,500 for her efforts, which included an overnight stay with dinner in the Manor House at Palmerstown House Estate with 19 of her friends and a 1,000 shopping spree at Kildare Village. "Im absolutely delighted, Im going to use the prize and the trip to Palmerstown Estate as a pre-wedding family get together for my brother who is getting married in June," Sarah said after the win. The 32-year-old previously stole the show at Punchestown in a bottle green guna from Spanish designer Cherubina. She added a pop of red lippy to set off the vibrant green colour. She also wore a custom-made headpiece from Marc Millinery in Cork with a YSL black bag. Expand Close Sarah Cass, from Kilkenny, the winner of the Bollinger best dressed lady competition pictured at the third day of the Punchestown festival, Kildare. Picture credit: Damien Eagers / INM / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sarah Cass, from Kilkenny, the winner of the Bollinger best dressed lady competition pictured at the third day of the Punchestown festival, Kildare. Picture credit: Damien Eagers / INM Video of the Day The next race at Naas racecourse is their summer BBQ evening on June 26. Attack: The damaged bus was close to the pyramids at Giza. Photo: Reuters An explosion targeting a tourist bus injured at least 16 people, mostly South Africans, close to the Giza pyramids in Egypt. The bus was carrying 25 South African tourists from the airport to the pyramids area. Four Egyptians in a nearby car were also injured by broken glass. Security and judicial sources said a rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal had been detonated remotely on the perimeter of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, not far from the site of a roadside blast that hit another tourist bus last December. The bomb shattered or blew out some of the windows on the bus and left a crater in a wall beside it. Security forces cordoned off the site of the explosion and the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital. One witness said he heard a "very loud explosion" while sitting in traffic. The museum is due to open next year as the new home for some of the country's top antiquities on a site adjoining the world-famous Giza pyramids. It is part of an effort to boost tourism, a key source of foreign revenue for Egypt. The sector has been recovering after tourist numbers dropped in the wake of a 2011 uprising and the 2015 bombing of a Russian passenger jet. There was no damage to the museum from the blast, which happened 50 metres from its outer fence and more than 400 metres from the museum building. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Egyptian security forces are waging a counter-insurgency campaign against Islamist militants, some with links to Isil, that is focused in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. Attacks outside Sinai have become relatively rare, though there have been several security incidents in recent months in Giza, across the Nile from central Cairo. In December, three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 injured when a roadside bomb hit their bus less than 4km from the Giza pyramids. A deeply religious retired teacher believed messages written on mirrors in her home were from God, telling her to change her will and leave her home to her young lover, a court has heard. Benjamin Field, 28, used a white marker pen to leave biblical messages for 83-year-old Ann Moore-Martin as part of a campaign of "gaslighting". Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Thames Valley Police undated handout photo of a photograph of Benjamin Field in a frame. Field, 28, is on trial with magician Martyn Smith, 32, charged with murdering Peter Farquhar, 69, and planning to kill his elderly neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, following a sustained campaign of "gaslighting" Thames Valley Police/PA Wire Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OYour soul will proceed directly to heaven, Her soul to joy; his to perfection, This good you will can never be undone. Peace is yours in me, your Lord. Amen. Thames Valley Police /PA WirE Thames Valley Police undated handout photo of items on Ann Moore-Martin's dressing table. Benjamin Field, 28, is on trial with magician Martyn Smith, 32, charged with murdering Peter Farquhar, 69, and planning to kill his elderly neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, following a sustained campaign of "gaslighting". Thames Valley Police/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Thames Valley Police undated handout photo of a photograph of Benjamin Field in a frame. Field, 28, is on trial with magician Martyn Smith, 32, charged with murdering Peter Farquhar, 69, and planning to kill his elderly neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, following a sustained campaign of "gaslighting" Thames Valley Police/PA Wire Field - 57 years her junior - sent Miss Moore-Martin letters, postcards and poems speaking of his love and discussing marriage during a year-long seduction. The church warden, who admits being in a fraudulent relationship with Miss Moore-Martin, also wrote messages urging her to give him 27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine, purportedly for his seriously ill brother Tom, 24. Oxford Crown Court heard that Miss Moore-Martin, who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, to Field but changed her mind shortly before she died in May 2017 and alleged Field had poisoned her. The jury was told Field had taken photographs of the messages, which were later recovered from his phone following his arrest. Expand Close Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OPray for Ben, Ben loves you. Thames Valley Police /PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OPray for Ben, Ben loves you. Thames Valley Police /PA Wire The first message, illustrated with a cross, said: "All that you give him, He will return, Ten fold." A second message said: "Your intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord." Expand Expand Previous Next Close Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OYour intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord. Thames Valley Police /PA Wire Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OAll that you give him, He will return, Ten fold. Thames Valley Police /PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Undated Thames Valley Police handout photo of a message written by Benjamin Field to Ann Moore-Martin. OYour intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord. Thames Valley Police /PA Wire A third said: "Your soul will proceed directly to heaven, Her soul to joy; his to perfection, This good you will can never be undone. Peace is yours in me, your Lord. Amen." A final message said: "Pray for Ben, Ben loves you." The court heard that Miss Moore-Martin began to believe the messages were from God and Field also spoke of receiving them. Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, previously told jurors that by the time she was receiving the messages Miss Moore-Martin had started feeling unwell and had started worrying about her sanity. The court heard that Field wrote in his journal of living in Miss Moore-Martin's house after her death and that he would "lie in her bed as a widow". He later wrote of killing himself after her death. Field had been introduced to her by her neighbour, university lecturer Peter Farquhar, 69, who Field was lodging with. Field has admitted fraudulently beginning a relationship with Miss Moore-Martin as part of a plot to get her to change her will, but he denies conspiring with friend Martyn Smith, 32, to murder her. Prosecutors allege Field targeted Miss Moore-Martin a few months after allegedly murdering Mr Farquhar. He and Smith, a magician, are accused of plotting to make the church-going pensioner's death seem like an accident, such as dying during sex, falling down the stairs and choking on her dentures, or suicide having got her to change her will. Field has admitted defrauding Miss Moore-Martin of 4,000 to buy a car and 27,000 to buy a dialysis machine. Tom Field and Smith deny having roles in the dialysis fraud. It is claimed that Tom Field was seriously ill and needed the equipment to help him study at Cambridge University. Field and Smith deny murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of an article for use in fraud. Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, also denies an alternative charge of attempted murder. He has admitted four charges of fraud and two of burglary. Smith, of Penhalvean, Redruth, Cornwall, also denies two charges of fraud and one of burglary. Tom Field, also of Wellingborough Road, Olney, denies a single charge of fraud. The trial was adjourned until Wednesday. 'Switzerland, unlike many other European nations, allows veterans of its obligatory military service for men to take their service weapons home after tours of duty.' Stock photo Swiss voters have approved a measure to tighten the country's gun laws, bringing it in line with many of its European partners. Switzerland's public broadcaster said more than 63pc of voters nationwide had agreed to align with EU firearms rules adopted two years ago, after deadly attacks in France, Belgium, Germany and Britain. The vote yesterday was part of Switzerland's regular referendums giving citizens a direct say in policy-making. It had stoked passions in a country with long traditions of gun ownership and sport and target shooting. Switzerland, unlike many other European nations, allows veterans of its obligatory military service for men to take their service weapons home after tours of duty. Among other things, the Swiss proposal requires regular training on the use of firearms, special waivers to own some semi-automatic weapons and a serial number tracking system for key parts of some guns. Within three years, gun owners would have to register any weapons not already registered, and keep a registry of their gun collections. Supporters of the measure, including the Swiss parliament and executive branch, said similar measures adopted by the EU after deadly extremist attacks were needed to ensure strong police co-operation and economic ties with the country's partners in Europe's Schengen visa-free travel zone. They insisted it would not block law-abiding citizens from obtaining legal guns, but would simply do more to track them. Switzerland is not an EU member, but is in the Schengen zone. Opponents insisted the proposal would violate Switzerland's constitution and do little to fight extremism or crime. They said the weapons used in recent attacks in Europe were not obtained legally. Hundreds of demonstrators have marched on the Alabama state legislature to protest against a newly-approved abortion ban. The demonstration in Montgomery came days after governor Kay Ivey signed the most stringent abortion law in America. It will make performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless it is necessary for the mothers health. The law provides no exception for rape and incest. Expand Close The law seeks to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The law seeks to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case (AP) Staci Fox, president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, told the crowd outside the Alabama capitol: Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion. Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe v Wade, the 1973 US supreme court decision that legalised abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. None of the laws have actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the US supreme court. Marchers said the measures have energised supporters of legalised abortion, and they say they are digging in for a legal and political fight. Along the route they took, the protesters passed by scattered counter-demonstrators raising signs against abortion. Expand Close Alabama governor Kay Ivey signs a bill that virtually outlaws abortion in the state (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alabama governor Kay Ivey signs a bill that virtually outlaws abortion in the state (AP) Two speakers at the rally on the capitol steps shared their stories, including a woman who described the abortion she had after being raped at a party when she was 18. Carrying an orange sign with a coat hanger and the caption No Never Again, 69-year-old Deborah Hall of Montgomery said she remembers life before Roe and cannot believe the drive to return there. I had friends who had illegal abortions and barely survived, said Ms Hall, who for a time ran a clinic in Montgomery that provided abortion, birth control and other services. I still cannot believe it. Its really a scary time for everybody. Similar demonstrations were held in Birmingham and Huntsville on Sunday. Expand Close Legal abortion supporters fly a banner reading Abortion is OK over the Alabama state capitol building (The Montgomery Advertiser/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Legal abortion supporters fly a banner reading Abortion is OK over the Alabama state capitol building (The Montgomery Advertiser/AP) Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a non-profit body that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, said donations have begun streaming in since passage of the Alabama bill. Groups this week paid for a small plane carrying a banner Abortion is Okay! to circle the capitol and the governors mansion. The Alabama law would make it a felony, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison to perform an abortion. There would be no punishment for the woman receiving the abortion. But the protest outside the capitol comes in a state where a majority of voters recently agreed to put anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution. Fifty-nine per cent of state voters in November approved the constitutional amendment saying the state recognises the rights of the unborn. Expand Close Anti-abortion campaigner Jim Snively, of Huntsville, waves to passing cars in front of the Alabama Womens Wellness Centre (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anti-abortion campaigner Jim Snively, of Huntsville, waves to passing cars in front of the Alabama Womens Wellness Centre (AP) Ms Ivey said in a statement after signing the ban into law: To the bills many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians deeply-held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God. The Alabama law has also been criticised by some conservatives who have expressed discomfort over the lack of exceptions for cases of rape and incest. President Donald Trump, while not mentioning Alabamas law, wrote in a weekend tweet that he is strongly pro-life, but favours exceptions. He wrote: As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother the same position taken by Ronald Reagan. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the Alabama law, said the purpose is to challenge Roe and added that Alabama legislators can add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. A federal judge in Washington has ruled against Donald Trump in a financial records dispute with Congress. US District Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by Barack Obama, said the president cannot block a House subpoena of financial records. He said the Democratic-led House committee seeking the information has said it believes the documents would help legislators consider strengthening ethics and disclosure laws, among other things. The committees reasons were valid legislative purposes, Judge Mehta said, and it was not for him to question whether the committees actions are truly motivated by political considerations. The decision comes amid a widespread effort by the White House and the presidents lawyers to refuse to co-operate with congressional requests for information and records. In the case before Judge Mehta, Mr Trump and his business organisation sued to block the subpoena issued in April to Mazars USA, an accountant for the president and Trump Organisation. Mr Trumps lawyers accused Democrats of harassing the president and said the subpoena has no legitimate legislative purpose. Mr Trumps lawyers, in suing in both Washington and New York in an attempt to beat back congressional subpoenas, said congressional investigations are legitimate only if there is legislation that might result from them. In the New York case, Mr Trump, his business and family have sued Deutsche Bank and Capital One to prevent the financial companies from complying with subpoenas from the House Financial Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee for banking and financial records. A Wednesday hearing is planned in that case. Even before the ruling, scholars had said Mr Trumps legal argument had little merit and that Congress has broad powers to investigate. Anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank AG recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving entities controlled by President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog, the New York Times reported on Sunday. The newspaper, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, said executives at the German-based bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. The Times said the transactions, some of which involved Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, according to the former bank employees. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes, according to the newspaper. Expand Close Jared Kushner: Trump's son-in-law and adviser got security clearance. Photo: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jared Kushner: Trump's son-in-law and adviser got security clearance. Photo: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts Deutsche Bank denied the report. "At no time was an investigator prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious," the bank said in a statement. "Furthermore, the suggestion that anyone was reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client is categorically false." Deutsche Bank shares were down 1.5 per cent in pre-market trade in Frankfurt. The Times reported the bank employees viewed the decision not to report the transactions as a result of a lax approach to money laundering laws. They said there was a pattern of bank executives rejecting reports to protect relationships with lucrative clients, according to the newspaper. One employee who reviewed some of the transactions said she was terminated last year after raising concerns about the bank's practices, the Times reported. The Times quoted a Deutsche Bank spokeswoman as saying investigators were not prevented from escalating activity identified as potentially suspicious. The spokeswoman described as "categorically false" any suggestion that bank staff were reassigned or fired in an effort to quash concerns related to any client. She also said Deutsche Bank has intensified efforts to combat financial crime. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization told Reuters "the story is absolute nonsense." "We have no knowledge of any 'flagged' transactions with Deutsche Bank. In fact, we have no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank," she said. The newspaper said a Kushner Companies spokeswoman called any allegations of relationships involving money laundering "made up and totally false." Officials at Deutsche Bank and Kushner Companies were not immediately available to Reuters for independent comment. The Times said the nature of the transactions was not clear. At least some of them involved money flowing back and forth with overseas entities or individuals, which bank employees considered suspicious. The report surfaces at a time when congressional and New York state authorities are investigating the relationship between Trump, his family and Deutsche Bank, and demanding documents related to any suspicious activity. Trump has sued in court in an attempt to block U.S. House of Representatives subpoenas for his financial records that were sent to Deutsche Bank, Capital One Financial Corp and the accounting firm Mazars LLP. US president Donald Trump has warned Iran not to threaten America again, or it will face its "official end". Mr Trump's tweet came shortly after a rocket landed near the US embassy in Baghdad. The warning comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, following Mr Trump's decision a year ago to pull America out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. The US leader tweeted on Monday: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Neither Mr Trump nor White House officials elaborated on the tweet. The message came after a rocket landed less than a mile from the sprawling US embassy in Baghdad in the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday night. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket launch. Mr Trump's tweet came after he seemingly sought to soften his tone on Iran following days of heightened tension sparked by a sudden deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over still-unspecified threats. In the time since, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged four oil tankers have been sabotaged. Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. US diplomats also relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. While both Washington and Tehran say they do not seek war, many worry that any miscalculation at this moment could spiral out of control. Iraqi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasoul said the rocket that landed near the US embassy was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad, an area home to Iranian-backed Shia militias. Mr Trump campaigned on pulling the US from the 2015 nuclear accord, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since the withdrawal, the US has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning nations around the world they would also be subject to sanctions if they import Iranian oil. Iran has announced it will begin backing away from the terms of the deal, setting a 60-day deadline for Europe to come up with new terms or it will begin enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its programme could allow it to build atomic bombs. In an interview aired on the Fox News Channel, Mr Trump called the nuclear deal a "horror show". "I just don't want them to have nuclear weapons and they can't be threatening us," Mr Trump said. However, the nuclear deal had kept Iran from being able to acquire enough highly enriched uranium for a bomb. UN inspectors repeatedly certified that Iran was in compliance with the accord. Meanwhile, the US Navy's 5th Fleet has announced it will begin "enhanced security patrols" in international waters with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Already, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and others are in the Arabian Sea, close to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes. Iran's foreign minister responded with a tweet of his own in English. Mohammad Javad Zarif posted his own message on Twitter, saying Mr Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts". Mr Zarif wrote that Mr Trump "hopes to achieve what Alexander (the Great), Genghis (Khan) & other aggressors failed to do." He added: "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone." He ended his tweet with #neverthreatenaniranian and: "Try respect - it works!" The Temple of Time built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was set on fire on Sunday evening (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) A wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting has been set on fire in a symbolic gesture of healing. The Temple of Time public art installation was set ablaze at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. A lone gunman killed 17 students and staff and injured 17 others at the school on February 14 2018. The families of several victims attended the ritual burning of the 35ft tall temple on Sunday. Expand Close It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) Described as therapeutic by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolise the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the centre of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temples needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable as the lace-like designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honour the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. This temple has meant so much to so manyParkland mayor Christine Hunschofsky Its kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many, said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. Its the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community. San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600sqft Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs foundation. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. Expand Close A 120-metre long model of Londons sky line in the 17th Century was set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London (PA file) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A 120-metre long model of Londons sky line in the 17th Century was set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London (PA file) On Sunday, the artist said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. Lets watch out for one another, Best said. This is a community that went through hell. Best created a wooden sculpture of 17th century London that was burned on the Thames in 2016 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire. He also created a temple in Londonderry that was symbolically burned in 2015. Just being there and seeing how you start a classroom up and being in kindergarten from square one, so its really fun to see that. How do you build relationships with the parents? Everything from square one and that helped me early on. It was very beneficial, she said. Any time I had something in my head she (Zekan) helped me bring it to life. Together we really made a lot of things happen and come to life in that classroom for sure. Some of the clinical educators also shared their thoughts on the program including GW Carver Elementary School teacher Ashlyn Ozment who shared a story about the impact her student teacher made on one of the students in her third-grade classroom. Ozment said this particular student despises reading, and her student teacher made it her mission to get him to love at least one book. - Lynn Reynolds: Things have not been the same since Lynn Reynolds retired at the end of February. She had been part of KCS for more than 20 years working in the Human Resources Department. She knew just about everyone in the district because of her long career and the fact that she helped welcome new teachers every year and worked with hundreds of staff members on various HR issues. She has been greatly missed, and we hope she is enjoying her life after KCS! - Wendy Stirewalt: The folks at Forest Park Elementary arent quite sure what theyre going to do without the smiling face and wonderful services of Wendy Stirewalt in the cafeteria. Wendy has been part of the School Nutrition Department for 21 years and has made a tremendous impact on thousands of children who have passed through the cafeteria during that time. She will retire at the end of this month, and everyone at Forest Park will miss her. We wish her all the best as she embarks on this new chapter in her life. To learn about establishing an export-import business in India, read our article here. In India, the import and export of goods is governed by the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and Indias Export Import (EXIM) Policy. Indias Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is the principal governing body responsible for all matters related to EXIM Policy. Importers are required to register with the DGFT to obtain an Importer Exporter Code Number (IEC) issued against their Permanent Account Number (PAN), before engaging in EXIM activities. After an IEC has been obtained, the source of items for import must be identified and declared. The Indian Trade Classification Harmonized System (ITC-HS) allows for the free import of most goods without a special import license. Certain goods that fall under the following categories require special permission or licensing. 1) Licensed (Restricted) Items Licensed items can only be imported after obtaining an import license from the DGFT. These include some consumer goods such as precious and semi-precious stones, products related to safety and security, seeds, plants, animals, insecticides, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, and some electronic items. 2) Canalized Items Canalized items can only be imported via specified transportation channels and methods, or through government agencies such as the State Trading Corporation (STC). These include petroleum products, bulk agricultural products such as grains and vegetable oils, and some pharmaceutical products. 3) Prohibited Items These goods are strictly prohibited from import and include tallow fat, animal rennet, wild animals, and unprocessed ivory. Import Procedures All importers must follow detailed customs clearance formalities when importing goods into India. A comprehensive overview of EXIM procedures can be found on the Indian Directorate of General Valuations website. Bill of Entry Every importer is required to begin by submitting a Bill of Entry under Section 46. This document certifies the description and value of goods entering the country. The Bill of Entry should be submitted as follows: 1) The original and duplicate for customs 2) A copy for the importer 3) A copy for the bank 4) A copy for making remittances Under the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), no formal Bill of Entry is required (as it is recorded electronically) but the importer is required to file a cargo declaration after prescribing particulars required for processing of the entry for customs clearance. Bills of Entry can be one of three types: 1) Bill of Entry for Home Consumption This form is used when the imported goods are to be cleared on payment of full duty. Home consumption means use within India. It is white colored and hence often called the white bill of entry. 2) Bill of Entry for Housing If the imported goods are not required immediately, importers may store the goods in a warehouse without the payment of duty under a bond and then clear them from the warehouse when required on payment of duty. This will enable the deferment of payment of the customs duty until goods are actually required. This Bill of Entry is printed on yellow paper and is thus often called the yellow bill of entry. It is also called the into bond bill of entry as the bond is executed for the transfer of goods in a warehouse without paying duty. 3) Bill of Entry for Ex-Bond Clearance The third type is for ex-bond clearance. This is used for clearance from the warehouse on payment of duty and is printed on green paper. It is important to note that the rate of duty applicable is as it exists on the date a good is removed from a warehouse. Therefore, if the rate changes after goods have been cleared from a customs port, the customs duty as assessed on a yellow bill of entry (Bill of Entry for Housing) and paid on the value listed on the green bill of entry (Bill of Entry for Ex-Bond Clearance) will not be the same. Other non-EDI documents If a Bill of Entry is filed without using the Electronic Data Interchange system, the following documents are also generally required: Signed invoice; Packing list; Bill of lading or delivery order/air waybill; GATT declaration form; Importer/CHA declaration; Import license wherever necessary; Letter of credit/bank draft; Insurance document; Industrial license, if required; Test report in case of chemicals; Adhoc exemption order; DEEC Book/DEPB in original, where applicable; Catalogue, technical write up, literature in case of machineries, spares or chemicals as may be applicable; Separately split up value of spares, components, and machinery; and, Certificate of Origin, if preferential rate of duty is claimed. Import Duties The Indian government levies several types of import duties on goods. These include: Basic Customs Duty Basic Customs Duty (BCD) is the standard tax rate applied to goods, or the standard preferential rate in the case of goods imported from specified countries. The rates of customs duties are outlined in the First and Second Schedules of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. The First Schedule specifies rates of import duty and the Second specifies rates of export duty. BCD is divided into standard and preferential rates, with goods imported from countries holding trade agreements with the Indian central government eligible for lower preferential rates. IGST and Compensation Cess Additional duties of customs, commonly referred to as the Countervailing Duty (CVD) and Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD), has been be replaced by the levy of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST), barring a few exceptions, such as pan masala and certain petroleum products. The IGST replaces the previous system of federal and state categories of indirect taxation. A Customs Duty calculator is made available on the online portal of excise and customs, the ICEGATE website. There are seven rates prescribed for IGST Nil, 0.25 percent, 3 percent 5 percent, 12 percent, 18 percent, and 28 percent. The actual rate applicable to an item will depend on its classification and will be specified in Schedules notified under Section 5 of the IGST Act, 2017. Further, a few items such as aerated water products, tobacco products, and motor vehicles, among others, will attract an additional levy of the GST Compensation Cess, over and above IGST. The Cess is calculated on the transaction value or the price at which the goods are sold. The Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 was enacted to levy Compensation Cess for providing compensation to Indian states for the loss of revenue arising on account of implementation of the Goods and Services Tax from July 1, 2017. The Compensation Cess on goods imported into India shall be levied and collected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, at the point when duties of customs are levied on the said goods under Section 12 of the Customs Act, 1962, on a value determined under the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Anti-Dumping Duty The central government may impose an anti-dumping duty if it determines a good is being imported at below fair market price, and an importer will be notified if this is the case. The duty cannot exceed the difference between the export and normal price (margin of dumping). This does not apply to goods imported by 100 percent Export Oriented Units (EOU) and units in Free Trade Zones (FTZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). If an importer is notified by the federal government then an Anti-Dumping duty is to be imposed, the notification will remain valid for five years with the possibility of being extended to 10 years. Safeguard Duty Unlike Anti-Dumping Duty, the imposition of Safeguard Duty does not require the central government to determine a good is being imported at below fair market price. Safeguard Duty is imposed if the government decides that a sudden increase in exports is causing, or threatens to cause, serious damage to a domestic industry. A notification regarding the imposition of Safeguard Duty is valid for four years with the possibility of being extended to 10 years. Protective Duty A protective duty is sometimes imposed to protect domestic industry from imports. If the Tariff Commission issues a recommendation for the imposition of a Protective Duty, the central government may choose to impose this at a rate that does not exceed that recommended by the Tariff Commission. The federal government can specify the period up to which the protective duty will remain in force, reduce or extend the period, and adjust the effective rate. Social Welfare Surcharge The Education Cess and Secondary and Higher Education Cess on imported goods is now abolished and replaced by the Social Welfare Surcharge. This surcharge will be levied at the rate of 10 percent of the aggregate duties of customs, on imported goods. Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Staff from the Buffalo Grove Police Department were seen waving from the rooftops of local Dunkin Donuts locations Friday, the 17th anniversary of the Cop on a Rooftop event to benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois. Is the rule of law in and of itself illegal? Native Sun News Today Columnist The writers of a recent book PLUNDER are trying to bring into the consciousness of indigenous peoples like us out here in the Northern Plains the thinking of Third World ideologies as the only way to rid ourselves of Americas use of the idea of the rule of law, deemed to be a risk to minority populations. The text does, of course, bring up the issue of majority rule, doesnt it? Why would we go there now to condemn the rule of law, when we are at a crossroads? Presently it seems more important than ever before to defend the rule of law, we Americans have a federal regime that seems intent upon abandoning the rule of law entirely. As of this week, the Congress of the United States is charging the US Attorney General with contempt, which means, one supposes, that even as we think of law as an essential trait of democracy, it is said by the Trump lawyers, to be just a buzzword rising out of the 16thcentury, and they counsel the AG that he doesnt even have to show up to discuss the argument with the elected officials of Washington, D. C.! Its probably important to remember that the AG is an APPOINTED official, not elected by the people. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn. Courtesy photo Those who worry about all of this know that the real issue here is the separation of powers issue which comes from the constitution. It all amounts to what we call hegemonic power. the struggle between the people, the House, the Senate and Executive. The major writer of this book PLUNDER that is on everyones shelf these days, is Laura Nader, an anthropologist who is, yes, the sister of Ralph Nader. Indian Studies professionals have been reading these points of view for some time because it seems that there is a dark side to the rule of law ideology, a virtue firmly embedded in Democracy. Nader agrees that the rule of law is a global legacy of the British Empire, agreeing it is a tenet of Colonization used throughout history to provide support for hegemonic and aggressive colonization of Indigenous peoples. Yet, she has been one of the few non-Indian scholars who, for example, described what is called The Ghost Dance of the 1890s a time of revitalization rather than a dismal end to a terrible conflict , and she has suggested that Indians.in the long run of history..are not losers, but are instead fortified by such rituals. Her POV gives substance and support to the protectors of water as a sacred element and she believes these protesters will win in the end. There are several chapters in this book, though, that tell us that the reliance on the rule of law, a phrase so much in the news today, has played a supporting role in the plunder of weaker peoples all over the world. She says that such an ideal as the rule of law has been used to impose brutal violence on humankind, i.e., war, plunder, slave trading, massive killings, ethnic cleansing and genocide. Perhaps the most worrisome of the conclusions reached by this author is that our ideal in law has provided legitimacy to the concepts of progress as well as white supremacy and that is a bad thing for Indians. Vine Deloria, Jr. the major Indian Law Scholar of our time, wrote about this when he examined the prospect of the survival of Indian Nationhood in the next century. Contact Elizabeth Cook-Lynn at ecooklynn@gmail.com Copyright permission Native Sun News Today Join the Conversation WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The nation's highest court delivered a significant victory for Indian Country on Monday, ruling that citizens of the Crow Tribe can continue to exercise their rights on off-reservation treaty territory. By a vote of 5 to 4, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the tribe did not lose its rights under the 1868 treaty simply because Wyoming became a state some two decades later. "The Wyoming Statehood Act did not abrogate the Crow Tribes hunting right, nor did the 1868 Treaty expire of its own accord at that time," Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the majority "The treaty itself defines the circumstances in which the right will expire," Sotomayor continued. "Statehood is not one of them." The ruling represents a big win for Clayvin Herrera, a citizen of the Crow Tribe. He was prosecuted by the state of Wyoming for hunting in the Bighorn National Forest , just across the border from the Crow Reservation in neighboring Montana. Herrera, who has worked as a game warden for his tribe, was convicted by a jury for taking elk off-season or without a state hunting license and of being accessory. The hunting party included other Crow citizens who were also charged with violating state law. But the Supreme Court vacated Herrera's conviction because he wasn't allowed to present a treaty-based defense to the charges. In addition to the statehood issue, the justices determined that the existence of the federal forest does not automatically mean the tribe lost its rights there. "Considering the terms of the 1868 Treaty as they would have been understood by the Crow Tribe, we conclude that the creation of Bighorn National Forest did not remove the forest lands, in their entirety, from the scope of the treaty," Sotomayor wrote for the court But the decision isn't just a victory for Crow citizens. In ruling on Herrera v. Wyoming , the Supreme Court addressed a treaty rights issue that has been lingering for more than a century. Cloud Peak in the Bighorn Mountains. Photo: Ttharp23 The majority held that Ward v. Race Horse , a case from 1896, can no longer be used to argue against a tribe's off-reservation treaty rights. That should bring some assistance to Indian Country in future battles. "To avoid any future confusion, we make clear today that Race Horse is repudiated to the extent it held that treaty rights can be impliedly extinguished at statehood," Sotomayor wrote. The Trump administration, in siding with Herrera , had called for such an outcome. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes , based in Idaho, are a signatory to a treaty that contains provisions for off-reservation hunting. The Southern Ute Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe , both based in neighboring Colorado, also have an agreement that addresses off-reservation treaty rights. This ruling is a huge win for Clayvin Herrera, the Crow Tribe and tribes across the country that entered into treaties with the federal government," said Lillian Alvernaz , a citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate who serves as the Indigenous Justice Legal Fellow with the ACLU of Montana. The organization submitted a friend of the court brief in support of treaty rights. "On a practical level, this means that members of the Crow Tribe can continue to hunt on unoccupied lands like the Bighorn National Forest to provide sustenance for their families and children," Alvernaz continued. "This is especially important for the well-being and health of the Tribe because access to healthy food on the reservation is limited." "More broadly, through this decision, the Supreme Court held the federal government accountable to its treaty obligations and affirmed tribal sovereignty," Alvernaz concluded. "Throughout the history of colonization, tribes have upheld their end of treaties while the federal government has consistently fallen short of its obligations. Were hopeful that this ruling marks a new day, one where the federal government lives up to its treaty obligations and recommits to the important principles of tribal sovereignty and self-determination of tribes in the United States. Herrera and his legal team are also celebrating. In a statement, they told Indianz.Com that they are "gratified" by the ruling. We are gratified that the Supreme Court held that the treaty hunting right guaranteed to the Crow Tribe and Mr. Herrera was not abrogated by Wyomings admission to the Union or the creation of the Bighorn National Forest, said attorney George W. Hicks, Jr. , who argued the case in D.C. on January 9. Joining Sotomayor in the siding with treaty rights were three of the liberal leaning members of the court: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Elena Kagan. Justice Neil Gorsuch , who was named to the court by President Donald Trump and who has one of the most extensive records in Indian law , helped deliver the crucial fight vote in support of Herrera. The more conservative members of the court, on the other hand, were not convinced by the treaty argument. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a dissent that was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Brett Kavanaugh , another Trump nominee. According to the minority, Herrera should be "precluded" from presenting a treaty defense in Wyoming. They pointed to the outcome in Crow Tribe of Indians v. Repsis -- a case from a lower circuit court which itself was based on Race Horse. Though Repsis has not been overturned by the Supreme Court, Alito said the Crow Tribe's off-reservation hunting rights are "no longer in force." "For these reasons, Herrera is precluded by the judgment in Repsis from relitigating the continuing validity of the hunting right conferred by the 1868 Treaty," Alito wrote in the dissent The members of the U.S. Supreme Court sit for an official portrait. Front row, from left: Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito. Back row, from left: Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. Photo: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States The decision in Herrera v. Wyoming marks the second treaty rights victory for Indian Country. By a vote of 5 to 4, the Supreme Court in March held that citizens of the Yakama Nation are not required to pay a fuel tax to the state of Washington under a treaty signed in 1855 That leaves Carpenter v. Murphy as the only Indian law case still left on the docket from the current term , which began in October 2018. At issue is whether the reservation of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation -- which was set aside by a treaty signed in 1866 -- continues to exist. The outcome will determine whether Patrick Dwayne Murphy, a Creek citizen, can be prosecuted by the state of Oklahoma for a murder that occurred on an Indian allotment. He is currently on death row after being convicted in state court. If the reservation has not been diminished, his case would be handled in the federal system like most other Indian Country criminal matters. Due to the complex and unusual nature of the dispute , experts believe the Supreme Court won't take action until the very end of the term, likely at the end of June. Supreme Court Decision: Herrera v. Wyoming Supreme Court Documents: Herrera v. Wyoming Indianz.Com on SoundCloud Jam out with the justices! Listen to lawyers! No, really, these are important U.S. Supreme Court cases Join the Conversation Related Stories Notes from Indian Country Compensation for boarding school victims long overdue The sex abuse scandals perpetrated by Catholic priests became big news when the victims were white children. This same abuse happened on Indian reservations throughout Western America for more than 100 years and there was not a peep out of the national media, the Catholic Church or the government. Thousands of Native American children were abused sexually, psychologically, and culturally by the Catholic Church and by the other religious denominations sent out west to civilize and acculturate the Native American children. The abuse left cultural scars on the children that they carried with them for a lifetime. Many of the children left the Catholic boarding schools not knowing who they were and how they were going to live a life after their identity had been stripped away. Their culture had been denigrated and their spirituality branded as paganism. They were taught this nearly every day of their school year. The damage done by the religious organizations created a historic trauma that still haunts Indian Country. I dont speak from hearsay or as a third-person observer, but instead I speak as an abused boarding school survivor. I was there; I saw it, I felt it, and I recovered from it. Every Indian culture in the Western Hemisphere was free of child and spousal abuse before the advent of the white man. These were byproducts of acculturation. When the Bureau of Indian Affairs stepped into the picture their contribution was to divide and rule. They introduced tactics like using food, land and the knowledge of existing rivalries to further divide the people. Any civil action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced within three years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition, or three years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act, whichever period expires later. However, no person who has reached the age of forty years may recover damages from any person or entity other than the person who perpetrated the actual act of sexual abuse. When Native American adults who had been sexually molested at the Catholic Indian missions and boarding schools decided to file suit, South Dakota passed a law, HB1104 that reads: This law effectively negated any child who had been abused at the boarding schools from ever filing a lawsuit simply because this statute of limitations prevented it. Why not take the lawsuits to federal court? Yes, why not? Or better yet, why should those Native Americans that were impacted by sexual abuse at the Catholic mission schools have to sue at all. Why cant the Catholic Church, out of compassion, guilt and sorrow, just compensate those Native Americans that have been abused while under their control? Heres what happened in Canada when the Native Indians sued the Churches. Native Sun News Today: Survivors of Indian school abuse lobby for changes in law The 9 Little Girls abuse survivor advocacy group wants justice and healing for the many who suffered during the boarding school era. The government of Canada agreed to share with the Anglican Church of Canada the cost of settling over 12,000 claims filed by Native Indians about systematic physical and mental abuse at boarding schools funded by the government and run by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches. Under the agreement, the Anglican Church would have its liability capped at $16 million (U.S.) so it is not forced into bankruptcy. The government will pay 70 percent of the claims up to the point the liability costs reach $16 million, and 100 percent if the liability costs total more than $16 million. Of the claims filed so far, the Roman Catholic Church, which ran most of the schools, was named in 73 percent of the claims, the Anglican Church in 18 percent, the United Church in 8 percent and the Presbyterian Church in about 1 percent. The abuses that took place in the Church boarding schools in South Dakota happened primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. There are still Native Americans living today that were victims of that abuse. And many of the children of these victims also share in this historic trauma. There was St. Francis, St. Josephs, St. Stephans, Marty Mission and Holy Rosary Mission to name a few of the religious boarding schools in South Dakota. The United States government has to own up to the fact that these hundreds of instances of the abuse of Indian children also happened on their watch. There has never been an apology from any of the Church organizations or from the federal government. The Canadian government considered itself as responsible for the child abuse as the different Church groups in Canada. They owned up to it and they, along with the Churches, compensated the Indian victims. In fact, it was the Canadian government that pushed the Churches to act. When many of those Democrats now running for the office of President of the United States talk about reparations for the descendants of black slaves they should also learn about and examine the terrible tragedies that befell innocent Indian children. If anyone deserves reparations it is the Native Americans. The United States should pay for its sins against African Americans and Native Americans. U. S. Aid to the country of Israel in the year 2015 was $138 billion. That was just for that one year and the U. S. gives that much or more to Israel every year. Sure the Jews of Israel suffered, but so too did the Native Americans. The holocaust that happened to the Jews happened many times over during the holocaust that nearly eradicated the indigenous people of North America. The President of the United States, also a face carved on Mt. Rushmore, Teddy Roosevelt, said in 1889, The settler and the pioneer have justice on their side: This great continent could not have been kept as nothing but a game preserve for squalid savages. It was this frontier mentality that forced Native children into boarding schools and paved the path that led to their abuse for more than three generations. Whether by lawsuit or governmental guilt, compensation is long past due. Contact Tim Giago at najournalist1@gmail.com Join the Conversation Scenes from the movie Gangs of Wasseypur played out in the national capital on Sunday as commuters watched in horror a shootout in front of them. The incident happened near the Dwarka Mor metro station in South West Delhi. Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area, who has a long history of crimes was on sitting on his car when he was confronted by two armed men, who were members of a rival gang. ANI As the onlookers watched in horror the three men showered bullets at Gehlot's car. According to police, more than 20 rounds were fired in the gun battle before the gang attempted to flee. While two of the gunmen managed to get away, one of them, identified as Vikas Dalal was shot dead by Police officials in a PCR van near the metro station. ANI According to cops Dalal had several cases of murders, extortion and robberies against him in Delhi and Haryana. They also added that attempts are on to identify and nab the two gunmen who fled after the shootout. Both Gehlot and Dalal are said to be friends when they were part of the Manjeet Mahal gang but had a fallout over a property in Haryana. Dalal, who had been on the run since 2018 after he escaped Haryana police custody was reportedly living in Goa and had returned to Delhi with an aim to eliminate Gehlot. After Odisha announced plant 130.5 lakh plants in wake the destruction post cyclone Fani, which uprooted 20 lakh trees in the state, now people in Kerala have realised that they should also plant more trees in order to fill the deluge left by floods and later a harsh summers. According to the sources, the school, colleges, government departments, religious bodies, corporate and NGOs have been calling the Social Forestry Department organisations to book saplings to be planted on the World Environment Day on June 5. BCCL We have raised around six lakh saplings to meet the demand in Ernakulam district, but the demand has been overwhelming. The government and aided schools in the district alone have booked around 3 lakh saplings and there are enquiries from various government departments and local bodies, said Ernakulam Social Forestry Range Officer M K Renjith. The New Indian Express reported. The Forest Department has kept around 70 lakh sapling to be planted on June 5, the demand for the saplings may overrun the availability of the sapling with the department. BCCL In the Central Region, we have raised around 47.64 lakh saplings for distribution. We had limitations in collecting the seeds due to the deluge. But we brought the seeds from Bengaluru and Shivamogga in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Seed Centre in Coimbatore, Wayanad and other parts of Kerala. The fund is from the Rs 14 crore earmarked for extension activities of the department. We employed contract workers to raise the saplings, Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) M S Jayaraman told Express. BCCL There are 30 varieties of the plants including fruit bearing plants, medicinal plants, flower trees, timber species and trees that will be distributed by the department. The trees will be planted by keeping in mind the objective of stopping coastal erosion. Estimated to be around five to ten thousand, Jews are the smallest religious minority in India classified under the category Others, representative of 0.7 per cent of the Indian population, in the census. They are so small in numbers that they do not even qualify to be considered as a community at many places in India in spite of their presence at those places. Only six individuals remain of the Jewish community of Cochin, while only twenty individuals remain of the Baghdadi Jewish community of Kolkata. The only two states where the Jews are recognised as a religious minority are Maharashtra and Gujarat, where most of them belong to the Bene Israel community. The only Jew to have ever figured in the politics of independent India was Lt. Gen. J. F. R Jacob, a member of the BJP, who served the states of Punjab and Goa as Governor. He hailed from a Baghdadi Jewish family of Kolkata. Numerically insignificant as they are, they have neither ever played any noticeable role in Indian electoral politics nor have they themselves ever been an issue. Yet, we see both happening during the current parliamentary elections. BCCL For the first time in the history of India we have a practicing Jew as a candidate for a seat in the parliament of India in Lalthlamuani, contesting as an independent for the only Lok Sabha seat for Mizoram, reserved for scheduled tribes. She is also the first female contestant ever for this seat. Lalthlamuani belongs to the Judaizing movement called Bene Menashe and runs an NGO called Chhinlung Israel People Convention (CIPC), established by her husband in 1994. She asserts that she is fighting for their identity and wants to ensure that the voice of a lost tribe of Israel is heard at the centre. A school dropout, her main poll agenda is to pursue a memorandum submitted to the United Nations, seeking recognition of the Mizo Jewish community as a lost tribe of Israel. Bene Menashe is one of the two Judaizing movements that emerged in India during the twentieth century, seen by anthropologists as by-products of Christianity as both were Christian before they started practicing Judaism. The other Judaizing movement that emerged in India in the twentieth century is the Bene Ephraim among the Madiga in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Yet another emerged during the first decade of the present century, in a section of the Chhetiar community in Erode, Tamil Nadu, but we are not concerned with it here for its basis in not a claim of Israelite descent unlike the Bene Menashe and the Bene Ephraim. Both Bene Menashe and Bene Ephraim claim descent from the legendary lost tribes of Israel. In spite of the absence of any credible and substantial historical evidence, the Bene Menashe, who largely come from the tribes of Chin, Lushai and Kuki, were recognised by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel as lost Israelites in 2005. BCCL Since then around three thousand of them have been settled in Israel because of the efforts made by a couple of Israeli religious nationalist Jewish organisations, Shavei Israel and Amishav. Thousands more wait for their turn. These organisations are devoted to the search for the remnants of the lost tribes of Israel and aim to convert to Judaism and settle in Israel all those who either claim descent from the lost tribes of Israel, are spiritually attracted to Judaism, or have practised Judaism in secrecy for generations in hostile environments. Messianic fervour ignited in Israel by the victories of the Six Day War (1967) and the Greater Israel Movement led to the foundation of Amishav in 1975 and Shavei Israel in 2002. The belief that the return of the lost tribes of Israel to the land of Israel would expedite the coming of the promised messiah has been the driving force behind the Jewish interest in tracing the remnants and descendants of the mythical lost tribes of Israel. BCCL It is complemented by Christian interest in doing the same, fuelled by their belief that it would pave the way for the second coming of Christ. A precondition for their emigration to Israel has been their conversion to orthodox Judaism. However, the conversions were brought to a halt when the Indian authorities expressed their objections to the Foreign Ministry of Israel, as they feared it might annoy the politically significant Christian population of northeast India where the evangelists vehemently opposed these conversions. In 2011 the entire 7,000 strong Bene Menashe community was permitted to settle in Israel. The first group of new Bene Menashe immigrants reached Israel in December 2012 to join the 1,700 members of their community who had settled there before, largely in the West Bank, some of them decades ago. BCCL It was only in the year 2004 that the scientists succeeded in obtaining DNA samples from the Bene Menashe, who had been resisting genetic research for many years as they feared that it could deflate their claim of Israelite descent. The mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome analysis of 414 Bene Menashe individuals from Mizoram, done by the National DNA Analysis Centre in Kolkata, found traces of genetic relatedness between them and Near Eastern lineages. However, the research was considered unreliable by the Haifa Technion scientists in Israel, according to whom the Kolkata team had not done the complete sequencing of the DNA. However, it did not deter the Chief Rabbi of Israel from officially recognizing them as a lost Israelite tribe. Thus, they emerged as the only such group after the Beta Israel (or Ethiopian Jews) to be so recognised. The immigration of such groups of non-Halachic Jewish descent is a contentious issue in Israel with the right-wing encouraging it and the left-wing opposing it not only because they believe it would contribute to further oppression of the Palestinians but also because they tend to doubt the authenticity of the Bene Menashes claim to lost tribes status. In response to the proliferation of Judaizing movements across the world the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs in Israel set up a public advisory committee on the relationship between the State of Israel and these communities. The committee observed, in the report that it submitted on March 10, 2017, that the Israel Rabbinate Court receives 6,000 applications annually for orthodox conversion to Judaism, and thousands of more such applications are received elsewhere, across the world. Based on this, it assumes that 100,000 individuals seek to join the Jewish People every decade, and the trend is constantly growing. BCCL It is so in spite of the fact that Judaism is a non-proselytizing religion. Professor Tudor Parfitt, one of the most prominent experts of Judaizing movements, said in a testimony he gave before the committee that it is estimated that currently 15 million people are not recognised as Jews, but believe they are either Jews or descended from Jews. This number is similar to that of recognised Jews worldwide. The committee saw it as an unprecedented strategic opportunity to bring populations with an affinity to the Jewish People closer. It considered it imperative that the Diaspora Ministry take steps to start tackling the subject in three vital areas: 1) data collection and research; 2) creating public awareness; and 3) work vis-a-vis the communities being organised among these populations. The advent of antisemitism in Indian polls Another first associated with the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is how antisemitism has come to figure in it. Former Congress MLA from Okhla, Asif Muhammad Khan, tried to project Atishi Marlena, the AAP candidate for Lok Sabha seat from East Delhi as Jewish, in spite of the fact that she is not, believing it would be seen a disqualifier by the Muslim voters of the concerned constituency. He, in a message on social media, allegedly called Atishi a Jew and asked Muslims not to vote for her because of this. According to him Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians are brothers to each other but not a Jew. A Jew has no place in India and the people have to send this message to every household, he was heard saying in a video available online. He was seen saying to a crowd in the same video that they may vote for AAP but he would object if they vote for a Jew. BCCL He said so in spite of the fact that Jews have been resident in India for at least more than a millennium and have made significant contributions to various domains of life. Whenever and wherever in South Asia there has been a Muslim attack on Jews, the perpetrators have been those who have known them largely through secondary sources and not as a result of any direct contact. Even the Arab-Israel conflict has failed to dent the cordial relations between Jews and Muslims wherever they are neighbours in India. The Indian Muslim attitudes toward Jews can be broadly classified as indifferent, hostile, and amiable. An attempt to prove that she was a Rajput and not a Jew, instead of also condemning this blatant antisemitism was all that a senior leader of her party Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi did. Interestingly Marlena did exactly the same. Although she condemned this false rumour of her Jewishness yet not the inherent antisemitism in it, and went on to talk of her Kshatriya (Hindu warrior class) lineage. The Indian National Congress also failed to condemn what their former MLA said about Jews not having any place in India. Even the international Jewish advocacy groups, also operational in India, were complacent in response to it. According to the Indian Jewish novelist and scholar Jael Silliman, who divides her time between India and the US, from the inclusive rhetoric of the anti-colonial leaders after Indian independence and through the 1950s and 1960s, India has experienced a decisive shift to the Hindutva politics that have found expression in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Not only in the charged communal environment within India, but also among many Indians living in the United States, a narrow view of who is Indian keeps gaining ground. BCCL Yulia Egorova observes in her book Jews and Muslims in South Asia (2018) that it would not be surprising if, due to the political domination of the Hindu right, the Jews in India find themselves under pressure to bridge the difference between their tradition and Hinduism through rhetoric, while also distancing themselves from Muslims who have lately come to be seen as the most threatening othereven denouncing them. She points out that this is a phenomenon not unknown in the rest of the world. We do get signs of this phenomenon in the social media posts from Indian Jews and also in their membership of a number of groups on Facebook endorsing closer relations between Hindus and Jews and India and Israel, which are often full of Islamophobic comments, even if not necessarily from the Jewish members. In the imaginations of the Hindu right, Egorova explains, Israelis thematized as Jews, are seen as the enemy of Palestinians, thematized as Muslims, and therefore as the friends of the Indian state, construed as the state of the Hindus. The author is an Assistant Professor of History at Presidency University, Kolkata. Some 10 years back, when Najmun Nisa, the head of a Madrasa located at the outskirts of Delhi went to school to pursue education, people in her area used to taunt her father who was a cleric. People expected girls to attend Islamic seminaries or madrassas only and the cleric's daughter going to a school raised eyeballs. Ironically, Najmun Nisa after finishing class 10th started her own girls' Madrasa. Madrassa, earlier, had just 20 students enrolled and out of them only few could pay the fees. With time, the area witnessed an increase in enthusiasm towards education, but most of the people said they are more open to send their daughters to Madarsas instead of regular school. There are an increasing number of new Madrasas being set up for girls in Delhi, even they have also started including regular subjects in with the Islamic texts in their syllabus. Our father cant tolerate if we remove our dupatta from head, he didnt send me and my sister Sumaiyya to school because girls and boys study together, talk to each other and laugh with each other, so he is sceptical about sending us to Madrasa," said Sana a student at Nisas Madrasa. Adding to this she also said: In schools, one only gets the education of regular subjects, but here in a Madrasa we get both Islamic as well as the Worldly education. With Arabic and Islamic texts we are also taught English, Maths and Science. Patriarchy and widespread poverty The drastic condition of Muslim women education is somewhere rooted inside these patriarchal attitudes and widespread poverty. According to a report - citing the Sachar Committee Report, tabled in 2006 - published in The Hindu 25 per cent of Muslim children in the 6-14 age groups have either never attended school or have dropped out. Summaiya, who also studies and lives at the Madrasa said, I used to like going school but our father shifted us to the Madrasa as he thinks studying in school can spoil us and also school doesnt offer us Islamic curriculum. When asked if she wants to go back to School she replied, I would love to go back to school; I had so many friends there. But I cant say this to my parents as they wont agree to it and they think boys and girls studying together are not good. Though many madrassas have propped up in the recent years but these Madrasas lack good infrastructure, teachers and some even dont have computers. According the Najmun Nisa (Head of Madrasa), it is very hard to run Madrasa for girls as there is less money available and teachers are also paid bare minimum. She said, Only we know how difficult it is to run this Madrasa the girls who stay here pay less than one thousand rupees per month and we provide them with education, copies, books, food and other basic necessities. We dont get any help from anywhere only few people donate to this Madrasa. After visiting to this Madrasa one would realise that girls from very poor background are getting education there. The reason other than patriarchal mindset is lack of resources and parents fear of not sending their girls to school because the school can ask them to take off their Hijab. I left school willingly, I never used to like the fact that we were asked to take off our Hijabs. At least in Madrasa we can get education with keeping our fates, Shaheen said. The way forward The deteriorating situation of girl education can only be resolved if the State and Muslim leaders work towards the affordable and good education of these girls. Those parents who are reluctant to send their daughters to school both the institution must work towards the betterment of Madrasas and education provided there, so that at least Muslim girls can have access to education. Its high time now as these Madrasas needs to be upgraded, modernised and encouraged by the State as well as Muslim Leaders who are blind towards the need of education for Muslim women. The authors are New-Delhi based freelance contributors. Its an honor to pick up veterans who cant get out, he said. Its just been a great honor to serve. I would like to thank my wife, without her allowing me out and about or sometimes pushing me out, I wouldnt be able to do these things. Respect of one another irrespective of cultural and religious differences is what defines our country and this incident will reinstate your faith in it. A Muslim flier named Rifat Jawaid shared an incident while flying with Air India. He was observing the month of Ramadan and wanted some water for his Iftar meal. On my way back to Delhi in @airindiain Alliance from Gorakhpur: Iftar time was nearing so I walked up to cabin crew member Manjula, asked for some water. She gave me a small bottle. I asked, can I pls have 1 more bottle since Im fasting? Manjula replied, why did you... pic.twitter.com/QaMoAR5CqC Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) 18 May 2019 In the flight bound to Delhi from Gorakhpur, Jawaid decided to approach the air hostess despite the seat-belt sign being on. He asked for a bottle of water and got one. ..leave your seat?You pls return to your seat. Minutes later she arrived with two sandwiches and said, please dont hesitate to ask for more. Of course I didnt need more. They were more than adequate for me. What was the most satisfying was Manjulas heartwarming gesture. pic.twitter.com/DeXhvMnxwJ Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) 18 May 2019 When he asked for another, the air hostess asked him to go back to his seat. To his surprise, she returned with a meal of two sandwiches and said, "please don't hesitate to ask for more." Rifat added, 'Of course I didn't need more. They were more than adequate for me. What was the most satisfying was Manjula's heartwarming gesture. This is my India!'. The incident touched a chord with many people, here's how they reacted: #1 There are plenty of good people still exist in the world Apolitical_Mango ( % Follow) (@somebodys_meh) 18 May 2019 #2 Air India has always been like that. Its staffed by common folks who have a immense sense of warmth and hospitality. Most important they have always been the airline with empathy. Way to go @airindian Tandav (@pushkarbhat) 19 May 2019 #3 America has a notorious reputation when it comes to higher education at the college/university level. Most people dont end up going to college, and those who do, have to take up a student loan to pay for the high fees. In such a situation, students walk out of college with a degree but also a killer amount of debt. So, when billionaire Robert F. Smith pledged to clear off student debt - estimated to be close to $40 million (approximately Rs 279 crore) - of the graduating class of Morehouse College, people present at the event actually cried out of happiness. morehousecollege Robert who happens to be the Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners - a firm that invests in software, data, and technology-driven companies - said during his speech: "On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans...Because we are enough to take care of our own community," Smith said. "We are enough to ensure that we have all the opportunities of the American dream. And we will show it to each other through our actions and through our words and through our deeds." Robert F. Smith/Facebook The gesture is obviously a generous one and will have extremely positive consequences on the lives of students benefiting out of it. 22-year-old finance major Aaron Mitchom had calculated that hed have to pay out of his pocket for almost 25 years to clear out the debt and with this move, he obviously feels elated. He was quoted saying: "I don't have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was shocked. My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form In the Middle East, a study has revealed that the potash industry is not responsible for a drop off in the water level of Dead Sea in recent decades, Israeli news agency Haaretz reported. The research, carried out by the Geological Survey of Israel, found that the cause of the rapid decline in the seas water levels in over the past number of years has been the increased pumping of water from the Jordan Rivers tributaries in Jordan and Syria, as opposed to the potash industry in Israel and Jordan, as previously thought. It said that the drop in sea level over the summer months has remained stable over the past number of decades, even though that is when most of the water used by the potash industry is pumped, implying that even if this industry is using more water, it is not responsible for the declining sea level. London-listed Sirius Minerals Plc has delayed publication of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its York potash project in Yorkshire, UK until March, two months later than previously indicated. Explaining the postponement, the company said that completion of a DFS for a project like York "is a very detailed process and there is a large amount of complex information from various suppliers, consultants and engineering firms that needs to be compiled, reviewed and then integrated". Sirius also said that it is "moving towards the selection of preferred tenderers for the three initial critical path components for project implementation, being site preparation, mine shafts and the mineral transport system". An outbreak of swine flu has been confirmed at K+S AGs Legacy potash project near Regina in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The Germany-headquartered potash producer said that five individuals had reported systems of the virus, also known as H1N1, one of which had been confirmed. Colin Braithwaite, the companys vice president of health, safety and security, said that the company had responded by "separating an area within [the] camp at the mine site where employees that have flu-like symptoms would be able to go to if they need to and arent able to travel home safely". Potash West NL, listed on the ASX, said that a listing for Davenport Resources is expected in March or April this year, following an EGM to demerge it from current owners, ASX-listed Arunta Resources Ltd on 19 February. After the listing, Potash West will sell East Exploration Ltd in which it owns a 55% interest and through which it holds potash exploration licences in the South Hartz region of Germany into Davenport in exchange for around 20m shares, or 29% of the company. In phosphate news, New Zealands Chatham Rock Phosphate has called for "the role of fertiliser" to be included in research initiatives announced by the countrys government as part of its "Our Land and Water National Science Challenge". Chatham said that the programme should identify what effect fertiliser use has on the quality of waterways, which it believes would illustrate the strength of its phosphate "as a local organic solution for New Zealand farms to help improve the quality of soil and water". ASX-listed Brazilian phosphate producer Aguia Resources Ltd has released assay results from drilling programmes at its Tres Estradas and Joca Tavares sites. Aguia said that the results from Tres Estradas will increase the sites current indicated mineral resource in an upcoming bankable feasibility study (BFS). The project currently has a JORC resource of 70.1m tonnes 15.2m tonnes indicated and 54.9m tonnes inferred. The assay results from Joca Tavares, meanwhile, will be used in the preparation of a maiden JORC resource. Switzerland-based EuroChem Group AG has signed an equity investment and two strategic collaboration agreements with Agrinos AS, a producer of biological crop nutrition products. Under the share placement, EuroChem will acquire around 22m shares in Agrinos with an option to acquire up to around 33m more over the next two years. The companies have also agreed that to collaborate on the distribution of Agrinos "High Yield Technology" via EuroChems distribution network and as well as on a fertiliser R&D project. Finally, TSX-listed phosphate producer MBAC Fertilizer Corp. has said that it is continuing negotiations with an investment fund which it described as "active in the fertiliser industry". While a letter of intent was extended to the end of January, MBAC said that there is not yet any assurance that the deal will be successfully agreed. No further details on the potential agreement were given by the company. Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has called upon South American states to work together towards the development of their respective lithium industries, according to Chilean news outlet, Diario Financiero de Chile. "Our three countries have the largest reserves in the world," she said, referring to Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. "There is a potential there to drive the theme of renewable energy," she added. Bolivian president, Evo Morales, who previously described Bolivian lithium as the "hope of humanity", responded by stating that when his country reaches ful production, "[it will] decide the price of lithium for the whole world", because it holds the largest reserves. Bolivia currently has no commercial lithium production. Estimates of its reserves of the mineral vary from the 9m tonnes outlined by the US Geological Survey (USGS) to the 100m tonnes claimed by the Bolivian government. Elsewhere in South America, US-based Li3 Energy Inc. has executed a non-binding letter of intent with TSX-V-listed Wealth Minerals Ltd to support exploration at Li3s Maricunga lithium project in northern Chile. Wealth will provide Canadian dollar (C$) 3m ($2.14m*) in equity financing, establishing a new company to be owned on a 50:50 basis by Wealth and Li3. The financing will be used to advance work at Maricunga and pursue other corporate initiatives, Li3 said. In North America, TSX-V listed Nemaska Lithium Inc. has signed a final contract for a grant of around C$13m from Sustainable Development Technology Canada for the construction and operation of its phase one lithium hyromet plant in Shawinigan, Quebec. The plant will have the capacity to produce 500 tpa high purity lithium hydroxide. Construction is expected to begin this quarter and be completed by the end of the year. Nevada Sunrise Gold Corp., also TSX-V-listed, has signed a letter of agreement on an option to purchase water rights in the Clayton Valley, Nevada. The permit allows for the use of 1,770 acre/feet of water use for mining and milling per year. TSX-V-listed Ashburton Ventures Inc. has acquired the Area 51 lithium brine prospect in Nye County, Nevada, from an arm's length vendor. The property consists of 85 federal placer claims over an area of 1,700 acres (6.88km2) In exchange for the site, Ashburton will issue 200,000 shares and pay $20,000 a year after the deal is closed. It will also grant the vendor a 0.5% net smelter return (NSR), half of which can be repurchased at a cost of $500,000. In Australia, Lithium Australia NL and Pilbara Minerals, both ASX-listed companies, have extended by a year an agreement to evaluate the commercial potential of mica deposits in Pilbaras Pilangoora project in Western Australia (WA). The extension of the deal until the end of 2016 follows the identification of new targets on the site, in an area labelled the Triple Creek Zone, over the past year. Separately, Lithium Australia said it had submitted a programme of works for approval by the Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum relating to work at is Lepidolite Hill site. The company said that approval of the submission would be a precursor to recovering around 1,500 tonnes lepidolite for further metallurgical testing. ASX-listed Peninsula Mines Ltd has filed seven tenement applications in South Korea through its subsidiary, Suyeon Mining Co. Ltd. The applications cover two blocks adjacent to the existing Boam lithium mine and five separate blocks over areas of pegmatite, which it said are considered prospective for lithium and tin mineralisation "South Korea is a significant lithium importer and consumer and the acquisition of projects prospective for lithium complements the companys recent move into graphite exploration," said Martin Pyle, executive director at Peninsula. ASX-listed Mining Projects Group Ltd has indicated it will buy the Lynas Find Assets, a lithium and gold project based in the Pilbara region of WA. It will rename the site the Pilbara lithium-gold project. The nickel-focused miner will purchase the site from Tyranna Resources Ltd and Tribal Mining Corp. Inc. for a package including a cash sum of Australian dollar (A$) 200,000 ($141,000), 300m shares, and 100m unlisted options. The Lynas Find site borders both Pilbara Minerals and Altura Mining Ltds projects in the region. Zenith Minerals Ltd has reported grades of up to 4.05% lithium oxide (Li 2 O) at its Mount Alexander project in WA. It recorded seven rock chip samples with assays ranging from 3.38% to 4.05% Li 2 O from a lepidolite-bearing pegamite dyke, it said. Surface mapping and sampling at the site are now planned, alongside an assessment of existing drill samples. ASX-listed Metalicity Ltd has lodged four exploration licence applications in WA, covering an area of 914 km2 across three separate project areas. The company said that each of the areas Lake Cowan, Greenbushes East and Pilangoora East are spodumene-bearing and are considered prospective for lithium, tantalum and tin mineralisation. Metalicity managing director, Matt Gauci said that the company had identified the tenements making use of a "rapidly developed an in-house exploration targeting model focussed on lithium mineralisation", adding that permits for these locations would "add to the existing highly prospective Pilgangoora South project" currently held by the company. Finally, in battery news, Japanese automobile manufacturer, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd will lead a 19.4m ($27.7m) project in the UK to develop next generation lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for electric cars, The Engineer has reported. The project has received funding from the UKs Advanced Propulsion Centre and is aiming to develop new chemistry and manufacturing processes for Li-ion batteries. The research will be based at Nissans battery plant in Sunderland in the north of England and will involve a number of industry and academic bodies. *Conversions made February 2016 The recent armed conflict and unsafe situation in northern Myanmar influenced China's decision to stop importing rare earth ore and other rare-earth-related imports from Myanmar through Tengchong Customs, Yunnan province, China, from May 14. Fluorspar to face supply headwinds Myanmar is also one of the major import countries for... Australian junior miner TNG, a producer of titanium dioxide, vanadium and iron ore, has signed a binding offtake deal for 100% of the pigment production from its Mount Peake project. Swiss logistics company DkSH already had an... Kemi Olunloyo, a Nigerian journalist who has gone to prison severally for what she claims was a setup has dished out very useful tips to fast-rising star, Zlatan Ibile. Zlatan recently just got released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) After getting arrested alongside colleague, Naira Marley for glorifying internet fraud aka Yahoo Yahoo in their songs and social media comments. Naira Marley starts his trial today at a Lagos high court for an 11-count charge against him And faces up to seven 7 years in prison if found guilty Zlatan was released on administrative ground. Olunloyo has therefore dished out some useful tips to Zlatan to help himself remain free She dispensed the tips via her Instagram page on Sunday What she wrote My son @zlatan_ibile #ZlatanIbile and I called you my son because I have 3 sons 32, 27 and 18. Pay attention to me __ 1. Do NOT discuss your EFCC case with NOBODY especially the Nigerian media. 2. Keep your movements private and dont visit too many people and become part of another RAID. Too many girls in #PHMax (Port Harcourt Maximum prison) with me who were at the wrong place at the wrong time. 3. Avoid calls on regular lines like MTN, 9Mobile, Airtel, Glo etc. Use WhatsApp while on bail. Police tapped my line THROUGHOUT my case and I tapped theirs back, then they stopped. Also, tell your contacts to call you on the app. No naked phone calls. People will record your conversations. Finally, TRUST NOBODY BUT GOD. Not even your Girlfriend, family or lawyer. God only and he will see yall thru in this corrupt fraudulent political and media establishment called Nigeria. Self-proclaimed investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, has cried out on social media over her deteriorating health and lack of funds. Kemi Olunloyo thanked the people who have been feeding her after she retired and begged Nigerians for support of her work and official wellness fund. According to her, shes dying slowly and also having suicidal thoughts and fear daily. She also called out Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, again for destroying her. Read Also: Stop Attributing Your Achievement To God Pastor Poju Oyemade Read her lengthy post below: TO MY FANS: I am dying slowly. I cant even step out again stuck in a bed mentally destroyed. Post-traumatic stress #PTSD is killing me slowly, suicidal thoughts and fear daily. Just pray for me. I am very sensitive to what is said to me abusively or otherwise. From Davidos insult to ordinary ppl who troll me online. I use my name online, I hide from no one. To the fans who sent me a donation this past weekend, lots of N1-5K, thank you for feeding me and giving me SUPPORT. To @iyaboojofespriss fan who doesnt know who they are following, Iyabo destroyed me! I lost my name, reputation, $5M in 2 years no longer able to blog or write. I struggle to just post daily. If not for this phone, I may have committed suicide a long time ago. Social media keeps me ALIVE. Though I forced myself to RETIREMENT due to poor health, I will need years of rehabilitation, pls Support my work and Official wellness fund Donate: 3020832750 First Bank of NIGERIA PayPal hnnafricanews@live.com GoFundMe: Link on my bio Thank you young ppl. I appreciate you. Any amount will help me build my life back and save up for medical care and a new online radio station. They wont hire me here cos NBC has threatened stations as my dad says They think Kemi will abuse the Presidency. Im just fighting for the people. Meanwhile, the DG of NBC was not paraded when he was arraigned. Modibbo Kawu is accused of diverting N2.5B meant for the digital switch to his friends in bogus contracts. That is why I bring you all this kind of information yet some people tell me to leave public figures alone. #Kemitalkskemi #KemiOlunloyo __ Thank you to all hard working celebrities and numerous fans who have also helped me in the past when I was released January 2018 but didnt know I will feel this kind of Medical ailment. @tontolet @funkeadesiyan @adeyanjudeji @iamdencia @yelesho @officiallindaikeji @seyilaw1 Pls read about #PTSD and follow the hashtag. I want to travel to get better care. God bless your donation. I will be back on Instagram on the weekend as I can no longer post on weekdays. I will compile news for you from Fridays to Sundays. I have to rest sedated after reading the news daily. Genevieve Magazine publisher, Betty Irabor, has publicly revealed that she had attempted suicide at a point in her life. With the growing trend of suicide in Nigeria, Betty Irabor took to social media to advise people who are feeling depressed to seek help. The publisher also advised people not to judge others unless they experience or have experienced the situation. Also Read: See Reasons Nigerian Lady Wants Women to Marry 4 Husbands She wrote: SUICIDE!!! Dont label or judge what you do not understand. If you havent walked in a mans or womans shoes you cannot make assumptions about what they do or why they do it. At the time I attempted suicide, I was sick and in pain. There was a volcano somewhere inside of me that needed to erupt and suicide seemed like an option to avoid the eruption.Dont trivialize anyones pain just because its not physical and you cannot see it. See her post below: Nigerian musician Naira Marley who was docked at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi for crimes bordering on internet fraud has been allegedly released according to the latest video. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested the budding musician alongside colleague, Zlatan Ibile and 3 others But while the others were released, the Issa goal was held back in EFCC custody over some incriminating documents found on the laptop he had with him. However, a video has just surfaced online with the rapper as seen entering a vehicle and leaving police custody after he was allegedly released. This morning in court, the rapper had pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge levied against him by the anti-graft agency and the judge had ordered that he be remanded in prison till May, 30th, EFCC had revealed in a statement shortly after the trial ended. However, details as to his sudden release are still very sketchy but be sure that we will bring you full details as soon as possible President Muhammadu Buharis aide on Social media, Lauretta Onochie says she has no time to respond to a depressed Atiku Onochie said this on Monday while reacting to the demand for a public apology by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar. This is in no way responding to the depressed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar whose aides are constantly cooking up disgrace for him, for the sake of their stomachs, instead of giving him his pills, Onochie said via a Facebook post on her page on Monday. Abubakar had demanded a public apology and N500m for defamation after Onochie had alleged that the former Vice President of Nigeria was on the watchlist of the United Arab Emirate and was recently in the Middle East to shop for terrorists. The PDP presidential candidate in a letter via his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had threatened a 2 billion Naira suit against Onochie if she fails to apologise publicly. However, according to the presidential aide, she will not be distracted her from her job by Atikus demands. She said: We are entering into the most crucial time at the Election Tribunal where the mandate freely given to our beloved President by Nigerians, is being challenged and Im their nightmare. In their thinking, (are saying) Lets distract Lauretta Onochie. We cant afford to have her focused on her job. I cant be distracted, she said Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley has been handed over the police by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The rapper is to remain there until his next hearing which is on May 30th. Upon appearing before the court, Naira Marley pleaded not guilty to the 11 count charge preferred against him by the EFCC. The was adjourned to May 30th and Naira Marleys mum who was in court to witness her sons arraignment broke down in tears and got even more emotional as she watched her son being handed over to men of the Nigerian Prison Service for detention until May 30, 2019. Traditional priests and priestesses of different deities, native doctors, Ewuaise palace society and different ancient traditional worshippers including Olokun and Ovia priestesses assembled some major streets in Benin city. This was to cleanse the land and appease the gods following the increase in killings caused by armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, which security agencies have not been able to curtail. All these traditional worshippers, priests, priestess and native doctors converged at the ancient Urhokpota ground in red attires with different traditional instruments of war Were they in unison laid disastrous curses on those committing evil in the kingdom. Animals were slaughtered and traditional items were offered to ancestors. Upon leaving Urhokpota Hall, the groups went to major areas such as Sokponba Road, Kings Square, Murtala Mohammed Way, Igbesamwan Street, Akpakpava Road and ended at Emotan Shrine at Oba Market Road. The Ewaise Group headed by Chief Eguezigbon and Chief Ohen-Egie of Ogbeson led the event. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday held a meeting with Mamman Daura and Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Saudi Arabia, where he is performing lesser hajj. Also in attendance were Saad Abubakar, sultan of Sokoto; Isa Dodo, Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Ismaila Isa, an associate of the president; Wale Tinubu, chief executive officer of Oando PLC; Najib Adamu, emir of Kazaure; Hakeem Fahm, commissioner of science and technology of Lagos state. Tinubu while speaking after the meeting said the president had worked really hard and as such Nigerians should really around him in ensuring peace and stability in Nigeria. Tinubu was quoted as saying that The President worked hard and will continue to do so to ensure peace and stability in the country, which are important for the economy to make progress. These are the key pegs of his agenda. Let us all come together to support him. As for the latest allegations made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which accused the president and the APC of using Facebook as a platform to weaken the growth of Nigeria Tinubu has always been known for saucy statements. He said that rather than being angry with the PDP, Nigerians should assist them to overcome their colossal defeat in the 2019 elections. Dont blame them. They are handicapped by the traumatic feelings of the colossal loss of the election. You should help them to manage the trauma, he said. Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. Speaking to Insurance Business about why California was the chosen destination, Austbrokers divisional chief executive Nigel Thomas said the stars aligned in the groups favour. We identified succession planning as a key opportunity so we had a look to see where we could get the best style of training and the University of San Francisco provided an excellent option, he said. We were able to work with them to create a bespoke offering for us and we were very fortunate because it also coordinated with the AIMS event being held in Pasadena. Commenting on the key theme of succession planning, Thomas said the topic was chosen to meet the specific needs of businesses within the Austbrokers network. In businesses of the scale and size that exist in our partnership model, you find that the majority are working in the business, rather than on the business, he explained. Being part of the group, were able to bring a different aspect to the consideration and create these opportunities where people can start to work on the business, rather than in it. Importantly, the education program went beyond the concept of internal succession planning and identified ways in which brokerages can leverage the weight of the entire network to attract, retain and develop talented staff. If we can spend time formally considering succession planning, and formally working on it, then we have an opportunity to create and develop talent right across the group, said Thomas. You can sit in your business, identify the talent and develop it as best you can, but when youre part of a network, as in Austbrokers, theres an opportunity to work with a much wider group of people. The ability to leverage the power of the group, Thomas said, was a key takeaway from the trip and one which he received significantly positive feedback around. The feedback has been really, really positive and its definitely made our partners feel part of the group in a manner that helps them see succession planning as something thats wider than just within the individual business, he said. Of course, as a vocal advocate of career-long learning, Thomas said he too gained valuable insight as a result of attending the education program. My personal takeaway was around the level of collaboration and openness that our partners exhibit when they work together to look at a particular issue or opportunity, being succession planning in this case, he told Insurance Business. It was really encouraging to be a part of that room and to see how much people take all of that in so they can bring it back to their businesses and work on it in a more formal sense. Looking forward, its this focus on bringing actionable insights back to Australia which will remain front and centre. Were going to continue to roll out work that was done at the university, back into the partner businesses to ensure that we bring back tangible results and outcomes, said Thomas. Thats the key to why we went there, to ensure everyone came away with something tangible to take back into their business. Last week, four Saudi Arabian, UAE, and Norwegian-flagged tankers were attacked just outside the port of Fujairah. So far, no-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks although Reuters claimed to have seen a confidential Norwegian insurers report that pointed to Irans Revolutionary Guards as highly likely to have facilitated the incident. Additionally, Reuters reported that two US government sources believed Iran encouraged Yemeni Houthi militants or Iraq-based Shiite militias to carry out the attacks. The incident is currently being investigated by officials from Saudi Arabi, Norway, and UAE, who have described the attack as deliberate. The enmity between Iran and Saudi Arabia continues to create tensions as the Saudis believe Iran is trying to control strategic waterways, said the Joint War Committee. Read more: Generali announces huge group net profit for Q1 With Caltagirone, Del Vecchio together we make a good Italian front, Luciano Benetton, one of four siblings who founded the Benetton industrial empire, said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica. We have a sizeable Italian stake that, all three together, we want to increase. We think that Generali must remain an Italian company. The family is known for the founding of fashion company Benetton Group, as well investments in Italian transportation infrastructure and roadside restaurants. Last year, the family earned the ire of the Italian government after the collapse of a motorway bridge maintained by their motorway division killed 43 people in Genoa. The Benettons have denied any wrongdoing, reiterating that their group had done the proper maintenance for the infrastructure projects it manages. When his mother joined a class action lawsuit against United after Maxs death, she found that red tape had repeatedly denied treatments from mental health coverage across the United States. While a judge ultimately found United Behavioral Health to be liable for breaching fiduciary duty and denying benefits, the case allegedly revealed widespread failures in the mental health system. Read more: To beat opioids we must address the psychology of pain The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a landmark law passed more than a decade ago, requires insurers to provide equivalent coverage for mental health and medical treatments. However, mental health advocates have alleged that insurers use subtle methods to circumvent the rules. Health insurers are not following the federal law requiring parity in the reimbursement for mental health and addiction, President Donald Trumps commission on the opioid crisis wrote in a 2017 report. They must be held responsible. According to Bloomberg, some of the techniques used to block treatments include padding provider directories with clinics that no longer accept new patients and requesting voluminous piles of paperwork before approving treatment. Itll look like they have all these psychiatrists, but they actually dont, Brian Dixon, a child psychiatrist in Texas told Bloomberg. And when Ohio psychologist Melissa Davies examined the directory of health insurer Anthem, she encountered a glaring problem: I found a great number of their providers were no longer practicing or were dead. You have parity coverage on paper, Angela Kimball, acting chief executive officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, told Bloomberg. But if you cant find an in-network provider in your coverage, it can become meaningless for you if you cant afford care or find it. On their end, insurers point to a shortage of mental health experts and a lack of reliable ways to measure quality as contributing to the problem. Our members work very hard day in and day out to ensure there is parity between mental health care and physical health care, Kate Berry, senior vice president of clinical affairs at trade group Americas Health Insurance Plans, told Bloomberg. More importantly, federal rules dont provide guidelines on whether a health plans network of mental health providers is sufficient. It also doesnt help that there isnt a central regulatory body that can define and enforce the rules. Its hard to define who owns this problem when theres so many different entities and people responsible for enforcement, Lindsey Vuolo, associate director of health law and policy at the non-profit Center on Addiction, told Bloomberg. To say the agency technology space is robust is an understatement. Right now, the industry is seeing an onslaught of technology available to enable agents and brokers to better manage, not only their business, but also their customer base, says Laird Rixford, CEO of Dallas-based Insurance Technologies Corp. (ITC). There are so many options for agencies today its almost too much. They have all these different options, or the same options, and its almost overwhelming. The next few years will bring big changes to the agency tech world, adds Ron Berg, executive director at the Agents Council for Technology (ACT). There has never been a better time for our distribution channel because of the technology advances that our carriers are making and the investments by the technology vendors. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, but were seeing more willingness by independent agents to adopt technology advancements than ever before. There has never been a better time for our distribution channel because of the technology advances that our carriers are making and the investments by the technology vendors. As more of them are embracing new technologies, agents are working through some challenges and overcoming barriers along the way. The first challenge is understanding todays diverse technology landscape and keeping up with current trends. Find out where the biggest hits or highest value technology implementations are heading and then understand how to get started, Berg said. Things like artificial intelligence, chatbots, and more common tools like mobile, e-signature, portals, apps for customers are important to understand. Agencies need to have a balanced view on common best practices and where to go for help, he said. Staying involved with ACT is one way to keep up-to-date, Berg says. ACT helps by bringing together all the carriers, vendors, agents and brokers, to provide consensus on what the state of the industry is. Simplification The first thing agencies should do when thinking about the future of agency tech is to keep it simple, said Jason Walker, managing partner at SmartHarbor, a Columbus, Ohio-based digital technology provider for independent insurance agents. When you hear the buzz phrases like AI or artificial intelligence, or machine learning, let it go, he said, and then simplify. When I talk about artificial intelligence, what were looking at and where agencies are moving from a trend perspective is really towards automation, he said. Thats not exactly artificial intelligence, he said. Artificial intelligence is usually something that is programmed to act like a human, whereas automation is more of Hi, my names Jason Walker, on a form, and then the form should respond by saying, Hi Jason Walker, Im X agency, how can I help you?' This automation tool for smart forms is one area that more agencies are implementing today, Walker said. These tools are more conversational and humanized and give the consumer the feeling that their issue is being treated right now. Process automation is a huge focus area for ResourcePro clients, says Andy Niver, vice president, Innovation & Analytics at ResourcePro. The conversation usually begins with, Hey, I want to automate stuff. How do I think about that?' he said. And really for us, when we go and look at these areas with our clients and their business, we really look at it from the perspective of what are they trying to do? What are they trying to achieve? How are they approaching this from an integration perspective into their operations? Niver says any business or agency can automate a process, but to be able to do it in a way that makes sense to that particular business is critical. Its not as simple as just going and buying an automation piece of software. You can create a robot, but then the question is how do you trigger the robot? he said. You need to have a workflow engine that kind of sits on top of your robot. This workflow engine which says, robot A, go and start working. Robot A comes back, gives me information, now robot B, go and do something, he said. All of those different pieces to the puzzle are part of what we work out with our clients to automate and orchestrate within their operations, depending on how that process fits into their workflow. Chat-enabled features are becoming more popular on agency websites, too, according to ACTs Berg. Im seeing agencies become more willing to utilize components of artificial intelligence (AI), such as machine learning for chatbots, he said. Thats being used to create enhanced chat capabilities so that potential customers, or policyholders can visit an agency website and either obtain the information they need or be directed to the information they need via a database linked to a chat bot functionality. ITCs Rixford agrees that neural computer learning used in chatbots is beginning to take hold, but most agencies arent there yet due to its complexity and oftentimes how difficult it can be to integrate with various agency systems, such as automated marketing platforms, rating systems, agency management systems and document management systems. That integration is a large hurdle for agencies right now, he said. All of these different systems need to work together so that then you start developing a singular set of data that can be grabbed by these neuro learning nets and applied to create insights that are applicable to the agency, Rixford said. ITC makes all of its systems open via Application Programming Interface (API) so that anybody can integrate with their services, with permission, security approval and authentication. Thats because we believe that while we might have the best rating system, we might not have the best management system (for a particular agency) and so we give agencies all the tools they need to interact with all of our services, whether it be our management, our marketing and our rating, he said. That may not be the case in every tech situation. As agency technology continues to mature, the focus will be on continuing to simplify. That means agencies will operate through multiple mechanisms such as data pre-fill, data services, data analytics, and have interconnected systems, according to Rixford. This is extremely important; where you will have disparate systems that all work together through back channel APIs and where you can choose the best of breed technology for your agency, he said. Its about finding the right technology that meets the needs of your growing business. It might be a comparative rater from one company and an agency management system from another company. Walker agrees that theres plenty of room for growth when it comes to integration and connectivity among various agency technologies and products. The challenges lies in the connection between each one of those, he added. Connecting the Dots Beyond integration and connectivity, another challenge is access to the right data. Any kind of artificial intelligent-based model needs good data to feed it, said Jason Kolb, founder and CEO of DAIS Technology Inc. I think where agents kind of hurt a little bit more than carriers is just in having access to a lot of the data that you need to feed AI, he said. But that is changing. For example, some of the things that were doing is creating some new and unique data points, and then injecting those into agency workflows, Kolb said. Were collecting data from producers, CSRs, and key basic principles on scoring how carriers and their products, their coverage quality, their value-adds, their speed and responsiveness, their pricing then were using that, especially for volume and flow business, to do matching. According to Kolb, AI can help produce better recommendations for the placement of business, helping to limit the need to touch small commercial accounts or scoring the strength of different applications. We see a lot of information contained in an application, a submission, and helping agents and underwriters to understand the strength of the information, the quality of the information in there. This is where AI can help, he said. Weve got some AI doing some interesting scoring based on the characteristics of the exposure data. Another barrier to moving forward with AI-driven technologies, which is not unique to the agency side of the industry, is what Kolb referred to as a push and pull between technology and people. Technology really augments people; it doesnt replace them, Kolb contends. But employees fear that they will be replaced. ACTs Berg believes that while job loss may be a concern, its unfounded. The core value of the independent agent distribution channel is that trusted advisor relationship and that part cannot be automated, Berg said. What AI, machine learning and chatbots do is provide more actionable insight, instant service capability to free up the independent agent to provide more superior services. The biggest risk for independent agents, Kolb says, is that customer experience is suffering. Its hard for independent agents to keep up with some of the insurance acts out there and a big factor in that is the fact that its really difficult to use the data that the agents have, he said. Theyve got a lot of really great data, but they also need data from carriers and right now its extremely difficult for them to actually put that to use to create new and different customer experiences. Kolb hopes to help change that through The Internet of Insurance, a DAIS Technology network of agents, carriers and technology companies that is promising to align incentives between agencies and carriers, allowing partners to both own a stake in and help guide the development of the network. What were excited about is capturing the knowledge and the expertise of the individuals, whether its an underwriter or a CSR or a producer, and then creating a learning system so you can start to progressively automate the low-hanging fruit, Kolb said. You see that a lot in the carrier world in terms of progressively automating quotes, especially small premium business, but its happening on the agency side as well for processing. Agencies have moved processing work from higher cost centers to lower cost centers, such as moving tasks from a producer to a CSR, for example, or from a CSR to an offshore organization. But the next step is to completely automate. The way that you do that is by observing the interactions and collecting data around how those producers and CSRs work, and then feeding that to an AI so that it can do the work, he said. That is whats happening now. Its not a big bang, Kolb said. Its more of an eat the elephant one bite at a time type of a thing where youre taking the highest cost, most time-consuming tasks, and delegating them to an AI, in this case. Mike Ansay, CEO of Ansay & Associates in Port Washington, Wis., with more than 300 employees, has taken note of Kolbs Internet of Insurance. Its a platform strategy which changes dynamically how we do business internally and externally with the customer, Ansay explained. His organization has been working to bring the product to independent agents. Ansay says the insurance industry, like many others, is looked upon as a business model that could be disrupted by fintech. As agency owners, we have the most important thing, and thats the relationships, he said. But how do we remain relevant to a changing technology environment where customer relationships are at the forefront of the relationship? Independent agents must address connectivity and integration, he says. We currently have connectivity in how we conduct business and how we do business, but the ability to be digitized and connect differently is really going to be the next level of opportunity for the independent agent, Ansay says. He believes what Kolb has to offer will give the agents different approaches in that connectivity and allow for more value-adds to deliver a better customer experience. One of the key elements Ansay says the platform will offer agents is single entry to multi-carriers. Thats something thats been in the works for 35 years, and they have done it, he said. Ansay says that right now the platform has secured 50 carriers in the process. I believe that as more agents join, it will become a two-phased marketplace that will bring value to everybody that is engaged in it, he said. It really revolutionizes how were going to do business. He said so far the Internet of Insurance has partnered with state Big I associations in New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Tennessee and Louisiana with more on the way. Topics Carriers Agencies InsurTech Tech Data Driven There has been plenty of talk about how cyber continues to evolve in an ever-changing technology landscape, how cyber risks have become increasingly sophisticated and how the insurance industry needs to keep pace. Meanwhile, the question of how to transform cyber insurance into a more sustainable market remains. Cyber is moving so fast that were on this cadence of were almost changing the coverage on an annual basis, said Bob Parisi, managing director and cyber product leader for Marsh. Once you have one or two markets doing that, you feel like, Well, Im going to be left. The train has left the station.' Parisi was among the panelists at the PLUS Cyber Symposium in New York last month addressing the sustainability issue. Youre comparing apples to oranges to pears. Its part of that lingering confusion that people associate with the cyber market. From Parisis perspective, the emphasis on change has led to division among brokers in terms of how cyber insurance is presented to clients and how policies are structured, creating a lack of consistency in the space. You have 21 different legitimate cyber markets, and there are 22 different cyber forms on any given risk that a mid-sized to large client has, so a broker is getting five different options, five different policies, five different definitions of claims, computer system, cyber event or glitch that they have to explain to the client in a way Youre comparing apples to oranges to pears. Its part of that lingering confusion that people associate with the cyber market. that the client can understand, Parisi said. He added that standardization among terminologies and glossaries will be important for cyber insurance going forward. However, standardization is not something the cyber insurance space has its arms around yet. Its not just brokers who are struggling, according to Gina Pilla, managing director and head of professional lines at Arch Reinsurance Company. From my perspective, the only standard is that there really hasnt been a standard, Pilla said, explaining that a lack of standard language in cyber policies is something that reinsurers have been challenged with as well. We would like to have a better understanding of what were actually covering when we reinsure someone who is ready for cyber. Because cyber has quickly and continuously evolved, standard policy language has not been able to keep up, said Steve Krusko, chief underwriting officer at Berkley Cyber Risk Solutions. Even policies written five years ago might not be clearly addressing some of the issues. I think sometimes clients just want clarity, he said. They want to know, Could this one event or this one scenario be covered under our policy? Rather than hearing, Well, you know, our definition of computer system is this, so lets just add it in there.' Lingering Confusion Beyond simply understanding a cyber policys language, determining how evolved a cyber policy is in terms of whether it approaches cyber as a property and casualty risk, or whether it is based on an errors and omissions form has been another challenge, Parisi added. Youre comparing apples to oranges to pears, he said. Its part of that lingering confusion that people associate with the cyber market. With all of this in mind, panelists expressed frustration regarding how cyber policies can be structured with many endorsements, calling for more consistency and clarity. A policy thats issued with 37 endorsements as a former claims person thats confusing, Parisi said. Now, I have to read the policy backward and see, for the thing Im looking at, was there an endorsement that modified that particular portion of coverage? Krusko added that he believes this difficulty is exacerbated by the ever-changing cyber market as well, leading some brokers to fear getting left behind. Sometimes I feel like, is the broker asking for those 27 endorsements because they dont want to get shut out by the competitor broker who has basically said, Oh, you missed the ERP endorsement on there?' Krusko said. So, they have this long list of endorsements, which technically are probably not even anything from a coverage standpoint thats material. You see a lot of that going on. Building a Sustainable Market As the insurance industry works toward transforming cyber insurance into a more sustainable market, Parisi said he believes the key is to move away from the notion that cyber insurance is simply about price and focus on making the coverage feel more valuable to clients. We have to get off of the cadence of, Well just make it cheaper and people will buy it,' he said. Parisi added that currently, a big uptick in cyber coverage has been seen outside of the privacy space on the industrial side. He explained that industrial clients are buying cyber coverage because it has started to adapt and respond to their business interruption exposures and their digital asset losses, filling the voids that property and casualty coverage has left behind by pulling out. Clients will pay for [coverage] if its real, Parisi said. Now, when I go to a risk manager at a large manufacturing or industrial company, they say I get thats valuable coverage. Ill pay for that because it has value to me. I dont view it as just dipping my toe in the water.' However, Pilla raised concerns that while there is still a lack of understanding around cyber risks, the coverage is too broad. We need to build sustainable product with cyber, she said. When I think about expanding coverage to include blanket contingent business interruption with a system failure trigger for a Fortune 1,000 company, I dont even know what Im reinsuring. So, if there is one of those systemic events, it could be a disaster and its not a sustainable product. Lack of Data Krusko added that a lack of data regarding cyber business interruption risk is another concern. There isnt a lot of data out there, and some of our carriers are going into it a little blind because theyre using rate plans that were basically designed to cover business interruption for a traditional cyber buyer maybe its a retail or healthcare risk, or technology errors and omissions and its a percentage of the liability premium, Krusko said. There runs the risk of, if we keep going down this particular path, were going to find the rates arent really adequate. With pricing in mind, Pilla emphasized that underwriters cant ignore the catastrophe element. I get frustrated when people talk about how we have lower loss ratios, so we should be expanding coverage because we havent paid a lot of claims. But you have to think about the exposure youre putting on your balance sheets, Pilla said. Exposure is there, and its very hard to measure it when we expand the forms in such a way that we dont even know who were actually insuring. Pilla pointed again to contingent business interruption as an example. Were providing product to anyone that company does business with, and we dont even know who they are. So, we have to consider the exposure, not just the historical losses that weve paid when were talking about premium adequacy, she said. Parisi believes a solution for cyber insurance is that sustainability can come as underwriters model how the property market has historically underwritten risk. The property market is able to sustain bad hurricane years To be sustainable, you have to underwrite to the risk, he said. So go next door, ask the property guy for his rating model and start applying it. There are solutions here that can solve some of these problems. Focusing on Resilience Another key for underwriters within cyber insurance, Parisi said, is to concentrate on resilience. You want the company that is talking resilience, not the company thats talking security, he said. He added that as a former underwriter, he would find it concerning if a company today was still talking only about security and not resilience. When we first started this back in the days of yore, it was, How deep is the moat? How high is the wall? and that was it. Thats not what were talking about anymore, he said. Its how can you function when bad things happen, and can you continue to deal with that and move forward? Because if all you do is just shut down, thats a bad risk. Indeed, Krusko added its difficult for underwriters to wrap their heads around cyber when looking at individual risk situations. Consequently, its important to focus on resiliency as a whole. How well is the board involved? How well do they do business interruption, continuity plans, backup vendors and all of those things that are going on to make sure theyre resilient and prepared? Krusko asked. Its not about if it will happen anymore, but when it will happen. Parisi stated that while taking steps toward achieving greater sustainability in the cyber insurance space may seem daunting, its imperative and becoming more attainable as the cyber market continues to evolve, respond to losses and establish itself in the marketplace. I do think that the cyber market has gotten past that hurdle of being able to show that it does respond to loss and that the coverage is there, Parisi said. Now, the coverage looks and feels the way the buyer thinks it is. The cyber market has gotten to the point where now its viewed as credible, because its language and cadence of discussion is credible. Topics Cyber Agencies Underwriting Reinsurance Property Professional Liability The Louisiana Supreme Court has determined that state law does not expressly prohibit a clause in a commercial property insurance policy that specifies that any coverage dispute ending up in litigation must be heard in a forum, or venue, named in the policy. The high court made that determination in Creekstone Juban I, L.L.C. v. XL Insurance America, Inc., a case that concerns a dispute over claims related to flood damage to commercial property in Louisiana. In writing for the courts majority, Justice Scott J. Crichton explained that the underlying case involves claims filed with XL following massive flooding in Louisiana in August 2016, in which the property, Juban Crossing, sustained extensive flood damage to the buildings and their contents, including loss of revenue. Before the lawsuit was filed, XL paid $5 million to Creekstone Juban, the entity that owns the property, for damage caused by the flooding. XL did not immediately pay additional amounts requested by Creekstone, which subsequently filed suit against the insurer in the 21st Judicial District Court in Livingstone Parish. The suit against XL was over various disputes, but the Louisiana Supreme Court opinion released on May 8 only addressed the issue of the forum selection clause. The Policy includes a forum selection clause, whereby the parties agreed that any disagreement related to the Policy shall be brought exclusively in the State of New York, Crichton wrote. In answer to Creekstones suit filed in Louisiana district court, XL filed a motion to dismiss, citing the forum selection clause, under which the parties agreed to litigate all issues involving the contract in New York state. Opposing XLs motion to dismiss, Creekstone contended that the forum selection clause was invalid under La. R.S. 22:868, which provides that no insurance contract delivered or issued for delivery in Louisiana and covering subjects in Louisiana shall contain any provision [d]epriving the courts of this state of the jurisdiction of action against the insurer. The trial court agreed with Creekstone that upholding the forum selection clause would violate public policy. In a split decision, the five-judge panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeal, denied XLs application for supervisory writ. Accepting the case, the state supreme court recognized that the narrow legal question raised by the forum selection clause requiring litigation be heard in New York state is whether the clause violates Louisiana law and public policy. Creekstone argued that the clause goes against public policy as it deprives Louisiana jurisdiction over the dispute. XL countered that the clause doesnt deprive Louisiana of jurisdiction, rather it sets forth a contractual agreement that New York is the proper venue for any action under the Policy, and leaves the courts subject matter jurisdiction unaffected, the opinion states. The Louisiana Supreme Court in its opinion pointed out that it has previously explained that jurisdiction and venue are distinct legal concepts. The court then agreed with XL, finding the plain language of the statute does not prohibit the forum selection clause at issue in this case, as it chooses New York as the venue for the dispute, and does not deprive Louisiana courts of jurisdiction. The Court also pointed out that the parties to this contract are sophisticated Delaware entities engaging in a commercial transaction, and they exercised contractual freedom to resolve any dispute related to the contract in a particular forum in arms-length negotiations. Upholding the trial courts ruling in this case would undermine the ability of the parties to freely engage in sophisticated contractual agreements and thereby impair the ability of companies to do business in this state. Additionally, the court said, Creekstone had offered no evidence whatsoever of difficulties it would encounter in litigating in another forum. The trial courts judgement was reversed insofar as it denied the exception of improper venue. The courts decision was not unanimous. Justices Genovese and Hughes dissented. Topics Louisiana Commercial Lines Flood Business Insurance New York Property After eight years as the head of the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI), Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak is leaving Tennessee state government to pursue career opportunities in the private sector, according to a statement from TDCI. TDCI said her last day as commissioner will be June 14. Governor Bill Lee has named Deputy Commissioner Carter Lawrence to serve as interim commissioner until a permanent commissioner is selected. Lee thanked McPeak for her years of service and her tireless commitment to her department and to Tennessee. We wish her the best in her future endeavors. Of Lawrence, Lee said he has ably served as deputy commissioner at the [department] 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 role as president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which she completed in December. 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, she 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. Lawrence has been with TDCI since 2017, previously overseeing its administration as well as the Division of Regulatory Boards. Topics Tennessee Lets face it, insurance is a commodity. The insurance consumer will not see any significant value difference between insurance companies and insurance agencies. Products, price and service are roughly the same. Consumers have new options to access insurance through, as insurtech and fintech (technology-related companies) drive channel distribution into new, non-traditional companies. Direct writers rely heavily on clever marketing to promote their brand presence. Local, independent agencies no longer have a captive audience. To differentiate from others, salespeople are forced to sell on rapport, relationships and sales skills. Hackneyed pitches such as, we have the best service or this policy has broader coverage get bandied about. Price sensitivity is often handled by adjusting or justifying limits and deductibles. How to Differentiate How can the insurance industry in general, and a local insurance agency specifically, standout and be perceived as offering an excellent quality service to the consumer? The answer is to provide the client with additional services and products that they cannot get from the rest of the insurance industry or other agencies in town: Services and products that the consumer needs and desires, or new ones that they dont yet know that they need. Firms that offer value added services will stand out from the competition. These additional services are called value-added services and as the name describes, are valuable to the client. Value-added services (referred to as VAS in this article) are add-ons to the core services of a business. They have unique characteristics and provide benefits to the client that core services cannot. VAS can be stand-alone products, although they are usually connected to the core service and intended to enhance them. Increasing customer expectations are the initial driver in the offering and creation of VAS. The major players in the insurance industry react to meet these consumer demands. Insurtech and fintech companies develop new and innovative VAS, which creates new services that the customer did not have before. But what can the local, independent agency do? Anticipate and Collaborate Incorporating VAS into an agency will require a re-think on the core beliefs and behaviors of an agency. It requires understanding the current clients needs and then filling in those gaps. It is equally important to anticipate future needs and develop or seek out VAS that will be attractive to the customer. VAS should be looked at as a way to collaborate and engage the customer. This with strengthen existing relationships, improve retention and foster new client acquisitions. VAS can be anything that insurance customers might want or need. There are two ways to categorize VAS. First, VAS can be in the form of advice and assistance. These VAS typically provide information to prevent or mitigate risk, as well as let the customer better manage their property and lifestyle. Some ideas include risk management services, human resources services, attorney services, financial management services, estate planning, business consulting, disaster planning, identity theft protection, COBRA administration, loss control, workers compensation claims management, security protection, etc. Second, VAS can be a self-service tool, where the client has the tools to better manage the account and the insured risk on their own time. Consumers like the immediate access, and the agency usually has less service work to perform. Self-service tools are generally in collaboration with the insurance company or some other third party. Some carriers allow customers to have limited but direct access to their account online. Third-party vendors have created client portals that enable customers to access information and make limited changes to their accounts. These include CSR24, Zywave, CertificatesNow, etc. Next Steps There needs to be a realistic assessment on what can be offered by the agency based on staff, time and money limitations. Otherwise, these services are often outsourced for a fee. A smaller agency in a rural area might not be able to provide the same exotic services a larger agency or regional broker offers to its high-end clients. However, that same small agency can put together an impressive package of VAS and products that will differentiate it from its competitors. Putting together a customized package of VAS can be rewarding and can be incredibly time-consuming if it becomes too elaborate. If the agency is large, it might make sense to have a full-time employee who can research, analyze and create a series of VAS for the agency. In a small- to medium-sized agency, the owners with administrative staff will have to do this and decide what can be offered cost-effectively for the firm and its clients. Some agencies provide these services for only accounts over a specific size. Some agencies will pay for these services for their clients, and some charge the client for the use of these services. Baby Steps There are some very simple VAS that can be done quickly with minimal cost. One client had these two thoughts: 1) Send out an email to clients with a checklist for disaster preparation, especially just before a pending event such as a tornado or hurricane. 2) Videotape or photograph a clients possessions (personal and business) for claims purposes on a bi-annual basis, and store the videos at the agency. Some agencies are also offering drone service to look over prospects properties for hazards an underwriter may be skeptical about, especially with all of the wildfires in certain areas. Education is an easy VAS. Some agencies offer public workshops on insurance-related topics. Training can be customized for a specific client as well, such as risk management, loss control, employee benefits compliance, etc. There are a plethora of sources to create an educational VAS. Internal risk management services and products can be developed from sources, such as IRMI and RIMS. Advisen (advisen.com) provides its members with a variety of resources related to insurance products and industry-specific news and data. Imagine being able to show clients how their insurance portfolio compares to peers through the use of industry-specific benchmarking. Or, periodically send clients important industry news related to insurance. How about being able to compare policy coverage forms between companies in proposals? VAS Outsourcing There are shortcuts that can be used in place of creating customized VAS. Research what VAS insurance companies might offer. Many companies will put together a package of VAS for their key agents and VIP policyholders. For example, some companies offer VAS for high-end personal lines clients, such as appraisal services, home monitoring, identity fraud mitigation, background checks on domestic employees. Chubbs private fire prevention services recently made the news during the California wildfires. Health insurers offer telemedicine, health screening and education on preventive health care. Life companies offer estate planning and retirement planning services. Work with other local professionals to develop VAS packages to offer clients. Coordinate with local CPAs, attorneys and payroll service-providers to offer their services at a discount to clients. Hire a consultant that can develop a business disaster plan and sell that service to clients. Some companies pre-package a set of VAS that the typical insurance customer might desire. One such company is BizAssure (bizassure.com). Members can offer to their clients legal, HR, claims and accounting services. They can pay the BizAssure fee themselves or charge the clients that need and use the services available. This type of arrangement can put the small agency ahead of its larger competitors in the eyes of the consumer. These organizations charge a membership fee for the offerings. Free or Fee Because these are add-ons to primary insurance services offered for a commission, they should meet the definition of what agencies can charge a fee for by law. Therefore, VAS can be sold to the client for a price as long as they are separately disclosed on the client invoice. Dont be surprised when they dont blink at paying a fee for the VAS. Clients will love the ease of getting great additional services and products provided by their broker/agent. Wrap Up VAS are increasingly important to the insurance industry. Keep in mind there are at least three benefits to the agency. First, the client will become more of an advocate of the agency and less likely to move to another agent/broker. Second, agencies that have VAS will have a market advantage and attract new clients. Finally, if the agency offers these additional services and products for a fee, the agency will bring in a new income stream. Start small and methodically add services and products. Keep the main focus on insurance products. Add value to that service before adding VAS. Dont get bogged down handling the details of the value-added services they should be mostly outsourced. This approach often does not require a significant commitment from the agency. Oak is the founder of the consulting firm, Oak & Associates, based in Northern California and Central Oregon. Schoeffler is an associate of the firm. Oak & Associates. Phone: 707-936-6565. Email: catoak@gmail.com. Topics Agencies Abuse Molestation Market Training Development 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: anyones 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 havent seen any ebb in demand for coastal homes. So how much homeowners and communities should worry and how much they should invest in remedies remains 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 shes 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 cant lose that equity. Nearby, Denis Champagne cant be sure that rising seas are hurting his waterfront homes value. The three-story, four-bedroom home has views of a scenic marsh, has been renovated and is blocks from the ocean yet was assessed at only around $420,000. Do I feel that it should be worth more than that? Champagne said recently in his sun-soaked living room. I mean, Im biased, but where can you find this for that price anywhere? 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 theyve been banking on their homes 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, which describes itself as a not-for-profit organization of digitally-driven advocates for sea level rise solutions on its Facebook page. 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 associations 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. 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. Champagnes 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 Boulders School of Business found coastal properties most exposed to sea level rise sold, on average, for 7% less than equivalent properties the same distance from shore but not as threatened by the sea. And in Floridas 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 wasnt 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. The decision to use Army Corps projections has minimal impact on the studys assessment of current property values since those figures are based on where flooding is already happening, but it does factor into the studys future estimates, said Steven McAlpine, a data scientist for the foundation. We feel it is a reasonable projection, he said. 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 dont want to live through noreaster after noreaster with no protection. He argues theres 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. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood Climate Change Property As the cost of the Brexit turmoil mounts for British companies, business leaders are fed up with the U.K.s political class. And with Prime Minister Theresa Mays tenure coming to an end, they worry about the alternatives. The anger is directed at Westminster as a whole, Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said in an interview. There are concerns about lots of individuals and lots of political parties right now, he said. U.K. companies have already had to adjust to two delays to Brexit day, which has been postponed to Oct. 31. Now May has agreed to put a date on her departure, they face months of more drama as the governing party elects a new leader who will likely redefine the course of Brexit. Politicians are chasing rainbows, and businesses are paying for political indecision, Marshall said. Meanwhile, the costs mount, and a lot of businesses face working capital pressures, he said. Costs include: European customers canceling orders in large quantities Stockpiling goods and components in case trade frictions surface Moving stock to and from the continent to ensure products are in the right place when any change materializes Global customers holding off orders because they dont know what tariffs will apply Hiring staff to deal with logistics. Staff With Nothing to Do Marshall cited the example of a freight company that had hired logistics experts to deal with the effects of Brexit on March 29 the original deadline.It cant let those people go now because that scenario could come back in October, and the skills are in such high demand, he said. Its basically carrying them on the books for six months without them actually having that much to do. Marshall spoke before talks between the government and the opposition Labour party collapsed. The government may move this week to hold non-binding votes in the House of Commons on various Brexit options, before May puts a deal to a vote for a fourth time in early June. Its been defeated on three occasions and few expect it to pass this time. After that, May will spell out the timetable for her departure. Marshall said that for companies, the detail is more important than the packaging of any deal. That includes things like whether the U.K. remains in a sales-tax bloc with European nations, rules-of-origin on trade, and customs and regulatory checks. These are the real-world things that people talk about, and instead all we have is politicians who tell us about the box, not whats inside it, he said. His message to politicians? Stop grandiose statements at 30,000 feet and engage on the practical considerations that matter on the ground. Marshall said a no-deal exit remains something the vast majority of companies wanted to avoid, but warned theres a real worry it could happen by accident. The turmoil has placed companies in an almost impossible position: They have to plan for the future when there are any number of different models for Brexit that could prevail. Absolutely nothing has changed in months: businesses still face the same level of uncertainty now that they did three, six, nine, 12, 15, 18 months ago, because there is no clear path forward, Marshall said. People are watching to see whether this plane can make a controlled landing at the airport. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Trends Europe Uk Thailand, one of Asias top pork producers, is intensifying efforts to hold off a lethal pig virus thats causing havoc as it spreads across the region. African swine fever a disease that kills nearly all the pigs it infects has been spreading through Asia from China and Mongolia to Vietnam and Cambodia. Millions of pigs have been culled, creating a global protein shortage and saddling farmers and food businesses with billions of dollars in costs. Were on red alert for the pig virus, Anan Suwannarat, the permanent secretary in Thailands Agriculture Ministry, said in an interview. Were trying everything to prevent it from spreading to Thailand. Thailand has tightened inspections at airports and border checkpoints, cracked down on illegal slaughterhouses and traders, and imposed stricter requirements for reporting hog deaths. The authorities have detected contaminated pork products at airports and borders, but have not yet found any cases at farms. China, the largest pork producer and consumer, has been trying to contain the outbreak since August. But with no vaccine, the virus keeps spreading. The strain of African swine fever spreading in Asia is undeniably nasty, killing virtually every pig it infects by a hemorrhagic illness reminiscent of Ebola in humans. Its not known to sicken people, however. Economic Risk Vietnam, Southeast Asias biggest pork producer, discovered its first case in February. Cambodia sandwiched between Vietnam and Thailand reported its first infection less than two months later. Preventing the outbreak is our national agenda, said Cheerasak Pipatpongsopon, the deputy director-general at Thailands Livestock Department. Even if it gets into the country, well be quick in containing the outbreak to minimize the damage to the industry. The Agriculture Ministry has estimated an outbreak may cost the Thai economy more than $1 billion if over 50% of the countrys hogs are infected. That could reach nearly $2 billion if 80% are infected. The Thai government last month approved a $4.7 million budget to prepare the nation for a potential outbreak. No country is safe, said Dirk Pfeiffer, a professor at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health at the City University of Hong Kong. Theres a high risk of introduction of the virus for Thailand, as is the case for every country in the region and beyond. Thailand produces over 2 million hogs each year, and exports about 40% to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. It doesnt import live hogs or pork meat, according to Cheerasak, and now visitors are not permitted to bring processed pork products into the country. It has confiscated pork products at its airports and borders 550 times since August, detecting the virus 43 times, according to the Livestock Department. The Thai Swine Raisers Association said the government is striving to keep the disease out. The groups president, Surachai Sutthitham, said hes confident Thailand can stay clear of the virus. Porous borders increase the risk of the disease entering the country. The virus can survive in uncooked meat for a long period of time, and hogs can get infected if contaminated food gets into their feed. But swill feeding in Thailand is rare, Cheerasak said. An outbreak in Southeast Asias second-largest economy could pose a risk for major food companies like Betagro Pcl and Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl, and threaten 180,000 smallholders. It would also create an immediate challenge for the government due to be formed soon following Marchs general election. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Agribusiness Resembling the helmet of a Star Wars stormtrooper, a driverless electric truck began daily freight deliveries on a public road in Sweden on Wednesday [May 15], in what developer Einride and logistics customer DB Schenker described as a world first. Robert Falck, the CEO of Swedish start-up Einride, said the company was in partnership talks with major suppliers to help scale production and deliver orders, and the firm did not rule out future tie-ups with large truckmakers. This public road permit is a major milestone and it is a step to commercializing autonomous technology on roads, the former Volvo executive told Reuters. Since were a software and operational first company, a partnership with a manufacturing company is something that we see as a core moving forward, he said, adding he hoped to seal a deal by next year. Falck said Einride, whose investors include ex-Daimler Asia trucks head Marc Llistosella, is also courting investors for an ongoing Series A fundraising, often a companys first sizable one. It previously raised $10 million. Auto alliances are on the rise to share the cost of electric and autonomous technology. Ford has vowed to invest $500 million in U.S. electric utility truck startup Rivian. Einrides T-Pod is 26 tonnes when full and does not have a driver cabin, which it estimates reduces road freight operating costs by around 60 percent versus a diesel truck with a driver. Besides Schenker, Einride has orders from German grocer Lidl, Swedish delivery company Svenska Retursystem and five Fortune 500 retail companies, underpinning its ambition to have 200 vehicles in operation by the end of 2020. Freight operators are under pressure to reduce delivery times, cut emissions and face a growing shortage of drivers. Schenker picked Einride over established truckmakers as the T-Pod straddles the two biggest sector transformations: digitization and electrification, CEO Jochen Thewes said. We believe that Einride is the best concept out there for now, he said. The T-Pod is level 4 autonomous, the second highest category, and uses a Nvidia Drive platform to process visual data in real time. An operator, sitting miles away, can supervise and control up to 10 vehicles at once. Thewes said the rollout of 5G technology, vital for electrification, was lagging. For Schenkers pilot with Einride, Ericsson and Telia had to construct two new towers. The T-Pod has permission to make short trips between a warehouse and a terminal on a public road in an industrial area in Jonkoping, central Sweden, at up to 5 km/hr, documents from the transport authority show. Falck said Einride would apply next year for more public route permits and was planning to expand in the United States. Ground zero for autonomous vehicles is the United States. I think it will be the first market to scale when it comes to autonomous vehicles, he said. (Reporting by Esha Vaish and Ilze Filks, additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Mark Potter) Topics Auto USA Trucking Autonomous Vehicles Tougher rules on sulfur emissions from ships will come into effect next year in the biggest shake-up for the oil and shipping industries for decades. United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) met in London this week for the only Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) session this year and will fine tune guidance. What will the regulations mean for users and makers of marine fuel? IMO 2020 From January 2020, the IMO will ban ships from using fuels with a sulfur content above 0.5%, compared with 3.5% now. Only ships fitted with sulfur-cleaning devices known as scrubbers will be allowed to continue burning high-sulfur fuel. Ship owners can also opt for other sources of cleaner fuel such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Failure to comply with the global regulations will result in fines or vessels being detained, which could affect vital requirements such as insurance cover. The actual enforcement will be policed by flag and port states rather than the IMO. The regulations are aimed at improving human health by reducing air pollution. A study cited by the IMO says over 570,000 premature deaths will be prevented between 2020 and 2025 by the introduction of the tighter guidelines. Refineries separately face significant costs to adapt to the new fuel specifications. Can the Rules Be Stopped? Towards the end of last year there had been some industry concerns over whether there would be enough time to prepare for the start of the regulations, even though the measures were fully adopted in 2016. Given the complex IMO process involved in changing regulations, which would require an estimated 22 months for any amendments to take effect, there will not be enough time to delay the date and the changes will go ahead. Analysts still question whether there will be full enforcement by flag and port states. Will There Be Enough Low Sulphur Fuel? Oil majors including BP and Royal Dutch Shell have announced they are producing very low sulfur fuels that meet the 0.5% requirements. One of the major issues is whether there will be enough quantities of compliant fuel around ports across the world, which is vital for ships planning sailings. While major fuel bunkering ports such as Singapore, Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and Rotterdam in the Netherlands are expected to have compliant-fuel supplies, analysts and shipping firms point to concerns over what happens at smaller ports. The IMO approved at the MPEC session a standard format for what it called a fuel oil non-availability report, which can be presented to a port state in the event that only non-compliant fuel was available for a vessel to use. The International Chamber of Shipping association has warned ship owners that such mechanisms were a tool of last resort and should not be seen as a free pass either to use or carry non-complaint fuel. Are There Any Safety Issues with the New Fuel? It remains unclear what impact there will be over mixing very low sulfur fuels of 0.5% together, which at this stage have not been fully tested on ship engines. One of the risks is that the level of sediment created could damage engines at sea. A test video by BP showed the effect of mixing two compliant and stable but incompatible marine fuels with 0.5% sulfur content: https://www.bp.com/en/global/trading/crude-oil-and-refined-products/marine/marpol/marpol-video-library.html The IMO is working on guidance to avoid mixing different fuel batches. However, with potential for bunker fuel contamination after major problems in 2018, this issue continues to raise worries. What About Scrubbers? Apart from the use of low sulfur fuel of 0.5%, there is still an issue over whether jurisdictions and ports could restrict the use of certain types of scrubbers due to uncertainty over the effects of the waste water that gets pumped into the sea. Ten environmental groups have called on the IMO to impose an immediate ban on the use of scrubbers. Users of the devices argue that there is no conclusive scientific research showing that discharges from open loop scrubbers which wash out the sulfur cause environmental harm and their use was safe. Analysts say there is still the possibility of tighter restrictions, which would add to the costs of those investing in them. The IMO has encouraged further study into the impact of scrubbers on the environment. What About Future Regulations? The IMO is also pressing ahead with imposing tougher targets for cutting CO2 emissions from ships compared with 2008 levels in a phased process up to 2050. Many companies remain concerned about making investment decisions given expectations of more regulation. These future regulations may result in shippers switching to alternative non-petroleum fuels such as LNG, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in March. Because of this uncertainty, refiners and shippers may be hesitant to invest in complying with IMO 2020 if additional IMO regulations in the future could cause those investments to lose value or no longer be needed. (Editing by Veronica Brown and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Topics Legislation Energy Oil Gas Pollution Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she opposes Republicans proposal to let drivers fully forgo mandatory, unlimited medical benefits covered by their auto insurance premiums, saying she must draw a line but is open to requiring a minimum level of coverage. The Democrat made her comments after touring a rehabilitation facility for people with brain injuries, including those injured in car crashes, as the GOP-led Legislature considered efforts to cut the countrys highest premiums. She reiterated that she would veto the bills without changes and suggested that $250,000 of base coverage is worth consideration. Michigan is the only state to mandate unlimited personal injury protection, or PIP, benefits which on average makes up half of premiums. People dont think itll ever happen to them, Whitmer said of the potential for sustaining serious injuries in car accidents. Thats why weve got to have a base level that everyone buys into so that we can get the savings that we want but also protect the system. Under differing measures that won approval in the House and Senate last week, motorists could choose zero PIP coverage or higher levels as long as they have other health insurance. Whitmer warned that a full opt-out could bankrupt people with severe crash injuries, shift costs to the government-funded Medicaid system, and undermine hospital trauma centers and rehab clinics that are doing the critical work of helping people become independent again and get their lives back. Staffers for Whitmer and GOP legislative leaders were continuing to discuss the legislation on Thursday. Amber McCann, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey of Clarklake, said while Whitmers statements suggesting some options is always a good sign in negotiations, Shirkey would be very reluctant to say that were not willing to give every person in Michigan the opportunity to fully opt out, fully realize as much savings as possible on car insurance. A University of Michigan study released last month found that car insurance is unaffordable in 97% of Michigans ZIP codes. The average premium in Michigan $2,693, according to the most recent report from The Zebra, an insurance comparison website is 83% higher than the national average of $1,470. Detroits premium on average is $5,464, far surpassing any other U.S. city. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Personal Auto Michigan Chantelle and Allen Little, owners of two-year-old Al-Shauny's & Co. catering business based out of Richton Park, are among Poppin Plates current members. Previously, they would have to travel to Chicago to use the kitchen at Jerk 48 in Chicago where Allen Little also works as head cook, Chantelle Little said. Since joining Poppin Plates, she said, The biggest benefit for us is that it has enabled us to do more volume of everything. Its taken off the shackles. Its helping us get to the next level. The social media giant Facebook Inc. 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 Facebooks 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. Facebooks 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 companys core business has proven resilient as Facebook blew past earnings estimates in the past two quarters. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Dan Grebler) Global airlines urged regulators on Friday not to compete over setting new safety rules, after two crashes led to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX and raised questions about the international influence of the U.S. aviation authority. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was the last regulator to halt flights in March over safety concerns. Europe and Canada announced their own independent studies before restoring flights, rather than taking a cue from the FAA. The head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing 290 airlines or more than 80 percent of world traffic, backed the existing process that usually involves one host regulator lead certification for each type of new aircraft, in exchange for reciprocal agreements with other agencies across the world. Airlines want to avoid each model being certified 1,000 times but focus instead on a single lead regulator, Alexandre de Juniac told a meeting of aerospace executives in Paris. Competition between regulators would be detrimental, he added. But many industry executives say they expect more differences between global aviation regulators as a result of the accidents, which have triggered a series of probes into whether the FAA did enough to certify the latest 737 as safe. China and the European Union, each with their own aerospace industries, are likely to impose their own conditions before agreeing to allow 737 MAX flights to resume, analysts say. The FAA is hosting a meeting of global regulators in Dallas on May 23 to review software and training proposals from Boeing before deciding whether and when to end the two-month grounding. IATA has convened a meeting of airlines with grounded 737 MAX jets for the same day in Montreal. We have decided to gather the operators in Montreal to assess with them what they expect from the manufacturer and from the regulatory authorities, de Juniac said, adding that IATA would cooperate if certification rules needed altering. The airline industry is anxious to maintain confidence in air travel after the intense focus on the accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia and a grounding that presented Boeing with its worst crisis in decades. Safety is our key achievement, de Juniac told the Usaire association of U.S. and European aerospace companies. 2018 and 2019 will unfortunately not be the best years but we remain the safest mass transportation system by far. Topics USA Europe Aviation Aerospace The billionaire technology investor and philanthropist who has promised to assume the $40 million student debt of the entire graduating class at Morehouse College has ties to the insurance industry. Robert F. Smith, who addressed the nearly 400 graduating seniors of the all-male historically black college in Atlanta on Sunday, is founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data and technology companies. Among his firms investments is Vertafore, a leading provider of software to the property/casualty insurance broker and carrier market. Vista Equity Partners and Bain Capital completed a buyout of Denver-based Vertafore in June 2016. Vista Equity also owns Orlando, Florida-based PlanSource, which supplies software for benefits administration and human resources professionals. Vista Equity acquired PlanSource in April 2019. Vista Equitys insurance portfolio also includes Texas-based Solera, a digital technology firm that owns automotive and home-related businesses, including insurance services firm Enservio, which offers claims management software for carriers. Vista Equity completed a take-private of Solera in March 2016. Vista currently manages equity capital commitments of more than $46 billion and oversees a portfolio of more than 50 software companies. On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, were gonna put a little fuel in your bus, Smith told the graduates. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans. The pledge to eliminate student debt for the class of 2019 is estimated to be $40 million. Morehouse said it is the single largest gift to the college. Smith told the graduates he expects them pay it forward and he hopes that future classes have the same opportunity. Smith trained as an engineer at Cornell University, earning his BS in Chemical Engineering. Following his MBA from Columbia Business School with honors, he worked at Kraft General Foods, where he earned two patents. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs in tech investment banking. He advised on over $50 billion in merger and acquisition activity with companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, eBay and Yahoo. He was the first person in San Francisco at Goldman to focus solely on tech mergers and acquisitions. Topics Tech Market Education Universities Florida will become one of the last states to make texting while driving a primary traffic offense under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday. The new law will also ban the use of any handheld wireless communications devices in school and construction zones. Under current law, officers can only cite drivers for texting if they are pulled over for another violation. The new law allows officers to stop motorists simply for texting alone. DeSantis signed the bill at a Sarasota high school. Studies have shown that texting while driving is one of the worst of all driving distractions and a recent study ranked Florida as the second worst state for distracted driving, DeSantis said. Its my hope that by taking action to address distracted drivers today, that we will be able to make our roads safer and hopefully prevent some of these crashes that weve seen, injuries and, unfortunately, some of the deaths that weve seen. DeSantis said that in 2016, Florida had nearly 50,000 accidents caused by distracted driving resulting in 233 deaths. It is almost impossible to enforce texting while driving as a secondary offense, said Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells. Making texting while driving a primary offense will allow law enforcement to enforce the law and to save a lot of lives. A first offense will be punishable by a $30 fine, with a second costing $60. Court costs and fees also would apply, and points will be added to licenses. The law takes effect July 1, but only warnings will be given until January, when officers can begin writing citations. The texting ban does not apply to a driver using a navigation device or system or to a driver whose vehicle is stationary. Florida was among a handful of states that didnt make texting while driving a primary offense, leaving South Dakota, Ohio, and Nebraska as the only states that make texting while driving a secondary offense. Missouri bans texting for drivers younger than 21. Montana has no ban on texting while driving. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Personal Auto A Mississippi jury has awarded a total of more than $3 million to five African American strippers after a federal judge found the women worked under worse conditions than their white colleagues. U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate ruled in the discrimination case last year. After a trial that lasted nearly a week on the question of damages, jurors decided Wednesday that the women would split $3.3 million for back pay and past and future suffering. The attorney for Dannys Downtown Cabaret, Bill Walter, said Friday he will ask Wingate to reduce the award. If Wingate disagrees, Walter said he will appeal. Obviously, the client is disappointed in the verdict, Walter said. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Dannys years ago, saying the Jackson club limited when black women could work and fined them $25 if they didnt show up for a shift. The commission said white strippers had flexible schedules at the club and were not subjected to fines for missing work. It also said a Dannys manager used racial slurs against a black dancer, and Dannys owners forced black women to work at another Jackson club they owned called Black Diamonds, where conditions and security were worse and dancers were paid less. Marsha Rucker, the EEOCs regional attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, said in a statement that the commission will protect employees in any industry who are subjected to such blatant and repeated discrimination. This case shows the EEOC will sue any employer, operating any type of business, who violates federal anti-discrimination laws, especially those who will not stop discriminating even after being given repeated chances to do so, Rucker said. The jury sent a powerful message to Dannys and any employer who thinks they are above the law. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mississippi Uber Technologies Inc. was ordered to turn over to the city of San Francisco data about how many of its drivers are responsible for illegal parking, traffic congestion and safety hazards. A California appeals court rejected Ubers argument that the information was properly given to a state regulatory agency, the California Public Utilities Commission, and shouldnt be turned over to San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. Fridays order affirms a lower-court ruling in San Franciscos favor. The city wants the information for an investigation based in part on a police department study showing that car services like Ubers account for about 65% of violations for driving in and blocking transit and bicycle lanes, failing to stop for pedestrians and illegal U-turns. San Franciscos probe also seeks to determine if Uber is underpaying its drivers in violation of the citys minimum wage laws. Shares of the ride-hailing giant have struggled after its May 9 initial public offering, in part under the weight of questions about the viability of its business model specifically whether drivers will be compensated as employees or remain independent contractors as Uber treats them now. We do not and cannot know at this juncture what the City Attorney will choose to pursue, let alone whether or not any legal action it undertakes will hinder, aid, or have no impact upon the CPUC in its regulation, the appeals court ruled. Uber spokesman Matt Kallman didnt immediately respond to an email after business hours seeking comment. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Sharing Economy Ridesharing Total direct written premium in the California workers compensation system fell for the second consecutive year in 2018, declining 3.8 percent to less than $12.3 billion as nine of the 10 largest insurer groups in the state wrote less premium that year than they did in 2017. Thats according to a brief published today from the California Workers Compensation Institute. CWCI reported on market data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which shows California the aggregate premium of workers comp insurers dropped by nearly $489 million in calendar year 2018, as declining premium rates more than offset the increase in covered payroll. The latest NAIC report also reveals the rankings of the top 10 insurer groups by premium volume. Berkshire Hathaway Group topped the list, despite its premium volume declining nearly 5.7 percent. State Compensation Insurance Fund retained the second spot, with total premium of nearly $1.34 billion. A total of 76 insurer groups, encompassing 227 individual companies, reported California workers compensation direct written premium in 2018, but the majority of statewide DWP was concentrated among the two dozen largest groups, each of which had at least 1 percent market share. Together, these 24 groups accounted for 88.2 percent of total DWP. Topics California Workers' Compensation Pricing Trends This content is from: European Union Taxpayers are relieved the public accepted the governments tax reform proposal, but some are considering whether staying in Switzerland is worth it as the tax system becomes more rigid and costs rise. There is so much going on in the world of connected things it can be hard to discover and track the thousands of entrepreneurial companies entering the space, even as larger enterprises, including communications service providers, are now moving on building scalable networks and looking for applications to run on those networks. Over the last few years, primarily in Europe and the UK, incubators and accelerators that focus on the IoT and Industrial IoT have been established, including Barclays Eagle Labs, UK; Breed Reply, London, UK; CRL, Hayes, UK; RGA IoT Venture Studio, London, UK; Startupbootcamp IoT, London, UK; Forge, Newcastle, UK; IoTa Wales, UK and IoT Tribe North, Barnsley, UK. Each have rolled out the development of loosely coupled portfolios of small start-ups with different models, from providing mentors and shared office space, to producing demo days for a select group of cohort companies. A year ago this month in London, R/GA hosted its second demo day, with a diverse mix of companies featured. Those companies were provided with support from R/GAs leadership, business units, and industry network as well as R/GAs strategic marketing, branding, design, and technology services. The program was run in collaboration with Innovate UK, the UK Governments innovation agency, and was also sponsored by Latch, a pioneer in Enterprise IoT, and itself a participant in an R/GA Ventures program in 2015. The Graduating Class from R/GAs second UK-based venture program included: Beringar which creates clever sensors powered by machine learning that make buildings talk. Carters software which optimises in-store experiences by enabling customers to shop directly from their smartphone. CupClub whose missions is replacing the 750M disposable cups market with reusable cups-as-a-service. Flow City which makes out-of-home advertising as easy to plan and buy as online advertising, enabling more independent brands to access a broader media mix. Homebox, which gives consumers a single impartial, trusted and transparent view of their home services. Mimica which is creating accessible, affordable freshness indicators for all types of perishable products, from food to pharmaceutical. Sceenic which provides a white label SaaS solution that allows media companies to bring a watch together experience to their viewers. Sensing Feeling which creates advanced human emotion sensing products, providing businesses with real-time measurement of the emotional response of people in physical environments. Wearable X developers of woven-in sensors and haptics for yoga clothing which allows individuals to feel the guidance of an instructor from a remote location. Some have been skeptical about the success of incubators and accelerators, including those who strongly advocate a more structured venture studio approach, with not just minimal investments (up to 75K in funding for example from R/GA) but correctly sized, scaled and strategic investments that come with experienced and proven experts to reduce risk and accelerate go-to-market. "I have nothing but respect for the work that has been done in a myriad of incubators and accelerators. The whole notion of accelerators was recognition that leaning in more heavily to aid startups should produce a higher probability of success and higher valuations. If you are an early stage tech investor, it's hard not to see the value there," said Don DeLoach, Co-Founder and CEO of Rocket Wagon Venture Studios, "But it also explains the growing momentum of venture studios, which extends the accelerator model considerably further. It also inextricably ties the success of the studio to the success of the entrepreneurs. We are beginning to see the more prominent accelerators like TechStars initiate their own venture studios, which speaks volumes. Our approach was to take the baseline team of entrepreneurs and build on that by adding focus and expertise on startups aimed at the cyber-physical world, and further add to that by making the studios vertically aligned, complete with the requisite domain expertise." Rocket Wagon Venture Studios is a venture studio company focused on IoT Innovation with a mission to launch great companies from Idea to Exit, implemented as a series of vertically focused IoT studios guided by a forward-looking enterprise IoT architectural framework. DeLoach, a veteran in IoT, big data analytics, software and networking, and CEO of several companies over the past 20 years, believes technology ecosystems work when healthy, fully-funded start-ups are right-sized for success and plugged in to the cyber-physical ecosystems from the beginning. The company is the sister company of Rocket Wagon Labs, an innovation and development company also headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. DeLoach is bringing together founders with ideas for disruptive IoT products and services together with corporations seeking greater access to innovation and equity participation opportunities, in addition to financial investors wishing to be part of fast-growing cyber-physical world. The receptivity to this has been beyond anything I expected, said DeLoach. The people who heard about us and have been reaching out to get involved are incredibly smart, driven people who clearly want to make money, but make a difference in our world as well. Its humbling. The timing seems right, and the passion is palpable. Edited by Ken Briodagh It is destined to spread when better exists on the horizon, and to do that, it often means breaking away from the very place that fostered so much of the good in all of us, Caforio said. Now is our time to trickle out into this world and to make it our own, to achieve the better in us all without forgetting the good that we came from. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe professes to be very proud of his rainy day fund and it is surely good that our Government has a sinking fund from which resources can be drawn should the national roof fall in, or fiscal dry rot develop. Mr Donohoes 1.5bn contribution to the fund sounds like a lot of money, but is small change. We have been here before, after all. One of his predecessors, Charlie McCreevy, also set out to provide for the future and we all know what happened next. In recent interviews, Mr Donohoe has sounded a little edgy. One wonders what he really thinks about his boss casual references to large capital projects and their likely cost. The truth is that auction politics is back with a vengeance and Fine Gaels reputation as the party of fiscal rectitude is going up in smoke. For some nervous supporters, it is a bit like watching your steady-if-dull parent undergo a mid-life crisis and start shelling out the family savings on facelifts, fast cars, and sun holidays. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, appears to regard a billion thrown here or there as the equivalent of loose change. Opposition leaders, meanwhile, are forced to play a double game: look on like outraged matrons, aghast at the spending spree, while simultaneously coming up with yet more ideas for laying waste to the national finances. All of this is made possible by an upsurge in corporation tax revenue, which largely caught the forecasters by surprise. It is, for Ireland, the equivalent of a gusher that could soon perhaps quickly run dry. They realise this only too well down in Merrion Street. The failure to make real inroads into the mountainous national debt has been noteworthy. According to the latest Department of Finance Stability Programme update, the Government is acutely aware that the ratio of debt to modified gross national income is too high, at over 100%. The problem lies in the failure of the Cabinet to set about managing peoples expectations, and this, in turn, can be traced back to the 2016 general election, which has resulted in effective political deadlock. Since then, we have been in pre-election mode. However, it may not be too late for the finance minister to take hold of the situation and assert his undoubted authority in the manner of his 1980s predecessor, Ray MacSharry, who faced down the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. The difference, of course, was that MacSharry was operating in a time of crisis and it is usually only at such periods that the Merrion Street mandarins get to assert their authority. But would it not make sense to start preparing the administration, ahead of time, for the almost inevitable turn down in the economic cycle, not to mention the possibility of a sudden shock? The business of seeking cuts in spending programmes within government should be ongoing and constant. Where financial or managerial incompetence is discovered, it often says something about the culture of an organisation. A case could be made for the organisation to be taken over by groups of handpicked public servants and outsiders who have the required accounting and financial skills. Where certain public bodies are repeat offenders in mismanaging resources, they should be treated like failing schools. Such a shake-up may be traumatic, but can surely be cathartic, allowing for the unearthing of talent in the junior ranks and for the sending of a message to other underperformers. Some years ago, the head of the economic and financial affairs directorate in the European Commission, Caroline Vandierendonck, wrote about the need to reconnect funding decisions with policy priorities. She stressed the need for regular spending reviews within government, drawing a distinction between strategic reviews, where the very future of spending programmes is questioned, and tactical reviews focused on increasing the efficiency of spending. At the very least, a strong finance minister will represent the interests of the taxpaying voters and will present, in an honest and straightforward manner, the various options. The problem currently is that the cards are politically stacked against the minister, what with the prospect of an autumn election looming. But it is in times like this that the political orthodoxies that voters like to be bought with goodies are best challenged. Earlier this month, the Taoiseach was halted in his tracks by a determined 12-year old girl in Co Mayo. Aoibheann Mangan gave him a talking to on the continuing lack of decent broadband services in rural Ireland. It can be hard to stick to the path of fiscal virtue when one is being constantly waylaid by single-minded citizens with little interest in boring matters such as cost containment. In todays political world, emotion usually trumps analysis and rational decision-making is an early casualty. There are calls for an investment scheme to attract and retain staff in creches around the country. It comes as there is a severe shortage of creche places as a result of the free childcare scheme for 3-5 year olds. The free pre-school programme applies to 3 to 5 year olds and now caters for over 120,000 children a year. An unintended consequence of the success of the Early Care and Education Scheme is that babies and toddlers are being squeezed out from childcare facilities. Gillian Murphy, who is the owner of the Nourrice Creche and Montessori School outside Wexford Town, says they are constantly turning children away. "Even siblings we are really struggling to provide for at the moment which is really distressing for providers and parents that we would know really well and families that we have had for years," said Ms Murphy. Meanwhile, Alan Farrell, who is the Chair of the Oireachtas Childrens' Committee says Ireland has not invested enough in childcare over generations. "We are lagging well behind the European and the global norm," said Mr Farrell. "It's not going to take one year or an additional billion, it is going to take several years and several billion to bring ourselves up to a relatively good standard." As a result of the increased pressures, reports suggest that parents are delaying their return to work after maternity leave because they cannot find a place in a creche. The new national cybersecurity body that will be led out of Cork has been launched with a warning that cybercrime is expected to be worth almost 5 trillion in two years. Cyber Ireland, which will be spearheaded by Cork Institute of Technology and backed by the IDA, brings together industry, academia and government to combat the fast-growing cybersecurity threat. Junior Justice Minister David Stanton said the new body would "help to ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of this fast-growing and strategically important sector". By 2021, the value of cybercrime damage is expected to hit $6trn (4.85trn) annually, or around 10% of the world economy, according to industry magazine Cybersecurity Ventures. Cyber Ireland's board will be made up of senior industry representatives from McAfee, Forcepoint, IBM, JRI America, HPE, Ward Solutions and Qualcomm, It will also include academics and researchers from CIT, University of Limerick and UCD, as well as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the National Cyber Security Centre. It will be managed by Eoin Byrne of CIT. Vice-chair of the board, Jacky Fox of Deloitte, said the new entity "will work to ensure the country makes the most of the potential for new job creation and innovation by addressing key challenges around skills needs, enhancing research and innovation". She said Cyber Ireland would allow the Republic to compete with the likes of the UK, the Netherlands, Estonia, and Israel. Cyber Ireland has already engaged with over 90 companies, 15 academic organisations and 13 government agencies in the sector, through meetings and three cluster initiation workshops held in Cork, Galway and Dublin in February. These organisations now have the opportunity to register and become members of the cluster to benefit from the range of initiatives and activities being undertaken over the coming 12 months at https://cyberireland.ie/membership/ There is an African proverb that says that when elephants fight, the grass is hit the hardest. In the last 10 days the business news has been peppered with reports about the escalation of a US-China trade war. The bottom line is that the US is imposing new tariffs, or import charges, on items coming into the US from China, with the Chinese reciprocating. On the face of it, additional import charges mean an additional burden for the eventual purchaser of the goods. In many instances, the impact of a tariff is clear. An additional charge imposed say, on a piece of beef being imported, inevitably means that the piece of beef will cost the consumer more. Often, however, the impact of the imposition of tariffs on a day-to-day basis is not nearly so clear-cut. President Trump is claiming that the burden of the new US tariff regime will be felt most by the Chinese, while at the same time some of his closest economic advisers are claiming that the tariffs will actually be borne by American consumers. Ironically, both might be partly right. Tariffs are a protectionist measure, designed to foster domestic industry and commerce. Manufacturers from foreign countries exporting under a tariff regime will be faced with a levy which means that the domestic product they are competing with is cheaper. To counter this, such exporting manufacturers may decide to live with lower profit margins, or try to achieve efficiencies of scale or other savings so that, despite tariffs, their goods remain competitive in the export market. In that scenario there is no impact on the consumer and this seems to be the Trump assumption. On the other hand, if the tariffs are so high, and in some cases the US tariffs on Chinese goods are as much as 25% of the value, the imposition of tariffs effectively shuts out foreign competition. That allows domestic suppliers to hike their prices but can also reduce the choices available to consumers. In that scenario, the consumer does lose out. But because a tariff is, at heart, a form of tax, nothing is that straightforward. Trade war outcomes are no longer entirely predictable and there are two reasons for that. The first is the complexity of products which are purchased by consumers. Almost any consumer item you can think of is made up of multiple components, some of which are manufactured using components and raw materials, which - in turn - are sourced from different countries. To tackle this, international customs codes try to apply what are called rules of origin to work out the most appropriate tariff to be applied on import. A relatively small change to the makeup of a finished item, or even splitting an item into component parts, for instance supplying a phone but delivering its software separately, perhaps by download, can have a dramatic impact on the tariff to be charged. Secondly, the way we purchase goods has changed dramatically. The old manufacturer, importer, wholesaler, retailer model has, in many respects, been turned on its head with the advent of e-commerce. In many instances a consumer is now able to buy and arrange an import directly from a manufacturer rather than via the old commercial model. This makes the tracking of price changes and their impact on consumers very difficult to monitor consistently. Therefore, estimates of the impact of a trade war can be skewed. When elephants fight the consequences are obvious. Its far harder to predict who will be the hardest hit in the trade war between China and the US. Brian Keegan is director of public policy and taxation at Chartered Accountants Ireland The High Court has made directions for the convening next month of a meeting of Independent News & Media shareholders to consider the proposed 145.6 million acquisition of the group by Belgian media company Mediahuis. The shareholders meeting will be held on June 26th at the Carlton Dublin Airport hotel and the court will be informed of the outcome on July 4th. Further directions will be made later. At the Commercial Court today Mr Justice Robert Haughton agreed to transfer the proceedings into the fast-track court and approved an application by Brian Kennedy SC, for directions governing the shareholders meeting. The proposed acquisition requires the approval of shareholders representing at least 75 per cent of the value of INMs shares. Paul Sreenan SC, for Mediahuis, was also in court for the application. Mr Kennedy said various steps in the proposed acquisition may run into the long court vacation, beginning August 1st. The judge indicated the court would facilitate the matter during the long vacation. In an affidavit, INM director Michael Doorly said the material concerning the proposed acquisition has been submitted to the Irish Takeover Panel. Because the relevant announcement was made on April 30th, after which the 28 day period for the relevant material to be sent to INM shareholders begins to run, the matter is urgent, he said. He said the authorised share capital of the company is 70m. He said the INM Board has reached agreement with Mediahuis on the terms of acquisition and the Board has been advised by Lazard & Co Ltd the financial terms are fair and reasonable. The Board believed the proposed acquisition represents the best option for the company, its 800 employees, readership, customers, is in the best interests of the companys shareholders and is not prejudicial to creditors. Where employees of INM have existing rights, including pension rights, those will be safeguarded following the proposed acquisition becoming effective, he said. He said INM directors who have provided irrevocable voting undertakings, to vote or procure votes, in favour of the proposed acquisition are himself Karen Marsh, Kieran Mulvey, Seamus Taaffe, Murdoch MacLennan, Fionnuala Duggan, John Bateson, Leonard OHagan and Caitriona Mullane. Mediahuis has received similar undertakings from other shareholders including Denis OBrien, who holds about 12.57 per cent of the issued share capital and Dermot Desmond who hold 6.31 per cent of the issued share capital, he said. The undertakings are subject to the acquisition being approved by the Irish Takeover Panel and the High Court, he said. Mr Doorly said the INM group faced a number of significant challenges in 2018 which resulted in a decline in overall revenues and profits. That said, the group had a net asset position of 89.7 million in 2018. In recommending the Mediahuis offer, the Board took into account factors including declining print advertising expenditure and Mediahuis track record and experience of digitalising newspaper businesses. The proposed acquisition represents a significant premium of 44 per cent to the undisturbed share price of 7.28 cent on April 3rd 2019 and the all-cash consideration gives INM shareholders an opportunity to realise a 70 per cent premium to the companys volume weighted average share price of about 6.17 per cent over the 90 day trading period ending April 3rd 2019, he said. The Board is satisfied the proposed acquisition will not have any impact or bearing on the investigation by inspectors appointed by the High Court concerning the conduct of certain matters at INM, he also said. Saudi Arabias energy minister Khalid al-Falih has recommended gently driving oil inventories down at a time of plentiful global supplies, saying that Opec would not make hasty decisions about output ahead of its June meeting. Overall, the market is in a delicate situation, Mr Falih said before a ministerial panel meeting of top Opec and non-Opec oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia. While there is concern about supply disruptions, inventories are rising and the market should see a comfortable supply situation in the weeks and months to come, he said. Opec, of which Saudi Arabia is de facto leader, would have more data at its next meeting in late June to help it reach the best decision on output, Mr Falih said. It is critical that we dont make hasty decisions given the conflicting data, the complexity involved, and the evolving situation, he said, describing the outlook as quite foggy due in part to the trade dispute between the US and China. But I want to assure you that our group has always done the right thing in the interests of both consumers and producers; and we will continue to do so. Opec, Russia and other non-Opec producers, an alliance known as Opec+, agreed to reduce output by 1.2m barrels per day from January for six months, a deal designed to stop inventories building up and weakening prices. Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said that different options were available for the output deal, including a rise in production in the second half of the year. The energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail al-Mazrouei, said producers were capable of filling any gap in the oil market and that relaxing supply cuts was not the right decision. Mr Mazrouei said the UAE did not want to see a rise in inventories that could lead to a price collapse and that Opec would maintain sustainable market balance. Saudi Arabia sees no need to boost production quickly now, with oil at around $70 a barrel, as it fears a price crash and a build-up in inventories, Opec sources said, adding that Russia wants to increase supply after June. Reuters Cork startup Solo Energy is set to provide a virtual power plant as a key technology solution for an ambitious 28.5m (32.4m) project designed to make the Orkney Islands carbon free. Company co-founder Killian OConnor said this is groundbreaking technology which can be used to solve the problem of intermittency in renewable energy, allowing power generated at times of low demand to be stored and to be released to the grid at times of peak demand. Our virtual power plant is not a large industrial plant in a single location but a connected system of distributed batteries and electric vehicles which is controlled and aggregated by our software platform, FlexiGrid, according to Mr OConnor. For Solo Energy, the Orkney Islands project which will involve the roll out of 1,000 batteries and 600 electric vehicles is a chance to demonstrate what its technology can do. The project, which is now at the planning stages and set to start in the autumn, follows the installation of Solo Energys technology in a 20-house test site at Ballyferriter earlier this year, which Mr OConnor said is the first domestic virtual power plant in Ireland. The company was set up in mid 2015 by Mr OConnor and Mark Hamilton, engineers with extensive experience in the renewable sector. We recognised a clear gap in the market to distribute energy storage solutions, Mr OConnor said. In particular, they identified a gap for a company which could provide this type of solution for use in residential properties. Setting up the company in Ballintemple in Cork, the founders set about developing the technology and hired electrical engineers and software developers to create the platform. By 2018, Solo Energy had raised 1m in funding, which came from Cork renewable energy company DP Energy, a Dublin-based venture capital company, as well as from private investors. The company has a staff of eight, half of which are involved in technology development in Cork, with the others working in the field in Scotland. The Orkneys, according to Mr OConnor, is a prime candidate for this type of system because it generates high volumes of wind energy which goes to waste without storage. Without storage, the only option has been to turn off the turbines, he said. We have a number of test sites including one at the fire station in Ballyvolane in Cork where we installed a battery to store solar energy, said Mr OConnor, adding that the company also has sites at the Beaufort centre in Killarney, a few in Tipperary and some in England and Scotland. The major focus for 2019 is on the Orkney project, but this summer the company is also set to install 750 batteries in Scotland, primarily for local housing associations. Generating its first revenues, the company will provide energy storage as a service. We will install and operate systems on behalf of local councils and electricity suppliers and, in return, receive a share of revenue, said Mr OConnor. Most of the companys activities are now in Scotland, but the company has plans to grow the business in Ireland when smart meters, necessary for its system to operate, are installed. Solo Energy is now planning to embark on a significant funding round, as part of its wider expansion strategy. This money will be used to grow its staff to 11 people by the end of the year and to continue to develop its technology. UK retail banking customers enjoy the benefits of a highly competitive market which has seen aggressive pressures on mortgage pricing, personal loan pricing, and savings rates. To put this into context, the average two-year fixed mortgage rate has fallen to under 2.5% while the average five-year fixed mortgage rate is materially below 3%. This means that spreads over the Bank of England base rate of 75 basis points are at all-time lows. Personal lending facilities are also available at rates of below 3%. Competition for savings has also been intense, with attractive deposit rates available from the likes of Marcus and many specialist banks. The UK Competition and Markets Authoritys investigation into retail banking in 2016 pointed to a high degree of concentration in the market with the largest banks Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, and Santander UK as well as Nationwide Building Society responsible for the lions share of the retail banking market. There are some key reasons underpinning the competitive forces at play. Firstly, these large credit institutions have substantial fixed cost bases. This enables these institutions to capture scale benefits and much of any incremental net interest income from low-yielding mortgage lending falling straight to the bottom line. Almost 80% of mortgages in the UK are distributed via brokers in stark contrast to the Irish position. Secondly, the relative dominance of these large institutions in the market for retail deposits and the low propensity of deposit customers to switch provider gives these scale players access to low-cost funding. However, the most important factor underpinning low UK mortgage rates are the low risk weights and, consequently, low capital requirements, attached to mortgage lending there. Mortgage lending is a high-returns product. Even though rates have compressed materially in recent years we still hear executives of the large institutions speak every quarter about the highly attractive returns on equity available on this product. This, essentially, means that the large UK players must fund mortgage lending with much less equity capital than younger banks or banks operating in certain other jurisdictions, like Ireland. Put simply, if one banks equity capital requirement is twice that of another bank if its risk weight is double then it will need to charge a price that is almost twice as much to earn the same return. The average risk-weighted asset intensity on the large UK banks mortgage books is just over 10%, while the corresponding figure for the main Irish banks is 38%. This means that Irish banks must hold almost four times as much equity capital against their mortgage books. One doesnt need a PhD to work out why mortgage rates are much lower in the UK. A lot has been written about the rise of challenger banks in a UK retail banking market context. There are specialist lenders like Paragon and OneSavings, who focus on the provision of niche lending products outside of the mainstay of the large credit institutions for example, professional buy-to-let lending. Additionally, digital banks like Monzo and Starling have emerged and these players have had success at growing a customer base quickly but have yet to demonstrate sustainable profitability capability. New challenger banks that compete predominantly in mainstream mortgages have struggled as they dont enjoy the benefits of lower risk weights and, therefore, carry higher capital requirements as well as suffering from lack of scale. Metro Bank is a recent case in point while the bank has developed a novel retail funding proposition, it simply cant deliver sufficient profitability as it has elected to compete in the retail lending market and its share price is down around 85% from its dizzy heights. While the relative dominance of the large lenders has gone largely unchallenged thus far, the landscape will undoubtedly evolve significantly over the coming decade. John Cronin is financials analyst at Goodbody, specialising in UK bank stocks A Co Meath farmer has lost his Supreme Court appeal over a banks appointment of a receiver over annual payments of 170,000 to him under the EU Basic Payment Scheme. A five-judge Supreme Court ruled ACCs appointment of the receiver by way of equitable execution over the payments to Mark Rickard was, in the circumstances of this case, warranted and justifiable. In a recently published unanimous judgment, Mr Justice John MacMenamin said ACC had in February 2011 secured judgment for some 1.06m on consent at the High Court against Mark Rickard and his brother Gerard arising from monies advanced to the two in 2007. ACC later appointed a receiver over certain lands of Mark Rickard in Co Meath over which it had security. Because of the extent of monies owed, it said there would be a shortfall even after sale of those lands and sought to appoint a receiver over payments to be made to Mark Rickard under the EU Single Payment Scheme. Mr Justice MacMenamin said, in that application, ACC told the court it seemed Mark Rickard had received payments of some 162,656 under that scheme. The evidence, he noted, was to the effect the SPS payments were not his sole source of income and it had been represented to ACC the brothers farm business was expected to generate some 750,000 through the sale of wheat, oats, maize, straw and oil seed rape. The High Court agreed to appoint a receiver over the SPS payments to Mark Rickard and, as a result, ACC received the sum of 525,877 between 2011 and 2015. After the SPS payments scheme was replaced by the EU Basic Payment Scheme, ACC successfully applied in 2015 to vary the order appointing the receiver so it would apply to payments made to Mark Rickard under the new scheme. It said some 820,686 was then outstanding under the judgment. Mr Justice MacMenamin said Mark Rickards replying affidavit opposing the variation application raised only legal issues and at no stage suggested the appointment of the receiver had already had a serious effect on his own finances. Mr Rickard described ACCs application as blunt and draconian but was silent as to his own financial circumstances. He also argued the payments were akin to emoluments or earnings and should not be subject of an order appointing a receiver by way of equitable execution. After the High Court granted the variation application, Mr Rickard appealed but his appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court later agreed to hear a further appeal concerning the extent of the power of a receiver to collect monies over both equitable and legal interests. The appeal also raised issues whether payments made to farmers under the BPS were in the nature of salary and, if so, whether a receiver could be appointed over such payments. Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice MacMenamin said the claim advanced by ACC concerning the BPS is very similar to that concerning the SPS to which Mr Rickard had raised no objection in 2011. Mr Rickard had also made no complaint about the effect on him of the earlier order. In the circumstances, the appointment of the receiver over the BPS payments was warranted and justifiable, he ruled. He stressed that what is just and convenient in any one case must be determined by a court on the facts of each case and the courts must be vigilant to ensure the position of a judgment debtor is not rendered unsustainable by the making of such an order. An onus will therefore lie on a judgment debtor to place full and candid evidence before the court about the effect of a receivers appointment on them, he said. There was no evidence in this case the appointment of the receiver was unjust. The BPS payment, he also held, was not a salary payment for work done and is more in the nature of a grant or entitlement Mr Rickard had a right to claim from the Department of Agriculture. Blooms and bling added color commentary to the customized cap worn by Elizabeth Barajas. Her square capstone, with red flowers, read Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. Semen stains containing the DNA of one of the boys accused of Anastasia Kriegel's murder was found on a vest top in the room where her body was discovered, the Central Criminal Court has heard. A forensic scientist also told the trial that a bra and vest top found at the scene were torn and could not be worn in the condition they were found in. The accused, who are both 14, cannot be named because they are minors. They have each pleaded not guilty to murdering the 14-year-old Kildare schoolgirl at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on 14 May last year. 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. Marce Lee Gorman of Forensic Science Ireland told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that she was aware that Ana had been found naked but for a pair of socks in a derelict building. The scientist examined a black, Penney's vest top that was found at the scene and found two semen stains. One was in the right, upper shoulder strap area and the other in the hem area at the bottom. Tests on both stains showed the presence of mixed DNA profiles matching that of Ana and Boy A and another unidentified person. Ms Lee Gorman considered the possibility that the mixed DNA profile originated from Boy A and Ana and another person or that it originated from three unknown, unrelated people and concluded that it is 1,000 million times more likely that it originated from Boy A, Ana and an unknown person. She said that washing removes semen and therefore the semen stain on the top was made some time after the top was last washed. Ms Lee Gorman also examined damage to the vest top. The right shoulder strap was stretched and had unravelled through pulling, she said. The hem, she said, was torn rather than cut, the stitching of the left shoulder strap was undone and she pointed out an area that was "completely severed". She added: "Force was required to cause this damage and it can't be worn in this condition." She discovered male DNA on the top and sent it for male-specific DNA sampling but the scientist who carried out that examination said the sample was not suitable for further examination. Ms Lee Gorman also examined a white padded Penney's bra found at the scene which had four bloodstains containing DNA that matched Ana's blood. The fabric joining the cups was torn apart and the clasp at the back was stretched and bent possibly by pulling. She again concluded that force was required to cause the damage and the bra could not be worn in the condition it was in. The trial continues in front of Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. Breaking the mould in Dail Eireann, activist and outspoken TD Clare Daly has waged political battles on a range of issues including garda corruption, threats to Irish neutrality, and abortion laws. It is a dark, rainy May morning. Daly is in Inchicore, Dublin, with a small team of canvassers asking workers, shoppers and generally those on the street for votes for the European elections so she can in her own words take her fight further to the top, to the EU. The former trade unionist admits canvassing ahead of the May 24 vote is just skimming the surface in this massive four-seater constituency where over a million voters are entitled to elect Dublin MEPs. Nonetheless, there is a significant face and name recognition benefit for the ardent TD, with many passers-by declaring I know you from the telly or Clare, youre great fighting the Government. One or two also pop the question where is that guy with the blonde hair?, a reference to Dalys political other-half, TD Mick Wallace, her Dail colleague running for Europe in Ireland South. Daly, while handing out leaflets close to the Black Lion pub along Tyrconnell Road, explains how she is being received: The response has been good. There is a general pissed-off-ness, an anti-Leo [Varadkar] feeling. She says she has a key advantage to clinch one of the four Dublin seats. Im the only candidate on the Northside of Dublin, above Stoneybatter, out of the 19 running. Today the Swords-native is seeking votes in a strong working-class community in south Dublin, having also canvassed in more affluent areas in Ranelagh and Dundrum in previous days. We are only skimming the surface. But everybody knows me. It has been great. I dont do houses though and have a limited budget, so weve no posters. A recent poll put the Independent candidate on 10%. Daly dismisses suggestions her main rival is sitting Sinn Fein Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan. Thats rubbish. There is an independent seat there already, she replies to my question, in a reference to outgoing Dublin Independent MEP Nessa Childers. And a lot of our exchange is like this. Daly has little time for the media and dismisses a mention that there is huge attraction in being elected to Europe with lavish expenses afforded to MEPs, that can amount to over 100,000 a year. That is something the media concentrate on, she argues. This is how it goes, with us both walking the streets of Inchicore in between exchanges with voters. Ann DArcy, from North Circular Road, tells the TD she is depressed, having been on a housing list since 2015. She usually votes Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, but wants to know what Daly will do for her. The TD taps details into her phone to pass to Maureen OSullivan, an independent for that area. The voter has a few words for the Government too. Theyre spending all that money on the [broadband] network. At least you stopped to listen to me, says Ms DArcy in a reference to the Governments controversial broadband plan. And a lot, maybe most, of the issues voters take up with the MEP hopeful arent actually about Europe, but to do with local issues and needs, such as housing, health problems or local planning. Daly responds to the potential voter. You shouldnt have to be looking to TDs for houses. Once we move on, she also admits many potential voters dont give a feck about the EU. Many passersby have words of praise for the Independent. One man carrying his shopping stops briefly and quips: The rubbish youre dealing with in there [in the Dail] every day. A few take issue with Daly herself, with one woman stepping down off a bus, telling her youre that lady for abortion. The MEPs political record speaks for itself. Working as a trade unionist at Dublin Airport, then as a councillor for Fingal County Council and then as a TD with the Socialist Party, Daly has campaigned for a plethora of issues, including fighting against private bin charges, water charges, for workers rights, against Irelands abortion restrictions and for garda whistleblowers. She was jailed for a month over protesting against bin charges in 20013 and was arrested for breaching security at Shannon Airport in 2015 while attempting to search US military planes. And it is for these aforementioned reasons that voters know Clare Daly. Brexit, EU military and immigrants are issues not on the radar for voters here, despite being hot topics in the EU elections. But as Daly explains, much that goes through the parliament or makes it into law starts in Europe. Clare Daly, with local resident Anthony while canvassing for the European elections in Inchicore Dublin Housing [funding], pension changes, the militarisation of member states, a lot of it starts in Europe, she explains as the rain forces voters to rush by without accepting leaflets. She says the EUs military alliance pact, PESCO, was introduced in the Dail at the 11th hour with barely no debate in the Dail. I raise the question of which group or political alliance Daly will join in the EU parliament if she is indeed elected. This is an issue, as groups, both conservative and liberal, vote in blocks and members from different states support each other when it comes to directives, legislation or matters for a particular state. Daly, like her colleague Wallace, claims she hasnt decided yet. But when pushed, she admits a preference might be to join the European United Left-Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), a group whose members include sitting Sinn Fein MEPs as well as Independent Luke Ming Flanagan. She is critical of the way the EU operates, claiming it is a neo-liberal body protecting big business. The EU will destroy itself unless it changes direction. Its citizens are being left behind, Daly tells me. She is also critical of other more established parties using huge funds for their MEP campaigns and the fact that some politicians go to Europe in the final days of their political careers. Europe is treated as a retirement home for those without a platform. It is unusual for those with a solid platform to make a bid for Europe, but thats what I am doing, to try and make a difference. As the sun briefly makes an appearance and canvassing resumes, Daly comes across a couple who, like others, are eager for a quick phone picture with her. On a lot of these canvasses, the mobile phones are nearly the first things to come out before the leaflets and conversation. But that could be a sign for the aspiring politician at least that they are liked. I always see you on the telly. We like you. Take a picture there, says a smiling Shelly Hudson from Dublins Liberties. Her partner Jim is a window cleaner, but business is slow today with the summer showers. Youre great on the telly, we love ya giving out, adds Ms Hudson, as the phones are put away. The two usually vote Fianna Fail, but a lot of working class communities have moved away from that party since the financial crash. Youre great at giving out to the Government, adds the Dublin voter. But she also inquires: Wheres that guy with the blonde hair you are always with? Daly tells the voter he is running in Ireland South. Theres a brief few more laughs before the voter gives Clare a friendly wave as other passersby stop. Get them Government politicians off their arses, quips Ms Hudson. The evidence of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) earlier this month about the controversial prosecution of a civilian Garda employee, has raised some serious questions. An investigation of the commissioners answers, and responses from the Garda Press Office, about the Margiotta case suggest that Mr Harris may have inadvertently given the wrong impression about aspects of the case. The trial of Lynn Margiotta and her GP brother, Tony, for producing false sick notes, collapsed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on March 26. Ms Margiotta is a civilian employee of An Garda Siochana. Dr Margiotta was accused of providing her with sick notes that were not authentic in 2014, even though gardai accepted that Ms Margiotta had a medical condition. Both siblings denied there was anything untoward about how Ms Margiotta acquired the sick notes. Both claim the case was motivated by a bullying complaint Ms Margiotta made against a Garda three weeks before she was first arrested in August 2014. Lynn Margiotta In evidence at the PAC on May 9, Mr Harris said there was no record of a bullying complaint in the case. None can be found, he told David Cullinane TD. However, the Irish Examiner has learned that Ms Margiotta did make a verbal complaint, setting in train a process that would lead to a formal written complaint. As per public sector policy, there was due to be a meeting to attempt mediation in the issue, but before the meeting could take place, she was arrested over the alleged false sick notes. This information was conveyed to the Garda Press Office on Monday, for a response in relation to Mr Harris evidence, but no response was given. Separately, the commissioner also appeared to give the PAC the impression that the case was being investigated by the Garda Ombudsman (Gsoc). David Cullinane Mr Cullinane asked the commissioner if he was of a mind to personally examine the elements of the case that are in the public domain. The commissioner responded: That is also the subject of a public complaint to Gsoc. The material we are putting together is for its information and I have to wait for it to make its recommendations. According to a spokesperson, Gsoc is not currently investigating any aspect of the case that it understands was being referred to at the PAC. In response to a question on this matter, the Garda Press Office replied that the commissioner was referring to a complaint from 2016. In fact, the 2016 complaint, a copy of which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, referred to leaks to the media about Ms Margiottas arrest. This was completed without resolution by Gsoc in November 2017. 2014-2019: Sick notes case timeline January July 2014 Lynn Margiotta is absent from work on a number of occasions following the death of her mother. She had worked as a civilian employee in An Garda Siochana in Store St station in Dublin since 1999. Gardai accept that she was suffering from a medical condition during this period. July 24, 2014 Lynn Margiotta makes a complaint of bullying against a garda member. This is made verbally at first as per policy. July 23-30, 2014 Arrangements are put in train to deal with the bullying complaint through the Dignity in Work policy for public servants. A meeting of union and management is postponed because of holiday arrangements. August 11, 2014 Lynn Margiotta is arrested at her home in Navan by guards from Store St. She is interviewed about sick notes which had been signed by her brother, Dr Tony Margiotta. She is interviewed without a solicitor being present. The main evidence the gardai were working off was that a number of sick notes signed by Dr Margiotta bore the stamp of two other GPs. The process to deal with her complaint of bullying is not continued. February 11, 2015 Professor Colin Bradley of UCC delivers a report on GP policy and working arrangements in the use of professional stamps. June July 2015 Dr Tony Margiotta is interviewed four times under caution about the sick notes. He freely admitted that he signed the notes on the basis of his sisters medical condition. Other GPs had signed similar notes on other occasions for Lynn Margiotta. He tells gardai there was nothing unusual in using a colleagues stamp. September 18, 2015 Lynn Margiotta is arrested for a second time. A report in the Herald on that day quotes a source as saying this is a lengthy investigation into fake sick certs. The source was also quoted as saying: She was putting in for sick certs on days that it is suspected she was not sick at all. This is in conflict with evidence at the subsequent criminal trial which was told by the investigating garda that he believed she was sick at the time. June 10, 2017 Lynn and Tony Margiotta are arrested at their homes without notice at 8am to be charged. The date was a Saturday. Usually charges brought on a Saturday would relate to extradition, executing warrants, or violent or fatal crime. July 2017 The solicitors for the siblings are made aware that the DPP would agree to the case being dealt with by the district court if the defendants plead guilty. If they contest the charges the case will go to the Circuit Criminal Court, greatly raising the prospect of a prison sentence in the event of conviction. The prosecution is obliged to discover all relevant evidence to the defence at this juncture. The Bradley report is not discovered. It is unclear if the DPP was in possession of the report. The siblings opt to go for trial at the circuit court. February 6, 2019 Defence solicitors receive the Bradley report in discovery for the trial. If the defendants had pleaded guilty there is no reason to believe the Bradley report would ever have surfaced. March 14, 2019 The trial opens in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Most of the remainder of the trial is a voir dire, effectively a trial within a trial in the absence of the jury to determine if particular evidence should be admitted. March 26, 2019 The trial collapses after Judge Patricia Ryan rules that Lynn Margiotta was denied the right to a solicitor while under arrest and her privacy had been breached by accessing her medical records without her consent or a warrant. After four and a half years Lynn and Tony Margiotta finally have the cloud of a criminal conviction and possible prison sentence lifted. March 26 Present Lynn Margiotta has not been formally contacted by her employer despite the end of the criminal proceedings. For most of the last four and a half years she was without an income. The price of homes could rise as a result of Government initiatives planned to tackle climate change, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted. A plan to reduce carbon emissions will be published in the coming weeks. It is expected to include radical proposals, such as banning gas boilers and ensuring buildings have electric car chargers. The new policies come as elections later this week are expected to see a surge in support for the Greens at a local and European level. Mr Varadkar refused to comment on weekend reports that the plan will include banning the installation of gas and oil boilers in new homes within the next three to six years respectively. Nonetheless, he confirmed that the new policies would be finished in the coming weeks, adding: There is no single action that is going to tackle climate change. What is required are big changes, not just by Government but by local authorities, at European level, by businesses, by individuals, so we are all going to have to make big changes. According to a leaked draft of the plan, there will be new regulations to make buildings more energy efficient, a ban on single-use plastics such as polystyrene food and drink containers, and reforms to the motor tax system. It is also understood the plan suggests phasing out the use of fossil fuel heating systems in homes and the need to have electric car chargers in buildings with 10 or more car-parking spaces. Asked if the measures could add to the cost of building or buying houses, Mr Varadkar, speaking in Mullingar, Westmeath, said: Potentially, but you have to think of the opportunity too. All of us spend an absolute fortune heating our homes. Just think of the amount of money you have spent in a lifetime heating your home. "If we build energy-efficient buildings, near- zero energy [emission] buildings, the actual savings over a lifetime are much greater than the cost of insulating your home or building it right in the first place. He said there were existing supports for homeowners and will be more, adding: But we also need to be honest with people; the cost of retrofitting all of our homes in Ireland is about 50 billion. "No government of any colour or party would be able to find that money. Mr Varadkar said Ireland spent billions per year importing energy, and that doubling renewable energy production to 70% could save huge sums and create jobs. Meanwhile, a spike in support for the Greens in weekend polls ahead of Fridays elections gives them 7%. The same Red C poll has Fine Gael down five points to 28%, Fianna Fail up one to 24% and Sinn Fein down one to 13%. Polling for the three MEP constituencies is likely to stun Fianna Fail, where it looks doubtful that the party will get even one seat in Midlands-North West, while Fine Gael could clinch a second seat there if the party gets first-time candidate Maria Walsh over the line. Homophobia continues to run rife in Ireland, according to broadcaster and fashion designer, Brendan Courtney. Mr Courtney is one of a number of celebrities from the LGBT+ community to back a new public awareness campaign, Call It Out. Research supporting the campaign suggests Irish people underestimate levels of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. The research, carried out by the University of Limericks Hate and Hostility Research Group, found that 36% believe violence against the LGBT+ community is a serious problem in Ireland. The findings contrast sharply with the reported, lived experience of LGBT+ people in Ireland. Research published in 2016, by leading Irish LGBT+ organisations, found that one in three LGBTI people had been threatened with physical violence. One in five of them had been punched, hit, or physically attacked in public. But 80% of the 1,395 people who took part in the survey agreed that lesbians, gay men, bisexual, and transgender people should be free to live as they wish. People also said they would be comfortable with having LGBT+ people as neighbours. Mr Courtney said some people wrongly believed that homophobia did not exist in Ireland, because of marriage equality. I, unfortunately, was attacked in Dublin in 2011, he said. I was punched to the ground and it was probably one of the most harrowing events of my life. Despite having a black eye, Mr Courtney presented the Irish Film and Television Awards the following night and his photograph was published in every newspaper the next day. He found that being physically attacked for being a gay man helped the team behind the Yes Equality gay marriage campaign to show that homophobia still existed. For days after the attack, someone would spit on the window of his clothes shop in the city and he received numerous death threats. He felt nervous for about six months. Mr Courtney said he also experienced homophobia as a schoolboy, in the 1970s, and was badly bullied for being different. He also recalled being in a room with other people in his professional life and being aware that they felt very uncomfortable about him being an out gay man. In some ways, it was like being a woman in the workplace in the 1950s, said Mr Courtney. I could get whatever I want, because they did not know how to handle me, but that, in its own way, was a very crippling form of homophobia. Mr Courtney said he was concerned that young people would go into college or the workplace thinking there was no homophobia. The campaign is a joint initiative of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland and the Hate and Hostility Research Group at UL. The number of international degree students coming to Ireland has reached a new high but non-European students are reporting difficulties finding employment and accommodation. New research by the European Migration Network shows the number coming here to study increased by 45% between 2013 and 2017. However, students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) have reported difficulties with immigration registration delays and accessing employment and accommodation, all of which could undermine Irelands attractiveness as a place to study and find post-college employment, according to the study. Students form the largest category of non-EEA migrants arriving here each year, coming ahead of labour migrants, family members, and other groups. Just over 9,300 first residence permits were issued to higher education students in 2013, increasing to around 13,500 in 2017. China is the top country of origin of full-time, non-EEA students in State-funded higher education institutions. Malaysia, the US, Canada, India, and Saudi Arabia also featured among the top countries from 2013 to 2016. The majority of non-EEA students are enrolled in health and welfare courses, representing 31% of all full-time, non-EEA enrolments. Sarah Groarke, lead author of the report, said Ireland is performing well when it comes to attracting and retaining high level, non-EEA students, but added: Our report highlights obstacles persist for some students including delays in immigration registration, securing affordable student accommodation, and transition to employment after graduation. Non-EEA students have reported difficulty finding work because employers are not always aware that they are entitled to work under the third level graduate programme. Ireland allows non-EEA students with an honours degree or higher to remain in the State for 12 to 24 months after studies to look for work under the programme. This is uncommon among EU countries and is designed to retain highly-skilled international graduates. Almost 2,090 non-EEA students were granted permission to stay under the third level graduate programme in 2017, up from just 650 in 2012. The number of non-EEA graduates who obtained an employment permit following their studies increased from 48 in 2013 to 871 in 2017. Minimum income thresholds for employment permits were also reported as a barrier for non-EEA graduates seeking employment here. Immigration registration delays are also a problem for students, who report difficulties scheduling appointments to register or renew their residence permits at the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. Students said delays cause stress and anxiety in relation to their legal status and have a negative impact on their academic experience here. A former meditation teacher has been jailed for three years for sexual attacks on a child in the 1970s. Bernard Ward (aged 71) was working as a teacher at the Transcendental Meditation Centre in Dublin city when he abused a child who was attending the centre. The victim and his parents had received training for the meditation technique at the centre and the child began working there at weekends when he was aged 10. The trial heard evidence that Ward, of Knockmaroon Estate, Castleknock, Dublin molested the child in a shower room in the centre. Ward had pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault at the centre on Eccles Street, Dublin on dates between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 1977. After a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last March a jury convicted him, by majority, of these charges. The jury acquitted him of a further charge of indecent assault at a different location in Dublin city centre between the same dates. Judge Elma Sheahan said Ward's inability to accept the jury verdict and show any remorse indicated a complete lack of insight on his part. She said the offending lay at the mid-range of this type of crime. She imposed consecutive sentences totalling three-and-a-half years and suspended the last six months. She said Ward's action were an abuse of trust given his position as a teacher in a place where the victim's parents saw it as a place of safety. She noted Ward has a number of medical ailments and is now an elderly grandfather with a supportive family. He has no previous convictions, is married and has three adult children. In a victim impact statement, which was read out in court, the injured party said he had lost out on so much in his life as a result of the sexual abuse. He said he was in and out of clinics as a result of the abuse but said he is proud to still be alive today. I was just a young boy who should have been kept safe, he said. James Dwyer SC, defending, asked the judge to take into account that the offending behaviour did not involve prolonged abuse, that his client had no other blemish on his character and that he was now an elderly grandparent with medical difficulties. During the trial, the jury heard evidence that Ward had met the Maharishi in Switzerland in the mid-70s and taken part almost as guinea pigs in experimental meditation techniques. Detective Garda Ronan Hobbs told Monika Leech BL, prosecuting, that the accused was working as a teacher in the centre when he invited the then 10-year-old victim into the shower with him while they were alone in the building and instructed that he clean him with a bar of soap. Ward told the child to wash and then masturbate him. During a second incident, he again invited the child into the shower with him and told him to masturbate him. On a third occasion, Ward asked the child to take his trousers down and proceeded to have oral sex. Ward had been walking around in a towel while smoking and his towel fell off while he was talking on the phone revealing his genitals to the child. Det. Gda Hobbs said that years later the victim recorded a phone call to Ward during which he asked Ward if he remembered what had happened. Ward replied that he was not proud of what he had done and said he was going through an experimental phase. When later interviewed by gardai, Ward denied the allegations and claimed the recorded apology related to his smoking in the centre. A man was put on trial by judge and jury yesterday charged with harassing four teenaged girls on a bus journey and sexually assaulting one of them. Anthony Quigley, aged 45, of 14 Roches Heights, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty to charges including one of sexual assault and four of harassment on December 4 last year in the course of a bus journey. Imelda Kelly, prosecution barrister, said the alleged sexual assault consisted of the accused man putting his hand on the teenaged girls thigh when she was sitting beside him on the bus journey. One of the girls said they were sitting on four of the five seats at the back of the bus and that the accused man came down and sat on the fifth seat. He was telling racist jokes about Chinese or people with dots on their foreheads. He asked us our names. We just said our first names. "He shook our hands. I immediately locked in to stranger danger. I started coughing. He started rubbing my back and patting my shoulder. I was terrified, she said. The same teenager, who gave evidence by video link to the courtroom at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, testified: He patted my left thigh a few times my upper thigh. He was pushing close to me and breathing on me. I was terrified. He was invading my privacy. He smelled awful. He asked if we liked his after shave. He asked if we had Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook. Niamh O Donnabhain, defending, put it to the witness that the jokes were not of a sexual nature and the teenager agreed with that. She also agreed with the barrister that he could have been touching her leg to get her attention. The barrister said the defendants view was that he was only engaging in banter. The witness disagreed but added, In his mind, possibly. Another witness described the defendants jokes as racist and sexist. She said there was reference to winning the lottery and that he said if he did he would take them on holidays and would love to stay in a room with her. She said she felt uncomfortable and he asked about boyfriends. He kept saying I was hot and fair sexy. I was scared to get up. He kept saying inappropriate stuff about how hot I was. He was touching (friends name) on the thigh. He wrote down his number and said I should call him and send him compliments. He kept saying he hopes I call him. I kind of froze, she said. Ms O Donnabhain BL said the defendant was joking and had no intention of being threatening. The case before Judge Brian OCallaghan and a jury of four women and eight men will continue today. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has insisted it was not a mistake for the party to run two candidates in some MEP constituencies amid poll fears the tactic may see the party lose out on a seat. Mr Martin said "it's not a risk" to run Billy Kelleher and Malcolm Byrne in Ireland South and Brendan Smith and Anne Rabbitte in Midlands North West, instead saying he is hopeful of winning "at least" one seat in each of the three MEP constituencies. Strict anti-terrorism laws imposed in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing are still needed because of the threat of dissident republicans and Lyra McKees murder, the Cabinet will be told today. At a private meeting this morning, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will say the wide-reaching rules imposed 20 years ago must continue to be supported and signed into law for another year. During the Governments weekly Cabinet meeting, Mr Flanagan will tell ministers that the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act, 1998, and the Criminal Justice Act, 2009, need to be renewed due to the ongoing security problems in Ireland. The 1998 law was introduced in the wake of the Omagh bombing, while the 2009 law was part of a bid to address the growth of dissident republican and serious gangland threats in the countrys cities. The 1998 law allows for people to be charged with directing an unlawful organisation, training people to illegally use guns, and for inferences to be drawn from refusing to answer questions. The 2009 law gives gardai more powers to combat organised crime and to try defendants in the Special Criminal Court. Due to the strict powers allowed under the laws, the legislation governing them must be renewed every 12 months, with the deadline for this year running out in late June. The Irish Examiner understands Mr Flanagan will specifically tell Cabinet today that the real and persistent risk of dissident republican violence means the laws must be extended. He is expected to reference the killing last month of Ms McKee, the car bombing in Derry last July, and ongoing operations to underline his point. Meanwhile, Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone is expected to ask Cabinet for permission to create a parenting unit in her department. Independent TD Ms Zappone will say the move is needed as part of an implementation plan for her First Five plan to help families in the first five years of childrens lives. The plan was announced last autumn. It is time to bring an end to a crime that is neither a mystery nor a legend. Appealing to locals in West Cork to travel to Paris to testify at the forthcoming trial of English journalist Ian Bailey, the son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier said it was time to find peace. Pierre-Louis Baudey Vignaud travelled to Goleen, West Cork, with his uncle Betrand for a Mass in memory of his mother. He told Mass-goers that his idyllic childhood had been blighted by the violent killing of his mother in West Cork in 1996. Ms du Plantiers battered body was found in a laneway near her cottage. Nobody has ever been charged with her killing. Pierre-Louis stressed that Sophie had been a real flesh and blood person whose life ended in a horrifying manner. He spoke of his pride at her resilience in her final moments. My mother, Sophie is not a ghost, she is the victim of human cruelty and violence which has no place here. Sophie fought like a lioness against the most atrocious violence there is. Pierre-Louis stated his life became a prison overnight after his mothers death and that it was impossible for him to come to terms with what had happened to her. I have been coming to Ireland for 30 years. I was eight years old the first time I came here and I was 15 years old when my mother was brutally killed. I cant bear the thought of her blood seeping into your soil. He said he was drawn to the poetic and romantic image of Ireland, the real reasons that attracted her [Sophie] here to West Cork. He claimed the killing was not in keeping with the soul of Ireland. This is a trial of a crime that does not fit with what Ireland is like and does not fit with what you, Irish people, are. This is a trial of a crime that no one, especially myself but also you, would have wanted to know about. "This is a trial of a crime that you and I did not deserve, whether it takes place here or in France. He said his mother felt at ease here. She opened her door here in Ireland because she was so confident that nothing bad would happen to her. And that confidence was the reason why she chose to come to this country. The congregation heard that the murder of the French film producer was the darkest page in the history of Sophies family and a sad page in Irish history. Pierre-Louis said he decided to keep his mothers home in Toormore, near Schull, because he preferred to believe in the trust that my mother had when she opened her door. Mr Bailey, who has consistently protested his innocence, will not travel to France for the trial, which starts on May 27. His solicitor, Frank Buttimer, described it as a show trial for the purpose of satisfying certain persons in relation to their own beliefs in relation to the matter. Mr Buttimer said that Mr Bailey was in a living nightmare. He had been subjected to this sort of situation for almost 23 years. He cant escape from it. He has been entirely exonerated in this country. The Director of Public Prosecutions has long since decided that there is no evidence upon which he can be put on trial. Ian Bailey at the country market in Schull, Co. Cork, yesterday. Pic: Dan Linehan The French have decided that exact same evidence is sufficient to put him on trial. The situation is, quite frankly, farcical and, of course, extremely unjust. In the event of a murder conviction, he expected the French authorities will try for a third time to extradite Mr Bailey. We will resist that. The Irish courts have twice determined that he is not liable to be removed from this jurisdiction and that the application of the French was not in accordance with law. "It would be quite farcical to come back to seek his removal from this jurisdiction to face his sentence for a crime for which he is then been found guilty but in respect of which the Irish Supreme Court has determined that he cant be removed in the first instance even to face trial so we would have a quite farcical situation at that point in time. Mr Bailey is devastated, he said. He finds it extremely difficult to deal with this situation on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis, simply not knowing what is going to happen to him, where throughout all of this he has protested his innocence. There is no evidence to link him with the offence in so far as this jurisdiction is concerned, he said. The threat of bacterial epidemics is something that threatens all countries, island or not. Such epidemics and pandemics have wiped out populations of people and animals since the dawn of time. The Spanish flu epidemic in the years just after the First World War was probably the deadliest of all, when 20m to 50m people died globally. For this reason, island nations have often used their seas as barriers to quarantine possibly infected peoples or animals until such time as the infection risk has passed. Ellis Island at New York was the quarantine port for millions of immigrants to the United States. In Canada, Grosse Isle near Quebec was another such port where an estimated half a million Irish people passed through to build a new life. Many were infected with typhus and cholera and around 3,000 Irish people died there. Irish quarantine ports were established at Lough Larne, Carlingford Bay; Derry; Killybegs; Clew Bay; Galway Bay, Scattery Bay; Poolbeg; Warren Point; Belfast; Tarbert; Baltimore; Passage East; Spike Island. Scattery Island The Baltimore quarantine took place at Quarantine Island, as the name might suggest. The island is a mere speck, only 50m by 50m, and is completely overgrown today with furze bushes and heather prominent. Its only feature of note is a tiny salt marsh where western marsh orchids can be seen. The island lies just off Turk Head on the busy channel between Sherkin and Spanish islands. The Cape Clear ferry travelling between Baltimore and Cape passes by here with an optional route coming past the much-loved Beacon at Baltimore. Ferries and pleasure craft pass by Quarantine and are prompted to stay clear of dangerous rocks by tall yellow poles. Quarantines more immediate neighbours are the equally small Jeremiahs Island, Sandy Island, and the multiple Catalogue Islands which were the scene of a drowning tragedy a century ago when the Thomas Joseph sank with five lives lost. Baltimore quarantine port had a surveyor, cox, and six boatmen and had a barge at its disposal to impound any suspect cargo. It operated for about 80 years from mid-18th to mid 19th centuries. Pratique masters were appointed to ensure regulations were adhered to. Many other European quarantine ports had buildings designated to store contraband goods known as lazarettes but Baltimore had none such. The Custom House in Dublin declared that goods are aired on a rock in the harbour unless ordered to be aired on the decks of vessels. In addition to Quarantine Island, there is a Quarantine Hill on Cape Clear Island and the naming is no coincidence, wrote the late Rev J Coombes, a former curate on Sherkin Island, parish priest in several West Cork parishes, and a well-known historian. The islands name appears to derive from the period when ships docked adjacent to it such as the Friendsgoodwill which sailed from Cork in 1760 to perform quarantine according to a Dublin newspaper of the time, Pues Occurrences. When the animals were passed fit they were brought ashore at Baltimore for dispersal to market. Since it is clear that Cork [Spike] was the Quarantine port for Cork for 73 years it is hardly necessary to look further for the origin of the names in question, wrote Fr Coombes. Quarantine Island was probably near the anchorage used for quarantine and Cnoc Coranti or Quarantine Hill was probably used as the lookout post. Some of the ships quarantined at Baltimore were the Mary Anne Green of Kinsale on April 18, 1803; the Eliza of Cork on March 1, 1820; and the Providence from Gibraltar with a cargo of hides and bark on July 2, 1825. By the middle of the 19th century the quarantine ports were phased out. At the time Quarantine Island was owned by HW Becher who owned extensive lands in Co Cork. He was the son of William Wrixon Becher among whose deeds was the planting of the woods at Lough Hyne and the construction of the Ringarogy causeway. Many of the 19th century Bechers are interred at Aughadown cemetery a few kilometres west of Skibbereen, according to the Skibbereen Heritage Centre. How to get there: Cape Clear ferry passes it. Other: Seanchas Chairbre; No 2; Fr J Coombes; Baltimore as a Port of Quarantine; www.graveyards.skibbheritage.com Game of Thrones has proved such a letdown in its concluding season it was difficult to imagine in what way the final episode could any further tarnish a reputation already reduced to ashes and rubble. But even with howlingly low expectations, the Iron Throne was hugely problematic, in both plot and execution. Especially egregious was how, having alternately enraged and numbed fans with its blundered Mad Queen Daenerys storyline, the show now bid farewell to our favourite characters without giving the viewer an emotional payoff. Only Jon Snow (Kit Harington), it is arguable, received the long amble into the sunset he deserved. Having killed Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) to prevent her inflicting upon the rest of the Seven Kingdoms what she had already done to Kings Landing, he was exiled to rejoin the Nights Watch. Yes the Nights Watch that no longer needed to exist now the White Walker threat had been snuffed out in a single installment. But still, you did feel something as he and Tormund Giantsbane left the Wall and rode north, leaving behind the realms of men. Technically Jon was breaking his vows hed been exiled to the Wall, not beyond it. Nonetheless, with Direwolf Ghost at his side, at least he received a respectable sendoff. Here, for a moment, Game of Thrones once again became the show we had obsessed over for years. Elsewhere, however, the conclusion felt cobbled together in a rush by now all too familiar. Daenerys, having only just flipped out and nuked Kings Landing, was suddenly behaving like a life-long dictator. At least until Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) talked Jon into killing her and then Drogon flew away with the Mother of Dragons in his claws. But not before melting the Iron Throne and leaving Jon live, because its all about the symbolism with dragons apparently. Then we flashed forward to Tyrions trial at the Dragonpit. Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) wanted him dead for his betrayal of Daenerys. But then Tyrion had a brainwave why not make Bran king, because he had a more interesting story than anyone else in Westeros (Sansa, Arya, Sam, Brienne and Ser Davos should have begged to differ but didnt). So it was all hail King Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and a pat on the back for Tyrion who, having literally just begged for his life, was suddenly Hand of the King again. How did we know he wouldnt turn on Bran as he had Daenerys? Thats a question with which Game of Thrones would once have been fascinated but was now hand-waved away. Sansa (Sophie Turner), meanwhile, announced the North was independent. Her declaration of rebellion was passed through with barely a grumble even by Yara Greyjoy, whose father had been driven mad fighting to free the Iron Islands. And then came the Grey Havens-style long farewells. Arya (Maisie Williams) was sailing west into the great beyond, Sansa headed back North to rule her breakaway kingdom and Jon off to the Wall. If you squinted it felt vaguely like the sort of ending George RR Martin might have in mind for his saga though its impossible to imagine his denouement featuring the YouTube comedy channel level humour that attended the first meeting of the new Small Council. There Bronn (Jerome Flynn) argued for the immediate rebuilding of the Kings Landing brothels and a suddenly jaunty Bran suggested he might warg into Drogon just to see what happened. Martin hasnt passed comment on the episode so we will for him: this was dreadful. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was questioned on the Margiotta case that collapsed at trial earlier this year. His answers to the PAC left a lot to be desired, writes Michael Clifford Drew Harris is in danger of being dragged into a seamy mess, if hes not careful. Last week, at the Public Accounts Committee, the Garda Commissioner answered questions about a case that simply will not go away. His answers left a lot to be desired. The details of the Margiotta case are laid out in the timeline on this page and have been reported on in the Irish Examiner over the last month. The case involves the prosecution of a civilian garda employee and her GP brother; the possible withholding of vital evidence in a criminal case; an allegation that the criminal justice system was used to stifle a complaint of bullying against a garda member; and, in its most benign interpretation, a Garda Commissioner not in full command of the facts of what transpired in his force. The central feature of the garda investigation was that Dr Tony Margiotta had used the stamp of other GPs on sick notes he had signed for his sister, Lynn, a civilian employed by An Garda Siochana. Dr Margiotta had worked between two practices in 2014, in one of which he was a locum. Early on in the investigation, the gardai retained an expert in the area of GP stamps. Professor Colin Bradley, of University College Cork, prepared a report and completed it on February 8, 2015. The Irish Examiner has had sight of the Bradley report. The professor pointed out that there was no actual requirement for doctors to use their own stamp. It can be the case that whatever stamp is most readily available is the one used, he wrote. In the case of locums, it is more likely than not that he or she would use the stamp of another doctor. He made comparisons with a GPs prescription pad. Essentially, the principles regarding use of both of these are similar. One should, ideally, use your own, but when using the prescription pad or stamp of another doctor, one needs to exercise due care with regard to its safe-keeping and appropriate use. One could well conclude that the report dealt a fatal blow to the garda investigation. Yet the gardai ploughed on. Later that year, they interviewed Dr Margiotta four times and arrested his sister for a second time. However, the Bradley report was not included in the book of evidence for the trial. Neither was Prof Bradley listed as a witness. Was the truth too inconvenient to the case being made against the Margiottas? A question arises as to whether the DPP had sight of the report. The Margiottas were charged on June 10, 2017. Some weeks later, the DPP indicated that its office would accept a guilty plea in the district court or else proceed to trial in the Circuit Criminal Court. At that point, the Margiottas legal team was not furnished with the Bradley report. (They only received the report in February 2019, four years after it was completed.) The DPP is obliged to discover all relevant documents during this pre-trial phase. So the siblings were being invited to plead guilty to a crime, despite the gardai being aware of a report that threw grave doubt on whether a crime was committed at all. That report showed that I did nothing wrong, says Dr Margiotta. When did they get it? Did they have it before they questioned me? "Did the DPP have sight of it when we were being asked to plead guilty in the district court? And why wasnt it released to us until the 11th hour? If the DPP did not have sight of the Bradley report, it might explain why a decision was taken to press charges. The DPP does not comment on individual cases. Then, we have the Garda Commissioners response to what is beginning to have the whiff of a scandal. Last Thursday, he was before the public accounts committee. Sinn Feins David Cullinane asked him about the case. Drew Harris defended the investigation and pointed out that it went through an investigate process and an external examination by the prosecution authority (DPP), which found the facts to be sufficient to state there was a criminal case to be answered. But was the DPP fully aware of all the facts? And, if so, why were these facts not presented to the defence at the appropriate time? If the DPP was not aware of the Bradley report, why did the gardai not inform the office of its existence? Cullinane asked the commissioner about the allegation that Lynn Margiotta made a bullying complaint weeks before she was arrested in 2014. Lynn Margiotta Margiotta and her brother believe the whole criminal investigation was motivated by her complaint of bullying. There is no record of a complaint of bullying or harassment having been made, Harris told the deputy. None can be found. While there is absolutely no reason to believe that the commissioner was trying to mislead an Oireachtas committee, his answer may have conveyed the impression that there was no bullying complaint. The court report last March referenced the bullying complaint made three weeks before Margiotta was arrested. If the commissioner was minded, he could simply ask the members of his force who attended the trial as to what exactly transpired. Separately, inquiries by the Irish Examiner have established that Margiotta did make an initial verbal complaint of bullying three weeks before her arrest. The standard procedure in such instances is to attempt mediation before formalising the complaint. Arrangements were made between Margiottas union and garda management, for a meeting. Holiday arrangements for some of the personnel delayed this meeting. Then, before the meeting could take place, Margiotta was arrested. So the commissioner is correct when he states that there is no written record of the complaint. But that does not tell the full story and could be, inadvertently, misleading. A query to the garda press office, on Monday, about the commissioners comments, had received no reply by last night. Harris also appeared to give the committee the impression that GSOC was investigating this whole matter. Cullinane asked whether the commissioner was of a mind to personally examine the elements of the case that are in the public domain. David Cullinane Harris said: That is also the subject of a public complaint to GSOC. The material we are putting together is for its information and I have to wait for it to make its recommendations. According to a spokesperson, GSOC is currently not investigating any aspect of the case that it understands was being referred to at the PAC. In response to a question on this matter, the garda press office said the commissioner was referring to a complaint from 2016. In fact, the 2016 complaint, a copy of which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, referred to leaks to the media about Margiottas arrest. This was completed, without resolution, by GSOC in November 2017. Yet, the commissioners answer could give the impression that GSOC was now investigating the whole Margiotta case, which would preclude him from doing anything further. Collectively, Harriss responses at the PAC could be interpreted as conveying the old line, Nothing to see here, folks, now please move along. There is a lot to see here about possible abuse of power that requires independent scrutiny. Lynn Margiottas solicitor, Yvonne Bambury, told the Irish Examiner last month that a full inquiry was warranted. It is disturbing that somebody can be investigated by colleagues and treated in a criminal fashion for something that was a HR issue. Harris should proceed with caution. This one wont go away, while a whole slew of disturbing questions remain unanswered. 2014-2019: Sick notes case timeline January July 2014 Lynn Margiotta is absent from work on a number of occasions following the death of her mother. She had worked as a civilian employee in An Garda Siochana in Store St station in Dublin since 1999. Gardai accept that she was suffering from a medical condition during this period. July 24, 2014 Lynn Margiotta makes a complaint of bullying against a garda member. This is made verbally at first as per policy. July 23-30, 2014 Arrangements are put in train to deal with the bullying complaint through the Dignity in Work policy for public servants. A meeting of union and management is postponed because of holiday arrangements. August 11, 2014 Lynn Margiotta is arrested at her home in Navan by guards from Store St. She is interviewed about sick notes which had been signed by her brother, Dr Tony Margiotta. She is interviewed without a solicitor being present. The main evidence the gardai were working off was that a number of sick notes signed by Dr Margiotta bore the stamp of two other GPs. The process to deal with her complaint of bullying is not continued. February 11, 2015 Professor Colin Bradley of UCC delivers a report on GP policy and working arrangements in the use of professional stamps. June July 2015 Dr Tony Margiotta is interviewed four times under caution about the sick notes. He freely admitted that he signed the notes on the basis of his sisters medical condition. Other GPs had signed similar notes on other occasions for Lynn Margiotta. He tells gardai there was nothing unusual in using a colleagues stamp. September 18, 2015 Lynn Margiotta is arrested for a second time. A report in the Herald on that day quotes a source as saying this is a lengthy investigation into fake sick certs. The source was also quoted as saying: She was putting in for sick certs on days that it is suspected she was not sick at all. This is in conflict with evidence at the subsequent criminal trial which was told by the investigating garda that he believed she was sick at the time. June 10, 2017 Lynn and Tony Margiotta are arrested at their homes without notice at 8am to be charged. The date was a Saturday. Usually charges brought on a Saturday would relate to extradition, executing warrants, or violent or fatal crime. July 2017 The solicitors for the siblings are made aware that the DPP would agree to the case being dealt with by the district court if the defendants plead guilty. If they contest the charges the case will go to the Circuit Criminal Court, greatly raising the prospect of a prison sentence in the event of conviction. The prosecution is obliged to discover all relevant evidence to the defence at this juncture. The Bradley report is not discovered. It is unclear if the DPP was in possession of the report. The siblings opt to go for trial at the circuit court. February 6, 2019 Defence solicitors receive the Bradley report in discovery for the trial. If the defendants had pleaded guilty there is no reason to believe the Bradley report would ever have surfaced. March 14, 2019 The trial opens in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Most of the remainder of the trial is a voir dire, effectively a trial within a trial in the absence of the jury to determine if particular evidence should be admitted. March 26, 2019 The trial collapses after Judge Patricia Ryan rules that Lynn Margiotta was denied the right to a solicitor while under arrest and her privacy had been breached by accessing her medical records without her consent or a warrant. After four and a half years Lynn and Tony Margiotta finally have the cloud of a criminal conviction and possible prison sentence lifted. March 26 Present Lynn Margiotta has not been formally contacted by her employer despite the end of the criminal proceedings. For most of the last four and a half years she was without an income. As the European Parliament election approaches at the end of this week, Europe is abuzz with speculation over who will lead the main EU institutions for the next five years. Among the positions up for grabs are those currently held by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker; European Council President Donald Tusk; Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. Personnel issues are hardly trivial. In politics, personality matters, and it has often played a pivotal role in determining the EUs trajectory. Still, the leadership name game should not be the main focus. Far more important is the debate over the EUs 2019-2024 strategic agenda. After an informal summit in Sibiu, Romania, earlier this month, European leaders will return to this issue in earnest later in June. And for all of the attention paid to the EUs institutions, it is EU heads of state who will craft the blocs agenda. In other words, member-state governments, operating through the European Council, will be the actors to watch after the election results are in. When the European Economic Community, the precursor to the EU, was established in 1957, its primary objective was to secure peace between France and Germany, starting with a customs union for industrial goods (for the Germans) and a common agricultural policy (for the French). This arrangement anchored the European agenda for decades. Then, when the Soviet Union and its empire collapsed, countriesonce trapped behind the Iron Curtain wanted to return to Europe. In the years since, the EU has under-gone a massive expansion to include them. Its goal has been twofold: To aid the newer member states in their post-communist economic and political development, and to maintain continental peace and stability by bringing Central and Eastern Europe into the fold of EU institutions. The immediate post-Cold War period was a time of self-confidence and optimism for the EU. Gradually, its strategic mission expanded beyond merely keeping the peace, to projecting the European model of shared sovereignty and integration abroad. The EU model, it was said, would lead to more stable governance for the entire world. Over the past decade, however, the EUs effort to project its model outward has collapsed. Following the 2008 financial crash, the euro crisis, and recurrent migration imbroglios, the EU has turned inward. At the same time, the EUs immediate neighbourhood has transformed from a circle of potential friends and partners into a ring of fire. Now, rather than trying to export stability, Europes strategic priority is to protect itself from the wider world. In trying to breathe new life into the EU after years of inward-looking crisis management, French president, Emmanuel Macron, has pushed for a Europe that protects. Following Macrons call to arms, published by Project Syndicate this March, the EU leadership in Brussels has taken up that mantra and bundled various initiatives under the theme of protect-ing Europe in an age of global tumult. Such protection is undoubtedly necessary. Migration pressures, the constant threat of terrorism, and escalating economic disputes all demand a stronger policy response. And while addressing some of these issues has proved controversial and difficult, the larger protection agenda is being carried out. Yet, looking ahead, it is clear that the current measures wont be enough. The EU finds itself in a world dominated by great-power rivalries, Chinese assertiveness, and revisionist Russian belligerence. Worse, in confronting these threats, it can no longer count on the US as an unconditional friend and ally. The EU now must choose between securing its own place on the global stage and becoming a playground for other powers. This is a strategic decision of the first order all other policy choices will follow from it. If Europe ignores or checks out of the dramas roiling the world from Amritsar in India to Agadir in Morocco, it will fail to ensure peace in its neighbourhood and betray its promise to its citizens to protect them from external danger. For the EU to uphold its original mission peace and stability at home it must become a global player. The choice, then, is clear. Europes strategic mission in the coming years must be to secure its position on the world stage, and all matters of policy and personnel should be settled in a way that advances that objective. Obviously, a strong European Council president, working closely with a strong high representative, will be essential. Both will need to mobilise the resources and talents of all EU member states to prevent the EUs constituent parts from being pulled in different directions by global forces. If the EUs member states embrace this mission, Europe will be positioned to act as a global player for years to come. Otherwise, they and the EU as a whole will find themselves on a merry-go-round over which they have no control. Carl Bildt was Swedens foreign minister from 2006 to October 2014 and prime minister from 1991 to 1994, when he negotiated Swedens EU accession. A renowned international diplomat, he served as EU Special Envoy to the Former Yugoslavia, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN Special Envoy to the Balkans, and co-chairman of the Dayton Peace Conference. He is co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations. So Meghan, the duchess of Sussex, gave birth to a son, and the British and in some cases, the Irish press, which for weeks has been positively giddy with rumour, was freed from its stifling wait for actual news of a royal baby. While they waited, no detail, true or untrue, was too small to print: The duchess will have a home birth. The duchess will have a water birth. The duchess has rejected the gynecologists to the royal household for a female doctor. The duchess will have an organic birth, which is something I just invented. The duchess would have her baby before May 5 because her makeup artist returned to New York that day, according to his Instagram. The duchess was house hunting in California. And on and on. At the height of baby watch, journalists were dispatched when an ambulance was parked near Frogmore House, the residence of Meghan and prince Harry, for several hours (it turned out that paramedics had stopped for lunch). Why does Meghan have the press in such paroxysms? Well, she is an interloper: divorced, American, biracial and, apparently, progressive. And she dares not only to inhabit the role of duchess but also to make it her own. Still, her critics energised by their racism, misogyny and snobbery can relax. She is not a revolutionary socialist nor a convincing human rights activist who will destroy everything they love. She will not bring down the royal family. In 2019, she is precisely what it needs. Obsessive interest in the minutiae of monarchy is not new. It may be irritating to the objects of its devotion, but it is essential to their success. If you must have gods and that is what they are you have a responsibility to believe that they are better than the rest of us. If you dont, what is the point? And so those who dare to ascend to the rank of royalty without the blessing of royal birth are viewed as, at best, suspicious, and at worst, Wallis Simpson 2.0. The duchess of Cambridge, formerly the wealthy but not upper-class Kate Middleton, was nicknamed Waity Katie while she was waiting for Prince William to propose marriage. She was photographed sunbathing topless in France, and the pictures were published. She survived by saying nothing and bearing three children, and is now left alone. But the duchess of Sussex, whose marriage is a much more dramatic clashing of worlds, has proved irresistible. Tabloids have christened her Duchess Difficult, and she is accused, with more agonising alliteration, of having had a tiara tantrum at a fitting for a bridesmaids dress for Princess Charlotte, aged 4, at which the duchess of Cambridge, aged 37, cried. We hear of dawn messages to staff, requests for heating in medieval chapels did she ask why Windsor Castle was built so close to the airport, one wag reportedly asked and a semitransgressive attendance at a baby shower in New York City. She moved from Kensington to Berkshire, which was reported as a schism between Harry and his older brother, prince William, potentially as deadly as the feud between Richard II and his cousin Henry of Bolingbroke, which incited the Wars of the Roses. The break is reportedly so bitter that there is talk of Meghan and Harry spending a few years in Botswana to regroup. Then there is the role that only a self-made actress would have the daring to invent for herself: feminist progressive duchess who writes inspirational mantras on bananas for sex workers and hugs hugs! well-wishers across metal barriers thick with metaphor. And now, feminist progressive duchess, and mom. The new royal baby will be raised a feminist, as well as being the first royal to be skilled in yoga. The nursery at Frogmore cottage is reportedly, outrageously, gender neutral. And the couple will not have a Norland nanny, traditional choice of the British aristocracy, who dresses like a depressed Mary Poppins. They are looking for an American nanny, showing that the duchesss heart is still very much in her homeland of the US, The Daily Mail lamented. And yet, Meghan is not a radical. She is a monarchist. Her feminism has nothing to say about solidarity. It cannot. It is the feminism of the 1%, a unique woman with great power. It is Elizabeth IIs feminism hell, it is Elizabeth Is feminism. Under these criteria, Harry is a feminist too for marrying her, which surely came as a great surprise to him. As to quasi-progressive credentials, the couple is well-matched. Harry is a hugger and a moonlight dancer whose public utterances, though likely heartfelt, are like ripples on a pond. Together they talk about a mental health crisis but not its causes; about environmental catastrophe but not its causes; about the Grenfell Tower fire but not its causes. There is nothing on austerity, inequality or poverty. He wore a garland of flowers to announce scholarships to study climate change. She wrote a foreword to a cookbook from the Grenfell Tower community kitchen. So you see, the duchesss critics have nothing to fear. In the 1970s, Queen Elizabeth II was enticed to greet crowds by saying hello. Previously she had ignored them. In 2019, hugging and other acts are welcome and even necessary as what is considered good manners changes. Meghans style may be different from that of other members of the royal family, but she is still a monarchist. Of us and yet above us; exalted and common. People thrill to the knowledge that Elizabeth II uses Tupperware and a two-bar electric fire in her palace, presumably while wearing the Imperial State Crown and British National Health Service spectacles. Meghans status as a feminist who supported womens suffrage in New Zealand a mere 125 years after it appeared is similarly disarming. And the enchantment grows until even I am fascinated by a woman who inspires the headline Meghan Markles Inspirational Banana Messages Slammed as Offensive by Sex Worker, and I am a republican. The British royal family has always gathered fresh power when it is useful. It will take George Clooney as a friend if it must. It will delight in Oprah and talk of gang violence, yoga and the shrinking habitat of the polar bear if that keeps it on the throne, and the new royal baby soon to be the object of his own commemorative china will gild the myth. Why do you think you are reading about the Mountbatten-Windsors and on Instagram when the Romanovs, the Hohenzollerns and the Habsburgs are all gone? c.2019 The New York Times As she was winding up the school year at East Leyden with AP testing, interviewing new staff and other tasks, she was transitioning to Niles West by attending a series of meetings last week. She wants to make the school a place where students, faculty and staff want to come to every day, and she hopes to do that by getting to know as many teachers, students and parents as possible as well as learning the schools traditions and rituals. Asia Violence Flares in West Bengal as Voting in Indian Election Ends Supporters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) shout slogans during a protest march after a statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, an academic, was damaged during Tuesday's clashes between supporters of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata, India on May 15, 2019. / REUTERS KOLKATAViolent clashes broke out in Indias eastern state of West Bengal again on Sunday in the final phase of the staggered election that will decide whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns for a second term. The police used batons to break up skirmishes between supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the regional Trinamool Congress party in Kankinara, on the outskirts of state capital Kolkata. Several crude bombs were also exploded during the clashes, the police said. The populous state has seen sporadic violence between supporters of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress throughout the election, as Modis party pushed hard to make inroads and offset likely losses elsewhere. West Bengal elects 42 lawmakers, the third-highest of all Indian states. Modis ruling alliance is likely to win a majority in parliament, two exit polls showed, after voting in the mammoth general election ended on Sunday. Exit polls have a mixed record in a country with an electorate of around 900 million Indiansaround two-thirds of whom votedin the seven-phase election. Votes are to be counted on Thursday. The grueling, 39-day poll began in the wake of aerial clashes and escalated tensions with neighboring Pakistan, which Modis ruling BJP used to focus its campaign on national security. The main opposition Congress party and other regional blocs concentrated on the governments economic mismanagement and inability to create jobs in their attempt to win voters. However, the campaign turned increasingly personal and vitriolic in the final stages and clashes between rival groups marred polling in West Bengal. Security was tight around voting stations in Kolkata and surrounding areas where people cast their vote. Around 57,000 policemen were deployed and more than 400 quick response teams were on standby, the chief electoral officer in Kolkata said. Modis decision to bomb a purported militant training camp in Pakistan, soon after a suicide attack in the disputed Kashmir region killed 40 policemen, boosted his support. The opposition lacked a strong counter punch but the drawn-out election still appeared to tighten. Indias parliament has a total of 545 seats, and any party or alliance will need the support of 272 lawmakers to form the next government. The BJP won 272 in the previous general election in 2014 to secure a single-party majority for the first time in around three decades. Neelanjan Sircar, a political science professor at Ashoka University near New Delhi, said opposition groups were looking to tap into anger against Modi and the BJPs strong grassroots machinery that helped it win in 2014. To me, this election is very much a battle between voter accountability and party organization, Sircar said. You May Also Like These Stories: INVESTIGATIONMissing wombs: The Health Scandal Enslaving Families in Rural India Sri Lanka Says Hardline Buddhist Groups Likely to Blame for Anti-Muslim Attacks China-Backed Muse-Mandalay Railway to Cost $9 Billion New Terminal Construction to Begin with Port Traffic Expected to Rise Burma Anti-Statue Activists Ignore Police Summons in Loikaw Local rights activists meet in Kayah State on May 7, 2019 for negotiations with the state government. / PKPF / Facebook Loikaw police are searching for six ethnic rights activists who failed to surrender to authorities on Monday to face legal action over their opposition to a controversial statue of General Aung San in the Kayah State capital, rights activists said. The state government last week opened cases against Khu Chwe Pyel Kay, Khu Reedu, Pyar Lay, Khun Thomas, Myo Hlaing Win and Dee De, who led protests against the controversial, state government-backed statue of Gen. Aung San. Dee De told The Irrawaddy on Monday that police called the six activists and ordered them to report to a police station for arrest. The police just called us by phone [at 1 p.m.] and told us to come and [surrender ourselves] for arrest. We told them that we will come to face the charges soon, but we requested them not to threaten our families, Dee De said. They told us that if we [reported to] the police station, theyd agree not to make problems for our families. According to activists, police are now searching for the six right activists, some of whom have gone into hiding. Dee De said the township authority told his family on Monday morning that police would come to arrest him soon, and that the Home Affairs Ministrys Special Branch police also searched the home of Khu Chwe Pyel Kay. The police were not available for comments on Monday. The activists issued a statement on March 25 describing Kayah State Chief Minister L Phaung Sho and Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Maw Maw as criminals who had betrayed the Karenni people. The activists also accused them of abusing their power. The state government took no action at the time the statement was issued. Activists described the legal cases, which follow the collapse of negotiations between local activists and the state government on May 14, as revenge and as being aimed at trying to intimidate opponents of the statue into dropping their protests. U Thet Naung, acting on behalf of the Kayah State government opened cases against the six on May 16 under a law meant to protect the privacy and security of citizens. U Thet Naung is deputy director of the Kayah State government. They are trying to pressure us now, said Dee De, adding that more protests will come soon. Khun Thomas, one of the six, echoed that sentiment. He said the protests would only intensify if the Kayah State government continues to arrest activists. Their action will only make things worse, he said. Burma Five Chinese Arrested for Trespassing, Illegal Immigration in Kachin Tissue-banana plantation in Kachin State's Lamyang Township in March 2019. / Nan Lwin / The Irrawaddy YANGON Five Chinese employees were among 10 arrested on counts of trespassing in a protected area and illegal migration during a crackdown on controversial Chinese tissue-culture banana plantations in Kachin State on Sunday. Led by the Kachin State Forestry Department, local authorities carried out a series of raids on five companies growing bananas on approximately 1,000 acres in Washawng, Nam Wa and Hkawng Hpu protected forest areas in Waimaw Township, close to the state capital Myitkyina. The companies facing lawsuits are Generation Star, Loi Ngu Bum, Shein Thar, Mali Kha Dragon and Jingpho Nadi. We already gave them warnings to leave the forest areas. However, they did not obey us, deputy director of the forestry department U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin told The Irrawaddy. He said their efforts to crack down on the illegal operations started in the second week of May. During the crackdown, the authorities found five illegal Chinese employees in the Jingpho Nadi company, U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin said. The forestry department opened cases against five local managers and five Chinese nationals from five companies for trespassing on protected forest areas. Waimaw Immigration Department also filed lawsuits against the five Chinese nationals for illegal immigration. Head of the immigration department in Waimaw Township, U Soe Min, told The Irrawaddy, They dont have official documents to work here. Despite backlash from local residents, the plantations have been expanding rapidly, particularly in Waimaw Townshipnow the location of nearly 150,000 acres of Chinese tissue-culture banana plantations. The operators are accused of unfairly taking over land previously leased from the authorities by locals, many of whom were displaced by conflict. The banana plantation issue became quite controversial. There were serious discussions even in the Parliament. But the local government still need to implement some rules and regulations to take action against them, said U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin. But for us (the forestry department), we can take action against them immediately as they have trespassed into the forest areas, so we decided to begin our part, he added. The state government has been criticized by local environmental experts for neglecting the social and environmental impacts of banana plantations. Banned from Laos and Thailand, Banana plantations started appearing in war-torn Kachin State in 2007. According to the Kachin agriculture ministry, there are 40 local companies registered to operate banana plantations. However, civil society and environmental organization say 85 percent of the plantations are operated by Chinese companies disguised as local businesses. A recent report by the Land Security and Environmental Conservation Group comprising 11 civil society organizations said local workers are suffering rights abuses at the hands of the companies, particularly in the form of low pay compared with Chinese workers. Locals have complained that the huge influx of Chinese workers has resulted in an increase in human trafficking and drug abuse. In March, Kachin States newly-appointed minister of agriculture, livestock and irrigation U Kyaw Kyaw Win told The Irrawaddy he would set up mechanisms to tighten regulations of banana plantations in response to local residents complaints. The Kachin agriculture ministry has officially documented around 63,000 acres of banana plantations, but civil society organizations have recorded more than 170,000 acres across Waimaw, Bhamo, Shwegu, Mansi, Momauk and Dokphoneyan townships. According to the latest data collected by the forestry department, the companies are trespassing on almost 5,000 acres of protected forest area in Kachin State. We could not enter 4,000 acres of protected forest area for security reasons, although we already know a big company is operating banana plantations there, said U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin. Kachin-based civil society organizations allege that large areas are being planted with bananas in Kachin States Special Region 1, which is under the control of the government-allied New Democratic Army-Kachin militia. According to a 2017 environmental study by the Lisu Civil Society Organization, the companies are using insecticides, weed killers and fertilizers and disposing of them carelessly. This has led to the pollution of water supplies in these areas, in turn causing soil damage and killing fish and livestock. In March more than 50 farmers from multiple villages in two townships of Myitkyina Township told the media they were threatened by Chinese companies for opposing banana plantations near their villages. In late February, a mining company detained and assaulted two journalists from a local Myitkyina publication for reporting local residents concerns over a controversial Chinese tissue-culture banana plantation in Waimaw Township. The managing director and staff of the company face five charges, including for the assault of a woman and wrongful restraint. To be able to meet and connect with students across the world and travel and experience other parts of the world will stay with these kids their entire lives. To do that now is whats really exciting, Polyak said. Monday, May 20th, 2019 (8:39 am) - Score 3,288 The next generation of multi-Gigabit speed capable 5G based mobile broadband networks could be facing yet another challenge due to a backlog of disputes over access to UK street furniture (lampposts etc.). Related deployments in some parts of the country are allegedly being delayed by as much as 2 years. Its not unfair to say that the tentative roll-out of 5G mobile networks in the United Kingdom has already faced a number of significant challenges and thats before its even fully begun. So far weve had the Governments widely reported, albeit not yet officially confirmed, move to ban Chinese technology giant Huawei from core networks (here). Not to mention disputes over Ofcoms future spectrum auctions and coverage obligations (here). At the end of last year we also warned that disputes over wayleave (access) agreements and related rents for building and land access were threatening to become toxic (here). Now a related problem appears to have reared its head after The Guardian revealed that the battle for control of street furniture, which is useful for installing small cells that can help mobile operators to expand their coverage, is threatening to delay the 5G rollout. In urban areas 5G requires a denser network architecture than 4G in order to deliver its best performance. As a result mobile operators (EE, Three UK, O2 and Vodafone) are all hunting for places to install their kit and public street furniture, such as lampposts (also used for CCTV, WiFi Hotspots, EV car chargers and environmental sensors etc.), are an obvious target. However cash-strapped councils and landlords are well aware of this demand. Some mobile operators now feel as if those groups are seeking to charge too much for the use of street furniture. BT has also raised concerns over the fairness of existing concession agreements (here) and are arguing for fair access. The reformed Electronic Communications Code (here) was supposed to resolve such issues, not least by making it easier and cheaper for telecoms operators to access land / property in order to help them build new networks. The new ECC also introduced a tribunal system to help tackle disputes but this has since become so backlogged that new cases may not even get a hearing date until sometime next year. Theo Blackwell, Londons Chief Digital Officer, said: Whilst the intention of the code was to make it easier and cheaper for MNOs to roll out infrastructure, by not providing guidance nor seeking compromise, the government have in fact delayed deployments by two years, whilst the new code is being tested in the courts. Interestingly the report notes that sparsely populated rural areas have the opposite problem and are struggling to attract mobile operators to use their own street furniture, although this is hardly a surprise. Installing small cells on top of lampposts (may require a fibre optic feed too) isnt cheap and thus the economics only make sense in dense urban areas with a lot of nearby foot traffic (the cells have very limited coverage). In rural areas it would be far more effective to allow the use of taller masts, which could deliver better coverage and is already fairly common around much of the rest of Europe (50 metres). However, despite allowing huge wind turbines, the law still tends to limit the height of masts to 25 metres in England (even less in other parts of the UK). One other issue here is that you can only fit so much kit on top of a lamppost before it ruins the cosmetic appeal, which becomes more of an issue when you have several interested parties fighting over the same space. Network / infrastructure sharing agreements could help to resolve some of this, if they can be agreed, but as above thats only one part of the challenge. Mobile operators recently made a number of proposals for how the UKs local authorities could help to support their rollout of 5G services (here). UPDATE 21st May 2019 The Government, which reaffirms that disagreements over interpretation of the legislation are a matter for the courts, has kindly provided us with a comment. A DCMS Spokesperson said: We are working with local authorities and industry to help facilitate mutually acceptable agreements regarding the use of local authority assets for the deployment of 5G. The Upper Tribunal has recently made a series of rulings that will help settle the market, and we are pleased that deals are now being completed under the new Code. Over the longer term they still expect the reformed ECC to provide a strong framework that will support the deployment of future digital infrastructure. Google has shocked the world by banning Huawei from future OS versions and security updates, but existing Huawei handsets will continue getting Google Play app updates, while Huawei promises it will issue security updates instead. iTWire journalist Sam Varghese has been prolifically covering the Huawei and ZTE ban, and now the Google Android ban over the past few days, with excellent coverage that is definitely worth reading. On Thursday, 16 May, Sam's article was entitled "Trump signs order banning equipment from Huawei, ZTE". He then followed that up just over an hour later with an article entitled "Huawei banned from using US components without approval". Last Friday, Sam explained that "US parts ban a setback for Huawei; American firms could suffer too", then on Sunday noted: "Trump using Huawei issue 'to pressure China over trade deal'". Earlier today, Sam then noted: " Google cuts off Huawei access to Android updates, collaboration ", which has led to global surprise, even if Huawei itself has known for some time this might happen. Indeed, it has been widely reported that Huawei has been stockpiling parts made by US companies for months, as well as working on its own homegrown OS, should something like what has happened did happen. Now there are a lot of questions over what this means for owners of the P30 Pro, P30, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 and other premium, mid-range and entry-level Huawei smartphones, as well as its Honor brand of smartphones mid-range and entry-level models. Well, in a media statement issued just after 6pm on Monday, 20 May, a Huawei spokesperson said: "Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Androids key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry. "Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally. "We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally." Google itself said in a Tweet the following (which can be seen in the tweet embedded below): "For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US Government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US Govt requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device." For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device. Android (@Android) May 20, 2019 Now, is this all just a negotiating tactic as Sam covered in his article on the topic? Could US President Donald Trump backflip as he did with ZTE? Will this soften, or more likely harden, China's resolve to fight back hard against Trump's tariffs? In the great Game of Phones, Tariffs and Trade War Thrones, the script is still being written - and it should prove much more compelling than season eight of TV's Game of Thrones has been thus far. Google's move also makes us wonder whether Microsoft will also be forced, by US laws, to deprive Huawei of its Windows OS, security updates and more while Bloomberg is already reporting that Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom have announced they will stop supplying Huawei, too. Now, while it is true that Huawei sells little networking equipment in the US, and few of its smartphones too, it certainly does have customers in the US and it uses the products of US based companies in its products, which it sells around the world. Thus, the ban (and the new bans) also impact billions of people not living in the US or otherwise directly subject to US laws, and clearly, US actions can have direct and indirect actions across the planet. With so much of our technology manufactured in China despite moves by some Taiwanese companies to go back to Taiwan to manufacture again, and other countries around the world being seen and already used as manufacturing locations not (yet) subject to any US bans including more manufacturing in the US itself, this move has global ramifications which we're only just starting to feel. Hopefully, the US and China can resolve their differences quickly, and Huawei's access to Android and its security updates can be quickly restored, so that smartphones such as the Huawei Mate X with its folding screen, a future Mate 30 Pro and all of Huawei's future models can be launched with full Android compatibility and support. However, it clearly seems certain that Huawei's efforts to diversity its hardware suppliers away from the US, and its efforts to build successful alternatives to Android and Windows will only be massively accelerated, no matter how quickly the resolution with the US does, or doesn't occur. So, as the waters swirl wildly with growing waves as the trade war storms continue, existing Huawei customers are being reassured by Huawei that security updates will continue being delivered, and Google says access to the Play Store and app updates will continue, too. As Yogi Berra so famously stated: "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future", so we'll just have to wait and see whether Trump's dragon or Xi's dragon will vanquish the other in the great trade war battlefield, or whether a truce can be reached that will see the world's current prosperity, despite ever growing debt levels, continue for many decades yet. The head of the Australian Information Industry Association, Ron Gauci, has sought an assurance from the re-elected Coalition Government that amendments to the encryption law, which was passed in December, will be adopted within its first 100 days of operation. Congratulating Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the election result, Gauci said: We are looking for a commitment that changes to the Assistance and Access Act, proposed by Labor in February, be passed through parliament in the first 100 days of the new government. It is time to execute these amendments so that industry and users of encrypted services have certainty over these new laws. The AIIA has made significant contributions and recommendations with respect to these amendments - but has yet to see the recommendations considered or adopted leaving industry unclear on the operational requirements. A review instituted by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, as soon as the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018 was passed on 6 December last year, with a reporting date of 3 April, was expected to provide some solace to the technology industry. But the PJCIS, asking the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Dr James Renwick, to review the law and report back by 1 March 2020. Labor Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Husic had told iTWire before the election that, if elected, it would speedily incorporate the 170-odd amendments that were drafted, but not included in the law. Presumably, once the Coalition Government gets back to work, the matter of amendments will again come under the Home Affairs ministry as it was before the election. Gauci said AIIA members were also concerned about the lack of consultation and the reach of the Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material Bill passed in April. We look forward to greater two-way dialogue between government and industry to address the concerns that have been raised by our members about these pieces of legislation, he said. The AIIA said it was acknowledged that there was a significant shortfall of available digital skills and expertise in the Australian workforce. The industry looks forward to contributing to the skills programs announced by the Coalition Government. [A total of] $41.7 million will be provided for two pilot Skills Organisations, in the areas of digital technologies, cyber security, and human services care," Gauci said. "AIIA members are delighted that the government also intends to establish the National Skills Commission to oversee the $2.8 billion annual investment in Vocational Education and Training. Some of our members have successfully led and are rolling out alternative pathways to developing digital skills in school children. These programs have seen collaboration between government departments, Universities, research institutes and industry. Our members would be delighted to share their success stories and learnings from these programs with the new government to further provide the crucial evidence of the success of these initiatives." Global satellite communications company Inmarsat is partnering with Irish agritech company ApisProtect to deploy Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor the health of honey bees. The collaboration aims to develop a globally scalable IoT solution for connected apiaries, to help stem what the two companies say is the significant decline of bee populations and increase crop production worldwide. ApisProtect says it has developed a solution which reduces colony loss, improves the yield of commercial beekeeping and makes apiaries much easier to manage. Inmarsat is supporting ApisProtect as the global connectivity partner, ensuring the solution can be deployed anywhere on the planet. A statement from the two companies says ApisProtect brings the power of advanced sensors and machine learning technology into the hive to deliver a 24/7 early warning system so beekeepers can give at-risk hives immediate attention and improve bee health, giving beekeepers actionable insights and alerts to help prevent losses and increase colony productivity. The solution consists of an ApisMonitor Unit which sits in a beehive and is connected to an analytics platform optimised for measuring honey bee health via Inmarsats Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) and Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) connectivity. This in turn feeds into a machine learning algorithm for early detection and mitigation of bee health issues. Inmarsat and ApisProtect say they are making a joint investment in the next phase of the project to demonstrate effectiveness of the data collection and analysis across diverse climates and bee species, spanning Ireland, the UK, the EU, the US and South Africa ahead of a commercial launch in late 2019. The companies say the global agri-food industry contributes an estimated $284 billion to the global agri-food industry annually, with honey bees playing an essential role in global food production. One third of all food that is consumed worldwide depends on pollinators, such as bees, and there are 91 million managed beehives worldwide. However, US commercial beekeepers alone experienced declines of 38 percent in colonies in 2015-2016, the companies said. Dr Fiona Edwards Murphy, co-founder and chief executive of ApisProtect, said: Without a healthy bee population there could be severe food shortages across the world, which is why we have developed an advanced system to monitor current population levels and provide realtime insights, to help beekeepers increase the health and productivity in their colonies. ApisProtect will provide beekeepers with actionable insights that will brief them on the condition of their hives, identify problem colonies and suggest a variety of actions to keep their colonies healthy and prevent losses, providing a 24/7 early warning system. This also enables them to make earlier interventions in the event of a problem, leading to reduced costs. Many hives are situated in remote locations globally and we needed a partner who could support our project with Industrial IoT expertise and a variety of connectivity technologies. Inmarsat is delivering highly reliable hybrid satellite/cellular and LoRaWAN technologies to ensure that we can provide services to beekeepers no matter how remote their location. Additionally the mobile nature of Inmarsats services mean that if hives need to be moved for pollination purposes, we can still continue to deliver hive data with minimal disruption. Paul Gudonis, president of Inmarsat, said, We are incredibly proud to be working with ApisProtect to help reduce the decline of bee populations globally and to support efficient crop pollination. Combining ApisProtects groundbreaking sensor and machine learning technology with our world leading connectivity capabilities and IoT expertise will offer beekeepers a powerful tool for supporting the health of their apiaries. The stability and reliability of the connectivity is highly important to this solution as continual uploading of hive data is imperative to understand the realtime health of bee colonies. We hope that this partnership will aid beekeepers in maintaining strong, healthy colonies and will help increase the global bee population. Will there be a giant sucking sound of cybersecurity talent evading the draft by moving to Canada? The National Commission on Military, National and Public Service, created by Congress, is currently evaluating the Selective Service System (SSS) with an eye toward modernizing the draft, including the possibility of conscripting cybersecurity professionals. "Part of that discussion," Jacob Daniels, a legislative liaison at the SSS, tells CSO by email, "has involved a 'skills draft' where our agency would ask experts on certain subject matters to register with Selective Service. The types of professionals that have been referenced in these discussions include healthcare professionals and cybersecurity experts. The Commission will report its findings and recommendations to Congress in March of 2020." "That said," Daniels adds, "Congress is not bound by any of the findings or recommendations made by the Commission." Whoever came up with this idea has been huffing paint. Dan Tentler The idea is about as popular among hackers as you might think. "Whoever came up with this idea has been huffing paint," Dan Tentler, founder of attack simulation consultancy Phobos, tells CSO. The future of the draft Congress authorized the Commission in 2017, and specifically directed the commission to consider: "The feasibility and advisability of modifying the military selective service process in order to obtain for military, national, and public service individuals with skills (such as medical, dental, and nursing skills, language skills, cyber skills, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills) for which the Nation has a critical need, without regard to age or sex." Conscripting workers with specialized skills, including cybersecurity experts, is under formal discussion in Washington, and the latest Executive Order from the White House contains language that suggests the idea is being taken seriously. "United States Government policy must facilitate the seamless movement of cybersecurity practitioners between the public and private sector," the EO says, "maximizing the contributions made by their diverse skills, experiences, and talents to our Nation." The M.A.S.H. precedent Conscripting highly skilled workers is not new. The U.S. government drafted doctors and nurses during the Korean War (think M.A.S.H.) and continues to reserve the right to conscript medical professionals in times of war. Current Selective Service rules can conscript medical professionals as old as age 44 and even older, in some cases. Times have changed, though, and a similar attempt today to draft doctors or cybersecurity professionals would likely meet with resistance. Some Members of Congress are arguing to do away with the Selective Service, the agency that runs the draft. Others say the draft should include both women and men. Currently, all men age 18 to 26 must register for the draft. Earlier this year a court ruled that forcing only men to register for the draft was unconstitutional but did not order the Selective Service to start registering women as well. The Commission's findings will almost certainly address the issue. Don't say the word "draft" In Congressional testimony last week, witnesses from U.S. Army Cyber Command and the Department of Defense bent over backwards to avoid using the words "draft" or "conscription," preferring instead to propose new recruitment and retention efforts to obtain the personnel with the right cybersecurity skills. One of the key goals under discussion is the ability to recruit and promote mid-career experts who might be in their thirties, forties or even older and commission them in ranks as high as O-6 (Captain in the Navy, Colonel in the other services). The result, one witness said, meant a "Michelin Man" shaped military going forward, with an age and experience bulge in the middle. Traditionally, the military has been pyramid-shaped large numbers of the young and less-skilled at the bottom doing most of the fighting, with a sharp ascension in years and skill as military personnel move up the ranks. However, in a cyber conflict, older, more experienced cybersecurity experts may well be on the front lines. "The future military may need more personnel in the middle years of experience because of the technical nature of operations (a 'Michelin man' profile), versus the pyramid shape the military now assumes," David S.C. Chu of the Institute for Defense Analyses wrote in submitted testimony. "Only by drawing from the private sector could such a distribution be achieved." "SWAT teams of nerds" U.S. Army Cyber Command wants to deploy more experienced security practitioners to modernize and secure the military information systems, Nicole Camarillo, executive director, talent acquisition and management strategy U.S. Army Cyber Command, told Congress. "In addition to improving technology inside the Pentagon, SWAT teams of nerds are deployed globally to combatant commands in support of the warfighter and our global defense networks," Camarillo said in written testimony. Finding ways to enable security professionals to move laterally into and out of the uniformed services is part of the stated goal to fill those SWAT teams with motivated nerds. The staff memorandum on military service, circulated prior to the hearing this week, calls on the government to "build new pipelines to military service," and to "facilitate a 'continuum of service' between the military and private sector." The military clearly prefers to offer recruiting and promotion incentives to acquire the cybersecurity talent they want, but it remains unclear how they can compete with private sector salaries, or for the growing ranks of talent who were raised on the Snowden revelations and object on principle to working for the U.S. military, intelligence agencies, or the military-industrial complex. The commission does not specifically acknowledge the repercussions of the Snowden revelations on recruitment of cybersecurity professionals, but many witnesses lamented the growing cultural divide between civilians and the military, with some fretting over the de facto emergence of a "warrior class" in American society. The latter may be the biggest hurdle to overcome, and the commission proposes to solve the problem with greater marketing aimed at America's youth, including more base field trips, expanded youth cadet programs like JROTC, and establishing "a pilot program to solicit innovative approaches to branding and marketing" military service to potential recruits. If the idea of moving to Canada to evade a draft sounds appealing, remember the global cybersecurity skills shortage has impacted our chilly northern neighbor, too. Security professionals won't struggle to find a job and a visa to go with it. For his part, that's what security expert Robert Graham of Errata Security says he'd do if there was a draft. "Move to Canada," he tells CSO. "That's not a draft. That's slavery." The students must come up with a real-life science problem, and come up with a resolution, Lonstretch said. Its broadening their horizons on how to apply engineering to real-life problems. It will give them points to their overall score. The topic will be ocean and environment. A Washington state refrigeration company said Monday it will transfer production of all its standard equipment to its Mocksville plant, effective June 30. Pro Refrigeration Inc. arrived in Mocksville in 2013 with an East Coast production facility. The company, based in Auburn, Wash.,specializes in refrigeration equipment and systems. Its headquarters will remain there, along with product development, testing and certification. The company, operating as Pro Chiller Systems, pledged to create 85 local jobs over five years and spend $4.9 million on capital investments. The company said it has 35 employees in Mocksville and plans to add between five and 10. In October 2015, it moved into a 60,000-square-foot plant, a former Renegade Tobacco warehouse on Beechtree Place just off of Farmington Road. Pro Refrigeration makes small- to large-scale chillers used in food processing, dairies and plastic mold injection. In recent years, production has been about 75% based in Mocksville and 25% in Auburn, Wash. About Village Realty | Real Estate | Winston-Salem, NC Trusted, knowledgeable and helpful agents at Village Realty in Winston-Salem, North Carolina can help you buy or sell a home Village Realty in Winston-Salem, North Carolina can help you get your home on the market or find the right home for you. Whether buying or selling a home, Village Realty agents want to help the residents in North Carolina make a smart investment for themselves and their family. Village Realty goal is to provide skilled pricing and negotiating, honest feedback and guidance and most of allthe personal service you deserve. Experience the benefits working with a professional agent at Village Realty in Winston-Salem Buying a new home is a large investment, one that demands in-depth knowledge so that you can buy with confidence. Village Realty agents Lauren Hernandez, Missy Farrell, Bobbie Russell and Teresa Miller are there for you. They will provide property data, including sale price history, neighborhood information and real-world context, and review all options. Meet your Winston-Salem real estate agent at Village Realty >> Missy Farrell, co-owner and broker in charge Missy Farrell has made Winston-Salem home since 1988, and her love of real estate has helped her and her husband buy, renovate and sell several homes and led to a career in real estate. >> Lauren Hernandez, co-owner and broker Lauren Hernandez has made Winston-Salem home since 2010, and her and her husband, both Wake Forest alum, are proud of their community. >> Bobbie Russell, agent Bobbie Russell is a Winston-Salem native, attended Reynolds High School and Lenoir-Rhyne University. After a career as an analytical chemist in forensic toxicology, Bobbie decided to pursue a new career in real estate in 2017. >> Teresa Miller, agent Teresa Miller has made the Winston-Salem area home since 1995. She is a broker and realtor with more than 20 years of experience, dedicated approachable, and has incredible attention to detail. "Tyson Williams is here," she whispered with the volume rising in her voice. "And he has a gun," she added. The woman told deputies to look for Williams near a shed in the house's backyard. And that's where they found him. Sheriff Danny Rogers said Friday that deputies started to approach the shed and heard a gunshot. Rogers said deputies set up a perimeter around the property and called in the N.C. Highway Patrol to use a helicopter in case Williams fled on foot. Greensboro Police responded because of their earlier cases. Rogers said the woman who called 911 was escorted off the property to safety. Williams told deputies he had a hostage inside the shed, Rogers said. Deputies later determined that Williams' statement was untrue. Deputies spent hours negotiating with Williams. Then they heard another gunshot. This time, Williams had shot himself. Paramedics took Williams to a nearby hospital where he died. Williams had outstanding charges in Guilford County for felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of heroin and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying concealed gun. He was also wanted by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Contact Danielle Battaglia at 336-373-4476 and follow @dbattagliaNR on Twitter. Categories Categories Select Category #abarare ABA Events ABA News Action Adventure Alaska AOU Apps Art Asides Attu BEX Big Year Bird Feeding Bird ID Bird of the Year Birders Guide Birdsong Blog Bites Blog Review BookReviews Building Birding Skills Commentary Conservation eBird Equipment Review Featured Gallery Festivals Field Identification Fun Gardening Gear Happening NOW HowToKnowTheBirds Human Dimensions of Birding Humor Listing Members Only Content North American Birds Obscure Hotspots Open Mic Outdoor Tips Photography podcast Point/Counterpoint Presidents Corner Publications RBA Science Science Art Social Media Sponsored Technology Top 10 Travel Young Birders Archives Archives Select Month January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 Blog Birding #404 At Avian Hybrids, Jente Ottenburghs documents how populations of Red-necked Phalaropes who breed quite close to each other winter on opposites sides of the world. An international team of scientists equipped several Red-necked Phalaropes from different populations with geolocators. The results showed two distinct migrations routes. Birds breeding in Scotland, Iceland and Greenland migrated to the west and wintered in the Pacific. Birds from Scandinavia, Finland and Russia, on the other hand, flew to the Arabian Sea in the east. Linda at Philly Bird Nerd wraps up her thoughts on last weekends World Series of Birding in New Jersey. Doing the full state competition is really tough. You start up north in the Great Swamp at midnight and bird all night and day and end up in the south at Stipsons Island marsh at 10 PM or later. We put hundreds of miles on Harveys mini van and counted 180 bird species in total. Dont confuse this contest with birding. It isnt birding. It is identifying and checking off bird species. We rarely stopped to look at any birds. We mainly listened for their call or caught a glimpse of them before moving on to our next target and destination. At 10,000 Birds, Jason Crotty introduced birders to the concept of conservation banks, and how it applies to the Endangered Species status of the Golden-cheeked Warbler. In some areas, conservation banks have been created to facilitate off-site mitigation. These banks are touted as market-based solutions with advantages for both developers and imperiled species. For example, rather than numerous small piecemeal mitigation efforts spread across many parcels, a conservation bank can preserve large contiguous parcels and specifically manage them for an endangered species. Moreover, larger sites are better for wildlife and are easier and less expensive to manage. For developers, a one-time transaction permanently satisfies its obligations and provides regulatory certainty. There are more wild parrots in the US than there may have ever been, Ryan Mandelbaum at Gizmodo explores their impact on native birds. A team of scientists, led by Cornell graduate student Jennifer Uehling, reviewed parrot observations from 15 years of community science observationsspecifically, the annual Christmas Bird Count and Cornell Universitys ubiquitous eBird database. Birders log their sightings along with comments, and reviewers confirm any rarities with more details, further observations, and photos. The researchers determined that a bird population was established if birdwatchers had observed the species 25 or more times (a purposely high but relatively arbitrary number) and if records included observations of breeding. At Birdwatching Daily, David Sibley explains what birders can learn from a birds wing feathers. When the wing is folded, the greater coverts form a roughly diagonal patch around the middle of the folded wing. Only the long flight feathers extend behind them. The smaller coverts, arranged in front, are often hidden under fluffy body feathers. One thing that helps to distinguish the coverts from the body feathers is their texture. Body feathers are loose, fluffy, broad and curved, while coverts are stiff, narrow, and flat. Even as the feathers on the rest of the bird move around, the arrangement of wing feathers stays more or less the same. He and other volunteers ended up going to four different Walmarts, including one in Joliet, to find enough bikes in the sizes they needed. They then stored them in Nortons garage for the two weeks before the giveaway. Yet in a training course notorious for weeding out all but the strongest, Thompson endured their rough tutelage and even thrived. This training lasted for two months, he said. I was made a squad leader. I never did have to do any KP while I was in the service because I was a squad leader and squad leaders didnt go to the kitchen. He said he and his comrades helped one another stay strong in the face of challenges. When off duty, they would compete against each other on the drill field to see who was fastest. I always tried to outdo the other guys, Thompson said. But even a Marine uniform won a black man no respect. Everything was done separately. At the bus station, we would get in line to get on the bus. We had to go all the way to the back of the bus, he said. We never could sit up front unless the bus was completely full of black people. The black Marines duties in World War II were confined mainly to dispensing ammunition and retrieving the wounded from the front lines. Thompson didnt see combat, but others did. All was quiet inside the Amani Village Market. It was a little bit warm and on the humid side, too, as a lone volunteer sat quietly sorting bags of brightly colored beads. Just trying to see what combinations might work best for necklaces and bracelets, she said. Theres no science to it. Probably not. But there is plenty of art associated with the store Amani sells African beads, bags, jewelry, clothing and other gifts and one heck of a back story for anyone who cares to ask. Proceeds go to support New Life Home Trust, a 25-year-old organization in Kenya with a network of four homes that have housed, fed and cared for some 2,000 abandoned children through the years. One was built largely with money raised right here in Winston-Salem with the support of famed poet and activist of Maya Angelou. (Angelou died at her Winston-Salem home in 2014 at age 86.) Anytime anybody comes in, we ask if theyve been here before, Kay Landry said. If not, they get the full story. Its well worth knowing. Especially on Mothers Day. Long winding road Honda Aircraft Co. is expanding again at its Piedmont Triad International Airport headquarters, this time announcing Monday plans for a $15.5 million, 82,000-square-foot facility. The company said the expansion will increase its overall capital investment on the campus to more than $245 million since committing to designing and building its HondaJet corporate aircraft here in 2006. Honda Aircraft said the project would not immediately add to its local workforce of more than 1,500. The project begins in July for a building that will house a new wing assembly process for the HondaJet Elite aircraft. The goal is having the building completed by July 2020. The new facility will allow for more wings to be assembled concurrently, resulting in a major increase in production efficiency, as well as more storage for HondaJet service parts. As the HondaJets popularity and presence continues to increase around the world, it is necessary for our facility to meet our production and service needs while operating at the highest level of efficiency, Michimasa Fujino, president and chief executive of Honda Aircraft, said in a statement. He said the Washington Post is extraordinarily cautious in what it reports, triple-checking everything. We live in a time where fact and truth is blurring. What many seek out is not information, but affirmation, Ryan said. He urged the graduates to broaden their horizons and surround themselves with people who have differing viewpoints and perspectives. Ryan told them to also think twice before reposting something on social media or forwarding it. And he encouraged them to be skeptical of information that seems too good to be true. Wake Forest University President Nathan Hatch urged graduates to follow the advice of storyteller Matthew Dicks, to take five minutes a day for reflection. Review your life. Whats the most storytelling moment of your day? Hatch asked. Develop a rich, meaningful inner life. Few of us take time to hear that inner voice. Several medical school graduates and faculty took the time to show they were mindful Monday to remember someone they lost. Many wore purple ribbons in honor of Tori McLean, a medical school student who died of cancer. The Weather Prediction Center - the branch of the National Weather Service that handles precipitation concerns - has also hoisted a high risk for excessive rainfall. Their forecast warns that "numerous, potentially significant flash flood events are likely," the greatest odds in the Oklahoma City to Tulsa corridor northwards. That's where storms will merge and eventually stall tonight, bringing with them a firehose of moisture. Flash-flood watches blanket most of Oklahoma and adjacent northwest Arkansas. A widespread 4 to 6 inches with localized 8 to 10 inch amounts will fall just north of a stationary front, which will be draped along Interstate 40 and Interstate 44 during the overnight. The storms will last through daybreak Tuesday morning, finally clearing from west to east during the day. Many of these same areas have already seen 200 to 300 percent their "normal" rainfall over the last two weeks, the sodden ground unable to handle much more water. And while currently predicted to meander just north of the city, if the band of heavy rain crashes south towards the Oklahoma City metro area, the results could be disastrous. Coincident with the deadly May 13, 2013 tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma, which killed 8 people, 13 lives were lost in flash flooding in Oklahoma City. Yang is not a politician. His plan appeals because it's politics made easy -- by, well, removing the politics. Many attendees at his New York rally aren't all that political -- it takes a minute for several to remember if they even voted in the 2016 primary. (Most say they did, and usually say they supported Sanders.) Yang's policy platform is rational, and an almost perfect fit for his audience, many of whom are tech oriented themselves. They cheer when he says he would use charts and a Power Point presentation as part of the State of the Union. That's when it occurs to me. Yang is a hipper, cooler update of modern American belief that a man of business can solve the messy world of Washington. It sounds smart, but he's ultimately still offering up simplistic solutions to difficult social and economic woes. It's a TED Talk version of politics. All the injustices, the discrimination, all the warfare, both armed and unarmed, that have been perpetuated against my people for no reason other than we were here first. Like it or not, its the fact. My people, the American Indians, were here first. We didnt come over on a boat; we met others on our shores. Immigration is a foreign term to us. To me, everyone else is an immigrant, trespassing and claiming a land that they will never own because it was given to us as a whole by the Great Spirit and doesnt need any walls or imaginary lines. Actor Ernie Hudson shared his story of overcoming adversity in his younger years, to becoming an actor appearing in dozens of films and TV shows. He spoke Monday at a United Way of Greater Greensboro luncheon. Through events like this and the pow-wow, people learn that the whole region, in particular, the Chain O Lakes was quite heavily populated with native cultures, he said. I dont think people realize that, Bond said, adding Native American artifacts such as arrowheads and fish hooks made from bone are still being discovered in the area. Outside of the Dorchester County Law Enforcement Complex, attendees participated in a lantern-lift to honor fallen officers on May 17. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Partly cloudy. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. On May 20, 2019, Cameroon celebrates the 47th edition of its Unity Festival, commemorating when the country went from a federal state to a unitary state. However, this celebration is taking place in a deep state of national upheaval. What is now known as the Anglophone crisis has so far caused more than 1,850 deaths in 20 months of conflict, according to a recent report by the International Crisis Group. Now saying they want the dialogue they have so far opposed, Cameroons political powers are trying to brush under the carpet international crimes that have been and are still being committed in this conflict. And so it is important to stress that there can be no impunity the crime of the future for the atrocities committed in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. The Anglophone crisis was born of a series of demands from teachers, lawyers, magistrates and other professional bodies in the two Anglophone regions of the country, calling for better consideration of bilingualism and the legal tradition of these regions in particular. The ultra-repressive response of the central government, as well as kidnappings and detentions of the leaders of this protest, eventually paved the way for an armed conflict between the Cameroonian armed forces and secessionist groups that had hitherto been marginal. Since October 2017, it has been a disaster. Burned villages have transformed inhabitants, including elderly people unable to flee, into human torches, there have been abductions, massacres of civilians, decapitations, dismemberment of bodies and mass rapes. There are hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people, tens of thousands of refugees in neighbouring Nigeria, frightened and disoriented populations, refugees in the forests and survivors living in inhuman conditions. Photos and videos of the horror abound to the point of nausea on social networks. No re concili ation without justice So far, Cameroonian armed forces and separatist groups have committed these crimes with absolute impunity. No legal proceedings on these heinous acts have been opened in Cameroon or elsewhere. The scale of the crimes and their insufferable nature have only recently decided the European Parliament and the United Nations Security Council to take an interest in the situation in these regions of northwest and southwest Cameroon. Our purpose here is therefore to warn those responsible for international crimes that they will sooner or later be held accountable for their crimes before the Cameroonian courts or international criminal justice. Under no circumstances will dialogue and national reconciliation be to the detriment of justice. There will be no impunity! The crimes that have been committed since October 2017 in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon are international crimes. The government uses the euphemism crisis, rather than admit it is a war. Yet the Cameroonian head of state himself declared war on those he called terrorist gangs. It is in the same vein that he created, on 30 November last, a National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration. We are indeed in the presence of belligerent forces in an asymmetric war. Cameroon is, at a minimum, in a non-international armed conflict. N ational justice compromised The crimes committed in Cameroon can be analysed as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Persons responsible for these crimes, regardless of their position, are liable to prosecution before the Cameroonian courts and, failing that, within the international criminal justice system. Cameroonian justice would do itself an honour if it investigated the international crimes committed and sought the perpetrators. However, this justice system under the governments thumb has not shown any willingness to take an interest in what is happening in this conflict. On the contrary, it was used to arrest Anglophone protest leaders and send them to Yaounde for detention. It therefore seems that it is either unwilling or unable to act in the face of the crimes committed. The inaction of Cameroons national justice system paves the way for international criminal justice, in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity. These principles ensure that a countrys inaction does not lead to impunity and that those responsible for crimes do not find a safe haven anywhere. ICC is not ruled out Two mechanisms of international criminal justice can be envisaged immediately for the crimes being committed in Cameroon. The first is the International Criminal Court (ICC). Some people say the ICC cannot intervene in Cameroon because Cameroon has not ratified the Treaty of Rome, but it should be remembered that the ICC can and must initiate proceedings against Cameroon without delay. Several courses of action exist when the country is not a member of the ICC. Recommended reading Could ICC intervention deter conflict in Cameroon? First, Cameroon may decide to accept the Courts jurisdiction over crimes committed in English-speaking regions, without being a party to the Treaty of Rome. But this is unlikely, as Cameroonian state officials are among those suspected of being responsible for the crimes committed. Secondly, the United Nations Security Council, which has now taken up the situation at the request of the United States, may decide to refer the situation to the ICC Prosecutors Office. The universal jurisdiction option The second mechanism is that of universal jurisdiction. This allows any State to prosecute any person suspected of having committed international crimes, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator, victim or place where the crime was committed, so long as the State has ratified the convention providing for the crime. In the case of crimes currently committed in Cameroon that can be prosecuted abroad, these are crimes of torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity. All countries that have ratified the conventions on these crimes can prosecute Cameroonian officials or separatist groups on their territory. Third countries frequented by these officials, particularly in Europe and North America, must therefore be informed and seized, when the time comes, to exercise their jurisdiction if Cameroonian suspects visit them. Hate speech As well as government officials and separatist groups, we must also stop all those who are currently using hate speech, calling for massacres or even extermination, and they must know that they will be prosecuted. Here are some examples: We must liquidate them all, wrote Cameroonian writer Enoh Meyomesse on January 23, 2018 on his Facebook page and on the website Camerounweb; Paul Biya is even too kind to English speakers. The Constitution gives him the right to kill everyone to preserve Cameroons unity, Cameroonian politician Banda Kani said on March 17, 2019 on Afrique Media TVs Ligne Rouge programme; Do you know how many times God the Creator had to wipe out the human race to make his people? God razed Sodom and Gomorrah () We do not count the dead, we count the active Cameroonians every day who survive in blood and water so that this people can live, said Essomba Begono, a deputy leader of the ruling RDPC party on May 13, 2019 on Equinoxe TVs Equinoxe soir programme. Attacking and burning villages, turning people into human torches, indiscriminate and widespread attacks on civilians, committing large-scale rapes, arresting and executing people portrayed as combatants and subjecting populations to life-threatening conditions is not warfare. These people, thus massacred, are not military objectives! Those who commit these crimes in English-speaking regions cannot, at any price, get away without facing their responsibilities before the courts. It is about the common humanity that we all share with the victims of these horrors. This is about our common dignity as human beings. Sooner or later, here or elsewhere, there must be justice! Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the genocidal taunts of US President Donald Trump will not end Iran, as tensions spike between the two countries. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts wont end Iran, Zarif wrote on Twitter. Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect it works! he added. The riposte by Irans top diplomat follows an ominous warning by Trump, who on Sunday suggested the Islamic republic would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump tweeted. Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed tough sanctions. Iranian officials have repeatedly slammed the unilateral US sanctions as economic terrorism, saying that they have impeded the flow of essential goods. Tensions have risen further this month with Washington announcing more economic measures against Tehran, before deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified alleged Iranian threats. The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing the danger posted by Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. On Sunday a rocket was fired into the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. While the US claim of Iranian threats has been met with widespread scepticism outside the United States, the mounting tensions have sparked growing international concern. I would say to the Iranians, do not underestimate the resolve on the US side in the situation, British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt told reporters on Monday in Geneva. They dont want a war with Iran, but if American interests are attacked they will retaliate, he added. Hunt said that Britain wanted the situation to de-escalate and urged Iran to pull back from the destabilising activities it does throughout the region. Goaded into war US media reports say Trumps hawkish national security advisor John Bolton is pushing for war with Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Zarifs tweet said Trump is being goaded by B Team, a term he coined to refer to Bolton as well as Israels prime minister and the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates who are all pushing a hard line on Tehran. Before Trumps Twitter threat Zarif had downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region, saying Tehran opposed it and nobody was under the illusion the Islamic republic could be confronted. Iran is exercising maximum restraint in the face of an unacceptable escalation by the United States, Zarif said on Thursday. Tehran has threatened to gradually withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal if partners still in the agreement Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia do not help it to circumvent US sanctions. Saudi Arabia on Saturday called for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions. It came days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it, he said. But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests. One year after devastating fire, Hale Library renovation is underway Monday, May 20, 2019 The Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons will be filled with collaborative seating arrangements and technology-equipped, reservable study rooms, a top request from Kansas State University students. | Download this photo. MANHATTAN Nearly a year ago, on May 22, 2018, a fire broke out in Hale Library, the flagship building in the Kansas State University Libraries system in Manhattan. While the fire was contained to the roof, several hundreds of thousands of gallons of water flowed through the 550,000-square-foot building during the firefighting efforts. In addition, soot and smoke damaged the interior and its contents, including most of the books. The recovery process took a grueling eight months to complete. An estimated 85 percent of the building was gutted, including wiring, ceiling tiles and carpet. In some places, only the bottom 2 feet of the drywall was damaged by water. In other areas, entire walls were stripped down to the metal studs. Even today, the walls of the bottom two floors of the 1927 historic Farrell Library portion of the building are still drying out. But now, after months of planning with PGAV Architects, the university's next-generation library is starting to take shape. "We could not be more excited to see the progress happening inside Hale Library," said Lori Goetsch, dean of K-State Libraries. "Walls are going up, spaces are being reconfigured, and new infrastructure and wiring are coming in." Hale Library will reopen in phases, with the first floor Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons opening this fall. It is estimated that the entire renovation will be complete by the end of 2020. The last phase to open will be the original 1927 portion of the building. The Libraries plan to restore historic Farrell Library to its original grandeur, including the Great Room murals, which are stable and currently protected from the surrounding construction work by large wooden boxes that were built around them. In addition to the building renovations, the entire 1.5 million-item collection was removed from the library and moved into long-term storage. Because of the soot damage, the items are being cleaned one at a time. "Looking back, it's amazing to think about the ways in which we've been remarkably lucky," Goetsch said. "No one was injured in the fire. Less than 1% of our collection was lost. And even though the fire was on the roof, our most rare and valuable materials in the Morse Department of Special Collections located on the top floor experienced only very minor smoke damage." The university will continue to work with the insurance companies throughout the rebuilding project. Insurance is expected to cover like-for-like replacement costs. However, while the building is nearly gutted, the Libraries would like to take this opportunity to enhance highly utilized student spaces. Those enhancements will require private donor support. To date, $6.8 million in private support has been committed to the renovation efforts. Additionally, more than $280,000 has been raised through the Help for Hale campaign that launched after the fire last year. Dave and Ellie Everitt gave the lead $3 million gift for the first-floor learning commons, and several other spaces have received financial support, including a cafe and a two-story innovation lab. "Philanthropic support will continue to play a vital role in our ability to create new spaces for student success," Goetsch said. "We're focusing especially on group study rooms, classrooms, improved graduate student space and new study areas on the first and second floors of the 1927 portion of the building." Online donations can be made to the Help for Hale campaign at give.evertrue.com/ksu/help-for-hale. For information about naming opportunities, contact Chris Spooner, associate vice president of development programs at the KSU Foundation, at 785-775-2130. "We've always said that Hale Library is the heart and soul of the K-State campus," said Richard Myers, president of Kansas State University. "There's no denying that our students have felt its absence this year. We are committed to bringing our flagship library building back stronger than ever for our students and for the university's future." More in-depth information about the books, preservation of historic spaces, the vision for rebuilding and amazing behind-the-scenes photos is available via the Libraries' blog, Hale Library: The Next Chapter, at blogs.k-state.edu/hale/. The caller who was dismayed because of the increase in gasoline prices certainly is not keeping themselves informed of the policies dictator Donnie has implemented. When he tore up the Iranian nuclear agreement, there was a ban on Iranian oil that went with it. He and his so-called diplomatic representatives Mike Pompeo and John Bolton are openly encouraging and provoking a war with Iran. Bolton has always been an Iran-hater. Please remember that on three occasions Dopey Donnie was seen and heard saying, I love war. Too bad he didnt love it enough to participate in the Vietnam War. Instead, he bought himself a bone spurs exemption excuse. I do feel that maybe in the best of all worlds that maybe I would have stayed on for another two years, Lansing said. But there is an awful lot going on in my life and my familys life, and it is just appropriate for me to step aside. Mayor Terry Weppler, who formed the commission in 2017, said he is planning to consult with the village attorney to make sure there are no conflicts. But he said he didnt see any constitutional issues when he first read the draft policy. Providers at the only three clinics in Alabama that offer abortion services want patients to know their doors are still open. "For as long as we are able, we will continue to provide the full range of women's health care," Dr. Yashica Robinson, medical director at the Alabama Women's Center in Huntsville, told reporters Friday, two days after the state's Republican governor signed a law that could subject doctors who perform the procedure to 10 to 99 years in prison. Organizations representing more than half a million US physicians and medical students quickly condemned the measure and similar anti-abortion proposals in other states, saying they "inappropriately interfere with the patient-physician relationship" and "endanger our patients' health." Alabama abortion providers share those ethical concerns. But their priorities also have become more practical and immediate as they continue to treat patients while clarifying misconceptions about the law, which goes into effect in six months and is expected to be challenged in court. "This has been majorly confusing to all of our patients," said Kari Crowe, co-director of People Organizing for Women's Empowerment and Rights (POWER) House, which assists with services at Reproductive Health Services in Montgomery. Patients and doctors aren't sure how to pursue care The clinic in the state capital began getting calls Wednesday, the morning after the Alabama Senate passed the House-approved bill, Crowe said. "Patients were calling like, 'I just had an appointment yesterday, what do you mean I can't come back and have my abortion on Friday?'" she said, referring to the restriction that requires women in Alabama to wait 48 hours before getting an abortion. Phones also have been ringing at Planned Parenthood Southeast, which covers Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. It's been fielding so many calls that the organization set up an automated phone line with more information, a spokesperson said. And patients aren't the only ones who are confused, Robinson said. "We had physicians that just didn't understand what this meant and therefore did not know how to direct their patients appropriately," she said. For the time being, getting abortions in Alabama is business as usual, Crowe said, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily simple. Providing abortions in Alabama was already hard Even before Gov. Kay Ivey signed the near-total ban into law, inadequate abortion training in local medical residency programs meant a dearth of abortion providers, Robinson said. And because the state's three independent clinics all are located at least a hundred miles from the next closest, their patient volume is huge, she added. Besides the clinics in Huntsville and Montgomery, the West Alabama Women's Center operates in Tuscaloosa. Patients often deal with transportation, child care and lodging costs, because the process of obtaining an abortion in the state can take several days, she said. Navigating gaps in insurance coverage also makes things difficult for doctors and patients. If the law does go into effect, Robinson said she remains committed to helping her patients get the care they need, including potentially offering financial support for women to travel to other states to access services and identifying places where they can stay for free. "I will continue to try to find resources to get my patients to areas where they can be cared for," she said. "But again, we are focusing right now on doing everything we can so that the law does not have the opportunity to go into effect." Physicians say they would face an unfair choice Alabama's law may be unenforceable under the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, and the ACLU and others have vowed to challenge it in court. Medical professionals say the law's criminal penalties would force physicians to choose between doing their jobs and violating the law. "I am enraged that the state of Alabama would force me to choose between what is ethical and medically appropriate care and breaking the law," Robinson wrote in an op-ed for CNN. "I am appalled that I could get a more severe penalty (up to 99 years in prison) for providing safe abortion care than someone who commits second-degree rape." Six professional organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association, also condemned efforts to criminalize physicians. "These laws force physicians to decide between their patients and facing criminal proceedings," they said in a statement. "Physicians must be able to practice medicine that is informed by their years of medical education, training, experience, and the available evidence, freely and without threat of criminal punishment." "The insertion of politics between patients and their physicians undermines the foundation of trust this relationship is built on and inhibits the delivery of safe, timely, and comprehensive care," the groups said. "Outside interference endangers our patients' health by limiting, and sometimes altogether eliminating, access to medically accurate information and to the full range of health care." EAGLE POINT, Ore. In honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation, there will be a Memorial Day ceremony at the Eagle Point National Cemetery on Monday, May 27. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Eagle Point National Cemetery Rostrum. This year the event features keynote speakers U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Greg Walden, with Jon Martin of local band Fogline performing the national anthem. Also included will be the MC Mark Dalton ARNG Retired So. Ore. Scottish Bagpipe band, flyovers from the 173rd Fighter Wing and WWII bi-planes, the Civil Air Patrol Cadets, the Marine Corps League, and the Army National Guard and Craig Bryant of Buglers Across America will be posting colors, providing military honors, playing Taps and the Pledge of Allegiance. Memorial Day is always observed as a federal holiday on the last Monday of May. Originally known as Decoration Day, it honors U.S. service members who died while on active duty. "First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars," the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said in a statement. Since before the turn of the 20th Century, the preferred name began to change from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day." It did not become common use until after World War II and was changed by federal law in 1967. "Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A National Moment of Remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time, on the holiday," the VA said. "Many people also observe the tradition of flying the United States flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time." SALEM, Ore. (AP) A multifaceted gun control bill pushed by Oregon Democrats may be dead this session, but advocates and opponents alike are confident it will return. The Statesman Journal reports that Senate Bill 978 was a casualty of the deal that got Senate Republicans to end their four-day walkout and return to the Capitol, allowing Democrats to pass a multibillion-dollar education revenue bill on May 13. Oregon Firearms Federation Calls for OR Republicans to WALK OUT Over SB 978 https://t.co/0e4axQnS0b pic.twitter.com/tOIKffa7DU AmmoLand (@AmmoLand) April 10, 2019 The move to include SB978 in the trade disappointed gun control advocates inside and outside the Capitol. The measure would have required safe gun storage; placed liability on gun owners if a gun is stolen, but not reported, and used to injure a person or property; outlawed untraceable and undetectable firearms; granted local authorities the power to regulate firearm access in public buildings; and allowed retailers to set higher minimum purchasing age restrictions. "We certainly had hopes that this would be a big year for sweeping gun control and gun regulation here in Oregon," said Hilary Uhlig, state campaigns lead for Moms Demand Action in Oregon. "If it was too hard to stomach as a package, we are used to incremental change and we will keep working until we can stem the tide of gun death." Buoying their outlooks somewhat was the success so far of House Bill 2013, Uhlig and other advocates said. It would fix an oversight from 2018 when lawmakers closed the so-called "boyfriend loophole" in gun possession by people convicted of domestic violence. The original 2015 legislation barred people convicted of a domestic violence crime, or subject to a restraining order from possessing firearms, and this session's HB 2013 lays out exactly how that is supposed to happen. It passed out of the House a month ago with bipartisan support and is headed toward the Senate floor after a unanimous vote Thursday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I think you all know that I am very committed to moving forward on firearms safety measures," Gov. Kate Brown said Thursday. "I expect, and I am hopeful, that House Bill 2013 will be on my desk for signature over the next few weeks." GOLD BEACH, Ore. Rescuers rushed to help a Gold Beach man on Monday afternoon when his boat capsized in the Pacific surf, leaving him struggling in the waves. The Curry County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) said it received a 911 call just after noon, with a witness reporting that a boat had capsized in the ocean off Myers Creek near Pistol River, about seven miles south of Gold Beach. "The 911 caller reported seeing one person on board that had been thrown from the boat into the water," CCSO said in a statement. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including CCSO deputies, a Search & Rescue (SAR) swimmer, troopers from Oregon State Police (OSP), Gold Beach Fire and Cal Ore Lift Flight. Responders soon sighted the capsized boat about 300 yards offshore amidst the waves, then witnessed a person struggling in the water about 100 yards offshore. The SAR rescue swimmer, two rescue swimmers from Gold Beach Fire and a state trooper in a dry suit got into the water and swam out to the victim. He was wearing a life vest, and the swimmers were able to safely bring him into shore. The man was identified as 62-year-old Scott Holland of Gold Beach. Once Holland was on shore, Life Flight crews treated him for possible hypothermia. "From the time of the original 911 call about the capsizing of the boat until the time Holland was helped out of the water was twenty-one minutes," CCSO said. "The fast response was crucial in saving Hollands life in those treacherous conditions." Authorities determined that Holland had been trying to take his 18-foot fiberglass boat from Gold Beach down to Brookings along the coastline. KEARNEY Upon University of Nebraska Board of Regents approval, Sodexo becomes the dining services provider today for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The five-year contract proposal was evaluated by a campus committee from among two bidders. The winning Sodexo proposal keeps overall costs, services and meal plans to students the same while maintaining the current retail locations and dining dollars that are popular with UNK students. Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Subway food court locations remain as part of UNK dining services under the new provider and contract. The contract was approved per board policy under an emergency provision and will be reported as part of the official board record at the June 28 NU Board of Regents meeting. Chartwells, doing business as Compass Group USA Inc., had provided dining services to UNK for 20 years. Last fall Chartwells sought renegotiation of the contracts financial terms, and on Feb. 13 Chartwells notified UNK that it would terminate the existing contract. NORTH PLATTE Eloise Shuck, a resident of the North Platte Care Center, had one wish: to see her son Josh get married. He and his fiancee, Stephanie Savage, had planned a September wedding, but Eloises terminal illness diagnosis meant she might not get to see her wish fulfilled. Last Monday, Josh and Stephanie decided to move the wedding to Saturday. They hoped Eloise would be able to go home for the wedding, said Neva Cooper, director of social services for the care center. When Josh and Stephanie found out that would not be possible, they called the nursing home on Thursday night, asking if they could hold the wedding there. Cooper told them yes even before getting approval from center administrator Carolyn Riggs. Of course, Riggs agreed. In less than 24 hours, the center staff made the wedding arrangements. Many of them donated decorations. The cake, photography and officiation duties were also donated, and a local florist provided flowers. Stephanies parents, Maryanne and Tim Savage, flew in from Boston for the occasion. Eloise said the day was very special and she was thrilled. We are blessed to be a part of this special day, Riggs said. City Administrator Al Vacanti said the issue is a personnel matter, and that there will be a personnel item on the city council agenda for Mondays meeting. A check of the agenda does show that there is a personnel item with discussion and possible action regarding a city employee on the agenda. Smith said that Treus resignation was not the goal in bringing these issues to light. (It was) an unavoidable consequence, considered that law-enforcement officers must uphold the highest of integrity and honesty. Our only goal was for him to stop saying he was a United States Marine and to stop using veterans groups to gain credibility to his fake story, Smith said. The post commander of the American Legion in Tilden, Tom Nelson, said Treu is no longer a legionnaire. His membership has been revoked. We had to try to track down his (military) discharge paperwork, and obviously he didnt have any. ... (Treu) has also admitted guilt, and he did that at the department level, Nelson said. Tom McCuin served two tours as an Army public affairs officer in Afghanistan, and worked closely with local nationals hired by American forces. They were not only our language interpreters, they were our cultural interpreters, he wrote on clearancejobs.com, a site that lists openings for individuals with government security clearances. Our interpreters were our bridge to the local population. They were locals themselves, who knew the lay of the land. Their service was, in a word, invaluable. One of those locals, whom McCuin called Hamid in his post, was severely wounded in an attack that killed his brother and another interpreter. And yet, when Hamid tried to immigrate to the United States under a special visa program that rewards faithful service to the U.S. by Afghan and Iraqi nationals, he was turned down as a security risk. If Hamid is a threat to American security, then so am I, wrote an outraged McCuin. The rejection of his visa is a stain on our national reputation. The bill was amended in the General Affairs Committee to change the age limit from Quicks original intention of 21 to 19. The amendment also made the age of 19 the minimum for purchase and use of tobacco products. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that turn liquid often containing nicotine into an inhalable vapor. Theyre generally considered a less dangerous alternative to regular cigarettes, but health officials have warned nicotine is harmful to developing brains. Quick introduced the bill after Grand Island school board member Lisa Albers approached him with her research findings. Albers is concerned about the use of electronic cigarettes by high school and middle school students. In talking to high school students, she learned that many of them didnt realize that e-cigarettes have addictive nicotine in them. They often are marketed as a smoking cessation device for adults, but theyre designed to look like candy, and use by teens has been skyrocketing. Albers proposed the bill as a way to keep 18-year-old high school students from legally buying e-cigarettes and giving or selling them to younger students. WASHINGTON Heres a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week. House votes n AGENT ORANGE AND VIETNAM VETERANS: The House has passed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (H.R. 299), sponsored by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., to extend eligibility for benefits due to Agent Orange exposure to blue water Navy veterans of the Vietnam War, children with spina bifida born to parents exposed to Agent Orange during military service in Thailand, and Korea veterans. Takano called the bill the quickest and clearest route to delivering benefits to those deserving veterans with diseases resulting from Agent Orange. The vote, on May 14, was unanimous with 410 yeas. YEAS: Steil R-WI (1st) n MASSACHUSETTS TRIBAL LAND: The House has passed the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 312), sponsored by Rep. William R. Keating, D-Mass., to reaffirm the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation in Massachusetts as trust land. Keating said the bill was needed because without the trust land designation it will be nearly impossible for the Mashpee to engage in any kind of true self-government because they wont own their own land: no economic development, no tribal headquarters, no elder housing, no pre-K programs. A bill opponent, Rep. Paul A. Gosar, R-Ariz., said it would mostly benefit a Malaysian gaming company called Genting that loaned more than $500 million to the Mashpee tribe to build a casino on the tribes land. The vote, on May 15, was 275 yeas to 146 nays. NAYS: Steil R-WI (1st) n TRIBAL TRUST LANDS: The House has passed a bill (H.R. 375), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., to reaffirm the Interior Departments authority to acquire land in trust for Indian tribes given federal recognition after 1934. Cole said the bill, by overriding a 2009 Supreme Court ruling that rejected post-1934 trust land acquisitions by Interior, would help Indian tribes use that acquired land for economic developments and to build community facilities such as schools, health centers, and housing that serve their tribal members. An opponent, Rep. Paul A. Gosar, R-Ariz., said the bill would allow Interior to take any land in trust without respect for impacted communities, including other tribes, and lead to a flood of off-reservation casinos being built by tribes. The vote, on May 15, was 323 yeas to 96 nays. YEAS: Steil R-WI (1st) n HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES: The House has passed the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act (H.R. 987), sponsored by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., to require the Department of Health and Human Services to make outreach and educational efforts for informing the public about the opportunity to enroll in federally-facilitated health insurance exchanges that are operated by the states under federal auspices. Rochester said the bill will advance important gains made by the Affordable Care Act and further improve our healthcare system by, one, lowering the cost of prescription drug prices and, two, increasing access to care. An opponent, Rep. Michael C. Burgess, R-Texas, called the funding for the exchanges a partisan measure to prop up Obamacare that derailed the prospects for other, bipartisan bill measures attempting to lower prescription drug prices to become law by ensuring that the bill could not get the Senates approval. The vote, on May 16, was 234 yeas to 183 nays. NAYS: Steil R-WI (1st) Along with roll call votes, the House also passed the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act (H.R. 2578), to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program; the Building Up Independent Lives and Dreams Act (H.R. 1060), to provide regulatory relief to charitable organizations that provide housing assistance; and the Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act (H.R. 1037), to increase transparency with respect to financial services benefitting state sponsors of terrorism, human rights abusers, and corrupt officials. Senate votes n TEXAS DISTRICT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Michael J. Truncale to serve as a judge on the U.S. district court for the eastern district of Texas. Truncale has been a private practice lawyer in Houston since the 1980s, with specialties in product liability and arbitration and mediation. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., cited Truncales well-qualified rating from the American Bar Association and time serving Texass universities. The vote, on May 14, was 49 yeas to 46 nays. YEAS: Johnson R-WI NAYS: Baldwin D-WI n APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Kenneth Kiyul Lee to serve as a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Lee, currently a private practice lawyer in Los Angeles, was an associate counsel in the George W. Bush administration and special counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An opponent, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Lees past writings reveal shocking positions on race and diversity, affirmative action, educational opportunity, and womens reproductive freedom. The vote, on May 15, was 52 yeas to 45 nays. YEAS: Johnson R-WI NAYS: Baldwin D-WI n LOUISIANA DISTRICT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Wendy Vitter to serve as a judge on the U.S. district court for the eastern district of Louisiana. Vitter, the wife of former senator John Vitter, has been general counsel for the Catholic Churchs New Orleans archdiocese since 2013, and from 1987 to 1992 was a lawyer for the Orleans Parish. An opponent, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called Vitter part of the far-right, extremist fringe and a judge whose rulings would be determined by her own biases, including anti-abortion views. The vote, on May 16, was 52 yeas to 45 nays. YEAS: Johnson R-WI NAYS: Baldwin D-WI n MANAGING STATE DEPARTMENT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Brian J. Bulatao to serve as Under Secretary of State for Management. Bulatao, since 2017 the chief operating officer at the Central Intelligence Agency, was previously an executive at various private companies in Texas and Kansas and an Army officer from 1986 to 1993. The vote, on May 16, was 92 yeas to 5 nays. YEAS: Johnson R-WI, Baldwin D-WI n DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Jeffrey A. Rosen to serve as the U.S. Deputy Attorney General. Rosen was a senior counsel in the Transportation Department and Office of Management and Budget in the George W. Bush administration, and is now Transportations chief operating officer. The vote, on May 16, was 52 yeas to 45 nays. YEAS: Johnson R-WI NAYS: Baldwin D-WI The Senate also passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act (S. 1379), to reauthorize programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response; and the Supporting and Treating Officers In Crisis Act (S. 998), to expand support for police officer family services, stress reduction, and suicide prevention. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. That is the case with Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warrens proposal for free tuition for all and cancellation of student loan debt. It sounds good. Its a nice campaign promise. But it doesnt really pan out in reality. Her campaign website states that experts estimate the debt cancellation plan creates a one-time cost to the government of $640 billion. The Universal Free College program brings the total cost of the program to roughly $1.25 trillion over 10 years. But dont worry. Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, said the entire cost of her broad debt cancellation plan and universal free college is more than covered by her ultra-millionaire tax a 2 percent annual tax on the 75,000 families with $50 million or more in wealth. But its that same tax she is also planning to use to pay for free childcare for anyone who makes less than 200 percent of the federal poverty rate, among other wish list items. In her online campaign literature, Warren shares her story of how she dropped out of college at 19 to get married. But then she went back to school at a community college that was $50 per semester. While its true that $50 per semester colleges dont exist anymore, there still are some affordable options. Technical colleges have continued to keep tuition low, and Gateway even has its own free tuition program for eligible students called the Gateway Promise. Government should continue to work with officials in higher education to keep college affordable, such as capping tuition as officials have done in Wisconsin. When you read deeper into Warrens plan she said, The federal government will partner with states to split the costs of tuition and fees and ensure that states maintain their current level of funding on need-based financial aid and academic instruction. Based on that statement, it sounds as though free tuition for all could come at a high cost for states, and that is not good for taxpayers who will have to pick up the tab. Student debt is hurting many Americans, preventing them from buying a home or other big purchases. Its natural to want to help, but Warrens proposal goes too far. Just over the last decade the narrative about higher education has greatly evolved. The message used to be that students must get a four-year degree to succeed. Now, parents and educators alike recognize that there is not a one-size-fits-all answer for all kids. For some, a four-year-degree is the answer. But for others, their best option may be going into a trade or going to a technical college. There is wider understanding that just going to a university and getting a degree without a clear path in mind is not the answer. If college is free and loans are forgiven, then there is not as much of an incentive to decide on a path toward a career. Officials need to continue to work on solutions to help reduce college debt. But Warrens idea is not a feasible solution. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 29-year-old officer met up with officers from the Schiller Park Police Department and followed the sounds of a woman screaming for help about just after dusk. The 30-year-old Chicago woman had been running through the woods when she fell through the frozen Des Plaines River, hidden under a thick fall of snow near Irving Park Road, Drwal said. The final day of the school year had been scheduled for Tuesday, June 4. The email to parents from Heinz and Kowalczyk indicated that district officials were in discussions with the Regional Office of Education to determine whether the closure of Franklin would impact the final day of school. 209 Shares Share A lot of Americans think they should be able to make an appointment with a specialist on their own, and view the referral from a primary care provider as an unnecessary roadblock. This system often doesnt work, because of the way medical specialties are divided up. If belly pain is due to gallbladder problems you need a general surgeon. If its due to pancreas cancer, you need an oncologic surgeon. If the cause is Crohns disease, any gastroenterologist will do, but with Sphincter of Oddi problems, youll need a gastroenterologist who does ERCPs, and not all of them do. Now, of course, if youre a woman, that abdominal pain may actually be referred pain from an ovarian cancer, best treated by a GYN-oncology surgeon, which anywhere in Maine means a drive down to Portland. The other day I saw an older man for a second opinion. He had been through one hand surgery for a small tumor many years ago in Boston, and another unrelated operation for a fracture in Bangor a few years ago. Then, after a non-surgical injury, he developed stabbing pains in the same hand. Someone referred him to a neurologist for EMG testing, which was normal, and the man told me that was all the neurologist did, not a full consultation. The man, who has traditional Medicare and thus the right to see any specialist who accepts Medicare, wanted me to get him in touch with the brilliant Boston hand surgeon. The man told me he wanted a diagnosis and a cure, and not just a bunch of pills, which is what his family doctor had offered him. I wont take gabapentin, I mean, with all those side effects, the man said emphatically. Did anybody suggest the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy or regional complex pain syndrome? I asked. No, is that the name for what Ive got? I think so, I told him. And I dont think even the most brilliant hand surgeon can help you. Around here, this is a problem that physiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, handle. I think you should see Dr. Paul DeBeck. What would he do? Confirm the diagnosis and probably offer you medication to start. The man frowned. The list of side effects is only a list of possibilities. Its published for legal purposes, so you cant sue the drug company for not warning you, I explained. I mean, would you drive a Jeep, or any car, on a public road if you read a document that said your gas tank could explode if you got rear-ended, you could hit a moose, you could roll over if you went through a curve too fast, you could slide into a ditch on an icy road, or you could get impaled if you drive too close behind a logging truck Anyway, I continued, I think your problem is not surgical, so going all the way to Boston would probably be a big waste of your time. I suggest you ask your doctor for a referral to Dr. DeBeck, right in Bangor. Then he could guide you from there, even if he doesnt think it is what I think you have. He sees a lot of that type of problem, so hell know. The same day, I saw a woman with hip pain, which turned out to be on the lateral, outer side, of her hip and a little toward the back side. That spelled sciatica from lumbar disc disease. She had wanted an orthopedic referral. But in the northern half of Maine, almost none of the orthopedic surgeons deal with back problems, so an orthopedic referral would have been a terrible waste of time for her. I sometimes wonder why it is that medical specialties are divided up the way they are; you need to know the diagnosis before knowing what specialist to see. I mean, why isnt there a belly pain speciality? But, that is why it makes sense to see a generalist first. Plus, we are qualified to treat most cases of the majority of diseases people run into. Hans Duvefelt, also known as A Country Doctor, is a family physician who blogs at A Country Doctor Writes:. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 152 Shares Share When you think about the future of health care, what word comes to mind? How about the word, female? If it didnt come to mind, it should because the landscape of the medical field is changing. As a result of that change, it is more essential than ever for women physicians to take control of their finances. Whether youre just entering the field or youve been practicing medicine for years as a woman physician, you need to take control of your finances. This isnt just about paying off debt or understanding bank account balances. Women physicians should pursue the path to financial independence from the start of their careers. Women physicians are often breadwinners Some of us are married to other physicians or high-earning professionals, but many of us arent. Even though the number of breadwinning women overall is steadily increasing, theres a lot of work and societal pressure that comes with being the primary provider for your family. Not only does this come with financial challenges; it can also bring emotional challenges. One way to temper this is for you and your partner to sit down and dream, plan, and set goals together. Getting on the same page in terms of your future is a helpful way to reframe old-fashioned beliefs that some people still harbor about who should be the breadwinner. Most of us will have children Many of us will have children and wont be stay-at-home moms. That means that we must either create enough financial freedom in our budgets to have a stay-at-home spouse or to make high-quality childcare something we can afford. And thats all post-maternity leave. As many female physicians can attest, many of us will not get paid maternity leave. This loss of income can pose a real financial hardship for young families. We all know colleagues who went back to seeing patients right away, sometimes as soon as 2-4 weeks after giving birth. By pursuing financial independence from the start of your career, you can build enough of a financial cushion where taking a longer maternity leave even if it is unpaid is something that is possible should you desire it. We work multiple jobs Unless we have a stay-at-home partner, most physician moms carry the brunt of the household work and the logistics of running the family. Essentially, we have a minimum of two full-time jobs. If you focus on your finances by living below your means, investing strategically, and paying down debt, you open up a lot more flexibility. Even if early retirement isnt on the table, you still have enough financial freedom to outsource some tasks to carve out a little more breathing room in your day. We have higher divorce rates Physicians, in general, enjoy a lower divorce rate compared to the average American. However, women physicians have a higher divorce rate than our male physician counterparts, and it seems to correlate with women physicians who work longer than forty hours per week. No one likes to think of themselves as getting divorced, but taking an active role in your finances and planning for a stronger financial future is an important safeguard for women physicians. In the event of a divorce, the higher earner is often penalized. Should you happen to be the breadwinner of your family, that means that you could bear the brunt of the financial burden. You went to college, medical school, residency, and then you worked hard as an attending. Do not let divorce be the financial catastrophe it can be. I recommend every woman physician to consider a prenuptial agreement and undergo premarital financial counseling before getting married. Using counseling as an opportunity to talk through your financial goals is an important and effective way to keep your marriage and your money strong and healthy. We care for our aging parents Women are often tasked with being the financial scaffold of their extended families. This is particularly true of immigrant families. So not only do we have our nuclear families to take care of, we may also need to help financially ill-prepared parents who didnt take care of their finances. As we live longer overall as a society, the costs of end-of-life care and nursing home care has skyrocketed. By having a handle on our own financial affairs, women physicians can have a better understanding of whether or not there is room in their finances to lend a hand. We outlive our partners Women live longer than men. Ultimately, many of us will become widows and will need to know how to manage our finances alone. By staying actively involved in your finances throughout your career and over the course of your relationship, you can ensure that you will have one less thing to worry about should you lose your partner. Final thoughts While much of the conversation around financial independence is tied to the ability to retire early, the real prize is flexibility. I hear a lot of I love what I do and will work until I die amongst physicians. Not so fast. Your goals and priorities will likely change as you get older. And sometimes, you dont have a choice. A close family member needs extra care or passes away. Your child has special needs or other needs that require your time and attention. You never know what life may bring. Working toward financial independence as a woman physician allows you to create your dream job. You have the ability to scale back your hours, take a leave of absence, or make other arrangements to optimize your day and your life. In short, you have a fall-back when life throws you curveballs. By taking control of their finances and pursuing financial independence, women physicians are able to be better physicians, better mothers, and better partners. Being debt free, spending mindfully, and employing other strategies to reach financial freedom gives the woman physician choices and flexibility to live on her terms. Bonnie Koo is a dermatologist and founder and editor, Wealthy Mom MD. Image credit: Shutterstock.com EUGENE, Ore. -- Greenhill Humane Society hosted their 26th annual Bark in the Park. They raised over $100,000 dollars and hosted over 600 dogs. Bark in the Park is Greenhill's biggest fundraising event and Megan Bresovar, Greenhills engagement manager, says this year was the biggest it has been since it started. It started out as just a run around Greenhill road now its this wonderful, exciting event, said Bresovar. So far they've reached almost $88,000 and are still fundraising to reach $100,000. She says all the money from the event goes directly to the animals and all works to help them get what they need so they can find living homes for them. She also says they could not do the work they do without all their generous donors. "We are so lucky there were so many local businesses that reached out to us this year to be supportive to be vendors as well as sponsors so were really lucky its bigger than its ever been and were going to keep it going. Bresovar says that come Monday they will already start preparing for next year and they invite the whole community to come out. Heather Hahn Sullivan, of Dunes Learning Center, said students collected their own research to determine the impact of climate change and urbanization on birds and squirrels and they reported on the stream water quality in their own communities. A high turnout of young Kilkenny voters in Fridays local and European elections can help shake up the system and ensure young peoples voices are better represented in political decision making. Thats the view of campaigner, charity founder and former member of the Council of State, Ruairi McKiernan, who is appealing to young voters to turn out in large numbers. Weve seen how young people mobilising helped lead massive social change on marriage equality, the repeal campaign, and the calls for climate action. Young people make up a huge percentage of the population and deserve to have their voices and visions heard and acted upon when it comes to the decisions made in the European Parliament and in Kilkenny County Council, says McKiernan. The campaigner and host of the Love and Courage podcast founded the SpunOut.ie youth website back in 2014 and is a passionate champion for youth participation in Irish society. Its clear from the lack of leadership on housing, healthcare and the environment, that establishment politics is failing a generation and that the political system needs a big shake-up. Wreckless decision making means Ireland remains one of the most indebted countries in Europe. Weve become a low wage economy with many young people relying on insecure jobs without adequate pay and conditions. Many are being hit hard with sky-high rents, difficulty accessing mortgages, exorbitant car insurance costs and the second highest third level fees in the EU. The younger generation is being sold down the river and political participation is a vital part of changing things he says. He says international initiatives like the Rock the Vote campaign prove that young people can make a real impact on voting day. Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements and campaigns, including those focused on civil rights, war, poverty and refugee rights. They have a huge stake in the future and arent afraid to challenge things when necessary. according to McKiernan. Tourism Ireland has enlisted the help of a popular German travel vlogger (or video blogger), to showcase Irelands Ancient East and Kilkenny. Bjorn Troch, aka The Social Traveler, travels around the world undertaking Destination Challenges and Ireland is his latest challenge! Hes sharing details of the various challenges, and his adventures here, with his many fans and followers. His rules are that he must complete each challenge in one day and he can only seek help from local volunteers and his followers not from a guidebook or search engine! Bjorns itinerary was designed by Failte Ireland. Bjorns mission included teaching the basics of hurling and Irish dancing with volunteers, in Kilkenny city. He also enjoyed an overnight stay in The Rise B&B in Dunmore. Peter Nash, Tourism Irelands Manager Central Europe, said: Blogs and social media are recognised as strong influencers for prospective holidaymakers, so Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite Bjorn Troch to visit Irelands Ancient East. Hes documenting his entire visit online sharing lots of great photos and content while completing his challenges and inspiring his fans and followers to come and discover Ireland for themselves. 2018 was the best year ever for tourism from Germany to Ireland, when we welcomed around 818,000 German arrivals, up +12.6% on 2017. Tourism Ireland has an extensive programme of promotions under way in Germany again in 2019, to build on that success. Germany is the third-largest source of visitors to the island of Ireland and one of the largest outbound travel markets in the world. 2018 was the eighth consecutive year of growth for Irish tourism from Germany, when we welcomed almost 818,000 German arrivals, delivering almost 500 million to the economy. Tourism Ireland aims to build on that success and, in particular, to encourage more German holidaymakers to explore our regions and less-visited attractions, during the shoulder and off-season months. Police reviewed surveillance video to determine what happened, according to Hein. Mirkov was working at the business to repair the sign and was inside a lift bucket attached to a white Ford van that was registered to him, police said. A new digital innovation hub at the Abbey Quarter in Kilkenny City can drive the digital transformation of Europe's Agri-Food sector, boosting innovation and growth in the region, while burnishing Irelands global leadership in agricultural technology, according to EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan. Speaking at the launch of the Precision Agriculture Centre of Excellence (PACE), Commissioner Hogan said: "This impressive new hub gives Irelands agri-tech companies, most of them SMEs and micro-enterprises, direct access to best-in-class technologies and research, as well as cascade funding. Smart use of knowledge, research and innovation is the main source of productivity growth in the EU agri-food sector. The digitisation of the European economy requires the full integration of digital innovations across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture and food. Precision Agriculture has never been more important in an industry facing challenges posed by climate change, ecosystem degradation and world population growth, as well as the growing need to produce more, using less. With facilities like PACE, we are building a network of digital innovation hubs across Europe to accelerate this digital transformation. PACE is an excellent strategic fit for the South-East region where agriculture accounts for 43% of total employment. This, coupled with the presence of leading global agri-food companies headquartered in the region and a growing base of agri-tech companies, confirms the pivotal role PACE can play in growing the regions economy, Commissioner Hogan said. Waterford Institute of Technology President, Prof. Willie Donnelly, said: PACE is an initiative of the TSSG at Waterford Institute of Technology and will leverage the Institutes leadership in agriculture and Information Technology research and innovation. It is an important next step in the Institutes research and innovation centre which was established in St Kieran College in 2011. It will close the gap between research and deployment, with a focus on using existing technologies which are often deployed in other sectors. PACE will serve agri-food processors, farm advisory services, companies selling services and products to the agri sector, and agri-tech SMEs and start-ups and rural-based industries which have the potential to transform into higher technology and higher value businesses. PACE will also serve regulatory, compliance and policy authorities by providing a technology resource to support their mission, he added. While the potential of ICT in agriculture is recognised, no single ICT-agricultural focused centre in Ireland is capable of identifying these advanced ICT solutions, Prof. Donnelly added. A large amount of ICT research taking place in Irish and international research centres is fragmented and not ready for immediate and easy adoption by the agricultural industry. PACE will have the capability to identify existing technologies which are of interest to the sector - including the Internet of Things, Big Data, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence - and assess their suitability for deployment in the Irish agricultural sector. "PACE will also build connections between technology providers and Agri-Tech firms. It will also investigate and help to secure national and international R&D funding to support technology integration and development, Prof. Donnelly added. Kilkenny County Council have been a proactive stakeholder in the development of PACE from the outset and will sit on the PACE advisory committee. Council Chief Executive, Colette Byrne, said: PACE will provide a cornerstone for the development of an Agri-tech cluster at The Abbey Quarter where industry and academics will work hand in hand. By scouting for technologies across the entire third level sector, PACE will provide an opportunity to commercialise those technologies that have potential for deployment in the agricultural sector and grow its presence not just in Kilkenny but across Europe. Initally, PACEs anchor staff already at four will start work immediately at the TSSGs existing incubation hub at Burrells Hall, St Kierans in Kilkenny before their move to the Abbey Quarter. As party of the celebrations of World Bee Day, on 20 May, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Andrew Doyle T.D., announced a Host a hive, help the honey bee initiative. This initiative aims to encourage forest owners to introduce beehives to their native woodlands and is in partnership with Woodlands of Ireland and the national beekeeping associations. It is also supported by the Native Irish Honeybee Society. The Minister also confirmed the arrival of honey bees to Agriculture House with hives installed on Agriculture Houses city centre Headquarters on Kildare Street. This joins DAFMs Backweston campus as the latest DAFM location to install hives. Minister Doyle stated, My Department is a huge supporter of pollinator-friendly initiatives and we continue to invest heavily in the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. Beekeepers need space for hives in productive foraging areas and what better place to establish a hive than a native woodland. I have no doubt that Irish forest owners will be buzzing at the opportunity to help save Irelands honey bees. This will also feed into the national effort to protect and preserve bees under the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. Native woodlands created and restored under the Departments National Forestry Programme are not intensively managed thereby making them the ideal locations for hives. The Department is writing to all owners of a woodland created or restored under the Native Woodland Scheme to invite them to contact a beekeeping association if they are interested in hosting a hive or a number of hives. The scheme involves no effort, or cost, for the land owner as the beekeepers carry their own insurance, supply the hives and maintain them. Participation benefits the land-owner, by increased pollination in the woodland, and the potential to further develop local honey-producing enterprises similar to Wicklows Nectar Way agri-food tourism initiative. These iniaitves are the latest in a series of DAFM supports to aid and support bees and beekeepers. Under DAFMs locally-led schemes, we are now investing 1.2m in a four-year pollinator project led by the National Biodiversity Centre. This will work directly with farmers to help them make their farms more pollinator friendly. This comes on top of other intitves including annual grants to the Irish National Beekeepers Federations to help their associated members pursue the craft of beekeeping, to support the purchase of bees and to inform the general public about the environmental role that bees play in maintaining Irish biodiversity and crop production. DAFM also operates National Apiculture Programme which includes provision of a free disease diagnostic service for Irish beekeepers and funds specific research projects on bees. The Minister added that We can all play our part in making Ireland a place where bees can survive and thrive and my Department is fully committed to helping those efforts in any way we can and this Host a Hive project is another excellent way to do so. Anyone interested in the idea of hosting a beehive can contact either FIBKA at www.irishbeekeeping.ie or the IBA clg at www. irishbeekeppersassociation.com Washington The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case involving the warrantless strip-search at school of a 4-year-old student by a county caseworker looking for evidence of abuse. The case of I.B. v. Woodard (No. 18-1173) raised several important legal questions for educators, including whether a child welfare caseworker requires a warrant to strip-search a child and whether it was clearly established that such conduct was barred in Colorado under relevant federal court rulings. Lawyers for the student and her mother, joined by several allies, also asked the justices to fundamentally reconsider their jurisprudence related to the doctrine of qualified immunitythe bedrock protection for educators and other government officials from personal liability as long as their conduct does not violate clearly established rights. A growing number of legal scholars have questioned the doctrine of qualified immunity, and they have been joined by three current members of the court who have written or joined opinions that raised concerns about whether the doctrine goes too far in protecting government workers from liability when abuses occur. (On the current court, those justices are Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor.) Even as it frustrates the vindication of constitutional violations, the [qualified-immunity] doctrine is not effectively serving its own purported policy goals of protecting officials from damages liability and reducing litigation costs, said a friend-of-the-court brief filed in the case by seven scholars of the law of qualified immunity . The case began in 2014 when the 4-year-old identified in court papers as I.B. was attending a preschool Head Start program at Oak Creek Elementary School, part of Harrison School District No. 2 in Colorado Springs, Colo. April Woodard, a caseworker for the El Paso County Department of Human Services, went to the school to investigate a report that I.B. had bumps and bruises visible on her body. Court papers say Woodard received permission from her supervisor to inspect the childs buttocks, stomach, and back for marks and bruises. In the school nurses office, Woodard undressed I.B. without asking permission, court papers say, and took photographs of unclothed areas of the childs body with her cellphone. Woodard also visited I.B.'s mother, identified as Jane Doe, but did not reveal the strip search of her daughter, the court papers say. The mother learned later from her daughter that the caseworker had undressed the child and taken pictures. The abuse investigation was closed in short order as unfounded. I.B. and her mother sued Woodard and other officials of the county agency, as well as the agency itself, with their chief claim being that the strip-search violated the Fourth Amendments prohibition of unreasonable searches. A federal district court granted the individual defendants motion to dismiss the suit on qualified-immunity grounds. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, in Denver, ruled 2-1 on Jan. 3 to affirm the district court. The majority said there was a split among other federal circuits on whether a warrant was required for a search in these circumstances. That split alone was enough to suggest there was no clearly established law to guide officials on that question. The panel did not decide that question itself. The 10th Circuit majority went on to distinguish the case from the Supreme Courts 2009 decision in Safford Unified School District No. 1 v. Redding , which held that a schools search of a students underwear for drugs violated the Fourth Amendment. The student searched in Safford was suspected of harming others through drug distribution, the 10th Circuit majority said in the I.B. opinion. The child in this case was suspected of suffering abuse from a third party. The Safford decision did not serve to clearly establish that Ms. Woodards search of I.B. was not reasonably related in scope to the circumstancessuspected child abuse, the majority said. The dissenting member of the 10th Circuit panel said it made no difference that the Safford decision involved a search for medications rather than abuse, because a child-abuse investigation does not relieve a social worker of her obligation to justify the search of a childs intimate areas with facts, not general possibilities. In their appeal to the Supreme Court, the lawyers for I.B. and her mother urged the justices to to accept the case for any of the three questions they presented: whether a warrant was required for a search of a child for signs of abuse; whether the strip-search at school, even without a warrant, violated clearly established law under Safford; and whether the entire doctrine of qualified-immunity should be re-examined. The three questions present the ideal vehicle to address not only the important recurring question of what standards apply when government officials strip search children, but also to reconsider the courts qualified-immunity doctrine in light of the significant concerns raised by members of this court, lower courts, and commentators from across the ideological spectrum, says the appeal. The appeal had the support of friend-of-the-court briefs signed by a wide range of groups, including not only the scholars who have raised questions about qualified immunity but such groups as the Alliance Defending Freedom, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cato Institute, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund , and the Home School Legal Defense Association . Lawyers for Woodard and other defendants filed a brief urging the justices not to take up the case. Among other reasons, the brief says that I.B. no longer lives in Colorado, which could present the same procedural issue that frustrated the Supreme Court when it took up a similar case involving a social workers warrantless interview of a student at school about possible abuse at home. In that 2011 decision, Camreta v. Greene , the justices held that the case was moot, but it granted a request by two officials to vacate an appeals court decision that their conduct had violated the Fourth Amendment. The appeal by I.B. and her mother offers no compelling reason to unravel more than half a century of qualified immunity jurisprudence woven into American law, says the response from the Colorado caseworker and other officials. The justices denied review without comment on May 20 after the first time they considered the case at their private conference. Nagelberg said that Hammond did not record the deed for the bridge for more than 30 years; the structure posed a hazard to the public; the city did not have any signs indicating it was private property; the city for years wasnt sure it owned the bridge; and it was an environmental risk. (Writes through, adds CEO comments) By Liz Lee KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Reuters) - Rare earths producer Lynas Corp said on Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Texas-based Blue Line Corp to set up a rare earths separation facility in the United States. The move comes as the United States, which is highly reliant on the world's biggest producer China for rare earths, is prioritising the sourcing of its own strategic minerals used in everything from consumer electronics to military equipment. Lynas and Blue Line will cooperate over the next year to develop the processing facility in Texas. The venture will be majority owned by Lynas, the companies said in a joint statement. The deal has been struck as Lynas faces regulatory issues at its processing plant in Malaysia, and fends off a $1.1 billion takeover offer from Australian retail-to-chemicals conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd Chief executive officer Amanda Lacaze told Reuters in a phone interview that the U.S. venture was a specific market opportunity and would complement its operations in Malaysia. The venture would allow Lynas to close a "critical" supply chain gap for U.S. manufacturers. It's "an important reflection of the fact that countries all around the world are keen to have rare earths processing capabilities," Lacaze said. "Electric vehicle manufacturers are looking for security of supply of the heavy rare earths as well as on the light rare earths and this provides that opportunity," she said. Lynas is the world's only major producer of rare earth minerals outside China. The materials produced by the company, such as neodymium-praseodymium, are used in a variety of applications such as electrical components and high-power magnets. The companies did not give any details on the cost of the proposed U.S. facility. Lacaze said the company was "absolutely committed" to Malaysia, where it has been required to remove years of accumulated waste at its plant in order to have its license renewed. She was confident Lynas could meet a framework outlined by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who said in April that Lynas or any other company will need to clean raw materials coming to Malaysia in order to operate in the country. Lynas has said it is considering initial ore processing near its Australian mine, given the situation in Malaysia. The company last month reported a near 33% rise in its third-quarter production of rare earth oxides, and has rejected the Wesfarmers bid as undervaluing its business. (Reporting by Liz Lee; additional reporting by Ambar Warrick in BENGALURU; editing by Richard Pullin) GENEVA (Reuters) - Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the administration of President Donald Trump would retaliate. I would say to the Iranians: Do not underestimate the resolve on the U.S. side, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. They dont want a war with Iran. But if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. And that is something that the Iranians needs to think about very, very carefully. Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Guy Faulconbridge LONDON/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Time to abandon the Huawei phone? That was what some owners asked after U.S. tech giant Google said it would suspend its business with Chinas top mobile maker, threatening future access to Gmail, YouTube and Chrome. Google said on Monday it would comply with an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to stop supplying Huawei, meaning it would no longer be able to offer its popular Android apps to buyers of new Huawei phones. The order to U.S. companies could affect tens of millions of consumers in Europe, its biggest market outside mainland China. I was absolutely shocked, Luna Angellica, the Dutch owner of a new Huawei P smart+ contacted by Reuters in London, said after the Google news. She was already considering saving up for a rival model, she added. Trumps move, said to be motivated by spying concerns amid a bitter trade war with China, could at a single blow derail Huaweis ambitions to overtake Samsung as the worlds biggest phone maker. I like the phone so much - Im just kinda scared one day Ill be forced to buy another phone, said Anthony Chiringa, who lives in Nairobi and bought his Huawei Y7 for $180 two weeks ago. Buying a new phone to replace another one will be another expense for me. Rather Huawei should come up with a way whereby the current Huawei users can be able to replace their phones for free, he said. Emerging economies such as Kenya are key to Huaweis ambitions as it seeks to sell more low- to mid-priced handsets outside China. India, where Huawei now has only single-figure market share, is also potentially vital. I was already in two minds about buying the phone, said Sumeet Lyallpuri, 46, a businessman in Mumbai who had been considering upgrading his existing Huawei to the brands P30. Now if Google updates are not available for Huawei phones, Google Play or apps such as YouTube are not there I wouldnt want to buy the phone at least for the time being, he said. Manish Khatri, the owner of a smartphone shop in Mumbai, Indias financial hub, said some customers had been looking for Huawei phones. Now with Google deciding to have a limited relationship with Huawei I will direct customers to other smartphones brands such as Samsung or Apple, he said. USERS PUNISHED Huawei said on Monday it would continue to provide security updates and services for its smartphones and tablets that have already been sold. And Googles team working on the Android operating system told Huawei users on its Twitter @Android account it would comply with U.S. requirements while ensuring services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device. Replies to the tweet ranged from frustration to worry. So because of a US law, you actually punish millions of international users by banning them? wrote Andreas Benjaminsen, who described himself as an open source enthusiast on @photolsen account. Twitter user Ania K. wrote on @kuleczka1983: I am very worried ... Im the owner of a P30 Pro. Neither user could immediately be reached for comment. Operators, who tie phones into their networks with mobile line contracts for calls and data, were also racing to determine the impact on their businesses from Googles decision. We are reviewing the details of the executive order to understand any potential implications for our customers, Spains Telefonica, Europes third largest mobile operator. Hutchisons British network operator Three told customers that Huaweis routers and devices would continue working, but also said it was seeking further information. We are in discussions with Huawei and will provide a further update as soon as we can, the firm said in statement. Huawei, which is also the global leader in telecoms networking equipment, is embroiled in a long-running row with the United States over the security of its systems and devices. The U.S. administration has said Huawei equipment could be used by China for espionage and Washington has pressed its allies to use other suppliers. Huawei denies the U.S charges. Huaweis founder and chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, had said before Googles announcement on Saturday that growth of the Chinese tech giant may slow, but only slightly due to recent U.S. actions. Additional reporting by Kate Holton in London and YiShu Ng in Singapore; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Georgina Prodhan Cox, who teaches psychology and history at Morton Senior High School in Hammond, wielded a megaphone and led the group along Calumet Avenue in chants such as You left us no choice now we use our teacher voice! and Education is a right! This is why were going to fight! She said shes been tired and frustrated, but now, shes just angry at the state of education in Indiana. MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australias re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison once brandished a lump of coal in parliament, crying, This is coal - dont be afraid! His surprise win in what some dubbed the climate election may have stunned the country, but voters should know what comes next in energy policy - big coal. Battered by extended droughts, damaging floods, and more bushfires, Australian voters had been expected to hand a mandate to the Labor party to pursue its ambitious targets for renewable energy and carbon emissions cuts. Instead, they rejected the oppositions plans for tax reform and climate action, re-electing a Liberal-led center-right coalition headed by Morrison, a devout Pentecostal churchgoer who thanked fellow worshippers for his win at a Sydney church early on Sunday. The same coalition government last year scrapped a bipartisan national energy plan and dumped then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull because he was viewed as anti-coal. Power companies and big energy users, who last year rallied behind the national energy plan to end a decade of policy flip-flops, said on Sunday they wanted to work with the coalition anew to find ways to cut energy bills and boost power and gas supply. We just need this chaotic environment to stop and give us some real direction, said Andrew Richards, chief executive of the Energy Users Association of Australia, which represents many of the countrys largest industrial energy users. The countrys power producers - led by AGL Energy, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, owned by Hong Kongs CLP Holdings - want the government to set long-term goals to give them the confidence to invest an estimated A$25 billion ($17 billion) needed for new power supply. Customers are looking to energy companies and the government to get bills down and secure our energy supplies, said EnergyAustralia Managing Director Catherine Tanna. We have an opportunity now to reset our relationships and recommit to working toward a clear, stable and long-term energy policy, she said in comments emailed to Reuters after Saturdays election. At Origin Energy, Chief Executive Officer Frank Calabria said in emailed comments he would be looking for appropriate policy that would allow the company to invest in a pumped hydro project and gas exploration in the Northern Territory. DIVISIVE DEBATE Australia has endured years of divisive debate on energy policy, with attacks by the Liberal-led coalition on Labors carbon tax policy helping to bring down the government of then-leader Julia Gillard in 2013. Despite top companies, from global miner BHP Group to Australias biggest independent gas producer Woodside Petroleum, calling for the country to put a price on carbon emissions, the Liberal-led coalition killed the carbon price mechanism in 2014. Its own attempts to fashion a bipartisan national energy policy foundered amid fierce opposition from coal supporters and climate skeptics on its right-wing. Its policy now is focused on driving down power prices and beefing up power supply. For the moment that includes underwriting a new coal-fired power plant and providing A$1.38 billion toward a A$4 billion energy storage expansion at state-owned hydropower scheme Snowy Hydro, designed to back up wind and solar power.. While the coalition stuck to an official target to cut carbon emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels by 2030, the United Nations warned last year Australia was unlikely to meet this goal. The opposition Labor party campaigned on more aggressive targets, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach 50 percent renewable power by 2030. The re-elected Liberal-led coalition has no renewable energy target beyond 2020. ADANI JOBS = VOTES FOR COALITION In the election, stopping a coal mine in the northern state of Queensland proposed by Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises was the catchword for inner city voters in the south pressing for tough action on climate change. Labor, torn between its traditional union base and its urban environmentally conscious supporters, made no commitments on the Adani mine. The move backfired in the mining heartland of Queensland, where voters with jobs in mind handed the Liberal-led coalition crucial seats in the election. Adani Mining Chief Executive Lucas Dow said the state Labor government, which has repeatedly extended environmental reviews of Adanis Carmichael mine, should learn from Labors defeat in Queensland, listen to its own voters and let the mine go ahead. As evidenced by this weekends election results, Queenslanders have no tolerance for political actions that are unjust and put peoples livelihoods at risk, Dow said in a statement. A spokesman for Queenslands Department of Environment and Science said departmental representatives had met with Adani on Monday and negotiations are continuing on the companys plans. Energy users and the power industry, however, see the transition to cleaner energy as inevitable, with states pushing ambitious targets out of line with the national government. At the same time, Australia, the worlds second-largest exporter of coal for power, faces falling demand for coal as its biggest customers - Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and India - are shifting towards cleaner energy, said Tim Buckley, a director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. I would expect the coalition to fight a rearguard action that will slow the transition, but they cant stall it, he said. Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Richard Pullin and Kenneth Maxwell NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose to multi-week highs on Monday as OPEC indicated it was likely to maintain production cuts that have helped boost prices this year, while escalating Middle East tensions provided further support. Brent crude futures rose 2 cents to $72.23 a barrel by 12:51 p.m. EDT (1651 GMT), having earlier touched $73.40, their highest since April 26. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 30 cents to $63.06 a barrel, after hitting $63.81, the highest since May 1. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday there was consensus among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers to drive down crude inventories gently but he would remain responsive to the needs of what he called a fragile market. OPEC, Russia and other non-member producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1 for six months to try to prevent inventories from increasing and weakening prices. A gathering of the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in Saudi Arabia over the weekend did not make any solid recommendations, leaving a decision on policy for a meeting of OPEC and its allies on June 25-26 in Vienna. The OPEC factor appears alive and well as a supportive element if the weekend ministerial meeting was any indication. The Saudis are favoring sustained output restraint, likely through years end, said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates. United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei earlier told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not the right decision. OPEC data indicated oil inventories in the developed world rose by 3.3 million barrels month-on-month in March, and were 22.8 million barrels above their five-year average. Adding to the bullish sentiment were rising tensions in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the official end of Iran, while Saudi Arabia said it was ready to respond with all strength and it was up to Iran to avoid war. The rhetoric follows last weeks attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone that exploded near the U.S. embassy. Britain told Iran on Monday not to underestimate the resolve of the United States, warning that if American interests were attacked then the Trump administration would retaliate. (GRAPHIC: U.S. Rig count - tmsnrt.rs/2X8Myf7) * Around 700,000 tonnes of contaminated crude heading to China * Cargoes mainly offered to Chinese teapot refineries * Hard to set prices without trade precedent By Florence Tan and Olga Yagova SINGAPORE/MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - Trading companies Vitol and Unipec are sending around 700,000 tonnes of contaminated Russian oil to Asia in an attempt to place the barrels rejected by buyers in Europe, according to trading sources and ship tracking data. A key Russian pipeline to Europe, Druzhba, and a major port Ust-Luga have been contaminated with organic chloride, which can damage refining equipment. As a result, Russia was forced to reduce exports in the worst ever supply disruption. Vitol and Unipec are mainly targeting Chinese independent refiners, or teapots, which have shown interest in taking the oil, traders said. According to Reuters sources with Chinese refiners, they have been recently shown cargoes of Urals crude that contain organic chloride ranging from 30-50 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm without mentioning prices. Buyers are treading cautiously because the contaminated Urals crude needs to be stored in tanks and diluted multiple times with clean oil to reduce the organic chloride content in order not to damage refining equipment. "The final price is to be set. More quality tests are needed. Then it is possible to figure out the price, the way it can be refined and if it can be refined at all," a trader with a Chinese major told Reuters. Organic chloride in crude oil can cause corrosion and destroy refining units. "I was shown barrels with 200 ppm and I said: "No, thanks," a Singapore-based trader said. "The logistics is very challenging and only big refiners can manage," he said, adding that a cargo with 200-ppm of organic chloride will need 20 cargoes of the same volume to be diluted to a normal level of 10 ppm. For traders, estimating the value for the oil is the hardest part as there has been no trade precedent. "Nobody knows where these barrels should trade. It's a discount to ICE Brent for cargoes landing in China for sure but how much of a discount, nobody knows," a second trader said. European traders said contaminated cargoes have been offered at a discount of $10-20 per barrel but very few buyers showed interest. Clean Russian Urals crude from the Baltic is currently trading at $74 per barrel. "We don't want to touch it. Refiners were previously hurt due to chloride issues, so they should be more cautious," a European buyer said. Volumes that are currently heading to Asia represent around half of 1.5 million tonnes, or 11 million barrels, of contaminated Urals that had been exported from the Baltic port of Ust Luga in recent weeks. Because European buyers refused to buy the volumes, they ended up mostly with trading houses. Another 9 million barrels are estimated to be stuck in Druzhba pipelines between Belarus and Germany. The vessels heading to Asia include the 130,000 tonnes Sonangol Rangel fixed by Vitol from Denmark's Skaw STS on May 15 and heading to China's Yingkou, according to Refinitiv Eikon flows system. A very large tanker (VLCC) New Comfort fixed by China's Unipec is also carrying 270,000 tonnes of Urals and is currently loading in Skaw to sail to Chinas Ningbo. Another VLCC Amyntas is heading to Southwold port to load 270,000 tonnes of Urals for delivery to Yinkgou in China, traders said and Refinitiv Eikon flows system showed. Sinopec, a parent company of China's Unipec, declined to comment. Vitol also declined to comment. (Reporting by Florence Tan and Olga Yagova, additional reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Gleb Gorodyankin, editing by Susan Fenton) Workers belonging to the General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) downed tools on May 12 following a dispute over the employees' medical scheme, despite an interim court interdict against any strike action, Amplats said. The precious metals producer said it dismissed 643 employees at Mototolo, which produced 57,700 ounces of platinum group metals in the first quarter of 2019, after its appeal to end the strike was ignored. A union official at GIWUSA, which is the only recognised union at the mine, said they would approach the labour court over the dismissals. Amplats said the sacked employees had until May 21 to appeal the decision. The firm said the impact on production had so far been minimal. "Anglo American Platinum is exploring options to ensure that Mototolo Mine recommences full production as soon as practically possible," it said in a statement. Amplats acquired Glencore's 39% stake in the mechanised platinum mine on the eastern limb of South Africa's platinum belt in 2018. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) (Reuters) - Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper on Monday said there is an authoritarian mentality in the White House and the United States does not need its own strongman, as he delivered the first major foreign policy address among two dozen Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination. I think history clearly demonstrates that when you have a so-called strongman - a dictator - you dont have rule of law, Hickenlooper said when asked at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs if that was a better approach to foreign policy than multilateralism. In his address, Hickenlooper said China represents a generational challenge for national security; that Russia actively works against our interests by propping up Bashar Hafez al-Assad in Syria and Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela; and that North Koreas nuclear program threatens its region and beyond. From Moscow to Beijing, from Ankara to Caracas and beyond, authoritarian strongmen now threaten not only the rights of their own people, but also the foundations of international peace, Hickenlooper said. While no invading army is storming Americas shores today, this authoritarian mentality has already breached our defenses. Indeed, it has occupied the White House. We have a president who is not just ignoring many of the threats to our national security, he is aiding and abetting them, he added. Hickenlooper said President Donald Trump has fawned over North Koreas Kim Jong Un and treated Russias Vladimir Putin as his puppet master. Hickenlooper also criticized Trump for threatening to pull out of the NATO alliance, abandoning the Paris climate accord and withdrawing from trade negotiations. We cannot hope to go back to the way the world was before Trump, too much has changed, Hickenlooper said. Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine disputed Hickenloopers assessment of the president, saying that his record on foreign policy is unquestionably a strength. The Trump sanctions on Russia are the toughest. He also imposed strong sanctions on North Korea and Iran, brought the North Koreans to the negotiating table, decimated the ISIS caliphate, stood up to China for decades of unfair trade practices, strengthened Americas trade deals around the world, improved NAFTA, and steered NATO on the right path, Perrine said in an email. Hickenlooper, who trails in opinion polls, is trying to show how he stands out in a field of Democratic White House hopefuls that include many with years of Washington experience, such as former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Hickenlooper criticized other Democrats for wanting to withdraw from our global leadership role, and said he would use constant engagement to expand trade, modernize the military and form strong global alliances, taking an activist, not a pacifist approach to foreign policy. Hickenlooper said he would reaffirm the countrys commitment to the NATO alliance, revive arms control talks with China and Russia and reject boycotts, divestment or sanctions on Israel. He also said he would consider re-establishing the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement made by the Obama administration, and re-enter the Paris climate agreement. Trump has pulled the United States out of both of those accords. Hickenlooper also proposed creation of the position of Director of National Cybersecurity to formulate a 20-year plan to coordinate efforts among existing security and intelligence agencies. (GRAPHIC: Who is running in 2020 - tmsnrt.rs/2Ff62ZC) Well get a price tag for it, Palm said. It will be a lot of money. From there, well decide the process we follow to see who wants to implement this. Well tell the community the price tag and what theyll get from that and see if the community will buy in. Its going to be in the millions of dollars, certainly. Were really at step one of a multi-layered process. There is one candidate for Auburn mayor who is worth your vote Myanmar is preparing to organize a grand centenary celebration of its motion picture industry on Oct. 13, according to the Information Ministry. The centenary celebration will be launched with the aim of portraying the significance of Myanmar motion picture, honoring artistes and technicians in the film industry and bringing about the development of the industry in the future through the unity of film community including the old and new generations, Minister of Information Pe Myint told the first preparatory meeting for the upcoming event on Saturday. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein voiced support of the celebration, while Chairman of the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization U Zin Wine called on youths of the community to take part in the celebration and suggested the holding of a relevant workshop. Myanmar is striving for its movie development with an aim toward reaching the quality of regional and international movies. In March, the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization presented 12 motion picture academy awards for the year 2018 to winners, most of whom are new-faced artistes, after selecting 83 movies from 159 produced in the year. The awards include that of lifetime achievement, best film, director, screenplay, leading actor and actress, supporting actor and actress, cinematography, music, sound and editing. The film academy award presentations were annually held since 1952 to encourage domestic film production and bring up its quality. (AMAZONIA, Mo.) Authorities continued the search Monday for man believed to be missing in the Missouri River. Crews have been out on the river near Amazonia since Saturday. Family friends said the man set out onto the river Thursday to fish, then Friday morning they say they discovered the man's vehicle on the access ramp still running with a trailer attached. The missing man's boat was found roughly two miles away from the access ramp. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has yet to release the man's identity. Hot oil, peppercorn and chili pepper eating contests. On the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, the Chengdu Panda Food Festival is giving foodies a chance to burn their tongues and numb their lips. While Sichuan cuisine has many styles and forms, its signature spice is found in nearly every local favorite including hotpot. The Hotpot I-Mart is one of the biggest attractions during the food fair. In the city of Chengdu alone, there are over 7,000 hotpot restaurants, and data shows that some 70 percent of hotpot places across China are in fact Sichuan spicy hotpot. And the pot is moving across borders. Local industry leaders participating in the Hotpot I-Mart are showcasing their latest hotpot related products and giving out free samples to lure consumers. [CGTN Photo] Chengdu hotpot chain Shudaxia has already opened its first store in Japan and is now eyeing Singapore, Malaysia, and even the U.S. and Australia by the end of the year. The biggest challenge though is how to convince people to give hotpot a try. "Initially, it was not easy to expand overseas," said Zeng Ming, the retail GM for Shudaxia Hotpot. "To non-Chinese customers, we have to help them understand not only the dishes we serve but also stories behind our restaurant decor so they can start appreciating this dining experience." Shudaxia has enjoyed higher profit margins since branching out overseas with the average price per person doubling while costs pretty much remained flat. And they're not alone. Laomatou hotpot is also gearing up to go abroad. The firm believes that in addition to quality improvement, service is the key to higher yields expected from markets like the U.S. "In addition to taste and freshness, service and dining experience are also important. These help lead to more sustainable business abroad," said Huang Wei, brand director for Laomatou Hotpot. According to Meituandianping, China's largest online urban guide for restaurant reviews and group deals, hotpot is not often found in western reference guides like Michelin. However, the firm is including 11 hotpot locations in its own global restaurant reference the Black Pearl list. "Western people have a hard time reviewing hotpot because they focus more on cooking skills. Yet hotpot doesn't require much cooking in the kitchen. But we believe it can also go premium in the sense of how fresh the ingredients are, as well as desserts and appetizers they offer," said Yin Rui, the CMO of in-store business for Meituandianping. Yin adds that chefs and restaurant management teams are playing a crucial role in taking Sichuan cuisine like hotpot overseas not only by maintaining food quality, but by helping to bridge cultural differences. The 18th "Chinese Bridge", Chinese proficiency competition, was held on Thursday at the University of Malta in Msida, West of the capital Valletta. Nine students, from the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta, took part in the annual Chinese Proficiency Competition. Three Chinese language learners, from the China Cultural Center in Malta, also gave their Chinese speeches at this event. Under the theme "One World, One Family", participants showed their comprehension of the Chinese language, culture during the three-part competitions: free speech, question and answer as well as the talent show. Maria Debono, the first year student of the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta, won the first place among the contestants with fluent speech and language application skills. "I think the Chinese language is very unique since (it) gives me an opportunity to better understand the Chinese culture, I am very excited to continue studying it," said Maria Debono. Debono will travel to China to participate in the global competition, while the second winner will get an opportunity to watch the competition in China. This is the third time that the competition is held in Malta. A man passes by the entrance of the Lenovo Exclusive Store in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, Feb. 2, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua] Lenovo on Sunday denied rumors that the world's largest PC maker has cut off the supply of computers and services to Huawei. A question published Saturday on Zhihu, China's Quora, "What do you think of the rumors that Lenovo may have cut off the supply of office computers and servers to Huawei?" aroused a lot of attention online. On the same day, a report from business media outlet Lanjinger said a "source who works at Huawei" confirmed that all Lenovo devices had been removed from Huawei's interior purchasing platform and Lenovo office computers have been replaced at the headquarters of Huawei in Shenzhen. Lenovo published a statement denying rumors that it has cut off the supply of computers and services to Huawei on WeChat and Weibo official accounts on May 19, 2019. [Screenshot: China Plus] The rumors emerged after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order last Wednesday that's believed to effectively ban Huawei equipment from being used in America's telecommunications networks. Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Commerce Department said it is adding Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 70 affiliates to its so-called "Entity List" -- that bans the telecom giant from buying parts and components from U.S. companies without U.S. government approval. On Sunday, Lenovo published a statement on its WeChat and Weibo official accounts saying that it didn't suspend supplies to Huawei. "After an investigation, we confirm Lenovo is supplying to Huawei as usual," said Lenovo. "Huawei is a significant client of Lenovo PC and services. We will continue to sell products and services to Huawei on the basis of strict compliance with relevant laws and regulations of the countries and regions where Lenovo does business." Lenovo said it had launched an investigation, and will take legal action on rumormongers. China's import enterprises saw their tax burden significantly reduced last month as the country lowered value-added tax (VAT) rates to further lighten the financial pressure of enterprises. BP Zhuhai Chemical company in south China's Guangdong Province saw its VAT reduced by 14.02 million yuan (about 2.04 million U.S. dollars) in April thanks to the tax reduction. After reducing VAT rates, the financial burden of the company was reduced and more funds can be invested in research and development, said Yu Guoding, a manager responsible for the company's import and export businesses. Starting April 1, taxpayers previously subject to the 16-percent VAT rate on their imported goods would enjoy a 13-percent VAT rate, while those who were subject to the 10-percent VAT rate would only need to pay 9 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs. Customs data showed more than 1,500 import enterprises in Zhuhai and Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, enjoyed lower VAT rates in April, with their VAT reduction totaling 190 million yuan. In northeast China's Liaoning Province, more than 4,000 enterprises benefited from lower VAT rates, with VAT reduction amounting to 958 million yuan last month. According to customs' earlier estimates, the total VAT reduction in imports is expected to reach around 225 billion yuan (about 33.5 billion U.S. dollars) this year, after the implementation of lower VAT rates on April 1. John Boyd Jr., a fourth-generation farmer in the U.S. state of Virginia, has only planted about one fourth of his soybean crop so far this year. "I am part worried and part frustrated and I'm very disappointed," he said. At his family farm in Baskerville, southern Virginia, Boyd told Xinhua earlier this week that the planting window is closing for his soybeans. "If my crop isn't planted one month from right now ... then it's all over for me, and not just for me, (but also) for other American farmers," he said. Boyd owns 700 acres of tillable land, with 400 acres of soybeans, and some corn and wheat. He was planning to expand his farm operation last year, but the U.S.-initiated trade frictions with China over the past few months have put the 53-year-old farmer on edge. "The tariffs have been devastating for me," said Boyd, noting that China is the largest purchaser of U.S. soybeans. "When President (Donald) Trump announced ... the tariffs, the price of soybeans plummeted and we really didn't have a market." Last summer, the United States imposed additional tariffs on billions of U.S. dollars of Chinese goods, provoking swift retaliation from China, which impacted the export of U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans. Prior to the trade disputes, the price of soybeans was about 11 U.S. dollars per bushel, Boyd said, but now it's hovering around 8 dollars or less, recently even reaching a 10-year low, which leads to "a 50-percent reduction in income" for him. As a cash and carry farmer, Boyd usually harvests what he grows in his fields, and sells them to the closest grain elevator, Smithfield Foods, a U.S. subsidiary of the Chinese pork producer WH Group Ltd. When the price plunged, Boyd had to sell everything he had at a loss. After a tractor malfunctioned recently, the soybean farmer took effort to repair it by himself, whereas in the past, he would have sent the tractor off to a shop to fix it. Some of the "much-needed" equipment repairs are put on hold "simply" because he doesn't have the cash, Boyd said. "It's been a financial strain on our farming operation," said Boyd, who has six workers to support. With the gloomy outlook, he has yet to receive a farm operating loan. "It all stems from a snowball effect from the president imposing tariffs, which I think was a poor decision," said the soybean grower, adding that the decision has put his business "in turmoil and in question." Boyd, who is also the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, said he doesn't think tariffs are the right approach to address any problems between the two countries. Instead, a "more diplomatic approach" should have been taken. "If you have good conversation, anything bad can wind up good," he said. Caught in the U.S.-China trade disputes, Boyd has been anxious. "As soon as I am off the tractor and take a shower and walk to my house, I'm flipping through (the news)," he said. "It's been very depressing for farmers like myself." To mitigate the risks, Boyd even started planting hemp, a crop he barely had any experience for. Besides going through a learning curve in growing, he would need to spend much time and money establishing and expanding sales channels, a challenging task. It took U.S. farmers more than 40 years to build the soybean market in China, President of the American Soybean Association Davie Stephens told Xinhua in a recent interview, warning that it will become "increasingly difficult to recover" as the U.S.-China trade row rumbles on. With depressed prices and unsold stocks expected to double by the 2019 harvest, U.S. soybean farmers are unwilling to be "collateral damage" in the endless trade disputes with China, said Stephens, who is also a soybean grower from the U.S. state of Kentucky. The U.S. government previously offered 12 billion dollars to help farmers weather the fallout, which would mean 1.65 dollars of subsidy per bushel for soybeans. "I haven't received a dime of that," Boyd said, adding that the process has been slow. Boyd's efforts to reach out to federal government officials such as Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue have gone nowhere. "Those requests were fell upon deaf ears," he said. However, government aid is not the way out for Boyd. "I don't want the aid. I want a fair price for my crop," said the farmer. With the announcement of the latest round of tariffs, Boyd's patience is waning. "I was (optimistic) until this week," he said, adding that he thinks the U.S. president's recent decision to further hike tariffs on Chinese goods "hurts the process" that the two sides have been making. "I don't know what I'm going to do now and that's a bad position to be in as a farmer," said Boyd. Farmers plan by year, he said, and several rounds of tariffs have thrown his plan of action "off the highway." "The tariffs need to be removed," Stephens said, adding that U.S. soybean farmers yearn for "trading as normal" with China. "Let's get back to trading in an open market. That's free trade for both sides," he said, calling for negotiations to achieve a win-win outcome as soon as possible. For Boyd and his fellow farmers, the clock is ticking. "There is an urgency of now, right now that this needs to be fixed," Boyd said. Starting this summer, most Indiana teachers will have to spend 15 hours on professional development related to their communitys career and workforce needs in order to renew their professional license. The new rule , passed by the state legislature this month, has sparked outrage among teachers who say the change adds an unncessary burden, with the state teachers union president calling it a slap in the face. In response, some teachers have decided to fulfill their requirements by drinking beer. At least two breweries have put together programs for teachers to learn about beer production, the ins and outs of operating a small business, and of course, beer-tasting. Jon Knight, the managing partner of Grand Junction Brewing Co. in Westfield, Ind., said hes married to a veteran high school teacher, who gave him the idea. She came to me and said, Honey, we need to do something. We need to use the brewery as a conduit to try to help, he said. Many in the education field feel as though ... theyre underappreciated and expected to jump through unnecessary hoops, so it makes the job harder. ... We felt like there had to be something we could do [to help teachers] meet the requirements. Change of Pace The most common license renewal path for teachers in Indiana requires 90 hours of professional development every five years. The new rule says that 15 of those hours should now be fulfilled through an externship with a company or through state- or business-provided professional development that outlines current and future economic needs and how those needs can be taught to students. The PD can also provide a partnership between the school and employers to promote career navigation. At Grand Junction, teachers will go through beer school, where they learn about running a brewery and get a basic beer education on different flavors, complete with tastings. Then, they can choose to shadow either the general manager, to get a sense of the day-to-day work of managing a business, or the brewer, to learn how to brew beer. Both components of the program together will satisfy the 15-hour requirement, Knight said. This certainly does provide a nice change of pace for them, and it also gets exposure [to a brewery], and is something a little more enjoyable than your typical classroom setting, he said, adding that so far, around 30 teachers have signed up for the first class. State lawmakers have been increasingly interested in promoting externshipsshort stints in local businessesfor teachers. The idea is that teachers will get a firsthand look at industries in their region, and will be able to then teach their students the skills that are needed for the workforce. See also: Teacher Externships Bring Real-World Experience Into Classrooms But teachers have said the new rule piles on to their already-full plates, especially since an externship would be unpaid and requires more effort than some of the online coursework and conferences that teachers can currently take to complete their 90 hours of professional development. Indiana State Teachers Association President Teresa Meredith told the Evansville Courier & Press that the new rule doesnt give teachers credit for already teaching their students about careers and workforce needs. Adding this to our professional growth plan insinuates that we dont know about the economics in our community or about the workforce, she said. I cant teach kids today in kindergarten about a job that may not exist when they graduate. This is just really insulting. State lawmakers have said there needs to be a better connection between what students are learning in school, and what skills employers want them to have. Teacher externships are an increasingly popular solution: Michigan , Louisiana , and Tennessee are among the states that have experimented with offering externships as professional development. For example, in Tennessee, teachers can choose to participate in weeklong summer externships in industries such as aerospace, energy, manufacturing, and health care. Learning about the brewing industry was probably not what Indiana legislators had in mind, but Knight said hes heard from several other local breweries who are interested in creating a similar program for teachers. While the externship at Grand Junction does meet the states requirements, he said some brewery owners have suggested giving teachers a completion certificate for just sampling a flight of beers. Kurtis Cummings, the owner of Switchyard Brewing Company in Bloomington, Ind., created an externship for teachers where they can go through a tasting panel and get a tour of the brewery, as well as learn about starting a small business and securing startup funding, according to the Indianapolis Star . He also told the site Indiana on Tap that the program was meant to be an easy way for teachers to meet the requirement. Teachers have lives and dont need this useless requirement to do their jobs, he said. This is an opportunity for educators to meet some arbitrarily made-up requirement to meet the new state law. The rule goes into effect on July 1, and the state teachers union has released a statement urging teachers to finish the license renewal process before then. According to the Indianapolis Star, thousands of teachers are doing just that . The union also said it would seek a legislative solution to this problem. Teachers in Indiana have three other options to renew their licenses, such as completing the National Board certification process, but the 90-hour plan is the most common. Professional development is often hit or miss for teachers, as Education Week has reported in a new series of stories . Many trainers are trying to make PD both fun and meanginfulfor instance, as my colleague Alyson Klein reported, one Kansas district offers PD thats inspired by Disney . Image via Getty Iraq's Oil Minister Thamir al-Ghadhban said Sunday that Exxon Mobil's evacuation of its foreign workers from the West Qurna 1 oilfield in Iraq's southern province of Basra was "unacceptable and unjustified." "The withdrawal of Exxon Mobil workers from West Qurna 1, despite their small number and whether temporarily or precautionary, has nothing to do with the security situation or threats in the oilfields in southern Iraq, but is for political reasons," al-Ghadhban said in a statement. "The withdrawal is unacceptable and unjustified because other international companies are working freely and safely in developing the oilfields," Ghadhban said. "Such withdrawal may send false messages about the situation in Iraq, and this is something that we do not accept at all," Ghadhban warned. He said that he sent a letter to the Exxon Mobil's officials asking for clarification, demanding the return of its staff to work, according to the statement. Ghadhban's comments came a day after the U.S. Exxon Mobil oil company evacuated all its foreign workers out of West Qurna 1 oil field in Iraq's southern province of Basra. The company started the evacuation on Friday and continued until early Saturday, as some of its staff were moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and some to the company's main headquarters in Basra. However, the oil production of West Qurna 1 oil field was not affected by the evacuation as the work was continued by the Iraqi engineers, according to media reports. The evacuation came amid the tense situation in the region after U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May. The United States has also increased its military activities in the region recently, citing a threat of Iranian "attack." The China Supply Chain Summit was held in Fuzhou from May 18 to 19, to optimize the connectivity among resources, production, services and consumption and to further boost China's competitiveness in the global economy. Hosted by Fuzhou People's Government, the summit is one of the three parallel forums of the second 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Expo cum 21st Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade (CFET), which is being held from May 18 to 22. Modern supply chains are a way to organize manufacturing and integrate logistics, information flow, capital flow, value flow, and business flow. Lu Pengqi, vice chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that the cooperation and competition among global supply chains are increasingly shaping international relations. "As the global supply chain system continues to expand, how to promote the integration and innovation of the supply chain with industrial chain and value chain, thus reshaping the competitiveness, has become a topic that governments, industries, and enterprises cannot ignore," Lu said. In recent years, China has attached great importance to the development of the supply chain, emphasizing the need to promote supply chain innovation, foster new growth points in the modern supply chain among other fields, create new kinetic energy, and form a complete and efficient industrial supply chain. The realization of supply chain innovation and development is also an important starting point for deepening supply-side structural reforms and promoting high-quality economic development. Zhou Hanmin, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee , gave four suggestions for China's development of the supply chain. He said the development of China's supply chain should stick to the four major national strategies and should be deeply integrated with the digital economy. In addition to that, a sound business environment must be provided, and China needs to keep abreast of the relevant changes in WTO. Xu Shanda, an expert from the SEEC Research Institute, stressed the importance of upgrading technology based on his research on China's manufacturing industry in 1980, 2000, and 2018. "China has the problem of manufacturing overcapacity. It is very important for companies to upgrade the technology of their products so that they can meet the needs of the future market. There are many institutional researches on how to better encourage and guide enterprises to upgrade their technology in the right direction." He offered an example of Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co, Ltd, a Fuzhou-based multinational company specializing in the manufacture of automobile safety glass and industrial technical glass. The company has successfully moved up in the supply chain by upgrading its technology. The company has developed a new type of front windshield for Audi A8, which doesn't freeze. Though the output hasn't changed much, the significant price increase is due to the increased technological content. During the summit, a signing ceremony for the Straits Supply Chain Techfin Research Center and a launch ceremony for the 1233 International Supply Chain Management Platform Project were also held. Three persons travelling to Ikare Akoko in a Toyota Corolla car and one Mitsubushi Pick up Van, for a wedding, have been reportedly kidnapped by suspected gunmen along Auga-Ikare road in Ondo state. The victims who are all male, were picked up on the same spot where Olori Agunloye, the wife of the Alauga of Auga and her driver were kidnapped last year between Auga and Ise Akoko. A woman who is a wife to one of the victims was left with her two children to report the case for possible negotiation on ransom. Speaking on the incident, the Police in Ikare, said they have swung into action in conjunction with vigilante group, by combing the forest to rescue the victims and arrest the criminals. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Robbers operating near Okada junction on the Benin-Lagos highway have killed a lecturer with the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, identified as Kelvin Izebeokhai. It was learnt that the robbers abducted other passengers in the bus the deceased was travelling in. The driver was said to have escaped into the bush with four passengers. Spokesman for the university Mr. Jide Ilugbo, who confirmed the killing, described it as barbaric. Ilugbo said: It is now dangerous to travel along the Benin-Lagos highway due to frequent robberies. It was unfortunate that the deceased ran into the robbers. A trailer parked before Okada junction is a hideout for criminals. Police Commissioner Mr. Mohammed DanMallam confirmed the abduction and the death of the lecturer. He said Kelvin was killed by the robbers when he attempted to escape when the victims were being Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Despite the mounting pressure from U.S.-China trade disputes, European companies continue to be upbeat about revenue growth in China, according to the European Business in China Business Confidence Survey 2019. Most of the respondents view China as one of the top three destinations for investment, said the survey released Monday by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. The survey, jointly conducted with Roland Berger, a leading global consultancy firm, targeted 1,326 eligible entities, and 585 respondents completed the survey. The polled European companies strongly opposed the use of tariffs, as they would negatively affect European companies with international supply chains. Despite the concerns that tensions might escalate, few respondents were making significant changes to their China strategy. If the government granted international businesses greater market access, 65 percent of the respondents would be likely to increase investment in China, with half of those willing to invest an additional 5 percent to 10 percent of their annual revenue, according to the survey. President Mats Harborn of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said China remains a critical market for European companies. He said that European companies expected China to speed up reform to create a more open and fair market. The commitment of European businesses to the Chinese market in spite of challenges from trade tensions has shown the importance of China in the strategies of many companies, according to Denis Depoux, Head of Asia Roland Berger. "It's no longer just about being close to customers, it is also about access and exposure to the many cutting-edge innovations coming from Chinese entrepreneurs," Depoux said. Former South African president Jacob Zuma arrived in court on Monday as he fights to have corruption charges against him over 1990s arms deal dropped before the case comes to trial. Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling ANC party last year, has been charged with 16 counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to the weapons deal dating back to before he took office in 2009. Zuma, 77, is accused of taking bribes from French defence company Thales during his time as a provincial economy minister and later as deputy president of the African National Congress He allegedly pocketed around four million rand ($280,000; 250,000 euros) from 783 payments handled by Schabir Shaik, a businessman who acted as his financial adviser. Both Zuma and Thales have denied any wrongdoing and have applied to the court for a permanent stay of prosecution. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates On this side, art dealer and former Goldman Sachs executive Robert Mnuchin, who just spent $91 million of a clients money on a stainless steel statuette of a rabbit. On that side, billionaire private equity investor Robert F. Smith, who just announced to the graduating class of nearly 400 at the historically black Morehouse College that he would cover their student debt, at an estimated cost of $40 million. If youre counting, the buyer of the Jeff Koons artwork could have made two gestures equivalent to Smiths, and had $11 million left over. We reported on the art purchase last week. To recap, Mnuchin placed the winning bid of $91.1 million at a Christies auction May 15 for the statuette crafted by Koons, an artist known for his appeal to a market driven by plutocratic philistines with, arguably, more money than taste. News of the action by Smith, who has been identified by Forbes as the nations richest African American ($4.4 billion in net worth), came over the weekend. Advertisement Mnuchin, who is the father of Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, has said he didnt buy the Koons statuette for his own collection. He hasnt revealed the buyer. Among the suspects is hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen, an active participant in the high-end art market, who has been identified as the purchaser by ArtNet, but who hasnt confirmed its report. The seller was the estate of the late billionaire media mogul S.I. Newhouse. Our suggestion that the May 15 auction indeed, the multi-billion-dollar art market generally justified proposals for putting a leash on big fortunes, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warrens idea for a wealth tax, produced a certain pushback from libertarians grousing about government confiscation and infringement of the freedom to waste ones wealth on a whim. Warren (D-Mass.) calls for a tax of 2% on net worth above $50 million and an additional 1% on net worth above $1 billion, which doesnt sound like much of a confiscatory burden. She also calls for enhancing government support for historically black colleges, such as Morehouse. But the contrasting investments represented by the Smith and Mnuchin expenditures also point to some issues about billionaire philanthropy that warrant scrutiny. Its proper to acknowledge that spending millions on art of dubious intrinsic value isnt incompatible with donating to worthy social causes. Cohen is credited with tens of millions of dollars in contributions to health and educational institutions, for example. Other billionaires have made their mark with notable contributions for improved public access to art and cultural artifacts. Hedge fund promoter Stephen A. Schwarzman announced a $100-million donation to the New York Public Library in 2008, in return for which he got the systems landmark main building on 42nd Street rechristened in his name. Los Angeles billionaire Eli Broad has opened his art collection to public viewing via the Broad museum on Bunker Hill, to which admission is free. The Getty Museum also is free. No one should begrudge these donors the honor of having their names associated with their largess. But no one should forget that some of their contribution is billed to the general public, via the tax deduction they receive for philanthropic donations. Unlike the federal income tax deductions for state and local taxes, charitable deductions werent capped by the tax cut enacted by Republicans in December 2017, most of which went into the pockets of the 1%. The issue with mega-donations that seldom gets discussed is whether some are worthier of the tax deduction than others. Consider contributions to university endowments. These are invariably treated as public boons (except perhaps when they come with ideological strings attached, as is the case with contributions from people like the Koch brothers). Yet in many cases they only make the rich richer. In 2016, Nike founder Phil Knight announced a $400-million gift to Stanford University, which was then the nations fifth-richest university; in 2018 it was ranked fourth, with an endowment of $24.8 billion. As we wrote at the time, assuming that Knight paid the top marginal federal tax rate on his income, the donation then gave him a tax break worth $158 million thats an invoice paid by the U.S. taxpayer. Then and now, however, public universities such as the University of California were being starved of resources. The public contributed much more per full-time student to private Stanford University through tax breaks to donors than to California public institutions, according to these 2014 figures. (Nexus Research and Policy Center) Other high-profile donations really look like billionaires donations to themselves, albeit well-disguised. Economic commentator Felix Salmon blew the whistle in 2012 on hedge fund billionaire John Paulsons $100-million donation to the Central Park Conservancy, which nurtures a park just a few steps from his town house. If you wanted to give $100 million to charity while making the barest minimum impact on the world, youd be hard pushed to improve on Paulsons performance, Salmon wrote. The donation got Paulson, one of a class of financiers whose image was sullied by the financial crisis, breathless praise from the New York Times. What makes Robert F. Smiths philanthropic act appear to stand apart is that it seems selfless. Many of the 400 beneficiaries of his donation come from families that have struggled to pay the bills for their education. Smith received nationwide acclaim for his act, which he announced at the Morehouse commencement May 19, where he was the commencement speaker, but its not like hell be taking a trophy home for his personal gallery like the buyer of the Koons statuette. The gift also seems to fit with Smiths general approach to philanthropy, which has focused on human rights, support for black cultural institutions, and healthcare and educational opportunities for minority Americans. Smith is addressing a problem, the burden of student debt, that government seems unwilling or unable to fix. If Smith takes a tax deduction for his gift, its in the nature of a charge to federal taxpayers for something they should be paying for anyway. If the U.S. had a sensible system of paying for higher education, he wouldnt have to spend $40 million helping a few hundred needy students, and hed be able to devote that sum to some other endeavor. The evidence suggests that it wouldnt be on a polished figure of stainless steel. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. For more than 20 years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and National Institutes of Health have partnered to fund a unique nationwide program studying environmental impacts on childrens health. No more. The Trump administration is zeroing out the EPA contribution to the program, forcing many of the 13 university-based research centers to curtail their multiyear projects and leaving the NIH to scramble for a rescue plan. Whatever the NIH comes up with, researchers say, it will be a shadow of the original program. Thats a devastating blow to the cause of childrens health. Since its origin in 1997, the program has funded groundbreaking research on the effects on children of air pollution, pesticides, secondhand smoke, and chemicals in household and consumer products such as the flame retardants in clothing and upholstery probing the environments role in asthma, childrens neurological development, cancer, and pre-term deliveries and infant mortality. Advertisement The message were hearing is that this administration doesnt want this research anymore. Tracey Woodruff, UC San Francisco The federal funding cutback comes at a time when conservative Republicans in several states have stepped up their attacks on abortion rights, portraying their efforts as evidence of their devotion to human life. This weekend, Trump tweeted out the claim that hes strongly pro-life and proclaimed that his administration was promoting a whole new & positive attitude about the Right to Life. Yet the administrations move to destroy a research program that aims to safeguard the health of children evokes the old slam that for antiabortion conservatives, life begins at conception and ends at birth. As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions - Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother - the same position taken by Ronald Reagan. We have come very far in the last two years with 105 wonderful new..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Research funded by the federal program has provided the scientific underpinning for bans on dangerous chemicals at the federal and state levels, action on air pollution affecting minority neighborhoods, and educational outreach to low-income communities about how to minimize environmental hazards for infants and pregnant women. The message were hearing is that this administration doesnt want this research anymore, says Tracey Woodruff, a professor of reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco. Woodruffs research center at UCSF has received about $7.3 million in grants from the federal program since 2010. The last of the centers grant funding will run out by the end of this month. Then were done, she told me. Its no stretch to associate the cutbacks with the administrations solicitude for the chemical industry. Evidence developed at Columbia University that the pesticide chlorpyrifos interferes with childrens neurological development helped establish scientific grounds for a 2015 EPA recommendation for a ban on the chemical for agricultural use (it was banned in 2001 for domestic use). Trumps first EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, canceled the federal ban days before it was to go into effect in 2017. That was a signal that things were changing at EPA, says Linda McCauley, dean of nursing at Emory University in Atlanta and head of its Center for Childrens Health, the Environment, the Microbiome and Metabolomics, which was established with a grant from the federal program. California and Hawaii have since imposed statewide bans. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last month ordered the EPA to reinstate the ban and to justify any reversal. There were other signs of change at EPA. In September, the agency placed Ruth A. Etzel, the head of its Office of Childrens Health Protection, on leave, with no explanation. There still hasnt been an explanation. Etzel has said she believes she was removed to keep research into childrens health hazards from reaching the public. My job is kind of like being the chief lifeguard...looking out for possible hazards to children and trying to prevent them, she told CNN. And if they dont want the chief lifeguard around, what does that mean for children? What makes the administrations defunding of the childrens health program even more disturbing, researchers say, is that it hasnt formally announced its cancellation. When asked about its future, They dont say yes, they dont say no, they dont say anything, McCauley says. But they told us to spend down our money, there wont be any more. Silence, however, is tantamount to cancellation. Renewed funding would require a public announcement and a request for proposals in a process that would take up to a year. They obviously dont have any plans to continue, Woodruff says, or they would have made an announcement already. An EPA spokeswoman says the agency is contributing $1.6 million to the childrens health centers for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30; thats the last outlay from prior grants. Its unable to make any financial commitments for the future, the agency says, as those would be subject to future appropriations. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the NIH arm that partnered with the EPA, says it will be unveiling a new vision for the program at a public meeting June 5. But Kimberly Gray, the administrator who has overseen the NIEHS share of the program, told Nature earlier this month that the institute couldnt make up the loss of EPA funding on its own. McCauley says NIEHS has indicated that it may fund only five centers, to be selected via a competition, down from the 13 currently receiving grants and those at lower levels than previous funding. The childrens environmental health program ranks as an asterisk in the federal budget. Its grants have totaled $301 million over 20 years, distributed among 25 academic institutions from coast to coast. (The University of California has received about $74 million through its Berkeley, Davis and San Francisco campuses.) But for those institutions, the grants have been a lifeline. Emorys program has followed 600 Georgia families from pregnancy into their childrens formative years. It was the first such program in the deep South, McCauley says. EPA and NIEHS were very excited about having our center, because it focuses only on African American pregnant women, she says. The most important component of the program was its outreach to the affected community. The community was hearing for the very first time about environmental exposures and the potential effects on their babies. That aspect of the program may not be able to continue without the funding. At UC Berkeley, researchers have been delving into the potential environmental causes of childhood leukemia with $12 million in grants dating back to 2009. The funding gave the project the stability to sustain that work over that period. The remaining funds will be enough to finish the existing research in the next year, says the project leader, epidemiologist Catherine Metayer. To lose the support weve had is a big blow. The program also represented an investment in the future. These centers play a critical role in introducing students to this field who might not otherwise understand environmental exposures, McCauley says. Youre training the next generation of young people to keep carrying the banner and ensure that they care about this. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. China had built a team of nearly 3.61 million medical doctors as of the end of 2018, up 80.4 percent compared with 1998, Health News reported. A total of 8.31 billion medical treatment were made in 2018, an increase of 290.1 percent from 1998, the report said. The infant mortality rate in China dropped to 6.1/1,000 from 33.2/1,000 in 1998, and the maternal mortality rate dropped from 56.2/100,000 in 1998 to 18.3/100,000 as of the end of 2018, according to the report. Over 84 percent of Chinese people live less than 15 minutes away from medical institutions thanks to the rational distribution of the grassroots health institutions. During the past years, the country has been improving medical partnership and telemedicine, and contracted family doctor services to relocate more resources to grassroots health institutions, offering the public more equitable access to basic medical services. Although Facebook Inc. doesnt sell robots, its researchers use plenty of them and the company said its machines are getting a lot smarter a lot faster. The social media giant announced Friday that its engineers, working with computer scientists from New York University, have reduced the time it takes to teach a robotic arm how to grasp objects to tens of tries, rather than hundreds or thousands. It may seem like a tangential development for the social media giant, but advancements in robotics can lead to improvements in other forms of machine learning, smartening the software Facebook has begun to use to spot harmful or unfavorable behavior of users on the social network. The company has been under increasing pressure to use artificial intelligence to police extremist violence, hate speech and misinformation on its platform. It has said that it is making progress but that systems that can reliably block such content without human intervention are still years away. Advertisement The great thing about robotics is that it takes place in real time, in the real world, Antoine Bordes, co-managing director of the companys artificial intelligence research labs, said in an interview last week in Paris. He contrasted this to research that taught AI to master games, such as chess or Go, which can be run at superhuman speeds, enabling a software agent to learn from playing millions of games against itself in a period of a few weeks. Many contemporary AI methods are extremely data-hungry, requiring thousands or millions of labeled examples to learn from or thousands or millions of attempts in a simulated environment to equal or exceed human performance. Facebook began working on robots in the last year because it forced researchers to think creatively about how to make machine learning more efficient, Bordes said, but added that the company has no plans to commercialize its robots any time soon. In addition to the robotic arm, Facebook has experimented with finding ways for a six-legged robot to teach itself how to walk. It said it eventually hoped to reduce the time needed to train such a skill to hours instead of days or weeks. With computer scientists from UC Berkeley, Facebook has experimented with having robots learn about their world through tactile sensors that give them a sense of touch rather than relying solely on computer vision. Yann LeCun, Facebooks chief AI scientist, said in an interview Friday that the companys researchers had a responsibility to see around corners to where technology might be heading. If robots do eventually become a popular consumer good and Facebook decides to sell them, he said, the company would need to have experts already on staff. Youve got to start early, he said. Its not just something you can jump into when it picks up. It was an advertisement for Lyft that convinced Chris Berry to leave his small town and head to Nashville. He could make a comfortable living driving for the ride-hailing service, the Craigslist post read, and Lyft would even rent him a car that met the companys specs. For the record: An earlier version of this article identified Chris Berry as a veteran of the war in Iraq. He was a civilian contractor in that conflict. So Berry, who was a civilian contractor in the Iraq war and had struggled to find steady work since being laid off from an oil field in 2013, packed his bags and sold his 1998 Toyota Avalon to fund the move across the state. Four months later, the car he rented from Lyft had become more than his source of income it was also his home. And Lyft was asking for it back. Advertisement When his planned Nashville accommodation fell through, Berry resorted to living out of the 2017 Nissan Altima he rented from Lyft for $240 a week. Despite driving 20 to 60 hours a week and giving an average of 45 rides, Berry couldnt afford to rent an apartment on top of what he owed Lyft. In April, the car was towed after Berry parked overnight in a spot that blocked a business. It was hauled to an airport car rental lot operated by Hertz one of Lyfts rental partners. It took Berry two days to retrieve the vehicle, sleeping overnight in the airport terminal. Strapped for cash after missing a few days of driving, he couldnt reimburse Lyft for the $113 towing charge and the company demanded he return the car immediately. They put me in a very bad position, Berry said. Im now going to be homeless with no vehicle. And I havent even been able to make enough money [with Lyft] to get ahead. Lyft and its rival Uber have struggled to retain enough drivers to meet demand. As the companies have sought to expand their fleets, they have tried to recruit workers whose vehicles wouldnt pass company requirements or those who dont have a car at all. Both offer short-term car rental agreements to a range of people including those who might have poor credit or are desperately in need of a flexible stream of income. According to regulatory filings, Lyft has tens of thousands of cars available to drivers in 30 cities across the U.S. for short-term rental. The company says those in its Express Drive program have earned more than $1 billion since its launch in 2016. As of March 2019, more than 180,000 people had rented a car through Express Drive, and two-thirds of those drivers did not originally have a car that qualified, according to a blog post written by Chief Operating Officer Jon McNeill. McNeill wrote that the company is expanding the program, hoping to increase driver earnings by offering fuel-efficient cars. Someone wanting to drive with Lyft can rent a car for as little as a week and return it, if things didnt work out, Lyft spokesman Eric Smith said in a statement. Were proud to be able to provide opportunities to those who need them most. However, in interviews with The Times, some struggling drivers who rent through Lyfts Express Drive program say it has made it difficult to get back on their feet. Documents show those drivers are paid less per mile than Lyft drivers who use their own vehicles or cars leased through dealerships. That makes it harder to offset Lyfts rental and insurance payments in some markets, which start at $219 a week and rise as high as $479 a week in New York. By comparison, ride-hailing drivers in some markets who rent a comparable car from a dealership can pay less than $160 a week, including the cost of insurance. Lyft also imposes unique restrictions on drivers who rent cars through its Express Drive program, mandating they provide 20 rides a week to keep the car and prohibiting them from making money using their vehicles to work for other services, according to six drivers and documents reviewed by The Times. Lyft blames its higher rental prices and lower mileage rates on the cost of insurance. The restrictions stem from the policies of Lyfts rental car partners: Hertz, Avis and Flexdrive, the company says. Increasing revenue and ride bookings is especially pressing for Uber and Lyft, which are now publicly traded. Neither company expects to turn a profit in the short term, which means investors will pay close attention to growth. Lyft operates its Express Drive program at a loss but says in regulatory filings that its a key way to increase its supply of drivers. Narrow margins After his bid to start a business flopped and he had a falling out with his roommate, Sinakhone Keodara started sleeping in the car he rents from Lyft. On nights with plenty of passengers, he could afford $25 to sleep in a Korean spa in Los Angeles that allowed overnight guests. There, he said, he would see other Uber and Lyft drivers entering the spa after business hours with the same look of shame on their face. But nights when he had $25 to spare were rare, Keodara said, because he was paying close to $1,000 a month to rent the car and $60 a day for gas. Until the weekly rental fee is paid, Lyft puts a hold on drivers accounts, preventing them from withdrawing any income. Keodara said he at times had to overdraw his bank account to fill the tank. After getting a second job, Keodara now rents a room in a boardinghouse. Uber and Lyft drivers participate in a one-day strike to protest for better wages and working conditions near Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Across California, homelessness is a reality for many workers. Some consider themselves fortunate to have a car to sleep in. In Los Angeles County, more than 15,000 people sleep in their vehicles, according to Safe Parking LA a program that secures lots for people living out of their vehicles. More than a fifth of the 250 applicants each quarter are under 40 and working full time, including those who drive for Uber and Lyft, said program director Emily Kantrim. Kantrim said some people choose to rent a car to drive for Uber and Lyft because a vehicle can serve as shelter. But thats a temporary fix, she said, and the high cost of renting the car makes it hard for people to find a more permanent solution. Is this actually going to propel someone to move forward in their lives? Kantrim said. These solutions with Uber and Lyft are not pathways forward. For Keodara and others like him, the fees charged by Lyft are hard to offset because the company pays drivers who rent cars through its Express Drive program less than all other U.S. drivers, according to emails The Times reviewed. The exact difference in pay varies from market to market, but rates range from 5 cents to more than 20 cents less per mile for drivers who rent through Lyft. Though Lyfts website tells drivers their insurance is covered by their weekly rental payments, the company told The Times the discrepancy in mileage rates also reflects the cost of insurance. That difference can add up. Eve, a full-time Lyft driver in Los Angeles who asked that her last name not be used for fear of being deactivated, at first found Express Drive to be a good option compared with using her own vehicle. When she first signed up, the pay was on par with what she made using her own car. But in November, the company cut per-mile rates by 10 cents. Driving 50 to 60 hours a week, she makes about $100 less than she did before the company lowered rates. In April, Lyft slashed per-mile rates for Express Drive workers to 55 cents a mile in San Diego and some other markets 3 cents lower than the benchmark defined by the IRS as the cost of operating a car for business purposes. In San Francisco, Lyft cut Express Drive pay by 10 cents a mile on May 13. In parts of the Bay Area, the per-mile price ranges from 38 cents to 46 cents. Lyft drivers who use their own cars in the area earn 60 cents to 68 cents a mile. The company contends that the IRS calculation isnt an appropriate barometer for drivers costs because they are paid a combination of a base rate and a per-minute rate, in addition to the per-mile rate. On average, Express Drivers renters earn over $20 per hour, a Lyft spokesman said in a statement. Restrictions and requirements When the program launched in 2016, Lyft allowed drivers to use the cars as much as they liked when they werent working for the service. As of May 13, the rental agreement for drivers who rented a car through Lyfts partner Flexdrive now covers 750 personal miles a week in the Bay Area. Drivers rack up an average of 450 personal miles a week, according to the company. In emails to drivers, the company has attributed the changes to rising costs that have made Express Drive a more expensive program for us and our partners to operate at a break-even price. We know Express Drive is more than a rental its how you pay the bills, one email reads. Our hope is that as operating costs go down in the future, we can pass the savings back to you. Its an expensive program to operate and, in its original form, brought in negligible revenue in 2016 and 2017. Lyft, which last year lost $911 million on $2.2 billion in revenue, said in regulatory filings its overall losses may force the company to update the pricing methodologies related to our Express Drive program which could increase prices, and in turn adversely affect our ability to attract and retain qualified drivers and riders. Lyft points to its Express Drive program with rentals of as little as seven days as an example of the flexibility of its platform. But those who participate in the program must abide by additional rules. Drivers who rent a car through Lyft cannot drive for any other gig economy company, an option many contractors rely on to make ends meet. Lyft also mandates drivers perform at least 20 rides a week. Thats counter to the drive whenever you want language on Lyfts website, and to the arguments ride-hailing companies have used to justify classifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Many of the restrictions Lyft places on Express Drive workers run counter to a recent National Labor Relations Board opinion, which concluded a group of Uber drivers were contractors because they were able to drive for competitors and there were no other restrictions on their use of their car or penalties for not driving for Uber. Together, these three features of the Uber system imbued drivers with significant control over their earnings, the opinion reads. Lyft says the restrictions come from rental car partners and are influenced by insurance requirements. However, Uber drivers who rent a car through Hertz dont have any minimum ride requirements, though they are allowed to drive for only one service at a time, according to an Uber representative. Hertz declined to comment and said the terms of partner agreements were confidential. Uber sold its auto-leasing program, Xchange, to car-rental start-up Fair in 2017 after losing about $9,000 a car, according to the Wall Street Journal. Uber now offers short-term leasing through partners Fair, Hertz and Getaround. Renting a car to drive for Uber through Fair starts at an average of $130 a week if drivers expect to work for a month, and $185 a week with an option to renew if not. Still, ride-hailing rental rates exceed those from dealerships. Jos Cashon, a student and an L.A. Uber and Lyft driver who also occasionally sleeps in her car, said she pays $340 a month for a 2010 Prius financed directly through Toyota. (Insurance costs an extra $200.) I dont know how people are surviving on that, Cashon said of the cost of renting a car through Lyft. At 1 a.m. Jos Cashon, 28, works on social media to promote a one-day strike against Uber and Lyft before bedding down for the night in her car. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) To help drivers cut down on rental costs, both Uber and Lyft offer bonuses for performing a certain number of rides. Until recently, Lyfts bonuses came with many conditions some rewarding drivers for giving more rides when demand is high. In the past, for instance, Lyft reduced weekly rental payments by $85 if a driver gave 25 rides during peak hours, had a 90% acceptance rate and completed 75 rides in total. The company did away with those extra conditions because drivers complained they were too complex. Bonuses now include reductions in rental payments of $75 if a driver does 85 rides and $200 if they manage to hit 135 rides in a week in some markets. Drivers who rent through Lyft also qualify for the same bonuses personal vehicle drivers do, the company said. Fair covers rental payments if a driver does 70 trips a week and offers a $305 bonus if drivers complete 120 rides in a week. Uber drivers renting from Hertz also get a $305 bonus if they complete 120 rides each week. Jason Howard, a full-time driver in Las Vegas who was asked by Lyft to speak to The Times in response to requests for comment, said the program has helped him pay off personal debt. Howard said he earns an average of $900 a week, but cautioned that Express Drive is designed for people who are able to work full time and put in the hours to qualify for the bonuses of $140 or more, like those available in Las Vegas. Its not super-easy to go out and get 95 rides every week, Howard said of the number of rides needed to qualify for the bonus. Theres a lot of people that use Lyfts Express Drive program to get a car because you put $250 down and now youve got a car. If youre only doing 30 to 40 rides per week, youre not going to make any money cause thats not what the program is really designed for. Lyft requires drivers to provide at least 20 rides a week to keep the car. It may not seem like much, but for those who rely on the car for a place to sleep, the threat of losing their roof because of illness or a family emergency is daunting. Soon after he started driving for Lyft, Berry returned to his hometown to tie up loose ends and fell ill. He wound up extending his trip by several days. The first thing I get is browbeat because I dont have 20 rides that week, Berry said. I mean, youre talking a barrage of emails. Berry hasnt yet returned the car to Lyft. Hes looking into driving for Uber through Fair, or renting a cheaper, older car to drive for UberEats. But first he needs $500 enough to cover the deposit for another vehicle that can serve as his workplace and residence. johana.bhuiyan@latimes.com Twitter: @jmbooyah The Justice Department is leaning against approving T-Mobile US Inc.s proposed takeover of Sprint Corp., according to a person familiar with the review, even after the companies won the backing of the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. The remedies the wireless carriers proposed earlier Monday dont go far enough to resolve the departments concerns that the deal risks harming competition, said the person, who asked not to be named because the investigation was confidential. Opposition to the deal by the Justice Departments antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, would mark a rare break with the FCC. The two agencies work side by side on merger reviews and typically emerge on the same page about whether to approve deals. Earlier on Monday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he would recommend approval of T-Mobiles $26.5-billion deal for Sprint after the companies offered a package of concessions including spinning off Sprints Boost prepaid brand in an effort to win regulators blessing. Advertisement The news whipsawed Sprint and T-Mobile shares. Both stocks jumped after Pai said he would back the merger. Sprint pared gains after Bloomberg published its report about the Justice Departments opposition, then began climbing from session lows when Fox Business reported that T-Mobiles outside counsel, Rob McDowell, said the Justice Department will approve the deal. T-Mobile shares also bounced back. Sprint stock ended the day up 12.5% at $6.95 a share. T-Mobile shares closed up 3.9% at $78.29. Now that Pai has issued his support, the deals fate rests with Delrahim. While the FCC considers whether a merger is in the public interest, the Justice Department considers a different standard: whether a deal hurts competition and would raise prices for consumers. The Justice Department and the FCC declined to comment. Sprint and T-Mobile had no immediate comment. T-Mobiles counsel McDowell later tweeted that he is optimistic about @TheJusticeDept & remaining states green lighting the deal bc conditions should allay their concerns & its ultimately good for #consumers. More than a dozen state attorneys general are investigating the deal and have raised concerns about harm to consumers. The states have signaled they may sue to block the deal even if the Justice Department clears it. Maryland Atty. Gen. Brian Frosh said Monday on the sidelines of a conference in Washington that he had to learn more about the specifics of the companies proposed fixes, but said he is skeptical they would address his objections to the consolidation the deal would entail. Its hard to say that our concerns could be alleviated by that kind of tinkering, Frosh said. It means that consumers are going to suffer in terms of price, in terms of quality, in terms of opportunities. T-Mobiles acquisition of Sprint would combine the No. 3 and No. 4 wireless carriers in the United States, leaving just three national competitors. The tie-up has been widely criticized by consumer advocates and lawmakers for consolidating the market and risking harm to consumers. The FCC and Justice Department have never reached different conclusions on a merger, Paul Gallant, a Washington-based analyst with Cowen & Co., said in a note Monday before news emerged of the Justice Departments dissatisfaction with the deal. Makan Delrahim has proven to be unpredictable, so we dont assume anything regarding his ultimate decision, Gallant wrote. Delrahim shocked many antitrust experts when he sued in 2017 to block AT&T Inc.s planned takeover of Time Warner Inc. That deal was expected to win antitrust approval because it combined companies in different parts of a supply chain rather than uniting direct competitors. Those deals are typically approved with conditions on how companies operate. Delrahim, in a break with the past, demanded asset sales and later sued the companies to block the deal. He lost on appeal. I still think the White Houses strong support for beating China in 5G will lead DOJ to clear the deal, Gallant said in a telephone interview after news emerged that the Justice Department is leaning against the deal. One aspect of Tom Pettys music that comes into sharper focus in a comprehensive new collection is how consistently he kept the long view in mind. Thats clear in any number of the 38 tracks chosen for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: The Best of Everything The Definitive Career Spanning Hits Collection 1976-2016 arriving March 1. The new set is more or less a bookend to last years posthumous box Tom Petty: American Treasure, which served up 60 tracks, predominantly alternate takes, live performances and assorted rarities. Pettys big-picture take on music is perhaps most clearly laid out in For Real, a previously unreleased track that serves as the moving/touching finale of the new set. It possesses the relatability and healthy dose of self-effacing humor that frequently defined his songwriting. Mighta done it for my sanity/Maybe done it for my vanity/Could be I did it for my big ego/But I did it for real/Woulda done it for free/Yeah I did it for me/Cause it was all that rang true/I did it for real/And I did it for you (true). Advertisement But this is not a confessional track from of a musician toward the end of a career. The potentially surprising realization for many is that it was recorded nearly 20 years ago, around the time Petty turned 50. Yeah, like Why would I do this? lead guitarist Mike Campbell recalled in a recent interview. I did it for real. I did it for me not for the CEO. He always had that. Thats why he was such a great bandleader. I had mostly forgotten about it, he said. I had kind of a vague memory of it, but we found the tape and then it all came back to me. He added, This song hopefully will give you a reason to buy stuff that you already have, so you have everything in one spot, plus a new song that you can only get on this record. The purity of purpose expressed in For Real is emblematic of the journey Petty traveled, most of it aided and abetted by the members of the Heartbreakers: Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, bassists Ron Blair and Howie Epstein, drummers Stan Lynch and Steve Ferrone and longtime utility player Scott Thurston. That isnt to say there werent real-world issues Petty and his pals had to reckon with. The truth is, there was showbiz in the Heartbreakers, sure, Tench said in a separate interview. Its one way to connect with people. But he wasnt full of [himself] or out there being jarring, not remotely. He was very much even when I disagreed really strongly I knew that he meant what he said. Tench wasnt shy about questioning a decision Petty made. Id be like, What? Youve got be kidding! But he was serious about all of it. He never said, We better do this for the label or for the marketing. Whatever it was, first he had to be sure it makes sense for the band. Along with 26 Heartbreakers songs and eight solo tracks (which typically included contributions from one or more Heartbreakers), the new set also loops in four recordings from Mudcrutch, the Gainesville, Fla., band that preceded the Heartbreakers and that Petty reunited in 2008 for a second go-round. Mudcrutch, left to right: Mike Campbell, Tom Petty, Tom Leadon, Belmont Tench and Randall Marsh photographed in Burbank in 2016 (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Petty was joined in Mudcrutch by Campbell and Tench, plus guitarist-songwriter Tom Leadon and drummer Randall Marsh. Petty handled bass in that lineup. The core trio of Petty, Campbell and Tench came together again in Los Angeles in 1974 after Mudcrutch disbanded, giving birth to the Heartbreakers. Thats valid work, Campbell said. The songs are good, and Tom loved the first Mudcrutch. That was all his baby. I think those songs deserve to be on there. The Best of Everything was crafted roughly contiguously with American Treasure, by the same team: Campbell, Tench, Pettys daughter Adria, his widow Dana and engineer Ryan Ulyate. The through-line is obviously Tom, Tench said. Well, Tom and Mike. I dont think Tom ever did anything without Mike. Tench said Adria Petty showed up for the brainstorming sessions with a stack of index cards, each with the title of a song on it. In democratic fashion, they tallied how many votes each song collected before determining which made the cut, and which didnt. Among those that did are slam-dunk songs including Free Fallin, which opens the set, American Girl, Breakdown, Refugee, The Waiting, Dont Come Around Here No More, Wildflowers, Learning to Fly, along with some deeper cuts such as Saving Grace, Angel Dream (No. 2), Scare Easy, Square One and I Forgive It All that help flesh out the full scope of Pettys recorded legacy. The 1993 edition of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers included, left to right: Mike Campbell, Tom Petty, Stan Lynch, Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein. (Caroline Greyshock / Los Angeles Times) As for inevitable debate among fans as to individual favorites that arent on The Best of Everything, Campbell noted, I think its a good problem to have. You can try to please as many people as possible, but youre not going to please everyone, he said. Its a compliment that there might be songs that some people feel like I wish that one or this one was on there. That means they are real fans and they really love the music. I dont know, maybe theyll be a Part 3. I havent thought that far ahead yet. Indeed, Campbell and Tench said that in different ways, theyve each to an extent staved off the grieving process over Pettys death at 66 in 2017, just days after they completed a triumphant 40th-anniversary world tour. The Heartbreakers backstage before the last of three sold-out performances at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 25, 2017, left to right: bassist Ron Blair, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer Steve Ferrone and keyboardist/guitarist Scott Thurston (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Itll take some time if Ill ever get over it, Campbell said. But Im getting better. Im lucky to be busy and have lots of things to do to keep my mind off the sadness and thats been real helpful for me. A significant part of whats kept him busy is his new role as co-lead guitarist in a revised lineup of Fleetwood Mac, in which he and former Crowded House/Split Enz member Neil Finn are handling the duties that formerly fell to Lindsay Buckingham. As for the prospect of any all-star Tom Petty tribute concerts involving the Heartbreakers, dont expect that to happen anytime soon. I cant even wrap my mind around that, Campbell said. Its just too emotional. I mean, with the band Im touring with, we do a tribute every night. We do Free Falling with some video pictures of Tom. We tried to get into that and it was just too soon, too emotional. I dont know if I really need or want to do that. I think if other people want to do tribute concerts, that would be great. But right now, Im not feeling it, honestly, just to get the Heartbreakers together without Tom. For Tench, the delay in grieving Pettys death has more to do with the modus operandi they had following Heartbreakers tours. Typically it would be several weeks, even a few months, after a tour ended before Tench would hear from Petty about getting together again to rehearse, record or hang out. But now, 16 months down the line, the loss hits hard. I listened to it [the new collections title song] with my wife, and it was hard to hear, Tench said. The fact that hes gone gets more real, it becomes more evident, every day. Its pretty rough. I also listened to a bit of the vinyl today, he said of the four-LP analog edition of the album also being released for streaming and as a two-CD set. Id forgotten we did cut some stuff that was kinda just me and him. Ive said this before, but there is a sound two musicians make together and no other combination is going to make that sound. Theres a sound he and Mike and I made, and a sound we all made with the band. And I really miss that sound, I miss making that sound with him. The process of looking back on their long journey together also gave Campbell renewed appreciation for what he, Petty, Tench and their bandmates achieved. Its a journey Petty himself poignantly summed up in a line from the albums title track (represented on the new set with an alternate take that restores an additional verse originally omitted): Its over before you know it/It all goes by so fast/And the bad nights take forever/And the good nights dont ever seem to last. We were not really retro-looking people, Campbell said. When Tom was alive, we didnt really look back and get nostalgic about what weve done. We used to keep moving forward. We were always watching for whats the next project, whats the next gig? Now that he has left us, were forced to look back and its amazing how much stuff we did, and how much of that holds up, Campbell said. Im really proud of our legacy. randy.lewis@latimes.com Follow @RandyLewis2 on Twitter.com For Classic Rock coverage, join us on Facebook The Iron Throne, Game of Thrones ultimate prize that countless characters killed and were killed for over eight seasons of stellar storytelling, melted into a puddle during the series finale Sunday, dripping slowly down a set of stairs that once led to the realms coveted seat of power. In a farewell episode that ended the series with more of an exhale than a bang, the HBO drama that built a television empire fetishizing war, violence and the brutal politics of empire building in the most cinematic, exciting and horrifying ways imaginable ended on a tame note about the futility of war, the corrupting influence of power and a rather disappointing appointment to the all-important crown. For the record: An earlier version of this article said Game of Thrones character Arya Stark sets off to explore the far South. She went west. Far from the flaming spectacle of this seasons two critical battles the defeat of the Night King and the demise of the deadly yet admittedly fabulous queen Cersei (Lena Headey) rulership of the kingdom was awarded to Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), arguably the blandest contender among those left standing, in a modest ceremony where reason finally presided. Was it the right move? I suppose so, in the interest of justice and good government and all that. But really, is that what we wanted? Fans would have likely suffered a few more losses of their favorite characters for a more thrilling outcome. Advertisement Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) took down the powers-that-be, but became them. (HBO) FULL COVERAGE: The final season of Game of Thrones And already they are waging a revolt of their own across social media. As in this snarky comment: Im no longer Bran, Im the Three Eyed Raven. Unless you want me to be King and then I can be Bran again. #GameOfThrones, tweeted @logilchrist. The series co-creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss had to know they, like most the shows characters, were facing a no-win situation. Sunday equaled televisions most anticipated finale since that other HBO family drama, The Sopranos, and viewers are still upset about the latter, 12 years after that sudden diner blackout. The twists that made Game of Thrones such a thrill ride over the Essos and Kings Landing, the Iron Islands and The North, couldnt of course last forever. But a few more during that last lap could have helped bump up the tension thats hooked fans since Tyrions (Peter Dinklage) early days of brothel hopping and deadly sibling rivalry. Key players who still had a pulse when the episode opened Sunday were Daenerys, Tyrion, Arya (Maisie Williams), Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Sansa (Sophie Turner). But perhaps the nights biggest surprise was that all but one of the main characters were there at the end. Its in marked contrast with last weeks episode where several beloved and hate-watched figures were killed off. The scheming, vindictive Cersei died with her twin bother/lover/father of her late children, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), under the falling rubble of their Kings Landing castle. Cerseis ghoulish bodyguard, The Mountain, was killed by his brother The Hound (Rory McCann), though both perished in the process. Annoying sociopath Euron Greyjoy (Johan Philip Pilou Asbk) was left gutted on the shores of Blackwater Bay by Jaime. Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) and Jon Snow/Aegon Targaryen (Kit Harington) face off on Game of Thrones. (Helen Sloan / HBO) Game of Thrones finale recap: No ones very happy Dany checked her benevolence at the gates of the city and summoned her ruthless side when, after decimating the Iron Fleet, the Lannisters troops, and all of Cerseis dragon-killing crossbows, she flamed everyone the guilty and the innocent. Snow, Tyrion and Arya watched in horror, while the commander of Danys troops, Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson), responded with equal fury on the ground, slaughtering troops who had already surrendered. Sure Dany ripped out Cersei root and stem, but she destroyed half the forest floor with her. Sunday nights episode, The Iron Throne, opened surveying the damage to Kings Landing charred bodies, scorched marketplaces that looked like something out of current day war zones like Mosul or Homs. The new greatest threat to humankind, Dany, uses the language of all tyrants when she addresses her troops as liberators. We will not lay down our swords until we have liberated all the people of the world. Women, men, children have suffered too long beneath the wheel. Will you break the wheel with me?! They cheer, but not everyone is on board. After she throws Tyrion in prison for treason for attempting to help his brother escape, he persuades Snow to turn against her. Everywhere she goes, evil men die, and we cheer her for it. And she grows more powerful and sure that she is good and right. She believes her destiny is to build a better world. If you truly believed that wouldnt you kill everyone who stood between you and paradise? Snow eventually does what everyone has been predicting he would, and Danys gone, just like that. Brans our consolation prize. Brienne o fTarth ponders what to write about Sir Jamie Lannister. (HBO) Game of Thrones finale: What Brienne wrote about Jaime Lannister The journeys of all the characters are addressed in parting mini-sagas Sansa becomes Queen of the North, Arya sets out to explore the unmapped wilds of the far West, and poor Jon Snow is banished back to the Nights Watch. Hes last seen headed north of the wall with a group of wildings. In a self-aware and humorous moment that points to the very source of the drama, Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) slaps down a book in front of Tyrion, who is named the new Hand of the King for Bran, during their first meeting of advisors. What is it, asks Tyrion? Its a song of Ice and Fire, Archmaester Ebroses history of wars following the death of King Robert. I helped him with the title. Tyrions closing argument that Bran was the best candidate to rule the kingdoms was also a statement on what made Game of Thrones a once-in-a-lifetime drama. What unites people?, he asked the remaining power brokers of the realm. Armies? Gold? Flags? Stories. Theres nothing more powerful than a good story. Great stories make for great series and this surely was one. But whether it makes for a great finale is another question. calendar@latimes.com The founder of Los Angeles-based charter school network Celerity Educational Group was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for misspending $3.2 million in public funds. In January, Vielka McFarlane pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to misappropriate and embezzle funds for personal use. McFarlane, 56, had for years used her charter schools credit card and spent taxpayer money on expensive clothing, luxury hotel stays and first-class flights. The bulk of the money spent was for the purchase and renovation of an office building in Columbus, Ohio, where McFarlane intended to open another charter school. McFarlane was also ordered to pay restitution of $225,138.15 within 60 days. The case dates to 2012. A routine request for Celeritys financial records from L.A. Unifieds charter schools division revealed credit card statements of lavish purchases beginning in 2009 five years after McFarlane had founded the first charter school. The school districts inspector general opened an investigation and eventually, the federal government got involved. Advertisement Purchases included: $9,299 for two recumbent bicycles for her and her spouse $7,742 for plane tickets to Washington, D.C., for President Obamas second inauguration $3,347 at luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo in Beverly Hills $914 at the Arroyo Chop House in Pasadena $800 on Blacklane, an Uber competitor that pulls from a network of licensed chauffeurs with high-end cars $425 at the Lobster, a seafood restaurant in Santa Monica In addition to her use of Celeritys public funds, McFarlane created a web of for-profit companies that worked with her charter schools, including Celerity Global Development, which received 10% to 12% of the charter schools revenue. Global spent thousands on a recording studio that McFarlane planned to use for a for-profit media-production business. If you want to help your students, you can teach them that if they make mistakes, they have to pay the price and be responsible for their own actions, U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner said during the sentencing. In 2013, McFarlane earned $471,842 about 35% more than Michelle King, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, was making in 2017. In January, a 23-count federal grand jury indictment alleged that the former chief executive of Celerity participated in the scheme with McFarlane. Grace Canada was charged with conspiracy to misappropriate and embezzle public funds. She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial on Nov. 12. Attorneys representing McFarlane were not immediately available for comment. Times staff writers Anna Phillips and Adam Elmahrek contributed to this report. colleen.shalby@latimes.com @cshalby A Newport Beach man has pleaded guilty to stealing an endangered ring-tailed lemur from the Santa Ana Zoo last summer. Aquinas Kasbar, 19, who also uses the first name Quinn, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of unlawfully taking an endangered species, the U.S. attorneys office announced Monday. According to prosecutors, Kasbar admitted breaking into the Santa Ana Zoo on the night of July 27, 2018. He used bolt cutters to snip a hole in the enclosures for the zoos lemurs and capuchin monkeys. The animals escaped but were safely retrieved all except a 32-year-old lemur named Isaac, zoo officials said. Advertisement Hours after he broke into the zoo, prosecutors said, Kasbar left Isaac in an unventilated crate outside a Newport Beach hotel, with a note that read, This belongs to the Santa Ana Zoo. It was taken last night. Please bring it to police. Hotel staff called Newport Beach police shortly after 2 a.m. when they found the lemur. Police picked up Isaac from the hotel and took him to one of their animal enclosures before he was returned safely to the zoo. The break-in cost the zoo almost $8,500, prosecutors said. This handwritten note was found with a stolen lemur recovered from a Newport Beach hotel. (Santa Ana Police Department) At 32, Isaac is North Americas oldest ring-tailed lemur in captivity. Lemurs are found in the wild only on the island nation of Madagascar and are an endangered species. Brian Gurwitz, Kasbars attorney, said a judge has not yet accepted Kasbars plea. He will appear in court on May 28. My client quickly regretted his action and took action that night to ensure that the lemur was returned safely to the zoo, Gurwitz said. Kasbar is separately charged with dozens of felonies in connection with a series of residential burglaries between May 2018 and December in Balboa Island and Corona del Mar, according to the Orange County district attorneys office. Newport Beach found evidence linking the burglaries to the theft of Isaac, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, a spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department, told The Times. Kasbar has pleaded not guilty to the burglary charges and has a hearing scheduled in June, according to Emily Sudduth, a spokeswoman for the district attorneys office. Times staff writer Hannah Fry and Times Community News writer Julia Sclafani contributed to this report. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra A large building fire erupted at an apparent marijuana grow operation on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday night, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. A passerby first noticed the fire in the 6100 block of Hollywood Boulevard, next to the historic Fonda Theatre, around 8:40 p.m., Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said. The blaze was quickly knocked down and no one was hurt, he said. On Twitter, some reported being evacuated from the nearby theater. The fire broke out inside a commercial building that might be attached to the Hollywood Hemp Museum, Humphrey said. It was unclear whether the structure was affiliated with the museum, which, according to its website, showcases the best events and artistic expressions that the 420 culture has to offer. Advertisement Additional details on the grow operation were unavailable Sunday night. Whether [the grow] was illegal or illicit, Humphrey said, thats a decision for law enforcement. Ooh, excitement: just evacuated from Fonda Theater during Cowboy Junkies due to adjacent building fire #smoky #Hollywood pic.twitter.com/AqD79QbFLk G. *it's spelled W-H-O-A* smitty (@slirt) May 20, 2019 laura.newberry@latimes.com | Twitter: @LauraMNewberry A joint two-month investigation into the Sinaloa drug cartel led to the arrest of two men and the seizure of 500 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 grams of fentanyl, six handguns and five rifles, authorities said. Manuel Gallardo of Apple Valley and Daniel Gonzalez of Ontario were arrested and charged last week with possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a controlled substance for sale and transportation of a controlled substance, according to court documents. Gallardo also was charged with three counts of possession of an assault weapon, the San Bernardino County district attorneys office said. The arrests come after a multi-jurisdictional investigation by the Alhambra Police Department, the West Covina Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration, police said. Advertisement The drugs and weapons were seized at a business in Apple Valley in San Bernardino County, police said. The investigation is ongoing. javier.panzar@latimes.com Twitter: @jpanzar Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the Alabama Capitol on Sunday to protest the states newly approved abortion ban, chanting My body, my choice! and Vote them out! The demonstration came three days after Gov. Kay Ivey signed the most stringent abortion law in the nation making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless necessary for the mothers health. The law provides no exception for rape and incest. Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion, said Staci Fox, chief executive and president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, addressing the cheering crowd outside the Alabama Capitol. Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal changes to Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Advertisement None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court. Marchers said Sunday that the measures have energized supporters of legalized abortion, and they say they are digging in for a legal and political fight. Carrying an orange sign with a coat hanger and the caption No Never Again, 69-year-old Deborah Hall of Montgomery said she remembers life before Roe and cant believe the push to return there. I had friends who had illegal abortions and barely survived, said Hall, who for a time ran a clinic in Montgomery that provided abortion, birth control and other services. I still cannot believe it. Its really a scary time for everybody, she said of the push to overturn Roe. Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a nonprofit that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, said donations have begun streaming in since passage of the Alabama bill. Groups this week paid for a small plane carrying a banner Abortion is Okay! to circle the Capitol and the governors mansion. The Alabama law would make it a felony, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison to perform an abortion. There would be no punishment for the woman receiving the abortion. But the protest outside the Capitol on Sunday comes in a state where a majority of voters recently agreed to put antiabortion language in the Alabama Constitution. Fifty-nine percent of state voters in November approved the constitutional amendment saying the state recognizes the rights of the unborn. To the bills many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God, Ivey said in a statement after signing the ban into law. The sponsor of the Alabama law, Rep. Terri Collins, (R-Decatur), said the purpose is to challenge Roe, and Alabama lawmakers can come back and add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. You are here: China Liu Shiyu, China's former top securities regulator, was under investigation for alleged violations of the law, according to a statement Sunday from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Liu, who turned himself in, stepped down in January as chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, a position he kept for three years before being replaced by Yi Huiman. The central commission said in the statement that Liu is cooperating with the probe. On April 2, Doobi, a homeless mans little brown dog, took off from the tent they shared in a West Hollywood alley. As soon as her owner realized that she was gone, he grabbed his phone to post a blizzard of Lost Dog notices online. Someone found the dog nearby, and up went a photo on the local Nextdoor. A neighbor responded with the information that a homeless man was looking for the animal, and that the finder should take it to the local shelter. Thats long been basic protocol for anyone who finds a stray, and the Los Angeles Municipal Code requires that anyone who picks up a stray notify the Department of Animal Services. For the record: An earlier version of this story stated incorrectly that the Hayden Act requires public shelters to hold stray animals for at least six days. It requires holds of at least four days. The article also incorrectly stated the policy of Los Angeles. City shelters hold dogs for at least four days, not six. But then another Nextdoor poster chimed in. A homeless man? Shed take the dog herself. Within a day, it was put on a transport bound for a rescue in New York and theoretically a better life. Furious local activists tracked the animal to the East Coast and raised a stink, and a week of drama followed emotional cross-country texts and Facebook rants; the dogs owner filed a stolen-property police report. There may be a lot of 21st century ways to hunt online, but when a pet goes missing, the first place most owners look is the local shelter. Advertisement Another over-the-top pet world story? Yes and no. Those in the rescue movement will tell you they regularly get calls from people looking to give them found animals rather than taking them to a shelter. Its a growing trend and a really bad idea. Why decide to rescue a dog or cat thats not yours? Sometimes because were too ready to see animals as the victims of bad humans. That skinny, dirty dog roaming the street surely was dumped there; its fear suggests that it was abused. No collar, tags or microchip? Living in a tent? Not even sterilized? Obviously, it had a terrible owner! Why help send it back? Theres also an assumption that any shelter admission equals sure death. When someone on my own Nextdoor site recently posted that shed found a dog without identifying tags, a neighbor immediately replied, Please, dont take this or any dog to a shelter it will absolutely be put down. But even the dogs of good owners who can include the homeless sometimes get spooked and run or escape through doors mistakenly left open. The website Petfinder, one of the nations major adoption clearinghouses, says that 1 in 3 pets gets lost at some point in its life. Collars come off. The majority of all pet owners (sadly) dont implant and register microchips. And after a few days on the street, even the most well-loved pet will act skittish and look like hell. In California, the shelter doesnt mean instant death and hasnt for a long time. The Hayden Act, passed in 1999 requires public shelters to hold stray animals for at least four business days. In Los Angeles, which has committed to achieving no kill status, animals are often kept far longer than the required number of days. Some dogs have lived at the Chesterfield Square shelter in South L.A., one of the citys busiest, for nearly a year (which is another issue and story). And leaving a found animal at the shelter doesnt have to mean walking away from it. Any finder can put a first right to adopt hold on a stray animal; if an owner doesnt materialize, the finder can claim it. Any finder can reach out to a rescue organization and make their case for taking the dog from the shelter. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute In fact, many reputable rescue groups dont take animals that arent in the shelter system. Even if there isnt a microchip, its possible someones looking for it, the head of one rescue, with decades in the business, told me. You have to give owners a chance. There may be a lot of 21st century ways to hunt online, but when a pet goes missing, the first place most owners look is the local shelter. Doobis saga had a happy ending. The New York rescue group, whose president said she hadnt known the full story, shipped her home. But the episode was costly in cash, time and grief (especially for the dog, which traveled 6,000 miles). Contrast her story with that of Nala, a 20-pound, honey-colored pooch, who went missing in West L.A. last September. Nalas owner, Maggie Davis, told me that she personally posted 800 lost dog signs, put notices on every website she could find, and for months responded to every reported sighting and lead. None went anywhere. Then in February, someone from Los Angeles Animal Services called to say that her contact information had turned up on a stray dogs microchip. Nala was in the Valley, 25 miles away. Davis never learned how the dog got so far, but it was clear how and why she made it home: Someone found her and turned her in to the shelter. Carol Mithers is a Los Angeles journalist and the coauthor, with Leymah Gbowee, of the memoir Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War. Come, gather round and meet the 2020 Democratic candidates for president: Theres Amy, Cory, Beto, Bernie, Pete. And Biden, Inslee, Warren. Also Tim Ryan, Eric Swalwell and Kamala Harris For The People. Set aside the split over Medicare for all, or which of the White House contestants has the most fully realized plan to fight climate change. One of the starker divisions in the sprawling Democratic field is how candidates present themselves a friendly first name, a no-nonsense last name, or both first and last in their logos, on their campaign websites and in other promotional materials. Advertisement Nomenclature wont decide who wins the crowded primary. A logo may say little, if anything at all, about how an individual would govern as president. But those seeking political office and the consultants who advise them often go to great sometimes excruciating lengths deciding how best to brand a candidate for strategic purposes. Whos running for president and whos not Its no frivolous decision. A logo is the thing most people will see over and over again, said Lisa Tucker, a strategist for four-term Bay Area Rep. Swalwell. (Hes not Cher, or anything like that, she said explaining why plain-old Eric wouldnt do.) It will be on all your materials, generally in every shot of your candidate at every event, Tucker continued. Its something that you give a lot of thought to because [visually] its the most important thing besides your candidates face. Professionals, of both the political and marketing stripe, agree what makes an effective campaign logo. The best, they said, communicate the basics a name, of course, and some inkling of the office a candidate is seeking but ideally project a good deal more. Successful political branding reinforces individuality or what defines a candidate, whatever that may be, said Susan Merriam, a brand strategist and designer in New York, who co-founded the nonpartisan Center for American Politics and Design. Its something that you give a lot of thought to because [visually] its the most important thing besides your candidates face. Lisa Tucker, a strategist for Democratic presidential hopeful Eric Swalwell Plain-old Bernie (as in the Vermont independent who battled Hillary Clinton in 2016 for the Democratic nomination) speaks to the unvarnished nature of the candidate with the slouching posture, mussy hair and prickly manner. It fits Sanders personality in terms of who is he, said Mark Longabaugh, a media strategist for the senators 2016 campaign. Hes not a person whos particularly fussy about his appearance. Hes focused on the issues and substance. Hes not a pretentious politician. Thats one of his strengths. Kamala Harris For The People not Kamala, not Harris highlights the California senators background as a state and local prosecutor, a central part of her political identity, by quoting the words she used when rising to speak in court. It was important to have that slogan visible to people, said Ian Sams, a campaign spokesman. Separately, the typography and red-yellow-blue color scheme of Harris logo pay homage to the 1972 campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run as a major-party candidate for president, while at the same time reflecting the bid by Harris, who is biracial, to make history as the first woman president. Trump and Biden, potential 2020 rivals, both head to Pennsylvania, a key battleground Other candidates employ their own optical cues. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, whose gender is key to her candidacy, threads pink through her website and presidential logo. Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro features the acute accent (his name is pronounced WHO-leon), highlighting his status as the sole Latino candidate in the race. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee incorporates a stylized image of planet Earth, a reminder that climate change is the focus of his campaign. (Biden as in Joe Biden, the former vice president offers little beyond his surname and the office hes pursuing. Consider it the front-runners prerogative, or at least the recognition that comes from being in public life for half a century.) Like any exercise in aesthetics, the response to a particular design is subject to individual tastes. Eric Frankel, a veteran Hollywood media executive, praised Amy for America the aw-shucksy motif of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar as a dignified, tasteful and catchily alliterative logo. But Steven Heller, who co-chairs the master of fine arts in design at New Yorks School of Visual Arts, is no fan. Indeed, he disdains the entire one-name trope, with its chummy faux familiarity. Amy is not an Amy, he said of the hair-triggered U.S. senator. Shes got a temper. Shes not like the rest of us. Thats not how shed want to be addressed. The Klobuchar campaign did not respond to a request for comment. In a business that requires much in the way of negotiation and compromise, several political professionals said the design discussion is one they suffer grudgingly, as it often seems to spark some of the most passionate internal debate. The approachability of a first name? The authority of just the last? Its grueling, said Fred Davis, a veteran Republican image-maker. There are too many decision-makers. The candidate, the wife or husband of the candidate. Then the kitchen cabinet and then the family. The campaign team, general consultants, hangers-on. Everyone feels a need to weigh in. Craig Hughes, a Democratic consultant in Denver, echoed that lamentation. I hate logos, said Hughes, who is advising Michael Bennet in his presidential bid. I hate logo conference calls. I hate logo decisions. Still, Hughes allowed as how those visual encapsulations of a candidacy have a look and feel that represents the campaign, and people see them regularly. So it leaves an impression. Thankfully, Hughes said, his candidate has been elected twice to the U.S. Senate running as Bennet for Colorado, so the decision was an easy one. Bennet for America it is. Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris released a plan Monday to overhaul U.S. discrimination laws to ensure women and men are paid equally for the same work. Companies would be required to obtain a federal certification showing they are not underpaying women, under Harris proposal. Those that fail to do so could be fined billions of dollars. Employers would have to show that any gap in pay between women and men is based on merit, performance or seniority. Companies that discriminate against women would be fined at 1% of their average daily profits for every 1% gap that exists between the pay of male and female employees doing the same job. The junior senator from California provided the broad outlines of the proposal Sunday at a rally of roughly 1,000 supporters at Southwest College in South L.A. She told them that women who work full time are paid on average 80 cents for every dollar paid to men; for black women, 61 cents; and for Latinas, 53 cents. Advertisement This has got to end, and it is an outrage, she told the crowd, prompting a roar of cheers. She released details of the proposal Monday morning. Harris gathering of volunteers and other backers in the college gymnasium was her first public campaign stop in Los Angeles since she launched her run for president in January at a rally in Oakland. Kamala Harris and other Democrats point to racial gap in care of pregnant black women Harris pay equity proposal comes at a time when women are a crucial constituency in the Democratic contest. After months of debate over discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace, women strongly favored Democrats in the November midterm election, and record numbers of women were swept into office. Harris said her plan was aimed at strengthening protections against discrimination by shifting the burden of proof from women who sometimes have to file lawsuits to get equal pay to the companies that employ them. After a chat with Trevor Noah, Kamala Harris has fences to mend in New Hampshire Donna Malamud of Venice, a Democratic volunteer at the rally, welcomed the idea. Its ridiculous that women make less than men in every single field, she said. The new enforcement system would be overseen by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Companies with 100 or more employees would need to obtain equal-pay certification from the agency, and those that dont would be fined. Her plan would also bar employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. Forced arbitration would be banned in pay discrimination disputes. Companies would have to report statistics on the percentage of women in leadership positions, and the percentage who are among the top earners. Harris estimates the plan will generate $180 billion in fines over the first decade, with the revenue steadily dropping as corporate culture shifts toward equality. The proposal would also require equal-pay certification for federal contractors. Those who fail to get certification would be blocked from competing for federal contracts worth more than $500,000. The Justice Department says former White House Counsel Donald McGahn cant be compelled to testify before Congress about the findings of special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs report on the Russia investigation. The departments Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion Monday finding that McGahn would have immunity as a former presidential advisor. It could clear the way for McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena ordering him to testify by Tuesday. Lawmakers have been eager to hear from McGahn, who was a key figure in Muellers Russia investigation. The Justice Department issued a similar opinion in 2014 that found that close presidential advisors have absolute immunity from congressional subpoenas. Advertisement The committees chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesnt testify. The Supreme Court refused Monday to block an excessive force suit against the city of Newport Beach, clearing the way for a jury to decide whether the police are liable for shooting and killing a mentally ill young man who came running at them holding a pair of scissors. The justices refused to shield the police from the lawsuit brought by the parents of Gerrit Vos, who died in 2014. Last year, the 9th Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, revived a lawsuit brought by the parents and said a jury should decide whether the police faced an immediate threat that justified the shooting outside a convenience store in Newport Beach. In addition, the appeals court said the jury should consider whether officers should have used extra caution because the man was mentally ill. The Americans With Disabilities Act requires public agencies to accommodate people with mental or physical disabilities, and the 9th Circuit has said that law applies to arrests. Advertisement Early last year, the court drew criticism from legal scholars and the Cato Institute for repeatedly granting the police immunity from being sued for shooting innocent people. Federal civil rights law says government officials, including the police, can be sued for violating a persons constitutional rights, including the right against an unreasonable use of force. But the justices said the police could not be sued unless it was beyond debate that their conduct violated the law. In one such case, they tossed out a suit brought by an Arizona woman who was shot four times in her front yard because she was holding a large kitchen knife in a way that an officer saw as threatening. But the criticism may have had some impact. They then allowed a Somona County police officer to be sued for shooting a 13-year boy who was carrying a pellet gun that he mistook for an assault rifle. Two months ago, the justices let stand a $4-million verdict against two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies who shot and wounded a couple sleeping in a shed. The officers had been searching for a fugitive in the area. In its appeal, Newport Beach asked the court to clarify whether officers must provide accommodations to an armed, violent and mentally ill suspect when making an arrest. The city cited a 9th Circuit Court decision that had relied on the federal disabilities law in clearing the way for a mentally ill San Francisco woman to sue two police officers who forced their way into her kitchen in a group home and then shot her when she brandished a knife. The justices tossed out most of her lawsuit, but did not rule on whether the disability act applied. Lawyers for Newport Beach referred to that case and urged the high court to block the Vos suit. But the court issued a one-line order Monday saying it would not hear the case of Newport Beach vs. Vos. The incident began on the evening of May 29, 2014, when Vos, a 22-year-old hairdresser from San Clemente, was shouting and cursing in a 7-Eleven store. The police were called and were told the man was agitated and angry and might be under the influence of drugs. The customers and clerks escaped from the store, and one reported he had been cut on the hand by scissors wielded by the disturbed man. Within 20 minutes, eight officers took places positioned outside behind two police cars. They had a police dog with them and non-lethal weapons, but two officers were armed with AR-15 rifles. When Vos came running out of the store, he was shot four times and died from the wounds. His blood tested positive for methamphetamine, and his medical history revealed he had been diagnosed as schizophrenic. His parents, Richard Vos and Jenelle Bernacchi, filed a $25-million lawsuit against Newport Beach and the citys police, alleging they used excessive, unwarranted and brutal force in killing their son. Their suit included claims based on the 4th Amendments ban on unreasonable seizures as well as a violation of the federal disabilities law. They said the police should have tried de-escalation and communication. A federal district judge ruled for the city and dismissed the suit. The 9th Circuit revived the claims against the city, but not against the individual officers, and said a jury should decide whether the use of force was reasonable or excessive. Here the facts are such that a reasonable jury could conclude that Vos was not an immediate threat to the officers, the majority said. They had surrounded the front door to the 7-Eleven, had established positions behind cover of their police vehicles and outnumbered Vos eight to one. They did not believe he had a gun, and the officers had less lethal methods available to stop Vos from charging. The dissenting judge said the police had only seconds to react. In their appeal, lawyers for the city highlighted the issue of whether police officers must make reasonable accommodations for a knife-wielding suspect who might be mentally ill. Municipalities and law enforcement officers throughout the nation should know whether, when faced with that peril, they must consider not only the 4th Amendments restrictions on use of force, but also whether they are providing reasonable accommodations to the attacking suspect, they said. The justices considered the appeal for five weeks before turning it down without comment. This would not prevent the high court from hearing the case at a later date if a jury were to hand down a large verdict against the city. More stories from David G. Savage Last week, a California legislative committee shelved Senate Bill 50, legislation aimed at dramatically increasing homebuilding near mass transit and in single-family neighborhoods across the state. That the bill died before a vote on the floor of the state Senate was a surprise for a proposal that had attracted national attention as a way to address Californias housing-affordability crisis. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we drill down on what happened and the roles of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge), Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Gov. Gavin Newsom in the bills demise. Our guest is Brian Hanlon, the head of California YIMBY, a principal backer of SB 50. Advertisement Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. California bill to add housing in single-family home neighborhoods blocked by lawmakers liam.dillon@latimes.com Twitter:@dillonliam If the first step to resolving a crisis is admitting theres a problem, then theres certainly a consensus in Californias Capitol on the need for a historic boost in housing thats affordable to millions of working-class adults and families. But thats the first step. As the past few days have made crystal-clear, theres a major political battle underway about what should happen next. Simply put: The most sweeping effort to spur housing construction in the states population and job centers has hit the skids in Sacramento. Supporters insist their effort isnt dead, but its certainly not going anywhere this year. Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter Advertisement SENATE BILL 50: SURPRISINGLY BLOCKED BEFORE A FULL VOTE It ended not with a bang but a whimper last week in the state Senate Appropriations Committee. Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge), the committee chairman, quickly told those assembled that Senate Bill 50 would become a two-year bill, meaning it wouldnt be allowed to move through the process until 2020. No matter what you call it, though, the marquee housing effort was delayed indefinitely. Portantino expressed concern on Thursday for the bills effects on residential neighborhoods, which was probably another way of saying upper-income suburban neighborhoods, which would have had to move away from single-family zoned housing under the bill by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). By Friday, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was refusing calls to override Portantinos decision to block the bill. And Wiener, along with a chorus of local officials committed to his bill, insisted the public is on their side. (Note: SB 50 was blocked during Thursdays high-stakes action on hundreds of bills that had been placed in the suspense file in the Legislatures appropriations committees an opaque process discussed in detail in last Mondays Essential Politics newsletter.) THE MICHIGANDER WHO MAKES THE TRUMP INQUIRY BIPARTISAN It may be by the thinnest of margins, but no longer can President Trump say its only Democrats who have raised the specter of impeachment. On Saturday, Michigan Rep. Justin Amash became the first member of the presidents party on Capitol Hill to accuse him of engaging in impeachable conduct stemming from special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. And Trump wasted little time in taking aim at Amash, blasting him on social media on Sunday and being backed up by party members even his sometime critics who closed ranks around the president, denying that the evidence in the special counsels report suggests Trump acted to obstruct justice. CAMPAIGN 2020 -- Joe Biden, holding the first large-scale rally of his 2020 presidential campaign on Saturday, issued a broad call for national unity, denounced Trump as the divider in chief and plunged into a challenging new phase of competition with his Democratic rivals. -- Sen. Kamala Harris is rolling out a new part of her presidential platform, calling for strengthened federal laws that mandate equal pay for men and women doing the same job. -- Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to suspend taxpayer funding of new charter schools and ban those that are for-profit, according to his plan to overhaul public education that he released on Saturday. NATIONAL LIGHTNING ROUND -- Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a letter that he will not comply with the subpoena from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal for six years of Trumps tax returns because the request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose. -- Adult-film actress Stormy Daniels has agreed to settle the last of three lawsuits that her former attorney Michael Avenatti filed in the scandal stemming from her alleged one-night stand with Donald Trump. -- As one Republican legislature after another has pressed ahead with restrictive abortion bills in recent months, they have been confronted with raw and emotional testimony about the consequences of such laws. Female lawmakers and other women have stepped forward to tell searing, personal stories in some cases speaking about attacks for the first time to anyone but a loved one or their closest friend. -- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers spokeswoman accused Republican legislative leaders of refusing to work with the governors chief of staff because she is a woman, leading the GOP lawmakers to call the charge asinine and clueless. -- A white Georgia evangelical voted for Trump in hopes of getting the legal right to abortion overturned. Now he and his wife raise their 6-year-old son from opposite sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, unable even to get relief when the boy fought kidney cancer. -- Pregnant women and other vulnerable asylum seekers are being returned to Mexico to await hearings. -- Major retailers are sounding the alarm: The U.S.-China trade battle could be coming to a mall near you in the form of higher prices in time for the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. TODAYS ESSENTIALS -- Stopping in San Diego on the final leg of his healthcare tour Saturday, Gov. Gavin Newsom touted Californias support for abortion rights and other reproductive health services as other states signed bans on the procedure into law this past week. -- The governor, meanwhile, needs to convince lawmakers and the public that hes right on imposing a state individual mandate to purchase healthcare coverage. -- Newsom has pardoned seven convicted felons, including two Cambodian refugees facing deportation by the Trump administration. -- A recent kerfuffle over the governors budget and its walkback of a tax break on diapers and tampons may remind government watchers that when it comes to Newsom and his promises, Californians might need to more closely read the fine print. -- With proposed California vaccine law SB 276, health officials estimate four in 10 children would be denied the ability to skip vaccines while attending school. -- Cal Fire investigators have concluded that Pacific Gas & Electric equipment sparked the Camp fire, which destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and killed 85 people. -- The California Energy Commission has found that market manipulation may be a factor in why the states gasoline prices are so high and has proposed a study. -- California legislators balked Thursday at cutting the pot tax to help the struggling legal market, while they moved forward a proposal to require more cities to allow pot shops. -- A San Francisco judge has ordered Californias attorney general to release police misconduct records predating Jan. 1, when new transparency legislation took effect. -- Lawyers for a woman who has accused Rep. Tony Cardenas of sexually assaulting her when she was a teen say they plan to stop representing her in her lawsuit. -- Newly disclosed damage, including broken windows and gang graffiti, at Los Angeles County juvenile halls is just one example of the growing turmoil inside L.A. Countys juvenile system. -- Can a Democrat win an L.A. City Council seat long held by Republicans? -- A high-stakes lawsuit seeks to block a California ballot measure in 2020 from asking voters to tighten prison parole rules they loosened four years earlier. LOGISTICS Essential Politics is written by Sacramento bureau chief John Myers on Mondays and Washington bureau chief David Lauter on Fridays. You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. Every student should graduate high school prepared for success in college, career and civic life. Unfortunately, our ability to deliver on this promise has been compromised by 40 years of underinvestment in public schools. Resources that were standard in previous decades have been reduced or eliminated while rising costs limit what we can provide our students, our staff, and our communities. If we want to meet our responsibilities to the next generation of Californians, adequate funding must be restored so that we can reduce class sizes, retain and recruit quality educators, expand college and career courses, support Special Ed, increase the number of counselors and nurses, expand the arts and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math), expand mental health resources, increase school safety, and increase facilities repair and maintenance. That is why we are joining the California School Boards Assn., the California Teachers Assn. and other education organizations in the fight for public education. On May 22, we will gather with thousands of other Californians at the State Capitol to demand that legislators prioritize education and provide full and fair funding for our public schools. This is no ordinary rally this is a decisive moment in the fight for full and fair funding of California public schools. The momentum for full and fair funding is growing rapidly as more people confront the fiscal crisis faced by districts across the state. Years of neglect have tarnished the reputation of Californias school system and, for a state with the fifth largest economy in the world, this is unacceptable. If California supported schools at the national average, funding would increase by $1,961 per student. For a classroom of 24 children, thats an additional $47,000, for a school of 500 students, its nearly a million extra dollars annually to support student learning and improve school conditions. In Burbank Unified School District that would raise over $29 million. That would make a world of difference for our schools and help turn the promise of a high-quality education for every student into a reality. Its high time we restore the luster of a public school system that was once the states crown jewel. To register for the May 22 Raising our Voices, Protecting Public Schools rally, visit: fullandfairfunding.org and californiaeducator.org/redfored. Steve Frintner is clerk of the board, Burbank Unified School District; Diana Abasta is president of the Burbank Teachers Assn. and Matt Hill is the BUSD superintendent. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. A 23-year-old man who was killed in a three-car crash in Costa Mesa early Tuesday had attended Vanguard University and wanted to become a math teacher, according to a university representative and his family. Enrique Orlando Marquez, a Tustin resident, was a year shy of graduating from the Christian university in Costa Mesa with a bachelors degree in mathematics, his family wrote on a crowdfunding website to raise money for his funeral costs. For the record: A previous version of this article stated that Enrique Orlando Marquez was a Vanguard University student. He was a former Vanguard student. The fundraiser, posted Wednesday on the website YouCaring, had raised more than $15,000 by Friday afternoon. A Vanguard University representative confirmed Marquez was enrolled at the school from fall 2015 to fall 2016 and was a junior. Our faculty and Enriques classmates will remember him for his sense of humor, laughter and thoughtfulness. He was a wonderful part of our campus community during his time here and he will be greatly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Marquez family, Mike Wilson, associate provost and dean of Vanguard University, said in a prepared statement. Marquez, nicknamed Quique, built homes in Tijuana and traveled to orphanages in El Salvador as part of missionary work he completed each year, according to his family. He had a big heart. He had a calling from Christ to help others, his family wrote. Marquez attended Mission Bible Church in Tustin and was a drummer on the worship team, the family said. Enrique shined for the glory of his savior and now walks with him forever, the church stated in a Facebook post. As the family of God, we come alongside [father] Enrique Sr., [mother] Berenice and siblings to mourn this deep loss and rejoice at the stewardship of Enriques gospel-centered life. Costa Mesa police received a report of the crash at about 12:20 a.m. Witnesses said a Honda, which authorities said Marquez was driving, was traveling west on Mesa Drive near Santa Ana Avenue when a Volkswagen SUV with two people inside went through a red light at high speed and struck the Honda. Marquez was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of a third vehicle involved was not hurt. The SUVs driver, identified as Kimberly Rene Martin, 24, of Costa Mesa, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, police said. Martin was released from custody so she could receive medical treatment at a hospital. Her injuries were not life-threatening, police said. The Orange County district attorneys office said Friday that prosecutors are waiting for reports from the Police Department and have not filed charges against Martin. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN UPDATES: 5:30 p.m. May 7: This article was updated with information and comment from Vanguard University representatives. This article was originally published May 4 at 4:55 p.m. A Newport Beach man has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge in connection with the theft last year of a 32-year-old ring-tailed lemur from the Santa Ana Zoo, federal prosecutors said Monday. Quinn Kasbar, 19, agreed to a deal containing one misdemeanor count of unlawfully taking an endangered species, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Santa Ana. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison and a $100,000 fine, prosecutors said. Brian Gurwitz, Kasbars attorney, said a judge has not yet accepted Kasbars plea. He will appear in court May 28. My client quickly regretted his action and took action that night to ensure that the lemur was returned safely to the zoo, Gurwitz said. Last summer, Isaac, North Americas oldest lemur in captivity, was taken from the zoo after someone entered the grounds overnight and cut through enclosures housing lemurs and capuchin monkeys, authorities said. Quinn Kasbar, 19, has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of unlawfully taking an endangered species, according to the U.S. attorneys office. (File Photo) According to the plea agreement described by the U.S. attorneys office, Kasbar detailed using bolt cutters to break into the enclosures after the zoo was closed July 27. Some primates were found roaming the property and were recovered. The break-in cost the zoo nearly $8,500, prosecutors said. After taking Isaac, prosecutors allege, Kasbar kept him in a plastic container without ventilation holes. Shortly after 2 a.m. July 28, staff members at the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview were surprised to find Isaac abandoned in a container at the hotels front door. The crate included two handwritten notes that read Lemur (with tracker) and This belongs to the Santa Ana Zoo. It was taken last night. Please bring it to police, prosecutors said. This handwritten note was found with a stolen lemur found abandoned outside a Newport Beach hotel early July 28. (Courtesy of Santa Ana Police Department) Santa Ana police last week identified Kasbar as a suspect in Isaacs theft based on evidence they said the Newport Beach Police Department obtained in its investigation of a rash of Newport Beach residential burglaries. Kasbar is facing 29 felony and three misdemeanor counts in the burglaries case and has pleaded not guilty. He has been free on bail and has a hearing scheduled for June 25. Los Angeles Times staff writer Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. UPDATES: This article was originally published at 11:50 a.m. and was later updated with additional information and comments. A 61-year-old Newport Beach doctor pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail in connection with an alleged $22-million urine test billing scheme that authorities say operated through sober-living homes in Orange County until 2014. Dr. Carlos Montano also was ordered to serve five years formal probation and pay $57,500 in restitution, court records show. Montano, one of six people charged in the case, pleaded guilty in Orange County Superior Court to two felony counts of insurance fraud. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, original charges including conspiracy to commit medical insurance fraud, an additional count of insurance fraud and possible sentencing enhancements on allegations of property damage over $3.2 million and aggravated white-collar crime over $500,000 were dismissed Thursday, according to court records. Prosecutors alleged Montano and Dr. Suzie Schuder, 70, of Corona del Mar wrote unnecessary prescriptions for urine drug tests multiple times per week for employees of Compass Rose Recovery homes and affiliated businesses. In exchange for the test orders, the doctors received a per-patient fee of $200 and 20% of the net insurance proceeds from the billings, prosecutors say. Schuder has pleaded not guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit medical insurance fraud, four counts of insurance fraud and possible sentencing enhancements on allegations of property damage over $3.2 million and aggravated white-collar crime over $500,000, court records show. If convicted, she could face 17 years and eight months in state prison, according to prosecutors. She is expected in court for a pretrial hearing Nov. 13. Prosecutors allege that Pamela Ganong, 61, of La Jolla and Philip Ganong, 63, of Bakersfield, who operated Compass Rose Recovery homes throughout Southern California, including in Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa, concocted a scheme to overbill insurance companies for the collection of urine for drug tests. Both Ganongs are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit medical insurance fraud, 13 counts of insurance fraud and 26 counts of money laundering, with possible sentencing enhancements on allegations of property damage over $3.2 million, money laundering over $2.5 million and aggravated white-collar crime over $500,000. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN Three gun shows in Costa Mesa will go forward as planned this year after the Orange County Fair Board approved a set of rental contracts following a delay sparked by questions about the events operating company. The 5-1 decision Thursday with board member Ashleigh Aitken opposed and member Gerardo Mouet absent elicited applause, whoops and hollers from a crowd of gun show supporters, many of whom had urged the board not to cancel or further delay the events. With the approvals in hand, B&L Productions Inc. can stage its Crossroads of the West Gun Show at the OC Fair & Event Center in August, October and November. The rental contracts have a combined value of about $278,000. During the Fair Boards meeting last month, a majority of members decided to delay voting on the contracts, pointing to concerns about whether the gun show should have been granted the certificate of eligibility license required to operate. Del Mar Fairgrounds Chief Executive Tim Fennell sent a letter to the state Department of Justice in May asking for an investigation following allegations that Crossroads of the West founder Bob Templeton and his son, Jeff, have felony convictions for federal firearms violations that could prevent them from organizing gun shows in California, according to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bob Templeton told the Orange County Fair Board last month that his daughter, Tracy Olcott, is the general manager of the operation and holds the required certificate of eligibility. In an email provided Thursday, Olcott added that Jeff Templeton is not involved in producing the Orange County shows. The Fair & Event Center also received communication showing that Olcott currently holds a certificate of eligibility, according to fairgrounds counsel Josh Caplan. I have not seen any documents from the [state] Bureau of Firearms to suggest that Ms. Olcotts license is not valid, Caplan said. Aitken, however, said she didnt think the board had received all the information it requested at last months meeting. Board Chairwoman Barbara Bagneris said the panel will have a broader policy discussion about gun shows during its August meeting. Berardino and Tkaczyk resign from board Nick Berardino, left, and Stan Tkaczyk resigned from the Orange County Fair Board last week, officials announced Thursday. (Courtesy of OC Fair & Event Center ) Thursdays meeting began with the surprising announcement of the resignations last week of board members Nick Berardino and Stan Tkaczyk. Berardino, who joined the board in 2011, was a longtime leader of the Orange County Employees Assn.. the countys largest public sector union. The soon-to-be 70-year-old Lake Forest resident was the unions general manager from 2004 until his retirement in 2015. Berardino said in an interview Thursday that he decided to leave the board so he can focus on a long-discussed goal to develop Orange Countys first veterans cemetery. Many folks in the veterans community felt that I was best equipped to deal with the variety of interests and asked me if I would step up, he said. I said yes and Im going to commit 100% to this. Tkaczyk, a 72-year-old Newport Beach resident, had served on the Fair Board since 2012. Before that, he was vice president and president of Rainbow Disposal Co. Im proud of the projects that were completed and paid for during my time on the board, Tkaczyk said in an interview Thursday. I believe in no debt. I now leave the fair with no debt. Both men cited the fairgrounds Heroes Hall veterans museum and Table of Dignity agricultural workers memorial as projects they were proud to help shepherd along. Tkaczyk also pointed to renovations at the Pacific Amphitheatre, while Berardino said he was happy to have worked to protect the fair from sale and the influences of people who wanted to use it for development purposes. Its unclear when or whether Gov. Jerry Brown will name their replacements on the Fair Board. His appointments secretary, Mona Pasquil Rogers, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. Brown is termed out of office this year. luke.money@latimes.com Twitter @LukeMMoney Surging student loan debt that is casting a shadow over current and former borrowers brought the California Assembly Select Committee on Student Debt to UC Irvine for a discussion of the debt issue and efforts being made to support borrowers. Committee members held an informational meeting at the universitys law school on Friday about the changing face of the student debt crisis in California. For borrowers, these really are kitchen table financial issues, said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), the committee chairwoman. From deciding whether to buy a home, which career to pursue, whether to start a family or to save for retirement, student debt is casting a shadow over so many aspects of peoples lives, and the ripple effects are being felt all across our society. This debt is fueling economic, gender and racial inequities and inhibiting asset accumulation and accelerating wealth gaps that are already so pervasive here in California and across the country, she added. The meeting included four discussion panels and testimony by current and former students who took loans to attend nonprofit state colleges or for-profit campuses such as technical or arts schools. The two-hour hearing was co-presented by the Associated Students of UCI, the Consumer Law Clinic at UCI and NextGen Policy, a nonprofit that focuses on clean energy. It was followed by a free workshop where experts from NextGen Policy, Student Debt Crisis and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles discussed federal loan repayment options and how to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program available to employees of government or not-for-profit organizations. The hearing came on the heels of the committees establishment and appointments in late March. Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), right, speaks at an informational meeting on student debt Friday at the UC Irvine School of Law. (Courtesy of Cassius Rutherford / Associated Students of UCI) Student loan debt currently affects 3.7 million borrowers in California who owe about $123 billion, or nearly $33,250 on average, according to the Student Borrower Protection Center, a nonprofit that focuses on alleviating student debt. Bloomberg reported in February that debt among 19- to 29-year-old Americans exceeded $1 trillion at the end of 2018, according to the New York Federal Reserve Consumer Credit Panel. Student loans made up the majority of that, followed by mortgages. Student loan debt grew 102% since 2009, the report said. Forbes magazine reported in February that more than 44 million borrowers overall owed $1.5 trillion in student loan debt in the United States. Mike Pierce, policy director and managing counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center, said it was great that Fridays hearing was called the changing face of the student debt crisis, because I think thats really what were looking at here. Today, 400,000 borrowers in rural parts of California have student debt; 300,000 older borrowers have student debt in California 500,000 borrowers across the state are now behind on their loans, Pierce said. What that means, I think, with the changing face of the student debt crisis is that we should think about the conventional wisdom that led us to a trillion and a half dollars worth of student debt nationwide. Its a much bigger problem than just a handful of predatory schools or a handful of predatory lenders, Pierce added. Its something that affects communities across the state. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Whats a white-haired guy in his 70s do when he can no longer get up on his classic Phil Edwards longboard and ride, ride, ride the waves at Old Mans beach, San Onofre, with Laguna friends? Stored in our familys surf cabinet along with our sons short boards are glorious memories of bygone beach times. This 9-foot-6-inch magic carpet with a single fin and beautiful wooden stringer and only one (repaired) ding was serving no other useful purpose than massaging my nostalgia. Surely the board could serve some higher purpose. A few months ago that higher purpose dawned on me. As a volunteer in the Citizens Climate Lobbys effort to secure congressional passage of the bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (House Resolution 763), I could sell my board and use the proceeds to fund a scholarship for a young person from Californias Central Valley to lobby in Washington, D.C. this June on behalf of passage of this measure that prices carbon and returns the paid fees to taxpayers. The IRS would handle the finances, so no new bureaucracies are created. A pause on carbon regulations would be more than compensated for by a projected reduction of carbon emissions. Congress needs to hear the voices of young people on behalf of this bill. Selling my surfboard could help make that happen, I reasoned. Moreover, it would help pay for the students attendance at Citizens Climate Lobbys international conference to be held a cab ride from the nations capital. There, the young person would receive lobbying training and learn more about HR 763 and the movement to gain its passage before hitting congressional offices. Why do I think sponsoring a students attendance at this conference and lobbying Congress on the climate crisis is a good idea? The answer lies in what I experienced last year. In June 2018 my wife and I and a Laguna friend joined with some 1,300 other CCLers in the nations capital, speaking with staffers and representatives at more than 500 congressional offices about the need to price carbon in order to combat the climate emergency. I was particularly moved by two happenings at the CCL international conference that immediately preceded our lobbying Congress. First, I remember the silence that settled over attendees when a young journalist from Kirabati, a tiny island nation in Micronesia, related how salt water intrusion from a rising Pacific Ocean was polluting drinking water and destroying his islands crops. Second, I was impressed by the number of young people working with us in Washington, D.C. They were articulate and full of energy and hope and, yes, fear that our current administration would fight all of our best efforts. These students knew and said that their future was on the line. When they spoke in congressional offices, as volunteers rather than the usual paid lobbyists shilling for fossil fuel interests, officials and staffers seemed to sit up and take notice. With that experience in mind, I sold my board for the price I paid for it new 20 years ago to a Laguna neighbor who reports he is enjoying it immensely at San Onofre. That makes me happy because it brings back, if only fleetingly, the joy I once felt riding it. What makes me even happier is the fact that a young person who would not have been able to afford the empowering experience I had in Washington, D.C. last year will likely have something like it next month. In the process, a young citizen-lobbyist might be minted. Re-purposing my storied surfboard was a needed small step toward building a growing movement that just might give the next generations a future. Tom Osborne Laguna Beach Another vote for environmental bill A promising bipartisan bill in Congress, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (House Resolution 763) corrects the market to make polluting companies pay an increasing fee on their pollution, distributes the net revenues as a monthly dividend to American families to cope with increasing energy costs and affects a global solution through a border carbon adjustment that incentivizes trading partners to adopt similar policies. Bob Taylor Newport Beach Shayna Lathus should run for City Council Re: Pilot was wrong to cover removal of board member, (Mailbag, May 6). Wrong. This is exactly what a local newspaper needs to cover and let us citizens know about. Perhaps they did not elaborate enough on the details, which is unfortunate. I am thankful not to be on Facebook and therefore not besmirched by this right-wing extremist dirt after what I am hearing about what is going on in our city on social media. Yet I still have heard about this one-sided and unfair removal of Shayna Lathus from her appointed position on the Huntington Beach Citizens Participation Advisory Board, due to her citizens right to assemble and protest. She is definitely no extremist person. As is known, the H.B. City Council consists mainly of Republicans, but that does not confer a right on Councilwoman Kim Carr to remove a citizen from a citizen board for no real reason, except that she belongs to a different party than the majority of H.B.s City Council. Since when do citizens in our city have no right or freedom to assemble and protest? Have we arrived at a place where only one political side is allowed to be heard and exercise their rights? This reminds me quite uncomfortably of extremist governments and entities that curtail the freedom of speech and opinion of different outlooks than their own, which are often fanatical, radical and dangerous. I believe that the majority of our City Council does not hold this extremist view, yet they have allowed this irregular and haphazard removal of Ms. Lathus from the board. I call on them to show us non-partisanship and neutrality in this matter. I also call on all H.B. citizens, no matter on which political side, to come to our senses and stop this blindly partisan judging and outlook. I call on Lathus to be strong and run again for City Council, as there are many H.B. residents who are with you and are hoping for a more even council in the future. Monika Goodwin Huntington Beach Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. How to get published: Email us at john.canalis@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Homicide detectives are looking for information surrounding the death of a man whose body was discovered Sunday in the Angeles National Forest. Hikers were in the vicinity of Angeles Forest Highway Mile Marker 21.08 on Sunday afternoon when they found what appeared to be a dead body, according to a release issued by Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriffs Information Bureau. Deputies from the Crescenta Valley Sheriffs Station and paramedics from the sheriffs Special Enforcement Bureau responded and subsequently pronounced the victim dead at the scene at 1:08 p.m., Ed Winter, assistant chief of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, confirmed Tuesday. A preliminary investigation revealed the body appeared to have sustained multiple stab wounds to the upper torso, according to the sheriffs release. The statement also described the victim as an adult Asian male. But Winter said the ethnicity of the victim and the exact trauma sustained could not be ascertained, due to decomposition of the body, and a full autopsy would be needed. Winter said officials were in the process of matching the body to people who have been reported missing, but had no concrete form of identification and had not yet notified any next of kin. We have a feeling who it might be, but were not sure, he said. The body is the second to have been discovered in the same general vicinity in nearly two months on March 2, the body of 35-year-old Palmdale resident Anthony James Willis was discovered on Angeles Forest Highway Mile Marker 18.87 by a passerby. Willis was also found to have sustained upper body trauma. An autopsy later revealed the cause of his death to be sharp force injury, consistent with stabbing, the Coroners Office reported at the time. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Los Angeles Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous information can also be provided by calling the Crime Stoppers tip line at (800) 222-TIPS (8477). UPDATES: May 2, 4:25 p.m.: This article was updated with information following an interview with Ed Winter, assistant chief of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. This article was originally published May 1 at 6:15 p.m. Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we close the book on the Preakness. Time to put a bow on this years Preakness Stakes, won by War Of Will for trainer Mark Casse . Up next, as far as Im concerned, is not the Belmont Stakes, but the series of stakes this coming three-day weekend at Santa Anita. The weekend culminates with three Grade 1s on the Monday Memorial Day card. Not sure if the newsletter will be trekking to New York in three weeks, its up to the bosses, but well have plenty of coverage either way. OK, not that you care the least about your newsletter writer and his travels but you cant stress enough the difference in getting out of Baltimore on the day after the Preakness and getting out of Louisville the day after the Derby. Those of you who have done this double know the drill. While Louisville can kindly be described as a disaster, with the previously mentioned 40 minutes TSA-pre line, Baltimore is just another day. There were only five of us at the Orbryckis bar/restaurant, as I debated if I should have gotten two of the $17 crabcakes or one. (I went cheap and regretted it.) All of this underscores how much the Derby defines Louisville and how much bigger the Derby is than the Preakness, regardless of whats at stake. But, Ive always said this, I much prefer covering a Preakness than the Derby. No price gouging. Friendly people. And despite the horrendous state of Pimlico, you understand its just part of the deal. The top-notch Preakness notes team was there at the barns when Casse spoke at 6 a.m., so thanks to them for all that follows as we spin through the trainers quotes again. -- Mark Casse (winner War of Will): I would say theres an extremely good shot hell be [at the Belmont]. There are only three Triple Crown races and theyre pretty important. I think if you can do it, you should do it. The Belmont is the Belmont. Its the third leg of the Triple Crown. Who doesnt want to win it? We saw [Saturday] that the Derby was very, very trying. I was worried about that with him. He was a little foot sore afterwards. The pace was extremely hot [in the Preakness] and you saw two deep closers come [to be second and third]. I didnt realize how deep. They were behind Bodexpress, [who continued to run after unseating jockey John Velazquez at the start]. For our horse to continue, he was pretty close to the pace and it was hot. I liked the fact that after the race, when they were galloping out, he took off again. He was not going to let them go by. I knew we were doing well and I liked where we were. About maybe the three-eighths pole, I started thinking, Oh, dear, not again, because he was wanting to go somewhere and he had nowhere to go. I didnt get excited until it opened up. I was hoping the leader would come off the rail a little bit. And when he did, [jockey] Tyler [ Gaffalione ] snuck up in there a little bit. I dont know. I havent seen it. But NBC had a camera on me and we gave them a lot to see, I can promise you that. Will of War will go to Keeneland, where the final decision will be made on the Belmont. --Everfast (second in the Preakness): No quotes from the colt but trainer Dale Romans indicated that the Belmont is under serious consideration. The colt is headed back to Churchill Downs where he will be evaluated. -- Brad Cox (Owendale was third, Warriors Charge was fourth): They both cooled out fine, actually pretty quick too, considering to ask them to do something theyd never done before, going that far. Warriors Charge, as fast as he went early, he looked great [Sunday] morning. His energy is good. Same thing with Owendale. Warriors Charge, we wouldnt even consider the Belmont with him, obviously. The mile and a half is a touch far. Owendale, well think about it. Well see how hes moving. It would have a lot to do with whos running, and, first of all, how hes doing. Its a lot back in three weeks. But its a big purse and its a prestigious race, and these horses only get one shot in their 3-year-old year. -- Jimmy Barnes (assistant to Bob Baffert , trainer of Improbable): Theres nothing to report. He came out good. They went just a bit quicker than him up front. We were once again behind horses. Well regroup. -- Blaine Wright (Anothertwistafate, 10 th ): We got put in the race, which was what we wanted. No excuses. He was there at the top of the lane and didnt sustain the drive. Hes been going a long time. Hes probably been in training probably more than a year, so maybe its time for a break for him. Well just get back [to Golden Gate] and see what our options are. There is a level for him somewhere. Weve just got to figure it out. The overnight rain certainly played a factor in Santa Anitas Sunday card. All the turf races were moved off but the dirt races remained. So, lets take a look at how the trainers reacted to everything. All of this makes sense, except the Grade 3 $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes for fillies and mares going six furlongs. But, what we ended up with was a three-horse race for $100,000. Well leave it up to you to analyze how this came to be. Lets celebrate Danuskas My Girl beating two other horses. There was only win betting and Danuskas My Girl won by half-a-length and paid $3.80. Show It N Moe It finished next to last and Yuvetsi was last. Shes been improving every time Ive gotten on her, said winning jockey Geovanni Franco . [Trainer] Jerry [ Hollendorfer ] said Youre on the fastest horse, just get her out of the gate and shell do the rest. Shes got a big heart and she ran really good. Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up . Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com . You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa Santa Anita Charts Results for Sunday, May 19. Copyright 2019 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 18th day of a 41-day meet. Cloudy & FIRST RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $65,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 3 year olds. Time 22.18 45.38 57.74 Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 6 Moreisbetter 124 2 4 1hd 11 13 15 Fuentes 1.10 7 Flying to the Line 124 3 3 3hd 3 2hd 2 Franco 4.50 10 Vangogo 124 5 1 21 2hd 32 34 Bejarano 1.60 5 Flying Flirt 124 1 6 6 6 52 4 Martin 36.20 8 Stop Analyzing 124 4 5 41 44 42 54 Talamo 7.10 11 Acadia Fleet 124 6 2 53 5 6 6 Linares 80.20 6 MOREISBETTER 4.20 3.00 2.10 7 FLYING TO THE LINE 3.80 2.40 10 VANGOGO 2.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.20 $1 EXACTA (6-7) $6.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (6-7-10-5) $10.18 50-CENT TRIFECTA (6-7-10) $7.00 WinnerMoreisbetter Dbb.f.3 by Verrazano out of Reina Diamante, by Pulpit. Bred by Steven Nicholson & Brandi Nicholson (KY). Trainer: Hector O. Palma. Owner: Brian, Allen A. and Marten, Kirk. Mutuel Pool $171,137 Roulette Pool $105 Exacta Pool $87,008 Superfecta Pool $49,178 Trifecta Pool $61,059. ScratchedBellize, Claudelle, Fabiolla (GB), La Shirimp, Noble Goddess. MOREISBETTER broke in and bobbled some, went up inside to duel for the lead, inched away leaving the turn and drew clear under a couple left handed cracks of the whip and steady handling. FLYING TO THE LINE bobbled slightly at the break, had speed between foes then stalked a bit off the rail leaving the backstretch, went up between horses leaving the turn and three wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. VANGOGO sped to the early lead off the rail, dueled outside the winner, stalked just off the fence leaving the turn and into the stretch and was edged for second. FLYING FLIRT broke to the inside and behind the field, saved ground off the pace, continued inside on the turn and in the stretch and bested the others. STOP ANALYZING stalked off the rail then outside on the turn, went four wide leaving the turn and into the stretch and weakened. ACADIA FLEET chased outside then off the rail, dropped back on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and also weakened. HAND TIMED. SECOND RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $65,000. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds. Time 21.70 44.75 56.41 1:02.68 Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Rafal 124 4 1 1 11 12 14 Talamo 3.00 6 One Eighty 124 6 2 22 2 22 22 Mn Garcia 1.00 2 Mutineer 124 2 4 52 53 43 3hd Franco 6.10 3 Oil Can Knight 124 3 5 41 31 3 44 Delgadillo 45.80 5 Passing 124 5 3 3hd 4 51 52 Desormeaux 27.10 1 Westport 124 1 6 6 6 6 6 Van Dyke 2.90 4 RAFAL 8.00 3.20 2.40 6 ONE EIGHTY 2.60 2.10 2 MUTINEER 2.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $8.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (6-4) $14.40 $1 EXACTA (4-6) $7.10 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-6-2-3) $8.25 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-6-2) $8.10 WinnerRafal B.c.3 by Alpha out of Forever Valentine, by Silver Deputy. Bred by Sequel Stallions New York, LLC (NY). Trainer: Bob Baffert. Owner: Sh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi. Mutuel Pool $161,617 Roulette Pool $179 Daily Double Pool $36,452 Exacta Pool $72,354 Superfecta Pool $36,339 Trifecta Pool $55,099. Scratchednone. RAFAL had speed between horses then dueled inside, inched away on the turn, kicked clear under left handed urging in the drive and was under a snug hold late. ONE EIGHTY pressed the pace outside the winner then stalked a bit off the rail on the turn, drifted in some in the final furlong and was clearly second best. MUTINEER saved ground stalking the pace throughout and edged a rival for the show. OIL CAN KNIGHT broke a bit slowly, stalked the pace outside a rival on the backstretch and turn, came three wide into the stretch and was edged for third. PASSING stalked just off the rail, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened. WESTPORT bobbled when the ground broke out behind in a bit of a slow start, chased inside then just off the rail, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch and also weakened. THIRD RACE. 4 Furlongs. Purse: $65,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds. Time 22.08 45.37 51.58 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 2 Fore Left 122 2 4 11 12 1nk Mn Garcia 1.30 6 Phantom Boss 122 6 2 2hd 21 25 Bejarano 5.30 3 DHRaging Whiskey 122 3 6 6hd 64 31 Fuentes 1.30 9 DHVerb 122 7 3 42 33 31 Desormeaux 11.00 1 Bobs Blues Man 122 1 7 54 51 52 Flores 49.50 5 Restoring Dreams 122 5 1 3 41 63 Talamo 20.10 4 Twirling Derby 115 4 5 7 7 7 Velez 61.80 2 FORE LEFT 4.60 3.20 2.10 6 PHANTOM BOSS 5.00 2.40 3 DHRAGING WHISKEY 2.10 9 DHVERB 2.10 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-2) $16.60 $1 EXACTA (2-6) $11.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-6-3-9) $2.89 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-6-9-3) $5.00 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (2-6-3-9-1) $100.10 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (2-6-9-3-1) $175.90 50-CENT TRIFECTA (2-6-3) $5.05 50-CENT TRIFECTA (2-6-9) $11.30 WinnerFore Left B.c.2 by Twirling Candy out of Simply Sunny, by Unbridled's Song. Bred by Machmer Hall (KY). Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill. Owner: Reddam Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $191,069 Roulette Pool $206 Daily Double Pool $17,742 Exacta Pool $76,175 Superfecta Pool $43,830 Super High Five Pool $4,841 Super High Five Pool $4,841 Trifecta Pool $58,001. ScratchedD K's Crown, Margo With a T. 50-Cent Pick Three (6-4-2) paid $11.85. Pick Three Pool $44,178. FORE LEFT had good early speed and dueled inside then inched away into the turn, kicked clear and held under some late left handed urging. PHANTOM BOSS pressed then stalked the pace between horses, angled in a bit off the rail leaving the turn and surged late to just miss. RAGING WHISKEY broke a bit slowly, chased just off the rail then inside on the turn, came out into the stretch and again in midstretch and put in a late bid to share the show. VERB had speed four wide then stalked the pace outside, continued three deep leaving the turn and into the stretch and held for a share of third. BOBS BLUES MAN broke a bit slowly, saved ground chasing the pace, came out in midstretch and lacked the needed rally. RESTORING DREAMS had speed between foes then stalked just off the rail, angled to the inside on the turn, remained along the rail in the stretch and weakened. TWIRLING DERBY a bit slow into stride, settled off the rail then outside a rival, came out into the stretch and did not rally. FOURTH RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $69,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 21.80 44.62 56.71 Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 2 Moon Kitty 123 2 2 31 12 12 11 Roman 2.10 1 Spend Spend Spend 123 1 4 4 32 21 23 Talamo 1.20 4 Littlefirefighter 123 3 1 1hd 2hd 34 34 Bejarano 2.50 5 Watch Me Burn 118 4 3 2hd 4 4 4 Maldonado 5.90 2 MOON KITTY 6.20 2.80 1 SPEND SPEND SPEND 2.40 4 LITTLEFIREFIGHTER $2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-2) $27.00 $1 EXACTA (2-1) $5.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-1-4-5) $0.77 50-CENT TRIFECTA (2-1-4) $3.90 WinnerMoon Kitty B.m.5 by Wildcat Heir out of Moonshot, by Grand Slam. Bred by Cheryl Janine McGuire & James P. McGuire (FL). Trainer: Jack Carava. Owner: Chris Curtis. Mutuel Pool $163,843 Daily Double Pool $19,310 Exacta Pool $66,043 Superfecta Pool $12,397 Trifecta Pool $26,740. ScratchedFlammetta, Love and Peace (FR). 50-Cent Pick Three (4-2-2) paid $12.80. Pick Three Pool $16,583. MOON KITTY had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away leaving the turn, kicked clear and held under some urging. SPEND SPEND SPEND a half step slow into stride, came off the rail to chase the pace on the backstretch, went up four wide midway on the turn and three deep into the stretch and continued willingly to best the others. LITTLEFIREFIGHTER dueled between horses, stalked just off the rail leaving the turn and into the stretch and weakened but clearly held third. WATCH ME BURN prompted the pace three deep, dropped back off the rail on the turn, came a bit wide into the stretch and also weakened. FIFTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $33,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $30,000. Time 22.36 46.64 59.28 1:12.13 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 2 Gadot 124 1 5 4hd 31 12 13 Arroyo, Jr. 4.60 8 My Gal Toots 124 7 6 6hd 7hd 3hd 22 Flores 40.60 5 Quite a Starlett 124 4 2 32 1hd 22 31 Franco 24.00 4 Second Avenue 124 3 7 51 5 5hd 42 Espinoza 2.90 7 Cuyahoga Falls 124 6 4 8 61 76 52 Pereira 22.70 3 Savera 117 2 3 2 42 4 62 Velez 11.20 9 Gallantlystreaming 124 8 1 11 2 62 714 Pedroza 0.80 6 Miss You Mother 124 5 8 7 8 8 8 Payeras 32.20 2 GADOT 11.20 5.60 3.40 8 MY GAL TOOTS 21.80 8.00 5 QUITE A STARLETT 8.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $18.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-2) $45.40 $1 EXACTA (2-8) $136.50 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-8-5-4) $484.55 50-CENT TRIFECTA (2-8-5) $632.20 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (2-8-5-4-7) Carryover $3,093 WinnerGadot B.f.3 by Currency Swap out of Revengefulpleasure, by Stephen Got Even. Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds (FL). Trainer: Vladimir Cerin. Owner: Wilson, Holly and David. Mutuel Pool $220,450 Roulette Pool $213 Daily Double Pool $20,955 Exacta Pool $101,522 Superfecta Pool $50,155 Trifecta Pool $73,405 X-5 Super High Five Pool $4,054. ClaimedSecond Avenue by Dave Williams. Trainer: Paul Aguirre. ScratchedHarper's Gallop. 50-Cent Pick Three (2-2-2) paid $25.00. Pick Three Pool $35,374. 50-Cent Pick Four (4-2/7/8-2-2) 1055 tickets with 4 correct paid $69.05. Pick Four Pool $95,458. 50-Cent Pick Five (1/2/3/4/6/9-4-2/7/8-2-2) 1593 tickets with 5 correct paid $203.05. Pick Five Pool $376,124. GADOT came off the rail on the backstretch to chase the pace, bid three deep leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch, took the lead in upper stretch, kicked clear under urging then a long hold late. MY GAL TOOTS chased four wide then off the rail on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and gained the place. QUITE A STARLETT stalked outside a rival, bid between foes leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch and bested the others. SECOND AVENUE steadied in tight between foes just after the start, stalked between horses then outside the winner, went three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened. CUYAHOGA FALLS broke in a bit, chased between horses then a bit off the rail into the stretch and also weakened. SAVERA saved ground stalking the pace, waited along the rail leaving the turn, continued inside in the stretch and also weakened. GALLANTLYSTREAMING (IRE) bobbled at the start but broke on top, sped to the early lead and angled in, set the pace a bit off the rail, dueled leaving the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. MISS YOU MOTHER squeezed a bit at the start, went between horses and was in a bit tight midway on the backstretch, angled in approaching the turn, saved ground thereafter and gave way. SIXTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $42,000. Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $50,000. Time 22.65 46.20 58.40 1:10.99 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Sea's Journey 125 4 1 1hd 1hd 1hd 1hd Franco 1.90 6 Pig Iron 125 6 2 21 23 24 26 Bejarano 3.00 9 Calder Vale 120 9 3 61 51 52 3 Payeras 87.90 7 Mighty Elijah 125 7 9 31 3hd 3hd 41 Pereira 4.40 2 Tak'in the Red Eye 125 2 4 51 62 63 5 Roman 12.20 3 Rocket Ship 120 3 5 4 41 41 61 Gryder 22.00 5 Perfect Tale 125 5 7 72 72 71 7 Van Dyke 3.10 1 Zero Sum Game 120 1 8 8 8 8 8 Mn Garcia 64.40 8 Spectacular Music 113 8 6 dnf Velez 34.50 4 SEA'S JOURNEY 5.80 3.20 2.80 6 PIG IRON 3.60 2.80 9 CALDER VALE 11.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $4.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-4) $37.80 $1 EXACTA (4-6) $8.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-6-9-7) $169.16 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (4-6-9-7-2) $16,574.70 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-6-9) $102.60 WinnerSea's Journey Dbb.g.5 by Good Journey out of Sea of Ice, by Iam the Iceman. Bred by Dunns Down LLC (CA). Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer. Owner: Dunns Downs, LLC. Mutuel Pool $338,749 Roulette Pool $395 Daily Double Pool $21,815 Exacta Pool $171,456 Superfecta Pool $104,884 Super High Five Pool $17,666 Trifecta Pool $143,371. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (2-2-4) paid $28.55. Pick Three Pool $34,065. SEA'S JOURNEY had good early speed and dueled a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came a bit off the fence again in the stretch, fought back and held on gamely. PIG IRON angled in and dueled outside the winner throughout and continued gamely to the end. CALDER VALE chased outside on the backstretch and turn, came three deep into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. MIGHTY ELIJAH a bit slow to begin, stalked off the rail then outside a rival leaving the turn and into the stretch and was edged for third. TAK'IN THE RED EYE saved ground stalking the pace, came out some into the stretch and weakened. ROCKET SHIP well placed stalking the pace outside a rival then inside on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. PERFECT TALE chased off the inside, came out some into the stretch and lacked a rally. ZERO SUM GAME a step slow into stride, saved ground chasing the pace and lacked a response in the drive. SPECTACULAR MUSIC wide early, angled in then took a bad step passing the five eighths pole and was pulled up then vanned off. SEVENTH RACE. 1 1/8 Mile. Purse: $53,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $50,000. Time 24.96 49.60 1:13.64 1:39.17 1:51.84 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 9 Original Intent 123 4 3 4 4 4 4 1 Mn Garcia 3.90 5 Engram 116 2 2 2hd 32 3 2 2 Velez 13.60 6 Move Over 123 3 4 31 2hd 22 11 33 Espinoza 0.90 3 Tequila Joe 123 1 1 11 11 11 31 4 Delgadillo 1.50 9 ORIGINAL INTENT 9.80 4.20 5 ENGRAM 9.40 6 MOVE OVER (GB) $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-9) $41.20 $1 EXACTA (9-5) $23.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (9-5-6-3) $7.72 50-CENT TRIFECTA (9-5-6) $23.20 $2 CONSOLATION DOUBLE (4-1) $6.00 WinnerOriginal Intent Grr.g.4 by Creative Cause out of Barby Sue, by Purge. Bred by James P. Gallagher (KY). Trainer: Dean Greenman. Owner: Gallegos, Elizabeth and Greenman, R. Dean. Mutuel Pool $195,996 Daily Double Pool $26,654 Exacta Pool $69,403 Superfecta Pool $21,919 Trifecta Pool $35,186. ScratchedAccountability, Artie B Good, Full of Luck (CHI), Kenjisstorm, Prince of Arabia. 50-Cent Pick Three (2-4-9) paid $47.50. Pick Three Pool $27,522. 50-Cent Consolation Pick Three (2-4-1) paid $7.90. ORIGINAL INTENT stalked outside a rival then a bit off the rail, angled in on the second turn, came out into the stretch, split rivals past the eighth pole then bid between foes a sixteenth out under urging, gained the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. ENGRAM stalked off the rail then outside a rival, continued outside a foe on the second turn and three wide into the stretch, bid three wide in deep stretch and continued willingly but could not quite match the winner. MOVE OVER (GB) broke in a bit, angled in and saved ground stalking the pace, bid outside the pacesetter on the second turn to gain the lead, inched away nearing midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and was outfinished. TEQUILA JOE took the early lead and set the pace a bit off the rail, inched away again into the second turn, angled to the inside on that turn and fought back along the rail, continued along the fence in the stretch and weakened late. EIGHTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $100,000. 'Desert Stormer Stakes'. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Time 21.73 45.10 57.42 1:10.12 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Danuska's My Girl 125 2 1 1hd 11 12 1 Franco 0.90 5 Show It N Moe It 121 3 2 3 2 27 220 Bejarano 1.40 2 Yuvetsi 121 1 3 22 3 3 3 Van Dyke 3.10 4 DANUSKA'S MY GIRL 3.80 5 SHOW IT N MOE IT 2 YUVETSI $2 DAILY DOUBLE (9-4) $21.60 $1 EXACTA (4-5) $2.40 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-5-2) $1.30 WinnerDanuska's My Girl B.m.5 by Shackleford out of Amaday, by Dayjur. Bred by Fernandez-Robles Family Trust &Flying H Stables (KY). Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer. Owner: Bad Boy Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $143,447 Daily Double Pool $24,597 Exacta Pool $30,698 Trifecta Pool $23,292. ScratchedSelcourt, Smiling Tigress. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-9-4) paid $30.90. Pick Three Pool $50,739. 50-Cent Consolation Pick Three (4-1-4) paid $3.05. DANUSKA'S MY GIRL dueled outside a rival, inched away a bit off the rail on the turn, kicked clear in the stretch and held under a couple left handed cracks of the whip and good handling. SHOW IT N MOE IT chased off the rail then outside a rival leaving the turn, came three wide into the stretch and finished willingly outside the winner late. YUVETSI hopped a bit at the start, went up inside to duel for the lead, stalked along the rail leaving the turn and gave way in the stretch. NINTH RACE. 1 Mile. Purse: $40,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $30,000. Time 23.74 47.67 1:12.55 1:25.68 1:38.42 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Watheeqa 125 5 7 7 7 7 1hd 1 Talamo 9.10 9 Sweet Connie Girl 125 6 6 64 5hd 3 32 21 Bejarano 1.70 4 Sheza Factor 125 3 2 2 1hd 11 2 34 Roman 18.50 3 Perfect Ice Storm 113 2 5 1hd 31 2hd 42 43 Velez 13.40 5 Miss Bennet 120 4 1 3hd 4hd 5hd 6hd 5hd Puglisi 7.40 1 Playa Chica 125 1 4 5 62 6hd 51 65 Espinoza 3.50 11 Whoa Nessie 125 7 3 41 2hd 41 7 7 Mn Garcia 2.80 7 WATHEEQA 20.20 6.40 4.20 9 SWEET CONNIE GIRL 3.20 2.60 4 SHEZA FACTOR 5.60 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-7) $41.20 $1 EXACTA (7-9) $29.20 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-9-4-3) $98.89 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-9-4-3-5) $7,389.80 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-9-4) $100.00 WinnerWatheeqa Dbb.f.4 by More Than Ready out of Tafaneen, by Dynaformer. Bred by Shadwell Farm, LLC (KY). Trainer: James M. Cassidy. Owner: D P Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $263,562 Roulette Pool $191 Daily Double Pool $74,848 Exacta Pool $133,636 Superfecta Pool $70,128 Super High Five Pool $19,369 Trifecta Pool $100,965. ClaimedSweet Connie Girl by Wongs Stable. Trainer: Paul Aguirre. ClaimedWhoa Nessie by Carroll, Mark, Lambert, Jeff and Paradise Farms Corp. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. ScratchedBlueberry Princess, Tig Tog (IRE), Trappiza, Trustini. 50-Cent Pick Three (9-4-7) paid $41.30. Pick Three Pool $100,203. 50-Cent Pick Four (4-9-1/3/4-7) 1749 tickets with 4 correct paid $280.70. Pick Four Pool $643,456. 50-Cent Pick Five (2-4-9-1/3/4-7) 161 tickets with 5 correct paid $1,455.30. Pick Five Pool $306,243. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (2-2-4-9-1/3/4-7) 68 tickets with 6 correct paid $1,110.82. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $140,322. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $637,164. WATHEEQA hopped slightly in a slow start, settled inside then came off the rail leaving the backstretch, entered the stretch four wide, took a short lead three deep under left handed urging in midstretch and gamely prevailed. SWEET CONNIE GIRL stalked off the rail then outside a rival, went up three deep leaving the backstretch and on the second turn and into the stretch, bid between horses in midstretch and continued willingly late. SHEZA FACTOR had speed between horses to duel for the lead, put a head in front on the backstretch, inched away a bit off the rail leaving the second turn and into the stretch, fought back inside the top pair in the drive and bested the others. PERFECT ICE STORM had good early speed and dueled inside, stalked leaving the second turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. MISS BENNET went up three deep between horses to bid leaving the first turn, stalked between rivals leaving the backstretch, continued between foes on the second turn then outside a rival into the stretch and also weakened. PLAYA CHICA saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside into and through the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. WHOA NESSIE reluctant to load, pulled her way along four wide on the first turn to bid for the lead, put a head in front early on the backstretch, dueled three deep, fell back outside a rival leaving the second turn, came three wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive. Life without Google is normal in China. Some 1.4 billion Chinese people wake up each day to check WeChat instead of Gmail, navigate with Baidu instead of Google Maps, and watch videos on Youku instead of YouTube. But will the rest of the world want to buy phones that use only these Chinese alternatives? For the record: An earlier version of this report said the Trump administration moved to raise tariffs on $200 million in Chinese goods. The correct amount is $200 billion. Under a Trump administration blacklist, Huawei will have to either persuade consumers to do that, or scale down and limit itself to the Chinese market. On Sunday, Google suspended business with the Chinese telecommunications giant, following two executive orders President Trump signed last week. Those orders ban U.S. purchase of technology from companies deemed a threat to national security and block Huawei from buying American products without U.S. government approval. Advertisement That means Huawei would be cut off from crucial hardware such as chips, processors and modems from Qualcomm, Intel and other American companies. Unless the ban is dropped as part of ongoing U.S.-China trade talks, Huawei could end up leading a decoupling of the American and Chinese tech worlds that encompasses everything from supply chains to the end users choice of apps. Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei scoffed at the orders on Saturday, telling Japanese media in Shenzhen, China, that the company would be fine without U.S. components. We have already been preparing for this, Ren said. Huawei reportedly has a stockpile of enough chips to keep the company going for several months. Its subsidiary HiSilicon also designs and supplies chips for Huawei smartphones, though industry experts say their chips are not on par with American ones. HiSilicon President He Tingbo wrote a letter to her staff on May 17 saying the firm has been developing back-up chips for years in case an extreme scenario like this one unfolded, and would help enable Huawei to be self-sufficient. Huawei is not a major customer for San Diego-based Qualcomm, which supplies 50% of the global market for smartphone processors. Analysts believe the smartphone chips that Qualcomm sells to Huawei are limited to a few models sold outside China. Huawei does license Qualcomms cellular patents, but the two companies are in a dispute over how much is owed in patent fees. Investors worry that Huawei could stop making payments. A lack of U.S. components for Huawei network gear could slow its rollout of 5G cellular service, which is important for Qualcomm. The longer-term impact is Huawei is important for 5G infrastructure networks, and if theyre unable to ship, 5G could really grind to a halt, said Mike Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity. The man behind Huawei Huaweis phones run on Android and include the Google Play set of apps in devices sold abroad. Most Google apps are not available on models sold in China, where they are illegal. Huawei will still have access to the open source version of Androids operating system, but Google will not provide access or technical support on its proprietary apps and services, the company said. Google reassured Huawei users on Twitter on Monday that existing phones would retain access to Google Play. But future phones will lose access to the Google Play store, apps such as Gmail and YouTube, and updates to the Android operating system. Trumps new chokehold on Huawei threatens the telecom firm and U.S.-China trade talks Google did not respond to questions about how it would keep existing Huawei phones access to Google services. We are complying with the [Trump administration] order and reviewing the implications, the company said in a written statement. Huawei is the worlds second-largest smartphone seller, ahead of Apple and behind Samsung. It accounts for about a third of the European smartphone market, but is lesser known in the U.S. market because carriers such as AT&T and Verizon dont sell Huawei devices. They were en route to become the biggest smartphone seller in Europe, and not just in Europe but worldwide, said Francisco Jeronimo, London-based associated vice president of IDC, a global market intelligence firm. The ban completely changes the picture, he said. Without access to Google services its nearly impossible for them to sell smartphones outside China. What is Huawei? If Google does not get a U.S. license to sell to Huawei, the Chinese company would struggle to sell its phones outside China and mobile carriers might stop selling Huawei phones, hampering Huaweis international expansion, he added. But if Google lost the Huawei market and potentially that of other Chinese players it would also threaten Androids global business. Elliott Zaagman, co-host of the China Tech Investor podcast, said the ban would hurt both Huawei and American businesses. Huawei bought $70 billion worth of components for its products last year, including $11 billion from U.S. businesses. Zaagman said that $11 billion is a lot of money and hurts a lot of big American companies as well. Youve got to believe that a lot of lobbyists are in Washington trying to find loopholes to this ban. Huawei has been in conflict with the U.S. since last year, when chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada at the request of the U.S. on charges of financial fraud. Washington has pressured allied governments to ban Huawei equipment over cybersecurity concerns, particularly that the Chinese government will be able to access and control key infrastructure through 5G networks built by Huawei. Huawei denies accusations that the company has engaged in activities threatening U.S. national security. In China, state and public support for Huawei have grown amid an escalating U.S.-China trade war, including the Trump administrations recent move to increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods from 10% to 25%. Beijing has criticized U.S. government actions against Huawei as politically motivated. China supports Chinese companies defending their legitimate rights according to laws, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lu Kang said at a news conference Monday. In terms of what measures either Chinese companies or Chinese government would take, please wait and see, he said. The day after Trumps executive orders, China officially arrested two Canadians a former diplomat and a businessman who had been in custody since December, when they were detained shortly after Mengs arrest in Canada. China has accused both of espionage. Huawei has been developing its own operating system, but company spokespeople said as recently as last week that it preferred to use Android. If no exceptions to the ban are given, however, Huawei and other Chinese companies may move toward developing an alternative operating system and ecosystem of apps for their phones sold abroad. Huawei did not respond to specific questions about how the company would move forward. Huawei will provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei products, the company said in a written statement. We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally, the statement said. The idea of a smartphone with no Google may sound absurd to Western consumers. But China already has 43% of the global smartphone market significant power, according to Jeronimo. He predicted that even if the trade war ends and bans on Huawei are withdrawn, Chinese technology companies would build an alternative operating system within the next five years, so that they can rely less on unstable foreign supply chains. Its very likely that the biggest Chinese makers, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Lenovo, they will work with the Chinese government to build an alternative to Android, he said. This would completely change the smartphone market and would open the door for other alternatives to come up either in China or Europe or somewhere else. Times staff writer Robyn Dixon in Taipei, Taiwan, and San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Mike Freeman in San Diego contributed to this report. The 16-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in U.S. custody on Monday was detained by border agents for six days twice as long as federal law generally permits and was transferred to another holding facility even after he was diagnosed with the flu. The teenager, identified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, was the fifth minor from Guatemala to die after being apprehended by U.S. border agents since December. Advocates demanded that the Trump administration act to safeguard the lives of children in detention as border crossings surge and the U.S. Border Patrol detains thousands of families at a time in overcrowded facilities, tents and outdoor spaces. We should all be outraged and demand that those responsible for his well-being be held accountable, said Efren Olivares, a lawyer with the Texas Civil Rights Project. Advertisement If these were white children that were dying at this rate, people would be up in arms, he said. We see this callous disregard for brown, Spanish-speaking children. John Sanders, Customs and Border Protections acting commissioner, said in a statement that his agency was saddened by the tragic loss of this young man and our condolences are with his family. CBP is committed to the health, safety and humane treatment of those in our custody, Sanders said. Border Patrol agents said Carlos was apprehended May 13 in south Texas Rio Grande Valley after crossing the border illegally. He was taken to the agencys central processing center in McAllen, Texas, a converted warehouse where hundreds of adults and children are held in large, fenced-in pens and sleep on mats. Federal law and CBPs guidelines generally require that unaccompanied youth be transferred within 72 hours to a facility operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A CBP official who declined to be named in order to brief reporters said Carlos was awaiting transfer to HHS custody on Thursday, three days after his apprehension. At the time of his death, Carlos was supposed to be sent to Southwest Key Casa Padre, a 1,400-person facility inside an old Walmart in Brownsville, Texas, the official said. Mark Weber, a spokesman for HHS, did not address in a statement why the teenager wasnt transferred sooner, but said a minority of cases exceeding 72 hours have generally involved exceptional circumstances. Customs and Border Protection said Carlos reported early Sunday morning that he was not feeling well; he was diagnosed with the flu by a nurse practitioner. He was prescribed the medicine Tamiflu, then transferred later Sunday to the Border Patrol station at Weslaco, Texas, to prevent his flu from spreading to other detainees. He was not hospitalized, according to the agency official who briefed reporters. The official said CBP facilities have medical providers who can monitor detainees, though the official did not know what specific symptoms Carlos had. Carlos had last been checked an hour before he was found unresponsive. The FBI is investigating the case, as are local police and the Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general. Guatemalas foreign ministry said the teenager was from Baja Verapaz, north of Guatemala City, and was seeking to reunite with family members in the U.S. He voted for Trump. Now he and his wife raise their son from opposite sides of the border The Border Patrol has faced months of scrutiny over its care of children it apprehends at the border. A 2-year-old child died last week after he and his mother were detained by the Border Patrol. The agency said it took the child to the hospital the same day his mother reported he was sick, and he was hospitalized for several weeks. On April 30, a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died after officials at an HHS detention facility noticed he was sick. He was hospitalized in intensive care for several days before his death. After the deaths of a 7-year-old and an 8-year-old in December, the Department of Homeland Security ordered medical checks of all children in its custody and expanded medical screenings. Trump administration officials have said they have passed a breaking point in the immigration detention system, with the numbers of parents and children crossing the border dramatically exceeding the capacity at facilities. Border Patrols largest holding area known to migrants as the kennel is overwhelmed That strain is particularly acute in the Rio Grande Valley, which has more unauthorized border crossings than any other region. The Border Patrol has released photos of adults and children lying in small, military-style tents or on the grass and pavement outside of two of its stations. It also recently opened a 500-person tent near one port of entry and announced plans to open another. Amnesty International said in a statement that Carlos death leads us to wonder how many deaths it will take for the administration to ensure the safety and security of children. It is dangerous and cruel to detain people, particularly children, in crowded and unsanitary conditions for seeking protection, the organization said. The Turkish governments enemy No. 1 has spent the last two decades in physical isolation on a prison island off the coast of Istanbul. But Abdullah Ocalans influence extends to Kurds across the Middle East. Statements by the 71-year-old carried out of Imrali island by sporadic visitors have been published in best-selling books, and inspired both war and peace. Now, there are signs Ankara may be turning to him to broker a new peace with Kurdish separatists, not just in Turkey, but also in neighboring Syria. On Wednesday, Turkish officials said they had lifted restrictions on visits to Ocalan. The announcement followed a visit to Ocalan by his lawyers, the first such meeting Turkish authorities have allowed in eight years, and came amid the largest mass hunger strike in Turkeys history. More than 3,000 people have participated for months, and eight have committed suicide after calling for Ankara to allow Ocalan regular visits. For the recent visit, Ocalans lawyers underwent three separate body searches before taking a 2 -hour boat ride to Imrali to meet Ocalan, who was dressed in a dark blue jacket, velvet pants and linen shirt. The meeting, said Rezan Sarica, one of two lawyers who attended the May 2 session, was akin to what detainees at Guantanamo Bay have gone through their lawyers sent to an isolate island lockup and not allowed to bring any paper or documents with them, or record what was discussed. Advertisement He did not waste time, he had already thought about what to say and had a statement to give us, Sarica said. The statement, signed by Ocalan and the three other Kurdish militant leaders held on the island, called on hunger strikers not to risk their lives. They also stood by a 2013 statement calling for a transition to political struggle, an announcement that led to a two-year cease-fire at the time. The problems in Turkey and even the region, primarily the war, cannot be solved through physical violence, but with reason, and cultural and political force, the statement read. Ocalan also extended the call to the Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria that sees him as the groups ideological leader. Ankara has threatened war against the forces, even if it meant fighting U.S. troops, and Ocalan instead advised the group to refrain from a culture of conflict and keep Turkeys sensibilities in mind. That advice comes amid statements from SDF leaders that they are engaged in a dialogue with Ankara brokered by Washington. SDF leaders have said they have met over the last few weeks with Turkish intelligence officials, who in turn have been meeting with Ocalan. Such steps are not surprising given Ocalans influence in northern Syria, said Galip Dalay, a visiting scholar at Oxford University. Ocalan is still the unrivaled, undisputed leader of the Kurdish movement. There is no other figure that can come close to his stature, Dalay said. That doesnt mean whatever decision he makes, the organizations follow it without question, but those organizations cannot take a public stance against his decision. The fact that Ankara was now allowing such statements to be released by Ocalan though, appears to be a sign that Turkey is open to fresh dialogue. No decision has been made yet, said Dalay, but [Turkey and Ocalan] are saying, Lets test the waters, see what is out there, and if this proves to be positive, we can build on it. Ocalan has been behind bars since 1999, when Turkish intelligence agents took him into custody in Kenya and brought him to Imrali. There, he was tried and sentenced to death on charges of treason and sedition for his role as the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which has waged a four-decade insurgency in which more than 40,000 people have died. Turkey and its allies, including the U.S., consider the PKK a terrorist group. In 2002, Turkey commuted Ocalans sentence to life in prison with no possibility of parole. But Turkey has imposed a no-fly zone over Imrali since then, and no vessels have been allowed to approach within five miles. Ocalan was the sole prisoner on Imrali until 2009, when Ankara began rotating a handful of other top PKK prisoners through, partly in hopes they could persuade the Kurdish leader to call for a cease-fire to the insurgency. Legally, Ocalan has a right to see his lawyers once a week, but his counsels requests more than 800 of them have been denied in often bizarre ways, said Sarica. Bad weather or mechanical problems with the boat that would bring them to the island were cited by authorities between 2011 to 2016, he said. Then a state of emergency was imposed after a failed coup attempt. This year, Sarica was told there was a new disciplinary board on the island, and Ocalan was being punished for unspecified violations of prison rules. So the May 2 meeting, Sarica said, came out of the blue. From a legal perspective, nothing had changed, so it must have been a political decision, he said. For many who support Ocalan, the ball is now in Ankaras court. When you isolate [Ocalan], you are isolating the problem itself, the political aspect of the problem, and the person that you should be speaking to regarding this problem, said Tayip Temel, a lawmaker from the Peoples Democratic Party, or HDP, a pro-Kurdish opposition party whose leaders helped broker the 2013 cease-fire between the PKK and Ankara. That agreement, announced at Nowruz celebrations in the city of Diyarbakir to a crowd of hundreds of thousands, was borne out of months of shuttle diplomacy by HDP leaders, and secret meetings between Turkish intelligence officials and PKK leaders in Europe. The cease-fire, however, collapsed in 2015, in part because of ongoing warfare in neighboring Syria, where a new Kurdish militant group, also inspired by Ocalan, began seizing territory from Islamic State militants. Turkey, which says the Kurdish groups in Syria are mere extensions of the PKK, was alarmed by their support from the U.S.and their sudden rise to power across its border. Inspired by the events across the border, Kurdish militants in Turkey renewed an armed struggle. In Diyarbakir, young Kurds barricaded themselves in the heart of the city, sparking a battle with the Turkish military that lasted for months. At least 400 people were killed, and much of the historic city center was left in ruins. Similar battles took place across Turkeys Kurdish-majority southeast, and Kurdish militants carried out bombings in cities as far west as Istanbul. At least 4,356 people have died in the conflict since 2015, according to a tally by the International Crisis Group. The renewed conflict also has had political repercussions for Turkey. At least 7,000 members of the HDP, the third-largest political party in the country, have been sent to prison, including its top leadership and dozens of lawmakers. The groups calls for a political dialogue with the PKK have been branded by authorities as support for terrorism. Ankaras conflict with the PKK has spilled over into Syria and Iraq. Turkey invaded and took control of parts of northwestern Syria in 2016 and has threatened to push east all the way to the Iraqi border, even if it means fighting U.S. troops deployed alongside the SDF there. In northern Iraq, where the PKK is based, Turkey has also stationed hundreds of troops and has carried out repeated airstrikes. Ocalan spends 23 hours a day in solitary confinement, but has a television in his cell and can watch a handful of Turkish news channels and read selected newspapers. As a result, he most surely knows that Temel and two other HDP lawmakers have been on a hunger strike since March 8. Holed up in the Diyarbakir HDP office, they are abstaining from food, subsisting on tea, sugar and salt water, and a handful of essential vitamins. Temel, who has lost nearly 25 pounds, says Ankara must allow regular visits for Ocalan and would be responsible for the deaths of any of the strikers. In a nearby home in the winding narrow streets of Diyarbakir, Naime Celiks mother brings her daughter a glass of water and listens in silence as she explains why she has been on a hunger strike since March 1. Celik, 21, who says she has lost more than 40 pounds during the protest, was detained in 2016 by police and charged with being a PKK member, but her trial has yet to begin. In April a judge ordered that she be released pending trial. Ocalan initiated the 2013 peace process, which I think were the best days in this country, Celik said, but some powers now want to destroy that process and put him in isolation again. Celiks family, like many others in Diyarbakir, was displaced in the 1990s, when the Turkish military used a scorched earth campaign to uproot support for the PKK in the southeast, razing about 4,000 villages. She grew up hearing about that conflict, and when Diyarbakir saw urban fighting between Kurdish militants and Turkish soldiers in 2015, she says, her instincts pushed her to join the fighters but she didnt because she had read Ocalans writings. Ocalan is not the killer he is made out to be in the media in Turkey, she said. He needs to have a direct conversation with the public, but unfortunately for the last eight years he has been in isolation in prison. Kurdish youth watch his statements closely. If Ocalan said to the youth in Turkey today to destroy the country, to rise up, they would do it for him. But instead Ocalan says to go and educate ourselves, to learn to express ourselves better, and peace will come without conflict. Not everyone in Turkey is convinced allowing Ocalan to speak would prove a wise idea. Hilal Kaplan, a columnist with the Daily Sabah newspaper, said Ocalan has lost influence with Kurdish militants over the years, evidenced by the fact that the PKK broke the 2013 cease-fire ordered by him. I dont think the state, at least people in the government, think that Ocalan has power over the people who are running the PKK at the moment, said Kaplan. Ibrahim Karatas, a columnist with Yeni Akit newspaper, questions whether Ocalan really wants peace at all. Giving him a platform to speak publicly, Karatas said, would just be a chance for Ocalan to reassert his influence. No one in Turkey is ready right now for a peace process. They are hoping the government learned its lessons from the last time they tried peace, and if they renew a peace process again, nothing good is going to come from it. Farooq is a special correspondent. Turkey puts down roots in a corner of war-torn Syria Flash The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is conducting Vietnamese tourism promotion in the three Chinese cities of Chengdu, Chongqing and Shenzhen through May 24. The promotion program, which features tourism policy and destination introduction, and art performances, is expected to attract the participation of some 300 Chinese travel companies, airlines and tourism management organizations, Vietnam News Agency reported recently. According to the Institute for Tourism Development Research under the administration, Chinese visitors often account for 28 to 30 percent of the total international arrivals to Vietnam, and they often travel to central Khanh Hoa province, northern Quang Ninh province, central Da Nang city, southern Kien Giang province, Hanoi capital and Ho Chi Minh City. The number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam is forecast to increase in the coming time, mainly due to low cost, short travel time and high frequency of flights between Vietnam and China, Vietnam News Agency said, noting that over 10 Vietnamese and Chinese airlines currently operate 30 air routes between 20 Chinese cities and Vietnamese localities with a total of more than 500 flights a week. Vietnam hosted 4.5 million international arrivals in the first quarter of this year, up 7 percent against the same period last year, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Specifically, the country welcomed roughly 1.3 million Chinese visitors, or nearly 28.5 percent of the total international arrivals. Yanqing district in northwest Beijing announced five themed summer travel routes on May 19, Chinas National Tourism Day. Yanqing is the host of the ongoing Beijing International Horticultural Expo, so tourists are invited to visit the expo, among other sights, to take in the array of flora unique to Yanqing. The five routes include two-day tours of the ancient town, mountain and river scenery, the Great Wall, the Grand Nature Gallery and revolutionary relics, plus a sixth tour, a three-day "escape the summer heat" route. A rural cuisine festival was also held in Yanqing on May 19, where 38 dishes unique to the area were offered by locals, from a colorful flower banquet to a stone pot feast and steamed banquet. On Saturday, May 18, a video of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former governor of California, getting kicked in the back by an unidentified man in South Africa surfaced on social media. The Terminator actor had gone to South Africa for his Arnold Athlete Africa event when the incident happened. Schwarzenegger had been at the event celebrating a wheelchair-bound archery athlete on his Snapchat when the unidentified man came out of nowhere and kicked him in the back. In the video, it could be seen that the man, who fell immediately after kicking the heavily built actor, was picked up, subdued and dragged out of the scene. He was heard kicking and screaming that he needs a Lamborghini. READ ALSO: Fan trolls Regina Daniels, says she and her mother are no different from Yahoo Boys The actor, who received messages of concern after the video surfaced, took to his Twitter to put everyone at ease. He thanked people for their concerns and stated that there was no need to worry. According to Schwarzenegger, he did not realize he was kicked in the back until he saw the video. He stated that he thought he was jostled by the crowd. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group He wrote: "Thanks for your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about. I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot. I only realized I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you. Im just glad the idiot didnt interrupt my Snapchat." The former governor also advised people to stop sharing the video because that would be giving the man who attacked him the cheap fame he wanted, instead of athletes like the boy he had been filming at the time of the incident. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda It is no longer news that celebrities often get trolled by people on social media and off social media. However, what is not common is someone attacking a celebrity in public without fear of being arrested or punished. Even people who troll celebrities on social media often apologise when they receive backlash from making hurtful comments, Legit.ng had earlier reported that a Nigerian man had apologised to comedian Akpororo after getting cursed for trolling his wife on her birthday. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Top Nigeria Celebrities: What Do Paul Okoye, Akpororo, And Teju Babyface Have In Common? - Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - PDP governors have endorsed their Ekiti state colleague, Dr. Kayode Fayemi for the position of NGF chairman - The governors are said to have dumped Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is in the race - Already, there are signals that El-Rufai may back out of the race as the contest will hold on Wednesday, May 22 A report by The Nation indicates that ahead of the election of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have endorsed their Ekiti state colleague, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and dumped Kaduna state governor, Nasir el-Rufai. Already, there are signals that El-Rufai may back out of the race as the contest will hold on Wednesday, May 22 in Abuja. NGF has produced six chairmen in the last 20 years of Nigerias democracy. The south-west, north-east and south-east have not chaired the NGF. Most PDP governors are said to be uncomfortable with El-Rufai because of his derision of the opposition and hardline on some national issues, especially from the religious perspective. READ ALSO: Local government funds: Governors rise against NFIU, ask Buhari to intervene El-Rufai is seen by some PDP governors as one of the architects of the defeat of the opposition party in the last general elections. A PDP governor said: We have decided not to support El-Rufai as the next chairman of the NGF because his temperament is not good enough for this office. He is a courageous, brilliant and smart individual but if he leads NGF, his caustic comments can create discontent among us. Also, he has a headmaster instinct, which does not fit into a forum where we are all colleagues. Since Fayemi has indicated interest, we prefer him as a moderate. Another PDP governor said: The Kaduna governor does not care a hoot about PDP, a party which provided him the opportunity to climb up leadership positions. He has derided us during the campaign; we will pay him back in his own coin. The outgoing NGF chairman, Abdulaziz Yari, has set a template of dialoguing with the presidency for interventions, including the latest N649.43billion and we need another governor who can continue. We dont want any NGF chairman who will use the forum as a platform for 2023 general elections. We respect El-Rufai, but we wont give him this opportunity. An outgoing APC governor said: We want to go into the NGF election united, unlike the case in 2011 when we had a split among ourselves. The APC governors are already building consensus too around Fayemi. The ongoing talks may lead to the withdrawal of El-Rufai from the race, more so a governor from Northwest has just ended his tenure as NGF chairman. Equity demands that the office should be conceded to another geopolitical zone. I think the candidature of Fayemi is more acceptable to both APC and PDP caucuses. He is also a ranking governor in our midst. READ ALSO: I still the hold ace in south-east APC, says Gov Okorocha Meanwhile, a group, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide has warned Governor El-Rufai to desist from acts that could earn him disgrace from the Yoruba nation. The councils president, Aremo Oladotun Hassan, said the statement credited to El-Rufai saying he would teach Lagosians how to end godfatherism was abysmally insulting. Hassan who was addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday May 7, queried why the governor would leave his state, which is under intense insecurity and fears, and utter such seditious statement in a Yoruba land. Follow LEGIT to keep pace with the latest news! Anytime anybody is against this government, something bad happens to him | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - A Nigerian sailor is reportedly being wrongfully held in Equatorial Guineas prison - The man identified as Boris Oyebanji was arrested over allegations of being a pirate and using his ship to launch an attack on a bigger ship - A close friend called for help on behalf of Oyebanji, noting that the Nigerian embassy has interfered but have been unable to secure the release of the sailor and his crew A man identified as Adetona has cryied for help on popular micro blogging platform, Twitter. He disclosed that his sailor friend Boris Oyebanji, is currently in prison following accusations that he is a pirate. He added in his post that his friend is not a pirate but instead, his ship had been attacked by real pirates who went on to use the ship to launch an attack against another ship. "A sailor friend and birthday mate of mine Boris Oyebanji spent his birthday in the prison in Equatorial Guinea allegedly accused of being a pirate. His ship was attacked and held captive by some pirates and later used to attack another ship." Adetona said. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Adetona also shared a series of chat conversations in which a mobile user who appeared to be a family member of the arrested sailor, gave an in-depth narration of what had really played out. In the chat exchange, a man who identified himself as a brother-in-law to the arrested Nigerian sailor narrated that the sailors ship was accosted by pirates on the coast of Equatorial Guinea. After robbing Oyebanji and members of his crew off their valuables, the pirates proceeded to use the same ship to launch a similar attack on a much bigger ship. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Unfortunately for them, the ship made a distress call to the Equatorial Guinea Navy and got rescue. Upon the arrival of the naval officers, a shootout occurred which resulted in the pirates making an escape for their lives. However, the officers made sure to round up the rest of the crew members on Oyenabji's ship and sailed them back to land. Upon getting to land, the sailor and the rest of his crew were arrested for launching an attack on the ship. See his tweet below: READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda It was further disclosed that the Nigerian embassy in the country has paid courtesy visits to the arrested sailor and his crew members. However, all efforts to secure their release have proven abortive as the government in Equatorial Guinea has refused to acknowledge the sailor as a victim but instead, insist that he and his crew are the pirates who launched the attack. See his tweet below: READ ALSO: Embassy confirms release of 6 Russian sailors abducted by pirates Meanwhile, Legit.ng gathered the report of Nigerian actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, who used her social media platform to address the Nigerian president and his vice. According to the actress, the country is hellish under their government. She charged them to do something about it fast as citizens are getting desperate. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Street Gist: Nigerians React as Nigeria Air Berths in London | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Most Reverend Olusina Fape, the Anglican archbishop of Lagos, says there is more corruption in Nigeria under Buhari - The cleric asserted that the anti-corruption fight ought not to be selective and must be fought holistically without any fear or favour - Fape further asserted that Nigeria is no longer safe; pointing out the nefarious activities of murderous herdsmen and Boko Haram terrorists The Most Reverend Olusina Fape, the Anglican archbishop of Lagos, has stated that there is more corruption in Nigeria under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Fape made the assertion on Saturday, May 18, in a presidential address he presented to the 3rd Session of the 12th Synod of the Diocese of Remo (Anglican Communion), at the All Saints Anglican Church, Irolu-Remo, Ogun state, Tribune reports. READ ALSO: Police kill notorious armed robber who masterminded UBEC boss kidnap Legit.ng gathers that the cleric, who is also the diocesan bishop of Remo, Ogun state, said the anti-corruption fight ought not to be selective and must be fought holistically without any fear or favour; regardless of political affiliations of those found culpable. He said: The present government rode to power on the goodwill of the people, because of the promise to fight corruption to a standstill and bring about positive change. Unfortunately, four years after, there seems to be more corruption in the system than they identified when they came in. The past four years have been devoted to blame games; accusing the past government of one wrong or the other. Nobody elected anybody to come and complain. People elected to govern should sit up and start addressing the perennial problems besetting this nation. Fape asserted that Nigeria is no longer safe; pointing out the nefarious activities of murderous herdsmen and Boko Haram terrorists. He said: There seems to be no respite for our nation, as far as the security situation is concerned. It is our prayer that God will expose those behind these evil groups and disgrace them out of our country. READ ALSO: Insecurity: Nigeria cant attain full civilization amidst violence - Dogara Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a report by the United States revealed that there is corruption at all levels of government in Nigeria. The report noted that the president, vice president, governors and deputy governors are given immunity from civil and criminal prosecution. It focused on the number of convictions the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have secured. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Buhari is the general overseer of corruption - on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng A Bethlehem woman is accused of stealing more than $12,000 from the Monocacy Field and Stream Association, leaving the club with less than $9 in the bank. Melinda Stofko, of the 1500 block of Shipman Street, was charged Saturday with two counts of theft, and a single count of receiving stolen property. The 55-year-old Stofko is free on $15,000 unsecured bail. An attorney has not entered an appearance for Stofko in the case, and a phone number listed for her address was not in service. City police were contacted in February by the associations president and a board member about $13,000 missing from the associations Bank of America account. The funds were only for association business, and at least $10,000 was set aside for legal fees to dissolve the association. The association used to be located in a building on West Elizabeth Avenue, near Mauch Chunk Road, but the building has since been turned into apartments. The officials reported a series of ATM withdrawals between May 1, 2018, and Aug. 31, 2018, that were not for association business, and that Stofko had a debit card for the account, police said. Stofko initially told police she had been unable to access the account and used a certified check from her personal account to pay the legal fees. The ATM withdrawals were reimbursements for that, Stofko allegedly told investigators. But she then told police the legal fee payment was not received by the attorney, and the check was returned to her, according to investigators. The attorney told police he met with Stofko about representing the association, but he never received any payments or a retainer, and did not represent the association in any legal proceedings. Stofko then told detectives she used the money from the returned check to pay the clubs IRS fines. Stofko sent investigators a copy of a letter to the IRS, sent on behalf of the Monocacy Field and Stream Association, that stated a $10,000 check was enclosed for unpaid taxes, interest and penalties. A copy of the alleged check was not included in the forwarded documents. When police requested a copy of the IRS check, plus any other cancelled checks from Stofkos personal account used for association business, Stofko said any questions could be directed to her attorney. After asking for time to contact Stofko and get more information, the attorney told investigators in May that Stofko had not provided him with any additional information, and they should proceed with the investigation if they did not hear back from her by May 6. As of May 15, Stofko allegedly failed to give police documentation of using personal funds for association business and had not reimbursed the association for $12,101 taken from the account, police said. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bullying and school violence are problems, but neither is the problem. Both, according to students gathered Monday at tables in the expansive high school gymnasium, are symptoms of a greater issue -- one of mental health. To address it, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, with input from students in the Lehigh Valley, is developing a plan to present to Harrisburg. Im going to be asking the Legislature to have a fund established that schools can draw upon specifically to fund mental health counselors, teachers, aides to help students deal with these issues. I think its critically important, the attorney general told reporters, including two from the Southern Lehigh student newspaper, after a Monday morning assembly at the Upper Saucon Township high school. For an hour earlier, the attorney general stood at the front of the Southern Lehigh gym, or sometimes sat on a stool next to a smaller panel of students, nodding and asking questions as the assembly of 75 or so teens individually took a microphone and shared with him their thoughts, ideas and concerns about schools ability to help tackle the internal struggles they and their peers deal with every day. There were stories of suicide or friends threatening to harm themselves. There were questions about to whom students could turn: Our school has one psychologist for 1,000 kids. Thats insane, one student said. (See photos from AG Josh Shapiros dialogue with Lehigh Valley students) Shapiro, a Democrat, this year launched Safe2Say Something, a youth violence prevention program and hotline. He said of the thousands of calls the hotline has received, most are for mental health assistance, not violence. Mondays assembly at Southern Lehigh included students from the host school district, East Penn, Parkland and Allentown. It was the fourth of six planned by Shapiro around the state, and will contribute to a full report of recommendations he plans to present to lawmakers in Harrisburg come fall. When you go to Washington, you go to Harrisburg and you listen to some of the politicians having the conversation, theyre missing this. Theyre not getting this, Shapiro told the teens. The conversation tends to be around police officers, or steel doors or metal detectors, and theyre not thinking about the underlying issues that are leading to some of those challenges. Im going to take your voices, and use them in mine. (More Lehigh Valley education news) Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 15-year-old boy was sickened May 7 when given a drink that contained urine and toilet water at Penncrest High School in Media, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State Police report. State police were advised on May 11 of the incident at the Delaware County school and the teenager is still sick, according to a news release. The incident has been labeled an aggravated assault. Police say there are two 15-year-old female suspects but no one has been charged. The investigation continues, police said. Police list the time of the incident as 8:30 p.m. No one could immediately comment at the school. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. By Carl Golden New Jerseys millionaires and state employees can rest easy: When the fiscal 2019-20 state budget is approved at the end of next month, it will not contain a tax increase on incomes exceeding $1 million and there will not be a government shutdown. Despite Gov. Phil Murphys insistence that millionaires are avoiding paying their fair share in taxes at the expense of the struggling middle class, legislative support is confined to a scattered few. Neither Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, nor Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, has budged in his opposition to the tax increase. If anything, theyve become even more hardline after the administration announced tax collections have exceeded initial estimates by nearly $500 million. The unanticipated bump in revenue destroyed whatever slim hope there may have been for the millionaires tax and bolstered the arguments by Sweeney and Coughlin that spending reforms and reductions are the most effective means of fiscal stability rather than greater taxation. Murphy, though, looks more and more like a man clinging desperately to an SS Taxes life preserver in heavy seas as he watches rescue vessels slip over the horizon. In a clumsy, last-ditch effort to attract support, he proposed directing $250 million from the newfound revenue to property tax relief programs in return for approval of the tax increase. His trial balloon barely cleared the ground before it was peppered with holes. Warnings of a budget stalemate and a government shutdown on July 1 are the kind of gossip that drifts lazily through the halls of the Statehouse during budget deliberations. The Legislature will send a spending plan without the millionaires tax to the governors desk, dare Murphy to reject it and absorb the torrent of abuse that will come his way if government operations cease, state parks and beaches closed, and taxpayers attempting to conduct business with government agencies confront locked doors. Sweeney, Coughlin and their respective caucuses will escape blame by arguing they approved a responsible budget, one that funds essential services and priorities and that the governor is obstructing it out of personal pique over his failure to secure a tax increase. While the inexperience of the governor and his staff in dealing with the political crosscurrents of legislative deal-making has been an issue fin the past, the disastrous consequences of a government shutdown over a tax increase should be apparent to all. Murphy can continue to argue that the Legislature has placed protecting 19,000 wealthy New Jerseyans above the economic well-being of millions of working men and women, but it will be to no avail. Tax the rich has always enjoyed popular support, but its always been in the context of requiring someone else to pay more to support government while fearing that if the rich arent taxed, the less wealthy will be. Murphy cannot make that argument, while Sweeney and Coughlin can take credit for a budget in which no one will experience a tax increase. Murphys back is against the wall. His options are not only limited but politically perilous. A more sure-footed administration could have seized the moment and taken advantage of the surge in tax revenues by taking credit for it, attributing it to its well-crafted policies and competent management. As a result of excellent fiscal stewardship, voila! No need for a tax increase. By insisting on the millionaires tax, Murphy lost an opportunity to undercut Sweeney and rebut his argument that a massive overhaul of the states tax and spending structure is necessary. Sweeney has shrewdly elevated himself to a level of equality with the governor, as much a policymaker and leader as the chief executive. The bitter intra-party conflict between Murphy, Sweeney and prominent South Jersey political figure George Norcross has overshadowed budget deliberations, but lacking any major upheaval before July 1, Sweeney will be viewed as the winner when the budget is signed into law. Millionaires will keep more of their incomes and state employees will continue to show up. The best that can be said for Murphy is that he avoided a public relations nightmare. Carl Golden, a native of Easton, is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. By Joseph O. Minott Gov. Tom Wolf recently made Pennsylvania the 24th state to join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their states to uphold the 2015 Paris Agreement commitments. Wolf also unveiled the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protections latest update to the states Climate Action Plan, which includes 100 strategies and actions to reduce and adapt to climate change. The plan update includes a goal of an 80 percent net reduction of carbon emissions by 2050 from 2005 levels, consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement and those in Wolfs executive order earlier this year on greenhouse gas reductions. If we are to reach these goals, these commitments from the Wolf administration are a crucial first step. But they must be followed by bold, concrete policies and actions to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. The emissions reductions required to do so will take aggressive, unprecedented action. We must call on state lawmakers to step up, embrace comprehensive solutions, and work to put Pennsylvania on a fast path to carbon neutrality. Harrisburg is facing a number of critical decisions concerning the future of our states energy industry, such as how to best limit methane pollution today and incentivize companies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution in the future. These individual policy decisions must be part of a comprehensive strategy that puts Pennsylvania on a solid trajectory to meet or even surpass Wolfs commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The course we chart in pursuing greenhouse gas reductions will influence the future of not just Pennsylvania but the entire planet. Pennsylvanias greenhouse gas emissions are globally significant. If the state were a country, it would be among the top 20 greenhouse gas emitters in the world. One quarter of the climate change we are experiencing today is a result of methane emissions; the oil and gas sector is the leading industrial source of methane pollution. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Pound for pound, its global warming potential is 86 times greater than carbon dioxide in the first 20 years after its release. DEP is currently working on a standard to limit air pollution at existing natural gas sites. In order to meet Wolfs ambitious targets and protect our communities from the devastating effects of climate change, this rule must directly regulate methane and cover all active wells in Pennsylvania. Reducing methane emissions today must be combined with strategic efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels moving forward. Clean Air Council recently filed a petition offering a path for DEP to institute a cap-and-trade program. This market-based approach would set a price on carbon with a binding, declining cap on those emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by the middle of the century. At the same time, we must consider what the future makeup of Pennsylvanias energy industry will be. As the Legislature considers spending massive amounts of money to bail out aging nuclear plants, we must instead focus our money and efforts on transitioning away from fossil fuels and nuclear power and bringing safer, cleaner forms of renewable energy into the grid. By joining the Climate Alliance, Wolf has maintained a much-needed focus on slowing climate change at the state level, which is especially meaningful in Pennsylvania. The state is the largest energy producer in the alliance, and joining that alliance should serve as a wake-up call to all Pennsylvania residents. We must demand that DEP take strong action to comprehensively reduce methane pollution at existing natural gas sites. We must demand that Pennsylvanias rulemaking board create a cap-and-trade program without delay. We must demand that lawmakers prioritize renewable energy in Pennsylvania, rather than subsidizing nuclear energy with hundreds of millions of ratepayer dollars. We need a holistic, deliberate approach to tackle an unprecedented challenge. When it comes to the future of our planet, commitments are ultimately meaningless unless they are followed by a comprehensive strategy to achieve the goals and immediate action on concrete policies. Joseph O. Minott is the executive director and chief counsel for the Clean Air Council. A couple from Phillipsburg has been sentenced to prison for having sex with an underage girl last year, the Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office announced Monday. Kenneth B. Thompson, 60, was sentenced to five years in prison, and Feleisha Francillon, 28, to three years, the office said. They were were arrested in April 2018 on charges they engaged in sexual relations with a female victim under the age of sixteen in Union Township. Thompson pled guilty in February to aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, while Francillon pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child the same month. Thompsons arrest violated his parole, the prosecutors office noted. He was paroled from the New Jersey state prison system in October 2016 after serving over 30 years for a murder in Camden in the early 1980s. Records and news reports show he and a codefendant, James Hunt, stabbed Hunts sisters abusive, live-in boyfriend over 20 times. In the late 1980s, Hunts death sentence was overturned, and he was paroled in 2012. Thompson has to register as a sex offender under Megans Law and when hes completed his new sentence, hell be on parole supervision for life, the prosecutors office said. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. You are here: World Flash A new group of 200 Chinese peacekeepers are heading for Lebanon for a UN peace-keeping mission. A send-off ceremony was held on Sunday. Members of the group are mainly from an engineering troop but also include special police, medical staff and translators. Over 12 months, the peacekeepers will be stationed in southern Lebanon and be tasked with repairing roads, project maintenance and humanitarian rescue. China has sent 17 groups of peacekeepers to Lebanon. A high turnout of young Laois voters in this Fridays local and European elections can help shake up the system and ensure young peoples voices are better represented in political decision making according to a campaigner for youth participation. Charity founder and former member of the Council of State, Ruairi McKiernan, is appealing to young voters to turn out in large numbers. Weve seen how young people mobilising helped lead massive social change on marriage equality, the repeal campaign, and the calls for climate action. "Young people make up a huge percentage of the population and deserve to have their voices and visions heard and acted upon when it comes to the decisions made in the European Parliament and in Laois County Council, he said. The campaigner and host of the Love and Courage podcast founded the SpunOut.ie youth website back in 2014 and is a passionate champion for youth participation in Irish society. Its clear from the lack of leadership on housing, healthcare and the environment, that establishment politics is failing a generation and that the political system needs a big shake-up. "Wreckless decision making means Ireland remains one of the most indebted countries in Europe. Weve become a low wage economy with many young people relying on insecure jobs without adequate pay and conditions. "Many are being hit hard with sky-high rents, difficulty accessing mortgages, exorbitant car insurance costs and the second highest third level fees in the EU. The younger generation is being sold down the river and political participation is a vital part of changing things, he said. He says international initiatives like the Rock the Vote campaign prove that young people can make a real impact on voting day. Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements and campaigns, including those focused on civil rights, war, poverty and refugee rights. They have a huge stake in the future and arent afraid to challenge things when necessary," he said. He says a lack of vision in politics is feeding despair, which in turn is creating a dangerous vacuum. Its clear that the old ways arent working and you can see that in the many scandals and abuses of power. This is creating a space for dangerous voices to emerge, which in turn breeds racism and division. "Its vital we ensure politics really is about serving the common good, not just enriching the few and maintaining a broken status quo. Its clear that a huge shake-up is needed and young people have a huge role to play in forging this change," he added. MORE: Laois community wants local opinions for new development plan The replacement bus services in rural Laois towns that was put in place by the National Transport Authority 'is not working', according to Sinn Fein local election candidate Lorna Holohan Garry. Ms Holohan Garry said the loss of the intercity Dublin Limerick service has been huge loss in rural towns of Pike of Rushall, Borris in Ossory, Castletown and Mountrath. "This service needs to be restored immediately as the temporary service that was put in place by the National Transport Authority (NTA) is not working. "This service is in place for the last month and services have been cut from eight per day to three. The new timetable is not suiting workers, students or anyone seeking access to Dublin Airport. "These rural towns had an hourly service a few years ago between JJ Kavanagh and Bus Eireann. "The NTA confirmed that Public Service Obligation (PSO), is established on this route and also to provide the service through Pike of Rushall, Borris in Ossory, Castletown and Mountrath. They also stated that finance would not be an issue. "On behalf of Sinn Fein I am demanding this service be reinstated," she said. MORE: Laois Dublin Limerick bus service cut addressed in transport body's plan A 35-year-old Tesco employee has appeared at Naas District Court charged in connection with an alleged discovery of around 60,000 worth of cannabis in a Kildare growhouse. Markus Sobczynski, of 18 Rosconnell Street, Rickardstown, Newbridge, appeared at a sitting of the court this afternoon, May 20. He was remanded in custody to appear in court again on May 23. It is alleged Mr Sobczynski had in his possession an estimated 61,000 of cannabis and cannabis herb in his possession and that he was using the house as a grow house under Section 17 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and that he had the drugs for sale and supply. Garda Seamus Doyle said that when the charges were put to the defendant, he remained silent. The State objected to bail on a number of grounds. It is alleged the defendant had turned the bedroom and bathroom into grow houses and he slept in the sitting room. The Court was told the house was bought under the affordable housing scheme by Mr Sobczynskis mother, who lived in Poland. David Gibbons, solicitor who sought bail for his client, said Mr Sobczynski had been in Ireland for 12 years and had a son in Ireland. He has a job as a storeman worker on a night time shift with Tesco. Garda Doyle said he accepted that the defendant would lose his job as a result of being remanded in custody. A high turnout of young Leitrim voters in Fridays local and European elections can help "shake up the system" and ensure young peoples voices are better represented in political decision making. Thats the view of campaigner, charity founder and former member of the Council of State, Ruairi McKiernan, who is appealing to young voters to turn out in large numbers. Weve seen how young people mobilising helped lead massive social change on marriage equality, the repeal campaign, and the calls for climate action. Young people make up a huge percentage of the population and deserve to have their voices and visions heard and acted upon when it comes to the decisions made in the European Parliament and in Leitrim County Council, says McKiernan. The campaigner and host of the Love and Courage podcast founded the SpunOut.ie youth website back in 2014 and is a passionate champion for youth participation in Irish society. Its clear from the lack of leadership on housing, healthcare and the environment, that establishment politics is failing a generation and that the political system needs a big shake-up. Wreckless decision making means Ireland remains one of the most indebted countries in Europe. Weve become a low wage economy with many young people relying on insecure jobs without adequate pay and conditions. Many are being hit hard with sky-high rents, difficulty accessing mortgages, exorbitant car insurance costs and the second highest third level fees in the EU. The younger generation is being sold down the river and political participation is a vital part of changing things he says. He says international initiatives like the Rock the Vote campaign prove that young people can make a real impact on voting day. Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements and campaigns, including those focused on civil rights, war, poverty and refugee rights. They have a huge stake in the future and arent afraid to challenge things when necessary. according to McKiernan. He says a lack of vision in politics is feeding despair, which in turn is creating a dangerous vacuum. Its clear that the old ways arent working and you can see that in the many scandals and abuses of power. This is creating a space for dangerous voices to emerge, which in turn breeds racism and division. Its vital we ensure politics really is about serving the common good, not just enriching the few and maintaining a broken status quo. Its clear that a huge shake-up is needed and young people have a huge role to play in forging this change. A 53-year-old man who has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, as well as other road traffic offences, following the death of a Leitrim man in a crash outside Sydney last week id due to appear via video link at Pattamatta local court this week. Francis Shanley, from Bornacoola, died in the multi-vehicle crash on Thursday, May 9 when the vehicle he was driving was hit by a beer truck in a pile-up involving 11 other vehicles. An Australian court has heard that police alleged Mr Francis Omigie was driving a car which changed lanes on a motorway and then stopped resulting in multiple collisions. The Nigerian native was refused bail by the court and his lawyer told the court that the 53-year-old was distressed by the crash and that he had had some mechanical problems and his intention was to change lanes to the left and unfortunately has resulted in a pile-up. Mr Omigie will reappear via video link at Parramatta Local Court this Wednesday, May 22. Funeral Meanwhile a celebration of the life of Francis will be held in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday, May 21 at 12.30pm (Australian time) 9.30pm (Irish time) in Camillia Chapel Sydney. Further funeral arrangements for Ireland will be announced next week. Also read: Irish man killed in 11 car pile up in Sydney is from Leitrim Cancer Trials Ireland today said that the 3m cut in its grant is now having a direct impact on potentially breakthrough treatments being available for people in Ireland with cancer. Due to a 20% cut in the grant Cancer Trials Ireland (CTI) receives from the Department of Health, every year since 2016, CTI says it has been unable to open trials in disease areas such as lymphoma, testicular and endometrial cancer which means people with these kinds of cancers cannot access the newest promising treatments. International Clinical Trials Day 2019 (Monday 20th May), is dedicated to the many teams behind the 80+ cancer trials that are open in 16 hospitals around the country. Professor Bryan Hennessy, Clinical Lead at Cancer Trials Ireland said: At a policy level it makes no sense to starve an area of research that can offer people with cancer a lifeline, when cancer rates are doubling and 1 in 2 people in Ireland will develop cancer during their lifetime[1]. As a result of these continuing cuts, the number of people joining cancer drug trials each year is falling drastically. In 2014, before the 2016 cuts were introduced, 3% of people in Ireland with cancer were on a cancer drug trial. Last year it was down to 1.5%. This means that every year less people with cancer can access potentially effective treatment options when the standard treatments are not working. Cancer trials not only have a profound impact on the lives of people with cancer today, but they deliver in the medium and immediate term. As an oncologist seeing patients every day, some of whom have no options left, continuation of these cutbacks is unjustifiable by any standards, he said. Eibhlin Mulroe, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland, said: Trials can often be the best treatment option available for cancer patients and offer a higher level of oversight because of the team nature of clinical trials. Up to 20 people can be reviewing data associated with a patients response to treatment and there is great comfort in that knowledge for patients on our trials. Trials are also a very cost-effective way to provide cancer treatments as trial drugs are provided by pharmaceutical companies. For every 1 in Government grant we get, we can attract 3 in investment in trials4. So, at a health policy and economic basis its a no-brainer, she said. Averil Power, Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said: The Irish Cancer Society is proud to continue our support for Cancer Trials Ireland as part of our investment in life-saving cancer research. Clinical trials save and improve lives by giving patients access to new drugs they simply wouldnt get otherwise. The Government recognised this when they committed to doubling the number of patients on trials by 2020. Instead, cuts in Government funding have resulted in fewer patients accessing trials. This must be addressed as a priority. New research from the University Hospital Limerick found that the number of its patients asking to participate in a cancer trial increased by 7% last year. It also found that a huge majority of patients (93%) believe its important to have cancer trials available as a possible treatment option an increase from 88% during the year. This shows us that there is a real want and need there for people with cancer to join cancer trials and they deserve to be given this access, she said. Last week saw the launch of the Just Ask Your Team campaign which aims to raise awareness of the many dedicated team of people that contribute to cancer trials in Ireland, and to encourage those with cancer, their family and friends to ask their local team about a trial that might be suitable for them. Cancer trial teams include people with cancer, their families and friends, cancer doctors and surgeons, research nurses, data managers, pharmacists, public-funders, donors, pharmaceutical companies, and Cancer Trials Irelands research specialists all of whom have a uniquely important role in the cancer trial team. Cancer Trials Ireland is a registered charity, partly funded by grants from the Health Research Board (HRB), the Irish Cancer Society and St. Lukes Institute of Cancer Research. The Just Ask Your Team campaign is part-funded by unrestricted grants from the pharmaceutical companies AbbVie, Bayer, MSD, Novartis and Pfizer. For further information on cancer trials in Ireland visit cancertrials.ie or follow the conversation on Twitter @cancertrials_ie. 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! UP TO 50 families were forced to make alternative arrangements for childcare services when the failure of a water pump forced the closure of their County Limerick preschool and afterschool facility. And frustration is mounting that the issue still has not been resolved some four days later with children having to use toilet facilities in the local community centre this Monday. We had to close our service on Friday which was massively inconvenient to parents. It affected around 50 families, explained Letitia English, manager of Star Kids in Athlacca village. Ms English expressed her frustration with the information being relayed by Irish Water in relation to the incident. It was Thursday evening it happened.We never get any notification from Irish Water. Obviously burst pipes and things happen but we had to close on Friday because there was no sanctification facilities.We checked the website which said it would be resolved on May 17 at four oclock and its still not resolved this morning, said Ms English this Monday. According to Ms English, she was monitoring the situation all weekend and decided to open the facility this Monday morning in the hope that the matter would be resolved. We came in for the breakfast club and one of my staff members rang me to say the toilets arent flushing again, the water is not coming through, and we had been assured that there would be water this morning. We were open at 7.30am. We had to take the children to the community centre to use the toilet which is not ideal. We didnt want to let the parents down as they need to go to work. We are trying to do our best to keep the service open. A water tanker is now in situ outside the childcare service. We were directed back to the website again but they have not updated it. When you look at the map for Irish Water it looks like the problem has moved from Athlacca to Kilmallock. The symbol has been taken off but the issue has not been resolved.We are community-run. My issue is you contact Irish Water and they refer you back to the website but its not being updated properly. We need more of a concrete answer, even if they say its still not fixed. To give them their credit they are trying to put things in place and there is a water tank filling up the main line now but the problem hasnt been resolved. The man with the tanker is going back and forth to Kilmallock filling up water and he said he will keep going all day until Irish Water tells him to stop. They are trying to help in that respect but they need to give us more information. I need to make decisions so I can contact parents in time so they can make alternative arrangements. Ms English explained that there has been problems with the water going on and off because there have been some issues over the last year or so. When contacted this Monday a spokesperson for Irish Water said: Irish Water and Limerick City and County Council are working to restore a normal water supply in the Athlacca area where customers have been experiencing some disruption to their supply in recent days. The initial outage was due to the failure of a pump. This has since been repaired but a large leak in the network is causing ongoing problems. This leak has been located and crews are on site carrying out repairs. According to the spokesperson, it is expected that a normal supply will be restored by tomorrow. In the meantime, tankers are being used to feed water directly into the network in order to maintain a supply to customers. However, there may be intermittent outages until the repairs are complete. We are asking customers to conserve water where possible while these works are underway. Irish Water regrets the inconvenience caused by this issue and thanks customers for their patience while we work to restore a normal supply. The customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278 and customers can also make contact on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. GLENSTAL Abbey School students will lay foundations to change lives of children in Kenya for the better this summer. Ten students from the Murroe-based post-primary school travel to the Rift Valley in July to improve facilities and opportunities for young people at the Oloika School. The Limerick students, along with project coordinator Fr John O'Callaghan and teacher Thomas Franklin, will spend 23 days on this aid mission to build two classrooms and girls toilets as well as providing computers for the school. The Oloika School has 415 Masai boys and girls up to the age of 16 and ten teachers. It has the barest of facilities, although they have electricity. The floors need cement, the walls should be upgraded from corrugated iron and there is a great need for toilets, Fr John O'Callaghan explained. "Computers are also needed. Any donations go directly to meet these needs and the renovations will be carried out by local skilled help while our 'Kenya Crew' members share their computer skills, and mix with the Kenyans in sport and music." Since 2008 Glenstal Abbey School has been supporting schools in Tanzania and Kenya, leaving a lasting impact on hundreds of African schoolchildren. This year's 'Kenya Crew' includes students Matthew Cannon, Sean Carey, Max Downing, Richard Enright, Peter Fahy, Antoine Japy, Art Keane, Matthew Lyne, Tiernan Ryan and Harry Swan. Our young Irish students provide basic tuition in computer skills to their African peers, and enjoy doing so. It is a win-win situation for both groups of young people. The expenses of the project are paid by the parents of the Irish boys so that any funds donated go exclusively to the school in need, Fr O'Callaghan said. We have never worked in a school with greater needs. Our hope is to pay for a proper classroom to be built. They currently study in ones made from corrugated iron, which are too hot. We also want to renovate a room for laptops that we bring and provide toilets. Currently four latrines are available for over 400 students, he concluded. Glenstal Abbey School is currently trying to reach its 20,000 fundraising goal before breaking for the summer holidays on May 31. To donate visit the School Project in Kenya in the news section of glenstal.com. THERE has been mixed views and uncertainty surrounding the debate for a directly-elected Mayor of Limerick. Those in favour of the Government proposal say the directly-elected Mayor will have real power and influence representing the needs of the people of Limerick. However, those against the proposal say the current system works well and that the annual cost (up to 450,000) of having a directly-elected Mayor would be a waste of taxpayers money. According to the independent committee which is overseeing the plebiscite, the directly-elected Mayor would be responsible for a significant amount of the executive functions which are currently the responsibility of the chief executive (Conn Murray in the case of Limerick). He or she will be required to prepare and oversee delivery of a programme of office, a corporate plan and annual service delivery plan. It is also proposed that they will act on behalf of the Council in legal actions, chair the joint policing committee and represent the local authority area locally, nationally and internationally. It is proposed the chief executive would be responsible for practical delivery of the Councils policy plans and managing staff and other resources on a day-to-day basis. The chief executive would still retain executive functions such as managing staff, processing individual cases or applications, enforcement matters, revenue gathering activities and certain planning functions Senator Maria Byrne, Fine Gaels director of elections for the plebiscite in Limerick, says having a directly-elected mayor, with a strong public mandate, could be a game-changer for Limerick. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and should not be scoffed at. Cork and Waterford are being offered the same proposal and we cannot afford to fall behind the two other Munster regions when the vote is put to us. If we reject the proposal and Cork passes it, it will be an opportunity lost to our neighbouring city who will be strongly positioned to become more powerful and leave Limerick in the slow lane, she said in a letter published this week (see page 14). However, the majority of sitting councillors have expressed their opposition to the proposal. Cllr Kevin Sheahan, who served as Mayor of Limerick city and county in 2014 / 15 says he will be voting no on May 24. He says the proposal has not been properly explained by Government and that he does not believe there is any demand for such an office to be created. At the final meeting of the Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District before the local elections he questioned how the directly-elected mayor and the chief executive would work together. It will be like two goats pulling against each other. It will not work, its a scandalous proposal, he said. Businessman Michael Tiernan (see letters page) says he concerned the plebiscite is being foisted on people on the same day as three other votes. The majority of the executive functions currently the responsibility of the chief executive would transfer to the directly-elected mayor resulting, in my opinion, of a downgrading of the operation of local government when in reality the strengthening of same is what is required, he said. I see merit in having directly-elected mayors with ambassadorial type functions which complements the executive role of the chief executive officer in a similar manner to relationship which the President of Ireland has with the Government without devolving all the executive functions to the directly-elected Mayor, he added. Vox Pops conducted by the Limerick Leader this week suggest there is some uncertainty and confusion among members of the public in regard to the proposals. Organised by the independent plebescite committee, a public information meeting took place in the Computer Science Building at UL last Thursday. Just 25 people attended. Flash The Islamic republic is ready to fend off the U.S. war threats against the country, the chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said in Tehran on Sunday. Iran is currently facing threats close to its territory and the IRGC has prepared its resources against the threats, Major General Hossein Salami was quoted as saying by state TV. The IRGC commander said that "although enemies are near the Iranian borders, they do not have the will to wage war and are afraid of fighting with the Iranians." He stressed that "we are not after war but we are not afraid of war either." On Thursday, Salami vowed to resist the U.S. pressures, saying that the U.S. will fail to crush Iranian resistance. The U.S. administration aims to drag Iran to the negotiation table by exerting "maximum pressures." The Iranian government always believes that Washington seeks to seal a new nuclear deal with Iran, to further curb Iran's nuclear program, to stop Iran ballistic missile development and to brake Iran's push for influence in the region. MEMBERS of Limericks metropolitan district are to write to Health Minister Simon Harris urging him to alleviate the stress of the trolley crisis. A motion from Sinn Fein councillor John Costelloe was unanimously passed at this Mondays final meeting also urging him to fast-track the necessary funding and expertise to deal with the situation. It comes as the number of people waiting on trolleys in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) remains high. Every week, the situation gets worse. It continues to break all records, and staff are at their wits end, Cllr Costelloe said. We have chronic overcrowding coupled with chronic understaffing and many staff are voting with their feet and leaving. He says there is a fear among the public about going to UHL. READ ALSO: Leader campaign to highlight overcrowding crisis at UHL Would you blame them when they hear of a 92-year-old woman who spent four-and-a-half days on a trolley, Cllr Costelloe added. The local authority must stand with one united voice on the issue, he added, saying: Enough is enough. His party colleague, Cllr Malachy McCreesh seconded the motion, saying: The issues I have been raising for five years in relation to the hospital have basically gotten worse. A story I heard recently was of a patient who was on a trolley and a lumbar puncture was performed on him by three medical staff in a crowded corridor where people could not move. I think that tells you all you need to know. Cllr John Loftus was one of many voices to criticise the government for not visiting UHL on its recent trip to Limerick. While Independent councillor John Gilligan bemoaned the fact the HSE is not run more like the British NHS. We have based our service on the US model that if you do not have money, you dont get treatment. Basically, dont bother us. There are no queues in the Mater Private Hospital, he said. Fianna Fail councillor Kieran OHanlon said: I would have very much liked the Taoiseach to spend time on a trolley in the emergency department to see what it is like. But he was here in Limerick to talk about spending money on a directly elected mayor which no-one wants. Solidaritys councillor Paul Keller said: People cannot understand why this situation has been allowed to drift and drift. But Fine Gael councillor Michael Hourigan says it is not true to say the government is not acting. He said: The A&E situation on the trolleys is intolerable. But having said that, the amount of investment being done in Dooradoyle at the regional hospital is incredible, and more investment is planned into the future. A NEW artisan craft brewery has opened as a unique tourist attraction in the heart of Limericks Medieval Quarter. Limericks very own beer company, Treaty City Brewery has transformed two previously derelict buildings on Nicholas Street, with links to Limericks 18th century brewing industry into what is being billed as the ultimate craft brewing experience. The firm was awarded the lease of 24 and 25 Nicholas Street as part of Limerick City and County Councils strategy to revitalise the thoroughfare while preserving the built heritage in the area. Through the craft brewing experience, visitors will discover Treaty City Brewerys hands-on brewing approach while also learning about the history of the building and brewing in Limerick which dates back to the 1700s. Historical records show that Number 25 was once the home of Arthur Roche, the three-time mayor of Limerick, who operated his own brewery at the rear of the building up until 1756. Indeed, brewing was once a thriving industry in Limericks Medieval quarter. One of the first breweries in the south of Ireland, The City Brewery (also known as the Newgate Brewery) was founded in 1739 and situated in Newgate Lane, between the old City Gaol and King Johns Castle. Treaty City Brewery will also use the micro-brewery as an experimental and innovation hub to develop new beer recipes which will compliment its large scale production facility. Mayor James Collins said: The addition of the Treaty City Brewery on Nicholas Street will greatly enhance the tourism offering in the area. Its heartening to see local businesses being part of the revitalisation of the historic core of the city, and this will hopefully act as a catalyst for further inward investment into the area. The return of a craft industry such as brewing is particularly apt and appropriate, and resonates very well. I would like to wish Treaty City Brewery every success. Stephen Cunneen, the managing director of Treaty City Brewery, added: This is a very exciting and significant time for our business; not only are we expanding our offering and our research and development capabilities, but we are playing a key part in the rejuvenation of Nicholas Street in the heart of the Medieval Quarter. Through the sympathetic development of the micro-brewery in this historic part of our city, weve created a unique and authentic visitor attraction that pays homage to a craft that has been much loved throughout the centuries. Numbers 24 and 25 have been sympathetically fitted out to reflect the period architecture of the buildings. Antiques from across Limerick city and county have been sourced. The brewery open six days a week and tours will run regularly. NEW research from the University of Limerick has found the Irish public underestimate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. A new research survey suggests that while people in Ireland feel positive towards sexual orientation and gender diversity, they underestimate levels of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Conducted by ULs Hate and Hostility Research Group, the research is a major component of a groundbreaking LGBT+ public education and awareness campaign Call It Out, launched this Monday. LGBT+ people still live with a background of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia as a result of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, TENI campaign spokesperson Ellen Murray said. For many it feels like it is part of being who they are. More than 80% of the 1,395 people who participated in the research survey agreed that lesbians, gay men, bisexual people and transgender people should be free to live their own lives as they wish. Respondents also expressed high levels of comfort with having LGBT+ people as neighbours. However, the survey also found that only a minority believe LGBT+ people in Ireland are at serious risk of violence because of hostility towards their sexual orientation or gender identity. Just more than a third of people, 36%, believe that violence against the LGBT+ community is a serious problem in Ireland, contrasting sharply with the reported lived experience of LGBT+ people here. Research published in 2016 by leading Irish LGBT+ organisations found that 1 in 3 LGBTI people had been threatened with physical violence, while 1 in 5 had been punched, hit or physically attacked in public during their lifetime due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. We want to send a clear message that homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are not acceptable, Ms Murray said. To the general public, we ask that you call out homophobia, biphobia and transphobia when you encounter them. To our LGBT+ community, we ask that you share your experiences with people you trust. Talk about it to find support, she added. Call It Out is a joint initiative of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and the Hate and Hostility Research Group at UL. A national committee representing leading LGBT+ organisations advised on the campaign messaging. For more information about the campaign visit www.callitout.ie. With Google suspending business ties with Huawei, cutting the Chinese telecom major off its technology, the US-China trade war has taken a turn that directly affects consumers. As Huawei loses access to updates on the Android operating system, anyone using a Huawei smartphone will be miffed. That Google Play and Play Protect would continue to function on existing phones isnt much consolation. It just means your Huawei smartphone hasnt been turned into a brick. But future versions of Huawei smartphones would have to do without proprietary apps such as Gmail, Google Chrome and YouTube. There will be roundabout ways to access them, but thats unlikely to be considered sufficiently cool by millennials. There could yet be another effect of Googles action, taken at the behest of US authorities. Ordinary folks would wonder whats gone so wrong between China and America that people in India are being pushed into cyber deprivation. America has accused Huawei of espionage. If this is so, US authorities should show us the evidence. Else, it would look as if it is afraid of losing a technological edge in telecom to China. That would be a reputational win for Huawei. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Species appear and disappear in the blink of a geologic eye; that's a rule of life. There have been five mass extinctions in Earth's past, when changes to the climate, the emergence of new adaptations and even cosmic interventions caused many unique life-forms to die off. A sixth mass extinction is currently underway, and the only thing that distinguishes it from its predecessors is the cause: humans. Why are so many of Earth's species going extinct? The reasons are myriad and include loss of habitat, overhunting and competition with non-native species that were introduced by people. But how did we get to this point, so soon after an era in which the world's bounty seemed endless, with flocks of passenger pigeons so large that they covered the sun and herds of bison that numbered in the thousands? Some would explain that these sudden declines in the past century stem from modern overconsumption. But we must look back even further, to the period of European colonization that began in the 1500s and ended 400 years later. [10 Species You Can Kiss Goodbye] In fact, many of the European nations that are even now forcing conservation measures on countries across the world are to blame for the current conservation crisis. Tigers, for example, are the darlings of conservation efforts worldwide. An estimated 80,000 tigers were slaughtered in India between 1875 and 1925, when the country was under British rule; currently, the global tiger population is less than 4,000 individuals, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. American bison, on the other hand, represent a modern conservation success story or so it would seem. Federal protections saved bison from extinction in the mid-1900s, but the iconic animals were brought to the brink of extinction by European colonizers. Driven largely by a desire to destroy a much-needed indigenous resource, colonizers' widespread slaughter reduced bison populations from over 30 million animals to fewer than 100 individuals in less than a century, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported. Indigenous traditions Conserving and managing natural resources isn't a modern concept; indigenous peoples across the world have practiced it for generations. They might not have had the statistical models and the technology available today, but they had experience-based knowledge, traditions, rituals. In pre-colonial Zimbabwe, it was taboo to cut the muhacha tree, also known as the Mobola plum tree, as it was nutritionally and culturally important. It was also forbidden to kill certain rare animals like the pangolin without permission from the local chief, researchers reported in 2018, in the journal Scientifica. In Guatemala, the mythical status of the resplendent quetzal, a brilliantly colored bird, helped promote its conservation, according to a study published in 2003 in the journal Ecology and Society. Totemic relationships limited or outright banned the hunting of certain species such as elephants among ethnic groups like the Ikoma in Tanzania, while Inuits saw themselves not as land owners, but as land inhabitants, playing a part in a larger cycle that helped to sustain them. It was through these mores that indigenous peoples conserved and sustainably used their natural resources. In most cases, the poachers and small-time loggers in the news stories are local individuals: a Congolese man with a rusted axe in the forest, or a Vietnamese boy setting snares, for example. However, a look back in history reveals that the people who have historically dealt the most devastating damage to forests and wildlife worldwide were European colonizers. European colonization brought not only a clash of cultures, but also an almost total decimation of those traditions that kept order within indigenous societies and helped to conserve natural resources, according to the Scientifica study . Europeans saw that Africa, the Americas and Asia were rich in fur and feather, skin and wood, gold and ivory; using a mixture of religious supremacy and scientific racism, colonizers gave themselves permission to carve up those continents like so much meat, descending upon exotic so-called Edens like locusts. Forests were cut down. Precious metals were dug up. Wild animals were killed. All of this natural wealth was stolen from indigenous peoples and used to enrich what is now called the "developed" world. [Photos: Wild Animals of the Serengeti] Too little, too late Decades after white colonialists ravaged the worlds natural resources, concerns arose locally and globally about conserving what little of those precious resources remained. And indigenous people, as they had before, paid the price then, and are still paying today. From Virunga to Rajasthan, Yellowstone to Kruger, indigenous people were barred from areas declared protected by someone hundreds of miles away, and were forced to relocate from lands they had occupied for generations. Horrific acts are committed in the name of conservation: kidnapping suspected poachers in the dead of night, beatings for imagined infractions, sexual assaults and even murder. In 2017, Newsweek reported that an estimated 500 men were shot in 2016 while in or near Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, on suspicion of poaching. National Geographic also reported accounts of suspected poachers who were tortured or raped by military officers in Tanzania. Today, on social media, millions across the world sit in judgment on reports of poaching, ready to favorite, retweet, share or call for blood in the comments, and throw money at a problem they're sure they understand based on one-sided conservation narratives. As in most stories, conservation has heroes and villains. The villains poachers are indigenous people across the world who have historically been defrauded, violated, murdered and displaced. Though they may no longer be under colonial rule, they are still criminalized in the name of conservation, even when their own survival is at stake. Meanwhile, so-called conservation heroes act as gatekeepers to resources that were never theirs to begin with, regulating what little remains from the people who have already lost the most. In past centuries, colonialism perpetrated great crimes that affected millions; the lasting impact of that legacy is carried by those still living and will be shouldered by those who have yet to be born. According to a United Nations report published online May 9, thousands and thousands of species are currently faced with extinction, and humanitys ability to live in the only home we have (and most likely ever will know) is swiftly eroding. The nations that built empires across the world and in doing so, fueled today's conservation emergencies will be cushioned against the worst of the fallout as ecosystems collapse worldwide. And yet, the most ethical action would be to voluntarily relinquish the wealth and resources that protect them, extending that protection to everyone. We who benefit from colonialisms violent past must acknowledge our role in causing the crises that face humanity, and seek to recompense those who have been wronged. Originally published on Live Science. In a still image from the HBO miniseries 'Chernobyl,' a firefighter stares at the burning reactor building in the hours after the disaster began. In the second episode of "Chernobyl," the HBO miniseries about the 1986 accident that became the worst nuclear power disaster in human history, the situation is pretty bad. A large fire rages in the ruins of the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. A hospital in the nearby town of Pripyat is overrun with radiation victims. Deadly radioactive dust has drifted all the way out of the Soviet Union and into Sweden. The air above the reactor literally glows where the uranium core has become exposed. And the people leading the disaster response decide to dump thousands of tons of sand and boron on the core. This is more less what happened during the actual disaster in April 1986. But why did first responders use sand and boron? And if a similar nuclear disaster were to occur in 2019, is this what firefighters would still do? You really don't want an open-air fire on an exposed nuclear core Exposing a burning nuclear core to the air is a problem on at least two levels, as nuclear reactor engineer and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign professor Kathryn Huff told Live Science. [5 Everyday Things that Are Radioactive] Your first problem is that you've got an ongoing nuclear-fission reaction. Uranium is firing off neutrons, which are slamming into other uranium atoms and splitting them. Those uranium atoms are releasing yet more energy and feeding the whole hot mess. This reaction, no longer contained, is also spewing incredible levels of direct radiation, posing a mortal danger to anyone who tries to get near it. Your second, related and much more serious problem is that the fire is releasing lots of smoke and dust and debris into the air. All that gunk is coming right out of a nuclear reactor, and some of it is in fact matter straight from the nuclear core. That includes an assortment of types (or isotopes) of relatively lightweight elements that form when uranium atoms split. "This is the dangerous part of an accident like this," Huff said. "Those isotopes, some of them, are toxic to humans. And some of them are more radioactive than what you would encounter in your day-to-day life. And some of them, in addition to being quite toxic and radioactive, are very mobile in the environment." Mobile, in this case, means that those isotopes can enter the bodies of living things to cause problems. Take, for example, iodine-131, a radioactive isotope of iodine that living cells treat just like regular iodine. A smoke plume like Chernobyl's contains lots of iodine-131, which can drift hundreds of miles. It can end up in rivers and make its way into plants, animals and humans. Our thyroid glands rely on iodine and will absorb iodine-131 just like ordinary iodine, creating a long-term source of serious radiation inside our bodies. (This is why, in the immediate aftermath of nuclear disasters, people in the impacted area are supposed to take iodine pills, to fill up their body's reserves and prevent their thyroids from absorbing any of the radioactive isotopes.) Sand and boron Dumping sand and boron (the actual Chernobyl mixture also included clay and lead) is an attempt to solve both the first and second problems. The sand smothers the exposed reactor, squelching that deadly smoke plume. And the boron, in theory, could squelch the nuclear reaction. "In a nuclear reactor, there are isotopes that make the reaction go and isotopes that make the reaction slow," Huff said. To get a nuclear chain reaction going, she explained, you need to get enough radioactive isotopes close together that their neutrons, firing wildly into space, tend to slam into other atomic nuclei, splitting them. [Infographic: Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster 25 Years Later] "When a neutron interacts with an isotope, there's a certain probability, due to the structure of its nucleus, that it will absorb the neutron," she said. "Uranium, specifically uranium-235, has a tendency to absorb the neutron and then immediately split apart. But boron tends to just absorb the neutron. Due to its nuclear structure, it's sort of neutron-thirsty." So, dump enough boron onto the exposed reactor No. 4 core, the theory went, and it would absorb so many of those wildly firing neutrons that the reaction would stop. An image from the miniseries shows its depiction of the helicopters dumping sand and boron on the core. (Image credit: HBO) In Chernobyl's case, however, dumping the boron and other neutron absorbers onto the reactor turned out not to work, in part due to the ad hoc helicopter-dumping approach that the plant's design necessitated. "The intense radiation killed several pilots," the BBC reported in 1997, adding, "It is now known that, despite those sacrifices, almost no neutron absorbers reached the core." [5 Weird Things You Didn't Know About Chernobyl] Still, Huff said, the principle the Soviets used neutron absorbers to stop the reaction, coupled with materials to knock the radioactive isotopes out of the air was sound. And in the event of a similar disaster today, response teams would take an approach based on the same underlying theory. The big difference, she said, is that modern nuclear plants (at least in the United States) are designed to do a lot of that work themselves. Modern reactors are way more safe and much more prepared for problems but they still use boron in their emergency handbooks Huff pointed out at length that U.S. (and other properly advanced) nuclear reactors are much less likely than Chernobyl to encounter any sort of disaster never running as hot and operating in sturdier vessels. And the buildings themselves are designed to do much of the work to squelch a nuclear reactor fire and a radioactive plume, she added. Modern reactors are outfitted with chemical sprays that can flood a reactor building, knocking radioactive isotopes out of the air before they can escape. And unlike Chernobyl, nuclear facilities in the U.S. are entirely contained in sealed structures of cement and rebar (a mesh of reinforced steel bars). These sealed shells are over-engineered to the point that, in theory at least, even a significant explosion wouldn't breach them. You could crash a small jet into the side of one of these buildings, and it wouldn't expose the core. In fact, as part of a test, the U.S. government did just that to an empty containment vessel in 1988. The NRC states that studies regarding large jet impacts are still ongoing. All that makes a Chernobyl-scale disaster unlikely, though the Union of Concerned Scientists writes that smaller (but still-dangerous) radiation leaks are a real threat for which the United States is not adequately prepared. That said, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has, for every one of the 98 nuclear power reactors operating in the country, drafted emergency handbooks hundreds of pages long. These lay out instructions for what responders should do in the event of all sorts of somewhat-plausible to highly unlikely emergencies). Those handbooks are available in plain English on the NRC's website. Here's the one for Palo Verde, a large plant in western Arizona. You can find instructions for when to shove lots of boron into the core (as soon as the reactor fails to shut down normally). It saw what to do if hostile forces attack the plant (among other things, start preparing a regional evacuation the moment it becomes clear that the forces might cause a significant radiation leak). And, in the event of significant amounts of radioactive material escaping into the atmosphere, it says who declares an evacuation (Arizona's governor, based on recommendations from site supervisors). Those plans don't go into great detail about Chernobyl style events, though since 9/11 the NRC has developed guidelines for more extreme disasters. However, Huff said, fighting a fire on an exposed uranium core will always come down to more or less fancy versions of dumping boron and sand. Originally published on Live Science. Cheating spouses, venereal disease and devils fill the pages of two newly digitized 400-year-old astrologer casebooks. The books belong to the rather shady astrologist and healer Simon Forman, who lived between 1552 and 1611 in England, and his protege, Richard Napier. Forman and Napier were astrologers, a role that included providing health care in the early modern period. "It was understood that celestial movements influenced human lives and bodies through hidden beams, just as today we accept [that] the moon affects tides," University of Cambridge social historian Lauren Kassell said in a new article accompanying the casebook collection's online posting. "Astrologers like Forman understood how these forces worked." [Amazing Astronomy: Victorian-Era Illustrations of the Heavens] And these individuals offered cures to the afflicted cures that could range from bloodletting to "pigeon slippers," or a whole slit-open pigeon worn on each foot. Trove of notes Forman was born in Wiltshire and spent time at the University of Oxford studying medicine and astrology. He survived a brush with the plague in 1592, which bolstered his reputation as a healer. Six years of Forman's case notes, taken between 1596 and 1603, have survived. Now, all those notes, constituting 80,000 cases, are available online at casebooks.lib.cam.ac.uk. The books are searchable by date, practitioner, patient symptoms and other factors, some having to do with Forman's more unsavory personality traits like his tendency to become a little too involved with his patients. "We had to create a coding category for stalking," Kassell said. Indeed, Forman was an unpleasant narcissist, Kassell said. The astrologer frequently attempted to seduce his patients, and little about his work stands up to modern notions of medical ethics. But the notes are a treasure trove of information about the medical and personal concerns of typical Elizabethans. Some are tragic, such as the case of 38-year-old Alice Woodward of Stoke Hammond, whom Napier saw with regard to the woman's eighth pregnancy. All but one of Woodward's previous pregnancies had ended in stillbirth, and she feared witchcraft. Other cases lay out sordid tales. The 28-year-old John Wilkingson of Olney came to Napier with a case of gonorrhea, which the man had spread to a married woman. Wilkingson, described by Napier as "a filthy person," also had a problem with peeing blood due to a rapier injury to the urethra. Early modern health Forman and Napier consulted astrological charts in search of answers for their patients, and they also prescribed what passed for treatments at the time. According to the archive, bloodletting was one common option, though the pair sometimes prescribed herbal remedies as well, including tobacco. Some treatments were particularly unsavory, including ingesting the powdered skull of a dead man or the touch of a dead man's hand. In several cases, the astrologers recommended that the afflicted person slit the bodies of two pigeons and wear the carcasses on each foot. Plenty of the treatments were downright toxic, including compounds containing mercury. Many of the ailments brought to Napier and Forman weren't physical at all, but mental. Several patients are described as "lunatick" and others as "sick at hart." In 168 cases, the patients were suicidal or had died by suicide. Sometimes, these problems were blamed on witchcraft or devils. Forman himself had a roller coaster of a career. He was banned from medical practice by the Company of Barber-Surgeons and did a few stints in prison for the equivalent of medical malpractice before regaining a license to practice medicine from the University of Cambridge. He died in 1611, leaving behind a ream of scribbled notes and a window into the myth and medicine of Elizabethan England. Originally published on Live Science. Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the ruins of an ancient fortress dating to the 26th Dynasty, the last dynasty in which native Egyptians ruled before the Persians conquered the country in 525 B.C., according to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Researchers uncovered parts of the mud-brick stronghold including the northeastern and southeastern towers at the Tell El-Kedwa site in North Sinai. Previously, in 2008, archaeologists had excavated the military citadel's eastern wall, but the fortress is so large, it took until now to unearth more of its remains. Apparently, the spot was a prime location for a fortress. Archaeologists found the ruins of a younger military outpost that was built on top of this one's remains, the archaeologists said. [Photos: Mummies Discovered in Tombs in Ancient Egyptian City] The original fortress "is considered one of the oldest fortresses to be discovered" in the country, Moustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, told the Egyptian news outlet Ahram Online. An eye of Horus found at the site. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) The walls of the older fortress are incredibly thick, measuring nearly 23 feet (7 meters) in width, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities reported in a statement. It also has four towers. In contrast, newer fortresses built in the following centuries were even more protected, with walls that are 36 feet (11 m) wide and include a total of 16 towers. Curiously, the old citadel also has chambers full of sand, broken pottery and debris, which might have helped to support its heavy walls, Nadia Khadr, head of the Central Department of Lower Egypt Antiquities, said in the statement. These chambers may have also served as rainwater drains, which was characteristic of the 26th Dynasty. In addition, the archaeologists revealed the presence of an ancient entrance to the fortress, in the form of a side gate on the northeastern side of the wall, Hisham Hussein, director general of North Sinai Antiquities, said in the statement. Just to the right of this entrance are the remains of the room that may have been occupied by guards who monitored the gate, Hussein said. The excavation also uncovered an almost 280-foot-long (85 m) wall on the fortress's southern side and the remains of houses within the western part of the fortress. One of these houses had an amulet with the name of King Psamtik I, who kicked out the Assyrians from Egypt and reunited the country when he founded the 26th Dynasty. He died in 610 B.C. Based on this amulet, "initial studies suggest that the fortress most probably dates back to the first half of the 26th Dynasty, specifically the era of King Psamtik I," Hussein told Ahram Online. Whoever held the fort faced a formidable enemy, as the walls showed evidence of a severe attack, the archaeologists noted. Originally published on Live Science. RTHK: Finances of Brexit Party to be looked into Britain's Electoral Commission regulator said on Monday it would review fundraising by the new Brexit Party founded by anti-EU populist Nigel Farage, which is predicted to win this week's European elections. "We are attending the Brexit Party's office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds," a spokesperson for the commission said in a statement. "If there's evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our enforcement policy." The move follows a growing furore around the financing of the fledgling eurosceptic party, set up by the controversial MEP in January in protest at the government's failure to deliver Brexit. It claims to have registered nearly 110,000 supporters paying 25 annual membership fees, but has drawn scrutiny for using a PayPal system that critics claim is too open. British law only regulates donations to political parties over 500, which must come from UK citizens or UK-registered companies. Labour MP Chris Bryant was among those to raise concerns, saying it would be "simple" for a foreign power or individual to donate "hundreds or thousands of 499 in sterling or other currencies". "Our democracy is basically up for sale," he said. The Daily Mirror newspaper last week reported it had signed up as a Brexit Party supporter under the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin, giving the address of the Kremlin in Russia. "The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source," the commission added in its statement. Farage has branded the increasing interest in his new venture's funding a "disgusting smear" and "conspiracy theorists doing their utmost to try and delegitimise" it. "This smacks of jealousy because the other parties simply can't do this," he said Monday. Meanwhile it emerged last week that businessman Arron Banks, the single largest bankroller in the 2016 EU referendum, had spent around 450,000 funding Farage's lifestyle. The post-referendum expenses included paying for a central London home and office for Farage, as well as a car and driver, according to Channel 4 News. Banks, who is currently under investigation by Britain's National Crime Agency over the source of his millions of pounds in funding for the Brexit campaign, also spent hundreds of thousands promoting Farage in the United States, it said. After a spokesperson for Banks' companies confirmed the expenditures, the Brexit Party leader dismissed them as "a purely private matter" and "non-political". Farage added Banks was not financing the new party. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Former China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) chief Liu Shiyu is under investigation on suspicion of "violations of laws and discipline" and has turned himself in. Liu Shiyu [File Photo: Xinhua] The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China made the announcement in a statement Sunday night without elaborating. Liu served as the chairman of the CSRC from February 2016 to January 2019. Liu, who has served as deputy party secretary of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives since January, is assisting the CCDI's investigation after turning himself in, the statement said. Flash British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday pledged to make a "bold offer" in her final bid to push the Brexit deal through the parliament. In an article published on The Sunday Times, May said a "new and improved" deal on Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) will be presented to the members of the parliament when they vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill in early June. May said she will "not be simply asking MPs to think again" on the same deal but on "an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support." May's pledge came amid the Brexit impasse after MPs repeatedly rejected her Brexit deal over the past months. The opposition Labour has said it will vote against the bill. The prime minister has promised to set a timetable for her departure from 10 Downing Street following the vote on her deal. A man who allegedly broke into an Alief home died after being shot multiple times by the family's father, says Houston Police. Houston Police responded to a shooting call at 13110 North Bellaire Estates Drive around 2:40 a.m. The suspect, estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old, allegedly broke in through home's ground-floor window facing the street and was found by the family's father outside of his 13-year-old daughter's upstairs bedroom. The man was allegedly armed, and the father fought for control of the weapon. Police say the father wrested the gun from the suspect's grasp and shot him multiple times. HOUSTON CRIME: Second Houston teen faces murder charges in gang shooting of Lamar High student There were four children in the house, ages 4 through 13. After hearing the shooting, a neighbor went by the house and ushered the kids outside. Upon returning to the home, the neighbor reportedly saw the suspect downstairs stabbing himself with a kitchen knife. The suspect was transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead. "This appears to be random," said Detective Blake Roberts when asked if the suspect had any connection to the family. "Of course, it's still under investigation -- we still have a lot of research to do on the male that broke into the house as far as his criminal history, his mental history and anything we can find in order to determine what would be the motive for this." 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. May 12-18 was National Police Week, which featured a series of events and celebrations honoring American police officers and commemorating those who lost their lives in the line of duty. The tradition of paying tribute to police officers this time of year dates back to 1962, when President John F. Kennedy designated May 15 Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which the date falls, National Police Week. In light of the occasion, here are four facts about U.S. law enforcement that you may not be familiar with. The British government could ban travel to parts of Syria and West Africa in a bid to combat the problem of foreign fighters who join extremist organizations such as the Islamic State. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Monday that he was asking counterterrorism officials to look into whether it would be appropriate to use the authority vested under a recently enacted law "in relation to Syria, with a particular focus on Idlib and the northeast." Speaking at New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of London's Metropolitan Police Service, Javid suggested that British citizens who are in those parts of Syria should consider themselves "on notice." He also said that the ban may not be limited to Syria. "I can also see that there may be a case in the future for considering designating parts of West Africa," Javid added. The proposal comes just months after the collapse of the Islamic State's self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq and several years after governments in Europe and North America began publicly raising awareness of the problems posed by their citizens traveling to fight alongside the group. An estimated 900 British citizens are thought to have traveled to Syria or Iraq to join groups like the Islamic State in recent years, with some taking on prominent roles in disseminating propaganda and carrying out killings. The British proposal suggests that the government is also worried about foreign fighters heading to other parts of the world. A number of countries in West Africa are battling Islamist extremist groups, including Nigeria, which has been fighting the Islamic State-affiliated Boko Haram for years. To date, these conflicts are not believed to have attracted significant numbers of fighters from Britain or other Western nations. "There are dozens and dozens of areas where terror groups are fighting, and at some point they could be attractive for foreign fighters," said Phil Gurski, a Canadian terrorism expert and former analyst with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. "The problem is, once you open this door, you can make a case for banning travel to about half the world," Gurski said. "It becomes a game of whack-a-mole in reverse." A government ban on travel to a specific region because of terrorism fears is unusual. The United States has banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon, Iraq and Libya in the past, and it currently bans travel to North Korea, but citizens' safety was the motivating factor. In 2014, Australia similarly banned travel to Iraq and Syria, though the law has been enforced relatively infrequently. David Malet, a professor at American University, says the United States and some other countries generally already have broad rules that prohibit offering material support to terrorist groups. "A woman who they say cooks for her husband? That could be material support," Malet said. The powers that Javid outlined were included in the Counterterrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which became law earlier this year. Under that law, the British home secretary has the power to recommend that British citizens and residents be restricted from traveling to an area; the recommendation would require Parliament's approval. The punishment for such travel would be up to 10 years in prison, according to the law. Since the collapse of the caliphate earlier this year, a debate has raged in Britain over how to deal with captured British citizens who had supported the Islamic State. Javid has favored tougher measures, including revoking the British citizenship of Shamima Begum, a Londoner who joined the group when she was 15. Such measures may have only a limited deterrence value. "It seems like it's really hard to deter anyone from becoming a foreign fighter," Malet said. "They are almost always breaking the law when they travel." Malet said that in Australia's case, the law has been used more to deter Australian Islamic State members who were thinking about coming back. Some countries, including Canada, have been more proactive, taking steps to deter potential terrorism recruits from traveling, including blocking them from leaving the country. But that can carry its own risks: Two deadly incidents that occurred just days apart in Canada in 2014 involved Islamic State supporters whose travel had been blocked. "If you pass a law that says thou shalt not go, people might say, 'If I can't do it there, I'll do it here,' " Gurski said. "Be careful what you wish for." ALBANY An addiction-treatment organization founded by the Rev. Peter Young has reshaped its leadership and resumed doing work with the state of New York, after years of turmoil that followed a criminal probe of some of its former top officials. More than five years ago, the state suspended the organization Peter Young Housing Industries and Treatment and its various affiliates from accessing a grant program for state contracts that provide treatment and job-training for ex-inmates and veterans. The cut-off was devastating to the sprawling organization, which saw its treatment programs many that provided critical services for people suffering heroin and opioid addiction crippled by the lack of state funding. Following a years-long legal battle between PYHIT and the state Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, a hearing officer last year determined the non-profit organization's business operations were "much improved" and reinstated its access to the state's Grants Gateway Program. "An entirely new slate of executives now sit in place of those who once participated in, or ignored, criminality," the hearing officer wrote in a decision that also noted Young, 88, had stepped down from the hierarchy. "New directors occupy more than half of PYHITs board seats," the hearing officer wrote. "And, although not determinative, PYHITs services to combat addiction in the Capital Region are still needed and, in some instances, have not been replaced by OASAS due to lack of alternatives." Pete Newkirk, the new volunteer CEO for the organization, said it has been a long process to rebuild. "The agency has been working really hard just to survive and we think we've turned the corner," he said, noting they recently adopted their first balanced budget in a decade. "It hasn't been without some pain we've had to cut programs, reduce headcount and sell some real estate." The turbulence began in 2012 when Young's organization uncovered financial improprieties and reported the potential wrongdoing to the state. In December 2012, a task force of FBI agents and state attorney general's investigators raided three offices tied to Young's Altamont Program, carting away records and computers from the statewide nonprofit organization that was founded decades ago by the Albany Roman Catholic priest who has been a pioneer in addiction treatment. That same month, Dennis Bassat, a former chief operating officer of Young's 820 River Street Inc., was indicted on charges of stealing $200,000 from the rehabilitation program. Bassat, a former convict who worked at the non-profit for about 25 years pleaded guilty in June 2013 to charges that he conspired to cash checks to fictitious employees for work that was never done. In 2014, Jacqueline Gentile, a chief operating officer for PYHIT, was indicted for grand larceny, falsifying business records and filing a false statement. Gentile later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and PYHIT officials said that she was never accused of stealing money for personal use. But the fallout of the criminal probe drove a wedge between PYHIT and the state. The tensions between PYHIT and OASAS boiled over in 2016 when Robert A. Kent, an OASAS general counsel, lobbed obscenities at volunteers of the nonprofit during a meeting at the agency's Albany headquarters. A Times Union story that reported the details of that meeting prompted multiple Capital Region state legislators to request that OASAS explain what happened. OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez defended her agency's actions and its battled with PYHIT continued for two more years. The hearing officer's decision also called for OASAS and PYHIT to negotiate the non-profit's repayment of a $650,000 construction loan that was for a facility that PHYIT had closed. The state says PYHIT still owes more than $519,000 but the non-profit contends it owes less than that. "If the two parties cannot reach agreement, OASAS will refer the matter to the office of the attorney general for collection," the hearing officer wrote. Hurricane season doesn't start until June 1, but the National Hurricane Center announced Monday evening that Subtropical Storm Andrea had formed. Called a subtropical storm because it has a blend of both tropical and nontropical characteristics, it is packing peak winds of 40 mph. The storm could strengthen slightly through Tuesday before weakening Wednesday and dissipating later this week. It does not pose any threat to the United States. It formed in an area of disturbed weather roughly halfway between the Bahamas and Bermuda. It has slowly become better organized over the past few days. While it has been drifting west closer to the U.S. East Coast in recent days, an approaching cold front is expected to nudge the weather patch north to northeast in the coming days - generally toward Bermuda. The disturbance has a relatively short window to intensify into a named storm. By Wednesday, wind shear is forecast to become prohibitively strong for further development. The subtropical storm makes 2019 the fifth consecutive year with a preseason named storm, following Ana in 2015, Bonnie in 2016, Arlene in 2017 and Alberto in 2018. The trend over the past 50 years has been for the first named storm to form earlier and earlier, though there is a large spread. The median date for the first named storm over that period (1969-2018) is June 23, but an objective measure of that spread called the "standard deviation" is a hefty 33 days. Although the Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends Nov. 30, storms have historically formed in all months of the year. The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to feature near to slightly below normal activity overall. In a televised Fox News Channel town hall event Sunday, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg defended his decision to appear on the network, days after a competitor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., spurned Fox as a "hate-for-profit racket." During an hourlong conversation with moderator Chris Wallace, Buttigieg tried to distinguish between Fox News' reporters and its opinion hosts. The latter, he said, were "not always there in good faith." Specifically, he called out Tucker Carlson, for saying immigrants made the United States "dirtier," as well as Laura Ingraham, who once compared detention centers for migrant children to summer camps. "There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem," Buttigieg said. Still, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said he thinks that many people who tune into the network are doing so in good faith and that he wants to be willing to meet voters wherever they are. "There are a lot of Americans who my party can't blame if they are ignoring our message, because they will never hear it if we don't go on (Fox) and talk about it," Buttigieg said Sunday. Buttigieg also took several opportunities to criticize President Donald Trump, who earlier in the evening had tweeted his displeasure that his preferred news network was "wasting airtime on Mayor Pete." When Wallace asked whether Trump should be impeached, Buttigieg said there was no question that Trump's behavior was "beyond the pale, morally," but he said it would be up to Congress to decide whether the president should be removed from office. When Wallace asked how Buttigieg would handle Trump's insults, attacks and tweets, the candidate started to respond before inhaling and trailing off. "The tweets are . . . I don't care," he said, to audience cheers. Buttigieg, a military veteran, also accused the Trump administration - in particular, national security adviser John Bolton - of "saber-rattling" at Venezuela and Iran at the risk of leading the United States into war. In the wake of several states passing far-reaching anti-abortion laws last week, Buttigieg also pushed back on Wallace's questions about whether women should be allowed to terminate their pregnancies in the third trimester. He tried to avoid answering at first, saying he didn't want to get into "hypotheticals" that were a setup. When Wallace pointed out that his question wasn't hypothetical, saying 6,000 women have third-trimester abortions each year, Buttigieg noted that that represented less than 1% of all women who have abortions, before responding specifically. "We're talking about women who have perhaps chosen a name, women who have purchased a crib," he said. Those women, he continued, probably had been expecting to carry their babies to term but had received medical news that forced them "to make an impossible, unthinkable choice." "The bottom line is, as horrible as that choice is - that woman, that family may seek spiritual guidance, they may seek medical guidance - but that decision is not going to be made any better, medically or morally, because the government is dictating how that decision is going to be made." Buttigieg's campaign had held firm to its commitment to hold a town hall event on Fox News, which was scheduled before Warren publicly announced her decision to decline one. Other Democratic candidates have had mixed reactions to the network, which the Democratic National Committee has banned from taking part in primary debates. Fox News has held town hall events for Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., as well as entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is scheduled to hold a town hall event on the network next month. On Sunday, the crowd at Stevens High School in Claremont, New Hampshire, gave Buttigieg a rousing send-off at the end of his event that seemed to surprise Wallace. "Wow, a standing ovation," the host said as they signed off. Flash A Cambodian court on Sunday charged Yaw Foo Hoe, chief executive officer of GCG ASIA, with "fraud attempt" for falsely claiming that country's Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen supported the company's unlicensed cryptocurrency trading, a spokesman said. After examining the case and questioning Yaw Foo Hoe, the prosecutor decided to charge him with fraud attempt under certain articles of the criminal code, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Spokesman Ly Sophana told reporters. Under the charges, Hoe, who is a Malaysian national, is facing imprisonment between six months and three years. Cambodian authorities, in cooperation with the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), shut down the company and arrested Hoe, along with a woman reported to be his wife, at his office in Phnom Penh's Daun Penh district on Friday. But, later, the woman was released because of her innocence. The arrest came after the company had operated cryptocurrency trading without approval from the NBC, but to cheat the public, it had posted on its website that it had received the license from the NBC, Deputy National Police Commissioner Gen. Chhay Sinarith told Xinhua on Friday. Moreover, he said, the company had posted the photograph of the prime minister on its website with a comment that he supported the company and would be the honorary ambassador for GCG Asia's opening ceremony in Cambodia on May 20. "All activities that the company has done are aimed at cheating the public," Sinarith said. Hun Sen wrote on his Facebook on Thursday that according to the information from the Indonesian embassy to Cambodia, GCG ASIA was an unscrupulous company and it had been blacklisted in Indonesia. "In my status as the prime minister of Cambodia, I deny the information that has been posted on the above-mentioned company's website because it's untrue," he said. The Palestinian Authority said it will boycott a conference launching the Trump administration's Middle East peace plan because it's focused on economic issues rather than the political disputes at the heart of the conflict with Israel. The White House announced late Sunday that it will hold a conference in Bahrain next month to promote economic development in the Palestinian territories as part of efforts toward a Middle East peace agreement. "We will inform Bahrain that we will not take part in such a conference," said Nabil Shaath, an adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. "We will not sell our country based on an economic project." A Palestinian boycott of the peace plan at this early stage is both unsurprising and symptomatic of the obstacles the program will face. Having resisted earlier efforts to launch peace talks with an initial focus on economic incentive, the Palestinians worry that President Donald Trump's initiative aims to end their aspiration for an independent state. Since Trump took office, he has walked back the longstanding U.S. commitment to Palestinian statehood, recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, closed the Palestine Liberation Organization's diplomatic mission in Washington and halted hundreds of millions of dollars of funding to the Palestinians. "What makes it very difficult to see the conference being successful is that the U.S. has canceled all donor assistance to the Palestinians, so it's asking others to invest where it has chosen to divest," said former U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. The Palestinians cut off contacts with the Trump administration following the December 2017 Jerusalem move. In April, Shaath said they wouldn't reject any U.S. plan out of hand, but didn't expect it would be acceptable to them. Earlier Monday, the Palestinian Authority's prime minister said his administration wasn't consulted on the Bahrain conference. The conflict "will only be resolved through a political solution," and "any economic solution will be a result of a political solution," Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told the weekly cabinet meeting. "We will not be blackmailed through a financial war launched against us." The June 25-26 "economic workshop" in Manama will "convene government, civil society, and business leaders to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement," the White House said in its statement announcing the meeting. It will focus on an economic framework for the Palestinian people and the region, including the potential for private-sector growth, the administration said. The conference will never succeed unless potential investors, foreign governments and private companies will "know what the political process looks like and what the goal is, to understand the background of their investment," said Shapiro, who is a senior visiting fellow at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies. If Trump's political proposal for resolving the conflict isn't also released before the meeting, then the conference "is unlikely to have meaningful results." The political plan, being crafted by senior White House adviser Jared Kushner and U.S. special representative Jason Greenblatt, is expected to be unveiled at a later time, a senior administration official told reporters Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official declined to say what commitments any countries had made to the investment initiative, or who planned to attend. The event is expected to attract business leaders and officials from the U.S., Arab countries and Asia, the official said, declining to say who had been invited. A spokesman for Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said the minister hasn't yet received a formal invitation to the summit. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined to comment. - - - With assistance from Bloomberg's Gwen Ackerman. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took his first step toward revamping his cabinet after May 8 elections, removing Environment Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, who'd been accused of taking bribes during a judicial probe. Ramaphosa has made the fight against graft a top priority since taking office 15 months ago, replacing Jacob Zuma, whose nine-year tenure was marred by a litany of scandals. While he removed several Zuma appointees with tainted reputations from their cabinet posts, others remained as he sought to cement his control over the deeply divided ruling African National Congress -- a problem he's partly addressed by securing a five-year mandate from voters. Dubai Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom's energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn't looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers two of them Saudi were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that. ... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests," al-Jubeir told reporters. On Sunday night, the U.S. military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no U.S. or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that "a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the U.S. Embassy." The spokesman said that "attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner" and added that the U.S. will hold "Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces." Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Flash U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday fired back at Justin Amash, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, for the latter's saying that the president had reached the "threshold for impeachment." "Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy," Trump said on Twitter. Trump added that the Michigan lawmaker would see that he was misguided if he actually read the report submitted by special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the Russia probe, to Attorney General William Barr in March and made public about a month later. "He would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION," Trump wrote. "Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!" A member of the House Freedom Caucus, Amash said Saturday that the president's conduct was "impeachable." In a series of tweets, Amash argued that Mueller's report identified "multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice." He also accused Barr of "deliberately" misrepresenting the special counsel's finding when he sent a four-page memo about the investigation to Congress following the end of the Russia probe. "Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment," Amash said. The GOP lawmaker also lamented the partisanship in Congress, saying that it has "eroded our system of checks and balances." Amash, a Trump critic, previously said that he would not rule out seeking the Libertarian nomination for president in 2020. The Mueller report stated that there was no evidence that Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. presidential election but didn't conclude if the president had obstructed justice. The special counsel instead recounted 10 episodes in his report involving Trump and discussed potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offense. It is Barr and Rod Rosenstein, who stepped down as deputy attorney general earlier this month, that concluded that the Mueller did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge in the obstruction case. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out U.S. demands that Turkey delay the purchase of an advanced Russian missile-defense system and said Moscow may bring forward the delivery date from July. "It is definitely out of the question for us to step back on the issue of S-400s, it is a done deal," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul late Saturday. "Our deal was to have the S-400s delivered to us by July; they will probably bring that forward." Erdogan's stance could further strain ties between the NATO allies. The U.S. last week asked Ankara to delay taking the system to 2020, according to people familiar with the proposal. Pushing ahead with the deal carries a high risk of U.S. sanctions that could plunge Turkey into renewed economic turmoil. "We remain willing to engage in further discussions with the Government of Turkey regarding our concerns about the S-400 acquisition," a State Department spokesman said in a statement. "We underscore that Turkey will face very real and negative consequences if it completes its S-400 delivery, including suspension of procurement and industrial participation in the F-35 program and exposure to sanctions." The accord with Moscow highlights both Turkey's aspirations for an increasingly independent role in regional policies and the mutual erosion of trust with Washington. "The S-400 is a defensive system and has a long range. As for the payment plan, Russia has given us very suitable conditions," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey had sent 100 engineers to Russia to help make the weapons. "After the S-400s, the S-500s are also considered and there will be co-production of S-500s as well." The proposed purchase has angered the Trump administration, which argues that integrating such a system into NATO's second-largest army could help Moscow gather critical intelligence on the stealth capabilities of the next generation F-35 fighter planes, which Turkish manufacturers help build. Erdogan dismissed the U.S. argument and said Turkish military experts were good at deciding what to purchase. The U.S. has warned that Turkey could face expulsion from Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 program and also face sanctions under two pieces of legislation: the Magnitsky Act and CAATSA, which allows the punishment of entities doing business with parts of the Russian state. A bipartisan group of eight senior U.S. House members introduced a resolution on Wednesday calling on Turkey to cancel the planned S-400 acquisition. When the U.S. last sanctioned some members of the Turkish government, over the arrest of an American preacher, it amplified problems already haunting the nation's economy. An ensuing collapse in the value of the currency hastened the country's first recession in a decade. The lira has been sliding for several weeks amid renewed tensions with the U.S. and a controversial decision to repeat a mayoral election in Istanbul in June after Erdogan's party lost the previous vote. Turkish companies were set to produce parts worth billions of dollars for the jet, and the air force planned to buy about 100 of the planes. Deliveries of F-35 equipment to Turkey have been suspended. Erdogan downplayed the snag and said they will be eventually delivered. "Sooner or later, we will receive the F-35s as well as their parts," said Erdogan. "Inshallah, S-400s will arrive in our country, too." The U.S. balked for years at selling its Patriot air defense system to Turkey and sharing its technology at the same time. In December, the State Department notified Congress that it had proposed allowing the sale, a gambit seemingly designed to get Erdogan to scrap the S-400 deal. Although Ankara remains engaged in talks with Washington, it's still asking for the transfer of the U.S. missile technology. Responding to U.S. threat of sanctions, Erdogan said, "It's 2019. We're not in 1974," when the U.S. imposed a crippling arms embargo on Turkey after its military invaded northern Cyprus. Turkey believes it has valuable bargaining chips, including an early-warning radar at Kurecik, a critical part of NATO's ballistic-missile defense capabilities, and the Incirlik Air Base, close to Syria. "There is a math of war and we've got to apply it well. We will take steps accordingly," Erdogan said. "We're just right now intensively giving necessary lessons in Syria" he said, referring to Turkish shelling of U.S.-backed Kurdish militants in northern Syria. - - - Bloomberg's Nick Wadhams contributed. Traffic was backed up for miles on the southbound lanes of Highway 281 due to gravel debris in the roadway, according to San Antonio police. Only one lane of the highway is open near St. Mary's Street after the gravel was reported around 12:30 p.m., according to the San Antonio Police Department. The lanes were reopened shortly before 4 p.m.. An SUV crashed into a house on the East Side after being involved in a fender bender Sunday night, the San Antonio Fire Department said. The SUV and another car collided at the intersection of Kevin and Skelton, sending the SUV through the yard and into the front door of a house on the corner, SAFD said. A politically connected Mexican businessman pleaded guilty Monday in San Antonio to conspiracy to launder drug money, formalizing a deal that turned the former high-value fugitive into a government informant. Juan Manuel Mono Munoz Luevano, who is from Coahuila, Mexico, was extradited to San Antonio in March from Spain, where he was arrested in 2016 on allegations of importing drugs through one of the European countries busiest ports. Munoz, the owner of a chain of gas stations in northern Mexico, was indicted in San Antonio in 2015 with four counts related to the import and distribution of cocaine into Texas, a money laundering conspiracy count and conspiracy to possess a firearm during drug trafficking. Munoz pleaded guilty only to the money laundering conspiracy charge after Assistant U.S Attorney Russell Leachman, under seal, replaced the indictment with a document called a criminal information that left only the money laundering conspiracy charge intact. Leachman declined comment afterward. After the hearing, Munozs lawyers, Jose Puig of Florida and Roy Barrera Jr. of San Antonio, declined to answer most questions, as they accompanied by Munozs Mexican lawyers entered the U.S. Marshals offices inside the federal courthouse to speak with their client. Asked about news reports in the Mexican media that said Munoz has provided a list of at least 80 corrupt Mexican officials to U.S. agents, Puig said they are lies but would not answer questions about his clients cooperation. On ExpressNews.com: Mexican businessman extradited to San Antonio in Zetas investigation At the hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra, who took Munozs plea, talked in circular fashion, careful to not reveal any of the details that have made Munoz such a high-value target for U.S. prosecutors, who have been investigating some Mexican politicians and government officials, including a former governor of Coahuila, in a money-laundering case spanning several years. Munozs plea deal, which would include a factual basis within it that would provide more detail, is sealed and the judge kept it that way, over objections from a reporter with the San Antonio Express-News. The judge cited federal rules, which give prosecutors discretion in sealing portions of the court file and deciding when they can be made public. Many cases like Munozs have ended with the plea deals remaining sealed indefinitely. Puig also told the judge he is seeking bond for his client, and prosecutors, who normally oppose such requests in cases of fugitives that have to be extradited, remained silent when Puig broached the issue. The judge left that matter to be taken up at a later unspecified date. Media reports in Spain and Mexico said law enforcement in Spain heard Munoz on wiretaps calling from his residence in a suburb of Madrid back to Mexico to threaten or extort others or to order beatdowns and killings. He reportedly also has close ties to Coahuila political figures, and to prosecutors, ex-prosecutors, mayors, congressional lawmakers and judges from various Mexican states. On ExpressNews.com: Coahuila businessman charged with drug trafficking, money laundering Among those he was close to, the reports said, is Humberto Moreira, who was governor of Coahuila from 2005 to 2011. Moreira went on to become the national president of one of Mexicos prominent political parties, the PRI, until he resigned amid controversies related to the debt of Coahuila, which rose from $27 million to $2.8 billion under his tenure. Federal agents in San Antonio have been investigating Moreira for several years in connection with money laundering allegations here, but he has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing. One of Moreiras former Cabinet members, Hector Javier Villarreal Hernandez, treasurer of Coahuila from 2008 to 2010, has told investigators of the ties, according to El Pais newspaper in Spain, which cited investigative documents about Villarreals statements to Spanish authorities. Villareal has been free on bond since pleading guilty here in September 2014 for laundering, in real estate in San Antonio and South Texas, millions of dollars stolen from Coahuilas coffers. He had also been a fugitive before striking a deal with the feds here and being released on bond a path Munoz is seeking. In Mexico, Munoz appeared to be caught in a war among cartels and was in Spain to handle affairs for Los Zetas in Europe, according to media reports. In 2013, during a war between the Sinaloa and Los Zetas drug cartels, a number of Munozs gas stations were attacked and set on fire, the Mexican news magazine Proceso reported. Presumed members of the Sinaloa Cartel hung banners accusing Munoz of laundering money and buying stolen gasoline from the Zetas, according to Proceso. The charges in San Antonio against Munoz stem from alleged drug activity here dating to 1999 through his indictment in January 2015, but prosecutors have never publicly revealed details. In court, prosecutor Leachman told the judge that Munoz knowingly conducted illegal financial transactions with currency from unlawful drug trafficking. The maximum punishmet is 20 years in prison, though an agreed sentence is part of the sealed plea deal, the judge noted. Sentencing is set for Nov. 25. Guillermo Contreras covers federal courts in San Antonio and international legal issues. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland Five servicemen were arrested in San Antonio Friday on warrants for aggravated sexual assault stemming from an incident out of Hays County last May, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office and the San Marcos Police Department. On Friday, deputies transported Mauricio Chaparro, 28, Kenneth Johnson, 20, Anthony Cooney, 21, Dominick Burns, 20, and Kyle Tuschman, 19, from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, according to BCSO late Saturday. You are here: World Flash An explosion hit on Sunday a tourist bus near the Grand Egyptian Museum near the capital Cairo, injuring 14 people, official Ahram Online news website reported. However, the number of the injured has not been announced by the Egyptian authorities. State-run Nile TV said the blast damaged the glass windows of a civilian car and the bus, which carried 25 tourists from South Africa. Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group. Terror attacks in Egypt had mainly targeted police and military personnel in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic Christian minority as well, leaving dozens of them dead. Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State extremist group. Last month, I voted against Auckland Council bailing out the City Rail Link (CRL) to the tune of $1 billion. My reasoning was simple. Central government, not Auckland ratepayers, should be paying for this project as the Government does for every other rail project throughout New Zealand. The additional financial drain of rates into the CRL also means desperately required local projects and core Council services suffer as money gets sucked away to prop-up this projects financial blowouts. People want their rates spent on local infrastructure needs, not on Auckland CBD projects that do little to benefit Rodney. As well as fighting rate increases, I continue the offensive for greater financial accountability to stop Councils wastage and overspending. I am pleased to have achieved an election promise whereby Rodney is now getting more money spent back into it than what we are paying. This is primarily due to massive investment into the freshwater plant at Sanderson Road and the new sewage plant at Snells Beach, both of which are necessary to cope with urban population growth. Securing a quadrupling of the road sealing money is another promise delivered, however, the implementation spending was pushed out by Council. I am working hard to have this anomaly rectified. There is also an inadequate road maintenance budget for the heavy trucks and traffic volumes using our roads. I am serious about fixing this and am making an election promise to get the road maintenance budget doubled, funded from the general rates, along with having stronger workmanship quality control processes in place. I have proudly and consistently used my vote to protect ratepayers against rate increases, the regional fuel tax, more targeted rates and the increasing cost of Council fees. Several my fellow councillors have loyally supported me, but the Mayor and the majority of the 20 Auckland councillors continue to vote these increases through. Working collaboratively, and forming good relationships with Council staff at all levels, has been essential to achieving other wins. This includes more local contractors getting more work from Council, the Araparera forest money being secured, the bus service to Warkworth implemented from general rates, dredging of the river started, the carpark building being saved from being sold, getting the new Hill Street roundabout plans funded, the Matakana link road given the green light, as well as numerous other local community wins you may have observed or heard about. With that said, I believe Rodney still needs a lot more spent on it due to years of under-investment. Service levels need lifting and more equitable funding for our community facilities accomplished. Throughout the year my face-to-face community clinics have proven very popular. It has been a pleasure to help people solve the diverse range of issues they have had with Council bureaucracy. It remains critical that Council lives within its financial means and ratepayers interests continue to be safeguarded moving forward. Greg Sayers, Rodney Councillor greg.sayers@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Farmers role in meeting New Zealands one billion trees target by 2028 will be explained at a workshop in Wellsford next month. B+LNZ is running a one-day event to introduce participants to key climate science and policy issues, and explain how to apply for grant funding. Initial estimates by Forestry NZ suggest that at least 500 million trees will be delivered through current planting rates. The additional trees are expected to come from both permanent trees and plantation forests, with a mix of natives and exotics. In order to achieve this, the Government recognises that it needs to make it easier for landowners to plant trees and there needs to be incentives to support the right trees, in the right place and for the right purpose. Forestry NZ says the benefits will be indigenous regeneration, planting for water quality and erosion control, sustainable employment, and a more resilient landscape. The B+LNZ workshop will be held at the Wellsford Community Centre on Wednesday, July 3, from 10am to 1pm. Participants are asked to take along a farm map/aerial photo if they have one. Region coordinator Rachel Jukes says climate change affects everybody and farmers are some of the first to be affected. The earlier farmers understand the drivers of climate change and what is contributing to it, the sooner they can adapt and make changes to their farm systems, she says. Numbers are strictly limited so registration is essential. To register, email Rachel at Rachel.Jukes@beeflambnz.com Joanne Saunderson of Silverdale initially went travelling to find out where she fitted in the world. Born in the UK, she has also lived in Australia and New Zealand and says she first went overseas looking for answers about her life. What she found was a yearning to travel more and more. Joanne has worked in the travel business, both retail and wholesale, for 25 years and recently celebrated this with an exhibition of her photographs at Estuary Arts Centre. In that time she has visited 50 countries, several more than once for work, independently and with her family. She enjoys adventure travel and says she is happiest off the beaten track. In particular, Joanne says she has a thing for mountains her honeymoon with husband Wade was spent in a tent in Nepal, and she loves other destinations that have mountainous regions such as Borneo and South America. In 2016, the whole family spent almost four months in Egypt and Europe. Travel to me is about creating experiences definitely not just ticking a box, Joanne says. Its about making connections with those people and places. More importantly perhaps, travelling has given her a strong sense of who she is, and what happiness is. So many cultures have very little and yet they seem content with what they do have, while others are very materialistic, Joanne says. Its very grounding and makes you want to come home and clear out your cupboards of things that you really dont need. Joannes travel exhibition at Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa closes this weekend, on May 26. Flash Chinese expatriates in Greece won the warm praise of Athenians on Sunday for taking the initiative to clean up a popular beach on the capital's southern coast. Dozens of members of the Chinese community, of all ages and professions, armed with gloves and litter bags, flooded Palaio Faliro beach to pick up plastic wrappers, bottle caps and cigarette butts left behind by swimmers or carried along by the wind. "Be part of something bigger than yourself: volunteerism," was the main slogan printed on t-shirts several participants were wearing. This was one of the key messages the organizers of the event, the Sino-Hellenic Investors' Confederation, wanted to convey, they told Xinhua. Greeks embraced the idea and joined in, when seeing Chinese volunteers in action and thanked them for always offering a helping hand to Greek society. The Confederation has organized similar events lately and plans to do more in the future to contribute to the place they now call second home. "With this kind of events we can make more Greek friends and help the Chinese better enjoy their life here," said Xie Min, member of the Confederation. "I hope the association would unite the Chinese living in Greece to take part in more social services and activities like this. A good bilateral relationship between China and Greece needs everyone to work together," said Ding Yonghua, a counselor from the Chinese embassy in Greece. Raising awareness for environmental protection is a cause that concerns all citizens of the world. Despina Riniou, a local resident, volunteered to join the Chinese on the spot. "It is a marvelous initiative. We always welcome such actions which are meaningful for the area," she said. Guo Yida, 19, is a student living in Athens with his family. Coming from an industrial region of China, "I know the importance of protecting the environment," he said. "We want to make our own efforts to help protect the environment here, and integrate well into the local society," his father, Guo Yang, added. Sunday's event was organized in coordination with the municipality of Palaio Faliro and local SKAI media group's corporate social responsibility program "Oloi Mazi Boroume" (All together we can). Hibiscus Coast resident Sarah Porter works for Wild Earth Travel. It follows that she has some great work stories including this one, about visiting Antarctica. Antarctica is a destination many dream about. However, I have to confess it was not top of my bucket list. I used to joke that I was solar powered and allergic to snow and ice. But things changed in February when, through work, I was offered the chance to head to Antarctica on the French five-star mega-yacht Le Soleal an opportunity no one would refuse! Although New Zealand seems close to Antarctica, the vast majority of expedition vessels leave from Ushuaia, at the bottom of South America, as this port is far closer to the Antarctic continent. We were fortunate that our crossing south through the notorious Drake Passage was when it was a Drake Lake and relatively calm, and after less than 48 hours, we reached land in Antarctica. The wildlife is what you imagine, and see on documentaries but its real, and all around you penguins waddling from nest to shoreline in search of food, seals lazing about on icebergs and beaches and whales popping up around the boat. One evening we skipped dinner to spend more than four hours viewing Humpback whales and Orca bubble net feeding incredibly close to the boat. However, it was the ice that really took me by surprise. I had no idea that ice could be so mesmerising, and so varied in shape, colour and texture. It ranged from tabular icebergs to zodiac cruising through bays that were like huge slushies and there was also the rumble and crack of ice carving off glaciers into the sea. I spent 11 days on board Le Soleal, which gave us about a week in Antarctica exploring the different bays. Regulations set by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators allow only 100 people on the ice at any time, so with just under 200 passengers on board, we had two landings most days. The peninsula is also rich in history with scientific research bases, old whaling stations and the like. It was a real privilege and very humbling to walk around the base at Port Lockroy, and the ruins of the whaling station at Deception Island it gave me goose bumps. Antarctica is like no other destination, and leaves you wanting more. As our expedition leader said, Many people say they have done a destination. You have not done Antarctica, you have just lived a little bit of it. Irelands network of over 30 Independent Craft Breweries launched their annual Indie Beer Week on Wednesday, May 8. Indie Beer Week will take place from Wednesday May 22 to Sunday May 26 and features a series of nationwide celebrations across Ireland. This year is the third annual Indie Beer Week Festival which has grown dramatically in support from the network of Independent Craft Breweries across Ireland and the public seeking new genuine beers. The launch event was attended by some of the finest independent breweries of the country. The evening was an opportunity for the microbreweries to allow guests sample and discover the very unique range of great tasting independent beers produced in Ireland. Amongst the breweries that showcased their range of beers were 12Acres, Black Donkey, Black's Brewery, Boyne Brewhouse, Bridewell, Carrig, Cotton Ball, Dead Centre, Dungarvan Brewing Company, Hope, Old Mill Brewery, Porterhouse, Priory Brewing, Reel Deel, St Mel's, Trouble Brewing, and West Kerry. Commenting on the launch, Liam Hanlon from St Mels Brewery said: Indie Beer Week will kick start a series of celebrations to encourage visitors to discover our local independent brewery and to taste and explore particular beers very unique to their area. It is important for the association to raise awareness about microbreweries in Ireland that employ talented young professionals and produce quality and genuinely independent beers. We are proud of our members successes so far and their very loyal following across Ireland which continues to grow every year thanks to the Indie Beer Week. Liam went on to praise the benefits of having an Independent craft beer symbol for Irish beer. This year is very special as we are introducing to the public a striking symbol which will help consumers recognise a genuine independent artisan beer from a mass-produced, high volume beer produced by global giants. The Independent Irish Craft Beer symbol will guarantee that a beer is made in a genuinely independent microbrewery in Ireland. As our organisation has been growing in such large numbers, we are unveiling the symbol to the public to promote independent and genuine microbrewers. he concluded. Also read: Longford man being deprived of his rights Is Saudi Arabia, now, at the start of Ramadan 2019, turning the page on Islamic conservatism and austerity? Last week, the prominent Saudi cleric Ayed al-Qarni shocked people in the kingdom with a statement during a special Ramadan program on the Saudi TV channel Rotana al-Khalijia. Al-Qarni was one of the leading figures of al-Sahwa (Islamic Awakening) Movement, which promotes a strict interpretation of Islam according to the teachings of Sayyid Qutb, one the founding members of the Muslim Brotherhood. During his TV appearance, al-Qarni apologized to the Saudi people on behalf of the movement. In response to a question raised by the moderator of the program, al-Qarni acknowledged al-Sawhas excesses and the negative impact the movement has had on Saudi society. I apologize to the Saudi society, in the name of al-Sahwa, for the mistakes committed, which contradict the Sharia and the Sunnah, and made peoples lives difficult, he said. These words come directly from the mouth of a prominent religious preacher and one of the leaders of al-Sahwa, a movement that has been very influential and contributed to shape modern Saudi Arabia and helped make the country what it is today: a ruthless, theocratic kingdom. Since the mid-1960s, Saudi society has been subjected to the unforgiving demands of a severe interpretation of Islam enforced by the religious police (al-mutawa) of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. But things started to change in March 2015 when Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) stripped the committee of most of its power. The religious police could no longer carry out public beatings (using sticks) for simple dress-code violations or arrest people without first filing a proper complaint with the civilian police. More progress was made in September 2017 with the passing of a law (that went into effect in June 2018) allowing women to drive. And in February 2018, sheikh Abdullah al-Mutlaq made a statement saying that the abaya is not mandatory for women in Islam and that 90 percent of Muslim women in the world do not wear the abaya. The stage was set for al-Sahwas apology. Only five years ago, before all of these developments, before King Salman ascended to the throne and Mohammad bin Salman became crown prince, al-Qarnis statement would have been inconceivable. Todays Saudi Arabia is eager to change its image and show the international community that the foundations of the country were not built on an intolerant interpretation of Islam. It wants to show that al-Sahwa movement was just a bump in the road that is now quickly being fixed and that the country is returning to its normal life, a narrative that is promoted by MBS in speeches and talks addressing the international community. These changes are being implemented now because Riyadh feels like it is facing an emergency and running out of time. It has to clean up and improve its image, diving head first into modernization, even if it means copying the model of its archenemy Qatar. After the murder of renowned journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudis Istanbul consulate, the country faced considerable international pressure. But the United States came to MBS rescue and prevented him from being ousted. In return, Saudi is looking to satisfy American demands, chief among them moderating oil prices and combating Islamic terrorism, including the Islamic State (IS). Despite his unpredictable behavior, these are two points on which American president Donald Trump does not waver. After IS claimed responsibility for the appalling terrorist attacks targeting Catholic churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, Saudi Arabia is being pushed to distance itself, once and for all, from the dreadful and messy bloodshed. The local press has vigorously denounced the attacks and continuously hammered home that there were Saudis among the victims. Now, al-Qarnis apologies have completed the circle. I read a lot Immediately, reactions began pouring in on social media. Some people said that its never too late to apologize. Others argued that the harm has already been done and that belated apologies wont help to change anything at this point. But the vast majority believed that the Saudi governmentor even MBShad forced al-Qarni, who is widely followed on social media, to make his statement. One internet user shared an altered photo of one man forcing anothers head into a basin of water, implying that this is how MBS convinced al-Qarni to give an apology on TV. The picture may have been a dark joke, but there is some degree of truth to it. Al-Sahwas two other leaders are in prison: Safar al-Hawali was arrested in June 2018, and Salman al-Awdah is being held in solitary confinement, if he is not already dead, as some sources say he is. MBS has locked up many of the kingdoms other strictest clerics as well, and al-Qarni is one of the few standard-bearers of al-Sahwa to have not been put in jail. Al-Qarnis statement may show that Riyadh is now using a different strategy. Instead of locking up conservatives, it may now be looking to force them to adopt the same rhetoric as MBS in advocating for a moderate and tolerant Islam. Ayed al-Qarni concluded his remarks by saying: I have read a lot, traveled to over forty countries, and today, I am convinced that moderate Islam is what is required. These developments come at a time when Iranian backed Yemeni rebels have been able to carry out attacks using armed drones deep inside of Saudi Arabia. The drones were able to avoid Saudis US funded missile defense system and strike oil pumping stations on a pipeline, negatively affecting prices in the global market, a serious concern for Washington. Given this context, it has become vital for Saudi Arabia fully distance itself from Sunni extremism if it wants to benefit from American protection in case the threat from Iran were to escalate. (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 17th of May) The Thirteener Thin Leather Briefcase isnt exactly light, but its pleasantly carryable compared to most of Saddleback Leather Co.s other full-grain leather briefcases. It can hold a 13-inch MacBook Pro or the new MacBook Air and still have a good amount of room left over. Unfortunately, the finish seems particularly prone to scuffing, even by the standards of Saddlebacks other bags. The new Thirteener Thin Leather Briefcase from Saddleback Leather Co. looks a little, well, like a saddlebag. (I was a cowboy for years, so I dont say this lightly.) And much like a saddlebag, this 14.25 x 10-inch briefcase is big enough to hold necessities without being a burden, which makes it a perfect (if heavy duty) companion for Apples 13-inch MacBook Pro or the new MacBook Air. So long as you dont try to take the whole ranch along on your commute and can deal with some scuffing, it should serve you well. The $349 Thirteener also reminds me of a good saddlebag because theres little reason to worry about it falling apart over the next five yearsor maybe even the next 50. Saddleback always uses heavy full-grain leather for its leather bags, which means theyre highly water-resistant without any treatment. You also wont find any snaggable zippers, as it closes with Saddlebacks signature front buckle. With enough practice, its only slightly slower than opening a zipper. Leif Johnson/IDG Saddleback often includes extra D-rings on its bags, but I kind of like that theyre not on this briefcase. Most features reveal an almost ridiculous attention to detail, whether its the polyester threadingchosen because it doesnt slowly rot in the sun like nylonor the nearly indestructible 316 stainless steel Saddleback uses for the buckles and D-rings. Its a small wonder that Saddleback gives these things a 100-year warranty. If you find yourself disliking the Thirteener, it almost certainly wont be for the quality of the construction. Aside, that is, from the heavy scuffing on the finish. Like many of the Saddlebacks bags, the Thirteener comes in Dark Coffee Brown, Chestnut, and Black, but the finish on the dark coffee brown version I received proved ridiculously prone to scuffing during the roughly two weeks I used it on my daily San Francisco commute. Ive previously received Saddleback bags in chestnut and saw nothing so extreme as this, and looking closely, nothing appears to be wrong with the actual leather. Leif Johnson/IDG As you can see, the leathers fine. This has more to do with the coloring. And Im not that rough on my bags. I suspect its related to the finish for the dark coffee brown model, so Id keep this in mind when buying the brown version unless you dont mind your new bag looking like its five years old before the month is out. Normally, Im open to the idea that this kind of wear enhances the rugged aesthetic, and some scuffing is common with Saddlebacks full-grain bags. But this degree of scuffing seems excessive for a mere 14 days, considering the price. Leif Johnson/IDG The scuff marks on the finish appeared the first time I put the iPad in the back pocket. Watch your weight This is more subjective, but you also might have a problem with the weight. Thats hardly a surprise: Saddlebacks leather messenger and shoulder bags tend to be easy on the eyes but hard on the shoulder. This is a valiant effort at minimalism, though, considering its three-inch width. It occupies a welcome middle ground between bags like the overly tiny Front Pocket Leather Satchel and the gargantuan 7-pound Classic Leather Briefcase. But its also a hefty boy. Empty, it weighs 3.6 pounds, and with the added padded strap it weighs in at 4.3 pounds. Toss in a 13-inch MacBook Pro into the loose pigskin divider along the back of the interiorif youre like me, youll almost always have one in thereand it suddenly balloons to a base of 7.3 pounds. By the time Id try to cram in everything from an umbrella and a water bottle to the case for my Bose QuietComfort 35 headphonesall of which did fit in the main compartment, by the wayI could joke to myself that it was called the Thirteener because it weighed 13 pounds. As a result, my time with the Thirteener encouraged me to learn to keep my loads to a minimum. I consider that a good thing. Thats also probably why Saddleback is careful to call it a briefcase rather than a messenger bag, as you can easily tote it around with the handle if you feel the strap is too hard on your back with heavy loads. So long as you learn to stick to the basics, this wont be a big deal. Leif Johnson/IDG And, minus the large headphone case, this is basically what I consider the basics. For such a thin bag, theres a decent amount of room. You have the pigskin-lined main compartmentmeasuring roughly 9.5 inches deep and 2.5 inches wideand then you have a thin front compartment thats big enough to hold an 9.7-inch iPad. Youll also find two thin pockets on the inside of this larger front compartment that are good for stashing items like passports or plane tickets, and theres enough room to stuff AirPods and a Magic Mouse in there as well (although this causes them to bulge out and take up precious room in the larger pocket). The only outer pocket is a 6-inch-deep sleeve along the back thats handy for quick access to notebooks or similar items. Like so much about the Thirteener, its just enough. Leif Johnson/IDG This is with everything in the previous photo tucked inside. Bottom line The Thirteener Thin Leather Briefcase is a dependable bag bag for anyone who prefers the 13-inch MacBook Pro or the new MacBook Air, and thats not just because these devices fit inside. Much like those laptops, its a good bag for folks who seek both portability and resiliencealthough unfortunately that resilience doesnt extend to the scuff-prone finish. Its best used in situations where you wont be hauling it for most of the day, such as walks to work from your car or public transportation. If you like Saddleback but plan using one of its bags for most of the day, though, I suggest getting a backpack like the Thin Front Pocket Backpack instead. Kompany to become player-manager at Anderlecht after announcing Man City exit Premier League Spent 11 seasons in England Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has confirmed that he will leave the club this summer after another trophy-filled season under Pep Guardiola. The Belgian will join Anderlecht as player-manager after winning four titles in his final year in Manchester - the Community Shield, the Carabao Cup, the Premier League and the FA Cup. "How often does someone get the chance to end such an important chapter, representing a club with such great history and tradition, in such a great fashion?" Kompany wrote on Facebook. "The time has come for me to go now. "As overwhelming as it is, I feel nothing but gratefulness. I am grateful to all those who supported me on a special journey, at a very special club. "I remember the first day, as clear as I see the last. I remember the boundless kindness I received from the people of Manchester. "I will never forget the Man City supporters remained loyal to me in good times and especially bad." An Attleboro police sergeant likely saved the life of a gas station clerk who was shot during an attempted robbery overnight, Police Chief Kyle Heagney told The Boston Globe Monday morning. The clerk, who was shot outside the Mobil gas station on Newport Avenue around 2:30 a.m., flagged down the sergeant who provided life-saving aid. The victim is now listed in stable condition at Rhode Island Hospital, the newspaper reported. It was probably less than an a minute that she was on scene after the incident, Heagney told The Globe. It was very fortunate for the clerk she was in the area. The shooting occurred as the clerk was emptying the trash. The suspect, wearing grey sweatpants and a cotton mask with the image of a gorillas face on it, reportedly approached the clerk and demanded money. A struggle ensued, according to The Globe, and the clerk was shot in the chest. After the shooting, the clerk flagged down the police sergeant who rendered aid and called for additional units, according to the newspaper. The victim was brought to Rhode Island Hospital and is now in stable condition, authorities said. The victim described the suspect as a black man with dreadlocks. Attleboro police are asking anyone with information to contact the department. Amazon has filed a lawsuit against the town of Braintree over a dispute on labeling delivery vehicles. The Boston Globe reports Amazon has sued Braintree over the towns demand that the company identify itself on all of its delivery vehicles, which will be operated by contracted employees. The legal dispute follows years of controversy surrounding an Amazon warehouse facility proposed on Campanelli Drive in Braintree, which would expand the e-retailers mission to dominate the new market of same-day delivery service. Amazon was approved to open the Braintree facility last summer, but only after a number of public hearings in which community members repeatedly expressed traffic concerns. Those concerns mainly stem from the fact that the Amazon facility would unleash dozens of delivery trucks onto an already busy thoroughfare each morning, in the area between Granite Avenue to and from Route 128, the Globe reports. About a year ago, Amazon told town officials the company would work with neighbors to mitigate traffic. The Patriot Ledger reported that the tech mammoth pledged to hire a police officer to direct traffic near Campanelli Drive during peak periods, if necessary, as the facility would be adding more than 50 vehicle trips in both directions in the Granite Ave. area during rush hour. Braintree officials reportedly agreed to green-light the facility on particular conditions, proposing clear signage on delivery vehicles to ensure Amazon complies with the towns traffic plans. The recent lawsuit filed by Amazon said the burdensome requirements" to label its delivery vehicles is not applied to other, similar businesses in town, according to the Globe. Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo said on Monday that Wynn Resorts talks with MGM Resorts International over a possible sale of the Everett casino were a surprise in terms of timing." DeLeo noted that legislators anticipated such negotiations where a casino giant could try to buy or run more than one casino in Massachusetts, which is why the law was written to prevent a gaming monopoly in the commonwealth. It is a contingency that we as policymakers anticipated and addressed, DeLeo said in a statement on Monday. The future of Encore Boston Harbor has long been in limbo, primarily as its owners were investigated for their failure to report sexual misconduct allegations against founder Steve Wynn. The negotiations between the two casino companies, first rumored more than a year ago and confirmed Friday, raised questions about the future of the Everett casino and MGM Springfield, the western Massachusetts casino run by MGM Resorts. Under the law, a gaming licensee is barred from operating, investing in or owning, another casino and license, whether in whole or in part." If a sale moved forward, MGM Springfield would need to sell off the Springfield casino and transfer its obligations to invest in the community. But first, the sale and license transfer would have to be approved by the majority of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The commission is required to reject a transfer to a person or entity who is deemed unsuitable and may also reject a transfer that is disadvantageous to the interests of the commonwealth," said DeLeo, who was citing the gaming legislation enacted in 2011. He was a primary sponsor. The sale negotiations come just weeks after the commission issued a scathing decision fining Wynn Resorts $35 million and CEO Matt Maddox an additional $500,000. The commission ruled that the company could retain the eastern Massachusetts license if it agreed to an independent monitor and if Maddox underwent leadership and sensitivity training. Elaine Driscoll, the commission spokeswoman, said the agencys written decision still stands. The deadline for paying the fine or appealing is May 31. Another hurdle Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts face is convincing Everett officials to give the green light. State statute requires that any party wishing to transfer its interests submit a written agreement to the commission assuming obligations of the license, host community agreement and other relevant deals and permits. Everetts host community agreement with Wynn Resorts states that neither party can approve a transfer of the agreement unless both parties agree to it. Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria wrote in a Facebook post on Friday that he "had the foresight to include section 10 in the host community agreement that states, Neither Wynn nor the city shall transfer or assign its rights or obligations under this agreement without prior written authorization of the other party. DeLeo said legislators put several provisions in place to prepare for this exact kind of situation. I plan to closely monitor these negotiations between Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts and will work to ensure that the interests of the commonwealth, including the host communities of Everett and Springfield, remain the focus, DeLeo said. Lets face it, for a very long time, brewing has been dominated by men, usually white men. Fortunately that has been changing to be more inclusive, which means that more ideas and creativity are being brought to the table under a bigger (beer) tent. The Brewers Association has helped with this effort across several platforms and recently added one more as it announced the recipients of its inaugural diversity and inclusion event grants. Six regional events across the country including one right here in Massachusetts will receive support for inclusivity programming. The Brewers Association, which is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, chose six recipients out of 51 overall applicants to be awarded a total of $20,000. The grants will support local and regional events that promote and foster a diverse and inclusive craft beer community. These event organizers have truly embraced expanding to and engaging with new audiences. The Brewers Association is proud to support them, and to continue this program in future years, said Julia Herz, craft beer program director of the Brewers Association. Beer events connect people with beer and each other. Inspiring organizers to deliberately welcome a broad and diverse group of attendees is the opportunity and our goal. The association created a diversity committee in 2017, hired a diversity ambassador, Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Ph.D., and the published a series of diversity and inclusion best practice resources for its members. The grant-funded events kick off on July 11 with Great Lakes Brewing Co.s Tapping Opportunity employment fair in Cleveland and run through the summer, ending with Mass Bay Brewing Co.s fall craft beer employment fair in Boston. The latter event will present employment opportunities to a diverse population in the Boston area as well as give a platform to guest speakers to share the importance of diversity and inclusion. Similarly, the Cleveland event will convene representatives from craft breweries around Cleveland to highlight and answer questions about craft beer career opportunities available in the greater Cleveland community. But the grants arent all about just job fairs. Pittsburghs Fresh Fest Beer Fest (Aug. 9-11) describes itself as the nations first black brew fest and will return for its second year with another lineup of black-owned breweries as well as breweries collaborating with black artists and entrepreneurs from Pennsylvania and beyond. Likewise, Brooklyns Beers With(out) Beards gathering on Aug. 10 will host five unique events to cultivate conversations that elevate the position of women in the beer and brewing industry. Its good to see that more and more people making craft beer are as diverse as the beers themselves. ALADDIN - not yet reviewed - (PG) Guy Ritchie directs this live action version of the popular Disny animated tale. Will Smith takes on the role of the genie who transforms a poor boy into a charming prince in order to marry the beautiful princess, Jasmine. (128 min.) AVENGERS: ENDGAME - THREE STARS - (PG-13) The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios grand conclusion to twenty-two films. Endgame, at its best moments, carries the thrill of classic comic-book twists and reversals. (181 min.) BREAKTHROUGH - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG) Based on a true story, When Joyce Smiths adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. Joyce refuses to give up and her steadfast belief inspires those around her to continue to pray for Johns recovery, even in the face of every case history and scientific prediction. (90 min.) DETECTIVE PIKACHU - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG) A neutered Ryan Reynolds tries hard but cant make this live action-meets-animated movie gel. Its plodding and listless and really not funny or smart enough. Live-action feature film adaptations of video games have proved a dicey proposition in the past. For every Mortal Kombat theres a Prince of Persia. This one just feels like a venal money grab from a mega corporation. (104 min.) DISNEYNATURE: PENGUINS - THREE STARS - (PG-13) A coming-of-age story about an Adelie penguin named Steve who joins millions of fellow males in the icy Antarctic spring on a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner and start a family. (76 min.) DUMBO - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG) Tim Burton delivers a thoroughly enjoyable love action remake of Disneys animated tale of a flying elephant. In the remake, differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take flight. (100 min.) THE HUSTLE - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway star as a pair of con artists plying their trade in a seaside town in the south of France in this uninspiring comedy. (93 min.) THE INTRUDER - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) The thriller stars Michael Ealy and Meagan Good as a young couple who move into their dream home in Napa Valley after chancing upon a seller: the mysteriously eager and mysteriously clingy retiree and widower played by Dennis Quaid. (101 min.) JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM - THREE STARS - (PG-13) Assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns in the third installment of the action franchise with a $14 million price tag on his head and bounty-hunters on his trail. (131 minutes) LONG SHOT - THREE STARS - (R) A romantic comedy with a political edge starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, as a woman with presidential ambitions falling for her speechwriter. (155 min.) MISSING LINK - TWO STARS - (PG) An animated buddy film as Mr. Link recruits fearless explorer Sir Lionel Frost to guide him on a journey to find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. (95 min.) PET SEMATARY - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) An improvement over the 1989 version with plenty of chills, but still falls short of the impact delivered by the Stephen King novel. Amy Seimetz and Jason Clarke star. (110 min.) SHAZAM - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13 ) Shazam! is just a lightning bolt of unexpected joy that is certainly worth your time and money. A jaded 14-year-old Philadelphia foster kid, Billy Batson (Asher Angel), whos bestowed with superpowers.. As Shazam, hes physically altered into an adult and takes the form of Zachary Levi. But of course, even with his height, his muscles, his voice and even his powers, hes still very much a kid and has a lot to learn. (132 min.) US - THREE STARS - (R) Upon returning to their vacation home after a day at the beach, the Wilson family discovers the silhouette of four figures holding hands as they stand in the driveway. Us pits an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: Doppelgangers of themselves. (121 min.) WONDER PARK - TWO STARS - (PG) An animated tale of an amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive. It has a great premise, but takes a few too many dark loop-de-loops and crashes hard. If you pass this amusement park, (86 min.) (Star ratings based on The Washington Post, Associated Press, Rotten Tomatoes aggregation and Advance Digital reviews) The Eiffel Tower was evacuated and closed to the public on Monday after a man was seen scaling up the popular Parisian landmark. The Eiffel Tower has been closed and is in the process of being evacuated because a person is scaling it, a spokeswoman for the Eiffel Tower told CNN. The lockdown began around 2:15 p.m. local time, CNN reported. Photos and video footage of the man climbing up the tower surfaced quickly on social media as officials and rescue workers responded to the scene Monday afternoon. The ordeal comes days after the city of Paris celebrated the Eiffel Towers 130th anniversary. It was not immediately clear what the climbers motivation might be. In 2015, adventure blogger James Kingston and a friend scaled the landmark at night, recording with a GoPro camera as they ascended. The two were seen early on and were forced to hide in some holes of the structure as authorities searched for them, according to Kingston. The pair avoided police and reached the top platform before descending later in the morning. They were met by law enforcement and taken into custody for six hours of questioning before being released without charges. This is a breaking news story. DEVELOPING: The Eiffel Tower has been closed to the public as someone attempts to scale the landmark. https://t.co/l7i4yJyIZW pic.twitter.com/6dHoNCiTdK ABC News (@ABC) May 20, 2019 Debate starts Tuesday in the Massachusetts Senate on the fiscal 2020 state budget, and lawmakers have proposed 1,144 amendments. The budget amendment process is the main way lawmakers fund earmarks in their districts and increase funding for statewide programs. A number of the amendments would have an impact in Western Massachusetts. Here are a few of them. Rural and regional school aid For the first time last year, lawmakers passed a new category of aid targeted at rural schools. Many rural schools today are facing declining enrollment, which means less tuition money. But most of their fixed costs do not change. These districts also have high transportation costs because many students live far from school. This year, the state provided $1.5 million in rural school aid. Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, wants to increase that to $2.5 million. Our small towns and rural schools are facing a unique set of circumstances, and this is one way to help them until we find a long-term solution, Hinds said. Separately, some lawmakers also want to increase funding for transportation for regional schools. The state at one point committed to paying the entire cost of transportation as an incentive for schools to regionalize. But lawmakers reneged on that commitment, and the state last year paid 77% of costs. Multiple amendments were introduced to bump up the funding for regional school transportation. One of those, by Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, would raise money for transportation for regional schools and homeless students, and for vocational schools by increasing the minimum tax that corporations must pay. Rail projects The Knowledge Corridor, a north-south line that will expand train service from New York along a line with stations in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield, is expected to start running in late summer. An amendment from Comerford would provide $250,000 for a marketing campaign. Comerford said in order for the service to continue, the pilot program will have to meet ridership goals. But to do that, there needs to be marketing so people can learn about the service. Currently, no money is set aside for marketing. Another pilot program in the works is the Berkshire Flyer, a passenger rail route between New York City and Pittsfield. Amtrak already runs between Manhattan and Albany, and this would add another leg. The track is already in place. An amendment from Hinds would provide $370,000 to cover marketing and operating costs to start a pilot program in the summer of 2020. The service would run weekend rail service between the end of June until mid-October to attract tourists while testing the feasibility of having daily, year-round service. Comerford also introduced an amendment to require the Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study of rail access between North Adams, Greenfield and Boston. Springfield Courthouse For years, lawyers, judges, court employees and litigants have complained about overcrowding, broken elevators and facility problems at the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield. Last fall, the state conducted environmental testing at the building, and employees said theyd been advised to get blood tests for elevated levels of lead and mercury. A 2017 state report on priorities for courthouse repairs did not list the building as a top priority. Sen. Jim Welch, D-West Springfield, is sponsoring an amendment that would prohibit the state from spending money on any courthouse repairs until money is appropriated to redesign the Springfield courthouse. We need to make sure that Western Massachusetts is not an afterthought any longer, Welch said, adding that his amendment is about highlighting the need for a new Springfield courthouse and about highlighting the lack of transparency and regional equity in determining what projects get funded. Houses of worship In recent years, there has been a documented increase in hate crimes and anti-Semitism such as the 2017 bomb threats at the Springfield Jewish Community Center. Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, introduced an amendment to provide $1 million for a grant program that helps nonprofits pay for security updates, like cameras or bullet-proof windows. Currently, the pilot program is funded with $150,000. Were seeing an increase in violence against minorities and religious groups across the board and our nonprofits, our spiritual centers, unfortunately have been forced to make physical upgrades to buildings, Lesser said. The Jewish Community Relations Council organized a letter, signed by 150 Jewish leaders, asking lawmakers to fully fund the program. As faith communities meet our responsibility to welcome and embrace all who enter our doors, we need our government to realize its responsibility to offer the protection to make freedom of religion a reality in the Commonwealth, the groups wrote. State-owned land Rural Western Massachusetts towns have worried that they will get less money next year from a program that pays communities for state-owned land in lieu of property taxes. The formula is based on the value of the land, and its percentage of the states entire inventory of land. That means as land values rise in Boston, there is less money for rural Western Massachusetts. Comerford introduced an amendment that would ensure no community will get less than in the current year. Comerford said it would be unfair to reduce payments to rural areas, given the climate benefits provided by forested land. The attributes of our towns, in this case open space and the stewarding of state forests, is not valued in the same way out west as other kinds of state-owned property would be in the east, Comerford said. NORTHAMPTON Smith College awarded 623 undergraduate degrees and 62 advanced degrees at its 141st commencement Sunday. This years graduating class represented 40 states and 31 countries. Activist and social innovator Ai-jen Poo was the 2019 commencement speaker. Together, we have the power to not only change the country. We can run the country, too, she said. We can change the logic of power in our country - to fundamentally disrupt the hierarchy of human value that defines our culture, our politics and our economy. Smith awarded honorary degrees to Poo; Elizabeth Alexander, poet, scholar and president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Drew Gilpin Faust, president emerita and Arthur Kingsley Porter University professor at Harvard; Yvonne Freccero, advocate for the homeless in Hampshire County, and Niki Tsongas former Massachusetts congresswoman and a Smith graduate . Smith faculty member Barbara Kellum received the 2019 Honored Professor Award. SPRINGFIELD Following a homicide, a stabbing, a shooting and another violent incident that ended with an officer firing his weapon over the weekend, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno vented anger against a local nightclub and with the court system. The four incidents occurred in a seven-hour period between Saturday night and early Sunday and left one man dead, two injured and at least three people facing criminal charges. What the hell do you have to do to keep these miscreants locked up and off our streets? Sarno asked, saying some of the people involved in the weekend violence had criminal records. Sarno said he will also push for the revocation of licenses for Club Aquarius, where one man was seriously injured in a stabbing outside at about 2:10 a.m. Sunday, just after the State Street nightclub closed. The stabbing occurred a month after a police officer was shot twice in the arm while breaking up a fight that is believed to have started in the club. They have shown a propensity that they cannot control their establishment with that, I will, by moving to shut them down, Sarno said. He said he has asked Licensing Director Alesia Days to schedule revocation hearings of any and all licenses for Club Aquarius. Two people shot at Officer Edwin Irizarry and a second police officer, who was not injured, from different directions in the April 14 incident in the Dunkin parking lot across the street from Club Aquarius. Another person who was also in the parking lot at the time of the gunfight battle was struck by gunfire but not seriously injured. A total of four people have been arrested in connection to the shootings. At the time Sarno said there had been no problems at the club previously and the business owners promised to work with the city and police. Arrests have been made in at least three of this weekends crimes, but in the stabbing at Club Aquarius, the man charged was not directly involved in the fight, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman. Police have also been vague about the arrest made in the homicide that occurred at about 7 p.m. on Boston Road and have not released the name of either person charged. The name of the male victim was also not released. Some arrests have already been made, leads being followed and a clarification of one incident is pending, Sarno said. Police did release the name of a Holyoke man accused of ramming into two cruisers while trying to elude officers on Interstate 291 at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Demetrius Smith, 24, faces multiple charges. During the incident, an officer, who was afraid of being pinned against the guardrail, shot at his car but did not hit Smith, Walsh said. No arrests have been made in the shooting of a man near 800 Main St. in the South End of the city. The victim was brought to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Walsh said. SPRINGFIELD Police are now investigating an incident in which a man was found dead with stab wounds on Boston Road Saturday evening as an unattended death. Ryan Walsh, spokesman for the Springfield Police Department, said Monday that officers responded to a report of a fight involving several men around 7 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of Boston Road. Officers later went to the 900 block of Boston Road, where they found the victim with a knife next to his body, Walsh said. A statement police released Saturday evening said: SPD Homicide Unit under the direction of Acting Deputy Chief Trent Duda are investigating a fatal stabbing." Police have not given a specific address for the report of the fight or where the victim was found, instead describing the locations as between 900 and 1100 Boston Road. Those blocks are in the area of Five Mile Pond and between the intersections of Brandon Avenue and Shumway Street. The U.S. Supreme Court will not consider a case challenging Massachusetts campaign finance laws. The court on Monday announced without comment that it will not take up 1A Auto v. Michael Sullivan, a lawsuit that challenged the states ban on corporate campaign contributions. Rick Green, who owns 1A Auto in Pepperell, and Michael Kane, who owns Self Storage Inc. in Ashland, sued the director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Michael Sullivan. The business owners, who are both active in the fiscally conservative Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, argued that the states ban on business contributions is unconstitutional. They said it infringed on their rights to free speech, and also violated their right to equal protection since unions and nonprofits are not subject to the same ban. The federal government and 22 states ban corporate campaign contributions as a way to prevent corruption. A Superior Court judge and the Supreme Judicial Court upheld the state law, and Green and Kane appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Since the SJC ruling, state regulators have reduced the amount unions can contribute to political campaigns, bringing the union regulations in line with regulations for individuals. But regulators did not touch the ban on corporate contributions. Elections should be decided by people, not corporations, Attorney General Maura Healey, whose office represented the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, said in a statement. The SJCs decision upholding our century-old ban on corporate contributions to individual candidates and the integrity of our state elections was correct, and we are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court will let it stand. Paul Craney, a spokesman for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said the alliances work challenging the regulations did pay off, since state regulators reduced the amount unions can contribute. Because of our work bringing attention to the loophole, and the work of our members pursuing the legal challenge, union bosses are no longer permitted to taint Massachusetts elections in such an egregious manner, Craney said in a statement. While this is a missed opportunity for the Supreme Court to settle the issue definitively, MassFiscal and its members take solace in knowing that their efforts have yielded results. This story was updated with Craneys comment. WESTFIELD When the city celebrated its 300th birthday, Gary Larese missed it he was away fighting in Vietnam. On Sunday he almost missed the 350th birthday again but this time because he had volunteered to distribute poppies and collect donations for disabled veterans at the same time the parade was heading through the city. I switched my time but I only have a two-hour window to watch the parade, he said. Im glad I caught the beginning with all the veterans. When Westfield decided to celebrate its 350th anniversary, organizers agreed the culminating event would be a parade with the theme Honoring the Heroes of Westfield. That included police, firefighters and first responders as well as the military and veterans, said Harry Rock, parade organizer. It is about thanking the people who serve our city, he said. When asked about the theme, Mayor Brian Sullivan said he thought it was a great idea. I was very supportive. Westfield has always supported the military and with the Air National Guard right here it is a natural for us, he said. Larese said now people often thank him when he collects donations for the disabled veterans or when he tells people he served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, but that wasnt always the case. It took a long time but people have really come out and been supportive of the veterans, he said. Among the first units in the parade were several American Legion Posts, police, firefighters and the Air National Guards 104th Fighter Wing that calls Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield home. When they went by many parade-goers rose from their lawn chairs and clapped for them. It is to show respect for the work they do and that they have to do, said Barbara Tysz, of West Springfield, who gave the veterans a standing ovation. Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, the director of the Air National Guard at the Pentagon, also marched in the parade. Rice is a former commander of the 104th Fighter Wing and was based at Barnes Air National Guard Base multiple times starting in 1989. Everything we do is about the communities, he said. This is the heart and soul of what we do. Senior Master Sgt. Adam Casineau, a member of the 104th Fighter Wing, said he enjoyed marching in the parade and seeing his Westfield neighbors. It was fantastic, he said. We are usually on base and it was nice for the community to see us and it is nice to be here to celebrate Westfields birthday. William Chojnowski, a Vietnam veteran who received two Purple Hearts in the war, had just come back from Vietnam for the 300th anniversary and he did march in the parade. Until recently he has also marched in every Memorial Day parade. He said he is disappointed some of the veterans organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars have closed in Westfield because there just isnt enough interest to keep them running. While he appreciated the parade theme, Chojnowski said it is also too little too late to make up for how badly Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned from war. The rights of victims of crimes is an issue of great importance. If you have any doubt of this, ask yourself what actual justice would mean to you or your family if something unspeakable happened? Now is a particularly notable moment upon which legislators and advocates can seize to strengthen and enhance those rights. As I look back on the events in April, commemorating the month Governor Baker proclaimed as Victim Rights Month in Massachusetts and as 2019 marks the 35th year anniversary of the Victim Bill of Rights (VBOR) and the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance. The VBOR was a landmark piece of legislation that, in 1984, ushered in a new era for the criminal justice system. Before this bill of rights, justice was served if the sentence fit the crime. This approach was wholly flawed. Justice is about far more than jail time for the guilty party. The individuals who were harmed must be made an integral part of the judicial process. Before the VBOR, the approach left out the voices and participation of survivors, their family members, and witnesses. By excluding the survivor of the crime, the criminal justice system could never truly achieve justice. The signing of the VBOR brought about the foundational change needed to create a more complete and inclusive criminal justice system. It created the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA), an independent state agency that empowers victims of crimes by providing equitable access to services across the Commonwealth. It directed each district attorney to create and make available resources to ensure survivor and witness inclusion. It codified, in law, the rights to be informed, present, and heard. In the 35 years since this landmark moment, crime and the criminal justice system have radically changed. The turn of the century and all the changes it brought to technology and society percolated into how crimes were committed, publicly discussed, and ultimately tried in court. The VBOR needs to continue to keep pace with modern criminal justice. Just like when the original version was written to address fundamental shortcomings that existed in the criminal justice system, an updated VBOR is needed to address new shortcomings that come about with the turn of the century. An Act to Enhance the Rights of Crime Victims in the Commonwealth as drafted by MOVA and which I filed along with my House colleague, Representative Marjorie Decker, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, will update and modernize the original VBOR to ensure the commitments made in 1984 will endure in 2019 and beyond. The new VBOR will improve notification for victims. It will enhance cooperation between law enforcement, judicial system, and post-conviction agencies. It will strengthen the practice and purpose of victim impact statements. When it comes to crime, justice is not just an ideal for which society should strive. It is an intensely personal and emotional form of closure for victims, survivors, and their families. Updating the VBOR will help the Commonwealth build a justice system from top to bottom that recognizes and protects this dual principle. Sen. James Welch is a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate from the Hampden district. Up to a million people, and maybe more, are crossing the Mexico-United States border each year to take advantage of medical treatment, according to estimates. Theyre not going in the direction you might think, though. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens are crossing to Mexico for what has been unofficially called medical tourism. A dental procedure in Mexico, as an example, might cost one-fourth of its cost in the United States. The one million estimate applies only to U.S. citizens, not undocumented immigrants or those in the U.S. illegally. Pinpointing a precise number is difficult due to privacy laws for medical treatment. This startling exodus is not about border security. Rather, its proof of the ongoing problem (and to many people, a crisis) in United States health care costs. Thats why so many Americans go down there, even after the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, said Josef Woodman, a medical travel advocate quoted in Newsweek. Insurance companies have just figured out all these workarounds where, yes youre insured, but youre actually under-insured and you dont realize it until something bad happens. According to Woodman, the CEO of Patients Beyond Borders, three-fifths of those traveling to Mexico do so for dental care. Others seek cosmetic surgery, orthopedics, weight loss procedures, optometry, in vitro fertilizaton and other services. The willingness of so many Americans to get treatment in Mexico speaks to another shift. Long saluted for the quality of its medical care, the United States is no longer the automatic go-to source for treatment, even on its own continent. Woodman acknowledged the potential risks of being treated outside the U.S., but said Mexico is increasingly gaining international recognition for improving its medical facilities to world-class status. This is not the image portrayed by Americans who insist on viewing our southern neighbor as a less modern, progressive country than our own. Even while giving credit to Mexico for its advancements, the fact that so many American citizens feel the economic need to go anywhere else for treatment should bother any American. Anyone who has looked to Canada for prescription medicine knows the feeling. It says the search for quality, affordable medical care in this nation of so many gifts is far from over. It should also make Americans think twice before assuming that everyone crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is doing so to enjoy the progressive society and benefits on one side. That sort of self-flattering jingoism is not only insulting to Mexico, its just not true. What do you call someone who threatens to start a fight, huffs and puffs and acts all sorts of belligerent, issues a series of additional warnings, and then, after suddenly changing course and backing down, feels he should be praised for having kept the peace? You might call him a poseur. Or an irrational, wannabe bully. Or you could just call him President Donald Trump. Late last week, Trump abruptly decided to end the tariffs hed imposed on steel and aluminum imported from Canada and Mexico. Although he said he could decide to slap them back on at a moments notice if things didnt go as planned. Because with Trump, you never know. While the decision was better than nothing, it's important to remember that all he's doing is stopping, perhaps only temporarily, a problem of his own creation. And it gets worse. Trump also put on hold a plan to impose tariffs on auto imports from Japan and Europe, but for only six months. What's that supposed to do -- make him seem reasonable? Businesses need to be able to plan ahead. They need, as much as is possible, to know what's likely coming -- in a month, in six months, in a year. With tariffs both real and threatened always in the air, it's impossible to plan with any sort of certainty. Though Trump has said that he likes chaos, enjoying keeping others off balance, it isn't exactly a rational governing philosophy when dealing with our allies. Such as Canada and Mexico and Japan and the European Union. One could make an argument for the desirability of keeping China off balance in trade negotiations. There are areas -- protection of intellectual property, particularly -- on which China simply doesn't play fair, no matter how you slice it. No one could oppose a measured, reasonable effort to keep the world's second-largest economy from tilting the playing field even more steeply in its favor. But Trump has been bouncing hither and thither on trade, treating our allies as adversaries, and behaving toward others without any kind of a coherent plan. While his stop-and-start approach may play well with some, particularly those who aren't exactly well-versed in the ins and outs of international trade, what he's been doing largely is sowing confusion for everyone, from American farmers to manufacturers to multinational corporations. And then acting as though he deserves praise when things don't blow up completely. Its not exactly what one would call sound trade strategy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has a plan for many things: student loan forgiveness, universal childcare, affordable housing and now your love life. Over the weekend comedian Ashley Nicole Black tweeted at the senator from Massachusetts with a question. "Do you think Elizabeth Warren has a plan to fix my love life?" she asked. Warren, who entered the race in December 2018 has distinguished herself by releasing detailed policy proposals, often times on Medium. The next day Warren responded, with her usual cool confidence: DM me and lets figure this out. Warren and Black didnt disclose the love life advice given out. DM me and lets figure this out. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 19, 2019 Black and others responded to Warren. I am deceased, the comedian wrote on Twitter. She added that she is ready to welcome love into her life, and to elect Warren as president. BOSTON -- The Red Sox optioned righty Josh Smith and catcher Oscar Hernandez to Triple-A Pawtucket after Sundays game. Boston will activate lefty David Price from the injured list and catcher Sandy Leon from paternity leave for their series opener in Toronto on Monday. Price will make his first start since May 2 and Leon will return following the birth of his second child over the weekend. Smith was called up April 26 and made four appearances, posting a 4.91 ERA and striking out six in 7.1 innings. He took the loss in his only start, a 3 1/3 inning outing against the Orioles on May 6. Hernandez joined the club Friday in place of Leon but did not appear in a game. The 25-year-old is hitting .111 with the PawSox this year. The Sox will have to make more roster moves in the near future, with Brock Holt, Dustin Pedroia and Brian Johnson all nearing their returns from the IL. Righties Ryan Weber, Colten Brewer and Tyler Thornburg are the candidates to be sent off the roster when the others come back. An employee at the Northampton Stop & Shop who claims he was harassed for crossing the picket line filed another federal unfair labor practice complaint arguing he was misled and pressured to join the stores union, according to a law firm representing him. Matt Coffey, a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459, claims he was never told when he was hired in 2017 that joining the union was optional. Now he faces fines for crossing the picket line, according to the National Right to Work Foundation. The complaint filed by Coffey was sent to National Labor Review Board. Mark Mix, the foundation president, argues that Coffey was never informed of his right to not join the union and that facing a fine of thousands of dollars is a breach of his rights under the National Labor Relations Act. This case shows that strikes ordered by Big Labor bosses often include violations of workers individual rights, Mx said. Matthew Coffey chose to exercise his right to work and support his family, and rather than respect that decision, UFCW bosses are doubling down on their illegal bullying. A complaint was filed last week against Stop & Shop and Local 1459, according to the National Labor Review Board website. Local 1459 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An estimated 31,000 union employees in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island walked off the job for 11 days in April after more than two months of stalled negotiations between the union and Stop & Shops parent company, Ahold Delhaize. The strike ended after a tentative agreement was reached on Easter Sunday, and each local voted to ratify the contract last month. The complaint surfaced nearly a week after an estimated 31,000 union employees in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island walked off the job amid contract negotiations with Stop & Shop. The employees picketed outside the grocery stores, drawing attention from former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and other Democrats, before a tentative agreement was announced on Sunday. Coffee filed a complaint last month with help from the foundation alleging that he faced homophobic slurs, threats and harassment from union members when he crossed the picket line, according to a copy of the charges provided to MassLive. He said he was led to believe he would be fired from the Northampton store if he resigned from the union and went to work during the strike. On April 30, Coffey received a letter from Local 1459 stating he would be discipline for continuing to work during the strike, according to the foundation. He was ordered to appear before a union tribunal on May 14 over the disciplinary charges. The foundation did not discuss the outcome of the tribunal hearing or how much he is expected to be fined. In the new charges, Coffeys attorneys allege that he was misled by union officials into believe that Stop & Shop is a closed shop and was coerced into joining the union. Because of this he was never actually a voluntary member of UFCW, a condition necessary for union discipline to be legally imposed, the foundation wrote in a news release. The discovery of a Connecticut woman found dead inside a car in Fitchburg last week remains under investigation. The Worcester District Attorneys Office said 40-year-old Tamika Jones of New Haven, Connecticut was found dead in a car at an apartment complex on Drake Street in Fitchburg on Tuesday. The district attorneys office and Fitchburg police are investigating the death. The state medical examiners office will determine cause and manner of death. Abiomed, the maker of popular left ventricular assist devices, is releasing its newly FDA approved Impella CP with SmartAssist device. The pump features an optical sensor that physicians can use to position and reposition the device without relying on a cath lab, X-ray, or ultrasound imaging. The sensor can be used either during initial implantation of the pump or while the patient is in the ICU, if necessary. The pump can deliver up to 4.3 liters of blood per minute, which is about 85% of a normal full cardiac cycle, all while providing real-time information on an accompanying controller about important hemodynamic numbers such as left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cardiac power output (CPO). Access to real-time clinical data has allowed our team to identify best practices for patient management and weaning, in a published statement said Hiram Bezerra, interventional cardiologist, University Hospitals, Cleveland. Metrics such as LVEDP, MAP and CPO and the ability to monitor trends on the Impella console allow physicians to utilize this hemodynamic information to optimize heart recovery with objective and quantifiable data to enable clear communication within the shock team. Heres a short Abiomed video showing off the Impella CP with SmartAssist: Product page: Impella CP with SmartAssist Flashbacks: Impella CP 4 Liter per Minute LVAD Heart Pump Now in U.S; Abiomed Unveils 3rd Generation Impella CP Heart Pump for PCI and Cardiogenic Shock; Impella 2.5 Heart Pump Performs Well in a Feasibility Trial; Impella Miniature Heart Pump Demonstrates Cost-Effectiveness in Study; FDA OKes Impella 5.0 and Impella LD Circulatory Assist Devices Via: Abiomed Overview: Medical Supplies Market Medical supplies & equipment account for a high proportion of health care costs, impacting the quality of care significantly. Over the past few years, the healthcare sector is burgeoning, worldwide, mainly due to the increasingly prosperous population that demands high-quality care. Along with the flourishing healthcare sector, the medical supplies market is too growing rapidly, witnessing the increasing demand in treatment and surgical procedures. Moreover, the growing prevalence of miscellaneous large and small disorders that are driven by the ecological changes, chronic diseases, and increasing cases of accidents & injuries are escalating the market on the global platform, increasing the demand for medical supplies. Acknowledging the substantial growth, the market perceives currently, Market Research Future (MRFR) in its recently published study report confirms that the global medical supplies market is poised to touch a valuation over USD 132 BN by 2022, registering a staggering CAGR during the forecast period (2017-2022). Additional factors driving the growth of the market include safety-enhanced devices used in the minimally invasive delivery of medicines, inhalation therapies & IV, and dialysis solutions among others. The improving economic conditions, worldwide, are supporting the growth of the market, increasing access to good health care. Receive FREE Sample Report Copy Here: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2433 The medical supplies business is diverse as well as vast, supplying a wide range of healthcare materials ordered/prescribed by a physician, ranging from consumables and disposable to Electronic medical devices. Developing an online store or eCommerce site is the latest trend observed in the market. The market is increasingly witnessing the development of web store software for medical supplies distributors and wholesalers. These ERP-integrated web stores allow buyers to translate complex processes into a user-friendly and efficient ordering environment, delivering quality products at affordable prices. While B2B e-commerce solutions support the market players complex sales processes for pharmaceutical products and other medical supplies. These eCommerce sites use the data stored in the Dynamics or SAP ERP system that can perfectly follow the established administrative n processes. Major Players: Key players driving the global medical supplies market are Medtronic plc (Ireland), 3M Company (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), Baxter International Inc. (U.S.), Halyard Health, Inc. (U.S.), and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.) among others. Industry/Innovation/Related News: February 12, 2019 - Z5 Inventory, Inc. (the US), a leading global company serving supply chain and materials management professionals in hospitals and healthcare facilities and develops physical inventory count software solutions for hospitals, unveiled online medical supplies store. The online store named Buy.Z5Inventory.com provides a low-cost alternative to traditional medical and surgical supply vendors, offering the new, long-dated product at significantly reduced prices. February 19, 2019 - Momina Krepost AD (Bulgaria), a leading local medical supplies company announced the purchase (acquisition) of 14.96% stake of Sopharma AD (Bulgaria), a leading drug maker and supplier of disposable medical products. Global Medical Supplies Market Competitive Analysis This market appears to be fiercely competitive and fragmented due to the presence of several matured as well as small but considerable players. These players try to sustain their market positions and gain a competitive advantage by means of acquisition, strategic partnership, expansion, product/technology launch, and collaboration. To achieve their goals, they invest substantially and also transpire massive investments in R&D to develop a cost-competitive portfolio. Such strategic initiatives not only help them to move into new markets, expand the sales team, and build the portfolio of medical products but also substantially help to off-load their burdens of debts. These players also try to increase the number of their fulfillment centers through the online platform and develop supply chain & logistics capability. They open fulfillment centers to aid in the process of receiving, packaging and shipping orders for goods. These players follow B2B marketplace model where they act as an aggregator charging a service fee for packing and delivering products depending on category and size. Thus, by abolishing mediators from the supply chain they ensure timely delivery of medical supplies, providing choices with transparency in pricing. These supplying companies also try to maintain a good number of fast-moving items which they sell directly to customers for a commission. Browse Complete Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/medical-supplies-market-2433 Global Medical Supplies Market Segmentations The market has been segmented into four key dynamics for the ease of understanding. By Type: Infusion Products, Blood Collection Tubes, Wound Care Products, Dialysis Consumables, Surgical Drapes, Blood Glucose Test Strips, Adult Incontinence Products, and others. By Application: Urology, Wound Care, Sterilization, Anesthesia, and others. By End-user: Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes, and others. By Region: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest-of-the-World. Global Medical Supplies Market Regional Analysis North America, heading with the extensive accessibility to healthcare products & services, dominates the global medical supplies market. Similarly, factors such as the huge uptake of advanced technologies and increasing emphasis on delivering cost-competitive supplies foster the growth of the regional market. The European medical supplies market, backed by improving economic conditions in the region has emerged as another lucrative market, globally. Additionally, factors such as increasing healthcare expenditures, the adoption of advanced technologies, and the presence of global players foster the growth of the medical supplies market in the region. The market in the Asia Pacific region, led by the rapidly proliferating healthcare sector and developing economy, has emerged as a promising market, globally. Proliferating markets in countries, such as Japan, China, and India, are pushing up the growth in the regional market. 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 Tanya Gazdik , May 20, 2019 DoorDash is launching a national TV campaign that plays up the ease and convenience of ordering food through the app. The company, which is the nations largest on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery according to Edison Trends, worked with Brand New School to create the campaign. Themed Pop Up, it includes TV spots and digital content. Billboards, transit shelters, bus sides, wallscapes and taxi tops are used for ads in 13 cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Austin. Creative highlights the apps selection of merchants including Chipotle, The Cheesecake Factory and Wendys. The TV spots will feature these national brands and regional favorites such as Costa Vida, Zios Italian Kitchen, and The Original Mels. advertisement advertisement DoorDash is sponsoring Taste of Chicago this summer to give Chicago residents and visitors a unique pop-up experience, says David Bornoff, DoorDashs head of brand and creative. It will run through late September, strategically timed to remind consumers that DoorDash gives them the ability to order food wherever or whenever hunger strikes this summer, in the office or poolside. The 30-second spot shows how DoorDash, which is available in more than 4,000 cities in the United States and Canada, meets customers wherever they are, such as employees gathering in an office or hanging poolside with friends and family. The campaign is an evolution of the first-quarter effort, Delicious at Your Door, Bornoff says. Were all about connecting with our customers in unexpected and delightful ways, Bornoff tells Marketing Daily. We think that food is the perfect vehicle to make this connection, and when you can enjoy food with other people through a shared experience, it creates community. The campaign seeks to differentiate DoorDash from its competitors, which include Postmates, Uber Eats and Yelp Delivery. This campaign creates even more distance between us and our competitors by reinforcing that you can find your favorites on DoorDash due to our industry-leading selection," Bornoff says. The New York Times, Sunday, May 19, 2019 11:06 PM Evolus, the maker of a new wrinkle-smoothing injection, Jeuveau, recently entertained plastic surgeons and dermatologists at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun. More than a dozen doctors posted about the event on social media without disclosing that Evolus had paid for their trips, according to. The Federal Trade Commission requires social media users to disclose relationships with companies when promoting their products on social media. Read the whole story at The New York Times by Sara Guaglione , May 20, 2019 British music magazines NME and Uncut have been sold to Singaporean social-music platform BandLab Technologies, the same company that once owned a 49% stake in Rolling Stone. TI Media, formerly Time Inc. U.K., sold the publications for an undisclosed amount. The company shuttered gossip magazine Nowlast month, citing falling circulation and advertising revenue. advertisement advertisement In March last year, TI Media stopped publishing the print version of NME, which was founded in 1952, due to circulation declines. Uncut, launched in 1997, continues to print monthly. According to Financial Times, BandLab came to TI interested in the two titles, after it sold its minority stake in Rolling Stone to Penske Media Group in January. These brands occupy a treasured place in the U.K. music landscape and increasing relevance to the global music scene, which we are looking to enhance and extend, stated BandLab CEO Meng Ru Kuok. Kuok is the 30-year-old son of Khoon Hong Kuok, the palm oil billionaire based in Singapore. BandLab owns a few other U.K. magazines, such as The Guitar and MusicTech, as well as London-based video streaming service Chew.tv. BandLab Technologies operates the BandLab app, which allows musicians to edit, collaborate and post their own music. A recent study in mice concludes that targeted ultrasound could be an effective, noninvasive, drug-free way to boost insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Share on Pinterest A new study asks whether ultrasound could be an effective treatment for diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 diabetes now affects more than 100 million adults in the United States. It was the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015. In people with diabetes, the pancreas produces too little insulin. For this reason, over time, the body becomes less sensitive to it in a condition called insulin resistance. Beta cells which are specialized cells in the pancreas synthesize, store, and release insulin in response to the presence of sugar in the blood. This increased production helps keep levels of glucose in the blood within the normal range; too much sugar in the blood can damage tissues and organs. Early on in the progression of diabetes, beta cells can become overworked, which causes insulin to build up inside. This buildup can be terminal for the beta cell. If more insulin-producing beta cells die, diabetes is exacerbated. Certain drugs can help the beta cells release insulin, but these can be expensive and may become less effective over time. For these reasons, researchers are keen to find other ways of promoting insulin release that do not involve drugs. Researchers have used a deep-learning algorithm to detect lung cancer accurately from computed tomography scans. The results of the study indicate that artificial intelligence can outperform human evaluation of these scans. Share on Pinterest New research suggests that a computer algorithm may be better than radiologists at detecting lung cancer. Lung cancer causes almost 160,000 deaths in the United States, according to the most recent estimates. The condition is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., and early detection is crucial for both stopping the spread of tumors and improving patient outcomes. As an alternative to chest X-rays, healthcare professionals have recently been using computed tomography (CT) scans to screen for lung cancer. In fact, some scientists argue that CT scans are superior to X-rays for lung cancer detection, and research has shown that low-dose CT (LDCT) in particular has reduced lung cancer deaths by 20% . However, a high rate of false positives and false negatives still riddles the LDCT procedure. These errors typically delay the diagnosis of lung cancer until the disease has reached an advanced stage when it becomes too difficult to treat. New research may safeguard against these errors. A group of scientists has used artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to detect lung tumors in LDCT scans. Lausanne SWITZERLAND CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts May 20, 2019 Eric Yuen Eric Yuen the United States University of Washington University of Chicago University of California at San Francisco Stanford University Peter Van Vlasselaer Dirk Beher Eric Yuen Thomas C. Wessel Dirk Beher Barcelona Monday, May 20 2:00pm CET Chicago July 22-26, 2018 and/PRNewswire/ -- Asceneuron, an emerging leader in the development of orally bioavailable modulators of tau for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, today announces the appointment of Drto its Board of Directors.Dr, has over 25 years of clinical development experience in central nervous system (CNS) pathologies and has led multiple Phase I-IV development programs for biologics and small molecules obtaining numerous regulatory approvals. He is currently Chief Medical Officer at Talee Bio Inc which he co-founded in addition to RiboNova Inc. Dr Yuen's industry experience began at Merck Sharp & Dohme (known as Merck & Co in) as Director of Clinical Research, where he focused on CNS and pain indications. He then spent nine years at Johnson & Johnson finally as Vice President of Clinical Development responsible for the portfolio of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines targeting Alzheimer's disease. He has since held senior positions in several biotech companies including as Chief Medical Officer at Inozyme Pharma and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals. Before joining the industry, Dr Yuen was an assistant professor of neurology at the, where he conducted clinical research in rare CNS disorders. Dr Yuen received his M.D. from the Pritzker School of Medicine at theand completed his neurology training at the. He holds a B.S. in Physics and Biology with Academic Distinction from"I would like to welcome Eric to the Board of Directors. His outstanding track record and expertise in CNS drug development will be invaluable as Asceneuron initiates later stage clinical development in the tau pathology space.""Asceneuron is making rapid progress in the clinical development of orally-bioavailable tau modifiers and we are delighted to welcome such a highly experienced CNS clinician to the Board of Directors. Eric's know-how will add tremendous value to Asceneuron's development and our ultimate goal of bringing urgently needed medicines to patients.""Asceneuron's exciting compounds could be the basis for highly novel treatments of broad range of CNS diseases including progressive supranuclear palsy, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. I look forward to supporting the Asceneuron team in bringing its highly promising orally-bioavailable tau modifiers to underserved patient populations."Asceneuron's lead program ASN120290 is a small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme O-GlcNAcase. Based on its unique mechanism of action, ASN120290 has the potential to become a first in class treatment for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and other tau-related dementias.Late last year the company appointed CNS specialist Dras Chief Medical Officer in its US based team. Asceneuron recently completed a clinical trial with ASN120290 to quantify target engagement in the human brain using positron emission tomography (PET) the results of which will guide dose selection for a trial in PSP planned for later this year.Asceneuron is an emerging, clinical stage biotech company focusing on the development of orally bioavailable therapeutics for debilitating neurodegenerative disorders with high unmet medical need, such as orphan tauopathies, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The lead program ASN120290, an O-GlcNAcase inhibitor, is being developed for the orphan tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Asceneuron has completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I study to assess the safety and tolerability of single and multiple doses of orally administered ASN120290. Asceneuron is a privately held company financed by a strong syndicate of investors consisting of Sofinnova Partners, M Ventures, SR One, Johnson & Johnson Innovation JJDC, Inc. (JJDC) and Kurma Partners. For more information, please visit www.asceneuron.com.Asceneuron's lead program ASN120290, an O-GlcNAcase inhibitor, is being developed for the orphan tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and was recently granted Orphan Drug Designation by the US FDA for the treatment of PSP. ASN120290 has recently completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I study to assess its safety and tolerability of single and multiple doses in healthy young and elderly volunteers. Data from that study were presented at the(AAICin View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asceneuron-appoints-experienced-cns-clinician-dr-eric-yuen-to-the-board-of-directors-300852866.html SOURCE Asceneuron BOISE, Idaho May 20, 2019 Boise, Idaho May 7, 2019 Downtown Boise Idaho Fred Martin Idaho's Idaho Idaho's Idaho Janis Paulson Abdel Yosef Jean Watson Randall Hudspeth Fred S. Martin Boise, Idaho Kevin K. McEwan Rexburg, Idaho Michael McGrane, RN Idaho Susan Odom Idaho Boise, Idaho Randall Hudspeth Idaho Boise Eastern Idaho Idaho Janis Paulson Abdel Yosef Idaho Provo College Idaho /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The success of nursing education requires a strong partnership between academia, healthcare, and practice. Unitek Learning sought to build a bridge between these integral elements by hosting the 2019 Nursing Symposium in. In addition to strengthening partnerships, the event honored healthcare professionals and celebrated National Nursing Week. The Nursing Symposium, which was held on, at the picturesque Grove Hotel in, also addressed the dire need fornurses.Various professionals and esteemed guests attended this multifaceted event. Unitek Learning and the offices of Senatorof15th District awarded hospital, healthcare, and nursing education leaders for their dedication to quality patient care in the state of. Keynote speakers and expert panelists also discussed the future of the state's healthcare.In 2018, the Idaho Alliance of Leaders in Nursing (IALN) released the Nursing Workforce Biennial Report, which stressed the importance of change withinnursing education system. The population ofis expected to increase to about 1.9 million residents by 2025, but a severe nursing shortage is also expected to start as early as 2020. In order to meet this challenge, the report called for a minimum of 400 additional nursing graduates on a yearly basis. The Nursing Workforce Biennial Report was a critical topic of discussion at Unitek's Symposium.The event began with a warm welcome from Ms.and Dr., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer at Unitek Learning. Nurse theorist, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, LL (AAN), Distinguished Professor and Founder/Director of Watson Caring Science Institute, also provided guests with a welcome presentation. The forum featured two keynote speakers: Dr., PhD, APRN-CNP, FRE, FAANP Executive Director of the Idaho Center for Nursing, and Senator, District 15, Idaho State Health and Welfare Senate Chair. Their inspirational words set the stage for engaging discussion between academic and healthcare professionals.The Nursing Symposium featured distinguished panelists who are experts in their field, including, MSN, RN, NEA-BC Chief Nursing Officer at Madison Memorial Hospital in, MSN Representative for Nurse Leaders ofand American Nurses Association Idaho as a lobbyist with the Idaho Legislature; Dr., PhD, RN, CCRN, FRE Associate Executive Director of theBoard of Nursing and the Interim Executive Director; Jynae Clapper, RN, MSN, CRRN Director of Nursing Operations at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Hospital in. They were joined by Dr.during the panel discussion.Some esteemed guests included employees of Boise VA Medical Center, theBoard of Nursing, Idaho State Senate Office, Madison Memorial Hospital, St. Luke's Health System, and Vibra Hospital, along with more than 20 otherandcommunity agencies and medical facilities.Ultimately, the 2019 Idaho Nursing Symposium strove to increase awareness and encourage change. As stated by the Nursing Workforce Biennial Report,will likely experience a significant population increase, particularly with individuals over the age of 55, who will need greater access to healthcare services. At the same time, the report found that more than one-third of working nurses are over the age of 55. Additionally, for every available nursing student school seat, there are 7-10 applicants. "Unitek Learning is committed to partnering with the community to help meet the nursing shortage and prepare safe and competent nurses," said, Chief Executive Officer at Unitek Learning."As a first step, Unitek's 2019 Nursing Symposium presented an opportunity to engage in a discussion with professionals from academia and practice," said Dr., Chief Academic Officer at Unitek Learning. "This dialogue is needed as early as possible to shape the Unitek nursing program so that it can meet the local community and healthcare needs in the state of."Unitek Learning is the parent company of several distinguished learning institutions: Unitek College, Unitek EMT, Eagle Gate College, and. They are now expanding their presence to proposed locations in. Taught by experienced professionals, Unitek programs teach clinical practices and theory used in the field today. Equipped with a multitude of sought-after skills, Unitek graduates are prepared to excel in many of the fastest-growing careers in healthcare and nursing.SOURCE Unitek Learning Graham Launches Decision America Northeast Tour Seven-city tour will bring prayer, live music and life-changing message of hope to Bridgeport, Connecticut, on May 28 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association May 20, 2019 News provided byMay 20, 2019 CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 20, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- At a time when people across America are filled with uncertainty, Franklin Graham wants to offer a message of hope to people in the northeast region of the United States. He will also invite them to join him in prayer, asking God to heal the issues that are plaguing our country. "The problems of the city are about people. Broken families, drugs, violence, gangs, and prostitution -- it's all here," said Luis Burgos, a pastor in Bridgeport. "We have deep problems of inequality and hopelessness. This campaign is about giving people true hope." On May 28, Graham will bring the Decision America Northeast Tour to Bridgeport. The festive, family-friendly event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Seaside Park. The tour is also visiting Portland, Maine, Burlington, Vt., Manchester, N.H., Springfield, Mass., and East Providence, R.I. Following the stop in Bridgeport, the tour will continue across the northeast with one final event in Syracuse, N.Y. "We need a spiritual revival--an awakening across this country," said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham will bring a message from God's Word each night. "We all face crossroads in our lives--moments when we need to make important decisions," said Graham. "Through this event, people will have the opportunity to make a decision that can impact their lives not only now but for eternity." Popular Grammy-nominated music artist Crowder is also traveling with Graham on the Northeast Tour and will be performing live at each event. Graham and Crowder just completed the Graham Tour in Australia where tens of thousands of people attended seven events in six cities. The Decision America Northeast Tour is free and everyone is invited to attend. Graham started Decision America in 2016 when he held events in all 50 state capitals. He continued to tour in 2017 by traveling to 11 cities across Tennessee and Texas. Then in 2018, he toured the west coast, visiting 17 cities in California, Oregon and Washington. To learn more about the Decision America Northeast Tour, visit DecisionNortheast.com DATES AND LOCATIONS FOR DECISION AMERICA NORTHEAST TOUR Portland, Maine (May 19) Burlington, Vt. (May 21) Manchester, N.H. (May 23) Springfield, Mass. (May 25) East Providence, R.I. (May 26) Bridgeport, Conn. (May 28) Syracuse, N.Y. (May 30) MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES Interviews with Franklin Graham Interviews with people attending events Video of event (audio connections available) SOURCE Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Related Links WALTHAM, Mass. May 20, 2019 $50 million Thermo Fisher's Cory Stevenson Thermo Fisher's Thermo Fisher Europe Logan, Utah Millersburg, Penn. $24 billion Ron O'Brien Ken Apicerno /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, today announced that it is investing more thanin its global bioproduction capabilities to provide additional capacity for manufacturing single-use bioprocess container (BPC) systems.single-use technologies are used for critical, sterile liquid-handling applications in the biopharmaceutical industry to help increase productivity and ensure quality in the production of biologic drugs."The demand for our bioproduction products and services continues to outpace the market," said, president ofBioproduction business. "These investments will expand capabilities across our existing bioproduction network while we look to extend our footprint into new regions to meet increasing customer demand for our industry-leading single-use technologies."In Cramlington, U.K.,will expand assembly capacity and add BPC systems manufacturing. The proximity of these capabilities to customers inwill shorten lead times and improve overall global efficiency.In the U.S., the company will expand cleanroom space for BPC chamber and related assembly production processes at its site in, and further expand capacity at its site inConstruction is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more thanand approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.Media Contact Information:Phone: 781-622-1242E-mail: ron.obrien@thermofisher.comWebsite: www.thermofisher.comInvestor Contact Information:Phone: 781-622-1294E-mail: ken.apicerno@thermofisher.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thermo-fisher-scientific-to-invest-50-million-to-expand-bioproduction-capabilities-300853385.html SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific PM Modi is back from his meditation trip in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand and so is reel-life PM Modi aka Vivek Oberoi, with the biggest and the most controversial movie of his career. In case you were too busy partying over the weekend and failed to check your social media feed, PM Modi was recently clicked meditating in a cave (Rudra Meditation Cave to be specific) in Kedarnath. Twitter While PM Modi was relaxing in a meditational retreat, away from the political husle-bustle, actor Vivek Oberoi was gearing up for the comeback of 'PM Narendra Modi' biopic and today he unveiled a new poster of the film that will finally see the light of the day on May 24th, a day after the elections results are out. According to reports, Vivek launched the poster along with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and producer Sandip Ssingh, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The makers shared the poster on their Twitter page. However, more than the poster, it was the taglines that caught people's attention. The poster reads, "Aa rahe hai dobara...PM Narendra Modi...Ab koi rok nahi sakta." We don't know if they meant it for the biopic or otherwise. What do you think? Legend Global Studios As the film's release date nears, we guess Vivek Oberoi's fans and all those eagerly waiting for Vivek Oberoi to make a comeback, can now finally rejoice. But, after Vivek Oberoi's distasteful (meme) post against Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, we wonder how many people will continue to be his fans. That post was really uncalled for and so not cool, Vivek. Earlier, the movie's release was put on hold citing the Lok Sabha elections. The filmmakers later got another major blow when they found out that the trailer, which had over a million views on YouTube, had been mysteriously taken down from YouTube and other social media platforms. Directed by Omung Kumar, 'PM Narendra Modi' also stars Boman Irani, Manoj Joshi, Prashant Narayanan, Zarina Wahab, Barkha Sengupta and Darshan Kumaar, among others. 'Game of Thrones' is finally over, and no one is happy with Season 8 (what else is new?). However, now that it's over, we thought that it's finally time to hand out a very important award - the award for 'The Goodest Boi Of Westeros'. There were many contenders in Season one, but by the end of Season eight, we saw a lot of eliminations. After a lot of deliberation, we have decided that it should go to our top two finalists - Drogon and Ghost. Even though Ghost was leading with major sympathy votes post Jon's unceremonious 'petless' goodbye to him, Drogon caught up in the final episode, and how. Here are 4 reasons why Drogon and Ghost both deserve the coveted award: 1. They are the only two animals to have fought multiple battles valiantly and survived. Ghost fought in the battle of Castle Black, and then against the Night King's army. He lost an ear, but that did not defeat his spirit. Drogon fought the Lannister army during the loot, the White Walker army beyond the wall, as well as the final battle against the Night King's army. He also was injured multiple times, but did not give up. (c) HBO (c) HBO 2. They always had their parents' back. Ghost always came to Jon's rescue whenever he needed him, and continued doing it till the end. Drogon did the same for Dany. Even though he deserted her to go away for a short adventure for some time, he was right there when his mother needed help inside the fighting pit. Both of them always shadowed their mom and dad, and never gave up, even in the face of grave danger. (c) HBO (c) HBO 3. Both are just very intelligent bois who did their best and refused to let go of their parents, even after their death. Ghost refused to leave Jon's corpse post his death and made sure he sat right next to him till he was revived by Melisandre. Drogon tried reviving his dead mother with his snout, before taking her with him as he flew away from King's Landing. When Jon abandoned Ghost without petting him, one could see the sadness in his blood-red eyes, as he stood far away with his head drooping. Drogon, on the other hand, clearly was a perceptive creature who did not harm Jon, despite knowing he killed his mother. Instead, he burned down the Iron Throne as a final goodbye to his dead mother. (c) HBO (c) HBO All we can say is, both of them deserve this, and so much more. You boys are the best, and we shall always love you. Seven-city tour will bring prayer, live music and life-changing message of hope to Syracuse, New York, on May 30 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association May 20, 2019 News provided byMay 20, 2019 CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 20, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- At a time when people across America are filled with uncertainty, Franklin Graham wants to offer a message of hope to people in the northeast region of the United States. He will also invite them to join him in prayer, asking God to heal the issues that are plaguing our country. "Syracuse has one of the highest rates of poor mental health in all of New York. People are bound by depression, poverty and despair," said Jim Wolford, a pastor in upstate New York. "Syracuse needs a breakthrough and people need hope." On May 30, Graham will bring the Decision America Northeast Tour to Syracuse. The festive, family-friendly event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Lakeview Amphitheater. The tour is also visiting Portland, Maine, Burlington, Vt., Manchester, N.H., Springfield, Mass., East Providence, R.I. and Bridgeport, Conn. "We need a spiritual revival--an awakening across this country," said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham will bring a message from God's Word each night. "We all face crossroads in our lives--moments when we need to make important decisions," said Graham. "Through this event, people will have the opportunity to make a decision that can impact their lives not only now but for eternity." Popular Grammy-nominated music artist Crowder is also traveling with Graham on the Northeast Tour and will be performing live at each event. Graham and Crowder just completed the Graham Tour in Australia where tens of thousands of people attended seven events in six cities. The Decision America Northeast Tour is free and everyone is invited to attend. Graham started Decision America in 2016 when he held events in all 50 state capitals. He continued to tour in 2017 by traveling to 11 cities across Tennessee and Texas. Then in 2018, he toured the west coast, visiting 17 cities in California, Oregon and Washington. To learn more about the Decision America Northeast Tour, visit DecisionNortheast.com DATES AND LOCATIONS FOR DECISION AMERICA NORTHEAST TOUR Portland, Maine (May 19) Burlington, Vt. (May 21) Manchester, N.H. (May 23) Springfield, Mass. (May 25) East Providence, R.I. (May 26) Bridgeport, Conn. (May 28) Syracuse, N.Y. (May 30) MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES Interviews with Franklin Graham Interviews with people attending events Video of event (audio connections available) SOURCE Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Related Links National Ministry and Prayer Leader, Author, and Educator Kathy Branzell Named as the New President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force News provided by National Day of Prayer Task Force May 20, 2019 May 20, 2019 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 20, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- The Board of Directors of the National Day of Prayer (NDP) Task Force has announced that Kathy Branzell will succeed Dr. Ronnie Floyd as the President of the NDP Task Force. While Kathy assumes her new role this week, Dr. Floyd begins his new role as president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Executive Committee. Kathy Branzell has been a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the NDP Task Force, having led and served alongside Vonette Bright, Shirley Dobson, Anne Graham-Lotz, and Dr. Ronnie Floyd. Responding to a question about her history with NDP, Kathy remarked, "For 19 years, I have had the privilege of loving and serving these amazing NDP leaders, supporters, staff and coordinators -- including taking part in the ministry's D.C. events, Summits, National Bus Tours, and philanthropy and partnership efforts. It's been an amazing journey, and I believe that the best is yet to come." "Kathy is a great choice," said Shirley Dobson, in a recent interview with The Stream at this year's NDP U.S. Capitol prayer event. Mrs. Dobson served as NDP chairman for 25 years, stepping down in 2016. "She is a young woman of prayer who has a lot of energy. She knows all the volunteers, national area leaders and the 50 state coordinators. I've always lived by the slogan Where God guides, God provides -- and he will provide for her." Reflecting on the future of the NDP Task Force under her leadership, Mrs. Branzell shared, "The next generation is filled with the Holy Spirit and passionate about prayer. I want to hear more from them and spotlight what they're doing. Maybe we'll talk less about Washington, and more about the whole nation and all the prayers being lifted up. We need them. We would be foolish if we thought there was one generation, one ethnicity, one gathering, or one person that could call this nation to prayer. The Body of Christ is beautiful in reflecting every nation, tribe and tongue. Jesus never called us to go it alone. He never sent his disciples out alone. We will continue to reach out to every community and all denominations, because we're all the Body of Christ." Along with her work on behalf of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, she is the founder and president of Fellowship and Christian Encouragement (FACE) for Educators where she authored seventeen years of weekly scripture reading, prayer prompts and devotionals for educators to use to use in their weekly prayer meetings throughout the school year. She is the author/co-author of five books including, An Invitation to Prayer; Developing a Lifestyle of Intimacy with God; 40 Days of Love: A Prayer-Care-Share Devotional; Prayer Warrior: the Battle Plan to Victory; An Apple a Day: 365 Day devotional for Teachers; and A Prayer Warrior's Guide to Spiritual Battle. She earned her bachelor's degree in Education and Human Development from the University of Georgia, and her master's degree in Biblical Studies from Liberty Theological Seminary. She has served as a Rapid Response Chaplin for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, and the National Coordinator of LOVE2020 and National Facilitator for the Mission America Coalition (Now The Table Coalition) Having raised two children with her husband Russ, Kathy lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She plans for the prayer ministry to continue as a remote team, as several NDP staff are based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her fifth book, a devotional entitled An Invitation to Prayer (BroadStreet), released last month. About the National Day of Prayer The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America, evidenced by the Continental Congress' proclamation in 1775 setting aside a day of prayer. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. To learn more, or to find a National Day of Prayer event in your community, visit www.NationalDayofPrayer.org . To schedule a media interview with Kathy Branzell, send your request to media@nationaldayofprayer.org , or contact Dion Elmore, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at The National Day of Prayer Task Force, (719) 559-9574. SOURCE National Day of Prayer Task Force CONTACT: Dion Elmore, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, National Day of Prayer Task Force, 719-559-9574, media@nationaldayofprayer.org Related Links Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) An official from the Department of Health (DOH) said local vinegar brands made out of synthetic or so-called "fake" ingredients are not exactly "unsafe," but will have to be probed for mislabeling their products. An inter-agency investigation is underway in the wake of a study by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) that eight out of 10 vinegar brands are made out of synthetic acetic acid, rather than fermented coconut sap or sugarcane. "'Yun kasing synthetic acetic acid, 'pag ginamit siya sa vinegar, then we consider it as adulterated product. It's not necessarily unsafe, kaya lang ang vinegar na for human consumption sa ating batas, naka-define siya as acetic acid from natural fermentation," Health Undersecretary and Spokesman Eric Domingo told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon. [Translation: When you use synthetic acetic acid for vinegar, we consider it as adulterated product. It's not necessarily unsafe, but under our laws, vinegar for human consumption is defined as acetic acid from natural fermentation.] Domingo also sits as officer-in-charge of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after President Rodrigo Duterte sacked its director general Nela Charade Puno last week. The DOH, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Trade and Industry are set to meet Monday afternoon to discuss the vinegar issue. For now, Domingo said they are looking for the PNRI report to name the brands said to be using synthetic acid. Raymond Sucgang, section head of the PNRI Nuclear Analytical Techniques Applications Section, said the use of these synthetic acetic acid "can be the source of various degenerative diseases." On Monday, PNRI Director Carlo Arcilla clarified these findings. "We have not stated that the non-fermented acetic acid are cancerous. That is just a speculation or even a misrepresentation of the comments," Arcilla told CNN Philippines. "Ang problema doon ay kung ano ang kahalo niya [The problem is what's mixed into the acid]. When you manufacture synthetic acetic acid, there will be some by-products and that will have to be taken away. 'Yung purity as food grade has to be ascertained and also labeled in the product," he added. Domingo said that the use of manufactured rather than natural acids in the condiment is not really a health hazard, but that the bigger issue is mislabeling. READ: EcoWaste Coalition calls for establishment of 'safety committee' on 'fake vinegar' Domingo said there are 274 registered vinegar products with the FDA, which should all be made up of natural ingredients. "At the correct concentration, wala naman tayong alam na masamang effect ng acetic acid whether natural siya or synthetic siya. Kaya lang, hindi lang siya ang dapat na component ng pagkain [we don't know of a negative side effect of acetic acid whether natural or synthetic. But it shouldn't be the only component of food]," Domingo said. "It's exactly the same acetic acid as DOST has said, kaya lang kapag pagkain kasi, gusto natin galing siya sa natural na mga pamamaraan ng pag-produce ng acetic acid. Kailangan lang, kung dineclare nila na natural siya, dapat 'yun din ang laman. Hindi pwedeng mag-mislabel," he added. [Translation: It's exactly the same acetic acid as DOST has said, but for food, we want that it comes from natural ways of producing acetic acid. What's necessary is if they declare it as natural, its contents should be natural. You can't mislabel.] Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said separately that the PNRI study on local vinegars was endorsed to the Food and Drug Administration as early as March 2018 but it appears that the recommendation was not picked up by the agency. For his part, Domingo said there are currently no indications that this is connected to the termination of Nela Charade Puno as FDA chief. Vinegar brands using synthetic acids should be pulled out of the market, Pinol said. PNRI's Arcilla explained that the PNRI has only concluded which vinegar products are natural or artificial, but said that it is the FDA which can determine if the synthetic ones pose health hazards or not. "Hindi naman lahat ng artificial ay masama... [Not all artificial goods are bad.] It depends on the purity, and those things are ascertained by the FDA at saka 'yung consumer protection ng DTI," Arcilla added, saying that this is why the PNRI did not reveal the vinegar brands yet. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) Authorities are eyeing to shut down online gaming firms found to have hired at least 12,000 foreigners illegally. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that there are thousands of foreigners working in Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) companies without permits, bolstering suspicions that the government is losing out on billions of pesos of income taxes from this industry. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said these POGO firms hiring illegal foreign workers must be shut down. He also believes that there are a lot more foreigners employed illegally in the country. For the next meeting, we would like to see movement on the assessment, we would like to see inspections and closure of establishments with illegal foreign workers. So we'd like to see progress. And you know, if there are 12,000 that you found, there must be a lot more, a lot more who are floating around, Dominguez said in a statement. The figures do not include POGOs based in special economic zones as well as restaurants, which are yet to be inspected by the agency. The Department of Finance (DOF) has been leading the crackdown on POGOs employing foreigners without complying with local laws, saying that they have not been paying income taxes despite working in the Philippines. Initial estimates showed the government may be missing out on 32 billion worth of annual income taxes from foreign POGO workers alone. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has so far computed 1.4 billion in withholding taxes which should have been remitted by 19 POGO service providers in 2018. These firms have been given tax assessments and will be given 10 days to respond, said BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa. Dominguez also called on the Bureau of Immigration to step up arrests of illegal foreign workers, saying that the agency only captured 393 aliens last year. Based on a DOF statement, the DOLE has reported that these illegal aliens are employed by 33 POGO firms. The DOLE also discovered 20 out of the 148 POGO companies are not registered with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Across all industries, there are only 122,397 foreigners holding working permits that make their stay in the country legitimate. The figure is lower than the previous tally of 138,000 after validation and removal of duplicates. READ: DOLE reviewing work permits to foreigners to check if jobs were not snatched from Pinoys A foreigner must get an alien employment permit from DOLE before they can work in the Philippines. New rules issued by the Labor department this month also require foreign workers to secure tax identification numbers from the BIR. Bureau of Local Employment Director Dominique Tutay previously said that bulk of the special work permits were for the Chinese totaling 127,033, more than two-thirds the 185,000 granted in 2018. With a new legal opinion, Attorney General William Tong has given a boost to the long campaign by labor to pass captive audience legislation, a measure unions say is needed to protect employees from coercion during organizing drives, but business calls an illegal infringement of management free-speech rights. Tong delivered a split opinion on two labor bills now before the state legislature: On one, Tong stood by his predecessors opinion that the federal National Labor Relations Act preempts action by the state; but Tong concluded that a second version can be fairly defended as outside the scope of NLRA preemption as articulated by the courts. Tong, a Democrat elected last year with the backing of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, issued the formal opinion on the two Senate labor bills in response to a request by Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, one of the Republicans who have questioned Tongs ability to deliver an unbiased opinion on labor issues. I am very concerned about Tong, Fasano said Monday. He has been very clear when he speaks in front of unions and when he ran where he stood on union issues. Fasano declined to comment at length on the opinion, saying he had received it over the weekend and still was assessing it. But Tong said his assessment was consistent with that of his predecessor, George Jepsen, and that his involvement came at the invitation of a Republican leader, not a union. Let me be clear: I was asked for my opinion by the Republican leader of the Senate. I have done nothing to politicize this issue or take sides, Tong said. Im not injecting myself into this, politicizing it or making it an issue. There is a legislative proposal, and I was asked my opinion on that. Jepsen informally raised concerns about preemption in 2011, effectively killing a captive audience bill that had been passed by the House and was before the Senate that year. In 2018, Jepsen issued a formal opinion about another captive audience bill. Tong said one of the bills proposed this year, Senate Bill 64, is nearly identical to a 2018 version that Jepsen said was preempted by federal law. But Tong said in his opinion that the other, Senate Bill 440, is materially different from the proposed legislation that was the subject of the 2018 Opinion. The latter is awaiting action on the Senate calendar. In his opinion and during a telephone interview Monday, Tong said that Senate Bill 440 is more narrowly written than other versions. It would bar employers from forcing employees to attend meetings pertaining to religious and political issues, while specifying that employers are free to compel attendance on other work-related subjects. Its nuanced, I get that, Tong said. Im not saying were not going to get challenged. Im saying this is what the law says, and Im ready to defend it. Tong said Senate Bill 440 builds on existing protections in state law that allow employees to leave meetings of a religious or political nature, the latter including a discussion of unionization. In his opinion, he wrote that SB 440 would advance this purpose by amending and clarifying an existing statute and expressly defining the rights protected to include the right to freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association, and shall include the right not to be required to listen to speech. But employers would retain the right to compel attendance on a wide range of management concerns, such as safety policies, and to discipline those who decline. Eric Gjede, the vice president for government affairs for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said the two bills are built around the same language, and stuffing the provisions of Senate Bill 440 into the framework of existing law does not change that. The language is almost identical, Gjede said. We continue to stand by our argument its preempted by federal law. Tong leads a law office that defends the state against litigation and enforces consumer-protection, environmental and other laws by seeking civil penalties, and he is free as an elected official to suggest changes in public policy. But in issuing formal opinions, the attorney general is performing a quasi-judicial task as the governor and legislators rarely defy an opinion that a law would be indefensible. Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, a retired UAW executive who is co-chair of the legislatures Labor and Public Employees Committee, said Tongs opinion was both welcomed and well-defended. I think its a very thoughtful analysis of the question that was before him. He confirms that it is not preempted, Kushner said. I feel like its a good decision, and it clears the way for us to pass this bill in the Senate and establish protections of constitutional rights of workers while they are at work. Rep. Dave Rutigliano, R-Trumbull, the ranking Republican on the labor committee, said he saw no need for the bill. I may be naive, but I dont know of too many employer-employee relationships that are that contentious. I think in the real world they are a lot less contentious than maybe some of the advocates think they are, Rutigliano said. Sal Luciano, the president of the AFL-CIO, said private-sector workers often are pressured during organizing campaigns. He described cases of housekeepers at the health facilities being followed into supply closets by managers pressing them not to unionize. Of the relatively low success rates of organizing private employers, Luciano said. This issue is one of the reasons why that doesnt happen. MIDDLETOWN Middlesex Health is welcoming the community to indulge in an Appetite for Life throughout June as a way to raise money so cancer patients can avail themselves of healing services not covered by health insurance. This is one of the things that makes Middlesex a very special place. We work hard because its important to us to take care of the whole patient in multiple ways, said Dr. Rachel Lovins, chairwoman of the Department of Medicine at Middlesex Hospital. All throughout June, Cancer Survivors Month, the hospital has partnered with area dining establishments, which will donate between 10 and 20 percent of proceeds on certain days to support the Middlesex Health Cancer Center, 540 Saybrook Road, Middletown; and 250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook. Now in its 10th year, Appetite for Life has raised more than $175,000 for cancer patient support services at locations in Middletown and Westbrook. They include nurse navigation, social work, clinical trials and integrative medicine. Anyone can access these programs. The name of the event Appetite for Life does have resonance to it: Celebrate your life, celebrate someone maybe who you did lose, said Sarah Moore, director of development at Middlesex Health. Every October, the facilitys Go Pink project benefits integrative services at the cancer center. Middletown participants include ION Restaurant, Mezzo Grille, El Pulpo, Esca Restaurant & Wine Bar, La Boca, Puerto Vallarta, The Whey (Stationary) and Lan Chis Vietnamese Restaurant; and for the canine crowd, Adelbrook Barkery. Others are On the Rocks at Fox Hopyard, East Haddam; Baci Grill, Cromwell; Fromage Fine Foods & Coffees, Dairy Queen and The Back Porch, all in Old Saybrook; Savour Cafe & Bakery, Centerbrook; and The Copper Beech Inn, Ivoryton. Theyre not offering a gift to a patron, theyre turning that into a gift for the cancer center, Moore said of these restaurants. The kickoff party at Herd Restaurant, 200 Main St., is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. May 29. Happy hour will feature wine, beer and food tastings, dancing to the sounds of The Inflatables rock and blues cover band and raffle prizes. Lovins, also an oil painter, plays guitar and sings as part of the group, which includes Yale School of Medicine professors Drs. Auguste Fortin, on harmonica and vocals; and Michael Green, an HIV specialist whose talent is the guitar; movie producer, teacher of film and writer David Atkins on drums; Don Wunderlee, a guitarist and abstract painter; and Jack Golden, an electrical engineer, songwriter and bass player. The New Haven-based band was founded in 1997, while Lovins was in med school, and includes some of her teachers at Yale. Members play clubs in New Haven, parties, med school events and graduations. Expect to hear songs by the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Lucinda Williams, Talking Heads, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty and others on kickoff night. Lovins believes in integrating art and medicine, calling them a natural fit. Theyre not separated, theyre related, and it makes people better clinicians, Lovins said. It makes everybody more compassionate if they can tap into both sides of their brains. Hospital staff truly take a holistic approach to their profession and lives as a way to deepen their understanding of patients and foster a sense of community, she said. Middlesex was one of only three hospitals in the country to earn the 2019 Dewitt C. Baldwin Jr. Award for humanism in medicine. Were looking at the whole person not just the patient, but the staff, Lovins said. That way, clinicians can treat the whole person by taking advantage of a mindfulness and compassion center and monthly meetings that encourage conversation and artistic elements. Because were independent, we have the opportunity to explore those things that others may not, Lovins said. When youre diagnosed with cancer, its not just your body thats going through it. Its your family and your finances, your mental health, emotional health. We have a number of supports in place that help patients manage all of that chaos, Moore said. When theyre done, all of the doctors theyve been seeing and supporting them, that almost goes away, so there is still active support once treatment is over, such as survivorship meetings, where patients can reflect on what happened and speak about issues such as fatigue and pain to get them back on track, Moore said. A second party will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. June 12 at Luigis Restaurant, 1295 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook. Both events will feature appetizers, beer and wine tastings, music and a chance to win great prizes. Tickets are $20, and can be purchased online or at the door. For information and a list of restaurants, visit middlesexhealth.org/appetiteforlife. EAST HAMPTON Residents will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on the towns proposed $46.7 million budget for the coming fiscal year. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the middle school gymnasium. Some 8,472 residents are eligible to vote, according to Registrar of Voters Lori Wilcox. The proposed budget is about 2.77 percent higher than the current years total spending plan. It includes $11.3 million in spending for General Government, a 5.5 percent increase. Education spending is proposed at $31.3 million , a 2.0 percent increase. Debt service, the money used to pay down previously approved bond projects, is listed in the general government line item. For the coming year, bonded debt will amount to $905,500, a 6.5 percent increase. Capital funding, which is used to pay for so-called big-ticket items, is also included in general government spending. The proposed budget calls for spending $3.228,386 for capital items in the coming year, which is flat funded and shows no increase. When the three components, operations, debt service and capital expenditures, are tallied-up together, they result in a total of $15.5 million . If the budget were approved, the tax rate would rise to 33.54 mills, an increase of 1.33 mills. The proposed budget is the last one for the town that will be prepared by Town Manager Michael Maniscalco. Maniscalco, who has been manager since 2012, is leaving on July 14 to become town manager in South Windsor. In a telephone conversation Monday, Maniscalco urged as many of his fellow residents as possible to turn out and vote. Maniscalco noted general government spending only increased by 1.1 percent last year. If you look on your history, if in one year the increase is very low then the next year youll generally see a pretty significant increase, he said. And that, he said, it what is happening this year. Last year, some things were not done, in part because of the continuing uncertainty about the levels of state aid to municipalities. However, Now we have things that we have to do, he said. With the new town hall/police headquarters under construction, Weve added a maintenance employee, he said. The town currently contracts for a service to clean the 73-year-old Town Hall. But with the new Town Hall twice the size of this building, we felt we needed a full-time maintenance worker, Maniscalco said. The budget also calls for hiring a new police officer but not bringing the officer on until Jan. 1. Mansiclaco said the process of selecting a candidate would probably take the better part of the of first six months of the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1. Police Chief Dennis Woessner had requested funding for two officers, but Maniscalco said he had trimmed back that request to one officer. The Board of Finance restored funding for the second officer. But then, when the town council conducted its review of the budget, it followed Maniscalcos lead and only asked for funding for one officer. The department has an authorized strength of 15. But from almost the very beginning of his tenure as chief, Woessner has pointed out the changing nature of police work and the increase in related technology demanded more personnel. Not only that, Woessner has said, but residents have a right to expect a certain level of policing, which East Hampton currently does not meet. In their review, the council also reduced proposed capital spending for the Board of Education by some $300,000. Superintendent of Schools Paul K. Smith currently is reviewing his options for how to deal with that reduction. To date, he has proposed eliminating some security upgrades proposed in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook slayings and cutting back on replacement Chrome books in the middle school. HARTFORD State Rep. Christie Carpinos, R-Cromwell, proposal to identify solutions to barriers for those with disabilities seeking employment passed the House of Representatives unanimously last week. Carpino introduced the concept earlier this session after speaking with constituents and advocates about the struggles those with physical and intellectual disabilities encounter when seeking gainful employment, according to a press release. Research has confirmed those with disabilities are woefully underrepresented in the workplace. The bill requires a diverse group of stakeholders to form a task force and present solutions to the General Assembly in time for actions to be taken this legislative term. Disabilities do not define an individual and yet they seem to limit employment opportunities. Employment drives financial stability, social interaction, and self-worth, Carpino said in a prepared statement. There are too many individuals who have abilities and passions to share and yet they face hurdles. It is critical that we connect Connecticuts job creators with those that have personally faced these hurdles to better understand how to forge a better path forward. We should have a more inclusive workplace across all industries. Job seekers find it difficult to coordinate existing services and to identify future opportunities, she said in the release. Constituents have confided in her that its difficult to coordinate individual programs across agencies, opportunities differ between regions, assistance is limited, and barriers exist. Multiple groups and individuals across Connecticut submitted testimony in support of the bill. The bill now heads to the state Senate for further action. It must be voted on by June 5 by the Senate and signed by the governor to become law. As a practicing Infectious Diseases physician for almost 20 years, I have seen and diagnosed many common and unusual infections. One infection I have been fortunate to never have encountered in Danbury is measles. Measles has been making headlines in 2019 with recent outbreaks occurring on a cruise ship, on several college campuses, and in communities in the New York metropolitan area and other areas of the country. According to recently published data by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the overall measles immunization rates of Connecticut school children is more than 98 percent. However, there are still areas with incredibly low rates of immunization, leaving our children and neighbors vulnerable to contracting measles. I recognize that choosing to get vaccinated is a personal choice. As a physician who sees how infectious diseases can affect people, Id like to take this time to provide information I hope you will find useful. Measles Stats So far this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 704 individual measles cases across 22 states the highest number of reported measles cases in the United States since 1994. As of early May, health officials reported 214 measles cases in Rockland County, New York, and confirmed 423 cases in Brooklyn and Queens. Both outbreaks in New York began in late 2018. These sobering statistics confirm what public health officials have known for decades the measles vaccine is an important, safe, and effective tool for preventing measles in the community. Misinformation about the disease and vaccine is rampant on social media and the internet promoting fear and anxiety. About Measles Measles, also called rubeola, is a viral infection that can be spread easily from person to person through airborne respiratory droplets that are released when a contagious person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Because the measles virus can remain in the air for up to two hours, a susceptible person can contract measles just by being in a room that a person with measles occupied. Measles also spreads easily because some people may not realize they have the disease. Early symptoms, such as dry cough, fever, runny nose, and red eyes (conjunctivitis), are similar to other common illnesses. The most recognizable sign of measles is a skin rash, but the rash usually does not develop until a few days after early symptoms begin. In fact, the rash may not develop until 21 days after exposure to measles. Although rare, some people may never develop the rash. There is no treatment for measles other than supportive care with over-the-counter fever-reducing medications, fluids, and rest. If you have symptoms of measles or have been exposed to the disease, you should call your health care provider and let them know that you think you might have measles. You do not need to visit the hospital unless you have complications which require emergency care. Your health care provider can accurately diagnose your condition and help you take steps to avoid spreading the disease to others. If you do visit your health care providers office, its crucial that you let them know you might have been exposed to measles so that they can take the proper precautions to prevent infecting others. Who is at risk for getting measles? Measles is highly contagious. According to public health officials, most of the recent measles cases have occurred in people who have not received the measles vaccine. If you have not been vaccinated and are exposed to measles, you can have a 90 percent chance of contracting the disease. Infants, pregnant women, seniors, and people with compromised immune systems (such as people with leukemia or lymphoma) are at the highest risk of getting measles and developing further complications. This could be your baby, the child next door, your neighbor, or your grandparents. Although the symptoms of measles themselves are usually not serious, these higher-risk individuals can develop ear infections or other more severe complications such as pneumonia. Most of the children recently hospitalized because of measles have had pneumonia. Another dangerous complication of measles is encephalitis, swelling of the brain, which can cause seizures and permanent brain damage. Severe complications of measles may even lead to death. Safe, Effective Measles Prevention The measles vaccine is a safe, effective, and easy way to prevent measles. The vaccine helps your body develop antibodies against the measles virus, which allows your immune system to fight off the virus after you are exposed. After receiving two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, 97- to 99-percent of people can be protected against measles. If you have already received two doses of the MMR vaccine, you can continue with normal activities and do not need to drastically alter your life due to measles outbreaks. Although most people receive both doses of the MMR vaccine as children, its never too late to receive it. Most adults who were fully vaccinated as children do not need an MMR booster shot. Its important for unvaccinated adults who are not pregnant to receive the vaccine. The vaccine also can be given up to 72 hours after exposure to measles and may provide some protection or reduce symptoms. Protect Yourself and Your Community One hundred years ago, infections were the leading cause of death in the United States with most deaths occurring in children under the age of 5. The prevention of measles and infectious diseases through use of vaccines, antibiotics, and advances in public health is a truly remarkable accomplishment of medicine. Modern vaccine programs are an effective medical and public health development that have helped eradicate deadly infections that used to kill millions of people every year. Unfortunately, these diseases are now coming back due to misinformation about the safety of the vaccines, even though study after study has proven that vaccines are safe. Getting the measles vaccine does more than just protect you and your children it also protects people in your community who are unable to receive the vaccine or who are at a higher risk of contracting the disease and developing serious complications. Recently, Ive been seeing memes and conversations on social media justifying avoiding vaccination and downplaying the seriousness of measles. If you have questions or concerns about measles or the measles vaccine, you should talk to a trusted health care provider. Your health care provider can assess your risk factors and vaccination status, as well as provide accurate, evidence-based health and vaccine information. Dr. Paul Nee is an Infectious Diseases Specialist at Danbury and New Milford Hospitals. To the Editor: As the family members of our veterans, we hold a special place in our hearts for the parents, siblings, spouses and friends of those who served. We cannot help but think of all the men and women who have gone to fight for this great nation and did not return home. While we are all guilty of celebrating the unofficial start of summer and encouraging each other to have a good weekend, it is important to remember the reason for the holiday. Memorial Day is the day Americans set aside to honor those brave men and women who met tragic ends while defending our freedom. It is our duty to honor their sacrifices, to pray for their families and to bow our heads in recognition of their service. On National Poppy Day, May 24, American Legion Auxiliary members across the state of Connecticut and the country will be distributing poppies as a tribute to our fallen warriors. We invite residents to stop by and see us and to receive a poppy to wear in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We must never forget. The poppy, which bloomed on the battlefields of France after World War I, has grown to become an internationally known and recognized symbol of the lives sacrificed in war and the hope that none died in vain. If you choose to donate to the poppy cans, 100 percent of all donations received will go directly to help veterans, military and their families here in Connecticut. The American Legion Family has called upon Congress to designate the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day. To learn more about the auxiliarys mission, visit ALAforVeterans.org or ctaladept.weebly.com. Janice Sentivany, chairman, American Legion Auxiliary, Department of CT, Coventry ABOARD A C-37 MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- As Congress reviews the Defense Department's budget request for the upcoming fiscal year, the prospect of adding a new, fourth-generation fighter should be weighed against the necessity of growing the Air Force's inventory with more capable aircraft to replace the aging current fleet, according to the service's top civilian. The only factor that would stifle the new F-15EX fleet would be another bad budget situation, said outgoing Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. "If the budget gets crunched in the out years, you can't start trading off and saying we're going to keep open an F-15 line for single-digit numbers of airplanes," Wilson said during an interview May 14. "This has to be a long-term commitment to get the Air Force [inventory] healthy." If the budget does force the service to pick an aircraft, that decision is obvious, Wilson said. "We're not going to trade off fifth-generation for fourth-generation." The goal is to keep a well-rounded mix of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft through the 2030s. That includes the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, A-10 Thunderbolt II and the F-15 Eagle/Strike Eagle, she said. Related content: But "the F-15C is not going to make it," Wilson said during the interview. "We need to replace those F-15Cs with something." Military.com traveled with the outgoing secretary on one of her last trips to Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, before she departs the Pentagon in the next two weeks to take her new position as president of the University of Texas at El Paso. Officials in 2017 voiced the same concern about the F-15C's longevity. The original plan to replace retiring F-15s with F-22 Raptors "was foreclosed. So we think this is a good option," Wilson said. It has been more than 20 years since a new F-15 model was added to the Air Force's inventory. During a speech Wilson made earlier at Maxwell to audiences attending a National Security Forum, the secretary cited concerns with the F-15C's longerons. "We are already having serious problems with that airframe, with metal fatigue within the longerons on the side of the aircraft," she said during the forum. In order to stop the average age its aircraft inventory from increasing, the service calculates it needs to buy 72 new aircraft per year to replace old planes, Wilson said. In March, Wilson told reporters at the annual Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, that the service needs to boost its fighter inventory, but had not expected to do so with the F-15EX. But in the service's 2020 budget proposal to Congress, officials are requesting to buy 48 Lockheed Martin-made F-35A jets each year through 2024, as well as eight new "F-15EX" fighters. The service plans to buy 80 F-15s over the next five years, increasing its inventory to at least 144 over the next decade. The F-15EX fighter jet proposal has been a subject of hot debate in Washington, D.C. Last week, lawmakers signaled that the Boeing-made F-15EX is inching closer to reality with the release of the House Appropriations Committee's draft defense bill, which would fund eight of the aircraft. Wilson's message to those on both sides of the F-15EX debate is simple: There needs to be a balance. "You've got to, in some way, modernize here. I think the fear of the Air Force, before the F-35 got going, is that it would [meet] the same fate as the F-22. [But] we are now at a point with the F-35 where the price is coming down. We are doing everything that we can to drive down the cost of sustainment, to make this a long-term commitment. I hope we're at a point now where the commitment is high enough to recapitalize the Air Force with F-35s" over time, while attending to the F-15C dilemma, she said. Ex-pilots have publicly criticized the F-15EX choice, saying its strategically dislocating to the overall mission. "To me, this is a moral issue," said retired Gen. T. Michael "Buzz" Moseley, former Air Force chief of staff, in a recent interview with Military.com. "Do we put our young officers in an airplane that we know, before we even buy them, that they're not as survivable?" The former chief and F-15 Eagle pilot said a smarter choice for the Air Force may have passed the service by. "If the Air Force or [the Defense Department instead] three-to-four years ago had decided to build a derivative of the F-22 that would have probably have been the right time," he said. Moseley, who was removed as chief by then-Defense Secretary Bob Gates, was a fierce advocate of keeping to the original plan of buying 381 F-22s. "I think that, by not looking to build an F-22 derivative a few years ago, the window of opportunity has probably closed," he said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. A Florida woman and her boyfriend were arrested last week for scamming an 82-year-old veteran out of his life savings to fuel their drug habit after the man told a crisis line he wanted to kill himself over his empty bank account, authorities said. Jessica Henry, 31, and Gregory Dushan, 28, coerced more than $50,000, along with property, from the U.S. Coast Guard veteran, DeLand police said in a news release. The couple allegedly spent more than $500 of the money on drugs daily. The 82-year-old victim called the Veterans Crisis Center and told the agency that his bank account had a negative balance and he felt the only solution was to end his life, the release said. The center immediately called police. The victim, who hasn't been identified, told officers that he first met Henry about three years ago. He started giving the woman money after she claimed she wasn't able to feed her children and didn't have transportation to take them to school, the release said. Henry contacted the victim again six months ago, claiming she needed $350 a day to pay for urine tests as part of her probation for a recent arrest, WKMG-TV reported, citing an arrest report. Dushan, pretending to be Henry's probation officer, also called the victim daily to demand between $150 and $1,000. Dushan threatened to seize the victim's car and throw him in jail if the demands weren't met, police said. The veteran eventually gave his car to Dushan. Police said they have since recovered the vehicle. Henry and Dushan were charged with exploiting an elderly person between amounts of $20,000 and $100,000. Dushan was separately charged with impersonating a correction/probation officer. The couple could face more charges, police said. A DeLand police spokesman told WKMG that the department is looking into ways to help the 82-year-old, who has been unable to pay his rent because of the incident. As a show of force to Iran, the aircraft carrier Lincoln's strike group teamed with Marines from the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge to carry out intensive training operations in the Arabian Sea over the weekend. F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Lincoln and Marine AV-8B Harrier jump jets off the Kearsarge joined in air-to-air combat and close-air support training, while the Maritime Raid Force from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit practiced fast-roping to board enemy ships, the Navy's Fifth Fleet said in a lengthy statement Sunday. The message to Iran through exercises meant to improve operational tactics was clear. The training was "aimed towards increasing our lethality and agility to respond to threats, and deterring destabilizing actions in this important region," said Rear Adm. John Wade, commander of Carrier Strike Group 12 aboard the Lincoln. The exercises could also be seen as the Navy's response to Iranian warnings of a possible missile threat to U.S. carriers. Related content: "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," Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's air force, said last week, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. The exercises included dissimilar air combat training (DACT) in which the Super Hornets played the adversary, giving the Harriers "a rare chance to train with a capable and stealthy opponent," the Fifth Fleet statement said. "I'd never had a chance to train with Harriers before," said Lt. Cmdr. Michael Scott, a Lincoln pilot who led the DACT. "It was pretty neat to see the Harrier up close in the air." As part of the exercises, CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from the 22nd MEU, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, completed deck qualifications on the Lincoln, and MV-22 Ospreys from the Kearsarge, based in Norfolk, Virginia, also landed on the carrier, the Fifth Fleet said. The "tactical fluency" gained from the exercises shows that the strike group can "efficiently traverse any waters uncontested and readily employ our military assets anywhere, at any time," said Capt. Jason Rimmer, commander of the Kearsarge, according to the release. The Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, including the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers Bainbridge, Mason and Nitze, had been on a round-the-world transit from Norfolk to a new homeport in San Diego, when it was sent to the Arabian Sea two weeks early. The sped-up deployment followed on a May 3 announcement by National Security Adviser John Bolton that the carrier was being sent to the Gulf region along with B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, to guard against threats to U.S. interests from Iran. Last week, the State Department announced that non-essential personnel were being evacuated from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in northern Irbil. Both President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have said they want to avoid war, but tensions heightened again Sunday night when a Katyusha rocket hit inside the heavily secured Green Zone in Baghdad about a mile from the U.S. Embassy, according to an Iraqi military spokesman, The Associated Press reported. In a statement, Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said, "We are aware of an explosion" in the Green Zone. "There were no U.S. or coalition casualties, and Iraqi Security Forces are investigating the incident." Related Video: (May 10, 2019) Carrier Air Wing 7 performs nighttime flight operations aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. FORT IRWIN, California -- One of the takeaways 3rd Infantry Division soldiers here can agree on is that the National Training Center shows a unit what it's like to fight a formidable enemy on its own turf. "When we do training exercises like this back at Fort Stewart [Georgia], the enemy is wearing the same uniform that we are wearing. They use the same equipment, the same tanks and everything, so it's kind of a pain to discriminate between what is enemy and what is friendly," said Spc. Kalani Palacio, a forward observer attached to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. "But here, you can clearly distinguish friend and foe, and I think that is pretty important." The Army's 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, known as the "Black Horse," plays the opposing force (OPFOR) at NTC. It's equipped with nearly 200 hybrid vehicles constructed out of M113s equipped with Bradley turrets to replicate Russian Army BMP 3 fighting vehicles and T90 tanks. OPFOR units know the 1,000 square miles of training space extremely well, forcing visiting units to use the mountainous terrain to hide their formations from detection. Vehicles and command tents of the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Armored Brigade sit in a valley surrounded by mountainous terrain in an attempt to hide from the enemy during a recent rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com Soldiers from the 2nd ABCT have quickly learned to respect the Black Horse and its tactical prowess on the battlefield. "I think it's good that it's hard, that these people know the terrain, because worst-case scenario, the people that we fight are also going to know their terrain," said Sgt. Stephen Lacy, a gunner on an M1 tank from 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment. "It's a hard enemy to fight." An M1 tank from the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team travels in a convoy May 7 at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com One of the goals of the cadre of observer-controllers (OCs) is to teach units how to improve their planning processes and use their combined-arms capabilities more effectively against an enemy like the OPFOR at NTC. "Where we have an OPFOR that is as capable as Black Horse [which] operates off of a near-peer enemy doctrine, we really need to first understand the terrain that we are operating on and understand the enemy and the way that they will execute their operations," said Maj. James Carr, an OC and brigade executive officer trainer at NTC. Army Capt. Timothy Cody and Maj. Ritchie Rhodes Jr. discuss operational plans May 6 inside the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Teams tactical operations center during a recent rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com "Once we understand what the enemy is doing, and we have done the science and the analysis, we can then start to define what our plan is and then go through the planning iterations of developing a concept of operations of 'How are we going to defeat the enemy?'" he said. Capt. Eric Cannon, commander of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, seated, briefs his leaders the night before the May 8, 2019, attack on the fictional town of Razish at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com One of the main challenges of the 2nd ABCT's recent rotation here was a May 8 attack on the fictional town of Razish, one of NTC's largest urban complexes. Units had to maneuver Bradley fighting vehicles, tanks and other vehicles through enemy-held terrain before they could begin their assault on the enemy-held town. A Bradley fighting vehicle from the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team moves through enemy territory on the morning of May 8 before an attack on the fictional town of Razish at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com After breaching an obstacle designed to deny access to the town, the Bradleys surged forward so infantrymen could dismount and begin clearing the hundreds of buildings in the town. Infantrymen from the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team sprint from behind cover during a May 8 urban battle at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com Squads of soldiers sprinted across open areas, clearing building after building. Simulated enemy machine-gun and rifle fire took its toll on 2nd ABCT soldiers, triggering the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) they wore on their equipment. Pvt. Isaac Lemos of Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 15 Infantry Regiment, clutches a green casualty card while playing the role of a soldier killed in action during a May 8 urban battle at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com Casualties are given a casualty card and evacuated to the field hospital nearby. Wounded soldiers usually rejoin their units within six to 12 hours, said Col. Carl Michaud, deputy commander of NTC. "If they died of wounds, then it's probably going to be 24 hours before they are sent back," he said. Leaders from 2nd ABCT were reluctant to discuss exact casualty figures, but Lt. Col. Arthur McGrue III, commander of 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, said the attack on Razish cost him all but two of the battalion's Bradleys. "It forces a unit to think through what they are going to do for the next mission, because if I just lost six tanks and 20 soldiers ... I may not be capable to do what the commander needs me to do," NTC Command Sgt. Major Matthew Lowe said. Army M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles tow Bradley fighting vehicles belonging to the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team that were knocked out of action during a recent rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Matthew Cox/Military.com -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. About 135 Special Forces soldiers jumped from three Air Force aircraft above the ancient Mont Saint-Michel abbey in Normandy, as part of the commemoration for the upcoming 75th anniversary of D-Day. The 352nd Special Operations Wing and the 86th Airlift Wing delivered the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldiers on Saturday to the drop zone, which was a little over a mile from Mont Saint-Michel. The event was sponsored by the nearby town of Avranches, which was liberated by U.S. forces in 1944. The soldiers greeted the crowds and then headed to Avranches for a wreath-laying at the Gen. George S. Patton Jr. Memorial and a ceremonial toast with the town mayor. The event Saturday recalled the original "Jedburgh" three-man teams that jumped behind enemy lines to train, arm and direct local resistance fighters. The teams included about 300 total Allied troops from the U.S., Britain, Free France, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa. The 10th Special Forces Group draws their lineage from the Jedburghs, a senior enlisted soldier assigned to the group said, according to an Army statement. "We're celebrating their combined effort to liberate Western Europe with local forces," the soldier said. "The airborne operation celebrates the long relationship between America and France and 10th SFG's commitment to continuing the tradition of training and working with our allies in Europe." The 10th Special Forces Group was established in 1952 and immediately afterward deployed to Europe during the Cold War, the statement said. Mont Saint-Michel is a fortified abbey that, due to the tides, periodically turns into an island. It has been the home to monks since the 8th century. The 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 is expected to draw large crowds to Normandy and will include several events remembering the invasion that led to the defeat of Germany and the end of World War II. The U.S. Supreme Court has elected not to hear a case that questioned why members of the U.S. military can't sue the federal government for medical malpractice by military doctors. In a rare display of unity between jurists of the divided court, however, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expressed support for granting the petition while Justice Clarence Thomas penned a dissent to the denial of the petition, Walter Daniel v. the United States. "Such unfortunate repercussions -- denial of relief to military personnel and distortions of other areas of law to compensate -- will continue to ripple through our jurisprudence as long as the Court refuses to reconsider Feres," Thomas wrote Monday. The order released Monday gave insight into the justices' debate over the Feres doctrine, a 69-year-old court ruling that prohibits service members from suing the federal government for injuries deemed incidental to military service. As with any case petitioned to the court, the likelihood of the justices accepting it was slim, as they take roughly 70 to 80 cases a year out of the thousands they receive. But the Daniel case, which involved a Navy nurse who died during childbirth at a naval hospital in Washington State, was not immediately rejected by the court when it was first petitioned in March, providing hope that it might be accepted. Related content: Ultimately, the only two justices who previously had taken issue with Feres -- Ginsburg, before she became a justice, and Thomas, in a two-page dissent in 2013 on another Feres case -- expressed support for hearing the case. Citing the writings of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Thomas wrote, "I have explained before that 'Feres was wrongly decided and heartily deserves the widespread, almost universal criticism it has received.' I write again to point out the unintended consequences of this court's refusal to revisit Feres." The case centered around Navy Lt. Rebekah "Moani" Daniel, who died March 9, 2014, during childbirth at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington, in the same labor and delivery room where she worked. She bled to death within four hours of giving birth to a healthy baby girl. The lawsuit, filed by Daniel's husband Walter, alleged that the doctors failed to respond in a timely manner to Daniel's postpartum bleeding. Walter Daniel said Monday that the dismissal deprives young daughter Victoria and him of the opportunity to learn what really happened in the room the day Moani Daniel died. "The bright note I will share with Victoria is that her mother inspired our good fight and inspired so many others as well," Daniel said in a statement. "I've heard from hundreds of service members and their families cheering us on and sharing what the promise of our efforts would mean to them and their ability to seek answers through the justice system." Daniel's attorney Andrew Hoyal said he is "clearly disappointed" by the decision but thankful that Thomas and Ginsburg recognized the importance of the case. "We knew from the beginning that this would be a long journey with even longer odds, but we're proud of the progress we've made and the light we've shed on this issue," Hoyal said. As a result of the Feres ruling -- a decision that encompasses three separate court cases dating back to 1950 -- U.S. military personnel can sue the government only in limited circumstances under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). They cannot sue for injuries sustained on active duty or resulting from the negligence of other military personnel -- a prohibition seen as vital for protecting those who make crucial battlefield decisions, including operational commanders and combat doctors and medics. But Feres extends beyond the battlefield. Troops can't sue the government for medical or legal malpractice. In previous denials of court challenges to Feres, members of the U.S. Supreme Court have said that Congress must change the Federal Tort Claims Act to allow military members to sue for malpractice. This year, chairwoman of the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California, introduced a bill to do just that: The Sgt. First Class Richard Stayskal Military Medical Accountability bill would allow personnel to sue for damages related to injury or death in cases of medical malpractice by military doctors that take place in a military hospital or clinic setting. Named for a former Marine and active-duty Green Beret who has terminal lung cancer and whose early tumor was missed by Army physicians, the bill would allow those with pending or future claims to sue. It would not apply to past cases or to mistakes made outside a hospital or clinic setting, such as in combat at battalion aid stations or on ships. During a hearing in April, Speier said the bill is needed because the U.S. Supreme Court erred in ruling on Feres in 1950 -- a clear case, she said, of the justices legislating from the bench. "A [prisoner] can sue under the FTCA for malpractice but a service member cannot who is not in a combat setting? This is a gross example of judicial activism of the worse kind," Speier said. The Bill, H.R. 2422, has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. It has bipartisan support with 10 co-sponsors. Walter Daniel said he supports the legislative effort and added that the fight continues for other service members. "Moani's story has generated a groundswell of momentum to correct the injustice of Feres, and now this issue is going all the way to Capitol Hill," he said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. This article originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues. President Donald Trump could issue a pardon on Memorial Day for Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher, former Special Forces Maj. Matthew Golsteyn, and Marine Scout Snipers accused of urinating on Taliban corpses, the New York Times is reporting. The White House is working with the Justice Department and military services to get the paperwork necessary for the pardons in order, according to the Times. The president has already voiced support for Gallagher, who is accused of killing a wounded ISIS fighter with his knife, and Golsteyn, who has admitted to killing an unarmed suspected Taliban bomb-maker. Trump had Gallagher released from pretrial confinement by tweeting that he should be moved to a less restrictive environment and he promised to personal review Golsteyn's case, calling the former Green Beret a "U.S. military hero." Tim Parlatore, Gallagher's civilian attorney, welcomed the possibility of a pardon but stressed he is still working on his client's defense. "Our primary desire is for Chief Gallagher to go home to his family," Parlatore told Task & Purpose. "Chief Gallagher is innocent of these charges and we are still preparing to exonerate him in court. However, if the president chooses either through a pardon or dismissal to end this nightmare early and send Chief Gallagher home to his family, he would be eternally grateful." Golsteyn's civilian attorney Philip Stackhouse issued a statement to Task & Purpose saying news that Trump may pardon his client validates Golsteyn's actions. "We put our warriors in the most difficult situations imaginable and ask them to do the unthinkable: kill," Stackhouse said. "When faced with life or death situations on the battlefield, I think we should take a very hard look at ourselves before attempting to second-guess warrior's decisions made 5, 6, 7000 miles away in a complex kinetic environment, with little to no sleep, and with the weight of war on their shoulders. "I trust Matt Golsteyn's decisions on the battlefield because of who he is and it seems the president does as well. Army leadership might think about trusting its warriors combat decision making, i.e. Matt's decision making, in the moment vice second guessing with the luxury of time, space, and hindsight." While the president has not made such comments about the scout snipers who were videotaped urinating on the Taliban dead in 2011, his former lawyer John Dowd had petitioned to have the Marines' records cleared following a military appeals court ruling that then-Commandant Marine Gen. James Amos committed unlawful command influence by telling the first general officer in charge of investigating the case that he wanted the Marines "crushed." Dowd declined to comment on Saturday. Guy Womack, a civilian attorney who represented one of the Scout Snipers, Staff Sgt. Rob Richards, told Task & Purpose on Saturday that he requested a presidential pardon shortly after Trump took office but he has not heard from the White House yet. Richards pleaded guilty at an August 2013 summary court-martial to failure to obey a lawful general order and failure to maintain good order and discipline. Richards was medically retired as a corporal and died a year later of toxicity from one of his prescription medications. Womack noted that Richards' widow will graduate from law school next weekend. "It would a great gift for her," Womack said. This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. More articles from Task & Purpose: Army Conducts Historic Artillery Exercise Soldiers with the Virginia National Guard recently conducted the Armys first riverine artillery live-fire exercise since the Vietnam era, according to a service news release. The soldiers, assigned to 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, out of Norfolk, conducted the exercise as part of Operation Gator April 24-25 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. An M119A3 howitzer and two Humvees were loaded onto mechanized landing craft and traveled up the Intracoastal Waterway to the designated fire point, demonstrating the guns ability to maintain persistent tracking of GPS location and direction under those conditions. The soldiers had to account for recoil and turbulence as they fired the howitzer from the boat. The exercise helped the Army prove that the decades-old concept will still work today. Read more at Army.mil. Read more National Guard news on Military.com. Space Force Base Candidates Announced The Air Force has narrowed its candidates for the installation to serve as headquarters for U.S. Space Command down to six bases, according to a recent service news release. This combatant command was approved by the U.S. Congress in 2018; in December 2018, President Donald Trump directed its establishment as the 11th functional Unified Combatant Command. The candidate locations include Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado; Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; Redstone Arsenal, Alabama; Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The Air Force must now complete site surveys and analysis of each candidate location for its ability to meet mission requirements, capacity, environmental impact and cost criteria. The service expects to approve the preferred location this summer, which will be followed by an environmental analysis. Read more at AF.mil. Read more Space Force news on Military.com. Longtime military supporter and beloved actor Gary Sinise has canceled his appearances at a 25th anniversary screening of "Forrest Gump" on the National Mall and Sunday night's National Memorial Day concert, Military.com has confirmed. No reason was given for the cancellation. Sinise appeared in San Diego this past Saturday to receive the Patriot Award from the USO at its 78th Annual Stars and Stripes Gala: Stand Up for Liberty event at the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina. The actor has co-hosted the National Memorial Day concert with actor Joe Mantegna more than a dozen times. This year, actor Mary McCormack, most recently star of the ABC series "The Kids Are Alright," will fill in for Sinise at the event, which airs live on May 26 at 8 p.m. Eastern on PBS stations. As he related in his recent memoir "Grateful American," Sinise developed a strong connection to the men and women who serve after playing the iconic character and Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor in the Oscar-winning Best Picture "Forrest Gump." The response was immediate and overwhelming, and the actor has spent a significant amount of time on veterans issues over the last two-and-a-half decades. The Gary Sinise Foundation honors veterans, first responders, their families and those in need with programs that build smart homes and make house renovations for wounded vets; host mentorship retreats; bring World War II veterans to tour the National WWII Museum in New Orleans; provide tickets to arts events for veterans; and entertain both active-duty service members and veterans with performances by his beloved Lt. Dan Band. Most recently, the foundation took over the running of the Snowball Express, a program that provides year-round support services for children of fallen warriors. The program's annual highlight is a five-day trip to Walt Disney World, an event that brings almost 2,000 kids together to offer guilt-free fun in a stress-free environment. Read his book if you want to know more about Gary's storied acting career. His roles as Lt. Dan and Detective Mac Taylor on "CSI: NY" don't begin to scratch the surface. You'll also learn more about how and why he's devoted so much time and energy to military support programs. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) The country's major telecommunication companies on Monday downplayed the trade ban imposed by the United States on Chinese tech giant Huawei, as they continue monitoring developments on the issue. In its latest blow against the Asian giant amid their escalating trade war, the U.S. last week barred American companies from selling to Huawei sans a U.S. government license. READ: Google may just have killed Huawei's bid to become the world's top smartphone brand Huawei, the world's biggest telecommunications equipment supplier and second top smartphone seller, use key components from a number of American companies for its devices, according to a report by CNN. PLDT, Inc. and Globe Telecom, Inc. issued separate statements assuring their users that the blacklisting will not affect their network services. "PLDT and Smart will work closely with Huawei in addressing concerns regarding future firmware and software updates for phones, pocket Wifi units, and other devices," Pangilinan-led PLDT said. Ayala's Globe, meanwhile, said it has "received assurance from Huawei that the company will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to its device users using the Globe network." The rival companies vowed to keep their subscribers updated should the blacklisting pose negative impact on their services. How Bad Do You Want to Achieve Your Goal? Heres How to Tell If You Want It Enough to Succeed Do you have a goal in front of you? How badly do you want to achieve that dream? Are you willing to take on the challenge to... David Smith's journey took him from the battlefield to chief marketing officer for a tech startup in Norway. Smith credits the grit he learned in the Marine Corps, and the camaraderie and support of fellow veterans as mentors to get him this far in his journey. Smith was an infantry rifleman and team leader with the Alpha Company "Raiders" of 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, and was involved in gnarly and deadly combat, including the infamous battle of An Najaf in Iraq. After leaving the Marines, he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and worked for a brief stint at the New York Stock Exchange, before realizing he wanted to pursue something more meaningful. He spent the next several years volunteering with Team Rubicon and working for missionary and humanitarian projects in more than 30 countries. He now works as the chief marketing officer for Dogu, a software company. Related: Search for Veteran Jobs Smith's path was circuitous, but he said he used his passion as his compass, as well as hard-earned battle grit and the help of mentors to lead a successful, happy life. He provides the following advice for those transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce for a more direct route to success. 1. Start Your Transition Planning Early Military members looking to transition need to start early. First, aim far above what you think you are capable of. Apply to schools and jobs that you don't think you'll get. You will be surprised by the results. 2. Create a Transition Mission Plan Create a transition road map, just like a mission plan, and follow it. Network often because the veteran space is small but incredibly powerful. Make use of all of the resources and organizations available. Seek the help you need until you become the best possible version of yourself, and don't settle for less. Once you reach peak potential, reach out and help others by mentoring veterans along their path. Service doesn't stop just because you have taken off the uniform. 3. Register with the Department of Veterans Affairs Get registered with the VA and seek the care you need early. Don't be afraid of the stigma of seeking help. If you don't need help, perhaps volunteer at your local VA hospital or service office. 4. Join Veteran Volunteer Organizations Join local veterans organizations such as Team Rubicon and Team RWB that allow you to find camaraderie and a sense of purpose again. 5. Go Back to College or Trade School Put your GI Bill benefits to good use and get a degree in something you are passionate about. Don't waste your money at for-profit schools that don't provide a high-value return. 6. Network to Get Informational Interviews Start networking to land informational interviews. When possible, see if there are any internship opportunities. You never know whether you'll like something until you try it. Don't be afraid to try something that you never thought possible. There may be veterans in your dream job who are willing to help you get there. 7. Find Mentors who Share Your Passion Seek great mentors and follow their advice. Organizations such as Veterati and American Corporate Partners are excellent resources to get started. The Next Step: Get Veteran Jobs Tips Looking for transition and veteran jobs tips? Military.com has you covered. Sign up for a free Military.com membership to have military news, updates and job resources delivered directly to your inbox. -- Sean Mclain Brown can be reached at sean.brown@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmclainbrown. Key Entries shown in red are rocks recorded for this region. Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information! Sort by Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A) Galbraith, F.W., Brennan, D.J. (1959) Minerals of Arizona: 38. Billingsley, G.H. (1974) Mining in Grand Canyon. in Breed, W.J., Roat, E.C. (eds.) Geology of the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff, Museum of Northern Arizona, and Grand Canyon Natural History Association: 170-176. Billingsley, G.H. (1976) Prospectors' proving ground. in History of mining in Grand Canyon region: Journal of Arizona History: 17(1): 69-88. McKee, Edwin Dinwiddie (1982) The Supai Group of the Grand Canyon. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 1173. Billingsley, G.H. (1989) Mining activity in the Grand Canyon area, Arizona. in Elston, D.P., Billingsley, G.H., Young, RA. (eds.) Geology of Grand Canyon, northern Arizona (with Colorado River guides). American Geophysical Union, International Geological Congress, 28th, Field Trip Guidebook Tl15/315: 224-227. Corbett, R.G., Hanner, B.M., Quick, T.J. (1989) Seeps and efflorescent minerals in the Grand Canyon: Predicted vs. identified phases [abs.]. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs: 21(4): 8. Quick, T.J., Corbett, R.G., Manner, B.M. (1989) Efflorescent minerals occurring in the gorge of the Grand Canyon. Abstract with Programs, Geological Society of America: 21(4): 44-45. Anthony, J.W. et al. (1995) Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd. ed.: 189, 284. Grant, Raymond W., Bideaux, R.A., Williams, S.A. (2006) Minerals Added to the Arizona List 1995-2005. Annual Interfaith Iftar Dinner 2019 An interfaith Iftar dinner was jointly organised by Youth Development Foundation (YDF), Interactive Resource Centre and Interfaith Relations Minhaj-ul-Quran International in which Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim faith leaders attended the Iftar dinner. MQI President Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri was a special guest on the occasion. Secretary General of MQI Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Karamat Mughal, Shahid Ghori, Prof Servabhuma, Sardar Gurjit Singh, Sohail Ahmad Raza, G.M. Malik, Jawad Hamid, and Noorullah Siddiqui represented their respective organizations. The event started with recitation from The Holy Quran, Holy Bible, Bhagavad Gita and Guru Granth Sahib. The faith leaders condemned the incidents of violence in Mosque of Christchurch in New Zealand and outside the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore and expressed their solidarity with the Muslims. The non-Muslim youth shielded the faithful as they offered Maghrib prayer as a symbolic mark of solidarity with Muslims. They formed a human chain to express the resolve that all of us, belonging to different creed, are united under one flag. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri said that the non-Muslim minorities are part of our national fabric. They are making important contributions to the development of Pakistan and without their participation, the establishment of prosperous society is not possible. Muhammad Waseem, director , Interactive Resource Centre, thanked the Christian organisers for the noble gesture. Such messages portray a positive image of our country. This is real Pakistan. Only together we can defeat hate and terror, he said. This is the first time YDF hosted Iftar in a mosque. Only this spirit of compassion can defeat the hate and terror in the name of religion, said Shahid Rehmat, executive director, YDF and Karamat Jameel, president, YDF, in a joint statement. A discussion on the need for interfaith harmony and future collaborations for further social actions will also be held. Sohail Ahmad Raza, director of Interfaith Relations at Minhaj-ul-Quran International said, The doors of Minhaj-ul-Quran educational and religious institutions are always open to those seeking knowledge and working for acceptance and social cohesion. Media Coverage https://www.thenews.com.pk Although the Padres are looking for starting pitching help, it doesnt appear they have interest in free-agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel at this time, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com writes. A match between the Padres and Keuchel looked like a possibility on multiple occasions during the offseason, though reports indicated a union was improbable. However, at those points of the winter, few would have expected Keuchel to remain without a team nearly two full months into the current campaign. Odds are Keuchel will have to wait at least a couple more weeks to sign, as it wouldnt make much sense at this juncture for a team to ink the 31-year-old before the June 3 draft. Because Keuchel rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros, a club that signs him prior to the draft would have to surrender a pick. The former AL Cy Young winner will be free of that burden soon, however, which could finally end the staring contest between him and teams in need of starting pitching. Its no secret the Padres want to bolster their own rotation, but if they dont have a change of heart on Keuchel, any noteworthy addition will have to come via trade. Dating back to the offseason, reports have tied the Padres to several controllable hurlers most recently the Indians Trevor Bauer though their attempt at going big-game hunting for a starter hasnt yielded anything yet. The Padres unsuccessful pursuits on the trade front have left them with a youth-laden rotation that has been a mixed bag this season. Chris Paddack, Matt Strahm and Joey Lucchesi have held their own (though San Diegos monitoring the workloads of Paddack and Strahm), while Eric Lauer and the just-demoted Nick Margevicius have had difficulty preventing runs. The team called on Cal Quantrill to take over Margevicius vacated rotation spot Sunday, but he struggled during a loss to the Pirates. The Red Sox announced that theyve reinstated left-hander David Price from the 10-day injured list. Hell start this afternoons game against the Blue Jays. Boston also reinstated catcher Sandy Leon from paternity leave and, in a pair of corresponding moves, optioned catcher Oscar Hernandez and righty Josh Smith to Triple-A Pawtucket. Prices stay on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis proved to only be a couple of weeks long. His return is nevertheless notable, as Boston has had to patch together its rotation with both Price and Nathan Eovaldi on the shelf due to injury. In recent weeks, the Sox have turned to Smith and fellow righty Hector Velazquez to start games (without receiving much in the way of quality results). Price will join Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and Eduardo Rodriguez in the top four spots of the rotation, though the fifth spot will remain somewhat of a question mark until Eovaldi returns from an April 21 elbow procedure that was expected to sideline him for up to six weeks. In 36 innings so far in 2019, Price has a 3.75 ERA with a 42-to-10 K/BB ratio. Although his velocity isnt quite what it once was, averaging 92.3 mph, Prices 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate marks a four-percent increase over his 2018 level and would represent a career-high if he can sustain it. ROSCOMMON COUNTY, MI A Michigan man was hospitalized for several days after he swallowed a bag of cocaine during an encounter with police. Paul Wagner, 38, of Bay City, was taken into custody shortly after he was stopped for a violation on Pinewood Court in Roscommon Countys Richfield Township around 1 a.m. on May 12. While contacting Wagner, troopers from the Michigan State Police Houghton Lake Post noticed a baggie containing a white powder inside the vehicle. When asked to hand the baggie to troopers, the driver instead thrust the baggie into his mouth and began trying to swallow. To stop Wagner from ingesting a potentially dangerous substance, troopers made efforts to physically stop Wagner from swallowing, but he resisted, eventually revving the cars engine while trying to get it into gear. Troopers deployed a taser, which caused Wagner to stop resisting, but had swallowed the baggie. He spent several days at Munson Hospital in Grayling where hospital staff recovered three small baggies containing white powder, which had been passed by Wagner. Troopers seized the bags and preliminary field testing suggested the baggies contained cocaine. After several days of treatment, Wagner was lodged in the Roscommon County Jail. He has since been charged with Possession of Cocaine and Resisting and Obstructing. He was arraigned in the 82nd District Court on May 14 and given a $100,000 bond. The struggling New York Mets had hoped Yoenis Cespedes would provide a lift to their offense at some point this season. Those hopes took a big hit Saturday when the slugging outfielder suffered right ankle fractures in an accident on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen announced Monday. "He had a violent fall in which he stepped in a hole and put his leg and foot in a difficult position, Van Wagenen said. Prior to the freak injury, the Mets had hoped that Cespedes, who had been recovering from surgery on both his heels, would be able to return at some point this season. Van Wagenen, who emphasized that Cespedes was not riding a horse at the time of the accident, did not offer any updated timetable for his return. Cespedes, 32, played 102 games for the Tigers during the 2015 season, hitting .293 with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs. He was then traded to the Mets in a deal that brought Michael Fulmer to Detroit but has battled injuries for much of his time in New York. He is in New York being evaluated by doctors, Van Wagenen said. Cespedes is signed to a four-year, $110 million contract that runs through the 2020 season. ANN ARBOR, MI Ann Arbor council members will adopt the citys 2019-20 budget when they meet Monday night, May 20, and one of the biggest debates could be whether to stop killing deer. Before finalizing the budget, council will consider several amendments to the city administrators $430-million budget plan, including one to end the citys deer-cull program and another to take an extra $3 million from cash reserves for street repairs. Activities surrounding deer culling operations remain controversial to large segments of the community who oppose these operations based on cost, denial of access to public parks, use of firearms within city limits and in proximity to residential dwellings, and other moral dilemmas presented by the act, states a proposal from Council Member Jeff Hayner, D-1st Ward. It remains difficult to quantify and justify the success of such activities, Hayner argued, calling for eliminating the $150,000 for deer management in the city administrators recommended budget and returning the money to general fund cash reserves. The city has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to reduce the local deer population in recent years. Ann Arbors fourth-annual deer cull took place in January, with 112 deer killed by Connecticut-based contractor White Buffalo Inc. City-hired sharpshooters now have killed a total of 386 deer in Ann Arbor since 2016. Another 78 female deer have been surgically sterilized as part of the deer management program. The program has continued to draw a mix of protest and praise from different residents and interest groups. Bernie Banet, a member of pro-cull group Washtenaw Citizens for Ecological Balance, told council members in an email over the weekend that Hayners proposal is an attack on an effective program thats successfully moving toward its targets. Banet points out yearly reports of deer-involved crashes in Ann Arbor dropped from 90 to 73 to 56 to 55 from 2015 to 2018. White Buffalo acknowledged in a March report to the city there were ongoing struggles with carrying out cull operations. The primary cause of harvest inefficiency was direct interference with sharpshooting operations, the report stated. On several occasions a small group of protestors prevented deer from utilizing sharpshooting locations. We also documented several occasions where bait sites were contaminated. For the second year, interference reduced operational efficiency, increasing the overall cost of the program on a per-deer basis. During a helicopter survey on Feb. 1, White Buffalo counted 224 deer in the city limits, compared to 220 the year before. Using an 80% detection rate, the company estimated there were about 233 deer in wards 1 and 2, the citys main areas of focus, and 62 of them were in sterilization study areas. It estimated about 21 deer per square mile in wards 1 and 2 and predicted the total population in those wards could be up to 310 by fall. The relative acceptance of lethal management by residents in various wards, coupled with desired deer densities for forest health in natural areas, will determine how many deer and where continued lethal deer management may occur, the report stated, identifying northwest neighborhoods by Skyline High School as being a particular challenge with an estimated 48 deer per square mile there. Continued sterilization efforts are off the table until 2022 under a ban put in place by state lawmakers, the contractor noted. Among the several other city budget amendments being proposed, Council Member Jane Lumm, a 2nd Ward independent, is asking her colleagues to support pulling $3 million from street fund cash reserves to add to more than $15.6 million in spending already proposed through the major and local streets funds in the next year. Lumm also is proposing reducing the amounts set aside for affordable housing and climate-action initiatives by $191,144 (each area to go down from $880,000 to $784,428) to instead hire two more police officers to increase proactive patrols and traffic enforcement. Lumm also is proposing $470,000 in one-time costs and $370,000 in ongoing operating costs to restore fall leaf pickup and holiday tree pickup services that were cut from the citys budget in 2010. That would allow residents to rake their leaves into streets again instead of mulching them, bagging them or putting them in compost bins, and to leave holiday trees at the curb rather than putting them in compost bins or taking them to drop-off locations around the city. Hayner and Council Member Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, are co-sponsoring a proposal to redirect revenue from a new countywide tax that the council previously pledged to use for affordable housing, climate action and pedestrian/bicycle safety. They want to put 10 percent toward pension obligations by reducing funding commitments in those three areas by $220,000. Council Member Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward, is proposing moving up a planned repair of an asphalt path on West Oakbrook Drive, doing it in 2019-20 by shifting $300,000 in funding forward one year. Lumm also is proposing moving up $2 million in improvements along the Nixon Road corridor from 2024-25 to 2020-21. The council meets at 7 p.m. on the second floor of city hall, 301 E. Huron St. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Police are warning residents to be wary of anyone claiming to be a Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office employee demanding money. The fraudulent callers often threaten arrest unless payments are made. Anyone who receives such a call should notify the real police, says the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, which has been seeing a higher volume of such reports. Some of the scammers have been using names and emails of current or past employees to trick residents into thinking the threats are real, and that they will be arrested if they dont pay, police said. The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office does not and will not ask for money, gift cards or financial compensation to be given specifically to any individual employee, the sheriffs office read in a statement. The sheriffs office recommends verifying all phone and email communications purportedly from the them through the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office Metro Dispatch at 734-994-2911 or 911. Do not provide any personal or financial information to these scammers, police advise. FLINT, MI -- The pediatrician who established a link between Flint water and elevated blood lead levels during the citys water crisis has won an inaugural award for her courage and humanism from two foundations. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha then donated the $10,000 prize to a nonprofit that helps Flint children. Hanna-Attisha -- known as Dr. Mona -- has received the Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare from the Vilcek Foundation of New York city and The Arnold P. Gold Foundation of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, according to an announcement from the groups. The award includes an unrestricted cash prize of $10,000, which Hanna-Attisha has pledged to donate to the Flint Kids Fund, part of The Community Foundation of Greater Flint. With this new joint award, we are so pleased to extend the foundations annual honors to recognize foreign-born healthcare professionals who embody the very core of healthcare: humanism joined with scientific excellence, Gold Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard I. Levin said in a news release. As our first honoree, Dr. Hanna-Attisha provides a historic mark with her unwavering and courageous commitment to patients and the well-being of our nation. Hanna-Attishas research helped expose the consequences of rising levels of lead in city water in 2015 -- a doubling of the percentage of infants and children with elevated blood lead levels citywide. Within days of announcing the results of the study, support for disconnecting the city from its water source at the time -- the Flint River -- soared, and the following month the city was reconnected to Lake Huron water. Although the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services initially questioned Hanna-Attishas research, officials later acknowledged its legitimacy. In addition to her work as director of Michigan State University and Hurley Childrens Hospital, Hanna-Attisha is the author of What the Eyes Dont See, which last year landed on Oprah Winfreys list of the top books to read this summer. Flint Kids Fund was established by May 2016 by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint as a conduit for raising and and distributing funds to serve the long-term health and development needs of Flint children and their families. GENESEE, COUNTY-- The Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce received $185,334 from 11 donors to support youth, business programs promoting economic development. Multiple organizations and individuals donated to the chamber to provide funding for the projects supporting business, teen job preparedness, economic development and after-school programming in Genesee County. "As the chamber works to develop businesses, talent and a great place to live and work in Genesee County, the support of our funders and partners is critical to our success, Tim Herman, CEO at the Flint & Genesee Chamber, stated in a May 20 press release. We are thankful for their generosity and shared commitment to the regions economic and community growth. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation donated $130,000 in support of the Region 6 Procurement Technical Assistance Center. The Regional Prosperity Initiative donated $20,178 to support economic development throughout the county. Region 6 PTAC is a program providing procurement counseling and technical help to local businesses interested in partnering with city, state and federal governments. Huntington Bank donated $10,000, Close Up Foundation donated $8,000 and Greater Flint Educational Consortium donated $2,500 to support YouthQuest. Chemical Bank donated $2,000, CYMER donated $1,000 and Stephanie Pasternack donated $1,000 to also support YouthQuest. YouthQuest is a comprehensive after-school program providing educational enrichment and physical fitness opportunities to students from kindergarten to twelfth grade, the press release states. YouthQuest is offered at 15 sites in Flint and Genesee County. The program serves about 2,000 students each year. The Genesee Area Focus Fund administers the program with financial support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundations and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Andiamos donated $5,655, Martha Merkley Charitable Trust for Youth donated $2,500 and Stella & Fredrick Loeb Charitable Trust donated $2,500 to support TeenQuest and Summer Youth Initiative. TeenQuest is a pre-employment and leadership training program for high school students ages 14 to 19 in Genesee County. The Summer Youth Initiatives connects TeenQuest graduates with paid summer job opportunities in for-profit and non-profit sectors. The Genesee Area Focus Fund administers both programs with financial support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Applications for the program can be found at its website. More information on these programs and The Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce, can be found on the commerces website. FLINT, MI- Local teenagers ages 13-16 will have the opportunity to learn more about the Michigan State Police Flint Post during its second Teen Academy from July 29-31. Teen Academy is free and will allow attendees to interact with Flint post troopers while learning about first aid, social media safety, human trafficking, crime scene investigations and other law enforcement topics. Participants will be given lunch every day and a T-shirt. Trooper Steve Kramer said the academy is important because too often, young people have negative experiences with law enforcement. With this program he hopes to give them a positive introduction to law enforcement and show them what it really is. Its a chance to get the younger teens a little bit of experience, show them how things work and give them personal interaction with officers, Kramer said. They learn about the job but more so they learn about uspolice officers. Were people too. This is the second time Kramer has hosted the academy. Last year, 16 teenagers participated in the program and because of its success, Kramer was about to expand it to allow 20 participants this year. He said multiple kids who attended the academy last year have contacted him about applying again. The three-day academy will meet at the Michigan State Police Flint Post at 4481 Corunna Road in Flint from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Teen Academy participants will visit the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing and the Fallen Trooper Memorial in addition to other activities. Those interested in attending should contact Kramer at 810-358-8605 or Kramers1@michigan.gov to receive an application. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 24, 2019. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids officials have approved a pair of contracts totaling up to $4.3 million for road construction projects in the area of John Ball Zoo. The city commission approved last week the spending of up to $2.34 million on a contract with Wyoming Excavators, Inc. for reconstruction of parts of Valley Avenue, Park Street, Dayton Street, Hovey Street and Watson Street. The commission also allocated up to $1.97 million on a contract with Nagel Construction, Inc. for improvements to Lake Michigan Drive, John Ball Park Drive and Lane Avenue. Both projects use money from the Vital Streets and Water System funds to repair the road and sidewalks and replace old water mains. The contracts were approved by the citys fiscal committee Tuesday, and then by the whole city commission through a vote at its evening meeting. Rick DeVries, assistant city engineer, said he doesnt expect either project to cause too much of a headache for drivers this summer. Wyoming Excavators, Inc. was chosen to reconstruct Valley Avenue from Butterworth Avenue to Fulton Street, and four roads -- Park, Dayton, Hovey and Watson streets -- from Valley Avenue to Garfield Avenue. Located just east of the zoo, the roads were rated as very poor prior to the temporary resurfacing in 2015. The project includes replacement of the existing 100-year-old water main and water services, minor storm sewer upgrades, ADA compliant sidewalk ramp installation and sidewalk replacement. DeVries said the work will likely begin sooner than later since the streets around Sacred Heart Academy will have to be done by Aug. 2 to avoid school traffic. The full project has a deadline of Nov. 1. The second project in the area will be done by Nagel Construction, Inc. It includes water main replacement, minor storm sewer upgrades, ADA compliant sidewalk ramp installation, sidewalk replacement and road work on Lake Michigan Drive, John Ball Park Drive, and Lane Avenue. Lake Michigan Drive is slated to be narrowed and to have its nearly 100-year-old water main replaced from John Ball Park Drive to Garfield Avenue. Additionally, John Ball Park Drive will be resurfaced from its south end to Lake Michigan Drive, and Lane Avenue will be reconstructed from Sibley Street to Jackson Street. DeVries said the Lake Michigan Drive portion of the project cant start until the Michigan Department of Transportation reopens the I-196 bridge in lake August. Its also being done in coordination with the installation of the Laker Line station on Fulton Street. The entire road project has to be completed by Nov. 8, according to DeVries. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Police have identified the West Olive man killed in a crash Saturday on I-96 as 62-year-old David Scott Snyder. Two others who were critically injured in the crash have since recovered and are listed in fair condition, according to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. The fatal crash happened around 12:50 p.m. Saturday, May 18, on eastbound I-96 about midway between 68th Avenue and 48th Avenue. Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said a 23-year-old Kentwood man driving a Mercedes Benz failed to reduce speed in time when he came upon slowed traffic in a construction zone. The Kentwood man attempted to avoid a collision but his vehicle struck a Lexus stopped in traffic, according to deputies. The Lexus then hit a Ford Escape, which then struck two other vehicles. The West Olive man, who was driving the Lexus, died at the scene. His 60-year-old female passenger was critically injured, as was the Kentwood man. Investigators do not suspect drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. They say speed appears to be a factor. The crash caused a nearly four-hour closure of the eastbound lanes. It remains under investigation. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Two days after Republican U.S. Rep. Justin Amash said President Donald Trump engaged in impeachable conduct, a state representative from Montcalm County has announced he will attempt to unseat Amash in the August 2020 Republican primary. I am a Pro-Trump, Pro-Life, Pro-Jobs, Pro-2nd Amendment, Pro-Family Values Republican, Jim Lower, R-Greenville, said in a statement. Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trumps impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents. Lower, 30, who was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2016, said he has been organizing his campaign against Amash for the past two months and planned to announce his candidacy on July 4 but moved up the timeline after Amashs comments. Amash, of Cascade Township, made his statement about Trump on Saturday on Twitter. He posted a series of tweets explaining his opinion after reading special counsel Robert Muellers report. He said Attorney General William Barr deliberately misrepresented Muellers report, that Trump had engaged in impeachable conduct, and that few members of Congress have read Muellers report. The comments drew a swift rebuke from Trump. He took to Twitter over the weekend to call Amash a loser and a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy. Lower, who grew up in Ionia County and has degrees from Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University, said defeating Amash will be difficult. He said he has been quietly meeting with grassroots activists, party leaders, voters, donors and elected officials in Michigans 3rd Congressional District. It will take at least $1 million to beat Amash and we believe we can raise that amount and more, he said. Amash, who first elected to the U.S. House in 2010 and has been a frequent critic of Trump, could not be reached for comment Monday morning. Lower previously lived in Cedar Lake, which is in Michigans 4th Congressional District. But he has since purchased a home in Greenville, located in the 3rd Congressional District. Hes in the process of moving in, said Steve Mitchell, Lowers campaign consultant. Amashs most recent serious primary threat came in 2014, when he defeated East Grand Rapids businessman Brian Ellis by about 57 to 43 percent. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Officials with the West Michigan Aviation Academy (WMAA) announced today that Nicole Gasper will become its new CEO on July 1. Since 2007, Gasper has worked for the Newaygo County Regional Educational Agency, most recently as the chief instructional officer. She replaces longtime CEO Patrick Cwayna Sr., who transitioned into a leadership role with the West Michigan Aviation Academy Foundation earlier this school year. Larry Fisher has been serving as interim CEO. The charter high school, located on the grounds of Gerald R. Ford International Airport, was founded by RDV Corporation Chairman Dick DeVos upon encouragement from his wife, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The school opened the 2010-11 school year. DeVos, WMAA board president, said the board was seeking a CEO with deep knowledge about todays career environment and the ability to serve a diverse student body. Nicole has demonstrated the ability to lead and mentor students, but also to be an effective agent for change and innovation,'' said DeVos, in a statement. "Her international experience will also serve us well, since our school continues to attract ambitious students from many ethnic backgrounds. We are excited about beginning our second decade of quality education under her leadership. The vision of the charter school, authorized by Bay Mills Community College, is to provide an innovative, professional and welcoming environment that inspires growth and ignites a passion for lifelong learning. I am passionate about creating high-quality experiences for students, said Gasper, in a statement. Im driven to leverage the talents and resources around me to offer new programs for students. I am excited about advancing WMAAs mission through the skills and relationships I have developed. Under Cwaynas leadership, school enrollment grew. The charter opened its doors with 80 students and currently has 611 students, according to the state. Thats up 121 students from the 2013-14 school year. Cwayna is credited with instilling a culture of respect, excellence and professionalism that is now indoctrinated into the schools DNA. "He played a pivotal role in developing a thriving aviation, STEM and robotics-focused curriculum, and in building significant community partnerships that expose students to career opportunities,'' according to a press release. School leaders tout the fact that the school is the only one in the nation where a student can earn a private pilot license as part of the high school curriculum. The curriculum is described as rich in aviation, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), and robotics. The school has a 90.5 percent graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1105.7, according to the most recent state data. She (Gasper) is a highly qualified administrator and educator with excellent credentials in science, math and career preparation,'' said Fisher, in a statement. Gasper holds a bachelor of science degree in elementary education, and a master of arts in educational administration and supervision, both from Northern Michigan University. WALKER, MI A 28-year-old Grand Rapids woman was seriously injured Sunday, May 19, when her vehicle crossed the center line on Wilson Avenue NW and crashed into two oncoming vehicles. She was pinned in her vehicle and had to be freed by Walker firefighters. She suffered serious injuries but is expected to survive. The drivers of the other vehicles, a 43-year-old Walker man and a 36-year-old Wyoming woman, suffered minor injuries, Walker police said. The crash happened around 6:10 p.m. when the Grand Rapids woman, headed north on Wilson at West Grand Boulevard, crossed the centerline, with her vehicle hitting two southbound vehicles. There were no passengers in any of the vehicles. A new communications system for all police and fire agencies in Jackson County will launch Wednesday morning. The new system will eliminate most dead zones, Undersheriff Chris Kuhl said. Three new towers were built in Hanover, Columbia and Springport townships. The towers will work with two existing state-owned towers. All of Jackson County should have very robust, very reliable, coverage, Kuhl said. The system uses Motorolas 800 MHZ and is able to connect with public safety organizations across the state, including state police and federal agencies, which was part of the draw in switching from a VHF analog system, Kuhl said. Nearly three years of work and around $7.2 million went into the launch. The money came from a $1.06 increase in the countys phone-line fee, which was approved by voters in May 2016. The system is run by the Michigan Public Safety Communications System, which has 24/7 staffing to monitor for outages and take action as needed, Kuhl said. Just over 750 portable and car radios were purchased, along with 300 fire pagers for volunteer firefighters. That includes all police and fire agencies in the county. Law enforcement agencies will switch over to the new system at 6 a.m. May 22. Fire departments will follow a few weeks later. Everything has been tested out, Kuhl said. Everything works. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A man accused of shooting his wife, including inflicting a close-range shot, was silent in court Monday while he was arraigned for open murder. Vashon Flowers, 46, of Muskegon Heights has been charged in the early Sunday shooting death of his wife, Jamie Thomas-Flowers, at their home in Muskegon Heights. Flowers was charged as a four-time habitual offender due to earlier felony convictions, including assault with a dangerous weapon. Muskegon County District Judge Raymond Kostrzewa noted the defendant has several other convictions, including aggravated domestic violence and second-offense domestic violence, assault and battery and malicious destruction of a building. Kostrzewa denied bail and scheduled a preliminary examination for June 1. The judge appointed a public defender to represent Flowers, of whom Kostrzewa did not ask any questions during arraignment. Open murder covers first- and second-degree murder and manslaughter. The habitual offender status can increase any potential sentence upon conviction. Flowers, whom the judge noted was working full time for Tyson, did not speak at his arraignment. He waved twice to his mother, Mary Flowers, who was there with her daughter. Mary Flowers declined to comment to MLive/Muskegon Chronicle other than to express sympathy to Thomas-Flowers family. Muskegon Heights Police Chief Joseph E. Thomas Jr. said Thomas-Flowers and Flowers argued over cigarette smoking around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, May 19, and police responded to the dispute. Flowers agreed to leave and packed a few items, Thomas said. Its alleged that Flowers returned to the home on Mona Street near Amsterdam Avenue around 6:30 a.m., kicked in the door and shot Thomas-Flowers four times in the torso with a handgun. Kostrzewa said that one of those shots was close-range, leaving one to conclude there was an intent to kill. Flowers later turned himself in to Muskegon Police around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Matt Roberts, chief trial attorney for the Muskegon County Prosecutors Office, told Kostrzewa. Flowers earlier felony convictions include carrying a concealed weapon in 1995, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in 1996 and assault with a dangerous weapon and felon in possession of a firearm in 2017. The victim in the 2017 case testified that following an argument at Flowers home, the victim had been sitting in his car on Allen Street in Muskegon when Flowers approached the vehicle and shot numerous times. The victim was shot once in the arm in the incident that occurred March 27, 2016. The prosecutors office had considered charging Flowers with assault with intent to murder in that case. Flowers ended up pleading no contest and was sentenced by Muskegon County Circuit Judge William Marietti to 293 days in jail with credit for 203 days served. MUSKEGON, MI The Muskegon Heritage Museum, featuring exhibits of Muskegons industrial past and present, is working toward universal accessibility. A newly installed elevator at the three-story museum, which recently opened for the 2019 season, will start running soon. Stairs have been the only way to reach the upper floors. The $250,000 elevator is one of several accessibility upgrades related to a 2018 $1.25 million capital campaign that raised $1.35 million and resulted in a $1.3 million endowment fund after the recent improvements. The downtown museum tells the stories of Muskegon Countys industrial history through permanent and temporary exhibits. It was founded in 1983 by the Muskegon Heritage Association after it received the donation of a stationary steam engine from the Breneman-Hartshorn Rollershade Factory. The engine serves as the centerpiece of the ground floor. The 2018 capital campaign involved donations from more than 200 individuals, families and companies ranging from $25 to $250,000, according to a news release. Accessibility upgrades in the works include a stair railing and restroom grab bars, said Ann Dake, museum curator. The front door threshold has already been removed and replaced for smooth entry. Adding the elevator, including building an elevator shaft, meant some disruptions to the museums exhibits, Dake said. On the first floor, the Shaw Crain exhibit was moved and about half of the archive room was lost. On the second and third floors, the elevator opened into storage rooms, which have been renovated into exhibit spaces. The museum has more than 90 exhibits in its 12,000-square-foot historic building at 561 W. Western Ave. in downtown Muskegon. It is operated by about 80 volunteers. Here are the permanent exhibits expected to be installed this year: Eagle Alloy, Inc. (front window) Port City Group (third floor) Master Tag (second floor) Swanson Pickles (third floor) Linderman Machine (first floor) Here are this years temporary exhibits: Souvenir China: Businesses and places in Muskegon (first floor; on loan from Elmer Ogg) Museum Mysteries: Guess what the artifacts do (first floor) The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. when cruise ships are in port. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 5 to 18, and free for children younger than 5. There are five free community days planned for this year: June 1: sponsored by Eagle Alloy Inc., featuring a sand-casting demonstration July 18: sponsored by Muskegon Telephone Companies, featuring a vintage phone demonstration Aug. 9: sponsored by Arconic, featuring the aircraft engine manufacturers products and processes Sept. 21: sponsored by Kaydon Engineering, featuring ball bearings display Oct. 19: Swanson Pickle Company, featuring pickle tasting In 2017, the museum had about 3,300 visitors, including K-12 and college students, according to the release. Since the Pearl Mist and other cruise ships began using Muskegon as a port, the museum has welcomed about 1,400 of their passengers. SAGINAW, MI A multimillion dollar road improvement project is slated this summer for a portion of M-13 in Saginaw and Bay counties. The $5.6 million Michigan Department of Transportation project will cover about 5.5 miles of M-13 between the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw and McGraw Street in Bay City. MDOT spokeswoman Jocelyn Hall said the work, expected to begin in June and to conclude in October, includes resurfacing, joint repairs, curb and gutter improvements and new pavement markings. Motorists should expect delays as a result of this roadwork. Hall said she expects to issue more information about the project in the coming weeks. Elsewhere in Saginaw County, a $1.3 million road improvement project is slated for a stretch of Dixie Highway in Bridgeport Township also beginning in June. Bridgeport Township Manager Rose Licht said Dixie Highway from Interstate 75 through Airport Road is scheduled for joint repairs, milling and resurfacing. Lois Kay Contracting is handling the $1.357 million Saginaw County Road Commission project. UPDATE: The warning has been cancelled by the National Weather Service The storms which prompted the warning have weakened below severe limits, and no longer pose an immediate threat to life or property. Therefore the warning has been cancelled, according to the National Weather Service. Storms packing winds of up to 60 miles per hour has prompted a warning Sunday night for portions of Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 7:45 p.m. Sunday, May 19 for southern Saginaw County and northern Shiawassee County. At 652 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Oakley to near Owosso, moving east at 50 mph, reads the warning. The storm is expected to impact the following areas: -New Lothrop around 7:05 p.m. -Birch Run around 7:20 p.m. -Frankenmuth around 7:25 p.m. Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include Juddville, Burt, Fosters and Layton Corners. Damage is possible to roofs, siding, and trees as the storms move through the area as part of a cold front that will usher in highs in the mid 50s on Monday. The weather service is advising residents to move an into an interior room on the lowest floor of a building until the storms pass. A number of tornado warnings were issued during the day in Michigan including St. Clair County, Macomb County, and Barry County, and Eaton County but they have all since been canceled. Some thunderstorms on Sunday downed tree limbs and wires that led to scattered power outages in Genesee, Shiawassee, and Midland counties. Republican U.S. Rep. Justin Amash reaffirmed his assertion that President Donald Trump committed impeachable acts, not backing down from weekend comments that drew attacks from the president and encouraged a Republican primary challenger to step forward. People who say there were no underlying crimes and therefore the president could not have intended to illegally obstruct the investigationand therefore cannot be impeachedare resting their argument on several falsehoods: Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 Amash, R-Cascade Township, became the first Republican congressman to support impeachment proceedings based on findings in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into 2016 election interference. The investigation did not establish Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election, but left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. Amash said the Mueller report reveals Trumps actions meet the threshold for impeachment," in a series of tweets outlining his conclusions. Amash said any person who is not the president of the United States would undoubtedly be indicted based on evidence in the report. Trump responded the following day, also on Twitter, calling Amash a loser and total lightweight who is attempting to call attention to himself. Michigan GOP Chair Laura Cox also slammed Amash for what she saw as a desperate attempt to grab headlines advance his own presidential ambitions." If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, composed by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump, he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION," Trump tweeted Sunday, May 19. Amash published a new series of tweets Monday afternoon to clarify his position and push back against narratives defending Trump. Amash again concluded that the president is guilty of obstructing justice. The Mueller investigation revealed many crimes, Amash said, but an underlying crime isnt required for someone to illegally obstruct the investigation. Prosecutors might not charge a crime precisely because obstruction of justice denied them timely access to evidence that could lead to a prosecution," Amash said. "If an underlying crime were required, then prosecutors could charge obstruction of justice only if it were unsuccessful in completely obstructing the investigation. This would make no sense. The Michigan Republican said Trump could not have known whether there were legitimate crimes being investigated. Amash also highlighted the phrase high crimes and misdemeanors, included in a portion of the Constitution outlining impeachment, saying it remains undefined but implies the inclusion of any conduct that violates the public trust. In his first round of tweets, Amash said Attorney General William Barr deliberately misrepresented Muellers report, and few members of Congress have read the 488-page document. Amash, now serving his fifth term in the House, said earlier this year that he cant rule out running for president as a Libertarian. He hasnt declared any concrete intentions for 2020, but told MLive.com in a March interview that someone needs to run for president who values integrity over party loyalty. Weve witnessed members of Congress from both parties shift their views 180 degrees -- on the importance of character, on the principles of obstruction of justice -- depending on whether theyre discussing Bill Clinton or Donald Trump, Amash tweeted Saturday. The Michigan Republican has gained a national following as one of the only congressmen who isnt afraid to buck the Republican line, often going to toe to toe with the partys biggest star. State Rep. Jim Lower, R-Greenville, rose to challenge Amash in the 2020 Republican primary two days after the initial tweets were published. Lower said Amashs comments show "how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents. Lower, 30, who was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2016, said he originally planned to announce his candidacy on July 4. Amash is chair of the House Liberty Caucus and helped found the House Freedom Caucus. Both were formed to oppose executive overreach and government spending. Today we have a perfect weather scenario for frost by Tuesday morning. The question is how far south will Jack Frost paint our lawns white. The Frost Advisory covers much of northern Lower Michigan and part of central Lower Michigan for Tuesday morning. There could be a few counties added to the Frost Advisory later today from the National Weather Service at White Lake, MI. The Gaylord NWS office and the Grand Rapids NWS office have already added the counties they feel will get frosty tonight. Frost Advisory for May 21, 2019 The following counties are in the Frost Advisory: Mason, Lake, Osceola, Clare, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Isabella, Muskegon, Montcalm, Gratiot, Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montorency, Alpena, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Crawford, Oscoda, Alcona, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, and Charlevoix. Here are the predicted low temperatures Tuesday morning. Low temperature forecast May 21, 2019 The image Im showing is the low temperature forecast from the High Resolution Rapid Refresh Model. If you see a temperature of 36 degrees or lower at your location, expect frost. So this is a marginal frost threat even in northern Lower Michigan. The notorious cold pockets could drop three degrees colder than what this model is showing. In other words, Id worry about a plant-killing frost at inland locations in the northern half of Lower Michigan. At the interior areas of central Lower Michigan there could be spotty light frost that will last two hours. Id still bring any very frost sensitive plants inside. Usually hanging baskets and planters are filled with tropical flowers that cant handle the cold. For southern Lower, from Saginaw and Bay City southward, I wouldnt worry a lot about frost. If you can easily bring a hanging basket inside the garage, do it. Otherwise the frost risk is so low that I woundt worry about protecting your plants. Muskegon is officially in the Frost Advisory, but cities along the water should stay warm enough to avoid frost. Yes, this is the last frost for Lower Michigan. French police have arrested a 27yo assassin armed with two hidden blades, a sapper shovel and a pair of pruning shears, who said he was just a cosplay fan taking a stroll during the Yellow Vests protest in Paris. With his black hood and a military backpack, Thomas G., immediately aroused suspicion from Champs-Elysees police brigade, who were carrying out preventive checks in Saint-Lazare area ahead of the Yellow Vests protest on Saturday. When the officers approached the odd-looking individual, he tried to flee but was quickly restrained. Attached to his arms with elastic tape and hidden under his jacket, the officers discovered two 30cm blades. The devices were designed to quickly slide out of the disguise in a manner worthy of the Assassin's Creed video game series. Police also found two balaclavas, sunglasses, pruning shears, and a sapper shovel, as well as a DSPAP police patch, local media reported. During the questioning, the Hauts-de-Seine native claimed that he was just a cosplay enthusiast and a big fan of law enforcement, telling officers that he is keen to become a security assistant (ADS) one day. This guy had come to do damage to my colleagues, Rocco Contento, the head of the SGP police force unit argued. He would have been ready to hurt or even kill one. The suspect was placed in custody before the public prosecutor takes over the case, local media reports. Carrying blade weapons in public without a legitimate reason in France is punishable by up to one-year imprisonment and 15,000 fine. Also on rt.com Yellow Vest movement marks 6-month anniversary with marches, scuffles with police break out (VIDEOS) Like this story? Share it with a friend! Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has proposed sacking interior minister Herbert Kickl, after Kickl refused to resign in the wake of a video detailing alleged corruption on the part of Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. Kickl is a member of Straches Freedom Party (FPO), and refused to resign after Strache stepped down on Saturday. Kurz argued that as interior minister, Kickl could not properly oversee an investigation into the leader of his own party. Kickl, meanwhile, accused Kurz of launching a power grab on behalf of his Austrian Peoples Party (OVP). Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has the power to dismiss Kickl. The FPO have promised to withdraw all of their ministers from government if this were to happen, but Kurz has said he will fill their seats until snap elections could be held. The video scandal currently engulfing Austrian politics began on Friday, after a video surfaced showing Stache meeting with the supposed niece of a Russian oligarch in Ibiza in 2017 to discuss a quid-pro-quo deal. Stache called the tapes surfacing a political assassination, and though Kurz outright condemned Staches alleged corruption, he too hinted in interviews that dirty tricks were afoot. DETAILS TO FOLLOW The UK government has been accused of developing a secret policy that allows ministers to break the law by authorizing intelligence-sharing with allies where there is a serious risk of torture of detainees. Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents released under a freedom of information request, dated November 2018, have revealed a provision that allows cabinet ministers to pass on information that could lead to abuse of detainees, according to the Times. The UK government denies any wrongdoing. Also on rt.com Britain spent 11mn resisting apology, compensation in Libya rendition case Kirsty Brimelow, QC, former chairwoman of the Bar human rights committee, insists the law is clear and established internationally and nationally on the prohibition of torture and this policy allows UK ministers to break that law. The policy document does acknowledge that there is a presumption that the UK will not share information when there is serious risk of torture. However, it goes on to state that this can be overridden if ministers agree that the potential benefits justify accepting the risk and the legal consequences that may follow. Last year, a number of human rights organizations, including Reprieve, Redress and Amnesty International wrote to the then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, claiming that the UK was seeking to modify or even water down its guidelines on torture. The government issued an apology in May 2018 for Britains role in the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhaj, a Libyan opponent of Colonel Gaddafi, and his pregnant wife in 2004. Belhaj said that they were abducted by the CIA in Thailand and handed to Gaddafi's regime, where he was tortured, after a tip-off from British intelligence. The UK government has rejected the claims. An MoD spokesman said its policies were fully compliant with the Cabinet Office's consolidated guidance." Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! US President Donald Trump lashed out at the failing New York Times in a Monday morning tweet storm after the newspaper reported that Deutsche Bank employees had noticed suspicious activity on his accounts. Trump accused the paper and other Fake News Media of writing phony stories claiming banks did not want to do business with him. WRONG! It is because I didnt need money, Trump tweeted. He also made reference to media theories that he had made financial deals with Russia in the past. Now the new big story is that Trump made a lot of money and buys everything for cash, he doesnt need banks. But where did he get all of that cash? Could it be Russia? No, I built a great business and dont need banks, he wrote. Trump said the mainstream media has never been as corrupt and deranged as it is today and dismissed the idea that he was unhappy with the service provided by Deutsche Bank, which he said was very good and highly professional to deal with. The Times report claimed that the German banks anti-money laundering employees noticed multiple suspicious transactions involving legal entities controlled by Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner and recommended that they be reported to a federal financial crimes watchdog. The reports were never filed with the US Treasury Department, however. The Times explained that certain transactions, particularly involving real-estate, can sometimes automatically trigger review procedures without any wrongdoing. The red flags raised by employees do not necessarily mean the transactions were improper, the report said, adding that banks sometimes opt not to filed suspicious activity reports if they conclude their employees concerns are unwarranted. Also on rt.com This was treason: Trump hints at long jail sentences over FBI spying on his campaign Kerrie McHugh, a Deutsche Bank spokeswoman, told the paper that investigators were never prevented from looking further into suspicious activity and said suggestions that employees were fired in an effort to quash concerns relating to any client are categorically false. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Swedish commercial broadcaster TV4 has refused to air an anti-EU promo, prompting outrage on social media. The Alternative for Sweden (AfS) party wanted to run the ad showing a single word Swexit ahead of the EU elections. AfS leader Gustav Kasselstrand said the decision by the channel the only one in Sweden allowed to show political ads was a threat to freedom of expression and democracy. He said TV4 affects the election results in a crucial way by prohibiting advertising from the only party that drives the issue of EU withdrawal, while there are many in Sweden who oppose the EU. The 15-second long ad features the word Swexit written in blue letters on a yellow background, Swedens national colors, and spelled out by a child. The party planned to run the ad ahead of the May 26 EU election, but according to the AfS, the broadcaster pulled out from the talks without any explanation. Unbelievable. Had the opposition in Hungary, Poland or Russia been completely shut down from advertising in the middle of a crucial election campaign, it would have been major news in Sweden and spurred gossip about the lack of democracy and calls for sanctions, former MP Erik Almqvist wrote on Facebook. Barred from TV screens, the AfS put the controversial ad online. Some Swedes said they were shocked by the state censorship in Sweden. Disgusted with TV4, said one user. Withdraw the broadcasting rights from TV4, another commentator urged. Even those who do not support the party and dont share its values see the move by TV4 as a mockery of freedom of expression. There were also those who thanked the channel for halting the spread of what they call a neo-Nazi campaign. TV4 again saves the mankind, thanks @TV4, one Twitter user wrote. Also on rt.com Israeli lawmaker GUNS DOWN rival Arab politician in bizarre campaign ad Despite the polarizing opinions, there is one thing Swedish netizens got right the ban did make the AfS the talk of the town. Good! More publicity for the AfS! More people are understanding why the party is needed in this democratorship called Sweden, one user tweeted. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! DNA tests of migrant children arrested at the US-Mexico border with their families have revealed the minors were not related to the adults accompanying them, the US media have reported. In a pilot program conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) DNA tests were being taken of immigrants who are suspected of arriving at Americas southern border with children who were not theirs. Theres been some concern about, Are they stepfathers or adopted fathers? an official involved in the system's temporary rollout told Washington Examiner. Those were not the case. In these cases, they are misrepresented as family members. Also on rt.com Dont get comfortable: Trump announces record detentions, says migrants will be sent home The ICE tested the program earlier this month in two border cities McAllen and El Paso in Texas after the Department of Homeland Security announced the initiative three weeks ago. A record number of South American immigrants have passed into the US in recent months using a loophole which allows those arriving with children to avoid detention and swift deportation. Like this story? Share it with a friend! In a national referendum, Switzerland has overwhelmingly voted to approve stricter gun control measures and bring them closer in line with European Union rules toughened following a number of terrorist incidents across Europe. Residents of Italian-speaking Ticino canton were the only ones to reject the stricter rules on handling firearms after 63.7 percent of the country voted to amend the nations relatively liberal gun policies, which in the past somewhat mirrored gun laws in the United States. Switzerland, whose population owns roughly 42 guns per 100 residents, allows adults to purchase semi-automatic rifles and hollow-point ammunition for hunting through easily obtainable weapon acquisition permit, but requires special permits to buy automatic weapons, suppressors and laser sights. Also on rt.com More Europeans turning to firearms following terrorist attacks report Following Sundays referendum, which witnessed 43.9 percent turnout, ownership of semi-automatic weapons will now require mandatory regular firearm training and serial numbering of gun parts to track them. Weapons will now also have to be registered. Over 875,000 weapons were registered in Switzerland by August 2017 to 279,000 owners, while it is believed that civilians are in possession of between 2,3 million and 3,4 million firearms. Despite such a massive presence of firearms in a country of just under 9 million people, the gun homicide rate in Switzerland stands very low with 0.5 cases per 100,000 people. Despite such an exemplary gun heritage, Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but part of the Schengen visa-free travel zone security agreement, was urged by EU to tighten its laws in line with rules adopted by the bloc following the 2015 Paris terror attacks. Also on rt.com EU agrees on tougher gun laws amid increased terror threat Prior to the referendum, the Swiss government warned voters that a rejection of this new legislation could result in the exclusion of the country from the Schengen zone. Opponents slammed the governments drive for stricter gun controls arguing that EU-dictated measures amount to disarming Switzerland through useless, dangerous, un-Swiss requirements. With no effect on the fight against terrorism, it will only hit honest, law-abiding citizens who possess legal weapons (so, us!), Jean-Luc Addor, a Swiss People's Party lawmaker wrote on his website. It's the epitome of injustice. Also on rt.com Quiet, neutral Switzerland unveils plan to combat violent extremism Too bad that the population has followed the argument of fear with Schengen. It's a bit unfortunate, but we accept the result, Olivia de Weck, vice president of ProTell, the pro-arms lobby group said. Today, I am sad because our freedoms have declined, Jean-Luc Addor MP from the Swiss People's Party said, noting that the new rules will push back the freedoms and advance the police state". The strong firearms culture in Switzerland is closely linked to the countrys national defense service. Most men between the ages of 18 and 30 are subject to compulsory military service for three weeks a year and are allowed to keep the weapon assigned to them once they go home. Shooting is so inbred into Swiss DNA that any national aged 10 or older can shoot rifles at any federal ranges free of charge. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Tech giant Huawei has vowed to continue support services for customers of its Android-using tablets and smartphones after Google said it was cutting ties with the Chinese firm accused by Washington of spying for Beijing. In a company statement released Monday, Huawei said it had made substantial contributions to the development and growth of the Android operating system around the world and would continue to support customers of its devices. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally. The firm added it would continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem in order for its worldwide customers to have the best user experience possible. Also on rt.com Huawei has long been ready for US ban & wont bow to pressure, CEO says Huaweis statement comes after pressure from the Trump administration forced Silicon Valley firms to comply with a blacklisting of the Chinese company announced last week. This bars Huawei from buying parts or technology from US entities. Google has since said it would comply with the US request, agreeing to cut ties with Huawei that involve any transfers of any hardware or software. Once the ban comes into effect, Huawei users may find themselves locked out of apps developed by Google, such as Gmail and the Google Play Store. Users may also be prevented from updating their software and security fixes once Google introduces the next version of Android next year. However, Huawei will still be able to access an open source version of the Android OS. Also on rt.com Intel, Qualcomm halt chip supplies to Huawei reports The ban could also trouble Huaweis growing share of the cellphone market, which saw 59.1 million unit sales in the first quarter of 2019. The strong sales have helped Huawei leapfrog competitor Apple into the number two seller of mobile devices behind South Korean firm Samsung. Washington has repeatedly accused Huawei of spying for the Chinese government by using backdoors in its electronic products that can then be used to access users data, a charge Huawei vehemently denies. The row has already seen Huawei locked out of participation in the development of the US 5G network, and allies like Japan, New Zealand and Australia have also blocked the firm from their own 5G development. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! US President Donald Trump has declared Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential bid history, and slated the former vice president, Joe Biden, as election competition heats up. Looks like Bernie Sanders is history, Trump tweeted on Monday. Sleepy Joe Biden is pulling ahead and think about it, Im only here because of Sleepy Joe and the man who took him off the 1% trash heap, President O! China wants Sleepy Joe BADLY! Trumps declaration came after successive New York Times articles pilloried Sanders for a trip to the Soviet Union in 1988, undertaken when the socialist senator was mayor of Burlington, Vermont. The Times also blasted Sanders for criticizing the Reagan governments support for right-wing regimes and groups in Latin America in the 1980s. An article published on Saturday led with a quote from Sanders stating how he did my best to stop American foreign policy at the time. However, before the Times brought Sanders past into the spotlight, Biden had been pulling ahead of the progressive senator in several polls. Propelled by friendly coverage in the mainstream media, Biden trumpeted a return to Hillary Clinton-style centrism, eschewing the leftward lurch of the Democratic party of late. Also on rt.com Biden caught in immigration hypocrisy after rediscovered clip shows him demanding border fence Pitching himself as a uniter, Biden told a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday that this nation needs to come together, urging the electorate to stop fighting and start fixing. Entering the race just over a month ago, Biden initially focused all of his energy on opposition to Trump, rather than his own policies. His first campaign video was a sermon on how Trump was tarnishing the core values of this nation, and repeated the long-debunked idea that Trump once called neo-nazi marchers in Virginia very fine people. Trump has shot back at Biden several times since the former VP kicked off his campaign, dubbing his Democratic challenger SleepyCreepy Joe and posting fan-made memes mocking Biden for groping women at Washington events. Amid an escalating trade war with China, Trump has also accused Biden of letting Beijing get away with cheating while he was Vice President. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Islamabad will inevitably face a befitting reply from New Delhi should Pakistani forces engage in any kind of misadventure in the disputed Kashmir territory, a high-ranked Indian general said on Monday. A tough message to the arch-rival came from Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, commander of Northern Indian Army as he was talking to the media in Kashmir. The official made it clear that any cross-border activity on behalf of the Pakistani military would be regarded as an affront on the Indian side. They dare not try and come anywhere across the Line of Control to carry out any kind of actions. Our deterrence, articulation of our military strategy has been absolutely clear. Should there be any misadventure by the Pakistan armed forces, they shall always be given a befitting reply. Kashmir is experiencing a lull in fighting since the latest skirmishes that occurred between the two nations in February. India, however, insists Pakistan is continuing its hostile activities, namely cross-border infiltrations, ceasefire violations, and drug trafficking. All their actions are actually working towards ensuring that the proxy war by them against India is continuing, the general said. Also on rt.com Indian Air Force claims tech failures hampered success in aerial battles with Pakistan report The official also shared his thoughts on the details of the February flare-up in Kashmir as two neighboring countries clashed in a series of aerial combats following an Indian air-raid on the Pakistani territory. The air strikes, which according to New Delhi targeted a terrorist camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group, were indeed laudable, the general said calling the operation a major achievement. The general, however, warned that terrorist infrastructure on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control remains intact. Also on rt.com Treating Pakistan as a friend would be Indias biggest weakness Deputy FM Meanwhile, there is no shortage of war rhetoric on the other side of the conflict as well. Earlier in May, a high-profile Pakistani military officer praised his countrys actions during the February encounter as local air forces launched several strikes and downed the Indian fighter jet. Labeling the maneuver Operation Swift Retort, he urged that any further Indian actions will receive a response that would be even stronger than before. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Several major US corporations, such as Qualcomm and Intel have reportedly joined Google in implementing President Donald Trumps executive order that declared Chinese tech giant Huawei a national security risk. Following the footsteps of Google, a number of top American chipmakers including Intel Corp., Qualcomm Inc., Xilinx Inc. and Broadcom Inc. halted their business transactions with Huawei, Bloomberg reports citing insiders. The companies reportedly told their employees that no new shipments will be made until further notice. Also on rt.com Google cuts ties with Huawei following trade blacklisting In the meantime Google has confirmed it was also complying with the order and reviewing the implications of the ban, introduced by Trump under the pretext of national security. While Google has yet to make an official announcement, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is likely to lose access to Android operating system updates, while its forthcoming smartphones will be shut out of most Google apps and services. Washington accuses Huawei of spying on behalf of the Chinese government, but the telecommunications giant consider the US officials rhetoric to be a blatant example of unfair market competition. Also on rt.com Mass surveillance is exactly what the US does: Dotcom points out glaring irony of Huawei ban Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Crude prices rallied on Monday, hitting multi-week highs amid geopolitical tensions, as Saudi Arabia and fellow oil suppliers signaled that they might keep output cuts after the OPEC+ deal expires. Brent crude futures enjoyed a positive start to the week and rose 1.3 percent to $73.11 per barrel at 08:11am GMT, having earlier reached $73.39, the highest since April 26. Meanwhile, US crude benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up $1.05 to $63.81 a barrel early on Monday, the highest since May 1, before sliding to $63.32 later in the day. The Brent price has gained more than 35 percent and WTI jumped 40 percent since the beginning of the year, after OPEC and other non-member producers led by Russia, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed on production cuts to bolster crude prices. The current agreement expires in June when the oil producers are set to meet again to decide whether to end or further extend the existing reduction of 1.2 million barrels per day. The prices surged shortly after the signatories to the deal reported that oil producers compliance with agreement hit a record 168 percent in April against 138 percent a month earlier. However, the countries may eliminate over-compliance but keep the levels stipulated by the agreement, Russias energy minister said after the ministerial meeting on Sunday. The de-facto leader of OPEC, Saudi Arabia, meanwhile said that the current crude prices do not mean that the market has fully recovered, and urged a further reduction of inventories. Escalating US tensions with Iran might have also pushed prices higher, triggering fears over supply from the Middle East. Washington has been tightening sanctions against Iran, while increasing its military presence near its territorial waters. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump threatened the Islamic Republic once again on Twitter, saying that if the country wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran, despite the fact that Tehran earlier shrugged off the possibility of war in the Persian Gulf. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Palestinian officials will not attend a US-led conference in Bahrain next month designed to draw investment to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Reuters reports. There will be no Palestinian participation in the Manama workshop, Social Development Minister Ahmed Majdalani, who is also a member of the executive committee of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization, said on Monday. Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel, the minister added. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that the Palestinians have not been consulted about the conference in Bahrain. Washington announced the conference on Sunday and described it as the unveiling of the first part of President Donald Trumps long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. Palestinians wont attend US-led conference on West Bank, Gaza in Bahrain minister Palestinians wont attend US-led conference on West Bank, Gaza in Bahrain minister Source : RT - Daily news A doctor who asked a Muslim patient to remove her niqab so he could better hear her now faces an internal review and potential termination for alleged discrimination. A petition has been created to support the British physician. Dr. Keith Wolverson, who has been practicing medicine for 23 years, may lose his job at Stoke University Hospital after he asked a woman, who had brought her sick daughter to the hospital, to remove her face veil so he could better hear what she was saying. Wolverson told the Daily Mail that the woman willingly complied with his request, but that her husband later found out and filed a complaint. I'm not racist, this has nothing to do with race, religion or skin colour, he told the paper, adding: I've treated women in the past who have worn similar veils but on those occasions I've never had to ask them to remove it they just did. Also on rt.com Symbol of oppression? Austria bans headscarves in primary schools sparking criticism on social media The formal complaint against Wolverson alleges that the woman did not want to remove the veil on religious grounds, but the doctor would not continue the consultation if she refused. Wolverson reportedly hasnt been allowed to work since the complaint was made, and could face termination over the incident. The case has enraged the Twitterati, many of whom said that Wolverson was a victim of political correctness gone mad. Others expressed exasperation over how unfairly the doctor was being treated. Shocking that a man who has dedicated his career to help others is now being persecuted for wanting to understand her daughter's symptons so he could treat her safely and correctly. Why didn't the dad who was [at] home bring his daughter instead! commented one outraged netizen. The bizarre case has even inspired a petition to block Wolversons potential sacking. We need to ensure the General Medical Council treat this man fairly and look at all the evidence, the Change.org petition reads. Our NHS is severely understaffed and we cannot afford to lose doctors due to fabricated accusations of discrimination. As of Monday, the petition had more than 5,300 signatures. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Russias air defense forces shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during a terrorists attack on the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. The terrorists drones approached the airbase from the northern and the northeastern directions, according to the military. The Russian airbases alert air defense forces destroyed all the terrorists drones at a considerable distance from the airbase, the statement said. The military said six missiles were fired at the Hmeymim air base in the Latakia province and accused former Nusra Front militants of being behind the assault, RIA Novosti reported. Russian forces in Syria shoot down terrorists drones after attack on Hmeymim airbase Russian forces in Syria shoot down terrorists drones after attack on Hmeymim airbase Source : RT - Daily news If Russia gives up on abortions, its population will grow to 156 million by 2029 and to 166 million by 2039, according to calculations by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. If we want to increase the real population in Russia, we must remove the problem of abortions in its current scale, the Patriarch said. Demographic problems wont be solely solved through money bonuses given to families with kids, known as maternity capital in Russia, he warned. The Russian population stood at almost 147 million last year, according to state statistics agency Rosstat. However, it was the first time in a decade that it decreased by 87,000. As for abortions, there were 567,000 such operations performed last year, according to the ombudsman for childrens rights, Anna Kuznetsova. Also on rt.com Russian Orthodox priest says abortions scarier than the Holocaust Earlier this year, Kirill blasted women who decided to have an abortion after learning of foetal abnormalities, saying that such practices of killing those with disabilities were only employed in Nazi Germany. In recent years, the Russian Orthodox Church has been actively pushing for a ban on free abortions in the country, insisting that state funds shouldnt be used to kill life. The initiative gained some public support, and backing from a number of MPs, but never became a law. But Russian doctors are now legally allowed to refuse to perform an abortion if it violates their religious beliefs. Also on rt.com Internet split as governor orders municipal heads to talk women out of abortion Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Saudi Arabias air forces on Monday intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles over Taif, one heading for Mecca and the other for Jeddah, Al Arabiya reported, citing eyewitnesses. Saudi authorities are expected to issue a formal statement after destroying the missiles. The Yemeni government said that it condemns the Houthi attempt to target Mecca and described the attack on the holy site as a full-fledged terrorist act. The Houthi militias have targeted Saudi border towns and Riyadh with ballistic missiles and also claimed drone attacks on the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the past. Saudi military intercepts Houthi missiles heading toward Mecca, Jeddah report Saudi military intercepts Houthi missiles heading toward Mecca, Jeddah report Source : RT - Daily news Seoul has vowed to move quickly on its plans to provide $8 million worth of humanitarian aid to North Korea through international organizations. South is also considering sending food to the country that says its suffering its worst drought in decades. Seouls Unification Ministry said on Monday it will discuss its plans with the World Food Program and the United Nations Childrens Fund so the aid reaches North Korean children and pregnant women quickly. Seoul hopes the aid will help revive diplomacy and engagement with Pyongyang that tapered off amid a stalemate in nuclear talks between the US and North Korea, AP reports. Seoul plans to send aid, food to N. Korea amid worst drought in decades Seoul plans to send aid, food to N. Korea amid worst drought in decades Source : RT - Daily news The struggle for economic emancipation of South Africas black population should be unstoppable, according to the ANC (African National Congress) secretary-general Ace Magashule. Speaking at a memorial lecture in honor of South African activist Walter Sisulu, he said that dark forces in the ruling party are hellbent on distracting from the struggle for economic freedom and the battle against white monopoly capital. The struggle for economic emancipation of our people is and must be unstoppable. We can no longer be slaves in our own nation. We can no longer be counted as the poorest of the poor, while those who hold our wealth through historic theft still enjoy it, Magashule said as cited by the Sunday Times. Also on rt.com South Africas economic & social decline the worst of nations not at war It is unacceptable that the economy is still in white hands, he said, adding the ANC has to remain steadfast in the struggle for economic freedom. It just cannot be that 25 years after our first democratic elections, the control of the resources of our country is still primarily in the hands of white people, who are the descendants of colonists who stole our wealth and land in the first place, the secretary-general said. Magashule added: We cannot allow a few to be co-opted into the power structure (of the mainly white rich), while many (indeed most blacks and African people) still remain poor. We cannot defeat white monopoly capital by allowing it to co-opt us. More than two decades since the end of apartheid, the ruling ANC party says it is still trying to tackle racial disparities in land ownership. South Africas 50-million-strong population is predominantly black, but, according to government statistics, white citizens own 72 percent of farmland. The countrys new president, Cyril Ramaphosa, pledged last year to return the lands owned by white farmers since the 1600s to the black citizens of the country without compensation for the owners. ANC secretary-general echoed Ramaphosa, saying: Our mandate is to expropriate land without compensation to nationalize the Reserve Bank to transform the financial institutions and banks in order to serve the needs of our people. According to him, the ANC should implement national health insurance, the national minimum wage, and should stop privatization of state-owned resources. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Prosecutors in Sweden have asked the courts to detain Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in his absence as part of an ongoing investigation into sexual assault allegations. In an announcement this morning the deputy director of public prosecutions in Sweden said: I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape (less serious crime). If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden." The Wikileaks founder is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence in the UK after he was arrested at the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he had sought political asylum for nearly seven years. The Wikileaks founder was found guilty of jumping bail, and may still face extradition to the United States or Sweden. DETAILS TO FOLLOW Washingtons war on Venezuelas economy undermines stability on global markets, the countrys oil minister Manuel Quevedo told OPEC cartel, just days after the US placed him on sanctions list alongside other Caracas officials. American sanctions generate disturbances in the flow of oil supply to the world market as well as serious economic damage and suffering to the Venezuelan people, Quevedo stressed on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, ahead of a ministerial panel meeting of top OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers. Also on rt.com Trumps Iran decision could kill the OPEC+ deal The Venezuelan economy has been under extreme pressure as the White House continues its effort to place opposition leader Juan Guaido in power instead of elected President Nicolas Maduro. Keeping all option open to instigate regime change, the US has been systematically choking the countrys economy by targeting banking and other strategic industry sectors, concentrating their efforts on cutting oil revenues which account for about 98 percent of the Bolivarian Republics exports. Quevedo, the head of its state-owned oil giant, PDVSA, was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department last week together with four other officials for their ties to President Maduro. We are intent on going after those facilitating Maduros corruption and predation, including by sanctioning the President of PDVSA and others diverting assets that rightfully belong to the people of Venezuela, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. Also on rt.com Russia says too early to discuss OPEC+ deal extension Amid ongoing social economic and political instability, Caracas continues to diversify its customer base, turning in particular to India as well as other nations who recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of the country. In a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak, on Sunday, Quevedo also stressed the importance of maintaining a respectful relationship with the Russian Federation... to maintain the stability of the oil market. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Volodymyr Zelensky has called for cabinet resignations and the return of lost territories after being sworn in as Ukraines president. He said that he wants to negotiate peace in Donbass, even if it risks losing his post. The comedian-turned-politician was inaugurated as Ukraines president during a ceremony in parliament in Kiev on Monday. In his inauguration address, Zelensky called on the Ukrainian parliament to fire the head of the countrys security service, the prosecutor general, and the defense minister. He also said that Kiev will attempt to reclaim lost territories, and that any peace settlement in Donbass would have to begin with Ukrainian captives being returned from the East. Also on rt.com Ukraines FM Klimkin resigns ahead of Zelenskys inauguration Our first task is to reach the ceasefire in the Donbass, Zelensky said in his address to the Ukrainian people from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada. He added that he isnt afraid of making difficult decisions in order to achieve piece but would never surrender Ukrainian territory. Im ready to lose my position without hesitation so that peace will come without losing our territory, never. Zelensky won a landslide victory against incumbent Petro Poroshenko, becoming Ukraines youngest post-Soviet president. Despite his electoral success, the comedian-turned-politician has yet to lay out a comprehensive platform for his administration. Like this story? Share it with a friend! live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Offering to 'step in' when needed in the J et Airways bidding process, a group of airline's employees in their mail to SBI Caps said they are in talks with investors to raise $700 million that will be used to revive the cash-strapped airline. The mail, which was sent last week, was signed by representatives of JAMEWA (Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association) and Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots. We would like to assure you that our resources are at your disposal, if they can be of any help," said the letter to SBI Caps, which is overseeing the bidding process. The employees had earlier this month met officials of SBI Caps, to present their proposal. SBI Caps is at present in talks with unsolicited bidders of Jet Airways to bring in equity. Earlier, Etihad Airways was the only shortlisted bidder to put in a proposal. But the Abu Dhabi-based airline wants to retain only a minority stake in the airline. It has also committed to invest Rs 1,700 crore in Jet Airways. But that is not enough to plug the funding gap in the Indian airline, which owes more than Rs 8,000 crore to banks and many more to lenders, vendors and employees. SBI Caps has reached out to unsolicited bidders including Mumbai-based Darwin Group and London's AdiGro Aviation to bring in additional funds. Sought more info In their mail to SBI Cap, the employees have asked for information to help them in the fundraising process. They have sought details of Jet Airways' assets and valuation, its debt level, a break-up of its expenses and the amount of equity that will come in if the employees bring in $700 million. Other queries include: How much debt will be on the books post-haircut/restructuring after equity investment? Whats the total fund required to operate the company for the next 24 months? By investing $700 million whether the investor gets a stake in the loyalty programme as well? File image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Infosys CEO Salil Parekh took home a salary of Rs 24.67 crore for last financial year, according to the company's annual report. Parekh's salary for the previous fiscal was not available as he took over as the role of CEO and MD of India's second largest IT major in January 2018. Under Parekh, the company grew 9 percent for the fiscal 2019 in constant currency. The company has given a revenue guidance of 7.5-9.5 for the FY2020. Last fiscal marked Parekh's first full year as the CEO of the company after Vishal Sikka quit in 2017. Parekh's package include gross salary of Rs 16.65 crore, Rs 7.64 crore in stock option and other benefits including retirals (retirement benefit) at Rs 0.38 crore. Parekh's remuneration was 396 times higher than average salary of Infosys employees, the annual report stated. In its annual report released last week, TCS CEO Rajesh Gopinathan took home a salary Rs 16.02 crore, a 28 percent increase compared to last year. Gopinathan's package comprises basic salary of Rs 1.15 crore, value of prerequisites was at Rs 1.26 crore, commission as profit at Rs 13 crore and Rs 0.60 crore in other allowances. Wipro and HCL Technologies are yet to publish their annual reports. Going by 2018 report, Wipros Abidali Z Neemuchwala, CEOs annual remuneration for FY18 stood at Rs 18.23 crore. While C Vijayakumar, CEO, HCL Technologies did not receive compensation for FY18 from HCL Technologies, he received Rs 33.13 crore remuneration from a subsidiary company, the company reported in its FY18 annual report. While the salary of UB Pravin Rao, COO, Infosys stood at Rs 9.05 crore, 10 percent increase compared to last year, TCSs COO N Ganapathy Subramaniums drew a salary of Rs 11.61 crore for the last fiscal, up 24.88 percent compared to the previous fiscal. In addition, Infosys has proposed granting equity shares worth Rs 10 crore to Parekh and Rs 4 crore worth of shares to Pravin Rao as part of a new stock incentive plan. Close to 50 million shares would be allocated to employees based on performance, which is subjected to shareholders approval. The initiative is an attempt to retain employees. The Infosys Expanded Stock Ownership Program 2019, under which grants will vest based on performance, aims to align employee interest with shareholder value creation, incentivise, attract and retain key talent, and reward employee performance with ownership, the company said in the statement. In March 2016, the company authorised employee stock option plan (ESOP) for junior to middle level management staff after a gap of 13 years to retain employees. The company witnessed one of the highest attrition rate close to 20 percent in the last few quarters, highest among its peers. During the earnings call, Pravin Rao said that the company is looking at different measures to retain employees. TCS attrition rate stood close to 11 percent, one of the best among the peers. In the annual report, percentage increase in the median remuneration of employees in the financial year 2019 was 3.70 percent. Outlook Parekh, said in the report, "I'm thrilled with the anticipation of what lies ahead." "We have greater sense of stability and an aligned and driven management team eager to serve our clients in a world where technology is becoming more and more critical. I cannot imagine a better place for us to be," he added. Nandan Nilekani, Infosys Chairman, said: "Over the past year, we have been working relentlessly to rebuild a more 200,000 plus people organisation to operate with the speed and agility of a startup. We are reforming root and branch, replacing legacy systems and mindsets, dissolving thick encrusted silos, energising the believers and converting the sceptics. File image The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) numbers finally confirmed a pattern that many said was likely to emerge. But the picture could get darker in the coming six months. There is also the realisation that the first 6-12 months after general elections are that wherein there is little money to be spent. Combine the IIP numbers and the past trend in government spending, and the coming pain can well be imagined. But first to the IIP numbers. industrial output slumped to its lowest in almost two years. The slippage was for the third consecutive quarter. Instead of mere slowing down of growth rates, IIP growth moved into the negative territory (see chart). Industrial output contracted by (-) 0.1 percent in March 2019, much lower than the 5.3 percent growth witnessed in the corresponding period last year. This was a contradiction of views held by most economists a year ago. As a CARE Ratings report put it, The cumulative IIP growth during FY19 was 3.6 percent, lower than the 4.4 percent growth in the comparable period last year. It is only when one goes to the components that make up the IIP, that one gets a better understanding of the body-blows the Indian economy has received (see chart on components of IIP). The sectors that pulled down the IIP were manufacturing (-0.4), capital goods (-8.7 percent), intermediate goods (-2.5 percent) and consumption goods (-5.1 percent). Subdued activity in the manufacturing sector weighed on overall industrial production. The biggest decline was in capital goods, which does not augur well for future job formation. Capital goods add to manufacturing capabilities and are, therefore, a reasonably good indicator of fresh job formation potential in the country. When this number declines, it points to shrinkage in industrial activity, and hence to job formation. That is the biggest dark cloud threatening to loom overhead. The need for job formation is crucially significant. The other big dark cloud that looms ahead is the one relating to consumer goods. This points to lower purchasing by consumers. This could be either because incomes do not justify a larger spend. It could be on account of the loss of jobs, or a cut in wages. But then it could also point to households holding on to their money because they see difficult times ahead. This too does not augur well for business and consumer confidence in the economy. Of course, one positive part about the IIP figures is that the growth in the infra/construction sector was 6.4 percent in March 2019 over the high base of 9.1 percent in the corresponding period last year. But infrastructure helps only if industrial good can travel on them. The latter needs focussed attention now. Electricity does not appear to be a dark cloud. But watch the numbers a bit more closely. True, it went up by 2.2 percent. But then look at the growth in March 2018. It was 6 percent then. What is surprising is that this low growth took place when all stops were opened to ensure that every remote household had access to electricity a good way to please voters (JM Financial report on Rural Safari of April 12, 2018). Power consumption should have grown more smartly especially in the months prior to elections. That they grew by just 2.2 percent is certainly a bit worrying. Also, do remember that several states will not be able to pay for coal or for power from NTPC thanks to the huge debts they have piled onto themselves on account of unrealised revenues for power supplies. Some of the loss-making states identified by a CARE Ratings survey titled Power-Sector Year end 2019, dated March 29, 2019, are J&K, UP, MP, Bihar and Rajasthan [which] continue to have AT&C losses over 25 percent. These could be among the first casualties in the first six months post elections. With power supply to some states getting affected, expect industrial output to take a further hit. Unless, of course, solar rooftop policies are allowed to kick in and take up the slack. Add to this, the woes of slowing exports and rising imports, and you have a worsening industrial climate and an even more frightening fiscal scenario. Then juxtapose this to the worsening dispute redressal climate which has frightened away many investors, and the worries could become migraines. Just three solutions appear to be ways out of this quagmire in the short run. First, stanch the electricity losses by switching to rooftop solar. Tripura has already shown the way. Other states may have to follow suit. Focus on affordable housing, because that too uses domestic material and is less import-dependent, and also creates jobs. It also gives people a dwelling that contributes to greater dignity. Third, a focus on methanation might offer a solution, but it will need greater planning than has been possible until now. All the three translate into jobs, wealth generation, and a reduction in subsidies. As the Care Ratings review says, The growth in industrial output is unlikely to pick up in the first few months of FY20 given the increased likelihood of lower investment activity amid uncertainties surrounding the general elections. It remains to be seen if the new government can focus on the economy more carefully than it has during the past few years. (The author is consulting editor with moneycontrol.com) Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Motors, which is scheduled to post its Q4 numbers on May 20, is expected to reports a decline in its revenue on lower volumes. Motilal Oswal estimates a 1.6 percent YoY decline in revenue (+16.6 percent QoQ), with EBITDA margin contracting 180 bps YoY to 10.1 percent. The research firm expects JLRs (including JV) volume to decline by 11.6 percent YoY (+14 percent QoQ), impacted by the slow demand and the deferment of purchases in China. JLRs EBITDA margin would contract 380 bps YoY (+240 bps QoQ) to 9.7 percent, said Motilal Oswal. Motilal Oswal expects adjusted PAT to be at Rs 440 crore. The brokerage has cut FY 20/21 consolidated PAT by 23/19.5 percent. For JLR, Motilal Oswal has cut PAT estimates by 34/17 percent for FY 20/21. According to Kotak Institutional Equities, standalone revenues are likely to decline 7 percent YoY due to 6 percent decline in volume and marginal decline in ASPs (lower mix of higher tonnage MHCV volumes). JLR's UK P&L volumes will likely decline by 14 percent YoY (assuming 48,500 wholesale volumes in March 2019), Kotak said. It expects ASPs to decline 1 percent as benefit of GBP depreciation will likely be offset by weaker regional mix (lower China volumes). Kotak is of the view that EBITDA margin is likely to deteriorate 310 bps YoY due to lower gross margins and high employee cost. Net sales are likely to rise 5.1 percent QoQ, down 11.3 percent at Rs 80,936.5 crore. EBITDA of Tata Motors may rise 28.9 percent QoQ, down 28.5 percent YoY to Rs 7,788.1 crore. According to a CNBC-TV18 Poll, consolidated revenue is likely to be down 5.2 percent to Rs 86,491 crore against Rs 91,279 crore YoY. EBITDA may slip 16 percent at Rs 9,148 crore against Rs 10,894 crore. PAT may come at Rs 825 crore against reported PAT of Rs 2,125 crore. JLR revenue may come lower by 5.7 percent at 7,117 million pounds against 7,555 million pound YoY while EBITDA may slip 35 percent at 663 million pound against 1,021 million pound, as per the poll. Tata Motors may report loss of 1 million pound against PAT of 400 million pound. Key issues to watch The current demand trends for JLR, and the outlook for key markets, updates on cost-cutting initiatives at JLR demand trend in domestic markets, new product launches and the impact of forex hedge loss. If the exit poll results are correct, the BJP will once again form the government. The final seat tally for the ruling coalition is likely to be around the same as in the 2014 elections. But there are crucial differences. For starters, as many commentators have said, this election has been a referendum on Narendra Modi. Not on his policies, not on any development model, but simply on Modi as a leader, a strong leader. That is an extraordinary development, giving him enormous power. Second, the BJP fought this election on the issue of nationalism. The Balakot strikes were invoked time and again at election rallies and Modi was seen as the macho man who had the guts to take on Pakistan. Other issues, such as rural distress, the lack of jobs, the impact of demonetisation and the introduction of GST, the slowdown in the economy, dont seem to have had an impact. This is significant, since it implies nationalism can be effectively used to divert the masses from economic issues, thus easing pressures on redistribution, allowing the government to focus on capital accumulation. These pages have made this point earlier. Third, the BJP has been able to expand its footprint into new areas, such as West Bengal and Odisha. If these projections are right, then it has become a truly all-India party, unlike in 2014. The days of powerful regional satraps are numbered. Fourth, the masses have embraced BJPs Hindutva ideology with gusto. The partys endorsement of Yogi Adityanath, which so shocked the liberals, as well as putting up Pragya Thakur as its candidate, seems to have had no impact on voters. What used to be the fringe is now mainstream. The partys programme of a long march through the institutions will now pick up pace. Fifth, the BJP seems to have succeeded in its long-term objective of consolidating the Hindu vote. This will mean that caste-based parties have reached their sell-by date. It will also mean that minority votes do not matter. But the final word on this will depend on the actual seat position in UP. Sixth, depending on the final tally of seats, this time the NDA government may soon have a majority in both Houses of Parliament. That will give them a free hand to do pretty much whatever they want to do. Seventh, its likely that the new government will take a hardline stand towards Jammu & Kashmirs special status. Eighth, for the business community, an NDA government will mean much-needed continuity in policy. The victory will increase the confidence of the ruling party in pushing through further economic reforms, without the fear of a populist backlash. Ninth, investors, both domestic and foreign, are also likely to put the money they had on the sidelines to use. The new government, as well as business, will ride a wave of optimism. Whether that optimism founders on the hard rocks of economic reality remains to be seen. And finally, as I have said before, the Modi government is a fundamental break with the past. Its aim is a radical right-wing revolutionin political economy, in society, in culture. If the exit polls are right, the majority of the Indian masses heartily endorse that revolution. Narendra Modi will now have an even stronger hand to push through his agenda of capitalism with Hindutva characteristics. Private banks' valuations might have moved up, but they are not too expensive from the past average basis considering the strong growth potential in next few years, Karthikraj Lakshmanan, Senior Fund Manager-Equities at BNP Paribas Asset Management India, said in an interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand. Edited excerpts: Q: What are your views on the March quarter earnings? A: The March quarter earnings have been a mixed bag with more misses than hits. Some of the banks and diversified financials have reported good numbers in terms of growth and asset quality while there have been few misses within the financial space as well. The consumer sector has had a bad quarter due to growth slowdown and a normalized base as compared to a favourable base for the last few quarters. The IT sector has reported good growth and a positive outlook. Amongst the other sectors, cement has had a profitable quarter. Q: Mutual Funds data suggest that flows plunged 64 percent in April to the lowest in 31 months. Is this temporary blip or do you think we could see more weakness? A: Well, it is very difficult to predict flows, especially on a monthly basis or for the near term. It is heartening to see the SIP money continue to flow through. The near-term flows could depend on events like foregin institutional investors (FII) flows, elections, market outlook, and positive returns. But, in the longer-term, we believe Indian households are underinvested in equities and with improving financialisation of savings, more retail led flows could come into MF equities. Q: Which sectors, do you think, are likely to hog the limelight post elections? A: We are positive on financials and select pockets of consumption. Private banks within financials have been gradually gaining market share from PSU banks over the last two decades, which is a structural trend and is likely to continue going forward as well. Private Banks are equipped with adequate capital and better access to the markets for additional capital if needed besides stable management, focus on retail business and fee income leading to better return ratios. Banking space has the potential for high growth even for the next 3-5 years perspective due to lower credit costs for corporate banks and higher retail growth for all as long as the retail credit cycle continues to be on a good wicket as it has been in last many years. While private banks valuations have moved up, they are not too expensive from the past average basis considering the strong growth potential in the next few years. We also like insurance within financials as the sector can deliver good growth in the medium-term with the potential to improve profitability by increasing the proportion of the higher profitable but underpenetrated term insurance business. Insurance companies have gone through valuations correction as well in the last couple of years due to capital market weakness thus making the valuations reasonable. Besides, companies from organised retail, paints, packaged foods, movie exhibition (multiplex) and aviation space continue to clock good volume growth despite overall consumption slowdown. While this segment is expensive, higher and sustainable growth visibility provides an opportunity to pick companies. Besides, there are few select industrial companies with a healthy balance sheet and execution/technological capabilities that could benefit from a gradual pick up in Indias Private sector capex. Q: If somebody who is in the age bracket of 30-40 years wants to invest Rs 10 lakh now ahead of May 23 what should be the portfolio allocation in terms of sectors in equity markets? A: In our opinion, an equity investor should be willing to stay invested for at least 3-5 years. As discussed above, we are positive on financials, select consumption categories, and industrials while we are underweight on energy, pharma, and utilities. Though we like the cash flows generated and returned by IT companies, the growth is expected to be in single digit on a sustainable basis. While mid and smallcap companies' valuations have corrected over the last year and a half, there are select companies with higher growth potential in the long term. Hence, one needs to be selective and focus on selecting the right companies across sectors and market capitalisation. Q: As there are signs of a slowdown, have we entered the first phase of a bear market? A: Between 2014-17, Indian macros improved while the same didnt reflect in corporate earnings (micro). However, 2018 onwards, even macros have deteriorated a little. Going forward, corporate earnings growth could improve. To dissect it another way, over last few years, while index level earnings growth has been muted, there have been secular companies which have delivered good earnings growth and there have been companies with earnings decline leading to average being muted. Going forward, some of the cyclical companies are also likely to contribute to earnings growth. On an aggregate basis, valuations are expensive than the long term average. Q: Do you think that there is more pain in store for investors who have invested in mid and smallcaps? A: While the excesses in mid and smallcap valuations have been corrected to a great extent over the last one-and-half years, we believe only select few companies within the category could do well on a sustainable basis from the next two to three years perspective based on earnings growth potential. The mid and smallcap category comes with a higher risk and potential for higher returns in the longer term. Investors with higher risk appetite and a longer time horizon can consider staying invested. Disclosure: The sector(s) mentioned in this interview do not constitute any recommendation of the same and BNP Paribas Mutual Fund may or may not have any future position in these sector(s). 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. Global in-house (GIC) leasing is expected to drive demand over the next three years with leasing activity in this segment likely to be in the range of 30-35 million sq ft across the top six cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, says a new report. A global in-house center is an office focused on delivering analytics, IT management and development, R&D and automation services to its parent enterprise. GICs typically lease large spaces, above 100,000 sq feet. Bengaluru is expected to attract the highest proportion of GIC leasing, energy, and chemical companies are considering Mumbai, and tech and consumer electronics companies are looking for options in Delhi-NCR for GICs, says the report by Colliers Research. Pune is also a top pick for GICs for financial companies led by its proximity to Mumbai, competitive cost and diverse talent pool. The vacancy rate in Pune is only about 5.2 percent as of the first quarter of 2019. In Bengaluru, the preferred locations for GIC leasing are Whitefield, Hebbal-Yelahanka; in Chennai OMR Pre Toll is being considered and in Delhi-NCR the GIC destinations are Greater-Noida-Noida Expressway, in Hyderabad companies prefer Gachibowli and Hitech City; in Mumbai Powai is the choice and so is Thane-Belapur Road and in Pune it is Kharadi, Hinjewadi areas, the report says. The report says that companies may also consider building campuses in peripheral locations in major cities, and in Tier II cities like Vadodara in Gujarat, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. We expect availability of talent at low attrition rates, cost arbitrage, and a conducive policy environment enabled by certain state governments to drive demand by the IT industry in Tier II cities, the report says. GICs in India have undergone a tumultuous ride in India. The first GIC was set up in the late 1990s, after which their numbers increased. However, rising competition from other countries and the Global Financial Crisis led to a slowdown in expansion of GICs. Since 2014, with about 1 million employees working in over 1,250 centers, GICs in India have increasingly been undertaking high-end work like product engineering and innovation, that are critical to their organisations success. Over 2014-2018, occupiers leased about 53 million sq feet (4.9 million sq meters) of office space in multi-tenanted buildings for their GICs. Bengaluru led the demand with about 20.1 million sq feet (1.9 million sq meters), followed by Delhi NCR and Hyderabad. Further, companies from the engineering, energy and manufacturing sectors favoured Bengaluru, which attracted a share of 32 percent between 2014 to 2018. As of 2019, India is a leader in the GIC market led by a change in strategy among multi-national companies (MNCs), further aided by competitively affordable rents in certain markets (that offer sub-dollar rentals), a strong IT infrastructure, tax breaks and a highly skilled, English-speaking talent pool. With technology investments imperative to future growth, we expect occupiers will continue to invest in GICs, especially to develop Centers of Excellence (CoE), as Research & Development (R&D) hubs, and innovation centers. We foresee GIC leasing to be in the range of 30-35 million sq ft, between 2019-2021, across the top six cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, said Ritesh Sachdev, senior executive director, Occupier Services at Colliers International India. Over the next three years, we estimate GIC leasing to drive overall leasing activity, especially led by the sheer number of large deals that such centers require. In the last five years, leasing by GICs touched 53 million sq ft, cementing Indias leading position as the worlds global center, says Megha Maan, senior associate director, Research at Colliers International India. Representative image A drive from the edge of Delhi to the Taj Mahals gate takes roughly two-and-a-half hours now-a-days. The Taj Expressway, one of Indias showpiece road projects, is prefaced by a six lane thoroughfare connecting Noida with Greater Noida, making the journey smooth and relatively bump free. Gulmohar flowers, bougainvillea florets and neem trees pepper the route on both sides. But, a peep through the multi-hued shrubbery unmasks an unpleasant picture: towers and towers of unfinished apartment blocks. Protruding iron rods, semi-plastered walls and unpainted facades have created an ugly urban geometry that even the growing glitz of high street malls and busyness of corporate towers across Noida, Greater Noida, and Gurgaon, have not been able to hide. The National Capital Region (NCR) has become Indias central district for incomplete housing projects. Moneycontrol reviewed data collated by two research firms on delayed projects. The statistics are telling. It is not just about stuck projects of the Unitech Group, Amrapali Group and Jaypee Group that are getting mainstream attention because of ongoing court battles. According to Anarock, a real estate consulting and research firm, more than 2 lakh housing apartments worth Rs 1.31 lakh crore are currently delayed by at least a decade in the NCR region. Nearly four out 10 (39%) delayed housing projects in the countrys top seven citiesNCR, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Puneare in the NCR region. At 1.92 lakh delayed housing units, MMR is a close second. The areas in and around the national capital and the financial capital account for a disproportionately high 77% of stuck projects in these seven metropolises, according to Anarock. In comparison, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad together account for a mere 10 percent of the overall stuck housing units, worth Rs 41,770 crore, says the data. There are only 8,650 delayed housing units in Chennai, 86,700 in Pune, 9,600 in Hyderabad, and 40,450 in Bengaluru. Data collated by PropEquity, a Gurgaon-based real estate research and analytics firm, mirrored a similar pattern. According to its report, as of last year, more than 4.65 lakh housing units valued at over Rs 3.3 lakh crore across India are significantly behind their delivery deadlines with daunting construction delays. Of these, 39% or 1.81 lakh units worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore were in NCR, and another 22% or 1.05 lakh units worth Rs 1.12 lakh crore were in MMR. South Indian cities reported the least number of delayed projects. MULTIPLE CAUSES Theres no one single reason behind NCRs notorious construction record. Fund diversion, no regulatory oversight, puzzling land buying rules, abundant supplies, credit crunch and collapsing returns have pulled to the turn large parts of Noida, Greater Noida and Gurgaon into unfinished, deserted ghost towns. According to experts, real estate in NCR enjoyed its rosiest period as a highly attractive asset class during 2005 to 2011 where investments jumped nearly threefold in value. Thousands cashed in on `pre-launch offers, a muddy concept where apartments could be booked at heavy price markdowns. The prices were raised immediately after the projects were actually launched with all necessary approvals. This hatched a whole new class of investors who hurriedly parked surplus funds in these offers, drawn by healthy returns. This was the time when one could book an apartment by paying only 10% of its value, and then exit by `transferring it to another buyer at a premium of 30% or more. Experts sometimes describe such investors as flippers, who booked properties by paying 10% amount at the launch stage and exited to invest in another project after making neat returns from the first. This created a false sense of demand, and a fragile financial pyramid of sorts. As people flocked to park surplus funds to earn a quick buck, realty companies went on a launch binge, announcing projects by diverting funds from existing ones where bricks were still being laid. It was the same pack who was launching projects across NCR. The problem of stuck projects faced by NCR was therefore widespread unlike in other cities, said Samir Jasuja, founder and managing director of PropEquity. The cycle had to end, because eventually the houses had to be handed over to owners who wanted to stay in these. Moving funds across projects meant most builders fell short of funds to complete many apartment blocks, leading to the piling rubble of unfinished projects. Also, realty companies were, perhaps, taken in by the `investors high interest in projects as a sign of actual demand for houses. This buoyed them to launch even more projects to meet the extra demand, which actually did not exist, setting off a `chicken-and-egg cycle. These projects were launched without a proper demand and supply analysis and now these are stuck. A major issue is that some of the developers lacked the will to complete the project and preferred fund diversion, the tightening credit crunch has also been a major problem, said Anuj Puri, chairman, Anarock Property Consultants. It has become a chicken and egg situation, buyers have, understandably, stopped releasing funds to developers, who claim they have no funds to complete the projects. It also took a few years to call the bluff of `pre-launch offers. Many builders launched greenfield projects and collected booking amounts from unsuspecting buyers without the requisite approvals in place. As clearances took a long time coming, projects got delayed even further, compounding the problems. As returns on real estate slackened, even the investors refused to pay the developers, leading to high defaults, and plummeting sales. Housing sales dropped 28% between 2014 and 2018 from 3.43 lakh units in 2014 to 2.48 units last year. As long as property prices were rising, the investor community remained interested. But, the slide in demand and the resultant fall in prices since 2014 led to a rush of exit by investors and defaults, said Pankaj Kapoor, managing director, Liases Foras, a Mumbai-based real estate rating and research firm. We have spread NCR far too much to realise our vision of urbanisation. Over-leveraging, launching projects without approval, regulatory road blocks and failure to anticipate how the market would perform are the reasons why these projects have been running behind schedule, Kapoor said. Mudassir Zaidi, executive director, (north), Knight Frank (India), echoed similar views. During the bull run from 2005 to 2012, prices doubled every three years and investors made returns of almost 20% on an average. After 2014, the market has corrected by almost 30% and the returns are either flat or negative, Zaidi said. According to Zaidi, Gurgaon, which houses offices of the creme-de-la-creme of Fortune 500 companies, faces a peculiar problem where demand exists, but not many can afford the houses that are on sale. The inventory that came up or exist are primarily in the premium segment and was therefore unaffordable, he said. WHO TOOK MY LAND? Noida is also suffering from a baffling policy that, experts believe, allowed builders an easy run. A 2007 policy allowed builders to possess land by paying for it in a staggered manner. The policy allowed realty companies to own land and launch projects by paying just 10% of the land cost to authorities. They were allowed to pay the balance in instalments over several years. As demand dipped, prices plateaued and investors started leaving in hordes, builders started defaulting on paying for outstanding land dues. Authorities in Noida are now struggling to recover Rs 11,000 crore in land dues from 90 builders. Thats not the case in the other markets such as Gurgaon, Mumbai or south India where builders are required to make an upfront payment for land. Yet another reason for NCRs massive inventories is that many of the areas where these projects have come up, the ecosystem for habitation is missing. The basic social fabric is missing. This was not a big issue as long as the market was thriving due to investors demand who put in money only to exit. But with the market now depending only on end-users demand, sustainability of some projects is a big problem for some developers, said Zaidi. Currently, with only end-users scouting for best deals in the market, that too only in ready-to-move-in properties, developers are getting hurt where it hits the most: their cash book. Developers have land banks to sell but not many buyers. They are asset packed but have no liquidity. Besides, they have to struggle with massive legacy issues, says Zaidi. The biggest task is to restore faith in buyers about builders intent as well as authorities regulatory teeth through institutions such as the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). Delayed projects have severely weakened faith in under-construction properties and reviving buyers' trust is a herculean task. If buyers stop purchasing under-construction properties, builders will have a far more challenging time to get funds from external sources for project construction, said Puri. (This is part of a series of pieces on issues plaguing the real estate sector) Angel Commodities' report on Soybean NCDEX Soybean corrected last week after it climb to 5-week high due to profit booking at higher levels to close at 3,715 rupees per 100 kg. It got strength earlier last week due to expectation of improving demand on forecast on below normal rains in monsoon season by Skymet. Moreover, lower crude soybean oil stocks at port also support soybean prices but lowering of tariff on edible oils and lower soyoil in international market pressurize soybean. USDA in its monthly report forecast output at 109 lt in 2019/20, down 5% compared to last year. As SEA, soymeal exports are revised higher to 13.58 lt, up 14.3% in 2018/19. SEA revised March 2018 exports figures to 2.15 lt which is highest single month exports in last 26 months. As per latest SOPA press release, soybean arrivals for the Oct-Apr period pegged at 81 lt, up by 21.8% on year. Until April, country crushed about 62 lt of soybean compared to 55.5 lt last year for same period. CBOT Soybean fell more than 2% on Friday on over the US China trade war which will affect exports of soybean in coming months. Commitment of Traders data shows managed money spec funds adding 8,282 contracts to their record net short position of 168,835 contracts in the week ending May 14. USDA data shows total export commitments at 94% of the 18/19 projected total, down from the 98% average. According to USDA data, US soybean export down 5.3% m/m to 48.3 mt in 2018/19. Brazil will be largest soybean producing country in 2019/20 at 123 mt, up 5% on year. Outlook Soybean futures expected to trade sideways in coming days on improving mill demand on expectation on steady meal exports. However, higher production and increase edible oil imports will put extra pressure on Oilseeds at higher levels. For all commodities report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp reported better than-expected quarterly revenue on May 20 due in part to steady growth in sales outside its home market. The results indicate Xiaomi's overseas expansion and focus on markets such as India and Europe are paying off as the smartphone market in China, the world's biggest, slows. Xiaomi's revenue rose 27% percent in the quarter ended March from a year earlier to 43.8 billion yuan ($6.3 billion), beating an average estimate of 42.109 billion yuan in a survey of analysts polled by Refinitiv. Xiaomi gets most of its revenue by selling mobile handsets, but it also makes money from selling online ads and other types of consumer hardware - an approach it described as a "triathlon" business model when it listed in Hong Kong in 2018. Its adjusted net income for the first quarter rose to 2.1 billion yuan, versus 1.7 billion a year ago. According to data from Counterpoint Research, the overall smartphone market in China contracted 7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019. Xiaomi's share of the domestic smartphone market shrank 21% over the period, the same study shows, while rivals Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei each saw gains. Xiaomi has tried to compensate for the slowdown at home by expanding abroad aggressively. It remains the leading phone vendor in India, and has grown steadily in Europe after launching across the continent throughout 2018. Xiaomi has also attempted to move upmarket and raise the price of its flagship devices, while siphoning off its cheaper models into sub-brands. Image: Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri Most exit polls predict that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to make significant inroads into West Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, if not outnumber the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state. According to the India Today-Axis My India exit poll, the BJP is expected to secure as many as 23 out of 42 seats in the state. The growth is especially noteworthy because the saffron party had won only two seats in the 2014 elections, when a Modi wave had swept the entire nation. Today's Chanakya (18), Times Now VMR (11) and Republic-Jan Ki Baat (18-26) have projected similar results in favour of BJP in the state. News18-IPSOS seems to be an exception and has predicted that the BJP will get 3-5 seats and TMC will even better its position in the state with 36-38 seats. West Bengal, which has a long tradition of keeping its political environment secular, is witnessing the rise of multiple groups and organisations that promise to work for the interest of the Hindu majority in the state. As a result, for the first time, elections were fought along communal lines. BJP Bengal President Dilip Ghosh wanted 40-year-old Samir Naskar in the party, especially for his booth management skills. It is interesting to note that Naskar earlier used to do the same from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is a polar opposite of the BJP in terms of political ideology. Naskar was arrested in April for trying to stop a Muslim meeting in Pratapnagar, South 24 Parganas. Today, Hindus are supporting the BJP because of Mamatas policy to appease the Muslims, Naskar told The Hindu. Naskar may be one of the several so-called left liberals who have shifted favour to the Narendra Modi-led party on the issue of "Hindutva". The BJP has often accused the West Bengal chief minister of appeasing the minority sentiment and, thus, unfairly treating the Hindu majority. Banerjee, on the other hand, stresses on maintaining the secular environment in the state. Mamatas alleged minority appeasement has been the main issue in the BJPs campaigning in West Bengal, if not the only one. According to a local BJP leader in North 24 Parganas, development was not an issue this election. The party has been banking on the propaganda that promotes the TMC means Muslim, BJP means Hindu theory. This thought has entered everyones heads. Now it doesnt matter if we make roads or we dont make roads, he told Scroll. In Birbhum, Achintya Mal, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste group, explains why his village supports the BJP. We dont like Mamata [Banerjee]. She only looks after Muslims, not Hindus. She even reads the namaz, he told the publication. Anjana and Debaprasad Mukherjee, a retired couple in Mamatas fort Bhowanipore, have voted for the BJP even though they are satisfied with the Kolkata Municipal Corporations performance. They are not at all happy with Banerjees alleged favour for the Muslim population. Watch: Nusrat's Muslim, I am Hindu but we are exactly alike except shes beautiful and I am not, says Mamata Banerjeehttps://t.co/u9pcCnqFij pic.twitter.com/SgAWv1xZNw DNA (@dna) May 12, 2019 Can a policeman ever ask a Muslim rider to wear a helmet? Mukherjee told Scroll. They are scared to even enter a Muslim neighbourhood. A recent article in The Times of India credits Banerjee for the rise of BJP in West Bengal. It says Banerjee was so busy trying to eliminate the Congress and the CPI(M) in the state that she made space for the saffron party. If Mamata had allowed political space for CPM and Congress to flourish in their limited pockets, it would have helped in splitting the anti-incumbency vote, allowing Trinamool to retain its dominance in the state, the article clarifies. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury earlier said it was TMC which had facilitated the BJP-RSS to gain ground in West Bengal. And former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee echoed Yechurys claim. Bhattacharjee said both the TMC and the BJP had created a communal environment in the state. While he emphasised that people would have to take opportunistic chowkidaars off power, he wondered if it would be smart to choose the BJP over Mamata Banerjees party. Is it intelligent to jump from TMCs frying pan to BJPs fire? Bhattacharjee told Ganashakti, the CPI(M) mouthpiece. Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, has dismissed poll-predictions in favour of the BJP. She has called it gossip and a game plan to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs. #ExitPoll2019 | West Bengal will once again see TMC take the lead but the BJP will make significant gains in the state: Chanakya-News24 exit poll. More updates here: https://t.co/pxH325cSJJ pic.twitter.com/Jnkli1s6Y3 The Quint (@TheQuint) May 19, 2019 Nevertheless, if the actual results are even close to what the exit polls suggest, she has every reason to be worried as her chair will be at stake in 2021. While she has fought her entire life against the communist powers in the state, it is the unlikely opponent in the form of BJP that she should be concerned about right now. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) Do you want to be part of a book that's gonna feature a FIlipino character? asks C.B. Cebulski, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief, to Comic Odysseys head honcho Sandy Sansolis. Cebulski was talking about a limited-edition variant cover for Marvels War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1, featuring Cebuana superhero Wave. I saw the solicitation but didnt know anything about the title, Sansolis says. All I knew was that it was going to feature a new Filipino hero, and I was already sold. Okay, Im on it! On May 11, the second floor of Robinsons Galleria, home of Comic Odysseys newest store, was jam-packed with close to a thousand fans who were there for a signing that was only scheduled to last three hours, but extended to around eight. The comic book signing of "War Realms: New Agents of Atlas" at Robinson's Galleria. Photo by ANTON HOLMES The reception was more than what Sansolis could have asked for. Solicitations for comic books usually come two months before their release. These already have a plot summary and cover options. Retailers use these to assess the orders to be made, as it would have to go through a U.S. distributor before getting shipped here. I guess it makes sense that they offered it to me, a Filipino retailer in the Philippines, Sansolis says. Ive been here since 1997, and Ive had an account with Marvel and (international comics distributor) Diamond for longer. Sansolis was given free rein over the whole project, from choice of artist/colorist, to concept, to style of printing. He thought of Leinil Yu (who he didnt know at the time was actually Waves co-creator) but the latter was working on another Marvel project. Enter superstar artist Mico Suayan. Hes one of the most prominent local artists on social media, (where, incidentally, he was mistaken for a woman and thus given the nickname The Goddess by comic enthusiasts). I was surprised that the line was snake-like, says Suayan. Five hours and counting! That is the longest time Ive ever taken for a signing. Im overwhelmed by the reception of the people for the character, but of course credit goes to co-creators Greg Pak (writer) and Leinil Yu (artist), he adds. The initial sketch layout of Wave. Photo courtesy of COMIC ODYSSEY Also active in the convention circuit, Suayan has been on a roll with a series of exclusive covers hes been working on with Unknown Comic Books. He has done covers for Venom, Return of Wolverine, Avengers No Road Home, The Batman Who Laughs, and more recently, the 1000th issue of Detective Comics. Naturally, he jumped at the opportunity to do another milestone project. Marvel asked me what I would want in the cover. First thing in my head was the flag. It cant just be something like fighting Iron Man, Sansolis shares with a laugh. It had to be significant, and the flag was the only thing I thought that would really have that impact on the cover. I contacted Mico because Ive worked with him before. I love his art, obviously. Hes at his prime. Theres always something better every time you get to see his work. Suayan says that he was given instructions on the composition. They wanted something iconic or showing a Philippine landmark, or something Filipino as a whole, he shares. Sandy suggested the Philippine flag, so I did a few sketches and layouts and sent it to them. After a couple of days, I got the approval from Sandy to do this pose. Even with 22 years of comics retailing experience in the Philippines, the experience of working on the Wave variant cover was totally new to Sansolis. He was involved from the rough sketch to the finished product, adding how this was the first time hes ever been this invested on a comic. It was a close collaboration with Suayan, he adds. I remember when I first saw the art, I felt shivers on my spine. Wow! Its better than I had imagined, says Sansolis. The ink version of the Wave cover. Photo courtesy of COMIC ODYSSEY Suayan was in fact still in the U.S. when he finished the cover. It was a Sunday, and my deadline was Monday. I didnt sleep. And then when I finally finished, I found out that my uncle did not have a scanner! So I took a photo and sent it to Marvel, just to show that I had really finished it, he recalls. The phone picture wouldnt do, as they would need the actual high-quality scan for the next process: coloring. I asked for another hour and scrambled around Cerritos to find a FedEx office where I can scan my work. When I finally sent it, they were very happy. All my fatigue went away when I got their reaction, shares Suayan. Colorist Rain Beredo, whose works have also appeared on Marvel titles, took up the task of creating some splash for Waves debut cover. When I saw the colored version, I was even more blown away, shares Sansolis. I saw the originals, sketch to copics to color. Marvel asked if I wanted the Comic Odyssey logo up front, I said no. I wanted the art as clean as possible, but the title War of the Realms was required. I had the option to do the virgin (pure art) variant, so thats what I opted for, even if it meant higher cost. I was really worried. The cost to do those exclusives were too much, I had to borrow some money! What have I gotten myself into? he says. A couple of weeks after opening pre-orders, the variant cover with a print run of 1,000 pieces sold out. The original price of the variant was 799, back when the 3,000 units of the regular variant hadnt arrived. This is three times the usual price of a comic book they sell, but as it is a key book, the speculative market was on it. At first, they didn't sell as well, but they picked up midway when people realized that it featured the full art. Now it feels great, says Sansolis. I shouldve printed more, I shouldve gotten a third cover, but you dont really know. Ive been part of exclusive covers before, and they didnt sell as good it just broke even and took us quite a long time [to recoup]. Comic artist Mico Suayan with cosplayer Nicki Roque, who had her costume rushed for the signing. Photo by ANTON HOLMES Sansolis adds that aside from the newest Filipino hero, theres also a K-pop hero, and a couple of Chinese heroes. This, he says, is indicative that Marvel is aware of the huge Asian market. At the signing, only 50 issues remained. Some collectors chose to have it slabbed directly to maintain and preserve the quality and value of this book. Due to scarcity, the remaining books now sell at 3,000. It fetches as high as $200 upwards on eBay. It's definitely a very profitable project. Now I know Ill definitely do another variant in the future, says Sansolis. I don't know what Marvel's plans are, but all I know is shes already part of the Marvel Universe. Sanolis adds: [C.B. and the people at Marvel] are making the Marvel Universe more inclusive and it makes sense it's not just about U.S. heroes. It just makes me think, maybe they have bigger plans for this character or more characters. It can't just be that Wave is the only hero from the Philippines. Suayan, himself a father of a young girl, is proud to be part of a project that puts a strong Filipina on the forefront. He hopes to continue inspiring through his art, as he has only gotten to where he is now with hard work and dedication. My advice is to keep on dreaming. If you want to achieve something, you have to work for it. Theres no such thing as an easy way to achieve that goal. And dream they did. Now off to make bigger waves. Exit poll results for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, released on May 19, predicted a big win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Most exit polls gave NDA a thumping majority with BJP crossing the half-way mark on its own. However, some political observers have expressed caution over the numbers suggesting that exit polls have gone wrong in the past. The case in point being opinion and exit polls from the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. Agency NDA UPA Others AajTak ORG-MARG 248 190 105 NDTV AC Nielsen 250 205 120 Sahara DRS 278 181 102 Star News-CVoter 275 186 98 Zee News Taleem 249 176 117 Actual 189 225 129 Most leading exit polls had given the incumbent Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government a significant lead over the Congress-led alliance. In fact, the numbers stopped just short of the 272-mark. Meaning, the NDA would have been in position to retain power with the support of one or two non-aligned parties. However, the actual result stunned pollsters and voters. The Congress-led front, subsequently named the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), won 225 seats. NDA finished second with 189 seats while others won 129 seats. The 2004 result has repeatedly been used by many as an example of how opinion and exit polling in India has seen mixed results. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in April asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not invincible. "Don't forget 2004," she told reporters, reminding of Congresss victory in 2004 despite most predicting a huge BJP victory under Vajpayee. Asked by reporters if she thinks Modi is invincible, Sonia Gandhi responded, "Not at all, not at all. Don't forget 2004. In 2004 (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee ji was also invincible but we won," she said, before walking away. There are several similarities between 2004 and 2019. A strong right-of-centre ruling dispensation seeking reelection amid worries of an economic slowdown even as the governments did their best to project a feelgood factor. So, will 2019 turn out to be like 2004? The BJP had fought the 2004 general election campaign on the India Shining slogan. After the election, however, senior BJP leaders including former deputy prime minister LK Advani admitted that these phrases, though valid in themselves, were inappropriate for our election campaign. By making them verbal icons of our election campaign, we gave our political opponents an opportunity to highlight other aspects of Indias contemporary reality -- poverty and uneven development, unemployment among the youth, problems faced by the farmers -- which questioned our claim, Advani said. In 2019, the Modi-led BJP also tried to highlight on overall development and economic optimism in its campaign. Similar to 2004, the Opposition continues to remain fractured. While over 20 opposition parties, in principle, agreed to put up a united fight against the NDA, some of them contested against each other on crucial seats. In 2004, the Left front, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (Secular), among others had stayed away from Congress prior to the polls. Yet, there remain several differences between 2004 and 2019. The BJP today is standing at a much higher voter base. BJPs vote share in 2014 was 31.3 percent. In 1999, BJPs vote share was 23.8 percent. Another major factor is that the BJP's organisational presence has swelled in many states. The party is confident of making inroads into Odisha, West Bengal and hopeful of repeating its 2014 performance in the Northeast. The saffron party seems to have strategically spent more resources in these eastern states to offset losses it could make in the north. This was not the case in 2014. Another factor that was missing in 2004 was national security as a core election issue. In 2019, the BJP virtually ran its entire campaign on the issue of national security and highlighted the Balakot airstrikes as a counter-terrorism measure. Overall, while it may be tempting to draw parallels between 2004 and 2019, it may not be a straight comparison. Voting for the 17th Lok Sabha came to a close on May 19 and the exit polls delivered a surprise. While talk during the election campaign centred around whether the BJP-led NDA would be able to attain the magical 272 mark in the absence of a Modi wave, exit polls show that the ruling alliance may face no such problem. Pollsters have forecast the NDA to get anywhere between 277 and 365 seats. But it is possible that the alliances eventual tally could actually be higher or at least the higher end of the range forecast. There are a few reasons for this. One, exit polls are generally a reliable gauge of which way the wind is blowing they tend to get the direction right but they often underestimate the trends strength. We saw signs of this in 2014 when most exit polls correctly forecast the NDA as achieving a simple majority but fell short in their pinpoint estimate. To be sure, exit polls have failed to also get the direction right let alone the extent such as in 2004 or 2009. But 2009 was seen as a status quoist mandate, rather than an election that had a strong undercurrent, as evidenced in its moderate turnout, making it difficult for pollsters to estimate the trend, let alone its extent. By many accounts, 2004 was similar to 2019 -- a reformist and a strong government seeking a mandate amid perceived economic distress. But the similarities stopped there; the BJP today is a far bigger party than it was in 2004, and Narendra Modi is a stronger leader than Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Two, there is some evidence that opinion or exit polls are failing to fully capture the right wing vote share. This wasnt the case in 2004 or 2009 when exit polls were too optimistic about the BJPs prospects rather than pessimistic. But the global rise of right-wing politics took place around the end of the last decade around the time of the financial crisis. Since then, there have been several instances of polls underestimating the right wings vote share: be it BJP in 2014, Brexit in 2016, the US election later that same year, or, most recently, the Australian elections a few days ago. A third factor could be West Bengal, a state that witnessed a ferocious battle between the BJP a party that hitherto had very little presence in the state, and the ruling TMC. Given the BJPs lack of presence in the state previously, pollsters would have had difficulty modelling the partys vote share. This could have resulted in not just uncertainty in the pollsters minds forecasts for the BJP range from 3 to 20 seats but also possibly conservatism in projecting its tally. Assume the BJP puts up a strong performance in West Bengal and Odisha, another state in which it wasnt a force previously, it would mean the difference between strong performance and a landslide. Moon exploration took a big leap when Russia launched a space probe to the earth's satellite in 1959. Since then, India is not far behind having become only the fourth country to send a spacecraft (Chandrayaan-1) to the Moon. As ISRO prepares for its second mission Chandrayaan-2 in July, Devika Bharany speaks to Jitendra Goswami, the former director of Physical Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad), who headed the Chandrayaan-1 team. Tune in to this edition of Digging Deeper as he talks about his experience in the first mission, and what we can expect from the next. Below are excerpts from the interview: Q: How would you describe the experience of successfully conducting Indias first Moon mission? What was your most memorable moment while helming Chandrayaan-1? A: The idea of having a mission to the Moon was initiated by ISRO in the late nineties. Plan for all aspects of the mission realisation was done with utmost care. Approval for the first Indian Mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1, was given by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on our independence day, in 2003. The mission was launched in 2008, as planned, from the ISRO launch-pad at Sriharikota. The successful launch was rejoiced by all present at the site. However, my most memorable moment came much later, when Chandrayaan-1 reached closer to the Moon, and incredible images of the lunar surface, taken by the onboard camera on the 'Lunar Impactor', were relayed back to Earth. We were thrilled looking at the photographs streaming in and this marked the first close up views of the lunar surface taken by an Indian Mission to the Moon. At the same time, Chandrayaan-1 was also inserted into an elliptical orbit around the moon. We were simply thrilled. With Chandrayaan-1, India succeeded in reaching the Moon and placing our mission in orbit around it in the very first attempt, a feat applauded by all. We then waited for data from the instruments on board. Q: According to one of your research papers, Chandrayaan-1 detected lava tubes beneath the Moons surface. Can you please elaborate? A: Presence of 'Lava tube', beneath the lunar surface, simply suggests that there were instances for the presence of 'hot fluid' on the Moon that may cool down to form 'lava-tubes'. These could be large in size, and such features are present on the lunar surface. However, they do not suggest habitability, although one cannot rule out such possibilities with improved technology and facilities in the distant future. Q: After Chandrayaan-1's successful mission, what can aspiring scientists expect from Chandrayaan-2? A: Chandrayaan-2 is a mega project. All the instruments (payloads) onboard are designed to probe various aspects of the Moon. A major advancement will be probing the lunar surface with instruments deployed on the moon along with Lander and Rover. All the payload for this mission were designed for probing various aspects of the Moon. Unlike in Chandrayaan-1, where foreign teams were invited from other countries to be a part of the mission to ensure high science return, Chandrayaan-2 will be the most ambitious space mission to be conducted by India on its own. All the payload are developed in various centres of ISRO with the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) contributing three of the payloads. We expect Chandrayaan-2 will be ready for a flight soon. Of course in the meantime, we had our very successful maiden mission to Mars, that revealed some new facts about the high altitude upper atmosphere of the planet, not probed before. The possibility for another mission to Mars is also suggested. Q: Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan & many other space missions have been carried out by India, especially sending the most number of satellites to outer space, does this mean, India would have its own Space Station anytime soon? A: ISROs support for launching a large number of 'mini-satellite' may be considered as an activity that helps broaden the views of young people, both in India and other countries. Several recent Indian space missions have also provided piggy-back type launch for people from India and other countries, and, I feel such activities are welcome and will bring further support from people in India and abroad. It is difficult to say when India will have its own Space Station, it is a bit of costly affair and one must have a long-time plan for utilisation of such a station and its maintenance. However, it will be useful to develop such a system, provided utilisation plans and adequate funds are in hand. Q: How advanced is Indias space research as compared to international agencies? A: I feel we are close to the international agencies in content, but not in volume. We should not lag behind, and, at the same time, we should try to expand the scope and content of our Space Research activities. Q: Do you think humans will ever be able to live on the moon someday? If yes, how many years do you think this will be possible in? A: I feel given the present global situation, most of us will not be around to live on the moon. A lunar habitat could be an experience, as happened to all astronauts who went to the Moon or orbited around it. However, a human habitat on the Moon on a permanent basis may have to wait. Most exit polls released on May 19 have predicted a comfortable victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). They have also predicted substantial losses for the Congress, including in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan states where the party is in power. The only silver lining for the Grand Old Party seems to be Punjab, where the polls have predicted a win for the Congress in at least nine of the state's 13 Lok Sabha seats. The News18-IPSOS survey, for instance, predicted that the Congress would win 10 seats, while the NDA would be reduced to two seats in the state. Similarly, the India Today-Axis My India survey gave Congress eight-nine seats in Punjab, with the NDA expected to win three-five seats. What is significant is that the voting in favour of Congress in Punjab comes despite the Balakot air strikes. The air strikes, which were conducted in February, had put Punjab on high alert, considering that it is a border state. Moreover, during his rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the air strikes were conducted to strengthen the national security of the nation, a sentiment that had resonated with many voters on the ground. Voters in Punjab, however, are unimpressed, if the exit polls and reports are any indication. Observers state that this might be because local issues, including farmers' distress, lack of basic facilities, drug menace and support for local Congress leaders matter more, especially in border regions. Prince, a resident of Pathankot, had told Moneycontrol that he does not believe in the BJP's national security rhetoric. "If they were so serious about national security, attacks like Pulwama and Pathankot would not have happened in the first place," he had said. Speaking to Indian Express, Bir Devinder Singh, a veteran politician who recently joined Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), said issues such as economy of the state and the "anger of unemployed youth" matter more in Punjab. "Panthic issues and region-specific issues will also be raised along with the economic issues in these elections and no one will buy any nationalist argument," he told the newspaper. Similarly, although in a different context, a BJP leader had explained why national issues such as Balakot or the return of fugitives might not impact the local voter. "Say you talk about satellites being launched in space, which is a good thing, but if you are not getting medical facilities, would you bother about the satellite or the medicine?" the leader had said, adding that PM Modi focused on policies which have a "direct impact" on people. Even after the air strikes, when there were fears of a war breaking out between India and Pakistan, reports suggested that the residents of border villages in Punjab were more concerned about unseasonal rain. "We are more concerned about this unseasonal rain and the damage it could cause to our crops than the possibility of war," Tara Chand, a resident of Bamiyal village on the India-Pakistan border, had told Indian Express. The same report had indicated that the region along the border in Punjab was unfazed by the strikes or its aftermath. Another surprising factor is that the exit polls are predicting a Congress sweep in Punjab despite the 1984 anti-Sikh riots issue being raked up during poll campaigning. In fact, when asked to comment about the riots, senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda had said "hua toh hua" (What happened, happened), causing massive uproar. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had asked Pitroda to apologise, and had called his comment "completely out of line". PM Modi had stated that the comment was in line with Congress' attitude on every issue. A key takeaway from the exit polls that the Bharatiya Janata Partys southern conquest has been stopped in its tracks while the saffron juggernaut continues to roll on mercilessly in the rest of India, annexing new territories. Opposition parties have contested the exit poll results as a command performance by a pro-Narendra Modi media. Mamata Banerjee called it gossip. Chandrababu Naidu said all exit polls are wrong. But that does not matter. Self-denial cannot last beyond counting day. If the results on 23 May show the same trend as the exit polls, which they will in all probability, the BJP would have extended its hold over new swathes of land in the east, notably Bengal and Orissa, while vigorously defending the fortresses in its traditional cow belt. The only region resisting is the south, where the party from the Hindi heartland is seen unlikely to improve much on its 2014 show, although the long term prospects appear to be bright. In Karnataka, which is supposed to have become the beacon of light for the opposition to come together to fight Narendra Modi, the alliance between Rahul Gandhis Congress and Deve Gowdas JD-S is in tatters. The lingering trouble for Kumaraswamys coalition government has been such an embarrassment for the unity apostles that the tag of Mahamilawat given to them by Prime Minister Modi has stuck. The alliance seems to have surrendered the initiative to the BJP enabling it to turn the tide in the saffron partys favour. The opposition must feel relieved that in the rest of the southern states, its partners have contained the BJP onslaught with Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Telangana defending their turf well. But secular-minded Kerala seems to be relenting by probably letting the saffron party open its first account. Just like in its pair state of Bengal, the BJP seems all set to walk into the space occupied by the communists once the left citadels start falling one by one. The exit poll results explode the myth of a Congress comeback, first seen in last years assembly elections. When the Congress formed governments in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was hailed as the sign of a revival of fortunes for the Grand Old Party and Modis promise of Congress-mukt Bharat turned into something of an anachronism. But the hype of the Congress celebration completely overlooked the fact that despite the anti-incumbency of multiple terms, the BJP had done remarkably well in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, almost being in a position to cobble a majority. The only state where Congress had some claim to fame was Chhattisgarh, where the party won a comfortable majority on its own. The exit polls have brought this out in no uncertain terms, exposing the vulnerability of the Congress governments after only a few months as their performances have been marked by ineptitude, corruption and failure to honour commitments. The installation of its governments in these states was supposed to provide muscle to the Congress revival. But that was not to be. In fact, the so-called Congress revival was a highly deceptive proposition and Modis promise of a Congress-free India appears to be as relevant today as it was at the time of the UP assembly elections, which the saffron party swept in 2017. Congress president Rahul Gandhi gave it all away when he tweeted a targeted attack on the Election Commission just ahead of the exit poll results prompting observers to feel that he had virtually conceded defeat. Gandhi has been accusing Modi of consistently lying to the nation. Mindless statements on the Rafale deal, especially the one involving the Supreme Court, gave the BJP the handle to beat Gandhi. In public perception, it became an issue of Modis lies versus Gandhis lies. The exit poll results show that the people, however, accepted Modis version of the truth. The fiasco over his apology to the Supreme Court actually dramatised Rahul Gandhis predicament. The Congress president made a big mistake of not apologising at the first instance, thereby prolonging the process, which kept the issue live for long and seriously affected his credibility. While Gandhis debut in electoral politics was widely mocked, in all fairness it must be said that he has had a more comfortable baptism compared to sister Priyanka Vadra, whose threatened Brahmastra simply failed to strike. Her nondescript speeches created little impact on the crowds. If the exit poll predictions turn out to be true on 23 May, the Congress needs to rethink its options if it wants to stay relevant. Between April 11 and May 19, over 90 crore people are expected to have cast their votes across 10 lakh booths in 543 seats spread over 33 lakh square kilometres. Even after arranging the logistics for conducting free and fair elections, the work of the Election Commission is not quite done. All of India is now waiting for the final results with bated breath. Counting of votes is the most critical and tedious process of the election. Even if the slightest discrepancy creeps in, the wrong leader can be placed in power. Who counts the votes? Counting happens in the presence of the Returning Officer of the constituency and candidates and their agents. The Returning Officer declares the result when he is certain that the counting has been successfully completed. In addition, the Election Commission appoints its observers to oversee the process and ensure that it happens in a transparent manner. Each candidate can appoint up to 16 counting agents from his/her party for each place of counting. The counting agent takes care of the interests of the party. Besides, there is the counting staff appointed by the EC. Except for the Returning Officer, counting staff, candidates and their agents, public servants on duty and other persons authorized by the Election Commission of India, no one else has right to admission at the counting venue. What happens inside the counting room? The date and place of counting votes is fixed at least a week before the dates of elections are announced. Inside the counting venue, a number of tables are arranged as per a pre-decided floor plan. The number of tables largely depends on the number of polling stations to be counted, and obviously on the space available and security concerns at play. Usually, one hall cannot have more than 14 counting tables, but there have been exceptions to the rule. Each table has a paper knife to break open the seals on the EVM, a loudspeaker to announce the result and a blackboard for disseminating information regarding the trends in counting to the media. No one is allowed to use a mobile phone inside the counting hall, except for the observer appointed by the Election Commission. The venue is guarded by central security forces in the inner perimeter and state police on the outer perimeter for enhanced security. However, security personnel are not allowed to enter the counting hall. How are votes counted? The counting of votes is done simultaneously at more than one place and more than one table in a counting hall. Postal ballot papers are counted first. Thirty minutes later, the EVMs are brought in. The counting staff and agents inspect EVMs before opening it. Then, the counting of votes begins. The EVM is powered on and the seal over the Result button is pierced. The button is then pressed and it displays the total number of votes recorded for each candidate at a particular polling station. After counting for one round is over, EVMs are to be resealed. The Returning Officer waits for two minutes, during which any candidate who believes there has been a discrepancy can ask for a recount. The Returning Officer decides if the appeal to recount is valid. Read More | What are VVPAT machines? Are they better than EVMs and ballot papers? Following the resolution of any discrepancy, the Returning Officer seeks the observers clearance and declares the result. At the same time, the Returning Officer reports the result to the Election Commission. With the use of EVMs since the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, both the casting and counting of votes has become relatively less cumbersome as compared to the old paper ballot system. However, auditing the paper trail through VVPAT machines is expected to delay the announcement of results this time. Polling parties carry EVMs and other equipment to reach Luguthang - Mukto district, which is located at a height of 13,583 feet in Arunachal Pradesh. The state went to polls on April 11 in a single phase. (Image: Twitter/ @SpokespersonECI) Election Commission officials reach Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh to conduct polling. The district is marred by Naxal insurgency. The district comes under Bastar, which went for polls on April 11. (Image: Twitter/@ECISVEEP) Soldiers deployed in Siachen along the LOC cast their votes as service voters on April 11. In a first-of-its-kind move, the EC organised Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) for the troops. ETPBS provides a facility to service voters deployed in far-flung, remote and inhospitable terrain or even Indian missions abroad to download their ballot papers online, vote and forward the papers to their respective electoral Returning Officers via post. (Image: Twitter/@SpokespersonECI) A polling team crosses river Kabung en route 34-Messing polling station under Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh. (Image: Twitter/@SpokespersonECI) EVM awareness teams cross the famous Double Decker Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya at Nongriat polling station under Shillong parliamentary constituency. Meghalaya went to polls on April 11. (Image: Twitter/@SpokespersonECI) File image Amid the ongoing voting for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that the BJP will form the next government at the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a "massive mandate" of "300 plus seats" of the BJP and "400 plus" of the NDA allies. "Polling on 67 Lok Sabha seats in UP has already been held, and voting was held on 13 seats today. I can say with confidence that on May 23, when the election results will be declared, the BJP under the leadership of Modiji will accomplish its target of securing 300-plus seats on its own, and 400-plus seats on the strength of its allies," said Adityanath after casting his vote. "In UP, the BJP will be successful in achieving the target of 74-plus seats," said the chief minister, adding "the festival of the democracy should be treated enthusiastically". Asked whether the the chief minister's remarks amounted to influencing voters or flouting the model code of conduct after the end of campaign, UP Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwarlu told PTI in Lucknow that the Election Commission will look into it of it gets any complaiunt on the matter. "No complaint has yet been received in this connection. If we get any complaint, we will seek a report from the local administration in this regard and look into it," he said. Adityanath was among the first voters to exercise his franchise here Sunday. He cast his vote at the Prathmik Vidyalaya near Jhoolelal Temple in Gorakhpur at 7 am. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, the chief minister said, "People are fighting this election for the nation's interest and if someone cannot understand it, his IQ (intelligent quotient) is questionable. The entire election revolved around Modiji. With big achievements of his government during the last five years, the BJP will win the election." "This is the first election which hinged on Modiji. All through the seven phases of the polls, I found it centred around Prime Minister Modi," said the chief minister. "Naturally, there has been an enthusiasm among the common people over the five-year performance of the government," he added. "For the first time after the independence, the barriers of casteism, regionalism, language and dynastic politics can be seen crumbling," said Adityanath. Asked about TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati in Lucknow on Saturday, the chief minister dubbed the three leaders as "beaten pawns (pitte huye mohare)". "I feel Chandrababu is not able to save Andhra Pradesh and he is losing his ground there. They are defeated people, people who have been rejected by the public. Modiji will be forming the government with a massive mandate," said Adityanath. The UP chief minister also claimed witnessing unprecedented enthusiasm among voters for the prime minister. "The enthusiasm among voters for Modiji has breached the barriers of caste, creed, religion, language and gender. For the first time, it was seen that the people were at leading position with candidates and parties following them. It proves that if you work in the interest of the country, you will get support of the people," he said. "The BJP under the leadership of Modiji will achieve the target of 300-plus seats fort the BJP and the NDA will secure 400-plus seat. In UP, the BJP will achieve the target of 74-plus seats," he claimed. Asked about the situation in West Bengal, Adityanath said, "The people of Bengal, have seen violence, perpetrated during all phases of the elections in the state. The Election Commission was forced to take stringent steps there." "I feel the dictatorial and undemocratic action witnessed in Bengal will be given a befitting reply by people, who voted in large numbers there in the interest of the country, in the interest of the public and for uprooting and exposing the forces which want to disrupt democracy by resorting to violence, which hatch conspiracies to stay in power at any cost," he added. "The enthusiasm shown by the people of Bengal indicate that good results will be coming from Bengal. And there should be no doubt on it," Adityanath asserted. The chief minister termed the "enthusiasm" which, he said, he saw in people for the prime minister's work as an "indication of mature democracy" of the country. "The enthusiasm shown by voters in mega festival of democracy is an indication of mature democracy of India. If you work in the interest of the pubic and interest of the country, you will be able to sustain in public life, or else there will be no place for you," he said. Adityanath also said, "People are fighting this election for nation's interest and if someone cannot understand it, his IQ is questionable. The entire election revolved around Modiji. With big achievements of his government during the last five years, the BJP will win the election." Miffed with exit poll predictions, the Trinamool Congress is busy with post-poll calculations based on reports received from the districts, a senior party leader said on Monday. Dismissing the exit poll predictions, he said, "We do not have to worry about these exit poll reports, which in most cases do not match. "We have our internal party report. We also have reports from districts and each and every constituency." The TMC leadership is also in talks with various opposition parties in the country, party sources said. "Most of these exit polls are baseless and biased towards the BJP. We are not bothered about the exit polls. Talks are on with all the opposition parties on the post-poll scenario. "It is for sure that the BJP has lost the election. The TMC will play an important role," said another senior TMC leader, who did not wish to be named. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been meeting leaders of regional and opposition parties over the last few days, will meet TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Monday. In West Bengal, some of the exit polls suggested the TMC getting 24 seats, the BJP bagging 16, the Congress two and the Left Front drawing a blank. Two exit polls telecast by Times Now gave the NDA 296 and 306 seats, while they projected 126 and 132 for the Congress-led UPA. Dubbing exit polls as "gossip", Banerjee had said on Sunday that she did not trust such surveys as the "game plan" was to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. The West Bengal unit of the BJP was quick to hit back, asking Banerjee to "stop living in denial" as the days of her TMC government in West Bengal were "numbered". The BJP West Bengal unit in a tweet also asked Banerjee to stop giving lame excuses. Although senior TMC leaders sounded confident of winning the polls, some district leaders feel there had been an undercurrent against the TMC, which the top leadership of the party had "failed" to gauge. We dont know whether these exit poll results will match with the actual results. But we can say this much that there has been an undercurrent against us this time. Now everything will be answered only on May 23, a TMC leader of West Midnapore district said. Swedish authorities on May 20 issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange "on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant." The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a US extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said on May 20 that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and US extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. "However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK," Persson said in a statement. At time of writing, the share price of Lynas Corporation Ltd [ASX:LYC] is up 0.25%, trading at $2.005 per share. Lynas share price has been in a retracement following a spike associated with a takeover bid from Wesfarmers Ltd [ASX:WES]: Source: tradingview.com The latest news out of the company is that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a US company for a joint venture (JV) processing facility to be based in Texas. Report: How lithium could potentially be the biggest resource opportunity in decades. Click here to learn more. Lynas share price gets small bounce on news of US facility The Lynas share price spiked as high as $2.07 at the commencement of trading, only to settle lower. The details of the US facility are as follows: Lynas, in collaboration with Blue Line Corporation will work over the next 12 months to develop a rare earths separation facility in Hondo, Texas Initial focus on heavy rare earths separation (dysprosium and terbium) Focus may expand to include light rare earths (neodymium, praseodymium and lanthanum) Lynas to majority own facility Amanda Lacaze, CEO and Managing Director of Lynas, said of the agreement: This is an exciting opportunity to develop local separation capacity for our customers in the United States and to close a critical supply chain gap for United States manufacturers. The MoU comes after a previous indication by Lynas that it would be setting up processing operations at its Mt Weld site. It is unclear if this plan is still on the cards. Overall, these moves taken together indicate that Lynas is working on contingency plans should further complications arise from its ongoing processing operations in Malaysia. Lynas is the largest producer of rare earth materials outside of China and its products are used in a range of high-tech/clean energy applications which include permanent magnets, catalytic converters, batteries, electronics and water treatment chemicals, among other things. Should you buy Lynas at this stage? Money Mornings Murray Dawes has an in-depth look at whats happening in rare earths at the moment from a technical perspective. Its well worth a watch: He concludes that volumes indicate a potential comeback is on the cards. That being said, as an individual stock, Lynas strikes me as a particularly risky punt given the number of unresolved variables at play. This is not a play for the faint-hearted. But if you are open to putting greater risk in your portfolio, the previously mentioned contingency plans may be a sign that the company is working hard to secure its long-term future. The company will provide a further update to investors Tuesday (tomorrow), so check back here to learn more. Regards, Lachlann Tierney, For Money Morning PS: Free report reveals three tiny mining stocks set to ride the lithium frenzy. Click here to find out who they are. Weichel said , Typically we would not have received a letter from the LGC, but since Valdese will be issuing debt next month for a utility fund project Water Plant Bleach Conversion (capital project ordinance approved at the January council meeting) that triggered the (LGC) letter so they can make us aware before approving the debt on their agenda. In its written response of the towns fiscal summary, the LGC said it is concerned that the fund balance available for appropriation relative to expenditures in the General Fund is substantially less than comparable units and may be too low to provide the necessary resources need ed . It asked the town to respond and explain how it plans to increase the fund balance available for appropriation and provide the projected increase over the next three years. BUCM has no volunteer who cares more about those we serve or is more kind to them than Terre, Norris said. On most days, she can be found during lunch time sitting at the tables talking with clients. She is dedicated and generous with her time and talents, and she holds a wealth of information about local people, places and events, Lorenzo said, reading from a nomination submitted by Laurie Johnston, curator of the North Carolina Room. Her knowledge, experience and passion for local history make her an irreplaceable asset to our library and our community. Ms. Ervin is dedicated and committed, faithfully serving at least two hours daily, every day the library is open, logging over 600 hours each year. She often comes in additional hours to work on special projects or serve as an on call expert on local history and NC Room resources for library patrons who are researching. Her expertise is helpful for our front desk staff as well, as she can answer patrons questions when our curator is unavailable because of her specialized knowledge and experience. Transparency is how we protect the integrity of our work and keep empowering investors to achieve their goals and dreams. And we have unwavering standards for how we keep that integrity intact, from our research and data to our policies on content and your personal data. Wed like to share more about how we work and what drives our day-to-day business. A cloud-based software system that provides automated delivery and receipt of data and documents directly from the lenders system of record to correspondent investors, has been expanded to warehouse lenders. Ellie Mae Encompass Investor Connect now allows warehouse lenders to receive the same benefits as the industrys largest investors with an automated connection between the Encompass software and warehouse lenders systems. With Encompass Investor Connect, we are now enabling funding requests directly from Encompass, said Parvesh Sahi, senior vice president of business development, Ellie Mae. This speeds up key processes, reduces laborious tasks and frees up liquidity and capacity for lenders while helping our warehouse lenders grow their business along with simplifying the receipt of data and documents. Fairweather added that for others, not being able to deduct as much of their property taxes or mortgage interest from their taxable income was enough to make them move to a more affordable area. Asked how the tax reform law had affected their plans to buy a home, a lower price range was the most common response because of decreased benefits on high-priced homes (14%, down from 16% last year). Among other responses, 13% of buyers said they shifted their search to nearby cities with lower taxes, while 9% said they shifted their search to states with lower taxes. In 2018, these were stated by 16% and 12% respectively. By contrast, 8% of respondents said they are searching for higher-priced homes because the new tax law gives them additional income, down from 17% last year while 11% said they decided to buy a home because the new tax law gives them additional income, down from 19% in the March 2018 survey. In the long run, we will see demand for luxury homes in high-tax states suffer the most because those homes have been hit the hardest by this tax reform, and there's actually early evidence of that already happening," Fairweather said. Gateway First Bank, formerly known as Gateway Mortgage, has appointed Bruce Schultz as its vice president and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) officer. In his new role, Schultz will administer and monitor all aspects of the companys CRA and fair-lending programs, as well as ensure proper compliance. He will also collaborate with other areas of the institution to develop products and services. Before Gateway, Schultz started as a mortgage banker and later served as senior vice president at Tulsa-based SpiritBank, where he specialized in compliance procedures, fair lending and fair housing act requirements, and other bank operations. In addition, he authored several official bank regulatory comment letters on various regulatory proposals and is a member of the Oklahoma Mortgage Bankers Association. The tax reform has also spurred migration to housing markets with lower taxes, Redfin found. Thirteen percent of buyers said that they had shifted their housing searches to nearby cities with lower taxes, while 9% said that they were actually looking in other states in order to lower the tax burden. Meanwhile, 8% of respondents said they were looking for higher-priced homes because the new tax law gave them additional income, down from 7% last year. Last year more homebuyers were worried that tax reform would hurt their homebuying budgets, but it turns out tax reform wasnt all bad or all good for homebuyers, said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin chief economist. Some homebuyers, especially in low-tax states, are now paying less in taxes overall, which has left them with more cash for a more expensive home. For others, not being able to deduct as much of their property tax or mortgage interest from their taxable income was the other shoe that needed to drop to make them pick up and move to a more affordable area. In the long run, we will see demand for luxury homes in high-tax states suffer the most because those homes have been hit hardest by this tax reform, and theres actually early evidence of that already happening. High-income homebuyers were the most likely to report that tax reform had an effect on their home search, Redfin reported. New York had the largest share of buyers whose home searches were affected, while Kansas and Indiana reported the smallest share. Community dedicates Greenwood VFD station The Greenwood community recently dedicated the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Departments new station on Farm-to-Market Road 1379. The station sits on five acres of land that was donated by Roy Graham. Residents gathered inside the station to honor the individuals and companies that were instrumental in making the station a reality: former Chief Leland Hart, current Chief Jon Bauman, Ray LeBlanc, the Scharbauer Foundation, Chevron, the Midland County Commissioners Court, Chevron, Abell-Hanger Foundation, the Jones Charitable Trust and Norma and Ervin Baumann. Atmos donated hamburgers, hotdogs and chips. Also being served was a huge pot of what was described to me as Ray LeBlancs famous gumbo. After the ceremony and lunch, kids climbed on and inside the departments vehicles. Bank celebrates 4th anniversary Lone Star State Bank recently commemorated the fourth anniversary of its Midland branch. Guests were treated to live music, cocktails and an hors doeuvres spread of beef tenderloin sliders, sweet-and-sour meatballs and an array of cheese and fruit trays at Dinero Plaza. The branch recently was remodeled. Hunter, Charlotte Age: 49 Height & weight: 5 foot, 7; 155 pounds Wanted for: injury to a child/elderly/disabled with intent to cause bodily injury violation of bond --Wanted as of 05/17/19 --$500 cash reward to the first person who calls Midland Crime Stoppers this week with information that leads to this fugitives arrest. --Call 694-TIPS or 1-800-7-LOCKUP --Online at www.midlandcrimestoppers.com --Mobile App P3 TIPS or go to www.p3tips.com --As always you will remain anonymous --Never attempt to apprehend this subject yourself. Subject may be armed or dangerous. "I was not the little girl who wanted to be a ballerina; I wanted to be Indiana Jones," said Dusty Ellis, Early College High School at Midland College student. "I have always wanted to be an archeologist, but now after my success at Midland College, I am starting to look toward anthropology as well." Ellis is only 17 and is finishing her junior year in high school. She already has taken 14 college courses at MC, and the University of Texas San Antonio's Journal of Undergraduate Research & Scholarly Work has published her paper, "Cultural and Historical Views of Women in Ancient Mayan Civilization through Sculpture." Past issues of the journal mainly have featured articles published by UT San Antonio undergraduate students. It is impressive that Ellis' work was found to be of the same standard as students at four-year institutions in the UT system. The idea for her paper came about when deciding on the topic for her honors English course with MC professor William Christopher Brown. It took more than 20 drafts before the paper was complete. "The first question Dr. Brown asked me was what was my major," Ellis said. "Then, he asked me why I wanted to major in anthropology, and I told him I really love ancient history. I have always loved it. Ever since I watched a documentary in middle school about the Mayans, I thought I was going to solve the mystery of their disappearance, so I just started researching it on my own. After doing some 'soul searching' with Dr. Brown, it became apparent that choosing a topic based on the Mayans would be the most interesting for me personally." With the topic down, Ellis moved onto conducting research. The second step in her writing journey was a little more complicated. Want to know more? Anyone interested in reading the published paper on the Mayans by ECH@MC student Dusty Ellis, email shewitt@midland.edu for the link to the online journal. See More Collapse "It was difficult to find sources on Mayans, specifically women. Most of the time, books and documentaries were about Mayans as a civilization," Ellis said. "I was really looking for the era when the first female queen was alive, and there really was not too much available. So, in a way, all of the sources I found were a little 'off,' but when I put them all together in an organized argument, it worked." Twenty-three pages later, the paper was finished. Brown asked Ellis if she wanted to submit it for publication. "Dr. Brown said no one had taken him up on his recommendation to submit articles for publication, but I thought, 'why not?'" Ellis said. "If it gets rejected, that would be fine; if there was a chance it was going to be published, that was a chance I was willing to take. I would love for more students to branch out and submit their papers because I know the high-quality work that MC students complete." The editors took some time to decide which papers to accept. Finally, the good news came. "It was surreal; I honestly did not think my paper would be selected," Ellis said. "It did not set in until days later that I had actually gotten published, and it was a nice feeling. It is something really amazing, and I did not expect it to happen to me." Accepted articles go through a rigorous editing process. Perhaps even more impressive than Ellis' article being selected is the fact that the editors accepted it without revision. "Dr. Brown and I spent hours looking for mistakes before we submitted it," Ellis said. "I was surprised it was accepted without revision, but I probably shouldn't have been because we had done so many corrections so many drafts." Ellis has enjoyed her time at ECHS@MC. She is involved in the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and the MC Honors program. Her favorite class so far has been a speech class with Meredith Martin. "I was a terrible public speaker," Ellis said. "I would visibly shake, and my voice would be octaves higher than it should have been. After taking Professor Martin's class, my speech skills have improved enormously. One of the most important things I learned from that class was to focus on a topic that had a real emotional attachment for me. If I tried to find a way to fit my passions into my speeches or papers, the process was much easier." It will come as no surprise that Ellis has set high expectations for herself. After she graduates from ECHS@MC in 2020, she wants to get a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University, then take a gap year with the Peace Corps before working on her master's degree with some study abroad experience. Her ultimate educational goal is to get a doctorate degree from Oxford University in England. Ellis recognizes that the special sense of community at MC has inspired her and given her the confidence to achieve these dreams. "There is a lot of support at MC." Ellis said. "Faculty and staff really support and encourage students. There are a lot of hard-working students at MC, as well. Everyone really does want to succeed, and that attitude is contagious. Everyone is trying to support each other. There are several different support systems at MC, and faculty and staff are always looking to improve the systems already in place, which is something I admire." Stacey Hewitt is part-time writer/photographer at Midland College. Illinois College is offering transfer assistance to students affected by the closure of a university campus in Springfield. Robert Morris University students will be able to transfer credits and be eligible for up to $23,000 in annual financial aid and scholarships. There is a strong early Bob Dylan vibe blowin in the wind of J.S. Ondaras debut album Tales of America released earlier this year. The record, a sublime set of stark sometimes melancholy tunes that perfectly frames the boyish vocals and nuanced delivery inherent in Ondaras voice has earned him a nomination for emerging artist of the year to be presented by the Americana Music Association later in the year. Growing up in Nairobi, Kenya listening mostly to rock music, Ondara apparently always thought that Knockin On Heavens Door was a Guns N Roses song. After he lost a bet to a friend who told him that the songs true origins, folk music became his passion. And so began his travels down the Dylan rabbit hole that eventually lead him to Minneapolis, in Dylans home state, to pursue his career. His treatment of Blowin in the Wind for YouTubes Mahogany Sessions seems to be his first official recorded cover version of a song written by his idol. And he absolutely nails it. The song selection itself was a brave choice, given the iconic status it holds in the pantheon of distinctly American classics. Many of the greats have covered the song including most notably Willie Nelson, Sam Cooke, The Byrds, and Peter Paul and Mary. (My own personal favorites are Stevie Wonders openly honest version and Neil Youngs epic ramshackle take on the song as performed on Weld Live.) And now, I am adding this one to the list. Mahogany Sessions filmed him in what appears to be a modern speakeasy, Ondara sitting by himself in a booth, just the young man and his acoustic guitar. You hear him a capella before you can see him, as the camera slowly pans down the walls of the bar before reaching an artist completely absorbing himself in the song. The emotion that emanates from his voice and his guitar will stop you in your tracks. With performances like this, the question is whats next for this rising star. The answer, my friends, is blowin in the wind. Cover Me is now on Patreon! If you love cover songs, we hope you will consider supporting us there with a small monthly subscription. There are a bunch of exclusive perks only for patrons: playlists, newsletters, downloads, discussions, polls - hell, tell us what song you would like to hear covered and we will make it happen. Learn more at Patreon. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) Former National Youth Commission (NYC) head Dingdong Dantes on Monday slammed the move of current chairperson Ronald Cardema on party-list representation. In a Facebook post, Dantes slammed Cardemas action, saying that the latter only contributes to the abuse of the party-list system in the country. Cardemas issue was thrust into the spotlight when he filed a petition for substitution as the first nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Clearly, if the petition will be granted, parang na-railroad ang (its like youre railroading) democratic process of choosing the rightful representative, Dantes wrote on his official page. Kung may balak siyang maging Congressman noong una pa lang, nararapat lang na nag resign siya bilang NYC Chairman. Pwede bang nagising na lang siya isang araw at nag-decide na trip niya? the actor added. [Translation: If he had plans to be Congressman before, he should have resigned as NYC chairman. Is it possible that he just woke up one day, and decided that he suddenly wanted to do it?] Gusto man nating isipin na totoo ang kanyang hangarin, marami siyang dapat ipaliwanag kung paanong nag-withdraw lahat ng nominado ng kanilang Party List at sa biglaan niyang pagpasok bilang substitute ng kaniyang asawa na siyang number one nominee. Eto ba ang values na gusto natin ituro sa mga kabataan? said Dantes, who was appointed NYC commissioner back in 2014. [Translation: While we would like to believe his reasons, he has a lot to explainon how all the party-lists nominees withdrew, and why hes aiming to enter as substitute. Is this the value we would like to teach our children?] Dantes also urged lawmakers to look closely into - and even strengthen - the party-list system. Malacanang previously said Cardema is deemed resigned from his post following the substitution petition. In a media briefing Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo added Cardema has not informed President Rodrigo Duterte of his decision. READ: COMELEC 'intensely' studying Cardema's party-list substitution plea Cardema, on the other hand, clarified that he has submitted all proper documents regarding his petition on time. We have filed all the proper documents for substitution on time and we are qualified to represent the Duterte Youth Party-List & the Filipino People who voted for us, inside the Philippine Congress, Cardema said in a statement Monday. When a transgender woman was attacked in a Dallas parking lot in April, cellphone camera footage of the episode made national headlines, and police investigated it as a possible hate crime. A month later, on Sunday, the Dallas Police Department announced that the woman, Muhlaysia Booker, 23, had been shot and killed. The department said it had no evidence linking the killing to the earlier attack. At a news conference, Maj. Vincent Weddington said that officers found Booker shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday, and that her identity was confirmed Sunday. They had been responding to a report of a shooting and found Booker lying facedown in the street, deceased from homicidal violence, he said. Weddington added that Edward Thomas, the man who was arrested after he was filmed repeatedly punching Booker last month, was no longer in police custody, but that there was no indication he was linked to the killing. Last months attack took place April 12, shortly after Booker was involved in an automobile accident in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Related: 'Mob violence': Police arrest one in potential hate crime after transgender woman beaten on video A video of the episode showed a man who authorities identified as Thomas repeatedly punching a woman on the ground as she struggled. Other men in the crowd kicked her before a group of women helped her get away. Police said that people in the crowd shouted anti-gay slurs during the beating, and Booker was hospitalized with a concussion and a fractured wrist. Attacks on transgender people have been rising, according to advocacy groups. At least 26 transgender people were killed in the United States last year, most of them black transgender women, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group. The group has listed three transgender people who were killed in 2019 not including Booker and all were black women who were fatally shot. Those numbers may understate the problem because local officials are not required to report such killings to any central database, and because police sometimes release incorrect names or genders, making it difficult to know whether a homicide victim was transgender. At a news conference after she was attacked last month, Booker stood on a podium and faced a group of supporters, several of whom carried signs in support of transgender people. This has been a rough week for myself, the transgender community and also the city of Dallas, Booker said. This time, I can stand before you, she added. Whereas in other scenarios, we are at a memorial. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle A suspected firearm thief was apprehended inside a northwest Houston home after a police dog found him hiding in the attic, authorities said. An alert on a security camera alerted the homeowner to a possible intruder at the Greater Inwood home in the 7000 block of Bent Branch Drive around 12:30 p.m., police said. The owner called police and a next-door neighbor who quickly blocked an escape route by parking their truck behind the suspect vehicle, HPD Commander Larry Bainbridge said. Officers found several shell casings after a shooting call cleared out a San Pedro bar on Sunday night. Police fielded multiple calls about a shooting outside a bar in the 800 block of San Pedro according to a news release from the department. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox When officers arrived, three bar patrons told them their cars where shot at while they were inside. The gunmen fled from the scene and police have not identified any suspects in the case as of Monday morning. No injuries were reported in the shooting and the case is ongoing. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com | @FaresInSA MEXICO CITY Mexican authorities have found 18 plastic bags and vessels containing human remains on a farm in a crime-ridden part of the country, prosecutors said Friday. We are currently not totally certain about how many bodies are on that estate, Jalisco state Attorney General Gerardo Octavio Solis said, adding that forensic experts were examining the remains. The tectonic plates of America's major real estate markets continue to shift beneath our feet. Little more than a year ago, unstoppable home price increases seemed to be the new normal just about everywhere. Go, go, go! It was a never-ending party for sellers, and mass anxiety for price-squeezed buyers. But then last fall came signs of a housing slowdown, as big-city prices began to level offor in some markets actually drop. Was a housing bubble about to burst? Well, not quite. Nationally home prices still rose 6.9% year over year in April. But here's the thing: That's actually the lowest price growth in five years. And according to the latest data, 1 in 5 metropolitan areas is now seeing decreases in home prices, compared with half as many a year ago. So what are the places moving from a seller's market to a buyer's? The realtor.com data team set out to find those metros where home prices are falling the most. "In a lot of markets buyers are hitting an affordability ceiling," says Chief Economist Danielle Hale of realtor.com. "Prices just can't keep rising if buyers can't keep up. They are dropping out, and that's why we're seeing prices adjust [down] in some markets." There are some surprises on this listincluding some of the highest-profile markets in the country (hello, San Francisco Bay Area!). It turns out there is a limit to how high home prices can go, even in some of America's most alluring, if overheated, places. Some markets are seeing price drops due to overbuilding: This creates too much supply and not enough demand, so prices naturally fall. And just like in past years, in other areas, natural disasters devastated lives, communities, and local real estate. "A disaster will affect your ability to market" your home, says Orell Anderson, president of Strategic Property Analytics, in Laguna Beach, CA. It can boost home prices and rents in unaffected pockets as locals compete for housing. But it can also hurt an area's image as folks don't want to suffer through another disaster. "The market will demand a discount." To figure out where prices are down the most, we looked at the change in median list prices on realtor.com from April 2018 to April 2019 in the 250 biggest metropolitan areas.* We filtered out markets where price per square footage was up over that period. And we limited the ranking to no more than three metros per state. So where are prices declining the most? Buckle up, let's take a cross-country trip. Where home prices have fallen the most Tony Frenzel Median list price: $1.1 million Median list price change: -8.4% Santana Row in San Jose, CA alacatr/iStock Yes, you read that right. Perennial hottest market in the U.S., San Jose is seeing the steepest declines in home prices these days. For the past few years, home prices in this city at the heart of Silicon Valley have soared at double-digit rates. But last fall, red flags started to appear. Sellers began slashing list prices, with the number of price reductions jumping 200% over the previous year. Now prices are plummeting faster than anywhere else in the U.S. Time for a quick reality check: None of this means that San Jose has become a bargain. It's still America's most expensive real estate market. But therein lies the problemprices just shot up too high. From April 2017 to April 2018, median list prices soared a remarkable 28%. And even in the San Francisco Bay Area, what comes up must come down. Eventually. "When [prices] jump that quick, it can produce a reaction with buyers, who say, 'I can't do it anymore, that is just too expensive,'" says Patrick Carlisle, Bay Area chief marketing analyst at the real estate firm Compass. Federal tax law changes also played a role. Homeowners can now deduct only up to $10,000 in property and income taxes combined. Plus, the amount of mortgage interest deduction folks can write off on their taxes was reduced. In pricey areas like San Jose, that can translate into a big financial hit. This has led dwellings to sit longer on the market, climbing from a median 19 days to 27 from April 2018 to April 2019. Meanwhile, the amount of abodes currently for sale has jumped 92%. Median list price: $681,100 Median list price change: -5.4% Waterfront homes in Oxnard, CA benedek/iStock In late 2017, the Thomas fire burned almost 300,000 acres, destroying more than 1,000 homes in Ventura County, part of the Oxnard metro, and surrounding areas (including Santa Barbara County). At the time it was the largest wildfire in California history. And that was just the beginning of the widespread damagethe conflagration damaged ground soil and tree roots, leading to mudslides that wiped out still more homes. In the disaster's wake, some displaced victims left the area altogether instead of going through the long, painful process of rebuilding. Others who were thinking of moving to the area changed their plans altogether. Overall rising prices in the area north of Los Angeles are also to blame. Last spring, buyers hit their breaking point, says local real estate agent Kevin Paffrath, of meetkevin.com. With high prices, mortgage rates, and the tax changes, many stayed on the sidelines, lessening demand in the area. Median list price: $265,000 Median list price change: -5.4% Three-bedroom home in College Station, TX realtor.com The 64,000 Texas A&M University students that pour into College Station every fallplus all of the faculty and staffneed lots of places to live. But builders in pro-development Texas went a bit overboard in recent years. That resulted in a glut of new homes in this market two hours northwest of Houston, pushing inventory up 18.3% year over year and causing prices to tumble. Eventually, investors are expected to snap up many of these properties and rent them out to students. But it also means buyers have options. So they can take their time finding the right oneand then negotiating the price down. Folks here can snag a new home for a bargain compared with those in bigger cities such as Austin and Dallas. A new three-bedroom home with a granite-topped island and walk-in closets in the master-planned community of Creek Meadows is listed at just $241,200. Median list price: $750,000 Median list price change: -4.9% Bridgeport, CT DenisTangneyJr/iStock Prices are sky-high in this golden metro encompassing all of wealthy Fairfield County, home to some of the toniest enclaves just outside of New York City. But as in California, tax law changes made buying sprawling mansions in uber-wealthy communities such as Greenwich more expensive. That's because the state has some of the highest property taxes in the nationand now homeowners can't write off nearly as much. Plus, many of the affluent buyers who might normally head for Fairfield County may be choosing to go to Manhattan instead. That's because the city has had an influx of new, luxury towers going up in recent yearsincluding the flashy, massive development Hudson Yards. The cooling in the Bridgeport metro has helped push inventory up 8.5% year over year in Fairfield County. Keep in mind prices in this market have a huge range. There are three-bedroom '60s ranches priced at $185,000 in the city of Bridgeport itself, and Colonial-style estates priced just under $3 million in Greenwich. Median list price: $948,300 Median list price change: -4.1% Homes in San Francisco, CA Andia/Getty Images When California home prices overheated late last year, it was no surprise that San Franciscothe second-most expensive metro in the nation, after San Josetook a big hit. Prices here jumped 10% from April 1, 2017, to April 1, 2018, making homeownership a steeper-than-ever climb for ordinary people. And more homes are going up for sale in lower-priced areas nearby, like Oakland, which is pulling the metro's median list price down, says Carlisle of Compass. But prices may soon surge again. San Franciscobased Uber and Lyft just went public, and Pinterest, Slack, Postmates, and Airbnb might soon follow suit. With all of those initial public offerings, workers could be in line for some windfalls. And what better way to spend all that money than on real estate? "Some sellers have stopped putting their homes on the market because they want to wait for the supposed rush of [IPO] buyers," Carlisle says. Median list price: $481,600 Median list price change: -3.5% New home in Hilo, HI realtor.com The Kilauea Volcano spewed a miles-long lava stream through the Big Island of Hawaii last May. The news was plastered with images of magma tearing through Hawaiian homes, about 700 of which were destroyed. Recovery efforts are expected to cost more than $800 million. It shattered the image of a Polynesian paradise for many foreign investors, wealthy professionals, and rich retirees drawn to Hawaii as a dreamy second-home destination. And in the months following the eruption, tourism dropped offa huge deal for a market that relies heavily on the business. But price declines haven't been substantial enough to create many great bargains here. This brand-new, three-bedroom home with a chef's kitchen is still going for $545,000. Median list price: $300,000 Median list price change: -3.3% Cape Coral, FL TriggerPhoto/iStock Last year, a massive algae bloom turned Cape Coral's 400-plus-mile canal system, the crown jewel of the city, into a stinking, toxic green waterway. That wasn't exactly an inducement for buyers in this fast-growing retirement town, and real estate prices fell accordingly. "It was smelly and ugly," says Mike Lombardo, a local real estate agent at Old Glory Realty. "You couldn't go to the beach because of all the algae. And you couldn't go fishing because the algae was killing the fish. The whole [real estate] system here is built off people coming down here to enjoy the weather and beach." The Army Corps of Engineers released excess water from Lake Okeechobee in 2018 to lessen the risk of flooding, bringing nutrient-rich water to Cape Coral and spurring the bloom. In March President Donald Trump toured Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee, promising to speed up infrastructure improvements that would prevent a repeat of 2018's algae bloom. The contamination was a double whammy for a market hit in 2017 by Hurricane Irma, which flooded homes and also hurt prices. Median list price: $180,100 Median list price change: -2.9% Laredo, TX DenisTangneyJr/iStock Located on the U.S.-Mexico border on the banks of the Rio Grande River, Laredo is one of America's largest inland ports, with more than $200 billion in goods passing through every year. So why is this city packed with customs and border security gigs seeing home prices drop? It boils down to overbuilding, particularly at the higher end of the market. There's no shortage of new homes sprouting up here, which means existing homes competing for those buyers have to lower their prices. "Homes for over $300,000 are on the market longer than usual," says Sandra Mendiola Alaniz, local broker/owner of Re/Max Real Estate Services. Median list price: $143,300 Median list price change: -2.3% Downtown Huntington, WV DenisTangneyJr/iStock Huntington is a struggling metro that's been badly affected by the opioid crisis. Many are leaving the city, on the Ohio River, for better-paying jobs and opportunities elsewhere. That means there aren't exactly a lot of people clamoring to buy real estate, which keeps prices down. Prices were low to begin with, so even a small decline can move the needle quite a bit. The median price here dropped $3,300compared with $105,000 in San Jose. Home to public research university Marshall University, this college town's greatest selling point is its affordability. This month, realtor.com named Huntington among the top places for finding a mortgage under $1,000 per month. A lovely three-bedroom home built in the '30s with a landscaped front yard can go for just $125,000. Median list price: $275,000 Median list price change: -1.8% Iowa City winter Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images When the polar vortex rolled into the Midwest earlier this year, it brought minus 20 degrees to Iowa, turning boiling water to ice in seconds. That rough winter meant the spring buying season got off to a very late start. "People weren't listing," says Emily Farber, a Realtor at Lepic-Kroeger Realtors. "It was harder for them to take care of exterior maintenance because the weather was so atrocious." Plus, there wasn't as much new construction in the cold. So other would-be sellers couldn't find a new or trade-up home to buyso they waited, too. "It created a snowball effect," says Farber. As it were. * A metropolitan statistical area is a designation that includes the urban core of a city and the surrounding smaller towns and cities. The post Falling Stars: You Won't Believe the 10 Cities Where Home Prices Are Down the Most appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Following allegations made by Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima that former Zimbabwe Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri is rigging elections for the ruling party, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has dismissed the allegations. MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah told a press conference on Monday that the claims by Chilima are baseless and are meant to divert the voters from voting. Ansah went on to say that even though Chihuri was married to a Malawian, he is not even in the country and all claims that he is rigging the elections are baseless. This seems to confirm what was said by former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who has been insisting that the much-maligned former ZRP boss is not in Malawi. Reacting to the news of Chihuri rigging the Malawi elections, Moyo said, This is a lie with no legs. It wont go anywhere. I dont know where former CGP Chihuri is, but I know where he isnt I know he is not in Malawi. This I know Malawi goes to polls on May 21 (tomorrow) and Chilima will be running against incumbent president Peter Mutharika, Lazarus Chakwera, head of the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who has the backing of former President Joyce Banda and Atupele Muluzi, who was health minister in Mutharikas government and is the son of former Malawi president Bakili Muluzi Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News She served an $8 school lunch to a teen who couldnt pay. Then she was fired for theft. WaPo Luddite Shouldnt Be a Dirty Word American Conservative What longer paternity leave did for men in Spain TreeHugger A New Diet Study Confirms Your Worst Suspicions About Ultra-Processed Foods Gizmodo Kababs, kulfis, qormas: Forgotten recipes from Shah Jahans kitchens get a second life in this book Scroll Lost Calcutta New York Review of Books Why paying for pandas is not so black and white BBC Billion-dollar gamble: How a singular hero helped start a new field in physics MPR. News. chuck l: The realization produced a little warm glow, he says. I guess now that Im a few years away from it, Im beginning to feel it more. Asked about the chances that a government-funded science project like this could happen today, he says: Zero. California Burning Fire danger could force SF blackout, PG&E says San Francisco Chronicle Hydropowers Dangerous Bid To Re-cast Itself As Green International Business Times Biking in Seattle is a way of life. Heres a look at our deep-rooted bike culture Seattle Times Big Brother IS Watching You Watch Class Warfare 2020 Userfriendly: The reason most republican officials should probably be in jail: What the hell is a Consensual Rape? Im like 100% sure thats just normal rape but said by a sleazy corrupt politician. These people have lost their F*CKING minds! pic.twitter.com/wM7wXqpGJr Terrence Daniels (Captain Planet) (@Terrence_STR) 18 May 2019 How Banning Abortion Will Transform America Project Syndicate. mgl: I would like to see a history of what things were like in USA USA before Roe v. wade and contraception being available. Syraqistan Blast injures tourists on bus near Giza pyramids in Egypt BBC 737 MAX Brexit China? India BJP to Hold the Heartland, Steal the East and Cruise to Victory, Exit Polls Say The Wire The seventh and final stage of Indias staggered voting for Lok Sabha elections finished yesterday. During the voting period, exit polls cannot be reported. Now they can. Counting day is 23rd May, and results should be announced that day. Expect lots of chatter and speculation between now and then. Cyclone Fani: Puri district still in darkness as villagers struggle for food, shelter Scroll What You Need to Know About the 2019 European Parliament Elections Bloomberg (furzy) Trump Transition Antidote du Jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. Glenn F sent along this story about recent events in the US-Iran conflict, many of which dont appear to have been reported in the English language press. Interestingly, the article takes the position that it is the Saudis that have been doing their best and largely succeeding in suppressing these reports. Going into the weekend, it looked as if the US was trying to turn down the Iran threat meter a notch. Both Iran and the Saudis said they didnt want war but were prepared for one. Then a mystery rocket landed in the Green Zone in Baghdad. Oopsie. From the Wall Street Journal: No major destruction was inflicted by the rocket, which landed near a museum displaying old planes and caused some damage to a building used by security guards, according to an official in the interior ministry. The interior ministry official, who declined to be identified, said the rocket had landed around a kilometer from the U.S. Embassy inside Baghdads Green Zone, where many other diplomatic missions and Iraqi government offices are located. No group claimed responsibility. But security officials said security forces had found and seized a mobile rocket launcher in an area of Baghdad where Shiite militias, including some with close links to Iran, have a presence. But also note this: The Trump administration last week ordered a partial evacuation of its diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Erbil citing increased threats posed by Iran and its allies in Iraq. The Iraqi government has varying degrees of control over an array of armed groups, some of which are closely affiliated with Iran. I am in no position to judge the accuracy of the interpretation, so I hope readers, particularly from those who read the press in Middle East in the native language, can provide input. The piece depicts Iran as in the midst of a strategic surge but the US has acted in such bad faith so often in the early stages of conflicts that its sensible to wonder how much of this account is accurate. It is very frustrating to be dealing with an informational hall of mirrors. By Yossef Bodansky, the Director of Research at the International Strategic Studies Association (ISSA) and Senior Editor of Defense & Foreign Affairs publications (including the Global Information System: GIS), was, for more than a decade, the Director of the US House of Representatives Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare. Originally published at Defense & Foreign Affairs Special Analysis; cross posted from OilPrice Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on May 14, 2019 a week after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had visited Baghdad and reportedly met with a senior Iranian official determined the course of his countrys current crisis involving the US and issued directives to the pertinent authorities. Khamenei convened a closed meeting with the heads of power branches, key senior officers and officials, jurists and Majlis members. He discussed and analyzed the current situation, and then outlined Tehrans next moves. Iran would do its utmost to avoid war with the US while relentlessly pursuing its ascent as a prominent regional power. Throughout, he said, there would be no further negotiations with the US. Irans refusal to negotiate with the US, Khamenei explained, stemmed from the realization that negotiating with current US Government is toxic. It was through negotiations that the US seeks to take Irans strengths away; meaning to have Iran unilaterally surrender its defensive power and its strategic regional influence. Khamenei described a US offer to discuss the range of Irans ballistic missiles. Reduce the range so you would not be able to hit our bases, the US demanded, according to Khamenei. He emphasized that talks on Irans strengths, including the missile power and regional influence [are] foolish. Khamenei was confident that there was not going to be any war between the US and Iran, and thus the confrontation would not be a military one. Khamenei stressed that there will not be a military confrontation as neither Iran nor the US seeks war because the Americans know that the war will not be beneficial for them. Under these circumstances, Iran would continue its surge relying on proxies the resistance as the main instrument for confronting all foes. The resistance is Irans only absolute choice, he emphasized. The Iranian nations definite option will be resistance in the face of the US, and in this confrontation, the US would be forced into a retreat, Khamenei explained. Neither we nor they, who know war will not be in their interest, are after war. The Iranian nation was, he said, mobilized behind Tehran. Khamenei observed that as a result of the US threats, hatred towards the US among the Iranians has increased by more than 10 times. Khamenei concluded by stating that the Iranian military forces are more prepared and vigilant than ever. He repeated that in pursuing its policy of confrontation with the Islamic Republic too, the US will definitely suffer defeat, and [the outcome] will end up to our benefit. Khamenei and official Tehran have every reason to be confident, given the reaction of the US, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf States to the series of violent provocations against their oil infrastructure which began on May 6, 2019. The first confirmed attack took place on May 6, 2019, in the Saudi Arabian port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. A number of powerful explosions rocked the port area and heavy black smoke billowed. Reportedly, an unmanned, remotely-controlled bomb-boat hit an oil loading pier, setting it and nearby facilities aflame. There were also unconfirmed reports that Yanbu was struck by rockets fired from the Red Sea. Riyadh was able to suppress most reports through tight control over the electronic media. On May 8, 2019, a small cargo ship carrying about 6,000 gallons of diesel, 300 tires and 120 vehicles burst into flames in the Sharjah Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). All 13 crewmembers were rescued but the ship was completely destroyed. Arson or sabotage were suspected because explosions were heard, and the fire started at three spots almost simultaneously and spread rapidly. Once again, the Saudis helped the UAE authorities to quickly suppress most reporting. On May 12, 2019, four or five tankers were hit by underwater and/or near-waterline explosions near the port of Fujairah in the UAE. Fujairah is the distribution end of the key oil and natural gas pipeline-corridor aimed to alleviate the need for tankers to use the Strait of Hormuz. Two Saudi tankers suffered heavy structural damage in the attack. Additional strikes were launched against oil tanks in the main tank farm, but these were blocked by the protective facilities so that the damage was minimal or negligible. The expert assessment is that the attacks were carried out by highly-trained and well-equipped frogmen who most likely arrived from the Iranian side of the Gulf. The attackers were trained and equipped by members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC: Pasdaran) Special Forces particularly the Sepah Navy Special Force an independent Takavar unit of the IRGC Navy based on the Greater Farur Island in the Persian Gulf and the Imam Hossein [Marines] Brigade based in Bandar Abbas. As before, even though multiple explosions were heard all over the area, the Fujairah authorities initially insisted that there had been no fire or explosion at the port. This time however, the perpetrators were ready. The HizbAllah-linked Al-Mayadeen news channel aired a detailed report with maps, as well as the names and hull numbers of the attacked tankers. They were accurate. Al-Mayadeen and other Shiite outlets were persistent, despite the initial denials by UAE officials, and ultimately the UAE had to acknowledge that four commercial vessels were hit by acts of sabotage at Fujairah. The next day, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih conceded that two Saudi oil tankers suffered significant damage in the apparent sabotage attack. In the early morning hours of May 14, 2019, seven suicide bomb-drones most likely the Iranian Qasef-1 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) struck two oil pumping stations in Dawadmi and Afeef, west of Riyadh. Fire broke out and put the stations out of order. Reconnaissance UAVs broadcast images of the strike to the Sanaa area. The drones were controlled from IRGC-controlled facilities at the Sanaa Air Base in Yemen. (Unconfirmed reports suggested that the UAVs were launched from the ABS airport in north-western, Yemen closer to the Saudi border.) Saudi Arabia had to shut down its East-West Pipeline. The 1,200km/750 mile pipeline carries about five-million barrels of oil a day from the main oil fields in eastern Saudi Arabia to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. The UAV images were broadcast in near-real-time on the Houthi-aligned Masirah TV. A Houthi military official announced that seven drones carried out attacks on vital Saudi installations in response to the continued aggression and blockade of our people and we are prepared to carry out more unique and harsh strikes. In an interview with the HizbAllah-affiliated Al-Manar TV, Mohammed Abdulsalam of the Houthi Ansarullah Movement claimed responsibility and promised more strategic attacks on both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Following Saudi Arabias and the UAEs flagrant disregard of our demand to stop the onslaught and persistence on the blockade of Yemen, Yemeni forces launched attacks against targets in the heart of these countries [that are] high on their agenda. He also promised more strikes to come. Indeed, also on May 14, 2019, the Houthi forces fired a Badr-1 ballistic missile at an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabias Jizan Province. The next day, Al-Mayadeen broadcast an extensive report about recent Houthi strategic strikes against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and insisted that the number of such attacks was larger than publicly admitted. We have received special information showing that the Yemeni forces in Sanaa have launched over 10 undeclared military operations against vital targets in the depth of Saudi Arabia, Al-Mayadeen said. Throughout, there has been a marked escalation of the shooting and sabotage clashes with Shiite jihadists in eastern Saudi Arabia, especially the Qatif area, and neighboring Gulf States. In principle, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi acknowledge clashes only when the security forces suffer fatalities. Other incidents are concealed. However, these incidents were sufficient for Riyadh to secretly declare an emergency in the entire al-Sharqiyah (eastern) region. According to Saudi opposition leaders, Riyadh ordered full mobilization of all Ground Forces and National Guard units. They published an order issued by Col. Mohammed bin Nasser al-Harbi, a Ground Forces commander in al-Sharqiyeh, that all forces be put on high alert within the next 72 hours. As well, National Guard Forces were dispatched to al-Sharqiyeh from central Saudi Arabia in order to protect oil wells, refineries and oil ports. All military and Guard leave was cancelled. Official Tehran denied any association with the mischief across the Gulf, and even hinted at Israeli false flag provocations aimed to drag the US into war against Iran. However, as located and translated by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute), several Iranian senior journalists from IRGC-affiliated organs identified the perpetrators in their Tweets. On May 12, 2019, Amin Arabshahi, the director of the IRGC-affiliated Tasnimnews agency in Khorasan Province, tweeted about the importance of Fujairah as the sole lifeline for the export of oil from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and added that the guys of the Islamic Resistance set fire to the port. The US should know that the war started years ago. We are in its final moments. Also on May 12, 2019, Hamed Rahim-Pour, the editor of the international section of the IRGC-affiliated Khorasan Daily, noted that all our options are on the table in the aftermath of the attacks on both Yanbu and Fujairah. The oil exported through these two ports was meant to replace Iranian oil! They received such a blow that they didnt understand where it came from! On May 14, 2019, he addressed the coming escalation. The scope of the [US] war against Iran should not be defined only by gigantic US aircraft carriers, or [its] strategic bombers stationed in Qatar, or the F-35 fighter planes. The range and scope of the possible war against Iran may be defined by quiet infiltrations at Fujairah, Yanbu, and Golan, and dozens of other points in the region. Also on May 14, 2019, Hesameddin Ashena, a senior political adviser to Iranian Pres. Hassan Rouhani, responded to a Tweet from US Pres. Donald Trump. You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead. Thats what happens when you listen to the mustache. Good luck in 2020! Ultimately, and even if for only a short time, Iran and its proxies were able to shut down completely the oil exports of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States from non-Strait of Hormuz venues. With the viable Iranian threat to shipping via the Strait of Hormuz undisputed, Tehran had proven its point: Iran could shut down the export of oil from the entire Arabian Peninsula. Tehrans overall approach is based on the war on oil doctrine adopted in the Summer of 2005. Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, then the Expediency Council Chairman and Irans most influential strategist, articulated the importance of a national oil war strategy. He called for a comprehensive war plan a Big Bang strategy which would drastically alter the strategic posture in the Middle East and the global confrontation with the US-led West, by depriving the West of stable oil supplies. The war on oil was adopted as the national strategy by then Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad. The strategy is still valid. The strategy was based on a three tier/ring approach. The first Tier/Ring The Core aims to attack and disrupt the production and transporting of oil and gas in the areas immediately surrounding Iran. Tehran planned on implementing its contingency plans through various forces, from overt and covert acts of war by Iranian forces to a myriad of terrorist strikes and covert operations by a web of both Shiite and Sunni Islamist-jihadist groups. The main missions of the Iranian forces and their proxies included blocking the Strait of Hormuz and destroying oil installations in the Persian Gulf, sinking tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, shelling oil installations in the eastern parts of the Arabian Peninsula (should terrorism fail), and covertly assisting Iraqi forces in destroying Iraqs energy infrastructure. The special training programs which were established in Winter 2005-06 to facilitate implementation of the war on oil have vastly expanded since then. The regions states are cognizant of the Iranian designs and Tehrans determination to implement them. Even Irans closest allies are concerned about the consequences of a major escalation in a clash with the US. Hence, on May 12, 2019, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani went to Tehran on what was supposed to be a secret visit. According to Qatari senior officials, he came to help head off the deepening crisis between the US, Iran and regional powers. He offered Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to open new avenues to resolve the growing crisis between Iran and the United States and ease the volatile situation before it was too late. Acknowledging the importance of the new bloc created between Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Thani promised to work out modalities for preventing the US from using the Al-Udeid air base. He pleaded for time to defuse Washington, and urged Iran to refrain from escalating the war on oil in the near future particularly in the Persian Gulf area. For Tehran, however, there remains an unresolved issue: How to handle the US forces deployed throughout the Middle East, and not just in the Persian Gulf area. Indeed, US forces take an active part in blocking the advance of Iranian and Iran-Proxy forces in Syria, Iraq, and, increasingly, Yemen. US forces train and equip local proxies which clash with Irans Shiite militias. In many cases, the US provides heavy artillery and air support to proxy forces in both Syria and Iraq when they confront Shiite militias. The question arose in early April 2019, once Tehran committed to escalating the confrontation with Saudi Arabia, including toppling the House of al-Saud. Until the Spring of 2019, the Iranians and their proxies were extremely cautious when confronting US forces, but the anticipated assertiveness necessitated a new policy. By mid-April 2019, the multitude of the Iranian and Iran-proxy operations envisaged by Qods Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his staff strongly suggested the possibility of localized friction with US forces throughout the greater Middle East. Having consulted with the top leadership in Tehran, Soleimani authorized Iranian and Iran-proxy forces to clash with US forces if they operated as a trip-wire aimed to prevent Iranian operations and Irans ascent, and if the US forces actively supported (especially by artillery and air strikes) local anti-Iran forces. The reverberations of this decision were the crux of the intelligence warnings the US received from Israel. By early May 2019, Tehran became even more confident in its ability to withstand localized fighting with US forces. On April 28-29, 2019, the Turkish military killed a US soldier in Kobane, northern Syria. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed while with the US-sponsored, predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Turkish military attacked the Kurdish positions. The next day, the US only rushed to conceal the incident and did not even protest the Turkish attack on the Kurdish forces. Hence, Soleimani and IRGC Commander Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami decided to further revisit the restraining orders on the Iranian and Iran-proxy forces. Given the high stakes involved the strategic Iranian surge to regional prominence throughout the greater Middle East Soleimani and Salami concluded that the risk of friction and localized clashes was warranted. Khamenei agreed with the IRGC commanders and endorsed their audacity. With a stronger mandate from Khamenei, Soleimani has been traveling in Iraq and Syria since early May 2019, coordinating with his allies and proxies the next moves. In lieu of Khameneis instructions, the Iranian surge seems likely to keep expanding and escalating. Tehran is capitalizing on the need for Iranian and Iran-proxy forces in Idlib as the Syrian offensive escalates. Tehran is also emboldened by the growing vulnerability and coming implosion of Saudi Arabia as a result of the new purges by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud. Indeed, Saudi opposition officials concluded after May 10, 2019, that Saudi Arabia could not face Iran successfully. A study by current and former Saudi senior officials stated that Saudi Arabia is not prepared for an international confrontation with Iran, because the economy, military, and internal front [the tribal population] are not in the support of the government. Tehran obtained a copy of the study. Hence, as Iran is getting more audacious and assertive, the likelihood of a clash with US forces is growing. By May 15, 2019, Tehran was emboldened not only in its ability to confront the US militarily, but also to withstand political-economic US pressure. This is because of the latest developments in Sochi, Russia. On May 13, 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hosted in Sochi the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. Lavrov and Wang Yi resolved to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries. A key issue was addressing the brewing US-Iranian crisis in the Persian Gulf. Russia and the PRC decided not to permit the US to topple the mullahs Administration in Tehran. Both countries agreed that their long-term interests demanded the preserving of a friendly loyal Iran as a crucial element in the New Silk Road and the consolidation of the Eurasian Sphere. According to Russian and PRC senior officials, in the secret part of their talks, Lavrov and Wang Yi decided to give Iran guarantees of support in the event the US moved to strangle Iran and attempt a regime change. The bottom line, the senior officials asserted, was that Russia-China will not allow Iran to be destroyed. Significantly, Lavrov consulted with Pres. Vladimir Putin before committing to the joint guarantees with Wang Yi. According to the PRC senior officials, before leaving Beijing, Wang Yi was provided with expert studies about Iran. A study of Irans economy concluded that self-sufficiency helps Iran counter sanctions and thus there was no danger of imminent collapse. A study by the PRCs PLA General Staff and Military Intelligence concluded that the US cannot afford war against Iran, but it likely to play intimidation. The authors warned that Washington does over-estimate its control over this risky process and seriously underestimates the determination of countries to defend their core interests. Another military study warned that Beijing should not underestimate US warlike tradition as it is essentially a dangerous nation. Hence there was the danger of an eruption of violence unless the US was contained and restrained. These studies convinced the Forbidden City to join the Kremlin in adopting a strong policy to guarantee Irans survival. Iranian leaders were immediately notified on the Russian-PRC guarantees. On May 14, 2019, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had meetings in Sochi with Putin and Lavrov. They held lengthy and largely unfriendly discussions on a host of issues on which both countries strongly disagree. According to Russian senior officials, both Putin and Lavrov expressed Russias strong opposition to the US activities in the Persian Gulf and reiterated the Russian and PRC commitment to the Administration in Tehran. Pompeo shrugged off the Russian position and emphasized the US resolve to address the Iranian threats resolutely. After Pompeo left Sochi, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov quipped that the discussion on Iran was interesting. Meanwhile, Tehrans take on the reports from Sochi was that the US would not abandon the confrontation with Iran but that Russia and the PRC would prevent an Iranian defeat even if there were major setbacks. Under such conditions, Iran could be more assertive, even at a higher risk of escalation. Hence, on the night of May 15, 2019, senior commanders made sudden assertions in closed meetings with senior officers about Irans readiness for an imminent fateful war. Iranian Defense Minister Brig.-Gen. Amir Hatami conveyed confidence. Today the Islamic Republic of Iran stands at the peak of defense-military preparedness to counter any threat or act of aggression, he said. He believed that US setbacks in the Syria-Iraq theater were the reason for the sudden crisis. The defeat of the recent takfiri-terrorist current in the region, in particular in Iraq and Syria, dealt a heavy blow to the image of the US and the regional governments sponsoring terrorists, and after this malicious plot failed the Americans embarked on waging a severe, all-out war on our nation through using economic tools. Once sanctions failed, the US moved to a military confrontation. Whatever the cost, Hatami concluded, the Iranian nation would defeat the American-Zionist front. IRGC Commander Salami saw an historic turning point in the current crisis and war. We are on the cusp of a full-scale confrontation with the enemy, he said. The Islamic Republic is at the most decisive moment of its history because of enemy pressure. He dwelt on this aspect. This moment in history because the enemy has stepped into the field of confrontation with us with all the possible capacity is the most decisive moment of the Islamic Revolution, Salami reiterated. This war is not against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its against the Iranian nation. Meanwhile, Qods Force Commander Soleimani continued to travel around, consulting with his commanders both Iranians and proxies and preparing them for the next phase of the strategic surge of the Islamic Republic of Iran. By Valerie Vande Panne, a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Local Peace Economy, a project of the Independent Media Institute. She is an independent journalist whose work has appeared in Columbia Journalism Review, In These Times, Politico, and many other publications. Produced by Local Peace Economy, a project of the Independent Media Institute. In February, the voters of Toledo, Ohio, passed a ballot initiative that gives Lake Erie and those who rely on the lakes ecosystem a bill of rights. The idea is to protect and preserve the ecosystem so that the life that depends on ithumans includedcan have access to safe, fresh drinking water. On the surface, it seems pretty logical: Humans need water to survive, and if an ecosystem that is relied on for waterin this case, Lake Erieis polluted (in this case, with algae), then the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (or LEBOR) would ensure the rights of humans would come before the polluters (in this case, big agriculture). Except, thats not whats happening. Rather, in a perhaps unsurprising move, the state of Ohio has at once both acknowledged rights of nature to exist, and taken them away, with a line written in, of all things, the state budget: Nature or any ecosystem does not have standing to participate in or bring an action in any court of common pleas. Its not surprising that the Ohio legislature has the shameful distinction of being the first in the country to specifically name ecosystem rights trying to quash them rather than taking the lead in recognizing them, the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund(CELDF), which was involved in the initiative and is experienced with rights of nature laws and actions, saidin a press release. The Lake Erie Bill of Rights has received international acclaim. Last week, a judge ruled Toledoans for Safe Water, the local group behind the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, cannot defend the voter-passed initiative in a lawsuit brought by a factory farm against the city over the initiative. Yet, the state of Ohio is being permitted to support the farm in the lawsuit against the city. Big agriculture, of course, is the primary source of nutrient pollution that has caused algae blooms that have denied half a million people access to clean, safe drinking water, sometimes for days at a time. Markie Miller, Toledo resident and concerned citizen with Toledoans for Safe Water, says the new barriers to implementing LEBOR shows the citizens are on to something. Obviously were doing something right, because were scaring the Farm Bureau. As the lawsuit is set to proceed as of this writing, the judge said there was no need for the two sides (the farm or the city) to file briefs, and would, rather than hold a hearing, have a phone call on May 17. The call would be closed to the public, and without briefs, the publicwho passed the initiative by over 60 percent of the vote will not have access to the arguments being used. Meanwhile, according to a recent report released by the United Nations, one million plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction, with alarming implications for human survival, the Washington Postreported. The report specifically attributes the die-off to human activity. Worse, it points to an inevitable collapse of the natural world humans rely on for food and water. Natures current rate of decline is unparalleled, and the accelerating rate of extinctions means grave impacts on people around the world are now likely, reports the Washington Post. All the studies say we need drastic action. If we think the courts are going to save the plants or the animals, says Tish ODell, Ohio community organizer with CELDF, they arent. ODell points to the fact that the people who passed the law arent part of the lawsuit trying to prevent its implementation, and to the fact that the state of Ohio is intervening on the side of the factory farm, Not on the side of the peopleand denies the people and the lake the right to intervene. Laws should reflect our values, ODell continues. She supports a culture shift to curb the rapid decline of the natural world humans rely on. The change may take time, ODell says, saying, Its like [with] segregation. That lunch counter moment, it wasnt in the courts. It was the pushing and the pushing, that shifted the courts. Thats what we have to do. As we get more and more people saying nature should have rights, doing their own laws and their own actions, itll start shifting things. While this shift could take time, we dont have 150 years to push or wait for nature to have the right to exist. We talk about climate change. Its climate crisis. In my opinion, theyre committing crimes against humanity. Its homicide and ecocide. We have the scientific studies these species will go extinct. Its homicide because humans wont be able to live, ODell says. We need to start getting more blunt about what is happening. People think the corporation is the problem, she continues, but cautions against blaming the farming industry or the oil and gas industries for our current situation: Its your own government thats the problem, because theyre protecting them. It seems, then, we are in a time when corporations are considered people and their rights are preserved, and the rights of peopleactual humansto have access to the single thing they absolutely must have to survive, clean drinking waterare denied. If they think theyve prevented this movement, all theyve done is fired people up, Miller added. By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. More than one thousand members of the fashion industry met last week at the annual Copenhagen Fashion Summit to discuss sustainability. Fashion is a notoriously dirty industry and the problem is getting worse. As Fast Company reported in Bad news: The fashion industry is actually slowing down on sustainability: Fashion is a massively polluting industry that is accelerating the pace of the predicted climate disaster. In 2015, the sector generated 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases, which is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. (It also responsible for a fifth of the global water pollution, and a third of the microplastics in the oceans.) As more and more attention is focused on fashions polluting ways, an increasing number of companies have announced sustainability initiatives. But while some sensible changes have been implemented, these lag the rate of growth of the fashion sector, as documented in the 2019 update of Pulse of the Fashion Industry, an annual assessment of the fashion industrys environmental and social performance in terms of the Pulse Score, produced by the Global Fashion Agenda, the Boston Consulting Group, and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. That means the sustainability situation is deteriorating overall, despite the modest gains. According to Fast Company: The industry is still improving when it comes to sustainability, says Morten Lehmann, Global Fashion Agendas chief sustainability officer, and a coauthor for this report. The problem is that the pace of improvement is slowing down, while the industry as a whole is growing between 4% and 5% every year. I think this isnt assessment isnt nearly critical enough. As Fast Company also reports: The fashion industry is still far from sustainable. In fact, the report finds that 40% of all fashion companies have not even begun to take sustainability seriously by setting targets and rethinking their supply chain. Among the rest of the 60%, a lot of the improvement is happening with small companies (or those with less than $100 million in revenue a year, which includes many startups) and mid-sized companies (which make less than $1 billion in revenue a year). Among the biggest players in the market, which make billions in revenue every year, the pace of improvement has basically stalled out. Findings of Fashion Sustainability Report The Pulse report found consumers are aware of sustainability which is a factor driving some purchasing decisions particularly those of millennials. Yet the report acknowledges that consumer sentiment alone isnt powerful enough to force changes in how the industry operates: This awareness is beginning to have a greater effect on consumer purchasing decisions, with more than a third of survey respondents reporting they have already switched from their preferred brand to another for reasons related to responsible practices. More than half of the respondents said they anticipate that their next purchase decision will be based on these practices. For the first time, this data confirms that most consumers include sustainability considerations in their decision-making framework. However, consumer considerations of sustainable practices are not yet powerful enough to be the most important driver of purchasing behaviour. Quality and aesthetics still dominate decision making. Nevertheless, for 7% of consumers sustainability is the most important decision-making criteria. Yet, the industry cannot wait for the consumer to lead this movementit is up to fashion leaders to take bolder moves today to transition to a sustainable industry. (Pulse report, p.2; citations omitted; emphasis added). To put this in even starker terms, a recent article in the Business of Fashion, 5 Takeaways From Fashions Sustainability Summit, makes clear that although a concern, sustainability alone doesnt motivate the purchasing decisions of most consumers including millennials: Even though theres increasing demand from consumers for brands to operate more sustainably, thats still not whats driving their purchasing decisions. In fact, for the average consumer, the biggest considerations remain style and price, everything else is way down on the scale, said PVH Chief Executive Emanuel Chirico. To move things forward, brands need to be more vocal in educating their customers on their initiatives, while continuing to push for change. Its on us as an industry to drive this change, the [Global Fashion Agendas Eva] Kruse said. We cannot expect consumers to drive this forward. This is just the latest example Ive seen of excessive hand-wringing over the failure of magical shifts in consumption patterns to materialize and solve these difficult problems (see my earlier post, Fast Fashion: Magical Shift in Consumption Patterns Will Save the Planet?). So, What Should Companies Do? I wont recap here any of the individual efforts some companies are making to address sustainability concerns here. These by themselves are insufficient to fix much of anything. The situation may be changing, with the industry moving to take a more comprehensive approach to act collectively to address sustainability. As Vogue reports in At the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, Kerings Francois-Henri Pinault Shares a Radical New Vision of Sustainability: Kering chair and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault revealed hes been hired by French president Emmanuel Macron for a first-of-its-kind role: to create a coalition of CEOs and top brands in the fashion industry to join forces and set ambitious sustainability targets together a mandate he discussed in his opening address to the conference. According to Vogue: Whats significant about this is that it could mark a new era of collaboration and open-source cooperation across the fashion industry, and eventually other industries, too. In an exclusive interview after his keynote, Pinault explained that fashions long-held values of competition and exclusivity simply arent conducive to serious change. Instead, he believes brands should be sharing ideas and sources (and, in Kerings case, working with suppliers to bring down the costs of new technologies to make them accessible to mid- and small-size brands). Despite what were doing, things are not moving, Pinault said. I could understand it if we were the only company working towards this, but we arent. Its amazing what some of the biggest companies are doing. But the results dont work. Evidence suggests that the current way of doing thingsi.e., brands working alone, defining what sustainability means for their own purposes, and setting different goalssimply isnt adding up. Thats where Macrons mandate comes in: We really need to define targets together. The first stage is to choose three or four objectives that are top priority for the industry and commit to working towards them together to find solutions, Pinault explained. Im [confident] we will reach a level that none of us individually could reach by working alone. (Later in the morning, his friend Paul Polman summed it up with an old African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.) Forbes featured an article today, Sustainability Is Linked To Privilege Teasing Out The Truths From Copenhagen Fashion Summit, that suggested the problem may be untrammelled, unregulated competition in the fashion industry. Whats needed is government regulation in order to get companies to act in ways that may not be in their individual competitive interest to pursue if others fail to act similarly. The Forbes article emphasized: Two key areas needing action were identified throughout the two days of panel discussions at the summit. The first was government and legislation, and the second was brand competition. Without legislation (or taxation), restrictions that will deliver the reduction in carbon emissions urgently needed are not a business imperative. Implementation of carbon-reducing initiatives is not currently rewarded. A brand CEO I spoke to said that operating more sustainably is costly and squeezes a companys profitability, so what is the incentive? No company wants to give their competitor an edge by doing things in a more expensive way without justification, and it seems that the fear of climate doom is not a strong enough carrot, hence Paul Polman presenting the stick. The other area that needs addressing is that brands want to maintain their competitive advantage and will continue to do so unless a level playing field is established across the industry. Achievement of a level playing field is linked strongly to trade unions and governments establishing industry standards and regulation. Currently, if one factory chooses to pay its workers a fair wage, for example, that will drive the price of their goods up and brands will simply move their production to a cheaper factory. The lack of collective bargaining is reinforcing the problems discussed each year at the summit around fair wages and exploitation in the supply chain. [Jerri-Lynn here: emphasis added.] Throwaway Culture Its all very well and good to talk about more sustainable fashion. But if we were really serious about confronting the industrys environmental costs especially its climate change impacts I think more attention must be paid to our throwaway culture. For clothing, this is not just limited to the fast fashion segment cheap, of-the-moment clothes, never meant to last but the overall deterioration in the quality of clothing over recent decades (to which readers often attest in comments). (For more on fast fashion see Fast Fashion Juggernaut Rolls Along and The High Hidden Costs of Fast Fashion for an introduction and overview). McKinsey addressed this disposability issue in a 2017 report for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A NEW TEXTILES ECONOMY: REDESIGNING FASHIONS FUTURE: Worldwide, clothing utilisation the average number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used has decreased by 36% compared to 15 years ago. While many low-income countries have a relatively high rate of clothing utilisation, elsewhere rates are much lower. In the US, for example, clothes are only worn for around a quarter of the global average. The same pattern is emerging in China, where clothing utilisation has decreased by 70% over the last 15 years. Globally, customers miss out on USD 460 billion of value each year by throwing away clothes that they could continue to wear, and some garments are estimated to be discarded after just seven to ten wears.Clothing users are acknowledging this as a problem, with, for example, 60% of German and Chinese citizens admitting to owning more clothes than they need. (McKinsey report, p. 19; citations omitted). Another issue conspicuous in its absence from the Business of Fashions Five Takeaways report (as well as the other press accounts Ive seen) is the globalization of fashion production, and supply chains. The long distances clothing is shipped, from producer to consumer, is a major contributor to the industrys carbon footprint. Now, theres a long history of trade in textiles and apparel a very long history indeed. Pliny the Elder decried the appetite of his fellow Romans for Indian textiles and the costs to Rome of those appetites. The Silk Road was named after one of the most important products transported from Asia westward. But it wasnt so very long ago that most textiles were produced locally or regionally. And if they were shipped, it wasnt via air. At the start of the Kennedy administration, IIRC, one of every eight American jobs was in textiles and apparel production. So shipping everyday clothes halfway around the world, more or less immediately, in large quantities, is a relatively recent phenomenon. And even if it werent, if climate change is indeed the threat it appears to be, do we really need to continue to do this? What Is to Be Done? I dont have any particularly wise words of wisdom to impart here. As in so many areas, it seems to boil down to: reduce, reuse, recycle, and repair (see Four Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, andRepair ). To which I suppose I could add another R: Refuse. Just say no. This would be easier to do if clothing producers again offered high quality clothing, intended to last. The disposability problem isnt restricted to the low-end of the fashion spectrum. Ive been shocked and amazed when I look at many high-end designer duds to see the shoddy textiles from which theyre made. If we ever hope to stop accelerating the pace of climate change not to mention curb global water pollution and stop the proliferation of microplastics everywhere its necessary to get serious about fashion and sustainability. Waiting for millennials to shift their clothing consumption patterns wont cut it. In these regions, when winter comes, ready or not, creatures big and small endure the coldest and most unforgiving landscapes on the planet. Thursdays from 8:30pm AEDT. (Natural News) Over 50 groups are clamoring for Iowa lawmakers to mark as urgent the passing of a landmark legislation to enact a moratorium on factory farm expansion in a state that is home to more than 10,000 farm factories. Krissy Kasserman, the national factory farm campaigner at Food & Water Watch, is of the opinion that factory farming is detrimental to the air and water and that a moratorium on the erection of said farms should begin. Dozens of local, state, and national organizations said that a ban on new and expanded factory farms would serve as an opportunity to evaluate the public health, economic, and societal impacts of factory farms while providing Iowas communities with important statutory protections from further expansion of this industry. According to the letter to a member of Iowas General Assembly on Thursday, February 9: Family farmers and rural residents are often left feeling like prisoners in their own homes, unable to hold family gatherings or hang laundry outside to dry due the overwhelming stench and air pollution. Retirees are left with the realization that their homes and their properties often their nest eggs are depreciated due to the decline in property values associated with living next to a factory farm. Research has shown that Iowans living near factory farms are more likely to experience respiratory problems, headaches, diarrhea, burning eyes, nausea, and more serious health problems as a result of factory farm air pollution. (Related: Factory farming and modern food production dangers exposed.) The letter said that Iowa is experiencing a serious water pollution crisis, quoting from a 2014 research that discovered 750 bodies of water in the state that contained pollutants or manifested conditions that are linked to factory farming including E. coli, excessive algal growth, and diminished aquatic life. The groups put the blame on the Environmental Protection Agency and state officials who were remiss in their duties in properly regulating factory farms and making sure that such businesses adhere to local and state laws so that there are no detrimental effects to health and environment. According to an editorial that was published in the Des Moines Register last fall regarding the establishment of factory farms, Pressing pause may be the only way Iowa can catch up to this fast-growing industry. Fast facts on factory farms in Iowa From 1997 to 2007, the number of hogs that were factory farmed in Iowa grew by 75 percent to 17.9 million from 1997 to 2007. In 2009, around 25,000 gallons of manure that was spread over a field from a Mitchell County sow operation wreaked havoc over the lives of 150,000 fish over four miles of a local stream. In 2007, a hog operation in Clark County spread at least 10,000 gallons of manure into a local creek, resulting in increased ammonia levels accumulating for four miles downstream. In 2009, a Washington County hog operation released an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 gallons of manure into a channel that went to the Indian Creek, eliminating populations of fish. In 2010, a massive dairy, cattle, and hog operation got into a settlement agreement to pay $60,000 for incidents in 2005, 2008, and 2009 that included allowing manure to contaminate the Turkey River and the Chialk Creek. For more stories on how pollution harms the environment, visit Pollution.news. Sources include: EcoWatch.com FactoryFarmMap.org (Natural News) The corporate media cartels have become hubs of hatred and journo-terrorism that targets the psyche of the masses. The quack science hoax of so-called climate change is used to terrorize the public into believing that their planet will somehow be destroyed by carbon dioxide the very molecule that has been rapidly re-greening the Earth over the past four decades, according to NASA. Now, a new round of science has been studying the mental stress of the victims of this psychological terrorism pushed by the dishonest media, and theyve reached an even more bizarre conclusion. Scientists now claim that climate change is causing mental anguish among humans. Seriously. Of course, the real source of the mental anguish is the lies and panic propaganda of the corporate media and the pathetic scientific establishment which has figured out that if you want more government grant money, you have to conduct research that identifies some new crisis to be blamed on climate change. In fact, the very phrase climate change isnt scary enough yet to achieve the desired goal of mass mental terrorism, so media outlets around the world are now ordering their obedient writers to start using the phrase climate crisis. And if you dont believe theres a climate crisis, then you will of course be banned from all online platforms, just like Apple recently banned Natural News, claiming our content failed to mirror the scientific consensus on topics like climate science. You are now required to panic and if you dont, you will be censored and de-platformed And there you have it: All news outlets, researchers and individual voices are now required to panic over the climate, or you will be banned and silenced. This is what so-called climate change has come to: a dangerous CULT of quackery and left-wing lunacy. Like all cults, those who are deeply embedded in the cult demand that everyone else join their cult or be forever silenced. The very same people who believe in a climate crisis, by the way, are the kind of people who cut off their own penis and scrotum using a scalpel in an effort to become a nullo a gender-neutral, obedient progressive who exhibits no reproductive organs whatsoever. This, we are told, is the ultimately expression of tolerance and progress. Or maybe, perhaps, all these lunatics are just f##king insane, and they spend their lives terrorizing each other over make-believe fear scenarios in order to achieve some illusion of self-importance as they desperately try to navigate a world that makes no sense to them because the rational portions of their brains have been short-circuited with fear, hatred and social engineering propaganda. The zombie apocalypse is here, and the zombies are the libtards who have proven themselves to be utterly incapable of independent thought. If only they would all cut off their own balls, we could have this entire surge of lunacy self-eliminated in just one generation of progressivism, via the laws of natural selection. The future of liberalism is a scarred, bloodied newborn baby and a Netflix special celebration of the progressive parents who slice apart their own child in the name of gender neutrality Instead of free condoms and drug needles being handed out in liberal cities, perhaps its time to lobby city leaders to hand out free scalpels and ice packs so that obedient libtards can self-mutilate to the extent required to be sufficiently embraced by the Left Cult. If cutting off your penis and scrotum makes you a progressive, maybe woke women will start slicing off their own breasts soon, while being celebrated by The View for casting aside the old biology of gender. Dont cringe. This is exactly the kind of stupid, psycho s##t these people keep coming up with, even as they claim the world will end in 12 years if we dont stop producing food through the use of diesel-powered tractors. If you thought infanticide and the murder of post-birth babies was bad, just wait until some liberal lunatic decides to mutilate their newborn baby with a scalpel to make them gender neutral followed by Good Morning America featuring the newly-mutilated baby as a great symbol of progressivism while GoFundMe raises a billion dollars for the parents, who are offered a Netflix deal for a documentary that highlights them as champions for human progress. The future of liberalism isnt a boot stamping on your head forever; its actually a screaming, bloodied, scarred baby that has been violently attacked and had its penis sliced off by progressive parents while obedient doctors watch and cheer in order to support political correctness and keep their jobs in hospitals that maim babies for profit while billing the federal government for gender-restorative procedures which are nothing more than horrific crimes committed against human babies that somehow survived the Lefts post-birth abortion procedures. According to the Left, if you stab a newborn just a few times in the right places, its called progressivism. If you keep stabbing and murder the baby, its called womens health (i.e. abortion). You cant make this up. You cant even dream this up in a nightmare. Liberalism is beyond any nightmare the world has ever witnessed in human history. The Left Cult is a death cult, and they cant wait to kill themselves and as many other people as possible as they take down humanity in the name of environmental justice. Watch this mini-documentary for full details that will truly blow your mind: Brighteon.com/6038976998001 See more news coverage of real climate science at Climate.news. (Natural News) It seems too unreal to even contemplate, but authorities in Texas are taking it seriously. An illegal alien from Kenya was arrested last week and charged in connection with a dozen deaths of mostly elderly white women in Texas, but according to authorities, he may actually have had a hand in at least a thousand other murders. As reported by the U.K.s Daily Mail: A healthcare worker living in the U.S. illegally is suspected of being involved with more than 1,000 unexplained deaths in Texas. Billy Chemirmir, 46, has been charged with smothering 11 murders [sic]. The Kenyan, [who] worked as a home healthcare aide, was initially charged in 2018 with the murder of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. After being arrested for the initial 11 murders, authorities have since charged Chemirmir with another half-dozen murders. The Dallas Morning News reports that hes been charged in the murders of Phyllis Payne, 91, on May 14, 2016; Phoebe Perry, 94, on June 5, 2016; and 85-year-old Norma French on October 8, 2016. Also, hes charged with killing Doris Gleason, 92, on October 29, 2016; Rosemary Curtis, 76, on January 17, 2018; and Mary Brooks on January 31, 2018. The identities of five other elderly women Chemirmir has been charged with killing have not been released as of this writing. Oh and now hes also facing immigration-related charges for being in the U.S. illegally, which, of course, was made easier by an errant Congress more concerned with new voters and cheap labor, no matter the dangers posed to American citizens. (Related: Dems again have blood on their hands as illegal alien kills ANOTHER American police officer: ICE responds.) Local radio station KRLD reported further that Chemirmir worked as a nurse in his native Kenya, but that he doesnt have a license to practice in Texas or anywhere else in the U.S. Mr. Chemirmir is not a Texas-licensed, nurse, nor is he licensed anywhere in the United States. Hes not a nurse aide, either, as far as we were able to determine by checking the nurse aide registry, Bruce Holter, with the Texas Board of Nursing, told the local radio station. Seriously 1,000 murders? The station noted further that almost all of the files currently under investigation by authorities involve the alleged murders of elderly women who resided primarily in nursing homes. Reports said that Chemirmir was arrested in March after smothering Harris with her own pillow and stealing her box of jewelry. Police were monitoring him in connection with another elderly woman, 91, who he allegedly attempted to kill in the same manner and then robbed before fleeing the scene. Before police arrested Chemirmir, investigators had witnessed him throwing something in a dumpster at an apartment complex where he lived before executing an arrest warrant they had gotten in regards to the previous capital murder attempt. When searching the dumpster, cops found the jewelry box along with a piece of paper that led them back to Harris in Dallas. They contacted local police to do a welfare check on Harris and they found her dead. The Daily Mail noted further that Chemirmirs initial attempted murder charge was in relation to something that occurred in Frisco in October 2017. There, Chemirmir allegedly posed as a maintenance worker at the home of a 93-year-old woman who was living in an assisted-care facility. The woman told police Chemirmir tried to smother her with her pillow and then stole her jewelry box. In March 2018, in another incident, Chemirmir allegedly burst into the home of a 91-year-old woman, told her to go to bed, dont fight me, then attempted to smother her as well. After she was revived by Plano paramedics, she told police that he took jewelry from her. He is still being investigated for nearly 1,000 unsolved deaths or attacks, and the victims are mostly elderly women who were in nursing homes, the Daily Mail noted. Now, imagine if he were a white Trump supporter killing black elderly females: Do you think the story would make ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN/MSNBC/WashingtonPost/NYTimes, etc? Read more about how an invasion of illegal aliens and open borders are a threat to Americans at OpenBorders.news and InvasionUSA.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Migrants.news KRLD.Radio.com DallasNews.com (Natural News) There seems to be no shortage of maniacal Leftists in America these days as our political, cultural, and social divides widen far past the point of reconciliation. This was in evidence again recently when a Leftist judge in Colorado placed a case under seal involving two anti-Trump students one of whom is transgender who shot up a school in Denver earlier this month. Now, the public wont be able to see any of the proceedings, find out the motive behind the attacks, or learn much of anything else about the case. As Summit News reported: Devon Erickson, 18, and Alec McKinney, 16, opened fire on two classrooms at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) charter school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on May 7, killing one student and injuring eight others. 16-year-old Alec McKinney identifies as male but is biologically female, having been born Maya Elizabeth McKinney. After the shootings, news broke that Erickson has posted an anti-Christian messages on social media, as well as disparaging messages aimed at POTUS Trump, all while praising the Exalted One, Barack Obama. But now that a judge sealed the case, many details about it will remain under wraps. Douglas County District Judge Theresa Slade has put the charges along with the entire case file under seal, banning the public from seeing it, Reuters reported. Killed in the attack was 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, who rushed the shooters after they opened fire in an attempt to protect the lives of others. He has since been remembered as a compassionate, bright young man during a memorial service this week. As news of the shooting broke and spread, no doubt the garbage mainstream media and their sycophantic Democrat allies were set to pounce and exploit the tragedy as yet another opportunity to call for new restrictions on the Second Amendment. The only way to hold the media to account is by suing them But in short order, two facts became apparent that were deemed harmful to the Leftist/Marxist ideology of the Democrat-controlled media, so they dropped the story like a hot potato: The fact that one of the shooters was a transgender and that both of them hated Trump and Christians. (Related: New data indicates America on the verge of civil war, and neither side will back off.) Meanwhile, as one Twitter user pointed out, there is a stark contrast with the way in which the garbage media and Democrats treated the young students from Covington Catholic High in Kentucky after one of them was confronted by a professional Left-wing Native American activist: Both of these students are minors. One smiled calmly at an Indian while his personal space was invaded. The other is a murderer. Which one was smeared by the media for an entire week, sent death threats by celebrities, and had his name released despite being underage? pic.twitter.com/yUhC3k3Ive Aphrodite (@venusreborn_) May 15, 2019 The teen, Nick Sandmann, is currently suing several media outlets for hundreds of millions of dollars for what he and his lawyers claim were several instances of slander and liable. The garbage media jumped immediately to conclusions that Sandmann had confronted the Native American, Nathan Phillips. But in reality, video of the entire event proves that Phillips approached Sandmann while Black Israelites laced them with profanities and racist comments while the kids were on a field trip in Washington, D.C. But because Sandmann was wearing an iconic red Make America Great Again hat made famous by POTUS Donald Trump the media set out to make the encounter appear as though just another Trump supporter was being a racist bigot. There isnt any way to hold the garbage media accountable except by force of law, of finances, of choice. Should Sandmanns lawsuits prove successful, we may finally get some much-needed reforms of an establishment press that has become little more than a propaganda division for the Marxist Democratic Party. Otherwise, we can expect more of the same: Rank bias, fake news, blatant hypocrisy, and abject denials that any of those things are occurring, evidence to the contrary be damned. Read more about the fake news media cartels at NewsFakes.com and NewsCartels.com. Sources include: Summit.news TheNationalSentinel.com (Natural News) A 32-year-old woman who thinks shes a man recently gave birth to a dead child a dead child who would have lived, by the way, had its deranged, mentally-ill mother correctly indicated her natural biology upon being admitted to the hospital. Reports indicate that this brain-damaged adult patient, who self-identifies as a transgender, listed herself as a male on electronic medical records, which thus confused hospital staff. Because this same patient had made herself appear male on the outside, emergency personnel simply thought she was an obese man who was suffering from severe abdominal pains as a result of not taking his blood pressure medication. To make matter worse, this biological woman incorrectly told hospital staff that she had peed himself, which was really an indication that she was in labor and about to bear a child. A nurse then ordered a pregnancy test just to be sure, but because the woman looked like a man, he was deemed stable, and his issues non-urgent. It was several hours later after a doctors evaluation that the woman was, indeed, determined to be pregnant. An ultrasound reportedly showed unclear signs of fetal heart activity, as well as that part of the babys umbilical cord had slipped into the birth canal. However, as hospital staff were preparing to deliver the womans baby via cesarean section, it was already too late: The child was born dead, all because its mother was duped into believing the lies of the LGBT death cult. For more insane news like this, be sure to check out Gender.news. LGBT mafia blames hospital for childs death, says doctors failed to meet the needs of transgender patient It will hardly come as a surprise to most people reading this that the Cult of LGBT was quick to blame the hospital, if you can believe it, rather than this deranged transgender, for the death of her innocent child. In a statement, Dr. Tamara Wexler, a hormone specialist at New York Universitys (NYU) Langone Medical Center, said that this is a very upsetting incident with a tragic outcome, placing the blame squarely on the doctors and nurses who tried to help this transgender lunatic. Medical training should include exposure to transgender patients, Wexler lamented in perfect political correctness. A lot of doctors who are practicing didnt have that in their training. How, exactly, a medical professional is supposed to be trained in the art of figuring out how to discern a patients true sex in the age of LGBT fantasy and play-pretend is anyones guess, especially when LGBT patients like this one lie about their natural biology. But to Wexler and other members of the LGBT thought police, including Dr. Daphna Stroumsa from the University of Michigan, a man-looking female who claims to specialize in the healthcare needs of gender and sexual minorities, it somehow needs to happen because whatever an LGBT identifies as, regardless of what science has to say about the matter, is who or what that LGBT magically becomes. He was rightly classified as a man, Stroumsa reportedly told The Associated Press, again inferring that it was the hospitals fault for not having been able to determine that an apparent man lying about his sex actually had a uterus, and a human baby growing inside of him. But that classification threw us off from considering his actual medical needs, Stroumsa went on to say, indicating that she, or he, or they, or it (were really not sure) sees nothing wrong with LGBTs lying about their true sex and killing other human beings, so long as ones correct pronoun or gender identity is acknowledged. For more stories like this, visit PoliticalCorrectness.news. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com NaturalNews.com UMich.edu Authorities on Monday arrested a man with a sickle who attacked two people and then hid in a house in Berkeley during a lengthy standoff. Nathan Hohmann, 40, of Berkeley was taken into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and felony battery, according to police. One of the victims a 70-year-old Oakland man who was cut with the farming tool during the attack was taken to a hospital with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, police said. It is not clear if the other victim was hurt. The attack and standoff occurred along the 2300 block of Parker Street, police said. Around 5:50 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a report regarding a man who was waving a sickle. Arriving officers learned that the man attacked the other man and another person inside a residence, according to police. The two victims managed to escape and call for help. The suspect stayed in the residence and refused to come out, prompting a standoff with authorities. About two hours into Monday, authorities entered the residence and arrested the suspect. San Francisco police on Monday afternoon shut down streets and evacuated buildings in the city's Potrero Hill neighborhood while they investigated reports of an active shooter in the area, which later turned out to be unfounded. The investigation was centered around 350 Rhode island Street, which houses several businesses, including a Sutter Health Care Clinic. According to a spokesperson at Sutter Health, their offices were closed for lunch at the time. SFPD later said in a tweet there was no merit to reports of an active shooter, which shut down the intersection of Rhode Island and 16th streets. Officers were seen canvassing the area with their guns drawn. The San Francisco Citizen app posted video which showed employees of a business in the building being evacuated after reports of a gunshot. They were told by officials: This is not a drill...we need you to drop everything and leave! An employee who worked at Compass Real Estate told NBC Bay Area: Yeah my heart was pounding ... because its not a drill," the employee said, describing the evacuation. A Massachusetts gas station employee is recovering from surgery after they were shot overnight in an attempted robbery. Fire officials said the employee was taken to a Rhode Island hospital as a result of the shooting at a Mobil gas station on Newport Avenue in Attleboro. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening, according to police. The suspect allegedly approached the clerk with a gun, demanding money. When the clerk said he had no money to give the suspect, a struggle broke out. "One gunshot round was discharged from the weapon and struck the clerk in the lower abdomen," Attleboro Police Lt. Brian Kelley said. He said a nearby officer heard the gunshots, responded to the scene and was flagged down by the wounded clerk. "(The clerk) is fortunate that the sergeant was in the area at that time. She did provide lifesaving measures," Kelley said. Massachusetts State Police were joined at the scene by Attleboro, Amtrak and Providence police, as well as a K-9 unit. The shooting victim told police the suspect was wearing a monkey mask, similar to one worn by a suspect in an armed robbery in Providence on Sunday morning. The store clerk reportedly pulled the mask off during the struggle and was able to get a glimpse of the man underneath. The suspect fled the gas station and is no longer believed to be in the area. Police said there is no danger to the public. Customers at the gas station were shocked to learn about the incident Monday. "Normally it is a safe area," Albert Norsini said. "I come off the highway and go directly to work. I wouldn't imagine that this happened here." Monday marked the beginning of a new era in Chicago history, as Mayor Lori Lightfoot was sworn into office as the city's first-ever black female mayor and its first openly-LGBTQ mayor. Follow along below for all the major highlights as her inauguration day unfolds. 2:12 p.m. Lightfoot announces her first executive order in an emailed statement from the mayor's press office. "This is a historic day for the city," Lightfoot said in the statement. "In my campaign for mayor, I pledged to bring an end to aldermanic prerogative and ensure our government delivers equitable services to all of Chicagos communities, regardless of their zip code. Today, I have instructed City departments to begin to end the process of aldermanic prerogative as the first step in a comprehensive ethics reform package to reform the way government works in Chicago." 1:30 p.m. After a powerful inaugural speech railing against government corruption, Lightfoot signed her first executive order to end aldermanic privilege. 12:45 p.m.: Lightfoot is scheduled to sign her first executive order at City Hall, laying out a process to end aldermanic privilege, which allows individual members of City Council to block city ordinances within their own wards. 12:30 p.m.: Lightfoot arrives at City Hall with her wife and daughter, walking into her new office - that now bears her name on the door - for the first time as mayor. 12:07 p.m.: The doorway has opened on the 5th floor of City Hall, a symbolic gesture creating a physical opening between the city and county offices. It now allows free flow from the mayors office to the Cook County Board presidents office, signaling that Lightfoot and her one-time opponent Preckwinkle are putting the election behind them. 12:02 p.m.: The Emerald Society plays the bagpipes as the audience files out. Lightfoot mingles with people on the stage. She poses for a photo with Lt. Gov Julianna Stratton, taken by Attorney General Kwame Raoul, then Stratton and Raoul switch so Raoul can get a photo with the new mayor as well. 12:01 p.m.: Lightfoot steps to the podium, prompting Ald. Gilbert Villegas to move that the City Council recess until May 29 at 10 a.m. The Council is recessed and will have its first meeting next Wednesday. 11:58 a.m.: Father Thomas J. Hurley, pastor at Old St. Patrick's Church, takes the podium to deliver the benediction, joking that he felt like he was in a Catholic Church after communion, with so many people leaving early. He delivers a message of unity among Chicagoans, no matter what baseball team they root for or train line they might take. 11:55 a.m.: Lizz Wright performs "Morning Has Broken," accompanied by Kenny Banks. 11:54 a.m.: Lightfoot wraps up her speech by saying that "if we follow these four stars... we can once agagin become a city that families want to move to, not run away from." "No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter your circumstance in life, Chicago is now on a mission to include you, to join hands with you, to share power with you, and to give you reason to believe that we can all pull in the same direction to make Chicago, better, together," she says, ending her speech by saying, "If we follow the Great Commandment together, as neighbors, our great city will shine." 11:49 a.m.: Lightfoot recalls a church hymn, reciting "Pass me not, O gentle Savior" and saying this principle - paying attention to the plight of the suffering - will be the city's guiding light in the days to come. 11:46 a.m.: Lightfoot brings up the wave of state legislatures across the country passing anti-abortion measures, saying "We must stand with women all across our country who fear for their basic rights and feel powerless in the face of the hateful legislation designed to control our bodies, our choices. We cannot go back not in Chicago, not as a nation. We will join together and we will fight." 11:41 a.m.: Lightfoot says the fourth star is integrity, cracking a joke: ""I know, putting Chicago government and integrity in the same sentence may seem a little strange." "But that's going to change," she said. "For years, theyve said Chicago aint ready for reform. Well, get ready, because reform is here." "When public officials cut shady backroom deals, they get rich and the rest of us get the bill," Lightfoot continued. "When some people get their property taxes cut in exchange for campaign cash, they get the money, and sure enough, we get the bill," Lightfoot said. "These practices have gone on here for decades. This practice breeds corruption. Stopping it isnt just in the citys interest. Its in the City Councils own interest." "No official in the City of Chicago, elected or appointed, should ever profit from his office. Never. Ever," Lightfoot said, to raucous applause, with Ald. Ed Burke, who was criminally charged with corruption in January, on the stage behind her. [[510165461, C]] 11:37 a.m.: Lightfoot says the third guiding star on the Chicago flag is stability, saying, "We must start with getting our fiscal house in order." The city's operating budget at least half a billion dollars in the red, and the four city-obligated pension funds combined are funded at 27 percent - well below what's considered healthy at 80 percent. Lightfoot says "we must tackle this problem head on." "We have an outsize structural deficit, a persistent and growing pension debt, and other costs that that threatens our financial stability," she said. "We are spending a significant percentage of every dollar just to service our pension debt alone and too much of that money is being sent to banks and Wall Street bond firms instead of going to our rebuild our neighborhoods, reduce our property taxes and revitalize our transportation system." 11:34 a.m.: Lightfoot says the second guiding star on Chicago's flag should be education, saying, "Every child gets a quality education. That's our business, no matter what." She vows to expand early childhood education, to work to set up apprenticeships for students in vocational and technical training, as well as to connect students to employers so they can start working as soon as they graduate. "Im thrilled to see so many young people in the audiencemy next few words are for you and all of your peers across the city: you have the most at stake in the citys future, just as the citys future most depends on you." Lightfoot said. "We need your energy, creativity, intelligence, and dedication. Theres hard work ahead of us. But we will do that work, because we believe you and in the vast, still-untapped potential of this great city." 11:29 a.m.: Lightfoot says we should reimagine the four stars on Chicago's flag, which stand for major events in the city's history, to face a new era. She says the first star should stand for safety in every neighborhood, speaking at length on Chicago's violence. "Public safety must not be a commodity that is only available to the wealthy," she says, saying it demands "all of us, united together" and promising "the city will lead and we've already begun this work." Lightfoot announces a "Mayor's Office of Public Safety," to be led by a deputy mayor, that will be tasked with "developing and implementing a comprehensive violence prevention strategy." 11:22 a.m.: Lightfoot gets emotional, voice cracking and tears welling in her eyes as she introduces her mother, who is also crying as the crowd applauds. [[510168512, C]] "There's one person who you are about to meet who laid the foundation for everything that I am today. I want to introduce you to a former elected official with us, a one-time school board member from my hometown of Massillon. She's my role model, my champion, the woman on whose dreams and high expectations propelled me through life, my mother, Ann Lightfoot." Lightfoot points out her siblings Derek, Angela, Brian, and Stacy as well, saying nothing could keep them or her mother from attending the inauguration. 11:21 a.m.: "Most importantly I want to thank the people of Chicago who had the courage to put their faith in a newcomer and the optimisim to join this moment. We stand today at a time of great hope and possibility. I can't help but feel the spirit of the great, late Mayor Harold Washington." 11:20 a.m.: Lightfoot calls for a round of applause for all of the members of City Council, highlighting the 12 brand new aldermen. She also thanks Emanuel and Amy Rule for their contributions to the city, at which point the couple stands and acknowledges the crowd. Lightfoot noted that Emanuel's staff worked hard to make the transition smooth. 11:19 a.m.: Lightfoot acknowledges the historic nature of her inauguration, garnering a standing ovation when she calls herself Chicago's first black female mayor and the city's first openly gay mayor. [[510167582, C]] The crowd cheers even more wildly when she notes that women of color now hold all three citywide offices in Chicago. 11:16 a.m.: "As I stand as your mayor, humble and hopeful, honored to be the 56th mayor of this great city," Lightfoot says, beginning her inaugural address. "I'm looking ahead to a city of safe streets and strong schools for every child, regardless of neighborhood or zip code," she continues. "A city where people want to grow old and not flee. A city of sanctuary against fear, where no one must hide in the shadows. A city that is affordable for families and seniors, and where every job pays a living wage." 11:15 a.m.: Lori Lightfoot is now officially Chicago's 56th mayor. She paces the stage a bit, waving to the crowd, who cheers loudly. 11:14 a.m.: Lightfoot steps to the front of the stage, joined by her wife and daughter, and takes the oath of office, administered by Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. [[510167572, C]] 11:09 a.m.: Rabbi Capers C. Funnye Jr. of Beth Shalom B'Nai Zaken, delivers the blessing, with Lightfoot to take her oath of office next. 11:07 a.m.: City Treasurer Melissa Conyears, standing with her husband Ald. Jason Ervin, as well as several other family members - including her young daughter holding the bible, takes her oath of office, administered by Illinois Supreme Court Justice P. Scott Neville. 11 a.m.: At City Hall, Lightfoot's official portrait is about to be added to the wall of photos of all of Chicago's previous mayors and Emanuel's name is about to be taken off the mayor's office door, with Lightfoot's to be added. 10:59 a.m.: Rev. Dr. Beth Brown, of the Lincoln Park Presbytarian Church, takes the podium to deliver a prayer for peace, saying, "I'm so excited to be here with you today as we make her-story." "We heard throughout the campaign from our new mayor that as a city, we are better together. Being better together means no one gets left behind," Brown says, eliciting applause. She leads a call-and-response chant with the audience: "We are enough and we have enough." 10:55 a.m.: Valencia calls the roll, naming each alderman individually, many met with raucous cheers from the crowd. A quorum is established. Under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the inauguration is considered a meeting of the City Council because all 50 members are present. Twelve of Chicago's 50 aldermen are new to the council, the most diverse in the city's history. 10:52 a.m.: City Clerk Anna Valencia takes her oath of office, marking the beginning of her second term in office. She then administers the oath of office to all 50 aldermen simultaneously. The crowd onstage rejoices, hugging one another as the audience applauds. 10:50 a.m.: Imam Tariq I. El-Amin, of Masjid Al-Taqwa, delivers the prayer for guidance. 10:46 a.m.: Alfreda Burke and Rodrick Dixon, accompanied by Fred Nelson III, perform the musical selection "Make Them Hear You," receiving a standing ovation from the audience. 10:43 a.m.: Rev. Dr. L. Bernard Jakes, senior pastor at West Point Missionary Baptist Church, leads the invocation. 10:39 a.m.: Miguel Cervantes, of Chicago's "Hamilton," performs the National Anthem. 10:37 a.m.: Emanuel issues the official call to order, banging the gavel before the Phoenix Military Academy JROTC performs the posting of the colors and student Arturo Ballesteros recites the Pledge of Allegiance. 10:36 a.m.: Lightfoot, her wife Amy Eshleman and their daughter Vivian walk onto the stage, greeting several of the dignitaries around them before taking their place at the center of the stage. 10:35 a.m.: Emanuel and wife Amy Rule take their places in the first row onstage, following Sens. Durbin and Duckworth, as well as Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his wife, first lady MK Pritzker. 10:33 a.m.: Several other notable guests arrive on the stage, including former Mayor Richard M. Daley, who has largely been absent from the public eye since leaving office in 2011. 10:25 a.m.: Amy Morton, a Steppenwolf ensemble member serving as emcee of the event, makes an announcement asking the audience to silence their phones. Chicago aldermen and one guest apiece, the majority of them spouses, begin to file onto the stage, with each couple announced as they arrive. 10:20 a.m.: The official program, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., has yet to begin. Members of the audience continue to mill around the arena and all chairs onstage remain empty. 10:05 a.m.: Other notable guests have arrived, including Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson, appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and whose job security remains in flux. For now, Lightfoot has said she plans to keep Johnson as Chicago's top cop through the summer to address violence, but then would re-evaluate later. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, have arrived. Duckworth said she believes Lightfoot will "talk about the plans and how we're coming together." "You will see that Dick Durbin is here. Im here," Duckworth continued, adding, "Were going to support her from every step of the way." 9:55 a.m.: Most seats in the arena are filled and the official program, beginning with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's call to order, is scheduled to begin in just minutes. 9:40 a.m.: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has arrived and discussed his office's work with Lightfoot on the Chicago Police Department's consent decree, born of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into CPD's practices. Of Lightfoot, Raoul said, "I've worked with her as she headed up the police accountability task force, our offices respectively are parties to a consent decree." "I'm optimistic," Raoul continued, adding, "I really think she has the philosophy to be a strong leader with regards to public safety." 9:10 a.m.: Lightfoot's mother Ann Lightfoot takes her seat in the front row of the arena. Ann Lightfoot, 90, served on the school board in their hometown of Massillon, Ohio, and told her daughter in February that she hoped Lightfoot's candidacy would open doors for others. [[510161421, C]] "Im going back many many years of wonderful memories," Ann Lightfoot said, growing emotional. "Lori has always been a leader. From the time she was a little girl, she has always said I will be the president, Ill be the leader of the group. And she was. She was the leader from day one," she continued. [[510163142, C]] 9:06 a.m.: Kathy Byrne, the daughter of Chicago's first female mayor Jane Byrne, recalls a beautiful day ahead of her mother's inauguration 40 years ago and said her mother's advice to Lightfoot would be to "beware of City Council." "It's not always going to be peaches and cream with them and they are going to be taking the new mayors measure every day, every way," Kathy Byrne said. "Whether its a huge policy issue like affordable housing or equity, or how many tree trimmers is my ward going to have this spring, they will be ready to circle like a shark tank." [[510163152, C]] "I think everyone wants her to succeed so tremendously," Kathy Byrne continued. "If you look at the difference between 40 years ago and now, if you look at the City Council, you are going to have a completely different array of representation for this city. So it's almost as if... the city went forward and the representation is catching up to us." 9 a.m.: Live coverage begins on NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago, which can be found in both apps and in the video player above. 8:35 a.m.: Among the notable guests who have arrived are Rev. Jesse Jackson, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Lightfoot's opponent in the April runoff election. "Half the population of the county is in the city of Chicago, I live in the city of Chicago and it's really important that we work together," Preckwinkle said. Another former mayoral candidate, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said, Lightfoot is "a good person and she's a fighter. Chicago needs a fighter but they also need someone who sees people and knows people feel invisible in this city and who has a level of compassion and empathy that I think has been missing for awhile." 8:30 a.m.: People are starting to mill into the arena and fill the seats. The pre-program has begun, with the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, dressed in black with ties of all different colors, singing on a staircase inside Wintrust. [[510160041, C]] 8 a.m.: Lines have formed at the public entrance, with a sizable crowd braving a windy morning, waiting to get in to the arena. One spectator, Joyce Whaley, said she took the day off of work to come to the inauguration because it's historic and she thinks Lightfoot has the "fire" to make changes, "ruffle some feathers" and "bring our city back." 7:45 a.m.: Chicago's new City Council are having breakfast at Wintrust ahead of the inauguration ceremony, arriving at the arena through the participant entrance. 7:32 a.m.: The @chicagosmayor Twitter account, previously run by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's staff (now archived under @MayorRahm), has officially been transitioned to Lightfoot, who sent her first two tweets, one reading "Mic check. #ChicagoInaugural" 7:30 a.m.: Doors open at Wintrust Arena in 30 minutes, with roughly 10,000 people expected to attend. Inside, hundreds of folding chairs are set up on in the center of the arena, with dozens more onstage and bleacher seating surrounding. The jumbotron displays a large sign reading "Shine on Chicago" and "Inauguration 2019," along with the hashtag #ChicagoInaugural. 7:05 a.m.: Lightfoot's campaign Twitter account (@LightfootForChi) tweets a photo looking out from the podium at Wintrust, captioned "Last mic check." [[510159761, C]] Sunday 8:09 p.m.: Lightfoot's team sends out a statement that she will sign her first executive order at 12:45 p.m. Monday. The order will lay out a process to end aldermanic privilege, which allows individual aldermen to block city ordinances within their own wards. This fulfills a campaign promise, that was met with resistance from City Council, who would need 35 votes to override it. An attempted act of arson was reported at the Anshe Shalom Bnai Israel Congregation this weekend in Chicagos Lakeview community area, authorities said. The incident reportedly happened at the 500 block of West Melrose St. between 9 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police said. Officials said reports included three broken glass bottles that were recovered, which contained an unknown substance, along with charred black cloth towels. "Attacks of this sort are intended to frighten and intimidate us and it is quite natural to feel fear or anxiety," read a Facebook post published on the synagogue's page. "I encourage you to practice self-care and monitor your own feelings and those of your family." No injuries were reported, police said, and no damage was done to the buildings. After the incidents, Chicago Police Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio has ordered stepped up patrols and other safety measures near Jewish businesses and synagogues in the city. "Detectives are investigating and have good video evidence," spokesman Anthony Gugliemi said in a statement. "Info can be sent anonymously to www.cpdtip.com." Guglielmi later added that "detectives are also investigating a pattern of cars with windows smashed outside of synogogues in the 24th Rogers Park District. We have different suspects in both incidents." It remained unclear if there were ties between the incidents. In a statement, the Jewish Community Relations Council thanked Chicago police for their response in the case, and condemned the acts as "antisemitic." "The attempted arsons this weekend at two Jewish facilities are the latest antisemitic attacks against Jewish individuals and institutions in the US and abroad," the group said. "Thanks to CPD for pursuing the culprits and helping secure our community." Arson Unit and Area North Detectives were investigating the case. No other information was immediately known. Three people are dead and at least nine others have been wounded in shootings across the city of Chicago this weekend, according to police. On Saturday afternoon, a 19-year-old man was in a vehicle in the 8300 block of South Paxton when two men walked up to him and demanded money and other property, according to police. One of the men then opened fire, striking the victim in the back. The man was taken to Trinity Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. No suspect is in custody, and police are still investigating the shooting. On Sunday morning, two men were killed within an hour of one another in different parts of the city. Just after 2 a.m., a 25-year-old man was standing on a street in the 1900 block of South Springfield when several men walked up to him and opened fire. The victim was shot in the torso and the right hand, and was later pronounced dead at Mount Sinai, according to police. Another victim, a 27-year-old man, was brought to Western Suburban Hospital with a gunshot wound to his right leg. He is in stable condition. At approximately 3:23 a.m., a 48-year-old man was sitting in a parked car in the 4900 block of West Thomas when a person in a black sedan opened fire, striking him in the torso and the arm, according to police. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. No one is in custody in the shooting. Here are the rest of the weekends shootings: Friday: In the 8000 block of South Perry, a 30-year-old man was sitting in a parked vehicle when a silver minivan pulled up alongside him. A person got out of the van and announced a robbery, firing shots at the man inside. The victim was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition with a gunshot wound to his chest. Saturday: A 36-year-old woman is in stable condition at Stroger after she was shot in the back just before 4 a.m., according to police. The woman was driving a car in the 1400 block of North Washtenaw when she heard shots and felt pain in her back. Just before 4 p.m. in the 200 block of West 47 th Street, a 38-year-old man was sitting in a car when a man walked up to him and opened fire, striking him in the left thigh, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in stable condition. Street, a 38-year-old man was sitting in a car when a man walked up to him and opened fire, striking him in the left thigh, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in stable condition. In the 1600 block of South Homan at approximately 9:42 p.m., a 41-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk when a person walked up to him and opened fire, police said. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his face. A 35-year-old woman is in stable condition at Holy Cross after she was shot in the right arm, police said. The woman was driving a vehicle in the 1500 block of West 68th Street when a person walked up to her and opened fire. The victim was able to drive herself to the hospital. Sunday: A newborn child who was cut from his mother's womb after she was murdered in Chicago last month opened his eyes for the first time Sunday, a spokesperson for his family said. Family of Marlen Ochoa, the 19-year-old pregnant woman who police say was strangled before her baby was "forcibly removed" from her womb, visited the hospital over the weekend as the newborn child remains in critical condition following his birth. They returned Monday where family spokesperson Julie Contreras said they were meeting with hospital officials. Details on what the meeting was about weren't immediately released Monday afternoon. Contreras said the child, who has been named Yovanny Jardiel, was visited by his father Sunday night. The family called the infant a "fighter" after saying he opened his eyes. The baby remained hospitalized on life support on Saturday, according to authorities. A funeral for the 19-year-old mother, Marlen Ochoa, will take place Saturday morning, followed by burial. A two-day visitation is expected to take place Thursday and Friday. Two women, 46-year-old Clarisa Figueroa and her 24-year-old daughter Desiree Figueroa, are charged with murder in Ochoa's death. Police found Ochoa's body earlier this month outside Clarisa Figueroa's Chicago home. Clarisa Figueroa's boyfriend, 40-year-old Piotr Bobak, is also charged with the concealment of a homicide. All three were ordered held without bond. Chicago police say the elder Figueroa cut Ochoa's baby out of her womb on April 23, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who wasn't breathing. Paramedics took Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Center in suburban Oak Lawn. Prosecutors say that when Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also say Figueroa, 46, was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth. Advocate Christ Medical Center has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities, citing state and federal regulations. Oak Lawn police said they were not contacted about Figueroa by the medical center or any other agency. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Ochoa-Lopez family," the hopsital said in a statement. "Our clinical team is committed to meeting regularly with patients and families to ensure there is open dialogue about treatment paths. Out of respect for the familys privacy, we are unable to comment on the specific content covered during our time together." Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jassen Strokosch said Saturday the agency was alerted May 9 that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he couldn't speculate about why the agency wasn't contacted sooner. "We don't know what was happening at the hospital," he said. Strokosch said the Department of Children and Family Services was alerted by someone required by law to contact the department about suspected abuse or neglect, but he couldn't say who contacted the agency. However, that was after Chicago police had connected Figueroa to Ochoa's disappearance. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said police learned Ochoa was missing when her husband reported it on April 24. On May 7, Chicago police learned from one of Ochoa's friends that she had been communicating via a private Facebook group with Figueroa about buying clothing. Police then went to Figueroa's home, where her 24-year-old daughter eventually told them her mother had recently had a baby. "There was nothing to point us in that direction in the beginning," Johnson told reporters on Thursday, after police had arrested Figueroa and her daughter on murder charges. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Saturday authorities had to subpoena medical records from the hospital for Figueroa and the child. He said police didn't learn that Figueroa showed no signs of childbirth until "a couple weeks" after she was examined. Both Johnson and Guglielmi referred questions about hospital protocol and policies to the medical center. A spokesman said in an emailed statement: "We have been cooperating with authorities and as this is an ongoing police matter, we're referring all inquiries to local law enforcement." DNA testing determined Figueroa was not the baby's mother and that Ochoa's husband was his father. Strokosch said his department let protective custody of the child lapse on May 13 because his father had been identified. The baby was expected to undergo testing this week to check for brain activity. The child's two grandmothers and an uncle were giving permission by United States Border Patrol to travel to Chicago and visit the child, an family spokesperson said. Read the text of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's prepared remarks, delivered Monday during her inauguration. Lightfoot made history as Chicago's first black female and openly gay mayor. ****** "WE ARE EACH OTHERS BUSINESS" THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE HONORABLE LORI LIGHTFOOT Thank you. Thank you so very much. I stand here as your mayor, humble and hopeful, honored to be the 56th mayor in the history of this great city. We are a proud city with a proud history. In this moment, I cannot help but look at all of you and think about what lies ahead and what we can be together. Im looking ahead to a city of safe streets and strong schools for every child regardless of neighborhood or zip code. A city where people want to grow old and not flee. A city of sanctuary against fear where no one must hide in the shadows. A city that is affordable for families and seniors and where every job pays a living wage. A city of fairness and hope and prosperity for the many, not just for the few, a city that holds equity and inclusion as our guiding principles. Chicago is not where my story began, but from the moment I arrived in Hyde Park to attend law school and begin my career, this city felt like where I belonged. Its where I met the love of my life, my wife, Amy. Its where our daughter, Vivian, was born and where shes growing up into the kind, curious, and spirited young woman I always knew she would be. For me, this has been a city of opportunity. Its been a city of hope. As I stand here today, I cant help but think of where I came fromand I know, in my heart, that a story like mine of a kid from a working class family growing up to realize the dreams of my father and mother through education, hard work and sheer determination needs to be the story of possibility in every neighborhood. Kids who look like me and come from families like mine shouldnt have to beat the odds to get an education, pursue their passions, or build a family. Black and brown kids, low-income kids, every kid in this city should grow up knowing they can pursue anything, they can love anyonethats my Chicago dream. I know were just a little bit closer to that dream as I stand here today, inaugurated as Chicagos first Black woman and first openly gay mayor. I know were a little bit closer as we celebrate that, for the first time in the history of Chicago, women of color now hold all three of our city-wide elected offices. I congratulate you, City Clerk Anna Valencia and City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, on your inaugurations, your victories, and on all youve overcome to reach this historic moment. I also congratulate the aldermen of the Chicago City Council in particular, the 12 aldermen who are taking their seats for the first time. I thank Mayor Emanuel for his dedication and service to our city, which was exemplified by the attention and time that he and his staff devoted to making this transition as smooth as possible. I also commend Amy Rule for her contributions to the city. Join me in wishing them both well as they head off into the next chapter of their lives. I also acknowledge and thank the other leaders here today: Governor JB Pritzker, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Tammy Duckworth, our Illinois congressional delegation, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, representatives from our state legislature, and every other elected official here today. Thank you for your continued service. Most importantly, thank you to the people of Chicago, who had the courage to put their faith in a newcomer and the optimism to join this moment. We stand today at a time of great hope and possibility. And I cant help but feel the spirit of the great Mayor Harold Washington here with us this morning. *** Now theres one person you are about to meet who laid the foundation for everything that I am today. I want to introduce you to a former elected official with us today a one-time school board member from my hometown of Massillon, Ohio. Shes my role model, my champion. The woman whose dreams and high expectations for me propelled me through life, my mother, Ann Lightfoot. My mom is 90 years old -- forgive me for that one, Mom -- and doesnt travel much these days. But nothing could keep her or my siblingsDerrick, Angela, Brian, and Staceyfrom being here today. My mother and my late father Elijah gave us the best they could in the segregated Ohio steel town where we grew up, even when they had almost nothing left to give. As parents, they led by example. They instilled in me a clear set of values: loyalty to family, friends, and community; and the importance of hard work, education, and integrity. And, Mom, most importantly, you and Dad told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. That I could not be held back by my race, gender, or family financial status. That I should hold my head high and not let anyone else dictate the course of my future. That no goal was out of reach, that no victory was too unlikely to pursue. I feel Dads presence with us today. My gratitude to you both has no limit. Just like when I was a little girl, Im working hard to make you proud. To honor your sacrifice, to live by the values you instilled in me, to make sure that families like ours dont have to struggle like we did. *** I look out today and see a proud city with a proud history Here in Chicago right here our people invented the skyscraper and the Ferris Wheel here our people invented our own Chicago blues Our people. Generations of industrious, hardworking people who built one of the greatest cities to ever grace Gods earth. I stand here today as your Mayor humble and hopeful and I make one solemn promise to the generations who came before us and to the generations who come after us: We will continue to build this great city and leave it better, stronger, fairer, and more prosperous than we found it. The challenges we face today did not arise overnight and they will not be solved overnight and they certainly wont be solved by one Mayor acting alone. *** In this important moment, let us remember the powerful words of Chicagos poet laureate Gwendolyn Brooks. "We are each other's harvest," she said. "We are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond." Folks, we are and must be in this together. Our challenges can only be solved if we face them together. We cannot fail. We will not fail. We are Chicago. *** I also remember so many people Ive met in this city who cant be here today. The big guy who came to hear me speak and then followed outside on a cold blustery day on the southeast side and pleaded Lori, just bring us jobs just bring us jobs. We want to work. The teenagers I met on the south side kicked out of their homes and left on the streets at night in the bitter cold with no food and no shelter just because they are gay or trans. The father on the west side who told me he was scared scared to death every time his three daughters left the house. Those girls are his whole world and hes worried somebody is going to gun them down. The countless number of people whose daily fear is that ICE would come for them as they took their kids to school, stood as day laborers, or just walked in their neighborhoods. We should never forget that these are the people who put us here. We are each others business. And standing up for them is our business our only business. *** There are four stars on Chicagos flag, each standing for a point in our history the construction of Fort Dearborn the great expositions of 1893 and 1933 and the reconstruction of our city following the Great Chicago Fire. Each star stands for building and rebuilding. Today, we proudly reinterpret these four stars new meaning for a new century, with new challenges and opportunities that lie aheadguiding our city and guiding our new administration as we move forward and rebuild again. *** Today, we reimagine the first star standing for safety, in every neighborhood. People cannot and should not live in neighborhoods that resemble a war zone. Enough of the shootings. Enough of the guns. Enough of the violence. Lets unite in our response to the biggest challenge we face: the epidemic of gun violence that devastates families, shatters communities, buries dreams, and holds children hostage to fear in their own homes. It inflicts life-long trauma that spreads through our communities like a virus. When we hear of a random bullet cutting a life short, people across the city from all ages and all walks of life begin to wonder if Chicago is a place where they can continue to live and raise their children. Some have already answered the question by moving away, particularly from the hardest hit communities. The mass exodus we have seen, particularly in the Black community, saps the vitality of our great city. We must reverse the exodus by creating the reality of safety in every neighborhood. Public safety must not be a commodity that is only available to the wealthy. What this means for me is that there is no higher calling than restoring safety and peace in our neighborhoods. We will develop a new, proactive strategy in partnership with the communities hit hardest by the scourge of gun violence. All of our stakeholders must be committed to this work. This is not a challenge that can be solved by law enforcement alone, nor will we ever place the blame on people in communities who are under siege. No, this greatest challenge demands all of us, united together. And I promise you, the city will lead and weve already begun this work. To lead the citywide response, we are creating a Mayors Office of Public Safety, to be led by a Deputy Mayor. That office will be charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive violence-prevention strategy that will connect efforts across city government, other aspects of the public sector, and nonprofit, philanthropic, education, recreation, business and faith communities. It will seek to mobilize the entire city behind a unified strategy to prevent violence and promote public safety. And while we will specifically address gun violence, we will not limit our efforts there. The devastation of violence is far and wide which is why we will also reach out and support the growing community of victims and witnesses. We must recognize the importance of providing a transition for our returning citizens. And we will accelerate the development of a trauma-informed city starting with repairing our broken mental health safety net. We will also continue the hard, but essential work of forging partnerships between police officers and the community premised on mutual respect, accountability, and a recognition that the destinies of police and community are inextricably intertwined. One simply cannot succeed without the other. And to all of our brave first responders, we will not leave you behind either. You deserve not only our respect but our commitment to train you better, provide the best quality supervision available, and wellness support to address the trauma that you face every day. These are critical pieces of police reform and accountability. We are each others business. We are each others neighbors. And together we will work tirelessly to bring peace to this city *** Our second guiding star is education. We cannot attract families to Chicago and keep families here without providing a quality public education for every child and that means every single child. As a city, we make promises to our children, as well. Most of all, we promise them an education a safe, relevant, and challenging education that prepares them for meaningful work, civic engagement and life-long learning. But whether we deliver on that promise often depends on where you happen to live. Its time to give every child and young person a good education, to prove through our schools that we believe in them, that we support themno matter who they are or where they live. That every child gets a quality educationthats our business, no matter what. Someone said to me recently that children are a product of the adult ecosystem around them, And she was 100 percent right. Our words, our values, how we meet our commitments and rise to the occasionit all matters. Were shaping the future leaders of our city, and when we put equity first in our education system, when we make good on a promise that every kid matters, it will instill within our children the values we seek to foster in our city as a whole. That promise must begin earlythats why we will work to expand early childhood education, and extend the promise of a good education through high school and college, and to every kid, no matter their path forward. Every student should have the option to pursue vocational and technical training. We will work with businesses and unions to set up apprenticeships for those who want to learn a trade. We will then connect Chicagos employers with our job-ready students while theyre in school, so they can get to work the day they graduate. And we will support our great teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses and other support personnel who are essential to creating the safe and nurturing environment necessary for our children to grow, learn and thrive. Let me also say that Im thrilled to see so many young people in the audiencemy next few words are for you and all of your peers across the city: you have the most at stake in the citys future, just as the citys future most depends on you. We need your energy, creativity, intelligence, and dedication. Theres hard work ahead of us. But we will do that work, because we believe you and in the vast, still-untapped potential of this great city. Our goal is simple: starting in our schools, we will create a citywide workforce as the pipeline for jobs of today and tomorrow that will be the envy of the world. We are each others business. And we must meet our educational challenges together. *** The third of our guiding stars is stability. To be true to the notion of stability, we must start with getting our fiscal house in order. Over many, many years Chicago dug itself into a giant financial hole. We have an outsize structural deficit, a persistent and growing pension debt, and other costs that that threatens our financial stability. We are spending a significant percentage of every dollar just to service our pension debt alone and too much of that money is being sent to banks and Wall Street bond firms instead of going to our rebuild our neighborhoods, reduce our property taxes and revitalize our transportation system. We must tackle this problem head on. My team has already been the necessary work of measuring the size and depth of our fiscal challenges, as well as working on a range of possible solutions. Once that analysis is complete, we will lay out a plan to put Chicago on the path to solvency. No doubt some hard choices will have to be made and none of this is going to be easy. But we will do the hard work with transparency, integrity and a determination to put our pensions on a true path to solvency, and make our government work more efficiently, and without balancing budgets on the backs of low wage and working-class Chicagoans. And we will get there because we must. Stability also means that we must build housing that is affordable for more people, including families. Long term residents whether homeowners or renters -- should not be forced out of their neighborhoods when it goes through a period of transformation. And developers can no longer skip their responsibilities by taking tax dollars but leaving it to someone else to solve our affordable housing crisis. Here too, the City must lead. We need to cut the red tape and obstacles and instead promote the building of new units and have flexibility in our building code so that innovative housing forms can come on line. We must also have a plan for expanding home ownership and converting vacant lots and abandoned buildings into new vibrant communities. Growth of housing that is affordable, all over this city, will be the charge of the new housing department under new leadership. Stability also means support for our business community large and small. Strong businesses growing businesses new businesses mean jobs for people and stability for the city. We need fairness which means paying as much attention to our neighborhood businesses as we do to the businesses downtown. Our neighborhoods have been neglected for too long. They cannot be anymore. Still, we should never settle for dividing up a shrinking pie or pitting one part of this city against another. Chicago is the economic engine of Illinois and the whole Midwest. As with everything, we are each others business. We need to grow and grow and grow together. *** Our fourth star must be integrity. I know, I know putting Chicago government and integrity in the same sentence is well a little strange. But thats going to change. Its got to change. For years, theyve said Chicago aint ready for reform. Well, get ready because reform is here. I campaigned on change, you voted for change, and I plan to deliver change to our government. That means restoring trust in our citys government and finally bringing some real integrity to the way this city works. It means making sure we have a government that actually works for people, not a powerful few. Its about the real harm done to our families and businesses when those with power and money cash in at our expense. When public officials cut shady backroom deals, they get rich and the rest of us get the bill. When some people get their property taxes cut in exchange for campaign cash, they get the money and sure enough we get the bill. The family with the bungalow the lady who runs the hair salon the guy who owns the store on the corner they arent big or powerful or well-connected but they end up paying. These practices have gone on here for decades. This practice breeds corruption. Stopping it isnt just in the citys interest. Its in the City Councils own interest. No official in the City of Chicago elected or appointed should ever profit from his or her office. Never. Ever. This requirement that people must give more to get access to basic city services must end. And it will end, starting today. Later this afternoon, I will sign an executive order to end the worst abuses of so-called Aldermanic privilege. This does not mean our Aldermen wont have power in their communities. It does not mean our Aldermen wont be able to make sure the streetlights are working or the parking signs are in the right place or any of the thousands of good things they do for people every day. It simply means ending their unilateral, unchecked control over on every single thing that goes on their wards. Alderman will have a voice, not a veto. Its time for a new era of trust between the people of Chicago and the government that serves them. When our poet said we are each others bond thats what she meant. *** As I stand here today, Georgia is also on my mind, as is Alabama and every other state that is enacting laws intended to deprive women of our rights. Me must stand with women all across our country who fear for their basic rights and feel powerless in the face of the hateful legislation designed to control our bodies, our choices. We cannot go back not in Chicago, not as a nation. We will join together and we will fight. *** And theres something else we must do, for ourselves and our posterity. We will establish a new Social Compact here in Chicago based on a simple principle shared by every major religion in the world. It goes by many names. In Buddhism it says, "hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." In the Quran, it says, :whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind." It is in the Torah.. and again in the New Testament, it is called the Great Commandment: "love thy neighbor as thyself." Today, too many of our people lack decent housing and far too many end up on our streets. Today, too many of our people feel isolated and alone. And as our senior population increases, we must meet the needs of those without family or friends for support. Today as we prepare to enter the third decade of the twenty first century one out of every five children in Chicago still lives in poverty. Addressing the problems of housing isolation and poverty in our great city is just as important as anything else we may do and far harder to solve. But tackle these problems we must. *** I heard a century-old hymn in church the other day. A song that I know from my youth of so many Sundays sitting in church, listening to the working class people in my congregation, who toiled in factories, kitchens, or outside and came to the church for a respite from their otherwise hard days. We sang this song: Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by. In that moment, it was our plea to God to shine his light on us and relieve us from our heavy labors. As I reflect on this day and what lies ahead, it means that we must not forget or ignore the plight of so many for whom joy often does not come in the morning. Whether it is the homeless, people living with mental illness, those desperate for love and recognition, we will not pass them by. As we pursue our new stars, this will be our guiding light. To those who are alone, we are with you. To those who need a home, we will shelter you. For those who have little, we will do much. We see you. We hear you. We are your neighbors. And so help me we will not pass you by. *** I stand before you representing tens of thousands of people from all over the city who daily contribute their time, talent, and resources in the cause of making a difference not just to day but if we are bold, our collective efforts will resonate for years to come. Our people, friends and neighbors, known and unknown, at the block level, in our places of worship, in our community organizations and just individuals who want to make a difference have stepped up and contributed mightily to what is the greatness of the city. I will have the privilege of leading but clearly a single leader cannot heal all the ails us. A single leader cannot by herself conquer all of the challenges that would be present on day one. We all have to be part of that solution. We all must make the sacrifices necessary to identify problems and forge solutions. And, my friends, we must not merely depend on the politicians, the preachers, the police, the teachers, the activists and others to show us the way. We can no longer continue to cede control of our destiny to someone else. Each of us needs to ask what can I do? What contributions can I make? You may not be the richest, the smartest or even the most able, but ask yourself are you ready to serve in some way because our city surely needs you. What has been the most amazing and humbling part of the experience in a journey that I have traveled particularly over these last few months is the tremendous hope and optimism that I am feeling from people all over the city. My friends, it is that message of hope, and possibility that should get all of us up in the morning start us on our way and bring all of us together with the excitement and promise born of harnessing our collective energies to move forward together. *** Our challenges are great. Theres no mistaking that. But if we follow these four stars safety schooling stability and integrity we can once again become a city that families want to move to not run away from. No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter your circumstance in life, Chicago is now on a mission to include you, to join hands with you, to share power with you, and to give you reason to believe that we can all pull in the same direction to make Chicago, better, together. And if we follow the Great Commandment together as neighbors our great city will shine. *** God bless you. And God bless Chicago. The concert line-ups for Alive@Five and Wednesday Night Live in Stamford are out and Shaggy, T-PAIN. 98 Degrees and more will be heading to Connecticut to perform at Columbus Park in Stamford Downtown this summer. The Alive@Five shows begin at 5p.m. and run five Thursdays, July 11 to Aug. 8. You must be 21 or older to be admitted. The admission fee is $20. The Alive@Five happy hour is from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and beer and wine are $5. Alive@Five: Wednesday Nite Live: Wednesday Nite Live, a five-week long series, runs Wednesdays, July 10 through Aug. 7 in Columbus Park at 6:30 p.m. All ages will be admitted to Wednesday Nite Live. The entrance fee is: $20; 12 and under are free with a paying adult. For more information and a complete list of rules and restricted items, visit: www.stamford-downtown.com/events The owner of Ray & Mikes, a deli in Hamden, has pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, according to the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Raymond George, 52, of Hamden, owns Ray & Mikes, LLC, at 3030 Whitney Ave. in Hamden and officials from the office of the U.S. Attorney said he evaded paying his federal income taxes in multiple ways in 2012 and 2013. Officials said he failed to deposit all of the cash receipts of the business into his business bank account and used some of the cash to fill an in-store ATM and failed to report the cash as income. He is also accused of using the Ray & Mike business account to pay personal expenses. Federal officials said he deposited three large checks totaling nearly $300,000 from the Ray & Mikes business account into his personal investment account without reporting the funds as income, then withdrew funds from the investment account to buy personal investment properties. He is also accused of depositing a $25,800 check from the Ray & Mikes lottery account into his personal investment account without reporting the funds as income. George was also accused of underreporting his income on his federal tax returns by approximately $365,065 for the 2012 tax year and by $273,108 for the 2013 tax year and failing to pay $220,000 in taxes, according to federal officials. He has agreed to pay back taxes of $220,663, plus interest and penalties, according to a news release from John Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. It was a whos who in the aerospace industry and not just here in the U.S. The International Space Trade Summit brought together representatives from five countries and space agencies, joined with NASA Representatives and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Monday in Hartford. Far from Cape Canaveral or even Houston, Hartford is not the first city to come to mind when discussing space. However, authorities see Connecticut as an important part of the landscape. Its about the next generation of space and here around Hartford we have more advanced manufacturing, more material research than almost any place in the world, explained Anne Evans, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Greater Hartford area is home many aerospace related companies providing, manufacturing, fabrication and engineering. With NASAs plans to return to the moon by 2024, opportunity within the aerospace sector is growing. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates it to be a trillion dollar industry. Opportunities could benefit many Connecticut companies, including Collins Aerospace in Windsor Locks. As we contemplate the new kinds of systems were gonna need to go back to the moon and then on to Mars, were gonna have a lot more business here, said Dan Burbank, senior technical fellow at Collins Aerospace. Since NASAs inception Collins has played a role. Its radios helped Neil Armstrong communicate to the world during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Now, 50 years later, Collins is ready to help America return. Overall here at Collins it means a lot knowing theres a huge objective for us to reach. said Jake Rohrig, Engineer, Collins Aerospace. Theres a lengthy list of Connecticut aerospace companies, including Ulbrich Steels and Metals in Wallingford and Pioneer Aerospace of South Windsor. For them and other suppliers, opportunity could be an economic launching pad. We prefer to do business with local supply houses so most of our supply network is local, adds Erica Abrahamson, deputy program manager at Collins. Among the speakers at todays summit was U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Connecticut). He says its not just big corporations like Collins that stands to thrive. What we saw at todays conference was a host of small companies who are primed to supply parts and pieces for everything from rocket boosters to rovers, said Courtney. Its an exciting time to be part of the burgeoning space industry, and Connecticut firms are fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunity. Iowa farmer Tim Bardole survived years of low crop prices and rising costs by cutting back on fertilizer and herbicides and fixing broken-down equipment rather than buying new. When President Donald Trump's trade war with China made a miserable situation worse, Bardole used up any equity his operation had and started investing in hogs in hopes they'll do better than crops. A year later, the dispute is still raging and soybeans hit a 10-year-low. But Bardole says he supports his president more today than he did when he cast a ballot for Trump in 2016, skeptical he would follow through on his promises. "He does really seem to be fighting for us," Bardole says, "even if it feels like the two sides are throwing punches and we're in the middle, taking most of the hits." Trump won the presidency by winning rural America, in part by pledging to use his business savvy and tough negotiating skills to take on China and put an end to trade practices that have hurt farmers for years. While the prolonged fight has been devastating to an already-struggling agriculture industry, there's little indication Trump is paying a political price. But there's a big potential upside if he can get a better deal and little downside if he continues to get credit for trying for the farmers caught in the middle. It's a calculation Trump recognizes heading into a reelection bid where he needs to hold on to farm states like Iowa and Wisconsin and is looking to flip others, like Minnesota. A March CNN/Des Moines Register poll of registered Republicans in Iowa found 81% approved of how Trump is handling his job, and 82% had a favorable view of the president, an increase of 5 points since December. About two-thirds said they'd definitely vote to re-elect him. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. A February poll by the same organizations found 46% of Iowans approved of the job Trump was doing his highest approval rating since taking office while 50% said they disapprove. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points. Many farmers are lifelong Republicans who like other things Trump has done, such as reining in the EPA and tackling illegal immigration, and believe he's better for their interests than most Democrats even on his worst day. They give him credit for doing something previous presidents of both parties mostly talked about. And now that they've struggled for this long, they want to see him finish the job and soon. "We are the frontline soldiers getting killed as this trade war goes on," said Paul Jeschke, who grows corn and soybeans in northern Illinois, where he's about to plant his 45th crop. "I'm unhappy and I think most of us are unhappy with the situation. But most of us understand the merits," he added. "And it's not like anyone else would be better. The smooth-talking presidents we've had recently - they certainly didn't get anything done." When the trade war started last summer, China targeted its first round of tariffs on producers in agricultural and manufacturing states that were crucial to Trump's 2016 victory, such as Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Particularly hard hit were producers of soybeans, the country's largest farm export. The most recent round of trade talks between the Trump administration and China broke up earlier this month without an agreement, after Trump accused China of backing out on agreed-to parts of a deal and hiked tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China. China imposed retaliatory tariff hikes on $60 billion of American goods, and in the U.S. the price of soybeans fell to a 10-year low on fears of a protracted trade war. U.S. officials then listed $300 billion more of Chinese goods for possible tariff hikes. As China vowed to "fight to the finish," Trump used Twitter to rally the farming community. "Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now," Trump tweeted. "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." He added: "The Farmers have been 'forgotten' for many years. Their time is now!" To partially offset the plunge in sales caused by the tariffs, Trump has promised an aid package, some $15 billion for farmers and ranchers, following $11 billion in relief payments last year. Beside the help prompted by the tariff dispute, a farm bill that Congress approves every five years provides farmers with hundreds of millions in additional federal aid. The subsidies have remained relatively stable, with the latest farm bill approved in December. Most of the aid helps growers of the largest crops, including corn and soybeans. Farmers also benefit from billions of dollars annually in federal insurance subsidies. It's been six years since farmers did better than break even on corn, and five years since they made money off soybeans. U.S. net farm income, a commonly used measure of profits, has plunged 45 percent since a high of $123.4 billion in 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reflecting American farmers' struggle to return to the profitability seen earlier in the decade. Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings for farm operations in the upper Midwest have doubled since June 2014, when commodity prices began to drop. The hardest hit were farms and dairy operations in Wisconsin, a state that supported Democrats for president for most of recent history before backing Trump and that will be a fierce 2020 battleground. "It's awful expensive to put a crop in," said Morie Hill, looking over countless green shoots peeking up from his fields in central Iowa. He isn't sure why more farmers haven't been forced out. "Everyone I know is squeezing and doing everything they can, trying to go further with less," he said. Brent Renner, who farms with his father in northern Iowa, said while there's strong support for Trump in their area, frustration is growing. Farming friends regularly check Twitter to see what Trump is saying, and how it might move the market. "I don't know how many farming friends I've had who've said 'Why can't someone just take his phone away?'" Renner said. "It's impossible to think he hasn't lost support at some level, but what that level is nobody knows." Patty Judge, a Democratic former Iowa lieutenant governor and state agriculture secretary, agreed people in Iowa haven't rushed to move away from Trump. But she thinks voters will be ready for a change in 2020 and a president who better understands the country's role in international trade. "It's very important to us and to have gone into a trade war without a plan, without an exit strategy, is dangerous and wrong and I think Iowans are going to understand that before the next election," she said. The 2018 midterms showed Democrats' difficulties outside metro areas. AP VoteCast, a national survey of more than 115,000 voters, found rural and small-town residents cast 35% of midterm ballots; 56% of those voted for Republican House candidates, compared with 41% for Democrats. Among small-town and rural white voters the advantage was greater, tilting 63-35 for Republicans. Jeshke said he gives Trump credit for rolling back regulations that have made it tougher and more expensive for new herbicides to be approved, and for his proposed changes to the Waters of the U.S., an Obama-era environmental measure. Under the act, Jeshke said he needed government approval to mow some areas of his property or make changes to manmade lakes where kids go fishing. "And I dug them!" he said. Jeshke says most farmers are more concerned about getting the situation solved than pointing fingers. But if they were to place blame, most of it would be on China, and the rest would be on previous presidents who could have solved the trade imbalances more easily 15 or 20 years ago. One thing he knows for sure about Trump: "If he rolls over now, we'll never be able to hold them accountable." Renner says farmers are used to having things happen that aren't in their control the weather, for example but finding a way through. It's a quality he says is clearly on display now. "We're an optimistic people," he said. "We'll keep our chins up and keep moving ahead." Some grounded Boeing 737 Max jets are being stored at a South Texas maintenance facility amid the investigation into two fatal crashes overseas. The San Antonio Express-News reports a Boeing spokesman declined to say how many of the jets are at the 168-acre Port San Antonio site. Paul R. Bergman says Boeing is also storing 737 Max jets at facilities around Seattle. Planes are manufactured in nearby Renton, Washington. Bergman says the Boeing San Antonio site will temporarily store jets for inventory management. Several 737 Max jets were seen parked at the location last week. Crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed more than 340 people and led to grounding of Max 737 jets in mid-March. Boeing this month announced it finished updates to the flight-controlled software implicated in the crashes. If youve been to an event with a Democrat running for president this year, there's a good chance youve heard about it: the racial wealth gap. Candidates are regularly bringing up the fact that the typical black family has only one-tenth the assets of the typical white family a divide that has grown larger than it was 35 years ago, NBC News reports. In Iowa, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts gives detailed history lessons on how discriminatory policies created the wealth gap while predatory lending and mass incarceration exacerbated it. Beto ORourke, the former Texas congressman, condemns the imperfect, unfair, unjust and racist capitalist economy." Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey doesnt just bring up the disparity in places like New Hampshire, he brings state-specific data along with him. Politicians, academics and activists whove worked on these issues say this cycle is unique both in the emphasis White House hopefuls have put on the racial wealth gap, but also the type of detailed agendas they've proposed to address it. Thousands of graduates walked on stage at San Diego State University over the weekend to receive their degrees -- each graduate with a unique story of success, but one student is a special standout because of her criminal past. It feels wonderful. This is 38 years in the making, said SDSU graduate Laura Murray. She earned two bachelors degrees from SDSU at the age of 56. I still feel like Im in my 20s, said Murray. Her unlikely success story started a decade ago during the financial crisis. After losing her home to foreclosure, she resorted to crime. I was under a lot of stress, and I just decided to go and get my money back from the banks. So, I robbed one bank and another bank and another bank, said Murray. Murray admitted she made a poor choice that she is still paying for. During her six years in prison, Murray said she learned about social injustice and gained new motivation. I dreamt about San Diego State when I sat in that hot prison cell, and I made it my destiny to come here, said Murray. She applied to four California state universities and was rejected by all of them. Thats where Project Rebound came in. The program helps students transition out of prison and into higher education. Advisors appealed to SDSU to admit Murray. I checked my web portal one day and when it said denied before, now it said admitted. I just sat there by myself and cried, said Murray. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA and is now working towards her masters degree in criminal justice. During her studies, Murray said she always thinks of the women in prison who dont have the opportunities she had. Its my sisters that I left behind. My women that I left behind that Im thinking of, said Murray. After receiving her degree, her 91-year-old father and 87-year-old mother were there to congratulate Murray a touching reminder that it is never too late to take advantage of a second chance. Project Rebound is funded through donations and grants. For more information on visit its website. Firefighters in Hollywood knocked down a commercial fire at a commercial building that appeared to be housing a marijuana grow operation Sunday night, authorities said. The fire was knocked down at approximately 9 p.m. after 77 firefighters required 21 minutes to extinguish the flames, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire was reported in the 6100 block of West Hollywood Boulevard, next to the Fonda Theatre. The LAFD said the fire erupted in what appeared to be a marijuana grow operation. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire was under investigation. Muslim and Jewish activists Monday criticized Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's public approval of Jerusalem as the new site of the United States embassy in Israel. The joint condemnation was issued in a statement by the Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Los Angeles chapter of the Jewish Voice for Peace Garcetti's backing of the move authored by President Donald Trump was made in a Friday interview he gave to the Los Angeles Times. "I support the embassy being here," Garcetti said from Jerusalem, where he chaired a delegation of American mayors in the Holy Land seeking opportunities between their cities and Israel. The comments caused a stir in some portions of the Southland's political arena. "It is highly disturbing that Mayor Garcetti would declare support for such a reckless decision," CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said. "The decision to move the U.S. embassy violated the international status of the Holy City of Jerusalem and was offensive and provocative, not only to the 12 million Palestinian Christians and Muslims, but also to the 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide." Estee Chandler of the Jewish Voice for Peace joined Ayloush in decrying Garcetti's stance. "Mayor Garcetti's endorsement of the illegal move to consolidate Israeli annexation of land furthers the endangering of the lives of both Palestinians and Israelis on the ground," Chandler said. A roadside bomb hit a tourist bus on Sunday near the Giza Pyramids, wounding at least 17 people including tourists, Egyptian officials said. The officials said the bus was travelling on a road close to the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum, which is located adjacent to the Giza Pyramids but is not yet open to tourists. The bus was carrying at least 25 people mostly from South Africa, officials added. The attack comes as Egypt's vital tourism industry is showing signs of recovery after years in the doldrums because of the political turmoil and violence that followed a 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Hosni Mubarak. The officials said security forces cordoned off the site of the explosion and the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital. The explosion damaged a windshield of another car, they said. Footage circulated online shows shattered windows of the bus. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. Atif Moftah, general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum, said the explosion did not cause any damage to the museum, in a statement issued by the antiquities ministry. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. It is the second to target foreign tourists near the famed pyramids in less than six months. In December, a bus carrying 15 Vietnamese tourists was hit by a roadside bomb, killing at least three of them. Egypt has battled Islamic militants for years in the Sinai Peninsula in an insurgency that has occasionally spilled over to the mainland, hitting minority Christians or tourists. The insurgency gained strength after the 2013 military overthrow of the country's first freely elected president, an Islamist whose brief rule sparked mass protests. What to Know Its Monday, May 20th and NBC 6 has the top stories you need to know for the day. Its Monday, May 20th and NBC 6 has the top stories you need to know for the day. Weather wise, it will be a seasonable start to the work week but keep that umbrella handy as isolated showers and storms stay in the forecast for much of the day. No. 1 - One person was rushed to the hospital early Monday morning after a house fire in Miamis Little Haiti neighborhood forced out members of multiple families. Crews arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m. near Northwest 6th Avenue and 73rd Street, where two separate units were deemed uninhabitable after the fire. No. 2 - A man is dead after being shot in the face in Opa-Locka, police said. According to Opa-Locka police, the incident happened at the 13000 block of Northwest 27th Avenue. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was airlifted to the hospital, where he later died. No. 3 - Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Marton, is set to run for office. Fulton is set to launch her campaign for Miami-Dade County Commission, District 1, on Monday. After many years of service and activism, Fulton hopes to bring her experience to the county commission. Fultons son Trayvon was shot and killed in 2012. The 17-year-old was returning to his fathers home after a trip to a convenience store. No. 4 The "Temple of Time" memorial built to honor the lives tragically taken in the Parkland school shooting was reduced to ash Sunday evening. Seventeen people, mostly students, were fatally shot in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. On Sunday, the powerful monument for the victims was burned down. No. 5 - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday said President Donald Trump confirmed sending undocumented migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border to South Florida "is not going to happen." DeSantis made the announcement in a Twitter post. "President [Trump] and I spoke yesterday and confirmed that he did not approve, nor would approve, sending immigrants who illegally cross the border, to Florida," DeSantis wrote. "It is not going to happen." No. 6 - A billionaire technology investor stunned the entire graduating class at Morehouse College when he announced at their commencement Sunday that he would pay off their student loans estimated at up to $40 million. Robert F. Smith, this year's commencement speaker, made the announcement while addressing nearly 400 graduating seniors of the all-male historically black college in Atlanta. Smith is the Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data, and technology-driven companies. What to Know A man was taken to the hospital after he reportedly attempted to put out the fire, suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns. One person was rushed to the hospital early Monday morning after a house fire in Miamis Little Haiti neighborhood forced out members of multiple families. Crews arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m. near Northwest 6th Avenue and 73rd Street, where two separate units were deemed uninhabitable after the fire. A man was taken to the hospital after he reportedly attempted to put out the fire, suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns. Officials have not released his identity or condition at this time. Officials also have not confirmed how many people in total have been displaced at this time. Inside a Catholic school in Portland, Oregon, high school sophomores break into groups to discuss some once-taboo topics: abusive relationships and consent. At one desk, a girl with banana-colored fingernails begins jotting down some of the hallmarks of abuse: Physically hurting you, verbally abusive, can be one-sided. She pauses to seek input from her classmates, boys and girls alike, before continuing: "It messes up your mentality and your, like, confidence." For the first time this year, Central Catholic High School, like public schools in the city, is using educators from a domestic violence shelter to teach kids about what it means to consent. The goal is to reduce sexual violence and harassment and help teens understand what behavior is acceptable and what's not before reaching adulthood. "We're talking about dating violence, sexual assault, relationships, #MeToo all of those things. I think you have to be intentional about bringing this program into our classrooms," said David Blue, the school's director of diversity and inclusion. What's happening at this school in liberal Portland points to a larger debate unfolding in blue states and red, as lawmakers, educators and teens themselves re-examine whether sex education needs to evolve in the #MeToo era. Central to the conversation is whether schools should expand curriculums to help kids understand consent a concept often defined differently from state to state. "#MeToo has brought the issue of consent into the national spotlight, but it's abundantly clear that people still struggle with the culture shift that's happening," said Jennifer Driver, state policy director of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, which favors liberal sex ed policies. Since January, dozens of new sex ed bills have been floated in statehouses; five have passed two requiring specific instruction about consent, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks sexuality and reproductive health issues. In all, 10 states and the District of Columbia require that consent be part of the sex ed curriculum, while 32 states require that abstinence be stressed in schools that teach sex education. Most federal funding for sex ed goes to abstinence programs. Sex ed in the classroom has shifted from the explicit information on sex, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases taught amid the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s to the abstinence-focused agenda that followed the rise of conservative politics. With the #MeToo movement, things may be changing again, but local school districts often have the final say in shaping the curriculum. A few abstinence-focused states, such as Virginia and South Carolina, have added consent to the curriculum. And Oklahoma lawmakers this year considered a bill that would have forced high schools to teach consent. The Legislature eventually passed a narrower measure requiring that schools with a sex ed curriculum incorporate teaching about consent. It leaves other districts of the hook, but state Sen. Carol Bush, the Republican sponsor, called it "baby steps." In Cadillac, Michigan, a reliably Republican small town, educators teach consent after the school board voted more than a decade ago to change its sex ed curriculum from "abstinence only" to "abstinence based." These days county prosecutor Jason Elmore regularly visits the high school to tell students what it means for sexual contact to be given "freely and honestly" and how alcohol and marijuana undermine that. In the past year alone, he's prosecuted a half-dozen Cadillac students for sex crimes. "In this school?!" one boy exclaimed at a program last month. In Tennessee, where the state mandates an abstinence-based curriculum, some teenagers are leading their own discussions about consent off-campus. "There's this thing in the South that you just don't talk about things provocative things," said Savanah Thompson, 15, of Memphis. "That's where our school system and school systems nationwide have failed us. In middle and elementary school, I didn't know I could say no." Thompson is part of Memphis Against Sexual Harassment and Assault, a youth advocacy group that has lobbied the school district to fill its Title IX director's job, conducted peer training on consent and organized "Survivor Power Coffee Hours." The issue is personal to Thompson. She said she was catcalled, groped, pinned against a locker by another student and later blamed for it in eighth grade. "We're being taught all of these things preparing us for college," Thompson said. "But they're not teaching you how to cope with things that can derail your life." Some who oppose teaching consent in favor of abstinence programs or what's now called "sexual risk aversion" believe the consent curriculum signals an approval of teen sexual activity. Mary Anne Mosack, who runs the abstinence-focused group Ascend, said some "safe-sex" programs had gone too far, promoting activities such as "naked cuddling." Her critics call it unreasonable to tell students to delay sex until marriage, when half of all Americans have sex before leaving high school and only 3 percent wait until marriage, according to Dr. John Santilli, a Columbia University researcher. "Abstinence until marriage in America in 2019? It's an impossible goal," said Santilli. "On the other hand, I think we ought to tell young people if they're not ready to have sex with people, if they've had too much to drink, if they somehow feel uncomfortable with somebody, they can say no. To me, that's feminism in action." Contributing were AP reporter Gillian Flaccus and AP National Writer Martha Irvine. Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the Alabama Capitol on Sunday to protest the state's newly approved abortion ban, chanting "my body, my choice!" and "vote them out!" The demonstration came days after Gov. Kay Ivey signed the most stringent abortion law in the nation making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases unless necessary for the mother's health. The law provides no exception for rape and incest. "Banning abortion does not stop abortion. It stops safe abortion," said Staci Fox, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, addressing the cheering crowd outside the Alabama Capitol. Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court. Marchers on Sunday said the measures have energized supporters of legalized abortion, and they say they are digging in for a legal and political fight. Along the route they took, the protesters passed by scattered counterdemonstrators raising signs against abortion. Two speakers at the rally on the Capitol steps shared their stories of having an abortion, including a woman who came out of the crowd to describe the abortion she had after being raped at a party at age 18. Carrying an orange sign with a coat hanger and the caption "No Never Again," 69-year-old Deborah Hall of Montgomery said she remembers life before Roe and can't believe the push to return there. "I had friends who had illegal abortions and barely survived," said Hall, who for a time ran a clinic in Montgomery that provided abortion, birth control and other services. "I still cannot believe it. It's really a scary time for everybody," she said of the push to overturn Roe. Similar demonstrations were held in Birmingham and Huntsville on Sunday. Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a nonprofit that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, said donations have begun streaming in since passage of the Alabama bill. Groups this week paid for a small plane carrying a banner "Abortion is Okay!" to circle the Capitol and the Governor's Mansion. The Alabama law would make it a felony, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison to perform an abortion. There would be no punishment for the woman receiving the abortion. But the protest outside the Capitol Sunday comes in a state where a majority of voters recently agreed to put anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution. Fifty-nine % of state voters in November approved the constitutional amendment saying the state recognizes the rights of the "unborn." "To the bill's many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians' deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God," Ivey said in a statement after signing the ban into law. The Alabama law has also come under criticism by some conservatives who have expressed discomfort by the lack of exceptions for rape and incest. President Donald Trump, while not mentioning Alabama's law, wrote in a weekend tweet that he is strongly "pro-life" but favors exceptions. "As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions - Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother - the same position taken by Ronald Reagan," Trump wrote in a series of tweets. Rep. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the Alabama law, said the purpose is to challenge Roe and added that Alabama lawmakers can come back and add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehran's atomic program, nuclear officials said Monday, just after President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below what's needed for an atomic weapon. But by increasing production, Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. Already this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were damaged in a sabotage attack; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. A rocket landed Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraq's capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential U.S. staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that the rocket was believed to have been fired from eastern Baghdad, an area home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. The Iranian enrichment announcement came after local journalists traveled to Natanz in central Iran, the country's underground enrichment facility. There, an unidentified nuclear scientist gave a statement with a surgical cap and a mask covering most of his face. No one explained his choice of outfit, although Israel is suspected of carrying out a campaign targeting Iranian nuclear scientists. The state-run IRNA news agency later quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as acknowledging that capacity had been quadrupled. He said Iran took this step because the U.S. had ended a program allowing it to exchange enriched uranium to Russia for unprocessed yellowcake uranium, as well as ending the sale of heavy water to Oman. Heavy water helps cool reactors producing plutonium that can be used in nuclear weapons. Kamalvandi said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, of the development. The Vienna-based agency did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them. Before Iran's announcement, Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump's remarks reflect what has been a strategy of alternating tough talk with more conciliatory statements he says is aimed at keeping Iran guessing at the administration's intentions. He also has said he hopes Iran calls him and engages in negotiations. He described his approach in a speech Friday, saying, "It's probably a good thing because they're saying, 'Man, I don't know where these people are coming from,' right?" But while Trump's approach of flattery and threats has become a hallmark of his foreign policy, the risks have only grown in dealing with Iran, where mistrust between Tehran and Washington stretch back four decades. While both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif soon responded by tweeting that Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." Zarif referenced both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that Persia outlasted. "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone," he wrote. "Try respect - it works!" Zarif also used the hashtag #NeverThreatenAnIranian, a reference to a comment he made during intense negotiations for the 2016 nuclear accord. Trump campaigned on pulling the U.S. from the deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since Trump withdrew America a year ago from the pact, the U.S. has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning other nations they would be subject to sanctions as well if they import Iranian oil. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told journalists in Geneva that Iran should not doubt the U.S. resolve, warning that "if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate." "We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally," Hunt said. Meanwhile, Oman's minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit Monday to Tehran, seeing Zarif, the state-run IRNA news agency said. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman long has served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted the secret talks between the U.S. and Iran that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. In Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's military intercepted two missiles fired by the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The missiles were intercepted over the city of Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya reported, citing witnesses. Hundreds of rockets, mortar rounds and ballistic missiles have been fired into the kingdom by the rebels since a Saudi-led coalition declared war on the Houthis in March 2015 to support Yemen's internationally recognized government. The Houthis' Al-Masirah satellite news channel denied that the rebels had any involvement with this round of rocket fire. Between the two targeted cities is Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day. Many religious pilgrims are in the city for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bassem Mroue in Baghdad, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed. A fare war between Uber and Lyft has led to billions of dollars in losses for both ride-hailing companies as they fight for passengers and drivers. But in one way it has been good for investors who snatched up the newly public companies' stock: The losses have scared off the competition, giving the leaders a duopoly in almost every American city. The two San Francisco companies have already lost a combined $13 billion. And with no clear road to profits ahead, no one else has much of an incentive to mount a challenge using the same model relying on people driving their own cars to pick up passengers that summon them on a smartphone app, said Susan Shaheen, co-director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Even if another rival dared enter the market, it would likely be difficult to raise enough money to pose a viable threat after Uber and Lyft spent the past decade pulling in billions of dollars from venture capitalists. And in the past six weeks, they raised an additional $10.4 billion in their recently completed initial public offerings of stock. "There's only a duopoly because both companies have enough capital to compete with each other and no one else does," said Gartner analyst Michael Ramsey. It's likely to remain that way until any of dozens of companies trying to create self-driving cars refines their technology so they can launch a network of robotic taxis that removes human drivers from the equation. That breakthrough could enable them to slash their fares below the prices currently being charged by Uber and Lyft. Google spin-off Waymo has made no secret of its intention to muscle its way into the ride-hailing market with a fleet of self-driving cars built on technology that it has been working on for the past decade. Waymo launched a ride-hailing service with robotic vans in the Phoenix area five months ago, but only 1,000 people are currently allowed to use it. Besides being on the leading edge of bringing robotic vehicles to market, Waymo also is backed by more money than Uber and Lyft have combined. Waymo is owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., which is sitting on $113 billion in cash. In its IPO document, Uber listed Waymo as a potential threat along with Tesla, General Motors' Cruise Automation and Apple. Lyft also cited Waymo and Apple among the companies that could undercut its position as the second largest ride-hailing service. But most experts believe it will still be many more years before self-driving car technology reaches the point that it can support a large fleet of robotaxis. Until then, the U.S. duopoly is likely to continue, giving Uber and Lyft the luxury of focusing on growth rather than turning a profit, analysts said. That means ride-hailing fares in the U.S. are likely to remain below the actual cost of providing the service, a boon for consumers. "These subsidies will continue as long as each company believes they will be gaining new customers by having a lower price," says Alejandro Ortiz, principal analyst at SharesPost. "The story now is growth, but growth is expensive." Eventually, though, investor pressure will mount on the companies to make money, and doing that almost certainly will require higher prices for their rides. On the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hinted that it will be three to five years before the company pivots to a focus on profit. That timetable hasn't been well received on Wall Street so far. Lyft's stock has fallen 29% below its IPO price of six weeks ago, and Uber flopped in its stock market debut Friday as its shares slipped by almost 8% percent. Markets with only one or two dominant players often create situations for companies to abuse their power or attempt to stifle competition. Regulators and legislators around the world argue that's already happened in many corners of technology, with Facebook having a seemingly impenetrable stronghold in social networking, Google dominating search and Amazon controlling a wide swath of online shopping. That has stirred calls to break up some of the companies, especially Facebook, whose own co-founder, Chris Hughes, recently argued his former company has become too powerful for society's good. For now, Uber and Lyft have been drawing upon all the money that they have raised from investors to keep prices relatively low, creating a barrier for smaller-scale competitors without the capital to sustain massive losses. Take Austin, Texas, for instance. In 2016, Uber and Lyft pulled out of the city after voters approved regulations on ride-hailing companies, including fingerprint background checks for drivers. Four competitors stepped in to give rides in tech-savvy Austin, including two local companies. But the following year, Texas legislators passed a looser state law that superseded Austin's, and Uber and Lyft came back. Shortly after their return, three of the competitors, Boston-based Fasten, locally owned GetMe and Phoenix-based Fare stopped operations, and the remaining one, nonprofit RideAustin, lost thousands of its riders. "It was a matter of a couple months and those three companies were gone," said Chris Simek, an associate research scientist with the Texas A&M University Transportation Institute, who co-authored a study of Uber and Lyft's impact on ride-hailing in Austin. Uber hasn't been as successful thwarting competition outside the U.S. It has waved a white flag during the past three years in Russia , China and parts of Southeast Asia by selling its services in those parts of the world to stronger rivals. Lyft hasn't expanded outside North America yet, so it faces few other competitors besides Uber in the U.S. Via has managed to carve out a niche by running a pooled ride system in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, and it contracts to provide transit in about 70 cities worldwide. It competes most directly in New York, where Uber and Lyft also offer pooled services that transport multiple riders. Via specializes in carrying up to six passengers at a time, largely in vans, and is growing because it can do a more efficient job carrying more people, said spokeswoman Gabrielle McCaig. Still, the company is losing money as it invests in growing the business, she said. And so it remains, at least for now, that Uber and Lyft will occupy the ride-hailing industry's driver's seat. "It is hard to see a third or fourth player coming in at this point," said D.A. Davidson analyst Tom White. "I think we are looking at a duopoly in North America." What to Know PSPCA is lending a hand to ACCT Philly after an outbreak of an upper respiratory infection in dogs. ACCT is not adopting or taking in dogs for the next two weeks as they try to stop the spread of the potentially deadly infection. The PSPCA has lowered its adoption fee to $19 to try and find dogs a "furver" home. The Pennsylvania SPCA is stepping in to help Philadelphia's animal shelter following the outbreak of a deadly virus that shut down adoptions and intakes at the shelter. Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia is trying to stop an upper respiratory infection virus that's killing dogs at their shelter along West Hunting Park Avenue in the Feltonville neighborhood. ACCT is not adopting out dogs or taking in dogs for the next two weeks. Instead, animal control officers will be bringing strays to the PSPCA on East Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia. The PSPCA will be waiving owner surrender fees during this time, but they urge owners to old onto animals for the next two weeks if possible. In an attempt to find healthy pets new homes, the PSPCA is offering dogs for adoption for just $19 dollars through Sunday. As a partner to ACCT Philly in the Philadelphia No Kill Coalition, we want to do everything within our ability to help as ACCT works through this difficult time, PSPCA CEO Julie Klim said. Given our close proximity, we felt the best way to do so was to divert as many dogs as we can, before they enter into their shelter, during this two-week period. ACCT first reported the infection in its kennels a week ago. The shelter later said that testing made it appear the infection didnt appear to be unusual, but that an exact cause of the infection thats causing some cases of unusually severe pneumonia hasnt been determined. What to Know Polls in Pennsylvania are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters in Philadelphia will be picking party candidates for mayor and council races. 8 p.m. UPDATE: The polls have now closed in the 2019 Pennsylvania primary election. For results in key Philadelphia races and some statewide judicial elections, click here. Tuesday is Primary Day across Pennsylvania in an off-off-year election. But while you aren't voting for president or governor or Congress, this election is just as important because you're voting for the local leaders who will affect your life arguably more than anyone in Washington, D.C. "All politics is local," as one of the most influential politicians last century used to say. On the ballot in Philadelphia are races for mayor, all City Council seats, city commissioners, sheriff, register of wills and numerous elected judgeships. Four ballot questions are also up for a vote. Independent voters should not sit out this Election Day. You can vote on the four ballot questions! (See below for more information on the questions.) Meanwhile, registered Democratic and Republican voters will weigh on on which candidates they prefer to represent their party in the November general election. All registered voters will then choose between the Democrats and Republicans along with Independent candidates who get on the ballot on Election Day in November. NBC10 has put together a searchable list of all the candidates for Philadelphia mayor, council and sheriff. Find that HERE (and at the bottom of this page). KENNEY AND HIS STRONG CHALLENGERS A race for Philadelphia mayor is the top of the ticket race, but the importance of who sits in all 17 City Council seats should not be lost on the local electorate. A recap and video of the only televised mayoral debate is HERE. The three Democrats running for mayor answered a survey on the biggest issues facing the city. That can be found HERE. The always-important issue of safety and crime is profiled HERE. BALLOT QUESTIONS Four important issues are up for a vote by the city's registered electorate: They are the reason all voters should head to the polling places, even on a primary day. The questions involve: 1. removing gender-specific language from the City Charter; 2. establish rules for a city Office of Immigrant Affairs; 3. raising the state minimum wage; and, 4. hiring "public safety enforcement officers" to aid police officers with traffic control. The city's election watchdog and advocacy group, Committee of Seventy, has the full questions, plus a very helpful translation for us voters. That can be found HERE. FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE AND SAMPLE BALLOT The Philadelphia Board of Elections has made great strides over the past decade to bring its digital access into the 21st century. Voters can now enter their address HERE to find their sample ballot and polling place. MORE of NBC10 Election Coverage It's Official: Candidates for Mayor, Sheriff, City Council in Philadelphia Incumbents in nearly every elected position in Philadelphia are facing competition in the upcoming May municipal elections. Notably, Mayor Kenney faces an old foe, and two women are trying to unseat the incumbent sheriff and become the first-ever female sheriff in the city. Democrat names are in blue and Republicans in red. The candidates for mayor of Philadelphia squared off on NBC10 during the only mayoral debate. Experts analyze the candidates performance and how it might help or hurt them come Tuesdays election. What to Know Washington, D.C., will require that all of its electricity come from renewable sources by 2032, the most ambitious timetable in the country Hawaii and California have committed to 100 percent clean energy by 2045 The Fourth National Climate Assessment has outlined the real-time effects of climate change across the U.S. As the Trump administration moves to dismantle federal laws to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Washington, D.C., is working to bring renewable energy to the White House and the rest of the city. Download our local news and weather app for iOS or Android and choose the alerts you want. Under a law approved in December, the District of Columbia will require that all of its electricity come from renewable sources by 2032, the most ambitious timetable in the country. Federal buildings would be included. "Its doable, it works, its not some pie-in-the-sky idea," said Mark Rodeffer, the chairman of the Sierra Clubs Washington, D.C., chapter, which backed the law. "In 13 years, the U.S. Capitol is going to be powered by electricity that is 100 percent from wind and solar. At the same time, some climate deniers in the Capitol are going to be saying this is impossible to do, but theyre going to be saying that under lights that are powered by wind and solar, disproving the argument that theyre making." Washington, D.C., has the tightest deadline, but it follows the lead of Hawaii and California, both of which earlier committed to 100 percent clean energy by 2045. Hawaii, the most petroleum-dependent of the 50 states, acted in 2015 and California, a leader in environmental advances, voted last fall. More than 100 cities also have pledged to move to completely clean, renewable energy, and a half a dozen smaller ones have already reached that goal, according to the Sierra Club. Cities account for more than three-quarters of primary energy use but also are the most vulnerable to power disruptions linked to climate change, notes C40 Cities, a network of the worlds mega-cities that are addressing climate change. Ninety percent of all urban areas are on a coast, at risk from flooding from rising sea levels and powerful storms. Seventy percent of cities are already seeing the effects of climate change. When Donald Trump was elected president, questioning whether climate change was real and promising he would gut attempts to cut carbon emissions, officials looked for ways to keep environmental progress headed forward. Absent a strong federal presence, cities, states and companies have taken the lead. One of Trumps early policy decisions as president was to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, a worldwide attempt to confront climate change. In response, D.C. has banded together with New York, Los Angeles and other C40 cities to meet the agreement's goals primarily to keep the global temperature increase this century to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to try to limit the temperature rise even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. "Tying the work that we do in our city to other cities and what we do as a nation is hugely important," Washington D.C.'s mayor, Muriel Bowser, said this week. "We must also always keep in mind how we can close income gaps, promote economic and environmental justice in the work that we do." "But until our entire nation is moving in the same direction we take our local responsibility to build a greener and more sustainable city and a future city even more seriously because were acting on the local level, almost alone," she said. The Clean Energy D.C. Act of 2018 is expected to cut emissions in half by 2032. By 2041, 10 percent of the electricity must come from solar facilities located in the District of Columbia or within the area of the regional transmission organization that serves the District, PJM Interconnection. PJM Interconnection coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in the District, Maryland, Virginia and all or parts of 11 other states. The aim is to make the city carbon neutral by 2050. "The residents of Washington, D.C., expect local government to provide leadership to mitigate global warming," said Tommy Wells, the director of the Districts Department of Energy and Environment. The act also encourages the purchase of electric vehicles and requires that all public transportation and privately owned fleet vehicles to become emissions-free by the year 2045. It strengthens energy efficiency standards for new and existing buildings, which account for 74 percent of Washington D.C.'s greenhouse gas emissions. The District is the first jurisdiction to mandate buildings meet energy performance standards, which will be based on federal energy efficiency criteria, Wells said. Within five years every building must create a plan for meeting the standards, or the District will impose one. A green energy bank, funded with up to $100 million, will help multi-family buildings with affordable housing, he said. The new requiremens are meant to bring additional, clean energy production online -- solar and wind though not nuclear power and hydropower -- and to move the district's electricity supplier away from purchasing energy credits in favor of long-term contracts. "Its a matter of supply and demand," Rodeffer said. "People will build more wind and solar farms because the demand is increasing. So that will expand renewable energy production, which is what this is all about." Activists are hoping other municipalities and states will follow the lead of the nations capital. Marylands General Assembly passed a bill earlier this month that mandates half of the states electricity supply comes from renewable sources by 2030. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a similar bill in 2016, but Democrats overrode his veto to set the current goal of 25 percent. Marylands secretary of the environment, Benjamin Grumbles, said this week that the governors office was reviewing the new bill. Since California passed its 100 percent renewable electricity standard last year, at least nine states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and New York, were considering similar proposals, The Los Angeles Times noted. The biggest challenge facing California is its reliance on natural gas. Renewable energy now provides just a small percentage of electricity to customers who get their electricity from D.C.'s primary electricity supplier, Pepco Holdings -- which is about 84 percent of its 308,000 customers. The remainder purchase their energy through an alternative supplier. For the first six months of last year, renewable energy was the source of just 5.8 percent of the District's electricity. Renewable energy credits, certificates that can be traded, made up the difference of a 16.5 percent renewable requirement. The source of most of the District's electricity was nuclear at 35.3 percent, followed by coal at 29.8 percent, natural gas at 28.7 percent, and oil at 0.3 percent. "Weve been taking the stand for a long time now that climate change is real, we have to act, we have to act urgently, and we have to use all available carbon-free technologies that we have at our disposal today and we should be creating policies that encourage innovative and that allow us to take advantage any new carbon-free technologies that develop tomorrow," said Pepcos senior vice president of governmental and external affairs, Melissa Lavinson. "Our focus is on carbon and carbon reduction, what investments are needed, what can we do, what can others do and how can we work together to most expeditiously and affordably achieve our climate change goals." The need to act was heightened by last years report from the United Nations scientific panel on climate change, which warned that the immediate consequences would be much worse than thought. The report, the first commissioned under the Paris agreement, describes wildfires, a mass die-off of coral reefs and food shortages if the worlds economy was not changed at an unprecedented speed. The Fourth National Climate Assessment, a separate report by 300 federal and non-governmental agencies that was released on Black Friday, outlined the real-time effects of climate change across the U.S., broken down by region. "Americans increasingly recognize the risks climate change poses to their everyday lives and livelihoods and are beginning to respond," the report said. Economists such as Noah Kaufman, a researcher who works on energy and climate change policy at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, favor a national approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is a global problem which should be tackled at the highest levels of government, he said. "Its also really important to make sure that we are reducing emissions cost effectively because if were serious about deep emissions cuts, getting to a truly low carbon economy, that implies a real transformation of our energy system which means big changes to our economy," said Kaufman, a former deputy associate director of energy and climate change at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Barack Obama. "I think were kidding ourselves if we think thats going to be easy or cheap." Kaufman acknowledged the constraints to passing climate change policy in todays political climate, particularly a new tax. Mike Tidwell, the founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a grassroots nonprofit organization focused on Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., called the Districts electricity goals a new bar for the rest of the country on climate action. "Its one of the main reasons we worked to pass the bill," Tidwell said. "The government and the people of the nations capital with almost 800,000 people have adopted this. Theyre moving in this direction." As for the White House: "Whether they like it or not, it's coming," he said. The Utah man who drove into people and cars near the U.S.-Mexico border crossing last week will be imprisoned in Mexico for several months while the incident is under investigation, a judge decided at a hearing Monday. Frank Stricker, 29, has been in the custody of Mexican law enforcement since May 13, the day he was arrested after a violent incident in the northbound lanes just south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Stricker's black Chevrolet Silverado crashed into five pedestrians, a dozen vendor booths and 17 cars, according to Mexican law enforcement officers. Mario Martinez, Tijuana's police director, said Stricker got into an altercation with a pedestrian and allegedly threatened a person with a razor on Avenida Manuel Marquez de Leon in the Zona Rios. When police approached Stricker, he allegedly fled in his pick-up truck toward the border crossing. Stricker's girlfriend, Summer Barber, was in the passenger seat and described the frightening moments before she was struck in the head with a rock and then dragged out of the truck. She said it started with a wrong turn and a man who took the wheel of the truck to help them find their way back to Tijuana. Instead, the truck came to a stop in front of a police officer, she said. "The cop tells Frankie and me to get out of the car. I heard a gunshot," she recalled last week. "Frankie takes off right after I heard it and I ask him, "What the hell are you doing?"He goes, "If we stop this car were gonna die." Stricker, a U.S. citizen from Utah, was charged with attempted homicide and damage of property. Prosecutors told Telemundo 20 that after Monday's court hearing, it was decided Stricker would remain in preventative prison during the investigation which was expected to take three months. Agustin Bautista Rosalia, who was working as a vendor at the time of the incident, said he fears authorities grant Stricker his freedom after he pays for all of the damage he caused. "I want him to pay for his crimes with jail," Rosalia said. "I don't like that they will just let him pay for the damages and let him free." A Massachusetts man faces a federal charge for allegedly sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman sitting next to him on a flight bound for Dulles International Airport last summer. An FBI affidavit reviewed by the News4 I-Team says George Seryogin assaulted the woman, whom he met in row 26 of a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Dulles. Seryogin allegedly began by touching her knee, then began sexually groping her, the affidavit says. He placed a blanket over her leg, making it difficult for other passengers to see him. The affidavit said "the victim was also quietly crying, with tears streaming down her face" and pushed his hands off her. "My client firmly denies the allegations against him," said Seryogin's attorney, Mary M. Nerino. She offered no additional comments. United Airlines said in a statement it banned Seryogin from flying with them. "The safety and well-being of our customers is our top priority. Our customer was immediately moved to a different seat when the flight attendant was made aware of the issue and we requested law enforcement meet the aircraft on arrival," the statement said. "We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcements investigation and the perpetrator has been banned from flying United. Sexual harassment, inappropriate behavior, intimidation or predation have absolutely no place anywhere in our society including in our industry and on our aircraft." A grand jury has indicted Seryogin on a federal criminal charge. He faces one count of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight. He was set to appear in court Friday for arraignment. Seryogin's case will be prosecuted at the federal court in Alexandria. Seryogin is a dual citizen of Russia and the U.S. This is not the first such allegation on a local flight. An I-Team review of federal court records revealed at least four other sex assault cases aboard flights to Dulles or Reagan Washington National Airport since 2013. The FBI has posted warning signs on TV monitors at Dulles International, which say sex assaults aboard flights are federal crimes. The FBI's DC field office has an airport liaison team assigned to handle airborne crimes. Oops, page not found. Sorry, this content has been moved, its name changed, or it's temporarily unavailable. Please visit our landing page at https://www.ncia.nato.int to explore all our new content. The body of a Massachusetts man missing since November has been located in a wooded area of Hull. Police said a boy walking his dog on Dellawanda Road on Sunday located the body of 65-year-old Michel Jean Benjamin in a densely wooded area. Authorities said the State Medical Examiner's Office will determine Benjamin's exact cause of death, but an initial investigation shows it is not suspicious. A Silver Alert had been issued on Nov. 4 after Benjamin, a Hull resident, was reported missing by his family. Police had done an extensive search of the area near his home, but were unable to locate him at the time. A knife-wielding woman accused of threatening to stab a person and throwing a water bottle at someone was arrested Sunday in New Hampshire. Police say they responded to the area of 357 Manchester Street after they received a report of a woman threatening people. There, they encountered a woman who matched the suspect description sitting on a bench at Enright Park. Officials said the woman, who was later identified as 24-year-old Rosita Kumar, was uncooperative and tried to flee from officers. Witnesses told authorities they were out in a yard when Kumar walked by, yelling and mumbling to herself. She then allegedly began to yell at the witnesses, which prompted one person to call police. Kumar allegedly became agitated and began to curse and yell louder after some people told her to leave. Witnesses said she did not care when she was told there were children present. The suspect left the area then returned and pulled out a knife. Witnesses told officials she allegedly threatened to stab one of the women present and threw a water bottle at her. Kumar was arrested and charged with criminal threatening and disorderly conduct. She is scheduled to be arraigned on June 6 at Hillsborough Superior Court. It is unclear if she has an attorney. A Rhode Island congressman is helping bring donated books from the Library of Congress libraries and schools in the state. U.S. Rep. David Cicilline says his office is joining the Library of Congress's Surplus Book Program, which allows members of Congress to donate surplus books from the Library of Congress to local schools and nonprofit organizations. The Rhode Island Democrat says he'll be working with his staff to secure the surplus books in the coming weeks. Cicilline invited schools, libraries, government agencies and nonprofits in the district to contact his Pawtucket office to participate. Cicilline says it's an opportunity to give more members of the community access to first-rate literary publications. More information about the program is available online. A New Hampshire school that a child infected with measles visited last week has reopened. It was back to business as usual Monday at the Keene Montessori School where parents like Clarissa Murch were dropping off their children. Murch said she didn't hesitate to send her 3-year-old daughter Sophie to school. "The whole place smelled like disinfectant when I walked in this morning," Murch said outside school. She is confident the Keene school did everything necessary to protect its students from contracting the highly contagious disease. "As a parent, it can catch you off guard when something so serious happens at your school, but I feel really safe with them, they would do everything possible to keep our daughter safe," said Murch. She and other parents were alerted over the weekend by New Hampshire health officials saying a child had a confirmed case of measles. Officials named three public places the child could have transmitted the disease to others: The nursery (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and coffee hour (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the United Church of Christ at 23 Central Square in Keene on Sunday, May 12 The infant/toddler room at the Keen Montessori School at 125 Railroad St. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 The Walk-in Clinic at Cheshire Medical Center at 149 Emerald St. in Keene from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 Measles is caused by a virus that is passed from person-to-person through the air when someone with the disease sneezes, coughs or even talks. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours, even if the person has left the area. The typical incubation period for measles from the time of exposure is seven to 21 days, typically two weeks. Measles symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis several days prior to developing a body rash. "I want to take this opportunity to encourage people to get themselves or their children vaccinated," said Dr. Benjamin Chan, state epidemiologist. Murch admitted she was hesitant to get her children vaccinated but now that the highly contagious disease is hitting home, she's thankful she did. "Even with her vaccinated, exposure to it is a little scary," said Murch. Health officials are still trying to determine where and how the child contracted the infection. Police in Quincy, Massachusetts continue to search for the woman who was recently caught on surveillance video taking a credit card statement out of a stranger's mailbox. The video shows the woman walking up to the person's door Friday to drop off a restaurant menu, then taking an envelope from their mailbox. "Right now, we only have one victim that has come forward," said Quincy Police Sgt. Karyn Barkas. "We believe she was using it [the menu] as a ruse to approach everybody's front door step." Police said unreleased portions of the video show the woman approaching several other homes on Hamilton Avenue. Marie Therrien lives four doors down from the victim's house. "I would have no idea what she would have taken," said Therrien. She said she doesn't think any of her mail is missing but she's not certain. "I get so much junk mail in with my bills, so I don't even know," said Therrien. Police said they tracked down the owner of a car seen in the surveillance video which belongs to a man from Woburn. So far, no arrests have been made. Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call Quincy Police at 617-479-1212. Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner's small business loan program is expanding. Magaziner says his "BankLOCAL" initiative now includes two new banks, BankNewport and Freedom National Bank, bringing the total number of participating banks and credit unions to 10. The program moves the state's money, which has historically been deposited in big national and international banks, to local credit unions and banks to incentivize them to make loans to small businesses in Rhode Island. When a participating bank or credit union makes a $100,000 loan to a small business in Rhode Island, the state makes a $100,000 deposit at that bank or credit union. Magaziner says since the program launched in 2017, BankLOCAL has moved more than $26 million back to Rhode Island, supporting loans to more than 235 small businesses. Transportation Security Administration officials at Boston's Logan Airport say two more loaded handguns were found at checkpoints over the weekend. The guns found Sunday mark the fifth and sixth found by officers so far this year. Authorities said an Arizona man was stopped with a 9 mm handgun that was loaded with six bullets and a New Hampshire man was stopped with a 9 mm handgun loaded with six bullets, including one in the chamber. TSA officials said the New Hampshire man also had a loaded clip with seven additional bullets. Officers, who spotted the guns in the X-ray machines, contacted Massachusetts State Police, who arrived, confiscated the guns and detained the men in each separate incident. The Arizona man was arrested on weapons violations. The New Hampshire man was cited on weapons charges. Neither of the men have been identified. Officials said passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked bagged if they are properly packaged and declared. The firearms must be unloaded and packed separately from ammunition. In 2018, 21 firearms were discovered at Logan Airport checkpoints while 14 were found in 2017. The TSA said anyone who brings firearms to checkpoints is subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement of up to $13,000. Details on how to properly travel with a firearm can be found on the TSA's website. Attorneys completed their presentations Monday in a rare quintuple murder case in Vermonts Chittenden County, meaning the jury can now begin its work. Defendant Steven Bourgoin of Williston is charged with five counts of murderaccused of killing a car full of teenagers with his vehicle in October of 2016 in a fiery wrong-way crash. Jurors were sent home late Monday afternoon, following the attorneys closing arguments. After jury instructions, deliberations will begin Tuesday morning, Judge Kevin Griffin said. Eli Brookens, 16, of Waterbury, Janie Chase Cozzi, 15, of Fayston, Liam Hale, 16, of Fayston, Mary Harris, 16, of Moretown, and Cyrus Zschau, 16, of Moretown were killed on Interstate 89 in Williston as they headed home from a concert. Childhood friends, Brookens, Hale, Harris, and Zschau attended Harwood Union High School in Duxbury, and Chase Cozzi was a student at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire. Over the two-week trial of Bourgoin, prosecutors repeatedly described a life that had fallen apartwith the defendants finances, relationship, and parenting all crumbling. That, prosecutors have attempted to convince jurors, left Bourgoin in a rage and with no regard for human life the night in 2016 when he turned around on I-89, and headed the wrong way, speeding up before turning sharply to crash into the small sedan full of teenagers heading home from a concertkilling them all. Bourgoin is accused of then stealing a police cruiser and heading on another wrong-way drive before crashing that car into his own mangled truck. In her closing argument, Chittenden County States Attorney Sarah George reminded jurors of witness testimony that described the scene as looking like a war zone full of carnage. The state has proven in each of these charges that Mr. Bourgoin was aware of every decision he made, and he ignored the risks of each of those decisions, George told jurors. Bourgoin could spend the rest of his life in prison if hes convicted of the five murder charges. The defense has not disputed many of the details of the crashes themselves. Theres no doubt this case involves sadness beyond comprehension, defense attorney Bob Katims acknowledged in his closing argument. However, Katims firmly believes his client cant be held legally responsible, telling jurors Bourgoin was insane at the time, and delusional. Bourgoin believed himself to be on a top-secret government mission, his attorney said, telling jurors the defendant was seeing things and even thinking he was receiving directions via messages hidden in TV and radio waves. Steven Bourgoin wasnt suicidal, he wasnt ragefulhe was psychotic, Katims argued. When jurors weigh those closing arguments in the murder trial, they could determine guilt, innocence based on insanity, or they could consider lesser charges, like involuntary manslaughter. Damage to the lining of the stomach can occur quickly when children swallow button batteries; therefore, clinicians should consider prompt endoscopic removal, even when the child is symptom free and the battery has passed safely through the narrow esophagus, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2019. The recommendations represent a change from current practice of watching and waiting. "We know there can be injury even when there are no symptoms," said Racha Khalaf, MD, lead researcher and pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition fellow at the Digestive Health Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora. "Batteries in the stomach cause damage, including perforation of the gastric wall, so physicians should consider removing the batteries as soon as possible and not let them pass through the digestive tract." Researchers from pediatric hospitals in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Ohio collected data regarding 68 button battery ingestions from January 2014 to May 2018. Previous research has been conducted on button batteries lodged in the esophagus, but little is known about the effect in the stomach. "We have been seeing more injuries from button batteries," Dr. Khalaf said. "The batteries come in toys, remote controls, key fobs, singing greeting cards and watches. They are everywhere." Erosive injuries to the mucous lining of the stomach were found in 60 percent of cases reviewed, with no apparent relationship between damage and symptoms, or with the amount of time passed since ingestion. This suggests that clinicians and parents should not wait for symptoms or passage of time to act, Dr. Khalaf said, adding that removing the battery earlier avoids repeated trips to the emergency room or pediatrician's office and reduces repetitive x-rays or other imaging. The authors' recommendations are more aggressive than those of two national organizations that have issued recommendations about button battery ingestion. The North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition recommends observation when it's been less than two hours since ingestion, the battery is 20 mm or smaller, and the child is at least 5 years old. The National Capital Poison Center, which runs the National Battery Ingestion Hotline, currently recommends observation alone for asymptomatic gastric button batteries to allow them to pass through the digestive system. Source: Digestive Disease Week In blister packaging, a pharmacy (or a service provider commissioned by it) portions and packs the prescribed drugs of a patient according to weekdays and times of day, sorted into individual transparent packages (blisters). In this way, one can see at a glance when tablets should be taken and whether all tablets have been taken as planned. For some years now, there has been a broad and controversial debate in Germany as to whether increased blister packaging for nursing home residents is suitable for relieving the burden on the long-term care system and sustainably improving the care of nursing home residents. The German Federal Ministry of Health therefore commissioned the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) to examine, among other things, findings from studies. The report is now available. According to IQWiG's search for evidence, studies on patient-specific blister packaging have so far been predominantly conducted for the outpatient sector, also internationally. However, as far as blister packaging for nursing homes is concerned, hardly any robust data from studies are available. Even the common arguments put forward by various stakeholders and interest groups for or against more blister packaging in nursing homes are not scientifically proven. This also applies to the aspect of cost-effectiveness. Possible advantages and disadvantages In the opinion of its advocates, the fact that medication errors will occur less frequently with blister packaging supports the introduction of this method. Because the more illnesses a resident suffers from, the more complex drug therapy becomes. In addition, if nursing staff were relieved of the burden of organizing the administration of drugs, they would have more time to care for the individual patient. And this in turn could increase job satisfaction in nursing and make the profession more attractive for young people. Critics, however, fear a loss of competence if tasks are increasingly shifted from nurses to other professional groups. Moreover, patients might also lose some of their autonomy because they would be even less able to recognize and decide which drugs to take and which not. Critics also point out that not all drugs are "blisterable". This could even complicate the administration of drugs for nursing staff in nursing homes, as they would have to remember a second distribution of drugs in addition to the tablets in the blisters. Initially, blister packaging causes additional costs. However, these should at least in part be compensated if wastage is reduced. The fact that not every patient receives a full package, but only individual tablets in the blister, means that overall, fewer tablets are thrown away. Studies examine blister packaging in the outpatient sector The IQWiG researchers found a number of studies that investigated aspects of the benefit of blister packaging, but they all referred to an outpatient setting; however, such studies can hardly be transferred to residential settings. This holds especially because people who live at home should still be able to handle their medication themselves. No study investigated residential geriatric long-term care. The studies originating from Germany are mainly before-and-after comparisons without a control group, which were evaluated in model projects by health insurance funds. However, the results of such studies are not very meaningful from a scientific point of view - both with regard to the benefit for nursing home residents (symptoms, state of health, side effects of medication, etc.) and for the nursing staff (professional competence, work-related quality of life, etc.). IQWiG concludes that the benefit and harm of blister packaging in nursing homes therefore remain unclear. Statements on cost-effectiveness can only be made by means of estimation The evidence on the cost-effectiveness of blister packaging for nursing homes is also insufficient, but the Institute was able to estimate possible effects based on various sources. IQWiG assumed that a weekly blister costs about 3 and that drug expenditure will decrease by 4.1% due to less waste. If at least 73.17 of costs for blistered drugs are incurred per week and resident, blister packaging would be cost-neutral. This, however, refers only to drug costs. Due to a lack of data, it is not possible to consider other monetary effects (e.g. due to fewer hospital referrals). Statements on non-monetary effects are also uncertain: Assuming that about half to two thirds of the approximately 818,000 people needing full residential nursing care in Germany receive blister-packed drugs, the time savings for nursing staff would amount to about 22 to 51 minutes per month and resident. Great need for research: IQWiG proposes a design for a new study The Institute has identified a great need for research on blister packaging in nursing homes. The discrepancy between the broad and sometimes vehement debate about blister packaging on the one hand and the lack of evidence on the other surprised us. Individual stakeholders and interest groups passionately argue for or against blister packaging, without being able to scientifically support their pros or cons. It is good that the commission from the Ministry of Health has now disclosed this." Against this background, IQWiG developed the design for a future study and integrated it into the report. Thomas Kaiser affirms: "Our research has shown that high-quality studies are indeed available on other research questions in residential long-term care and that such studies are evidently feasible." Thomas Kaiser, Head of the Drug Assessment Department, IQWiG Process of report production In June 2018, the German Ministry of Health commissioned IQWiG to prepare the report as a rapid report in an accelerated procedure. Interim products were thus not published and did not undergo a hearing. The present rapid report was sent to the Ministry on 29 March 2019. Source: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care Fifty-one years ago, the Roseland Rescue Squad was founded in Nelson County and the only founding member still alive looks back fondly at his 40-plus years of service. I spent a lot of time and a lot of years with rescue, Nelson County resident Bobbie Napier said. In 1968, Napier and a group of around 25 individuals started what is still called the Roseland Rescue Squad. A friend by the name of Jimmy Godsie convinced him to go to a rescue squad meeting. At first Napier wasnt too thrilled with the idea, but eventually found his passion in helping others. Once you get started, it just sort of gets into your blood I think, Napier said. The beginning for the Roseland Rescue Squad crew was trying, but with Napiers efforts and others, the squad is still running calls today. For the first six months in operation, the squad worked out of the back of Perry Funeral Home in Roseland before moving into an old store. We converted [it] into a crew hall, Napier said. The crew also used a station wagon to pick up and transport people as well as a van, before they had ambulances available. Both vehicles had to be converted to accommodate the needs. Working on someone in a station wagon is no fun. The van was ideal, Napier said. Napier also helped raise money and apply for grants for essentials the Roseland Rescue Squad needed, including ambulances. I applied for the first grant to get matching money for ambulances, radio equipment, the whole bit. Some were through highway safety and some were through anywhere that had a grant application, Napier said. With grants and money from the county, Napier was able to get units for both Roseland and Nelson rescue squads. A lot of times it was successful. I got a unit for Nelson one time, but Roseland needed one too. The grant put up half and supervisors put up half. So I asked, If you are going to do it for Nelson, how about you do it for Roseland too? And they did, Napier said. Napier not only volunteered his time running calls, but also took time to learn new life-saving techniques as they came into existence and teach them to his crew. When CPR came out, I took a class to be a CPR instructor and I taught that up until the last few years, Napier said. It did make a difference. It was a great thing to know. When Napier wasnt running calls, he was teaching CPR or advanced first-aid. After taking classes in Charlottesville, Napier eventually became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and then a paramedic. After getting his EMT license, he took a class to be an EMT instructor so he could teach those on the rescue squads who wanted to learn. While teaching a CPR class to rescue squad volunteers, he met his current wife, Charlotte. Charlotte, who spent 35 years volunteering with the Nelson Rescue Squad, estimates they met in 1976 or 1977. It was interesting and fulfilling. It helped me to get to know about the county and the areas and people in the county. I enjoyed every bit of it, Charlotte said. Charlotte said she and Bobbie took other classes, like the paramedic class at UVA, together. Its been a great experience for me and Bobbie and thats how we met 40 years ago, Charlotte said. Charlotte said she remembers one call she and Bobbie were running together, where they were asked to go to a Boy Scout event just in case they were needed. Charlotte said while waiting, they started a snowball fight and she hit Bobbie in the eye. Its a wonder he ever spoke to me again, Charlotte laughed. At the time Charlotte and Bobbie volunteered, the rescue squads were all volunteer-based, and included just Nelson and Gladstone. Fifty-one years later, Faber, Rockfish, Lovingston, Montebello, Piney River, and Wintergreen rescue squads serve the county as well. Nelson Rescue Squad in Lovingston closed its doors in spring 2018. William Thompson, Jr., currently living in Piney River joined the Roseland Rescue squad in 1968 after Napier convinced him to. He kept after me to join, Thompson said. When Thompson, a Korean War veteran, finally did, he said he would only serve one year. It turned out to be the longest year of my life, said Thompson, who served over 40 years. Thompson said his mother and Napiers mother were first cousins and so he knew him before working for the rescue squad. I worked with Napier for years, as long as we were active; over 30 years. He was very kind, Thompson said. Thompson said they still keep in touch occasionally and Thompson still works for the rescue squads on the administrative side. Over the 40 plus years Napier ran with both Roseland and Nelson rescue squads, he enjoyed the majority of it. However, he said the hardest part was the time commitment that interfered with his family life. I had three young boys growing up and I spent a lot of time at rescue that I could have spent with them. None of them have ever complained about it, Napier said. From his first call to an automobile accident in Colleen, to helping women give birth in the back of a speeding ambulance, and in 1969 helping with rescue and recovery after Hurricane Camille, Napier believes it was all worth it even when some calls tested him and his crew. I have had a few [calls] that made me want to consider quitting, but I didnt, Napier said. Bobbie and Charlotte ran their last calls when the rescue squads started shifting from volunteered to paid crews, which happened in 2012 or 2013, Charlotte estimated. I told our captain when the paid [crew] answers their first call, that is the last call Bobbie is running, Napier said. Although he stopped serving on the rescue squads, Napier continued to spend28 years working for the school system, driving school buses, mowing grass, and eventually becoming Director of Transportation. Napier taught CPR to bus drivers during his time there, as well as the JAUNT drivers in Charlottesville. JAUNT serves people in different regions in Virginia by providing them with rides from locality to locality. After retiring in 2000 from the school division, he went to work as a dispatcher for the Nelson County Sheriffs Department. That was the best job I ever had. You sat on your duff and ran your mouth and I was good at both, Napier laughed. Napier said he doesnt miss running calls, but has no regrets during his time with the rescue squads, the schools, or as a dispatcher. As a whole, I enjoyed helping people and working with them. You felt like what you did was worthwhile, Napier said. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy BEDFORD Even though Georgia Hairston retired last year after 37 years in education, the former Otter River Elementary School principal said she will never stop working for students in Bedford County. "I care about the future of our students and I will always work to make sure they are getting the best education possible," said Hairston, who has filed to run for the District 5 seat on the Bedford County School Board. "I will never retire from that." Hairston said she has been knocking door to door in her district and speaking to parents of Bedford County students for the past few months after she made the decision to seek the school board seat currently held by Julie Bennington, the school board's chairwoman. "I have gotten a lot of positive feedback in the community about my decision to run," Hairston said. "The thing I'm hearing from a lot of people is that they feel they don't have a voice when it comes to their children's education. That should never be the case and I will be that voice if I'm elected." Hairston who started her career as a special education teacher worked in the division for 25 years before retiring last year, serving as assistant principal and principal at schools throughout Bedford County including Staunton River Middle School, Bedford Primary School and Otter River Elementary. "I have had the pleasure to work in every zone within the division," Hairston said. "I love Bedford County and I never want to live anywhere else." Hairston said her 37 years of experience as a teacher and administrator makes her a good candidate for the school board. "Education is what I do and who I am," she said. "I know the strengths and weaknesses in our schools and I know what our students and teachers need in order to be successful. I feel my experience will add a good balance to the school board" Hairston said her top priorities if elected to the school board will be the same as when she was a principal in the division. "School safety is the most important thing for me because our students have to be safe at all times," she said. "Student achievement is also a high priority because we have to prepare these students for the workforce. We have to give them all the tools they need to be successful in life." Hairston said teacher recruitment and retention in Bedford County also needs to be addressed by the school board. "Speaking as a former principal, Bedford County lost a lot of great teachers through the years," Hairston said. "We need teachers that want to come to Bedford County and we need them to stay in Bedford County." Hairston said although the division is making progress on recruitment and retention by reinstating step increases for salaries more can be done to incentivize educators to stay in Bedford County. "I was pleased to see the pay increase in the school budget this year," Hairston said. "However, we also need to provide ongoing professional learning for our staff to keep up with the latest practices. Increasing salaries is important but we also need to provide teachers the opportunity for growth." Hairston said the school board needs to examine any of the divisions practices that do not fully support student achievement. "We need to stick with practices that are proven to be sound," she said. "I want the school board to look at things like combination classes for kindergarten and first grade students. I think it is a bad idea and it's not helping those students succeed." If elected, Hairston said she will work with the other members of the school board, division officials and the residents of Bedford County to address divisive issues in Bedford County Public Schools. "It's all about building relationships," Hairston said. "We can agree to disagree with one another and still be respectful. The solution to any problem can be found if we just work together to find it." According to Bedford County Registrar Barbara Gunter, Hairston and former Stewartsville Elementary School Principal Susan Mele who is seeking the District 1 seat were the only two candidates to have filed for seats on the school board as of Friday afternoon. Gunter said the deadline to file for the November elections is June 11. 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 violations 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 recount in Florida and the Supreme Courts role in settling the Bush-Gore recount dispute was all the evidence progressive online 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. 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 Attorney General 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 purely discretionary. By law, and by custom, Barr 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 objectionable transgression against traditional norms was offering a Trump-friendly memo accurately, if tendentiously, summarizing the reports conclusions. That was enough for Democrats to lock in to a cover-up 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 and by the fact that you can read it its clear there was no cover-up. 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 percent redaction-free report wasnt good enough. The notion that a few sentences of blacked out information are the real smoking gun is absurd. 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. Pascrell wants them to say, Weve been had. I cant wait for that to happen, he added. Pascrell will 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. Goldberg is online editor of the National Review. Email him at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @JonahNRO. The MCU future of the Kingpin may be a mystery, but Marvel Comics has an answer Marvel Comics has already provided the perfect way for Kingpin to keep going in the MCU Bart Watson The Washington Brewers Guild is launching their 1st annual WA Craft Beer Summit and they have lined up the Brewers Associaton's Chief Economist, Bart Watson, to deliver the keynote speech. The conference goes down at the Washington State Fairgrounds Events Center in Puyallup, WA on November 7-9th, 2019. WA breweries can register now at an early bird ticket rate: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-annual-wa-craft-beer-summit-trade-show-tickets-57744739069 KEYNOTE: State of the Washington Craft Brewing Industry: The craft brewing industry is changing. What are the market and demographic trends shaping those shifts and how can you find growth in a more cluttered marketplace? The Washington State craft beer industry has seen tremendous growth over the last decade and currently ranks 2nd in the U.S. for total number of breweries operating in a state. Using years of economic data, statistics, market research and industry intel, Watson will provide a look at how Washingtons market compares to the national landscape and give valuable insight on how Washington breweries can position themselves to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. We are really excited to welcome Bart to Washington as the keynote for our inaugural WA Craft Beer Summit, says Annie McGrath, Executive Director of the Washington Brewers Guild. Barts perspective is relevant to breweries of all sizes and business models and this special look at the WA marketplace is the perfect way to kick off our conference, which is geared specifically to Washington brewery owners and employees. Early Agenda Highlights for the WA Craft Beer Summit Quality: A Complete Picture: Neil Witte, Brewers Association Quality Ambassador, will give an examination of what quality means to todays brewer, the brewery and the industry as a whole. Quality programs are explored through the lens of the vast array of resources available from the Brewers Association, while at the same time encouraging brewers to expand their understanding of what constitutes a quality program. Grassroots Marketing: How to promote your brewery with little to no budget: The Washington Beer Blogs Kendall Jones will share tips and tricks for getting your brewery noticed, without a big marketing budget. Kendall will walk brewers through interacting with and attracting the press, taking advantage of free resources, creating compelling promotional opportunities and when it might be time to use a PR firm. My Brand Needs to Evolve - But How Far Should I Go? Whether it's due to expanding production, venturing into new packaging, or keeping ahead of this ever-evolving market, breweries find themselves needing to update their brand to reflect where they are and where they want to go. But just how drastic of a change is needed? Blindtiger Design founder, Oceania Eagan, hosts this panel discussion, joined by a range of breweries who have tackled these challenges with varying degrees of change. Expect the Unexpected: What you need to know when LNI comes knocking on your door: ERNwest safety expert, Shamus Harmon, will cover DOSH penalty calculations, the five DOSH inspection types, steps of a DOSH inspection, necessary employer documents and the top five tips to be better prepared. Tied House Laws & Rules: WSLCB Compliance 101: This interactive presentation with the WSLCBs non-retail unit aims to shed light on confusing areas of state alcohol regulations and highlight the differences between activities allowed at your brewery and how you interface with other retailers. Hop On Board: Janet Lightner, General Manager of Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro and Pamela Brulotte, Founder of Icicle Brewing Company and Munchen Haus, share tools and tips to help create a successful onboarding process for Front of House employees. Our Front of House staff are the employees that customers directly engage with on a daily basis. Employees who are well-trained in company, beer, product and customer experience knowledge will help facilitate a great first impression and continued positive experience for your guests. More speakers will be added to the agenda in the coming weeks. Topics will cover four conference tracks: Business and Compliance, Sales and Marketing, Technical Brewing and Brewery Operations, and Front of House Hospitality. For more information, visit: https://www.washingtonbrewersguild.org/washington-craft-beer-summit/ Registration is open now for WA breweries and Washington Brewers Guild Allied Members. For early bird pricing special, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-annual-wa-craft-beer-summit-trade-show-tickets-57744739069 The Summit will also host a trade show featuring a dynamic line-up of industry suppliers and service providers. A list of current exhibitors can be found at: https://www.washingtonbrewersguild.org/washington-craft-beer-summit/ The Washington Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the interests of WA craft brewers while building and strengthening the community of brewers. For more information about the Washington Brewers Guild or to become a member visit www.washingtonbrewersguild.org. (Newser) "We Got Her!" Those must have been sweet words for a Texas mother who had seen her 8-year-old girl snatched off the streets of Fort Worth on Saturday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Thanks to surveillance video, social media, and two local church members, police were able to tweet the good news after rescuing Salem Sabatka from a hotel. It all began when Salem was out walking with her mom Saturday evening and a passing car pulled her in, per KTVT. The mom tried jumping inside to save her, but a man pushed her back and sped off. Then hours ticked by as authorities searched for Salem and released surveillance video of the suspect vehicle. story continues below Police say the case broke after two church members saw the grey Ford Five Hundred in a hotel parking lot, CNN reports. Officers went to the WoodSpring Suites hotel in Forest Hill, figured out the car owner's room, and entered it. Inside they found Salem in apparently good condition and arrested the suspect, 51-year-old Michael Webb, who faces a possible charge of aggravated kidnapping, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Police say he is unrelated to the girl. "We had citizens that went out of their way and help not just the Police Department but a family put some great closure to what we have going on right now," said Fort Worth police Officer Buddy Calzada, who later added: "These guys are our heroes. (Read more kidnapping stories.) (Newser) Billionaire investor Robert F. Smith received an honorary degree from Morehouse College during graduation ceremonies Sundayand he told the rest of the Class of 2019 that they wouldn't have to worry about repaying student debt. "This is my class and I know my class will pay this forward," he said, announcing that he will provide a grant to eliminate student debt for all 396 graduating students, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The surprise announcement from Smith, the commencement speaker at the historically black Atlanta college, was met with loud cheers and a chant of "MVP!" story continues below "On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we're going to put a little fuel in your bus," said Smith. The Vista Equity Partners founder, whose net worth is estimated at $5 billion, had already pledged $1.5 million to the college, the Hill reports. Paying off the student debt for the Class of 2019 will cost an estimated $40 million. Graduating student Jonathan Epps, 22, tells CNN that the "tremendous blessing" from Smith is the most generous thing he has ever seen. "It'll sink in as the years go on. I know that for a fact," says Epps, whose student loans totaled $35,000. (Elizabeth Warren says she wants to wipe out a large chunk of America's student debt.) (Newser) It's been an agonizing battle between Vincent Lambert's wife and his parents, and it appears his wife is getting the final say. The BBC reports the 42-year-old Frenchman, a quadriplegic who's been in a vegetative state since a motorcycle accident 11 years ago, is being taken off life support Monday, following a final judicial ruling that his mother and father are decrying. Lambert's wife has long argued for taking out his feeding tubeshe's still able to breathe without assistance and even sometimes opens his eyesand the right-to-die case has split popular opinion down the middle in France, where euthanasia is against the law, though doctors can put terminally ill patients in deep sedation, or "passive euthanasia," until they die, per the New York Times. The case has gone all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, which upheld a lower French court's decision to let Lambert be taken off life support. story continues below That court order was never carried out, due to security concerns spurred by Lambert's father, who feared his son would be abducted. Lambert's wife, Rachel, agreed in 2013 with his medical team that efforts to improve his condition were in vain, and says her husband would never want to be kept alive like this. She reportedly has five or six of her husband's siblings and his nephew in her corner; two other siblings are siding with Lambert's Roman Catholic parents. The elder Lamberts had said Sunday they planned to appeal the ruling, but a doctor treating Lambert at a Reims hospital informed his family Monday that the "halting of treatments" and "profound and continued sedation" had begun, the Guardian reports. A lawyer for Lambert's parents called the move "shameful," adding, "[The parents] could not even embrace their son" one last time." (Read more right to die stories.) (Newser) Transactions linked to President Trump and his son-in-law raised red flags in a Deutsche Bank computer system designed to detect money laundering in 2016 and 2017, but the bank decided not to act, reports the New York Times, citing "five current and former bank employees." The sources, including former Deutsche Bank anti-money laundering specialist Tammy McFadden, say employees recommended that transactions involving entities controlled by Trump and Jared Kushner be reported to federal authorities. They say the rejection of the recommendation was standard bank procedure when lucrative clients were involved. "You present them with everything, and you give them a recommendation, and nothing happens," McFadden says. story continues below McFadden says the bank, which is Trump's biggest creditor, fired her last year after she raised concerns about its practices. She says managers rejected her concerns about transactions between Kushner Companies and Russian individuals and about the lack of the usual oversight for clients connected to Trump. Other employees say "suspicious activity reports" were produced in connection with Trump entities, including the now-defunct Trump Foundation. A Trump Organization spokeswoman tells Reuters that the Times story is "absolute nonsense. "We have no knowledge of any flagged transactions with Deutsche Bank," she says. "In fact, we have no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank." (Last month, Trump sued to stop banks from turning his business records over to House investigators.) (Newser) The poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal just slathered another layer of mystery on. The Guardian reports Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, the two Russians suspected of attacking the father and daughter in Salisbury, England, in March 2018 with a Novichok nerve agent, may have had some off-site assistance. Investigators are now revealing an "unexplained phone call" the pair allegedly received in London on March 4 last year, one day after they're suspected of traveling to Salisbury and putting the dangerous chemical on the door handle of Sergei Skripal's home. Only after receiving that call did they head to Heathrow to fly back to Russia. story continues below "One theory is that the two waited to hear whether the attack had been a success, and the phone call was the signal to say it had been," a source tells the paper. "It could have been the confirmation that led them to head for the airport." Meanwhile, per the TASS Russian news agency, the Russian Embassy in England got ornery Sunday on Twitter, chastising the BBC for making what it calls "fiction films" about the Skripal poisoning and noting the broadcaster "would do better service to public if they pressed authorities to provide answers and proofs of what actually happened." (Read more Sergei Skripal stories.) (Newser) WikiLeaks says American prosecutors are going to be "helping themselves" to the possessions Julian Assange left behind when he was kicked out of Ecuador's London embassy. The group says Ecuador will allow the Americans, who are seeking to extradite Assange, to confiscate items including legal documents and electronic equipment, the Guardian reports. "Ecuador has been sequestering Assange's belongings since his arrest," WikiLeaks tweeted. "Now we know why: To hand them over to the US in violation of international law." The group says Ecuador will not permit United Nations officials or Assange's lawyers to be present when the belongings are handed over. story continues below "On Monday, Ecuador will perform a puppet show at the embassy of Ecuador in London for their masters in Washington, just in time to expand their extradition case before the UK deadline on 14 June," says WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristin Hrafnsson. "The Trump administration is inducing its allies to behave like its the Wild West." Baltasar Garzon, who is coordinating Assange's defense, says it is "extremely worrying" that documents and other materials that should be given to the defense team have been "arbitrarily confiscated, so that these can be handed over to the agent of political persecution against him, the United States." Assange, who spent seven years in the embassy, is currently serving a 50-week sentence in a British prison for skipping bail. (Sweden has reopened the Assange rape investigation.) (Newser) The world's second-biggest smartphone brand has been dealt a potentially crushing blow by new US government restrictions. Google has suspended all business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software, or services, meaning the Chinese company will not receive updates to the Android operating system, Reuters reports. Google says it is "reviewing the implications" of a federal government order that requires export licenses for technology sales to Huawei, though it stresses that its apps will continue to function on existing Huawei devices, the AP reports. More: "Complying with requirements." "We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device," Google tweeted. The restrictions, however, mean that the next version of Android may not be available in Huawei devices, and that future Huawei devices may no longer have apps like YouTube, the BBC reports. story continues below An "instant kill switch." Google services are already blocked in China, but almost 50% of Huawei's sales are now overseas. Analysts say the US restrictions, which apply to dozens of Huawei suppliers, could end its hopes of becoming the world's top smartphone maker by 2020. "It will be like an instant kill switch for Huaweis ambition to overtake Samsung in the global market," Nicole Peng at tech market analysis firm Canalys tells CNBC. Google services are already blocked in China, but almost 50% of Huawei's sales are now overseas. Analysts say the US restrictions, which apply to dozens of Huawei suppliers, could end its hopes of becoming the world's top smartphone maker by 2020. "It will be like an instant kill switch for Huaweis ambition to overtake Samsung in the global market," Nicole Peng at tech market analysis firm Canalys tells CNBC. Open source only . Google's move means that Huawei will be restricted to using the Android Open Source Project, and it will only be able to deliver Android security updates when they are made available on the open source project, the Verge reports. . Google's move means that Huawei will be restricted to using the Android Open Source Project, and it will only be able to deliver Android security updates when they are made available on the open source project, the Verge reports. Response from China . A spokesman for China's foreign ministry said Beijing will "monitor the development of the situation," the AP reports. The spokesman said "China supports Chinese companies" and it will use "legal weapons" to protect their rights. . A spokesman for China's foreign ministry said Beijing will "monitor the development of the situation," the AP reports. The spokesman said "China supports Chinese companies" and it will use "legal weapons" to protect their rights. Huawei was prepared. Earlier this year, Huawei execs said they had prepared their own operating system to use in case the company was blocked from using American software, reports the Guardian. "We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally," the company said Monday. (Read more Huawei stories.) (Newser) President Trump warned Iran early on Monday not to threaten the United States again or it'll face its "official end," shortly after a rocket landed near the US Embassy in Baghdad overnight. Trump's tweet comes after he seemingly sought to soften his tone on Iran following days of heightened tension sparked by a sudden deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over still-unspecified threats. The tweet came just hours after a Katyusha rocket fell in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the US Embassy, causing no injuries. story continues below Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told the AP that the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump tweeted. "Never threaten the United States again!" Trump did not elaborate, nor did the White House. In an interview aired Sunday on the Fox News Channel, Trump called the nuclear deal with Iran that he pulled out of a year ago a "horror show." "I just don't want them to have nuclear weapons and they can't be threatening us," Trump said. (Read more Iran stories.) / The Kilogram Will Never Be What It Was As of Monday, it will no longer be determined by a physical piece of metal Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) The House of Representatives approved Monday on third and final reading a bill requiring a mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program for grades 11 and 12 students in public and private schools nationwide. With 167 affirmative votes, four against and no abstentions, the chamber approved House Bill 8961, or the proposed act mandating the institutionalization, development, training, organization, and administration of basic ROTC for senior high students around the country. Under the measure, ROTC will be a requirement for graduation for all students in both public and private high schools. Those physically or psychologically unfit or are part of the school's varsity team are exempted from mandatory ROTC training. Students who are undergoing a similar military training or those who get an exemption from the Department of National Defense will also be exempted. President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly called for mandatory ROTC training. In a speech last November, the chief executive urged lawmakers to pass a bill so you can instill patriotism and love of country to the youth.. He likewise argued that the program is needed for future Filipinos to be able to protect the country. Instilling love for country Both the Defense department and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed the lower chambers passage of the bill. In a statement Monday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the reinstatement of mandatory ROTC will help instill to the youth the love of country, good citizenship, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law. The AFP, on the other hand, said the younger generation needs to be exposed to the rudiments of basic soldiery no matter brief to help develop and hone their leadership potentials. The Gabriela Women's Party, however, condemned the bill's approval amid "lack of substantive debates on the measure." The organization stressed that mandatory ROTC will only institutionalize the presence and operations of military officers in schools, and will give AFP a "free pass" in conducting red-tagging seminars. ROTC was made optional as one of the three National Service Training Program (NSTP) courses for college and university students. The NSTP Act of 2001 was passed following the controversial death of ROTC Officer Mark Chua, who had published an expose on alleged irregularities in the ROTC unit of his school, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), in its students' publication The Varsitarian. His body was found floating in Pasig River, bound with packing tape and wrapped inside a carpet in March 2001. (Newser) The New York Times wrote a story critical of President Trump's dealings with Deutsche Bank, and now the president is firing back. In Monday morning tweets, Trump rejected the notion that banks have been leery of working with himinstead, he says he's been so successful in business that he often doesn't need banks because he has so much cash. "Very old fashioned, but true," writes Trump. "When you don't need or want money, you don't need or want banks. Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money." The Hill notes that the newspaper's financial editor then fired back at Trump. story continues below "This is not true," writes David Enrich. "I have spent a long time looking into this, and @DeutscheBank was the only bank willing to lend to @realDonaldTrump for 20 years because of his pattern of defaults and the bank's hunger for growth in the US." The original story said bank employees flagged possibly suspicious transactions by entities controlled by Trump or son-in-law Jared Kushner. The president derided the story as "fake news" and suggested the newspaper was making up sources. "I built a great business and don't need banks," he added, "but if I did they would be there." (The president's financial disclosure form for 2018 is out.) (Newser) What the Daily Beast is calling the "highest-profile victim of milkshaking so far" has been doused. The victim: Brexit leader Nigel Farage. What "milkshaking" is: a recent phenomenon in the UK of right-wing politicians having the sweet, goopy drink thrown on them in protest. Farage's incident took place Monday in Newcastle, where he was campaigning ahead of the country's European Parliament elections later this week. (See the clip of his soaking here.) After a bespectacled man hit him with what the Independent says was a banana and salted caramel milkshake, Farage is obviously miffed as photographers snapped away, noting to another man who appears to be part of his security detail, "You could've spotted that a mile away." The Guardian reports 32-year-old Paul Crowther was arrested on suspicion of common assault. story continues below "I was quite looking forward to it, but I think it went on a better purpose," Crowther said of his shake, which he says he bought at Five Guys. He adds, per Fox News, that he threw the shake at Farage to protest Farage's "bile and racism." Farage tweeted after the incident: "Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible." CNN notes cops in Scotland even tried a preemptive strike ahead of Farage's visit to Edinburgh Friday: They ordered a McDonald's there to temporarily stop selling shakes. Burger King's UK branch had some fun with it all, tweeting on Saturday, "Dear people of Scotland. We're selling milkshakes all weekend. Have fun. Love BK." A few hours later, a follow-up tweet: "We'd never endorse violence - or wasting our delicious milkshakes! ... Please drink responsibly people." (Read more Nigel Farage stories.) (Newser) Tensions between the US and Iran are high, and within hours of President Trump's Monday tweet warning Iran to stop threatening the US or it would face its "official end," Iran has responded. "Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran,'" Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter. "#NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectit works!" The "B_Team" apparently refers to Trump's advisers, including John Bolton, the Guardian reports. story continues below The UK foreign secretary, however, suggested Iran take Trump's warning seriously. "I would say to the Iranians: do not underestimate the resolve on the US side," Jeremy Hunt said while speaking in Geneva. "They dont want a war with Iran. But if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. And that is something that the Iranians needs to think about very, very carefully." Sen. Lindsey Graham also weighed in Monday: "It is clear that over the last several weeks Iran has attacked pipelines and ships of other nations and created threat streams against American interests in Iraq," he tweeted, adding, "The fault lies with the Iranians, not the United States or any other nation. If the Iranian threats against American personnel and interests are activated we must deliver an overwhelming military response. Stand firm Mr. President." (Read more Iran stories.) (Newser) The US government says a 16-year-old Guatemalan died Monday at a Border Patrol station in South Texas, the fifth death of a migrant child apprehended by border agents since December. US Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol apprehended the teenager in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley on May 13, per the AP. The federal agency says the teenager was found unresponsive Monday morning during a welfare check at the agency's Weslaco, Texas, station. The teenager's cause of death is unknown. The agency did not say why the teenager had been detained for a week, but said he was "due for placement" in a facility for youth operated by the Department of Health and Human Services. story continues below Federal law requires the Department of Homeland Security to send minors unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian to HHS within 72 hours of determining that the child is unaccompanied. A 2-year-old child died last week after he and his mother were detained by the Border Patrol. The agency says it took the child to the hospital the same day the mother reported he was sick, and he was hospitalized for several weeks. On April 30, a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died after officials at an HHS detention facility noticed that he was sick. He was hospitalized in intensive care for several days before his death. After the deaths of two children ages 7 and 8 in December, the Department of Homeland Security ordered medical checks of all children in its custody and expanded medical screenings. (Read more immigrants stories.) (Newser) It sounds like a bad reality TV movie: A woman is accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill not only her estranged husband but the teen daughter of her current boyfriend. Complete with a twist: The woman is a cop. "My heart is destroyed," the boyfriend in the all-too-true tale tells the Daily News. "It feels like a bad dream," adds the father of the estranged husband, to the New York Post. Prosecutors say NYPD cop Valerie Cincinelli, 34, asked her boyfriend, 54-year-old John DiRubba, to find a hitman to kill her husband, Isaiah Carvalho Jr. Instead, DiRubba went to the FBI and then helped in the arrest. Authorities say Cincinelli eventually expanded the plot to have DiRubba's 15-year-old daughter murdered as well, because she felt the girl was getting in the way of her relationship with DiRubba. story continues below I cant even think straight now," says DiRubba. "I cant come to terms that a mother of two, a police officer ... wanted to harm my daughter." On Friday, before the arrest took place, an FBI agent texted a staged photo purporting to show a slain Carvalho and demanded an additional $3,000 for the daughter's murder. Cincinelli worked in the NYPD's domestic violence unit, and the Daily News dug up quotes from her just three years ago that do not at all sound like the woman facing charges. I love kidstheyre my soft spot," she said. I feel like Im making a difference by helping children and their families. (Read more NYPD stories.) (Newser) Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the US over Tehran's atomic program, nuclear officials said Monday, just after President Trump and Iran's foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below what's needed for an atomic weapon, the AP reports. But by increasing production, Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. story continues below Already this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were damaged in a sabotage attack; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and US diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. A rocket landed Sunday near the US Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraq's capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential US staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. The Iranian enrichment announcement came after local journalists traveled to Natanz in central Iran, the country's underground enrichment facility. There, an unidentified nuclear scientist gave a statement with a surgical cap and a mask covering most of his face. The state-run IRNA news agency later quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as acknowledging that capacity had been quadrupled. (Read more Iran stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Islamabad: The Pakistan Army will raise another division-size special force to protect Chinese nationals and projects under the CPEC, military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor has said, days after the brazen terror attack on a luxury hotel in Balochistan. Describing the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a living example of deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and China, Major General Ghafoor, Director General of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the Pakistan Army was fully determined to ensure the security of the project. Talking to the Chinese media in Rawalpindi on Saturday, he said the Pakistan military had raised a whole division-size force to protect the project and they were planning to deploy another division for this purpose. Earlier reports said a Special Security Division (SSD) comprising 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel has been set up for the security of the CPEC project and Chinese nationals working on it. Ghafoor said Pakistan faced a very challenging war against terrorism during the last two decades, and now the security situation was under control. Talking about the CPEC role in the country, he said the economic prosperity brought about by the CPEC will fail the motives of terrorists, as with the success of project more employment and business opportunities will be unveiled and with more economic opportunities coming in, peoples lifestyle will improve and inimical elements will fail gradually, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency reported. He claimed that the security situation in Balochistan had improved since the launch of the CPEC and now there was a better infrastructure, as many Chinese projects were underway, and with every coming day security, development and investment situation will get better. The Pakistan Army spokesmans comments came days after terrorists attacked the Pearl Continental luxury hotel in the port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, killing at least eight persons, including four civilians and a Pakistan Navy soldier. The attack was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Armyone of the most-organised terrorist groups of Baloch nationalists fighting against security forces. The group was also involved in the terrorist attack at the Chinese consulate in Karachi last year. Ghafoor said: Todays Gwadar is not what it used to be two years ago and in future it will be on a par with the ports of developed countries. Gwadar port is one of the focal points of the CPEC with many Chinese workers from other provinces of Pakistan working at the port. China is investing heavily in Balochistan under the CPEC. The CPEC, launched in 2015, is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking Chinas resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistans strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea. Talking about the investment opportunities in Pakistan, Ghafoor said Pakistan was doing its best to create an environment where investors could come and do their business as the security situation had greatly improved. Though there are a few sporadic terrorist incidents, investors should not be discouraged by them and keep their trust intact in peace, he added. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad : Pakistans hopes for the discovery of large reserves of oil and gas off Karachi coast in the Arabian Sea faded as it stopped the much-celebrated offshore drilling after no oil and gas reserves were found, a media report said on Sunday. Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this year said Pakistan would not need to import oil after reserves were found near Karachi coast. God willing the reserves will be so large that we will not need to import any oil, he said. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, announced that the offshore drilling in Kekra-1 did not yield desired results, Dawn reported. The operators of the well have decided to plug it in the coming days, the paper said. Around 17 attempts have been made in the past, but all remained unsuccessful despite encouraging data from each drilling, it said. A senior official of the petroleum division said that after drilling more than 5,500 metres reserves were not found. Therefore, he added, it had been decided to plug the well and abandon the project. Around USD 100 million has been invested in the project, but the officials of the petroleum division maintain that the data received from the drilling and other seismic studies of the well will be useful for future exploration activities in the region, the paper said. At the same time, the officials say, oil and gas E&P is described as a high risk-high reward business and the failures should not be taken as a loss. The drilling was initiated around four months back by ENI, an Italian oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) giant, which is the operator of Kekra-1. The other four partners of the well were ExxonMobil of the US one of the worlds largest oil and gas firms Pakistan Petroleum Limited and the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL). Based on previous data the prospects were high and at the start of drilling the chances of success were between 13 and 15 per cent, which is fairly good, OGDCL spokesman Ahmed Lak said. Among the highest prospects of finding the hydrocarbon reserve is 20 per cent, therefore, our record was good enough to proceed with drilling, he added. The last offshore activity was conducted by Dutch E&P firm Shell in 2005, but it failed to find hydrocarbon reserves. The first offshore well in Pakistani waters was drilled in 1963 by a US E&P company, the well was found dry. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Goa Board SSC Results 2019: The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) will declare the result for Goa Board Class 10 Result 2019 today i.e. May 21, 2019. As per the official notification, the Goa Board SSC Result will be announced at 11.30 am. Soon after the formal declaration of results, the students can check and download their scorecards from the official website of the Goa Board i.e. gbshse.gov.in. This year, the GBSHSE had conducted the Goa Board 10th exam from 2nd April 2019 to 21st April 2019. Other than the official website of the board, the candidates can also check their results on this page by clicking on the link given. CLICK HERE FOR GOA BOARD SSC RESULT 2019 Goa Board SSC Result 2019 How to check? For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which the candidates can check their results once the results are announced: STEP 1: Visit newsnation.in/board- results and click on Goa Board Result 2019 STEP 2: Enter your Roll Number STEP 3: Click on submit to view your result STEP 4: Check your Goa Board 10th result In 2018, over 20,000 students appeared for the Goa Board Class 10 exams. Out of which over 18,000 students passed the Class 10 exams. The overall pass percentage was 89.6% While the pass percentage for male students was 88.96%, the female pass percentage stood at 90.49%. About Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) was established in the year 1975 through the Goa, Daman and Diu Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Act, 1975. The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) fulfils many responsibilities such as the implementation of education policies in the affiliated schools, advising the government on education policies and conducting evaluation through yearly examination at the secondary and higher secondary level. In addition, the GBSHSE conducts the annual board exams for the SSC and the HSSC students every year in the month of March-April followed by the declaration of the Goa Board Result in the month of May. New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday, Trinamool Congress sources said. The Telugu Desam Party chief is gearing to firm up an anti-BJP faction ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results on May 23. He had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He also met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal Secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the mahagatbandhan (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. Dubbing the exit polls gossip, Banerjee Sunday said she doesnt trust such surveys as the game plan is to use them for manipulation of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. On Saturday, hours after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussing with him the possibilities of all opposition parties uniting and forging a joint opposition alliance, Naidu met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also met CPI leader G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja over breakfast, asking them to "come together". Naidu also met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, LJD leader Sharad Yadav. The TDP chief has already held several rounds of discussions with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. "Naidu reportedly told all the leaders that we all should come together and put our act together", in forming the next government by keeping the BJP out, a source said. Sources said Naidu also told Gandhi to have a strategy ready, in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark and still stakes claim to form the government. Earlier, it was reported that Opposition is planning to meet the President after the elections are over, to urge him not to call the single largest party to form the government in case of hung Parliament. On Friday, Naidu had said that not only the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) but any outfit which is against the saffron party are welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared. Opposition parties are pitching for a joint anti-BJP front to steer the next government. Hectic deliberations between various opposition leaders are likely to stepped up before the Lok Sabha results are announced on May 23. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called for a meeting of leaders of non-NDA parties on May 23. According to news agency ANI, Sonia expecting that the BJP will fall short of majority has invited leaders of secular parties including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK president M K Stalin, RJD and Trinamool Congress for the meeting. New Delhi: The News Nation exit poll results for Chhattisgarh predict at least four seats loss for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the Congress is set to improve its tally in the state with 5-7 seats. The BJPs projected vote share could around 41 per cent, while the Congress may get 43 per cent. The Others may secure 12 per cent vote share. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP had bagged 10 seats out of 11 in Chhattisgarh. This election, the BJP dropped former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh's son and the sitting MP, Abhishek Singh, from its list of candidates who contested the Lok Sabha polls in the state. The party instead fielded Santosh Pandey from the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat. The development came a few days after the BJP said that the party would change all its 10 sitting MPs in Chhattisgarh for the Lok Sabha polls 2019. The decision to drop all sitting MPs came in the wake of BJP's drubbing in the state in the December assembly elections after 15 years of rule under Raman Singh and is seen as an attempt to beat anti-incumbency against the sitting parliamentarians. In Chhattisgarh, voting was held on April 11, 18 and 23. Ultras, like previous years, have given a poll boycott call though posters and pamphlets found in some pockets of Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Gariaband (part of the Mahasamund constietuncy) districts. In April, BJP Chhattisgarh MLA Bhima Mandavi and four policemen were killed in Dantewada after Maoists blew up their vehicle using an improvised explosive device. The terror attack came just 48 hours before the Lok Sabha elections in Bastar. The attack took place between Kuakonta and Shyamgiri hills when the state police escort vehicle was hit by the IED. The state has 1,89,16,285 voters, comprising 94,77,113 men, 94,38,463 women and 709 third-gender persons. The number of voters between 18-19 years of age is 4,60,394 in the state. The state has 23,727 polling booths, of which 5,625 are in critical areas. The state has total 15,758 service voters. New Delhi: Hours after getting a notice from National Commission for Women (NCW) for a meme on actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, actor Vivek Oberoi has said that he has not done anything wrong. "People are saying apologise, I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done? If I have done something wrong I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it," the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", was quoted as saying by ANI. The actor also tried to downplay the controversy by saying he just appreciated the person for his creativity. "I don't know why people are making a huge issue out of it. Someone had sent me a meme which made fun of me. I laughed on it and I appreciated the person for his creativity. If someone mocks at you, you should not take it seriously," he said. Oberoi said he would meet National Commission for Women, State Commission for Women and explain everything. Earlier on Monday, Oberoi faced the wrath of social media users including actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma and Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor over sharing a "distasteful" and "crass" meme targeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's relationships. Oberoi, who reportedly dated the actor-former Miss World in early 2000s, posted a meme with three panels, one with him, another with Salman Khan and a third with her husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya on Twitter. The meme was a take on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results of which will be declared on Thursday. "Haha! creative! No politics here... just life," Oberoi captioned the photo and credited the Twitter account that shared it. Social media was quick to blast the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", over his "distasteful" tweet. "Disgusting and classless," Sonam tweeted. Matondkar, who is a Congress candidate from Mumbai North, called out the actor for not having the courtesy of pulling down the tweet despite widespread criticism. The NCW (National Commission for Women) sent a notice to the actor asking him to give an explanation for sharing the "insulting" and "misogynist" tweet. "This tweet is absolutely disgusting, distasteful, and degrading a women. @NCWIndia will be serving notice to @vivekoberoi," NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma tweeted. In their notice, the NCW said the actor should not have carried a minor girl and a woman's picture for a sly reference. New Delhi: As speculations were rife that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati would hold meeting with Opposition parties, party leader Satish Chandra Mishra on Monday clarified that Mayawati has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today and that she would be in Lucknow for the day. Mishra told news agency ANI, "Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow. It was widely reported that the BSP chief would meet Congress Sonia Gandhi in Delhi ahead of the election results on May 23. With the results of the Lok Sabha polls due very soon, the leaders of non-NDA parties have stepped up their efforts to cobble up a coalition for formation of the next government, with TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu meeting Congress, CPI, NCP and other leaders on Saturday. Hours after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussing with him the possibilities of all opposition parties uniting and forging a joint opposition alliance, Naidu met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also met CPI leader G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja over breakfast, asking them to "come together". Naidu also met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, LJD leader Sharad Yadav. The TDP chief has already held several rounds of discussions with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. "Naidu reportedly told all the leaders that we all should come together and put our act together", in forming the next government by keeping the BJP out, a source said. Sources said Naidu also told Gandhi to have a strategy ready, in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark and still stakes claim to form the government. Earlier, it was reported that Opposition is planning to meet the President after the elections are over, to urge him not to call the single largest party to form the government in case of hung Parliament. On Friday, Naidu had said that not only the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) but any outfit which is against the saffron party are welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared. Opposition parties are pitching for a joint anti-BJP front to steer the next government. Hectic deliberations between various opposition leaders are likely to stepped up before the Lok Sabha results are announced on May 23. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called for a meeting of leaders of non-NDA parties on May 23. According to news agency ANI, Sonia expecting that the BJP will fall short of majority has invited leaders of secular parties including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK president M K Stalin, RJD and Trinamool Congress for the meeting. New Delhi: In a surprising development, the BJP has written to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, claiming that the Congress government in the state was in minority and demanded a special Assembly session, according to reports. The development came a day after exit polls predicted clear victory for the BJP led NDA and hours after Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava claimed that the Congress government in the state will fall "soon". "It will fall on its own (MP Government), I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," ANI news agency had quoted the BJP leader as saying. Last year, the Congress had wrested power from the BJP after 15 years. The Congress emerged as the single largest party with a very thin margin and formed the government with the support of Mayawatis BSP and Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party. In the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the Congress has 114 MLAs and is supported by four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one Samajwadi Party MLA. The BJP has 109 MLAs. Recently, BSP chief Mayawati had also threatened to pull back her party's support from the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, alleging the rulling party of intimidating her candidates. "The Congress will have to pay a heavy price for this when time comes. Due to similar acts, we brought down the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government," she had said. The threat from the BSP chief had come after Lokendra Singh Rajput, BSP candidate from Madhya Pradesh's Guna, joined the Congress in presence of Jyotiraditya Scindia. New Delhi: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan in a case filed against him by Hindu Munnani party for his comments on Nathuram Godse. Last week, Hassan had remarked that Mahatma Gandhis killer Nathuram Godse was free Indias "first Hindu extremist", saying that all the religions have their own terrorists and that no one can claim to be sanctimonious. The actor-turned-politician, who faced backlash from BJP leaders and attacked during a rally, said that he was not afraid of being arrested as whatever he said was an "historic truth". On Thursday, two unidentified persons allegedly hurled eggs and stones at the Makkal Needhi Maiam founder during a rally in Tamil Nadus Aravakurichi. Following the attack, MNM workers roughed up the attackers who were later taken into police custody. The incident comes a day after footwear was hurled towards a vehicle from which Haasan was addressing an election meeting in the Tirupparankundram Assembly constituency in the state on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, terror accused BJP candidate from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur has apologised for hailing Godse. Reacting to Haasans remarks, the accused of Malegaon terrorist attack had said that Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt (patriot) and those calling him a terrorist should instead look at themselves. Godse, who was allegedly associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had killed Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi on January 30, 1948. He shot the father of the nation in the chest three times at point-blank range. He was said to be an advocate of Hindu nationalism. New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday wrote to Governor Ram Naik demanding expulsion of Om Prakash Rajbhar from the state government. In a swift turn of events, the Governor Naik accepted the recommendation and dismissed Rajbhar. The estranged NDA ally had openly revolted against his government and the National Democratic alliance and fielded 39 candidates during the just concluded Lok Sabha Elections. Earlier, the SBSP chief claimed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance will win more seats than BJP in the state. He also claimed that the BJP was worried over Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's continuous attacks on it. Apart from Rajbhar, his son and other members have been dismissed from certain government panels. Rajbhar's son Arvind Rajbhar and other associates including Rana Ajit Singh, Sunil Arkvanshi, Sudama Rajbhar, Gangaram Rajbhar and Virendra Rajbhar were also suspended Rajbhar, general secretary of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), had issued multiple threats of parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the past. According to a tweet by the UP Chief Minister Office, "CM has requested Governor to dismiss Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief OM Prakash Rajbhar from UP cabinet with immediate effect." Rajbhar, a minister for backward class welfare and 'divyangjan' empowerment, had earlier resigned from cabinet but it wasn't accepted. The SBSP had won four seats in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. For the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had proposed to field an SBSP candidate on its symbol, which was disapproved by Rajbhar. He insisted to use his party symbol even if the SBSP got just one seat to contest. In February, when he resigned from the government, Rajbhar had written to Yogi Aditynath, People of the backward classes are angry as the government has not given the scholarships to the students of the community, over the lack of fee reimbursement and non-implementation of the 27% reservation promised according to the recommendation of the social justice committee, Rajbhar said in the letter to Yogi Adityanath. Tweeting out his resignation letter, Rajbhar had slammed the Yogi government and said, When a minister cannot have a say in selection of a member and all the work is to be done by the chief minister, then what is the point of the department being handled by me. New Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday imposed Section 144 (prohibits assembly of more than four people in an area) in West Bengal's Bhatpara area due to post-poll violence. The restriction has been imposed for an undefined period.A According to Special Police Observer for West Bengal Vivek Dubey, 200 Companies of Central Forces will be retained to handle post-poll violence.A Election Commission: Sec-144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/C61uQP9Krz a ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 "A strength of 200 Companies of Central forces will be retained in West Bengal to assist in counting&to handle post-poll violence. This force will be deployed all over state. Remaining 510 Companies will move out of the state," Dubey was quoted as saying by ANI. Meanwhile, several persons were injured in post-poll clashes between political parties in two districts of West Bengal. Many polling agents of opposition parties were beaten up, and houses and vehicles of many activists were attacked after voting on Sunday in nine constituencies in the last and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls and by-elections to four Assembly seats.A Residents of the Bhatpara Assembly seat in North 24 Parganas staged several protests against violent political clashes during by-election on Sunday. The by-election was caused by Trinamool MLA Arjun Singh's defection to the BJP two months ago. Train services in Eastern Railway's Sealdah-Krishnanagar division were disrupted for two and a half hours after hundreds of residents squatted on the tracks at Kankinara station, protesting against clashes. The BJP supporters too protested at the Jaggadal police station, accusing security personnel of not being active in providing security to locals. The BJP fielded Arjun Singh's son Pawan Kumar Singh and the Trinamool, Madan Mitra, an accused in the Saradha and Narada scam, for Bhatpara by-election. Mitra on Monday lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office, accusing Singh and his team of inciting violence in the area after the vote. With Agency Inputs New Delhi: Even as the exit polls predicted a clean sweep for the NDA in just concluded Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress seems to think otherwise. Senior party leader Shashi Tharoor struck a cautious note and said that athe exit polls are all wrong.a At a time when most channels and newspapers show massive gains for the BJP, Tharoor maintains that these predictions should be taken with a pinch of salt. Former minister in the UPA government took to Twitter and voiced his opinion. aI believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people donat tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results,a Tharoor said on micro-blogging site. A I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people donat tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results. a Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 19, 2019 Tharoor is not the only politician who has raised questions over the veracity of exit polls. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has mocked at the exit polls, saying they were not exact polls. aExit polls do not mean exact polls. We have to understand that. Since 1999, most of the exit polls have gone wrong,a the Vice-President pointed out. Referring to the ongoing general elections, he said every party exuded confidence (over victory). aEveryone exhibits his own confidence till the 23rd (day of counting). There will be no base for it. So we have to wait for 23rd,a Naidu said at an informal meeting in Guntur. Narendra Modi remains the top choice for Prime Ministerial candidate with 50 per cent approval rating in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, according to the News Nation exit poll on Sunday. Modi is followed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi who trails with 32 per cent. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati is at the third position with 5 per cent, while Rahul Gandhias sister and Congress general secretary (UP East) Priyanka Gandhias approval rating is merely 4 per cent for the PM post. The News Nation exit poll also predicted that BJPas Narendra Modi is set to return as Prime Minister for the second term on May 23 when the results will be announced. The channel predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win anything between 282 and 290 seats, while the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) may garner a maximum of 126 seats. New Delhi: Amid growing debate over the other surgical strikes in the UPA era, the Indian Army made a statement that will have far-reaching effect in near future. During a media interaction, GOC-in-Chief Northern Command Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said that, Few days ago DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in Sep 16', I don't want to go into what political parties say, they'll be given an answer by government. What I told you is a statement of fact. In simple terms, this would be inferred as what Modi government has been saying all along there were no surgical strikes before 2014. Multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure, too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises. In the past 70 years, a government in power never had to hide behind the valour of our armed forces. Such attempts to politicize our forces are shameful and unacceptable, former prime minister Manmohan Singh had said in an interview to The Hindustan Times. "Compromise on Indias National Security is unacceptable. 40 of our brave CRPF soldiers were martyred in the Pulwama terror attack at the most secure National Highway in the country. This is a grave intelligence and national security failure. Since then, it has come out that CRPF and BSF were requesting for airlifting the soldiers but the Modi Government refused it. Government also ignored solid intelligence inputs from J&K police about an IED attack, besides turning a blind eye to a video warning of a terrorist organization," he said during the interview. GOC-in-Chief Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh also added that, during this year we have been able to neutralize 86 terrorists so far & our operations continue in the same manner. Nearly 20 of them have been apprehended, we've also been able to bring back many of them to the mainstream. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: With the crescent moon being sighted in various parts of India, the holy month of fasting for Muslims - Ramadan or Ramzan - had started on May 7. Ramzan which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, involves rigorous fasting for Muslims between sunrise and sunset. During this 30-day period, Muslims do not consume food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Sehri or Suhoor (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with 'Iftar' in the evening. 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 Iftar - the fast-breaking meal. Iftar refers to some lavish affairs of home-cooked platters of rice, stews and meat, as well as spreads of desserts and other sweets. However, the Sehri and Iftar timings vary from state to state based on the sunrise and sunset that change every day. Let's have a quick look at the Sehri and Iftar timings of Delhi based on Islamic Month and Gregorian Calendar. Ramzan 2019 Timetable: Iftar & Sehri Timings in Delhi, India: RAMADAN TIME TABLE 2019 Delhi Ramadan DATE SEHR IFTAR 1 Sun 06 May 04:09 AM 7:00 PM 2 Mon 07 May 04:08 AM 7:01 PM 3 Tue 08 May 04:07 AM 7:02 PM 4 Wed 09 May 04:06 AM 7:02 PM 5 Thu 10 May 04:05 AM 7:03 PM 6 Fri 11 May 04:05 AM 7:03 PM 7 Sat 12 May 04:04 AM 7:04 PM 8 Sun 13 May 04:03 AM 7:05 PM 9 Mon 14 May 04:02 AM 7:05 PM 10 Tue 15 May 04:01 AM 7:06 PM 11 Wed 16 May 04:00 AM 7:06 PM 12 Thu 17 May 03:59 AM 7:07 PM 13 Fri 18 May 03:59 AM 7:08 PM 14 Sat 19 May 03:58 AM 7:08 PM 15 Sun 20 May 03:57 AM 7:09 PM 16 Mon 21 May 03:56 AM 7:09 PM 17 Tue 22 May 03:56 AM 7:10 PM 18 Wed 23 May 03:55 AM 7:10 PM 19 Thu 24 May 03:54 AM 7:11 PM 20 Fri 25 May 03:54 AM 7:12 PM 21 Sat 26 May 03:53 AM 7:12 PM 22 Sun 27 May 03:53 AM 7:13 PM 23 Mon 28 May 03:52 AM 7:13 PM 24 Tue 29 May 03:52 AM 7:14 PM 25 Wed 30 May 03:51 AM 7:14 PM 26 Thu 31 May 03:51 AM 7:15 PM 27 Fri 01 June 03:50 AM 7:15 PM 28 Sat 02 June 03:50 AM 7:16 PM 29 Sun 03 June 03:50 AM 7:16 PM 30 Mon 04 June 03:49 AM 7:17 PM The Ramzan month will be culminated with the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr in the first week of June. Eid-ul-Fitr, which symbolises peace and brotherhood, is marked with feasts and the faithful offers prayers at mosques and idgahs to seek blessings of the divine. People, especially children dress up in their traditional fineries to celebrate the festival that spreads the message of brotherhood and communal amity. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Pakistan is considering appointing a National Security Advisor to revive backchannel diplomacy with India, according to official sources. The likely appointment of the NSA is meant for reviving the backchannel diplomacy with India to sort out some of the pressing issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the official sources privy to the development was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. In the past, the two countries often used backchannel through the NSAs to prepare ground for any talks. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the government was likely to appoint a retired military official as the National Security Advisor (NSA). Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had said If the next Indian government is led by the opposition Congress party, it might be too scared to seek a settlement with Pakistan over Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), fearing a backlash from the right. Perhaps if the BJP a right-wing party wins, some kind of settlement on Kashmir could be reached, he had said. The relationship between the two neighbouring nations currently is at all-time low after Pulwama attack. On February 14, at least 42 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 30 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district that also left many critically wounded. More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora in south Kashmir. In retaliation, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US space agency NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water ice, and organic molecules on Ultima Thules surface. Ultima Thule is the farthest world ever explored by mankind. Revealing details about the complex space object, NASA published the first profile of Ultima Thule. Researchers are also investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs, and craters and pits on Ultima Thule. Were looking into the well-preserved remnants of the ancient past, said Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado. There is no doubt that the discoveries made about Ultima Thule are going to advance theories of solar system formation, said Stern, Principal Investigator of the New Horizons mission. Ultima Thule is a contact binary, with two distinctly differently shaped lobes, NASA said. At about 36 kilometres long, Ultima Thule consists of a large, strangely flat lobenicknamed Ultimaconnected to a smaller, somewhat rounder lobedubbed Thuleat a juncture. Earlier, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has beamed back the sharpest, images of Ultima Thule -- the most distant object ever explored by mankind. Just before its closest approach during the New Year's flyby, the spacecraft precisely pointed the cameras to snap the sharpest possible pics of the Kuiper Belt object officially named 2014 MU69. The New Horizons has sent those stored flyby images back to Earth, NASA had said in a statement. These images of Ultima Thule -- obtained just six and a half minutes before closest approach to the object at 12:33 am EST on January 1 -- offer a resolution of about 33 metres per pixel. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least 11 people were killed by gunmen at a bar in north Brazil on Sunday. The shooting took place in the city of Belem, the public safety department of northern Para state said. Five women and six men, including the owner, were fatally wounded, local media reported. In the incident one gunman was injured and is reportedly in Police custody. The bar, known as Wandas, was a well-known drug-dealing hangout, police told the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. Seven men carried out the shooting after arriving on a motorcycle and in three cars, news website G1 quoted police as saying. They fled after the attack. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dushanbe, Tajikistan: A riot at a prison in Tajikistan has left 32 people dead, including 24 members of the ISIS terror group and three guards, authorities said Monday. Five of the inmates and the three guards were killed by IS prisoners during the riot that erupted on Sunday evening, the justice ministry said in a statement. The prison in Vakhdat, 17 kilometres east of the capital Dushanbe, holds 1,500 inmates. It said the prisoners first stabbed to death three guards, and then five other inmates "in order to intimidate" the others. They then took other prisoners hostage before opening fire on the jail's medical facilities. "Following a reprisal operation, 24 members of this group were killed and 25 others arrested. The hostages were freed" and calm restored to the prison, the statement said. Among the leaders of the riot, the Tajik authorities identified the 20-year-old son of the former head of Tajik special forces who became a member of the IS leadership in Syria, where he was killed in September 2017. In November 2018, another riot claimed by ISIS left 26 people dead in Khujand, a city of 700,000 people in the northeast of the country. The riot had been initiated by a former ISIS member seeking to spark a mass escape. Tajikistan, a country of 8.5 million people bordering Afghanistan, has suffered severe conflict since it gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Tens of thousands of people were killed in the country during a five-year civil war in the 1990s when rebel groups including Islamists rose up against the government. Authorities in the majority-Muslim country have said that more than 1,000 Tajiks, including a high-ranking police officer who defected in 2015, joined IS in Syria and Iraq in recent years. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Sunday amid mounting tensions with Iran said if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between US and Iran escalated after the US deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian threats. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. Tensions rose dramatically May 5, when Bolton announced that the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group would be rushed from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf ahead of schedule in response to "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings," without going into details. Since then, four oil tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, were targeted in an apparent act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to officials in the region, and a Saudi pipeline was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen. The US also ordered non-essential staff out of Iraq and has dispatched additional military assets to the region. However, President Donald Trump had said that he hopes the US is not on a path to war with Iran. Asked if the US was going to war with Iran, the president replied, "I hope not" a day after he repeated a desire for dialogue, tweeting, "I'm sure that Iran will want to talk soon." For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a shocking revelation, male crew members of US Navy submarine circulated sexually explicit lists that ranked female colleagues by their appearances, characteristics and various sexual acts the creators of the lists wish to perform with them, including "aggressive sexual activity." The lists, dubbed as rape list, were regularly updated and uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request, according to Military.com website. The 74-page investigative report stated that the two lists one with star ratings on the women and another containing "lewd and sexist comments were discovered aboard the USS Florida submarine. USS Florida was the second submarine to integrate women. "Rumors of a 'rape list' were promulgated throughout the crew, significant numbers of females became concerned for their safety, and male members who learned of the list were equally repulsed," Rear Adm. Jeff Jablon, then-commander of Submarine Group 10, wrote to his superior, according to the website. Capt. Gregory Kercher, the Florida Gold crew's commanding officer, had directed a search of the submarine to locate the list and identify people who has access to it but didnt open a formal investigation. He neither notified higher command about the lists. In August last year, Kercher was for a loss of confidence in his ability to lead. After the lists came to the high commands notice, two sailors assigned to the submarine were separated from the military while several others got administrative punishment. "Although he took some action in response to the list, there is no question that those minimal actions fell far short of expected standards and norms for an event of this magnitude," Jablon wrote. Reacting to the incident, US Submarine Forces commander Vice Admiral Chas Richard said that US Navy will enforce high standards of conduct in the force. "While I cannot guarantee that an incident such as this will never happen again, I can guarantee that we will continue to enforce our high standards of conduct and character in the Force," the website quoted Richard as saying. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Enhancing public service delivery is vital to achieving Kingdoms development goals, said HRH the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, and First Deputy Prime Minister was visiting the Majlis of the Al Fadhala family, the Majlis of the Al Rumaihi family, the Majlis of the Al Buainain family, officially opened by HRH the Crown Prince, and the Majlis of the Al Kaabi family. Bahrain will continue to advance its development efforts in all its sectors, said HRH Prince Salman citing the directives and vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Development efforts, Prince Salman said, are underpinned by the principles of Bahrains Economic Vision 2030 and desire to promote innovation and excellence across government work streams. Bahrain has ordered its citizens to immediately leave Iraq and Iran for their safety, amid rising tension in the region and the recent escalations and threats against security and stability. Foreign Ministry made the announcement through BNA yesterday afternoon. The statement cited unstable situation in the region and the grave developments and threats that threaten security and stability for the warning. The Ministry stressed the need to take the utmost precautions and care. Washington on Wednesday pulled non-emergency staff members from its embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad out of apparent concern about perceived threats from neighboring Iran, to which Iraqi Shia militias are allied. Earlier yesterday, Exxon evacuated its foreign staff from an Iraqi oilfield. In another development, the Federal Aviation Administration of the US has warned US airlines flying over the Gulf to exercise caution due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the region. The advisory also covers airspace over the Gulf of Oman. Increased tensions in the region present an increasing inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification, said the FAA advisory released late Thursday His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday called for joint action to face regional challenges, maintain security and stability and fast-track growth. In this regard, HRH the Premier pointed out the success of the UAE which started in the era of late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and continued by his sons. HRH the Premier was speaking as he received yesterday members of the Royal Family, senior officials and visiting Kuwaiti journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Kuwaiti AlKhaleej newspaper Ahmed Ismail Bahbahani. The Premier stressed deep-rooted fraternal relations between Bahrain and Kuwait, taking pride in strong ties binding both countries. Bahrain yesterday welcomed Saudi Arabias call to hold urgent meetings of the regional Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions in the region. The Kingdom highly values this call from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to hold two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement to the state news agency said. The statement affirms Bahrains full support for all the steps taken by Saudi Arabia and appreciates Riyadhs steadfast solidarity and its strenuous efforts to preserve the security and stability of the region and to promote Arab interests. The wise call by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques affirms the leading Saudi role in cementing joint Arab action, the Ministry statement said. Bahrain added: It valued the Saudi keenness on enhancing collective action to overcome the delicate conditions that the GCC region is going through consultation and coordination between the GCC and Arab countries. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has called for holding two emergency summits, one for the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the other for the Arab leaders, in Makkah on May 30. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said King Salman had invited Gulf leaders and Arab states to discuss recent aggressions and their consequences in the region. Tensions have soared in the Gulf, with the United States deploying an aircraft carrier and bombers there over alleged threats from Iran. Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country does not want to go to war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests. Riyadh does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it. The United Arab Emirates welcomed Saudi Arabias invitation. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in a statement published on state news agency WAM said, the call for high-level meetings is reflective of the Saudi leaderships continued determination to establish peace and security in the region. Following Trumps decision to blacklist the Chinese tech giant, Google restricts Huawei's access to its Android operating system and apps Last week, the Trump administration barred American companies from selling to Huawei without a US government license in a significant escalation of the trade war with China. Google said consumers who already own Huawei smartphones will be largely unaffected for now. "Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices," the spokesperson added, without providing further details. Existing Huawei smartphone users will be able to update apps and push through security fixes, as well as update Google Play services. But when Google launches the next version of Android later this year, it may not be available on Huawei devices. Future Huawei devices may no longer have apps such as YouTube and Maps. The salt farmers of Hon Khoi rise before dawn as they have for generations, fanning out across shallow seawater pools in southern Vietnam to harvest the precious mineral, hoping for a better season than the last. The work is punishing and the incomes unstable, subject to seesawing demand swayed by foreign imports, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Many people in the sleepy seaside town in Khanh Hoa province have worked much of their lives in the salt fields -- an Instagram hotspot where workers wearing conical hats ferry mountains of the saline crystals in bamboo baskets along reflective ponds against a setting sun. They shuffle carefully along narrow ledges separating the rectangular plots that are pumped full of salty seawater. B u t the farmers say life is tough on the fields where they toil during the annual harvesting season from January to June. This job is no fun at all, we have to work so hard in the sun and then during the cool season we are off, said Nguyen Thanh Lai, his tan skin weathered from nearly four decades working in the fields. He sells his harvest to local traders who pass it up the value chain until it reaches dining tables or factories around Vietnam, where it is used to preserve fish, concoct Southeast Asias popular, pungent fish sauce, or make soda water. Lai has long struggled to raise his five kids, but he says both demand and market price used to be more reliable. In the past we didnt make losses in salt production, now there are losses, the 60-year-old told AFP, wearing two hats to shield from the searing morning sun. As technical supervisor, he typically earns around $360 a month during the harvesting season -- more than double what most salt workers take home. But his income zigzags depending on demand, which itself fluctuates based on imports from abroad. Climatewoes Vietnam produced about one million tonnes of salt in 2015, according to the latest official data, and often clocks surpluses, but it still ships salt in, mostly from China and India. The country imported 500,000 tonnes of the mineral in 2017 despite a 147,000- tonnes urplus of domestic production. The imported product is of a quality required for industrial use, something the local salt is not always suitable for. Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development did not respond to AFPs requests for comment. But unpredictable demand is not all Vietnams salt farmers are up against. In Hon Khoi -- a popular tourist destination for throngs of visitors who pack its white sandy beaches -- farmers are also contending with climate change. Shifting weather patterns have upended work in an industry that depends on sunny, dry days for maximum production. If the weather is good, we can work for six months. If it rains, we all go hungry, said Nguyen Quang Anh, who has laboured in the fields for two decades. Climate change really has had an impact because salt production needs stable weather, the 57-year-old farmer said. The UN says climate change has undermined the lives of farmers in Vietnam, where the wet season has come earlier or brought in heavier rains in recent years. In Vietnam and elsewhere, climate change has put weather in flux. When you can no longer plan for the future, you can only hope, said Dechen Tsering, UN Environments Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. Vietnamese authorities vowed to reform the sector in 2014, rolling out a 15-year plan to modernise the industry in a bid to help struggling farmers like Anh. The blueprint called for production to triple by 2030, promised new technology, and called on local officials to support farmers hit by fluctuating weather patterns. Few have felt the impact of the plan -- or ever heard about it -- in Hon Khoi, where the saltindustry remains the main employer. That means many are taking a gamble on the sector. Sometimes Im nervous, but Im in the business so I have to accept the risks, said Nguyen Van Vinh, who just started working in the fields this season to supplement his income running a small stationery shop. Oil supplies were sufficient and stockpiles were still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said Saudi Arabia and key producer UAE yesterday, as oil exporters met in Jeddah. Producer nations gathered to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid rising USIran tensions in the Gulf, which threaten to disrupt global supply. But we see that (oil) inventories are rising and supplies are plenty, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters at the start the meeting. None of us wants to see the (oil) stocks swell again, he added, with reference to a supply surplus that sent prices sharply lower in the second half of last year. We have to be cautious, Falih said. The UAEs energy minister said there was no need to relax a deal by the OPEC+ group of oil exporting countries to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day to support prices. We have seen inventory building. I dont think it makes sense to alter the existing deal, said Suheil al-Mazrouei. The meeting comes days after sabotage attacks against tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and the bombing of a Saudi pipeline -- the latter claimed by Iranaligned Yemeni rebels. But Falih reiterated Sunday that the kingdoms oil installations were well protected. We have strong (oil) industry security, he told reporters. Everybody is vulnerable to extreme acts of sabotage. The meeting also comes as the full impact of re-instated US sanctions against Tehran kick in, slashing the Islamic republics crude exports. Iran exports tumble Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said it was premature to talk about extending the deal, according to Interfax news agency. Massive drops in exports by Iran and Venezuela come alongside output cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day implemented by the OPEC+ group since January. The International Energy Agency said earlier this month that global oil supply fell in April due to the effect of US sanctions on Iran and the OPEC+ production cuts. The IEA said Iranian crude production fell in April to 2.6 million bpd, down from 3.9ay 2018 it would withdraw from the multilateral 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions. Irans output is already at its lowest level in over five years, but could tumble in May to levels not seen since the devastating 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Energy intelligence firm Kpler sees Iranian exports plunging from 1.4 million bpd in April to around half a million bpd in May -- down from 2.5 million in normal circumstances. Venezuelas output -- also subject to US export sanctions -- is also tumbling, down by over half since the third quarter of last year. Kpler data shows OPEC+ members have kept to agreed production cuts. But exporters fear a rush to raise production to plug the gap left by Iranian exports could backfire, triggering a new supply glut. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said yesterday he wanted snap elections to take place in September after the government collapsed over a corruption scandal. My preference is for early elections in September, if possible the beginning of September, he told journalists after holding talks with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The legal procedures to fix the date will now have to take place over the coming weeks, with Van der Bellen set to hold further talks with other party leaders. The announcement came after a dramatic 48 hours in Austrian politics which saw far-right Vice- Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache resign in disgrace following explosive revelations in a hidden camera sting. On Friday, two German newspapers published footage showing Strache openly discussing the possibility of awarding public contracts in return for campaign help for his far-right Freedom Party (FPOe). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey and Russia would jointly produce S-500 defence systems after Ankaras controversial purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Moscow. Turkeys push to buy the S-400s has further strained already tense relations with the United States which has repeatedly warned Ankara of the risks including sanctions as a result of the purchase. There is absolutely no question of (Turkey) taking a step back from the S-400s purchase. That is a done deal, Erdogan said in Istanbul. There will be joint production of the S-500 after the S-400, Erdogan told an audience of young people asking questions. Ties between NATO allies Turkey and the US have frayed over multiple issues including American support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and the US failure to extradite a Muslim preacher blamed for the 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan. Washington says the deal with Moscow is a threat to Western defence and in April suspended deliveries of the F-35 stealth fighter jet to Turkey in a bid to halt the purchase. Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions, it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel, a rarely used manual wheel to control the planes angle. Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted, it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator late this year. American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association, it added. The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources said. Saudi Air Defense intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen based Islamic religious-political-armed movement Houthi Militia on Monday. The first missile bound for Al Taif in the province of Mecca was intercepted on Monday morning. The Saudi government has yet not issued a statment to acknowledge the missile fire, which other Saudi media also reported. The Iran-linked Houthi militias have targeted Saudi border towns and Riyadh with ballistic missiles and also claimed drone attacks on the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the past. Yemeni government said that it strongly condemns the Houthi attempt to target Mecca, adding that the attack on the holy site is a full-fledged terrorist act. Hashtags #HouthisStrikeMecca and #___ are being used by prople to expresss outrage regarding this attck during the holy month of Ramadan. NEW HAVENA police chief in Northern Massachusetts directed questions about a dead New Haven woman to local prosecutors. Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest Martineau declined to answer questions about reports of Tamika Jones, 40, of New Haven being found dead in a car in his northern Massachusetts town . He said the Worcester District Attorneys office would be the proper office to direct questions about Jones to. All questions relating to this case will be directed to the District Attorneys Office, he replied in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media. On Tuesday, Jones was reportedly found dead in a car parked on Drake Road in Fitchburg, according to a News 8 report and an article from News 7 of Boston. The reports said her death was categorized as suspicious. Efforts to reach any one in the Worcester office was unsuccessful Sunday morning. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com 3 1 of 3 Kendra Baker / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Kendra Baker / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 NEW MILFORD The town will be collecting donations and supplies for the families displaced by last weeks fire on Housatonic Avenue. A fire broke out in a multi-family home at 101 Housatonic Ave. around 2 a.m. Thursday. What is this fascination people have with monorails? I cant tell you how often people suggest them as the answer to our states clogged roads and rails. Why dont we build a monorail down the middle of The Merritt Parkway? asked an architect at a recent meeting. To my astonishment, such an idea was once studied. As lore has it, the state Department of Transportation in the mid-1980s asked local tech giant Sikorsky if a monorail could be built and a plan was submitted. Sure, such a system could be built, they concluded, but where would you put the stations and the necessary parking? Since hearing of this white-whale of a tale, shared by Merritt Parkway Conservancy Executive Director Wes Haynes, I have been on a relentless search for details of the proposal, but Ive come up empty. Sikorsky has no record of the plan. CDOT said, Huh? Digging through the archives of the Stamford Advocate, I found articles from 1985 discussing the idea: A $700 million monorail down the median of the Merritt Parkway from Greenwich to Trumbull as an alternative to Bridgeport developer Francis DAddarios idea of widening the parkway to eight lanes or double-decking Interstate 95. Motorists were surveyed and the state DOT apparently spent $250,000 for a study. The amazing research librarians at the state library dug through their dusty files and came up with a DOT report from 1987 denouncing the idea, not only on grounds of impracticality but because it would compete with existing rail service. Heavens, no! But again, why this obsession with monorails? I think people have been spending too much time at Disney World. In 1998, a monorail was once proposed for Hartford, connecting downtown to Rentschler Field in East Hartford. It was going to cost only $33 million and would have been paid for with federal funds. It never happened. The idea was revived in 2006 when the Adriaens Landing convention complex was opened, but again, nothing. A pseudo-monorail People Mover system was built at Hartfords Bradley Airport in 1976 connecting the remote parking to the main terminal, all of seven-tenths of a mile away. The fixed-guideway system, with cars designed by Ford Motor Co., cost $4 million but never launched because the $250,000 annual operating cost was deemed impractical. It was dismantled in 1984, though you can still see one of the original cars at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor. Whatever your fantasies are about space-age travel by monorail, let me dispel your dreams with some facts. Monorails are not fast. The Disney monorail, built by a Japanese company, has a top speed of 55 mph but usually just averages 40 mph. Even on a bad day, Metro-North can do better. The 3.9-mile Las Vegas monorail does about 50 mph shuttling gamblers from casino to casino. Monorails are expensive. The Vegas system, opened in 2004, cost $654 million. Thats why existing monorails like Disneys have never been extended. Monorails are not maglevs magnetic levitation trains. Dont confuse the single-track, rubber-tired monorails with the magnetic-levitation technology used in Shanghai and being tested for passenger trains in Japan. The Shanghai maglev can travel over 250 mph, and the Japanese test trains have hit 374 mph. No, monorails are not in Connecticuts future and are not the answer to our woes. Ed Cox has agreed to step down as chairman of New Yorks Republican Party and give control of the state party to Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy, a spokeswoman for Cox said Monday. The chairman has been presented with an important new opportunity and there are talks underway for a transition," said Jessica Proud, speaking for Cox. More details will be announced in short order. Minutes later, President Donald Trumps campaign announced that Cox will serve on its finance team for the 2020 presidential election. "He has been a fantastic state party chairman for nearly a decade, and I cant think of anyone better to help ensure we have the resources we need to compete in 2020, said Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale. The decision by Cox comes as Langworthy locked up his bid to gain control of the state GOP with the endorsement Monday of Monroe County GOP Chairman Bill Reilich. Monroe had been among the last large counties in the state with a GOP chairman who was undecided in the battle between Cox and Langworthy. The endorsement gave Langworthy about 50 percent of the weighted vote among county GOP chairs who will choose the partys leader this summer. Among the first to back Langworthy was Onondaga County GOP Chairman Tom Dadey. Cox, 72, a Manhattan lawyer and son-in-law of former President Richard Nixon, led the New York State Republican Committee for the past 10 years. Langworthy, 38, of Amherst, had called for change after the partys crushing defeat in the 2018 elections in which Republicans lost control of the New York Senate. The GOP has not won a statewide office since George Pataki was elected to his third term as governor in 2002. State Sen. Bob Antonacci, R-Onondaga, was among the first to congratulate Langworthy. Antonacci said on Twitter that he will work with Langworthy as we fight against one-party rule in NYS." Cox said in a statement Monday afternoon that he will help Langworthy transition into the new job until his term expires in July. Cox has not taken a salary in his leadership post, but some previous party chairs served as paid employees of the New York GOP. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 NASA has selected 11 companies to conduct studies and produce prototypes of human landers for its Artemis lunar exploration program. This effort will help put American astronauts the first woman and next man on the Moons south pole by 2024 and establish sustainable missions by 2028. NASA has asked for an extra $1.6 billion in funding for 2020 to support the moon by 2024 program. NASA has shown a plan for 37 launches of private and NASA rockets, robotic and human landers and starting a moon base long-duration crew stays in 2028. 15 Years, $30 Billion and No Good Test of a Big Rocket Based on Shuttle Technology The plan still relies on the crappy Space Launch System (SLS). SLS has NOT flown its first test flight. There was a test flight in the Constellation program which was before SLS. The Constellation test was terrible. Space Launch System (SLS) spent about $17 billion from 2011 to 2019. It will spend another $4 billion from 2020 to 2021. There is about $2.3 billion per year being spent on SLS. From 2005 to 2010, there was about $11.9 billion spent on the Constellation program. This was paid to mainly the same companies working on Space Launch System. The whole thinking was let make a big rocket out of Space Shuttle Technology. NASA Spreading $45 Million Around to Get Start Making a New Lunar Lander Selected companies for Lunar Lander hardware development are: Aerojet Rocketdyne Canoga Park, California One transfer vehicle study Blue Origin Kent, Washington One descent element study, one transfer vehicle study, and one transfer vehicle prototype Boeing Houston One descent element study, two descent element prototypes, one transfer vehicle study, one transfer vehicle prototype, one refueling element study, and one refueling element prototype Dynetics Huntsville, Alabama One descent element study and five descent element prototypes Lockheed Martin Littleton, Colorado One descent element study, four descent element prototypes, one transfer vehicle study, and one refueling element study Masten Space Systems Mojave, California One descent element prototype Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems Dulles, Virginia One descent element study, four descent element prototypes, one refueling element study, and one refueling element prototype OrbitBeyond Edison, New Jersey Two refueling element prototypes Sierra Nevada Corporation, Louisville, Colorado, and Madison, Wisconsin One descent element study, one descent element prototype, one transfer vehicle study, one transfer vehicle prototype, and one refueling element study SpaceX Hawthorne, California One descent element study SSL Palo Alto, California One refueling element study and one refueling element prototype SOURCES- NASA, Wikipedia Dear Abby: My husband and I live in a nice home in the desert Southwest with an in-ground pool and guesthouse. Our friends and relatives from back east have an open invitation to visit whenever they please. We enjoyed these visits until recently. The problem is their ever-present compulsion to be connected to an electronic device. We are not yet retired, but in the past we didnt mind taking a few days off work to spend time with folks who came all the way out here to spend a few days with us. But it seems like nowadays our guests have their noses pointed at a phone or computer most of the time they are here. They have actually missed the beauty of our area, which we are missing work to show them, because they are otherwise engaged. Is there a pleasant way to ask them to disconnect for a bit while we are enjoying their visit, or should I just get in the grumpy old lady line? I want our visitors to have a good time, but I find this behavior especially rude. Almost Done in the Southwest Western Connecticut State University held its 121st commencement ceremony Sunday at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. About 1,100 students graduated as part of the Danbury-based universitys Class of 2019, with the majority obtaining their degrees in person at Sundays ceremony. Google Maps image HAMDEN Raymond George, owner of the Ray and Mikes Deli on Whitney Avenue, pleaded guilty Monday to evading taxes on more than $500,000 in income, according to the U.S. District Attorneys Office for Connecticut. According to a release, George underreported his income by approximately $365,065 for the 2012 tax year and by $273,108 for the 2013 tax year, and failed to pay a total of approximately $220,000 in taxes. SHELTON A Shelton police officer has been credited with saving the lives of a Meadow Street couple whose house suffered extensive damage from an early-morning fire Sunday. Shelton Police Officer Michael Kichar was on his way in to work about 6:55 a.m. when he observed smoke coming from a residence on Meadow Street, which is less than a mile from police headquarters. Kichar called 911 and then was able to wake and alert the residents of the home and help them and the family dog escape before firefighters arrived. NEW HAVEN Courage and love. Both are necessary in the world outside Yale University. Those are two of the qualities needed to make a difference, novelist, essayist and Yale alumna Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie told the graduating seniors at Class Day on Sunday. She told the class of 2019 that their Yale degrees will give them power, but also responsibility. Their degree will create in others an automatic assumption of competence, she said. But, if power were a jacket, it is most flattering on all body types when worn very lightly. Adichie was born in Nigeria and studied medicine there before immigrating to the United States at 19, graduating from Eastern Connecticut State University and Johns Hopkins University, then earning a masters degree in African studies at Yale in 2008. Her novel Americanah won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named one of the New York Times Top Ten Best Books of 2013. She admitted that I wasnt always happy here, for reasons having more to do with me than with Yale, and told of the slightly awkward seminar I took in African literature in which my own novel was part of the curriculum. But she said that Yale afforded me opportunities to engage that are essential for a writer. Much of the fodder for her fiction, she said, came from eavesdropping. For writers, almost nothing is out of bounds when it comes to collecting material, she said. Much of her advice was to tell the graduates to be sure they do not shrink from making themselves be heard, but also to listen to others and not to hold too fast to their beliefs. Look up primary sources first, and remember that context is always queen, she said. Be open to the possibility that you might be wrong, she said, warning that if the graduates adhere unquestionably to the ideology you subscribe to, then maybe its time for some agility in your thinking, a small shift, for example. A sign that you know that there are complicated shades of gray everywhere. I would suggest, in general, that you marry being idealistic with being pragmatic. When it comes to engaging in the world, she said, Politics is awful in all sorts of ways, but refusing to engage is not the answer. Sometimes you have to get in there to be able to work towards changing it to what you want it to be. Engage with the world as it is. Otherwise you wont get anything done. However, she said, Please do not ever apologize for existing or for taking up space in the world or for having a well-considered opinion. I say this particularly to women, whose socialization teaches them, teaches us, to shrink ourselves, as though our responsibility is never first to ourselves but always to others. And we end up sometimes feeling guilty for wanting the things we want, for wanting to be our own selves first. The messages that society sends us can be conflicting. That tension between telling you to value yourself, that you matter, and then that other message that tells you to put other people first and to serve, she said. It is possible, it is necessary, that you find a balance between the two. But you will have to figure it out yourself. Adichie told the seniors, who will graduate Monday, to value others, but said, You do not have to make room in your life for people who wish you harm. Speaking about the political atmosphere in America, she said a Nigerian phrase, which she translated as things are not standing well, best captures my sense of America today. Wherever you might be on the ideological spectrum, things are not standing well if fear is in the air that Americans breathe. She suggested that each graduate ask yourself the question, what should America be? Should America be a country where fear is always an option for children in school? Where a child can go to school and never come home because that child has been murdered by another child with a gun? Should American be a country where black people live in fear of their lives because members of the police do not seem to think of them as full human beings? Should America be a country where women are in fear of not having full autonomy over their bodies. Is a country still a full democracy if fear is in the air its citizens breathe? Much of her speech was more personal. Have friends, many friends, or just one friend, she said. Hold your family close, and family doesnt necessarily mean those to whom youre related by blood or by social institution. Hold your friends close, stand up for your loved ones. Tell the people you love that you love them. Tell them often. Find reasons to laugh. She concluded by saying, I wish you well as you go out into the world. I wish you courage. I wish you joy. And a final note: As you navigate the world, it might be helpful, from time to time, to forget that you went to Yale. Abigail Clayton, a graduate from Lexington, Ky., said of Adichies speech that it was really wonderful after a number of Class Day speeches that the thought were kind of out of touch with what it means to graduate from college and that Adichie touched on some of the concrete things weve been talking about on campus. Recent Class Day speakers have include former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, former Vice President Joe Biden, Chicago Cubs team President Theo Epstein and former U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power. Clayton said the points she took away were about bringing our educations to bear on real-world issues and being generous to ourselves. Sana Mojarradi, a graduate from Tehran, Iran, said, It was one of the first real speeches that Ive heard during my time at Yale. I think she was very direct and open and real with her advice. Her father, Masoud Mojarradi, said Adichie was amazing in how she mentioned not to stick to your ideals and be open to change. Time magazine named Adichie one of its 100 most influential people in 2015. Fortune magazine named her one of its 50 worlds greatest leaders in 2017. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 MIDDLETOWN Columbus House and its many regional and state partners recently announced that 32 newly renovated apartments are complete, and 16 formerly homeless veterans already call Shepherd Home their own home. Full occupancy is expected by the end of May. An open house and ribbon cuting ceremony is set for Tuesday at Shepherd Home, located at 112 Bow Lane in Middletown, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. During the past several months, the vacant building, formerly owned by the state of Connecticut on the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus, underwent a complete restoration led by the new owner, Columbus House. To celebrate, Columbus House is hosting an open house Tuesday, as well as a flag raising ceremony, a ribbon cutting and tours of the building which will showcase the studio and one-bedroom apartments as well as welcoming common areas and a new community room. Honored guests include state Sen. Matt Lesser, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs Thomas Saadi, chairman of the Middlesex County Coalition on Housing and Homelessness Howard Reid, and Karl Kilduff, Executive Director of Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. The veteran tenants who are calling Shepherd Home their home were all homeless or were at imminent risk of being homeless. They will be connected to on-site support services provided by St. Vincent de Paul Middletown to help them maintain their housing, increase their independence and reconnect with the community. Columbus House is the developer and worked with multiple partners including Brad Schide, LLC, DeMarco Management, Enterprise Builders, Northeast Collaborative Architects, and St. Vincent de Paul Middletown among others, to create these beautiful, affordable apartments. Financial supporters include CT Housing Finance Authority, CT Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, CT Department of Housing, National Equity Fund, US Park Service, CT Department of Economic Development - Historic Preservation, Middletown Housing Authority, Corporation for Supportive Housing, CT Trust for Historic Preservation, Eversource and the Home Depot Foundation. Columbus House opened its doors in 1982 to provide services for women and men at least 18 years of age. Its goals quickly broadened from the mere provision of food and shelter and simple survival, to understanding and working toward overcoming the issues which cause people to become homeless. Columbus House relies on government grants as well as contributions from the private sector including businesses, foundations and individuals to accomplish its mission. With an extensive base of volunteer support and collaborative partnerships with a number of community-based service providers, Columbus House is able to offer a broad continuum of care for those experiencing homelessness. Now in its 37th year, Columbus House, along with its core of loyal supporters, friends and volunteers, remains committed to fulfilling its mission to serve people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, by providing shelter and housing and by fostering their personal growth and independence. For additional information, visit http://www.columbushouse.orgor contact John Brooks, Chief Development Officer at 203-401-4400 x108 or jbrooks@columbushouse.org Mayoral candidate Justin Elickers disappointing approach to municipal economic development seems misguided, as he demands more from Yale to New Haven despite the $11.5 million or so already generously paid in lieu of taxes on noncommercial property and the millions of dollars of taxes paid appropriately on commercial property. Despite this uniquely generous, voluntary support, at a recent rally Elicker charged: You cant even see the $11.5 million. I think they should give $50 million a year to the city. It is hard to explain how he selected this figure and to decipher his motives as a Yale alum perhaps eager to assert an independent image. I was recently appointed by Gov. Ned Lamont to the board of the nonprofit Connecticut Economic Resource Center and have worked in economic development over the past 45 years. I have also been a Yale faculty member for 20 years where I created a nonprofit institute that has hosted 40 mayors a year for peer learning. But it is not any official institutional authority or partisan capacity that I write. Rather, as a leadership scholar, I am troubled by Elickers instincts to appeal to inflammatory, regressive and divisive political oratory. Yale already pays more to New Haven then much-larger Harvard and much-larger MIT combined pay to Cambridge, Mass. New Haven received greater payments in lieu of taxes per capita than any city in the nation and even nominally twice that of Cambridge with mainly a single payer Yale. Yale pays property taxes on all its commercial space, and does not run commercial businesses in non-taxable property. Yale and New Haven have so transcended the classic town/gown conflicts, it is a shame to see someone exploiting any smoldering embers from those bad old days. While the New Haven economy could do better, the city is hardly in distress. In fact, it led the state this past year. Yale has revived decrepit, abandoned venues in the center of town and attracted new tax-paying employers. Yales contribution to the local economy is almost $17 billion each year, it directly and indirectly generates 133,000 jobs, and over the past decade launched 130 companies based on ideas from Yale faculty or students. Thanks in part to Yale, New Haven has enjoyed the largest surge of the nations millennial migration. Just last month, Bloomberg identified Connecticut as the nations fourth most innovative state after California, Massachusetts and Washington based on six metrics including patents and degrees. A mayors approach should be to build on success and leverage the magnet of a great university, as Pittsburgh has done to attract new private sector employers, instead of parasitically attacking that resource. Adding tax burdens is absolutely the wrong path. Smart public officials are leveraging the strong educational, cultural resources as beacons of economic growth, not as a short-term feeding trough. A 2017 Brookings Institute study found that the Pittsburgh regions per capita university research and development spending was nearly 2.5 times the national average. This is with a lower state income tax than Connecticut, zero city sales tax and no payments in lieu of taxes. The study found that university-spawned advanced technology industry clusters generated 326,000 jobs, representing a third of the Pittsburgh regions private sector employment. Just last Tuesday afternoon I joined CERC chairs Jim Smith and Indra Nooyi addressing 20 college and university presidents, including Yale President Peter Salovey, all eager to help advance Connecticuts growth through workforce development. That evening I led a panel discussion of Yale officials, entrepreneurs and financiers that kicked off a Yale-sponsored forum focused on enhancing the growth of new industries in cutting-edge job-creating fields. The event also included Governor Lamont and his venture capitalist wife Annie, as well economic development commissioner David Lehman. It attracted 1,400 people with the resources to rocket Connecticut to an exciting new competitive future for all parts of the community. The spirit is fresh with tangible evidence of scores of thriving, fresh, New Haven-based enterprises and Yale spinouts such as the pioneering cancer fighter Arvinas and Quantum Circuits, the worlds leader in quantum computing. Sadly, Elicker takes us backward to the divisive ideological chants of the 1930s or to the polarizing politics outside of Connecticut. Cynical exploitation of scapegoats and the finger-pointing vilification to divide constituents is the last thing this nation or this state needs. Connecticuts Mark Twain said, If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati since everything comes there 10 years late. This was once echoed about Connecticut, but Elicker has to catch up on the change in his own backyard. The new narrative is that this is a gorgeous state and a historic, vibrant city with communities unifying to capture and lead the future. Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld is senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Lester Crown Professor of Leadership Practice at the Yale School of Management. Skip to main navigation For Release: Monday, May 20, 2019 DEC Announces 58 Environmental Conservation Police Officer and Forest Ranger Recruits Begin Basic Training Forest Ranger and ECO Recruits Start 29-Week Training Academy in Cleveland and Pulaski The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has opened the 22nd Basic School for Uniformed Officers, the 29-week training academy in Pulaski to prepare the newest class of recruits for careers as Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Forest Rangers, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today. "The men and women choosing to become Forest Rangers and ECOs are continuing the proud tradition of the first environmentalists. These officers have been serving on the front lines since the late 1800s, protecting New York's environment, natural resources, and citizens," Commissioner Seggos said. "I applaud these recruits for selecting a noble career in state service and wish them well as they embark on this journey." The academy opened Sunday, May 19, with 42 ECO and 16 Forest Ranger candidates reporting for duty. Of the 58, 10 are women - seven ECO recruits and three Forest Ranger recruits. The future officers hail from 31 counties across New York State, with three recruits from New Jersey, and one each from Maine and North Carolina. The recruits range in age from 22 to 48 years old. The academy runs from Sunday evenings to Friday afternoons, during which time recruits will log 1,538 hours of training. While the first few weeks focus primarily on basic police skills such as physical training, drill and ceremony, and computer skills, recruits will delve into intensive instruction including firearms training, swiftwater rescues, wildland fire suppression, and emergency vehicle operation. Graduation is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 6. ECO job duties are centered on the 71 chapters of New York State Environmental Conservation Law and range from investigating deer poaching, conducting surveillance on a company suspected of dumping chemical waste, or checking fishing licenses on a local waterway. In 2018, ECOs responded to more than 21,668 calls and issued more than 20,665 tickets. "These next six months of training will prepare our recruits to face a diverse workload of cases in both general law enforcement and environmental law," said DEC Division of Law Enforcement Director Bernard Rivers. "ECOs are the Thin Green Line protecting New Yorkers from environmental pollution and exploitation, whether enforcing clean air and water regulations, supporting fish and wildlife laws, or investigating large scale environmental crimes." Forest Ranger duties focus on the public's use of DEC-administered state lands and forests and can span from patrolling state properties to conducting search and rescue operations to fighting forest fires. In 2018, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 346 search-and-rescue missions that helped protect the public, extinguished 105 wildfires that burned a total of 845 acres, participated in 24 prescribed fires that burned and rejuvenated 610 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in 2,354 tickets or arrests. "Once trained, these men and women will be entrusted to protect New York State's natural resources and nearly five million acres of state and public lands," said Division of Forest Protection Director Eric Lahr. "They will develop the necessary skills to enforce various state and environmental conservation laws, conduct wilderness search and rescues for lost or injured persons, and manage wildfire incidents across the state and beyond." ECOs and Forest Rangers are full-fledged New York State Police officers and are often called upon to assist in some of New York's most important police work. They were among the first responders on the scene to help in the aftermath of Sept. 11, assisted in the response to Superstorm Sandy, helped in the 2015 search for two escaped felons from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, and have traveled to battle wildfires in western states. ECOs, originally called Game Protectors, were first appointed for service in 1880. The first Forest Rangers, originally known as Fire Wardens, were put into service in 1885 when the New York State Legislature established the Forest Preserve of New York State. The recruits in this newest class were selected from an eligible list of qualifications and passing scores generated from the most recent Civil Service exam, which became active in March of 2017. To view job qualifications for ECOs, visit the Environmental Conservation Officer job description web page and for Forest Rangers, visit the Forest Ranger job description web page. For an inside look into what it takes to be an ECO or a Forest Ranger, watch a 4-minute clip from 2017's Basic School for Uniformed Officers available on YouTube. Upon graduation, recruits will be assigned patrol areas, typically consisting of one or two counties. They will join the ranks of 284 ECOs and 131 Forest Rangers currently serving across the state. Throughout the Basic School, DEC will be hosting media availability dates. For media inquiries, contact Benning DeLaMater, public information officer, at (518) 402-8000 or benning.delamater@dec.ny.gov. Authorities have identified the bicyclist struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit bus on Saturday in West Cape May as a Middlesex County woman. Efterpi Hines, 56, of Cranbury, was hit on Broadway near York Avenue in West Cape May around 5 p.m, Cape May police Chief Anthony Marino said Monday. Hines was brought to Cape Regional Health System in Middle Township, where she was pronounced dead. Two passengers and a driver were aboard the bus. Police didnt describe how the crash took place. The Cape May Prosecutors Office, State Police and NJ Transit police are assisting in the investigation. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters The 24-year-old victim had called for an Uber at a Manhattan bar and climbed into a waiting black SUV. The California woman had no memory of what happened after she got in, but said she woke up confused and disoriented in a cheap motel room off Route 1 and 9 near Newark Liberty International Airport. The man who drove her there, who was not an Uber driver, is now facing charges of sexual assault. The criminal case marked just the latest in a series of similar incidents involving assaults by men posing as ride-share drivers. It looks like a new kind of operation for predators, said John A. Azzarello of Morristown, the victims attorney. They see these women leaving the bar at closing time and are vulnerable. Earlier this month, police said a 21-year-old woman was assaulted near the University of Delaware campus by a man who identified himself as a ride-share driver and asked if she needed a ride. Police said the woman had not called for a ride, but got into the vehicle and was forced at knifepoint to perform a sex act. In April, authorities in Boston said an actual Uber driver was accused of assaulting a woman after picking her up at a bar in Somerville. And in March, University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson of Robbinsville, N.J., was killed after she got into a car she had mistaken for an Uber. Josephson, 21, a political science major who was preparing for graduation, had planned to go to law school at Drexel University in Philadelphia in the fall. The attacks associated with ride-sharing have led to increasing concerns nationwide, and campaigns on campuses and by the industry to check the driver and the car before they get into any vehicle. An Uber spokeswoman said the company has been running ads in campus newspapers and outdoor ads around colleges on its so-called Check Your Ride campaign, but is now going beyond that with ads in regular newspapers, including a full-page ad recently in The Star-Ledger. When requesting a trip through the Uber app, riders receive the drivers photo, name, the car make and model and license plate number. If the information doesnt match up, riders should not get into the vehicle, the company said. The alleged assault at the Newark Liberty motel was first reported to police back in December of 2017, but only recently came to light after detectives in Elizabeth moved last month to arrest Khalid R. Muhammad, 33, of Brooklyn, on multiple charges of sexual assault. A spokesman for the Union County Prosecutors office said there has yet to be an indictment, and a Superior Court hearing on the case has been scheduled for May 29. An attorney for Muhammad did not return a call for comment. According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Elizabeth Municipal Court in connection with the case, the alleged victim had been traveling with her father on a return trip back home to California. During an overnight lay-over of their flight at Newark Liberty, she left her father at a hotel at the airport to meet up with friends in New York for dinner and drinks. She told investigators the group had left a bar in the Bowery sometime after 3 a.m. and she had ordered an Uber to pick her up and return her back to Newark Liberty Airport. What happened next was pieced together by video surveillance recordings and witnesses. According to Azzarello, who was retained by the victims family to serve as her advocate here in New Jersey, the young woman had no recollection of what happened after she walked outside the bar. But he said Muhammad could be seen inside on a surveillance video, although there appeared to have been no interaction between the two at the bar. A second surveillance camera outside the bar, though, caught him speaking with her, before they walked off together, according to the affidavit. Both were captured on surveillance video arriving at an airport highway motel not long afterward. The victim told police she woke up in the motel room and ran into the lobby to get help. The affidavit said another man waiting in the lobby asked if she needed help, when Muhammad also came into the lobby, he claimed she was his girlfriend. When she rebuffed him, the affidavit said he drove away in a black SUV. The woman was driven by two bystanders to meet her father at Newark Liberty Airport, and they flew back to California. She called police and went to the hospital after landing. Azzarello did not know why it took more than a year to bring charges, but said there was DNA testing that took months to complete. Meanwhile, he wonders if there might have been other victims. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) Twenty-seven politicians who were tagged in the Presidents narco list were elected into office from the midterm polls, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief said Monday. P/Gen. Oscar Albayalde did not name names but said some were elected as governors and mayors in Central Luzon and CALABARZON. Out of 47 na nasa narco list, 37 ang tumakbo, 27 ang nanalo, Albayalde told the media. [Translation: Out of 47 who were in the narco list, there were 37 who ran for office, and 27 who won.] He said investigation on these people will continue if new developments come up. Continuous 'yung pag-iimbestiga sa kanila and as the [Interior Secretary] have said pag meron nakitang ebidensya laban sa kanila, they will be filing cases both criminal and administrative, he said. [Translation: The investigation against them is continuous and as the Interior Secretary has said, if they see evidence against them, they will be filing cases both criminal and administrative.] Senator Richard Gordon called for an investigation on the victory of these supposed drug-linked politicians. He urged the COMELEC, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Internal Revenue, National Bureau of Investigation and PNP to launch a joint probe on vote-buying incidents related to the campaigns of the accused. While vote-buying may have become commonplace to some people, the inordinate, flagrant and scandalous vote-buying in areas where the narco-politicians won must be investigated, Gordon said in a statement. He also cited possible conspiracies between corrupt candidates to secure their positions and to ensure posts for their family members. He claimed that Zambales First District Representative Jeffrey Khonghun and his son Mayor Jefferson Khonghun, who were both tagged in the narco list, engaged in massive vote-buying during the elections. It is dangerous for us now because Zambales is a coastline province right next to Scarborough Shoals. It would be so easy to bring in drugs, Gordon warned. President Rodrigo Duterte named 46 people from a list of over 80 alleged narco politicians in March, from vice mayor to representative. The Interior Department said the list has been validated in coordination with the PNP, the military and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency. HOBOKEN The City Council has scrapped a plan to build a Hilton Hotel along the Hoboken waterfront, and officials are working to draw up a new deal amid a lawsuit that challenges the legality of millions of dollars in community givebacks from the developer. The governing body unanimously voted to void the deal on Wednesday. The redevelopment plan would have seen a 20-story story Hilton Hotel built on the corner of Newark Street and Marine View Place, and would have fully rehabilitated the city's historic Frank Sinatra Post Office. Now it's back to the drawing board. "Hoboken is 100% committed to a deal to bring a hotel to Hoboken that includes critical givebacks to our community," Mayor Ravi Bhalla said. "While we strongly disagree with the ruling from the lower court judge, the City is moving forward with an amended deal that will provide unprecedented benefits to Hoboken." Bhalla in November touted the deal as truly history making in that it allowed the city government to leverage the redevelopment process to inject private money to support public education for both the traditional public schools and charter schools. More than $4 million was earmarked in the deal from the developer, KMS Development Partners, to be used by the city for infrastructure upgrades as well as to be dispersed among several entities, including the Hoboken Public Education Foundation (HPEF), Hoboken Community Center (HCC), and charter schools. I am putting developers on notice: if you want the opportunity to do business in the city, we expect union labor, and generous community givebacks, he said at the time. But two companies located near the Hilton site, Hoboken Land Building and 2 Hudson Place, filed a lawsuit in November asking Hudson County Superior Court Judge Anthony V. DElia to nullify the plan. The suit called the community givebacks a blatant quid pro quo. The city, the council and KMS were listed as defendants in the suit. In a March 26 ruling, DElia wrote that requiring money in exchange for planning amendments create an unacceptable possibility for abuse and fraud. KMS and the city are now in the final stages of negotiations for an amended plan, one that will soon be presented to the council, city spokesman Vijay Chaudhuri said adding that the monetary value of the givebacks remain the same, but where the funding will be spent remains to be identified. The status of the lawsuit is unclear. When reached by phone, the plaintiffs attorney, Paul Schneider, said well see what happens next. Officials with KMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. If built, the Hilton would be the Mile Square Citys second waterfront hotel. The W Hotel on River Street stands at 27 stories overlooking the Hudson River. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @cwmcdonald_. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Raritan Valley Community College awarded associate degrees and certificates to more than 1,300 at its commencement held Saturday at the colleges Branchburg campus. Clint Wallace, Sanofi senior vice president of Human Resources, North America, and Global Head of HR, Digital and Analytics, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree during the ceremony. The program featured RVCC student commencement speaker Aya Younes of Piscataway, formerly of Branchburg. Check out photos from Raritan Valley Community Colleges spring commencement Younes was born in the United States, and she and her family moved to Fez, Morocco, when she was 3. She moved back to the United States in January 2017 and started at RVCC taking ESL classes, quickly progressing to the colleges Honors College in fall 2018. She is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, double-majoring in Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Medical Professional. While at RVCC, Younes has been a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and served as vice president of the Muslim Student Association and vice president of the ESL Club. She has received several honors, including RVCCs Academic Award for Pre-Pharmacy and the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund Graduate Achievement Award. Younes will be attending the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University this fall on a full scholarship. Bick Treut of Somerville, professor of Communication Studies, delivered the faculty commencement address. Treut, who is in his 17th year with the college, assisted in developing RVCCs Digital Media/Film Studies program. Before teaching, he was senior partner for 20 years at a small advertising and marketing consultancy and was a reporter at the Hunterdon County Democrat for two years. Treut received a bachelor of science in Radio/TV Production from Emerson College and a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Ohio University. He is pursuing his doctorate in General Psychology at Capella University. The other graduates speaking during the ceremony included Sakshi Kulshrestha of Montgomery, who introduced the commencement speaker, and David Iglesia of Branchburg. After immigrating to the United States from New Delhi, India, in May 2016, Kulshrestha found a sense of belonging at RVCC, became a leader on campus, and was active with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Student Government Association, Rotaract and Enactus. An Honors College student with a 4.0 grade point average, she was selected for the prestigious Sanofi Corporate Mentorship Program at RVCC. Kulshrestha received the Academic Award for Business Administration - General Business. EDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive and premium weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue. The New Jersey Legislature will soon vote on a major expansion of the states medical marijuana program after the bill advanced out of two committees on Monday, and state Assembly lawmakers could vote as early as Thursday. The measure would create a regulatory commission to oversee the Garden States medical marijuana industry, removing administration of the program from the state Department of Health. It would also increase the number of medical marijuana providers, giving patients more places they could buy cannabis. Some other provisions in the plan remain to be seen. The medical marijuana bill has received significant amendments in the past several days, and the most recent version of the bill was not publicly available on Monday. Those changes will be reported as soon as theyre available. Committees in the state Senate and Assembly easily approved the bill, giving state legislators the chance to expand the program after years of delays. Most recently, medical marijuana expansion was slowed because it was tied to legalization. But the effort to legalize weed in New Jersey officially died last week, at least for the time being, freeing the medical marijuana expansion to move forward. Lawmakers have wasted little time, with the Assembly scheduled to vote on the bill on Thursday. The Senate cancelled a vote on Thursday but is expected to have a voting session next week. Under Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jerseys medical marijuana program has grown to more than 46,000 patients, up roughly 30,000 from when he took office. Yet the industry remains small. Only six providers are operating in the state, leaving many patients in a medical marijuana desert. Murphy moved last year to double the size of the program and the Health Department chose six additional providers. But no new licenses have been issued and no new businesses have opened, as the selection process remains held up in lawsuits. Responding to the failure of lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana, Murphy last week issued new regulations for the medical marijuana program, including the ability for the Health Department to issue separate permits for marijuana growers, processors and sellers. The law now requires licensed businesses to do all three. The medical marijuana expansion bill is expected to do even more to grow the program. Lawmakers are expected to pass the bill, since medical marijuana has broad support in the Legislature. Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. EDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive and premium weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue. A plan to stop low-level marijuana arrests in New Jersey got a big boost on Monday, as a state Assembly committee advanced the bill to the full chamber. But social justice advocates arent dancing in the halls of the Statehouse just yet, because the measure has not even been considered in the state Senate. Assembly officials said they are open to tweaking the plan in order to assuage uneasy lawmakers. NJ Advance Media reported Friday that legislators were considering a plan that would decriminalize the possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana. Rather than getting arrested, people caught with that amount of weed would get a $50 fine, similar to a parking ticket. Other marijuana charges would also be reduced under the bill, though they would still be considered criminal offenses. The bill also would allow people with past marijuana convictions to more quickly and easily clear their records. For a while on Monday it seemed like the decriminalization plan wasnt going to be considered. The bill was scheduled to be heard by both the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee, but it was removed from the Judiciary Committee. Assembly officials seemed resigned to hearing the bill another day, but, seemingly out of nowhere, the Appropriations Committee decided to vote, and the committee passed the bill. Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, D-Union, the bills prime sponsor, said more discussions are needed before the bill could pass. The bill essentially took the social justice components of the legal weed bill, she said, and put them into a new plan. Because it came together so quickly last week, all of the details havent been resolved, she said. When asked when she thought the decriminalization bill would return for discussion, Quijano was non-committal other than to say she thought it would be considered before the end of June. Quijano and others in the Assembly have been careful not to call the plan a decriminalization bill, even though it would decriminalize low-level marijuana possession. She called it a regrading bill, since it also reduces the crimes for a lot of marijuana charges. Decriminalization has become a loaded word in Trenton, so that could explain the tiptoeing by Quijano and others. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said last week he would not consider decriminalization, and on Monday he said he remained leery of the idea. If you decriminalize it, you basically legalize the guy on the corner selling this stuff, Sweeney said at an unrelated event on Monday. But Sweeney added that he was open to looking at decriminalization plans. State Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Essex, has been pressuring Sweeney to consider his decriminalization plan, which Rice introduced last year. It so far has gotten a chilly reception in the Senate and has not been considered. Rice still favors his own plan for marijuana decriminalization, he said Monday, but he wants to work with Quijano and others in the Legislature to tighten up the decriminalization language. A lot changed with Quijanos decriminalization bill since Friday, when NJ Advance Media reported that both the state Assembly and Senate would consider it as a part of the larger expungement bill. That never came to pass, and a Senate committee on Monday morning didnt discuss decriminalization, even though both chambers of the Legislature advanced a broad expungement reform bill. Committees in the Senate and the Assembly also advanced a bill to greatly expand the states medical marijuana program. A vote on that plan could happen as early as this week. But no action has been taken on marijuana-specific expungement or weed decriminalization by the Senate, and after Mondays inaction, its uncertain if lawmakers in that chamber will move on those issues. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this story. Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. For the second time this month, Trenton police officers arrested a murder suspect moments after a killing on a city street. At about 7:20 p.m. Saturday police were sent to Hart Avenue in East Trenton for a shooting, where 911 callers said a man had been shot in the stomach, and the shooter was walking away with a sawed-off shotgun, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office said. The Street Crimes Unit got there first, and found Willie West, 69, of Ewing, mortally wounded in the street, the office said. Moments later, they found Sam E. Burks, 66, of Trenton, with a shotgun, and he was arrested without further incident. West later died at a Trenton hospital, and the prosecutors Mercer County Homicide Task Force later charged Burks with murder and firearms possession. The preliminary investigation found the two men had an argument, prosecutors spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio said, and Burks allegedly left, then returned with the gun and shot West. Burks was being held Sunday at the Mercer County jail pending court appearances. On May 7, the Street Crimes Unit came across a shooting in progress at Stuyvesant and Hoffman avenues in the citys West Ward and arrested Hamilton Morgan, 38, after a brief foot chase. Morgan is charged with killing 30-year-old Maurice Rowe. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Belmar residents could be hit by yet another tsunami even after the borough is drained of the 100,000 shrimp and lobster lovers that flooded the annual seafood festival. Belmars next seismic wave could come Tuesday night, when the Borough Council is scheduled to adopt a 2019 municipal budget that contains a 21.7% hike in the local tax levy, a figure that would cost the owner of a home assessed at $500,000 an additional $422 a year borough property taxes. The budget includes a $1.44 million increase in the levy the amount raised through property taxes to $8.08 million for 2019 from $6.64 million last year. Apart from the proposed tax hike, the $16.62 million budget would raise overall spending by $1.33 million, or 8.4%, from $15.33 million in 2018. The 2019 budget is the first under Belmars new Republican mayor, Mark Walsifer, who now leads a 4-1 majority on borough council following a GOP victory in last Novembers election. The anticipated tax hike is in stark contrast to the eight straight years of level taxes under former Mayor Matt Doherty, who stepped down last year after being named by Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, to head the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. And in a reversal of traditional political stereotypes, Democrats are criticizing the Republican mayor and GOP-led council for what they say are excessive tax and spending increases. This 21.7% tax increase is a declaration of war on the middle class, said Maggie McBride, a Democrat running for one of two Republican-held council seats up for election in November. Belmar's first budget under Mayor Mark Walsifer includes an 8.4% increase in spending and a 21.7% hike in the local tax levy.Borough of Belmar The tax increase was not put to a vote by residents, and therefore would seem to fly in the face of a 2010 amendment to state budget law capping increases in the local tax levy at 2% annually unless approved by referendum. But the amended cap law, signed by former Republican Gov. Chris Christie during his first year in office, contains a loophole known as the cap bank, which essentially allows municipalities to exceed the 2% maximum increase by the total amount their budgets had fallen below the cap during the previous three years. The budget contained herewith is within the limits imposed by this law, states a footnote on sheet 3C of the budget. A review of the 2018 and 2019 line item comparisons indicated the most significant changes included a $225,000 increase in legal fees; $75,000 more for engineering; $375,000 in additional salary and wages, about half of that for police; $97,800 more in pension benefits; and $64,000 more for events." Borough Administrator Edward Kirshenbaum declined to discuss details of the budget on Friday, other than to insist that talk of a 21.7% tax hike was inaccurate and to blame the previous administration for creating the need for a significant tax increase this year by refusing to impose any increases at all for nearly a decade. They do not want to raise taxes, Kirshenbaum said of the mayor and council. But there has not been a tax increase for 8 years, and you cannot continue to take from surplus and think thats okay. Kirshenbaum declined to elaborate on what he meant by take from surplus, or to detail or explain the budgets $1.33 million increase in spending. Instead, he noted that the boroughs chief financial officer and its auditor would be at Tuesday nights budget hearing to answer any questions on the budget. The mayor and fellow GOP council members James McCracken and Tom Carvelli did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Neither did the councils lone democrat, Tom Brennan. Councilwoman Pat Wann, a Republican, referred questions to Kirshenbaum. There is a line item in every municipal budget known as the reserve for uncollected taxes, which, as its name suggests, is money set aside to cover any shortfall created by local property owners failure to pay their tax bills fully or on time. Under that line item, the 2019 budget does set aside more in reserve than in previous year, at $510,314 compared to $466,590 for 2018. Doherty defended his record of no tax increases, attributing the achievement to shared service agreements and other cost-saving measures, rather than any depletion of borough reserves. He blasted the new administrations proposed 21.7% tax hike as indefensible." Their assertions of previous depletion of reserves is inaccurate and their own budget shows significant increases in spending. Clearly the reason why theyre raising taxes is because theyre increasing spending, McBride and her Democratic running mate, Cheri Russo, will likely face Republican incumbents McCracken and Carvello in this Novembers election, following their uncontested primary next month. A victory for both would swing control of the council back to Democrats, with a 3-2 majority. Russo said one example of Republicans excessive spending was Kirshenbaums new taxpayer-funded car, which she found hard to justify in a borough measuring all of one square mile. You could go on a bicycle, Russo said. I dont know what theyre thinking, in all honesty. Asked whether he cared to respond to Russos criticism of his new perc, Kirshenbaums answer was a model of efficiency. No, he said. Belmar's former Democratic mayor, Matt Doherty, said blaming him for this year's proposed tax hike was an attempt by Republicans to dodge responsibility for increasing spending.Andrew Miller | For NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Dear Annie: Im having a hard time trying to keep in touch with my boarding school friends. We went our separate ways after graduating high school and were adamant about keeping in touch. Lately, I feel like we are drifting apart because Im always the one having to reach out. And whenever I try to see if we can FaceTime or talk, they come up with excuses. I guess Im frustrated because Im always making the effort -- from reaching out to being the one to fly up and visit. I miss back in high school when wed always hang out. -- Boarding School Friendships Dear Boarding School Friendships: Youre a good friend, putting in extra effort to keep in touch. But all that extra effort is making you sore. Give yourself a rest. Go out and meet some new people: Strangers are just friends waiting to happen, after all, and late adolescence and early adulthood -- the period youre in now -- is one of the absolute best times for forming lifelong friendships. As for your boarding school pals: You might find that you eventually fall back into a rhythm with them and pick up like no time has passed. Some friendships are like that. Or you might continue to grow in different directions. That's OK, too. It doesn't change the fact that at one point your roots were intertwined and you did some serious growing together. You'll always be a part of one another's stories. Dear Annie: My family just recently moved from our home of 16 years. Our former home was on a flag lot, on a cul-de-sac mostly filled with retirees. It was VERY quiet and not a little isolated, since you couldnt see our house from the street. Now we live right on a street, as you commonly picture a house. (Our 5-year-old dog is going crazy because hes not used to seeing ANYONE else other than us, and now he sees every dog and/or person that walks by.) We also now live a few blocks away from a middle school, so it is much more lively and full of possible friends for our kids and us than the old neighborhood was. Id desperately love to make friends, but I dont know how. What should I do, and what are the signs indicating the other person is politely done? -- Sheepish in Vancouver Dear Sheepish: It sounds as though your pup isnt the only one having trouble adjusting. We humans are creatures of habit. It takes time to adapt to new routines. While there are a few different threads in your letter, it seems the underlying fabric is social anxiety. Know that 1) many people around you are as eager to find friends as you are, and 2) no one is as at ease as he or she seems. Taking up group-oriented hobbies is one way to make friends in adulthood. Meetup.com is a great way to network with people in your town and meet up with them for shared activities. As for your question of how to know when someone is done with a conversation, the following list from SocialPro.com covers a lot of the bases. If someone is doing any of these, it's a signal they're ready to wrap things up: --Checking their phone. --Looking at their watch. --Acting distracted. --Packing up their things/preparing to leave. --Standing up when they were previously sitting. --Focusing on other people/things in the room (instead of you). --Fiddling (shifting weight from one foot to the other, messing with their hair, etc.). "Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie" is out now! Annie Lane's debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM Drew University was founded by a devout Methodist. Its seminary has trained generations of top Methodist leaders and its campus houses the official archives of the United Methodist Church. But Drew officials say they are rethinking the New Jersey universitys ties to the United Methodist Church after a controversial move by the church to ban same-sex marriage and gay clergy. As those charged with honoring and advancing the rich legacy of Drew University, we have watched the developments taking place within the United Methodist Church with grave concern," the universitys board of trustees said in a statement released Monday. The trustees stopped short of saying the private university would break ties with the United Methodist Church. But they said the relationship with the church has been severely undermined and they are closely evaluating the partnership. In February, the United Methodist Church approved a plan that strengthens bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ pastors. Delegates voted 438 to 384 in favor of the controversial policy after days of debate at a conference in Saint Louis. The policy caused a deep divide in the church, with some congregations threatening to withhold their dues to the United Methodist Church. Some Methodists threatened to split from the main organization. Drew University officials said they will continue to welcome gay students on their 2,000-student campus in Madison and the school will not enforce any of the churchs anti-gay policies. The university will not support or enforce church policies that discriminate against anyone," Drews statement said. We will continue to educate and train leaders from all backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities for leadership in the church and world. We will also continue to closely evaluate our relationship with the United Methodist Church, supporting efforts that seek to develop new expressions of Methodism. Campus officials called it a sad time for the university, but expressed hope that a more inclusive form of Methodism would emerge. Other Methodist colleges have expressed their unhappiness with the new policies on same-sex marriage and gay clergy. The board of trustees at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio voted unanimously in April to split from the church. Ohio Wesleyan University recently announced it is taking a one-year pause in its relationship with the United Methodist Church. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A New Jersey pastor shut down his website and deleted his social media accounts over the weekend after he was accused of running an international network that has given up to 50,000 people in Uganda a bogus cure for HIV, malaria and other diseases. The miracle" cure, given to babies as young as 14 months old in the poor African nation, is allegedly made with industrial bleach, according to a story published Saturday by the Guardian in London. Robert Baldwin, a pastor from Burlington County, denied he is distributing bleach and said he is being demonized by people who do not understand the science behind the natural medicines he says can cure the worlds deadliest diseases. He was forced to disable his Global Healing Christian Missions website and social media sites after the Guardian story was published, he said. I had to shut everything down. Im getting hate e-mail. People are calling me Satan, Baldwin told NJ Advance Media. All I wanted to do is help people using natural healing therapies." US pastor runs network giving 50,000 Ugandans bleach-based miracle cure. group led by Robert Baldwin and part-funded by Sam Little claims toxic fluid will eradicate HIV/Aids and other diseases. | Uganda | The Guardian https://t.co/DBxpXT83tR AfroAtheist (@Afro_Atheist) May 18, 2019 Global Healing was a Christian non-profit group based in New Jersey that partnered with churches, primarily in Uganda, to promote natural healing techniques, according to the groups now deleted Facebook page. Baldwin was the groups founder and president. Global Healing promoted a miracle mineral solution, known as MMS, that proponents say can cure cancer, malaria, HIV and AIDS, according to the report in the Guardian. Critics say MMS is actually a toxic mix of sodium chlorite and citric acid, chemicals that produce chlorine dioxide, a type of bleach used in textile manufacturing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned ingesting MMS can lead to severe nausea, vomiting and life-threatening low blood pressure from dehydration. Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately and throw it away, according to the FDA, which says it will pursue criminal or civil charges to protect he public from the dangerous product. Baldwin denied he was promoting MMS or any cure containing bleach. But he repeatedly declined to say exactly what was in the cure Global Healing was promoting in Africa. Its so confusing to the average person, Baldwin, 52, told NJ Advance Media. Im not giving any more ammunition (to critics)." Baldwin imported the components of MMS, sodium chlorite and citric acid, from China and sent them to a network of 1,200 clerics he trained in Uganda, according to the Guardians investigation. The African church officials distributed the cure to congregants, including after Sunday services. The U.S. Mission is aware of reports that an American pastor based remotely is distributing a substance called Miracle Mineral Solution to churches in Uganda. We strongly condemn the distribution of this substance, which is extremely dangerous and is NOT a cure for any disease. U.S. Mission Uganda (@usmissionuganda) May 20, 2019 A video posted online shows babies and young children as they drink a yellow solution, reportedly containing MMS, from plastic cups in a rural Ugandan hospital. The video is narrated by Sam Little, a British man living in Uganda who told the Guardian he helped partially fund Baldwins network with a $10,000 donation to distribute the miracle cure. A ministry of health official in Uganda told the Guardian the government will investigate the alleged distribution of MMS at the hospital after viewing the video. Baldwin denied he was personally responsible for distributing any miracle cure in Uganda. I just educate. I dont treat anybody, Baldwin told NJ Advance Media. He declined to discuss how a New Jersey-based pastor became connected to ministers in Africa, except to say that he is part of a network of Christians around the world. Baldwin said his Global Healing Christian Missions group is not connected to any church in New Jersey. Im just a small person trying to raise awareness of natural healing, he said. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Asbestos, which most people falsely assume has already been banned, still causes thousands of deaths a year. A study last year found nearly 40,000 Americans die annually from diseases related to its exposure more than gun violence or traffic accidents. Government regulators seemed poised to ban it for good. Then President Trump got elected. Our safety now rests in the delicate hands of a man whos called routine vaccinations dangerous, and heavily restricted asbestos 100 percent safe. Rest easy, kids. In fact, asbestos is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in America. But dont tell that to the federal agency whose mission it is to protect our health, which Trump has stocked with powerful industry insiders. They are even considering a rule change that could allow new uses of asbestos and in the meantime, are allowing it to be legally used in construction. Asbestos is not just found in new building materials, like cement. If you go to an auto parts store, you could unknowingly buy brake pads made of asbestos. Theyre imported, and theres no restriction on importing asbestos. Scientists have even found it in tween makeup kits sold at the mall. Now Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey is fighting to do what the Trump administration will not: Ban asbestos, period. More than 60 countries have done so, yet not the United States. Pallones bill would also have the Environmental Protection Agency do a full assessment of where the old asbestos still lurks in our buildings. We know its there, because insulators who began work after asbestos installation was phased out in the U.S. are still showing a very high incidence of asbestos-related diseases, their union testified. One insulator who started his trade in 1993 died recently, at age of 45. Elevated levels of asbestos fibers were found in his lungs. Guys like him are bringing asbestos home on their clothes which is how Heather Von St. James learned shed contracted a rare and deadly cancer caused by asbestos at age 36, right after her first and only child was born. Her father handled asbestos and would come home each day covered in a greyish white dust, she recalled. Internal memos show scientists at the EPA wanted to ban asbestos outright, but were ignored. Instead, Trumps EPA decided that when it assesses the risk, it will exclude any exposure to asbestos thats already been installed. A huge omission. A worker who handles new asbestos in cement could also suffer exposure from the old home he just demolished. Both affect the body. Without considering the cumulative risk, you dont have a credible risk assessment. This approach also violates the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenbergs chemical safety law, which means that we can expect to find ourselves right back where we started in five years or so, after this gets kicked back by the court. But Trump doesnt think like a scientist or lawyer. He thinks like a super trustworthy real estate developer, who argues he shouldnt have to pay to have asbestos removed, because its the best damn fire retardant out there while fighting a policy that requires him to retrofit his high-rises with fire sprinklers, because it will cost him. What matters is not public safety, or irony. Its money. Now that he is president, Trump brings the same attitude to the EPA. And, as always, there is a Russia connection. Vladimir Putin has campaigned to promote the use of asbestos. This even predates the Russian asbestos company that stamped Trumps face on its products, because, Trump is on our side. He is making asbestos great again. You wonder if the MAGA-hats, some of whom work construction and live in old houses, really had that in mind. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Seemingly out of nowhere last Monday night, Jersey City school board President Sudhan Thomas pulled quite a rabbit out of his hat. In an effort to bridge a budget gap and save the jobs of hundreds of teachers and other employees, Thomas said the Board of Educations Claremont Avenue headquarters would be sold, raising enough money to save all but 100 jobs. Such budgetary sleight of hand, especially coming in the seventh hour of a nine-hour meeting, is concerning. First, we wonder how solid the suggestion is, leaving us with so many questions: Will the board really be able to pull this off? And, if so, will the money come in time to fill the current budget hole? If this were a real plan that the district had been considering moving the board offices to School 40 and the School 40 students to School 41 -- where was the open public discussion prior to last Mondays vote? Why send layoff notices if you think you have a plan? Why wait until nearly everyone has left a public meeting to announce it? Second, we worry that even it if is successful, it shows the kind of crisis decision-making that cant be sustained. Third, with a revolving door of board members these past few months four of the nine members have quit with one still to be replaced we worry that the board is too much in flux to be effective. Lastly, as we have worried before, where is the transparency with the current board? In addition to the late-hour timing, after Thomas made the proposal, soon-to-be-former board member Matt Schapiro attempted to ask a question regarding the Claremont Avenue buildings appraisal. Citing upcoming contracts, Thomas immediately called the question, ending debate and shutting out discussion of a very important point. Within the span of a few months, Thomas and his allies have used ugly tactics to toss aside Superintendent of Schools Marcia Lyles, pulled together a contract with the teachers union, and passed a questionable budget. At the same time, the city has successfully implemented a payroll tax to get some dollars flowing to the schools. Thomas or someone else on the board needs to step up now and show true leadership. No more behind-the-scenes jockeying. No more surprises. Then, the full board needs to work together to devise a comprehensive, sustainable fiscal plan. The school districts lawsuit attempting to change the state aid formula and restore hundreds of millions of dollars the Department of Education plans to cut from Jersey City over the next six years may or may not be successful. It cant be counted on to balance upcoming budgets. When a Warwick, New York man fatally overdosed on $50 worth of heroin three years ago, prosecutors in New York and New Jersey said in a joint announcement they had charged the couple that sold him the drugs, as well as their dealer, with the mans death. It was a unique criminal case. The drugs came from New Jersey, where dealers can be charged with homicide when their product causes a fatal overdose. New York has no such law. But the New Jersey Supreme Court on Monday ruled prosecutors overstepped their authority in bringing drug-induced death charges against Anthony Potts, Noel Ferguson and the couples alleged dealer, Shameik Byrd. In a unanimous ruling, the states seven justices found the trio could not be held criminally responsible for a death that occurred across state lines. A spokeswoman for the Attorney Generals Office, which brought the charges, declined to comment on the decision. According to court records, 25-year-old Kean Cabral fatally overdosed in April 2016, and authorities in New York and New Jersey jointly investigated his death as part of a regional task force aimed at stemming heroin dealing in the northeast. They soon determined that Potts and Ferguson, a romantic couple, had allegedly purchased drugs from Byrd in Paterson, a Passaic County city known as a regional hub for cheap heroin, and sold some of their haul to Cabral. Laws empowering authorities to charge drug dealers in connection to their customers deaths have been on the books in New Jersey and several other states for decades, and have increasingly been invoked by prosecutors grappling with spiking opioid overdose deaths. They are sometimes referred to as drug-induced death or strict-liability murder statutes, and prosecutors say they are a useful deterrent and a way to put drug dealers behind bars. But those laws have also drawn criticism in recent years from drug reform advocates, who contend a tool meant for law enforcement to go after major distributors is too often used against drug users who sell small quantities to friends in order to support their own habit. In the Warwick case, a trial court judge dismissed the drug-induced death charges against Potts and Ferguson and upheld the charges against Byrd because he allegedly sold the drugs in New Jersey that eventually caused a fatal overdose in New York. The state Attorney Generals Office challenged that ruling, but an appellate court decided against the state, bringing the case before the Supreme Court. Writing for that court, Justice Barry Albin said none of the three could be charged with the death, finding the New Jersey attorney general does not have territorial jurisdiction to bring such charges in a case involving an overdose in New York. In a statement on behalf of public defender Margaret McLane, who represented Byrd, Assistant Public Defender Joseph Russo said when the state Legislature passed New Jerseys strict liability law in the late 1980s, they never intended it to apply to deaths outside of New Jersey. Michael Montanari, who represented Potts, told NJ Advance Media in a phone interview that his client had been a drug user, not a drug dealer, who was accused of going to Paterson to buy drugs for his own use and selling a small quantity to his friend at Cabrals request. Cabrals death was a tragedy, he said, but the drug-induced death statute was intended to go after major dealers, not just friends sharing drugs. The strict-liability death statute has a purpose, and thats understood, but its not meant for people like like Anthony Potts," he said, adding that his client spent two years in jail until the appeals court ruling last year. The justices ruling threw out the drug-induced death charges, but the trio still faces additional charges for possession and distribution. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. For months, a political group with close ties to Gov. Phil Murphy has refused to reveal its donors despite pleas from both the governor and New Jerseys top state lawmaker. Now we know at least one of the contributors. The New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, donated $2.5 million to New Direction New Jersey, a nonprofit that promotes Murphys agenda, according to a report Monday by Politico New Jersey. The news drew a sarcastic response from state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a fellow Democrat who often clashes with Murphy and has a history of bad blood with the NJEA. Im aghast, Sweeney, D-Gloucester, joked to NJ Advance Media on Monday. Insiders have long suspected the NJEA which spent millions in an unsuccessful bid to oust Sweeney in 2017 was among the donors. The union publicly supported Murphy, an unabashedly pro-labor progressive Democrat, in the 2017 governors race. Sweeney called on New Direction to reveal its contributors last year after it began running ads promoting Murphy during a state budget battle between the governor and top lawmakers. The group which is run by former Murphy campaign aides is one of many dark money groups that are not required by law to disclose donors. Initially, New Direction said it would release its contributors by the end of 2018. But the group went back on that vow, citing increased attacks from powerful special interests seeking to preserve the status quo in recent months." Sweeney faced criticism around the same time because Public Service Electric & Gas mistakenly donated $55,000 to General Majority a super PAC aligned with his ally, South Jersey power broker George Norcross only months after the state Legislature passed a nuclear subsidy plan that benefited the company, according to news reports. That donation became known only because General Majority has to reveal its donors under law. It would not have been made public if PSEG gave to General Growth Fund, a 501(c)4 organization that supports Sweeney. All the drama sparked legislation to require dark money" groups in New Jersey to reveal the identity of their biggest donors. The bill overwhelmingly passed the Democratic-controlled state Legislature. But Murphy recently rejected it with a conditional veto, suggesting changes instead. Sweeney says hes open to overriding the governors veto. Politico said Mike Lilley, a longtime opponent of the NJEA, found the donation in meeting minutes from the union in January 2018. The NJEA told the website in a statement that it did make the contribution. NJEA members endorsed Gov. Murphy and are working hard to help advance his agenda on public education, workers rights and the well being of children and families, union spokesperson Steve Baker said. NJEA members choose to support New Direction New Jersey because we want to help bring that agenda to fruition. It is important that progressive voices are heard when these important issues are being discussed in New Jersey. The NJEA did not immediately return a message from NJ Advance Media seeking comment. Murphys office deferred comment to New Direction. A spokesperson for the group, Philip Swibinski, said in a statement that New Direction is proud to have received support from the New Jersey Education Association because we share many of the same goals, from increasing funding for public schools to making sure teachers receive the respect and financial support they deserve and were all too often denied" under the administration of former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican. As we have said previously, our organization is abiding by all state and federal disclosure laws and will continue to do so," Swibinski said. Sweeney said Monday he was irked by the donation. Im bothered the governor is so connected to a point where it really affects the decisions for the people of New Jersey, the Senate president said during an editorial board meeting with The Star-Ledger in Newark. I respect teachers. I like teachers. I dont think their membership appreciates the kind of money (the union is) spending, to be honest with you. As for the dark money bill, Murphys office said the governors suggestions strengthen the bill. Sweeney said hes open to attempting to override Murphys veto if the Senates Democratic caucus wants one. At some point, were gonna be treated as partners, Sweeney said. "At what point do we as Democrats say enough? Murphy last year also called on New Direction to make the donors public. Sweeney dismissed the idea Murphy cant get New Direction to do so, noting that Brendan Gill Murphys close adviser former campaign manager helped form the group. They cant get Brendan to do something? Sweeney asked. "Come on. The NJEA was angered by Sweeney after he refused to place a ballot question before voters asking them if theyd approve regular required payments into the states severely underfunded public-worker pensions system. The union then backed a Republican opponent against Sweeney in his 2017 re-election bid and spent millions to try and beat the Senate president. Sweeney had the help of a super PAC and the dark money group with ties to Norcross, the power broker. Sweeney said he was irked that Murphy didnt do enough to tell the NJEA to back off in the election. Privately, Murphy allies stress that the governor openly campaigned for Sweeney. But that helped make the relationship between Murphy and Sweeney the two most powerful elected state officials in New Jersey tense. Things have gotten even worse lately as a task force convened by Murphy investigates whether tax breaks doled out during Christies tenure were abused. Among the targets are four companies with ties to Norcross. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Over the last three years, 21 people have formally complained of excessive force by police officers in Elizabeth, 16 have made allegations of wrongful arrests, entry and searches, and 10 have accused cops of committing various crimes, records show. During that same period, Elizabeth officers were charged with sex assault, beating a handcuffed man and driving drunk, among other wrongdoing that led to indictments and at least one guilty plea. Yet in 2016, 2017 and 2018, according to data obtained by NJ Advance Media, internal investigators at the troubled city department did not substantiate a single claim of serious wrongdoing by police. Authorities say the internal affairs numbers, which are required to be compiled under state attorney general guidelines, dont tell the whole story partly because the gravest allegations get referred outside the department for a criminal investigation, putting any internal inquiry on hold. Still, civil rights activists in Elizabeth say for years, police have failed to properly investigate their complaints, sometimes going so far as to intimidate residents who tried to report problem officers. Confronted with the data, city officials pointed fingers at each other. Mayor Chris Bollwage blamed Police Chief John Brennan, accusing internal investigators of playing favorites in their inquiries. Brennan defended his internal investigators and countered that his former boss, Police Director James Cosgrove a Bollwage ally and fundraiser who recently resigned amid allegations he used racist and sexist slurs was the one who interfered in internal affairs. Meanwhile the Union County Prosecutors Office, which took over internal affairs functions at the department in April amid mounting complaints, has pledged reforms at the 300-officer department, which serves New Jerseys fourth-largest city, one of the most diverse places in the state. Acting Prosecutor Jennifer Davenport told citizens at a community meeting last week her office was doing a deep dive to overhaul internal investigations and workplace culture. Our review of the Elizabeth Police Departments internal affairs functions remains in its earliest stages, and as such, it would be premature to make any definitive assessment," Davenport told NJ Advance Media in a statement when asked whether she found the citys internal affairs numbers credible. However, we are fully confident that this process will result in substantive improvements to the fashion in which complaints are received and adjudicated. The promises for change follow the ouster of Cosgrove, who led the department for more than two decades until an inquiry by the prosecutors office found he had for years berated staff with racist and sexist slurs, prompting the states top law enforcement official, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to call for his removal. Bollwage, the mayor, has yet to publicly address the allegations against Cosgrove other than to accept his resignation after discussing the prosecutors probe with the attorney general. He also did not respond to a list of questions from NJ Advance Media about the internal affairs data, instead providing a brief statement laying the blame on Brennan, the departments top sworn officer, who answered directly to Cosgrove. Bollwage said he raised many of the same issues (regarding internal affairs) as well as others with the attorney general. The mayor claimed he asked Grewal to remove Brennan and change the IA leadership, citing favoritism by internal investigators and saying under state rules he lacked the authority to intervene. A spokeswoman for the attorney general declined to comment on that request. SERIOUS COMPLAINTS UNHEEDED Last year, NJ Advance Media released The Force Report, a never-before-seen database of police use of force records, which showed how often officers reported using compliance holds, punches, kicks and even their guns in the line of duty over a five-year period, from 2012 to 2016. Police in Elizabeth reported using force at a rate higher than 90 percent of New Jersey police departments, including those serving larger cities such as Newark, Jersey City and Paterson. Following Cosgroves ouster, NJ Advance Media requested internal investigation summary reports for the city going back three years under the state Open Public Records Act. Police internal affairs records are largely kept secret in New Jersey, meaning all but the most egregious cases of police misconduct are withheld from public view. The summary reports do not identify individual officers or complainants, instead outlining the number and general nature of complaints, as well as whether they were upheld, disproven or thrown out for lack of evidence. Between 2016 and 2018, the internal affairs office fielded 246 complaints of wrongdoing by Elizabeth cops, sustaining 54 of them, the data shows. But 47 of those cases were categorized as rule violations and the remaining seven pertained to officers demeanor." Complaints over rule-breaking are more likely to come from within the department, while complaints of excessive force or wrongful arrest are more likely to come from citizens and those arrested by police, experts say. There is also not an exact match between complaints made and the outcomes of investigations, because internal inquiries can often span calendar years. In fact, during the three-year period NJ Advance Media examined, the Elizabeth internal affairs office exonerated cops in more excessive force cases than it took in, logging 22 exonerations compared to 21 complaints. The data also doesnt reflect some of the gravest allegations against Elizabeth police officers, though officials counter theres good reason for that. Dig into the numbers and you wont find rookie cop Samaad I. Bethea, who was indicted in February on charges he sexually assaulted a woman last year. Or Officer Edward Shields, who was indicted last year on simple assault charges for allegedly beating a handcuffed suspect in police headquarters in an incident recorded on a body camera. Assistant Prosecutor John Esmerado, the county prosecutors investigations supervisor, told NJ Advance Media there can be a lag between when a complaint is made and when the outcome is logged in the internal affairs summaries, particularly when the allegations result in a criminal probe, which puts the internal one on hold. For example, he said, we have two pending criminal cases against police officers, so theres no finding while those cases are pending. Elizabeth is hardly alone in its track record of dismissing citizen complaints of police violence. Experts say internal investigators can find use of force or a search or arrest to be improper without the conduct becoming criminal, but records have shown some departments around New Jersey rarely uphold any complaint that doesnt result in a criminal referral. An NJ Advance Media probe of the Atlantic City Police Departments use-of-force record found between 2007 and 2014, just two of 570 excessive force complaints were sustained. In Paterson, where the U.S. Attorneys Office has charged multiple officers in an ongoing criminal probe, the television station ABC 7 found just one of 183 excessive force complaints was upheld from 2014 to 2018. Maria Haberfeld, a police science professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, cautioned that its not unusual for departments to receive far more complaints of excessive force than they uphold. For people outside law enforcement, every use of force to them looks like excessive force, because force never looks pretty," she said. CHIEF DEFENDS INVESTIGATORS, COMMUNITY CALLS FOR REFORM The debate over police oversight in Elizabeth has been muddied by a bitter feud, with the mayor and ousted police director on one side and the chief on the other. Following the internal affairs takeover by county prosecutors, long-simmering tensions between them boiled into public view when the mayor, Bollwage, disclosed an unspecified internal affairs complaint filed against the chief, Brennan. The nature of that complaint remains a mystery. Through his attorney, Brennan stood by his internal investigators. Any suggestion that internal probes were done improperly is nothing but a political lynching perpetuated for nefarious and selfish reasons" by the mayor and his allies, said the attorney, Stuart Alterman. The political winds have now changed with the ouster of the former director and political intermeddling of the police department should now cease," he said. At the meeting at the African American Cultural Center Thursday, the acting prosecutor, Davenport, and several staffers heard residents say they have no faith in Elizabeths internal affairs process after seeing complaints of excessive force and wrongful arrest dismissed time after time. The county officials said anyone who distrusts local police can still report wrongdoing to county or state authorities. Several residents said that extra step shouldnt be necessary. Rev. Joseph Adair, a former president of the Elizabeth chapter of the NAACP, said the offices pledge to revamp oversight going forward was not enough. I think it would be better if you were to go back several years to investigate internal affairs and find out some of the things that may not have been investigated or (were) covered up, he said. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A former New Orleans East middle school teacher pleaded guilty Monday (May 20) to indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13, admitting he inappropriately touched a sixth grade boy in his music class in 2015. Christopher Winston, 30, was sentenced to three years and 20 months in prison with credit for time served. Criminal District Judge Camille Buras said Winston must register as a sex offender upon his release. New Orleans police arrested Winston Sept. 24, 2015, three weeks after he was accused of fondling and caressing a 12-year-old boys buttocks at what then was the KIPP McDonough 15 Middle School for the Creative Arts. The boy was attending Winstons sixth grade music class, according to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaros office. His case was set for trial Monday, court records show. Winston is scheduled to appear next week in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court for an extradition hearing, Cannizzaros office said. Authorities in Georgia have requested extradition, as Winston is facing additional child molestation charges there. St. Tammany Parish sheriffs deputies have identified a 43-year-old man who was shot and killed at a Slidell-area business early Sunday (May 19). STPSO deputies responded to a business off Salmen Street near Slidell shortly before 1:30 a.m. to investigate a shooting. At the scene, deputies located a man with a gunshot wound to the head. The man was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. St. Tammany Parish Coroner Charles Preston identified the man as Melvin Webb, 43, of 37239 W. Hillcrest Drive, Slidell. An autopsy will be performed Monday (May 20) to determine the cause and manner of death, although the case is being handled as a homicide. Police issued arrest warrants for 29-year-old Jules Johnson of Slidell on charges of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Johnson is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Johnson is asked to call the STPSO at (985) 898-2338 or contact Detective Crabtree at (985)726-7839. Oliver Petit didnt answer his phone the first two times it rang before dawn on Feb. 13. It was his neighbor, who Petit said often calls me in the middle of the night for trivial things. By the third call, Petit knew it had to be serious. It was: The Red Bar was on fire. The iconic bar in Grayton Beach, Florida, that Petit owns with his brother Phillipe was just completely engulfed in flames when Petit arrived on the scene, around 6 a.m. The subsequent outpouring of emotion over the fire surprised Petit almost as much as the fire itself. Immediately, people came out, neighbors of course, people that drove in almost instantly from surrounding counties, surrounding towns, Petit recalled. There must have been 30 people out here at least. People were crying in the street, said Tony Anderson, the District 5 Commissioner for Walton County, Florida, who arrived on the scene later in the morning. In early April, Petit stood at the edge of the barren, ash-covered site where his bar used to be, recounting the tragedy. A short walk away are the white sand beaches that draw vacationers, particularly from across the Southeast, to the Gulf Coast. What has become clear since the fire is that the Red Bar is a big reason many people are so attached to Grayton in particular. The response was so overwhelmingly supportive, Petit said, citing numerous efforts to raise money to help his staff of 100 get through the busy tourist season while the Red Bar is rebuilt. The donations got to a point that Petit felt a responsibility to discourage more, in part out of deference to the nearby community of Panama City, where people are struggling to recover from Hurricane Michael. There are still people living out of tents out there, Petit said. There are so many ways people can be generous with their money. Its no mystery why the Red Bar is beloved by New Orleanians. The building was over a century old, having played host to a general store, a dance hall and several restaurants before the Petit brothers took it over in 1995. Oliver Petit was 25 at the time, having moved to Floridas panhandle by way of Arkansas from his native Belgium. This building, keep in mind, has no air conditioning, Petit said of the propertys condition back in 95. Theres leaks in the roof. Its got charm galore, but windows are old, everything is rundown. Petit, who had been working as a chef in the area, saw the potential to exploit the natural charm of the decaying building. He drew primary inspiration from two favorite hangouts. One was Goupil Le Fol, in Brussels, which he describes as an intellectuals bar where they play only French music at a low level, designed very shabbily, with tremendous taste. The other inspiration was Port of Call, on the edge of the French Quarter. I was lucky enough to go there in 1991, on my way to a Rolling Stones concert at the Dome, Petit said. I was in love. I was already inclining toward a simple menu. But when I saw (Port of Calls menu of steaks and hamburgers), I said, Thats it. These guys are having fun behind the bar. It was glorious. The Red Bar embodied Petits descriptions of its inspirations. Petit decorated the patchwork of rooms with thrift shop artifacts, leaning heavily on pop culture finds, like a framed poster of Waylon Jennings. I cant tell you how much stuff I bought in your city that ended up in my restaurant, he said. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Picolos Restaurant and Red Bar is the official name, with a bar menu distinguished by New Orleans-inspired Gulf Coast cooking: hamburgers, chicken wings, and fish sandwiches interspersed with blackened grouper, crawfish pasta and crab cakes topped with citrus beurre blanc. The Red Bar building even had something of a culinary pedigree: it was once the site of Paradise Cafe, run by Johnny Earles, who would go on to open the influential, now-closed Creole-Caribbean restaurant Criolla in Santa Rosa Beach. The propertys musical heritage is even more impressive. Petit has been told that Hank Williams played in the Red Bar building, early in its history, when he drove over from Alabama to gig at Pensacola juke joints. For 22 years, John Jabo Starks played drums in the Red Bar Jazz Band. As one of two drummers in James Browns backing group (Clyde Stubblefield was the other), Starks was among the most influential rhythm makers in pop music. Petit said he would tease Starks, who played at Red Bar five nights a week, for ranking only 6th on Rolling Stones list of the 100 Greatest Drummers of all Time. I used to tell people, You are in the presence of music royalty, at no cover charge, Petit said of Starks, who died last May. He played here until two weeks before he died. Its the kind of deep history that Red Bar fans feared was lost in the February fire. Anderson, who is 69, was raised in Walton County and delivered mail for over 30 years in the area before getting into politics. My first trip to (the Red Bar building) was when it was still Butlers Store, and I was 6 years old, Anderson recalled. He would tag along with an older cousin, who frequented what he recalls as the stores unlicensed bar. It has been everybodys hangout in Walton County for as long as I can remember, said Anderson, the Walton County commissioner, whose daughter is a Red Bar general manager. Its an icon. Grayton and the communities surrounding it along 30A have seen remarkable levels of development in recent years. Much of the emotion attached to Red Bar, Petit knows, has to do with how walking into it amounted to walking into Graytons past as a remote beach town, cherished by locals and visitors as a funky, secret paradise. The only piece of the original Red Bar structure that survived the fire was the railing outside the front door - the piece of wood on which customers rested their beers, ashtrays and backsides while waiting, often for as long as two hours, for a seat. Its almost symbolic that this survived, Petit said. Petit looked across the empty lot upon which he was just beginning to imagine his old bar will rise again. Following the blueprints of the original structure, he explained how the new Red Bar will incorporate elements of the old one, including the railing, wood reclaimed from the debris, and picture frames, all to help remember that awful day, and to celebrate the Red Bar. Petit pointed to a bit of green life poking out from the ground. The palm tree, I think, is coming back, he said. Thats a good sign. The Where NOLA Eats dining team, Brett Anderson and Todd A. Price, ate their way across the Gulf Coast, collecting tips and stories. Find more of their recommendations in our Gulf Coast Dining Guide. Authorities recovered the body of a man who vanished Saturday (May 18) afternoon while fishing in the surf off Grand Isle, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Joey Guidroz, 34, of Galliano, was fishing with two friends around 4 p.m. Saturday when he went behind a breakwater to cast his net. About 20 minutes later, his friends lost sight of him and called authorities. The Coast Guards 8th District deployed three water vessels and a helicopter to search for the missing man, spokesperson Lexie Preston said. Preston said the search party eventually located Guidrozs lifeless body on a nearby beach. His cause of death is pending investigation by the Jefferson Parish Coroners Office. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Grand Isle Police Department assisted in the rescue effort. Editors Note: A previous version of this story reported an incorrect spelling of Guidrozs name and other inaccurate identifiers that were mistakenly disseminated by authorities. This version has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of Guidroz, his age and his hometown. New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office arrested 33 undocumented immigrants across four states, including Louisiana, last week. The arrests were made from Monday (May 13) through Thursday and including nine arrests that took place in metro New Orleans, 12 in Alabama, eight in Arkansas and four in Tennessee. The targets last week were persons whove been ordered removed from the U.S. within the last five years and who have criminal convictions or pending charges, but for a variety of reasons werent in criminal custody and were out in the community, said Bryan Cox, ICE communications director for the southern region. The arrests in the New Orleans metro area took place in Orleans and Jefferson parishes as well as in Slidell and Covington. Of those arrested, 22 had prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges; 23 had either been previously deported or had outstanding removal orders, according to ICE. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up ICE officials with the New Orleans field office said that in 2018 about 89 percent of the 10,270 people arrested for immigration violations had either a prior criminal conviction or pending criminal charge. ICE arrested 158,581 people charged with breaking immigration laws last year. Approximately 66 % of those arrested by ICE last year had criminal convictions, another 21% had pending criminal charges and 3 % had been previously issued a final order of removal. The agency reported an 11 % increase nationally in arrest totals over 2017. A total of 256,086 undocumented immigrants were deported last year, an increase of 13% over 2017, according to ICE. A solar farm installed at W.E. Parker Elementary School is expected to save the Edgefield School District $900,000 over the course of a decade. Picasso has been revealed as the research and development codename for Samsungs Galaxy S11 smartphone. It seems an interesting and appropriate choice by the South Korean manufacturer, which has already selected another world-famous artist to represent its upcoming Galaxy Note 10 device: Da Vinci. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Biotech , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Leaks / Rumors , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Apparently, the research and development codename for the Samsung Galaxy S11 smartphone will be Picasso. This matches well with the already known codename for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 phablet, which is Da Vinci. It seems Samsung is shooting for the stars by associating its products with two of the greatest artists of all time. Its a departure from the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, which had prosaic codenames in comparison to the new weighty choices. The S10 trio was simply known as Beyond 0, Beyond 1, and Beyond 2, respectively. Obviously, Samsung isnt the only tech company using Picassos name in connection with its products. AMDs Zen+ mobile APUs are part of its own Picasso series. Unsurprisingly, mention of a new codename and the Samsung Galaxy S11 has sparked speculation about what the next Galaxy S flagship smartphone could bring in terms of innovation. An under-display camera is the obvious front-runner in terms of new features, although some have focused on the choice of Picasso as a name and expect the S11 to exhibit some Cubist or Surrealist elements. "Hockett has graciously donated a number of items from his collection to the Museum, and the majority will be on display in this exhibit," The LaPorte County Historical Society Museum said in a news release. "He has produced numerous paintings, sketches, and sculptures throughout his lifetime. His Liberty mural was originally installed at Costa Ricas Juan Santa Maria International Airport. Other works have been installed in the Florida Supreme Court, Panama City Florida International Airport, the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, among others. Hocketts sculpture New Liberty III was accepted for installation in Spains Canary Islands; however, the September 11th attacks resulted in the sculpture being placed in Florida." State lawmakers such as State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, and state Rep. Chris Chyung, D-Dyer, attended Sunday's rally. Other advocates encouraged people to register to vote, saying that nothing will change as long as Republicans hold a supermajority in the state Legislature. Incoming School City of Hammond Superintendent Scott Miller said that teachers demand "fair and equitable compensation" as well as "respect." "We have to tell our story, and we have it to tell it on social media," he said. "We have to educate people about what the situation is right now." He said people in south Lake County "are very much OK, it seems, to let us languish" but should recognize that the county is "one region." "We have to get them to start to understand our fates are intertwined," he said. He also said educators remain frustrated over the emphasis on standardized testing. "Teachers are more than a test score. Children are more than a test score," he said. Miller added that those scores don't show "all the lives we've helped," many of them underprivileged kids. The school city also took out a one-time bond in 2017, using some of that to pay teacher and staff salaries. When the bond fund runs out, which will likely be near the end of this calendar year, the district will need to fund $2.6 million in recurring expenditures from other sources, further contributing to the schools projected deficit. Reuss also advised administrators in the Tuesday night finance meeting not to become comfortable with its current funding model, especially given how reliant the district is on state funding. If the state cuts your budget based on the revenue coming from a recession, you have nowhere to go, Reuss said. You need a safety net. Superintendent seeks creative solutions to generate revenue To address declining enrollment, Miller made two revenue generation proposals Wednesday night reopen enrollment and pursue virtual school programming, which would put the School City of Hammond among the first districts in the state to offer the computer-based learning. Both options would contribute to the districts overall student count, bringing in an estimated $1.7 million if the district were to meet Millers goal of attracting 300 new students. By Washington Times, May 19, 2019 The U.S. Border Patrol said Friday that it would fly hundreds of migrant families from south Texas to San Diego for processing and that it was considering flights to Detroit, Miami and Buffalo, New York. The flights are the latest sign of how the Border Patrol is struggling to keep up with large numbers of Central American families that are reaching the U.S. border with Mexico, especially in Texas. Moving migrants to less crowded places is expected to distribute the workload more evenly. VALPARAISO A 56-year-old Gary man, who has already served 24 years behind bars for murder, is on his way back to prison for attempted rape, and burglary and robbery involving a Portage woman. LaQuan Apara, formerly known as Milton Anderson, who maintains his innocence, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars Monday afternoon by Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford. Apara was also labeled a sexually violent predator by the court. Apara, who asked the judge for fairness before sentencing, said he intends to appeal. He was appointed the services of a Porter County public defender to represent him after saying he owns no property, has little savings and no job. Porter County Deputy Prosecutor David Urbanski had told jurors during the August trial that the then-58-year-old Portage woman awoke suddenly during the early morning hours of May 25, 2014, to find a man with his face covered in her townhouse. The man covered the woman's eyes and mouth with duct tape and used the tape to bind her hands before ordering her to the bed and attempting to rape her, he said. Afterward, the man appeared to run back toward the SUV while in flames and fall into the street. Gee's estranged wife identified Gee in the video from the school building, records say. She told police she previously drove the SUV, but Gee took it from her about two weeks before the fire after meeting her boyfriend. She said Gee at one point threatened to take her children from her, and she replied, "The only way you will get custody of my kids will be over my dead body." She testified Gee told her, "That could be arranged." A police captain testified Gee had a burn on his hand during an interview, but his SUV was not tested for the presence of gas or fumes. Gee's attorney, Kerry Connor, wrote in court filings that the evidence showed Gee's friend told police he and Gee bought beer and spent the night at Gee's home in Illinois. An inspection of Gee's SUV revealed no evidence of gas or fumes, and no forensic evidence connecting the vehicle to the fire was revealed, Connor wrote. VALPARAISO A 25-year-old Gary woman pleaded guilty Monday morning to sexual misconduct with one of her martial arts students beginning when the girl was 13. Malary Jones will be sentenced to five years in prison, with all but time served suspended and served on formal probation if the proposed plea agreement is accepted July 8 by Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford. She will also be required to register as a sex offender and undergo HIV testing, according to the proposed agreement. Jones pleaded guilty to a felony count of sexual misconduct with a minor in return for prosecutors dropping a second felony count of child molesting. The allegations came to light in April 2018 when the girl confided in a school counselor, police said. Jones was a karate/taekwondo instructor at a studio in Portage and the girl was a student when the reported molestation began in July 2016. "(The girl) advised that she did not want to have sex with Jones, but did not want to be rude," according to charging documents. "(The girl) advised that she would make excuses not to have sex with Jones, however Jones would become angry when she did." VALPARAISO A 39-year-old Valparaiso man with a history of sex related offenses in the Region faces 18 years behind bars after pleading guilty Monday to a reduced felony child molesting charge. Bryan Blackmon would also be determined to be a sexually violent predator, which carries a lifetime sex offender registration, if the proposed plea agreement is accepted June 24 by Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford. Prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining felony counts of child molesting, performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor and dissemination of matter harmful to minors in return for the plea, according to court records. The latest charges stem from an alleged admission Blackmon made in a letter from jail to the mother of a girl under age 14, according to charging information. Charges in Ross's latest case, filed in April 2018, were dismissed last week after a victim refused to cooperate and a witness recanted his prior statements about a shooting March 27, 2018, that wounded a then 54-year-old man in the 1000 block of Drackert Street. Ross had been accused of opening fire on the 54-year-old as he confronted Ross and three other men. Charges against the three other men also were dismissed. Ross was just 17 years old when he was charged in connection with a shooting in July 2014 that wounded a mother from Addison, Illinois, and two of her daughters. The woman traveled to to the 900 block of Highland Street to buy a cellphone, and later identified Ross at the man who demanded money and fired shots into her car. The woman was shot in the right hand and arm. Her then-15-year-old daughter was shot in the right arm, lower right abdominal area and right leg, and her then-12-year-old daughter was shot in her right hip, court records say. Lake County prosecutors dropped charges against Ross and his co-defendant in that shooting in September 2014. We had to find less expensive projects to help offset that, Tyrrell said. We also had to figure out the most cost-effective approach to getting everything cleaned up and replaced. This led Wood-Johnson to turn to the Crown Point Historical Preservation Commission in November. Since the home is located in the historical district of the city, the crew had to get approval for the lead paint abatement project since plans included using vinyl for siding and windows, which doesnt directly match the history districts rules and guidelines. The vinyl was the most cost effective and its safer to contain the lead and it lasts a lot longer than if you try to get rid of it. If you try to get rid of it, it is airborne and can really become a problem, Wood-Johnson said. Deciding what to do was a balancing act, for the commission, member Dan Rohaley said. We had never had this happen before with someone that sensitive to that degree, Rohaley said. It was a tight rope walk to meet the guidelines but still secure the funding to reduce lead lines. But we saw it as a matter of life and death for that little boy. GARY A man attempted to shoot a state trooper with his own Taser during a scuffle Sunday along Interstate 80/94 here, and good Samaritans intervened to restrain the man, police said. Michael P. Bartow, 29, of Algonquin, Illinois, faces multiple felonies in connection with the incident. At 6:08 a.m., Indiana State Trooper Anthony Potesta responded to a call of a disabled vehicle on eastbound 80/94 near Burr Street, Indiana State Police said in a news release. He encountered Bartow, who was driving a 2005 Mercedes Benz and said he had run out of gas on his way home, police said. Potesta detected a strong odor of alcohol on Bartow's breath and asked him to get out of the car. The trooper attempted to do field sobriety tests on Bartow, but Bartow tried to go back into his vehicle, police said. The officer attempted to detain Bartow and a struggle ensued. During the fracas, Potesta tried to fire a Taser at Bartow, and the two fought for the weapon, the report said. Potesta dropped it. Bartow picked it up and tried to use the Taser against the officer but, for an unknown reason, it didn't fire. Beth Weber, quality control manager on the project from Kokosing, explained her company does mechanical dredging using an environmental clamshell bucket. To move sediment to the CDF, Kokosing uses hydraulic off-loading using water recirculated from the CDF. No additional water is required, Weber said. Kokosing will be working six to seven days a week, 24 hours a day, Weber said. She estimated that 2019 dredging would take about three months to complete. The navigation project consists of a harbor channel ranging in depth from 27 to 29 feet low-water datum and two canals with depths of 22 feet. Besides reducing contaminants that have previously washed into Lake Michigan, the dredging project is designed to improve efficiency of deep-draft commercial navigation. The amount of sediment being removed varies by site, Nguyen explained. Dredging factors, he said, include overall depth of the area and the types of vessels using the channel and their cargo. VALPARAISO A new outdoor space next to the Valparaiso branch of the Porter County Public Library system is in the works. The board wants to tear down the old Chase Bank on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Jefferson Road for what it's calling an outdoor literary learning plaza for public events and outdoor reading. A small fence and plants native to Indiana would surround the main space. Inside, there would be unique play areas for children, tables for local book clubs, children's story time spaces and a stage. I can say with our current meeting area, we have to turn people away from our programming because it gets filled up," said Jesse Butz, director of Porter County Libraries. "That is something we think this plaza can help with and allow more families and community members to participate." There would also be a small gate on the side for food trucks, including free and reduced-price lunches for children. Butz said he wants the area to not just be a boon for the library, but the rest of Valparaiso. By Daily Caller, May 19, 2019 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg downplayed the estimated less than 1% of abortions that occur each year in the third trimester during a town hall debate Sunday on Fox News. MERRILLVILLE A new apartment complex planned for Merrillville could be attractive for young medical professionals. Saxon Partners is pursuing a project to build a 275-unit complex in the 9000 block of Connecticut Street. The four buildings that will be constructed will have one-bedroom and studio apartments, said Gary Warfel, director of multi-family development at Saxon Partners. Warfel said Broadway south of U.S. 30 is emerging as a medical corridor. That area includes Methodist and Pinnacle hospitals and many medical offices. A new skilled nursing complex also is in the works within that corridor. The apartment facilitys proximity to those locations makes it an ideal spot for medical personnel because they could be in walking distance to jobs, Warfel said. He said the development wouldnt be limited to medical professionals and there wouldnt be age restrictions. In addition to attracting those from area medical facilities, officials believe it could be enticing for those who work at other area offices. The couple had discussed the plot repeatedly in conversations the boyfriend recorded. According to court documents, Officer Cincinelli had also used social media to track the whereabouts of her boyfriends daughter. Then on May 13, Officer Cincinelli met with her boyfriend to discuss the two hits, unaware that her boyfriend was wearing a wire. She offered a warped explanation of why the murders would not appear linked: They would take place on different days, and the attack at Mr. Carvalhos workplace in Holtsville, N.Y., would not arouse suspicion because the murder would take place in the hood or the ghetto, court records show. The authorities went to great lengths to convince Officer Cincinelli that the plot had succeeded. Shortly after 10 a.m. on Friday, a Suffolk County detective contacted Officer Cincinelli at her home in Oceanside, N.Y., and told her they were investigating the death of Mr. Carvalho. Less than an hour later, F.B.I. agents sent her a text message, purportedly from the killer, along with a photograph of the supposed murder scene. Immediately afterward, Officer Cincinelli contacted her boyfriend to align their alibis, and told him to delete their text conversations from his phone. Later that day, she was taken into custody by the F.B.I. and charged with use of interstate commerce for murder for hire. Officer Cincinelli joined the Police Department in 2007, according to police officials. She worked in the 106th Precinct in Queens as a domestic violence officer until 2017, when she was placed on modified duty and reassigned to a unit that monitors surveillance feeds in public housing developments. She was no longer permitted to carry a gun. According to a detention memo, Officer Cincinelli had been disciplined by the department for sharing confidential information with a boyfriend. It is unclear if that boyfriend is the same source who informed the authorities of the murder plot. Trump, realizing the threat that the revelation poses, turned to Twitter and lied. He wrote: It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change? As CNN put it: Trumps tweet is misleading and lacks context. For starters, the Justice Department and F.B.I. conduct all their investigations in secret, including the one into Flynn. Trump also fails to mention that he was repeatedly warned about Flynn, though not by the Justice Department, but he ignored that political advice and gave him a top job in the administration. Trump knows his statement is off, but he also knows that the truth has the capacity to harm when one operates in an arena beyond it. That tweet, unlike lying about his wall of hate already being under construction, is born of fear. I can just imagine the beads of sweat forming on the philtrum above his upper lip as his thumbs tap this falsehood on this phone. He grimaces; I smile. We occasionally get a glorious glimpse of this fear fibbing. Its like the time he held the bracing news conference in Trump Tower to defend his both-sides-ism on Charlottesville. Its like the time he told the deer-in-the-headlights lie on Air Force One about not knowing about hush money payments to women alleging to have had sexual encounters with him (while he was married, by the way). It is in the police-interrogation-room-like correction that he didnt mean to side with Russia and deny our intelligence community while standing next to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. In all those moments, he simply reeks of dread and trepidation. In those moments, we are reminded that Trump knows what other thinking people know: In a world not blinded and numbed by racial tribalism, demographic fears and cultural panic, these issues that barely nick him would cut him smooth and deep. It is in those moments that we are reminded of what normal felt like, when an apology or explanation was compelled, and politicians confronted their foibles with some degree of contrition. Trump knows nothing of contrition, but take his moments of desperation as proof that the world has not completely gone mad, that sin still has the ability to convict. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion), and Instagram. Rather than reach a deal, the United States has raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Hi, my name is Ben, and Im an internet addict. Since the odds are that you are, too you are living in the 21st century, right? let me tell you about this wonderful new support group Ive discovered. It meets in what feels like every church basement youve ever seen, and its official membership is limited to eight, for reasons that feel a little creepy. But trust me when I tell you that if you sit in on one of its sessions, youll feel reassured, alarmed, enlightened and truly thrilled by what you hear. If you choose not to attend, you will be missing what promises to be the most original and topical musical of the year. Dave Malloys Octet, the sublime a cappella chamber opera that opened on Sunday at the Pershing Square Signature Center, is a portrait in song of perhaps the greatest David and Goliath struggle of our time. In one cavernous corner, theres the endless, labyrinthine and shape-shifting internet, commonly referred to in this show as the monster. He has either coarsened the public discourse or reflected it, or perhaps both, depending on your view of him, but he is not alone. Society in recent years has embraced what used to be considered profanity. Even The New York Times, the so-called Gray Lady with all the news thats fit to print, found it fit to print the B.S. word just 14 times in the many years before Mr. Trumps inauguration, according to a Nexis search, but has used it 26 times since not all in stories covering the president. Other presidents, of course, have engaged in common language and found a connection to everyday people. Harry S. Truman was told to give em hell, Harry, to which he famously replied: I dont give them hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think its hell. But in general, it used to be something of a mini-scandal when a president was caught cursing in public. During a campaign event in 2000, George W. Bush was heard over a live microphone talking with his running mate, Dick Cheney, calling a Times reporter he did not particularly like a major-league asshole. In 2004, as vice president, Mr. Cheney told a senator on the Senate floor to go fuck yourself. His successor, Joseph R. Biden Jr., was overheard in 2010 using a variation of that profanity to tell Barack Obama what a big deal passage of health care legislation was. Never has any president pushed the boundaries of language as far as Mr. Trump. He had a foul mouth long before politics, of course, but he seemed to try, however fitfully, to clean it up for a while when he set his sights on the White House. Still, he could not resist at times. At one rally during his 2016 campaign, he quoted a supporter calling a Republican rival, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a pussy. Once taking office, he tried, at least, to keep it private, but he was uninhibited when the cameras were not on. After the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, was appointed, he told aides, Im fucked. Speaking with lawmakers, he called African nations shithole countries. Yet Mr. Trump feigned shock in January when the newly elected Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said she and her fellow House Democrats were going to impeach the motherfucker. The president told reporters that she dishonored herself by using language like that in front of her son and whoever else was there. Mick Mulvaney, the White House chief of staff, acknowledged a certain raw quality in Mr. Trumps discourse but dismissed its significance. The president does use coarse language in private a lot with us, he told Jake Tapper on CNN after Ms. Tlaibs comment. Many people do. But, he added, I think theres more important things as to whos coarsening the language. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Tex. The small community where a gunman stormed into a church service and killed 26 people in 2017 crossed an emotional milestone on Sunday, with the dedication of a new First Baptist Church worship center that is fortified against potential future danger. Built of beige Texas limestone, with two towers that can be seen for miles around, the new building stands just next to the old church, which became the site of one of the nations deadliest mass shootings when the gunman walked up the aisle spraying bullets into its pews. The old building is now a memorial to the victims. I think were rising from the ashes, and Gods blessing us like you cant believe, Stephen Willeford said as he stood outside the new sanctuary before the start of services on Sunday. On the day of the massacre, Mr. Willeford exchanged shots with the gunman outside the church and tried to pursue him as he fled the scene. The gunman, identified as Devin P. Kelley, was later found in a vehicle, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. More than 500 people sat elbow to elbow in the new center and filled an overflow room on Sunday to hear church leaders and state politicians proclaim the new building a testament to Sutherland Springs refusal to be identified by tragedy. My project was to write the Odyssey of Penelope, she said. In Atlantics, Diop shows that the act of remaining is as profound, as narratively rich and urgent, as leaving. This is a reversal of the familiar male-driven movies in which a woman waves goodbye to a man who departs on his far-flung adventure, taking the story and the viewers with him and later welcomes him back home before the end credits. Diop sees flipping the narrative in terms of heritage and the necessity of making the collective and mythical stories yours and in your own time. She also looked to what she called the Muslim imaginary for inspiration, folding the supernatural figure of the djinn into an otherwise realistic milieu. In a quiet hall of her hotel, Diop seemed tired but energized. Atlantics, which grew out of a 2009 short about a young Senegalese man, had been well-received. She spoke in English, often in long, winding sentences, only occasionally turning to a translator for help. She offered a brief biography, explaining that she had been born in Paris, where she still lives, to a French mother and Senegalese father. After her parents split up, Diops mother, who is white, regularly took her to Senegal so that her daughter would have contact with her African family. I know where I come from, unlike a lot of mixed people. After high school, Diop tried different jobs, like waitressing and creating sound landscapes for theater. She also began making short movies, and entered art school only to drop out when she was cast in Claire Deniss 2008 family drama, 35 Shots of Rum. Diop played the daughter of a widowed train driver (Alex Descas, a Denis regular). Diop said that she already had an affinity for Denis, but working with the director was life-changing. I could identify with her, see what it was to be a filmmaker as a woman, Diop said. I could totally see myself doing that. Being cast in 35 Shots of Rum proved transformational in other ways for Diop, who was in her mid-20s when it was made. Playing the daughter of a black man in Claire Deniss film reminded me that I was also black, she said. At the time, my environment was French, obviously, but also very white. Most of my friends were white, I was listening to very white music, mostly rock, and without realizing it, I was kind of losing touch with my Africanity. This was unconscious, she said, but easy to do in France, which has what she described as having a strange relationship to universality. CANNES, France Fighting back tears before an ecstatic audience, the 83-year-old French actor Alain Delon stepped onstage at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday to collect a lifetime achievement award, the honorary Palme dOr. There is one thing in the world that Im truly proud of, the only thing: Its my career, and this Palme dOr has been offered to me for my career and nothing else, said Delon, who, starting in the 1960s, worked with some of Europes most prominent movie directors, including Luchino Visconti and Michelangelo Antonioni. Delon held up the award and the crowd rose to its feet in a standing ovation. But unlike the other honorary awards the festival has granted over the years, a cloud hung over this one. On April 19, soon after the move was announced, the Women and Hollywood advocacy website condemned it, saying Delon had publicly admitted to slapping women. In a separate online campaign, more than 26,000 people petitioned to stop Delon from collecting the prize. And at the ceremony, Sand Van Roy an actress whose rape suit against the filmmaker Luc Besson was dropped for lack of evidence walked up the red carpet in a flowing gown and the words Stop Violence Against Women tattooed across her back. Bobby Hall, the rapper known as Logic, already went to No. 1 once this year, with his debut novel, Supermarket, topping The New York Timess paperback trade fiction list. Now he has a chart-topping album as well, as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind becomes Logics third No. 1 at Billboard. Featuring guest spots by Eminem, Will Smith and Gucci Mane, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (Visionary/Def Jam) was credited with a total of 80,000 sales in the United States in its opening week, which includes 74 million streams and 24,000 copies sold as a full album, according to Nielsen. On the singles chart, Lil Nas Xs Old Town Road holds at No. 1 for a seventh week. Two weeks ago, the country-meets-rap phenomenon (or is that rap-meets-country?) blocked a new Taylor Swift single from the top spot, and now it holds off a superstar collaboration Ed Sheeran and Justin Biebers I Dont Care which lands at No. 2. (Taylor Swifts song, Me!, falls to No. 8.) So far Old Town Road is showing no signs of slowing down. Its winningly campy music video was released last Friday and has already racked up 39 million views on YouTube, which should help the songs chances on next weeks chart. By Daily Caller, May15, 2019 Three environmental groups sued the federal government on Monday to block the renewal of a 10-year grazing permit for Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, The Oregonian reports. Western Watersheds Project, the Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians filed suit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), arguing that renewing the Hammonds grazing permits violated federal regulations. The BLM and Interior secretary did not consider the Hammonds poor record, the environmental groups said according to The Oregonian. BERLIN On a recent Saturday afternoon, a hush fell in the bright, airy reading-aloud room at Krumulus, a small childrens bookstore in Berlin, as Sven Wallrodt , one of the stores employees, stood up to speak. Brandishing a newly published illustrated childrens book about the life of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, he looked at the crowd of eager, mostly school-aged children and their parents. Welcome to this book presentation, he said. If you fall asleep, snore quietly. Everyone laughed, but no one fell asleep. An hour later, the children followed Wallrodt down to the bookstores basement workshop, where he showed them how Gutenberg fit leaden block letters into a metal plate. Then the children printed their own bookmark using a technique similar to Gutenbergs, everyone was thrilled. Fares Aldaryousi, who is 6 and knows how to read, said, How you print, I didnt know that! His best friend added that he had not known it was possible to make a stamp out of metal. Matthis Ritter, who is 9 and owns a lot of books, learned that printing used to be called a dark art, because the ink got on your fingers, while Mithuni Hopp, also 9, was most impressed with how monks used to make a certain kind of red ink: They smushed snails! Like Henry David Thoreau, one of his touchstone influences, Berry went back to the land in his case, a farm in Henry County, Ky. to live deliberately. Unlike Thoreau, he lacks a certain crucial insouciance. It is impossible to imagine Berry writing, as did Thoreau, Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Its almost impossible to imagine him, like Jefferson, another of his touchstone influences, really enjoying his wine. Berrys single-note essays make you recall Carlyles comment about Macaulay, that listening to him was okay for a while but one wouldnt live under Niagara. With the planet rapidly warming and the oceans acidifying, Berry seems more than ever a prophetic voice. Come for the thunder. Stay, if you can, to dip more occasionally into these writings, rummage around on their ocean floor and return to the surface with gleaming fragments. Berry attended military school, and among his lessons was an observation that seems to presage our current chief of state: Take a simpleton and give him power and confront him with intelligence and you have a tyrant. Image Credit... Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times Hes always known exactly who he is. I seem to have been born with an aptitude for a way of life that was doomed, he writes. I live in a large city. But I admire his rejection of the assumption that the life of the metropolis is the experience, the modern experience, and that the life of the rural towns, the farms, the wilderness places is not only irrelevant to our time, but archaic as well. THE GUARDED GATE Bigotry, Eugenics, and the Law That Kept Two Generations of Jews, Italians and Other European Immigrants Out of America By Daniel Okrent Todays vehement demands to stop immigrants are neither new nor proportional to their numbers. Immigrants arriving between 2000 and 2010 constituted approximately 3 percent of the United States population, while those arriving between 1900 and 1910 constituted 8.9 percent of the population. The nativist movement, as anti-immigrant campaigns were once called, began a century and a half ago, directed first against the Irish, later against those arriving from southern and eastern Europe. The case against these European immigrants was remarkably similar to todays complaints about those at our gates: They steal jobs from the native-born, they are costly to taxpayers, they dont respect American values, and they are inclined to be criminals. This does not mean that history repeats itself. Up through at least the 1920s nativists primarily targeted Catholics and Jews. And their bigotry was quite possibly shared by the majority of white Protestant Americans. Still, in a vivid new book by Daniel Okrent, who was the first public editor of The New York Times, The Guarded Gate, jam-packed with appalling examples, most readers will be unable to miss the books implications for present-day anti-immigration sentiment. Okrents is largely an intellectual history if we can use that term to describe the shoddy thinking of his subjects of nativist ideology and ideologues from the mid-19th century to the first comprehensive immigration restriction law of 1924. He explores who these nativist leaders were and how their elite status allowed them to pass off bogus claims as science. Nativist leaders were among the most distinguished men of the country: upper-class, highly educated and Protestant, men who personally had nothing to fear from new immigrants. This presents an interesting conundrum. Reagans stereotype was sweeping and offensive, but the woman at the center of it did drive a Cadillac and wear fur coats and take advantage of state programs intended to help the poor. Whats a writer to do? Levin makes no excuses for Taylor and instead rushes in, magnifying glass in hand, to the tornado that was her life. Image Credit... Taylor made a cameo on the national stage in 1974, after George Bliss of The Chicago Tribune wrote a series of articles about her case and headline writers dubbed her the welfare queen. The Queen contains so many strange events that it doesnt come as a giant surprise that a detour into the tragic life of Bliss, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, ends with him killing his wife and then committing suicide. Another author would have used the welfare queen as a jumping-off point to explore stereotypes, welfare politics and political rhetoric. Levin addresses all that, but his real goal is to put a face to Reagans bogeywoman, tracking every alias, every scam, every duped husband and every dodged arrest. He presents Linda Taylor not as a parable for anything grand, but as a singular American scoundrel who represented nothing but herself. Levin first wrote about Taylor in a long article for Slate in 2013. In The Queen, he tracks her from her birth in 1926 in the wonderfully named Golddust, Tenn., to arrests in Seattle and Oakland, a possible murder in Chicago in 1975 and a nursing home in Tampa. And theres much, much more. Part of the fun of Levins book is burrowing inside his obsessive quest. He tracks down vintage court transcripts, old property deeds, marriage licenses, handwriting tests, yellowed police records, ex-husbands of former roommates. What emerges is a quite unsettling picture of a woman who in Levins telling seems to have no conscience and no morals, no loyalty to her own children or to any of her many, many husbands. Her crimes are so sprawling and confusing that at times she seems almost like a Keyser Soze master villain. There are hints of buying and selling children on the black market. Theres a sickly woman who winds up dead shortly after Taylor befriends her. At various points, Taylor comes across as mentally ill, pathological in her lies and perhaps unable to distinguish whats real from whats not. At other times, Levin suggests that she seemed to know precisely which lever to pull, which name to use, which tragedy to invoke, in order to get what she wanted. Although the welfare queen became a way to demonize black women, Taylor is such a phantom that even her race is a matter of debate. She was listed as white on the 1930 census, white and Mexican on a 1945 arrest report, and Hawaiian during a 1946 arrest. According to Levin, she was most likely the product of her white mothers relationship with a black man. Whatever the case, Taylor spent most of her life changing her race, along with her name, as often as it suited her. SPYING ON THE SOUTH An Odyssey Across the American Divide By Tony Horwitz As brilliant as William Faulkner was, the only lines of his commonly quoted are: The past is never dead. Its not even past. In several books Tony Horwitz has explored that assertion, finding a vehicle that allows him to examine specific aspects of the past and their resonance in the present. Now, in Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide, he follows as closely as he can the path taken by Frederick Law Olmsted, who in the early 1850s long before he thought of designing Central Park or dreamed of having a revolutionary impact on other urban landscapes traveled through the antebellum South. Olmsted explained what seemed a mysterious society to the Northern readers of The New York Times. He later amended and published his reports as The Cotton Kingdom: A Travellers Observations on Cotton and Slavery in the American Slave States. Olmsted started on his trip a bit of a lost soul, searching for a purpose. His dispatches provided one. He wanted not only to describe the region (he succeeded in portraying both physical and cultural settings almost as well as Audubon painted birds) but also to understand the great divide in the country, hoping that understanding Southern views on slavery would allow men of good will to find common ground and a path to abolition. He had letters of introduction to and met with Southerners of consequence but said, My best finds were coarse men with whom I could take a glass of Toddy in the barroom and third-rate tavern keepers. Horwitz has taken the same path to explore todays great divide(s). Race is one and he explores that, but he is equally interested in the political divide. These divisions, of course, extend far beyond the South, but in the South they tend to be less hidden. The book is timely, though he started it when no one imagined a Trump presidency. UNDER RED SKIES Three Generations of Life, Loss, and Hope in China By Karoline Kan The subtitle of Karoline Kans bracingly forthright memoir flags one intended audience: fans of multigenerational Chinese family sagas. And it has much to offer those hooked on this enduringly popular genre. High points of Under Red Skies for such readers include Kans sensitively told stories about a grandmother influenced late in life by the folk tales about animal spirits she heard in her youth and of a grandfather who found solace in the 1990s in Falun Gong exercises and beliefs until an official drive to eradicate the group forced him to cut his ties to the organization. Under Red Skies may be of even more interest to a second set of readers: those fond of stories about determined women who overcome obstacles. We quickly learn that Kans mother is such a woman. Consider, for example, the actions she took during the months leading up to the authors birth in 1989. Kans mother already had one child, a boy born in the mid-1980s. Under the strict family planning policy in effect at the time, this meant that Kans parents should have considered their household complete. But Kans mother, determined to have a daughter, was ready to take risks and used subtle forms of subterfuge to achieve this goal. On one visit to a doctor, she even hid a metal ring under her coat to trick an X-ray machine into thinking she was using a mandated birth control device. The book also tells us a great deal about another determined woman: Kan herself. The village she was born in and the provincial town she grew up in were the sorts of communities whose young inhabitants rarely gain admittance to Beijing institutions of higher learning and almost never become published authors. Kan beat long odds to do both. After earning a finance degree from a university in the capital, she pursued her dream of making a living as a writer, despite urging from her parents to follow a safer career path. Through a mixture of luck, determination and the strong English skills that subsequently allowed her to write Under Red Skies, she secured jobs as a writer for a Beijing expat magazine and then as a researcher for The New York Times. Eventually she landed an agent and a book deal. Image Credit... Hers is, in short, a true-life Horatio Alger tale, albeit one with distinctively Chinese, 21st-century and feminist elements. These features are all on display late in the book, when Kan returns to her hometown and struggles to explain her new life to the cousin who had been her best friend in childhood but stayed put and followed a more conventional path. Though generational differences loom large in Under Red Skies, Kan also conveys the importance in China of rural-urban divides. She strives, with only limited success, to get her perplexed onetime confidante to grasp why she is unconcerned that she is still unmarried in her mid-20s and how excited she is to be performing in a Chinese version of The Vagina Monologues. The companys decision to halt work with Huawei was earlier reported by Reuters. Intel declined to comment, and Qualcomm did not respond to requests for comment. Major American wireless companies have effectively been blocked from buying Huaweis telecommunications equipment for years, but the companys business has grown rapidly in Africa, Asia and Europe, where its affordable prices have been embraced by consumers and by phone companies that use its antennas, base stations and other hardware to make wireless networks. In recent months, the United States has stepped up its campaign against Huawei, which it has said poses a national security risk. American authorities have worked to persuade allies like Britain and Germany to block the use of Huawei telecommunications equipment. But the efforts have had limited success, as many countries rely on Huawei gear in the race to build up fifth generation, or 5G, wireless communication networks. Last week, President Trump issued a ban prohibiting American telecommunications firms from installing foreign-made equipment that could threaten national security. The order instructed the commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, to stop transactions posing an unacceptable risk. Although the order did not single out specific companies, it was widely believed to be directed at Huawei and others in Chinas tech sector. The actions put pressure on American allies that have so far resisted urging from the Trump administration to issue complete bans against Huawei. James Lewis, a senior vice president and the director of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that most European countries would prefer a softer approach. I dont think Europeans realize the extent of the strength of feelings in the U.S. that we need to block Huawei, Mr. Lewis, a former official at the State and Commerce Departments, said. China has not said whether it plans to retaliate against the United States in response to Mr. Trumps move. On Monday, shares in Qualcomm, Infineon, Intel and Alphabet, Googles parent, all fell. Apple, which depends on the Chinese market for a large portion of its revenue, also dropped amid concerns that the tech battle between the two powers made it a potential target. China has spent nearly two decades building a digital wall between itself and the rest of the world, a one-way barrier designed to keep out foreign companies like Facebook and Google while allowing Chinese rivals to leave home and expand across the world. Now President Trump is sealing up that wall from the other side. Google said on Monday that it would limit the software services it provides to Huawei, the telecommunications giant, after a White House order last week restricted the Chinese companys access to American technology. Googles software powers Huaweis smartphones, and its apps come preloaded on the devices Huawei sells around the world. Depending on how the White Houses order is carried out, that could come to a stop. For Huawei, the big impact will be abroad, since Chinese customers already have limited access to Googles services. Googles move will have its biggest effect in places like Europe, where it has emerged as a big smartphone seller. Other companies will inevitably follow. In effect, the move puts pressure on Huaweis international expansion dreams. If China and the United States have begun a technological Cold War, then the Huawei order can best be seen as the beginnings of a digital Iron Curtain. In this potential vision of the future of technology, China will continue to keep out much of the world. The United States and many other countries, goes this thinking, will in turn block Chinese technology. A millennial mayor with a difficult last name. [Mispronunciations of Buttigieg.] And, a knack for languages. [Good morning, America in several languages.] Pete Buttigieg is in the race for the White House. I am running for president of the United States. So, who is he? Buttigieg, also known as Mayor Pete is the mayor of South Bend, Ind. He got the job when he was just 29 and quickly moved to reverse the citys economic decline. Our hometown is not dead. While serving as mayor, Buttigieg took a leave of absence for a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He came out as gay while seeking re-election, and he won. So, what are his priorities? Ideologically hes a progressive, but he hasnt unveiled specific policies just yet. Instead, Buttigieg is focusing on big ideas. You know, our party has this tendency to lead with the policies. First, weve got to explain our values. He wants to abolish the electoral college, establish single-payer health care and expand the Supreme Court. Yeah, but its not just about throwing more justices on the court. What I think we need to do is some kind of structural reform that makes the court less political. Hes also pushing for the religious left to make a comeback. No one party has a monopoly on faith. And, he thinks its time for a younger voice in politics. I mean, my face is my message. A lot of this is simply the idea that we need generational change. So, whats his dynamic with President Trump? Buttigieg is no fan of the Trump administration, especially Vice President Mike Pence, an opponent of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination laws. And 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. And Trump has yet to say or tweet anything about Mayor Pete. So, what are his chances? Buttigieg made a name for himself when this appearance on CNN went viral. Do you think Vice President Pence would be a better or worse president than President Trump? Ugh. And, its paying off. Buttigieg raised $7 million for his 2020 bid in the first quarter, enough to qualify for the first Democratic debates in June. But the question is whether this relative newcomer to the national stage can keep up his momentum throughout the long primary season. Want climate news in your inbox? Sign up here for Climate Fwd:, our email newsletter. WASHINGTON The Environmental Protection Agency plans to change the way it calculates the health risks of air pollution, a shift that would make it easier to roll back a key climate change rule because it would result in far fewer predicted deaths from pollution, according to five people with knowledge of the agencys plans. The E.P.A. had originally forecast that eliminating the Obama-era rule, the Clean Power Plan, and replacing it with a new measure would have resulted in an additional 1,400 premature deaths per year. The new analytical model would significantly reduce that number and would most likely be used by the Trump administration to defend further rollbacks of air pollution rules if it is formally adopted. The proposed shift is the latest example of the Trump administration downgrading the estimates of environmental harm from pollution in regulations. In this case, the proposed methodology would assume there is little or no health benefit to making the air any cleaner than what the law requires. Many experts said that approach was not scientifically sound and that, in the real world, there are no safe levels of the fine particulate pollution associated with the burning of fossil fuels. Fine particulate matter the tiny, deadly particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream is linked to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory disease. By Fox Business, May 20, 2019 Tensions are escalating between the United States Opens a New Window. and Iran and its economy is buckling even further after the U.S. pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal last year and reinstated sanctions. Opens a New Window. Over the weekend President Trump lashed out at Iran after a rocket landed less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone Opens a New Window. , the first such attack since September as reported by Fox News. An Iraqi military spokesman told reporters the rocket appeared to have been fired from east Baghdad, which is home to several Iran-backed Shiite militias. Who is the typical bourbon drinker? Judging by the marketing for most whiskeys, a safe guess would be a white man, of middle age, and Southern by birth or at least aspiration. It could be a blond woman in full Kentucky Derby pastels, holding a mint julep . Many people would probably not picture someone like Samara Rivers, because African-Americans like her are almost completely absent from bourbon marketing. Thats why Ms. Rivers founded the Black Bourbon Society, a national organization for African-American whiskey fans that since its creation two years ago has grown to more than 4,700 members. In late April, Ms. Rivers led 35 of them on a weekend tour through Kentucky, beginning with private tastings at distilleries like Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace and ending with a Sunday brunch in Louisville, where they honored the history of black horse jockeys. The researchers thought computers might do better. They created a neural network, with multiple layers of processing, and trained it by giving it many CT scans from patients whose diagnoses were known: Some had lung cancer, some did not and some had nodules that later turned cancerous. Then, they began to test its diagnostic skill. The whole experimentation process is like a student in school, Dr. Tse said. Were using a large data set for training, giving it lessons and pop quizzes so it can begin to learn for itself what is cancer, and what will or will not be cancer in the future. We gave it a final exam on data its never seen after we spent a lot of time training, and the result we saw on final exam it got an A. Tested against 6,716 cases with known diagnoses, the system was 94 percent accurate. Pitted against six expert radiologists, when no prior scan was available, the deep learning model beat the doctors: It had fewer false positives and false negatives. When an earlier scan was available, the system and the doctors were neck and neck. The ability to process vast amounts of data may make it possible for artificial intelligence to recognize subtle patterns that humans simply cannot see. It may start out as something we cant see, but that may open up new lines of inquiry, said Dr. Mozziyar Etemadi, a research assistant professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and an author of the study. Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, Calif., who has written extensively about artificial intelligence in medicine, said, Im pretty confident that what theyve found is going to be useful, but its got to be proven. Dr. Topol was not involved in the study. Given the high rate of false positives and false negatives on the lung scans as currently performed, he said, Lung CT for smokers, its so bad that its hard to make it worse. The last time New Yorks Republican Party won a race for statewide office, Andrew M. Cuomos political career was a mess, Donald J. Trumps political career didnt exist and George E. Pataki was cruising to a third term as governor. That was in 2002. Since then, Democrats have won every statewide election, culminating last fall when Mr. Cuomo was handily re-elected to a third term over Marcus J. Molinaro, the Republican Dutchess County executive. The Republicans also lost eight seats in the State Senate, shattering their perennial hold on the majority in Albanys upper chamber, resulting in an all-Democratic Legislature. For many party faithful, something had to change. On Monday, that shake-up took place as the partys longtime chairman, Edward F. Cox, agreed to step aside in the face of a growing rebellion by county chairs, particularly in the more conservative areas in upstate New York. Many of those county chairs had recently endorsed a leadership challenge by Nick Langworthy, the chair of the Erie County Republican Committee, who will replace Mr. Cox at the end of his term in July . In May 1914, Coney Island played host to an unlikely party of VIPs led by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife, Lady Doyle. A New York Times reporter trailed the group all day, hoping for a quote from the famed creator of Sherlock Holmes. First he shot the chutes, then he took the seemingly perilous Whip ride, and finally he went into the ridiculous Crazy Village, wrote the dutiful journalist. And he enjoyed it all particularly the Whip, which he pronounced thrilling. It was past midnight when Mr. Doyle left. He was dazed, to put it mildly. The man whod invented the most brilliant, analytical detective in the history of popular culture had been overwhelmed by the park. One of the few things he managed to say was, Coney Island doesnt give one time to think. With any luck, it never will. A group of gang members armed with machetes and knives. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. The vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. The incident revealed the barbaric tactics of a gang called the Trinitarios, and it laid bare a glaring paradox: Amid historically low crime rates in New York, police are still struggling to contain brutal violence in some neighborhoods. The footage went viral and with it, rumor and speculation about why the 15-year-old boy known as Junior was singled out. We obtained footage from multiple security cameras and cellphones. We talked to police sources, family members and other witnesses. Our investigation retraces Juniors last steps and uncovers new details that may answer why he was targeted. Its Wednesday, June 20. Junior is on summer break from school. Hes at home with his mother. At 10:05 p.m., security footage shows Junior leaving home to meet his friend Jason Velez at this corner. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. At around 11:30, Junior leaves, and two minutes later security cameras catch him on this corner passing near his home. He was walking toward Adams Place, a small street about five minutes away thats known for gang activity. Friends and family told us that Junior wasnt in a gang and the police have no such indication, either. But some of his friends were, and he had been hanging out with them at Adams Place recently. On his way there, Junior was in touch with this friend, who lives on Adams Place and who, according to our reporting, is not in a gang, either. The friend says he told Junior not to come over because it was late. At 11:35, a security camera films four cars driving slowly past the stoop where Juniors friend and some others were sitting. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. The cars briefly stop at this intersection, and then turn left in the direction of Juniors path. According to police, the drivers spot Junior and taunt him. Junior begins to run and the cars give chase. The cars then split up and appear to surround him. Its 11:37. Junior rushes into this bodega just one block from his home. In a panic, he tries to hide behind the counter. But its too late. One man, identified by prosecutors as Jose Tavarez, enters the bodega and spots Junior. Hes been charged with these crimes. He leaves and immediately three other men enter. Police have identified them as: Danel Fernandez, Kevin Alvarez, and Michael Sosa Reyes, who has not been charged in relation to Juniors killing. Parked outside the bodega are the cars that chased Junior. At least eight other men are on the lookout some, armed with knives. A warning: These next scenes are hard to watch, and weve obscured some graphic parts. Junior and the bodega owner appear to have an exchange with Kevin Alvarez before Junior is grabbed and beaten on the ground. Then hes dragged from the bodega and brutally stabbed by a swarm of attackers. According to prosecutors, Jose Muniz first hacks Junior with a machete. Then, Elvin Garcia, who police say is seen here wearing a mask. Manuel Rivera is accused of repeatedly stabbing Junior. Antonio Santiago is seen here from this other angle. Prosecutors say that Jonaiki Martinez gave the fatal stab, slashing Juniors neck. Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. All of the men charged have pleaded not guilty. Its 11:39. Junior stumbles back into the bodega, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. But the owner appears to direct him away. Junior gestures for someone to call 911. Then he starts running to St. Barnabas Hospital, just one block away. He makes it to the entrance of the hospital before collapsing. Passersby try to help. Witnesses say these two police officers stood by watching the scene. They are under investigation for failing to help. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. How Junior was killed follows a pattern of attacks by Trinitarios, a Dominican gang that was born in New York prisons. In recent months, turf wars have spiked among rival Trinitario factions. At least 10 other people have been maimed this summer in tit-for-tat attacks in the Bronx. Just two days before Junior was killed, a 14-year-old was seriously injured in this attack. And on the night before Juniors murder, he had witnessed another stabbing at Adams Place. Juniors friend, a Trinitario, had been attacked by a rival faction and allegedly turned to Junior for help. Is that why Junior was targeted? We dont know. But a leading police theory is the attackers mistakenly believed Junior was in a rival gang. What we do know is that for Junior like many teenagers growing up in gang-afflicted areas theres a fine line between hanging out on the streets and getting caught up in deadly violence. Out to Lunch Dear Diary: I had been wanting to visit a certain secondhand shop in the East Village for some time. When I finally went, there was a sign taped to the door: Out to lunch Back in 10! I decided to wait. An older woman approached the store, tried the door, muttered something under her breath and tried the door again. I thought I understood bits of what she said. Do you speak Chinese? I asked in Mandarin. Yes," she responded in Cantonese. Mandarin and Cantonese are distinct enough that those who only speak one or the other can struggle to communicate. The woman and I cobbled together a lingua franca through hand-waving and the bits of Mandarin and Cantonese we both could understand. She said she was looking for a bowl. I said I wasnt looking for anything in particular. Ten minutes passed with no sign of the storekeeper. The woman indicated that she wasnt going to wait. She asked where I was headed. Edwin Drummond, a mountaineer and poet who made international headlines by scaling landmarks like the Statue of Liberty as a form of protest, died on April 23 at a care facility in Oakland, Calif. He was 73. His son, Haworth Ward-Drummond, said that the cause was pneumonia, and that Mr. Drummond had had Parkinsons disease since 1994. Mr. Drummond was already well known in climbing circles as a sort of alpine poet laureate before he decided, in the late 1970s, to use the talents he honed on European peaks and El Capitan in Yosemite National Park to draw attention to causes he considered important. He faced legal repercussions for climbing various buildings and monuments, which he saw as a small price to pay for battling injustice. In 1978 he climbed Nelsons Column in London with Colin Rowe, another mountaineer, to protest apartheid in South Africa; the next year he climbed Grace Cathedral in San Francisco to protest the incarceration of Elmer G. Pratt, a Black Panther who had been sentenced to life in prison in 1972 after he was convicted of killing a teacher. (Mr. Pratt spent years trying to prove that he had been framed before his conviction was vacated in 1997.) Consider this untenable scenario from 1998 that sadly may become more common if these laws stand. I was asked to perform an abortion for a very sick pregnant woman in her first trimester. She had a medical condition that was deteriorating much more rapidly than expected because of her pregnancy. She was not seconds away from dying, but her medical specialists were concerned that, in the next day or two, she would be likely to develop kidney failure. While kidney failure can be managed with dialysis, preventing that from happening is the best medical course. Not only in the short term, but saving my patients kidneys also would prevent a cascade of medical events that could end her life prematurely in the long term. After all, life expectancy is shorter on dialysis. Thats why we do renal transplants. My patients specialists believed that, if she were not pregnant, they might be able to avoid dialysis. Ending her pregnancy would not save her life that day, but it might next week or next month or in five years. We dont have crystal balls in medicine, so we often cant say with certainty who will deteriorate with a given medical condition or precisely when. But that year, the Kansas legislature had passed a law banning abortions on state property, which included the medical center where I worked. But under the law, an abortion would be allowed to save the life of the pregnant woman. So when I received a call asking whether I could help this patient, my next phone call was not to the operating room to make arrangements instead I called the hospitals attorneys. They did not know how to interpret the law either. Unless my patient was actively dying for example, we were running a code for a cardiac arrest an abortion would most likely be illegal. If I did the procedure, I would be fired. Around the same time that I finished reading Say Nothing, I also watched The Case Against Adnan Syed, a four-part documentary by H.B.O. A few years ago, Syed was also the subject of the first season of the megahit podcast Serial. Despite murky evidence, he was convicted in 2000 of killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. They were both in high school at the time. I finished the H.B.O. series still not sure whether he committed the crime or not, which is also how I felt after listening to Serial. But a few things are clear: The prosecutions version of the crime doesnt stand up to scrutiny. Its based on an implausible timeline, an unreliable witness and questionable cellphone records. Syed also suffered from having an incompetent lawyer at his trial. Given these issues, two different Maryland courts recently ordered his conviction to be vacated, which would have led to a new trial. But a panel of appellate judges recently ruled against him, by a vote of four to three, reinstating his original conviction. Syed is again facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison for a murder he may not have committed. I wish the facts were clearer that his innocence or guilt could be established. But that seems unlikely. Instead, were left with a 38-year-old man who was convicted on dubious evidence, in a trial that fell well short of fairness. He has already spent nearly 20 years behind bars. The just outcome remains unknowable. The merciful outcome unless hes convicted again, at a new trial is for him to go free, sooner rather than later. [Join Jamelle Bouie as he shines a light on overlooked writing, culture and ideas from around the internet. For exclusive thoughts, photos and reading recommendations, sign up for his newsletter.] In 2016, anti-abortion conservatives and white evangelicals in particular supported Donald Trump on the expectation that he would nominate anti-abortion judges to the Supreme Court. He has. But the story of that support, which is also the story of these new laws, isnt purely transactional. It is about a shared commitment to the same overarching goal. The animating impulse of Trumps campaign the beating heart of Make America Great Again was a defense of traditional hierarchies. Trump promised, explicitly, to weaken Americas commitment to principles of fairness and equality to strengthen privileges of race, gender and wealth. His personal life was defined by its hedonism, excess and contempt for conservative morality. But he pitched himself as a bulwark against cultural and demographic change, a symbol of white patriarchal manhood aligned against immigrants, feminists and racial minorities. A bulwark against cultural and demographic change, despite his stated tolerance for same-sex marriage. If we dont win this election, youll never see another Republican, and youll have a whole different church structure, Trump said in an interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network in September 2016. He continued, I think this will be the last election that the Republicans have a chance of winning because youre going to have people flowing across the border, youre going to have illegal immigrants coming in, and theyre going to be legalized, and theyre going to be able to vote, and once that all happens you can forget it. At the same time, white evangelicals came to Trumps campaign of their own accord, backing him from the start of the Republican primaries through the general election, where they supported Trump more than any previous Republican presidential candidate ( 81 percent versus 78 percent for George W. Bush in 2004, the previous high-water mark). By The Sun, May 20, 2019 The US President tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! He issued the stark warning on Sunday after a rocket landed less than a mile from the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone, further stoking hostility in the region. Other mainstream European politicians facing threats from a growing far right should take heed: pandering to them doesnt work. For all the rhetoric of national sovereignty routinely espoused by Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini and other populist leaders, Mr. Straches fall shows how these supposedly lofty ideas are a cover for opportunism and hypocrisy. In the leaked video, Mr. Strache is seen drinking champagne and eating sushi at a villa in Ibiza, Spain, where he was meeting with a woman claiming to be the niece of a Russian oligarch with 250 million euros to burn. Among other ideas, he suggests that the woman open a construction company, which he would then ensure received government contracts. As the evening goes on, Mr. Strache comes up with a scheme in which the niece would quietly buy a controlling stake in one of Austrias most influential newspapers and in return the paper would help push the Freedom Party before the 2017 elections. Mr. Straches open desire to seek Russian help in influencing his countrys election, while shocking, should not come as a surprise. The Freedom Party entered into a formal coalition agreement with Vladimir Putins United Russia party in 2016 and some of its members participated as election observers in Russias fraudulent referendum during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. And the Freedom Party isnt unique here. The right-wing League party of Italy signed a similar cooperation agreement with United Russia, and has loudly argued against the sanctions on Moscow which the European Union and the United States imposed in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine . Marine Le Pens National Front in France, now rebranded as Rassemblement National , received a loan of 9 million euros from a Russian bank in 2014. Viktor Orban, Hungarys authoritarian prime minister who has positioned himself as a leading figure of the European far right, also has strong ties to Russia. Mr. Orban openly admires Vladimir Putins strongman style of politics; following Russias annexation of Crimea, he broke with the rest of the European Union and hosted Mr. Putin in Budapest in 2015. In short, Mr. Kurz should have known that he was striking a deal with the devil when he formed the coalition with the Freedom Party. He chose to overlook this. While he now tries to distance himself from the scandal-ridden Mr. Strache, claiming that there were many situations he found difficult to swallow, his new found indignation rings hollow. Whats worse is that the Freedom Partys xenophobic and racist ideologies were not enough to turn Mr. Kurz against Mr. Strache. It took Mr. Strache to be caught red-handed selling out his countrys sovereignty to Russia i ronic for a party that, like the rest of the far right movement, has been banging the drum of national sovereignty in its campaign against Brussels. Lets hope that with Mr. Straches cynicism laid bare, Mr. Kurz has learned his lesson. The desire spills out on social media, too. I hesitate to recommend Twitter as useful for any sort of public sentiment analysis, but right now there are people real people with children, best-selling books and magazine columns imploring not just Ms. Ardern, or the similarly affable prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, but Donald Tusk, a former prime minister of Poland and current president of the European Commission, to take over Britain. The exact method of this potential coup is never discussed, because, of course, the people calling for it dont actually mean it. But they do mean something. This particular fantasy a familiar foreign leader in competent managerial mode saving the country is something entirely new, and not specific to Brexit. In the immediate aftermath of President Trumps election, I lost count of the number of Americans who, upon learning I was Canadian, would wait a single, sad beat, before asking if they could borrow Mr. Trudeau. The American news media was particularly committed to this dream: recall the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in July 2017 asking Why cant he be our president? Brexit and Trump are often said to be signs that politics is broken; they signal deep, unseen faults preceding them, which have only fractured further since. This suggests a breakdown not just of specific administrations in the short term, but a large-scale loss of faith in entire national systems of politics. The real heart of the competent-outsider fantasy is that politics is still O.K. somewhere else, that there is a place it hasnt become splintered, tribal and seemingly beyond control. But these leaders dont actually offer solutions to problems like Brexit or Mr. Trumps election. How could they? Neither New Zealand nor Canada has faced these kinds of challenges. Nor does their appeal lie in their fresh-faced, telegenic youth. The fantasy here is about something else, not a path forward out of political crisis, but a return to an idealized past of consensus. Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Ardern are attractive because they still practice a brand of genial, inclusive liberalism, the so-called third way that ruled Western democratic politics for the better part of the past 25 years , and in doing so, they nod to the familiarity and safety of our own political past. So when we laud them, we acclaim the very intangible qualities that seem to have vanished from our own politics and politicians: optimism, openness, pragmatism, a sense of general ease in the world. These objects of fantasy seem as if they were dreamed up by the great theorist of 1990s third way politics, Anthony Giddens. Their immediate antecedents are Mr. Blair and Bill Clinton, politicians who first realized the value of speaking in moral imperatives while presenting the rational cool of a business executive. But jumping to conclusions is also wrong. There is no chance that Italy will become an authoritarian state, let alone a second fascist regime. We are too undisciplined for that. And Mr. Salvini may be a cheeky demagogue, but hes no dictator. Its undeniable, though, that he must be monitored. His party won 17 percent in the general election in March, 2018, then formed a government with the Five Star Movement which got nearly 33 percent and used it as a springboard. He left the thorny issues employment, transportation, public works to his inexperienced partners, and focused on self-promotion. This involved a lot of barking about the dangers of immigration, spreading fear but accomplishing little. Half a million illegal immigrants, whom he promised to expel pronto, are still here. Fewer come now, its true. But the idea of locking down Italian ports and letting people drown at sea doesnt play well with many Italians or in the courts. On May 19 a public prosecutor ordered 47 migrants, stranded off the coast on Lampedusa, a tiny island south of Sicily, to be brought ashore, and he confiscated the rescuing boat. Mr. Salvini has campaigned endlessly; this year he has held more than 200 rallies and spent a mere 17 full days in his ministerial office, according to one newspapers tally. He broadcasts daily on Facebook, tweets with Trump-like ferocity, and posts selfies wearing every type of uniform. Earlier this month, he introduced Vinci Salvini (Win Salvini), a campaign in which voters gain points by posting likes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And what do they win? Their photos on their leaders social profiles and, he beams, for the lucky ones, even a chat on the phone with me! This frantic activity has helped Matteo as he is known among the faithful gain a consensus on the right, even in the poorer South, where the League was despised until recently. Meanwhile, Silvio Berlusconi, whom Italians used to call Cavaliere, is, despite declining health, leading his much weakened Forza Italia party into the election, using the slogans and images from its historic win in 1994. But the aging Mr. Berlusconi is no match for the younger, tech-savvy Mr. Salvini. According to the latest polls available Italian law forbids publishing them in the two weeks before elections Forza Italia is at well under 10 percent, with the League between 30 and 35 percent. Some predict that on May 26 the League could end up being one of Europes largest parties. But there are small signs that may point to a different outcome. To start with, Five Star is fighting back, attacking its allies (about corruption, regional autonomy, and expanding Italys flat tax) and hinting at a possible leftist alliance with the Democratic Party. More important, the current government hasnt delivered. Italys economic growth is the slowest in the European Union , public debt keeps piling up and international investors are nervous. The patience of business people and entrepreneurs, especially in the wealthy north, is wearing thin. And they represent the core of the Leagues support. The problem is not the existence of political parties, per se, or that there are two major parties, Ms. Gehl said. The real problem is the nature of political competition that the current duopoly has created. The monopolistic tactics our political parties employ extend well beyond restricting access to their suppliers. Much as monopolists in the private sector check access to customers and capital, the political parties also limit access to voters and funding. For example, in my own campaign, the Republican Party invited all primary candidates to attend a Reagan Day dinner, but then allowed only the incumbent, Mr. Barrasso, to address the audience. When I complained to the party chairman, I was told there was nothing he could do. Not only do challengers like me have no access to that $2.5 billion war chest, but prominent Republican donors explicitly told me they couldnt contribute to my campaign and risk their donation showing up in public records, for fear of retribution by the party. As Ms. Gehl and Mr. Porter helped me see, the primary system isnt broken; by restricting access to suppliers, customers and capital, it functions exactly as intended to protect the monopoly player. The political parties understand that in a political world made up mainly of partisan-drawn districts, where 90 percent of the seats in Congress are not competitive in the general election, controlling the primary process protects incumbents and controls the ultimate outcome. Monopolies dont restrict competition with noticeable barriers because thats how they get caught. Instead, they hide 1,000 bear traps in the grass, rendering a successful challenge too unlikely for competitors to bother. With 96 percent of the film market in the mid-1950s, Kodak used its market power to bundle the cost of developing photos into the price of the film, making it more expensive to process the film of a competitor. In the 90s, Microsoft didnt make it impossible to use Netscape Navigator; it just made sure you never saw the browser on your PC by installing only Internet Explorer on Windows machines. The average users, newer to computers, never realized they had a choice. Ms. Gehl and Mr. Porter argue that these anti-competitive tactics explain the disconnect between our opinion of Congress and our behavior at the polls. We re-elect incumbents not because we approve of them, but because they have no serious competition. What I learned in grade-school civics is that democracy works when our representatives are accountable to the voters. The insight I gained running for office is that the partisan primary makes them anything but. Political parties have hijacked our elections and our representatives, making representatives accountable not to voters but to the party and its donors. Fortunately, there are three structural solutions that, if voters are prepared to insist on change, will remove the power of those 1,000 hidden bear traps. NASHVILLE The news emanating from the American South this year has been one long litany of assaults against human decency. In Alabama, a physician who performs an abortion in the case of rape may soon spend more time in prison than the rapist himself. In Mississippi, a family is suing the county and its sheriff for beating a black man to death in jail. Tennessee just executed a deeply repentant Christian convert who had lived an exemplary life in prison. Proponents of a culture of life dont seem to recognize the incoherence of their position. Unsurprisingly, the news about race relations is no better. Four fraternity members at the University of Georgia were expelled when an overtly racist video came to light. Fires at three historically black churches in one Louisiana parish are being investigated as cases of arson. A South Carolina man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to hire a white supremacist to lynch his black neighbor. And dont even get me started on all the new voter-suppression tactics. White Southerners in power have been trying to keep black people from voting ever since they got the right to vote. Im tempted to say theres never been a worse time to be a sentient human being in the American South, but I know thats not true. I spent my entire 1960s childhood in Alabama, and I dont care how bad you think it is right now, its nothing to the days when Bull Connor and his ilk still walked the earth. But its also true that things can be better and still be shamefully, irredeemably bad. Nevertheless, I find myself bristling as stereotypes of redneck Southerners fly around the internet every time news of some fresh racist or misogynistic travesty hits social media. Heres a typical tweet (with expletives removed): Its really easy to #BoycottAlabama because who the [expletive] would ever want to go to that redneck [expletive] on purpose? As if every person in the entire state can be painted with the same brush. As if the presence of something indisputably evil obviates every good thing that happens within state borders. As if such statements arent a transparent form of prejudice itself. In fact, Congress has many important legislative purposes that would be served by access to the full Mueller report and underlying documents. The administrations attempt to deny or slow roll the release of this information is hampering Congresss ability to draft new legislation to protect our democracy from foreign adversaries. I know from experience. Last year the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee asked me to testify about several legislative initiatives that could be informed by an understanding of Russias 2016 election interference including any Americans support for those activities. The full Mueller report and underlying documents could provide a trove of valuable information to inform and accelerate such legislation. Along with Kenneth Wainstein, who served as the head of the Justice Departments national security division under President George W. Bush, our panel gave the best advice we could on a wide range of legislation proposed by members of the committee, Republican and Democratic, in addition to ideas of our own. The proposed reforms included the expansion of enforcement authority for rules governing foreign agents, closing loopholes in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, defining more precisely the federal crime of conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission, imposing new immigration controls on foreign nationals who interfere in United States elections, prohibiting the use of shell companies to conceal election contributions by foreign nationals, incentivizing collaboration between social media companies and independent evaluators, and adding reporting requirements for political campaigns when approached by foreign agents with stolen information. That is a long list, yet it goes on. The redacted Mueller report is rich in information, but legislators would very likely benefit enormously by knowing more about a number of things from the pages that have been kept from Congress: how Moscow devised its attempts to penetrate the Trump campaign and the tactical benefits it expected to gain from different parts of the operation, what actions Americans took wittingly and unwittingly to support Kremlin front organizations and WikiLeaks, and why members of the Russian delegation at Trump Tower were not charged with violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Those are just a few of the many pieces missing from the puzzle. The Mueller report also hints at specific legislative reforms for the Hill to consider. Congress may need to expand the federal offense of trafficking in stolen property to include hacked emails, define what counts as a thing of value when offered to a campaign by a foreign government agent, and improve how the intelligence community coordinates its response and warns political campaigns of foreign threats. In season four of NBCs Parks and Recreation, Paul Rudd plays a wealthy businessman named Bobby Newport who runs for city council because hes looking for something easy to do. He is asked during a debate how hed fix the town. His answer: I have no idea. Still, the audience goes wild, much to the frustration of his rival, Leslie Knope. Its funny because its relatable. Sooner or later, we all may encounter a Bobby Newport. What is it about an elite upbringing that seems to make people feel qualified for tasks where they have little experience? This is one of the questions that inspired a study published Monday in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The researchers suggest that part of the answer involves what they call overconfidence. In several experiments, they found that people who came from a higher social class were more likely to have an inflated sense of their skills even when tests proved that they were average. This unmerited overconfidence, they found, was interpreted by strangers as competence. The findings highlight yet another way that family wealth and parents education two of a number of factors used to assess social class in the study affect a persons experience as they move through the world. Rihanna is known for chart-topping hits like Umbrella, Diamonds and Work, but she is also making a name for herself in the realm of beauty and fashion. In 2017, she launched her first makeup line, Fenty Beauty. This month shell once again enter a new lane, luxury fashion, with the creation of Fenty in partnership with the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. Speaking candidly about her creative process, in an interview with T Magazine, Rihanna shared a few pearls of wisdom from her journey to the top of the fashion world. Take it slow and learn Years before agreeing to work on a fashion brand, Rihanna said, she had been slowly evolving in the fashion world. She was first a consumer but eventually grew into a tastemaker who was recognized for her style. Then came collaboration offers. She never wanted to put her name on things and sell her license. In fact, she took the opposite approach to build Fenty. Im very hands-on, so I wanted to take it slowly and gain respect as a designer, she said. [Read T magazines full interview with Rihanna here.] Facial recognition software is coming under increasing scrutiny from civil liberties groups and lawmakers. Now Amazon, one of the most visible purveyors of the technology, is facing pressure from another corner as well: its own shareholders. As part of Amazons annual meeting in Seattle on Wednesday, investors are voting on whether the tech giants aggressive push to spread the surveillance software threatens civil rights and, as a consequence, the companys reputation and profits. Shareholders have introduced two proposals on facial recognition for a vote. One asks the company to prohibit sales of its facial recognition system, called Amazon Rekognition, to government agencies, unless its board concludes that the technology does not facilitate human rights violations. The other asks the company to commission an independent report examining the extent to which Rekognition may threaten civil, human and privacy rights, and the companys finances. This piece of equipment that Amazon has fostered and developed and is really propagating at this point doesnt seem to us to be in the best interest of the common good, said Sister Pat Mahoney, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, a religious community in Brentwood, N.Y., that is an Amazon investor and introduced the proposed sales ban. Facial recognition all over the place just makes everyone live in a police state. Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there stood emerald peaks woven with crystalline rivers, hillsides garlanded with stone villages, and canyons joined by lofty bridges arcing toward the heavens. This enchanting realm even had a suitably enchanting name: Bosnia and Herzegovina, as melodious as Narnia, Utopia or Shangri-La, worlds that exist in the imagination, not on maps. But Bosnia, of course, isnt exactly a fairy tale. As much as Id prepared myself, it didnt register when I first glimpsed it: an apartment block a few minutes from Sarajevos airport, its otherwise unremarkable facade speckled with unseemly blisters. Soon after, a building with a gaping chasm where a window might have once been, and then another, with chunks of plaster gouged out like missing teeth. Are those from the war? I asked my cabdriver. But in the campaign to be the citys next district attorney, candidates from the start attacked the raid in which the police were investigating the leak of a police report about the mysterious death of Jeff Adachi, the citys elected public defender as a violation of the citys principles, at a time when freedom of the press is under assault at the national level. (The current district attorney, George Gascon, in his first statement on the matter, said on Sunday, I cant imagine a situation in which a search warrant would be appropriate to target a journalist.) At a forum last week hosted by the Latino Democratic Club, each of the four candidates weighed in, offering condemnations that differed sharply from the tone of some city leaders. Chesa Boudin, a public defender in the race, said, A free press is a fourth branch of government and its under attack at the national level, and it cannot be and will not be under attack at the local level when Im district attorney. Invoking President Trumps attacks on a free press, Suzy Loftus, a former prosecutor in the race, said, San Francisco is right to have a lot of questions about whether or not that was what was necessary. Leif Dautch, another candidate, who works in the office of the attorney general, said he was extremely disturbed by the raid, and said that journalists play an incredibly important role in our society. The fourth candidate, Nancy Tung, an assistant district attorney in Alameda County, said, I think one of the most important rights we have is a right to a free press. But Ms. Tung, who is running to the right of the other candidates, also said there were things in the search warrant, which is under seal, that we are not privy to. Access to a government jet 24 hours a day. An office in the West Wing, plus guaranteed weekends off for family time. And an assurance of being made secretary of homeland security by November. Those were among a list of 10 conditions that Kris Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state, has given to the White House if he is to become the administrations immigration czar, a job President Trump has been looking to create to coordinate immigration policy across government agencies. The list was described by three people familiar with it. [Update: Kris Kobach announces bid to run for Kansas Senate seat.] Mr. Kobach, who once served as an adviser to the hard-line immigration Sheriff Joe Arpaio and helped write an Arizona law requiring local officials to verify the citizenship of anyone they had reasonable suspicion to believe was an unauthorized immigrant, said he would need to be the main television spokesman for the Trump administration on immigration policy. And he said he wanted a guarantee that cabinet secretaries whose portfolios relate to immigration would defer to him, with the president mediating disputes if need be. The list was submitted by Mr. Kobach in recent weeks as he discussed his interest in the job. Other conditions included having a staff of seven reporting to him, walk in privileges to the Oval Office, a security detail if deemed necessary and the title of assistant to the president. WASHINGTON The fight over President Trumps systematic stonewalling of Congress escalated on two fronts on Monday, as a federal judge upheld a subpoena for his financial records even as the White House instructed its former top lawyer to defy a subpoena to testify before lawmakers. In the first court test of Mr. Trumps vow to resist all subpoenas by House Democrats, a judge ruled that his accounting firm, Mazars USA, must turn over his financial records to Congress rejecting his lawyers argument that lawmakers had no legitimate power to demand the files. Mr. Trump separately moved to block Congress from receiving testimony by the former White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II at a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, denying House Democrats one of the most important eyewitnesses to Mr. Trumps attempts to obstruct the Russia investigation. Mr. McGahn will not appear, his lawyer said later. The fights raise separate but overlapping issues: how far Congresss power to subpoena information extends, what Mr. Trump can apply executive privilege to in order to keep secret, and whether a presidents senior aides are absolutely immune from subpoenas, meaning they do not even have to show up when ordered to appear before lawmakers. WASHINGTON Michael D. Cohen, President Trumps onetime personal lawyer and fixer, told congressional investigators this year that his discussions with the presidents legal team about a potential pardon continued longer than previously known, newly released transcripts show. In a pair of private interviews in February and March, Mr. Cohen told the House Intelligence Committee that he had conversations about pardons with Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for Mr. Trump, until his decision in July 2018 to withdraw from a joint defense agreement with the president and his allies and begin cooperating with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Mr. Cohen said that Mr. Sekulow told him that the presidents team was considering possible pardons for him and other witnesses because they could help to shut down the inquiries and to shut the investigation down. Mr. Cohens explosive claims about possible pardons in exchange for loyalty comport with earlier revelations that lawyers for Mr. Trump raised the prospect of pardons in 2017 with lawyers of two other former advisers tied up in the case. But despite prosecutors reliance on him, Mr. Cohen has also faced persistent questions about the extent of his truthfulness. Carlos entered the United States without his parents near Hidalgo, Tex., on May 13 in a group of about 70 other migrants. An official with Customs and Border Protection, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation into Carloss death was in preliminary stages, told reporters that the boy did not show signs of illness in an initial medical screening on the day he was detained. He was held in a processing center in the agencys Rio Grande Valley sector until Sunday, the official said. Early that morning, Carlos told agents at the facility he was not feeling well. A nurse practicitioner determined he had influenza and recommended he receive doses of Tamiflu. Border Patrol agents bought the medicine from a nearby pharmacy. Later Sunday, Carlos was moved to a Border Patrol station in Weslaco, about 20 miles away, where he could be separated, the official said. He was found dead on Monday morning, an hour after a welfare check. Officials said Carlos was given a diagnosis of Influenza A, but it was not clear if he was specifically tested for the illness, and officials did not respond to questions for clarification. In January, agents at an immigration processing facility in McAllen, Tex., said they were unable to isolate migrants with transmittable illnesses, such as influenza or chickenpox. The facility is a giant open warehouse, and chain link fencing separates groups of people. Instead, the agents said, the sick individuals could be moved to other stations, like Weslaco. Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. Im Lisa Lerer, your host. [Get On Politics delivered to your inbox.] Were only five months into 2019, but already its been a banner year for the anti-abortion movement. Eight states have passed abortion restrictions, with the hope that one of them could lead to a legal challenge of Roe v. Wade. False claims of infanticide have Democrats on the defensive. And last week, the movement claimed its biggest victory yet: passage of a near-total abortion ban in Alabama. But could the biggest win for anti-abortion activists in years actually be a political misstep? Thats the fear being raised by some Republicans, who worry that the Alabama law reaches beyond what voters or the Supreme Court support. Theres a certain irony to the situation: President Trumps support of the anti-abortion movement emboldened activists; now, the president and his allies are concerned those activists bold moves could cost the party. WASHINGTON President Trumps accounting firm must turn over his financial records to Congress, a Federal District Court judge ruled on Monday, rejecting his legal teams argument that lawmakers had no legitimate power to subpoena the files. But Mr. Trump vowed that his legal team would appeal rather than permit the firm, Mazars USA, to comply with the subpoena and the ruling, so the legal fight is far from over. The ruling by the judge, Amit P. Mehta of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, was an early judicial test of the presidents vow to systematically stonewall all subpoenas by House Democrats, stymieing their ability to perform oversight of Mr. Trump and the executive branch after winning control of the chamber in last years midterm elections. [Read the ruling.] Mr. Trumps legal team, led by William S. Consovoy, had argued that the House Committee on Oversight and Reform had no legitimate legislative purpose in seeking Mr. Trumps financial records and was just trying to dig up dirt like finding out whether the president broke any laws for political reasons, so the subpoena exceeded its constitutional authority. Hunter Biden has become a particular target for Mr. Trump and his allies. They have focused attention on his personal life, including his 2014 discharge from the Navy Reserve after testing positive for cocaine, and his business career, which included a number of roles that intersected with his fathers political career. He worked with a Delaware-based credit card issuer, at the Commerce Department under President Bill Clinton and as a lobbyist on behalf of various universities, associations and companies. During his fathers second term as vice president, Hunter Biden increased his international business efforts, including with individuals and entities viewed warily by the United States government and its allies. In addition to his work in Ukraine for the energy company Burisma, Hunter Biden advised a Romanian businessman with ties to the United States, Gabriel Popoviciu, whose real estate dealings had come under investigation, according to people familiar with the arrangement, which has not been previously reported. The investigation, which came as the United States and its allies were pushing Romania to clamp down on corruption, led to Mr. Popovicius conviction and a prison sentence. In the deal alluded to by Mr. Trump in the Fox News interview on Sunday, Hunter Biden and a business partner, Devon Archer, were involved in a fund that reportedly pursued an investment from the Chinese government-owned Bank of China. The fund was announced in late 2013 days after Hunter Biden and one of his daughters flew to China from Japan aboard Air Force Two with the vice president, who was in the midst of a diplomatic mission intended to calm rising tensions in the region. During the trip, Vice President Biden warned Chinese leaders not to use fighter jets to enforce an air defense zone created by Beijing over contested waters. The conservative author Peter Schweizer has suggested that Hunter Biden used the trip to secure a deal with the Bank of China a suggestion that has been echoed by Mr. Trumps allies in the conservative news media. MONTOURSVILLE, Pa. President Trumps presence in a district in north central Pennsylvania was not really needed to help the Republican congressional candidate who is heavily favored in a special election on Tuesday. The rally the president held on Monday night in Montoursville, and in a week that he is also headed to Japan, was really about his own political fate and how vital Pennsylvania, and the central part of the state in particular, is to his chances for winning a second term. It is an area replete with culturally conservative, white, working-class voters whose energy in 2016 delivered the states 20 electoral votes by less than one percentage point to Mr. Trump over Hillary Clinton. That kind of victory will not be easy to replicate. Everybody who voted for him in 2016 will vote for him again, said Val DiGiorgio, the chairman of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania, who spoke at the rally before Mr. Trump. The question is, where do you pick up more votes and what is the intensity going to be for both sides? Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has recommended murder charges against 22 policemen for the killing of Richard Red Santillan, aide of losing senatorial candidate Glenn Chong. The NBI said that the December 2018 shooting of Santillan and his companion Gessamyn Minmin Casing in Cainta, Rizal was a rubout and not a firefight, as claimed by the police. The severity of the police officers acts indicated a calculated pursuit of a decision to kill Red and Minmin, the NBI said in an April 21 transmittal letter released to the media on Monday. Santillan died from 21 gunshot wounds in different parts of his body, while Casing succumbed to two, according to the autopsy results. Citing forensic reports and witness testimonies, the NBI said the victims were defenseless and did not use firearms. This is contrary to the claim of the policemen who said the two fired at them first, prompting them to shoot back. Red and Minmin were like sitting ducks overwhelmingly vulnerable to attack and clearly unable to protect their lives, the NBI said. It added that policemen involved in the incident made a conscious decision for a sure kill, using their short and long firearms against unarmed civilians. The NBI also recommended that the policemen be charged for planting of evidence, noting that the firearms recovered by the police from Santillans vehicle tested negative for the fingerprints of either victims. If these firearms were used by Minmin and Red, their prints would have been found thereat considering that both were not wearing any hand gloves, it said. The NBI said obstruction of justice charges should also be filed against Calabarzon Provincial Director P/Col. Lou Evangelista, and acting Cainta police chief P/Lt. Col. Panlito Naganag for fabricating information on the fatal shooting incident. In addition, the NBI said Calabarzon police director P/Brig. Gen.l Edward Carranza should face the same charge for giving false testimony in a Senate hearing on the case. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio In May 2016, David Betras, a Democratic Party leader in the heart of industrial northeast Ohio, sent a memo warning Hillary Clintons campaign that it was on the verge of losing Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan because she was not connecting with blue-collar voters. These states should be easy wins for us, he wrote. He said he got no answer. As he sees it now, Democrats are still just as out of touch. Mr. Betras, who recently stepped down as Democratic chairman of populous Mahoning County, said that while Democrats in Washington harp on President Trumps unfitness for office, his taxes and possible impeachment, the president is solidifying blue-collar support through an aggressive trade war with China, even if his tariffs mean economic pain in the short term. The Democratic Party has lost its voice to speak to people that shower after work and not before work, he said. All were saying is he wont turn over his tax returns. Hes saying, Im fighting China to get you better jobs. He added: They dont care about his taxes they just dont. In the 10th year of a national recovery, which has brought record low unemployment and rising wages to many parts of the country, northeast Ohio is still among the walking wounded, the result of decades of deindustrialization driven by free trade deals. The loss of 1,600 jobs in March at a General Motors plant in nearby Lordstown, despite Mr. Trumps visible efforts to save them, was the latest blow. In other words, to him, its not a serious matter, the spokesman said. Because if it was serious, he always tells the public about it. Mr. Panelo said Mr. Duterte has been in Manila since Friday, and has spent the last two days with his family. Mr. Panelo said that when he asked the president about the rumors of a hospital visit, Mr. Duterte told him: I neither confirm nor deny. You draw your own conclusions. Reports of poor health have followed Mr. Duterte for some time. He acknowledged in October that he made a secret visit to the hospital earlier that year for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. The tests, according to the presidential palace, were routine as the leader has Barretts esophagus a condition where cells grow abnormally in the esophagus and can sometimes develop into cancer. Mr. Duterte is known to see doctors at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Manila, and some news outlets speculated that he was being treated there most recently after patients were quoted by local radio as saying the security there had been unusually tight over the weekend. A change in Mr. Dutertes complexion, which has noticeably darkened, has also fueled speculation of illness, though Mr. Duterte dismissed it as sunburn and the natural discoloration of aging. According to Rappler, a local news outlet that has been monitoring Mr. Dutertes public appearances, he has been suddenly absent from the public eye without an explanation, at least four other times. There were rumors this month that Mr. Duterte was ill when he took several days off after an official visit to China, disappearing from April 29 until May 4. Twice in June 2017 he went unseen for several days, and once in February of that year. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan Three guards and 29 inmates were killed in an outbreak of violence involving Islamic State militants at a high-security prison in Tajikistan, the Justice Ministry said on Monday. The ministry said rioting broke out late Sunday at the prison in Vakhdat, about six miles east of the capital, Dushanbe, after militants armed with knives killed the guards and five fellow prisoners. Security forces responded to the violence, killing 24 militants and restoring order at the prison, which holds 1,500 inmates, the ministry added. Two of the prisoners who were killed were senior members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, an Islamist party outlawed by the government of President Imomali Rakhmon in 2015. Another was a prominent Tajik cleric who had been convicted on charges of calls to overthrow the government. One of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, a son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who joined the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in 2015 and, according to the Justice Ministry, has since been killed in Syria. The fate of Bekhruz Gulmurod after the riots was not publicly known. MEDAN, Indonesia President Joko Widodo of Indonesia has succeeded in his bid for re-election, according to a full vote count released by the countrys election commission on Tuesday, in a repudiation of the nationalist and faith politics that have brought strongmen to power across the globe. Mr. Joko captured 55.5 percent of the vote, well ahead of Prabowo Subianto, a former army general whose alliance with hard-line Islamists raised concerns in the country with the worlds largest Muslim population. The results came more than a month after the April 17 vote. Mr. Joko, 57, a moderate technocrat with an enthusiasm for infrastructure projects and a reputation for celebrating Indonesias religious and ethnic diversity, was accused by supporters of Mr. Prabowo of being a secret Christian who was selling the country to foreign investors. But Mr. Prabowos divisive vision of the country did not prevail. A four-time presidential candidate, he won 44.5 percent of the vote, worse than he did in 2014, when he first ran against Mr. Joko, who is known by the nickname Jokowi. Im trying to get to Sabarimala Temple, one of Indias holiest Hindu shrines. Youre going to Sabarimala? Were going to the top. But its not easy. We go talk to him? That man. O.K. Lets go. There are police everywhere. Hello, sir. They seem to be on high alert. Times? New York Times. American. American. New York Times. The New York Times, over. Thanks for your help, yeah? Thank you, sir. In the end, I get through, and I walk among thousands of pilgrims who are here to worship the god Ayyappa. Oh, cool. There it is. There it is. This is it. Its like a whole little town here. One group I dont see? Women, between the ages of 10 and 50. The devout believe Ayyappa is a celibate god and those women could tempt him. But I do meet the vigilantes who are here to stop any young women from entering. Right here, what are you looking for? Right here, well be asking: How old are you? Traditionally, women of childbearing age have been banned from coming here. But last year, the Indian Supreme Court said it was illegal to block them. The decision erupted into a religious crisis that lasted for months. [chanting] The devout were furious. They said it was an assault on their religion. And the political right wing seized an opportunity. They rushed in, calling themselves the defenders of tradition, and helped fuel violent protests. So, I came here to feel the reverberations. How much can a controversy over one temple shape politics in the worlds largest democracy? Im Jeffrey Gettleman. Its election time, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely win another five-year term. [cheering and applause] This is the first time Ive actually seen Modi in person. And wow, to rouse his base, he knows exactly what to say and how to say it. Hes trying to leverage the controversy over Sabarimala Temple into votes for his party, the B.J.P. Reporter: Hello, maam. So, you like Modi? Yeah, definitely. Why? I think Reporter: Some people say B.J.P. divides India between Hindus and Muslims. What do you say? Reporter: Even the Muslims? Yeah. Reporter: So, you think of it as Hindus or Indians? Among many Modi supporters, this is a core belief, that India is a Hindu nation, despite the fact that people of many religions live here. And I wonder what this means for minorities, and for the future of this democracy. See, since Modi came to power five years ago, hate crimes against Muslims have shot up. Lynch mobs have killed dozens of people suspected of slaughtering cows, which are sacred to Hindus. To be clear, Modi doesnt encourage the violence, but critics say he hasnt forcefully condemned it, either. Now, his party is riding this wave of Hindu nationalism into the most secular parts of the country. Thats another reason why I came here, to Kerala. Its a progressive state. Modis party has never won a single Parliament seat from here. This is the party that hold the most seats in Kerala, the Indian National Congress. It stands for a pluralist, secular India. So this is the last place Id expect the Hindu right to succeed. But the state has turned into a real battleground, all because of Sabarimala. Not far from the temple, I meet up with K. Surendran on the campaign trail. Hes a B.J.P. candidate for Parliament, and he was one of the thousands arrested for rioting at Sabarimala and physically blocking women from entering. It made him a hero of the Hindu right. Its impressive to see him work the crowd. He doesnt even have to say much. [singing] People here know exactly where he stands on Sabarimala, and thats what matters. Modis party has another advantage a strong ground game. These men are volunteers with the R.S.S. The hardline Hindu organization known for churning out leaders. Theyre basically Modis foot soldiers. There are thousands of branches like this one. Modi, himself, actually rose up through their ranks. Hari Mohan joined this group when he was 9, and now he helps recruit some of the younger guys. As soon as their workout ends, he and his R.S.S. friends fan out to door-knock for Modi and the B.J.P. Whats interesting is Hari doesnt talk about jobs, farms or the broader economy Modi isnt doing so well on those. Instead, Sabarimala Temple is really the issue. I realize that for most people here, even women, the controversy isnt about gender equality. Its about traditions, and who will protect them at all costs. India is a deeply religious country. India is also a secular democracy. These two things are becoming harder to square as religion, and one religion in particular, comes to dominate politics. This moment feels like a battle over very different visions for Indias future. And what happens here in Kerala could predict the direction of the entire country. Ms. Tang had also helped start a local chapter of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, which promulgates Beijings position that Taiwan is part of China. The group was established by Mr. Huang, the donor whose residency was revoked, and Australian intelligence officials say it is an arm of the partys overseas influence efforts. That connection and others made Ms. Tang, an Australian citizen, a subject of intense debate during the campaign, which she lost. Several local Chinese leaders published an open letter condemning her hiding of titles of many organizations including her association with the Chinese Government. Cassy OConnor, the leader of the local Greens Party, accused her of being part of an attempt by Beijing to dominate the Tasmanian tourism and property investment. The Chinese government actually picks off smaller states like Tasmania, with smaller economies, she said. Ms. Tang denied any ties to the party. The only wrongdoing I did was to put my hand up, wishing to add a different voice to the Hobart City Council, she said. What Ms. Tang actually reveals, analysts say, is the partys ability to recruit sympathizers around the world, many of whom gravitate to Beijings orbit less because of ideology than the potential for wealth and influence. Even after her loss, she received favorable coverage on state television in China. For many, Australian politics has become an increasingly valuable option one of many ways to potentially benefit from Chinese power and prosperity. We are no longer the sick man of East Asia, said one business leader at the consulate meeting in 2017. We Chinese stand tall. Want more Australia coverage and discussion? Sign up for the weekly Australia Letter, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group. BERLIN Austrias troubled coalition government descended deeper into chaos on Monday, with the far-right Freedom Party pulling out its remaining ministers and casting adrift important parts of the government. The fresh turmoil came after the governing coalition collapsed this weekend, when a video was made public appearing to show the vice chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache of the Freedom Party, promising government contracts to the niece of a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir V. Putin. Mr. Strache quit on Saturday. The scandal has raised concern in Austria and beyond of the influence the Kremlin wields with sympathetic far-right and populist parties around the Continent, just days before elections for the European Parliament in which nationalist forces are predicted to make a strong showing. In response to the scandal, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Monday that he would ask the president to dismiss the interior minister, Herbert Kickl, a leading member of the Freedom Party. Mr. Kurz said he had failed to grasp the gravity of the scandal and failed to take firm action in its wake. A man who scaled the Eiffel Tower and forced the national monument to abruptly close for several hours on Monday has been taken into custody, the authorities said. About 2,500 people were evacuated from the structure while the Paris Fire Department tried to capture the climber, officials said. By 9:30 p.m., the authorities said, they were able to reason with the man, who had been lodged for hours near the third tier of the 1,063-foot structure. It was unclear why the man climbed the landmark. The Eiffel Tower will reopen on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., according to La Societe dExploitation de la Tour Eiffel, which runs the landmarks official website. Photos of the climber, whose name has not been released, quickly flooded social media on Monday afternoon, showing him more than halfway up the monument as rescue workers tried to reach him. But Mr. Lamberts wife, who was made his legal guardian in 2016, says that he had clearly stated that he did not want to live that way. Ms. Lambert and her supporters point to multiple medical assessments that found her husband to be in an irreversible vegetative state, and to court rulings that said that artificially feeding and hydrating him to keep him alive constituted unreasonable obstinacy as defined by French law. To see him leave is to see him as a free man, Ms. Lambert told RTL radio on Monday. French doctors are also divided about the case. The French Society for Palliative Care said in a statement on Monday that Mr. Lambert was in a situation of artificial prolongation of life, as a result of medical action, and that taking him off life support was justified. Others disagreed. In a joint opinion column published on Monday in the newspaper Le Monde, dozens of French medical professionals said that Mr. Lamberts condition had been stable for years and that gauging his state of consciousness was too complex to reach an undoubtable conclusion. To decide in the place of people who cannot express themselves, to judge that their life is not dignified or has no meaning, is neither ethical nor scientifically justifiable, they wrote. Dr. Regis Aubry, the head of palliative care at the Besancon hospital and a member of a governmental advisory body on bioethics issues, said there were about 1,500 to 1,700 people in France in a state similar to Mr. Lamberts, but that requests to cease artificial hydration and nutrition were rare, and that in a majority of cases families and doctors came to an agreement on end-of-life decisions. What made Mr. Lamberts case stand out, he said, was the level of disagreement between family members, and the intense media scrutiny that followed. Modesty should be paramount when handling these questions, he said, noting that much is still unknown about the consciousness of vegetative patients, and that legislation could never cover each and every individual case. Only a discussion between respectful people can lead to the answer that is less bad. KIEV, Ukraine Minutes after taking office on Monday, Ukraines new president, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced a snap parliamentary election that he hopes will consolidate his power and help him deliver on campaign promises to end endemic corruption and a prolonged separatist conflict. Mr. Zelensky, a political neophyte who gained popularity as a television comedian, said in his inaugural address that his first priority is to reach a cease-fire in the war against Russian proxies in the countrys east that has claimed 13,000 lives. The new president won a landslide victory in April, leading a political party, Servant of the People, that was registered just last year, and does not yet hold any seats in the Ukrainian Parliament. Voting for a new Parliament had been scheduled for October, but Mr. Zelensky dissolved the current Parliament and moved the election to July, aiming to seize an advantage while he remains very popular and his party is running far ahead of its rivals in most recent opinion polls. During the campaign, he capitalized on the failure of the incumbent, Petro O. Poroshenko, a wealthy business magnate, to deliver economic growth, defeat corruption or end the war. JERUSALEM Palestinian businessmen have a message for the White House: Keep your money. Promising tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment as part of its peace plan for the Mideast, the Trump administration announced an economic workshop in Bahrain next month to show Palestinian business leaders the potential windfall they would reap under the American proposal, which has yet to be publicly disclosed. But leading Palestinian businessmen, including some who said they already received invitations to Bahrain and others considered likely to be asked, dismissed the event as insulting and counterproductive. Theyre destroying the appetite for any investor to come to Palestine because theres no clue to any solution, said Ibrahim Barham, chief executive of Safad Engineering & Electronics, one of the West Banks largest technology companies, who said he was asked to attend the Bahrain workshop. Thank you very much for inviting us, but we will not go, he said. Palestinian government officials, who were not invited to the conference, also rejected it. BEIRUT, Lebanon The Syrian military and its allies have begun a long, slow and violent campaign to recapture the last province in the country still under opposition control, where the government has gradually cornered rebels, extremists and civilians alike. A victory in Idlib Province, in Syrias northwest, would help the countrys president, Bashar al-Assad, and his allies Russia and Iran consolidate what increasingly looks like an assured victory in an eight-year-old civil war. But it would almost certainly come at a high cost in life and property. Last Wednesday, with airstrikes splitting open the Syrian countryside near their home, the Esmail family was selling everything they could not carry: their carpets, their washing machine, their refrigerator. On Thursday, they packed up the rest. On Friday, they searched frantically for shelter outside the danger zone, knowing not where to flee, but only that they must. For her next act, the pop star will become the first black woman in charge of a major luxury fashion house in Paris. Here, she gives T magazine an exclusive first look. FOR THREE YEARS, I have been a diligent student of Rihannas 2016 song Work. The first lesson it taught me was in the fine art of ubiquity: The omnipresent earworm hovered over casual intimacies, significant encounters, mundane journeys and made sense of itself wherever, in whatever crevices it chose. Then Work found its way into my own work. In my script for Slave Play, which debuted at New York Theater Workshop in 2018, the protagonist Kaneisha suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and Rihannas Work plays in her head on repeat, taking on a frighteningly oppressive quality and revealing the historic bedrock I was attempting to excavate: namely, that black people, specifically women, must live with the knowledge that their emotional and physical labor is the backbone of every relationship that they endeavor to have with their partners, with America. The song, which weaves through the dialogue, brought more attention to the play than any other device could have. This sense of casual immensity is what drew me to Robyn Rihanna Fenty, 31, as not only a performer but as an artist and a businessperson: a model for my own maturation. When listening to her repetitive, patois-filled song work, work, work, work, work, work one hears a Barbados-born1 musician who recognizes that the histories that are carried in her movement and her tongue are foreign to the listener. But instead of shying from that otherness, she dines upon it, a lesson for any of us who have held onto the shame of difference. As she prepares to launch Fenty, the fashion line she has created in partnership with LVMH2 the first luxury fashion house the conglomerate has created from scratch (which will begin sales at a pop-up in Paris on May 24, then be fully available at fenty.com on May 29) I wanted to discover what lessons she had to offer as she carried that confident otherness deeper into the nonmusical work she has been concentrating on this decade. Fenty, Corset dress in Japanese denim, $810. Sunglasses, $480. Leather shoes, $625. All clothing and accessories are by fenty.com . Jewelry, unless noted, is Rihannas own. Photo by Kristin-Lee Moolman. Styled by Suzanne Koller In April, we agreed to meet among barrels of chocolate at Dark Sugars Cocoa House,3 in the Shoreditch neighborhood of London. I thought about the unenviable position that Rihanna has come to occupy throughout her 14-year career, since she first moved to Stamford, Conn., and released her first tracks in 2005. To be black, a woman and an immigrant in the United States is to be a collection of negations of the American dream yet she stepped past those negations and into a fantasy of abundance few could imagine. In the last five years, we have witnessed her release her most critically acclaimed album,4 become creative director of womens collections for the German sportswear brand Puma,5 develop a line of size- and gender-inclusive lingerie under the Savage x Fenty label and debut her Fenty Beauty line,6 which literally changed the face of the cosmetics world by introducing a foundation palette with 40 shades, from the palest to the darkest skin tones. Now, Rihanna has become the first black woman to run a major luxury fashion house. Featuring structured silhouettes in subdued neutrals (at least to start) that emphasize strong shoulders, cinched waists and exposed legs, the Fenty brand is hoping to disrupt the market not only by channeling the imagination of a black woman but by revolutionizing the luxury distribution model by focusing on direct-to-consumer online sales. This allows Rihanna and her team of collaborators the freedom to drop new additions to the collection which includes sunglasses, shoes and other accessories every few weeks, like singles from an album. LVMH and the artist decided last year to expand their current relationship beyond cosmetics into a full-fledged fashion company, and Rihanna has already imbued the collection with her high-low aesthetic, incorporating intricate leatherwork and meticulous techniques like boning, then queering the looks by playing with gender tropes. Rihanna is uniquely positioned to forge a path for black owners in luxury fashion: Not only is she a muse of that realm herself but she has studied the maps shes inherited from her forebears. From a red-carpet style indebted to the silhouettes of Zelda Wynn Valdes7 as well as the lush fabrics of Sean Combss Sean John line8 and the steely assurance of Jay-Zs Rocawear9 collection, we have seen black fashions past adorning Rihanna as she steps into black fashions future. Indeed, the mission of the Fenty clothing line, according to Jahleel Weaver, a stylist for Rihanna who is now the labels style director, is to really speak to how multifaceted todays woman is. Were thinking about each release as a different facet to a womans wardrobe and how she approaches dressing. Luxury has been defined in the past as one woman, one brand: You know who the Saint Laurent woman is, you understood who the Celine woman was when it was Phoebe.10 Which is fine, but you think about how that relates to the modern woman. I dont think she is just one thing, Rih being the perfect example of that. AS THE DOORBELL chimed, a brilliantly heeled foot wearing one of the aggressively pointed leather Fenty sandals Id previewed the day before stepped through a hidden side door. I was instantly hit with the emotional heft that a student feels in the presence of a favorite teacher if only all teachers wore pinstriped Balenciaga suits. She smelled like cinnamon, bubble gum and the sea, her scent dominating the overpowering chocolate around us. For the next two and a half hours, I studied her every glance and gesture for a hint of the weight her work must put upon her. The weight of expectation, the weight of anticipation, the weight of youth, the weight of doubt though only in a single moment, when we spoke of fear, did this weight announce itself. Yet the lesson I took back home to New Haven with me is that there can be pleasure in the privilege of working despite societys negations. The pleasure and ubiquity of Rihannas work endures because the only thing that will stop her from doing it is her. I cant just think I know everything. Im very smart with my control freak. I welcome other peoples expertise. Suit jacket in cotton canvas, $1,100. Corset blazer dress in cotton canvas $1,100. Sunglasses, $460. Brass ear cuff with Swarovski crystals, $420. Embossed calfskin shoes, $670. Photo by Kristin-Lee Moolman. Styled by Suzanne Koller JH: What are some of the things youve come to appreciate since youve moved to London?11 RF: Walking around the block. JH: Wait, you can walk around the block? Because here, they had to shut everything down. RF: No! This is not a regular day in London. Its a bank holiday. Everyones out. Its insane. JH: Do people recognize you? RF: When I go walking, I try to keep it a little incognito. JH: Well, you are Rihanna. Which brings me to my first question: What draws you to collaborate with a company like LVMH? I feel like youre as big as LVMH, if not bigger. RF: Whoa. Thats kind of crazy to say. JH: Its true, though. Numbers dont lie.12 RF: Ive been slowly evolving throughout the fashion world. First wearing it, buying it, being recognized for my style and then collaborating with brands. I never just wanted to put my name on something and sell my license. Im very hands-on, so I wanted to take it slowly and gain respect as a designer. I already had a relationship with them after the Versailles campaign13 and the makeup line, so they extended the offer to me and it was a no-brainer because LVMH is a machine. Bernard Arnault14 was so enthusiastic; he trusted me and my vision. JH: When they came to you with this, was part of your calculus, like, Im gonna be the first black woman to do this? RF: No, and I didnt even know that until months into our relationship, when Jahleel15 brought it to my attention. And Im like, Are you sure about that? Did you do your research? Cause I dont wanna state a claim thats [expletive]. Because I still couldnt believe it. It made me feel proud. JH: Its unmapped territory. What models did you have or were you purely going from one task to the next? RF: I didnt have these dreams when I was little. I had a dream of making music; thats it. I didnt even think about the fame part, and then that happened, and its like, Do I really like this? How much do I really love music that Im dealing with this? Then the one-hit-wonder comment16 came straight out of the gate and that put a fire under my ass, and I just never stopped working. Every time it was about challenging myself: I have to do better, I have to do better. And whats next, whats next? I won a Grammy17 and that was seconds into my past as soon as it got into my hands. I have to think about the next thing, which is terrible because people should live in the moment. I just started branching out into different creative outlets. Thats what makes me happy. [Coming later this spring: the T List newsletter, a weekly roundup of what T Magazine editors are noticing and coveting. Sign up here.] Oversize jacket in Japanese denim, $1,100. Sunglasses, $480. Brass ear cuff with Swarovski crystals, $420. Photo by Kristin-Lee Moolman. Styled by Suzanne Koller JH: Something that one of my mentors, the playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins,18 said to me is, Never let anyone rob you of your right to fail. RF: You know whats crazy, I have a tattoo thats written backward so I can read it in the mirror: Never a failure. Always a lesson. So what you just said is, like, boom! How you gonna learn without making mistakes? Did you believe your mom when she said, Dont touch the iron? JH: No! None of us did. RF: You had to touch it, right? You had to get burned. JH: What lessons do you think you could learn from failing with this Fenty project? RF: So many, because its the beginning of a new world. Everything was a collaboration, so Ive plugged my DNA into theirs, but there was already a blueprint. Im learning so much: about the tailoring, the fabric Im seeing fabrics that Ive never seen in my life. JH: What are some of those fabrics? RF: One of them is called Weapon.19 Thats what we ended up making our suits in. Even making clothes in luxury is different. All the techniques are, like, ridiculous. JH: I mean, all of the boning on your dresses is RF: I love a corset. We put a corset in a suit, a dress, a shirt, a denim jacket and a T-shirt dress. JH: Its so femme. But youre using traditionally masculine shapes (the suit, the chore coat) to tell a complex narrative about the Fenty person. What is the Fenty persons relationship to masculinity and femininity? RF: I use myself as the muse. Its sweatpants with pearls, or a masculine denim jacket with a corset. I feel like we live in a world where people are embracing every bit of who they are. Look at Jaden Smith,20 Childish Gambino.21 They dare you to tell them not to. JH: To me, part of being Rihanna is twerking on a yacht and walking out of a bar with a wine glass. Youre like a modern Dionysus, a goddess of the party, the turn-up. Does that feel true to you now as Fentys muse? RF: There has been quite an evolution in that party. In the beginning, it was just my culture, my life. And now, the party, believe it or not, is at work. I do not go out. I will go to a dinner. I try to have as much fun as I can during work. And even after work, when Im literally in my kitchen having a drink, I invite all my staff. And we work, still. JH: Do you think that that ability to party with your staff comes from the fact your associates and staff, known as #TheCorp,22 are like family? RF: I see them more than my family and spend most of my life with them. It becomes friendship first, and then it leads into family because we lean on each other. Im sure its really different from any other boss-employee relationship. JH: Using your family name as the anchor of this company and Fenty Beauty seems to recall the idea of a family business. What was behind that choice? RF: I used to be afraid to step into the whole celebrity makeup world. I saw brands like Hilary Duff and Hannah Montana23 have so much success [in the aughts], but it got to a place where they were so oversaturated in the market that it diluted their personal brands. It made me think, Im not going to do this, because you lose your respect and credibility, and so every collaboration I did outside of music, I used Fenty so that you didnt have to hear the word Rihanna every time you saw something that I did. So Rihanna stayed the music, the person. But these other brands are called Fenty. Youre going to be black wherever you go. And I dont know if its unfortunate or fortunate, because I love being black. Suit jacket in cotton canvas with fanny pack, $1,100. Pleated suit trousers in cotton canvas, $485. Leather shoes, $625. Photo by Kristin-Lee Moolman. Styled by Suzanne Koller JH: Do you know where your last name comes from? I looked it up. RF: Really? Youre about to teach me something about myself. Is it Irish? JH: No, its Spanish and Portuguese. It derives from the word infante, a title for the children of royals. RF: Get out of here! JH: Its a medieval name. RF: That is tripping me out. JH: Does it trip you out that Fenty gets to open so many doors? How are you looking to make room at that table of luxury design for other black, brown and female designers? RF: I like to think of my establishment at the Fenty house as a hub. So I am always looking at grad collections, whos about to leave college, who wants a year here. And weve done that with a couple young designers and a couple new ones that are coming in. Even if youve never designed something in your life, you might have impeccable taste: Im welcoming everyones vision here, because thats what its gonna take. I cant just think I know everything. Im very smart with my control freak a smart control freak. I welcome other peoples expertise. I love new, young talent. JH: Who was really generous with their knowledge with you? RF: Jay Brown, my manager who started off as my A&R.24 Hes been a father figure in my life.25 JH: Jahleel said that when you hired him you gave him his freedom papers. Hes free to walk through the LVMH headquarters in Paris and be who he wants to be. Where does that freedom come from? From being affiliated with you? RF: No, because even within being Rihanna, that freedom didnt exist for a while. Good Girl Gone Bad26 is where I started to take the reins: Im going to do whatever I want to do, Im taking control of my vision, my sound, my clothes. I also embraced change along the way things that make me a better woman, a better human being. Like, even the way I communicate: Im really proud of my growth on that. Im proud to walk into any building as this person. Nothing about me makes me embarrassed about me. JH: You did an interview in 2012 where you said you used to change your voice in business meetings. Was that one of the pressures you felt in that era, to be a certain type of Bajan woman in American society? RF: No, that was the pressure I felt from the jump, with Music of the Sun.27 Im walking into a new world, new industry, with people who have been doing this forever. Im literally from a rock in the ocean. JH: You were 15!28 RF: Right. You know nothing then. So you just take these peoples advice, and you realize, This is not who I am. It was the pressure of feeling safe in a box. I never liked that feeling, and so I grew out of that box when I couldnt take it anymore, and I just went for it. JH: Is Good Girl Gone Bad your favorite album? RF: No, because that was a transition. I dont know what my favorite album is Im sure if I put all my favorite songs together, it would be a really sick album. Maybe I should do that one day. JH: You should troll your fans by doing that. Be like, New album, yall! RF: They would hate me. They would take me down. JH: Im not in the Navy,29 but I am Navy adjacent. So I have to ask some questions I saw floating around the message boards. RF: O.K. [Laughs.] JH: Is it true you are doing a reggae album? RF: Yeah. JH: You are? O.K., are you collaborating with Lady Gaga? RF: No. JH: Oh, they think youre doing a collaboration with Lady Gaga. RF: Maybe because she followed me on Instagram. Its not in the books right now, but Im not against it. JH: Are you going to collaborate with Drake again?30 RF: Not anytime soon, I dont see it happening. Not on this album, thats for sure. JH: What is the album called? RF: Uh, I dont know yet. JH: If you dont know yet, then you probably dont know when its coming out? RF: I dont. JH: Do you have any names under consideration? RF: No, so far its just been R9,31 thanks to the Navy. Im about to call it that probably, cause they have haunted me with this R9, R9, when is R9 coming out? How will I accept another name after thats been burned into my skull? JH: Its this gift to the fans who have been most hungry for it. RF: That would be cute. Rihanna models her new Fenty line on Ts digital cover. JH: You are one of our only immigrant pop stars in America, 21 Savage32 being another. Did coming from an island thats 90 percent black make it feel natural to have 40 distinct shades in the first run of Fenty Beauty? RF: In my own household, my father is half black, half white. My mom is black from South America. I was seeing diversity. Thats all I knew. Growing up, I wanted to be darker, always. So, making makeup, it wasnt even a thing I had to think about. I didnt even really know how bad it was, the void in the market for dark foundation, because all Id seen was black women put makeup on. I dont even think 40 shades is enough! And so I added 10 more recently, and were not gonna stop there. JH: A few years ago, you started going on a thicc journey.33 How did that change how you looked at inclusivity with regard to your fashion line? RF: It just changed how I dress in terms of my proportions. You wear what looks good on you and thats it. Im thick and curvy right now, and so if I cant wear my own stuff then, I mean, thats not gonna work, right? And my size is not the biggest size. Its actually closer to the smallest size we have: We go up to a [French size] 46.34 Were saying we can meet you at any one drop that we put out. JH: Lets talk about those monthly drops, which is one of the innovative aspects of this: Fenty will be releasing several new items from basics to special pieces exclusively on its website. How did you come up with the distribution model? RF: Because Im a millennial, you know? People are always looking for the thing that hasnt made it online yet. And as a consumer, I hate seeing something on the runway and then having to wait six months for it. I had to wait all that time to get it, do I even JH: Love it anymore? RF: Yeah! So with this, you see it, you love it, you can have it. I want to be as disruptive as possible. The brand is not traditional. There is no runway show. Its a new way of doing things because I believe that this is where fashion is going to go eventually. JH: Was there any white knuckling in the LVMH offices when you presented this distribution model? Tradition is a major pillar of that company. RF: Believe it or not, its the thing that actually excited Mr. Arnault. He hasnt started a brand from scratch for a while. Its his baby as well. He is so hands-on, which validates how I handle things. JH: Jahleel said Fenty is being released like a bunch of singles that add up to an album. RF: Thats a cute analogy. JH: What do you think is the vibe of the first single? RF: The first single is really strong and edgy, compared to the drop right after, which is a little more feminine. But the first one, there are a lot of classic pieces as well. JH: I think you have your Fenty little black dress in there, with the vents and high shoulder. RF: I see a lot of these pieces as classic pieces. Theyre not gonna go out of style. JH: What are you inspired by as you prepare for the next few drops? RF: Free postcards or booklets at hotels in Barbados from years ago: Youll see some of those on our T-shirts. There are also these prints that look like really ancient paintings that were making dresses and skirt suits out of. JH: With all of these pieces, who else do you think is in conversation with them? What should shoppers pair with Fenty? RF: I dont care what you pair it with. Whatever you want. You know, when I was younger, I couldnt afford everything, but a pair of Timberlands: That was my Dior. And I had to save my money for a whole school year to get those Timberlands that I wanted, and I did it. Shoot, if your closet is full of Dior, go for it, put Fenty on with that. But you might have some Balenciaga sneakers and a Fashion Nova fit that my jacket is super lit with. JH: So that little girl thats saving up pennies for Timberlands, what do you say to her right now? RF: Its the thing that keeps me asking: So how much is this gonna cost at retail?35 How can we bring the price down without compromising on quality? Striped puffed-sleeve shirt in cotton, $600. Striped corset dress in cotton, $990. Brass hoop earrings with Swarovski crystals, $420. Brass ear cuff with Swarovski crystals, $420. Embossed calfskin shoes, $670. Photo by Kristin-Lee Moolman. Styled by Suzanne Koller JH: I cant get over the fact that, you know, the fashion industry is historically so explicitly white, its so racist, its so classist and its so sexist. Have there been moments where, as a black woman, youve felt like an outsider in this space? Or does being Rihanna alleviate that? RF: Its never alleviated, you know? Youre going to be black wherever you go. And I dont know if its unfortunate or fortunate, because I love being black. So, sorry for those who dont like it thats the first thing you see before you even hear my voice. There are also other factors: Im young. Im new to the family. Im a woman. Those factors do come into play, but I will not apologize for them, and I will not back down from being a woman, from being black, from having an opinion. Im running a company and thats exactly what I came here to do. I dont know if it makes people uncomfortable or not, but thats not even my business, you know? I do know that the reason Im here is not because Im black. Its because of what I have to offer. Thats what theyre invested in. And the fact that Im black is just that: a fact. JH: I feel like your ability to take on that fight seems so indebted to your mother, Ms. Monica,36 because you often discuss how she is most proud of you when you stand up for yourself. I wonder, does anything surprise her now? RF: When I told her about LVMH, she just couldnt believe it. She said, Oh God, glory, glory to God. Shes so proud, so happy, and shes still pinching herself. She carries my makeup in her store37 in Barbados. Its full circle, because she was the one who brought me into the department store after school all that makeup, it was fun. JH: I was at my moms feet in a hair salon. I know shed want to know: Do you have Fenty hair coming? RF: As soon as Im ready to give up the two hours of sleep that I get now, thats for hair. You know were not stopping. JH: As a playwright, I have to ask: Would you act again? Pull A Star Is Born? RF: Ill probably try a little more,38 but not until I know I can handle a lead and carry a movie on my own, because Ive been offered JH: Im sure. RF: Im always like, Guys, thank you for trusting me, but Angelina Jolie is over there. JH: What else are you afraid of? Do you hold fear at all? RF: I am afraid of being afraid, because I know that means its wrong. If I feel fear, that means its not right. JH: Did you feel fear when it came to working with LVMH and Arnault? RF: No, I got this pressure to not let Arnault down. I felt like this is a moment in history that I have to live up to. This is my one shot and I only get one time to do it and it cant be wrong. But I did get fear one time in my life, I cant remember exactly about what: I remember my mom saying, like, I see something in your eyes Ive never seen before. And I was like, What? And she was like, Fear. And I started crying. So any time I get that anxiety feeling, I literally try to shove it right back down to nothing. JH: You visualize it. Before I go, one last question: When are you going to take a vacation from all of this? Is it going to be when youve made enough money is there a number in your mind? RF: I never thought Id make this much money, so a number is not going to stop me from working. Im not being driven by money right now. Money is happening along the way, but Im working out of what I love to do, what Im passionate about. Work will change when my life changes in the future but an amount of money is not going to stop that. JH: If moneys not driving the work, what does the money mean, then? RF: The money means that I can take care of my family. The money means that I can facilitate the businesses that I want to. I can create jobs for other people. My money is not for me; its always the thought that I can help someone else or, in the future, for if I have kids. The world can really make you believe that the wrong things are priority, and it makes you really miss the core of life, what it means to be alive. It could literally be walking outside in the sun. That makes me happy. Like going to the grocery store you know, theres a cute little Jamaican market near where I live right now. This interview has been edited and condensed. Jeremy O. Harris is an actor and playwright whose works include Slave Play and Daddy. Rabobank, SBS Bank and ASB were the only three banks that showed improved satisfaction, with 8.8%, 1.3% and 1.1% increases in points respectively. These latest results are from Roy Morgans Single Source New Zealand survey, which includes interviews with over 6,000 banking and finance consumers per annum. Garnering the highest customer satisfaction of the nine largest New Zealand banks, Kiwibank was the best performer with a rating of 82.9%. This was followed by TSB Bank (82.1%), Rabobank (81.5%), ANZ (77.3%), BNZ (77.2%), ASB (76.4%) and Westpac (74.4%). The lowest rating was for SBS Bank with 69.9%, well below the average of 77.5%. Read more: ANZ comes under fire by Reserve Bank TSB Bank customers said they are very likely to recommend their bank to a friend or colleague. Over the last year, it received the the highest customer advocacy with an NPS score of 66.6, outplaying the other six largest New Zealand MFI banks. The chaotic scene and sound of steady gunfire led to first responders quickly evacuating residents there and warning others nearby and across from the Auburn University vet school to shelter-in-place. The injured police officer survived that incident and continues to recover, but the two suspects perished after the shootout and a fire in the apartment where they sought refuge. Auburn University at about 1 a.m. Monday in the current police action issued a text and 911 phone alert: "Massive police presence near Arrowhead Mobile Home Park off of Wire Rd, approx 5 miles west of Vet School. Avoid area until further notice." Calling tech an emerging market might offer a contender for understatement of the year. Digitizations rise and subsequent consolidation, the technologicalization of just about everything, has resulted in countless cross-over opportunities for PR professionals working for tech-based businesses and clients, as a host of traditionally non-tech companies now enter an ever-widening market, signaling one of the most profound changes to hit the communications field in recent years. The numbers speak for themselves. The top 10 PR firms ranked by ODwyers for technology this year brought in a combined total of nearly $466 million in tech-related fees in 2018, a 7.3 percent increaseor about $32 millionfrom last years $434 million. Eight of this years top 10 tech firms were up in total billings last yearfour of them by double digitsand all save one gained in tech-related fees last year. We asked several of the top PR firms representing the tech marketplace to weigh in on some of the advances and unlikely alliances theyve experienced in todays tech spaces, and what future changes we might expect in a world where tech seems to be everywhere. Hotwire expands foothold, talent Hotwire maintained its position as one of our top-ranked technology PR firms, gaining more than $3.6 million in tech-related net fees last year to take the number-two spot in ODwyers 2019 rankings of technology PR firms, with $36.8 million in 2018 tech-related billings, nearly three times what the New York-headquartered agency accounted for just three years before. Heather Kernahan Hotwire President of North America Heather Kernahan told ODwyers that a continued expansion in North America played a sizeable role in the agencys success, as did bolstering Hotwires capabilities in the areas of strategy, brand and marketing services and insights, as well as positioning the firm as a challenger brand that can attract the right team talent. The U.S. and U.K.-based tech PR specialist also launched a series of pop-up offices across North America, with the agencys downtown Minneapolis outpost adding five additional staff and anticipating to double its headcount by the end of this year. Kernahan said the pop-up office model allows the agency to enter new markets quickly and respond to customer requests while adding top talent across growing markets. The agency plans to open additional locations this year. Kernahan noted that marketers today are taking more of a stand on high-stakes issues. A March report issued by the agency, which polled business decision makers, company marketing leaders and consumers to gauge opinions regarding the private sectors handling of social matters, discovered that more than half of marketing leaders surveyed (61 percent) believe their organization should take a more proactive stance on tackling key high-stakes issues. Among CMOs and senior communications executives, 78 percent said high-stakes issue planning is at least as important as any other factor in their marketing and communications plans. The top issues for marketing leaders in the U.S. are immigration, mental health and sexual harassment, Kernahan said. These arent issues that would show up on the B2B priority list in the past, but the melding of B2B and B2C means there are fewer boundaries on issues. Kernahan also posited that strategy will gain importance in the months and years to come, as PR leaders have begun taking a stronger leadership position in brand strategy conversations, a trend Kernahan said she expects to continue. Communications professionals looking to grow their skills should seek learning opportunities in the areas of strategy and insights, she said. Those who can turn complex topics into simple-to-understand narratives will position themselves ahead in the field. ICR inches into top five ICR gained more than $1.1 million in 2018 tech-related fees to total nearly $18.3 million in this practice area, joining ODwyers top five tech firms for the first time this year, up from the number-six slot last year ($17.1 million) and number-eight in 2017 ($12.7 million). Bo Park The New York-based agency, which staffs about 190 and is known for its financial communications and investor relations work, also gained nine percent overall to $69.1 million in total 2018 billings. Partner Bo Park, who leads ICRs tech, media and telecom practice, cited an ability to blend the agencys Wall Street roots with traditional PR to engineer programs around its clients individual business models as key to its success. Leveraging that framework to anticipate the next stages of growth, were able to deliver a holistic story across audiencesfrom investors to customers, partners and employeesso that technology companies can enhance their profiles where it matters most, Park told ODwyers. Park cited multiple factors at play in the agencys tech growth last year, including an increase in non-tech companies across industrial, retail, financial services and healthcare sectors now seeking to reinvent themselves as technology-driven enterprises. According to Park, companies sought ICRs expertise to uncover their areas of innovation, build compelling storylines and amplify those key messages in a bid to reposition their corporate brands. Park said her agency has also noticed furious development in areas such as AI and blockchain disrupting segments in supply chains, infrastructure and enterprise, with emerging brands now seeking to incorporate PR into their marketing mix in an effort to showcase their solutions to prospects, while simultaneously seeking IR guidance as they enter the next stage. Finally, Park said ICR expanded its focus in autonomous driving and connected cars, particularly in global markets, and saw an increase in alternative IPO activities, including RegA+ offerings and Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. We expect to see these trends continuing to grow and taking even bigger shape this year and next, she said. PAN puts emphasis on X-tech Philip Nardone, Jr. Boston-based PAN took the number-seven position in ODwyers tech rankings this year, clearing more than $17.3 million in 2018 tech-related net fees, an uptick of more than $2.2 million that reveals an ongoing climb from the agencys number-eight spot last year (or $15 million in 2017 billings) and number-nine position in 2017, or $11.7 million. Philip A. Nardone Jr., President and CEO of the tech and healthcare specialists, told ODwyers that no single factor could be attributed to the firms forward mobility and instead cited a combined effort across the board from its PR, marketing, HR and finance teams, as well as a recent expansion of PANs executive team which resulted in the firms highest retention rates to date, allowing the agency to focus its time and energy on meeting customer demands. Our growth in the technology sector specifically was two-fold. We have a strong pipeline of emerging and enterprise tech brands looking for integrated offerings, and theyre leaning on mid-sized agencies like PAN because of our ability to meet their needs on a global scale, while continuing to deliver personalized service, Nardone said. Nardone noted that the second factor contributing to its growth comes from what he referred to as X-tech, industry disruptors currently causing headwinds in todays tech market. Were seeing more and more inbound requests from AI-tech, insurance tech, real estate tech, etc., brands that are earning attention from investors and need PR and marketing services to support. Thats an area we look forward to expanding in 2019, he said. The non-profit Meridian Institute helped launch the CEO Climate Dialogue, a group of top energy executives and environmental organizations, formed to urge Washington policymakers to tackle the threat posed from climate change. The Dialogue's call for an economy-wide carbon pricing policy is central to its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. It believes a long-term federal commitment to fighting global warming would trigger investments/innovation needed to meet emission target goals, increase business and regulatory certainty and reduce overall climate risk. Ford Motor, BP, DuPont, Shell, Dominion Energy and Unilever are companies involved with the Dialogue, along with Environmental Defense Fund, Nature Conservancy, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and World Resources Institute. Meridian, which has offices in Washington and Dillon (CO), works to bring together representatives of organizations that generally do not cooperate with each other to tackle public policy issues (climate change, food security, public health, emerging technologies). Its board includes luminaries such as Gordon Conway, former Rockefeller Foundation president, chief scientific advisor to the UKs Dept. of International Development and professor of Londons Imperial College, and Leon Panetta, ex-California Congressman, chief of staff to president Clinton and director of the CIA. Ryan Velasco Ryan Velasco joined MWWPRs Washington office last month as VP-corporate communications after a three-year stint as VP in Ogilvys social change unit. He rejoins Michelle Rios, who left Ogilvy in January, to helm the Jersey firms DC outpost. They worked together at the WPP unit on DowDupont and new business initiatives. Prior to Ogilvy, Velasco was at the Federal Emergency Management Agency for nearly six years, where he rose to deputy branch chief for interagency coordination. He specialized in leading diaster teams, including community outreach and recovery operations. Valasco saw action in New York in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Prior to FEMA, Velasco served in the Obama White House as deputy associate director for natural resource response and recovery. MWWPR ranks No. 9 on O'Dwyer's rankings of independent firms with 2018 fee income of $42.6M. The Government should invest in marriage rather than asking people to vote in a referendum which speeds up divorce, according to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese that takes in parts of Offaly and several Leinster counties. Bishop of Kildare and Leighin Denis Nulty made the call in a statement in his capacity as chair of the Council for Marriage & Family of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference. Bishop Nulty says Article 41.3.1 of the Constitution of Ireland proclaims that the State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it from attack. He says stable marriages and relationships contribute significantly to a happy and stable society. The Bishop claims that the State has an alternative to the changes planned. "Marriage is essential and fundamental for the good of society worldwide. It is imperative that we continue to work together to promote marriage and family. The objective of the proposed referendum is not to support marriage, rather to liberalise divorce. "For this reason, it is important to reflect deeply on the implications of this referendum which seeks to expedite the dissolution of marriage. The common good would be better served by supporting and resourcing couples and families in preparation for, and during marriage. "We believe that the incidence of marriage breakdown and divorce could be reduced through the introduction of socio-economic policies which support the family and through long-term education strategies which promote values such as fidelity and commitment. While this would cost money, the human and economic cost of breakdown and divorce, both for the couple and for their children, is a far greater cost. "Also Accord, the pastoral agency of the Catholic Church supporting marriage and family life, offers courses to women and men who are preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage. Feedback from Accord indicates that the experience of couples who have undertaken a marriage preparation course has been very positive and this has benefits for their marriage and family life. "The Government should recommit resources to marriage preparation and invest resources into marriage enrichment. Both initiatives will sustain marriages into the future and lead to great dividends for wider society," he says. "A Word of Truth and Hope acknowledges that there is possibly no greater loneliness than to share a home with a person with whom one can no longer share life or love. Sometimes with great courage and support from those around them, it is possible for a couple to continue their married life and even to deepen their love. Sometimes, however, marriage ends in divorce. He says that following the World Meeting of the Families and the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland, the Council for Marriage and the Family published A Word of Truth and Hope. He says this recognises that people are called to live their married lives in the reality of the world with all its opportunities and its challenges. He says it that for many reasons, even with the best efforts of the husband and wife, marriage sometimes reaches a crisis point. "Our experience would suggest that many divorced people have no wish to remarry. Many, inspired by faith, seek to remain faithful to the promises which they made before God, while others, eventually, do remarry civilly or enter into new relationships. Our understanding of the Church as a loving mother and the parish as a family of families endorses our pastoral approach as Church in accompanying people in the brokenness and pain of their situation," says the statement. If passed the referendum will allow the Government to move legislation that will allow a reduction in the time couples have to be living apart before they can get a divorce. It will also allow for the recognition of foreign divorces. MORE ON THE VOTE AT WWW.REFCOM.IE Social Democrats local election candidate for Birr, Clare Claffey, has offered her support for people with disabilities and has endorsed proposals made by the Disability Federation of Ireland. Speaking at recent local election hustings hosted by Inclusion Ireland in Tullamore, Clare said: I am delighted to commit to being an advocate for people with disabilities if elected to Offaly County Council in May. We have been asked to focus on three simple things: Accessibility I will work to make sure that all public services are open and accessible for people with disability Participation It is vital that we ensure the full participation of people with disabilities on all local decision-making structures Planning I will make it a priority to ensure Offaly County Council publishes a plan detailing how they will enact the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, by 2020. "As a Party, the Social Democrats have signed up to the Disability Federation of Irelands campaign #DisabilityVotesCount. The party is promising that each of their elected Councillors will campaign for much better access for people with disabilities, ensuring their voice is heard in all Council decisions, and ensuring a plan is in place for each local authority by 2020 for people with disabilities." Claffey continued: In Offaly, 14% of the population over 11,000 people - have at least one disability. We know from the latest Census that the vast majority of these people have a chronic illness or difficulties with basic physical activities. Many did not progress beyond primary education. Many do not have access to transport. A much higher proportion are unemployed than in the general population. Yet, supports to help integrate people with physical and intellectual disabilities are seriously lacking in our county council." I will work to ensure a focus on universal design the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. On a practical level, this means assessing all policies, plans or projects well in advance, to ensure they meet the criteria of universal design - accessible playgrounds, adequate housing and parking for people with disabilities, designing streetscapes so that people with disabilities are not hindered by parked cars, bins, dog fouling, streetlights and signposts." "I believe a clear commitment to people with disabilities should be written into Offaly County Councils next County Development Plan and into the policies of the Local Community Development Committee, and if elected I will lead the charge on this. Claffey has three young children with long term health issues and said this makes her very conscious of the importance of providing supports for people of all ages with disabilities. "As a parent of children with disabilities, I know first-hand how difficult everyday life can be - but also how simple measures can enable people with disabilities to participate more fully in decision making and access services and facilities that other people take for granted. While on the campaign trail these last few months, I have met people whose lives are being made difficult because of housing that is not accessible, poor repair of footpaths and public areas and in my opinion this is not acceptable." Inclusion Ireland has asked that all candidates running for local election commit to promoting the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities by advocating for equality-proofing of housing and planning, ensuring accessible transport and generating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities in their communities. Claffey said: I was delighted to speak with Patricia Kelly, Employment Officer with EmployAbility Midlands, but I was shocked to hear how she has struggled to secure placements for people with disabilities in the public sector in the Midlands." "We know that all public sector buildings are now fully accessible, and many have assistive technologies, so there is no excuse for them not to support meaningful work placements for people with disabilities, which could be a bridge to full-time employment elsewhere. I was happy to give my commitment to Patricia that I will work with her if elected to secure placements for people with disabilities in Offaly County Council." Inclusion Ireland have also asked that councillors work to ensure that people with disabilities will have access to a good supply of accessible accommodation in which they can live independent and well-connected lives within the community and that transport that is accessible and affordable is ensured. The point was made by one of the participants in todays meeting that this is not a medical issue, it is, in fact, a human rights issue, and I intend to treat it with the urgency it requires." A Tullamore girl is willing to go to great lengths to get her favourite ice-cream brand to set up an outlet in the town. Aine Hennessy sent a letter to Smooch Ice-Cream with the names of 50 people who support her campaign to get the company to set up in Tullamore. At the end of her letter, Aine says that if there is anything else she has to do to get an outlet in Tullamore, she is willing to do it. Smooch is an Irish ice-cream brand installed in over 150 stores across Ireland. The company promised to do its best for Aine if she received 50 signatures as a form of petition for a parlour to be installed in one of the local retail stores in Tullamore. And good to its word, Smooch has been in contact with the Offaly Express, the leading news resource for the county, to 'get the word out' and hopefully get a Smooch Parlour in Tullamore for Aine and her friends. Smooch Parlours are generally installed in convenience stores so if you are a shop owner in Tullamore who would like a Smooch Parlour installed, you know you already have 50 guaranteed customers, one of whom is willing to go to great lengths just to get her favourite ice-cream in here home town. For more details on Smooch Ice Cream CLICK HERE Taoiseach Leo Varadkar showed his support for the county's local election candidates by canvassing with local Fine Gael election hopefuls in Tullamore last week. One such candidate was Edenderry's Noel Cribbin who said following a long 12 weeks of canvassing to retain his seat on Offaly County Council, "it was great to finish it off with our Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Charlie Flanagan, MEP Candidate Andrew Doyle and our own TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy in Tullamore on Thursday evening." "Whatever the outcome next Friday, I can honestly say that I canvassed my half of North Offaly from the Boyne Bridge in Edenderry to the Barrow in Portarlington, every house in every town, village and laneway and I thank all those constituents that I canvassed for their welcome, hospitality and support." "I would not have been able to complete such a comprehensive canvas without the great help and local knowledge of my team of canvassers in Edenderry, Clonbullogue and Bracknagh and I thank them for all the help they have given to me." Cribbin revealed that broadband speed, roads and homelessness were the main issues on the doorstep. If re-elected, Cllr Cribbin says he looks forward to progressing the new Oakland's College building in Edenderry, as well as a host of new projects, including exciting proposals for the old Tesco premises on JKL Street. "I will move heaven and earth to realise the full potential of this site," he added. OBU Interim President Dr. Pat Taylor congratulates Emily Wright, vocal music education graduate. The Walk Dr. Pat Taylor, OBUs interim president, presided over the ceremonies. Chancellor David W. Whitlock (right) was honored for his decade of service as OBU president. Stephen Allen, chair of OBUs Board of Trustees and senior vice president of ONEOK, delivered the address. The University awarded Marty Lewis (right), superintendent of Gordon Cooper Technology Center, with an honorary Doctor of Education. OBU Confers Degrees Upon 293 Graduates During 2019 Spring Commencement May 17, 2019 Oklahoma Baptist University conferred degrees upon 293 graduates during its 105th Spring Commencement Friday, May 17. The event took place in Raley Chapels Potter Auditorium on OBUs campus in Shawnee. OBU Interim President Dr. Pat Taylor presided over the ceremonies. Graduating students took a symbolic final walk across campus as OBU students before filing into Raley Chapel for the ceremony. The walk mirrored one many of the graduating students took during Welcome Week as new students at OBU. The students, in academic regalia, proceeded from the Geiger Center to the chapel, passing through rows of OBU faculty members before they reached the chapels east steps. Stephen Allen, chair of OBUs Board of Trustees and senior vice president, general counsel and assistant secretary for ONEOK, delivered the commencement address. Allen graduated magna cum laude from OBU in 1995 with a B.A. in political science. While at OBU, he was Student Government Association president, sophomore class president and a member of the Presidents Honor Roll throughout college. During the ceremony, the University awarded Marty Lewis, superintendent of Gordon Cooper Technology Center, with an honorary Doctor of Education. Lewis is an OBU alumnus, earning his undergraduate degree on Bison Hill. He is a lifelong Oklahoman, graduating high school in Dale. He earned a masters degree in education at East Central University. Lewis has also completed additional graduate degree coursework at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Central Oklahoma, East Central University and Oral Roberts University. The University also presented its top three honors for faculty and staff members. Julie Blackstone, assistant professor of art, received the Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Nichole Jackson, assistant professor of nursing and simulation director, received the Promising Teacher Award. Marcia McQuerry, registrar , received the Meritorious Service Award. The University also recognized Chancellor David W. Whitlock, retiring from the University later this month after serving as president for more than 10 years. Whitlock received a standing ovation from faculty and staff as a show of gratitude for his leadership and impact on Bison Hill. Allen delivered a powerful message to the graduating students. When I considered what I wanted to say to you today, he said, I began to think about what I would say to that younger version of me that sat right there where youre sitting. Knowing what I know now, what challenge could I make that would inspire youyou, the battle tested survivors of Western Civ, to combine the gifts and talents that God gave you with the skills, knowledge and work ethic that you have developed at OBU to be world changers? Allen then offered words of encouragement to the students. You will touch lives, causing impacts that last for generations. You will be world changers , and you will do this by following the example of all of the godly world changers who came before youby being ordinary, by being weak and doing nothing. Now, I know this is just the opposite of what the world tells us to do. Society says we have to be important, powerful, accomplished, successful, that we have to be somebody. Allen then explained that it is through Gods power that we accomplish great things, when we allow Him to use our lives for the purposes for which He created us. We are here to fulfill Gods dreams, that will bring Him glory, through our remarkably abundant life. Allen then closed with a stirring final charge to the graduates. OBU class of 2019, be ordinary. Be weak and do nothing. And as a result, youll live a life of significance by being insignificant. You will be weak so that He can be strong. You will decrease so that He can increase. You will bear fruit by abiding with Christ. And 20 years from now, you will look back in amazement and praise at what God has accomplished through you and in you. View the 2019 Spring Commencement ceremony. Alamo Drafthouse has invited local farmers to come to the opening of The Biggest Little Farm, a documentary about first-time California farmers. City Sprouts and the Nebraska chapter of the Sierra Club will be on site, with more partners to be announced soon. The partners will educate moviegoers about their local work in farming and nature. The movie, filmed over the course of eight years, follows novice farmers John and Molly Chester as they move onto 200 acres of land, naively endeavoring to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind. They battle wildfires, droughts, coyotes and more in the hopes of creating the farm of their dreams. The movie will start at the La Vista Alamo, 12750 Westport Parkway, on May 31. For more information, visit drafthouse.com/omaha. Tapping the U.S. market could boost Barry Callebauts sales and help establish ruby as the fourth type of chocolate. But there are still some hurdles. The Swiss company will need approval from the Food and Drug Administration to be able to call the product chocolate. For now, it will be launched as ruby couverture, with early adopters using names like ruby cacao bar and ruby cacao truffle, Smit said. We filed the (FDA) application in March 2018, he said. Because theres such a high demand and requests coming from our businesses and brands in the U.S., it feels the right moment to give them the opportunity to unlock ruby chocolate. Another hurdle the company may face is that Nestle has been the biggest adopter of ruby chocolate for its KitKat bars. But in the U.S., the KitKat brand is made by The Hershey Co. While Barry Callebaut says it wont trademark ruby, the recipe to the worlds first naturally pink chocolate remains a secret. Trademark is of course different than trade secrets, Smit said. Even if you know what the ruby bean is about, what the ruby production process is about, you still need to be comfortable enough to commit to volumes of big brands, meaning you need to be able to source enough ruby beans and thats not an easy task, he said. An inmate at a community corrections center in Lincoln was reported missing Sunday. Antonio Collier, 36, who was serving a four- to five-year sentence for burglary, was allowed to go to church services Sunday and didn't return to the Community Corrections Center-Lincoln, according to an official at the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Inmates are allowed to leave the corrections center for work, school or church with prior approval and without supervision, according to the department. Collier had a tentative release date of August 2020 and a parole hearing scheduled for February 2020, the department said in a press release. Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to contact local authorities or the Nebraska State Patrol. The traveling public received welcome news over the weekend. After more than two months of closures, Interstate 29 is now fully open in Iowa. The last section to reopen was between Council Bluffs and Missouri Valley. The Missouri Valley Police Department on Sunday tweeted the news that I-29 north of the Bluffs had reopened. Thank you to the Iowa DOT and contractors for your hard work in repairing this vital section, the department tweeted. Flooding had led to the closing of about 150 miles of I-29 with some exceptions in the Council Bluffs area from Missouri Valley, Iowa, to near St. Joseph, Missouri. Although I-29 is open, limited services and access remain in some areas. Restrooms and gasoline service are intermittent south of Council Bluffs because some exits are closed. Additionally, the north Omaha connection to I-29 via the Mormon Bridge and Interstate 680 is open. Nancy Gaarder 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. Sixteen stores in the Omaha metro area that sell alcohol have been cited on suspicion of selling alcohol to a minor after law enforcement officers conducted compliance checks over the weekend. Officers checked 242 retail outlets in Douglas and Sarpy Counties on Friday and Saturday, according to Project Extra Mile, a group that works to reduce and prevent alcohol-related problems. The businesses that were checked can be found here. Omaha Police Sgt. Alan Reyes said that with the high school graduation season underway, businesses need to be on the lookout for youth attempting to purchase alcohol, as well as adults procuring alcohol on their behalf. Businesses that are found guilty by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission of selling alcohol to a minor face 10 to 20 days of suspension of their liquor licenses that could be paid off at a rate of $50 per day. Thirty-four officers from the Douglas County and Sarpy County Sheriffs Offices, the Omaha and La Vista Police Departments and the Nebraska State Patrol participated in the two-day enforcement effort. 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. Virginia Meyer loved to learn and yearned for a college degree, so she went back to college at 67 years of age. Meyer earned her bachelors 10 years later, in 2000, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She died Sunday at a skilled nursing center in the Elkhorn area at 96. Meyer, originally of Gordon, Nebraska, had a long career in Lincoln as an executive secretary and retired in 1988. Her son, Dr. Galen Meyer of Omaha, said she was antsy in retirement. She was a type A-plus personality, Galen Meyer said. She and husband Robert decided that she was excellent college material, so she enrolled at UNL. Galen Meyer said she had some credit hours from attending the University of Denver for a while as a young woman. She took a part-time load at UNL, he said, and enjoyed studying and writing papers. She worked hard, he said. It was great, getting to see her graduate. UNL records indicate that from summer 1996 through fall 2018, two people in their 80s, two in their 70s, and 17 in their 60s received bachelors degrees. Outgoing Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has warned that nearly all recovery work at Offutt will stop July 1 if emergency funds arent approved. Base officials also said the request doesnt include the cost of outfitting the replacement buildings with furnishings and electronics. That figure hasnt yet been calculated but is likely to top $300 million perhaps bringing the total cost of rebuilding Offutt close to $1 billion. The 55th Wings fleet of 29 RC-135 reconnaissance jets fly daily above or near political trouble spots from deployed locations in Europe, Japan and the Middle East. The planes monitor radio, radar and other electronic signals, and theyre in high demand in every theater where they operate, Bacon said. The three destroyed simulators are not designed for training of flight crew (a cockpit simulator in a separate building wasnt damaged in the flood) but rather for back-of-the-plane skills and functions. Offutt military leaders said the ruined simulators enable signal-monitoring crews to practice their work on the ground, and allow maintenance crews to practice repairing the highly sensitive electronics gear. The simulators were too big to be moved. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. The loud commotion during Caroline High Schools commencement ceremony came to a standstill after Kailey Greys name was called Friday evening. As the graduate stepped off the stage with her diploma, there waiting for her was her father, Marine 1st Sgt. Ashley Grey. She hadnt expected her dad to be there. She almost didnt recognize him until he reached out for her as she neared the last step. It had taken four months to arrange the surprise greeting. The only ones who had known about the plan were Caroline High School administrators; Greys wife, Cathy; and his mother, Carolyn Lane. Ashley Grey flew in from Central America on Thursday, after getting a four-day clearance from his boss. He was deployed last November and told his family he would try to arrange to be back for the May graduation, but he doubted hed be able to. Kailey kept saying all week that all she wanted was to have her dad home for her graduation, Lane said. She texted Ashley every day this week wishing he could make it. At a district information meeting, there were several questions from the floor about going to a high school not in your area. These were answered by Dont worry, well take care of that later. Sure. Right. K.M. Davies, Omaha Term limits, spending cuts I am in total agreement with Steve Broghammers comment in The World-Herald (Push term limits in Washington, May 11 Public Pulse). The best place to start is to get behind the Convention of States movement here in Nebraska. People should contact their state senators and tell them to vote in favor of this wonderful opportunity for citizens of Nebraska and the U.S. It stems from Article V in the Constitution that states we the people can initiate things such as term limits, balance the federal budget, etc. We need two-thirds of the states to have this happen. It is a growing movement with people who are sick and tired of elected officials not doing their job. Also in Nebraska, with this fight over property taxes and raising taxes in general, what I havent heard about yet is, where are the spending cuts? He singled out Marjorie Simons-Bester, director of choral activities, as a key influence in his musical upbringing. I joined her music theory class my junior year and mentioned how I wanted to be a part of the music program, Shirey said. He said there were not a lot of roles for guitar players in the music program. She (Simons-Bester) amazingly helped me join the band section of the B East Swing Choir and gave me my first jazz guitar gig, Shirey said of Simons-Bester. Simons-Bester said Shirey was a wonderful student, and teaching students like him was a privilege. After graduation Shirey studied at Columbia College in Chicago. While there, he became a guitarist for hire and most recently completed a tour with Chicago artist Greg Woods through Canada and the Northeast. That tour helped bond Shirey with his band outside of music and how to pack light for future road trips. It gave me bigger ears and I was able to listen to my music better than before, Shirey said. Shirey said at its core, his music is guitar driven and all the chords he uses are jazz harmony. Debbie Carlson, 67, says she was hooked instantly ever since that first allemande left and do-si-do six years ago. I found out about it from a member of a church group. Her square dance club was starting a session of lessons so I went to check it out, Carlson says. Now, she is fully immersed in Omahas square-dancing scene, an active advocate eager to promote the benefits of partnering up and promenading. Dancers make lifelong friends, Carlson says. We have dancers in the Omaha clubs from age 7 to 87, and everyone dances together. Its a multi-generational, team-building activity. Social and fun, it's also good for the body. Square dancing (sometimes described as fast, choreographed walking) and dancing in general can lead to a whirl of health benefits. Among them: weight loss (depending on dance intensity and duration), improved balance and blood flow, stress relief and stronger weight-bearing bones. Square dancers get their heart rates up and definitely perspire, Carlson says. Those who wear step-counting devices usually log 6,000 to 7,000 steps per dance. Will the exit poll results be replicated on May 23? Debates oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 20: Most of the exit polls have predicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to office. Exit polls predictions can be suggestive but never be conclusive. This is because of the inherent limitations in the methodology used to conduct an exit poll survey. Exit poll predictions are based on a sample size, now is the sample considered a true reflection of the population? Experts who design these surveys do their best to ensure that the sample reflects the diversity in actual ppopulation as much as possible, but the errors cannot be ruled out. That said, the surveys cannot be total opposite of the actual outcome. Surveys show a general trend, the direction of the majority perception and no more. The final numbers may vary. Surveys cannot get the seat shares 100% percent right, to expect that would be foolishness, but what they can suggest is the overall mood of the nation based on the sample they have taken. There were around 900 million voters eligible to cast vote, and considering that 65-67% cast their ballot, the actual number would around 600 million. The sample size of a survey is in lakhs which, no matter how well planned, cannot totally reflect the behaviour of the population. Exit polls suggest a trend, and that is all we should be looking at rather taking them as the final result. Despite all exit poll predictions, the question still hangs whether NDA would get majority or the BJP? So, what is your say on this matter? Will the BJP get absolute majority on its own? How close do you think the survey predictions will be to the actual outcome? Will it be pre-mature for the BJP supporters to begin celebrating? Please express your views below: For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 9:13 [IST] 2004 exit polls: When surveys got it horribly wrong India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 20: Exit polls can predict a general trend and give a rough idea about what the actual election result, but these surveys can by no means be taken as gospel truth. The entire nation seems to believe that the poll results have been declared after exit poll predictions came out. BJP supporters are congratulating each other, sending messages on whatsapp as if it were certain that Modi would take oath as next PM. Enthusiasm over Exit poll predictions is fine, but going overboard is certainly not required as Exit polls do not have a reliable track record of forecasting electoral outcomes. This is how BJP fought 2019 LS Elections In the 2004, the average of all tallies of exit polls greatly exaggerated the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's tally. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term had just ended and the BJP was upbeat about the Lok Sabha elections 2004. India had witnessed steady economic growth under Vajpayee, and BJP in general had become synonymous with progress due to reforms. What happened then before the elections, the general perception, the survey predictions and the way India Shining campaign seemed to strike a chord, all seemed favourable for the NDA. The NDTV-AC Nielsen exit poll predicted 230-250 seats for the NDA and 190-205 for the Congress, while other were expected to get 100-120 seats. The Aajtak ORG-MARG exit poll gave NDA 248 seats and Congress 190, while predicting 105 for the others. The StarNews C-Voter survey predicted 263-275 for NDA, 174-186 for Congress, and 86-98 to others. The average of exit polls gave the NDA 252 seats, whereas it actually got 181. The BJP could win just 138 seats and Congress got 145. The final tally was this - UPA-208, NDA-181, Left Front-59. Partywise, Congress-145 and BJP-138. In 2009, exit polls put the NDA at 187 and the UPA at 196, but the actual results were 159 and 262 respectively. How the Spiral of Silence theory has ensured exit polls can go horribly wrong Even in the United States, practically all polls favoured Hillary Clinton, but it was Trump who eventually became the President. Exit polls may not be able to guage certain subtle undercurrents that effect voting choices. Sample may not be a true representative of the population, no matter how expertly the poll is designed. Exit polls and accuracy: Most of the exit polls have predicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to office. Exit polls predictions can be suggestive but never be conclusive. This is because of the inherent limitations in the methodology used to conduct an exit poll survey. Exit poll predictions are based on a sample size, now is the sample a true reflection of the population? Does it take into account all the possible diversities in the society? Experts who design these surveys do their best to ensure that the sample reflects the diversity in actual population as much as possible, but the errors cannot be ruled out. That said, the surveys cannot be total opposite of the actual outcome. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 11:43 [IST] After losses in Hindi heartland, BJP ahead in Lok Sabha segment say exit polls India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 20: Following the losses in the assembly elections, the BJP is likely to bounce back in the Hindi heartland, exit polls have suggested. The poll states that the Congress which formed the governments in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh may not have made much gains in the Lok Sabha segment. In the 2014 elections, the BJP had won 62 of the 65 seats in these states. Exit poll results suggest setback for NDA in south India, regional parties to do well In Rajasthan, News24-Chankya predicted a sweep in the 25 seats. India Today-Axis predicted 23 of 25 for the BJP, while ABP News-Neilsen predicted 19 for the BJP. In 2014, the BJP had won all the 25 seats. In Madhya Pradesh, of the 29 seats, News24-Chankya gave the BJP, 27, while India Today-Axis predicted 24-26 for the BJP. The ABP poll said that the BJP may win 24 seats. In 2014, the BJP had won 27 seats in MP. NDA may win 267 seats; UPA 127 seats, predicts ABP exit poll Out of the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, the BJP would win 9, News24-Chankya said. The India Today poll said that the BJP would win 7-8, while ABP said that the BJP is slightly ahead in 6 seats, while the Congress is ahead in 5. Amidst exit poll predictions, Naidu holds another round of talks with opposition India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, May 20: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu Sunday held a second round of talks with top opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar, in an apparent bid to rally support for a non-BJP government at the Centre. Naidu, who arrived in the national capital on Friday, had met Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and leaders of the Communist Party of India on Saturday as well. He had then flew to Lucknow and met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati. Naidu set to return to power in AP predict most exit polls Sunday's meeting assumes significance as Naidu is meeting Gandhi and Pawar after holding talks with the SP and BSP chiefs, who have not openly come in favour of an opposition alliance so far. The TDP chief's deliberations are part of his efforts to unite non-NDA parties and bring them together on one platform to stake their claim for next government formation in case the NDA fails to get the majority mark. The Telugu Desam Party chief has held several rounds of discussion with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Exit poll results suggest setback for NDA in south India, regional parties to do well Naidu's TDP was a part of the NDA, but quit the alliance a few months ago. The Congress and other opposition parties have exuded confidence of forming the next government. State vs national issues: Key lessons for the BJP to learn in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana 'Apologise for what?': Vivek Oberoi defends Salman-Aishwarya meme India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, May 20: Actor Vivek Oberoi, who was criticised for posting offensive tweet featuring Aishwarya Bachchan and Salman Khan refused to apologise since he has not done anything "wrong." "People are saying apologise, I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done? If I have done something wrong I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it," the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", told ANI. NCW slaps notice to Vivek Oberoi over 'distasteful' Salman-Aishwarya meme Adding more, he said, "Those in the meme don't have a problem, but everyone else has. Kaam karne jaate hain nahi non-issues ke upar netagiri shuru kar dete hain. Didi put someone behind bars for a meme, people are I be put behind bars too. They couldn't stop my film, now they are trying this." While the National Commission for Women has, in fact, also issued a notice to the actor demanding an explanation, The Maharashtra State Women's Commission will send in a notice too. Oberoi said he would meet National Commission for Women, State Commission for Women and explain everything. Oberoi, who reportedly dated the actor-former Miss World in early 2000s, had posted a meme featuring her with husband Abhishek, daughter Aaradhya and Salman Khan. "Haha! creative! No politics here... just life," Oberoi captioned the photo. "I'd like to meet them, I'll also like to explain myself because I don't think I have done anything wrong," he said. Many including actor Sonam Kapoor, various politicians criticised the actor. The defiant actor, however, had some advice for Kapoor who called the meme "disgusting and classless". "Stop overacting in your films and stop overreacting on social media. I've been working in women empowerment for 10 years now. I don't think this is hurting anyone's sentiments," Oberoi told news agency ANI. On the work front, Vivek is now gearing up for the release of the much-talked-about PM Narendra Modi biopic. He plays the titular role of the lead character. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 23:37 [IST] West Bengal Elections Exit Polls Vs Actual Poll: Who got it right? As exit polls indicate Modi return, Kumaraswamy raises EVM concern India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Bengaluru, May 20: With most exit polls forecasting another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP almost sweeping Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday expressed concerns over the vulnerability of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Hitting out at the pollsters, the chief minister in a series of tweets alleged that the "artificially engineered" or "manufactured" Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. "Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supreme Court asking for a traditional ballot paper electionsto avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud," Kumaraswamy said. Madhya Pradesh: Is the Congress govt in trouble? "World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party," he said in another tweet. Stating that exit polls were being used to create an impression that "there is still a Modi wave" in the country, Kumaraswamy said, "This artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23." "The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll," he added. Most exit polls on Sunday predicted that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance will comfortably cross the halfway mark of 272 seats in the Lok Sabha. Some even projected that the NDA will get more than 300 seats. Forecasting a big BJP win in Karnataka, the pollsters claimed that the saffron party was likely to win over 21 of the total 28 seats. In the 2014 general election, the BJP had won 17 seats while the Congress and the JD(S) had bagged 9 and 2 seats each respectively. However, in the bypolls held in November last year the BJP had lost the Ballari seat to the Congress. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara too raised doubts over the EVMs, saying that the BJP had sponsored the exit polls as the ground reality was different. He also noted that the United Progressive Alliance will come to power at the Centre this time. Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad said the exit polls were the reflection of the wishes of news channels where Modi wave is prevalent. "Most of the exit polls are the reflection of the wishes of news channels. There is a Modi wave in the news channels but the actual result will be out when the (ballot) boxes are opened," Hariprasad told reporters. "They have shown BJP losing 40 to 45 seats in Uttar Pradesh. In rest of the places, these channels tried to fill the void. Exit polls are not exact polls. We will get exact poll when the counting happens," he added. However, Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said people of the country as well as Karnataka have supported Modi and the exit polls giving 22 seats to the saffron party in the state was a proof of that. Lok Sabha Election 2019: Exit polls which failed to read public mood Stressing that many tall leaders of Congress-JD(S) will lose, he said, "Let's see what will happen after May 23, fighting is on between Congress and JD(S) already, let's see where it will reach." The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders questioning the EVMs shows their desperation, he added. Speculation is rife in the political circles that any adverse results for Congress-JD(S) alliance in the polls will have its implications on the longevity of the Kumaraswamy-led government in Karnataka. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 16:07 [IST] BJD not to hold rallies, campaign meets for May 13 Pipili by- polls: Patnaik More than 1,000 govt schools in Odisha will be transformed with modern facilities: CM BJD set to return to power in Odisha, but BJP will make gains India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bhubaneswar, may 20: Naveen Patnaik will return to power in Odisha, but the BJP would make major inroads in the state, an exit poll conducted by a media organisation has predicted. The channel claimed that there would be a split or tactical vote for the Biju Janata Dal in both the state as well as in the Lok Sabha elections. The Sambad Kanak News Exit Poll said that the BJP will win in 8-12 seats in the Lok Sabha. The BJD's tally would drop from 20 it had won in 2014 to 6-9 in 2019. The Congress will win one seat, the poll predicted. After losses in Hindi heartland, BJP ahead in Lok Sabha segment say exit polls On the candidature of Baijayant Panda, the poll says that he would be defeated by the BJD in Kendrapara. The BJP on the other hand will win comfortably in western and northern Odisha, the poll claimed. The Congress on the other hand is ahead in Nabarangpur, the exit poll said. The channel however said that there would be a very tight contest in six seats including Puri and Cuttack. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 8:52 [IST] Govt has not taken any decision on Air India so far: Piyush Goyal BJP delegation meets EC, demands re-poll in violence hit constituencies of WB India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 20: A BJP delegation on Monday met the the Election Commission over the violence in West Bengal during the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019, and demanded re-polling in seats that were hit by poll-violence. "We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers. We reiterated our demand for re-poll for constituencies where violence occurred in 7th phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told media after the meeting. Violence, clashes mar polling yet again in Bengal, Supriyo blames Mamata Polling in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 was yet again marred by stray incidents of violence across several constituencies. While there were reports of crude bomb blasts at Raidighi under the Mathurapur Lok Sabha seat, polling was also delayed due to altercations between BJP and TMC workers. The vehicle of Nilanjan Ray, BJP's candidate for Diamond Harbour, was attacked at Budge Budge. Roy alleged that Trinamool supporters were responsible. Fuad Halim, the CPI(M) candidate from Diamond Harbour, said that at several booths, his polling agents were driven out. Elections in West Bengal were held across all the seven phases and violence was witnessed in most of the phases. Every phase had its own share of violence that was unleashed on and around the polling day. Murders, clashes, stonepelting, lathicharge, firing, arson, West Bengal witnessed all during Lok Sabha elections 2019. New citizenship law against Constitution as it is based on religion, says Yogendra Yadav Modi can only see 'white cap', 'hijab' and not tricolour: Yogendra Yadav lashes out over CAA Rape at Tikri border: Kisan Morcha did not know about assault, says Yogendra Yadav 'Congress must die,' says Yogendra Yadav on exit-poll results India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, May 20: Amid debate over the exit poll results, Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav has hit out at the Congress saying that "Congress must die" after the exit polls results suggested a victory for the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party. Slamming the Congress party for being unable to put up a strong resistance to the ruling BJP which he sees as against the "very idea of India", Yadav said the "Congress must die" and declared that the party has no positive role in Indian history. Yogendra Yadav, a former Aam Aadmi Party leader, tweeted his reaction on the exit poll predictions that all show the BJP winning a comfortable majority. "The Congress must die. If it could not stop the BJP in this election to save the idea of India, this party has no positive role in Indian history. Today it represents the single biggest obstacle to creation of an alternative." Exit polls not final decision, but hint at BJP's win: Nitin Gadkari India Today has partnered with Axis My India to give the exit poll results. The survey has predicted 339-365 seats for the BJP led National Democratic Alliance and 77-108 for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 18:50 [IST] Congress refuses to believe exit polls predictions, call them "work of paid media" India pti-PTI New Delhi, May 20: Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be onesided as projected, and their party would perform better. Most exit polls on Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Even as the atmosphere at the Congress headquarters remained sombre Monday morning, party workers rejected the exit polls and said May 23 would give results quite different from the projections. Some of them suggested the BJP might use the exit poll projections to indulge in EVM manipulation. "The exit polls are an attempt by the BJP to spread rumours and they might try to manipulate EVMs after creating such atmosphere," said Congress worker Jagdish Sharma. "We will perform better and win. It would not be onesided as projected. We have seen the real atmosphere at the ground and no one is believing the exit polls except the BJP," he said. Neeta Mishra, General Secretary of the Vichar Vibhag at the Congress, said the exit polls might be a strategy of the BJP to create uncertainty and make mahagathbandan join hands with the NDA to claim stake to form the government. [Post exit polls, many opposition leaders meet, discuss future strategy] "We are not at all disappointed by the exit polls. We know many people are scared of the BJP and they lied out of fear that they would be voting for the BJP but they voted for others. The technicalities of sampling are not clear. Exit polls have been wrong a number of times and they are biased. No one believes these polls. We are doubtful of the exit polls," she asserted. Suresh Singh, a Congress worker from Balia in Uttar Pradesh, questioned the credibility of exit polls. "There is a wide variation in prediction for various exit polls in UP. For the NDA, some are predicting 22 while others are predicting 52 seats. Here lies the clue to the credibility of the exit polls and their chances of going wrong," said Singh. [How the Spiral of Silence theory has ensured exit polls can go horribly wrong] Singh was referring to the divided exit polls prediction for the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and News 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats. Rishi Vallabh, another party worker who has been with Congress since 1997, called the exit polls a "work of paid media". "It is been projected so to boost the morale of the BJP. But reality would be different and would be visible on Thursday, May 23," Vallabh said. Exit polls by News 18-Ipsos, India Today-Axis and News 24-Chanakya projected 336, 339-368 and 336-364 seats respectively for the NDA, with the BJP tipped to cross the majority on its own for another term after the 2014 polls. However, two exit polls -- one by ABP News-Nielsen and another by Neta-News X -- said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. ABP News forecast 267 and NewsX 242 seats for the ruling NDA. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday. The Election Commission has deferred election for Vellore in Tamil Nadu over allegations of abuse of money power. The counting of votes is slated for May 23. PTI Nirbhaya: Convicts asked to take bath, given fresh set of clothes How a noose is knotted: What it takes to be a hangman Govt committed to release of Rajiv case convicts: TN CM India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Salem, May 20: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday said his government was committed to the release of seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts and expressed hope the state Governor will act on the cabinet recommendation for setting them free. Palaniwami's statement comes amidst renewed calls, both from the opposition and Tamil groups, for the release of the seven, serving life terms, after the Supreme Court recently disposed of a plea of the kin of those killed along with the former Prime Minister in 1991 opposing their release. The kin had challenged the Tamil Nadu government's earlier decision in 2014 to release the seven convicts. In September 2018, the state cabinet had adopted a resolution recommending to Governor Banwarilal Purohit the release of the seven. Speaking to reporters here, Palaniwami said the cabinet resolution was passed in line with public sentiment. "We wanted the seven to be released and that is why adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to the Governor. The Governor has to decide (on the matter)," he said. Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: SC asks victim families to file fresh petitions "We took the decision based on public sentiment, adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to Governor. We hope he will take action," he added. On September 9, 2018 the AIADMK government recommended to Purohit the release of all seven convicts -- Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur near here on May 21, 1991. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 16:13 [IST] How the Spiral of Silence theory has ensured exit polls can go horribly wrong India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 20: In the year 1974, German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann proposed the Spiral of Silence theory. This was meant to refer to the tendency of the people to remain silent when they feel that their views. Are in opposition to the majority view on the subject. The theory says the people remain silent for two major reasons: First it is the fear of isolation when a group of the public realises that the individual has a divergent view from the status quo. Secondly the fear of reprisal or more extreme isolation, for instance voicing the opinion might lead to a negative consequence beyond that of mere isolation. The Spiral of Silence theory becomes important to understand in the wake of the exit polls results that were released on Sunday. The election has been an issueless one and fought more on nationalism and other sentiments. This theory has proven to throw up surprise results. Take for instance the Tamil Nadu elections of 2009, Brexit and the US Presidential elections. Exit polls 2019: BJP set to return to power Past instances have shown that the voter when quizzed by the pollster has chosen to given an opinion in line with the majority view for the fear of being excluded by others. In Tamil Nadu, one had witnessed a similar trend in 2009, when a majority of voters had said that they had voted for the AIADMK, but in reality it was the DMK. That year it was the DMK which ended up with the major chunk of votes. Under this theory very often the voter is pushed into being silent. He or she may not express the real view. Moreover in this election one has seen patriotism being a major issue and in such an event, the voter may or may not have revealed their real preference. According to masscommtheory.com, the spiral effect is experienced in so much as this activates a downward spiral where fears build within the minority opinion holder. Hence the minority opinion is never voiced. The website also says that the media plays an important role in this process, especially in dictating or perceptually dictating the majority opinion. The silent voter: Most surveys such as the ones that have been conducted by Lokniti-CSDS and Association for Democratic Reforms show that employment has been a major concern for the voter. Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor pointed out after the exit polls that he believes that the predictions are wrong. I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results, he had tweeted. Exit poll results suggest setback for NDA in south India, regional parties to do well The silent voter will be king on May 23 rd 2019. The "fear factor" playing havoc with respondents to pollsters in an ugly polarized election. Ridiculous ExitPolls , almost laughable, Congress leader Sanjay Jha had said on Twitter. Vice President, Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday that exit polls are not exact polls. There are just a few days for the results, what is the harm in waiting until then, he had asked suggesting that people should not take these surveys seriously. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 10:01 [IST] Farooq Abdullah likely to fight J&K elections together with PAGD allies to defeat communal forces PDP leader succumbs to injuries after terrorist attack India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Srinagar, May 20: A Peoples Democratic Party activist, who was shot at by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, succumbed to injuries at a hospital here on Monday, an official said. Mohammad Jamal, who was shot at inside his residence at Zungalpora village on Sunday night, succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS hospital, the official said. PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of her party worker. J&K: PDP worker shot at in Kulgam "Heartbreaking. Party workers in Kashmir put their neck on the line & have to suffer for their beliefs," Mufti tweeted. "Ironic that such mindless violence is justified in the name of Islam in the month of Ramzan. Shame on these cowards who call themselves Muslims." Heartbreaking. Party workers in Kashmir put their neck on the line & have to suffer for their beliefs. Ironic that such mindless violence is justified in the name of Islam in the month of Ramzan. Shame on these cowards who call themselves Muslims. https://t.co/ud1IQzJmfu Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 20, 2019 Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also condemned the killing. "The reckless killing of civilians at the hands of both the parties involved in the conflict continues unabated. Whether a civilian is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is loss of precious human life," Tarigami said in a statement. "Whose 'cause' is fulfilled by the killings of civilians? Unfortunately, it is a Kashmiri who is getting killed every day," the CPI(M) leader added. Months ahead of UP polls residence of Akhilesh Yadavs aide searched by IT Tax department has joined the poll battle in UP: Akhilesh Yadav After I-T raids on SP leaders, petitioner questions Centre for not sending Mulayam & Akhilesh to jail UP health index worst, this is real report of BJP govt: Akhilesh Yadav Post exit polls, many opposition leaders meet, discuss future strategy India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Lucknow, May 20: BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met here on Monday after exit poll projections that the NDA is all set to form the government again at the Centre. Yadav, who had formed a coalition with the BSP and the RLD to take on the BJP, drove to the residence of Mayawati. Details of what transpired between the two top leaders was not known immediately. In another development, a day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. Naidu set to return to power in AP predict most exit polls During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Dubbing the exit polls "gossip", Banerjee Sunday said she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 16:02 [IST] No comment on Pranab Mukherjee book before reading it: Former Union Minister Pranab Mukherjee hails EC, says polls were conducted 'perfectly' India pti-PTI New Delhi, May 20: At a time when the Election Commission is under fire from opposition parties for being biased, former president Pranab Mukherjee on Monday lauded the role of the poll panel saying the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted "perfectly". Speaking at a book launch event here, he said that right from the first election commissioner Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners, the institution is working very well. He said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. Mukherjee said, "You cannot criticise them, it was a perfect conduct of elections". "If democracy has succeeded, it is largely due to perfect conduct of elections by election commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners," Mukherjee said at the launch of the book 'Defining India: Through Their Eyes' by NDTV's Sonia Singh. At 67.11 per cent voter turnout, Lok Sabha Election 2019 breaks all past records His remarks come a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission's "capitulation" before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is obvious and the poll watchdog is not feared and respected anymore. The EC has been criticised by the opposition parties for being allegedly biased towards the BJP. The opposition has stepped up its criticism of the poll panel after Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner stating he will be recusing himself from EC meetings as his dissent was not being recorded on clearances given by the poll panel to the PM and BJP chief Amit Shah over alleged poll code violations. PTI West Bengal Elections Exit Polls Vs Actual Poll: Who got it right? Rajbhar shattered decorum of alliance says BJP India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Lucknow, May 20: Hours after Om Prakash Rajbhar was sacked from the Uttar Pradesh council of ministers, the BJP said he has shattered the decorum of alliance dharma by continuously speaking against the party despite being an ally. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended to governor immediate sacking of Rajbhar, also the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief, from his cabinet for his outbursts against senior NDA partner BJP. Governor Ram Naik accepted the recommendation and relieved Rajbhar from his post of Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment Minister, an official spokesperson said here. Post exit polls, many opposition leaders meet, discuss future strategy "The BJP is a party which gives full respect to its allies and honours the coalition dharma. But, it is unfortunate that our alliance partner in UP, Om Prakash Rajbhar, not just violated the decorum of alliance dharma, but shattered it. It is for this reason that the party and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were compelled to take such a strong step," state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said in a statement here. "Despite staying in alliance (NDA), Rajbhar continuously made statements against the BJP and the BJP-led UP government. He also opposed various policies of the state government," he added. Pandey said Rajbhar construed the BJP's "decorum" and "tolerance" as its "weakness". "He not only fielded candidates against the BJP in this Lok Sabha election, but also openly supported candidates of rival political parties. Despite this, we exercised restraint," the BJP leader said. Pandey, however, hoped that the Rajbhar community will continue to support the BJP. He alleged that Rajbhar had "deceived" the community which gave him an identity. BJP trying to destabilise Kamal Nath govt through corrupt practises Adityanath also recommended to governor that all other SBSP members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately, the spokesperson said here. Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 16:30 [IST] Ready for floor test, says Kamal Nath as BJP demands MP govt to prove majority India oi-Deepika S Bhopal, May 20: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday said that his government was ready for a floor test after BJP demanded the Congress government to prove its majority in the state assembly. "The government is ready for a floor test," the chief minister was quoted as saying by ANI. "They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1. I have proved the majority at least four times in the last months. They want to do it again, we have no problem. They will try their best to disturb the present government to save themselves from getting exposed," he added. Madhya Pradesh: Is the Congress govt in trouble? Earlier in the day, BJP leader Gopal Bhargava said he would approach Governor Anandiben Patel to convene a special session of the state Assembly "to discuss important issues and test the Congress government's strength". This also comes a day after most exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress in the state. The BJP is expected to win a lion share of the 29 Lok Sabha seats, with the Congress predicted to win not more than five seats. The Kamal Nath-led government has 114 members in the 230-member assembly and is supported by four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one Samajwadi Party MLA. The BJP is not far behind with 109 MLAs. Recently BSP's Mayawati had threatened to withdraw support to the Congress government in the state after her candidate from Guna Lok Sabha seat joined the Congress and withdrew from the race. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 20:31 [IST] SC dismisses petition challenging HC order on Maratha quotas in PG medical courses India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 20: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the NGO Janhit Manch's petition challenging the order by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay Court which had ruled out reservation for the Educationally Backward Classes and Marathas in some Post Graduate courses. The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court had earlier held that the decision of implementing 16 percent Maratha quota to PG medical admission process this year as "arbitrary". The HC noted that the PG medical admission process had already commenced at the time when the quota came into force. Maha govt challenges HC order saying no to EBC, Maratha quotas in PG courses According to reports, the Maharashtra Government had on May 4 challenged the order by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay Court. The Supreme Court had upheld the high court's decision. Last week, the Maharashtra government had moved the Election Commission seeking permission to promulgate the ordinance as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is still in place. The poll panel granted permission for the same. The division bench of honourable Justices Sunil Shukre and Pushpa Ganediwala had ruled in their order that the March 8 notification about the implementation of the new 16 percent reservation for the Maratha community, under the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) quota; shall not be applicable to the admission process, which had started earlier, reported PTI. Reservation for Marathas: Is it legally tenable? On November 30 last year, the Maharashtra Legislature had passed a bill proposing 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs. In November last year, the Maharashtra assembly unanimously passed bill giving 16 per cent reservation for Maratha community in jobs and education. This was separate reservation from existing OBC and SC ST reservations already in place. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 15:14 [IST] Chennai floods: Video of woman cop in Chennai carrying unconscious man goes viral 14 killed in Tamil Nadu rains so far: Rain red alert withdrawn, Flight arrivals resume Chennai Rains: Depression over north coastal region weakens, light rain very likely across TN Chennai: Actor Suriya's house in T Nagar gets police protection after 'Jai Bhim' threats US Consulate General Chennai promotes South India for US Study abroad students Singapore-bound flight makes emergency landing in Chennai, all paasengers safe India oi-Vikas SV Channai, May 20: A Singapore bound flight made an emergency landing in Chennai Airport this morning after pilot detected smoke in the aircraft cargo, said reports. Singapore-bound Scoot Airways flight TR 567 flying from Trichy (Tamil Nadu) made an emergency landing at Chennai airport, reported ANI. The incident took place around 3:40 am. Air Asia flight faces hydraulic failure, lands safely in Delhi All the 161 people onboard, passengers and crew, are safe. As per latest reports, the flight is grounded at Chennai airport. t is expected to fly back to Singapore this evening. On May 8, a Singapore Airlines plane, carrying 228 people, had made an emergency landing at the airport in the national capital after suffering a glitch with its nose wheel. A full emergency was declared for SQ 406 Singapore-Delhi flight having 228 people on board and the plane landed safely. On May 13, an emergency was declared for a Hyderabad-Delhi Air Asia flight on Monday after it reportedly faced a hydraulic failure. There were 174 passengers onboard. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 11:08 [IST] Swaraj on 2 day visit to Bishkek for SCO Summit India oi-PTI New Delhi, May 20: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), beginning Tuesday where she will represent India. During this visit several pressing issues including thread of terrorism are expected to be discussed. The External Affairs Ministry said the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation for the SCO Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14. India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. Eight months after talks were called off, Sushma likely to meet Qureshi India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. "India actively took part in various SCO dialogue mechanisms under the Chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year," the MEA said. It said Swaraj's programme in Bishkek will include a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooranbay Jeenbekov. Last month, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the SCO Defence Ministers' conclave in Bishkek. India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. Along with India, Pakistan was also granted SCO membership in 2017. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 14:38 [IST] Yogi Adityanath didn't take dip in Ganga as he knows rivers are not clean: Akhilesh UP Free Tablet Smartphone Yojana 2021: How to apply online, registration, eligibility and more Ahead of polls, Yogi kickstarts campaign to distribute tablets, smartphones to 1 Cr UP students Yogi Adityanath drops OBC welfare minister Om Prakash Rajbhar India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Lucknow, May 20: A day after voting ended, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath dropped OBC Welfare Minister, O P Rajbhar from the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. The CM also removed all members appointed to various boards and corporations in UP which was done to placate Rajbhar. "Om Prakash Rajbhar has been relieved of his responsibilities as a minister for backward classes welfare and disabled development," said a Raj Bhawan communique. We welcome his decision. CM has taken a very good decision. He formed Social Justice Committee and threw its report in a dustbin. He didn't have spare time to implement it. I request him to implement Social Justice Committee's report as quickly as he took this decision today, Rajbhar was quoted by ANI as saying. Yogi Adityanath takes lead role in Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan plays supporting cast It may be recalled that Rajbhar's party Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party had fielded 39 candidates across Uttar Pradesh in the elections after seat sharing talks broke down. 100 not out: Meet Rohith, who helps the young chase their dreams for the sheer joy of it Famed Sherpa climber doesnt want Nepal kids to follow his footsteps International oi-PTI Kathmandu, May 20: Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than all but one other person. Now he wants to make sure no one feels compelled to follow in his footsteps. As a boy growing up in Nepal, Sherpa dreamed of becoming a doctor, but poverty and lack of education steered him to a far more dangerous path: Working as a guide on Mount Everest, carrying climbing equipment and helping foreign mountaineers scale the world's tallest peak. Now retired in the U.S, Sherpa returns every year to his roots in the foothills of the Himalayas to provide financial assistance to village schools and try to show children from the Sherpa minority group that they have options in life. Yeti or snow monster? What science has to say on Himalayan 'footprint' mystery "Sherpas take big risks in the mountains to earn a living for their families because they are unable to take up any other jobs," the 59-year-old said. "My main goal is to ensure children in the future don't have to take up climbing like we did." Sherpa tribespeople were mostly yak herders and traders living deep within the Himalayas until Nepal opened its borders to foreigners in the 1950s. As adventurers began arriving to conquer the country's famous peaks, the Sherpas with their mountain experience found themselves in demand as guides and porters. To this day they are an indispensable part of Nepal's climbing industry, which brings in $300 million to the country each year. But advocates say Nepal's estimated 350,000 Sherpa remain marginalized, with many living in remote, impoverished villages connected to the rest of the country only by footpaths and small airstrips. Access to schooling beyond the primary level is rare. The Apa Sherpa Foundation, set up in 2012, has been seeking to change that, paying teacher salaries in several villages to ensure schools remain open and providing hot lunches, computers, books, pens and warm clothes to motivate children to attend classes. "Most people in the area have now realized the value of educating their children and they do their best to send their children to school," Sherpa said. "But many schools face difficulties, so we try and help them whatever way possible." When Sherpa was growing up, the school in his village, Thame, offered education only up to the second grade. He continued his studies in another village for two more years, walking the mountain trails for six hours each day, but had to drop out when his father died and he had to take on the responsibility of feeding his family. By the age of 12 he was working on climbing expeditions. At age 30, he summited Everest for the first time. He repeated the feat almost every year after, going on to become one of Everest's greatest guides and earning the nickname "Super Sherpa." When he retired in 2011, he jointly held the record for having climbed the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak 21 times with fellow Sherpa Phurba Tashi. Another Sherpa, Kami Rita, would go on to break the record and on May 15 reached the summit for the 23rd time. "Everyone said 21 was a good number," Sherpa noted of the timing for his retirement, which fulfilled a longstanding promise to his wife. Sherpas are the first to reach Everest each climbing season and the last to leave. They set up the camps, carry the equipment and cook the food for climbing parties. Most importantly, they fix the ropes and ladders over the crevasses and icefalls that enable mountaineers to scale the peak. The work has earned the Sherpas prestige, as well as income far above average wages in Nepal. Experienced guides like Sherpa who take climbers all the way to the top of Everest make $10,000 or more, while porters or cooks at mountaineers' camps average between $3,000 and $5,000 during their three months of work. That's a huge amount compared to Nepal's $1,035 annual per capita income. Sherpa himself was able to move to the U.S. state of Utah in 2006 so that his children could have a better education. But Sherpas also bear the largest brunt of the danger and death that go hand-in-hand with the industry. In 2014, 16 Sherpa guides were buried by an avalanche on Everest as they carried supplies. The following year, another 10 were among those killed when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that tore through Everest base camp. After the 2014 disaster, Sherpas refused to work, prompting the government to introduce new rules for better wages, increasing insurance payouts and improving rescue operations for Sherpas. Sherpa himself had many near misses, having survived blizzards, frostbite, inadequate oxygen supplies and the deaths of fellow mountaineers. Nope, it's not Yeti, it's 'wild bear': Nepal rejects Indian Army Yeti claim Given a choice, he said, many Sherpas would probably never take up the work. In the past few weeks, members of his foundation and trekkers have hiked to six schools to drop off supplies. They also distribute supplies to monasteries. As Buddhists, Sherpas often send their children to live and study at monasteries, a tradition that also relieves parents of the burden of having to feed and educate them at home. In addition to making sure children have access to school, there is also the issue of ensuring teachers are hired. Of the eight teachers the government says are needed at the village school in Thame, it says it can only afford to hire three. Sherpa's foundation helps to pay the salaries of another five teachers who have not been formally hired. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, May 20, 2019, 15:02 [IST] Ending Obama EPA climate deception By Paul Driessen web posted May 20, 2019 In December 2009, the Obama Environmental Protection Agency issued its Endangerment Finding (EF) decreeing that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) endanger the health and welfare of Americans. In the process, EPA ignored the incredible economic, health and welfare benefits of fossil fuels and the fact that (even at just 0.04% of the atmosphere) carbon dioxide is the miracle molecule that enables plants to grow and makes nearly all live on Earth possible. EPA turned CO2 into a dangerous pollutant and ruled that fossil fuels must be eradicated. The agency subsequently used its EF to justify tens of billions of dollars in climate research, anti-fossil fuel regulations, and wind and solar subsidies; President Obamas signing of the Paris climate treaty; and proposals to spend trillions of dollars a year on Green New Deal (GND) programs. And yet, despite multiple demands that this be done, there has never been any formal, public review of the EF conclusion or of the secretive process EPA employed to ensure the result of its analysis could only be endangerment and no awkward questions or public hearings would get in the way. Review, transparency and accountability may finally be on the way, however, in the form of potential Executive Branch actions. If they occur and they certainly should both are likely to find that there is no valid scientific basis for the EF, and EPA violated important federal procedural rules in rendering its predetermined EF outcome. (One could even say the EF was obtained primarily because of prosecutorial misconduct, a kangaroo court proceeding, and scientific fraud.) Failure to examine and reverse the EF would mean it hangs like Damocles sword over the USA, awaiting another climate-focused president. To the consternation and outrage of climate alarmists, keep-fossil-fuels-in-the-ground radicals, and predictable politicians and pundits, President Trump may soon appoint a Presidential Committee on Climate Change, to review dangerous manmade climate change reports by federal agencies. Meanwhile, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has filed a formal petition with EPA, asking that the agency stop utilizing and relying on the EF and instead subject the finding to a proper high level peer review, as required by the Information Quality Act. The reasoning presented in CEIs succinct and persuasive petition is compelling. Its main points are these. EPAs Endangerment Finding and the Technical Support Document (TSD) that supposedly justifies it did not meet Information Quality Act (IQA) requirements for how the work should have been done. The agencys evaluation of the then-current climate change and related science was clearly a highly influential scientific assessment (HISA), which triggered important IQA and OMB rules governing rulemakings that have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any year or present novel, controversial or precedent-setting changes or would likely raise significant interagency interest. EPAs Clean Power Plan to shut down coal-fired power plants alone would cost $2.5 billion in annual compliance costs, EPA admitted. Its motor vehicle rules would cost tens of billions. The Paris agreement and GND would add trillions per year in costs to the US economy. All are based on the EF. And all were certainly controversial and generated significant interest by multiple other government agencies. EPA deliberately downplayed the significance of its review and decision, ignored the IQA and OMB requirements, and refused to allow citizens, independent energy, climate and health experts, or even scientific and professional societies to nominate potential reviewers or participate in the EF analysis. Instead, the agency utilized an entirely internal review process, designed and conducted entirely by its own federal employees. Those employees had substantial conflicts of interest, because they were reviewing their own scientific work; would be writing, implementing and enforcing regulations based on that work; and had jobs and professional status that might be affected by the outcome of their review. [The review team even summarily dismissed one of EPAs most senior energy and economic experts, because his probing analyses and comments do not help the legal or policy case for the EF decision.] [The review team even summarily dismissed one of EPAs most senior energy and economic experts, because his probing analyses and comments do not help the legal or policy case for the EF decision.] EPA never allowed the general public or scientific, energy, health or economic experts to review its draft scientific assessment; never sponsored any public meetings; and never let its internal peer reviewers see any of the public comments that outside experts and organizations submitted to the agency. In fact, none of the EPA peer review panels questions and responses have ever been made public. Each of these actions violated specific IQA and OMB peer review guidelines. Indeed, two years after the Endangerment Finding was issued, even EPAs own Inspector General found that that agency had violated rules governing all of these matters. And yet even then nothing was done to correct them. The entire Obama EPA process smells like a crooked prosecutor who framed CO2 and was determined to get a conviction. The agency built its entire case on tainted, circumstantial evidence, and testimony from agency officials who had conflicts of interest and their own reasons for wanting CO2 convicted of endangering Americans. EPA reviewers ignored or hid exculpatory evidence and colluded to prevent witnesses for the CO2 defendant from presenting any defense or cross-examining agency witnesses. A full reexamination now is essential, and not just because the Obama EPA violated every procedural rule in the books. But because EPA ignored volumes of climate science that contradicted its preordained EF finding. Because real-world climate and weather observations consistently contradict alarmist computer models and headlines. Because science is never settled must never be driven by ideology and must be reevaluated when new scientific evidence is discovered or evidence of misbehavior is uncovered. We know far more about Earths climate and have far more and better data than a decade ago. But climatologists still cannot explain why our planet experienced multiple ice ages and interglacial periods, Roman and Medieval warm periods, the Little Ice Age, or Anasazi, Mayan and Dust Bowl droughts. And yet some of them insist they can accurately predict calamitous temperatures, weather events and extinctions 10, 20, 100 years from now based on computer models whose temperature predictions are already a degree Fahrenheit above what satellites are measuring and that rely primarily or solely on carbon dioxide, while downplaying or ignoring fluctuations in solar energy and cosmic ray output, the reflective properties of clouds, El Nino events, ocean current shifts, and other powerful natural forces. And then, in the face of all that uncertainty and politicized science, they demand that the United States slash or eliminate its fossil fuel use and that the poorest nations on Earth continue to forego fossil fuel development, and instead remain wracked by joblessness, misery, disease, malnutrition and early death. Thankfully, poor countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are building or planning more than 2,000 coal and gas-fueled generating plants. They deserve to be freed from dictatorial carbon-colonialism and eco-manslaughter and to become as wealthy, healthy and vibrant as modern industrialized nations that also relied on fossil fuels to develop and are still 80% dependent on those fuels today. But if those countries are building fossil fuel power plants, driving millions more cars and trucks, and emitting multiple times more CO2 and other GHGs than the United States why should the USA slash or eliminate its coal, oil and natural gas? Why should we roll back our job creation, living standards, health and welfare, based on the IPCCs junk science and EPAs fraudulent Endangerment Finding? For unfathomable reasons, a few White House advisors still oppose any PCCS or IQA-triggered review of the EF or junk/fraudulent science behind it. Perhaps they are too closely tied to the Deep State or invested financially or ideologically in the $2-trillion-per-year Climate-Industrial Complex. But whatever their reasons, they must be ignored in favor of science and the national interest. Lets get the job done now! Write to President Trump: Ask him to appoint his Presidential Committee on Climate Science and instruct the EPA to agree to the CEI petition and review the 2009 Endangerment Finding forthwith! Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of many articles and books on energy, environmental and human rights issues. Home The signing of the K43 billion (US$12 billion) Papua LNG project has heated up again with former finance minister James Marape and Prime Minister Peter ONeill locked in a face-off.Marape has accused ONeill of making inappropriate decisions to facilitate the signing of the multi-billion-kina deal while the latter retorted that Government decision papers had been reviewed and agreed to by all stakeholders, including the Gulf government.It now appears that the Papua LNG project is set to be the fiery issue in the run-up to the May 28 resumption of the Parliament session.And the Parliamentary private business committee has yet to meet and decide whether to allow the vote of no confidence motion submitted by the opposition.Marape, the Tari-Pori MP,accused ONeill of side-tracking government decision papers and consensus decision processes.This forced me to resign as minister, he said.Important industry and treasury papers relating to Papua LNG were swept aside to pave the way for the agreement signing.We cannot run a country this way in ignoring important project papers.These are the reasons why some of us (MPs and Cabinet members) shifted.Papua New Guinea has a substantial resource base in the mining, oil and gas, fisheries, logging and the agriculture but our citizens are not benefitting.Something is wrong somewhere when the government is not unlocking those resources for our people.We have a government that wants to save the interests of corporate giants and allowing contracts to be given to a few corporate organisations and foreigners.However, ONeill retorted: All documents from both parties (the state negotiation team and the Treasury) were reviewed line by line and agreed to by all stakeholders, including the Gulf government.All fiscal terms were agreed to by the Treasury.He (Marape) is just finding excuses because this is a better deal than the one Marape and National Alliance Government did for the first LNG project of higher benefits.Marape said the alternative government wanted to get the nation back on track, giving economic independence to the people. We achieved Independence 44 years ago by our fathers, like Sir Michael Somare, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti, he said.Irrespective of which party they come from, they talked about education, health infrastructure, and law and order.What are those if we dont develop our economic base? My view is simple. Expand the economic base by empowering our people. Make sure our landowners and provincial governments are empowered to enable them to participate in business.We need to have greater local content and we need to empower greater business participation by our people, he said.SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS (CNN) The accused gunman in the deadly shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette newspaper barricaded the back entrance of the paper's office so people could not escape as he began "systematically hunting and killing," Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Wes Adams said Friday. Authorities said Jarrod Warren Ramos, 38, stormed into the paper's Annapolis newsroom Thursday afternoon with a shotgun, killing five employees and leaving two others wounded a few years after he unsuccessfully sued the newspaper for defamation. Ramos concealed his weapon as he entered the building's back entrance, barricaded a back door and then opened fire, Adams said at Ramos' bail hearing Friday morning in an Annapolis court. Ramos shot at least one victim who was trying to escape through the barricaded door, Adams said. A witness earlier told CNN that she saw one of the slain victims get shot after he tried to open a back door. "This fellow was there to kill as many people as he could get," Anne Arundel County police Chief Timothy Altomare said at a news conference Friday in Annapolis. Police said that Ramos was arrested shortly after the shooting and that responding officers found him hiding under a desk. He has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, according to court records. A judge ordered Ramos held without bail at Friday's hearing. Ramos, wearing a dark shirt, appeared in court via a video feed from a nearby detention center, standing silently as Adams made the allegations against him. Ramos had a plan to escape, but it was thwarted when police responded, Adams said. The five slain were Gerald Fischman, 61, editorial page editor; Rob Hiaasen, 59, an assistant editor; John McNamara, 56, a staff writer; Rebecca Smith, 34, a sales assistant; and Wendi Winters, 65, who worked in special publications. The two wounded employees, Rachel Pacella and Janet Cooley, have been treated at a hospital and released, Anne Arundel police Lt. Ryan Frashure said. What we know about the Annapolis newspaper shooting 'Yes, we're putting out a damn paper' Hours after the shooting, the Capital Gazette, a newsroom in mourning, published a newspaper with a front page bearing the photos of the five slain employees. "We are heartbroken, devastated. Our colleagues and friends are gone. No matter how deep our loss is nothing compared to the grief our friends' families are feeling," Capital editor Rick Hutzell was quoted as saying in the paper's front-page story. The gunman fired through the glass door of the newsroom, Phil Davis, a Capital Gazette police reporter, tweeted shortly after the shooting. "There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload," Davis wrote. The newspaper, which was reeling from the attack, defiantly tweeted on Thursday: "Yes, we're putting out a damn paper tomorrow." Several staffers and reporters from sister paper The Baltimore Sun worked on stories for Friday's paper. The opinion page in Friday's paper was left mostly blank with a brief message: "Today, we are speechless. This page is intentionally left blank today to commemorate victims of Thursday's shootings at our office." It listed the five victims' names. "Tomorrow this page will return to its steady purpose of offering our readers informed opinion about the world around them, that they might be better citizens." The defamation lawsuit Ramos used a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun which he legally bought about a year ago -- to shoot and kill his victims, said Altomare, the county police chief. Police also have said Ramos had smoke grenades. Police said they haven't determined a motive, noting the suspect hasn't cooperated with investigators. But they have said Ramos made threats against the paper a few years ago on social media and noted that he sued the publication six years ago. "This was a targeted attack," Altomare said Friday. Court documents show Ramos filed a defamation suit against the paper and a reporter in July 2012. The dispute was over an article that detailed Ramos' guilty plea in a 2011 harassment case. Titled "Jarrod wants to be your friend," the story was written by staff writer Eric Hartley and detailed the case where Ramos repeatedly contacted a former high school classmate via Facebook, according to court documents. The case was eventually dismissed. Brennan McCarthy, an attorney for the woman in the harassment case, told CNN that Ramos took information she shared with him in confidence "and then used those confidential facts and (took) them to an illogical end." In one instance, Ramos sent a letter to her employer saying she was a bipolar drunkard, which led to her being fired, the attorney said. "They never had a romantic relationship at all and I don't think that he ever really wanted a romantic relationship, "McCarthy said. "This was malevolence." "He had an issue with this woman. I don't know what it was but he did everything he could to destroy her life. And he succeeded." Ramos posted veiled threats on social media and also turned his attention to McCarthy, re-posting McCarthy's Facebook posts on social media, the attorney said. "This is a man that actually stalked the attorney for the stalking victim," McCarthy said A Twitter account with Ramos' name and the handle @EricHartleyFrnd is believed to belong to Ramos, a law enforcement source said. The account had tweeted several times about the paper and Hartley. By Friday morning, the account was suspended. Police: Paper decided not to pursue charges in 2013 Altomare said his department investigated threatening online comments that Ramos allegedly made against the paper in 2013. But in a conference call between a detective and the paper's legal team that year, the Capital Gazette decided not to pursue charges because of fears it would exacerbate the situation, Altomare said. In a 2013 police report, an Anne Arundel officer wrote that during that call, "I indicated that I did not believe Mr. Ramos was a threat" to the Capital's employees. "This was based on the contact they have had with him, as only on Twitter and civil court filings. He has not attempted to enter the Capital newspaper building or sent direct threatening correspondence," the officer wrote. The threatening tweets included "mention of blood in the water, journalist hell, hit man (and) open season," the officer wrote. The officer describes the comments as "fringe" and "ranting," the report said. Tom Marquardt, the Capital Gazette's former editor and publisher, told CNN on Friday he was disappointed charges were not filed. "In my mind, a layman's mind, all I saw was a threat against my life and a threat against people who working for me," Marquardt said. "They felt however, in their professional opinion, that the evidence wasn't there." "Once we sensed something was amiss here, we took the precautionary role of making sure that the staff was aware of what was happening. ... We gave them a photo of Mr. Ramos in case he would enter the newsroom," Marquardt said, referring to when the paper was housed in a different building. He added: "Also we had a given a photo to the front desk, with my personal instruction, that if anybody that resembled him would come through the door that they were to call 911 and our own security." The Capital Gazette had been threatened on social media with violence as recently as Thursday, police have said, without detailing who was behind those threats. Anne Arundel County Executive Steven Schuh said Friday morning that Ramos gave no specific warning he was going to attack the newspaper. "I don't believe there's any indication that this was anything more than a personal grievance from this individual directed toward the newspaper and its employees," Schuh said. Suspect fired by an employer for "security suitability concerns" In July 2014, Ramos was fired for "security suitability concerns" by his previous employer, Enterprise Information Services, where he worked as a help desk specialist within the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, according to court documents. Ramos sued his former employer, saying they still owed him money, and wrote in a letter, "No misconduct was ever cited to me and I received no explanation beyond 'suitability concern.' " Ramos said he spoke with his supervisor who told him "something has come to light," but the supervisor did not explain what the issue was. Enterprise Information Services filed a response to Ramos' complaint, saying the federal government demanded he be terminated "citing security suitability concerns resulting from an Investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General." The company said it was "never informed of the exact nature of the investigation." An email from a Bureau of Labor Statistics employee informed her co-workers at the time of his firing that Ramos would not be allowed on the premises "in order to mitigate potential security risk." Neither Enterprise Information Services nor the Bureau of Labor Statistics immediately responded to a request for comment on the nature of Ramos' termination. Identified through facial recognition technology Surveillance recordings from inside the building Thursday show Ramos and the shootings, police said in a probable cause affidavit. Altomare said police identified Ramos through facial recognition technology, using stored images -- perhaps such as driver's license photos -- from the Maryland Image Repository System. Police did so after they had difficulty identifying Ramos through fingerprints, Altomare said. Altomare said that earlier reports about Ramos' fingerprints having been mutilated or altered were incorrect. CNN previously reported from two law enforcement sources that the suspect's fingerprints appeared to have been altered. Investigators have found evidence at Ramos' apartment in Laurel about a 30-minute drive from Annapolis showing "the origination of planning" for the shooting. Altomare didn't detail the discoveries, other than saying the findings show "what we knew we would find, which is we have one bad guy." A newsroom and a community mourn Journalists at the newspaper tweeted tributes and memories of their colleagues. "The Capital is not a big newsroom. There are about 20 news staffers, a few more advertising. We are close. We are family. I am devastated," reporter Danielle Ohl tweeted. In a Facebook post, best-selling author and Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen said he was "devastated and heartsick" to confirm the death of his brother, Robert Hiaasen, affectionately known as "Big Rob" because he towered over people. "He spent his whole gifted career as a journalist, and he believed profoundly in the craft and mission of serving the public's right to know the news," Carl Hiaasen wrote. A vigil for the victims will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the Annapolis City Dock, city officials said. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered state flags to be lowered to half-staff until sunset Monday. "To the family, friends, and colleagues at the Capital Gazette and its parent company, The Baltimore Sun, you have the deepest sympathies of a state in mourning," Hogan said in a statement. Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect new reporting from police regarding the suspect's fingerprints. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Capital Gazette shooting suspect barricaded back entrance, prosecutor says." Space exploration, technology, and the possible futures of humanity (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski While resisting the excesses of the animal-rights enthusiasts, there is certainly something to be said for a notion of at least the stewardship of Nature. There is certainly some intrinsic value in wilderness areas and magnificent wild animals roaming free. We do not have the right to destroy Nature in order to advance what many traditionalist and ecological critics would see as todays monstrous, advertising- and consumption-addled society. In fact, the rises in the GDP that advanced economies are so insistent on, may not in fact be producing some more positive social or cultural results. Indeed, it could be argued that, in terms of many truly meaningful social, cultural, and psychological indicators, life in American society has become considerably worse in the last three decades. And the ecological consequences of a compounding rise in the GDP whose increase is more-or-less coterminous with increasing resource-use and consumption patterns are simply frightening. It is also a reductio ad absurdum to argue that ecology is calling for a return to the hunter-gatherer lifestyle (it may also be incidentally noted that this way of life was sustained by the eating of prodigious quantities of animal meat). Ecology would hope for a saner and more truly rational management of the situation as it currently is. Also, certain elements in ecological conservation have only become possible as a result of continuing advances in technology. In current-day societies, life in the countryside is frequently devalorized. It is often enough remarked that, through the mechanization of agriculture based on cheap energy, the number of persons who need to produce food in the countryside has been reduced to about one percent of the population. But, can the social and cultural consequences of this massive de-agrarianization be looked upon as unqualifiedly felicitous? One can certainly see something highly natural and positive in the life of the countryside and its villages, a life which (it could be argued) has changed comparatively little over thousands of years. Then, there are the nice small towns of the typical countryside in Europe. The notion that there can in fact be truly meaningful cultural diversity between different villages, towns, and regions of a virtually mono-ethnic and unireligious society, or for that matter, at a major university whose staff and student body consists almost entirely of one nationality, ethnicity, and religion, is alien to todays dominant sensibilities. Indeed, a given societys or universitys pleasant and subtle diversity within comparative unity, is largely devoured by the introduction of radical multiculturalist diversity (which also usually operates within a tight, quasi-totalitarian framework of political correctness where there is no diversity of thought permitted except perhaps in regard to rather dubious and sometimes indeed truly hideous -- aboriginal and Third World customs and attitudes, whose all-out defense is seen as a politically correct badge of honor). And it may be noted that the life and the architecture in most cities until the most recent period certainly has had an organic quality to it. Many European cities were extremely diverse and unbelievably culturally rich for centuries or millennia with only the most minute presence of exotic peoples from outside the usual European historical experience. It is a profound mistake to confuse the concept behind magnificent, traditionally multi-ethnic European cities such as Vienna, with the ideas driving todays radically disintegrated, multicultural urban agglomerations, with their often maximally ugly, late-modern pop-culture, art, outlooks, and architecture. Tolkiens creativity indeed celebrated rootedness in the village (typified by the hobbits Shire), in the noble, ancient city (typified by Minas Tirith), and in the nation (Gondor and Rohan). One can see today, as well (among some persons) a profound understanding of unfolding historical and social dynamics. It is possible that there exists enough historical and social knowledge today to allow serious, perceptive critics to at least suggest the lineaments of what aspects of social, political, and cultural existence may be salvific in regard to the future evolution of humanity, and what elements should probably be reduced in influence or discarded. Certainly, the nightmare regimes of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (especially under Stalin) should have taught us certain lessons. Let us consider the possibility, however, that a new nightmare, which could be called the managerial-therapeutic regime the union of big business and big government, a social environment of total administration and near-total media immersion, has now arisen. As Tolkien put it most clearly, for evil always takes on another shape, and grows again. Perhaps it should be the current human societies, after embracing certain healing directions, that should transcend various historical and natural cycles, and move straight along an upward path of technological advance that might eventually take us to the stars. There may not be any necessary contradiction between the embrace of ecology on Earth, and the eventual hope of outposts in the Solar System, and possibly, interstellar travel and even the possible eventual physical survival of humanitys descendants beyond the projected death of the current physical universe. Perhaps we may indeed become the only species that can follow that long road. Perhaps, as Carl Sagan suggested in the 1980s, virtually every intelligent species reaches an evolutionary impasse, and destroys itself through an event akin to a nuclear war. This is clearly something which, at least for now, has been happily avoided although Reagans aggressive strategy in regard to the Soviet Union was pretty well the opposite of what Sagan had been advising at the time. Ultimately, it may indeed be a question of societies that will establish a proper balance of resource-allocation and -conservation between ecological and real technological considerations. It may be noted, for example, that todays consumerist/consumptionist society is indeed devouring vast planetary resources toward the production, enhancement, and support of what amounts to little more than massive, idiotic, stultifying, social and cultural garbage. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Opalesque Industry Update - Bermuda's global industry groups have welcomed the decision by the Economic & Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) in Brussels to remove Bermuda from a list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions after all sectors worked collaboratively with Bermuda's government and regulator to ensure a successful result. "We applaud today's decision and appreciate the expedited review by ECOFIN," said Stephen Weinstein, Deputy Chair of the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA). "We're thankful for the efforts of our Premier and Finance Minister to engage with the EU and provide transparency into Bermuda's world-class regime. Our jurisdiction's updated regulatory and legislative framework mirrors existing practices in our international business market, exemplifying the highest standards of compliance and economic substance. It's important that markets worldwide have access to Bermuda's leading expertise and capacity." "Bermuda can be proud of our market's long-respected record on compliance and tax-transparency-the island remains a jurisdiction of choice for reputable businesses," added BDA CEO Roland Andy Burrows. "Today's decision is the right one, and we welcome it as a testament to the top-tier reputation we've worked hard to build over many decades. We thank the government for its pro-active response, as well as the regulator and all our industry stakeholders." Bermuda's stock exchange and industry associations, representing sectors ranging from re/insurance, captive insurance, trusts and family offices to asset management and local companies, all echoed those comments and welcomed the EU decision: "On behalf of the AIMA network in Bermuda, we are delighted ECOFIN has seen fit to remove Bermuda from the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. Bermuda has always sought to adhere to the highest standards of tax transparency and other global regulatory standards and sees this quality as a key aspect of the manner in which it conducts business presently and into the future," said Craig Bridgewater, Chair, Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) network in Bermuda. "Bermuda has consistently demonstrated its commitment to combating money laundering and terrorist financing. On behalf of the trust Industry, I can say we are pleased with the Bermuda government's efforts to resolve this issue, and remain confident that Bermuda can, in quick order, resume enjoying the benefits of being recognised by the EU as co-operative international financial centre," said Leah Scott, President, Bermuda Association of Licensed Trustees (BALT). "ABIC welcomes the confirmation that Bermuda has been removed from the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. We applaud all involved in bringing this to fruition and are committed to working collaboratively with government and industry stakeholders to ensure that Bermuda remains a leading reputable international business jurisdiction," said Patrick Tannock, Chair, Association of Bermuda International Companies (ABIC). "On behalf of the entire business community, we express our appreciation to Premier Burt, Finance Minister Curtis Dickinson and Bermuda Monetary Authority Chair Jeremy Cox for immediately and effectively marshalling resources to demonstrate Bermuda's long-standing tradition and commitment to meet and exceed international standards. Thank you, as well, to the European Union Economic and Financial Affairs Council for their continued engagement with Bermuda," said Albert Benchimol, Chair, Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR). "BILTIR members are proud to work in an insurance-friendly jurisdiction that is both Solvency II equivalent and NAIC-qualified. While being placed on ECOFIN's list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions was disappointing, BILTIR members were confident Bermuda would be removed from the list at the earliest opportunity. We are confident our government officials will continue to work with the EU to meet all compliance standards, demonstrating Bermuda's longstanding reputation for transparency and regulatory leadership," said Ronnie Klein, Senior Advisor, Bermuda International Long Term Insurers and Reinsurers (BILTIR). "BIMA is pleased Bermuda has been removed from the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. The decision today by the European Union recognises Bermuda's commitment to full compliance and tax transparency," said Kathleen Bibbings, President, Bermuda International Management Association (BIMA). "Removal from this list is a testament to Bermuda's commitment to meet and exceed international standards of regulatory compliance. This development also serves to underscore the seriousness Bermuda places on being a strong partner in the global regulatory and commercial fabric. At the BSX, we share this view and work regularly with international regulators and market practitioners to ensure our operating platforms are in line with global standards. This is clearly evident in the fact the BSX is a full member of the World Federation of Exchanges and a member of the Board of Directors of that organisation," said Greg Wojciechowski, President & CEO, Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX). "The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce is appreciative of the swiftness of the ECOFIN group in altering Bermuda's status and removing Bermuda from the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions. We also want to recognise all the behind-the-scenes work by our government and industry partners in making sure we spoke and acted in a cohesive manner. The Chamber believes this latest move speaks to Bermuda's history and long track record of compliance and transparency," said Kendaree Burgess, CEO, Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, "On behalf of STEP Bermuda, I welcome the news from Brussels that the EU has recognised that we ought not to be categorised as a non-cooperative jurisdiction. Our trust industry has a long history of high regulatory standards and I am sure the whole industry will join with me in thanking the Bermuda government for its hard work over the last few months," said Keith Robinson, Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP). The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Article source - Opalesque is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Size, Share, Development by 2024 Top Key players like Honeywell,Phares Electronics,Texas Instruments,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/651455/global-digital-hall-effect-sensors-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/651455/global-digital-hall-effect-sensors-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:A Hall effect sensor is a transducer that varies its output voltage in response to changes in magnetic field. Hall sensors are used for proximity switching, positioning, speed detection, and current sensing applications. There are two basic types of digital Hall effect sensor, Bipolar and Unipolar.The Digital Hall Effect Sensors market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Digital Hall Effect Sensors.This report presents the worldwide Digital Hall Effect Sensors market size (value, production and consumption), splits the breakdown (data status 2014-2019 and forecast to 2025), by manufacturers, region, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversHoneywellPhares ElectronicsTexas InstrumentsMarket Segment by Type, coversBipolarUnipolarMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustrial AutomationAutomotiveConsumer ElectronicsTelecommunicationOtherFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024United States Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024Global Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024China Digital Hall Effect Sensors Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Global (United States, European Union and China) Art Supplies and Materials Market Research Report 2019-2025 https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/648664/global-united-states-european-union-china https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/648664/global-united-states-european-union-china https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Art Supplies and Materials Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 158 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:In 2019, the market size of Art Supplies and Materials is million US$ and it will reach million US$ in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2019; while in China, the market size is valued at xx million US$ and will increase to xx million US$ in 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during forecast period.In this report, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Art Supplies and Materials.This report studies the global market size of Art Supplies and Materials, especially focuses on the key regions like United States, European Union, China, and other regions (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia).This study presents the Art Supplies and Materials sales volume, revenue, market share and growth rate for each key company, and also covers the breakdown data (sales, revenue and market share) by regions, type and applications. history breakdown data from 2014 to 2019, and forecast to 2025.For top companies in United States, European Union and China, this report investigates and analyzes the production, value, price, market share and growth rate for the top manufacturers, key data from 2014 to 2019.In global market, the following companies are covered:Pilot-PenFaber-CastellPaper MateParkerPentelPPG ArchitecturalBEHR Process CorporationFiskarsWestcottMundialMarket Segment by Product TypeDrawing PenPaints and StainsCraft ToolsMarket Segment by ApplicationHome useCommercial useEducational useKey Regions split in this report: breakdown data for each region.United StatesChinaEuropean UnionRest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)The study objectives are:To analyze and research the Art Supplies and Materials status and future forecast in United States, European Union and China, involving sales, value (revenue), growth rate (CAGR), market share, historical and forecast.To present the key Art Supplies and Materials manufacturers, presenting the sales, revenue, market share, and recent development for key players.To split the breakdown data by regions, type, companies and applicationsTo analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regionsTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Art Supplies and Materials are as follows:History Year: 2014-2018Base Year: 2018Estimated Year: 2019Forecast Year 2019 to 2025For More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024United States Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024Global Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024China Art Supplies and Materials Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Wheeled Tractor Market Size, Share, Development by 2024 Top Key players like Deere,CNH Global,Escorts,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/368285/global-wheeled-tractor-market-insights https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/368285/global-wheeled-tractor-market-insights https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Wheeled Tractor Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:Tractors provide the power and traction to automate agricultural jobs, especially tillage. Agricultural implements are towed behind a tractor, which then provides a source of power for the mechanization of implements.The agricultural usage of tractors is the largest segment in the sector. Improvement in efficiency is one of one of the reasons why tractors are popularly employed by farmers. Besides, demand from emerging economies and the high level of government support in these regions are fueling the growth of the industry.The Wheeled Tractor market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Wheeled Tractor.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversDeereCNH GlobalMahindra & MahindraAGCO TractorFarmtrac Tractor EuropeMassey FergusonEscortsMarket Segment by Type, covers20 40 Hp40 80 Hp80 120 Hp120 160 Hp>160 HpMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoStone QuarriesMining ZonesConstruction SitesMilitary & DefensePublic SectorsFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024United States Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024Global Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024China Wheeled Tractor Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Over the Air Market 2019 SWOT Analysis & Key Business Strategies by Leading Industry Players: Blackberry, Garmin, Harman International, NXP Semiconductors, Verizon Communications, Continental Automotive, Robert Bosch etc. Over the Air Market https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/1017428 https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/1017428 https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/1017428 Over the Air Market Research Report 2019 a presents detailed analysis of market size, industry share, growth factors, development trends, top manufacturers, product scope, current status and 2025 forecast. The Over the Air Industry report also provides information about historical data, business idea, and investment plans with expert opinions.Get Sample Copy of This Report atDevelopment policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions North America, Europe, Japan, China, and other regions (India, Southeast Asia, Central & South America, Middle East & Africa etc.)Market analysis by product typeFirmware over-the-air (FOTA)Software over-the-air (SOTA)Market analysis by marketTelematics Control Unit (TCU)Electronic Control Unit (ECU)InfotainmentSafety & SecurityInquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report @Key Companies Analyzed in this Report are: Blackberry Garmin Harman International NXP Semiconductors Verizon Communications Continental Automotive Robert Bosch Infineon Technologies Nvidia Qualcomm Airbiquity Movimento Global Over the Air Market report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through analytical research, market survey and observations) and secondary research. The report also features a complete focused on qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain, growth aspects, utilization ratio and manufacturing capacity.Place a Direct Order Of this Report @Major Points Covered in Table of Contents:1 Report Overview2 Global Growth Trends3 Market Share by Key Players4 Breakdown Data by Type and Application5 United States6 Europe7 China8 Japan9 Southeast Asia10 India11 Central & South America12 International Players Profiles13 Market Forecast 2019-202514 Analyst's Viewpoints/Conclusions15 AppendixAbout UsOrian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on The World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.Contact UsRuwin MendezVice President Global Sales & Partner RelationsOrian Research ConsultantsUS: +1 (415) 830-3727 | UK: +44 020 8144-71-27Email: info@orianresearch.com Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market |Industry Key Players -IBM Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Integrated Device Technology, Inc., Nokia Corporation, PeerApp Ltd. MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/3178 https://www.mrrse.com/mobile-edge-computing-market https://www.mrrse.com/checkdiscount/3178 In order to study the various trends and patterns prevailing in the concerned market, Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has included a new report titled Mobile Edge Computing Market to its wide online database. This research assessment offers a clear insight about the influential factors that are expected to transform the global market in the near future.Get Exclusive Research Sample Report @Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) provides access to cloud-like computing and storage resources at the mobile edge, within the Radio Access Network (RAN) and in close proximity to mobile subscribers. A deployment at the Mobile Edge can provide applications with significant benefits, for example the ultra-low latency necessary for emerging applications such as Tactile Internet. Mobile Edge Computing opens up services to consumers and enterprise customers as well as to adjacent industries that can now deliver their mission-critical applications over the mobile network. The MEC market is expected to witness a growing demand globally owing to its growing trend in different applications due to its low latency, high content delivery and high quality of experience.The mobile edge computing market report provides an in-depth analysis of the global mobile edge computing market for the period 2017 2025, wherein 2016 is the base year and the years from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. It also provides the comprehensive analysis of Mobile Edge Computing Market based on its component type, various industry vertical and by technology.Based on the component, the market is segmented into hardware, software and service. Further software segment is subdivided into video analytics, location services, internet of things (IoT), data caching, connected vehicles and others, the service segment also divided into consulting, system integration and maintenance. Based on industry vertical the market is categorized into media and entertainment, retail, IT & telecom, healthcare, BFSI and others (Manufacturing & Education). The mobile edge computing market has also been segmented based on Technology into 4G, 5G and Wi-Max. The report includes a comprehensive coverage of the underlying economic development factors under the key trend analysis section.This research study on the global mobile edge computing market provides a detailed analysis of how mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in different regions use mobile edge computing to enhance user experience. The report also covers that how the hardware and software segment is going to contribute to the growth of the mobile edge computing market.The report precisely covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the mobile edge computing market growth over the forecast period 2017-2025. It also highlights the drivers, restraints and opportunities expected to influence the mobile edge computing market growth during the forecast period of 2017-2025. The study provides the holistic perspective on the mobile edge computing market growth, throughout the above forecast period in terms of revenue (in US$ Million) across every region. The report also covers profiles of major players, their growth strategies, and the various recent developments.For More Information about This Report Please Visit @The objective of this study is to understand the factors aiding the growth of mobile edge computing market globally. The report further aims to identify various factors that are expected to support the expansion of mobile edge computing market. The report also provides value chain analysis and porters five forces analysis for the mobile edge computing market. Market attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every segment in the report, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the overall scenario in the global mobile edge computing market.The mobile edge computing architecture is a complete combination of hardware, software and service providers. Major business strategies adopted by key players, SWOT analysis and product offerings have also been identified in the research report. The prominent service providers engaged in Mobile Edge Computing market include IBM Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Integrated Device Technology, Inc., Nokia Corporation, PeerApp Ltd., Intel Corporation, Juniper Networks, Inc., ADLINK Technology Inc., Saguna Networks Ltd., Vasona Networks, Inc., ZTE Corporation, and SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc.The Mobile Edge Computing market is segmented as below:Global Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market, by Component TypeHardwareSoftwareVideo AnalyticsLocation ServicesInternet of Things (IoT)Data CachingConnected VehiclesOthersServiceConsultingSystem IntegrationMaintenanceGlobal Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market, by Industry VerticalMedia & EntertainmentRetailIT & TelecomHealthcareBFSIOthers (Manufacturing & Education)Global Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market, by Technology4G5GWi-MaxGlobal Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market, by Geography typeNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaSouth AmericaBrazilRest of South AmericaCheck Discount @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Technology Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY 12207(United State)United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com Transplant Diagnostics Market Growth 2019: Competitive Analysis like Thermo Fisher Scientific, F. Hoffman-La Roche Limited, QIAGEN, Immucor, Illumina, BD, Caredx, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Abbott Transplant Diagnostics Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-transplant-diagnostics-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-transplant-diagnostics-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-transplant-diagnostics-market Global Transplant Diagnostics Market By Technology (Molecular Assay Technologies (PCR-Based Molecular Assay Technologies (Real-Time PCR, SSP-PCR, SSO-PCR), Sequencing-Based Molecular Assay Technologies (Sanger, NGS)), Non-Molecular Assay Technologies), Product type (Reagents & Consumables, Instruments, Software & Services), Application (Diagnostic, Research), Products & Services (Reagents and Consumables, Instruments, Software and Services), End User (Hospitals & Transplant Centers, Commercial Service Providers, Research Laboratories and Academic Institutes), Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends & Forecast to 2026Global Transplant Diagnostics Market is expected to rise from its initial estimated value of USD 2.54 billion in 2018 to an estimated value of USD 5.18 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 9.3% in the forecast period of 2019-2026. This rise in market value can be attributed to the increasing rising incidence of chronic and infectious diseases.FREE | Get a Copy of Sample Report Now @Key Market Competitors:Few of the major competitors currently working in the transplant diagnostics market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (US), F. Hoffman-La Roche Limited(Switzerland), QIAGEN ( Germany), Biomerieux S.A. (France), Immucor, Inc.(US) , Illumina, Inc. (US), BD(US), Caredx, Inc.(US), Gendx (The Netherlands), Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (US), Abbott (US) , DiaSorin S.P.A. (Italy), Affymetrix, Inc. (US), Omixon Ltd (Hungary ). Olerup SSp AB (Sweden), Linkage Biosciences (US), Admera Health (US), New York Blood Center (US), The Sequencing Center (US), and othersMarket Definition: Global Transplant Diagnostics MarketTransplant diagnostics are the diagnostics tests performed while relocating organ in order to treat organ failure such as liver, pancreas, lungs, kidney, and heart. These tests are widely performed by skilled and trained professionals in hospitals & transplant centers, commercial service providers, research laboratories and academic institutes.According to World Health Organization, there were an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018 due to cancer; Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. About 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer. These deaths could have been avoided with the availability of proper medical equipment and devices for healthcare procedures. This significant number is expected to act as a driver to the market growthMarket Drivers Increasing number of pre-term births taking place globally which requires increased concern and focus on the infants born boosting the growth of the market Increased number of children deaths and healthcare associated infections in infants is also expected to act as a driver to the market growth There is rise in incidence of chronic and infectious diseases is expected to act as a driver to the market growth There is rise in number of transplantation procedures is also expected to act as a driver to the market growthMarket Restraints High amount of costing of performing HLA matching using PCR and NGS devices is expected to act as a restraint to the market growth Adoption & preference of refurbished medical equipment and devices in the developing regions is also expected to restrain the market growthSegmentation: Global Transplant Diagnostics MarketBy Technology Molecular Assay Technologieso PCR-Based Molecular Assay Technologies Real-Time PCR SSP-PCR SSO-PCRo Sequencing-Based Molecular Assay Technologies Sanger NGS Non-Molecular Assay Technologieso Serological Assayso Mixed Lymphocyte Culture (MLC) AssaysBy Product type Reagents & Consumables Instruments Software ServicesBy Application Diagnostic ResearchProducts & Services Reagents and Consumables Instruments Software and ServicesBy End User Hospitals Transplant Centers Commercial Service Providers Research Laboratories Academic InstitutesBy Geography North America South America Europe Asia-Pacific Middle East & AfricaFREE | Request For TOC @Key Developments in the Market: In April 2019, CareDx acquired OTTR. OTTR provides comprehensive solutions for transplant patient management. Focus of this is to simplify the logistics of ordering AlloSure or AlloMap testing for patients. In Jul 2017, Thermo Fisher Scientific Acquires Linkage Bio. Linkage develops and markets molecular diagnostic technologies for complex genetic testing. Focus of this acquisition is to innovate, and expanded support globally.Competitive Analysis:Global transplant diagnostics market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of transplant diagnostics market for Global, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.Reasons to Purchase this Report Current and future of global transplant diagnostics market outlook in the developed and emerging markets The segment that is expected to dominate the market as well as the segment which holds highest CAGR in the forecast period Regions/Countries that are expected to witness the fastest growth rates during the forecast period The latest developments, market shares, and strategies that are employed by the major market playersCustomization of the Report: All segmentation provided above in this report is represented at country level All products covered in the market, product volume and average selling prices will be included as customizable options which may incur no or minimal additional cost (depends on customization)Inquiry Before Buying @About Us:Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune. We ponder into the heterogeneous markets in accord with our clients needs and scoop out the best possible solutions and detailed information about the market trends. Data Bridge delve into the markets across Asia, North America, South America, Africa to name few.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Automotive Bumpers Market Offering Trends, Share, Size, Growth |key Players- Toyota Boshoku Corporation, Faurecia SA, SMP Deutschland GmbH, Flex-N-Gate Corporation, Hyundai Mobis Co., Toyoda Gosei Co., Futaba Industrial Co https://www.mrrse.com/sample/3944 https://www.mrrse.com/automotive-bumpers-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/3944 Looking at the current market trends as well as the promising demand status of the Automotive Bumpers market, it can be projected that the future years will bring out positive outcomes. This research report added by MRRSE on its online portal delivers clear insight about the changing tendencies across the global market. Readers can gather prime facets connected to the target market which includes product, end-use and application; assisting them to draw conclusions out of this intelligent research report. The report helps provide the reader with a complete picture of the automotive bumper market and it contains meaningful discussions on the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats that impact the automotive bumper market. Furthermore, data evaluation across different parameters is carried out to arrive at accurate market forecasts with regards to the automotive bumper market. The competition landscape delivers all the necessary information on the competition key stakeholders can expect in the automotive bumper market along with the companies that shape the automotive bumper market.Get Report Sample copy @RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeJapanAPEJMEAProduct TypeRegular/StandardDeep Drop BumpersRoll Pan BumpersStep BumperTube BumperRaw MaterialPlasticAluminumOthers (Steel, Composite Materials, Rubber)Vehicle TypeCompact VehicleMid-Sized VehiclePremium VehicleLuxury VehicleCommercial VehicleHeavy Commercial VehicleSales ChannelOEMAftermarketThe first part of the automotive bumper market report talks about the executive summary and introduction. A brief outline and relevant market numbers can be expected in the executive summary section of the automotive bumper market report. The historical analysis for the four-year period ending in 2016 has been compared with the forecast period ending in 2022 to enable readers to make informed decisions in the automotive bumper market. The information about major markets in respect of revenue share and CAGR are provided herein. The introduction section focuses on the definition coupled with the taxonomy of the automotive bumper market and is perfect for readers who wish to understand the automotive bumper market at a micro-level.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The succeeding section of the automotive bumper market report highlights the key dynamics in the automotive bumper market following which there is information about the cost structure and pricing structure analysis. An assessment of the market participants in terms of intensity mapping concludes this vital section of the automotive bumper market report. The automotive bumper market has been segmented into product type, raw material, vehicle type, sales channel, and region. Key market numbers in the form of revenue comparison, Y-o-Y growth rates, and CAGR have been mentioned. The report has an equal emphasis on both developed as well as developing countries in the automotive bumper market.The concluding portion of the automotive bumper market report includes the competition landscape in the form of an easy-to-understand dashboard. A company overview, product portfolio, financial information of the company, recent developments, and strategies both long and short-term have all been touched on. A SWOT analysis of the companies is possible and this gives report readers deep insights into the intricate workings of these influential organizations in the automotive bumper market. The competition landscape is a critical component of the automotive bumper market report as it can help both incumbents as well as new entrants in the automotive bumper market devise their market strategies effectively.Enquire about this report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY 12207(United State)United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com Global Pharmaceutical Plastic Bottles Market Production, Revenue Growth and Sales Forecast 2018-2028 Pharmaceutical Plastic Bottles Market: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2119584 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=2119584 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://marketresearchlatestreports.blogspot.com/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Pharmaceutical Plastic Bottles Market: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028" to its huge collection of research reports. An insight on the important factors and trends influencing the market.Pharmaceutical Plastic Bottles market report provides forecast and analysis of the pharmaceutical plastic bottles market at the global level. It provides pharmaceutical plastic bottles market historical data of 2013-2017 along with forecast for 2018 to 2027 in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (Mn Units). The pharmaceutical plastic bottles market report also includes an outlook on pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical packaging industry, rigid packaging industry, parenteral packaging industry and sterile packaging industry. Additionally, pharmaceutical plastic bottles market report includes drivers, restraints, and trends, of the global pharmaceutical plastic bottles market. The report comprises the study of opportunities for pharmaceutical plastic bottles manufacturers and also includes a detailed value chain analysis along with a profitability margin analysis.Download Free Research Study with Latest Advancements & Application @In order to provide users of pharmaceutical plastic bottles market report a comprehensive view of the pharmaceutical plastic bottles market, we have included detailed competition analysis among global market leaders, global market structure, market share analysis, and company profiles with their SWOT analysis, product overview and company overview of pharmaceutical plastic bottles market players. The competition dashboard provides detailed comparison of pharmaceutical plastic bottles manufacturers on parameters such as product offerings, total revenue, target regions, and key strengths. The study encompasses pharmaceutical plastic bottles market attractiveness analysis by bottle type, closure type, material type, capacity, and region.The report includes volume sales of pharmaceutical plastic bottles and the revenue generated from the sales of pharmaceutical plastic bottles globally, across all important regional economies. The global pharmaceutical plastic bottles market is segmented on the basis of bottle type into packer bottles, dropper bottles, liquid bottles and other bottles.The pharmaceutical plastic bottles market numbers have been assessed based on sales and weighted average pricing of pharmaceutical plastic bottles by bottle type and then aggregate revenue is derived through country pricing trends. Pharmaceutical plastic bottles market value and forecast for each segment have been provided in the context of regional markets. The pharmaceutical plastic bottles market has been analyzed based on expected demand and current pharmaceutical plastic bottles market scenario. Pricing is considered by the calculation of revenue obtained through primary quotes from numerous regional pharmaceutical plastic bottles manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key end users of pharmaceutical plastic bottles have been considered on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents has been taken into view. Country demand patterns have been considered while estimating the pharmaceutical plastic bottles market for various end uses in different regions across the globe. A top-down approach has been used to estimate the pharmaceutical plastic bottles market by country. Pharmaceutical plastic bottles market numbers for all the regions by bottle type, closure type, material type, capacity have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of each regions demand. Company-level pharmaceutical plastic bottles market share has been derived on the basis of revenues reported by key manufacturers. The pharmaceutical plastic bottles market has been forecast based on constant currency rates.A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study of pharmaceutical plastic bottles market. Secondary sources include Factiva, World Bank, Packaging Digest, Hoovers, and the companys annual reports and publications.Detailed profiles of companies are also included in the pharmaceutical plastic bottles market report to evaluate their strategies, key product offerings, and recent developments. The key players in the global pharmaceutical plastic bottles market are Gerresheimer AG, Amcor Limited, Berry Global Group, Inc, AptarGroup, Inc., ALPLA Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co KG, Alpha Packaging, Inc., RPC M&H Plastics Ltd., Graham Packaging Company Inc., Resilux NV, Drug Plastics & Glass Co., Inc., Pretium Packaging, LLC, Silgan Holdings Inc., O. Berk Company, LLC, Bormioli Pharma S.p.a., C.L.Smith Company, PACCOR International GmbH, Pro-Pac Packaging Group Pty Ltd, Comar LLC, and Weener Plastics Group BV among others.Key Segments CoveredBy Bottle TypePacker BottlesDropper BottlesLiquid BottlesOther BottlesBy Closure TypeScrew CapCrown CapFriction FitOther ClosuresDo You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert @By Material TypeHigh-density polyethylene (HDPE)Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)Polypropylene (PP)Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)By CapacityLess than 10 ml10 30 ml31 50 ml51 100 ml100 ml & AboveBy RegionNorth AmericaUSCanadaLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaEuropeGermanyItalyFranceUKSpainRest of EuropeMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCC CountriesSouth AfricaNorth AfricaRest of MEAAsia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)ChinaIndiaMalaysiaSingaporeAustraliaRest of APEJJapanAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074For More Reports Visit @ Wheel Speed Sensors Market Size | Key Players are: Bosch , Continental , ZF TRW , Aisin , Delphi WABCO , Knorr-Bremse , Mando-Hella https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-sample/3027236?utm_source=opr&utm_medium=Rajashrik https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-for-discount/3027236?utm_source=opr&utm_medium=Rajashrik https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/3d-printing-material-market Wheel Speed Sensors Market report contains all study material about overview, growth, demand and forecast research report in all over the world. This report offers some penetrating overview and solution in the complex world Wheel Speed Sensors Market in global market.Scope of the Report:The worldwide market for Wheel Speed Sensors is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly over the next five years, will reach million US$ in 2024, from million US$ in 2019, according to a new GIR (Global Info Research) study.This report focuses on the Wheel Speed Sensors in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Get Sample:Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Bosch Continental ZF TRW Aisin Delphi WABCO Knorr-Bremse Mando-Hella Hitachi Metal Hyundai MobisMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, covers Magnetic Electric Type Hall TypeGet Discount:Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Passenger Vehicle Commercial VehicleRelated Report:3D PRINTING MATERIALS MARKET By Type (Polymers, Metals, Ceramic, And Others), By Form (Powder, Filament, And Liquid), And By End User (Consumer Products, Industrial, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Healthcare, Education & Research, Personal/Prosumer, And Others) - World Opportunity Analysis And Industry Forecast, 2014 - 20223D printing is a machine-based process in which three-dimensional solid objects are made via a computer containing blueprints or digital files of the object. This is a revolutionary method that utilizes inkjet technology to save time and money by eliminating the need to design, print, and assemble different partsRead MoreAbout Us:Big Market Research has a range of research reports from various publishers across the world. Our database of reports of various market categories and sub-categories would help to find the exact report you may be looking for.We are instrumental in providing quantitative and qualitative insights on your area of interest by bringing reports from various publishers at one place to save your time and money. A lot of organizations across the world are gaining profits and great benefits from information gained through reports sourced by us.Contact us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205, Portland,OR 97220 United StatesDirect: +1-971-202-1575Toll Free: +1-800-910-6452E-mail help@bigmarketresearch.com Looking at the vaccine controversy objectively By Rachel Alexander The news headlines are full of articles about parents refusing vaccines for their children. Now some of those children are infecting others with measles and other contagious diseases. Were in the middle of the worst measles outbreak in 25 years. But do these parents have valid concerns, that the vaccines could cause harmful side effects? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that allergic reactions and other serious side effects of vaccines are very rare. Vaccines prevent hundreds of thousands of cases of a deadly disease but its true that it may come at the expense of a smaller number of side effects. The controversy arises over determining the degree and type of side effects caused by the vaccines. The debate has become vicious, with many who oppose vaccines going after the doctors who promote the measures. Doctors find themselves buried with horrible reviews online by anti-vaccine activists. Part of the problem with resolving the issue is its impossible to prove a negative. Cody Meissner, the chair of pediatric infectious disease at Tufts University School of Medicine, told The Atlantic that when a health problem appears after a child has received a vaccine, its easy to assume the vaccine caused the health problem, and impossible to prove it didnt. So theres doubt left in peoples minds. One condition that has been blamed on vaccines is autism. A 1998 study in the prestigious British journal The Lancet linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine with autism. Investigations concluded the research was fraudulent 12 years later, and the lead author was stripped of his medical license. A legal review called the Omnibus Autism Proceeding found no causal relationship between the two. But partially as a result of the article, more than 5,000 cases were filed by 2010 claiming a link between vaccines and autism. Charles Nelson, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a neuroscientist at Boston Children's Hospital, said progress is being made researching autism. Doctors are seeing signs of autism at three to six months of age, well before babies are vaccinated with the MMR vaccine at one year old. Over 90% of kindergarteners in the U.S. are vaccinated for most types of immunizations. Some states have laws that allow exemptions. But if parents decide not to give their child the MMR vaccine, they risk no only infecting their child and their peers but also babies under 12 months and people with cancer or weakened immune systems. In 2017, approximately 110,000 people around the world died from the measles, mostly children under five. This is primarily because they were located in third world countries and did not receive the vaccine. Immunizations prevent some 2 million to 3 million deaths a year. Larry Cook, a prominent anti-vaxxer, runs the Facebook group Stop Mandatory Vaccination. Facebook has taken down some of his ads because they reportedly contained misinformation about vaccines. A Facebook spokesperson told The Daily Beast that these ads contained verifiable hoaxes identified by leading global health organizations like the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the ads linked to stories of children who died within hours after receiving vaccines. There are prominent people in the anti-vaccine movement, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Alex Jones of Infowars also rails against vaccines. The actress Jenny McCarthy has become an activist on the issue due to her sons diagnosis with autism after he was vaccinated. The governor of Kentucky said he exposed all of his nine children to chicken pox rather that have them vaccinated. But this is risky since there can be severe side effects. President Trump used to be a vaccine skeptic before he became president, but has since changed his mind and now encourages people to vaccinate their children. Parents who refuse vaccines are more likely to be college-educated and earn an above average income. As many as 20 to 25% of American parents dont want their children vaccinated. I recently met a young woman who has become an activist educating people about myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease she has. I asked her if she has any idea why she acquired the disease. She said she believes it was due to some vaccines she got when she was 18 in order to go study abroad. There is an emotional appeal to the anti-vaccine movement. Paul Offit, an author and infectious disease physician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, says it's easier to understand a parent or a celebrity who says children are injured or develop autism because of vaccines than it is to understand the science of why 26 shots are needed in the first few years of life to prevent 14 diseases few have ever seen. The vast majority of the medical community supports vaccines. According to Sean OLeary, a Colorado-based doctor specializing in pediatric infectious disease, There is no debate in the scientific community about whether or not the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks. While it appears that the evidence weighs in favor of vaccines, it is best to be fully informed about the controversy before deciding either way. This is a contentious issue that does not appear to be going away anytime soon. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications.mericano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home Africa Fire Suppression Market 2019 2025 | Growth Analysis by regional players Fireco, Amco, Red G, TransFire, Safequip Pty Ltd Africa Fire Suppression Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/3179 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/3179 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/africa-fire-suppression-market https://www.gminsights.com/ Rapidly expanding hospitality and tourism industry will stimulate the demand across South Africa fire suppression market. Extensive installation across hotels, commercial facilities and retail stores will augment the industry landscape. Furthermore, increasing cases of fire accidents have led to the deployment of fire protection system across industrial and residential buildings. The South African Qualification & Certification Committee and Fire Protection Association are the prime governing bodies assuring the maintenance and safety of fire suppression equipment.Africa Fire Suppression Market will exceed USD 700 million by 2025. Incessant requirement of fire protection and rapidly developing industries will foster the market. Increasing adoption across industries owing to the adoption of highly combustible raw material and feed stock including chemicals, oil & gas and others across mining, manufacturing, petrochemical sector will complement the business landscape.Request for a sample copy of this report @Increasing cases of fire accidents have led to the deployment of fire protection system across industrial and residential buildings. The South African Qualification & Certification Committee and Fire Protection Association are the prime governing bodies assuring the maintenance and safety of fire suppression equipment. Growing electrical equipment market coupled with expanding service sector growth will facilitate the deployment of large number of units.Revision of work safety regulations have compelled the corporate offices to install necessary fire safety equipment across each floor at required distances. Increasing funding toward infrastructural expansion along with substantial improvement in living standards will positively enhance the Africa fire suppression market outlook.Key players executing operations across Africa fire suppression market include: Advanced Automated Systems Red G TransFire Safequip Pty Ltd Fireco Brigit Group Failsafe Fire Projects Akananzi MS Fire Systems Fire and Security Techniques IntelliSEC RUHRPUMPEN Booyco Electronics Spero Group AmcoKenya fire suppression market is set to grow on account of robust development across the service and manufacturing sector along with rising concerns related to fire prevention and safety. The engineers are required to follow the BS999, recently revised in year 2017 for fire safety. The standards help in aiding assistance in the design, management and use of products to ensure fire protection across building premises. Furthermore, increasing deployment of fire extinguishers across industrial and commercial establishments will augment the industry landscape.Make an Inquiry for Purchasing this Report @Growing number of fire accidents along with strict norms pertaining the safety of life & property will drive the Africa fire suppression market growth. Rapidly expanding hospitality and tourism industry will stimulate the demand across market. Extensive installation across hotels, commercial facilities and retail stores will augment the industry landscape.Introduction of different chemical solutions to suppress various categories of fire across oil, electric, gases and metal industries coupled with product innovation will fuel the Africa fire suppression market growth. The equipment finds a range of application across hospitals, corporate offices, warehouses and retail stores. In addition, increasing penetration across residential sector owing to substantial decline in product and maintenance cost will accelerate the business growth.Ongoing development of government facilities including educational institutes and hospitals will foster the commercial fire suppression market. Introduction of quick reflex sprinkler systems have minimized the chances of fire incidents by dousing it in early stages. Furthermore, prevailing regulations toward installation of necessary fire extinguishing systems across sensitive areas including colleges & universities, hospitals and chemical laboratories will complement the Africa fire suppression market landscape.Browse Report Summery @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: GPS Chipset Market to 2027 insights shared in a detailed report - Broadcom, FURUNO Electric, Infineon Technologies, Maxim Integrated, MediaTek http://bit.ly/2X0vPLC http://bit.ly/2WUgXyc The Global Positioning System (GPS) chips provide users instant location and time data anywhere on Earth. GPS is a space-based navigation system. GPS trackers are used to track assets by their owners, for tracking vehicles by fleet operators; and also to track individuals and other tracking objects. The global GPS chipset market is expected to grow due to a rise in the popularity of GPS tracking devices and increasing demand for smartphones across the globe.The "Global GPS Chipset Market Analysis to 2027" is a specialized and in-depth study of the GPS Chipset industry with a special focus on the global market trend analysis. The report aims to provide an overview of GPS Chipset market with detailed market segmentation by type, application and geography.For sample report click @Key Benefits- To provide detailed information regarding the major factors (drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and trends) influencing the growth of the global GPS Chipset Market To forecast the size of the market segments with respect to four major regional segments, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (Latin America and the Middle East & Africa)Rising demand for accurate real-time data, high penetration of consumer electronics devices, rising demand for high-speed internet. Also the network coverage such as 4G, 5G enabled devices, the growing popularity of IoT are the major drivers of the GPS chipset market. However, high capital expenditure in the agricultural application is limiting the market. On the other hand, increasing use for unmanned vehicle and growing demand for wearables are creating opportunities for the GPS chipset market.Leading key Players: Broadcom FURUNO Electric Co., Ltd Infineon Technologies AG Maxim Integrated MediaTek Inc Qualcomm Technologies International SkyTraq Technology Inc STMicroelectronics Texas Instruments u-bloxThe global GPS Chipset market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading GPS Chipset market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.The global GPS Chipset market is segmented on the basis of type and application. Based on type, the market is segmented as type 1 and type 2. On the basis of the application, the market is segmented into portable navigation devices (PND), automotive, consumer electronics, handheld device, and other applications.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global GPS Chipset market based on various segments. It also provides market size and forecast estimates from year 2017 to 2027 with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The GPS Chipset market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 18 countries globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.The report analyzes factors affecting GPS Chipset market from both demand and supply side and further evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend. The report also provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions namely; North America, Europe, APAC, MEA and South & Central America after evaluating political, economic, social and technological factors effecting the GPS Chipset market in these regions.The reports cover key developments in the GPS Chipset market as organic and inorganic growth strategies. Various companies are focusing on organic growth strategies such as product launches, product approvals and others such as patents and events. Inorganic growth strategies activities witnessed in the market were acquisitions, and partnership & collaborations.These activities have paved way for expansion of business and customer base of market players. The market payers from GPS Chipset market are anticipated to lucrative growth opportunities in the future with the rising demand for GPS Chipset in the global market. Below mentioned is the list of few companies engaged in the GPS Chipset market.Make an Inquiry @Reason to Buy: Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the global GPS Chipset Market. Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies. The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the GPS Chipset Market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies. Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets. Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it. Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.About Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive and Defense.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.com By John Carr and Ed Finklea Carr is executive director of the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers. Finklea is the alliances director of natural gas. Recently, The Oregonian/OregonLive published an article, How two Oregon universities helped finance opposition to Gov. Kate Browns climate agenda, (May 12). We would like to clear up any confusion about the mission and focus of the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers and the reason many members choose to join our organization. The alliance is a non-profit organization composed of the largest, most innovative and trusted employers in the West. We advocate for affordable, reliable electricity and natural gas, primarily through the state and federal regulatory processes. This ensures that our members can continue to manufacture goods and provide services here in the Pacific Northwest, where we have some of the cleanest energy in the world. Individually, our members take climate threats seriously and have taken numerous steps to reduce carbon, participating in many programs to reduce energy consumption and become more energy efficient. Our members provide tens of thousands of highly paid technical jobs. We have a large and diversified membership that represents industries such as agriculture, aeronautics, air products, pulp and paper, food processing, information technology and health care. The alliance promotes fair treatment of industrial customers and ratepayers regardless of who supplies their energy and works to help them navigate complex energy regulations. For nearly three decades, the organizations efforts in these regulatory proceedings challenging or seeking to moderate proposed rate hikes have saved hundreds of millions of dollars not just for its members, but for all users of electricity and natural gas. Many alliance members join because of the regulatory assistance our organization provides. The article highlights that the alliances keynote speaker at an upcoming energy conference is Alex Epstein, who is characterized as in the position of denying climate change. The alliance has had a wide array of speakers over the past 19 years. Speakers are selected based on their ability to promote critical thought about issues important to members. The article fails to note that previous speakers include Yoram Bauman, who favored a carbon tax in Washington state, and Richard Muller, the University of California, Berkeley physicist and author of Energy for Future Presidents. The alliance has long advocated for a balanced approach that treats businesses fairly and takes into consideration the global impact carbon policies have on our state, our members, and the jobs they provide. The science behind climate change is not reasonably debatable. How to craft the most effective policies to address climate change, however, is. Humankind must reduce greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere but in an effective manner that will not disadvantage Oregons economy. Growing up in Portland and riding in the car back seat throughout my lovely city and Oregon, I remember peering through the window at the frequent road signs, Litter hurts, Keep Oregon green, $500 fine for littering. Litter Hurts impressed my young mind, but I did not realize until now as an adult resident of the flawed city of Portland that it can also possibly kill. Last week as I was exiting the freeway onto the Salmon/Providence Park off-ramp, I was startled by a large blue plastic bag appearing from Southwest 13th Avenue above me. It was quickly followed by another and some loose items. As the contents landed and exploded in front of me and on the hood of my car, I realized it was garbage. Luckily, no one was behind me as I braked and swerved, narrowly missing the side wall. If an injury accident had occurred, what recourse would I or my family have had? Sue the city of Portland for allowing this tent/garbage activity to flourish? Wanda Osgood, Portland Regarding the school funding bill deal: Congratulations to our Oregon Senate. The children who are not killed by guns or measles will now enjoy a better education. From an interview with Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward on Oregon Public Broadcasting, it was made clear or implied that: 1) Our useless governor made the deal on her own, giving away two very important bills to shine up her legacy; 2) Steiner Hayward (and presumably other senators) had not and still have not seen the details of the deal (Is it for one year? Or forever?); 3) the Republicans, like their president, simply ignored their job descriptions and responsibilities; and 4) the Republicans now have a proven mini nuclear option of their own. Good work, Governor. Did Senate President Peter Courtney know what you were doing? Im not sure which answer would be worse. Given his minimal lingering effectiveness, it was probably no. Jay Moskovitz, Portland Two people trapped by high tide at Ecola State Park Sunday afternoon were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Neither one was injured, according to a news release from the Coast Guard. A woman and a man were reportedly on the south side of Indian Beach at the northern Oregon coast state park, and were reported to be in distress just before noon on Sunday. Video released by the Coast Guard shows crew members trying to rescue someone who appears to be stranded on a rock, with waves crashing around them. According to the news release, the womans boyfriend had climbed on some rocks to try and rescue her, but then had become stranded himself. The helicopter launched from its Columbia River station in Warrenton, arrived at the scene within half an hour, and had rescued both people within an hour of the report. As the weather gets warmer, several organizations are reminding beachgoers to be careful when theyre in or near water. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advised people to be watchful of rip currents and sneaker waves, sudden high surf waves, and to never turn their backs to the ocean. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Michigan Rep. Justin Amash last week became the first Republican member of Congress to announce that, in his view, the Mueller Report proves President Donald Trump should be impeached. None of Amashs GOP colleagues have signed on to his assessment. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, for one, said Amash has reached a different conclusion than I have. ... I dont think impeachment is the right way to go. But Romney, an occasional Trump critic, did add that every individual has to make their own judgement. To do that, it helps to have read Special Counsel Robert Muellers redacted report about Russias election interference and President Trumps response to the various investigations into it. That is what the Mueller Book Club is trying to get Americans to do. The book club, sponsored by a collection of activist groups, offers free PDF and audio downloads of the report. It is establishing reading groups around the country and offering online forums and guides. The organizers insist that reading the report from cover to cover ... is incredibly important and points out, with alarm, that a recent poll found that 75 percent of Americans have opted not to read the 448-page document, and just 3 percent report having read the entire thing. You can sign up on the website to be part of a local reading group. The book club at the moment is a work in progress, with parts of the website still featuring placeholder text. But various Mueller Report readers -- including Oregons senior senator, Ron Wyden -- have gotten the ball rolling by using social media to highlight pertinent excerpts and their own analysis. In this form, the report almost reads like a John Grisham thriller. Check out some examples below: This thread contains images with passages from the Mueller Report. I will add new ones as I create them. If you want, share them on Facebook, Instagram, print on fliers or t-shirts or postcards. I want to show America what's in that report. pic.twitter.com/zN72JquFht Tami Burages (@tburages) May 12, 2019 President made just as jurors were considering whether to convict or acquit Manafort. From page 132: Evidence concerning the Presidents conduct towards Manafort indicates that the President intended to encourage Manafort to not cooperate with the government. ... Char Sachson (@charsachson) May 20, 2019 Lets not forget that one of the biggest overlooked bombshells in the #MuellerReport was Russias 2016 infiltration of a voting technology company. https://t.co/GFQA4EiIVv Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) May 13, 2019 Yes. I just read this page of the #MuellerReport on @cspan. Tune in as we make our way through volume 2. You deserve to know the truth https://t.co/NPz5bgx4He pic.twitter.com/THOYBhVZWp Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (@RepMGS) May 17, 2019 Nearly one month ago the #MuellerReport was released to the public. Heres a refresher on our initial takeaways from the report. #TBT #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/XL78iymCgf Republicans for the Rule of Law (@ForTheRuleOfLaw) May 16, 2019 Grateful to @RepMGS & all participating Members for holding this marathon reading of #MuellerReport. As @realdonaldtrump continues w his unprecedented level of obstruction, House Dems will continue to call for truth, transparency, & accountability on behalf of the American ppl. https://t.co/erLR8LEr9W Steny Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) May 17, 2019 Its telling that the very last line of the #MuellerReport ends with no person in this country is so high that he is above the law. And then cites to U.S. v. Nixon. Then it ends. Mueller ending with that was not a fluke. READ THE #MuellerReport https://t.co/vWLU7e7hW7 Gaston Hinostroza (@GusHinostroza) May 13, 2019 Find out more about the Mueller Book Club. -- Douglas Perry Eastern Oregon Telecom provides broadband and telephone service to 4,000 customers in a remote corner of the Northwest U.S., keeping costs low in part by using equipment made by Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. Now the company, based in Hermiston, is trying to figure out how its operations may be affected by President Donald Trumps decision this week toward banning Huawei equipment. "Who knows? Who knows what's going to happen?" Joseph Franell, the company's chief executive officer, said in an interview on Thursday. "The uncertainty just kills me." From service providers that fear having to replace costly equipment to massive chipmakers such as Qualcomm Inc. that could see themselves locked out of China's lucrative market, the ripples of Trump's latest moves against Huawei spread quickly. Trump, citing national security concerns, signed an executive order that's expected to bar U.S. imports of equipment made by Huawei and another Chinese company, ZTE Corp. And the Commerce Department said Huawei would be forbidden to buy from American companies, some of which supply computer chips for its products. In a Federal Register notice released on Thursday, the Commerce Department said the new curbs would apply to Huawei and affiliated companies around the world from China to Germany and Madagascar. Huawei, which doesn't have publicly traded stock, saw its 2027 dollar bonds slump by a record amount on Friday as investors bet that the ban will formally kick in during the U.S. day. If the administration follows through, the bans could cripple China's largest technology company, depress the business of American chip giants, and potentially disrupt the rollout of critical 5G wireless networks around the world as Huawei gear becomes less available. "Too much is at stake for the world's two largest economies to not find a productive path forward," said John Neuffer, president of the Semiconductor Industry Association, representing chipmakers such as Qualcomm and Intel Corp. Chipmakers have to preserve their ability to do business in China, which has surpassed the U.S. to become the largest market for personal computers, smartphones and other devices that are the biggest consumers of chips. Qualcomm, for example, got two thirds of its sales from China in its most recent fiscal year. As recently as 2011, the country accounted for less than a third. Worldwide, U.S. companies accounted for about half of the $469 billion of chips sold last year, according to the semiconductor association. Since American companies dominate semiconductors, that could smother Huawei's production of everything from 5G base stations to mobile phones. Restrictions on sales "would be terrible for any Huawei supplier, and for the semiconductor industry at large," Chris Caso, a semiconductor analyst at Raymond James, wrote in a research note. Companies like Huawei need their U.S. suppliers, since Chinese manufacturers account for about only 3% of worldwide chip production, according to an estimate by Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Inc. "This decision is in no one's interest," Huawei said in an emailed response. "It will do significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business, affect tens of thousands of American jobs, and disrupt the current collaboration and mutual trust that exist on the global supply chain." China's Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said in a briefing that, "We resolutely object to any country, based on their own laws, unilaterally sanctioning Chinese entities." American suppliers also need Chinese customers. Intel, the biggest U.S. maker of chips, got more than 60% of its sales in the Asia Pacific region last year, with most of that funneling through the China and Taiwan-based supply chain. In the U.S., purchases of Huawei network gear are confined to smaller companies attracted to lower costs after pledges not to use the supplier by four nationwide carriers AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp. It's unclear whether Wednesday's moves would also spur action at the Federal Communications Commission, which tentatively voted more than a year ago to ban using federal subsidies for equipment from a provider identified as posing a national security risk. That prohibition requires a second vote to take effect, and the FCC has been awaiting advice from the Trump administration before acting. Brian Hart, an FCC spokesman, didn't reply to an email and telephone message on Thursday. Groups representing rural carriers, which take subsidies to build networks reaching remote areas, opposed the FCC rule. Now they're worried about the administration's next steps. "The executive order is very vague, and broad as it can be," said Caressa Bennet, general counsel of the Rural Wireless Association, said in an interview. Ordering replacement parts could become a problem if transactions with Huawei are banned, Bennet said late Thursday morning. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross sought to allay some concerns on Thursday. "We do have a plan for providing a degree of relief for the rural area broadband companies," Ross said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "For the first 90 days they will be able to do what they need to do for maintenance of their equipment. And we'll be having discussions about narrowing somewhat the potential of the list in order to minimize the impact on those rural companies." _ _ _ With assistance from Bloombergs Shawn Donnan and Annie Lee. Fear, loathing, intolerance and worse By Paul Driessen Throughout history despots had effective ways of reducing dissension in the ranks. Inquisitors burned heretics. Nazis burned books before taking far more extreme measures. Soviets employed famines, gulags, salt mines and executions. ChiComs and other tyrants starved, jailed and murdered millions. Todays Green New Dealers and their allies have mapped out their own totalitarian strategies. They proclaim themselves socialists, but their economic policies and tolerance for other viewpoints reflect a different form of government fascism: A political system in which authoritarian government does not own businesses and industries, but strictly regulates and controls their actions, output and rights while constraining and suppressing citizens and their thought, speech and access to information. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has no problem with the fact that implementing her Green New Deal would require massive government intervention, wealth redistribution on an unprecedented scale, and many trillions of dollars in new debt. GNDealers want to totally eliminate fossil fuel production and use, and control how much we can drive and fly, heat and cool our homes, eat meat, and live our lives. If retrofitting 29 million British homes to make them climate-friendly would cost $5.6 trillion remaking Americas 125 million generally larger private homes would easily cost $25 trillion! Putting just five million electric cars on California roads would require 5 billion pounds of lithium-ion batteries. Replacing fossil fuels that provide 82% of our energy and 100% of countless plastic and other products would require biofuels grown on tens of millions of acres. Replacing coal and gas-generated electricity with wind and solar would require millions of turbines and panels, on tens of millions more acres, billions of tons of rare earth and other metals, and hundreds of billions of pounds of lithium-ion batteries. China controls all those rare earth metals and most of the lithium, cadmium and cobalt needed for all that pseudo-renewable, pretend-sustainable energy. They are produced in China and Africa, often with child labor and near-slave labor, and with virtually no health, safety or environmental safeguards. Meanwhile, Asian, African and EU nations are building or planning over 2,000 coal and gas-fired power plants. So even US elimination of fossil fuels would do absolutely nothing to reduce global CO2 levels. Moreover, citizens are likely to rise up in loud opposition to having millions of wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and biofuel plantations in their backyards and across scenic vistas and wildlife habitats. GNDealers dont want to talk about any of those ethical, social justice or environmental issues or about the GIGO computer models and bald assertions of Climate Armageddon that have no basis in real-world evidence. They dont want anyone else talking about it, either. They want to control what we say and think, even what ideas and information we can find online and in print, television, radio and social media. They loath and fear ideas, facts and questions that challenge their views and political power. Free speech and access to other peoples free speech is a clear and present danger to their perceived and asserted wisdom on fossil fuels, capitalism, manmade climate chaos, Western culture, and who should make policy decisions on energy, economics, jobs, living standards, religion, civil rights and other matters. Their version of free speech thus includes and demands that their critics have no free speech. On college campuses, in mainstream and social media, on search engines, in online information libraries, even in the arts, bakeries and K-12 education, thought control and electronic book burning are essential. Despite having a 12 to 1 ratio of liberal to conservative professors, leftist college faculty, administrators and students still ban, disinvite, disrupt and physically attack conservative speakers and their hosts. They harass Trump administration officials in restaurants and dox political opponents, revealing their names and home addresses, so that other radicals can harass, intimidate and attack them thereby persuading others to stay silent. They assaulted North Korean escapees for wearing MAGA hats. The Big Tech monopoly routinely implements electronic book-burning tactics. Google and other internet search engines systematically employ liberal biases and secret algorithms to send climate realism articles to intellectual Siberia and censor conservative thinking and discussion. Google YouTube blocks access to Prager University (PragerU.com) videos that its censors decree offer objectionable content on current events, history, constitutional principles, environmental policies and other topics. Google helps the Chinese government deny its citizens access to dangerous ideas and says nothing when China sends a million Uighur Muslims to reeducation camps. Its hard-left employees ostracize any conservatives they still find in their ranks and claim helping the US Defense Department with Cloud computing or artificial intelligence surveillance would violate their principles. Facebook shadow banned an ad promoting a Heartland Institute video that called on millennials to reject socialism and embrace capitalism. Facebook censors told Heartland they dont support ads for your business model (capitalism) and would not reveal red flags and trade-secret algorithms they use to identify violations of their policies and help preserve the integrity of our internal processes. Google suppressed Claremont Institute ads for a talk on multiculturalism and political speech restrictions. Twitter routinely engages in similar cold, calculated censorship of views it opposes. Wikipedia posts distorted or false bios for climate realist experts and organizations labeling me an anti-environment lobbyist and then pops up ads soliciting money for its biased educational material. Securing corrections is a long, often fruitless process. Even more totalitarian, the Southern Poverty Law Center uses phony hate speech claims to defund and deplatform conservative groups like David Horowitzs Freedom Center, by pressuring credit card companies to close off donations to them. State attorneys general and members of Congress want to prosecute and jail people for denying the reality of manmade climate cataclysms. Worst of all, the callous organizations and policies that Big Tech supports cause millions of deaths every year, by denying impoverished nations and families access to the modern energy, insect control and agricultural technologies that its vocal, racist elements loathe. Creating conservative competitors or finding ways around these social media and fake info behemoths is vital, but would be stymied by their sheer size, wealth and dominance. Trust busting by the FTC, other federal agencies, Congress and the courts, a la Standard Oil Company, should certainly be considered. These cyber-giant social media and information platforms may be private companies, but they wield massive power, especially with younger generations that get almost all their information online. They are entirely dependent on the internet which was created by US government agencies and taxpayers. (You didnt build that, President Obama might tell Google.) They have become essential, dominant public forums for discussing and evaluating public policies that increasingly affect our lives. A federal judge has ruled that President Trump may not block hate-filled criticism from his Twitter account. Because it is a public forum, akin to a park or town square, for discussing important policy and personnel matters, it is protected by the First Amendment. Blocking unwanted tweets is therefore viewpoint discrimination, and Twitter is not beyond the reach of First Amendment public forum rules, she held. Her reasoning should not apply only to the President and his most obnoxious critics. The right of free speech and free assembly to participate fully in debates over important political and public policy matters is the foundation for the other rights and freedoms that enable our vibrant nation to function. Banning, censoring and deliberately falsifying certain viewpoints deprive major segments of our population and electorate of the right to speak, be heard, become informed, examine all sides of an issue, and live in harmony, peace and prosperity. Our privacy is also being threatened or invaded. Viewpoint censorship, bullying and silencing violates the basic rights of speakers, students, professors, voters and all people whose views an elite, intolerant, power-hungry few have deemed inappropriate or hurtful to the sensitivities of climate alarmist, pro-abortion, atheist and other liberal factions. Its time to take action, demand investigations, and rein in the monopolistic cyber censors. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy and environmental science and policy. Fred McKelvy of Midland never noticed any symptoms that might indicate anything was wrong with his heart. The 63-year-old was perfectly happy with his normal life. He was enjoying retirement and the time he got to spend with his wife, Marianne. McKelvy visited his family doctor, Tammy Phillips, M.D., for a routine checkup one day. At this particular visit, however, Phillips noticed his heart beating irregularly. An EKG was performed to confirm, and Phillips referred him to MidMichigan Physicians Group Cardiology in Midland. There, McKelvy was placed under the care of Interventional Cardiologist Andrzej Boguszewski, M.D. Boguszewski performed a few more tests to identify the source of the issue, which was determined to be an aneurysim in his aorta -- the main artery from the heart to the rest of the body. Additionally, a structural abnormality in his aortic valve was also identified. Normally, the aortic valve should be made of three separate flaps. Instead, McKelvey's aortic valve had only two flaps. If this wasn't corrected, more heart problems were likely in the future. McKelvy was referred for open heart surgery to replace the valve and repair the aneurysm. At the head of his surgical team was Cardiovascular Surgeon Robert Jones, M.D. "I had a fantastic surgical team," McKelvy said. "Outstanding both in quality of surgical expertise and the support they gave the whole family. They showed us all the images and answered any questions we had." Jones even made it clear to McKelvy that he could call anytime, even on the weekend, if he needed any help or had any questions. On the day of his surgery, every member of the surgical team came out and met with McKelvy and his wife as he was being prepped. "The expertise of the whole team was tremendous," Marianne said. "They gave me a phone call every two hours to tell me how he was doing." After the surgery was done, McKelvy stayed in the hospital for nine nights. He had a couple of issues that needed to be resolved before he could head home. The first was that his left diaphragm had stopped working correctly, which happens in a small number of heart surgeries. "They took it very seriously," he said. "They made sure it got working right again." McKelvy also developed low blood pressure, which the hospital staff monitored around the clock. They carefully adjusted his medications until his blood pressure had returned to normal. For the first few weeks of his recovery at home, McKelvy used a home blood pressure monitor that automatically transmitted his results back to the hospital. He was also visited regularly by a nurse who specialized in cardiac recovery, who saw to every aspect of McKelvy's wellness needs. With the help of MidMichigan's cardiac rehabilitation services, McKelvy regained his strength bit by bit. "They make sure you're moving around and getting exercise," he said. He gradually went from walking around the house with a walker, to walking down his driveway, to walking down the street. "I went a little bit further every day," he said. McKelvy and his wife had a recovery goal in mind: a three-country trip to Africa. They walked together every day to get him well enough to go on safari. "By the end of the summer we were walking three to four miles at a time," he said, "for a total of 7 miles a day." Their dreams came true with a wild safari adventure through Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Cape Town, they passed by the hospital where the world's first heart transplant had been performed. "I took a picture and sent it to Dr. Jones," McKelvy said. Today, McKelvy is happy to say he is healthier than he was before the surgery. "I was truly impressed by the quality of the cardiovascular experience here at the hospital," he said. Michigan lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration have reached a consensus on revised tax revenue projections that will be used as they work to enact the next state budget. They say revenue estimates for this fiscal year and the next budget year are largely unchanged from January, according to the Associated Press. An expected increase in state revenue could have created a chance for increased spending. But Republicans expressed their concern about that idea. "It's good news that our economy is expected to continue improving and that the resulting tax revenues are projected to be more than January's estimate, but it's not a winning lottery ticket for new spending," said Jim Stamas, R-Midland, in a prepared statement. "This cautious forecast illustrates that we must continue making smart budget decisions that keep our state on solid footing. Stamas is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "As discussions move forward on additional funding for our roads, we have a responsibility to the Michigan people to enact a balanced budget on time using real revenues," Stamas added. State Budget Director Chris Kolb said in a statement that the estimates "don't fundamentally change the fact that we have constrained resources" to deal with big challenges including fixing the state's roads, educating children and dealing with threat posed by chemical contamination to Michigan waters. "This week, the Senate passed a budget that shows how we can increase funding for roads and schools to record levels with existing tax dollars," Stamas said of the Senate budget plan. "I look forward to working with the House of Representatives and the governor to finalize a budget that provides vital services to Michigan families while we work on a responsible road funding solution. "Under this budget, we will have increased our annual transportation spending by more than $1.75 billion in a decade and boosted annual state funding for schools by more than $2.6 billion over the past several years," Stamas said. Schools would see a foundation allowance boost of between $135 and $270 per pupil -- the largest per-pupil increase in 18 years and $107 million more of a foundation allowance increase than the governor's plan, according to Republicans. The Senate-passed budget includes an additional $51.2 million for constitutional revenue sharing for local governments, graduates 85 new state police troopers and invests $120 million for drinking water protections. It would also restore the governor's planned funding cuts to programs that improve access to OB-GYN services in rural areas, strengthen rural hospitals, boost the number of medical residents in underserved areas, and support skilled trades training. Senate bills 133-149 now head to the House of Representatives for consideration. Its already all over the news. Trump has put Huawei on a Blacklist and Google has just announced that they will be withdrawing Android support to all new Huawei devices. Old ones will still work, but will not be getting any more software updates, which includes security patches! Will this stop Huawei and be the end of a great company? Not at all. The way I see it, there is only one loser here, and that is American companies. Google is the first one, and Microsoft may follow. Let me give you my reasons. Huawei is already a well-established brand The first and foremost reason that Huawei will come out reasonably untarnished is the simple fact that Huawei is a well-established brand. People cannot stop talking about how amazing the cameras on their phones are, and how awesome the battery life is. They even made one of the previous phones with Googles badge on it. Google pulling this move only makes them the talk of the town. Any publicity is good publicity Or is it? Time will tell, but my social feeds are full of people talking about how they love their Huawei phone and this move is just a lot of * insert your own choice of appropriate words here*. People already love their Huawei phones, and now they have just been reminded of how much they love them. Google just pulled a Facebook Remember when you paid for that Gmail account? No? This is the price you pay for using free services. Not only do they harvest your data to make money, trap you in their own infrastructure, but also call the shots as and when they want. Facebook has survived all the bad press, and I am sure Google will too, but this only highlights the real cost of free services from a consumer point of view. Google is also being forced Despite the point above, it should also be noted that Google isnt doing this for fun. They are being forced by the US Government. If anything, this affects their business prospects more than anything else. They want their software on those great camera phones. Huawei makes its own chips It wasnt just Google pulling the plug. Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and others have also made a statement that they will stop supplying Huawei with their chips. The only issue is that Huawei not only makes its own chipsets in their HiSilicon plant, but they are exceedingly good. The Huawei Kirin 980 processor has been very impressive, and has not only given users a high performance, AI and photography skills but also done so by making battery usage something to not worry about. All this does is hurt the likes of Intel and Qualcomm. Of course, it never is a straightforward matter, but all Huawei need to do is adapt their current chips to fulfil the gaps created. Huawei already has its own OS Huawei has already created its own OS to fight both Google as well as Microsoft in case something like this happens. This was stated back in March, and Huawei are only moving onwards. In fact, this whole thing could turn Huawei into something like Apple. They just need to make sure their experiences are almost as good as the competitors, and more importantly, give the kind of integration Apple offers. What if you are already deep into Google? Many apps exist that will happily integrate Googles own services without the need for any Google apps. In fact, not that long ago, Huaweis own phones used to come without the Play Store installed anyway. Yeah, you may not be able to use Googles Gmail or Calendar app, but pretty much any app that can talk to Google will let you use those services. What to do now? The best way forward right now is to do the just wait and see. Huawei already have big things planned this year, and this can and should only push them to bigger and stronger things. I have already got my popcorn at the ready! Research shows carers experience can influence how well a person lives with dementia New research has identified how a carers experience can impact on the ability of a person with dementia to live well with the condition. Led by Dr Catherine Quinn from the University of Bradford, the paper published in the journal Aging and Mental Health shows that if carers feel highly stressed, lack confidence in their ability to provide care and experience social restrictions, the people they care for rate their quality of life, well-being and satisfaction with life less positively. The research was conducted as part of the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) programme. Using data from 1283 people with dementia and their carers, the research team sought to find out whether carers experiences of caring were related to the way in which people with dementia evaluated their own quality of life, well-being and satisfaction with life. The IDEAL programme is led by Prof. Linda Clare at the University of Exeter in collaboration with the London School of Economics, the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly (RICE), the universities of Bangor, Bradford, Brunel, Cardiff, Exeter, Kings College London, Sussex, Newcastle, and New South Wales in Australia, and the charities Innovations in Dementia and Alzheimers Society. Professor Clare said: Family carers in the UK provide 1.34 billion hours of unpaid care for people with dementia each year, yet practical support for care at home is often limited or lacking. This study emphasises just how important it is to support family carers. A relatively small investment in supporting a family carer benefits both the carer and the person with dementia, and can help to prevent institutionalisation and sustain care at home. Catherine from the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies at the University of Bradford said: This research shows what a carer is experiencing is important, not just for his or her own well-being but also for the well-being of the person living with dementia. This helps us to understand what kind of support may be most helpful for family carers. It is vital that carers are supported both emotionally and practically to reduce stress levels, feelings of social restrictions, and increase feelings of competence in their ability to provide care. This will both benefit carers and improve the potential for people with dementia to live well. This paper was prepared in collaboration with REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter; Kings College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience; and the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London. Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimers Society, says: We all know that the way we feel can sometimes affect the wellbeing of those around us, but this is the first time researchers have conclusively found that when a carer feels stressed and out of their depth, this can negatively impact the welfare of the person with dementia they are caring for. Were investing in improving the quality of people with dementias life, as they have the right to good care and carers deserve to feel valued and supported. Support services must be sure to prioritise carer wellbeing in order to retain the life-changing support they provide and deliver the level of care that people with dementia are entitled to. Professor Christina Victor, Vice Dean Research, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London said: Our results show how supporting carers can create a virtuous circle by enhancing their competence, reducing stress and enhancing the ability of people with dementia to live well. IDEAL is the largest study of people living with dementia and their family members or friends in the UK. IDEAL is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research. Since 2018 IDEAL has been extended as an Alzheimers Society Centre of Excellence at the University of Exeter making it possible to follow the experiences of the participants for several more years. For more information, visit http://www.idealproject.org.uk or follow @IDEALStudyTweet on Twitter. Luanda, Angola (PANA) - The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has set up three work streams aiming to support Angola on its sustainable development trajectory and macroeconomic reform agenda, the Commission said on Monday Mogadishu, Somalia (PANA) Aid agencies have launched a Drought Response Plan for Somalia, seeking US$710 million for urgent and sustained resources to avert a major crisis, the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - UN human rights experts on Monday condemned a proposed draft decree by Italys interior minister, Matteo Salvini, to fine those who rescue migrants and refugees at sea, and urged the Government to halt its approval New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council has condemned in the strongest terms a violent attack against the United Nation's Integrated Stabilization Mission for Mali (MINUSMA) that left one Nigerian peacekeeper dead on Saturday Bloomington-Normal Galleries, museums University Galleries of Illinois State University; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; Uptown Station, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; rotating exhibits in three galleries; free; 309-438-5487. IWU Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; school hours, noon-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 7-9 p.m. Tue.; 302 E. Graham St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits; free; 309-556-3391. Jan Brandt Gallery; 1305 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington; Studio and gallery showcasing Brandt's work, also visiting artist exhibitions; 309-287-4700. McLean County Arts Center; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits, sales, rentals, art classes and lectures; free; 309-829-0011. McLean County Museum of History; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Tue.), 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits; adults $5, seniors $4, students, children under 12 and members free; 309-827-0428. Prairie Aviation Museum; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thu.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits and displays with aerial history themes; adults $5, ages 6-11 $3, 5 and under free; 309-663-7632. Exhibits Steampunk Accessories and Art Shop; through early June, Inside Out Accessible Art, Bloomington; part of "Cogs & Corsets: A Steampunk Happening," June 7-9. "Preface"; through July 9, Jan Brandt Gallery, 1305 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington; opening reception, 2-4 p.m. May 19; contact janbrandtgallery@gmail.com for viewing appointments; Brandt and Sara Quah; collaborative process of beginning a children's book. Emerging Illinois Artists; through May 24, McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington. Here and Now, paintings by Doug Johnson; through July 9; Jan Brandt Gallery, Bloomington; opening reception 2-4 p.m. May 19. Familiar and Fantasy Landscapes; through May 30, Main Gallery 404, 404 N. Main St., Bloomington; artists Phil Smith, Dale Evans, Mandy Roeing, Ken Kashian, Michael Rousseau, Rose Tuttle, Karen Schulthes; oils, acrylics, watercolors, pencils. Illinois Prairie Pastel Society juried exhibition; May 31-July 12, McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington. Deanna Moore Schoolcraft and David Stratton; May 31-July 12, McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington; reception: 5-7 p.m. June 7; prairiescapes. "Leaving Home"; LizBeth Ogiela-Scheck, Dreams 2 Create Art House, 903 S. Allin St., Bloomington. Pedal Power!; through spring 2020, McLean County Museum of History; exhibit of vintage pedal cars from the collection of Bruce Callis. ImagineAir; Children's Discovery Museum, uptown Normal; permanent exhibit shows power of wind, wind energy, aerodynamics, fluid dynamics; $7 for age 2 and older, $3 for Museums for All passholders; free, CDM members. Challenges, Choices & Change: Working for a Living; McLean County Museum of History; highlights more than 80 local workers and their daily on-the-job experiences. Challenges, Choices and Change: Making a Home; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit exploring experiences of people from around the world who made McLean County their home. Abraham Lincoln in McLean County; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit on Lincoln's life in Bloomington. Challenges, Choices and Change: Farming in the Great Corn Belt; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit on McLean County's agricultural history. Central Illinois Galleries, museums Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; Lincoln-themed exhibits, historical displays, special events, more; adults $12, seniors and students $9, ages 5-15 $5, under 5 free; 217-558-8844. Amity Township Museum; 1-3 p.m. first Sunday of month or by appointment, 510 Main St., Cornell; displays and artifacts relating to history of Cornell and Amity Township; free; 815-358-2973. Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; rotating exhibits in two galleries; free; 309-674-6822. Dickson Mounds Museum; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; displays, special exhibits; free; 309-547-3721. Eureka College Burgess Hall Art Gallery; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and by appointment on weekends, third floor of Burgess Hall, Eureka College, Eureka; rotating exhibits; free; 309-467-6866. Lincoln Heritage Museum; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat., Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; Lincoln-era items, audiovisual displays, tours, exhibits, more; adults $7, children/tours $4; 217-735-7399. Museum of the Gilding Arts; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., April-Oct., and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sun., Nov.-March, 217 N. Mill St., Pontiac; displays, history and hands-on exhibits dedicated to the art of gilding and gold leafing; free (donations welcome); 815-842-1848. Peoria Art Guild; Foster Arts Center, Harrison and Washington streets, Peoria; rotating exhibits, gift shop; free; 309-637-2787. Peoria Riverfront Museum; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Wed. and Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sun., downtown riverfront Peoria; permanent and rotating exhibits, planetarium shows, Giant Screen Theater and events; $9-$11 (free parking in museum garage); 309-686-7000. Pontiac Community Art Center; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; rotating exhibits; 815-419-2472. Simpkins Military History Museum; 1-5 p.m. Tue., Thu., Sat., or by appointment; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; permanent and rotating military history exhibits; free (donations accepted); 309-319-3413. Time Gallery; Fondulac Bank, 201 Clock Tower Drive, East Peoria; 309-467-2331 U of I Krannert Art Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thu. during fall and spring semesters), closed Sun., 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; paintings, porcelain, historical artifacts, traveling art exhibits; $3 donation suggested; 217-333-1861. Exhibits Life on the Titanic; through Oct. 31, Pontiac Museum Complex, 110 W. Howard St., Pontiac, second floor; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Nine Days in April: The Lincoln Assassination and the Press; Pontiac Museum Complex, 110 W. Howard St., Pontiac, second floor; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. American Decoy: The Invention and 10 Medical Inventions That Changed the World; Peoria Riverfront Museum. 60 Years Military Souvenir Collecting; special exhibit; Simpkins Military History Museum, Heyworth; celebrating 60 years of collecting military items and 40 years of an established museum (30 years at present location). "The Art of the Brick," opens May 25, Peoria Riverfront Museum; LEGO art exhibition. Da Vinci the Genius with The Secrets of Mona Lisa; opens Nov. 16, Peoria Riverfront Museum. PEORIA Yet again, the New York Archdiocese is trying to stop Archbishop Fulton J. Sheens remains from being moved to Peoria. The Archdiocese has filled a second petition with the Court of Appeals, New Yorks equivalent of the Illinois Supreme Court. On May 2, the Court of Appeals rejected an archdiocese argument claiming that lower courts had made constitutional errors in repeatedly giving permission to a Sheen relative to transfer his remains to Peoria, where he was ordained as a priest 100 years ago. This newly filed motion is the New York Archdiocese sixth attempt over the past three years to thwart the wishes of Archbishop Sheens family, Monsignor James E. Kruse, vicar general for the Peoria Diocese, said Monday. It is with great regret that this time-consuming and costly litigation continues, which also delays the celebration of Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheens beatification. The archdiocese did not immediately return a Journal Star request for comment. Born in El Paso in 1895, Sheen went on to a celebrated career in New York as host of the national-television program Life Is Worth Living. Five days before his death, in 1979, Sheen signed a will seeking burial in the Archdioceses graveyard, Calvary Cemetery. But the Archdiocese instead sought and won permission from Sheens closest living relative, niece Joan Sheen Cunningham, to inter him in a place of honor: St. Patricks Cathedral. The matter rested quietly until 2002, when the Peoria Diocese began the lengthy process campaigning the Vatican for Sheens sainthood. Since 2012, Sheen has been one step beatification away from sainthood. Before beatification, church law calls for the body to be exhumed for authentication. From the Peoria Dioceses vantage, Roman Catholic tradition calls for beatification in the diocese of the origin of a sainthood effort. In 2014, the New York Archdiocese refused the Peoria Dioceses request to disinter Sheen. So, in 2016, the diocese filed a suit in New York seeking to move the remains to Peoria, citing new support from niece Cunningham. That year, a New York judge ruled the remains immediately could be moved to Peoria. Since then, however, appeals have gone back and forth, with the New York Archdiocese (via the trustees of St. Patricks Cathedral) arguing Sheen wanted to be buried in New York and that the chances of sainthood are purely speculative. In March, judges said that court testimony indicated Sheen would approve of any process that would aid canonization, including a relocation of remains to Peoria. After that decision, in taking its case to the highest New York court, the archdiocese claimed that all prior court rulings had violated the First Amendment regarding free exercise of religion. IThe court rejected the archdioceses assertion, stating, No substantial constitutional question is directly involved. The Peoria Diocese is still hoping to bury Sheens remains this year at a crypt at St. Marys Cathedral, the diocesan seat. Sheen was ordained at St. Marys on Sept. 20, 1919. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLOOMINGTON The annual Joint Scholarship Celebration on June 8 will celebrate the successes of local African American high school seniors. The event begins at 2 p.m. at Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. Community leaders and school administrators will recognize the students' accomplishments. More than $35,000 in local scholarship money will be awarded by the Mentoring And Providing Scholarships program, in conjunction with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Bradley Encourages KINDness Award, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Links, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; NAACP; 100 Black Men; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Previous recipient Deonte Mosely will speak. Attorney Robin Winn of St. Louis will serve as keynote speaker. This rich partnership is made possible due to the excellent collaboration between premier local African American organizations and the communitys commitment to students success," said MAPS founder Carla Campbell-Jackson. "We must cultivate and celebrate students brilliance and on June 8, we shall applaud the students accomplishments. The celebration ends a year of student engagement in mentoring sessions and life-skills preparation. MAPS is a 501(c)3 organization committed to student excellence and success. BLOOMINGTON The identity of a man killed in a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning on Interstate 55 near Shirley has not yet been released. McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder said her office was notified at 2:37 a.m. of the crash, the details of which also have not yet been released. Yoder said the crash happened in the northbound lane near mile marker 149, near the Funks Grove rest area. The victim was the driver and the only person in the vehicle, she said. An autopsy was scheduled for Sunday. More information is expected to be released later on Monday. The McLean Fire Department, Dale Township Fire, McLean County Sheriffs Department and Illinois State Police assisted at the scene. This incident remains under investigation by the McLean County Coroners Office and the Illinois State Police. This story will be updated. Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow 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. Chicago-based Vienna Beef recalled 2,030 pounds of hot dog products, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. The franks were found to be contaminated with foreign matter, including metal, it said. No reports of illness from consumption of the product have been reported, the agency said. The following products are subject to recall: 10-pound cases containing "Skinless Beef Frankfurters 6" 8's 10#" with case code 013180 and package code 9122 represented on the label. 10-pound cases containing "Skinless Beef Frankfurters 6" 11's 10#" with case code 013312 and package code 9122 or 9123 represented on the label. 10-pound cases containing "Skinless Beef Frankfurters 7" 9's 10#" with case code 013490 and package code 9122 or 9123 represented on the label. The products were produced on May 2 and shipped to service locations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. The agency is concerned that some product may be in food service refrigerators or freezers. The food safety organization urged businesses to inspect their products and throw away or return any infected product to vendors. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with food safety questions can visit AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-674-6854 is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The U.S. Department of Justice recently published new guidance on how it will assess corporate compliance programs. The DOJ Guidance streamlines previous U.S. guidance and expands on key subjects; providing a greater insight into how the the DOJ will approach its evaluation of compliance programs when considering whether a prosecution or other resolution is appropriate. By comparison, the UK Bribery Act 2010 Guidance, which came out in 2011, contains six principles which commercial organizations undertaking part of their business in the UK must adhere to if they are to have a defense to a charge of failing to prevent bribery. It is perhaps unsurprising given their different purposes, the eight years between them and the broader scope of the UK law regarding commercial bribery that the DOJ Guidance and UK Guidance have different things to say about anti-corruption compliance programs. Nevertheless, given the extra-territoriality of both laws and active enforcement, many international firms will need to consider both the U.S. and UK guidance when designing and implementing their controls. A comparison of three of the key differences is set out below: 1. Risk Assessment The DOJ Guidance emphasises the importance of tailoring compliance programs to a companys needs and therefore the importance of an initial risk assessment, not least as under the Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations, prosecutors must consider whether the program is appropriately designed to detect the particular types of misconduct most likely to occur in a particular corporations line of business. The DOJ Guidance suggests that risks to be analyzed in this process could include the location of a firms operations, the sector in which it operates, the competitiveness of the market, regulatory landscape, transactions with foreign governments, payments to foreign officials and any charitable or political donations, among other things. The UK Guidance also recognises that the risk assessment is a necessary first step in building proportionate procedures and identifies areas of potential risk. However, the UK Guidance suggests that a suitable risk assessment will be characterised by factors including oversight of the risk assessment by top level management and appropriate resourcing as well as five inherent risk types, which is describes as country risk, sectoral risk, transaction risk, and business opportunity risk and business partnership risk. 2. Expectations of Management In assessing whether a program is well implemented the DOJ will look to both senior and mid-level management, and whether the company creates and fosters a culture of ethics and compliance. While this starts with senior management and tone from the top, middle-management also need to reinforce and exemplify these standards. Alongside this, the DOJ Guidance requires those responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the compliance program to be able to act with adequate authority and stature. The UK Guidance also highlights the importance of a top-level commitment in fostering a culturein which bribery is never acceptable, providing examples of some of the activities which can set an appropriate tone from the top. However, showing perhaps how far compliance expectations have moved in eight years, it does not tackle middle-management requirements, or go into the same detail in relation to day-to-day oversight of a compliance program. 3. Investigations When checking the effectiveness of implementation, the DOJ will look at how misconduct is investigated, and specifically whether companies have conducted a root cause analysis. The UK Guidance takes a higher-level/principles based approach, particularly in setting out expectations for investigations; stating only that systems set up to deter, detect and investigate briberywill help provide insight into the effectiveness of procedures _____ Sam Tate, pictured above, is a partner and Head of Financial Crime at Reynolds, Porter Chamberlain LLP based in London. He is a co-author of a leading UK anti-corruption compliance text book Bribery: a Compliance Handbook published by Bloomsbury. He can be contacted here. The author wishes to acknowlede the kind assistance of Katie Fry-Paul, also at RPC. Villain problem aside, over the last decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced buckets of villains along with its bevy of heroes. Its probably still fair to say their track record has been less consistent with the bad guys than with the good. This ranking bears that outafter the standouts, theres a whole lot of middlin and a fair amount of meh. The reasons for this vary, but if theres a common thread, it usually involves a reluctance to embrace the established look and character of the villain. On the villain side of things, we get a lot of not really like his, her or its source material. Klaue becomes an Affrikaner arms dealer instead of being composed of pure sound. Dormammu is barely shown. Worse, big big bads like The Leader (Hulk) and the Mandarin (Iron Man) are virtually erased completely and boring ol humansindustrialists, mercenaries, etc.used in their place. Fortunately, in the last few years, this trend has seemed to be reversing. Michael B. Jordans Killmonger and Michael Keatons Vulture were both examples of B-level villains that were treated with respect and landed impressively in their on-screen debuts. And no one is complaining that Thanos lacked heft. For this ranking, were ignoring henchmen who we consider too low on the totem pole (Agent Sitwell, Arnim Zola, Yon-Roggs Starforce). Were also weighting the ranking in favor of strong performances but against regular ol humansif youre on this list and lacking superpowers (via genetics, mutation, gear or otherwise), you had better have some interesting extracurriculars on your resume. This list also does not include temporary bad guys (mind-controlled Hawkeye and Winter Soldier, misinformed Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver) or characters that never really seemed to be bad in the first place (Beholdmy stuff!). Starting from weakest, lets see how bad the MCU got in its first 22 films, shall we? (SPOILER ALERT: This list has em.) (No, seriously, like there are spoilers for everything, everywhere.) Appearances: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Type: Hampered Hydra Leader In the comics, Baron Strucker is one of a host of Nazi-origin villains menacing all sorts of heroes. He served as an arch-nemesis of Nick Fury (WWII edition) and was generally a dependable Hydra-helming bad guy. In the MCU, hes got some promise asoh, wait, never mind. Ultron killed him. Appearance: Iron Man 2 (2010) Type: Conniving Arms Dealer The bottom of this list is going to have two main flavors of MCU villainthe yawn-inducingly human or egregiously unfleshed out. By my count, out of 39 villains, five are from the unethical industrialist mold of boring antagonist. Three of those are from Iron Man, which makes sense, since thats an easy foil to populate the world of Tony Stark, ethical-ish industrialist. Of these, Sam Rockwells Justin Hammer is probably the least inspiring. He doesnt even end up in a suit hes strangely able to master faster than the hero in the Third Act. Appearances: The Incredible Hulk (2008), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018, Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Mustachioed Military Angry Man In the comics, Ross is the Hulks very own J. Jonah Jamesonan implacable critic with an epic mustache. In the MCU, Ross (played by William Hurt) is less a villain than annoying, antagonistic presence in the room. He makes the list, though, since he does spend a lot of time hounding the Hulk and then, later, getting our heroes detained, jailed and otherwise greatly inconvenienced. Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017) Type: Shiny Zealot Shes shiny, spends a lot of time trying to kill Peter Quill and his buddies, and just may eventually introduce Adam Warlock into the MCU? This is the best we can do for Elizabeth Debickis leader of the Sovereign. Appearance: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) Type: Opportunistic Criminal The good news is, by dint of his characters somewhat unlikely determination to interfere with the superpowered to further his own ends, Walton Goggins Burch is not the lowest-ranked regular human on the list. The bad news? What a waste. Were on record regarding at least one villainous role Goggins would be ideal formaybe now with the X-Men properties under their control, Disney could just consider this appearance a mulligan? Appearance: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Type: Jumpin Jackanape In the MCU, Batroc the leaper (or ze leaper!) gets one nice fight scene with Captain America. Despite being a decently extended mano-a-Capto affair, the fight probably doesnt even crack the top three Cap fights in the film (were thinking elevator, Bucky street, Bucky helicarrier?). Still, any normal human with Batrocs pedigree and wonderfully garish comics costume) makes the list. Appearances: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Captain Marvel (2019) Type: Kree Bastard #1 Korath (Djimon Hounsou) barely escapes the nah to henchman clause that keeps folks like Arnim Zola, Agent Sitwell and others off this list due to his role as second-most villain in the first Guardians of the Galaxy and the fact that, hey, everyone is a henchman to someone, right? But even the neat epithet the Pursuer doesnt get him any higher. Appearances: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Nascent Masked Baddie One could argue the MCUs Crossbones falls into quite the step down from the comics category of villain. Sure, Frank Grillos Brock Rumlow gets plenty of lines and screen time in multiple films, but the comics version is a henchman of the Red Skull who once helped sorta kill Captain America. Still, as evil henchmen in the MCU go, Rumlow carries his weight, which makes his elimination, one of our least favorite tendencies in superhero movies, all the more regrettable. Appearance: Doctor Strange (2016) Type: Flame-Headed Arch (Deflated) For all the improvements in general respect of source material, studios still seem averse to some of the more comic book outlandish aspects of the film industrys newest cash cow. Sometimes this is understandabledrawn costumes can be hard to actually create, and like any medium for tale-telling, there are plenty of stories that should never make the Big Screen (like that one with Spider-Man and Mephisto). But most of the time, watching a film buck and shy away from just embracing the look and feel the source character or story is an exercise in immense frustration for those of us who love the original material. The mere fact the Dread Dormammu, Dr. Stranges clear and established archenemy, is a lowly 29 on this list of 37 should tell you all you need to know about his representation in Doctor Strange. There should be ample opportunity to do better in the future, but meanwhile, the Dread One can go hang out with Galactus the Big Cloud. Appearance: Thor: The Dark World (2013) Type: Henching Rage Machine More proof a henchman with enough screen time can totally make this list. Though in most cases, well bemoan the wasted potential of the comics character, here, lets pause and regret how little they gave actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje to work with (and how quickly they buried him under 40 pounds of makeup and costume). Appearance: Iron Man 3 (2013) Type: Scientist with a Grudge, Faux-darin Listen, the Mandarin has always been the main arch enemy of Iron Man, so getting this head-fake-after-a-head-fake version of him still stings a little (even after the implication a real Mandarin may be out there). Still, Guy Pierces Killian gets points for being the founder (in the MCU) of Advanced Idea Mechanics, everyones favorite beekeeper-outfitted evil organization). Appearance: Thor (2011) Type: Unstoppable Murder Machine Created in 1965, the Destroyer serves as a mindless yet unbeatable (ignore how often it is beaten, please) weapon crafted by Odin and used often (by Loki) against Thor. The film version retains the cool design and general usage, even if its comics threat level suffers once Hemsworths Odinson regains his mighty mallet. The fact the armor is ultimately just a soulless weapon/glorified prop keeps it lower on the list than some less well designed, more inane villains ahead of it. Appearance: Captain Marvel (2019) Type: A Different Type of Hive Mind The MCUs version looks like Annette Bening. Its comics original looks like this. As a foe, the latter can be pretty impressiveSupremor the Supreme Intelligence possesses a full suite of psionic abilities and has complete control over one of the largest and most militaristic races in the universe. In Captain Marvel, we only really see it as a mental manifestation meant to serve as a before-and-after evaluation of Carol Danvers coming into her own, powers wise. Since they managed not to kill it in the first film (it bears repeating, a rare outcome), we may yet have the opportunity to see the Supreme Intelligences galaxy-spanning potential as an antagonist. Until then, #25 it is. Appearance: Iron Man 2 (2010) Type: Scene-Chewing, Confusing Amalgam Most would agree that Mickey Rourke has the screen presence needed to transfer the comic book menace of a comic book villain into a chewy, Big Screen antagonist worthy of Robert Downey Jr.s shellhead. But which villain? Rourkes Ivan Vanko seems like yet another instance of a creative team picking isolated traits from the source material (the accent and name of the armored Crimson Dynamo, the whips of, well, Whiplash) instead of just embracing one of the (many) versions established and successful with fans from the comics. Theres a reason the phrase villain problem became a thing during the MCUs first two phases. Appearance: Ant-Man (2015) Type: Unethical Scientist Corey Stolls Yellowjacket is pretty far removed from the gloriously costumed hero of the comics (principally appearing as one of Hank Pyms many costumed identities)oh, how I cherish those strange shoulder epaulets? In the MCU, morally challenged Darren Cross behaves pretty much like your typical Iron Man villainhe wants to sell that sweet, sweet shrinking technology to the militaryand this yields a very typical-for-the-early-MCU doppelganger climatic battle where the guy with no training somehow is immediately a real threat to the guy weve seen painstakingly trying to learn how to use the technology in question. The militarized Yellowjacket suit is action-figure cool, but otherwise, meh. Appearance: The Incredible Hulk (2008) Type: Bumpy Hulk All things considered, the MCUs take on one of the Hulks main archenemieshe has two, a muscled one and a brainy oneisnt that bad. This Abomination loses a bit of his comic book versions symmetry, but otherwise, Abomination also smash, which is not that difficult a character to capture on film. Appearance: Thor: The Dark World (2013) Type: Dour the Elf No amount of revisioning will ever pull the second Thor film out of the cellar along with the other least good of the MCUs first 22 films. (The revelation of the joyous tonal shift of Thor: Ragnarok made sure of that.) Theres some mileage out of the Thor-Loki buddy film approach, but with Loki removed as the antagonist, were left with Chris Ecclestons Malekith the Accursed, who will probably always be best known for triggering exclamations of Oh, thats Chris Eccleston?! He was a Doctor! Malekith is another of those characters with a very snazzy comics outfit that lost its snaz in screen translation, but looking at the rest of the film, it was probably inevitable. Appearance: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Redfordian Human Some make the argument Alexander Pierces role as long-time head of Hydra makes him a very potent villain in the MCU. After all, he undermines S.H.I.E.L.D., controls the Winter Soldier and represents Robert Redfords very own late-career, Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West heel turn. Still, hes human, and unlike the only other strictly non-powered human higher on this list, Pierce doesnt really risk himself in direct conflict with our protagonists. Basically, his villainy is fait accomplihes written as the big bad much more than hes shown being so (poor Renata the housekeeper notwithstanding). The MCU is a comic book universe, after allgive us our villains as costumed and absurdly powered as our heroes, or return to the others genres from whence you came. Appearance: Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Cull Smash? The big and burly of Thanoss henchman, Cull exists to punch, cleave and die mildly spectacular deaths. Mission accomplished, twice. Appearance: Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: #Hench4Thanos Besides being the reason a whole generation of kids might have some clue what a glaive isfeel that weight on your shoulders lessened, Dungeons & Dragons?Corvus Glaive is the lithe and lean to Cull Obsidians slow and beefy. Hes got a cool weaponit can slice through anything and while it is whole, Corvus cannot be killedand, like most of the Black Order/Children of Thanos, gets to die twice. Appearance: Captain Marvel (2019) Type: Kree Bastard Yon-Rogg doesnt have much going for him beyond screen time, Jude Law and the fact theres not really any sense of source material potential squandered here. Yons are gonna Rogg, and this one does. Appearance: Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: #Hench4Thanos2 Its completely just to wonder why Carrie Coons Proxima Midnight is a few slots higher than the other not Ebony Maw members of the Thanos kill club. The reasons are simple: Her name and character design have that extra something when it comes to comics-worthy flamboyance, and Carrie Coon, even under all the makeup and CGI, is still Carrie Coon. Appearance: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) Type: Quantum Wild Card Even though the MCUs version of Ghost does not represent the global (or for most of the film, even personal) threat of most villains on this listshes just trying to avoid dyingshes still a formidable superpowered antagonist for Ant-Man and the Wasp. She gets bonus points for not just being a mirror-image in terms of power set, and for the casting of Hannah John-Kamen. Every antagonist left alive at the end of a movie is a potential returning, developing figure in a future one, and thats hopefully something Feige and company recognize in the post-Endgame era. Appearance: Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Type: Fire Giant with Focus Surturs role in the MCU aligns pretty well with his comics and Norse myth underpinnings. Most notably in the MCU, Surtur is a winner! Unlike all the other villains on this list, he win-wins in the end, fulfilling his prophecy-ordained mission of destroying Asgard. Winner! Appearances: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Black Panther (2017) Type: Psychopathic Weapons Dealer On one hand, Andy Serkis Klaue is another villain who falls short of achieving his full comics personathere, Klaw is a physicist who is composed of solid sound and possessed of a host of sound-based powers. In terms of sheer arch-ness, hes Black Panthers main, ahead of Erik Killmonger. (One way to judge how potent one heros nemesishow often do they fight with other heroes?) Still, lets not toss the MCU version aside. Serkis does a great job turning the arms dealer/merc of the MCU into a vibrant villain. It even looks like they are well on their way to converting Klaue to the Klaw of the comics, as he loses an arm and gets a sound cannon prosthetic. Death by Killmonger definitely seems like a setback, but one wonders, how alive do you have to be to be converted to a being of pure sound? Appearance: Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Type: Eccentric (and Groovy) Boss Jeff Goldblums Grandmaster isnt quite the menacing figure of the comics. There, as one of the Elders of the Universe along with folks like the Collector, the Champion and the Gardener (hey, guy had an infinity stone), the Grandmaster would frequently show up and force heroes to compete in order to satisfying his mania for games. Still, even if the MCUs Grandmaster is just a secondary antagonist to Thor: Ragnaroks big bad Hela, he does control an entire planet and oversee gladiatorial games with combatants like Thor and the Hulk. Plus, hes Goldblum-poweredits a deceptively potent fuel for a villain. Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017) Type: Planet-Sized Daddy Issue While were quick to fault Marvel for flinching at the thought of portraying some comic book characters in ways more in keeping with their source material, the Kurt Russell-sized celestial of the MCU makes plenty of sense when writing scripts and blocking scenes. Ego is also the first entry on this list that serves as a well-cooked, well-executed significant threat. Yes, Dormammu would have ruined our reality and Malekiths plans werent exactly light mischief, but here we have character, casting, plot and dastardly plan all coming together to create a threat that viewers can appreciate to both our heroes and countless inhabited planets (including Earth). Appearance: Iron Man (2008) Type: Conniving Industrialist Its important to realize that before the MCU and, as importantly, Robert Downey Jr. came along to sexy him up, Tony Stark was pretty damn boring and his rogues gallery, ditto. His truly outstanding foe was The Mandarin (ten superpowered alien rings, man), which the MCU whiffed on. Otherwise, it was armored foes (Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man), one melodramatic arc with alcoholism, and buckets and buckets of industrialists (and corporate espionage). Hollywoods early reluctance to embrace the source material (aided, admittedly, by limitations in technology) meant their early forays into villainhood regarding Iron Man were destined to feature Obadiah Stane. Jeff Bridges makes Stane much more compelling that he had any right to be, even if the climatic fight set the early MCU template of protagonist fights mirror-image antagonist. (Kudos to Stane for hastily donning complex tech and operating it skillfully after the audience has seen extended montages of Stark trying to do even the basicsObadiah got skills.) Appearance: Captain America: Civil War (2016) Type: Human with a Grudge A tip of the hat to this lists highest-ranking normie. Zemo is another one of those villains whose MCU version is markedly toned down in appearance and less strident in presence. (Granted, comic book villains have a tendency to rant and exclaim.) Daniel Bruhls Zemo may not have a mask glued permanently to his face by Adhesive X or a personal grudge against Captain America himself, but he does have a strong hankering to destroy the Avengers. Despite just being a regular human bent on revenge, Helmut makes it this high on the list thanks to his personal involvement/interaction with the heroes hes attempting to exact his revenge upon. He data mines, he assassinates, and he basically succeeds, for a while, at breaking up the Avengers. Thanks to the Black Panther, he even survives to threaten another day. Appearances: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Cyborg Sister Act Thanos least favorite adopted daughter arguably has the most complex, engaging arc of the entire MCU. In any group not including Gamora, she usually stands out as the most effectivewitness how she intimidates and leads the Ravagers in the second Guardians film. She even manages to both endanger the Avengers entire post-snap plan in Avengers: Endgame and save it. Sure, her time as an antagonist could be viewed as a succession of failures when it comes to her primary missionsto kill Thanos or Gamorabut for what Nebula lacks in success ratio, she more than make up for in determination. Appearances: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Captain Marvel (2019) Type: Militant Fanatic (or Zealous Militant, or Fanatical Zealot) Of all the ...and then they killed him in the MCU Phases 1-3, Ronans fate was perhaps the most frustrating. Lee Pace captured the look and feel of the Krees judge, jury and executioner, but anyone familiar with the comics know how much potential the character had to figure in a host of classic storylines. As for the films and his position on this list, theres a lot to be said for this power stone-enhanced cosmi-rod-wielding fanatic. On the other hand, being defeated via dance-off might not be his proudest moment. Fortunately, the new timeline created by Endgame means the character did not have the chance to meet such an ignominious end. (Come to think of it, didnt Ego become aware of Peter Quill due to that confrontation?) With luck, well see more of Ronan. Appearances: Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Hench with Big Arch Energy Despite his untimely demise via the classic move from That really old movie, Aliens, Maw seemed the one member of Thanos crew ready for the spotlight as a solo villain. Not coincidentally, he also represents one of the few instances where the MCU version is much stronger than his comics antecedent. (In the comics, Ebony Maw is all about the mawa super persuasive manipulator.) In Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Maw takes on Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Spider-Man and wipes the floor with them. Impressive. Appearance: Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) Type: Dastardly Manipulator (in a fish bowl, no less) Theres a long list of reasons why the MCU has succeededthe casting, the patience, the casting, the daring, the casting, etc.but make no mistake, the depiction of Mysterio (a C-tier member of the greater Marvel universe who hovers on the edge of Spideys personal top 10 Rogues Gallery) in Spider-Man: Far from Home should serve as Exhibit A in any case made for what Marvel is doing right. Most studios wouldnt come near retaining the villains signature look from the comicsso garish! So crazy! Forget the bright purple cape and emerald green doublet thingie, there are like, eyes on each shoulder with ais that a fish bowl?!helmet that looks like something youre used to seeing on souvenir shelves. Fox would have leathered that suck up! Warner Bros.? Mute that palette! Sony would havewell, after seeing what they did to Electro, who knows what they would have done? Who cares that, in the case of Quentin Becks past and current goals, the outfits very garishness actually makes perfect sense? (Go big! This is show biz!) Well, Feige and company care. And its just as important a sign that the source material is respected and preserved as Chris Evans Captain America. Its also why Mysterio, who compared to many of this list is not very impressive in the villainy department (despite that signature way above his weight class villainous achievement in the Old Man Logan universe), is this high on the list. Appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Nefarious Nazi Mastermind Compared to the villains who would come after him, Hugo Weavings Red Skull might not seem that impressive, but theres a clear demarcation between the the Red Skull and the villains ahead of him on this list and those that precede him. In the comics, the Skull is Captain Americas clear archenemy. (The character itself was introduced in 1941, the same year and in the same comic as Cap.) In the decades that followed, the Red Skull has figured frequently in Marvel Universe-shaking events. (Hes not quite Doctor Doom, but then again, who is?) His power set that has ebbed and flowed depending on the macguffins involved, but hes never out of the picture for too long. In the MCU, the Red Skull is a well-balanced foil to Chris Evans Captain America. Were not sure how satisfied we are with the Red Skulls surprise demotion to eternal soul stone guard duty, but we trust that he isnt, eitherhopefully, during the post-Evans lull, Marvel will look for ways to reintroduce the Red Skull in his more traditional, villainous form. Appearance: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Type: Archvillainous Automaton In the comics, Ultron is one of the biggies. Born of Hank Pym and involving, in one way or the other, aspects of the Wasp, the Vision, Wonder Man and the original Human Torch, Ultron reoccurs like a boss, threatening people, heroes, cities, the world, the galaxy this is one murderous robot with unlimited upside. The MCU does a good job capturing Ultrons classic look and overall threat level (especially for his first appearance). Were still not sure how well the James Spader voiceover works, but should Ultron reappear in future movies, the writers wont have to really worry about establishing his bona fides. Appearance: Thor: Ragnarok (2018) Type: Goddess of Death (and Estranged Sister) Thor: Ragnarok is a joy for many reasons, but among them, theres the sense that Marvel Studios execs just may be starting to accept that beloved characters and, as importantly, beloved character designs, will work just fine on the Big Screen. As Hela, Cate Blanchett is spectacularso thats what it would have been like had Galadriel taken the One Ringbut as impressive and tone-setting as Helas crumbling of Mjolnir is, her maintaining and manifesting of the comic characters classic horns look was just as exciting. As a villain, Hela is everything you look fora well-acted, menacing presence that sends the heroes scrambling (and fleeing) from the first moment until the very end. (Bonusno matter how things end, you cant count out the goddess of death for a return appearance.) Appearance: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Type: Blue-Collar Scavenger After showing they could take B-tier (C-tier?) heroes and make a great film with Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, it was high time Marvel Studios exhibited some of the same alchemy on B-tier villains. Hello, 2017. The smaller stakes and more intimate settings of Spider-Man: Homecoming not only provided a nice palate cleanser compared to all the Thanos-related shenanigans going on elsewhere, they also provided an opportunity to show that theres no villain problem if you take the concerns and casting of a character seriously enough. Michael Keatons Vulture also represents a rare example (in the MCU) of a classic villain, albeit a minor one, whose adjustments to make him more menacing on film land because the writers have taken the time to flesh out the character. The moment where Keatons Adrian Toomes deduces Peter Parkers secret identity feels earned, which makes the characters survival all the more exciting for all those Sinister Six fans out there. Appearance: Black Panther (2017) Type: Committed Burn It All Down Proponent As exciting as the Black Panthers scenes are in Captain America: Civil War and as mind-blowing as the revelation of Wakanda itself is in Black Panther, its Michael B. Jordans turn as Erik Killmonger in the latter that continuously threatens to steal the show. When he answers Ulysses Klaues query about whether a mask in a museum is vibranium with, Nah, Im just feeling it, we are, too. Appearances: Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Thor: Ragnarok (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: Tricksy God Downey Jr., Evans and Hemsworth get deserved praise (often by us) for being examples of the near transcendent casting that powered the MCU rise to box office domination, but Tom Hiddlestons take on Loki Laufeyson was just as crucial, particularly in the pre-Thanos villain drought of Phase 1 and 2. Theres a reason even the loudest laments concerning villain problems had either an assumed or spoken Loki-based caveat. As a mischievous trickster god who dabbles in world domination, the MCUs Loki is complicated, conflicted and always scheming. Hiddleston makes the character as fun during its villainous arcs as its (usually briefer) heroic ones, and without the arrival of a certain purple-toned gem collector, Loki would be the clear #1. Appearances: The Avengers (2012), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) Type: The Big Bad Snap. $4.7 billion worldwide (and counting). The MCUs existential threat, Thanos will be a tough act to follow. Nuff said. Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders at the 'Prabuddha Nagrik Sammelan', or the Intellectual Citizens' Convention, at Gyan Bhawan in Patna on Sunday played down the threat from an united front of the opposition parties saying such groups were made up of 'tired and rejected people' who were in the habit of putting up such dramas before each election in India. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, speaking on the occasion said that Congress and its allies were made up of tired and rejected people who could not stop the Narendra Modi caravan that was backed by a majority of the people of India. "They cannot stop it as NDA will score victories on all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar," Prasad said referring to next year's Parliamentary elections. Touting the achievements of the Modi administration, Prasad declared that the last four years, India had seen the biggest investments ever and its 7.5% growth rate was even commended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, echoing the sentiments of Prasad, said that the leaders in the opposition will once again try to forge a rag-tag coalition of failed politicians and parties that will be crushed by the people of India. "Congress is a party that has ruled the country for over 40 years and it believes that only it has the right to form a government at the Center. Now it is relying on help from small, regional parties to come back in power but the people of India will overwhelmingly reject its attempt and send NDA back into power," Modi said. Others who were present on the occasion included Central Minister Ram Kripal Yadav, Bihar minister Nand Kishore Yadav and Mangal Pandey, and BJP state President Nityanand Rai. Patna: Giving rest to rumors, at least for now, that he was once again planning to ditch the NDA and go back to the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, Janata Dal U President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that he would be taking part in an NDA program in Patna on June 7 to mark the completion of the first four years of the Narendra Modi government at the Center. Kumar announced his decision to participate in the event after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President Nityanand Rai and party General Secretary Nagendra Ji met with him at his residence in Patna on Sunday. Other constituents of the NDA including Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) are also expected to take part in the mega event the venue of which is yet to be decided, Rai said. Meanwhile, political corridors in Bihar were abuzz with rumors of Kumar planning to walk out of NDA after he stated that Narendra Modi's demonetization move failed to produce desired results as hoped. Notably, the Bihar Chief Minister had, against the wishes of his former partners Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress while he was part of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, praised Modi for his decision to implement demonetization to flush out black money from the country. On Saturday, Kumar expressed his disappointment saying demonetization failed to bring desired results and now he was not sure if the move was in the interest of the nation. "Nitish Kumar needs to leave the NDA and join hands with the like-minded parties. His alliance with the BJP is unconstitutional and Nitish has become a weaker leader under the NDA," Congress state President Kaukab Qadri said. Former Deputy of Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav also took a swipe at the JD-U leader saying he must feel insulted by the way the BJP has treated him since he walked out of the Grand Alliance. Earlier, Kumar paid rich tribute to India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his statue outside Patna Junction to mark his 55th death anniversary. Giant Food Stores is growing its footprint in Lancaster County. The retailer announced Monday it has entered an agreement with Ferguson & Hassler to acquire its Quarryville, Lancaster County store. The store at 100 TownsEdge Drive will close June 19. According to Lancaster Online, Ferguson & Hassler has operated since 1916. We were thrilled when the Hassler family contacted us about their beautiful store, said Nicholas Bertram, Giants president. We recognize the important role this store plays in the Quarryville community, and we cant wait to begin serving the loyal customers of Ferguson & Hasslers and introduce them to the very best of the Giant brand, which many customers throughout Lancaster County have enjoyed for more than 20 years. In a statement the owners of Ferguson & Hassler said they decided to sell the store to Giant. The existing economics in the grocery industry no longer support the operation of a familyowned, independent supermarket such as ours. We have tried numerous avenues to be successful over the years with the single exception of opening our doors on Sunday. We feel it is to the credit of our exceptional employees that enabled us to withstand the changing market for as long as we did. We approached Giant directly, and we feel that they will provide the best overall transition path for our employees, as well as being familiar with Lancaster County and considerate of our loyal Quarryville community. Giant said the store will be closed for about one week for remodeling and reopen at the end of June. The store will offer online grocery ordering with curbside pickup, delivery service through Peapod and gas pumps. Ferguson & Hassler employees will have the chance to interview with Giant. In the past year Carlisle-based Giant has been aggressive in its growth strategy. It purchased the former Darrenkamps Market in Willow Valley, Lancaster County and also opened its first Giant Heirloom Market in Philadelphia. PARIS The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on Monday afternoon after a person attempted to climb on the structure, a spokeswoman confirmed to dpa. Broadcaster BFMTV reported that the person had been arrested by police while attempting to climb between the towers second story and the top story, which is about 900 feet off the ground. Footage from the scene showed police cordoning off the area around the monument, which celebrated its 130th anniversary last week. On Twitter, the company running the tower warned users that it was closed until further notice. EIFFEL TOWER SHUTDOWN: Emergency responders in Paris are trying to rescue a man who scaled the top of the Eiffel Tower, putting the iconic landmark on lock down. The man used the official entrance and started to climb the exterior from the second floor. https://t.co/G1LPAezH4R NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 20, 2019 The Eiffel Tower has been evacuated and closed after a man scaled the tower. https://t.co/lX6Rlp1UIo Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 20, 2019 Update: ID released for New York man killed in I-81 crash. A 21-year-old from Naussau, New York, was killed in a crash that shut down Interstate 81 in Lebanon County for several hours Sunday evening. According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Jonestown, the three-vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer occurred around 6:56 p.m. in the northbound lane at mile marker 83 in East Hanover Township. Investigators say the tractor-trailer was heading south when it crossed the median into the northbound lanes, hitting and severely damaging two cars. The truck driver and the driver of one of the cars were not injured, but the 21-year-old, whose name has not yet been released, was killed. Last nights weather slowed the investigation, shutting down the highway for six hours, police say. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the police, 717-865-2194. As the 2020 Census draws closer, advocates are appealing to state lawmakers to add $12.8 million in funding to the state budget to support outreach efforts. The money would help ensure everyone in the state is counted, The Pennsylvania Census 2020 Complete Count Committee said. The committee is a state-run group of 40 commissioners, government officials and community stakeholders tasked with planning for the census and coordinating efforts with the U.S. Census Bureau. The committee recommended that officials appropriate $1 for every state resident - approximately $12.8 million - in the 2019-20 state budget during a census summit on Monday. At the summit, Rep. Danilo Burgos, D-Philadelphia, said Pennsylvania has the potential to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, depending on the states population during the 2020 census. The census, which is administered every 10 years, is used to determine the number of congressional districts in the state and is factored into allocations for $675 billion in federal funding given to states each year. Currently, Pennsylvania has 18 congressional seats, but with slow population growth in comparison to other states, it has lost five seats since the 1990 census. If we lose one congressional seat, that means we will be behind other states and most importantly, we will not have resources that we need for our communities, Burgos said. It is extremely important that Pennsylvanians across the state understand the importance and value of the census. The funds would be primarily used for outreach and education, and would be utilized to help administer the census. Gov. Tom Wolf will support efforts to add funding to the state budget for the census, according to J.J. Abbott, a spokesman for the governor. A complete count is essential to maintain our representation nationally and funding levels from the federal government, Abbott wrote in an email. Governor Wolf supports this recommendation for a relatively modest investment that would pay long-term dividends in return. The 2020 census will be the first to be collected online, and supporters of the additional funding say Pennsylvania could be at risk of an undercount because of its large population of seniors and number of rural areas with limited Internet access. According to a 2017 report from the Pennsylvania State Data Center, which analyzes information from the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 17.4 percent of the states population is 65 or older a number that has risen from 2010. Pennsylvanias census count could also be impacted by a question about U.S. citizenship proposed by President Donald Trumps administration, critics say. Although the Trump administration has stated that the question aims to better enforce the Voting Rights Act protections, critics have argued that it could dissuade households with undocumented immigrants from responding to the census. Pennsylvania was home to about 180,000 undocumented individuals in 2014. Estimates show that every person that is not counted in the census amounts to roughly $2,093 in lost federal funding. Micah Sims, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania and a commissioner on the census committee, wrote in a press statement that additional funding in the state budget will help ensure an accurate count. For every person we miss, every community we undercount and all the groups we ignore, that will have a tremendous impact on the federal program funding, critical data for business owners and building an improved Pennsylvania, Sims wrote. Federal investigators have charged a New Jersey man with threatening to harm one federal judge in Pennsylvania and sending an email to the FBI saying he considered hiring a sniper to target another judge to shut her up. The targets of Keith Thomas Dougherty were U.S. Middle District Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner and U.S. Western District Judge Joy Flowers Conti, court documents state. Dougherty, a Blackwood resident, was charged in April, but his case was unsealed only last week. He has a history of filing lengthy and nearly unintelligible lawsuits with the federal courts that are invariably dismissed. Investigators claim Dougherty threatened Conner in a letter mailed in May 2017. That letter contained a threat to injure (Conner) and other members of the federal judiciary, court filings state. Dougherty is charged with mailing threatening communications in that case. He is accused of sending the email threatening Conti this past March. That email went to an FBI agent. It stated, Just like Ruby Ridge Keith Dougherty will be required to order a sniperunder the 2nd Amendment to shoot Conti in in the head (just) to shut her up, according to court documents. Ruby Ridge was an 11-day standoff in August 1992 between the FBI and an Idaho man, Randy Weaver, who refused to appear for a court hearing on firearms charges. A deputy U.S. marshal and Weavers 14-year-old son were killed in a shootout, and Weavers 43-year-old wife was killed by a federal sniper before negotiations ended the standoff. The 2nd Amendment federal agents say Dougherty mentioned in the email is the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gives citizens the right to bear arms. Dougherty is charged with interstate communication with threat to injure regarding the email mentioning Conti. The charges Dougherty faces are being prosecuted by a special assistant U.S. attorney from the Northern District of West Virginia. Dougherty is to be arraigned on the counts later this week. A federal public defender has been appointed to represent him. A federal judge from Delaware has been assigned to preside over the case. Records show Dougherty has been involved in seven lawsuits filed in U.S. Middle District Court alone since 2010. The defendants in those cases have included private companies and the federal government. One suit where Dougherty acted as his own lawyer gives a flavor of the nature of those filings. A section of that 100-page suit states that Dougherty was seeking a declaratory judgment that he cannot be banished from the district covered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. And his kind are no longer welcome in this Utopia? the section states. War by paper as opposed to Civil War? Democracies always end violently when the people have voted themselves that which cannot be sustained: Keith Dougherty is shorting the 3rd Ciras an investment as they are already dead. Cases of hepatitis A have been increasing across the Pennsylvania, and state health officials on Monday declared an outbreak, largely because the designation makes additional resources available, according to the state Department of Health. Pennsylvania is among several states that have declared hepatitis A outbreaks at varying levels, according to Health Department Spokesman Nate Wardle. Pennsylvania has recorded 171 cases since January 2018, Wardle said, which is similar to whats being reported in several neighboring states, Wardle said. Some states, however, such as Ohio and Kentucky, are seeing significantly higher number of cases -- about 2,000 each. For the state health department, the decision to declare an outbreak wasnt prompted by number of cases, Wardle said. Instead, the department will use the determination to provide extra money for mass vaccination efforts and other resources, should they be needed. According to data provided by the health department, around 3-10 cases of hepatitis A were being reported each month from January 2018 to August 2018. Since then, there have been 10 to 15 new cases reported each month. Sixteen cases were reported in March 2019, according to the data. Wardle said the cases of hepatitis A are not being seen in the general population, but rather specific groups. People who are using illegal drugs and use needles to inject drugs, and those who are homeless are at risk. Wardle said most people received the hepatitis A vaccination as a child. If you believe you werent vaccinated, are in one of the at-risk populations or are a caregiver of someone who is at risk, it is recommended that you get the vaccine. Those with hepatitis A dont always show symptoms, Wardle said. For those who do, symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, jaundice and light colored stools, Wardle said. If you believe you might have hepatitis A, calling your primary healthcare provider is recommended, Wardle said. The diagnoses can only be made with a blood test. Wardle said there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A, so people who do get it are told to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and avoid alcohol before taking any medications. If you are uninsured or underinsured, contact 1-877-PA-HEALTH to find a state health center nearest you where you can be tested and monitored. CozyKin, a Boston, MA-based childcare provider of Montessori-inspired nanny sharing and infant childcare services, completed a $6m Series A funding. The round was led by Bessemer, with participation from NextView Ventures and Primary Venture Partners. The company intends to use the funds to expand to additional markets, starting with New York City this spring, hire key staff, and develop strategic corporate partnerships. Led by Jeremy Au and Tatyana Gubin, CozyKin matches two compatible, local families with a rigorously vetted and trained nanny. The company handles all the logistics from finances and nanny management to backup care, giving parents a stress-free experience. With CozyKin, parents receive guaranteed care and can reserve childcare months in advance or in as little as four weeks. To further support families, the service provides a dedicated care concierge to manage daily care. The company also employs all of their nannies and empowers them with W-2 employment, including competitive wages, paid time off including parental leave, health benefits, workers compensation and ongoing professional development in early childhood education. FinSMEs 20/05/2019 The New York man killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County has been identified. The Pennsylvania State Police at Jonestown identified him as Thomas ONeill, 20, of Nassau, New York. The crash shut down I-81 northbound in East Hanover Township for about six hours as investigators worked the scene, hampered by the severe thunderstorms moving through the region. According to police, a tractor-trailer heading south crossed the median into the northbound lanes, hitting two cars. The truck driver and driver of one of the cars were not injured, but ONeill was killed in the crash. Initial reports indicated ONeill was 21, but police say today he was 20. The crash is under investigation. Anyone who witnessed it should call the state police, 717-865-2194. The modern truth is most states dont matter when it comes to electing the president: They are already Blue or Red and unlikely to change during one campaign. Or they dont have enough electoral votes to make a big difference. The candidates, especially after the primaries, will spend little time in those 40 or so states. But Pennsylvanians neednt fear having to live what could well be the campaign of a lifetime second hand via cable news. They are among the voters in a handful of states expected to swing the 2020 election. Pennsylvania is arguably the most important of all, for reasons including the fact whoever wins Pennsylvania is likely to become president. Or looked at another way, if a candidate lacks what it takes to sway Pennsylvanians, they likely lack what it takes to win the election. The fact is, precious few states are likely to matter, and Pennsylvania has emerged as one of the top-tier states, says political analyst G. Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College. Were going to be, in effect, ground zero. Being at ground zero, in todays ultra-intense, ultra-polarized, all-encompassing political world, means Pennsylvanians are in for a memorable, even historic, experience. Pennsylvanias importance is obvious for plenty of reasons. The candidates are already focusing on it. Democratic front runner Joe Biden put his national headquarters in Philadelphia and appeared here right after announcing his candidacy. He held his first campaign event in Pittsburgh and held a rally in Philadelphia Saturday. A recent Los Angeles Times story began, President Trump and Joe Biden have twin obsessions: with each other and with the state of Pennsylvania. Sen. Bernie Sanders recently held a Fox News-televised town hall in the Lehigh Valley. MSNBCs Chris Matthews brought his show to Luzerne County to talk to voters on Thursday night. Sen. Elizabeth Warren held her first Pennsylvania event in a Philadelphia union hall Monday. Beto ORourke visited Penn State in March. Trump is scheduled to be in Lycoming County on Monday. His stated purpose is to lend support for GOP candidate Fred Keller, who is running against Democrat Marc Friedenberg in a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Tom Marino. However, Keller is already a strong favorite in the heavily Republican district. Trump surely has an eye toward his own 2020 race especially with the latest polls suggesting hell be hard-pressed to repeat his 2016 win in Pennsylvania. The other key states are Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and Nevada. Of those, only Florida has more electoral votes 29 compared to Pennsylvanias 20. For comparison, California has the most electoral votes, 55, but they are virtually certain to end up in the Democratic column. Texas is next, with 38, and those are virtually certain to go to Trump. Trumps 2016 Pennsylvania win was monumental, enabling him to break down the famous blue wall of states that usually back Democrats. Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since George H.W. Bush did it in 1988. Yet it was far from a landslide. Trump edged Hillary Clinton by one percent 44,292 votes out of about 6 million cast. And recent polls suggest a Trump repeat is far from assured. A Quinnipiac University poll last week showed Biden leading Trump 53% to 42%. Sanders topped Trump 50% to 43%. Warren led him 47%to 44%. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., and Sen. Kamala Harris were either slightly ahead or even with Trump. Its goes without saying it is still very early. Absent major change, Trump will be able to campaign on a strong economy and historically low unemployment albeit an unemployment rate which was falling well before he took office. In Pennsylvania, the unemployment rate is also exceptionally low, amid more recent signs of rising wages. And while recent polls suggest Pennsylvanians favor an alternative to Trump, an overall Democratic advantage might not be a sure thing. Former Gov. Ed Rendell recently warned that Pennsylvanians may well go for a centrist such as Biden over Trump. But he predicts they wont be nearly so open to the more progressive policies increasingly popular among Democrats, such as the Green New Deal, Medicare-for-all and free college tuition. Trump could well seize on those as socialism and frame the race as such, to his great advantage. As it stands, there have been further signs Trump and Republicans are worried about Pennsylvania, where during last years mid-terms many state House seats flipped to Democrats, including seats in districts carried by Trump. In late April, Politico reported Trump advisors had headed to Harrisburg to meet with state GOP officials amid mounting concerns about the presidents prospects in the critical battleground state. But many things will surely change between now and election day in November, 2020. For now, all thats certain is Pennsylvania will be flooded with candidates, rallies, campaign money and political ads. It goes without saying Trump is a historically unique candidate and president highly aggressive, energetic, abrasive, and prone to pushing the edge of the envelope to mobilize voters. Many expect the campaign to be historically ugly. It thats so, no one will know it, and feel it, more than Pennsylvanians. Still, Madonna, who has studied politics for decades, believes it will be a healthy experience for Pennsylvanians. He urges them to rise to the responsibilities being a Pennsylvania voter entails. Those who get most of their political news from MSNBC should tune into Fox News as well. Those who read The New York Times should also read the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal. That will help them cut through all the rhetoric and hype and ads, and know, as best they can, whats best for Pennsylvania, and the country, in these starkly polarized although fascinating times. You owe it to yourself to know both sides of the issue, Madonna says. Strong thunderstorms ripped across central Pennsylvania Sunday, and a tornado warning was issued for portions of York and Lancaster counties. The tornado warnings for those counties expired at 7:30 p.m. But the National Weather Service projected thunderstorms would be possible for much of central Pennsylvania for a while longer. The National Weather Service at State College has issued several severe thunderstorm warnings across Pennsylvania. Forecasters projected wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, as well as quarter size hail. A number of communities have already seen potent storms. Thousands have lost power across Pennsylvania, utility companies said. A flash flood warning was issued for Franklin County, the weather service said. A tornado warning was also issued for Pine Grove earlier Sunday night, which has since expired. The National Weather Service in State College posted a message on Twitter noting that it was a very busy day for thunderstorms. The weather service also sought feedback from those who received large hail and wind damage. The worst damage may have been in the northern Lancaster County community of Denver, where winds topped 60 miles per hour, the National Weather Service told PennLive. Overnight, forecasters said some storms and rain could still be possible but they wouldnt match the intensity of the storms seen across Pennsylvania Sunday afternoon and evening. Concluding he didnt violate any school policy, a state appeals court panel has backed the reinstatement of a Bloomsburg University professor who was fired for having sexual relationships with two female students. The Commonwealth Court ruling upholds a June 2018 arbitrators decision that voided the termination of Assistant Professor John Barrett. University officials had appealed that award, which the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties union secured on Barretts behalf. The arbitrator ordered Barretts reinstatement with full benefits and back pay. In the state courts opinion, Judge P. Kevin Brobson noted the relationships between Barrett and the women were consensual, that neither woman was taking classes from Barrett at the time, and that the relationships were not barred by the universitys sexual harassment policy. Barrett came under investigation by school officials when one of the women reported her then-terminated relationship with him in May 2017. That woman had taken one of Barretts classes in the spring of 2015, began meeting him for coffee that fall and in October told Barrett she wanted a romantic relationship. Their sexual relationship ended eight months later, Brobson noted. The woman filed her complaint with the university after learning Barrett was having sex with another student, the judge wrote. She claimed in that complaint that at times during her relationship with Barrett he had touched her genitals without her consent. Barrett was fired in June 2017 for lack of professional judgment and violating the schools sexual harassment policy. The arbitrator overturned that termination, concluding the universitys policy does not prohibit romantic, consensual instructor-student relationships, provided the students are not taking classes from the professors at the time. On appeal, university officials contended the arbitration award would undermined the schools sexual harassment policy. In disagreeing, Brobson noted school officials based their argument on the one womans claim that during their relationship Barrett had fondled her without her consent. The judge also cited the womans testimony that she never told Barrett the fondling made her uncomfortable. And, Brobson added, Barrett denied the fondling accusation. The judge seconded the arbitrators finding that the supposed fondling did not amount to sexual harassment because it occurred in the context of a consensual sexual relationship. Upholding the decision to reinstate Barrett with that understanding wont cripple the universitys sexual harassment policy, Brobson found. Still, he chided Barrett for the affairs. We are in no way ignoring (Barretts) appalling lack of judgment, Brobson wrote. After extensive damage from yesterdays thunderstorms and high winds, the National Weather Service at State College is sending a team to Lancaster County to assess the damage. The weather service made the announcement this morning that the team will be taking a look around this part of the region that seems to have been hit hardest by the storm, and from where they had received calls about possible funnel cloud sightings. As workers assess and clean up the damage, there is a chance of another round of strong or severe thunderstorms with gusty winds and small hail this afternoon. The Denver area seems to have been among the hardest hit. Multiple reports of trees down, blocked roads and power outages are coming out of that part of Lancaster County. Two men who live on Poplar St in Denver say they got a call from their utility company telling them theres a chance their power will be out until 4:30 pm. Despite having some clean up to do, they tell @CBS21NEWS theyre blessed their homes didnt sustain significant damage https://t.co/V4xjGu3Ct9 pic.twitter.com/EehIbhxgVw Joe Ducey (@joeduceyreports) May 20, 2019 STORM DAMAGE: Coming across a lot of storm damage in Denver Heights Community in Denver, Lancaster County. Trees down, siding ripped off, solar panels laying around, debris everywhere. @WGAL pic.twitter.com/0yBCiDiYbh Shannon Murphy (@ShannonWGAL) May 20, 2019 FUNNEL CLOUD LAST NIGHT: Check this out this photo from a viewer in Denver, Lancaster County last night. A funnel cloud descending from the cloud overhead. Thanks for sharing. Incredible storms over the area last night! #27Weather pic.twitter.com/kfAIAYCs4C Brett Thackara (@BrettThackABC27) May 20, 2019 Today will be another muggy day with a 20 percent chance of more showers and thunderstorms with a high of 83. But overnight, cooler weather will move in with a low of 54. Tuesday will be a more comfortable day with a high of 70 under sunny skies and a nighttime low of 50. Wednesday will be sunny with a high near 73 and a low round 56 with a 30 percent chance of nighttime showers. Thursday will be partly sunny with a high of 80 and a low of 62 with a 30 percent chance of showers at night. Friday will see a 30 percent chance of showers before noon on a mostly-sunny day with a high near 84 and a low around 64. Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 84 and a low around 61 with a 30 percent chance of showers. And Sunday should be mostly sunny with a high near 78. Visit PennLive.com/weather for your latest weather updates. When Donald Trump won the 2016 election, after barnstorming across Pennsylvania like a man with a serious purpose, most people hoped for an economic recovery by the end of his first term. Remarkably, he managed to accomplish that objective in just half the time, and the Pennsylvania he worked hard to win is much better off today as a result. The economic transformation under President Trump has been nothing short of extraordinary especially when compared to the dismal state of our economy under President Obama. In Pennsylvania, the turnaround has been especially dramatic. At the worst point of Obamas presidency, the Pennsylvanias unemployment rate reached an astounding 8.8 percent. By the time Obama left the White House, the unemployment rate was still well over 5 percent in the state. One reason Pennsylvania fared so poorly in the aftermath of the Great Recession is that the Obama administration declared war on non-renewable energy, implementing punishing environmental regulations that nearly killed the coal industry in America. So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; its just that it will bankrupt them, because theyre going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas thats being emitted, President Obama said in 2008. The Obama administration was also a disaster for the manufacturing sector Pennsylvania alone lost roughly 51,000 manufacturing jobs between 2009 and 2017. President Trump will see an entirely different Pennsylvania than he may remember when he visits Montoursville on Monday. The booming Trump economy has reversed the painful trends of the Obama era, and Pennsylvania has been a major beneficiary. "America is sitting on a treasure trove of untapped energy on federal lands and hundreds of years of coal energy reserves, Trump said while visiting the state in 2016. I'm going to lift restrictions on American energy and allow this wealth to pour into our communities, including right here in the state of Pennsylvania." The President did exactly that just months after taking office in 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that the war on coal is over. As a result, the shale gas industry in Pennsylvania is booming, and producers are enormously optimistic that 2019 will be another record-setting year for the industry. The coal industrys fortunes have also seen a dramatic reversal since Trump took office, adding several thousand jobs since January 2017. Under President Trumps careful economic stewardship, Pennsylvania has added 5,000 new manufacturing jobs and created 123,600 jobs in total, pushing the state unemployment rate down to 3.9 percent in March the lowest level on record. This economic renaissance is directly related to Donald Trumps policies, including his signature achievement, the middle class tax cuts that Congress passed in 2017. According to The Tax Foundation, the Tax Cuts And Jobs Act generated almost 8,700 new jobs In Pennsylvania last year, and saved the average taxpayer more than $1,400 on their federal income taxes. Pennsylvanians went to the polls and voted for Donald Trump in 2016 because he promised to restore the Commonwealths economic health and because he kept that promise, theyll likely return to the polls in 2020 and vote for him again. David Urban is a commentator for CNN. He served as Senior Advisor on the 2016 Trump campaign and is a member of the 2020 Trump Advisory Committee Gaylord native believes Northern Michigan can excel in space economy Besides Altas, Carey believes that Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula can lure more space related companies and the jobs they create. SK Capital Partners, a NYC-based private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors, added Ben Dillon as a Managing Director. Mr. Dillon He will focus on investor relations and fundraising. He will work closely with Jim Marden, a longtime partner that led the investor relations function and fundraising for SK Capitals three previous institutional funds, who will be transitioning his responsibilities over the balance of 2019. Prior to joining SK Capital, Mr. Dillon was a Managing Director at Partners Group. He spent 12 years as a member of Partners Groups Client Solutions team based in the firms New York office. During his tenure, Mr. Dillon oversaw institutional investor relationships for the firms investment funds, separate accounts and co-investments. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Babson College and an MBA in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago. Led by co-founders and Managing Directors Barry Siadat and Jamshid Keynejad, SK Capital is a private investment firm with a disciplined focus on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. The firm seeks to build growing businesses that create substantial long-term value utilizing its industry, operating and investment experience. FinSMEs 20/05/2019 (Left to right:) Daniel Oreskes, Nico Santos, Susan Sarandon, and Marin Ireland in aHappy Talk,a through June 16 by The New Group at Pershing Square Signature Center, Manhattan. Read more In Jesse Eisenbergs new play, Happy Talk, we hear that the entire cast of the Jewish Community Centers production of South Pacific goes out to a bar after rehearsals without including Lorraine. And we understand exactly why: What an awful woman she is. But this play is full of awful people, and despite a great cast and some smart laugh lines, the awfulness grates on your nerves. Id hoped for the Kiss Me, Kate effect, where the frame play plays with the famous play (as Kiss Me, Kate plays with The Taming of the Shrew), and although the songs from South Pacific are motivic here, and although there is some obvious if feeble link between Lorraines matchmaking and Bloody Marys, none of it seems to matter much. Lorraine (Susan Sarandon wait for her comical ballet) is obsessed with her stage career at the Jewish Community Center (why Jewish? Is Eisenbergs apparent antisemitism worth discussing here? Probably not.). She is absurdly theatrical and narcissistic, seeing herself as a serious artist with lots of theories about acting. Ljuba (Marin Ireland, lovely and moving) is the saintly, cheerful live-in help in this middle-class suburban household. Her main job is to tend to Lorraines bedridden and demanding mother, who lives offstage in a bedroom Lorraine will not enter. We hear horror stories about her mothering when Lorraine was a child: another awful person. Ljyba is anything but awful. She is desperate for citizenship so she can bring her daughter to the United States from her native Serbia and has saved $15,000 half the going price of an American husband. Ronny (Nico Santos) is Lorraines candidate; he is conspicuously gay and seems sweet if you ignore his mercenary motives. He plays Lt. Cable in the South Pacific production, a fact that flirts with but doesnt deliver a political point. Sitting like a lump in a living room chair is Bill (Daniel Oreskes), Lorraines silent and sullen husband who suffers from multiple sclerosis his seizure is terrifyingly realistic as well as a very predictable depression. He rarely speaks, hiding from family life by reading book after book about the Civil War (get it?). One night their estranged daughter, Jenny (Tedra Millan), breaks into the house and rants about bourgeois evils, before leaving for Costa Rica. Another awful person in this awful family. The set (designed by Derek McLane) is tellingly and claustrophobically ugly; ditto the costumes by Clint Ramos, who wisely provides the visual relief of a hot pink dress for Ljuba. Happy Talk is long on talk, and very short on happy. Theater Happy Talk Through June 16 at The New Group at Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W. 42nd St., New York. WASHINGTON - Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wants to make opting out of online tracking as easy as adding your number to the "Do Not Call" list. Hawley will introduce legislation on Tuesday to create a "Do Not Track" program: It would require companies to limit data collection on Americans who check a setting in their web browsers or install a special app on their phones. It would also impose hefty fines on companies that, after people opt out, continue the controversial but pervasive practice of collecting broad data about consumers' browsing activity or building highly customized profiles about them. Such profiles are commonly used to serve targeted advertisements. Past initiatives to create "Do Not Track" options have failed to stop companies' tracking because they were voluntary, Hawley said, promising this bill would have teeth and finally give consumers more control over how business uses their data. "We've tried the voluntary model," Hawley said in an interview. "It's time to stop this two-step." Hawley is pushing for this legislation as he aims to raise awareness on Capitol Hill about the shadowy ways companies follow consumers online - sometimes collecting data about consumers even after they think they've opted out. Hawley, a freshman, is making it his mission to fight Big Tech on Capitol Hill, and the fines he's proposing are the latest signal that Washington is seeking tougher penalties against Silicon Valley. Hawley also thinks a Do Not Track initiative should be part of any federal privacy legislation. The senator made waves in Congress on this issue after a fiery exchange Google executive Will DeVries earlier this year, when Hawley slammed the company for collecting location data about Android users even when location history is turned off. His office says this bill also stems from concerns about Facebook's practice of collecting data from people online even if they don't have an account with the service, which is known in the industry as building "shadow profiles." Hawley's bill does not yet have any co-sponsors, but it's likely an issue that could earn support across the aisle. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., introduced similar legislation in 2011 though the bill languished in Congress. The Obama administration's Federal Trade Commission also supported the creation of a Do Not Track setting - but it ultimately did not result in any requirements. Hawley thinks that this bill will be able to succeed where the Obama-era initiative fell short. The FTC at the time created a working group to develop a Do Not Track button, but it leaned heavily on the tech industry to come up with the best way to implement Do Not Track. It turned acrimonious as there was infighting within the group about what "tracking" means. Browser makers like Microsoft and Mozilla have also tried to implement Do Not Track buttons, which notify advertisers and websites that a person does not want to be tracked. But there's currently no way to enforce it, and advertisers can continue to track people even with the setting enabled. That's why Hawley thinks there needs to be an actual law on the books. His bill would also restrict companies from transferring the data they collect about consumers to other companies if they activate Do Not Track. Companies would also have to let consumers know they have these privacy rights to opt out of such tracking. If companies knowingly fail to comply with these rules, they could face penalties of up to $1,000 per day per person. But to be sure the fines pack a punch - the minimum fine for violations is not less than $100,000. Even if companies are found not to knowingly break the law, they would face penalties of $50 per day per person for negligence. To be sure, recent history shows that efforts to get companies to change their behavior are tricky. A model for this legislation - the Do Not Call registry - was created in 2003 to help consumers limit unwanted calls they are receiving from telemarketers. But it has proved ineffective in protecting them from an onslaught of robocalls in recent years. Hawley says he's encouraged by the prospects of change as there's been a significant shift in attitudes toward the tech industry in Washington - and scrutiny of privacy issues in both parties. There is a dawning awareness these big tech companies pose a new but unique threat to consumer privacy, free speech and the future of our economy that were just beginning to get our hands and our heads around, Hawley said in an interview. The New Jersey State House is seen in Trenton, N.J. New Jersey lawmakers advanced legislation Monday expanding the state's medical marijuana program and making it easier for certain convicts to clear their records. (AP Photo / Seth Wenig, File) Read more TRENTON New Jersey lawmakers advanced legislation Monday expanding the states medical marijuana program and making it easier for certain convicts to clear their records. Democratic-led Assembly and Senate committees advanced the measures, with votes in each chamber expected to come as early as this week. Mondays votes came days after Senate President Stephen Sweeney said that a bill legalizing recreational cannabis didnt have enough support to pass and that he instead would pursue a 2020 referendum. Sweeney said that in the interim, lawmakers would pursue an expanded medical cannabis program as well as legislation to ease the expungement of certain criminal records. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy supports legalization of recreational cannabis but had a mixed reaction to Sweeneys proposal. Murphys office declined to comment Monday on the bills. The medical marijuana legislation sets up a regulatory commission to oversee the program, which is managed by the state Department of Health under current law. The bill also calls for up to 23 permits for medical cannabis cultivation. Currently there are six alternative treatment centers, which are authorized to cultivate and dispense medical marijuana. The Murphy administration has said it would double that number to 12. The 2010 law enacted under former Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine authorized the treatment centers to cultivate, process, and sell medical cannabis. The new legislation instead provides for different categories for wholesale and retail, for example, mirroring language in the recreational marijuana bill that remains on ice. The measure also phases out the states 6.625 percent sales tax on medical marijuana by 2025. The bill, does however, establish the ability for towns where medical marijuana dispensaries are located to impose a transfer tax on dispensed marijuana of up to 2 percent. Nearly 50,000 people are currently enrolled in the program. That's up from about 15,000 when Murphy took office in 2018. The expungement measure changes how long people convicted of certain offenses must wait before seeking to clear their records from six years to five years. The bill also allows convicts who are not currently permitted to seek an expunged record the chance to apply after 10 years from their release from prison. Expanding the eligibility for expungement will allow more individuals to remove that stigma and break down those barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential, Democratic State Sen. Sandra Cunningham said in a statement. The bills cleared each chambers committee with hardly any opposition and little debate. Lawmakers say they could be up for votes in each chamber during Thursdays voting session. Four people were killed and at least four others were wounded in shootings over the weekend in Philadelphia. The violence continued Monday, with several more incidents recorded, including a police-involved shooting. Gunfire erupted across the city during a violent weekend that also included several stabbings. An arrest has been reported in one of the seven shooting incidents. Police on Monday released more details about the weekend shootings, including the identities of those slain. Woman, 40, slain in Franklinville Officers responding to a call for a shooting victim about 5:05 a.m. Sunday found Michelle Washington on the 3400 block of North 11th Street with bullet wounds to her head and body. Taken to Temple University Hospital, Washington, of the 4400 block of Marple Street in Holmesburg, died at 5:33 a.m., police said. Police said no arrest has been made. Logan man fatally wounded in Summerdale Police responding to a call for a shooting found Robert Beverly, 43, shot in the stomach on the 4800 block of East Roosevelt Boulevard around midnight Saturday, police said. Beverly, of the 4900 block of North 12th Street, was taken to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:22 a.m. Police said they were looking for a man in his 20s, but did not provide further details. Man, 36, gunned down on his North Philadelphia block Police responding to a call for a shooting and person with a gun about 11:40 p.m. Saturday found Hakiem Nixon, 36, on the 2300 block of North Cleveland Street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and took him in their patrol car to Temple University Hospital. Nixon, who lived on that street, was pronounced dead at 12:03 a.m. Sunday. No arrest has been made, police said. North Philadelphia man fatally shot near Edgar Allan Poe House Jerome Brunson was shot in a leg and the abdomen on the 700 block of Green Street, near the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, about 8:15 p.m. Friday and then made his way to the 600 block of North Seventh Street, police said. Brunson, 31, of the 1200 block of West Oxford Street, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he died at 8:43 p.m., police said. No arrests have been made, police said. Two men wounded in Logan shooting Police said the men, both 25 years old, were shot about 11:53 p.m. Sunday on the 5300 block of North Carlisle Street. One victim had been shot in the abdomen and the other suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his body, police said. Both were taken to Einstein Medical Center in critical condition. No arrests have been made, police said. Two wounded in separate shootings Sunday in Point Breeze, South Philly Police said the first shooting occurred about 1 a.m. Sunday in a home on the 2100 block of Dickinson Street in Point Breeze. The victim, a 43-year-woman, was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was reported to be in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the stomach. Police later arrested a suspect near 20th and Reed Streets, a few blocks away. No charges have been announced. Later, about 6:15 a.m., a 27-year-old man was shot in the right shoulder on the 1200 block of South Ringgold Street in South Philadelphias King Village neighborhood, police said. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian, where he was reported in stable condition. Violence continues Monday The violence continued Monday with several incidents, including an officer-involved shooting. A teenager was stabbed in the 1200 block of Unruh Avenue, Castor Gardens, at 3:36 Monday afternoon. The 16-year-old was taken to St. Christophers Hospital for Children with a stomach wound, police said. His condition was not immediately known. Officials said they had a suspect in custody. In Mayfair around 6 p.m., a double shooting happened on the 7000 block of Charles Street, Mayfair, police said. A 52-year-old woman was hit in the upper back while the other victim, a 39-year-old man, was shot in the left arm. About 40 minutes later in Kensington, a 57-year-old man was shot four times about 6:40 p.m. while on the 2500 block of North Front Street. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. A 12-year-old boy was grazed in the chest outside his home in Kensington on the 600 block of East Clementine Street, Kensington, about 8:35 p.m. Monday, police said. The boys parents took him to St. Christophers, and he was in stable condition late Monday night. Motives were not yet known, but police said it may have been stray gunfire. Near 9 p.m., in Kensington, there was a police-involved shooting at the 3400 block of G Street, police said. A plainclothes officer shot a person, whose identity hasnt been disclosed but was taken to Temple University Hospital. No other details were immediately released. Staff writer Cassie Owens contributed to this article. [Warning: Spoilers for the Game of Thrones series finale below.] A fantasy epic spanning eight seasons and 73 episodes, it was hard to imagine Game of Thrones wrapping up every single storyline. And it didnt. The Iron Throne was destroyed, and the Game came to an end with Bran Stark becoming the King of the Six Kingdoms of Westeros. But there were plenty of questions left unanswered by the Game of Thrones series finale. Whatever happened to Meera Reed? And Howland Reed? Bran is now the King of Westeros, but he never would have survived his journey beyond the Wall or become the Three-Eyed Raven if it werent for Jojen and Meera Reed. Like Bran, Jojen had the power to see the past, present and future in visions. Jojen knew he would not survive the journey, but helped Bran anyway because he believed the future Three-Eyed Raven would be important in the fight against the Night King (Bran gave Arya the knife she used to slay him, so he wasnt wrong). A skilled fighter, Meera stuck with Bran even after her brothers death, helping to keep him safe until they made it back to Winterfell. She had a tense goodbye with a detached Bran, who no longer conveyed much human emotion after becoming the Three-Eyed Raven. So the last we see of her is before the Night King and his army make their way down to Winterfell. Jojen and Meera were also the children of Howland Reed. Howland saved Ned Starks life during Roberts rebellion, and was a part of the mission to try to rescue Lyanna (the mission on which Ned learned the truth of his sisters kidnapping). Thats two generations of Starks that owe their lives to two generations of Reeds. But we never learn whether Meera and her family survived the war between humanity and the army of the dead. Are Ellaria Sand and Septa Unella still in the dungeons? Ellaria Sand and Septa Unella (a.k.a. the Shame nun) were among those last seen as Cerseis prisoners, locked up for revenge. For killing Myrcella, Ellaria was chained in a cell across from her daughter Tyene. Cersei sentenced Ellaria to watch her daughter die, decompose and turn to dust. And after torturing Septa Unella herself with wine, Cersei left her with the Mountain. Its unknown whether Unella survived that encounter. And despite all the subterranean activity in the last two episodes, its not clear whether these women might still have been in the dungeons when Daenerys attacked the Red Keep. Where did Drogon go? Drogon destroyed the Iron Throne and flew off with Daenerys body. Where did Drogon take her? Bran seems to have ideas about warging into Drogon to see where the dragon is spending its time, but until then, dragon unaccounted for. Whats next for the Dothraki? After Bran was declared King of Westeros, Grey Worm and the Unsullied were headed to the Island of Naath (Missandeis homeland). A number of Dothraki are seen milling about by the boats. Did the Dothraki join them? Although they were allies in Daenerys campaign, it seems unlikely that the nomadic Dothraki warriors would continue to travel with the Unsullied soldiers after the death of their Khaleesi. Which means their destination is unknown. What happens to Daario and everything Dany left in Meereen? Dany left Daario Naharis and the Second Sons in charge of keeping the peace in Meereen as it transitioned into a new government system without slavery. Nothing so reliable as a company of mercenaries when the person theyre working for has been stabbed in the chest. What about the Faceless Men? Once Game of Thrones moved all of its main players to Westeros, a lot of the characters from Essos were seldom mentioned again. So although Arya spent a couple seasons training with the guild of assassins known as the Faceless Men, after she left, she didnt make a big deal about her face-stealing tricks or use them (even when it might have come in handy). Also unknown: whether the Faceless Men just accepted the fact that Arya disregarded their teachings and left their order to pursue a personal vendetta. Did Ser Ilyn Payne survive? Arya spends much of Game of Thrones scheming to kill a list of people whove wronged her and her family. Just about everyone on her kill list was dead by the end of the series, although not all by Aryas hand. Everyone except Ser Ilyn Payne, the mute executioner who beheaded Ned Stark back in Season 1. His last appearance was in Season 2. The last time he is even mentioned is in Season 4. Was Payne still in Kings Landing as Daenerys rained fire on the city? Killed in a different battle while fighting for Cersei? Happily retired in Dorne? We will never know. (Part of the reason Paynes fate has remained unresolved is likely because the actor who originally played him, Wilko Johnson, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2012. In 2014, Johnson announced he was cancer-free.) What does the Nights Watch watch now? Jon Snow was sentenced back into the service of the Nights Watch for killing Daenerys. But the Nights Watch was an order established to protect the realms of men from the White Walkers, wildlings and other threats from beyond the Wall. With the Night King defeated and Tormund and the wildlings, aka the Free Folk, on friendlier terms with the northerners they fought alongside at the Battle of Winterfell, it would seem their watch is ended. Why were those wilding babies being sacrificed to the White Walkers? Remember Craster? He was the wildling patriarch that lived north of the Wall, fathering children with his daughter-wives. And if the babies were boys, they were sacrificed to the Night King. Crasters baby sons were left in the woods for White Walkers to collect and deliver to the Night King, who appeared to turn them into baby White Walkers. Contact with the Night King turned the babies eyes that distinctive blue at least. How this arrangement came to be was never revealed, as was the exact fate of these babies. Gillys son, little Sam, was fathered by Craster so its possible he could have some ties to ice zombie magic. (The whereabouts of Gilly and little Sam during the episode were also not revealed). Did Jon Snows true identity remain a secret after all? The revelation that Jon was actually Aegon Targaryen was the secret that rocked many people this season, including Daenerys, who did not want others to learn that Jon had a stronger blood claim to the Iron Throne. But Jon told Sansa (and Arya), Sansa told Tyrion, Tyrion told Varys, and Jons true parentage was no longer a secret. Except it didnt seem that anybody outside the Starks, Sam and Tyrion were aware of Jons identity at the end. None of the heads of the remaining noble houses of Westeros mentioned anything while debating Jons fate for killing Daenerys and the future of the Seven Kingdoms. Have those prophecies been fulfilled? For seasons, fans have theorized about the many prophecies introduced in Game of Thrones. The most devout sleuths even dug for clues in George R.R. Martins books that are the basis for the show. Melisandres entire storyline was about the prince(ss) that was promised, a.k.a. Azor Ahai, who would save the world from darkness. She seemed to consider her mission complete when the Night King was defeated. Except Arya didnt seem to fit the description of said promised prince (or princess, since the prophecy in High Valyrian used a gender-neutral word). Perhaps Jon was Azor Ahai all along, fulfilling the prophecy when he killed Daenerys. Her quest to be a just ruler took a dark turn when she destroyed Kings Landing. But even that act didnt quite fit the bill. Melisandre also mentioned Arya would kill someone with green eyes, which many assumed would be Cersei. Theres no proof that Arya has or hasnt killed anybody with green eyes, but she definitely did not kill Cersei. There was also Maggy the Frogs prophecy that doomed Cersei, which in the books mentioned that the valonqar (little brother in Valyrian) would ultimately be the one to choke her to death. Cersei, however, died with Jaime her sometimes lover and slightly younger brother when a passage under the Red Keep collapses. Granted, prophecies are far from literal. Mayor Jim Kenney, Sen. Bob Casey and other officials and community leaders from the Philadelphia area mark Census Day 2019 at the Constitution Center, Tuesday April 1, 2019 DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer Read more The group created by Gov. Tom Wolf to ensure that all Pennsylvanians are counted in the 2020 Census said Monday that it is asking the state to pledge $1 in funding for every current resident or more than $12 million for outreach and education. The allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding, each states share of U.S. House seats, and voting district boundaries rely on population numbers from the decennial census, which is mandated by the Constitution. With so much at stake, Pennsylvanias Census 2020 Complete Count Commission is seeking the funds as part of its campaign to teach residents especially historically undercounted groups about the importance of the census so they fill out their questionnaires. For every person we miss, every community we undercount, and all the groups we ignore, that will have a tremendous impact on the federal program funding, critical data for business owners, and building an improved Pennsylvania, Micah Sims, a 2020 Census Complete Count commissioner and executive director of the good-government group Common Cause Pennsylvania, said in a statement Monday. Representatives of more than 40 community organizations, local-government associations, education groups, religious organizations, and others are on the census commission. New Jersey lawmakers introduced two bills in February that also seek $1 per state resident for census funding or about $9 million. Next years census presents some new or growing challenges for states and local communities trying to make sure the count includes all their residents. Census Bureau officials are worried the countrys low unemployment rate will make hiring census takers difficult. This will be the first census for which the bureau will encourage people to answer forms online, so digital divides could be a hurdle. They fear that increasing mistrust of government also will keep some people from answering the census. The Trump administration wants the 2020 Census to ask for residents citizenship status, a question asked off and on through the decades. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Philadelphia are among the dozens of governments that have sued to keep the question off the census, since the Census Bureau estimates it presence would deter millions of people from answering their questionnaires. California, one of the states that sued, already has committed $100 million to census efforts or about $2.50 per person and its governors proposed budget includes an additional $54 million. Wolf did not include census money in his proposed budget for next fiscal year, but he supports the commissions recommendation for a relatively modest investment that would pay long-term dividends in return, according to a statement by Wolf spokesperson J.J. Abbott. Gov. Wolf formed the Complete Count Commission to determine Pennsylvanias needs in a collaborative way to ensure every resident is counted, Abbott said. A complete count is essential to maintain our representation nationally and funding levels from the federal government. The governors office expects bipartisan support for the funding. Georgias Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, center, signs legislation on May 7 banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Read more Last week, after Alabama legislators voted for the strictest of anti-abortion laws, Eddie Glaude, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University, went on television and got angry: While conservatives are against abortion, he said, the babies who are here and alive, they dont want to take care of. It makes no damn sense. This disconnect some call it hypocrisy has long been part of the abortion debate. Abortion-rights advocates ask why many Republicans who talk about saving fetuses also advocate cuts to safety-net programs that help low-income children and their families. For their part, many antiabortion advocates say that their stance of protecting life at all costs outweighs any other considerations. A main argument: To save the life of" a child is more basic, more important than to ensure the welfare of a child after birth, according to Matthew Petrusek, a professor of theological ethics at Loyola Marymount University, writing in the Federalist. Anti-poverty programs that are part of the nanny state, he continued, may not work. Opposing specific government programs is not inconsistent with being "pro-life, nor is it evidence that people opposed to abortion dont care about childrens welfare, Petrusek concluded. Childhood poverty Abortion-rights people say they see things differently, pointing to what they call unacceptably high child-poverty rates. Throughout America, one in five children lives in poverty, according to the Childrens Defense Fund, a national nonprofit child advocacy group. In Philadelphia, child-poverty rates sit at about one in three, U.S. census figures show. And in recent years, childhood hunger tripled in North Philadelphia alone, according to research by Drexel Universitys School of Public Health. As it happens, the child-poverty rates for states that have passed or are considering passing strict anti-abortion legislation are among the highest in the nation, including Alabama (24.6 percent), Georgia (21 percent), and Louisiana (28 percent), federal figures show. The rates are 17 percent and 13 percent in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, respectively. What riles anti-poverty advocates is what they perceive as an inconsistency in the intellectual underpinning of antiabortion advocates. If we truly had a national commitment to the sanctity of human life, said national anti-hunger activist Joel Berg, you would think it would start with people having adequate health and nutrition. But suggestions to cut funding to federal programs such as WIC (the Women, Infants and Children program), credited with keeping hundreds of thousands of children alive with pre- and post-natal nutrition care, are like Republicans saying theyre pro-life but against a program that keeps kids from dying, Berg said. Cutting programs In his proposed 2020 budget, President Donald Trump is suggesting several cuts to programs that help children and their families, Vox.com reported. These include: $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid over 10 years, implementing work requirements and eliminating Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. $220 billion in cuts to SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) over 10 years, also implementing work requirements. SNAP, according to the New Yorker, is the single biggest reason why malnutrition has largely vanished from the United States. Trump would replace much of SNAP with so-called Harvest Boxes of food sent to people, an idea widely denounced as impractical. $207 billion in cuts to the student loan program, as well as nearly $4 billion taken from Pell Grants, federal money given to college students in need. Overall cuts of 9 percent to programs such as WIC, subsidized housing vouchers, and Head Start. Assessing the proposed cuts, St. Josephs University sociologist Maria Kefalas said, The same policy makers who are so determined to end abortion as an option appear to lack empathy for poor mothers once the child is born." She believes the thinking is not about helping families but about restricting the power women have over their lives. If you want a patriarchal, regressive society like Saudi Arabia, controlling womens fertility is the oldest play in the book." Against abortion and poverty To be sure, said Kefalas, Berg, and others, there are plenty of people who are against abortion but in favor of helping children and families in poverty. Former Ohio Democratic Congressman Tony Hall is an antiabortion evangelical Christian who has worked tirelessly against childhood hunger, Berg said. And Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey is another example of a man who has problems with abortion but not with helping low-income children, said Judith Levine, a Temple University sociologist. Kefalas added that many religious people sincerely believe that abortion is wrong, but that all children need our help. Overall, Levine said, many Americans presume that giving low-income people a handout is covering for someone who is not being responsible. And, she added, a large number of U.S. taxpayers dont see children the same way citizens do in Scandinavian countries, for example, where national money goes toward helping low-income kids as an investment to assure the next generation is supplied with good teachers, doctors, and government officials. We just dont have that philosophy, Levine said. Still, even if antiabortion advocates dont support government poverty relief, its ridiculous to criticize them, wrote Louisiana State University researcher Stephen Wolfe on the Christian website Mere Orthodoxy. Many have concluded that governmental action for poverty relief generally does more harm than good, he wrote. Regardless of what you think about abortions, Kefalas said, theres one thing nearly all people agree on: Both sides would tell you we have too many of them in America. SymphonyAI Group, a Los Altos, California-based provider of machine condition monitoring, diagnostic and analytic solutions that maximize industrial productivity on a global scale, acquired Azima Global, a Boston, Massachusetts-based provider of machine condition monitoring and asset reliability solutions across several industrial verticals. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. Led by Dr. Romesh Wadhwani, Chairman, SymphonyAI is building a group of companies that use artificial intelligence to transform business enterprises across several markets, including the industrial, retail, consumer, healthcare, financial services, and media sectors. At the core of this is its artificial intelligence platform, eurekaAI, which drives actionable insights by applying machine learning to large datasets, and on which SymphonyAI has already been developing applications focused on industrial predictive maintenance and process optimization. Led by Burt Hurlock, CEO, Azima Global has built a suite of cloud-based machine diagnostic and analytic solutions, supported by a team of deep domain experts, that together deliver accurate and visibility into the condition of industrial assets at scale. Over the past decade, the company has been providing these solutions to companies in the oil & gas, chemicals, food manufacturing and other industries. In joining the SymphonyAI Group of companies, Azima Global, renamed Symphony AzimaAI, will develop products that (i) leverage one of the largest dynamic mechanical fault mode datasets and (ii) combine automated machine condition diagnostic data and plant-level process data, to deliver enterprise-level AI-driven predictive asset health and performance management solutions. FinSMEs 20/05/2019 Police in Delaware County on Sunday were investigating the vandalism of a Roman Catholic church in Swarthmore, Ridley Township. Shortly after 9 a.m., a man discovered the three glass front doors of Notre Dame de Lourdes church had been spray-painted with the slogan: You do not have the right to decide what people can do, #ProChoice. A side brick wall of the church was also tagged with #ProChoice. The man alerted the church pastor, Father Joseph Devlin, who reported the vandalism. The principal at the adjacent church school accessed security video of the vandalism in progress and handed it over to investigators. Parishioners removed the graffiti by late afternoon. Candidates for at-large City Council seats hold signs indicating their positions on questions posed during a forum at Congregation Rodeph Shalom March 24, 2019 "to determine if they will help transform the City of Philadelphia to meet the vision of the Peoples Platform." Read more Organized labor is always a powerful force in Philadelphia-area elections, whether theyre city specific or congressional races. In 2019 alone, in the Philadelphia primary, where dozens of candidates have collected nearly $9.1 million, unions are the second-largest donors, making up almost 23 percent or $2 million of total campaign contributions, according to the left-leaning, volunteer-run group Philly Power Research. The only sector that outspent organized labor is the real estate and building industry, which has dropped $2.1 million on candidates so far. This comes at a time when federal corruption charges loom over labor leader and politico John J. Johnny Doc Dougherty of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98. The local has contributed to campaigns in the primary, and candidates have accepted the money. Heres a look at whom unions are backing, in terms of money and endorsements. Were focusing on the Council at-large race since so many people are running. In the at-large race, unions have spent $941,770 across 17 candidates in 2019, according to the Philly Power Research analysis. One note: While traditional unions are the powerful majority of the Philadelphia labor movement, smaller, upstart groups, sometimes called alternative, or alt-labor which win rights for nonunionized workers in other ways, like legislation have proliferated in the last few years. Think: One Pennsylvania, which was behind Fair Workweek scheduling legislation; the Pennsylvania Domestic Workers Alliance, which is lobbying for a domestic worker bill of rights; and Jobs with Justice. So far, those alt-labor groups have not gotten deeply involved with elections at least by giving money or endorsements. Candidates, though, like Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and at-large candidate Erika Almiron, have campaigned on alt-labor issues. >> READ MORE: Phillys labor women group calls out AFL-CIO for its endorsement of Sheriff Jewell Williams Also, were looking at money raised in 2019 and will follow up once the primary reporting period ends. And some union money is harder to track: For example, the Steamfitters union contributed $10,000 to a PAC called Philly for Growth thats also backed by real estate developers. Philly for Growth backed several at-large candidates, such as Derek Green and Katherine Gilmore Richardson, but those dollars arent accounted for in our breakdown. Union favorites When it comes to campaign contributions and endorsements, Democratic incumbents Helen Gym and Green are far and away the Philadelphia labor movements favorite at-large candidates. In 2019, Gym raised $184,810 from unions and union-related PACs and received at least 15 union endorsements, while Green raised $107,100 from labor and received at least 10 union endorsements. The other apparent favorites in the Democratic race are: Isaiah Thomas, a community advocate who has the backing of powerful political and labor leaders like Ryan Boyer of the Laborers District Council, a construction union, and Chris Woods of District 1199c, a health-care union. Thomas raised $106,350 and got at least 13 union endorsements. Gilmore Richardson, a longtime staffer for Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. Richardson raised $72,700 and got at least seven union endorsements. Ethelind Baylor, a VP for city employee union AFSCME District Council 47. She raised $15,250 from unions and got at least eight endorsements, though not from her own union. Incumbent Allan Domb raised $19,161 from unions and got at least five union endorsements. Republican favorites include: Dan Tinney, a union steamfitter and ward leader whos raised $87,750 from the building trades. (Tinney also raised $74,100 from unions in 2018.) A Billy Penn report described Tinneys campaign as a bid to unseat Councilman David Oh, who is unpopular with Philadelphia Parking Authority Chairman Joseph Ashdale, who is also a leader in the Painters union. Councilman Al Taubenberger, who raised $46,550 from the building trades. Hes on the board of the PPA. >> READ MORE: Who are the Republicans running for Philadelphia City Council? And why didnt the city GOP endorse any of them? What do the union favorites have to say about workers? Gym has a track record of supporting worker-friendly legislation: She introduced and championed Fair Workweek legislation aimed at largely nonunion, low-wage retail, fast-food, and hotel workers. She also supports the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights and the recently passed just-cause legislation against unfair firings for parking lot workers. Green and Domb both supported Fair Workweek. Green also supported the parking lot worker bills and helped secure funding for the citys effort to teach local businesses about worker co-ops. Others havent said much about what theyd do for workers, and if they did mention workers, they didnt share specifics. >> READ MORE: Was a union leader behind Democratic flip-flop endorsement mystery? | Clout Thomas has said he would provide educational and training opportunities for young people," as well as advocate [for] removing barriers to higher education and other pathways to family-sustaining careers. He tried to distance himself from being branded as the union candidate" in an interview with Philadelphia Magazine, saying, While those union endorsements are something I value, I pride myself (and my campaign) on being a coalition-builder, bringing Philadelphians together from many parts and communities throughout the city, as you can see from the groups who support me. In an interview with the magazine, Gilmore-Richardson mentioned living wage" as a major issue to be addressed in City Hall and said that if elected, shed focus on prosperity and workforce development. Baylor, in her survey for Reclaim Philadelphia, said, I understand that we need more champions of workers rights, as well as human rights and economic justice for all. When asked what white supremacy and patriarchy mean to her, she brought up the wage gap and sexual harassment in the workplace. She said shed commit to achieving racial equity among workers and department heads in the City of Philadelphia. Tinney has said hed support workers by attracting businesses and creating jobs. Taubenberger did not support Fair Workweek legislation or the parking lot worker bills. New Jersey electrical contractor George Peltz leaves federal court in Philadelphia on Monday, May 20, 2019, after being sentenced to 18 months in prison. Read more A New Jersey electrical contractor and longtime ally of labor leader John J. Dougherty was sentenced Monday to 1 years in prison, making him the first defendant punished in a long-running federal probe of operations at the Philadelphia regions largest Electricians local. George J. Peltz, co-owner of MJK Electrical Corp., with offices in Philadelphia and Berlin, Camden County, admitted earlier this year to providing Dougherty nearly $57,000 in home and office improvements at no charge between 2012 and 2015. During roughly the same period, Dougherty widely known as Johnny Doc and his union, the politically powerful Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, aided Peltz in landing millions of dollars in work. That sum included $2.1 million from Comcast Corp. that federal prosecutors say Dougherty and City Councilman Bobby Henon personally negotiated. Like others in Doughertys orbit who have faced indictment over the years, Peltz, 67, of Ocean City, N.J., did not agree to cooperate with investigators or to testify against any Local 98 officials when he pleaded guilty in January to counts including making unlawful payments to a union official, tax fraud, and theft from an employee benefit fund. In court Monday, he apologized before a standing-room-only crowd of family and friends and handed over four checks totaling $958,000 as restitution for a litany of unrelated offenses. Those included hiding more than $1.6 million in business and personal income from the IRS, and cheating his employees out of overtime wages and nearly $500,000 he owed to their union benefit fund. Im so deeply sorry, he told U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl. I cant tell you how sorry I am for this lapse in judgment. Schmehl shot back, citing what Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Gray had described earlier as a systematic fleecing of [Peltzs] own company. This is not an aberration. This is not isolated conduct, the judge said. This was systematic and deliberate stealing of money. It is not a lapse in judgment. Still, Schmehl cut Peltz a break. The 18-month sentence was a little more than half of the 30-month term that prosecutors said he deserved. It also fell six months short of the low end of what federal sentencing guidelines recommended. Peltzs sentence, coming months before Dougherty, Henon, and seven other Local 98 officials are set to stand trial, could serve as an early indicator of how severely Schmehl intends to punish those higher-profile defendants if they ultimately are found guilty. Facing charges ranging from political bribery to embezzling union funds, each has maintained innocence. In explaining Peltzs sentence, the judge cited the contractors acceptance of responsibility and the numerous testimonials he received describing the contractor as an attentive father, understanding boss, and generous friend. But it was his loyalty to one friend in particular Dougherty that first attracted FBI scrutiny. The two met as young apprentice electricians in the early days of their careers. Peltz eventually left to launch MJK Electric with partner Michael J. Jones in 1994, and Dougherty rose to the head of their union. But they always kept an eye out for one another. With Jones, an African American, serving as company president, Peltzs company has benefited from city rules requiring a certain percentage of government contract work to be awarded to minority-owned businesses. And as one of Local 98s favored minority contractors, MJK won work not only from Local 98 but also in high-profile city projects like construction of the Barnes Foundation, the lighting of Boathouse Row, and some of the setup work surrounding the 2016 Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center. When Comcast was renegotiating its franchise agreement with the city in 2015, prosecutors say Dougherty and Henon threatened to block any new contract unless the cable giant steered a percentage of its work laying fiber optic cables to Peltzs company at a 125 percent markup from Comcasts standard rate. Comcast caved and paid MJK more than $2.1 million for work done over the next year. Peltzs firm also raked in more than $3.2 million from Local 98 between 2010 and 2016 in what are known as market recovery funds making it the unions single largest recipient of such payments. The funds are meant to subsidize labor costs for union contractors and help them compete with nonunion employers. In court Monday, Peltzs lawyer, Barry Gross, maintained that the free home improvements his client gave to Dougherty and several Dougherty family members during the same period were not intended as bribes in exchange for the union boss continued generosity. Instead, the attorney described them as gifts to people he considered as close as family. Peltz charged nothing to Dougherty, his father, and his daughter for the big-screen TVs and security systems his company bought and installed at their respective homes at a cost of $27,000. And when Docs Union Pub a South Philadelphia bar owned by Dougherty and other union officials needed new LCD displays, MJK installed them at only a fraction of their $30,000 cost. Federal law prohibits employers from providing goods and services to union officials unless those transactions are carried out at fair market value. What Mr. Peltz did was wrong, Gross said Monday. He has admitted it. Hes accepted responsibility. Hes drained most of his assets and his retirement plans [to pay restitution]. Hes ready to move on. In addition to incarceration, Schmehl sentenced Peltz to pay a $10,000 fine and serve two years probation upon his release. He is scheduled to surrender for prison in July. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to party supporters after his opponent concedes defeat in the federal election in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Australia's ruling conservative coalition, lead by Morrison, won a surprise victory in the country's general election, defying opinion polls that had tipped the center-left opposition party to oust it from power and promising an end to the revolving door of national leaders. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) Read more SYDNEY (AP) A jubilant Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed Sunday to get straight back to work after a shock election victory by his conservative government that has left bewildered voters wondering how they were taken by surprise. The opposition Labor Party, meanwhile, began another bout of postelection soul searching while starting the task of finding a new leader, after Bill Shorten stepped down following an emphatic defeat Saturday in a poll many had seen as unlosable for his party. Center-left Labor, which has governed Australia for only 38 of its 118 years as a federation, was rated an overwhelming favorite, both in opinion polls and with odds-makers, to topple the conservative Liberal-National coalition government after its six years in power. Instead, Morrison who became prime minister only last August when a contentious internal party vote dumped Malcolm Turnbull as its leader swept the coalition to victory with what is likely to be an increased representation in Parliament. The result is much the same as the last election, which delivered the government a single-seat majority in 2016. Since then, public expectations have taken a roller coaster ride based on the media's reporting of polls. Opinion polling has been a factor in conservative and Labor governments ousting four of their own prime ministers in the past decade, mostly recently elevating Morrison to prime minister. Sydney University political scientist Stewart Jackson said the polls that had put Labor ahead of the government for the past two years were too consistent for too long to be credible. "That indicates 'herding,' where the pollsters themselves are getting results that they don't think are right and are adjusting them," Jackson said. "Because statistically, polls should never come up like that." Martin O'Shannessy, who headed the respected Newspoll market research company in Sydney for a decade until 2015, said he was "shocked" by the government's victory, given the polling. "It's not possible to tell exactly how the current polls are being conducted because they don't have the same method statement that polls in the past have had," O'Shannessy said. Until Saturday, Newspoll had accurately predicted the winner of every Australian state and federal election since its inception in 1985. Australia has made voting compulsory, so pollsters' surveys of Australians' party preferences usually come close to the election result. Newspolls are published every few weeks and are reported by the Australian media like a game score of the government and opposition's popularity and achievements. Morrison's predecessor, Turnbull, justified overthrowing his predecessor, Tony Abbott, in 2015 on the basis of "30 losing Newspolls." Turnbull's administration had trailed Labor in more than 30 Newspolls before his government replaced him with Morrison as elections loomed. O'Shannessy said Sunday, "You should never sack the prime minister on the basis of a Newspoll ever." Labor lawmaker Anthony Albanese, who was defeated by Shorten in a ballot of the party leadership in 2013 and will contest for the job again, said he had expected to be in government based on polling. "The truth is that clearly there is a major gap between what the polling was showing and what the outcome was," Albanese said. "That is something that no doubt will be examined over coming days and weeks." With just over 75% of votes counted by Sunday evening, the coalition had won 73 of the 76 seats needed to form a majority government, according to calculations from the Australian Broadcasting Corp. With seven seats still undecided, the coalition was expected to make further gains by the end of counting. The government had gone into the election as a minority government, with just 73 seats. Labor was holding 65 seats, with independents and minor parties claiming six. The possibility remains that the coalition will again have to govern in the minority, relying on agreements with independent and minor party lawmakers to do government business. Still, Shorten's move to concede defeat late Saturday night confirmed a resounding victory for the Morrison administration. Speaking before attending church in his electorate in southern Sydney on Sunday morning, Morrison thanked Australians for returning him to office. "I give thanks to live in the greatest country in all the world," he said. "Thanks again to all Australians all across the country." The 51-year-old, who received a congratulatory phone call from President Donald Trump earlier Sunday, said he was eager to return to work on Monday to form his new government. A key Morrison ally, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, paid tribute to his leader's campaigning for securing the victory. "The prime minister led from the front," Frydenberg told ABC TV. "From the minute the starter's gun was fired in this campaign, we knew we were behind, but we also knew we were in it, and no one knew this better than the prime minister." "He crisscrossed the country with great energy, belief, and conviction. He was assured, he was confident, and he was across the detail, and he sold our economic plan to the Australian people, a plan that resonated with them," Frydenberg said. Analysts credited the result also to a simple coalition platform centering on promises of keeping taxes to a minimum. Labor entered the race grappling with a low popularity rating for Shorten, a 52-year-old former union boss widely seen as having a pallid personality. Rather than frame the election as a battle between him and the more outgoing Morrison, Labor strategists instead pushed a broad platform of policies. Shorten campaigned heavily on reducing greenhouse emissions, while promising a range of other reforms, including the government paying all of a patient's costs for cancer treatment, and a reduction in tax breaks for landlords. While senior Labor lawmaker Chris Bowen conceded his party may have suffered for what, for an opposition party, was an unusually detailed campaign, Shorten insisted it had been right to fight the election on issues rather than personalities. "I'm disappointed for people who depend upon Labor, but I'm glad that we argued what was right, not what was easy," Shorten told supporters. Shorten would have been Australia's sixth prime minister in six years had he been elected. Many Australians have at least welcomed Morrison's announcement of a change in Liberal policy in that the party can no longer dump a prime minister by internal party vote, meaning they will lead the country for a full three-year term unless an early election is called. So high was public confidence of a Labor victory, Australian online bookmaker Sportsbet paid out 1.3 million Australian dollars ($900,000) to bettors who backed Labor two days before the vote. Sportsbet said 70% of wagers had been placed on Labor at the slender odds of $1.16 to $1.00. As Labor absorbed the defeat, deputy leader Tanya Plibersek and Albanese told reporters they were considering running for the party's leadership. ___ Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures a heart symbol to supporters outside Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 20, 2109. Maduro is celebrating the anniversary of his disputed re-election amid a growing humanitarian crisis and political upheaval. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Read more CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday celebrated the anniversary of his disputed re-election amid a growing humanitarian crisis and political upheaval. Maduro tweeted that the May 20, 2018, election, was a "victory" for Venezuelans, though the opposition and many countries have derided it as unfair. In a speech at a government-organized rally, Maduro said he is prepared to face the opposition in legislative elections, though he has made similar challenges in the past while dismissing allegations that his re-election was fixed. He referred to a recent effort by Norway to mediate between Venezuela's opposing factions and said he favored dialogue, though critics accuse him of using past negotiations to play for time. "Why don't they respond when I make this proposal?" Maduro said of his election offer to the opposition, which is demanding that he step down to make way for a transitional government before elections can be held. Meanwhile, members of a loyalist assembly assigned by Maduro to write a new constitution decided to extend their work until the end of 2020. The assembly rivals the opposition-controlled congress, headed by Juan Guaido, that says Maduro has steered Venezuela toward authoritarian rule and ruined the economy. The United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela in a bid to unseat Maduro, compounding the problems of the country's deteriorating oil industry. Maduro says Guaido is a pawn in a U.S. coup plot. Also Monday, Carlos Vecchio, a government opponent who the U.S. recognizes as Venezuela's ambassador, met with Pentagon officials at the request of Guaido. The U.S. has insisted "all options" are on the table for dealing with Venezuela's crisis and Guaido in recent weeks has publicly speculated about the idea of requesting foreign military assistance to help rid Venezuela of Maduro. Even so, the U.S. says it is focusing on diplomatic and economic pressure on Maduro, and there are no indications of any military buildup. Maduro's re-election to a second six-year term lies at the heart of Venezuela's political standoff, in which Guaido has sought unsuccessfully to get the military command to support him. The opposition leader's failed call for a military uprising on April 30 was followed by deadly clashes between police and protesters. Ahead of Maduro's 2018 re-election, the main opposition coalition refused to field a candidate, saying there was no possibility of a fair vote. The government had previously stacked the electoral council and judiciary with its supporters, and the opposition's most combative leaders were banned from participating, imprisoned or exiled. ___ Associated Press writer Jorge Rueda in Caracas contributed to this report. At 6:45 a.m. on March 1, 1954, the blue sky stretching over the south Pacific Ocean was split open by an enormous red flash. Within seconds, a mushroom cloud towered 4 miles high over Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The explosion, the U.S. governments first weaponized hydrogen bomb, was 1,000 times more powerful than the Little Boy atomic bomb blast that flattened Hiroshima and a complete miscalculation. Scientists had underestimated the size of what became known as the Castle Bravo test, resulting in an explosion that was 2 times larger than expected. Radioactive ash dropped more than 7,000 square miles from the bomb site, caking the nearby inhabited islands. "Within hours, the atoll was covered with a fine, white, powderlike substance," the Marshall Islands health minister would later testify, according to the Atomic Heritage Foundation. "No one knew it was radioactive fallout. The children played in the 'snow.' They ate it." The 1954 explosion was part of a series of nuclear tests conducted as the American military lurched into the nuclear age. From 1946 to 1958, 67 U.S. nuclear tests pulverized the tranquil reefs and islands of South Pacific. International pressure finally halted the bombing, but the damage was done and continues to this day. That was the message reiterated by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on a recent tour of the South Pacific to discuss climate change. In Fiji on Thursday, he told the crowd about "a kind of coffin" built by the U.S. in the Marshall Islands to house the deadly radioactive debris from 1980s. The structure, however, was never meant to last. Today, due to disrepair and rising sea tides, it is dangerously vulnerable. A strong storm could breach the dome, releasing the deadly legacy of America's nuclear might. "I've just been with the President of the Marshall Islands (Hilda Heine), who is very worried because there is a risk of leaking of radioactive materials that are contained in a kind of coffin in the area," Guterres said in Fiji, Agence France-Presse reported. Guterres's "coffin" was the product of a belated American response to the testing of the 1940s and 1950s. Beginning in 1977, the Defense Nuclear Agency began a sustained cleanup of the nuclear debris left over on Enewetak Atoll, a slender archipelago in the Marshall Islands's northwest corner. Enewetak Atoll was subjected to repeated blasts during the testing, and inhabitants were forced to relocate before the explosions began. Beginning in 1977, 4,000 U.S. servicemen began collecting an estimated 73,000 cubic meters of tainted surface soil across the islands, according to the Marshall Islands' government. The material was then transported to Runit Island, where a 328-foot crater remained from a May 1958 test explosion. For three years, the American military dumped the material into the crater. Six men reportedly died during the work. Locals took to calling it "The Tomb," the Guardian reported. In 1980, a massive concrete dome 18 inches thick and shaped like a flying saucer was placed over the fallout debris, sealing off the material on Runit. But the $218 million project was only supposed to be temporary until a more permanent site was developed, according to the Guardian. However, no further plans were ever hatched. In 1983, the Marshall Islands signed a compact of free association with the U.S., granting the island nation the right to govern itself. But the deal also settled "all claims, past, present and future" tied to the nuclear testing, and left the dome in the care of the island government. According to a 2017 report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, among the fallout material was plutonium-239, an isotope that is one of the world's most toxic substances, and one with a radioactive half-life of 24,100 years. The staying power of that material is the problem. It's still there, only 18 inches of concrete away from waters that are rising. "That dome is the connection between the nuclear age and the climate change age," climate change activist Alson Kelen told the Australian broadcaster. Cracks reportedly have started to appear in the dome. Part of the threat is that the crater was never properly lined, meaning rising seawater could breach the structural integrity. "The bottom of the dome is just what was left behind by the nuclear weapons explosion," Michael Gerrard, the chair of Columbia University's Earth Institute, told the ABC. "It's permeable soil. There was no effort to line it. And therefore, the seawater is inside the dome." According to the Guardian, a 2013 report by the Energy Department admitted radioactive material may have already begun to leak from the dome, but cautioned the health risks were likely low. The Marshallese government, however, does not have the money to shore up the structure, leaving it vulnerable to both rising tides and typhoons. "It's clear as day that the local government will neither have the expertise or funds to fix the problem if it needs a particular fix," a Marshallese official told the Guardian. Last week, Guterres sounded a similar theme in Fiji about the ongoing effects of the American testing on the small island nation. The Pacific was victimized in the past as we all know, he said last Thursday, according to the Agence France-Presse. "The consequences of these have been quite dramatic, in relation to health, in relation to the poisoning of waters in some areas. FILE - In this April 29, 2019, file photo, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, center, chairs a session of the weekly cabinet meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday, May 19. Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed, Pool, File) Read more JERUSALEM (AP) The Palestinian prime minister said Monday that any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian people's aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail. Mohammad Shtayyeh's comments immediately cast a cloud over the American-led Mideast peace conference expected to take place in late June in the tiny Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. The White House announced Sunday it will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan at the conference, saying it will focus on economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But officials say the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. "Any solution to the conflict in Palestine must be political ... and based on ending the occupation," Shtayyeh said at a Palestinian Cabinet meeting. "The current financial crisis is a result of a financial war waged against us and we will not succumb to blackmailing and extortion and will not trade our national rights for money." President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was "difficult to understand why the Palestinian Authority would reject a workshop designed to discuss a vision with the potential to radically transform lives and put people on a path toward a brighter future." "History will judge the Palestinian Authority harshly for passing up any opportunity that could give the Palestinians something so very different, and something so very positive, compared to what they have today," Greenblatt said. In another setback, Bashar Masri, a Palestinian industrialist with vast business holdings throughout the West Bank, said he had turned down an invitation to the conference. "I will not participate in this conference, and none of the representatives of our companies will participate," he wrote on Facebook. "We reaffirm our clear position: We will not deal with any event outside the Palestinian national consensus." The Palestinians severed ties with the U.S. over a year ago over Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. They have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They believe the U.S. is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to bully them into accepting a plan that would legitimize the Israeli occupation. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." The tiny island nation of Bahrain, off the coast of Saudi Arabia, has signaled its willingness to open relations with Israel. Prominent rabbis in 2017 said King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told them he hoped the Arab boycott of Israel would end. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet and is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are widely believed to be seeking closer ties to Israel, viewing it as a potential ally against Iran, a shared enemy. Kushner and Greenblatt, have been leading efforts to draft the plan, but after more than two years of work, they have not released any details. A senior administration official in Washington told reporters Sunday that invitations to the conference are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. There were no details on who might attend, or whether the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank was invited. Israel's Finance Ministry said it had not been invited. In the absence of direct talks with Palestinian leaders, U.S. officials often talk of engaging Palestinians in the private sector and "civil society" groups. Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has embraced the "Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce," a group led by Israeli West Bank settlers that seeks business ties with Palestinian partners. The group's Palestinian co-founder, businessman Ashraf Jabari, said he had been invited and planned on attending. It is unclear how any large-scale projects would be carried out in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. and Israel consider Gaza's Hamas rulers to be a terrorist group and have no direct contacts with them. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war for an independent state. Breaking from the policies of its predecessors, the Trump administration has refused to endorse a two-state solution. Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The U.S. has also cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians and closed the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington. The Palestinians have already said they would reject any peace plan offered by the U.S., saying Trump is unfairly biased toward Israel. Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. ___ Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem, and Deb Riechmann, Matthew Lee and Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report. Shannon Brewer, the clinic director at the Jackson Women's Health Organization, watches a monitor with the live feed from security video cameras set throughout the property Friday, May 17, 2019, in Jackson, Miss. Brewer is concerned about the growing number of abortion restrictive bills being passed by state legislatures, (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Read more JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Inside Mississippi's only abortion clinic, administrator Shannon Brewer has been fielding phone calls from women who want to know whether they can still terminate a pregnancy if they think they might be more than a few weeks along. The confusion comes from a Mississippi law that's set to ban abortions after a fetus's heartbeat is detected: about six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The clinic has sued to block it, and a judge was scheduled to hear arguments on the request Tuesday. Brewer says that since abortion has been in the news frequently for the past few months, the Mississippi clinic, the Jackson Women's Health Organization, is receiving calls from potential patients not only from inside the state but also from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee. "They're calling to make sure we're not closed," she said. The Mississippi law, signed by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant in March, says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licenses. It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a woman's life or one of her major bodily functions. Legislators rejected efforts to allow exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. The Jackson Women's Health Organization says the law is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide. Abortion opponents have pushed new restrictions in several states this year the most recent being Alabama, which just last week passed a law banning nearly all abortions in the hopes that a case will make its way to the high court. They are emboldened by new conservative justices on the court appointed by President Donald Trump, who tweeted over the weekend that he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the pregnant woman. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves is scheduled to hear arguments on Tuesday over the clinic's request for him to stop the law from taking effect July 1. It was unclear whether Reeves would issue a decision immediately. If Reeves were to temporarily block the law, he would hear arguments later on the larger question of constitutionality. In 2018, Mississippi enacted a law to ban abortions after 15 weeks, and Reeves struck it down, writing that it "unequivocally" violates women's constitutional rights. Governors in Georgia, Kentucky and Ohio have also signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Missouri lawmakers passed an eight-week ban Friday. Other states, including Louisiana, are considering similarly restrictive laws. None of the laws that have been signed have yet taken effect. All are expected to be blocked while challenges work their way through courts. "Other states are following Mississippi with heartbeat bills," Bryant tweeted on Sunday. "A new national movement has begun. We now have a President that stands for the unborn. Look for the left to increase their hateful attacks." Jackson Women's Health Organization has four physicians who travel from Atlanta, Boston and California to do abortions, Brewer said. Abortion opponents stand outside the bright pink clinic several days each month to sing, pray and beseech women not to go inside. Posters inside the clinic tell about the most effective birth control methods, and a basket of condoms sits in the room where women are required under a years-old Mississippi law to receive counseling at least 24 hours before an abortion can be done. They have to make a second trip to the clinic to have the procedure. Brewer said the earliest point at which the clinic does abortions is at about six weeks of pregnancy, and the average is at about eight to 10 weeks. The latest the clinic will do an abortion is 16 weeks. Banning abortion after six weeks "is the same as banning abortion," she said. Republican state Sen. Angela Hill of Picayune was one of the main sponsors of the Mississippi bill. During a Senate debate in February, Hill fought back tears as she said she said it would help women and children. "I see in this country that we protect sea turtle eggs and we protect other endangered species of animals with a greater degree of scrutiny and zealousness than we protect a child in the womb," Hill said. ____ Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus. Police in South Jersey arrested two men on Sunday after a video circulated on social media showing a man urinating on the memorial of a boy who died from an inoperable brain tumor. Earlier in the day, Township of Hamilton police were alerted to the video, which was shot in full daylight at Underhill Park, a playground in Mays Landing. Posted on Snapchat, it showed a man urinating on a granite memorial for Christian Clopp, a boy who died in 2012 at age 9 after fighting brain cancer. Investigators charged Bryan Bellace, 23, of Egg Harbor City, with lewdness, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and having an open alcoholic beverage in a park. Daniel Flippen, 23, of Hammonton, who allegedly shot the video, was charged with having an open alcoholic beverage in the park. The late boys father, Mark L. Clopp, is a former Township of Hamilton police officer. Friends and family gathered on Sunday to disinfect the plaque that memorialized Clopps son. Clopp posted a note thanking the community on his Facebook page and asking them not to take retaliatory action: So, my day started out horribly, after learning what happened to Christians memorial. After controlling my own emotions and assisting my family with same, I finally found a moment to put all of this into perspective, he wrote. "Ive heard from hundreds of people offering assistance. Friends and strangers went to wash the memorial off. At the end of the day, the good outweighed and overwhelmed the bad. This is what Christian did during his life. He brought people together. If we let anger prevail, weve lost the battle. Thanks again, everyone, for coming together and showing how great our community can be. (CNN) Taiwan has lashed out at China's state media for attempting to take credit for the island's historic decision to legalize same-sex marriage. On Friday, Taiwan's legislators passed a bill making same-sex marriage a reality, the first place in Asia to give LGBT couples many of the same rights as their heterosexual peers. LGBT activists were overjoyed at the news, but some of the most unlikely praise came from the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece. "Local lawmakers in Taiwan, China, have legalized same-sex marriage in a first for Asia," tweeted the People's Daily newspaper on Friday, along with a rainbow color-infused animated image that says "love is love" underneath. "Wrong!" Joseph Wu, Taiwan's foreign minister, shot back on his department's official Twitter account Sunday. "The bill was passed by our national parliament and will be signed by the president soon. Democratic Taiwan is a country in itself and has nothing to do with authoritarian China." "(People's Daily) is a commie brainwasher and it sucks." Taiwan and China are separated by fewer than 130 kilometers (81 miles) at their closest point. For seven decades, the two have maintained an uneasy truce following their split at the end of a bloody civil war in 1949. Unification is a long-term aim for China's ruling Communist Party, which regards self-governed Taiwan -- an island of 23 million people -- as a renegade province. The historic vote in Taiwan came almost two years after the island's Constitutional Court ruled existing laws -- which defined marriage as between a man and a woman -- to be unconstitutional. Despite sharply divided public opinions, Taiwan's legislators passed the law only a week before a court-set deadline to enact marriage equality laws. It will go into effect on May 24. As thousands of people in Taipei took to the streets to celebrate the outcome, Beijing's propaganda authorities appeared to see an opportunity to stake a claim on China's sovereignty over Taiwan and to highlight China's supposed LGBT-friendliness. The news from Taiwan was among trending topics Friday on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter. It has remained a widely discussed story, generating largely positive comments, despite the Chinese government's growing censorship on all LGBT-related subjects on social media. Global Times, a state-run tabloid known for its nationalistic rhetoric, posted a video Saturday showcasing gay social life in Beijing. The three-minute clip features interviews with local advocates as well as foreigners praising the Chinese capital's inclusive culture, complete with footage of drag queen performances. Homosexuality is not illegal in China and the authorities in 2001 removed it from the official list of mental disorders. But activists and experts agree that prejudices and discrimination persist, as well as periodic government crackdowns. Since he came to power in late 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has increasingly stressed the Communist Party's absolute control over all aspects of society, resulting in a push for more rigid moral codes and even less room for LGBT visibility and advocacy. In March, nearly all LGBT content was scrubbed from "Bohemian Rhapsody," the award-winning biopic of British rock band Queen, for the Chinese audience. Deleted scenes range from two men kissing to the word "gay." Last November, an author of same-sex erotic fiction was sent to jail for ten years. In 2016, Chinese censors banned the portrayal of "abnormal sexual behavior" in TV and online shows, including gay and lesbian relationships. Still, some Chinese activists want to focus on the positive impact of Taiwan's legalization of same-sex marriage may have on the mainland. "It offers us a lot of hope," Xiaogang Wei, a leading LGBT rights activist who heads the Beijing Gender Health Education Institute, told CNN on Friday. "The Chinese government has pointed to cultural tradition as a reason for same-sex marriage being unsuitable in China. But the decision in Taiwan, which shares a cultural tradition with us, proves that Chinese culture can be open, diverse and progressive." With clouds packed with rain rolling in overnight, they poured down leaving the trails and riders drenched. Nicola Casadei fine-tuning his bike with the Andreani suspension specialists. Whilst others hid from the rain. As everything was sodden outside, Enrico Gualas voice kept everyones spirits high as he set riders on their way. Laura Rossin getting herself prepped for the day. Bikes left out in the rain as their owners sheltered from the elements. As riders made their way to the first stage of the day, the rain was beginning to ease off. One way of keeping those goggles dry, Louise Paulin. Everything drenched, from the start time sheets to the dirt which had turned into a muddy soup. With a layer of grease on top of the dirt meant things got slippery on the first two stages. Irene Savelli put in a solid performance, second position and looking fast all day. The fans still braved the weather to cheer on the racers. One of the many victims of the wet, polished roots. Talking of victims, this was a close call. Towards the end of the second stage, the sun started to shine down. The liaison to the third stage was one of the longest, but with enough time to get to the start, racers were able to conserve some energy by pushing. As the ground began to dry out, a reminder of the earlier wet conditions. A kneepad trampled into the dirt, missing its twin and owner. Andrea Ugolini. Italian national champ, Jessica Bormolini on her way to third position. Alex Lupato took an early lead, winning the first stage but dropped back as the day progressed and finished up in 6th position. Erwin Ronzon. Matthias Stonig, his best result of the day was a 3rd on the first stage, he finished in 11th. The local organiser Thomas Daddi has recently returned from the Cape Epic, inspired by the music and atmosphere he organised the Bandao Percussion Orchestra to play as riders made their way to the final stage of the day. Crowds littered the side of the final stage of the day, offering moral support in the form of shouting. Stage 5, Rock'oh was one of the stages we saw at the EWS back in 2013, it has some pretty technical sections like this rocky shoot. 3rd placed Matteo Berta, attacking the most technical of lines through this section. Not everyone managed to make it through unscathed, wet and muddy tyres on the rock didn't offer much in the way of grip. Erwin Ronzon had a tough first stage, won the second and began to claw back some time throughout the day, making light work of this section and finished up in 4th position. Laura Rossin getting sideways in the point, no one wants to be sideways, managing to ride it out and taking victory here in Punta Ala by almost one minute. In the mens race, Nicola Casadei put down a solid performance throughout the day and finished up 15 seconds ahead of Marcello Persenti. The aftermath, everything got a good coating of mud. Simone Martinelli enjoying the beach here in Punta Ala, see you at the next one. Results: Women 1st: Laura Rossin 2nd: Irene Savelli 3rd: Jessica Bormolini Men 1st: Nicola Casadei 2nd: Marcello Persenti 3rd: Matteo Berta Full Results This weekend Punta Ala Camp and Resort hosted the second round of the 2019 Superenduro (Italian Enduro Series). Situated in Tuscany, and quite literally a stones throw away from the sea. Tuscany is one of Italys most picturesque regions, treating us to long sandy beaches, beautiful rolling hills and of course its cuisine. But the bike riding is really what has brought the Superenduro here, with a range of fast, flowy trails to eye-watering, rocky, technical trails, thats why Punta Ala played host to the inaugural EWS back in 2013.This weekends race was made up of five stages on a 41km loop, with 1460m of climbing which is almost all off-road except for the final liaison back to the resort. With the weather relatively unpredictable this weekend, with heavy rain in the morning it would brighten up towards the end of each day. Racers had to be prepared for all conditions.The race itself was won by Nicola Casadei, who was second on the first two stages and won the rest. He held a solid 15 second lead over second placed Marcello Percenti. In the women's Laura Rossin dominated, taking the win by nearly a minute ahead of Irene Savelli. 2.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Pete Buttigieg called Trump grotesque and said that it is time for America to change the channel during his Fox News town hall. Pete Buttigieg Calls Trump Grotesque Buttigieg said, We need to make sure that were changing the channel from the show hes created, because what matters, and I get it. Its mesmerizing. Its hard for anybody to look away. Me too. It is the nature of grotesque things that you cant look away, but every time were looking at the show or the latest tweet, and the latest silly insult, what were not looking at is were the ones trying to get you a raise. Theyre the ones blocking it. Were the ones trying to preserve your healthcare, and theyre the ones trying to take it away. Were the ones who are ready to deliver on something like paid family leave and theyre against it. Their positions as a general rule are unpopular, and if we focus more on whats going to happen in your life. In other words, if we make it less about him and more about you, paradoxically, I think thats the best way to defeat him. Video: Mayor Pete Pulled No Punches Describing Trump Calling Trump a show was an effective tactic, and it also allowed Buttigieg to hit on one of the elements of Trumps presidency that bothers Republicans the most. The presidents non-stop tweeting and desperate cries for attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mayor Pete did get national publicity out of this town hall, and he used it to be non-confrontational with Fox News. Buttigieg reinforced his brand of being a moderate Democrat who can appeal to Republicans. It is unknown how well that will hold up in the primary, but for one night it was a good match for a candidate who sincerely believes that there are persuadable voters to be had in the Fox News viewership. Pete Buttigieg has also mastered the art of the Trump takedown without sounding mean or offensive, which is a nice political ninja skill to have when combatting the ugliness of this president. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 3.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The United States military is urging the President Of The United States not to pardon soldiers who were convicted of war crimes. The Military Opposes Trumps pardon for war criminals The military is not in favor of Trumps plan to pardon US war criminals: The military is not the constituency for these pardons. Service-members Ive spoken with say these convicted criminals undermine the mission and make them less safe. Strikes me its a straight-up political base play with damaging real-world consequences. https://t.co/TAEjYR7uep Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) May 19, 2019 Trump wants to pardon a war criminal who shot and stabbed children and the elderly in Iraq. The New York Times reported: Two SEAL snipers told investigators that one day, from his sniper nest, Chief Gallagher shot a girl in a flower-print hijab who was walking with other girls on the riverbank. One of those snipers said he watched through his scope as she dropped, clutching her stomach, and the other girls dragged her away. Another day, two other snipers said, the chief shot an unarmed man in a white robe with a wispy white beard. They said the man fell, a red blotch spreading on his back. The pardons would be a straight play to Trumps base The pardons are intended to make Trump look patriotic and tough, at least, what he thinks that patriotic and tough look like. It is another piece of red meat that Trump can throw at his base while disgrading the damage that his actions will do to the military and the perceptions of the US around the world. Trump doesnt care that democratic societies should hold those accountable who commit war crimes. The president doesnt care that he will be making the lives of the troops less safe overseas. Trump thinks that pardoning war criminals over Memorial Day weekend will make him look good, which is why he is so eager to put US lives in danger all around the world. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 2.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump is throwing a fit because Fox News is doing a Sunday night town hall with Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Trump is very upset because Fox News is talking to Pete Buttigieg Trump tweeted: Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him. Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems. They got dumped from the Democrats boring debates, and they just want in. They forgot the people.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 .who got them there. Chris Wallace said, I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substancefascinating biography. Gee, he never speaks well of me I like Mike Wallace betterand Alfred E. Newman will never be President! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Trump doesnt want Fox News covering any Democrats. Fox is his channel, and it should be all about Trump 24/7. Donald Trump sincerely believes that he made Fox News. He doesnt grasp the fact that Fox was at the top of the cable news ratings for nearly 20 years before he came along. Trump didnt make Fox News, but Fox News made Donald Trump. Trump is jealous of Pete Buttigieg Pete Buttigieg is everything that Trump isnt. Hes young. He has substance and a bright future. The reason why people dont say these things about the president is that it wouldnt be true. Trump has no substance. He is about as deep as a mud puddle. His biography can be boiled down to the fact that he was born rich, lost a ton of money, and is likely the nations first illegitimate president installed by a hostile foreign power. Buttigiegs momentum has cooled, and he could use the attention generated by the Fox News town hall. He has also gotten a boost from Trump who could resist complaining about a Fox News show that isnt all about him. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died in US custody in the Rio Grande Valley Sector on Monday morning, making the fifth death of an immigrant minor at the southern border since December. U.S. Customs and Border Protections said in an official statement, A 16-year-old Guatemalan national passed away this morning at the Weslaco Station in the U.S. Border Patrols Rio Grande Valley Sector. According to initial reports, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended and processed the juvenile for illegal entry May 13 near Hidalgo, Texas. He was transferred from the Rio Grande Valley Sectors Central Processing Center to the Weslaco Border Patrol Station Sunday and due for placement with Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement. He was found un-responsive this morning during a welfare check. They say the cause of death is not known at this time and they are not releasing the identity at this time. Video: No children had died in border patrol custody in the previous 10 years until December 2018. Five children have died in the last 6 months under Trump's family separation policy. https://t.co/DQPO0rOyGA pic.twitter.com/rCPYcruNBu Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) May 20, 2019 CBP has alerted the CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility, the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, the Guatemalan government and Congress. A record number of migrants are seeking asylum in the U.S. and braving horrific conditions to do so, including when they are taken into U.S. custody, sleeping on the ground and rigging their own protection from the sun in the McAllen station, which covers a 53-mile section of the Rio Grande. Reuters photos taken on Wednesday show adults and children outside the U.S. Border Patrol station for migrants in McAllen, Texas, sleeping on the ground and rigging up makeshift awnings with reflective blankets to shelter from the sun. The photos, taken from a helicopter, also show people sleeping in a shaded area of a parking lot and crowded around a military tent. The ground temperature was about 89 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) when the pictures were taken around midday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the CBP website, McAllen Station is responsible for patrolling a 53-mile (85 km) section of the Rio Grande that runs along the U.S.-Mexican border. Seven-year-old Jakelin Caal died in early December of a bacterial infection called streptococcal sepsis, two days after she and her father were taken into CBP custody by U.S. border agents in a remote part of New Mexico. Eight-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo died in CBP custody of flu complicated by sepsis on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. The boy was diagnosed with a common cold and fever, and eventually released by staff at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Centre in Alamogordo, New Mexico. But later that evening, the boy began vomiting and was transferred back to the hospital. He died the next day. After the second death, border officials announced that a change in policy so that it would conduct secondary medical checks on all children in its custody, with a focus of those under 10. A 16-year-old boy died in a childrens hospital of a brain infection in Corpus Christi, Texas after being detained for less than two weeks in a contracted child shelter. Days ago, a two-year old Guatemalan toddler died of pneumonia, about a month after his family were apprehended on April 3rd in the Rio Grande area. The dangerous trip these migrants take to the U.S. is not Trumps fault. What is Trumps fault is the way his administration has chosen to punish migrants, separate families, and use tactics meant to punish people who are not criminals, many of whom are fleeing such life-threatening poverty and or violence at home that they are willing to risk their own lives to come here. It is Trumps fault that his immigration policies drive vulnerable asylum seekers to avoid official points of entry that are not well-equipped to care for children. Julie Linton, co-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Immigrant Health Special Interest Group, said during a conference call that she was concerned about sick children potentially being housed in current Border Patrol facilities. There certainly need to be conditions that do not include lying on a mat with a Mylar blanket on a floor that is cold, and cage-like fencing that extends to the ceiling, she said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. We absolutely need pediatric health experts at the border. The Obama administration focused our limited resources on deporting criminals. The Trump administration has made caging babies and separating families their signature immigration policies, which is to say deliberate cruelty as a deterrent. Of course, that is not working. Cruelty, it turns out, is as deadly as it is ineffective. Note: This story is developing and additions are being made to this article as we become aware of new information and context. Additional reporting by Reuters Yeganeh Torbati 3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The Justice Department said that Trump could direct McGahn not to testify, but nothing is stopping McGahn from showing up and testifying. Trump cant stop Don McGahn from testifying Read the full Office Of Legal Counsel letter: The key point: This is the key point: Although OLC's opinion says the President can "direct" McGahn not to testify, it identifies absolutely zero legal basis through which the President could _stop_ McGahn from appearing voluntarily. If such a basis existed, trust me, OLC would've cited it. https://t.co/YyjXvLkziz Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) May 20, 2019 If the House Judiciary Committee puts the heat on McGahn, he may voluntarily testify There is still a House Judiciary Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Instead of hearing from McGahn, the hearing might be a vote to hold the former White House counsel in contempt. Thanks to Trumps own Justice Department, the contempt vote will not be an empty gesture. McGahn could decide that his only way out of what is going to be a legal mess is to testify. Since McGahn is no longer an employee of the Executive Branch, there is nothing that Trump could do to stop him from showing up at a Judiciary Committee hearing and offering his testimony. It is now up to Jerry Nadler and the House Judiciary Committee to convince or compel Don McGahn to show up and testify. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard On Monday, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) debunked Trumps defense point by point and laid out the case for impeachment. Justin Amash Lays Out The Case For Impeachment Amash tweeted: 1. They say there were no underlying crimes. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 In fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not but are nonetheless described in Muellers report. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 2. They say obstruction of justice requires an underlying crime. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 In fact, obstruction of justice does not require the prosecution of an underlying crime, and there is a logical reason for that. Prosecutors might not charge a crime precisely *because* obstruction of justice denied them timely access to evidence that could lead to a prosecution. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 If an underlying crime were required, then prosecutors could charge obstruction of justice only if it were unsuccessful in completely obstructing the investigation. This would make no sense. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 3. They imply the president should be permitted to use any means to end what he claims to be a frivolous investigation, no matter how unreasonable his claim. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 In fact, the president could not have known whether every single person Mueller investigated did or did not commit any crimes. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 4. They imply high Crimes and Misdemeanors requires charges of a statutory crime or misdemeanor. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 In fact, high Crimes and Misdemeanors is not defined in the Constitution and does not require corresponding statutory charges. The context implies conduct that violates the public trustand that view is echoed by the Framers of the Constitution and early American scholars. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 20, 2019 Rep. Amash isnt backing down After Trump attacked Rep. Amash, he did not back down. The Republican congressman laid out in detail for the entire nation to see why Trump committed crimes and should be impeached. Justin Amash could have done what so many of his fellow Republicans have done when bullied by Trump. Amash could have caved and walked it back. Instead, he is doubling down, challenging the corruption, and trying to protect democracy. Rep. Amash is showing Republicans the way. Here is hoping that more of them go public and follow his lead. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 514 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Kamala Harris announced an equal pay plan that is historic because it would force corporations to be accountable for equal pay. Kamala Harriss Equal Pay Plan Forces Corporate Accountability In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, the Harris campaign described the plan: Harris plan will require large corporations to obtain an Equal Pay Certification from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and companies that fail to receive this certification will face a fine for every day they discriminate against their workers: for every one percent wage gap they allow to persist for work of equal value, they will be fined one percent of their profits. Corporations will be required to disclose whether they are Equal Pay Certified on the homepage of their websites. Fines on corporations that fail to receive certification will help fund paid family and medical leave, since the lack of paid leave is a major driver of the wage gap. A similar law was recently enacted in Iceland. If Congress refuses to act on equal pay, Harris will take executive action to apply these standards to federal contractors. She will require companies to obtain Equal Pay Certification within two years of her term in order to receive large federal contracts, which would affect up to 28 million workers. If they fail to receive certification, they will be barred from competing for federal contracts valued at more than $500,000. Equal Pay Isnt A Womens Issue. Its An American issue As President Obama was fond of saying, equal pay is an American issue, not a womens issue. The pay gap impacts families and children from coast to coast. The pay gap is a driver of economic inequality. During an interview on CNN, Sen. Harris talked about why the equal pay burden should not be on women: KAMALA tells @CNN that her equal pay plan puts burden on companies, not workers. An important shift. It should not be on a working woman to prove it. It should instead be on that large corporation to prove theyre paying people for equal work equally.pic.twitter.com/VYYsM9bE93 Ian Sams (@IanSams) May 20, 2019 If we as a nation want to level the playing field and strike a blow against growing economic inequality, making corporations accountable for the pay gap is an important first step. Sen. Harris should be applauded for such a forward-thinking vision for our nation. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 2.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard President Trump cut taxes for the wealthy and big business, and still, it has not created jobs. In fact, as Trump congratulated himself for auto jobs in March, hyperventilating over Ford investing money in Flat Rock, Michigan, claiming that companies were pouring back into the United States because they want to be where the action is the number 2 automaker Ford was actually restructuring and planning to cut 10% of its global salaried workforce. An estimated 2,300 of the employees affected are in the United States. Great news from @Ford! They are investing nearly $1 BILLION in Flat Rock, Michigan for auto production on top of a $1 BILLION investment last month in a facility outside of Chicago. Companies are pouring back into the United States they want to be where the action is! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2019 Big announcement by Ford today. Major investment to be made in three Michigan plants. Car companies coming back to U.S. JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2017 Ford Motor Company will be cutting about 7,000 jobs by the end of August as part of its larger restructuring, in order to save $600 million annually. They will begin notifying North American employees on Tuesday and the majority will be completed by May 24, Ford Chief Executive Office Jim Hackett said. Hackett said in an email to employees that the cuts include both voluntary buyouts and layoffs, and a spokesman added it freezes open positions as well. About 2,300 of the affected people are employed in the United States, the spokesman said. Hackett described 2019 as a year of transition for the company. Which is not the same as pouring back into the United States because they want to be where the action is. The Whit House hasnt commented yet, and maybe they dont care because these are salaried, white collar jobs. But jobs are jobs and Trump painted a very different picture of the present day situation for auto makers than exists in reality. Trumps version of reality is never a reliable marker, except to serve as a hint to go in the opposite direction of what hes claiming. Trump wasnt good at his personal businesses, so why would he be better at a government position he doesnt even understand. Lets not forget that conservatives claim the government cant create jobs, but they are more than happy to tout Trumps false claims as having created an economy that is bringing business back to life. The tax cuts did not create jobs. This is not news, sane people dealing with reality knew that they would not because historically they have not, but Republicans insist on their unicorn beliefs being treated as a legitimate side even after they have been proven false by reality. Tax cuts benefit people like Donald Trump and Mitt Romney. They dont even help white collar workers. If youre a farmer, you probably already know Trump lied to you about having your back. If youre a steel worker or coal worker, youve probably caught on that Trump lied to you about bringing your jobs back. And now, if youre an auto employee, you too can join that sad club of betrayed Trump voters. (Additional reporting by Reuters Ben Klayman) 3.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Foxs Brit Hume blasted Trump for avoiding questions from the channels journalists as president. Fox News Criticizes Trump For Avoiding Questions From Journalists In response to Trump whining about Pete Buttigiegs town hall, Fox Newss Brit Hume tweeted: Say this for Buttigieg. Hes willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something youve barely done since youve been president. Oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel. https://t.co/D8yQE2kfYF Brit Hume (@brithume) May 20, 2019 The fact is that Hume was correct. Trump gives most of his television interviews to Fox News and Fox Business, but he sticks to the shows that do not do serious journalism. Trump talks to his friends like Sean Hannity, Judge Jeanne, and Fox and Friends. As his presidency has gone on, the White House has increasingly relied on pre-taped interviews, which according to the Mueller report, they have editorial control over. Trump is losing Fox News There is an open civil war at Fox News that is being fed by Trump. The so-called news side is being split into journalists who want to be objective and those who see their job as defending Trump. Staffers like Brit Hume and Chris Wallace believe in journalism. Sean Hannity has been threatening to leave Fox News because he doesnt think that they are pro-Trump enough, as the simmering internal battle that has been going on for years at Fox has come out into the open. Donald Trump is losing critical parts of Fox News. Sean Hannity and Fox and Friends cant carry him to victory in 2020. Trump doesnt want any Democrats on his network, but if he keeps it up, Trump may find himself with less of a platform on Fox News. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Image: Shutterstock Offering to 'step in' when needed in the J et Airways bidding process, a group of airline's employees in their mail to SBI Caps said they are in talks with investors to raise $700 million that will be used to revive the cash-strapped airline. The mail, which was sent last week, was signed by representatives of JAMEWA (Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association) and Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots. We would like to assure you that our resources are at your disposal, if they can be of any help," said the letter to SBI Caps, which is overseeing the bidding process. The SBI Caps is at present in talks with unsolicited bidders of Jet Airways to bring in equity. Earlier, Etihad Airways was the only shortlisted bidder to put in a proposal. But the Abu Dhabi-based airline wants to retain only a minority stake in the airline. The employees had earlier this month met officials of SBI Caps , to present their proposal.SBI Caps is at present in talks with unsolicited bidders of Jet Airways to bring in equity. Earlier, Etihad Airways was the only shortlisted bidder to put in a proposal. But the Abu Dhabi-based airline wants to retain only a minority stake in the airline. It has also committed to invest Rs 1,700 crore in Jet Airways. But that is not enough to plug the funding gap in the Indian airline, which owes more than Rs 8,000 crore to banks and many more to lenders, vendors and employees. SBI Caps has reached out to unsolicited bidders including Mumbai-based Darwin Group and London's AdiGro Aviation to bring in additional funds. Sought more info In their mail to SBI Cap, the employees have asked for information to help them in the fundraising process. They have sought details of Jet Airways' assets and valuation, its debt level, a break-up of its expenses and the amount of equity that will come in if the employees bring in $700 million. Other queries include: How much debt will be on the books post-haircut/restructuring after equity investment? What's the total fund required to operate the company for the next 24 months? By investing $700 million whether the investor gets a stake in the loyalty programme as well? Original Source: 2.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump has officially blocked White House Counsel Don McGahn from testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Trump blocks Don McGahn from testifying White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA: At the Presidents direction, the White House has been completely transparent with the Special Counsels investigation. The Special Counsel received more than 1.4 million documents and hours and hours of interviews from White House officials, including more than 30 hours from former Counsel to the President, Don McGahn. The Democrats do not like the conclusion of the Mueller investigation no collusion, no conspiracy, and no obstruction and want a wasteful and unnecessary do-over. The House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena to try and force Mr. McGahn to testify again. The Department of Justice has provided a legal opinion stating that, based on long-standing, bipartisan, and Constitutional precedent, the former Counsel to the President cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr. McGahn has been directed to act accordingly. This action has been taken in order to ensure that future Presidents can effectively execute the responsibilities of the Office of the Presidency. House Democrats will need to sue to get McGahns testimony If Trump is innocent, and there is no collusion or obstruction as he falsely claims, there is no reason to block Don McGahns testimony. Trump doesnt want McGahn answering the House judiciary Democrats because what McGahn witnessed in the White House could get the president impeached. Trump is going to make the House find McGahn in contempt, and then sue to enforce the subpoena. Trump is showing his guilt Sarah Sanderss statement doesnt hold up. There is no reason for McGahn not to answer questions from the House Judiciary Committee. The stonewalling of the Trump administration is backfiring and making the president look guilty. Just like he is losing a trade war that he thinks he is winning, Donald Trump is losing a battle with House Democrats that could cost him the White House in 2020. 2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard If Trump goes through with his plan to increase tariffs on all Chinese exports, it would be a $2,000 tax increase on the average American family. Trumps China Tariffs Are A Tax Increase of $2,000 for American Families Politico reported: If the president moves ahead with 25 percent tariffs on everything China exports to the United States, it could amount to a tax hike of more than $2,000 on the average American family, swamping the reduction they won from Trumps signature legislative achievement the 2017 tax law. Its sort of like when you have a bad leak in a boat and you are trying to plug it up, said Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. economist at Standard & Poors, of efforts to ease the pain of a trade war. Water is going to win every time. The impacts from the trade dispute with China, especially if it snowballs from here, are going to be felt and there is going to be a lot of pain. And I dont think the federal government can catch up to it. A tax increase of $2,000 on top of the tax increase from Trumps tax cuts for the rich would be economically devastating for the average American family. The American People, Not China, Are Paying For Trumps Tariffs Walmart is warning that it will increase prices on shoppers if Trumps trade war continues. Trump still believes that China is paying the tariffs, even though it has been explained to him over and over again that US companies and consumers pay the tariffs. Donald Trump is going to do massive amounts of harm to middle and lower class Americans with his trade war. Trump is not winning the trade war. Americans are losing, and the only way that this lunacy will stop is if Donald Trump is voted out of office in 2020. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Charleston, SC (29403) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 77F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Lauren Sausser is the Health & Science Editor at The Post and Courier. She also writes about health care issues in South Carolina. Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category. The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke hustles to the stage in Burke High School's gym on March 23, 2019. The former Texas congressman has hired nine staffers to lead his South Carolina campaign. Wade Spees/Staff Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune. This sea wall built on Folly Beach, which was removed by regulators, is an example of a "wing wall." The bill also included a special exception for homeowners in DeBourdieu Colony to re-build a sea wall, which was voted down. Staff/File Some mornings it might feel like you cant get enough of it, but a new study suggests too much coffee can be harmful. Studies have found that coffee consumption "may help prevent several chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinsons disease and liver disease." There is little evidence that drinking moderate amounts of coffee three to four cups a day poses any health risk. The key words here are "moderate amounts." A new study from the University of South Australia suggests there is a point where drinking coffee becomes a health risk. "Coffee is the most commonly consumed stimulant in the world it wakes us up, boosts our energy and helps us focus but people are always asking How much caffeine is too much? " professor Elina Hypponen, one of the studys researchers, said in a press release. Researchers at the university analyzed the health records and the self-reported coffee consumption of 347,077 people between the ages of 37 and 73 in the UK Biobank. The Biobank is a national and international health resource with unparalleled research opportunities, open to all bona fide health researchers. ADVERTISEMENT The study found that people who drink one to two cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than people who drank decaf or no coffee at all. But for individuals who consumed six or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day, the risk of cardiovascular disease increased 22 percent. The researchers found no genetic cause for this increase. This is the first time an upper limit has been placed on safe coffee consumption and cardiovascular health. "In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day based on our data six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk," Hypponen said. Even though the research says five cups of coffee is permissible, Hypponen said each person should know his or her own limit. If you begin feeling jittery, irritable or nauseated, she said, you might have reached your limit for the day. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. WHALAN This tiny Fillmore County city marches to the beat of a different drummer except that its parade doesnt march. The citys annual parade has all the trappings of a civic celebration: marching bands, music, grand marshals, floats, American Legion members. But they dont march. They stand still. Everybody else does the moving. On Saturday, Whalan hosted its 25th annual "Stand Still" parade along a two-block stretch of downtown (thats close to all there is). Its such a unique sight that the parade draws hundreds if not thousands of people each year, transforming this sleepy town of 63 people into a colorful, bustling pageant. "We just started letting it stand, and weve been doing it ever since," said Diane Knight, while waving a mechanical arm and siting in a car that wasnt moving along the parade route. The success of the parade is all the more remarkable in that Whalan, a city five miles east of Lanesboro, has no post office, no bank and no school attributes that usually mark a community for extinction. Joan Johnson, an honorary grand marshal, credits the parades volunteers for keeping the celebration going all these years. ADVERTISEMENT "We are defying the odds," Johnson said. "I think this is small-town America at its best," said Steve Harris, a Lanesboro resident and freelance writer. Past organizers say the parade owes its longevity and attraction to its uniqueness. Yet its origins are rooted in the American tradition of making money. Dave Harrenstein owned a pie shop in Whalan and hoped a parade would bring more people and money to town. The problem was that Whalan was too small to hold a parade. Harrenstein had heard about a small town in Bolin, Iowa, that compensated for its smallness by holding a stand-still parade. He suggested that Whalan hold a similar event. "Ill be honest with you. I stole the idea," Harrenstein said. "This was not an original idea." Harrenstein wasnt all that sanguine about the parades chances, thinking there was a better than even chance that it would be a flop in that first year. It was, as he says, a "roll of the dice." But the parades uniqueness became its calling card. The parade got an enormous blast of national exposure when Bill Geist, then a CBS Morning News journalist, came to Whalan and spent three days filming the town. The piece played the following Monday on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, and after that, there was just "no holding it back." Still, the longevity of the parade is a tribute to the parades volunteers, who have kept the parade going strong for quarter-century, Harrenstein said. ADVERTISEMENT "Its a matter of pride to me," Harrenstein said about the parades longevity. "But for me, this town of Whalan has been extraordinary in their volunteer spirit, and theyve kept it alive. Because I didnt lift a finger after I sold the pie shop." Rochester police responded to a sexual assault call at a hotel Sunday morning. At about 9:46 a.m., guests at a Microtel in west Rochester reported a woman screaming for help from one of the rooms. When police arrived, they could hear yelling and screaming from the room, and made contact with a 17-year-old Rochester woman. The suspect, 27-year-old Anthony Johnson from Alabama, met the woman on a dating site online. The two went on a date Saturday night, stayed in the Microtel, and on Sunday morning, Johnson is accused of taking the womans phone so she couldnt call the police, then physically and sexually assaulting her. He claims the encounter was consensual. ADVERTISEMENT Rochester Police Capt. Casey Moilanen said the woman had minor injuries when police arrived. The woman was taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital Saint Marys to be examined. The police will refer charges to prosecutors including third-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic assault by strangulation, and interfering with a 911 call, Moilanen said. Why do they come? Despite the dangers en route here from Central America, the photos of kids in cages, the jokes about shooting immigrants and the reality of family separation? Its no mystery, other than to those elected officials who keep suggesting that making our policies just a little crueler, and then a little crueler still, will surely stop asylum-seekers some of them supposed scammers from ever leaving home. To the astonishment of no one whos met a recent migrant from Central America, it isnt working: More than 100,000 people were apprehended at or turned away from our southern border both last month and the one before that. "Theyre coming like its a picnic," President Trump said recently. "Because lets go to Disneyland." Or because lets try not to die. ADVERTISEMENT In a Skype call with Kansas City-based Unbound a Christian anti-poverty program that sponsors children, students and elders in 18 countries a few of the Salvadorans with whom they work in Santa Ana answered the question we shouldnt really even have to ask: Why does nothing dissuade them? They asked that only their first names be used out of concern for their safety. And their safety is the whole point. Cesar, a smiling 23-year-old wearing a cross around his neck and a T-shirt that spells out his love for Jesus in emojis, is in his last year of college. Through Unbound, hes teaching some of the younger kids in his community to read and at events for the older folks, he dances the cumbia with them "to keep them active. Its fun to see their vigor." His problem, though, is the one that "everyone" here has: "Were limited in which hours we can go out." After dark, the streets arent safe, but his school doesnt end until 7:45 in the evening, "so Im always tense something will happen on the way home." Why would he be tense? "I had three brothers," he begins. Until the morning three years ago when one of them, 21-year-old Francisco, was shot in the head right in front of him. Theyd been on their way to school, "near the boundary between two gangs territories. They were waiting for us." He and one of his surviving brothers moved in with their grandmother after that to get out of the neighborhood, but Franciscos death wasnt headline news or anything. "Our population is used to hearing about people dying." "Me personally, Im afraid" to go north, Cesar said. But all of those he knows who have gone did so "because theyre in fear" here, too. His friend Alicia, who is 21, won a good scholarship to pharmacy school last year, but the bus route to the school where she was accepted is too dangerous, so shes studying business management closer to home. ADVERTISEMENT Even then, she and her twin sister rent a room together in town because they have to pay gang members to cross into the rural area where their parents live. "One dollar, two, three. It depends on the person and their whim." Once, on her way home with her father, they saw a young man being beaten by gang members and could do nothing to stop it. Later, they heard that hed died. "I know people whove had to migrate under threat" as well, Alicia says. Everybody does. Her mother, Flor de Maria, will never forget how when Alicia and her twin were in high school, a boy threatened to kill the whole family unless her sister became his girlfriend. Flor walked the girls to school and back every day after that, "and after a while, things calmed down." Another time, a man threatened to kill the girls if their father, who is a day laborer on a coffee farm, didnt pay him $40 a week. Which of course, he didnt have. And nobody bothers calling the police? Flor laughs; thats a no. "No one sees anything. No one does anything. We put ourselves in Gods hands and hope our children make it home every day." Elena, a mother of five, tells about the day her husband Carlos, who sells bread from his bicycle, was attacked with a machete. He might not have survived, but "one brave older lady came out with a machete herself" and flagged down a passing pickup truck. The rumor went around that Carlos wasnt the intended target; it was all a big mistake. But it still took him four months to recover. An Unbound staff member, Jenny Carolina Cruz, says everyone she works with in Santa Ana has at least one story like that. "Youd think the rural areas would be more peaceful, but the violence reaches them, too." Sure, says site coordinator Yessenia Alfaro, they do hear all the horror stories about the dangers of human trafficking and all the other risks theyd take in trying to seek asylum in the United States. "But desperation and violence make you ignore that information. We have many families that if tomorrow one of their children is threatened, theyll leave," too. Any of us would. ADVERTISEMENT No matter how tough the Department of Homeland Security gets, that universal protective parental instinct is never going to change. Maybe someday, well be ready for some version of the "21st-century Marshall Plan for Central America" that Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro is proposing to treat the disease rather than its symptoms. But Trump instead recently announced that he was cutting off $450 million in aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to punish their governments for failing to stop their people from leaving. Most of that aid goes to churches, non-governmental aid organizations, and American groups that fight the very crime and corruption so many are fleeing. Its almost as if Trump knows that cutting those programs will only cause more Central Americans to head this way, as will his threat to close our border with Mexico a year from now. Just in time for another campaign about immigration. The memorial service for Ross E. McInroy, 83, of Stewartville, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 23, at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester, with Rev. Jason Bryan-Wegner officiating. Burial with military graveside honors will be held at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston. Mr. McInroy died peacefully on Friday, May 17, 2019, following a short illness, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Rochester Saint Marys Campus. Ross Edward McInroy was born on July 24, 1935, in Wasioja, to Loyd and Addie (Plant) McInroy. Ross and his family traveled often following his fathers work in construction, much of it in California and the Pacific Northwest. At the age of 17, he enlisted into the U.S. Air Force and later earned his GED. Ross was married on Nov. 25, 1954, at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester to Marian J. Scrabeck. Ross had a 20 year career in the Air Forcer. Following his discharge, the McInroys returned to the Rochester area before moving to Stewartville in 1976, where they raised their son, Zane, and have continued to make their home. Ross was employed as a mail carrier and maintence specialist at the U.S Postal Service in Rochester for 20 years until his retirement. Marian is a homemaker and also worked part-time as a health care provider at different clinics through the years. Ross was a member of the Korean Veterans group that met weekly at Grandmas Kitchen in Rochester and was a past member of American Legion Post 299 in Mabel and currently was a member of American Legion Post 164 in Stewartville. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed selling rods and fishing equipment during Stewartvilles Citywide Garage Sales. Ross loved time spent with his family. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marian, their son, Zane, and granddaughter, Annaeliese St. Martin, all of Stewartville ; sister, Sharron Norris of Cochran, Ga.; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Peggy Renwick. A time of visitation for family and friends will take place from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, at Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville and one hour prior to the service Thursday at the church. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville. Online condolences and memories of Ross are welcome at www.griffin-gray.com. The Work Zone The new year is just days away. If youve had thoughts of pushing forward and advancing your interests in 2022, hopefully, we can help. Read more A U.S. citizen wanted in Minnesota on suspicion of distributing child pornography was deported from the Philippines and brought to Guam where he was arrested. He will be sent back to the U.S. mainland to answer to the criminal charges. Gary James Dokulil, 40, was arrested in Angeles City on Feb. 22 at his residence in Clark Field, according to the Philippines Bureau of Immigration. Philippine Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the U.S. embassy sought the bureaus help in locating Dokulil after a warrant for his arrest was issued from the U.S. District Court in Minnesota in January. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. He will be deported for posing risk to public safety and security as his presence here presents a threat to our Filipino children anyone of who could be his next victim, Morente said. Dokulil was brought to Guam, where a petition for his removal was filed in the District Court of Guam. He remains in custody awaiting an identity hearing on Friday. According to a complaint filed in January with Minnesotas District Court, the FBI accused Dokulil of distributing child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer utilizing a file sharing network. In April 2018, authorities allegedly found Dokulil in possession of various child pornography that had been entitled pre-teen, hard core. Law enforcement discovered various videos of female minors engaged in sexual acts including one of a child that appeared to be between the ages of 8 and 12 whose hands and legs had been bound with duct tape. The FBI complaint stated the pornographic material showed mostly females between the ages of approximately 4 and 11 being sexually abused. Authorities had been aware of the child pornographic material being downloaded and shared at Dokulils residence in November 2008, but no action was taken at that time. The FBI then researched Dokulils travel and records showed he had traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Manila, approximately eight times since 2010. During that time, he married two Philippine nationals. Authorities believe Dokulil met both his spouses when they were minors. Child sex tourism is a persistent problem in the Philippines. During a raid at Dokulils home in Minnesota on Nov. 15, 2018, FBI agents seized dozens of child pornography videos and hundreds of child porn and child erotica images on computers, and storage discs including three DVDs entitled Child Abuse Vol. 2, Child Abuse Vol. 9 and Child Abuse Vol. 13. The videos depicted children as young as three years old being sexually abused, court documents state. When interviewed by agents following the execution of the search warrant at his home, Dokulil allegedly acknowledged purchasing the child abuse DVDs while in the Philippines and importing them into the U.S. He also allegedly told agents he was sexually attracted to girls approximately 13 years of age and that his sexual attraction is an immutable part of who he is. While his passport had been confiscated during the criminal investigation, Dokulil was able to get his passport back in December 2018 after he claimed that his second wife had cancer and he needed to visit her in the Philippines. Dokulil was indicted on March 12 and the case was sealed until he was arrested on Guam. A U.S. citizen wanted in Minnesota on suspicion of distributing child pornography was recently arrested on Guam after Philippine authorities deported him. The defendant will be sent back to the U.S. mainland to answer to the criminal charges. Gary James Dokulil, 40, was arrested in Angeles City on Feb. 22 at his residence in Clark Field, according to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration. Philippine Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the U.S. embassy sought the bureau's help in locating Dokulil after a warrant for his arrest was issued from the U.S. District Court in Minnesota in January. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. "He will be deported for posing risk to public safety and security as his presence here presents a threat to our Filipino children, any one of whom could be his next victim," Morente said. Dokulil was brought to Guam, where a petition for his removal was filed in the District Court of Guam. He remains in custody awaiting an identity hearing Friday. According to a complaint filed in January with Minnesota's District Court, the FBI accused Dokulil of distributing child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer utilizing a file-sharing network. Child pornography In April 2018, authorities allegedly found Dokulil in possession of various child pornography. Law enforcement said they discovered various videos of sexual assault on minors, including a child who was duct-taped. The FBI complaint stated the pornographic material showed mostly females between the ages of approximately 4 and 11 being sexually abused. Authorities had been aware of the child pornographic material being downloaded and shared at Dokulil's residence in November 2008, but no action was taken at that time. The FBI then researched Dokulil's travel and records showed he had traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Manila approximately eight times since 2010. During that time, he married two Filipino citizens. Authorities believe Dokulil met both his spouses when they were minors. During a raid at Dokulil's home in Minnesota on Nov. 15, 2018, FBI agents seized dozens of child pornography videos and hundreds of child porn images on computers, and storage discs including three DVDs labeled "Child Abuse Vol. 2," "Child Abuse Vol. 9" and "Child Abuse Vol. 13." The videos depicted children as young as 3 being sexually abused, court documents state. When interviewed by agents following the execution of the search warrant at his home, Dokulil allegedly acknowledged purchasing the child abuse DVDs while in the Philippines and importing them into the U.S. While his passport had been confiscated during the criminal investigation, Dokulil was able to get his passport back in December 2018 after he claimed his second wife had cancer and he needed to visit her in the Philippines. Dokulil was indicted on March 12 and the case was kept confidential until he was arrested upon arrival on Guam. Sen. Amanda Shelton has introduced a measure that would expand the prohibitions against tobacco smoking in public places to include a ban on the smoke generated by vaping. Bill 138-35 would amend the Natasha Protection Act of 2005 to include banning the use of vaping devices in the same places that smoking cigarettes are currently prohibited under the law. "Electronic smoking devices weren't around when the Natasha Protection Act was first passed in 2005," Shelton said in a Monday press release announcing her proposal. The law must keep pace with the "advent of new technology," she said. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. There are currently no laws on Guam to prohibit the use of the electronic smoking devices used in vaping. Similar legislation has been passed in the states of California, Hawaii, Alaska, Utah, North Dakota, Maine, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware and New Jersey. 'A great and compassionate person' The Natasha Protection Act was introduced in 2005 by then-Sen. Lou Leon Guerrero. It is named after Natasha Perez, who was 14-years old when she developed a rare form of cancer called osteosarcoma. She could not go to a restaurant or out in public where she might be exposed to cigarette smoke, which aggravated her condition. Natasha died from her illness in 2006. Shelton was one of her friends, according to the release, and she contributed some reflections on Natasha's life to the book written by Natasha's mother after her daughter's death. In that book, "Let Go and Let God," then 16-year-old Shelton wrote that Natasha "always wanted to make sure that I was responsible in making the right choices. Knowing that I had someone like Tash who cared so deeply for me made me see what a great and compassionate person she was." All other senators in the Guam Legislature have signed on as co-sponsors of Bill 138-35. NORRISTOWN On the day he was scheduled to go to trial, a Schwenksville man decided to plead guilty to charges he sexually assaulted a teenage girl on multiple occasions while she was in his company. Jose Antonio Rivera, 49, of the first block of Pennypacker Drive, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Monday to charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years old, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of a minor in connection with incidents that occurred between 2016 and 2017 when the girl was 14 and 15 years old. Judge Todd D. Eisenberg deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Rivera. The judge also ordered that Rivera undergo a psychosexual evaluation. Rivera will remain in the county jail without bail while awaiting his sentencing hearing later this year. Rivera faces a possible maximum sentence of 381/2-to-77-years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence. Regardless of the sentence he receives, Rivera faces a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with Pennsylvanias Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. Questioned by Assistant District Attorney Bridget C. Gallagher, Rivera indicated he understood the ramifications of his guilty plea to the charges. Gallagher vowed to seek a lengthy state prison term against Rivera. Rivera pleaded guilty shortly before the judge was to begin jury selection for what was expected to be a three-day trial. Rivera showed no emotion during the hearing and hung his head and didnt respond to a reporters questions as he was escorted from the courtroom by sheriffs deputies. Defense lawyer Douglas L. Dolfman revealed in court that Rivera has no prior criminal record. An investigation began in December 2017, when Riveras wife reported to state police at Skippack that she became aware that Rivera had sexual contact with a teenage girl while the girl was in Riveras company. When police interviewed the girl, she said Riveras conduct included kissing her when she was 14 years old and later escalated to other inappropriate conduct, including various sexual acts, when she was in his company on multiple occasions, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Jerrold Hatfield. She was instructed by Jose Rivera that if anyone questioned her regarding these incidents she should deny them and say they were not true, Hatfield alleged in the criminal complaint. The girl told police Rivera also asked her to send him nude photographs utilizing her cellphone and a social networking site, according to the arrest affidavit. Last week, I argued that Theo Stamos, a Democrat, is worth supporting in her primary contest for Commonwealth attorney in Arlington County, Virginia. Why? Because shes an experienced and reasonably sensible prosecutor, and her opponent is a leftist who is backed by George Soros and Terry McAuliffe, and whose campaign has relied in part on weak claims of police brutality. The race for Commonwealth Attorney in Fairfax County presents a similar situation. Veteran prosecutor Raymond Morrogh is being challenged from the left by Steve Descano. Descano too has the support of Soros and McAuliffe. Soros has kicked in more than $50,000 of in-kind contributions to the Descano campaign. Descano has, in the words of the Washington Post, staked out positions to the left of the incumbent[] on a range of issues. He promises to end marijuana possession prosecutions, do away with cash bond, and forgo death penalty prosecutions. Hes also playing the race card, complaining that blacks are prosecuted in disproportionate numbers compared to whites. My favorite fact about this election, though, is something Morrogh did during a 2005 trial. He sought to have a potential juror dismissed because his wife was on the Democratic National Committee. Morrogh, a deputy prosecutor at the time, told the judge that the Democratic Partys policies on criminal justice are left-handed. Naturally, Descano is making a big deal of this outburst of truthfulness even more valid today than 14 years ago. Naturally, too, Morrogh is explaining his remark away. He notes that it was the policy of his boss at the time, the then-chief prosecutor, sometimes to reject jurors based on political affiliation. Morrogh says he has abandoned this policy. Be that as it may, Morrogh is a serious and sensible prosecutor. His opponent lacks significant experience prosecuting the kind of cases the Commonwealth Attorney normally handles, and he isnt likely to be tough across the board on crime. Otherwise, Soros and McAuliffe wouldnt be backing him. They are counting on him to be hyper-lenient except, presumably, when police officers might be charged or when well-to-do defendants are in the dock. Descanos rhetoric and his web page show hes unlikely to let them down. The primary will be held on June 11. Its open, I understand, to voters of any party affiliation (or none). The primary is likely to decide who the Commonwealths attorney will be, inasmuch as the Democrat will be overwhelmingly favored to win the general election. However, as with Stamos in Arlington County, voting for Morrogh wont preclude one from voting for the Republican candidate in November. It will simply represent an attempt prevent a Soros-funded leftist from defeating a competent and fairly sensible prosecutor. Herman Wouk died last week at the age of 103, 10 days short of his 104th birthday. So notes William Grimes in his New York Times obit of Wouk. Grimess obit is equivocal about Wouks accomplishments as an author, but one must be amazed by his career. One cannot miss this in Grimess obit. Wouk lived one of the great American lives. We nevertheless know him, if at all, entirely by the many books he wrote. When it comes to the books, Grimes observes: A whipping boy for reviewers who at best grudgingly acknowledged his narrative skill, Mr. Wouk (pronounced woke) enthralled millions of readers in search of a good story, snappy dialogue and stirring events, rendered with a documentarians sense of authenticity and detail. Quoting one of the highbrow critics who brutalized him, however, Grimes adds: His place in the literary universe was difficult to pinpoint. Grimes unfortunately overlooked the startling Commentary essay by Williams College Professor Michael Lewis about Wouk. This Michael Lewis, I should add, is Faison-Pierson-Stoddard Professor of Art History at Williams College, not the popular journalist and author. Professor Lewis sought specifically to address the literary issue that Grimes briefly notes. Published in early 2013 when Wouk was a spry 97, Professor Lewiss Commentary essay about Wouk is now more than six years old. The essay is something of a tour de force. It includes several interesting threads, including the effort to rectify Commentarys treatment mistreatment, as Lewis argues of Wouk in the course of his incredibly long career, but that is really the least of it. Professor Lewiss essay is How this magazine wronged Herman Wouk. Commentary editor John Podhoretz recalls how he commissioned Professor Lewiss essay in his tribute Herman Wouk, 1915-2019. Johns tribute to Wouk now renders justice to Wouk as well on the occasion of his death. Wouk was the author, of course, of The Caine Mutiny as well as popular multivolume historical novels and many other works of fiction and nonfiction. He was the author, most recently, of Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year-Old Author. If you have ever read Wouk, you will enjoy Professor Lewiss essay. If you have never read Wouk, you will want to after reading it. I dont think Id heard anyone in the mainstream media (or anywhere else) mention Justin Amashs name for several years until he called for the impeachment of President Trump. Suddenly, Amash was useful to the left and therefore relevant, sort of. Suddenly, the impeach Trump movement was bipartisan. John has shown that Amashs arguments for impeaching Trump are nonsensical. But Amashs arguments dont matter. Its the fact that hes a Republican that has made him seem relevant. Except that hes really not. House Democrats will decide whether to impeach without regard to what Rep. Amash thinks. If they decide to go for it, Amashs vote wont be decisive. If they impeach Trump, no one in the Senate will be influenced by Amash, who commands little respect among GOP Senators (or among GOP House members, for that matter). Why did Amash decide to advocate the impeachment of Trump? Shane Trejo suggests that the motive is financial. He notes that Amash has significant business interests in China that may be harmed by Trumps America First trade policies. In Amashs financial disclosure forms for the year of 2015, he was shown as receiving up to $1 million in annual income due to his ownership stake in Michigan Industrial Tools (MIT). MIT is the parent company of Tekton Tools, Amashs family business, that benefits directly from Chinese manufacturing. An article from MLive in 2010 exposed Amash as being the co-owner of Dynamic Source International (DSI), a Chinese company that was once an MIT supplier. I dont discount the possibility of a financial angle. However, Amash is enough of a flake and enough of a NeverTrumper to endorse impeachment without any financial motivation. Amash is a hard core libertarian of the Ron Paul variety. Earlier this year, he did not rule out running for president in 2020 as the Libertarian Party candidate. Amash is a Palestinian-American. He routinely votes against Israels interests. For example, he voted against additional funding for Israels anti-missile system, Iron Dome, during the 2014 Gaza war. He even voted against a bill to set a 90-day deadline for President Donald Trump to fill the position of anti-Semitism monitor. Apparently, the bill would have passed unanimously but for Amashs opposition. Amash has bucked his Party on other issues, as well. He voted against a back pay bill for furloughed federal workers and initiated eminent domain legislation that would make it tougher to build Trumps border wall. As an uncompromising libertarian and strong opponent of Trumps Israel policy, Amash has reason to be dead set against the president. As a potential candidate for Trumps job, he has reason to want to see the president ousted. As a flake and an iconoclast, impeaching the president without probable cause to believe he has committed any crime is just the sort of thing that might appeal to Amash. If financial considerations entered into Amashs decision, they may have been only the icing on the cake. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-20 21:03:01 Almere, The Netherlands May 20, 2019, 9 p.m. CET ASM INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES VOTING RESULTS OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today announces the voting results of its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 20, 2019, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The shareholders approved all resolutions as proposed to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. The main approved resolutions include the following: The financial statements for the year 2018 were adopted, and the shareholders granted discharge to the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board from liability in relation to the exercise of their duties in the financial year 2018. The shareholders also voted in favor of the dividend payment of 1.00 per common share and approved the proposed withdrawal of 5,000,000 common shares. About ASM International ASM International NV, headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, its subsidiaries and participations design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International, its subsidiaries and participations provide production solutions for wafer processing (Front-end segment) as well as for assembly & packaging and surface mount technology (Back-end segment) through facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASMI's website at www.asm.com . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company's reports and financial statements. The Company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances. This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. CONTACT Investor contact: Victor Bareno T: +31 88 100 8500 E: victor.bareno@asm.com Media contact: Ian Bickerton T: +31 625 018 512 Attachment Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact the company added in the press release. Please do not contact pr-inside. We will not be able to assist you. PR-inside disclaims the content included in this release. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-20 12:51:03 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 675 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 THOMPSON, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 20, 2019 / Humans can live longer and better nowadays because the medicine advanced a lot in the recent years while society and economy were developing. However, the benefits of living in a modern era put a strain on the available resources, especially when it comes to healthcare. Medical professionals are in exceptionally high demand, with registered nurses being in particularly short supply. As the global population continues to age, the need for medical care services will only grow, which requires a relentless focus on training and qualification to ensure that healthcare systems around the world can operate effectively. Nurses are critical for the provision of quality patient care, a fact recognized by ThompsonEducation Center. Not only is the organization committed to academic excellence, but it also actively seeks to provide training in areas with a pressing need for qualified professionals.In the revised 2017 edition of its World Population Prospects report, the United Nations states that "Population ageing is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, with implications for nearly all sectors of society." According to the paper, "In 2017, there are an estimated 962 million people age 60 or over in the world, comprising 13 percent of the global population." The UN goes on to note that, "the number of older persons in the world is projected to be 1.4 billion in 2030 and 2.1 billion in 2050, and could rise to 3.1 billion in 2100." China is among the countries enjoying the strongest economic growth but also facing the problem of an aging society. An earlierreport by the UN projects that the number of older persons in China will grow by 71% between 2015 and 2030. The shortage of professional nurses is forcing Chinese families to hire care workers who lack proper qualifications and medical knowledge, as a result of which elderly care suffers. In the US, according to the US CensusBureau, "From now until 2050, the elderly population will more than double, reaching 80 million. By that year, one of five Americans may be the elderly." More people with old age may face chronic and restrictive diseases or diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer's disease. These problems lead people to rely on others for help in their daily activities.ThompsonEducation Center is joining the effort to help China close its nursing skills gap and ensure quality medical services for its citizens. The project has signed contracts with universities and schools in the country to deliver 2,700 nursing program students every year, providing professors, teachers, and training from qualified colleges. The program has a comprehensive system that offers different degrees, courses, labs, and practical training to ensure complete mastery of nursing. Students who already have associate degrees in China can complete a 4-year undergraduate college and receive a bachelor's degree. The nursing program will arrange internships at reputable hospitals, giving students the opportunity to gain experience in a real-life environment. In addition, ThompsonEducation Center has the purpose of helping students get a Registered Nursing License and advance in their career.Highly committed to economic development and employment growth, Thompson Education Center brings together education, culture, communication, and business to create new opportunities. Located in Sullivan County, Upstate New York, the project expects to create many local jobs through multiple phases of real estate development. It has signed agreements and letters of intent with high schools, colleges, educational institutions, and systems both in the United States and China. Thompson Education Center has been helping students realize their potential by using personalized instruction and smaller class sizes, which allow sharper attention to detail and make it possible to maximize learning efficiency and skill acquisition.Thompson Education Center - A High-End Education Community in Sullivan County, NY: http://thompsoneducationcenternews.com Thompson Education Center Participates in Notte Di Savoia 2019: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/thompson-education-center-participates-notte-185500029.html Thompson Education Center Goes To The Oscars Hosting Viewing Gala, Dinner and Awards: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/thompson-education-center-goes-oscars-235000211.html Contact Information:contact@ thompsoneducationcenternews.com SOURCE: Thompson Education Center PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-20 11:04:02 TONSBERG, Norway and WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WindSim AS, the leading provider and pioneer of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) based Wind Farm Design Tools (WFDT) utilized for the design of wind farms both onshore and offshore, has today announced that its board of directors has appointed Donna Rennemo as president and chief executive officer. This leadership appointment is effective immediately and follow the Board of Directors in WindSim and John Olaf Rmma agreement to step down as the companys CEO. We are fortunate to have someone of Donna Rennemos caliber and experience to step up to lead WindSim, said Dag Honningsvag, WindSim Chairman of the Board. We are at a critical moment and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead. Rennemo is a technology visionary with a proven track record of execution. She is a strong communicator who is customer focused with deep leadership capabilities. Furthermore, having been the President of WindSim Americas Inc. for several years, Rennemo has a solid understanding of our products and markets. Rennemo said, I am honored to lead WindSim. I believe WindSim technology solutions will continue to add great value to industry. Speaking on behalf of the board, Honningsvag said, The Board will take the opportunity to thank John Olaf Rmma for his long service for WindSim and for his contribution to the company and the organization. The board believes that the job of the WindSim CEO now requires additional attributes to successfully execute on the companys strategy. Donna Rennemo has the right operational and communication skills and leadership abilities to deliver improved execution and financial performance. About WindSim AS WindSim develops and delivers advanced software solutions and consulting services that help worldwide wind energy industry leaders design more profitable wind farms. WindSim, the company's flagship product, is a world-class software solution based on CFD that combines advanced numeric processing with compelling 3D visualization in a user-friendly interface. Founded in 1993, WindSim is privately-held and venture-backed. Copyright 2019 | WindSim | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WindSim and the WindSim logo are trademarks of WindSim AS. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WindSim AS Email: info@windsim.com The 11 power distribution companies (DISCOs) in Nigeria will need a minimum of $10 billion (about N3.07trillion) investments to boost their services over the next five years. This was contained in an industry study report on how to boost electricity supply presented at a one-day conference in Abuja to appraise challenges in the countrys power sector. The French Agency for Development (AFD), which organised the conference, said it conducted the study with the support of the European Union (EU) on the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industrys challenges, to help resolve the problems of the sector. The study conducted by a consultancy firm, AFMercados, under the Technical Assistance Programme, said the best way out of the challenge was to evolve innovative financing solutions, possibly involving new players to invest in the sector. A key finding from the study was that the sector needed more investment than interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to turn the electricity market around. Also, it disclosed N600 billion has been earmarked as the second tranche of CBN of Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF) starting this year or by 2020. The team leader of the Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Programme (CaBTAP), AF Mercados, Jose Guerra, said the study was also designed to empower decision makers with reliable information on the countrys power sector. AFD said the study was conducted in conjunction with other development institutions involved in the power sector and witnessed how investments in the sector have been stalled since it was privatised. This has led to the buildup of a major bottleneck, constraining ever more access to electricity for the public and the economy, driving up the costs for users who can only resort to diesel-powered generation, AFD said. The failed attempts at financing DISCOs by the Federal Government and its development partners to think out ways of breaking the vicious cycle starting from an initial infrastructure gap led to todays severe liquidity crisis, with a revenue shortfall that is over $3billion, the agency added. The report blamed the revenue shortfall on the lack of a cost reflective tariff, customer dissatisfaction and a lack of performance in the power sector, in general, resulting in a shutdown of access to finance. AFD said Mercados worked closely with stakeholders in the sector and the DISCOs since mid-2017, following the guidelines of the Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). The study shed light on key actions needed to solve the liquidity crisis in the sector, such as in the areas of segmenting the electricity market into manageable urban areas, rural areas, and potential Eligible Customers. The other segmentations are informal settlements in urban areas and peri-urban areas, and the difficult to manage rural areas. Other highlights of the report included an analysis of the cost and revenue structure of the DISCos on these various segments; appropriate data to help in valuing the needed investment linked to key performance indicators targets to help in forming the PIP of each DISCO as required by NERC. The development partners, however, emphasised the need to set up a consistent legal and regulatory framework that would attract investors to sustain the power sector. Participants in the conference included representatives of the private sector, including banks, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, investors, representatives of government institutions, and other development partners. Last Thursdays listing of MTN Nigeria shares on the Premium Board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has made it possible to identify the shareholders of the telecoms firm. Many Nigerians believed the Nigerian government owned part of the South African firm through an unspecified equity holding by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). But a review of the listing memorandum filed by MTN Nigeria in support of its application for the enlistment of its shares on the NSE revealed the profiles of the shareholders of the company. The list did not include either the Nigerian government or the NSIA. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the NSIA investment is very small and could not have been listed among those of the big players. The document dated May 15, 2018, showed 11 owners of MTN Nigeria. They own the entire 20,354,513,050 Ordinary Shares of the company valued at about N407.1 billion as at the time MTN applied to be listed. S/No Shareholder No of Shares Held Value of Shareholding N (000) Percentage equity Representative on the Board Country of Origin 1 MTN International (Mauritius) Limited 15485544050 N309,710,881 0.7608 2 Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited 1988269050 39765381 0.0977 3 Hermitage Overseas Corporation 806886900 16137738 0.0396 Victor Odili Nigeria 4 Mobile Telephone Network N.I.C.B.V 559720150 11194403 0.0275 5 Government Employees Pension Fund (Represented by Public Investment Corporation SOC Limited) 355281650 7105633 0.0175 6 Celtelecom Investment Limited 333474100 6669482 0.0164 Pascal Dozie Nigeria 7 One Africa Investment Limited 265092150 5301843 0.013 Sani Mohammed Bello Nigeria 8 Universal Communications Ltd 200526400 4010528 0.0099 Babatunde Folawiyo Nigeria 9 N-Cell Limited 163487550 3269751 0.008 Gbenga Onyebode Nigeria 10 SASPV Limited 144429000 2888580 0.0071 Ahmed Dasuki Nigeria 11 NISPV Limited 51802050 1036041 0.0025 Ahmed Dasuki Nigeria TOTAL 20354513050 N407,090,261 1 They include the majority shareholder, MTN International (Mauritius) Limited, which has the controlling 76.08 per cent equity, or 15,485,544,050 shares valued at about N309.71 billion, and Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited with 9.77 per cent stake or 1,988,269,050 shares valued at about N39.77 billion. Also included are six Nigerians, who are non-executive directors of the board. Each represents various foreign interests in the company. Victor Odili, a Nigerian, and Chairman of Aeromaritime Group of companies, a group specialising in the maritime and oil and gas sectors of Nigerias economy, is a member of the board. He holds 806,886,900 shares, or 3.96 per cent interest, valued at about N16.14 billion indirectly on behalf of Hermitage Overseas Corporation. Also, Pascal Dozie, a Nigerian and founder of the defunct Diamond Bank PLC, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He holds 340,409,900 shares, or 1.67 per cent equity valued at N6.67 billion, indirectly, on behalf of Celtelecom Investment Limited, NISPV Limited. Another Nigerian, Sani Mohammed Bello, a co-founder of AMNI Petroleum, an indigenous oil and gas exploration companies, is the vice chairman of the board. He holds 265,092,150 shares (1.30 per cent equity) estimated at about N5.3 billion indirectly on behalf of One Africa Investment Limited. Babatunde Folawiyo, a Nigerian and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Yinka Folawiyo Group, holds 218,815,100 shares, or 1.07 per cent equity, valued at N4.01 billion on behalf of Universal Communications NISPV Limited. Similarly, Gbenga Oyebode, a Nigerian and founding partner of Aluko & Oyebode law firm, represents the interest of N-Cell NISPV Limited. He holds 181,776,250 shares, or 0.89 per cent equity, valued at N3.27 billion. Ahmed Dasuki, a Nigerian and founder of Quaditect Consultants, represents NISPV Limited/ SASPV Limited, which controls 177,717,850 shares, or 0.75 per cent equity valued at about N2.89 billion. Government Employees Pension Fund (Represented by Public Investment Corporation SOC Limited) were also listed as owners with 355,281,650 shares (1.75 per cent equity) valued at about N7.11 billion. Also, Mobile Telephone Network N.I.C.B.V holds 559,720,150 shares, or 2.75 per cent, valued at about N11.19 billion. Robert Shuter, Ralph Mupita, Jens Schulte-Bockum, Ferdinand Moolman, Paul Norman and Karl Olutokun Toriola serve as representatives of MTN Group on the Board of Directors of the company. New Status With the listing of the companys shares on the NSE, MTN Nigeria becomes the first privately owned telecoms company in Nigeria to attain that status. The listing of the company on the premium board of the NSE on April 18, 2019, resulted in the change of the company from a private company to a publicly quoted telecoms company on the NSE. MTN Nigeria, a subsidiary of MTN International (Mauritius) Limited, was incorporated in the Republic of Mauritius, with its ultimate holding company, MTN Group. The company was incorporated on November 8, 2000. But, it did not commence operations until 2001. Since then, the company has remained in operations for almost 18 years in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria is reputed to be Nigerias largest telecoms operators, with about 67 million subscribers, controlling about 39 per cent mobile market share. Technology firm, Cisco, says it will train one million students in Nigeria and Africa on digital skills, through its Networking Academy (NetAcad) by the year 2025. Olakunle Oloruntimehin, Cisco General Manager for Nigeria and West Africa, said this in a statement on Monday in Lagos. He said close to 700,000 students had participated in the companys NetAcad courses since its launch in 1998. This year, the company has set an ambitious goal to train an additional one million students in Africa, including Nigeria by 2025. The students will be trained during the next three years, followed by re-skilling initiatives for active workforce and job seekers, based on content from Cisco NetAcad. Through NetAcad, Cisco intends to support the creation of Digital Learning Hubs in public libraries, accessible by the local population. Cisco also plans to actively engage with employers to identify job opportunities that align to the skills of NetAcad students and alumni, he said. Mr Oloruntimehin said that the technology company would continue to help society securely connect and seize tomorrows digital opportunity today. He said that in November 2018, Cisco opened the first Cisco EDGE Incubation Center in Pretoria, South Africa. EDGE stands for Experience, Design, GTM (Go to Market) and Earn. According to him, in the coming months, Cisco plans to establish a similar centre in Nigeria. The objective is to share business knowledge, help develop small and medium businesses in the digital age, speed up their entry to market and, as a result, create new jobs for the local economy. EDGE centres function as incubators, as they provide small and medium businesses with state-of-the-art Cisco communication and collaboration technology, alongside training and enablement programmes. They specialise in topics that are relevant to the local economy, such as smart ports, IoT in agriculture and smart cities. In addition, small and medium businesses are able to connect with global Cisco experts, who can support them with developing business ideas and concepts, he said. Mr Oloruntimehin said that for more than 20 years, Cisco had invested in educating and upskilling students, graduates and unemployed youth through its NetAcad. He said that NetAcad provided students with hands-on digital skills to prepare them for careers in the digital economy. (NAN) As Nigerians prepare for the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buharis second term of office on May 29, arrangements had been concluded to bring some of Nigerias best entertainers to Abuja for an Inauguration Day Concert. The show, which will hold on May 29 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, is being put together by Abuja based promotion outfit, Montage Africa. Expected to be on stage are top music and comedy stars which include music sensations, Simi, Harrysong, Mr Real, Skiibii, Okey Bakassi, MC Tagwaye, Gandoki, among others. The Chief Executive Officer of Montage Africa, Ogochukwu Ezeaku, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the event was a way of celebrating the beauty of Nigerias democracy and its growth. We at Montage Africa are presenting the Inauguration Day Concert to commemorate the democracy day celebration. The concert will hold at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, on May 29, and will be hosting popular Nigerian musicians and comedians like Simi, Skiibii, Okey Bakasi, MC Tagwaye, and Mr Real. Also expected to perform live at the concert are Gandoki, Harrysong and a host of others. The event is a way of promoting the beauty of our democracy and the growth it has recorded in recent times, he said. Mr Ezeaku said that the concert was also a platform for Nigerian entertainers to contribute their patriotic quota through their performances which would no doubt be educative, informative and entertaining. Nigeria Inauguration Day Concert He assured Nigerians and invited guests from other parts of the world that the show promised to be a memorable one. The presidential inauguration is an event that commemorates one of the most historic development and democratic transition of leadership in Nigeria, and we intend to make it a memorable one here at the federal capital. (NAN) A Swedish prosecutor on Monday requested that WikliLeaks founder Julian Assange be detained in absentia on suspicion of rape. If the local court approves the request, deputy chief prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said she would then issue a European arrest warrant concerning Mr Assanges surrender to Sweden after he has served his 50-week sentence in Britain for skipping bail. Ms Persson announced recently that Sweden was to re-open a preliminary rape investigation into Mr Assange that was dropped in 2017. A request to re-open the probe was made in April 11 by an attorney who represents a woman who alleged that she was raped by Mr Assange during a 2010 visit to Sweden. However, Mr Assange has denied the allegation. The request was made the same day as British police dragged Mr Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy in London after Ecuador withdrew his political asylum. Mr Assange, 47, is also the subject of a U.S. extradition request linked to charges of conspiring with former U.S. military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak a trove of classified material in 2010. Since the U.S. also wants Mr Assanges extradition, Ms Persson said it was up to British authorities to determine which request would have precedence. Ms Perssons application was filed at the district court in Uppsala, north of Stockholm. The court said a hearing date was pending. (dpa/NAN) Former South African President Jacob Zuma was set to appear in court on Monday to argue for a permanent stay of prosecution in his ongoing corruption trial. Mr Zuma, dubbed the teflon president because of his ability to weather scandal after scandal, is expected to bring a new legal team with him to argue that the charges against him were politically motivated. The new legal team will also argue that the charges were cooked up by a faction within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) that supported former President Thabo Mbeki. The legal team is also expected to argue that Mr Zuma is not getting a free and fair trial and that justice delayed is justice denied, indicating that Zuma should have been charged two decades ago if prosecutors were intent on going after him. The high court in the eastern town of Pietermaritzburg is hearing arguments in a legal saga that dates back to 1999 over alleged kickbacks in a multibillion-dollar arms deal with a French company, Thales, which Mr Zuma oversaw as vice president. The court will decide whether the 77-year-old former president should stand trial. In 2007, Mr Zuma was charged with 16 counts of racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud. The charges, relating to 783 payments in connection with Thales, were dropped before he assumed the presidency in 2009. After years of legal challenges, the National Prosecuting Authority, in early 2018, served a fresh indictment, deciding Mr Zuma must face trial. Mr Zuma was forced to resign as president under intense pressure from his ANC party shortly before. (dpa/NAN) A lecturer at the Igbinedion University, Okada, in Edo State, Kelvin Izevbekhai, has been killed by kidnappers. His death was confirmed by the police and the university management. The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mohammed DanMallam, confirmed the killing on Sunday. Mr DanMallam Mr Izevbekhai was killed in an attempted escape bid when the victims were being marched into the forest by the kidnappers. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the gunmen were said to be operating near Okada junction along the Benin-Lagos highway. The gunmen abducted Mr Izevbekhai and other passengers in the bus they were travelling in. The driver of the minibus was said to have fled into the bush along with four other passengers, the police chief said. Unfortunately, one of the passengers who tried to escape during the abduction was killed by the gunmen. The police went after the kidnappers in the bush and succeeded in rescuing the victims. He said the police were working on a new strategy which entails taking the war to the kidnappers den in the jungle, adding that it is the best way to tackle the scourge. The spokesman for the university, Jide Ilugbo, who confirmed the killing described it as barbaric. Mr Ilugbo said late Izevbekhai was a First Class graduate and was employed in the university in 2016. He said it was now dangerous to travel on the Benin-Lagos highway due to frequent attacks by armed robbers and kidnappers. The official said it was unfortunate he ran into hoodlums, saying that the trailer parked before Okada junction is a hideout for criminals. Kidnapping for ransom has become rampant in many parts of Nigeria. Some of the states most affected include Ondo, Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara. The Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed an application filed by Adebayo Adelabu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to recount all the ballot papers used in the March 9 election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Adelabu and his party are challenging the declaration of Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 9 governorship election in Oyo state. Mr Adelabu through his counsel, Titus Asaolu, had filed an application seeking to recount all the ballot papers used in the March 9 election. Delivering his ruling on Monday, the three-member panel, chaired by Sirajo Muhammed, dismissed the application, adding that it would jeopardise the respondents right to a fair hearing. Mr Mohammed said that the petitioners were only challenging the result of a few local government areas in the conduct of the election and not all the 33 local government areas of the state. The judge said that filling an application now to count all the ballot papers used in the election would amount to amending the petitioners pleadings. He said that the time allowed to amend pleadings of all parties has elapsed and no pleadings can be amended at this stage. Mr Mohammed said that the petitioners were also not consistent on the date the election was conducted as they were quoting different dates in their application. The judge then dismissed the application and fixed June 10 for the commencement of the hearing, adding that pre-hearing has ended. (NAN) Muhammad Abdallah, the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has decried incessant violent attacks on its personnel during their lawful assignments. Mr Abdallah, a retired colonel, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Jonah Achema, NDLEAs Head of Public Affairs. The NDLEA chief promised to deal ruthlessly with those who engaged in the evil act. He described the situation as unfortunate, saying that the agency has lost no fewer than 200 of its personnel in the line of duty since inception. He recalled that an attack was instigated against NDLEA staff in Ondo State leading to loss of lives of four of the officers in February, barely a year after a similar incident in Okene, Kogi State happened where three of its staff were killed by some unknown gunmen. Another incident of violent attack took place in Jigawa State where an officer sustained severe machete cuts on the head following a mob attack on the staff in the course of an operation. Personnel of the Kazaure Area Command of the agency, Jigawa, went to raid and dismantle a notorious drug joint at Braga Dan Amar in Kazaure. The crowd at the joint turned themselves into a murderous squad and attacked the NDLEA team with intent to kill them but for the intervention of the community, the mob vandalised the Area Commands office. In March, Edo State Command of the agency was similarly attacked during an operation to burst Cannabis storage in Okpuje Forest, Owan West Local Government Area. The mob insisted on seizing the suspects and exhibits and began to shoot, hailing stones and brandish cudgels, injuring officers and damaging operational vehicles, Mr Abdallah said. The chairman noted that investigations into the incidents are ongoing while expressing confidence that the culprits would be brought to justice. He, however, urged all stakeholders in drug control chain to foster a more responsive synergy and maintain a stronger foothold in the countrys onslaught against the nefarious drug merchants whom he said, were becoming increasingly violent. (NAN) Tourism in the region : The Rhineland apple route is opened in Bornheim BONN The 124-kilometre-long Rhineland apple route was officially opened this weekend. Andreas Pinkwart, Minister for the Economy, Innovation, Digitisation and Energy of the State of NRW travelled from Dusseldorf especially for the occasion. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken It is now official: after many announcements and much planning and implementation, the 124-kilometre-long Rhineland apple route was inaugurated on Saturday as part of an official ceremony. Heinz Bursch, managing director of the organic farm of the same name, made land available for the opening. After cutting the ribbon and being greeted by Rolf Schumacher, chairman of the Rhein-Voreifel Tourism association, the regional and supra-regional politicians got on their bikes and demonstrated their physical condition on the trails around the organic farm. Andreas Pinkwart, State Minister for the Economy, Innovation, Digitisation and Energy, travelled from Dusseldorf especially for the occasion. He referred to the importance of the region as one of the largest fruit-growing areas in the heart of Europe. Rolf Schumacher, who was also present as Mayor of Alfter, was enthusiastic: I am a passionate cyclist and have already cycled parts of the new apple route. This project combines the themes of leisure, tourism and self-marketing of regional farmers perfectly. Bornheims mayor Wolfgang Henseler praised the many helpers who enabled the project to come to fruition. We want to reach out to the many people who use the apple route. I hope that this will also help us to further market the region. Apple route: there is lots to discover To experience the third-largest fruit and vegetable growing area in Germany not only by bike, there are numerous stop-offs to discover along the way in the form of farm shops, farm cafes, restaurants and accommodation. These also include the Brauweiler distillery in Meckenheim-Altendorf. According to Managing Director Irmgard Brauweiler, it is the southernmost distillery in NRW. She also expressed her optimism: the people here want to taste, get to know and enjoy regional delicacies. Thomas Baumann, project manager of Rhein-Voreifel-Touristik e.V., added: within the framework of EFRE (European Fund for Regional Development) funding, we want to bring smaller companies to the fore. The aim of the Rhineland apple route is to guide guests to the regions farm shops. Baumann also had good news for the guests in Bornheim-Waldorf: the logo dispute with the US company Apple has now been settled after legal consultation. Annette Quaedvlieg, chairwoman of the ADFC Bonn/Rhein-Sieg, is optimistic that the new cycle route will be well received: personally, I particularly like the fact that a large part of the route is paved. This makes it perfectly suited for families and older people. Apple route: how the opening in Meckenheim unfolded Mayor Bert Spilles and the head of the Rhine Voreifel Tourism, Rolf Schumacher, opened the apple route in glorious sunshine. With 124 kilometres of cycle track plus adventure loops of 15 to 40 kilometres per local authority in the Rhein-Sieg district on the left bank of the Rhine, cyclists will find an Eldorado. Cyclists checked out the first routes on a rally that started in the neighbouring communities in the direction of the church square in Meckenheim. The routes lead across the largest contiguous fruit and vegetable growing area in NRW to places of interest in each community. Schumacher gave examples: fruit growing and local apples in Meckenheim, asparagus in Bornheim and impressive landscape in Wachtberg. At the start of the day, Pastor Reinhold Malcherek celebrated a Holy Mass in the church of St. John the Baptist. Afterwards he blessed the bicycles of the first visitors in front of the church. A pennyfarthing of Gerd Jajschick from Bad Honnef attracted particular attention. The nine-year-old twins Jana and Anna were allowed to ride on it around the high area above the church square with Jajschicks help, at a height of almost one and a half metres. Jajschick wanted to cycle the guided ADFC tour on the special bike. After the blessing, the cyclists took a look at the stands in the church square to background music from the town soldiers, and they enjoyed the first culinary highlights of the day. For the opening, the Rhine Voreifel Tourist Board provided information about the cycle routes and their highlights. The mobile forest school used exhibits to inform about local wildlife and its habitats that are worthy of protection. At the local ADFC group, the curious learned everything about the cycling possibilities in bicycle-friendly Meckenheim. At 12.30 p.m., the cyclists set off on one of three guided tours. Families with small children followed the ten-kilometre route. Anyone who went further pedalled in the direction of the Iron Man/Roman Canal or on the Apple Rose Tour for about 25 kilometres. Meanwhile, Papa Toms jazz band provided musical entertainment on the church square. Inge and Karl Ernst Rupperath from Meckenheim have been riding their bicycles for years. We have older bikes, which we use for shopping or other short trips, said Inge Rupperath. They bought e-bikes some time ago for longer outings, which they used to complete the first round trip of the day. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to withdraw a controversial letter he wrote to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). The letter allegedly directed the union to submit its financial return within 72 hours. The NLC said this was against Section 40 of the Trade Union (Amendment) Act 2005. PREMIUM TIMES reported how NUPENG on Sunday said in a statement signed by its president, Williams Akporeha, that the labour minister sent a letter dated May 13 to the union to demand its financial report within 72 hours, when the law granted a 30-day period for the report to be submitted. NUPENG also said Mr Ngige is scheming to proscribe the union. The union said Mr Ngige was demanding the report at the inappropriate time, warning that his action could plunge the nation into industrial crisis. In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday evening, the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, alleged that the labour minister was attempting to run organised labour unions underground. The labour union also asked the labour minister to apologise to NUPENG. NUPENG received a letter from the Office of the Minister of Labour dated May 13, 2019, with Reference No: ITU/FR/45/VII/15 requesting NUPENG to submit its 2018 Annual Financial Return within 72 hours to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment., he said. Mr Wabba said the directive by Mr Ngige was in gross violation of Section 40 of the Trade Union (Amendment) Act 2005 and therefore an exercise in illegality and lawlessness. Given the above Act which the Minister of Labour and Employment is under oath to protect and defend, we wish to unequivocally posit that the cruel urgency communicated in his letter suggests only one thing unveiled desperation to disorganise and destroy trade unionism in Nigeria, he said. Unending confrontation This is not the first time the union will be tackling the minister this year. PREMIUM TIMES had reported the tussle between the NLC and the labour minister over the inauguration of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board. The board was constituted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in October 2017 in his capacity as Acting President with a former NUPENG leader, Frank Kokori, as chairman. The union and the labour ministry had backed different people for the chairmanship of the NSITF board. Led by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and the presidents of the member labour unions, the unions, protested from Labour House in Abuja to the Ministry of Labour and Employment building at the Federal Secretariat on May 13. The unions threatened to expose Mr Ngige to international ridicule. Apparently to calm nerves, last week Sunday, the presidency said the decisions of Mr Ngige on the NSITF matter had the approval of President Buhari. It also said it had redeployed Mr Kokori, to the board of a labour institute in Kwara State. Ahead of the inauguration of the ninth assembly, the National Assembly management has released 20 stringent conditions for journalists and media houses accreditation. In two separate letters addressed to the chairmen of Senate and House of Representatives Press Corps on Monday by the Director of Information, Agada Emmanuel, the requirements were categorised under permanent and temporary accreditation. According to the letters, the new accreditation guidelines would come into effect from June 11. The prerequisites for the coverage of the activities of the National Assembly before the expiration of the present leadership were also aimed at reducing the number of journalists covering the legislative arm. One of the letters on requirements for permanent accreditation stipulates: Evidence of certificate of incorporation of the media organisation and evidence of membership of professional bodies for media organisations. It also includes: proof of membership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with registration number, code of certification from the National Library for the media organisation, functional bureau in Abuja (Staff Strength not less than five editorial staff and daily circulation of 40,000 copies for the print media with evidence to support the claimed circulation figure. Media Houses must be publishing daily and on weekend (Applicable to Online Media). Re-certification form must be signed and endorsed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Media organisation, Bureau Chief, City Editor as the case may be. The Media organisation concerned must have experience in covering proceedings of the National Assembly for at least two (2) years before applying for permanent accreditation. All media organisations will submit a copy of their income tax return for the last two years, among others. But in his reaction, the Chairman of the Senate Press Corps, Ezrel Tabiowo, said journalists cover the activities of the National Assembly by the virtue of the provisions of Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. He said journalists would not accept any attempt to gag the media. He advised the National Assembly management to look for a proper way of carrying out the new accreditation by collaborating with the press corps. (NAN) Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the Nigerian Army of running illegal bunkering in Rivers State. The governor accused Jamil Sarham, the general officer commanding the Armys 6 Division in Port Harcourt, of raising a team of soldiers to steal and sell petroleum products in the region. The GOC has his own team now doing oil bunkering for him because he wants to be chief of army staff, Mr Wike said while receiving a team of military personnel from Operation Delta Safe on Wednesday. If you give that kind of person chief of army staff, what kind of security would we have in this country? He cannot be removed here because they know the role he is playing for them: sabotaging our security architecture, the governor added. Mr Wike said Mr Sarham, a major-general, regularly divulges confidential security briefings to criminals, and the military leaderships reluctance in removing him was deliberate. We would have security meeting, he will release it to criminals, Mr Wike said. And chief of army staff will leave the man here because he is playing their role. Mr Wike said he has been leading security efforts to reduce crime to the barest minimum, in Rivers, which ranks amongst Nigerias most volatile states. But the army constitutes an obstacle for success, he alleged. The Operation Delta Safe is a joint-security patrol of the Niger Delta region, where cases of oil theft and disruption of oil installations are regularly reported. The courtesy visit to Mr Wike was led by Akinjide Akinrinade, a naval rear admiral and overall head of the operation. Mr Wike said it would be difficult for Operation Delta Safe to arrest military personnel sent on oil bunkering mission if they encountered one another in the creeks. The governor did not provide any evidence to substantiate his allegations. His media adviser, Oraye Franklin, told PREMIUM TIMES he has nothing to add to the governors comments. Mr Wike, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, has made unsubstantiated allegations in the past against Buhari administration officials and security chiefs. Following the discovery of a cash haul in Ikoyi in April 2017, Mr Wike claimed the money belonged to Rivers State, having allegedly been plundered by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. But when asked to provide evidence during forfeiture hearings, the governor failed to make any submission to the court. The money was later claimed by the Nigeria Intelligence Agency and forfeited to the Nigerian government. Mr Wike has also regularly accused the government and security agencies, including the police, of plotting to assassinate him without corroboration. Mr Sarham declined comments to PREMIUM TIMES about the allegations on Sunday morning. He admitted the allegations were grievous, but said he had not received clearance to make a public statement as of 9:20 a.m. on Sunday. The Army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, told PREMIUM TIMES he could not comment on the allegations Sunday morning. He asked that enquiries should be directed to Aminu Ilyasu, a spokesperson for the 6 Division. But Mr Ilyasu, a colonel, also declined comments, saying he was at a function and could not immediately say when it would be a good time for him to speak. Messrs Wike and Sarham have clashed repeatedly since the army chief was appointed as the GOC of 6 Division in August 2018. During the elections, the governor accused the army of undermining democracy in Rivers, after a series of deadly shootings forced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend results collation. At least two soldiers were killed in the state during the elections between February and March. About a dozen people were killed across the state during the elections. The electoral body, INEC, also criticised the Armys conduct during the elections. Days before the governorship election on March 9, Mr Sarham accused Mr Wike of offering bribes to military officers. The governor denied the allegations, dragging Nigerian Army to the International Criminal Court over the killings, injuries and destruction of properties recorded across the state during the elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has withdrawn 25 Certificates-of-Return issued to some candidates that won during the 2019 general elections. The decisions to withdraw the certificates were based on court orders. The Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said this at a `Forum on Media Coverage of 2019 General Elections held in Enugu on Monday. Mr Okoye said that 20 of the 25 certificates-of-return were withdrawn from All Progressive Congress (APC) members to other APC members; while two from People Democratic Party (PDP) members were withdrawn and issued to other PDP members. He said that the other three were withdrawn from APC and PDP and given to other political parties. Before we left INEC national headquarters on Friday; the commission has withdrawn 25 certificates-of-return from the first owners to their new owners following court orders to do that, he said. Mr Okoye, however, lauded the media for its openness and robust engagement with the commission before, during and after the election. He said the media had become critical stakeholders for the success of future elections. He noted that the media had become the first line of reach of the masses as well as the platform for the explanation of INEC political and electoral decisions. Mr Okoye, therefore, called on the media and its practitioners to dig deep into the Electoral Act to ensure that the import of the recently amended sections is made known to the public. The media should also centre on the aspect of using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve electoral issues especially at the party levels instead of going to the court, he advised. Speaking, President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isigozu, said that the media and its practitioners enjoyed a vast and robust relationship with INEC before, during and after the elections. Mr Isigozu said that INEC performed creditably well given the resources and length of co-operation from other stakeholders involved in the electoral processes. However, we are here to evaluate the entire process and see where we can strengthen our engagement and better the electoral system. We would be open and say it as it; so that the electoral and democratic processes can be better even as we go into off season elections, he said. In a welcome address, Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Emeka Ononamadu, noted that evaluation of processes of the elections would help better the electoral processes as well as strengthen institutions and stakeholders involved in the entire processes. INEC wants to hear from the media, security agencies, civil society organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations etc on how the election fared. Whether there are avenues to improve on what we have. So, INEC is open to receive your objective deliberations and its outcome and we definitely take a critical look at your outcomes in order to better the electoral processes, Mr Ononamadu assured. (NAN) Four Nigerians residing in India have been arrested by the Indian police after illicit drugs were allegedly found on them in Mumbai Suburban district. According to a report published by The Times of India on Monday, The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police arrested the Nigerians with cocaine worth Rs 2.4 lakh (about N1.3 Million). The state police said in a statement that the Nigerians were arrested on Sunday by the ANC patrolling unit near the old check-post on Aarey Road, a suburb of the city of Mumbai. Police teams spotted a taxi carrying four Nigerian nationals and brought it to a halt, on the basis of suspicion, after tailing it for some distance. The four persons were searched and we recovered 40 grams of cocaine worth about 2.4 lakh in the illicit market, the police added. The official identified the four as Paul Osinakachi (31), Okichiku Matince (35), Godswil Chitachi (27), and Reuben Godwin (26). The police said the suspects have been charged under the India Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora Matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had urged Nigerians travelling aboard to ensure they obey the laws of the land of their host. Many Nigerians are being detained in different countries like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia and others for similar crimes. On May 13, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia released two Nigerians, Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar, after they were arrested at the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina, for allegedly smuggling tramadol, an offence punishable by death in the Arab country. They were, however, released after an intervention by the Nigerian government, which said the act was carried out by a drug cartel at the Nigerian airport. The police in Katsina State on Monday said they have arrested more than 70 suspected kidnappers since across the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, said this at a press briefing in Katsina on the achievements recorded by Operation Puff Adder in the state. He said the police also recovered 43 AK 47 rifles, two Light Assault Rifles, 19 Dane guns, two pump action rifles, and two pistols during the period under review. Others were five motor vehicles, 44 motorcycles, 200 cartridges, 25 litres of Jerry cans loaded with fuel, five bags of food items, and over 1,500 ammunition, among others. The commissioner further said the police had succeeded in arresting the kidnappers of Governor Aminu Masaris 80-year-old mother-in-law, Hauwa Yusuf. He said those arrested were Abdullahi Sani, 23, Abubakar Dani, 25, Rabe Hamza, 30, Marwana Gide, 25, and Abdulhakim Bishir, 22. The commissioner further said the suspects had confessed to the crime and were now assisting the police in their investigation. The CP said the suspects would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governors mother-in-law was kidnapped on the eve of the governorship and state assembly elections in Match 9, 2019. NAN gathered that the victim regained her freedom after payment of about N30 million ransom to the kidnappers. Mr Buba urged the public to continue to provide the police with credible information that would lead to the arrest of more criminals in the state. He also warned people in communities to desist from aiding or selling food and fuel to bandits. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has met with a national leader of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Mr Buhari is in the holy land to perform Umrah, the lesser Hajj. The meeting Monday, tagged Iftar dinner meeting by the presidency is coming few days to the inauguration of Mr Buhari for a second term in office. According to a statement by the spokesperson to Mr Buhari, Garba Shehu, Mr Tinubu used the occasion to appeal to elderly Nigerians to avoid inflammatory statements that could undermine peaceful co-existence among the nations diverse communities. Also in attendance, according to Mr Shehu, were the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar, and Emir of Kazaure, Najib Adamu. He said the former Lagos State governor said all citizens should consider the enormity of challenges facing the nation, and support the president. He also said Mr Tinubu urged Nigerians to rally round Mr Buhari to solve problems and stabilise the polity. The President worked hard and will continue to do so to ensure peace and stability in the country, which are important for the economy to make progress. These are the key pegs of his agenda. Let us all come together to support him, he reportedly said. Mr Tinubus appeal for stability is perhaps connected to his earlier criticism of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The governing party and the PDP, have recently been engaged in a war of words, each accusing the other of plotting to overheat the polity. Mr Tinubu on Monday said the PDP is reputed for saucy and distractive statements, urging Nigerians not to be angry with the opposition party, but assist them in overcoming their colossal defeat in the February 2019 elections. Dont blame them. They are handicapped by the traumatic feelings of the colossal loss of the election. You should help them to manage the trauma, he said. Mr Tinubu commended Mr Buhari for the recognition of June 12 as the nations Democracy Day. In his remarks, Sultan Abubakar reportedly pledged his support to the success of the Presidents administration. The Sultan led prayers for President Buharis second term in office, and for the nation to overcome current challenges. Other guests at the Iftar dinner were: Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Isa Dodo; the presidents nephew, Mamman Daura; Ismaila Isa; Wale Tinubu; and Hakeem P. Fahm, who is the Commissioner of Science and Technology, Lagos State. Buhari meets Tinubu, Sultan in Makkah Buhari meets Tinubu, Sultan in Makkah Buhari meets Tinubu, Sultan in Makkah Buhari meets Tinubu, Sultan in Makkah Buhari meets Tinubu, Sultan in Makkah A teenager, Umar Murtala, on Sunday evening drowned in a pond at Gwazaye, opposite the Abacha Youth Centre in Gwale LGA of Kano State. The spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, told the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that Murtala, 18, drowned at 5:00 pm. We received a distress call from one Abubakar Aliyu at 5:00p.m, that Murtalas body was found floating in a pond. On receiving the information, we sent our rescue team to the scene at 5:15 pm. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. Murtala was found dead and his corpse was later handed over to his father, Alhaji Murtala Salisu, the spokesperson said. In another development, the fire service spokesperson said that Mohammed Shaharali, 20, drowned when he fell into an open pool of water on Sunday morning at Ladanai in Nasarawa LGA of Kano State. The spokesperson said that the service received a call from Ishaiaku Yaro, at 9:22 am who said a body was found floating on the water. Upon receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our rescue team to the scene at 9:30 am. he said. According to him, the deceased was rescued unconscious but later confirmed dead. The spokesperson said his remains were handed to the Head of Hotoron Arewa Central Ward, Murtala Mohammed. He advised the general public to be careful while bathing in pools, ponds and other sources of water. NAN reports that there has been increased cases of drowning since the commencement of the heat season in Kano about a month ago. (NAN) The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the kidnapping of a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and 14 others. The police spokesperson, Yakubu Sabo, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday said the worshippers were accosted by the armed men on their way from service on Sunday morning. According to him, they were intercepted at Jiti Odongawa, around a remote village called Anguwan Kuli, along the border of Sabua local government in Katsina State and Birinin Gwari axis in Kaduna. The Nation, on Sunday, reported that the pastors daughter was among the 15 kidnapped. But the police spokesperson told this newspaper he could not confirm this. He also could not confirm the name of the alleged pastor as at when this report was filed. Mr Sabo said the command had deployed special forces to the scene on a general search to arrest the perpetrators. We received information on Sunday morning from a village called Jiti Odongawa at Birinin Gwari area command that some armed men in large numbers in motorcycle invaded a remote village along the border of Sabua local government in Katsina State to Kaduna State at Birinin Gwari axis. While the innocent citizens have (had) just closed from church service, they were intercepted by the armed men. They took away the pastor, four men, and ten women, making them 15. On receipt of that information, the command mobilised the anti-kidnapping unit the police mobile force and the conventional police of the Birinin Gwari axis command force to the scene on a general search to arrest the perpetrators. We later contacted the intelligence response team of Abbakyari to join them in operation, and the operation is still on. If there is an update, I will contact you, Mr Sabo said. Justice Iniekadi Eradiri of a Bayelsa High Court on Monday recused himself from the trial of Richard Kpodo, a former aide to an ex-governor of the state, Timipriye Sylva. Mr Kpodo is charged with the alleged rape of a 26-year female cashier. Ruling on the petition on Monday, Mr Eradiri said that he was constrained to hands off the case to pave way for the investigation by the National Judicial Council (NJC). I feel strongly that I should no longer continue with the case since the petition against me before the National Judicial Council is being investigated. I will, therefore, hand over the case file to the Chief Judge, Mr Eradiri said. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Kpodos counsel, Julius Iyekoroghe, had on December 21, 2018, approached Mr Eradiri with a motion on notice, urging him to disqualify himself. Mr Eradiri referred the application to the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Kate Abiri, who subsequently declined an application to assign the rape trial to another judge. The defence counsel alleged that the judge showed bias in the case by refusing to grant bail to the defendant. (NAN) When the bones of an ancient heron were unearthed at a North Florida fossil site, the find wasnt made by researchers but by two Florida Museum of Natural History volunteers. A previously unknown genus and species, the heron has been named Taphophoyx hodgei (TAFF-oh-foy-ks HAHJ-ee-eye) in honor of landowner Eddie Hodge, who has allowed Florida Museum researchers and volunteers to excavate the site on his property near Williston since his granddaughter first discovered fossils there in 2015. Nearly 700 volunteers have worked at the Montbrook fossil site, collectively digging more than 12,000 hours. You couldnt have a better group of people, Hodge said. Theres a lot of negativity when we get home and turn on the television, but it does you good to be out here seeing volunteers get excited and be positive about something. The bones used to identify the new heron were found by volunteers Toni-Ann Benjamin and Sharon Shears. Taphophoyx hodgei whose genus name means buried heron in Greek and Latin is the first new species to be described from Montbrook. Many other new species from the fossil-rich site await publication. Its invigorated the local fossil community, said David Steadman, Florida Museum curator of ornithology and lead author of the description of T. hodgei. One of the greatest values of Montbrook is that its been such a collaborative learning tool. Because Montbrook is such an intensively worked fossil site, processing the finds takes the teamwork of scientists and amateurs. Hodge oversees much of the land management that Montbrook requires, including moving dirt and managing drainage. In addition to working outdoors at the site, volunteers prepare and catalog specimens in the Florida Museums vertebrate paleontology lab. A good day of digging requires between 10 and 20 days to process in the lab, said Jonathan Bloch, Florida Museum curator of vertebrate paleontology and a coordinator of the fossil dig. We simply couldnt do all this work without help from the public, Bloch said. Volunteers are not only the backbone of the dig, theyre actively contributing to scientific discoveries. Steadman and then-masters student Oona Takano used the characteristics of the birds scapula and coracoid, two bones that intersect to support the birds shoulder, to determine the relationship between this ancient heron and modern lineages. They believe T. hodgei is most closely related to todays tiger-herons, which live in Mexico and Central and South America. They have given the new species the common name Hodges tiger-heron. This heron adds to this big suite of aquatic birds were finding at Montbrook, Steadman said. Were seeing the same families of birds youd see around wetlands today, but theyre all extinct species. The fun challenge is finding out how closely related any given species at Montbrook is to the birds that we see flying and swimming around Florida today. Even after three and a half years, were nowhere near diminishing returns. Takano, now a University of New Mexico Ph.D. student, said that bird fossils are prized finds, particularly at a site like Montbrook where the majority of fossils belong to young gomphotheres, extinct elephant-like mammals. In general, bird bones dont fossilize well because theyre hollow, she said. Its relatively rare to find well-preserved bird bones at all and even rarer to find articulated bones, referring to bones that would have locked together in the birds body. Most Florida fossil sites are limestone sinkholes or pitfall traps created by ancient predators to capture their prey. At Montbrook, researchers have been able to glimpse a different type of ancient environment: the riverine ecosystem. Five million years ago, T. hodgei would have lived alongside saber-toothed cats, rhinoceroses and horses that frequented a river that likely weaved through a grassland, Steadman said. Researchers believe the ancient rivers current scattered decomposing animal remains, making this find of two intersecting bones even more significant. Steadman said naming the species after Hodge was a natural choice. Through the kindness of his heart and being interested just wanting to know whats in the ground on his land Eddie let us in and one thing led to another. Steadman said. Naming this heron after Eddie is a minor part of treating him right because hes been treating us right. Hes genuinely interested in the fossils were finding, Takano added. The Florida Museum recruits volunteers for the Montbrook dig in fall and spring and regularly encourages volunteers and students to become involved, often resulting in meaningful fossil discoveries. Finds are shared on the Florida Museum Montbrook Fossil Dig Blog. Volunteers are fascinated by this stuff its really their passion, Hodge said. Theres a satisfaction in being able to provide something like this for people interested in higher learning, and you dont get the chance to do that very often. You never know what you can find. Just the next little spoonful of dirt, brush it back and there it is. Reference: David W. Steadman, Oona M. Takano. A new genus and species of heron (Aves: Ardeidae) from the late Miocene of Florida. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History, 2019; 55 (9): 174-186 [link] Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Florida Museum of Natural History. Original written by Halle Marchese. Bassey Albert, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from Akwa Ibom, has assured that senators and members of the House of Representatives from the state will not defect from the PDP. Mr Albert, who has just won re-election for a second term, represents Akwa Ibom North-east in the Senate. With three senators and 10 House of Representatives members intact, we will not defect, the senator told the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, during a meeting of PDP members in Akwa Ibom, Friday. We will work together to protect the interest of Akwa Ibom State in the National Assembly. Mr Albert is the only senator who stayed back in the PDP to contest for re-election, among the three who represent the state. Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West) and Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom South) defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where they contested for re-election. Both Mr Akpabio and Mr Effiong failed to win a second term. Apart from Mr Albert, the two other PDP senators who will be representing Akwa Ibom in the 9th Senate are Chris Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom North-West) and Akon Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom South). The PDP also won all the 10 federal constituencies in Akwa Ibom. The PDP meeting, held at Government House, Uyo, had Governor Emmanuel and his wife, Martha, in attendance, including the deputy governor, Moses Ekpo, and the chairman of PDP in the state, Paul Ekpo. Mr Albert told Mr Emmanuel that his re-election has restored the dignity of Akwa Ibom people. You are Nigerias most successful governor. You were elected governor for a purpose, and that purpose will be achieved by Gods grace. We assure you that, with the confidence reposed on us, we will not disappoint the state, the senator said to the governor. Governor Emmanuel in his remarks said the general election was won because Akwa Ibom people were united in their resolve. We fought as a people and we conquered as a people and we are all proud winners today. Today, by the grace of God, we can proudly say anywhere that we are Akwa Ibom persons and others will respect us, the governor said. The Akwa Ibom chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said it never expelled or suspended former governor, Godswill Akpabio, from the party. The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Ini Ememobong, stated this at a news conference in Uyo, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said the claim by Mr Akpabio that he was expelled by the party was a transparent lie, adding that the former governor had never even been suspended at any time. Chief Akpabio had announced to the world on August 8, 2018, that he was defecting from the PDP to the APC in pursuit of national interest and to stem the tide of defections in the National Assembly. In fact, at different campaigns, he mocked the PDP as being empty since his `uncommon defection. At no time did he mention the issue of expulsion, which has now become his creation, as a lame defence in his struggle to keep his seat at the Senate, Mr Ememobong said. He alleged that Mr Akpabio colluded with a former chairman of PDP in Essien Udim Local Government Area to procure a letter purportedly expelling him from the party, and backdated it. According to him, after completing the assignment, the former chairman defected to APC to join Mr Akpabio. The PDP insisted that there was no way Mr Akpabio could have been expelled by the party without the concern of the executive committee of the party in the LGA and the state. It also stated that there was no record showing the existence of such a punitive action against the senator by his ward or local government executive committee of the party, the NAN report highlighted. In August 2018, Mr Akpabio said he decided to join the APC to emancipate his people and provide succour for them. He said the PDP of today has no vision and the leadership is replete with arrogance. However, earlier in the month, he said he left the party because he was expelled. Mr Akpabio also told a Federal High Court in Abuja in May, why he moved out of the PDP to the APC, saying he was expelled from his erstwhile party. At the opening of his defence in a suit seeking his sack and that of 53 other national lawmakers over their alleged defection from one party to another, he told the court that unlike the others, he was expelled from the PDP on whose platform he ran and won the Akwa Ibom North-west senatorial seat in 2015. The former governor said before he was expelled from the PDP at the local government level, the party had already suspended him in his ward. The Enugu State Government has designated 12 courts, three in each senatorial zone, for the hearing of juvenile cases in the state. Peace Nnaji, the states commissioner for gender affairs and social welfare, made the disclosure in Enugu on Monday when the Enugu State Assembly Committee on Gender visited the ministry as part of its oversight function. Mrs Nnaji said after the committees last visit, the ministry swung into action to ensure that their suggestions were considered by the state executive council. The commissioner said that the states chief judge, Ngozi Emehelu, had promised to deploy some high court judges and magistrates to be handling cases of juveniles in the state. She said cases concerning children should not be treated in open court as stated in the Child Right Act so that they would be free to express their view without fear of anybody or the press. The commissioner said the state government would equally train social workers that would help judges and magistrates to prepare such children before they appeared in the juvenile court for prosecution. According to her, the good news is that if any one of them has any problem with their parents or guardian and cannot go back to the home, the child could be taken to a home specially made for such people. Mrs Nnaji said the governor visited the rehabilitation centre and promised to give it a facelift. She added that he had equally given approval of N44 million to rehabilitate the centre. The commissioner said the three ministries handling the job were ministries of works, inter-ministerial and gender. She disclosed that the governor also gave approval to the Ministry of Health to construct a home for the children loitering on the streets as part of the implementation of the Child Rights Act. So that when the children are caught they would take them to the building, invite their family for some questioning. The project was done by the state ministry of health and will be commissioned by the governors wife on May 23. The national level has passed the social protection policy framework bill and Enugu State is going to pass its own through the effort of the state assembly as the governor has given approval to forward the information to the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF will invite the members of the state assembly to brainstorm with a view to study the bill and pass it. The bill will be domiciled in the ministry of gender, she said. In her remark, Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, the Chairman Enugu Assembly House Committee on Gender Affairs and Social Matters, said the committee was on the visit to know the general overview of the activities and achievements of the ministry. Mrs Omeja-Ogbu commended the governor for approving juvenile courts in the three senatorial zones of the state adding that this was the first of its kind. The committee chairman commended the ministry for its efforts in protecting the rights of children especially less privileged ones in the state. She praised the governor for being gender sensitive in all his activities in the state and also encouraged him to remember women in the scheme of things. (NAN) The inferno which engulfed oil wells operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited in Ojumole communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State has continued unabated 32 days after it started. While the Ondo State Government, community leaders and Chevron are battling to extinguish the fire, some communities from Delta and Ondo, said to be affected by the inferno, are locked in a battle of ownership of the lighted oil wells. Although the crisis is yet to blow open, the communities sharing the boundaries where the wells are located, are contending over the wells in anticipation of possible compensations coming from the oil company. It was initially believed that the oil well, located in Ilaje local government of Ondo State, belonged to it. But, Polobubo-Tsekelewu community in Warri North LGA of Delta State have made claims that it is home to the oil wells still on fire. It claimed that the wells are part of the Ikpalapkala-Bou oil facility in the Ijaw community. It vowed to resist any attempt by Chevron to cede the facility to the Ojumale oil well in Ondo State. Showdown The Delta community is threatening a showdown with the contending communities and the oil company. At a recent meeting held in Warri, Delta State, the Polobubo-Tsekelewu National Council (PNC) noted that Chevrons position was provocative as its operations in the area was having adverse effects in the community. Speaking through its National President, Ebilate Mac-Yoroki, the community urged the Delta State Government to back its claims on the oil wells and mount pressure on Chevron to put out the fire. But the Ondo State communities are unrelenting over their claims of the oil wells. They claimed that Ikorigho, Ojumole, Zion Ikorigho, Otumara, Ajegunle, Ilueri and Bowoto communities in Ilaje were impacted by the disaster. Mild Intervention But Chevron has since clarified that only one well is on fire and that is Ojumole Well 1 and it is located in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 49 in NNPC/Chevron Nigeria JVs Western Niger Delta area of operations. It said this is supposedly plugged and idle with no flow line connected to it. Leaders of the communities, led by Judah Akinyomi, said some people were parading themselves as leaders, but were not the appointed leaders of the affected people, and therefore could not speak for them. It is a sad thing that valuable assets, mostly owned by the people of Ilaje land and the environment, have been imperiled by the actions of a few greedy individuals who tampered with the idle well apparently to steal crude oil, thereby leading to this unfortunate fire incident, he said. They urged Chevron to ensure the fire was put out as soon as possible. They also called on the company to provide relief materials for the people in the communities destroyed by the fire. PREMIUM TIMES however gathered that, in the face of the controversy, Chevron had been diplomatic in not making any categorical statement on where the well belongs. It noted that it was not its duty to determine who owned the land on which the facility was located, and also distanced itself from reports it had ceded the facility to Ondo State. Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government, in a statement , warned that it would not play politics with the lives of its citizens in Ilaje. It urged Chevron to be responsible in providing the needed materials in mitigating the impact of the fire. The Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, also condemned Chevron for engaging in obnoxious acts of divide and rule among the communities affected by the inferno. The governor noted that the state government had received several complaints from the communities within the Ojumole Oil Well against the committee put in place by Chevron. The State Government is aware of the antics of some of the Chevrons top staffers, who are from Delta State, that are fanning the ember of discord between Ondo State and her neighbouring state, Delta, purposely for their selfish gains, Mr Akeredolu said. There is no controversy over the ownership of Ojumole and Omuro Oil fields in Ilaje local government despite the moves of these top Chevron officers to fuel crisis between these communities by claiming Ojumole Oil field belongs to both Ondo and Delta States. Advertisements Mr Akeredolu attributed the cause of the inferno to the negligence and failure of the oil company to secure the facility it abandoned since the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis of 1998. He lamented that every attempt to make Chevron re-open the facility had proved abortive, despite that the oil well is still very prolific and has the capacity to generate up to 10,000 barrels per day. The governor added that due to the abandonment of the oil well by the company, oil bunkering activities have been very persistent at the location and this has led to several incidences of vandalisatiom of the facilitys equipment and oil spillages/pollution. It was however gathered that Chevron is playing safe so as not to cause communal crisis between the Ijaw of Polobubo in Delta State and Ilaje of Ondo State. Meanwhile, the Ondo State House of Assembly had earlier summoned the company to appear before it to explain its inability to put out the fire promptly. A six-man committee of the house is looking into the issue in order to find a solution. Fire still raging- Chevron Responding to PREMIUM TIMES inquiry on the development, Chevrons Communications Manager, Adebawo Adesola, admitted that the oil well was still on fire, but the company was engaging experts to help put out the fire. Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) is currently working with Emergency Response contractors to safely put out the fire as quickly as possible, Mr Adesola said. Due to the peculiar terrain of the well location, there is the need to create an access path to the slot leading to the well head. This will enable the heavy equipment and men required to safely put out the fire, gain access to the well location. We continue to keep all stakeholders, including the communities and regulatory agencies engaged on our efforts to put out the fire. He noted that the company was sensitive to the concerns to the affected communities and would do everything to ensure the safety and protection of the environment. A Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of the incident on Saturday April 20, 2019, by a team made up of regulatory agencies, community stakeholders and CNL, determined that the fire incident was caused by third-party interference. There were protective mechanical components and installed barriers on the well head, which were tampered with by illegal bunkerers, he said. Primary school teachers in Oyo State commenced an indefinite strike on Monday due to delay in payment of salaries and other requests. The chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State wing, Samson Adedoyin, told PREMIUM TIMES that the strike became necessary due to the inability of the state government to meet demands of the union. The NUT had last week issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Oyo State government to clear and settle the backlogs of salaries owed its members. The union, while lamenting over unpaid salaries of primary school teachers, gave the state government 72 hours notice to address their challenges or face an indefinite strike action. Teachers complaints The union listed issues worrying the members of the union as non-implementation of promotions and accompanying benefits to the primary school teachers by the Oyo State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC). Others are delay in payment of salaries to primary school teachers, delay in the promotion of grade level 14 to 15, continued withholding of 2018 leave grant and delay in the clearance of teachers allegedly accused of illegal promotion. It was however gathered that the state government invited the leaders of the union to a parley on May 15 but no deal was reached. The NUT acknowledged that its leadership met with the state Head of Service and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on May 15, during which both government functionaries made passionate appeal to them to shelve the proposed strike. The union however stated that the appeal of the state government could not change anything because none of their demands was met. The teachers are downing tools over delay in the promotion of primary school teachers from salary grade level 14 to 15, as well as delay in payment in payment of salary of primary school teachers. They said they were commencing the strike today because efforts made by the state government to persuade the teachers were unsuccessful. Our correspondent who monitored the strike reports that pupils in Ibadan, the state capital were sent out this morning by the teachers in conformity with the industrial action. Most of the gates of the schools visited by PREMIUM TIMES on Monday were shut against the pupils. At Sasa Community Primary School, Sasa in Akinyele Local Government, pupils were seen sent back home by the teachers. The same scenario played out at Methodist N5 Primary School, NTA Road, Agodi, in Ibadan North Local Government Area, where the gate of the school was shut against the pupils. At Oloba Primary School 1 and 2, in Ogbore Tioya in Ona Ara Local Government Area, the pupils were told to go home due to the industrial action which commenced today. NUT chairman, Mr Adedoyin, while speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday added that the strike will not be called off until the government meet the demands of the primary school teachers in the state. Mr Adedoyin maintained that the strike action can only be called off when the government is ready. He said, Primary School teachers commenced indefinite strike today in Oyo State. I can confirm that to you. That is why we called it indefinite strike. It is indefinite. It all depends on the government. If the government is ready to meet our demands, we are ready to suspend the strike. Government Optimistic When reached, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Adeniyi Olowofela, said the issue between the teachers and the government would be solved within two days. Advertisements Mr Olowofela who confirmed that the state government had a meeting with the teachers on Friday, told PREMIUM TIMES that another meeting would soon be held to resolve the matter. The professor in a telephone conversation, said, We had a meeting with them on Friday and we are going to continue with the meeting. I believe we will have another meeting within the next two days to resolve the matter. The Oyo State Governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, has accused Governor Abiola Ajimobi of mischief as the government announced it has restored full monthly subventions to all the state-owned tertiary institutions. Governor Abiola Ajimobi had in 2016 slashed the subventions to run the institutions by about 75 per cent, citing dwindling revenues. For example, The Polytechnic, Ibadan which used to get about N235 million monthly from the state government started receiving about N45 million, an official of the polytechnic told PREMIUM TIMES. The Oyo government-owned tertiary institutions are: The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo; Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo Ora; Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki; Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa; and Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, which is jointly owned by the state and Osun, was also affected. Mr Ajimobi, then advised the authorities of the institutions to be more creative in sourcing revenues to meet the shortfall in their funding. The decision drew protests by students of the institutions and led to the schools being shut down by the state government. The state government, however, on Sunday said it has restored the 100 per cent subventions to the tertiary institutions. The announcement came 10 days to the end of the second and final term of Governor Ajimobi. The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Adeniyi Olowofela, told journalists on Sunday that the restoration of 100 per cent subvention to the institutions was aimed at assisting them to address their financial constraints. Mr Olowofela said the restoration of full subventions will take effect from April. He added that the fall in federal allocation and grants to the state forced the state government to cut expenditures, which also affected the tertiary institutions in the state. Mr Olowofela said, Prior to the 2019 general elections, Governor Abiola Ajimobi had also met with the management of various institutions and they both agreed on how to offset their backlogs which the government has started implementing.. He urged the management of the institutions to be innovative, resourceful and also look inward on how to be self-sustaining. In his reaction, the governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, said the outgoing administration would be leaving behind an unprecedented record of governance by mischief in its last days in office. In a statement by his media aide, Dotun Oyelade, Mr Makinde alleged that the same government was encouraging primary school teachers to embark on an indefinite strike. Mr Makinde said, For a government that gave paucity of funds as reason it could not pay backlogs to go ahead and restore 100% subvention to all tertiary Institutions one week to leaving office is fulfilling Gov. Ajimobis agenda to spend everything, and create a mountain of debt before leaving office. The same government collected Common Entrance fees from pupils since March and has refused to fix examination date and they are leaving office next Wednesday. He said the spate of appointments and promotions the government was carrying out surreptitiously are also part of their agenda. Mr Makinde said many things were going on within the government that do not edify the status of Oyo as the Pacesetter State, all in their bid to have the last laugh. But you cannot be anti-people and have the last laugh, he said. The Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal has discharged and acquitted the proprietress of Sunshine Group of Schools, Olayinka Taiwo, of child trafficking charges. The appellate court nullified the decision of a federal high court in Ibadan which convicted Mrs Taiwo in February 2017, after she was arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). NAPTIP accused Mrs Taiwo of conspiring with one Oyediran Oladapo (who is still at large) to fraudulently procure the entry of Olusola Oyediran into the United Kingdom with intent to obtain financial benefit. The agency said she fraudulently procured Ms Oyedirans entry to the UK in which she is not a national and permanent resident in order to obtain financial benefit. The alleged offence, the prosecution claimed, contravened sections 26 (2) and 27 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015. The federal high court, on December 10, 2018, found Mrs Taiwo guilty on both counts and sentenced her to five years imprisonment on each count. Dissatisfied, Mrs Taiwo, through her lawyer, Olaniyi George, appealed the decision of the lower court. In a unanimous judgment delivered on May 13, Folasade Ojo, the lead judge, nullified her conviction. Other judges on the panel were Abubakar Talba and Nonyerem Okoronkwo. The Court of Appeal held that the prosecution did not prove the ingredients of the offence of child trafficking. Setting aside the lower courts judgment, the appellate court said the court erroneously relied on circumstantial evidence to convict the accused. They held that there was no evidence before the lower court to conclude that Mrs Taiwo committed the offence and benefitted financially from child trafficking. I have gone through the entire gamut of the record and cannot find any evidence from which to draw any inference that the appellant agreed with Jelili to procure Abikes entry into the UK with the intent to derive financial benefit, Mrs Ojo stated in the lead judgment. The essential ingredient of the offence of conspiracy has not been proved against the appellant. I find the lower court to be in error when it convicted the appellant on both counts of the charge. The prosecution failed to establish the ingredients of the offences for which the appellant was charged. Accordingly, I find merit in this appeal and it is hereby allowed. The judgment of the lower court delivered on 10th December 2018 is hereby set aside. I enter a verdict of not guilty in favour of the appellant. She is discharged and acquitted on both counts of the charge. Concurring with the lead judgment, Mr Talba added: I agree with the conclusion that the findings of the lower court that the appellant benefited financially is not supported by evidence on record. There is equally no evidence on record to draw any inference that the appellant agreed with Jelili to procure Abikes entry into the UK with the intent to derive financial benefit. The prosecution has failed to establish the ingredients of the offences for which the appellant was charged. I also find merit in this appeal and it is hereby allowed. I abide by the consequential orders in the lead judgment. Justice Okoronkwo also added: The trial judge acted on her own conjecture and not evidence. The lead judgment in this appeal by my Lord Folasade Ojo has demonstrated the futility of such conjecture. The stream of criminal law must be kept pure and devoid of all subjectivity. Judges must look beyond the parties in cases before them. I agree with the lead judgment. I also discharge and acquit the appellant. Advertisements The solar panels Cardillo installs are from the Solar Edge company. The system can be monitored down to individual panels. Homeowners can check how the solar panel system is working on their cellphone, Cardillo said. When installing solar panels to a roof, the solar panels are attached to rails. The rails are attached to anchor points. The anchor points are attached to the rafters in the roof, which are the internal beams that extend to the peak of the roof and constitute its framework, said Cardillo, who has been in the solar panel business for 15 years and on his own for the past five years. There are some things to investigate when considering whether to install solar panels on a home. If tall trees are blocking the sunshine on a roof, homeowners have to decide to either cutback or cut down the trees. Also, a roof that faces to the north is not as desirable as the east, west or south when it comes to solar panels, said James Price, the project manager for Spectrum Energy, out of Maple Shade, Burlington County. Another thing that needs to be looked into is if the home is in a designated historic district, Price said. He said he was glad the state was taking steps to make college more affordable and applauded the states free community college program. The resources seem to be there, its more about the affordability than anything else that really stresses me out, Akram said. He said loans arent an option for him due to cultural reasons, so he had to pay for college through other means. Atlantic City resident and Stockton sophomore Franco Castillo said he had a lot of trouble with the state when filling out his financial forms, and it made it harder for him to enroll in college. Students also said there needs to be more education for parents on the college process, especially for families that previously did not have any college graduates. I think one of the things that was a big takeaway was making the connection back to the high schools, Smith Ellis said. That would be just one step. She said in addition to streamlining information, the state has to work toward bringing the cost of education down. His son, one of three people employed by the small family business, was "probably drunk," he said. "Ultimately it's my fault," Bruce Bellace said. "Maybe we didn't teach him right." Police said Bryan Bellace was released on a summons. His court date is May 29 in Hamilton Township municipal court. The person who police say recorded the video, 23-year-old Daniel Flippen, of Hammonton, has also been charged with having an open alcoholic beverage in a park. Responding to the video, Christian Clopp's father Mark wrote in a Facebook post Monday morning that he hopes the incident is a learning experience for the two men. "I have no idea what exists in your life to make you so indifferent to how others feel, but I hope this serves as a wake-up call and you get the help you need," he wrote. Christian Clopp, a former Cub Scout, was a student at the George L. Hess Educational Complex. At age eight, he was diagnosed with brain cancer and spent about 150 days at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. After his death seven years ago, the township committee passed a proclamation to name the first day of school in Clopp's honor. EGG HARBOR CITY A 13-year-old boy was hit by cars while riding his bike Friday night and airlifted to a hospital, police said. The boy was hit near Philadelphia Avenue and Route 30 about 8:20 p.m., Sgt. Marcella Aylwin said. "The initial impact I believe was in the crosswalk on the west side of the intersection," Aylwin said. On her way home from work at South Jersey Gas, Nancy Watkins, 49, of Waterford Township, Camden County, saw the accident take place. She said the car ran the boy over. "He wasn't moving. He had no movement at all," Watkins said. "His shoes were off. The bicycle was sitting on the curb, no seat, no nothing." Gabrielle Majias, 18, of Egg Harbor City, said she noticed first responders and bystanders gathered around Philadelphia Avenue between Dunkin Donuts and Leatherhead Pub. It was so devastating, especially seeing his brother and their friends cry, she said. The boy is in "stable, critical condition" at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, Aylwin said. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Hamilton Township police and Galloway Township police are assisting in the investigation, Aylwin said. All of the women involved in the case later signed statements agreeing to the weight policy, which the judge described as lawful and reasonable. Borgata introduces new online sports betting option Atlantic Citys most profitable casino has launched its own online sports betting platform, Johnson decided the policy did not constitute sexual discrimination. The Borgata Babe program has a sufficient level of trapping and adornments to render its participants akin to sex objects to the Borgatas patrons. Nevertheless, for the individual labeled a babe to become a sex object requires that persons participation, Johnson wrote. Plaintiffs cannot shed the label babe; they embraced it when they went to work for the Borgata. In 2015, an appellate court ruled that 11 women could still go to trial. However, Borgata sought and obtained the trial courts permission to renew its summary judgment motion with limited additional evidence presented, which Johnson upheld. The appellate judges said the argument in support of that motion was a distortion of our opinion. N.J. leads the way one year after Supreme Court allows sports betting No state has benefited more than New Jersey in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overtur The act is administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the Interior Department. In 1996, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service started granting exceptions to allow federal funds to be used to dredge sand from Hereford Inlet, but it reversed that decision in 2016 under the Obama Administration. A Fish & Wildlife spokesman said a federal attorney has determined sand can only be mined from a protected area to be used for shoreline stabilization in another protected area. He said previous permission was based on using sand to protect areas within the CBRA system, so no reversal of position has occurred. The inlet is part of the protected area, while Seven Mile Island, home to Stone Harbor and Avalon, is not. But a spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Army Corps of Engineers said dredged sand from Hereford Inlet was used on three previous occasions in Stone Harbor with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including initial dune construction of in 2009 and two times under the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies program in 2011 and 2013. One of the exceptions allowed is protection of life and property in an emergency, under the Federal Flood Insurance Act of 1968. The builders of the new Boardwalk pledged their help. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would explore the access possibilities with the city. The state Department of Environmental Protection said it would consider what it could do to further access. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, whose talks with fishing interests in Atlantic City during last years campaign made him aware of the issue, said he is forming a committee to tackle the technical challenges of safe and secure access to the jetties and to find a source for funding the project. He spoke confidently about getting it done: We know this is a doable process and something we can accomplish. Thats great. It can only help that the new access bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy at the start of this month establishes clearly in state law the public trust doctrine that waterways are common property kept in trust for use by all people. The legislation was a bipartisan product of business and environmental interests working together, and supported by almost every major conservation, fishing and surfing organization in the state, from beach advocates to defenders of access along urban waterways, said the American Littoral Society. Theres a lot being said by others about my position on incentives, Murphy said. And, unfortunately, a lot of whats being said is wrong. The governor said he believed in having a strong and smartly designed program to draw new businesses to New Jersey and keep those already here from moving out. This debate is not about whether or not New Jersey has an economic incentives program, but what kind of program we have, he said. My concern has been with the recent awarding of incentives that are far, far out of alignment with those being offered by our neighboring and competitors states in terms of the price we are paying, and which are draining the state of revenues we need to make even bigger investments in infrastructure and other job-creating areas of our economy. Appealing to the labor crowd, Murphy said he has proposed new incentive programs that will focus on multi-faceted and community-building projects, which will put people to work in good, union jobs. Murphy said his view was that incentives are a critical piece of the puzzle, just not the entire picture. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. RENO, Nevada, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Corporate Visions, a leader in sales and marketing messaging, content, and skills training services, announced it has been included on Selling Power's 2019 list of the Top 20 Sales Training Companies that excel in helping sales leaders improve the performance of their sales teams. The list appears in the May 2019 issue of Selling Power magazine, which is now available to view online. http://bit.ly/2PLSCaV According to Selling Power publisher and founder Gerhard Gschwandtner, sales training is a key area of competitive differentiation for B2B sales teams. "It's no secret that buyers control much of the buying process," says Gschwandtner. "Any company that wants to stay competitive needs to offer their sales teams proper training on how to succeed and thrive in an increasingly complex, challenging selling environment. This is easier said than done. The companies on our Top 20 Sales Training Companies list represent the best of the best, and sales leaders should leverage this list to find the best partner for their unique training needs." All companies on the list submitted a comprehensive application that included a detailed listing of their offerings for both training and retention, innovative solutions and services they have developed, and their company's unique contributions to the sales training marketplace. The main criteria used when comparing applicants and selecting the companies to include on this year's list were: Depth and breadth of training offered Innovative offerings (specific training courses, methodology, or delivery methods) Contributions to the sales training market Strength of client satisfaction Selling Power magazine editors say the companies on the 2019 Top 20 Sales Training Companies list represent the best potential to help sales teams improve their performance and remain competitive in any selling environment. This is also the first year the list has included five honorable mentions. See the list at sellingpower.com . About Corporate Visions, Inc. Corporate Visions is a leading marketing and sales messaging, content, and skills training company. Global B2B companies come to us when they want to: Create Value Break the status quo and differentiate your solutions from competitors Break the status quo and differentiate your solutions from competitors Elevate Value Build a more effective business case to justify executive decisions Build a more effective business case to justify executive decisions Capture Value Maximize the profitability of each deal Maximize the profitability of each deal Expand Value Renew and expand existing customer revenue About Selling Power In addition to Selling Power, the leading digital magazine for sales managers and sales VPs since 1981, Personal Selling Power, Inc., produces the Sales Management Digest and Daily Boost of Positivity online newsletters, as well as a series of five-minute videos featuring interviews with top executives. Selling Power is a regular media sponsor of the Sales 3.0 Conference, which is attended by a total of more than 1,000 sales leaders each year. Contact: news@corporatevisions.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/332752/Corporate_Visions_Inc__Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.corporatevisions.com SOURCE Corporate Visions, Inc. NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today the opening of its newest franchised location in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Located at 1151 E. Main St., the Lincolnton restaurant marks Captain D's 26th restaurant in the state as the brand quickly accelerates its growth across the Southeast. Leading Captain D's North Carolina expansion is Shawn Eby, founder and chief executive officer of Goalz Restaurant Group, LLC. This March, Eby opened his first Captain D's restaurant in Pooler, Georgia and is set to expand in Lincolnton and beyond, with plans to debut locations in Lancaster, South Carolina and Shelbyville, Kentucky later this year. "We have tremendous momentum going now with our first two Captain D's restaurants open and two more in the pipeline slated to open before the end of the year. This has been made possible by having such a supportive franchisor like Captain D's helping to guide us as we set out to achieve our growth goals," said Eby. "Having our expansion plans align with brand's targeted Southeast growth makes for a powerful relationship and we're looking forward to being a part of the Lincolnton community, serving Captain D's high-quality seafood in a welcoming atmosphere." Goalz Restaurant Group, LLC, a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based multi-unit restaurant franchise operator, signed its first development agreement with Captain D's in 2017. With Eby at the helm, Goalz owns and operates Captain D's, Dairy Queen, Dog Haus and Church's Chicken restaurants across the Southeast and Midwest. Eby's rapid development with Captain D's is a result of the brand's accelerated growth efforts throughout the Southeast. While developing in new and existing target markets, Captain D's has remained dedicated to optimizing its guest experience and leading its unique niche of the restaurant industry. Captain D's has achieved outstanding success over the past several years, which has fueled a surge in franchise and corporate development. Throughout the past year, the company has opened more than a dozen new locations and inked numerous franchise development agreements to open new restaurants in states like Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan and Oklahoma. With more than 530 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. Coupled with its ongoing menu innovation, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's ongoing strong performance. To date, nearly 80 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's new vibrant, coastal design. With these efforts, Captain D's has remained true to what it does best serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere. The company is currently seeking multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819. ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 22 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com. Contact: Shana Rosenthal Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Captain D's Related Links http://www.captainds.com WILMINGTON, Del., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Young Conaway's Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group is pleased to announce that Jack Jacobs has returned to the firm after almost three decades on the benches of the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court. As a Vice Chancellor and Supreme Court Justice, Jack oversaw and decided some of America's seminal corporate disputes and has been instrumental in shaping how Delaware entities dutifully conduct their corporate affairs. Jack provides Young Conaway's Portfolio Company Specialty Group with unparalleled experience and guidance. Young Conaway is launching a new program that will merge our restructuring expertise with former Justice Jacobs' corporate experience. This program will provide a detailed governance framework from the point of distress or potential conflict through the consummation and closure of a value-maximizing (and risk mitigating) transaction. To learn more about the program, contact Michael R. Nestor at [email protected] or 302.571.6699. About the Young Conaway Portfolio Company Specialty Group Young Conaway's Portfolio Company Specialty Group combines the talents of our corporate and restructuring sections to address the unique and complex needs of portfolio companies, their fund sponsors, and their directors and management, including governance, judgment assessment, management, and distressed and/or interested transactions. Working collaboratively with our colleagues and friends at law firms, private equity funds and financial advisory firms, our attorneys provide: Representation of portfolio companies, boards, special committees, sponsors and fiduciaries in interested and/or distressed transactions; State of the law Delaware corporate advice regarding issues of corporate governance and corporate structure; corporate advice regarding issues of corporate governance and corporate structure; Counseling for portfolio companies in connection with business transactions, financing and tax strategies; and Corporate investigations regarding interested transactions, potential/alleged causes of action, and the propriety of releases in connection with restructuring transactions. Media Contact: Michael Nestor 302.571.6699 [email protected] SOURCE Young Conaway Related Links https://www.youngconaway.com VIENNA, Va., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Paradigm, Kymeta and Lepton Global Solutions have announced a new, fully integrated communications-on-the-move (COTM) terminal offering both LTE and satellite communications capabilities. The first-of-its-kind product integrates Kymeta's breakthrough flat-panel antenna with Cradlepoint cellular technology and Paradigm's PIM interface. The terminal has been fielded to a U.S. Special Forces customer and is now commercially available for other users. Kymeta flat-panel antenna fielded for special operations community integrated with Paradigm Interface Module (PIM?) for satellite capability and Cradlepoint LTE connectivity The MANTA+ integrates Cradlepoint technology for failover routing between services and uses the Paradigm Interface Module (PIM) as a single-control interface designed to accommodate simple, out-of-the-box satellite acquisition. The MANTA+ comes standard with an iDirect X7 integrated modem and supports a wide range of modem technologies and BUC options. "Paradigm's interface and integration work have further evolved the capabilities of Kymeta's next-generation antenna," stated Rob Weitendorf, a managing partner at Lepton Global Solutions. "The interoperable MANTA+ fills a significant gap in mission-critical communications operations for our SOF customer." "To be adopted by such an experienced customer operating in truly challenging environments clearly demonstrates the capability of this terminal for both government and commercial sectors. The MANTA+ also demonstrates how the PIM is continuing to make satcom simple for all users," said Ulf Sandberg, managing director of Paradigm. "It's been great to see the Paradigm and Lepton Global teams work together to address the requirements of the Special Forces. The MANTA+ will provide them with a simple and streamlined fully integrated LTE and satellite solution to meet their mobile connectivity needs," said Paul Mattear, VP of business development and sales at Kymeta. To learn more about the MANTA+, contact [email protected] or [email protected], or visit the Paradigm booth at SOFIC 2019 in Tampa, Florida, May 20-23. About Paradigm Paradigm provides optimal, innovative and reliable satellite communication and control solutions at a competitive price. Paradigm is a U.K.-based, independent and privately owned company with Europe's largest satcom warehouse. Incorporating an extensive logistics capability, Paradigm is able to deliver extremely efficient and cost-effective global services and unique solutions, from the provision of satcom equipment and terminals to the design and installation of complete turnkey systems. Paradigm has extensive engineering experience designing and delivering customized satellite terminals and earth stations for a wide range of industries and sectors, developing close relationships with customers and giving valuable insight into their key requirements. For more information, please visit www.paracomm.co.uk. Media Contact: Amanda Muir +44 (0)1420 88199 [email protected] About Kymeta Kymeta is unlocking the potential of satellite connectivity, combined with cellular networks, to satisfy the overwhelming demand for global ubiquitous mobile connectivity. The company's flat-panel satellite antenna, the first of its kind, and Kymeta KALO connectivity services provide revolutionary mobile connectivity on satellite and hybrid satellite-cellular networks to customers around the world. Backed by U.S. and international patents and licenses, the Kymeta terminal addresses the need for lightweight, slim and high-throughput communication systems that do not require mechanical components to steer toward a satellite. Kymeta makes connecting easy for any vehicle, vessel or fixed platform. Kymeta is a privately held company based in Redmond, Washington. For more information, visit kymetacorp.com. Media Contact: Sam Christensen +1 (425) 658-8703 [email protected] About Lepton Global Solutions Lepton Global Solutions specializes in the engineering and delivery of customized, yet cost-effective turnkey satellite communications solutions to commercial and government customers. Lepton's end-to-end solutions, which go beyond managed satellite services to include VSAT equipment installation, 247 technical support and customized back-end IT infrastructure, are tailored to meet customer-specific needs. Lepton is headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Vienna, Virginia. For additional information, please visit www.leptonglobal.com. Media Contact: Lyuda Promyshlyayeva +1 (571) 313-1256 [email protected] Related Files MANTA+ Info Sheet ED-SLG-04054-03_Lepton.pdf Related Images manta-adopted-by-us-sof-community.jpg MANTA+ Adopted by US SOF Community Kymeta flat-panel antenna fielded for special operations community integrated with Paradigm Interface Module (PIM) for satellite capability and Cradlepoint LTE connectivity SOURCE Lepton Global Solutions Related Links http://www.leptonglobal.com RTHK: Far right ministers resign in Austria All remaining ministers from Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) are to resign, a party spokesman said Monday, after one of their number, Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, was fired in the fallout from a corruption scandal that has brought down the government. Conservative chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who called for fresh elections on Saturday over the affair, said Kickl would have to leave office to ensure a "complete, transparent investigation" into the scandal that has ended a coalition many on the European right had held up as a model ahead of key European Parliament polls later this week. Kurz's FPOe deputy, Heinz-Christian Strache, stepped down as vice-chancellor and party leader on Saturday after recordings published by German media showed him offering government contracts in return for campaign help to a fake Russian backer in a villa on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza. Elsewhere in the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. The other ministers who are now set to follow Kickl out of the government include his colleagues at the foreign, defence, transport and social affairs ministries. Kurz said the vacant posts would be filled with experts or senior civil servants until the elections which President Van der Bellen has suggested be held in early September. A date will be fixed after Van der Bellen has spoken to all party leaders. Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPOe leadership from Strache on Sunday, said Kickl had done "nothing wrong". Kickl was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. "I feel very sorry that such a great government project ends so soon... I think this government was very popular," Hofer told a press conference earlier Monday. Kurz has said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPOe-related scandals, which have dogged the coalition since its formation in late 2017. The most damaging recent controversy linked to Kickl was last year when the interior minister ordered raids on the country's own domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austria's Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPOe has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. Thousands of people demonstrated in Vienna against the government at an impromptu gathering in front of the chancellery on Saturday, as well as at a pro-EU rally on Sunday. The 1999 song "We're Going to Ibiza!" by the Dutch group the Vengaboys has also made it back into the Austrian charts, ranking third on iTunes and 75th on Spotify on Monday. In an emotional resignation statement Saturday, Strache said he had been "stupid" and "irresponsible" but was the victim of a "targeted political attack". In the recordings -- of unknown origin -- Strache and a colleague from his party, who has also resigned, are seen talking to a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. They discuss how she could invest and gain control of the country's largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung, and install editorial staff who would help the FPOe's 2017 election campaign. In return, Strache held out the possibility of awarding public contracts. The Kremlin on Monday denied any involvement. The scandal has already made waves outside of Austria as Europe prepares for European Parliament elections from May 23 to 26. Manfred Weber, the lead candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest grouping in the European Parliament, said the scandal showed that "these extremists must not be able to influence our Europe". German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also warned of the dangers of far-right politicians "for sale", who wanted to "destroy the Europe of our values". The scandal may also dent the prospects of the far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, in which the FPOe plays a key part. Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Rally (RN) distanced herself from Strache, saying he had made a "grave mistake". This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (CNN) U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday ratcheted up his rhetoric toward Iran, warning that a fight with the United States would "be the official end of Iran." "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump said in a tweet. "Never threaten the United States again!" The tweet comes amid rising fears over a potential military conflict between the two countries as officials in Washington debate recent intelligence regarding whether Iran or the militias it supports are possibly planning to attack U.S. assets or whether it is acting defensively in an attempt to deter U.S. action. CNN's Barbara Starr reported Friday the U.S. claims to have images of Iranian commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf that it believes are carrying missiles and other munitions, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation. The U.S. government has provided no proof the ships are carrying hidden missiles and other munitions and CNN has not reviewed the intelligence that has led to the U.S. assessment. CNN previously reported that multiple officials have claimed that the recent movements of missiles by Iranian vessels do not reflect the typical Iranian pattern of transporting missiles outside the Persian Gulf to Iranian backed forces in Yemen. That unusual movement was part of the US assessment of Iranian threats. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that the Trump administration doesn't want war with Iran but warned of a "swift and decisive" response from the U.S., should Iran initiate an attack. "The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against U.S. interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive U.S. response," he said. Earlier this month, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said the U.S. deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in response to a "number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime," Bolton wrote in a statement released by the White House, "But we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces." This story was first published on CNN.com "Trump tweets threat at Iran: 'Never threaten the United States again!'" NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Former 1LT Michael Behenna, pardoned by President Trump on May 6, is writing a book tentatively entitled Sheepdog to the Wolves: How the Army Sacrificed One of Its Own. Behenna is penning the memoir with his parents, (now retired) FBI anti-terrorist analyst and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Scott Behenna and former federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna (who helped convict Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh). An All-American drama, the compelling book will detail Behenna's harrowing tour in Iraq and the events leading up to his controversial shooting of an Al-Qaeda terrorist, resulting in a court martial and a wrongful conviction for murder. Michael Behenna, prior to his deployment to Iraq. (Photo courtesy of the Behenna family.) With Scott and Vicki Behenna working relentlessly behind the scenes to reduce Michael's 25-year sentence, he was paroled after 5 years in Leavenworth prison. While the broad brushstrokes of the Behennas' experiences are known, the story is not what it appears to be. Told through the points of view of Michael, Scott and Vicki Behenna, the book is an expose of the military's conduct in the war against terror and the lengths it will go to sacrifice one of its own in service to political expediency. Said literary agent Doug Grad, "I'm thrilled to be representing the Behenna family as they have an important story to tellone that needs to be known. It's like A Few Good Men meets American Sniper." Joel Gotler of the Intellectual Property Group will be repping for film in Hollywood. Grad is the President of the Doug Grad Literary Agency. An editor at imprints at Simon & Schuster, Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins for 22 years, Grad opened his eponymous agency in 2008. Over his career, Grad has both edited and represented military books, including the memoirs of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Hugh Shelton, Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Benny Adkins, WWII bomber pilot of the Memphis Belle, Col. Robert Morgan, and an upcoming book by journalist and author Joseph L. Galloway that will be the Vietnam War version of The Greatest Generation, entitled They Were Soldiers. He recently represented the New York Times bestselling memoir A Serial Killer's Daughter by Kerri Rawson. Doug Grad (718) 788-6067 [email protected] www.dgliterary.com SOURCE Doug Grad Literary Agency Related Links http://www.dgliterary.com TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In line with Presidential Decree of 3 April 2019 on reforms in the chemical industry and making it more attractive for foreign investment and The Presidential Decree of 1 February 2019 on the development of cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and Germany, the plan to construct a new chemical complex for the increased production of fertilisers in Uzbekistan is announced today. It is expected that the new complex will be built in the Samarkand region, on territory owned by JSC Samarkandkimyo, and that potential output at the complex will include: Ammonium sulphate: a nitrogen/sulphur mineral fertilizer in easily digestible form Urea: nitrogen containing fertilizers Melamine: basis for high-quality polymeric materials and fillers Phosphorous-based fertilizers: multi-purpose complex fertilizers It is anticipated that the output will be used domestically, but with the option for increased exports. International expertise is provided by ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS), part of the German multinational - ThyssenKrupp. The leading investor is Ferkensco Management Limited. The Presidential Initiatives support increased synergies between the oil & gas and agriculture sectors, and the use of a specific quality of domestic gas for fertilizer production. The petrochemical industry and fertilizers have an important role to play in growing Uzbekistan's economy in the upcoming years. The petrochemical industry and fertilizers have vital strategic role in supporting the new Uzbekistan. It is equally important to attract international expertise and capital to support the country's efforts in these areas. Today's announcement is a significant step for the country and follows the initiatives outlined by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. SOURCE Ferkensco Management Company NEEDHAM, Mass., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The National CFIDS Foundation, of Needham, Massachusetts, has provided details regarding its radiation model for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a disease that affects millions in the United States. According to Alan Cocchetto, Medical Director for the National CFIDS Foundation, "Our latest model has now identified two key compounds, known as hydroperoxides, that appear to result from cellular injury due to radiation exposure. We believe this finding is of critical importance to the disease process that is present in our patients." The National CFIDS Foundation identified cardiolipin hydroperoxides as the first key target that acts to disrupt proper functioning of the mitochondria, the energy factory within the cell. The second target, phosphatidylserine hydroperoxides, acts to disrupt red blood cell function resulting in altered tissue oxygenation. Basically, these two hydroperoxides act in concert as cellular toxicants to adversely affect normal cell function. According to Gail Kansky, National CFIDS Foundation President, "As I understand it, these compounds make for the perfect storm from a disease standpoint since they adversely affect the ability of the body to function properly at many levels. We believe this to be a major tipping point in our understanding of this disease and I truly expect this to have a significant impact on our patients with regards to diagnostic testing and future therapies that will result from these efforts. As such, we are very pleased to be moving full steam ahead on this with our research groups." Two decades ago, Chernobyl scientists had identified Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a characteristic aftermath of radioecological catastrophe establishing the first link between radiation exposure and the development of the disease. In 2010, the National CFIDS Foundation became the first organization to report the presence of internal radiation and chromosome damage in its own patient cohort. According to the National CFIDS Foundation, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is also known as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) as well as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). Founded in 1997, the goals of the National CFIDS Foundation are to help fund medical research to find a cause and to expedite appropriate treatments for the disease. Since its inception, the National CFIDS Foundation has provided $4 million dollars in self-directed research grants to global scientists. The National CFIDS Foundation, an all volunteer 501(c)(3) federally approved charity, is funded solely by individual contributions. Additional information can be found on the web at www.ncf-net.org or in The National Forum newsletter. The Foundation can be reached at 781-449-3535. SOURCE National CFIDS Foundation Related Links http://www.ncf-net.org This year's essay topic was: "How Alzheimer's or dementia has Impacted a Family Member, or Someone You Know." Lilia's insightful composition profiled her father, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Prior to his diagnosis, Lilia's father was a prominent cardiac surgeon who fully understood both his diagnosis, and its effects. Fox Trail's leadership team described the essay as, 'courageous, 'vulnerable', and 'inspiring'. Lilia vividly depicted her emotions as her father's Alzheimer's worsened. "Simple, everyday tasks such as picking my sister and I up from school, he could no longer do without assistance. I was hoping that he would still remember who he was and who we were. I felt emotionally immobile and powerless. This experience revealed to me that I have an unconquerable spirit," shared Lilia in a caption from her essay. What helped Lilia move beyond feelings of hopelessness was knowing that she had a foundation of support and a circle of trusted friends. Her friends attended her father's funeral and she was given a bracelet that read, "Friends support friends." When asked how young people could gain a better understanding about Alzheimer's and other forms of age-related memory loss, Lilia shared, "The best thing for my generation is to look into becoming more aware by learning how to support friends and family. Just be there." Her words of advice to anyone who may be going through the same experience are, "At times, it may seem dark and hopeless. No matter how unbearable a situation is, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You have to keep pushing and trying. Things will look up. There is a brighter side." Fox Trail will award Lilia up to a $6,000 scholarship ($1,500 per year) applicable towards a college of her choosing. Lilia is interested in pursuing a career in medicine, like her father and mother. She is inspired by her family and hopes that a medical career will give her a connection to her family's passion. "We are grateful to all the entrants for the thought and effort put into their essays," said Fox Trail's Managing Partner, Michael Eisele. "With the support of guidance counselors, administrators, teachers and parents, we have not only increased awareness, but also empowered young people to have a voice in conversations surrounding Alzheimer's and dementia." To learn more about Fox Trail Memory Care Living's New Jersey locations in Ramsey, NJ, Ramsey - Lake Street, Chester, Cresskill, Green Brook, Hillsdale East, Hillsdale West, Mahwah, Montville, Paramus, Park Ridge, Princeton, South River and Woodcliff Lake please visit: www.foxtrailseniorliving.com . About Fox Trail Senior Living: Fox Trail Senior Living, the parent company of Fox Trail Memory Care Living, is a Ramsey, New Jersey-based senior living organization operating 19 boutique communities throughout the United States. Fox Trail Senior Living offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including assisted living, assisted living alternatives, and care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss. SOURCE Fox Trail Senior Living SAN DIEGO, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hashem B. El-Serag, MD, MPH, AGAF, will begin his term as the 114th president of the AGA Institute at Digestive Disease Week (DDW 2019). Dr. El-Serag is former editor-in-chief of AGA's journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He currently serves as chair of the department of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, following a decade leading and expanding Baylor's gastroenterology and hepatology section. He is one of the few academic gastroenterologists serving as a chair of a department of medicine in the U.S. Originally Palestinian, Dr. El-Serag became a U.S. citizen in the early 2000s, after medical school in Libya. He completed his training at community hospitals in the U.S. His path from Benghazi to Baylor is described in the May issue of Gastroenterology by Baylor colleague Dr. Fasiha Kanwal. "I firmly believe that the success I achieved in the United States would not have been possible anywhere else in the world, and it is as much a testament to the accepting society and medical system as to whatever intrinsic ability or skill I have," notes Dr. El-Serag. The major focus of Dr. El-Serag's scholarly work is the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Much of the modern literature on this topic is comprised by his more than 100 publications. Since 2014, Dr. El-Serag has been named by Thompson Reuter as among the top 1% of clinical scientists. Hashem "is an innovative scientist, a compassionate physician, and a gifted educator. He is a relentless advocate of science and training, with an astute political sense all key to influencing and shaping policy," says Dr. Kanwal. Dr. El-Serag's term as AGA president concludes May 2020. Follow him on twitter at @SeragHashem. About the AGA Institute The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to more than 16,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. www.gastro.org AGA is now on Instagram. Like AGA on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn. Check out our videos on YouTube. Join AGA on LinkedIn. About Digestive Disease Week Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18-21 at the San Diego Convention Center. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org. SOURCE American Gastroenterological Association Related Links http://www.gastro.org LANSING, Mich., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aftermarket air suspension manufacturer Air Lift Company is thrilled to announce that they have been selected as one of "West Michigan's Best & Brightest Companies to Work For" for the third year in a row. Air Lift Company representatives attended the "West Michigan's Best & Brightest Companies to Work For" gala and awards program on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids, where the company received an Elite Award for excellence in Communication and Shared Vision. This award acknowledges Air Lift as the leader in keeping employees informed and working toward the same goal. The "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" program provides members of the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for their current and future employees to work. This national program celebrates companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community. All entries were evaluated by an independent research firm, measured and compared based on various categories, including compensation, benefits and employee solutions; employee enrichment, engagement and retention; employee education and development; recruitment, selection and orientation; employee achievement and recognition; communication and shared vision; diversity and inclusion; work-life balance, community initiatives, and strategic company performance. The full list of winners was announced during the first week of April and are featured online at https://thebestandbrightest.com. "After being named one of the 101 Best and Brightest in the Nation in 2018, being named to the list again and winning an Elite Award is a huge honor," Human Resources Director Mary Cook, who accepted the Elite Award, says. "Here at Air Lift, we pride ourselves on sharing the vision of being known as the air suspension company that helped to create better lives, and this award really encourages us to continue with that shared vision." About Air Lift Air Lift Company, founded in 1949, is a third-generation, family-owned automotive aftermarket suspension company based in Lansing, Michigan. Air Lift is committed to engineering, manufacturing and selling the highest quality suspension products that fit, work and last. For more information, contact Air Lift Company by calling (800) 248-0892, or on the web at http://www.airliftcompany.com/. SOURCE Air Lift Company Related Links www.airliftcompany.com The Company continues to work closely with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") who is permitting the Ambler road, and we have been in contact with the various parties involved in the permitting of the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project ("AMDIAP"). According to the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM"), which is the lead federal agency, the permitting of the AMDIAP is moving along as scheduled. The Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") has been made available to all the cooperating agencies, including: the Bureau of Land Management, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Park Service, the US Department of Transportation, the US Coast Guard and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Northwest Arctic Borough, and several participating Tribal entities. According to the FAQ section of the BLM website for the Ambler Road Project or AMDIAP, the draft EIS is expected to go out for public comment on July 19, 2019. A 45-day public comment period is scheduled. Locations of the public meetings, including the ANLICA 810 hearings, are to be determined. The Final EIS is scheduled to be complete October 31, 2019. Shortly after the final EIS has been issued, the Company expects the BLM to issue the Record of Decision for the Right-of-Way across federal BLM managed lands, and the Army Corps of Engineers to issue the 404 Wetlands Dredge and Fill Permit as per the Clean Water Act. Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, President and CEO of Trilogy Metals commented, "I am extremely pleased at the progress that the BLM has made in permitting the AMDIAP and expect that all the permitting activities should be completed before the end of 2019. The completion of the federal EIS process for the Ambler Mining District Access Road represents a significant milestone for the Company and is a demonstration of what Governor Dunleavy has stated clearly many times: "Alaska is open for business." We commend the BLM and other participating Federal and State agencies in their efforts to remain on task and on schedule." The BLM is the lead federal agency for the Ambler Road project and is developing an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate whether or not to grant a right-of-way for the Ambler Road across BLM lands. The proposed project crosses state lands (61%) and Native corporation lands (15%), but also crosses federal lands (24%) managed by the BLM and the National Park Service. AIDEA has submitted a permit application to request right-of-way across BLM lands. The AMDIAP is anticipated to provide surface access to the Ambler Mining District, long known to contain significant deposits of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver and specifically including the Company's Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects Arctic and Bornite. The AMDIAP is modeled on AIDEA's successful DeLong Mountain Transportation System ("DMTS"), which includes an industrial access road from the Red Dog Mine to the DMTS port. AIDEA worked with private investors to finance construction of the DMTS industrial access road, and the costs of road construction were paid back through tolls paid by the mine for use of the road. No State of Alaska general funds were used to construct the DMTS and that is exactly what is anticipated for the AMDIAP. Ambler District Exploration Program The Company has already commenced the $2 million exploration program along the 100-kilometer Ambler Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") Belt funded equally by Trilogy and South32 Limited (ASX, LSE, JSE: S32; ADR: SOUHY) ("South32"). Specifically, we are just completing the district-wide VTEM and ZTEM geophysical surveys, which were flown on 200 and 400 meter line spacing over both the Cosmos Hills and the entire Ambler VMS Belt. Both surveys are electromagnetic surveys that have been successful in identifying targets and mineralization in VMS districts. The survey data is currently being processed to identify and prioritize drill targets for follow up geologic mapping, soil geochemistry and drilling including on known historic resources previously identified along the 100-kilometer long belt (Figure 1). Bornite Project The 2019 program and budget of $9.2 million, funded entirely by South32, for the Bornite Project will be mainly directed at i) approximately 8,000 meters in 12 holes of infill and expansion drilling on the Bornite deposit; ii) additional metallurgical work to optimize copper recoveries and the determination of next steps for the recovery of cobalt; and iii) initial engineering studies to prepare Bornite for a preliminary economic assessment once the work from the 2019 work programs are completed, including drill results, metallurgical program updates, a resource update and ongoing environmental baseline data collection. The 2019 drill campaign is anticipated to begin in early June. Arctic Project The Company is close to completing preparations for the summer field season at the Arctic Project and expects to commence work in June 2019. Specifically, the Company will continue to advance engineering and environmental work in 2019 in support of completing a feasibility study and preparing the Arctic Project for permitting. The total budgeted amount for these activities for 2019 is $7.0 million. The Company will undertake additional hydrological and geotechnical work at the site along with water management, tailings facility and waste rock containment analysis and design. Additional metallurgical test work to verify ore hardness and grinding characteristics is currently on-going with materials from the project. The Company expects to complete the feasibility study in the first half of 2020. Figure 1. Location of Historic Resources at the Ambler VMS Belt 1. Source: Anaconda Copper Mining Company ("ACM"), ACM Internal Report, 1981 2. Source: Kennecott Mines Company ("KMC"), KCM Internal Report, 1985 3. Source: Kennecott Mines Company ("KMC"), KCM Internal Report, 1997 4. Source: Bear Creek Mining Company ("BCM"), BCM Progress Report, 1983 5. Source: Kennecott Mines Company ("KMC"), KCM Internal Report, 1997 6. Source: North of 60 Mining News, September 7, 2018. The Sun project is 100%-owned by Valhalla Metals Inc. Inferred resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category. See "Cautionary Note to United States Investors." 7. "Arctic Project, Northwest Alaska, USA, NI 43-101 Technical Report on Pre-Feasibility Study". See the news release at https://Trilogy PR February 20, 2018 and the technical report which is available on the Company's website at https://trilogymetals.com/assets/docs/2018-04-06-Arctic-NI-43-101-TechReport.pdf or on the Company's profiles at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the above historical estimates (Smucker, Horse Creek, Sunshine, Shungnak and BT) as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Trilogy is not treating these historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves, has not verified the above historical resource estimates and is not relying on them. The historical estimates were prepared prior to the adoption and implementation of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and do not use categories that conform to the current Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Additional work, including drilling, would need to be carried out on these historical resources to make them complaint with NI 43-101. Qualified Persons Andrew W. West, Certified Professional Geologist, Exploration Manager for Trilogy Metals Inc., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. West has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the disclosure contained herein. About Trilogy Metals Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metals exploration and development company focused on exploring and developing the Ambler mining district located in northwestern Alaska. It is one of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to host high-grade copper and cobalt mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler mining district - the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within the Company's land package that spans approximately 143,000 hectares. The Company has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., a Regional Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local communities. Our vision is to develop the Ambler mining district into a premier North American copper producer. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, potential permitting and development of the ADMIAP, planned expenditures and the anticipated drilling, survey and other activity at the Company's properties and the timing thereof, the timing and the filing of updated reports on the Company's projects, the future price of copper and cobalt, the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the realization of mineral reserves and mineral resource estimates, the potential increase in copper mineralization at the Bornite Project, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects, are forward-looking statements. The metallurgical results discussed in this press release should not be considered representative of other drilling results for the 2019 drilling campaign. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties; exploration plans and budgets; mineral reserves and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; market prices for precious and base metals; or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the uncertainties involving success of exploration, development and mining activities, permitting timelines, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses; mineral reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; assumptions and discount rates being appropriately applied to the pre-feasibility study; our assumptions with respect to the likelihood and timing of the AMDIAP; capital estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services the interpretation of drill results, the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties as well as the construction of the access road; the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, metal grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2018 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The Company's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This press release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this press release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended ("CIM Definition Standards"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of "measured" or "indicated resources" will ever be converted into "reserves". Investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by Trilogy Metals in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Arctic does not have known reserves, as defined under SEC Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. SOURCE Trilogy Metals Inc. Related Links www.trilogymetals.com NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Builders & Tradesmen's Insurance Services (BTIS), a subsidiary of The Amynta Group serving small-to-medium sized artisan contractors, has been named Managing General Agency (MGA) of The Year by the BIG Independent Group. This is the third win in four years for BTIS. "We are honored that BTIS was named the 2019 Managing General Agency of the Year by BIG," said Bob James, Amynta Executive Vice President. "We have a strong and experienced team at BTIS, dedicated to bringing our agencies and insureds leading technology solutions and innovative products that help them manage risk and grow their businesses." The BIG Independent Group (BIG), an association of independent insurance agents and brokers, announced the winners of its annual "BIGGIE Awards" at the group's recent annual convention in Ontario, CA. BIGGIE Awards are given to insurance professionals, companies and industry advocates for extraordinary contributions to insurance producers and the industry as a whole. More than 4,500 insurance professionals serving the California market contributed in the voting. "BIGGIE Award recipients are chosen by our agency customers, and as a result, the award is highly regarded. Winning this award reflects our long-standing focus on delivering leading technology products and high-quality service our agents value," said Paul Hohlbein. "It is humbling to be recognized by the independent insurance agents and brokers of BIG. We work hard to deliver the tools they need to be successful, and we rely on their guidance to provide ever-improving tools and services. Winning this award is one of the highest forms of approval of the job we are doing for our partners," said Jeff Hohlbein. Paul and Jeff Hohlbein are senior business leaders at Amynta and co-Presidents of BTIS. BTIS leverages leading technology to deliver unmatched turnaround time on quotes and policy issuance. BTIS is committed to providing quality, robust, individualized products, while delivering the highest level of customer service. By offering education and sales tools, BTIS empowers their producers to be a trusted source for insurance that their clients can rely upon. About Amynta and BTIS The Amynta Group is one of the leading insurance distribution and services companies with over $1.5 billion in generated premium and 1,800 associates across North America, Europe and Australia. Amynta operates in three primary segments: Managing General Agencies, Warranty, and Specialty Risk. An independent, customer-centered, and underwriting-focused company, Amynta is recognized for serving leading carriers, wholesalers and retail agencies with innovative insurance solutions. BTIS is an insurance intermediary company focused on servicing Small to Medium Sized Enterprises with commercial lines products. In addition to offering a full suite of insurance products, BTIS is committed to exemplary service and relationships. About BIG Independent Group BIG's mission is to offer industry related education, create networking opportunities, and to act as a national voice for independent insurance agents and brokers as well as all participants within the insurance industry. The association wishes to create an environment around sharing information, discovering new ideas for streamlining current processes, increasing productivity through new technology, understanding new legislation, and benefiting from experiences as an industry rather than an individual. Its goal is to be an organization that will aid in the prosperity and development of the profession as well as unite the insurance industry. SOURCE The Amynta Group Related Links https://www.amyntagroup.com FORT WORTH, Texas, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AZZ Inc. (NYSE: AZZ), a global provider of metal coating services, welding solutions, specialty electrical equipment and highly engineered services, today announced the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP ("GT") to serve as the Company's independent registered public accounting and audit firm for the fiscal year ending February 29, 2020. Grant Thornton LLP replaces BDO USA, LLP ("BDO"), previously the independent registered public accounting and audit firm for the Company. The appointment of GT has been approved by the Company's Audit Committee. The change will be effective upon GT's completion of its standard client acceptance process and execution of an engagement letter. The decision to change auditors was not the result of any disagreement between the Company and BDO on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure. The Company had previously engaged GT on advisory services related to the Company's adoption of new accounting standards for revenue recognition and leasing and tax advisory services related to tax compliance and optimization. Tom Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer of AZZ said, "We are pleased to welcome Grant Thornton as AZZ's new independent auditor. Previously we worked with members of the GT team on matters relating to revenue recognition, leasing and tax issues. Our experience was truly outstanding. Selecting GT as our independent accounting firm is based on our belief that they will deliver timely, high-quality audit services while understanding the complexities of our business." About AZZ Inc. AZZ Inc. is a global provider of metal coating services, welding solutions, specialty electrical equipment and highly engineered services to the markets of power generation, transmission, distribution and industrial in protecting metal and electrical systems used to build and enhance the world's infrastructure. AZZ Metal Coatings is a leading provider of metal finishing solutions for corrosion protection, including hot dip galvanizing to the North American steel fabrication industry. AZZ Energy is dedicated to delivering safe and reliable transmission of power from generation sources to end customers, and automated weld overlay solutions for corrosion and erosion mitigation to critical infrastructure in the energy markets worldwide. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements herein about our expectations of future events or results constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as, "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and management's views and assumptions regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and investors must recognize that actual results may differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, changes in customer demand and response to products and services offered by AZZ, including demand by the power generation markets, electrical transmission and distribution markets, the industrial markets, and the metal coatings markets; prices and raw material cost, including zinc and natural gas which are used in the hot dip galvanizing process; changes in the political stability and economic conditions of the various markets that AZZ serves, foreign and domestic, customer requested delays of shipments, acquisition opportunities, currency exchange rates, adequacy of financing, and availability of experienced management and employees to implement AZZ's growth strategy. AZZ has provided additional information regarding risks associated with the business in AZZ's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2019 and other filings with the SEC, available for viewing on AZZ's website at www.azz.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. These statements are based on information as of the date hereof and AZZ assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Contact: Paul Fehlman, Senior Vice President Finance and CFO AZZ Inc. 817-810-0095 Internet: azz.com Lytham Partners 602-889-9700 Joe Dorame, Robert Blum or Joe Diaz Internet: lythampartners.com SOURCE AZZ Inc. Related Links http://www.azz.com SALINAS, Calif., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Boggiatto Produce, located in California's Salinas Valley, announces its May 2019 rebrand as Hitchcock Farms. Jeff Hitchcock maintains his leadership role and his dedication to carrying on the company's founding principles. Hitchcock Farms' commitment to quality, innovation and premier customer service remain the same. Since 1989, the foodservice industry has looked to Hitchcock Farms for quality produce. As one of the original founders, Jeff Hitchcock has been instrumental in building the company into a nationally recognized leader among produce growers and shippers. "I've always believed in our innovation, our products and our employees. I'm proud to be in a position to carry on the legacy we began more than 30 years ago." With the new name comes a new look in packaging for Hitchcock Farms. Jeff appreciates the importance of the rebrand and notes, "I feel we've created a new look that compliments the quality within." Hitchcock Farms has redesigned all of their packaging with a look that reflects their commitment to quality and consistency. Hitchcock Farms has been on the cutting edge and created many firsts. In 1994, the company was the first to introduce romaine hearts to the foodservice industry. That innovation was followed by the company's creation of Iceberg Babies in 2002. To date, Hitchcock Farms has grown into one of the largest Brussels sprout growers and shippers in the country. For more information, please contact: Hitchcock Farms P.O. Box 2266 Salinas CA 93902 Phone: 831-424-8952 About Hitchcock Farms Hitchcock Farms has been involved in California agriculture for generations. The company grows, packs and ships premium produce across the United States and Canada year-round. Since 1989, Hitchcock Farms, originally Boggiatto Produce, has proudly served on all levels as a solid partner with the nation's foodservice industry. SOURCE Hitchcock Farms, Inc. Strategic move by AEDAS Homes to guarantee a long-term supply of quality land The homebuilder has created an innovative mechanism for gaining access to land in the long term that will markedly reduce the risk and volatility in the price of future acquisitions The company has reached an agreement with its main shareholder to create Special Purchase Vehicles for each plot of strategic land acquired By opening the door to possible agreements with other investors and owners of non-fully permitted land, the residential developer is diversifying its asset investment strategy May 2019.- AEDAS Homes, a leading homebuilder in Spains new real estate cycle, is diversifying its strategy for acquiring residential land with the signing of a first framework agreement with the American fund Castlelake to acquire non-fully permitted assets, that is, land which is pending administrative approval. The mechanism is simple yet powerful. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be set up each time a non-fully permitted asset is identified and acquired; AEDAS Homes will have a minority stake (around 10%) in each SPV and will reserve the right to exercise a purchase option on a percentage of the plots in each development. The homebuilder, whose team has extensive experience in land, will manage these vehicles and oversee the transformation of the plots until they achieve ready-to-build status. This new investment strategy will make it possible for AEDAS Homes to recognise these assets on its balance sheet in the future in two ways: by converting its participation in the SPV into plots and, additionally, by exercising a Right Of First Offer (ROFO) on a percentage of the assets once all the necessary administrative permits are secured. The company has earmarked approximately 15 million for strategic investments in 2019 and will be focusing on locations in Seville, Madrid and Valencia. Thanks to this agreement, we are guaranteeing the company, in the medium to long term, a supply of ready-to-build land, with a controlled measure of risk and without penalising the return on capital. This initiative will let the company acquire land in sought-after locations under very favourable financial terms, explained David Martinez, CEO of AEDAS Homes. This new strategic line will increase the companys visibility on its Business Plan beyond 2023 and will complement its disciplined core investment strategy, which focuses on fully permitted land in Spains most in demand markets. Attachment NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TUNE IN: Watch the Deloitte livestream event that will be broadcast live from New York City today at 9:30 AM EDT to discuss the latest insights from the Deloitte Millennial Survey. Facing continuous technological and societal disruption, millennials and Gen Zs are disillusioned with traditional institutions, skeptical of business' motives and pessimistic about economic and social progress, according to the 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey, released today. The survey found that despite global economic growth, expansion and opportunity, younger generations are wary about the world and their place in it. But they remain hopeful and lean on their values as both consumers and employees. "From the economic recession a decade ago to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, millennials and Gen Zs have grown up in a unique moment in time impacting connectivity, trust, privacy, social mobility and work," says Michele Parmelee, Deloitte Global Chief Talent Officer. "This uncertainty is reflected in their personal views on business, government, leadership and the need for positive societal change agents. As business leaders, we must continue to embrace the issues resonating most with these two generations, or risk losing out on talent in an increasingly competitive market." This "generation disrupted" is no less ambitious than previous generations: More than half want to earn high salaries and be wealthy. But their priorities have evolved, or at least been delayed. Having children and other traditional signals of adulthood "success markers" do not top their list of priorities. Instead, they'd rather travel and see the world (57 percent) versus buying a home (49 percent) and help their communities (46 percent) versus having children (39 percent). Their desire to make a difference is evident in both their personal concernsclimate change and the environment topped that long listand in the factors they consider when choosing consumer products and services, as well as employers. Economic optimism, institutional trust and social mobility continue to waver Respondents' anticipation for economic improvement dipped to the lowest level in six years. Only 26 percent of respondents expect economic conditions in their countries to rally in the coming year, down from 45 percent a year ago. Income inequality and unemployment were cited as top challenges facing the world today and are likely factors in their pessimistic views toward the economy. Two-thirds of millennials believe that some people are not given a fair chance at achieving success. Respondents believe that government is most responsible for improving social mobility, but they do not believe this is one of government's top priorities. Consistent with past surveys, respondents expressed low opinions of political and religious leaders. Seventy-three percent said political leaders are failing to have a positive impact on the world, with two-thirds saying the same of faith leaders. About 45 percent of millennials said they have absolutely no trust in either set of leaders as sources of reliable information. However, respondents still believe government is best-equipped to solve the world's most pressing challenges. An evolving tech and media landscape underscores privacy and cybersecurity concerns Along with declining trust in governmental and religious institutions, trust in media is low among millennials and Gen Zs. Forty-three percent of respondents said that traditional media is negatively impacting the world, and 27 percent expressed zero trust in the media as a reliable source of information. As millennials and Gen Zs look to gather information through alternative means, concerns about the impact of social media are also pervasive. Seventy-one percent of millennials feel fairly positive or very positive about their personal use of digital devices and social media. However, 64 percent of respondents believe they would be physically healthier if they reduced social media consumption, and 41 percent wish they could stop using it completely. Despite recognizing the detriments of social media, overall, respondents are embracing technology. They are more skeptical, though, when it comes to cybersecurity. Seventy-nine percent are concerned they will be victims of online fraud. Similarly, 78 percent are worried about how organizations share personal data with each other. This is eye-opening, considering that a quarter of millennials have ended consumer relationships because of companies' inability to protect data. Business must adapt to values-driven consumers and employees Millennials' opinions about business continue to diminish, as 55 percent of respondents said business has a positive impact on society, down from 61 percent in 2018. The decrease was driven, in part, by views that businesses focus solely on their own agendas rather than considering the consequences for society. Business will have to work hard to improve this reputation because millennials are putting their money where their mouths are: 42 percent have started or deepened business relationships because they believe companies' products or services are having positive impacts on society and/or the environment, while 38 percent have ended or lessened relationships with companies perceived to have a negative impact. Regarding technology's influence on the workforce, 49 percent of millennials believe new technologies will augment their jobs, 46 percent believe the changing nature of work will make it tougher to find or change jobs and 70 percent believe they may only have some or few of the skills required to succeed in Industry 4.0. Millennials believe business is most responsible for training workers to meet evolving challenges, while Gen Zsstill largely in school or recently graduatedput this responsibility on academia. This presents an interesting opportunity for business and academia to increasingly collaborate to solve tomorrow's workforce challenges. In terms of diversity and inclusion, there is a strong correlation between millennials who plan to stay in their current jobs and those who said their companies deliver best on indicators such as diversity and inclusion. Additionally, a majority of millennials responded that they give a "great deal" or "fair amount" of importance to gender and ethnicity when considering whether to work for an organization. "Millennials and Gen Zs are conflicted about the role of technology, and they are looking to business to help them adjust to a new normal," Parmelee says. "To attract and retain young employees, businesses should bolster their diversity and inclusion initiatives, find new ways to incorporate these generations into corporate societal impact programs and place a priority on reskilling and training to ensure talent is prepared for what's ahead." MillZ Mood Monitor As part of Deloitte's ongoing research on millennials, and now Gen Z, Deloitte is also unveiling a new tool called the "MillZ Mood Monitor," which will track respondents' year-over-year optimism about key political, personal, environmental and socioeconomic topics. Scores are based on responses related to economic, social/political, personal, environmental and business sentiments. In the inaugural Mood Monitor, out of a total of 100, millennials posted a score of 39; Gen Z scored 40. Scores were boosted by generally positive feelings regarding business and the environment. Despite a large drop-off the past couple of years, 55 percent of both groups still believe business is having a positive impact on society. And about half of each group believes efforts to protect the planet's health will be effective, compared to less than 30 percent who aren't convinced. Scores were hampered, though, by doubt about economic and social/political situations. In both groups, men were more optimistic than women, driven by a more positive economic outlook and agreement that business has a positive impact upon wider society. For more information and to view the full research results of 2019 Millennial Survey, read the report here. Editorial Note: The data and opinions in this press release include the collective insights of both generations and in some cases independent of each other and have been cited accordingly. Methodology The 2019 report is based on the views of 13,416 millennials questioned across 42 countries. Millennials included in the study were born between January 1983 and December 1994. This report also includes responses from 3,009 Gen Z respondents in 10 countries. Gen Z respondents were born between January 1995 and December 2002. The overall sample size of 16,425 represents the largest survey of millennials and Gen Zs completed in the eight years Deloitte Global has published this report. This year's survey was expanded to include a more diverse group of participants, including 31 percent who did not have full-time employment status, and 34 percent who did not hold a college or university degree. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ("DTTL"), its global network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more. Deloitte is a leading global provider of audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services. Our network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories serves four out of five Fortune Global 500 companies. Learn how Deloitte's more than 286,000 people make an impact that matters at www.deloitte.com. SOURCE Deloitte Global Related Links http://www.deloitte.com First of Three Tributes to Albert Einstein DENTON, Texas, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Albert Einstein did not accept the impossibility for quantum mechanics to identify the position of a particle with classical precision. For that reason, he made his famous quote "God does not play dice with the universe." Einstein evidently accepted the validity of quantum mechanics for point particles in vacuum but believed that quantum mechanics is an "incomplete theory" in the sense that it could be broadened into such a form to recover classical determinism under appropriate new conditions. Einstein communicated this view to B. Podolsky and N. Rosen at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, and all three together published in May 15, 1935, the historical paper known as the EPR argument (http://www.galileoprincipia.org/docs/epr-argument.pdf). Five months later, the Danish scientist Neil Bohr published a strong rejection of the EPR argument. A number of mathematicians supported of Bohr's rejection, including J. S. Bell, J. von Neumann and others. Thereafter, academia settled the issue with the rejection of the EPR argument in favor of the universal validity of quantum mechanics for whatever conditions exist in the universe. The Italian American scientist Sir Ruggero Maria Santilli (http://www.i-b-r.org/Dr-R-M-Santilli-Bio-1-10-18.pdf), when at Harvard University under DOE support, discovered in the late 1970s that, while being exactly valid for the atomic structure and approximately valid for the nuclear structure, quantum mechanics is unable to represent the synthesis of the neutron from the hydrogen in the core of stars because of various technical reasons. This insufficiency established the need for a 'completion' of quantum mechanics along Einstein's vision. Jointly with various colleagues, Santilli initiated a long-term research aimed at the confirmation of EPR argument including the construction of a 'completion' of quantum mechanics into a broader theory known as hadronic mechanics for the representation of extended particles under mutual entanglement. Following decades of studies, Santilli published the 1998 paper confirming the EPR argument (http://www.galileoprincipia.org/santilli-confirmation-of-the-epr-argument.php). Thereafter, Santilli initiated tests on the laboratory synthesis of the neutron from the hydrogen that led to the production and sale by the U. S. publicly traded company Thunder Energies Corporation (http://thunder-energies.com/) of an equipment producing on demand a flux of neutrons synthesized from a hydrogen gas (http://thunder-energies.com/docs/TEC-DNS-3Za.pdf). The lack of completion of quantum mechanics appears to be Einstein's most important prediction due to far reaching implications in all sciences. As an illustration, following the achievement of 'Rutherford's compression' of the electron inside the proton needed for the neutron synthesis, Thunder Energies Corporation has achieved the 'compression' of electrons, this time, inside the neutron, resulting in a negatively charged proton called Santilli pseudoproton. Jointly, Thunder Energies Corporation is developing the synthesis of negatively charged nuclei, such as the pseudodeuteron, that are attracted by natural nuclei, thus eliminating the biggest obstacle for the achievement of the controlled fusion, which is given by the extremely large Coulomb repulsion between nuclei to due to their equal charge (http://www.santilli-foundation.org/purelco-interview-1-2-19.php). Following the question on how the electron 'compressed' inside the neutron verifies the EPR argument, Santilli states: "The distance of the electron from the center of the neutron approaches Einstein's vision of classical determinism since the smallest change of said distance causes the neutron decay into the proton and the electron. Similar conditions appear to occur for electrons inside the pseudoproton and the pseudodeuteron, and for other cases." Santilli is available to discuss the importance of these findings and the need to move forward with additional developments. Contact: Paul Knopick E & E Communications [email protected] 940.262.3584 Source: www.santilli-foundation.org SOURCE Santilli Foundation MONTEREY, Calif., May 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Excelligence Learning Corporation announces the official opening of its Kansas fulfillment center located in the heart of Kansas' intermodal center: Gardner, Kansas. After conducting a national search for centralization of its fulfillment and manufacturing operations, Excelligence elected to partner with LS Commercial Real Estate and USAA to build out the tech-enabled facility in this vibrant, intermodal hub. "We are excited to open this state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Gardner, Kansas, creating over 200 full-time jobs with competitive wages," said Dipak Golechha, Excelligence's CEO. "Our company has a long history of job creation in the State of Kansas, and we look forward to providing great opportunities and an exceptional experience for our employees, customers and other stakeholders. Strategically, the opening of this fulfillment center gives us a long runway and significant capacity for future growth and acquisitions." With a tech-enabled infrastructure, Excelligence employees at the 650,0000 plus square-foot fulfillment center will pack and ship products for subsidiary companies Discount School Supply and Really Good Stuff, both very well-known in the early childhood education industry. In the ever more competitive e-commerce arena, the fulfillment center's strategic geographic location, combined with the state-of the-art systems, will enable faster customer order processing and better service through a larger number of products shipped from one central location. "I am pleased that Excelligence chose to keep its fulfillment operations in Kansas. Their investment in Kansas is a strong signal to industry leaders around the globe that Kansas has the workforce and infrastructure it takes for companies to be competitive," Governor Laura Kelly said. About Excelligence Learning Corporation Excelligence Learning Corporation is a leading developer, manufacturer, distributor, and multi-channel retailer of over 20,000 innovative, high-quality and grade-appropriate educational products and teaching solutions, which are sold primarily to early childhood learning centers, elementary schools, PTAs, and consumers. The company has three core divisions: Supplies (Discount School Supply and Really Good Stuff), Equipment (Children's Factory, Angeles and Steffy Wood Products), and Services (Educational Products, Inc., ChildCare Education Institute, Frog Street Press and LifeCubby). With over 30 years of experience serving children, educators and parents, Excelligence's diversified portfolio of leading brands delivers quality, innovation, service and value on a global scale. Leading proprietary brands include: Colorations, BioColor, Excellerations, MyPerfectClassroom, Environments, Steve Spangler Science. For more information about Excelligence, please visit www.excelligence.com. See more at: www.discountschoolsupply.com, www.reallygoodstuff.com, www.environments.com, www.childrensfactory.com, www.angelesstore.com, www.steffywood.com, www.educationalproducts.com, www.cceionline.com, www.frogstreet.com. Media Contact: Tim O'Connor P: 831-333-5760 [email protected] SOURCE Excelligence Learning Corporation Related Links http://www.excelligencelearning.com AURORA, Ill., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Three area municipalities and a non-profit organization will save a combined $14.5 million in energy costs over the next 25 years from solar energy projects approved by the State of Illinois. When "energized" it will be the largest installation of Solar Power in the Fox Valley area. The solar fields are expected be online and producing power by the 4th quarter of 2019. The announcement was made by Progressive Business Solutions, an Aurora-based Company that helped put together the projects. Funds were made available from the Adjustable Block Program under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), passed in December of 2016. Area residents and businesses have been paying into a renewable energy fund, which is collected on each customer's monthly ComEd bill. In accordance with the provisions under the agreements, Kendall County, the City of Plano, Fox Metro, and Mooseheart Child City and School will build in excess of 7.2 MW of solar power generation capabilities. This will generate over 12 million kWh per year and 300 million kWh over the term of the project. For reference, the average home consumes around 10,000 kWh per year. The electric power generated will be used directly by the facilities and lower their operating costs. "No new taxpayer dollars will be used to build the Solar Field," according to Arnie Schramel, Managing Partner of Progressive Business Solutions. "We helped originate, competitively bid the solar field construction, and find financial resources to fund the projects. The winning bidders will receive Renewable Energy Credits (REC's). Kendall County, the City of Plano, Fox Metro, and Mooseheart Child City & School will receive reduced cost power, which is substantially below market for a period of 25 years," per Mr. Schramel. "We could not have afforded solar without the Adjustable Block Program established by the Future Energy Jobs Act which enabled us to build the field with no upfront cost. Mooseheart invested $11.4 million into school renovations back in 2013 so we wanted to do something out of the ordinary to impact our energy budget," said Gary Urwiler, Executive Director of Mooseheart Child City and School. Positive Impact for Our Community "Kendall County is continually looking for ways to reduce our operating costs. This will save County taxpayers over $4 million dollars. When presented with a program that allowed us to reduce our costs without any capital investment, we decided it was a good fit for Kendall County and its residents," said Scott Gryder, Chairman of the Kendall County Board. "The City of Plano reviewed several potential locations and ultimately decided the best fit was to use vacant land next to the current water treatment plant. The solar field will help the City save money, reduce our dependence on traditional fossil fuels and provides a good example of how the City of Plano continues to be environmental stewards for today and the future," said Robert Hausler, Mayor, City of Plano. Carbon Emissions Reduction Cost reduction is not the only benefit for the Community. By generating over 300 million kWh during the project, it will reduce Carbon Emissions by over 212,000 metric tons. According to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator, that is equivalent to eliminating over 45,000 passenger cars or eliminating 519 million gallons of gasoline. "It is important as a municipal agency that we ensure we leave the earth in better shape than we found it. At Fox Metro, we are continually looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint in a financially responsible manner. This project accomplishes both those goals," said Tom Muth, Executive Director at the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District. Competition High for Solar Energy Funds Over 3,000 projects have been submitted for consideration. It is expected that less than 30% of the applicants that applied for the program will receive funding. All four Progressive Business Solutions projects received funding which, will capture part of the $300 million-dollar fund, and ensure area residents benefit from their contributions. For more information on the Illinois Adjustable Block Program visit www.illinoisabp.com About Progressive Business Solutions Progressive Business Solutions (formerly Progressive Energy Group) works with Municipalities, Non-Profits Organizations, and Commercial/Industrial customers to increase their profits by lowering operating expenses, without capital investment. Progressive Business Solutions has saved clients over $400 million dollars. SOURCE Progressive Business Solutions Related Links https://progressivebusinesssolutions.com/ DUBLIN, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global and China Viscose Fiber Industry Report, 2019-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Over the recent years, the developed countries like the United States, Japan and EU members have withdrawn from the viscose fiber industry due to environmental factor and so forth, while the viscose fiber is in full swing in Asian regions, particularly in China, with a significant rise in both capacity and output. In 2018, the global output of viscose fiber reached approximately 5.8 million tons to which China contributed 65% or so. As the world leaders in viscose fiber, the Austria-based Lenzing and the India-based Aditya Birla Group (with its viscose business undertaken by Grasim) boasted production capacity of more than 800 kt/a apiece in 2018. Besides, the players in possession of large capacity come mainly from China. Of viscose fiber products, viscose staple fiber is produced largely in China and its capacity/output takes a lion's share of as high as 90% or so. As of the end of 2018, China's capacity of viscose staple fiber grew at an ever faster rate and posted 4.75 million tons, an addition of 700 kt from 2017. In the Chinese viscose staple fiber market featuring a fairly high concentration ratio, the six leading manufacturers (including Sateri (China), Sanyou Chemical, Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical, Grace, Shandong Silver Hawk Chemical Fibre, Aoyang Technology) hold a combined share of 74.1% in such market segment. Of them, Sateri boasted the biggest capacity of viscose staple fiber in China, with its three factories at the end of 2018 capable of producing a total of 850 kt/a, a figure then lifted to 1,100 kt/a in April 2019 when Sateri acquired the heavily indebted Jiangsu Xiangsheng Viscose Fiber Co., Ltd. With other enterprises' production expansion projects and the ones under construction included, in China, there will be an additional capacity of roughly 350 kilotons in 2019 when the total capacity of viscose fiber will foot up to 5,100 kilotons. With technical advances, the effective production capacity of viscose fiber will continue to grow domestically and the products get increasingly differentiated for a high-end trend. As a result of the great impact of capacity increment on the market, the growing stringent environmental campaign across the country as well as the depressed market demand for rayon yarn, the market price of viscose staple fiber showed a downward mobility and touched the bottom in December 2018, causing the loss-making of the vast majority of viscose firms. It is expected that the market price of viscose staple fiber will rise to a limited extent in 2019. As for imports and exports, the China-US trade war in 2018 inflicted the Chinese viscose fiber market a bit. From 2011 to 2018, China's viscose fiber exports maintained steady growth, of which the exports of viscose staple fiber stood at 370 kilotons and presented a CAGR of 12.5% in 2018. China's export of viscose fiber is anticipated to remain sound with stronger competitiveness as the production capacity gets beefed up and the rate of fiber differentiation climbs. The report mainly includes the following aspects: Supply, regional structure, competition pattern and trends of global viscose fiber market; Supply, capacity, competition pattern, policies, import, export and prices of Chinese viscose fiber market; Market development and tendencies of upstream dissolving pulp and downstream rayon yarn; Operation, viscose fiber business and development of 17 Chinese and foreign viscose fiber manufacturers. Key Topics Covered: 1 Overview of Viscose Fiber 1.1 Definition and Characteristics 1.2 Classification and Application 1.3 Industry Chain 2 Global Viscose Fiber Industry 2.1 Overall Development 2.2 Market Size 2.3 Regional Structure 2.4 Competition Pattern 2.5 Development Trend 3 China Viscose Fiber Market 3.1 Overall Development 3.1.1 Overview 3.1.2 Policy 3.2 Market Supply and Demand 3.2.1 Capacity 3.2.2 Output 3.2.3 Demand 3.3 Import and Export 3.4 Price 3.5 Competition Pattern 3.6 Development Trend 4 China Viscose Fiber Industry Chain Market 4.1 Upstream Dissolving Pulp Market 4.1.1 Market Overview 4.1.2 Company 4.1.3 Import & Export 4.1.4 Price 4.1.5 Development Trend 4.2 Downstream Rayon Yarn Market 4.2.1 Market Overview 4.2.2 Regional Structure 4.2.3 Price 4.2.4 Development Trend 5 Key Foreign Enterprises 5.1 LENZING 5.1.1 Profile 5.1.2 Operation 5.1.3 Viscose Fiber Business 5.1.4 Business in China 5.2 Grasim 5.2.1 Profile 5.2.2 Operation 5.2.3 VSF Business 5.2.4 Business in China 5.3 SATERI 5.3.1 Profile 5.3.2 Operation 5.3.3 VSF Business 5.3.4 Business in China 5.3.5 Jiangsu Xiangsheng 6 Key Chinese Enterprises 6.1 CHTC HELON 6.1.1 Profile 6.1.2 Operation 6.1.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.1.4 Development Strategy 6.2 Aoyang Technology 6.2.1 Profile 6.2.2 Operation 6.2.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.2.4 Development Strategy 6.3 Xinxiang Chemical Fiber 6.3.1 Profile 6.3.2 Operation 6.3.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.3.4 Development Strategy 6.4 Nanjing Chemical Fiber 6.4.1 Profile 6.4.2 Operation 6.4.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.4.4 Development Strategy 6.5 Jilin Chemical Fibre 6.5.1 Profile 6.5.2 Operation 6.5.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.5.4 Development Strategy 6.6 Swan Fiber 6.6.1 Profile 6.6.2 Operation 6.6.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.6.4 Development Strategy 6.7 Sanyou Chemical 6.7.1 Profile 6.7.2 Operation 6.7.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.7.4 Development Strategy 6.8 Hubei Golden Ring 6.8.1 Profile 6.8.2 Operation 6.8.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.8.4 Development Strategy 6.9 Fulida 6.9.1 Profile 6.9.2 Operation 6.9.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.10 Grace 6.10.1 Profile 6.10.2 Operation 6.10.3 Viscose Fiber Business 6.11 Others 6.11.1 Shandong Yamei 6.11.2 Longda Chemical Fiber 6.11.3 Shandong Silver Hawk Chemical Fibre 6.11.4 Somettex For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/j9s99c Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com TOKYO, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Hills Software, a worldwide leader in embedded safety and security, today announces that ArcherMind Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., a leading software engineering services company, has become an official value-added integrator for Green Hills Software's INTEGRITY RTOS and INTEGRITY Multivisor virtualization solutions. ArcherMind Technology and Green Hills Software will be working closely together with customers in China and Japan to provide engineering and customer support services for its INTEGRITY RTOS board support packages (BSP) to mutual customers. Future automotive cockpits combine a wide variety of graphical information displays including infotainment, cluster and navigation together with additional services such as driver monitoring, driver assistance information, and other safety-related capabilities. Certified to the most demanding automotive functional safety standards including ISO 26262 ASIL D, Green Hills Software's INTEGRITY RTOS and INTEGRITY Multivisor virtualization solution allows customers to create a single-chip fully integrated cockpit solution meeting the highest performance and safety demands of even the most demanding automobile manufacturers. As advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and semi-autonomous driving systems become increasingly prevalent in vehicle design, there is an ever increasing need to provide significantly more information to the driver both in a safety capacity and in the form of an informative and entertaining driving experience. By combining the safety-certified Green Hills INTEGRITY RTOS and Multivisor virtualization solution together with traditional general-purpose operating systems such as Android Automotive, automobile manufacturers can have the best of both worlds on a single-chip design. ArcherMind Technology's experience in integrated cockpit design combined with Green Hills Software's expertise in designing advanced certified safety solutions provides a proven team of embedded software engineers to help automobile manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers (Tier 1s) to build the most complex and demanding safety systems. "ArcherMind Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. offers software services for automotive. In recent years, it has been expected that software is playing a more and more important role while the traditional cockpit becomes multifunctional and transforms into an intelligent automotive cockpit," said Wang Jiping, President of ArcherMind Technology. "We believe ArcherMind Technology can contribute to the advancement of the smart cockpit by utilizing our more than 13 years of experience in Android & Linux OS software engineering together with the Green Hills INTEGRITY Multivisor as part of our new VAI partner agreement with Green Hills. Together with Green Hills, we are looking forward to demonstrating our joint ability to create perfect smart cockpits for humans all over the world." "I am happy to announce the inclusion of ArcherMind Technology into Green Hills Software's VAI program. We are already working with them in support of various automotive opportunities in China and Japan and ArcherMind Technology's experience in providing engineering services to customers in those regions is ensuring our customers have the resources they need to build their safety products and deploy them to market on time, and on budget," said Matthew Slager, Vice President of Operations for Asia-Pacific at Green Hills Software. "We look forward to working with ArcherMind Technology to help our customers build the most technologically advanced and safest vehicles on the market." About ArcherMind Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. ArcherMind Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. was established in 2006, as a global leading intelligent technology expert, focusing on embedded software development for smartphone, intelligent car, intelligent hardware and mobile internet, dedicated to providing entire lifecycle software solutions to global customers. Headquartered in Nanjing, China, ArcherMind Technology has established R&D centers in Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an and Wuhu, and provides technical resources service for different customers in Beijing, Shanghai and other first-tier cities, including overseas centers in the United States, Germany, Japan, India and other countries. ArcherMind has established long-term and stable cooperative relationships with many world-renowned mobile chip, mobile terminal equipment, automobile and mobile Internet manufacturers. ArcherMind Technology has passed CMMI5, ISO27001, system integration level 2, quality, information security, environment, occupational health and other management system certification. About Green Hills Software Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security. In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178B RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified byNIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership comprised of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. Green Hills Software's open architecture, integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, safety/security and high-reliability applications for the military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom, and with Asia-Pacific headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Visit Green Hills Software at www.ghs.com. Green Hills, the Green Hills logo, INTEGRITY and INTEGRITY Multivisor are trademarks or registered trademarks of Green Hills Software in the U.S. and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Green Hills Software Related Links https://www.ghs.com NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank's IPv4.Global announces the formation of a new team consisting of members from Hilco Streambank's existing European Intellectual Property services office in the UK. With this expansion IPv4.Global will have a physical presence in the region which will enable it to better service its buyers and sellers in transacting and completing IPv4 transfers. IPv4.Global is already an active IPv4 broker in the region, and is a Recognised IPv4 Transfer Broker at RIPE NCC, the regional internet registry for Europe and the Middle East. IPv4.Global has been a leading worldwide IPv4 broker since 2014. Through both its online auction marketplace and its private brokerage, IPv4.Global has completed over 1,000 transactions including numerous transactions into and out of the RIPE NCC region. The UK IPv4.Global team will include Nat Baldwin, who heads up the UK office as well as Linda Shannon. Linda will be attending the RIPE78 Meeting this week in Reykjavik, Iceland, where IPv4.Global is a Silver Sponsor. IPv4.Global's CEO Gabe Fried said, "We are pleased to officially incorporate our European counterparts into our IPv4 business. With the growing number of inter-regional transfers, this bridge is a natural expansion that will make the transaction and transfer process much more efficient, leveraging our existing expertise in the rapidly growing IP addresses marketplace across the continents." About IPv4.Global Since 2011, IPv4.Global has become the leading IPv4 address broker serving clients in every region and supporting transactions of IPv4 addresses of every size. IPv4.Global counts among its clients the largest Global network providers and cloud computing companies as well as thousands of smaller organizations who buy or sell addresses online via their auction marketplace. Our mission is to provide exemplary service for our clients, transparency to the IPv4 market, and to operate within the framework of transfer policy in each region. Headquartered in New York City IPv4.Global is an operating unit of Hilco Streambank, a leader in intangible asset valuation and monetization. SOURCE Hilco Streambank As China's first private and digital-only bank, this joint lab is not only WeBank's the first research collaboration with a local university in Hong Kong, it is also the first joint banking lab project between Guangdong and Hong Kong. According to the agreement, a scientific committee will be set up to identify the most relevant projects to both parties, covering areas including machine learning, blockchain, AI operations and data mining for in-depth research ventures. Officiating guests today at the ceremony included Prof. Wei SHYY, HKUST President; Prof. Lionel NI, Provost of HKUST; Mr. David KU, Chairman and CEO of WeBank; Mr. LI Nanqing, President of WeBank; Prof. Tim CHENG, Dean of Engineering at HKUST and Head of HKUST-WeBank Joint Laboratory; Mr. YANG Qiang, Chief AI Officer of WeBank and Chair Professor for Computer Science and Engineering at HKUST. The agreement was signed by Prof. Nancy IP, Vice-President for Research and Development of HKUST, and Mr. Henry MA, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer of WeBank WeBank Chairman and CEO David Ku is honored to partner with HKUST, "The joint lab is a hallmark of the collaboration between HKUST and WeBank. Being open-minded, open-source and collaborative, the lab shall be rooted in the GBA and grasp its development opportunity as well as embrace the world. The lab visions an inclusive collaboration with all types of potential partners in driving Fintech underlying algorithms and technological research. We hope to see more use cases and innovative business models that tackle the existing pain points of SMEs and retail customers." HKUST President Prof. Wei Shyy also expressed his delight. "In this era of disruptive innovation, science, technology, business creativity, along with a human-centric approach are vital elements for advancing socio-economic development. Hong Kong, being a progressive and in fact world-leading city, is ideal for such a collaborative platform. HKUST has started collaboration with WeBank last year on public opinion analysis and anti-money laundering to enhance banks' performances and their abilities in handling crisis. I hope with HKUST's research capability and WeBank's experience in applying innovative technologies in mainland's banking industry, we will be able to develop new banking technologies for transfer into products with social impact as our cooperation deepens," he said. Some possible research topics of the joint lab include: how to protect data privacy amid sharing of resources and how to establish blockchain consortium or apply new technologies such as the collaborative business model. The lab will seek to increase banks' risk management capability by monitoring bank transactions and assisting officers in risk analysis and system maintenance work through machine learning and data mining. It will also seek to enhance the banking industry's development through Fintech and other cutting-edge technologies. Nine research proposals have been summited to the joint lab so far in the fields of blockchain, risk management and AI. About WeBank Co. Ltd WeBank was initiated by Tencent and officially launched on December 16, 2014, becoming the first digital-only bank in China that promotes inclusive finance. To date, WeBank has launched a personal micro-loan product ("Weilidai") and an SME loan product ("Weiyedai"), among many other purely online products, with over 100 million retail customers and over 500 thousand SME customers as of 2018. WeBank has also deployed China's first distributed core banking system, capable of handling high-volume, high-frequency transactions. It has applied for 234 tech patents in total. WeBank strongly embraces the 'ABCD' technologies (A.I., Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Big Data) as its strategic focuses and is an active leader in their related researches and applications in the financial sector. About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (www.ust.hk) is a world-class research university that focuses on science, technology and business as well as humanities and social science. HKUST offers an international campus, and a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. HKUST attained the highest proportion of internationally excellent research work in the Research Assessment Exercise 2014 of Hong Kong's University Grants Committee, and is ranked as the world's best young university in Times Higher Education's Young University Rankings 2018. Its graduates were ranked 16th worldwide and top in Greater China in Global University Employability Survey 2018. SOURCE WeBank PHILADELPHIA, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jefferson and the Philadelphia Collaborative for Health Equity (P-CHE) announced a $3.1 million gift from the Wyss Foundation to establish a new community wellness center in South Philadelphia's Bok Building dedicated to serving the area's significant immigrant and refugee population. The Hansjorg Wyss Wellness Center will become the hub of Jefferson's clinical and educational outreach activities for the city's southern neighborhoods, bringing primary care and social services to the members of the community, regardless of health insurance or citizenship status. The Wyss Foundation, other benefactors and Jefferson leaders gathered for a ceremonious ribbon cutting for the forthcoming center, which is expected to open in early 2020 on Bok's first floor, pending construction and related regulatory approvals. The Hansjorg Wyss Wellness Center will become the hub of Jeffersons clinical and educational outreach activities for the citys southern neighborhoods, bringing primary care and social services to the members of the community, regardless of health insurance or citizenship status. "Through the generosity of the Wyss Foundation, this center will help to reduce disparities in health care for immigrants and refugees," said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, President of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health. "It's inhumane to think of anyone struggling to find care in a city that's home to some of the nation's best healthcare resources." The center will also be a first in South Philadelphia, which currently lacks any permanent healthcare services dedicated to the immigrant and refugee communities. Jefferson is one of the largest providers in Philadelphia for refugee health care and a significant portion of its immigrant community. Many enter the healthcare system through the Emergency Department for non-emergent medical issues. Last year, 14% of discharges from Jefferson's Methodist Hospital Emergency Department in South Philadelphia were uninsured and nearly 23% were immigrants. "Health care is hard to navigate even when you do speak English," said Dr. Marc Altshuler, an associate professor and physician of family and community medicine at Jefferson and clinical leader of the Hansjorg Wyss Wellness Center. "Immigrants and refugees are facing unprecedented challenges today, and receiving health care shouldn't be another barrier to overcome. This wellness center will be a place to see a doctor and a safe space to receive culturally competent care and feel a part of the community." Dr. Altshuler's passion for aiding the medically underserved began in the late 1990s with his involvement in JeffHOPE, a student-run group that helps provide services to the homeless at free clinics. In 2007, he launched and is now Director of the Jefferson Center for Refugee Health, the largest medical provider of refugee health care in Philadelphia. He is a founding member of the Philadelphia Refugee Health Collaborative, a partnership established in 2010 among the city's academic medical centers and refugee resettlement agencies that offers medical assistance to newly arrived refugees. Today, Jefferson is one of only four programs in the nation recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Center of Excellence in Refugee Healthcare. The Wyss Wellness Center will offer invaluable training for students of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, in addition to becoming a satellite-training site for the Department of Family and Community residents and other interested residents on providing culturally competent care. The immigrant community surrounding the multiuse Bok Building, at the corner of Ninth and Mifflin streets, is largely of Southeast Asian descent. In addition to medical care, future clients of the center will have access to social, educational and mental health services provided through the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC), which has been serving refugees, immigrants and asylees for over 35 years. "In a neighborhood that has faced divestment of public resources for more than four decades, the opening of Wyss Wellness Center could not have come at a better time," said Thoai Nguyen, CEO of SEAMAAC, Inc. "SEAMAAC is honored to continue our long-time partnership with Jefferson in addressing the unmet needs of immigrants in Southeast Philadelphia." The wellness center is another initiative driven by the newly formed Philadelphia Collaborative for Health Equity. This ambitious program leverages the power of collective impact to address health disparities head on by bringing together stakeholders throughout the city to identify the social and economic factors affecting community health and creating solutions to overcome them. Last month, under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Jack Ludmir, Jefferson and P-CHE announced they are awarding more than $500,000 in grants to organizations focused on closing the health disparity gap in North Philadelphia based on the findings of a first-of-its-kind community health needs assessment of North Philadelphia's Latino community. The Wyss Foundation is rooted in discovery and innovation, which echo the values of Jefferson. "Much of our philanthropy supports projects in areas from the environment to education to economic opportunity to social justice," said founder Hansjorg Wyss. "We are pleased to be able to support the excellent work being done by Dr. Marc Altshuler and his colleagues." About Jefferson Jefferson, located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is 30,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients, preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st century careers, and discovering new treatments to define the future of care. Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 160 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,400 students. Jefferson Health serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 14 hospitals and over 40 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. About Bok Bok is a historic full-square-block building located in South Philadelphia. Originally opened in 1938 as a vocational high school, Bok was shuttered in 2013 along with 20 other Philadelphia schools. Two years later, the multi-disciplinary design and development firm, Scout, purchased the school, motivated by the vision of creating affordable workspace and providing opportunities for learning and gathering. Today, the vibrant multi-use creative hub is home to over 150 businesses across 120,000 square feet including charitable organizations, product showrooms, jewelers, video production companies, architects, fashion designers, artists, screenprinters, a family chiropractor, instrument repair workshops, product designers, a preschool and a cafe among many others. Bok also serves as a venue for events and community gatherings, including a weekly elders breakfast for Jefferson's local partner, SEAMAAC. SOURCE Jefferson Health The recently completed round represents Jiuye's sixth injection of investment in 4 years. In February 2019, the Company received strategic investment from Thailand's Chia Tai Group. Jiuye SCM's major shareholders now include Hong Kong-listed Sino-Ocean Group, Chia Tai Group, and Hong Kong-based state-owned China Merchants Capital. The new announcement makes Jiuye the largest cold chain logistics platform in China. Founded in 2014, Jiuye SCM is a modern supply chain company that provides one-stop services for fresh produce and food for companies in the agriculture, e-commerce, and food processing industries. The Company has developed both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) models. Jiuye SCM's B2B shipping platform is powered by its 30 "cloud warehouses", complete with a transportation monitoring system which utilises GPS and temperature sensing technologies to achieve traceability and temperature visualization for smart cold storage and delivery. With its managed online network, a fleet of 2,000 vehicles and more than 1,500 established routes, Jiuye can distribute to thousands of retailers nationally within optimal time to a customer's door in 24 hours across on 502 routes nationwide. The Company's B2C delivery service handles as many as 200,000 daily orders, with an annual growth rate of 50%. Jiuye industrial warehouses are equipped with multi-temperature zones, ranging from constant, variable, and low for freezing and refrigerating between -60 degrees C to 25 degrees C, allowing safe and efficient storage of products "We will use the proceeds from the latest round of financing to expand our development in IT technology and fresh cloud warehousing to build a global fresh supply chain service platform," said Zhang Bing, CEO of Jiuye SCM. "The industry generally is experiencing low IT integration and below standard quality of fresh produce. Jiueye SCM aims to upgrade our supply chain techniques to push the overall development of the industry. Currently, we help more than 1,000 agricultural and food business customers at home and abroad to manage an inventory of nearly 15,000 SKUs," said Zhang. Guo Dehong, general-manager of CMH Growth Fund, said: "The new round of investment is set to help Jiuye SCM to keep its leading position in the country's cold chain industry as it develops a more advanced supply chain system." About CMH Growth Fund CMH Growth Fund (China Merchants Mizuho Growth Fund), jointly funded by China Merchants Capital, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-owned China Merchants Group, and Japan's Mizuho Financial Group, the second largest financial institution in Japan. CMH Growth Fund primarily invests in companies with high-end technology, leading brand quality and promising market expansion in Greater China. China Merchants Capital has total assets of more than RMB 270 billion (about US$39 billion). About Jiuye SCM Jiuye Supply Chain Management, founded in 2014, is a leading one-stop cold-chain fresh service platform in China that integrates cutting-edge technology to meet growing consumer demand. The Jiuye developed Cloud Platform enables all parties in the supply chain to connect in real-time, making visual mobilization and collaboration possible. For more information, please visit: http://www.jiuyescm.com Media Enquiries: Jocelyn Hsiung T: +86-182-5258-5935 E-mail: [email protected] Cory Guo T: +86-138-1820-4022 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Jiuye SCM Related Links http://www.jiuyescm.com MONTREAL, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ERP Success Partners, a leading North America ERP consulting firm, today announced that it has joined the NetSuite Solution Provider Program. With NetSuite, ERP Success Partners will help its customers increase efficiency and accelerate growth by taking advantage of a powerful cloud ERP platform to gain real-time access to business metrics. Following the launch of its business management consulting practice in April 2018, ERP Success Partners has significantly expanded its global footprint with new offices in North America and EMEA. Also, as an existing member of the NetSuite Alliance Partner Program (in EMEA), ERP Success Partners has been able to scale, promote, implement and customize NetSuite for organizations of all sizes across multiple industries. The decision to join the NetSuite Solution Provider Program was an easy one, said Mark Rhyman, partner, ERP Success Partners. After evaluating competitors solutions, its clear that the NetSuites partner programs are designed to help us to scale while meeting the increasing global demand for a robust cloud ERP platform for our customers. We are pleased to welcome ERP Success Partners to our North American Solution Provider Program, said Craig West, VP of Alliances and Channels, Oracle NetSuite. We look forward to working closely with the ESP team as we mutually accelerate the move of our future customers to the NetSuite Cloud. About Success Partners ERP Success Partners (ESP) is a NetSuite Solution Provider headquartered near Montreal (Canada), serving the North American market. The firm is exclusively representing NetSuite cloud business solution. The organization is committed to successfully scale, optimize and transform businesses through the world-class cloud solution. ESP also has an office in the state of New York (USA). To further support its commitment towards NetSuite, ESP has recently opened an office in Mauritius (Indian Ocean) to fully collaborate, as an Alliance Partner, in EMEA. Trademarks Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. DALLAS, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas-based lawyer Stephen Andrew Kennedy of Kennedy Law, P.C. announced today that the Firm is representing Joel Fitzgerald, Sr., Ph.D., in an employment matter adverse to the City of Fort Worth. Mr. Kennedy confirms that, on May 20, 2019, Dr. Fitzgerald was terminated by the City of Fort Worth from his position as Chief of Police. The Firm is submitting a formal letter to the City Attorney seeking an administrative appeal of the decision to terminate Dr. Fitzgerald. "I am looking forward to representing Dr. Fitzgerald in this matter," Kennedy said. "We will issue additional statements as this matter develops," he said. Kennedy Law, P.C is a business litigation boutique with nearly 32 years' experience in trying business cases in Texas and throughout the United States. Kennedy Law represents prominent clients in business litigation and intellectual property disputes. SOURCE Kennedy Law P.C. Related Links https://www.saklaw.net RESTON, Va., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, will showcase solutions and capabilities that enable warfighters to achieve mission success and multi-domain dominance at home and abroad during the 2019 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference May 21-23 in Tampa, Fla. The company will feature spotlight talks the first two days of the conference and capability demonstrations throughout exhibit hours in booth #824. "It's imperative our warfighters have access to innovative solutions that give them a decisive and sustained military advantage in multi domain operations," said Gerry Fasano, Leidos Defense Group President. "Leidos will demonstrate capabilities of interest to the special operations community, which deliver a much needed technical edge on their critical missions." Leidos Spotlight talks will include: Geospatial Innovation: A presentation describing how Leidos develops geospatial data by leveraging procedural terrain generation technology to improve training through rapid and affordable access to realistic environmental representations. A presentation describing how Leidos develops geospatial data by leveraging procedural terrain generation technology to improve training through rapid and affordable access to realistic environmental representations. Improve your Intelligence Workflow with Real- Time Critical Insights: A hypothetical real-life example demonstrating how an analyst would use the company's Critical Insight application as part of the intelligence workflow. A hypothetical real-life example demonstrating how an analyst would use the company's Critical Insight application as part of the intelligence workflow. Sea Hunter and Maritime Autonomous Behavior : A look into the Leidos designed Sea Hunter demonstration vehicle and the Office of Naval Research's Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vessel program. The discussion will include maritime autonomy architecture, behaviors, and missions, and recent efforts in autonomous survey and autonomous logistics. : A look into the Leidos designed Sea Hunter demonstration vehicle and the Office of Naval Research's Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vessel program. The discussion will include maritime autonomy architecture, behaviors, and missions, and recent efforts in autonomous survey and autonomous logistics. Tactical Decision Kit (TDK) Augmented Reality Training: An overview of TDK, a kit that places tactical units into an immersive environment where units can train and rehearse missions through a virtual representation of the actual operational environment from mission planning, execution, and after action reporting and analysis. An overview of TDK, a kit that places tactical units into an immersive environment where units can train and rehearse missions through a virtual representation of the actual operational environment from mission planning, execution, and after action reporting and analysis. Warfighter Optimization: An insight into how we fully integrate longitudinal data analysis and true cross-functional/multi-discipline approaches to ensure individual, and team readiness is achieved to successfully fight and win against adversaries. Leidos will also showcase demos that include: the Critical Insight application that uses AI automation; Veracint and A2M2P platform, which use data collection and analytics; ADEPT, a platform used for GPS denied navigation; the Integrated Building Interior Surveillance System, which collects through-wall radar data; Foxhound, a multi-intelligence airborne intelligence, surveillance, and radar solution; and Sea Hunter. For more information, visit Leidos at booth #824 at the conference or at www.leidos.com/SOFIC. About Leidos Leidos is a Fortune 500 information technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $10.19 billion for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2018. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 28, 2018, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SOURCE Leidos Related Links http://www.leidos.com PEPPERELL, Mass., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Masy BioServices announced today it is expanding its validation services in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. Two Senior Validation Project Leads, Greg LaBruyere and Mike Rose, have joined Masy's growing validation team to bring Masy's quality validation services to the many BioPharma companies in the region. "Greg and Mike are welcome additions to the Masy team," said Steve Lane, Chief Executive Officer, Masy BioServices. "Both have held senior positions supporting GMP operations in quality assurance and validation. Their expertise, combined with their reputation in the region, will greatly benefit our customers by having a local Masy presence." Masy BioServices has provided quality solutions to the life sciences community for over 35 years through an array of services, including calibration of primary standards and critical test equipment, validation and IQ/OQ/PQ of environmental chambers, autoclaves, and thermal warehouse mapping, and lab equipment rentals and sales. Masy is a premier cGMP biorepository, offering secure and tightly controlled temperature storage from -196C to 70C, including all ICH stability conditions, for a variety of materials including bio pharmaceuticals, cell banks, tissues, compounds, vaccines and medical devices. The North Carolina expansion will join the company's existing headquarters in Pepperell, MA and offices in Hatfield, PA and Rockaway, NJ. Press Contact: Lisa Lanzilotti Marketing Manager Masy BioServices [email protected] 978-433-6279 x 1458 SOURCE Masy BioServices WASHINGTON, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger held a congressional briefing "Local Perspectives on Hunger in Rural America" on Thursday, May 16, 2019 with its Emerging Advocacy Fund (EAF) partners representing the most food-insecure states in the nation. The briefing provided an opportunity to address prevalent issues that underlie hunger in rural America, an often-overlooked crisis. "Contrary to a common stereotype, food insecurity and participation in programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are more prevalent in rural communities than in urban ones. In fact, three-quarters of the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are in rural areas, a reality made worse by the administration's lack of interest in pursuing public policies that uplift the nation's poorest and hungriest," said Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO of MAZON. "This makes the efforts of MAZON and our partners all the more critical in advocating to help struggling families by promoting food policies that work for everyone." The briefing was held in conjunction with MAZON's inaugural EAF convening, bringing together 16 state-based advocacy partners that pursue anti-hunger policy changes at local, state, and federal levels. The cohort represents a mix of emerging and well-established field leaders engaging in grassroots organizing, legislative action, policy analysis, and impact litigation. MAZON's EAF program is focused on increasing staff capacity and expertise to impact the political and social dynamics affecting food insecurity. MAZON and EAF partners do this by utilizing public education, public policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Josh Protas, MAZON's Vice President of Public Policy, served as moderator for the briefing and was joined by four EAF cohort members representing Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and West Virginia. They included: Tomiko Townley , Advocacy Director, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance , Advocacy Director, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance Langston Moore , Communications & Community Engagement Director, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi , Communications & Community Engagement Director, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi Brian Kennedy , Public Policy Analyst, North Carolina Justice Center , Public Policy Analyst, Justice Center Jennifer Wells , Executive Director, West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition Townley described hungry people in Arkansas as "resilient amidst the bureaucracy of being poor." She said, "We need to make sure that the most vulnerable people in our communities can get the help they need." Speaking about the correlation between hunger and academic performance, Moore said, "In order for college students to do well, they can't be hungry." Referencing the importance of changing the narrative about the perception of hunger in rural America, Kennedy said, "We've made policy choices that amount to an attack on people who are low income. Food is a right, and we need policies that address the fact that far too many struggle with hunger on a daily basis. No one should be hungry." Summarizing the challenges of being hungry in rural America, Wells stated, "We are in a crisis. The stigma that exists on the working poorthat is something we fight against daily." MAZON and EAF partners visited congressional offices to share perspectives on anti-hunger priorities at the state level. Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, longtime anti-hunger champion, MAZON partner, and Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Nutrition, shared, "The face of hunger is changing. It is no longer exclusively an urban issue. A growing number of rural communities are food insecure, located in hard-to-reach areas without access to full-service grocery stores and healthy food options. These challenges are often compounded by higher rates of unemployment and limited means of transportation. The people in these communities need our support. We must continue to identify ways to strengthen the social safety net and address the unique food needs of rural America." EAF's 16 convening participants include: Alabama Food Bank Association (Huntsville, AL), Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance (Little Rock, AR), Louisiana Budget Project (Baton Rouge, LA), Good Shepherd Food Bank (Auburn, ME), Preble Street (Portland, ME), Missouri Budget Project (St. Louis, MO), Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi (Flowood, MS), Mississippi Center for Justice (Jackson, MS), North Carolina Alliance for Health (Raleigh, NC), North Carolina Justice Center (Raleigh, NC), MomsRising (Raleigh, NC), Tennessee Justice Center (Nashville, TN), Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN), West Virginia Food Justice Lab, (Morgantown, WV), West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy (Charleston, WV), West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition (Charleston, WV). About MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger: Inspired by Jewish values and ideals, MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. For more information on MAZON, please visit mazon.org. Contact: Julia Natasha Watthey, MBA Director of Communications [email protected] | (424) 208-7203 SOURCE MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Related Links http://www.mazon.org "Involvement in this project is a natural extension to our longtime focus on accelerating vaccine development and manufacturing," said Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma. "Through the TRANSVAC2 initiative, we are able to lend our expertise in vaccine research and development in this critically important field." Funded by the European Commission (EC), TRANSVAC2 exists in part to accelerate vaccine development by enhancing European vaccine research and training and increase sustainability of EC vaccine projects by implementing a permanent research infrastructure for early vaccine development. MilliporeSigma is among a list of collaborators joining the TRANSVAC2 program. As part of the program, MilliporeSigma will hold two-day training modules in 2019 and in 2020 and will host applicants, selected by the TRANSVAC2 Course Selection Panel, at MilliporeSigma's recently inaugurated M Lab Collaboration Center in Molsheim, France. Participants will experience simulated lab processes, which will help them acquire fundamental skills needed for process development and acquaint them with a single-use environment. MilliporeSigma's focus, to find effective ways to accelerate vaccine development and manufacturing, includes collaborative work with leading research institutes and industries to introduce new technologies that advance the global vaccine industry. For this initiative, MilliporeSigma is tapping its internal manufacturing expertise and process knowledge in viral vaccines and vectors. Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn. All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service. About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has some 21,000 employees and 59 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 52,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices the company is everywhere. In 2018, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of 14.8 billion in 66 countries. The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com. SOURCE MilliporeSigma SHELTON, Conn., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NanoViricides, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NNVC) (the "Company") a global leader in the development of highly effective antiviral therapies based on a novel nanomedicines platform (the "Company"), has filed its quarterly report for its third quarter of financial year 2019 in a timely manner with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Form 10-Q filed on May 15th, 2019. The submission can be downloaded from the SEC website at: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1379006/000114420419026612/tv519975_10-q.htm. The Company reported that it had approximately $4.63Million (M) of current assets (cash, cash equivalents, and prepaid expenses), and current cash liabilities of approximately $1.08M, as of March 31, 2019, the end of the reporting period. The net cash used in operating activities during the last nine months (last three quarters) was approximately $5.13M, compared to approximately $4.26M in the nine months ending March 31, 2018. The Company's expenditures were in line with budget estimates. Shareholder equity stood at approximately $12.72M for the quarter (unaudited figures). The Company had no revenues. The Company has no long term debt. The Company raised $2.5M on February 27, 2019 in a registered direct offering (the "Offering") of 6,944,446 shares of Common Stock ("Shares") at the purchase price of $0.36 ("Purchase Price") per share. In a concurrent private placement, the Purchasers received warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase up to 6,944,446 shares of Common Stock. The Warrants have an exercise price of $0.61 per share, shall be exercisable on the six month anniversary of issuance and will expire five (5) years thereafter. The Warrants are exercisable for cash or, solely in the absence of an effective registration statement or prospectus, by cashless exercise. The net proceeds from this offering were approximately $2.35M after deducting placement agent commission and agent legal fees. Chardan Capital Markets, LLC acted as a placement agent for this offering. The Company is pleased to note that it has been executing on all milestones towards the IND filing for its first clinical candidate along a reasonable projected timeline, and is doing so with highly conservative expenditures. The Company is pleased to note that it has taken its first lead drug candidate, namely NV-HHV-101 through IND-enabling non-GLP Safety/Toxicology ("Tox Package") studies successfully, enabling the beginning of the GLP Tox Package studies. The Company has filed a pre-IND application with the US FDA for questions regarding the clinical trials design. Importantly, the Company has completed manufacture of the drug substance of NV-HHV-101 on kilogram-scale and of the fully formulated drug product (skin cream) on a multi-kg scale. These manufacturing operations were performed in its own cGMP-capable facilities under cGMP-compliant conditions. Thus the Company now has demonstrated expertise in the cGMP manufacture of complex nanomedicines drugs, right from simple starting materials to formulated drug products. The Company believes that enabling cGMP manufacture at large scale de-risks all of its drug programs to a substantial degree in terms of manufacturing risk. cGMP Manufacture of nanomedicines is known to be complex. Additionally, the Company expects to reduce the costs of its drug programs substantially because of being able to manufacture the drug products for human clinical trials. The Company has repeatedly demonstrated in a human skin organ culture model of VZV infection that NV-HHV-101 and several related candidates were highly effective against VZV infection in this ex vivo model of the VZV viral infection. These studies are being performed by Professor Jennifer Moffat at the Upstate Medical Center, SUNY, Syracuse, NY. Dr. Moffat is a leading researcher in this field and has developed this model based on infection of human skin. It is anticipated that the high effectiveness observed in this model should be predictive of effectiveness in human clinical trials. NanoViricides is pioneering a unique platform for developing anti-viral drugs based on the "bind-encapsulate-destroy" principles. Viruses would not be able to escape a properly designed nanoviricide drug by mutations because in doing so they would lose the ability to bind their cognate cellular receptor(s) and thus fail to infect productively, becoming incompetent. NanoViricides is a unique pre-clinical pharma company in that it fully owns its own lab and cGMP-capable flexible custom manufacturing facility where any of our drug candidates can be produced in multi-kilogram quantities to support corresponding IND-enabling tox package studies as well as initial human clinical trials. This enables rapid translation of our drug candidates to the clinic, saving years of manufacturing translation and set-up activities, as well as saving several millions of dollars of external costs, while ensuring requisite quality assurance, as compared to using a contract manufacturing organization ("CMO") for our complex nanomedicine drugs. The Company is currently working on its broad-spectrum drug candidates in the HerpeCide program against several indications. These include three dermal topical treatment indications, namely, skin creams for HSV-1 "cold sores", HSV-2 "genital ulcers", and shingles rash caused by VZV. Further, the Company is also working on developing eye drops for treatment of Herpes Keratitis (an infection of the external eye), and intra-vitreal injection for the treatment of vARN, in this program. The Company has also previously demonstrated excellent results in its FluCide program and in its HIVCide program, among others. Thus the Company has a rich and expanding pipeline of highly effective and safe drug candidates against a number of viral diseases. In addition, the Company's technology has substantial capabilities and applications, and the potential to attack as-yet-unsolved problems caused by viral infection, and thus lead to a great health benefit to individuals and societies. The Company has a bright future with its expanding pipeline, as we further the research programs driving towards cures beyond our current objectives of effective treatments. The market size for HerpeCide programs is in several tens of billions of dollars because neither cures nor very effective treatments are available. Approved treatments have limited effectiveness, demonstrating a significant unmet medical need. There is a significant unmet medical need for the topical treatment of shingles rash. An effective therapy for shingles has been estimated to have a market size into several billions of dollars, if it reduces PHN incidence. An effective therapy for shingles rash reduction alone is estimated to have a market size of several hundred million dollars to low billion dollars. These market size estimates have taken into account the potential impact of the new Shingrix GSK vaccine and the impact of the existing Zostavax vaccine. Of note, the Shingrix vaccine has been found to cause significant, debilitating, side effects in as many as 15%-20% of the persons receiving it. Given that shingles is not a life-threatening disease (except under certain conditions), the uptake of such a vaccine with high incidence of adverse effects may be limited. Additionally, Shingrix is not yet widely available. The Company develops its class of drugs, that we call nanoviricides, using a platform technology. This approach enables rapid development of new drugs against a number of different viruses. A nanoviricide is a "biomimetic" - it is designed to "look like" the cell surface to the virus. The nanoviricide technology enables direct attacks at multiple points on a virus particle. It is believed that such attacks would lead to the virus particle becoming ineffective at infecting cells. Antibodies in contrast attack a virus particle at only a maximum of two attachment points per antibody. In addition, the nanoviricide technology also simultaneously enables attacking the rapid intracellular reproduction of the virus by incorporating one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) within the core of the nanoviricide. The nanoviricide technology is the only technology in the world, to the best of our knowledge, that is capable of both (a) attacking extracellular virus, thereby breaking the reinfection cycle, and simultaneously (b) disrupting intracellular production of the virus, thereby enabling complete control of a virus infection. NanoViricides' platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour nanomedicine technology of TheraCour Pharma, Inc. NanoViricides holds licenses for developing drugs against several different viruses from TheraCour, including HSV-1 and HSV-2. In addition, the Company and TheraCour have signed a Memorandum of Understanding of the terms of a license for VZV (shingles, chicken pox virus), and the remaining human herpesviruses from TheraCour. For this purpose, the Company has conducted a valuation for the shingles and PHN indications. TheraCour is owned substantially by the Company's President and Executive Chairman of the Board, Anil R. Diwan, Ph.D. As of this writing, a draft of the ensuing license agreement is being prepared by the Company's attorneys. The draft is expected to be provided to TheraCour's attorney for further deliberations. Thus we have made significant and substantial progress in the reporting quarter towards the goal of filing our first IND application, and we continue to build on this progress. The Company has previously stated that it will be required to raise additional capital in the near future to fund our drug candidates as they advance towards IND stage and into human clinical trials, as is the case with most if not all non-revenue innovative pharmaceutical companies. About NanoViricides NanoViricides, Inc. (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide class of drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. The Company is developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in preclinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products. SOURCE NanoViricides, Inc. Related Links http://www.nanoviricides.com VANCOUVER , British Columbia, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NetCents Technology Inc. ("NetCents" or the "Company") (CSE: NC) (Frankfurt: 26N) (OTCQB: NTTCF), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a merchant agreement with inCruises International ("inCruises"), an invitation-only travel membership club. Since 2015, inCruises has become the premier Cruise Membership club with Members and Partners in over 178 countries. Through this integration, NetCents will be the underlying technology providing inCruises' 135,000 members the ability to pay their monthly memberships dues and allow their Members to book and pay for cruise travel bookings using cryptocurrency. "With a rapidly growing membership base around the globe, we are always looking for new and cost-effective ways to enable our Members to pay for their monthly memberships and book their cruise vacations," stated Michael Hutchison, Founder and CEO at inCruises. "With the integration of the NetCents cryptocurrency merchant gateway, we are now able to do this and open our platform to a new membership base of cryptocurrency holders." The inCruise leadership team has over 100 years combined experience in travel, finance and leadership development. inCruises Members have vacationed for the past three plus years with globally-known cruise lines such as Norwegian, Costa, Princess, Carnival, Disney and MSC Cruises. About inCruises inCruises is an invitation-only exclusive membership travel club. Created to make cruising more accessible, affordable, and even profitable for millions of people worldwide, inCruises is a "total game changer" for the way families plan, save and pay for their holiday vacations. Since 2015, inCruises International has become the premier Cruise Membership Club with Members and Partners in over 178 countries. inCruises is making a difference in the lives of Members and is committed to ethically providing a business ownership opportunity to its growing Partner team. https://www.incruises.com/ About NetCents NetCents Technology Inc, the transactional hub for all cryptocurrency payments, equips forward-thinking businesses with the technology to seamlessly integrate cryptocurrency processing into their payment model without taking on the risk or volatility of the crypto market. NetCents Technology is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.net-cents.com or contact Investor Relations at [email protected] On Behalf of the Board of Directors NetCents Technology Inc. "Clayton Moore" Clayton Moore, CEO, Founder and Director NetCents Technology Inc. 1000 1021 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 0C3 Cautionary Note Regarding 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 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 guarantees 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, 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. 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. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.net-cents.com or Investor Relations at [email protected] 604 676-5249 SOURCE NetCents Technology Inc. Related Links http://www.net-cents.com WELLINGTON, New Zealand, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Research has demonstrated that the use of Volpara Solutions' VolparaDensity software in combination with the Tyrer-Cuzick Breast Cancer Risk Evaluation Tool improves breast cancer risk stratification and could be used to help guide personalized medicine through risk-adapted screening. The study, "A case-control study to add volumetric or clinical mammographic density into the Tyrer-Cuzick breast cancer risk model," was published in the May 11 issue of Journal of Breast Imaging (doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbz006), the official journal of the Society of Breast Imaging. The paper used visual BI-RADS 4th Edition assessments from breast imaging specialists at the University of Virginia (UVA) and included 474 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer alongside 2,243 controls. The results demonstrated that the addition of volumetric and visual mammographic density measures to classical risk factors improves risk stratification, increasing the number of women accurately identified at high and lower risk of breast cancer. The Tyrer-Cuzick Tool, one of the most complete and widely used risk models, now accepts VolparaDensity volumetric breast density assessment as a validated breast density input in Version 8. Based on the study results, researchers concluded that risk could be used to guide precision medicine through risk-adapted screening and prevention strategies. Further, they noted in the discussion that "volumetric breast density assessment has some practical advantages because it is fully automated and has excellent agreement with 3D breast MRI." Dr. Jack Cuzick, John Snow Professor of Epidemiology, Director, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, and Head, Centre for Cancer Prevention, stated: "Including breast density into risk models makes sense. Breast density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer, and it is largely independent of all other known risk factors. Breast density contributes as much information as all other factors combined, nearly doubling the predictive value of the risk model. Screening programs need to take this into consideration in order to develop a personalized breast care plan for each woman." Dr. Eric J. Kraemer, Radiologist at Reno Diagnostic Centers, stated: "Incorporating an objective density measure and the Tyrer-Cuzick risk model has allowed us to better personalize screening for all of our patients. Patients with a lifetime risk of greater than 20% are recommended for mammography and MRI screening. The personalized plan for patients with dense breasts but with lower risk includes mammography and automated breast ultrasound (ABUS). For patients that do not have dense breasts and that are at low risk of developing breast cancer, mammography continues to be the gold standard in breast cancer screening. Developing a personalized breast care for each woman depending on her specific risk factors means that we can do a better job at detecting cancer earlier, ensuring that lives are saved." As one of the clinical applications within VolparaEnterprise, the VolparaDensity clinical application provides radiologists with automated, objective volumetric breast density assessments and a breast density category shown to correlate to BI-RADS 4th and 5th Editions. It is CE-marked and cleared by the FDA, Health Canada, and the TGA. "VolparaDensity has been in Tyrer-Cuzick for some time now, and the publication of this substantial validation paper is a key link that will assist in further accelerating uptake. This research has now shown that VolparaDensity is about equal to world experts in judging breast density for risk assessment," said Dr Ralph Highnam, CEO of Volpara. "This is particularly relevant as various groups in the United States and globally are moving towards some form of risk-based screening. It is also encouraging to see how important density is in that assessment and the vital role that Volpara can play in helping women receive the right care at the right age." About Volpara Solutions Volpara Solutions is the wholly owned sales and marketing arm of Volpara Health Technologies Limited of New Zealand. Available in most markets where breast cancer screening is commonplace, VolparaDensity provides an objective volumetric measure of breast density from both digital mammography and tomosynthesis data. VolparaEnterprise software is a suite of quantitative breast imaging tools for personalized measurements of density, patient-specific x-ray dose, breast compression, breast positioning, and other factors designed to provide critical insight for breast imaging workflow. The VolparaLive! system provides technologists with a real-time decision support at the point of care to assess image quality. For more information, visit www.volparasolutions.com. SOURCE Volpara Solutions Related Links http://www.volparadensity.com PEORIA, Ill., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OSF Ventures, a part of OSF Innovation, is investing in Paradigm Diagnostics, a leading precision medicine company that is making advancements in cancer diagnostics. The corporate investment arm of OSF HealthCare has decided to strategically invest in the Series B funding to speed expanded use of its flagship product, the Paradigm Cancer Diagnostic PCDx test. The breakthrough technology assists physicians in targeting each patient's specific tumor pathways and genomic changes in aggressive or complicated cancers within three to five business days. Paradigm also recently published results of a study showing the test's unique ability to get comprehensive, actionable results from tumors so small, they previously could not be tested for a definitive cancer diagnosis and treatment protocol. OSF Ventures joined six other venture groups in the Paradigm Diagnostics investment opportunity. Paradigm's newly upgraded PCDx test includes next generation sequencing that evaluates gene mutations in a person's DNA to identify the best evidence-based treatments to improve survival. The test results provided to doctors are matched to FDA approved therapies and standards of care in the most recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines as well as clinical trial options. Novel therapies are ranked in the report based on the level of evidence that they improve patient outcomes. "Paradigm's focus on rapidly helping the patient and oncologist find the best solutions, especially in our network, dovetails nicely with our mission to help accelerate innovative companies that enhance the quality of care," said Stan Lynall, vice president of OSF Ventures. Lynall believes Paradigm Diagnostics offers cutting edge technology unlike competitors. "I see as a real differentiator the company's ability to provide results of cancer genomic profiling and therapeutic information in five business days or less to better support patient care. When you put that in the context of late-stage cancer, that's important," according to Lynall. Lynall and OSF HealthCare oncologists who consulted with the OSF Ventures team also believe the ability to test a tissue sample size as small as a grain of rice, using a single microscope slide or fine needle aspirate, makes Paradigm a leader in the industry. David Mallery is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Paradigm Diagnostics. He helped lead efforts to support the biospecimen and clinical data collection for the National Cancer Institutes' flagship project The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which comprehensively catalogued the molecular drivers of cancer to open a new era of discovery to better prevent, diagnose and treat all forms of the disease. Mallery says having a health care system in the mix with other venture capital firms is significant. "OSF Ventures' backing represents support from one of the most highly respected health systems in the country," said Mallery. He added, "We are excited to have the clinical expertise and financial support to help expand the use of our revolutionary diagnostic test that offers quick results with targeted treatment recommendations. This advancement offers hope to many more late-stage cancer patients who've had to experience a devastating diagnosis." OSF Ventures specializes in venture optimization, partnering financially and operationally in companies that improve patient outcomes and reduce costs to health care systems. OSF Ventures is a division of OSF HealthCare. More at www.osfventures.org. OSF HealthCare, headquartered in Peoria, is owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, and consists of nearly 21,000 employees in 126 locations, including 13 hospitals, 11 Centers for Health and 15 OSF PromptCares throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF Innovation, ranked among the top 10 innovation centers in the country, is located in Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. Launched in 2016, OSF Innovation is a multidisciplinary innovation center focused on internal and external innovation to solve the largest health care challenges. More at www.osfinnovation.org and www.osfhealthcare.org. Paradigm Diagnostics is an innovative precision medicine company that leverages technology, bioinformatics and proprietary sequencing to perform the Paradigm Cancer Diagnostic (PCDx) that comprehensively identifies the best evidence-based treatments that may improve a cancer patient's progression free survival. Paradigm is disruptive in that it delivers results substantially quicker (3-5 business days) and is able to provide comprehensive next-generation sequencing (NGS) results including mutational load off of a single slide. In an independent prospective study, using PCDx to help guide treatment decisions has been clinically proven to significantly increase progression free survival. More at www.paradigmdx.com. Contact: Colleen Reynolds| Media Relations Coordinator OSF HealthCare| (309) 825-7255 SOURCE OSF Ventures Related Links http://www.osfventures.org HARRISBURG, Pa., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To further strengthen election security, the Department of State (DOS) is moving its election-day operations for the May 21 primary to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) facility. For the first time, state election experts, security professionals, department staff, call center volunteers and state emergency personnel will closely monitor developments throughout the day from one location with all of PEMA's resources close at hand. "Protecting the sacred right to vote must be a joint effort," Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said. "This move will shorten response time and enhance our collaboration and coordination with other agencies to ensure the integrity and security of our elections." From forming an inter-agency election security workgroup to hosting tabletop exercises that simulate real-life cybersecurity threats, DOS continuously works with its local, state and federal partners to meet the highest standards of incident planning, preparedness and response. PEMA, in partnership with DOS, has worked in past elections to strengthen communication and response by developing real-time information sharing on emergency and weather-related situations that could impact voting. "Pennsylvania voters can be assured that all commonwealth security resources will be safeguarding election operations," said Marcus Brown, director of the state's Office of Homeland Security. "From cybersecurity experts to law enforcement to emergency management staff, this partnership is trained and ready for any events that might occur." In addition to the federal and state departments of homeland security, DOS works closely with county boards of elections, the Center for Internet Security (CIS), the National Guard, and other key partners to maintain and enhance the security of the election process. Some of those measures include: All certified voting systems in Pennsylvania , including the election management system and vote-tallying components, are never connected to or permitted on internet-facing networks, which significantly decreases opportunities to be hacked. , including the election management system and vote-tallying components, are never connected to or permitted on internet-facing networks, which significantly decreases opportunities to be hacked. All counties were informed they have until the end of 2019 to select new voting systems that provide a paper record and enhanced security, and they must have them in use no later than the 2020 primary. Systems with paper trails allow for more accurate and reliable post-election audits. Counties strictly secure their voting systems, locking and sealing them when they are not in use. After an election, official results are physically delivered to the state. A layered set of protections are in place to secure voter registration databases. Appropriate use of encryption technology and other tools raise the bar on protecting systems. Continuous monitoring of the commonwealth's technical environment means alerts are reviewed and acted upon quickly. Pennsylvania works with CIS's Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) to gather intelligence. works with CIS's Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) to gather intelligence. Independent vulnerability assessments are frequently performed to verify established protections. There is no evidence the voter rolls or vote results have ever been hacked or compromised. We have provided security trainings, mock election exercises, information-sharing, phishing exercises and many other resources to counties, including in-depth tabletop exercises to train election, information technology and security personnel in incident response and preparation, simulating scenarios that could impact voting operations. Secretary Boockvar will be joined by some of Pennsylvania's security partners at a press conference at 10:30 a.m. election day in the media briefing room at PEMA, 1310 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. Secretary Boockvar also has scheduled press conferences for 9 p.m. and, if necessary, 11 p.m. at PEMA to provide updates on the primary election. Unofficial election results will be available after the polls close as DOS receives results from counties. Statewide election returns can be found at electionreturns.pa.gov. For complete information about voting in Pennsylvania, visit votesPA.com or call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772). NOTE: Video, audio and photos are available today for download in an email from the Pennsylvania Internet News Service (PINS). To register for PINS emails, [email protected]. MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren, 717-783-1621 SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State Related Links http://www.state.pa.us WASHINGTON, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) today announced that the firm and its Compass Lexecon subsidiary were honored as firm of the year in five categories at the annual Whos Who Legal Awards ceremony in London. FTI Consulting was recognized in the following categories: Arbitration Expert Firm of the Year Consulting Firm of the Year Insurance Expert Witnesses Firm of the Year Restructuring & Insolvency Advisers Firm of the Year Compass Lexecon was recognized as Competition Economics Firm of the Year. In addition to these five awards, Andrew Morrison , a Senior Managing Director in FTI Consultings Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment, received Whos Who Legals Restructuring & Insolvency Advisers Expert of the Year award. These recognitions demonstrate the commitment of our professionals to supporting our clients on their most complex, important engagements, said Steven H. Gunby , President and Chief Executive Officer of FTI Consulting. Equally as important, they reflect our commitment to attracting, developing and retaining the level of talent that can deliver that deep bench of expertise globally. FTI Consulting is the only firm to receive the Arbitration Expert Firm of the Year and Consulting Firm of the Year awards since they were introduced in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Compass Lexecon is the only firm to receive the Competition Economics Firm of the Year award since it debuted in 2015. The awards were given based on Whos Who Legal research and the firms performance in jurisdictions around the world compared to peers. TEL AVIV, Israel, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading mobile games company Playtika Ltd. announces the launch of an independent division dedicated to the ideation, creation and rapid development of casual games. The company plans to launch several new games every year, which will be analyzed and developed according to market data. This move emphasizes the company's strategy of expanding its involvement on the world of casual gaming. Playtika's Casual Games Lab is based on its acquisition of Jelly Button two years ago and brings together 150 of the best minds in the field. The new division is located in Sarona Tel Aviv with additional offices in London, which is considered the casual gaming industry's capital. The announcement was made internally at the company's Global Summit in Ibiza where over 2,500 employees from Playtika's 16 locations around the world were flown in to meet and enjoy time with their colleagues as they celebrate a successful year and hear company updates from Playtika's executive team. Robert Antokol, co-founder and CEO of Playtika, said: "This strategic shift will help the company spearhead our growth to meet our goal of becoming the world's largest casual gaming company." In the past two years, Playtika has heavily invested in the world of casual gaming with a series of successful acquisitions, most recently it acquired the Austrian company Supertreat. A few months prior it acquired Berlin-based puzzle and hidden object leader, Wooga, and before that the Tel Aviv-based creative studio Jelly Button. Raz Friedman, Playtika CPO and Head of the Casual Games Lab, said: "We have created a new industry model for establishing rapid game development on an industrial scale. Our goal is to produce new innovative games every year and bring them to market as swiftly as possible. Coupled with Playtika's capabilities in implementing live-operations, advanced AI and performance marketing at-scale, we're confident that we can deliver the greatest choice of games and the most personalized game experience - to audiences around the globe." About Playtika Playtika is a leading gaming company with over 27 million monthly active users playing its titles. Founded in 2010, the company was among the first to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and web platforms and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, the company has over two thousand five hundred employees in offices worldwide in: Tel-Aviv, London, Berlin, Vienna, Montreal, Chicago, Las Vegas, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Kiev, Bucharest, Minsk, Dnepr and Vinnitsa. SOURCE Playtika Related Links playtika.com NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS Five Summer Perks to Boost Employee Engagement to Boost Employee Engagement The #1 Way Business Owners Can Improve Instagram Engagement Economic Impact of IPBES Global Summary Assessment MEDIA JOBS OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES When to Use Infographics: 4 Content Types Perfect for Custom Visuals Takeaways From Cision's 10th Annual State of the Media Report Blog Profiles: Camping Blogs ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: Five Summer Perks to Boost Employee Engagement Jessica Webb-Ayer, JD Legal Editor XpertHR In today's competitive labor market with a low unemployment rate of 3.8 percent, employers are doing all they can to engage their employees, particularly during the summer. Webb-Ayer is available to discuss summer perks that can boost employee engagement in a hot labor market: "Besides cash, paid time off is always one of the most coveted perks an employer can offer. Paid vacation, especially over the summer, can help employees prevent burnout and recharge their batteries. Since many workers aren't taking enough vacation, employers need to encourage employees to plan and take annual leave." Based in New Jersey, Webb-Ayer covers a variety of state, federal, and municipal employment law and human resources topics for XpertHR. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville, Tenn. Before joining XpertHR, Webb-Ayer worked as a legal editor for Business & Legal Resources (BLR). In that role, Webb-Ayer created many labor and employment law publications and was the editor of the Benefits Compliance Advisor online newsletter and the benefits manual, Benefits Compliance: Strategies for Plans, Programs & Policies. She also served as the point person for many employment legal issues, including the Affordable Care Act, health care insurance, COBRA, HIPAA and employee benefits. Website: www.xperthr.com Contact: Beth Brody, [email protected] The #1 Way Business Owners Can Improve Instagram Engagement Irina Leoni Founder Dream Responsibly Productions LLC, Power Portraits "People complain about Instagram not working for them, and sometimes they just feel like they don't know what to do with it in order to get the engagement they're looking for on their posts. Here's the thing: What you need to do to improve your engagement is engage! Engage with other people's content and reach out to them first." Leoni is a visual branding expert, digital marketing consultant, educator, professional speaker, and branding photographer. The founder of Dream Responsibly Productions LLC and Power Portraits, she is best known for her work teaching business owners to maximize audience connection through the power of photography. Leoni grew up in Latvia in the former Soviet Union. After earning her Master's Degree in science there, she spent two years as a Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico before immigrating to the United States. Leoni spent several years in a cushy U.S. technology job, finally striking out on her own in 2009 to follow her dream of having a creative career as an advertising and branding photographer. When not gushing about the importance of visual brand strategy, you'll find Leoni pushing through a good workout, adventuring in foreign lands, horseback riding, or learning to snowboard -- all while navigating business and life challenges with humor and grace. She lives with her teenage son in Montville, N.J. Online Press Kit: https://irinaleoni.onlinepresskit247.com Website: www.IrinaLeoni.com Contact: Anita Jakab Kovacs, [email protected] Economic Impact of IPBES Global Summary Assessment Nicholas Reksten Professor, Economics University of Redlands Dr. Reksten can speak with authority about the economic impact of the IPBES Global Summary Assessment: "Unfortunately, this study confirms the bleak picture of human impacts on biodiversity that have been increasingly shown at smaller scales. While the natural losses are devastating on their own, the economic consequences of such a decline in natural ecosystems will become increasingly important and may threaten the stability of the global economic system. Most directly, the collapse of populations of fish and pollinators will impact the ability of fishers and farmers to provide food for growing populations and make a living. Those who make a living from tourists visiting ecosystems could find their jobs at risk. Ecosystems offer other, more indirect economic benefits, too. Wetlands filter water. Healthy forests can prevent erosion and landslides from heavy rains." Website: www.redlands.edu Contact: Jennifer Dobbs, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://www.cisionjobs.com/jobs/united-states/ ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected] WHEN TO USE INFOGRAPHICS: 4 CONTENT TYPES PERFECT FOR CUSTOM VISUALS. Infographics can increase traffic to your site by an average of 12 percent and receive 3x more likes and shares on social media than any other type of content. With those numbers, it's hard to think of a good reason why you shouldn't include one. But while these easy-to-read visual assets can help educate your readers, they may not be the best multimedia choice for every piece of content. In some cases, videos or images may be more appropriate. So how do you know if an infographic is the right choice? Here are a few cases that make these unique visuals the perfect addition to spice up your writing: https://prn.to/2HqpmEl TAKEAWAYS FROM CISION'S 10TH ANNUAL STATE OF THE MEDIA REPORT. Cision's 2019 State of the Media Report is here! For its 10th annual report, Cision surveyed nearly 2,000 media professionals from 10 countries to get a sense of what media professionals felt was most important to their jobs. Which factors were causing big changes? Which factors might cause more in the future? What's the most important thing happening right now? And how were all of these things different -- and the same -- around the world? Here are a few interesting takeaways: https://prn.to/3049C13 BLOG PROFILES: CAMPING BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at camping blogs: https://prn.to/2w4Fwgd **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1 SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com "The networks have Upfronts and digital media has NewFronts, but there hasn't yet been an equivalent specifically for healthcare until now. The PHM HealthFront fulfills an unmet need not only for our clients, but equally important, for consumers," said Andrea Palmer, president, Publicis Health Media. "The HealthFront is a market-shaping forum that will usher in a new era of health and wellness for the benefit of the people, putting innovation front and center with the ultimate goal of making the world a better place." HealthFront 2019 comes as the broadcast Upfronts and digital NewFronts have continued to provide a deal-making forum for advertisers for the past 57 and 11 years, respectively, while the health care media industry has yet to have a comparable marketplace. Through HealthFront, PHM is propelling health and wellness toward a new frontier for brands, products, services and engagements. HealthFront will uncover industry-specific trends, curate the most progressive products and solutions before they are available to the industry at large, and secure early mover opportunities for Publicis Health's clients with the leading partners in healthcare. Partner content sessions will include content from Verywell, Meredith Corporation, Healthline, Healthgrades, Vice, Health Union, Conde Nast, and many more. The event's content series will place this frontier on full display with thought-provoking panel sessions, keynotes and conversations with industry luminaries and thought leaders covering topics such as: Healthcare on Demand The future of personalized healthcare is here. Whether customized mail-order vitamin service, at-home genetic testing or Teladocs, people have access to a wide range of health products through an expanding new array of channels. Brands who lean into this evolving behavioral landscape will capitalize on these new opportunities. The future of personalized healthcare is here. Whether customized mail-order vitamin service, at-home genetic testing or Teladocs, people have access to a wide range of health products through an expanding new array of channels. Brands who lean into this evolving behavioral landscape will capitalize on these new opportunities. The Doc with the Dragon Tattoo: From Paternalism to Partnership New data and revolutionary scientific methods empower outside forces to influence health in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, a shift in consumer expectation, coupled with the changing profile of today's healthcare provider, has affected how patients interact with physicians and health influencers. A panel of curated experts will pull back the curtain on whoand whatinfluences some of healthcare's biggest transformations. New data and revolutionary scientific methods empower outside forces to influence health in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, a shift in consumer expectation, coupled with the changing profile of today's healthcare provider, has affected how patients interact with physicians and health influencers. A panel of curated experts will pull back the curtain on whoand whatinfluences some of healthcare's biggest transformations. AI Joins the Care Team. Don't blink: AI is growing fast. Machine learning can process complex data at superhuman speeds, opening the door to improved diagnostics, reduced costs and more. As the volume of personal health data continues to grow, so does the potential for AI to impact clinical decision-making and to shift the dynamics of health conversations. The HealthFront will also debut The PHM Disruption Garage, which will usher in a new era of health and wellness in real time. Four start-ups will pitch their future-facing healthcare ideas to a panel of "Lion" judges in the "Lion's Den" including Dr. Oz, cardiac surgeon and host, "The Dr. Oz Show"; Martha Stewart, entrepreneur, businesswoman and founder of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai; Ryan Olohan, managing director of healthcare, Google; and others, to be announced later this summer who will decide a winner. The winner will take home an award to help launch the product or company. "I want to help find the next big health idea disruptive solutions that use technology to shape the world around us. We have the power each and every one of us," said Dr. Oz. "The HealthFront epitomizes the latest in healthcare innovation, and as part of the Disruption Garage, we are looking for the most disrupting and future-facing ideas in health." PHM is passionate about re-imagining media's role in healthcare, offering deep industry expertise, unparalleled relationships and influence in the healthcare community, and the most advanced data practice in the industry to unlock human motivation and behavioral understanding along people's healthcare journeys. The HealthFront is one more way that PHM is connecting brands with the most innovative opportunities and ideas. About Publicis Health Publicis Health is the world's premier health-oriented agency network. A division of Publicis Groupe, Publicis Health manages top-tier agencies specializing in promoting innovative solutions in advertising, digital, branding, message delivery, market access, and medical communications. Publicis Health's mission is to be the indispensable force for health and wellness business transformation through the alchemy of creativity and technologyfor good. With more than 4,000 employees around the world, Publicis Health manages 17 agency brands through 40 offices located in six countries. Publicis Health brands include Digitas Health, Discovery USA, Heartbeat, insync, Langland, Payer Sciences, PlowShare Group, Publicis Health Media, Publicis LifeBrands, Publicis Resolute, Razorfish Health, Real Science, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, and Verilogue. Web: www.publicishealth.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicishealth Contact: Diana Dixon, [email protected] SOURCE Publicis Health Media Related Links https://www.publicishealth.com Raytheon has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 2014 through a $5 million, multiyear commitment to evolve its national STEM programming, including building a network of STEM Centers of Innovation at Clubs that serve a high concentration of military youth. With Raytheon's support, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has committed to establishing dedicated STEM learning spaces in all of its Clubs, including training 54,000 youth development professionals to implement a research-based STEM curriculum. Through the JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon, Boys & Girls Clubs across America are invited to perform hands-on activities selected by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory by July 20, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and first moon landing. Participating Boys & Girls Clubs have the opportunity to win prizes that expand their exploration of space, including through augmented reality experiences. Prize winners will be announced at the ISS Research & Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 29. "The JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon highlights our longtime shared commitment to use STEM subjects to inspire young people to explore their futures and become the leaders of tomorrow," said Jim Clark, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "This challenge not only builds on the meaningful progress we've made with Raytheon's support over the last five years, but it aligns perfectly with our existing summer programming, which is designed to maintain members' interest and proficiency in STEM subjects at the time of year when they are most at risk of falling behind." Clubs participating in the challenge must perform one or more of the following activities by July 20: Orion's Quest: Club members participate in authentic space-based research through virtual "missions" that require them to analyze photo and/or video data downlinked directly from the ISS and submit their findings to scientists. Tomatosphere: Guided by online resources, an educator helps Club members plan, perform and submit a "blind test" experiment to compare the germination rates of two groups of tomato seedsone that flew in space and another that remained on Earth. EarthKam: Club members control the camera in a unique Earth observation experiment onboard the ISS. Windows on Earth: This activity provides software that allows Club members to view stunning pictures of Earth taken by astronauts on the ISS and take part in related activities. Boys & Girls Clubs can register for the challenge on the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation's website. The JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon shares its theme with two related programs announced by Raytheon and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in April: JFK Space Lab Explorers presented by Raytheon, which gives schools and afterschool programs access to a curated set of free experiments through ISS National Lab partners; and JFK Space Lab presented by Raytheon, a program for middle and high school students that provides selected schools named after President Kennedy with support for Earth science, biology and computer science experiments that utilize direct connections withand data fromthe ISS. All three programs were developed in cooperation with the ISS National Lab and made possible by Raytheon's $1.5 million sponsorship of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the technological leadership of the nation's first moonshot. Raytheon's leadership in space-related capabilities originates in the Apollo era. Visit here to learn more about how Raytheon technology led Apollo 11 astronauts to the moon, as well as the moonshot innovations its employees are working on today. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter. About the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and John F. Kennedy Presidential Library The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization founded in 1984 to provide financial support, staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Kennedy Presidential Library and the Kennedy Library Foundation seek to promote, through educational and community programs, a greater appreciation and understanding of American politics, history, and culture, the process of governing and the importance of public service. Visit www.jfklibrary.org for the latest announcements and calendar of events. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,300 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter. Media Contacts Mike Doble Raytheon 703.284.4345 [email protected] Ashley Keyes Boys & Girls Clubs of America 404.285.2326 [email protected] Terence Burke JFK Library Foundation 617.901.1697 [email protected] SOURCE Raytheon Company Related Links http://www.raytheon.com NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Reyka Vodka recently announced its partnership with the National Audubon Society to help save the endangered puffin species by raising awareness of their rising risk of extinction. Reyka Vodka is donating to Audubon's Project Puffin to support the protection of puffins around the world and taking it one step further by involving the public, through the launch of Adopt-A-Puffin. This year, Endangered Species Day is on May 17 and Reyka Vodka is giving people the opportunity to take action and get involved. Reyka Vodka takes pride in its land, incorporating Iceland's natural resources through every step of the production process, from using some of the cleanest glacial water in the world to filtering with lava rocks to remove even the smallest impurities. Made of Iceland, this fierce pride and love has inspired Reyka to get take a stand and fight for the puffins. Iceland is home to one of the world's largest puffin colonies. However, due to overhunting and climate change, Iceland's beloved seabird has been nearing extinction for many years. As this continues to become a greater threat, Reyka Vodka is determined to speak up for the puffins. "Since Reyka Vodka is made of Iceland, and puffins are an integral part of Icelandic culture, it's important for us as a brand to help puffins in any way we can," says Trevor Schneider, Brand Ambassador for Reyka Vodka. "Our Adopt-A-Puffin initiative will further prevent extinction of these beautiful seabirds while allowing Reyka Vodka drinkers to make a difference and become puffin parents." The program will span throughout the summer and into early Fall 2019. Those interested in saving the beloved species can go to www.Reyka.com to "adopt a puffin" and visit www.shopreykagear.com to buy themed T-shirts, pins, calendars and hats. Using a donation-based scale, there are four levels of puffin adoption: " Bird Buddy " includes a downloadable file of the puffin to share ( $1 donation) " includes a downloadable file of the puffin to share ( donation) " Feathered Friend " includes a downloadable file of the puffin and a pin ( $10 donation) " includes a downloadable file of the puffin and a pin ( donation) " Avian Angel " includes a downloadable file of the puffin, a pin and a T-shirt ( $25 donation) " includes a downloadable file of the puffin, a pin and a T-shirt ( donation) "Puffin Daddy" includes a downloadable file of the puffin, a pin, 2 T-shirts and a hat ( $50 donation) "We are so grateful to have Reyka Vodka's support in fighting to help puffins and saving our living ocean for everyone." said Dr. Stephen Kress, VP for Conservation of the National Audubon Society. To learn more about Reyka Vodka or the Adopt-A-Puffin program, please visit Reyka.com. For more information: CURICH|WEISS Rachel Duc / [email protected] / 408-348-3974 Rachel Dennis / [email protected] / 702-672-1631 About Reyka Vodka Created by William Grant & Sons in 2005, Reyka Vodka is made in Iceland but also made of Iceland, proudly embodying all of the country's awe-inspiring offerings in its liquid production. As the first-ever vodka distilled in Iceland, the use of glacial spring water, some of the cleanest water in the world, provides the base for Reyka Vodka resulting in a clean, crisp taste. Lava rocks from nearby fields are also used as a resourceful and efficient filtration system as the natural material has no tolerance for impurities. And finally, to achieve its unparalleled smoothness from just a single distillation, a rare Carter-Head Still is employed, the first and only one of its kind used to distill vodka. The Reyka Vodka distillery is located just outside Reykjavik and is powered using geo-thermal energy from the steam of nearby hot springs. This geo-thermal energy captured from deep in the earth supplies power without adding contaminates to our vodka and the world. Made in preciously small batches to ensure the utmost quality, Reyka Vodka is 40% ABV and has an SRP of $22.99. For more information, visit www.reyka.com. Please drink Reyka responsibly. Takk! (that's 'Thank You' in Icelandic.) About William Grant & Sons William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich, The Balvenie range of handcrafted single malts and the world's third largest blended Scotch, Grant's, as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Drambuie Scotch Liqueur. William Grant & Sons has been honored as "Distiller of the Year" by the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition and International Spirits Challenge 12 times over the past 13 years, including the most recent award in 2018. Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Drambuie, Milagro Tequila, Grant's, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson's Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Montelobos Mezcal, Ancho Reyes, Flor de Cana Rum, The Knot and Raynal French Brandy. For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.grantusa.com. SOURCE William Grant & Sons SHEFFIELD, England, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Rinri Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a novel cell-based therapy to restore hearing, announced today that it successfully secured 1.4 million in seed funding. The financing, which was co-led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and UCB Ventures and joined by BioCity, will support the ongoing growth of the company. In connection with the financing, Detlev Mennerich, PhD, Investment Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund; Erica Whittaker, PhD, Head of UCB Ventures; and Claire Brown, PhD, Investment Director at BioCity have joined Rinri's Board of Directors. Rinri, a spin out of Sheffield University, is based on the pioneering work of Professor Marcelo Rivolta (Chen et al. (2012) Nature, 490: 278-84), a recognised world leader in the field of sensory stem cell biology. Rinri's underlying technology, based on innovative stem cell research, seeks to reverse neuropathic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) through the repair of the damaged cytoarchitecture in the inner ear. SNHL happens when there is damage to the hair cells in the cochlear and/or the auditory nerve. There are currently no pharmacological treatments available for SNHL despite the rapid increase in the number of patients that suffer from this condition globally. In parallel with the financing, Rinri has appointed Dr Simon Chandler as CEO. Dr Chandler has a PhD in Molecular Biology, and following commercial roles in the biotechnology industry, spent the past four years at IP Group, where he was responsible for early stage investments and company-building for UK university life science spinouts. "I am delighted that the Board has asked me to guide Rinri as we work to transition our exciting preclinical program into the clinic, and to move closer to the realisation of an effective treatment for the many patients with SNHL," said Dr Chandler, CEO of Rinri Therapeutics. "We have known Marcelo and followed his ground-breaking research, which was published in Nature, for many years, and are pleased to contribute to the creation of Rinri," commented Dr Mennerich, Investment Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund. "If the impressive pre-clinical in vivo regeneration data translate into human, the technology has the potential to be a game-changer in the way SNHL is being treated. We look forward to working with Rinri's team to support its growth and help further realise the technology's potential." About Rinri Therapeutics Rinri Therapeutics is a private biotechnology company developing advanced stem cell-based therapeutics to restore hearing. The company's pioneering technology seeks to reverse neuropathic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) through the repair of the damaged cytoarchitecture in the inner ear. SNHL is estimated to affect 64 million patients in the US and 34 million in Europe. There are currently no pharmacological treatment options for SNHL patients. Rinri, is backed by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), UCB Ventures, BioCity and the University of Sheffield. Rinri was founded in late-2018 and is headquartered in Sheffield, UK. For more information, please visit: www.rinri-therapeutics.com About Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund Created in 2010, the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund GmbH (BIVF) invests in ground-breaking therapeutics-focused biotechnology companies to drive innovation in biomedical research. BIVF is searching for significant enhancements in patient care through pioneering science and its clinical translation by building long-term relationships with scientists and entrepreneurs. BIVF's focus is to target unprecedented therapeutic concepts addressing high medical needs in immuno-oncology, in regenerative medicine or infectious diseases. These may include novel platform technologies to address so far undruggable targets, new generation vaccines and/or new biological entities, such as oncolytic virotherapy as well as Digital Health. BIVF takes an active role with its portfolio companies delivering significant added value through its own extensive drug discovery, scientific and managerial expertise. BIVF has 250 million under management and currently supervises a portfolio of 25 companies. For more information, please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim-venture.com About UCB Ventures UCB Ventures is a 150 million strategic corporate venture fund established in 2017 to further strengthen UCB's ability to create value from novel insights and technologies that can transform the lives of patients suffering from severe diseases. UCB Ventures invests in innovative therapeutics and technology platforms that are early stage and higher risk, in areas adjacent to or even beyond UCB's therapeutic focus on neurology/neurodegenerative diseases, immunology and muscular skeletal/bone health. UCB Ventures takes an active role in its portfolio companies, contributing expertise in drug discovery, development and operations. Visit www.UCBVentures.com to learn more. About BioCity Home to more than 200 pioneering Life Science and Healthcare companies, BioCity is an ambitious business incubator dedicated to helping small businesses tackle global health & environmental challenges. Not the typical business incubator, BioCity takes a holistic approach to business support. It offers an in-house accelerator programme, investment platform, flexible lab and office space, UK wide network of mentors and specialised equipment, all housed within the various BioCity business locations. Founded in 2002 BioCity operates at sites in Nottingham, Glasgow, Cheshire, Aberdeen and Newcastle. The company has made a total of 26 investments in early stage companies and has delivered a healthy growth in portfolio valuation. Funds are deployed from its own cash reserves and from a joint venture vehicle with AstraZeneca which BioCity manages. In 2017, BioCity was identified as one of Europe's fastest growing companies in the Financial Times' FT 1000 report. The BioCity model of 'support from inception to incorporation' initially challenged the industry standard but quickly became the industry leader due to the unprecedented survival rates of BioCity based businesses. For more information visit https://biocity.co.uk/about About the University of Sheffield With almost 29,000 of the brightest students from over 140 countries, learning alongside over 1,200 of the best academics from across the globe, the University of Sheffield is one of the world's leading universities. A member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group of leading research-led institutions, Sheffield offers world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Unified by the power of discovery and understanding, staff and students at the university are committed to finding new ways to transform the world we live in. Sheffield is the only university to feature in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2018 and for the last eight years has been ranked in the top five UK universities for Student Satisfaction by Times Higher Education. Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and its alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields. Global research partners and clients include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens and Airbus, as well as many UK and overseas government agencies and charitable foundations. To find out more, visit: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk SOURCE Rinri Therapeutics Related Links http://www.rinri-therapeutics.com ARTARMON, Australia, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Saluda Medical Pty Limited ("Saluda Medical") today announced that new data from multiple studies evaluating the company's Evoke ECAP-Controlled, Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) System will be featured in 11 separate presentations including a pre-congress presentation, four plenary presentations, five oral poster presentations, and a Top 5 Best Abstract presentation during the upcoming International Neuromodulation Society (INS) 14th World Congress, being held May 25-30, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Evoke measures the spinal cord's response to stimulation (evoked compound action potential, or ECAP), adjusts on every pulse to optimize activation within the patient's therapeutic window, and is designed to maintain long-term results through ECAP control. Oral presentations by leading pain specialists will feature new 3-month data from the Evoke U.S. pivotal study, which marks the first double-blinded, randomized, controlled U.S. pivotal study in SCS; additional results from the Avalon multicenter chronic study at 12 months, selected as a Top 5 Best Poster; and long-term results at 18-months from the Avalon study, the first chronic implant study of ECAP-Controlled, Closed-Loop SCS conducted in Australia. Additional presentations will focus on medication titration during treatment with SCS, variability in energy delivery to the spinal cord and its implications, neurophysiological measurements, neuromonitoring, and potential causes for SCS failures. John Parker, CEO of Saluda Medical, commented, "INS offers the opportunity to demonstrate new scientific evidence supporting our Evoke ECAP-Controlled, Closed-Loop SCS system for the treatment of chronic pain. With a multitude of oral presentations from top-ranking leaders in the field of pain medicine and neuromodulation, we look forward to sharing the latest short- and long-term clinical results of our Evoke system at such a high-caliber meeting." Details of the presentations include: Oral Presentations Pre-congress Event: Innovations in Neuromodulation. Disruptive Innovation: The Driving Force of Progress in Neuromodulation How to Repurpose your Disruption into Other Potential Fields and Applications Presenter: John Parker, PhD, Founder & CEO of Saluda Medical Time: Sunday, May 26 th ; 12:10 - 12:30 AEST ; 12:10 - 12:30 AEST Location: Parkside Ballroom Opening Plenary Session Closed Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation: Evoke Study Results Time: Monday, May 27 th ; 9:40 - 10:00 AEST ; 9:40 - 10:00 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Oral Presentations Five Best Abstracts Long-Term Results from the Avalon Study Feedback-Controlled SCS Using Evoked Compound Action Potentials Presenter: Charles Brooker , MBChB MRCP (UK) FANZCA FFPMANZCA , MBChB MRCP (UK) FANZCA FFPMANZCA Time: Monday, May 27 th ; 11:30 - 11:40 AEST ; 11:30 - 11:40 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Plenary Breakout: Under the Hood Mechanisms of Action Aspects Role of ECAPs in Understanding Spinal Cord Stimulation Action Time: Wednesday, May 29 th ; 15:00 - 15:15 AEST ; 15:00 - 15:15 AEST Location: Meeting Room C4.5 Plenary Breakout: Neuromodulation for Pain - Sensing and Feedback Feedback Stimulation of the Dorsal Column Time: Wednesday, May 29 th ; 15:15 - 15:30 AEST ; 15:15 - 15:30 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Long-Term Outcomes from the Avalon Study: A Prospective Multicentre Study Evaluating Closed-Loop SCS in the Treatment of Chronic Back and Leg Pain Time: Wednesday, May 29 th ; 15:30 - 15:45 AEST ; 15:30 - 15:45 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Oral Posters Session: Neuromodulation for Chronic Pain Evoked Compound Action Potential Recording to Further Understand Effect of Titrating Medication with Spinal Cord Stimulation Presenter: Steven Rosen , MD , MD Time: Monday, May 27 th ; 16:30 - 16:40 AEST ; 16:30 - 16:40 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Controlling Spinal Cord Activation During Delivery of SCS Therapy in Patients with High Degree of Movement in the Spinal Canal Presenter: Jeffrey E. Arle , MD, PhD , MD, PhD Time: Monday, May 27 th ; 16:50 - 17:00 AEST ; 16:50 - 17:00 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Automated, Routine Monitoring of Neurophysiological Parameters in Spinal Cord Stimulation Presenter: Nathan Taylor, BSc (Med) MBBS FANZCA FFPMANZCA (Med) MBBS FANZCA FFPMANZCA Time: Monday, May 27 th ; 17:20 - 17:30 AEST ; 17:20 - 17:30 AEST Location: Pyrmont Theatre Session: Neuromodulation Mechanisms of Action and Basic Science Spinal Cord Stimulation Failures: Underlying Mechanisms and Clinical Outcomes Time: Wednesday, May 29 th ; 16:30 - 16:40 AEST ; 16:30 - 16:40 AEST Location: Meeting Room C4.5 Evoked Compound Action Potentials to Guide Lead Placement: A Neuromonitoring Technique - Case Series Presenter: Steven M. Falowski , MD , MD Time: Wednesday, May 29 th ; 17:10 17:20 AEST ; 17:10 17:20 AEST Location: Meeting Room C4.5 For more information, please visit the Saluda Medical Booth #19 at INS 2019. About Saluda Medical Saluda Medical is a global medical device company focused on patient outcomes, science, and engineering to transform the neuromodulation industry with a platform of closed-loop technologies based on the evoked compound action potential (ECAP). Saluda's first device, Evoke, is designed to be the first Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) System. Evoke measures the spinal cord's response to stimulation (ECAP), adjusts on every pulse to optimize activation within the patient's therapeutic window, and is designed to maintain long-term results through ECAP control. It is currently under investigation through the first double-blinded, randomized, controlled U.S. pivotal study in SCS. Saluda is pursuing CE Mark, TGA approval, and FDA approval of Evoke. Saluda Medical is a privately-held company with headquarters in Artarmon, New South Wales, Australia and offices in Bloomington, MN, USA and Harrogate, UK. To learn more, visit www.saludamedical.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/saluda-medical/. Note: The Evoke Spinal Cord Stimulation System is an investigational device in the United States and is limited by U.S. Federal law to investigational use only. These products are not yet approved for marketing or for sale in any geography. SOURCE Saluda Medical Related Links http://www.saludamedical.com FELTON, California, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Scar Treatment Market size was worth USD 13.8 billion in 2015 which is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of more than 9.7% during the forecast period. Esthetic appearance among people is one of the major factors driving market growth. Scar treatment helps enhance the esthetic appeal of an individual through skin rejuvenating. Women are more concerned about esthetics, hence are expected to form the largest customer base for this market. Another major factor contributing to the growth of this market is the rising number of road accidents. According to WHO, approximately 10 million people are injured in road accidents every year. This gives rise to high need for scar treatment products, such as topical products that help in reducing the scars effectively. Road accidents also increase the need for cosmetic surgical treatments, which in turn leads to high demand for laser instruments. Rising incidence of burn injuries also supports the growth of this market. Burn injuries contort the appearance of the victim, leaving noticeable hypertrophic burn marks. People with high disposable income, often go for surgical treatment to get rid of such marks. Thus, scar removal products help in treating burn injuries. Technological advancement, such as laser therapy is also accelerating the growth of this market. For instance, Cynosure came up with MedLite C6, a Q-switched laser device, which is used for treating acne and other skin diseases. These laser devices help in treating the marks by destroying the scar tissue. Reconstructive and plastic surgery is also considered as a part of the surgical laser treatment procedure, which has further expanded the market growth. Get Sample PDF and read more details about the "Scar Treatment Market" Report 2025. Product Insights Based on product, topical products held the largest market share in 2016 and are expected to witness an attractive growth over the forecast period. It is due to the easy availability of these products Over-the-Counter (OTC), for instance, topical creams, gels and oils. Due to this reason, topical products are greatly used as a treatment for scars. Laser products are expected to witness a lucrative growth over the forecast period. This is due to the fact that non-invasive therapy facilitates less pain and discomfort. Laser-based cosmetic surgeries are also increasingly preferred by the patients who are experiencing stretch marks, acne and keloid. Scar Type Insights Based on scar type, atrophic scars dominated the market in 2015. This is because it majorly comprises acne scars. Most of the people, especially women are concerned about acne. Hence, there is a high demand for OTC products such as gels and topical creams for treating acne, thereby, making it a strong segment. Hypertrophic and keloid scars also held significant market share in 2015 owing to the growing number of wound injuries leading to these marks. OTC products such as silicone gels, topical creams and silicone gel sheets assist in minimizing the visibility of these marks. End Use Insights Based on end-use, the market is segmented into clinics, hospitals, e-commerce, and retail pharmacies. Among them, hospitals dominated the market in 2015. This is due to the wide usage of laser instruments, steroid injections and topical creams and gels in the hospital settings. Availability of specialists in the hospital also contributes to the growth of this segment. E-commerce/retail pharmacies are expected to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period. Online websites provide a wide variety of scar treatment products such as steroid injections, topical creams & gels and portable laser instruments. It also offers numerous lucrative offers and discounted prices, which further raises the growth of this segment. In retail pharmacies, topical products are available easily, which facilitates easy accessibility of scar treatment products. Regional Insights Based on region, North America held the largest market share in 2015. This is due to the growing acceptability of technologically advanced products and high concern among people regarding esthetic appeal. Huge demand for advanced laser instruments in the U.S. also drives the growth of this region. Asia Pacific is expected to witness a lucrative CAGR over the forecast period due to the rising incidence of road accidents in country like India. In addition, rising disposable income in these countries is also anticipated to contribute to the growth of this region. Competitive Insights Some of the major companies of the market are Lumenis; Molnlycke Health Care; NewMedical Technology, Inc.; Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc; Smith & Nephew plc; CCA Industries Inc.; Suneva Medical, Inc.; Enaltus LLC; Merz Inc. and Scarheal, Inc. The key companies go for strategic initiatives such as regional expansion, development of new products with improvised technology and mergers & acquisitions. For instance, Lumenis acquired Pollogen in 2015, in order to expand its product portfolio in the field of esthetics. Browse 90 page research report with TOC on "Global Scar Treatment Market" at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/scar-treatment-market Market Segment: Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Topical Products Creams Gels Silicon Sheet Others Laser Products CO2 Laser Pulse-dyed Lase Others Injectables Others Scar Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Atrophic Scars Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars Contracture Scars Stretch Marks End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Hospitals Clinics Retail Pharmacies/ E-commerce Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) North America U.S Canada Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China India Latin America Brazil Mexico MEA South Africa Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights: About Million Insights: Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place, that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying, is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive. Contact: Ryan Manuel Research Support Specialist, USA Million Insights Phone: +1-408-610-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-831-4085 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.millioninsights.com/ Blog: https://millioninsights.blogspot.com/ SOURCE Million Insights Silvus Technologies, Inc. and Information Assurance Specialists (IAS), Inc. have entered into a teaming agreement in support of several US Marine Corp, US Navy, and US Army contracts to develop an encryption approach that keeps the MANET radios unclassified while seamlessly securing them for use with classified data. Silvus Technologies is a leader in the design, development and production of MANET radio solutions. IAS is a pace setter in the design, development, and production of high performance CSfC IP networking appliances. The groundbreaking cryptographic solution is a combination of the Silvus MANET radio encryption technology layered with the IAS CSfC Component List listed VPN Gateway Module technology. This layering of encryption capabilities will yield several "first of their kind" National Security Agency (NSA) Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) compliant, dual layers of encryption, MANET/VPN router CSfC Comprised Solutions. The utility of NSA's CSfC program is that two commercially validated layers of encryption can be layered to secure classified data while in transit. Encryption for MANET radios inherently must satisfy highly mobile security associations. Similarly, the layering of two commercial devices, as outlined by the NSA CSfC program, ensures the radio is not a Controlled Cryptographic Item. The joint contracts have enabled IAS and Silvus to work closely with the CSfC Program Office to develop these extremely innovative CSfC solutions. As industry leaders in their respective domains, IAS and Silvus both bring synergistic strengths to the partnership. IAS has extensive technical experience with NSA cryptographic requirements, has successfully completed the CSfC process, obtained FIPS 140-2 validation and NIAP Common Criteria certification, and has obtained CSfC Component List placement for the IAS VPN Gateway Modules. Silvus has extensive experience in MANET networking and implementation, has obtained FIPS-140-2 validation, is currently taking their cryptography solution through National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) certification process, and provides the high performance StreamCaster line of software defined MANET radios. Bringing these two companies together to share capabilities will make MANET radio classified data transmission possible in a handheld or unmanned vehicle form factors. For example, Figure 1 is an envisioned combined product (SC4200 radio and an IAS router) that would allow a soldier to generate and share classified data within a MANET radio network. Silvus and IAS will demonstrate the combined CSfC solution at the Special Operations Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa, Florida on May 28-30. Stop by IAS booth # 1647 to learn more. About Silvus Technologies Privately held and headquartered in Los Angeles, Silvus Technologies develops advanced MIMO technologies that are reshaping broadband wireless connectivity for mission critical applications. Backed by an unmatched team of PhD scientists and design engineers, its technologies provide enhanced wireless data throughput, interference mitigation, improved range, mobility, and robustness to address the growing needs of its government and commercial customers. About Information Assurance Specialists, Inc. Located in Turnersville, NJ, Information Assurance Specialists (IAS) designs and manufactures software and hardware-based IP networking router solutions and Software Definable Network Appliances (SDNA), for the commercial and defense markets. As NSA Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) experts, IAS delivers secure, enterprise-level products that meet the most stringent mission requirements where ruggedization, security, size, weight, and power are critical. The company also provides a full range of specialized support services in the form of custom design engineering, engineering support, and COMSEC and INFOSEC segment consulting. IAS products are already trusted by government agencies, including the Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, the National Security Council, Executive Office of the President and many others. SOURCE Silvus Technologies, Inc. Related Links www.silvustechnologies.com TAMPA, Fla., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart Meter, an innovative diabetes management data, technology and solutions company, today announced a strategic agreement with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia contracting to provide the iGlucose Cellular Diabetes Care Solution to eligible members. AmeriHealth Caritas DC has begun a six-month program at Howard University monitoring patients to demonstrate how a cellular remote monitoring program can strengthen AmeriHealth's integrated model of care. This follows a successful study at Howard University Diabetes Treatment Center where patients lowered their A1c, improved their testing compliance and experienced broad satisfaction with the iGlucose platform. In conjunction with the AmeriHealth Caritas DC agreement, Smart Meter became a certified provider for DC Medicaid. It will enable Smart Meter to not only provide iGlucose to AmeriHealth Caritas DC, but offer its cellular remote monitoring solution to the broader District of Columbia Medicaid population. "As a national leader in healthcare solutions for low-income and chronically-ill people, we're excited to launch this program to further support our diverse and unique patient population through iGlucose's cellular diabetes management technology," said Carl Chapman, Director, Provider Network Management, AmeriHealth Caritas DC. "Not only will patients receive the real-time monitoring they need, but they will benefit from improved diabetes management to help prevent associated chronic conditions like heart attack, stroke or kidney disease." The iGlucose Cellular Solution uses global cellular connectivity to automatically share results at the time of testing with no added technology steps or manual logging. The user no longer worries about syncing or pairing devices. Patients simply test using iGlucose and seamlessly provide clinicians and care managers with a reliable, complete, real-time view of their data and trends. Between visits, patient care and outreach become more impactful and efficient delivering better outcomes and patient satisfaction. "AmeriHealth Caritas DC understands the importance of a solution that can assist with hard to reach or under-served populations needing an affordable solution. That's why the iGlucose Cellular Diabetes Care Solution was so appealing to this partnership," said Cliff McIntosh, CEO of Smart Meter. "We're excited to bring the iGlucose solution and the benefits of cellular remote monitoring to the diverse AmeriHealth Caritas DC member population. Becoming a certified provider for the Washington DC Medicaid population further extends our reach to a group who can really benefit from iGlucose." About AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia, a member of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, is a Medicaid managed care health plan that serves more than 120,000 Medicaid recipients living throughout the District of Columbia. Headquartered in the District, AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia addresses social risk factors impacting health, leverages robust member engagement strategies to increase rates of preventive care, and utilizes programs to support health and wellness for the vulnerable populations it serves. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com. About Howard University Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu. About Smart Meter, LLC Smart Meter is an innovative diabetes management data, technology and solutions company that enables connected health through the proactive management of diabetes. Its iGlucose Cellular Diabetes Care Solution is at the cutting edge with its cellular technology driving reimbursable remote patient monitoring. The iGlucose Cellular System removes the barriers for the person with diabetes. They now have a simple, convenient and affordable way to test their blood and seamlessly record and share those results. The iGlucose Population Management Portal, is a powerful tool to review real-time data for clinicians and others managing populations for improved reimbursable remote monitoring. An iGlucose API makes it easy to integrate the powerful iGlucose data into any existing patient management or support platform. To learn more, visit www.iglucose.com or watch this short overview video. You can also follow us on Twitter at @iglucose, or LinkedIn at Smart Meter LLC. SOURCE Smart Meter Related Links https://www.smartmetercorporation.com HARTSVILLE, S.C., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the most sustainable, diversified global packaging companies, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Corenso Holdings America, Inc. from a company owned by investment funds advised by Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC and management for approximately $110 million in cash. Corenso Holdings America (CHA) is a leading U.S. manufacturer of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) and high-performance cores used in the paper, packaging films, tape, and specialty industries. The transaction is subject to normal regulatory review and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019. Corenso Holdings America produced net sales of approximately $75 million in 2018 and operates a 108,000-ton per year uncoated recycled paperboard mill in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., as well as two core converting facilities in Wisconsin Rapids and Richmond, Va., which combined employ approximately 175 associates. According to Rob Tiede, Sonoco president and chief executive officer, The acquisition of Corenso Holdings America creates a long-term opportunity for Sonoco as CHA operates a best-in-class uncoated recycled paperboard mill that is capable of producing a wide variety of coreboard grades, in addition to providing attractive core converting assets and long-term partnerships with customers. Tiede added, Along with its attractive assets and customer mix, 100 percent of Corenso Holdings America products are made from recycled raw materials, which further enhances Sonocos sustainability commitment to increase by weight the amount we recycle or cause to be recycled up to 85 percent relative to the volume of products we put into the global marketplace by 2025. The acquisition of Corenso Holdings America will be modestly accretive to Sonocos earnings in 2019 and there are no expected planned changes in operating leadership and customer relationships. When the transaction is completed, CHAs financial results will be reported within Sonocos Paper/Industrial Converted Products segment. About Sonoco Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and displays and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately $5.4 billion, the Company has 23,000 employees working in approximately 300 operations in 36 countries, serving some of the worlds best known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for our customers, employees and communities that support our corporate purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life. The Company ranked first in the Packaging sector on Fortunes Worlds Most Admired Companies for 2019 as well as Barrons 100 Most Sustainable Companies. For more information, visit www.sonoco.com . About Madison Dearborn Partners Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (MDP), based in Chicago, is a leading private equity investment firm in the United States. Since MDPs formation in 1992, the firm has raised seven funds with aggregate capital of approximately $23 billion and has completed over 140 investments. MDP is currently investing out of its most recent fund, $4.4 billion MDCP Fund VII, in businesses across a broad spectrum of industries, including basic industries; business and government software and services; financial and transaction services; health care; and telecom, media and technology services. For more information, please visit www.mdcp.com. PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/fee48fbe-be52-44d8-8aaa-b7e6cfa07bde CAMBRIDGE, England, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- STORM Therapeutics ("STORM"), the drug discovery company tackling disease through modulating RNA modifying enzymes, today announced that it has raised an additional 14 million bringing the total Series A financing to 30 million. The financing includes funding from new investor, Seroba Life Sciences ("Seroba"). STORM's existing investors, Cambridge Innovation Capital, M Ventures, Pfizer Ventures, Taiho Ventures and IP Group also participated in the fundraise. This extension follows the company's rapid progress to date. It will enable STORM to advance its broad pipeline further in preclinical development and accelerate its programmes towards the clinic, supporting STORM's growth as the leading drug discovery company working on RNA modulating enzymes. STORM has strengthened its team with the appointment of Dr Mark Albertella as VP Translational Oncology. Mark was previously Director of Biology at Medivir AB and has a successful track record in oncology drug discovery and development at Argenta, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Kudos and AstraZeneca, with over 20 years' experience in biotech and pharma industry in the UK, US and Europe. Commenting on the fundraising, Dr Keith Blundy, CEO of STORM Therapeutics, said: "I am pleased to welcome Seroba to our investor syndicate and I would like to thank our existing investors for their continued support. This investment strengthens our Series A and provides further validation and support for STORM's strategy to continue building a world-leading company harnessing the power of RNA epigenetics - an emerging, innovative area of drug discovery. It comes at an exciting stage as STORM starts translating its unique platform into effective treatments in oncology and beyond. Mark's expertise in cancer drug discovery and development, encompassing in vitro and in vivo biology, translational and clinical research, will be invaluable to STORM as it progresses its pipeline towards the clinical stage." Bruno Montanari, Partner at Seroba, added: "We have been closely following the RNA space for some time tracking a number of key players. We believe STORM is maintaining its first-mover advantage in RNA epigenetic modulation and is progressing rapidly in its development, making this an exciting time for us to partner with management and co-investors. We continue to be impressed by the quality and depth of STORM's science and the significant progress made by the team to advance its platform and pipeline in this fast-moving area of emerging biology." STORM Therapeutics CEO Keith Blundy will be presenting at the BioEquity Europe 2019 meeting in Barcelona. STORM will present at 9am CEST on Tuesday 21st May as part of the Next Wave sessions. About STORM STORM Therapeutics, founded in 2015, is a University of Cambridge spin-out translating the ground-breaking work of Professors Tony Kouzarides and Eric Miska in RNA epigenetics into the discovery of first-in-class drugs in oncology and other diseases. Storm is the leading company tackling disease through modulating RNA modifying enzymes and is developing a unique platform to address these enzyme classes, including RNA methyltransferases. STORM is backed by blue chip investors Cambridge Innovation Capital, M Ventures, Pfizer Ventures, Taiho Ventures LLC and IP Group, who share the team's ambitions to build a world-leading company in the field. Dr Albertella Dr Albertella is an expert in oncology drug discovery and development with 20 years' experience in biotech and pharma industry in the UK, US and Europe. Prior to STORM, Mark was Director of Biology at Medivir AB where he was responsible for the review and progression of all R&D programmes. Most notably, he led the project team resulting in the discovery of MIV-818 nucleotide prodrug for the treatment of liver cancers from concept, to optimisation and CD selection to First-In-Man clinical study. His experience also encompasses the design and management of biomarker studies e.g. for the MIV-818 clinical study, and for an ongoing phase 1/2 clinical study combining birinapant and Keytruda. He has also initiated multiple successful international clinical collaborations with leading academic institutes in the US and Europe. Mark held senior positions at Argenta Discovery, OSI Pharmaceuticals, KuDOS Pharmaceuticals, and AstraZeneca prior to Medivir AB. About Seroba Life Sciences Seroba is a European life sciences venture capital firm, focused on investing in winning innovations in biotech and medtech. The team has deep investment and industry experience enabling us to help and support entrepreneurs realise their ambitions whilst creating value for investors. The firm has three funds under management and has built a portfolio of investee companies across multiple indications. Seroba partners with entrepreneurs to create and build businesses around extraordinary science. For more information, please visit https://www.seroba-lifesciences.com. SOURCE STORM Therapeutics PETACH TIKVA, Israel, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Giora Bardea, Strauss Group President & CEO (TASE: STRS): "Strauss Group continues to deliver good results in the first quarter of 2019. Our product diversity and innovation, geographical spread and continuous efficiency enhancement processes have enabled the Group to post a significant improvement in profit margins, despite stability in overall Group sales. Our operations in most categories Strauss Israel, Sabra-Obela and Strauss Water delivered growth in sales volumes as well as profit margins. The joint venture in Brazil[1] experienced some weakness in the quarter, mainly as a result of foreign currency effects and the drop in green coffee prices." Strauss Group delivered sales of NIS 2.1 billion in the quarter, down approximately 2.8% compared to the corresponding period last year; however, in organic terms and excluding foreign currency effects, the decrease in sales amounted to 0.1%. As mentioned, the decrease is primarily due to the drop in revenue of the joint venture in Brazil1. Despite the stagnation in overall Group sales, in terms of profitability Strauss Group has delivered an especially successful quarter. Operating profit was approximately NIS 269 million, which constitutes 12.8% of sales and reflects an improvement of approximately 5.7% in EBIT compared to the first quarter of 2018. The main reason for the increase in the Group's profit margin is a significant improvement in margins in the international dips and spreads business, particularly in the US, and in Strauss Water in Israel and China. On the bottom line, the Group concluded the first quarter of 2019 with a net profit of NIS 172 million, an increase of approximately 16.8% over the corresponding period last year. The improvement in the net profit is the result of the increase in the operating profit margin, as well as a decrease in tax expenses compared to the first quarter of 2018. Strauss Israel delivered a solid quarter, with sales rising by approximately 1.3% to NIS 877 million. The company's activities in the quarter were mainly influenced by growth in sales of dairy products, such as the Danone Pro series, desserts led by Milky, energy bars and rice cakes under the Energy brand, Yad Mordechai honey, as well as Fun & Indulgence products. It is noted that in 2018 the figures for the first quarter also included sales data for the period preceding Passover. The Milky brand which celebrates its 40th birthday this year remained as strong as ever, with the brand retaining its market share in the dessert category despite the launch of a rival product. Strauss Israel's gross profit margin in the quarter was approximately NIS 350 million 39.9% of sales an improvement of 2.6% over the corresponding period last year. Strauss Israel's operating profit margin rose 2.2% to NIS 112 million. The increase in the gross and operating profit margins is mainly the result of the great diversity in the company's product offering, which allows for a product mix that targets different, and new, customers. The impact is reflected, among other things, in Strauss's aggregate share of the Israeli food and beverage market, which, according to StoreNext's[2] figures for March 2019, was 12.2% compared to 11.9% in the corresponding period last year. In the current quarter, the Israeli food and beverage market dropped 0.6%. Strauss Coffee had a challenging quarter with sales of NIS 894 million, reflecting a drop of 3.6% compared to the corresponding quarter last year excluding foreign currency effects. Translation differences into Shekels in 2019 had a negative impact on sales by the coffee company and amounted to NIS 59 million, of which the negative effect of the change in the average exchange rate of the Brazilian Real against the Shekel accounted for NIS 44 million. The decrease is primarily the result of a drop in the sales of the coffee company in Brazil, Tres Coracoes Brazil's largest coffee company and a joint venture equally owned by Strauss Group and Sao Miguel Holding Investimentos S.A. Sales in Brazil decreased mainly as a result of a reduction in sales prices following a drop in green coffee prices in the country. The decrease in sales in Brazil in domestic currency amounted to 4.1%. It is worth noting that Tres Coracoes' market share grew significantly in the quarter to 28.1%, compared to 27.2% in the corresponding period last year (value market share, reflecting 100% of Tres Coracoes' sales, according to A.C. Nielsen figures). Coffee sales in Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Poland) also decreased in the first quarter of 2019. In total, the international coffee business decreased by 5.4% in the quarter in local currency. The coffee business in Israel grew 2.5% in the first quarter, mainly as a result of growth in the freeze-dried coffee category, which was relaunched in the quarter under the Platinum brand, as well as the espresso capsule category, which continued to grow. Strauss Water delivered an excellent first quarter, with a considerable improvement in its operations in Israel and China. The company's sales in the quarter amounted to approximately NIS 143 million, compared to NIS 135 million in the corresponding period in 2018. Increased sales of water bars coupled with growth in the customer base in Israel contributed to revenue growth of 6% compared to the corresponding period last year. In China, revenue growth in the first quarter of 2019 amounted to 28.8% in local currency and was mainly achieved by increasing the number of stores, particularly in the Qingdao area. During the quarter Tami4 launched its new water bar for the business sector, and the Maze water purifier won the Product of the Year award for 2019. Strauss Water's operating profit in the quarter was approximately NIS 16 million (including the profits of the joint venture in China), representing 11.4% of sales and constituting an increase of approximately 67.7% over the corresponding period in 2018. The International Dips and Spreads segment, which includes Sabra and Obela, delivered solid growth of 7.5% in the first quarter excluding foreign currency effects, raising revenue to NIS 192 million. The operating profit was approximately NIS 25 million an increase of 118% compared to the corresponding period last year. In the US, Sabra achieved a record 61.3% market share in hummus. The company, which is active in the US and Canada, achieved approximately 6.5% sales growth in the quarter, mainly following the adjustment of prices in the North American market. Obela's organic growth in the quarter was 15.8%, raising revenue to NIS 22 million. Growth primarily originated in the operation in Australia and New-Zealand. During the quarter a new manager was appointed for Obela's operations in Europe, with the aim of developing hummus's market share in Holland and Germany. International Dips & Spreads figures reflect Strauss's 50% holding in Sabra and Obela. Non GAAP Figures (1) First Quarter 2019 2018 Change Total Group Sales (NIS mm) 2,106 2,167 -2.8% Organic Sales Growth excluding FX -0.1% Gross Profit (NIS mm) 845 833 1.4% Gross Margins (%) 40.1% 38.4% +170 bps EBITDA (NIS mm) 349 311 12.0% EBITDA Margins (%) 16.6% 14.4% +220 bps EBIT (NIS mm) 269 254 5.7% EBIT Margins (%) 12.8% 11.7% +110 bps Net Income Attributable to the Company's Shareholders (NIS mm) 172 146 16.8% Net Income Margin Attributable to the Company's Shareholders (%) 8.1% 6.8% +130 bps EPS (NIS) 1.49 1.28 16.3% Operating Cash Flow (NIS mm) 51 89 -42.7% Capex (NIS mm) (2) -68 -66 3.0% Net debt (NIS mm) 2,344 2,208 6.2% Net debt / annual EBITDA 1.9x 2.1x (0.2x) (1) The data in this document are based on the company's non-GAAP figures, which include the proportionate consolidation of jointly controlled businesses (without implementation of IFRS 11) and do not include share-based payment, mark-to-market as at end-of-period of open positions in the Group in respect of financial derivatives used to hedge commodity prices and all adjustments necessary to delay recognition of gains and losses arising from commodity derivatives until the date when the inventory is sold to outside parties, other income and expenses, net, and the tax effect of excluding those items, unless stated otherwise. (2) Investments include the acquisition of fixed assets and investment in intangible assets. * Reclassified. For further information, see Note 1.3 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements as at March 31, 2019. ** EBITDA for the 12 months ended March 31, 2019 was adjusted to reflect the effects of IFRS 16, Leases. Note: Financial data were rounded to NIS millions. Percentages changes were calculated on the basis of the exact figures in NIS thousands. Non GAAP Figures (1) First Quarter Sales (NIS mm) Sales Growth vs. Last Year Organic Sales Growth excluding FX EBIT (NIS mm) NIS Change in EBIT % Change in EBIT EBIT margins Change in EBIT margins vs. 2018 Sales and EBIT by Operating Segments and Activities Strauss Israel: Health & Wellness 538 1.3% 1.3% 55 1 1.8% 10.3% +10 bps Fun & Indulgence (2) 339 1.3% 1.3% 57 2 2.6% 16.6% +20 bps Total Strauss Israel 877 1.3% 1.3% 112 3 2.2% 12.7% +10 bps Strauss Coffee: Coffee Israel 222 2.5% 2.5% 58 17 39.8% 26.0% +700 bps International Coffee (2) 672 -12.7% -5.4% 54 -24 -30.0% 8.1% -200 bps Total Strauss Coffee 894 -9.4% -3.7% 112 -7 -5.7% 12.5% +50 bps International Dips & Spreads: Sabra (50%) (2) 170 5.8% 6.5% 27 13 90.8% 16.0% +710 bps Obela (50%) (2) 22 11.6% 15.8% -2 1 19.3% NM NM Total International Dips & Spreads 192 6.5% 7.5% 25 14 118.0% 13.0% +670 bps Strauss Water (2) 143 6.0% 6.0% 16 6 67.7% 11.4% +420 bps Other 0 NM NM 4 -1 -21.6% NM NM Total Group 2,106 -2.8% -0.1% 269 15 5.7% 12.8% +110 bps (1) The data in this document are based on the company's non-GAAP figures, which include the proportionate consolidation of jointly controlled businesses (without implementation of IFRS 11) and do not include share-based payment, mark-to-market as at end-of-period of open positions in the Group in respect of financial derivatives used to hedge commodity prices and all adjustments necessary to delay recognition of gains and losses arising from commodity derivatives until the date when the inventory is sold to outside parties, other income and expenses, net, and the tax effect of excluding those items, unless stated otherwise. (2) Fun & Indulgence figures include Strauss's 50% share in the salty snacks business. International Coffee figures include Strauss's 50% share in the Tres Coracoes joint venture (3C) Brazil a company jointly held by the Group (50%) and by the local Sao Miguel Group (50%). International Dips & Spreads figures reflect Strauss's 50% share in Sabra and Obela. Strauss Water EBIT figures include Strauss's share in the joint venture in China, Haier Strauss Water (HSW) (49%). Note: Financial data were rounded to NIS millions. Percentages changes were calculated on the basis of the exact figures in NIS thousands. Total figures for International Dips & Spreads were calculated on the basis of the exact figures for Sabra and Obela in NIS thousands. Condensed financial accounting (GAAP) First Quarter 2019 2018 Change Sales 1,430 1,446 -1.1% Cost of sales excluding impact of commodity hedges 830 856 -3.0% Adjustments for commodity hedges 13 -11 Cost of sales 843 845 -0.2% Gross profit 587 601 -2.3% % of sales 41.1% 41.6% Selling and marketing expenses 314 315 -0.6% General and administrative expenses 99 95 3.9% Total expenses 413 410 Share of profit of equity-accounted investees 68 58 16.2% Operating profit before other expenses 242 249 -2.4% % of sales 17.0% 17.2% Other income (expenses), net -1 2 Operating profit after other expenses 241 251 -3.6% Financing expenses, net -27 -16 67.6% Income before taxes on income 214 235 -8.4% Taxes on income -46 -67 -30.3% Effective tax rate 21.6% 28.3% Income for the period 168 168 0.3% Attributable to the Company's shareholders 156 153 1.9% Attributable to non-controlling interests 12 15 -17.1% Note: Financial data were rounded to NIS millions. Percentages changes were calculated on the basis of the exact figures in NIS thousands. Investor Conference Calls Strauss Group will host an investor conference at the offices of the Company in Petach Tikva on Monday, May 20, 2019 at 14:00 (Israel time) to review the Financial Statements of the Company for the first quarter of 2019. Investors can listen to the conference in Hebrew by dialing 03-918-0685: Strauss Group will also host an investor conference call in English on Monday, May 20, 2019 at 15:30 Israel time (13:30 UK, 08:30 EST) to review the Financial Statements of the Company for the first quarter of 2019. To participate in the conference in English, please call one of the following numbers as appropriate: From the UK: 0-800-917-5108 From the US: 1-888-407-2553 From Israel: 03-918-0644 The Financial Statements for the first quarter of 2019 and Investors Presentation are posted on the Group's Investor Relations website at: http://ir.strauss-group.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=92539&p=irol-irhome 1 Tres Coracoes (3C) The Tres Coracoes joint venture in Brazil a company jointly held by the Group (50%) and by a local holding company, Sao Miguel Holding e Investimentos S.A. (50%). (Data reflect Strauss Coffee's share (50%) unless expressly stated otherwise). 2 StoreNext is engaged in the measurement of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) segment in the barcoded retail market (hereinafter: "StoreNext"). For further information please contact : Osnat Golan VP Communications, Digital & Sustainability Strauss Group Ltd. 972-52-828-8111 972-3-675-2281 [email protected] Daniella Finn Director of Investor Relations Strauss Group Ltd. 972-54-577-2195 972-3-675-2545 [email protected] Or Shlomi Sheffer External Communications Director Strauss Group Ltd. 972-50-620-8000 972-3-675-6713 [email protected] SOURCE Strauss Group Ltd. BARCELONA, Spain, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cephalocon 2019 -- SUSE today introduced SUSE Enterprise Storage 6, the latest release of its software-defined storage solution powered by Ceph technology. The new SUSE Enterprise Storage enables IT organizations to seamlessly adapt to changing business demands while reducing IT operational expense with new features focused on containerized and cloud workload support, improved integration with public cloud, and enhanced data protection capabilities. "SUSE is powering digital transformation with agile open source solutions like SUSE Enterprise Storage that enable enterprises to continually innovate, compete and grow," said Brent Schroeder, CTO Americas for SUSE. "We work with the community to develop innovative open source technology that we then test and harden to ensure it is enterprise ready. We aim to transform enterprise storage infrastructure with a truly open and unified, intelligent software-defined storage solution that reduces costs and alleviates proprietary hardware lock-in for customers. SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 reflects SUSE's ongoing commitment to making Ceph 'enterprise consumable.'" The University of Maine is using SUSE Enterprise Storage to support an HPC landscape underpinning a number of research programs. Steve Cousins, supercomputer engineer for the University of Maine, said, "SUSE Enterprise Storage has already brought clear improvements to our deep learning projects, one of which requires two million files in a single directory. Putting these files into SUSE Enterprise Storage has increased performance more than 10 times compared with the previous storage solution. Thanks to the stability and ease of management of the SUSE solution, we have significantly reduced the time we spend managing live and archived data. This keeps our internal team free to focus on driving new value for the university and its life-changing research projects." Based on the Ceph Nautilus release, SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 allows customers to seamlessly adapt to changing business demands by: Accelerating innovation as it further removes storage silos, giving customers easier access to different types of data and enabling them to quickly extract information from data using cutting-edge search and analytics tools. Maximizing application availability with faster and more granular backups that can now leverage low-cost public cloud resources for improved data protection. Responding to changing business demands faster with the ability to quickly and easily leverage public cloud resources as part of their storage infrastructure. It also helps them reduce operational IT expense by: Optimizing data placement with the ability to automatically and efficiently move data between all tiers of storage based on policy, ensuring access to critical data when customers need it. Improving IT efficiency with a single, scalable storage solution that meets all storage requirements for containerized and cloud-enabled workloads, no matter where they live. "SUSE's increased focus on cloud and containers in SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 matches the direction of enterprises today," said Amita Potnis, research director, Enterprise Infrastructure Practice, IDC. "Organizations are transforming their IT infrastructures to take advantage of cloud technology, even as they grapple with increasing amounts of data that both power and slow innovation today. Software-defined storage from SUSE will ease that transformation by removing obstacles, simplifying cloud integration and empowering rapid innovation to help enterprises meet their own changing business needs." Frank Feder, vice president of Sales at Thomas-Krenn.AG, said, "As an independent server manufacturer, Thomas-Krenn started its exciting journey with SUSE software-defined storage solutions as early as 2015 with the world's first hardware appliance for SUSE Enterprise Storage. The release of SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 takes our partnership to the next level. The technical sales staff of Thomas-Krenn is now completely SUSE certified and ready to meet the high demands of customers, not only for reliable, highly scalable hardware, but also for professional consulting and innovative, individual solutions." SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 will be generally available in June. For more information about SUSE Enterprise Storage and its accompanying world-class support and professional services, visit www.suse.com/storage. About SUSE SUSE, a pioneer in open source software, provides reliable, software-defined infrastructure and application delivery solutions that give enterprises greater control and flexibility. More than 25 years of engineering excellence, exceptional service and an unrivaled partner ecosystem power the products and support that help our customers manage complexity, reduce cost, and confidently deliver mission-critical services. The lasting relationships we build allow us to adapt and deliver the smarter innovation they need to succeed today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.suse.com. Copyright 2019 SUSE LLC. All rights reserved. SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE SUSE Related Links http://www.suse.com This year's 56 th annual Gold Nugget Awards will recognize outstanding architectural design and planning achievements in more than 50 building categories, including mixed-use, indoor-outdoor lifestyle, educational, special use, senior housing, and more. Eliciting submissions from around the world, this year's competition drew more than 600 entries. A Grand Award winner will emerge from the Merit Award winners in each category, and will be announced at the Gold Nugget Awards ceremony on May 31, 2019 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. SVA's 2019 Gold Nugget Merit Award-winning projects include: Jordan Downs Phase 1B ( Los Angeles, CA ) Judges Special Award of Excellence ( ) Legacy Square ( Santa Ana, CA ) - Best On-the-Boards Affordable Housing Community ) - California Baptist University Events Center ( Riverside, CA ) Best Special Use Project Events Center ( ) Chaffey College Academic Villages at Chino and Fontana Campuses ( Chino, CA & Fontana, CA ) - Best Educational Project Jordan Downs Phase 1B One of only three projects receiving a Judges Special Award of Excellence, Jordan Downs is an investment in a long-neglected Los Angeles neighborhood. The master plan by SVA in collaboration with Mithun | Solomon calls for nearly doubling the number of units from 700 to 1,375, retaining the same number of affordable units while adding market-rate housing to diversify the neighborhood. Developed by The Michaels Organization and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Phase 1B is comprised 115 new affordable units, replacing the superblocks of barrack-like housing with a grid of small-scale pedestrian-oriented streets. The new housing is intended to match the scale and character of the surrounding single-family neighborhood, with front doors immediately connecting to pedestrian paths. At the heart of the design is a 4.6-acre Central Park and Jordan Downs Community Center. Legacy Square Earning a Merit Award in the Best On-the-Boards Affordable Housing Community category, Legacy Square, developed by National Community Renaissance (National CORE) and Mercy House, is a mixed-use development consisting of 93 residential units, 7,767 sq. ft. of flex mixed-use space, and a 2,576 sq. ft. community center. Ninety percent of the units are proposed as affordable to households earning less than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), of which 33 units are designated as Permanent Supportive Housing. In addition to numerous on-site amenities, the development will host an on-site Service Coordinator to connect residents with a variety of community resources. Located at a future OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority) OC Streetcar stop and only 0.7 mile from Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, Legacy Square addresses the community's significant need for affordable and transit-oriented housing. Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, CEO of SVA Architects, states, "For projects like Jordan Downs and Legacy Square, there's a partnership trio that is critical in bringing the project to fruition: A non-profit partner to provide services, a for-profit group for financing, and the public agencies that can unite the community and partners behind a cohesive vision. These projects are a result of that three-part synergy, and they represent the best in urban development that takes into account local services, job growth, social integration, and community needs." California Baptist University Events Center Earning a Merit Award in the Best Special Use Project category, the new California Baptist University (CBU) Events Center, developed by CBU, provides a space where students, faculty, and the surrounding Riverside community can celebrate the dynamic university population. The two-level, 5,050-seat Events Centerwhich can expand up to 6,000 seatsis the largest indoor gathering space on the CBU campus and can accommodate a variety of events. The building was designed to complement the Mission Revival architecture that is a hallmark of the CBU campus. The versatile nature of the new facility will allow the University to embrace future technology and trends, while honoring its heritage of excellence in higher education. Chaffey College Academic Villages at Chino and Fontana Campuses Receiving a Merit Award for Best Educational Project are the Academic Villages at Chaffey College District's Chino and Fontana campuses. The Academic Villages provide a place where students can dine, socialize, and study. The Villages accommodate a campus store, instructional spaces, a student lounge, public safety office, and outdoor seating. Developed by Chaffey College, the project makes use of upcycled shipping containers and permeable surfaces to minimize campus impacts. The emphasis on sustainability serves as an educational tool itself, reinforcing Chaffey College's vision and associating the spaces in which students learn and socialize with the viable, comfortable solutions of tomorrow. Robert Simons, AIA, President of SVA Architects, states, "Since its inception, SVA has built an outstanding relationship with numerous education clients. It's very rewarding for us to have these projects recognized with prestigious Gold Nugget Awards of Merit. We'd like to thank the judges for honoring these extraordinary projects and recognizing the value they bring to so many students." About SVA Architects, Inc. Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the Country's most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in urban planning, architecture, and interior design of public, private, and mixed-use projects. Among the firm's portfolio are civic, educational, residential, commercial and mixed-use developments. SVA Architects values institutional and public environments as the foundation of a community and the backdrop against which we live, learn, work, worship, and play. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana with offices in Oakland, San Diego, and Honolulu. For more information, visit www.sva-architects.com. Media Contact: Beth Binger BCI Mobile: (619) 987-6658 [email protected] SOURCE SVA Architects, Inc. Related Links http://www.sva-architects.com Since Canadian and U.S. currencies have a discrepancy in exchange rate, Canadian customers tend to have to pay more when purchasing products or services priced in U.S. dollars. This can end up causing Canadian prices to be up to 30% higher. By offering on-par pricing, The New Flat Rate customers in Canada are able to purchase the software for the same amount of dollars as their U.S. counterparts. "We know that everyone is going to see their average ticket value, customer satisfaction and employee retention go up when they use The New Flat Rate, and we want to make sure this is a system everyone has access to," said Rodney Koop, founder and CEO of The New Flat Rate. "We want to show home service companies in Canada that they, too, can incorporate menu pricing without having to pay a premium just because they're in Canada." For more information about The New Flat Rate, please visit www.thenewflatrate.com. About The New Flat Rate The New Flat Rate, Inc. pioneered the first menu pricing system for in-home service providers which has doubled and tripled the average service ticket for contractors across the United States and Canada. Targeting HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical Service and Repair contractors, each market-specific edition is designed to do the bundling and upselling for technicians by providing hundreds of service, repair and equipment replacement "menus," each with up to five straightforward options consumers can choose. Voted No. 1 for two years in a row by Contracting Business, The New Flat Rate develops processes to eliminate objections and lower sales resistance for service technicians. For more information, visit http://thenewflatrate.com/ or call 706-259-8892. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE The New Flat Rate Related Links http://www.thenewflatrate.com CARROLLTON, Texas, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Truco Enterprises, maker of On The Border chips, salsas and queso, will be sampling an expanded product portfolio at the Sweets & Snacks Expo. The new products include On The Border Taste of Tajin Hot 'N Spicy Tortilla Chips, On The Border Organic Purple Cafe Style Tortilla Chips and On The Border Organic Blue Tortilla Rounds Chips. Truco Enterprises recently launched all three products at Walmart and is continuing to expand distribution in grocery, club, and value channels. "We are thrilled to introduce clean label innovation that leverages the crispy and flaky texture of our signature chips in new flavor profiles that taste amazing," said Shane Chambers, CEO of Truco Enterprises. "Consumer and customer reception of these products since launch at Walmart has been exciting, and we look forward to bringing them to more shelves soon." The On The Border Taste of Tajin Hot 'N Spicy tortilla chips is the third flavor in an exclusive line of flavored tortilla chips made in partnership with TAJIN. The new product features a Hot 'N Spicy blend of TAJIN's signature seasoning specifically crafted for On The Border chips. The chips are made with seven simple ingredients that deliver heat with no artificial flavors, preservatives or MSG. Additionally, with two new organic tortilla chips (On The Border Organic Purple Cafe Style and On The Border Organic Blue Tortilla Rounds), Truco Enterprises now has a full line of Organic items for grocery, mass and club channels. The new Organic chips are NON-GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten Free, and USDA Organic. The 2019 Sweets & Snacks Expo will be held in Chicago's McCormick Place from May 21-23. Truco Enterprises will be in the West Hall - Booth #1869, in partnership with Century Snacks and Tillamook Country Smoker. About Truco Enterprises Founded in Dallas, TX in 1991, Truco is a leading developer and marketer of tortilla chips, salsa and queso under the On The Border brand. The Company's products are sold nationally through grocery retailers, club stores, and mass merchandisers and also launched in the value channel in 2019. Truco Enterprises is the exclusive licensee of the On The Border brand for food products sold through retail. For more information, please visit www.ontheborderchips.com. Truco Enterprises is a portfolio company of Insignia Capital Group. About TAJIN TAJIN is a privately held company established in Mexico since 1985. Its subsidiary office, TAJIN International was incorporated in the United States in 1993. The leading fruit seasoning in Mexico and the U.S., TAJIN is a well-balanced blend of mild chili peppers, sea salt, and dehydrated lime. Its unique flavor transforms the taste of fruits and vegetables from ordinary to extraordinary. It is also a great addition to meats and beverages. TAJIN is produced in Zapopan, Mexico from world-class chiles bought from farmers in the region and then exported to the US as a packaged and branded product, approved by the FDA, to be sold at wholesale and retail. TAJIN is sold at more than 16,000 points of sale in the U.S. For more information; please visit www.tajin.com. About Insignia Capital Group Insignia Capital Group is a San Francisco Bay Area private equity firm focused on lower middle-market companies. Insignia partners with company founders and management teams to help drive growth and achieve true business potential. The firm's principals have significant experience building businesses across a range of industries including consumer, business services, and healthcare. In addition to Truco Enterprises, Insignia's portfolio companies include Century Snacks, a provider of branded and private label snack nuts, trail mixes and similar snacks, and Tillamook Country Smoker, a provider of jerky, meat sticks and other meat snack products. For more information, please visit www.insigniacap.com. SOURCE Truco Enterprises COLLEGE PARK, Md., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A new in-depth survey on U.S. nuclear weapons policy finds that 68% of voters (Republicans 59%, Democrats 74%), support Congressional legislation prohibiting the President from using nuclear weapons first without Congressional approval and a declaration of war. An overwhelming 8 in 10, of Republicans as well as Democrats, do not support a policy shift in the Trump administration's Nuclear Posture Review that explicitly declares the U.S. would consider using nuclear weapons first and specifies examples of non-nuclear attacks that would prompt such consideration. The study was conducted by the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) and the Center for International and Security Studies (CISSM) at Maryland, with consultation by the Center for Public Integrity. Support for nuclear arms control remains very robust across party lines. More than 8 in 10 (83%, Republicans 84%, Democrats 83%), favor the US continuing to have arms control treaties with Russia. Eight in ten (82%, Republicans 77%, Democrats 89%) favor the United States agreeing to extend the New START Treaty. "A large bipartisan majority opposes ideas for making nuclear threats a more usable instrument of policy and favors continuing efforts to constrain and reduce nuclear weapons through arms control treaties," comments Steven Kull, director of PPC. The survey, fielded by Nielsen Scarborough from Jan 7 - Feb 1, 2019, was conducted online with a national probability-based sample of 2,264 registered voters. Overwhelming majorities (87%, Republicans 85%, Democrats 90%) approve of the US continuing to abide by the moratorium on nuclear testing. Two thirds favor remaining in the INF Treaty which the Trump administration started the process of withdrawal from during the fielding of this survey including a majority of Republicans and people who voted for Trump. "Americans see arms control as an essential component of a comprehensive strategy to reduce nuclear risks. Trump's decision to withdraw from the INF treaty is a rare action that goes against what a majority of his base actually wants him to do," observed Nancy Gallagher, director of CISSM. To ensure that respondents understood the issues, they were given briefings on current debates on US nuclear weapons policy issues and asked to evaluate competing arguments before making their recommendations. To ensure an accurate and balanced presentation of the issues, the survey material was reviewed by experts with different perspectives. The public is not convinced that having intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) is necessary. Six in ten, including a majority of Republicans, favor phasing out the 400 US land-based ICBMs that are aging and are vulnerable to a first strike. However, only one-third favor unilaterally reducing the net number of strategic warheads in the U.S. arsenal to 1050 rather than adding warheads to U.S. submarines and bombers if the Russians still have 1550 warheads (the number allowed under New START). Overwhelming bipartisan majorities agree that the US must have a nuclear arsenal destructive enough that no country could think that there would be any advantage in attacking the United States with nuclear weapons. A plurality (49%) also agree that this minimum requirement is sufficient, and that the US does not need a nuclear arsenal which could also respond in-kind to any nuclear attack. However, when asked about a proposal in line with that requirement, in which the US would put low-yield nuclear weapons on submarines so that it can retaliate against a Russian attack using a similar weapon, two thirds were in favor. Contact: Steven Kull (PPC) 301-254-7500, [email protected] Nancy Gallagher (CISSM) 301-405-7610 SOURCE Program for Public Consultation PLEASANTON, Calif., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Venture X the premium membership-based workspace and community for entrepreneurs and businesses continues its significant growth with the groundbreaking of a new 13,224-square-foot location at 4125 Hopyard Road suite 225. Franchisee, Larry Cabling, of The MOS Group, signed the lease with Britannia Property Owner, LLC in March 2019. Cabling is fully galvanized to grow this new location into a coveted destination for a variety of progressively minded members. "We're seeing a continuing movement away from the traditional office environment," said Cabling. "This evolution is an important part the workforce future, and we're committed to being on the innovative front of coworking spaces that facilitate collaboration and creativity." Venture X has been expanding rapidly in response to corporations and entrepreneurs in search of modern, flexible workplace solutions. Its welcoming boutique hotel-style services and modern offices appeal to a broad cross-section of businesses and entrepreneurs and provides design-forward workspaces that people love coming to work to every day. This creative workspace solution has caught the attention of entrepreneurs and businesses throughout the nation and around the world. "We've been carving our own path for creative office space solutions, and we're always looking forward to opening new locations in more cities," said Venture X President Jason Anderson. "We targeted the Britannia Business Center because of its prime location, and we're certain it will provide a dynamic area to both work in and entertain." Venture X, which is a brand of United Franchise Group, is inspired by boutique hospitality brands where relationships, consistent quality, and value-added offerings are the cornerstone of the membership experience. Venture X attracts a diverse membership of entrepreneurs, creative professionals, freelancers, remote workers, startups, non-profits, small businesses, and large teams from Fortune 500 companies. Cabling believes that the Venture X "best-in-class" working environment meets the ever-changing demands of corporate clients and professionals in a competitive marketplace. "We're excited to join Pleasanton's entrepreneurial community with a place where members can connect with each other and also meet outside clients, while at the time boosting inspiration on a daily basis and improving their businesses," added Cabling. Additional details on workspace options and services are available at venturex.com/plans. About Venture X Venture X is a membership-based, shared workspace and community that is a blend of boutique hotel and modern office styles with a high level of design that feels professional and welcoming. They are designing beautiful spaces and developing an environment and community that people love coming to work to every day. Venture X is a member of United Franchise Group, a group of affiliated companies and brands, and has been recognized by Inc. as one of the best co-working spaces in the United States. The brand anticipates having 100 locations sold by the end of 2019. For more information about locations, visit venturex.com, and for information about franchise opportunities, visit venturexfranchise.com. About United Franchise Group Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group is home to a variety of internationally recognized brands including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Experimax, Jon Smith Subs, Venture X, SuperGreen Solutions, Transworld Business Advisors, Accurate Franchising, Network Lead Exchange, and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. With more than three decades in the franchising industry, and 1,600 franchisees in 80 countries throughout the world, United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Media Contact: Victoria Segovia 305.631.2283 [email protected] SOURCE Venture X Related Links https://venturex.com GREENBELT, Md., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Timothy Maloney and Megan Benevento of the Maryland law firm Joseph Greenwald & Laake, P.A. are calling upon Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to take immediate action to address discrimination and police lawlessness by Montgomery County police officers in the White Oak area. The firm represents three of the four young men who were victims of racial profiling in a loitering stop outside of a fast food restaurant on May 9, 2019. During law enforcement's unconstitutional stop of the men, the officers illegally detained, handcuffed, degraded, and cited the men solely based on their age and the color of their skin. Maloney explains that his clients "were guilty only of being young, African-American, and malethe offense on the citation might as well have read: 'being young and black in White Oak." Video from the stop, wherein one officer uses the "N-word" in reference to the men, has gone viral on Twitter. Though the County has publicly released some of the body camera footage from the event, it is incomplete. Maloney sent a letter to Executive Elrich on May 13, demanding full public release of all footage from body-worn cameras. Maloney also called upon the County to release the radio transmissions associated with the stop and the officers' names. Maloney claims that this stop was part of a larger practice of systemic harassment of young African-American men in White Oak and called upon the County to launch an independent investigation into the officers involved and their use of no-trespass orders. Maloney's letter to Executive Elrich is attached. All media inquiries should be directed to Megan Benevento, (240) 553-1135. SOURCE Joseph Greenwald and Laake LEDERACH, Pa., May 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Victory Nutrition International Inc. ("VNI") announces results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study for the Safety and Efficacy of N-SORB. This study is published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition (ACN), a highly reputed peer-reviewed Journal (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30971174). The study results were presented at the Experimental Biology (EB) meeting in Orlando, Florida, April 6-9, 2019, which was attended by scientists, biomedical researchers, nutritionists, health professionals, numerous Ph.D.s and M.D. professionals from all over the world. Forty young healthy male and female volunteers received N-SORB or placebo over a period of 90 consecutive days. Physical health, blood glucose, serum glucose, liver enzymes, lipid profile, red and white blood cell properties, serum cytokine levels and body weight were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The study concluded that quality of life, energy level, sleep pattern, digestive health, and several other blood parameters were significantly improved by taking N-SORB at the recommended dose. Physical Health Demonstrated Significant Benefits in the N-SORB Treated Subjects Physical Well-Being Significantly Improved Sleep Quality Dramatically Improved as demonstrated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Energy Levels Improved Reduced Occurrence of Headache No Diarrhea Cardiovascular Health Improved Overall Lifestyle Quality Improved as exhibited by Quality of Life (QOL) and World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) Assessment Body Mass Index (BMI) reduced in N-SORB Treated Subjects LDL level showed an increasing trend in the placebo group, remained stable in Treatment Group Kidney, Cardiovascular and Hepatic Functions Improved Optimized Levels of Platelets and Lymphocytes Broad Spectrum Safety About Experimental Biology (EB) Community Experimental Biology (EB) is the largest and most prestigious interdisciplinary meeting of its kind. Life sciences and biomedical researchers from all over the world meet to network and share cutting-edge research that leads to discoveries and career advancement. EB welcomes everyone with interest in anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, investigative pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. For more information about the Experimental Biology Community, please visit www.experimentalbiology.org. About the Journal of American College of Nutrition (ACN) The American College of Nutrition is a 501 charitable non-profit organization established to encourage the scientific investigation of nutrition and metabolism. The ACN publishes the Journal of the American College of Nutrition and hosts scientific conferences in the U.S. and Europe. For more information about the Journal of American College of Nutrition, please visit americancollegeofnutrition.org. About N-SORBTM N-SORB is VNI's patent-pending Prodosome-Activated Multi-Enzyme Complex (MEC). N-SORB's Prodosomed (SK713 SLP) MEC, unlike other enzyme products, gets rapidly absorbed into the blood and distributed to the body's tissues to support metabolic functions and digestive health. The results of this study confirm that N-SORB achieves benefits, unlike other enzyme products. For more information on N-SORB, please visit https://www.vni.life/retail/corporate/product/18018. About Victory Nutrition International Inc. (VNI) VNI was launched in January 2014 and its founders are biochemists, formulators and published researchers. VNI produces high-quality, well-researched products with unique, exclusive and patent-pending formulas. Their first-to-market products are made with premium-quality, research-driven, safety-affirmed ingredients encapsulated in an advanced absorption technology. VNI products are validated by published clinical studies. For more information, please visit www.vni.life. Contact Information: Bill Downs Victory Nutrition International Inc. Founder and CEO (215) 872-3334 [email protected] Jeff Hooks Victory Nutrition International Inc. President and COO (919) 868-6988 [email protected] Press Contact: Suzanne Brady (866) 881-1624 [email protected] SOURCE Victory Nutrition International Related Links http://www.vni.life SHANGHAI, China, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Melia Hotels International, the leading Spanish hotel group, today announces to deepen the strategic partnership with Ctrip and to launch a flagship store on the leading online travel agencys Chinese website and mobile app. Bernardo Cabot, the Regional Vice President of Melia Hotels International in Asia Pacific, said, We are honoured to maintain our partnership with Ctrip, the market leader in China. To collaborate with top local companies is one of the key pillars of our growth strategy. This new agreement with Ctrip marks yet another milestone for Melia and further consolidates our partnership. Together with Ctrips support and the groups Chinese-friendly program Pengyou by Meila, we aim to constantly enhance our guest experience from the booking process to our hospitality service for Chinese travelers. China is one of the most important foreign markets for Melia Hotels International. With the expertise in the bleisure (business and leisure) segment, collaborating with leading local companies with over 10 years of development in the region, the company currently has four hotels operating in China, including Shanghai, Xian, Zhengzhou and Jinan with an additional five properties in the pipeline under three of its most prestigious brands: Gran Melia Hotels & Resorts, Melia Hotels & Resorts and INNSiDE by Melia. Ctrip dominates the online travel market in China and its partnership with Melia Hotels International dates back to 2016. The latest collaboration indicates the Melia flagship store on Ctrips website and mobile app will enable 300 million plus Ctrip users to gain access to exclusive membership offers and benefits from nearly 400 hotels managed by the hotel group across the globe. Meanwhile, Ctrip users could score stay points along with additional benefits from MeliaRewards, the hotel groups loyalty program. In addition to such benefits, Melia Hotel International will also offer flight and hotel packages for Ctrip users. Furthermore, in the near future, the two companies will also launch a membership tier-matching program, where all tiers of Ctrip members could join MeliaRewards through the Melia Flagship store, and be corresponding tiers of MeliaRewards. In recognition of the importance of delivering a one-stop shopping experience for Chinese travelers from both companies, the Melia flagship store on Ctrip platform will further elevate the hotel groups presence in China by offering additional products and services. This collaboration leverages Melia Hotel International to more opportunities and exposure in the China market while being featured on the Ctrip platform. David Zhou, the Chief Business Officer of Ctrip Accommodation Business said, We are excited to jointly establish the exclusive flagship store of Melia Hotels International on our Ctrip platform. Such agreement will ensure that Ctrip will continue to drive better customer experience and enhance value to all of our partners. With strong support from Ctrip and other key local partners, Melia Hotels International is confident that this will further bolster the groups presence both inside and outside of China, creating more values and opportunities for both partners. -End- For more information, please contact: WE Red Bridge Lexi Tu Kate Cai ltu@we-redbridge.com kcai@we-redbridge.com +86 21 2287 3600 +86 21 2287 3600 About Melia Hotels International Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Melia Hotels International is one of the largest hotel companies worldwide, as well as the absolute leader within the Spanish market, with more than 380 hotels (current portfolio and pipeline) throughout more than 40 countries and four continents, operated under the brands: Gran Melia Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Melia, ME by Melia, Melia Hotels & Resorts, INNSiDE by Melia, Sol by Melia and TRYP by Wyndham. The strategic focus on international growth has allowed Melia Hotels International to be the first Spanish hotel company with presence in key markets such as China, the Arabian Gulf or the US, as well as maintaining its leadership in traditional markets such as Europe, Latin America or the Caribbean. Its high degree of globalisation, a diversified business model, the consistent growth plan supported by strategic alliances with major investors and its commitment to responsible tourism are the major strengths of Melia Hotels International, being the Spanish Hotel leader in Corporate Reputation (Merco Ranking) and one of the most attractive to work worldwide. Melia Hotels International is included in the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market index. Follow Melia Hotels International on Weibo @MeliaHotelslnt , WeChat official account @MeliaHotelslnt , Twitter @MeliaHotelsInt, Facebook meliahotelsinternational and official website www.melia.com. About Ctrip.com International, Ltd. Ctrip.com International, Ltd. is a leading provider of online travel and related services, including accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, package tour and in-destination services, corporate travel management, and other travel related services. It enables business and leisure travellers to make informed and cost-effective bookings by aggregating comprehensive travel related information and offering its services through an advanced transaction and service platform consisting of its mobile apps, Internet websites and centralized, toll-free, 24-hour customer service center. The family of travel brands mainly includes: Ctrip, the largest online travel agency in terms of gross merchandise value and the best-known travel brand in China; Qunar, a leading online travel agency in China; Trip.com, an online travel agency for global consumers; and Skyscanner, a leading global travel search site. Since its inception in 1999, Ctrip Group has experienced substantial growth and become one of the largest travel service providers in the world. The new vegan shoe is designed with over 30 percent renewable plant-based materials, including Bio TPU made from yellow dent field corn, natural rubber and harvested algae called Bloom, instead of single-use petroleum materials. The award-winning design is VIVOBAREFOOT's lightest and most efficient performance shoe yet and weighs on average an estimated 10 percent less than today's standard performance shoes. The new generation of VIVOBAREFOOT's legacy Primus Lite style is a game-changer for the footwear industry and represents a major stride for the company towards its goal of using 100 percent bio-based materials in a future iteration of this product. Additional styles and colors of the Bio line will be released in Fall 2019. VIVOBAREFOOT's sustainability ethos is uniquely different from other footwear brands in the industry, as it is rooted in design, wellness and social impact, along with utilizing eco-friendly materials. The company believes product design encompasses doing more with less and creating durable products. Its focus on wellness enables people to move in a natural, healthy, connected way, while maintaining performance and durability. "The launch of the Primus Lite Bio represents an exciting step away from the industry's reliance on single use petroleum-based materials and towards a promising future of plant-based alternatives," said Asher Clark, Design Director at VIVOBAREFOOT. "We want to challenge the world's relationship with shoes, the materials they are made from and the impact they are having on us and our environment. Our ultimate goal is complete circularity." More than 20 billion pairs of shoes are made annually, most from petrochemicals, which have a harmful impact on the environment, contributing to the already serious effects of climate change. The plant-based materials in the Primus Lite II Bio shoe are sourced and managed responsibly, reducing water, energy and CO2 emissions, improving waste water and ultimately reducing their ecological footprint. The release of Primus Lite II Bio follows VIVOBAREFOOT's commissioned consumer research study, which was conducted by an independent research company in April 2019. The study confirmed that most consumers today have different definitions of sustainability but a key focus for them was the use of eco-friendly materials in the products they buy. This is reassuring data for VIVOBAREFOOT, which is on a mission to phase out petrochemicals and use 100 percent sustainable materials in the next two years. Clark added, "The less you put between your feet and the environment, the better. Just like our other styles, Primus Lite II Bio was designed to let people's feet do their natural thing, while providing maximum sensory feedback from your body to your brain. The Primus Lite II Bio is not perfect, it still contains significant non-plant-based products, but it's a step in the right direction. There are many challenges the footwear industry faces in creating sustainable products, and VIVOBAREFOOT believes it is better to innovate for good, rather than to stand still." Results from the independent research study are available upon request. For additional information on VIVOBAREFOOT, visit https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us About VIVOBAREFOOT VIVOBAREFOOT launched in 2012 as a standalone brand, and is based in London, England. VIVOBAREFOOT is on a mission to change the footwear industry based on one simple insightshoes should let your feet do their natural thing. The shoes feature a patented, ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole in every shoe that protects the foot while allowing maximum sensory feedback. Designed using ancient wisdom with modern technology, VIVOBAREFOOT is a complete shoe collection for outdoor, active and everyday wear, as well as a line for kids. By 2020, the company aims to use 90 percent sustainable materials across their entire range, and 100 percent by 2021. Created by two cousins from a long line of cobblers, Galahad and Asher Clark are on a quest to make the perfect shoeperfect for feet. For more information on VIVOBAREFOOT, visit www.vivobarefoot.com Notes Primus Bio uses a corn-based, vegan biopolymer, a natural bi-product of the field-corn food industry called 'Susterra Propanediol' or '1,3-propanediol'. Developed by DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, Susterra propanediol is a pure, bio-based, petroleum-free diol. Sorona a bio-based fibre also used in the shoe is a trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. These plant-based polymers derived from the glucose in field corn and are petroleum-free, non-toxic and 100% USDA certified, harvested by DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, a joint venture between DuPont, a global science innovator, and Tate & Lyle, world-leading renewable food and industrial ingredients company. Bloom Foam is created by harvesting algal biomass from freshwater sources at high risk of algal bloom. Using this algae biomass cleans and restores the environment when harvested. Bloom is an ALGIX Brand. SOURCE VIVOBAREFOOT Related Links http://www.vivobarefoot.com At a time of widespread concern about evidence of a nationwide increase in behavioral health disorders, including both mental health and substance use disorders, FAIR Health drew on data from its database of over 28 billion private healthcare claim recordsthe largest in the countryto analyze behavioral health trends and patterns in the decade from 2007 to 2017. That period spans the time prior to and after the passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which required a plan's coverage for behavioral health treatment to be at parity with its coverage for medical-surgical treatment. Among the findings: Claim lines with behavioral health diagnoses increased 108 percent as a percentage of all medical claim lines from 2007 to 2017. In keeping with other researchers' findings that young people are bearing much of the burden of the increase in mental health disorders, FAIR Health found that the pediatric population (defined as ages 0-22, to include people of college age) was disproportionately represented in the increase in claim lines with mental health diagnoses in the period 2007-2017. For example: The pediatric share of claim lines for major depressive disorder increased from 15 percent to 23 percent. Claim lines for generalized anxiety disorder rose by greater percentages for individuals of college age (19-22) and high school age (14-18) than any adult group. For adjustment disorders, claim lines for young adults (ages 19-30, including college-age individuals) increased 78 percentmore than for any other age group. Opioid dependence claim lines increased overall 1,180 percent from 2007 to 2017but fell 50 percent from 2015 to 2017. "Other stimulant dependence" (dependence on stimulants other than cocaine) was the substance use disorder with the greatest increase in claim lines from 2007 to 2017 (3,490 percent), despite constituting a relatively small percentage of all medical claim lines. From 2007 to 2017, claim lines associated with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder became more common by comparison to claim lines for all medical diagnoses in most parts of the countryexcept the South. FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd commented: "At a time of change in the nation's behavioral health, we are pleased to use our unparalleled data repository to shed light on many aspects of both mental health and substance use disorders. Our study provides a strong foundation of key indicators of behavioral health services among the privately insured. We look forward to further studies that focus on the specific services rendered, the types of venues where patients seek care and the specialties of the healthcare professionals providing the services." For the full white paper, click here. Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth About FAIR Health FAIR Health is a national, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 28 billion claim records contributed by payors and administrators who insure or process claims for private insurance plans covering more than 150 million individuals. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics, episodes of care analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health houses data on Medicare Advantage enrollees in its private claims data repository. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish and an English/Spanish mobile app, which enable consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offer a rich educational platform on health insurance. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Elisabeth Rosenthal's book, An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org. 1 A claim line is an individual procedure or service listed on an insurance claim. Contact: Dean Sicoli Executive Director of Communications and Government Relations FAIR Health 646-664-1645 [email protected] SOURCE FAIR Health Related Links http://www.fairhealth.org Washington, May 20 : A billionaire technology investor stunned the entire graduating class at an US ollege in Atlanta when he announced at their commencement that he would pay off their student loans -- estimated at $40 million. Robert F. Smith, this year's commencement speaker at Morehouse College, made the announcement on Sunday while addressing nearly 400 graduating seniors of the all-male historically black college, Time magazine reported. Smith, who is black, is the Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data, and technology-driven companies. "On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus," the investor and philanthropist told graduates in his morning address. "This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans." The announcement immediately drew stunned looks from faculty and students alike. Then the graduates broke into the biggest cheers of the morning. Morehouse said it is the single largest gift to the college. In the weeks before graduating from Morehouse on Sunday, 22-year-old finance major Aaron Mitchom drew up a spreadsheet to calculate how long it would take him to pay back his $200,000 in student loans -- 25 years at half his monthly salary, per his calculations. In an instant, that number vanished. Mitchom, sitting in the crowd, wept. Eight family members, including Mitchom's 76-year-old grandmother, took turns over four years co-signing on the loans that got him across the finish line. Smith, who received an honorary doctorate from Morehouse during the ceremony, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school. Morehouse College president David A. Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students' futures. "In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices." New York, May 20 : Anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving legal entities controlled by Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog. The transactions, some of which involved Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, current and former bank employees told The New York Times on Sunday. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes. But executives at Deutsche Bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice. The reports were never filed with the government. The nature of the transactions was not clear, but some of them involved money flowing back and forth with overseas entities or individuals, which bank employees considered suspicious, according to the employees. The red flags raised by employees did not necessarily mean the transactions were improper. Banks sometimes opt not to file suspicious activity reports if they conclude their employees' concerns are unwarranted. But the former employees said the decision not to report the Trump and Kushner transactions reflected the Deutsche Bank's generally lax approach to money laundering laws. They said it was part of a pattern of the bank's executives rejecting valid reports to protect relationships with lucrative clients. "You present them with everything, and you give them a recommendation, and nothing happens," Tammy McFadden, a former Deutsche Bank anti-money laundering specialist who reviewed some of the transactions, told The New York Times. "It's the D.B. way. They are prone to discounting everything." McFadden said she was terminated last year after she raised concerns about the bank's practices. Since then, she has filed complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators about the bank's anti-money-laundering enforcement. In response to the development, Kerrie McHugh, a Deutsche Bank spokeswoman, said on Sunday the company had intensified its efforts to combat financial crime. An effective anti-money laundering programme, she said, "requires sophisticated transaction screening technology as well as a trained group of individuals who can analyze the alerts generated by that technology both thoroughly and efficiently". Amanda Miller, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, the umbrella company for the Trump family's many business interests, said: "We have no knowledge of any 'flagged' transactions with Deutsche Bank." She said the Trump Organization currently has "no operating accounts with Deutsche Bank". Karen Zabarsky, a spokeswoman for Kushner Companies, said: "Any allegations regarding Deutsche Bank's relationship with Kushner Companies which involved money laundering is completely made up and totally false..." This report comes after Trump and his family sued Deutsche Bank in April, seeking to block it from complying with the congressional subpoenas to reveal his tax returns. The President's lawyers described the subpoenas as politically motivated. Seoul, May 20 : Samsung is rolling out an update that would bring latest features in its Galaxy Watch Active to older smartwatches. The update would bring features like One UI interface, health features and other optimizations to older models like regular Galaxy Watch, Gear S3 and Gear Sport, according to the company. The update also adds better battery optimization -- the watches will automatically close apps operating in the background to prevent battery drain, Digital Trends reported on Sunday. Older smartwatches also get all the newer watch faces that are on the Galaxy Watch Active. Among the health features are a 'Daily Activities' screen, 'Workout' and a new tracker for outdoor swimming. With the update, Samsung has also improved heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. The updated interface features new advanced settings, including enabling and disabling Touch wake-up, controlling the frequency and timing of Daily briefing updates. Lucknow, May 20 : Governor Ram Naik on Monday dismissed Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his ministerial position on the recommendation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Five other leaders of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who were holding ministerial ranks in commissions, have also been removed with immediate effect. Talking to reporters immediately after his dismissal, Rajbhar said that he welcomed the decision. "I welcome the decision but I wish that Yogi Adityanath had shown the same haste in dealing with issues related to my demand for implementing prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues," he said. He said that he would now work towards exposing the BJP. "I will continue to consolidate my community and tell them how the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits. The BJP never addressed issues raised by me and kept me waiting till the elections were over. "Surely Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections but they did not want to suffer OBC backlash by doing so. However, this is not the end of elections -- there will be more elections in the future," he stated. Rajbhar had claimed that he had sent his resignation to the Chief Minister on April 13 but BJP sources claim that the resignation was "nowhere to be found". "If he had to resign, he should have sent his resignation to the Governor," said Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. Rajbhar had used unparliamentary language for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders during the campaign and had even campaigned for opposition candidates. According to sources, the BJP is now ready to get rid of Om Prakash Rajbhar and would now promote its own Minister of State Anil Rajbhar, a legislator from Sakaldiha Assembly segment in Chandauli district. "We can win over the Rajbhar community through Anil Rajbhar. There are three years to go for the Assembly elections," said a BJP leader Though Rajbhar claimed to have resigned from the Yogi government last month, he continued to enjoy the perks, including bungalow, car and staff, that were given to the cabinet minister. New Delhi, May 20 : Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that sends 80 MPs to the 543-member Lok Sabha, may be considered a political bellwether state as the government at the Centre has been formed 12 out 16 times by the party that got the maximum seats here. With the mammoth seven-phase exercise to elect the 17th Lok Sabha coming to an end, the million dollar question is whether Uttar Pradesh will remain a "bellwether" state or spring surprises like the general elections of 1991, 1999, 2004 and 2009. Out of the total 16 general elections held so far, the Congress formed its government at the Centre despite winning five and nine seats respectively in 1991 and 2004 in the state. In the 1999 and 2009 elections, the Samajwadi Party won the maximum number of seats. The exit polls on Sunday predicted a fractured mandate in Uttar Pradesh, although they forecast the return of NDA to power. It remains to be seen, once the counting of votes is taken up on May 23, what results come out of UP, where the BJP, the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance and the Congress were the main players. BJP's strong performance in the bellwether state is expected to boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of getting a second term. From the first general elections in the country in 1952 to 1971, the Congress won most of the seats in Uttar Pradesh and formed a majority government at the Centre with Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi as country's Prime Ministers. After the controversial Emergency was lifted, the parties in the opposition came together under the Janata Party umbrella to fight the Congress and won the 1977 elections. Morarji Desai then became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. In those elections, the Congress failed to even open its account in Uttar Pradesh, while the Janata Dal won all the 85 parliamentary constituencies. Uttar Pradesh (UP) had 85 parliamentary seats till the creation of Uttarakhand in 2004, when five seats went to the new state. After the failure of the Janata Party experiment, the Congress bounced back to power in the 1980 general elections winning 353 of the 529 seats on offer. The parties of the earlier Janata coalition could not repeat their 1977 performance, so much that in 1980, there was no Leader of the Opposition (LoP) because no party had the required numbers. The Congress won 50 seats in UP in these elections and Indira Gandhi again became the Prime Minister. After Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and the anti-Sikh riots that followed, the Congress got a landslide victory riding on the wave of sympathy. It won 404 of the 514 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made its electoral debut winning two seats, one in Gujarat and another in Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana). Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister. Out of 85 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress won 83, while rest went to the Lok Dal. In the 1989 general elections, Janata Dal won 54 seats in Uttar Pradesh but no party could get a majority at the Centre. The Congress won 197 seats, the Janata Dal 143, while the BJP made impressive gains winning 85 out of 529 seats. The Janata Dal formed the National Front government with outside support from the BJP and the left parties. Vishwanath Pratap Singh became the Prime Minister. The 1991 general elections broke the tradition of Uttar Pradesh becoming the bellwether state. The BJP won 51 seats, Janata Dal got 22 and the Congress just five seats. And in a first -- despite winning the least number of seats in the state, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the country with 232 seats in its kitty, and formed a coalition government at the Centre. P.V. Narsimha Rao became the Prime Minister of a minority government. In the next two general elections in 1996 and 1999, the BJP won the maximum number of seats 52 and 59 respectively in Uttar Pradesh and formed coalition governments at the Centre under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The 1999 elections were held in the backdrop of the Kargil war. The BJP again emerged as the single largest party with 182 seats, while the Congress could garner only 114. The BJP was able to form a more stable NDA this time around and this was the first time that a non-Congress alliance lasted a full five-year term. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third time. After 1991, it happened for the second time that the party winning maximum number of seats in Uttar Pradesh could not form its government at the Centre. The Samajwadi Party won 35 seats, while the BJP won 29 and the Congress garnered just 10 seats. In 2004, the Congress won just nine seats while the SP got the highest (35) in Uttar Pradesh, and the Congress-led UPA formed the government at the Centre, with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. The Lok Sabha polls in 2009 witnessed a four-cornered contest with the SP and Congress winning equal number of seats (22) followed by the BSP (20) and the BJP (10). The UPA returned to power again and Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister. The 2014 general elections Uttar Pradesh again proved to be a bellwether state with the BJP and its allies winning 73 out of the 80 parliamentary seats. With charges of corruption, UPA's second term proved to be a disaster and Manmohan Singh's silence cost the Congress heavily. The BJP projected Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. The saffron party won a majority with 282 seats on its own, while the Congress recorded its worst ever performance with just 44 seats. This was the first time since 1984 that a party won a majority on its own. (Brajendra Nath Singh can be contacted at brajendra.n@ians.in) Copenhagen, May 20 : Swedish prosecutors on Monday requested that the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, be detained to face questioning over rape allegations he had originally evaded by seeking diplomatic asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for almost seven years. Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson submitted an application for a detention order to Uppsala District Court in which she requested the court to detain the Australian who is currently in custody in the UK. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," said Persson. "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden," she added, reported Efe news. The Australian is currently serving a 50-week sentence in the UK's Belmarsh prison after he was found guilty of breaching the terms of his bail relating to allegations, including "lesser-degree rape," lodged in Sweden, where an investigation was reopened following his dramatic arrest in London on April 11, 2019. Sweden had put the investigation on hold and revoked its arrest warrant in May 2017. Following Assange's arrest, the US unsealed an indictment against him to face a charge of conspiring to commit computer intrusion linked to his cooperation with Chelsea Manning, a US soldier turned whistle-blower behind a massive dump of classified or sensitive government documents. "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," Persson said. "The outcome of this process is impossible to predict. However, in my view the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK." The investigation was reopened at the request of Swedish lawyer Elizabeth Massi Fritz who represents one of the women who accused Assange of rape when she hosted him in Stockholm in 2010. The statute of limitations for three lesser allegations against him expired. However, the allegation of "lesser-degree rape" is not due to expire until 2020. Swedish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant in 2010 and began judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court ratified the warrant in June 2012, when Assange decided to seek refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy over fears extradition to Sweden could lead to his eventual extradition to the US. Ecuador lifted Assange's asylum in 2019 and the Australian was arrested by UK police in a little-anticipated operation that grabbed international headlines. Hyderabad, May 20 : Relatives of a patient attacked a doctor at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here in the early hours of Monday over his alleged negligence. They created a ruckus and attacked Casualty Medical Officer Dr Anvesh in the Emergency Wing, where their relative was undergoing treatment for the injuries he sustained in a road accident. Claiming to be supporters of a minister, two to three persons attacked the doctor, alleging negligence in the treatment of the injured man. The video of the attack at NIMS, one of the largest government-run hospitals in Hyderabad, went viral on social media. One of the men was seen arguing with the doctor, threatening him and using foul language even as two policemen present at the scene were trying to pacify him. According to eyewitnesses the patient's relatives were in an inebriated condition. The incident created a scare among the medical staff, patients and their relatives. Police said they would register a case if the doctor or other employees of NIMS lodge a complaint. This is the latest in a series of incidents of attacks on hospital staff by relatives of the patients. Earlier this month, the relatives of a patient barged into the hostel of resident doctors and tried to assault them. The doctors had met Telangana Health Minister E. Rajender on Sunday, seeking additional security in view of the increasing incidents of attacks. Ankara : , May 20 (IANS) Turkish prosecutors on Monday issued arrest warrants for 249 foreign ministry personnel over their suspected links to the Gulen Movement. An investigation found irregularities in the foreign ministry's entrance examinations between 2010 and 2013 to favour the group members, the Ankara chief prosecutor's office said in a statement. As many as 91 have already been detained, it added. Fethullah Gulen, a US-based preacher, is accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Tens of thousands of people have been jailed, while some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs since then. CHICAGO, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fast Radius , Inc., a leading manufacturing technology company, today announced a partnership with Desktop Metal to help companies accelerate the discovery and launch of applications on the Desktop Metal Production System, the worlds fastest metal printer. Desktop Metal , based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make metal 3D printing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Headquartered in Chicago, Fast Radius technology platform and manufacturing footprint help customers bring new products and supply chain models to market that are uniquely enabled by additive manufacturing (3D printing). As part of the partnership, Fast Radius will be one of the first companies to receive the Production System. The partnership also includes the development and execution of a Fast Radius Application Launch Program (ALP) specifically targeting production applications with Desktop Metals binder jetting technology. The Fast Radius Application Launch Program is an invite-only, nine-month program where a cohort of non-competitive companies leverage the Fast Radius software platform and team of additive application engineers to identify, evaluate, design, and ultimately launch a production-grade application leveraging the latest additive technologies. Nearly 25 companies have participated in ALP, with dozens of production-grade applications identified and currently ramping. Now this proven methodology is being deployed to drive application discovery and launch with Desktop Metal. We are excited to partner with Fast Radius as one of our early customers for the Production System and look forward to working together on the Fast Radius Application Launch Program, said Ric Fulop, co-founder and CEO, Desktop Metal. We are confident that this partnership will further accelerate the identification and development of pioneering applications enabled by the Production System. The Production System represents an entirely new manufacturing platform which will enable new part geometries, improved functional performance, and a more favorable cost structure for innovative product developers, said Lou Rassey, Chief Executive Officer, Fast Radius. We look forward to working with Desktop Metal and our upcoming ALP participants to identify and launch new applications uniquely-enabled by the Production System. In April, Fast Radius announced a $48M funding round led by UPS. Fast Radius customers include leading Fortune 500 companies across verticals, including automotive, industrial, aerospace, and consumer products. The Production System is the worlds fastest metal printing press for mass production with over 400 percent productivity over the closest binder jet alternatives and more than 100 times faster than laser powder bed fusion systems in the market. These systems are designed to print a broad range of alloys, including reactive metals such as titanium and aluminum. This process enables the use of metal powders that are 80 percent lower cost than laser powder bed fusion metals, delivering parts at 1/20th the cost. The Fast Radius software platform, also known as the Fast Radius Operating System (FROS), supports customers across the product lifecycle and is a key enabler of the Fast Radius Application Launch Program. The platform helps customers identify potential applications, conduct engineering and economic evaluations, accelerate new product development, and ultimately manufacture industrial-grade parts in Fast Radius factories at scale with the latest additive technologies. Companies who are interested in applying for this upcoming Application Launch Program can learn more at www.fastradius.com/alp . About Desktop Metal Desktop Metal, Inc., based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with end-to-end metal 3D printing solutions. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make metal 3D printing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Since its inception, the company has raised $438 million in financing with a portfolio of strategic partners and investors including Ford Motor Company, GV (formerly Google Ventures), GE Ventures, BMW iVentures, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Lowes, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and more. Desktop Metal was selected as one of the worlds 30 most promising Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum and named to MIT Technology Reviews list of 50 Smartest Companies . For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com . About Fast Radius Fast Radius is the leading provider of additive manufacturing solutions, including application discovery, product design and testing, and production-grade manufacturing. From entirely new products uniquely enabled by additive manufacturing to global supply chain solutions leveraging a virtual warehouse, Fast Radius brings the future of manufacturing and the supply chain to its clients. Last year, Fast Radius was recognized as one of the 9 companies best implementing technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution by the World Economic Forum ( WEF )the only company honored that is based in North America. Fast Radius is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Atlanta, Ga and Singapore, as well as a production hub on-site at the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, Ky. Visit www.fastradius.com for additional information. Media Contacts: Lindsay Baish Director of Marketing Fast Radius lindsay.baish@fastradius.com (312) 319-4834 Thiruvananthapuram, May 20 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said a nodal officer would be appointed to help eminent economist Thomas Piketty to study the state's model of growth. Vijayan said this after returning from a tour to Europe, where he had a detailed discussion with Piketty. "On my visit to the Paris School of Economics, I had a discussion with Piketty and he mentioned a detailed study of India's economic situation was not possible as the government was unwilling to share the country's economic data," said the Chief Minister. According to Vijayan, Piketty was keen to study the Kerala model of growth if the government shared the state's economic data. "Since he said that, we have decided to appoint a nodal officer for it," said Vijayan. "The French economist also expressed wish to visit Kerala and interact with economists and universities here. We have extended an invite to him," Vijayan said. Kolkata, May 20 : Several persons were injured in post-poll clashes between political parties in two districts of West Bengal, police said on Monday. Many polling agents of opposition parties were beaten up, and houses and vehicles of many activists were attacked after voting on Sunday in nine constituencies in the last and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls and by-elections to four Assembly seats. Two BJP workers -- Chandal Mondal and Nantu Bera of the Sagar Assembly segment under the Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency -- were admitted to Sagar Gramin Hospital after thrashed allegedly by the Trinamool Congress workers on Sunday night, while they were returning to their homes. "Two injured persons were rescued from the spot and hospitalised. A complaint has been lodged. No one has been arrested and investigation is on," a police officer said. Father of a Bharatiya Janata Party worker in the Dum Dum area was stabbed allegedly by Trinamool supporters, said a local BJP leader. Houses of three BJP activists at Gosaba in the Jaynagar Lok Sabha constituency were attacked by miscreants allegedly backed by Trinamool after the end of voting on Sunday. "Some Trinamool supporters damaged houses of our two activists on Sunday, and that of another workers on Monday," a local BJP leader said. A clash between the Trinamool and the BJP workers broke out on Monday in Habra's Kultala area of the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency after a polling agent of the BJP was beaten up. Trinamool, however, accused the BJP local leaders of ransacking vehicle of the party's panchayat leader on Sunday. CPI(M) activists at Kashipur under the Kolkata North constituency accused Trinamool workers of beating up their polling agents on Monday. A Trinamool office was ransacked and 10-12 people were injured in a scuffle between two groups of activists in the Maniktala area under the Kolkata North Lok Sabha constituency. They traded charges over bringing outsiders during the vote on Sunday. "We don't believe in violence and have asked them (activists) to stay calm. A clash erupted due to ego problems among some booth-level workers," state minister Sadhan Pandey said. Residents of the Bhatpara Assembly seat in North 24 Parganas staged several protests against violent political clashes during by-election on Sunday. The by-election was caused by Trinamool MLA Arjun Singh's defection to the BJP two months ago. Train services in Eastern Railway's Sealdah-Krishnanagar division were disrupted for two and a half hours after hundreds of residents squatted on the tracks at Kankinara station, protesting against clashes. The BJP supporters too protested at the Jaggadal police station, accusing security personnel of not being active in providing security to locals. The BJP fielded Arjun Singh's son Pawan Kumar Singh and the Trinamool, Madan Mitra, an accused in the Saradha and Narada scam, for Bhatpara by-election. Mitra on Monday lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office, accusing Singh and his team of inciting violence in the area after the vote. Chennai, May 20 : The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Monday lodged a police complaint against Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Rural Development Rajenthra Bhalaji for criminal intimidation and defamation of its founder actor-politician Kamal Haasan. In the complaint submitted to Chennai's Commissioner of Police, MNM General Secretary A. Arunachalam alleged that Bhalaji had threatened violence against Haasan by saying that his tongue should be cut for a remark he made at an election rally. Last week, Haasan reportedly told a rally in a locality dominated by Muslims that "independent India's first extremist was a Hindu - Nathuram Godse". The comment created a furore across the country and a police complaint was filed in Aravakuruchi against Haasan for trying to create animosity between communities. The Madras High Court on Monday granted Haasan anticipatory bail in the matter. The MNM alleged that in an interview to Sun TV Tamil channel, Bhalaji defamed Haasan with baseless allegations of a nexus between his party and the ISIS. It also alleged that instigated by Bhalaji's call to beat up Haasan, a group of people attempted to attack him in Aravakuruchi constituency in Karur district on May 16. Haasan was asked to cancel his campaigning on May 17. Beijing, May 20 : China on Monday lacerated the US for sailing its warship in the disputed South China Sea, saying Washington was trying to disturb peace and stability in the region. The disputed South China Sea is one of the hot button issues between the US and China who are going through a very rough patch in their ties. The US sailed its destroyer 'Preble' near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, its second such operation in a month in disputed waters claimed by Beijing and other littoral states. The latest move by the US is bound to raise tensions with China as the two countries are engaged in a bleeding trade war wherein both have slapped tariffs worth billions of dollars on each other's goods. It drew angry comments from China's foreign ministry. "I must emphasise the acts of the US ship violated China's sovereignty and disturbed the peace and security and good order of the relevant waters. China deplores and firmly opposes that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said. The South China Sea is one of the world's busiest waterways. Beijing says the resource-rich region belongs to it, a claim which overlaps with those of Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The US accuses China of militarising the region and keeps sending its warships in the sea, describing the act as "freedom of navigation" in international waters. China, which slams any movement of US ships in the region, warned Washington again. "China respects and upholds the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries in accordance with the international law in the South China Sea. But we oppose any country's attempt to take this as a pretext and undermine China's sovereignty and security interests," Lu added. "The US is neglecting regional countries' will to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea and taking freedom of navigation and overflight as an excuse to disrupt regional peace and stability. We strongly urge the US to stop such provocations." "China will continue to take all necessary measures to defend our sovereignty, security and peace and stability in the South China Sea." he said. New Delhi, May 20 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday condemned the killing of a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector and questioned who will be responsible for the safety of the people in the city when even police is not safe here. "Extremely shocking murder of Delhi Police Sub-Inspector in Vivek Vihar last night. Who takes responsibility for safety of Delhiites when even police is not safe? May God give courage to the family of late Rajkumar ji," Kejriwal tweeted. Rajkumar, a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector posted at the Police Control Room (PCR), was found dead in Shahdara's Vivek Vihar area. The Delhi Police is controlled by the Central government and the Aam Aadmi Party government has been demanding for its control. Ghaziabad, May 20 : Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Monday granted permission to probe the land allotment to the Institute of Management Technology (IMT), claimed Municipal Councillor and RTI activist Rajendra Tyagi. Showing the letter to the media here, Tyagi said, "Taking cognisance of my complaint for the CAG and the CBI investigation in the irregularities in the land allotment to the IMT, the Governor wrote a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on May 3 and asked him to take appropriate action in the case." "The Governor has also asked for the copy of the report regarding the action taken in the matter," he said. Since the Governor as the Chancellor of the Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) University had set up a four-member panel for investigation into the case, he said. The IMT's papers are pledged with the CCS for permanent recognition and affiliation with the varsity, state and the University Grant Commission, said Tyagi. Earlier, Tyagi and Ghaziabad Development Authority board member Himanshu Mittal had alleged the Lajpat Rai Educational College Society, which was allotted 54,049 square yards at a throw-away price of Rs 96,606 in 1968, used the land for a different purpose. The land was allotted for running a degree college for humanity and art subjects that was in existence in Sahibabad, but Society chairman Mahendra Nath set up a purely commercial institute, which was against rules for allotment of subsidised land, they alleged. Late Mahendra Nath was father of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Tyagi and Mittal also alleged to cover up, the society incorporated a new name in 1993, which was rejected. A new allotment process is needed as rates of subsidised land for a college to teach humanity and a management institute are different. Due to influence of "high political powers", the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) could not muster courage and regularised the allotment, they alleged. Alleging corruption, according to the RTI reply they received, they said 10,481 square yards in the middle of 54,049 square yards allotted to the institute was disputed and its cost was not added to the total. "This means the IMT is using this land free of cost," said Tyagi. GDA's Chief Architect & Town Planner Ishtiyak Ahmad also said discrepancies were found in the land allotted to the IMT when a team verified it physically. The IMT, however, denied the allegations. "We have all the legal papers with us. Our building plan is approved by the GDA. Other micro-level irregularities, if found, will be rectified if we get any intimation from the authority," IMT Director Akash. K Bhattacharya said responding to allegations. New Delhi, May 20 : The third edition of the Dharti Arts Residency, a leading three-month artists' residency by Serendipity Arts Foundation, started Monday with four emerging artists kickstarting work on their unique ideas. The 2019 artists-in-residence are: Dharmendra Prasad from Hatigaon in Guwahati; Farah Viraf Mulla from Mumbai; Khursheed Ahmad, a Delhi-based Kashmiri artist, and Shazia Salam from Bengaluru, the Foundation said. The Foundation, which also organises the Serendipity Arts Festival that took just few editions to find footing in the South Asian arts ecosystem, hails the residency as one of its key programmes. It aims to provide its artists-in-residence space and resources to develop their practice while working on new projects and interacting with the broader art community. Designed as an incubator for the art practice of young artists, the residency schedules their participation in a line-up of peer-to-peer conversations, critique sessions, gallery and studio visits, artist talks and presentations. "We intend to offer a critical space for artists to question, explore and work on their individual artistic practices while attempting to introduce them to the existing arts network and various institutions that could support and further their research and practice," Foundation director Smriti Rajgarhia said in a statement. Interestingly, Dharti is also one of the few art residencies that involve a critic-in-residence, so as to provide an "antithesis" so that the ideas could be refined. This year, the in-house critic and residency programmer, Samira Bose, will work with the artists, moderate the programme and schedule as well as document their progress throughout the three months (May to August). The final selection of artists was done by a jury comprising Hanif Qureshi, Premjish Achari and Samit Das along with members of the Foundation. After the works are completed, the residency open studio will start from August 16. The artists and their artwork may be also be featured at the Foundation's annual arts festival in Goa, the curatorial panel of which was recently announced. New Delhi, May 20 : As door 1 with Pakistan proxies supported by local hawks Hurriyat closes, door 2 with Islamic Caliphate written on it opens in what is a brutal cage match which has more or less eviscerated the lives of the Kashmiris in the Valley. Door 2 is only slightly ajar, but it is being kicked open by the powerful imagery of the Pulwama bombing by a local youth Adil Ahmad Dar. Dar has emerged as the latest poster child in the long line of local militants and ideologues beginning with Afzal Guru, Burhan Wani and then Zakir Musa. All young militants born out of the 'azadi' generation, birthed by the social media redefinition of freedom. Political Islam morphing itself into a puritanical strain of religious Islam. The Indian deep state is concerned about the rise of indigenous militancy following the beliefs of IS, something that was stamped out by J&K super cop and former IGP S.M. Sahai, Kashmir Range, in the past. As communities world wide close themselves and become more insular, shutting the door to the interloper who is seen as an Islamist jihadi, the clash of civilisations is now a grim reality. It could be Islam versus Christianity or Islam versus Hinduism or even pure Islam versus impure Islam playing out in different parts of the world. What this shut down and battening down of hatches does is that people within those walls become impervious to intel. Access gets more difficult as walls emerge from within the closed user group. The world then is divided between the believers and the non believers. Kashmir, epicentre of Pakistan's bleed India to death stratagem, remains a hot button as far as Indian intelligence and security main frame is concerned. Fear stalks one and all after the Sri Lanka bombings. The Islamist fundamentalist has TAKFIR ingrained in his psyche which asks him to target the apostate. So, there are three degrees of separation in TAKFIR, for it targets allegedly 'impure' Muslims too. Ergo, the targets could be Ahmediyas, Shias and Sufis which is how the sequencing around the world has been. The Hefazat e Islam in Bangladesh for instance targeted Ahmediyas to draw attention to itself. The Shapla Square protests or Motijheel massacre in May, 2013 also called Operation Shapla or Operation Flash Out were part of this process. Hefazat e Islam, an Islamist pressure group, organised a mass demonstration in Dhaka's financial district demanding the enactment of the blasphemy law to stop Islamophobic content in media. As a deterrent, the government used Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard to quell the protesters. This resulted in protests across the country in which estimates are of any number between 20 and 61 people died. In Kashmir Valley, Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in his first video in August 2015 vowed to establish the Caliphate, urging the youth to take up arms in south Kashmir. The six-minute video was a seminal moment for it was circulated via mobile messenger and other social media networks. The video showed Wani in an orchard with an assault rifle and a copy of the Holy Koran with two militants standing guard by his side. The emergence of this terror neophyte stunned the security apparatus for it went beyond the pale of merely espousing anti India rhetoric to a broader pan Islamist agenda of establishing the Caliphate in the Valley. This was followed by his deputy Zakir Musa openly distancing himself from the Hurriyat and challenging them. The underpinning of Ansar Ghazwa e Hind was visible for the first time. In May 2017, Musa called for chopping off the heads of those standing in the way of Sharia roll out in Kashmir. He also parted ways with Hizbul and spoke of action against those propounding a secular state, read Hurriyat. Husain Haqqani has explained this phenomenon succinctly in 'Prophecy and Jihad in the Indian Subcontinent' -- Radical Islamists invoke the Hadith (the oral traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) to prophesize a great battle in India between true believers and unbelievers before the end-times. These references in the Hadith to the Ghazwa-e-Hind (Battle of India) infuse South Asia with importance as a battleground in the efforts to create an Islamic Caliphate resembling the social order that existed at the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661 AD)...Just as the prophecies of Khurasan became popular during the wars in Afghanistan, the Ghazwa-e-Hind divinations became a staple of the Islamist discourse after the launch of jihad in Indian-controlled parts of Kashmir in 1989. Throughout the 1990s, Pakistani official media also encouraged discussion of the Ghazwa-e-Hind Hadith to motivate jihadists. In fact, every major Pakistan-based jihadi group that launched terrorist attacks across the border claimed that their operations were part of the Battle for India promised by the Prophet. For these Pakistani groups, supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, the target of jihad should be the modern state of India and its "occupation" of Kashmir. For example, Lashkar-e-Taiba has often spoken of Ghazwa-e-Hind as a means of liberating Kashmir from Indian control. The group's founder, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, has declared repeatedly that "[i]f freedom is not given to the Kashmiris, then we will occupy the whole of India including Kashmir. We will launch Ghazwa-e-Hind. Our homework is complete to get Kashmir." Pakistani propagandist Zaid Hamid has also repeatedly invoked Ghazwa-e-Hind as a battle against Hindu India led from Muslim Pakistan. According to Hamid, "Allah has destined the people of Pakistan" with victory and "Allah is the aid and helper of Pakistan." Several Islamic scholars, especially from India, have questioned the veracity of the Ghazwa-e-Hind Hadith and reject its repeated contemporary citation as "Pakistani terrorists' anti-India propaganda." According to Maulana Waris Mazhari of the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh, India, the conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir was not jihad; the dream of establishing "Muslim hegemony throughout the entire world" was fanciful. "The term ghalba-e Islam, the establishment of the supremacy of Islam, used in the context of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet (Hadith), refers not to any political project of Muslim domination," Mazhari wrote, "but, rather, to the establishment of the superiority of Islam's ideological and spiritual message." The evolution from Kashmiri nationalism to Islamic Caliphate has been a calibrated move. Exterminating the non believer or the impure Muslim was the strategy. The defining moment is the assassination of Maulana Shaukat Ahmed in 2011. Maulana Shaukat Ahmed, the soft spoken 55-year-old chief of the Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees (JAH), became yet another victim of terrorist violence in strife-torn Kashmir Valley. The Maulana had been heading the JAH since 2004, when he was first elected President of the organisation, followed by three more tenures in this responsible position. His last election came in 2010. The Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees grew under his leadership and had about 15 lakh followers and more than 800 mosques spread across the valley. The cleric was a man of conviction who did not hesitate in speaking his mind. His organisation advocated a puritanical concept of Islam which is at variance with the more moderate Sufi Islam that is predominant in the valley. The ritualistic practioner of Islam began to think in terms of a loose mirror image of the Muslim Brotherhood in Kashmir. The most recent unsettling news came earlier this month -- On May 10 the Amaq news agency of ISIS claimed that the group has established the 'Wilayah of Hind'. Amaq, however, did not elaborate the geographical limits of the so-called province. Interestingly, the proclamation coincided with the elimination of Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi, a suspected operative of ISIS in India, by the security forces in an encounter in Shopian in south Kashmir on the same day. Uddipan Mukherjee, PhD, Joint Director, Government of India, Ministry of Defence at Ordnance Factory Board writing for IDSA explained the new phenomenon -- It is interesting to note that, in the context of the ISIS's recent proclamation on Kashmir, analysts were also of the opinion that global jihadist groups have failed to exploit the Kashmir conflict, unlike conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The fundamental reason, as put forward by Mohammed Sinan Siyech, in a paper in Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses published in May 2018 was that the Kashmir issue is primarily a territorial and political dispute as opposed to a purely religious/Islamist conflict. Furthermore, cross-border terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are in opposition to the concept of a pan-global Islamic Caliphate. Consequently, ISIS has failed to establish its footprints in the Kashmir Valley. However, recent events are worrisome for the Indian defence establishment. (To be concluded) Ahmedabad, May 20 : A farmers association in south Gujarat has come to the aid of scores of cattle herders, who walked over 350 km from the parched Kutch to Sanand town near here, by providing them 20,000 kg feed daily for their cattle. Over 170 maldhari (cattle herder) families with their 7,000 head of cattle began their trek out of Kutch a week ago due to drought-like conditions to reach Sanand, around 20 km from Ahmedabad. Local organisations have put them up in three camps. Coming to the Maldharis' help, the Gujarat Khedut Samaj's south Gujarat unit is sending them as much as 20,000 kg grain each day for their cattle. Jayesh Patel, the Khedut Samaj President, southern Gujarat, told IANS that the organisation's Ahmedabad unit told them about the arrival of the Maldhari families from Kutch. "We assembled on Friday last and chose to help them in the most ideal manner. With everybody's commitment, we despatched the first truckload of 20,000 kg grain each day for them...and Monday is the third day." This trucks is sent from Surat by the south Gujarat unit and is received by the Ahmedabad unit at Sanand and they arrange the distribution of the grain in the three camps of maldharis, Khedut Samaj's south Gujarat leader Darshan Nayak added. According to Jayesh Patel, since the cattle-herders reached Sanand by foot, the Khedut Samaj has also decided to collect rice for them. "Once a respectable amount has been gathered, this will be sent to them along with the fodder. Among the three camps, two are of Muslim groups and one is of the Hindu group, he said. New Delhi, May 20 : After Rajiv Gandhi's tragic death mid way through his 1991 election campaign in Sriperumbudur, the Congress party came to power with 244 seats. It was a unique election for it was split into two parts, one before his assassination and the other after. A day after the first round of polling took place on May 20, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed. The remaining election days were postponed until mid-June and voting finally took place on June 12 and 15. Voting was the lowest ever in parliamentary elections with just 53 per cent of the electorate exercising their right to vote. When Veep refused, P.N. Haksar suggested Narasimha Rao New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) After Rajiv Gandhi's tragic death mid way through his 1991 election campaign in Sriperumbudur, the Congress party came to power with 244 seats. It was a unique election for it was split into two parts, one before his assassination and the other after. A day after the first round of polling took place on May 20, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed. The remaining election days were postponed until mid-June and voting finally took place on June 12 and 15. Voting was the lowest ever in parliamentary elections with just 53 per cent of the electorate exercising their right to vote. Since the assassination took place after the first phase of polling in 211 of 534 constituencies and the balance constituencies went to polls after the assassination, the 1991 results varied greatly between phases. The Congress party did poorly in the pre-assassination constituencies and swept the post-assassination constituencies. With the Congress party leaderless, Rajiv Gandhi's grieving wife became the centrifuge. One of her closest advisers at the time -- K. Natwar Singh -- asked for her decision on who should be appointed the leader of the Parliamentary Party. Sonia Gandhi, at the behest of P.N. Haksar, asked for K. Natwar Singh and Aruna Asaf Ali to visit Shankar Dayal Sharma and convince him to lead the party as India's next Prime Minister. Natwar Singh and Asaf Ali failed to persuade Vice President Sharma (who later became President of India) for he cried off citing age, infirmity and ill health. With Sonia Gandhi herself deciding on not accepting the position as party President despite a CWC appeal, Haksar on being asked a second time suggested P.V. Narasimha Rao's name. Talking to IANS, Natwar Singh revealed, "So, after the funeral, I broached the subject with Ms Gandhi. I told her she was right in not accepting the CWC appeal but then the fact remained, we had to address the issue of choosing someone to lead the party and the new government. She listened but kept quiet. Then I suggested that she discuss the matter with P.N. Haksar (the late key advisor of Indira Gandhi who was also a trusted family confidant) too. She asked for 24 hours to think about it." Natwar Singh recounted the events as they unfolded, "A day after, Ms Gandhi asked me to tell P.N. Haksar to meet her. Then Haksar and me met her and discussed the leadership issue. At some point, Haksar told her that the then Vice President Shankar Dayal Sharma might be the right person to lead the party and the country at that juncture. She paused for a while, though about it, and then agreed with the suggestion. Soon (late) Aruna Asaf Ali and me called on Shankar Dayal Sharma with the proposal. We were in for a big surprise." He said another round of discussion then took place between Ms Gandhi, Haksar and himself. "Then Haksar felt P.V. (Narasimha Rao) should be the next choice and she agreed. Here I must say I was not involved in discussing the matter with Mr Rao. Some others did that. Once Mr Rao, who was denied a RS re-nomination and was ready to return to Andhra Pradesh, agreed and after Sharad Pawar was made to bow out of the race, the CWC and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) met to elect him as the new Congress president and Prime Minister," added Natwar Singh. The chairman of the board of directors of Electromagnetic Geoservices ASA (EMGS or the Company), Mr Eystein Eriksrud, has today notified the Company that he will not seek re-election at the end of his current service period. The Company has further been informed that Ms Anne ian, a member of the board of directors of EMGS, will also abstain from seeking re-election at the end of her service period. This means that Mr Eriksrud and Ms ian will both step down from the board of directors of EMGS at the annual general meeting scheduled for 13 June 2019 (the AGM). The nomination committee of EMGS has informed the Company that it will propose to the AGM that Mr Johan Kr. Mikkelsen, a current member of the board of directors, is elected as the new chairman of the board. The nomination committee has further informed that it will propose that Ms Alexandra A. Herger is elected as a new member of the board of directors at the AGM. Ms Herger has over 40 years of experience from the E&P industry, and holds several other directorships, including as a member of the board of directors of Oslo listed Panoro Energy ASA and Stockholm listed Tethys Oil Contact Hege Veiseth, CFO, +47 992 16 743 About EMGS EMGS, the marine EM market leader, uses its proprietary electromagnetic (EM) technology to support oil and gas companies in their search for offshore hydrocarbons. EMGS supports each stage in the workflow, from survey design and data acquisition to processing and interpretation. The Company's services enable the integration of EM data with seismic and other geophysical and geological information to give explorationists a clearer and more complete understanding of the subsurface. This improves exploration efficiency and reduces risks and the finding costs per barrel. EMGS operates on a worldwide basis with offices in Trondheim, Oslo, Houston, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Kuala Lumpur. For more information, visit www.emgs.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Jaipur, May 20 : With the exit polls largely giving a major seat share to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan, the saffron outfit is confident of shattering the decade-old trend of the ruling party having an edge over the opposition in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. According to BJP MLA Satish Punia, the trend is going to change this time as the saffron opposition will sweep Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha polls, winning 22-25 seats out of the 25 parliamentary constituencies in the state. The BJP has more reasons to cheer, as per Punia, because the anti-incumbency factor is already starting to show against the state government which has been in power for just 150 days. The BJP lawmaker said that people were anguished by the rising crime rate in the state and also because of the culmination of ambitious schemes such as the Bhamashah, Annapurna and Rajlaxmi which were started by the BJP. Since last many years, the ruling party in Rajasthan has garnered a major share of Lok Sabha seats. In 2014, the ruling BJP had swept all the 25 seats in the state. In 2009, the Congress had walked away with 20 seats a year after forming the government in the state, while the BJP managed only 4 seats. In 2004, the ruling BJP had won 21 seats while 4 seats went the Congress' way. An exception was seen in 1999, when the BJP won 19 seats despite being in the opposition, while the ruling Congress managed 9 seats. Terming the exit polls as "exact polls", Punia said a jubilant BJP has already started working for the panchayat elections and the civic body polls scheduled to be held in November this year. Punia also asserted that Rajasthan would see major representation in the Central government and that many new as well as old faces would go to the Parliament. IANS arc/arm Kolkata, May 20 : Fresh from their exit poll high, the BJP remained jubilant a day after the elections ended in West Bengal, while the Trinamool Congress continued to turn a blind eye towards the predictions, although there was a mood of despondency. Commenting on Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee's remarks that the predictions are "gossip", BJP leaders in the state said the ruling party leaders were giving excuses for their possible defeats. "They know that they are going to lose. Trinamool's supremo Mamata Banerjee's statements alleging tampering of the EVMs are proof of their defeat. "Many leaders in the Trinamool and also from other parties have made inquiry and I had discussions with them post the exit polls predictions," state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said. Almost all exit polls either gave a majority to the NDA or predicted it would stop close to the magic figure of 272 Lok Sabha seats. The various exit polls also forecast a massive increase in the BJP's number of seats - from two in 2014 to between 16 and 18 in West Bengal. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously claimed 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs were in touch with him and would desert the party once the 2019 Lok Sabha poll results were announced on May 23. "Let see how many of them change the side after the poll verdict. There is information about 100 MLAs keeping in touch with our leadership. Will the Trinamool government last till 2021? That is what we are discussing since morning. This government knows only creating violence, nothing else," a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity, from the state head office. Speaking on the anticipated violence after the May 23 verdict, Ghosh said that political change was "inevitable" but the ruling party in the state was "not ready to accept it". The saffron party leaders also targeted the meeting between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Banerjee held in the eastern metropolis on Monday. "Can you remember the picture of the opposition leaders after the so-called United India rally here? How many of them are there in the alliance? Naidu also is talking about manipulation of the EVMs. They have started giving excuses for their defeats. He would again come just to have a cup of tea and would leave," Ghosh said. However, Trinamool leaders oozed confidence about their victory but a sense anxiety gripped the camp. Trinamool Secretary General and state minister Partha Chatterjee on Monday sounded unfazed by the exit poll reports. "We have our internal party reports. We also have reports from districts and each and every constituency. It clearly says we will win this time too," he said. Many booth level party leaders and Kolkata Corporation Councillors openly dismissed the exit poll verdicts but at the same time they were seen asking each other - "what will happen?". Party supremo Banerjee had said on Sunday that it was a "game plan to manipulate and replace thousands of the EVMs" and urged the opposition leaders to stand strong and united. "It is a game plan, planted by the Narendra Modi government. I think it is a total gossip. No one is messenger of God. I do not believe their theory." The biggest test for India's largest democracy is going to end in the Lok Sabha elections. The whole country's focus is on West Bengal elections in the last phase. One big question is: Will the number of BJP seats in West Bengal increase a lot? This question can only be judged from a larger perspective. Let the question be slightly different. Have Bengalis started following or following BJP ideology after so many years? During the Rath yatra of Lal Krishna Advani, I accompanied him on his West Bengal tour. The Ram Mandir movement was successful in the whole country, but West Bengal did not accept Ram. It was in the 90s, when the road show started from Dharmatala in Kolkata, that the the cry of Jai of Shri Ram was heard. Not from Hindi-speaking residents of West Bengal but Bengalis. This is a new Bengal. I've never seen this Bengal before. What will be the result of the vote? How many seats will the BJP get? Only the percentage increase will increase seats? It is a different analysis but this time I am sure that the Bengali mind has undergone a huge change. How did the Leftist Bengali becoming Ram Bhakts, is it a change in the DNA of Bengalis? Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency falls in South 24 Parganas district. Here the Trinamool Congress candidate is Mama ta Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. There is a small tea shop on side of the road near a bus stand. Fish curry and eggs are being sold at the shop. The bus conductor, local workers, and ordinary people are having lunch, sitting on the bench. The shop is run by a middle-aged woman. I asked hem, what will be the result? She answered after pulling her veil over her head, it would be difficult to say what it would be. Then she asked, do you see how Trinamool Congress snatched power from the clutches of the CPI(M)? You did not understand. Even today you do not understand that Trinamool Congress is going out in West Bengal and BJP is coming to power. What a shocking statement. I was with cameraman Anil Mitra. He asked whether she would say this on camera? The woman fearlessly said the same. I said, how do you know the situation of the whole state? You are from this village. The woman said, my son carries a contractual business of cars. His car goes from one district to another. The cars are also used by the district authorities. Starting from North Bengal to Southern Bengal, everywhere. My son said, mother vote for the BJP because BJP is winning everywhere. Will you vote for BJP because your son says so? See, boys often do not listen to their mothers but a mother always listens to her son. Last time, I voted for Trinamool Congress but this time I will vote for BJP. See, it is an isolated experience. But sometimes we can see whether the rice has been boiled by pressing a single grain of rice from the pressure cooker. Little drops of water make a mighty ocean. In 2014, there was a storm in the entire country, but in West Bengal the BJP got two seats. One of the seats was Darjeeling. In 2019, the question arises that when there is no Modi wave in Uttar Pradesh or in the Hindi heartland, Modi's popularity in West Bengal is several times more than in 2014. A comment by a professor at Jadavpur Coffee House describes that this is the paradox of politics. But, is Bengal accepting Jai Shri Ram as part of the state's politics? In fact, Bengal has seen leftwing politics for a long time, and it also tried to see Buddhist practices. The CPI(M) had been in power for more than three decades, but the state's socioeconomic quality has further diminished. Then comes the Trinamool Congress. The party is a change from bad CPI(M). Bengalis have recently been following more religious practices -- worshipping gods and goddesses. Bengalis were religious earlier but today there is greater prevalence of superstition. In Dakshineswar and Kalighat, I saw that the number of daily visitors has increased several times. It should be remembered, that that is the whole world's 'trend'. Writing in an American daily News that "God is Back" means people are worshipping again and again. Believing in prejudices. The reason being the financial crisis across the globe. About 30 per cent of West Bengal's population comprises minorities. Everybody, except the BJP wants to keep them happy. The BJP is now playing the Hindu or majoritarian politics. Not only the Hindi-speaking people, Bengali Hindus have also risen up to polarity in this in politics. Kshitimohan Sen, while explaining the nature of Hindu culture, wrote that the water of the Ganges was white, the Yamuna's water black. The water of the Padma is white, Meghna's water black. So even after the Ganges-Yamuna or the Padma-Meghna River confluence, it is seen that the two streams of white and black moving along side by side for quite a long distance. Although the river waters flow in the blue waters of the ocean, still one can find the character of the river water predominant for a large distance in the ocean. Seeing the colour of the water, experienced sailors can gauge the expanse of the river. There are also provincial and various human-level specialties in Hinduism in India. According to all these signs, Hinduism has different types. While speaking about Brah of the seats was Darjeeling. In 2019, the question arises that when there is no Modi wave in Uttar Pradesh or in the Hindi heartland, Modi's popularity in West Bengal is several times more than in 2014. A comment by a professor at Jadavpur Coffee House describes that this is the paradox of politics. But, is Bengal accepting Jai Shri Ram as part of the state's politics? In fact, Bengal has seen leftwing politics for a long time, and it also tried to see Buddhist practices. The CPI(M) had been in power for more than three decades, but the state's socioeconomic quality has further diminished. Then comes the Trinamool Congress. The party is a change from bad CPI(M). Bengalis have recently been following more religious practices -- worshipping gods and goddesses. Bengalis were religious earlier but today there is greater prevalence of superstition. In Dakshineswar and Kalighat, I saw that the number of daily visitors has increased several times. It should be remembered, that that is the whole world's 'trend'. Writing in an American daily News that "God is Back" means people are worshipping again and again. Believing in prejudices. The reason being the financial crisis across the globe. About 30 per cent of West Bengal's population comprises minorities. Everybody, except the BJP wants to keep them happy. The BJP is now playing the Hindu or majoritarian politics. Not only the Hindi-speaking people, Bengali Hindus have also risen up to polarity in this in politics. Kshitimohan Sen, while explaining the nature of Hindu culture, wrote that the water of the Ganges was white, the Yamuna's water black. The water of the Padma is white, Meghna's water black. So even after the Ganges-Yamuna or the Padma-Meghna River confluence, it is seen that the two streams of white and black moving along side by side for quite a long distance. Although the river waters flow in the blue waters of the ocean, still one can find the character of the river water predominant for a large distance in the ocean. Seeing the colour of the water, experienced sailors can gauge the expanse of the river. There are also provincial and various human-level specialties in Hinduism in India. According to all these signs, Hinduism has different types. While speaking about Brahma, Manu said, in a country where traditional customs are followed that becomes the identity of that country. Maikhukhkar Nilkanth said, "Dakshinatya Biprara marries the daughter of their maternal uncle, artists of Central India eat beef, in East fish and adultery is very common, women from the North are habitual drinkers. Acharaya Yagyabalka famously said, "Jaysin deshe jo acharo, byaboharo kuleshithi. Tahaibo protipalle yada bismula gata". The worship of Vishnu in Tirupati, Vaishnavism of Bengali Hindus of West Bengal, Gauriya Vaishnava. The Puja Of Lord Ram is totally different here in West Bengal, here Lord Raghubir or Ramnavami puja is different. Now, due to globalization, India has increased cultural ties between northern and eastern India. So, in many cases, the changes in the personal characteristics of Bengalis are happening. Bengalis are now ideologically accepting the BJP. Here is a new Bengal that I am seeing, where the slogan of Ma-Mati-Manush has changed to "Ma-Mati-Modi". The election results are going to be declared on May 23. I do not know what will happen in the whole country, what will happen in West Bengal. But when the whole country is saying that the BJP storm of 2014 is not visible in 2019, it is not because the BJP in most of the Hindi speaking state is almost on the backfoot. In Uttar Pradesh, BJP had got 71 seats out of 80 seats, and this time there is a Mayawati and Akhilesh Mahagathbondhan. BJP hopes it will come out on top even if it suffers a deficit in Hindi heartland states as it believes it will gain in West Bengal, Odisha, in the North-East and southern India. About 125 seats will be the BJP's newest seats, which is given by Amit Shah himself. There is no doubt that BJP is the main opposition party in West Bengal. If the Modi storm is moderate in the rest of the country, in West Bengal the opposite is true. Leftists are doing a tactical vote. In a chat room at Santoshpur they explained this, saying that voting for the CPI(M) would be spoiling the vote because it could not defeat the Trinamool Congress at the moment. They believe that for the Left to rise once again in the state, the BJP must take the place of the Trinamool Congress in the state. When that happened, the ideological battle between the Left and the BJP would begin and mark the return of the Left in the state. What a strange matter, for this reason, leftists are becoming Ram Panthis. Whether this love for the BJP among the Bengalis is short-term or long-term is very difficult to say. The question will also be reflected in how the BJP fares in this election in the state. Most of the people of Bengal think that Modi is more likely to become Prime Minister once more. As for Modi, the skin has tanned from being in the sun to address public meetings. He has lost weight. The colour of his kurta has changed frequently -- sometimes it has been white, sometimes light yellow or saffron. What colour he will wear on May 23 we will all have to see. (Jayanta Ghosal is a senior journalist) Mumbai, May 20 : Spelling relief to around 250 post-graduate students on the warpath since nearly a fortnight, Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao on Monday signed an ordinance to provide benefit of reservations in admissions to social and educationally backward classes in medical and dental undergraduate and post-graduate courses. The Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2019, followed a recommendation by the Maharashtra government, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said. Accordingly, there will be reservations in favour of candidates belonging to SEBCs for the current academic year, 2019-2020, and also for admissions to other educational courses including undergraduate courses requiring the passing of NEET or any other national entrance test. Coordinator for the agitating students Harshal Padekar, however, said that the Ordinance has not yet been uploaded on the websites of the Department of Medical Education and Research and the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test Cell (CET). "We shall continue our stir till this is done and we are permitted to resume our respective duties where we have taken admissions. We expect it to happen later tonight or tomorrow (Tuesday)," Padekar told IANS. After the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court scrapped the applicability of SEBC quotas for the current academic year (2019), some 250 medical students who had secured admissions to various post-graduation courses in Maharashtra were left with an uncertain future. Launching their agitation nearly two weeks ago, they demanded the state government's immediate intervention to prevent them from losing a valuable academic year. The state government had assured them last week it would promulgate an Ordinance to reserve their seats, which has finally come through on Monday. The PG medical courses had started on May 2, but on May 5, the students 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, Padekar said. The worse was, all other options of seeking admissions, like entrance exams, have already closed, and the students stand to lose their academic year, he added. The Bombay High Court 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, Section 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 an academic year. The SC had 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 education for the Maratha community under the SEBC. Kolkata, May 20 : As many as 200 companies of central armed paramilitary forces (CAPFs) will remain deployed in West Bengal till May 27 in a bid to curb any post-poll violence that might occur in the state, Central Police Observer Vivek Dubey said on Monday. A total of 710 companies of CAPF were deployed across nine parliamentary constituencies in the state for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls held on May 19. "A strength of 200 companies of central forces will be retained in Bengal to provide security during counting of votes and to handle any form of post-poll violence till May 27. The force will be scattered all over the state," Dubey said. The remaining 510 companies will move out, he added. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on Sunday urged the Election Commission not to withdraw the forces till the forces model code of conduct is in force in Bengal. "BJP demands that central forces be deployed in the state till the Model Code of Conduct is in force in Bengal. We are apprehensive about the fact there can be 'narasanhar' (massacre) in the state after the polls as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed revenge inch by inch after the elections," she had said. New Delhi, May 20 : The National Green Tribunal on Monday sought an action-taken report from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) regarding rejuvenation of the Neela Hauz lake in south Delhi. A bench headed by the tribunal's chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the DDA to furnish the report before the court within a month. The tribunal observed the necessity in conserving water bodies in the capital in the wake of emerging water woes. It also noted that water bodies play a significant role in recharging groundwater and contribute towards managing micro-climate of the local area. The court said the DDA should fence the lake as it will restrain people from dumping waste in it. The tribunal took action on the basis of media reports which described the condition of the lake and how it has become a virtual dumping ground. Reportedly, people often park their vehicles in the vicinity of the lake and dump their waste in the water body. This waste generally includes plastic bags, water bottles, glass, and 'puja' material. Media reports had indicted the DDA for lack of action on protecting the water body. The tribunal has scheduled the next hearing on the issue for August 13. Bhopal, May 20 : The Congress has rejected the BJP's demand to hold a special session of the state Assembly in Madhya Pradesh to discuss issues of urgent public interest. Gopal Bhargava, leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, had written to Governor Anandiben Patel demanding a special session of the House to discuss financial issues since no such session has been held for nearly six months. "I have written to the Governor to convene a special session of Assembly shortly. We want discussions on important issues like farm loan waiver and also want to test the government's strength," Bhargava said. State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Govind Singh said on Monday that the government will summon the regular budget session shortly and there was no need for a special session. Singh also countered the BJP's claim that some of the ruling party's MLAs were keen to desert the government, saying the opposition party should take care of its own MLAs who might jump ship to the Congress. The Congress leader said the party had the numbers and didn't need to prove them every week. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday asserted that his government had no hesitation in proving its majority. "In the past five months we have proved our majority in the election of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, passing the demand for grants and the budget. We have proved our majority four times," he said. Attacking the BJP, the Chief Minister said, "They (BJP) are worried that scams during their 15-year rule will now come out. In a bid to conceal these, they want to disturb the present government." The Congress might hasten the expansion of the Ministry by inducting members from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) to neutralise the opposition's challenge. The expansion planned early in March was postponed in view of the model code of conduct put in place for the Lok Sabha elections. BSP's Sanjeev Singh Kushwaha, SP's Rajesh Shukla and Independent MLA Surendra Singh are likely to get berths. Singh further said that the Congress had already proved its strength on the floor of the state Assembly twice when its candidates won the elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House. BSP supremo Mayawati too had threatened to withdraw support to the Congress government after Lokendra Singh, a BSP Lok Sabha candidate who quit the party and joined the Congress to support Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chief Minister Kamal Nath, however, indicated that the matter was resolved, saying, "Mayawati's party has the same goal as us, which is the exit of the BJP". BJP's demands reflect a friction between former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Gopal Bhargava. Bhargava said the BJP was submitting the proof of fulfilling its promises on farm loan waiver to an ex-Chief Minister instead making the documents public through an appropriate forum, causing an anarchical condition. Ideally, such matters should be taken up in the House. Chouhan tried to upstage the leader of the opposition by rushing to the press to suggest that the Congress was in minority. The BJP was apparently keen to force the issue in view of the exit polls. Bhargava was also upset that Chouhan, now a mere MLA, should assume more importance than the leader of the opposition. Chouhan, on the other hand, sought to grab the spotlight by saying, "We will not try to dislodge the government, but the Congress is a divided house. They are in minority and even the minority is divided. Senior Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia went abroad even before the last phase of polling concluded." In the Assembly polls held in December 2018, the Congress won 114 of the state's 230 seats when the majority mark was at 116. It then got the support of two MLAs from the BSP and one from the SP. Two Independent MLAs are also backing the government. The BJP had won 109 seats. Exit polls have predicted a victory for the NDA in the Lok Sabha elections. An aggregate of exit polls has also predicted that the BJP will win 24 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. New Delhi, May 20 : Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday hailed the Election Commission for "perfectly" conducting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and said democracy succeed in India due to perfect conduct of polls by various Election Commissioners. "If democracy has succeeded, it is largely due to perfect conduct of elections by Election Commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present Election Commissioners," he said at a book launch jere. His remarks came at a time when role of the commission is being heavily criticised by the opposition parties. On occasions, the BJP also slammed it for its role in West Bengal during the Lok Sabha polls where violence took place during every phase. Mukherjee said all the three Commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. "You cannot criticise them, it was a perfect conduct of elections," he said. The Commission faced a lot of criticism during the polls this year for its "little action" on most of the complaints filed with it regarding the violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Some of the opposition parties even accused the Election Commission of "favouritism" towards the BJP. New Delhi, May 20 : A Sub-Inspector of the Delhi police was beaten to death by his neighbour on Sunday in East Delhi after the officer protested against the assailant illegally selling liquor in the area, a police officer said on Monday. The deceased was going to the hospital with his daughter when the incident occured in Kasturba Nagar area in Vivek Vihar. According to the police, Sub-Inspector Raj Kumar got into a fight with the accused, Vijay alias Bhuri, an alleged liquor mafia in the area. The two were separated by another policeman who had reached the spot after receiving a PCR call following the brawl. "We received a call from a person in Vivek Vihar informing us about the incident. An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) reached the spot and separated them, but later we received a call that Kumar was dead," the officer said. According to the victim's daughter, she was going to the hospital with her father on his scooter when Kumar fainted. She somehow took Kumar to the nearest hospital which then referred him to another hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "The police have arrested the accused from his residence and have registered a case of murder against him. The body has been sent for postmortem to establish the cause of death," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Meghna Yadav . Geneva, May 21 : United Nations refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi began a five-day visit to Myanmar on Monday - his first since August 2017 when a deadly military crackdown drove some 741,000 minority Rohingya Muslims to flee the country's western Rakhine state for neighbouring Bangladesh. Grandi is scheduled to spend the first two days of his trip in Rakhine state, where he will visit communities in Sittwe and the northern townships and will meet state and district officials, according to a UNHCR press-release. He is scheduled meet senior Myanmar government officials in the capital Nay Pyi Taw later in the week, the statement said. Grandi will follow up on a range of issues raised by refugees from Myanmar (also known as Burma) and will review the country's efforts to find "comprehensive and durable solutions to the crisis in Rakhine State," the statement said. A UN fact-finding mission last week repeated a call for top Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority, in which security forces are accused of killings, gang rape and arson in Rakhine after attacks on police posts by Rohingya insurgents in August 2017. Myanmar has rejected most of the accusations and dismissed a report last September by a UN-appointed panel, which accused military officers of "genocidal intent" in the crackdown on the Rohingya and said they should stand trial. Grandi in late April visited Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, where over 900,000 stateless Rohingya refugees currently live in Cox's Bazar. Overcrowded, insanitary, makeshift settlements and inadequate healthcare services put refugees in Cox's Bazaar at risk of disease outbreaks, according to the UN and charities such as Doctors without Borders. DENVER, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorneys David S. Woodruff and Henry Miniter of the Denver Trial Lawyers law firm successfully completed a case today in which a Pueblo jury awarded $2.8 million to a man who suffered permanent paralysis after being prematurely discharged from the emergency department at Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo. The award was one of the largest jury verdicts in Pueblo County history. The decision came after a nine-day jury trial regarding events at Parkview Medical Center Feb. 11, 2016. Woodruff presented evidence in Pueblo County District Court that the emergency department team at Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo was negligent in their treatment of Samuel Chifalo when he arrived following a fall. Chifalo, who was 63 years old at the time, suffered injury to his spinal cord when he fell and struck his face on furniture. If treated promptly with neurosurgery, the spinal cord injury could have been reversed, but unfortunately Mr. Chifalo was discharged from the emergency department with the injury not recognized by the staff. This case, like all medical malpractice cases, was incredibly sad because Mr. Chifalo will never fully recover what he lost, Woodruff said. But the jurys award will help him recover some dignity and independence in his life completely confined to a wheelchair. Woodruff presented evidence that the Parkview Hospitals emergency department staff should have recognized severe weakness and lack of motion in Chifalos arms and legs. Instead, the nursing staff failed to transmit information from the paramedics about Chifalos symptoms, leading to his premature discharge. By the time Chifalo returned to the ER the following morning, his spinal cord injury was irreparable. Today he is an incomplete quadriplegic, unable to use his legs and his left arm, with only limited sensation and movement in his right arm. Chifalo was a retired heavy-equipment operator whose greatest enjoyments in life were his travels with his wife to visit their seven grandchildren, and spending time with retired friends. About Denver Trial Lawyers Denver Trial Lawyers (Wahlberg, Woodruff, Nimmo & Sloane L.L.P.) is one of the preeminent personal injury law firms in the Rocky Mountain Region, with attorneys representing clients in complex injury cases such as medical malpractice, defective products, brain and spinal cord injuries, wrongful death and birth injuries. David S. Woodruff, who specializes in medical malpractice and complex personal injury cases, has obtained some of the largest jury verdicts in Colorado and in the U.S, including the largest medical malpractice arbitration award in U.S. history a $70 million award against a California HMO. Several of the firm's partners are named in Best Lawyers in America, and the firm has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top law firms in the nation. For information, call 303-571-5302 or visit www.denvertriallawyers.com. Press contact: New Delhi, May 21 : Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Monday condoled the death of a police Sub Inspector, who died in a scuffle with some miscreants, and demanded a probe into the incident. "Saddened by the loss of Sub Inspector Rajkumar... May God give strength to the family to bear this calamity. Proper enquiry should be conducted and culprits should be punished as goondaism and Urban Naxalism should have no place in the society," Tiwari tweeted. His remarks came after Rajkumar, a Delhi Police Sub Inspector was killed on Sunday night in Kasturba Nagar area of the national capital. According to Rajkumar's family, the police officer had gone for a walk after dinner. Later, he got involved in a fight with some miscreants as the police had set up a permanent picket in the area where bootleggers reside. One person has been arrested. United Nations, May 21 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is very concerned about the rising rhetoric between Iran and the US and warns that any action by either nation could be misinterpreted in a "very volatile region", his spokesman has said. "We are concerned about the rising rhetoric," the spokesman Stephane Dujarric replied on Monday, when asked about the increasingly heated exchange of comments between Tehran and Washington, Xinhua news agency reported. "We saw the rocket launch that seemed to be aimed at the US Embassy in Iraq, in Baghdad. That is also a concern." Dujarric was asked about Iraq's concern that it could be caught in the middle of fighting between Iran and the US. "It is a very volatile region," he told correspondents at a regular briefing. "We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and to lower the threshold of action as well," Dujarric said. US President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" But when asked by a reporter if the US was going to war with Iran, Trump replied, "I hope not." Iran's ambassador to the UN, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, sent a letter to the UN chief on Monday saying, "Iran will never choose war as an option in pursuing its foreign policy, but if war is imposed on us, Iran will vigorously exercise its inherent right to self-defence in order to defend its nation and to secure its interests." Tension between the two countries flared after a published report that the United States was preparing to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East in face of a threat from Iran. Trump denied the report but said he would send a lot more than that number if there was going to be a fight. The alleged threat came after the US dispatched an aircraft carrier battle group and aerial bombers to the Persian Gulf region. The heightened tensions followed Trump's announcement last year the US was pulling out of the multi-nation, UN Security Council-endorsed Iran nuclear agreement, limiting Tehran's production of fissile material in exchange for an easing of UN imposed sanctions. European nations stayed in the accord with Iran. In turn, Iran recently threatened to pull out of the accord entirely and renew production of the material that could be used for a nuclear weapon. EXPERT OBSERVER Albo, or Plibersek, or whoever it turns out to be the next Labor leader, might have had a lucky accident. Usually, its Labor that inherits an economy turning down. This time, its the Coalition. And because of regular updates from the Reserve Bank and the Bureau of Statistics strikingly at odds with their public position that the economy strong, they ought to be finely attuned to it. Economic growth, the catch-all that is supposed to show us where the economy has been and where it is headed, is frighteningly small. The treasurys best estimate of potential growth how strongly the economy could be growing over time if things were well managed is 2.75% per year. The reality, for the two most recent quarters for which we have data, is 0.3% and 0.2%. The economy is anaemic, despite the crowing If you add those two numbers together and multiply by two you discover that for six months the economy has been growing at an annualised pace of just 1% way, way short of its potential. Stripping out population growth and minimal price growth, real living standards have been going backwards. The result of what the Reserve Bank describes as persistently slow growth in household incomes and declining housing prices has been something of a strike in consumer spending. The real value of spending per household hasnt been falling, but it hasnt really been climbing either. The bank says consumption growth has slowed most noticeably for discretionary items that tend to have the strongest relationship with home buying, such as furnishing and household equipment. It says growth in other types of discretionary spending, such as eating out, has also slowed. Consumption of so-called essential items is holding up. Were going to need a boost It means we cant rely on household spending to revitalise the economy (although the government will give it a go, stumping up a bonus of as much as $1,080 to be delivered with each tax return from July in a much-needed boost that will be disguised as a tax cut rather than spending). Household spending accounts for three-fifths of gross domestic product. The bank identifies uncertainty over household spending, which itself derives from uncertainty over income growth, as a key risk for economic growth: Should households conclude that low income growth will be more persistent than previously expected, households may adjust their spending by more than currently projected and consumption growth could remain weak for a longer period Labor would have helped stabilise uncertainty over income growth by immediately intervening before the Fair Work Commission to get higher wages, directing it to draw up a long-term strategy for higher wages, restoring cut penalty rates, and funding the increases of some childcare workers itself.Having won an election opposing those things, the Coalition will have to try other things, perhaps even bigger and earlier tax cuts. Prayer would help prayer that international commodity markets remain strong, that the Reserve Bank cuts rates on June 4 (it is practically certain to), that it cuts them again before the end of the year (financial markets are literally 100% certain that it will) and that home prices stabilise. Perhaps a very big boost On the face of it, none of these would be enough to force economic growth back up. If it falls even further, and continues to fall, Australia will enter a recession within this term of government, an outcome to which the academic economists polled by The Conversation in January assigned a 25% probability. So far employment growth has been the economys brightest light, but in its quarterly update released a week before the election, the Reserve Bank pointed out that employment growth can lag economic growth by up to nine months, meaning it might be about to turn down, although it added that it was not unusual for trends in GDP growth and the labour market to diverge for sustained periods. If employment growth does turn down (and the bank says near-term leading indicators of labour demand have softened) it is likely to happen first in the construction and retail industries. The construction jobs will come again (and the government is doing its best to bolster them with promises of spending on infrastructure) but the retail jobs might never return, the nature of retailing having changed. The economy matters more than the surplus If needed in order to avoid a recession the government will have to be prepared to abandon its promised 2019-20 budget surplus. If the prospect of a recession does loom, itll have the political cover. And if it looms early in its term, it might still be able to deliver a budget surplus by the end. Scott Morrison and his treasurer Josh Frydenberg were elected to manage the economy, and that means doing whatever is needed to avoid a recession and the long term damage to lives and living standards it would deliver. Speaking personally, Ive no doubt they are up to the task, just as Labor would have been. In a way its a pity they didnt adopt one of Labors key economic promises, which was to have a new budget in August, to refresh things. And it matters more than superannuation And theyve got to focus on lifting living standards over the longer-term, where conveniently, they have a big advantage over Labor. Labor has a blindspot when it comes to superannuation. It wants to lift compulsory contributions from 9.5% of salary to 10% on July 2021, and then by another 0.5% the next year and another 0.5% the next year and so on for five consecutive years, apparently regardless of what it will do to incomes now. Its a good thing that unlike Labor, the Coalition will be relaxed about pushing out the timetable if the economy cant stand it, as it has done before. Before the election it was preparing to respond to the landmark Productivity Commisson report that found that unintended multiple accounts and the defaulting of new workers into entrenched underperforming funds were costing members an extraordinary A$3.8 billion per year. The Coalition can set up super for the future Weeding out the chronic underperformers, clamping down on unwanted multiple accounts and insurance policies, and letting workers choose funds from a short menu of good funds and stay in them for life would give the typical worker entering the workforce an extra $533,000 in retirement. It recommended a full-blown independent inquiry into how much superannuation we need. Labor, wedded to a series of increases, would never have done it. The Coalition can. Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. GUEST OBSERVATION When we think about public spaces, we often imagine large open areas such as squares and parks. The humble footpath is overlooked, although it is an equally if not more important public space for urban social life. Every day, most people will at some point use a footpath. Their ubiquity makes them a fundamental part of cities. Due to their narrow form and seemingly undesigned nature, it is easy to neglect footpaths. Urban design research tends to favour the bigger picture of streets and streetscapes, or focus on architectural elements such as building forms and frontages. And planning policies tend to treat footpaths as road and transport assets, rather than as public space. However, footpaths in urban areas support complex social systems and a wide variety of uses. They are a vital public space and deserve more attention in the planning and design of our cities. Yvonne Meng, Author provided The case for footpaths In rapidly densifying suburbs such as Footscray in Melbournes inner west, footpaths can become a valuable asset to accommodate daily life. Of the 23 hectares that make up Footscrays commercial core, only 1% is public open space. This is well below the 9.9% average in the wider City of Maribyrnong area. Despite the lack of public open space in Footscray, activity on the streets is lively due to a diverse social and cultural mix and changing tempo of street activity. Gentrification, population growth and multi-storey apartment developments are rapidly changing the physical and demographic landscape. Over the next 20 years Footscrays population is forecast to grow by 153.19%. This means more people will need access to limited public space. There are efforts to create more open space in Footscray. For example, in 2016 the City of Maribyrnong redeveloped an open-lot car park at Byron Street as a multilevel car park with an adjacent plaza. However, solutions of this sort have limitations because publicly owned and underdeveloped land is not readily available. If we rethink definitions of public space to include footpaths, we can start to establish these as spaces for social interaction rather than merely paths for getting from A to B. More than walking Modern footpaths are relatively recent urban space. In Western cities, records of footpaths date back to the third century BC, but only in the mid-18th century did they become prevalent in Europe. Before this there was no real physical separation between pedestrians and the carriageway. Yvonne Meng, Author provided In Melbourne, footpaths were scarce at the time the Hoddle Grid was laid in 1837. Not until the 1880s were the citys footpaths properly paved. In their most pragmatic form, footpaths provide a safe zone for people to walk, away from moving traffic. However, they can also be an extension of the abutting buildings. Retail goods spill out in front of shops and on kerbs, creating internalised regions. Cafes set up chairs and tables for patrons to sit outside, extending trade into the public realm. In addition, people use footpaths to congregate or socialise. There are buskers, beggars, authorities, people waiting for transport, or simply those taking a moment to stop. As a result, footpaths are an ever-changing hybrid of social, commercial and recreational use. Although there can be friction between different activities, the value of urban footpaths is that they are many things to many people. Yvonne Meng, Author provided Yet, despite being such a heavily used space, footpaths in Melbourne are often categorised in planning strategies and policies as road and transport assets. This approach is problematic as it treats them as infrastructure to be managed rather than spaces for human use. Some cities such as New York do consider footpaths as people-oriented places. The city planning department provides design guidelines to help architects and designers. Footpaths are conceptualised as a room with four surfaces: the horizontal pavement, the wall of the building facing the street, the roadside, and the canopy. This type of thinking acknowledges that footpaths are immersive spaces and the experience of walking them is integral to the success of a street. Learning from footpath users Yvonne Meng, Author provided People devise many creative and adaptive ways of using them, and architects and planners can learn from these uses. For example, nooks and indents in buildings abutting footpaths enable people to socialise outside in opportunistic ways. However, when unplanned and unmanaged, footpaths can become a jumble of electrical boxes, signposts, cafe tables, and other disconnected objects. Footpaths are also the site of temporary events such as markets, which help activate the streets. With local council support, these events not only unlock the potential role of footpaths in community-building, but also help strengthen existing cultural identities. The weekly Mini Green Market on the corner of Hopkins and Leeds streets was born out of a longstanding tradition of informal street vending in Footscray. Despite some conflict and uncertainty in 2018, vendors can use a wide portion of the footpath to sell their wares in a regular organised event. Yvonne Meng, Author provided The conundrum facing footpaths is that, despite being a site for many diverse activities, they are not often considered an important public space in their own right. What makes a space public is its capability to enable a wide range of uses and allow for interaction between people. Footpaths do exactly that. To make the most of our footpaths, Melbourne and other Australian cities need a change in mindset in how we view these public spaces. If footpaths were more carefully considered in city design and planning, they could contribute even more to the quality of the urban realm. Yvonne Meng, PhD Candidate, Department of Architecture, Monash University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Main photo: In an urban setting like central Footscray, where only 1% of the area is public space, the value of the humble footpath needs to be recognised. Yvonne Meng, Author provided Yvonne Meng, Monash University Australias biggest live touring comedian Carl Barron has listed his luxury three-bedroom Potts Point apartment. Currently touring Europe, Barron has quietly listed the northwest-facing 16th-floor Rockwall Apartments, seeking $5 million to $5.5 million. With Opera House and Harbour Bridge views from its two alfresco balconies, it cost him $4 million in 2013, marked down on the $4.25 million then being sought. He was upsizing at the time, from an apartment in the Ikon complex around the corner on Macleay Street, which he still owns and cost him $1,825,000 in 2008. The Ikon apartment has been a $1500 a week rental in recent times. The Rockwall inspections are by appointment only through Jason Boon at Richardson & Wrench who offer a rental income estimate of $3000 a week. The three-bedroom apartment boasts a master suite with mosaic ensuite. The open-plan main living room adjoins a bow-fronted sunroom area. Barrons strata levies are $5792.45 per quarter. The comedian's tour started in Oslo, before shows in Antwerp, Amsterdam, Stockholm and Copenhagen. This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. AccuLynx, the leading cloud-based software solution for roofing contractors, announced significant product updates, with new features that make it easier for contractors to manage the production and labor aspects of a roofing job. A feature-packed mobile app was also introduced that enables customers to collaborate with their field crews without having to be present at the job site. These updates are part of our ongoing mission to help roofing companies operate more efficiently and achieve new levels of growth," said Mike Stein, Chief Executive Officer of AccuLynx. We were recently named one of the highest performing Construction Management Software providers by G2 Crowd, and we want to keep the bar high. This release includes a redesign of the companys Production Tools, which are available in AccuLynx's Elite package. These tools make it easier to manage material deliveries and labor orders. Theres also an enhanced package of Labor Tools, with more features that make it easier to manage labor teams, including scheduling subcontractors and crews for upcoming work and sharing important job details with Labor Tickets and Checklists. The mobile Crew App is a user-friendly iOS and Android application that connects a companys back office with their labor teams out in the field. It helps roofing companies save time and money by reducing work-planning overhead and making roofers more productive on the job. About AccuLynx AccuLynx is the leading cloud-based software application for roofing contractors. Since 2008, AccuLynx has helped thousands of contractorsfrom rapidly-growing start-ups to multi-location operationsstreamline their processes and grow their businesses. AccuLynxs all-in-one solution includes easy-to-use business management tools, such as estimating, production management, aerial measurements, material ordering, photo sharing, custom reporting, unlimited document storage, field apps, and more. AccuLynx is a preferred software vendor of CertainTeed, GAF and Owens Corning, and has direct integrations with QuickBooks, ABC Supply, EagleView Technologies, SkyMeasure by CoreLogic and others. For more information, visit http://www.acculynx.com. Aegle Therapeutics Corporation, an extracellular vesicle (EV) therapy company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the companys Investigational New Drug (IND) application to begin clinical trials in dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) patients. DEB is a rare pediatric skin blistering disease that affects approximately 500,000 patients worldwide. Aegle expects to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AGLE-103 for the treatment of DEB in late 2019. We are excited to be developing a multifaceted approach to DEB. In addition to carrying the regenerative wound healing messages of mesenchymal stem cells, Aegles EVs also deliver COL7 and COL7A1 mRNA to diseased cells, inducing recessive DEB cells to produce their own COL7 protein. We believe this product has the potential to address patients COL7 deficiency as well as accelerate wound healing, said Evangelos Badiavas, M.D., PhD, Aegles Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. "Currently, patients with DEB suffer severe blistering, acute and chronic wounds, scarring, loss of mobility and chronic pain. There is still no treatment or cure for EB. Aegles proprietary and innovative EV therapy involves the isolation of extracellular vesicles released by allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells using a proprietary process. "We are excited to be the first company to advance extracellular vesicle therapy into the clinic. Our primary focus is moving AGL-103 into patients, said Shelley Hartman, Chief Executive Officer of Aegle. We are only at the brink of understanding the potential of extracellular vesicles and we are excited to be pioneers in EV therapy. The Phase 1/2 study will evaluate the safety of extracellular vesicle therapy in dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patients. The study is an open label dose escalation protocol that will enroll patients at several sites in the United States. About Aegle Therapeutics Corp. Aegle Therapeutics is a clinical stage extracellular vesicle therapy company developing novel therapeutics based on its proprietary extracellular vesicle isolation technology. The company is isolating extracellular vesicles released by allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of severe dermatological conditions. Aegles EV therapy is initially being developed to dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare pediatric connective tissue disease. For more information, visit http://www.aegletherapeutics.com. CONTACT: info@aegletherapeutics.com Starting and managing a fashion business unlocks creativity and incredible freedom for entrepreneurs, however it can be an intimidating process, said Shahrooz Kohan, Chief Executive Officer, AIMS360. With the use of technology and other resources, expanding your business is more achievable than e AIMS360, leading fashion business management software, announced today that Chief Executive Officer, Shahrooz Kohan, will speak at the Go Global Shopify event on June 6, 2019 at the ROW DTLA. The free event will educate aspiring fashion entrepreneurs, through presentations from top industry leaders, about how to expand their business with Shopify. Also speaking at the Go Global event will be GO Ride Republic, Tabio USA, GG Retrofiz and 10 Sense Corporation. Complimentary refreshments will be provided by Tippsy Sake, the largest U.S. sake platform. For more information on the Go Global event and to reserve your spot visit http://bit.ly/ShopifyEventxAIMS360. About AIMS360 AIMS360 is a leading fashion ERP software that provides wholesalers and retailers with a seamless solution for inventory management, costing, pick tickets, EDI, multi-channel order entry, distribution and more for over 35 years.The AIMS360 software is engineered for reliability and scale, making enterprise-level technology available to businesses of all sizes. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AIMS360 currently powers brands such as Alo Yoga, Minnie Rose, Adidas Swimwear, Revolve and others, including hundreds of startup brands. The 2018 annual total of website disability lawsuits filed was startling: 2,258 cases representing a 177% increase over 2017 according to research performed by Seyfarth Shaw Law Firm sourced from The Courthouse News Services. Cases filed in New York lead the list at 1,564. Since the Department of Justice has to date made no formal regulation for criteria to determine if a website meets with the American Disabilities Act, the interpretation has been left to local jurisdictions and precedent cases are mounting. In January 2019 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a District Court decision in Robles v. Dominos Pizza No.17-55504 whereby the superior court ruled that the ADA applied to the Dominos website, that the absence of the Department of Justice ruling would not annul the defendants claim, and that the court had competency to rule on the technical matter. It is anticipated that this ruling will invite more California website ADA litigation. The federal government has adopted criteria for government websites as published by the World Wide Web Consortium, better known as W3C, which has recently released version 2.1 of its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines for ADA website disability accessibility compliance, and has thereby set a model for courts to follow. The principles for ADA compliance are stated by W3C as requirements for: 1. Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. 2. Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. 3. Understandable: Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. 4. Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. These four standards encompass 78 special programming requirements and limitations. Despite some popular claims, there are no quick solutions in adapting accessibility compliance to an existing website. The W3C also provides a methodology for testing. There is not a shortcut method to becoming ADA website compliant, said Becca Wilson, Spherexx CEO, Work through the process. There are many advertisements and offers of quick fixes for your website to become ADA-compliant when you conduct a website search on the topic. But caveat emptor. You could possibly spend a significant sum and not meet the qualifying criteria in the end. We have been alerting clients for the last two years that ADA compliance will soon become critical, especially for companies that offer storefront services, added Wilson. One common element that is sustainable in website ADA cases is that the website refers to a physical location of public accommodation to thus far be subject to ADA compliance. W3C provides for a 24/7 telephone alternative to accessibility programming; however, the phone and contact information must clearly meet accessibility standards. A report from Cornell University from the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability concludes there were 41 million people with disabilities in the U.S. More than half of the 12.7% disabled citizens of the U.S. population suffer from ambulatory disability, followed by cognitive, independent living, hearing, self-care and visual. The Internet provides great advantages to those who have such physical limitations. ADA website compliance offers many a window into the world that might not be otherwise experienced. ABOUT SPHEREXX.COM FULL CIRCLE SOLUTIONS Spherexx.com is an advertising agency, software developer and business intelligence provider that has served multiple industries across the U.S. since 2000. An INC5000 company, Spherexx has offices is Tulsa OK and Dallas TX, providing cloud-based marketing technology to meet the demand for results-driven website design, touchscreen kiosks, and software solutions. Spherexx.com offers a wide selection of professional services including Internet lead generation tools, online advertising, consulting, advanced mobile technology, apartment leasing and lease-up marketing, and search engine performance. The company provides branding services, video/multimedia production, hosting, database solutions, pay per click, e-commerce solutions and custom programming. Spherexx has also developed multiple CRM, revenue management, and management tools that empower clients to convert leads to sales. "We are confident, based on over two decades training thousands of pilots, that the efforts being put forth by United and others in the industry to focus on properly implemented UPRT will result in lives saved." Aviation Performance Solutions LLC (APS), the global leader in Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), is speaking and participating in the inaugural UPRT Global Summit hosted by United Airlines May 21-22, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. As the UPRT provider for two of the four US Legacy airlines as well as worldwide airlines of all sizes, APS is the only comprehensive, dedicated UPRT train-the-trainer provider with proven, turn-key solutions for airlines to implement UPRT safely, effectively and economically. New Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations in the United States required Part 121 Air Carriers to have expanded and FAA-approved UPRT training in operations by March 2019. This expanded full stall and upset training is specifically targeted to reduce the risk of Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I), the number one cause of fatalities across all sectors of aviation. UPRT teaches pilots the skills to recognize, prevent, and if necessary, recovery from an unexpected LOC-I. Driven by the theme Learn. Connect. Inspire., the UPRT Global Summit allows airlines to come together to discuss best practices for implementing UPRT as efficiently as possible while keeping safety as the preeminent concern both during training and after. Establishing the UPRT Global Summit demonstrates United Airlines commitment to the aviation industry as well as their concern for the safety of every pilot and the passengers who fly with them, said Paul Ransbury, APS president. APS has been at the forefront of demonstrating the life-saving value of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, and we are confident, based on over two decades training thousands of pilots, that the efforts being put forth by United and others in the industry to focus on properly implemented UPRT will result in lives saved. All four of the US legacy carriers as well as other airlines both foreign and domestic are set to attend the UPRT Global Summit. APS will conduct a presentation on challenges to, and solutions for, airlines trying to develop and maintain a cadre of UPRT instructor subject matter experts (SMEs) charged with leading this critical training intervention within their airline. APS airline UPRT experts will be available at a company booth to answer questions about airline Upset Prevention and Recovery Training implementation. ABOUT AVIATION PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS Aviation Performance Solutions LLC (APS), headquartered at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona, trains thousands of professional pilots and instructors in comprehensive upset prevention and recovery training skill development. APS provides integrated Loss of Control - Inflight (LOC-I) solutions via industry-leading computer-based, on-aircraft (jet and piston), and full-flight simulator upset prevention & recovery training (UPRT). All training is in full compliance with the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid, FAA Advisory Circular 120-109A on Stall Prevention and Recovery Training, ICAO Manual on Aeroplane Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, IATA Guidance Material and Best Practices for the Implementation of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, and the FAA Advisory Circular 120-111 on Upset Prevention and Recovery Training. APS is the only Part 141 Flight School certified in the delivery of complete upset prevention & recovery, stall/spin and instrument upset recovery training courses worldwide. With additional training locations in Dallas (USA), The Netherlands (Europe), and a combined military/civilian division in Dothan (USA), APS provides global access to the highest quality upset prevention and recovery training available. http://www.apstraining.com. Dublin, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "North America Nurse Call Systems Market to 2027 - Regional Analysis and Forecasts by Equipment; Technology; Application; End User, and Country" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The North America nurse call systems market is expected to reach US$ 1,203.5 Mn in 2027 from US$ 506.2 Mn in 2018. The market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 10.5% from 2019-2027. The market for the nurse call systems is likely to contribute due to rising due to the rising prevalence of the Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The other factors that is leading to the growth of the market are growing geriatric population and presence of the market leaders that offer various nurse call systems and rising numbers of the hospitals, assisted living centers and other healthcare centers across the country. As per the recent data published by Alzheimer's Association in 2019, states that approximately 5.8 million Americans are suffering with Alzheimer's and the number is expected to rise approximately up to 14 million by 2050. In addition, the cost of care invested for the disease are rising. It was estimated that by 2019 Alzheimer's and other form of dementias will cost nearly US$ 290 billion and it is also estimated that by 2050 the cost can rise roughly up to US$ 1.1 trillion. Therefore, owing to the above mentioned factors the market is likely to propel during the forecast period. The global nurse call systems market, based on equipment is segmented into integrated communication systems, button systems, mobile systems and intercom systems. In 2018, the integrated communication system segment held the largest share of the market, by equipment. Moreover, this segment of nurse call systems market is also expected to witness growth in its demand at a fastest CAGR of 10.9% during 2019 to 2027. North America nurse call systems market, based on the technology was segmented into wired systems and wireless systems. Wired system segment led the market for nurse call systems in 2018, contributing a market share of 74.54% and is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period from 2018 to 2027. The nurse call systems market, based on application is segmented into emergency medical alarms, wanderer control, workflow support and others. Emergency medical alarms segment led the market for nurse call systems in 2018. The emergency medical alarms offers advantages to nurses to communicate faster by creating real time alert and response tracking in minimal time, also helps in two way communication. Moreover, the emergency alarms also improve the work efficiency and helps in reducing the healthcare costs. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope Of The Study 1.2 Report Guidance 1.3 Market Segmentation 2. North America Nurse Call Systems Market - Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 4. North America Nurse Call Systems- Market Landscape 4.1 Overview 4.2 Pest Analysis 4.2.1 North America - Pest Analysis 5. North America Nurse Call Systems Market - Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Key Market Drivers 5.1.1 Growing Numbers Of Assisted Living Centers 5.1.1 Increasing Incidences Of Alzheimer's Diseases 5.2 Key Market Opportunities 5.2.1 Rising Numbers Of Specialized Hospitals 5.3 Key Market Trends 5.3.1 Advancement In The Nurse Call Systems 5.4 Impact Analysis 6. Nurse Call Systems Market - North America Analysis 6.1 North America Nurse Call Systems Market Revenue Forecasts And Analysis 6.2 Performance Of Key Players 6.2.1 Rauland (A Division Of Ametek, Inc.) 6.2.2 Critical Alert Systems. 7. Nurse Call Systems Market Analysis And Forecasts To 2027 - Equipment 7.1 Overview 7.2 Equipment Market Revenue And Forecasts Analysis (US$ Mn) 7.3 Integrated Communication Systems Market 7.4 Button Systems Market 7.5 Mobile Systems Market 7.6 Intercom Systems Market 8. Nurse Call Systems Market Analysis- By Technology 8.1 Overview 8.2 Wired Systems 8.3 Wireless Systems Market 9. Nurse Call Systems Market Analysis And Forecasts To 2027 - Application 9.1 Overview 9.2 Nurse Call Systems Market Revenue And Forecasts Analysis, By Application (US$ Mn) 9.3 Emergency Medical Alarms Market 9.4 Wanderer Control Market 9.5 Workflow Support Market 9.6 Others Market 10. Nurse Call Systems Market Analysis- By End User 10.1 Overview 10.2 Nurse Call Systems Market Revenue And Forecasts Analysis, By End USer (US$ Mn) 10.3 Hospitals Market 10.4 Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Centers Market 10.5 Clinics Market 10.6 Others Market 11. North America Nurse Call Systems Market Revenue And Forecasts To 2027 12. Nurse Call Systems Market - IndUStry Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Comparative Company Analysis 12.3 Growth Strategies Done By The Companies In The Market, (%) 12.4 Organic Developments 12.4.1 Overview 12.5 Inorganic Developments 12.5.1 Overview 13. Nurse Call Systems Market-Key Company Profiles Ascom Honeywell International Inc. Siemens AG AzureHealthcare Intercall Systems Inc. SCHRACK SECONET AG STANLEY Healthcare Critical Alert Systems. Hill-Rom Services Inc. Rauland-Borg Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qtofz5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Our goal is to bring ASCPs expertise in global health and technical expertise in laboratory quality to the project, said ASCP CEO Blair Holladay, PhD, MASCP, SCT(ASCP)CM. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) joined the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA) on a recent mission to respond to ongoing challenges experienced by the Puerto Rico Bureau of Forensic Science after the hurricane in 2017. Our goal is to bring ASCPs expertise in global health and technical expertise in laboratory quality to the project, said ASCP CEO Blair Holladay, PhD, MASCP, SCT(ASCP)CM. The mission, which was conducted between April 21 and May 3, 2019, was the most recent effort by the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Project, which began in April 2018. Since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Forensic Science, also known as Negociado de Ciencias Forenses, has been improving its services for the island and managing its routine processes caused by the disaster. However, staffing shortages in the laboratory remain a major barrier. The facilities and staff in Puerto Rico are simply excellent. They just dont have enough staff at this time to meet the islands needs, said ASCP Chief Medical Officer Dan Milner, MD, MSc(Epi), FASCP. In late 2018, Dr. Holladay was contacted by NAME to participate in the initial discussions about the needed response to the challenges at the Bureau of Forensic Science in Puerto Rico. Since then, Dr. Holladay, along with Dr. Milner and ASCP Board member Gregory Davis, MD, FASCP, a forensic pathologist at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, have been involved in ongoing discussions with the other organizations about the challenges in Puerto Rico and how to best assist. Dr. Milner was selected to represent ASCP with a team of forensic specialists that traveled to Puerto Rico in late April 2019. He also conducted interviews with multiple stakeholders including pathologists, staff, federal officials, prosecutors, academic pathologists and university representatives. The main mission is to assist our forensic colleagues with workload and complete all available cases within the unit. In addition, we made observations as to why this may be occurring and suggestions about what to potential consider as solutions, Dr. Milner said. We hope to provide a fresh look through our global health perspective as well as assess processes, think about quality and consider efficiency in the laboratory. It is clear that the Bureau of Forensic Science has staffing challenges at the moment; yet, there may be other actions we can help them with now to remedy this challenge, as they seek short- and long-term approaches to acquire more staff, Dr. Milner said. Learn more about this effort to assist the Puerto Rico Bureau of Forensic Science here. About ASCP Founded in 1922 in Chicago, ASCP is the worlds largest professional membership organization for pathologists and laboratory professionals. ASCP provides excellence in education, certification, and advocacy on behalf of patients, anatomic and clinical pathologists, and medical laboratory professionals. To learn more, visit http://www.ascp.org. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ascp_chicago and connect with us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ASCP.Chicago. Were excited to take the next steps and continue our mission to provide companies across Southern California with exceptional managed IT services. Helixstorm announced they opened a new satellite location in Irvine, California. The new office strengthens Helixstorms presence in the heart of Orange County and offers local businesses the opportunity to transform their IT services with a local expert. Weve been working with Orange County and Irvine businesses for the last decade. Expanding into Irvine and the greater Orange County area with a physical location has been our goal for quite some time, said Aaron Schneider, President of Helixstorm. Were excited to take the next steps and continue our mission to provide companies across Southern California with exceptional managed IT services. The new location is close to the Los Olivos Marketplace and Irvine Spectrum at 9551 Irvine Center Drive. Its open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Partnering with a managed IT services company can help Orange County businesses reduce technology costs, secure their organization and solve recurring IT headaches once and for all. Helixstorm specializes in proactive, data-driven IT support and unparalleled customer service all within an affordable budget. "We're excited that Helixstorm opened a new location in Irvine. They've provided outstanding IT support and played an integral role in managing our technology needs as our company has grown," said Joel Brda, founder and CEO of Human Marketing and Helixstorm client. "Having a local IT support partner is really important to us. We have peace of mind knowing they're right around the corner if anything breaks down or we experience a security breach." About Helixstorm Headquartered in Temecula Valley, Helixstorm specializes in managed IT support and consulting services. With over 50 years of collective industry experience, Helixstorm offers a wide range of cloud and virtualization solutions, 24/7 managed IT support and professional consulting for small to medium-sized businesses across southern California. For more information, visit https://www.helixstorm.com/. Forbes Magazine is a publication Ive always enjoyed. Its an honor to be selected to join the business development council and I look forward to learning from other council members who are accomplishing great things in their industries. Brandon Rigoni, Ph.D., Vice President of Business Development at Lincoln Industries has been selected to Forbes Business Development Council, an invitation-only community for senior-level sales and business development executives. Rigoni was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. We are honored to welcome Brandon Rigoni into the community, said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Business Development 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 a member of the Council, Rigoni has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected leaders in a private forum. Rigoni 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. Forbes Magazine is a publication Ive always enjoyed. Its an honor to be selected to join the business development council and I look forward to learning from other council members who are accomplishing great things in their industries, said Rigoni. 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. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com. Cardone Ventures Formed to Help Businesses Succeed This partnership was created by Grant and I to create a system that allowed business owners to be able to grow with a partner who understands what growth looks like; taking constraint, friction, resistance and anxiety out of the business. - Brandon Dawson NY Times bestselling author and business mogul Grant Cardone is partnering up with serial entrepreneur and expert business strategist Brandon Dawson to help companies grow by 10X. If your 2 million to 100 million in revenue and you want to grow by 10X, Cardone Ventures was created for you! With this new partnership, the two bring all of their experience, knowledge and technology through all of the successful businesses theyve both built, straight to the business owners. The program comes in a business format system allowing business owners to easily use it in incremental steps to invest and grow. This partnership was created by Grant and I to create a system that allowed business owners to be able to grow with a partner who understands what growth looks like; taking constraint, friction, resistance and anxiety out of the business. - Brandon Dawson Cardone Ventures works with businesses in three unique and special ways. First, pay as you go which allows the business owner to experience the programs Grant and Brandon have created, then go home and deploy the programs with the opportunity to invest more after each program proves success. Second, having Grant and Brandon come alongside and work directly with the business owners and their teams, provide resources, systems and tools to increase the bottom line. The third option works much like private equity, the two actually invest in the business and then work alongside their investment helping to scale much faster and expand through expansion strategies. Many business owners dont have the experience, strategy, structure or process to bring their business to scale, or prepare it for scaling. Therefore they inadvertently break the fundamental building blocks in their pursuit of growth that can cause unnecessary and significant devaluation in the business. Cardone Ventures Mission is to come alongside the business owner to protect and maximize their personal, professional and financial value - Grant Cardone Work directly with Brandon Dawson and top executives to discover exactly what to do in order to scale your business. Establish a baseline assessment of your business gaps and develop your own strategic business development plan. The next opportunity for business owners to unlock their potential for growth within their business will be at the 10X EXECUTIVE STRATEGY SUMMIT on June 1-2, 2019 at the 10x headquarters in Miami, Florida. For more information call 310.777.0255 or go to http://www.cardoneventures.com About Grant Cardone: Grant Cardone is a NY Times Best Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Private Equity Manager with $1.2 Billion in Assets Under Management. In addition to this, he is known as the #1 Sales Expert in the world today and was called by Forbes Magazine one of the top CEOs to follow on Social Media. He currently owns and operates 7 companies that do $150m in annual sales and he recently launched the Grant Cardone Foundation, whose mission is to impact the lives of children who grow up without fathers. About Brandon Dawson: Brandon Dawson is a self-made serial entrepreneur achieving a $75 million net worth, owner/partner in $100 million in commercial real estate, 2-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur-of-the-Year Semifinalist, 4-time INC 500 & 5000 Fastest Growing Company Award recipient, INC National Hire Power Award recipient, 5-time Portland Oregon Top Workplaces Award Recipient and Corporate Philanthropy Award recipient. He is a business leader with a passion for helping business owners amplify their vision and impact, through belief, strategy, and team alignment. Jean-Marie Guehenno. CREDIT: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/swiss-image.ch/Photo Moritz Hager (CC) My life has been one of a practitioner who then reflects as an intellectual on his experience. In this new book, I hope to take stock of my national and international experience to help find ethical responses to the political challenges of our time. Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is pleased to announce the appointment of Ambassador Jean-Marie Guehenno as Senior Fellow. During his two-year fellowship, he will be working on a book tentatively titled "The Second Renaissance: In Search of a New Balance Between the Individual and the Collective." The author of three previous books, Guehenno is an expert in peacekeeping, transnational security threats, and global governance. Currently, he is a distinguished fellow in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings Institution and a member of the UN secretary-general's High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. From 2014 to 2017, he was president and CEO of the International Crisis Group and from 2010 to 2014, he was director of the Center for International Conflict Resolution and Arnold A. Saltzman Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University. He was UN under-secretary-general for Peacekeeping Operations from 2000 to 2008. The ambassador also served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France as a member of the policy planning staff (1979-1981); he was head of cultural affairs of the French Embassy in the United States (1982-1986); director of the policy planning staff (1989-1993); and ambassador to the Western European Union (1993-1995). "My life has been one of a practitioner who then reflects as an intellectual on his experience," says Guehenno. "In this new book, I hope to take stock of my national and international experience to help find ethical responses to the political challenges of our time." The book will explore how several parallel transformations are coming together, which are going to profoundly change the way human beings relate to each other and societies organize themselves. The internet is transforming individuals' relationship with knowledge as radically as the invention of the printing press did in 16th century Europe, and at the same time nation states are challenged on multiple fronts. Moreover, territorially-based political institutions compete with multiple new actors not bound by geography and which provide alternative responses. Guehenno will argue that China and advanced western societies share the same predicament: a vision of the individual that over-emphasizes the economic dimension of human beings and human societies, reducing them to a unidimensional pursuit of economic success. The purpose of human institutions should be to empower individuals to have a "good life," that is a life in which society empowers the individual, but also, and as importantly, a life in which the individual makes more than an economic contribution to society. The litmus test of a good society is how it empowers human beings to continuously reinvent themselves, and in the process, reinvent society. The book will explore practical responses that will make such a goal attainable. "We are honored to welcome Ambassador Guehenno as a Carnegie Council Senior Fellow," says Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal. "We will benefit greatly from his project and appreciate the opportunity to work with him." ABOUT CARNEGIE COUNCIL Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an educational, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that produces lectures, publications, and multimedia materials on the ethical challenges of living in a globalized world. For more information, go to https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/. Bespoke private jet charter company, LVOYAGE, is exhibiting with Avinode at Booth 71 during The European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), Geneva from May 21-23, 2019. The LVOYAGE team welcomes visits and will be on-site to meet with customers and industry partners. This year, LVOYAGE will also be celebrating 20 years of success of its founder, Ms Diana Chou founder and chairman of Dragon General Aviation group (DGA) in the private and business aviation industry. Its magnificent to be able to present LVOYAGEs bespoke chartering and concierge services with DGA 20th Anniversary at EBACE 2019. The first 20 years has been successful to the group, and we look forward to the next twenty years as we continue to evolve and deliver better solutions for our customers. I would like to welcome you to share our blessedness at our venue (Booth 71) to learn more about service of LVOYAGE and its sister company Jet 8 at EBACE 2019," said LVOYAGE founder and chairman, Diana Chou. About LVOYAGE http://www.lvoyage.aero LVOYAGE is a bespoke private jet chartering company based in Hong Kong with a long heritage in serving discerning corporate travelers and jet-setters. Part of a specialist business aviation group that began in 1999, LVOYAGE offers unrivalled access to aircraft options and landing destinations, coupled with highly personalized hospitality. LVOYAGE is also the first Wyvern approved broker in Asia, making its safety intelligence of the highest accredited standards within the region. LVOYAGE was also named Best Charter Broker by members of the Asian Business Aviation Association in 2017 at the Icons of Aviation Awards. Jeffry J. Jones, II, is a graduate of Fork Union Military Academy's PG Class of 1986 and the current President/CEO of H & R Block. In an interview published in the Parkersburg News Sentinal, his hometown, Jeff Jones speaks of his time at Fork Union Military Academy as the place where he learned the importance of discipline and being a good student. He told the interviewer that the Academy "set me up for success." Fork Union Military Academy will welcome Jeffrey J. Jones, II as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2019 at the graduation ceremony on May 25, 2019 at 10:30 AM. Jones is a graduate of Fork Union Military Academy's PG Class of 1986 and currently serves as the President and CEO of H & R Block, the tax preparation company with 12,000 retail locations nationwide. Named "One of the World's Most Influential CMO's" by Forbes and "One to Watch" by the Wall Street Journal, among other honors, Jeff Jones has held executive positions in marketing and executive leadership in companies as diverse as Uber, Target, Coca Cola, Gap, and Leo Burnett since graduating from the University of Dayton in 1990. Jones proudly acknowledges his education at Fork Union Military Academy in his official biography on the H&R Block website. In an interview published in the Parkersburg News Sentinal, Jones' hometown, he speaks of his time at Fork Union Military Academy as the place where he learned the importance of discipline and being a good student. He told the interviewer that the Academy "set me up for success." Graduation day on May 25, 2019 for Fork Union Military Academy's Class of 2019 will start on campus with a baccalaureate service in Wicker Chapel at 9:00 AM. The graduation ceremony will follow in the stadium at 10:30 AM. Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, is a college preparatory, Christian, military boarding school for young men in Grades 7 through 12 and postgraduates. Affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia and open to those of all religious denominations, Fork Union was founded in 1898 and has a rich tradition promoting character, leadership, and scholarship. "The California Supreme Court confirmed what we already knew that Nissan should be held accountable for dangerous products defects like faulty brakes, said principal F. Jerome Tapley of Cory Watson Attorneys. The California Supreme Court has denied Nissans petition to appeal a $25 million verdict that Cory Watson Attorneys helped secure in a lawsuit blaming faulty brakes for a car crash that killed three people and caused a wrongful manslaughter charge. The verdict was upheld on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. This decision affirms the appeals courts previous findings and makes the judgment final. At time of publication, this is estimated to be the largest verdict against Nissan North America regarding the brake defect case, and potentially the fourth largest verdict ever against Nissan North America. TopVerdict has ranked the verdict at #5 on their list of the Top 10 car accident verdicts in California in 2017 and #15 on their list of the Top 20 verdicts in California in 2017. It is also ranked as #21 on the list of the top 50 plaintiffs car accident jury verdicts obtained in the United States in 2017. By appealing, Nissan unnecessarily stretched out the legal process for those families who have lost their loved ones in a preventable tragedy that never should have happened, said principal Ryan Lutz of Cory Watson Attorneys. Now, the family can rest in the knowledge that this case has finally reached its end. The Los Angeles jury determined that the incident was 100 percent attributable to the braking system defect in the Infiniti QX56 SUV, and that Nissan was negligent in failing to recall the vehicle. Our firm is willing to fight until the very end of the appeals process for our clients, said principal F. Jerome Tapley of Cory Watson Attorneys. The California Supreme Court confirmed what we already knew that Nissan should be held accountable for dangerous product defects like faulty brakes. The case, Cruz v. Nissan North America, et al., case number BC493949, was originally tried in July 2017 in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County. We hope this verdict inspires automotive manufacturers like Nissan to step up and take responsibility for the safety of their vehicles so that no one else is killed or injured because of a dangerous product defect they failed to reveal and recall, said Adam W. Pittman of Cory Watson Attorneys. Were pleased to welcome Owner Terri Wallace and her team to the Crimson Cup community. Its a pleasure to help social entrepreneurs like Terri fund their passion to help others by adding a coffee bar to their non-profit operations. Columbus coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea recently welcomed Second Chances Coffee and Pastry Bar to the group of independent coffee shops, cafes and bakeries it supports in 37 states. The shop at 2312 N Broadway held its grand opening March 5. Were pleased to welcome Owner Terri Wallace and her team to the Crimson Cup community, said Founder and President Greg Ubert. Its a pleasure to help social entrepreneurs like Terri fund their passion to help others by adding a coffee bar to their non-profit operations. Wallace is the executive director of Second Chances Recovery & Retail Store, Inc., a non-profit organization that assists people struggling with substance abuse. Adding a coffee and pastry bar to the resale store seemed a logical step for Wallace. I have a passion for creating products that people enjoy, she said. Ive always loved to bake, and love creating things that people like. The coffee bar seemed to fit in well with that vision. To learn how to open a coffee shop, Wallace chose Crimson Cups 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program. What won me over was the concept of wanting us to succeed, she said. Crimson Cups program is based on us succeeding. Some other companies make you feel like they just want your money and business and dont care about how youre doing. Crimson Cup made me feel confident that they cared about me. I also liked that theyre not a franchise, which gives me flexibility, she added. Based on Uberts book, Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry, Crimson Cups 7 Steps program has helped hundreds of independent coffee shops in 37 states open and stay and business. Wallace said she found the full coffee shop business plan included in Uberts book very helpful as she worked through the logistics of adding a coffee bar to her 14,000-square-foot retail operation. She also appreciated the support she received from Crimson Cup as she implemented her vision for the coffee and pastry bar. I love that Crimson Cup is helping me make a product that I can be proud of. Wallace advises other potential coffee shop owners to focus on hiring good staff. You have to have people you can count on to work, she said. If you dont have people you can depend on, youll end up putting more on yourself. Second Chances Coffee and Pastry Bar serves a full menu of hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks including mochas, lattes and cappuccinos as well as iced coffee and tea, cold-brewed coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and other custom drinks. An assortment of fresh baked pies and pastries rounds out the menu. Wallace said local java lovers love the coffee, which is roasted by Crimson Cup. Quite a few people say that its better than another local coffee shop, she noted. We also get a lot of compliments on our espresso machine. Quality equipment makes for a quality coffee. Her favorite drink is the Frozen Cafe Mocha, which blends espresso with chocolate sauce and ice. Crimson Cup coffee has been judged among the best in the nation. The roaster was named 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year by Roast magazine, the flagship publication of the specialty coffee industry. Its Ethiopian Kossa Kebena coffee won a 2017 Good Food Award and is a finalist for a 2019 Good Food Award. Crimson Cup coffees have also brought home trophies and medals from the Americas Best Espresso competition and Golden Bean North America roasting competitions. About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year. Since 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee in small batches, sold directly to consumers and as wholesale coffee beans. Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program, the company also teaches entrepreneurs to run successful coffee houses. By developing a coffee shop business plan, prospective entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop. Crimson Cup coffee is available through more than 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 37 states, Guam and Bangladesh, as well as the companys own Crimson Cup Coffee Houses. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com. TDn2K announced today that Scott Hicks, data strategy professional, joined the Dallas-based team in the newly created position of chief information officer. Hicks has a proven track record of implementing transformation solutions that enable companies to harness their data assets. He will contribute toward strategic planning of business objectives and ensure technology systems and processes drive results aligned with the organizations initiatives. I have partnered with the TDn2K team several times over my career because they offer a level of industry knowledge I couldnt find elsewhere, said Scott Hicks. Im drawn to companies that leverage data to give their clients a competitive advantage and TDn2K has built a suite of products that provide restaurant operators with a unique level of insight into their performance and their marketplace. I look forward to working with the team to continue their long track record of innovation and growth. Scott brings relevant, crucial expertise and experience to TDn2K. His business background across a range of technology functions makes him a strong and important addition to our leadership team, said Kelli Valade, president and chief executive officer at TDn2K. He will be a key player as our team continues to grow, innovate and execute our strategy. Joni and I are delighted that Scott is joining our team as we continue our work to elevate the business practices of the restaurant industry. We have admired his career and contributions for many years, added Wally Doolin, co-founder and chairman at TDn2K. Prior to his work as a data strategy consultant, Hicks served as the senior director of data strategy at Snag (previously Snagajob), a platform for hourly work with more than 60 million active job seekers and job opportunities at 300,000 employer locations in the US and Canada. While at Snag, his role evolved from a pure business intelligence function to an enterprise data strategy position. He managed a cross-functional team of DBAs, data architects, data scientists, data engineers, product managers and analysts tasked with driving faster product innovation and decision making throughout the organization. In his role, he will oversee operations, infrastructure and security, quality assurance and a team of developers. He will play a vital role in the evolution of the success and growth of TDn2K and its products & services. TDn2K (Transforming Data into Knowledge) is the leading insights & knowledge provider of restaurant industry human resources, financial performance and consumer insights data through their products People Report, Black Box Intelligence and White Box Social Intelligence. TDn2K allows organizations to leverage benchmarked data to achieve best-in-class performance results. TDn2K currently tracks, analyzes and benchmarks the largest database of real restaurant data in the US that includes 300 companies, 2.6 million employees and nearly $72 billion in annual revenue. TDn2K also produces the Global Best Practices Conference held annually each January in Dallas, Texas. Denver, CO, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) will continue its efforts to keep higher education affordable after the Colorado State Legislature recently approved $120 million in higher education funding. As a direct result, CCCS announced tuition for its 13 colleges around the state will not increase for the 2019-2020 academic year. It was also announced that the 13 college foundations and the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges will award nearly $6.5 million in scholarships to approximately 4,000 students to achieve their higher education goals within the community college system. This funding was provided through philanthropic gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and organizations as well as grants from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative. We applaud the commitment to higher education shown by Gov. Polis and legislature and will match that commitment by continuing to provide the most affordable option for quality higher education in the state, said Chancellor Joe Garcia. This commitment is furthered by our ongoing dedication to not only increasing access to higher education, but ensuring our students succeed in achieving the higher education goals they have set for themselves within our system. The CCCS announcements come after a busy legislative session, where the Legislature also passed HB19-1196 as another means of removing barriers to accessing higher education. CCCS supported this bill which will ultimately provide Colorado high school students with access to in-state tuition and financial aid, regardless of their citizenship status. Heading into the next year, CCCS will also continue to prioritize Open Educational Resources (OER) that allow students to access educational content online for little to no-cost. This summer marks the launch of two new Z-Degrees, or Zero Textbook Degrees, through CCCOnline, resulting in full degree options that do not require the purchase of a textbook and instead leverage low or no-cost materials to support coursework. CCCS (through CCCOnline) is the first institution in Colorado to offer these degrees. The cost of textbooks is an ongoing issue for our students, said Chancellor Garcia. We are committed to affordability and that means removing one of the greatest financial barriers to higher education. These degrees will offer yet another affordable pathway for our students to succeed. To learn more about CCCS and its colleges, visit www.cccs.edu. ### Data Vault Alliance Dan Linstedt, inventor of Data Vault 2.0 and renowned expert in data warehousing and BI implementation, today launched the Data Vault Alliance. Today, at the World Wide Data Vault Consortium, Dan Linstedt, inventor of Data Vault 2.0 and renowned expert in data warehousing and BI implementation launched the Data Vault Alliance, a new global community which seeks to unite Data Vault experts, vendors and practitioners, and enhance expertise and sharing of best practices for Data Vault 2.0 use within IT organizations worldwide. The Data Vault Alliance will connect data professionals involved with Data Vault initiatives, and offers training, certification and other Data Vault 2.0 resources in an online venue to help organizations build Data Vault 2.0 competency and increase project success rates. It is increasingly being adopted by data warehousing teams of all sizes given the methodologys strong resiliency to business and technology change, improved scalability and data consistency. Linstedt is working with industry partners to develop the new community, including premier partner, WhereScape, the leading provider of data infrastructure automation software and expert in Data Vault 2.0 Automation. Data vault automation software, like WhereScape Data Vault Express, fast-tracks data vault projects while ensuring teams adhere to Data Vault 2.0 principles. Linstedt has stated data vault automation is key to organizations reaping the benefits of Data Vault 2.0 as quickly as possible. Members of the Data Vault Alliance will receive access to education, tools and resources that will empower them to learn, practice and innovate in the use of Data Vault 2.0. Through the Data Vault Alliance website http://www.datavaultalliance.com members can access world-class training, professional development certifications, organizational assessment tools, directories of authorized Data Vault 2.0 vendors and mentoring opportunities. The website will also host both a business channel and a technical channel to assist members in the understanding and use of Data Vault 2.0 throughout an organization. Communities are powerful entities. The Data Vault Alliance will create an impactful network of like-minded professionals that can support each other in the journey to learn and build agile, scalable and sustainable business intelligence programs, said Dan Linstedt, founder and chief executive of the Data Vault Alliance. It has long been my goal to extend the reach of the collaboration we witness each year on-site at the World Wide Data Vault Consortium to more data vault practitioners in an online venue. With the Data Vault Alliance, data warehousing teams new to Data Vault and pursuing Data Vault projects will greatly benefit from the past experience of those most successful with the Data Vault 2.0 methodology, said Mark Budzinski, CEO at WhereScape. We see every day the impact that data vault automation has in shrinking the timelines associated with Data Vault projects. Were looking forward to sharing those successes and learning from others within the Data Vault Alliance. A Platinum sponsor of the World Wide Data Vault Consortium, WhereScape will host a hands-on lab during the conference on Tuesday afternoon, May 21. Attendees will be able to test drive WhereScape Data Vault Express and see why organizations are investing in data vault automation to speed up success. More about data vault automation can be found here. To learn more about the Data Vault Alliance, view this video interview with Dan Linstedt. Those interested in learning more about the Data Vault Alliance and its benefits can register here. About the Data Vault Alliance: The Data Vault Alliance is a global community of Data Vault experts, vendors and practitioners with the common mission to share best practices and resources supporting the successful use of Data Vault 2.0 within IT organizations worldwide. Founded by Data Vault creator Daniel Linstedt, http://www.datavaultalliance.com provides the Data Vault 2.0 learning resources, vendor directories and community forums needed to make the most of the Data Vault 2.0 system of business intelligence. For more information, please visit http://www.datavaultalliance.com. About WhereScape: WhereScape helps IT organizations of all sizes leverage automation to design, develop, deploy, and operate data infrastructure faster. More than 700 customers worldwide rely on WhereScape automation to eliminate hand-coding and other repetitive, time-intensive aspects of data infrastructure projects to deliver data warehouses, data vaults, data lakes and data marts in days or weeks rather than in months or years. WhereScape has offices in Portland, Oregon; Reading, UK; Auckland, New Zealand; and Singapore. For more information, please visit http://www.wherescape.com. Logo A-24 hour notary public agency that provides mobile notary and apostille services by traveling to your location, whether you are located at a hospital, office, or at home. We serve the Washington DC area, Northern VA and Southern MD. Notary services are something any business needs when they are dealing with multiple documents. Due to the fact that documents have to be notarized after an extensively elaborate procedure that requires a lot of driving and knocking on doors, its not something anyone really wants to do. Well now you wont have to. DC Mobile Notary brings you such services right to your doorstep and allows you to have your documents notarized while sitting right at your desk. The way DC Mobile Notary works is quite simple. They require you to fill out a form and give your details, with regular contact also helping. Once you have contacted DC Mobile Notary, they will set you up with a representative or agent that fits what you need and help them drive down to your selected place of meeting. Once the meeting is set up, the rest will prove to be smooth sailing. The designated DC Mobile Notary agent is going to be handling your documents every step of the way and is going to return them once they have been notarized the way you want them to be. The payments come afterwards. You dont have to pay for the service until you get results. What sets DC Mobile Notary apart from all other similar services is the fact that they are designed to bring the services to you rather than you going to them. You simply have to call in and ask for an appointment, and from there you can leave the rest to your tested notary agent. If youre tired of moving muscles for something like this, DC Mobile Notary has you covered well enough in a way thats going to appeal to you and make you call back again and again. Along with notary services, DC Mobile Notary also offers apostilles on documents from 116 countries. If you want to make those documents relevant inside the US, just call on DC Mobile Notary. During your appointment, just explain what you want and hand over the documents. From thereon, the DC Mobile Notary agent assigned to you will take the documents to court for attestation and then have them approved by the government authority in charge of them. This way customers can have their crucial apostilles signed for them without having to go out the office. DC Mobile Notary provides service that are designed to help. They are simple, thorough, and effective. What makes them successful, and what puts DC Mobile Notary at the very top in such services, is how customer oriented their services are. In order to make this easy for the customers, they not just take payments after the work has been completed, but also offer various modes of payments to make the process easier for customers. Its a firm that functions to make its customers lives easy. R3 Stem Cell (844) GET-STEM In the interview, Dr. David Greene with R3 Stem Cell explains just how safe the procedures have been at their nationwide Centers. In addition, just like many others interviewed in the documentary stated, results have been fantastic to date. Dr. David Greene, Founder and CEO of R3 Stem Cell, was interviewed for a recent acclaimed documentary. The documentary, Stem Cell Therapy: Biotechnology to the Rescue, was produced by Award Winning filmmaker Dr. Elliott Haimoff. In the documentary, which is an hour long, Dr. Greene was interviewed in regards to the safety of the procedures along with the potential for helping patients avoid potentially risky surgeries. The documentary touches on the history of stem cells, along with the current potential for the clinical use of stem cells. R3 Stem Cell currently has 38 centers of excellence nationwide that have collectively performed over 11,000 regenerative cell procedures with stem cells, growth factors, exosomes, cytokines and secretomes. The outcomes to date have been exceptional for several conditions, and recently the company became the first nationwide to achieve IRB approval for seven different condition categories using umbilical and amniotic tissue. According to Dr. Greene, the documentary does a very nice job of showing how academic researchers often lag behind innovative technologies in clinical practice. In all the R3 Centers where procedures are done, no patients have had a significant adverse event. They have been very safe, and many lives have been changed with the regenerative cell procedures. In addition, the documentary discusses the "raging battle" between academics and medical practitioners. Medical doctors are using the technology successfully, and several providers in the documentary explained that there are clinical trial results available. They just aren't large studies. In the documentary, Elliott spoke with many leading researchers, practicing, doctors, patients and those with significant industry experience such as Dr. Greene. Over ten people interviewed in the documentary discussed just how many improvements they have personally seen in patients. This included Dr. Mary Gendy of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who said she thought it would be a "disservice not to offer it to her patients." Currently, a 12 minute abridged version of the hour long documentary can be viewed on the R3 Stem Cell website. This is where Dr. Greene's interview footage appears. R3's Centers have been at the forefront of offering umbilical cord stem cell therapy along with other regenerative procedures that have been safe, nonsurgical and entail absolutely minimal downtime. For those interested in learning more about regenerative cell therapies using stem cells, growth factors, exosomes and cytokines, visit https://R3StemCell.com or call (844) GET-STEM. Dynavac is pleased to announce that it was named 2019 Subcontractor of the Year for Region 1, New England by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This coveted accolade is awarded to small businesses that have provided the government and industry with exceptional goods and services as subcontractors. The nomination for the award was made by the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Lincoln Laboratory in recognition of Dynavacs contributions in expanding their environmental test capabilities. Dynavac president and CEO Tom Foley accepted the award on May 8th at the annual SCORE Boston / SBA awards luncheon at Assumption College, along with other 2019 Massachusetts Small Business awardees. Its a tremendous honor to be chosen by the SBA for this distinguished award, said Foley. Over the past two decades, Dynavac has proudly supported a number of mission-critical projects across an array of industries. It goes without saying that these accomplishments would not have been possible without our outstanding team of employees who invest their talent, expertise and creativity here every day. This award is a direct reflection of their dedication. It is an honor to recognize the important work Dynavac has contributed to United States space exploration and defense programs, said SBA Massachusetts District Director, Robert Nelson. Large- scale production and innovation at the federal-level isnt possible without partners such as Dynavac. Congratulations to the entire team at Dynavac! The SBA award comes on the heels of Dynavac marking 20 years of achievement as a privately held organization led by Tom Foley. The company was launched in 1999 with a five-person team with a vision to expand its product offerings into several niche markets. Since then, Dynavac has enjoyed steady growth momentum, earning a global reputation for producing high-vacuum systems with complex manufacturing and testing processes. Notably, Dynavac has supported several high-profile space exploration and defense programs, including the International Space Station, James Webb Space Telescope, Global Positioning System, and Orion. The companys 100 employees were honored at a gala held in March where they were celebrated for their participation in making Dynavac a success. About Dynavac Dynavac has been designing and manufacturing high-vacuum systems for space simulation, thin film deposition, and custom applications for over 30 years. Dynavac engineers are recognized throughout the industry for their expertise in high vacuum technology, machine design, and process technology. Its engineering expertise is matched by its extensive U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, including a 80,000-sq.-ft. facility in Hingham, MA. Dynavac supports installations for customers in a wide variety of industries around the world, visit http://www.dynavac.com "With the appointment of one of the world's foremost experts on security investigations as CISO, we are excited to be able to deliver expertise and infrastructure that can support data security challenges presented by advanced technologies and expanding compliance requirements." HaystackID, a specialized eDiscovery services firm that helps corporations and law firms find, listen, and learn from data when facing complex, data-intensive investigations and litigation, today announced the promotion and appointment of John Wilson to the company's newly created role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). In this role, Wilson will be responsible for extending the company's information security program to support international expansion and infrastructure investments concentrated on data security and privacy, technology optimization and continuity, and legal and regulatory compliance. In conjunction with this appointment, computer forensics expert Sergio Garcia has been promoted within HaystackID to Vice President of Forensics. In this role, Garcia will assume leadership of the company's Forensics First Practice from Wilson. CISO John Wilson to Lead InfoSec Efforts An internationally recognized digital evidence expert, Wilson joined HaystackID in 2018 as President of Forensics and brings more than two decades of cybersecurity, computer forensics, and information technology experience to the CISO role. "The growth and internationalization of our business warrants a dedicated and expert focus on information security," shared Hal Brooks, CEO of HaystackID. "With the creation of the CISO position and the appointment of one of the world's foremost experts on security investigations to that role, we are excited to be able to demonstrate and deliver to our customers expertise and infrastructure that can support data security challenges presented by advanced technologies, increasing data volumes, and expanding compliance requirements. John's expertise will be of immediate value to our customers, and we are excited to have him leading our information security efforts." VP of Forensics Sergio Garcia to Lead Forensics First Practice An industry acknowledged eDiscovery technology expert with extensive forensics expertise, Garcia joined HaystackID in 2018 as a senior forensics consultant. In his new role as Vice President of Forensics, Garcia will lead HaystackID's efforts to help customers ensure defensible practices related to computer forensics, records management, eDiscovery, and information governance. He will also be a primary expert for HaystackID's Forensics First Practice. "Sergio's impressive skills in driving the Forensics First support of our customers will continue to be an invaluable asset for HaystackID as we expand and deepen our commitment to providing customers the best computer forensics and investigation technology and talent available," highlighted John Wilson, CISO for HaystackID. "His proven performance in planning, organizing, conducting, and managing complex audits and investigations will be of great and immediate value to customers in his expanded role as Vice President of Forensics." HaystackID's Forensics First Practice provides customers a highly trained team of compliance, computer forensics, and investigation experts with a dedicated focus on helping organizations plan, organize, conduct, and manage complex audits and investigations. This practice also augments and complements HaystackID's current portfolio of Forensic First offerings that include: + Computer Forensic Collections and Analysis + Computer Forensic Expert Witness Testimony + ESI Identification, Collection, and Preservation + ESI Triage Services + Data Discovery Consulting and Management In addition to these Forensics First offerings, customers are also supported by a broad portfolio of legal discovery and document review services as part of HaystackID's Early Case Insight and ReviewRight offerings. About HaystackID HaystackID is a specialized eDiscovery services firm that helps corporations and law firms find, listen, and learn from data when they face complex, data-intensive investigations and litigation. With an earned reputation for mobilizing industry-leading computer forensics, eDiscovery, and attorney document review experts, HaystackID's Forensics First, Early Case Insight, and ReviewRight services accelerate and deliver quality outcomes at a fair and predictable price. Serving more than 500 of the world's leading corporations and law firms from North American and European locations, HaystackID's combination of expertise and technical excellence coupled with a culture of white glove customer service make it the alternative legal services provider that is big enough to matter but small enough to care. Learn more today at HaystackID. HaystackID Media Contact Rob Robinson HaystackID pr(at)HaystackID(dot)com 512-934-7531 HaystackID on Social Media + Twitter (@HaystackID) + LinkedIn SOURCE: HaystackID Joining Clinerions hospital partner network gives EMC Szpitales higher visibility to trial sponsors on their readiness to participate in clinical research on an international level. EMC Szpitale patients will gain better access to clinical care as the Patient Network Explorer draws international clinical studies to the hospital group, directly to the patients who will benefit most from participation in trials. Patients will also benefit from the efficiencies created in the clinical research process by Patient Network Explorer which contribute to getting drugs faster to market. Patient Network Explorers efficiencies include accelerating study protocol development, identifying suitable trial sites, and speeding up patient search and identification for trial enrollment. EMC Szpitale operates 11 hospitals and 19 outpatient clinics, providing primary and specialized medical care to over one million patients across Poland. EMC Szpitale specializations include advanced diagnostics to comprehensive hospital treatment in gastroenterology, rehabilitation, urology, orthopedics, general surgery, gynecology, obstetrics and geriatric care. Currently, the hospital group is running 37 different clinical trials. EMC Szpitale is the first hospital group in Poland to use an artificial intelligence technology supporting oncologists in choosing optimal cancer treatments. With their focus on geriatric care, EMC Szpitale is a partner of the nationwide social campaign Understand Old Age. The hospital group pioneers innovative ways of thinking and operational processes. The implementation of Lean Management at the hospital in Lubin has been recognized with the award for the Innovative Hospital 2017 in the Success of the Year in Healthcare competition. We care for our patients. Everyday. In a better way. Thats why we work to increase interest and enrollment in clinical trials to ultimately ensure greater availability of innovative therapies for our patients, says Anna Szewczuk-Lebska, spokesperson for EMC Szpitale. Sponsors are looking for trials sites with the highest levels of care, therapeutic experience and clinical expertis, says Ian Rentsch, Clinerion CEO. EMC Szpitales broad therapeutic coverage and geographical situation make it a great partner for them and for Clinerion. About Clinerion Clinerion accelerates clinical research and medical access to treatments for patients. We use proprietary technologies for analysis of patient data from our global network of partner hospitals. Clinerion's Patient Network Explorer radically improves the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical trial recruitment by offering data-driven protocol optimization, site feasibility evaluation and real-time patient search and identification to match patients to treatments. Our technology solution provides real-world evidence analytics for medical access. Clinerion facilitates the participation of partner hospitals in leading-edge, industry-sponsored trials and time savings in patient recruitment. We create innovative and disruptive fit-for-purpose solutions which enable pharmaceutical companies to shorten patient recruitment and save costs by streamlining operations and leveraging strategic intelligence. Clinerions proprietary Big Data analytics technologies leverage real-time data from electronic health records which comply with international patient privacy and data security regulations. Clinerion is a global data technology service company headquartered in Switzerland. Clinerion website: http://www.clinerion.com Clinerions Patient Network Explorer: http://www.clinerion.com/index/OverviewOurSolutions/ClinerionPatientNetworkExplorer For more information, please contact: Le Vin Chin Director, Head of Marketing & Communications Clinerion Ltd Elisabethenanlage 11, 4051 Basel, Switzerland Tel.: +41 61 865 60 54 media@clinerion.com About EMC Szpitale EMC Szpitale is a leading hospital group in Poland operating 11 hospitals and 19 outpatient clinics. The group provides care to over one million patients across the country - from primary and specialized medical care, advanced diagnostics to comprehensive hospital treatment. EMC Szpitale excels in gastroenterology, rehabilitation, urology, orthopedics, general surgery, as well as gynecology and obstetrics. EMC Szpitale offers state-of-the-art diagnostics, treatment and care for the elderly in geriatric hospital and multiple long-term care centers. The majority of patients use EMC Szpitale services under the National Health Fund (NFZ). Currently, there are 80 patients in 37 different clinical trials at EMC Szpitale. CCRI website: http://www.emc-sa.pl For more information, please contact: Anna Szewczuk-ebska PR Manager EMC Instytut Medyczny SA al. Slaska 1, Stadion Wrocaw, 54-118 Wrocaw, Poland Tel.: +48 727 600 422 anna.szewczuk-lebska@emc-sa.pl Etheric Networks today announced the availability of redundant, disaster-proof gigabit Business Internet now available in Brisbane. The new service will provide gig-speed Internet to businesses with competitively priced ultra-high speeds to Etherics comprehensive long-range offerings throughout Silicon Valley. With our G7 technology, this enables us to deliver high-quality service in a cost-efficient manner, as we continue to expand the reach and density of our fiber network to support and serve small and enterprise customers, said Etheric CEO Alexander Hagen. "We're excited to enable fast speeds by providing secure and reliable high bandwidth to businesses in and around Brisbane. This new tower is a testament to the exceptional talent of our people at Etheric Networks, and the quality of our advanced network solutions as this validates our growth strategy in and around the Bay Area." Customers who prefer to work with local companies committed to protecting users rights now have a choice for gig speeds, said Hagen. Our fixed wireless solutions are cheaper and faster to deploy than fiber, either as a permanent solution or as a bridge to fiber. The new tower incorporates next-generation technology providing Etheric with the capability to offer fast Internet service for Businesses with speeds to 10 Gbps. Etheric provides gig-speed Internet through an extensive network of fiber and multi-ranged fixed wireless radios transmitting data on extremely high-frequency bands. For more details about Etheric Networks, please visit their website at https://ethericnetworks.com/gigacell-xr-broadband-sign-up or call 650-399-4200. About Etheric Networks Etheric Networks is a leading Internet Service Provider dedicated to delivering fast, reliable, and affordable, connectivity for Business and Residential clients. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Etheric spans the greater Bay Area, using a wholly-owned fiber optic backbone and licensed broadband fixed wireless towers. Factory Expo Home Centers I am very excited to be part of the Factory Expo team. It is a company Ive long admired and I look forward to having a positive impact on its continued growth Factory Expo Home Centers, the nations largest independent retailer of Factory Built Homes announced today that Stuart Pikoff has joined the team as Executive Vice President of Sales, a newly created position for the company. Pikoff, a long-time industry leader with over 25 years of experience in manufactured housing and more than 20 years in Regional Management and Executive Roles is excited to contribute his extensive sales experience and skillset to the continued growth and expansion of the company. I am very excited to be part of the Factory Expo team. It is a company Ive long admired and I look forward to having a positive impact on its continued growth, says Pikoff. Over the years Pikoff has worked with industry leaders in the areas of sales leadership, employee development, and company growth. During his 12 years in the position of Executive VP of Sales for Palm Harbor Homes he paired his abilities in training, hiring, and location development to expand the company market share in the western United States. While at Clayton Homes as a corporate Performance and Learning Consultant, Stuart worked in alignment with Regional Mangers and Executive Vice Presidents to develop effective training programs that enhanced efficiencies for over 125 sales centers. His strategic vision and emphasis on employee development compliments that of Factory Expo Home Centers. The hiring of Pikoff comes after a period of extensive expansion through acquisitions and organic growth. Jim Breen, Owner and CEO comments, Anticipating continued growth weve been seeking an individual possessing a unique background and industry specific skills that align with our objectives, bringing Stuart on board addresses those needs. The Factory Expo Home Center team is pleased to welcome Stuart Pikoff to the company. About Factory Expo: Founded in 1999 and based in Chandler, Arizona, Factory Expo Home Centers provides its customers with distinctive homes and services at competitive prices. Operating 35 sales centers in 15 states the company has sold and shipped over 32,000 homes throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For more information please visit http://www.FactoryExpoHomes.com Fairfax Software Successfully Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance "We are elated to have obtained this distinguished SOC 2 certification. It reflects upon our prolific attention to security awareness and is a testimony to our long-standing tradition of implementing sound security principles in our projects and processes, - Steve Chahal, President & CEO. Fairfax Software, leading provider of business reengineering services to government agencies and companies throughout the United States and Canada, has successfully completed its System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2, Type 2 examination. Fairfax cites that all efforts were completed by a professional and independent third-party audit firm, 360 Advanced. "We are elated to have obtained this distinguished SOC 2 certification. It reflects upon our prolific attention to security awareness and is a testimony to our long-standing tradition of implementing sound security principles in our projects and processes, shares Steve Chahal, President & CEO of Fairfax Software. It also consolidates our position of trust when it comes to hosting and supporting mission-critical financial applications for government and industry." More and more organizations are encouraged to complete their due diligence by verifying that their third-party vendors are maintaining data privacy in a secure and compliant manner. Companies such as Fairfax are making sure to undergo annual audits in order to acquire and retain clients. In our business, we typically are marketing to government clients who usually require bidders to have certain assessment frameworks, such as the SOC 2 report, shares Michael Minter, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fairfax Software. More and more, reports like these are becoming an industry standard. Fairfax Software chose to strengthen their security posture by meeting rigorous compliance criteria as defined by the AICPAs SOC 2 Type 2 framework in a mission to protect their clients data. Completion of the SOC 2 Type 2 examination is widely recognized for demonstrating an organizations commitment to the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, including: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. Companies that undergo annual SOC 2 examinations can demonstrate a substantially higher level of assurance and operationally visibility than those companies who do not, offering Fairfax Software an edge over competitors. For this reason, Fairfax Software has maintained SOC 2 compliance initiatives regularly since 2018. About Fairfax Software: Fairfax was founded in 1994 to provide products, services, and solutions to the data capture, forms processing, and remittance in the commercial and government sectors. Since its inception, Fairfax continues its focus on this primary niche area of expertise by continued expansion of its product line and services offered to assist its clients in achieving efficiencies in their operations. Fairfax builds its core products based on technological advancements in the imaging, character recognition, document workflow, and payment processing fields to provide innovative solutions to address real world business challenges. Fairfax solutions aim at offering an integration approach within larger end user systems. Such seamless integration can be performed by Fairfax, the end-user, or a third-party system integrator, as needed to meet the objectives and requirements of the client. To maintain client satisfaction, Fairfax embraces a client-centric management approach. In this approach, Fairfax commits to their partners and clients a program manager and project engineers to provide functional systems and integration on-site within the clients environment. Fairfax provides business reengineering services to government agencies and companies throughout the United States and Canada. The business process reengineering occurs before the system is designed or installed and is part of the overall system design methodology and philosophy for clients to streamline operations after deployment in the business reengineering domain and implementation of solutions coupled with reengineered guidelines. Fairfaxs products and solutions process hundreds of millions of forms and checks, which includes check 21 processing and depositing for clients. Fairfax is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with several satellite offices throughout the United States. Media Contact: Michael Minter, Vice President Sales and Marketing mminter(at)fairfaxsoftware.com 877-627-8325 About 360 Advanced: 360 Advanced is a national Cybersecurity Compliance Audit firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Services provided include Penetration Testing, GDPR, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, SOC for Cybersecurity, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, HITRUST CSF, Microsoft Vendor Policy, and more. In certain states, 360 Advanced may operate under the name of Hiestand, Brand, Loughran, P.A. to meet AICPA requirements. To learn more about 360 Advanced, visit http://www.360advanced.com. For more information on compliance solutions, email info(at)360advanced.com. Media Contact: Jordanne LePre jlepre(at)360advanced.com Weve grown our audience engagement exponentially by continuing to innovate and create the experience used equipment buyers want. MachineryPete.com, the fastest-growing marketplace for buyers and sellers of used farm equipment, reported April 2019 to be another record-breaking month for traffic. More than 1.3 million farmers and dealers viewed 6.5 million pages when searching for used equipment a 38 percent increase in site traffic in just one year. The numbers speak for themselves, said Kevin Doyle, CEO of MachineryPete.com. Weve grown our audience engagement exponentially by continuing to innovate and create the experience used equipment buyers want. This increase in traffic is delivering huge increases in exposure for our dealer partners. The net result is more farmers shopping equipment dealers listings. Research shows Machinery Pete is the most recognized name related to used farm equipment. In partnership with Farm Journal, the companys powerful multimedia strategy keeps the brand top-of-mind by influencing farmers with a variety of touch points, including radio, television, print and online. MachineryPete.com continues to see surges in site traffic and overall engagement as a result of providing the best marketplace experience for agricultural equipment and helping farmers find what they need, when they need it. The company has increased its prominence in Google search results over time and ranks in the top organic positions for most of the search queries for used equipment. With strong organic growth comes stronger brand awareness, which has resulted in more shoppers understanding that MachineryPete.com is a major destination for used equipment shopping, Doyle said. About Machinery Pete LLC MachineryPete.com is the fastest-growing marketplace for buyers and sellers of used farm equipment, offering farmers a vast selection of equipment listings in one place with innovative search tools that make it easy and fast to find relevant equipment. Founded in 1989 by Greg Peterson, Machinery Pete has come a long way since its beginnings in his home office in Rochester, Minn., where he passionately researched, tracked and reported on auction prices. In 2014, Farm Journal and Machinery Pete partnered to provide a more efficient marketplace for buying and selling used agricultural equipment. In July 2015, MachineryPete.com launched its marketplace with leading-edge marketing solutions for dealers, informed and built with the online equipment shopper in mind, creating meaningful connections between buyers and sellers. The company is headquartered in Chicago. About Farm Journal Farm Journal is the nations leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 141 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; business magazines; live events including conferences, seminars and trade shows; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile text marketing business and an array of data-driven paid information products. Farm Journal also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the company established the non-profit, public charity Farm Journal Foundation dedicated to sustaining agricultures ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment. Falls Church, Virginia, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Azzad Asset Management, a socially responsible, faith-based registered investment advisor, announced today that its Muslim clients are expected to donate approximately $6.7 million in charity during the holy month of Ramadan. Azzad reports Islamically mandated charitable totals, or zakah, to clients in an annual statement issued during the month of Ramadan. Many Muslims choose to pay zakah during Ramadan--a month of fasting, worship, and giving--which began this year on May 6. The firm is an advocate of Islamic investing principles, including zakah calculation, and regularly educates the American Muslim community on the topic. The third pillar of Islam, zakah--sometimes spelled zakat--is an obligation that practicing Muslims pay on assets held for a full lunar year. Zakah should be assessed on accumulated wealth in order to encourage the free flow of capital and avoid a concentration of resources among the very few. Zakah is not a tax on income, but on wealth and savings in order to help those in need. Azzad follows best practices and guidelines issued by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). AAOIFI is a consortium of Muslim scholars who convene to issue guidelines on halal investing and other financial matters. AAOIFI Standard Number 35, which outlines specific guidance on zakah, is considered the authority for Islamic financial services firms. About Azzad Asset Management Since 1997, Azzad Asset Management has provided investment services designed to help clients enjoy optimum performance without compromising their values. Based in Falls Church, Virginia, Azzad is a member of the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. Fermat Software, LLC a software development consulting firm with offices in Round Rock, TX and Des Moines, IA, announced today that it had been certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to participate in the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program. The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. These preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification in part by employing staff who live in a HUBZone. Each year, the U.S. Federal Government has a goal of awarding 3% of all dollars for federal prime contracts to HUBZone-certified small business. Khurram Qureshi, the firm's CEO, stated, "We are excited to be certified by the SBA as a HUBZone entity. The certification emphasizes our commitment and contribution to economically disadvantaged areas. Coupled with our existing GSA Schedule 70 award, we will be able to better serve our federal and commercial partners." About Fermat Software Fermat Software, LLC is a HUBZone certified small business providing software development consulting services to both commercial and government clients. Our core competencies are custom software development and cyber information assurance across a variety of domains and industries. For further information, please visit http://www.fermatsoftware.com We are so pleased to bring together women from all walks of life to an evening of education, inspiration and community building for the Bigger Dreams that we all have in our hearts and minds, said Marilyn Suey. The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors is pleased to announce that Marilyn Suey with partner, Ora Citron are co-hosting the Spring Savvy Women Summit Taking Control of Their Work, Their Wealth and Their Worth - Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019 at the Blackhawk Museum, from 4:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. This Springs Savvy Women Summit features our keynote speaker, the Honorable Catharine Baker, who served as our assemblywoman for CSA District 16. Our Savvy Spotlight speakers are Traci Engle, Author and Business Entrepreneur and Gitti Lindner, artist and business owner, who will share their dynamic stories touching on Work, Wealth and Worth. In addition, the Savvy Women Community has selected The Bread Project as one of its 2019 charities of choice spotlighting Pamela Calloway, Executive Director, sharing the impact of their mission as part of the Savvy Spotlight. The Bread Project, educates and supports low income students to find meaningful jobs in the restaurant and baking industry. Their tag line, Baking Through Barriers will inspire the audience with the many success stories about their students. The evening will also highlight breakout sessions that will have more in-depth conversations on taking control of Your Work, Your Wealth and Your Worth. We are so pleased to bring together women from all walks of life to an evening of education, inspiration and community building for the Bigger Dreams that we all have in our hearts and minds, said Marilyn Suey. What has sprung from a little book called, 36 Quick Tips for Savvy Women - Taking Control of Their Work, Their Wealth and Their Worth, has made an enormous impact on our community". I look forward to sharing my thoughts on collaboration and bi-partisanship in our community and at all levels of government, said Catharine Baker, retired assemblywoman, California State Assembly, District 16. The education, inspiration and connection among women is so very important now and in the future. The Savvy Women Community, in its fifth year, supports women to Dream Bigger, Dream Bolder for a Brighter Future, bringing together successful business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs, from the entire San Francisco Bay Area. To RSVP to the Savvy Women Spring Social Summit click on this link: http://www.diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com/events or contact Kelley Sastokas at: 925-219-0080 or at kelley.sastokas@diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com About The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors is an independent wealth management firm that empowers its clients to design and define their ideal lifestyles starting today, for tomorrow and for life. We follow a disciplined planning process that enables our clients to build their customized Prosperity Blueprint guiding them as they travel on their path toward financial independence. Our clients understand that their wealth is more than their money. Working with us-using our Prosperity Blue Print Process, we help guide our clients to take care of their families, and the people and causes they care about deeply. http://www.diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com The financial consultants at The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors are registered representative with, and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Strategic Wealth Advisors Group, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Strategic Wealth Advisors Group, LLC. and The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors are separate entities from LPL Financial. Marilyn Suey CA Insurance License #0E01981. Ora Citron CA Insurance License #0D87132. About the Honorable Catharine Baker Assemblywoman Catharine Baker represented the 16th Assembly District from 2014 through 2018. During her legislative tenure, Catharine developed a reputation as an independent, bipartisan voice in the Legislature, fostering collaboration that lead to breakthroughs in significant legislation, particularly on the environment, transportation, and government accountability. Catharine is a Board Director with California Women Lead, a non-partisan non-profit that helps women seek appointed and elected office. She also serves as Board Advisor to Tri-Valley APAPA (Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs), and as Board Director to the Diablo Regional Arts Association. Catharine earned her B.A. degree from the University of Chicago, overcoming cancer her senior year to graduate Phi Beta Kappa and with honors, and she later went on to earn her J.D. degree from UC Berkeley School of Law. Catharine is a native Californian. She is married to her college sweetheart, Dan Baker, and they currently live in Dublin, California, with their school-age twins. About The Bread Project Our Vision The Bread Projects vision is to lead work-readiness, employment support & professional development programs for marginalized individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area, and to be a model for this work nationwide. When thousands of low-income, chronically unemployed adults are able to make a successful transition to employment and have ongoing access to further education to increase their economic opportunities, they improve not only their own lives but those of their families and communities, for generations to come. The Bread Project is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tax ID 94-3363920 Vinitaly International Academy Ambassador Course in New York New Yorks VIA Italian Wine Ambassador course (June 26-30) will present its reformatted tasting-intensive program to New York audiences for the first time. In the trend-setting New York wine scene, VIA will also offer a new module on Italian biodynamic wine. Vinitaly International Academy is the provider of highly-specialized education and training about Italian wine to industry professionals worldwide, systematically conducting advanced courses that cater to those who have made wine their career. These professionals operate in various areas of the beverage sector around the globe (sales, imports, marketing, wine-making and enology, education, and the restaurant and hospitality businesses, among others) and carry enormous potential to spread awareness and educate consumers in their home markets about Italian wines. The US is still the largest Italian wine importer in the world and Italian wine specialists are constantly in demand. Italian wine often enjoys notoriety because it is associated with the Made in Italy brand and the Italian lifestyle. Among wine professionals, it is at times perceived as complex, due to the number of indigenous grape varieties (over 590 officially recognized), the highest number of PDO and PGI wines in the world, and a great variety of terroirs. Vinitaly International Academy programs help wine professionals unpack, understand, and appreciate Italys outstanding biodiversity and ancient viticultural traditions. Courses offer in-depth and systematic training through lectures, intense tasting sessions, group work, and a final exam. The forthcoming New Yorks edition of the Italian Wine Ambassador course is the 14th edition overall as well as the first time in which VIA will present its reformatted version of the program to New York audiences. The courses location, the 3 West Club on 51st street, is right in the heart of the Big Apple, just a stones throw from Central Park, Manhattan and the Upper West side. The course, organized with the support of ICE Italian Trade Agency, is scheduled to run over a five-day period, with the fifth day being allocated for the final exam. The week comprises restructured lectures about the 20 regions in Italy and their iconic denominations, warm-up sessions on key topics (e.g. the importance of the Sangiovese and Nebbiolo grape in Italy) and tasting sessions which have doubled-up in the new format. Paul Caputo, UK Wine writer, merchant, sommelier, and VIA Ambassador certified in the latest Verona edition, comments on the lectures: I think the most valuable aspect of the VIA Italian Wine Ambassador certification course is the deep dive into the different appellations with informative and detailed look into the soils, altitudes, and micro climates of Italy. The tasting part of the VIA training is another component that has been strongly enhanced and systematized. After the theory classes, VIA Faculty members lead tastings of Italian wines discussed during the lectures. The guided tasting sessions are then followed by Walk-Around Tastings, a buffet-style smorgasbord of Italian wines offered by the VIA Supporters. The variety of wine labels is one of the new course features that encourages students to independently work on their tasting skills while also increasing their exposure to more Italian wine brands. Since the implementation of the new tasting-intensive format, candidates have been tasting between 120 and 150 Italian wine labels per course held abroad. May Matta-Aliah, New York-based Italian Wine Ambassador and educator who took the course in Verona last March, comments on this increased training in tasting: The best part of the course was tasting all the different kinds of wine and learning more in 4 days that Ive learned in 4 years, thanks also to amazing wine educators. I look forward to being able to take this knowledge back to New York City to share it with my students. Finally, another new aspect to the course is the video group project that encourages peer bonding among candidates and enhances their communication skills. In the trend-setting New York wine scene which is alert to the organic, biodynamic, and natural wine market niches, VIA will also offer Ambassador students in New York a new module on Italian biodynamic wine led by biodynamic wine writer Monty Waldin. Waldin is the author of several award-winning monographs such as The Organic Wine Guide (Thorsons, 1998); Biodynamic Wines (Octopus Publishing Group, 2003); Biodynamic Wines (Infinite Ideas, 2016). He is also a contributor to Jancis Robinsons Oxford Companion to Wine and U.K. wine magazine Decanter. Based in Tuscany, Italy, where he also works as a consultant for wineries, Waldin has a deep knowledge of the Italian wine world and also hosts a weekly podcast show entirely dedicated to Italian wine producers (the Italian Wine Podcast). For those interested in learning more about the VIA Italian Wine Ambassador course, additional details and the application form can be found on the Vinitaly International Academy website. Applications are due within two weeks. Queries can be addressed also by emailing via(at)vinitalytour(dot)com. About: The grand Vinitaly 2019 will be held from April 7th to the 10th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers, which will be held on the 6th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the fourteenth edition of its Certification Course and today counts 190 Italian Wine Ambassadors and 14 Italian Wine Experts. Harleigh Cemetery in Camden County New Jersey Establishing a dedicated burial ground and proper resting place for the lives lost while making the greatest sacrifice for our country is something that the board and county is committed to. -Louis Cicalese, President Trustee of Harleigh Cemetery On Monday, May 27th, Harleigh Cemetery and the Camden County Veterans Cemetery will honor the lives of the brave men and women of the armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice at the annual Memorial Day service organized by the Camden County Freeholder Board. The service will honor the lives of the heroes lost and pay respect to the families of the fallen, showing gratitude for the selfless sacrifices both the families and the fallen have given serving with the United States military. The cemetery itself provides families and visitors a peaceful, historical and beautiful environment to remember and honor the lives of their loved ones. Harleigh Cemetery and the Camden County Veterans Cemetery overlook the Cooper River and stands as one of the most respected cemeteries in the region due to its natural beauty and historical prominence. Harleigh Cemetery established the Camden County Veterans Cemetery on the grounds which was dedicated in 2007 by Camden County. As one of the oldest cemeteries in New Jersey, it was listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic places in 1995. The Veterans Cemetery at Harleigh is the final resting place for hundreds of fallen soldiers, including 300 civil war veterans. This annual memorial service is important to the community, families, and the soldiers who lost treasured friends and fellow soldiers. On the service, Louis Cicalese, President of the Harleigh Cemetery Board of Trustees says, Establishing a dedicated burial ground and proper resting place for the lives lost while making the greatest sacrifice for our country is something that the board and county is committed to, said Cicalese. We proudly serve the families and community of Camden County. During the memorial service, veterans will receive medals in reverence for their courageous service. About Harleigh Cemetery Harleigh Cemetery was established in 1885 and is the final resting place to hundreds of veterans, including 300 Civil War veterans. The cemetery is also the resting place of acclaimed poet, Walt Whitman. It is located on over 150 acres of land that features lakes, hills and thousands of beautiful trees. In 2000, Louis Cicalese was appointed to the Board of the Harleigh Cemetery Association, becoming the youngest to hold the position in the cemeterys 100-year history. We take learning opportunities like this IDUG conference very seriously as DBAs and mainframe professionals are retiring at rates faster than new professionals are entering the industry. Education is key towards keeping the industrys computing workhorse alive and thriving. Infotel, a leading global software vendor of data performance and optimization solutions for IBM Db2 on z/OS, today announced its sponsorship of the 2019 IDUG Db2 Tech Conference in Charlotte, N.C. from June 2-6. Infotel will sponsor this event as a vendor exhibitor (booth #1), and host a speaking session titled, Improving Db2 Application Quality for Optimizing Performance and Controlling Costs. The conference will take place at the Sheraton Charlotte, and throughout the five days of sessions, attendees will experience educational sessions, workshops, over 100 hours of technical sessions, and expert panel discussions with leaders in the field. IDUG is one of the industrys most important organizations for Db2 professionals, said Carlos Almeida, business analyst at Tampa, Fla.-based Infotel Corp. We take learning opportunities like this IDUG conference very seriously as DBAs and mainframe professionals are retiring at rates faster than new professionals are entering the industry. Education is key towards keeping the industrys computing workhorse (IBM z/OS) alive and thriving. Todays data management professionals are tasked with more work to do with less budget, and the most experienced and talented members of the workforce are retiring. A 2014 Unisphere Research survey reported nearly 40 percent of data professionals say they will be leaving the field in the next decade, as evidenced by the 281 respondents surveyed, 70 percent of whom were older than 45 years of age. These statistics are troubling for an industry set to reach $22 billion by 2023. Thought-Leadership from Infotel Corp. at IDUG Charlotte Part of Infotel Corp.s sponsorship at IDUG will include a vendor speaking session from Db2 expert Craig S. Mullins of Mullins Consulting, Inc. The session will feature the role of DevOps as steward of software development acceleration for Db2 and discuss the origins and other operational aspects of DevOps. Craig S. Mullins Speaking Session Details: Title: Improving Db2 Application Quality for Optimizing Performance and Controlling Costs | Session #6445 Where: Sheraton Charlotte, N.C., Mecklenburg Room 3 When: Tuesday June 4 | 10:40 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. Speakers: Craig S. Mullins, Db2 Consultant & Carlos Almeida, Infotel Account Manager More Info: Event Details Mullins and Infotels presentation will focus on cost saving strategies for Db2 for z/OS but adopting technology and practices that improve efficiency. The presentation will also cover how to improve Db2 app performance and availability; how Db2 code quality affects performance and EUX; how to avoid runaway MIPS consumption, and more. Mullins will also be giving away two signed copies of his book A Guide to Db2 Performance for Application Developers, currently available on Amazon.com, in the Infotel booth (#1) from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m, on June 4th. Visitors to the Infotel booth will have a chance to consult with Mullins on topics related to Db2 on z/OS during this time. DevOps practices and procedures emerged from the need to increase the velocity of software delivery, says Mullins. But the automated tooling first focused on managing application development, causing mounting pressure on the DBAs dealing with shorter dev cycles and demands for faster innovation from the business side of the enterprise. Well discuss how this impacts DBAs and developers in Charlotte at IDUG. New Products from Infotel Corp. at IDUG Charlotte At IDUG Charlotte, N.C., Infotel will feature its latest products for containing and controlling costs for Db2 applications on z/OS. DB/IQ is a SQL-for-Db2 code quality assurance software solution that automatically checks code and optimizes it before the Db2 app reaches the production stage. For apps already in production, the solution can check and optimize the code without having to take the application out of production. iDBA-Online is Infotels latest software release that uses Artificial Intelligence to automate and optimize Db2 maintenance tasks for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Clients using the optimization solution are seeing as much as 10 percent savings on Db2 maintenance costs. Both solutions are designed with the DBA and developers in mind to save costs and reduce workload, ensuring they have the time to focus on more strategic tasks that impact the numbers of the business. To learn more about Infotel and their Db2 optimization solutions, visit infotel.com/us or reach out directly at software(at)infotel.com. More info on IDUG Charlotte can be found at http://www.idug.org/page/na2019. About Infotel Infotel Corp., based in Tampa, Florida, is a software vendor and IT consulting firm specializing in data performance and optimization solutions for the Mainframe z/OS platform. For more than 40 years, Infotel has delivered proven solutions to help clients improve their data management systems. For more information on Infotel Corp., please visit https://www.infotel.com/us/. About IDUG The International Db2 Users Group (IDUG) is an independent, not-for-profit, user-run organization whose mission is to support and strengthen the information services community by providing the highest quality education and services designed to promote the effective utilization of Db2. About Craig S. Mullins Craig S. Mullins is president & principal consultant of Mullins Consulting, Inc. and the publisher/editor of The Database Site. He has more than 30 years of experience in all facets of database systems development including creating and teaching database classes, systems analysis and design, data analysis, database and system administration, performance management, and data modeling. Participants gather for group shot at Invention Convention US Nationals 2018 with Professor Prototype, Patricia Mooradian, Mo Rocca and Danny Briere courtesy KMS Photography Invention Convention advances the vision of a world in which all learners have access to innovation, invention and entrepreneurial learning to gain the confidence and skills to control their own destiny On May 30-31, more than 500 award-winning K-12 inventors from across the nation and around the world will gather at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation to compete for top awards in youth invention at The Henry Fords Invention Convention U.S. Nationals presented by United Technologies Corp. The event provides students in grades K-12 an interactive and interdisciplinary opportunity to use the invention process to create and pitch an original product at a national convention. More than 120,000 students from across 23 states and representing four countries, competed for a chance to participate in the national event this year. Invention Convention advances the vision of a world in which all learners have access to innovation, invention and entrepreneurial learning to gain the confidence and skills to control their own destiny, said Patricia Mooradian, president & CEO, The Henry Ford. By providing better access to everyone, regardless of backgrounds and barriers, and by leveraging the power of our collections, we can help change lives and shape a better future. Student inventions are designed to solve problems in their everyday lives to problems we see in the world around us. This year, projects have included an eco-friendlier straw, a better smoke detector, labels designed to help the blind and visually impaired people be more independent and a system that prevents a baby from climbing or falling out of their crib. The Invention Convention plays a critical role in inspiring and nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers that will build the future, said Paul Eremenko, UTC Chief Technology Officer. I am thrilled to see the diversity of the students and ideas that are here. Students earn the opportunity to advance to the invitation-only event by winning regional and state invention competitions across the United States and around the globe. Invention Convention helps to instill problem-identification, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and creativity skills for life to inspire young people to become innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs over the course of their K-12 careers. About The Henry Ford and Invention Convention Worldwide Through its unique museums, collections and innovation learning expertise, The Henry Ford helps individuals of all kinds to unlock their potential and help shape a better future. The Henry Ford leads the Invention Convention Worldwide community and works to make STEM + Invention + Entrepreneurship (STEMIE) learning accessible to educators and students worldwide. As part of our leadership in invention education, The Henry Ford powers events like Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, curriculum and professional development. Kerr Consulting Selected as Fourth Sage Partner Advocate Lynn S. Conley, CPA, explains, At Summit San Diego, Sage announced Kerr Consulting as their fourth Sage Partner Advocate and I found Dave Kerr to be the best match for us. Kerr Consulting has a trusted, reliable reputation and I knew they would help us meet our company vision and goals. Criteria to be selected for this program is very rigorous. Kerr Consulting has a suite of Disruptive Innovation technologies that provide immediate financial impact to business; thus Kerr was selected to help other resellers expand their product and service offerings to their clients. Affiliates can now offer the AnyWare product line, Managed Services, and all of Sage products including: Sage Enterprise Management, Sage Intacct, and Sage Construction. Dave Kerr, CEO, states, After working in this industry for over 30 years, it is a great honor to be selected for this program. Requirements are rigorous and I want to congratulate our employees that are ready to help other resellers achieve Kerr Consultings level of solutions and service to their clients. Kerr Consulting's website (http://www.kerrconsulting.com/partner) has more information about signing up for this program. About Kerr Consulting: Kerr Consulting, a Sage Partner Advocate, has been selected multiple times by Accounting Technology as one of the top installers of Accounting, ERP, and CRM software. They have offices across the country and over 3000+ clients in all 50 states and over 23 countries. Kerr Consulting is ready to assist you with your software and network needs. Kerr Consulting is headquartered in The Woodlands, TX. For more information on Sage Intacct and our other products, please visit http://www.kerrconsulting.com or call us at (281) 364-8783. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. About the AnyWare Product Line APPS-POWERED BY WORK FLOW ANYWARE Ask Kerr about this exciting product line. Integration, efficient, and flexibility make these apps a winning solution. ASSET MANAGEMENT ANYWARE Provides a single point for managing the repair and maintenance of all asset types (machinery, equipment, facilities, buildings, vehicles, etc) and integrates to Sage Enterprise Management (X3). Asset Management AnyWare consists of several linked modules and provides both preventative and predictive maintenance. BANK LINK ANYWARE Focus on your business, not on balancing your cash accounts. Bank Link AnyWare provides a real-time feed from your financial institution and makes your cash balancing task an easy process. ENTERPRISE ANYWARE A pre-configured Enterprise Management solution. Designed for growing companies that need an affordable enterprise ERP solution that will grow with the company. QUALITY CONTROL ANYWARE A complete QC / Certification / Customer Specification module fully integrated with Sage Enterprise Management (X3). Quality Control AnyWare includes specific solutions for Food Safety, Beverage Safety, Pet Food Safety, Pharmaceutical Safety, and Manufacturing Safety. WORKFLOW ANYWARE Moves business processes to a paperless environment and creates a process-based approval structure in the organization for any type of transaction. Questions about a news article you've read? Reach out to the author: contact and available social following information is listed in the top-right of all news releases. We are thrilled about this years speaker lineup, says Tracy Salcido, Vice President of LabRoots, Inc. The field of laboratory testing & automation is growing so rapidly and we are looking forward to hearing from leading experts at this years event. LabRoots, the leading scientific social networking website, offering premier, interactive educational virtual events and webinars, will be hosting its 3rd Annual Laboratory Testing & Automation Virtual Event, a free virtual conference for professionals interested in the most recent technologies for todays labs. Lab automation is a multi-disciplinary approach benefiting from technologies in the lab that facilitate new and improved processes. The conference will cover the following tracks: Life Sciences: Droplet Based Microfluids, Clinical Diagnostics, Empowering Laboratory Automation, and Next Generation Sequencing. Laboratory Testing & Automation 2019, among all of LabRoots events, allows attendees to participate in a global setting with no travel or cost to them. Virtual events remove time and place restrictions and ensure that everyone who wants to participate can do so. This virtual conference also offers increased reach for the global automation community with a high degree of interaction through live-streaming video and chat sessions. During the notable one-day event, participants will be able to hear and learn from academia and industry experts from across the globe. Among the experts, keynote speaker, Dino Di Carlo, PhD, Professor & Vice Chair, Department of Bioengineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, California NanoSystems Institute, Director, Cancer Nanotechnology Prog., University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will kick off the event and discuss Quantum Diagnostics: From Single-Cells to Single-Molecules. Di Carlos research pioneered the use of inertial fluid dynamic effects for the control, separation, and analysis of cells in microfluidic devices. Amid other honors, he has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development award. Working with LabRoots on preparing this seminar, and looking at the content that is going to be provided, its been a great experience and I like the ability to reach this large audience, says Dino Di Carlo, Ph.D., UCLA. Another keynote speaker, Amar Basu, Phd, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering with Joint Appointment in Biomedical Engineering, Track Lead on Smart Health in Cyber-Physical Systems, Wayne State University, will present on Novel Computer Vision System for Integrated Biomolecule and Cell Assays during the Life Sciences track. Basu conducts research at the Microfluidics and Bioinstrumentation lab at Wayne State University. He recently received funding from the National Science Foundation to support his work on microfluidic technologies that will help scientists conduct chemical, genetic and pharmacological tests more quickly. Later in the day, participants will hear from keynote speaker and professor extraordinaire in the arena of microfluidics, David Issadore, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Bioengineering and Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, will lead discussion on Disease with Rare Circulating Extracellular Vesicles: Finding Heterogeneous, Nanoscale Needles in a Nanoscale Haystack during the Clinical Diagnostics track. Issadores multidisciplinary approach on research enables his lab to explore new technologies to bring medical diagnostics from expensive, centralized facilities, directly to clinical and resource-limited settings. To see a complete list of speakers and to register for free, click here. We are thrilled about this years speaker lineup, says Tracy Salcido, Vice President of LabRoots, Inc. The field of laboratory testing & automation is growing so rapidly and we are looking forward to hearing from leading experts at this years event. The online virtual event will be produced on LabRoots robust virtual platform, allowing participants to watch, learn and connect seamlessly across all desktop or mobile devices. Like all LabRoots events, participants can earn free continuing education credits. Following each presentation, viewers can click on the educational credit link provided for that specific speaker and follow the required process. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate for the educational credit. About LabRoots LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, offering top scientific trending news and premier educational virtual events and webinars. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning. We have become a primary source for trending scientific news, webinars, virtual conferences and more. Offering more than articles and webcasts that go beyond the mundane and explore the latest discoveries in the world of science, LabRoots users can stay atop their field by gaining continuing education credits from a wide range of topics through their participation in the webinars and virtual events. Elliot Dinkin, CEO of Cowden Associates, discusses why employers need to understand and communicate pension options to current retirees. In todays business environment, says Dinkin, it is essential for companies to reduce their financial risk. At the same time, for reasons of morale, loyalty, and company reputation, employers need to communicate the importance of this action to their employees. Among the effects of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act on corporate finance is an increased motivation to address problems with defined benefit employee pension plans. In a recent CFO Research/Prudential Financial study, 64% of senior financial executives said they were very likely to use 2018 tax savings to increase funding of their defined benefit employee pension plans. Virtually the same number (62%) said they were very likely to execute a pension risk transfer to an insurance company once the plan became well-funded.[1] This is further indication of the ongoing shift in the U.S. pension benefits landscape, says Elliot Dinkin, President/CEO for Cowden Associates, Inc. and a nationally known expert in actuarial, compensation, and employee benefits issues. As these changes occur, it is essential that employers and employees clearly understand their options. An increasingly common approach to pension plan de-risking is the conversion of an open-ended benefits obligation into a single lump-sum payment.[2] Despite some recent alarmist headlines[3], says Dinkin, a lump sum payment, while not perhaps the most prudent choice for the average retiree, does not represent an evasion of an employers obligation to pay promised retirement benefits. The formula for calculating these payments is strictly specified by the Internal Revenue Service, and applies to all plan participants. An employer may choose to limit the offering for lump-sums to certain retirees, only through non-subjective criteria. Moreover, under the terms of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, an employer cannot force a retiree or former employee to accept a lump-sum payout in lieu of monthly benefits. It is simply offered as an option to eligible plan participants who might be in a position to take advantage of a one-time infusion of capital.[4] The rise of lump-sum payments, notes Dinkin, comes with (and sometimes as part of) a greater use of pension risk transfer (PRT) arrangements, by which employers reassign their benefit obligations to an insurance company. They are both indicators of a widespread trend in the U.S. business sector to lower corporations structural financial risk. A company offering a pension must maintain a separate, audited fund designated to be sufficient to meet its future obligations. As neither human mortality nor investment return is predictable, the presence of a pension fund injects an element of chance into corporate financial planning. A desire for risk reduction also helps account for the growing popularity of what are popularly known as 401(k) plans. Rather than place thousands of dollars per worker into a pension fund each year and hope for the best, many employers now opt for a defined-contribution plan, which transfers risk to the employee.[5] In todays business environment, says Dinkin, it is essential for companies to reduce their financial risk. At the same time, for reasons of morale, loyalty, and company reputation, employers need to communicate the importance of this action to their employees. As business advisors, we counsel plan sponsors to explore all the options open to them, and explain those options as clearly and candidly as possible to their employees. About Cowden Associates, Inc.: Cowden Associates, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, was created in 2001 by the merger of Halliwell and Associates and MMC&P Spectrum Benefits, which was founded by Jere Cowden in 1986. Currently led by President & CEO Elliot Dinkin, Cowden specializes in helping corporate clients find the best solutions, both for the enterprise and for its employees, with regard to compensation, healthcare benefits, retirement and pension issues, and Taft-Hartley fund consulting. Winning Workplaces and The Wall Street Journal have recognized Cowden as a Top Small Workplace, a lifetime designation awarded to executives for their ability to build and lead savvy organizations. For more information, visit http://www.cowdenassociates.com 1. Schmidt, Chris, Tax Law Drives Pension De-Risking Activity, CFO, June 25, 2018. 2. Rojas, Warren, Pension Buyouts Likely to Be Bolder, if Not Bigger, in 2019, Bloomberg Law, December 17, 2018. 3. DePillis, Lydia, It just became easier for employers to dump employees pensions, CNN, March 20, 2019. 4. Bauer, Elizabeth, What You Need To Know About Pension Lump Sums, Forbes, April 4, 2019. 5. Wathen, Jordan, Pensions Are Disappearing, Heres How to Save for Retirement, Motley Fool, June 5, 2018. This is where creativity & strategy meet. Our goal was to offer a solution to an issue we saw businesses face time and time again, says Managing Partner Robert Heid. Following its recent merger with TCreative, Mailtropolis today unveiled a comprehensive rebranding to Kymera. The new brand reflects the firms consolidation of digital marketing, traditional marketing and printing into a full-service advertising agency, offering scalable programs for companies of all sizes from small independent businesses to national franchises and large corporations. Kymera is a realization of the organizations investment in top creative talent and resources to expand its vision to become a fully integrated marketing resource for clients. Our goal was to offer a solution to an issue we saw businesses face time and time again, says Managing Partner Robert Heid. To get all their marketing needs met, they had to source and coordinate services from multiple vendors and service providers. Printing here, direct mail there, web development somewhere else with no cohesive approach to brand and project management and a lot of extra time, effort and money spent. I believe weve successfully solved that problem for our clients. The companys rebranding effort includes a new logo, brand positioning and website. With a specialty in hyper-local marketing, Kymera offers search engine marketing, traditional advertising, graphic design, content marketing, social media management, brand development, website development, direct mail, vehicle wraps, and full-service printing. Clients receive highly personalized, data-driven strategies using the latest tools in digital and traditional marketing; with brand consistency and messaging coordinated and managed across all marketing efforts. Kymera is one of only 79 U.S. Postal Service designated Full Service Certified Mailers on the basis of its demonstrated mail quality. This certification, along with the companys acceptance in the eInduction and Seamless Acceptance programs, gives it access to preferential pricing and enhanced levels of service through the USPS. Kymera is currently the only agency with this designation in Central Florida. Additionally, the company has also received numerous design awards from the Printing Association of Florida (PAF). Its clients include large corporations such as Marriott Vacation Club and Orlando Health, and well-established franchises We Insure Group and Hand & Stone. Kymera is a full-service agency offering digital marketing, traditional advertising, and in-house printing services that serves small to large businesses and non-profit organizations. Kymera specializes in brand building, hyper-local franchise marketing, and targeted direct mail campaigns. To learn more, visit https://wearekymera.com. Chicago, Illinois, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced yesterday a new community collaborative between local restaurants, nonprofits and its Restaurant Ready program to train young people disconnected from the workforce and formerly incarcerated populations in work-readiness skills to prepare them for careers in restaurants and foodservice. The announcement kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony during the National Restaurant Association Show with appearances and remarks from local and national leaders supporting the initiative, including Merary Simeon, Vice President, Diversity and Engagement, PepsiCo; Stanley Moore, Cook County Board Commissioner; Harry Alston, Jr., Ph.D., Vice President of Strategic Planning & Development, The Safer Foundation; and Rob Gifford, Executive Vice President of the NRAEF. The community collaborative presents an incredible opportunity to grow the work of the Foundation to serve the local community in Chicago, said Gifford, Executive Vice President of the NRAEF. We are ecstatic to bring together these local partners that already effectively train and employ young people who are not currently working and previously incarcerated individuals looking to reenter the workforce. The joint initiative looks to bridge the gap between community organizations and restaurant employers to connect career opportunities to the individuals who need it most, leveraging restaurants and foodservice companies as a first-step to employment and ultimately, serve as a national model to bolster workforce efforts across the country. Were deeply committed to empowering our associates and the communities we serve, said Merary Simeon, Vice President of Diversity and Engagement, PepsiCo. Joining forces across nonprofit, public and private sectors is a phenomenal way to drive real change for young people who can thrive in our communities when given the right support. Through the community collaborative, the NRAEF will unite the key organizations which serve as experts in successfully training both populations in Chicago, including: The Hatchery, a Chicago non-profit food and beverage business incubator that enables local entrepreneurs to build and grow successful businesses, which create economic growth and new job opportunities; a Chicago non-profit food and beverage business incubator that enables local entrepreneurs to build and grow successful businesses, which create economic growth and new job opportunities; The Safer Foundation , one of the nations largest not-for-profit providers of services designed exclusively for people with criminal records; , one of the nations largest not-for-profit providers of services designed exclusively for people with criminal records; Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF) , a nonprofit dedicated to building Illinois' hospitality workforce and will identify key employers and connections to industry for disconnected youth and previously incarcerated individuals; , a nonprofit dedicated to building Illinois' hospitality workforce and will identify key employers and connections to industry for disconnected youth and previously incarcerated individuals; PepsiCo, which offers complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana, will provide funding for the initiative. The program will officially begin June 1. About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the industrys training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance todays and tomorrows restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready partnering with community based organizations to provide opportunity youth with skills training and job opportunities; Military helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship Project a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry. Visit ChooseRestaurants.org to learn how to get involved with the NRAEF and its work to build pathways to meaningful jobs and careers in restaurants and. About PepsiCo PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $64 billion in net revenue in 2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. Winning with Purpose reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. Attachment Driver Choice and Trip Management are two more tools McLeod Software is putting in place for the fleets who want to stand out when it comes to being an attractive place for the best drivers to work. McLeod Software is Leading the Way for Improving the Drivers Experience. The intense competition to hire and retain the best drivers is a challenge for every fleet and will be for the foreseeable future. McLeod Software is working to help our carrier customers innovate and gain a competitive advantage in this arena. With the release of Version 19.1, McLeod Software has introduced LoadMaster Driver Choice, a tool fleets can use to become the preferred place to work by giving their drivers the ability to record their load preferences, effectively requesting the loads that are the best match for those preferences. It also gives carriers the ability to offer their drivers choices about available loads when possible, all while ensuring their success with any load offered to them. For owner operators in those fleets using Driver Choice, it means their carrier is giving the driver better tools to run their business successfully within the fleet, especially when paired with the McLeod Driver Mobile App and the information that app provides about pay, and the ways it expedites the entire settlement process. LoadMaster Trip Management is also being introduced as part of McLeods new Version 19.1 release. The new Trip Management module gives carriers the tools to interactively plan details of trips with the drivers input, and actively manage those trips while they are underway. Using a drivers current Hours of Service (HOS) and position information, a trip plan is created and displayed in LoadMaster. Taking into account road conditions, live and historical traffic patterns, and driver breaks provides better visibility for customers to enhance the accuracy of real-time Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at customer stops and actual arrival time at locations, giving planners and driver managers the ability to proactively deal with potential service incidents at future stops. The trip plan feeds McLeods ETA/Out-of-Route module to let the carriers staff know when trucks are late for scheduled stops or out of their recommended routes. It also interacts with McLeods existing Driver Feasibility functions to enhance the accuracy of planning. McLeods Driver Feasibility function determines whether or not a driver can physically pick up and deliver the load on time based on their current position, the distances involved, the appointment windows for pick-up and delivery, and their available HOS to accomplish the trip. Using all of this information to account for events, rest breaks, delays, detention, changing situations in weather, and even rerouting when necessary, allows planners to generate a significantly better dispatch trip plan. The interactive nature of McLeods new Trip Management module gives the driver the opportunity to be part of the planning process. Driver Choice and Trip Management are two more tools McLeod Software is putting in place for the fleets who want to stand out when it comes to being an attractive place for the best drivers to work. New Capabilities for LTL The Delivery Routing Optimization module in LoadMaster LTL now optimizes the sequence of deliveries routed on a local movement. Route Optimization takes a set of routed deliveries and optimizes the stops based on minimal drive time, while also considering appointment commitment freight, a location's open and close times, and the time spent unloading per stop. This module also considers potential turn time to allow for pickups based on ending at a specific delivery point. This speeds up the complete delivery routing process by suggesting a planned optimized route, while giving users the ability to make adjustments before finalizing a route. The Capacity Planning module developed for LoadMaster LTL provides a global view of the freight passing through a carrier's network with visibility to better plan routes both inbound and outbound. The network may include company owned locations or third party locations. This module provides views with different aspects of route planning, including local and linehaul, inbound and outbound, pieces and weight, and revenue. Planners can easily view all regularly scheduled routes and the volumes within those routes to make better decisions and manage the daily changes of added or cancelled routes. HubTran Integration for PowerBroker McLeod Software offers PowerBroker users a new integration with HubTran to quickly process incoming carrier documents and invoices. Powerbroker communicates load and carrier data to HubTran and returns approved invoice data and documents to PowerBroker. When the carrier sends in invoices and supporting documents for billing, the audit process is completed more quickly to allow brokers to bill faster with less cost and effort from the back office. Tighter Integration with Manhattan Associates McLeod Software is introducing expanded integration solutions with Manhattan Associates. A new interface offers visibility to Manhattans Load Analyzer scoring metrics upon receiving an EDI load tender. Tenders can be accepted and orders created automatically based upon predetermined score criteria. Another key interface introduced in version 19.1 is Manhattan Profit Analyzer. LoadMaster general ledger revenue and expense information is sent to analyze the key factors affecting profitability and target problem areas with poor utilization. With the Manhattan Fuel & Route interface, LoadMaster version 19.1 will automatically communicate movement data and current fuel levels to Fuel & Route during dispatch to determine optimal door-to-door routing and fuel recommendations while balancing driver requests and preferences. About McLeod Software The companies who run McLeod Software are the transportation industrys innovators. They consistently improve their customer service and operating ratios, attract and retain the best drivers, and automate their crucial business processes. Visit us at http://www.McLeodSoftware.com Were excited to participate in Make Music Day to share and support music making nationwide." - Renier Fee, Marketing Director, Music & Arts Music & Arts, the nations largest music lessons provider, is proud to participate in Make Music Day on Friday, June 21, 2019, with a complimentary Open Mic night at its locations across the U.S. Musicians and fans alike can join in the fun and celebrate music from 6 - 8pm. Visitors will have the opportunity to perform as a soloist or band, or to watch local favorites. Find participating locations here. Make Music Day is a free global celebration of music on June 21st. Founded in France in 1982, the holiday has spread throughout the world and is now celebrated in more than 120 countries. In the U.S., the presenting sponsor is the NAMM Foundation. Make Music Alliance President Aaron Friedman notes, "Make Music Day invites everyone from professional musicians to people who have never picked up an instrument to welcome the first day of summer with a free, joyous music celebration. As Make Music Day spreads around the country, companies like Music & Arts have played a key role, opening their doors on June 21 to anyone who wants a chance to realize their musical dreams." For more information about Make Music day, visit http://www.MakeMusicDay.org. Music & Arts will continue the celebration all weekend long with a special Open House event. Students, parents and educators are invited to attend for complimentary guitar lessons, a free guitar offer and to explore the various musical instrument lesson options offered in their studios. Special on-site programs and opportunities include: All weekend long: visitors can meet Music & Arts university-trained, background-checked instructors. Those who enroll in a month of musical instrument lessons will receive their choice of a free Fender Squier electric guitar (select models); a free Laurel Canyon full-size or size acoustic guitar, or ukulele (select models); or $150 off select Casio digital pianos while supplies last. Saturday June 22 at 11am and 1pm: Complimentary beginner guitar classes will guide new players through the first steps of learning guitar, as taught by a professional instructor. No guitar? No problem! Borrow one at no charge for the class. Music & Arts marketing director Renier Fee enthuses, Were excited to participate in Make Music Day to share and support music making nationwide. Well be extending the celebration all weekend long in order to encourage new musicians to begin a lifelong relationship with music. Music & Arts teaches over 1.5 million lessons per year, with customized lessons for a variety of musical instruments to fit all levels, ages, and genres of music. The events will take place at all Music & Arts locations that offer lessons. To find a convenient location or to RSVP for free online, visit http://www.MusicArts.com/OpenHouse. Some restrictions apply. See individual store associates and website for details. About Music & Arts Music & Arts, the nations largest music lessons provider, continues its mission to promote and support the merits of music education and the joy of music lessons by offering this opportunity for new musicians to get involved. To learn more about Music & Arts, visit http://www.MusicArts.com. About Make Music Day Held annually on June 21 to coincide with the summer solstice, Make Music Day is part of the international Fete de la Musique, taking place in more than 1,000 cities across 120 countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 80 U.S. cities and the entire state of Vermont are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit http://www.MakeMusicDay.org. Erik Browning, a hospitality industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, has joined forces with Nashville-based technology firm Level60 Consulting. Browning will focus on leveraging strategic relationships in the travel and tourism industry. Because the majority of our clients are in the hospitality realm, having someone of Eriks caliber as part of our team only further strengthens our ability to service our clients and help us generate new ones as well, said Ricardo Anders, founder of Level60 Consulting. Browning was most recently vice president of Global Revenue Management Operations and RM/Sales Technology with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, where he oversaw RM for all franchised hotels as well as global sales and Revenue Management technology initiatives. I am very excited to bring my industry experience and knowledge to the team at Level60, Browning said. There is so much going on right now with Data Analytics in the travel industry, and Level60 is on the cutting edge of technology designed to service and educate that sector. Prior to his time at Wyndham, Browning was vice president of Revenue Management Consulting for The Rainmaker Group, he was an adjunct professor at Boston University and was vice president of Revenue Management and Distribution, North America, for Millennium Copthorne Hotels. He spent 11 years of his career with Hilton Worldwide and has been an Advisory Board Member for the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research at his alma mater, Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. For more information on Browning or Level60 Consulting, visit http://www.level60consulting.com. About Level60 Level60 Consulting is a strategic consulting and services firm empowering businesses to make smarter decisions through analytics. Our team develops innovative products and solutions by aligning strategic and tactical decision-makers across organizations, and has worked with Fortune 500 clients in hospitality, retail, insurance, manufacturing, finance, and healthcare. We create bespoke technology solutions addressing business needs with best-in-class tech including big data, machine learning, agile software development, predictive analytics, and cloud platforms. Our global team consists of experts in revenue management, data science, software engineering, big data, marketing, strategy, and UX design, we deliver purpose-built solutions to meet our clients business needs. For more information, please visit level60consulting.com. Even the most devout Christians can sometimes feel as if God has abandoned them through their darkest days. Author Frederique JM Schmitts Through Her Eyes: Introspection, will help readers understand God does not abandon; rather he helps them through their particular trials and tribulations to find victory and freedom in Christ. Through Her Eyes is told through the eyes of an all-knowing Teacher who consults with 21 characters who feel that in some way, God has turned their back on them because of their spiritual transgressions. For example, Ms. Weight-O-Mania struggles with her self-worth and body image; Ms. Prey and Ms. Sob were forced into dangerous medical situations; Mr. Past learns to turn his eyes away from his demons and focus only on God walking alongside him. Ultimately, the Teacher helps each character realize God is there for them no matter how bad their predicaments or shortcomings may seem. Schmitts book draws inspiration largely from the wellspring of her mothers Christian discipline, love and assertiveness. I loved to hear her tell anecdotes to teach her children how to live in the world, she said. The book is also based on my search for Godly answers to my questionings as a wife and mother, in all sincerity. So, I am glad I got to engage the readers to reflectively share into the lessons I learned just like my mom used to." Through the characters in Schmitts book, readers will surely learn to heal through Gods Word and take solace in the stories told, the wisdom shared, and the scripture provided. Through Her Eyes: Introspection By Frederique JM Schmitt ISBN: 9781973636106 (softcover); 9781973636113 (hardcover); 9781973636090 (electronic) Available at WestBow Press, Amazon About the author Frederique JM Schmitt is a strong, motivated no-nonsense medical professional who expresses herself with confidence and maturity. She seeks to define, plan and apply herself toward achieving goals. A Christian from her coming of age, she is known as an encourager for the faint-hearted. She is a medical doctor educated both in Haiti and in the USA. She lives in New York with her husband and three children. To learn more about Schmitt, please visit http://www.thruhereyeslifeessentials.com. ### Scott and his team bring public sector expertise, a commitment to delivering high touch, personalized service, and a focus on using advanced technology to deepen client relationships." NFP, a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property and casualty, retirement, and individual solutions, today announced that it has acquired ShawHankins, Inc. The transaction closed effective April 1, 2019. ShawHankins is a group benefits brokerage, based in Marietta, Georgia, with an extensive regional footprint and long history of developing meaningful connections with clients. The firm specializes in providing consultative services across employee benefits, medical coverage, and wellness programs to both private and public sector entities including city and county governments and school systems. This acquisition expands NFPs presence in the greater Atlanta region, which has been an area of focus for NFPs continued development. ShawHankins President and CEO Scott Hankins will join NFP as a director in the Southeast region, reporting to Christi Byron, president of the Southeast region. It is exciting to welcome ShawHankins to NFP and further diversify the capabilities within our benefits business, said Byron. Scott and his team bring public sector expertise, a commitment to delivering high touch, personalized service, and a focus on using advanced technology to deepen client relationships. We look forward to working with them to enhance the solutions we create for clients. We are thrilled to join the NFP family and be part of a collaborative environment where everyone, including our clients, benefits from the exchange of ideas, strategies, and best practices, said Hankins. I couldnt imagine a better opportunity to learn, share, and contribute within a successful benefits team positioned for significant growth. About NFP NFP is a leading insurance broker and consultant providing customized property and casualty, corporate benefits, retirement, and individual solutions through its licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP enables client success through the expertise of over 5,100 global employees, investments in innovative technologies, and enduring relationships with highly rated insurers, vendors, and financial institutions. NFP is the 5th largest US-based privately owned broker, 6th largest benefits broker by global revenue and 7th best place to work in insurance (Business Insurance); 10th largest property and casualty agency (Insurance Journal); and 12th largest global insurance broker (Bests Review). Visit NFP.com to discover how NFP empowers clients to meet their goals. Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is proud to announce that it has promoted Krista Hart to the position of Firm Administrator. Hart previously served as Human Resources Manager. Over the past three years, Krista has proven to be an invaluable member of the team at Panitch Schwarze, said partner Martin G. Belisario. We are fortunate to have a young professional of her caliber overseeing the operations of the firm; we know we are in good hands with Krista at the helm. As Firm Administrator, Hart is responsible for managing the administrative operations of the firm, including supervising all non-attorney personnel; evaluating and managing the firms operating and IT systems; performing the firms human resources administration; overseeing the firms finance functions; performing marketing functions of the firms legal services and client development activities; and evaluating, managing and supervising the facilities of the firm. Hart joined Panitch Schwarze in 2016 as a Human Resources Coordinator. Within one year, she moved up to Human Resources Manager, assuming responsibility for health and ancillary benefits, attendance and leave, recruiting, interviewing, new-hire orientation, performance management, firm-wide communication, marketing and public relations. An active member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Hart achieved SHRM Certified Professional credentials in 2017. As a SHRM-CP, she is a recognized expert and leader in the HR field. She also is a member of the Association of Legal Administrators and International Legal Technology Association. Hart earned a bachelors degree in business management and marketing from SUNY New Paltz. She lives in Philadelphia. About Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is a boutique intellectual property law firm with offices in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The firms IP law practitioners provide strategic litigation, licensing and counseling service relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, domain names and internet issues domestically and internationally. The firms long-standing relationships with a network of associates worldwide enable its attorneys and advisors to provide clients with global intellectual property advice and protection. # # # There were many similarities in how NXGEN and PPI worked to ensure their customers and partners success. Those synergies made the idea of joining forces with a global business like NXGEN the obvious next step for PPI."- Tammy Zimmerman, PPIs President & CEO. NXGEN International has acquired Kentucky-based payments firm Payment Plus Inc. (PPI). Through the acquisition, PPIs current and future customers will gain immeasurably from NXGENs expansive suite of integrated product offerings, software and services, and the latest in mobile payment technology and smart terminals. Tammy Zimmerman, President and CEO of PPI, will continue to grow the business for NXGEN in Kentucky and the Midwest and PPIs customers and partners will continue to enjoy the high-level of service and support that they are accustomed to receiving from PPI. The opportunity to become part of NXGEN International started several years ago as a creative conversation about distribution, integration, technology and growth with Tom Nitopi, NXGENs founder and Vice Chairman. As the discussions continued over many months; it became clear that the time was right and NXGEN International was the right team. Tom Nitopi commented I have known and admired PPI for its growth and commitment to excellence in its relationships with merchants, partners and the community. This acquisition enables NXGEN to continue to grow and expand its footprint in to new areas. There were many similarities in how NXGEN and PPI worked to ensure their customers and partners success, stated Tammy Zimmerman, PPIs President & CEO. Those synergies made the idea of joining forces with a global business like NXGEN the obvious next step for PPI and we are excitedly looking forward to bringing a wider array of cutting-edge products to our customers. The team we are joining at NXGEN is highly respected in the payments industry and committed to growth. The transaction with PPI marks NXGENs third transaction completed since partnering with Parthenon Capital Partners in December 2018, and NXGEN continues to have substantial interest in further merger and acquisition opportunities within the payments and payments-related software categories. About NXGEN NXGEN International is the largest global Merchant Service Provider (MSP) serving over 20,000 merchants in multiple countries. NXGEN International has recorded double digit growth year after year since opening its doors in 2002 and has grown to become the largest MSP/Independent Sales Organization (ISO) in processing volume. NXGEN Internationals global footprint covers 30 countries and is poised to quickly expand. Most recently, NXGEN International launched the World Access program, the first unified sales program enabling other MSPs, ISOs and independent sales agents to sell globally in 75 countries and be paid in their home country. NXGEN is also the 2018 SBA Montana Small Business Exporter of the Year, 2017 recipient of the prestigious Elavon Arch Award, and ETA ISO of the Year in 2016. Earlier this month, NXGEN International and Payscape of Atlanta, GA merged to create additional advantages and products. The combined entity will offer a complementary suite of financial technology capabilities, aligned to meet their clients emerging needs. From SaaS-based products such as surcharging, invoicing, event registration and ecommerce software to tablet-based point of sale systems, mobile payment technology, smart terminals, and website development the combined company is positioned to offer best-in-class technology solutions on a global basis. For more information about either organization, please visit: http://www.nxgen.com or http://www.payscape.com. About Payment Plus, Inc. Payment Plus, Inc., was founded in 1999, and led by Tammy Zimmerman who was a co-founder of NOVA Information Systems, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. now known as Elavon. Her dynamic leadership has guided the PPI team and its merchant customer base expansion into 30 States. PPI has grown through the utilization of API integration, merchant focused payment solutions and their problem-solving expertise. Through the years, PPI has been well regarded by employers and clients alike for their customer-centric mindset. That philosophy remains the cornerstone today in every aspect of Payment Plus and its team, enabling them to maintain one of the highest client retention rates in the payment processing industry. About Parthenon Capital Parthenon Capital is a leading mid-market private equity firm with offices in Boston, San Francisco and Austin. Parthenon utilizes niche industry expertise and a deep execution team to invest in growth companies in service and technology industries. Parthenon seeks to be an active and aligned partner to management, either through recapitalization transactions or by backing new executives. Parthenon has particular expertise in financial and insurance services, healthcare and business services, but seeks any service, technology or delivery business with a strong value proposition and proprietary know-how. For more information, please visit: http://www.parthenoncapitalpartners.com. All recordings are saved onto the phone and can easily be synced to the Windows or Mac desktop video editor. Once synced, these videos can be mixed with other recordings or videos and edited to create engaging videos. Screencast-O-Matic just released an open beta for an intuitive iPhone screen recording app. The mobile screen recorder is an addition to the companys already multi-device suite of video creation tools. The iOS screen recorder enables users to record their iPhone screen and add audio narration. This is handy for businesses and their employees who want to record for multiple scenarios including but not limited to: Creating a short demo to showcase new app features and functionality of your iPhone app for a team or customers. Demonstrate a process which is helpful to answer support questions. Create recordings on the go. Send video updates while traveling or outside of the office so you never lose touch with work. Give insightful feedback to a team member or team. Once the app is installed, users can start recording their mobile screen. To download, scan the QR Code. Additional details can also be found at https://www.screencast-o-matic.com/iphone-beta All recordings are saved onto the phone and can easily be synced to the Windows or Mac desktop video editor. Once synced, these videos can be mixed with other recordings or videos and edited to create engaging videos. Screencast-O-Matic has helped more than 9 million users worldwide share and collaborate ideas and messages throughout multiple industries including design and development, sales, and customer support. About Screencast-O-Matic Screencast-O-Matic is a screen capture and video editing platform that takes visual collaboration to the next level. It allows individuals, educational institutions and companies to create video solutions for learning and collaboration. Screencast-O-Matic is a privately held company headquartered in Seattle, Wash. For more information and hi-res photos, visit https://screencast-o-matic.com. Media Contact: Christine Umayam, 425.971.2871 christine(at)screencast-o-matic.com Stratus Building Solutions was recently ranked as the second highest-ranked franchise that can be purchased for less than $50,000 in Entrepreneur magazines Top 100 Franchises for Less Than $50,000 in 2019. This was exciting news for the Stratus Building Solutions management team. The environmentally-friendly commercial cleaning company already prides itself on its franchises being very accessible, as evidenced by partnerships with associations such as VetFran, DiversityFran and U.S. Green Building Council. But landing the second ranking on the Top 100 Franchises for Less Than $50,000 in 2019, demonstrates that the company is also making itself available to people who are budget conscious and simply dont have a ton of resources at hand to start a business. We are thrilled to have been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine, says Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions. We have worked hard to refine our business model to be effective and affordable. Our business is both scalable and efficient, meaning we are able to keep our cost of entry low and appeal to a wide array of ambitious entrepreneurs. As Entrepreneur noted, Stratus Building Solutions startup costs can be as low as $4,400. It ranges from $4.4K to $72.9K, depending on factors such as how much franchise owners want to invest in equipment and inventory. This is the third honor Stratus has had with Entrepreneur magazine this year. In January, when Entrepreneur magazine debuted its annual Franchise 500, the worlds first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking, Stratus was ranked #42. This represents a sweeping improvement over Stratus already excellent ranking from 2018 moving up 61 spots from 103 to 42. Placement in the Franchise 500 is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry. Entrepreneur received more than 1,000 applications this year, making it one of the companys most competitive rankings ever. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the Franchise 500 ranks Stratus Building Solutions as 42nd for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. Additionally, Stratus received another noteworthy honor in March and was ranked #7 for Fastest-Growing Franchise. To view Stratus Building Solutions in the full ranking, visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/332364. About Stratus Building Solutions https://www.stratusclean.com/ is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 1,700 unit-franchisees in 48 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial with their proprietary, Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit https://www.stratusclean.com/. Jen Ford, CFO of TurnKey Vacation Rentals, wins Woman's Way Business Award for Product Innovation This award for Product Innovation is a reflection of every TurnKey employee who lives our core value of Innovate and Improve each day. Jen Ford, CFO of TurnKey Vacation Rentals TurnKey Vacation Rentals announced today that their chief financial officer, Jen Ford, received the Womans Way Business Award for Product Innovation presented by Austin Woman magazine. With more than 300 women nominated, Ms. Ford was one of 11 women who received an award during the Womans Way Business Awards event on Thursday, May 9. This award for Product Innovation is a reflection of every TurnKey employee who lives our core value of Innovate and Improve each day, said Ms. Ford. It's through their creative ideas that we are able to build industry-changing technology, deliver peace of mind to our homeowners and help our guests create memories that last a lifetime. Ms. Ford joined TurnKey Vacation Rentals in 2017 and is responsible for leading the finance, business intelligence and human resources organizations in support of the company's continued success in capitalizing on the fast-growing, $100 billion global vacation rental industry. She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience overseeing finance organizations for high-growth companies, previously serving as vice president of finance for Snap Kitchen and senior director of investor relations at HomeAway, Inc. where she led the global investor relations program. Since joining our executive team, Jen has provided extraordinary leadership and inspiration to every one of our team members in Austin and across the country, said T.J. Clark, co-founder and CEO of TurnKey. She shows up every day to take on the challenges that help our teams run more efficiently, our employees develop more quickly, and our company become a better place to work. The Womans Way Business Awards, organized by Austin Woman magazine, recognize and celebrate the women behind innovative businesses that aid in Austins development and progress. We are so proud of all of our winners, finalists and applicants for the 2019 Womans Way awards! said Melinda Garvey, founder of Austin Woman. Our dream when we started these awards four years ago was to ensure that female founders and company leaders, alike, had a place to be recognized not just for their personal career success, but rather the immense contribution that the businesses they are leading have made to our city, nation, economy and most importantly to the advancement of all women. It is proven that seeing the success of women significantly increases the confidence in other women to know that they, too, can realize their dreams. The magazine has stated that it celebrates companies that are succeeding because of the Austin women at the helm, independent of ownership. Each nomination must be either 51 percent or more woman-owned or have an Austin-based woman in an executive role with profit and loss responsibilities whos the most senior-level employee of either the whole company or of a branch of the company. ABOUT TURNKEY VACATION RENTALS TurnKey Vacation Rentals is a full-service vacation rental property management company for luxury and premium vacation rental homes in top U.S. travel destinations. As a leading vacation rental hospitality brand, TurnKey provides guests with the consistency and quality of a fine hotel experience, while optimizing the management, marketing and return on investment for vacation rental homeowners. Our proprietary smart home technology digital smart locks, FieldSync housekeeping scheduler, HomeDroid tablet, noise decibel monitors and more integrates with local, in-market teams to ensure extraordinary vacation rental experiences for every home, every stay, every time. TurnKey is based in Austin, Texas, and venture-backed by Adams Street Partners, Silverton Partners, Altos Ventures and institutional and angel investors. To learn more, visit TurnKey Vacation Rentals. NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against KushCo Holdings, Inc. (KushCo or the Company) (OTCMKTS: KSHB) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, for the Central District of California, and indexed under 19-cv-00798, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired KushCo securities between July 13, 2017 and April 9, 2019, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased KushCo securities during the class period, you have until July 1, 2019, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] KushCo primarily engages in the wholesale distribution of packaging supplies in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. KushCo offers pop-top bottles; child resistant exit, paper exit, and foil barrier bags; tubes; and polystyrene, silicone-lined polystyrene or glass containers. KushCo also provides vaporizer cartridges, heating technologies, batteries, and disposable units; and hydrocarbon gases, including isobutene, n-butane, propane, ethanol, pre-mixes, custom blends, and other solvents. In the past several years, KushCo has expanded its services through the acquisition of several companies in the cannabis industry. For example, in May 2017, KushCo acquired CMP Wellness LLC (CMP Wellness), a privately-held manufacturer and distributor of Med-ePen brand vaporizer pens, cartridges, tanks, and accessories. Then, in May 2018, KushCo acquired Summit Innovations, LLC (Summit), a distributor of hydrocarbon products, such as propane and butane, to the legal cannabis industry. Finally, in July 2018, KushCo acquired The Hybrid Creative (Hybrid), a self-described premier creative agency for cannabis ventures, including branding, marketing, web, and strategy. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) KushCo made material accounting errors in connection with its acquisitions of CMP Wellness, Summit, and Hybrid; (ii) as a result, KushCos previously issued financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2018 and August 31, 2017, included in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such periods, and financial statements as of and for the quarterly periods ended May 31, 2017, November 30, 2017, February 28, 2018, May 31, 2018 and November 30, 2018, included in the Companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for such periods, could not be relied upon; (iii) KushCos net loss for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2018, was more than twice as high than previously reported; (iv) KushCo and its managements assurances that its financial statements for those fiscal years and periods were accurate and fairly reported could not be relied upon; and (v) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On April 9, 2019, KushCo issued a press release, attached as an exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K (the April 2019 8-K), announcing the Companys decision to restate prior period financial statements for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 for non-cash items related to acquisitions of CMP Wellness, Summit, and Hybrid. Specifically, the April 2019 8-K disclosed that KushCo had inaccurately accounted for certain shared-settled contingent consideration relating to its CMP Wellness, Summit, and Hybrid acquisitions, by recording their respective earnout arrangements as equity rather than as liabilities. On this news, KushCos stock price fell $0.45 per share, or 7.76%, to close at $5.35 on April 10, 2019. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com . CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com Waggl is focused on building a great culture and employee experience From the very start, Waggl has prioritized the creation of a committed and resilient culture as the most critical component of the companys long-term success, said Michael Papay, Co-founder and CEO, Waggl. Waggl, the leading platform for real-time feedback powered by Employee Voice, today announced that it achieved remarkable growth in FY 2018 by adding many well-respected brands to its client roster in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, consumer beverages, aerospace, energy, technology and more. Waggl has been recognized by the Bay Area Newsgroup as a Top Workplace, and as San Francisco Business Times/Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work, earning the #2 ranking for wellness and the #10 spot for smallest companies. Waggl was also recently named as a winner of the #DigitalChallenge by BASF Corporation, the second largest producer and marketer of chemicals and related products in North America. As the recipient of this award, Waggl will receive a project budget of up to 100,000 and work with a dedicated BASF team in the areas of Employee Feedback. From the very start, Waggl has prioritized the creation of a committed and resilient culture as the most critical component of the companys long-term success, said Michael Papay, Co-founder and CEO, Waggl. These awards, for which we are grateful, are a testament to our commitment to purpose-driven work. Our primary focus is on building a great culture and employee experience, which translates into a strong, trustworthy brand and a superior customer experience. With an increase in usage of almost 80% from 2017, Waggl is the most powerful Employee Voice platform used by strategic HR and Executive leaders today. After closing its series A round of $7 million in May 2018, Waggl spent the second half of 2018 hiring and training new team members and growing its customer base, particularly in the healthcare sector, where it more than tripled its number of top-tier hospital system customers over the course of 2018. Waggls Employee Voice platform is continually evolving in response to strong adoption by a global customer base, which includes household names and major industry leaders in the areas of healthcare, manufacturing, consumer beverages, aerospace, energy, technology among others. Waggls Customer Success team has implemented rigorous, repeatable and scalable models to engage voices across 130 unique organizations, many of whom are entering their 3rd or 4th year of partnership (visit https://www.waggl.com/product for a partial list of clients). For example, Waggl is in its third year as an organization-wide employee engagement pulsing program at Paychex, a leading provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, HR, benefits, and insurance services. Paychex is using Waggl to drive conversations and consistently ensure that employees feel connected and understand how they fit into the larger organization. Since deploying Waggl at Paychex, it has frankly become almost a household name, said Rick Amering, Senior Manager of Human Resources, Paychex. We dont talk about engagement surveys, we talk about Waggl and we talk about pulsing. Its become that channel of regular feedback. UCHealth, Colorados premier 9-hospital system employing more than 20,000, is entering its third year with Waggl, and has expanded its use well beyond the foundational Employee Voice for Engagement program. This last year Waggl also supported the hiring of a new Chief Nursing Officer, helped to broaden its Physician Voice strategy, and underpinned the New Hire Orientation program by integrating transparent communication into the very fabric of how UCHealth engages with employees. Dr. Matthew Gosney, VP of Organizational Development and Learning Services at UCHealth, commented, Adopting an Employee Voice model, grounded in the values of transparency, immediacy, accountability, and alignment, can significantly transform organizational culture and re-cast engagement as a powerful lever for action. Waggl is developing a reputation as the place to be for smart, energetic professionals who want to make a positive impact on the world. The Co-founders of Waggl believe that peoples voices should be heard, and are deeply dedicated to listening, trust and mutual respect. In order to keep pace with the constant change and other challenges that come with rapid growth, the organization has intentionally focused on cultivating agility and resilience, knowing that inclusive and transparent communication leads to greater engagement and productivity, a shared sense of purpose, and a clearer path of action. Waggls own employee experience resources and initiatives are focused around the core values of health and wellness throughout the company. Not only does Waggl provide perks like reimbursable gym memberships, wellness challenges, and educational resources, it also supports a healthy mindset in day-to-day work. Employees regularly take one-on-one meetings while walking on a path around a beautiful marina rather than sitting in the conference room all day. The company has a partnership with a unique local wellness center next to the office that offers fitness, yoga, meditation, kayak rentals, and other classes. To find out about employment opportunities at Waggl, please visit https://www.waggl.com/careers/ About Waggl Waggl is the voice of people at work. Not a survey, not simply data -- Waggl is a real-time, transparent engagement platform that goes beyond measurement to catalyze authentic dialogue and alignment around critical business topics: Employee Engagement, Culture Building, Internal Transformations, and Operational Excellence. Waggl elevates Employee Voice to deliver actionable insight, fresh perspective, and tangible knowledge to leaders and teams. People thrive when you engage their voices to make a difference. Organizations excel when their unique talent DNA helps strengthen agility, resilience and retention. Waggl is the most powerful Employee Voice platform used by strategic HR and Executive leaders today. With a highly seasoned management team and advisors including esteemed executives from Glassdoor, SuccessFactors, and Coupa, Waggl has built a customer-first culture that values strong relationships and ongoing innovation. The companys solutions are continually evolving in response to input from its burgeoning customer base, which includes global industry leaders in diverse industries like aerospace, manufacturing, insurance, consumer beverages, healthcare and technology. For more information, please visit: http://www.waggl.com/. Wayback Burgers, Americas Favorite Hometown Burger Joint and one of the worlds fastest-growing burger franchises, opened a new location in Canada. Wayback Burgers newest location opened in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on May 18 marking the fast-growing burger chains 11th international restaurant, and the first in Canada. The new Wayback Burgers, located at 1255 St James St., will be owned and operated by Mike Brown. As a resident of Winnipeg, Brown understands the local community and the excitement a fresh burger concept like Wayback will bring. After attending discovery day, trying the delicious food and seeing the new design, I knew that we needed a Wayback Burgers in Winnipeg. And, I wanted to be the first to open one in Canada. Also, after meeting with Rick De Dominicis, Master Franchisee for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and seeing his drive to succeed and the support that he was offering, I knew I was in good hands. Brown will be partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Canada as well as local clubs every month. He also will reach out to other local groups, like the Special Olympics of Manitoba and Alzheimers Society of Manitoba, to see what support he can offer them. Wayback Burgers offers delicious, cooked-to-order burgers, available as a single, classic double, triple and triple-triple (nine patties). Also rich, thick milkshakes made the old-fashioned way, by hand, using only whole milk and hand-dipped ice cream. All served in an environment that hearkens back to a simpler place and time when customer service meant something and everyone felt the warmth of the community. Going way beyond the burger, Wayback Burgers offers crispy and grilled chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, fresh salads and delicious sides, including fries, onion rings and House Made Chips. Wayback Burgers is growing quickly internationally, so we are pleased to announce this latest expansion in Canada, said Jason Murawski, Vice president of International Development of Jakes Franchising LLC. Its our franchisees passion and commitment to their communities that makes Wayback Burgers successful. We are confident Mike Brown and his team will continue that commitment in Winnipeg with their first Wayback Burgers restaurant. For more information about franchising and Wayback Burgers, visit https://franchise.waybackburgers.com/. About Wayback Burgers Founded in 1991 in Newark, DE, Wayback Burgers is a Connecticut-based fast-casual franchise with a reputation for fresh, never frozen, cooked to order burgers and thick, hand-dipped milkshakes, served in an environment that hearkens back to a simpler place and time when customer service meant something, and everyone felt the warmth of the community. Wayback Burgers currently operates in 30 states with over 166 locations nationally and internationally in, Brunei, Sudan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Malaysia. Through its executed master franchise agreements, Wayback Burgers plans to open in 38 provinces/countries in the Middle East, Northern Africa, South Africa, Pakistan, Brunei, Bangladesh, Ireland, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada and the Netherlands, with a pending letter of intent sent out to Germany. For more information about Wayback Burgers, please visit https://waybackburgers.com/. For franchising information about Wayback Burgers, please visit https://franchise.waybackburgers.com/. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded $3 million to Purdue University to extend the work of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Processing and Post-Harvest Handling (FPL), which the university leads, for another three years. The faculty-led, multi-disciplinary FPL works to reduce food losses and enhance the value of foods in Africa. The projects objective is to develop sustainable, market-driven value chains that reduce food losses, improve food and nutrition security, and contribute to economic growth for smallholder farmers and food processing entrepreneurs in Kenya and Senegal. Six Purdue faculty researchers and seven from other universities and national agricultural research organizations in Africa will work to support and strengthen crop value chains, the process by which crops go from farm to market to fork. The project will build on Purdues strong record of working with collaborators to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance agricultural value chains, and improve nutrition. In 2014, USAID first awarded the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Processing and Post-Harvest Handling to Purdue, with a grant of $5 million over five years. In the three-year extension, Purdue will focus on driving the value chain through food processing to increase commercialization and improve nutrition. The secondary focus will be on scaling up cost-effective drying and storage technologies for crops after harvest and providing training to farmers on these technologies. Experts say food production will need to double by 2050, when the worlds population is expected to increase to almost 10 billion people, from the 7.7 billion today. Increasing production is only one means to meet the growing demand. An estimated one-third of food produced in developing countries is lost due to poor post-harvest handling techniques and limited market opportunities. Our Feed the Future Innovation Lab focuses on reducing food losses along the value chain, producing nutritious and acceptable foods, and improving livelihoods, said Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue and the project director. In the first phase of the project, we developed and identified a number of innovative practices and technologies to help African farmers, traders, and food processors. In the second phase, we will emphasize commercializing and scaling-up these innovations to maximize our impact. This award enables Purdue to continue to find innovative solutions to reduce food losses after harvest. Our efforts will help smallholder farmers and food processing entrepreneurs expand availability of healthy and nutritious food in a region of the world where food security remains a challenge, said Jerry Shively, associate dean and director of international programs in Purdues College of Agriculture. "Innovation and research are cornerstones of the Feed the Future model for reducing global hunger and are both good for America and our partners abroad," said Jennifer Long, director of the Office of Agricultural Research and Policy in USAID's Bureau for Food Security. "We are excited to continue partnering with Purdue University to bring technological advancements in post-harvest loss to tackle global food security." About Feed the Future Feed the Future is the U.S. Governments global hunger and food security initiative. It focuses on transforming lives and on the root causes of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. To achieve this, Feed the Future works hand-in-hand with partner countries to develop their agriculture sectors and break the vicious cycle of poverty and hunger. It helps people feed themselves and creates important opportunities for a new generation of young people, while building a more stable world. More information: https://www.feedthefuture.gov/ Media relations contact: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu Source: Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, jrickerg@purdue.edu Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415; Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu Agriculture News Page Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK Aiming to stay ahead in the countrys fast shifting media market and also address new market dynamics, leading Australian broadcast services provider, MediaHub Australia, has selected Grass Valley to help optimise its operations. The intended result of the new framework is what is described as the capability to deliver highly adaptive services and transition to a bespoke business model.All channels currently handled by MediaHub Australias facility will be controlled by Grass Valleys Morpheus Automation and server playout system which said the tech provider will allow MediaHub to offer a more flexible services to its customers. Use cases include adding a new streaming service or a linear channel to on-demand or mobile app-based access to content.Our close working relationship over many years has given Grass Valley an in-depth knowledge of how our operation works. This valuable insight, together with its market leading solutions, is why Grass Valley is strongly positioned to help prime our business to meet any challenge the market throws at us, explained MediaHub CEO Alan Sweeney.We pride ourselves in leading the way when it comes to broadcast service provision and always strive to keep our operation at the cutting edge. Thanks to Grass Valley, we have cemented our position as the market leaders with a radical new approach that keeps us and our customers one step ahead of the ever-shifting topography of the media industry. The Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy began a major bilateral naval exercise on Sunday in the South China Sea. The exercise, code-named SIMBEX 19, will run through May 22. Last year's exercises took place in the Indian Ocean, off India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. On the Indian side, two vessels that have been on a two-month-long deployment to East Asia are participating. INS Kolkata, the lead ship of the Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers, and INS Shakti, a Deepak-class fleet tanker, participated in the exercise. As the showdown between Washington and Tehran escalates elsewhere in the Gulf, Iran is giving high priority to an effort to secure, control and reopen the al-Bukamal border crossing at Qaim, the only Syrian-Iraqi border crossing under Iranian control, to solidify its influence in the Levant and mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions. It remains to be seen, however, whether Iran will pull off this move and how the Donald Trump administration might react. On April 23, two buses carrying Iraqi pilgrims visiting the Shrine of Sayyida Zeinab near Damascus passed through the al-Bukamal crossing for the first time since 2012, signaling it might soon open for business and travel. The city of al-Bukamal, also often referred to as Abu Kamal, is located on the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria. The crossing into Qaim, in Iraq's Anbar province, might open within six months, Iraqi border officials say. The first sociopolitical change forced Napoleons adversaries to emulate France by changing their social, legal, and political structures. The second, more recent sociopolitical change has forced one of the West proximate adversaries to attack the liberal order itself. Russia does not wish to become a liberal democracy that embraces human rights. It wishes to return to a glorious past at the center of an empire. To realize these desires, Russia has moved conflict left of bang, in a common phrase, into the space before actual military engagement begins and the realm of Russian Active Measures.[3] These are direct attacks on the foundational ideals and values that underwrite the liberal order. Their purpose is to weaken its alliances and return the world to one in which Russia can rebuild its empire without risk of interference from the liberal states.[4] Russian interference in American and Ukrainian elections, Brexit, and others events have proved effective at sowing divisions and destroy trust. Russia seeks to break the Wests unity and return us to a world order they are comfortable with: a world of individual national competition. States use war, or the threat of war, as a last resort to solve political disputes. For every state, the ability to make war is an indispensable tool to ensure its security. However, war cannot rebuild trust. War cannot separate truth from lies. War cannot defeat attacks on the social structures currently seen in the West. We must look elsewhere. This article will look at the last time a sociopolitical change altered the character of war; the similarities between then and the Wests current situation; how our adversaries, and in particular Russia, are responding to defeat our sociopolitical advantage; and why the military is ill equipped to deal with this threat. What Napoleon Wrought In Europe prior to the French Revolution, war was the province of the government and its army. The government made the decision to go to war, and a relatively small professional army along with untrained conscripts carried out that decision. Often mercenaries with no connection to the government other than payment for services rendered, directed by nobility that may or may not have any military acumen, conducted these wars. War was a tool used to acquire territory to enrich the leadership. The common people who occupied that territory were merely the spoils of war. For liberty, fraternity, and equality, the people of France would muster an army the size of which could roll over every other professional army on the continent. They would fight for the cause of liberty as a free-citizen army. With common cause its command structure could be allowed independent action. Its officer corps was made of the best soldiers, not just those with hereditary claims and the funds to buy a commission. This type of army was revolutionary in more ways than one. In geometric terms, war was no longer a duality involving only the government and the army. War was now a trinity involving the government, the army, and the people.[5] This new geometry required a different type of society than existed in most European countries at the time. It required a society capable of independent thought and action; with access to education to support, supply, and participate in a modern army; and practical meritocracy rather than hereditary nepotism. This was wildly different from the social structure of nineteenth-century Europe. In most countries, those persons not of the aristocracy were rabble; mere serfs and peasants. There were some artisans and clergy, but mostly the people of the rest of Europe were not educated and certainly could be trusted with arms. With arms and an education they would turn on their masters as they had in France (and America).[6] The aristocracy could not allow thisuntil they had no other choice. "Battle of Jena " by Antoine Charles Horace Vernet and Jacques Francois Swebach (Wikimedia) he Prussians were the first to find a solution. After their defeat at Auerstadt and Jena in 1806, the Prussians knew they must change to address this new way of war.[7] There were changes to the military structure, particularly in the selection of officers. But more important were the social, political, and legal changes that made a new kind of army possible. These reforms included abolishing hereditary serfdom and allowing peasants to become landowners and take up arms.[8] The intent was to build a society that had an interest in protecting not only its territory, but also its government. The reforms worked, and by 1813 the Prussians were able to contribute to the defeat of Napoleons armies. Military reforms were certainly part of the reasons for these victories, but the sociopolitical changes Prussia made influenced others to do the same. A population of serfs had no interest in fighting for their masters.[9] But a population of free citizens who had property rights and a say in government did. They did not need to be driven by the lash to fight. For that reason, it is said, the Napoleonic Wars separated the wars of kings from the wars of people.[10] The Age of Trust The French Revolution created a view that the population shared a social contract with their government and were not simply subjects of it. They were not mere serfs or peasants, but instead citizens bound together as a nation. The more recent change is also the result of a shift in how free people see themselves in relation to others. This time the shift occurred not with a revolutionary event but accumulated slowly, almost imperceptibly, over time.[11] Over the last hundred years the people of the WestWestern European, North American, and other wealthy, industrial, democratic statesshifted their social attitudes.[12] A social revolution took place as the generation born after World War II came of age.[13] The younger generation embraced a level of trust not just among members of their own nation but with members of other nations. Built around the value for individual freedom rather than nationalistic submission, this change in attitude allowed for the people of the West to see themselves as one group with a common belief structure and a common purpose. This was particularly true with respect to their common defense. NATO was created to provide a defense against Soviet communism, but it survived that conflict and found purpose in places like Bosnia and Afghanistan. It became a bulwark against the threat posed by any state that threatened the new liberal order created after World War II. NATO is now an alliance with a common vision of what the world should look like rather than merely a group of nations taking only what they can get and willing to change allegiances as it suits their purpose. From a military perspective, NATO is now the most visible and formidable manifestation of this sociopolitical change. NATO Membership (Wikimedia) Recognition and Response It is the Wests very social structure that provides the most formidable military advantage. Russia has recognized this. It has therefore become their aim to break the bonds of trust within each Western state and jointly between them. For Russia, this is old hat. During the Cold War it was their aim to pull Western attitudes away from capitalism. Now, it must weaken a common value system. The aim is to destroy the liberal world order Russia sees as a threat and return the Western world to where it was before World War I, an era of transactional great power conflicts and a world where Russias military capability provides significant advantage in its near abroad. To accomplish this feat, Russia uses many of the same methods it used when it was the USSR. Now, however, it is easier for two reasons. First, the Internet and social media allow direct access to the citizens of western states. Generally, foreign ownership in media organizations is restricted in order to limit foreign influence.[14] Now Russia can bypass the traditional media outlets and directly access Western populations through Facebook and Twitter. Second, Russias job is infinitely easier because, unlike the USSR, they dont have to convince anyone that communism is an improvement over capitalism. All Russia must do is stoke fear of the other and drive wedges between the people of their target population. This goal is relatively simple, since people are tribal in nature.[15] Even in the West, where relative wealth and security helped to create the New World Order, base fears can be used to divide us. Too many are programed to see the world in shades of us versus them. All Russia must do is activate those existing psychological impulses. This plays out in both big ways and small. The larger operations are the American elections and the Brexit campaign.[16] More minor operations are seen in the gun rights and anti-vaccination debates.[17] Sowing any division is useful. The goal is to return the world to a place of weakened individual nations who no longer join alliances built on trust but instead favor treaties built on self-interest.[18] Such a world is one in which Russia could bring the Baltics back into their control without fear of a unified Western response. Right Diagnosis, Wrong Cure The U.S. national security community has recognize this change.[19] Dubbing the new era an age of persistent conflict, commentators correctly see the threat tied to information, or, more correctly, disinformation operations. What the military fails to realize is that this change in adversary tactics is not the result of a change in the nature of war. War between states remains the application of lethal violence against an enemy to compel it to do ones will. War has not changed, but the sociopolitical environment has. Western liberal democracy allows for a sense of shared identity and common purpose rarely seen outside of religious conflicts. Purely military solutions cannot address a threat to the Western social fabric or value system. Creating a Cyber Force, Space Force, or Innovation Command wont help defend against a threat to combined sovereignties and shared values. It does not matter what new tactics one devises or how many domains one decides to dominate through force of arms. The current problem requires a set of defenses built into the social institutions of each of the Western powers. Defenses must combat disinformation with real information and lies with logic. It is now up to military leaders to advise that they cannot supply the weapons for this fight. Lethal force will not stop the flow of misinformation in a free society. Lethal force cannot rebuild trust. While the West will not survive without the ability to apply lethal violence when and where it is required, the current problem does not require ityet. To keep from reaching that point, military leaders must not only admit they cannot provide the weapons for the fight to preserve sociopolitical advantage, they must also convince political leaders act to preserve their advantage. Conclusion The West now finds itself in the position of Napoleon, able to muster a force more powerful that anything its enemies could hope to command with their nationalistic sociopolitical systems. It took changes in the legal and social structures of European states, as well as a willingness to band together, to muster a military force comparable to Napoleons. Unlike Prussia, Russia is not seeking to emulate Western advantages. Instead, Russia seeking to undermine and ultimately destroy the Wests advantage. Russia is trying to destroy it by means no Western military can address. The answer must come from other quarters. In a twist of fate, the West must now assume the role of Prussia and implement changes to its social and educational systems to ensure the ability to defeat an old enemy and while not succumbing to divisive base instincts. There are those who believe enlightened liberalism can never defeat nationalism.[20] But the truth is that alliances made possible by a common value system create a leviathan so great no single state can hope to defeat it. There are also many that do not feel it is the militarys duty to decide when to say, Its not our job. But civilians expect military leaders to be the experts on what can be accomplished through lethal violence. Military leaders must be honest with civilian leadership about what lethal violence cannot accomplish. There are times when it may be appropriate for armies to step aside because they have little or nothing to offer beyond false hope. Whether the Western powers can rise to the occasion and defeat this attack on its own terms is yet unclear. What is clear is that if it is to succeed, it will need to employ non-military means. The military alone cannot save the West this time. The West must recognize this fight is taking place among its people. They must now arm their people with the tools to fight back. Stanley Wiechnik is a U.S. Army officer with experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. The views expressed in this article are the author's and do not represent the views of the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. This article appeared originally at Strategy Bridge. AUSTIN, Texas, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds Corporation (NYSE: SWI), a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT management software, today announced the commencement of an underwritten public offering of 15,000,000 shares of its common stock by certain selling stockholders of SolarWinds. Such selling stockholders also intend to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,250,000 shares of SolarWinds common stock. SolarWinds will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of its common stock being offered by the selling stockholders and will bear the costs associated with the sale of such shares, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are acting as joint lead book-running managers for the offering. BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Evercore Group L.L.C., Jefferies LLC, Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Nomura Securities International, Inc. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers. JMP Securities LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Mischler Financial Group, Inc., Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc. and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. are acting as co-managers. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus, when available, may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, telephone: 866-803-9204; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attn: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, telephone: 866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316, e-mail: prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014; or Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, by mail: Attn: Prospectus Department, Eleven Madison Avenue, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010, by phone: 1-800-221-1037, by e-mail: usa.prospectus@credit-suisse.com. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. 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. #SWIfinancials About SolarWinds SolarWinds is a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT infrastructure management software. Our products give organizations worldwide, regardless of type, size or IT infrastructure complexity, the power to monitor and manage the performance of their IT environments, whether on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid models. We continuously engage with all types of technology professionalsIT operations professionals, DevOps professionals, and managed service providers (MSPs)to understand the challenges they face maintaining high-performing and highly available IT infrastructures. The insights we gain from engaging with them, in places like our THWACK online community, allow us to build products designed to solve well-understood IT management challenges in ways that technology professionals want them solved. This focus on the user and commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT performance management has established SolarWinds as a worldwide leader in network management software and MSP solutions. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding SolarWinds current expectations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning the terms of the proposed offering of common stock and the completion, timing and size of the proposed offering of common stock. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to completion of the public offering. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the prospectus, and in particular in the section captioned Risk Factors, related to the public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and SolarWinds undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. 2019 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTACTS: Hes gone from being the medias favorite star to rolling out a widely panned copycat Green New Deal in the span of a few weeks. How did Beto's campaign gets sapped of its energy so fast? The answer can be found in the question itself: it's energy, stupid. It wasnt that long ago that Beto was perched on counters delivering rousing orations to adoring crowds. He was the talk of Washington and landed on the cover of Vanity Fair, staring into the camera with an open road behind him. Im just born to be in it, he proclaimed to the magazine, speculating about a presidential bid. How things have changed. Two weekends after his announcement, ORourkes campaigns volunteer door-knocking numbers have reportedly plummeted. His fundraising numbers, admittedly strong during the campaigns first 24 hours, appear to have tapered off. Only a few dozen students showed up to ORourkes rally in Nevada in April. His campaign wanted to fill an entire courtyard, but moved to an intimate room when numbers fell. These are the telltale signs of a struggling campaign. ORourke isnt going away quietly. Hes recognized that his campaign is faltering, and hes come up with a solution move rapidly to the left on energy issues. Unfortunately for Beto, this strategy is fundamentally flawed. It wont win him the primary, and it will ruin any future political career he hopes to have in his home state. During his Senate run, ORourke was considered a moderate on energy and environmental issues. He said that there was a place for fracking in Texas, and promoted fracking as fundamental to our national security. He talked about how he was proud that Texas was a leader in oil and gas development. In the span of a few weeks, ORourke has worked to shed his entire energy record and embrace left-wing positions on energy and environmental policy. First, ORourke embraced Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs unworkable, expensive Green New Deal, calling it the best proposal he had seen. Now, ORourke has rolled out his own environmental plan, and its nearly as extreme as the Green New Deal. He proposes spending $5 trillion to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, signing a flurry of executive orders to limit the energy industry, and increasing fuel-economy standards. As the Wall Street Journal notes, ORourkes plan aligns himself with the goals of the Green New Deal. But this plan represents political malpractice. How will the federal government, already facing major budgetary shortfalls, fund $5 trillion in new spending? Apparently with nebulous changes to the tax code and by making the wealthy pay their fair share. Thats not a plan, thats a platitude. Refusing to provide a specific funding mechanism makes his plan easy to criticize from the right. Even the left is not enthralled with ORourke newfound environmental activism. The Sunrise Movement, the environmental group backing Ocasio-Cortezs Green New Deal, says ORourkes plan doesnt go far enough. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, also running for president, labeled ORourkes plan empty rhetoric in a statement. The problem for ORourke is that nearly every 2020 Democratic presidential candidate has endorsed the Green New Deal. Embracing environmentalism does nothing to distinguish himself from the other candidates, and only opens himself up to criticism that he isnt going far enough for the liberal base. Even worse, his move left increasingly puts his plan B dropping out of the presidential race and running for the senate seat held by Senator John Cornyn out of the question. Texas is a pro-energy state. Its the nations leading energy producing state by a country mile. Thanks to fracking in the Permian Basin, Texas is reaping major economic rewards from the energy industry, helping push domestic oil and natural gas output to record levels. The economic boom created 26,000 oil and gas industry jobs in just the past year alone. Running on an anti-energy policy is akin to running against the Alamo in Texas. Its bad policy and bad politics. Beto ORourke couldnt win statewide when he cast himself as a moderate on energy policy. Now, that climb is much steeper with his embrace of the far-lefts policy wish list. The future isnt looking so bright for the medias former favorite star. Daniel Turner is the Executive Director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. Follow him on Twitter @DanielTurnerPTF While Washington pols and pundits angrily debate who counts as a spy, and whether any such exotic creatures have ever been employed by the FBI, new evidence is emerging that the FBI not only uses spies, but has done so extensively, including in the Trump-Russia investigation. James Baker: no snooping "in order to gather political intelligence." On Thursday, CNN host John Berman asked former FBI general counsel James Baker: Did the FBI spy on the Trump campaign as the attorney general suggested? Baker didnt initially say no, but rather objected that the word spy has negative connotations. Baker then seemed to switch the question from whether spying occurred to its intent, saying: There was no intention by myself or anybody else Im aware of to intrude or do activities with respect to the campaign. Then he continued his sentence with a clause that significantly modified even that claim. There was no intrusion of the Trump campaign, he said, done in order to gather political intelligence to find out what the political strategies were. The FBI was only interested in what the campaign was up to regarding Russia. Theres a very big difference between saying I didnt spy and saying I didnt spy for inappropriate reasons. The former is a denial, the latter is all but an admission. Baker asserted there was no spying done to gather information on Trumps campaign strategies. Which could very well mean there was spying, just not any for the narrow reason given. When President Trump raised the specter of spying in March 2017 imprecisely claiming his wires had been tapped at Trump Tower he was widely criticized as a liar and conspiracy monger for suggesting that Obama administration officials would have spied on a rival campaign. Now that it is clear such surveillance did occur, those deniers are trying to defend and play down those efforts. Defenders of the Trump-Russia probe have come to rely heavily on variations of the not for inappropriate reasons clause, not only in their public comments but in closed-door interviews with witnesses. They have also tried to change the terms of debate by focusing on three words from a tweet Trump sent a year ago demanding that the Justice Department look into whether or not the FBI, DOJ infiltrated or surveilled the Trump campaign for political purposes. Those last three words, with italic emphasis added below, have had quite the workout ever since. James Comey: never "for political purposes." To your knowledge, Baker was asked by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) in an October 2018 closed-door Capitol Hill interview, did the FBI or DOJ ever investigate the Trump campaign, quote, for political purposes? Raskin also asked Baker, in the same interview by joint House committees on the judiciary and on government oversight and reform, To your knowledge, did President Obama or anyone in his White House ever, quote, demand or request that the DOJ or FBI, quote, infiltrate or surveil the Trump campaign for, quote, political purposes? No and no Baker was able to respond. The assistant director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division, Bill Priestap, was asked in his Capitol Hill interview June 5, 2018, Do you have any reason to believe that the Obama White House ever interfered with the FBIs handling of either the Clinton or Trump investigations for political purposes? He answered, "No, no" Asked in a congressional interview Dec. 7, 2018 whether the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes, former FBI Director James Comey was definitive: I know that we never investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes. Has the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign or the Trump presidency for political purposes? FBI agent Peter Strzok was asked by Democratic staffer Janet Kim June 27, 2018. Certainly not for political purposes, he replied and perhaps realizing how obvious that sounded, added, I am not, by that answer, implying that there is or is not any other lawful predicated investigation. Evidence that the FBIs answers to such questions are themselves political aimed at protecting the bureaus conduct during the Russia investigation was provided in testimony Trisha Anderson gave last Aug. 31 to the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. Bakers No. 2, the FBIs Principal Deputy General Counsel, Anderson had since left the bureau to join the law firm Covington & Burling. The questioning was done behind closed doors. The transcript has not been released, but pieces of it have been reported on; a copy of the full transcript has been obtained by RealClearInvestigations. The inevitable question eventually was asked by Kim: Have you ever been a part of any DOJ or FBI investigation conducted for a political purpose? Andersons answer was No. Kim went on: Are you aware of the FBI ever placing spies in a U.S. political campaign during your time at the FBI? No, Anderson said. Trisha Anderson: A confidential human source is not a spy. Notice, however, what Kim forgot with that second question: the words for political purposes. That oversight opened the door to detailed questions about FBI espionage once it was the Republicans turn again. Ryan Breitenbach, senior counsel for the Judiciary Committee majority, did the questioning. You previously indicated in a prior round that there, to your knowledge, was never a spy that was placed on the Trump campaign or anywhere in the Trump orbit, Breitenbach said. What's your definition of a spy? Let me make it easier. Does a spy, in your mind, include a human confidential source? No, said Anderson. So if the FBI employed a confidential human source to gather intel, that would not be spying, and FBI officials can claim under oath that the bureau hasnt used spies. Breitenbach became more specific: Does a spy include an undercover FBI employee? At this point he had Anderson at a loss: I don't know, she answered. If she didnt know whether undercover FBI employees ever counted as spies, how is it she had been able to deny there were any? I mean, Breitenbach pressed, you answered no to the question was there ever a spy placed " Right, so for two reasons. Anderson had regained her footingbut in a way that revealed more than it concealed. First, she said, the word spy did not seem commensurate with what I understood had been done in this particular case, as if a spy is not a spy if he doesnt use his shoe-phone. And the other thing was the verb, the use of the verb place a spy or place a source within a campaign, Anderson said. To my knowledge, the FBI did not place anybody within a campaign but, rather, relied upon its network of sources, some of whom already had campaign contacts, including the source that would be informant Stefan Halper that has been discussed in the media at some length beyond Christopher Steele. In her apparent effort to euphemize her way out of the possibility she had been caught in erroneous testimony, Anderson revealed that the FBI used not just a few confidential sources against the Trump campaign, but a network of sources. She merely objected to the verb: The network wasnt placed in the campaign, Anderson insisted, because their sources already had campaign contacts. RealClearInvestigations reached out to Anderson for comment, but she did not respond. 'Double-Agent Operations' Later in her testimony Anderson let slip another piece of information undermining claims that the FBI isnt in the spy game. The shop where she worked at the bureau is in charge of giving legal guidance for FBI activities. She was asked about whether she or her fellow lawyers in the general counsels office were involved in decisions about when confidential human sources had to be let go. I'm not aware of any such instances, Anderson said. And then she elaborated perhaps longer than intended: Our office might and actually routinely provided legal advice on uses, investigative uses of sources overseas, for example, on double-agent operations is a good example of a circumstance that might implicate legal considerations. You mentioned double-agent operations, said the Republican staff lawyer. It sounds like your office might give legal advice when an issue arose from an actual operational issue? Correct, Anderson said. So for all the denials that the FBI uses spies, the truth seems to be that the bureau not only runs secret agents, but double agents. Given the difficulties of double agent operations, success with them should be a source of pride, not shame. As long, that is, as they are not done for political purposes. Napoleon did not realize until it was too late that the only closed political economy is the world economy. Britain could not be starved into submission by blockade unless she were totally cut off from the world. As long as Britain could trade with any nation outside France, it was thus trading indirectly with France.Jude Wanniski, The Way The World Works. In his excellent new book, Prisoner: My 544 Days In An Iranian Prison, former Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian gave readers a fascinating sense of what life was like in Iran for himself, along with his wife Yegi. This rates mention in consideration of strict rules against alcohol consumption in the country. Despite them, the Rezaians had an impressive stash of liquor in their apartment and the storage unit of their apartment. And despite trading bans between America and Iran, both owned Apple iPhones. Its all a reminder of a simple economic truth that increasingly eludes some in the electorate: if youre producing something of market value youre quite literally trading with the whole world. All those countries that your federal minders tell you cant trade with youre in fact trading with. Youre just not doing so directly. Theres quite simply no accounting for the final destination of any market good. Though U.S. companies and individual producers may be forced to abide and suffer the witless attempts of an increasingly protectionist right to bend the laws of economics, those laws ultimately prevail. Thankfully they do. This requires discussion in consideration of a move made this past week by the U.S. Commerce Department to block Huawei and its various affiliates from obtaining U.S.-made goods and software. That blue chip U.S. companies such as Google, Intel and Qualcomm would be the first-line victims of the Commerce Departments economic illiteracy (media accounts indicate that Huawei is a size buyer of U.S.-made technology of the $10 billion plus variety on an annual basis) doesnt seem to concern a Trump administration that has frequently and properly chosen to have its success or failure measured by the health of the U.S. economy. In this case, the Administrations actions vandalize basic economics. Luckily for the Administration, basic laws of economics will save it from its flirtation with economic folly. Indeed, America will continue to trade with China despite the Administrations periodic disdain for reason, economic and otherwise. Alphabet, Intel and Qualcomm, unless they cease selling their technology altogether, will continue to sell their wares to Huawei, albeit indirectly, much as Arab oil continued to flow into the United States after the wholly symbolic Arab oil embargo of 1973. So did American trade continue with Germany during WWI despite embargoes imposed. The goods were merely routed through Scandinavian countries. So while there's no economic or embargo basis for the federal governments attempts to mug Huawei, its also true that common sense and government rarely go together. Based on the laughable presumption that Huawei is an agent of the Chinese government, and by extension, eager to spy on us, our federal rulers want to erect barriers to its ongoing growth. That Huawei could mostly only happen on government incompetence assuming it aimed to bug us doesnt seem to concern conservatives eager to limit the global corporations ascent. As for the presumption that Hauwei may help Chinese businesses bug top U.S. businesses, its worth asking what useful intelligence they could lift? By Bill Gatess own admission, most corporate initiatives - even at Microsoft - are expensive failures. And assuming Huawei is a creation of the Chinese state, what are conservatives so afraid of? When have government-controlled businesses ever proven too dynamic for market-disciplined corporations that are everywhere in the U.S.? To which sane minds might reply that Huawei thrives in 177 countries around the world precisely because its not a creation of the state. About this blinding glimpse of the obvious, can the overnight protectionists on the right at least try to be serious? Do they really think a business this effective could be state run, reliant on the state, or working closely with the state? For conservatives to believe the latter is for them basically refute all that they used to believe about big government existing as an enemy of innovative commerce. Huaweis greatness as a provider of crucial technology speaks to how very much its not an agent of the Chinese government. That its not a state functionary is a wonderful thing, at which point wise Americans should hope that it is able to quickly roll out 5G and countless other life-changing technologies. If so, Americans will have access to the technology as though it had been hatched next door. In a free economy, and the U.S. economy is rich beyond belief largely because its free, all technological innovations have a next door quality to them. The origin of a technological advance is of zero consequence in a globalized world. What matters is that technology advances. Its a beautiful thing that the Chinese are increasingly producing alongside us, as opposed to starving. As for the conservatives whove quickly (and surely coincidentally) developed an overnight paranoia about China, they have some explaining to do. They do because they know well that China wasnt much of a concern for them until Donald Trump was elected president, which means their economic views are now being shaped by someone whos flaunted his trade illiteracy for decades, along with the obnoxiously confused economics professor advising President Trump, Peter Navarro. How conservatives know they have explaining to do concerns how very loudly theyd be protesting if Hillary Clinton were intervening in the natural workings of global commerce as Trump presently is. Even the great Holman Jenkins has entered the echo chamber with his recent suggestion that China is a larger, more sophisticated (in terms of its corruption), North Korea. Jenkins has since moderated his rhetoric somewhat, but his latest column calls for Trump to basically dangle the possibility of the U.S. allowing Huawei to survive in return for broad Chinese reforms. No, the view is anti-conservative. Lest members of the right forget, the U.S. economy didnt become the worlds most dynamic and richest because it had the feds routinely holding its proverbial hands and issuing global threats. The U.S. economy is great because its free, not because politicians fight to allegedly improve trading arrangements for American businesses. Its not too late for conservatives to reacquaint themselves with these crucial basics of prosperity. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaibs anti-Semitic and anti-Israel outburst claiming that Palestinians supposedly provided Jews with a safe haven after the Holocaust is at best misleading. From 1920 to 1948, when Israel was founded, Great Britain ruled the land between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, then known as Palestine, under a League of Nations Mandate. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Arabs there mobilized to kill Jews and lobby the British to keep Jews out. During World War II, they joined with the Nazis to kill Jews. And after the war, rather than providing Jews with a safe haven, they again killed Jews and lobbied the British to bar Holocaust survivors. Only Israels successful fight for independence against six Arab nations stopped the Arab massacres. Tlaib has an anti-Semitic history and is devoted to the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state. Her vile statement is no surprise. That Tlaib also is a socialist, however, highlights George Gilders critical insight elucidated in his 2009 book, The Israel Test. Anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel, Gilder shows, share socialisms false conception of a capitalist economy as a zero-sum game, in which business owners are parasites that prey on workers and in which those who become wealthy do so at the expense of others. In Mein Kampf, Gilder recounts, Adolph Hitler accused Jews of monopolizing business and finance to impoverish Aryans. Hitler died in 1945, but his infamous book became a favorite of Palestinians and a perennial best seller in the Arab world. Its themes, Gilder notes, continue to echo in the speeches of this centurys most virulent anti-Semites, including Osama bin Laden, former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Bin Mohamad. Louis Farrakhan also has a place on this list. The American media, Gilder continues, has long been replete with similar zero-sum game accusations that omit the word Jews, but which depict Jewish financiers like Carl Icahn, George Soros, and Henry Kravis as parasites that benefit at the expense of workers and the poor. Attacks against Jeff Bezos have much the same scent. The structural defect in anti-Semitism, Gilder explains, is the same as in socialism. Instead of being a zero-sum game, a capitalist economy is a positive-sum game, based on an upward spiral of gains, in which the achievements of one group provide markets and opportunities for others. The paradox of anti-Semitism, he shows, is that in the upward spiraling capitalist economy, the unsurpassed success of Jews in business and finance simultaneously has particularly benefitted their fellow citizens while fueling anti-Semitic hatred. Gilder exposes hatred of Israel for supposedly having inflicted poverty on the Palestinians as a particular form of anti-Semitism based on the same defective zero-sum game model. Pre-statehood Jewish settlement in Mandatory Palestine created economic opportunity that benefitted the Arabs. But it is Gilders comparison of the Palestinian economy, first under Arab rule and then under Israeli rule, that is most telling. During Israels 1948 War of Independence, Jordan conquered the West Bank and Egypt took control of Gaza. Under Jordanian rule, the West Bank economy grew modestly; under Egyptian rule, the economy in Gaza stagnated. In 1967, the Six-Day War brought the West Bank and Gaza under Israeli control. The data show that from 1967 to 1987, West Bank Arab per-capita income tripled and Arab per-capita income in Gaza rose from $80 to $1,706. This positive-sum upward economic spiral ended in 1987, Gilder explains, when the Palestinians chose the violent path of the intifada and embraced their leaderships long-standing ideology that poverty is preferable to cooperation with the hated Jews. In 1934, David Ben-Gurion, later Israels founding father, told Arab leader Musa Alami that Jewish settlement in Mandatory Palestine would bring a blessing to the Arabs of Palestine. Alami, Gilder recounts, responded that he would prefer that the country remain impoverished and barren for another hundred years, until we ourselves are able to develop it on our own. In 2005, when Israel exited Gaza, it left sophisticated greenhouses and irrigation equipment. True to Alamis sentiment, Gilder notes, the Palestinians who took control of Gaza immediately destroyed most of these facilities. Some claim that hatred of Israel will cease when Israel makes sufficient concessions at the negotiating table. Some hope that preaching religious tolerance will end anti-Semitism. In The Israel Test, Gilder instead shows that to defeat these evils, we must defeat socialism. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate On Friday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Government House for official travel to Townsville. In the afternoon, His Excellency visited NRL Cowboys House and toured the boys and girls campuses, meeting students and staff. In the evening, at The Ville, Townsville, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey hosted an Investiture Ceremony for recipients of Australian honours and awards announced in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List, and the Governor addressed guests. , We're sorry, this article is not currently available By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/20/2019 ADVERTISEMENT COLT AND LARISSA ELIZABETH AND ANDREI ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT NICOLE AND AZAN ADVERTISEMENT CHANTEL AND PEDRO ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT RUSS AND PAOLA ADVERTISEMENT ASHLEY AND JAY ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Happily Ever After? continued its fourth season with a good share of drama on Sunday night -- including Ashley Martson taking a break from Jay Smith and revealing his alleged Tinder interest was in high school, Chantel Everett admitting her marriage to Pedro Jimeno "might be lost," and Elizabeth Potthast lying to her husband for the sake of having somewhere to live.In addition to Ashley and Jay, Pedro and Chantel, and Elizabeth and Andrei Castravet , Sunday night's two-hour : Happily Ever After? broadcast on TLC also featured Season 4's three other couples: Larissa Dos Santos Lima and Colt Johnson Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou , and Russ Mayfield and Paola Mayfield "Many painful realities and unexpected obstacles await as they navigate cultural differences, pregnancies, in-laws, scandals and more," TLC previously teased of the new season.This season is going to feature explosive fights, confrontations, tears, and even police involvement, and the first several episodes have already given viewers a taste of some of that.Below is the latest on each couple, according to the new broadcast of : Happily Ever After?'s fourth season.Colt and Larissa went out to dinner to celebrate the fact Larissa's domestic violence case had been dismissed. Larissa was excited, but she only trusted Colt "20 percent."Larissa, however, hoped her level of trust in her husband could grow over time, and Colt also acknowledged they had a lot to work on.Because Colt had called the police on his wife following an argument, Larissa needed to be convinced Colt cared about her and they were on the same team.As for Colt, he asked Larissa to step up and be his partner because she often shut down.Larissa then told Colt she needed more money from him and wanted to buy a Chanel-designed item. Colt admitted her demands were ridiculous but he'd be willing to give her a pre-paid credit card every month.After Larissa suggested they should put $1,000 on the card, Colt settled on $200 a month."I want a million dollars from Colt, but $200 is better than nothing," Larissa told the cameras.Larissa called Colt out for telling her that he had $10,000 saved when they met, but Colt didn't recall ever saying that. And Colt insisted that even if that was the case, the money was probably gone now because Larissa was "expensive."Colt said in a confessional he loved Larissa but they still had much more to learn and discover about each other.Afterward, Colt paid for Larissa to receive lip injections. She said Colt had to pay or else she wasn't going to have sex with him anymore.Colt told Larissa she was naturally beautiful and didn't need any work done, but she joked about how a new look would be motivation for her to give him more "bl-w j-bs."Larissa said she'd feel more confident and sexy with poutier lips, telling her husband she'd be able to fulfill his "hungry sexual drive."With that being said, Colt paid for one $450 syringe to make Larissa happy. He was bothered, however, that his gestures never seemed to be enough and she always wanted more.Elizabeth visited her sister Jen to vent about the situation regarding their father and Andrei.Andrei wanted to move out of their small home so they'd no longer have to owe or deal with Chuck and abide by his rules, but Elizabeth said they didn't have the funds to just pick up and find a new place.Jen thought Andrei was confused and admitted to Elizabeth their father was just trying to help them out and get them on their feet.Since Elizabeth and Andrei were struggling financially so much, Jen insisted moving out of a rent-free home while Elizabeth was pregnant was the "dumbest" thing they could possibly do.But Elizabeth acknowledged Andrei was "prideful" and it was "killing him" he couldn't provide for his family and serve as the head of household with a steady job.Elizabeth considered going behind Andrei's back and asking her father for a deposit for a home so they could move out of their rent-free pad under Chuck's name.Elizabeth and Andrei ultimately decided to move out of their home because Andrei "felt betrayed" by her father. Elizabeth therefore called her dad in secret to ask for money.Elizabeth said Chuck was holding the house over her head and Andrei was uncomfortable with the gesture, but Chuck was clearly angry because Andrei was supposed to work on the house and keep it up.Chuck went many months without rent and complained about having to bring a contractor into the house to fix it up.Elizabeth then gathered up the courage to ask her father for more financial help so she and Andrei could secure a new place, have a deposit and be able to afford rent.Chuck was shocked and angry about the phone call, but he said he loved his daughter and would of course help her out given she was pregnant.Chuck also promised not to say a word to Andrei about their deal, because Elizabeth confessed her husband would be furious over where the money would be coming from.Elizabeth planned to tell Andrei that she had received an advance from work, and she anticipated he would believe her.Andrei was happy about moving out because he didn't want to feel indebted to Chuck anymore. Andrei was also confident he'd nail down a full-time job soon.Elizabeth felt guilty about lying to her husband, but she pointed out there was no other option.Later on, Andrei was shown continuing his search for a full-time job in the trucking industry. He hoped to receive a permanent job with a consistent schedule.One company wanted six or more months of experience, so they told Andrei they could give him work when it's available. Given he'd be an on-call worker, he would earn 38 cents a mile and be able to drive anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 miles a week -- which would equate to $900 to $1,000 every week.The company also told Andrei he would be removed from its roster if he ended up turning down a trip, which could last for up to 26 days at a time.Elizabeth then went shopping with Andrei in a second-hand shop for baby clothes, but Andrei seemed grossed out by the fact a pair of shoes had already been worn by a kid's "dirty feet.""I don't know what planet Andrei is living on, but we cannot afford to be picky. I am kind of the one being realistic here, and it's kind of a hard spot to be in," Elizabeth told the cameras.Andrei shared with Elizabeth the details of his interview and how it was going to be harder than he thought to make money in the trucking industry, but Elizabeth seemingly didn't want to hear it.Andrei was upset his wife wasn't being more supportive, but Elizabeth was waiting for him to get his act together and actually use his trucker's license. She thought it would be "stupid" for him to turn down any potential job."I think Andrei is blissfully unaware of what's to come and he needs to step it up," Elizabeth said.Nicole met up with her supportive friend Jessica to discuss her relationship with Azan. Nicole confessed her entire relationship had been "waiting," and Jessica said "it broke her heart" to postpone the wedding again.Nicole then revealed she was going to visit Azan in Grenada for a fun trip and her father wanted to meet him. Nicole, however, was tired of defending her fiance to her family and trying to convince them he's a genuine guy.Jessica understood why Nicole's family was suspicious, especially because she had heard Azan was "talking to other girls" -- although she "didn't know in what way."Nicole then explained to cameras that before she left for Morocco the last time, she had found recordings of Azan talking to other women and saying he wanted to kiss someone.Azan claimed at the time it was all a joke and Nicole said she gave Azan a second chance, which was something he had previously done for her."Was it infidelity?" Jessica asked."No, but it was a form of cheating," Nicole replied, before subtly confirming it was cyber cheating and she didn't want to talk about it.Jessica was no longer sure Azan was The One for Nicole, but Nicole just wanted to move forward from those voice recordings and all the negativity.Chantel came home from work to see Pedro packing for the Dominican Republic. He was leaving the next day for "who knows how long," according to Chantel."I am disappointed beyond belief by how he has been treating me lately, and it really worries me," Chantel said.Chantel noted all Pedro wanted to ask when they had met with an immigration attorney about was what would happen if they ended up divorcing.Chantel didn't understand why Pedro didn't want his wife to travel with him, and she wondered if he was hiding something or wanted to get a divorce. She just wished Pedro had been more honest with her.Pedro insisted to Chantel his boss was okay with him leaving for an undetermined amount of time.Chantel didn't trust Pedro's family. She believed they wanted Pedro to bring money home so they could start a business together and then divorce Chantel."Nothing they have ever said about me is real, and you know it," Chantel told her husband of his family.Pedro said he was ready to take off because Chantel made him feel like everything he did was "bad" and "wrong." Chantel told her husband that he was acting like "an assh-le," but Pedro was hoping his wife would just be sweet to him before leaving for his trip.The next day, Chantel found herself extremely upset to drop Pedro off at the airport. She worried her marriage was "doomed" and felt a cloud over her.Chantel didn't feel she had done anything wrong, but she apologized to Pedro anyway for how she had acted the previous day. Chantel didn't want to be away from her husband or leave him with bad thoughts of her on his way out."If I feel really good, I'll come back to you. But right now, I am tired and have no fight," Pedro said in a confessional.However, Pedro told his wife, "I love you," when he exited her car."Right now, I feel like my marriage could be lost," Chantel told the cameras.Pedro was then shown arriving in the Dominican Republic and being greeted by his sister and mother. Pedro missed his loved ones.Once Pedro returned to his mother and sister's house, his sister shared the news Pedro was paying for their place and Chantel didn't like it. Pedro then confided in his family how Chantel always took her family's side and living in the United States was "difficult" for him.Pedro said he loved Chantel but things needed to change between them, and his sister was just hoping she could clear his mind and help him to have a little fun."I told my mother what happened between me and Chantel, and my mother simply says, 'What are you doing with her?' And really, in that situation, my mind says, 'I don't know what I need to do now,'" Pedro explained.Russ and Paola were still in Oklahoma visiting his family, but the trip wasn't going great.Russ was disappointed because he had been offered a great job in Oklahoma and was hoping to move there with his wife.Russ then sat down with his parents and explained Paola didn't feel welcome or accepted into their family. Patty and Ron had reservations in the past, but they thought the situation had gotten better.Patty and Ron said they often reached out to Paola but there was never a positive response on her end.Russ went on to explain to his parents that Paola felt judged for how she had dressed sexy during a previous gathering. Patty didn't like it, but Russ insisted it was Paola's culture and how her family and friends dressed back home.Ron wondered if Paola came to the United States with the wrong intentions, and he wasn't convinced Paola would "stick around through thick and thin" for his son.Russ asked his parents to start fresh and attempt to move forward, and then he revealed a job opportunity had been offered to him in Oklahoma. Russ would love to be closer to his parents since he had a baby on the way and Patty and Ron could assist as his son's grandparents.In order to get her son back, Patty was willing to sit down with Paola and have a conversation to smooth things over and hopefully mend fences.Later on, Paola sat down with her mother-in-law, but she certainly wasn't looking forward to their little chat. Patty wanted to have a good relationship with Paola so they could get along and help each other with the baby.Paola and Patty went back and forth, explaining how neither woman had felt accepted by the other. Paola brought up Patty's distaste for her fashion and culture and judgmental attitude, but Patty argued Paola distanced herself from them and never really gave them a chance.Patty also wanted Paola to respect Russ' family and represent them well, but Paola "didn't plan on changing for anyone."Patty also confessed she and Ron had questioned her motives in the beginning of her relationship with Russ. The couple initially wondered if Paola just wanted to come to the United States so she could further her career.Paola told Patty that she didn't want to return to Oklahoma, but Patty asked her to at least consider a move."I do not want to live in Oklahoma and I do not want to go back," Paola told the cameras in a confessional.Paola felt better after her conversation with Patty because things had been "very uncomfortable" for her. She looked forward to having a better relationship with Patty, but a move to Oklahoma was clearly not going to happen.Ashley told the cameras her relationship with Jay was a constant battle, as they were fighting and bickering frequently.Jay thought Ashley meeting up with her ex-boyfriend on a date was just as bad as the dating-app scandal in which he had allegedly been just talking to women on Tinder."Right now, every little thing that Jay does annoys me. I just get really agitated with him and my bullsh-t tolerance is at a zero. I still love him, but I'm not sure Jay and I are going to be able to get past this. I feel a break is necessary at this point," Ashley said in a confessional.Ashley then told her husband she intended to travel to New York City with her girlfriends.Jay was upset Ashley didn't even ask him or talk to him about going, especially since he had no friends in Pennsylvania and didn't have an opportunity to travel himself.But Ashley was desperate for time away to think about her relationship, ask her friends for advice, and hopefully rebuild trust.Jay pointed out Ashley was trying to get back at him and maybe it would make sense for her to just send him back to Jamaica.Ashley was later shown going to New York and partying and letting loose with her girlfriends. A part of her worried, however, about Jay being left alone at home.Ashley dropped a bombshell that one of the girls Jay had been talking to on the dating app was in high school."He was inviting her to my house, and I was shocked," Ashley said in a confessional."The girl he was talking to is the complete opposite of me. Not only is she way larger than I am in size, but she's 14 years younger than me... I'm kind of wondering is he even attracted to someone my type. Is he using me for a Green Card?"Jay insisted to Ashley at the time he was just "bored" and was talking to the girl with no intention to pursue any type of romance.Ashley needed closure and therefore decided to call the girl on the phone to find out more information. The girl didn't answer, and Ashley's friends were displeased to see her so distraught and conflicted about her marriage. On Saturday, in the morning, at The Ville, Townsville, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted a Morning Tea in support of those who assisted the community during and after the 2019 Townsville Flood, and the Governor addressed guests. In the afternoon, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey returned to Government House following official travel to Townsville. In the afternoon, at the Brookfield Showground, Brookfield, His Excellency attended the 2019 Brookfield Show. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Rain likely. High 48F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy with a few showers. Low 38F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Though the US has got together a number of vetted and potential Indian business partners, most of these companies say they havent had much luck in stitching up deals to tap into India as an export market for their goods. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com In the last two years, India has climbed 53 places in the World Banks ease of doing business report. Despite that, for the average US company, the country continues to look like a tough market to break into. This is the view of more than 100 American companies, whose top executives accompanied US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who was in India for trade negotiations with New Delhi. Backed by the US commerce department, the executives toured Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata, among other cities, as part of Washingtons largest annual trade mission programme, Trade Winds. In each city they met government leaders and market experts. But although the US has got together a number of vetted and potential Indian business partners, most of these companies say they havent had much luck in stitching up deals to tap into India as an export market for their goods. We manufacture and supply chemicals that improve soil quality. "With such a big farm sector, India is a lucrative market. But government regulations remain quite complicated and high import tariffs are an issue, says Kevin P Voss, president, International Global Expansion at Kentucky-based Montys Plant and Soil Products. However, Voss is quick to add that his company is willing to give discounts provided a local partner can be found. Entering the Indian market without a local partner could be dangerous, he says. This perception has resulted in the proliferation of business facilitation firms and most foreign companies admit that they are in touch with these. This is a complex market. A little bit of handholding is required, says Singapore-based Rajeev Karpe, adding that the problem isnt going away anytime soon. Karpe heads Allegro, which offers end-to-end solutions for establishing business partnerships in India. In fact, most foreign companies are in the dark about the foreign business-friendly facilities that exist in the country. They dont know that there are one-stop help desks for foreign businesses under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. Their knowledge of the economic profile of the country is sketchy as well. Bruce Weir, vice-president of International Operations at Zeibart, a car care company which offers interior and exterior auto detailing and other services, says, Im not sure how large this business is in India or how many people can afford these services. "But as the country grows, the sector will become more important. Weir is based out of Detroit, the city that spawned the automobile revolution in the US, but whose fortunes have now fallen with most car companies shifting base to countries with lower manufacturing costs. He talks enthusiastically about how Detroits economy is looking up again, and then lowers his voice and says Zeibart is keen to produce its goods in India if it can find a local partner. Weirs cautiousness is shared by several members of the delegation who are unwilling to disclose their plans to manufacture in India. Thats because US President Donald J Trump, while calling upon China and India to reduce their trade tariffs, has also urged small and medium enterprises in his country to hire locally. Other companies complain that though India is foraying into new technology-led sectors such as environmental services, the lack of government support for foreign investment in these areas is a sticking point. I've heard that the Narendra Modi government is focussing on cleaning up the river Ganga. "So it should do more to incentivise the private sector to enter the field, says Paul K. Black, senior vice-president of ECObiotix LLC, an environmental firm which specialises in green technology and wastewater management. Until June 2018, the ICICI Bank board had given a clean chit to Kochhar with full backing and had said there was no question of favouritism, nepotism or conflict of interest on her part in granting loans to Videocon Industries or any other company. However, the stance changed soon after the regulatory and probe agencies initiated enquiry in the matter. ICICI Bank former managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) Chanda Kochhar has sent a legal letter to the private lender, objecting to the way her resignation was treated as termination, refusing to give back the money she got as bonuses and stock options between April 2009 and March 2018, as directed by the bank, said two people privy to the development. On January 30, the board of ICICI Bank announced it would claw back all the perks given to her, following a report by a probe panel headed by former Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna that indicted Kochhar for violating the banks code of conduct in the Videocon loan case. Kochhar was directed to return about Rs 10 crore in bonuses she had received as CEO, and to also give up close to 6 million shares of the bank she had as stock option. The letter was sent by Kochhars lawyer, seeking explanation over treating her separation as a termination for cause. The letter highlighted her long-serving tenure in the bank (close to 34 years), her hard work and how she conducted herself with integrity. The letter said that the banks termination decision had tarnished her reputation. Sources say the letter sent across was hard-hitting and aggressive, and briefly touched upon the allegations made against her. Her legal team is awaiting the banks response to decide the subsequent course, said sources. Further, Kochhars lawyer in the letter pointed out that none of the credit decisions at the bank was unilateral and followed committee-based collective decision-making. Kochhar was charged with quid pro quo while sanctioning loans to the Videocon group. An email sent to ICICI Bank remained unanswered. Kochhar did not respond to text messages. The bank had in a statement said Kochhar ineffectively dealt with conflict of interest and due disclosure or recusal requirements, while deciding on loans given to the Videocon group, where her relatives had a close business interest. Chanda Kochhar was in violation of the ICICI Bank code of conduct, its framework for dealing with conflict of interest and fiduciary duties, and in terms of applicable Indian laws, rules and regulations, the bank statement said, citing the probe report. The Srikrishna Committee investigated her role since April 2009, when she was named CEO, till March 2018. From a legal standpoint, the bank should have sufficient ground to make deduction from guaranteed components in the case of C-suite executives, said a lawyer aware about the case. However, each organisation can exercise control and flexibility when it comes to structuring the terms and conditions around incentives, bonuses, perks, stock options, and so on. But enforcing such a clawback provision in an employment contract is always open to legal challenges once invoked, he added. The Reserve Bank of India guidelines say banks and financial institutions should put in place appropriate modalities to incorporate the clawback mechanism in respect of variable pay. These guidelines are aimed at creating accountability among senior managements for their decisions. Until June 2018, the ICICI Bank board had given a clean chit to Kochhar with full backing and had said there was no question of favouritism, nepotism or conflict of interest on her part in granting loans to Videocon Industries or any other company. However, the stance changed soon after the regulatory and probe agencies initiated enquiry in the matter. In January, upon receiving the panel report, the bank had revoked her existing and future entitlements such as any unpaid amounts, unpaid bonuses or increments, unvested and vested and unexercised stock options, and medical benefits. Kochhar had denied the allegations following the first whistle-blower complaint originally made in 2016. Subsequently, the bank board had shown full support for its MD. The matter was investigated by multiple authorities including the income-tax department and the Securities and Exchange Board of India for months. Currently, the Enforcement Directorate is probing the case under anti-money laundering laws and questioned Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar last week. Photograph: PTI Photo The CEOs compensation included a fixed salary component of Rs 6.07 crore, variable pay of Rs 10.96 crore and perquisites worth Rs 7.64 crore. The countrys second-largest IT services firm Infosys chief executive officer Salil Parekh took home a pay package of Rs 24.67 crore in the last financial year. Comparable data on salary for the previous financial year was not available as Parekh joined the firm in January 2018. According to the companys annual report, the CEOs compensation included a fixed salary component of Rs 6.07 crore, variable pay of Rs 10.96 crore and perquisites worth Rs 7.64 crore. The ratio of Parekhs salary to median remuneration was 396, which means he was paid 396 times more than the average salary of Infosys employees. Last week, the annual report of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) showed that its CEO Rajesh Gopinathans salary rose over 28 per cent to around Rs 16 crore in FY19. As per the annual report of Infosys, its chief operating officer (COO) U B Pravin Rao drew a total compensation of Rs 9.05 crore, an increase of 10 per cent over the years. However, the rise was mainly due to exercise of 6,812 restricted stock units (RSUs) worth Rs 0.81 crore, the annual report showed. While the fixed salary component in Raos compensation stood at Rs 4.41 crore, variable payout was Rs 3.83 crore with perquisites at Rs 0.81 crore. The Bengaluru-headquartered IT firm last week announced that it would allocate 50 million shares to its employees under its new stock incentive plan. Under this initiative, the company plans to give its CEO, Salil Parekh Rs 10 crore worth shares, while its COO, Pravin Rao is proposed to receive Rs 4 crore worth stocks. With regard to performance of the firm, the management of the IT services company said that it was better-placed to cash in emerging opportunities in the coming years. After some years of change, we have seen a year of stability with a steady leadership team, ready to engage with our clients and ready to drive our superior delivery capability, Parekh said. After a leadership churn, Infosys under Parekh's leadership has improved its performance in the last one and half years. While the company posted 9 per cent revenue growth in constant currency term in FY19, it has guided for a revenue growth of 7.5-9.5 per cent in the current financial year. The transformation was guided by the clear articulation of our strategy, the strong support of our board, and the continual commitment of the management team to make this a reality. "All of this resulted in our market capitalisation increasing by nearly $10 billion, Parekh added. Infosyss Chairman Nandan Nilekani also sounded an optimistic tone about company's future growth. Over the past year, we have been working relentlessly to rebuild a more 200,000 plus people organisation to operate with the speed and agility of a startup, said chairman of Infosys. We are reforming root and branch, replacing legacy systems and mindsets, dissolving thick encrusted silos, energising the believers and converting the sceptics." Photograph: PTI Photo 'They were the leaders of my country and the children of Mother India, but they didn't die as martyrs.' 'They were killed, most unfortunately, by a well planned enemy plot, and they were victims of political violence,' states Sudhir Bisht. IMAGE: Rahul Gandhi, then 14, with his grandmother Indira Gandhi's body, the day after she was assassinated, November 1, 1984. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, fed up of the nicely orchestrated campaign of 'Chowkidar chor hai' gave back to the Nehru-Gandhi family with all the might at his disposal and then some. He called Rahul Gandhi's late father, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as someone who would be remembered as one of the most corrupt people of all time. Immediately, the Congress was up in arms against Modi. While Rahul Gandhi reminded Modi of the theory of karma, the television channels that are Nehru Parivar bhakts said it was appalling to speak ill of the dead. Interestingly, even NDTV didn't say once that Rajiv Gandhi didn't have a taint of corruption in his short-lived political career. Rajiv's daughter Priyanka Vadra and many other Congressmen were quick to point out that the Nehru-Gandhi family had made supreme sacrifices for India and it was monstrous to speak ill of the martyrs. Personally, I have no love lost for the Nehru-Gandhi family, but there are only two occasions when I have experienced an inexplicable, colossal, sense of anger and sorrow at the passing away of politicians of India. The first time was in 1984 when Indira Gandhi was felled by the bullets of her bodyguards, and the second time in 1991, when Rajiv Gandhi met an unfortunate end in Sriperumbudur at the hands of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Although I never admired either Indira or Rajiv, I felt angry and sad that my country's leaders were killed by the enemies of the State. However, I will never call Indiraji or Rajiv Gandhi martyrs. They were the leaders of my country and the children of Mother India, but they didn't die as martyrs. They were killed, most unfortunately, by a well planned enemy plot, and they were victims of political violence. My heart aches for them, but they were sufferers and not martyrs. So who qualifies to be a martyr? One of the earliest martyrs was Abhimanyu, the young son of Arjun and Subhadra who died a valiant death in the Chakravyuh battle arrangement of the Kaurava army. Abhimanyu is the most valiant of all heroes in the battle of the Mahabharat. One of the greatest warriors and teachers of the Mahabharat, Dronacharya, was also killed in the war. But he was beheaded by the brother of Draupadi, Dhrishtadyumna (the Panchala prince) when Dronacharya was unarmed and in a state of grief at the perceived loss of his son's life. Dronacharya didn't die a martyr's death. He didn't die fighting, but he died while he was grieving. A person achieves martyrdom if he or she is killed or made to suffer greatly because of her/his political or religious beliefs. In the case of a martyr, he/she is mostly up against the mighty State that is tyrannical, dictatorial, authoritarian and iniquitous. Indiraji was killed by her bodyguards, the men who ironically were supposed to guard her. Even though she was advised to remove the Sikh bodyguards, she insisted on having them as she never believed that her most trusted bodyguards could kill her. She died a gory death, but she wasn't martyred as she didn't die in any battle or war action. It was not as if she knew that she could be killed and yet she ventured to fight and fall in the battlefield. Rajiv Gandhi too fell to the evil designs of a very determined, very motivated, and very deadly organisation that held much hatred against him. The LTTE felt Rajiv Gandhi had tried to finish it off and wanted to take revenge. Writers of contemporary history will be forever divided on the merits of Rajiv's direct engagement in the internal, bloody politics of Sri Lanka. Rajiv died a grisly death and his killing was a body blow to India's morale and prestige, but his end was not something akin to laying down one's life for the country. Indiraji and Rajiv were killed by mad zealots just as John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 by a crazy man called Lee Harvey Oswald. Politics is a risky business, and many a ruler in the Indian subcontinent has been killed by hotheads. In Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in 1979 and his daughter Benazir was assassinated in 2007. In Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zia-ur Rahman were assassinated. Ranasinghe Premadasa, president of Sri Lanka, was assassinated in 1993. In India, Lalit Narayan Mishra was killed in a bomb blast in January 1975 at Samastipur railway station. Lalit Maken was gunned down in 1985 by Harjinder Singh Jinda, Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Ranjit Singh for his alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Jan Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee died in solitary confinement in his fight against the restriction of free movement of non-Kashmiri Indians in Jammu and Kashmir. The point that I am trying to make is that Indiraji and Rajiv Gandhi died under extremely regrettable circumstances, but to call their unfortunate end an act of martyrdom is needless glorification. Since Congress leaders always talk about the sacrifices made by the Nehru-Gandhi parivar, let me also examine in detail the lives of members of this family from Motilal Nehru downwards. Motilalji was a lawyer -- some say he was just a pleader -- and an immensely wealthy man. His son Jawaharlal was a great leader, but not the greatest in his initial days. He was easily overshadowed by more illustrious men like Subhas Chandra Bose and Vallabhbhai Patel, but due to the enormous patronage Nehru received from Mahatma Gandhi, he succeeded in becoming prime minister of India. All in all, Nehru, a man of limited achievement either as lawyer or freedom fighter, lived a life of being the favourite and the favoured son of Mother India. From the anonymity of being just another lawyer in Allahabad, Motilal was propelled to the post of Congress president, and his son was crowned as the prime minister, bypassing many other meritorious men of his age. I personally believe Motilal and his son received far more from India than what they gave to India. Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter, ruled India with an iron hand and a clenched fist for 15 years. Apart from bank nationalisation and the liberation of Bangladesh, she also imposed a state of Emergency in June 1975. Indira Gandhi also enjoyed all the luxuries associated with being the prime minister's daughter and being the prime minister herself. She did whatever she deemed fit and it rubbed on to her younger son who ran a massively unpopular sterilisation programme without holding any position in the government. Rajiv Gandhi too led a charmed life, all thanks to being his mother's son. He walked out of the cockpit to the chair of prime minister without any opposition. No doubt, Rajiv had a great run from 1984 to 1989 as prime minister. Sonia Gandhi, the present inheritor of the Nehru dynasty, too enjoyed a bull run from 1999 to 2014 as the unchallenged leader of the Congress party. From 2004 to 2014, she ran the UPA government from the backseat and this period also coincided with the increasing business fortunes of her son-in-law's real estate empire. Even between 1998 and 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was prime minister, Sonia Gandhi didn't have an uneasy time. Lal Kishenchand Advaniji, the then home minister, clasped his hands and bowed a little whenever he met Soniaji in the corridors of power. The latest middle-aged generation of the Nehru Gandhi parivar, represented by the now improved Rahul Gandhi and now exposed Priyanka Vadra, continue to enjoy being the ultimate power-centre of India's oldest political party. I wish the family all the best, but my case is that the nation has given the family infinitely more than what they have given to the nation. To me martyrdom or to be a shahid is too sacred a word to be used liberally. Chandra Shekhar Azad was just 24 when he died fighting the British-India police at Alfred Park in 1931. Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev were just 23 and Rajguru 22 when they were hanged by the British in 1931. And lest we forget, Khudiram Bose was just 18 when he was hanged in 1908. India has this tradition of an 18-year-old Khudiram Bose who smiled when he was sentenced to death. I read in India Today some months ago that when Khudiram Bose was asked to say something after the death sentence was pronounced on him, he said if he was given some more time, he could teach the judge the skill of bomb-making! Martyrs die for a cause but not for any rewards. This is what martyrdom is all about. Sudhir Bisht, PhD, author and freelance columnist, tweets at @sudhir_bisht A scene from last years Vendys. Photo: Scott Heins For the last 14 years, the Vendy Awards have been a fixture on the New York food scene and the citys go-to celebration of all things street eats. A fundraiser for the nonprofit advocacy organization the Street Vendor Project, its brought together and honored excellent versions of Burmese chicken noodle soup, biryani, arepas, El Salvadoran obleas the list of foods, and cuisines, goes on and on. Each year, awards are given out in various categories like breakfast, dessert, market, and rookie, with the main trophy being the Vendy Cup. But when the sidewalk and market chefs gather for the 15th year in a row on September 21, it will be for one last time. The Vendy Awards are ending. We thought 15 years would be a nice, good, clean point to, you know, go out on a high note. A good, sort of landmark occasion, says Sean Basinski, the organizations founder and co-director. (Tickets, which go live today, can be purchased here.) We kind of feel, honestly, that the Vendys have mostly accomplished, if you will, what we set out to do 15 years ago. The landscape has changed so much, and were going out in style. The first Vendys were held three years after he started the SVP with just $15,000, a Yale Law School degree, burrito-cart experience, and a desire to advocate for and organize the citys street vendors. As Basinski told the New York Times, We are trying to be a voice for vendors and have the public see them in a different way, almost like in a collective action. While there were thriving and long-standing vendors across the city, like Fauzias Heavenly Delights and El Saboroso de Aracataca, they lacked a collective voice. It didnt help that most vendors are immigrants, who may be dealing with an unfamiliar bureaucracy and in some cases are undocumented and people of color. It served a really critical role in New York food culture at the time and it raised a lot of awareness about street vending at a time when that still wasnt like, we take it for granted that food trucks are everywhere now, says Max Falkowitz, a writer (and sometimes Grub contributor) who served on the Vendys planning committee in 2010. It was always really about the vendors and they made a big effort to publicize the vendors that they were attending far more than what the SVP itself was doing. The 2018 Vendys. Photo: Scott Heins Over the years, being invited to the Vendys became a badge of honor and not just for businesses that won. Though, that wasnt necessarily the case early on when street vendors got less attention. I remember when they started in 2005; I had the invitation and laughed at it, to tell you the truth. It was a customer who told me they nominated me. I didnt pay attention; 2006, the same, says King of Falafels Freddy Zeideia, who has several trucks and a restaurant. I didnt think anybody was interested in finding out the stories of food vendors. Zeideia changed his mind and first attended in 2007, then again in 2009 and 2010, when he won the Vendy Cup. He says he now recognizes how it brought his business exposure. The list of pushcarts, trucks, and market stalls that have attended the Vendys is, more or less, a dossier on New York street food from Queens classics like the Arepa Lady and Sammys Halal, midtown institutions like the Biryani Cart, Sunset Parks Guandong Cheong Fun, and trendier operations like the Cinnamon Snail and Hard Times Sundaes. Businesses that have helped shape New Yorks food scene over the last 15 years have been amplified or given a major boost by the event, including Big Gay Ice Cream and Patacon Pisao. An SVP shirt. Photo: Scott Heins The Vendys were definitely a big starter for us. It was actually one of the first events we were able to take our truck to. We are very blessed to be apart of that, says Jonathan Hernandez of Patacon Pisao, which started in Washington Heights and now includes two storefronts. Only a certain population knew about us. But the Vendys were able to open us to different types of markets that we really werent thinking about. Myo Thway of Burmese Bites agrees. He first participated in 2015, when he was running a Queens Night Market stall, after which he says people became familiar with his business. More critically, the SVP literally helped him expand when he was thinking about opening a pushcart by giving him information on where to purchase one, what not to do, and more. In 2018, Burmese Bites won the events Peoples Choice Award at its second Vendys. While Basinski says that attendance hasnt dropped much during the last two years (there have been around 1,600 or 1,700 attendees, the SVP says), hes acknowledged that its gotten harder every year to sell tickets. Part of that is the reality of running more or less the same event every year, and the pool of people who want to attend. Its also the increased competition. During the events 15-year run, New Yorks street-food ecosystem has changed significantly. Theres the perennially popular Smorgasburg; street fairs run by the likes of Urbanspace; the five-year-old Queens Night Market, a bootstrap event thats become one of the best things in New York food; and of course the multiplying food halls. Part of whats going on is also, Falkowitz argues, a shift among entrepreneurs from street vending to other opportunities like Smorgasburg and pop-ups. All of these things came out of a growth of interest in street food and the people who make it, which the Vendys celebrate and the SVP fights for. With the end of the Vendys, the SVP will have to find a new means of fundraising, whether thats a gala or a new event. But, this summer, theyll spend their time thinking about how to celebrate what the event has meant to New York by, say, bringing back past winners or doing a battle of the boroughs. Were going to look back and say this event and how many people can keep a food event going for 15 years? Basinski says. Were proud of what weve done, not just at producing the yearly event but accomplishing what we have. Not just the money weve raised, thats been helpful, but raising the profile of street food and street vendors. This post has been updated to reflect that the Vendys will take place on September 21 and not September 19, the date originally supplied by the Street Vendor Project. Mihir S Sharma gives us a rundown of what could happen, depending on the number. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi during a roadshow in Varanasi, April 25, 2019. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters For months across India friends and colleagues have asked each other one question -- a question that can substitute for a greeting, for an ice-breaker, to revive conversations that have stalled. It's a question that, in fact, doesn't even need to be spelled out in full. It is simply: How many? How many seats will the BJP get? Nobody knows, of course, or may even be close -- except the handful of pollsters sitting tight-lipped on exit polls from the first five phases. But most have a likely number in mind. More to the point, on that one number depends what the next five years will look like. So here is a rundown of what could happen, depending on that number. 272+ Another majority for the BJP alone means it will again have swept the Hindi heartland and probably made some major dents into the rest of India. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's place in history will be unique. He might have the political capital to move even faster on his agenda than he did in his first term. Modi will continue to be unhindered by the need to consult allies or even his own party. That said, he will know the repeat job came less from vikas talk and more from nationalism and polarisation -- which would help set that agenda. 230-272 Even if the BJP falls short of a majority by a couple of dozen seats, it will still be an undisputed victory for Modi. He won 90 per cent of the 194 seats in the six largest states of the north and west in 2014; winning 230 to 272 would mean only a minor erosion of popularity in this area, which would still look solidly loyal to him. But, presumably, the BJP's inroads into the south and east would not have been completely successful. While Modi would remain undisputed in the ruling coalition, fractures within India -- between areas now solidly identified with Modi-tinged Hindutva and those that will have rejected it twice -- will continue to deepen. 210-230 The upper end of this range has long been my own answer to the "how much" question. It's logical: it would mean that Opposition unity in Uttar Pradesh has dented the BJP's advance sufficiently for it to lose about half its seats in India's largest state, and that it has suffered a visible but not severe decline of its support across the rest of north and west India -- in keeping with its close defeats in three states towards the end of last year. Modi's popularity will be seen as greater than that of his party, an argument he will use to try and remain firmly in command. Allies will line up, aside from those already in the NDA: Most likely to join are the TRS in Telangana and perhaps Naveen Patnaik in Odisha and the YSR Congress in Andhra. But if Modi stays as PM, he will have less scope to manoeuvre. The allies will want to demonstrate to their voters that they are at least near-equal partners in governance. The PMO's centralisation of power within the Union government will have to be diluted. 190-210 More dicey territory. If the BJP just passes 200 or dips below it, Modi will find it hard to claim a resounding victory. The BJP and Congress fought head-to-head in about 200 constituencies in 2014; about 200 for the BJP in 2019 would mean that the Congress will have done much better than its 10 per cent strike-rate last time. In 2014, Modi won a majority on the back of decimating the Congress in head-to-head fights and on his spectacular sweep of both Bihar and UP. A total of 200 means neither of those has been repeated. However, given deep pockets and the BJP's still-commanding numbers -- Modi may remain prime minister if he wishes. But a much broader alliance would be needed, probably including at least one component of the UP mahagathbandan, probably the Bahujan Samaj Party. This would be difficult to manage and organise, and Modi himself would have to credibly commit to reducing some of his power in office. 170-190 If the BJP falls significantly below the 200 mark -- which I think is unlikely -- it can still claim power, but in a genuine, Vajpayee-style coalition. In this case I suspect the allies will demand Modi be replaced as PM. Will he allow this? Or would he prefer to stay on the Opposition benches with these numbers? Nobody can predict his mind. But the Congress probably believes that if he takes power the coalition will be fractious enough that there will be another election in a couple of years, with Modi's image of strength significantly dented. Below 170 Some believe this previously unthinkable result is possible. If so, then it would be an unmistakable defeat for the NDA generally, with the UPA likely rivalling its numbers or exceeding them. The question is: What now? Can the UPA, with say 160 on its own, put together a government? Perhaps not. In which case, we might be in a Third Front world. But who will support it from outside -- Modi or Rahul Gandhi? My bet would be on Modi pulling a Rajiv -- both supporting and destabilising such a government, in the expectation that another election would throw up a vote for stability and he would romp back to power. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met in Lucknow on Monday after exit polls indicated gains for their alliance in the politically important state of Uttar Pradesh. IMAGE: Now, preparing for next steps, tweets SP chief Akhilesh Yadav after meeting BSP chief Mayawati. Photograph: @yadavakhilesh/Twitter Yadav, who had formed a coalition with the BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party, drove to the residence of Mayawati and the closed door talks lasted for almost an hour. Mayawati appeared to be opting for a wait-and watch-policy till the Lok Sabha election results are announced on May 23. "The future course of action will be decided only after the final results are announced. Till then, she (Mayawati) will be staying put in the state capital," a party source said, requesting anonymity. Different exit polls have suggested that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance is all set to dent the Bharatiya Janata Party's 2014 tally in Uttar Pradesh, though it might not be able to throw a spanner in the formation of an NDA government at the Centre. Insiders in both the parties, however, were not ready to accept the projections that gave the BJP over 300 seats to form the government with a comfortable margin. "We (SP-BSP-RLD) should get nothing less than 55 seats as the alliance has done exceedingly well. We expect around 60 (out of 80) seats. We not agree with exit poll projections," another source said. On Saturday, Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu had met both Yadav and Mayawati in the UP capital separately to discuss possibility of non-BJP parties coming together in the event of a fractured verdict. As part of the alliance agreement, the BSP had contested 38 seats and the SP 37 seats leaving 3 for a smaller RLD while deciding not to field any candidate in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the stronghold of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi respectively. Meanwhile, with most of the BSP leaders preferring to remain in their respective districts after hectic electioneering, there was not much activity in the party camp here. "The party leaders will come to the state capital only after May 23. They have been asked to stay in their respective districts and oversee the counting process," a party leader said. Roads outside the BSP office and Mayawati's residence reflected the caution with which the party is treading. Aiming to check the return of NDA at the Centre, Mayawati had opted to sink decades-long differences to enter into an alliance with the SP for the Lok Sabha election. In the 2014 general election, the BJP had won 71 seats, ally Apna Dal bagged 2, the Samajwadi Party 5 and the Congress 2, while the BSP drew a blank. The BJP's impressive show in Uttar Pradesh helped the BJP to pull off a record 282 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha to oust the Congress, which was decimated to just 44 seats. Two days ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results, top opposition leaders will meet in the national capital on Tuesday to discuss the political situation and possibilities of a non-National Democratic Alliance combine to stake claim for government formation. As part of his efforts to unite the opposition, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, at her Kolkata residence on forming a non-Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict. Naidu had a 45-minute meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance), during which he also discussed the possibilities of forming a non-BJP government, including regional parties, with the support of the Congress. "It was decided at the meeting that a detailed discussion will be held with other players of the Mahagathbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23," a source said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23, the source added. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", sources said. Naidu has been moving around across the country and has held several rounds of discussions with top opposition leaders in a bid to unite them and form an alliance to stake claim to form the next government in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark. The TDP chief met Banerjee again on Monday evening to discuss the political scenario in the wake of the exit poll predictions. On Sunday, Naidu met United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi separately in New Delhi, besides Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar. The TDP leader has already met other top opposition leaders such as Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Left leaders and Sharad Yadav in Delhi. Meanwhile, Akhilesh and Mayawati also held a meeting and discussed their strategy going forward. However, in view of the exit polls, most of which have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA, the opposition has turned a bit cautious and decided not to hold any formal meetings. Top Congress leaders also held a meeting under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi on Saturday, where the current political situation was discussed. Sources said the opposition strategy was to procure letters of support from various parties and in case of a hung verdict, to present the same before the president to stake claim to form the government. They added that the opposition did not want to leave anything to chance and did not wish to waste any time in staking claim for government formation and thus, was putting its house in order. Notwithstanding the exit poll predictions, the opposition is going ahead with its strategy as most parties have trashed the forecast and claimed that the NDA would not get a majority in the Lok Sabha. Opposition leaders are citing previous examples when exit polls were proved wrong, as also elsewhere in the world like the surprise result in Australia. Opposition leaders will also meet the Election Commission and raise the issue of tallying the paper trail of votes with the electronic voting machine figures as directed by the Supreme Court. The opposition parties are demanding tallying of VVPAT slips with EVM figures in an entire assembly constituency in case a discrepancy is found in any polling booth. The court has asked the EC to tally the VVPAT slips with the EVM figures of five polling stations in each assembly constituency across the country, which may delay the results. According to sources, leaders of opposition parties such as the Congress, TDP, Left parties, BSP, NCP and TMC will informally meet on Tuesday to discuss the way forward in case the NDA fails to get to the majority mark. Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party, TDP's Naidu, Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP, Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, D Raja of the Communist Party of India and Derek O'Brien of the TMC are expected to take part in Tuesday's meeting among others. The Eiffel Tower in Paris had to be evacuated on Monday after a man tried to scale it. Police and other emergency workers including firefighters in the French capital were immediately scrambled to the 900 feet structure, which has just celebrated its 130th anniversary. IMAGE: The man dressed in black was noticed on the Eiffel Tower on Monday. Firefighters rushed to the spot and tried to get the man down from Paris' tallest structure . Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters The man could be seen dangling just below the third and highest level of the structure. It was not immediately clear how the trespasser managed to get past the towers stringent security system. IMAGE: The man's motivations to climb the structure were unclear. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters A Paris police spokeswoman said a team of firefighters, including a climbing specialist, were at the scene and in touch with the intruder, whose motivations remained unclear. Officials did not immediately provide further information about the incident. IMAGE: Shocked tourists and locals watched on as the dramatic scenes unfolded in front of them on Monday afternoon. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters It is not the first time someone has attempted to climb the Eiffel Tower. In 2015 a British freerunner, James Kingston, climbed it without safety ropes and without permission, dodging security cameras as he went. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris, at 324 metres (1,063ft), roughly the same height as an 81-storey building. 'Haven't you heard of the magical EVM machines? They can negate all our votes.' 'There is no hope. Modi is India's Putin.' Jyoti Punwani reports. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Any reporter on an election story must know the caste and religious composition of voters. Even without asking, every party spokesperson breaks down voters into specific vote banks with predictable voting patterns. But every now and then, you meet someone who defies vote bank logic. Like Ramesh Gaekwad of the Sambhaji Brigade. The very mention of the group brings to mind connotations of Maratha pride. So when Gaekwad, who looks every inch a Maratha, tells you that he does not support the Maratha candidate in Aurangabad's keenly fought contest, you sit up. "We have tried to convince our community that just saying 'Maratha, Maratha' isn't enough," says Gaekwad regretfully. "In fact, it pushes OBCs, Dalits and Muslims away. An election can't be fought on the plank of one caste alone." But Gaekwad didn't manage to convince even the 35,000 voters the Sambhaji Brigade is said to control in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency. All that mattered to them was that Harshvardhan Jadhav resigned his MLA seat in July last year after six Marathas committed suicide during their prolonged agitation for reservation. That he continued to enjoy the perks of being an MLA till eight months later, when his resignation was finally accepted, made no difference. "Jadhav hails from a wealthy family. He's an MLA, so were his parents, his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Next in line are his wife and son. So what's our task here? Just to raise the Maratha flag for his family?" asks Gaekwad angrily. He sees no hope in the other candidates either. The sitting MP from the Shiv Sena, Chandrakant Khaire, came out on the side of the Hindus during the communal riot in the city last year, in which one Muslim and one Hindu died, he says. His rival, AIMIM MLA Imtiaz Jaleel, is a "good man, but projects himself as a Muslim leader." "This election is all about identity politics," rues Vilas Gorhe, who introduces himself as a Dalit and a Sambhaji Brigade member. Seeing my look of surprise, he explains with pride: "The Sambhaji Brigade takes everyone along." Conventional politics demands that Gorhe support Prakash Ambedkar's Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi, but says Gorhe, "The moment he teamed up with Asaduddin Owaisi, we pulled out. We cannot ally with such parties." On January 8, 2018, a week after Marathas reportedly attacked Dalits and sparked off a riot at Bhima Koregaon near Pune, the Sambhaji Brigade took out a silent rally calling for action against the culprits and for harmony. In that 'Shivray tey Bhimray' march, all communities and castes walked from the Shivaji statue to Dr Ambedkar's statue, both landmarks in Aurangabad. "8,000 cases were filed in Maharashtra after the violence," points out Gorhe, "but not one was against any leader's son. Nor has any leader helped the accused." Faraway in Kasaiwada, one of Mumbai's dirtiest slum clusters, Reshma Momin has the same complaints against identity politics and uncaring leaders. Like Gaekwad and Gorhe, she knows she is part of a vote bank. But even while admitting that she, like her community, will vote for the Congress candidate, she cannot hide her anguish that Priya Dutt, daughter of the legendary Sunil Dutt, has a swanky office in Kasaiwada but hasn't cared to walk through its crowded, garbage-filled lanes and speak to its residents. Momin runs a women's group in the slum. The women are vocal about their problems, for which they have been agitating for long: Overflowing gutters; disease; lack of a maternity home and a playground; dangerous illegal constructions. "We wanted to talk to Dutt about all this," says Momin, "but I learnt that she was advised not to bother to visit us since Muslims would anyway vote for her. We have been reduced to a religious statistic. Don't we have any value as human beings?" Momin's anguished words remind you of Rohith Vemula's heart-wrenching suicide note in which he wrote: 'The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing. Never was a man treated as a mind. As a glorious thing made up of star dust.' A long encounter with veteran Dalit Congressman Chandrabhan Parkhe brings home a sudden realisation: There was actually a time when men were treated as minds, when communities were not just vote banks, when parties tried to represent everyone in this diverse country. For those of us who came of age in the pre-Emergency years, it comes as a shock to realise that it was the Congress that embodied this inclusive vision. That's the Congress in which 63-year-old Parkhe, district vice-president from 1988 to 2003, has spent the major part of his political life. That background gave him the guts to introduce himself last year to the newly appointed Congress president with the words: 'I'm neither your follower, nor your mother's. I'm Indira Gandhi's follower.' In the same encounter, Parkhe even advised Rahul Gandhi to marry if he wanted to be taken seriously as PM. 'You are 48,' the doughty old man told him. 'I remained unmarried till 32 and was shunned by society. The moment I got married, I was accepted everywhere.' Parkhe claims he is the only Congressman to have been given a ticket without having applied for it. When he was told in 2009 that then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and then Congress president Sonia Gandhi had finalised his name as the Aurangabad West assembly candidate, he had precisely Rs 45 with him. A Muslim Congressman was the first to bring pedhas to his house and garland him; his Brahmin classmate, a noted doctor, gave him the Rs 2,500 he needed as deposit. His campaign remains a blur; he still doesn't know who paid for it. He got a respectable 43,797 votes, but ultimately lost thanks to sabotage by an influential local Congress bigwig, he says. Parkhe is one of the disappearing breed of politicians comfortable with any kind of company, not dependent on the cocoon of their own caste/community. That's the reason he bristles with anger when you mention the current feeling of Muslim alienation with the Congress. "What has the Congress not given them?" he asks. "Tickets, party posts, ministerships... Whose fault is it that they didn't speak up for their community once they got these posts? As Dalits, we did." But as you leave Parkhe, you know that the party that exists in his imagination is not the Congress of today. In today's vote bank driven Congress, retired policeman Anwar Shaikh, whose father decided that August 15 and January 26 would be the best birth dates for his two sons, can find no solace in it. Perhaps the most unexpected encounter in this election was the Mumbai-based Tamilian father and son who had voted for Modi in 2014 because only he could "give a fitting reply to Pakistan." Today, the duo, who run a vegetable stall, have nothing but curses for him, despite Balakot. The reason? The forced acquisition of farmers's lands by the Tamil Nadu government for an expressway that will cut across farmland and hills, only to benefit Gautam Adani's proposed megaport. Aren't the farmers resisting? "If you resist you are shot or you disappear or you are charged with sedition," they reply. "Your media won't tell you these things." They are referring to the disappearance in February of environmental activist Mugilan, soon after he held a press conference alleging that policemen had colluded with officials of Vedanta's Sterlite plant to orchestrate violence during a protest in Thotthukudi against the plant. 13 protesters were shot dead by the police in May 2018. Then your vote is your only weapon, I tell them. "Haven't you heard of the magical EVM machines?" they laugh, in between handing over vegetables to customers. "They can negate all our votes. There is no hope. Modi is India's Putin." If Putin has a meaning in the villages of Tamil Nadu, not all the identity-based politics can kill the stardust our voters are made of. In the crazily complex cauldron that is India, where caste, community, class and cash are just the primary ingredients, no one has yet come up with a fool-proof method to ascertain how voters make up their minds, on which button to press, in the privacy of their 'confessional' booths, notes Krishna Prasad. IMAGE: Voters wait to cast their ballot in the sixth phase of polling, May 12, 2019. After watching Indians at a polling booth and failing to read their mind on which way they were inclined to vote, James Reston, the late executive editor of The New York Times, grandly concluded that an election was a secret communion between a voter and democracy -- it is sacrilegious to pry. Now, where 'Scotty' Reston wrote this is unclear because you cannot find it in his memoirs, Deadline. And a Google search shows the same writer quoting the line on three different platforms over 20 years. No one else. Still, it is a fine quote, and even if the NYT legend didn't say it, he ought to have said it. But Reston does say something like this about the Truman-Dewey faceoff in 1948. Based on early trends, the Chicago Daily Tribune's veteran correspondent Arthur Henning -- who had correctly predicted the winner in four out of five presidential contests in the previous 20 years -- reported that the Republican challenger Thomas E Dewey had won an upset victory over incumbent President Harry S Truman. 'Dewey Defeats Truman', screamed the banner headline in early editions of the newspaper. Wrong. After all the numbers came in, it was the other way round. Truman beat Dewey. James Reston, who got a 'D' grade in his journalism course, writes: 'I felt that it was somehow right that we were wrong; that this great act of decision by millions of people was intensely private; and that we were properly punished by presuming to guess how the people would vote.' *** That gigantic journalistic screw-up 70 years ago, which would have been filed under 'fake news' today, has never stopped anybody -- journalists, psephologists, newspapers, TV channels, academics, analysts, astrologers, think-tanks, bankers, nobody -- from peeping into the 'secret communion'. Praveen Chakravarty of the Congress data analytics department has put out a tweet that 80% of all published exit polls since 2014 have turned out to be wrong. Still, everybody wanted to know who's winning #GeneralElections2019, a couple of days before the actual results come out. Even if it is wrong. Is it really going to be 177 for NDA as an 'India Today' screengrab showed? Or, is it 234 as 'independent psephologists' predicted for IANS? Will BJP get 50 seats in UP as Subramanian Swamy says? Or, is it going to be a 'rout' as the Web site anthro.ai that uses Artificial Intelligence predicts? A hung Parliament as Swaminathan Aiyar feels, or an 'overwhelming majority' of 300 for the BJP as a traders body claims? And who is this Salil Shetty who is giving 287 for Congress and its allies? The simple truth is no one knows, for sure. In the crazily complex cauldron that is India, where caste, community, class and cash are just the primary ingredients, no one has yet come up with a fool-proof method to ascertain how voters make up their minds, on which button to press, in the privacy of their 'confessional' booths. Any guess can be right or wrong; sometimes even right and wrong. Any wonder that as respected a landscape artist as the Centre for Study of Developing Societies has not got a single exit poll right since 2014? But let no one say no one has tried. IMAGE: Boatmen in Allahabad. Jawid Laiq was 34 and a reporter at The Indian Express in Delhi, when he arrived in Allahabad with his soon-to-be wife Bharti Bhargava, also an Express reporter. It was February 1977. Indira Gandhi had called off the Emergency after 21 months and announced fresh elections, confident that she would be returned to power again. "We hired a boat and went to the 'Sangam', the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. At first, when we asked how they were going to vote, the boatmen and the passengers feigned ignorance: 'Hum to jahil hain.' After a while they opened up and said they would never vote for Indira, and trotted off the many brutalities inflicted on common folk like them," recalls Laiq, now 76. Indira Gandhi lost and lost spectacularly, heralding independent India's first non-Congress government. 'The words of the crowd proved to be a more accurate forecast of the electoral battle than all the complex opinion polls engineering by various organisations,' Laiq wrote later in his book Maverick Republic. That experience has proved to be the inspiration for a 42-year-old personal exercise. For eight elections running, Jawid Laiq, who after the Express went on to work for the Economic & Political Weekly in Bombay and Amnesty International in London, has made his own private pilgrimage to the 'Sangam', where not just the waters, but millions from every part of the country converge for a dip, to feel the proverbial pulse. IMAGE: A news report for elections from Allahabad by Jawid Laiq. Each time he has reported the 'hawa', the straws in the wind, for publications ranging from the Hindustan Times to Outlook. And each time, he has had far greater success in judging the direction of the election than pundits and psephologists with sophisticated 'tools'. "The humble mallahs (boatmen) row thousands of yatris every day. The devotees and their families talk; the boatmen quietly listen to the chatter. This happens through the year. The mallahs have no axe to grind. They can see which way the breeze is blowing," says Laiq. Elections like the 1984 one after the assassination of Indira Gandhi were obviously too easy to gauge. But it is the on-point accuracy of the complex ones, like the 2004 election after the 'India Shining' campaign of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, or the 2014 poll at the peak of the "Modi wave", that underlines the wisdom of the crowd. The 2017 elections in Uttar Pradesh, the only assembly election Jawid Laiq has tested at the 'Sangam', is a particularly good example. "After demonetisation, I was convinced people would be against Narendra Modi," says Laiq. "I was surprised. I met pilgrims from seven districts of UP and they all said they would vote for the BJP. 'Is mein kya hain? Unka sab paise gaye (what's there in this, they all lost their money),' the yatris said, exhibiting what the Germans call 'schadenfreude' (pleasure at the pain of others even if it pains you)." Result: When the BJP walked away with 325 seats in a House of 403, Jawid Laiq was probably the only journalist in Lutyens Delhi who could have said, 'Didn't you read what the Nishads (boatmen) said in my story?' *** Admittedly, you can't make too much of this quaint, quirky, even quackish personal journey. Unlike actual opinion polls with elaborate questionnaires, statistical models and 'margins of error' built into them, what Jawid Laiq catches at the 'Sangam' is a general trend, not a precise number. But there is a method to it, even if it is all too mundane. He hires a boat and when he reaches the 'Sangam', he hops over from boat to boat. If you have seen him, it is easy to visualise the soft, avuncular man standing at the top of a ramshackle boat and shouting in the breeze -- 'Aap kidhar ke hain?', 'Kya karte hain?' -- before introducing himself, 'Hum patrakar hain, Dilli se aaye hain'. If he suspects the yatris are South Indians, the transaction is in English. The people Laiq meets at the 'Sangam' -- the bus owner from Andhra; the landlord from Punjab; the retired government officer from Karnataka; the kirana store owner from Maharashtra; the farmer from Madhya Pradesh -- are a far cry from those that populate TV studios, and that probably accounts for the overall humility of the claim. "I ask very basic questions. 'Who did you vote for? Why? What is the general mood in your part of the country?' I carry a big note pad and take notes so that they know I am serious. I don't make any suggestions, I never prompt them for an answer. I spend a couple of hours doing this in the mornings, a couple of hours in the evening, for two or three days. About a dozen boats each day," says Laiq. That done, Laiq visits a couple of villages near the Bamrauli airport in Allahabad -- the Brahmin-dominated Barwah; the Dalit-dominated Bhagwatpur -- and meets a set of people he has met since 1977. A dhobi and his wife. The retired food inspector. Along the way he meets the ice seller on Noorullah Road. "There is something aesthetic about the 'Sangam' exercise. All the colours of India at the holy confluence. The notepad dampened by the splashing waters of the Ganga," he says. "The practical wisdom of the village peasant, labourer and artisan is in stark contrast to the convoluted, deceitful and self-serving ramblings of the metropolitan sophisticate." *** Like those who will stick their necks out for a living on May 19, Jawid Laiq is worried of getting it wrong although he has got seven of them right. He is in dread of the 2019 election, which, as he points out, came too soon after the Kumbh Mela, when the boatmen would have had their reasons for bias. He went to the 'Sangam' after the fifth phase of polling, and has come back despondent. "If the hysterical and aggressive personality cult howling for Modi that seems to be apparent in most regions of the country -- except perhaps in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu -- annoints him as prime minister with an enhanced majority, the country is heading for a rough ride with so much power in the hands of one forceful figure," he wrote on The Wire. Privately, Jawid Laiq says the boatmen are suggesting that the BJP could end up with more seats than in 2014, perhaps more than 300 as BJP President Amit Anilchandra Shah has been saying. 'Modi beats Rahul', is the headline a latter-day Arthur Henning would have shot off before the polling had closed. But who knows if, after the seventh phase, it is the other way round? 'Rahul beats Modi'. When the final results come in on May 23, even Jawid Laiq, who correctly predicted trend in seven elections in 42 years, will have reasons to be on edge. If Laiq's surmise turns out to be right, there is nothing to be embarrassed. If it doesn't, it would be useful to remember 'Scotty' Reston: 'I felt that it was somehow right that we were wrong; that this great act of decision by millions of people was intensely private; and that we were properly punished by presuming to guess how the people would vote.' 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Teresa Fuller, MSN, RN, and Melissa Powell, RN, BSN will attend the annual Nightingale event, originally developed by the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut to be a collaborative effort to celebrate outstanding nurses and elevate the nursing profession. Now in its 20th year, the goals of the program are to encourage retention, inspire future nurses, focus public attention and recognize the breadth and scope of nursing practice at the local level. All of us at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital would like to give special thanks to our dedicated nurses during National Nurses Week. We congratulate Teresa and Melissa for their devotion and commitment to their profession and the patients they serve, said Dan McIntyre, Senior Vice President for HHC and President of the Northwest Region, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, in a statement. Fuller recently took on an administrative leadership role after many years as an ICU nurse. In this new role she touches the lives and fosters the growth of other nurses at CHH by giving them a meaningful and powerful voice as an advocate for patient care, officials said in the statement. Her colleagues also note that shapes and inspires them to be better mentors, better leaders, and better people. Fuller has been with Charlotte since 2006. She received her BSN from the University of Pennsylvania and MSN from the University of Hartford. Powell has worked in the CHH Emergency Department since 2012. She brings a profound love of her craft to each of her patients and cultivates the growth of others within the department by being a mentor and preceptor, and recently a certified TNCC instructor to help strengthen the skills and abilities of other nurses who care for critically injured patients, officials said in the statement. Where others see sickness, Melissa sees opportunity to heal. Melissa has an Associate Degree in Nursing from Norwalk Community College and a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from University of Phoenix. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, advanced practice registered nurses and nurse practitioners may be nominated for recognition by their employers if they are involved in clinical practice, leadership, scholarship and/or education. Nominees should have made a significant impact on patient care and/or the nursing profession; gone beyond the call in a clearly illustrated scenario; demonstrated excellence above what is normally expected; shown commitment to the community served in a way that is significantly above the norm; or achieved a life-long legacy in a particular arena. Visit www.charlottehungerford.org for information. TORRINGTON Former police officer Jason Cooling has sued the city, claiming the Police Department failed to appropriately accommodate his efforts and created a hostile, threatening work environment as he dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the complaint filed in the case, Cooling became a Torrington police officer in February 2008. He was a member of the Marine Corps reserves at the time; during his time in the military he served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, which left him with multiple physical and mental disabilities, including a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, the suit claims. In the complaint, Cooling alleges he was discriminated against in several ways as he sought to treat the after-effects of his time at war. Cooling alleges the department started an irregular investigation into his use of sick time in January 2017, which he had been using to treat his symptoms. Although he did not misuse sick time, Cooling said, the investigation prompted a charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and left him dealing with greater levels of depression and anxiety. He had not previously informed the department of his struggles with PTSD and the other ramifications of his time in the service, he said in the complaint, because he did not believe he needed further accommodation. Cooling alleges the pattern of harassment continued from there, including a refusal to transfer him into a day side role, recommended by his doctor, which would have allowed for greater stability in his life; a poison pill choice that would allow him to move to the day shift, but would require giving up his canine partner; an attempt to intimidate him from seeing his own physician after he was struck in the head while serving as a police officer; and the defacing of a picture featuring him and five other officers who had traveled to Iraq to escort him home after his last tour of duty. Cooling said the damage to the picture was the last aspect of the pattern of harassment he faced and ultimately led to his resignation from the department. In December 2017, as he remained on leave after being struck in the head, Cooling said he learned that someone had put a thumbtack through his head in the picture, according to the suit. The photo remained on the wall in the Police Departments locker room; supervisors took no action in response an express endorsement by departmental leadership of the defacement, he said. Poking the thumbtack through the picture of the plaintiffs head was designed to intimidate the plaintiff and show that he was faceless and not considered a member of the Torrington Police Department any longer because he was disabled and unable to return to duty, said attorney Eric Brown, who is representing Cooling, in the complaint. The pin was removed leaving what looks like a bullet hole in the center of the plaintiffs forehead, which the plaintiff reasonably took to be a threat. At the time the plaintiff learned of the defacing of the photograph he was looking forward to his return to duty as a police officer. However, the defacing of the photograph made the (plaintiff) believe the harassment of him had continued while he was away, was endorsed by the command, and would continue... and could potentially be characterized by violence, said Brown in the complaint. Cooling returned to the department, but was left uneasy about acceptance with the department. He ultimately resigned in April . But for the pervasive, consistent, hostile and harassing work environment to which the plaintiff was subjected to as set forth herein due to his disabilities, the plaintiff would have willing and able to continue his career as a police officer with the City of Torrington, said Brown. By its illegally discriminatory and retaliatory actions... the defendant constructively discharged the plaintiff from his employment as a police officer. Cooling is seeking monetary damages, attorney fees, and any other relief that can be awarded via statute or through the rationale of the court. The city was served with the suit May 14, according to judicial records. It is not yet represented by an attorney in the matter. Corporation Counsel Victor Muschell and Mayor Elinor Carbone did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com The second family worship album from Elim Sound 'NEW' features ten original songs for the whole family to enjoy in the car, on a Sunday morning or in Kids Church. 'NEW' contains five brand new songs written for the project, three drawn from the wider Elim family and two from the Elim Sound album, 'ONE.' In opening up the project to the wider Elim family, Elim Sound asked families, children and songwriters to send in songs. With over forty songs submitted, the tea chose: 'Gifts,' written and sung by ten year old Hiyab Gazae from Coventry Elim, 'Jesus Be The Leader,' written and sung by son and mum, Reuben and Laura Rook from Portsmouth Elim and 'Let You Light Shine,' written by mum of three, Hannah De Lisle, sung by twelve year old Rubi Cook. The team have used a number of new voices for this project including 15 year old rapper, Walter Taylor from Cardiff, Jonathan Owusu-Yianomah and Rebecca Scott from London, Karen Felix from Yeovil and Catherine Browne from Northern Ireland. They also assembled a choir of 40 kids from a number of Elim churches in London and a choir of 19 from Northern Ireland. This multicultural, all-age project brings together a current pop-vibe with Scripture verses, bible characters and strong Christian truths. TRACKLIST: New - Featuring Sam Blake Be Praised - Featuring Rebecca Scott Giants - Featuring Ian Yates Jesus Be The Leader - Featuring Reuben, Laura & Andy Rook We Say Yes - Featuring Noel Robinson Let Your Light Shine - Featuring Rubi Cook & Walter Taylor Forever Friend - Featuring Keren Felix & Walter Taylor Follow - Featuring Catherine Browne Lord's Prayer - Featuring Jonathan Owusu-Yianomah Gifts - Featuring Hiyab Gazae Watch: Jesus Be The Leader // Family Worship // Lyric Video Tags : elim sound family worship album elim sound new album elim sound new ian yates CORNWALL A new river access site is opening on the Housatonic River. In the works for over a decade, a ribbon-cutting for the site will be held May 25 at 2 p.m. at The Bend of the Housatonic River in West Cornwall, just downstream from the covered bridge on Lower River Road. All are invited for a cookout with hot dogs and hamburgers, followed by a brief dedication ceremony. Guests will include Housatonic Valley Association Watershed Conservation Director Mike Jastremski, Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, representatives from the property owner, Eversource Energy; the Housatonic River Commission, and project designer and contractor Earth Tones Native Landscaping. Experienced boaters are welcome to join a short paddle from The Bend down to Housatonic Meadows State Park, weather permitting. According to a statement from the HVA, the project was made possible with a grant from the Housatonic River Natural Resources Damages Fund Trustees including the National Fish and Wildlife Service, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The money was initially awarded to HVA in 2007 on behalf of a partnership including the Housatonic Fly Fishermens Associationm the Town of Cornwall, Connecticut Light and Power and CT DEEP. Plans for the property included an all-abilities-accessible fishing platform extending into the Housatonic River but subsequent engineering analysis revealed that the site was not appropriate for construction in the river channel. The plan was modified to a more traditional car-top boat launch to minimize impact to the river and adjacent wetlands, and HVA worked with residents, local organizations and state and town leaders to incorporate measures to reduce runoff and erosion from the existing site; remove invasive plants and restore native trees and shrubs; upgrade the access ramp to accommodate the Cornwall Fire Departments river rescue boat in emergencies; and install an interpretive kiosk and a concrete pad for a portable toilet. More than 50 Cornwall residents unanimously approved the updated plans at a town meeting in 2018, and construction was completed a few months later in December. The completed project provides safe access for boating and fishing, addresses runoff issues that had persisted at the site for decades, restores riverside wildlife habitat and provides parking for people visiting West Cornwall, members said. The perseverance of everyone involved in seeing this project through from concept to construction is truly amazing Jastremski said in a statement. This project is a success because of all the folks who helped improve the plan over the years. We thank everyone involved and especially Cornwalls staff and officials, our original consulting engineer Kleinshmidt, the folks at HFFA, the NRD Trustees, Eversource Energy, the Housatonic River Commission, Earth Tones, the Housatonic Environmental Action League, Connecticut Department of Historic and Cultural Resources, the Northwest Conservation District, and many, many Cornwall residents, too many to name here. HVA is the regional watershed organization and accredited land trust that is uniquely dedicated to protecting the natural character and environmental health of the entire Housatonic River watershed, which encompasses nearly 2,000 square miles from western Massachusetts and eastern New York through western Connecticut to Long Island Sound. HVAs offices are in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut; Stockbridge, Massachusetts; and Wassaic, New York. For more information, visit hvatoday.org. NEW HARTFORD The annual Red, White & Blue Veteran Appreciation service was held at the Harvest Baptist Church in New Hartford. The annual event is hosted by Northwest Connecticut veterans organizations including the American Legion, Marine Corps League, AmVets and others. The church, in conjunction with four northwestern Connecticut veteran organizations, honored veterans, particularly those from the Revolutionary War. Larry Maxwell, a Revolutionary War re-enactor, was the keynote speaker with a program, Revolutionary War Veterans. The color guard included Bill Spring of Watertown, Ryan Spring of Watertown and Karl Crump of Torrington. During the ceremony, two cannons were fired one from the Revolutionary War, and the First Litchfield Artillery's Civil War cannon. Employees of China's Sinopec work on a platform at the oil giant's Fuling shale gas project in southwestern China's Chongqing municipality, May 24, 2016. After years of poor prospects and meager returns, China's state oil companies continue to pursue shale gas development despite signs that production is failing to meet government goals. State media reports on the progress of extracting China's huge reserves of natural gas trapped in shale rock contrasts sharply with less optimistic accounts in the international press. "The domestic shale gas sector is driving full steam ahead," the official English-language China Daily said in February, citing strong production by the two leading national oil companies (NOCs) China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec). Sinopec's Fuling shale gas field, the nation's largest in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, yielded "more than 6 billion cubic meters" (212 billion cubic feet) last year, the paper's website reported. CNPC produced 4.27 billion cubic meters (bcm) at its fields in neighboring Sichuan province, raising output from a year earlier by 40 percent, it said. Both companies had made significant progress in cutting development costs and improving efficiency of shale fracturing, or "fracking," technology, said industry analysts in official media reports. Last year, the two NOCs had nearly 600 wells with plans for 700 more by 2020, said international energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. The analysts estimated that shale investments in the Sichuan basin had totaled U.S. $5.5 billion (37 billion yuan) so far. For the past seven years, the government has looked to shale gas development as an offset to China's rising reliance on imports and lagging domestic production. Total gas output rose 7.5 percent last year while consumption climbed 18.1 percent and imports soared 31.9 percent. But independent reports focused on forecasts that China will fail to meet the government's revised production targets for shale gas in 2020. The outlook also appears clouded following the withdrawal of international oil companies (IOCs) from shale projects in the country due to disappointing results. "China Set To Miss Shale Gas Production Target by a Mile," said a headline on the industry website Oilprice.com on April 30. Ever-greater investments The government has been pushing the NOCs into ever-greater investments since 2011, when the U.S. Department of Energy estimated China's "technically recoverable" shale gas resources at 1,275 trillion cubic feet (36 trillion cubic meters), nearly 48 percent more than those in the United States. The estimate raised expectations that China could duplicate the U.S. success in shale gas development, but those hopes have proved unrealistic. In 2012, China's Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) set a more conservative resource estimate of 25 trillion cubic meters (tcm). But the National Energy Administration (NEA) spurred expectations by issuing an annual production target of 60 bcm to 100 bcm for 2020. The forecast met with skepticism from industry analysts, citing China's difficult geology and technical challenges, which have limited its production of conventional gas for years. In 2014, the NEA downgraded the 2020 target, cutting it back to just 30 bcm. But even that seems unlikely to be achieved. On April 12, Wood Mackenzie analyst Xianhui Zhang said the company was forecasting production of 15 bcm for 2020, only half of the government's target level. The group's estimate was reportedly set at 17 bcm last year. "China's shale gas formations tend to be deeper, more fragmented and less pressurized compared to the U.S.," Zhang said in a statement on Wood Mackenzie's website. The forecast followed reports by independent media outlet Caixin and Reuters that oil major BP had decided to withdraw from two shale production contracts with CNPC in Sichuan due to poor results. BP has not commented. "We understand that both poor well performance and challenging above ground conditions contributed to BP's decision," said Zhang, adding that BP was "chasing deeper targets than those being drilled at Sinopec's Fuling development and (CNPC) PetroChina's three current shale projects." BP is said to be only the most recent international major to bow out of China's shale gas efforts. "Foreign investors seem to have completely lost interest in China's shale gas industry on a mix of high costs and expectedly low profits," International Oil Daily said. "But China's state-run oil majors will continue to invest large sums in the shale gas sector, no matter how costly this is, driven by Chinese President Xi Jinping's demands to increase domestic oil and gas production, and rely less on oil and gas imports for national energy security," said the industry publication, citing "Chinese sources." Philip Andrews-Speed, a China energy expert and geologist at the National University of Singapore, agreed with the assessment, although domestic shale gas is not making much of a dent in imported gas growth. "Yes, the Chinese NOCs are persisting, most probably after orders from above, as the maximization of self-sufficiency in energy supply becomes a higher priority after several years of slipping down the order of importance," Andrews-Speed said. Workers examine drilling facilities in the Fuling work zone at a branch company of Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, in southwestern China's Chongqing, Apr. 21, 2014. Credit: Xinhua Reserves in remote regions Production growth at Chinas Fuling shale gas field in Chongqing is also apparently not as strong as state media reports have implied. A review of China Daily coverage in March 2018 found that the paper used nearly identical words for Fuling gas output in 2017, describing it as "over 6 billion cubic meters," indicating that there was little or no growth in production last year. According to International Oil Daily, China's shale gas production rose 23 percent from a year earlier to 11 bcm. While the growth rate looks impressive, the volume remains small, and the total suggests that the growth came almost entirely from CNPC's Sichuan operations. China Daily acknowledged that reaching the government's 2020 target "will not be easy, as most of the country's shale gas reserves are located in remote, mountainous regions that lack a network of pipelines and other infrastructure." "This leads to relatively high exploration costs due to the challenging geographical characteristics as compared to the U.S.," the paper said. Exploration and production also suffered a setback after a series of earthquakes on Feb. 24 and 25 reaching 4.9 magnitude struck Sichuan province, killing two, injuring 12 and damaging nearly 11,000 homes. Thousands reportedly protested in Sichuan's Rongxian county, demanding an end to fracking and forcing CNPC to suspend shale operations. The outbreak sparked memories of the catastrophic Wenchuan quake in unstable Sichuan, which claimed nearly 90,000 lives in 2008. Fracking has been blamed for increased frequency of tremors and smaller quakes in the United States. But on March 7, the official Xinhua news agency reported that a CNPC affiliate had stepped up testing in Sichuan's Luzhou city after a shale gas well there produced a flow rate of 1.32 million cubic meters per day. The well located in Leida village is the first in China to exceed the 1-million-cubic-meter mark, the company said in an apparent rejection of the protestors' demands. Andrews-Speed said the response to the earthquake risks may be a test of the government's support for shale gas development. "Of critical importance will be the government's reaction to the earthquakes this year in Sichuan that led to significant injury and property damage," said Andrews-Speed. "Local governments responded by suspending drilling. But what happens now? What conditions are set for future drilling? How does the local population react?" he asked. The Mekong River extends for thousands of miles through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, supporting more than 65 million people who depend on it for food, transportation, and commerce. But development, mostly led by China, threatens to upset the delicate balance between local communities and the rivers rich ecosystem. On Monday, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), a platform for regional cooperation among the countries along the key regional waterway, kicked off a two-day forum in Bangkok, Thailand for stakeholders to discuss sustainable transboundary water management amid challenges including a lack of information sharing on upstream dam construction, flooding, decreased fish stocks, and illegal fishing. Brian Eyler, Southeast Asia program director of the Washington-based Stimson Center, recently sat down with RFAs Khmer Service to discuss his new book, The Last Days of the Mighty Mekong, which he wrote based on interviews with policymakers, members of civil society, and residents of riparian communities, conducted along the river from its source to its delta. He cautions against an automatic discrimination by urban, mostly Chinese, developers who he says must better appreciate the needs of communities that rely on the Mekong to ensure sustainable development of the river, and warns that the window of opportunity to do so is running out. RFA: What inspired you to write this book about the Mekong River and what is your interest in the region? Eyler: This book was a process that came about over a period of four years and I began to write it when I both saw that there was a short window of opportunity to discuss a sustainable future for the Mekong and to identify some alternative options for development in the Mekong. And at the same time, there are many communities that needed to be identifiedindividuals working at the community level and at the local level who are struggling, who are being impacted by upstream developments like hydropower projects or high-speed rails or highways or poorly planned agricultural policies. Some of them are, like I said, struggling to cope and adapt with whats happening around them. Others are leading the way and finding sustainable solutions. So as the window is still open for identifying and moving forward smart solutions, I thought it was important to tell the stories of those who are identifying and taking those solutions forwardoften at the local levelas well as those who are being negatively impacted. RFA: What are the key takeaways that you would like your readers to know about the Mekong River? Eyler: One of the key takeaways is that, despite there being a stack of peer-reviewed studies that show that building lots of upstream dams on the Mekong will be devastating for Cambodias fisheries, Vietnams agricultural productivity, and Cambodias agricultural productivity as well, unfortunately there are very few at the decision-making level who are recognizing this risk and then driving forward for an alternative pathway of development. The second is that despite the, I would say, uninformed and poorly constructed pathways for development in the region, those that impact communities and natural resource spaces, there are communities that can look at the factors that are impacting them, work together to identify a way forward, whether its for developing organic agriculture or whether its for protecting local fisheries so that they can conserve these things, and they can thrive and survive. Often it takes a very wise leader to drive the process forward. I also found that teaming up with international organizations can promote sustainable development. A wooden boat anchored along the Mekong River bank near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 24, 2019. Credit: AP Photo Chinese development model RFA: How do you view the whole Chinese development model in the Mekong River system, especially for downstream countries, affecting the environment and cooperation in the region? Eyler: The first four chapters of this book take place in China and the purpose is to explore how Chinese dam developers, as well as policymakers, think about their own portion of the Mekong and how that isnt so much different than the way that Chinese developers and policymakers think about the downstream countries. And I try to get into the logic of a Chinese dam developer or an accountant thats thinking about resettlement for ethnic upland people and how theres a big mismatch between how the city-dwelling, lowland accountant or engineer thinks about the needs of the ethnic upland people, who have a very different livelihood than the lowland city dwellers. And I talk about the sort of automatic discrimination thats built into that. Also how engineers view land like the mountains and rivers of Yunnan province in China, and basically see it as a dam builders dreamscape. Its perfect for building dams in their eyes, regardless of what else happens there in terms of being a homeland for millions of ethnic upland people. And thats exported downstream. That type of logic and rationale is how these Chinese engineers are talking to Laos government. You can dam your river. You can make a lot of income out of this. It will pay off for you in the future. Well build those dams for you. The same messaging is happening in Cambodia Its these biases that are built into the Chinese mind of seeing and using and building out land and space that are exported to Laos and Cambodia. And there are plenty of people in Laos and Cambodia that believe that rationale. Commercial transport route RFA: If [the Chinese] try to transform the whole Mekong River into a navigational route for commercial transport from China to Southeast Asia, what will be the impact for the region? Eyler: This is an ambition that Chinese policymakers have had for almost 20 years, maybe even longer, to turn the river into a navigation pathway for large cargo ships coming out of China, maybe even getting all the way to the mouth of the river in the Mekong Delta [in Vietnam]. There are chokepoints that are physically impossible for these ships to pass. One is in the Golden Triangle, the other is where Laos meets Cambodia. Youve got waterfalls and rapids and those have to be blasted if the cargo ships are to pass, or there has to be detourscanals to get the ships around. If those are blasted, or if detours are built, then yes, the Mekong could turn into a transportation superhighway. And then wed need to think about the impacts on how towns and cities in Laos are going to develop as the result of this. Certainly they could bring a lot of economic benefit. But having that amount of passenger traffic and cargo traffic and boats on the river are certainly also going to have an impact on pollution, water quality, an impact on one of the most biodiverse river in the world in terms of fish, with 1,000 migratory fish species passing through there. And one last point is that it is not Chinas decision to do thisits the local countries decision to do this. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. A timber company in Cambodia is ignoring environmental protection laws by transporting felled trees by night from protected forests in the country, activists said on Monday. The Sam Oeun Sovann Company, operating out of Kampong Thom province, has not been punished or stopped from ignoring conservation laws, nor has it been investigated by relevant authorities, the activists say. They are able to avoid detection by claiming the felled trees are gathered from an area given to the Chinese-run Heng Fu Sugarcane Company in an economic land concession (ELC). Residents of Sangke Pii commune in the provinces Chheb district as well as environmentalists are concerned that illegal logging by the company has resulted in severe deforestation in both Prey Lang and Preah Rokar Wildlife sanctuaries. Villagers are very concerned that in the future we wont have any timber to build our houses, said a resident of Sangke Pii in an interview with RFAs Khmer Service on the condition of anonymity. Timber has been transported out almost every night, and [authorities] are not stopping [the company], he said. But the resident also said it is the villagers themselves who are cutting down the trees. The company encourages them to go cutting in community forests in Chheb and Chey Sen districts, and then buys the timber. He added that now the company is setting its sights on Prey Lang and Preah Roka forests, buying the timber and transporting it to its processing facility at night. Reports from Sangke Pii claim that the company opened a timber processing center near the Heng Fus ELC area after they were given authorization to buy timber taken from the ELC area itself. But the residents say that the company is buying timber from everywhere, including protected areas in neighboring provinces. Heng Sros, a local environmentalist who has been observing the company, said that Sam Oeun Sovann is able to get away with transporting illegal timber into and out of its processing facility because it bribes the relevant authorities. He said that the authorities did not simply just look the other way, they actively protected the company while it continued to break the law so that business could run smoothly. Heng Sros added that he and his working group visited the processing facility recently and found it to be heavily guarded by security forces. We are just wondering why provincial authorities keep allowing such timber transportation through this form of deforestation in Preah Vihear province, he said. The company was authorized in 2015 to purchase timber from a company that was awarded a 4000 hectare ELC in Preah Vihear provinces Chheb and Sen Chey disctricts. RFA attempted unsuccessfully to reach Preah Vihear Provincial Governor Un Chanda, Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson Srey Vuthy, and the National Commission for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Offenses. Representatives of the Sam Oeun Sovann Company and Chheb districts governor were also unable to be reached. Lor Chan of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) said he observed cases where villagers who were originally against the company for its role in deforestation changed their minds and cut down trees to sell to the company, because they came to realize that the authorities wont protect the forest and they will be lost anyway. Some villagers have made an all-out effort to protect the forest, said Lor Chan. If what they are saying is true, the authorities and relevant institutions should investigate this matter. He said that these issues should have been addressed by a preliminary investigation. Cambodia has long endured the rampant smuggling of logs and timberoften with the complicity of local authoritiesto neighbors such as China and Vietnam, where the wood is used to make high-end furniture. In May last year, a report by the U.K.-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said that around 300,000 cubic meters (10,594,400 cubic feet) of timberincluding endangered rosewoodhad been smuggled out of protected areas in Cambodia to Vietnam with the help of local authorities through some U.S. $13 million paid in bribes between November 2016 and March 2017. According to the NASA Earth Observatory website, between 2001 and 2014 Cambodia lost a total of 1.44 million hectares (5,560 square miles) of forestone of the worlds fastest rates of deforestation. Reported and translated by RFAs Khmer Service. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Family members of Tiananmen massacre victims and rights activists are being placed under surveillance on the 30th anniversary of the the declaration of martial law in Beijing during the 1989 democracy movement that took the country by storm. Three decades after the student-led mass movement took hold of cities across China, prompting then supreme leader Deng Xiaoping to order the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to clear Beijing through martial law, the loved ones of those who died in the ensuing massacre are under house arrest or on enforced "vacations" with the state security police. Members of the victims' group Tiananmen Mothers said the security measures had begun last week. "I asked them what date they would be leaving on, and they said they didn't know, but that it would probably be after June 4," Tiananmen Mothers member Zhang Xianling told RFA on Monday. "They said they wouldn't have to follow me everywhere if I would promise them not to talk to journalists." "I said that's not likely, because I definitely want to give media interviews," she said. "So now there's someone sitting outside the lift, and another one sitting by the door to the stairs to make sure no journalists can come and visit me." "They also send someone to follow me if I go out, because they're afraid I'll meet with journalists somewhere else," said Zhang, whose 19-year-old son died in the military assault on Beijing that began on the night of June 3, 1989. "They follow me if I go to buy groceries, or go to the hospital," she said. "They send a car, one of their cars, to take me, saying they're afraid I'll lose them if they let me take another car." Zhang said her cell phone is also being monitored. "All of my communications devices are being monitored. They will hear everything we are saying," she said. Harassment takes a toll The long years of official harassment appear to have taken their toll on Zhang. "To start with when they would place me under surveillance, I could still get a bit angry about it," Zhang told RFA. "Now it's just boring; human rights violations are so common in China." Repeated calls to the cell phone of Tiananmen Mothers founder Ding Zilin were answered but immediately cut off on Monday. Calls to the cell phone of group spokeswoman You Weijie rang unanswered. Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia said he is also under surveillance. "The [state security police] follow us when we go to the hospital; they have even included my father's home," Hu said. "I went hiking on the outskirts of Beijing at the weekend, and they followed me all the way, and these were pretty remote mountains." Hu said he would be taken on an enforced "vacation" ahead of the sensitive 30th anniversary of the massacre. "I will be forced to leave Beijing at some point between May 26 and May 28, the same as previous years," he said. "I will be placed under surveillance somewhere else." Repeated calls to the Beijing municipal police department resulted in a busy signal during office hours on Monday. Memorial in Taiwan Meanwhile, former leaders of the 1989 protest movement gathered on the democratic island of Taiwan over the weekend to attend a symposium marking the 30th anniversary of the massacre. Former Tiananmen student leader Wang Dan called for a re-linking of China's human rights record to trade and economic relations. "The only reason I got out of prison and was able to come to the United States was the link between trade and economic ties and human rights," Wang said. "Once trade became delinked from human rights, [China's] Nobel peace laureate [Liu Xiaobo] didn't get released. Instead he died in prison." "That's the difference between linking trade and human rights, and delinking them," he said. Former student leader Zhou Fengsuo called on U.S. trade negotiators to target Chinese internet censorship, known colloquially as the Great Firewall, as part of ongoing trade talks. He also drew parallels between the death of Liu Xiaobo in July 2017 and the death a century earlier of German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who died while serving a jail term for espionage after exposing the clandestine German rearmament in the 1930s. "There was no vocal protest from the international community back then, which is pretty shameful," Zhou said. "Now, Liu Xiaobo has basically already been forgotten." He cited the refusal by Columbia University's C.V. Starr East Asian Library to host a donated bust of Liu Xiaobo earlier this year on the grounds that it represented a "political figure." "This is the reality we are facing now," Zhou said. U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao agreed, warning that the mass, extrajudicial incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minority Muslims in the northwestern region of Xinjiang could soon be exported elsewhere. "Today's Xinjiang is tomorrow's China, and today's China is tomorrow's world," Teng said. Discussions banned The 1989 protests, which took over Tiananmen Square for several weeks, were sparked by a spontaneous outpouring of public mourning following the funeral of ousted liberal premier Hu Yaobang on April 22 that year. The government styled the 1989 student-led democracy protests a "counterrevolutionary rebellion," and the families of victims and pro-democracy campaigners have since focused their efforts on a re-evaluation of that verdict, as well as demanding compensation and the apportioning of blame and responsibility for the massacre. Public memorials and discussions of the events of June 1989 are banned in mainland China, with activists who seek to commemorate the bloodshed often detained, with veteran dissidents placed under police surveillance or detention during each anniversary. The Tiananmen Mothers have been writing to China's National People's Congress (NPC) for more than 20 years, but say they have never had any kind of reply, only police restrictions. The death toll from the night of June 3-4, 1989, when PLA tanks and troops entered Beijing, opening fire on unarmed civilians, remains unknown to this day. While the Chinese government once put the death toll at "nearly 300,"it has never issued an official toll or list of names. A 2009 map published by the Tiananmen Mothers listed more than 250 names garnered from confirmed eyewitness accounts and hospital records of those known to have died in the days after June 3, but it is unlikely to be an exhaustive account of casualties. Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hsia Hsiao-hwa for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A Lao villager held in jail since 2011 as a leader of a land protest in the countrys Salavan province has died in custody, with officials citing natural causes but villagers fearing torture, sources in the country say. Sy Phong, one of two men kept in jail after 23 other protesters had been released, had been held without trial and died in April, a local source told RFAs Lao Service this week. His death in custody was revealed when prison officials called family members to pick up his body for religious observances and cremation, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Villagers want to know how he died, the source said. Sy Phong and another accused leader, Som Nuk, had protested outside district offices with a group of 25 residents of Salavans Dane Nhai village to call for the return of land given by the government to a Vietnamese company to grow eucalyptus trees, the source said. Police later came at night to arrest those who had taken part, falsely accusing them of using violence during the protest, he said. Most were freed after being held in jail for two or three months, but two of their leadersSy Phong and Som Nukwere not released, he said, adding, Now, Sy Phong is dead, and villagers want to know why. Contacted by RFA, a local official confirmed the now eight-year-old arrests and jailing of the accused protest leaders, but said the two men had not been jailed because of a protest over land. Som Nuk and Sy Phong were arrested not because of a land dispute, but because they had joined with overseas Lao in a plot to overthrow the government, the official said, also speaking on condition he not be named. 'Not against the government' Also speaking to RFA, a Dane Nhai villager said however that the men had protested only because they did not want their land taken away to be used as a concession. They were not acting against the government, he said, adding that he and others believe that Sy Phong had died as a result of torture in jail. Reached for comment, the deputy district mayor for the area refused to discuss the case, while the deputy governor for Salavan province said he would contact local officials to learn what had happened. The seizure of land for development or agricultural useoften without due process or fair compensation for displaced residentshas been a major cause of protest in Laos and other authoritarian Asian countries, including Cambodia and Myanmar. In July 2017, 15 residents of Yeub village in the Sekong province of Laos were taken into custody for obstructing workers and cutting down trees on their former land, which had been given by the government to a Vietnamese rubber company. Several of those detained were beaten or subjected to electric shocks in the days following their arrest, with another later reported to have died in custody. Reported and translated by Sidney Khotpanya for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. The forestry department of northern Myanmars Kachin state has filed charges against five Chinese nationals and their company manager for allegedly expanding a banana plantation into protected forests, village administrative and police officials said Monday. The six people from Jinghphaw Nadi Company have been operating the plantations near Aung Myae Thar No. 1 and No. 2 villages in Waingmaw township since 2018 and now have expanded their growing areas by more than 300 acres in the two communities. The Forestry Department has filed charges against the company for the illegal occupation of the forest reserve area, said Zaw Bauk, administrator of Aung Myae Thar No. 2 village. These foreign nationals were reportedly living in the forest reserve area, he said. The company manager was released on bail for health reasons, while the others are being held in the township jail, Zaw Bauk said. Township police commander Kyaw Soe said the case is under investigation. The prosecution process hasnt started yet, he told RFAs Myanmar Service. We are still checking out the evidence presented by the Waingmaw township Forestry Department. RFA could not reach Jinghphaw Nadi Company for comment. Area residents have long complained about banana cultivation resulting in losses of farmland, deforestation, the destruction of natural habitats, low wages for laborers, and damage to their social and economic well-being. Aung Myint, chief of Khauksint village, told RFA in March that residents were very concerned about the impact of pesticides from nearby banana plantations. When people passed by the plantations while [workers] were spraying chemicals, they suffered from bleeding and fainting, and some were hospitalized, he said. Aye Aye Aung, a farm worker from Dawt Pon Yang subtownship, said that despite complaints, local officials had taken no action against plantation operators. When we complained to department officials, they said they would look into the matter, but later on we found out that they favored the companies, so they didnt do anything, he said. Efforts to curb plantations Renowned for its heroin production, Kachin state has implemented crop-substitution programs in recent years to replace the poppy cultivation that produces opium. Earlier this year, Kyaw Kyaw Win, Kachin states minister of agriculture, livestock, and irrigation, told RFA that officials had not issued permits for banana plantations, although some companies had planted banana trees on fallow land and on farmland where fruit trees are allowed to be grown. At the time, he also said he would submit a proposal to the state government to set up a special committee whose subcommittees would look into illegal plantations and their impacts on the environment and local labor. Controversial China-backed tissue-culture banana plantations, banned in Laos and Thailand, began popping up in Kachin state about 12 years ago and have quickly expanded in Waingmaw township, which lies alongside the Irrawaddy River near the state capital Myitkyina. A research report issued earlier this year by the local NGO Land Security and Environmental Conservation Network indicated that that there are more than 100,000 acres of banana plantations in the state's Myitkyina and Bhamo districts. Banana plantation operators have been accused of taking over land previously leased from authorities by locals, many of whom have been displaced by armed conflict and are living in temporary camps in Kachin state, the online journal The Irrawaddy said in a March report. In June 2018, Kachin states Forestry Department said it would sue two other companies for allegedly planting banana trees by tissue-culture techniques in forest reserve areas in Waingmaw township, the Myanmar Times reported. Forestry Department director Khin Maung Oo accused Chinese-owned U Aung Paing Company Ltd. and Generation Star Company Ltd. of planting bananas on two plots of 500 acres and 400 acres of land in the reserve, destroying government-run farms, and illegally logging teakwood, the report said. Reported by Elizabeth Jangma for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Khine Linn Htay (L) is treated at Sittwe Hospital for injuries caused by artillery shells from fighting in Marlar Taung village, Kyauktaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, May 20, 2019. One child was killed and two other villagers were injured by gunfire from government soldiers in war-torn Rakhine states Kyauktaw township Sunday evening, amid wider armed conflict with a rebel ethnic military in Myanmar's western region, local residents said. The shooting, which occurred in an area between Myauk Taung and Marlar Taung villages east of the Kaladan River, left 10-year-old Athein Chae dead, said Aung Hla Sein, the administrative head of Myauk Taung village. There is a pagoda near our village, he said. We heard gun shots around 6 p.m. and they stopped around 7 p.m. A young girl who lived in the northern side of our village was shot and killed. Villagers said the shooting was by the military in response to a recent mine attack on their troops, he said. Colonel Win Zaw Oo, spokesman for the militarys Western Command responsible for Rakhine state, said that government forces engaged in a firefight with the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine army that seeks greater autonomy in the state, after rebel soldiers attacked an army convoy with mines and fired on troops from Myauk Taung village. The military convoy was passing through the area near Marlar Taung village, he said. While the troops conducted a clearance operation, AA troops fired at them from inside the village. Then, [our] troops shot back at them. The military wouldnt have fired without a reason, he said. Because there was shooting from both sides, the bullet could have been from either side. We cant tell whose bullet killed the girl for sure. AA spokesman Khine Thukha said Arakan troops denied that AA troops attacked the convoy and said they had not engaged in any battles near the villages. This is just another fabricated story from the Myanmar military to cover up its consistent war crimes, he said. There have been many incidents in which it fired shots into villages. There were even shootings by the military in Mrauk-U township where there were no battles. The evidence is everywhere, he said. There were no battles in that area yesterday. Enemy, enemy Villagers, however, said that the shooting was in retaliation for the mine attacks on the military convoy that comprised more than 50 vehicles as it headed toward Kyauktaw from Paletwa township in neighboring Chin state. Eyewitnesses to the shooting said Athein Chae was caught in the crossfire while she was on her way back from visiting a Buddhist monk who resided in the area between the two villages. One villager, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said Athein Chae was walking with her younger brother who was also injured in the shooting. The two siblings were in the area, he said. I asked the younger brother of the deceased girl what had happened. The boy said they [soldiers] fired at them after yelling Enemy, enemy. As the girl was shot, the boy ran back to his home, he said. It was the small arms fire that hit the girl from behind. Some artillery shells from the clash fell and exploded in a monastery compound and near some homes in Marlar Taung village, injuring a three-year-old boy and a 75-year-old man, villagers said. The boy, Khine Linn Htay, was taken to Sittwe Hospital for emergency care, while the man, Aung Ni, is receiving treatment in Kyauktaw Hospital, they said. Marlar Taung village is a half-mile from Myauk Taung village where the shootings occurred. Since fighting between the Myanmar and Arakan armies spiked in early January in Rakhine state, nearly 40 civilians have been killed by artillery explosions and improvised explosive devices, and about 70 people have been injured. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. KYIV -- New Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pledged to dissolve parliament as the prime minister and key members of his government announced they would resign as the country's new leader seeks fresh political support. In remarks after taking the oath of office at the Verkhovna Rada on May 20, Zelenskiy also called for the dismissal of top security officials, including controversial Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, and the head of the state Security Service, Vasyl Hrytsak, all seen as loyal to former President Petro Poroshenko. Hours later, after Poltorak and Hrytsak announced they would quit, Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman announced his intention to resign on May 22 after the next government meeting. A 41-year-old comedian and actor with no previous political experience, Zelenskiy broke with tradition by walking through a park on the way to parliament, high-fiving people, taking a selfie with supporters, and then quoting former U.S. President Ronald Reagan -- who was also an actor -- in his address. Zelenskiy, who until now has sought laughs for a living, said that he would do everything he could to ensure "Ukrainians do not cry" and declared that he is ready to lose the job he just got if it would bring peace to the war-ravaged eastern region known as the Donbas, where Russia-backed separatists hold parts of two provinces. Moving to consolidate power on his first day in office, Zelenskiy -- who ran without the support of a political party and has no formal backing in parliament now -- declared he would "dissolve the Verkhovna Rada." Media reports said that he had not immediately signed a decree to disband the legislature but might do so later in the day. The next parliamentary elections had been scheduled for October 27, but Zelenskiy did not propose a specific date for a snap vote. He said that lawmakers must dismiss the security officials and pass several key pieces of legislation, including bills to cancel lawmakers' immunity and to prosecute officials for illegal enrichment, within two months -- the maximum period of time, according to the constitution, between a published decision on the dissolution of parliament and the election of a new one. Before that announcement, Zelenskiy said he will bring many changes and invoked Reagan to suggest that he would go straight to the people for solutions to pressing problems in the country of 44 million, which faces deep-seated corruption, economic challenges, and the conflict with Russia-backed militants that has killed some 13,000 people in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk since April 2014. The same year, Russia seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. Zelenskiy said in his speech that "our first task is a cease-fire in the Donbas," which drew large applause. "We didn't start this war but it is up to us to end it," he said. "We are ready for dialogue," he added, urging the handover of Ukrainian prisoners in an exchange of "all for all," as is outlined in the Minsk peace accords signed as a road map for resolving the fighting. There has not been an exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia since 2017. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commended Zelenskiy's call for the full exchange of prisoners, RIA Novosti reported. Zelenskiy also said that government officials should not hang his picture in their offices. Instead, he urged them, "Hang up photos of your kids -- and before you make every decision, look them in the eye." There have been disputes over whether Zelenskiy has the authority to dissolve parliament because of the timing of his inauguration and because the governing European Ukraine coalition fell apart last week after the People's Front party announced it was quitting -- a move seen by many as a bid by his political foes to bar him from disbanding the parliament. Opponents say the constitution gives parliament 30 days to form a new coalition and that the president cannot dissolve it during that time. Zelenskiy and his allies argue that European Ukraine, in fact, stopped being a ruling coalition after three political parties left its ranks years ago. Initially, the coalition that was established in November 2014 consisted of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, the People's Front, Samopomich (Self-Reliance), Batkivshchyna (Fatherland), and the Radical Party. The latter three parties quit the coalition in 2015-16. Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Inauguration In Pictures: Zelenskiy's opponents also point out that the constitution prohibits the president from dissolving parliament less than six months before its mandate expires. But there are differing opinions on whether that date is November 27 or later, in December, and allies of the new president contend that he is within his rights to dissolve the legislature. Ahead in the polls from the early stages of the presidential campaign, Zelenskiy easily won the most votes in the first round on March 31 and beat Poroshenko by a large margin in the runoff on April 21. After his victory, Zelenskiy accused lawmakers of trying to block him from dissolving parliament and holding snap elections, but lawmakers from several parties said after his inauguration that they would not challenge his call for a new vote. "I see no reason to challenge Zelenskiy's decision," Ivan Vinnyk, a lawmaker in Poroshenko's faction, said. Unlike his predecessors, instead of arriving at the ceremony in a heavily guarded vehicle, Zelenskiy walked to the Rada in Kyiv through an adjacent park, where thousands of people were gathered. Flanked by several bodyguards, Zelenskiy high-fived some of the people and took a selfie with a spectator's mobile phone. In his remarks after being sworn in, Zelenskiy said that "not just me, but all Ukrainians have just put their hands on the constitution and been sworn in." Zelenskiy said that he is ready to grant citizenship to Ukrainians around the world who choose to come to the country and bring the "knowledge and values we need here." In part, that promise sounded like a retort to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who last month signed a decree that made it easier for people living in the portion of eastern Ukraine held by Moscow-backed militants to obtain Russian citizenship. Putin did not congratulate Zelenskiy on his election and no Russian officials were invited to the inauguration. Zelenskiy returned to naming the conflict in eastern Ukraine as the a chief priority of his five-year term. "I'm ready to do all I can so that our heroes don't die there, and if necessary I am ready to lose my post to bring peace there," Zelenskiy said, adding that peace must be reached without Ukraine losing any territories. Zelenskiy gave his inauguration speech in Ukrainian, but delivered two short passages in Russian. One was on the exchange of captives and in his second statement in Russian, Zelenskiy assured Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Russian-held Crimea and the separatist-held parts of Donetsk and Luhansk that he will always consider them Ukrainian citizens. When Radical Party leader Oleh Lyashko interrupted Zelenskiy, saying that he could speak in Ukrainian as Russian-speaking Ukrainians can understand it, Zelenskiy answered by thanking him and adding, "Mr. Lyashko, you continue to divide our people." Lavrov noted Zelenskiy's reaching out to Russian speakers. "Today, in his inauguration speech President Zelenskiy stood against the attempts to divide the Ukrainian society on the basis of language," he said. "There are no doubts that this stance should be fully applicable to the religious sphere, including the broader context of implementing the Minsk accords." Lavrov was referring to the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which broke from the Russian Orthodox Church after receiving a declaration of autocephaly in January. The move, which was championed by Poroshenko, angered the Kremlin and caused it to break off relations with the spiritual head of Orthodoxy in Istanbul. Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill said on May 20 that he hoped "the newly elected president will not repeat the mistakes of his predecessor and we sincerely wish him successes in uniting and reconciling the Ukrainian people." Zelenskiy ended his remarks by saying: "All my life, I have done my best to make Ukrainians laugh, and in the next five years to come I will do what I can so that Ukrainians do not cry. Glory to Ukraine!" Athough Hroysman, Poltorak, and Security Service chief Hrytsak all tendered their resignations, there was no such public offer from Lutsenko, who is at the center of concerns about corruption in Ukraine. With reporting by Merhat Sharipzhan, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Current Time, Reuters, AP, and AFP VAHDAT, Tajikistan -- Authorities in Tajikistan say three prison guards and 29 inmates, including several opposition members, have been killed in a riot that broke out in a maximum-security prison, the second deadly prison clash to hit the country in the last six months. The Interior Ministry on May 20 released a list of the 29 inmates it said were killed in the riot the previous night at a prison in the Vahdat district, some 15 kilometers east of the capital, Dushanbe. According to the list, 17 of the slain inmates were members of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, a claim that cannot be independently verified. The list said three of the slain inmates were from the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), a major opposition group that authorities outlawed in 2015 in a move widely criticized as unjustified and politically motivated. Earlier, the Justice Ministry said five of the inmates were killed by fellow prisoners in the unrest while 24 others were "liquidated" during the authorities' "measures to quell" the riot late on May 19 at the prison locally known as Kirpichniy, Russian for "brick." In a statement, the ministry said that the clashes started when some 30 inmates convicted of membership in various militant groups killed three prison guards. The ministry said the inmates were armed with knives and other sharp objects. In the tightly controlled country, it is impossible to independently verify the authorities claims. Rights groups say President Emomali Rahmon, who has ruled Tajikistan since 1992, has used the security forces and other levers of power to sideline opponents and suppress dissent. The statement said that one of the leaders of the rioters was Behruz Gulmurod, the eldest son of Gulmurod Halimov, a former commander of the Tajik Interior Ministry's special forces who joined IS group in 2015. In 2016, the U.S. State Department named Gulmurod Halimov as a key member of IS and offered a $3 million reward for information on his whereabouts. Behruz Gulmurod, 20, was arrested in Tajikistan in 2017 and sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to join a foreign militant group. The statement said the rioters set the prison's medical unit on fire, took several inmates hostage, and attacked guards, while trying to escape. The ministry statement said that during efforts to "quell the riot...35 inmates were captured and the hostages released," but didnt provide any details. The statement added that the situation was now under control and that an investigation had been launched into the riot. Officials said that prominent IRPT members Saeed Qiyomiddin Ghozi and Sattor Karimov were among those killed by the rioters. Both were serving lengthy prison sentences on charges that the opposition said were politically motivated. A founding member of the IRPT, Ghozi, 67, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2018 on charges that included treason. Karimov, 60, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in 2016 on terrorism-related charges. The IRPT, long an influential party with representatives in the government and parliament, was labeled a terrorist group and banned in 2015, a move strongly condemned by international rights groups. Dozens of IRPT officials and supporters have been prosecuted and many of them imprisoned, drawing further criticism of Rahmon's government from rights groups. IRPT leader Muhiddin Kabiri has been living in self-imposed exile since 2015. The prison in Vahdat holds some 1,500 inmates, including several members of the IRPT and other opposition groups. The websites of the Tajik opposition abroad reported that Zaid Saidov -- a businessman and leader of the unregistered opposition New Tajikistan party, who is serving a 26-year prison sentence in the prison in Vahdat -- was not harmed during the riots. Saidov was convicted in December 2013 of financial fraud, polygamy, and sexual relations with a minor. Many relatives of inmates gathered near the Vahdat prison facility on the morning of May 20 and were eagerly waiting information, RFE/RL correspondents at the scene reported. Some of them received the bodies of their slain relatives for burial, the reporters said. The wives of several prisoners who were in a separate block of the facility for conjugal visits said they heard gunshots around 9 p.m. local time. They said gunfire lasted for around 30 minutes. Vahdat residents said they witnessed several ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks driving toward the prison. In November 2018, a riot broke out in a maximum-security prison in the northern city of Khujand. Officials said 21 prisoners and two prison guards were killed in that incident. The latest disturbances in Vahdat come as some 30 inmates from the Khujand prison were on trial behind closed doors for alleged participation in the November riot. Prosecutors have asked for prison sentences of 10 to 20 years for the suspects. Government sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told RFE/RL at the time that suspected IS supporters convicted of religious extremism and terrorism were behind the unrest. A website linked to the IS group said at the time that one of its "fighters" was responsible for starting the riot in the Khujand prison. According to the government in Dushanbe, more than 1,000 Tajik citizens joined IS militants in Iraq and Syria. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has called for a radical reform of the country's judiciary -- contending that many courts have lost their legitimacy and too many judges are beholden to the country's former authorities. Pashinian said in a speech at a conference attended by Armenia's military, judicial, and political leaders on May 20 that while the country had formed legitimate executive and legislative branches of power in the last year, the judicial system remained under the influence of the former "corrupt government." He described his plan for judicial reform as the "second phase" of the bloodless revolution that swept him to power a year ago. Pashinian said that all judges whose rulings were found unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights must be dismissed and that he was willing to consider constitutional amendments to bring about the necessary reforms. "The time has come for a surgical intervention," he said, a day after calling on citizens to block the entrance to courts to protest the release from custody of bitter foe and former President Robert Kocharian, who is facing corruption and coup charges. Pashinian, who came to power after leading a wave of nationwide protests last spring against longtime leader Serzh Sarkisian, said that all judges must now be subjected to a vetting process that will reveal whether they can serve as independent justices. "I cannot and do not want to make judgments on the legality and validity of the decisions made by the judiciary. This is not within my powers. Regardless, it's obvious that the decisions of the judiciary are deeply mistrusted by the people," he said. "The people of Armenia still view the judicial authorities as a remnant of the former corrupt system where conspiracy is constantly being planned and implemented against the people," Pashinian said. "To what extent this presumption is realistic and well-grounded, is another matter, but the fact that the judiciary doesn't have the trust of the people means that it also doesn't have an enough legitimacy to operate," he added. Armenia's leading opposition forces have denounced the blockading of the courts, saying the move violates an article of the constitution that bans any outside interference in the work of the judiciary. If [Pashinian] is politically disappointed with some people, he must not express that by exerting pressure on the courts and by disrupting and paralyzing the work of the courts, Gevorg Petrosian, a senior representative of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), the second largest in parliament, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. The 64-year-old Kocharian went on trial earlier this month on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order during the final weeks of his decade-long rule, which ended in April 2008. During the protests that erupted in March 2008, eight protesters and two police officers were killed after Kocharian sent in security forces to disperse the demonstration. Kocharians order came after he declared a three-week state of emergency. Before serving as Armenia's president from 1998 to 2008, Kocharian was the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian-backed separatists seized control of the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people, and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have brought little progress. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Supporters responded to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's call for a blockade of courthouses after a former president was released from detention. One judge still tried to get into work -- through a window. PRISTINA -- Candidates from the main Kosovo Serb party took more than 90 percent of the vote in snap mayoral elections that were held in four predominantly ethnic Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo, according preliminary official results and independent monitors. Electoral authorities said that nearly 25,000 people had cast ballots in the May 19 elections, taking the turnout to 42.4 percent. The polls were called after the four mayors of North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic, and Zubin Potok resigned in November 2018, days after the government in Pristina imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian and Bosnian products. Serbia's former province of Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and is recognized as a sovereign state by well over 100 countries but not by Belgrade. Kosovo's Central Election Commission said that Serbian List head Goran Rakic swept to victory in North Mitrovica with 90.1 percent of the vote, Srdjan Vulovic in Zubin Potok with 94.5 percent, Zoran Todic in Leposavic with 96.6 percent, and Vucina Jankovic in Zvecan with 94.7 percent. Democracy in Action (DnV), a coalition of nongovernmental organizations that monitored the election process, also reported that the Serbian List candidates had garnered more than 90 percent of the vote in each of the four municipalities. The Serbian List was the only party representing ethnic Serbs that contested the snap elections. Two ethnic Albanian parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo and Self-Determination (Vetevendosje), also ran candidates. Kosovo's authorities said that the election process ran smoothly and without any problems, but DnV observers reported some irregularities during election day. "Family voting [more than one person in the voting booth] was noticed in 23 polling stations, complaints about voting lists in six cases, voting outside the booth was noticed in five cases, and an attempt to vote more than once was noticed in two cases," DnV said in a statement. Kosovo's government said the tax that triggered the resignations of the four mayors was in retaliation for what it said were Belgrade's attempts to undermine its statehood, such as spearheading a campaign to scupper Pristina's bid to join Interpol and blocking it from UN membership. The move drew angry reactions from Belgrade and Sarajevo and calls from the European Union and the United States to revoke the measure. With reporting by Balkan Insight The North Macedonian capital is set to host on June 29 what activists have described as the Balkan country's first gay-pride parade. The event will be "a form of protest for affirmation, support, and protection of human rights" of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, Antonio Mihajlov of the National Network Against Homophobia and Transphobia (NNHT) told a press conference in Skopje on May 20. Mihajlov said that the gathering in downtown Skopje will be open for all to attend, regardless of nationality, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Irena Cvetkovic, who is among the organizers, said that police officers and NNHT members will monitor the march to make all participants feel safe. North Macedonia came under fire over gay rights during the rule of the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, which was ousted in 2017. The country's first-ever Gay Pride Week, which was held in June 2013 to raise awareness about gay-rights issues, was severely disrupted by an attack on an LGBT center in Skopje. Based on reporting by Republika and Balkan Insight Almost a dozen journalists covering political news for the prominent Russian newspaper Kommersant have quit their jobs in solidarity with two colleagues who were fired over an article about a possible change of leadership in the upper chamber of parliament, reporters say. In a Facebook post on May 20, Kommersant correspondent Gleb Cherkasov wrote that he and 10 other reporters tendered their resignations after a deputy chief editor of the newspaper's political unit, Maksim Ivanov, and special correspondent Ivan Safronov were fired at the request of shareholders as a result of their article saying that Federation Council chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko might be leaving the post. "A shareholder has a right to make staff decisions, and employees have the right not to agree with them in the only way possible -- by changing jobs," Cherkasov wrote. Cherkasov's post came minutes after Ivanov wrote on Facebook that May 20 was the last day at work for him and Safronov. The article about the possible demotion of Matviyenko, a staunch Kremlin ally and former St. Petersburg governor who has headed the upper house since 2011, was published on April 17. It quoted sources close to the government as saying that spy chief Sergei Naryshkin, head of the External Intelligence Service, might replace Matviyenko in May and that she might be moved to a position in the state Pension Fund. Also on April 17, Dozhd television channel reported that Matviyenko's possible removal from her post was under discussion in the Kremlin and that it might be connected to the arrest in a murder probe of Federation Council member Rauf Arashukov, who was detained during a session of the upper house in January. Representatives of Kommersant's owner, tycoon Alisher Usmanov, have made no official statements about the journalists. In March, Kommersant journalist Maria Karpenko said she was fired over her reports about acting St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov's election campaign. With reporting by Novaya gazeta NOTE: The original main photograph for this article showed an Ivan Safronov who is not the person referred to in the text. The photo has been changed and RFE/RL regrets the error. A Russian judge who showed leniency toward two teenagers charged with plotting to overthrow the government has reportedly been forced to resign after a topless selfie of her was obtained by superiors who were critical of her ruling. A spokeswoman for the Moscow City Court told RIA Novosti on May 15 that Judge Irina Devayeva resigned from the capital's Dorogomilov district court "at her own request." But other Russian media have noted that the photo scandal comes after Devayeva faced pressure and criticism following her August 2018 decision to transfer two teens accused of belonging to an alleged extremist group from detention to house arrest. Devayeva's ruling to release 18-year-old Anna Pavlikova and 19-year old Maria Dubovik came after protesters organized a "Mothers March" on August 15 during which many participants carried stuffed animals to highlight the young age of the detainees. Pavlikova and Dubovik were arrested in March 2018, along with eight others and held on extremism charges that they had turned their online chat criticizing the government into a political movement called New Greatness. It was revealed that the man who proposed the idea of forming the movement, written its charter, and rented premises for its gatherings was a special agent of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Supporters at the time said Pavlikova and Dubovik had been framed by the authorities. Citing unidentified sources, the news website Znak reported that Devayeva found herself at odds with two judicial superiors following her decision to transfer the teens to house arrest, and was ultimately forced out by them after they obtained the topless photo. Znak identified the two superiors as Olga Bykovskaya, chairwoman of the Dorogomilov district court, and Olga Yegorova, chairwoman of the Moscow City Court. According to Znak, an unidentified source who was present when Devayeva's dismissal was discussed by the Moscow City Court said that Devayeva's mobile phone had "presumably" been hacked, and the image stolen. The source said the photo had been taken "long before Devayeva became a judge" in 2016. The source told Znak that the image had never been transferred from the phone, and had never been published on social media. During the hearing, according to the source, Yegorova shouted that she would "never allow such depravity among the judges." The Moscow qualifications panel for judges noted that the termination of Devayeva's judicial powers was discussed on March 29. An e-mail sent by RFE/RL to the Moscow City Court requesting comment on the circumstances of Devayeva's resignation went unanswered by the time of publication of this article. 'No More Honest Judges?' On social media, some suggested Devayeva was paying the price for failing to toe the Kremlin line. "The system pushes out the honest," Yelena Rusakova wrote on Facebook. Others said it was Devayeva who had been victimized, with her phone allegedly hacked to access the incriminating photos. "Hacking a phone is not an offense, no? And what about the right to privacy? Or did the old Soviet hypocrisy never disappear? Or is it just that the phrase 'honest judge' is now an oxymoron?" asked Eugenia Dimant on Facebook. Another Facebook user, Nikolai Podosokorskiy, suggested that technology might be making it easier for authorities to push aside dissent. "How easy it turned out to end the career of an inconvenient individual in Russia. All it takes is hacking their phone or filming them with a hidden camera -- or easier yet, showing intimate photos to the bosses." The case against New Greatness was part of what some experts called a "disturbing development" in the rising number of extremism cases in Russia in 2018. "Law enforcement agencies have opened numerous extremism cases against not only opposition activists but also ordinary citizens," Andrei Pertsev, a journalist with Russia's Kommersant business daily, wrote on the Carnegie Moscow Center website on August 30, 2018. Written by Tony Wesolowsky, with additional reporting by Ivan Belyayev of RFE/RL's Russian Service U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a new threat to Iran, saying a conflict would be the "official end" of the Islamic republic. Trump's remarks on May 20 came as Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, warned it was ready to respond to Tehrans alleged provocations with "all strength." The warnings came amid concerns about a potential military conflict between the United States and Iran. Washington has beefed up U.S. military assets in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, citing possible threats from Iran, and has ordered the evacuation of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Iraq. A rocket landed in Baghdad's Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy compound on May 19 but caused no casualties or significant damage. There were no claims of responsibility. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump said in a tweet on May 20. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'," Zarif tweeted on May 20. Saudi Arabia has accused Tehran of ordering last weeks drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, an attack claimed by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. Last May, Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal that curbed Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions. Since then, Washington has steadily stepped up its rhetoric and reimposed sanctions. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP Officials in two Russian cities have suspended or scrapped plans to construct religious buildings after a project to build a church in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg triggered several days of protests. Vladimir Yelistratov, the mayor of Chelyabinsk, also in the Urals, said on May 20 that a plan to construct an Orthodox Christian chapel in a park inside the compound of the South Urals State University had been halted. "Yekaterinburg's experience must be studied," Yelistratov said, adding that the chapel would not be constructed before local residents' opinions were thoroughly examined. The announcement comes days after the mayor of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Sergei Yeryomin, refused to allow the construction of an Orthodox church in a park. In a statement, the Krasnoyarsk city administration explained the decision by saying that the construction of the proposed building could cause deforestation of the area. The moves by the authorities of Chelyabinsk and Krasnoyarsk came after thousands of people demonstrated for four evenings in Yekaterinburg last week against plans to erect an Orthodox church in a popular central park. The protests withered after local authorities said that construction work on the proposed new church was suspended and that an opinion poll would be held before a final decision on the matter. During the protest campaign, police arrested almost 100 protesters, 33 of whom were sentenced to jail terms between two and 15 days. Yekaterinburg is Russia's fourth-largest city. With reporting by Pchela Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman has announced his intention to resign. Hroysman said in a televised statement that he would step down at the next government meeting on May 22. Hroysman's announcement came hours after Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as president and announced that he would dissolve parliament and hold new elections within two months. Hroysman, who is a member of the Petro Porshenko Bloc, said he would compete in the next parliamentary elections. The 41-year-old has been prime minister since April 2016. He had previously served as chairman of the parliament. His resignation follows that of two other cabinet members whose resignations were demanded by Zelenskiy -- Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak and Security Service chief Vasyl Hrytsak. Both resigned earlier on May 20. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP The United Nations has expressed concern about the increasingly confrontational rhetoric between the United States and Iran and called for calm. Amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted early on May 20, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed what he called Trump's "genocidal taunts" and warned the U.S. president not to threaten Iran. "We are concerned about the rising rhetoric," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who cited the firing of a rocket on May 19 that struck Baghdad's Green Zone that houses foreign embassies and landed 500 meters from that of the United States as being "also a concern." "We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold of action as well," Dujarric said. There was no claim of responsibility for the rocket attack, which caused no casualties or significant damage. Dujarric's remarks came amid concerns about a potential military conflict between the United States and Iran. Washington has ordered a beefing up of U.S. military assets in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, citing " imminent threats" from Iran, and ordered the evacuation of personnel from the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Iraq Tehran has dismissed the U.S. allegations, and accused Washington of an "unacceptable" escalation of tensions. Both sides have said they do not want a war. In a separate tweet on May 20, Trump said that if Tehran wants to negotiate, it will have to take the first step. "Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse -- very sad for the Iranian people!" the U.S. president tweeted. Iranian President Hassan Rohani was quoted by state media as saying on May 20 that he favored talks and diplomacy but not under current conditions. "Today's situation is not suitable for talks and our choice is resistance only," Iran's IRNA news agency quoted Rohani as saying. Later on May 20, Trump told reporters: "With Iran, we'll see what happens, but they've been very hostile. They've truly been the No.1 provocateur of terror." "I think Iran would be making a very big mistake if they did anything. If they do something, it will be met with great force but we have no indication that they will," Trump said. "We'll have no choice," he added. Relations between Iran and the United States plummeted a year ago when Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal which curbed Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions. Since then, Washington has stepped up its rhetoric and reimposed sanctions, while the Western European parties to the accord said they remained committed to it. In announcing the U.S. pullout from the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, Trump said the terms were not tough enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and did not address Iran's missile program or Tehran's support for militants in the region. Iran denies it supports insurgent activity, including in Yemen, and has said its nuclear program is strictly for civilian energy purposes. Earlier this month, Iran said it was suspending several commitments under the nuclear pact, and threatened to step up uranium enrichment if European countries did not act to protect it from the effects of the U.S. sanctions. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Volodymyr Zelenskiy took the oath of office as Ukraine's new president on May 20 in Kyiv. In his inaugural speech, he announced that he is dissolving the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, and called for the dismissal of several top officials. Zelenskiy also said that he was ready for dialogue to stop the fighting with Russia-backed separatists in the country's east. Metro Business Live will be held at the RTD building at 300 E. Franklin St. The gathering, which includes a catered breakfast, will be from 7:15 to 9:15 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person if purchased by May 24, and $30 after that. A federal trial involving a legal challenge to Virginia abortion laws began in Richmond on Monday with testimony from a witness for the plaintiffs. The first witness, an expert in obstetrics and gynecology, began testifying shortly after 9 a.m. The trial is before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, and not before a jury. On Monday, the judge noted that 5,000 to 7,000 pages of documents had been filed in the case. Hudson said he expects to hear 10 days of testimony and that attorneys will return June 6 for closing arguments, with each side getting two hours. I understand this case is important, but I want to wrap this up as scheduled, Hudson said. The plaintiffs are taking aim at the physician-only rule for first-trimester abortions. Other issues in the case include whether Virginias second-trimester hospital requirement, informed consent requirements and criminal penalties for violations of restrictions impose an undue burden on the right to abortion under the 14th Amendment. State licensing requirements, including first-trimester abortion facility licensing requirements, are also being challenged by the plaintiffs, who see them as onerous. Only two foals have been documented so far this year on the Shackleford Banks, in part because there are lots of places where the "critically threatened breed" of wild horses can hide on the southern Outer Banks island. A rare moment of one of the two found at play was captured May 15 by a National Park Service volunteer at Cape Lookout National Seashore and posted on Facebook. The 20-second video, taken with a telephoto lens, shows the bucking colt racing around its mother, which is trying her best to eat in peace. It has been viewed 30,000 and shared nearly 900 times in 24 hours. "His mother is keeping an eye on him and turns her head to keep him in sight, but is more interested in eating the new spring grass," the park service wrote with the video. Karen Duggan, acting chief of interpretation at Cape Lookout, told the Charlotte Observer that capturing scenes of the foals at play is tough, because they are wary of humans. "Had the volunteer who took the video not used a telephoto and tried to get closer, the foal would have stopped his play and Mom would have undoubtedly gone into protective mode," Duggan told the Observer. Although China no longer imposes quotas on the volume of rare earths it exports, as it did a decade ago for geopolitical advantage, it tightly controls the rare earth market, charging high prices for minerals such as cerium, lanthanum and dysprosium. The choice before us: Is clamping a royalty on minerals in our nations best interest? Or is failing to do anything about dependence on foreign minerals consistent with the American belief in self-sufficiency? The time has come to take a hard look at the economic and political consequences of U.S. dependence on imported minerals. Rather than exacerbate the dependence problem Congress ought to be considering how to foster increased development of critical U.S. resources. We have an estimated $6.2 trillion in untapped mineral resources, more than enough to last for decades. Congress could, for example, overhaul the antiquated government permitting process that is so labyrinthine that mining companies must wait seven to 10 years or more to obtain approval to open a new mine on public lands. The Republican Partys appeal, it has occasionally been argued in this space, stems largely from an implicit promise: Vote for us and we will repeal the 20th century. This was meant as truth wrapped in snarky hyperbole. But, as has become distressingly apparent over the years, its actually truth wrapped in truth. The latest evidence thereof arrived with a jolt last week in the form of the so-called Human Life Protection Act, passed by the Alabama state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. Even by the standards of an era of emboldened encroachment upon a womans right to choose, the bill stands out as the most sweeping and restrictive abortion ban of modern times. No abortions. Not in cases of rape. Not in cases of incest. So Alabama is prepared to force some 12-year-old girl, raped by some malignant excuse for a father, to give birth to any child thereby conceived in effect, raping her again. And any doctor who helps her in defiance of the law faces a possible 99-year prison term. Man heading for Cuba found carrying hundreds of thousands in four currencies Cancun, Q.R. A man discovered carrying an unclaimed envelope of cash has been arrested at the Cancun International Airport. The arrest took place after police discovered the man was carrying hundreds of thousands in cash in four currencies. Federal police say they arrested U.K. of Japanese nationality after he was found carrying an envelope that contained 381,427 Mexican peso, $1,342 US dollars, 10,000 Japanese yen and 38.75 Cuban peso. The currencies were not declared, hence his arrest. Police say the man was headed for a flight to the city of Havana, Cuba. He was presented before the Tax Administration Service at the airport. Yucatan feds seize 400 kilos of drugs destined for Playa del Carmen Teya, Yucatan During a vehicle inspection along the Merida-Cancun highway, Federal police found a vehicle loaded with 400 kilos of marijuana allegedly destined for Playa del Carmen. The bust was made by members of la Secretaria de Seguridad Publica at a checkpoint near the town of Teya in the neighboring state of Yucatan. Police reportedly inspected the vehicle after noticing the driver acting nervous. A K9 narcotics dog was brought out to help police inspect the covered three-ton truck. During the checkpoint inspection, the dog signaled for the presences of drugs. The State of Mexico-plated truck had left Guadalajara and was allegedly bound for Playa del Carmen. Each of the wrapped packages found weighed approximately 10 kilos. The marijuana, truck and the vehicles occupants were all handed over to the public prosecutor. Road security efforts have been doubled by la Secretaria de Seguridad Publica along highways leading into Cancun and Playa del Carmen since they have been detected as drug-smuggling routes. Based on Laura Moriartys best-selling 2012 novel, The Chaperone fictionalizes an episode in the life of silent movie star Louise Brooks. Yet the intermittently effective drama that unfolds is as much about the contrast between the 1920s and 2019 as it is about the relationship between Brooks and her minder. Norma (Elizabeth McGovern) is an unhappily married woman who volunteers to accompany 15-year-old Louise (Haley Lu Richardson), whom she meets at a recital, from sleepy Wichita to New York City, where the teen has been enrolled in a prestigious dance school. The rebellious Louise naturally butts heads with her elder as she sets eyes on her future. Norma, who was adopted from a New York home for friendless girls, faces her past as she searches for her birth parents. She, too, questions her future, unsure what to do about her unfaithful husband (Campbell Scott). Richardson has turned in terrific performances in such recent films as Columbus and Support the Girls, which reflected two very different career options for young women today: the creative life of an architect in the former, and the service industry in the latter. Here she has the burden of playing a real-life figure whom some audiences may be familiar with. Although her physical resemblance doesnt go much farther than Brooks iconic hairstyle, she does well in a role that could have resonated with her other recent performances but feels underwritten. As the title indicates, The Chaperone is really about Norma and, thus, is more of a showcase for McGovern, a veteran actress well suited to play mentor. In such early roles as Ordinary People, McGovern was the very ingenue that Richardson is now. Their pairing makes this a look at two generations of actresses. That relationship, more than the movies ham-handed historical fiction, is what makes the movie watchable. Unfortunately, the strong central performances dont breathe enough life into the well-meaning but heavy-handed script by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, who worked with both McGovern and Chaperone director Michael Engler on the hit television series. Like many period pieces, the 1920s-set drama shoehorns modern sensibilities into a historical era, which leads to awkwardly knowing dialogue. The Chaperone is essentially a coming-of-age movie, but not for the teenage Brooks. The film examines how the title character faces the coming of the modern age, overwhelmed by new mores that both delight and horrify her old-fashioned values. Yet despite the stirring performance at its heart, the movie is ultimately too restricted by its own dramatic conventions, and it only seldom comes to life. The Roanoke Higher Education Center wants to build a plaza on part of whats currently a city-owned parking lot to honor famed civil rights lawyer Oliver Hill, but the idea for a third such recognition of Hill in the city where he spent much of his childhood is not universally popular. State Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, chairman of the centers board, and Executive Director Kay Dunkley briefed the Roanoke City Council on the proposal Monday. The center has asked the city to deed 38 spaces of a parking lot across from the center entrance for the plaza. Gov. Ralph Northam included $328,000 for the project in the just passed state budget, and the Oliver White Hill Foundation entered into a memorandum of understanding to allow use of Hills name, Edwards said. Any decision by the council is weeks away and must follow a public hearing. The parking lot land would be converted to green space with a tree-lined walk featuring information about Hill, who was raised mostly in Roanoke and practiced law here briefly. Hill most famously represented students who walked out of Robert Russa Moton High School in Prince Edward County, a case that became part of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, which ended school segregation. The plaza would also connect the main higher education center building with its culinary school that faces Henry Street. Council members had reservations about the loss of parking, especially handicap spaces, but City Manager Bob Cowell said other spaces can be provided in nearby facilities, and new handicap spaces in the remaining lot would be the same distance from the centers door. Councilman Bill Bestpitch warned that building such a plaza cannot substitute for real truth and reconciliation for the pain of city policies that harmed black Roanokers, especially urban renewal, which razed whole neighborhoods and displaced thousands of black residents. Councilwoman Anita Price worried that too much focus has been turned on Hill, to the exclusion of recognizing contributions by other black Roanokers. If we get stuck on one individual, that vast tapestry of contributions will be lost, she said. Dunkley and Edwards said plans are being reworked to include a hall of fame to recognize others along with Hill. Martin Jeffrey, a Gainsboro and civil rights advocate, criticized the plan for the plaza as taking more land in the Henry Street area that was once a thriving black business district and giving it to the higher ed center, which already has three buildings there. Jeffrey is a member of the Oliver White Hill Foundation board, though he said he did not speak as a board member. He said that Hills lifes work was about access to education, and that the better way to honor him would be to establish scholarships for black students to attend the higher education center. The UAW Local 2069 Veterans Committee invites the community to join veterans from all eras for the 28th annual Ride for Freedom/Run for the Wall and Memorial Ceremony in remembrance of Memorial Day and our nations POW-MIAs. The event takes place rain or shine on Saturday, May 25, beginning at 8 a.m. sharp at the UAW Union Hall across from the Volvo plant in Dublin. The morning will include a color guard, live music, 21-gun salute, guest speakers and more. This years keynote will be delivered by Bernard Marie, who experienced the D-Day invasion in 1944 as a young boy in the French village of Luc-Sur-Mer. Now living in Roanoke, Marie, who served as a combat engineer with the French Army, has devoted much of his life to honoring the soldiers who liberated Europe from Nazi occupation. Following the service, the UAW veterans will host about 200 motorcycle riders from across the NRV and beyond for the Ride for Freedom/Run for the Wall, which will set off at 9:30 a.m., accompanied by a new specially decorated Ride for Freedom tractor-trailer cab. The group will head for Washington, D.C., where they will join hundreds of thousands more at the annual Rolling Thunder gathering a massive but peaceful demonstration of veteran riders and patriots from all over America. Rolling Thunder has activities scheduled from May 24 to 27. As wonderful of an occasion as this is, its saddened by the reality that we still have families all over America who still after decades have no answers of what happened to their sons, daddies or husbands from Vietnam, said Veterans Committee member Eric Patton. Its a long history but a fact that live prisoners of war were left behind after Vietnam, Korea and WWII. This is how and why Rolling Thunder started. According to its website, the annual Rolling Thunder gathering in the nations capital began in 1988 to raise awareness and encourage action on behalf of American POWs and MIAs from the Vietnam War, but has also evolved into a display of patriotism and respect for all who defend our country. However, because of increasing administrative and logistical hurdles, Rolling Thunder Inc.s National Executive Director Sgt. Artie Muller announced last December that this years event in D.C. will be the last. At this point, we as a small veterans committee do not know what 2020 will bring, said Mark Peterson, one of the founders of the local event in Dublin. Well do our part to make the 2019 Ride for Freedom, Run for the Wall and memorial service the most successful and meaningful one ever. Noting that the New River Valley has a long and rich history of service to our nation, Peterson commented that the ceremony is intended to be thought provoking and educational, and, perhaps most importantly, healing. The best way to honor a living veteran is to remember his comrades who died, he said. The Union Hall is located at 5110 Cougar Trail Road in Dublin. Parking is available at the Volvo plant. There is no cost to attend. People can also view the ride from the Dublin Walmart. The Roanoke Times (HedgeCo.Net) The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed settled charges against five individuals for orchestrating a fraudulent pump-and-dump scheme involving multiple penny stocks. The SEC alleges that between May 2011 and May 2017, Andrew I. Farmer of Katy, Texas, Scott R. Sieck of Winter Park, Florida, Eddie D. Austin, Jr. of Houston, Texas, Carolyn P. Austin of Houston, Texas, and John D. Brotherton of Conroe, Texas ran a series of pump-and-dump frauds. According to the SECs complaint, the Defendants engaged in a pattern of obtaining control of all the freely trading stock of a penny stock and then allocating the stock to foreign and domestic front companies they controlled. To create the false appearance of market interest in the penny stock and to set artificially elevated share prices, Defendants allegedly conducted coordinated trading between these front companies. Additionally, Defendants allegedly orchestrated materially misleading promotional campaigns via email blasts and internet advertising, which they timed to coincide with press releases they allegedly caused each issuer to disseminate. The SEC further alleges that Defendants took advantage of the resulting stock price and trading volume rises by unloading their worthless stock on unsuspecting investors. In 2017, the SEC suspended trading in Valmie Resources, Inc., which is one of the issuers allegedly involved in the Defendants scheme. The SECs complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, charges each of the Defendants with violating the registration and antifraud provisions of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The Defendants have consented to the entry of final judgments which enjoin them from violating the charged provisions of the federal securities laws, enjoin them from future solicitation of the purchase or sale of securities, impose officer-and-director bars, impose penny stock bars, and order the Defendants to pay disgorgement of ill-gotten gains totaling $10.25 million and prejudgment interest totaling $895,487. The settlement is subject to Court approval. The Defendants have also pleaded guilty in a parallel criminal action. The best diamond deposit in the world - the International Diamond Pipe (Internatsionalnaya in Russian) containing more than 7 carats of diamonds per tonne, was discovered by Soviet geologists in 1969. It was put into operation in record time and developed by the open-pit method in 1981. 75% of diamonds in this deposit are of gem quality, exceeding 2 mm in size and priced very high. The country needed high-quality diamonds, and this small diamond pipe was exhausted fairly quickly. Subsequently, the management of the Yakutalmaz Trust decided to build an underground mine, one of the first in the world. To design it, Academician Gomelauri, the then director of the Yakutniproalmaz Institute, attracted the Dongiproshakht Institute, which had designed the Donbass coal mines. This was the starting point for early problems accumulating over the diamond mine to be run by ALROSA in some future time. The controversial conceptual solutions of Gomelauri, including a reduced diameter of the main and auxiliary shafts (to speed up sinking), technologically unsafe central dual opening-up scheme with an inefficient ventilation system (the legacy of coal mines), development system with expensive stowage, load haulage by railway trolleys as in the early 20th century, resulted in stretching the construction of the underground mine, similar to the Moscow metro, for decades. None of the Yakutalmaz managers believed that the construction would someday end. In the mid-1990s, the new management of ALROSA inhaled a new life into the mine starting operations to deepen the open pit to its maximum depth and providing for safe mining of the glass-shaped ore body without harming the underground complex. At the same time, the company accelerated works to complete the construction of the mine. As a result, the mine was launched in 1999 and in 2002 it was brought to its maximum capacity of 500,000 tons of ore (limited due to the reduced cross section of the skip shaft designed in the 1980s). Mining operations were to be completed in 2017. The International Mine, also called Inter (for short), continued to bring the most expensive diamonds to ALROSAs piggy bank and please with trouble-free work. However, by 2017, the mines production fell to 100,000-150,000 tons of ore, so the mine had to be mothballed, while its resource base was to be replenished. The management of ALROSA made another decision, that is to further sink the mine after additional exploration of deeper horizons. However, the original mine designing strategy of the 1980s did not envisage any deepening, as the safety of people was a big question. Nevertheless, the company began sinking blind shafts and building an ultra-deep diamond mine. Why were such decisions made? It's very simple the mines underground reserves amount to more than 50 million carats of excellent rough, which ALROSA otherwise has nowhere to take from, with a total value of more than USD 25 billion. According to the companys 2018 business plan, its investment in the project will be only about RUB 5 billion until 2024. At first glance, the project looks highly efficient, if not for one BUT ... The construction of mine workings at stages 4 and 5 of the 5PK project on horizon -85 and sinking vertical shafts below the -820 m (790) levels by 2021 leads to the same problems as at the distressed Mir mine, which involve the unsafe passage through the Metegero-Ichersky aquifer... But the problem of Inter is not in the application of proven backfill techniques to waterproof mine workings from higher than ususal water inflows of aggressive brines. The problem of Inter is methane, natural gas, the concentration of which in an unventilated mine area is fatal for miners. Inter is bordering the Irelyakh oil and gas condensate field, which has been producing oil and gas using the gas lift technique for more than 30 years. Methane from Irelyakhs gas caps seeps into the mine through fractured reservoirs under enormous pressure, as gas and oil layers have already been tapped by the mines shafts. Even the most reliable shaft lining will not protect from methane. In addition, recall the design concept, namely the sinking scheme, which is central by its type with a single space of the shaft bottom for miners to descend and ascend. One accident, one emergency in the shaft bottom and this will be a very serious problem for the workers below. Currently, miners coming to or leaving from their shift at Inter spend 3 or 4 hours to descend to the shaft bottom and to ascend to the surface. In the middle of 2018, Rostekhnadzor (Russias Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service) closed Inter for several months and it was not announced what remedial measures were proposed to mend the situation. I hope that such decisions were made. The International mine is the last major industrial facility of Mirny. Its safety is more important than any short-term performance indicators. Sergey Goryainov, Rough&Polished The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) announced last week it has decided to revise its method of accounting for forest areas ready for final felling in calculating the reference level for carbon sequestration in Finnish forests. THE FINNISH ASSOCIATION for Nature Conservation (SLL) is demanding that the errors made in forest measurement be taken into consideration in the ongoing coalition formation negotiations. SLL on Thursday interpreted the announcement as an admission that official estimates of the size of the carbon sink and, consequently, appropriate logging volumes have been based on erroneous numbers. The forest area used for the calculations has been over-estimated, as a result of which estimates of logging possibilities have been too high, it stated. Harri Holtta, the chairperson of SLL, underscored in a press release that not a single research organisation should alone be responsible for making the estimates and that the estimates always should be presented to the scientific community for evaluation. The detected errors must be taken into consideration in the ongoing coalition formation negotiations, he said. Logging volumes has been one of the most contentious issues between the five parties involved in the negotiations. The Centre Party and Green League, in particular, have been at loggerheads over calculating carbon sinks and other forest policy-related questions. The three other parties in the negotiations are the Social Democrats, Left Alliance and Swedish Peoples Party. The negotiating table on climate issues is headed by Sanna Marin, a deputy chairperson of the Social Democrats. Marin commented on the role of Luke in January, reminding that the numbers it uses to determine maximum logging volumes are not available to everyone and that the some of the underlying presumptions have been shown to be problematic. Im concerned that theres no willingness to determine whats the actual situation, she lamented in an election debate organised by MTV. The Social Democratic Party, she stated, is of the opinion that the logging volumes can be increased if it is shown that the carbon sinks are growing. Another party leader who in the debate drew attention to the calculations of Luke was Li Andersson of the Left Alliance: Ive talked to researchers many times, and this is hardly a simple exercise even for researchers in the field. One of the questions that has emerged, slightly to my surprise, is that apparently the formula used by Luke isnt open. Other researchers cant evaluate it. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi A 35-year-old Utah man was arrested after authorities said he made online threats against YouTube employees and drove to the companys San Bruno, Calif., headquarters with a gun. Orem police on Saturday arrested David Swanson on suspicion of making terroristic threats. He was released from Utah County Jail the following day after posting $100,000 bail. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Swanson first made threats in September in response to a video about YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI. In the comments section of the video, he writes, The only thing that comes after the death of YouTube is a funeral for all the executives that were rightfully murdered. Swanson commented again in December on a video called What happens if you tell Google to kill itself? Authorities say he made a direct threat against YouTube employees last month in a third video, writing: Get woke go broke, and when I visit your campus in two weeks Ill be able to shoot any employees exiting from the convenience of my car, because the First Amendment allows me a right to do so. Advertisement Swanson admitted to police that he drove to YouTubes Northern California headquarters with a firearm. In April 2018, a woman wounded three YouTube employees before killing herself. The womans father said he had warned police she might be headed to YouTube because she hated the Google-owned company. Swanson told police he was aware of last years shooting. colleen.shalby@latimes.com @cshalby Former South African president Jacob Zuma is in court facing charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering. Zuma, 77, appeared at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province Monday on charges of receiving bribes when the government purchased arms in 1999. Zuma was South Africas president from 2009 until 2018, when he was forced to resign by his ruling African National Congress party amid persistent allegations of corruption. The criminal charges against Zuma were first raised more than 10 years ago but were withdrawn by the National Prosecution Authority in 2008. The charges were reinstated after a court ruled that there are sufficient grounds to bring him to trial. Advertisement Zumas former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was in 2005 convicted of fraud and corruption. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant. The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. Advertisement The Australian secret-spiller also faces a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and U.S. extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. The request added there was an aggravating circumstance because Assange didnt use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Swedens center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. A police officer who heard the womens accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the U.K., Persson said in a statement. Meanwhile, Assanges supporters gathered outside Ecuadors Embassy in London to protest what they said was the handover of his belongings to American prosecutors. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you! WikiLeaks said in a statement that Assanges possessions, including manuscripts, medical records and electronic equipment, will be handed to U.S. prosecutors seeking his extradition on Monday. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. With Julian Assange locked away in a London jail, a new battle has broken out over what may contain some of the WikiLeaks founders biggest secrets: his computers. On Monday, judicial authorities from Ecuador carried out an inventory of all the belongings and digital devices left behind at the London embassy following his expulsion last month from the diplomatic compound that had been his home the past seven years. It came as Sweden announced it was seeking Assanges arrest on suspicion of rape, setting up a possible future tug-of-war with the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Its not known what devices authorities removed from the embassy or what information they contained. But authorities said they were acting on a request by the U.S. prosecutors, leading Assanges defenders to claim that Ecuador has undermined the most basic principles of asylum while denying the secret-spillers right to prepare his defense. Advertisement Its disgraceful, WikiLeaks editor in chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, said in an interview with The Associated Press. Ecuador granted him asylum because of the threat of extradition to the U.S. and now the same country, under new leadership, is actively collaborating with a criminal investigation against him. Assange, 47, was arrested on April 11 after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in a London prison for skipping bail while the U.S. seeks his extradition for conspiring to hack into military computers and spill secrets about U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hrafnsson, who has visited the Australian activist in jail, said Assange saw his eviction coming for weeks as relations with President Lenin Morenos government deteriorated, so he took great care to scrub computers and hard drives of any compromising material, including future planned leaks or internal communications with WikiLeaks collaborators. Still, Hrafnsson said he fully expects Moreno or the Americans to claim revelations that dont exist. He called Mondays proceedings a horse show because no legal authority can guarantee Assanges devices havent been tampered with, or the chain of custody unbroken, in the six weeks since his arrest. If anything surfaces, I can assure you it wouldve been planted, he said. Julian isnt a novice when it comes to security and securing his information. We expected this to happen and protections have been in place for a very long time. A group of Assanges supporters gathered outside Ecuadors Embassy in London to protest the judicial proceeding. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you! Ecuadorian authorities said they will hand over any belongings not given to U.S. or Ecuadorian investigators to Assanges lawyers, who werent invited to Mondays inventory-taking. Hrafnsson said he didnt have a full inventory of Assanges devices Moreno decided to evict Assange from the embassy after accusing him of working with political opponents to hack into his phone and release damaging personal documents and photos, including several that showed him eating lobster in bed and the numbers of bank accounts allegedly used to hide proceeds from corruption. Morenos actions immediately were celebrated by the Trump administration, which was key in helping Ecuador secure a $4.2 billion credit line from the International Monetary Fund and has provided the tiny South American country with new trade and military deals in recent weeks. The Americans are the ones pulling the strings, and Moreno their puppet dancing to the tune of money, said Hrafnsson. Separately on Monday, Swedish authorities issued a request for a detention order against Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, because two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelve it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. ___ AP writers Gonzalo Solano in Quito, Ecuador, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl has donated $10 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madisons La Follette School of Public Affairs. JoAnne Anton, director of Herb Kohl Philanthropies , made the announcement Sunday to graduates, parents and faculty at the La Follette Schools commencement ceremony at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Kohls donation, called the Kohl Initiative, is the largest in the La Follette Schools history and will allow the school to educate more students, support undergraduate internships and fund more research. Kohl tells the Wisconsin State Journal he thinks the school is a very important institution and that he wanted to make a significant contribution. Advertisement Kohl, a Democrat, represented Wisconsin in the Senate for 24 years, from 1989 to 2013. He also owned the Milwaukee Bucks and Kohls chain of grocery and department stores. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Reversibly paralyzing and heavily sedating hospitalized patients with severe breathing problems do not improve outcomes in most cases, according to a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial conducted at dozens of North American hospitals and led by clinician-scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Colorado schools of medicine. The trial -- which was stopped early due to futility -- settles a long-standing debate in the critical care medicine community about whether it is better to paralyze and sedate patients in acute respiratory distress to aid mechanical ventilation or avoid heavy sedation to improve recovery. The results, presented today at the American Thoracic Society's Annual Meeting, will be published in the Thursday issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "It's been a conundrum -- on the one hand, really well-done studies have shown that temporarily paralyzing the patient to improve mechanical breathing saves lives. But you can't paralyze without heavy sedation, and studies also show heavy sedation results in worse recovery. You can't have both -- so what's a clinician to do?" said senior author Derek Angus, M.D., M.P.H., who holds the Mitchell P. Fink Endowed Chair of the Pitt School of Medicine's Department of Critical Care Medicine. "Our trial finally settles it -- light sedation with intermittent, short-term paralysis if necessary is as good as deep sedation with continuous paralysis." The Re-evaluation Of Systemic Early neuromuscular blockade (ROSE) trial is the first of the new National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) Prevention & Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) Network. PETAL develops and conducts randomized controlled clinical trials to prevent or treat patients who have, or who are at risk for, acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome. The trial network places particular emphasis on early detection by requiring every network member institute include both critical care and emergency medicine, acute care or trauma principal investigators to ensure that critical health issues are recognized and triaged as fast as possible to improve patients' odds of recovery before they are even transferred to the intensive care unit. From January 2016 through April 2018, 1,006 patients at 48 U.S. and Canadian hospitals were enrolled in ROSE within hours after onset of moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Half were given a 48-hour continuous neuromuscular blockade -- a medication that paralyzes them -- along with heavy sedation because it is traumatizing to be paralyzed while conscious. The other half were given light sedation, and the clinician had the option of giving a small dose of neuromuscular blockade that would wear off in under an hour to ease respiratory intubation. "This is the kind of important question that the PETAL network was designed to answer efficiently," said James Kiley, Ph.D., director of the Division of Lung Diseases at the NHLBI. "These results will help practicing clinicians make decisions early on in the care of their patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome." The trial was needed because a French trial found in 2010 that neuromuscular blockade reduced mortality. However, in that trial all participants were heavily sedated, regardless of whether they received the neuromuscular blockade or not. In recent years, particularly in North America, clinicians have trended away from heavy sedation, which is associated with cardiovascular complications, delirium and increased difficulty weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. In the ROSE trial, the patients who received the neuromuscular blockade and sedation developed more cardiovascular issues while in the hospital, but there were no significant differences in mortality between the two groups three, six or 12 months later, said David Huang, M.D., M.P.H., who oversaw clinical implementation of the trial and is an associate professor of critical care and emergency medicine at Pitt's School of Medicine. "Due to the exceptional work of our research coordinators, the study completed enrollment ahead of schedule, a rarity in multicenter clinical trials," said lead author Marc Moss, M.D., The Roger S. Mitchell Professor of Medicine and head of the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado's Department of Medicine. "Therefore, these important findings are available to health care providers sooner and should result in more rapid implementation of enhanced care for our patients." Angus, who also directs Pitt's Clinical Research, Investigation, and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness (CRISMA) Center, said the trial results make him confident when he says that avoiding paralysis and deep sedation is the best practice for most patients hospitalized with breathing problems. However, he notes that future trials will be needed to tease out whether there is a subpopulation of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who still benefit from neuromuscular blockade. Additional authors on this study are Roy G. Brower, M.D., Johns Hopkins University; Niall D. Ferguson, M.D., M.Sc., University of Toronto; Adit A. Ginde, M.D., M.P.H., University of Colorado; Michelle Ng Gong, M.D., Montefiore Hospital, the Bronx, NY; Colin K. Grissom, M.D., Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah; Stephanie Gundel, M.S., and Catherine L. Hough, M.D., M.Sc., both of the University of Washington; Douglas Hayden, Ph.D., B. Taylor Thompson, M.D., and Christine A. Ulysse, Ph.D., all of Massachusetts General Hospital; Duncan Hite, M.D., Cleveland Clinic; Peter C. Hou, M.D., Brigham and Women's Hospital; Theodore J. Iwashyna, M.D., Ph.D., University of Michigan and VA Center for Clinical Research; Akram Khan, M.D., Oregon Health & Science University; Kathleen D. Liu, M.D., Ph.D., M.A.S., University of California, San Francisco; Daniel Talmor, M.D., M.P.H., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Donald M. Yealy, M.D., Pitt. This research was supported by NHLBI grants U01HL123009, U01HL122998, U01HL123018, U01HL123023, U01HL123008, U01HL123031, U01HL123004, U01HL123027, U01HL123010, U01HL123033, U01HL122989, U01HL123022 and U01HL123020. He encouraged Rotarians to perpetuate patriotism wherever possible. Jones said remember those who didnt make it home and those who are struggling to make it home, those who physically and mentally are struggling. Help them get all the way home, he said. Jones said remember the Prisoners of War, remember the contributions of women in the past, remember the contributions of African-Americans and remember Gold Star mothers. These are mothers who have lost a child in service to their country. He said to take time to visit these mothers. He said to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. He told of a young man who was on his way home from service. There were two helicopters heading to an airport. The young man was headed for the first helicopter when he traded places with another soldier who was going home for the birth of his child. He got on the second helicopter; it was shot down, and he never made it home. Jones told the group not to make false assumptions about the young people of today. Keep the faith, he said. He said the future of America relies on the young men and women. "When the populace sees the mass gravesites like you see in Europe and throughout the country I think it's a solemn reminder it takes many to protect the sovereignty of our country. It's an honored place for a veterans to be laid to rest." In the old section of the cemetery, there are several mass graves of those who died in and around Florence. Owens has combat command experience through his time in Iraq. "I served in combat, and I know the burden of command and the military entrusts in its leaders a huge responsibility, and unfortunately the horrible nature of war puts people in harm's way, and decisions need to be made," Owens said. "Our soldiers are the most courageous and committed group of men and women I've ever been around." "I lost two soldiers in Iraq in 2003 and 2004, and it's important to us, when you're that close to those who have died, it's important to us to reflect and remember," Owens said. "I remember the two soldiers I lost Algernon Adams from North Augusta and James Chance from down in Mississippi or the 52 memorial services I went to with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment fighting for a foothold in Fallujah and Ramadi in the western desert of Iraq. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a subpoena enforcement action against Tracson McLeod of San Diego, California, seeking an order directing him to comply with an investigative subpoena for documents and testimony. According to the SEC's application, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, the SEC is investigating whether certain individuals or entities violated the antifraud and registration provisions of the federal securities laws through the unregistered offer and sale of securities. Based on its ongoing investigation, the SEC has reason to believe that McLeod was receiving compensation for work performed on behalf of one or more of the parties engaging in these securities transactions, including an individual who has been the subject of prior SEC enforcement actions and who, as a result of those prior actions, has been permanently barred from participating in offerings of penny stock and from association with any broker-dealer. In December 2018, the SEC issued a subpoena to McLeod seeking the production of documents, including documents related to offers of or transactions in certain penny stocks. The subpoena also required McLeod to appear for investigative testimony. According to the SEC's application, the SEC has made multiple attempts to contact McLeod, including by personally serving the subpoena and sending follow-up correspondence. However, McLeod has not responded to the SEC. The SEC's application seeks an order from the court compelling McLeod to fully comply with the SEC's subpoena. The SEC is continuing its fact-finding investigation in this matter and, to date, has not concluded that anyone has violated the securities laws. E-cigarette maker Juul spent lavishly on lobbyists, opinion researchers and political consultants last month ahead of what could be a bruising fight with city officials over its ability to do business in San Francisco. The company spent nearly $465,000 in April, public records show, to hire a stable of both local and national political operatives including Fabrizio Ward, a Florida firm with ties to President Trump. Tony Fabrizio, the firms namesake, was a key pollster for Trumps presidential campaign and was previously a business associate of Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. Fabrizio, who did not respond to a request for comment, was interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigative team in 2018, CNN reported in January. Juul paid Fabrizio Ward $183,200 for opinion research, according to records filed with the citys Ethics Commission. Juul said Monday that the firms other named partner, Bob Ward, is doing the work on the contract. Juul has also hired prominent Washington, D.C., public affairs firm DCI Group. The firm was paid $219,200 for grassroots lobbying and consulting services. The firm has a bevy of major corporate clients and mostly Republican political ones. In 2002, it drew scrutiny for its work helping to rehabilitate the image of the Burmese military junta, which ruled the country until 2011. The junta was condemned internationally for widespread and systemic human rights abuses. DCI Group spokesman Craig Stevens said in an email that, When the company engaged with the government 16 years ago, we required certain benchmarks be met when they were not, we quit the contract after just a few months. Of course, we abhor the horrors of war and oppression, especially physical or sexual violence against women and children. Juuls moves in April appear to have been a prelude to an unfolding political battle between the company and San Francisco officials. Last week, the company filed paperwork signaling an intent to put a ballot measure before voters that could override pending legislation to effectively ban the sale of e-cigarettes in San Francisco altogether. That legislation, authored by City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Supervisor Shamann Walton, seeks to curb the rise of vaping by teenagers. Companies like Juul insist their products can help adults wean themselves off traditional cigarettes and the toxic chemicals associated with smoking. But detractors of e-cigarettes, including Herrera and Walton, have lambasted Juul for using predatory marketing practices and kid-friendly flavors to get young adults and teenagers addicted to nicotine. Walton has said previously that he would prefer to see Juul booted from San Francisco altogether. The company has its corporate headquarters in the Dogpatch neighborhood, a part of the district that Walton represents. Juuls proposed ballot measure, called An Act to Prevent Youth Use of Vapor Products, would tighten the restrictions around the sale of e-cigarettes but allow them to be sold in San Francisco. The initative would limit the number of devices and nicotine cartridges that can be purchased at one time, require online retailers that ship to San Francisco to get an additional permit and require e-cigarettes sold in stores to be behind the counter or in a locked box. Its still unclear whether the initiative would go before voters in November or March. We have grown our team to engage with lawmakers, community groups, retailers who want to prevent youth access, and former adult smokers who have successfully switched to the vapor products that could be banned by this extreme measure which would also leave combustible cigarettes on store shelves, Juul spokesman Ted Kwong said in an email. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Kwong added that the company shares San Franciscos goal to severely restrict youth access to e-cigarettes, but in a way that preserves the opportunity for adult smokers to switch away from combustible cigarettes, which are still the number one cause of preventable death in the world. The company has also hired several veteran San Francisco campaign consultants to help steer its ballot initiative, assuming Walton and Herreras legislation passes the Board of Supervisors: Mark Mosher, who recently worked on Catherine Stefanis successful election to the board, received $12,500 from Juul last month for consulting work. Nate Albee, a former campaign consultant for Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Rafael Mandelman, received $20,000. Albee is also a former legislative aide to Ronen. Mosher and Albee said they had personally used e-cigarettes to transition away from combustible ones and stressed that, like alcohol and cannabis, vapor products should be tightly regulated, but not banned outright. Veteran Chinatown tenant organizer and campaign consultant David Ho has also been hired. Ho did not respond to a request for comment. A separate Ethics Commission filing shows that Juul also paid $20,680 in April to the San Francisco firm New Deal Advisers to lobby lawmakers directly about Walton and Herreras legislation. Lobbyist Chris Gruwell with the firm made direct contacts with the entire Board of Supervisors or their staffs on Juuls behalf with the exception of Ronen and Walton, records show. Gruwell declined to comment. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa A male victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood, police said Monday. Officers responded at 11:47 a.m. Sunday to reports of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian on the 300 block of Jones Street. The pedestrian walked into the roadway between vehicles as the driver headed southbound on Jones Street, according to San Francisco police. A screech of tires lacerated the air at Howard Street and South Van Ness Avenue. In a split second, 56-year-old Russell Franklin and his bicycle went flying. The moment haunts Taylor Ahlgren, a passerby who ran to help as Franklin lay on the asphalt that September afternoon, blood gushing from his right ear. Franklin was the third cyclist to die on San Francisco streets last year the beginning of a surge in road mayhem that grabbed news headlines and prompted rallies at City Hall. Its needless, said Ahlgren, who is also an avid cyclist. We dont need this level of violence on our streets. Like many San Francisco residents, hes alarmed by the spike in traffic fatalities despite the citys Vision Zero goal to eliminate them by 2024. Though the political will exists, its not showing in the numbers. Fourteen people have died this year, including eight pedestrians, a skateboarder and a cyclist. At this rate, the city could see as many as 37 deaths by the end of December, the highest number in 12 years. Severe injuries also have increased, from 492 in 2011 to 574 in 2017 the most recent year for which San Francisco General Hospital provided data. Part of that rise could be attributed to a change in triage practice in late 2013, paramedics started sending crash victims to S.F. General instead of other area hospitals, and part of it may owe to a 2014 guideline that all head injuries be classified as severe. Even so, the numbers show no sign of declining. Lately, I just kind of despair, said Anthony Ryan, a teacher in the Mission District who frequently commutes by bicycle. He and other cyclists including Ahlgren gathered Wednesday night for a Ride of Silence. They pedaled for 9 miles through a lashing rain, dropping flowers at 12 memorial sites. Tam Duong Jr. / The Chronicle Nobody can quite explain the traffic death toll, but many have theories. Some point to the growing number of cars and impatient or distracted drivers. Others blame the glacial pace of safety improvements, which meet resistance from residents who dont want to see a traffic lane stripped out or parking spaces removed. Still others say that San Francisco is hobbled by state laws that restrict cities from lowering speed limits, installing automated cameras or imposing tolls on busy roads. Theres a combination of factors that have intensified things, said Marta Lindsey, spokeswoman for the pedestrian advocacy group Walk San Francisco. After holding two vigils for pedestrians killed by vehicles in the first two weeks of May, the group was ready to declare a state of emergency. Everybodys feeling this crisis, Lindsey said, whether youre an angry bicyclist or a senior citizen or a parent pushing a stroller, practically having a heart attack at every intersection. Now Playing: Honoring cyclists killed in San Francisco streets. Video: San Francisco Chronicle In some senses, its a replay of 2014, the year that City Hall adopted Vision Zero, a strategy that cities throughout the U.S. use to track collisions and prioritize safety measures. To that end, various departments in San Francisco began collecting data on where the worst wrecks occur. Records show that the high-injury corridors zigzag through low-income neighborhoods, accounting for more than 75% of the citys crash injuries and fatalities but only 13% of its streets. San Francisco isnt the only city confronting the issue: San Jose saw 50 people die in 2016, and Los Angeles suffers more than 200 fatalities each year. Even so, residents seem to expect more from a city thats known for progressive values, bicycle infrastructure and a menagerie of two-wheeled transportation devices. And city leaders hold the same ideals. I believe zero is achievable, said transportation chief Ed Reiskin, who frequently shows up to news conferences on a bike. He came under fire for the recent spate of crashes. Officials have tried many solutions, and each one hits obstacles. Transportation planners come up with designs for new bike lanes, wider curbs and shorter crosswalks, all of which run through a gantlet of community meetings. Many ideas get chewed up or diluted by the time they reach the SFMTA Board of Directors, and some projects face additional challenges after theyre approved. One example is Safer Taylor Street, a proposed set of safety improvements along a busy strip in the Tenderloin. After the board signed off last fall, MTA staff discovered a complication: The street is lined with sidewalk basements, making construction more difficult. Now theyre scrambling to modify the design. Engineering against tragedy is complex, and it wont work unless drivers also change their behavior, Reiskin said. But thats proved even tougher. Speed is the No. 1 factor in serious and fatal collisions, yet police officers have limited ability to control it. Two years ago, Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, collaborated with then-Mayor Ed Lee and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo on a bill to install automated speeding cameras throughout the two cities. It died in committee, dogged by criticism from law enforcement unions that thought the cameras would take away jobs, as well as automobile clubs and civil libertarians who worried about the invasion of privacy. The level of opposition was really unfortunate, said Chiu, who may revive the legislation. Leah Shahum, executive director of the national Vision Zero network, views San Francisco as a sobering illustration of how hard it is to end traffic fatalities even with safety advocates picketing on dangerous street corners and Mayor London Breed directing the SFMTA to double the pace of protected bike lane construction. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Were talking about transformative change to the citys policies and the built environment, Shahum said. We know progress isnt going to be linear. She hopes that Breed will help reverse the trend by persistently nudging the police and transportation departments. Others are calling for sharper interventions: congestion pricing on busy streets; tightening regulation of Uber and Lyft vehicles, adding officers to cite motorists who speed or text while driving, and banning cars along the eastern stretch of Market Street, from the Ferry Building to Hayes Valley. These ideas are starting to gain steam in San Francisco, where transportation like housing is an issue that excites people. Angered by aggressive drivers and road hazards, activists have staged Occupy-style protests to make their plight more visible. A group called People Protected forms human chains to separate bike lanes from traffic on busy downtown corridors, and in recent weeks, demonstrators began turning parking spaces into ad hoc offices to show that streets arent just for cars. We all have a right to be out in the streets on our bicycles, cyclist Devon Warner told a group of about 20 participants who gathered Wednesday for the Ride of Silence. Were going to demonstrate our humanity here tonight. At 7 p.m. the group set off, starting on Florida Street in the Mission District and rambling north toward Howard Street and South Van Ness Avenue, to honor Russell Franklin. Ahlgren led the way. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan Trish Belenson, a library technician at Bella Vista Elementary School in East Oakland, transformed the library during her three years at the school. She updated the schools collection, weeding out more than 3,000 old titles while adding more than 1,500 new books. She created a website for the library. This school year, Belenson said the library has circulated more than 14,000 books to the schools 462 students. Thats an amazing 30 books checked out per student this year. This is how the Oakland Unified School District rewarded Belenson: Her hours were cut from 24 per week to eight per week for next school year, and shes been reassigned to another school. Its hard to focus on the real needs when theres not a lot of stability with peoples jobs, Belenson said. Its a huge hit to my family situation. Not only my salary, but also my benefits. Belenson told me she pays about $200 per paycheck for family health benefits through the school district. Belenson, whose husband and daughter are on her insurance, is in this uncertain position because the school district changed the formula for allocating money for Measure G-funded library staff positions for the 2019-20 school year. Measure G is a parcel tax that generates $20 million annually with about $1.6 million spent on school libraries. Under the old plan, the funds were allocated to schools to operate full- or part-time libraries. Schools in underprivileged areas received a larger portion of money. Schools in affluent neighborhoods, where parents often fund school libraries through PTAs, received less Measure G money, according to librarians who work in the schools. Measure G funds helped staff more than 30 libraries. Long-dormant libraries at West Oakland Middle School and Frick Impact Academy in East Oakland were opened because of the funding. The new plan evenly distributes funds to schools that have 85% of students receiving free and reduced-price lunch. Fifty-three schools will receive $30,373. Sure, under the new plan about 20 more schools will receive money, but the overall quality of libraries will suffer because $30,373 per school isnt enough to pay the salary of a library staffer. The new plan will hurt libraries that had a bigger share of the funds because less money means they have to reduce librarian hours or eliminate library positions. Back in January when the plan was announced, John Sasaki, a spokesman for Oakland Unified, told me the change was about giving schools more control of the Measure G money and that the district was still kind of determining exactly the impact its going to have on individual schools and their libraries. Less than two weeks before the end of the school year, the district is still determining the impact. We wont have it all complete for another couple weeks, Sasaki told me in an email. Lori Sasaki, a teacher librarian at Bret Harte Middle School in East Oakland for two years, isnt waiting for the district to figure things out. Sasaki, who isnt related to John Sasaki, accepted a job at San Leandro High School for the next school year. I wasnt planning to leave, she told me. I had to find a position where funding is guaranteed from year to year. I dont have to spend my time advocating and fighting for the survival of libraries, and I can actually do my job. Libraries cant run without librarians. In 2018, the district said 24 of its 84 libraries were completely closed. Many of the libraries considered open arent staffed daily or staffed by librarians at all. And some dont allow students to check out books. Belenson, who was Bella Vistas only library staffer, said she was told the district is spending the money on school supplies and library books and that a computer teacher may take on the role of librarian. Linda Flynn, the schools principal, didnt respond to requests for comment. The district should better fund all school libraries. Libraries impact student literacy, especially for students of color who come from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Oaklands students need all the help they can get because, for the third year in a row, more than half of the districts students who took the Scholastic Reading Inventory test, an assessment of performance, are reading below their grade level. Whats more, the district partnered with Diablo Valley College for a library tech program to strengthen the skills and qualifications of library clerks. Belenson completed the 18-month program in 2018. Why make an investment in something that youre not going to be able to sustain? she said. When Cristal Fiel, a librarian at Frick Impact Academy in East Oakland, was told her position is being eliminated, she didnt wait to learn whether shed possibly get reassigned within the district. She got a job at a private school in San Francisco. She said it was a tough decision to leave the district because she wants to work with students of color. But living in the Bay Area is expensive, and the district doesnt provide job security for librarians. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. As a woman of color, I see myself in spaces where Im supporting primarily youth of color, she said. Its important that the students can see themselves in the teachers that are in the classrooms with them or in the library with them. Oakland schools have long been hampered by dysfunction in the districts central office, but the Measure G plan confounds reason because its harming schools that originally benefited from the measure. Fricks library was closed for a decade. When it reopened in 2017 with Measure G funds, students were checking out more books than any other middle school in the district. I went to Bell Vista in February and saw students pour into the library during their lunch recess. They made art with pipe cleaners, beads, spoons and paper. Some students sat in chairs to read while others stretched out on the floor. Two students huddled with crayons and markers to work on their comic strip. Is I am Pusheen back yet? one student asked Belenson, referring to I Am Pusheen the Cat, a popular childrens book. Yes, she responded. Youve been waiting for that book for a couple of weeks now. In March, the district slashed $22 million in spending to balance its budget, cutting the restorative justice program, the foster youth case management program and library funds. In April, the Oakland City Council approved $1.2 million in funding to save the programs $690,000 for restorative justice, $358,000 for foster youth case management and $151,000 for libraries. But instead of propping up thriving libraries like Bella Vistas, the district plans to spread the money evenly to more schools. Wouldnt it be prudent to reinforce libraries the district has already invested money in to build collections and train library technicians? Those are the kinds of things I have to leave, because those decisions make no sense to me, Lori Sasaki said. Correction: A previous headline for this story misstated the source of funds being reallocated. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr Billionaire investor Robert Smiths surprise announcement Sunday that he will pay off student loans for the entire graduating class of Morehouse College is already having an impact, at least on other commencement speakers. At Boston Colleges graduation ceremony Monday, speaker Isabel Capeloa Gil said she couldnt pay off the students loans but there might be people in attendance who could and encouraged them to do so, said Boston College law professor Ray Madoff, whose daughter was one of those graduating. I dont think there has been a commencement speaker since then who hasnt felt a need to respond, said Madoff, who is also director of the law schools Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good. There is a sort of shared discomfort with the fact that we are sending students out into the world with so much debt at a time when there is so much inequality, so much wealth held by the wealthiest, Madoff said. It was a particularly powerful act at this time. Its certainly something we have never seen before. Whether other philanthropists follow suit remains to be seen. Peer pressure is a powerful thing, said Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a nonprofit that advises donors. But the pledge raises a host of questions, including whether the payment on behalf of about 400 graduates will be tax-deductible for Smith and tax-free for students and whether there are better ways to reduce debt. Steve Schaefer/Associated Press It raises questions. But it doesnt undermine the generosity of what hes doing at all, said Roger Colinvaux, a law professor at Catholic University. Morehouse is a historically black, all-male college in Atlanta. About 78% of its graduates have student debt and the average amount is $31,833 excluding private student loans, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. Nationally, 65% of students graduate with debt, and the average is $28,650. The Morehouse figures suggest that Smith could be paying at least $10 million in federal student debt. Its not clear whether he also plans to pay off college loans taken out by the graduates parents, but if he does, the payment could reach $40 million, given the fact that Morehouse parents borrow at unprecedented rates and in higher amounts, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Savingforcollege.com. Smith is founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, an Austin investment firm with offices in San Francisco and Oakland that specializes in software and technology companies. It says Smith was born in Colorado to parents with Ph.D.s, majored in chemical engineering at Cornell University and got his MBA from Columbia Business School. At the colleges graduation Sunday, Smith told students, My family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans. Steve Schaefer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution The grant is going to help these students launch their careers and enable them to pursue their own goals without worrying about student loans, Kantrowitz said. Research has demonstrated that students who graduate with no debt are twice as likely to go on to graduate school as students with some debt and are more likely to pursue public service careers. However, scholarships also reduce debt while getting more people to enroll and graduate. Smith reportedly gave Morehouse $1.5 million to be used for scholarships and a new park. Student debt is a particular challenge for black students, said James Kvaal, president of the nonprofit Institute for College Access and Success. He pointed to a Brookings Institution study that showed nearly 38% of black first-time college entrants in 2004 had defaulted on college debt within 12 years, more than three times the rate of their white counterparts. I think its a tremendous act of individual generosity, but I dont think students should have to rely on charitable billionaires to make college affordable, Kvaal said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Without knowing exactly what Smith is hoping to accomplish, its impossible to know whether this is the best way to do it. Maybe he was trying to do something for these individual students but also something that sent a signal about educational debt, about the importance of an institution with the legacy of Morehouse, Buchanan said. If his goal was to draw attention to the student debt crisis, he succeeded. Its a generous effort for sure, but also designed to be splashy and get attention, Colinvaux said. Financial aid and charity experts are not sure how Smiths unprecedented gift will be structured and whether it will qualify as a tax-deductible donation. If he specifies it has to be used for a non-exempt purpose, it may not qualify as a charitable contribution, said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst with Wolters Kluwer. Colinvaux said, If he runs it through the university then it should be deductible, but it kind of raises a question. How is the university picking which students get their debt paid off? As when colleges make grants or scholarships, they should have some sort of objective criteria, such as merit or financial need, he said. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender Ghost Ship tenant Adam Kennon was smoking just outside a side door of the Oakland warehouse when he heard someone yell fire. In a matter of seconds, he was hustling people out the door and away from a wall of flames that would consume the building and kill 36. Kennon testified Monday that he didnt recognize any of the five to 10 people he helped escape as fellow Ghost Ship residents. But that was nothing unusual, he said. People were always coming in and out of the Fruitvale neighborhood artists collective, and there likely were others he didnt know at the warehouses electronic music concert the night of Dec. 2, 2016. In the fourth week of the Ghost Ship trial, prosecutor Autrey James attempted to use Kennons testimony to poke holes in a defense theory that the deadly inferno was ignited by arsonists. Derick Almena, 49, and Max Harris, 29, both face involuntary manslaughter charges for each of the 36 people killed in the fire. Almena and Harris have been called the leader and second-in-command of the warehouse, respectively, and prosecutors have accused the men of creating a deathtrap that left the victims with no notice, no time and no exits. Kennons testimony in Alameda County court neither supported nor disproved the arson theory, in which defense attorneys have suggested seven to 10 Latino males started the fire in a revenge plot against Almena. Yeah, I had no idea who they were, Kennon said during cross-examination by Tyler Smith, a defense attorney for Harris. Earlier Monday, witnesses recalled chilling last words from their loved ones. Alexis Abrams-Bourke said she kept trying to connect with her live-in partner, Nicholas Walrath, the day and night of the fire. Earlier in the day, she was too late to share a meal of mac and cheese. Later, Abrams-Bourke said, she texted Walrath that she had just got back home after bailing on a party. Sheisse. I would have stayed home, Walrath texted back at 11:10 p.m. Just biked like 5 miles. Will be back in a bit. Out by Fruitvale. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Fifteen minutes later, Walrath sent his two final messages: I love you, he wrote. Fire. Prosecutors say few safety measures were installed in the 10,000-square-foot warehouse, where up to 25 people were living illegally. On the night of the fire, dozens more people entered the space for an electronic music concert and many were trapped on the second floor when a makeshift stairwell bottle-necked with people. In addition to the arson theory, defense attorneys have suggested city and county officials should have recognized and taken action on any fire hazards when visiting the warehouse in the months and years leading up to the fire. Investigators have never determined an official cause for the blaze. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon on Monday questioned the police raid of a journalists home earlier this month, saying he cant imagine a situation in which a search warrant would be appropriate. Officers executed search warrants at freelance videographer Bryan Carmodys home and office on May 10 as part of their investigation into who in the department leaked a police report on the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi. The search has drawn rebukes from First Amendment groups and a growing number of city officials who have questioned whether police violated the law, including the state shield law that protects journalists from being compelled to reveal their sources and specifically prohibits searches. My office has not seen the warrant or the facts upon which it was based, but absent a showing that a journalist broke the law to obtain the information that police are looking for, I cant imagine a situation in which a search warrant would be appropriate, Gascon wrote on Twitter. He continued: Even if there were such a showing, however, no search should have been conducted without the use of a special master. Journalists have multiple sources to whom they owe confidences, similar to an attorney who has multiple clients whom they owe attorney-client privilege. Special masters are court-appointed attorneys who assist in searches and determine whether the material falls within the scope of a warrant. They are often used when police search the records of attorneys, doctors or other professionals with privileged information, in order to protect the confidentiality of clients or patients. Police have not said whether they used a special master when conducting the search. Seizing the entire haystack to find the needle risks violating the confidences Mr. Carmody owes to all his sources, not just the person who leaked the police report, Gascon wrote. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky A San Jose man walked free from prison last week after a conviction and life sentence for attempted murder were overturned. Lionel Rubalcava had spent 17 years behind bars, but around 7 p.m. Wednesday he walked out of Pleasant Valley State Prison in Fresno County and was greeted by about 20 family members who were waiting with balloons to celebrate his release. Rubalcava, 40, received a life sentence in 2004 after he was connected to a San Jose shooting in 2002. Eyewitnesses, including the victim, erroneously identified Rubalcava as the suspect, attorneys said. On April 2, 2002, a drive-by shooting in San Jose left a man paralyzed. The victim identified Rubalcava in a photo lineup from his hospital bed, authorities said. Both the victim and his younger brother, who also witnessed the shooting, testified during the trial in 2003 that Rubalcava had been the shooter. Lawyers from the Northern California Innocence Project, the Santa Clara County public defenders office and law firm Simpson Thacher and Bartlett have worked to prove Rubalcavas innocence and gain his release since 2013, said Paige Kaneb, one of his attorneys. It took a lot of people and a lot of years to make this happen, she said. The conviction integrity unit of the Santa Clara County district attorneys office reopened Rubalcavas case to examine the new information presented by the Innocence Project, including a statement from the victim that he had seen only part of the perpetrators face for a few seconds during the shooting and wasnt positive Rubalcava pulled the trigger. There were really two tragedies that happened that day, with two victims, said David Angel, who leads the conviction integrity unit. The first victim is the gentleman who was shot and has been in a wheelchair since that day. The second was Mr. Rubalcava, who was wrongfully convicted for this and lost 17 years of his life. Northern California Innocence Project The district attorneys office requested the court overturn the conviction in April. Reasonable doubt exists as to the identity of the shooter in the car, prosecutors said in court records. The foundation of our democracy and criminal justice system is the presumption of innocence. Based upon this new evidence, the People join the defense. The conviction must be vacated. Rubalcavas attorneys credit SB1134, a bill by former state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, with his release. The law, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2016, allows defendants to petition for a new trial based on new evidence. Previously, defendants petitions had to point to prosecutorial misconduct, false evidence or false testimony that had been presented at a trial. The district attorneys office does not have any other leads in the 2002 shooting and doesnt plan to reopen the case, Angel said. Even though we dont believe theres any one person to blame for this, errors sometimes happen and we try to have some humility when we approach our job, he said. We can make mistakes, and we try to fix them when we do. Judge rules against Becerra: A San Francisco Superior Court judge handed a victory to First Amendment advocates Friday by issuing a tentative ruling that will require California Attorney General Xavier Becerras office to turn over misconduct records involving police officers and sheriffs deputies across the state. In a three-page ruling, Judge Richard B. Ulmer rejected the attorney generals claim that public records must be requested from local law enforcement agencies instead of the state Department of Justice. He also upheld previous decisions that records created before Jan. 1 should be released under the police-transparency law, SB1421. The judge slammed Becerras claim that it would be a burden on his office to disclose records that could be released by local departments. Becerra said the ruling provided clarity, but his office disagreed with part of the decision, saying records pertaining to a specific officer should be released by his or her employer under SB1421. Any other conclusion would result in duplication of efforts by local law enforcement agencies and a risk of inappropriately disclosing information that could affect the local agencies pending investigations or reveal the identities of witnesses that should remain protected, the office said in a statement. KQED and the First Amendment Coalition filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court on Feb. 14. The Departments refusal to release any records covered by SB1421 is anathema to the laws purpose of increasing transparency, attorneys for the First Amendment Coalition and KQED wrote in the petition. While Fridays decision is not final, the judge indicated the substance of the decision would be the same in the official ruling. David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, called Fridays decision a victory, though some portions of the legal back-and-forth remain fuzzy. We have been baffled that the states highest law enforcement officer, of all people, is holding out on a legal question that has been clearly settled, Snyder said. Under SB1421, law enforcement agencies must release records related to police shootings and sustained findings on sexual assault and dishonesty by officers. The bill was written by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and went into effect Jan. 1. We dont need to have a full, blown-out hearing on every aspect of the law to rule on its merits, Skinner said, adding she is pleased with Fridays decision. The attorney generals office announced Friday it will begin to disclose state Department of Justice records. With this courts ruling, my office now has much of the clarity we have sought in our efforts to appropriately follow the letter of the law, Becerra said in a statement. Police unions across the state sued this year to prevent the release of pre-2019 records, saying the law should not apply retroactively. A state appeals court dismissed their claims in April and ruled that the bill applies to all records. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Berkeley Police Department Cal student charged: A UC Berkeley student and former Phi Kappa Psi fraternity member has been charged with multiple felonies connected to at least two sexual assaults, one at a fraternity house, police said. Finn Wolff, 20, was arrested Tuesday as part of a Berkeley police investigation into multiple reports of sexual assaults that were committed by the same suspect dating to November 2017, police said. He was jailed on suspicion of forced oral copulation, rape by force or fear and forcible penetration, jail records show. It is unclear whether Alameda County prosecutors will pursue additional charges. Police provided few details and declined to say whether the two victims are UC Berkeley students or staff, citing privacy concerns. The victims in both assaults, which occurred off-campus in November 2017 and March 2019, told police they were physically injured after being punched, grabbed or bitten. The November 2017 assault took place at a fraternity house on the 2400 block of Warring Street, while the 2019 incident occurred on the 2300 block of Warring, said Officer Byron White, a Berkeley police spokesman. Phi Kappa Psis fraternity house is at 2424 Warring St. Wolff had been active in the Greek system at UC Berkeley sometime before his arrest, but he is no longer in the fraternity, White said. He said its unclear whether the 2017 incident occurred while Wolff was an active member of the fraternity. Biggest crime news of the past week San Francisco police remain under fire for raiding the home of a freelance journalist after the department leaked details about the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi, but Police Chief Bill Scott stood by the decision. Week three of the Ghost Ship trial featured an Oakland fire captain defending his crews rescue efforts and emotional testimony from partygoers who narrowly avoided death. A 4-year-old boy died last month following a procedure at a childrens dentistry office in Oakland, and the Dental Board of California is investigating. A man who allegedly crisscrossed the bay to kill three people in five hours faces murder charges in each incident. Two cold case killings that date back several decades one in Oakland and another near Stanford University were solved thanks to DNA evidence, authorities said. Ashley McBride, Gwendolyn Wu and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: amcbride@sfchronicle.com, gwen.wu@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ashleynmcb, @gwendolynawu, @LaurenPorFavor Randys Donuts is arguably the most famous doughnut shop in the country, thanks to appearances in Iron Man 2, Arrested Development, Mars Attacks! and many more films and television shows. So when lawyer Mark Kelegian realized the 66-year-old Los Angeles County drive-through, which features a 32-foot-tall novelty doughnut perched on top, was for sale in 2015, he jumped at it with $2 million. Franchising was the first thing on Kelegians mind. Now, he wants to open Randys Donuts all over the world, including 10 in the Bay Area. Weve got a brand that I think really resonates across the country, especially in California, he said. Kelegian hasnt nailed down any exact locations yet, but he hopes to bring Randys to downtown San Francisco and the tourist hubs of Union Square and Fishermans Wharf, plus Palo Alto, San Jose and Berkeley, starting in 2020. He acknowledged that there are already plenty of great doughnut shops in the Bay Area but argued most of them are on the most artisanal end of the spectrum. Were more across the board, anything from $1.25 to $3 for our fancies, he said. We really appeal to the masses. Whats more likely to drive interest, though, are giant doughnut signs and decorations. The original Randys Donuts was built in the 1950s, and city building regulations are far more strict now. Kelegian said he tries to feature some sort of oversized doughnut at every new location, though. Hes already opened three new Randys Donuts in Southern California one has a 26-foot-tall doughnut on top of the building, one has an 8-foot-tall doughnut attached to a wall and the other has a 15-foot-tall doughnut as its entrance. Shops that cant include some sort of large doughnut will instead have a pop culture wall, lined with images of Randys onscreen. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Cities have been very willing to consider giving us exceptions because they recognize the draw we hope to be in their city, Kelegian said. In total, Kelegian expects to open 50 to 75 Randys Donuts in California. Hes also already signed deals overseas, with 20 locations planned for South Korea and nine for the Philippines. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Despite its utilization of tech tools, 15-year-old Narrative magazine, one of the first digital literary endeavors, is based on a primitive urge: Tell me a story. On a rainy night last week, supporters of the magazine gathered at the Presidio in Traci Des Jardins Arguello restaurant to do what storytellers and story-recipients like to do: Eat (tacos) and drink (margaritas), sit shoulder to shoulder, and listen. The program began with congratulations for Narrative co-founders Carol Edgarian and Tom Jenks for 15 years of stories, essays, poems and art, said board member Bridget Quinn, so much more than a literary magazine ... a free library available to everyone. The crowd included writers whod been published in Narrative, editors and, of course, financial supporters. Our dream, Jenks said, is to put forward worthwhile work and let the work speak for itself. ... The editors role is offstage, as it should be. Poet Paisley Rekdal introduced George Saunders (If youre ever feeling really good about yourself, you should be asked to introduce George Saunders, she said), then Saunders introduced Tobias Wolff, 2019 Narrative Storyteller Award honoree. There are artists you admire not only artistically, but also morally. ... His art is informed by a fundamental decency of spirit. Saunders described Wolff as in a small group of writers who see America as the wicked and ecstatic dream state that it is. If there was justice in the world ... this would be a political rally and Toby would be running for president. And I guess this is as good a time as any to announce that Im running, Wolff said a few moments later. Painting himself as both old-fashioned (I still put the word online in quotes), he expressed gratitude for the digital medium of Narrative, in which things that I love are being projected more widely. He ended by reading a portion of a new novel, the audience rapt as the prose embodied a point hed made, that literature allows you to enter into the inner life of another human. It reminded me of a conversation earlier, at the reception, between the honoree and Nancy Shelby, a founding member of the theatrical company Word for Word, which has performed some of his works. In response to his query about their latest project, she said they were working on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, at which he smiled and started quoting, with ersatz grandeur: The many men, so beautiful!/ And they all dead did lie:/ And a thousand thousand slimy things/ Lived on; and so did I. Someone wisecracked about the thousand slimy things and politics, and Wolff responded, quite seriously, that the written word allows the reader to be someone else, to see someones world. As to those in power, I wish they were readers, he said. At the Friday, May 17, commencement ceremonies, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music presented honorary doctorate degrees to John Adams and Bernard and Barbro Osher, a perfect combination of recipients thats a model for survival of the arts. Adams, of course, is the renowned composer who toils in the fields of music; the Oshers, of course, are the benefactors whose generosity makes dreams of such toils possible at the Conservatory. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Former Chronicle reporter Julian Guthries been around town and on magazine covers with her new book, Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took on Silicon Valleys Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime ... and whew, shes hoisted not only a heavy load but also a long subtitle. At a gathering at the Modernism West Gallery this month (co-hosted by Silicon Valley magazine), she appeared with the four women on whom the book focuses. (In homage, gallerist Martin Muller opened an exhibition of art by women Laurie Lipton, Judy Dater, Naomie Kremer and Elina Anatole that will remain at the site through July 7.) The women told stories about breaking into tech, each eventually triumphing. But its the tiny details that always speak to me. Cracking open the book to a segment about Theresia Gouw, who was at Accel when she first met Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, I read that he handed her a business card that read Im CEO, Bitch. Guthrie and Sonja Hoel Perkins, one of the women in her book, are scheduled to be at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 28. PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING I told my mother where Id be. I told my psychiatrist, too. Woman on cell phone, overheard in Berkeley by Margaret Kendall Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Two Renaissance paintings looted by the Nazis during World War II will remain in a Southern California museum after the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal Monday by the heiress of a Jewish art collector who left the artworks behind when he fled the Netherlands. The life-size oil paintings, Adam and Eve, by the German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, date from about 1530. They have been appraised at $24 million. Of the hundreds of thousands of paintings stolen by the Nazis, these two are perhaps the most high-profile still unreturned to their rightful owners, the Commission for Art Recovery, which describes itself as an organization dedicated to seeking justice for victims of Nazi art theft, told the high court. They had been purchased from the Soviet Union in 1931 by art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who left them behind, along with 1,200 other artworks, when he and his family fled the Netherlands in 1940. Nazi leader Hermann Goring acquired the art dealership in a forced sale, paying the equivalent of more than $20 million in current value to a remaining employee of the dealership, according to a U.S. court ruling in the case. The Allies found the paintings at his country estate at the end of the war and delivered them to the Dutch government. Goudstikker died in an accident on the ship that carried his family to South America. When the Netherlands invited claims for Nazi-looted art in its possession, the family decided not to reclaim the two paintings, which would have required repayment to the Dutch government of some of the money the dealership received from the Nazis. The government instead sold them in 1966 to a Russian man, George Stroganoff, who claimed he and his family had actually owned the paintings before the Soviets stole them in 1931. Stroganoff sold the paintings for $800,000 in 1971 to the Norton Simon Museum of Art in Pasadena, where they remain on display. Marei von Saher, Goudstikkers daughter-and-law and heir who now lives in Greenwich, Conn., sued the government for the paintings in Dutch courts in the late 1990s. But the courts ruled that her family had relinquished its claims and could not reinstate them. Later, however, the Dutch government adopted what it described as a more moral policy approach to artworks stolen in the war, removing legal obstacles to claims by former owners. That allowed von Saher to recover more than 200 paintings that were still in the governments possession. Von Saher then sued the Norton Simon Museum in U.S. court, arguing that its purchase of the paintings had been invalid because Stroganoff was never the rightful owner. Rather than considering that argument, however, federal courts said they would defer to the Dutch courts findings that von Sahers family had abandoned any rights they held in the paintings by not initially seeking their return in the Netherlands. Second-guessing the Dutch government would violate our commitment to respect the finality of appropriate actions taken by foreign nations to facilitate the internal restitution of plundered art, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said in a 3-0 ruling last July. In seeking Supreme Court review, lawyers for von Saher said the Dutch government had never classified the transaction as an act of state that should be immune from judicial review in the United States. Their position was supported by the Commission for Art Recovery and by 11 current and former members of Congress, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and former Rep. Mel Levine, D-Los Angeles. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In response, lawyers for the Norton Simon Museum told the court that von Sahers family had made a conscious decision, on advice of counsel, not to seek return of the Cranachs and other Nazi-contested artworks, and to instead keep the money the Nazis had paid. The court denied review Monday without comment. Samuel Issacharoff, a lawyer for von Saher, said the rejection means the courts have accepted a discredited postwar process as foreclosing a claim that a compelled sale under Nazi occupation is not a contract and should not be honored. The case is von Saher vs. Norton Simon Museum, 18-1057. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Plastics pact (News of the Day, May 12) reports yet another anti-climate action of the Trump administration. As if pulling out of the Paris agreement were not enough, now our government is refusing to join 186 countries in a United Nations pact to reduce plastic pollution. This requires exporters of plastic waste to obtain consent of receiving countries and means we can no longer send our trash to Asian countries. We need to take action to limit the production and use of plastic. Plastic enters the bodies of sea animals and ultimately our bodies. We must all urge our congressional representatives to oppose lobbyists and pass laws for the health of humanity and our planet and to join the U.N. pact. Linda Lewin, San Francisco Mandatory civics test for candidates As President Trump rolled out his proposed overhaul of the immigration system, including a civics test, a lightbulb illuminated above my head. What if a condition of running for the presidency of the United States included a mandatory civics test? Failure disqualifies a candidate from appearing on the ballot. If Trumps blatant disregard for congressional oversight, separation of powers and the rule of law are any indicators, this stable genius will be adding his test results to his long list of failures and receive a stamped one-way ticket out of office. Nightmare solved. Cory David, South San Francisco Restore sanity to public utilities Regarding No surprise PG&Es to blame (Open Forum, May 17): Providing electricity is an inherently dangerous task, and society chooses to accept the risks for electric transmission because the benefits far outweigh the risks. No matter how diligently a utility maintains the lines, there will always be the risk of fire. To have our electric utility bludgeoned into bankruptcy with billions in lawsuits will only result in increased electricity costs for everyone in this state (the money has to come from somewhere, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. does not print the stuff), and reduced quality and reliability of service. Wildfires in California have been happening for millennia and are a known risk. People who build and live in heavily wooded areas have exposed themselves to this risk. This catastrophe could just as easily have been started by a lightning strike with the same results. While I am saddened by the loss of life, I do not believe we the ratepayers throughout the state should pay for their gamble, their loss. Who is looking out for our interests? A public utility, because it is providing a necessary service, needs a certain amount of immunity to provide service. Lets restore that sanity to our system. Ed Richter, Redwood City Farewell to talented architect The passing of famed architect I.M. Pei deserves notice on this page. In addition to his most well-known buildings like the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston, Pei left his mark on the Bay Area by designing the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato. He used geometric shapes (like triangles) and floating staircases throughout the institutes administrative and research buildings, and even created one in a Y-shape. I.M. Pei, a truly inventive and influential architect, will surely be remembered for many generations to come. Hazel Underwood, San Rafael Imagine there is a job opening at your company, and you interview two equally qualified candidates. One has a history of treatment for heroin and methamphetamine abuse, and the other does not. Which person do you hire? In weighing the decision, you might be aware that various negative traits are associated with substance use disorders, and you might even disown any such negative attitudes in yourself. But in the end, the individual with the history of drug misuse does not get the job. Addiction stigma represents a major front in San Franciscos fight against substance use disorders. While awareness of stigma is steadily increasing, this awareness could result in even more entrenched prejudicial behaviors over the long run. Such prejudices are harmful to the individual and the communitys ability to address substance misuse. San Francisco has been hit hard by substance misuse, especially of heroin and methamphetamine, and substance-use disorders pose a particularly insidious problem. For the individual, the costs are countless and range from mood changes to heart and lung disease to death. They also can include deterioration in decision-making and close relationships. For communities, the costs include billions of dollars lost because of decreasing work productivity and increasing crime and health care expenses. Even if we disavow addiction stigma, we may still think that individuals with a history of substance use disorders are more likely to be deficient employees less productive, more prone to taking sick days, more likely to quit without giving reasonable notice. But are these claims true? It isnt entirely clear, and therein lies some of the harm of stigma and bias. If we are to gain ground in the fight against substance use disorders, then we must do the hard work of addressing stigma by correcting nonconscious attitudes and recording measurable behavioral outcomes. It is easy to assume that individuals with a history of substance use disorders are deficient in some unproven way. And, even if these claims are statistically true in general, it would be unfair to conclude that they are true for an individual. In our work with public institutions battling bias and stigma in particular, prosecutors offices we find that two simultaneous tactics must be undertaken. One evinces belief in the human spirit: Explicit and implicit attitudes must be aired and discussed in organizational climates that feel safe. The other is more skeptical of human nature: metrics the result of assiduous data collection and careful data analysis must be put in place to evaluate outcomes and determine whether bias or stigma is at work. To a large extent, bias and stigma can be quantified and eventually rooted out. As individuals, we can educate ourselves about both conscious and nonconscious attitudes, evaluate the outcomes of our decisions and see if we are consistently disadvantaging certain persons. As employers or managers, we can apply the process when interviewing someone for a new position or when deciding whether to recruit a colleague for a new project. And as organization leaders, we can put policies in place that document decisions and their outcomes and include the reasons behind such outcomes to evaluate the decision. These small changes may result in a virtuous cycle in which addiction is no longer unfairly penalized, and persons with substance use disorders are more likely to seek treatment. Joseph J. Avery, an attorney and psychologist, is a National Defense Science and Engineering Fellow at Princeton University. His brother, Jonathan D. Avery, is the director of addiction psychiatry and an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. Their book, The Stigma of Addiction: An Essential Guide, was published in 2019. SACRAMENTO Even as he blocked a major legislative push to spur more apartment construction around public transit and in wealthy suburbs, state Sen. Anthony Portantino acknowledged the need to address a shortage of housing in California. It doesnt mean were not going to focus on solving the housing crisis, the Democrat from La Canada Flintridge (Los Angeles County) said after the committee he chairs shelved San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wieners contentious bill, SB50, until next year. It just means that this isnt the right fix at this time to do that. The right fix remains as elusive as ever. With Wieners bill on hold, advocates of ramping up housing production including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who spoke on the campaign trail of building 3.5 million new homes over the next seven years have lost their primary legislative vehicle this session. Whats left are more modest proposals, some of which overlap with aspects of SB50. Perhaps most significant is SB330 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, which would prohibit cities with high rents and low vacancy rates from placing restrictions on housing construction for the next five years. It would bar those cities from capping the number of units that can receive permits, adopting new parking requirements and changing zoning laws to require less dense housing. Newsom has also proposed $1.75 billion in his budget plan to increase grants and tax credits for housing construction. But with the all-consuming attention off Wieners SB50, other measures may run into the same headwinds that stopped that bill, such as the intense opposition of local governments worried about losing control over how their communities grow. One of the challenges that SB50 had was that it wasnt nuanced enough for jurisdictions that are already doing the right thing, said Marina Wiant, vice president of government affairs for the California Housing Consortium, which promotes affordable housing development. So much energy has been focused on SB50. Time will tell where the energy will then shift. A few bills focused on increasing the availability of homes for lower-income people are still alive. The Assembly recently passed AB1763 by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, which would remove density limits for developments that contain only affordable units and, within a half-mile of major transit stops, give them up to three extra stories of height. AB1279 by Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, would make it easier to build apartment and condominium complexes for low- and middle-income earners in wealthy communities dominated by single-family housing. It is awaiting a vote on the Assembly floor. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Builders and affordable-housing developers are also lobbying to cut fees that local governments can charge to offset the effects their projects have on public services. Developers argue that exorbitant fees, which vary wildly between cities, make construction prohibitively expensive in California. AB1484 by Assemblyman Tim Grayson, D-Concord, would require local governments to post their fee structures online. After a state report on local fees is published next month, Graysons bill will probably be amended to create statewide guidelines for such charges, and possibly even a cap. Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, said the measure would provide greater accountability for charges that he believes cities often use to cover budget shortfalls or to create a financial barrier to new development they dont want. Are these fees really directly associated with the impact of building these homes? Dunmoyer said. Its hard to follow a law thats done in secret. Many advocates of building more housing have also been pushing to protect low-income tenants being displaced by rising rents. They worry that the demise of SB50 will give landlords and builders less incentive to strike a deal on preserving low-cost housing and protecting people who live there. Bills to cap annual rent increases and require a just cause for eviction are on the Assembly floor, but face long odds. If you dont have production, the other two Ps dont look as exciting to the business community, said Matt Lewis, communications director for California YIMBY, which lobbies for more housing construction. The group was a sponsor of SB50 and is backing another bill, AB68 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, that would override local size and design limits for a secondary unit on a property. Lewis said it could lead to thousands of new cottages in peoples backyards, but its a drop in the bucket compared to SB50. Wiener says he will try to bring back SB50 this session. But that longshot prospect was looking even more unlikely after state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said Friday that she would not circumvent the decision made by Portantino and his Senate Appropriations Committee to delay the bill until 2020. Regardless of my own personal feelings about this critical issue, part of my job as the leader of the Senate is to uphold the authority and decisions of committee chairs, Atkins said in a statement. Short of significantly amending the bill and limiting its applications in large swaths of the state, there was no path to move forward this year. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff Numbered restaurants are driving me into despair. In my treks around the Bay Area and California at large, Ive been thwarted, confused and bamboozled more than a few times by restaurants with names that sound just like others. When you have to hold as much restaurant data in your head as I do, the digital mix-ups can clog up recollections and my address book-dependent mind can barely remember my own spouses phone number, let alone the names of all of these numbered restaurants. Did I have ube waffles at 1608 Bistro or 1601 Bar & Kitchen? Which lounge serves Asian fusion food in Nob Hill: 721 or 712? I admit that in certain situations, numbering conventions did make me smile. Pho 79 in Los Angeles is one: The number is from 1979, a year when many of the Vietnamese refugees established themselves in the Los Angeles area. Oaklands Kingston 11 also makes sense to me, since its the neighborhood in Jamaica where the owner, Nigel Jones, grew up. That has a nice personal tinge to it, a number that actually means something, like appending your AOL Instant Messenger username with the year you were born. But I have to say that the glut of restaurant names that dont have such stories behind them can be a bit overwhelming. I get that its hard to name stuff ask my editors, who suffer through my terrible headlines every week. But to tie restaurant names to address numbers feels like such a cop-out; just as bad as calling your business The Place. When you think about the numbers 165, 3 or 7, what can you surmise about the cuisine or the vibe? Are those names that youll remember? The names I can recall off the top of my head tell stories. Maybe theyre funny, like the Kum n Go gas stations in Iowa. Or odes to loved ones or people with cool names, like Gary Danko or Beit Rima, named after the owners mother. Overall, they make me think about or feel something when I read them. And for the PR folks out there, a general thought: If the spot youre repping has a number in its name, its highly likely that Ive already forgotten what it is. Best Song I Heard in a Restaurant From experience at Mister Jius, I expected to hear good tunes at Moongate Lounge, the newly opened bar upstairs, and I left satisfied. The playlist included a good number of classic Afrobeat selections by Fela Kuti and others, but the song that really hit me was Uprising by Antibalas, a Brooklyn-based group with a history of collaborating with artists from Kutis bands. I was struggling to get my Shazam app to pick up on the song, but the very nice server saw my suffering and slipped me a piece of ticket paper with the track name written on it. Thanks, bud. Photo of the week Soleil Ho I went to Yo Tambien Cantina a while ago and couldnt stop thinking about the bread they use for their sandwiches: Its a crunchy cloud that is such a pleasure to eat. If bread could be the sound of an ASMR video, this would be it. Sign Up for the Newsletter Follow Soleil as she dines around the Bay Area. Subscribe to Bite Curious. See More Collapse Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. What Im reading The LA Times restaurant critics are jumping into the star debate! Theyre divided, but it seems kind of implicit which one won, since stars remain absent from their reviews. But maybe they could rate restaurants on a scale of 1-5 avocados? Keanus? Hot chicken wings? From my colleague, Justin Phillips, a powerful and in-depth story on the departures of chefs Reem Assil, Nigel Jones and Heena Patel from collaborations with Daniel Patterson and the social dynamics that complicated their working relationships with him and his restaurant group. One quote with major oof factor: I think many of the relationships end up exploiting (people of color) and women for the social capital they bring rather than helping them build more social capital. Some good news for a change: a bear got chunkier and were all thrilled about it. But no, seriously, this is a feel-good story of one survivor of the deadly Camp Fire from earlier this year. Bite Curious is a weekly newsletter from The Chronicles restaurant critic, Soleil Ho, delivered to inboxes on Monday mornings. Follow along on Twitter: @Hooleil Everyone was surprisingly well-behaved at Sunday's Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco, where 40,000-plus people took to the streets, many wearing elaborate and wacky costumes. San Francisco police spokesperson Officer Joseph Tomlinson says there was only one arrest for public intoxication. Tomlinson couldn't provide data on the number of incidents at past events, but says, "It was probably more than two." There was also one medical call during the event. A bit of SFGATE research reveals 2019 was likely an especially quiet year, possibly because wet weather and a heavy downpour right before the race start time at 8 a.m. deterred people who were more interested in partying than running. In 2015, there were 11 arrests, 14 medical calls and 10 people treated at sobering centers, according to ABC 7 News. Police reported 19 arrests during the 2012 race, according to the Associated Press. The race has long been known for attracting a party crowd; in 2009, city officials and race sponsors introduced an official ban on floats, alcohol, drunkenness and nudity. The regulations were introduced to address the concerns of San Francisco residents along the parade route who felt the event had gotten out of hand. That year, six people were arrested for being drunk in public. ALSO: Runners and their elaborate costumes brave the rain for Bay to Breakers The annual race on the third Sunday of May follows a 7.46 mile-course from the Financial District to Ocean Beach. It famously attracts a diverse group of characters and, despite the weather, the 108th annual event was no exception. Among those taking part were people dressed as avocados, NASA astronauts and jellyfish. See some of the best costumes from the 2019 race in the gallery above. Zoning Bylaw Likely to Engender Debate at Williamstown Town Meeting WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Tuesday's annual town meeting could finally put the rest a debate that has been simmering in town politics for two years. Articles 32 and 33 on the meeting warrant are amendments to the town's zoning bylaws that would free up more residents to add dwelling units to their residential properties. They are the product of months of discussion by the Planning Board, and they were the focus of last week's town election that saw the chair of that board voted out of office by one of the chief critics of Article 33. The articles also have their roots in a contentious discussion that preceded last year's town meeting; in 2018, the Planning Board ultimately voted to pull its own, more expansive, zoning bylaw amendment off the warrant before it got to voters at the April meeting. This year, one of the pared-down proposals still has its share of detractors. The first article, No. 32, has relatively wide support. The amendment "Regulating Two Family Homes," is fairly simple. It strikes the word "new" from the existing bylaw on two-family homes on the theory that it is illogical to allow new duplexes but treat conversions of existing single-family homes to two-family homes as a separate use. Article 32 also changes two-family homes from a use requiring a special permit to a "by right" development in three zoning districts: Rural Residence 2, Rural Residence 3 and the Southern Gateway District. Article 32 has the unanimous backing of the Planning Board. Article 33 is where the real controversy lies. The amendment to the bylaw on "Detached Accessory Dwelling Units" seeks to allow development of more ADUs by homeowners. ADUs are limited in size to 900 square feet or up to one-third of the principle dwelling unit but may not exceed 1,200 square feet. In other words, if you have a 6,000 square foot house, you can't build a 2,000 square foot ADU; you're still limited to 1,200 square feet for the second structure. As drafted, the bylaw will allow new ADUs on any property that meets the setback, frontage and acreage requirements for its district i.e., a conforming lot. Proponents of the bylaw have argued on philosophical grounds that it is reasonable to allow small-scale development on private land and that allowing such ADUs will encourage more affordably-priced housing in town and, thus, make Williamstown more accessible to people from a wider range of socio-economic groups. Opponents tried to get the planners to include more restrictive language in the ADU amendment throughout the process. One of the main points of contention was the board's decision not to require owner occupation of at least one dwelling unit on a parcel where an ADU is erected. Planning Board member Alex Carlisle argued frequently and passionately that without the "owner occupied" provision, the amendment as proposed would be exploited by absentee landlords who will change the character of existing residential neighborhoods. Critics also tried to get the board to limit the bylaw so that an individual homeowner could have either an ADU or a two-family principal dwelling unit but not both. Instead, the Planning Board's proposal would allow up to three dwelling units on a single residential lot: two in the main house plus an ADU. But in response to public comments, the board added a restriction to the proposal as drafted. Anyone who converts a single-family home to a two-family home must wait five years before applying for building permit for an ADU, and anyone who builds an ADU must wait five years before converting the main residence to a duplex. At least one amendment to the amendment can be expected from the floor of town meeting when Article 33 is discussed. Dante Birch, who last week defeated Planning Board Chair Amy Jeschawitz in the town election, has announced his intention to offer an amendment that will substantially alter the board's proposal. As drafted, the amendment will make ADUs a "by right" development for conforming lots in most zoning districts. Birch plans an amendment that would require a special permit and thus review by the Zoning Board of Appeals for any new detached accessory dwelling units in town. Article 33 passed the Planning Board on a 3-1 vote with Carlisle voting against. While the zoning bylaw amendments could take a little time at town meeting, one change at this year's meeting could add a little efficiency. Town officials plan to bundle several town meeting articles into groups on a "consent agenda" that will allow voters to pass numerous, routine articles with one vote rather than take separate votes on each. The first set will include all the town and school budgetary items. The second set will be all of the Community Preservation Act allocations previously reviewed and recommended by the Community Preservation Committee. At last week's Select Board meeting, Town Manager Jason Hoch explained that the process for using a consent agenda at the meeting will allow for any member of the town to place a "hold" on any article on which he or she would like more discussion essentially pulling said article out of the bundle. "I've spoken to the moderator, and he plans to go through the process a little more deliberatively," Hoch said. "We want to give people a chance to reflect, and, if they have a comment, be comfortable putting a hold on it." And you don't even need to have a comment in order to request a hold. "If you're in the audience and want us to talk about an article a little more, you can ask for a hold," Hoch said. "If you call out, 'Hold,' that doesn't bind you to asking a more specific question [about the article]. "You don't have to have a reason [for the hold]." The annual town meeting is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Williamstown Elementary School. Holocaust Survivor Meets with US Veteran Who Liberated Her Camp The Fellowship | May 20, 2019 After all these years, Holocaust survivor Sophie Tajch Klisman had a chance to meet a U.S. veteran who helped liberate her camp reports the Times of Israel: A Holocaust survivor welcomed a US Army veteran to her suburban Detroit home on Monday and thanked him for taking part in the 1945 liberation of the German concentration camp where she was being held. Sophie Tajch Klisman, 89, greeted Doug Harvey with a hug and thanked the 95-year-old for taking part in the liberation of the Salzwedel camp, telling him: You gave me my life. SAN FRANCISCO Strapped to a stretcher, surrounded by medics, nurses and doctors, a middle-aged man was about to play patient zero in what America's health care industry fears could be the next major pandemic: "cybergeddon." "Alert: All computer monitors are down in the hospital system, an automated-sounding female voice pronounced over a public address system. Soon, the mans condition worsened, and a pair of doctors tried to figure out the unusual responses from the simulated patients insulin device while more than a hundred people watched their every decision. The heart-pounding, pulse-racing demonstration at a recent cybersecurity conference in downtown San Francisco visualized what happens when a cyberattack paralyzes or hijacks equipment found in every hospital in the country and devices like insulin pumps used in many homes. The crucial question: when hackers take down critical care devices, like in this extreme example, can doctors still save the patient? Hearst TV "It's very visceral, sympathetic, stimulating experience, said Dr. Jeff Tully, who, along with fellow hacker-turned-healer Dr. Christian Dameff, developed the cyber demonstration. We're raising the alarm, Dameff said in a joint interview. When asked whether most U.S. hospitals can detect the moment a cyberattack is underway, Dr. Dameff answered, I would say not most, no, and acknowledged that it is a problem for the countrys health care system. We believe too much emphasis is put on the protection of patient data instead of the protection of patient care, he explained. We joke around that we like our patient's privacy, but we'd like them to be alive to use it. We're tremendously concerned about infrastructure being targeted for health care A great example of this being WannaCry, Dameff said. Hearst TV Wannacry was the cyber shock to a health care system many had long predicted. In 2017, the malicious malware shut down 16 hospitals across Great Britain. The U.S. blamed North Korea. Nations, non-state actors, hackers and others have various motivations when launching cyber strikes, experts say, including for political or financial reasons or simply for curiosity or amusement. "We didn't learn the lessons of WannaCry here in the United States, warned Dr. Dameff. "Why do we need to wait for people to be hurt by this? Dr. Tully added. Why can't we prevent that from happening altogether?" Cyber Warnings Grow If prevention is the best medicine, lots of places didn't get the script. Digital analytics firm Netscouts Worldwide Infrastructure Security Report, found attacks that paralyze web networks at hospitals and physicians' offices, known as distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) soared up to 1,400 percent in the past 12 months. Even though three-quarters of healthcare organizations said in a recent survey that they've had a "significant security incident" in the past year, only nine percent of health care organizations think supply chain integrity is a top potential cyber threat. The Department of Homeland Security thinks otherwise. In research done for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, DHS said it has issued more medical device vulnerability warnings, known as advisories, in the past fiscal year (29) than in the previous five years combined (23). Reported vulnerabilities for all sectors not just medical have more than doubled since 2016, to 1,302 in the 2018 fiscal year, the department said. The growing cyber threat is why Daniel Beard, the chief technology officer at Irvine, California-based Promenade Software which makes software for medical devices, helped launch the Medical Information Sharing Analysis Organization (MedISAO). With the blessing of the Food and Drug Administration, it acts as a clearinghouse for normally competitive device manufacturers to share data on vulnerabilities that could affect multiple devices not just those from one company. "If you're a hacker and you're looking to get the largest payoff you can, Beard explained in an interview, you're not going to attack one medical device. You're going to attack the library that's used in hundreds of medical devices." The library is a repository of data in a device, almost always code provided by third-party programmers to multiple clients that manufacturers can purchase or license for use in an otherwise proprietary device. Hearst TV Using a laptop and television screen, Beard demonstrated how his company scans a software library for vulnerabilities, especially those that could be exploited. On a day in March, the program detected 30 potential weaknesses on software Promenade is currently programming to be used in an ophthalmological device. Each vulnerability was highlighted in red font. A growing, but still nascent, culture of information sharing is part of an evolution within the medical device community, which is not accustomed to disclosing private information to competitors or keeping their products updated with the latest cyber protections long after purchase. "When you sell a device to a hospital, there needs to be a plan in place for how you're going to keep it updated; how you're going to address the new vulnerabilities that come out to it, Beard said. For many years, it hasn't been in the medical device manufacturers business plan, he said. Hearst TV Clearly 10 to 15 Years Behind Beard has a surprising ally in Michael McNeil, the global product security and services officer at Philips Healthcare, who bluntly stated in an interview that his industry is clearly 10 to 15 years behind, in its cybersecurity. I will be candid because by being candid, it allows us to help accelerate and move the industry in the right direction, McNeil said. At a January FDA workshop on the management of cybersecurity in medical devices outside Washington, D.C., McNeil pressed his peers to -- in his words -- "step up to face the challenge. The FDA used the event, attended by hundreds of industry stakeholders, to roll out and explain new cybersecurity benchmarks devices will be required to meet in order to win its approval. Doctor Suzanne Schwartz, the deputy director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA, is leading the effort and acknowledged in an interview there is no central database that tracks cyber attacks against hospitals and healthcare providers and the consequences of those incidents. When asked whether it would be helpful to have such a nationwide repository of incidents, Dr. Schwartz responded, yes, it would be (but) Im not sure where that repository would be. To the suggestion that a database of medical device cyber incidents be housed and managed by the FDA which is in the process of strengthening its cyber guidance for medical devices Schwartz responded, I think weve got a lot on our plate right now. Instead, she said such information sharing and product improvements would work best if they remained voluntary. It is much more powerful to really be able to identify different groups among the community and have them really take ownership and accountability, she said. New Research Part of that voluntary effort is taking place at the Medical Device Interoperability and Cybersecurity Program lab at Massachusetts General Hospital in Cambridge, led by Dr. Julian Goldman, who is also an attending anesthesiologist at MGH and medical director of Biomedical Engineering for Partners HealthCare. In April, Goldman and the FDA allowed a television crew from the National Investigative Unit to see the results of an 18-month research project that have never before been shown publicly. Collaborators hope the findings will improve cyber security and patient outcomes across Americas health care network. "You have to think about what bad things could happen and then what steps to put in place before they happen to protect the patients, explained Dr. Goldman. Goldman's team identified four key shortcomings in U.S. healthcare: -Data transmitted within a hospital is typically not encrypted, introducing a potential vulnerability not found in external communications; -Some technical support staff are overriding manufacturers warnings and turning off security protections on devices; -Most medical professionals are not always trained to recognize when malware infects a device, causing it to malfunction or provide corrupted data; -Many health care providers need to do a better job of partitioning networks so that during an intrusion, a hacker can't see the entire system on a flat network. Research Funding Cut But despite the vital importance of securing cyber defenses in health care, a valuable source of research grants and funds have been cut and more reductions could be just months away. Some of the current cyber security research at the MGH lab has been cut by the Trump administration by almost 60 percent. In a proposed budget for the next fiscal year submitted to Congress in March, the administration also slashed next year's DHS science and technology budget by 37 percent, or $219 million dollars, a portion of which also goes to fund cyber medical studies. "This is important research, Dr. Goldman said in an interview in his lab. It's there to improve patient safety and patient care. So, it's frustrating to see these cuts." Frustration and a blunt diagnosis from doctors trying to treat the problem. "Cyber disaster knows no geographic boundary, said Dr. Dameff, the doctor in California. If you're connected to the internet, you're vulnerable. Have questions about cyber vulnerabilities in U.S. healthcare? Send questions to investigate@hearst.com and they may be answered by our experts during a special Facebook Live event on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 1pm ET. Mark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. Know of waste, fraud, abuse, or want to hold someone accountable? Send investigative tips to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com. WASHINGTON The Environmental Protection Agency plans to change the way it calculates the future health risks of air pollution, a shift that would predict thousands of fewer deaths and would help justify the planned rollback of a key climate change measure, according to five people with knowledge of the agencys plans. The proposed change would dramatically reduce the 1,400 additional premature deaths per year that the EPA had initially forecast as a result of eliminating the old climate change regulation the Clean Power Plan, which was former President Barack Obamas signature climate change measure. It would also make it easier for the administration to defend its replacement, known as the Affordable Clean Energy rule. It has been a constant struggle for the EPA to demonstrate, as it is normally expected to do, that society will see more benefits than costs from major regulatory changes. The new modeling method, which experts said has never been peer-reviewed and is not scientifically sound, would most likely be used by the Trump administration to defend further rollbacks of air pollution rules if it is formally adopted. But the proposed change is unusual because it relies on unfounded medical assumptions and discards more than a decade of peer-reviewed EPA methods for understanding the health hazards linked to the fine particulate matter produced by burning fossil fuels. Fine particulate matter the tiny, deadly particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream is linked to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory disease. The five people familiar with the plan, who are all current or former EPA officials, said the new modeling method would be used in the agencys analysis of the final version of the ACE rule, which is expected to be made public in June. William Wehrum, the EPA air quality chief, acknowledged in an interview that the new method would be included in the agencys final analysis of the rule, though aides later said the matter had not been settled. The new methodology would assume there is little or no health benefit to making the air any cleaner than what the law requires. On paper, that would translate into far fewer premature deaths from air pollution, even if it increased. The problem is, scientists say, in the real world there are no safe levels of fine particulate pollution in the air. Particulate matter is extremely harmful, and it leads to a large number of premature deaths, said Richard Revesz, an expert in environmental law at New York University. He called the expected change a monumental departure from the approach both Republican and Democratic EPA leaders have used over the past several decades and predicted that it would lay the groundwork for weakening more environmental regulations. The Obama administration had sought to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Power Plan by pushing utilities to switch away from coal and instead use natural gas or renewable energy to generate electricity. The Obama plan would also have whats known as a co-benefit: Levels of fine particulate matter would fall. The Trump administration has moved to repeal the Obama-era plan and replace it with the ACE rule, which would slightly improve the efficiency of coal plants. It would also allow older coal plants to remain in operation longer and result in an increase of particulate matter. Lisa Friedman is a New York Times writer. LOS ANGELES A conference of local government officials from across California erupted into violence over the weekend when several attendees began throwing punches, with at least one person apparently knocked unconscious, according to five witnesses to the incident. A spokesman with the Riverside County Sheriffs Department confirmed that a brawl at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa was reported to police around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Seven people were involved in an altercation and physical battery, said Deputy Mike Vasquez. Police tried to identify the people involved but none of them were cooperative, Vasquez said. One man was hospitalized for minor injuries, he said. There were no arrests, and Vasquez declined to elaborate on the clash. It was not immediately clear who started the fight, but it involved members of the Commerce City Council and other public officials, according to a written statement from Mayor John Soria and several witnesses who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some witnesses said the melee involved more than seven people including some who were trying to break up the combatants and included political consultants, government vendors and elected officials from the Los Angeles area. A photo circulating among local politicians appeared to show Councilman Leonard Mendoza lying on the floor with numerous drops of blood at his feet. A man is seen in the photo checking his pulse. Soria said in his statement that he was told that Mendoza and a council colleague, Ivan Altamirano, were having a conversation that had become elevated so he went to the area to defuse any potential conflict. He said that when he approached, he saw Mendoza on the floor apparently unconscious, and Altamirano standing nearby with a facial injury. Soria, a civilian law enforcement technician for the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, said he and Altamirano were then attacked from behind by two individuals. He did not identify the assailants. He said he would file a police report and press charges. The melee occurred at an annual seminar of the California Contract Cities Association. Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives and Anh Do are Los Angeles Times writers. A Battlefield Love Story Stand for Israel | May 20, 2019 In 1948, the brave men and women of the Holy Land put everything on the line as they fought to gain independence for Israel. We who stand for Israel learn about this historical struggle and victory from many means. But one, told to us by Amir Ben-David in The Times of Israel, tells the story of a brave man and brave woman who not only fought for Israel, but fell in love a story that their son, the writer, found among their love letters: Nobody prepares you for the moment when you have to choose an epitaph for your parents gravestone. Your heart is filled with the turbulence of mourning, the people who have come to pay condolence calls, the tears and the childhood memories that surface unbidden and in the midst of all this, you have to think of a way to sum up an entire life in a few words. It is a daunting task, particularly for those who respect the written word, which in this case is going to be engraved in stone My father, Mordo, died in April 2007 at the age of 79. My mother, Ella, never recovered from his death. She suffered a severe stroke approximately four months later and left this world after three years of terrible physical and mental suffering. They are buried next to one another in the old cemetery of Ramat Hasharon. A single word is inscribed upon their gravestones, beneath their names and the dates of their deaths: Palmachnik (member of the Palmach), in the masculine, on my fathers gravestone, and Palmachnikit, in the feminine, on my mothers. My siblings and I chose these words because their importance in my parents world, the world of yesterday, can never be exaggerated even as that world moves steadily away from us, melting slowly into the pages of the post-high school history matriculation exam and the periodic disputes that surface with the publication of the latest sensation-causing book. Until my parents last days, their best friends were Palmachniks, and the happiest days of the year for them were Independence Days that they celebrated with the hevreh (the gang), always the hevreh and the stories and songs from the great moments of their lives Brave men and women still fight for Israels safety and freedom today, and you can help support them. Terror Leader Carried Out Shooting Attacks Stand for Israel | May 20, 2019 Embed from Getty Images During the Second Intifada, Zakaria Zubeidi was a Fatah commander who led countless terror attacks on Israelis. But this murderous villains crimes were not relegated to that chapter in anti-Israel violence. The Times of Israels Judah Ari Gross reports that Zubeidi was recently nabbed by Israeli authorities after carrying out shooting attacks on Israeli buses and for planning even more violence: Israel on Sunday accused former Palestinian terrorist leader Zakaria Zubeidi of committing several fresh shooting attacks on Israeli buses in recent months, and indicated it will also prosecute him for attacks dating back years that had previously been excused under an amnesty deal. Zubeidi was arrested on February 27 in Ramallah, along with Palestinian attorney attorney Tarek Barghout, who often represents terror suspects According to the security agency, the two were responsible for two shooting attacks on buses outside the Beit El settlement in the central West Bank in November 2018 and January 2019, injuring three people in total. The security service said the pair also carried out a third such shooting in December outside the Psagot settlement, but failed to hit the bus due to inclement weather. According to the Shin Bet, the two had been planning to carry out another shooting attack on the night they were arrested Help us get the balance right! SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A 57-year-old victim was hospitalized after a shooting in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, police said. The shooting was reported at 1:32 p.m. in the area of Hyde and Turk streets. Officers arrived and found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to police. No arrest has been made in the shooting and no suspect information was immediately released by police. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A state appeals court has ruled that Uber Technologies Inc. must comply with subpoenas by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera for information on drivers' traffic violations and service to disabled passengers. A three-judge Court of Appeal in San Francisco on Friday rejected Uber's argument that the subpoenas interfered with the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission, which receives the information in annual reports from ride-hailing companies. Herrera is investigating whether Uber and Lyft Inc. violated laws that ban public nuisances and obstruction of streets and require equal accommodation of all passengers. Lyft agreed last year to comply with the subpoenas, which Herrera issued in June 2017. The probe stems in part from a 2016 San Francisco Police Department study that showed ride-hailing drivers accounted for nearby 65 percent of the city's moving violations, including driving in or blocking transit and bicycle lanes, failing to yield to pedestrians and making illegal U-turns in business districts. San Francisco-based Uber appealed after a San Francisco Superior Court judge upheld the subpoenas in October 2017. A spokesperson for the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday's ruling. "Uber is not above the law," Herrera said. "The city has legitimate concerns about the company's impact on traffic, disability access and safety on our roadways. This court order affirms that Uber should have provided this information more than a year ago, like Lyft did. Enough of the stalling and delay tactics. San Franciscans deserve to know if Uber is following the law and how their business is impacting this city." Justice Ioana Petrou wrote in the appeals court's ruling, "The city attorney has a broad right to investigate, including the use of subpoenas, when it suspects an entity operating within its jurisdiction is violating the law." Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will on Tuesday discuss formally opposing plans by BNSF Railway to reactivate a long-dormant rail line through the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park in Richmond. The rail line extends from the BNSF's main Richmond rail yards through the Point Richmond business district and through a tunnel, emerging near the Keller Beach Park. The old right-of-way then hugs the shoreline for about a mile to the old Ferry Point, where rail cars were once loaded onto ferry boats. The railroad company has indicated expanding business at Richmond Terminal, necessitating the reactivation of its rail line along the shoreline. BNSF officials have told the East Bay Regional Park District that the tracks could be relocated away from the shoreline, allowing for the construction of a trail in the current rail line location. But the park district in board in March voted to move forward with a Miller/Knox land use plan that doesn't include a rail line in the park. A supervisors' staff report says that Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park, including Ferry Point, serves thousands of Richmond and West Contra Costa County residents, most of whom are Latino and African American families. The supervisors' meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the board chamber (Room 107) in the Contra Costa County Administration Building, 651 Pine St., Martinez. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. {}:S2 KEYWORD:ROUNDUP == Talks on Sunday between contract bargaining teams representing the New Haven Unified School District and its teachers union were not fruitful, representatives of both sides said Sunday. That, New Haven Teachers Association president Joe Ku'e Angeles said Sunday, means the union's 575 to 600 teachers will begin a planned strike at 7 a.m. Monday. "Unfortunately, today's negotiations did not yield useful progress," Ku'e Angeles said. "So the strike is set to begin." The school district's "last, best, and final offer" is for a 1 percent raise for 2019-2020, as part of the teachers' salary schedule, and a one-time 3 percent payment. A new amendment to that added a 0.5 percent on-the-schedule pay raise for teachers for every additional $1 million in state funding for 2019/20, up to an additional 1 percent raise applied to the salary schedule. The teachers, meanwhile, are seeking a 10 percent raise over the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. The New Haven district includes 12 schools in Union City and Hayward, which the district vows to keep open, using substitute teachers and administrative staff to lead educational activities. The district has about 11,000 students. Police in San Mateo reported Sunday night they have arrested a man reported earlier in the day to have been carrying a firearm at the Hillsdale Shopping Center. San Mateo police reported about 8:45 p.m. Sunday that the man was taken into custody outside the Laurelwood Shopping Center, in the 1200 block of Hillsdale Boulevard. That shopping center is about a mile west of the Hillsdale Shopping Center, where at least two people told police late Sunday afternoon they saw a man who appeared to be carrying a firearm in his waistband. The Hillsdale Shopping Center remained open while police searched for the man. Police said officers were actively working the case Sunday night, and that more details about the suspect, the charges and the circumstances of the arrest will likely be released Monday morning. A 30-year-old Antioch woman was found dead early Sunday morning in an Antioch house, and a 32-year-old man was being held Sunday in connection with the apparent homicide, Antioch police said. Police were called at about 2:48 a.m. Sunday to a house on Big Horn Court in southeast Antioch, about a quarter mile northwest of Deer Valley High School. The body of the 30-year-old woman was found there, having suffered "suspicious injuries that appeared to be the cause of her death," police said in a statement. A 32-year-old Antioch man was detained by police for questioning; it was unclear Sunday night what the relationship was, if any, between the man and the woman, or whether the man had been formally arrested. Police said this appears to be an isolated incident, and that no threat to the public remains. Anyone with information that could relate to this incident is asked to call the Antioch Police Department's non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will on Tuesday discuss formally opposing plans by BNSF Railway to reactivate a long-dormant rail line through the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park in Richmond. The rail line extends from the BNSF's main Richmond rail yards through the Point Richmond business district and through a tunnel, emerging near the Keller Beach Park. The old right-of-way then hugs the shoreline for about a mile to the old Ferry Point, where rail cars were once loaded onto ferry boats. The railroad company has indicated expanding business at Richmond Terminal, necessitating the reactivation of its rail line along the shoreline. BNSF officials have told the East Bay Regional Park District that the tracks could be relocated away from the shoreline, allowing for the construction of a trail in the current rail line location. But the park district in board in March voted to move forward with a Miller/Knox land use plan that doesn't include a rail line in the park. A supervisors' staff report says that Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park, including Ferry Point, serves thousands of Richmond and West Contra Costa County residents, most of whom are Latino and African American families. The supervisors' meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the board chamber (Room 107) in the Contra Costa County Administration Building, 651 Pine St., Martinez. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Paving work on two major Napa County roadways - State Highway 29 in American Canyon and State Highway 121 in Napa - will require overnight lane closures beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday and set to end at 4 a.m. Friday, Caltrans said Sunday. The right-hand lane of northbound Highway 29 will close at 8 p.m. Wednesday between American Canyon Road and Donaldson Way within the city of American Canyon. It is scheduled to reopen at 4 a.m. Thursday. The left-hand lane of northbound Highway 29 is scheduled to remain open during the paving work. The left-hand lane of southbound Highway 121 between South Coombs and Minahen Streets within the city of Napa will close at 8 p.m. Thursday, and reopen at 4 a.m. Friday. The right-hand southbound lane will remain open during that paving work. Drivers should expect delays overnight, Caltrans cautions. For 24/7 traffic updates, visit 511.org or https://twitter.com/511SFBay Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Police are investigating reports of a possible shooter Monday afternoon in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood, although they haven't confirmed any injuries or shots fired. Officers first responded to the 300 block of Rhode Island Street around 12:45 p.m., police said. Multiple police units remain at the scene near Rhode Island and 17th streets and are currently searching a building, according to police. The public is being asked to avoid the area. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Chronicle ANTIOCH (BCN) A 30-year-old Antioch woman was found dead early Sunday morning in an Antioch house, and a 32-year-old man was being held Sunday in connection with the apparent homicide, Antioch police said. Police were called at about 2:48 a.m. Sunday to a house on Big Horn Court in southeast Antioch, about a quarter mile northwest of Deer Valley High School. The body of the 30-year-old woman was found there, having suffered "suspicious injuries that appeared to be the cause of her death," police said in a statement. A 32-year-old Antioch man was detained by police for questioning; it was unclear Sunday night what the relationship was, if any, between the man and the woman, or whether the man had been formally arrested. Police said this appears to be an isolated incident, and that no threat to the public remains. Anyone with information that could relate to this incident is asked to call the Antioch Police Department's non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. INNISFIL, ON (May 19, 2019)- The 2019 campaign for the APC United Late Model Series Presented by Grisdale kicked-off on a gorgeous Saturday, May 18th with an incredible 32 cars on hand. The Dayco 100 presented by Quaker State had a near capacity crowd roaring as the full field of Pro Late Models put on an incredible show of speed, respect, and talent. The evening started with group qualifying sessions that saw groups of five released for five laps at a time to try and set their fastest lap. The top 18 cars at the end of qualifying were locked into the Dayco 100 presented by Quaker State while all others were sent to the last chance race to fight for their spots. MacMaster of Orangeville Rookie of the Year contender Jo Lawrence laid down the fastest time of the evening, bettering another rookie contender Gord Shepherd and Jordan Sims. The Dayco 100 presented by Quaker State started with Matt Pritiko on the pole alongside Nick Goetz after the two pulled the top positions in the post-qualifying pill draw. There was trouble on the opening lap of the race as Shawn McGlynn spun, bringing out the yellow early on. The second yellow flag came out on lap seven as Rick Spencer-Walt went around. Jordan Sims took over the race lead on the ensuing restart and would lead lap seven. The race would get into a fast paced rhythm after this as battles developed all over the track. The stiff competition raced in close proximity, all avoiding going a lap down until lap 35 when Sims finally caught the tail end of the 26 car field at the 1/3 mile high banked Sunset Speedway. The third caution of the evening came on lap 37 when Ryan Kimball suffered a mechanical failure entering turn three and came to a rest. The caution period saw several teams make a trip down pit road for adjustments including the 78 machine of Jo Lawrence who was running inside the top 10. The restart was near disaster as Blair Wickett got out of shape on the front straightaway and ended up sideways in the middle of the track. The field behind managed to avoid any contact and all escaped without wounds. 41 laps into the race the yellow was shown once again as Andrew Gresel went around on the back straightaway. One lap after the restart Andy Kamrath suffered a mechanical failure and the field was slowed once again. A long green flag run would begin after the restart as Sault. St. Marie driver Jordan Sims continued to show the way up front. Gord Shepherd matched pace with Sims through the run but was never able to make a run for the spot, despite the leaders working through some lapped traffic. Billy Schwarzenburg and Dale Shaw joined the fight up front with Schwarzenburg moving into second on lap 87, brining the Shaw machine with him around Shepherd. With just a few laps remaining it looked like Jordan Sims had the race locked up, but troubles for a few cars just outside the top five brought out the seventh and final caution. Sims would survive the restart and go on to win his first career APC Series event over Billy Schwarzenburg and Dale Shaw. Gord Shepherd finished in fourth with Treyten Lapcevich rounding out the top five spots. The APC Series heads to Flamboro Speedway on June 8th for the Interstate Batteries 100, round two of the 2019 season. Information can be found on www.APCRacingSeries.com Ryan Dyson APC Series PR www.APCRacingSeries.com More than half of 26 general, acute-care hospitals in or near San Francisco earned mediocre or poor grades for keeping patients safe, according to new research. The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that assesses hospital safety performance, released its 2019 findings Wednesday for 2,600 hospitals across the country, assigning them A through F letter grades. The researchers looked at inadequate safety procedures, incidence of deadly infections and medical mistakes, such as leaving a sponge or a clamp in a surgery patient. We wanted to see how local hospitals in the report compared, so we chose those in a 25-mile radius of downtown San Francisco. Of the 26 hospitals, six received A's, four got B's, 12 C's and four were marked D's. None earned a failing grade. When compared to "A" hospitals, patients receiving care at "D" hospitals faced a 92 percent greater chance of avoidable death, according to Leapfrog. For "C" hospitals the risk was 88 percent greater. "B" hospital patients faced a 35 percent greater risk. "These are the avoidable deaths the deaths that are accidental or the result of a mistake made in the hospital," Leapfrog CEO Leah Binder told USA Today. "It doesn't matter how sick you are the surgeon and operating room team shouldn't be leaving sponges or surgical tools in you." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that at any given time, about one out of 31 patients in a hospital has an infection caused by a hospital or other health-care provider. Overall, the marks for San Francisco-area hospitals declined since Leapfrog's 2017 report. Twelve hospitals declined by one grade and three dropped two grades. Seven remained the same. Most-improved awards went to St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, Seton Medical Center in Daly City and Kaiser San Leandro, each up two grades. To see all the rankings of all 26 hospitals, check out the gallery. Besides their letter grade, we included each hospital's results in three sample categories (Leapfrog uses a total of 28 safety measures in compiling its findings): Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, an infection often contracted during hospital stays; Death from treatable serious complications (deaths per 1,000 people who had complications); Dangerous bed sores (per 1,000 patients discharged). Critics of Leapfrog's survey claim the results are skewed because low-scoring hospitals in poor areas often have a less healthy clientele than that of hospitals in affluent communities. But Leapfrog maintains that some of its measurements, like hospital infections, are risk-adjusted to reflect patient sickness levels. RELATED: The longest (and shortest) ER waits at SF-area hospitals Nationally, an estimated 160,000 people die each year from avoidable medical errors. That's down from an estimated 205,000 avoidable deaths in 2016, according to Leapfrog. Leapfrog only measured hospital safety, not quality. For example, a hospital could have the top cardiothoracic surgery team in its region, but still receive low marks because of its safety track record. --- Read Mike Moffitt's latest stories and send him news tips at moffitt@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. The streets of Stockton were covered in Slurpee-like slush Sunday. A fierce and isolated storm cell focused on north Stockton around Lincoln Center dumped hail for a half-hour straight beginning at 2:30 p.m. The hail blanketed streets, parking lots and front yards, up to 2 inches deep, creating an unseasonably wintry scene in mid-May. Heavy downpours of rain in the Central Valley city, 83 miles east of San Francisco, also caused flooding. Some streets became rivers and were closed temporarily. "It looked like a winter wonderland," said Debbie Hernandez, who shared images of the unlikely scene on Twitter. "A winter wonderland with the residential streets turned into ice rivers." Stockton broke a same-day rainfall record with 0.90 inch falling on Sunday, beating the old record of 0.52 inch set in 1961. ALSO: Storm heads to SF, could push May rain to 300% above average A wild mix of hail, lightning, and heavy downpours put on a spectacular show of weather in the northern Central Valley over the weekend. A storm from the Gulf of the Alaska draped over Northern California, soaking the Bay Area and sending fierce isolated storm cells across the Central Valley. A funnel cloud was spotted near Tracy at 5:45 p.m. Sunday. The National Weather Service confirmed the event, but said the spiraling air mass never touched the ground. Downtown Sacramento saw heavy rain; the state capitol has now recorded its wettest May on record with 3.28 inches, beating the old record of 3.25 inches set in 1989. TEHRAN Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehrans atomic program, nuclear officials said Monday, just after President Trump and Irans foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below whats needed for an atomic weapon. But by increasing production, Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in the Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. Already this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were damaged in a sabotage attack; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. A rocket landed Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraqs capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential U.S. staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul said the rocket was believed to have been fired from eastern Baghdad, an area home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as acknowledging that capacity had been quadrupled. Kamalvandi said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, of the development. The Vienna-based agency did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them. Before Irans announcement, Trump tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Trumps remarks reflect what has been a strategy of alternating tough talk with more conciliatory statements he says is aimed at keeping Iran guessing at the administrations intentions. He also has said he hopes Iran calls him and engages in negotiations. But while Trumps approach of flattery and threats has become a hallmark of his foreign policy, the risks have only grown in dealing with Iran, where mistrust between Tehran and Washington stretch back four decades. While both Washington and Tehran say they dont seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spin out of control. Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell are Associated Press writers. JERUSALEM The Palestinian prime minister said Monday that any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian peoples aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail. Mohammad Shtayyehs comments immediately cast a cloud over an American-led Mideast peace conference that is expected to take place in late June in the Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. The White House announced it will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan at the conference, saying it will focus on economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But officials say the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. Any solution to the conflict in Palestine must be political ... and based on ending the occupation, Shtayyeh said at a Palestinian Cabinet meeting. The current financial crisis is a result of a financial war waged against us and we will not succumb to blackmailing and extortion and will not trade our national rights for money. The Palestinians severed ties with the U.S. over a year ago over President Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. They have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. Josef Federman is an Associated Press writer. SRINAGAR, India A prominent rights group in Indian-controlled Kashmir is advocating for the United Nations to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate what it calls the endemic use of torture by government forces amid a decades-long anti-India uprising in the disputed region. The Jammu-Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society on Monday released a detailed report saying India is using torture as a matter of policy and instrument of control in Kashmir, where rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Torture is the most under-reported human rights violation perpetrated by the state, the report states. Due to legal, political and moral impunity extended to the armed forces, not a single prosecution has taken place in any case of human rights violations. Indian authorities said they would review the report before commenting on it. In the past, officials have acknowledged torture exists in Kashmir but have denied that Indian forces strategically use sexual and other abuses to control the population. The 560-page report recommends an investigation be led by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It also urges India to ratify the U.N. Convention against torture and also allow global rights groups unhindered access to Kashmir. Last year, the U.N. in its first report on Kashmir called for an international investigation into reports of rights violations like rape, torture and extrajudicial killings in the region. The report particularly criticized Indian troops for firing shotgun pellets against protesters, blinding and maiming hundreds of people, including children. India rejected the U.N. report as fallacious. For years, international rights groups have accused Indian troops of using systematic abuse and unjustified arrests to intimidate residents opposing Indias rule. Human rights workers have accused Indian troops of sometimes even staging gunbattles as pretexts to kill for promotions and rewards. Aijaz Hussain is an Associated Press writer. SEOUL South Korea vowed Monday to move quickly on plans to provide $8 million worth of medical and nutritional aid for North Korean children through U.N. agencies while it also considers sending broader food aid to the country, which says it is suffering its worst drought in decades. Lee Sang-min, spokesman for Seouls Unification Ministry, said the government will discuss its plans with the World Food Program and the United Nations Childrens Fund, through which the aid would be provided, so it reaches North Korean children and pregnant women. South Korea is also trying to build public and political support for providing wider food aid to North Korea, either directly or through the WFP. Reginald Garoleos name was recently endorsed by Port Vila NUP Executive as its candidate. Page Content Because of modern technology, many employers now expect workers to stay connected at home, on their own time, to field work e-mails and texts. This blurring of the line between work and personal time, and the accompanying stress and intrusion into home life, has prompted authorities in France, Spain and elsewhere to implement or consider laws requiring employers to recognize employees' right to disconnect from workplace communications. "I think that this is part of the whole digital transformation. Things are changing in all sorts of spheres so quickly that clearly the legislation is having problems keeping up," said Raquel Florez, a lawyer with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Madrid. Employer expectations that employees check and answer e-mails and texts after hours create strain not only for employees but also their families, according to researcher Bill Becker, associate professor of management at Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business in Blacksburg, Va. French Legislation French policymakers, who consider off-duty e-mail use to be a health and safety concern, adopted a right-to-disconnect law to address rising stress levels among employees who check e-mail after hours, Florez said. As of 2017, employers in France with at least 50 workers must negotiate agreements with unions allowing employees to disconnect from work technology after hours. If the parties don't reach an agreement, the employer must establish a right-to-disconnect policy on after-hours technology use. The law doesn't specify what procedures employers must put in place, but it requires them to enter into collective bargaining with unions to try to agree on processes governing off-hours connection, said Florez, who noted that the law doesn't penalize noncompliant companies. France's highest court nevertheless reportedly ordered a U.K. pest control firm last year to pay 60,000 eurosapproximately US$67,219to a former employee fired years earlier from its French operations. The court found that the former regional director, who was required to leave his phone on around the clock, should be compensated for having been on call after hours. Since passage of the right-to-disconnect law, several French companies have started to include rules in their collective bargaining agreements, according to Florez. "The effectiveness of this is still subject to discussion. What we have seen since then is that several companies have started to set up in their collective bargaining agreements certain rules," including those aimed at ensuring workers don't have to engage with communications outside work hours, Florez said. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] Spanish Law A recently approved Spanish law also establishes employees' right to disconnect from digital devices during off-work hours to ensure respect for their rest time, holidays and privacy. The law calls on employers, after hearing from workers' representatives, to set up internal policies defining for employees how to exercise the right to disconnect, including training for staff on reasonable use of technology to help avoid computer fatigue. Spain's law emphasizes that employees working remotely are guaranteed the right to disconnect. Like the French law, Florez noted, the new Spanish rules don't impose penalties on employers that fail to comply. "At least this is bringing the discussion to the table," she said. High Expectations and High Anxiety A legal approach may be increasingly popular, Becker said, "but I don't think it's going to fix the basic problem" if employer expectations don't change. Laws aren't likely to 'fix the basic problem.' Becker's U.S.-based research found that 60 percent of workers think their employers have high expectations that they monitor after-hours work e-mails. Becker also found that: 80 percent of study participants were anxious about their work e-mail use at home. 40 percent reported significant conflict between themselves and relatives over the use of work e-mail at home. 55 percent of spouses were anxious about participants' work e-mail use at home. Companies may think they're getting something for nothing when employees respond to e-mails after hours, but there's a price to be paid when unhappy or anxious employees either leave or become less effective, he said. Employers should consider how much after-hours connection is necessary and make sure managers enforce disconnection policies, according to Becker. "We've been trying to show that companies should care about this even without laws," he said, adding that it's "in their best interest to help people to disconnect." Dinah Wisenberg Brin is a freelance reporter and writer based in Philadelphia. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As lawsuit settlement conversations against the makers and distributors of OxyContin begin, New York State Attorney General Letitia James visited one of the boroughs recovery providers on Monday to hear what is needed most to continue battling the opioid epidemic. James said the settlement money would go towards best practices across the state of New York -- education, prevention, reintegration, recovery and diversion. She met with Borough President James Oddo, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, directors of Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI), along with several members and its program coordinators, peer counselors, and staff to discuss whats being done and what still needs to be done -- on Staten Island. I intend to bring resources to New York State to address the needs of the providers so they can help the individuals, James said during a roundtable discussion. Were in a position to do something about it, she said. One of the needs of providers across the state is the need for recovery beds. James called them a real challenge. In addition to the roundtable discussion, James met with substance abuse users in recovery at CHASI, located at 56 Bay St., and at the Next Step Resource and Recovery Center, located at 26 Bay St. The decision to visit CHASI and other providers across the state, James said, is to hear directly from individuals who are recovering and providers instead of holding press conferences. District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and Borough President James Oddo at Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI). MCMAHON, ODDO TOUT BOROUGH PROGRAMS Diane Arneth, executive director of Community Health Action of Staten Island, has always embraces the full continuum of care for people with a substance use disorder, which has expanded over time. One of the most important aspects of that is providing peer support. The most effective way to reach people is through peers. People have to tell their stories; its so powerful. People need to hear less from the elected officials and more from peers, James said. McMahon and Oddo both agreed, citing a town hall at Gaynor McCown High School last year where two individuals in recovery were able to reach the students in ways they couldnt. McMahon discussed the success of the Heroin Overdose Prevention & Education (HOPE) program, HOPE 2.0, and the Overdose Response Initiative that his office spearheaded. Looking at 2019 numbers, he said, Staten Island is on track to see a 35 percent drop in the total number of overdoses. Borough President James Oddo touted his Too Good for Drugs initiative, as well as $1 million funding from Gov. Andrew Cuomos office to expand in schools through the Good Behavior Game this fall. He also spoke about the boroughs ability to work together to end this crisis. Its remarkable that so many Staten Islanders have come together and checked their egos at the door to work on this, Oddo said. Still, more work needs to be done and more resources will always be needed, Oddo and McMahon agreed. LAWSUIT SEEKS MILLIONS IN DAMAGES, STRIPPED LICENSES In March, New York State joined several other state and local governments in suing the billionaire family behind OxyContin, alleging the drugmaker sparked the nations opioid crisis by putting hunger for profits over patient safety. The state, which averages nine opioid-related deaths per day, amended an existing lawsuit against pill maker Purdue Pharma to add members of its controlling Sackler family as defendants. The state also added as defendants five other companies that produce opioid painkillers and, in what James called a novelty, four drug distributors. James called it the most extensive lawsuit towards the defendants. The lawsuit seeks penalties and damages that could add up to tens of millions of dollars and a dedicated fund to curb the opioid epidemic. It also seeks to have the companies stripped of their licenses and barred from marketing and distributing painkillers in New York until they abide by strict safeguards. New Yorks lawsuit echoes the other cases, alleging the Sacklers and Purdues aggressive marketing of OxyContin beginning in the mid-1990s led to massive overprescribing and a scourge of dependency, addiction and death. Once the pills ran out, the lawsuit alleges, many patients craving the same effects turned to cheaper, more potent alternatives: heroin and fentanyl. -- Associated Press material was used in this report STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The police search continues for a man wanted for questioning in a bank robbery in Castleton Corners. The NYPD asked the public for tips after an unidentified man approached the bank tellers window and held a note demanding cash on Wednesday at about 12:14 p.m. at the Santander Bank branch at 1850 Victory Blvd., according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. The teller complied with the demand and the man left with about $600, police said. No arrests have been made in the robbery, an NYPD spokesman said on Monday morning. The NYPD supplied a video clip of the individual sought, which was captured from surveillance cameras in the vicinity of the robbery. He is described by police as white, in his 40s, standing 57 tall with a slim build. He was seen wearing a hooded gray jacket, sunglasses, a red-white-and-blue bandana on his head and sunglasses. In the video clip, the man is seen casually walking down the street with his hands in the pockets of dark-colored pants. Headphones dangle from one ear. At the end of the video clip, he raises the collar of his gray-hooded sweatshirt to cover his mouth. The NYPD has apprehended a 41-year-old man in connection with a bank robbery that happened about 15 minutes later last Wednesday in Stapleton. Edward Trifeletti was taken into custody at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the North Shores 120th Precinct, according to an NYPD spokeswoman. Police said his last known address was on Central Avenue in St. George. Officers responded to Northfield Bank at 385 Bay St. after a man passed a note to a teller before fleeing northbound on Bay Street with $2,000 around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to police. People with information are encouraged to contact the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Does your chest feel tight or do you lose your breath when working hard? Does your child cough often, especially when waking or going to sleep? It might be asthma -- a chronic respiratory disease that forms a barrier between your lungs and the air your body needs. Left untreated, it can cause permanent lung damage. An attack can even cause death. Now, the good news: Its easy to manage and is even reversible with the right care. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says asthma affects nearly 10 percent of the population in New York state. Many on Staten Island, however -- especially children -- arent getting proper care, doctors say, and wind up in emergency rooms. Today, asthma remains the leading cause of hospitalizations among children nationally, according to the American Red Cross. The symptoms are difficult to recognize, doctors say. Poverty, too, plays a role. "About 4,000 Staten Island children have asthma, and 25 percent of them arent getting the treatment they need to manage the condition,'' said Dr. Ginny Mantello, the Staten Island borough presidents director of health and wellness and chairwoman of the Staten Island Asthma Coalition. AREAS WITH HIGH RATES And while Staten Island rates as a whole are lower than those of other boroughs, there are pockets on the Island with alarming numbers, including North Shore ZIP codes 10301, 10302, 10303, 10304 and 10310. Theres more poverty in those areas, Mantello said. And common triggers, like mold, dust and pollution, are more prevalent. The coalition has initiatives in place involving physicians, educators, nurses and after-school programs run by the Jewish Community Center, YMCA and PAL. The goal is to help families find effective treatment they can afford, she said. Through its partially state-funded Open Airways initiative, the American Lung Association trains nurses and medical residents to visit schools, educate children about asthma and send information home to parents. MANAGING THE ILLNESS Asthma can be managed medically through two approaches -- quick relief medications and long-term control medications, like corticosteroids, taken daily. Some inhalers help patients stop or prevent a full-blown asthma attack, while others manage the condition to prevent attacks. It can be especially difficult for parents to recognize asthma in small children, said Dr. Ana Mendez, chief of ambulatory pediatrics at Richmond University Medical Center. Thats why primary care is so important. "Children present with a cough and what seems to be shortness of breath with colds, allergies or exercise,'' she said, noting that adults will show symptoms like chest tightness and wheezing, which can be heard only by a practitioner using a stethoscope. Ignoring the symptoms will lead to emergency situations, she said. "If you dont treat it, in the long term, it can turn into lung damage at any age,'' Mendez said. "In the short term, at any moment, you can have an attack and it can be life threatening.'' COULD BE DEADLY Dont be comforted by the idea that your asthma or that of your child is mild, Mendez warns. "Sometimes, people equate the severity of the asthma with the severity of the attack, but you can have mild asthma and have a severe attack,'' Mendez said. "You could end up in the intensive care unit or even die from asthma.'' Asthma attacks occur when a person with asthma is exposed to triggers, which can vary greatly from person to person. In addition to dust, mold and pollution, some of the most common triggers include pets, burning wood or grass. It can also be triggered by infection, seasonal pollen or physical activity, according to the CDC. Parents can avoid emergency room drama and costs by being proactive, Mantello said. No child should ever have to go to an emergency room to be treated for asthma, she said. It can easily be controlled in a community setting. Another Asthma Coalition initiative provides monthly emergency room data to primary physicians, encouraging them to seek out their patients for followup care. Mantello cited impressive results in the six months since the monthly reports began. The number of children receiving emergency treatment in Island hospitals is dropping, she said. Those without a primary care physician are encouraged to visit the RUMC Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic or the Staten Island University Hospital North Medical Arts Pavilion. Children and teens without insurance will be treated for asthma immediately at the clinics, and will continue to receive treatment while enrollment in the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through Medicaid, Mendez said. The SIUH site is located at 4242 Mason Ave., and can be reached at 718-226-6494. The RUMC clinic is located at 800 Castleton Ave., and can be reached at 718-818-4570. "Without insurance, they can come in to seek medical care,'' Mendez said. "They shouldnt ignore it. Although the symptoms are intermittent, the chronic inflammation might not be.'' Content for the health section in the Advance and on SILive is supported by the Staten Island Performing Provider System. More at https://topics.silive.com/tag/Health/. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Cars piled high with gasoline in their tanks and limited access posed challenges to firefighters battling a blaze at a junkyard on Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor Monday. Three smoke eaters suffered minor injuries in the inferno, which was called at 10:02 a.m. at 3333 Richmond Terrace, near Arlington Avenue, according to the FDNY. A sign at the location lists it as Bayview Auto Wreckers. It was a very labor-intensive operation," said Deputy Chief David Maj at the scene of the fire, which produced thick black smoke that could be seen for miles as it billowed across the Arthur Kill toward New Jersey. Challenges included numerous stacked vehicles -- some with gasoline inside to fuel the flames -- coupled with limited access from Richmond Terrace and inside the property itself. On arrival, firefighters found at least 20 to 30 vehicles ablaze, Maj said. Firefighters had to stretch hose lines to the fire, use tower ladders and a Marine Unit from the waterside to bring the inferno under control, Maj said. They also had to use a high-load tractor to move vehicles to expose and reach portions of the fire. We have to make sure the fires out, the chief said, so that there arent any flareups even hours later. The access was a bit difficult because we have numerous vehicles stacked on top of each other," he said. "Its a precarious situation, these cars might fall down. "We had to move these cars, we had to navigate these little alleyways that we made with the tractor and put the fire out. Its a junkyard, so obviously theres a lot of fuel in some of these vehicles." At least 25 units and 125 firefighters and EMS personnel responded. The blaze was brought under control just before 12:30, after nearly two and a half hours. Fire marshals remained on scene investigating the cause. Companies are challenged every day with keeping accurate track of their employees' time, attendance, and whereabouts. This is an essential part of managing a business enterprise, regardless of industry or the type of product or service being offered. Knowing how long it takes an employee to perform a task gives the company a basis for calculating the cost, price, and ultimately profit. This task becomes particularly challenging when a company is tracking mobile employees, or those that work in remote facilities, where the opportunity to cheat the company is easier and more tempting. Traditionally, a business would need to process manually punched timesheets in order to track employees time and calculate the cost of their labor. When it came to mobile workers, however, companies were relegated to trusting the employee's sense of honesty in correctly reporting his or her time. And even if punch-in and punch-out times were accurate, there were no provisions for tracking extended breaks and lunches. But just like factories and other places of employment have modernized, so has the means of tracking employees' time and attendance. These days automated time and attendance software employ features like mobile timesheets where an employee can clock in or out instantly from an Android, iPhone, or tablet. GPS location tracking software allows owners and managers to see who's on the clock and where they're working-all in real time. A feature called "geo-fencing" even allows employees to receive reminders to clock in and clock out when they enter and leave a job site. Modern day time and attendance systems not only monitor employees' working times, they also collect attendance information which companies can analyze to find better ways to increase productivity and reduce administration costs. This includes accommodating various work rules and regulatory compliance, seamlessly working with different currencies, checking payroll, planning future work and running "what if" scenarios. For companies that need the highest levels of security, biometric systems are available that use facial recognition or scan a digital representation of an employee's unique fingerprint to record when they clock in or clock out. Rather than storing a person's actual fingerprint or photograph, it stores fingerprint and facial templates which are a digital representation of the fingerprint or photo. This ensures privacy protection while security is maintained. Biometric systems are especially effective for identification verification, preventing employees from borrowing credentials from each other to gain access to controlled areas, reducing time and attendance fraud and 'buddy punching,' where one employee clocks on or off for another. Some other benefits of time and attendance systems for mobile employees include: Ease of Use - It only takes a few simple clicks for employees to clock in and out for shifts, breaks, and lunches. The systems also provide instant confirmation of their entry. They can also enter information like job-specific tasks, view and edit schedules, sign off on timesheets, request time off, and send and receive messages. Adaptability - Modern time and attendance systems can be configured for use by single employees, work crews and managers. Employers have the option to track employee hours by department and work assignment. Other customizable fields can be configured to track additional information like expenses and mileage. Additional fields can also be set up for workers to sign off on after completing specific assignments. Everything's Accounted For - Today's time and attendance systems are able to instantly capture the date, time, and location of a punch, with or without cell service. This real-time visibility provides managers the ability to immediately address when a punch is made outside of a designated area. Geo-fencing-the practice of issuing reminders to employees to clock in and clock out when they enter and leave a jobsite-can be enabled to automatically clock out workers when they leave a designated work area, while geo-tracking can capture an employee's location at defined intervals throughout the work day. Compliance Protection - Digitizing your systems and keeping important records on the cloud means they are readily available should a company be called upon to produce them. According to federal law, employers are required to retain specific records containing timekeeping data, and payroll information. Biometric time and attendance systems can be set up to require a worker to answer a specific question before clocking out. This protects against fraudulent workers' comp claims. The systems can also be configured to require employees to sign off on completed tasks and shifts right from the app to improve paperwork trails and comply with any state-specific requirements. Even meal times and breaks can be set up to keep the company in compliance with meal break laws by ensuring employees can't end a meal break before a pre-set minimum duration. Also, failure to pay employees for all the time they've worked is sure path to becoming embroiled in a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) lawsuit. With an automated time and attendance system, at the end of the pay period, employees can review their hours and digitally sign off on them to approve. This means protection from lawsuits in the future. In Conclusion... Many small businesses are investing significant resources in traditional time management strategies and not reaping the results they expected-results that are often filled with errors and inaccuracies due to time theft. Worst of all, these results come at the expense of employees' health, efficiency, and focus, and ultimately affect a company's bottom line. While a biometric time and attendance system may seem like a big leap for a small-to-midsize company, in reality, it's just a step forward toward fair and equitable treatment of employees, protection from legal action, and profitability. STATEN ISLAND -- Whether they happened to stumble on the new Empire Outlets or were told about them word of mouth, tourists are shopping and enjoying their experience at the Islands newest retail destination. The Outlets and about a dozen stores opened its doors last week. Eva from Denmark said she found out about Empire Outlets from a flyer in her hotel in Times Square and decided to check it out. She has been to outlets in Miami and Las Vegas and said she the Island outlet was a convenient location over other outlets she had planned to go to initially in New Jersey. We wanted to take a trip on the ferry and saw it its perfect, she said. Eva (right) said she decided to come to Empire Outlets after she found out about the Island's newest destination from a flyer at her hotel in Times Square. Fernanda Negrao Pereira of Brazil decided to check out the outlets with her sister after she saw one of her favorite Instagram influencers from Brazil put up a post about stopping by Empire Outlets. I guess shes sponsored by the outlets and she made some postings, thats how I found out about here, Negrao Pereira. Negrao Pereira too has been to other outlets in Los Angeles and San Francisco and said she was a little disappointed that the other stores were not open yet, but liked the Island outlet overall. An employee at Banana Republic said that so far, she has seen a mix of both tourists and Staten Islanders stop by her store. In the day, she said that so far, mostly tourists can be seen shopping, but at night, more locals stop by. Ellie Foster of England said she liked the modern look of the outlets. Its very cool, Foster said. Tourists say they enjoy shopping at the outlets. While the project has been touted to have more than 100 designer retailers across 340,000 square feet, most of the retailers will open between now and the summer. The stores that are open include: Banana Republic Factory Store, Guess Factory Store, U.S. Polo Assn, Samsonite, Lids, Walgreens, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Columbia Factory Store, Old Navy, Gap Factory Store; H&M, Jockey, Nike Factory Store, Francescas, Starbucks, Wetzels Pretzels, GNC and Cotton On. Additional retailers will open their stores throughout spring and summer. Initially set to open in 2016, the projects launch was pushed back to Black Friday 2017. In early 2017, the opening date was pushed to March 2018, and then to this fall, and later to April 2019. Most recently, the projects developer, BFC Partners, said more time was needed to allow additional retailers to open at the same time at New York Citys first outlet mall. Over the weekend, the outlets 1,250-parking garage opened underneath the shopping center. Empire Outlets previously told the Advance that 780 of those parking spaces would be reserved for commuters, however, it is still unclear how the outlets will differentiate spot from spot. Other stores set to open sometime before the end of the summer include: Nordstrom Rack, Levis, True Religion, Converse, Dennis Basso, iOptics,Royal Jewelers, Crocs, American Eagle Outfitters, Aerie, True Religion, Lucky Brand, Parfum Europa, and Verizon Wireless. Additionally, a 40,000-square-foot food and beverage deck with panoramic views of Manhattan will open, with several food concepts including MRKTPL, Staten Islands first artisanal food hall will open later this summer. FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Lynas Corp's plans to establish processing operations in the US are not expected to pose a threat to Wesfarmers' interest in the rare earths group, but it won't offer a Plan B for its Malaysian problems either. Lynas told the ASX on Monday it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with one of its US customers, Blue Line Corp, for a joint venture to separate medium and heavy rare earths elements in Texas. Lynas said it would be the majority owner of the venture. Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze will talk to investors on Tuesday. Credit:Peter Braig "This is an exciting opportunity to develop local separation capacity for our customers in the United States and to close a critical gap for United States manufacturers," said Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze. "We already have an excellent commercial partnership with Blue Line serving key North American customers and we are looking forward to working closely with Blue Line over the next 12 months as we develop this joint venture." Australian shares soared to an 11-year high on Monday, as investors welcomed the surprise re-election of the Coalition, adding an extra $32.8 billion to the bourse. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 110.8 points, or 1.7 per cent, to 6476.1, its highest level since December 14, 2007 and its best single day performance since February 5. "A Coalition win can be deemed a 'surprise' for investors and the upshot is that many tail risks that were potential consequences from what was a significant and wide-reaching tax and policy reform agenda from the ALP are now removed," said Morgan Stanley equity strategist Chris Nicol. The ASX soared on Monday. Credit:Peter Braig The major banks surged, with analysts noting the reduced risks to regulation, credit quality and the mortgage market under a Scott Morrison-led government. Australian tech startup Canva has banked $US70 million from investors, including from US venture firm General Catalyst, in a deal that values the design company at $US2.5 billion ($3.6 billion). "In our early days we were pitching to every investor for years," co-founder and chief executive Melanie Perkins told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and chief executive of design platform Canva. Credit:Wolter Peeters "But this round [investor] General Catalyst even sent us a Canva pitch deck pitching the benefits they could bring to Canva. It feels surreal." General Catalyst is an investor in room sharing service Airbnb and payment platform Stripe. Analyst Mary Meeker's growth fund Bond Capital was also an investor. Sophisticated analytics such as user statistics and water, detergent and energy use are transmitted back to base from each vans AI-enabled appliances in real time, thanks to the hefty bandwidth optimised by the vans powerful 4G connectivity. Orange Skys team at Brisbane headquarters can easily communicate with the volunteer teams, and even operate every vans appliances from a central dashboard, remotely. Orange Skys data gathering capabilities allow its executive team full transparency on deployment of donor funds, via detailed reports on sustainability and impact. And the information guides continuous finessing of the networks efficiency and sustainability. Most importantly, for an organisation designed to meet a social need, technology allows an increasingly nimble response to demand, says Marchesi. The technology informs better decisions, he says. It gives us more information we can use immediately to enable more resources for our volunteers, so they can create more impact by optimising our fleet rotations. From here, its not a huge leap to a demand-led service, he believes. Whats really important for us in the future is for our vans to react to situations where people suddenly become homeless, or during tropical wet seasons getting our vans to the right places or deploying vans quickly to areas of high demand at certain times of week, knowing that we arent confined by a rigid model. Technology informs better decisions for Orange Sky. Credit:Orange Sky He sees Orange Skys technology allowing a workforce flexibility that simultaneously adapts to volunteers lifestyles and demand for services. Most volunteering is done outside traditional working hours, so its looking at how volunteers can build relationships beyond the basic fortnightly roster model, he says. Maybe we find ways to notify people when there is a surge in demand for volunteers. I think thats a direction thats really interesting for the future. Ciscos Director of Marketing (Australia and New Zealand), Ray Kloss, believes powerful communication tools are crucial to Orange Skys goal of optimum agility. Webex allows you to communicate face-to-face anywhere in the world, he says. Something might change suddenly in any region, all of a sudden increasing your demand, and you need to do training and support around that, and with Webex you can instantly create face-to-face experiences for reassurance, support, education or enablement, which is especially useful when circumstances change. For an organisation with a largely volunteer workforce, Kloss says, easy remote communication is essential for team motivation and morale. Its a workplace that really needs connection. Its very much frontline social work, involving intense human experiences. For Orange Skys visionaries, technologys main role is to remove the logistical and practical burdens, so they can focus on its lifeblood of awesome conversations. The potential for automating Orange Skys systems, say its founders, has yet to be fully explored. Maybe in time, says Marchesi, our vehicles will be able to drive themselves and a mobile laundry could rock up to a park and somehow operate itself, so volunteers arent manning generators or troubleshooting vans. Thats the future for us and hopefully we are always open to how we can use technology to help more people in the community and help our donors dollars go further. Adds Patchett: The world is changing through technology, with platforms like Airbnb transforming how people book hotels or transport, and the non-profit sector has sometimes been lagging. We are really keen for Orange Sky to be on the forefront of using technology to better help people. Cisco is the worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. Ciscos people, products and partners help society securely connect and seize tomorrows digital opportunity today. Orange Sky has a simple formula; they provide a platform for every day Australians to connect through a regular laundry and shower service. The focus is on creating a safe, positive and supportive environment for people who are too often ignored or who feel disconnected from the community. Cisco and Orange Sky are building the bridge to human connection, together. Through IoT, networking and collaboration, Orange Sky continue to increase the speed and productivity of their operation and their ability to pioneer their world-changing vans, positively connecting communities all over. To read more about Orange Skys technology story with Cisco, click here Cue Jon, watching Dany re-create any number of Black Sabbath album covers with her all-black leather and dragon wings. She's speaking to her army of Dothraki and Unsullied, who have all magically regenerated like gremlins after their supposed decimation in the Battle of No-One-Can-See-It-Because-It's-Too-Dark. Loading "The war is not over until we have liberated you," she starts, before mentioning those well-known Seven Kingdoms holiday destinations Summer Isles and Jade Sea. We kinda liked it the way it was, shouts back no one in Kings Landing as they are all either dead, captured or in hiding. No matter, Dany is now riding high on hubris - shes got this! Will you break the wheel with me? Enter Tyrion: You slaughtered my city. Dany: Well, you freed your brother. You committed treason! And you touched my stuff. Mum! Tyrion, finally making the best decision all season, pulls off his Hand brooch and flings it down the stairs. Its an epic mic drop, but a few months too late - Dany has him taken away for treason, leaving Jon, who was watching all this unfold, with the difficult decision of making an actual DECISION. Daenerys giving it her best Black Sabbath. Credit:HBO That involves a quick trip to see Tyrion, who is all up in his feelings about life, death and the fact he dobbed in his best mate Varys in for treason and then stood by as Dany set the flame grill to high. Is there life after death? he asks Jon. Not that Ive seen, Jon replies, clearly neglecting to mention that a second coming involves a man bun and some unsanctioned aunt love. Tyrion again tries to persuade Jon that Dany, well, this chick just aint right, but poor Jon, good-hearted bastard son that is, just cant see it: I love her. Jesus H. Christ on a bike! I know you love her, Tyrion offers back, while using all of his available willpower to stop an epic, Liz Lemon-esque eye roll. I love her, too. Not as successfully, but I believed in her with all my heart. Tyrion then confirms hes asking Jon to put an end to the madness. John leaves, muttering she is my Queen and we all wonder when the hell is he going to get this over with. Its now snowing - so winter has finally come to Kings Landing! - and Dany is busy making crazy eyes at the Iron Throne. You cant blame a girl for trying and its a shame her tip into madness has involved death on an industrial scale as opposed to say, swapping English Breakfast tea for Earl Grey, but whaddya going to do? Write a petition to protest the ending of the show? Oh, what? Someone already has Jon meets Dany at the Iron Throne. Finally, FINALLY, he finds the courage to mention the genocide and that maybe, just maybe, she could try forgiveness instead. I know what is good, Dany says. Be with me. Build a new world with me. We can break the wheel together. Pash! Stab! Dany is dead! Killed by Jon, her nephew/lover/nemesis. Ser brother of Catlyn Stark arrives for Tyrion's trial. Credit:HBO Its tragic - Dany had her good points and, unlike Cersei, she had a good wig. Sure, she turned into a mass murderer but lets not forget the good times. She was a Mother of Dragons and its here that Drogon, the last remaining of those dragons, steps in. He gives Danys body a sniff and a nudge - sob! - and then lets rip. He doesnt fry Jon, but he melts the Iron Throne and flies off with Dany's body. So it's goodbye Iron Throne, hello, well, what exactly? Whatever is it - Tyrions beard is now at least a good few centimetres longer than when we last saw him (according to the TV time travel continuum - whereby length of fake beard equals amount of time passed), meaning its at least a few weeks since Dany died. The snow has also evaporated and the sun is shining as Tyrion is led from his prison by Grey Worm towards - whaaaaaat? Its Sansa! Arya! Bran! Brienne! Yarra! Davos! Samwell Tarly! Hot Gendry! Edmure Tully (who? Catlyn Starks younger brother aka the dude who is playing Prince Phillip in the next series of The Crown)! And Ser Vague! Ser Never Seen Them Before! And Ser Someone Else! Since Danys death, and Jons capture by the Unsullied, the Seven Kingdoms have been left unruled and now everyones gathered to decide who will win this game of thrones! Finally, it all makes sense in a really obvious kinda way. Maybe they should hold an election to decide who will rule, suggests Sam. #democracysausage comes to Westeros! Never one to keep his mouth shut, Tyrion makes a suggestion - maybe its time to elect someone with a good story. You know, that one about the boy who would never walk again and learnt to fly. Greyworm is very cross with Jon, possibly due to the latter's questionable styling choices. Credit:HBO Cue gasps! Bran? Ahhhhh - it makes sense. Remember in episode two, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, when Tyrion asked Bran to tell him his story? This is it! So Bran, will you take this broken Kingdom? Promise to love it and cherish it until you both drive each other mad? Brandon the Broken with his sisters Arya and Sansa. Credit:HBO Why do you think I came all this way? He does! So we have a Stark on the throne - just not the one we thought we would have had when the show began. Loading And what of the other Starks? Sansa, who declares the north an independent state, returns home to be crowned Queen of Winterfell; Arya is off on what looks to be a spin-off adventure - on a boat to the uncharted west; and Jon? Well, hes back to almost where he began - banished to the Wall and the Nights Watch, under strict instructions to never marry or have children. At least his hair has been unshackled from the man bun and its now free to roam in all its curly glory with Tormund, Ghost the direwolf (who at last gets a pat!) and a bunch of Free Folk. And what of Tyrion - the last remaining Lannister? Hes back where he belongs - in Kings Landing as Hand to Bran the Broken, a punishment that will see him try to right his mistakes. Hes joined at the table by Bronn as keeper of the cash, Davos as chief engineer, Sam as Archmaester and Brienne and Ser Pod (!) as head honchos in the Kingsguard. They bicker, they fight, they laugh - theyre at peace. And so, my friends, are we. At least until The Handmaids Tale starts, anyway. Other stuff! Australia has failed to deliver a major report to the United Nations on its progress in halting the extinction crisis as pressure mounts on Environment Minister Melissa Price to front the public over highly controversial election-eve decisions. Ms Price's absence from the federal election campaign became a national curiosity. She refused scores of media interview requests, ignored challenges from her political rivals for public debates and did not appear at government announcements relating to her portfolio. This prompted suggestions she was avoiding scrutiny of controversial approvals she granted just before the election, such as groundwater plans for the divisive Adani coal project and a contentious uranium mine in her home state of Western Australia. Federal Environment Minister Melissa Price largely avoided public appearances in the election campaign. Credit:AAP Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated Ms Price will be re-appointed to the portfolio in his next cabinet. Christian Porter placards left dumped at East Butler Primary School. Credit:Briony Jo A Perth school community was left disappointed Monday morning, arriving to find election paraphernalia promoting their re-elected local member strewn across the grounds and leaving them to clean up the mess. Parents dropping their children off at East Butler Primary School on Monday said they turned up to find banners promoting Federal Member for Pearce Christian Porter were still attached to fences, with a pile of placards left dumped outside the school entrance. Mother-of-one Briony Jo said an East Butler staff member had spent half the morning tidying up the mess that was the responsibility of Liberal Party representatives to get rid of two days earlier. The school was left a mess which is disappointing because its not our responsibility to clean up, she said. "The ability to measure with increasing accuracy is part of the advancement of our species," said Walter Copan, director of NIST. The decision to redefine four base units of the International System of Units was made in November at the 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures in Versailles, France. Delegates from 60 member states assembled in a large auditorium for the historic vote. It was unanimous. A standing ovation and champagne toast followed. "The meeting itself was an electric experience," said Copan, who represented the U.S. "It was a long journey to get to this point." How we got the kilogram The origins of the metric system date back to the French Revolution in the late 1700s. At the time, an estimated 250,000 different units of measurement were being used in France, making commerce and trade a challenge. The new system was designed to be rational and universal, with units based on properties of nature rather than royal decree or the whims of local dukes and magistrates. "The idea was that these measurements would be eternal and the same for everybody, everywhere," said Ken Alder, a science historian at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The foundational unit of the system was the metre, which was supposed to be one ten-millionth the distance from the North Pole to the equator along the Paris meridian. (Scientists at the time made a slight error in their measurements, and the metre is about 2 millimetres longer than it should be.) At the same time, the kilogram was defined as the mass of 10 cubic centimetres of water at 4 degrees Celsius. These units were adopted by the French Republic in 1795, although in practice, people continued to use their own local measurements for decades. "It's not like everyone jumped on the bandwagon as soon as the metric system was formalised," said Barry Taylor, a scientist emeritus at NIST. "That was definitely not the case." Countries in Europe and South America adopted the metric system throughout the 19th century. In 1875, delegates from the U.S. and 16 other countries signed the Treaty of the metre in Paris. It established a universal system of units based on the metre, the kilogram and the second that would streamline trade among nations. (The second was defined as [6,400 of the average time it takes for Earth to complete a single rotation on its axis.) Although the metre and the kilogram were based on the size of Earth, they were officially defined by metal artifacts, including Le Grand K, that were cast in London in 1889 and kept in a vault in the basement of the newly created International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres, France. Member nations received one of 40 precise replicas. A replica of the International Prototype Kilogram at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. Credit:AP The Treaty of the metre also established the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), an international group tasked with studying and voting on proposed changes to units of measurement for all member states. "Metrology is a living science," Schlamminger said. The CGPM approved three more base units in 1954 - the ampere for electrical current, the kelvin for thermodynamic temperature and the candela for luminous intensity. In 1967, it redefined the second based on the oscillations of a cesium-133 atom - a much more precise and dependable pendulum than Earth's slightly wobbly rotation. In 1983, the metre became the first metric unit tied to a fundamental property of the universe when it was redefined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in {99,792,458 of a second. "Today we can measure the distance from the Earth to a satellite 6 kilometres away to the exquisite precision of 6 millimetres," Schlamminger said. "Try that with a metre stick." And yet the kilogram remained tethered to the mass of Le Grand K, an object so precious it was removed from its triple-locked vault only once every 40 years for cleaning and calibration. Metrologists have longed to update the definition of the kilogram since the early 1900s, but the ability to measure Planck's constant with the necessary precision materialized only recently. Planck's constant is a number that relates the energy and frequency of light, sort of like how pi relates the circumference and diametre of a circle. The technological advances that fixed the value of the constant came in fits and starts. In the 1970s, scientists at Britain's National Physical Laboratory developed a new type of scale that relates mass to electromagnetic force. It was named the Kibble balance in honor of its inventor, Bryan Kibble, and although it was not yet accurate enough to redefine the kilogram, it suggested a path forward. By 2005, measurements made with the Kibble balance had improved enough that a group of researchers known among metrologists as the Gang of Five wrote a paper titled, "Redefinition of the kilogram: a decision whose time has come." "That paper really started this whole odyssey," Schlamminger said. In 2013, experts agreed that to change the definition national metrology institutes would need to measure Planck's constant to a precision of 20 parts per billion, and show that two different methods of taking the measurement would produce the same answer. Kibble balances provided one value. The other measurement involved a softball-sized sphere of pure enriched silicon. The structure of the 1-kilogram sphere, and the atoms inside it, allowed scientists to precisely measure Avogadro's constant, which relates the number of atoms or molecules in a substance to its mass. That was used to determine Planck's constant with the help of well-understood equations. "The silicon sphere served as a check on the Kibble balance approach," Taylor said. A similar philosophy of using fixed constants underlies the new definitions of the mole, the kelvin and the ampere. After Monday, the mole will be defined by the value of Avogadro's constant, the kelvin by the value of the Boltzmann constant (which relates temperature to energy), and the ampere by the value of the elementary charge, the smallest observable charge in the universe. "Everyone has access to these fundamental constants," Schlamminger said. "They don't discriminate between rich and poor. All you need is a bit of physics." The emperor meets Mr Hawke With a white enamel spittoon by his side, and a cigarette in his hand, the man in the grey mao suit, Deng Xiaoping, 81, gave Bob Hawke a living lesson in political longevity today. Today, the emperor of the communist dynasty granted an audience to the Australian Prime Minister, who, like most visitors, was in awe of the diminutive Deng. It was, Mr Hawke said, one of the most interesting hours of my political life. An alternative to caning About half a dozen NSW schools are trying an isolation technique to enforce discipline as an alternative to caning, which will be banned in State schools next year. The headmaster of Doonside High, Mr Jim Abbey, said serious discipline problems were limited to only about 50 students. On average, the cane was used about a dozen times a term. We have never been big on the cane here, Mr Abbey said. Piece of Sydney unearthed Two convict-built bores, abandoned a century before, would be incorporated as attractions in the $58 million Sydney Sports Ground redevelopment. The bores, just off Moore Park Road, were located earlier this year by a water board surveyor technician, Mr Ian Thorpe, the Herald reported. The bores had been sunk to a sandstone tunnel linking Hyde Park with the Lachlan Swamps, near Centennial Park. Victoria is facing intense pressure to sign up to the Morrison government's school funding deal, with federal funds set to stop flowing to state, Catholic and independent schools at the end of next month. State education minister James Merlino halted negotiations earlier this year, pinning his hopes on a Labor victory and more federal funding for state schools. Victoria is now the only Australian state that has refused to sign up to the five-year Gonski 2.0 funding deal put on the table by the newly re-elected Coalition government. Victoria is facing intense pressure to sign up to a new school funding deal with the federal government. Credit:Louie Douvis There are only five weeks until the current round of funding runs out. The year 2019 is fast emerging as the annus horribilis for the ALP. A loss in a state election that many thought within reach until a leaders loose lips saw the party hit the self-destruct button a week out from the election. And then Saturdays federal election that saw a resounding rejection of their alternative vision for Australia. The fallout will necessarily be large and immediate. The morning after ... Bill Shorten commiserates with wife Chloe. Credit:Darrian Traynor Labor is now leaderless at both state and federal level, having chosen to wait for the federal election result to appoint a NSW leader. It is emblematic of the problems facing the party. Where to now for Labor? Rubbing salt into the wounds is the kind of free assessment offered by former deputy prime minister and political opponent, Barnaby Joyce, during Saturday nights election coverage. I think theres a lesson here for the Australian Labor Party, Mr Joyce began. You walked away from your blue-collar base. In this area [New England] people are talking about their power prices, they want to know how they can get dignity in their lives, by being able to turn on their fridge, turn on their toaster, [these are the issues] that resonates with them [your] form of politics does not work in these areas. New go-slow zones through Brisbanes suburban retail and shopping precincts do not go far enough, according to the council opposition. Brisbane City Council on Monday announced two new 40km/h zones on retail strips on Oxley Road at Corinda and on Old Cleveland Road at Stones Corner. Slower speed limits should be applied beyond places such as Stones Corner, the opposition says. Credit:Jim Malo Labor opposition infrastructure spokesman Steve Griffiths said speed limits also needed to be slowed to 40km/h in busy retail areas at Wynnum, Sandgate, Richlands, Moorooka and Hawthorne. Cr Griffiths said the opposition's research indicated slower speeds in other retail strips were just as important. Huawei has vowed to continue providing security updates and after-sales services for its smart phone handsets as Australian telecommunications providers say they are working to understand the impact of Google's decision to withdraw services from the Chinese company. News emerged yesterday that Google would retract permission from users of Huawei phones to update Android software and to potentially restrict their access to the Google Play store and other features such as Gmail. The move comes as a result of the Trump administration's black ban of the Chinese company on security grounds. Telstra says it only sells Huawei's flagship P30 phone. Credit:AP Technology analysis firm Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said the technology ban would apply to future Huawei models only, and that those using existing handsets would still have access to the Google Play store and other features. But the full ramifications remain unclear. "Exit poll results have put to rest any concerns about the present government not coming back," said Paresh Nayar, Mumbai-based head of currency and money markets at FirstRand Ltd. "Financial markets are going to cheer these exit poll results." To the very end, he campaigned as a passionate Hindu. Modi spent Saturday night and Sunday morning, the last day of the election, praying at a Hindu shrine and meditating in a remote Himalayan cave. At least seven exit polls released by Indian media organisations Sunday night predicted that Modi's party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, and its allies would win at least 280 of the 545 seats in the lower house of Parliament, empowering them to choose the next prime minister. If the actual results back the polls up, it will be a much more dominating performance than many analysts had thought was possible. Official results are expected Thursday. "The exit polls are surprising," said Sudha Pai, a former political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, the capital. Modi's social media efforts and the fact that the opposition was divided delivered bigger-than-expected gains, she said. Similar exit polls in other recent Indian elections have accurately predicted the broader trends. The exit polls this time forecast that the Indian National Congress, the leading opposition party, would do marginally better than its stunning defeat in the last elections in 2014. But it still seemed destined to remain a distant second. Rahul Gandhi, Congress' leader and the scion of an Indian political dynasty, had tried to pick up votes by appealing to communal harmony and minority rights. But that seemed no match for Modi's aggressive and well-financed campaign machine, which enjoys the fervent support of many grassroots groups within India's Hindu majority. A Hindu holy man displays the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote in Varanasi, India, on Sunday. Credit:AP "One thing we know for sure is that Modi remains incredibly popular despite everything that's happened in the last five years," said Milan Vaishnav, a South Asia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Nothing really sticks to him." The elections were a six-week affair. Voting was conducted in stages, with different parts of the country voting at different times. The first votes were cast in mid-April and the last ones were Sunday. All results will be released together, on Thursday. Indian officials moved from constituency to constituency across this vast landscape, from high snowy mountains to lush tropical isles in the Andaman Sea. Wherever he campaigned, Modi made national security a major issue. Grumbles about his missteps on the economy had been growing, and farmers had protested against his government, saying its policies were making them poorer. But in February, Modi got a huge boost. After militants struck Indian forces in the disputed territory of Kashmir, which both India and Pakistan claim, Modi ordered airstrikes on Pakistan. No matter that independent security analysts said the airstrikes missed their targets. Or that Pakistan downed an Indian fighter jet the next day. Indian flags popped up across the country overnight, raised by a burst of jingoism, and Modi's approval ratings swiftly increased. As news of the exit polls spread, the people most distressed were India's minorities. Under Modi's government, mob violence against Muslims, who make up about 14%, and lower caste Hindus has increased, and the bloodshed often goes unpunished. Modi's brand of politics, rooted in Hindu supremacist groups that believe Hindus are the rightful rulers of India, has polarised this heterogeneous country, raising fear and tensions. If the exit poll data is any indication, it seems the opposition parties' complaints that India has become more divided under Modi did not change many voters' minds. According to the data, Modi's party won in most of the areas it won in the last election. The big losses that some political analysts had predicted in northern India do not seem to have materialised. Like any exit polls, those in India are imperfect, but their accuracy has improved in recent years. The major exit polls in 2014 correctly predicted a win for the BJP-led coalition. In 2009, exit polls accurately forecast that Congress would gain the most seats, though the data underestimated the number ultimately won by the Congress alliance. The current exit polls were conducted by Indian research and survey organisations, many with decades of experience, which partnered with news media outlets. According to the polling organisations, the sample size for each exit poll varied from 40,000 voters to 2 million. Some analysts have cautioned that exit polls may overstate Modi's support because some people would be scared to say they voted against him. But overall, political scientists said they seemed reliable. "In the majority of the cases, exit polls have depicted the true picture," said Josukutty Cheriantharayil Abraham, director of the survey research centre at the University of Kerala. "It may not be correct in terms of the number of seats or vote percentage, but it could definitely show the trends." Schiff has experienced it personally when Trump turned his name into a profanity last fall by nicknaming him "little Adam Schitt." Schiff said, "The last time that happened, the person who did that had their mouth washed out with soap by his mother." Loading An unscientific survey seems to suggest that if anything, Trump is growing more comfortable with crudeness. He used the word "bullshit" in public just once in his first two years in office, according to the Factba.se database that tracks his speeches, but on four occasions in the last three months. He has either coarsened the public discourse or reflected it, or perhaps both, depending on your view of him, but he is not alone. Society in recent years has embraced what used to be considered profanity. Even The New York Times, the so-called Grey Lady with all the news that's fit to print, found it fit to print the BS word just 14 times in the many years before Trump's inauguration, according to a Nexis search, but has used it 26 times since not all in stories covering the President. Other presidents, of course, have engaged in common language and found a connection to everyday people. Harry S. Truman was told to "give 'em hell, Harry," to which he famously replied: "I don't give them hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's hell." But in general, it used to be something of a mini-scandal when a president was caught cursing in public. During a campaign event in 2000, George W. Bush was heard over a live microphone talking with his running mate, Dick Cheney, calling a Times reporter he did not particularly like a "major-league asshole." In 2004, as vice-president, Cheney told a senator on the Senate floor to "go f--- yourself." His successor, Joe Biden, was overheard in 2010 using a variation of that profanity to tell Barack Obama what a big deal passage of health care legislation was. Never has any president pushed the boundaries of language as far as Trump. He had a foul mouth long before politics, of course, but he seemed to try, however fitfully, to clean it up for a while when he set his sights on the White House. Still, he could not resist at times. At one rally during his 2016 campaign, he quoted a supporter calling a Republican rival, Ted Cruz of Texas, a "pussy." US President Donald Trump. Credit:Bloomberg Once taking office, he tried, at least, to keep it private, but he was uninhibited when the cameras were not on. After the special counsel, Robert Mueller, was appointed, he told aides, "I'm f---ed." Speaking with lawmakers, he called African nations "shithole countries." Yet Trump feigned shock in January when the newly elected congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said she and her fellow House Democrats were "going to impeach the motherfucker." The President told reporters that "she dishonoured herself" by "using language like that in front of her son and whoever else was there." Mick Mulvaney, the White House chief of staff, acknowledged a certain raw quality in Trump's discourse but dismissed its significance. "The President does use coarse language in private a lot with us," he told Jake Tapper on CNN after Tlaib's comment. "Many people do." But, he added, "I think there's more important things as to who's coarsening the language." Loading Any restraint Trump may have sought to exhibit early in his term seems to have eroded in recent months. In a January interview with The Times, he boasted that he had "beat the shit out of" Republican rivals in 2016. A month later, he told the Conservative Political Action Conference that his enemies were trying to take him out "with bullshit". A few weeks later, he told a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that Democrats were peddling "ridiculous bullshit" about him. In April, he said some statements in the special counsel report were "total bullshit." Last week, he retweeted a post by his son Eric Trump saying that under Bill de Blasio, the New York mayor now running for president, "our great city has gone to shit." By the time the president took the stage before the National Association of Realtors in Washington on Friday, he was in a feisty mood. Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran in a tweet, raising concerns about a potential US-Iran conflict at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump said in a tweet on Sunday. US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, and his administration says it has built up the US military presence in the region. It accuses Iran of threats to US troops and interests. Tehran has described US moves as "psychological warfare" and a "political game". PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in an Urgent Plenary Public session on Monday, May 20, 2019. The Public meeting is scheduled for 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport will be present. The agenda point to be discussed is: The effects of the lumpsum subsidy on the FAVE and SVOBE schools, whereby school boards have clearly expressed that lower student numbers resulting in lower subsidies threatens their financial position and negatively affects quality education in their schools (IS/1001/2018-2019 dated May 16, 2019) (This meeting was requested by MP MP E.J. Doran, MP S.E. Jacobs and MP C.T. Emmanuel) Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament PHILIPSBURG:--- The official opening of the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian Schools new playground area took place on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The opening was performed by Mrs. Asha Stevens, the Founder of the school together with board and management. Mrs. Jose Sommers and Mr. Leonaris Rey representing the Board of Foresee (4C) Foundation and other stakeholders. After the passing of Hurricane Irma in 2017, the old playground sets were badly damaged and the areas became a hazard. As part of a US150,000 Foresee Educational Irma relief grant with funding to 4C by Caribbean based Windsong Foundation, playground equipment at the value of over US$ 15,000 was received by the school. The preparation of the surface, the supply of the grass mats and installation were done by Always Green and the management and staff of the Hillside Christian School. On behalf of the board, Rev. Father Rawlins and Mrs. Asha Stevens expressed their appreciation applauding the initiative referring to the core of our needs to play and move as this is what life and education are about. Management shared the excitement of the children who could not wait for the cutting of the ribbon allowing them the play during recess time and Physical Education classes. Jose Sommers on behalf of Foresee was very proud to see the team effort where so many played a role to assist in this project, where 4C board volunteered to bring all equipment to the schools, local transportation companies helped out, King Ocean/CTC gave a considerable discount on 3 container shipments and the Hillside board, management, staff with the help of parents got this project executed. She stated that projects like this can only succeed where it is done together. The playground features equipment suitable for children from 3-12 years. Among the equipment is a multi-play-tower-unit with slides, a roundabout, a seesaw, a rock-climbing wall, and a halfmoon climber. After hurricane Irma Foresee foundation started an Irma relief grant project to assist schools and other educational nonprofits with the aim to assist them to get back on their feet by giving support in areas that usually do not fall within the scope of insurance or regular school subsidies. Besides school uniforms, educational materials, afternoon school and membership fees for art classes, playgrounds formed a major part of this grant to a total of 15 schools and foundations. The exitement on the faces of the children and even adult staff confirmed the decision to focus on playground equipment. The Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School would like to thank Always Green, 4C Foundation and a special thank you to Mrs. Jose Sommers for making this all possible, being fully convinced this donation will definitely contribute to the holistic development of its students. SIMPSON BAY:--- Vice President of the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, Axel van Trotsenburg, is calling on all stakeholders involved in the restoration of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) to step up the pace and have Airport reconstruction works completed sooner rather than later. The visiting World Bank official has gone a step further by advising PJIAE management to work triple shifts if necessary, to ensure work is being carried out around the clock and also to ensure that personnel involved in that work are not being overworked. The strong words of advice came on the opening day of a working visit to PJIAE last Thursday, at the invitation of PJIAE CEO, Mr. Brian Mingo. Also taking part in the airport visit, was the Honorable, Minister of TEATT, Mr. Stuart Johnson, the Managing Board of the Princess Juliana International Airport, Members of the National Recovery Program Bureau, the representative of St. Maarten to the Steering Committee of the World Bank Trust Fund, the Director of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and members of the Kingdom affairs (BZK) Mr. Brian Mingo said Mr. Trotsenburgs comments were heard loud and clear and fell perfectly in line with his own views and conviction and also that of his Managing Board. He said he has been pressing himself, from January this year, for the next phase of the airport restoration program to get underway once financing can be secured. We both recognize that the full return of PJIAE is very important to the economy of the island, not only in terms of airlift but also as an indicator to the many investors waiting in the wings, that the island is fully recovered and fully operational once again, said Mr. Mingo. The Airport Chief said recent news that Dutch carrier KLM will be reinstating direct scheduled flights from Schiphol Airport to PJIAE, adds further weight to Mr. Trotenburgs comments on the need to speed up the next phase of the restoration process, which is expected to begin in Q3, 2019. I am very happy to be hosting the visit of Mr. Trotsenburg and to get the opportunity to show him what we have done so far and how we intend to proceed in the coming weeks and months. I also recognize that he has not held back on his public comments about the need to step up the pace and get things moving, said Mr. Mingo. Mr. Mingo is also encouraged that even before his arrival at PJIAE, Mr. Trotsenburg has commented in the media about improvements in the restoration of the island generally since his last visit, providing him with encouragement that things are on the right track. Mr. Mingo says the critical need to get the airport back up and running because of its role as the heartbeat of the economy is as clear as the need for the $100 Million loans being provided by the World Bank and European Investment Bank (EIB) for the second phase, or Package 2, of the restoration program. The CEO, Mr. Mingo, says meantime, he will continue to look for ways to speed up the process to ensure the newly reconstructed Airport is unveiled in 2020, with the introduction of triple shifts if that is what it will take. Based only on the amazing work the Management Board has done immediately after Hurricane Irma and up to the present time I am confident we will be able to deliver a fully functional PJIAE within the target date of 2020, especially with the support of top officials like Mr. Trotsenburg who remain in our corner and continue to provide the kind of encouragement that he gives, said Mr. Mingo. Tata Communications Transformation Services partners with Africa Development Solutions to bridge the digital divide in Africa Partnership will help accelerate access to ICT, enabling equitable distribution of digital know-how, job creation and enhanced socio-economic development Mumbai, Kigali and Dakar 20th May 2019 ? Tata Communications Transformation Services Limited (TCTS), a leading Telco transformation and managed services provider, is partnering with Africa Development Solutions (ADS Group) to facilitate building the fibre infrastructure backbone across Africa and enable a digital economy that can empower societies and communities, in line with the Smart Africa vision. TCTS will perform pre-feasibility assessments with ADS for African nations, studying existing as well as planned fibre infrastructure and deploy a strong multi-country connectivity infrastructure backbone. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled innovations can drive economic opportunities across industries, benefitting consumers, businesses and governments. The Smart Africa initiative prioritises ICT as a key enabler and the pivot to drive the continent?s socio-economic development agenda. The initiative works towards improving scalability and accessibility of connectivity within and to urban, suburban and rural areas in Africa. This partnership between TCTS and ADS aims to drive deployment of ICT in the continent with the aim to promote equitable and sustainable development across African nations. As a first step, TCTS and ADS are jointly coordinating the delivery of the ?Western African Digital Pool?, which consists of deploying internet connectivity over 7 African countries, including Guinea-Conakry, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra-Leone, Senegal, Cote d?Ivoire, Liberia and Mali. This project will be conducted in conjunction with Smart Africa and is considered a major step towards the implementation of a single digital market in Africa. Proposed technologies may include aerial fibre and free space optical cables to ensure fast deployment, and best quality at affordable prices. TCTS and ADS plan to deliver the required infrastructure upon completion of the preliminary studies, currently undergoing the first phase. Madhusudhan Mysore, Executive Chairman & CEO, Tata Communications Transformation Services says: ?Over the past few years, ICT has emerged as a significant contributor to the African economy. At TCTS, we see this as an important landmark in the evolution of digital economy in Africa as connectivity becomes a prerequisite to the socio-economic development of the continent. TCTS has vast experience in leading Telcos in Africa to accelerate and de-risk their transformation journey. Our partnership with ADS will further strengthen TCTS? presence in Africa and enable us to contribute more broadly in the knowledge sharing and nation building initiatives that will enhance competitiveness of the African continent.? TCTS? experience, spanning 10+ years, in transforming, simplifying and managing global networks offers ADS an edge in terms of market awareness, product knowledge, best practices and multi-vendor domain skills that can enable ADS to deliver real world success and value to customers. With an extensive experience in supporting the development of fibre networks and innovative IT solutions designed for rural areas, where nearly 65% of the African population still lives today, ADS will be a partner of choice for TCTS. ?It is great to see that a renowned expert in ICT networks deployment like TCTS is ready to further commit to Africa?s development?, said Samba Bathily, Founder and CEO of Africa Development Solutions. ?We therefore look forward to working with TCTS teams and bring them our field experience and our own expertise in project assessment, management and financing. ICT access will be a game-changer and a growth-driver for the continent. We just need the infrastructure to create economic opportunities for our communities and unleash African talent and creativity,? he added. TCTS manages one of the largest and most extensive fibre networks, consisting of over 500,000 kilometres subsea fibre and over 210,000 kilometres of terrestrial fibre, and has a strong track record in rapidly scaling resources and skills required for large scale design and roll-out of fibre infrastructure. With automation at the heart of its operations, TCTS provides expertise in planning, designing, roll-out, construction, activation and assurance of fibre network, along with streamlining industry standards and home grown processes to maximise efficiency. TCTS and ADS showcased the next-generation communications infrastructure and roadmap that aims to transform Africa into an integrated single digital market, at the Transform Africa Summit 2019 in Kigali. TCTS and ADS conducted a workshop on Building a Single Digital Market for Africa, showcasing their respective experiences in next generation technologies enabling digital transformation and reducing digital divide by accelerating access to affordable and abundant internet using FSOC (Free Space Optical Communications), building Smart City & IoT networks, implementing and scaling-up the smart villages concept delivering E-health through Virtual clinics and bringing connectivity to the unconnected areas through Subsea networks and Safety through Cyber Security response centres. Unbabel announces partnership with Google through its International Growth Program ? Google?s International Growth Team partners up with Unbabel? Partnership will help Google?s clients provide multilingual customer support? Announcement of Unbabel and Google joint webinar on May 21 London, UK; Lisbon, Portugal. 20th May 2019. Unbabel, the leading enterprise multilingual support provider, has launched its partnership with Global Business Solutions, provided by Google?s International Growth Team, aimed at providing enterprises with the power to support customer queries in up to 29 languages seamlessly. Google?s International Growth Team aims to remove clients? operational hurdles through Google?s best-in-class operational advisory and partner network on localization, global payments, international logistics and global CX solutions. Google chose Unbabel to help clients overcome one key obstacle to internationalization: the language barrier in customer service. By including Unbabel?s AI-powered, human-refined ?translation-as-a-service? model as part of a toolkit it offers to enterprises, Google is helping clients to scale their businesses abroad and improve their customer experience globally. ?A key enabler of success for the program is the partner network that we extend to our advertisers,? said Rebecca Walsh, International Growth Program Manager at Google. ?We?re very excited to partner with Unbabel to help accelerate our clients? international expansion and ensure a consistently high-quality experience in their customers? native languages.? The announcement comes ahead of a joint webinar, ?Go global, serve local: accelerating growth with Unbabel?, on seamless multilingual customer support, presented by Unbabel and Google, on May 21. With registration now open, the webinar is an opportunity for companies to learn how to provide operationally efficient customer support in every language without compromising on quality. Vasco Pedro, CEO of Unbabel, commented: ?Our partnership with Google is a significant moment in the future of global customer service. Our unique technology coupled with Google?s global reach will, I hope, make it easier than ever for companies to serve their customers in their native language.? A brief summary on ie-Domains and Irish-Domains Posted by Publisher Telecommunication General overview The country code top level domain (ccTLD) for Ireland is the ie-Domain. This ccTLD is managed by a not for profit organization in Dublin, Ireland know as the ?Irish Domain Registry? or IEDR. The IEDR is not a regulatory body and provides the service to the public and internet community. The registry is responsible for the provision of IE names and the rules relating to their registration. The IEDR implements a dispute resolution policy for domains through the WIPO and unlike other registries operates Monday to Friday during business hours. Requirements to register The ie-Domain itself is a restricted domain in that only applicants who meet certain criteria may register this name. The two main requirements are: Being based in Ireland or having a strong link to Ireland (both northern and southern Ireland). Where the applicant is not based in Ireland information showing this connection must be provided. This connection could be provided e.g. by a trade mark registered in Ireland. Secondly the entity registering the domain must have a connection to the name and where this connection is not obvious, must provide evidence of this connection. If you do not seem to comply with the requirements, Secura GmbH will help you. If in spite the help, your ie-Domain is not possible, the domain experts of Secura check if it is possible to register the Irish-Domain, the domain of the Irish Community. The Irish-Domains has also requirements, but they are less strict. Resellers and registration process Domains are registered through approved domain resellers and are passed to the domain registry directly for approval. The approval process is carried out by a team of people known as IEDR Hostmasters. It is their responsibility to ensure the registration requirements are adhered to. Communication is passed to the approved reseller in the case where more information is required. This thorough process of vetting has led to both positive and negative effects on the domain name?s reputation. Positive and negative aspects to the domain On the positive side the domain was recently voted the second safest domain in the world after the Finnish ccTLD. Generally speaking IE domains are held in high regard by Irish based internet surfers. It is seen as a mark of quality or authenticity when doing business online and as a result ie-Domain based websites are trusted over their .com cousins. Very rarely are large spam attacks initiated through an ie-Domain and the rate of hacks and other internet attacks from IE hostnames is quite low. The price of ie-Domain domain names are higher than the average TLD or ccTLD. This is due to the traditionally large human input required to approve and manage a domain portfolio. Recently the domain registry themselves have implemented an API mechanism to fast track registration, billing and modifications of domain names. This was carried out by liaising with the reseller community to assess their needs on a day to day basis. Because of the successful implementation of this API amongst the community the price of registering ie-Domains has fallen with some suppliers leading the way in the price reduction. Future of the domain The future of the ie-Domain is bright. New technical advancements in the API as well as the continued reduction in the Irish domain price mean the number of registrations is increasing constantly. Increased promotion of the domain brand by the domain registry and reseller community alike has also led to increased registrations. Hans-Peter Oswald https://www.domainregistry.de/ie-domain.html (English) https://www.domainregistry.de/ie-domains.html (German) https://www.domainregistry.de/irish-domain.html (English) http://www.domainregistry.de/irish-domains.html (deutsch) Abdruck und Veroeffentlichung honorarfrei! Der Text kann veraendert werden. Secura GmbH ist ein von ICANN akkreditierter Registrar fur Top Level Domains. Secura kann generische Domains registrieren, also z.B..com, .net etc. und daruber hinaus fast alle aktiven Lander-Domains registrieren. 2018 landete Secura beim Industriepreis unter den Besten. Secura gewann 2016 den \Ai Intellectual Property Award 2016\ als \Best International Domain Registration Firm Germany\. Beim \Innovationspreis-IT der Initiative Mittelstand 2016\ wurde Secura als Innovator qualifiziert und wurde beim \Innovationspreis-IT der Initiative Mittelstand 2016\ im Bereich e-commerce auch als einer der Besten ausgezeichnet. Beim Innovationspreis-IT der Initiative Mittelstand 2012 und beim Industriepreis 2012 landete Secura GmbH unter den Besten. Beim HOSTING & SERVICE PROVIDER AWARD 2012 verfehlte Secura nur knapp die Gewinner-Nominierung. Seit 2013 ist Secura auch bei den Neuen Top Level Domains sehr aktiv. Secura meldet Marken fur die Sunrise Period als Official Agent des Trade Mark Clearinghouse an. ICANN-Registrar Secura GmbH Frohnhofweg 18 D-50858 Koeln Germany Phone: +49 221 2571213 Fax: +49 221 9252272 secura@domainregistry.de http://www.domainregistry.de http://www.com-domains.com Two of the most important priorities in a manufacturing environment are safety and productivity. Failure to follow safe work practices around machinery on a factory floor can result in serious injury, while poor productivity can erode profits and ultimately threaten the viability of the business. At WCCO Belting, a Wahpeton, North Dakota-based manufacturer of custom rubber products for agriculture and light-industrial conveyor equipment, a March Networks video surveillance solution plays a key role in enhancing both safety and productivity. Monitor work processes Recently, for example, we had a minor safety incident on one of our machines that was captured by the system, said Michael Marsh, Senior Technology Administrator. The video not only allowed us to determine the cause of the incident, it also helped us create a proprietary piece of equipment to ensure that the accident would never happen again. Safety was the main reason WCCO Belting acquired a March Networks system in 2015 Safety was the main reason WCCO Belting acquired a March Networks system in 2015, but the company soon discovered it could use the technology for other equally important priorities. We found that we could use the video solution for time studies, to be more effective and efficient, said Marsh. WCCO engineers use the video to monitor work processes and then tweak them to speed production, while ensuring optimum quality. Security system integrator The company selected Marco Technologies as its security system integrator in 2015, and acquired March Networks 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs shortly thereafter. Two years later, when WCCO Belting decided to also equip a second production facility in Arlington, Texas, it upgraded to a March Networks Command Recording Software (CRS) solution in North Dakota and moved the 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs to its Texas facility. At the same time, the company deployed March Networks Command Enterprise Software to tie all the video from its geographically-dispersed facilities together, said Marsh. The software enables WCCO Belting to oversee everything and manage the entire system from a single point of entry. In addition, approximately 50 March Networks IP cameras including indoor domes with wide dynamic range and outdoor IR bullet cameras provide crystal-clear video of activity on the companys factory floors, loading docks and parking lots. Remote configuration Marsh cites ease of use and outstanding support as the main reasons for selecting the video solution. The technology is easy to implement, easy to use and easy to navigate. Support has also been great. When we ran into some early issues, they responded quickly to help resolve the problem. We didnt have to uproot a lot of the architecture already in place" More recently, when we decided to expand the system to include our second location, it was Marco that recommended the CRS solution and the redeployment of our NVRs to Texas. It was really plug and play. That was the winning piece for us. We didnt have to uproot a lot of the architecture already in place. A system that was easy to rollout was important because WCCO Beltings IT department does the physical camera install themselves, while partnering with Marco Technologies for remote configuration. Command mobile app Its one of the reasons we like March Networks, because were a hands-on IT department, explained Marsh. We like to make sure were always on top of things and that we understand the equipment were working with. If we cant install it ourselves and need someone to come in and do it for us, it just creates future costs. Aside from the IT department, which has administrative access to the system, authorised supervisors and managers at WCCO Belting are able to audit video for safety and security purposes. Temporary access is also provided to engineering staff for time studies. Marsh and several supervisors also have access to video through the Command Mobile app on their smartphones. Available as a free download from the Apple Store and Google Play, Command Mobile runs on iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Track offending vehicle Remote, after-hours access to video proved valuable during the previously mentioned safety incident, for example, by allowing managers to pull up video from home and use it to make decisions quickly, said Marsh. The video solution has also proven useful to local law enforcement, as some of the bullet cameras covering the employee parking lot at the North Dakota facility also have a clear view of North 9th St., a busy artery in the town of 8,000. The video resolution was so good that we were able to quickly track the offending vehicle" One day, I was called to the front desk and met by two police officers and three sheriffs, recalled Marsh. They wanted to come to my office but didnt say why. I was never so nervous in my life. Once in my office, they explained that they wanted to see if we had any recorded video to help them solve a hit and run a block and a half down the road. We did, and the video resolution was so good that we were able to quickly track the offending vehicle. Rubber belting solutions Weve had two law enforcement visits since then, so now when they show up, I know Im not in trouble, joked Marsh. A family-owned business, WCCO Belting was founded in 1954 by Ed Shorma, a Korean War veteran who mortgaged the family car and borrowed $1,500 to buy a shoe repair shop. Propelled by Shormas strong work ethic and talent for ingenuity, the business grew and evolved as a manufacturer of rubber belting solutions, leading to Shormas recognition as Small Business Person of the Year by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1982. WCCO Belting is currently led by president and CEO, Tom Shorma, Eds son, and has 270 employees 200 in North Dakota and 70 in Texas. The companys rubber product solutions are sought after worldwide, and exported to customers in more than 20 countries. The company won North Dakotas Exporter of the Year award in 2003, and in 2010 and 2016 it was the recipient of the Presidential E Award and E-Star award for its export promotion efforts. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 41F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 30F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 75F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 58F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. The Chilean mountaintop where the Giant Magellan Telescope will rise, as seen in May 2019. An arid mountaintop in the Chilean Andes is being transformed into a next-generation astronomy hub. Hard-rock excavation at the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) site a patch of rocky desert 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) above sea level, about a 2-hour drive from the coastal town of La Serena wrapped up in March. And the project team recently selected a contractor to build the mount, a steel structure that will house the huge telescope's mirrors and scientific instruments. "This is the core of the observatory," said Robert Shelton, president of the GMTO Corp. Related: Gallery: The Giant Magellan Telescope Envisioned in Chile Mount construction "is the single largest procurement we will be involved with anywhere from $120 million to $140 million," Shelton told Space.com. Total costs for the project are expected to exceed $1 billion, he added. The GMT will integrate seven primary mirrors to form a light-collecting surface 80 feet (24.5 m) wide, giving the scope a resolving power 10 times greater than that of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope . (The scope will also employ seven smaller secondary mirrors, which will bounce light from the primaries down to a camera system.) Overhead view of the Giant Magellan Telescope site in mid-March 2019. Excavation for the pier and enclosure foundations is complete. Trenching work for the upgraded water and electrical distribution systems can be seen at the top of the image. (Image credit: Giant Magellan Telescope GMTO Corporation) The GMT will therefore be able to make groundbreaking observations in a number of fields, project team members have said. For example, the megascope will scan the atmospheres of nearby alien planets for possible signs of life , help astronomers understand how the first galaxies formed, and gather data that could shed light on mysterious dark matter and dark energy. Five of the primary mirrors have already been cast , at the University of Arizona's Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory. One of those five is completely done, and the other four are in various stages of processing. (It takes a long time and a lot of exacting work to turn a raw cast mirror into a precisely polished finished product .) Each primary mirror, by the way, is about 27 feet (8.4 m) wide so big that these key pieces will have to travel to Chile by boat. Related: Report from Chile: Giant Magellan Telescope Groundbreaking Shelton said he expects the GMT to start observing the heavens in 2026, with just four or five of the primary mirrors installed. "As soon as we have the mount, the enclosure, the utilities and the first couple of instruments, there's no reason to wait for mirrors six and seven," Shelton said. "We'll go for that, start the engineering studies. There will always be surprises in a project this big, so let's get those going, work out the surprises and start doing science as soon as we can." The telescope should be fully up and running by 2028, he added. The GMT team must overcome a number of technical challenges to achieve their ambitious goals. Managing the scope's huge data haul will be difficult, for example, and the primary mirrors' surfaces must be pretty much perfect. (They can only be off by about 20 nanometers roughly the width of a single glass molecule.) But the toughest hurdle probably involves funding, Shelton said. GMT is a privately run project and must work hard to bring money in on schedule, from both donors and institutional partners such as universities (whose contributions will get them observing time and access to project data). "I'm confident we're going to get the funding we need, but we also need to get it on the timeline we need," Shelton said. "And the longer you take to build it, the more it costs." GMT isn't the only megascope in development. Two others are scheduled to come online in the mid-2020s as well the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii and the Extremely Large Telescope , on another high and dry Chilean peak. These three scopes will have similar aims. But they won't be redundant, Shelton said. For example, the trio will provide coverage of both the northern and southern skies, he pointed out. And their science instruments won't be identical. Accounting for bad weather and the time needed to do engineering work, each scope will likely have about 320 observing nights per year, he said. So, there'll be about 960 nights available annually on these powerful instruments nowhere near enough to satiate scientists' wants and needs. "The astronomy community will gobble that up," Shelton said. Time on these scopes, which will seek to answer some of the biggest questions in science, will be precious for decades to come, he added. "These observatories are going to last 50 years," Shelton said. Water and its chemical precursors spray out from minerals on the moon's surface after a micrometeorite impact. Researchers have delved deeper into this process in the lab, taking the influence of solar wind into account. For two decades, scientists have puzzled over the presence of water ice on the moon; now, they think they might know how it got there. A new study suggests that solar wind and micrometeorites bearing down on the lunar surface react with minerals and lead to the formation of water. Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa simulated this interaction in the lab, finding that their proxy moon rocks formed "pits" filled with water that burst open when the pressure inside grew too great. The newly formed water sprayed out as a gas, resembling steam suddenly released from a pressure cooker. "I was surprised at what it looked like; that was the biggest shock to me," study co-author Jeffrey Gillis-Davis, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in Honolulu, told Space.com. "In my mind, I thought it might leak out, not burst from the mineral so catastrophically." Related: How the Moon Formed: 5 Wild Lunar Theories | Space (Infographic) Though rocks brought to Earth by the Apollo astronauts were deemed bone-dry, scientists have since found evidence of water all across the moon's surface . The origin of the water remained a mystery; some theorized it was delivered by comet, while others proposed it may have blown out from ancient volcanoes. Recently, scientists suggested that the solar wind streams of charged particles emanating from the sun might react with oxygen contained in moon dust and rocks to generate water. But until now, lab experiments testing this theory have come up dry. The studies lacked one key ingredient: an intense burst of heat like that caused by a micrometeorite impact . "Micrometeorite impacts heat the sample," principal investigator Ralf Kaiser, director of the W.M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, told Space.com in an email. "This heating leads to the formation of water from precursors and the subsequent release." Kaiser and his collaborators watched this chemical reaction unfold by placing a common stand-in for lunar material, the mineral olivine, in a cylindrical chamber used to re-create the low-pressure environment of the moon. Through a port in the chamber, the researchers pummeled the mineral with a beam of "heavy hydrogen" ions. Heavy hydrogen ions resemble the normal hydrogen ions found in the solar wind, but each particle has an extra neutron attached, allowing the researchers to make sure their experiments weren't contaminated with water already in the lab. The scientists then zapped the mineral with a laser to mimic a barrage of micrometeorites, quickly raising its temperature to over 1,000 kelvins (over 1300 degrees Fahrenheit or 700 degrees Celsius). Sure enough, after withstanding both ion beam and laser fire, the olivine sprayed out detectable levels of "heavy water" water made with "heavy hydrogen." The material held tight to the ions until such time that a sudden rush of heat allowed the reaction to proceed. Imaging analyses revealed that a layer of the sample had "become like a English muffin in texture, full of nooks and crannies," said Gillis-Davis, marking where the liquid had formed. Applied in isolation, neither the ion beam nor the laser could wrest water from the dry mineral. "The method that this team employed combines physical and chemical processes that occur in the lunar environment, but are very difficult to recreate in a laboratory setting, let alone to merge in a single experiment," said Mehdi Benna, a planetary scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who was not involved in the study. "The results of this study confirm the long-held belief that the synergy between solar proton implementation and micrometeoroid impact provides an important pathway for water synthesis in the regolith," he told Space.com in an email. Benna led a NASA study, published this April , which concluded that water actually does spray from the lunar surface when the moon is struck by meteorite streams. The University of Hawaii paper, published today (May 20) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may offer new insight into what propels these puffs of water from the dusty lunar surface, and whether similar reactions take place on Mercury, asteroids and other airless bodies throughout the solar system. Editor's Note: This article was updated to reflect that a similar reaction is more likely to take place on Mercury than Mars. NASA's push to land humans on the moon in 2024, along with the agency's ongoing research on the International Space Station (ISS), could serve as excellent analog environments for a mission to Mars, several researchers said at the Humans to Mars Summit in Washington on Thursday (May 16). A group of researchers from space agencies, private spaceflight companies and other organizations around the world discussed how to best prepare for a mission to Mars. Such a venture involves several additional risks compared to an excursion to the moon. Among those risks, humans on Mars will have to spend long periods of time on the planet's surface in an environment that could contain Martian microbes. Already, research on the ISS has helped NASA make plans to mitigate some of the risks of sending humans to Mars, said Julie Robinson, who is chief scientist of the orbiting complex at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. For example, researchers have spent the better part of 20 years investigating the effects of microgravity on the human body; these include weakened muscles and bones, fluid shifts, and cardiovascular deconditioning. Related: From Radiation to Isolation: 5 Big Risks for Mars Astronauts (Videos) There is less risk of some of those health issues today, however, due to research on the ISS, Robinson said. We know more about how microgravity affects the human body now than we did before the ISS launched more than 20 years ago. But Mars remains tough. "As we look at the risks for all the design reference missions that could be done ... the most significant would be a human mission to Mars," she said. Robinson added that NASA's plan to land humans on the moon would provide useful data for ISS missions, which take place fully in microgravity. Watching people adapt to gravity in the lunar environment, where they weigh one-sixth as much as they do on Earth, provides an idea of how to get ready for working on Mars. A slightly larger world than the moon, Mars has a gravity that's approximately 38% of Earth's. Robinson's mention of lunar and ISS analogs for a human mission to Mars was also taken up by a representative from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and another from Duke University, although their talks (which are discussed below) focused on other topics. Martian life could be a threat The big unknown on Mars is the possible presence of life, said Lisa Pratt, NASA's planetary protection officer. Her job is to lead a team to reduce the risks of Earth equipment contaminating the surface of Mars and to prevent nasty Martian microbes from being transferred back to our own planet during future sample-return missions. Bringing samples back from a location like Mars is science fiction right now, but the future "is closer than you think," Pratt said. NASA's plans call for the first sample-return mission as early as 2026, which gives the agency only about five years to develop the appropriate technology before it gets finalized for flight. And the Mars 2020 rover mission, which launches next year, will cache samples for that 2026 sample-return mission. Much of our uncertainty about Martian life arises because we don't know what lies underground on the Red Planet, Pratt said. "There is uncertainty about vapor caves or saline groundwater below the surface of Mars," she said. Certain bacteria can thrive in high-salt environments, for example. And salts allow liquid water to flow at more-frigid temperatures that are consistent with what is found at the surface of Mars. Pratt also worried about Earth organisms contaminating the Martian environment . While studies are ongoing, "we don't know who is there," she said of the microorganisms on spacecraft. "We don't know much about the ecology of organisms that can survive in a clean-room assembly process and get on a spacecraft and launch." While the transit in space between Earth and Mars, an environment with high radiation and no oxygen, could kill some organisms, it's unclear how many would survive, she added. Studies on the ground While space environments offer better analogs for studying how the human body will behave during a Mars mission, ongoing studies on the ground here on Earth are also important to help researchers understand the risks humans face. Radiation, microbiology, waste management, and human health and performance are the four main areas under study by DLR, said Ruth Hemmersbach. She's that agency's head of the division of gravitational biology and the vice director of the agency's Institute of Aerospace Medicine. "I think it's not only necessary to do experiments in space, but we have to do these possibilities on the ground in possible microgravity environments," she said. One example is a unique DLR test facility called Envihab; it uses " bed rest studies ," in which patients remain in bed for months at a time to see how their body changes. In this controlled environment, it's easy to change parameters such as light and atmospheric conditions and watch how people react. One active area of study looks at changes in vision , which astronauts on the ISS already experience. Astronaut crews today tend to be made up of superhealthy people who are not necessarily representative of the human population as a whole, noted Daniel Buckland; he works at Duke University as an assistant professor of both emergency medicine and mechanical engineering. He urged space agencies to consider countermeasures to allow more-ordinary humans to participate. "It would be a tremendous waste of potential if the best botanist or geologist can't go [to Mars] because they are diabetic," Buckland said. "The current model of space medicine is [to] take the healthiest people you can. It limits the kind of people that can go and do the experiments on the surface." More study is ongoing into sex-based health care, including how different sexes react to the stresses of spaceflight, said Saralyn Mark, an endocrinologist, geriatrician and women's health specialist who used to be a senior medical advisor at NASA, among other prominent positions. She is now president of iGIANT, a nonprofit that focuses on translating research into gender- and sex-specific elements. Mark said that the decadal reviews used the definitions provided by the Institute of Medicine to define sex and gender: namely, sex is the biological construct whereas gender is the psychosocial construct. The definition is more nuanced today due to the influence of epigenetics, or changes in gene expression. She emphasized that there should not be a "battle of the sexes," but a focus on developing countermeasures and protocols to ensure that men and women can live and perform their duties safely and well during space exploration. All sessions for the 2019 Humans to Mars summit will be archived on the organization's website . Editor's Note: This article was corrected to remove an erroneous sentence about visual disturbances in space in men versus women and to clarify Mark's remarks about the definitions of sex and gender. Thomas Stafford recalls his launch aboard Apollo 10, 50 years ago Saturday, May 18, 2019, with emcee Mark Larson at the Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Fifty years to the day after the "dress rehearsal" for the first moon landing lifted off into history, astronauts and NASA leaders joined patrons at the mission commander's museum to celebrate Apollo 10 . The Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma hosted the hundreds of guests including the institution's namesake for the gala event on Saturday (May 18). "We call the guy 'the man' around here, Lt. General Tom Stafford. We have to say he's 'the man' because we're sitting in a building with his name on it," said Max Ary, director of the Stafford Air and Space Museum . "You all know Tom. Tom is the string tying every one of us together tonight and he is why we are here." Related: Here's Three Free Posters to Celebrate NASA's Apollo Anniversaries Stafford, now 88, launched on May 18, 1969, with crewmates Gene Cernan and John Young on an 8-day flight that did everything the first moon landing mission did, just three months later, less actually landing on the moon. "I go in first to the left, Gene goes in second to the right and then John Young goes in third through that hatch," said Stafford, describing his and his two crewmates' boarding order while pointing to actual hatch from the Apollo 10 command module on display beside him. "It is bittersweet to say that Tom is the only surviving crewmember of Apollo 10. We have lost John and Gene," said Ary, citing the deaths of Cernan in 2017 and Young in 2018 . Ary also noted that Cernan's first wife Barbara and daughter Tracy were in attendance. "Stafford, Cernan and Young were on their way [50 years ago] to becoming only the second crew to leave the gravitational pull of Earth and go out to our nearest neighbor, the moon," said Ary. Also participating in the evening were several of Stafford's fellow astronauts who contributed to the Apollo 10 mission from the ground. "One thing I would like to mention," said Stafford, "is that we had some great support crewmembers. We had Joe Engle, Charlie Duke and Jack Lousma, who are here tonight. And we had one other, Bruce McCandless, who is unfortunately no longer with us." "We had a great support crew and I cannot thank you guys enough," said Stafford. The evening, said Ary, was about more than just Apollo 10, given who was there. Joining Thomas Stafford (third from right) at the Stafford Air and Space Museum's Apollo 10 50th Anniversary gala on Saturday, May 18, 2019, were astronauts (left to right): David Scott, Fred Haise, Rusty Schweickart, Jack Lousma, Walt Cunningham, Joe Engle, Al Worden and Charlie Duke. (Image credit: collectSPACE.com) "There were 15 manned missions that used an Apollo spacecraft between 1968 and 1975. Of those 15 missions, we have in attendance tonight the prime or backup crew members from every one of those flights except Skylab 4," he said. Other astronauts who came out to celebrate included Apollo 7 pilot Walt Cunningham, Apollo 15 crewmates David Scott and Al Worden, Apollo 13 lunar module pilot Fred Haise and space shuttle mission specialist John Herrington. Former Johnson Space Center director George Abbey, former NASA Administrator (and current Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering) Michael Griffin and the current head of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, were also in Weatherford. "Apollo 10 is a significant milestone in our nation's history," said Bridenstine. The crew hatch to the Apollo 10 command module "Charlie Brown," as displayed at the Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma. The spacecraft is exhibited at Science Museum London in the United Kingdom. (Image credit: collectSPACE.com) That significance, he said, was underscored by how close the mission came to disaster. After leaving Young orbiting the moon alone in the command module "Charlie Brown," Stafford and Cernan took their lunar module, "Snoopy," down to just about 8 miles (16 kilometers) above the lunar surface. Stafford and Cernan surveyed the Sea of Tranquility, the planned landing site for Apollo 11, before executing an abort to return to the command module. "But there was a misconfiguration in the cockpit and ultimately that abort got un-aborted and the [lunar module ascent stage] went out of control," Bridenstine explained. "So they were 8 miles above the surface of the moon and the ascent module is out of control and Gene Cernan said as they tumbled, he saw the horizon of the moon go by [his window] eight times." An experienced test pilot, Stafford was fortunately able to quickly reconfigure the controls and manually regain stability, letting the mission continue as planned. "A lot of people don't realize, but assessments were done after that and if that spacecraft had tumbled two more times, it would have been unsalvageable," said Bridenstine. "We would have lost Apollo 10. And if you lost Apollo 10, there would have been no Apollo 11. And if we lost Apollo 11, we don't end up as the first nation on the surface of the moon." But as history records and Saturday night's gala commemorated, Apollo 10 was successful. It even set a few more records before returning safely home. Stafford, as the last surviving crewmember , is today the fastest human alive. He, Cernan and Young were accelerated to a record speed of 24,791 miles per hour (39,897 kilometers per hour) on their plunge back to Earth. They were also the most experienced Apollo crew, with five previous spaceflights between them, and they earned an Emmy for their television work. "It was the first time you ever saw color TV [from space] and that dynamic lens was in high resolution high resolution for those days," said Stafford. To close out the evening, the museum gifted attendees with framed and mounted fragments of Kapton multi-layer insulation that was removed from the exterior of Apollo 10's lunar module during a pre-launch repair. They are among the last few existing pieces of "Snoopy" still on Earth. "May this celebration tonight help us remember what our great nation is capable of doing when it simply puts its hearts and minds towards a common goal," said Ary. "I think if there is anything we can learn from Apollo, that is it." Click through to collectSPACE to see the lunar module "Snoopy" artifact gifted to the Apollo 10 gala attendees. Strache's Defense The Right-Wing Ideology Exposed An Austrian far-right politician got caught red-handed. Or was he? Not in his worldview, as became clear during his resignation speech. The right-wing worldview holds that if you're fighting a vast and dangerous enemy, anything goes. Virgin Chapter Eighty-Nine was written by the team of Katie Wech and Valentina L Garza and was directed by Zetna Fuentes. There were a lot of glowing hearts in this episode, but it seems like only one relationship really ends up on track by the end of this episode. Of course, weve got 11 more episodes yet to go! Lots of time for some twists and turns yet this IS a telenovela after all! I do have to say that Im getting really tired of Rafael (Justin Baldoni) being a jerk. And yes, Jane (Gina Rodriguez) does act badly here too. But lets dive inWe begin with our flashback to how Jane (Cali DiCapo) fell in love with reading and romance at age 9. We also get a re-cap of how love always came easily to Jane until it didnt. But arent we also forgetting that the first time Jane met Rafael he basically dumped her? Moving on Both, of course, are the themes of the episode.Jane is Facebook stalking Rafael and Alba (Ivonne Coll) tells her to respect the fact that Rafael has asked for space. She tells Jane that Rafael has been hurt and he needs time. Its a nice reminder of Albas own broken heart over Jorge (Alfonso DiLuca). Xo (Andrea Navedo) also tells Jane to back off and give Rafael time. Jane continues not to respect Rafaels boundaries, leading to this weeks title card . I also did love the gimmick of having her GPS call her on being a stalker too! Jane even stoops to pumping Mateo (Elias Janssen) for information on Rafael.Jane is heading to Mateos school to bump into Rafael at the book fair when she gets a call from Rafael - Mateo has had a meltdown. Jane then joins Rafael to meet with Mateos teacher, Ms Everette (Jodi Harris) who tells them that Simon called Mateo stupid but also tells them that Mateo is way behind the other children with his reading skills. Jane and Rafael are both shocked that they didnt notice but really, shouldnt the teacher have told them this at some point already? She tells them not to pressure Mateo but to make it fun with word games. Rafael says that they need to put all the crazy behind them and focus on Mateo. He tells Jane that they are a good team and theyll get him there.Meanwhile, Rogelio (Jaime Camil) gets the devastating news from the network (Gigi Bermingham and Matthew Rocheleau) that they are passing on his pilot! They tell him that its too conventional and feels too much like a soap opera. They want it to be bigger, maybe incorporate some sci fi. But the most devastating note for Rogelio is that they want younger stars.While Jane is trying to help Mateo with his reading, Rogelio also shows up having a meltdown. Really, though if a kid is karate chopping reading cards out of your hands that needs to be dealt with!!! In the end, Jane has to give both men in her life a pep talk. Rogelio and Mateo both want to quit. Rogelio tells her that the show is really the Passion of Rogelio to bring the telenovela to America and he convinces Jane to re-write the Pilot for him.While Jane is working on the proposal, she stops herself from texting Rafael only to have him text her! He wants to work together with Mateo the next day. And really? Has Rafael met Jane? He sets her up to think he is starting to come around with all the emojis! When they do work together and are clearly getting somewhere with Mateo and having fun as a family, what did he think Jane would think when he suggested that they have breakfast just the two of them???? I really dont blame Jane for jumping to conclusions because so was I!Meanwhile, Alba reaches out to Xo for help with preparing for her interview with Jorge and immigration. It is nice to see that Xo does seem to be recovering slowly. Kudos to the show again for the realistic way that they have been handling Xos cancer and kudos to Andrea Navedo for having the courage to stick with looking ill. Alba tells Xo that shes ok with Jorge not being in love with her and shes ready to get through the exam and move on. Of course, we see that shes not so ok with it when they have to practice answers for the exam. Alba gets flustered when her emotions are tweaked and worries that if they blow the exam, Jorge will get deported and she could go to jail!Rogelio and Jane meet to discuss the proposal. He tells her that for the younger leads maybe they could just CGI him younger like they did Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button. And that was easily the creepiest effect that theyve ever done! Jane suggests that they could do akind of storyline with the younger leads in the past and Rogelio and Rivers (Brooke Shields) part in the present.Rogelio immediately mentions that he knows Justin Hartley and we flash to Rogelio introducing himself while the two are in Cocoon Fitness Pods which is possibly the most bizarre product placement ever! Is it ever not hilarious when Camil gets to go to town on rolling out Rogelio de la Vega?? Of course, he doesnt really know Hartley but suggests he might get him for a cameo to which the Narrator (Anthony Mendez) says Hartley NEVER does cameos LOL! I love this clever show!Xos study session with Alba and Jorge goes really well. Jorge looks very thoughtful about Albas answer about his pride getting in the way of him loading the dishwasher correctly. Then Jane comes in all aglow with the news that Rafael wants to get together for breakfast. Xo tells her to be careful, but Jane insists that she doesnt want to. They love each other and that doesnt just go away! Jorge and Alba both look at each other thoughtfullyJane is working on the proposal which needs a big romantic gesture and naturally, being Jane, it gets her thinking about Rafael. She ends up throwing a big romantic gesture for him a surprise picnic at a house that hes supposed to be taking pictures in. Unfortunately, he shows up with his boss (AJ Tannen) and clients to look at the house! His boss tells him to leave after asking if he has romantic liaisons in all the houses they have for sale! Jane truly did screw up. Rafael reads her the riot act and tells her again that they are through. He never wanted a date, he just wanted to get together to talk about Mateo to be a good co-parent. He tells Jane that she needs to move on.Once again Xo tells Jane to leave Rafael alone. She tells her that just because you want someone doesnt mean that you get to have them. I did love them making Jane into a guy it looks super creepy! but more importantly, it really drives home what Jane was doing. Xo tells her that you cant force someone to feel something. She also tells her that she doesnt have to believe what Rafael tells her, but she does have to accept it.When Jane shows up at Rogelios without the proposal done because of stalking Rafael, hes very disappointed in her. After all, he told her how important this was to him. She returns with a Ro-morse basket hilarious! He forgives her of course and they go back to work. Rogelio actually helps Jane with her texting to Rafael keeping it just co-parenting but then Rafael has to add an emoji again! Jane finally has a breakthrough for the proposal Rogelio and River will be in the FUTURE! On MARS! They can call it!!!Alba and Jorge have their interviews. Its clear that Jorge has rediscovered his love for Alba. Alba seems to get through the interview completely matter of factly and seems a bit ticked off at Jorge what woman who lives with a man, isnt?!? LOL! When the two get the news from the lawyer that they passed, they are both thrilled. And then Jorge admits to his pride keeping them apart and says he still loves Alba! The two kiss in our typical romantic tableau. I did love how this older romantic storyline mimicked the older storyline that Rogelio had to include in his own telenovela always so clever, this show!We get a familiar scene with the Villanueva women on the swing. Jane admits that shes sad that the one thing that Mateo is struggling with is reading because of how much she loves it and the fact that shes a writer! Hmmmm. Maybe hes intimidated by all that? Xo and Jane are thrilled for Alba about Jorge. Alba also apologizes to Xo for all the grief shes given her over the years, trying to make her something she isnt. And in the end, look how much support and great advice she got from Xo! Its a really nice mother/daughter moment.Petra (Yael Grobglas) and JR (Rosario Dawson) seem to have their relationship back on track even if they have to make out in a closet to avoid Petras extra security cameras. When Petra overhears Pammy the Parrot (Katie Michels) speaking Czech on the phone, she has her arrested as the stalker. So many stalkers! Pammy denies it of courseThis allows the twins to finally come home. In the end, it turns out that Anna (Mia Allan) and Ellie (Ella Allan) faked all of it because they wanted to break Petra and JR up. It also turns out that they are afraid of JR because they saw her shoot Milosh!I really loved that we got to see how much Petra has grown as a parent. She tells JR that she has to break it off with her because she has to put the twins first. JR admits that since they got back together she hasnt tried at all with the twins. She asks for a chance to really try with the girls. Petra says ok, but she also tells Rafael about the whole thing and that they need to consider therapy for the girls. I have to admit that I was a bit impressed with how thorough the two were! They are definitely their mothers daughters when it comes to intrigue!And finally, we get back to the real intrigue and the real stalker of the episode! Bobby (Tommy Dorfman) Roses (Bridget Reagan) undercover henchman is stalking Rafael and Petra. He calls Luisa (Yara Martinez), claiming hes at the laundromat, and encourages her to push Rafael to see the Anna, Ellie, and Mateo! Why?!?!?! What are they up to?!?!?!This was a bit of a frustrating episode. I liked the new twist with Rogelios show, but Im getting tired of the Jane/Rafael plot. I did like that we seem to have come to a resolution for Jorge and Alba. Now we can turn our attention back to Rose! What is she up to? Will whatever she has planned be the thing that brings Jane and Rafael back together? Im kind of betting it is. What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts especially about what Rose is up to below! About 200 walkers and 50 cyclists participated in the Walk to End Epilepsy at Cove Island Park in Stamford on Sunday. The walk supported epilepsy awareness and raised money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut. HARTFORD A bill that would ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits from so-called puppy mills outside Connecticut is awaiting action by the House of Representatives after passing the Environment Committee with bipartisan support. Puppy mills is the term used to describe facilities established for the breeding of dogs in conditions that are regarded as inhumane. Concerns were expressed to the Environment Committee that pet shops are buying and selling dogs, cats, and rabbits from out-of-state puppy mills, and are negligent with the proper care needed to tend to the medical, social, and other basic needs of such animals while they are in pet shop care. Several states have moved to ban the sale of pets in stores outright. In 2018, California became the first state to limit the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits to those obtained from shelters and rescue centers. Animal advocacy groups are calling for a complete ban on the sale of pets from stores, while pet store owners say that they do not buy from puppy mills and express concern that a ban will hurt their business. Additionally, concern has been raised that if the state prohibits the sale of pets in stores, then pet owners may turn to unlicensed and unregulated pet vendors, most notably through the internet, in search of pets that fit their specific needs. An amendment added to the bill charges the Connecticut Department of Agriculture with reviewing the state of Californias implementation of its law and reporting back to the Environment Committee by Jan. 1. The goal of this bill is not to shut down businesses; it is to protect consumers and to cut off the puppy mill supply chain, said state Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, D-Bethel. Jo-Anne Basile, executive director of Connecticut Votes for Animals, was one of the scores who testified in favor of the bill, which eventually passed the Environment Committee by a 26-2 vote. She said more than 100 stores around the state operate by selling pet supplies and partnering with rescues, while 12 stores sell animals from other sources. Connecticuts 12 pet stores need to change their business model to reflect the values of the state, Basile said. Although Connecticut has a history in addressing puppy mills, the United States Department of Agriculture only minimally enforces standards of care as specified in the Animal Welfare Act. Also testifying in favor was Debbie Bauman, who is the owner of Barkery Bootique in New Milford, which is a pet store that sells just about everything except pets. Pets should never be treated as product and it is impossible to know for certain whether an animal was bred in inhumane conditions, Bauman said. Rep. Jason Doucette, D-Manchester, added: The bill cuts off the puppy mill channel and ensures that Connecticut residents receive animals raised in healthy environments. Annie Hornish, the Connecticut Senior State Director of The Human Society of the United States (HSUS), said the bill should not impact responsible breeders. Responsible breeders do not sell to pet shops, Hornish said. Although the majority of testimony was in favor of the bill, some say it is time for action, not further studies. The bill that came out of the Environment Committee calls for further study of a problem that requires no further study, said Debora M. Bresch, Senior State Legislative Director for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). It is no mystery that Connecticut pet stores source their puppies from puppy mills despite their claims to the contrary we have clear evidence substantiating this. Bresch added, that it is also clear that the regulatory approach, attempted over many years, has failed. A study would simply allow pet stores to continue to hide behind the facade of rescue while still engaging in the inhumane commercial pet trade. Lucia and Peter Noel, owners of the Gentle Jungle Pet Store in Meriden, said the bill misdirects anger at pet stores. By law, pet stores are required to list the origin and breeder of the puppy, have the puppy checked by the breeders veterinarian, have the puppy checked again by their own veterinarian, and have the puppy checked by their veterinarian every subsequent week, the Noels testified. Although something needs to be done on a federal level, the Gentle Jungle Pet Store does not, and cannot buy from puppy mills. Another concern is that the legislation may create a different problem. Although supportive of the bill, it is concerning that individuals who come to discover that puppies sold in pet stores originate from puppy mills may shift their purchases to online stores, Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-Fairfield, said. Such online stores are unregulated and many of these animals also originate from puppy mills. For years, people have been searching online for a way to work from home. In the past this typically resulted in a lot of bogus remote jobs such as the infamous job offer to fill out endless online surveys for pennies. Sound familiar? But remote work is on the rise; according to the State of the Remote Job Marketplace report from FlexJobs, an estimated 3.9 million Americans work from home at least half the time. There are also a ton of work-from-home jobs you can land that are not only legitimate but pay well too. Related: The Tricks and Secrets to Mastering a Remote Workforce You still have to watch out for scams, though. According to the same report from FlexJobs, 60 to 70 scams exist for every one legitimate work-from-home job. So, how do you find a real remote job online? Follow these steps. Use a remote work job site. If youre looking for legitimate remote work on Craigslist and Kijiji, youre not going to find it. Although you can find some legitimate remote opportunities on these sites, youll spend hours and come across a number of scams as well. Instead, use a job site thats specifically geared toward remote work.That way, youll get instant access to numerous real remote job listings. But, with any site, still be wary of fakes. Because there are a number of signs that a remote job is a scam, here are a few that you should watch out for: Youre asked for personal information right way. When you apply to a remote job and are asked for personal information right away such as your social security number, your bank account, phone number and address and date of birth -- steer clear. Shady email addresses. If the contact email address is a personal email one like bob8394@gmail.com or replicates a known email address like bob@facebookwebsite.com, consider this a good sign of a scam. Spelling and grammatical errors. A job post riddled with spelling and grammatical errors is a bad sign. Youre offered a job on the spot. If youre offered a job on the spot without being asked about your experience or references, its probably not legitimate. Pay is too high If the pay seems too high for the amount of work involved, youre probably being lured into a scam. Related: How to Keep Your Remote Workforce From Growing Distant Use trusted remote work job sites and know what to look out for. Take advantage of Googles new job search features. If youre on the hunt for a legitimate work-from-home job, youre in luck because Google recently introduced a new feature that can help. Typically, when you search on Google for "work-from-home jobs" or "remote work," the results turn up multiple scams and fake job postings. But Google has added more features to make it easier to find legitimate remote positions. For instance, you can search Google for a query such as "customer service jobs" and set the location to "work from home" in order to find real telecommuting and remote jobs. Image Source: Google To find these remote jobs, Google looks at the standard Schema.org markup that most job sites use to push their job listings to Google Jobs. Looking at this data helps Google filter out job listings that arent relevant. The search engine is already working with a number of companies that have adopted the markup, such as Working Nomads, We Work Remotely and ZipRecruiter, but more should be joining in the future. Do your research and know the company. With any job search, you need to research the company but this is especially important for looking for remote work. Doing your research and knowing the company will help you avoid making a decision youll regret. First, know the difference between partial and fully distributed remote teams. A fully distributed remote team already knows how to handle remote workers and has an efficient onboarding process, to make sure youll be able to perform to the best of your ability. A partially remote team, in contrast, might not yet have mastered the art of remote work. When you join a team that doesnt have a lot of experience with remote work or has never had a remote employee before, you may run into issues. So, make sure the company thats offering you a work-from-home position knows what it's doing. Next, do some general research. Check out the companys website and social media, and search out its employees on LinkedIn and so on. If the company doesn't have an online presence or its website looks suspect, it probably wont be a company that you want to work for. Related: A Remote Workforce Keeps Your Business Agile Over to you. Working from home offers a lot of perks, whether you want a remote job so you can spend more time with your kids -- or you just want to escape that dreaded commute. Luckily, finding legitimate remote jobs isnt like searching for a needle in a haystack anymore. With these tips, you may well find the remote job of your dreams. Related: How to Find Legitimate Remote Work Opportunities Can Your Company Benefit From Hiring Remote Workers? 18 Ways for Digital Nomads to Make Money Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Fifty-two percent of respondents support Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's intention to realize summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun opinion survey conducted from Friday to Sunday. Thirty-three percent opposed the idea. By political party, 61 percent of respondents who back the ruling parties favored the idea, with 28 percent opposed. Among those with no party affiliation, 45 percent expressed support with 35 percent opposed, while support and opposition among opposition party supporters were the same at 43 percent. When asked whether the international community should focus on "dialogue" or "pressure" to resolve North Korea's nuclear and missile issues, 47 percent of respondents chose "dialogue," eclipsing the 40 percent who want pressure. The numbers mark a reversal from a poll conducted in March in which 45 percent supported "pressure" and 41 percent "dialogue." The approval rating for the Abe Cabinet stood at 55 percent, almost unchanged from the 54 percent found in the previous survey conducted from April 26 to 28. Disapproval was 32 percent, up one percentage point from the 31 percent found in the April survey. Opinion over the Abe Cabinet's economic policies was divided, with 41 percent expressing approval and 43 percent disapproval. In another poll conducted last August, 48 percent favorably viewed the Cabinet's economic policies while 38 percent disapproved. Regarding the hike in the consumption tax rate to 10 percent set for October, 44 percent said they back the measure while 51 percent said they do not. When asked about holding a House of Representatives election the same day as the House of Councillors election, 44 percent said it was acceptable while 38 percent said it was not. 67% back succession changes Following the Emperor's enthronement, only three male members of the Imperial family remain in the line of succession. With this in mind, 67 percent of respondents believe it is necessary to review the current system to ensure a stable succession, far more than the 23 percent who say such measures are unneeded. By age group, 78 percent of respondents in their 60s said the system should be reviewed, the highest among all age brackets. About 70 percent of respondents in their 30s, 40s and 50s back such an approach, with slightly less than 60 percent of those aged 18 to 29 or 70 and older expressing support. Seventy-nine percent of respondents support revising the Imperial House Law to allow a female emperor, while only 13 percent are opposed. In another survey conducted in August 2016, just after the Emperor Emeritus expressed his intention to abdicate, 72 percent backed such a revision, versus 15 percent who were opposed. However, the wording for the question differed in the two surveys. Additionally, 62 percent of respondents in the latest survey believe female-line descendants should be allowed to ascend to the throne, compared to 22 percent who disagreed. The survey was conducted using a random digit dialing method in which phone numbers were randomly generated by a computer. A total of 934 households with eligible voters were contacted via landline, as well as 1,195 mobile phone users. Of those contacted, 534 on landlines and 529 on mobile phones gave valid answers. After 300 intimate partner deaths in 20 years, has enough changed? We reviewed hundreds of pages of police reports, criminal case filings and court data related to intimate partner violence in Connecticut. Here are our key findings. A friend in the foreign diplomatic corps recently remarked to me about a paradox in U.S. politics: There is bipartisan support for regime change in Venezuela but a deep partisan split regarding U.S. policy toward Iran. That divide, and news about rising tensions between the two countries, was top of mind in my radio interview Friday with Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. I asked Buttigieg about Iran generally and more specifically about the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal. President Donald Trump last year withdrew the United States from the agreement. Would Buttigieg, as president, seek our return? "Yes," he said. "The JCPOA was designed to reduce or eliminate the nuclear threat from Iran. We didn't do it as a favor to Iran. We did it for U.S. security interests. If we're going to do something again, we can always look at ways that it might be done differently. But I believe it made us safer, and I believe getting out of it has contributed to instability in the region." But when asked whether the JCPOA under President Barack Obama and before the U.S. withdrawal had in any way constrained Iranian behavior in the region, the mayor admitted that it hadn't. "Well, the JCPOA was about their effort to get nuclear capability," he said. "The bad behavior in the region is another story. And no, I don't think that it really constrained their regional activities." That "bad behavior" includes Iran's complicity in the Syrian genocide as Tehran continues propping up President Bashar Assad, who appears set on a new outburst of savagery. Iran has also armed the Hezbollah militia controlling southern Lebanon with tens of thousands of missiles, which are now available to strike Israel, and Iran has contributed massive support to the Houthi rebels in Yemen's civil war, who last week claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Iran was also apparently behind recent attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf, when two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian ship were damaged. Other Iranian "bad behavior": exporting chaos to Gaza by aiding Hamas and unjustly imprisoning U.S. citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed Iran's malign behavior a year ago in a speech at the Heritage Foundation and has delivered the message again and again since then: Iran must change its behavior, but it has refused to do so. Even the Iran nuclear deal's most vocal defender, former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, in a moment of candor in 2016, conceded that "Iran's approach to its nuclear program has changed, but thus far, its broader foreign policy and the nature of its regime has not." Three years later, that's still the case. But Buttigieg and almost certainly the rest of the nearly two-dozen Democratic presidential candidates indulge the fantasy that the JCPOA was a good idea. It wasn't then. It isn't now. And it won't be in 2020. That is the ground on which part of the presidential campaign most definitely should be fought. Candidate Trump's appeal in 2016 included his vow to start a new chapter in U.S. foreign policy after the debacle of an appeasement-oriented Obama administration whose foreign policy record could be reduced to a few familiar terms: "leading from behind," "Benghazi" and "red line." Trump promised to fundamentally alter the United States' approach to Iran and to the world more generally. Voters elected him, and he has done just that. In 2020, Trump can campaign as a keeper of promises. Despite the Iranian regime's unrelenting enmity for the United States and its allies, serious-minded Americans such as Buttigieg continue to indulge the myth of "Iranian moderates." This is a regime that has been ruled by precisely two "supreme leaders" in 40 years, tyrants whose rule is ensured by the Revolutionary Guard Corps, a state within a state correctly designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration last month. Democrats who ignore these realities and who promise a return to the appeasement policies of the Obama era may be signing up for a replay of the 2016 election, which didn't turn out very well for a former Obama secretary of state. Millions of Americans understand Iran's threat far better than the "progressive" wing of the Democratic Party does. They will reject a return to the policies that saw America's enemies grow stronger while the U.S. military budget was sapped during the Obama years. If Tehran wants to begin to deescalate the tensions, it will reach out to Trump and Pompeo through Ambassador Robert O'Brien, the administration's representative for the imprisoned Americans in Iran. That's what the North Koreans did: release wrongly held Americans. A thaw followed. That would require the mullahs to actually want that thaw. Many Democrats believe they do. History shows they don't. Despite Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., promising to bone up on foreign policy this presidential election, he remains shockingly unprepared, even on major issues that most lawmakers have mastered. He had this exchange Sunday on "Meet the Press": - - - CHUCK TODD: A couple of questions. I'm curious. On the issue of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, would you move it back out of Jerusalem, if you thought it was a way to get a peace deal? SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Yeah. I think it's something that we should - I can't give you a definitive answer, but yeah. The answer is, look, whether it is Iran and Saudi Arabia, whether it is Israel and the Palestinians, the United States needs to bring people together, needs an evenhanded policy. In Saudi Arabia, for example, for decades, we have supported a murderous regime which fights democracy every single day. So I want an evenhanded policy which brings people together. CHUCK TODD: Would you move the embassy, now, out of Jerusalem? Or would you keep it there for the present? SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Look, Chuck, that is - we'll take that one step at a time. It's something - you know, bottom line is, we need to be a - we are the most powerful country on Earth. Let's bring people together and try to bring peace. - - - Bring everyone together to bring peace? You expected to hear that from Sanders in the 1980 s - back when he was praising Fidel Castro, honeymooning in what was then the U.S.S.R. (it was on verge of its dissolution, but Sanders was delighted with what he saw) and showering praise on failed economic systems. Sanders has never been one for hardheaded foreign policy judgment. Democratic front-runner Joe Biden's team must look at such a performance, wipe the lint off their shoulders and continue on with their strategy of running a general election campaign. Sanders in both foreign and domestic policy manages to be both ordinary (e.g., many candidates support the Green New Deal) and off-putting in his rigidity. (In the same interview, he insisted that Obamacare cannot be fixed and shifting to Medicare-for-all would not be disruptive.) The number of Democratic primary voters who find his democratic socialism appealing is limited, and even among those voters, there is some recognition that Sanders's message would be a hard sell in the general election in parts of the country that Democrats must win in 2020. The conventional wisdom has finally caught up to what moderate Democrats have known for years: There are a lot of Democratic voters nowhere near as extreme as Sanders, and these voters are going to be content with simply finding a winner. As former North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp, D, said on ABC's " This Week": "One of the things that I know from talking to the most liberal of Democrats is they want someone who can win." She observed that "when they see the polling numbers out of Michigan and Pennsylvania, and they see that this president already has got double-digit lead over - this candidate, Biden has a double-digit lead over the president, they're like okay, let's get on board, let's make sure we do the one thing we all want to do, which is defeat Donald Trump as the next president of the United States." If the primary contest were about ideological rigidity, Sanders might win. That, however, doesn't look like what is motivating Democrats. "When you look at what Democrats want, they want someone who can beat this president, and they're willing to look at any range of issues as long as they're in change from what we have whether it's on health care, whether it's on climate, we don't need to be, you know, arguing the extremes," Heitkamp says. "We just need to say what we're seeing right now, ignoring climate, ignoring the immigration problem, ignoring wealth in - disparity in this country. Those are not a path forward." Biden may have a tougher time with more moderate contenders or with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and her filing cabinet filled with policy ideas. (Compared to Sanders, she's much more willing, for example, to look at intermediary steps before we reach the nirvana of Medicare-for-all.) Moreover, standing next to Sanders on the debate stage, Biden may look a whole lot younger than his 76 years. He sure is going to sound a lot more reasonable and informed. Against all odds, against evidence and logic, they keep coming to Washington: dissidents, human rights crusaders, relatives of the persecuted from around the world. They hope for just one moment of moral clarity from America's leaders. Last week alone, petitioners included the grieving fiancee of a Saudi journalist, slaughtered last year by a hit squad dispatched by that nation's crown prince; the forlorn daughter of a Uighur scholar who has not seen her father since he was torn from her in the Beijing airport six years ago; and a delegation from Hong Kong warning that its city-state is making a last stand as a free society while the United States stands by silently. The fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, spoke at a House hearing and visited Washington Post headquarters, where she began her story simply: "I am 36 years old. I am Turkish. I was Jamal's fiancee." Jamal is Jamal Khashoggi, the Post contributing columnist lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 to obtain documents he needed to marry Cengiz. Cengiz waited outside the diplomatic compound when he entered shortly after noon. She was still waiting at midnight. In a sense, she is waiting still. After Turkish authorities said they had audio evidence that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate, Cengiz, a Ph.D. student with no political inclinations, tried at first to stay in the background. She declined invitations to Washington. "I wasn't emotionally ready," she says. After a few months, though, Cengiz decided that, to press for justice for the man she had loved, she would have to adopt a more public role. She moved to London to study English. Finally, she came to meet the officials of the one government that she believes could, if it chose, force the Saudis to reveal more about the crime. "I do believe it has been inadequate," she says of the U.S. response to the killing. "I had hoped for better." Jewher Ilham also has had to fortify herself to advocate for her imprisoned father, the respected economist Ilham Tohti. She last saw him in 2013. He was expecting to travel to Indiana for a sabbatical. She was expecting to keep him company in the United States for two weeks and then fly back to China, where she was a college freshman. When he was detained at the airport, he insisted she fly out without him. She arrived in Chicago, speaking almost no English, famished - there had been no halal food on the plane - and in shock. Six years later, she graduated from Indiana University and traveled to Washington to accept an award from Freedom House on her father's behalf. She speaks English, as well as Chinese, Uighur and Arabic, and she hopes to do graduate work in Washington so she can also continue her advocacy. Because, during those six years, her father has been sentenced to life in prison (in 2014) and (since 2017) cut off from all contact with his family. Why the added cruelty? Ilham doesn't know, but her father's isolation coincides with the emergence of a gulag of concentration camps in western China, where China has confined more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities. That campaign, says Human Rights Watch researcher Maya Wang, is, like the assault on Hong Kong's sovereignty, "just a symptom of the new aggressiveness of the Communist Party." In Hong Kong, which is guaranteed a separate legal system by international treaty, China is pressing for an extradition law that will ease its ability to remove anyone who offends Beijing - Chinese or foreign - to the mainland. "If you wrote an article that China doesn't like," democracy leader Martin Lee said during a visit to The Post last week, China might effect a rendition, and then "you'll be made to confess." The proposed law, Lee said, is the greatest threat to Hong Kong liberty since Britain handed the colony to China in 1997. "We on our part will do our best to defeat it," he said, "but we need outside pressure." Will Hong Kong get such help? Some members of Congress speak up, and Ilham says she appreciates the officials who have raised her father's case. In a speech at the Claremont Instituteon May 11, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump doctrine includes defense of human rights. In some places - Iran, Venezuela, Cuba - the administration does criticize abuses. But President Donald Trump undermines and negates all that. He embraces Khashoggi's killers in Riyadh. He praises the Uighurs' jailer, Xi Jinping, as his "friend." He enthuses over autocrats from Hungary to Russia to the Philippines. Yet the petitioners keep coming, looking for some balance against the rising tide of authoritarian repression. Maybe they come because there is nowhere else to go. Or maybe they keep coming because, deep down, they understand America better than does its own president. P resident Donald Trumps dramatic intervention to blacklist Huawei reverberated around the world on Monday as Google and a host of chipmakers cut ties with the Chinese smartphones giant. The tech colossus responded to the US sanction by banning Huawei from using future versions of its popular Android operating system, which Huawei uses to run smartphones. That is likely to stymie the Chinese firm, the worlds second-biggest smartphones maker, in its efforts to offer apps like Youtube and Chrome in future, while current Huawei users may be barred from Android updates . In the US, chipmakers Intel and Qualcomm and semi-conductors manufacturers Xilinx and Broadcom were also reported to have frozen supplies to Huawei to comply with the order. Chipmakers stocks in Europe fell on fears EU tech hardware firms may also have suspended shipments to Huawei. The Nikkei Asian Review said German-listed Infineon had stopped shipments, sending its shares down 3% to the foot of the countrys blue-chip index. UK-based Dialog Semiconductor, listed in Germany, also fell 3% but declined to comment on its Huawei-based business. The US Commerce Department added Huawei to a trade blacklist on Friday, meaning US companies have to get permission to deal with Huawei. Dozens of affiliates are also named, including three financing companies in the UK: Huawei Global Finance UK, which employs 180 people and has an address in Bishopsgate, and Proven Glory and Proven Honour, both based in the British Virgin Islands. The latest move is a dramatic escalation of the trade war between the countries, moving the battle from industrial and agricultural products into a digital sphere, dragging in Silicon Valley giants. Huawei has been suspected of close links with the Chinese military. Google did not immediately confirm its move, first reported by Reuters, saying: We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. Kate Bevan, editor of Which? Computing, said: Its unacceptable for consumers to be left without adequate security on their mobiles and Huawei owners will be seeking urgent reassurance that the safety of their devices will not be compromised. L ondon has always been a global city, home of the Mother of Parliaments a city that exported democratic ideas around the world, as well as goods and services. Thats why Londoners should vote for the Brexit Party in the European elections on Thursday. This is about much more than the EU. Its about the sort of country we want to be. Our democracy is now on the line. We are always reminded that London voted Remain in the 2016 EU referendum. But lets not forget the 40.1 per cent who voted Leave 1,513,232 of them. In other words, more Londoners voted to leave the EU than the 1,310,143 who voted for Londons Remainer mayor Sadiq Khan in 2016. That forgotten 40.1 per cent of Londoners are part of the 17.4 million who voted to Leave the largest democratic mandate in British history. Three years later, their votes have been ignored by a Westminster establishment determined to block Brexit. Others who voted Remain are backing the Brexit Party, too. They can now see through the fake scare stories spread by Project Fear and can see the need to respect the referendum result. However you voted in 2016, we surely all care about what is being done to our democracy and detest seeing our great nation humiliated. Thursdays vote is a chance for all Londoners who are democrats first and foremost to say enough is enough. This is about more than Brexit its about who we are as a country. The latest YouGov poll for the European elections puts the Brexit Party on 20 per cent in London second only to Labour on 24 per cent. Our campaign is taking the country by storm. Since we launched the Brexit Party last month, we have signed up more than 100,000 paid supporters and won the backing of millions more. People are responding to our optimistic message about changing politics for good. This is only the start of our campaign to revitalise British democracy. On the Remainer side, Chuka and his chums now call themselves Change UK. Theyve changed their name, theyve changed their logo, theyve even changed their Twitter handle. But they dont really want to change anything. We do. We believe that Brexit means a great opportunity. It will enable us to take back control of our laws, borders and money. It will give us the chance to invest in our regions. And it will allow London to become an undeniably global city, trading with the rest of the world. For more than three years, the prophets of doom have warned that a vote for Brexit would reduce the powerhouse of the City of London to a crumbling ruin. What has happened? Despite all the Project Fear fakery, the City is thriving as the worlds financial centre and the UK came out top in Forbess 2018 ranking of the Best Countries for Business. T hough I disagree profoundly with Theresa May over the final Brexit outcome, it is not in the interests of the country that she is removed before Brexit is on a path to resolution. And it would be a further calamity as if we needed any more to have a Conservative Party leadership race in the middle of a continued Brexit impasse. But if she wants to avoid something that is neither in her interests nor ours, she must not bring back the same formula that has failed three times already, even with some Labour-leaning language which will not cut any ice. Nor should she tumble us prematurely into immediate indicative votes, but instead she should take the next few weeks to prepare a government-led process for deciding the different Brexit options, providing supporting information in a structured, deliberative way. Parliament should then vote until a decision is made, and before the summer recess. Anything else risks another failure, her defenestration and then a Tory leadership campaign which will be a competition in Brexitness, with a real possibility of a reopened negotiation, bumping up against a tight deadline and ending in no deal. This would be the final chapter of madness in this sorry tale. The failure of the political classes is not the one theyre accused of namely that they have defied the will of the people. They havent delivered Brexit because Parliament hasnt agreed the form of Brexit hard or soft and wont agree to Mays blind Brexit. Tony Blair / Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd In this refusal, MPs are not thwarting the will of the people. Theyre doing the job they were sent to Parliament to do. Theyre scrutinising the deal May negotiated with Europe and rightly saying it doesnt work. But theyre rejecting it for different reasons. Brexiteers reject it because it leaves us tied to Europes customs union. Most others reject it because it is unclear about Britains future relationship with Europe, and we were promised that relationship would be clear before we left. The failure of the political classes is not to have agreed a process for resolution which sets out the options on the future relationship in a structured way for decision, and which educates the country on what the different versions of Brexit mean. May was never going to agree a Brexit outcome with Labour, but she could agree on the process with Labour. The options are: a hard Brexit, which envisages a future trading relationship like that of Europe with Canada; soft Brexit, with a relationship with the EU such as Norways; Mays deal (if she insists on putting it); and a no-deal Brexit. Then either after that decision or combined with it Parliament should be asked whether whatever decision it has taken should be subject to a confirmatory referendum of the people. The most bizarre aspect of the whole Brexit debacle is that, unbelievably, such a procedure led by government has never happened. The votes should be free votes because there is no Brexit consensus on either front bench. If the Prime Minister refuses this course of action and tries to put her unloved deal yet again to Parliament she will gamble with her legacy and the countrys future. There is a further risk. That is a general election, with a Tory leader specifically seeking a mandate for a hard Brexit in circumstances where doubts about the Labour leader lead to a Conservative victory despite Brexit. Or if youre a Tory, the risk of a Labour victory in the shadow of Brexit. It is not in the interests of the country to change Prime Minister until the future relationship is bolted down and agreed. More uncertainty and unpredictability will increase the already significant damage we have done to ourselves. "Theresa May should not regard her legacy as doing Brexit but as resolving it" The good employment figures of last week should not conceal our vulnerability. Companies are taking on employees rather than investing, which is why productivity is such an acute problem. Investment levels are way down. Recent job losses in the car and steel industries signal that global businesses which trade in Europe are pulling back or out of Britain. And our currency remains sharply devalued. The global economy is staying strong and this buoys UK growth; but it is below what it would have been without Brexit. Confidence in Britain is very fragile. What has been obvious from the beginning to everyone other than the main political party leaderships is that the future relationship with Europe is a choice. And it is inescapable. Either for economic reasons we stay in the single market and customs union; or for political reasons we dont. Both are Brexit. But each has vastly different consequences. The Brexit that Nigel Farage and his supporters in the Conservative Party are fighting for is Brexit at any cost; hard for sure, and if necessary no deal. It cannot seriously be argued that June 2016 provides an unequivocal mandate for that position. Yet the public has been told repeatedly that Brexit is Brexit and that all that stands between us and doing it is a gang of recalcitrant Remoaners. This has wrought terrible havoc on the trust between politicians and people. One massive benefit of ensuring a proper structured process for deciding the form of Brexit is that through it, MPs and through them the people would be obliged to face up to the reality of the choice. They could see evidence of the effect of each option; of what, for example, no-deal Brexit really involves. Let me be open: I also believe it will push Parliament towards sharing responsibility for the final Brexit decision with the people. But that will be because, once confronted with what each option means, it will be apparent that a single vote in June 2016, without taking account of the negotiation nightmare of the past three years, should not determine a destiny-changing decision of this magnitude. However, it is open to Parliament to reject a referendum and simply agree a form of Brexit. A n artwork suspected to be by British street artist has appeared in Venice during the Biennale. The artwork, which can be found in the Dorsoduro district, depicts a migrant child in a life jacket holding a burning neon pink flare. The work hovers just above the water of the canal. The mural is believed to have been painted at the start of the Venice Biennale a prestigious annual art exhibition which showcases the work of some of the world's most renowned artists. Despite having all the characteristics of a Banksy piece, the artist is yet to claim the mural, as it has not appeared on their official Instagram account or website. Pest Control, Banksys authenticating body, is also yet to respond to the artwork. Banksy is known for addressing the refugee crisis in his work. In 2015 he created a remote-control boat filled with refugees, which featured at his alternative theme park Dismaland. The same year, at "the Jungle" refugee camp in Calais, he painted Steve Jobs with a black bin bag over one shoulder and an original Apple computer in his hand. Themes of migration and immigration can be seen across a number of works at this years Venice Biennale, including a piece by Swiss-Icelandic artist Christoph Buchel. His controversial installation called Barca Nostra (Our Boat) is a rusting fishing vessel, which sank off the Libyan coast in 2015, killing more than 700 people. The work has received criticism due to its lack of context and positioning, among unaware tourists. A stage adaptation of The Girl on the Train will transfer to the Duke of Yorks Theatre this July. The production, which stars former EastEnders actress Samantha Womack, is to open in the West End on July 23, for a limited three and a half week run. Based on Paula Hawkins best-selling novel of the same name, the show follows Rachel Watson (Womack) who begins to watch a couple on the train every day, but soon finds herself as both a witness and suspect in an intriguing mystery. The show was adapted for stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel and further casting for the London run is yet to be announced. Womacks previous stage credits include the national tour of The Addams Family where she played Morticia Addams, as well as Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre and South Pacific at the Barbican. The Girl on the Train is currently showing in Nottingham and will continue on its tour of the UK and Ireland travelling on to cities such as Dublin, Belfast, Brighton, Sheffield, Norwich, Guildford, Oxford, Canterbury, Cardiff and Brighton. Womack said: I am absolutely loving playing Rachel in The Girl on the Train. Shes such an interesting character to play, and weve had a brilliant reception from our audiences who have been gripped by her story. This tour has already been the journey of a life-time and Im thrilled to have the opportunity to bring it to the West End." The book, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide, was made into a Dreamworks film in 2016 starring Emily Blunt as Rachel and Justin Theroux as Tom. Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll probably be aware that Game of Thrones ended this year. Following the show's tremendous success, it's no secret that the cast of the hit fantasy HBO epi-drama were paid pretty damn well. Pre season 8, the core cast members, including Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington, were all apparently making a rather decent $500,000 (370,000) per episode, but reports have suggested top cast members bagged a rather handsome pay rise: an extra $200,000 (151,000) per episode. Getty Images For the final series, the show's main actors appeared to have pushed it even further with a select number making as much as $1.2 million an episode according to The Hollywood Reporter. Taking a leaf out of the Friends cast's playbook, they reportedly renegotiated their deals together to ask for higher salaries halfway through series seven. If true, then they would be the highest paid actors per episode on television today - especially as the previous record holders Big Bang Theory took a pay cut to help boost their co-stars' fees: taking the likes of Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco down from reported $1 million to $900,000. Stars Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, who are believed to be paid slightly less than stars including Harington and Clarke, actually netted themselves a strong position as some of the wealthiest British celebrities under 30 in Heat's annual rich list. Turner placed in 17th place with an estimated fortune of 8.5 million thanks to her Thrones salary plus fashion campaigns, while Williams came in fifth with a reported net worth of 4.5 million. HBO/Helen Sloan In fact, recent reports have revealed that Cersei actress Lena Headey may have netted as much as $144,000 per minute this season (112,550). As one of the lucky few to make a reported $1.2 million per episode, she was in just three episodes this series - bagging her a total pay day of $3.6 million and News.com.au calculated she was only in series eight for a total of 25 minutes. It sounds like it was an amazing gig, especially given that her character spent much of series eight staring out of a window in King's Landing. Here's how much each key character reportedly was paid, with added net worth (just for fun). Emilia Clarke's salary HBO / Home Box Office At present, Emilia Clarke, AKA Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, apparently cashes in a rather handsome $1.2 million per episode (938,200) and that doesn't include merch and all those DVD and Blu Ray sales either. In her Vanity Fair cover story, she said: "I get f*cking paid the same as my guy friends. We made sure of that." Aside from her dragon moolah, Clarke has made further millions from numerous movies and ad campaigns. Emilia Clarke net worth (rumoured): $13 million (9 million) Kit Harington's salary HBO Khalessi's on screen lover (finally!) also apparently manages to add $1.2 million (938,200) to the Bank of Westeros each week. That's a combined $2.4 million (1.875 million) between them. Ker-ching. Kit Harington's net worth (rumoured): $12 million (9 million) Lena Headey's salary (Helen Sloan/HBO) / HBO The most hated monarch, bar The Mad King, apparently bags an impressive $1.2 million per episode (938,200). Previously, the star reportedly earned $300,000 (220,000) per episode, however she later was able to negotiate it up to $500k (378,000) so it would be equal to her male counterparts. Let's face it, after destroying the High Sparrow, the woman deserves it (and a Golden Globe, too). Lena Headey's net worth (rumoured): $9 million (6 million) Maisie Williams' salary Helen Sloan/HBO Yes it's so unfair, but Arya does not make as much as the adults - let's not forget, she was just thirteen years old when she joined the show. In previous seasons the loveable British actress reportedly made $150k per episode. Now, she's reportedly on a rather decent wage of $210k (158,000) an appearance. The definitive reason as to why she is not paid as much is because she is categorised as "Tier B" cast, who make less than the core cast members. Maisie Williams' net worth (rumoured): $5.79 million (4.5 million) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's salary (Helen Sloan/HBO) / HBO Cersei's brother and lover (and possible baby daddy for the fourth time) apparently adds $1.2 million (938,200) to the bank with every episode. As the Danish actor told Marie Claire, when reports of his salary came out his neighbour in Denmark popped over to suggest he pay for their new fence. "I said, 'Dont believe everything you read, you idiot'" he said. Whatever the number, as a Lannister we're sure he always pays his debts. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's net worth (rumoured): $16 million (12 million) Peter Dinklage's salary (Helen Sloan/HBO) / HBO Everyone's favourite Lannister reportedly gets a Top Tier $1.2 million (938,200) an episode. Hopefully Dinklage doesn't blow it all on wine like his character. Peter Dinklage's net worth (rumoured): $15 million (11 million) Sophie Turner's salary HBO / HBO Like her on-screen sister, Sophie Turner also reportedly sees $210k (158,000) added to her bank balance each week. Although she may not be earning as much as her onscreen half-brother Kit Harington, she isn't bitter about it. She explained to Harper's Bazaar, "Kit got more money than me, but he had a bigger story line. 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. Turner has kept busy since Thrones ended however, starring as super anti-hero Jean Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix and as a brand ambassador for luxury brand Louis Vuitton. She's also splashed the cash quite a bit this year, as she recently married Jonas Brothers member Joe Jonas in a glamorous French wedding before heading off on a Maldives honeymoon estimated to cost 8k a night according to Heat. She placed 17th on Heat's richest British celebrities under 30 list. Sophie Turner's net worth (rumoured): $10.9 million (8.5 million) Game of Thrones premieres on Showcase, Sky Atlantic and NOW TV on April 14 (15 in UK). Watch the full season 8 trailer below. Game of Thrones Season 8, season finale trailer Is there any place in the world which evokes the glamour of summertime more than the Riviera? The cool, pale glasses of rose, striped sun loungers, and jewel-blue waters... If you're dreaming of summer holidays (but still stuck in the office) photographer Stuart Cantors stunning Riviera series is the next best way to transport yourself to a warmer place. Monte Carlo Mondays / Stuart Cantor The photographer, whose glamorous pictures capture the famous Mediterranean coastline, has an unexpected background. Previously working in luxury residential development, after capturing images of Positano six years ago and hanging them on his wall at home, Cantor decided to turn his hobby into a job. We caught up with the photographer to talk summer road trips, his best shots and his absolute favorite spot on the Riviera. What is about the Riviera that you love to photograph so much? Start Your Engines 1 / Stuart Cantor "It's a combination of few things that come together: the beautiful villas, the amazing views, the perfect weather and soft light, the classic old yachts and super yachts, and also knowing it has been enjoyed by so many legends before us." What's the best moment youve ever captured? "It would be hard to go past my AMALFI FOREVER series, which was photographed a couple of summers ago. With a number of photos of the series, I knew I had some special shots perfectly capturing the moment. Highlights for me are the sun-kissed photographs at the private beach club of Il San Pietro di Positano, shooting directly into the late sun towards Positano town, or departing Da Luigi, which is a bird's eye shot down at the Da Luigi beach club in Capri, as patrons wait to board the boat back to Marina Piccola." How long did it take to shoot the Riviera series? Monte Carlo Beach / Stuart Cantor "It was a bit of a road trip from St Tropez to Monaco over three weeks, which I highly recommend. Everyone should do it!" What were the biggest challenges? "As none of my work is staged, you have to be patient for the right shot, whether that's waiting for people, the weather or the right light." Whats your favorite shot from the series and why? Old World Wonder / Stuart Cantor "It would probably have to be one of two shots. Old World Wonder, which was photographed at La Reserve de Beaulieu in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (sometimes you just get that shot which perfectly captures guests enjoying the location), or Eden Afternoons, photographed at Hotel du Cap Eden Roc of the terraced pool area capturing a selection of guests enjoying the space differently, one group is heavily enjoying the rose, another couple is sun-baking, another lady looks like she's meditating." Eden Afternoons / Stuart Cantor If you could click your fingers and transport yourself to one place on the Riviera tomorrow where would it be and why? Stuart Cantor "If I could be at Hotel du Cap Eden Roc tomorrow for the week, I would be pretty happy. Such an iconic hotel, famous for its famous guests over the years and being so well photographed by the great Slim Aarons, I found the hotel and grounds have this mythical aura about them." Lancaster sun care was born in the Riviera in 1946 where the brand is still housed to this day. W hen it comes to makeup in 2019, most of us want to look like ourselves, just on a really, really good day. Sales of colourful eye shadow and cakey foundations have slowed, while BB creams, CC creams, dewy concealers and glow-giving highlighters of all kinds continue to top the charts of our beauty wish lists. But what are the tips and tricks for looking like youve had 12 hours sleep or just got back from a holiday? How can you apply a face of makeup that maintains that I-just-stepped-off-the-beach insouciance? To get the glow down, we spoke to Clint Dowdell, Global Ambassador for Australias number one mineral makeup brand, Nude by Nature, which specialises in glowing, natural-looking colours and finishes. I think the trend for no makeup makeup is all about a return to looking like yourself but better; its about celebrating you and your skin, says Dowdell. And for him, part of the reason Nude by Nature works so well for this is because the products are formulated without the unnecessary chemicals, synthetic ingredients or preservatives often found in cosmetics, and are instead made with 100 per cent natural ingredients, so its more than cosmetic, its good for you. We spend a lot of time trying to do whats good for us. A good nights sleep, good exercise, good food, good skincare. But then we get to our makeup bag and its like it doesnt matter as long as we look good, says Dowdell. For me, a healthy, glowing, no makeup makeup look should not only look good, it should be good for your skin, so I think its important to avoid synthetic ingredients like talc, parabens and petrochemicals. Nude by Nature products dont just make you look great but theyre actually good for your skin. And they work! The cruelty-free brand, which launched in Sydney back in 2008, has recently expanded massively in the UK with a launch into Boots in store and online as well as being stocked in selected John Lewis and Debenhams stores and on feelunique.com. In Australia though, its already a household name, selling one product every 22 seconds, and boasting the bestselling cosmetic product in the country with the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation. Their cruelty-free, vegan friendly makeup brushes are also bestsellers, with one sold every 120 seconds. When it comes to creating a perfect natural look, Dowdell advises that its all about textures and ensuring you arent using formulas that create too matte an effect, in particular for dry complexions. So look for creamy concealers and highlighters that add that healthy, Aussie glow we all crave. Clint Dowdell's step-by-step 'no makeup' look 1. The Base Perfecting Primer, 22, shop it here Perfecting Concealer, 20, shop it here Radiant Loose Powder Foundation, 25, shop it here 2. The Glow Matte Pressed Bronzer, 22, shop it here Touch of Glow Highlight stick in Champagne and Rose, 18 each, shop them here 3. The Eyes Natural Illusion pressed eyeshadow in quartz, 14, shop it here Contour Eye Pencil in brown, 14, shop it here Allure Defining Mascara, 16, shop it here 4. Brows Defining Brow Pencil, 18, shop it here Precision Brow Mascara, 24, shop it here 5. The Lips Defining Lip Pencil in Rose, 14, shop it here Moisture Shine Lipstick in Dusty Rose, 20, shop it here If you wanted to pair the look back using just three key products, Clint would recommend the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation just to even out the skin then the Rose Touch of Glow Highlight Stick, which you can use on the eyes, cheeks and lips and lastly the Sunkissed Pressed Bronzer, because everybody looks better with a Byron bronze. S weden has filed a request to detain WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a rape allegation. If granted, the warrant would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Sweden reopened an investigation into the rape allegation, first made in 2010, on May 13, a month after Assange was arrested. Assange, 47, who denies the accusation, has avoided extradition to Sweden for seven years after seeking refuge at the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012. Eva-Marie Persson, the deputy director of public prosecutions in Sweden, asked Uppsala District Court to detain him in his absence. She said: I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape. "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden." Julian Assange on his arrival at Westminster Magistrates court on April 11 / Jack Taylor/Getty Images Swedish prosecutors originally decided to drop the rape investigation two years ago, saying they felt unable to take the case forward while Assange remained holed up inside the embassy. They said at the time that the investigation could be reopened if the situation changed. Assange had also faced an investigation over a second allegation, but this was dropped in 2015 because time had run out. He also denied that allegation. His removal from the embassy in April, and the subsequent decision to reopen the inquiry, has now raised the question of whether his extradition to the US or Sweden should take precedence. Immediately after his removal and arrest, US authorities made a request for Assanges extradition in a case relating to WikiLeaks release of sensitive military and diplomatic documents. He faces allegations in the US that he conspired with a former intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning, to download classified databases. Ms Persson continued: 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. "The outcome of this process is impossible to predict. "However, in my view the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK." The announcement came as WikiLeaks said that Assange's belongings from his time living in the Ecuadorian embassy would be handed over to US prosecutors. Ecuadorian officials are travelling to London to allow US prosecutors to "help themselves" to items including legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment, it was claimed. WikiLeaks said United Nations officials and Assange's lawyers were not being allowed to be present. Lawyers said it was an illegal seizure of property, which has been requested by the US authorities. P olice have launched a murder probe after a man was found stabbed to death at his home in south-east London. Officers were called to Torridon Road on Wednesday, May 16 after concerned neighbours reported that they had not seen the 54-year-old man for some time. The man was found dead after police forced entry to the flat. His death was originally treated as non-suspicious but authorities later found he had been repeatedly stabbed. A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, Scotland Yard said in a statement. He has been bailed until mid June. A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Formal identification has not been made, but the deceased is believed to be the 54-year-old man and his next of kin have been informed. "The death was originally treated as non-suspicious, however on removal to the mortuary some suspicious injuries were noted. "A special post-mortem took place at Greenwich Mortuary on Sunday, 19 May and gave the cause of death as multiple stab-wounds." Officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command continue to investigate. M 25 road rage killer Kenneth Noye could win his freedom this week. The 71-year-old is due to find out on Wednesday whether his application to be released from jail has been granted, The Sun reported. If it is approved by the Parole Board, Noye could be released within three months. Legal experts say it is "highly likely" that he will be freed on licence, the paper added. Noye is serving a life sentence for murdering 21-year-old Stephen Cameron in a road rage attack in Swanley, Kent, in 1996. Stephen Cameron / PA He fled to Spain after the killing, but was brought back and convicted in 2000. A judge recommended he serve a minimum of 16 years. Speaking of the killer's potential release, Mr Camerons dad Ken, 72, told the Sun: All we ever wanted was justice. Life should mean life for him. "The only way Noye should be allowed out is in a wooden box. Ken Cameron pictured outside the Old Bailey in 2000 during Noye's trial / Andrew Stuart/PA Noye was transferred to Standford Hill open prison in 2017, prompting outrage among politicians and Mr Cameron's family. Noye was acquitted in 1985 of murdering detective John Fordham. He was later convicted of handling stolen goods, and served eight years in prison, before being released in 1994. He carried out the road rage killing two years later. T wo teenagers have been arrested after a police officer was attacked with a hammer in south-west London. Scotland Yard said a uniformed officer was left with a cut and bruising to his head and was taken to hospital following the incident on Monday afternoon in Twickenham. A 16-year-old and 18-year-old, both male, have been arrested on suspicion of GBH and taking a conveyance, police said. Officers were called to an underpass by Jubilee Avenue, Whitton, at 3.30pm, following reports of two men on a moped behaving suspiciously. The suspects attempted to make off after police arrived, but were prevented from leaving the area by the two attending officers. Police said one of the youths on the moped produced a hammer and hit an officer over the head, injuring him. Further police units were dispatched to arrest the two suspects, who fled the scene on the moped but were caught nearby. A taser was used to help detain one of the suspects who was armed with a hammer, police said. Scotland Yard said a knife and clothing, believed to have been discarded by the fleeing youths, was found nearby. The teenagers were taken to a south London police station for questioning. The injured officer is receiving treatment at a south London hospital, police said. No other injuries were reported. Chief Superintendent Sally Benatar said: "These attending officers were brave and resilient in their efforts to stop these suspects. "Even when presented with a dangerous weapon, they acted in the best traditions of the Met and stood their ground. "Their determination led to these armed suspects being arrested. I am very proud of them. "We all wish the injured officer a speedy recovery and appeal for anyone who saw the suspects behaving suspiciously around the underpass by Jubilee Avenue or High Street, Whitton area, to contact police." T he number of European nurses arriving in Britain has fallen from about 9,000 to 900 a year since the Brexit referendum, it was revealed today. London has the highest vacancy rate in the country and the ability to lure health professionals from the Continent is seen as a vital in plugging workforce gaps and responding to the growing demand for NHS care. Concerns will increase over the impact of Brexit on the NHS after the latest UK statistics from the Nursing and Midwifery Council showed that the number of newly-registered nurses and midwives from the European Economic Area fell from 9,389 in 2015/16 to 968 in the year to March. Londons 13.5 per cent nursing vacancy rate is the highest in the NHS and means that 8,912 posts are unfilled, including 6,247 in acute hospitals and 1,994 mental health nurses. The NHS has 40,000 nursing vacancies. Problems are worst in the capitals mental health sector, where 16.2 per cent of posts nearly one in six are unfilled. Almost a third of non-UK EU staff work in the London NHS. Mayor Sadiq Khan said: Our NHS nurses provide incredible care in the toughest of circumstances. Its an absolute disgrace that their work is being made much harder by chronic underfunding and under-staffing. About 10,000 European nurses have left the NMC register since the 2016 referendum. More than half said Brexit was a key reason for departing. The latest statistics show, however, that the recruitment of EEA nurses in 2018/19 was slightly better than in 2017/18, when there were only 805 joiners. In addition, the number of leavers has slowed from 3,962 in 2017/18 to 3,333 in the last financial year. Overall, the capitals nursing vacancy rate has reduced in the past two years from 14.4 per cent, meaning the number of vacant posts fell from 9,479 to 8,912. The overall size of the register, which gives the right to practise as a nurse in the private sector or NHS, has grown by 8,000 in the past year to 698,237, boosted by about 5,000 more UK-trained nurses, including 500 additional midwives, and about 3,000 from countries outside the EEA. There are almost 6,000 more nurses on the register since the referendum, but not all choose to practise. T en people have been arrested after Greenpeace activists scaled a building in central London as part of a protest against BP. Activists had been bracing themselves for a week locked in a reinforced box outside the building in protest at the firm's lack of action on climate change, but have now been removed by police. A number of protesters were pictured scaling a building on Monday afternoon, where they unfurled a banner reading "Climate Emergency". Four of the protesters were arrested for aggravated trespass after scaling the building / PA Scotland Yard said ten people were arrested for aggravated trespass and all remain in custody. The campaigners are demanding that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas and switches to investing only in renewable energy. If it does not, Greenpeace is calling for it to wind down its operations completely and go out of business. Protesters are also expected to picket the AGM in Aberdeen on Tuesday. The protests come in the wake of weeks of climate marches in the capital by Extinction Rebellion and one day ahead of BP's annual general meeting. Greenpeace activists who have blocked access to BP's headquarters ahead of its annual general meeting begin to spell out the words 'climate emergency' on its windows. / PA In a statement, the police said: "Police were called to St Jamess Square, SW1, at 04:07hrs on Monday, 20 May following a report of protestors scaling a building. "Officers attended and warned protestors that they were trespassing and were subject to arrest under section 69 of the Public Order Act. Ten people have been arrested for aggravated trespass and all remain in custody. "The final arrests were made at approximately 19:40hrs. There are no protestors left at the scene although police maintain a presence at the location. Road closures have been lifted." According to Greenpeace's research, BP is outspending other oil giants on lobbying campaigns against climate action and spent 16 billion US dollars (12.6 billion) adding to its oil and gas reserves in 2018. Greenpeace said only 500 million dollars (392.8 million) was invested in alternatives to fossil fuels. It has demanded "that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas switches to investing only in renewable energy." The activists clambered over neighbouring rooftops to reach BP's headquarters / PA It said they should otherwise "wind down its operations entirely and go out of business." The environmental group is hosting a rally outside the offices on Tuesday, with speakers from fellow activist organisation Extinction Rebellion, anti-poverty charity War on Want and anti-oil charity Platform. G reenpeace staged a protest at BPs central London offices this morning using giant metal crates to block main doors - with die-hard activists locked inside. The five windowless containers were craned into position overnight, blocking entrances to the energy giants HQ in St James Square, Westminster. The volunteers inside say they have supplies to last all week, as well as loos, books, board games and TV box sets - including Game of Thrones and RuPauls Drag Race. Meanwhile, some of the activists clambered over neighbouring rooftops to abseil down the front of the building and unfurl a banner reading Climate Emergency. Others have chained themselves to railings on the side. One of the container protesters, Paul Morozzo, told the Standard: Its cramped and dark in here and my buddy snores like a rhinoceros but its comfortable enough. Were planning to stay as long as we can. Its small in here but we are pretty determined. BP staff on their way into work spoke to protesters about the Paris Agreement targets while one office worker said: You cant just expect people to stop using oil overnight. One frustrated BP executive on a Santander hire bike shouted thanks very much at protesters as he was turned away at the police cordon. The protest comes on the eve of BPs annual meeting in the wake of ten days of action by Extinction Rebellion which shut down much of central London over Easter. A police officer speaks to Greenpeace UK activists as they blockade BP's London HQ. / Greenpeace UK Greenpeace is demanding BP ends exploration for oil and gas and switches to investing in renewable energy. The action comes after weeks of climate marches throughout the capital by environmental group Extinction Rebellion. Greenpeace UK installed five blockades outside BP's central London offices. / Greenpeace Police have cordoned off part of the square and a spokesman said: Officers are currently on scene at the venue. There have been no arrests and no road closures. A BP spokeswoman said: We welcome discussion, debate, even peaceful protest on the important matter of how we must all work together to address the climate challenge, but impeding safe entry and exit from an office building in this way is dangerous and clearly a matter for the police to resolve as swiftly as possible. A spokesman for Greenpeace said that by 8am police had attempted to clear the area of pedestrians but had not made any arrests. The blockade comes ahead of BP's AGM with shareholders this week, and volunteers have set up a camp to attempt to keep the building closed for the next seven days. In a statement released on Monday the organisation said: "BP has bowed to pressure from shareholders by backing a motion at tomorrows AGM asking the company to demonstrate how it is aligned with the Paris climate agreement. But BP plans to expand its oil and gas production at a time when it needs to be dramatically reduced." The specially designed containers weigh several tonnes each. / Greenpeace UK It also demanded "that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas switches to investing only in renewable energy." It said they should otherwise "wind down its operations entirely and go out of business." The protesters have been at the BP's London HQ since 3am. / Greenpeace UK Mr Morozzo added: For too long, BP and the oil industry have paid lip service to climate action while lying and lobbying against it behind the scenes and spending billions scouring the world for more oil and gas. The reality is that BPs whole business plan is a heavy bet against our hopes to avoid a climate catastrophe and must change. According to Greenpeace's research, BP is outspending other oil giants on lobbying campaigns against climate action and spent 16 billion US dollars (12.6 billion) adding to its oil and gas reserves in 2018. Greenpeace said only 500 million dollars (392.8) was invested in alternatives to fossil fuels. At 8.14am, police were only allowing employees from other businesses to pass through. An employee from BP told the Press Association: "We don't know what's happening. I'm thinking to go home because it will take the police a while to get the protesters abseiling off the building." A Greenpeace campaigner locked inside a reinforced box outside BPs London HQ said she has had a great nap after seven hours of protest. Environmental activists blocked access to the oil giants offices in St James Square on Monday with huge containers weighing several tonnes each. Each container has enough space for two activists and the organisation plans to blockade BP for the next week to disrupt its annual general meeting. In a video posted on the organisations Twitter account on Monday, campaigner Immy gave an update on what has been like to be in the box so far. Police began removing activists from the BP headquarters at around 4pm this afternoon. Greenpeace said in an update on Twitter four campaigners had been removed but six remain at the scene. This is hour seven in the box, Immy said with a torchlight illuminating her face. It's pretty peaceful and quiet. Were hearing occasional things from the roof or outside but other than that weve just really been having a nap and waiting it out. An activist gave an update from inside one of the reinforced boxes / Greenpeace It feels calm in here I think outside it's probably a bit more chaotic but in here it's an oasis of calm. So far so good, had a great nap so well see what happens now. The boxes have supplies inside to last the volunteers all week, as well as loos, books, board games and TV box sets - Including Game of Thrones and RuPauls Drag Race. They also feature photos from photographer Gideon Mendel's Drowning World project, which looks at the impact of the climate emergency on people across the globe. Greenpeace activists who have blocked access to BP's headquarters ahead of its annual general meeting, begin to spell out the words 'climate emergency' on its windows. / PA Meanwhile, some of the activists clambered over neighbouring rooftops to abseil down the front of the building and unfurl a banner reading Climate Emergency. Others have chained themselves to railings on the side. The campaigners are demanding that BP immediately ends all exploration for new oil and gas and switches to investing only in renewable energy. If it does not, Greenpeace is calling for it to wind down its operations completely and go out of business. The protests come in the wake of weeks of climate marches in the capital by Extinction Rebellion and one day ahead of BP's annual general meeting. The protesters have been at the BP's London HQ since 3am. / Greenpeace UK Morten Thaysen, 31, a climate campaigner at Greenpeace, told the Press Association: "I think it has dawned on a lot of us that this isn't something that will only affect the next generation, it is affecting us now. "It is taking politicians a long time to respond to our climate emergency because of companies like this. BP has spent millions lobbying against the exact climate action that we need. "It's all about greed and making as much money as possible. And whether we have a liveable planet in the next 10 years does not matter to them. "This is not a day occupation, we have volunteers camping inside containers at the entrance of BP. They have supplies that should last for a while. There are two people in each container, we've even got some Netflix in there too. But there is no natural light or much room to move about but people are so passionate about this." A police officer speaks to Greenpeace UK activists as they blockade BP's London HQ. / Greenpeace UK According to Greenpeace's research, BP is outspending other oil giants on lobbying campaigns against climate action and spent 16 billion US dollars (12.6 billion) adding to its oil and gas reserves in 2018. Greenpeace said only 500 million dollars (392.8) was invested in alternatives to fossil fuels. At 8.14am, police were only allowing employees from other businesses to pass through. A Cabinet minister today went into battle against hardline Brexiteers with a cry for a moderate, pro-business, low tax Conservative vision. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd took on Right-wingers Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab in a fight for the heart and soul of the Tory Party. Speaking to the Standard before the launch tonight of a One Nation caucus, Ms Rudd warned against lurching towards extremists like Nigel Farage. As moderate Conservatives we must hold our ground and take on the extremist forces, she said. We must be bold and be courageous and take on the falsehoods that are presented as simple choices. Ms Rudd spoke out as leadership campaigning broke out among fellow Cabinet members and ex-ministers vying to succeed Theresa May, who has signalled she will go this summer whether or not her Brexit deal is passed. Rival pitch: Boris Johnson made a bid for the law and order vote ahead of a speech today by Home Secretary Sajid Javid / AP In key manoeuvring: Health Secretary Matt Hancock set out a Centrist leadership vision, telling BBC radio that Mrs Mays successor could not just be someone to fix Brexit. We need a leader not just for now but also for the future, we need to be absolutely four-square in the centre ground of British politics, he said. Home Secretary Sajid Javid unveiled a raft of tough counter-terror actions in a speech. He also paid tribute to the Prime Ministers tireless commitment to national security. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson made a rival pitch for the law and order vote with a tweet just before Mr Javids speech bemoaning the early release of prisoners, even when they have been convicted of the most serious & violent crimes. In a speech tomorrow to business leaders, Chancellor Philip Hammond is set to warn: Lurking ever larger behind this immediate challenge of Right-wing populism is the even greater danger of Left-wing populism. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss said in a tweet she would back a no-deal Brexit if need be in a clear pitch to Right-wingers. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was praised as a potential leader by Tory MP Vicky Ford who told the Westminster Hour: I see him to be very competent, very capable and ... brave enough to take on big global challenges. The skirmishing comes ahead of Thursdays European Parliament elections, which could see the Conservatives lose half of their 18 seats and come fourth behind Mr Farages Brexit Party, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey was this afternoon launching a group called Blue Collar Conservatism, seen as an attempt to copy Mr Farages appeal to working class Tories, with Right-wingers Ben Bradley and Scott Mann. Ms Rudd told the Standard that the Tory Party must avoid the temptation to mimic Mr Farage. The Brexit debate has led to politics recalibrating to a low expectation, with some politicians more interested in sound bites than sound debate, she said, pledging to bring serious policy debate to the fore. N igel Farage has lashed out at "radical Remainers" after he had milkshake thrown at him during a walkabout in Newcastle city centre. The Brexit Party leader had just given a short speech at the city's Monument, as part of a nationwide tour ahead of Thursday's European elections, when he was hit by the milkshake. He was immediately led away by security, with minders urging: "Get him back to the car." Mr Farage asked them: "How did you not stop that?" He added: "Its a complete failure." Nigel Farage hit by milkshake in Newcastle 1 /20 Nigel Farage hit by milkshake in Newcastle Nigel Farage was doused with a milkshake on a walkabout in Newcastle REUTERS The Brexit Party leader was immediately led away by security REUTERS Mr Farage blamed 'radicalised' remainers REUTERS A man was dragged away and detained at the scene REUTERS A number of onlookers burst into laughter as Farage was led away REUTERS Other European election candidates, such as Ukip's Carl Benjamin and ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson have had milkshakes poured on them REUTERS Farage was covered in milkshake by a Remain protester REUTERS Farage said it was a "complete failure" of his security REUTERS A man was detained at the scene REUTERS Farage was covered in a 5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel milkshake PA He was led away from the scene by his team PA Brexit Party leader Nigel looks on as he leaves his campaign walkabout after being doused with milkshake REUTERS Mr Farage tweeted: "Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible." Getty Images A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of common assault, Northumbria Police said. Getty Images Shortly after the incident, Mr Farage could be heard saying "how did you not stop that?" to his staff Getty Images Meanwhile, a man was dragged away by a Police Community Support Officer. Northumbria Police said a 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of common assault. Mr Farage has become the latest victim of a protest which has seen other European election candidates - such as Ukip's Carl Benjamin and ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson - also have milkshake thrown over them. In a furious tweet shortly after the incident, Mr Farage said: "Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible. "For a civilised democracy to work you need the losers consent, politicians not accepting the referendum result have led us to this." Nigel Farage after being hit by the milkshake / Scott Heppell/Reuters As Mr Farage was led away from the scene, a number of onlookers burst into shrieking laughter. The banana and salted caramel milkshake is believed to have been purchased from Five Guys, costing 5.25. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is escorted to a car after having milkshake thrown over him / Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Paul Crowther, 32, from Throckley, Newcastle, claimed to be behind the attack. He said it was a 5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel milkshake. He said: "I didn't know he was in town, I thought this is my only chance." Mr Crowther said he saw there was a Brexit Party event in the city centre, thought it was an MEP and then saw Mr Farage. The empty milkshake cup from Five Guys / Tom Wilkinson/PA He explained: "It's a right of protest against people like him. "The bile and the racism he spouts out in this country is far more damaging than a bit of milkshake to his front." On Saturday, police in Edinburgh reportedly ordered a McDonald's outlet near a Mr Farage-led campaign rally to stop selling milkshakes or ice cream in light of the recent incidents. Newcastle had been Mr Farage's second campaign stop of the day, having visited Exeter on Monday morning. He is also set to visit Wakefield and Bolton later in the day. The Brexit Party is enjoying huge popularity ahead of Thursday's elections, topping a YouGov poll on Sunday with 34 per cent. The Liberal Democrats were second with 17 per cent. During the rally in Exeter, Mr Farage had mocked the approach of the two main parties to Brexit. He asked: "What's the Labour Party's policy on Brexit? Jeremy Corbyn couldn't answer that seven times on Sunday. "What's the Tory Party policy? Depends who you ask. C hange UK's interim leader Heidi Allen has hinted that the party may not exist in its current form at the next general election. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today Programme on Monday, Heidi Allen said it was likely that the fledgling party could morph into something else in the brand new world of the next parliamentary race. The former Tory MP admitted that the format of the party could change as she pushes for greater success. Her comments come as the party faces a poor showing in Thursday's European elections. Change UK could have different format by general elections says Heidi Allen, pictured with Chuka Umunna, Anna Soubry, Chris Leslie and Gavin Esler / AFP/Getty Images Ms Allen said: Will I stand again in South Cambridgeshire in my constituency as Change UK in whatever format? Lets hope, depends when the next general election comes. If weve managed to bring together other MPs from the House of Commons, the format may be slightly different. But whatever the brand new world party looks like, at that point of the General Election in South Cambridgeshire, absolutely. Im not going back to the Conservatives. Despite Sunday's clash between Lib Dem leader, Sir Vicent Cable and Change UKs Chuka Umunna, Ms Allen also did not dismiss a deal with the Liberal Democrats saying: I see a modern world of coalition where it isnt just about two big parties." Mr Umunna disagreed with Sir Cable over calling for pro-EU campaigners to push for revocation of Article 50 instead of a second referendum. Struggling to break through in polls: Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Chris Leslie / AFP/Getty Images Ms Allen went on to say: I think the whole way Parliament operates in Westminster needs a damn good shake up. She added: I want us to get bigger, I want us to get more successful I want us to have more MPs, more opportunities to change politics in this country. Ms Allen also told Radio 4 about the difficulties of campaigning against established parties. Its really, really hard," she said. Weve used the phrase David and Goliath, but it truly is on that scale. But the question is do we do nothing? Do we accept the status quo is acceptable? Later on Monday, fellow group member Anna Soubry said that politicians who do not stand up for what they believe in have broken British politics. It would be hell if there was a no deal, predicts Simon Bailey as he heads onto Dovers seafront. In the distance, the busiest ferry port in Europe is in full throttle, with some 10,000 lorries a day flowing through. Dover voted 62.2 per cent for Leave in June 2016 and, as a rundown seaside town where residents feel ignored by central government, it has many of the hallmarks of a Brexit stronghold. But there is also an awareness of the risks of splintering away from the European Union, whose northern French reaches 27 miles away can be seen from Dover Castle on a clear day. The historic port and the town get rammed and gridlocked if there is a strike in Calais or ferry crossings are hit by Channel storms, Mr Bailey, 41, a registrar, explains. Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab / REUTERS So it would suck the life out of the town, he believes, if the UK crashed out of the EU with the feared widespread disruption. Only by seeing the stream of lorries going in and out of the port, Mr Bailey added, can politicians fully understand its importance as the gateway to England. I dont think people who dont live here realise just how busy that port is, he says. Someone who admitted this was Dominic Raab when he was Brexit Secretary. We are, and I hadnt quite understood the full extent of this, but if you look at the UK and if you look at how we trade in goods, we are particularly reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing, he told a technology conference last autumn. Loading.... His successor in the job, Stephen Barclay who has argued that Britain shouldnt be afraid to leave with no deal is yet to visit Dover. It handles some 122 billion of trade a year, or 17 per cent of the UKs trade in goods. Having worked for 40 years in the docks, Terence Glover, 70, recalls that when the UK joined the European community in the early Seventies, about 2,500 agents were employed in Dover dealing with customs and other freight administration, but now this number was down in the hundreds. To do the amount of work for a no deal, we would need at least 4,000 to 5,000, he continues. No way are we prepared for no deal ... there would be massive queues. Dani Delivett, and daughter Amelie: 'Local people have been left in the dark. For my children's future, I think it would be better to stay' Parliament has repeatedly opposed severing ties with the EU without a deal. But this is now back on the table as ministers brief that if Theresa Mays proposals are rejected again in early June, the country would face no deal or having to revoke Article 50 and stop Brexit, provided the EU does grant a further extension after October 31. Dover is split over the impact of no deal, often depending on whether a voter backed Remain or Leave. We would cope absolutely fine, says butcher Kelly Harper, 37. We should have Brexited on the 29th. Anything else is just a sham of democracy. She plans to vote for the Brexit Party, as does computer expert Bruce Brenchley, 71, who believes the feared chaos of a no deal will turn out to be a damp squib. We are fed up with the establishment, he says, and if there is no agreement with Brussels passed by MPs we should walk away. For graphic designer Richard Gleeson, 35, piling up of lorries is the biggest concern. His Polish wife Barbara, 28, is worried about Brexit hampering travel, including returning to see her family in her home country. Florist Sharon Pressnell, 58, explains that when lorries tail back along the road to the port, drivers fall asleep and other truckers beep to wake them up when traffic starts to move, waking up local families. Student nurse Dani Delivett, 30, said local people have been left in the dark about the customs and immigration impact of Brexit on Dover. For my childrens future, I think it would be better to stay, she explains while out for a walk on the seafront with her daughter Amelie, four. As he grabbed his lunch, plasterer Keith Wolley, 49, says he voted Leave but is dismayed by the Governments handling of Brexit. T he Electoral Commission will visit the offices of the Brexit Party tomorrow as part of a review in to how it receives funding. A spokesman said Tuesday's visit was part of its "active oversight and regulation" of donations. The move comes after former prime minister Gordon Brown called for an investigation to be carried out into the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. Mr Brown, speaking in Glasgow on Monday, said that democracy would continue to be undermined if payments to the party were not declared. Former prime minister Gordon Brown called for a probe into the finances of the Brexit Party / Getty Images An Electoral Commission spokesman said: "The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source. "It is also subject to rules for reporting donations, loans, campaign spending and end of year accounts. We have already been talking to the party about these issues. "As part of our active oversight and regulation of these rules, we are attending the Brexit Party's office tomorrow to conduct a review of the systems it has in place to receive funds, including donations over 500 that have to be from the UK only. "If there's evidence that the law may have been broken, we will consider that in line with our Enforcement Policy." Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has accused Mr Brown of a "disgusting smear". The former prime minister challenged the Electoral Commission and the European Parliament to indicate whether they are investigating the party, or say whether questions over dubious payments had been answered, ahead of the European elections on Thursday. Mr Brown said: "The Electoral Commission and the European Parliament should now investigate the finances of Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party. "Democracy is undermined when we have undeclared, unreported, untraceable payments being made to the Brexit Party. "We have the potential for underhand and under-the-counter payments being made. "You know the history of this - Leave.EU, Nigel Farage and Arron Banks' campaign is now under criminal investigation. "There's three investigations - one by the National Crime Agency, one by the Met Police and one by the Information Commissioner. "Arron Banks, the lead funder of Leave.EU and the friend of Nigel Farage has been under investigation - he has made contacts with Russia. We don't know where his money comes from. "And yet we find out last week that he has given 450,000 in payments to support Nigel Farage, while Nigel Farage was in a public office in the European Parliament, who should have been declaring the payments that he was receiving from anyone to avoid any conflicts of interest." Mr Brown raised concerns over the method of payment used to process donations by supporters of the party. Nigel Farage speaks during the Brexit Party's European election campaign / AP He said: "Now we find the Brexit Party that has been formed is not a party, it's actually a private company. It doesn't have members, it has shareholders." Mr Farage accused the former premier of an "absolutely disgusting smear" against his party. "This from the man who was part of a Labour Party who, through Lord Levy, were making a lot of big donors members of the House of Lords," Mr Farage said on a campaign visit to Exeter. "How dare he? Most of our money has been raised by people giving 25 to become registered supporters and nearly 110,000 of them now have done that. "Frankly, this smacks of jealousy because the other parties simply can't do this. "How open can we be? What you have got here are the conspiracy theorists doing their utmost to try and delegitimise what is the fastest-growing political movement this country has ever seen." A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said: "The Brexit Party, like all registered political parties, has to comply with laws that require any donation it accepts of over 500 to be from a permissible source. "It is also subject to rules for reporting donations, loans, campaign spending and end-of-year accounts. "These rules are in place to ensure fairness and transparency of all political party finance. "As part of our active oversight and regulation of these rules, we talk regularly to parties, including the Brexit Party, about ensuring they have robust systems in place so that they comply with the law. "If we see evidence to suggest the rules have been broken, we will consider it in line with our enforcement policy." Mr Farage told a rally of 1,000 supporters in Bolton on Monday evening the Brexit Party had come under a co-ordinated attack from Mr Brown and the media for alleged financial impropriety. He said his party last week went to the Electoral Commission to show them the checks and methods used to ensure they are in line with electoral law, adding: "They gave us a clean bill of health." Mr Farage said it was only after Mr Brown's speech the commission said they would visit the Brexit Party offices. He added: "They are doing so on the basis of absolutely no evidence at all. They are doing so in an act of bad faith against what they told us to our faces last week. "They are directly, politically interfering in a national election in this country. It's a disgrace." Prime Minister Charlot Salwai wants to see people encouraged to use banks and for better telecommunication service in productive areas. The health secretary pitches why Tory hardliners should vote for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's different to before. Not only will some of the details be different... but also the process is different. "Because if you want as an MP to leave the EU and deliver on the result of the referendum, no matter what the details you want to see on the terms of the future relationship, you need to vote for this legislation and then have the debate in the committee stages later on exactly what the details are." G ordon Brown today called for an urgent investigation into the finances of Nigel Farages Brexit Party. The former Labour prime minister has called on the Electoral Commission to investigate whether sufficient safeguards are in place to protect against dirty money being funnelled into the campaign from overseas. In a speech in Glasgow, he was due to say: Democracy is fatally undermined if unexplained, unreported and thus undeclared, and perhaps under-the-counter and underhand, campaign finance from whom and from where we do not know is being used to influence the very elections that are at the heart of our democratic system. The Brexit Party, which is topping the polls ahead of Thursdays European elections, accepts donations of between 5 and 500 through a PayPal account. Only donations above 500 have to be declared to the Commission. Party chair Richard Tice told Radio 4s Today programme: People are just jealous of our success. F ormer deputy prime minister Lord Michael Heseltine has had the Tory whip suspended after saying he would vote Liberal Democrat at the European elections. Lord Heseltine said that he would not support the Conservatives in the European election in an article for The Sunday Times. The former deputy prime minister and lifelong pro-European said the party has become "infected by the virus of extremism" and he cannot endorse its support for leaving the EU. A Conservative spokesman said on Monday he would have his whip suspended after "publicly endorsing" another party. Lord Heseltine said he will not be supporting the Conservatives in the European election / PA The spokesman said: "Lord Heseltine has given more than half a century of service to the Conservative Party, and his longstanding and sincerely held views on Europe are well understood. "But, with his long experience, he will know that publicly endorsing the candidates of another party is not compatible with taking the Conservative whip in Parliament. "As a result, the Chief Whip in the House of Lords has informed Lord Heseltine that he will have the Conservative whip suspended. This will be reviewed if he is willing to support Conservative candidates at future elections." Lord Heseltine, who has been a member of the Tories since 1951, was previously sacked as a Government adviser by Theresa May after rebelling over Brexit in 2017, when he backed calls for a parliamentary cote to be written into the final Brexit deal. In the article published on Sunday, he said: "The reason for my experiment with the Lib Dems is, of course, the Government's position on Brexit. "I cannot, with a clear conscience, vote for my party when it is myopically focused on forcing through the biggest act of economic self-harm ever undertaken by a democratic government." Speaking before the announcement, Lord Heseltine was asked what losing the whip would mean to him. He told Sky News: "Well, the sun will come up tomorrow morning. They can take away the whip, but they cannot take away my integrity, or my convictions, or my experience." Lord Heseltine's call for the Tories to reclaim the political centre ground was echoed by former prime minister Sir John Major. He told The Sunday Times that the need for an inclusive Tory party is "greater than ever", and warned: "The middle ground of politics is empty." Lord Heseltine made clear he would resist any attempt to force him out of the party over his stance on the election on May 23. "I have no intention of being forced out - or resigning from - a party that has been such an important part of my life," he wrote. "I will remain a member of my local association and, unless told otherwise, will continue to take the Conservative whip in the Lords." He suggested the only alternative to a no-deal Brexit, or a "Marxist government" led by Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, would be for the Conservatives to put any final deal to the public in a second referendum. He added: "With the prospect of a descent deeper into this darkness for our party, it is the only way to solve the riddle, to secure a stable majority in Parliament and a lasting settlement for the country." T heresa Mays bid to force MPs to back her Brexit plans by portraying it as a binary choice between leaving the EU or not was rebuffed today setting her on course for another humiliating defeat. The Prime Minister is launching a desperate last attempt to get her Brexit blueprint through the Commons by pushing ahead with the required legislation. But first she needs to get her proposed Withdrawal Agreement Bill agreed by the bitterly split Cabinet tomorrow. Some senior Tories are urging her not to put it to a Commons vote, the Second Reading in the first week of June, to avoid a potential bigger defeat than when her plans were rejected for the third time in March by 58 votes. Seeking to pile pressure on MPs to support the Governments Brexit plan, loyalist Health Secretary Matt Hancock told LBC: That is a binary vote on do you want to deliver Brexit or not. He argued that the detail of the Brexit deal would be debated at later stages of the Bill. Insisting that the vast majority of Tory MPs were striving to get the proposals through, he added: We need to get it over the line, we are going to need votes from other parties to do that. Jeremy Corbyn has signalled that Labour will not back the Governments latest plan / REUTERS The Government is promising a bold new Brexit deal which will include new measures on protecting workers rights, on the environment, on future trade ties with the EU and on Northern Ireland, including the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls with the Republic. But it is not set to try to reopen the withdrawal agreement, including the Northern Ireland border backstop which is opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party which props up Mrs Mays government and at least 30 hardline Brexiteer, Tory MPs. Even Conservative MPs who previously backed the Prime Ministers plan reluctantly are poised to vote against it. Asked on the BBCs Today programme whether he would support it this time, senior Tory MP David Davis said: No.Matt was doing a good job of defending the line this morning but this is not a great new offer, its a great new concession. If we pass that Act, it opens things up so that... the next Prime Minister will have their hands tied. Jeremy Corbyn has signalled that Labour will not back the Governments latest plan and even if it gets the support of a handful of Labour MPs it appears almost certain to be sunk again in a few weeks time. Writing in the Evening Standard today, former Labour leader Tony Blair warned Mrs May of trying to prematurely bounce MPs with indicative votes before a government-led process for deciding the different Brexit options ahead of a vote before the Commons rises in the summer. Anything else risks another failure, her defenestration and then a Tory leadership campaign which will be a competition in Brexitness, with a real possibility of a reopened negotiation, bumping up against a tight deadline and ending in no deal, he said. This would be the final chapter of madness in this sorry tale. If the Cabinet can agree the shape of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), Mrs May is expected to make a speech in an attempt to sell it to MPs. However, Eurosceptic MPs will be concerned that giving the Bill its Second Reading could allow another referendum or a customs union to be attached later. Nikki da Costa, ex-director of legislative affairs at No 10, said: Voting for WAB at 2R (Second Reading) will create the leg (legislative) vehicle for whatever changes command a majority and over six weeks the bill is live a lot can change. Unless govt says what its strategy is for dealing with CU (customs union) etc, MPs will have to guess at govts stance + if the risks are tolerable. The Government is understood to have abandoned its timetable for a series of indicative votes to try to force MPs to give a majority for at least one Brexit option, even if it involved a customs union. J eremy Corbyns leadership on Brexit came under fresh fire today as research revealed voters are split over whether Labour is a party of Remain or Leave. Not even Labours own supporters can agree whether the party is for or against Brexit, a poll by Ipsos MORI for the Evening Standard reveals. It will pile pressure on Mr Corbyn who was accused of failing seven times to give a simple answer to the BBCs Andrew Marr yesterday when asked if he was campaigning for leaving or staying in the EU. Key findings of the national survey include: Half the public think a Labour government under Mr Corbyn would keep Britain inside the EU, while 30 per cent think he would quit the bloc. The positions are reversed among Labour supporters with nearly half (46 per cent) saying Mr Corbyns party stands for leaving, while 38 per cent think it stands for remaining. Half of Labour voters dislike their partys approach to Brexit and around four in 10 say they like the Liberal Democrat and Green approaches to the issue. Among the general public, 76 per cent dislike Labours approach. Eight in 10 people think Mr Corbyn is doing a bad job on Brexit including 57 per cent of Labour voters. Labour MP Gareth Thomas said: This poll underlines the need for Labour to be clearer that we are unequivocally for giving the public a final say. Our strategy is not working. Fellow MP Bridget Phillipson added: Our position has been a fudge for far too long, despite the best efforts of Tom Watson and Keir Starmer. Jeremy Corbyn and Vince Cable on the option of a second Brexit Referendum Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said people typically thought Labour was on the opposite side to them. Labour should be worried that its balancing act is turning off some of its voters, he said. The findings will fuel concern among Labour MPs in London, who fear they could lose one or more of their four London MEPs in European Parliament elections on Thursday. Three of Labours top four candidates in the capital are strongly pro-Remain, but party chiefs gave the number three slot to Katy Clark, a Corbyn ally who has backed the Labour Against The Euro campaign. In some other regions, such as the South West and Scotland, all of the partys candidates support a referendum. L abour MP Jess Phillips has clashed with the leader of an anti-LGBT education protest at a Birmingham school. The Birmingham Yardley MP entered into a heated row with Shakeel Afsar, who is leading a campaign against Anderton Park Primarys decision to educate students about same-sex relationships. Ms Phillips accused Mr Afsar of damaging the reputation of Birminghams peaceful and loving community in footage filmed by BBC News. She added that she would be asking for an exclusion zone so the school's 700 pupils can attend lessons without being disturbed by the protests outside. Parents, children and protestors demonstrate against the lessons about gay relationships, which teaches children about LGBT rights at the Anderton Park Primary School, Birmingham. / PA It follows a long-running row between the school and parents over introducing education on same-sex relationships into the curriculum. She told Mr Afsar: I dont agree with the protests. I dont agree that you get to pick and choose which equality you can and cant have. Our equality laws protect us all. I want to protect you. I want to protect the Muslim community. The worst thing about it is it is damaging the reputation of a peaceful and loving community that I have lived in my entire life, she added. She then slammed Mr Afsars suggestion that she was intolerant to the parents and that only 100 students turned up to school on Monday, because most had been kept home by angry parents. The row has been long-running for several weeks, with tensions escalating on Sunday night. / PA She said: Thats simply not true Ive just been inside the school and that is completely untrue. The row, which has been taking place for several weeks, escalated on Sunday night when local residents clashed with activists displaying rainbow flags and banners in support of the schools policy. Police were called to the scene and were stationed outside the school on Monday. Activists claimed they had been threatened and had eggs thrown at them. One of the LGBT rights campaigners, who gave their name as Tracy, told Birmingham Live: It was awful. I was shaking. "We had no intention of disturbing anyone - we were putting up the banners and messages we had made to show solidarity with staff. A petition to save the reputation of a doctor who asked a Muslim woman to remove her veil so he could hear her during a consultation has been signed by more than 2,000 people. Dr Keith Wolverson, a GP who has been in medicine for 23 years, last week received a letter from the General Medical Council (GMC) telling him his conduct was under investigation. He told the Mail on Sunday he was deeply upset at being accused of racial discrimination over the incident and no longer had any interest in working in the profession. A petition started two days ago by a person named Peri Morgan is calling for Dr Wolverson to be treated fairly by the GMC. On Monday morning it was 100 signatures away from its target of 2,500. I would like to get as many people as possible to sign this petition and save this mans reputation, they wrote. I believe he acted in the best interest of the child involved and their was no racist or religious discrimination in his actions. We need to ensure the General Medical Council treat this man fairly and look at all the evidence. Our NHS is severely understaffed and we cannot afford to lose doctors due to fabricated accusations of discrimination. The situation arose last year when he asked a woman to lift her niqab, a face covering garment worn by some Muslim women, which he claims he did politely and was so he could communicate with her better while trying to diagnose the woman's daughter. Dr Wolverson said his quest to perform the very finest consultation for the safety of the patient has been misinterpreted in a duplicitous manner to suggest there has been an act of racism committed. He said the woman was speaking to him about her daughter, who she feared had tonsillitis, and he asked her to move the veil so he could hear her more clearly. He claims she did so with no complaint during the consultation at Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent last June. However, he said the woman's husband arrived later and said he would be making a complaint. A spokesman for the Doctors' Association UK told the Mail on Sunday: "It is of utmost importance that the religious wishes of our patients are respected. "However, evidently there are some circumstances where removal of a niqab or burqa is necessary for medical assessment and treatment. S cientists have said wasps are beneficial insects rather than bothersome and pointless as they release a new map of the UKs wasp population. Results have been released after data was gathered by volunteers over two weeks as part of the Big Wasp Survey. The researchers have said the insect deserves more appreciation than it currently gets. Dr Seirian Sumner of University College London said without wasps, which are natures pest controllers, humans would have to use a lot more pesticides. "They're the maligned insect of the insect world - they're viewed as the gangsters, " she told the BBC. "Whereas actually we should be viewing them as a beneficial insect - they're doing us a favour, and we're just completely overlooking that favour." The survey came about after Dr Sumner and Adam Hart of the University of Gloucestershire wanted to draw attention to the role wasps have in the natural world. The researchers gathered more than 6,000 wasp samples for identification after 2,000 people took part in the two-week citizen science project in summer 2017. The findings, published in the Insect Conservation Diversity journal, were used to draw up a map showing the distribution of common wasps and hornets. A billionaire technology investor stunned a group of college graduates by announcing he would pay off their students loans. Robert F Smith, a prominent philanthropist, made the announcement while addressing nearly 400 graduating seniors at the all-male historically black Moreton College in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr Smith, 56, is the founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data and technology-driven companies. He told the crowd: "On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus. "This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans." Robert F Smith giving the commencement speech at Morehouse College / AP The announcement drew shocked looks from the crowds, before the graduates broke into cheers. It is unclear exactly how much the act of generosity will cost Mr Smith, but students graduate with an average debt of $30,000 to $40,000, according to Terrance Dixon, vice president of enrolment management. Students celebrated with loud cheers / AP Smith, who has a personal net worth of $5bn, according to Forbes, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school. Mr Smith, who received an honorary doctorate from Morehouse during the ceremony, said he expected the recipients to "pay it forward" and said he hoped that "every class has the same opportunity going forward". "Because we are enough to take care of our own community," Mr Smith said. "We are enough to ensure that we have all the opportunities of the American dream. "And we will show it to each other through our actions and through our words and through our deeds." Finance graduate Aaron Mitchom, 22, who owes $200,000 in student loans, said he wept at the announcement. "I don't have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was shocked. My heart dropped. We all cried," he said. Robert F Smith with David Thomas, center, and actress Angela Bassett at Morehouse College / AP Morehouse College president David Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students' futures. "Many of my students are interested in going into teaching, for example, but leave with an amount of student debt that makes that untenable," he said. "In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices." P resident Donald Trump has issued one of his most direct threats to Tehran, warning that the United States will end Iran if it starts a conflict with its superpower adversary. Mr Trump ramped up his rhetoric last night as the firing of a missile into Baghdads Green Zone less than a mile from the US embassy in Iraq further raised tensions in the region. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran, the President said in a tweet. Never threaten the United States again! It was not clear if the Green Zone attack prompted Mr Trumps warning, but there is concern that Iraq where 5,000 US troops are still stationed could be a flashpoint in the stand-off between Washington and Tehran. The rocket launcher that is believed to have fired the missile was reportedly found in eastern Baghdad in an area controlled by Iranian-backed Shia militias. There were no reports of any casualties. Meanwhile Major General Hossein Salami, the top commander in Irans Revolutionary Guard, insisted Iran was not looking for war but added: It is fully prepared to defend itself. Fuelling the tensions, a Saudi Arabian diplomat last night said his country will defend itself after acts of sabotage on two Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates were blamed by the US on Iranian militants. Yemens Iranian-aligned Houthi group also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs Adel al-Jubeir said the kingdom does not want war in the region and does not strive for that but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests. Earlier, Mr Trump took a more measured tone on Iran in an interview with Fox News, saying: I just dont want them to have nuclear weapons, and they cant be threatening us. And with all of everything thats going on, and Im not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly by far most importantly. He added: I dont want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you cant let them have nuclear weapons you just cant let that happen. T he Ecuadorian government has confirmed that officials are searching through the belongings of Julian Assange after a request by the United States. In a statement published online, the government said the search was to identify and confiscate belongings that could offer clues to possible criminal activity. Protesters gathered outside the embassy in Knightsbridge on Monday morning after WikiLeaks claimed its founder's possessions would be handed to US prosecutors who are seeking his extradition. Assange, 47, was dramatically dragged out of the embassy building in April and sentenced to 50 weeks in Belmarsh Prison for a bail breach. Police outside the Ecuadorian embassy amid reports that officers have searched through Julian Assange's posessions from the Ecuadorian embassy in London / EPA The search is being carried out under the authorisation of a judge and following a request for judicial assistance from the United States, the statement said, adding that other countries had also made similar requests. If officials do decide to confiscate any of the whistleblower's belongings these will be sent to Ecuador for analysis and then possibly passed on to those seeking judicial assistance. Wikileaks claimed material such as legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment will be handed to US prosecutors. A group of Metropolitan Police officers briefly attended the scene outside the Ecuadorian Embassy earlier, facing questions and chants from protesters, before leaving again. Julian Assange supporters outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London. / EPA Protesters fixed banners to railings outside the embassy with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag. The small group held up posters with the messages "Free Assange" and "#FreeSpeech". One woman shouted towards the building: "You are stealing Assange's belongings. WikiLeaks claimed its founder's possessions left from his time living inside the embassy, including legal papers and electronic equipment, were to be removed on Monday. The material is said to include two of Assange's manuscripts. One former diplomat joining the small crowd of protestors outside the embassy labelled Ecuador's treatment of Assange as "shameful". Former consul Fidel Narvaez, who worked in the building between 2010 and 2018, said he considered Assange "my friend" who was "very respectful" and had a "good relationship" with embassy staff. A police officer walks past the Ecuadorian embassy in London. / PA "I feel ashamed of the way the Ecuadorian government is dealing with Julian's case, the way they evicted him, allowing foreign forces to go into the embassy and to drag a political refugee out by force," said Mr Narvaez. He claimed ongoing "co-operation" between Ecuador and the US had seen Ecuadorian diplomats interviewed by US prosecutors and the handing over of Assange's possessions would be "immoral". Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks said prior to the governments confirmation: "On Monday, Ecuador will perform a puppet show at the Embassy of Ecuador in London for their masters in Washington, just in time to expand their extradition case before the UK deadline on 14 June. The Trump administration is inducing its allies to behave like it's the Wild West. Baltasar Garzon, international legal coordinator for the defence of Assange and WikiLeaks, said: "It is extremely worrying that Ecuador has proceeded with the search and seizure of property, documents, information and other material belonging to the defence of Julian Assange, which Ecuador arbitrarily confiscated, so that these can be handed over to the the agent of political persecution against him, the United States. "It is an unprecedented attack on the rights of the defence, freedom of expression and access to information exposing massive human rights abuses and corruption. "We call on international protection institutions to intervene to put a stop to this persecution." T he Eiffel Tower was closed and surrounding streets put on lockdown after a man was spotted scaling the upper part of the 1,000ft high landmark. Police and emergency workers were scrambled to the monument in Paris on Monday due to the climber. A spokesman for the tower said the individual had tried to climb up the tourist attraction. Dramatic images showed a person dangling just below the third and highest level of the structure, which stands at around 900 feet. A rescuer dressed in red was pictured just above him. A fire brigade climbing specialist approaches the man on the landmark / REUTERS Police said in a statement that the climber was a man. A rescue worker, top in red, hangs from the Eiffel Tower while a climber is seen below him between two iron columns / AP It was not immediately clear how the trespasser managed to get past the tower's stringent security system. The man could be seen just below the third and highest level of the structure / AP A Paris police spokeswoman said a team of firefighters, including a climbing specialist, remain on the scene. Surrounding streets were on lockdown during the incident / AP "The man entered the tower normally and started to climb once he was on the second floor," a spokeswoman for the tower's operator told Reuters. The intruder's motivations remain unclear. Eiffel Tower closed as man scales Paris landmark 1 /10 Eiffel Tower closed as man scales Paris landmark The Eiffel Tower is closed after a man was spotted scaling the landmark REUTERS The surrounding streets were on lockdown AP A rescue worker hangs from the Eiffel Tower on Monday AP Police prevent tourists from entering the area of the Eiffel Tower AP French rescue workers are scaling the tower in order to meet the unidentified climber. AP Rescue workers vehicles park just down the Eiffel Tower on Monday. AP A rescue worker, left in red, climbs the Eiffel Tower on Monday. AP A man was reported to be climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Monday afternoon. AP Officials have not immediately provided further information about the incident. It is not known when the Eiffel Tower will reopen. It's not the first time a daredevil has attempted the feat. In 2015, British "freerunner" James Kingston climbed the edifice without safety ropes and without permission, dodging security cameras as he went. The tower, the tallest structure in Paris, is 324 meters (1,063 feet) high, about the same height as an 81-story building. P rince Charles and Donald Trump will meet for afternoon tea during the US presidents state visit to the UK next month. The Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will join Mr Trump for afternoon tea at their official residence Clarence House, according to CNN. Mr Trump and his wife Melania will be guests of the Queen during his three-day visit, which begins on June 3. His formal visit follows a working trip to the UK last summer that sparked demonstrations across the country. File photo: President Trump's controversial state visit starts on June 3 / AFP/Getty Images Campaigners are again hoping to fly a blimp, depicting the US president as a nappy-wearing baby, over London after it was hoisted in Parliament Square during protests against the US leader's last trip. Charles and Mr Trump, who did not meet during the 2018 visit, are known to have contrasting views on the environment. While the prince has called climate change "the wolf at the door", Mr Trump has called it a "Chinese hoax" and "bullshit". The US president is expected to meet with Prime Minister Theresa May during his trip in June and to attend a ceremony in Portsmouth to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Details of his visit have yet to be revealed, but it is likely to feature a state banquet. A spokesman from Clarence House declined to comment on Mr Trump's visit. S cores of smart traffic cameras capable of monitoring air pollution and catching banned lorries are to be rolled out in Islington to fight toxic air. It is understood to be the first London borough to install the sophisticated smart CCTV roadside cameras, at a cost of 4.5 million. A report released by the council reveals it expects them to bring in more than 1 million a year in additional traffic fines and enforce a proposed borough-wide ban on HGVs over 3.5 tonnes from residential streets. The cameras will be able to sense the size of vehicles going past. Up to 150 HD cameras will carry sensors allowing them to collect data and map changes in air pollution to help shape future traffic schemes. They will also monitor noise patterns through decibel detection, and determine the weight of vehicles driving past. This information could then be used to trigger a fine if new rules are brought in banning lorries from Islingtons streets. They will be installed over the next two years from July, and the council plans to place many near schools to assess air quality for children. A pilot camera is currently running near Drayton Park primary school at Highbury, with further trials to come this summer on busy streets in Canonbury and Stoke Newington. A nother blow has been delivered to the Chinese tech giant Huawei as US officials urge the UK government not to use the company's tech in its 5G network. Last year, President Trump's administration accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran. The US banned the company's equipment from US networks in a bid to protect national security over fears Huawei would be ordered to put in backdoors that would allow the Chinese government to spy on the US. This week, the US has handed over a dossier of information raising concerns over Huawei in an attempt to persuade the UK not to use its equipment off the back of the security risks. The Guardian reported officials from the US stating that involvement from Huawei in the UK's burgeoning 5G network would be "nothing short of madness". Here's everything that's happened so far with the Huawei US trade ban and what it means for Huawei smartphone owners in the UK. What is the Google Huawei ban about? In the past, the Chinese tech giant has been accused by President Trumps administration of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran, claims which have led the US president to ban Huaweis equipment from US networks in an effort to protect national security. As a result, Google was forced to pull Huawei's Android license back in May 2019. This is the operating system that powers the majority of the world's phones, aside from the Apple iPhone. Other companies are affected by the executive order, including the SD card trade association and chip designer Qualcomm. In July, Qualcomm said its sales fell in the previous quarter partly as a result of not being allowed to sell to the Chinese firm. What about Huawei in the UK? There were concerns about whether or not Huawei's 5G technology would be allowed to build the country's new 5G infrastructure. The tech firm is already involved in building 5G networks in six of the seven cities in the UK where Vodafone has gone live. It is also assisting in developing 5G sites for EE and Three. In July, the UKs Science and Technology Committee said there were no technical grounds to exclude Huawei from the UKs 5G, but did suggest that the government needs to consider the impact of using Huaweis tech on its relationship with major allies, such as the US. Norman Lamb, Chair of the Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee, said: We have found no evidence from our work to suggest that the complete exclusion of Huawei from the UKs telecommunications networks, would, from a technical point of view, constitute a proportionate response to the potential threat posed by foreign suppliers. He added: The conclusion is restricted to technical considerations. There may well be geopolitical or ethical grounds for the Government to decide to enact a ban on Huaweis equipment. The Huawei Mate 20 X 5G has a 7.2-inch screen and four camera lenses across the device / Huawei In response to the report, Victor Zhang, President of Global Affairs at Huawei, said: We note the key conclusion from the Science and Technology committee letter, which states There are no technical grounds for excluding Huawei entirely from the UKs 5G or other telecommunication networks.' And it also says we have found no evidence from our work to suggest that the complete exclusion of Huawei from the UKs telecommunications networks would, from a technical point of view, constitute a proportionate response.' We are assured that the UK, unlike others, is taking an evidence-based approach to network security. Huawei complies with the laws and regulations in all the markets where we operate. However, the recent reports of meetings between US and UK officials has seen the US government try to change this. Mr Johnson's spokesman, speaking ahead of the meeting, said: "The security and resilience of the UK's telecoms network is of paramount importance. "We have strict controls for how Huawei equipment is currently deployed in the UK. "The government is undertaking a comprehensive review to ensure the security and resilience of 5G and fibre in the UK." What does the Google Huawei ban mean for Huawei phone users? Huawei devices could no longer receive updates or be able to access software from Google / Getty The ban hasn't affected current Huawei smartphones and devices. Google has said the Google Play Store, the Android app store through which Android device owners get their links to the outside world, and the security features which come with Android, will continue to be available on existing Huawei devices. That means anything from the Huawei P30 range release, the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G, and previous devices are all fine. Following news of the block, Huawei said many of its devices would be able to access Android 10 the next version of Googles phone software due to launch later this year and would continue to receive other updates without interruption. It reiterated this position at its recent Developer Conference in China. Unfortunately, the Mate 30 Pro smartphone was not so lucky. Announced in September, this is Huawei's most powerful phone yet, featuring the company's Kirin 990 chipset, four lenses on the back of the phone and a beautiful curved screen. However, as the device doesn't feature Android, it's unlikely the phone will get a UK or Europe release date. The upcoming P40 range is probably not going to come to Europe either. Huawei phones not affected by the Google ban Huawei P30: P30 Pro, P30, P30 Lite Huawei P Smart Huawei Mate 20: Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20, Mate 20 Lite, Mate 20 X Huawei P20: P20 Pro, P20, P20 Lite Huawei Mate 10: Mate 10 Pro, Mate 10, Mate 10 Lite Huawei P10: P10 Plus, P10, P10 Lite The company is getting creative with ways around this. For instance, at this year's IFA in Berlin, Huawei announced an updated P30 Pro smartphone which will ship with Android 10, the latest Android software, because that device was already licensed to use Android. Why is Huawei suing the US government? President Trump has said he does not want to do business with Huawei / AFP/Getty Images Huawei has always said that the security concerns are unfounded and that its equipment has never been used for spying. In November, the Federal Communications Commission banned Huawei from a federal subsidies programme which will make its equipment more expensive for US telecoms carriers. As a result, Huawei fired back with a lawsuit, calling the order was unlawful. Glen Nager, a US lawyer who represents the company, said the order was based on "unsound, reliable and inadmissible accusations and innuendo, not evidence. The designation is simply shameful prejudgment of the worst kind," said Nager. This is the second lawsuit Huawei has launched against the US. It is also currently challenging the constitutionality of the federal law that bans US agencies from buying its equipment. It looks like this fight is going to go on for a long time. US trade ban took its toll on Huawei When news of a ban was first announced, it began to have serious effects on Huaweis sales in the UK. According to data by Kantar, Huawei's smartphone sales fell by two per cent between the first quarter and second quarter of 2019. By comparison, the company had a market share of 9.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2018, growing to 15.7 per cent in early 2019, so whilst the new figures are still higher than last year, it demonstrates that the Huawei surge is slowing down. In addition, Huawei's sub-brand Honor appears to be falling too, from 3.9 per cent market share of sales in the second quarter of last year down to 2.3 per cent now. Huawei's head of consumer Richard Yu with the latest Huawei P30 Pro phones / ERIC PIERMONT / Contributor When Huaweis 5G device, the Mate 20 X 5G launched in the UK last July, network operators initially pulled the smartphone from their lineups. One of the first 5G devices to be announced, the Mate 20 X 5G was removed from the 5G offerings from the likes of EE following the trade ban. However, the Huawei 5G phone was restored following leniency in the trade ban, and is available to buy from Three, Sky Mobile and the Carphone Warehouse. How could another Android ban affect the future of smartphones? Huawei is championed as one of the most innovative smartphone brands, often showcasing its design and technical prowess at various keynote events around the world. This is how the company has managed to go from a largely obscure Chinese brand to one of the biggest phone makers in the world, selling 59.1 million phones in the first quarter of 2019. With the development of its own OS, its likely that regardless of whether Huawei is banned from doing business with the US, the company will strike out on its own. Nonetheless, a potential ban could have implications for the future of things like smartphone design. Take, for instance, the Huawei Mate X, the companys folding phone. Google worked with both Huawei and Samsung to create the next version of Android that works well on folding phones. Future versions of Huawei's folding phone may not be able to support Android / EPA By ending this close relationship, future smartphone design will certainly be affected. However, Huawei is doing what it can to temper any future issues that may arise. At the companys annual developer conference in China recently, Huawei officially unveiled its Android alternative: HarmonyOS.The operating system has been in the works for a few years but Huawei reportedly stepped up development in order to replace its reliance on the Google-owned Android. W ith the news that Google is pulling Huaweis Android license, there are lots of questions over what this means for Huawei phone owners. The good news is, it doesnt mean anything right now. If you already own a Huawei phone then you will still receive access to the Google Play Store for all your app downloading needs, as well as core apps like Gmail and Google Maps, plus those all important security updates. Huawei says it will ensure its current range of phones that are on sale globally will get access to the right updates they need. In terms of whether there'll be an outright ban for Huawei devices in the UK, we'll have to wait and see. In general, the issues around Huawei and the company's alleged links to the Chinese government have focused on Huawei's telecoms infrastructure. For instance, the UK prime minister Theresa May recently approved the use of Huawei's 5G tech to help build the UK's 5G network, despite concerns about the risks this poses to national security. This is the first time the company's consumer products have been affected in this manner. However, if you're concerned about the latest developments, Huawei is not the only Android option out there. Thanks to the open source nature of the software, there have already been several Android phone launches this year. Here are the best ones to try. The top Android phones in 2019 Google Pixel 3a: For Android updates Google recently entered the mid-range market with the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones, taking the beloved camera from the top-end Pixel 3 and putting in a more affordable option. The phone features the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, a solid battery life, that excellent Pixel camera, and for bonus points: a headphone jack. The Google Pixel 3a in Purple-ish / Google For those worried about Android updates, the Google Pixel range is the first to receive OS updates. Even though the device is shipping with Android Pie, it will receive the Android Q software update when it arrives later this year. Prices start from 399 at the Carphone Warehouse OnePlus 7 Pro: For design OnePlus has pulled all the stops out for the OnePlus 7 Pro to make it the phone to compete with the top tier Huawei and Samsung phones. With a pop-up selfie camera, a beautiful glass full-screen design, three cameras on the back, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, coupled with an excellent price point, this is a phone to behold. The OnePlus 7 Pro in Nebula Blue / OnePlus One of the major criticisms we had of the recent Huawei P30 Pro was keeping the teardrop notch that phones were sporting last year. The OnePlus 7 Pro shows you can take a gamble on screen design and pull it off. Prices start from 699 at John Lewis Samsung Galaxy S10: For the camera Samsung is still the top phone maker globally and number one on the list for Android. The companys recent Galaxy S10 range demonstrates the strength of Samsung design and innovation. Theres a stellar camera line-up, the punch-hole design to ensure the most of that large screen is on show, reverse wireless charging (just like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro) and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The new Samsung Galaxy S10+ has a punch-hole design to house the front camera / Rob Le Mare The only thing with the S10+ was we didnt rate the battery life, but for everything else the phone was almost faultless. Prices start from 799 at Carphone Warehouse Xiaomi Mi 9: For incredible prices Xiaomis Mi 9 smartphone looks pretty similar to Huaweis P30 range. Theres the tiny teardrop notch at the top, an all-over glass design, a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, and a curved back so it fits nicely in your hand. There are three lenses on the back of the phone, one 48-megapixel main lens, an ultra wide 16-megapixel lens, and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, not unlike the line-up found on the P30. The new Xiaomi Mi 9 flagship phone in ocean blue and lavender purple / Xiaomi However, the price is a lot friendlier, with all that amazing tech for under 500. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. The new legal opinion from the Justice Department sides against the FDA and with Texas. It argues that drugs intended for executions are different from any others, noting that they exclusively inflict harm and are not intended to produce any benefit for the end user. The lawsuit argues that if the FDA had jurisdiction over drugs meant for executions, it would have similar power over other areas such as firearms which the agency has not sought to regulate. The Justice Departments opinion is unlikely to have any immediate effect because the FDA is still operating under the 2012 injunction. The opinion seems aimed at giving a green light to corrections officials to look abroad for drugs needed for executions, said Deborah Denno, a law professor at Fordham University and a death penalty expert. I think this has very broad ramifications, unfortunately, Denno said in an interview. This is intended to allow departments of corrections to access drugs outside the country because theyre having so much difficulty doing so. I really think that law enforcement in general is under attack in the national media, he said. Release of this particular footage, Wyatt said, is in poor taste, adding the reporter is hiding behind the First Amendment to air a disturbing video. This is to satisfy some peoples weird desire to see how a person died, he said. Ochsner says its a way to answer questions on the incident. Hes been n court five times requesting body cam video, illustrating his journalistic dedication to the concept. He said that people often write in and ask why the only time they see body cam video is when an officer does something wrong. In this case, he sees it as an opportunity to shed light on a tragic situation in which an officer did absolutely nothing wrong and gave his life defending his community, protecting his community. Wyatt said releasing the footage would not only be a disservice to Sheldon and his family but to the family of the man who killed the officer. The family of the suspect, Wyatt said, does not need to see their loved one committing the murder. Wyatt said he hopes the judge heeds the feelings of this community and does not allow the release of the footage. Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (600) Romania's Constitutional Court (CCR) on Monday rejected the referral by President Klaus Iohannis on the piece of legislation amending and completing the local public administration Law No. 215/2001, officials with the Court told AGERPRES. In his referral to the CCR, the president said that "by the way it has been adopted, as well as by its regulating contents, the criticised law goes against some constitutional norms and principles". The European Union (EU) needs a wider range of financial instruments to provide incentives to promote private investment in needed technological innovations, including increased funding for R&D and innovation, Romania's Minister for the Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu said at a joint news conference with European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Policy Miguel Arias Canete, at Parliament Palace in Bucharest. "For this ministerial meeting, we have proposed an agenda of current and major topics for European citizens: climate change, biodiversity and water management. I want to thank European Commissioner for Climate and Energy Policy Miguel Arias Canete for support; I had fruitful discussions during the working sessions that we have just concluded. I also want to thank him for having been with my colleagues over the past five months in the EU Council presidency, as were all the colleagues in the European Commissioner's office (...). On the other hand, each region has its specific socio-economic traits that we need to keep in mind and that we must take into account. The council meeting agreed that we need a wider range of financial instruments at EU level to provide incentives for promoting private investment in necessary technological innovations, including increased funding for R&D and innovation," Gavrilescu said. She added that the debates in Bucharest will draw the guidelines for the European Union Council and, at the same time, strengthen Romania's position both at European and international level. "I am convinced that these debates will draw new guidelines inside the Council of the European Union and will strengthen Romania's position at European and international level. I have discussed with my counterparts the measures to be taken at European and national level to boost the transformation of our style and to create the necessary framework for the transition to a climate-neutral society. It is my priority, as an environmental minister and a European citizen, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. How can we do that? We need to consider reducing energy consumption while reducing the use of certain products with a huge carbon footprint. Indirectly, citizens' choices are important to developing a circular economy and new business models that can lead to the creation of new jobs and economic growth. Today's debates have evidenced that we have to include not only the citizen in this process, but to extend it to the whole society: decision-makers and stakeholders," said Gavrilescu. She added that the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union was an opportunity for Romania, and also a responsibility with "concrete results benefitting all European citizens." "Holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first time in its European Union history was to Romania a great opportunity as well as a great responsibility. In that respect, we have shown to be involved and earnest in obtaining at the end of these presidency concrete results benefitting all European citizens. I can proudly say that the Romanian presidency has been a success story, something that all my ministerial colleagues who are here today for an informal environment council meeting in Bucharest can confirm," said Gavrilescu. Romania hosts an informal meeting of the European Union environment ministers of the on Monday and Tuesday at Parliament Palace in Bucharest as part of holding the presidency of the EU Council. The event is co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu, together with Minister of Waters and Forests Ioan Denes. According to the Romanian Ministry of the Environment, attending the informal meeting will be environmental ministers from the EU member states, EFTA states and EU candidate states, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council, the executive director of European Environment Agency, and the secretary general of the European Environmental Bureau. On Monday, May 20, 2019, the first working session of the informal meeting included debates on climate change - innovative solutions and the role of citizens towards a low carbon future: how to reap better the opportunities related to lifestyle, circularity, spatial planning. The second working session included debates on IPBES results on Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: implications for the EU and Global Biodiversity Framework post 2020. The meeting continues on May 21 with the third working session on water management - control of water pollution with plastic/microplastic from rivers to seas. The Military Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Military Tribunal has taken note and has filed a criminal case in rem in connection with the gendarmes' crackdown on the people who protested against the Social Democratic Party (PSD, major at rule, ed.n.) in Topoloveni. The case concerns the offenses of abuse of service, abusive behavior and deprivation of liberty.On Friday, ten people protesting in Topoloveni during a visit by PSD leader Liviu Dragnea were taken by the gendarmes and rushed to the police station."Ten people displaying banners were picked up by police forces and led to the Topoloveni Police Department because they were attending an unreported public meeting, after which they refused to leave the area at the request of the law enforcement. They were taken to the police station to have their identity established and for legal measures to be taken," Ionel Flavius Tanase, the spokesperson for the Arges County Gendarmerie Inspectorate stated.Referring to the Topoloveni incident, President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday it is "outraging" that in 2019 people who are discontent with a politician be taken by the gendarmes."I think we have here the image of Dragnea's Romania. Whoever is not with Liviu Dragnea will be arrested. This is what the images from Topoloveni show us. Some people, rightly discontented with Dragnea, just went to protest peacefully and were taken by the gendarmes," the president said. The meeting of the European Economic Area Council (EEA Council) on Monday will focus on assessing the agreement among states in this area and discussing climate change, with Romania being interested first of all in attracting Norwegian funds as soon as possible, Minister for Business Milieu, Trade and Entrepreneurship Stefan Oprea stated on Monday. "We are presiding the 51st meeting of the European Economic Area Council. This is that precise area in which Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway benefit from the internal market, from all the advantages offered by the internal market. It's a mechanism that has been in place for 25 years now, which is why we will also have a ceremony, besides the meeting itself, a seminar where we'll celebrate the 25th anniversary since the coming into force of this agreement, which functions very well, through flexibility, and it's appreciated," showed the Minister. Moreover, another important topic is climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. "We are having an informal working breakfast, where we will approach other issues too, with the ministers of foreign affairs from these countries, and I believe that we will have very good and fruitful discussions, as we are already used to have. We will discuss about the relations between the European Union and China and the European Union and the United States of America and of course that we should mention here that: as a result of our efforts, as ministers of trade, we already see that president Trump postponed his decision by 180 days, and I would say that this is a fair stage and our assessment was the best, in the sense that, while maintaining the dialogue, we can find the solution together to avoid a commercial war," continued Oprea. In this context, the minister underscored that Romania is very interested in attracting Norwegian funds as soon as possible. "What interests us are the Norwegian funds, the financial mechanism beyond this Council of the European Economic Area and we expect these funds to be as soon as possible available for us too. We are still discussing the matter, but Romania has already made the necessary steps and I believe that Norwegian funds can contribute to this cohesion. Let's not forget that our main priority, the motto of our presidency of the Council of European Union is cohesion, a common European value and including the Norwegian funds are those who bring cohesion inside the European Union," said Oprea. Romania is the second beneficiary, in terms of value, and the first signatory of the memorandum of understanding for the 2014-2021 period, with a total of 500 million euros. Oprea also added that, since there are three non-EU member states involved, the Council meeting will have a working format especially established with these states. The Agreement regarding the European Economic Area (EEA) came into force on January 1, 1994 gathering EU member states and the three AELS states - Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway - in a small market called "the internal market." The EEA Agreement guarantees equal rights and obligations inside the Internal Market for individuals and economic operators in the EEA. It also stipulates that the EU laws on the four freedoms - free movement of merchandise, services, persons and capital - be incorporated in all the 31 states of the EEA. A few thousand people attended the event "Everybody for Europe", on Sunday evening, in Victoriei Square, aimed at motivating citizens to participate in the 26 May elections. On a stage set up in the square, personalities from various fields, not politically involved, sent messages of mobilization to vote: philosopher Mihai Sora, artist Tudor Chirila, actors Marius Manole, Mihai Calin and Victor Rebengiuc, journalist Moise Guran, Carmen Uscatu and Oana Gheorghiu from the "Give Life" Association.Actor Victor Rebengiuc appealed to people to vote on 26 May 26, regardless of their favorite party."We have benefited from the latest emergence ordinance banning Uber. Thank you, the party! You are aware of what is happening in our country, and you know what we are currently living. (...) We want a normal country, for you, the young ones, to live normally, as you have the future ahead. I speak like one that will soon be separated from you because there are some age limits, so I have no illusions for the future, but you are young and you must have this idea: the change of this country lies in your hands and souls," Victor Rebengiuc said on the stage.In his turn, philosopher Mihai Sora urged people not to be "lazy" and to vote in the elections to the European Parliament."It is important to be here in Victoriei Square to tell what we think. We are Romanians and we are Europeans. It is important to be in Europe, so as not to be alone and to be surrounded by friends and feel strong. We need to go to the polls to avoid letting others vote for us and waking up with something other than what we want. Let us not be lazy, go out and manifest ourselves politically," said philosopher Mihai Sora.On this occasion, members of the Declic community, the organizer of the event, made a special choreography in the square, creating a white heart on a blue background to convey the message "Romania Loves Europe" . National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban on Monday stated that President Klaus Iohannis is invited to participate in several events organised by the Liberals and also to celebrate this party's day on Friday. "We have several events where we invited the President. For instance, we have the day of the party on May 24, on Friday, and we invited the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, to attend. Moreover, the President is also set to go to various locations in the country, where he will most probably get involved in several actions alongside our colleagues," said Orban, after the meeting of the Executive Bureau of the PNL, which took place at the headquarters of the party.He also accused PSD (Social Democratic Party) of banning Liberals from honouring the memory of the Bratianu brothers in Florica."Something truly scandalous happened this year, something that has never happened before in the past 30 years. Traditionally, the PNL commemorates the memory of the Bratianu brothers and celebrates the day of the party, at the same time, at their home in Florica. For the first time in 30 years, PSD wants to prevent us, the Liberals, from honouring the memory of our forefathers. PSD wants to reinvent history, to confiscate these places that are full of history and had a decisive influence on the evolution of the Romanian nation. But no one can forbid us from honoring the history of our country. Even if you can ban us from going to Florica, we will commemorate the Bratianu brothers anyway and we will honour the great achievements of the PNL through our actions," said Orban. Romania exported more than 12 million tonnes of grains to the European Union and third countries last year, by a million tonnes more than in the previous year, with receipts exceeding 2.2 billion euro, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at AGERPRES' request. In 2018, the most important export destinations were Spain, Egypt, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany and Libya.On the other hand, grain imports totaled 1.4 million tonnes last year, and the amounts spent amounted to 320 million euro. Most imported grains came from Bulgaria and Hungary.The data of the European Institute of Statistics - Eurostat - as well as those of the INS confirmed that Romania last year ranked third in the European Union, after France and Germany, in the production of grains, with a total harvest of 31.187 million tonnes.In terms of maize, Romania ranked first in 2018 for the second consecutive year in the EU, with a total crop of nearly 19 million tonnes, up nearly 33pct over 2017 and a yield of 7.8 tonnes / hectare, outpacing France, which produced 12.59 million tonnes last year.As far as the wheat production is concerned, our country last year ranked 4th in the EU with 10.27 million tonnes, a plus of 2.36pct versus 2017 and an average of 4.8 tonnes / hectare, although it was a difficult year in which farmers faced extreme weather phenomena.Sunflower crop rose to 3.35 million tonnes in 2018, up 15.01pct from 2017 at a yield of 2.9 tonnes / hectare. These data place Romania again in the first place in the EU. Romania's Chief of General Staff Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca will attend a meeting of the NATO Military Committee and the European Union Military Committee in chiefs of defence meeting in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a press statement released by Romania's Ministry of National Defence (MApN) on Monday. "The EU Military Committee meeting agenda includes EU-NATO co-operation, the latest developments in the implementation of a joint set of proposals for co-operation and NATO and EU's perspectives on military mobility, as well as testing the coordinated defence analysis," according to the MApN statement. At the NATO Military Committee meeting, NATO's deterrence and defence posture will be addressed, alongside the design of stability and defence capabilities in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, commissioning the SACEUR area of responsibility, and NATO co-operation with Ukraine. "The two meetings represent a working framework for the EU and NATO chiefs of defence for analysing and putting forth proposals for conduct on topics featuring on working agendas and establishing common views to be supported by NATO military authorities during the forthcoming political and military meetings." Romania's philosophy team obtained two mentions at the 27th edition of the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO), which took place in Rome between 16 and 19 May. According to a release sent by the National Education Ministry (MEN) on Monday, the performance was obtained by Horia-Stefan Lixandru (the "Gheorghe Lazar" National College in Bucharest - who ranked 1st within the national round) and Ioan-Victor Popa (the "Saint Sava" National College in Bucharest - who ranked 2nd within the national round). Romania's team was coordinated and accompanied by Elena Florina Otet, a teacher with the "Andrei Muresanu" High School in Brasov and founding member of the competition, as well as member of the international jury, and teacher Eugen Stoica, also a member of the international organising committee and the jury. "The general topic of this year's competition was "Cultural Heritage and Citizenship" and occasioned academic presentations and debates for all the participants: pupils and teachers. Over 100 competitors from 48 countries (Europe, Asia, North and South America) participated in the competition, according to the MEN release. The International Philosophy Olympiad was founded in 1993 at the initiative of a group of teachers from Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Hungary and it is officially recognised by UNESCO. Romania participated without interruption and hosted the competition twice in Brasov (1998) and in Iasi (2008). Romania's delegation was welcomed and congratulated by Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu on the "Henri Coanda" International Airport. Measures to reduce carbon emissions should be jointly implemented by the central and local public authorities, NGOs and the business community, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu said on Monday. "In the first part of today's session, we will look at an extremely important theme: innovative solutions and the role of the citizens in reducing carbon emissions. I am convinced that all the ministers of the member states will properly approach this subject today and that the measures we need to find together will indeed be the ones that will really reduce the effects of greenhouse gases. At the same time, let us not forget that the implementation of these measures must be a concentrated effort of the central and local public authorities, NGOs and the business environment, for life to endure on Earth as long as possible," Gavrilescu said at the Palace of Parliament, ahead of the informal meeting of the Environment Ministers organized in Bucharest.The Romanian official also mentioned that biodiversity is another topic of interest that will be discussed at the meeting in Bucharest, against the background of the latest United Nations report according to which many species and habitats have disappeared.Romania hosts on Monday and Tuesday at the Palace of Parliament the informal meeting of EU Environment Ministers, in the context of its term at the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The event is co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu and Minister of Waters and Forests Ioan Denes.According to the Ministry of Environment, attending the event are the Ministers of Environment of EU member states, EFTA states and EU candidate states, the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Policy Miguel Arias Canete, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council, the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency and the Secretary-General of the European Environmental Bureau.On May 21 the meeting will continue with the third working session on water resources management - controlling plastic / microplastic river and sea pollution. Romania's Minister-delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba will chair a new General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. The agenda will include items such as the Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and the preparation for the European Council of June 20-21, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) said in a press statement.According to MAE, the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, the first item on the agenda of the General Affairs Council meeting will focus on aspects related to the external dimension of the European budget. The second item on the agenda of the ministerial meeting includes preparations for the European Council of June 20-21. European leaders will have an exchange of views on the next institutional cycle, the Multiannual Financial Framework, climate change as well as the European Semester, misinformation, and EU enlargement. The meeting of the European Economic Area Council (EEA Council) on Monday will focus on assessing the agreement among states in this area and discussing climate change, with Romania being interested first of all in attracting Norwegian funds as soon as possible, Minister for Business Milieu, Trade and Entrepreneurship Stefan Oprea stated on Monday. "We are presiding the 51st meeting of the European Economic Area Council. This is that precise area in which Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway benefit from the internal market, from all the advantages offered by the internal market. It's a mechanism that has been in place for 25 years now, which is why we will also have a ceremony, besides the meeting itself, a seminar where we'll celebrate the 25th anniversary since the coming into force of this agreement, which functions very well, through flexibility, and it's appreciated," showed the Minister.Moreover, another important topic is climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement."We are having an informal working breakfast, where we will approach other issues too, with the ministers of foreign affairs from these countries, and I believe that we will have very good and fruitful discussions, as we are already used to have. We will discuss about the relations between the European Union and China and the European Union and the United States of America and of course that we should mention here that: as a result of our efforts, as ministers of trade, we already see that president Trump postponed his decision by 180 days, and I would say that this is a fair stage and our assessment was the best, in the sense that, while maintaining the dialogue, we can find the solution together to avoid a commercial war," continued Oprea.In this context, the minister underscored that Romania is very interested in attracting Norwegian funds as soon as possible."What interests us are the Norwegian funds, the financial mechanism beyond this Council of the European Economic Area and we expect these funds to be as soon as possible available for us too. We are still discussing the matter, but Romania has already made the necessary steps and I believe that Norwegian funds can contribute to this cohesion. Let's not forget that our main priority, the motto of our presidency of the Council of European Union is cohesion, a common European value and including the Norwegian funds are those who bring cohesion inside the European Union," said Oprea.Romania is the second beneficiary, in terms of value, and the first signatory of the memorandum of understanding for the 2014-2021 period, with a total of 500 million euros.Oprea also added that, since there are three non-EU member states involved, the Council meeting will have a working format especially established with these states.The Agreement regarding the European Economic Area (EEA) came into force on January 1, 1994 gathering EU member states and the three AELS states - Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway - in a small market called "the internal market." The EEA Agreement guarantees equal rights and obligations inside the Internal Market for individuals and economic operators in the EEA. It also stipulates that the EU laws on the four freedoms - free movement of merchandise, services, persons and capital - be incorporated in all the 31 states of the EEA. ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats) leader Calin Popescu Tariceanu on Monday appreciated that the current European Commission "bears responsibility for Brexit," at least to the same extent as those who initated this process in the UK in the first place, also adding that "we must fight for UK till the end." "I believe that we must fight forthe UK till the end. UK has never abandoned Europe, so we don't have the right to abandon UK either. Unfortunately, this European Commission bears responsibility for Brexit, at least to the same extent as the ones who initiated the Brexit in the UK bear responsibility for it. I believe history won't forgive them if UK ends by pulling out eventually. Which leads us to one of the main reasons for which the UK is leaving the EU. Namely, the lack of real democracy, the strengthening of the democracy in Brussels by diminishing the power of decision of the elected representatives, both in the European Parliament and the national parliaments. An increasingly smaller number of citizens of the Union agree that a limited number of bureaucrats in Brussels have the right to establish the policies that influence the lives of 500 million people. It's clear that something is not functioning and certain changes are required. The future EP must be much stronger then the one that is ending its mission these day, in order to be able to democratize the decision-making process and incline the balance to the advantage of the elected," Tariceanu told the conference "Future of Europe," where he had the former president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, sir Graham Watson, as honorary guest. Graham Watson appreciated that UK won't leave the EU. "I would say that the UK won't leave the EU. Either there will be a second referendum or a vote in Parliament saying that UK must give up its request to leave the Union. One of these two things will happen and the UK will remain a member of the European Union. I might be wrong, but if I'm not wrong, I will obtain an Italian passport, which I am entitled to have due to my marriage, and I will campaign for Scotland to return to the European Union. But I don't think that I will have to do that," he said. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com ST. LOUIS The Steak n Shake chain of restaurants owes St. Louis-area managers and their lawyers $7.7 million after a federal judges order earlier this month, and it is facing a demand of millions of dollars more for managers around the country. On May 10, U.S. District Judge John Ross ordered the company to pay more than $6 million in back pay to managers and over $1.6 million in attorneys fees and costs. The award came in a 2014 suit filed on behalf of St. Louis-area managers who said they were not being compensated for the overtime hours they worked. Brendan Donelon, one of their lawyers, said the managers were paid a salary but did the same type of work that the hourly employees were doing and did not have the type of managerial duties that would make them exempt from overtime rules. Donelon said Ross May 10 judgment doubled a March jury award, as required under state and federal wage and hour laws. He also said jury trials are rare in such cases. Like a lot of class actions, theres a lot on the line, he said. But Donelon said jurors were unanimous, and quick, in returning a verdict for the managers and giving us everything we wanted. BEL-NOR A federal appeals court on Monday said that a Bel-Nor ordinance barring homeowners from having more than one sign in their yard was likely unconstitutional and should not be enforced. The opinion by a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Court of Appeals said a lower court judge was wrong to deny Lawrence Willson's request to block the sign ordinance. "Due to the special significance of the right to speak from ones own home, severe restrictions of this right do not afford adequate alternatives, the ruling says. Bel-Nor residents risked up to 90 days in jail and a fine for violating the ordinance. Willson was ticketed in 2017 for having three political signs in his yard, his suit says. Willson erected "Clinton Kaine" and "Jason Kander U.S. Senate" signs in 2016 and a Black Lives Matter sign in 2014. KIRKWOOD A man from Kirkwood has been indicted and accused of embezzling $3.8 million from a local company while chief financial officer and controller, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday. Bryan Vonderahe, 45, of the 1900 block of Windy Hill Road, was indicted Thursday on three felony counts of wire fraud and appeared in court Monday, prosecutors said. Vonderahe worked for the Boyd Group, which owns real estate and runs mattress and waterbed retailers The Bedroom Store, Boyd Sleep and Accent Furniture, the indictment says. The indictment claims that from January 2012 through January 2019, Vonderahe issued about 500 company checks to himself worth roughly $3.8 million dollars. He falsified company records and issued false financial statements to cover up his theft, and used the money for a "lavish lifestyle," including gambling, mortgage payments and travel to Florida, Colorado, Nevada and elsewhere, prosecutors said. The U.S. Attorney's Office is seeking forfeiture of a GMC Acadia Denali and a Range Rover Sport, Vonderahes four-bedroom, 3,500-square foot home in Kirkwood and a condominium in 12500 block of Chardin Place in unincorporated St. Louis County near Interstate 270 and Tesson Ferry Road. No lawyer is listed for Vonderahe in court records. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Kemp spent most of his adolescence, including high school, in Tucson, Ariz. When he moved to St. Louis, he began filing bogus returns using information of people he knew in Tucson, prosecutors said. He also used the names of their children when claiming exemptions for dependents. From October 2013 to March 2015, he filed 37 returns and received $54,390 in bogus refunds on prepaid cards, but tried to get more, they said. WASHINGTON Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said on Monday he will introduce a bill, the Do Not Track Act, which would allow internet users to block companies from tracking some personal online data. Hawleys staff likened the idea to the national Do Not Call list, which bars companies from calling personal phone numbers. Big tech companies collect incredible amounts of deeply personal, private data from people without giving them the option to meaningfully consent, Hawley said in the announcement. The American people didnt sign up for this. Hawley called online surveillance tactics creepy, and he criticized companies that hide their practices until they mishandle the data and it leaks all over the internet. The Federal Trade Commission endorsed a Do Not Track program in 2010, Hawleys staff said. But the program was voluntary and tech giants refused to comply. Hawley said his bill would give the program legal authority and expand it to cover all internet activity. Parson has said he will sign the bill, but its still unclear when he will do so. By signing HB 126, Governor Parson is telling survivors of rape, incest and human trafficking that the whole system is against you, Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat considering challenging Parson in 2020, said in a statement. Not only are Governor Parson and Republicans in Jefferson City out of step with the majority of Missourians, they dont care about womens health, re-victimizing survivors, or the law, Galloway said. When asked why he would sign the bill, given that there are no exceptions for rape or incest, Parson first said that he would sign it because that was the version the Legislature sent him. He later said he believed all life was valuable, regardless of how it was conceived. Jean Peters Baker, chairwoman of the state Democrats, said the bill was far too extreme to the majority of Missourians an angle that may resonate with some of Missouris conservative-leaning electorate, who may be ambivalent toward total abortion bans. This is what I have observed in the four years Ive been there without exception, parents are there because they are trying to do the best for their children and provide them with a safe environment and a better education than they would have otherwise, Garcia said at the meeting. Some landlords, too, cheer the benefits of accepting vouchers. It is guaranteed income, thats the positive, said David Dothage, a landlord who accepts Section 8 at his St. Louis city and county properties. And I dont particularly mind all the paperwork for the trade-off you get. But Dothage said there are parts of the process that need to be simplified. Otherwise, the incentives dont outweigh the time costs for landlords. Usually the paperwork and one additional inspection arent a big deal, Dothage said, though he can understand why some landlords may not want to deal with it. The uncertainty early in the voucher-acceptance process may also make landlords weary, he said. Though a portion of the rent is guaranteed, the amount is not, until negotiations with the housing authority are finished. ST. LOUIS COUNTY All lanes of Interstate 44 between Interstate 270 and South Geyer Road will be closed in Sunset Hills later this month to remove an overpass, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced Monday. The interstate will close at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 31, so workers can remove the westbound Watson Road overpass bridge over I-44. The interstate is set to reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 3. Crews will work rebuilding the bridge for five months, according to the department. During the closure, drivers will still be able to access both north and south I-270 and eastbound Watson Road from both directions of I-44. But drivers who wish to continue on I-44 will be detoured. Eastbound drivers will be redirected to take Watson Road and turn onto Lindbergh Boulevard to get back to Interstate 44. Westbound Interstate 44 drivers will be redirected to take the Interstate 270 exit and use the westbound Watson ramp after the bridge to continue on west on Interstate 44. When the lanes reopen, eastbound I-44 will be restriped with two regular lanes, one ramp lane for northbound I-270 and one ramp lane for southbound I-270. During her career as a trauma surgeon, Dr. Laurie Punch has seen and treated many, many gunshot wounds. Some people she couldnt save, but she remembers in particular one phone call she made to a mother to tell her that her son would survive his wound. Did you get all the bullets out? Punch recalls the mother asking her. Punch spoke before a packed auditorium at a health care educational event at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy on Thursday. Why is that her question? Why is that what she has to know right now? Because that mama knows that that hate has no place in her child. Bullets dont just go through skin and muscle and bone, they cut right through families. They crack open communities. Punch, now an associate professor of surgery at Washington University, is passionate about treating the wounds that are left by bullets, both physical and psychological. Her passion has led her to advocate locally with Stop the Bleed, a national program dedicated to educating the public about how to take care of a gunshot victim in the crucial moments before professional help arrives. Punch founded the local branch along with Washington University surgery resident Dr. Erin Andrade and Jane Hayes, a medical student. Updated at 9:20 p.m. with details from sheriff deputies. A 15-year-old girl from Hillsboro was hit and killed by a Union Pacific train in Jefferson County on Sunday afternoon, officials said. Five minors were swimming in Joachim Creek near a train trestle in the Hematite area, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said. Witnesses said the five climbed up to the trestle to jump off into the creek below when a train approached. Three of the youths jumped to safety, said Grant Bissell, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. Two, including the 15-year-old, tried to run down the trestle and away from the train. One made it. Deputies responded at 12:41 p.m. to the 4700 block of State Highway P. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. A spokesman for Union Pacific said in a statement that one of its southbound trains was involved in "an incident" with five pedestrians on a bridge near Hematite and that one was killed. The train crew was not injured. Bissell said Jefferson County and Union Pacific are each conducting investigations of the incident. The department was not yet identifying the victim. This is a breaking news story. It will be updated. 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. You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close "It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct -- past or present -- even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry," he added. Mazars has seven days until it will have to comply with the subpoena, Mehta said in his opinion Monday, but the judge refused to halt the subpoena after that. Another court would have to do so. Trump's team has not yet appealed the ruling. "The court is well aware that this case involves records concerning the private and business affairs of the President of the United States. But on the question of whether to grant a stay pending appeal, the President is subject to the same legal standard as any other litigant that does not prevail," Mehta wrote. This story is breaking and will be updated. Though the "Saturday Night Live" season finale opened with members of the Trump administration singing a corruption-themed parody of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now," the episode's most heated political moment arrived during the "Weekend Update" segment. "Blessed be the fruit, Colin," Jones greeted Colin Jost as she entered, wearing the red cloak and white bonnet outfit recognizable as the attire of handmaids (fertile women forced into childbearing enslavement from Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel "The Handmaid's Tale" and its Hulu adaptation). "Well, basically, we're all handmaids now," Jones said, adding: "This is how it starts. I'm out living my life, and then I see on the news (that) a bunch of states are trying to ban abortion and tell me what I can and can't do with my body. "Next thing you know, I'm in Starbucks and they won't take my credit card because I'm a woman - instead of the regular reason, which is, I don't have no money on there." (In "The Handmaid's Tale," women are also stripped of their financial independence.) Our hope is that the St. Louis Chapter of J Street will become a home base for those who hold sincere concern for the future of the Jewish homeland, for those who realize that Israel and its relationship with the United States must be built on foundations that can outlast the whims and prejudices of our current leaders, and for those of us who know that the best way to ensure Israels long-term future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people is to work toward recognized borders and a secure two-state solution. That may seem far off at the moment. And with Trump and Netanyahu seemingly determined to destroy any prospect of two states for two peoples, it can be too easy to give into frustration, isolation and helplessness. There are some in our community particularly the younger generation who have been tempted to give up on Israel altogether. But we see this moment instead as a call to action, a call to come together and work constructively to defend our values. We started by bringing to St. Louis last week the renowned author and commentator Peter Beinart, contributing editor at The Atlantic, senior columnist at The Forward and professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York. While I am grateful that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recognizes the significance of the American Legions caucus in the Gateway City, the authors of the piece The St. Louis roots of Make America Great Again, (May 8) allowed their vitriol toward the roots of the nations largest veterans organization to cloud their understanding of its principles. As academics Stephen P. Miller and Warren Rosenblum correctly point out, 100 years ago the American Legion met in St. Louis for a historic gathering. But the authors loosely attempt to use declarations from that gathering to link the American Legion to xenophobic and anti-immigrant movements in the United States. Since our founding in 1919, the American Legion opened its membership ranks to all honorable wartime veterans regardless of race, religion or gender. While that sounds like a no-brainer today, I would like to point out that women could vote for national commander of the American Legion before they could vote for president of the United States and that the U.S. military would not racially integrate until 1948. There were many prominent African American World War I veterans who served as delegates to our St. Louis caucus in 1919, including future assistant Illinois attorney general Earl Dickerson. The Missouri measure would ban all abortions after eight weeks, when some women dont even know theyre pregnant. There is an exception to save the life of the mother, but none for rape or incest. This kind of extremism is the result of a GOP supermajority thats far right of the state they represent. Its something the voters of Missouri should remember in future elections. The Legislature also passed a bill prohibiting counties from adopting their own environmental standards to control the damage from industrial farming the latest reminder that the Republican ethos of local control is subservient to the partys coddling of big business. Yet even that wasnt enough to stop them from passing a gratuitously cruel bill banning universities from granting in-state tuition for immigrant Dreamers, something leading members of the business community support. The good news is, lawmakers passed a measure ending the practice jailing people for being unable to pay earlier jail fees, a revolving-door scam exposed by the Post-Dispatchs Tony Messenger in a Pulitzer-Prize-winning series of columns. The full Board of Aldermen must recognize the unacceptability of that effort. Either voters know what theyre doing at the polls, including when they voted to put those aldermen in office, or they dont, in which case the entire election process should be called into question. State legislators wisely reconsidered their bid to revote the Clean Missouri election-reform amendment approved statewide by Missourians in November. Once voters have had their say, the decision must be respected. Theres no more time to waste in preparing for ward reduction. The process was delayed in part because of Collins-Muhammads efforts to organize a revote but also because the entire future of the Board of Aldermen was in question as the Better Together city-county merger plan moved forward. That plan would have absorbed St. Louis into a larger metropolitan city represented by a 33-member council. A larger council might have been justified to provide representation to a merged city of 1.3 million, but a 28-member board no longer makes sense for St. Louis city now that its population has dwindled to 319,000. The process that launches on Tuesday will be citizens first opportunity to provide input on the representation issues they deem most crucial in designing a more efficient, smaller board. Advisory committee positions wont necessarily be filled by supporters of ward reduction. But it serves no purpose to try to use this committee to advance an opposition agenda whose ship has already sailed. Cedar Lake Cellars, a year-round winery and event venue, recently promoted Allison Carroll to Winery Manager. In this position, Carroll will oversee the companys wine and beverage operations while promoting a strategic vision of financial growth and expansion opportunities. She will oversee the day-to-day activities of the winery and its staff, as well as create and maintain relationships among vendors and partners. Carroll has more than 15 years of hospitality industry experience. Prior to joining Cedar Lake Cellars, Carroll served as a manager at a wedding venue in Georgia and previously as a food and beverage supervisor at a California hotel. She earned her Associates in Arts (AA) degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Ventura College in Ventura, Calif. Carroll also earned her Certified Event and Wedding Planner certification from the QC School of Event and Wedding Planning. During her tenure, Allison has proven what a strong and inspirational leader she is, said Cedar Lake Cellars proprietor Carl Bolm. This new position will allow her to guide our winery in a more event-oriented direction while maintaining our position as a unique destination in Missouris marketplace. ST. LOUIS (May 16, 2019) The Doe Run Company (Doe Run) is pleased to announce that John Uhrie, PE, Ph.D., QP, has joined the company as vice president exploration, research and technical development. In addition, Michael Montgomery, previously senior counsel and director of regulatory affairs, has been promoted to vice president environmental affairs. John is a recognized technical expert in both mining and minerals processing two key business drivers for Doe Run, and were excited to tap his expertise in everything from metal recovery to geology to economic evaluations in order to uncover and advance new business opportunities, said Jerry Pyatt, Doe Run president and CEO. Dr. Uhrie brings 25 years of experience in the mining industry to his new role. Dr. Uhrie will lead the companys efforts to advance new technologies and to identify and acquire mineral resources that can drive growth. He joins Doe Run from RPM Global, a leader in providing software solutions, advisory consulting and professional development solutions to the mining industry, and has previous global experience at Newmont Mining Corporation and Freeport McMoRan. Source: Clive Maund for Streetwise Reports (5/20/19) Technical analyst Clive Maund charts silver and finds that it looks "considerably weaker than gold." Silver looks considerably weaker than gold, although that is normal at this stage in the cycle. It is still considered likely that it is forming a Double Bottom with its lows of late 2015, and if so then the support at those lows should hold. On silver's 1-year chart it still looks like it is moving to complete a Cup & Handle base, because the pattern roughly parallels the pattern completing in gold, although the downwardly skewed Handle is driving the price back down towards the vicinity of the lows of the Cup. A breakout from the Handle downtrend will be bullish although this doesn't look likely short-term because of adverse seasonal factors. In contrast to gold, silver's latest COT chart is already starting to look positive, although there is room for further improvement which may occur, meaning still lower prices for silver in coming weeks, due to June being the most negative month seasonally for silver, although this will clearly not be the case if Iran is attacked. Silver's seasonal chart does not bode well for coming weeks, although it should be emphasized that this is a background factor and silver has already dropped quite a lot and is approaching support, so we are not expected to see much more downside. The key bullish development to look out for is a breakout from the Handle downtrend shown on the 1-year chart, although that may still be some weeks out. The conclusion is that the big picture for gold and silver continues to look strongly positive, although we may first have to contend with weakness between now and July due to the current downtrend coupled with negative seasonal factors until the end of June, which should present a window of opportunity to build positions across the sector ahead of the expected late summer advance that promises to be very substantial if gold succeeds in breaking above the key $1400 level. Originally published on CliveMaund.com on May 19, 2019. Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of Clive Maund and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. Clive Maund is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not involved in the content preparation. Clive Maund was not paid by Streetwise Reports LLC for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. 2) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 3) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. Charts provided by the author. CliveMaund.com Disclosure: The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. Mr. Maund is an independent analyst who receives no compensation of any kind from any groups, individuals or corporations mentioned in his reports. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks can only be construed as a solicitation to buy and sell securities when they are subject to the prior approval and endorsement of a Registered Securities Advisor operating in accordance with the appropriate regulations in your area of jurisdiction. UPDATE 10.40am: No one has been injured after a crash on the Tauranga Harbour Bridge. Emergency services were called the crash just before 10am. A police spokesperson says two vehicles were involved. "There doesnt appear to be any injuries. "One vehicle left the scene but we have since caught up with them and had a chat." Towing was clear at around 9.30am, says police. The New Zealand Transport Agency is advising motorists that congestion remains heavy in the area. "Motorists are advised to expect delays, avoid the area, or delay travel." EARLIER: It appears both lanes of the bridge are blocked. Photo: Mike Cork. Reports are coming in of a crash on the Tauranga Harbour Bridge. A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline says is in the eastbound lane of the bridge. Two vehicles are reported to have been involved in the crash. Another caller says traffic heading towards the Mount is completely stopped. "It looks like its backed right up to 11th Ave. It's chaos." People are being warned to expect delays. At the scene? Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz Bay of Plenty people with disabilities can now access rental vehicles catering to their needs, thanks to the arrival of the regions first business specialising in disability-friendly rental cars and vans. ND Kiwi Tours has become the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel agent for Disability Vehicle Rentals. It offers a choice of specialised vehicles from its Katikati premises, ranging from cars with hand controls that allow people with mobility issues to drive without their legs, to vans with wheelchair hoists that make it easy to transport relatives or friends in a wheelchair. ND Kiwi Tours owner Kate Pfennig says she is thrilled to be able to bring a locally-based disability-friendly rental vehicle service to the region. Everyone should have access to high quality, comfortable rental vehicles and its a privilege to be able to make the freedom of self-drive transport accessible to people with disabilities in our beautiful part of New Zealand. Ms Pfennig says rental vehicles can be dropped off and picked up by ND Kiwi Tours at the start and end of rental periods. This service is also available to visitors to the region who need a vehicle dropped off at the airport when they step off the plane, she says. People who need a wheelchair-friendly vehicle while they recover from accidents are another group Ms Pfennig hopes will benefit. In some cases they may be eligible for support from ACC to help cover the costs of rental vehicles during their recovery, she says. It can be demoralising being stuck at home while recovering from injury. Im hoping our service will allow anybody in that situation to maintain a sense of normality by continuing to drive whenever they want to. Disability Vehicle Rentals is the latest venture by ND Kiwi Tours and Ms Pfennig. She also runs local taxi company Kates Kabs, the Town Connector bus service linking Waihi, Waihi Beach and Katikati, and is chair of local economic development agency Katch Katikati. Disability Vehicle Rentals Managing Director Rod Milner says he is thrilled to be able to work with ND Kiwi Tours to make rental vehicles available to people with disabilities in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel. ND Kiwi Tours is exactly the type of reputable local business weve been hoping to partner with to make disability-friendly vehicles available to the region. Artist Gaye Jurisich has taken out top honours in the 2019 Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Award with her captivating piece labelled Snare. The Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Awards are hosted and coordinated by Waikato museum, partnered by Farmlands cooperative and supported by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society. Judge Linda Tyler praised Gayes piece of art for using the space effectively. Often with sculpture, people think that its fine to have something wall mounted," says Linda. "The whole attraction of that piece was the fact that it was sprouting out of the walls and using the floors as well, so it was a real installation. Gayes sculpture really captured the energy of the material well. No8 wire is really strong stuff, and when its coiled its got all that springing energy. It really did express the quality and energy thats inherent in No8 wire." Snare was one of 25 artworks created by 23 artists on display at ArtsPost Galleries & Shop in a fine display of creations showcasing the value, versatility and symbolism of No.8 wire through the creation of artworks made from this icon of Kiwi agriculture. New Zealand National Fieldays Society President Peter Carr awarded his Presidents Choice to Dagmar Elliot of Te Awamutu for her piece The No.8 Pataka. The Pataka, or Maori house, struck a chord with Carr who appreciated its connection with food. This piece really symbolised food, farming and Fieldays. The fact that the roof of the little house was made from rusty looking No.8 Wire paid great homage to the materials durability showing that it will last forever, says Peter. Second place went to Bev Goodwin and Jeff Thomson of Auckland for their clever creation Re-coil which judge Tyler explained as witty idea using shapes making a heavy material seem light and buoyant. Jasmine Clarks Kupenga received third place from Tyler who was very impressed with the skill involved in weaving the wire, making it seem as if it were a delicate natural fibre rather than a strong metal. The reference to the ingenuity of traditional fishing methods within the Maori culture gave it great background. This years judge, Associate Professor Linda Tyler has taught art history at Canterbury, Victoria, Waikato and Auckland universities, and at Unitec and Otago Polytechnic. Ms Tyler has also been an art curator at Waikato Museum, the Hocken Library and Gus Fisher Gallery and is now convenor of Museums and Cultural Heritage at the University of Auckland. Linda spoke of her appreciation for the work the finalists have put into their pieces, Im in awe of how people can manipulate it and do things with it that are against its nature, its really hard stuff to move around. Theres a reason its ubiquitous in fencing and thats because it is so tough! I think one of the nice things about bringing No.8 wire indoors and working with it sculpturally is that it becomes like drawing in space because the wire itself is a perfect line. When you shape the wire, you can capture light and cast shadow and do all sorts of extraordinary things with it once its indoors when you can exploit the intention of it as something to draw with. Fieldays is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere. Fieldays draws people from around the globe both as exhibitors and visitors. In 2018 Fieldays celebrated its 50th event and saw 130,866 people visit the event, generating $492M in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses. Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing primary industry. The No.8 Wire National Art Award exhibition will run at the ArtisPost Galleries & Shop from May 11 through to June 9 For more information head to www.fieldays.co.nz The Government has set aside $7.7 million for seniors in its Wellbeing Budget, which will see an 'upgrade' of the SuperGold Card, digital literacy training, and provide for ACC changes. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Seniors Minister Tracey Martin announced the creation of a new digital platform for the card, which is set to be launched before the end of the year. This includes the creation of a new SuperGold app, linked to the website, to help show seniors where the card can be used and $600,000 to provide computer training and skills. Winston says it was "serious revamp" of the neglected card, which initially had been expected to cost $9m. "The world has changed, all sorts of technologies have changed and we are going to bring it up to date to be a super, SuperGold Card." Looking at international comparisons, particularly in China, they realised what the card's capacity could be, he says. Winston says there was no doubt there was a "serious bias" against seniors when it came to technology but seniors were far more savvy than people they worked with, he said. "People are being put to pasture when frankly they have far more going for them." "When you look at who are running the museums, libraries and all the things that matter in our voluntary society, it is all old people." The card, which he launched in 2006, was a flagship initiative of New Zealand First and used by more than 750,000 people. He believed it was a vital tool in empowering senior citizens to remain independent. Winston and Tracey made the announcement at the New Zealand Grey Power Federation Annual Conference on Monday, where Peters took questions from delegates around the UN Migration Compact, Kiwisaver, Superannuation, Post offices, asylum seekers and refugees in Australia and the Australian election. Afterwards he told reporters that in Parliament there was now a growing consensus to expand migrants minimum residency for superannuation from 10 to 20 years. "It can not be right that some people work 45 years before they get their Super and some can get it without any tax contribution, after just 10 years." He says the public could "very much" expect to see something before the election and it was a serious piece of work that was happening now. National was on the same side of the issue and the Labour was also prepared to look at it, he said. Another element of the work included the Government's Kiwisaver contribution after 65. "We are looking hard at that and saying we should be encouraging them into saving at 70 or 80 years of age. After all most of them already do they hand it on to their children and grandchildren." Tracey says it was getting harder and harder for people to know where they can use their SuperGold card. The SuperGold website, which had not been updated for six years, would be upgraded and easier to use, she says. The ageing population and increasing technology change meant that some older people who no longer work were getting left behind. "We want older people to be able to access information and services online, and not miss out. And we want them to have the technology skills to stay in touch with their families." Meanwhile, ACC changes, which start on July 1, would support working superannuitants who are injured. Legislation to support this has already gone through the House. Older people who are still working and are seriously injured will no longer have to choose between receiving NZ Superannuation or ACC weekly payments, she saus. "At the moment if someone is eligible for Super or the Veteran's Pension they have to make that choice." "We're changing that. If an older person is entitled to weekly ACC compensation for a personal injury, they will be able to receive those payments along with NZ Super or the Veteran's Pension for up to two years." -Stuff.co.nz/Collette_Devlin Powerco report there is a power cut on Monday evening in Te Puke. There are 680 Te Puke properties affected by the power cut which happened at 9.01pm. The reason for the outage is unknown at this stage. Power is expected to be restored to the area by 2.01am on Tuesday morning. A former police officer has been sentenced to home detention after pleading guilty to indecent assault charges. Kimberlee Vollmer was sentenced on Monday on charges of indecent assault against four victims, and four charges of using a police computer unlawfully. Inspector Chris de Wattignar says police acknowledge the sentencing today of former Police officer Kimberlee Vollmer. Police began an investigation into the matters Vollmer was charged with in May 2017. "While the investigation was ongoing Vollmer, who was a Sergeant in New Plymouth, was stood down from his duties,": says Chris. He resigned in October 2017, while the criminal investigation was still ongoing and before any possible employment investigation could be completed. On Monday, the court heard how Vollmer touched one woman's bottom and rubbed his erect penis against another victim while hugging her, the New Plymouth District Court heard on Monday. He also pulled down the top of another victim and tried to lick her breast, and on a separate occasion pushed the same woman against the wall and kissed her neck and mouth. Furthermore, on 96 occasions he accessed the police computer system to source confidential details of four women, one of whom was a complainant of the sexual offending. "New Zealand Police expects high standards of behaviour from our staff that are reflective of our values," says Chris. "We are deeply disappointed in the actions of Vollmer, which do not align to the professionalism and integrity of the 13,000 men and women of New Zealand Police who come to work every day to prevent harm in our community. "Police commend the bravery of the victims who knew Vollmers behaviour was wrong and came forward to make a complaint. "There is a robust process in place to manage complaints about staff conduct. "As evidenced by this prosecution, we do not hesitate to investigate and hold our people to account where appropriate." Additional reporting by Stuff.co.nz Motorists travelling between Bethlehem and Mount Maunganui via State Highway 2, are being warned to expect significant delays. NZTA contractors are carrying out major road works on SH2, between Elizabeth and Chapel streets. A motorist stuck in the traffic this morning says the "toll road is backed-up from one end to the other". Other people are reporting traffic being backed-up right out to Omokoroa. Bay of Plenty System Manager Rob Campbell says motorists can expect significant delays for the next three weeks. We are asking people to use an alternative route if possible. Most of this section of road is around 15 years old and this work will be to rebuild the left northbound lane which carries most of the heavy traffic towards the harbour bridge. This road is very busy with around 25,000 vehicles using it per day, and at peak hour we can see up to 2000 vehicles per hour. Our contractors will be working day and night six days a week to get the job done as efficiently as possible. The work has been programmed to minimise noise at night as much as possible, but some people may hear machinery operating overnight, says Rob. People are being advised to consider an alternative route if possible. SH2 TAKITUMU DR - ROADWORK DELAYS - 7:15AM Due to major road works on SH2 (Takitumu Dr) between Elizabeth St & Chapel St delays should be expected for northbound travel during peak times. Consider alternate route: https://t.co/ug1BOprBHx ^TP pic.twitter.com/jkslgCwmRR NZTA Waikato/BoP (@NZTAWaiBoP) May 20, 2019 Key initiatives which are making a difference for families at risk of violence and harm will receive funding in the forthcoming Budget, the Government has announced. Police Commissioner Mike Bush welcomes the family violence budget announcement which will help build the foundations for an effective response in every part of New Zealand. As a member of the multi-agency Joint Venture group, Police welcomes funding to continue its critical work in providing safe and effective responses - along with our partner agencies - to address family violence and harm. Police plays a vital role with regard to crisis intervention; however, it is the effectiveness of the system as a whole, including other government agencies, NGOs, Iwi and communities, that will make the difference for our communities. We are proud to be part of this change. The Prime Minister announced on Sunday, that Budget 2019 includes funding for a raft of family violence initiatives, including: the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot in Christchurch and Waikato; proximity alarms pilot in the ISR sites; victim video statements in all police districts; support for Whangaia Nga Pa Harakeke in Counties Manukau and Tairawhiti and for Whiria Te Muka in Kaitaia. Mike says the complex and challenging problem of family violence and harm requires an effective and integrated response. The ISR model and our wider work on family violence and harm is delivering this, by taking a whole-of-family and whanau approach to address and prevent violence." Interim findings from a 2018/19 evaluation of the ISR pilots show the model is making a positive difference for families and whanau involved and that victims are feeling safer and are accessing support services. Jackie Burrows, Chief Executive Officer of He Waka Tapu, says the collaboration and structure involved in the ISR process are central to its success. ISR provides the platform to work in a coordinated and concentrated way providing the right support, at the right time. Any future response to family violence and harm needs to mirror this. The ISR model combines dedicated staff, funded specialist services and an intensive case management approach. Most ISR funding is invested in non-government organisation services. According to Professor Devon Polaschek from Waikato University, this investment is crucial, as a range of services with knowledge and expertise is required to address family violence and harm. It takes a lot of time to build a good response system, and every community is different, says Devon. The evaluation results for Maori are particularly promising and reflect a good deal of growth in Kaupapa Maori providers and whanau-centred service provision. Other funded initiatives, including the national rollout of victim video statements and proximity alarms pilot, deliver on Polices Safer Whanau programme of work, providing a better and safer service to victims of family harm. After a successful proof of concept and pilot, victim video statements will be rolled out across the country over the next year. The video statements are taken at the scene of family violence episodes and played in court as evidence in chief. This process is faster and less complex than a written statement and captures the victims views in their own words on video. The use of proximity alarms for family violence victims and defendants will be piloted in ISR sites for 12 months. They are used in conjunction with a robust safety plan and as part of court bail conditions, to provide an additional layer of safety for the victim. - Ten One Magazine. A week ago we asked syracuse.com readers to give us their favorite restaurant for dessert in Central New York. We sifted through hundreds of nominations of area restaurants across Onondaga, Oneida, Oswego, Cayuga, Seneca, Cortland, Tompkins and Madison counties. The four finalists that received the most nominations advanced to the finals. And the finalists are: Francescas Cucina on North Salina Street in Syracuse, A Mano Kitchen and Bar on South Warren Street downtown, The Lemon Grass in Syracuses Armory Square and The Cider Mill on Fay Road in Taunton. Our judges will visit and critique and you, the reader, will vote on to determine the readers choice winner. Over the next few weeks, the public can vote on the readers choice winner. Our judges will visit the final four and taste the best they have to offer. You have until Tuesday, June 4, to vote for your favorite. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 5. The judging panel includes syracuse.com journalist Charlie Miller, Life & Culture reporter Sunny Hernandez and Chef Debbie Schneider, a culinary instructor at Onondaga Community College who recently was awarded 2019 Chef of the Year by the Syracuse chapter of the American Culinary Foundation. Follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #BestOfCNY as the judges visit the finalists. You can also follow our tour on Instagram at username syracusedotcom. Vote for your favorite in our poll. If you cant see the poll below, click here. Subscribers only: Join a group text with Charlie Miller to get news and updates on the best stuff you can find in CNY. Sign up here. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The driver of a car that hit the side of the Syracuse City Water Department building was taken to a Syracuse hospital Sunday evening after the crash. The crash happened at 6:20 p.m., two hours after a storm swept through Central New York, but officials at the scene said the cause is likely not weather-related. Syracuse police and firefighters, and AMR ambulance responded to the city water department building, at 101 N. Beech St. after the crash. When they arrived, they found the front end of the car badly damaged after it hit a metal grate on the east side of the building. Initially, crews at the scene said two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. But later, police said only the driver was injured and hospitalized. The names of those involved in the crash and other details have not yet been released. Police are continuing to investigate the crash. SODUS, N.Y. (AP) A former Texas police chief faces trial for the shooting deaths of an upstate New York couple in their driveway last fall. A Wayne County jury is expected to hear opening statements Monday. Former Sunray, Texas, Chief Timothy Dean has pleaded not guilty to murder in the deaths of Amber Washburn and Joshua Niles. Friends and relatives say Niles had recently won custody of the two children he had with Dean's wife during a previous relationship. Dean's wife, Charlene Childers, was expected to be tried with her husband, but pleaded guilty last month to a reduced charge of manslaughter. A third suspect, a police officer in Sunray who rented a car for Dean, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. LIVERPOOL, N.Y. -- A Liverpool native died this weekend three days after he was struck by a rideshare vehicle while riding a motorized scooter near Nashville, Tenn. Brady Gaulke was in critical condition after the crash Thursday evening. He died early Sunday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Gaulke, who graduated in 2011 from Liverpool High School, was 26. Police said Gaulke had made an improper turn on the motorized scooter and was hit by a Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection of Demonbreun Street and 14th Avenue South near downtown Nashville. Gaulke, who grew up in Salina, received his doctorate in physical therapy in May 2018 at the University at Buffalo, according to the NBC affiliate News Channel 4 in Tennessee. He and his girlfriend moved to Nashville last June to start his life and career in a city he grew to love, his father told the television station. Gaulke worked in Nashville as a physical therapist at STAR Physical Therapy. Since his death, Gaulkes family and girlfriend have spoken out about the dangers of motorized scooters and how they hope they will be banned from Nashville streets. The loss of him is a pain I did not know existed, his father told Channel 4. Without him I will never be whole again. SALINA, N.Y. -- Traffic was at a standstill on the New York State Thruway for nearly an hour Sunday after an Ohio man crashed an SUV in a construction zone. Abdukadiar Noor, 29, was driving a Chevrolet TrailBlazer west on Interstate 90, just west of Exit 37 (Syracuse-Liverpool-Electronics Parkway) in the town of Salina at 2 p.m. when he hit a cement barrier wall. The SUV shot in the air and rolled over, troopers said. Noor suffered minor injuries and was taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. Traffic stopped and continued to back up for about 45 minutes while emergency crews worked to clean up from the crash. Some motorists stood outside their vehicles on the Thruway while they waited. Others joined a long line of vehicles trying to leave the Thruway at Exit 37. Noor told troopers he had blacked out before the crash; state police called the crash a possible medical event. They issued Noor traffic tickets, charging him with unsafe speed and improper passing. He is scheduled to answer the tickets at a later date in Salina Town Court. The speed limit on the Thruway is 65 mph, however the speed limit dropped to 55 mph in the construction zone. Meyers Towing towed the SUV from the scene. The pursuit of the next new thing in light and refreshing alcoholic beverages is turning to ... the wine cooler? Well, sort of. Its the wine spritzer. One hot brand was described by a reviewer as the wine coolers tangy, hip younger sis. Wine spritzers are a mix of wine with soda or carbonated water, often with fruit juice or other flavorings. And now theyre coming in cans, including a new line debuting this month from Three Brothers Winery & Estates south of Geneva on Seneca Lake. While there are several national and international brands, like Barefoot and Ramona, Three Brothers appears to be among the first to try it in Upstate New York. (Details below). (The seemingly out-of-fashion wine cooler, first popular in the 1980s, may also be making a comeback via iconic brands like Bartles & Jaymes). A wine spritzer, or cooler, was originally a do-it-yourself-at-home drink: Mix your favorite wine with some club soda, 7Up or something similar, a splash of juice and there you go. The soda or water cuts the alcohol level from wines 12 percent or so closer to a beer-like 5 or 6 percent. The 1980s commercial wine coolers originally copied that model, with additional fruit flavors, like berry or apple. A change in tax law in the 1990s forced most of those brands to switch to a malt base (like beer). Flavored malt beverages (think Mikes Hard Lemonade or Smirnoff Ice) then took off. More recently, all things spritzy have caught on, including a big surge in hard or spiked seltzers -- thats carbonated water with alcohol and flavorings. Hot brands include White Claw, Truly, Bon & Viv and more. At the same time, cocktails like the Aperol Spritz are also popular. Meawhile, theres been a huge uptick in just about everything in a can, from beers like hazy New England IPAs to pre-mixed cocktails and even wine. Three Brothers wine spritzers Wine in cans - just wine with no mixers -- has been a surging phenomenon in the Finger Lakes and other New York wine regions in the past few years. Wineries like Lakewood, Villa Bellangelo and Fox Run in the Finger Lakes and Coyote Moon in the Thousand Islands have launched canned wines. Erica Paolicelli and the team at Three Brothers on Seneca Lake decided to go in a slightly different direction. The idea was to do something without such a big (alcohol) kick, said Paolicelli, a partner at Three Brothers with Dave and Luanne Mansfield. With wine in cans, if you have a 375-militer can, thats half a bottle of wine. What I want from a can is something fun but a little lighter. Three Brothers, a combination winery, brewery and hard cider maker on a big visitor-friendly campus, is starting with three flavors -- Mimosa, Tropical Splash and Rose (which is actually a pomegranate-raspberry blend). All are mixed with Three Brothers semi-dry Riesling, and then carbonated and canned. They are between 3 and 5 percent residual sugar. Its not sticky sweet, Paolicelli said, but it wouldnt be a spritzer if there wasnt a little sweetness. They are 5 percent alcohol, comparable to a mainstream lager like Budweiser or Labatts Blue. Three Brothers has experimented with about 20 flavors in its pilot batches, so more may be available if they prove successful, Paolicelli said.. For now, the wine spritzers are sold only at the winery itself, or through its web site. Four-packs of the 375-militer bottles sell for $15. Distribution to stores -- it can be sold in groceries like beer -- is possible in the future, Paolicelli said. Right now were excited to have this as something only available on the property, giving people another reason to visit us, she said. A Three Brothers Facebook post about the spritzers last week drew 50,000 impressions in one day -- proving to the winery team they may be on to something, Paolicelli said. But Three Brothers is not trying to convince people that its wine spritzers are, in fact, wine, she said. We say, This is not wine -- its a wine beverage, she said. Wine spritzers in can are popping up moeand more, says Robert Williams, a professor at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania who has studied the wine-in-can trend. A recent survey tracked 21 different brands, and William notes even the beer giant MillerCoors is jumping in with a brand called Movo. At Three Brothers, spritzers arent the only trendy new product rolling out this spring. It;s launching Hard Rain, its version of a hard or spiked seltzer. That will be distributed to stores like Wegmans, which carry Three Brothers portfolio of War Horse beers and Bombshell Hard Cider. Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. A Central New York man is suing the state Department of Motor Vehicles after he was notified his drivers license would be revoked this month due to a 1983 DUI conviction in Massachusetts. Clifford R. White, 58, of Memphis, said in the lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court that no such conviction occurred. He said he has no memory of being charged or convicted of any motor vehicle infraction whatsoever in Massachusetts, according to the lawsuit. White said in the lawsuit that he was told on April 11 his New York drivers licenses would be revoked as of May 5 due to "a supposed conviction for driving under the influence in Massachusetts on Sept. 20, 1983. Since the lawsuit was filed, the court has issued a temporary injunction halting the revocation until the court hears the matter in August, said Whites lawyer, Kevin Roe. Roe, of Barclay Damon, said he cant comment further on the case because it is pending litigation. White did not return phone messages left at his business, C.R. White Tree and Landscape LLC, and a woman answering the phone said they had no comment. The order revoking his license doesnt include a copy of the traffic citation showing the final disposition of the case, or any abstract of the court record, or any proof of the conviction or the court it occurred in, the papers say. The lawsuit also says White wasnt given any opportunity for a hearing before the revocation was to take effect. White said in the lawsuit he has contacted both NYS DMV and Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles asking for proof of the conviction, but hasnt received any. White is asking the court to prevent New York from revoking his license in part because he said he never received any type of due process, the papers say. Tim OBrien, a spokesman for NYS DMV, said on April 4 Massachusetts provided his agency with notice of a driving under the influence conviction for White, and NYS DMV took the required action by law. He declined to comment further due to pending litigation. Contacted by Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard, Massachusetts RMV reported White did have a DUI and gave the following details of Whites arrest. White was arrested on Feb. 4, 1982 on the charge of operating under the influence, said Judith Reardon, a spokesperson for Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which operates the RMV. White had his right to operate suspended indefinitely in Massachusetts since Oct. 26, 1983, Reardon said. He was found guilty by the court on Sept. 20, 1983, she said. The disposition of that matter was not reported to the Massachusetts RMV when he was found guilty by the court, Reardon said. Adding that conviction to his Massachusetts driving record created a pointer that alerted other states to the existence of an issue in Massachusetts, Reardon said. White, in the court filing, says he has had a New York commercial drivers license since 1996, and has renewed it periodically since then. He last renewed it as and enhanced CDL in April 2014, and in April 2019 received a Class A and M endorsement, which grant authority to operate different vehicle types or weights. What prompted Massachusetts RMV to check Whites history? Officials there wouldnt say, but it could have been something as simple as applying for a CDL endorsement, which may have triggered a record check, said Jim Daley, a lawyer with Green and Brenneck who has experience handling DWI cases. White said in the papers he needs his CDL to operate his businesses, which have a fleet of trucks. He said after contacting DMV officials in both states, he was told his only remedy is to surrender his license, enroll in an impaired driver class and apply for a conditional license in a non-commercial class. In New York, someone charged with driving while intoxicated would have their license suspended at arraignment until their case is prosecuted. If convicted, there are required treatment and educational classes. In New York, a DWI conviction typically results in a six-month license revocation. If someone convicted of DWI doesnt comply with court-imposed requirements and penalties, their license could be suspended or revoked indefinitely. Central New York residents go to the polls on Tuesday to vote on school budgets that will determine how much each district spends next year. Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard has taken the 2019-20 budget numbers that 64 Central New York districts reported to the state to calculate how much each one proposes spending per student. The average spending per student in the region is $24,289. The state average is $19,155. The spending per student in Central New York ranges from $17,317 to $34,225. Statewide, the spending ranges from a high of $152,539 per student to a low of $17,308 per student. Heres a look at the districts statewide that spend the most, the least. We have also created a database so you can compare school budgets across counties, Central New York or the entire state. You can see the proposed spending, how much it is increasing over this year, costs per student, enrollment, how much enrollment has gone up or down, tax levy and how much the tax levy is going up. CNY districts spending the most Cincinnatus (Cortland): $34,225 Remsen (Oneida): $32,429 Deruyter (Madison): $30,861 Fabius-Pompey (Onondaga): $30,330 Altmar-Parish-Williamstown (Oswego): $29,545 Sandy Creek (Oswego): $28,428 Morrisville-Eaton (Madison): $28,287 Weedsport (Cayuga): $27,763 Skaneateles (Onondaga): $27,483 Mexico (Oswego): $27,302 CNY districts spending the least Utica (Oneida): $17,317 Auburn (Cayuga): $19,479 Baldwinsville (Onondaga): $19,722 North Syracuse (Onondaga): $19,933 West Genesee (Onondaga): $20,055 Fayetteville-Mnlius (Onondaga): $20,282 Chittenango (Madison): $20,588 Rome (Oneida): $20,613 Sherrill (Oneida): $20,638 Madison (Madison): $21,051 The data comes from the states Property Tax Report Card that each district is required to report to the state each spring before the budget votes. The data covers 670 districts. It does not include the states bigger cities including Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, New York City and Yonkers. By state law, residents in those five districts dont vote directly on school budgets. Budgets for those districts are determined by each citys elected officials. SYRACUSE, N.Y. Yoko Ono, the well-known and little-understood artist, is bringing her work back to Syracuse this summer for a show at the Everson Museum of Art. Will her return as an 86-year-old trigger the same breathless reactions that she encountered in 1971, when the Everson hosted her first solo museum show? Perhaps not. Much of the hubbub around that event centered on Onos husband, the late John Lennon, who accompanied her and contributed to the exhibition. Still, Ono often surprises. The museum is planning for Ono to attend this years show and to perform in at least one of the pieces, said Elizabeth Dunbar, executive director and CEO. But its too early to promise that Ono will appear at the show, which opens Aug. 31. We hope she will be here, Dunbar said. We are planning that she will be here. But until we get a little closer to the date, were all kind of waiting to know for sure. At a concert featuring Onos compositions in March, the artist arrived in a wheelchair, according to a review in the Los Angeles Times. Yoko Ono: Remembering the Future will run through Oct. 27, taking up nearly the full interior of the Everson and some outdoor space, Dunbar said. Curated by the Eversons D.J. Hellerman, the retrospective exhibit will feature works from Onos career up to the present, including some works from the 1971 show. That 1971 show occurred during a tumultuous time, and it met with strong reactions. For one, there were rumors the Beatles would reunite in Syracuse. Onos husband, former Beatle John Lennon, accompanied her to Syracuse. Ringo Starr and other celebrities showed up to help Lennon celebrate his birthday during the event, but there was no reunion. Some 6,000 people visited the 1971 museum show on opening day. That evening the doors to the Everson were broken down because people had heard thered be a secret Beatles concert at the Everson, former museum employee David Ross recalled in a 2005 interview. "The entire museum was filled with people furious that it had been canceled, and we were afraid theyd trash the place. (Poet Allen) Ginsberg calmed them down. The New York Times covered the art show opening, leading off with the question, Is Syracuse ready for Yoko Ono and John Lennon? The Everson sees itself as a bastion of the avantgarde set down in a cultural wasteland, the newspaper reported. The editorial board of the The Post-Standard dismissed the show, accusing the Everson, then just three years old, of peddling hokum just to lure Lennon to Syracuse and attract attention. Lennon and Ono wrote a letter to the paper in reply, mocking the editorial board as Blue Meanies. Onos marriage to Lennon in 1969 brought international fame to the ground-breaking artist, who otherwise was known chiefly in the world of avant-garde art. She became, as Lennon put it, the worlds most famous unknown artist. Associated with the so-called Fluxus art movement, Ono is regarded by many critics as an important, if difficult, conceptual artist. In a 2015 review, New York Times art critic Holland Carter called Ono an imaginative, tough-minded and still underestimated artist. One of her best-known performance pieces was Cut Piece, which debuted in 1964, in which she sat on stage and encouraged members of the audience to cut away her clothing with scissors. Even other artists cant figure out Ono or accept her as legit, nor can she obey the club rules, wrote Lisa Carver, author of a book on Ono, in a tribute published by The New York Times in 2012. Carver described Onos approach to art this way: to tear down whats between us and nature, us and eternity, us and the realization that everything is already perfect. In this experience of art, the viewer or listener loses respect for the current order or arrangement of civilization and thus becomes powerful. To the Editor: In response to Mark Weiners May 16, 2019, article Democrats ask for 2 more early voting sites in Onondaga County, GOP refuses, I would like to add factual data that ensures county residents have a complete understanding of the changes to voting in Onondaga County. There is absolutely no validity in suggesting more polling locations will increase voter turnout. In fact, Democratic Commissioner for the Onondaga County Board of Elections, Dustin Czarny, stated, 2018 saw an election year that behaved more like a presidential election year, despite having no additional polling places or early voting. Also in 2018, Onondaga County Board of Elections blew its budget and therefore was required to present its reasoning to the Ways and Means Committee of the Onondaga County Legislature on Jan. 29, 2019. In total, the county had to cover $225,390 of your local tax dollars because of poor communication and even worse fiscal management. Additionally, New York state has required, and Onondaga County has complied, to provide five locations for early voting. On May 1, 2019, both commissioners agreed six locations were sufficient. In typical partisan fashion, Czarny and other Democrats, including my opponent, decided eight locations should be required. Keep in mind, New York state is providing a limited amount of funding for this additional mandate but has not committed to provide this funding going forward. Should New York state decide to stop future funding, the county would be responsible for the additional mandated costs. Obviously, the Board of Elections had a difficult time managing a budget without this possible additional mandate; one can only assume this would put a significant financial strain on their future capabilities to work within the budget. With the additional 10 days of early access to the ballot box, the six voting locations throughout the county, absentee voting and the normal Election Day polls being open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., the residents of Onondaga County will have ample time and opportunity to vote in the 2019 election. While it is clear the Democratic elections commissioner and my opponent are trying to appear politically savvy, it should never be at the expense of taxpayers. As your Onondaga County Comptroller, experience in fiscal responsibility matters. Onondaga County residents deserve fair, honest representation and should not be led to believe additional polling locations will sway an election when, in reality, the funding for these extra polling location will directly impact their wallets. I would be happy to debate this issue and any other issue with my opponent and firmly believe in transparency with your taxpayer dollars. Matthew Beadnell Onondaga County Comptroller Syracuse The writer, a Republican, was appointed to fill a vacancy. He is running for a full, four-year term this November. Lou Canale is a resident of Syracuse. By Lou Canale Ive lived on Syracuses North Side my entire life; I was born and raised in Syracuse and raised my children here. Ive always believed Syracuse is a great city and a place Im proud to call home. Reading about the citys plan to roll out a sprawling 5G network is troubling and unsettling. My family and I have done some research on cellular technology. There have not been proper scientific studies on the adverse effects of 5G technology on humans, and, as such, I strongly believe we should tread carefully before blanketing our city with technology with an unknown long-term impact. Telecommunications experts and their advocates argue there are no studies linking 5G to health risks. However, this concern has not yet been evaluated with extensive scientific study. Cellphone usage is a relatively recent trend; tobacco usage in America dates back to colonial times, and only in recent decades have we understood its true dangers. On Feb. 6, 2019, in a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation meeting, Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked telecommunications advocates about this very point -- higher frequency waves and the possible health/public safety implications of putting 5G close to homes. The FCC has not provided any safety research per his request, and the telecom industry has not performed (nor committed future funding) toward independent health and safety research of 5G. Why have they not performed this research? As recently as May 14, the Senate Judiciary Committee addressed possible national security consequences and espionage implications from this technology and possible vulnerabilities we all may face. To be clear, Im not opposed to new technology. I use my smartphone daily; I own a laptop, tablet and smart TV. Im also not opposed to faster download speeds in our rapidly changing and digitally dependent lives. Im simply urging that we should approach a decision of this magnitude with responsibility before creating a possible future health crisis. Ben Walsh was elected our mayor by embracing a centrist platform, but rushing through a 5G rollout without asking critical health and security questions of this magnitude makes me question the process. I cant help but wonder who benefits by Verizon and other telecom providers quickly pushing this technology. I encourage us to make this decision slowly, carefully, and with regard to public health and safety. I dont say this lightly, but my neighbors and I are longtime city of Syracuse residents and taxpayers who are seriously considering joining the suburban exodus if this technology gets forced into our neighborhood. Syracuse Common Council: Please take your time with this crucial issue. Lets not rashly make a potentially grave mistake without asking the right questions while there is still time. The director of SUNY Albanys Institute for Health and the Environment has already warned us about the dangers. Simply writing off any concerns attached to new technology as propaganda is convenient for those who want faster internet and those who profit from it, but concluding something is safe and secure that hasnt been adequately vetted seems silly. We dont want Syracuse to be Flint, Michigan, someday, suffering a tragic public health crisis. As a thinking, feeling American society, we achingly look back at poor decisions of the past: DDT, lead paint in toys, asbestos, etc. Other cities like Portland, Oregon, are demanding more research and asking more questions. Lets make the right decision now. There is a Syracuse City Council meeting Monday, May 20, at noon with a vote to follow. GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (AP) Police say a mother shot and killed her 5-year-old daughter before killing herself in upstate New York. The Times Union of Albany reports that the bodies of 27-year-old Caitlin Melville and her daughter were discovered Friday inside a house in Guilderland, near Albany. Police said in a news release Saturday they do not know the motive for the shootings. It's unclear when the deaths occurred. Authorities did not release the child's name but said she was a kindergartner at Westmere Elementary School. The Guilderland school district said in a statement Saturday that a team of counselors, school psychologists and social workers would be sent to the school to provide support to grieving students and teachers. Actor Kim Woo-bin was spotted recently at the Gimpo International Airport. Kim was diagnosed with cancer in May 2017, while he was shooting for a film. / Korea Times file. By Jung Hae-myoung Actor Kim Woo-bin, who was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in May 2017, appeared to be healthy when he was spotted at the Gimpo International Airport on Saturday after his return from Japan. His appearance sparked speculation among fans that he might make a comeback on screen. Sidus HQ, Kim's management agency, was cautious on his comeback. "We are not in a position to confirm whether he traveled to Japan with actors he is close with. This is his private life, so we are not aware of it," the Sidus HQ authority said on Sunday. But the agency said Kim has been doing fine. Prior to this, a group of male actors including Zo In-sung, Doh Kyung-soo, Lee Kwang-soo, Bae Seong-woo were captured in a photo at an airport in Japan, Friday. Kim reportedly traveled Japan with them. After the photo was disclosed, fans were excited as they are anxious to see him again on the big or small screen again. One wrote "Does this mean he recovered from cancer?" Another wrote "I am waiting for you." Kim Woo-bin suspended his acting career for a while after a sudden announcement last year that he is recovering from nasopharyngeal cancer, which surprised many fans. Nasopharyngeal cancer is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the upper part of the pharynx, located behind the nose and above the back of the throat. He began cancer treatment while shooting the film called "Wiretap" in 2017. Filming was suspended due to Kim's ill health and will resume once he has fully recovered. In January 2018, he broke his silence on the issue. He said he had finished three chemotherapy treatments and 35 radiation treatments and remarked that all had gone very well. "I can take a walk, I'm eating regularly and my general condition is improving. But I will need some more time before I make a comeback on screen," Kim wrote. Recently Kim has been seen in public several times with his loved ones, which excited his fans as they hope to see him again on TV. Last January, Kim was seen on a date with actress Shin Min-a in Australia, and on a trip to Hawaii with actor Lee Jong-suk in August 2018. On May 13, Kim was also caught on camera with actor Zo In-sung at a Buddha's Birthday event held in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Kim retreated from the public eye in 2016 when he starred in TV series "Uncontrollably Fond." Kim debuted in 2008 as a runway model for the Kimseoryong Homme show. He became an actor and starred in several TV series, including "The Heirs" and "Uncontrollably Fond." He rose to stardom through the mega-hit SBS TV series "The Heirs" in which he appeared with A-listers such as Lee Min-ho and Park Shin-hye. Two teachers with Capital Region ties took first and second place in the Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament, scoring a combined $150,000 in prize money for the two-week event that climaxed Friday. Francois Barcomb -- a physics teacher in New Paltz who grew up near Glens Falls, graduated from R.P.I and earned his Ph.D. from the University at Albany -- won the $100,000 grand prize. Conor Quinn -- a world history teacher at Troy Prep who grew up in Cairo and lives in Albany -- earned $50,000 as runner-up. In third place with $25,000, also boasting ties to upstate, was Binghamton native Sara DelVillano, a middle school music teacher from Maryland. In a statement, Barcomb compared the Jeopardy! tournament with the highly rigorous and nerve-wracking things in my career, especially in the Navy and when I earned my Ph.D. Defending your thesis is very similar to answering random questions on TV. According to the UAlbany physics dissertations page, Barcomb earned his doctorate in 1999 with a thesis on Wave Guides for X-rays and Neutrons: A Scalar Model. He said part of the prize money will go to a college fund for his 9-year-old daughter. By Amy Biancolli Times Union, Albany, N.Y. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency along the Lake Ontario shoreline in New York to help avert flooding. Cuomo said the emergency order includes a no-wake zone for boats within 1,000 feet of shore. That sets the speed limit for boats at 5 mph. He said the order also allows the state to skip lengthy purchasing policies to get supplies to homeowners more quickly. The emergency applies to all eight counties along the 326-mile Lake Ontario shoreline: Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wayne. Cuomo said flooding is likely to happen later this week, and could be as bad as the record floods of 2017. If you were damaged in 2017, prepare for the same situation, Cuomo said at a news conference in Olcott, Niagara County. The flooding will come where the flooding came. Flooding could happen as early as today; the National Weather Service has issued a lakeshore flood warning for high winds that could push water ashore in Cayuga, Jefferson, Oswego and Wayne counties. The warning goes into The combination of very high lake levels and moderate westerly winds will result in greater wave action and an increase in lakeshore flooding on the eastern portion of Ontario, said the warning, in effect from 5 p.m. today until 11 a.m. Tuesday. The International Lake Ontario St. Lawrence River Board, which controls the dam that lets water flow out of the lake, announced today it will increase the flow of water from the lake and into the river. The board reduced the outflow last week because of record flooding downstream on the Ottawa River, which runs into the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. A return to relatively drier conditions in the coming days should allow outflows to be increased from Lake Ontario without worsening conditions on the lower St. Lawrence River, the board said in a news release. Given the level of uncertainty associated with any weather forecast, favorable conditions for further outflow increases could change quickly. I went to Lenovo Accelerate last week and feasted my eyes on one of the most innovative PCs Ive ever seen. However, as I absorbed the rest of Lenovos announcements, I realized I was looking at just the tip of what could be a significant coming change in personal computers one that could eclipse every change we have seen so far. Ill share my thoughts about that change and then close with my product of the week: the Lenovo Smart Tab another innovative product from Lenovo that blends the features of an Amazon Echo with a tablet. Foldable Screen Laptop It is interesting that Lenovo is doing the old Jobs one more thing better than Apple is at the moment. I remain flabbergasted that Tim Cook effectively has thrown out virtually every practice that made Apple the power it was in the early part of this century and instead has been running that company into the ground. That certainly has given companies like Lenovo an opportunity, and they have been stepping up with a series of laptop improvements that should, when complete, make tomorrows laptop so different from todays laptops that theyll likely have a different name. Lenovos one more thing is a coming foldable screen laptop that is semi-hardened to military specifications, can fold down to something that is nearly in the size class of a smartphone. It gives up almost nothing in performance, while having all-day battery life and a persistent (likely 5G) connection. Unfolded, it has a 13.3-inch OLED screen that has no visible seam when opened, making it the closest thing to a perfect e-book Ive every seen. The presenters brought this out at the end of the Lenovo Accelerate keynote, and I doubt there was a single person in the audience who didnt want the damn thing. Theyll have to wait, though, because it isnt due until 2020. This wasnt the only announcement at the event, however, and I think the blend of the things that Lenovo showcased eventually will result in an even more revolutionary result. New Materials Like the failed IBM TransNote and the impressive HP Spectre Folio, Lenovos new foldable laptop will be covered in leather. I now have two leather-covered notebooks that HP Folio and a Microsoft Surface Book covered in leather. (Its from Toast, which also offers a wood cover that Ive used I like the leather much more.) Leather makes a notebook, particularly one you want to use as a tablet or e-book, far more comfortable to carry. It is a much bigger difference than you think, and having experienced it with two products, I have a hard time wanting to carry a notebook not covered in leather. The one exception would be a notebook covered in open weave real carbon fiber like that used in high-end exotic cars. Im big car guy (we recently moved from a house that had a three-car garage to a smaller house with a six-car garage, because I feel I got my priorities straight). A D V E R T I S E M E N T Other PC makers, including Lenovo, have used carbon fiber in the past, but they tend to paint over it, losing the carbon fiber cool factor. Well, Lenovo is going to get carbon fiber right in one of its coming Halo notebook products, and it wont be the last to do so. Granted, this may play to a mostly male audience, but that same audience generally chases high-performance notebooks as well, and since Im in that group Im certainly excited. Stepped-Up Security Now one of the features that HP has made very popular is the electronic security screen. HP stepped out aggressively with what I still think is one of the most important security offerings brought to market. It recently improved that offering to reduce power and display a black screen to the unauthorized observer rather than a bright white screen. What a security screen does is polarize the view so that only the person sitting directly in front of the screen can see what is on it. This is particularly useful if you are watching almost any current movie, and the obligatory but typically unnecessary sex scene pops up unannounced. However, it also prevents someone from seeing the confidential crap a lot of executives work on while flying or in public spaces. There are folks who book seats on planes specifically to see what an executive is working on. The last time I checked, these efforts were mostly to try to get an illegal jump on the stock market, but with state players trying to steal intellectual property and large companies once again forgetting the risks of IP theft, this exposure is more problematic than most realize. What Lenovo showcased was the first smart implementation of a security screen Ive seen. You see, a lot of folks who have the screen dont turn it on, because it reduces power and screen brightness. What one of the equipped Lenovo laptops does is watch for illicit viewers and then automatically fire up the screen both protecting the data and privacy, and alerting the user that someone potentially is trying to steal the IP they are working on. This kind of active defense likely will define the next wave of personal computers and even smartphones, as we adapt to the world of state-funded IP theft and blackmail. Wearable Computers The Microsoft HoloLens is a wearable computer, if you think about it, and Microsofts Virtual Windows effort shifts much of the load from the device to the cloud, both anticipating a very different future. Well, Lenovo was on that page with its own ThinkReality line of wearable AR computers. Just like Microsoft, it studied the initial users of the HoloLens solution and built an offering to address the resulting needs. You could argue that both Lenovos initial ThinkReality offering and HoloLens II are effectively second-generation offerings. What makes the Lenovo offering different is that the company made both the battery and the controls remote, and it reduced the cost while bundling in a programing solution that is simple and will work with hardware other than Lenovos. This lowers the weight of the device and increases the amount of time you can use it (because you can swap out the four-hour battery). Lenovo isnt as advanced as Microsoft with either its breadth of solutions (Microsoft has a collaboration solution with Spatial, for instance) or its gesture-based user interface (though this is coming). A D V E R T I S E M E N T Still, I think this is going to lead to a class of wearable computers that will let users define the size of the virtual display, wear the device for extended periods, increasingly use a voice interface (which certainly will promote office-based noise canceling headphones), and perhaps eliminate the need for smartphones, tablets and PCs as we know them. Other than Microsoft, Lenovo is the only PC company that is solidly on this merged path. Wrapping Up Im really only touching the tip of the iceberg of change, because behind this hardware is not only the coming wave of cloud-based personal computing and gaming, but a coming wave of virtual AIs that will be visible in these ever-more-common AR headsets. This is one of the areas that Microsoft likely is going to jump on pretty hard, because it has been talking about rendering Cortana for some time, and it would be so cool to be able to talk to a physical rendition of your AI (not sure how Google is going to deal with this because talking to the Google logo isnt going to be anywhere near as much fun as talking to a rendered Cortana, Alexa or Siri). Lenovo works with both Amazon and Microsoft, suggesting it might give you your choice first. The bottom line is that I saw the future of the PC at Lenovo Accelerate, and that future is exceeding cool. I use my Amazon Fire tablet a lot, and it typically resides near my bed where I have it charging. I have an Echo right above it for questions and alarms. It would be nice to have just one device that does both so I could free up some real estate on my relatively small end table. That is basically what the Lenovo Smart Tab is. It is a tablet wedded to a base, which performs like an Amazon Echo Show when docked and a tablet when undocked. It gives you a decent-sized screen for videos, for music lyrics, weekly forecasts or news. Lenovo Smart Tab M10 The base has enhanced Dolby Atoms sound, making this a decent source for music in the bedroom or kitchen (another ideal place for it). The only addition Id make is some kind of integrated leather cover to provide better protection from a drop and make it easier to hold for extended periods. The Lenovo Smart Tab comes in two configurations with different core memory: the P10 and the M10. The P10 is the flagship with a 7000 mAH battery and up to 4 GB of memory, and four speakers in the base. The M10 has a lower-resolution camera (I dont use a tablet camera myself) a far smaller 4850 mAH battery, and up to 3 GB of memory. The price difference is significant, with the M10 around $190 and the P10 around $300, or around $110 more. It may be worth it for the far larger batter and at least a GB more memory, though. Oh, and both have a fingerprint sensor for secure login, something my Fire tablet currently lacks. Also, both will take up to a 256 GB micro-SD card, which should piss off Apple iPad users more than it likely does. This product won the Best of Innovation award at this years CES. This is one of the few tablets with built-in GPS, making it handy if you want to use it in the car to navigate. Since it meets a need I didnt even know I had until I saw it, the Lenovo Smart Tab is my product of the week. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. In brief: Thanks to the downturn of the memory market, Intel once again resumes reign at the top of the silicon market. The DRAM market hasn't been too kind to Samsung as of late, but that is expected to change later this year. Particularly in the third quarter, when prices could start to rise with increased demand. According to IC Insights, Intel is once again atop the silicon throne. Samsung usurped Intel in 2017 while the memory market was booming, but after sharp declines in the DRAM market Samsung has ceded the throne after just a year, even with Intel going through a CPU shortage. IC Insights explains: "Intel replaced Samsung as the number one quarterly semiconductor supplier in 4Q18 after losing the lead spot to Samsung in 2Q17. While Samsung held the full-year number one ranking in 2017 and 2018, Intel is forecast to easily recapture the number one ranking for the full-year of 2019, a position it previously held from 1993 through 2016. With the collapse of the DRAM and NAND flash markets over the past year, a complete switch has occurred, with Samsung having 23% more total semiconductor sales than Intel in 1Q18 but Intel having 23% more semiconductor sales than Samsung just one year later in 1Q19." Samsung's fall from the top has been anticipated, if not completely expected. The South Korean giant lead in the semiconductor market relied heavily on the abounding revenues it was seeing from DRAM. With memory prices being closet to the lowest we've seen in years and Samsung's 1Q19 earnings greatly missing the mark, Intel's ascension back to the top was almost cemented. The good news for Samsung is that the memory market is expected to stabilize. Memory module shipments are expected to rise in 2H19, while prices could rebound in Q319. By Lee Min-young Webtoon artist and TV host for MBC's popular reality show "I Live Alone" Kim Hee-min, penname Gian84, has apologized after his latest Naver webtoon series came under fire for degrading immigrant workers. Naver webtoon told a local news outlet that Kim has apologized to readers offended by the latest episode of his popular webtoon series "Bokhak Wang" seen as depicting foreign workers in a derogatory way. The most recent episode of "Bokhak Wang," released on May 14, depicts foreigner workers as if they are truly impressed by dirty premises provided as a seminar venue, while Koreans scowl with disappointment as they enter the room. In his problematic webtoon, the immigrant workers let out repeated exclamations of awe as they look around the dirty room, saying, "It's great that I even got the chance to be in a seminar. I want to live here forever." Some angry netizens took to online communities and accused the webtoon artist of being explicitly racist. Earlier this month, Kim was also been criticized for content considered to belittle disabled people. In context: Those living in rural areas of the country often only have access to one Internet service provider and usually, its very slow service like DSL. 5G is poised to change that with the promise of speedy home broadband service and the new T-Mobile aims to lead the way. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Monday said he would recommend to his colleagues that the commission approve the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. Commitments by the combined company were instrumental in winning Pais support. The nations third and fourth largest wireless providers, for example, have committed to deploying a 5G network that will cover 97 percent of the countrys population within three years of closing on the merger and 99 percent within six years. The companys network will also cover 85 percent of rural Americans within three years and 90 percent within six years. Furthermore, T-Mobile and Sprint promise that 90 percent of Americans will have access to mobile broadband service at speeds of at least 100 Mbps and 99 percent will have access to speeds of at least 50 Mbps. T-Mobile and Sprint have additionally decided to divest Boost Mobile in a bid to address potential competitive issues in the prepaid wireless segment. Theyve also promised not to raise prices for a period of at least three years. T-Mobile and Sprint in April 2018 finally reached an agreement to come together after years of rumors on the matter. Should the two companies not make good on their promises, theyll face significant penalties including fines of billions of dollars. The FCC plans to draft an order to resolve the merger matter in the coming weeks. Big quote: This prosecution shows not only that we take criminal threats seriously, but also that online threats of violence have real-world consequences. G. Zachary Terwilliger, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. According to the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Markara Man sent Pai emails back on December 19 and 20, 2017 threatening to kill him and his family. As you may recall, this was around the time that the FCC repealed net neutrality rules. Man, who was arrested by the FBI back in June of last year, had first accused Pai and the repeal for the death of a teenager that had committed suicide. Subsequent emails contained death threats to Pai and his family including specific addresses around Arlington, Virginia supposedly to prove he was serious. His last email included an attached image of the FCC head and his family. Threatening to actually kill a federal officials family because of a disagreement over policy is not only inexcusable, it is criminal. The emails were turned over to the FBI, which launched an investigation. The address on the emails led them to Norwalk, California. Man admitted to special agents that he had sent the emails from Stubblemanliness@gmail.com so that he would sound tougher, but that he only wanted to scare Pai and never intended to hurt him or his family. His defense of not intending to hurt the chairman was weak to begin with, but his actions after being caught did not help it any. Agents say that after they contacted him at his home, Man proceeded to factory reset his phone to wipe evidence from it. When confronted about the reset, Man lied claiming he said he had bought the phone a month prior and had not set it up yet. Threatening to actually kill a federal officials family because of a disagreement over policy is not only inexcusable, it is criminal, said US Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. This prosecution shows not only that we take criminal threats seriously, but also that online threats of violence have real-world consequences. Man was sentenced to more than 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to the crime. CNBC's latest breaking news puts Google at the center of the spotlight, as it appears the company has been quietly keeping track of everyone's online purchases by virtue of receipts sent to their personal Gmail account. Oddly, this information is available to view via a private web tool that's been active for an unspecified amount of time. Google Stores Your Purchase History The tool is still live as of this writing. Some reports say purchases stretch as far back as 2010 but in theory should show all items a person has bought since the first time they created their Gmail account. Purchases from third-party stores, such as the App Store, should show up as well provided a person's Apple account is linked to their Gmail. It also includes real-word transactions facilitated via credit cards, perhaps due to point of sale software providers such as Square and others that link credit card numbers to an associated email for receipt deliveries. Google has issued a statement addressing CNBC's report. "To help you easily view and keep track of your purchases, bookings and subscriptions in one place, we've created a private destination that can only be seen by you," the company said. "You can delete this information at any time. We don't use any information from your Gmail messages to serve you ads, and that includes the email receipts and confirmations shown on the Purchase page." Google failed to say how long this tool has been active. As per CNBC, Google says it does not use purchase history information for personalized ad tracking. By extension, Google said back in 2017 that it would halt using data collected from Gmail messages to personalize ads. Users are free to delete their purchase history, but they'll have to erase each one individually. Like many other companies, Google has a treasure trove of what's perhaps the most valuable thing in the world of consumer technology data. That includes photos, files, passwords, and, as it's been made clear now, purchases. The Verge notes that Google gets all this information mostly through background data collection, employing methods users may not be aware of. Implications There's no record or evidence of Google using Gmail users' purchase history data to target them with personalized ads, to be sure. Still, it does yet again highlight Google's difficulty of being completely transparent about what sort of information it collects from users, which isn't a good practice now in the era of heightened panic over data security and privacy. This story is developing. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Spotify really wants users to use its app to listen to podcasts. That desire is reflected in its newly redesigned mobile app, which puts podcasts front and center alongside music. Spotify has spent the first half of this year by purchasing a handful of podcast companies, including Gimlet Media, Parcast, and Anchor. It didn't bleed all that money for nothing, of course moving forward, Spotify wants to be the single place on which people listen, search for, and discover podcasts. But as it happens, most people aren't even aware that such content is available within the app. The first step is to let people know, obviously. Redesigned Spotify The redesigned app, now rolling out to a limited number of users, was first reported by Bloomberg. It places bolded headings for "Music" and "Podcasts" on the app's library page, offering a speedier way for people to find episodes of podcasts they're subscribed to or might be interested in. This new layout makes podcasts as visible as music, and also adds subsequent categories within the two groups. For example, there are Episodes, Downloads, and Shows sections for podcasts so users are able to listen quickly and without much hassle. Right now, it's not really that difficult to find Spotify's dedicated podcast section just really, really convoluted. With this redesign, users won't have to sift through categories just to find a podcast to listen to or browse episodes from their subscriptions. Spotify is coyly addressing the change. It gave a boilerplate statement to The Verge, saying that it's always testing new products. It declined to comment on when this redesigned version would roll out to all users. Spotify Betting Big On Podcasts Spotify has spent $500 million acquiring those aforementioned companies thus far. It's competing with Apple and newcomer Luminary to become to go-to place for audio series. Which means improving the element of discoverability is crucial to making this happen. Barry McCarthy, the company's chief financial officer, told Bloomberg that the goal is to get people "there in two clicks versus seven." Although podcasts are still a relatively small facet of the music industry, it's growing steadily. According to Bloomberg's report, it raked in $314 million in revenue in 2017, and just in the United States alone. In addition, the number of people in the country over the age of 12 who listen to a podcast every week eclipsed 60 million in 2019. Knowing this, it's no wonder why Spotify wants to corner the market. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Some were given the chance to spot the International Space Station in the night sky this past weekend as it flew over North America. How can one get the chance to spot it, the next time that it passes over the United States? ISS Flyover This past weekend, the ISS was visible in many locations across North America as the space station passed overhead. From Florida to Maine, the night sky was clear enough to have a great view of the third brightest object in the sky. As the ISS is constantly moving, it may be a while before the next opportunity to view it in the night sky, but NASA has made it easy for anyone who wants to have the chance next time. Spot The Station With NASAs Spot The Station, anyone from several thousand worldwide locations can sign up and be notified if the ISS will make an appearance in their area. With it, a person who has signed up will be notified by NASA if the space station will be visible in the area. That said, it is important to note that the ISS passes all around the Earth, so it may pass a location at a time of the day when viewing is not optimal. As such, NASA will only be notifying those in locations wherein it will actually be visible, which means that even if the ISS will be passing the area, if it is at a time when it will not be visible, NASA will not send out a notification. ISS Sightings Just like the moon, the ISS is visible because it reflects the light of the sun. However, it is much smaller so it cannot be seen during the day, and will only be visible when it happens to be passing overhead during dusk or dawn. This means that sightings can go from once a month to several a week depending on the conditions. No equipment is needed to spot the ISS, as it can be easily seen by the naked eye. It looks simply like a very bright star or an airplane without flashing lights and does not change its direction. Furthermore, it travels much faster than an airplane at 17,500 miles (28,000 km) per hour, while airplanes merely fly at 600 miles (965 km) per hour. pic.twitter.com/yElICxOy4H Look up! This weekend, the @Space_Station will be visible from many locations across North America. Get email or text alerts about future sightings: https://t.co/Zi26bcKmuv and be sure to tag your images with #SpotTheStation NASA HQ PHOTO (@nasahqphoto) May 17, 2019 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Those who have always wanted to name a dolphin finally have a chance to do so, as nature groups are asking for citizen help in naming two dolphins living in Potomac River. D1 and D2 are just two of the over 1,000 dolphins observed in the Potomac-Chesapeake area. Dolphin Naming Contest The Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project and the Potomac Conservancy are calling on wildlife lovers out there to help them name two dolphins who are currently just known as D1 and D2. It is the first time that the groups are involving the public in naming the dolphins, as they typically give them names that are relevant to the country, such as Abraham Lincoln and Martha Washington. So far, 304 dolphins are already given such relevant names to help the groups in tracking them. Names can be submitted to the Potomac Conservancy website until May 24, after which a public voting contest will be held. D1 and D2 have been spotted in the Potomac River over the last several years. Both are suspected to be mature adults and neither has been seen with a calf. Why suspected adults? It takes between five and ten years for a bottlenose dolphin calf to reach puberty and mate, notes the Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project research team. Now, anyone who would like to give them a proper name can help do so. Dolphins In Potomac River Typically, these groups of dolphins migrate from the Atlantic ocean and spend the summer in Potomac. Furthermore, the Potomac river is actually an important location for dolphins because it is where they breed and give birth. So far, nature groups have identified over 1,000 unique dolphins the Potomac-Chesapeake area, and they believe that there could be thousands more. The dolphins spend most of their time in the brackish waters near the mouth of the river, although some citizen scientists have observed them further upstream. This might be because of the cleaner waters and the return of native fish species that the dolphins are encouraged to move further upstream. Anyone who observed dolphins in the area are encouraged to report it to the Chesapeake Dolphin Watch. With continued efforts for cleaner waters, it is possible that the dolphins may one day be seen near Washington DC. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a startling, stunning move, Huawei has lost its Android license after Google suspended business operations with the Chinese manufacturer, which is effective immediately. How this affects Huawei moving forward is uncertain, but it takes no genius to surmise the implications of such a radical cutoff. As Reuters reports, which cites a source apparently close to the matter, Google was forced into suspending business with Huawei that "requires the transfer of hardware and software products." Immediately, Huawei is to lose access to updates to the Android operating system. In addition, its next smartphone lineup outside of China is to lose access to popular applications and services, including the Google Play Store and Gmail app. Meaning, no further Android security updates will be provided to Huawei devices both new and old, including the recent P30, P30 Pro, Mate 20 Pro, and a ton of others. Google Cuts Off Huawei Asked why it's doing this, a spokesperson told The Verge that Google is complying with the order and reviewing the implications. The order in this case references the U.S. Commerce Department's recent decision to place Huawei on the "Entity List," which Reuters explains is a list of companies that can't buy technology from U.S. companies without government approval. Moving forward, Huawei will have to rely on the Android Open Source Project, or AOSP. Huawei will still be able to push security updates for its phones, but only once those updates are made available in AOSP, assuming Huawei will use its own update system. Again, it remains unclear how this is going to affect the wide range of Android interactions Huawei depends on. The Panic Over Huawei Huawei has been on the hot seat of late with President Donald Trump and the U.S. government fearing the company would use its devices to spy on American networks. Such panic isn't unprecedented. In 2018, U.S. intelligence agencies cautioned against using devices from Huawei and ZTE. Some political figures even consider Huawei an "arm of the Chinese government." Even still, Huawei has maintained that it's not possible for the Chinese government to affect its devices with backdoors, and it has remained a positive outlook on its future in America. This development surely dents that optimism, and poses a great risk to Huawei's mobile business outside of its home country. Huawei seems to be thinking several steps ahead, though. Recently, it was reported that the company was developing a proprietary operating system in case Google and Microsoft prevent it from using theirs. It's not clear if that would sit well with the U.S. government, however. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google has silently killed off its "My Case" program for the Pixel 3 and other similar offerings. Apparently, it halted the service as it announced the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, among other hardware, at its I/O 2019 developer conference. No More 'My Case' As spotted by 9to5Google, the support document for the program now says that Google doesn't offer the program anymore. "My Cases and Live Cases are no longer sold by Google," the description reads. These custom cases started with the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, and Nexus 6P and made their way to the original Pixel and Pixel XL, which were launched in 2016. They came with an NFC button that was compatible with a companion app, and thanks to the combination of the two, users could get a live wallpaper. Google then took NFC out of the picture for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, which rolled out in 2017. Instead, it allowed users to get access to a special live wallpaper when they signed in on the Live Case app using the Google Account they had used to make the purchase for the custom case at the Google Store. These cases also came with a code that can be used to avail exclusive wallpapers to boot, and they were available in two versions: "Dual-layer Protection" for $50 and "Slim Protection" for $40. When the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL launched in 2018, the Mountain View company moved on from Live Case to what it calls My Cases back in October. With the program, owners of the smartphone could use an online tool to upload and fit a photo to the handset's form factor, and then they could get a personalized case. From the look of things, My Case was still available as the I/O 2019 event was about to kick off, but it disappeared when the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL were launched. Other First-Party Options? Google no longer has that many options to offer when it comes to first-party cases for its Pixel phones. Users could still get the Fabric Phone Cases for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a lineups, but that's pretty much it. Of course, third-party options are arguably the best way to go considering their wide variety, especially if Google's own cases don't exactly fit the bill. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Director Yeon Je-gwang, right / Korea Times file By Lee Han-na Director Yeon Je-gwang, 29, is competing in the Cannes International Film Festival's short film contest Cinefoundation with his film "Alien." "Alien" is one of the 17 films to make the shortlist out of some 2,000 international films that were submitted and Yeon was invited to the festival as a result. Yeon said he was super-excited because he has been pursuing a filmmaking career his whole life. "I was eating when I got the phone call from festival staff saying that my film was nominated for the Cinefoundation Award. I was really excited to hear the news," he said. "Alien" revolves around the tragic death of undocumented Chinese-Korean manufacturing worker Reong-hee who dies after falling from the rooftop of a building while running away from an immigration officer. Feeling pressure, together the owner and manager of the company try to cover her death up. Her friend Hong-mae, also an undocumented Chinese worker, organizes a funeral for her friend. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Cannes, France, director Yeon said he was inspired by the tragic death of an unnamed illegal worker from a Southeast Asian country that occurred several years ago. "He was chased by an immigration officer and died after falling from the rooftop of a building. I read the story in a newspaper. His death was wrongly deemed as suicide," said the director. He said Koreans are divided when it comes to illegal immigrants. "There is kind of dichotomy regarding undocumented foreigners. Some Koreans see them as bad people, while some view them as poor people who need help. I don't agree with either of them," he said. He said he happened to read the newspaper story while he was thinking of the divisive Korean opinion regarding undocumented guest workers. In "Alien," the director said he tries to be neutral without siding with any of them. He chose to be vague, without revealing his position clearly, to allow the audience to make their own judgment. In the film, Hong-mae happens to meet Southeast Asian guest workers while holding a funeral for her dead friend. "She is an illegal worker, a marginalized person handling the funeral of her friend who was also marginalized. I tried to express her complex feelings indirectly by focusing on the trees behind her and the river in front of her," said the director. Yeon said he is curious how his film will be viewed by international audiences. "I just hope that they can get my point and my film can give them a chance to think about illegal immigrants. It's a common theme and their countries must deal with similar issues," he said. Lee Han-na is a Korea Times intern. Rapper Boosie Badazz, formerly known as Lil Boosie, does not want his fans, or the general public for that matter, to know how much the city of Biloxi paid to settle a federal lawsuit with him. Boosie, who is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sued the city, Dillards department store, and Edgewater Mall security and management after a melee in the store during which he and his entourage said they were injured by a security guards overzealous use of pepper spray. His lawsuit is still pending against Dillards, but the rapper reached a confidential settlement with the city, and mall security and management. His attorney has filed a motion to keep the terms of that settlement confidential. Theres only one problem. Biloxi is a public entity subject to the Mississippi Public Records Act. Under Mississippis public records law, there is no question that this settlement document is available to the public. said Leonard Van Slyke, a Jackson attorney who has over the years established legal precedents with public access victories in the Mississippi Supreme Court. The Mississippi Ethics Commission has specifically ruled on that point, given that taxpayer money is involved in the settlement. The citys insurance company might pay the settlement proceeds, he said, but taxpayers are covering the insurance premiums. The state Ethics Commission ruling was issued in a complaint WLBT-TV filed against the city of Jackson for failing to provide settlement agreements. The commission found the city violated the states public records law when it denied WLBTs request for settlement agreements protected by confidentially clauses. +3 Baton Rouge rapper Boosie released on bail after Georgia officers find drugs, $20K cash in car Baton Rouge rapper "Boosie BadAzz" was arrested Monday on gun and drug counts after deputies in Georgia pulled him over and searched his car, Its order said, in part: The settlement agreements sought by WLBT are clearly public records, regardless of whether these agreements contain a provision requiring confidentiality. The city was unable to identify any statutory or court decision specifically exempting these settlement agreements as confidential or privileged and not subject to the Public Records Act. Further, the Mississippi Supreme Court has noted, public records which do not fall into a carefully defined exception provided by law are entirely open to access by the general public. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The Sun Herald filed a request April 19 with the city for the terms of the settlement, including the amount Biloxi agreed to pay Hatch. As promised in settlement discussions, the city of Biloxi notified Boosies attorney of the records request. Attorney Eduardo Flechas of Jackson then filed the motion for a protective order in the case. It was part and parcel of the settlement that it was agreed that it would be kept confidential, Flechas told the Sun Herald. Flechas is asking that presiding U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden seal the court record to prevent public access. In a response filed with the court, city of Biloxi attorney J. Henry Ros said all parties were warned of the citys potential limitations regarding confidentiality. Ros also said the city is prepared to abide by any order the judge issues. Flechas claims in the request for a protective order that the media companys request was overly broad, seeking disclosure of settlement amounts reached with mall management and security. The Sun Heralds request was to the city, mentioning Dillards et al only as a means of identifying the lawsuit in which the records were requested because other lawsuits are pending against the city. The request did not mention either the mall management or security company. Private parties routinely settle lawsuits on confidential terms and the public generally has no access to the terms of those settlements. A good example would be the settlements policyholders reached with their insurance companies in hundreds of lawsuits filed in federal court after Hurricane Katrina. Ozerden has not yet ruled on Boosies request to have the record sealed. In other cases, the Southern Districts federal judges have sealed records at the request of one party to a lawsuit when the other party does not disagree, regardless of whether the records are exempt from disclosure under federal or state records laws. This story originally appeared in the Biloxi Sun Herald. The sponsor of a long-shot bid to increase Louisiana's gas tax shelved his own proposal Monday. State Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, said he took the action in the House Ways & Means Committee because of the late date, less than three weeks before adjournment on June 6. The election-year push faced huge odds just two years after a similar effort died in the Legislature without a vote in either chamber. Carter's move meant his colleagues on the committee did not have to cast a vote on a politically volatile topic. "I know this is an election year and a difficult time to talk about raising taxes," he said. Motorists pay 38.4 cents per gallon, including 20 cents per gallon in state charges. The Carter measure House Bill 542 would gradually raise the gas tax by 18 cents per gallon $540 million per year. Trade group leader: Gasoline tax increase for Louisiana roads feasible despite upcoming election Despite steep odds, one of the leaders of a push to increase Louisiana's gasoline tax said Monday winning legislative approval for the $940 mi Louisiana has a $14 billion backlog of road and bridge needs. "I hate to tell you this but we have problems and we have to solve them," Carter told panel members. Erich Ponti, leader of a roughly 100-member group called the Louisiana Coalition to Fix Our Roads, noted that the state gas tax not been increased since 1989. Trade group leader: Gasoline tax increase for Louisiana roads feasible despite upcoming election Despite steep odds, one of the leaders of a push to increase Louisiana's gasoline tax said Monday winning legislative approval for the $940 mi The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "We need to address this," said Ponti, a former state lawmaker himself. "It has been over 30 years." Ponti said Louisiana's backlog totals $26 billion when projects like construction of a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge are included. Others who urged approval for the bill included the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Louisiana Motor Transit Association and Greater New Orleans Inc. Opponents have said that, despite complaints about road and bridge conditions, most taxpayers are unwilling to pay more at the pump. John Kay, president of the Virginia-based Americans for Prosperity-Louisiana, praised the demise of the legislation. "There is no denying our roads and highways need updating but increasing the tax burden on taxpayers is an unpalatable approach," Kay said in a statement.' "It's been defeated many times before and will lose again because taxpayers are tired of funding bad spending habits with more tax increases," he said. +3 Lime green vests and a circling airplane: Both sides of Louisiana gas tax debate turn to theatrics Both sides of the gas tax hike debate rallied Tuesday at the Louisiana Legislature, with backers sporting lime green vests and opponents using Carter, who is serving his final year in the House because of term limits, said he hopes the next governor will call a special session in 2020 to tackle infrastructure needs. "This should be the No. 1 campaign issue," he said. In 2017 the administration of Gov. John Bel Edwards led an effort to boost the gas tax by 17 cents per gallon. This time there was no such involvement. At a 2017 town hall in Metairie, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy attempted to explain his proposed alternative to the Affordable Care Act, which he called the "Patient Freedom Act." This week, he expressed disappointment with the GOP's proposed American Health Care Act, which the Congressional Budget Office estimated would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 14 million next year. "If the US wants to talk, our door is wide open," declared a bulletin on state-run Chinese TV. "If the US wants to fight, we'll be there to the end." China's stockmarket and economy would be especially vulnerable if the spat with the US develops further. Credit:Bloomberg I'm of the view that, despite last week's verbal pyrotechnics and tariff escalation, this trade spat will soon abate. That's not to say I expect a decisive, long-lasting "deal" - because I don't. The reality is trade disputes between the world's two economic superpowers will be an ongoing fact of life for years to come. This is inevitable as they vie for supremacy and the centre of global economic gravity continues to shift gradually, but inexorably, from West to East. Such tensions, though, will go in cycles. And it strikes me that mutual interest means US-China trade tensions, for now, are about to peak and relations will soon improve. Loading It's fashionable in certain Western circles to say that China holds all the cards in this dispute, but that's demonstrably untrue. Such assertions are made, in my experience, by those who know little about global trade and simply want to bash Trump. The basic economics of the situation are that China sold $US539 billion of goods in the US last year, while America sold $US120 billion of goods in China. So Beijing has a lot more skin in this game. China's US exports, moreover, amount to 23 per cent of the country's sales abroad, while US exports to China are just 7 per cent of America's export total. More generally, China's combined global exports are no less than 15 per cent of GDP, while the US equivalent metric is just 7 per cent. So, China has a lot more to lose in any US trade row, and in trade disputes in general. Of course, China is a mighty adversary. Beijing has the world's largest stock of foreign exchange reserves and, as such, is the US government's largest net creditor. Beijing sold more than $US12 billion of US Treasury bills in March, as these trade talks heated up. Be in no doubt, if China wanted to do the US serious harm it could sell more, causing Treasury yields to spike. With US debt now above $US20 trillion, having ballooned from just $US9 billion over the last decade, America is vulnerable on this front. The trade war has global markets on edge. Credit:Michael Nagle Beijing also knows that while the US has around 250,000 steel workers, who have benefited as Trump's tariffs have made imported Chinese steel more expensive, there are more than 7 million manufacturing jobs in plants using steel as a major input. Those plants are now less competitive, putting a lot more jobs at stake. More generally, as Trump boasts about the US economy - growth soared to 3.2 per cent during the first three months of 2019 - the outlook is getting weaker. Industrial output declined in April for the third time in four months, a signal growth could stall. As campaigning for the 2020 election cranks up, the president knows a trade resolution could unlock delayed investment, sparking a rebound. China also needs ongoing economic expansion to keep the vast population complicit with ongoing autocratic rule. Yet consumption growth just hit a 15-year low. And domestic stocks, where many ordinary households park their savings, are down 16 per cent so far in 2019, having dropped almost 20 per cent last year. So Beijing, too, could use some good economic news. And China's hyper-connectedness to global markets, and the world economy in general, means Xi and his men won't want this dispute to become more bitter - lest it causes a more serious stock market collapse. Its been two minutes since Labors federal election shellacking, and already there are the makings of a brutal turf war erupting between Labors New South Wales and Victorian wings over who carries responsibility for the deeply wounding defeat. A phone hook-up scheduled for Wednesday evening will be the first official post-election meeting of Labors national executive, presided over by national secretary Noah Carroll. Already, NSW Labor - led by general secretary Kaila Murnain - and a number of other states have made it clear that Carroll cannot stay in the job he took after the 2016 election and was re-elected to in December. But their Victorian counterparts - certainly not be to confused with mates - swiped back by pointing the blame at Bill Shorten, who they say routinely took the counsel of senior colleagues including the NSW-based duo of Chris Bowen and Tanya Plibersek, alongside Wayne Swan and Penny Wong over Carroll and the campaign team. One local senior operative told this column that their NSW counterparts were very good at producing people who dont know how to run a campaign. Independent MP Kerryn Phelps says Wentworth voters "made a line ball decision to go conservative" as she conceded she had lost the eastern suburbs Sydney seat to her Liberal opponent Dave Sharma. Dr Phelps said she called Mr Sharma on Monday morning to congratulate him on his win. The high profile doctor said she would take some time to consider her future but did not rule out a further career in politics. Several sources said a bid at Lord Mayor of Sydney was on the cards. Kerryn Phelps did not rule out a future in politics on Monday. Credit:ninevms "It came down to the wire but I think voters wanted to return a Liberal government and they were opposed to the taxes that Labor was proposing," Dr Phelps said. Labor's deputy leader Tanya Plibersek will not run for the leadership of the Labor Party following its devastating defeat at Saturday night's election. Ms Plibersek was due to announce her candidacy on Monday after consulting colleagues on Sunday and deciding to throw her hat in the ring. Instead she released a statement ruling herself out, saying the top job would have meant more time away from her family. Ms Plibersek's decision paves the way for the party's left faction to get behind Anthony Albanese, who has already declared himself a contender. In a statement released on Monday afternoon Ms Plibersek said "now is not my time". Michael Barr, dean of the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy, delivers a speech during a forum hosted by the Institute for Global Economics at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, May 13. / Courtesy of Institute for Global Economics NSW has plunged into flu season early, after weeks of "abnormally high" numbers of people catching the infection over the warmer months. The unprecedented rates of summer flu were so high that NSW Health had to revise the tipping-point that determines when the full-blown flu season starts. Flu season has officially begin in NSW. Credit:Shutterstock There were 856 confirmed flu cases for the week ending May 12, and 812 cases the previous week, the latest NSW Influenza Surveillance Report shows. The rate of patients testing positive for influenza has climbed to 10.8 per cent, more than double the 5 per cent threshold that has usually signalled the start of the official flu season. A woman in her 20s who witnessed a crash and got out of her car to help was hit by another vehicle near Toowoomba on Monday. The woman was a passenger in a car that pulled over after they saw a two-vehicle crash in Lower Tenthill, about 100 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, just after 3pm on Monday. The woman told a rescue helicopter crew that while she was standing near the intersection of Gatton Helidon Road and Gatton Clifton Road, another vehicle, which hadn't previously been involved, hit her. The critical care doctor and flight paramedic stabilised the woman before she was flown to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a serious but stable condition with leg injuries. A Queensland Rail worker blamed a blind spot for allegedly running over a young woman with a crane vehicle then fleeing while she lay seriously injured on an inner-Brisbane street, a court has heard. Andre-Shane Moorby has pleaded not guilty on Monday to driving a Pettibone dangerously when it caused grievous bodily harm to Iuliana Stevenson in October 2017. Queensland Rail worker Andre-Shane Moorby arrives at the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday. Credit:AAP/Glenn Hunt. Ms Stevenson was crossing at a light when she was hit at the intersection of Hamilton Place and Campbell Street in Bowen Hills about 12.45am. Prosecutors allege Mr Moorby failed to keep a proper lookout for her as he turned his heavy-duty vehicle left onto Hamilton Place after his red arrow went out. A Brisbane man was on a morning bike ride when a screwdriver-wielding man in the grip of a psychotic episode attempted to kill him, a court has been told. The man was stabbed 10 times by Joshua Joseph Tempany as he crossed a bridge at a park in Cooparoo in November 2015 on his way to join his wife and two children. He had told his family to ride ahead while he locked their home. Mr Tempany pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to attempted murder and seriously assaulting police. Prosecutor Matt Le Grand told the court Mr Tempany jumped up at the man as he crossed the bridge and put him in a headlock. Listen to the membership Let's hope Labor politicians when they vote for the new leader, will this time, take heed of the membership choice and not factions. Malcolm McDonald, Burwood Penny Wong is my pick I believe Tanya Plibersek or Anthony Albanese would make an outstanding leader of the ALP. I, however, will always fly a flag for Penny Wong. In the words of the University of Melbourne Provost Mark Considine when she won the coveted McKinnon Prize for Political Leadership: "She's quite remarkable". What a pity she is such a private person who is not driven by self-aggrandisement. She is so measured, so calmly logical, so respectful, so unflappable. The citation for the award says it all: "For her leadership and advocacy in promoting a more tolerant and inclusive Australia, and for shaping Australia's foreign policy dialogue". I'd love her to lead the party, but suspect I will have to be content with her as a senator and minister for foreign affairs after the next election. Noel Butterfield, Montmorency. Never bow to the factions Sixty per cent of ALP members voted for Anthony Albanese in 2013. Never bow to party factions again. The members must elect the leader. Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell The Morrison blueprint worked Rebecca Huntley astutely observes that the federal election result was "almost our version of a Trump/Brexit moment" (The Age, 20/5). Like those events, our election can be seen as a revolt by the forgotten people. Voters in parts of Queensland and Tasmania sent a message to their better educated and wealthier compatriots in the major cities that they are sick of being mocked and dismissed. On the morning of the election, as Bill Shorten visited inner Melbourne electorates such as Higgins, Scott Morrison was in the Tasmanian seats of Bass and Braddon. As Sean Kelly says, Labor cannot win without a popular leader (The Age, 20/5). Yet it is hard to imagine any of the people likely to succeed Shorten as Labor leader doing many of the things such as trying to shear a sheep, that Morrison did during the campaign. But these were the things that made many people like and respect him. To use a rudimentary term, he's not "up himself". Rod Wise, Surrey Hills THE FORUM Engage with opponents Having voted Greens all my life, I was disappointed yet unsurprised as the votes started being tallied and a win for the Coalition seemed likely. Derogatory comments from the echo chamber on social media soon began, calling, half-jokingly, for Queensland to secede. We are missing the point of our democratic process in saying such things. One cannot begrudge another human being for voting with their conscience. Certainly, begrudge the system that enables them to make an uneducated decision. However, having a go at someone or some group of people for taking rightful part in our electoral process is an ugly thing to do that goes against all the values I myself ascribe to being a "leftie". How many of us actually reach out and try to have a conversation about our current political climate with somebody other than those who totally agree with us? We need to stop congratulating one another for being so switched on and "correct" in our political standpoint, get out of our houses, off our phones and talk to people who might not see things our way. It's the only way to effect meaningful, long-lasting change. Robert Macfarlane, Fitzroy North An unsurprising result Last Friday I walked up Collins Street from Southern Cross Station to Parliament Station. I counted 11 people begging on the street. I then saw a queue of more than 30 people waiting to be admitted into a very up-market retail store. I am not surprised by Saturday's election result. Mark Hulls, Sandringham My generation has failed This election may have been the most disappointing of all, even when thinking about "the dismissal". We were young then, knowing there was time, knowing we would get back, knowing right was better than wrong, knowing our generation was not going to caress selfishness and self-centred interests, knowing we were better than that. This election has been the most disappointing of all because my generation failed us all. The oldies have acted not for the good of our world, the good of generations to come, the good of Australians beyond our time, but voted for self-interest and the dying neo-liberal gods. We did not ask how we could do something for the collective good. We could only ask, "What does it cost and what is in it for me?" Basically my generation has really stuffed it up. The Boomers started out so well back then. I thought we helped change the world and should have known better. Yes, we will get back again, but I am so desperately disappointed I may not see the fruits of change making a better climate and world for all. Suzanne Morris, Cairns A lesson for Labor ... Unlike Ken Chapman (Letters, 20/5), I am not a lifetime Liberal voter. Yet on Saturday I could not bring myself to vote Labor. Put simply I could not reward a party which sought to take away a substantial amount of money from my wife and me while saying dismissively, "Are you worried about someone who ... complains about franking credits sitting on the back of their yacht?" The implication was that we as people who had worked hard in good faith to fund our retirement had somehow become "top end of the town", tax-rorting recipients of a "gift" that we were not entitled to. The lesson the Labor Party needs to learn from this defeat is that aspiration is a good thing and it should not be condemned. Moreover, it should realise that divisive, class warfare language is not appropriate in present day Australia. Ivan Glynn, Vermont ... over franking credits There have been many letters on the subject of franking credits and we will never know how much of a role they played in the return of the Coalition. One aspect that seems not to have been raised, however, is the message that it sent namely that Labor might seek to change the superannuation rules without "grandfathering". People plan for retirement on a set of rules, and it seems to be that Labor is happy to change them for some people but not for example for those who rely on negative gearing. Who knows what else they may dream up in future? David Torr, Werribee A feeling of despair The experience after my Quaker meeting for worship on Sunday was one of great despair. I've never witnessed this after an election before, in all my years of being part of Christian communities in various places in Victoria. In our discussion we wondered why the politicians who will form our next government have so little concern for the future of our planet and have , seemingly, disregard for the social and just needs of people here and overseas especially for those held in Australian funded and staffed detention camps. Many of us participate actively in many different areas of welfare and human rights, in their respective places of employment and in non- government and/or local organisations. We strive to live simply, acting with integrity, speaking truth to power for others and for environmental sustainability. During the long campaign weeks, we have participated in local and national groups. Like many, we had hoped that we could "retire" from this intensive activity. Now the questions are asked: How can we engage with people who aren't interested in the needs of others? How do we present relevant information that supports our cause when some don't wish to listen or observe the state of environmental change? I expect that many could be as demoralised as I and my fellow Quakers are. Margaret Tonkin, Box Hill Stick to your guns, Labor In the wash-up after the election already there are calls within the Labor Party to move to the centre, with some prominent Labor members claiming the party has moved too far to the left. A retreat from its progressive social justice and environmental policies would be a tragedy for the party and the electorate as a whole. Becoming a clone of the Liberal Party would mean election battles would be further reduced to a presidential-style contest based on the popularity of the leaders rather than giving the electorate an alternative policy choice. Yes, the electorate didn't embrace Labor's progressive agenda this time but with refinement and an education campaign to explain the details of their platform, Labor is only 2 per cent or 3per cent away from gaining office. Labor came close in 1969 and went on to a comfortable win in 1972 with a consistent raft of progressive policies which presented an alternative to the Liberal-National agenda. Please, let's not see our next election reduced to Tweedledum versus Tweedledee. Graeme Lechte, Brunswick West A failure to communicate In the same way John Hewson could not explain the GST on that birthday cake, Labor could not explain the intricacies of its franking credit and negative gearing policies. Punters just reworked Paul Keating's old line, "If you don't understand it, don't vote for it." Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW Scavenging for Bob I was a student at Melbourne University in 1970, and taking part in the annual scavenger hunt. One of the items on the to-find list was ACTU president Bob Hawke. So I went to the ACTU offices and was told to look for him next door, in the pub. Finding Bob drinking there, I asked if he would accompany me to the university. He readily agreed, we drove up Swanston Street in my decrepit Morris Minor, I presented my trophy, returned him to the pub, and thanked him. Bob Hawke was a man of the people. Alan Freeman, Annandale, NSW Taking a second mortgage Much is said these days about the economic challenges faced by developed nations such as ours, as a consequence of the ageing of our population. There is a growing burden on a shrinking productive workforce tasked to pay for the increasing demands of the older generation. There is no more wretched manifestation of this than the result of the weekend's federal poll, where the electorate cravenly chose to prop up entrenched distortions of the taxation system, which have feathered the nests of the Baby Boomers and postwar generations, contributing to widening inequality and progressively robbing our children of the means of financial security that we took for granted, such as affordable home ownership. All this and another giant coal mine to further pollute their world. Wasn't a first mortgage on their future enough for us? Philip Peyton, Park Orchards Change is possible To paraphrase Tony Abbott, the Coalition does it tough on the moral issue of climate change but very, very well on the political issue. So there it is, our country and former PM in a nutshell. Don't persuade the doubters and deniers that won't win you office. Go with them and amplify their fears on the cost to them jobs, tradies' utes, the weekend. If the sight of all those dead fish at Menindee cannot rouse us, then we must ask what ever will? The state that has suffered the greatest devastation with floods and drought prove Abbott's point beyond all doubt. Change is always difficult, yet Jacinda Ardern tackled the moral imperatives and prevailed. So it can be done. Now is the time for a leader with real appeal and real moral courage. Labor, I hope you are listening. Tony Newport, Hillwood, Tas Same old, same old When all is said and done about how unexpected the election outcome was, the end result is that an incumbent government with a very slim majority has been returned with a very slim majority. I'm not picking up any narrative about the country's direction or future here. Kris Hansen, Ringwood AND ANOTHER THING Reading the tea leaves The opinion polls were correct in one sense: in the sense that that's what they were ... opinions. Barry Lamb, Heidelberg West Bob Brown's convoy Bob Brown, in leading his provocative anti-Adani convoy into the deep north and costing Labor crucial seats, may come to be remembered as the Ralph Nader of Australian politics. Peter McCarthy, Mentone Next time Bob Brown would do well to stay home and look after his own park. Graeme Lee, Fitzroy Politics A further three years of being shouted at by Scott Morrison. A wearisome prospect. Jane Oldfield, Caulfield An ALP win and a Tony Abbott loss would have been a nice big cake with icing on the top for me. Now I'm left with the icing and no bloody cake. Mark Tomkinson, Bridgetown, WA Heard from the Liberal Party campaign headquarters: "Oh, hell, we won, now what do we do?" David Kitchen, Violet Town Shorten, the Bill Australia didn't want. Graham Cadd, Dromana Sir Humphrey Appleby would have described Labor's franking credits policy as "brave". Alan Inchley, Frankston Having lost an unlosable election, the Labor leaders need to ask their New Zealand friends how they made winning an unwinnable one look so easy. Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale Furthermore We can add another species to the endangered list: the altruistic Australian. Anne Ross, Caulfield North Now, so late in my life, I have to suffer the shame of being labelled a Baby Boomer. Christine Duncan, Surrey Hills Victoria Police failed to tell the police informants royal commission or the state government that Nicola Gobbo had worked as an informer as early as 1995, an omission that forced the government to expand the terms of reference and sparked the resignation of one of the commissioners. The Age can reveal that one of the states top police officers knew for more than six months that Ms Gobbo first became an informer in 1995. But according to police, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton was not notified of that fact until January this year. Nicola Gobbo and her one-time client, Tony Mokbel. Credit:ninevms Police also did not tell the government or the royal commission until their lawyers were compelled to answer a legally binding notice to produce in late January. Victoria Police has rejected any suggestion that we sought to mislead the government or royal commission, claiming it was an error. Stockholm: The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia. If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court earlier this month. Credit:AP Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. Geneva: Swiss voters agreed Sunday to tighten the country's gun laws to reach parity with European Union anti-terrorism legislation that came into force following attacks in Paris and elsewhere. The referendum proposition was hotly debated in Switzerland, which has maintained compulsory military service and has a long tradition of marksmanship, including what is billed as the world's largest annual shooting competition. The new laws will tighten restrictions on the purchase of firearms across Switzerland. The government had warned voters that Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union but follows many of its rules, could lose its membership in the Schengen Area which allows free movement among 26 European countries if it rejected stricter gun rules. Final results showed that almost 64 per cent voted in favour of tighter gun controls, in line with what opinion polls had predicted. Only the citizens of the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland rejected the gun initiative. gettyimagesbank Tehran: Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the US over Tehran's atomic program, nuclear officials said on Monday, just after President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Credit:AP Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67 per cent limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below what's needed for an atomic weapon. But by increasing production, Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. Hes crisscrossed Canada and the globe to talk to folk musicians and farmers, and filmed everything from science fiction to retellings of biblical parables. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Hes crisscrossed Canada and the globe to talk to folk musicians and farmers, and filmed everything from science fiction to retellings of biblical parables. But for his latest project, filmmaker Paul Plett is turning the lens on himself. Plett, who grew up in Landmark and now resides in Winnipeg, announced plans this week for an autobiographical documentary that will delve into his Mennonite heritage and explore diversity and commonality among Mennonites today. "Everyone has their own definition and their own idea of what it means to be a Mennonite. A documentary is an exciting way to spark that conversation," Plett, 33, said. I Am A Mennonite will be released next summer, though supporters of the project can get a sneak peek of material early next year. Plett said the finished product will be at least 30 minutes in length. By last Tuesday morning, the projects Kickstarter webpage had already surpassed its initial $500 fundraising goal. Plett has already begun interviewing Manitoba sources, including Royden Loewen, a Mennonite historian at the University of Winnipeg, and Sen. Don Plett, a Landmark resident whos related to the filmmaker. This fall, Plett will travel to Ukraine and the Netherlands to retrace his ancestors journey to Canada. If he can raise enough money, he may visit other countries as well. Hell then return home to edit the footage over the winter. "I think for me its about helping ground and focus my own point of view," he said of the trip. While hes overseas, Plett wants to hear from "people who dont feel like they necessarily quite fit into the Mennonite mould." He also wants to try his hand at everything from ploughing to perogy-making. "Mennonite history is really interesting to me personally, and doing a story that sort of has me as a character in it allows me to do some things creatively that I wouldnt have otherwise been able to do." Plett self-identifies as a Mennonite by faith and by ancestry, and traces his lineage back to the 1874 migration to Manitoba from Russia. "For me, identifying as a Mennonite is something that really grounds me. This is a community that Im really proud to be a part of," he said. Two earlier projects motivated him to better understand how ethnic, religious, and cultural dimensions of Mennonite identity fit together across time and place. The first, Seven Points on Earth, examined the enduring importance of agriculture to Mennonites in seven very different cultural contexts. "I felt very much like I was getting in touch with a global Mennonite identity, and also a historical Mennonite identity, that I hadnt been in touch with before, and that really spurred the idea to do something a bit more focused on myself," Plett said. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Those thoughts resurfaced again in the fall of 2017, when he filmed a trip across East Africa with his father, Menno Plett, who worked with farmers and refugees there during his time with Mennonite Central Committee. "Doing the documentary with my dad was a chance to be more vulnerable and try to go to some more personal spaces," Plett explained. With such big questions behind the project, he isnt sure what answers hell find. But he hopes I Am A Mennonite will be enjoyed by Mennonites and non-Mennonites alike. He also hopes to correct those who picture straw hats and suspenders when they hear the word "Mennonite." What it means to be Mennonite is bound to evolve over time, but Plett said he hopes the word will always mean something distinct. "Theres this ocean of information around us...I guess one of my hopes is that the community doesnt dissipate or disappear." By Kim Bo-eun Korean Reinsurance Company (Korean Re) has established its third overseas subsidiary in Switzerland, the company said, Monday. Korean Re Switzerland AG will start a reinsurance business in property and casualty insurance from June, after receiving a license from the country's financial authorities last week. The subsidiary in Zurich was established one year and six months after Korean Re began pushing forward with the plan in late 2017. The reinsurer is turning to overseas markets as it faces declining profits here. Korean Re's earnings peaked in 2015, but have been falling due to the country's saturated insurance market. CEO Won Jong-gyu has emphasized overseas expansion since he assumed his position in 2013. The company has set a goal to make 16 trillion won in overseas sales, up from the 1.8 trillion won it made last year. "We established the subsidiary in Switzerland as a strategic point to enter European markets," a Korean Re official said Korean Re established its first overseas subsidiary in Hong Kong in 1995, and its second at Lloyd's, an insurance and reinsurance market in London, in 2015. The company has three branches each in Singapore, Dubai and Malaysia and four offices each in New York, London, Tokyo and Beijing. The insurer is looking into expanding into the South American market. Its plan is to bring up the percentage of sales from overseas markets to 50 percent, from the current 24.6 percent. Another factor is local financial authorities encouraging other Korean non-life insurers to expand their businesses into reinsurance, to have more players in the market other than Korean Re, which has a de facto monopoly position. Korean Re is the world's 10th-largest reinsurance company in terms of gross written premiums. By Park Hyong-ki Lotte's financial units A Bryan man is facing multiple charges after being accused of firing a rifle at another man following a confrontation at a College Station apartment complex Saturday night. Evan Lawrence Harris, 32, remained in the Brazos County Jail Sunday night on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a habitation, deadly conduct and tampering with identification numbers. His bail was set at $74,000. According to the police report, Harris forced his way into an apartment in the 700 block of Dominik Drive and began fighting with a man who was a guest of the resident. Following a struggle between the two men, Harris went outside and retrieved a .22-caliber rifle from a vehicle and fired multiple rounds toward the other man, police said. The man received minor injuries from the fight with Harris, police said, but was not shot and declined medical treatment. Harris left the apartment complex before police arrived, according to the report, but Bryan officers located him and recovered a rifle from his vehicle. The shooter should not have been able to purchase a weapon. His previous convictions legally disqualified him. But because the Air Force did not upload this information into the federal background-check database, he was able to unlawfully bring home four firearms from the store one day. Sadly, this tragedy is not an isolated incident. At that time, it was estimated some 7 million criminal convictions, mental-illness diagnoses and records including at least 25 percent of felony convictions and a large number of convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence were absent from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. Something had to be done. Eleven days after the shooting, I introduced the Fix NICS Act to reform the system and ensure all federal departments and agencies upload these required conviction records. It also encourages, to the greatest extent possible under the Constitution, state and local governments to do the same. Its imperative that complete and accurate information is uploaded, that violent felons convictions are shared and that those who legally are not entitled to possess a firearm do not gain access to one. Two political facts emerged in the wake of the batch of stringent abortion bans passed by states such as Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and Ohio. First, this is going to be a big issue for Democrats - because it is potentially a big issue with millions of women, whose votes Democrats will need to eject President Donald Trump from the White House. Second, non-candidate Stacey Abrams may keep herself in the news and in possible contention by highlighting the issue. On Saturday, Abrams came out with this message featuring four female presidential candidates: "Please join @SenGillibrand, @KamalaHarris, @amyklobuchar, @ewarren and me in supporting organizations that protect the right to safe, legal abortion." Abrams' prominent role as a non-presidential candidate makes a certain mount of sense. Without endorsing anyone, she can in effect coordinate joint messages from the female presidential candidates. Moreover, given that Georgia is one of the most economically and politically prominent states to pass a ban, the former gubernatorial candidate, who would surely have vetoed the bill had she won, would an appropriate figure to lead the charge to block the bans. 82-Year-Old Veteran Suicidal After Florida Couple Allegedly Stripped Him of Savings A Florida couple has been arrested for allegedly draining the bank account of an 82-year-old veteran to fund their $500-per-day drug habit in a scam that left him suicidal. Jessica Henry, 31, and Gregory Dushan, 28, were arrested on May 15, charged with exploitation of an elderly person, according to a DeLand police report. The couple allegedly tricked their victim into paying a total of about $50,000 by posing as a probation officer and demanding payments for a urine test. They even threatened to send in a SWAT team. The scam came to light when the suicidal victim phoned the Veterans Crisis Center after his bank told him he had no money left. With the U.S. Coast Guard veteran still on the phone, the Crisis Center contacted DeLand police, prompting an investigation. According to police investigators, the couple had known their victim for three years, living in the same area at the time. Initially Jessica Henry persuaded the unnamed victim to give her money to feed her kids and for transportation to take them to school, according to police. The couple then moved out of the area. Then, about six months ago, she phoned him and said she had been arrested and needed money for a urine test for her probation officer. According to the report, the veteran said he received daily calls from Dushan, demanding sums between $150 and $1,000, threatening to put the 82-year-old in jail if he did not pay up. Posing as the officer, Dushan also threatened to seize the veterans vehicle. To avoid having it seized, the veteran gave the vehicle to Dushans partner, Henry. According to WKMG, Dushan was found driving the car at Henrys residence on West Lison Parkway. Authorities have since recovered the vehicle. According to an arrest reported cited by WKMG, Dushan threatened to send in a SWAT team and kick down the veterans doors if he failed to pay. Both suspects are charged with exploitation of an elderly person between the amounts of $20,000 and $100,000. Dushan is additionally charged with impersonating a correction/probation officer. They may face further charges over several alleged death threats made to the veteran prior to Dushans arrest telling him he had a half hour to drop the charges. Both suspects in this case intentionally coerced and deliberately deceived the victim causing him to deplete his bank account to support their drug habit, according to the investigation, said the police report. The victim was then notified by the bank that his account had a negative balance, which prompted him to want to kill himself because he felt this was his only solution. The investigation revealed that Dushan and Henry spent more than $500 per day of money they stole from the victim to support their drug use. Dushan and Henry were both transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail. Dushans bail was set at $35,000, and Henrys at $10,000. It is unclear whether they have been released on bail. According to WKMG, the police department are looking for ways to help the 82-year-old, who has been left unable to cover his rent. The city of DeLand lies about 40 miles to the north of the city of Orlando in the middle of the state of Florida. Florida has a particularly high number of elderly people who could be vulnerable to exploitation. It has the highest percentage of over-65s of any state in the country, at around 19 percent. The crime of exploitation of the elderly covers a broad range of circumstances in which a person has abused used their relationship, business relationship, or position of trust to exploit the victim. House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) speaks during a Politico Playbook Breakfast interview, at the W Hotel in Washington on April 6, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Amash Gets Republican Primary Challenge 2 Days After Calling for Trumps Impeachment A Michigan state lawmaker swiftly filed a Republican primary challenge to Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on May 20, just two days after Amash became the first Republican congressman to call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. State Rep. Jim Lower (R-Mich.) launched a campaign for Congress on May 20 complete with a website calling for donations. Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trumps impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents, Lower said in a statement on his campaign website. Amash has not only failed to support President Trump as the President works to make the United States stronger and safer, he has now united with radical liberals like Democratic Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) to try and bring down our President. He must be replaced and I am going to do it, Lower added. Amash made headlines on May 18 with a series of messages on Twitter accusing Trump of impeachable conduct and calling on Congress to impeach the president. Amash is the only Republican to have called for the presidents impeachment. Amash said he came to his conclusion after reading the report by special counsel Robert Mueller. The special counsels report concluded there is not enough evidence to establish that Trump or anyone on his campaign colluded with Russia. Mueller also decided against filing an obstruction of justice charge against the president. Amash also accused Attorney General William Barr of intentionally misrepresenting the findings of the Mueller report. No Republican joined Amashs call for impeachment. Sen. Mitt Romney, a prominent anti-Trump Republican, said he and Amash didnt come to the same conclusions. Top Republicans also criticized Amash. Youve got to understand Justin Amash, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Fox News. Hes been in Congress quite some time. I think hes asked one question in all the committees that hes been in. He votes more with Nancy Pelosi than he ever votes with me. Its a question whether hes even in our Republican conference as a whole. Trump countered Amash on May 19, calling him a total lightweight and a loser while pointing to the conclusions of Muellers report. Lower has held the state seat for two terms while Amash was elected in 2010 and reelected three times. Amash ran unopposed in 2018 in the Republican primary before winning 54 percent of the vote in the general election. He also appeared to run unopposed in 2016 before winning nearly 60 percent of the vote in the general election. In 2014, he beat primary challenger Brian Ellis with 57 percent of the vote before getting 58 percent of the vote in the general election. Shortly prior to unveiling his campaign website, Lower shared a statement by Laura Cox, Michigans Republican chairwoman. While President Trumps leadership has led to the strongest economy in a generation, Justin Amash has opposed his America First agenda every step of the way, Cox wrote. Now in a desperate attempt to grab headlines and advance his own presidential ambitions, Amash is peddling a narrative that has repeatedly been proven false. Shameful. NTD reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Ant Egg-Pudding Served as University Meal Could Mean More Than Unsettled Taste Buds News Analysis A new dish went viral on Chinese social media not necessarily for its flavorful appeal, but rather the shock at what the students were being offered. The university prepared a large platter of steamed egg pudding, covered in a speckled-black layer of ants, first offered up on May 16. Many students at the Fuyang Normal University in Chinas Anhui Province appeared repulsed by the new dish according to chat-group messages reported by state sponsored media The Beijing Times. However, the report included positive commentary by a single student and upbeat music. The somewhat shocking meal showing up in a university may reflect the recent significant loss of pigs to disease in China. Ant Propaganda The report begins with cartoon-like words reading, The following images may cause discomfort, along with a pleasant tune in the background. However, not all information was kept positive. Bugs??? This is too disgusting, wrote one user, ironically named Dare to eat anything, in a chat group that shared pictures of the bug-pudding, according to The Beijing News. Many other users who shared about the meal on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter, included one recurring phrase, Do you dare to eat it? Certain dishes already use ants as a main ingredient, but insects are not a common meat source in China compared to livestock or seafood. One dish is named Ant-Fried Pine Nuts, where the two main ingredients are right in the name. Though some suggest that insects are not only a viable, but also more efficient food source than traditional livestock, the change in China may reflect one different foods availability throughout the world. Could Ant Replace Pork? It happens that in some regions, pork commonly accompanies egg-pudding, which is made by steaming whipped eggs with water, but several factors have pushed Chinese chefs to look to other protein options. The positive tone in the state-sponsored report comes at the same time as pork prices are on the rise due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) epidemic that is sweeping through China. Chinas massive loss of native pork supplies, its high internal demand for pork, and the United States tariffs on pork exports have put the Chinese regime in a difficult situation to appease citizens. The appearance of ants, or other insects, as a food source may become more common. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on April 17 that pork prices may rise over 70 percent in the second half of 2019. China is by far the largest consumer of pork in the world, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (pdf). As the Chinese regime grapples with importing pork to satisfy its citizens, propaganda may shift to a pleasant tune to other non-pork sources, as in the above report from The Beijing Times. Other nations may feel an impact from Chinas production loss, and countries like the United States may find an increase in pork prices, according to analysts. Though African Swine Fever is not a food safety issue, it is a threat to pigs. African swine fever is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting both domestic and wild pigs of all ages, according to the USDA. ASF is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans. Hoveizeh, Iran's new cruise missile is shown during an exhibition in the capital Tehran on Feb. 2, 2019. (Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images) As United States-Iran Tension Simmers, Rocket Fired Near Iraqs U.S. Embassy BAGHDADA rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and diplomatic missions, on Sunday night, falling near the U.S. Embassy but causing no casualties, the Iraqi military said. The attack came two weeks after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraqi leaders during a surprise visit to Baghdad that if they failed to keep in check Iran-backed militias, which are expanding their power in Iraq and now form part of its security apparatus, the United States would respond with force. His visit came after U.S. intelligence showed Iran-backed Shiite militias positioning rockets near bases housing U.S. forces, according to two Iraqi security sources. A U.S. State Department official noted that there had so far been no claim of responsibility, and that no U.S.-inhabited facility was impacted. But, we take this incident very seriously, the official said. We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly. The Iraq military said the Katyusha rocket fell in the middle of the Green Zone, near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. The monument lies in open ground about a third of a mile north of the sprawling, riverside U.S. Embassy compound. The blast was heard across central Baghdad, according to Reuters witnesses and residents. The embassy in Baghdad and U.S. consulate in the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital Erbil has already evacuated non-emergency staff. Irans Iraqi allies rushed to condemn the attack and stressed that a war between Tehran and Washington would be bad for Baghdad and the whole region. Militia leader and politician Hadi al-Ameri, whose electoral block holds the second largest number of seats in Iraqs parliament, urged Iraqis in a statement overnight not to be the fire that fuels this war that would burn everyone. His sentiment was echoed by Qais al-Khazali, another prominent Iran-backed militia leader, who tweeted that a war would be neither in Washingtons nor in Tehrans interests. Tension Tensions between Washington and its Gulf Arab allies on one side and Tehran and its proxies in the region on the other, have been flaring for weeks. On Sunday, President Donald Trump tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, and his administration says it has built up the U.S. military presence in the region. Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for a drone strike on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia last week. The kingdom accused Tehran of ordering the attack. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Both Iran and the United States have said they do not want war. After the blast, Iraqi police special forces found a rocket launcher in eastern Baghdads al-Sina district, about 4 miles away across the Tigris River from the Green Zone, and sealed off the area, a police source told Reuters. Officers were searching for suspects and an ordnance disposal team from the Baghdad Operations Command was inspecting the launcher, the source said. The Green Zone was regularly targeted by mortars during the U.S. occupation of Iraq that ended in 2011. Rockets have occasionally been fired into the Green Zone since then. The latest such incident was in September, when three mortar shells landed inside the Green Zone, causing no casualties. The Katyusha multiple rocket launcher is an inexpensive type of rocket artillery that can deliver explosives to a target quicker than conventional artillery, but is less accurate. By Ahmed Rasheed and Ahmed Aboulenein In this image from video, rescuers try to find survivors at the site where a building collapsed in Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China on May 20, 2019. (CCTV via AP) At Least 3 Killed in China Building Collapse BEIJINGAt least three people were killed and four others buried in the collapse of a building in southern China on May 20, authorities said. Framework surrounding a bar in the city of Baise in Guangxi gave way at around 1 a.m., trapping or injuring almost 100 people. The local government said in a statement on its microblog that 87 people were injured. Rescuers were using search dogs and electronic monitors to try to find other survivors. The bar was located on the top of a three-story, steel-framed building. China has recently suffered a spate of building collapses and other industrial accidents largely blamed on the skirting of safety requirements amid a slowing economy. On Thursday, a building being refurbished collapsed in Shanghai, killing at least five, according to Reuters. Public anger over safety standards has grown in China over industrial accidents. Recent months have been particularly deadly for Chinese workers, underscoring shoddy enforcement of safety regulations and a desire by management to cut corners as the economy slows. Despite repeated government pledges to tighten safety, disasters have hit chemical plants in particular. In March, 78 people were killed in a blast at a chemical plant in the eastern city of Yancheng that had numerous safety violations, making it one of Chinas worst industrial accidents in recent years. Earlier, in November, at least 22 people were killed in an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northeastern city of Zhangjiakou, which will host competitions in the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, right, speaks with Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, left, chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, in Seoul, Monday. Both sides exchanged their views on the government's plan to provide humanitarian food aid to North Korea. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung North Korea is showing no signs of welcoming South Korea's provision of $8 million (9.54 billion won) worth of humanitarian food aid to millions of its starving citizens. The lack of a response further complicates the nuclear situation on the Korean Peninsula. The thinking in Seoul is that the aid package will possibly induce the North to return to negotiations. President Moon Jae-in also recently said the aid will help resolve the ongoing deadlock in denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang to some extent. But there were no signs that the North was changing its stance toward the South when the plan was announced Friday. On Monday, the North's propaganda media outlets continued to step up criticism of Seoul for "depending on outside forces" in handling inter-Korean affairs. "It is very stupid for Seoul to beg a foreign power to help resolve inter-Korean affairs," the propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said, describing Seoul's alliance with Washington as a move to "tie a noose around its own neck." Following the failure of the Hanoi summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, inter-Korean relations began to deteriorate. The North has particularly taken issue with the South's security alliance with the U.S., urging Seoul to stop siding with Washington and handle inter-Korean issues in a more independent manner. "The South Korean authorities should take a position to sincerely fulfill inter-Korean agreements and stop carrying out policies dependent on foreign powers, which goes against the demands and interests of the Korean people," it said. The denouncement came a day after the North's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper expressed a cautious view on the humanitarian aid offer from the South. "Aid has been a means of plunder from imperialists," it said. The humanitarian support from the South and international society will be made in a similar spirit, with an ultimate view to governing the North, the newspaper said. This has been interpreted as a show of determination by the North reaffirming its unwillingness to make concessions in the ongoing nuclear negotiations. Last week, the Ministry of Unification decided to push for the humanitarian aid through international relief bodies, such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund. This was not the first provision of aid. In September 2017, the government planned to send humanitarian assistance, but did not do so amid skepticism from the international community due to the North's missile tests. To push the plan forward again in a more organized way, the unification ministry is reviewing the project by holding a series of meetings with public and private organizations here. The latest came Monday afternoon when Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul exchanged views with Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. The U.S., for its part, also expressed a voice of optimism over the South's proposed humanitarian aid plans for the North, Moon said last week in a meeting with David Beasley, executive director of the WFP. People in Los Angeles vote during the 2012 U.S. presidential elections. During the October 2013 government shutdown, Chinese hackers attacked the Federal Election Commission. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images) California Bill Could Address Voting Issues, Watchdog Says California, as the most populous U.S. state, has the largest representation in Congress of all states, making its voter base a valuable one. But as news reports discuss the Golden States recent election missteps, some wonder whether state legislators should look into this matter more urgently. After the Election Integrity Project California Inc. (EIPCa) looked into the many failures of the states 2018 midterm elections for a recent report, researchers learned that thousands of Californians didnt receive vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots in time. Additionally, hundreds of voters saw polling places giving them incorrect VBM designations, while hundreds of others saw the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) change their registration to permanent VBM without their consent, making them ineligible to vote at the polls. A bill that made its way through the state House and is now in the hands of the Senate seeks to address some of the concerns involving voting in the state. And because there could be a risk California senators wont feel pressed to pass it, as fewif anyreports on this bill have made it to the news recently, advocacy groups are urging voters to act. In a statement, EIPCa President Linda Paine said that Californians are losing their voting rights because of the states inefficiency. Tens of thousands of individuals have been harmed by ongoing roster printing mistakes, DMV registration software errors and, now, what appears to be a systemic failure to simply mail out ballots in an accurate and timely manner, she explained. The only way to force California to respond better, Paine said, is to get the federal government to investigate and get Secretary of State Alex Padilla to take immediate steps to ensure the future integrity of our election process. But until a federal probe is initiated, the nonpartisan group is asking Californian voters to press their Senate representatives to take quick action on a bill that should be up for a floor vote soon. AB 49 may not fix the ballot-harvesting situation, which some argue began to benefit Democrats after Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown made the practice legal in 2016, but it could force the state to get all VBM ballots out within five days of voters request for ballots. If anything, EIPCa argues, this bill would allow voters to be aware of when their ballots should arrive, giving them time to report their ballot as missing, in the event it gets lost in the mail. Furthermore, the bill might help to prevent state authorities from sending out ballots to those who arent eligible to vote, but only if voters who are aware they were illegally harvested take action to stop their lost ballot from being counted. Despite these potentially good outcomes, theres a lot more to Californias voting blues than meets the eye. Big State, Big Problems When it comes to the states voting system issues, its important to look at the DMV. Recently, state lawmakers initiated a new audit, hoping to focus on the DMVs voter registration program. After the agency admitted having troubles registering voter information for more than 23,000 drivers and mistakenly registering nearly 77,000 others twice, Republican and Democratic lawmakers both called for a probe. The problems with motor voter have risen to such a degree that there is a bipartisan effort in this, Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson told local news outlet KFSN. The errors include registering 16-year-olds to vote. We have numbers of people who had their registration changed without their approval or knowledge, and actually sending them ballots they could vote through the mail, he added. Beyond the DMV, some believe Californias large, bureaucratic government system, which has to deal with a massive state population, might have problems enforcing any new rules. Ryan McMaken, an economist and fellow with the Ludwig von Mises Institute, is one of them. In an interview with The Epoch Times, he explained that AB 49 could only benefit voters if rules can be properly enacted. If a state is going to engage in widespread voting by mail, he said, it needs to have the resources and the will to make efforts to ensure the integrity of the election process. That is, it needs to be able to investigate fraud, keep voter rolls updated, and even prosecute those who can be shown to be misusing ballots. With these sorts of things, scale matters. While theoretically, it is possible to run an efficient and clean all-mail election, he added, larger states have problems others less densely-populated dont. In a state as enormous as California, it is likely that a much larger bureaucracy than currently exists is necessary, he explained. The county-level election officials are likely to face much larger problems of logistics in California than in smaller states like Colorado or Oregontwo states with all-mail election. For instance, no county in Colorado has a population of more than 700,000 people, and most counties have fewer than 100,000 people. [Los Angeles] County, on the other hand, has 10 million people, and even mid-sized counties are now approaching half a million people. The potential for big problems that can really affect the outcome of a statewide election appears significantly higher. McMaken suggested that California officials could improve the situation with a comprehensive, yet perhaps unexpected plan. To improve the potential for abuse affecting statewide or long-term outcomes, he said, Californians should consider decentralizing the state into several smaller states, and making county size smaller. And to those who truly care about the will of the people, McMaken suggested that holding more elections could make a differenceespecially when it comes to holding elected officials accountable. Over the past 200 years, elections in the United States have become less frequent, with terms of office growing longer, removing politicians from the influence of the voters. This has its downside and also increases the impact of any single election, thus magnifying the effects of election errors. Picture of the suspected unexploded shell discovered at Beachy head shared by the authorities in a press release on May 20, 2019. (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) Bomb at British Beach Sparks Evacuation, Reality Surprises Disposal Team An undetonated bomb was reportedly found at a British beach on May 19, sparking an evacuation. Authorities were planning a controlled explosion at low tide on Monday evening, but upon inspection, it turned out to an empty casing. Her Majestys (HM) Coastguard, a section of the UKs Maritime and Coastguard Agency received a call at 8:50 p.m. reporting an unexploded shell at Beachy Head halfway between Belle Tout Lighthouse and Belle Tout layby, according to a press release by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The photographs were immediately sent to the EOD (Explosives Ordnance Disposal) team. The shell is approximately 3 inches wide and 12 inches long, said the release. HM Coastguard is asking people to keep at a safe distance after a suspected unexploded shell was found at #BeachyHead yesterday. A cordon is set up and EOD team are on scene and planning a controlled explosion at low tide later this evening #allsafe https://t.co/W1rP0NfWHN pic.twitter.com/nYnhVBCfPE Maritime&Coastguard (@MCA_media) May 20, 2019 HM Coastguard advised the public to remain away from the site. Eastbourne and Birling Gap Coastguard Rescue Teams have set up a cordon around the ordinance restricting public access as a precautionary measure, said the release. After the site was closed for hours, the investigators finally found the shell casing to be empty. The EOD team have inspected the device again and declared it a safe empty metal casing no detonation will be happening. The cordon has been lifted, said the updated release. UPDATE The EOD team have inspected the device again and declared it a safe empty metal casing no detonation will be happening. The cordon has been lifted #allsafe #standdown pic.twitter.com/DVLp1yXlMc Maritime&Coastguard (@MCA_media) May 20, 2019 Unexploded Bombs from World War II In a similar incidence reported last year, an undetonated World War II bomb discovered near the London City Airport was exploded under controlled conditions, reported the BBC. Since 2010 until early 2018, British Ministry of Defense said it was tasked to deal with 450 German WWII bombs, and such explosives continue to be discovered around the United Kingdom. The Ministry of Defence told BBC Reality Check that about 10 percent of the bombs dropped over the country during the war didnt explode. I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it: Unexploded bombs: How common are they? https://t.co/pzJ9n7tzh0 G Wyatt GradIOSH (@cdm2015biz) February 14, 2018 Most of these explosives are found buried deep and are often discovered by construction workers. They are disposed off by the military. However, private companies run by ex-military individuals also provide these services. Another beach in the country was closed last week after a metal detector found a suspected World War II bomb at low tide, said a release by ZeticaUXO, a private company that provides explosive disposal services. A member of the public was metal detecting at Broadsands Beach at Paignton when he found the rusting 7in to 8in long object, said the release. A beach was closed last week after a metal detectorist found a suspected World War II bomb at low tide. https://t.co/lVv22lMq3E pic.twitter.com/wExQc20GGY ZeticaUXO (@ZeticaUXO) May 20, 2019 In another discovery reported by ZeticaUXO, a WWII mortar was disposed off at Bliston. The controlled explosion was carried out on what looked like a building site at around 8.30pm on the 16th May, the media release said. Unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered in the West Midlands. https://t.co/x15hZMaaBT pic.twitter.com/C51MYb2Jyj ZeticaUXO (@ZeticaUXO) May 20, 2019 A typical World War II bomb weighed 110 pounds (50 kgs) or 551 pounds (250 kgs). Larger bombs were 1102 pounds (500 kgs) or 2204 pounds (1000 kgs), according to the BBC. A riot police officer bearing a white flower on his bulletproof vest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Dec. 12, 2018. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images) Brazil Massacre: Armed Group Kills 11 in a Bar in Northern Brazil SAO PAULOAn armed group entered a bar in the Brazilian northern city of Belem on Sunday, May 19, and fired at patrons, killing 11 people and leaving one wounded, according to local media reports. The armed group, whose members were wearing masks to cover their faces, arrived in cars and a motorbike before shooting dead six women and five men in the bar in a poor, violent neighborhood in the capital of Para state, said G1 news website. There was no information regarding possible motivation for the crime and no arrests had been made by early Sunday evening. The identities of the victims were not given. Of course we have some lines of investigation, which are confidential, but all of them will be analyzed very carefully, very strictly, secretary of public security in Para Ualame Machado said at a news conference Sunday. Some videos taken right after the shooting were posted on social media, showing slain people laying on the ground and a dead woman on top of the bars counter. The killings took place in the Guama neighborhood, one of the seven most violent spots in the metropolitan Belem area where federal troops were sent in March to boost security. There were 756 violent deaths in Para state in the first quarter. Much of Brazils violence is gang-related. In January, gangs attacked across Fortaleza, bringing that city to a standstill with as commerce, buses, and taxis shut down. Rio de Janeiro, the countrys second biggest city, experiences daily shootouts between rival gangs and also between police and criminals, battles that often result in the deaths of innocent bystanders. Fogo Cruzado, a group that monitors shootings in the Rio metropolitan area, says there were 2,300 shootings in Rio and its suburbs during the first 100 days of this year. Killings attributed to police gunfire in Rio de Janeiro state have reached a record high, rising 18 percent in the first three months, in a spike partly attributed to a campaign of a zero tolerance for criminals being pushed by state leaders. Loosened Gun Laws in Murder-Ridden Brazil Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed a temporary decree earlier this year making it easier for Brazilians to buy guns, delivering on a campaign promise to overturn strict regulations in a country suffering from a record wave of murders. Bolsonaro won the presidency by running on a law-and-order platform, and often delighted supporters at campaign stops with his signature guns up hand gesture. His maverick presidential run energized a base of rural landowners, Christian conservatives, and free-market hawks who wanted a tougher response to years of rising violence and political graft. Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70 percent of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics. A former paratrooper who took office on Jan. 1, Bolsonaro eventually wants to overturn a 2003 law that effectively banned the civilian purchase of guns. To guarantee citizens their legitimate right to defense, I, as president, will use this weapon, Bolsonaro said, holding up the pen he used to sign the decree. Gun laws toughened considerably under former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who signed sweeping measures in 2003 that prevented ordinary citizens from carrying guns. The law mandated background checks for gun purchases and gave federal police the right to reject applications for gun ownership for any reason. However, Silvas attempts to deepen gun control foundered in a 2005 referendum, when about 65 percent of Brazilians voted against a proposal to completely ban gun sales. By Maria Carolina Marcello and Gabriel Stargardter NTD News staff and The Associated Press contributed to this article. (L-R) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and European Council President Donald Tusk give a joint press after an EU-China summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels on April 9, 2019. (John Thys/AFP/Getty Images) Chinas Tech Transfer Problem is Growing, EU Business Group Says BEIJINGCases of European firms forced to transfer technology in China are increasing despite Beijing saying the problem doesnt exist, a European business lobby said, adding that its outlook on the countrys regulatory environment is bleak. Chinas trading partners have long complained that their companies are often compelled to hand over prized technology in exchange for access to the worlds second-largest economy. Demands by the United States that China address the problem are central to the two countries ongoing trade war, which has seen both sides pile tariffs on billions of dollars of each others goods. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said on May 20 that results from its annual survey showed 20 percent of members reported being compelled to transfer technology for market access, up from 10 percent two years ago. Nearly a quarter of those who reported such transfers said the practice was currently ongoing, while another 39 percent said the transfers had occurred less than two years ago. Unfortunately, our members have reported that compelled technology transfers not only persist, but that they happen at double the rate of two years ago, European Chamber Vice President Charlotte Roule said at a news briefing on the survey. It might be due to a number of reasons Either way, it is unacceptable that this practice continues in a market as mature and innovative as China, Roule said. In certain cutting edge industries, the incidence of reported transfers was higher, such as 30 percent in chemicals and petroleum, 28 percent in medical devices, and 27 percent in pharmaceuticals, she added. Companies have long feared retribution for speaking up about abuses by government administrators or state-backed local partners, particularly without true recourse in Chinas Communist Party-controlled courts. Amid the escalating U.S.-China trade war, Beijing has put pressure on the EU to stand with it against President Donald Trumps trade policies. The EU has also become increasingly frustrated by what it sees as the slow pace of economic opening in China, even after years of granting China almost unfettered access to EU markets for trade and investment. However, European officials say publicly that they dont support the use of tariffs as a solution. Trump earlier in May raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent, and has said the duties are causing companies to move production out of China to Vietnam and other countries in Asia. The majority of European firms in the chambers survey said that their business strategies were not changed by the trade war, though it was completed by 585 respondents in January and February, well before the United States latest tariff increase. At the time, 6 percent of respondents said they were moving or had moved production out of China as a result of the tariffs, and 4 percent said they were considering or had already decreased investment in China. Forty-nine percent of the respondents affected by U.S. tariffs said their companies had covered the cost themselves and kept prices the same. The chamber added that members had a bleak outlook on Chinas regulatory environment, with 72 percent of members saying they expected obstacles to increase or stay the same in the coming five years, even as the Chinese regime has vowed continued reform and opening. By Michael Martina A view of the Macalder Mine in Kenya where the Omondis work at the moment, sieving sand in search of gold, on May 7, 2019. (Dominic Kirui for The Epoch Times) Chinese Companies Deprive Locals of Livelihood in Small-Scale Mining in Africa NYATIKE, KenyaAn early-morning chill sweeps through the villages of Nyatike constituency in southwest Kenya near the border with Tanzania. Penina Omondi is busy sieving sand as she and her husband, Daniel Omondi, search for gold particles. For the 46-year-old and her husband, this is their new way to make a living, after having had to move several miles away from home, where they used to mine sand. A Chinese company had come to their remote village with heavy equipment and started mining the same sand, creating an unhealthy competition. Now, they have to rent a small house away from home near the Macalder mines where they currently work, sieving sand grains in search of the precious metal. But their problems arent over. We have been doing this for the past few months, after leaving home in search of a source of income together with my husband, so that we could secure a future for our children by paying for their school fees and other needs until recently, when another Chinese company came here and started digging up the gold mines again, Penina Omondi told The Epoch Times. Even though it is a good thing for us at the moment, since we dont have to do the heavy digging [to mine sand], we dont know what the future holds, because the company is fast depleting the mines here, she added. Before leaving their home village, the Omondis used to mine sand on the banks of a nearby river, selling it to make a living. We could mine sand the whole day and anyone who wanted to construct a house in the nearby villages would come to buy from us. Sometimes, because it was near our homestead, our children would come to assist us over the weekends or during school holidays, and also after school, in the evenings, said Penina Omondi, a mother of seven. Right now, they just have to wait at home for us to bring them food, when we visit once in a while. Our second-born daughter is taking care of her siblings now. Gold Mining Disputes In 2018, irate residents in nearby Osiri set fire to an excavator belonging to a Chinese company. The remains of the heavy machine still sit along the roadside on the approach to the Nyatike shopping center. The protests held in 2018 by the residents prompted Nyatike member of Parliament Tom Odege to file a petition at the high court in Migori, challenging the legality of a Chinese company that was mining gold in the area, while also degrading the environment. The verdict was handed down in January, with the court ordering the Chinese company, Lijin Mining Co. Ltd., to stop the mining of gold in the area. But even after the verdict, other mining companies are still venturing into the area. Illegal Mining Article 124 of the Mining Act of 2016 in Kenya stipulates that a person shall not be granted or be entitled to hold or acquire an artisanal mining permit, a prospecting permit or a mining permit under this Part unless that person is (a) a citizen of Kenya; (b) or a body corporate, where no less than sixty percent of the shareholding is held by citizens of Kenya. Regardless, some Chinese companies in Nyatike still appear to be able to operate, in violation of the law. In the gold-mining court petition, the area member of Parliament accused some local leaders of allowing the operations to continue, after allegedly getting kickbacks from the companies. His sentiments were echoed by Daniel Omondi, who said some leaders only are interested in what they are getting from these companies and not what the residents get. We have protested and done everything in our power, but once the companies bribe the leaders, they are allowed to mine here and displace us, Daniel Omondi alleged. It isnt just Kenya that is struggling with the invasion of Chinese companies into the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in Africa. In 2013, during the Ghanaian gold rush, 124 Chinese nationals were detained by Ghanaian authorities for illegal mining. Sand Dredging In Kenyas Kakelo Kakoth village, where the Omondis are from, mining of sand is taking place on the banks of River Kuja. Abdul Barnabas, the site manager for Kylyn Works Ltd., the Chinese-owned mining company in the area, said that when the company moved in, locals were seen carrying sand in buckets within the area. But what we are offering the locals is a road network that we will build, to enable us to carry the sand and deliver it to our customers, Barnabas said. We have also promised to have them open an account, where we will deposit 500 Kenyan shillings ($5) per truck filled with sand and sold for the community living along the river to later share, he said, adding that the company mines more than 30 truckloads of sand on a good day. A few weeks ago, residents there also protested the presence of companies using dredging equipment to mine the sand from the river, depriving them of the natural resource that they say has been their source of income for decades. Philip Modish, a motorcycle taxi driver in the area, said that the promises by the company are fake, and that they are just using the claims to win the hearts of the locals, before leaving them to wallow in poverty after depleting their resources. How I wish this government would just wake up and stand up for its people who have been sold out into poverty by a few individuals who just want to gain for themselves, he said. Chinese youths surf the internet in a net cafe on January 21, 2008 in Chongqing Municipality, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) Chinese Netizens Have Fun With the Trade War In communist countries, humor has been a weapon wielded by ordinary people to tell the truth in an environment filled with lies and to snatch some wry enjoyment, and even a measure of revenge, from ridiculing their masters. When President Donald Trump responded with major new tariffs after Beijing backed out of a trade deal, netizens were ready to mock them in Chinese in posts that appeared on social media outside China, which those inside China can reach using special software. One widely circulated dialogue vividly describes the back-and-forth nature of trade negotiations between the United States and China: How the U.S.China Trade Talks Evolved Trump: $10. Vice Premier Liu He: $5. Trump: $10. Liu: $6. Trump: $10. Liu: $7. Trump: $10. Liu: $8. Trump: $10. Liu: $9. Trump: Deal. New China negotiator: $5. Trump: $25!!! People who have closely followed the trade talks cant help but laugh at how this accurately summarizes the whole process. Another joke goes like this: When do you think this feces-stirring stick of America will stop stirring? When there are no more feces in the world! Feces-stirring stick in Chinese is used to refer to troublemakers in a very negative way, and in the Chinese Communist official media, the United States is often portrayed as a bully and a troublemaker. However, the author of this dialogue showed the problem wasnt the troublemaker, but the trouble that had to be dealt with. Heres a third joke. How is the trade war affecting us? It causes us to stand in the middle of the river, without being able to reach the other shore. Why? Because all the stones have been lifted by the Americans to smash their own feet, so there are no more stones in the river for us to cross the river by groping for the stones. This dialogue not only ridicules the Chinese official propaganda about the trade war, but also former paramount leader Deng Xiaopings famous description of Chinas openness and reform policythe policy meant to bring a more capitalist economy to China. Deng said implementing this policy would be like crossing the river by groping for the stones. When the Trump administration first started to place tariffs on Chinese goods last year, Chinese official media said that by waging a trade war against the Chinese, Americans are only lifting stones to smash their own feet. China will win big, if it is a big war; China will win medium, if it is a medium-sized war; China will win small, if it is a small war, the state-run media said. A fourth joke goes like this: I heard that Huawei has lost the case about the 5G patent, and has to pay 300 billion in patent licensing fees per year. Why did Huawei lose that case? Because there isnt a Party branch in that court. This obviously mocks how Huawei has the Communist Partys full support, but also how in China, all the courts must listen to the Communist Partys orders. In another post circulated on Facebook: I hope we can start a war with the United States immediately. If we win, America will be ours, and we wont need a visa to travel to the United States anymore. If we lose, it is even better. We can become American citizens directly and enjoy the rights and benefits that a human being is entitled to. When will the war start? We ordinary Chinese people just cannot wait any longer! As for the Chinese propaganda that China will adopt an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth policy to retaliate against U.S. tariffs, Chinese netizens cleverly changed a tooth for a tooth to a sprout for a tooth, as in Chinese, the pronunciation of sprout and tooth is the same, which is ya. With this clever twist of words, the Chinese netizens mock how the Chinese Communist Party isnt really able to retaliate against the United States, given its weak economic situation, its dependence on the U.S. market and U.S. technology, and the huge trade imbalance between the United States and China. Chinese netizens are also creating memes based on official propaganda images, and rewriting the lyrics of official propaganda songs to praise Trump saying that Trump Is the Great Savior of the Chinese People, World Peace Relies on Trump, and similar kinds of rewrites. Disloyalty Plagues Chinese Officialdom Commentary A new dynamic has been dominating Chinas communist bureaucracy in recent years: Officials are now largely disloyal, or harboring two hearts, as the Chinese say. The most typical symptom of their disloyalty is deliberately slacking off. The relationship between the bureaucracy and the regimes leadership has deviated from an unspoken partnership of making fortunes together during the era of Chinese Communist Party leaders Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, to one akin to the catmice relationship during Mao Zedongs time: Many mice fear the one cat. Chinese Officials New Behavioral Pattern Chinas state-run media has recently published articles that are critical of the prevalent slacking among government officials. In January, Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned the Politburo that officials would be held responsible if they slipped up and let dangers spiral into real threats. The unspoken context is that the officialdom has been standing idle, despondently watching the escalation of dangers the authorities are facing, as if they werent part of the system. Of all the dangers Beijing fears, the greatest of all is not public discontent or the occasional protests, but the economic risks that threaten the entire country. The Chinese economy has been on the decline for reasons I stated in the article, 2018: The Year of Chinese Economic Decline. In an autocratic system, the main strategy to stimulate the economy is for officials at all levels to use administrative tools provided by senior leadership to creatively boost local economies. During the Jiang and Hu eras, officials made all kinds of efforts to at least generate short-term growth. Today, the regime still relies on local governments to pull the country through economic hardship. But if the officials passively resist, Beijings attempts to save the economy will most likely fail. The reality is, contrary to the leaderships hopes, the new behaviors the bureaucracy is exhibiting during this most recent economic decline are what I describe as quietly onlooking, slacking off, and mindlessly executing. By quietly onlooking, I mean the officials have no true concern for the deteriorating economy. Instead, they just wait and see what the leadership can pull together, not without a sense of amusement. By slacking, I mean the officials just sit around and do as little as they can. After all, fewer actions mean fewer chances of making mistakes, and their bosses cant fire them for doing nothing. By mindlessly executing, I mean they take leadership instructions literally and simply copy without any consideration for the actual impact on society. Ive executed the orders, and I dont care if its useful or necessary, theyd say. For the regimes senior leaders, the bureaucracys new behaviors pose a major political threat, not just because it would be difficult to implement measures for saving the economy. More importantly, such a response from officials marks disloyalty, and a conflicting relationship between the regimes central leadership and its officials below them. Officialdom Honeymoon During the Jiang, Hu Eras To understand why the leadershipofficialdom relationship morphed into disloyalty, we need to first understand the partnership they had during the Jiang and Hu eras. At the time, both the senior leaders and local officials focused on exploiting profits for themselves, and sharing gains with each other for their own benefit and security. As each official found his or her own pool to exploit from, they reached a certain mutual understanding and harmony. The result was a jaw-dropping degree of corruption that spread throughout the Party. Such a situation is by no accident. In a highly centralized system, an individual dictatorship like that of Joseph Stalin and Mao cant be naturally extended to the next generation of leaders. The natural consequence is a collective dictatorship model. Such transitions occurred in the Soviet Union between Nikita Khrushchev and Konstantin Chernenko (though Mikhail Gorbachev later implemented an individual-dictatorship-based presidential system), and in China between Deng Xiaoping, Jiang, and Hu. As personal worship and ideology fail as measures to motivate and control society as well as the officialdom, the orderobey relationship between the senior leaders and regular cadres seen during Stalin and Maos time morphed into a profitexchange relationship in which each party offers certain benefits in exchange for what they need. In other words, the senior leaders provide official positions, privilege, and benefits in order to buy the officials obedience. Thus, the leadership and the officialdom are bound together by an unwritten contract, which maintains the stability and interaction between the top and bottom of the system. Such a honeymoon state inevitably led to nationwide corruption. In China, the corruption during Jiang and Hus time was unparalleled because of the much deeper market reforms than what the former Soviet Union had. Before economic reforms induced privatization, corruption manifested as privileged access to consumption goods and bribery of cash, precious metal, and artifacts. But once privatization took off [in China, this started with former Chinese premier Zhu Rongjis reformation of state-owned enterprises in 1998], corruption took off with full force. Officials were given ownership of companies, capital, and real estate, and they were able to invest their assets abroad. This is how the leaderofficialdom honeymoon in the Jiang and Hu eras came about. Once the officials turned into capitalists via corruption, their greed knew no bounds. Political accomplishments were no longer the only way to promotion, and higher rankings were now associated with higher personal security. Officials who moved up the ladder in such a political-economic environment often actively took all measures to stimulate the economy, not only for promotion, but to collect more assets for themselves. The Source of Slacking Off in Xis Age At its root, the disloyalty among cadres results from the extreme animosity against the senior leaderships anti-corruption campaigns. The nostalgia for the Jiang and Hu eras is, in fact, a preference for the corruption for cooperation policy of the previous leaderships. The hostility toward the current leadership reflects a resentment toward their forced cooperation with anti-corruption campaigns. The nature of such sentiments is the love for corruption and a frustration for not being able to achieve it. For the corrupt officials who havent been targeted, the loss in a sense of security has given rise to animosity. The loss of open access to profits and a luxurious lifestyle only fuels such animosity. Finally, they also lost their escape route to live a comfortable retirement somewhere abroad with their overseas real estate and financial investments. Years of planning and building up fortunes have become nothing but a dream. For the officialdom, the dilemma lies in the fact that no one dares to openly protest the anti-corruption campaigns, because that is no less than a confession for their own crimes. All they can do is hide the hatred in their hearts, and let it ferment. But the hatred will not turn into longings for democracy, because they know all too well that corruption is not tolerated in a democratic environment. What they yearn for is a different type of relationship with senior leadership. As a matter of fact, the current leaderofficialdom relationship resembles the cat-mice relationship during Maos time. Pro-Beijing news outlet Duowei News published an article on March 29 titled The Endless War Between Zhongnanhai [the Chinese regime headquarters] and the Bureaucracy. The title says a lot. The partnership between the Party leaders and the officialdom has obviously gone for good. The article warned that the stability of the authorities relies on the entire officialdom environment. Apparently, both the authorities and the officialdom are very clear about the wide gap between them. On the surface, the disloyalty by officials looks similar to the mindset among Soviet Union officials before it fell apart, but the political implications are very different. I shared one of my new opinions with a think tank in Washington in 2016: The compatibility between privatization and democracy is determined by the sequence of their occurrence. If democracy comes first, then the two can coexist. An example is that in Russia, the democratization didnt pose barriers for former red elites to continue building their fortunes. The red elites could actually leverage new opportunities that come with democratization. If privatization happens first, as in China, then the communist capitalists will stop at nothing to stomp out any efforts toward democracy, because democracy is now lethal for them. Because China falls in the second scenario, the officialdom, though disloyal, wont rebel. They share the same determination and motivations with the senior leadership, which is to maintain the current political system. As a result, China may have the longest road toward transitioning out of socialism. Cheng Xiaonong is a scholar of Chinas politics and economy based in New Jersey. He is a graduate of Renmin University, where he obtained his masters degree in economics, and Princeton University, where he obtained his doctorate in sociology. In China, Cheng was a policy researcher and aide to the former Party leader Zhao Ziyang, when Zhao was premier. Cheng has been a visiting scholar at the University of Gottingen and Princeton, and he served as chief editor of the journal Modern China Studies. His commentary and columns regularly appear in overseas Chinese media. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. : Does This Footage Prove That 164-Year-Old Mummified Lama Was Wandering Around the Museum? WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen in a police van after was arrested by British police outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Britain on April 11, 2019. (Henry Nicholls/Reuters) Ecuador to Hand Over Assanges Belongings to US Police conducted a search on May 20 to remove personal belongings left by WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. Judicial authorities from Ecuador carried out an inventory of all the belongings and digital devices left behind at the London embassy following Assanges expulsion last month from the diplomatic compound that had been his home the past seven years. Its not known what devices authorities removed from the embassy or what information they contained. The investigation comes following a request from the United States based on a legal agreement Quito and Washington entered into. Lawyers for Assange have denounced the agreement. It came as Sweden announced it was seeking Assanges arrest on suspicion of rape, setting up a possible future tug-of-war with the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Ecuadorian authorities said they will hand over any belongings not given to the United States or Ecuadorian investigators to Assanges lawyers. TODAY: Ecuador to hand over Assanges entire legal defence to the United States.https://t.co/YHE8YC07kS WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) May 20, 2019 Ecuador is awaiting the results of the investigation before considering possible moves against the WikiLeaks founder for illegal activities, according to Ecuadors Foreign Minister Jose Valencia. According to Ecuadors President Lenin Moreno, Assange repeatedly violated his asylum conditions and tried to use the Ecuadorian embassy in London as a center for spying. London police dragged Assange out of the embassy in April after his seven-year asylum was revoked, paving the way for his extradition to the United States for one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information. Assanges relationship with his hosts collapsed after Ecuador accused him of leaking information about Morenos personal life. Assange, 47, was arrested on April 11 after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in a London prison for skipping bail while the United States seeks his extradition for conspiring to hack into military computers and spill secrets about U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Separately on Monday, Swedish authorities issued a request for a detention order against Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, because two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelve it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. The Associated Press and The CNN Wire contributed to this report. Firefighters at the scene said they were in contact with the man who climbed the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, on May 19, 2019. (Michel Euler/AP Photo) Eiffel Tower Evacuated as Man Seen Climbing the Landmark The Eiffel Tower in Paris is being evacuated after a man was seen climbing up the side of the structure on Monday afternoon, officials told CNN. Visitors began tweeting pictures and videos of the individual climbing up the tower, which is 1,062 feet tall. The Eiffel Tower has been closed and is in the process of being evacuated because a person is scaling it, a spokeswoman for the landmark said. Firefighters are at the scene and have established contact with the man climbing the tower, a spokesman for the fire brigade said. #UPDATE The #EiffelTower was evacuated on Monday afternoon after a man was spotted climbing up the Paris landmark, the company that operates the structure said. https://t.co/T4Bzr5MVhl #TourEiffel pic.twitter.com/3QyEUO06Fk AFP news agency (@AFP) May 20, 2019 Irish tourist Claire Murphy, who is on vacation in Paris, told CNN that the lockdown began at 2:15 p.m. local time and that she was still stuck on the towers top floor. Almost seven million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year. Completed in 1889, it was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel as part of a Universal Exposition marking the centenary of the French Revolution. It celebrated its 130th anniversary last week. This isnt the first time someone has tried to scale the towerthree people were spotted climbing the landmark in 2015. It was also evacuated twice in 2010 due to bomb threats, once in 2013 over security concerns and was closed for two days following the terror attacks in 2015. In 2017, a protective glass wall, 65 millimeters thick and resistant to bullets, was erected around the base of the tower to provide increased security. By Jung Min-ho A Korean man has been nabbed in the Philippines on suspicion of possessing counterfeit U.S. dollar bills amounting to $288,700. According to , the Korean, 53, surnamed Song, was apprehended with two other suspects a Chinese man and a dismissed local police officer at Resorts World Manila in Pasay City on May 15 after trying to buy casino chips with fake money. After receiving a call from a staff member who found the bills suspicious, police detained the three. Two days later, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) warned the public of bogus bills. "We advise the residents to carefully examine their bills, so as not to be victimized by this illegal activity. We also call on the public to call the authorities for information that will lead to the arrest of those behind this counterfeit money. We already coordinated this with the U.S. Embassy for their assistance," NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar told the Philippine News Agency. "We also remind the public to be wary of transactions involving foreign currency. When in doubt, show it to authorities to determine if the currency genuine or not." The former police officer was dismissed last April after being demoted for violating a law. It is unclear what charges he faced. Police suspect the counterfeit money came from another Korean man, surnamed Park, who is being investigated. Packets of fentanyl mostly in powder form and methamphetamine, which U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they seized from a truck crossing into Arizona from Mexico, at the Port of Nogales, Ariz., on Jan. 31, 2019. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Reuters) FACT CHECK: Do 61 Percent of Overdose Deaths in Delaware Involve Fentanyl? Democratic Sen. Chris Coons claimed on Twitter that 61 percent of the overdose deaths in his state involved the drug fentanyl. In DE, 61% of deaths related to overdoses involved fentanyl. I appreciate the Chinese governments commitment to classify fentanyl as a controlled substance. It is a significant first step & I look forward to seeing our governments work further together to resolve this challenge. Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) April 29, 2019 In DE, 61% of deaths related to overdoses involved fentanyl, reads the April 29 tweet. Verdict: True In 2017, 345 people died from drug overdoses in Delaware, according to the states Division of Forensic Science. Of these, 210or 61 percentinvolved fentanyl. After Coons made the claim, numbers for 2018 were published that showed 74 percent of overdose deaths in the state involved fentanyl. Fact Check: Illicit fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid. Primarily sourced from China and Mexico, it has fueled the opioid crisis currently gripping the country. Coons tweet was part of a thread discussing his recent meeting with the vice chairman of Chinas National Narcotics Control Commission. Weeks earlier, the Chinese government announced that it would further regulate the manufacture of fentanyl. Coons state of Delaware has been particularly hard hit by the drug crisis, recording one of the highest overdose rates in the country. The number of deaths, many of them opioid-related, has increased every year since at least 2015. In 2017, there were 345 overdose deaths in Delaware, of which 210, or 61 percent, involved fentanyl, according to Delawares Division of Forensic Science. There were 308 overdose deaths in 2016, of which 109 were fentanyl-related. Figures for 2018 were released (pdf) after Coons made the claim, with 400 overdose deaths that year, 74 percent of which involved fentanyl. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also track yearly overdose deaths by state. Although its 2017 data does not specify how many overdose deaths involved fentanyl, it does show that 178 out of 338 overdose deaths, or 53 percent, involved some sort of synthetic opioid (excluding methadone), of which fentanyl is a subset. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin, and that really leads to these increased deaths that were seeing because more fentanyl is coming into our state, Kara Odom Walker, secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), told WHYY. Its a huge challenge right now. The death toll might have been worse if not for the work of paramedics and police officers who administered the overdose-reversing medication naloxone 2,714 times to 1,906 people in 2017. Delaware has taken a number of steps to address the crisis, including a statewide initiative to raise awareness regarding the addictive nature of opioids commonly prescribed by dentists and oral surgeons. Health officials in Delaware understand that this is the public health crisis of our generation, with thousands of Delawareans and their families continuing to be impacted by this chronic brain disease, a DHSS spokesperson told The Daily Caller News Foundation in an email. By Brad Sylvester Follow Brad on Twitter From The Daily Caller News Foundation Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Falun Gong, Popular and Serene Meditation Approximately 100 million people in China were practicing Falun Gong by mid-1999. But even with 1 in 13 Chinese people practicing Falun Gong, it was nearly unknown outside of Chinauntil the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) banned the spiritual discipline in July 1999 and instituted a far-reaching persecution campaign. A key component of all the CCPs persecution campaigns is flooding the airwaves, printing presses, and diplomatic channels with false propaganda. The international media, which relied on Chinese state media for information, was a major target of the anti-Falun Gong propaganda. Thus, the first and often only exposure to Falun Gong that many people outside China had was an intentionally distorted picture that was choreographed by the CCP. Mind and Body Falun Gong refines, or cultivates, both the mind and the body, which makes it difficult for Western terminology to classify neatly. Is it a spiritual practice, or is it physical exercises? In fact, both are integral to Falun Gong. There are five exercises in Falun Gong. Four are done standing, and one is a cross-legged meditation. Gentle and slow, they have names like Falun Heavenly Circulation and Penetrating the Two Cosmic Extremes. People often report feeling refreshed or energized after exercising. Falun Gong is also known as Falun Dafa; Dafa means great way. The discipline considers the fundamental principle of the universe to be Zhen, Shan, Ren. Zhen translates to truth and truthfulness. Shan is compassion, benevolence, and goodness. Ren is tolerance, forbearance, and endurance. The teachings expound on this point to great depth. Early Development For thousands of years in China, spiritual practices have been handed down quietly from master to student. The teacher, or master, of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, learned the practice privately and then brought it out to teach anyone who wanted to learn, starting in May 1992. Mr. Li crisscrossed China through the end of 1994. He held 54 seminars, each 8 to 10 days long, wherever he was invited. He lectured on the principles, taught the exercises, and fielded questions. At first, only a few hundred attended each seminar, but by the end of 1994, lecture halls seating several thousand filled up, as word-of-mouth preceded his visits. People told family, friends, and neighbors about how their ailments, from skin conditions to heart problems, were easing or vanishing. They also related how following the teachings led to better relationships with spouses and co-workers and, more generally, to a peaceful and relaxed state of mind. The practice continued growing by word of mouth, from the tens of thousands who heard Mr. Lis lectures in person, to tens of millions by mid-1999. Practitioners included the old and the young, university professors and peasants, and military generals and Communist Party members. Practice sites popped up in public parks all across China. Volunteer assistants taught newcomers how to do the movements and brought a tape or CD player to play the music that accompanies the exercises. After doing the exercises together, while some practitioners would go off to work, some would sit down and read from the main book, Zhuan Falun, authored by Mr. Li. Refining the mind and character come through studying this book and other teachingsthe texts of which are available for free onlineand then applying what is learned in daily life. Global Spread Falun Gong practitioners took the practice with them to their universities and companies outside China, with many universities hosting Falun Gong student clubs. Mr. Li gave a full seminar in Sweden in early 1995 and lectured at conferences held by students in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and elsewhere, before the CCP began its persecution campaign in 1999. The website FalunDafa.org lists regular practice sites in some 70 nations today. It states, All Falun Dafa activities are free of charge. The number of people practicing outside China grows even as the ban and persecution inside China continues. The evidence of growth is anecdotal, since exact figures are not kept by anyone, and people are free to practice, or not, as they like. Father Posts Hospital Photo of Baby Who Was Cut From Wifes Womb Yovani Lopez is the widower of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, a 19-year-old who was strangled on April 23 after going to a house in Chicago to pick up free baby clothes. The father of the baby boy who was forcibly removed from his mothers womb provided new photos, showing him holding the infant. Lopez said that the family is praying for a miracle. Reports said that the boy is brain dead and not expected to survive. Were praying for a miracle, a family friend told the Daily Mail. The family also told the Mail that they will not turn off his ventilator. This is #MarlenOchoas baby boy. Send him well wishes as he fights for his life in the hospital. Little Yavani Yadiel Lopez deserves all of our love considering how he was brought into this world. We all wish you a full recovery. @fox32news pic.twitter.com/cSaGr8jnXW Tia A. Ewing (@TIA_EWING) May 16, 2019 Illinois Officials Not Alerted Police and Illinoiss child welfare agency said staff at a Chicago-area hospital didnt alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed. The woman, Clarisa Figueroa, was charged more than three weeks later after police found Ochoa-Lopezs body outside Figueroas home. Chicago police said she cut Ochoa-Lopezs baby out of her on April 23, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who wasnt breathing. Paramedics took Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Center in suburban Oak Lawn, according to The Associated Press. Marlen Ochoa Lopez, 9 months pregnant, went missing after meeting a lady to exchange baby items after asking for help on a Facebook group.. 1st picture is of her abductor, Clarissa Figueroa 2nd is 19 yr old Marlen Ochoa Lopez and the comments they exchanged. pic.twitter.com/nal1JLYYOh desirae bianca (@desiraebianca) May 15, 2019 Prosecutors said that when Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also said Figueroa, 46, was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth. Surrounded by family members and supporters, the father of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez nearly collapsed this morning as he walked into the Cook County medical examiners office to identify his daughters body.https://t.co/eqv5sZ3KJc pic.twitter.com/q3tPTKPigO Ashlee Rezin (@Ashlee_Rezin) May 16, 2019 Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jassen Strokosch said Saturday the agency was alerted May 9 that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he couldnt speculate about why the agency wasnt contacted sooner. We dont know what was happening at the hospital, he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) leaves a closed-door hearing where his committee and the Judiciary Committee heard from Former FBI Director James Comey in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) FBI Has Game-Changer Transcript of Informants Interaction With Papadopoulos, Gowdy Says The FBI is in possession of a transcript that may be a game-changer, even for Americans who hate President Donald Trump, according to former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.). Gowdy told Fox News on May 19 that the bureau has a record of a conversation between former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos and an informant sent to target him. While several transcripts exist, one, in particular, has the potential to actually persuade people, Gowdy said, adding that the transcript includes exculpatory evidence that the FBI didnt provide to a court. Very little in this Russia probe, Im afraid, is going to persuade people who hate Trump, or who love Trump, but there is some information in these transcripts that I think has the potential to be a game-changer if its ever made public, Gowdy said. Gowdy, who was part of the joint House Judiciary-Oversight committee inquiry into decisions made and not made by the Department of Justice and the FBI regarding the 2016 presidential election, said that the government has to tell the whole truth to the court when you are seeking permission to spy, or do surveillance, on an American. And part of that includes the responsibility of providing exculpatory information or information that tends to show the person did not do something wrong. If you have exculpatory information, and you dont share it with the court, that aint good. Ive seen it, Gowdy said. The New York Times revealed in April that the FBI sent a spy to target Papadopoulos after opening a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign. The female spy, Azra Turk (not her real name), pretended to be someone else in a bid to draw incriminating information from Papadopoulos. Turk is the second known spy who the FBI used to target the Trump campaign. In May 2018, Stefan Halper was identified as an FBI asset who targeted Papadopoulos and other Trump campaign associates. On May 19, Papadopoulos wrote on Twitter that the FBI illicitly obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to spy on him. He also suggested that declassification of transcripts would expose an international spy conspiracy to remove Trump from office. Get ready for the transcripts to be released outing the spies I detail in my book. The Comey FBI/Brennan CIA/MI6 had one goal: take down Trump through Papadopoulos, he wrote. I guarantee you as declassification and the new investigations ramp up into DOJ/intel agency corruption, ALL the bizarre assets who were running into me from 2015-2017 will try and discredit me. We already see a coordinated media strategy by the higher ups. Only a matter of time, he added. When Gowdys committee interviewed Papadopoulos in October 2018, he wasnt aware that transcripts existed of his interactions with FBI assets. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) asked a barrage of questions to determine if Papadopoulos was aware that the FBI had transcripts that could contain exculpatory evidence. Meadows specifically asked if Papadopoulos was aware of transcripts of conversations he had with Halper, Australian diplomat Alexander Downer, and Maltese professor Joseph Mifsud. Special counsel Robert Mueller charged and secured a conviction against Papadopoulos for lying about his interactions with Mifsud. Mueller portrayed Mifsud as having ties to Russia, but publicly available evidence reveals Mifsuds extensive ties to Western intelligence and the FBI. The conversation Papadopoulos had with Downer is the official reason the FBI claims was used to open the Russia investigation. Papadopoulos has alleged that Downer is an FBI asset. Meadows told Fox News on May 20 that Trump intends to soon declassify a trove of documents related to spying on his campaign, including the Papadopoulos transcripts. I think the delay is over, Meadows said. I think the president is serious. Ive spoken to him recently and I think declassification is right around the corner, and, hopefully, the American people will be able to judge for themselves. General view of the Petrobas refinary Presidente Bernardes and the city of Cubatao, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, taken on May 28, 2018. (Miguel Schincariol/AFP/Getty Images) FBI Targets Johnson & Johnson, Siemens, GE, Philips in Brazil Graft Case: Sources RIO DE JANEIROThe U.S. FBI is investigating corporate giants Johnson & Johnson, Siemens AG., General Electric Co. and Philips for allegedly paying kickbacks as part of a scheme involving medical equipment sales in Brazil, two Brazilian investigators have told Reuters. Brazilian prosecutors suspect the companies channeled illegal payoffs to government officials to secure contracts with public health programs across the South American country over the past two decades. Brazilian authorities say more than 20 companies may have been part of a cartel that paid bribes and charged the government inflated prices for medical gear such as magnetic resonance imaging machines and prosthetics. The four multinational companies, with a combined market capitalization of nearly $600 billion at May 16 market close, are the largest foreign enterprises to be investigated in an unprecedented anti-corruption push in Brazil in recent years. Big U.S. and European companies found to have engaged in wrongdoing in Brazil could also face heavy fines and other punishment under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Since 1977, that law has made it illegal for American citizens, U.S. companies or foreign companies whose securities are listed in the United States to pay foreign officials to win business. Foreign companies are the latest targets of government corruption probes in Brazil. Over the past five years, prosecutors have uncovered pervasive graft in state institutions and private-sector companies seeking to do business with them. The sprawling investigations by prosecutors and federal police, including the famed Car Wash dragnet centered on Brazils state-run oil company Petrobras, have toppled business and political leaders across Latin America. Authorities say plea-bargain testimonies obtained from suspects alerted them to other possible schemes, including alleged bribes paid by multinationals to obtain public contracts in Brazil. Constantly Sharing Brazilian federal prosecutor Marisa Ferrari confirmed in an interview with Reuters that U.S. authorities from the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission were assisting in the Brazilian medical equipment investigation she helps lead. In 2016, U.S. and Brazilian prosecutors jointly negotiated the worlds largest-ever compliance penalty, a $3.5 billion fine against Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht SA for its part in the Car Wash scandal. We are constantly sharing information with the FBI on this (medical equipment) case. They ask for documents and we send them, and they are assisting our investigation in return, Ferrari said. In addition, she said, Weve received a lot of material from the Department of Justice and from the SEC. She declined to name which companies U.S. law enforcement agencies were investigating. Two Brazilian investigators with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to Reuters that Johnson & Johnson, Siemens, GE, and Koninklijke Philips NV were being targeted by the FBI for alleged bribery in Brazil. The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the U.S. side of the investigation. The FBI would not confirm or deny the existence of any investigations. The SEC, which also investigates FCPA allegations, said by email that it declined to comment. Boston-based GE declined to comment on any investigation related to its business in Brazil. It said in an emailed statement, We are committed to integrity, compliance and the rule of law in Brazil and every other country in which we do business. Siemens, which is based in Munich, Germany, said in an emailed statement that the company is not aware of any FBI investigation of the company related to cartel activity in Brazil. It said its policy is always to cooperate with law enforcement investigations when they occur. Amsterdam-based Philips confirmed in an email that it is under investigation in Brazil. In its 2018 annual report, Philips acknowledged that it has also received inquiries from certain US authorities in respect to this matter. In its emailed response to Reuters, Philips said, It is not uncommon for US authorities to show an interest in these matters and it is too early to draw any conclusions. New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson said in an emailed response on May 17 that in an SEC filing last October it disclosed that the Department of Justice and the SEC have made preliminary inquiries to the company in regard to a raid by Brazilian federal police on its Sao Paulo offices last year, and that the company is cooperating. Truly Massive Ferrari, the Brazilian prosecutor, said the medical equipment investigation was in its early stages. Still, she said evidence points to widespread bribery and price gouging by firms looking to tap into Brazils public healthcare system, one of the worlds largest, serving 210 million people. Because the Brazilian governments health budget is so huge, this scheme is truly massive, Ferrari said. This first case is just a tiny sliver of what is to come. In addition to paying kickbacks through intermediaries to secure contracts, some suppliers charged Brazils government inflated prices up to eight times the market priceto help cover the cost of their bribes, according to court filings and plea-bargain testimony secured by prosecutors. GEs former chief executive for Latin America, Daurio Speranzini, and 22 others were charged last year in the first case stemming from the alleged scheme. Prosecutors say that in that case, which focused on Rio de Janeiro state, Brazilian taxpayers were bilked out of at least 600 million reais ($149.38 million) between 2007 and 2018 through padded contracts awarded to crooked medical equipment suppliers. Lawyers for Speranzini, who left GE in November, said by email that he is innocent. GE said in a statement on May 17 that allegations refer to a time period when Speranzini was not working for the firm. Based on our review, we believe there is no evidence of misconduct or any indication of GE being part of this cartel. However, prosecutors cite in court filings the plea-deal testimony of former Rio de Janeiro-state health secretary Cesar Romero as stating that GE was a member of the cartel, which he said was known by its members as the International Bidding Club. In fact, from the analysis of evidence collected in wire tapping it was possible to see that Daurio Speranzini Junior continued to close spurious contracts with the government, prosecutors wrote in requesting the former GE executives arrest last year. Prosecutors allege Speranzini first took part in the cartel as the head of the Philips Healthcare operation in Latin America from 2004 until the end of 2010. A whistleblower told Philips compliance office about the fraud, and Speranzini was fired after an internal probe, according to the documents. He was hired by GE a few months after leaving Philips. Investigators say they have strong evidence that Speranzini continued with the scheme while at GE. GE declined to comment on Speranzinis hiring or exit from the company. By Brad Brooks Low-Income Residents May Benefit From Fewer Housing Regulations Housing costs in California continue to soar close to record highs as officials struggle to deal with the prevalence of homelessness in the state. Meanwhile, 42 percent of all Los Angeles millennials live with their parents and empty lots in the Bay Area are listed for $9 million. The crisis has led many to call on Bay Area lawmakers to ease housing rules by eliminating housing-density restrictions in the region. With fewer roadblocks, builders say they will have more incentives to erect a greater number of apartment buildings and other multi-unit housing developments, providing low- and middle-income households with more affordable housing options. After two competing bills looking into these efforts were brought to the California Senate for discussion, state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco combined them into one, SB50. The lack of housing, including emergency shelters, is a critical problem that threatens the economic, environmental, and social quality of life in California, according to the bill. One of the bills, which was introduced by Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg, in Marin County, was criticized for sparing the region he represents from the building boom. By merging the two measures, lawmakers hope to eliminate housing-density restrictions in jobs-rich areas in California. But counties with more than 600,000 people, such as Marin, would be given an exemption, and local housing prices would continue to soar if denser residential buildings arent built in the region. Marin County has been spared from state density requirements for affordable housing projects before, in 2014 and then again in 2017, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, While legislators may show support for homeowners who want to see the value of their homes go up over time, Californias housing crisis is forcing the working and middle classes out of the state. Policies Have Long-Term Consequences In an unhampered market, Ludwig von Mises Institute economist Ryan McMaken wrote, housing developers respond to consumers demands. So as rents rise, they build more housing. Rents will then fall in those areas and developers will stop building housingor build in other placesuntil rents rise again, he explained, in an article on the institutes website. As Center of the American Experiment economist John Phelan noted, San Francisco has the highest rent per square foot of any municipality in the nation. In his article for Reason magazine, Phelan argued that the California housing crisis is worsened by the ever-growing regulatory burden on developers. This is a product of years of mismanagement, as legislators kept passing new zoning laws and building restrictions, creating a massive regulatory body that made California a toxic place for both businesses and the poor. Policymakers need to wake up, he wrote. They need to acknowledge that they cannot have these regulations and low-cost housing. According to the states Legislative Analysts Office (LAO), building less housing than people demand drives high housing costs. And while it explains that housing in the Golden State had long been more expensive than in other parts of the country, things grew worse in 1970, when Californias home prices went from 30 percent above the U.S. average to more than 80 percent higher in 1980. In an interview for The Sacramento Bee, Brian Uhler, LAOs main housing researcher, said that coastal communities in the state opposed new housing, pushing Sacramento to implement more legislation that would keep the value of their homes high. California communities are vested with significant authority over land-use decisions, about how much can be built, and when and where. They have used that authority to create significant barriers for the construction of new housing, he said. Shrinking Rust Belt cities are the only kinds of places that are building as little housing as our coastal areas did in recent decades. At the same time, many poor people see any change to their neighborhoods as a sign they are going to be displaced. Indeed, the main movement against SB50 uses gentrification as a reason to oppose the bill. Meanwhile, many California residents bemoan the government for not doing enough for the homeless and often push for new taxpayer-funded programs, instead of simply asking officials to cut the red tape. First Lady Talks About Behind-the-Scenes Family Moments With Husband President Trump The content is not available due to expiration. President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall on May 22, 2017, in Jerusalem's Old City. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) First Stage of Trumps Middle East Peace Plan to Encourage Investment in West Bank, Gaza The Trump administration will unveil its peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian people during an international conference in Bahrain in June, the White House announced May 19. The plan will emphasize a path from peace to prosperity by encouraging investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to a joint statement from the United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Government and business leaders from the Middle East will flock to the conference, in an effort to start the economic stage of the peace plan, senior U.S. officials said. The plan also includes proposals for resolving political issues at the core of the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I look forward to these important discussions about a vision that will offer Palestinians exciting new opportunities to realize their full potential, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. This workshop will engage leaders from across the entire Middle East to promote economic growth and opportunity for the people in this important region. President Donald Trump has called the plan the deal of the century. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and regional envoy Jason Greenblatt are leading the Middle East team. We think this is an opportunity to take the economic plan that weve worked on for a long time now and present it in the region, a senior Trump administration official said. In addition to business and government leaders from the Middle East, the June 2526 conference in Manama will host officials and business executives from Europe and Asia, including some finance ministers, the official added. The Palestinian Authority has boycotted Trumps peace efforts since Trump decided to move the American embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Trump became the first president to follow through on a promise many have made to relocate the embassy, earning widespread praise in Israel. Our position is clear: we will neither participate in the economic segment nor in the political segment of this deal, senior Palestinian Authority official Wasel Abu Youssef said. Despite the Palestine Liberation Organizations boycott, Palestinian business leaders have shown a lot of interest in the conference, the senior U.S. official said. Investment in Gaza U.S. officials previously have said the peace plan would be introduced after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ends in early June. The Manama conference is meant to show the people of Gaza, which is controlled by the Hamas terrorist group, that there are donor countries around the world willing to come in and make investments, the senior American official said. Trump administration officials have been working to secure support from Arab governments. The final plan is likely to include billions in investments for Palestinians from oil-rich Gulf states, people informed about the discussions said. Trumps aides have said that the plan will address major political issues between Israel and the Palestinians, including the status of Israel. Some of the proposals may draw criticism from both sides, the aides said. Palestinians demand to have their own state in the Israeli territories in the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. Kushner has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that is widely endorsed internationally. Reuters contributed to this report. Ford cars and trucks on the sales lot at Serramonte Ford in Colma, Calif., on May 20, 2019. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Ford to Cut Fewer Jobs Than Expected; White-Collar Only, Largely Abroad Ford announced its cutting some 7,000 jobs to offset large investments needed to transition to production of electric and autonomous cars. While significant, the slimming will only hit white-collar workers and is focused largely outside the United States. Its also more conservative than some predicted. Out of the planned layoffs and voluntary buyouts, 4,700 will be abroad. Within the United States, some 1,500 workers already left voluntarily or took buyouts, about 300 have been laid off, and some 500 will still be let go, largely in and around the companys headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, just outside Detroit. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas predicted in late 2018 that 25,000 white-collar jobs would be cut, and Ford declined to confirm or deny the number at the time. The company said the cuts are focused on reducing bureaucracy by thinning the white-collar workforce by 10 percent, including a near-20 percent cut in upper management. Apart from expected savings of some $600 million a year, the company will increase the worker-per-manager count to seven from five, and flatten the company structure from 14 to nine layers or less by the end of the year, Chief Executive Jim Hackett said in a May 20 memo to employees. To succeed in our competitive industry, and position Ford to win in a fast-charging future, we must reduce bureaucracy, empower managers, speed decision-making and focus on the most valuable work, and cost cuts, he said. In July 2018, Ford announced the restructuring would cost $7 billion in cash and hit pretax earnings by $11 billion during the next three to five years. Factory workers havent been affected by the restructuring thus far, as the company has retooled car plants so they can build more popular trucks and SUVs. The layoffs are coming across a broad swath of the company, including engineering, product development, marketing, information technology, logistics, finance, and other areas. But the company also said it is hiring in some critical areas including those developing software and dealing with self-driving and electric vehicles. Hackett said in the memo that Ford is departing from past practices, and will let laid-off employees stay a few days to wrap up their jobs and say goodbye to colleagues. In the past, laid-off workers had to pack up and leave immediately. Ford is a family company and saying goodbye to colleagues is difficult and emotional, Hackett wrote. Job Cuts in Russia, Europe Ford said in March it will stop making passenger cars in Russia by the end of June, closing vehicle assembly plants in St. Petersburg and Naberezhnye Chelny, as well as an engine plant in Yelabuga, noting significant employee separations are required. In February, the company announced its exit from the heavy truck business in South America. In January, Ford Europe announced restructuring, including cutting thousands of jobs, considering plant closures, and discontinuing loss-making vehicle lines with the goal of a 6 percent operating margin on the Old Continent. Electric Development In April, Ford announced a $500 million minority investment in Rivian, an electric vehicle startup that unveiled its 750-horsepower electric truck and SUV at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition to the investment, the companies have agreed to work together to develop an all-new, next-generation battery electric vehicle for Fords growing EV portfolio using Rivians skateboard platform, Ford said in a release. Ford already has confirmed two electric vehicles: a Mustang-inspired crossover coming in 2020 and an electric version of the popular F-150 pickup. The automaker also has signed a deal with Germanys Volkswagen AG to join forces on commercial vans and pickup trucks. The companies are also negotiating a broader alliance for electric and self-driving vehicle development. The second-largest U.S.-based automaker (behind General Motors), Ford employs almost 200,000 people worldwide and about 100,000 in the United States. Fords profit fell 34 percent in the first quarter, but was better than expected, given the hit from restructuring costs, The Detroit News reported. Ford stock rallied on the news in late April by some 10 percent and has largely remained level since. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Ford Motor Co to Cut 10% of White Collar Jobs as Part of Global Restructuring DETROITFord Motor Co said on May 20 that it will eliminate about 10% of its global salaried workforce, cutting about 7,000 jobs by the end of August as part of its larger restructuring in a move that will save the No. 2 automaker $600 million annually. Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett said in an email to employees that the cuts include both voluntary buyouts and layoffs, and a spokesman added it freezes open positions as well. About 2,300 of the affected people are employed in the United States, the spokesman said. To succeed in our competitive industry, and position Ford to win in a fast-changing future, we must reduce bureaucracy, empower managers, speed decision making, focus on the most valuable work and cut costs, Hackett said in the email. Ford has been restructuring its operations globally to improve profitability and speed product development, making or announcing cuts in Europe, South America, and Russia. The automaker also has signed a deal with Germanys Volkswagen AG to join forces on commercial vans and pickup trucks. The companies are also negotiating a broader alliance for electric and self-driving vehicle development. President Donald Trump has pushed boosting auto sector employment, criticizing automakers, especially General Motors Co for cutting jobs, but has focused primarily on blue-collar cuts at factories rather than white-collar reductions. The White House did not immediately comment on Monday about Fords salaried cuts. Restructuring work continues in Europe, China, South America, and the International Markets Group and the Dearborn, Michigan-based company expects to complete the process in those markets by the end of August, said Hackett, who has described 2019 as a year of transition for the company. Within the cuts, Hackett said it will eliminate close to 20% of upper-level managers, a move intended to reduce bureaucracy and speed up decision making. Before the redesign of its operations, Ford had up to 14 organizational layers, but that will be cut to nine by year-end, Hackett said. Notification to North American employees will begin on Tuesday and the majority will be completed by May 24, he said. The Ford family are the controlling shareholders. Hackett said it would give those affected by the job cuts a few days to wrap up and say goodbye, emphasizing Fords position as a family company. That stood in contrast to how GM handled layoffs earlier this year where employees were asked to leave immediately. By Ben Klayman Norwegian Ambassador to Korea Frode Solberg, second from right, and Vice Minister of SMEs and Startups Kim Hak-do, third from right, join a cake-cutting ceremony with other dignitaries during a reception to mark Norwegian Constitution Day and the 60th anniversary of Norway-Korea ties at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, May 16. / Korea Times photo by Yi Whan-woo By Yi Whan-woo The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Korea marked the birth of Norway's May 17 Constitution of 1814 in Seoul and Busan last week. Many countries only hold celebrations of special events in Seoul. But Norway, on top of a diplomatic reception in Seoul, has held a get-together for the Norwegian community in Busan for years to underline a long-standing tradition of cooperation with Korea in the maritime and marine sectors. Norwegian Constitution Day this year coincided with the 60th anniversary of Norway-Korea relations. Norwegian Ambassador to Korea Frode Solberg emphasized a need to enhance cooperation in renewable energy, the Arctic, lifestyle and wellness for the next 60 years. "This year has been an incredible and privileged journey," Ambassador Solberg said during a reception at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, May 16. The reception took place after a get-together in Busan on May 12, when more than 400 Norwegians, including children, waved their national flags and paraded along Haeundae Beach in eastern Busan. "It was quite a display as we walked along Haeundae Beach with flags waving and children cheering," Solberg said. "Tonight, we're also celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Norway." He pointed out bilateral ties began even before the diplomatic treaty was signed in 1959, referring to the Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (NORMASH), a field hospital that operated under the Eighth U.S. Army during the 1950-53 Korean War. NORMASH, along with Denmark's Jutlandia hospital ship and Sweden's Red Cross hospital, also inspired the establishment of the National Medical Center in 1958. "The friendship that was established during the war built a strong platform for cooperation in the years to come," Solberg said. Korea was Norway's fifth-largest trading partner in 2017 and the second-largest market in Asia after China. Trade volume stood at 23.7 billion Norwegian kroner ($2.7 billion) in 2018, with the maritime and marine sector the most important in bilateral trade terms. Norwegian seafood exports to Korea accounted for the largest sales item in 2018, amounting to 2.7 billion Norwegian kroner. Solberg said the two countries still had many more areas in which to cooperate, amid climate change and other global challenges. "We have seen how the cooperation is moving into new and exciting fields, like renewable energy, the Arctic and green solutions, to mention a few," he said. He said he was "especially happy" about younger generations trying to learn more about one another's countries. Koreans travel to Norway to study, to learn about industries as well as the outdoors, nature, and the Scandinavian lifestyle best associated with well-being. Norwegians come to Korea not only because they like K-pop but also to learn more about business and research and development "The first 60 years have developed in a most positive way from the Korean War to Koreans and Norwegians working side by side building some of the most advanced maritime structures the world has seen," Solberg said. "And with this the great platform we have, the cooperation between our two countries will continue to grow, not only in the next 60 years, but the next 600 and beyond." Among dignitaries at the May 16 reception were Vice Minister of SMEs and Startups Kim Hak-do, ambassadors to Korea and executives from Norwegian companies operating in Busan, such as DNV GL. The Norwegian Constitution recognizes Norway as a kingdom independent of Sweden after the Napoleonic Wars. Constitution Day is also known for its non-military nature and parades of children dressed in traditional folk costumes. This was Solberg's first national day reception since he took office in July 2018. Jason Xiong, a Falun Gong practitioner who endured torture in China for his belief, in Manhattan on May 16, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) In Defiance of a Brutal Persecution Falun Gong practitioner Jason Xiong tells his story of holding steadfast to his faith and courage in the face of violent torture NEW YORKFor more than a year, Jason Xiong was tied to a bed in a small prison cell and force-fed through a tube inserted into his nose going into his stomach. All four of his limbs were outstretched, lashed with ropes to the edges of a wooden bed frame. Every few days or so, prison inmates would funnel some liquid sustenance, such as soy milk, milk, or congee, down the tube. It was very painful, he told The Epoch Times. But I gritted my teeth and persevered. Xiong was imprisoned in China for doing nothing more than practicing his faith. In an act of defiance, he started a hunger strike to protest the senseless persecution. The unwavering torture he suffered, however, brought him to the brink of death. More than a decade later, Xiong, now safe and living in New York City, recalls his experiences of being tortured, harassed, and detained for his beliefs as though it were a dream. It was a very difficult time, he said. [I] had to overcome many challenges, some of which are hard for the average person to imagine. Xiong, originally from Shanghai, practices the spiritual discipline Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong. The traditional Chinese practice consists of meditation exercises and a set of moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Following its introduction to the public in 1992, Falun Gong surged in popularity in China, with around 70 million to 100 million adherents by the end of the decade, according to government estimates cited by Western media at the time. The Chinese communist regime, feeling threatened by this popularity, banned the practice in 1999 and began a nationwide persecution of adherents. Practitioners were rounded up and sent to labor camps, prisons, brainwashing centers, and other detention facilities in an effort to force them to renounce their faith. According to estimates by independent researcher Ethan Gutmann, between a half-million and a million practitioners are held in various detention facilities around the country at any given time. To date, 4,135 Falun Gong adherents are verified to have died while in police or state custody, according to Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that serves as a clearinghouse on the persecution. The actual number of deaths is likely much higher, due to the extreme difficulty of obtaining and verifying sensitive information in China. Beginnings Xiong started learning Falun Gong in 1997 at the age of 25, after seeing the effect of the practice on his grandfather. His grandfather had a heart ailment that doctors said couldnt be treated. But after practicing the Falun Gong exercises, his health dramatically improved. Xiong was shocked to find his previously ill grandfather in good health and spirits, and asked him what caused this turnaround. His grandfather handed Xiong the book, Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong, and Xiong started reading. The biggest change that Xiong experienced was in his outlook on life. He learned how to be a good person and to improve his moral character by applying truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in his daily life. This gave me a direction in life, Xiong said. He also noticed a dramatic improvement in his physical health. Previously, Xiong would often get sick and run fevers, and his body felt weak. After practicing Falun Gong, I distinctly felt my body getting stronger, he said. The illnesses also disappeared. In late 1998, Xiong, who worked as a civil servant in the Shanghai government, was recognized at his workplace as an outstanding employee. In my heart, I knew that all these changes came from my practicing Falun Gong, he said. Suppression Everything changed in July 1999. On July 22, 1999, Xiong was at work when everyone in his office was instructed to go to a meeting room and watch a television broadcast on Chinas state-run CCTV. The broadcast said the authorities had branded Falun Gong as a heretical religion and ordered practitioners to give up the practice. He didnt even know what to think. Until then, he was just an ordinary citizen. I was trying to be a good person, he said. I carried out my duties and observed the law. Suddenly, the authorities accused him of being someone he wasnt, Xiong said. The consequences would be serious. From that day onwards, [my] lifeeverythingturned upside down, he said. Each day at work, Xiong was sent to an office to meet with two people. Sometimes, they were his superiors; often, they were people he didnt know. All would use a combination of inducements, guile, and threats to coerce him to give up the practice of Falun Gong. Meanwhile, he was forced to watch and read the propaganda that had begun to blanket the airwaves and print media. Xiongs supervisors no longer assigned work to himhis only job now was to bend to the will of the state. He refused to give in. He decided to write a statement about his personal experience of practicing Falun Gong, and distributed it to his superiors and to various departments at his workplace. And he wanted to do more: He wanted to tell the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to stop targeting ordinary citizens who were only seeking to live peaceful lives and improve their character. Like many practitioners at the time, Xiong went to the capital to petition the authorities to end the persecution. He traveled to Beijing in late December 1999 and went to Tiananmen Square to practice Falun Gong exercises as a form of protest. At the square, uniformed and plain-clothes police were everywhere, while police cars were lined up around the precinct. They were ready for him and the scores of practitioners from all over the country who spilled into the square daily to appeal the persecution. I felt my body was very heavy, he said. I felt as though every step I took encountered resistance. Nonetheless, Xiong entered the square and began doing the first standing exercise, with his arms stretching and relaxing in different positions. Almost immediately, he was manhandled by nearby police and forced inside a van. A young policeman repeatedly struck Xiong in the face with the handle of a knife, while another officer slapped his face and kicked him in the stomach. After he was beaten for half an hour, his face was swollen beyond recognition. Xiong was then sent back to Shanghai, where he was detained by police for a month. Labor Camp One night after his release in February 2000, Xiong was at home having dinner with his parents, when police came knocking. They asked him to go to the police station for a talk. The unsuspecting Xiong agreed, although his mother sensed that something was amiss. But by then, it was too late. From the police car, Xiong saw his mother rush out of the building and stand helplessly on the side of the road as he was taken away. This image still haunts him to this day. At the station, authorities sentenced Xiong to a year and a half in a labor camp for distributing the personal statement at his workplace and for going to Tiananmen Square to do the exercises. He was first confined at a detention center in Putuo district in Shanghai. He felt so depressed he couldnt eat, and after a while, this natural abstention morphed into a willful act of resistance. I was locked up in here, so what method could I use to protest? he said. During the hunger strike, about every three days, the guards would order other inmates to pin Xiong down while a doctor snaked a long rubber tube into his nose and down to his stomach. The guards then funneled soy milk into the tube. That lasted for about 30 days, until the authorities, thinking he might die, transferred Xiong to a local hospital for treatment. While Xiong was under constant guard, his mother was allowed to visit him and help him start eating again. After a few weeks, Xiong slowly began to recover. Fearful that he would be sent back to detention after recovery, he managed to escape while the guard was distracted. Xiong fled to Beijing and stayed at the home of a friend who also was a Falun Gong practitioner. But after about two months, the friend, his wife, and Xiong were arrested by Beijing police. Xiong was returned to Shanghai and sentenced to an additional year in a labor camp, bringing his total sentence to 2 years. In June 2000, Xiong was sent to Shanghai No. 1 Forced Labor Camp in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. While inside, Xiong shared a room with three criminals who were tasked with monitoring and abusing him. Every day, they forced him to sit on a tiny stool with his legs together, back straight, hands on his knees, and eyes staring straight ahead. If Xiong slackened from that position, the inmates would hit or shout at him. He sat that way from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, only allowed breaks for meals and to use the restroom. Soon, the skin on his buttocks began wearing away, causing him intense pain. Xiong again went on hunger strike. This time, the guards ordered the criminals to tie each of his four limbs to a wooden bed frame, so that his body resembled the shape of a star. His torso was also secured by rope to the frame. Again, he was force-fed through a foot-long plastic tube that was inserted into his nose. The three criminals watched over him around the clock. Out of boredom, they would hit Xiongs face, torso, and legs with a bamboo stick; they laughed as they jabbed his armpits, ribcage, and abdomen. Xiong managed to persevere for four months. I knew that I couldnt back down, he said. If you back down at the hardest part, then youll collapse. Its all over. The prolonged torture seriously damaged Xiongs stomach, shoulders, and other joints, as well as the nerves in his feet. Fearing Xiong might not pull through, authorities again transferred him to a hospital, where it was found that he had severe gastritis and bleeding in his stomach. He was unable to lift anything, and his right foot was practically immobile. Because of his dire health condition, officials at the labor campfearing that they would be held responsible should he die from torturereleased him in October 2000. When he returned home, Xiong continued practicing the Falun Gong exercises and studying the teachings. Within a few months, his health was completely restored. As Xiong was recuperating at home, he began printing posters and other materials with information about Falun Gong and the ongoing persecution, seeking to dispel the Chinese regimes propaganda. These materials were handed to other practitioners around Shanghai, who then distributed them. Later, as his health improved, Xiong began distributing the materials himself. Xiong was arrested again with two other practitioners in May 2001, after being tailed by several plain-clothes policemen. This time, he was sentenced by a court to four and half years at the Tilanqiao Prison in Shanghai. The guards there were instructed by the local 610 Officea Gestapo-like extrajudicial organization tasked to persecute Falun Gong practitionersto transform practitioners, by any means possible. Three inmates were assigned to monitor Xiong and get him to transformthat is, to renounce his beliefs. He was beaten and forced to sit on a tiny stool for long periods of time and watch material slandering Falun Gong. Xiong started another hunger strike, on and off for two years. He was tied to a wooden bed in his cell for about a year from 2004 to early 2005. The dirty ropes used to tie his wrists and ankles caused him to develop rashes that oozed pus and were extremely itchy. Unsuccessful at breaking him, prison authorities escalated their efforts to transform Xiong by transferring him to the part of the prison that housed the most violent criminals. A group of roughly six criminals, later increased to 10, were tasked with supervising Xiong in rotation. The group was told that their sentences would be reduced if they could force Xiong to renounce his faith. Several inmates would repeatedly smash Xiong into the wall or the ground. They used a wooden stick to hit the bare soles of his feet, only stopping when the stick broke from the force of the beating. They shoved the dirty bristles of a bamboo broom into his face, causing him to bleed in several places, and leaving scars that are still visible today. In March 2005, an inmate used the hard plastic heel of a slipper to repeatedly hit Xiong in the head. The wounds began to bleed, and his head became so swollen that it looked as though he was wearing a helmet. When Xiong was taken to the hospital, the prison guards covered up the torture by claiming that he was injured in a fall. It took months for the swelling and scabs on Xiongs head to heal. To this day, theres a patch on his head where he cant grow hair. The inmates kept up their attacks. Every few minutes, 24 hours a day, they would hit him, or if they were too lazy to expend the effort, they would put chilli powder, cologne, or mosquito repellent oil onto his mouth, nose, and eyes. They told Xiong that they were there to make him wish he were dead. They almost succeeded. Because of the unrelenting torment, Xiong worried that he may have reached the limits of his endurance, yet there was still some fight in him, which he partly attributes this to his stubborn personality. When you know you are right, then theres nothing to be afraid of, he said. I didnt want to die. But if you try to force me to kneel before you and become your slave, then I wont do it. One day, Xiong overheard other inmates talking about tactics to get transferred out of detention. One of the ways was to ingest a pen. So, in a last-ditch show of defiance, Xiong furtively took two pens while the inmates werent looking and swallowed both of them. One of the pens passed through, but the other ended up lodged between his intestines and liver, prompting another trip to the hospital. There, the doctors found his body gravely damaged from the torture: He had a lung infection, was running a high fever, and had dangerously low blood pressure. Thinking he was going to die, the prison released Xiong in April 2005 to his mother, who found a hospital where doctors were able to remove the pen. When Xiong was discharged, his body was severely weakened and riddled with injuries. Xiong largely recovered within six months, but even still, the prolonged torture left permanent scars. To this day, he often has pain in his back, abdomen, and knees, and experiences numbness in his right leg. In the years that followed, Xiong managed to find a job working in human resources at a manufacturing company, and tried to live a normal life. But it wasnt normal at all. After his release, Xiong was still under constant surveillance by police, and was followed everywhere he went. Even so, Xiong learned to evade the police, and snuck off to distribute materials and meet with other practitioners; he did that for eight years. But that took its toll on Xiongs family members, who lived in constant fear of the moment when police would come knocking at the door. So in 2013, Xiong decided to move to the United States. His family, whose only wish was for Xiong to be safe, were happy with his decision. Freedom After almost 14 years of persecution, living in an environment saturated in fear and brutality, Xiongs heart had hardened. But when he arrived in New York City, he instantly felt a sense of relief. It was like a burden was lifted from my heart, he said. [I realized that] this is what [life] is supposed to be like. Xiong said he never cried during his years of suffering in China. But seeing practitioners from around the world participate in parades and carry banners calling on the Chinese regime to end the suppression has often moved him to tears. To see these scenes, after so many years in China, it was like a spark, bringing up all these emotions, he said. These days, Xiong goes to major tourist attractions in New York City to tell peopleoften visiting tourists from mainland Chinaabout his experiences, the Chinese regimes propaganda, and the ongoing persecution. This is the least he can do, Xiong said, given that so many of his fellow practitioners are still suffering in his homeland. As long as the persecution persists, Xiong wont be able to return to China to see his family. I wish that one day I can go back and be reunited with them, he said. I believe we will see that day. Then independent candidate Dr. Kerryn Phelps delivers a speech to her team and the media at the North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 20, 2018. (Cole Bennetts/Getty Images) Independent MP Kerryn Phelps Loses Turnbulls Former Seat After 9 Months in Canberra The Liberal Party has reclaimed its blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth, with independent MP Dr. Kerryn Phelps conceding to Liberal candidate Dave Sharma. The race for the high profile Sydney seat had been neck and neck since Saturday night but Sharma officially claimed the win on Monday afternoon after outgoing independent MP Kerryn Phelps conceded. Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, described the result as very satisfying after he lost to Phelps in the October 2018 by-election called after ex-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull quit. Its been a long continuous campaign for seven months for me, he told reporters in Sydney. Thanks. I think the people of Wentworth deserve a positive and forward-looking campaign. https://t.co/XrMqE59tPV Dave Sharma (@DaveSharma) May 15, 2019 Best wishes to all the candidates standing for election today, in Wentworth and elsewhere! The strength of Australian democracy depends on people being prepared to put themselves and their ideas forward #auspol #Election2019 pic.twitter.com/UEl0Bumsr6 Dave Sharma (@DaveSharma) May 17, 2019 Sharma said there was a lot of anger and protest during the by-election when Wentworth was flooded with activists from the progressive lobby group GetUp. Wentworth liberal candidate Dave Sharma swamped with climate change protesters from @GetUp. He appeared briefly at Rose Bay public but cant vote because hes only just moved to the electorate. Kerryn Phelps is outside the boundary and cant vote either @SBSNews #auspol pic.twitter.com/sRY5kV3Evz Omar Dabbagh (@Omar_Dabbagh) October 19, 2018 But this election, GetUp volunteers were absent from Wentworth on polling day, instead focusing on Tony Abbotts seat of Warringah, according to The Australian. With 77 per cent of the ballots counted, Sharma had 51.7 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis to Phelpss 48.3 per cent. The newly-minted MP doesnt expect a ministerial role in the new Morrison government but instead plans to focus on delivering for the people of Wentworth. He thanked the progressive Phelps for her seven-month contribution in Canberra. Phelps was flanked by a group of purple army campaign volunteers when she conceded defeat and thanked her wife and family for supporting her. Hey @drkerrynphelps, the police are still looking for the person who broke in to my campaign van this morning. She seems to be one of your campaign staff. Can you help with the investigation? https://t.co/giJgFoaw9Z pic.twitter.com/eZME8toxpg Dave Sharma (@DaveSharma) May 17, 2019 Theres no way I could have done anything I did in parliament or for the electorate without their undying support, she told reporters in Sydney. During her time in federal parliament, Phelps fought to get asylum seekers off Manus Island and Nauru, and also advocated for stronger action for reducing carbon emissions. I operated in Canberra with conviction, with integrity and a belief that individuals can impact on the political conversation, she said. The one thing the past seven months have shown is that one voice can make a difference. Phelps described her by-election win as almost a miracle and insisted there was still an appetite for independent thinking in Wentworth. Related Coverage Minority Australian Government Confirmed as Critical By-election Result Announce The 61-year-old attributed her loss to the fact that Wentworth voters didnt want a Labor government. Clearly the country decided it wanted to return a Liberal government and I suspect that had something to do with it, she said. Phelps wouldnt be drawn on her future in politics instead saying she would now focus on catching up with family and friends. She kept her place on Sydney City Council after winning the by-election and has also continued working at her Double Bay GP practice. She congratulated Sharma on his win as did Turnbull who held the seat for 14 years. Congratulations @DaveSharma on winning Wentworth the best part of the best country in the world! Good luck in the years ahead. And thank you @drkerrynphelps for the great courage and character you showed as our MP. Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) May 20, 2019 Congratulations Dave Sharma on winning Wentworth the best part of the best country in the world! Good luck in the years ahead. And thank you Kerryn Phelps for the great courage and character you showed as our MP, the former prime minister tweeted. By Dominica Sanda. With additional reporting by Epoch Times staff. A close-up of the Infineon microcontroller kit XMC 4700 at an exhibition during the semiconductor manufacturer Infineon's annual shareholder meeting in Munich, Germany on Feb. 21, 2019. (Andreas Gebert/Reuters) Infineon Suspends Shipments to Huawei: Nikkei FRANKFURTGerman chipmaker Infineon has suspended shipments to Huawei Technologies, in a sign that Washingtons crackdown on the Chinese tech company is beginning to hamper its supplies beyond the United States, Nikkei Asian Review reported on May 20. Infineon had no immediate comment. German chipmaker Infineon has suspended shipments to Huawei Technologies, in a sign that Washingtons crackdown on the Chinese tech company is beginning to hamper its supplies beyond the United States, Nikkei Asian Review reported on Monday. Infineon ha https://t.co/6vwj4s5URb pic.twitter.com/IGDLSPA4z8 Cyber Crime Today (@today_cyber) May 20, 2019 Citing two people familiar with the matter, Nikkei reported that Infineons decision to stop deliveries came after the Trump administration on Thursday officially added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the telecom firm to do business with U.S. companies. Chinas Huawei officially added to US trade blacklist https://t.co/uv9lwUO1wM WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Thursday (May 16) officially added Chinas Huawei Technologies to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult pic.twitter.com/3AdxieBPFY TheDailyUSNews.com (@TheDailyUsNews) May 18, 2019 STMicroelectronics declines to comment on Nikkei report on Huawei shipments https://t.co/U2WAHLu3AE pic.twitter.com/CzqpVCwdiX Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 20, 2019 Infineon will hold meetings this week to discuss the situation and make assessments, Nikkei reported, adding that it was not yet clear whether Infineon would resume doing business with Huawei after it clarifies the legal issues. Infineons annual sales to Huawei amount to $100 million or less, Nikkei said. Separately, Alphabets Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software, and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, Reuters reported. Alphabets Google has suspended some of its business ties with Huawei Technologies. https://t.co/BAjYTZjB79 BloombergQuint (@BloombergQuint) May 20, 2019 By Arno Schuetze Falun Dafa practitioners are shown in the Masanjia labour camp watching a video meant to re-educate them during a propaganda tour arranged by the camp authorities on May 22, 2001. (AP Photo/John Leicester) Investigative Report Highlights Heartbreaking Persecution of Falun Gong in China In the last 20 years, millions of practitioners of the meditation group Falun Gong, also known Falun Dafa, have been illegally detained, tortured, or killed in China because they refused to give up their faith. According to incomplete statistics provided to the website Minghui.com, since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) suddenly began to persecute Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, at least 4,304 Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death. Bill Melugin, a journalist for Fox 11 in Los Angeles, had never heard of Falun Gong before. However, a recent assignment opened his eyes to the suppression and persecution of the CCP against the peaceful spiritual practice, which believes in the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. In his investigation, Melugin found there was little in-depth reporting on the issue produced by most television news stations in the United States. At 10 p.m. on Monday, May 20, Fox 11 will broadcast a special investigative report on the persecution with Melukin as the main reporter. The film is based on the story of two Chinese sisters. One of the sisters, Wang Yifei, who now lives in California, has spent the last 18 years attempting to retrieve her dead sisters body from China and bring justice to her sisters memory amidst a cruel persecution by the CCP of her family and friends. Her sister, Wang Kefeia former staff member of the Changchun Agricultural Bankdied as a result of brutal torture when she was imprisoned in a womens labor camp in Jilin Province. On Friday, May 17, Melukin and editing engineer Tony Ruiz were making final changes to the upcoming film called Sisters Salvation. Nearly three months of investigation and interviews were brought together for the film. Yu Ming, an entrepreneur in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, was able to secretly record video footage inside Chinese labor camps with a miniature camera and bring the video overseas, providing it to the news media. Yu said he was a successful businessman before the persecution of Falun Gong. He employed more than 100 people and had a happy family. In the last 20 years, Yu himself has spent 12 years in the CCPs prisons and labor camps. He was subjected to electric shocks, cages, and other forms of torture that nearly killed him. While his treatment was horrendous, Yu saw that many other Falun Gong practitioners were also cruelly persecuted. He decided to make a very bold move and attempt to record these cruel acts to show the world. He carefully took a pinhole camera into various labor camps and prisons. Since 2008, he has captured a large number of labor camp detainees and imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners on camera. On Jan. 27, Yu took his video recordings and fled across the border to Thailand, eventually arriving in San Francisco. Today, his greatest wish is to publicize the cruelty of communist Chinas secret prisons. When the image of one of these tortured Falun Gong practitioners appeared on the screen in a Los Angeles Fox 11 studio, it was difficult for the journalists to watch. However, Melukin said, This is reality. The special program will premiere on Fox 11 in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. on May 20, and it will also livestream on foxla.com. Epoch Times reporter Liu Fei contributed to this report. Newspaper copies of the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times, scattered on the ground after an apparent attempt to sabotage the publication's newspaper boxes, on May 11, 2019. (Courtesy of Sun Tong) Man Arrested After Sabotaging Chinese Edition Epoch Times Newspaper Box in NYC Immigrant Hub A man was arrested and charged by New York City police on May 11 after threatening and harassing a Chinese woman who tried to protect a newspaper box belonging to the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times. The Chinese-language edition is the largest-circulating newspaper among overseas Chinese communities. In New York City neighborhoods with a large Chinese immigrant population, such as Flushing and Chinatown, newspaper boxes with free copies of the Chinese-language Epoch Times can be found on most street corners and major thoroughfares. Recently, locals in these Chinese communities have reported frequent incidents of deliberate tampering with the newspaper boxes, including many copies of the paper being taken out within a short period of time; copies being littered all over the ground; boxes being pushed over; or hate materials attacking The Epoch Times being placed in the boxes. On May 11, a 51-year-old Chinese woman named Sun Tong noticed that many copies of the Chinese-language language Epoch Times were scattered on the ground near a newspaper box that sat by the entrance to the Main Street subway station in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens. She picked up the copies and placed them back into the box. When I finished loading the papers and was about to leave, a man suddenly dashed over toward me, yelling loudly. He opened the newspaper box again, threw out some newspapers, and kept yelling all the time, Sun recalled, in a recent interview with the Chinese-language Epoch Times. Sun tried to stop the man, who appeared to be Hispanic, using the simple English phrases she knew, such as No, stop. The man kept yelling in an attempt to intimidate her, Sun said. Seeing that Sun was not scared and did not leave, he took out a knife and pointed it at her. Sun yelled No, stop again and pulled out her cell phone to take a photo of the man. The man put the knife back in his pocket, but then picked up a small shopping cart Sun had brought with her and tried to slam her with it. Sun quickly stepped back to avoid being hit. The man then left and headed toward the subway station. The whole incident unfolded within 10 minutes, Sun recalled. Two female passersby noticed the conflict and videotaped it. They then called the police. About 10 police officers arrived at the scene, according to Sun. The two young ladies showed the video to the officers, who then went into the subway station, located the man, and took him into custody. Police later charged Manny Meighan with menacing in the third degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and harassment in the second degree. Huang Wanqing, deputy editor-in-chief of the Chinese-language Epoch Times, explained that the publication is one of the few Chinese-language newspapers that is not controlled or influenced by the Chinese communist regime. There have been previous occasions of individualslikely agents of the Chinese regimesabotaging the newspaper boxes or stealing copies of the papers, Huang said. As the Chinese-language Epoch Times continues to cover issues such as the U.S.China trade dispute truthfullyand thus differently from the Chinese Communist Partys propaganda apparatusHuang surmises that its likely more such incidents will occur. Huang added that the Chinese-language Epoch Times condemns this kind of behavior and will take legal action to protect the newspapers operations and legal rights as it seeks to fulfill its mission as an independent voice for the Chinese people. Lin Dan contributed to this report. Man Finds Alligator Chilling on an Alligator Raft in a Rented Home Pool in Florida A man on vacation in Florida was in for a big surprise when he came back to his rented home and found an alligator chilling in the pool on an alligator raft on May 19. David Jacobs of Georgia had rented a home in Southwest Miami-Dade and first found an alligator in a lake behind the home, reported ClickOrlando.com. He was in the town to attend a wedding and said the alligator was actually lured by the familys small dog. When the family came back home on Sunday, they were amazed to find the alligator chilling in the pool on a green alligator raft. Jacobs reported it to the owner of the house who in turn called a wildlife management company. There has been an increase in reports of close encounters with alligators in Florida and experts said its because summers speed up their metabolism and make them hungry. They have to find some food so thats when well find them on sidewalks and peoples pools, Brian Norris of Florida Fish and Wildlife told Fox 4 in Fort Myers. Theyre really just out there browsing around, he said. Alligators also move around when they are looking for mates during the mating season. North Port Police had to deal with one hiding under a mans car in a parking lot on April 12. Its alligator mating season. This one looking for love in the parking lot of Buffalo Wings & Rings. FWC en route. pic.twitter.com/gsUzpAW8W0 North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) April 13, 2019 Norris said that alligators are wary of humans but children and pets should be protected from them. If you are near water, just mindful of that there could be some sunning themselves on the bank, if you have pets, be mindful especially near water, Norris said. The American alligator, one of the Sunshine States most ubiquitous reptiles, wasnt always so. At one point, they were hunted to near extinction and placed on the endangered species list and then removed in 1987. Since then, scientists said gator attacks have been on the rise in Florida. Humans may be to blame. According to Inside Science, a science news publication, gator bites in Florida have been on the rise, increasing from an average of just one every three years between 1988 and 1999 to about seven per year between 2000 and 2016. MASSIVE FLORIDA GATOR! Chelsea Brinson captured this huge gator talking a stroll in Fort Myers today! The video quickly went viral. The caption read: Hey there buddy. #OnlyInFlorida pic.twitter.com/jEV31yGetj News4JAX (@wjxt4) April 12, 2019 Statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission differ, but still, show an increase in the number of alligator bites suffered by humans since gators came off the endangered species list. Bites have increased from about six per year from 1971 through 1986 to about 10 per year from 1987 through 2017, according to FWC data. As population and development have increased in Florida, scientists said, so too have alligator attacks. University of North Florida researchers, studying the interaction between humans and alligators, presented their findings to the Ecological Society of America earlier this month. Of the many factors they studied, including temperature and rain, they found that humans were the only logical thing to blame for conflicts. Tampa News Alligator Attacks Are on the Rise in Florida U.S. News & World Report https://t.co/gBRq4b8oEi Tampa NewsChannel (@Tampa_NC) September 2, 2018 Using simple pairwise linear regression, we found that only human population size was a reliable predictor of alligator attack rates in Florida during the period 1988-2016, Morgan Golden-Ebanks and Adam E. Rosenblatt wrote in the study. As a result, management of human-alligator conflict should focus on limiting human-alligator interactions and preventing the further development of areas used by alligators. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Naked, Bleeding Woman Runs Into Convenience Store After Alleged Attack by Husband A naked and injured woman, covered in blood, ran into a convenience store, begging for help after being allegedly beaten by her husband. Police later detained him, according to Chinese state-run television news Metropolis Channel. The woman, surnamed Huang, did not explain why she was without clothes, but was later given something to wear by two store employees in the early morning hours on May 15. The local police detained the uncooperative husband, surnamed Liao, after removing him from the familys house in Shenzhen City, Guandong Province, China. One store employee said he suspected the husband was drunk. All images of the woman in the report were censored. Naked and Beaten One of the store employees told the Metropolis Channel that she heard the woman screaming from outside that night. I heard someone call out, call the police, save me! so I looked outside, the unidentified female worker said. One of the customers hadnt even left, and the woman ran inside, wearing nothing. Huang came into the convenience store after 4:00 a.m. on May 15. Security footage shows her fully naked, covering herself with her hands and appearing to have blood coming down her head. She was seriously hurt. There was blood everywhere, on her head, on her feet, the woman told the Metropolis Channel. The footage shows a customer at the cash register who avoided looking at Huang. After the male employee finished assisting the customer, he gets what appears to be towels for the woman. When she came in, she said her daughter was going to be beaten, and needed us to call the police, the unidentified male employee told the Metropolis Channel. Huang was allegedly attacked by her husband, the report said. She has a kid who was about one- or two-years-old, the female employee told the Metropolis Channel. After the store employees called the police, Huang went to sit outside. I got some pajamas for her to put on, the female employee told the Metropolis Channel. If you run into something like this, you definitely will help them out, right? The police then arrive. Security footage shows the police holding the womans daughter, and her husband. However, in the blurry footage, the husband Liao is laying on the ground while the police stand by, looking at him writhe about. He was probably drunk, the male employee told the Metropolis Channel. Liao was detained, and an investigation was opened. Nuclear Coffin Might Be Leaking Radioactive Material Into Pacific, Says UN Chief Radioactive waste from a concrete dome known as a nuclear coffin located in the Marshall Islands might be leaking into the Pacific Ocean. Last week, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the waste is housed in a Cold War-era dome, describing it as a kind of coffin located on Runit island, part of Enewetak Atoll. The dome was built to contain waste from the 67 atomic bomb tests carried out in the area from 1946 to 1958, CBS News reported. France and the United States carried out numerous nuclear tests in the region, including of the 1954 Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb, which was the most powerful test ever conducted by the United States. Ive just been with the president of the Marshall Islands [Hilda Heine], who is very worried because there is a risk of leaking of radioactive materials that are contained in a kind of coffin in the area, Guterres told AFP. Radioactive materials from the nuclear blasts were placed into the craterwhich was never linedand capped with an 18-inch-thick concrete dome. But it appears that cracks have developed in the concrete. A lot needs to be done in relation to the explosions that took place in French Polynesia and the Marshall Islands, the U.N. chief said. This is in relation to the health consequences, the impact on communities and other aspects. Of course, there are questions of compensation and mechanisms to allow these impacts to be minimized. According to a 2017 report by Australian network ABC, already, the sea sometimes washes over [the dome] in a large storm. The United States government has acknowledged that a major typhoon could break it apart and cause all of the radiation in it to disperse, Columbia Universitys Michael Gerrard told the network. But Gerrard said that catastrophic failure of the dome may not lead to contamination of the water around it, noting that the area around the dome was once a site used to test nuclear bombs. Im persuaded that the radiation outside the dome is as bad as the radiation inside the dome, Gerrard said. And therefore, it is a tragic irony that the U.S. government may be right, that if this material were to be released that the already bad state of the environment around there wouldnt get that much worse. Enewetak Atoll was held by the Japanese from 1914 until the United States captured it in 1944 during World War II. An Open Letter to Radio France Internationale From Friends of Shen Yun Falun Gong is a group of peaceful people who are being severely persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Why would Radio France Internationale (RFI) listen to the lies spread by the Chinese communist totalitarian regime that persecutes its own citizens? Shen Yun has never evaded the fact that Shen Yun is supported by practitioners of Falun Gong. However, what is RFIs position on the issue of the CCPs illegal persecution of Falun Gong? What is RFIs viewpoint on this issue? Why is RFI furthering the Chinese regimes persecution of Falun Gong? Why does RFI report using the same angle as that of the CCP on Shen Yun and Falun Gong? Who is RFI speaking for? Who is RFI being controlled by? Whose money has RFI taken? Or, has RFI been infiltrated by Chinese communist agents? RFI even republished an appalling 610 Office propaganda poster used by the CCP to spread its illegal persecution of Falun Gong. The 610 Office propaganda poster published by RFI alongside its article. Why does RFI report on this matter in a way that is similar to the manner in which the CCPs state-run media reports on Falun Gong? Whose media is RFI? Is RFI controlled by the CCP? Not only is Shen Yun not against China, but Shen Yun is presenting the best of traditional Chinese culture. What the Chinese Communist Party is destroying is the traditional culture, and the best of what the real China has to offer. We are thanking RFI for helping to promote the performances of Shen Yun with the publication of the article. We have learned that more people in the world would like to watch Shen Yun because of your promotion. Friends of Shen Yun www.FriendsofShenYun.org Rosenstein Undercuts Democrats Main Argument for Obstruction Commentary Rod Rosenstein just blew a huge hole in the Democrats obstruction of justice narrative, dismantling their foremost argument against President Donald Trump. Its been two months since special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr. Mueller concludedafter almost two years of an investigation that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollarsthat there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and declined to come to a conclusion about whether there was any obstruction of justice. A short time later, Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced their joint conclusion that there wasnt sufficient evidence to conclude that the president in any way obstructed justice as a matter of fact and law. For many Democratic members of Congress, the report and the conclusions by Barr and Rosenstein were simply too much to bear. How could their white knightMuellerand his team of Clinton supporters have failed to find the collusion and obstruction that was so clear to liberal partisans? Rather than moving on and focusing on public policy initiatives, Democratic committee chairs in the House of Representatives have remained fixated on the Mueller report, threatening to hold the attorney general in contempt of Congress if he doesnt give them an unredacted version of the reportperhaps hoping to find in the redactions that it was all a misunderstanding and that Mueller really did find collusion and obstruction. One Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee even convinced her colleagues to hold a public reading of the Mueller report, perhaps with the hope that reviewing the politically charged facts the Mueller team put in the report would provide some catharsis. While House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and his fellow diehards still hang on to the collusion myth, others are now taking Muellers irresponsible equivocation on obstruction of justice as license to make their own factual and legal findingsnaturally, theyve concluded that the president simply must have obstructed justice in some way. The favorite contention of most Democrats in Congress, and many in the media, is that the firing of James Comey as FBI director must have constituted obstruction. Mueller devoted at least 26 pages of his report to the matter, and Nadler let himself get so carried away on the subject that he achieved the rather dubious distinction of being called out by the Annenberg Public Policy Centers Factcheck.org project for making false claims. The Comey firing is a curious choice for the Democrats to use as their leading evidence to support their obstruction claim. Comey was, for a time, the Democratic Partys villain after his announcement concerning Hillary Clintons email server scandal, in which he declined to pursue charges against Clinton, but still detailed her extensive wrongdoing. After Trumps election victory, that press briefing by Comey provided one of the countless excuses offered by Democrats for Clintons shocking loss at the polls. However, once it was learned that Comey and his fellow travelers at the Justice Department were actually working behind the scenes on a plan to defeat candidate Donald Trump or oust him from office once he was elected, Comey found redemption and was welcomed into the anti-Trump camp. He burnished his #resistance credentials on his recent tour to promote his book and redeem himself publicly, taking every opportunity to attack the president. Comeys firing as FBI director also is a curious focus for obstruction of justice allegations against the president, for reasons noted by some of the nations leading constitutional scholars, who have opined that the presidents use of the executive branch powers he lawfully possesses cant constitute obstruction of justice as a matter of law. Further, by statute, the FBI director serves at the presidents pleasure, and there likely would be constitutional barriers to giving the FBI director some sort of tenure or requiring cause for his firing. But constitutional and statutory provisions, or facts, for that matter, have been no obstacle to the anti-Trump camp. They are determined to succeed by any means necessary in their quest to destroy Trumps presidency, no matter what the collateral damage to our system of laws. Recent events, however, have sharply undercut their narrative that the president obstructed justice with Comeys firing. It was, of course, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein who notified Comey that he was being fired, and who provided the official justification for his firing. But the Democratic narrative, adopted by most in the media, was that Rosenstein was merely acting as the presidents unhappy pawn and didnt believe in the decision. After all, Rosenstein himself had earned significant credibility with the rabid anti-Trump crowd for choosing Mueller as the special counsel, for giving him an extraordinarily broad mandate and long leash, and for his bizarre purported plan to tape-record the president, in hopes of removing him from office under a perversion of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. Those were serious anti-Trump credentials, and the Democrats hoped that once out of office, Rosenstein would wholeheartedly support their absurd notion that the president obstructed justice when he directed Rosenstein to fire Comey. Those hopes have been dashed. On May 13, Rosenstein spoke publicly for the first time since resigning from his post as deputy attorney general. Rosenstein characterized Comey as a partisan pundit who, as FBI director, crossed bright lines that never should have been crossed, adding that Comey absolutely deserved to be fired for his misconduct in office. While Rosenstein might have handled the Comey firing in a different manner, he has now made clear that he (Rosenstein) single-handedly wrote the memo listing the reasons for firing Comey, and that the president didnt tell him what to put in his memo. Rosensteins biggest complaint about Comey was the way in which Comey mishandled the Clinton email scandal, but he can find a great deal of support for his decision to fire Comey in other areas, as well. Take, for example, the unprecedented action by Comey in leaking memos to a friend in order to advance a personal agendaa matter now under investigation by the Justice Departments inspector general. Legal authorities familiar with the facts have reported that the leaked memos contained sensitive and classified material, and that at the very least, Comeys actions violated the affirmation he signed when he joined the FBI. Comey likely faces many more challenges ahead regarding his FBI-related misconduct. Former FBI general counsel James Baker recently disclosed that officials at the FBI were quite worried that Comey was trying to blackmail the president. Whatever the consequences, Comeys actions during his time at the FBI and after cant be reconciled with the claims he makes in his book about placing a premium on ethical conduct in public service. Rosenstein has made it crystal clear that there is no factual or legal merit to any claim that the president obstructed justice in connection with the firing of Comey. For Nadler and company, an apologyand maybe even a thank-you note to the president for firing Comey in the first placewould be appropriate. David Schoen is a civil rights and criminal defense lawyer based in Montgomery, Alabama, and has served as trial counsel in the past for the Democratic Party. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. A video clip made by the School of Performing Arts Seoul students that revealed school officials' illicit activities. / Capture from YouTube By Bahk Eun-ji The School of Performing Arts Seoul (SOPA) has been recommended to protect the rights of its students following recent incidents of malpractice by the school's former principal and officials. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said, Monday, it told the school recently to improve its facilities and protect students' rights to education and safety when they perform outside school premises. The recommendation follows allegations that the former principal forced students to perform at private gatherings such as dinners and alumni events, at least 10 times over the last two years. He was also accused of paying his mobile phone bill from the school's budget and using vehicles owned by the school foundation for private purposes. It was also alleged he and his wife took 100 million won ($83,820) from an afterschool programs subsidy and used it for private purposes over the past four years. SMOE found in an inspection that computers and filmmaking equipment were too outdated and students often had to use their own money to use equipment at other facilities, although they were paying about triple the tuition of other high schools. It said the school directors did not do enough to protect students' rights during extracurricular performances. After the allegations emerged in January, SMOE demanded the school foundation dismiss the principle and discipline others involved. It also asked the police to investigate further. In February, some of the school's students and graduates posted a video clip on YouTube. In the video, the students in their uniforms sing about their unfair situations they faced. The video clip drew more than 4.8 million views and triggered a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website calling for punishment for the former principal. He was dismissed in April following a court ruling on a separate case. SOPA has been attended by many K-pop stars and would-be stars, with alumni including Suzy, Hyeri from Girls' Day, Jungkook from BTS, Joy from Red Velvet and Kai from EXO. San Francisco Residents, Tourists Criticize Citys Needle, Human-Waste Problems SAN FRANCISCOHypodermic needles and human waste littering the streets of San Francisco have become an increasingly common occurrence. A recent project by Open the Books, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing transparent information about government spending and actions, analyzed a San Francisco database of calls to the citys primary customer service line about the debris from 2011 to 2018. In mapping out all the reports, the organization detailed a sharp rise in the number of cases across the city. The city admits that they estimate there are 7,500 homeless people in the streets of San Francisco, and by all accounts, these are the folks that are not using public restrooms, but are going to the bathroom and leaving their medical debris on the streets, Adam Andrzejewski, CEO and founder of Open the Books, said. Since 2011, the citys 311 call line received more than 29,300 reported cases of hypodermic needles littering the streets. The year 2018 alone had approximately 9,520 reports of needles on the streets, a 53.5 percent increase from 2017, when approximately 6,200 reports of needles were received. Additionally, the citys 311 call line received at least 132,562 reported calls of human fecal matter on city streets since 2008, according to data published in Forbes. This recent exponential growth in waste on the streets is starting to negatively affect the city, with major conventions pulling out of San Francisco and tourists repelled by the smell of the dirty streets. Joe DAlessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, publicly criticized the citys filthy streets, which he said creates a poor image for San Francisco and hurts tourism. Health and safety are also cited as a major concern for both residents and visitors to San Francisco, as hypodermic needles and human waste are often visible on the streets. Government Responsibility According to the 2018 report from San Franciscos Budget and Legislative Analysts Office, the city dedicated around $54 million for the 20172018 fiscal year to keeping its streets tidy and feces-free. Thats a 54.3 percent increase from the previous years $35 million budget. Mayor London Breed vowed in 2018 to clean up the streets as part of her mayoral campaign and as the current mayor, but the dirty streets situation continues to be an issue. In the current 20182019 fiscal year, San Francisco has already spent $72.5 million on street cleaning, yet reports of excrement on city sidewalks continue to rise, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. As many homeless and mentally ill individuals on the streets often lack access to public restrooms, the only other option for them is to leave their waste in the streets. The website Curbed San Francisco reported in 2018 that the city distributes nearly 400,000 or so monthly distributed needles, [and] the city collects approximately 246,000 back on a monthly basis. As such, only about 60 percent of needles distributed by government-funded centers are collected back, while the remaining needles are eventually discarded in public areas. Ellen Zhou, a government social worker and 2019 mayoral candidate, said the used needles not collected and properly disposed of end up somewhere on the streets, somewhere in the park, somewhere in the bus, somewhere in the bus stations, somewhere publicly. [The needle collection sites] are not able to collect it back, which is really a public hazard. The government should not be feeding their [needle users] bad habits, said Zhou. Zhou had proposed that, if elected mayor, part of her work would be to push government officials and local city leaders to reach out to the people on the street who need help, and to create a plan to get people off drugs and needles, and change drug addicts habits. Its just like a mom, you treat people like a kid, like family. No mom and nobody wants to see kids, any kids suffer, dying on the streets. Over the last two years, more than 400 people died on the streets, said Zhou. Saudi Energy Minister Recommends Driving Down Oil Inventories, Says Supply Plentiful JEDDAH, Saudi ArabiaSaudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on May 19 he recommended gently driving oil inventories down at a time of plentiful global supplies and that OPEC would not make hasty decisions about output ahead of a June meeting. Overall, the market is in a delicate situation, Falih told reporters before a ministerial panel meeting of top OPEC and non-member oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia. While there is concern about supply disruptions, inventories are rising and the market should see a comfortable supply situation in the weeks and months to come, he said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, of which Saudi Arabia is de facto leader, would have more data at its next meeting in late June to help it reach the best decision on output, Falih said. It is critical that we dont make hasty decisionsgiven the conflicting data, the complexity involved, and the evolving situation, he said, describing the outlook as quite foggy due in part to a trade dispute between the United States and China. But I want to assure you that our group has always done the right thing in the interests of both consumers and producers, and we will continue to do so, he added. OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1 for six months, a deal designed to stop inventories building up and weakening prices. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the ministerial panel had recommended continued monitoring of the market due to uncertainties and that recommendations would be made in June. He said the option of easing agreed cuts had been discussed and that the supply situation would be clearer in a month, including from countries under sanctions. Two sources earlier said Saudi Arabia and Russia were discussing two main scenarios for the June meeting that proposed higher output from the second half of this year. One scenario was to eliminate over-compliance with agreed cuts, which would increase output by some 0.8 million bpd, while the other option was to ease the agreed cuts to 0.9 million bpd. United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei had told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not the right decision. Mazrouei said the UAE did not want to see a rise in inventories that could lead to a price collapse and that OPEC would act wisely to maintain sustainable market balance. As UAE we see that the job is not done yet, there is still a period of time to look at the supply and demand and we dont see any need to alter the agreement in the meantime, he said. U.S. crude inventories rose unexpectedly last week to their highest since September 2017, while gasoline stockpiles decreased more than forecast, Energy Information Administration data showed. Delicate Balance Saudi Arabia sees no need to boost production quickly now, with oil at around $70 a barrel, as it fears a price crash and a build-up in inventories, OPEC sources said earlier. The United States, not a member of OPEC+ but a close ally of Riyadh, wants the group to boost output to lower oil prices. Falih has to find a delicate balance between keeping the oil market well supplied and prices high enough for Riyadhs budget needs while pleasing Moscow to ensure Russia remains in the OPEC+ pact, and being responsive to the concerns of the United States and the rest of OPEC+, sources said. The May 19 meeting comes amid concerns of a tight market. Irans oil exports are likely to drop further in May and shipments from Venezuela could fall again in coming weeks due to U.S. sanctions. Oil contamination forced Russia to halt flows along the Druzhba pipelinea key conduit for crude into Eastern Europe and Germanyin April, leaving refiners scrambling for supplies. Novak said Russia would restore its output in May and that contaminated oil would not have an impact on the countrys annual output forecast. He earlier told reporters that supplies to Poland via the pipeline would start on May 20. OPECs agreed share of the cuts is 800,000 bpd, but its actual reduction is far larger due to the production losses in Iran and Venezuela. Both are under U.S. sanctions and exempt from the voluntary reductions under the OPEC-led deal. Regional Tensions Oil prices edged lower on May 17 due to demand fears amid a standoff in Sino-U.S. trade talks but ended the week higher on rising concerns over disruptions in Middle East shipments due to U.S.-Iran political tensions. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran are running high after last weeks attacks on two Saudi oil tankers off the UAE coast and another on Saudi oil facilities inside the kingdom. Riyadh accused Tehran of ordering the drone strikes on oil pumping stations, for which Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility. The UAE has blamed no one for the tanker sabotage. Iran has distanced itself from both sets of attacks. Although it has not affected our supplies, such acts of terrorism are deplorable, Falih said. They threaten uninterrupted supplies of energy to the world and put a global economy that is already facing headwinds at further risk. The attacks come as the United States and Iran spar over Washingtons tightening of sanctions aimed at cutting Iranian oil exports to zero, and an increased U.S. military presence in the Gulf over perceived Iranian threats to U.S. interests. By Rania El Gamal & Vladimir Soldatkin Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks with reporters following the weekly policy luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 7, 2019. (Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters) Schumer Asks Government to Probe Rail Tech From China WASHINGTONU.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is asking the federal government to investigate if a plan for new subway cars in New York City, designed by a Chinese state-owned firm, could pose a threat to national security. The move comes after Chinas CRRC Corp, the worlds top passenger train maker, was slammed by U.S. lawmakers during a hearing on May 16 to limit its access to U.S. projects amid security fears. Chinese companies could intercept U.S. rail control systems and compromise the safety of regular Americans, one former U.S. official warned. It also comes at a time when the Trump administration has added Chinas Huawei Technologies to a trade blacklist, citing security risks as the worlds two largest economies ratchet up tariffs in a battle over what U.S. officials call Chinas unfair trade practices. CRRC, the Chinese state-owned company, which won a design contest for new subway cars, plans to install new technology in the New York subway system and government agencies must determine whether this poses any threat to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its commuters, Schumer said in a statement to Reuters. Given what we know about how cyberwarfare works, and recent attacks that have hit transportation and infrastructure hubs across the country, the Department of Commerce must thoroughly check any proposals or work Chinas CRRC does on behalf of the New York subway system, including our signals, Wi-Fi and more, Schumer added. The company has not won a contract in New York City, which has Americas biggest transit system. However, it has won contracts for new subway cars in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. CRRC has also launched a charm campaign in the United States as it seeks to secure a Washington D.C. metro car contract worth over $500 million, after roaring into the American passenger rail market by dramatically underbidding foreign rivals. Concerns CRRC could soon set its sights on the much more lucrative U.S. freight market and use its railcars to spy on passengers have prompted a series of legislative proposals. H.R. 2739, titled the Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act, would prevent federal transit money from being granted to local transit agencies to procure passenger rail cars or transit buses made by Chinese state-owned, -controlled, or -subsidized enterprises, according to a press release from Rep. Harley Roudas (R-Calif.) office. By Nandita Bose. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. Searchers for Missing Trio on Great Slave Lake Spot Body Among Debris YELLOWKNIFE, CanadaThe search for three overdue travellers on frozen Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories has been suspended after police say searchers in a helicopter spotted a body. The trio left the Yellowknife area on a snowmobile Monday, May 13, bound for Lutselke on the eastern edge of the lake, but were reported overdue on Tuesday. RCMP say officers on board a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Griffon helicopter returned Friday to an area of open water on the lake where debris was seen by search aircraft the day before. During the patrol, RCMP observed a deceased person in the open water near the debris. Unable to land on ice near the location, RCMP say they confirmed it was a body with aerial photographs, although the identity hasnt been determined. The missing have been identified as Samuel Boucher, who is 65, Cammy Boucher, who is 23, and an unknown man. Samuel Boucher, 65, and Cammy Boucher, 23, are two of three overdue travellers believed to have been on their way from Detah, N.W.T., to Lutselke Monday evening. https://t.co/NSllfXlgGL CBC News (@CBCNews) May 20, 2019 Our hearts are with the families of the missing persons. We are sorry to bring this tragic news to them and we will continue to support them, Staff Sgt. Yannick Hamel, Yellowknife RCMP operations manager, said in a news release. Police said that with the body sighting, and no sightings of the missing travellers after multiple searches over the area over several days, experienced searchers determined that all viable search options have been exhausted. They also noted that ice conditions were deteriorating. Police said theyre working on a strategy to pull the body from the water. We understand the desire to bring these travellers home, but due to the deteriorating ice conditions, we stress that no one should venture out on the ice, Hamel noted. Police said the investigation will continue as an open missing persons file. Efforts to identify the third person continue. The missing travellers were aboard a 1990s-era Black Bmbardier Scandic two seater, towing two toboggans. Due to poor ice conditions, only aircraft were part of the search. Semiconductors are seen on a circuit board that powers a Samsung video camera at the Samsung MOBILE-ization media and analyst event in San Jose, California, on March 23, 2011. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) South Korea, Japan Take Up Measures to Shield Semiconductor Industries From China IP Theft Beijing has adopted a state-led approach to fulfill its ambition to dominate the global semiconductor industry. Semiconductor chips power practically every electronic device, from smartphones to military equipment. In 2014, Chinas cabinet-like State Council announced national integrated circuit development guidelines to set up a state fund to boost its domestic semiconductor sector. In 2015, Beijing announced its industrial plan of Made in China 2025, which set the goal for China to self-fulfill 70 percent of its semiconductor needs by 2025. It currently relies heavily on chip imports, due to lagging behind on manufacturing technology. Traditional semiconductor powerhouses such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States have long expressed concerns about Beijings theft of intellectual property (IP), as well as aggressive poaching of staff from top semiconductor firms in those countries, in order to fulfill its ambitions. Both South Korea and Japan have recently taken measures to safeguard their respective semiconductor industries against China. South Korea The Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, in a position paper sent to two members of South Koreas National Assembly, requested that the unicameral legislature make amendments to the countrys laws to more heavily penalize and better prevent industrial technology leaks, according to a May 18 report by South Korean newspaper The Dong-a Ilbo, citing unidentified people in the semiconductor industry. South Koreas Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology currently stipulates that any person who commits offenses, such as theft, to obtain an industrial technology and use the technology in a foreign country, will be subject to imprisonment for a maximum of 10 years or a maximum fine of one billion won (about $838,000). Hong Il-pyo, who is head of the assemblys Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs (Small-Medium Enterprises), and Startups Committee, was one of the lawmakers who received the paper. The association wrote that, Notably, Korea should introduce strong disciplinary measures, including introduction of penalties for leaking national core technologies to foreign countries and relative infringement. China has long acquired South Korean semiconductor, display, and automobile manufacturing technology through underhanded tactics that resulted in major losses for those industries. Dong-a Ilbo criticized the National Assembly for making little progress in pushing for legal changes to prevent such IP theft. The leak of Korean technologies began more than a decade ago. In 2005, South Korean prosecutors stopped stolen semiconductor technology at Hynix Semiconductor from being leaked to China, after indicting seven individuals for executing a scheme to steal trade secrets, according to a separate article by Dong-a Ilbo. The leader of the scheme was a retired employee from Hynix surnamed Kim, who asked six of his former co-workers at Hynix to steal chip manufacturing design documents, with the aim of taking the IP to build a semiconductor factory in China. Kim also set up a shell company named LMNT in the Cayman Islands. Among the six was a Hynix manager surnamed Woo, who successfully stole 15 CDs containing semiconductor technology. He joined LMNT after accepting a salary from Kim that was at least $16,500 more than Woos annual salary at Hynix. It isnt known if Kim secured any financial assistance from Chinese entities that would have allowed him to build a factory in China. And in November last year, South Korean prosecutors in Suwon District indicted nine people on suspicion of leaking Samsung Electronics flexible display technology to a Chinese company. The nine were employees at a Samsung supplier. Aside from harsher disciplinary measures, the association also sought other changes to the law, such as strengthening and expanding protective measures of national core technologies, and redefining the organizations whose technologies are considered national core technologies. Japan Meanwhile, the Japanese government is contemplating amending its Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, which would add 20 more sectors to an existing list of sensitive sectors that restrict foreign investments on national-security grounds, according to a May 9 report by Japanese media Nikkei. The 20 new sectors are expected to include integrated circuits, semiconductor memory devices, software developers, and data processing services, according to Nikkei. The current sensitive sectors include aircraft, nuclear equipment, and weapons. Nikkei, without citing a source, said the government aims to implement such changes by the end of this year, with the goal of preventing crucial technology from being leaked. China is assumed to be the main target of the policy, Nikkei wrote. The Japanese government also is considering a framework to further restrict exports of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, following similar measures by the United States to enact export controls aimed at China, according to a May 20 article by Nikkei, citing an unidentified government official. Grady Wayne Wilkes, 29, was arrested on May 20, 2019, after allegeding shooting three police officers late on May 19, 2019 in Auburn, Ala. (Oxford Police Department) Suspect Held in Killing of Alabama Officer, 2 More Wounded AUBURN, AlabamaAuburn University has announced that a man suspected of killing one Auburn police officer and wounding two others near campus has been arrested in Alabama around 9 a.m. on Monday, May 20, less than 12 hours after the shooting triggered a manhunt. Auburn Campus Safety made an ALL CLEAR announcement on Twitter and said police reported the suspect was in custody. AU ALERT: ALL CLEAR. Police report the suspect in the off-campus shooting is in custody. ALL CLEAR. AU Campus Safety (@AuburnSafety) May 20, 2019 Oxford Police Chief Bill Partridge confirmed the capture on Twitter, where he posted a mugshot of the suspect with the word captured across his face. Authorities had been searching for 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, who they said was armed and wearing camouflage body armor and a helmet. Police said Wilkes opened fire on officers who responded late Sunday night to a reported domestic disturbance at a mobile home park. The Opelika-Auburn News reported helicopters patrolled the area. The State Law Enforcement Agency activated a Blue Alert, which is used when officers are killed or critically wounded. A law enforcement command center has been set at up Auburn University, which is warning students to stay away from a mobile home park about five miles from campus. When officers arrived a suspect opened fire on the officers, striking three of them. Two of the officers suffered critical injuries and one suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. One officer was airlifted to a Columbus, GA hospital. The other two were transported via ground ambulance to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika where one of those officers died from his injuries. The names of the officers are not being released at this time pending notification of all family members and all of the police family. From the police press conference. Police chief Paul Register discusses details of a police officer being killed in Auburn. pic.twitter.com/yGJHe5PVlT Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 20, 2019 Police said the shooting was a tragedy in a press conference but declined to describe the events leading up to the shooting, apart from naming it as a domestic disturbance call that the officers responded to, or the names of the victims. This is probably the worst day of my time here, Paul Register, Auburn chief of police, said Monday at a news conference. Words cannot express the loss of this family, our family and this community. NTD News reporter Zachary Stieber and The CNN Wire contributed to this article. The "Temple of Time" built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is seen on fire during a ceremonial burning in Coral Springs, Fla., on May 19, 2019. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) Temple Memorial to Florida Shooting Victims Is Set Ablaze CORAL SPRINGS, FloridaA wooden temple built as a memorial to the 17 victims of a Florida high school mass shooting was set ablaze Sunday in a symbolic gesture of healing. The Temple of Time public art installation was set afire at a ceremony hosted by the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students live. The families of several Parkland victims attended the ritual burning of the 35-foot tall temple. Described as therapeutic by some, the ceremonial fire was supposed to symbolize the release of pain still left inside. Firefighters surrounded the structure as 17 people lit it up the center of the temple with torches. It took a few minutes for the fire to spread to the roof, suddenly engulfing the temples needle with giant flames as black smoke billowed up into the sky. The timing was impeccable. The lacelike designs allowed the flames to spread evenly across the wooden structure, making it glow orange for a few minutes as the sky darkened. The temple did not burn to the ground as predicted. Friends and loved ones had been leaving notes, photos and mementos inside the temple to honor the victims of the mass shooting since it was built in February. Its kind of sad today because this temple has meant so much to so many, said Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky. The beauty of the temple is not the beautiful structure. Its the people who were brought together, the messages, the love, the hope that was shared, and the resilience that has been shown by this community. San Francisco-area artist David Best created the 1,600-square-foot Asian design with a spire roof. Most construction materials and other expenses were paid by former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs foundation. A lone gunmans attack killed 17 students and staffers and injured 17 others on Feb. 14, 2018. Best and his team of volunteers and community helpers built the structure as the communities commemorated the anniversary of the mass shooting last February. On Sunday, Best said he worried about students and others suffering in silence. He urged the community to protect one another to prevent more suicides, an apparent reference to the cases of two student survivors who committed suicide earlier this year. Lets watch out for one another, Best said. This is a community that went through hell. Death row inmate Charles Wright died May 17, less than five months before his scheduled execution. (Tennessee Department of Corrections) Tennessee Death Row Inmate Dies of Cancer Months Before Execution A Tennessee death row inmate died of cancer just months before his scheduled execution in October 2019, it was reported. Charles Walton Wright had pleaded with the state to let him die after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died on May 17 at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, reported The Tennessean newspaper, citing his lawyer, Kelley Henry. He had been in the prisons infirmary ward for months, he said. A statement from the Tennessee Department of Correction confirmed that the inmate died of natural causes. He was bedridden and had terminal cancer that spread from his prostate to other parts of his body, the newspaper reported. Henry said Wrights legal team was grateful to the prison and medical staff the professional and considerate care during his illness. He has struggled a great deal these past six months. He fought mightily to beat his illness, Henry told the paper. He desperately wanted to one day touch the grass and eat his sisters cooking. He will be missed. A former Rep. Bob Clement (D-Tenn. 5th District), pleaded to remove Wright from death row. In a letter to former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, he said that his health is deteriorating. Id like to see Charles be released and spend the last part of his life with his family and friends, he said, Fox News reported. Wright, in 1985, was sentenced to death after he was convicted of murdering two people in Nashville during a drug dispute. His death came hours after Donnie Edward Johnson, one of his friends on death row, was executed via lethal injection. Johnson Execution A Tennessee death row inmate who murdered his wife has turned down his special last meal ahead of his May 16 execution, asking instead for the food to be donated to a homeless person. Don Johnson, 68, was sentenced to death for the 1984 slaying of his wife. Connie Johnson, the death row inmates late wife, died by suffocation after he stuffed a 30-gallon trash bag down her throat. He died by lethal injection. Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday announced he will not intervene in the execution of Johnson, who has undergone an apparent religious conversion. 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, Lee said in his brief one-sentence statement. The Tennessee Department of Correction was cited by the Tennessean as saying that instead of opting for a special last meal, Johnson would instead select from the same menu given to other prisoners of the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report. The Persecution Rages On, 20 Years Later This July marks the 20th year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. To this day, Chinese authorities routinely round up practitioners around the country and detain them in prisons, labor camps, brainwashing centers, and other detention facilitiesoften without trial, or on trumped-up charges. Labor Camps When the Chinese Communist Party began its persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, it used one of its tried-and-true tools: the concentration camp. Called laojiao suo in Chinese, or re-education through forced labor in English, these camps could be found sprinkled across China, far out in the countrywide or secreted in bustling urban conclaves. The smallest of labor camps could house hundreds of prisoners, while the largest could host thousands. Falun Gong practitioners were usually detained in these camps for years on end, their sentences often extended arbitrarily. In the camps, the practitioners were forced to make products for export, subjected to brainwashing, and tortured, sometimes to death, in an attempt to have them renounce their beliefs. Throughout the 2000s, the Masanjia labor camp in northeastern China gained infamy for its extreme methods of torture and forced ideological conversion. Torture techniques developed at Masanjiaincluding the use of electric batons in the mouths and in the vaginas of women, or the binding of Falun Gong practitioners in excruciating positions for days on endwere later spread to other labor camps around China, and the prison authorities at Masanjia were even given awards for their efforts. In December 2012, Masanjia made international headlines, when Oregon resident Julie Keith found a handwritten letter embedded in a Halloween decoration kit that was manufactured in China. The letter from a Masanjia detainee explained how Falun Gong practitioners there were detained for their beliefs and forced into slave labor. Keith shared the letter with the media, and the story was quickly reported nationally and beyond. It was embarrassing exposes like thess, experts say, that helped accelerate the shutdown of the labor camp system, which had become a lightning rod for criticism both inside and outside China. Sometime late in 2013, the Chinese regime began closing the labor camps. But the arbitrary detention and torture of Falun Gong practitioners did not stop. Instead, adherents have increasingly been detained in an even more opaque and extra-legal system: legal education centers, or, as they are called by Falun Gong detainees, brainwashing centers. In some cases, they were the same facilities as the labor camps, but were simply renamed. Brainwashing Centers The sentencing of Chinese citizens to labor camps is arbitrarybut there is no law at all that governs brainwashing centers in China, which have a variety of names in different parts of the country. Sometimes they are called admonition centers, sometimes legal education bases. They can be set up in empty hotel rooms, in abandoned houses, or in the expansive facilities previously used by labor camps. Officially, these brainwashing centers do not even exist. There is no administrative department of the Chinese regime that claims responsibility for them, and there are no laws on the books explaining how they ought to be run, or who should be sent to them, under what circumstances, and for how long. Instead, they appear to be set up by local police and state security forces on an ad hoc basis. Once detained in these facilities, Falun Gong practitioners and other detainees are denied access to a lawyer or any right of appealthey are fully at the mercy of their guards, which, according to accounts from those who have survived detention at these centers, may often include sadists who enthusiastically torture and beat detainees to extract confessions or renunciations of their faith. Falun Gong practitioners locked in brainwashing centers may be forced to watch videos attacking the practice all day, or be shocked with electric batons, punched in the face, suffocated, or subjected to dozens of other techniques of abuse or torture. Since the early 2000s, Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned in labor camps and prisons in China have been used as a live organ bankkilled as their organs are harvested on demandaccording to a growing body of evidence collected by researchers and journalists around the world. The regimes security forces and military hospitals play a big role in the process, while the entire operation is overseen by the 610 Office, the Gestapo-like secret police agency expressly set up by the Communist Party to carry out the persecution of Falun Gong. The first evidence of these activities surfaced in 2006, when investigators made calls to hospitals around China posing as family members of individuals in need of organ transplantsand demanding that the organs be from Falun Gong practitioners. Hospital staff readily assured them that they would indeed be able to provide Falun Gong organs. At that time, hospitals also openly advertised the ability to provide a transplant of any type of organ within mere weeks, or even days. This is an impossibility in the West, where a transplant recipient must wait until another individual dies before he or she can receive an organ. In China, the donor is killed in the process of extracting the organs. The Chinese authorities have acknowledged that they use the organs of prisoners who are executed for crimesbut executions in China are only in the low thousands each year, and many of the organs from prisoners are not viable for transplant because of the prevalence of diseases like hepatitis. Moreover, to provide any organ within a week on a rolling basis requires a very large live donor banklarge enough to accommodate differences in tissue and blood type between donors and recipientsthat can be tapped at any time. China claims that since 2015, it has transitioned its organ transplantation system from using prisoners organs to relying solely on those from citizen volunteers who die from natural causes. The China Organ Harvest Research Center, a nongovernmental organization based in the state of New York, found in a 342-page report published in 2018 that prisoners of conscience continue to be killed for their organs. The center cites as evidence the fact that the number of transplants continues to outpace the number of legal donations; the fact that organs are still available on-demand to foreigners; and the fact that there is still almost no oversight. People walk past a mural depicting British novelist George Orwell with the reading "Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear," in Belgrade on May 8, 2018. (OLIVER BUNIC/AFP/Getty Images) Thoughtcrime Is Becoming a Reality Commentary In several Western countries, people are receiving visits from the police to question them about their political views, and some have been arrested. Cases in the UK and New Zealand have involved people who made comments against mass migration and Islamism. In a May 4 viral video posted on Facebook, a New Zealand man is questioned by police for his alleged posts about the mosque shooting in Christchurch. Of course, the real issue isnt about religious intolerance. Its publicly accepted for people, including public leaders, to openly condemn religions such as Christianity. This is very specifically a political issue, related to state policy on mass migration, which is often heavily from Muslim countries. Condemning state policies has become synonymous with a double standard on intolerance, which is punishable by the state. And by latching their policies to social issues, political parties have found a way to silence people who are criticizing their policies, by using the powers of the state for harassment and intimidation. Even in the United States, similar practices are now in place, only theyre being enforced by large corporations. Chase Bank is accused of canceling the accounts of some customers who have right-wing views; Twitter and Facebook are accused of censoring conservatives; and Google is accused of firing employees for questioning the company culture of political correctness. British writer George Orwell warned about such systems with his depiction of a fictional thought police in his book Nineteen Eighty-Four. He envisioned this secret police force as being tasked with finding thought criminals and punishing them for thoughtcrime. These thoughtcrimes, as Orwell imagined, referred to illegal thoughts, including unspoken beliefs or negative views toward the fictional ruling party under English Socialism (Ingsoc). The ideal good citizen of this system, Orwell said, is expected to have no private emotions and no respites from enthusiasm. He is supposed to live in a continuous frenzy of hatred of foreign enemies and internal traitors, triumph over victories, and self-abasement before the power and wisdom of the Party. Doublethink Of course, even in the time when Orwell published the book in 1949, examples of regimes like this had been seen under Hitlers National Socialist German Workers Party, Stalins Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and Maos Chinese Communist Party. All three regimes had their own forms of thoughtcrime, and people risked imprisonment or death for opposing the ruling regimes. The deeper nature of the socialist idea is in the struggle, and much like Orwells depiction of a populace living under his fictional Ingsoc regime, people are expected to hold a continuous frenzy of hatred. The systems rely on the state identifying a privileged group, which is framed as taking advantage of the oppressed, and anyone who says otherwise is deemed guilty of ideological treason, for aligning with the privileged. As Orwell imagined, people would go through a series of mental gymnastics to avoid committing thoughtcrimes. This included acts such as doublethink, in which Party members simultaneously held two contradictory viewpoints. In todays world, weve seen this in many cases; the leftist policy that any criticism of Islamism is religious intolerance, but criticizing Christianity is somehow fine, is among the many examples. Repressive Tolerance Yet to understand the deeper logic behind this modern doublethink, we need to understand the root cause of these wild concepts. Socialists hold that their ideas are Utopianthe ultimate goal of progress toward their envisioned stateand anything that opposes that progress is guilty of all the things they seek to destroy. Under Mao Zedong, for example, people who opposed his 1967 theory of political correctnesswhich was used to guard his destruction of Chinese culture during the Cultural Revolutioncould be labeled as a counter-revolutionary and be killed by the regime. In the United States, the idea that anyone who opposes socialist goals should be attacked by any means comes from the Marxist Frankfurt Schools theory of repressive tolerance. The idea, from Herbert Marcuses A Critique of Pure Tolerance in 1965, held that only things that support the socialist cause should be tolerated, and anyone who opposes it should be met with intolerance. It introduced a warped concept of tolerance that tolerates only its own views. Self-Censorship The result of these policies, as Orwell imagined, was a state in which people censor themselvesnot just in public speech, but even in their own minds. He referred to this as crimestop, which he described as the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. He described this self-censorship as a form of protective stupidity that supports the totalitarian regime, even at the defiance of logic. Orwell called this concept blackwhite, which had two meanings: Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts. Applied to a Party member, it means a loyal willingness to say that black is white when Party discipline demands this. We see the same thing today: Intolerance is bad, unless its intolerance of those who oppose socialist policiesthen its encouraged. Attacks on religion are bad, unless theyre attacks on religions that the regime opposes. Racism is bad, unless its attacks on the oppressive races. What were witnessing is the same theory of thoughtcrime that Orwell envisioned, with a similar thought police enforcement branch and the same doublethink, crimestop, and blackwhite tools to justify it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. President Moon Jae-in, second from left, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, commander of the Seventh Air Force, at a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae in this Dec. 8, 2017 photo. Korea Times file By Jung Da-min President Moon Jae-in has invited commanders of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the South Korean military for talks at Cheong Wa Dae Tuesday, Moon's aides said Monday. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Park Han-ki and new military leaders appointed last month South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (ROKUS CFC) deputy commander Gen. Choi Byung-hyuk, and the commanding generals of the Army (Lt. Gen. Suh Wook), Marine (Lt. Gen. Lee Seung-do) and Air Force (Lt. Gen. Won In-choul) as well as the Navy commander (Adm. Sim Seung-Seob) will participate from the South Korean side. Representatives from the U.S. include USFK chief Gen. Robert Abrams, USFK Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, USFK Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy Maj. Gen. James W. Lukeman, Special Operations Command Korea Commander Maj. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind, and Eighth Army Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Patrick J. Donahoe. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) transits in the the Indian Ocean on March 29, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Morgan K. Nall/U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters) US Warship Sails in Disputed South China Sea Amid Trade Tensions WASHINGTONThe U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on May 19, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the worlds two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw China unveil new retaliatory tariffs in response to a U.S. decision to raise its levies on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the ship had entered waters near the shoal without Chinas permission, and the Chinese navy had warned it to leave. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijings efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. The U.S. military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. It was the second such U.S. military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the U.S. Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijings militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. By Idrees Ali A man works in a steel distribution factory in Monterrey in northern Mexico, on May 31, 2018. (JULIO CESAR AGUILAR/AFP/Getty Images) USMCA Still Faces Uncertain Path Despite Clearing a Major Hurdle WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump agreed to lift U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico, removing a key obstacle for the approval of the revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Republican-controlled Senate. The new pact, however, still faces challenges in Democratic House. The United States announced May 17 that it would remove the Section 232 tariffs for steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico that were implemented in 2018. In response, both countries agreed to remove tit-for-tat tariffs they imposed on a variety of U.S. goods. The Trump administrations decision to lift the tariffs will clear a major obstacle for Congress to approve the U.S.MexicoCanada trade agreement (USMCA), according to Bruce Heyman, former U.S. ambassador to Canada and author of The Art of Diplomacy. Two of the three impediments to getting USMCA done have been cleared, he said. One of the impediments, Heyman said, was getting key Republican senators including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on board with the president. Grassley, who had been a vocal opponent of the metal tariffs on Canada and Mexico, applauded Trumps decision, saying the biggest hurdle to ratifying USMCA has been lifted. In addition, tariffs were a major irritant for Ottawa. Hence the Trump administrations move would help remove a key hurdle to getting the trade pact ratified in Canada, Heyman said. The Canadian Parliament may approve the deal as early as next month, he added. In November 2018, the leaders of the United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the USMCA, replacing NAFTA, now more than two decades old. The new pact still needs to be ratified by legislatures in all three countries to take effect. Trumps decision to lift tariffs was also welcome news for U.S. farmers who have been hit by retaliatory tariffs. Starting Monday, our great Farmers can begin doing business again with Mexico and Canada, Trump wrote in a tweet on May 20. They have both taken the tariff penalties off of your great agricultural product. Please be sure that you are treated fairly. The Trump administration now has to work with House Democrats to resolve other issues raised with respect to the agreement. The Remaining Hurdle Democrats, who control the House, have indicated they were not satisfied with the USMCA, calling for stronger enforcement provisions for labor standards. They also want changes to the agreements environment and prescription drug provisions. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) raised concerns about Mexicos ability to deliver on labor commitments and asked the Trump administration to make changes to the agreement. Asked at a Washington Post event about how far away a House vote on USMCA was, Pelosi said they were far away. According to Democrats, labor provisions in the agreement and reform legislation wouldnt do enough to improve labor standards in Mexico. Economist and former Trump campaign adviser Stephen Moore believes Pelosi will stand in the way to prevent Trump from getting a political victory. Of course she doesnt want [the deal approved], he told The Epoch Times, adding that she led the resistance movement. That means anything Trump wants to do, theyre just against it. Whether its good for the economy or not. A top Mexican official delivered an ultimatum to Democrats, saying Mexico wouldnt consider any revision to the USMCA, according to a Politico article. Sweeping Labor Reform As part of the USMCA agreement, Mexico passed sweeping labor reform legislation in April that overhauls the countrys labor union structure. In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer applauded the Mexican Congress and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for passing the reform bill, calling it historic. These reforms will greatly improve Mexicos system of labor justice and are exactly what labor leaders in the United States and Mexico have sought for decades, he said. According to the USTR, one of the big problems with NAFTA was that it encouraged outsourcing from companies that were relocating their production to Mexico to take advantage of the countrys antiquated labor laws. There was no opportunity for the workers to ever vote on the [labor] agreement and no meaningful union democracy. Thats all changing, a senior USTR official told reporters on April 19. The legislation aims to prevent employers from corruptly influencing union elections. It requires workers to have secret ballot votes on both new and existing collective bargaining agreements. This is a major game-changing event in Mexico, the official said. The labor provisions of USMCA will make U.S. and Canadian workers more competitive vis-a-vis Mexican workers, according to experts. The agreement incentivizes the use of high-wage labor in auto manufacturing, requiring 40 percent of each car and 45 percent of each truck to be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. According to an analysis by the USTR, the new pact is expected to boost automotive manufacturing investments in the United States by $34 billion over the next five years. The deal will also provide $23 billion in additional annual sales of U.S. made automotive parts and nearly 76,000 new U.S. jobs in the automotive sector over a five-year period. The USTRs analysis is based largely on information collected from North American automakers as an indication of what manufacturers need to do in order to comply with the new rules of origin under the agreement. The new trade pact will raise the United States real gross domestic product by $68.2 billion, or 0.35 percent, and create 176,000 new jobs, according to a separate analysis released in April by the U.S. International Trade Commission. A spider is pictured in a car in this undated file image. (Pixabay) Van Sinks in River After Driver Jumps out When Spider Lands in Lap A kayakers van is resting at the bottom of a Georgia river, thanks to a spider. Georgia Highway Patrol were called to an incident at the Etawa River in Kingston, Georgia, on May 19, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Highway patrol said that the a young woman was preparing to put her kayak on the river from her Kia van, and was backing down the boat ramp when a spider landed on her lap. She panicked, and jumped out of the van, which rolled down into the river and began to float downstream. She stated that it floated downstream a few feet, a Georgia State Patrol spokesman said according to the AJC. And within seconds, it was totally submerged. A passerby in a boat attempted to locate the van, but without success. The womans insurance company was preparing to send out a dive team to locate the van, according to local reports. Later photographs on Facebook show a van clearly visible under the surface of a river, which the posters say is the same van. It appears to have been strapped to stop it from being swept downstream. According to local reports, the insurance company is intending to pull the van from the river with the help of a dive team. Denver News Womans van rolls away into river after spider jumps into her lap https://t.co/9ImapUre2f pic.twitter.com/cxhbgxiOAs Denver NewsChannel (@Denver_NC) May 20, 2019 Last month in New York state, a woman injured her leg in a crash caused when she was panicked by a spider in her car, according to Cairo police. A photograph released by police at the time shows the front of her car severely damaged after the crash on April 10. We know that it is easier for some drivers than other but PLEASE, try to teach new drivers and yourselves to overcome the fear and pull over to a safe place. Lives depend on it, police wrote in a Facebook post. In 2016, a woman lost control and rolled her car into a ditch when she panicked after a spider dropped down from her rearview mirror, according to Katu. Spider season in full swing.Driver not injured after crash when spider drops from mirror on NW Thompson Rd today.BR pic.twitter.com/oV3woHyv9Z WCSO Oregon (@WCSOOregon) September 21, 2016 Fortunately, the woman only suffered a small scratch on her hand. Walmart Bets Big on Attracting Workforce With New HQ Campus WASHINGTONNew corporate headquarters are springing up across the United States. Walmart Inc., the worlds largest retailer and the countrys biggest private-sector employer, on May 17 revealed plans for a new corporate campus, joining rivals Amazon.com Inc. and Apple in expanding their corporate campuses as President Donald Trump pressures U.S. companies to make larger investments at home. The Bentonville, Ark. based-company is building a new headquarters in its hometowna project it announced in September 2017that will spread over 300 acres and house its nearly 17,000 employees with room to accommodate more as it creates new jobs. Bike trails that run through the heart of the campus, a massive park, fitness centers, food trucks, and child care centers will be some of the amenities that will fuse with a modern aesthetic design, said Dan Bartlett, executive vice-president of corporate affairs, who is overseeing the project. There will also be the more basic elements that go into designing a modern workplace, such as flexible open floor plans that boost collaboration and offer privacy, tall ceilings, lots of windows and light and ample parking space, he said. We are striving to attract and retain the best talent in order to win the future of retail and the key component of that is the work environment that we are creating, Bartlett said. Walmart has kept its plans for a new headquarters relatively low key, unlike some of its rivals. For example, Amazon.com captivated elected officials across North America in September 2017 when it announced it would create more than 50,000 jobs in a second headquarters dubbed HQ2. Cities and states vied desperately for the economic stimulus, with some states offering billions in potential tax credits. After an aggressive hunt, Amazon announced two winners: Long Island City in New York and Arlington, Virginia. But it had to reverse its plans abruptly in the Big Apple after a backlash over various issues, including tax breaks. iPhone maker Apple Inc. also announced it is spending $1 billion to build a second campus in Austin, Texas, that will house up to 15,000 workers. Corporate America has been under political pressure to ramp up investments at home as part of Trumps America First policies, which have led to a bitter trade war with China. It is also increasingly in the interest of U.S. companies to tout investments and job creation, especially because those that have moved jobs overseas or shuttered factories have drawn sharp rebukes from Trump, who has championed job creation. Walmarts Bartlett did not give details on the amount it is investing in the project, nor the number of new jobs it will create at its new campus. He said the project and the capital investment will be phased over multiple years and will not hurt its financials in any single quarter or year. Walmart also did not receive any special packages or tax breaks that were out of the ordinary for its project, he said. It received a state investment credit that any company in Arkansas can apply for and receive, Bartlett added. Our goal was not to extract things from the community, he said. Bartlett said Walmart embarked on this project because the companys current headquarters are at full capacity and its home office workforce is stretched over 20 buildings across Bentonville and Rogers, Arkansas. The new buildings will have solar panels atop parking decks, energy-efficient lighting, regionally sourced building materials, including mass timber constructionin addition to a connected campus design. The retailer took design inspiration from the headquarters of companies like McDonalds Corp, Deloitte, large consumer product makers, and others on the West Coast. Officials also visited college campuses such as Stanford, the University of Texas and the University of Arkansas. Demolition will begin this summer and the new campus will be constructed through 2024. By Nandita Bose Woman Attacks 3-Year-Old Boy on the Street for Bringing Bad Luck A woman attacked a 3-year-old boy on a street in broad daylight under the pretense of attempting to divert bad luck. The child received at least seven stitches on his head, according to Chinese online media The Paper.cn. The incident occurred in Guangdong Province, China on May 11. The attack only stopped when a passerby intervened. The woman, surnamed Lei, was detained by police in Taishan City, the report said. Bad Luck or Bad Behavior? Lei attacked the boy since she believed that the boys grandmother, last name Zhang, carried bad luck for being in mourning over her recently deceased mother, according to the report. However, it is unclear how Lei identified Zhangs loss. Zhang reportedly went into Leis corner market on May 11. Lei believed that since Zhang came into her store, she brought a field of bad luck. And Lei believed she had to do something to dispel it. Security camera footage revealed Lei approaching Zhangs grandson, who was playing with his older sister, according to an interview with the boys father by short-video news outlet Pear Videos. She asked, wheres your grandma? And he said shes at home washing dishes,' the boys father told Pear Videos. Then she took out a water pipe that she had hid in her bag. The footage shows Lei walking directly behind the boy, and taking an object out of her pink purse. Without hesitation, she strikes the boy on the back of the head. His knees buckle, causing him to fall to the ground, and Lei misses her next attack. This does not stop her, as she continues swinging, and the boy attempts to crawl away. By the fourth swing, a man who happened to park a moped right next to the incident, runs toward Lei. He shoves her backward, and she topples to the ground. The man goes back and forth between looking at the boy and Lei, and the two adults point fingers at one another. After the boy was taken to the hospital, he received seven to eight stitches, according to various reports. His back also had several bruises. Lei was later detained by the local police. Woman Builds Minimal Home in Hawaii for Not Much Kristie Wolfe had some building experience from constructing her own tiny home on wheels in her hometown of Pocatello, Idaho. After learning to love living on less, Wolfe wanted some land to build a tiny vacation home with some of the money she was saving with her pared-down lifestyle, according to a YouTube video. Wolfe ended up buying a plot of land in Hawaii without seeing it for about $8,000. A year later, she and her mother flew with tools to build a bamboo treehouse that blended with the surrounding jungle. After two months of hard work, and spending about $11,000, Wolfe had her second home. Some may feel the 15-foot by 15-foot house is too small, but Wolfe sees the size as an asset. My original house was 97 square feet so that was really tiny so this feels huge, she said of her 225-square-foot home. I think small homes are beautiful because it fits with my lifestyle. I think having a lot of stuff mentally weighs you down even in ways that you dont realize, she said. Giant Idaho Potato Turned Into an Airbnb Wolfe was recently involved in another tiny house project involving a giant fake potato. The six-ton prop potato was dubbed the Big Idaho Potato Hotel, according to the Idaho Statesman, which reported that it traveled on the back of a semi-truck to promote Idaho potatoes. Wolfe told the paper that she had spent about two years on the potatos tour. I had the perfect lot, and some day I was going to get that potato and turn it into something cool, she told the Idaho Statesman. Related Coverage Marriott to Expand Further Into Home-Sharing On April 22, the state-run Famous Idaho Potatoes Facebook page said that the massive vegetable has been officially recycled as an Airbnb and includes a bathroom, fireplace, and hot tub. We have a couple from Europe thats doing a trip to the Oregon Coast, she told the Statesman. Theyre rerouting their trip to spend a night here, which is pretty fun. She has planted potatoes around the Airbnb room and brought in a Jersey cow. Its very American, the Idaho Statesman quoted Wolfe as saying. Youve got potatoes and the military and the railroad. Its a good way to experience Idaho in a night or two. May 20 A 26-year-old Brookfield Street man was charged with possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana. He was given a court date of May 29. May 19 A 27-year-old Stamford woman was charged with possession of a narcotic with intent to sell, possession of controlled substance and possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana. She was held on $50,000 bond and given a court date of May 29. A 55-year-old Flax Hill Road man was charged with third-degree assault. He was held on $1,500 bond and given a court date of May 30. A 22-year-old Lexington Avenue man was charged with third-degree assault. He was held on $500 bond and given a court date of May 31. A 32-year-old New York man was charged with sale of a narcotic, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, interfering with an officer and tampering with physical evidence. He was held on $100,000 bond and given a court date of May 29. A 47-year-old Grumman Avenue man was charged with driving under the influence, failure to drive in the proper lane and driving the wrong way on a one-way street. He was held on $2,000 bond and given a court date of May 31. May 18 A 56-year-old New Hampshire woman was charged with sixth-degree larceny and risk of injury to a child. She was held on $1,000 bond and given a court date of May 31. A 55-year-old New York woman was charged with second-degree breach of peace. She was given a court date of May 20. A 38-year-old New London woman was charged with two counts of sixth-degree larceny. She was given a court date of May 28. A 60-year-old Third Street woman was charged with two counts of sixth-degree larceny. She was given a court date of May 28. A 30-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with disorderly conduct. He was held on $3,000 bond and given a court date of May 20. May 17 A 48-year-old Green Lane man was charged with risk of injury to a child and disorderly conduct. He was held on $5,000 bond and given a court date of May 20. A 27-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with first-degree failure to appear and second-degree failure to appear. He was held on $200 bond and given a court date of May 31. A 48-year-old Summitt Avenue man was charged with third-degree assault, second-degree threatening and disorderly conduct. He was held on $5,000 bond and given a court date of May 31. By Lee Gyu-lee A man has been booked for allegedly exposing himself to middle school girls in Mapo, Seoul, according to Mapo police, Monday. Police said the suspect, 30, allegedly targeted students walking alone and indecently exposed himself more than 10 times over a month from March to April. The suspect was nabbed last month after police identified him through footage from public surveillance cameras around the school. He allegedly told police he was curious how the students would react. The case has been sent to the prosecutors' office for indictment. The library will offer online badges and prizes for children. First prize is a kids meal, second prize is a book, third prize is the Nebraska State Fair coupon booklet, fourth prize is a prize from the box, fifth prize is a snack, sixth prize is a prize from the prize box, seventh prize is swimming pass to Lincoln Pool, eighth prize is a kids meal or snack, ninth prize is a day pass to the YMCA, and 10th prize is a Ticket to Fun. The more you read the more times your name goes in for special drawings at the end of the summer. The library will be closed on Sunday, May 26, and Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day holiday, but programming will really take off on Tuesday, May 28, with stories and crafts and baby lapsits at 10:30 a.m. In the afternoon, tween/ teen programming will kick off with Anime at 2. Saturday storytime for all ages is at 11 a.m. The library will offer a Summer Reading Enrichment program from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays starting May 30 and running through July 25. This program offers a program in which volunteers read with children as reading consistently over the summer helps children and teens to maintain or improve their reading scores. Parents need to register their children ahead of time. When I was first elected to the Legislature in the fall of 2014, a friend explained to me the importance of being able to count votes. This last week I have put that sage advice to work: Trust everyone but count the votes. Thirty-three, it takes 33 out of 49 votes to stop a filibuster and vote for cloture. Last week three proposals have failed to advance due to a failure to garner 33 votes to cease debate and trigger a vote on the advancement of the bill. Lawmakers debated a bill May 15 that would create a new business tax incentive program to replace the Nebraska Advantage Act. The application period for that program is set to end next year. Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, sponsor of LB720, said the new program, called the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, would be simpler and more transparent than the Nebraska Advantage Act, focus on high-wage jobs and improve the states ability to attract new business investment. I opposed the bill, the state has forgone approximately $1.5 billion in revenue under existing tax incentive programs without seeing a commensurate increase in economic growth. After three hours of debate, and the lack of a solid 33 votes for cloture, the Legislature moved on before voting on the bill. EDWARDSVILLE The 1820 Benjamin Stephenson House is hosting its annual Bens Bash this year to kick off the summer. The outdoor event will take place on-site Saturday, June 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. Tickets are for sale now until June 15 and can be purchased online or in the gift shop. All the proceeds go to keeping the history and the Benjamin Stephenson house alive. With your ticket, you get entrance into the event for a day filled with music, laughter, and good times. Additionally, you will receive a plate of food and a beverage of your choice (for adults this can include an alcoholic beverage or non-alcoholic beverage). For the little ones, they too will receive a hot dog, bag of chips, and a drink of their choice. Adult tickets are $20 and childrens tickets (ages 3-12) are $10. Children under the age of 3 are free. Additional food and drinks may be purchased on-site. Vegan options will not be avaialble at the event. Activities are available for all ages. On the patio, a live bluegrass band will perform featuring Keith Dudding & The Mountain River Valley Boys. The patio will offer seating where you can dine on locally made BBQ. If the patio is too fancy, you can always set up camp on the lawn and relax and enjoy your meal. What about the kids? The entire family is encouraged to come. Included in the childrens ticket is access to a 50-foot bounce house obstacle course, snow cone for purchase and the lawn which offers open seating. What about the adults? Included in the adult ticket, seven different stations for cornhole/bags will be available. There will also be other yard games for individuals to play such as yard Yahtzee and yard Jenga. The Stephenson House will not be open for tours June 22. National Human Rights Commission of Korea building in Seoul. Korea Times file By Kim Hyun-bin The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has concluded police violated a migrant worker's right to remain silent when investigating a massive fire at an oil storage facility last year, by forcing him to confess to arson. According to the commission, Monday, the Sri Lankan construction worker was detained on Oct. 8 for accidentally setting fire to the large oil storage facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, after letting loose a sky lantern. He then underwent close to 29 hours of police questioning. The commission evaluated the interrogation footage and found police officers saying "don't lie," or "isn't that a lie?" over a total of 123 times, which the commission believes forced a confession out of the suspect. The Constitution guarantees a suspect's right to remain silent, and relevant laws also state the police are not allowed to violate that right by forcing a confession, according to the commission. "The police officers said the suspect was lying when he made remarks that were "advantageous" to himself. This is an act of forcing a confession and cannot be seen as a normal interrogation procedure under the current criminal justice system," the commission said. Even if there is concrete evidence, it should not be used to pressure or force the suspect to respond, it added. The commission also found it was inappropriate for part of the suspect's identity to be made public. "The police released to the press the suspect's nationality, age, gender and type of visa, which violates one's privacy guaranteed by the Constitution," the commission added. It advised the head of the regional police agencies to give warning to the officers in question and provide education to all of its officers about suspects' rights protection in interrogation. The police at the time detained the migrant worker and sought an arrest warrant, but the prosecution did not accept the request. Prosecutors questioned him but have not indicted him. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Johannes Carlito Hutapea (The Jakarta Post) Paris Mon, May 20, 2019 11:24 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c7883 3 Opinion democracy,politics,election,#2019GeneralElections,Constitution Free My newly retired constitutional law professor Dominique Rousseau, a very respected professor who taught at Sorbonne Law School once said. the constitution is a regulator of passions. It reestablishes balance between the extreme wills upheld by different components of a democracy. We must learn to respect the constitution in order to advance as a law abiding nation. The state of democracy is always crucial, regardless of the country, or even the political parties in a given nation. The word democracy in itself is very often misunderstood or misused, even though its subjective meaning is debatable. Democracy, derived from demokratia in ancient Greek, can be divided into two segments : demos meaning the people, and kratos meaning to command. in a democracy, the people hold the power. However, today most of us forget that Indonesia, as well as almost all democratic countries, adopt a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, the people express their will through their representatives, the elected officials. In fine, a representative democracy can only be successful enough and flourish if the people trust in the system. This is why Article 22E of the Indonesian Constitution states that : General elections shall be conducted in a direct, general, free, secret, honest, and fair manner once every five years. The general election is the most powerful tool held by the people in a representative democracy. A crisis involving trust might be a common problem amongst newly established democracies, but it even occurs in experienced ones. For example, as Indonesia attempts to tackle its own crisis, people in France have been protesting and conducting massive demonstrations over the months in a movement led by the yellow vests. Though the movement was initiated because of the lack of trust in the current French government, the people recognize their rights (established mostly in the Declaration Of Human And Civic Rights Of 1789) and refer to the 1958 Constitution in order to rightfully claim justice. Even though a slim minority seeks an anarchist movement, the vast majority knows its place and role as the people. This is an example of results attributed to a lengthy process of democratisation that started in the 18th century. Recently, in a televized post-election interview, a political activist suggested that people power will prevail. According to him, as a logical consequence, reporting alleged election fraud would be pointless. This claim was also backed up by a previous member of the People's Consultative Assembly. The claim is significant not only because it is highly provocative, but also due to its distorted context. The most important and powerful tool that the people can access in a representative democracy is their right to vote. Should there be any suspicion of a fraudulent one, it must be reported. In a rule of law, the law itself is the guarantee to the peoples sovereignty. Therefore, judicial procedures must be carried out in order to not only clarify, but also punish the wrongful party or parties (in case of a proven fraud). Claiming that the people should take matters into their own hands in order to obtain justice is highly unconstitutional. It is stated in the very first article of our Constitution that : Sovereignty is in the hands of the people and is implemented according to this Constitution.. Encouraging anarchy as well as promoting outrage and distrust is a very dangerous move. Nevertheless, both parties shall engage in a reasonable conflict, by adopting legal procedures to determine the outcome of this chaotic mess. As we all have observed, distrust in the system can only lead to chaos and division which is furthermore accentuated by Indonesias diverse nature. The government must imperatively take this opportunity to assert its integrity and regain trust. By ensuring a fair legal procedure, the government shall once again be the backbone of the Constitution, which is the supreme norm in this representative democratic republic. Setting an example is of the utmost importance today. This election will set a precedent for future generations. It is time to unite and learn to be responsible while executing our rights as the people. With great power comes even greater responsibility. We must be wise and solidify our bond, especially considering our diverse nature. The Constitution shall be our foundation in this battle for the truth. Only this supreme norm that we all have in common can be the justification when resolving our diverse distress. We must hold on to the law and uphold justice in an organized manner. *** The writer is an Indonesian student at Sorbonne Law School (Universite Paris 1) in Paris, France. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 14:59 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738ceb78 1 Editorial #Editorial,Indonesia,ring-of-fire,natural-disaster,disaster-mitigation Free It is destiny that Indonesia lies in a menacing geographical location; it is surrounded by three tectonic plates, Indo-Australian, Eurasian and Pacific, and sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, characterized by numerous active volcanoes. As a consequence, Indonesia is prone to natural disasters like tectonic and volcanic earthquakes, tsunamis, as well as man-made disasters. The country endured 2,564 disasters last year, including earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, land liquefaction and landslides, which left 3,300 people dead, more than 1,400 missing and 21,000 others injured. The trend does not seem to show any signs of abating in 2019, as in the first three months of the year, 438 people died, nearly three times the figure in same period last year, when 152 people lost their lives due to disasters, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported. Many of the disasters, particularly volcanic earthquakes, are part of a cycle, which means they would erupt again after several hundred or thousands of years. It is true that earthquakes are not preventable, but in view of their cyclical characteristics, we can always anticipate them in advance so that their impacts could be prevented or at least mitigated. As the Special Report in todays paper reveals, despite the imminent risks of disaster, the country is more focused on post-disaster than risk-prevention measures as stipulated in the 2007 law on disaster management. Financial constraints have been frequently said to impede efforts to prevent and mitigate disasters. However, the main problem may rest with the Indonesian people themselves, as they tend to ignore or underestimate the obvious threats of disasters. Part of the blame should also go to continuing environmental degradation, which has triggered many non-natural disasters. Worse, the law is not strictly enforced against parties and business entities that contribute to environmental damages. It is perhaps high time for the nation to change the way it views and understands disasters both natural and man-made and for all of us to begin to switch our perspective from post-disaster efforts to risk-prevention measures. Such a paradigm shift is expected to not only reduce the risks and impacts of natural disasters, but also significantly ease the burden of the state budget in post-disaster efforts. Disaster risk reduction has become a global commitment, and as BNPB head Doni Monardo stated in last weeks Global Platform in Geneva, concerted efforts involving the government, public figures, private sector, academics and civil society groups are key. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 09:02 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c00b5 1 Editorial #Editorial,family,political-dynasty,politics,democracy Free It appears that for many, politics has become a family business. At the national level, political dynasties are alive and well. Megawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno and now matriarch of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is preparing her own daughter, Puan Maharani, to take up the mantle. Her rival, former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is grooming his eldest son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, as a national leader. Political dynasties are by no means uniquely Indonesian. The United States has the Bushes, the Clintons and the Kennedys. In neighboring countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore, scions of political dynasties are still making headlines in the media. The rise of a political family is not necessarily bad and could even be considered something natural since families of popular politicians often get the same amount of public exposure and are therefore bestowed with the so-called brand name advantage to prevail in elections. But we have reasons to be concerned about the emergence of new political dynasties at the regional level. The results of the 2019 general election have shown that dynastic politics remains potent in several regions, with spouses and relatives of local leaders predicted to win legislative seats. In West Sumatra, the wives of two regional heads secured seats in the House of Representatives, while one obtained a seat in the provincial legislative council. They are Nevi Zuairina, the wife of West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno, Lisda Hendrajoni, the wife of South Pesisir Regent Hendrajoni and Yunisra Syahiran, the wife of West Pasaman Regent Syahiran. In East Nusa Tenggara, the wives of three regional heads also won legislative seats. They are Ratu Wulla, the wife of Southwest Sumba Regent Markus Dairo Talu and Kristiana Muki, the wife of North Central Timor Regent Raymundus Fernandes, both obtained House seats, while Hilda Manafe, the wife of Kupang Mayor Jefri Riwu Kore, obtained a seat in the Regional Representatives Council. Analysts have said these legislative candidates won the election on the back of their spouses popularity and grassroots network. There is also suspicion that the influence of their spouses or relatives has enabled them to appear on the top of the candidate list on the ballot. This is bad for democracy as it would close the possibility of a better candidate prevailing. It is even worse if the spouses were elected legislative members of the same city or regency where their husbands or wives are mayors or regents. In Banten, we have seen how a political family with a strong grip on the local political institutions could easily be drawn to corruption. Ratu Atut Chosiyah, the leader of a major political clan in the province, was convicted of graft along with her businessman brother, Tubagus Chaeri Wardana. The rise of many new politicians gives us hope for a wider recruitment base beyond the dynasties. But in a bid to maintain control over resources, political parties favor stronger figures, including those from dynasties, regardless of their track records. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 09:04 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c0b94 1 Science & Tech Stephen-Hawking-Medal,stephen-hawking,STARMUS-Festival,science-and-technology,Elon-Musk,Brian-Eno,Apollo-11,documentary,Todd-Miller Free Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been selected to receive the Stephen Hawking Medal for his astounding accomplishments in space travel and for humanity. The STARMUS Festival announced the 2019 winners of the Stephen Hawking Medal for science communication on May 10. Joining Musk as award-winners are Brian Eno and documentary Apollo 11 by Todd Douglas Miller. Eno is rewarded for his contribution to the popularization of science, while the documentary is noted for presenting a breakthrough look at historys most famous space mission. According to Mashable, SpaceX is known for building next-generation rockets that have launched satellites and delivered supplies to the International Space Station. Commenting on Eno, fellow musician Peter Gabriel said, Brian has often created the doorway through which the avant-garde enters the mainstream. He has been the creator of ambient and now evolutionary musical forms, challenging the role, nature and perceptions of what art can and should do. Read also: Elon Musk, visionary Tesla and SpaceX founder The medal ceremony will be held on June 24 at the STARMUS V Festival in Zurich. Scientist and educator Bill Nye will be the host, and attendees include Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins and six other Apollo mission astronauts. STARMUS co-founder and board member Brian May, who is also a member of legendary band Queen, will present the medal to Musk. A performance of Once Upon a Time on the Moon by composer Hans Zimmer will enliven the ceremony as an anniversary tribute to the Apollo missions. Founded in 2011, STARMUS is a biennial festival bringing together scientists, astronauts, musicians and artists who share their passion for knowledge with the public. This years awards come one year after Hawking's passing. Previous recipients of the medal include Zimmer, astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson and television series The Big Bang Theory. (wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Deborah Cole (Agence France-Presse) Cannes, France Mon, May 20, 2019 06:02 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738b60bb 2 Entertainment Cannes-Film-Festival,film,Alfred-Hitchcock,Women,Austria,Little-Joe,Jessica-Hausner Free Jessica Hausner, one of four female directors vying for the Cannes top prize, remembers watching "crazy women" in movies by the great Hollywood masters and sensing something was off. "I mean Vertigo -- it was clear he was the one who was crazy," she said of Hitchcock's film noir classic in which a traumatized policeman (James Stewart) tracks a "hysterical" woman (Kim Novak). For Hausner's feminist sci-fi thriller Little Joe, which is premiering at the world's top film festival, she said she wanted to explore how "crazy" becomes a label used to keep women down. "I was always fascinated by the films about crazy women. I felt that male perspective and I thought 'Yeah, but what's so crazy about them?'" she said. "The 'craziness' of women is actually the very interesting point about them because I think it's also about being sensitive and intelligent." Little Joe, the Austrian director's first English-language feature, tells the story of Alice (British actress Emily Beecham), a senior botanist in a biotech firm in the UK of the near future. She leads a team of plant breeders developing genetically manipulated strains of flowers that can make their owners eternally happy if they sniff the pollen. A single mother, Alice names the blossom "Little Joe" after her young son, whom she worries she is neglecting while she pursues her career. Read also: First black African woman enters Cannes race with migrant ghost story 'Unlike a fairytale' The top-secret project begins to derail when Alice's male colleagues and her son become addicted to the scent and allow their love for Little Joe to supplant all their human relationships. Anyone who comes between them and their blossoms soon becomes seen as a threat. A veteran of the lab (Kerry Fox) is the first to raise the alarm to the dangers of the flowers but is dismissed as batty by her co-workers and, at least at first, Alice. Hausner said Alice's "Dr Frankenstein" character, who loses control of her own creation, served as a good metaphor for motherhood and its occasional ambivalence. "The main character of my film is a woman torn between her responsibility for her work and for the plants she created but on the other hand there is her son that she takes care of," she said. "It's not a social drama or a psychological drama -- I think the film's more a fairytale-like story. In a fairytale the main character has to overcome all these problems. But unlike a fairytale, in the end (of the film) nothing is more clear than it was in the beginning." Read also: Women at the Cannes Film Festival 'I'm still waiting' Beecham told AFP she and Hausner had looked to women researchers like French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, who helped develop the gene-editing process CRISPR/Cas-9, and primatologist Jane Goodall for inspiration. The English actress said Goodall in particular commented on how her relationship with her family had interfered with her research. "She kind of had to put that on the back burner and put the chimpanzees in the forefront," said Beecham, best known for her part in Joel and Ethan Coen's Hail Caesar. Hausner, who began as a script assistant on Michael Haneke's suburban horror film Funny Games, is a regular of the Cannes sidebar sections who has developed a cult following for unsettling dramas including Lovely Rita and Lourdes. She said she welcomed a debate raging at the festival about movie industry sexism. "Before that, it was obvious too but no one said anything. It was just the way it was. Male directors dominated the festival and not only this festival but all the festivals," she said. She said that she knew the deck was stacked against women when she was 16 and her parents gave her a book about great people in history. "I opened the index and there was one woman and it was (the scientist) Marie Curie," she said. "And I thought 'Maybe it's only for men' but on the other hand I knew exactly that this is not true -- a woman can do great things as well. So I waited, I thought, 'This will change.' But it didn't change for such a long time. Now I'm 46 so it's 30 years later and I'm still waiting." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 07:06 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738b6f51 1 Art & Culture art-exhibition,Bulgaria,Indonesia,cultural-diplomacy,artists Free The Indonesian Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria has launched a contemporary paper art exhibition as part of ongoing cultural diplomacy with the Southeast European country. The exhibition, titled "Eastern Rhythms", was officiated by Indonesian Ambassador to Bulgaria Sri Astari Rasjid. The event is part of the Wonders of Indonesia campaign aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between Indonesia and Bulgaria on tourism, trade and investment. Sri contributed three works of photography, which serve as a feminist commentary on the binary nature of masculinity and femininity, to the exhibition. Exhibition curator Bambang "Toko" Witjaksono said he wanted to showcase various pieces of art made by Indonesian artists that paint a unique portrait of Indonesia, ranging from traditional cultures and cuisines to sociopolitical realities in the country. Read also: White on Black exhibition: When hand-drawn art meets augmented reality He went on to say that the paper art exhibition highlighted various artistic media such as papier-mache, watercolor and sculptures. The exhibition showcases the works of 17 Indonesian artists including Butet Kertaradjasa, Beng Rahardian, Djoko Susilo, Surya Wirawan and Eunike Nugroho. Nurul Sofia, the Indonesian Embassys first secretary for culture in Sofia, told Antara news agency that attendees at the launch event were enthralled by renowned Indonesian artist Butet Kertaradjasas reading of A. Mustafa Bisris classic poem titled "Kalau Kau Sibuk Kapan Kau Sempat" (When Youre Busy When Will You Have Time). The exhibition, which will run until May 26, is also part of this years Sofia Paper Art Festival. (riz/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 16:46 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738d39b1 1 Art & Culture art,Museum-MACAN,Jeff-Koons,bernardaud,porcelain Free Balloon-shaped porcelain sculptures, inspired by American artist Jeff Koons works, are on display at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN) in Jakarta. The porcelains are part of a limited edition collaboration between French porcelain house Bernardaud and Koons, who just made headlines after his stainless steel Rabbit sculpture was sold for US$91.1 million at a Christies auction breaking the record at auction for a work by a living artist. Indonesian furniture shop Bika Living launched the Jeff Koons X Bernardaud collection at Museum MACAN on Monday. The porcelains will be on display until May 29 at the museums shop, according to a press release from Museum MACAN. The three shiny pieces namely Balloon Swan (Magenta), Balloon Rabbit (Violet), and Balloon Monkey (Orange), are all derived from Koons sculptures of the same name. The original Balloon Swan, created in 2004, has a personal significance for Koons, whose first sculpture made at the age of nine was a ceramic swan. Balloon Swan harmonizes sexual energy. If you look at it from the front, its totem-like and male. If you go to the side it becomes female. Balloon Swan is reminiscent of classical works, it defines beauty as sexual harmony, Koons said in a statement. Balloon Rabbit is steeped in the artists upbringing in rural Pennsylvania, where people would put inflatable rabbits in their front yard at Easter. I was always very struck by the generosity of the neighbors in doing that, giving pleasure to other people in that way. One of the things Im most proud of is making work that lets viewers not feel intimidated by art, but feel that they can emotionally participate in it through their senses and their intellect and be fully engaged. With Balloon Monkey, Koons fascination with the simian has been a recurring motif in his artwork, most notably in the life-sized porcelain sculpture Michael Jackson and Bubbles created in 1988. On May 15, Koons sculpture Rabbit sold at a Christies auction for a record-breaking $91.1 million. While the selling price was $80 million, commissions and fees bumped the figure up. Koons also held a five-year record for a living artist from 2013 for his sculpture Balloon Dog (Orange), which sold for $58.4 million at the time. (yps) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin James Ludden (Bloomberg) Mon, May 20, 2019 16:09 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738d2314 2 Entertainment Madonna,Eurovision,Eurovision-Song-Contest Free Madonna and a leather-clad punk group from Iceland added a tinge of political controversy to Saturdays Eurovision song contest, held this year in Tel Aviv and broadcast to a global audience of about 200 million. The show featured Madonna singing Like a Prayer and her new song Future, which ended with two of her dancers wearing Israeli and Palestinian flags on their backs. Organizers, keen to make clear that the event is supposed to be non-political, later said the details were not an approved part of the act. Icelands Eurovision act could face sanctions. Hatari, a heavy-metal bondage trio who call themselves anti-capitalist and techno-dystopian, unveiled a small Palestinian banner while the public vote for their song was being announced, prompting TV footage to cut away within seconds. Read also: Madonna, on Eurovision, says she won't bow 'to suit someone's political agenda' In a statement, Eurovision said its executive board will discuss the consequences of this action. Even before the annual contest, themed as Dare to Dream, the event was a lightning rod for controversy. Some musicians, including producer Brian Eno and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, called for a boycott, while Madonna had said she wanted to create a new path toward peace. The 2020 edition may not be quite so contentious. The winning entry traditionally hosts the following years contest -- possibly to the organizers relief, Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands, came out top. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Mon, May 20, 2019 07:42 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738b7aac 1 National tiger,tiger-attack,North-Sumatra Free Rubber tapper Abusali Hasibuan is believed to have been mauled by a tiger in a plantation area in Ulu Barumun district of Padang Lawas regency, North Sumatra. His body was in a deplorable condition when locals and police personnel discovered it on Thursday night. The 61-year-old had apparently lost his right arm, while his head was found 50 meters away from the body. The remains have been sent to the nearby Sibuhuan Hospital for an autopsy. His brother Sapran Hasibuan said Abusali would usually come home before sunset, but on Thursday he had not returned until it was dark. His family then set out to look for him, together with other residents. After hours of searching, we finally found his head near a hut, Sapran said. About 50 meters from where the head was found, we discovered the body, missing the right arm. Sapran said he assumed his brother had been attacked by a tiger that had been haunting the community of Siraisan village in Ulu Barumun in the past month. Siraisan village head Sangkot Hasibuan revealed that livestock in the hamlet was likely to have been killed by the tiger. Ulu Barumun Police chief Adj. Comr. Sudirman said police were working to locate the tiger. Hopefully, there will be no more victims, he said. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 Having been an asylum seeker for three years, 15-year-old Umar Nasir from Ethiopia is getting used to observing Ramadan in Indonesia. Nasir, his parents and elder sister fled their war-torn hometown of Jimma in 2017. The way Indonesian Muslims observe Ramadan has struck him particularly. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Representatives from Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea hold hands during a trilateral meeting over police reform at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo A new unit will be set up under the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) that will be independent from the current police administrative structure, the ruling bloc said Monday. Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling party added that this move was part of plans to reform the police force to prevent an excessive expansion of its power. The plans come amid strong opposition from prosecutors to the government's judiciary reform efforts that include expanding the independent investigative authority of the police to reduce the power wielded by the prosecution. Prosecutors, as well as some critics, have raised concerns over the police receiving too much authority. The three-way meeting was held at the National Assembly, attended by senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk, Interior Minister Chin Young, KNPA Commissioner General Min Gab-ryong and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Lee In-young. "By controlling administrative involvement in investigations and quickly implementing the planned autonomy system, we will decentralize police power," Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, the ruling party's chief policymaker who also attended the meeting, said in a media briefing at the Assembly. The new KNPA investigative organization will take charge of investigations without handling administrative affairs or issues about public safety and order. It will be independent of the commissioner general and regional agency heads, so they will not be able to interfere with investigations. In addition, its leadership position will be open to former and current senior police officers with a minimum of 10 years investigative experience, as well as to judges, prosecutors and lawyers with over 10 years of experience. The government said this was part of enacting its municipal police system plan. By 2022, 43,000 police officers from the national police organization will be transferred to local police bodies, tasked with dealing with public security-related affairs. To ensure this, the ruling bloc must get the system passed into law at the National Assembly and so it is asking all lawmakers to approve the relevant revision bills. It also needs to select five jurisdictions and regions for test operations as soon as possible through a selection committee. Rep. Cho said a system will also be set up to permanently prevent police officers in charge of collecting intelligence from carrying out illegal surveillance on people critical of the government, in an effort to maintain the KNPA's political neutrality. This move comes after Kang Shin-myung, a former police chief, was arrested last week on charges of illegally intervening in politics in 2016 during the Park Geun-hye administration. The case highlighted suspected police intervention in politics and the illegal surveillance. Participants of the trilateral meeting also agreed to lower the freshmen quota of the Korean National Police University from 100 to 50 to prevent its graduates from monopolizing ranking positions. These measures are largely seen as a move to ease complaints from the prosecution, as Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il has expressed repeated opposition to a judiciary reform plan by saying excessive police power will infringe on the basic rights of the people. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 10:22 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c3f45 4 Business Batik-Air,report,police,Padang,smoking Free Batik Air has reported a passenger to the police for smoking in a planes toilet while flying from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta to Padang Pariaman in West Sumatra on Sunday, according to a press statement issued by the airline. After the flight landed at Minangkabau Airport in Padang Pariaman, the senior flight attendant and the pilot reported the incident to ground handling and aviation security officers, who then reported the man, identified only as ES, to the police and airport authority. All Batik Air flights are smoke-free, including smoking electronic cigarettes. On each flight, a flight attendant always announces the smoking prohibition, the airline said in the statement. Under a civil flight security regulation, each plane with a capacity of 20 passengers or more is required to install a smoke detector in each toilet as well as a fire extinguisher. United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited smoking on airplanes while in flight in 1989, with the ban being adopted internationally in 1998. In the statement, Batik Air urged all passengers to abide by the regulation. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Vienna, Austria Mon, May 20, 2019 17:15 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738d7ea6 2 World graft,SebastianKurz,Austria,Austrian-Freedom-Party,resignation Free Austrian far-right ministers on Monday were ready to leave their positions after a corruption scandal caused the coalition government to collapse, the party leader said. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for fresh elections after a camera sting forced his deputy, Heinz-Christian Strache from the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), to resign on Saturday, just ahead of the EU elections. Since then media speculation has been mounting that Kurz also wants controversial far-right Interior Minister Herbert Kickl out. "We will give up our government offices if Interior Minister Herbert Kickl is forced out," said Norbert Hofer, who is infrastructure minister and took over the FPOe leadership from Strache on Sunday. Strache stepped down as vice-chancellor and FPOe leader after recordings published by German media Friday showed him offering government contracts in return for campaign help to a fake Russian backer in a villa on the resort island of Ibiza. Elsewhere in the footage, Strache appears to hint at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny. Kickl was FPOe secretary general at the time when any political donations would have been made. Strache on Saturday denied the party had received illegal funds. "It is clear Herbert Kickl cannot probe himself," Kurz was quoted by the Kurier newspaper on Monday. He said the recordings were the final straw in a string of FPOe-related scandals. Perhaps the most damaging recent controversy linked to interior minister Kickl was last year's raids on the domestic intelligence agency BVT. Numerous documents were seized, raising fears among Austria's Western partners about the possibility of leaks to Moscow. The FPOe has a cooperation agreement with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 18:52 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738dbef5 4 City collapse,Central-Jakarta,incident,construction,suspect,Jakarta-police Free Sawah Besar Police in Central Jakarta have named four suspects in a case of alleged negligence in a school-renovation project that caused a wall in state elementary school SD 11 in Sawah Besar, Pasar Baru to collapse claiming one life. We have questioned eight witnesses and named four suspects in the investigation of the case, Sawah Besar Police chief Comr. Mirzal Maulana said on Monday as reported by kompas.com. The four suspects are the operator of heavy equipment identified only as AK, the project supervisor AM, and workers SI and FS. The owner of a food stall next to the school, identified only as LN, 59, died after a wall the construction workers were demolishing collapsed onto her food stall. Besides killing LN, two people inside the food stall were also injured in the incident. The workers allegedly did not inform LN before tearing down the wall. Moreover, the construction work was undertaken without a letter of authority or coordination with local residents, Mirzal claimed. So they tore down the walls without making any confirmation or providing information related to the activity, he added. The suspects will be charged under Article 359 of the Criminal Code on negligence causing death, with a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 17:02 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738d7549 4 Business external-factors,Global-Economy-Threats,trade-war,state-budget Free Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said Indonesia is to still face a tough external economic challenge in 2020 because of an adverse geopolitical situation that was particularly triggered by a trade war between the United States and China. She was speaking before House of Representatives lawmakers in a plenary session on Monday when she submitted the governments macroeconomic indicators and basic fiscal policies for the 2020 state budget. It [the trade war] will risk global economic growth and will weaken international trade, Sri Mulyani said as quoted by kontan.co.id. She said global economic growth will weaken not only because of the US-China trade war, but because of the United Kingdom's unresolved Brexit issue and economic crises in Turkey and Argentina The minister said the situation was reflected in Indonesias exports in the first quarter of 2019, which declined by 2.08 percent year-on-year (yoy). Sri Mulyani said the governments efforts to narrow the current account deficit had also contributed to the economic weakening. She cited a 7.7 percent decline in imports as an issue because Indonesian imports were dominated by raw materials and capital goods needed by manufacturing industries. To keep economic growth momentum, the government will focus on investment recovery and boost exports, she said, adding that the government would maintain the growth of consumption through improving purchasing power and price stability and by strengthening consumer confidence. Sri Mulyani said external factors had provided tough challenges for the Indonesian economy since 2018 because of an increase of the US Federal Reserve fund rate, which was followed by a capital outflow from emerging countries, including Indonesia. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20 2019 In the pipeline: A worker checks pipes at a water service provider PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya water treatment plant in Jakarta. (JP) Access to clean water remains elusive for many Jakartans even for those covered by the tap water service with some residents complaining about having to use stinking, turbid and wormy tap water for daily activities. A case in point is a complaint by residents on Jl. Gotong Raya in the Kapuk subdistrict of Cengkareng, West Jakarta. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 In the wake of a policemans dismissal because of his "divergent" sexual orientation, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has pledged to step into the case and come up with a solution. Komnas HAM commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said the commission would first gather information from the two parties in the case, the dismissed policeman and his supervisor, before issuing recommendations. Beka had also considered providing the fired policeman assistance during the trial to restore his dignity. We will probably provide an expert witness at the hearing, he said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 11:10 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c6a7f 1 National 2019GeneralElections,May-22-rally,pilot,KPU Free The police have arrested a pilot, identified as IR, for allegedly encouraging people through Facebook to take part in a rally during the announcement of the election results in Jakarta on May 22. IR was arrested in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday. We have arrested a pilot for [allegedly] spreading hate speech on social media and violating the Electronic Information and Transactions Law [ITE Law], West Jakarta Police criminal unit head Adj. Sr. Comr. Edy Suranta Sitepu said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com. IR wrote on his Facebook account, My son has just turned 1 year old, but if I am to die during the May 22 fight, in the name of Allah, I am ready. He added that he planned to travel to wearing blue clothing and a headscarf. Take note; whoever is announced the winner by the General Elections Commission [KPU] on May 22, riots will still occur and there will be a large number of victims, he wrote. If you dont have the guts, then youd better step aside and hide because you could be the next victim. This is not a choice but a command, he said in his Facebook status. The police are looking into the case to determine IRs possible motives. (ars) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 08:01 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738b8869 4 Business bandung,KEK,tourism,Arief-Yahya Free Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has expressed his wish to make Bandung Regency a Special Economic Zone (KEK) as a tourist destination through the development of its existing potential by improving attractions, accessibility and amenities. The minister considered Ciwidey in the regency in West Java as a place to be developed into a KEK tourist destination because the area was already a popular destination. Arief stressed the importance of improving access to the destination in the southern part of the city that offered natural beauty to travelers. One of the weaknesses of the area is access. [...] It should be improved, he said as quoted by kontan.co. id, adding that in the long run Kertajati International Airport could be a main access point to Ciwidey. In the short term toward the establishment of the KEK, the Tourism Ministry had assigned the city to host a number of events, including the 5-kilometer Color Run and Independence Festival ahead of the countrys Independence Day. In the medium term, Bandung regental administration has to propose the KEK establishment [to the central government]. If the land is limited, the administration could cooperate with other institutions, Arief said as quoted by kontan.co.id. He said reactivation of railway tracks in Bandung was an important move to support the tourism industry in Bandung to improve accessibility to tourist destinations. [With the infrastructure], investors will automatically come to invest, he added. There are three autonomous administrations in Bandung Bandung city, Bandung regency and West Bandung regency. Bandung city is known as a shopping destination for citizens of neighboring cities such as Jakarta and neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Claire Gounon (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Mon, May 20, 2019 10:30 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c3f82 2 World #USA,#Iran,DonaldTrump,Tehran,attack,oil,facility,Gulf-crisis Free President Donald Trump issued an ominous warning to Iran on Sunday, suggesting that if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise as the United States has deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian "threats." This account has been met with widespread skepticism outside the United States. The White House has sent mixed signals in recent days, amid multiple US media reports of infighting in Trump's cabinet over how hard to push Washington's arch foe Iran. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers to the region. On Sunday, a Katyusha rocket was fired into Baghdad's Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. According to US media reports, Trump's long-hawkish national security advisor John Bolton is pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Trump himself said recently that he has to "temper" Bolton. Iran's foreign minister downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region on Saturday, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the "illusion" the Islamic republic could be confronted. "We are certain... there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region," Mohammad Javad Zarif told state-run news agency IRNA at the end of a visit to China. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. Saudi Arabia called Sunday for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions, saying that it does not want war with Iran but is ready to defend itself. It comes days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. King Salman invited Gulf leaders and Arab League member states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent "aggressions and their consequences", the kingdom's official SPA news agency reported late Saturday. Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it," he said. "But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests." The kingdom's regional allies welcomed the Saudi invitation. The United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry said the current "critical circumstances" require a unified Arab and Gulf stance. Oil producing countries met Sunday in Saudi Arabia to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid the rising US-Iran tensions, which threaten to disrupt global supply. Oil supplies are sufficient and stockpiles still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said at the meeting in Jeddah. - 'Childish regimes' - Qatar Sunday weighed in on the escalating tensions, saying it did not believe the US or Iran wanted a war in the region. "US President Donald Trump has said he does not want war, and I do not think Iran wants war or instability in the region," minister of state for foreign affairs Sultan al-Muraikhi told AFP on the sidelines of a Qatar Fund for Development briefing. "I think if we move away from the childish regimes in the region, all troubles will be settled." Muraikhi said Doha -- which remains isolated by neighboring former allies in a long-running diplomatic dispute -- has not yet received a formal invitation to either meeting. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt are among the countries that cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 over accusations it supports terrorism and seeks closer ties with Tehran. Four ships including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAE's Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital maritime route for oil exports which Iran has threatened to close in the event of a war. That incident was followed by drone strikes Tuesday claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline built as an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz were to be closed. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting "the security of oil supplies... and the global economy". Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland (Reuters) Washington, United States Mon, May 20, 2019 09:29 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c291c 2 World #USA,#Palestine,DonaldTrump,peace-process,Middle-East Free The White House will unveil the first part of President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan when it holds an international conference in Bahrain in late June to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, senior US officials said on Sunday. The "economic workshop" will bring together government officials and business leaders in an effort to jump-start the economic portion of the peace initiative, which is also expected to include proposals for resolving thorny political issues at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the officials said. Trump has touted the coming plan as the "deal of the century," but Palestinian officials have rebuked the US effort, which they believe will be heavily biased in favor of Israel. Trump's Middle East team, led by his son-in-law Jared Kushner and regional envoy Jason Greenblatt, appears intent on focusing initially on potential economic benefits, despite deep skepticism among experts that they can succeed where decades of US-backed efforts have failed. "We think this is an opportunity to take the economic plan that we've worked on for a long time now and present it in the region," a senior Trump administration official said. The participants in the June 25-26 conference in Manama, the first phase of the peace plan's rollout, are expected to include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including some finance ministers, the administration official said. A second US official declined to say whether Israeli and Palestinian officials were likely to take part. "Our position is clear: we will neither participate in the economic segment nor in the political segment of this deal," said PLO senior official Wasel Abu Youssef. The Palestinian Authority has boycotted the US peace effort since late 2017 when Trump decided to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of US policy. But the senior US official said several Palestinian business leaders "have shown a lot of interest" in the conference. A spokesman for Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said: "We have not yet received an invitation." INVESTMENT IN GAZA? US officials had said earlier the peace plan would be rolled out after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ends in early June. But the announcement of the investors workshop appears to set the stage for a sequenced release of the plan, starting with the economic plan, and later, at some time not yet clear, the political proposals. The senior US official said the conference would show the people of Gaza, which is controlled by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, that "there are donor countries around the world willing to come in and make investments." The Trump administration has sought to enlist support from Arab governments. The plan is likely to call for billions of dollars in financial backing for the Palestinians, mostly from oil-rich Gulf states, according to people informed about the discussions. Saudi Arabia has assured Arab allies it would not endorse any US plan that fails to meet key Palestinian concerns. Though the plan's authors insist the exact contents are known only to a handful of insiders, Trump's aides have disclosed it will address the major political issues such as the status of Jerusalem. They have said they expect Israelis and Palestinians will both be critical of some of the proposals. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told a recent meeting at the United Nations attended by Greenblatt that the United States seemed to be crafting a plan for a Palestinian surrender to Israel and insisted "there's no amount of money that can make it acceptable." Chief among the Palestinians' concerns is whether the plan will meet their core demand of calling for them to have an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip -- territory Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Kushner has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that is widely endorsed internationally. Mapo-gu Office Head Yoo Dong-gyun, second from left, patrols around the Hondae area with foreigners recently picked for volunteer patrol company program in the town, last Friday. Courtesy of Mapo-gu Office By Kim Jae-heun Amid a rising number of foreign residents, tourists and multiracial families here, Mapo-gu Office in western Seoul has launched a patrol unit comprised of foreigners, to offer help to foreign residents and tourists in the areas around Hongik University Station. The district office said, Monday, that it held a welcome ceremony for the unit, Friday, consisting of 20 volunteers including foreign residents from Nigeria and China. The move follows an influx of more and more foreigners in the district. According to the population and housing census in 2017, the number of multiracial family members living in Mapo-gu was 5,585. Also, the Hongdae area is one of the most popular tourist destinations visited by many foreigners and local residents, together with Yeonnam-dong next door which has gained popularity recently. The unit members will patrol twice a week for four hours. The patrol course will include Yeonnam-dong and the area near the university, known colloquially as Hongdae. Their main jobs are to provide translation to tourists and listen to their complaints as well as solve conflicts among foreign residents. "I have been living in Korea for 10 years now and I received a lot of help from the community and people around. I decided to join the patrol group to give help to the town even if it is a small thing," a Chinese patrolman surnamed Wang was quoted as saying by the district office at the welcome ceremony. A Chinese woman surnamed Jin said she is happy to volunteer. "As a foreign resident in Seoul, I am happy to contribute to the local community. I will work to bring peace and harmony to the foreign residents here," Jin said. Any foreign resident in Seoul can apply to volunteer with the patrol unit by calling or visiting Yeonnam Global Village Center. Mapo residents will have priority in selection. "We hope to integrate our society by providing foreigners a chance to participate in patrolling in the town and offering help to visitors," Mapo-gu Office Head Yoo Dong-gyun said in a press release. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Vela Andapita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, May 21 2019 St. Carolus Hospital celebrates a century of service this year. President director Endrotomo Sumargono said that one thing that distinguished the hospital among all others is its patient-oriented services, nursing being one of its strengths. He explained that the hospital invested heavily in its nursing department. Of the hospitals approximately 1,400 employees, 498 are nurses. The hospital also aims to increase the number until it makes up 50 percent of the total. I think 50 percent is the ideal composition to optimize the hospitals services, he told The Jakarta Post in an exclusive interview on Thursday, adding that to reach it the hospital also relied on the St. Carolus Institute of Health Sciences, from which many of the hospitals nurses graduated. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andrio Adiwibowo (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, May 21 2019 Remember that scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, when the vicious Orcs breach Helms Deep, the mightiest stronghold ever built in Rohan? Surprisingly, they accomplish this by blowing up a hole into the base of the fortresss wall. In real life, a mighty kingdom and its ruler can fall in a single night because its enemies penetrate the border. In 1939, Poland relied on its military defense plan, Plan Zachod. The Allies criticized the plan because it was too weak. Unfortunately, the Polish ignored this and as a result, Nazi Germany defeated Polish forces in just a few days. The message is clear that when a nations borders are weak, it is vulnerable. Every day, goods and people cross Indonesian borders, legally or not. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, May 21 2019 Paint it up: Child refugees paint while waiting for iftar during a Gerakan Indonesia Mengajar event held over the weekend in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.(JP/Dames Alexander Sinaga) Having been an asylum seeker for three years, 15-year-old Umar Nasir from Ethiopia is getting used to observing Ramadan in Indonesia. Nasir, his parents and elder sister fled their war-torn hometown of Jimma in 2017. The way Indonesian Muslims observe Ramadan has struck him particularly. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Endy M. Bayuni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, May 21 2019 Indonesias democracy faces a big litmus test on Wednesday when the General Elections Commission (KPU) is scheduled to announce the results of the April 17 election amid plans for massive protests by the camp of Prabowo Subianto, who challenged incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodo in the presidential race. Complicating the matter is the police warning of a terrorist plot to create chaos in postelection Indonesia. Police are struggling between ensuring the freedom of speech of the protesters on the one hand and guaranteeing national security, most particularly from terrorist threats, on the other. They are now having to define the limits of freedom of expession that would keep the nation safe. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Muguntan Vanar (The Star/ Asia News Network) Kota Kinibalu, Malaysia Mon, May 20, 2019 09:19 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738c1a93 2 SE Asia #Malaysia,#wildlife,crocodiles,smuggling,Sabah,Kalimantan Free In a state where the sighting of crocodiles at the rivers is considered normal, the discovery of the reptiles being smuggled in has left the authorities stumped. This is after the Sabah Wildlife Department seized 220 crocodiles at a swamp in Kampung Pasir Putih, Tawau, on Saturday. The reptiles, in various sizes and move freely in the swamp, are believed had been smuggled in from neighbouring Kalimantan. However, five of them had died and were kept in a gunnysack when the department together with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) arrived. This is the first time we came across people smuggling crocodiles from outside the state.We are investigating if it was for local crocodile farms. I believe many are willing to buy, he said, adding that a full investigation was underway. Tuuga said early last year, they arrested a woman and found 630 crocodiles measuring between two and six feet inside 18 polystyrene boxes in the cargo compartment of a bus heading for Kota Kinabalu from Lahad Datu. It was believed that the crocodiles were sourced locally. Tuuga said when they eventually auctioned off the reptiles, there were not many bidders and it was sold at RM40,000. At that time we got less than RM1,000 each, he said, adding that they had yet to ascertain the value of the latest seizure. Tawau Wildlife Department officer Sailun Aris said they arrested two Malaysians and two Indonesians aged between 55 and 61 shortly after the reptiles were released in the swamp at about 10.30am. The success was due to the intelligence gathered and provided by Esscom, he said. Under Schedule 2 of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment, it is illegal to hunt, collect the eggs or remove the crocodiles from the wild under any circumstance. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 20, 2019 17:33 952 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8738d8c2d 1 News mudik,exodus,Idul-Fitri,shuttle-buses,jakarta,bandung Free The euphoria surrounding mudik (exodus) has kicked into high gear as many Jakarta residents have already booked train or plane tickets to their hometowns, hundreds of miles away from the capital. Those whose hometowns are located just on the outskirts of Jakarta, however, are in luck as several shuttle service providers are offering special prices for short-distance mudik. Baraya Travel in Cibubur, East Jakarta, is offering an Rp 80,000 (US$5.50) shuttle package for journeys from Jakarta to Bandung, West Java. University students are offered a special price of Rp 70,000 for the same package, while those purchasing tickets online are offered an even lower price of Rp 50,000. Iqbal, a ticket operator at Baraya Travel, said the prices would likely go up a week before Idul Fitri. Read also: Ways to keep your house safe for a worry-free mudik The number of passengers typically increases by 50 percent three days before Idul Fitri, he said on Sunday as quoted by tempo.co. He added that shuttle vans were more convenient than other modes of land transportation for short-distance trips. It usually only takes two-and-a-half hours for a shuttle van to arrive in Bandung from Jakarta, with light traffic. Passengers will immediately depart without having to wait for late passengers to fill up the van, he said. Shuttle vans from Baraya Travel depart daily for Bandung from Jakarta every one to two hours from 6 a.m. (rfa/wng) 1 hour ago US steps up probe into Hyundai-Kia engine failures and fires DETROIT (AP) U.S. auto safety regulators have stepped up a series of investigations into engine fires that have plagued Hyundai and Kia vehicles for more than six years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says a new engineering analysis investigation covers more than 3 million vehicles from the 2011 through 2016 model years. Read Article President Moon Jae-in, fourth from left, speaks during a meeting with South Korean lawmakers of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union and their Japanese counterparts in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in this Dec. 14, 2018. Korea Times file By Park Ji-won Lawmakers from South Korea and Japan will meet in Tokyo in September to discuss ways to resolve strained relations between the two countries. "The South Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union and its Japanese counterpart have decided to hold a general meeting from Sept. 17 to 19 in Tokyo to discuss ways to seek cooperation with each other to resolve tensions between South Korea and Japan," Rep. Kim Kwang-lim of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, a key member of the bipartisan body, told The Korea Times, Monday "The two will also talk about issues such as Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea and the latter's nuclear weapons. The committees on foreign affairs, women and security have each suggested two topics. The agreement on the specific agenda will be released soon," Kim added. On Saturday and Sunday, Kim and South Korean lawmakers of the group met with seven of their Japanese counterparts including former Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province and decided to hold the meeting in Tokyo. The move comes amid rising tension between Seoul and Tokyo after the South Korean Supreme Court ruled in October that Japanese firms must compensate South Koreans forced to work for them during Japan's colonial rule. Japan asked South Korea, Monday, to form an arbitration committee to help settle the forced labor issues while the South made it clear it will respect the ruling. South Korean experts have been raising concerns over the prolonged diplomatic deadlock as it could have an impact on the country's economy. Earlier, the Kyodo News Agency reported that the lawmakers had agreed to discuss measures to block maritime disputes in the September meeting following a "radar conflict." Since December, South Korea and Japan have been sparring over the issue of a Navy vessel's use of its radar in the East Sea. Japan claims that a Korean warship locked its fire control radar onto one of its maritime patrol aircraft. South Korea denied the claim stating the destroyer had been on a humanitarian mission to rescue a North Korean ship that was drifting in international waters of the East Sea. However, Kim denied the report that the radar spat was included in the agenda. By Jung Da-min President Moon Jae-in's job approval rating rose slightly this week, a poll showed Monday, while support for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) recorded its highest rating in seven months. In the poll of 2,512 adults over 19 conducted by Realmeter from May 13 to 17, Moon's job approval rating came to 49.4 percent, up 0.8 percentage points from another Realmeter poll the week before. Some 46 percent disapproved of Moon's job performance in the latest poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level, down 1 percentage point from the week before. The poll comes amid recent controversies surrounding the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), including its floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won's attacking Moon and his supporters as well as its leader Hwang Kyo-ahn's unwelcome visit to Gwangju last Saturday to attend a ceremony marking the 39th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. The LKP leadership has been for not punishing its members for their distortions and disparagement of the pro-democratic uprising Support for the DPK gained 3.6 percentage points from the week before to reach 42.3 percent in the latest poll, the highest since it hit 42.7 percent in the third week of last October and widening the gap with the LKP to 11.2 percentage points. Some 31.1 percent showed support for the LKP, down 3.2 percentage points from the earlier poll. Before, the LKP saw an increase in support for four consecutive weeks from the second week of April (30.8 percent). At the memorial ceremony in Gwangju last Saturday, Moon called on the National Assembly to take up the challenge of uncovering the truth of the Gwangju Uprising by launching a truth commission, while also calling on parties to end their confrontations over the issue. Moon legislated a special act last March to create the commission to investigate former President Chun Doo-hwan who allegedly ordered the military attack on protesters in Gwangju, killing hundreds of citizens there. La Voyageuse is an online platform dedicated to providing solo female travellers with safe and cost-free homestays in France, hosted by other women. Set up by Christina Bioxiere, a veteran solo traveller of 17 years, the Bordeaux-based company aims to connect female travellers across the world, allowing women to find safe accommodation in French cities with verified female hosts. Image credit: am Tuong Quan, via Pixabay The philosophy stems from the simple fact that women feel safer when they are hosted by other women. The company intends to enable women of all ages and backgrounds to travel as freely as their male counterparts, eliminating the hurdle of unsafe accommodation. Homestays are currently available in Bordeaux, Marseilles and Paris. Having travelled solo from the age of 18, Christina's idea was born out of her own experiences and her existing knowledge of tourism and I.T. industries, which she believed could be combined to accommodate the growing needs of the female solo travel market. Travel is a tremendous tool for openness and mutual understanding, she writes on her LinkedIn profile. The site operates upon "an innovative security system" including continuous verification which ensures hosts' safety. Christina achieved her crowdfunding target in December 2018, less than one month after its launched. Now, La Voyaguese has over 400 trusted female hosts ready to receive guests. Given the success of the site so far, the company has plans to develop into both Mandarin and English to extend the reach of their contributors. To become a member of La Voyageuse, users must verify themselves by providing ID and undergoing a security check by the La Voyageuse team. An annual fee of 119 lets members access the profiles of hosts, contact them and find free accommodation. Lead image credit: am Tuong Quan, via Pixabay President Moon Jae-in, right, shakes hands with Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the start of their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in agreed with Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark, to boost a bilateral economic partnership focusing on urban development, sustainable energy and welfare technology as well as food products, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. "Your visit to South Korea to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the two countries establishing diplomatic ties will further promote bilateral ties. I hope the hearts of the two countries' citizens will become closer," Moon said at the start of their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, according to press pool reports. Moon met the crown prince briefly last October when he was in Denmark for the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) summit. "I hoped to spend more time with you then," Moon reportedly told Frederick. "I am very glad to see you again after seven months." Watertown capital improvement plan includes $49M in projects The Watertown City Council discussed and approved the five-year Capital Improvement Fund during the city council meeting Monday. By William R. Jones We each know that to learn to read, write, and speak a foreign language well takes perseverance. But, it does not have to be severe, providing you have a passion for the language you have chosen to learn. However, the question arises about return on investment (ROI). Specifically, I mean the time invested rather than the cost investment, for one can virtually learn a foreign language with minimal cash output. The minutes and hours and days, the weeks and months and years invested is available time that could be spent on something else also useful. So, what is the salary increase or wage premium for fluency in a foreign language? In particular, what are earnings tied to foreign language employment? There has been some research on it that can be considered. You, also by reasoning, will understand that the study of one language as opposed to another would depend on what country you are from. For example, English would be important for China and Chinese Mandarin would be important for the U.S. Too, world events (political, economic, trade, etc.) will influence supply and demand. For example, Korean is very important to the U.S. due to South Korea's trade and economic impact as well as the emerging North Korea. Thus, fluency of any language could lead you to be a teacher, interpreter, translator, tour guide, or to work in some government defense department or agency. Saiz and Zoido's report in 2005 suggested an approximate 2%-3% wage premium for college graduates who can speak a second language. Their calculations have since been found flawed, and, compounded the wage premium actually increased. In that time, they quoted the following bonuses with lifetime earnings: "your Spanish is worth $51,000, but French $77,000, and German $128,000." The big differences are because of supply and demand. Even though Spanish-speakers hold a bit more of the world GDP than German-speakers, the quite high return on German, for example, is because Germany is a trade power house. So, its language will be more economically valuable for an outsider than the language of a country with a smaller economy. However, in the American reference that the authors studied, the more important factor is probably supply, not demand, of speakers of a given language. Among many other countries, the United States possesses "a vast, untapped linguistic resource in the form of migrant families." A non-Latino may study Spanish because it is widespread, but from an economic point of view it's not profitable because a fluent native bilingual will compete for jobs requiring both languages. It is better to learn a language in high demand, but short supply one reason American parents are guiding their children toward Chinese Mandarin. Educational programs change and economies do too, and thus, results of such a study and the market value of any particular language could change. Even trilingualism is typical in Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Singapore. And, in some small countries [population wise] like those in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, English is spoken very well. Investment in foreign-language learning will have active and powerful effects. It will decide which of the 7,111 living languages worldwide (listed in Ethnologue's 3-volume 2019 22nd edition) will continue to live. Globalization and high economic growth are the angels of death, especially, for native and indigenous languages that are shifting and becoming less vigorous, i.e., losing speakers in the population due to intergenerational transmission disruption. The author (wrjones@vsu.edu) teaches English and is a Chemistry Lab Coordinator and Research Technician at Virginia State University. Alphabet Inc.s Google has suspended some of its business ties with Huawei Technologies Co., Reuters reported, citing a source close to the matter it didnt identify. Google will no longer engage in businesses with Huawei that require the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licences, Reuters said. Google will also stop providing technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services. The next version of Huawei smartphones outside of China will lose access to popular applications and services including the Google Play Store and Gmail app, Reuters said. The Trump administration on Friday blacklisted Chinas largest tech company which it accuses of aiding Beijing in espionage and threatened to cut off the U.S. software and semiconductors it needs to make smartphones and networking gear. Huaweis chief executive officer and founder, Ren Zhengfei, said he expects U.S. restrictions wont hurt his companys growth much, Nikkei reported yesterday. The company, the worlds largest maker of telecommunications gear, has been preparing for the ban since at least the middle of 2018, hoarding components while designing its own chips, according to a report by Bloomberg on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Representatives for Huawei werent immediately reachable by Reuters, and the U.S. Commerce Department didnt comment, according to the report. Read more about: When U.S. President Donald Trump dropped tariffs on steel from Canada, it brought tears to the eyes of employees at the countrys biggest steel company. Alan Kestenbaum, executive chairman at Stelco Holdings, said emotional staff approached him to express thanks that the company spared their jobs. Elsewhere in the industry, employees uncorked champagne in celebration. The Trump administration on Monday officially removed the steel and aluminum tariffs it imposed on Canada and Mexico a year ago on the basis of protecting national security. The agreement ended a simmering trade dispute that had hurt Mexican and Canadian producers, along with U.S. consumers and companies that faced higher prices for steel and aluminum. The extra cost aluminum consumers pay to have metal shipped to their facilities in North America surged 26 per cent since last March when Trump announced the tariffs, while American steel prices jumped 14 per cent in 2018. The removal of the tariffs may have a secondary benefit for business, as it clears a major legislative hurdle for all three governments in advancing the new North American free-trade agreement, known as USMCA. The deal may help regional producers and downstream makers of steel and aluminum products by requiring that more of the content in cars originate in North America. The head of the United Steelworkers Union local representing Stelco workers said it was a welcome development, but not entirely shocking. People were worried about short-term layoffs, but no one was really sitting around worried that there were going to be permanent job losses, said Gary Howe, president of local 1005. The industry is just so integrated these days, that everyone kind of expected the tariffs would be lifted at some point. There was a slowdown in production as customers held off on major purchases in the meantime, Howe added. If youre a business looking at placing a big order, do you do it immediately, or wait a few weeks until it will cost you 25 per cent less? Thats what was going on, said Howe, who sees some potential for job growth because of the tariffs being lifted. When I started at Stelco in 1978, there were about 13,000 people working there, said Howe. No one is expecting to go back to those days, but this is definitely good news. Jeremy Spence, a Stelco cold mill manager and 18-year employee, said by pushing forward while facing the tariffs, rather than hunkering down, the company today is in a good position to handle new business in the U.S. In the old days there would have been layoffs, and operations shutting down. We would have had to go through callbacks, training and restarting, he said. It might take six months or a year to respond. Now, we can respond right now. If we get an order today we can respond right away. A spokesperson for ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamiltons other major steelmaker would not discuss the tariffs being lifted, referring comment to the steel producers association. Read more: Canadian retaliatory tariffs lifted as U.S. kills steel and aluminum penalties U.S. and Canada agree to eliminate steel and aluminum tariffs Trudeau declares victory in deal to lift U.S. tariffs By being in Hamilton and seeing workers come up to me who Ive never met, coming up to me with tears in their eyes thanking me for not making layoffs when the tariffs were in effect, that really affected me, said Kestenbaum, who was at the Hamilton Works plant with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he announced the agreement on Friday. You feel gratified, but also emotional when they tell you this, he said in an interview. The decision triggered a near-universal celebration across the industry. The biggest American steelmakers, including U.S. Steel Corp., Nucor Corp. and AK Steel Holding Corp., said it was a logical step and urged the Trump administration to stay vigilant to prevent circumvention schemes. The deal to remove tariffs included provisions to monitor for any surge in imports of the metals from Mexico and Canada and tougher measures to prevent foreign-made steel from entering the U.S. duty-free. The two largest American aluminum producers, once split by the decision to slap tariffs on close trade partners, set aside their differences and expressed satisfaction with the decision. The Aluminum Association of Canada said it will enable the full realization of the potential new regional trade agreement, while Mexicos National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry called it a positive step across the trade region. With files from Josh Rubin and Hamilton Spectator Read more about: Theres nothing in the world more powerful than a good story, Tyrion Lannister declares in the final episode of Game of Thrones. Perhaps we can add that theres nothing harder than finding the perfect ending to a story that captivated millions of viewers around the world for eight seasons. Sunday night the Twitter hordes were roaring louder than Drogon (more on that later) over what they claimed was a botched conclusion to the TV phenomenon that was Thrones. I wont pretend the finale was a Breaking Bad-level masterpiece (the best series finale ever as far as Im concerned), but it wasnt a Lost-style disaster either. D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, who directed as well as wrote the final episode, brought peace to Westeros, killed off the one character who had to die and gave the other characters (the ones still standing) relatively happy endings. If you think theres no place for happy endings in a show like Game of Thrones, so be it; for me, after the pointless destruction of last weeks episode, it would have been cruel not to end the series with hope and, yes, even a little humour. The Bells, as the penultimate instalment was called, was the definite low point of an uneven season. Daeneryss savagery in unleashing her dragon on a population that was trying to surrender was indefensible as well as incomprehensible, and fans deserved an explanation for her sudden pivot from saviour to despot. Share your thoughts The fact we never really got one is undoubtedly a factor of the showrunners cramming too much plot into too few episodes. The closest we came was Tyrion reminding Jon Snow that Dany had committed acts of cruelty before but always against evil men and, thus, had been cheered for them. Were there any doubt that Daenerys herself was now evil, the finales opening scenes of Tyrion, Jon and Ser Davos passing incinerated children in the streets of Kings Landing laid them to rest. Her exhortation to her faithful army of Unsullied and Dothraki that the war continue until they had liberated all the people in the world sealed her fate. And it was logical that Jon be the one to kill her despite his initial resistance to Tyrions plea that he do just that. Danys end came in what was left of the Lannisters throne room as she urged Jon to join her in building a good world, while making it clear she would be the only arbiter of what was considered good. You are my queen, now and always, Jon said before simultaneously kissing and stabbing her. His own death seemed imminent when her dragon Drogon appeared, roaring his grief, but the beast turned his flames on the Iron Throne rather than Jon, melting it to nothing. Then, in one of the episodes most heart-rending scenes, the dragon scooped up Danys body in its claws and flew away with her to parts unknown. By rights, Jon should have died too. Its hard to believe that Grey Worm who had become single-mindedly bloodthirsty in defence of Daenerys wouldnt have killed Jon on sight on learning hed slain the queen. Instead, Jon was taken prisoner and kept alive long enough to grow a lot of extra facial hair, as was Tyrion, whom Daenerys imprisoned for setting his brother Jaime free. (As we saw last week, Jaime and Cersei died together when part of the Red Keep collapsed on them; Tyrion found their bodies.) Not only were he and Jon still alive, Tyrion was allowed to meet with the remaining lords of Westeros and preside over their choice of a new ruler. And that ruler was: not Jon, not Sansa but Bran? Nope, didnt see that one coming and Im a little confused as to how Bran can be ruler of the Six (formerly Seven) Kingdoms and the Three-Eyed Raven at the same time, but I am not offended by the choice, as some fans seemed to be. The way Tyrion explained it harking back to that quote about good stories was that no one had a better story than Bran the Broken, the boy who fell from a high tower and lived, (who) knew hed never walk again so he learned to fly. Bran didnt want power, but apparently he didnt want it less than Jon Snow. Why do you think I came all this way? Bran quipped after Tyrion asked him to accept the crown. All the gathered nobles agreed to Brans accession except his sister Sansa, who decided the North would remain an independent kingdom, which was great news since Sansa officially became Queen in the North. Seeing Sansa and Arya reclaim their power has been one of the most rewarding parts of the season. As for Arya, she didnt rejoin her sister but set out to explore west of Westeros, the place where the maps end, and we last saw her aboard a ship, looking happy and very self-assured. Bran picked Tyrion as his hand, giving Tyrion a chance to cultivate the wisdom that deserted him during his time with Daenerys. And what of Jon? He escaped execution but was sent to the Nights Watch as punishment for his crime, where he reunited with his old friend Tormund and his direwolf Ghost at Castle Black. As the episode ended, we saw him travelling beyond the Wall with Tormund and the other wildlings. So that big plot twist about Jon being half Targaryen and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne? It turned out to be a red herring, but I would argue Jon got perhaps the happiest ending of all since he always seemed most at ease with the free folk. No doubt, debate will continue to rage about whether Game of Thrones got the finale it deserved. Given the juggernaut the series became, Weiss and Benioff never stood a chance of pleasing everyone. Welcome to our Women of a Certain Rage, clinic, a little anger management session during which we identify what makes us want to scream and then search for creative ways to stay calm, sane and effective as preposterous, dangerous and deeply dispiriting events that directly affect our lives unfold in the news. Let me tell you, a lavender-scented bath as part of our new and admittedly very pleasant self-care routine is not quite going to accomplish this. There was enough last week in the public realm to make many of the women I know shout Im mad as hell and Im not going to take it anymore. Alabamas governor signed into law a bill that effectively bans abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. The state joins a slew of others introducing what have been called the most restrictive abortion laws in decades. As many have pointed out, Alabama doctors performing this service would face up to 99 years in prison, which is more potential time than rapists who are found guilty face. If thats not enough to make you angry I dont know what is. Many women of a certain rage would relate to a protest sign held aloft during the first gigantic Womens March in January 2017 one of the largest single day protests in history in Washington, Toronto and around the world a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president. The sign said: I cant believe I still have to protest this s--t. No wonder so many women in my demographic are furious. We continue to be, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, borne back ceaselessly into the past. As efforts intensify in the anti-abortion campaigns across North America, reproductive rights activists have suggested everything from sex strikes to an underground railroad to get vulnerable women swiftly to safe legal medical services across borders. Theyve also suggested women publicly declare their abortion history on social media, a move I disagree with. The whole point about making this difficult but sometimes necessary choice to terminate a pregnancy is its privacy and women should never have to violate their own right to privacy to gain support for reproductive rights. Canadian author Susan Swan summed in one tweet how many women who are pro-choice feel: No woman I know finds it easy to choose abortion but she must be free to choose. The renewed campaign against womens reproductive rights wasnt even what made me angriest last week. It was an article in the New York Times that stated, in the wake of all this renewed anti-abortion fervour, that some Democrats were weighing whether it was too risky to nominate a female candidate in 2020 to run for president. Too risky. A woman. I cant even formulate the words fast enough to say how offensive and self-defeating that is. With a Republican male president currently in the White House who is a narcissist, a pathological liar, an incendiary negotiator, and a man who seems to have no discernible moral centre, nominating a woman is too risky? That, my friends, is misogyny in action even if its self-induced. And while the article went on to acknowledge there was a double standard when it comes to women running for president and obviously especially one running against Donald Trump, this is no time for women to be hustled off the political stage to make way for another male candidate because he might possibly beat Trump. Men have defeated each other politically for years. One man Donald Trump defeated one woman Hillary Clinton and well, maybe its better to not to risk that gender thing again. Leaving aside the reproductive justice issue and the ever-enraging American politics, Ive met women recently who are also furious and alarmed about the slow response everywhere to the effects of climate change. What has helped them not self-immolate in a blaze of fury is actually calmly doing something about it even if it seems very small. In one week, Ive socialized with a friend who carries her own straw and plastic cutlery in a small case across the country so its no longer a single-use situation, another who likes to eat sushi and finally contacted the supermarket bento box suppliers to ask why the sushi always comes on black plastic, and a third who figured out where to order bio-degradable dental floss. None of these women in public or private would dream of drinking their water in a single-use plastic bottle. Clearly there are ways to both give yourself a reprieve from this anger, and to make your anger more productive. We need to still enjoy life without feeling powerless and enraged all the time. Thats what family, friends, and okay, scented baths are for. Not to mention exercise, sunshine, and finding not one but several key purposes in life. We need all this more than ever as some of the most consequential political battles of our lifetime loom. In fact the real truth on offer in this session of our Women of a Certain Rage clinic is that anger is the only sane response to what is going on out there. Its how we turn it into something productive that will help define the future. Judith Timson is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @judithtimson Read more about: MONCTON, N.B.A residential area in Moncton, N.B., has been closed off for several hours as police try to make contact with a man who may be armed inside a home. RCMP Sgt. Aurele Pelletier says officers have blocked off several roads in the area since 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Pelletier says the man is believed to be alone in the residence and police are dealing with the situation as if he is armed. Officers remained at the scene into the night, but police have yet to make contact with the suspect. Pelletier says there is no threat to the public. Some residents vacated their homes over the course of the afternoon, which Pelletier stressed was voluntary. Read more about: MOUNT PEARL, N.L.Newfoundland police are investigating the failed theft of an ATM using heavy machinery following a number similar crimes that struck businesses earlier this year. Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Const. James Cadigan said officers observed an unsuccessful attempt to steal an ATM from a Credit Union in Mount Pearl, N.L. on Monday morning. Cadigan said the investigation is ongoing as officers attempt to track down a suspect. He said police are seeking information from anyone with video footage of the incident. The mysterious crime scene comes months after police reported two attempted thefts using front-end loaders over a single weekend in January. A Sobeys grocery store and TD Canada Trust bank, as well as ATMs inside, were heavily damaged and the heavy equipment was left running as suspects fled the scenes. EDMONTONAlberta Premier Jason Kenneys government heads to the legislature this week to make noise with an ambitious legislative agenda while trying to keep a hush on daily affairs. Kenney has promised what he calls a spring of renewal in the first sitting since his United Conservatives beat Rachel Notleys NDP in the April 16 election. He and his 62 fellow UCP caucus members are to be sworn in as legislature members Tuesday, followed by a throne speech Wednesday and introduction of a bill that would abolish the provincial carbon tax by May 30. The UCP won a majority on a platform to galvanize Albertas oil- and gas-based economy with cuts to taxes, rules and regulations. Kenney has appointed a panel to come up with ways to reduce spending in the budget this fall. The Opposition is warning Albertans to brace for big cuts to health and education. The spring of renewal could also be called the season of repeal as Kenney has promised to roll back signature pieces of legislation enacted by the NDP. Besides eliminating the carbon tax on home heating and gasoline bills, he has said the UCP will reduce the minimum wage for youth, change rules for overtime and holiday pay and restore mandatory secret ballots for union certification votes. Corporate income tax is to be cut to eight per cent from 12 per cent by 2022. Government house leader Jason Nixon said the plan is to introduce and pass between 10 and 12 bills in the sitting. Its to run until the end of June, but could go into July if the NDP decides to delay passage of any bills. The Opposition is welcome to filibuster all they want ... the legislative session will be primarily around platform promises and were not going to bend on that, Nixon said last week. A filibuster delaying legislation through endless speeches and other procedural motions may well be in the cards. Notley is staying on as official Opposition leader and her 24-member caucus has many former cabinet ministers who know their way around debate. Notley has said the NDP recognizes the UCP won a mandate to kill the carbon tax, but the bill on labour issues is another matter. Should it ... do something like roll back youth wages and roll back the minimum wage, should it be something that guts overtime for working people, should it be something that goes directly at unions with respect to their free speech, then, yeah, well dig in, said Notley. Her government raised the minimum wage by one-third to $15 an hour, which some employers say is crippling business. Kenney has proposed reducing the wage to $13 an hour for those 17 and under. Another debate may be a noisy one on keeping quiet in the house. Kenney is expected to move to ban the tradition of legislature members banging on their desks to show their approval. Kenney, a former federal MP and cabinet minister, has said desk-thumping, cross-aisle heckling and shouting are unseemly and undignified. Nixon confirmed change is coming. I suspect youll see a standing order that changes desk-thumping not to be allowed in the house, he said. Notley said the silence edict is a House of Commons affectation that doesnt respect the legislatures traditions or the nature of vigorous debate. In Alberta, we have pounded on the desks as long as I remember and I see no need to transport Ottawa traditions into our legislature, she said. Read more about: VANCOUVERThe authors of a report that found $47 billion was laundered across Canada last year debated whether to include a graph that indicated Alberta, Ontario and the Prairies were hotspots for dirty money, says the lead writer. Maureen Maloney said her expert panel used the best mathematical model available to reach the estimates, but its more reliable at a national level than a provincial one, so they questioned whether to publish the figures. But we thought, No, we need to do this, because people need to know its not just a B.C. problem, said Maloney, the provinces former deputy attorney general and a public policy professor at Simon Fraser University. Its a big B.C. problem, but its everybodys problem. And to the extent that B.C. starts fixing our problem or at least makes our province less enticing to money launderers, theyre going to go elsewhere. Theyre not going to disappear. The report, one of two recently released by the B.C. government, aimed to sound a nationwide alarm about money laundering. But some provinces have reacted with skepticism, as Alberta questioned the numbers and Ontario said it will monitor the issue. Maloney said there is no reliable data on money laundering in Canada, so the panel used whats known as the gravity model, which estimates the flow of dirty money between countries based on characteristics including GDP per capita and crime rates. The panel divided Canada into six regions and treated each region as a country. The panel estimated that Alberta led the country for money laundering in 2015 with $10.2 billion, followed by Ontario with $8.2 billion and the Prairies Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined with $6.5 billion. To the surprise of many, B.C. came in fourth with $6.2 billion, scuttling its reputation as the money laundering capital of Canada. The authors noted that the relatively high estimates in Alberta and the Prairies might arise from the importance the model places on crime rates and GDP levels, which were high prior to the oil downturn. If money laundering in Alberta and the Prairies have been overestimated ... that implies that money laundering in B.C., Ontario and Quebec have likely been underestimated, the report said. Still, the panel concluded that money laundering is corroding the very fabric of society across Canada, and laid out a vision for it to become a national priority. Multiple recommendations call for the B.C. government to persuade its provincial and federal partners to take action. Other provinces have yet to confront the issue with the zeal of B.C., which announced this week it will hold a public inquiry. Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said the province takes criminal activity seriously, but the figure presented in the report is the product of modelling that may not be completely reliable. We use intelligence from front-line law enforcement agencies, not data we cant verify. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect law-abiding Albertans, he said in a statement. Money laundering is nearly impossible to quantify because, by nature, its hidden, but the reports estimate for Alberta seems high, said Greg Draper, a national lead of valuations, forensics and litigation support with law firm MNP LLP and a former RCMP investigator based in Calgary. I would expect that Vancouver has a bigger issue than Alberta, which is not to say that Alberta does not face its own money laundering risks, he said, adding illicit money is being washed through the provinces casinos, housing and cash businesses. Ontarios real estate association was so alarmed by Maloneys report that it contacted its provincial government to call for a beneficial ownership registry. B.C. has already announced plans for such a registry, which collects the names of people buying property using corporations, trusts and numbered companies. Today, drug lords, gun runners and other criminals can hide behind the veil of Canadas privacy laws, said Tim Hudak, chief executive officer of the Ontario Real Estate Association and a former provincial Progressive Conservative leader. Ontario Finance Minister Vic Fedeli wasnt available for an interview and in a statement his department didnt indicate it was planning to take any urgent action. What I can tell you is that we are discussing this issue with our federal and provincial partners most recently at the last meeting of Canadas finance ministers. This is something we will continue to monitor, said spokesman Peter Spadoni. Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba said they are taking measures to combat money laundering and pointed to their civil-forfeiture programs, which enable provinces to seize assets believed to be the proceeds of crime without laying criminal charges. Saskatchewan added that it will pursue legislative amendments to ensure that corporations hold accurate and up to date information on beneficial owners. But it noted it was difficult to draw conclusions about the province from the Maloney report. The report itself states there are limitations on the methodology, so it isnt clear what proportion of the Prairie figure in the report applies to Saskatchewan, it said. Jason Childs, an economics professor at the University of Regina, said he would expect money laundering to be worse in B.C. due to its sky-high real estate market, but Saskatchewans gaming industry is extremely vulnerable. We have a lot of comparatively small casinos that are going to be operating with different levels of oversight, he said. And then youve got, also, a lot of cash business going on in Saskatchewan still. As for the federal government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the reports as alarming and said his government has strengthened audits on real-estate transactions and is working with provinces to do more. Maloney said better data is needed, but if anything, the panels estimates might actually be lower than the reality. Our numbers are not definitive. Nobodys numbers can be definitive. But we think at the moment, given the data that is available to us, this is probably the best guesstimate there is, she said. But I would say if we were erring on any side, it would be on a cautious, conservative side. Read more about: Ontarios municipalities say they may be forced to raise taxes or cut services due to provincial government cuts that will likely equal well over half a billion dollars in lost annual funding and foregone revenue. Since the Progressive Conservative government released its first budget last month that set out a plan to eliminate an $11.7-billion deficit over five years, word of various cuts has been reaching municipalities in dribs and drabs. They are working to tally up the numbers and extract more information from the province complaining that it hasnt been especially forthcoming but preliminary figures show municipalities will be out at least several hundreds of millions of dollars a year once the changes are fully phased in. Large municipality mayors have called it downloading by stealth, saying the province is attempting to balance its budget on the backs of local taxpayers. The cuts are coming long after municipalities, which operate on calendar and not fiscal years, have passed their budgets. They are weighing tax hikes, service cuts and/or delaying capital projects to make up for the losses. There only is one taxpayer, Toronto Mayor John Tory said recently. Ive pointed out the irony of the minister of finance almost in the first three paragraphs of his budget speech saying Were very proud of the fact that we didnt raise any taxes this year. And yet they knew, I assume, they were going to be sending us letters and emails within hours or days, causing us to have to raise taxes. The City of Toronto alone estimates that the cuts will cost it $178 million this year. Pat Vanini, the executive director of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, said local governments are struggling to determine firm numbers on what the cuts will cost them. The challenge weve got is every day it seems like something new is coming, she said. Its not the first time this has happened, but its really difficult to work with, particularly when you dont have really good, precise information. In the absence of that you do the best you can. You have to make certain assumptions. Ontario announced in its budget that it is cancelling an increase to municipalities share of gas tax funding. When the previous Liberal government announced it was doubling municipalities share from two cents to four cents, it was estimated that would mean $642 million in 2021-22. Last year they received $364 million. While the figures are calculated annually and it is difficult to pinpoint an exact amount of foregone revenue, municipalities had been planning for their share to double and were counting on the funds for transit projects, since the Tories promised during the election to honour the doubled share. The province notified municipal public health units in phone calls that it will reduce its cost-sharing levels from 100 per cent or 75 per cent in some cases, to 60 to 70 per cent for some municipalities, and 50 per cent for Toronto. The move will save the province $200 million a year by 2021-22. Child care funding that goes to municipalities has been more difficult to pin down. Ontario has allocated $80 million less this year than last year, but municipalities and the child-care sector say that number will be much larger, perhaps even double, once cost-sharing changes take shape for programs such as to create more licensed, not-for-profit child-care spaces. The province has budgeted $93 million less this year on child-care capital spending. A ministry spokeswoman said funding for all previously approved projects remains in place, but the previous government didnt have an implementation plan beyond last year, they are not proceeding with that spending this year. The governments expenditure estimates show $22 million less for library sector support, which is due to not proceeding with promises from the previous government, such as creating a digital public library. Base operating grants are being maintained. But $2.3 million in funding has been cut to Ontarios two public library services, which provide support to libraries, including inter-library loans, book delivery, staff training, and pooling costs to achieve operational efficiencies. Funding of about $17.5 million has been cut to regional tourism organizations across the province, including eliminating money for Tourism Toronto and Ottawa Tourism. Spending figures show municipalities will get $7.7 million less for ambulance and emergency services. When asked about the cut, the health ministers spokeswoman mentioned the governments plan to consolidate emergency health services. No front-line paramedic will lose their job, she said. The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, the provinces main transfer payment to municipalities, has been reduced by $5 million, which is about one per cent. Conservation authorities are getting $3.7 million less this year for flood management programs a 50 per cent cut. Funding under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund has been cut by $100 million, but the government said municipalities will be better off because of two new infrastructure funding streams are being opened. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the cuts will trickle down to residents in the form of municipal property tax increases. The budget was vague on purpose, but the cuts are very, very clear and theyre very, very painful, she said. Read more about: By Shlomo Ben-Ami TEL AVIV Eight years after the Arab Spring, dreams of democracy in the Arab world have been dashed by the harsh reality of autocracy, corruption, and military rule. Yet Algeria and Sudan, neither of which was swept up in the 2011 turmoil, are now trying their luck at challenging the often-surreptitious powers that be what Algerian demonstrators back in 1988 dubbed le pouvoir. Will Arab democracy movements fare any better this time? In Algeria, the government's plans to reduce its robust subsidy program a response to years of declining hydrocarbon revenues triggered protests so potent that they drove the military to pressure President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign last month, after 20 years in power (six of which were spent incapacitated after a stroke). But this does not mean a fresh start for the country. To be sure, following Bouteflika's resignation, five of Algeria's leading oligarchs were arrested, and the CEO of the state energy company was dismissed. This was followed by more high-profile arrests, including of Said Bouteflika, the ousted president's brother and Algeria's de facto leader, as well as former intelligence chiefs General Bachir Athmane Tartag and General Mohamed Mediene (better known as Toufik). But, as badly as Algeria's military, led by General Gaid Salah, wants citizens to believe that it is dismantling the cabal of well-connected cliques that form le pouvoir, the protesters remain convinced that this is just a smokescreen. Salah should be arresting himself, shout the masses, who continue to spill out onto the streets each week, in order to demand that le pouvoir truly be swept away, so that it cannot handpick Bouteflika's successor. Algerians know how resilient le pouvoir is. It was given this name during the 1988 Black October riots an explosion of mass rage against a corrupt, autocratic one-party system controlled by the National Liberation Front (FLN). The government responded by ordering the security forces to crack down, resulting in some 500 deaths and more than 1,000 injured demonstrators. The protests did drive President Chadli Bendjedid to promise to hold free elections for the first time in Algeria's history, and political parties other than the FLN were legalized in 1989. But when the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) appeared poised to defeat the FLN two years later, the elections were canceled. The military took effective control of the government and banned the FIS, arresting thousands of its members. This triggered a brutal decade-long civil war that left more than 200,000 dead and Algeria with a military-backed government led by Bouteflika. Algeria's experience up to this point foreshadowed the Arab Spring, during which le pouvoir's survival instinct was on stark display. Syria's pouvoir, led by Bashar al-Assad, has defended its business and tribal interests mercilessly, with the help of foreign actors that have a strategic interest in his political survival. None of them loses sleep over the more than half-million Syrians killed and millions more who have been displaced since 2011. But there are also plenty of examples of Arab societies managing to topple secular dictatorships. Lacking a sufficiently large middle class or a strong liberal tradition, the people then democratically elect an Islamist party. Unable to accept that outcome, le pouvoir in this case, led by the military, without its dictator-figurehead takes action to restore secular strongman rule. Though militaries have often proved adept at staging coups, from Egypt to Thailand to Myanmar, they have been far less effective in securing transitions to civilian rule. This is because the military has held power all along: While it may be happy to trade one figurehead for another, it has no real interest in upending the political and economic structures it commands. Egypt's experience exemplifies this pattern. After the 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians elected President Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood. By 2013, Morsi's elected government was overthrown, and Morsi's military-backed successor, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been in power ever since. Last month, Sisi's government held a sham constitutional referendum that extended his term from four years to six and lifted the two-term limit. With that, Sisi's one-man rule and the supreme authority of the military which controls at least 30 percent of the economy was solidified, and whatever remained of democratic governance in Egypt was demolished. This pattern could be set to repeat anew in Algeria, and Sudan may well be heading toward a similar fate. Like in Algeria, mass protests drove a cabal of army officers last month to topple President Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power for 30 years. Following a few days of confusion among the military hierarchy, General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, the de facto head of state, announced that the army would take charge to "uproot" the military government and prosecute those, including Bashir, responsible for killing protesters. Power, he vowed, will be handed over to a civilian government within two years. Given the historical precedents, it is not the most convincing promise. Yet Sudan has one factor on its side: Whereas the Arab League behaves essentially as a regional club of autocracies, the African Union has limited tolerance for coups d'etat a preference that might partly explain the decline in military takeovers in Africa in recent years. The AU has now threatened Sudan's new rulers with suspension from the group, unless they transfer power to a civilian authority. Even if Sudan's military leaders succumb to AU pressure, however, political stability is far from guaranteed. For decades, le pouvoir used oil revenues to buy relative public quiescence through massive subsidies. But those reserves were concentrated in the south, and were thus lost when South Sudan seceded in 2011. And now political stability is gone. As in Algeria, however, the struggle for genuine change is hardly over. The demonstrators in both countries have fought for the opportunity to be governed by leaders with broad popular support. But, as they attempt to redeem the promise of the Arab Spring, le pouvoir will regroup, demonstrating once again that its resilience remains the biggest obstacle to reform in the Arab world. Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is vice president of the Toledo International Center for Peace. He is the author of "Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy." Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). A second man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a 26-year-old man in Rexdale, Toronto police said in a news release on Monday. Police issued Canada-wide warrants for three men on May 15 after Blain Gerrardo Grindley of Toronto was found dead in a townhouse near John Garland Blvd. and Humber College Blvd. on May 1. Michael Smith, 29, of Toronto surrendered to police on Monday. He is being charged with first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. Andrae Douse, 21, of Mississauga turned himself in to police shortly after the warrant was issued, police said. Douse has been charged with first-degree murder and appeared in court on May 16. A warrant for Dayne Sitladeen, 27, of Mississauga remains in effect as he remains at large. Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Anyone with information has been asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). Grindleys death was the 22nd homicide in Toronto so far this year. In total, 18 men and six women have been killed in the city in 2019. They are: Ian Dyer, 36, who was stabbed to death in a Toronto Community Housing building near Danforth and Midland Aves. on Jan. 6. Leigh Min, 34, was arrested two days later and charged with first-degree murder. Lorraine Kerubo Ogoti, 30, who was stabbed to death in an eighth-floor unit of a Scarborough apartment building on Jan. 8. Her boyfriend, Mowlid Hassan, 40, was found dead outside the building, in what police said was a murder-suicide. Aseel Yehya, 18, who was shot dead on Elmhurst Dr. near Redwater Dr. in Etobicoke on Jan. 9 after police said a dark-coloured vehicle approached him. Lingathasan Suntharamoorthy, 36, who was shot dead in an apartment building near Dundalk Dr. and Antrim Cres. on Jan. 12. Hanh (Hana) Nguyen, 41, who was stabbed to death at her home near Jane St. and St. Clair Ave. W., on Jan. 24. Austin Le, 40, was found at the scene and charged with second-degree murder. Veronika Mrhova, 24, who was shot while sitting in a Mercedes-Benz near Lake Shore Blvd. and Silver Moon Dr. early on Feb. 10. She died in hospital five days later. Dean Howlett, 25, who was shot dead in an apartment building on Lawrence Ave. E. west of Kingston Rd. in Scarborough on Feb. 12. Naod Tsegazab, 22, of Toronto, was charged with second-degree murder. Nicklus McKain, 18, who was shot near 18 John Garland Blvd., near Kipling Ave. and Albion Rd., in Rexdale on Feb. 24. He died in hospital. Jason Otis Lewis, 47, who was found dead at an apartment on Broadway Ave., near Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. E. on March 4. An autopsy found he died of blunt-force trauma. Quentin Luke Lewis, 42, was arrested two days later and charged with second-degree murder. Nashwan Yonan, 32, who was shot at a gas station at Eglinton Ave. E. and Avenue Rd. shortly after midnight on March 8. He died in hospital nearly two weeks later. Police are looking for a suspect. Martin Anthony Johnson, 51, who was shot dead at a North York apartment complex near Keele St. and Sheppard Ave. W. on March 11. Jennyfer Lachappelle, 41, who was found dead at an apartment near Davenport Rd. and Symington Ave. on March 13. Andrew Gerber, 38, has been charged with second-degree murder. Friends said Gerber and Lachappelle were in a relationship. Helen Fronczak, 79, who was found dead at an apartment near Kipling Ave. and Eglinton Ave. W. on March 19. Larry Fronczak, 80, has been charged with second-degree murder. Jerome Belle, 22, who was shot near Dundas West subway station in the Junction on March 20. He died in hospital. Police are searching for at least one male suspect. Rae Cara Carrington, 51, who was stabbed to death in the PATH system near King St. W and Bay St. on April 10. Her son, Duncan ONeil Sinclair, 19, of Toronto, was arrested two days later and charged with first-degree murder. Wilfred Kent Truman, 77, who was killed in his home near Eglinton Ave. W. and Black Creek Dr. on April 15. Kyle Truman, 49, of Toronto, has been charged with first-degree murder. Jermaine Gerard Skeete, 34, who was shot at 571 Vaughan Rd. near Oakwood Ave. on April 21. He later died in hospital. Lawrence Taylor Gannon, 28, who was shot on Ivy Green Cres., near Brimorton Dr. and Orton Park Rd., in Scarborough on April 28. He died in hospital two days later. Police are looking for a suspect. Premachchandran Sundaralingam, 53, who was found injured inside a home near Renforth Dr. and Rathburn Rd. on April 28. Police later determined he had been injured in an altercation. He died in hospital the next day. Richard Turner, 48, of Toronto, was arrested May 2 and has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault and threatening death. Blain Gerrado Grindley, 26, who was shot dead in Rexdale near John Garland Blvd. and Humber College Blvd. on May 1. Justin Kyle Ezeard, 23, who was shot dead at a commercial establishment near Steeles Ave. W. and Islington Ave. on May 3. Brendon Bowler, 17, who was stabbed to death near Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute near Guildwood Pkwy. and Livingston Rd. on May 6. Emmett Carew, 18, and Cheddi Itwaroo, 20, both of Toronto, were each charged with second degree murder. In 2018, Toronto broke its record for homicides in a single year, with 96 in total. A Toronto woman has been reunited with her beloved dog, a day after she reported her pup was stolen from her while she was taking a nap on the subway. In a message posted on social media on Monday, Toronto police 51 Division confirmed that Malachi, a chihuahua mix, was returned to its owner, Alberta Bakker. Bakker previously said she was travelling south from Eglinton Station on Saturday around 6:30 p.m. when she dozed off with Malachi on her lap. When she woke up at St. Andrew Station, her dog and her iPad were gone. Police say good samaritans visiting the city for the Victoria Day long weekend were shopping at the Eaton Centre and found the dog running around. They took him back to their room overnight and tried to search for the owner. On Sunday, they found a link from a newspaper about a stolen dog on the subway and realized it was Malachi. They brought it to the attention of police, who confirmed the dogs identity and reunited Malachi to Bakker. What a great call to get on the long weekend, 51 Division Sgt. Craig Somers said in the Facebook post. They took time out of their trip on a busy weekend to help reunite this owner with her beloved dog. PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa - Former South African president Jacob Zuma is in court facing charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering. Zuma, 77, appeared at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province Monday on charges of receiving bribes when the government purchased arms in 1999. Zuma was South Africas president from 2009 until 2018, when he was forced to resign by his ruling African National Congress party amid persistent allegations of corruption. The criminal charges against Zuma were first raised more than 10 years ago but were withdrawn by the National Prosecution Authority in 2008. The charges were reinstated after a court ruled that there are sufficient grounds to bring him to trial. Zumas former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was in 2005 convicted of fraud and corruption. BOGOTA - With Julian Assange locked away in a London jail, a new battle has broken out over what may contain some of the WikiLeaks founders biggest secrets: his computers. On Monday, judicial authorities from Ecuador carried out an inventory of all the belongings and digital devices left behind at the London embassy following his expulsion last month from the diplomatic compound that had been his home the past seven years. It came as Sweden announced it was seeking Assanges arrest on suspicion of rape, setting up a possible future tug-of-war with the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Its not known what devices authorities removed from the embassy or what information they contained. But authorities said they were acting on a request by the U.S. prosecutors, leading Assanges defenders to claim that Ecuador has undermined the most basic principles of asylum while denying the secret-spillers right to prepare his defence. Its disgraceful, WikiLeaks editor in chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, said in an interview with The Associated Press. Ecuador granted him asylum because of the threat of extradition to the U.S. and now the same country, under new leadership, is actively collaborating with a criminal investigation against him. Assange, 47, was arrested on April 11 after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in a London prison for skipping bail while the U.S. seeks his extradition for conspiring to hack into military computers and spill secrets about U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hrafnsson, who has visited the Australian activist in jail, said Assange saw his eviction coming for weeks as relations with President Lenin Morenos government deteriorated, so he took great care to scrub computers and hard drives of any compromising material, including future planned leaks or internal communications with WikiLeaks collaborators. Still, Hrafnsson said he fully expects Moreno or the Americans to claim revelations that dont exist. He called Mondays proceedings a horse show because no legal authority can guarantee Assanges devices havent been tampered with, or the chain of custody unbroken, in the six weeks since his arrest. If anything surfaces, I can assure you it wouldve been planted, he said. Julian isnt a novice when it comes to security and securing his information. We expected this to happen and protections have been in place for a very long time. A group of Assanges supporters gathered outside Ecuadors Embassy in London to protest the judicial proceeding. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you! Ecuadorian authorities said they will hand over any belongings not given to U.S. or Ecuadorian investigators to Assanges lawyers, who werent invited to Mondays inventory-taking. Hrafnsson said he didnt have a full inventory of Assanges devices Moreno decided to evict Assange from the embassy after accusing him of working with political opponents to hack into his phone and release damaging personal documents and photos, including several that showed him eating lobster in bed and the numbers of bank accounts allegedly used to hide proceeds from corruption. Morenos actions immediately were celebrated by the Trump administration, which was key in helping Ecuador secure a $4.2 billion credit line from the International Monetary Fund and has provided the tiny South American country with new trade and military deals in recent weeks. The Americans are the ones pulling the strings, and Moreno their puppet dancing to the tune of money, said Hrafnsson. Separately on Monday, Swedish authorities issued a request for a detention order against Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, because two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelve it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. ___ AP writers Gonzalo Solano in Quito, Ecuador, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday celebrated the anniversary of his disputed re-election amid a growing humanitarian crisis and political upheaval. Maduro tweeted that the May 20, 2018, election, was a victory for Venezuelans, though the opposition and many countries have derided it as unfair. In a speech at a government-organized rally, Maduro said he is prepared to face the opposition in legislative elections, though he has made similar challenges in the past while dismissing allegations that his re-election was fixed. He referred to a recent effort by Norway to mediate between Venezuelas opposing factions and said he favoured dialogue, though critics accuse him of using past negotiations to play for time. Why dont they respond when I make this proposal? Maduro said of his election offer to the opposition, which is demanding that he step down to make way for a transitional government before elections can be held. Meanwhile, members of a loyalist assembly assigned by Maduro to write a new constitution decided to extend their work until the end of 2020. The assembly rivals the opposition-controlled congress, headed by Juan Guaido, that says Maduro has steered Venezuela toward authoritarian rule and ruined the economy. The United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela in a bid to unseat Maduro, compounding the problems of the countrys deteriorating oil industry. Maduro says Guaido is a pawn in a U.S. coup plot. Also Monday, Carlos Vecchio, a government opponent who the U.S. recognizes as Venezuelas ambassador, met with Pentagon officials at the request of Guaido. The U.S. has insisted all options are on the table for dealing with Venezuelas crisis and Guaido in recent weeks has publicly speculated about the idea of requesting foreign military assistance to help rid Venezuela of Maduro. Even so, the U.S. says it is focusing on diplomatic and economic pressure on Maduro, and there are no indications of any military buildup. Maduros re-election to a second six-year term lies at the heart of Venezuelas political standoff, in which Guaido has sought unsuccessfully to get the military command to support him. The opposition leaders failed call for a military uprising on April 30 was followed by deadly clashes between police and protesters. Ahead of Maduros 2018 re-election, the main opposition coalition refused to field a candidate, saying there was no possibility of a fair vote. The government had previously stacked the electoral council and judiciary with its supporters, and the oppositions most combative leaders were banned from participating, imprisoned or exiled. ___ Associated Press writer Jorge Rueda in Caracas contributed to this report. KATHMANDU, Nepal - Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than all but one other person. Now he wants to make sure no one feels compelled to follow in his footsteps. As a boy growing up in Nepal, Sherpa dreamed of becoming a doctor, but poverty and lack of education steered him to a far more dangerous path : Working as a guide on Mount Everest, carrying climbing equipment and helping foreign mountaineers scale the worlds tallest peak. Now retired in the U.S., Sherpa returns every year to his roots in the foothills of the Himalayas to provide financial assistance to village schools and try to show children from the Sherpa minority group that they have options in life. Sherpas take big risks in the mountains to earn a living for their families because they are unable to take up any other jobs, the 59-year-old said. My main goal is to ensure children in the future dont have to take up climbing like we did. Sherpa tribespeople were mostly yak herders and traders living deep within the Himalayas until Nepal opened its borders to foreigners in the 1950s. As adventurers began arriving to conquer the countrys famous peaks, the Sherpas with their mountain experience found themselves in demand as guides and porters. To this day they are an indispensable part of Nepals climbing industry, which brings in $300 million to the country each year. But advocates say Nepals estimated 350,000 Sherpa remain marginalized, with many living in remote, impoverished villages connected to the rest of the country only by footpaths and small airstrips. Access to schooling beyond the primary level is rare. The Apa Sherpa Foundation, set up in 2012, has been seeking to change that, paying teacher salaries in several villages to ensure schools remain open and providing hot lunches, computers, books, pens and warm clothes to motivate children to attend classes. Most people in the area have now realized the value of educating their children and they do their best to send their children to school, Sherpa said. But many schools face difficulties, so we try and help them whatever way possible. When Sherpa was growing up, the school in his village, Thame, offered education only up to the second grade. He continued his studies in another village for two more years, walking the mountain trails for six hours each day, but had to drop out when his father died and he had to take on the responsibility of feeding his family. By the age of 12 he was working on climbing expeditions. At age 30, he summited Everest for the first time. He repeated the feat almost every year after, going on to become one of Everests greatest guides and earning the nickname Super Sherpa. When he retired in 2011, he jointly held the record for having climbed the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak 21 times with fellow Sherpa Phurba Tashi. Another Sherpa, Kami Rita, now holds the record alone, having reached the summit 24 times, two of them this season. Everyone said 21 was a good number, Sherpa noted of the timing for his retirement, which fulfilled a longstanding promise to his wife. Sherpas are the first to reach Everest each climbing season and the last to leave. They set up the camps, carry the equipment and cook the food for climbing parties. Most importantly, they fix the ropes and ladders over the crevasses and icefalls that enable mountaineers to scale the peak. The work has earned the Sherpas prestige, as well as income far above average wages in Nepal. Experienced guides like Sherpa who take climbers all the way to the top of Everest make $10,000 or more, while porters or cooks at mountaineers camps average between $3,000 and $5,000 during their three months of work. Thats a huge amount compared to Nepals $1,035 annual per capita income. Sherpa himself was able to move to the U.S. state of Utah in 2006 so that his children could have a better education. But Sherpas also bear the largest brunt of the danger and death that go hand-in-hand with the industry. In 2014, 16 Sherpa guides were buried by an avalanche on Everest as they carried supplies. The following year, another 10 were among those killed when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that tore through Everest base camp. After the 2014 disaster, Sherpas refused to work, prompting the government to introduce new rules for better wages, increasing insurance payouts and improving rescue operations for Sherpas. Sherpa himself had many near misses, having survived blizzards, frostbite, inadequate oxygen supplies and the deaths of fellow mountaineers. Given a choice, he said, many Sherpas would probably never take up the work. In the past few weeks, members of his foundation and trekkers have hiked to six schools to drop off supplies. They also distribute supplies to monasteries. As Buddhists, Sherpas often send their children to live and study at monasteries, a tradition that also relieves parents of the burden of having to feed and educate them at home. In addition to making sure children have access to school, there is also the issue of ensuring teachers are hired. Of the eight teachers the government says are needed at the village school in Thame, it says it can only afford to hire three. Sherpas foundation helps to pay the salaries of another five teachers who have not been formally hired. It is really difficult to find qualified teachers to move to remote villages and we dont have enough money to pay all their salaries, said Khagendra Shrestha, the chief education officer for the district in charge of Thame. Sherpas foundation mostly collects funds from donations, talks, dinners and screenings. Last year, it raised $80,000. It also has sponsorship from the outdoor equipment supplier Thule thanks to Sherpas fame. Apas vision was that he wanted the children to have a choice through education, said foundation board member Valerie Littleton. He is very passionate about giving back to the country he loves. BEIJING - A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbours in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: ___ EDITORS NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the location of several territorial conflicts in the region. ___ WARNING OF FISHERIES COLLAPSE An expert with the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies has warned of a looming collapse of crucial South China Sea fisheries due to overfishing and development projects. Greg Poling, director of CSISs Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said stocks in the sea, which accounts for about 12% of the global fish catch, now are on the verge of collapse. Southeast Asian communities that rely on fishing in the sea will be devastated, Poling said in an interview with the PBS NewsHour in the U.S. Youre talking about hundreds of thousands of people that rely on fishing or fishing related industries and millions of more that rely on the fish and other marine life for food security. Poling said the impact will be felt more greatly by Southeast Asian countries than by China, whose moves to assert its claim to virtually the entire crucial waterway have contributed to the damage to fisheries. All six governments that exercise overlapping claims in the area are incentivized to catch as much fish as possible at the expense of their rivals, Poling said. Meanwhile, Chinas project of building man-made islands topped with military installations has destroyed thousands of acres (hectares) of coral reefs and Chinese fishing practices, especially the gathering of giant clams, have added to the devastation, he said. Some of these (reefs), the ones that youve probably seen pictures of Chinese air bases going on top of, those are dead forever. A lot of the others could come back but its going to take decades of being left alone and right now there is very little chance that theyre going to be left alone, Poling said. ___ US SAYS ITS JETS PATROL DAILY A top American military commander says U.S. Air Force jets patrol the South China Sea daily to foster freedom of overflight, although theyre not as visible as Navy patrols in the disputed waters. We fly on a daily basis in and around the South China Sea and really all across the region, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, told a news briefing late Thursday in Manila. American pilots have a standard reply when they receive Chinese radio inquiries, Brown said. Routine U.S. Air Force patrols are not provocative but will press on to ensure everybody can fly where international laws allow them to, he said. Its something that I think all nations should be able to do, Brown said. I realize that, sometimes, you know, China does not like that fact. China fumes over the American military presence, at sea or on air it what it sees as its own territory. Brown visited the Philippines last week for meetings with top military officials, including the chief of staff, Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., with whom he discussed the prospects of increasing multilateral training involving U.S. and Philippine air forces. ___ US NAVY MAINTAINING PRESENCE A top U.S. admiral says the Navy has not increased maritime patrols in the South China Sea but is maintaining a consistent presence in the disputed waterway. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson sought to reassure regional partners, some of whom have opposing claims in the waters but benefit from good relations with China on other fronts. Richardson was addressing an international security conference in Singapore on Wednesday. Ive done the analysis so that I can state with confidence that our level of operations, our presence there, has been consistent over the decades, Richardson said. Theres nothing that has spiked recently. The International Maritime Security Conference was attended by representatives from 33 navies, including 16 navy chiefs. A Chinese delegate was also present. The U.S. Navy manoeuvrs in the South China Sea, so-called freedom of navigation operations, are by design non-provocative, non-escalatory. Theyre just challenging excessive maritime claims in a very consistent basis, Richardson told the conference. China has built military installations on seven man-made islands in the waters. The other claimants, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam, have protested Chinas behaviour but they also maintain good relations with Beijing. Richardson said routine freedom of navigation operations will proceed with transparency, consistency and predictability. Meanwhile, U.S. and Philippine coast guard ships conducted a joint exercise in the South China Sea. Capt. John Driscoll, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf, told reporters during a port call in Manila that two Chinese coast guard ships were spotted in the vicinity of the exercise. ___ Associated Press writers Jim Gomez in Manilla, Philippines, and Annabelle Liang in Singapore contributed to this report. BEIJING - A business group says the number of foreign companies in China that feel compelled to hand over technology in exchange for market access has doubled since two years ago. The issue is one of the complaints behind President Donald Trumps tariff fight with Beijing. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Chinas report Monday highlighted enduring complaints about forced technology transfer despite official denials and promises of change. The chamber said one in five companies that responded to a survey said they feel compelled to hand over technology. The number was higher in some industries 30 per cent in petroleum and chemicals and 28 per cent in medical devices. VIENNAPolitical chaos reigned in Austria on Monday, two days after the chancellor called for a new election and pulled the plug on his governing coalition with the far-right Freedom Party, whose leader quit over an apparent influence-peddling scandal involving a purported Russian investor. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz acknowledged that the scandal, which erupted on Friday and brought down the government just a day later, has damaged the image of our country around the world. He pledged to ensure stability over the coming months, but didnt immediately specify how or say what would happen to the Freedom Partys remaining ministers. Kurz called for a new national election after Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache quit his post and ended his 14-year leadership of the Freedom Party on Saturday following the emergence of a damning video showing his behaviour at a boozy gathering in Ibiza two years ago. The national election is expected in September. Straches resignation was a setback for populist and nationalist forces as Europe heads into the final days of campaigning for the European Parliament elections, which run from Thursday through Sunday. The Freedom Party is the junior member of Kurzs governing coalition, which took power in December 2017. It appeared keen to keep its remaining ministers in place until the election, but that was in doubt after a minister from Kurzs Peoples Party, Gernot Bluemel, told ORF television that he expects Kurz will dismiss Interior Minister Herbert Kickl. Bluemel cited a need to get the bottom of the scandal triggered by a video, leaked to two German publications, in which Strache and party colleague Johann Gudenus are heard telling a purported Russian investor that she can expect lucrative construction contracts if she buys an Austrian newspaper and supports the Freedom Party. Gudenus has quit as leader of the partys parliamentary group and is leaving the party. The Freedom Party said it would pull its ministers out of the outgoing government if Kickl is dismissed. Kickl said he would meet Kurz on Monday afternoon. Kurz said the minister appeared to lack the necessary awareness to clear up and deal with this scandal, but didnt directly address Kickls position. Kurz, 32, became leader of the Peoples Party in 2017. He endorsed a hard line on migration and public finances, and chose to ally with the Freedom Party after winning that years election. Kurz, who is personally popular, said Saturday that enough is enough a reference to a string of smaller scandals involving the Freedom Party that had plagued his government. In recent months, those have included a poem in a party newsletter comparing migrants to rats and questions over links to extreme-right groups. Kickl, a longtime campaign mastermind of the Freedom Party, has drawn criticism over matters including a raid last year on Austrias BVT spy agency, which opposition parties claimed was an attempt by the new government to purge domestic political enemies. His party said he had done nothing wrong. The Russian government, meanwhile, said it couldnt comment on the video because it has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, its president or the government. President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said of the woman in the Strache video that set off the crisis: We dont know who that woman is and whether shes Russian or not. LONDON - Pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage was hit with a milkshake while campaigning in the European Parliament election on Monday the latest in a spate of attacks on politicians with the sticky beverages. Farage was left with milkshake dripping down his lapels during a walkabout in Newcastle, northeast England. Police said a 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault. Paul Crowther, who was detained in handcuffs at the scene, said he threw the banana-and-salted caramel Five Guys shake to protest Farages bile and racism. He said he had been looking forward to the milkshake, but I think it went on a better purpose. Farage blamed the attack on those who wanted to remain in the EU. He tweeted that Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible. Farages Brexit Party is leading opinion polls in the contest for 73 U.K. seats in the 751-seat European Parliament. Milkshakes have become an unlikely political weapon in Britain. Other right-wing candidates including far-right activist Tommy Robinson have also been pelted with milkshakes during the election campaign. Last week a McDonalds in Edinburgh, Scotland said it had been told by police not to sell milkshakes during a Brexit Party rally. In response, Burger King tweeted: Dear people of Scotland. Were selling milkshakes all weekend. Have fun. Love BK. By Martin Schram On Wednesday afternoon, two former U.S. senators from opposing parties who famously forged an urgent program that safeguarded the world after the Soviet empire collapsed, and its vast nuclear, chemical and biological weapons were suddenly vulnerable to terrorists were together for the last time. For almost three decades, a grateful world has called their vital and visionary Cooperative Threat Reduction program by its simple shorthand: "Nunn-Lugar." Now, in Indianapolis, Dick Lugar, the former Indiana Republican senator, was in his U.S. flag-draped coffin, in the St. Luke's United Methodist Church that his father helped found. And Sam Nunn, the former Georgia Democratic senator, was at the rostrum, saying goodbye to "my trusted partner and friend." Watching Lugar's funeral on the website of Washington's Lugar Center think tank, I found myself thinking about the remarkable story-behind-the-story of this rare partnership, as both senators had told it to me long ago. For Nunn and Lugar traveled remarkably parallel paths in coming to their identical determinations. And their bipartisan bond had overcome Washington's traditional doubters in the 1990s. As we remember their dual stories, we need to ask ourselves whether today's Washington is capable of similarly rising above its partisan biases even to safeguard us all. Dateline Moscow, 1991: Sam Nunn, then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met in Moscow with Mikhail Gorbachev, who may have still had his title of president, but not the power. He'd just been under house arrest, until a military coup was aborted. His country was unraveling. Boris Yeltsin was assuming power. Nunn later told me: "I had mustered the courage to ask him the question as I was leaving: 'Mr. President, did you have command and control of the Soviet nuclear weapons while you were in captivity? Or did you lose that control?'" Nunn later told me. "He turned away from me. He wouldn't answer the question. And that was a big answer, to me." "... I came away with two conclusions. One is the Soviet empire was breaking up. Number Two, that they had nuclear weapons everywhere, nuclear materials everywhere, know-how everywhere, spread over nine or ten time zones ... Russia's strengths had always been our biggest fear ... It was now Russia's weakness that was our greatest danger." Dateline Washington, 1991: Dick Lugar, an influential member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is meeting in his Senate office with Russian arms negotiators. Lugar later told me about it: "The Russians ... said, in essence, 'You folks in the United States spent $3 trillion trying to control our nuclear weapons from hitting you, but we're here to tell you there are very big problems, because the Red Army as we have known it is breaking up, sometimes with a degree of indiscipline and some of it, perhaps, at the sites where nuclear weapons are located.'" Indeed, when the Soviet empire shattered, the ex-Soviet republics of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus sites where other Soviet weapons were based instantly become nuclear-armed world powers. In the Senate, Nunn and Lugar crafted what became the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act to quickly safeguard poorly secured Soviet nuclear, chemical and biological arsenals. And they worked to convince the ex-Soviet republics it was in their long-term interest to surrender their nuclear weapons and become partners in the global economy. But Nunn and Lugar discovered their biggest problem was convincing President George H.W. Bush's administration to pay to fix the WMD disaster the Soviets had caused. There Lugar proved essential. He patiently persuaded Bush's advisers of the validity and urgency of the Nunn-Lugar solutions. We needed to assure that terrorists couldn't seize Russia's loose nukes and sail them into a U.S. harbor on a slow, rusty old freighter. Nunn and Lugar repeatedly visited Russian sites and discovered new problems. In the southern city of Shchuchye, they found chemical warheads stored in battered old barn-like buildings, under roofs with gaping holes, and doors secured with mere padlocks. Fast forward back to Indianapolis, Wednesday afternoon: Among those eulogizing Lugar were Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. They spoke warmly about how Lugar helped them in their careers but ignored the reality that they're now espousing precisely the roadblock partisanship that is the antithesis of all Lugar was really about. But there was no mistaking the moral of Nunn's message. "Cooperation and compromise is often misunderstood today," said Nunn, co-founder of the Nuclear Threat Initiative that continued working with Lugar on their shared concerns. "Some take it to mean giving up on principles. Dick Lugar never compromised his principles ..." "Dick made the world a safer place and a better place." Martin Schram (martin.schram@gmail.com), an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. His commentary was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. VIENNA - A senior Chinese official has officially handed over a 19-year-old male giant panda to Viennas Schoenbrunn zoo. Yuan Yuan arrived in Vienna last month and has spent the last few weeks in quarantine. He was chosen as a partner for Yang Yang, the zoos 18-year-old female panda, who has been at the zoo since 2003 but without a companion since its previous male, Long Hui, died of cancer in 2016. Li Zhanshu, the head of Chinas parliament, handed over Yuan Yuan at a ceremony Monday. China lends the rare bears to other countries as a sign of goodwill in what is known as panda diplomacy. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen described the animals as a symbol of friendship and said they have a certain diplomatic mission. MADRID - The five separatist leaders on trial for Catalonias 2017 secession attempt who were elected to the Spanish Parliament last month picked up their official credentials under police escort on Monday. The Supreme Court allowed the five to get their credentials and to also attend the opening session of the new Parliament on Tuesday. However, it did not permit them to participate in any meetings or speak to the press while at the Parliament in Madrid. Former Catalan regional vice-president, Oriol Junqueras, and three other high-profile separatists won seats in the Lower Chamber, while Raul Romeva won a seat in the Senate. Police transported them from prison to the Parliament buildings. They all wore suits and spoke with fellow lawmakers without the visible presence of uniformed police escorts once inside, as seen in televised images. Despite the media ban, Junqueras posted a short video on Twitter in which he said we are well because we are with friends and asked for support for his party in Sundays European and municipal Spanish elections. Junqueras is running for a seat in the European Parliament. He has said he will renounce his seat in the Spanish Parliament if he wins one in Europe. The five, along with four other defendants, are being held in prison during the trial. They face several years in prison and being banned from holding public office if found guilty of rebellion or other crimes. Others, including ex-Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, fled Spain. The Catalan secession bid two years ago plunged Spain into its biggest political crisis in decades. The northeastern regions 7.5 million residents are roughly split down the middle over whether to secede from Spain, according to opinion polls. COPENHAGEN - Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant. The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and U.S. extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. The request added there was an aggravating circumstance because Assange didnt use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Swedens centre-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. A police officer who heard the womens accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the U.K., Persson said in a statement. Meanwhile, Assanges supporters gathered outside Ecuadors Embassy in London to protest what they said was the handover of his belongings to American prosecutors. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you! WikiLeaks said in a statement that Assanges possessions, including manuscripts, medical records and electronic equipment, will be handed to U.S. prosecutors seeking his extradition on Monday. KIEV, Ukraine - The latest on Ukrainian politics (all times local): 12:25 a.m. The U.N. Security Council has rejected a Russian attempt to hold a meeting on a new Ukrainian language law, with opponents saying Moscow wanted to upstage the inauguration of Ukraines new president. Russia got just five of the required nine yes votes in the 15-member council to hold the meeting Monday. France, Germany, U.S., U.K., Belgium and Poland voted against. Four countries abstained. Opponents say they asked to postpone the meeting until after Mondays inauguration of Volodymyr Zelenskiy but Russia refused. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia sharply criticized the language law that requires the use of Ukrainian in the government and media. Russian is also widely spoken in Ukraine. Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko said this is not the best way to start contacts between Russia and Ukraine. ___ 6:20 p.m. A party that was part of a ruling coalition in Ukraine has criticized the newly sworn presidents decision to disband parliament and call snap elections. Ukrainian television star Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he would disband the legislature immediately after being sworn in as president Monday, castigating the current lawmakers as people focused on self-enrichment. The Peoples Front party that was part of the ruling coalition and withdrew from it last week in a manoeuvr intended to make it more difficult for Zelenskiy to disband parliament, criticized Zelenskiys move as unlawful but said it was ready for early elections. It charged that Zelenskiy hopes to ride the wave of his electoral success to control parliament. Once Zelenskiy signs a decree disbanding parliament, a snap election will be held within two months. ___ 6 p.m. Ukraines prime minister says he will resign in a largely symbolic move that comes hours after the newly-sworn President Volodymyr Zelenskiys decision to disband the parliament and call snap elections. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said he would resign Wednesday, inviting Zelenskiy to take full responsibility for the country. His resignation needs to be approved by parliament. If it accepts Groysmans resignation, he will still serve as acting prime minister until lawmakers name a new Cabinet after the elections. Zelenskiy, who won 73% of the vote last month, needs a quick vote to replace the old legislature dominated by his predecessors supporters. His political party has been leading the field by a broad margin. Once Zelenskiy issues a decree formally disbanding the parliament, the snap election will be held within two months. ___ 1:10 p.m. The Kremlin has voiced hope that the newly sworn Ukrainian president will help normalize ties with Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin doesnt plan to send congratulations to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following his official swearing-in earlier. Peskov said Putin would only congratulate Zelenskiy on the first successes in settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine and normalizing relations with Russia. Relations between the two countries have been strained ever since Russia annexed Ukraines Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Asked if Russia could meet Zelenskiys demand to release Ukrainian prisoners, Peskov told reporters that Moscow is willing to continue talks on the issue. ___ 11 a.m. Ukrainian television star Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been sworn in as president and immediately disbanded the Ukrainian parliament. Disbanding the Supreme Rada was one of his campaign promises, for Zelenskiy had branded the body as a group of people only interested in self-enrichment. Before he made the announcement, Zelenskiy asked the parliament to adopt a bill against illegal enrichment and support his motion to fire the countrys defence minister, the head of the Ukrainian Security Service and the Prosecutor General. All of them are allies of former President Petro Poroshenko, who lost the presidential election in a landslide to the comedian who had no previous political experience. In a feisty speech after his inauguration, Zelenskiy told the Rada that his main goal for the presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years. ___ 10:30 a.m. Ukrainian television star Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday disbanded the parliament after he was sworn in as new president. Disbanding the Supreme Rada was one of the campaign promises of Zelenskiy who branded it as a group of people only interested in self-enrichment. Before he made the announcement, Zelenskiy asked the parliament to adopt a bill against illegal enrichment and support his motion to fire the countrys defence minister, the head of the Ukrainian Security Service and the Prosecutor General. All of them are allies of Petro Poroshenko who lost the election to the comedian with no previous political experience. In a feisty speech after his inauguration, Zelenskiy told the Rada that his main goal for the presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years. Im ready to do everything so that our heroes dont die there, he said. Im ready to lose my popularly and, if necessary, Im ready to lose my post so that we have peace. Zelenskiy ditched the idea of a traditional motorcade and walked to the parliament through a park packed with people. Flanked by four bodyguards, he was giving high-fives to some of the spectators and even stopped to take a selfie with one of them. 41-year-old Zelenskiy garnered 73 per cent of the vote at the presidential election last month in a victory that reflected Ukrainians exhaustion with politics-as-usual. Rumours about Zelenskiys potential bid first surfaced when he played the Ukrainian president in a television show several years earlier. Zelenskiy wrapped up his speech at parliament by referring to his career as a comedian. Throughout all of my life I tried to do everything to make Ukrainians laugh, he said with a smile. In the next five years I will do everything so that Ukrainians dont cry. __ Vasilyeva reported from Moscow. BAGHDAD - Leading Iraqi Shiite figures warned Monday against attempts to pull their country into a war between the U.S. and Iran, saying it would turn Iraq into a battlefield yet again, just as it is on the path to recovery. The warning came hours after a rocket slammed into Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported and no group immediately claimed the Sunday night attack. Shortly after, President Donald Trump tweeted a warning to Iran not to threaten the United States or it will face its official end. Last week, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of nonessential diplomatic staff from Iraq amid unspecified threats from Iran and rising tensions across the region. The White House has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter the alleged Iranian threats. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul tweeted Monday that the army command in Baghdad is working day and night to guarantee the security of citizens, foreign missions and international and local companies. On Monday, two influential Shiite clerics and a leading politician all with close ties to Iran warned that Iraq could once again get caught in the middle. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave. Populist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said any political party that would drag Iraq in a U.S.-Iran war would be the enemy of the Iraqi people. This war would mark the end of Iraq, the black-turbaned al-Sadr warned. We need peace and reconstruction. The influential clerics statements were echoed by the Shiite militias, which appeared to distance themselves from Sundays attack. Qais al-Khazali, the leader the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous group, tweeted that he is opposed to operations that give pretexts for war and added that they would only harm Iraqs political, economic and security conditions. A spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah said the rocket attack was unjustified and suggested a third party was trying to provoke a war, citing Israel or Saudi Arabia. For the Shiite-majority Iraq to be a theatre for proxy wars is not new. It lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been the setting where Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out. After Americas 2003 invasion of Iraq to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, American troops and Iranian-backed militiamen fought pitched battles around the country, and scores of U.S. troops were killed or wounded by sophisticated Iranian-made weapons. The office of Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of a coalition of Shiite paramilitary forces backed by both Baghdad and Tehran, released a statement calling on Iraqis to work together to keep Iraq and the region away from war. If war breaks out ... it will burn everyone, al-Amiri warned. JERUSALEM - The Palestinian prime minister said Monday that any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian peoples aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail. Mohammad Shtayyehs comments immediately cast a cloud over the American-led Mideast peace conference expected to take place in late June in the tiny Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. The White House announced Sunday it will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan at the conference, saying it will focus on economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But officials say the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. Any solution to the conflict in Palestine must be political ... and based on ending the occupation, Shtayyeh said at a Palestinian Cabinet meeting. The current financial crisis is a result of a financial war waged against us and we will not succumb to blackmailing and extortion and will not trade our national rights for money. President Donald Trumps Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was difficult to understand why the Palestinian Authority would reject a workshop designed to discuss a vision with the potential to radically transform lives and put people on a path toward a brighter future. History will judge the Palestinian Authority harshly for passing up any opportunity that could give the Palestinians something so very different, and something so very positive, compared to what they have today, Greenblatt said. In another setback, Bashar Masri, a Palestinian industrialist with vast business holdings throughout the West Bank, said he had turned down an invitation to the conference. I will not participate in this conference, and none of the representatives of our companies will participate, he wrote on Facebook. We reaffirm our clear position: We will not deal with any event outside the Palestinian national consensus. The Palestinians severed ties with the U.S. over a year ago over Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. They have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They believe the U.S. is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to bully them into accepting a plan that would legitimize the Israeli occupation. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives, Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved. The tiny island nation of Bahrain, off the coast of Saudi Arabia, has signalled its willingness to open relations with Israel. Prominent rabbis in 2017 said King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told them he hoped the Arab boycott of Israel would end. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet and is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are widely believed to be seeking closer ties to Israel, viewing it as a potential ally against Iran, a shared enemy. Kushner and Greenblatt, have been leading efforts to draft the plan, but after more than two years of work, they have not released any details. A senior administration official in Washington told reporters Sunday that invitations to the conference are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and some Palestinian business leaders. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. There were no details on who might attend, or whether the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank was invited. Israels Finance Ministry said it had not been invited. In the absence of direct talks with Palestinian leaders, U.S. officials often talk of engaging Palestinians in the private sector and civil society groups. Trumps ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has embraced the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce, a group led by Israeli West Bank settlers that seeks business ties with Palestinian partners. The groups Palestinian co-founder, businessman Ashraf Jabari, said he had been invited and planned on attending. It is unclear how any large-scale projects would be carried out in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. and Israel consider Gazas Hamas rulers to be a terrorist group and have no direct contacts with them. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war for an independent state. Breaking from the policies of its predecessors, the Trump administration has refused to endorse a two-state solution. Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israels capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The U.S. has also cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians and closed the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington. The Palestinians have already said they would reject any peace plan offered by the U.S., saying Trump is unfairly biased toward Israel. Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before its unveiled. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan hes helped craft is a detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think-tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an in-depth operational document not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. ___ Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem, and Deb Riechmann, Matthew Lee and Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report. CAIRO - In April 2015, President Omar al-Bashir travelled to the heart of Sudans conflict-ravaged Darfur region to congratulate one of his hand-picked commanders on a recent victory over rebels. Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, had led the so-called Rapid Support Forces on a series of counterinsurgency campaigns in Darfur and other restive provinces. The paramilitary force grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militias, and rights groups say forces under his command used many of the militias brutal tactics. I signed the list of promotions that I received from you without even looking at it, al-Bashir told a cheering crowd, addressing Dagalo, as he stood atop a Land Cruiser in the sweltering heat, according to a contemporary account of the rally. Four years later, al-Bashir is imprisoned in the capital, Khartoum, and Hemedti, who comes from a camel-trading family in a remote province, is the second most powerful man in Sudan. He is the deputy head of the military council that assumed power after removing al-Bashir from office in April, following four months of mass protests. At 44, he is also the youngest member of the council. He says he refused orders from al-Bashir to fire on the protesters, and he praised them as recently as last weekend, saying we want the democracy they are talking about. Many see him as an ally against the Islamic movement that orchestrated al-Bashirs 1989 coup and underpinned his regime. Hemedti has supplied ground forces to the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen and can count on the support of the Saudis, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which also hope to sideline the Islamists. But his meteoric rise is closely linked to the ongoing conflict in his native Darfur, where his forces are accused of continuing the scorched-earth campaign against rebels that al-Bashir launched in 2003, and for which the president was indicted for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court. Hemedti, who declined AP requests for an interview, has not been implicated in the atrocities carried out in Darfur in 2003 and 2004, when the government-backed Janjaweed rampaged across the region, torching villages and killing and raping ethnic Africans. Some 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were forcibly displaced in the early years of the conflict, before the violence gradually declined. ___ DARFUR ABUSES In an interview with documentary filmmakers in 2008, Hemedti said al-Bashir had personally asked him to lead the campaign against the insurgency in Darfur, but he denied any involvement in attacks on civilians and said he had refused orders to attack civilian areas. Magdi el-Gizouli, a scholar at the Rift Valley Institute, a think-tank focused on East Africa, links Hemedtis rise to the militarys outsourcing of the conflict to local forces. In essence, he is the reason why the rebellion in Darfur was defeated, because he was capable of recruiting an efficient fighting force that knew the local terrain well, that knew the geography well, and that had an axe to grind against farming communities in Darfur, he said. The RSF, formed in 2013 and eventually including up to 10,000 fighters, was in some ways an attempt to bring greater discipline to the Arab militias and more closely tie them to the armed forces. Under Hemedtis command, the RSF waged two major counterinsurgency campaigns in Darfur, in 2014 and 2015. A 2015 report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch found that the RSF committed a wide range of horrific abuses, including forcibly displacing entire communities, destroying wells and plundering livestock. Among the most egregious abuses against civilians were torture, extrajudicial killings and mass rapes, it said. Witnesses to a 2015 attack by the RSF in Darfurs Jebel Marra region said troops carried out mass rape in and around the village of Golo, often gang-raping women and girls in front of local elders before killing the women and leaving their bodies in the streets, Human Rights Watch said. As head of the RSF, Hemedti bears responsibility for the attacks on civilians his forces have carried out, in which civilians have been killed and villages have been burned to the ground, Jehanne Henry, a Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said last week. The fact that Hemedti is now deputy head of the (transitional military council) is not lost on Darfuris I speak to. The International Criminal Court has not brought charges against Hemedti. But it said in a 2014 report that the RSF under his command was similar in structure and modus operandi to the Janjaweed, with a similar pattern of indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against civilians. ___ TURNING ON AL-BASHIR Hemedtis forces appear to have acquitted themselves better during the protests against his longtime patron al-Bashir, which erupted in December over rising bread prices and rapidly escalated into a popular uprising. He says his forces, like the regular army, refused al-Bashirs orders to violently disperse a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum established on April 6. The military removed al-Bashir from power five days later, ending a 30-year reign marked by repression and civil war. The protesters have remained in the streets , demanding that the military rapidly hand power over to a civilian government. But while the protesters have forced several officers to resign from the council after complaining they were too close to the former regime, there have not been widespread calls for Hemedti to step down. Many people, including some of Sudans finest democrats, consider him a counterweight to the Islamic movement, el-Gizouli said. A lot of people in Khartoum would be ready to tolerate him for a while. Im not sure what they can do once this ends. In the weeks since al-Bashirs overthrow, Hemedti has met with Western ambassadors and other envoys in his office in the presidential residence. He has said he has no interest in seeking higher office and has called for a government of technocrats. We want a real democracy, fair and free elections, he said Saturday. Whoever the Sudanese choose will rule. But he has also warned the protesters against any further chaos, hinting late last month that the military may use force if the unrest continues. In Darfur, government forces violently dispersed a rally earlier this month outside a military facility, setting off clashes in which an 18-year-old protester was killed. The protesters in Khartoum have meanwhile expressed mounting frustration with the military council, accusing it of dragging its feet in order to keep much of al-Bashirs regime intact. As tensions escalate, Hemedtis balancing act could prove more challenging. Hemedti has been thinking that he is one of the leaders of the change because he was neutral in the protests, said Shamayel el-Nour, an activist with the Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded the demonstrations. The protesters recognize his refusal to use force against them, but in Darfur he is viewed as a war criminal. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The Latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region and elsewhere in the Mideast amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local): 11:40 p.m. The German government says Chancellor Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed the situation in Iran in a joint telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Merkels office said in a statement Tuesday that the three leaders underlined the need to persuade Iran to remain in the nuclear agreement, which they agreed to maintain. U.S. President Donald Trump last year pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that lifted economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbing of its nuclear program. Iran recently announced that it has stepped up its uranium-enrichment production capacity but insisted the limit would remain far below whats needed for an atomic weapon. ___ 7:50 p.m. Irans President Hassan Rouhani says the United States will not defeat Iran with economic pressure. In a live broadcast on state TV, Rouhani says: The Iranian nation will not be defeated by America, the White House could not defeat the Iranian nation. Rouhani referred to recently imposed sanctions by the U.S., which have made conditions for Iranians difficult, saying: But at the end of the road, the victory is ours. Rouhani called the U.S. a bully for its measures against Iran. Last year, the U.S. withdrew from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and re-imposed sanctions on Iran targeting the countrys oil sector. ___ 11:40 a.m. Former U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says America needs to engage more in the world and intervene militarily less. Mattis, a retired Marine general, spoke on Monday night at a previously unannounced speech before a Ramadan lecture series in honour of Abu Dhabis powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to a report in the state-linked newspaper The National, Mattis stressed that Irans behaviour must change. However, he stressed that unilateral action is not the way forward with Iran and that the military must work to buy time for diplomats to work their magic. Speaking about America in general, Mattis said: America will frustrate you at times because of its form of government, but the UAE and America will always find their way back to common ground, on that I have no doubt. ___ 11 a.m. Irans president has told a group of clerics that he is seeking expanded, wartime executive powers to better deal with an economic war triggered by the Trump administrations pullout from the nuclear deal and escalating U.S. sanctions. The state IRNA news agency reported late Monday that President Hassan Rouhani cited the 1980s war with Iraq, when a wartime supreme council was able to bypass other branches to make decisions regarding the economy and the war. The report didnt say what the new powers would entail but quoted Rouhani as saying that today, we need such powers. Rouhani says Iran is facing unprecedented problems in banking and selling oil but that the country is united that we should resist the U.S. and the sanctions. ___ 7 a.m. Yemens Houthi rebels say they launched a bomb-laden drone targeting an airport in Saudi Arabia that also has a military base inside of it. The Houthis Al-Masirah satellite news channel said early on Tuesday they targeted the airport in Najran with a Qasef-2K drone, striking an arms depot there. A statement earlier Tuesday on the state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi-led coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki as saying the Houthis had tried to target a civilian site in Najran. The New York Times last year reported that American intelligence analysts were based in Najran assisting the Saudis. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last week, the Houthis launched a co-ordinated drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. TEHRAN, Iran - Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehrans atomic program, nuclear officials said Monday, just after President Donald Trump and Irans foreign minister traded threats and taunts on Twitter. Iranian officials made a point to stress that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below whats needed for an atomic weapon. But by increasing production, Iran soon will exceed the stockpile limitations set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to set new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over still-unspecified threats from Iran. Already this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were sabotaged; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. A rocket landed Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraqs capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential U.S. staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that the rocket was believed to have been fired from eastern Baghdad, an area home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. The Iranian enrichment announcement came after local journalists travelled to Natanz in central Iran, the countrys underground enrichment facility. There, an unidentified nuclear scientist gave a statement with a surgical cap and a mask covering most of his face. No one explained his choice of outfit, although Israel is suspected of targeting Iranian nuclear scientists. The state-run IRNA news agency later quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as acknowledging that capacity had been quadrupled. He said Iran took this step because the U.S. had ended a program allowing it to exchange enriched uranium to Russia for unprocessed yellowcake uranium, as well as ending the sale of heavy water to Oman. Heavy water helps cool reactors producing plutonium that can be used in nuclear weapons. Kamalvandi said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the development. The Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them. Before Irans announcement, Trump tweeted: If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Trumps remarks reflect what has been a strategy of alternating tough talk with more conciliatory statements he says is aimed at keeping Iran guessing at the administrations intentions. He also has said he hopes Iran calls him and engages in negotiations. He described his approach in a speech Friday, saying, Its probably a good thing because theyre saying, Man, I dont know where these people are coming from, right? But while Trumps approach of flattery and threats has become a hallmark of his foreign policy, the risks have only grown in dealing with Iran, where mistrust between Tehran and Washington stretch four decades. While both sides say they dont seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif soon responded by tweeting that Trump had been goaded into genocidal taunts. Zarif referenced both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that Persia outlasted. Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone, he wrote. Try respect - it works! Zarif also used the hashtag #NeverThreatenAnIranian, a reference to a comment he made during intense negotiations for the 2015 nuclear accord. Trump campaigned on pulling the U.S. from the deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since Trump withdrew America a year ago from the pact, the U.S. has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning other nations they would be subject to sanctions as well if they import Iranian oil. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told journalists in Geneva that Iran should not doubt the U.S. resolve, warning that if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate. We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally, Hunt said. Meanwhile, Omans minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit Monday to Tehran, seeing Zarif, the state-run IRNA news agency said. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Omans Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman long has served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted the secret talks between the U.S. and Iran that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. In Saudi Arabia, the kingdoms military intercepted two missiles fired by the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen. The missiles were intercepted over the city of Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya reported, citing witnesses. The Saudi Embassy in Washington later confirmed the interceptions. Hundreds of rockets, mortar rounds and ballistic missiles have been fired into the kingdom by the rebels since a Saudi-led coalition declared war on the Houthis in March 2015 to support Yemens internationally recognized government. The Houthis Al-Masirah satellite news channel denied the rebels had any involvement with this round of rocket fire. Between the two targeted cities is Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba toward which Muslims pray. Many pilgrims are in the holy city for Ramadan. Early Tuesday, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis targeted civilian infrastructure in the kingdoms border city of Najran, without elaborating. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge such an attack. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bassem Mroue in Baghdad, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to in 15th graf to show year of nuclear accord was 2015, not 2016. DURAND, Wis. - All Ron Berger wanted was to install a door between two buildings. Instead, much to his astonishment, he opened a window into the early history of Durand on Labor Day weekend 2015 when he cut a hole in the wall separating the family business from the property next door to accommodate an expansion. Initially baffled by the green and brown colours he spotted on a long-buried wall, Berger assumed they must be old water stains. But he eventually uncovered enough of the wall to recognize he was looking at the image of a buffalo, with a puff of steam rising from its nostrils, charging right at him on a grassy plain. Further inspection, by removing electrical outlets along the wall and shining flashlights into the gap behind, revealed the vibrant colours extended the length of the wall. By the time Berger was done excavating and researching, he had unearthed a 9-foot-high by 55-foot-long, multi-sheet, full-colour paper lithograph circus poster advertising the Great Anglo-American Circus and Menagerie performing in Durand on Aug. 17, 1885, the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram reported. Its one of the oldest and best preserved circus posters in the world, Berger said. Its considered a one-and-only type of thing. While Berger immediately recognized the discovery would throw a wrench into his plan to quickly connect the Corral Bar & Riverside Grill with the adjacent building to create a banquet facility, he felt a duty to preserve the historical artifact. It was such a rare thing, I just had to show it to the public, he said. His sisters Lori Snapp and Sharon and Karen Berger, who own the business, supported the decision even though they knew it would delay the expansion project. Its an awesome, rare piece of art, and were so glad we found it, Snapp said. Ultimately, it took two years for the special events room to open, complete with a mirror-backed bar and metal ceiling that Berger believes date back to the 19th century. But, ladies and gentlemen, the main attraction undoubtedly is the massive circus poster that covers an entire wall. The artwork is enclosed in special glass to protect it from being damaged by light and prying fingers. The banquet hall is named the Orton Room in honour of Miles Orton, a world-renowned performer who owned and managed the Great Anglo-American Circus. Orton was famous for stand-up horseback riding with his children on his shoulders an act breathtakingly depicted in the Durand poster. Large words across the top of the poster read ALLIE & BERNARD (Ortons children), TINY AERIAL MARVELS, MILES ORTON RIDES WITH US! As word has gotten out about the slice of local history served up as a sideshow to the eaterys pie slices, curiosity seekers from around the globe have made the trek to Durand to see the spectacle for themselves. A glance at the guest book reveals visitors from Malaysia, France, Kenya, Canada and across the United States from Florida to Alaska. Among the words most repeated in the comments are awesome, cool and fantastic. Such superlatives are not limited to amateurs. Pete Schrake, archivist at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, made the pilgrimage to Durand to see the discovery and was duly impressed, particularly because the find involved a Wisconsin-based circus in a Badger State town. This is a standout piece, Schrake said. What really made this one stand out is its size its the longest one I know of and that its an amazing poster. Thats high praise from a historian for a museum with an inventory of about 9,000 circus posters. Schrake said the Durand poster is a relic from the golden age of circus, when the shows toured via railroad and advance teams would paper the towns on the schedule with posters and handbills promoting their acts. Circuses, in their day, were pioneers of mass media and in-your-face, bombastic advertising, he said. That bill stand is really a perfect example of that kind of approach. Terry Mesch, manager of Durands Old Courthouse Museum and 1895 Jail, also was thrilled to learn of the posters discovery and its display in the downtown business. It certainly is a significant historic artifact, and it adds a very nice story to Pepin County history, Mesch said. Perhaps more importantly for the city, it represents a new reason for people to visit Durand. Its definitely an attraction, Mesch said. I know people from Eau Claire who bring friends down to see the circus poster, and everyone Ive taken to see it has been impressed. On a recent Wednesday, friends Marilyn Qualley of Arkansaw and Robin McCorison of Altoona made the trip to the Corral Bar to have lunch, enjoy the expansive Chippewa River views and, of course, admire the circus poster. It is a gem. Its just something that people would not believe, said Qualley, who already had seen the artwork and recommended the idea to McCorison, who was not disappointed. As the women mused about a section filled with depictions of sea life, Berger explained that the Great Anglo-American Circus incorporated a rare travelling aquarium. I can assure you those fish arent found in the Chippewa River, Berger said with a chuckle, pointing out that some of the species appear to be prehistoric fish and sea monsters. The artwork, originally displayed on an exterior wall facing the river to promote the circus to boat traffic, was printed on paper intended to weather away after a month or two. The story of how it survived is a bit of a mystery, although Berger feels confident he has figured it out. Shortly after the show, he assumes someone erected a building over the wall installing wooden studs less than half an inch from the artwork and never bothered to remove the poster. The circus performers, ranging from aerialists and elephant riders to lions and giraffes, were entombed behind a wall for more than a century until Berger serendipitously freed them. It should never have survived, said Berger, who has become somewhat of a circus historian while researching the posters background. In another stroke of luck, though the buildings basement fills with water nearly every year, Berger noted that the only time Durands annual Chippewa River flooding would have been high enough for the above-ground artwork to be underwater was in 1884 the year before the circus stopped in the city. A signature indicates the artwork was printed by Russell, Morgan & Co. in Cincinnati, which Berger called the greatest lithograph city in the world at the time. Lithographs were created by carving images out of wood, applying colours and stamping paper. Its remarkable to think of that whole thing being carved out, Berger said. A key to unraveling the lithographs history was a large stamp indicating the circus would exhibit at Durand on Monday, Aug. 17. But with no year shown, Berger had to make like Sherlock Holmes to sleuth out the answer. When investigation revealed the Great Anglo-American Circus only exhibited in 1884 and 1885 and only 1885 had a Monday on Aug. 17, he had his answer. Further research uncovered articles from the Durand newspaper discussing the circus coming to town on that date. It was kind of like reading a good book doing the history on it, he said. It took you back to that time. Reaching the point of displaying the artwork may not have been a circus act, but it was no simple task. After methodically removing the wall concealing the former exterior wall, the bar owners enlisted a team of experts to microvacuum the artwork, repaste some peeling pieces and then meticulously wash the 500-square-foot poster by hand using cotton balls and distilled water. Berger also had to figure out how to remove the old studs and put up new steel ones without the building collapsing. Tom Airis, a retired glass specialist with Esser Glass in Eau Claire, helped Berger figure out how best to display and protect the artwork. Airis, a railroad history buff, was happy to be part of the preservation of an artifact from when the circus arrived in Durand via train cars. I think its absolutely amazing, Airis said. Im over the moon about the way it turned out, and theyve done a wonderful job on that whole room. Another challenge, Berger said, was walking the tightrope of completing all of the work without ending the familys streak of keeping the business open every day since his mother, Marge Berger, bought the bar on April 15, 1977. As the circus performers might say, the show must go on. I must admit it was the biggest pain in the butt Ive ever dealt with, Berger said, although clearly it has been a labour of love, as the renovation ringmaster relishes the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the poster and tell the story of its discovery. Berger still hopes to put the finishing touches on the room, including finding some 19th century mementos to display under the glass-topped bar. And then theres the matter of the buffalo that started the whole restoration stampede. Eventually, Berger plans to display the buffalo art, cut out to create the door opening, somewhere in the room. He will include the tail he originally cut off and threw in the trash before he realized the treasure he had stumbled upon. Undoubtedly, Berger got more than he ever imagined four years ago when he cut out that door just as Miles Orton surely hoped Durand area patrons would feel after buying tickets when his circus came to town 134 years ago. ___ Information from: Leader-Telegram, http://www.leadertelegram.com/ An AP Member Exchange shared by the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. Authorities should not pass burden on to taxpayers It was good to see unionized bus drivers rescind their plan for a general strike last week. But it was bad to see the transportation authorities agree to hike bus fairs and provide more subsidies to owners of bus companies. The government and the public heaved a sigh of relief after possible nationwide traffic chaos was averted. But the two carrots for the union and bus companies have invited criticism for passing the burden on to commuters and taxpayers. It is somewhat understandable that fare hikes are inevitable due to steep rises in the minimum wage and a shorted 52-hour workweek. The provision of subsidies to bus operators by expanding their semi-public management system could be one measure to keep financially-strapped bus firms afloat. Setting aside the agreed fare hikes, the expansion of the semi-public management system appears to be problematic as municipal and provincial authorities have to make up for the losses bus companies suffer. For example, Seoul City has spent 3.7 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in taxpayers' money on compensating bus operators for their losses since 2004 when it introduced the system. Furthermore, many Seoul bus companies are suspected of having embezzled subsidies. They have even fabricated documents to get paid. It is no wonder that company owners have fattened their own wallets by appropriating subsidies from the municipality. More worrisome is how the city government has provided bus companies with huge sums of subsides without rigorously monitoring their accounting procedures. City officials who overlooked the bus firms' misappropriation of such funding should be called to account. Unless the problems of Seoul bus companies are completely solved, the authorities should not expand the system to other cities and provinces. For their part, bus companies must keep in mind that they stay in business thanks to taxpayers' money. They have to improve accounting and management transparency. The authorities should stop providing subsidies to bus companies which run their businesses in an opaque way. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Alaska man has received the U.S. Coast Guards second-highest civilian honour for saving a girl from drowning when they were both children more than 20 years ago, a report said. George Lambert received a silver lifesaving medal in Anchorage Saturday for rescuing Pamela Smith, The Anchorage Daily News reported Saturday. The award was presented by Coast Guard Rear Admiral Matthew Bell Jr., who told the story of the rescue during a ceremony attended by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Lambert and Smith were among a group swimming at a sandbar near Kotzebue in northwest Alaska in 1998 when he was 10 and she was 12. Smith was pulled into the current, and Lambert took a life jacket and swam out 100 feet (30 metres) to tow Smith to safety, Bell said. I just ran to the boat and grabbed a jacket, didnt even think about it, put it on, jumped in that water, went and got my friend and made it back to shore, Lambert said. And were here to talk about it today. Today Lambert is a commercial fisherman, and Smith is a magistrate judge. He pushed hard just to get to me, and he pushed even harder to bring me back, Smith said. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Dale led a three-year campaign to recognize Lambert after learning his story. Smith was the first child on record to be saved in part because of Alaskas Kids Dont Float program encouraging life jacket use and swimming safety education. The program supplied the life jacket Lambert used. Since then, at least 30 more children have been rescue because of the program, Bell said. ___ Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com MUNCIE, Ind. - A coroner says one of seven people shot at an off-campus party near Ball State University in Indiana has died. Delaware County Coroner Rick Howell says 17-year-old Daymarr Kennedy was pronounced dead at 11:45 a.m. Monday at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie. The (Muncie) Star Press reports Kennedy was one of three young men critically wounded in the shootings early Saturday . The two others remained hospitalized Monday. Police have arrested 19-year-old VaShaun Harnett of Muncie and charged him with two counts of attempted murder. Harnett is being held in the Delaware County Jail. The university said in a statement Saturday that Harnett is not a Ball State student. It said one of the shooting victims was a student who had been treated and released from a Muncie hospital. WASHINGTON - He was known in the Michigan statehouse as Mr. No for voting against some Republican legislation. But now in Congress, on the question of whether President Donald Trump should be impeached, Rep. Justin Amash is the lone Republican saying Yes. In tweeted remarks over the weekend, Amash wrote that hes read special counsel Robert Muellers report on Trumps conduct during and after the 2016 presidential election. Mueller did not find evidence of conspiracy with Russia, but he revealed startling details about Trumps efforts to shut down the probe and made no recommendation on obstruction. Amash did, becoming the only Republican in Congress to call for the House to formally charge the president. Muellers report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behaviour that meet the threshold for impeachment, Amash, a longtime Trump critic, tweeted on Saturday after reading the report. Specificially, Amash tweeted, the findings identify multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice. The backlash from Republicans was swift and sharp against a congressman from a key state that Trump swiped from Democrats by less than a percentage point for the first time since the Reagan administration. In his bid to keep the state in his column next year, Trump launched a weaponized tweet that could serve as a warning to other Republicans considering defying him. None immediately did so. Within hours, Trump had called Amash a total lightweight and a loser. Hes been against Trump from the beginning, Trump told reporters on Monday. Personally I think hes not much. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy on Fox News questioned whether Amash really belongs among GOP congressmen. But most notably, the fifth-term lawmaker drew a primary challenger for his Grand Rapids-area seat in the 2020 elections. The key disqualification, as they described it across the board Monday, was Amashs insufficient loyalty to the president on matters ranging from Trumps wall to Muellers witch hunt. Amash has consistently voted against President Donald Trump on important issues, said state Rep. Jim Lower, who scrambled to announce his campaign Monday after Amashs tweets. In a telephone interview later in the day, Lower said, Most Republican Party primary voters support the president and want a congressman that would work with him to get his agenda done. He accused Amash of standing in the way and said the congressman has moved away from the party over several years. Amash was elected in 2010 as part of the tea party wave that toppled Democratic control. He was one of the founding members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He vowed to explain all his votes, and to never miss one. But many of the Freedom Caucus members are no longer in Congress and the group is now dominated by pro-Trump Republicans. Amash acknowledges that hes somewhat isolated in Washington as a result, describing himself in the Liberal Lions podcast in March as not personally lonely, but politically lonely. Back home in Michigan, establishment Republicans in the business community have long been disenchanted with Amash, saying he does not do enough to solve problems in the district. They backed an unsuccessful primary challenger in 2014. But the dynamics have shifted with Trumps election, and GOP operatives say the presidents criticism of Amash has hurt the congressmans standing with the base. Hes the most vulnerable in a Republican primary that hes ever been, said Greg McNeilly, a Republican strategist in Grand Rapids. The 3rd District, while much more of a swing district in a general election for the president, is a solidly Trumpian district in a primary. The delta between the president and congressman is the chief source of Justin Amashs problem. Like all Republicans, Amash is well aware of the potential cost of defying Trump. Unprompted in the same podcast interview, he harked back to Mark Sanford, the former North Carolina governor and congressman critical of Trump who became the focus of the presidents twitter fury and lost the GOP primary ahead of the 2018 elections. A Democrat ultimately won that seat. So it may come as no surprise that Amash isnt ruling out challenging Trump on the Libertarian ticket in 2020, in part because he wants to offer people an alternative to the major parties. For certain, he wasnt backing down on Monday. At midday, Amash answered his critics on legal and constitutional grounds, tweeting, among other things, that there need not be a statutory crime named in the Mueller report for impeachment to be appropriate. In the nearly two dozen tweet stream throughout Saturday and Monday, Amash kept one scolding quote pinned at the top. Let me now...warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally. - George Washington. ___ Associated Press writer David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman LOUISVILLE, Ky. - American whiskey producers feeling the pain from the Trump administrations trade disputes have gotten a shot of relief with an agreement that will end retaliatory tariffs that Canada and Mexico slapped on whiskey and other U.S. products. The whiskey industry hailed the arrangement to ease trade tensions among the North American allies and said it hopes its the first of several rounds of good news on the trade front. Distillers have suffered shrinking exports since the last half of 2018 due to tariffs in some key markets. President Donald Trump last Friday lifted import taxes on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum and delayed auto tariffs that would have hurt Japan and Europe. In return, the Canadians and Mexicans agreed to scrap their retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including American whiskey. But U.S. whiskey makers still face significant trade hurdles in the European Union, the industrys biggest export market. We hope the U.S. and our trading partners can build on this positive momentum to resolve all of the remaining retaliatory tariffs that our U.S. distilled spirits exports face, particularly the European Unions 25% tariff on American whiskey, Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. In 2017, total U.S. whiskey exports to Canada and Mexico were valued at $62.1 million, the council said. Canada ranks as a top 10 export market for American whiskey and in 2017, shipments north of the border were valued at $48.7 million. Since about mid-2018, Canada had imposed a retaliatory tariff of 10% on all U.S. whiskey imports, while Mexico had slapped a retaliatory tariff of 25% on U.S. whiskeys in response to the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, the council said. Tariffs have become a big headache for American whiskey makers as they increasingly look overseas to expand sales. Tariffs on American whiskey remain in place in China and Turkey as well as the EU. Overall exports of bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey fell 11% during the second half of 2018 compared to the prior-year period, as the effect of tariffs started to be felt, the council said in March. The drop off was even larger in the European Union. The downturn continued in the first quarter of 2019, when overall American whiskey exports were down nearly 10% from the prior year, the council said Monday. In the EU, American whiskey exports fell nearly 20% in this years first quarter compared to a year ago, it said. The focus is on the trade barriers still hurting distillers looking to sell their whiskeys in the crucial EU markets, said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers Association. But he hailed the deal to remove tariffs in Canada and Mexico. Were excited that at least this portion of the trade war looks to be coming to an end, he said Monday. Now we hope the administration can turn its focus to the EU, which is our biggest market by far, and get us back to zero tariffs in that critical area. American whiskey makers have been caught in the middle of the trade dispute since mid-2018, when the EU targeted American whiskey and other U.S. products in response to Trumps decision to slap tariffs on European steel and aluminum. Those duties amount to a tax, which producers can either absorb in reduced profits, or pass along to customers through higher prices and risk losing market share in highly competitive markets. In the EU, American whiskey exports declined 13.4% in the second half of 2018 when tariffs slammed the brakes on shipments, the council said in March. Kentucky spirits producers exported nearly $200 million of their products to the European Union in 2017. Kentucky produces about 95% of the worlds bourbon. Large and small American distillers alike have been feeling the pain. Spirits industry giant Brown-Forman Corp., best known for its Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey brand, has said that if all the tariffs stay in place, the annualized cost to the Louisville, Kentucky-based company would be about $125 million. FAIRMONT, W.Va. - A West Virginia judge has declined to reduce bail for a Fairmont woman accused of locking her 3-year-old son in a closet, torturing him and depriving him of food and water. The Times West Virginian reports 28-year-old Brittany Nicole Lippincott on Thursday requested her bail drop from $100,000 to $30,000. She was arrested this month on charges including child neglect resulting in serious injury. A criminal complaint says authorities received an anonymous tip that Lippincott was selling illegal drugs at her home, prompting authorities to conduct a welfare check. Authorities say she had outstanding warrants on drug charges. The complaint says the emaciated and bruised toddler told authorities his genitals and lips were injured when mom hurt me with the pliers. The case now goes to the county circuit court. ___ Information from: Times West Virginian, http://www.timeswv.com FORT WORTH, Texas - Bond has been set at $100,000 for a Texas man accused of abducting an 8-year-old girl as she walked with her mother in Fort Worth over the weekend. Michael Webb was being held in the Tarrant County jail Monday. The 51-year-old is charged with aggravated kidnapping. Police say the girl was walking through a leafy neighbourhood with her mother Saturday evening when Webb pulled up in his car and grabbed her. Officers later found Webb and the girl at the hotel after witnesses reported seeing the car there. A spokeswoman for the Tarrant County District Attorneys office says Webb has not been indicted and the case is pending. Jail records did not list an attorney for Webb. FRESNO, Calif. - Prosecutors say a California man has been arrested on suspicion of illegally dealing military-grade weapons to the Nigerian government. The U.S. attorneys office says Monday that Ara Dolarian ran a Fresno-based arms brokering company but wasnt licensed to make international deals. Prosecutors say that despite lacking a license, Dolarian tried to broker a transfer of bombs, rockets and guns from Eastern Europe and South Africa to the Nigerian government. Officials say he accepted more than $8 million, funneled through a phoney furniture company. Charges include illegally brokering the sale of military-grade arms and money laundering. He faces 20 years in prison. Dolarian, who now lives in Bulgaria, was taken into custody last week in Fresno. It wasnt immediately known if the 58-year-old has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. DENVER - U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse is calling for an investigation to be reopened into allegations that the National Park Service tried to remove references to human-caused climate change from a University of Colorado researchers report. The Denver Post reported Sunday that the Colorado Democrat is urging the U.S. Department of Interiors inspector general to relaunch the probe that was closed when the park service ultimately published the report by Maria Caffrey without edits last year. The report examined projected sea level rise at coastal parks. Neguse says the incident raises questions about whether department researchers are able to do their work free from political influence. Caffrey declined comment, citing involvement in legal negotiations. The newspaper could not reach National Park Service and Department of Interior officials Friday. ___ Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com WASHINGTON - More Democrats are calling and more loudly for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump after his latest defiance of Congress by blocking his former White House lawyer from testifying on Tuesday. A growing number of rank-and-file House Democrats, incensed by former counsel Don McGahns empty chair in the Judiciary Committee hearing room, are confronting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and pushing her and other leaders to act. Their impatience is running up against the speakers preference for a more methodical approach , including already-unfolding court battles. Pelosi summoned some of them still a small fraction of the House Democratic caucus to a meeting of investigators Wednesday to assess strategy. Some other Democratic leaders, while backing Pelosi, signalled that a march to impeachment may at some point become inevitable. We are confronting what might be the largest, broadest coverup in American history, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters. If a House inquiry leads to other avenues including impeachment, the Maryland Democrat said, so be it. Reps. Joaquin Castro of Texas and Diana DeGette of Colorado added their voices to the impeachment inquiry chorus. There is political risk in doing so, but theres a greater risk to our country in doing nothing, Castro said on Twitter. This is a fight for our democracy. Tweeted DeGette: The facts laid out in the Mueller report, coupled with this administrations ongoing attempts to stonewall Congress, leave us no other choice. One Republican congressman, Justin Amash of Michigan, has called for impeachment proceedings. He said Tuesday he thinks other GOP lawmakers should join him but only after reading special counsel Robert Muellers report carefully. Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy dismissed Amash as out of step with House Republicans and out of step with America. And Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said wryly of Amashs position, I dont think its going to be a trend-setting move. As Democrats weigh their options, Trump is almost taunting them by testing the bounds of executive power in ways few other administrations have. The White House contends that even former employees like McGahn do not have to abide by subpoenas from Congress. A short time later House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler issued subpoenas for more Trump administration officials former White House communications director Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, a former aide in the White House counsels office for documents and testimony. Trumps former White House counsel is the most-cited witness in Muellers Trump-Russia investigation report, recounting the presidents attempts to interfere with the probe. And that makes his silence all the more infuriating for Democrats. Nadler gaveled open Tuesdays hearing with a stern warning that McGahn will be held in contempt for failing to appear. Our subpoenas are not optional, Nadler said. We will not allow the president to stop this investigation. However, Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking Republican on the committee, spoke scornfully of Nadlers position, calling the session a circus and saying the chairman preferred a public fight over fact-finding. Democrats are trying desperately to make something out of nothing, Collins said, in the aftermath of Muellers report. A lawyer for McGahn had said he would follow the presidents directive and skip Tuesdays hearing, leaving the Democrats without yet another witness and a growing debate within the party about how to respond. Nadler said the committee would vote to hold McGahn in contempt, though thats not expected until June, after lawmakers return from the Memorial Day recess. Democrats are encouraged by an early success in the legal battles , a Monday ruling by a federal judge against Trump on in a financial records dispute with Congress. Trumps team filed notice of appeal on Tuesday. But Pelosis strategy hasnt been swift enough for some lawmakers. In particular, several members of the Judiciary panel feel they must take the lead in at least launching impeachment proceedings. They say a formal impeachment inquiry could give Democrats more standing in court, even if they stop short of a vote to remove the president. I think thats something a lot of members of the committee and more and more members of the caucus think is necessary, said Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee. I think an inquiry, as the Senate Watergate hearings were, would lead the public to see the misdeeds of this administration. Others, though, including some from more conservative districts, said they prefer the step-by-step approach. We want to make sure that were following all the legal processes, everything weve been given, to truly make the best decisions, said Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia, a freshman on the Judiciary panel. Pelosi scheduled Wednesdays meeting with lawmakers from the Judiciary and Oversight committees after some members confronted her during a meeting among top Democrats Monday evening. At that time, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland led others in arguing that an impeachment inquiry would consolidate the Trump investigations and allow Democrats to keep more focus on their other legislative work, according to people familiar with the private conversation who requested anonymity to discuss it. Pelosi pushed back, saying that several committees are doing investigations already and noting that Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, already had won the early court battle over Trumps financial documents. With a 235-197 Democratic majority, Pelosi would likely find support for starting impeachment proceedings, but it could be a tighter vote than that margin suggests. Some lawmakers say voters back home are more interested in health care and the economy. Many come from more conservative districts where they need to run for re-election in communities where Trump also has support. For Pelosi, its a push-pull exercise as she tries to raise awareness about Trumps behaviour without moving toward impeachment unless she knows the public is with Congress. Weve been in this thing for almost five months and now were getting some results, Pelosi told lawmakers Monday night. Weve always said one thing will lead to another as we get information. But other Democrats in the meeting, several of whom have spoken publicly about a need to be more aggressive with Trump, are increasingly impatient. They include Reps. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California and freshman Joe Neguse of Colorado. Were in a very grave moment, said Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and probably right now are left, with nothing but that we must open an inquiry. Tweeted Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas: Congress has made accommodation after accommodation. I dont think we should wait any longer. ___ Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Matthew Daly, Michael Balsamo, Jonathan Lemire, Eric Tucker and Mark Sherman contributed to this report. NEW YORK - A key federal regulator says he backs T-Mobiles $26.5 billion takeover of rival wireless carrier Sprint, a crucial step for the deals approval. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday he supported the deal because the two companies promised to expand mobile internet access in rural areas and roll out 5G , the next generation of mobile networks. While Pais backing is important, further steps remain. The full commission of three Republicans and two Democrats must still vote, and the Justice Department must also clear it. State attorneys general may also move against the combination. Pai said Monday that the combination will help bring faster mobile broadband to rural Americans. The companies have made promises on building out 5G and expanding rural broadband before, but now they are attaching timelines and agreeing to penalties if they fail to meet their commitments. For instance, the companies promise to make fast internet available to 99% of Americans within six years after the deals close. T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp. also said Monday that they would sell Sprints prepaid cellphone brand Boost Mobile to address antitrust concerns. Several public-interest advocates dismissed the companies promises Monday as not solving the issues posed by industry consolidation. Along with labour groups, the advocates have argued that the deal will lead to price increases and job cuts. Democratic lawmakers have also been skeptical of the companies promises. Just because the FCC seems ready to approve the deal doesnt mean the Justice Department will, as the two agencies have different criteria. The Justice Department evaluates deals on whether they harm competition and raise prices for consumers, while the FCC examines whether a merger fulfills public interest goals. Expanding internet access to more people could count as one such goal, for example. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat who heads the House antitrust subcommittee, called on the Justice Department to require that Sprint and T-Mobile show that the deal wont harm consumers. Empty promises will not make this transaction a good deal for American workers and consumers, he said. Sprint and T-Mobile have been talking about their 5G plans even before proposing their combination, so itll be tough to convince the Justice Department that the 5G buildout depends on it, said Amanda Wait, a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright and former Federal Trade Commission lawyer. And even then, the Justice Department has to decide if those benefits are greater than any consumer harms. Justice Department spokesman Jeremy Edwards declined to comment Monday. Sprint and T-Mobile argue that the combination will lead to better 5G service. They have made promises before to create U.S. jobs and build a home-internet business to compete with cable companies as well as Verizon and AT&T. Theyve also promised not to raise prices for three years. The Obama administration rebuffed the companies earlier effort to merge, as well as an attempted deal between AT&T and T-Mobile, on concerns that such deals would hurt competition in the wireless industry. Shares of T-Mobile jumped 5.5% in afternoon trading, while Sprints stock soared 22%. ___ Michelle Chapman reported from Newark, New Jersey. It is reckless to pour money into bottomless pit President Moon Jae-in's call for an aggressive fiscal policy has raised concerns about the country's fiscal health. Moon must be well aware that the government should not print money recklessly to boost the economy at the sacrifice of fiscal soundness. Everyone knows that a too expansionary fiscal policy will do more harm than good. That's why the government should be careful in increasing spending in order not to waste taxpayers' money and inflict damage on the country's fiscal status. This, of course, is not to say that the Moon administration should not pursue an expansionary fiscal policy at all. If needed, the government should not hesitate to ramp up its spending to stimulate the economy or cope with any contingencies. Fiscal policy can be an effective tool along with monetary policy in dealing with macroeconomic issues. Particularly when there are limited monetary options, policymakers need to zero in on fiscal measures to produce intended results. Considering the difficult economic conditions, it is necessary to employ an expansionary fiscal policy. In March, the International Monetary Fund recommended that the government draft a large supplementary budget as much as 0.5 percent of GDP if it wants to achieve its economic growth target of between 2.6 percent and 2.7 percent. Thus, the Moon administration presented an extra budget bill worth 6.7 trillion won ($5.8 billion) to speed up economic recovery, help wildfire-hit residents in Gangwon Province, and reduce fine dust emissions. The bill is, however, languishing at the National Assembly due to the political deadlock between the ruling and opposition parties. The passage of the budget bill is urgent. Its timing is very important if the execution of extra spending is to be effective. President Moon has called for the rival parties to go beyond partisanship and approve the bill. Yet it is hard to understand why Moon was trying to imply that all the economic problems can be solved through fiscal means. He stressed the need for an active fiscal policy to tackle a set of "structural" problems such as the widening income gap, high unemployment, the aging population and low birthrate. We do not believe those structural issues can be solved through the injection of taxpayers' money only. Instead, they require a plethora of well-prepared socioeconomic measures. Pouring money into a bottomless pit will only make matters worse. The liberal government already came up with a super budget of 470.5 trillion won for this year. Next year's budget is likely to surpass 500 trillion. Government debt is expected to rise to 781.7 trillion won in 2020 from this year's 731.8 trillion won. The sum is forecast to account for 40 percent of GDP next year. However, it would be better to keep this under 40 percent to ensure fiscal soundness. Policymakers should pay more attention to a recommendation by the state-funded Korea Development Institute that an expansionary fiscal policy should be a short-term, not long-term, tool. No one can overemphasize the importance of a balanced budget and fiscal stability. NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A $5,000 reward has been announced for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever set fire to a Connecticut mosque. The Boston division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Monday it was offering the reward to help solve the arson case. The fire May 12 damaged two floors of the Diyanet Mosque in New Haven. The mayor said last week that authorities found an incendiary device or material was used to start the blaze . In addition to the ATF reward, the Connecticut Arson Watch program is offering up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders made an appeal Monday to black voters in the Deep South, stopping at a historically African American church and calling health care a human right that he equated to the civil rights movement. Speaking before a racially diverse crowd at Mt. Zion Church AME Church in Alabamas capital, Sanders renewed his calls for extending health care coverage to all Americans and reducing student debt. Just as civil rights is a human right, health care is a human right, Sanders said to loud applause. The crowd for his midday speech was about half white despite the churchs deep ties to the civil rights movement. Wrapping up a four-state swing that included stops in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, the Vermont senator is working to strengthen his support among black voters who comprise most of the Democratic primary electorate in many Southern states. Mt. Zions old location played a key role in the 1950s Montgomery bus boycott, and Sanders criticized what he called new threats to the right to vote the bedrock of American democracy, he said. What an outrage it is today. Im not talking about 60 years ago, Im talking about today, that you have Republican governors all over this country trying to suppress the vote, he said. Earlier in the day, Sanders toured nearby civil rights sites and visited an impoverished area of the state where residents struggle with adequate wastewater sanitation. On Sunday, he held a rally in a park in downtown Birmingham. Sanders said full-time workers should not live in poverty in the wealthiest nation in the world and noted that Alabama is one of the states with no minimum wage above the federal minimum. He said the minimum wage should be raised to $15. Sanders also touted his recently unveiled K-12 education plan, saying education should become a national priority. As a people, as Americans, we have got to say loudly and proudly that education is a major priority in this country, Sanders said. In Montgomery, Sanders was greeted by a large and enthusiastic crowd that chanted Bernie! with several people interrupting his speech to shout, We love you! Sanders has previously talked up his days as a civil rights activist while a student at the University of Chicago. He has also visited Selma, Alabama, participating in ceremonies marking the anniversary of Bloody Sunday at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of one of the most galvanizing moments in support of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Jeanise Murry, a 49-year-old African American nurse who heard Sanders speak Monday, said she likes some of the things he mentioned but is still deciding which candidate to support in 2020. It wont be (President Donald) Trump, Murry said. NEW YORK - It may sound simple: You either consent to sexual activity or you dont. But just what constitutes an expression of consent is a hotly debated topic in the justice system and in society at large. And while theres been a gradual cultural trend, especially on university campuses, toward a standard of affirmative consent otherwise known as yes means yes rather than no means no the laws on sexual assault have not similarly evolved. Theres a definite lag between whats happening culturally and whats happening in criminal law, says Deborah Tuerkheimer, a law professor at Northwestern University who has written extensively about the topic. I havent seen the #MeToo movement usher in a wave of criminal law reform. Maybe thats to come, but I havent seen it. There is no uniform legal definition of consent. Thats because sexual assault laws, of which consent is often a key component, vary widely state by state. Only a handful of states, among them California, Florida and Wisconsin, have an affirmative consent standard on the books, according to the anti-sexual violence organization RAINN. Far more than that about half of all states dont define consent at all in their sex assault laws. Many of these states use force, rather than lack of consent, as a standard for deciding whether an assault occurred. Tuerkheimer sees that as a huge problem. It certainly doesnt track the widespread consensus around what constitutes sexual assault, she says, noting that not all assault cases involve strong physical force, including assaults by someone the victim knows or assaults resulting from a power imbalance. Consent has become the dividing line in most of our conversations about this in political discourse, and yet you have many states that are not there yet. To help states arrive at a more consistent definition, an organization called the American Law Institute is working on updating the sexual assault laws in its 1962 Model Penal Code, proposals used as models for measures in state legislatures. A definition of consent took the body of judges, lawyers and academics about five years to work out. An early, simple affirmative consent standard was deemed to be too far from cultural norms, and a compromise definition was ultimately approved. The proposed sex assault laws are likely to be voted on in May 2020. Consent has become a front-burner issue in the #MeToo era, which since late 2017 has shone a light on sexual assault and harassment in an unprecedented way. But its been a crucial issue on college campuses often a laboratory for social change for decades. In 1990, students at Antioch College in Ohio were subject to nationwide ridicule when they introduced an extensive affirmative consent policy . It hardly seems controversial now, but news anchors travelled to the campus and delivered snarky reports, predicting that kissing itself would be outlawed. Saturday Night Live mocked the policy with a skit about a game show called Is It Date Rape? with actress Shannon Doherty playing a contestant majoring in victimization studies who hit a buzzer to say date rape! of every social scenario presented to her. The New York Times weighed in with an editorial, saying adolescents will always make mistakes but legislating kisses wont save them from themselves. Negative reaction shut down further movement toward such policies for a while. But in recent years, campus activists have refocused on consent amid rising concern over sexual assaults at U.S. colleges and universities. President Barack Obamas administration put pressure on universities to update their codes and launched Its On Us, a campaign to end campus sexual assault. California and New York now legally require colleges and universities to use an affirmative consent standard. Across the country, the standard is present in a number of college campus codes, though precise numbers are hard to come by. Will it become the new norm? Were definitely moving in that direction, says B. Ever Hanna, campus policy manager at the organization End Rape On Campus. The question is: How quickly? Hannas group has come up with five key requirements for an affirmative consent definition, which include a voluntary, affirmative, conscious, agreement that can be revoked any time during an encounter. Also, a previous relationship does not imply consent, force or coercion cannot be used to get consent, and crucially, a person incapacitated by drugs or alcohol is incapable of giving consent. But as important as specific policies are, the issue is far more complex than any code or law can capture, says Peggy Orenstein, who has written frequently about consent and is the author of the book Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape. Orenstein says she meets many young people today who may understand the concept of consent, but have trouble applying it to their own behaviour. I feel sometimes that consent can become a catchall, when it shouldnt be, Orenstein says. Consent only tells you if it was legal. There is so much more that we need to be talking about. CHICAGO - Lori Lightfoot told aldermen and other city powerbrokers assembled at her inauguration Monday as Chicagos first black woman mayor that she meant what she said on the campaign trail about top-to-bottom reforms in the nations third largest city. For years, theyve said Chicago aint ready for reform, said Lightfoot, speaking minutes after her swearing-in at the Wintrust Arena. Well, get ready, because reform is here. She spoke about curtailing some powers of city council members to lessen temptations for corruption and that structural changes to reduce gun violence would be among her top priorities. Hours later, she signed an executive order limiting aldermanic prerogative, a custom that allows each alderman to direct zoning and period decisions in their ward. Among her toughest challenges and perhaps the one most scrutinized by those outside the city will be overhauling the beleaguered Chicago Police Department. Lightfoot isnt the first incoming Chicago mayor to have pledged to overhaul a department accused for decades of abuses. But with a court-monitored plan, or consent decree, recently approved by U.S. District Judge Robert Dow, she has the best chance of actually getting it done. Lightfoot, who made history in April when she defeated a longtime political insider to become the first black woman and openly gay person elected to lead Chicago, signalled days before her inauguration that shes serious about transforming the 13,000-officer force by appointing top staffers with histories as strong police-reform advocates. Even with court backing, Lightfoot faces obstacles to enacting the meaningful changes that protesters sought after the 2015 release of video of a white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. I believe shes a true reformer, said Phil Turner, who like Lightfoot, is a former federal prosecutor in Chicago. But theres a difference between trying to reform police and reality. She is up against a lot of entrenched forces. The fiercest resistance will come from rank-and-file officers and the union that represents them, which has been openly hostile to key provisions, arguing that many will tie officers hands and make it impossible for them to do their jobs right. One requirement that the union singles out for criticism and that Lightfoot has heralded is that officers document each time they point their weapons at someone, even if they dont shoot. The union says it will cause police to hesitate, potentially putting them at risk. Theres also no guarantee officers will fully comply with any new policies. Dows ability to hold people in contempt if they dont adhere to reforms only goes so far, Turner said. You cant hold entire entities, like officers on the street, in contempt, he said. The person nominally in charge and who a judge can charge with contempt is the mayor. But shes a proponent of reforms. The plan that Dow approved in January was a culmination of the scandal surrounding McDonalds death and came after a Justice Department investigation concluded that racial bias and poor training contributed to a pattern of abuse by police. Illinois attorney general sued the city to force the courts supervision after years of inaction by the City Council, which dealt with systemic police misconduct in recent years by approving millions of dollars in lawsuit settlements. Lightfoot is likely to fill top posts in her administration with people who support the changes. Her chief of staff, named Wednesday, is Maurice Classen, a former prosecutor in Seattle, where he lobbied for systemic and deep reform of city police. He later helped develop anti-violence and policing strategies in cities nationwide. He told the Chicago Sun-Times that Lightfoots administration will be focused from her first days on the job on better management of city costs and ensuring that compliance with the consent decree is a high priority for the Police Department. Money will be an issue. City officials recently said Chicagos 2020 budget shortfall was around $740 million, worse than previously thought. Some changes, including to police training, will require funds. But the consent decree doesnt spell out how much the city should spend something Lightfoot has criticized. Lightfoots campaign platform called for changes that go beyond the consent decree, including the adoption of a policy in place in New York requiring that newly hired officers spend two weeks meeting residents in the neighbourhood they will police. Among her other priorities is improving the percentage of homicide cases detectives solve from the current 20%. A specific proposal is for a mobile lab that can cut the time it takes to process ballistics evidence from days to just a few hours. During her Monday speech, Lightfoot repeatedly returned to the issue of violence, saying there is no higher calling than restoring safety and peace in our neighbourhoods. People cannot and should not live in neighbourhoods that resemble a war zone, she said, adding later that Public safety must not be a commodity that is only available to the wealthy. SANTA ANA, Calif. - Federal prosecutors say a man has agreed to plead guilty to stealing a ring-tailed lemur from a Southern California zoo. The U.S. attorneys office says in a news release that 19-year-old Aquinas Kasbar of Newport Beach agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanour count of unlawfully taking an endangered species. According to a plea agreement filed Monday, prosecutors say Kasbar broke into the Santa Ana Zoo after hours on July 27, 2018, cut open an enclosure and took a 32-year-old lemur named Isaac. The animal was placed in a container with no ventilation and later abandoned at a Newport Beach hotel with notes identifying it as having been taken from the zoo. Media reported that Isaac wasnt hurt and was returned home. A telephone listing for Kasbar couldnt be located. He appears in court May 28. NEW YORK - The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local): 9:35 a.m. A sell-off in shares of chipmakers is pushing U.S. stocks lower as Wall Street begins trading Monday. Companies are taking steps to comply with the Trump administrations decision to restrict technology sales to Chinese telecom giant Huawei. About one-third of Huaweis suppliers are American chipmakers, including Qualcomm and Broadcom. Shares of both companies are down more than 4% in early trading. Sprint shares spiked 25.6% after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said he will approve its merger with T-Mobile. Shares of T-Mobile gained 5.8% The S&P 500 index fell 18 points, or 0.6%, to 2,841. The Dow slid 134 points, or 0.5%, to 25,629. The Nasdaq dropped 108 points, or 1.4%, to 7,708. The yield on the 10 year Treasury was flat at 2.39%. COLUMBIA, S.C. - The mother of five slain children fell into heaving sobs during the death penalty trial of her ex-husband. Amber Kyzer frequently wiped away tears during her hour of testimony Monday at the Lexington County Courthouse. When a prosecutor asked her to read a letter she wrote her oldest daughter about her divorce from Timothy Jones Jr., she got only a few sentences in. She sobbed my babies, my babies, oh god after reading the part where she told her 8-year-old daughter both her mother and father loved her very much. Jones, the father of all five of the victims, showed no emotion. Jones is charged with five counts of murder. Prosecutors said he killed his children, ages 8, 7, 6, 2 and 1, in their Lexington home in August 2014. ATLANTA - Organ transplant officials are rolling back a new nationwide policy over how to allocate scarce livers amid a legal fight in federal court, an attorney for the non-profit that manages the U.S. transplant system said Monday. The United Network for Organ Sharing was on track to reinstate its old policy by Thursday morning, Sara Frey said during a hearing. U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg last week ordered the rollback pending the outcome of a court appeal that could take months to resolve. Totenberg had refused at first to delay the policy change, but then reversed herself and ordered a halt to the new rules 24 hours after the transplant system started using them to match patients with donated organs. Totenberg was considering holding UNOS in contempt after hospitals and patients challenging the new liver policy said the group was deliberately ignoring her order. Frey said UNOS misunderstood the order, and there was never any intent to evade it. At Mondays hearing, an information technology specialist for the group, Bonnie Felice, said it has already spent hundreds of hours reprogramming its system to revert to the old policy. Totenberg appeared satisfied, and did not impose any sanctions on UNOS. Totenberg is presiding over a lawsuit that claims the new policy will waste viable livers, result in fewer transplants and likely cause deaths. At issue in the suit is how donated livers are distributed to patients awaiting transplants. Patients in population centres like New York and California must be closer to death before they reach the top of the transplant waiting list than people who live in places like the Midwest and South, where more organ donors mean patients who are less sick get transplanted faster. Its such a problem wealthy patients often seek to be placed on shorter transplant lists far from home, like the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who lived in California but in 2009 got a new liver in Tennessee. The new rules were intended to ease that geographic disparity by giving the sickest patients first chance at a donated liver, even if it has to be flown about 500 miles from the donor hospital. UNOS predicted more than 100 lives a year would be saved as patients near death get a shot at a liver theyd otherwise never have received while the less sick waited a little longer. But about a dozen hospitals in Kansas, Georgia and several other states sued, arguing the new rules will harm rural patients in particular as they lose local liver donations to big cities. ___ Associated Press medical writer Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to this report. SALT LAKE CITY - In Utah, drones are hovering near avalanches to watch roaring snow. In North Carolina, theyre searching for the nests of endangered birds. In Kansas, they could soon be identifying sick cows through heat signatures. Public transportation agencies are using drones in nearly every state, according to a new survey by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The report released Monday finds a sharp increase in their use over the last few years, showing that governments as well as hobbyists have rapidly adopted the technology. In 2016, the non-profit group found no state transportation agency was using drones every day. Now, 36 states have certified drone pilots on staff. When the survey was done this month, all but one state was using drones in some way. Since then, the lone holdout Rhode Island has bought a drone, group spokesman Tony Dorsey said. The small, unmanned aircraft are often used for mundane tasks, like inspecting bridges and roads. With sophisticated cameras and thermal technology, they can detect tiny cracks and identify potential potholes before theyre visible to the human eye. Youve seen the cost of drones come down significantly, and the capabilities that come along with some drones increase significantly as well, said the groups executive director, Jim Tymon. Drones have raised privacy concerns, but Tymon said new technology lets them be programmed to avoid entering certain spaces. Drones also have caused their share of headaches for officials over the years as personal devices forced the grounding of planes at airports or those fighting wildfires. But they can be useful for work thats dangerous for people. In Utah, drones record from the air as state workers set off planned avalanches, allowing them to watch the slides close up in real time, said Jared Esselman, director of aeronautics at the state Department of Transportation. Drones also can measure snow and other elements of the states rugged terrain to keep them from blocking roads or other infrastructure. We can predict not only snow slides, but mudslides and water runoff as the snow melts, Esselman said. Drones are a perfect tool for any job that is dangerous or dirty. When a mudslide cut off access to a city about two years ago, Idaho sent a drone up to pinpoint the best spot to use heavy machinery to clear the road, said Brian Ness, director of the Idaho Transportation Department. In North Carolina, drones are finding the nests of endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, said Basil Yap, unmanned aerial systems program manager at the states transportation department. People used to fan out in helicopters or all-terrain vehicles to check for evidence of the protected birds before building new projects, but the drones can do the job quicker with less disruption, Yap said. Theres little to no noise compared to a helicopter, he said. Theyre also used to check for protected bats nesting under bridges and to spray herbicide on invasive plants near shorelines. North Carolina is one of three states working with the Federal Aviation Administration to test drones beyond the operators line of sight, at night and over people. The FAA does not usually allow those uses without a special waiver. Also part of the program is Kansas, where workers are using drones to create sophisticated farming programs and monitor cattle heat signatures to prevent any illnesses from spreading. A number of states are beginning to explore how to regulate a flood of private drone traffic expected in the future. In Ohio, the state is working on an air-traffic control system called SkyVision, which would allow drones to detect and avoid other aircraft in flight. WASHINGTON - Four days in Tokyo. Then its off to see Queen Elizabeth before a jaunt to Normandy, France, and perhaps time in Ireland. A return trip to Japan? Why not. And throw in Seoul. Then its back to France for President Donald Trump for a summit with world leaders. The homebody president is preparing for a jet-setting summer of travel as he heads into 2020, with an itinerary that will see Air Force One fly more than 36,000 miles almost 1.5 times the earths circumference not counting helicopter trips and motorcades. The flurry of international travel is a marked change of pace for a president who likes to sleep in his own bed and rarely strays far from the White House unless its to his own properties. The packed calendar is the product of both a concerted attempt by Trump to wrap himself in the trappings of the presidency heading into re-election season and a fluke of the global summit calendar. It will play out as an array of foreign challenges, from Venezuela to North Korea and Iran, confronts a president who ran on an isolationist America First platform. When things are hot in Washington, theres an appeal to going abroad, being diplomatic, meeting with overseas leaders and redirecting media attention, said Julian Zelizer, a history professor at Princeton University. He said White Houses often hope that the images beamed home from such trips will help presidents look more presidential. A stream of television footage of Trump with foreign leaders makes him look like he is the one directing the country, a contrast with the Democrats, Zelizer said. Trump is set to depart Friday for a four-day state visit to Japan, where he will be the first world leader to meet with the countrys new emperor. He plans to hold a joint news conference with Prime Minster Shinzo Abe and present a trophy at a sumo wrestling tournament. Five days after he gets home, Trump is off for a state visit in the United Kingdom, where hell mingle with the royal family and mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day with ceremonies in Portsmouth, England and Normandy. He had been expected to return to Ireland, where he owns a golf course, but that stop was in question because of Prime Minister Leo Varadkars concerns about meeting with the president at a Trump property rather than more neutral territory, according to Irish media. Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said reports of the spat were a total exaggeration and he told Irish broadcaster RTE that details of the visit were still being finalized. The end of June will see Trump in Japan a second time. Meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are planned on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, followed by consultations in Seoul with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the state of North Korean nuclear negotiations. Trump returns to France in late August for a Group of Seven summit in the seaside town of Biarritz on the Basque Country coast. Trump is likely to be gone during at least one day of the inaugural Democratic presidential debates, scheduled to be held on back-to-back nights in late June owing to the sizable field of would-be Trump challengers. While his rivals are clamouring for the spotlight on stage, Trump will be abroad, welcomed by red carpets, honoured with state dinners and engaging in policy discussions with presidents and prime ministers. Its a split screen his campaign is eagerly awaiting. As they squabble in a field of two dozen socialists, President Trump is orchestrating the hottest economy on record, rectifying our trade relations across the globe, meeting with world leaders and pushing America First foreign policy, said campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany. All of this while rallying with his supporters across the country. Id say to the 2020 Democrats, good luck keeping up. The trips also come as foreign policy is increasingly dominating Trumps agenda. His administration is promoting a change of government in Venezuela, Trumps friend Kim Jong Un is firing off missiles in North Korea, and tensions are growing between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. is in an escalating trade war with China, with negotiations to find a solution at their lowest point in months. While Trumps team believes the pageantry of global affairs offers an advantage to the incumbent, it also brings pitfalls. Trump has at times flouted diplomatic protocol and called into question the U.S. commitment to its alliances like no recent leader. Thats a frequent line of attack from Democrats such as former Vice-President Joe Biden, who has made returning to an internationalist foreign policy a centerpiece of his campaign. Already, surveys show global affairs threaten to be a significant political liability for Trump heading into his 2020 re-election bid. Overall, 63 per cent of Americans disapproved of Trumps job handling foreign policy in a January poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Like other issues, the partisan divide was overwhelming: 76 per cent of Republicans approved, while just 8 per cent of Democrats said the same. After a pair of whirlwind tours in 2017, Trump has lagged his predecessors in overseas travel and has skipped several world gatherings typically attended by American presidents, sending Vice-President Mike Pence instead. Aides often note that Trump agrees to trips ahead of time then complains to them about the pace of travel once theyre underway. Nonetheless, Trump, like other presidents, has often tried to deploy the majesty of presidential travel for political gain, using Air Force One as a backdrop for campaign rallies and playing footage of his meetings with world leaders in tweeted videos. But Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, said he didnt think the visuals mattered much for Trump. I dont think it makes a lick of difference, he said. While past presidents may have been keen to show off their foreign policy know-how, forge alliances and convey strength, Fleischer said this cycle is not like that because Trumps appeal is driven so much by his personality. Zelizer agreed, noting the unusual stability of Trumps approval and disapproval ratings. For Trump haters, those emotions will overshadow any handshakes, he said, while for those who love him, I dont think thats why. __ Follow Miller and Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller and https://twitter.com/colvinj By Jun Ji-hye Samsung Electronics will likely benefit from Google's latest decision to sever ties with Chinese smartphone maker Huawei, industry analysts said Monday. Samsung has remained the world's No. 1 smartphone maker, but has been closely chased by Huawei in the global market. Google has reportedly suspended business operations with Huawei except those publicly available through open source licensing after the Donald Trump administration blacklisted Huawei amid the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. The suspension will have a dramatic impact on Huawei's smartphone sales across the globe as the tech giant "will immediately lose access to updates to Google's Android operating system," Reuters reported. It reported the Chinese firm's new devices running on Android are also set to lose access to some popular Google apps including Gmail and YouTube. WHEELING, W.Va. - A West Virginia woman has acknowledged that she threatened to kill President Donald Trump. A prosecutor said Monday that 25-year-old Taryn Corrinne Henthorn of Middlebourne pleaded guilty in federal court in Wheeling. Authorities say Henthorn made the threat on Facebook and elsewhere in January. Henthorn faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing. No sentencing date was immediately set. AUBURN, Ala. - The Latest on shootings of police officers in Auburn, Alabama (all times local): 11:27 a.m. A suspect is being charged with capital murder in the slaying of an Alabama police officer. Authorities say 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes could face the death penalty in the shooting death of veteran Auburn police officer William Buechner. Buechner was fatally wounded and two other officers were also shot while answering a call about a domestic disturbance on Sunday night. Police Chief Paul Register said Buechner had been with the department for 13 years. He identifies the two officers who were wounded as canine officer Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott. Sistrunk is being treated at a hospital in Columbus, Georgia, while Elliott was treated and released. Wilkes was captured early Monday following a manhunt. Court records arent yet available to show whether he has a lawyer. ___ 10:30 a.m. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says she is heartbroken by a shooting that left one police officer dead and two others wounded in Auburn. Ivey says the violence is tragic and useless. Her comments came during an appearance in Montgomery on Monday. Authorities say a man opened fire on police as they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in a mobile home park in the east Alabama city on Sunday night. Three officers were shot, and one died at a hospital. Another is out of surgery, and authorities say his condition is stable. The third officer also was hospitalized. Police captured a suspect identified as 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes following an overnight manhunt. 8:00 a.m. Auburn University has announced that a man suspected of killing one Auburn police officer and wounding two others near campus has been arrested. Auburn Campus Safety made an all clear announcement on Twitter and said police reported the suspect was in custody. Authorities had been searching for 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, who they said was armed and wearing camouflage body armour and a helmet. Police said Wilkes opened fire on officers who responded late Sunday night to a reported domestic disturbance at a mobile home park. The Lee County coroner Bill Harris says an officer was taken from the scene and died in the emergency room. Two other officers were wounded and are expected to recover. The officers identities have not yet been released. ___ 6:40 a.m. Authorities in Alabama are searching for a man they say killed one Auburn police officer and wounded two others. Local and state law enforcement are searching for 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, who they say is armed and wearing camouflage body armour and a helmet. Officers responded late Sunday night to a reported domestic disturbance at a mobile home park and were shot at by Wilkes, police said. The Lee County coroner Bill Harris says an officer was taken from the scene and died in the emergency room. Two other officers were wounded and are expected to recover. ___ 5:11 a.m. Authorities in Alabama are searching for a man they say shot and wounded three Auburn police officers. Local and state law enforcement are searching for 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes, who they say is armed and wearing camouflage body armour and a helmet. An Auburn police release says officers responded late Sunday night to a reported domestic disturbance and were shot at by Grady. It says three officers were wounded; their conditions werent immediately released. The state Law Enforcement Agency activated a Blue Alert, which is used when officers are killed or critically wounded. The Opelika-Auburn News reports helicopters are patrolling. A law enforcement command centre has been set at up Auburn University, which is warning students to stay away from a mobile home park about five miles from campus. PORTLAND, Ore. - The Latest on an armed student who was tackled at a Portland, Oregon, school (all times local): 3 p.m. A high school senior who authorities say brought a shotgun to a Portland, Oregon, school but was tackled by a security guard before anyone was hurt has pleaded not guilty to gun-related charges. Angel Granados-Diaz entered the plea Monday during a brief hearing to one felony and three misdemeanours. Granados-Diaz turned 19 in jail on Monday as classes resumed at Parkrose High School. Authorities say he was arrested Friday at Parkrose after former University of Oregon football star Keanon Lowe wrestled the gun away from him. Lowe works at the school as head football and track coach and as a security guard. No one was injured in the incident. Police are still trying to determine if any shots were fired. ____ 11:14 a.m. A former University of Oregon football star says he had seconds to react when a student armed with a shotgun entered a classroom at a Portland high school. Keanon Lowe, who now works as a coach at Parkrose High School, tells Good Morning America that he wrestled the student for the gun Friday as other students ran screaming from the room. The suspect, 18-year-old Angel Granados Diaz, was expected to be in court Monday on several firearms charges. Court papers dont list an attorney for him. No one was injured in the incident. Police are still trying to determine if any shots were fired. Lowe, who is also a school security guard, says he was in the classroom to take a student to the office when Diaz walked in. MONTOURSVILLE, Pa. - President Donald Trump voiced confidence Monday in his ability to win a repeat victory in Pennsylvania in 2020 and took a fresh swipe at one of his leading Democratic rivals, telling rallygoers that native son Joe Biden had abandoned them by representing Delaware in the Senate. In fact, Biden moved to neighbouring Delaware with his family when he was a boy, and later represented the state in the Senate for more than three decades. He maintained ties to Pennsylvania over the years. Trumps Pennsylvania visit, intended to boost Republican congressional candidate Fred Keller over Democrat Marc Friedenberg in a Tuesday special election for an open House seat, had as much to do with helping his own reelection prospects as it did with pushing Keller over the finish line. Weve got to win tomorrow, Fred, Trump told a cheering rally crowd at a hangar at Williamsport Regional Airport. Trumps visit to the key battleground state came two days after Biden held a campaign rally in Philadelphia, and the former vice-president wasnt far from Trumps mind. He left you for another state, and he didnt take care of you, Trump said. He also referred to the former vice-president by the nickname he has coined for him: Sleepy Joe. Sleepy Joe said that hes running to, quote, save the world, Trump said. Well, he was. He was going to save every country but ours. Biden said Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, that he is running on a pledge to restore the soul of America. He has frequently talked on the campaign trail about the presidents divisive rhetoric and said another four years of Trump would fundamentally change the character of this nation. Trump uses his campaign rallies to disparage various Democratic candidates for president, but he has been heavily focused on Biden, suggesting he may be worried about the possibility of facing off next year against the longtime politician. The president, who spoke in the open air with Air Force One behind him, highlighted the economys performance under his leadership and suggested those numbers make him virtually unbeatable. Politics is a crazy world, but when you have the best employment numbers in history, when you have the best unemployment numbers in history ... I dont know, how the hell do you lose this election, right? Trump said. The current unemployment rate of 3.6% is actually the lowest since 1969, when it stood at 3.5%. Unemployment was even lower than that in the early 1950s, and much lower, under 2%, during three years of World War II. Keller himself offered a rousing endorsement of Trump, saying he wants to go to Congress to be a vote for the president. Keller told Trump the people of this region of Pennsylvania have been behind you since Day One, and, Mr. President, our support for you is as strong today as it ever was. In 2016, Pennsylvania put Donald Trump over the top. And in 2020, were going to do it again, Keller said. Biden is making a big play for his native Pennsylvania, opening his presidential bid in Harrisburg and capping a three-week rollout with Saturdays event in Philadelphia, the city where he also established his campaign headquarters. In the fight to deny Trump reelection, no places will matter more than Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, three states the Republican president carried by razor-thin margins in 2016. Trump campaigned in Michigan and Wisconsin earlier this year. ___ Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap BOKOSHE, Okla. - Susan Holmes home, corner store and roadside beef jerky stand are right off Oklahoma Highway 31, putting them in the path of trucks hauling ash and waste from a power plant that burns the high-sulfur coal mined near this small town. For years, when Bokoshe residents were outside, the powdery ash blowing from the trucks and the ash dump on the edge of town would kind of engulf you, Holmes said. They drove by, and you just couldnt breathe. Over three decades, the ash dump grew into a hill five stories high. Townspeople regard the Environmental Protection Agency as the only source of serious environmental enforcement. Whenever people took their worries about ash-contaminated air and water to state lawmakers and regulators, none of them cared, Holmes said. So the residents of this 500-person town have nothing but bitter warnings for similarly situated communities now that President Donald Trumps EPA has approved Oklahoma to be the first state to take over permitting and enforcement on coal-ash sites. Theyre going to do absolutely nothing, predicted Tim Tanksley, a rancher in Bokoshe, about 130 miles southeast of Tulsa in a Choctaw Nation coal patch that helped fuel the railroads. Around the country, the EPA under Trump is delegating a widening range of public health and environmental enforcement to states, saying local officials know best how to deal with local problems. Critics contend federal regulators are making a dangerous retreat on enforcement that puts people and the environment at greater risk. One administration initiative would give states more authority over emissions from coal-fired power plants. Another would remove federal protections for millions of miles of waterways and wetlands. Some states and counties say the EPA is also failing to act against threats from industrial polluters, including growing water contamination from a widely used class of nonstick industrial compounds. Michigan, New Jersey and some other states say they are tackling EPA-size challenges like setting limits for the contaminants in drinking water while appealing to the real EPA to act. In Houstons oil and gas hub, local officials and residents say a lax EPA response to toxic spills during Hurricane Harvey left the public in the dark about health threats and handicapped efforts to hold companies responsible for cleaning up. Nationwide, EPA inspections, evaluations and enforcement actions have fallen sharply over the past two years, some to the lowest points in decades, or in history. The agency says environmental enforcers remain on the job despite the plunging enforcement numbers. There has been no retreat from working with states, communities and regulated entities to ensure compliance with our environmental laws, said George Hull, the agencys enforcement spokesman. Through our deregulatory actions, the Trump administration has proven that burdensome federal regulations are not necessary to drive environmental progress, EPA Director Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, told lawmakers earlier this year. Past EPA officials accuse the Trump administration of pulling back on enforcement of polluters and turning back the clock to a dirtier, more dangerous time. The reason that the ultimate authority to enforce the law was put into federal hands was because the states werent any good at it, William Ruckelshaus said. Now 86, Ruckelshaus served as the first administrator of the EPA in 1970, when President Richard Nixon created the agency amid a wave of public anger over contaminated air and water. The previous year, the pollutant-slicked surface of Ohios Cuyahoga River caught fire for only the latest time, sending smoke billowing in downtown Cleveland. Then and now, some states lack the resources and legal authority to police big polluters. And crucially, Ruckelshaus said, some states just dont want to. They see routine environmental enforcement as a threat to business and jobs. The idea that youre going to delegate it to the states ... is completely fraudulent, Ruckelshaus said in an interview. Congressional Democrats allege Trump is selective in his passion for state sovereignty and has blocked states that want tighter environmental enforcement. They point to the presidents call to revoke Californias authority under the Clean Air Act to set tougher mileage standards than those Trump wants, among other examples. Oklahoma acquired permitting and oversight authority over a half-dozen coal-ash dumps and ponds last year under then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general. Pruitt left the agency amid ethics probes last year, and now lobbies for coal. Georgia has also applied to manage its coal-ash dumps and ponds. The EPA says it is talking with other interested states but declined to identify them. Risks from coal-ash sites jumped to national attention in 2008, when a dike broke at a Tennessee coal ash pond, releasing 1 billion gallons of toxic sludge. Coal ash the gunk left after pollution equipment captures the worst of the toxic soot that once poured out of power plant smokestacks contains heavy metals and carcinogens, including lead, mercury, arsenic and radium. The tiny particles can seep into the lungs and blood system. U.S. coal plants generate about 100 million tons of ash annually. An Associated Press analysis of data released by utilities last year showed widespread evidence of groundwater contamination around coal plants nationwide. In Oklahoma, groundwater testing at some of the ash sites shows contaminants at levels above what the government deems safe, according to Earthjustice and other environmental groups that are suing to reverse EPAs transfer of permitting and oversight. Patrick Riley, the state Department of Environmental Quality official in charge of Oklahomas coal-ash program, said the half-dozen sites will be brought up to federal standards. That includes moving some, Riley said. The boom-and-bust cycles of the oil and gas fields govern Oklahomas economy. But state officials also try to support the states flagging coal industry, including giving what a state task force said are the highest subsidies in the U.S. to the few companies that mine and burn Oklahomas high-sulfur coal. The coal-fired power plant that produces the ash dumped at Bokoshe has been one of the main beneficiaries. The Bokoshe coal-ash dump was opened at an unlined former coal mine pit by a local outfit that was initially called Making Money Having Fun LLC, until complaints from townspeople made the ash dump notorious. Laws designed to encourage rehabilitation of old coal pits meant the Bokoshe site was classified as a reclamation project and not an ash dump. Thats even though the coal ash long ago filled the pit and now stands more than 50 feet high over several acres. Fearing what the ash was doing to their air and water, the ranchers, teachers and shopkeepers of Bokoshe appealed for years for government action. During Barack Obamas first term as president, residents went to the state capital in Oklahoma City and to Washington, D.C. Holmes herself thrust a record of the towns complaints into the hands of the EPAs then-administrator. Television correspondent Diane Sawyer put the tiny eastern Oklahoma town on the network news. TV crews took photos of all the asthma inhalers stashed in the lockers of Bokoshe schoolkids. Almost a decade later, the only time excitement enters Tanksleys voice is when the cattle rancher recalls the day the EPA acted. Tanksley stood next to an EPA staffer that day as the man gathered beakers of runoff from the site for testing. In 2010, the EPA cited the dump for toxic discharges in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. That led the state to stop the dump from accepting hazardous wastewater from oilfield operations. The dumping of ash continued, but state regulators required the operators to do more to contain the billowing ash. Townspeople say they have little hope left for more state or federal help for Bokoshe. They have none to offer communities in similar fights. I did a lot, Holmes said. But it never did much good. JACKSON, Miss. - A federal judge indicated Tuesday that he is likely to block a Mississippi law that will ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The new law puts a cutoff point for abortion at about six weeks, when many women may not yet know theyre pregnant. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard arguments about a request from the states only abortion clinic, which wants him to block the law from taking effect July 1, as scheduled. Reeves is the same judge who ruled last year that Mississippis 15-week ban is unconstitutional because it would prohibit access to abortion before a fetus could survive outside the pregnant womans body. Viability is generally considered to be about 23 or 24 weeks. In an indication of which way he is leaning on the request to block the new law, Reeves asked attorneys: Doesnt it boil down to: Six is less than 15? Mississippi is one of several states enacting abortion restrictions this year in hopes that the U.S. Supreme Court, with new conservative justices, will reevaluate and maybe overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Reeves criticized Mississippi lawmakers for passing an earlier ban after he struck down the one at 15 weeks. It sure smacks of defiance to this court, he said. The state is appealing Reeves ruling on the 15-week ban, and Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed the new law in March. The states only abortion clinic, Jackson Womens Health Organization, quickly sued the state. Reeves said he would decide soon on the request to block the law, but did not indicate when he would issue a ruling. Governors in Kentucky, Ohio and Georgia have signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Alabamas governor signed a measure making abortion a felony in nearly all cases. The Mississippi law says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licenses. It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a womans life or one of her major bodily functions. Senators rejected an amendment that would have allowed exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Hillary Schneller, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Mississippi law is clearly unconstitutional because it bans abortion before viability. If the law were to take effect, Women will be forced to leave the state to obtain legal abortions ... or will be forced to remain pregnant against their will, Schneller said. Mississippi Special Assistant Attorney General Paul Barnes said the new law is not an outright ban on abortion but a limitation on when the procedure can be done. When a fetal heartbeat is detected, our position is it is constitutional to prohibit abortion, Barnes said. He also said the state respectfully disagrees with Reeves ruling on the 15-week ban. If Reeves temporarily blocks the new Mississippi law, he would hear arguments later on the larger question of constitutionality. Reeves asked Barnes whether a 10- or 11-year-old girl who is impregnated by rape would have to carry the pregnancy to full term if she waited too long to tell anyone what had happened to her. Barnes said he did not know whether a family court judge would allow the child to have an abortion after the fetal heartbeat is found. Barnes said the man who impregnated the girl could be charged with capital rape. Reeves said legislators were aware the law did not allow exceptions for rape or incest. Barnes said he did not know if they knew, and Reeves responded: Well, they speak through their statute. After the court hearing, more than 100 abortion-rights supporters rallied outside the state capitol in downtown Jackson less than a mile from the federal courthouse. They chanted: We wont go back and My body, my choice. Zakiya Summers of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi said outlawing abortion will not get rid of the procedure but will make it more dangerous. The decision whether to become a parent is in the hands of those who are involved. It is not the politicians decision to make, Summers said. Bodies do not belong to the government. After the rally, Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves held a news conference at a church in the Jackson suburb of Byram with pastors and others who oppose abortion. Tate Reeves, no relation to the federal judge, said he will continue to try to restrict abortion if he is elected governor this year. Mississippi is overwhelmingly pro-life, Tate Reeves said. And we need a governor that will be overwhelmingly pro-life. ____ Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus . VASHON ISLAND, Wash. - Sarah Day is a school nurse with street cred when it comes to the polarizing issue of vaccines on an idyllic island in Washington state known for its rural beauty, counterculture lifestyle and low immunization rates. Since she began communal living on Vashon Island more than 20 years ago, the registered nurse has advocated for getting kids their shots against a loud contingent of anti-vaccine parents in the close-knit community of about 11,000 accessible only by ferry, a serene 20-minute ride from Seattle. And it may now be working, thanks to a perfect storm of changes being felt on the island, Day said. The Vashon Island School District has seen a significant increase in fully immunized children. The number of kindergartners who received the required set of state-mandated vaccines jumped by 31% in the past six years, from 56% to nearly 74% in the 2017-18 school year, according to the King County Public Health Department. Amid the nations highest number of measles cases in 25 years, pro-vaccine advocates are cheering the apparent shift that challenges Vashons reputation as a hotbed of highly educated, anti-establishment parents who choose not to vaccinate their children from preventable and potentially devastating diseases. Weve been the poster children for the anti-vaccine or vaccine-hesitancy movement for so long, Day said. She attributes the rising numbers to increasingly visible pro-vaccine information, expanded access to shots and media coverage of measles outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest and New York this year. The island town with deep roots in organic farming has long drawn those who want to escape urban sprawl and others wary of putting chemicals in their bodies, whether in their food or medical care. Kids run barefoot through untamed forests and families still raise fruits and vegetables without pesticides to share in meals in communal houses. It also has its share of city commuters, tourists and million-dollar vacation homes with sweeping views of Mount Rainier, as well as locals pushing the science that vaccines are safe. While the gains are notable, the Vashon school district still has one of the lowest vaccine rates in the U.S. It is far below the 95 per cent target that a majority of U.S. schools hover around and is needed for herd immunity, which protects those who havent been vaccinated for medical reasons or because they are too young. The majority of Vashon parents say yes to some vaccines, particularly the tetanus shot for their kids who play outside on the forested island. But many still buck the formal schedule of shots recommended by health officials. They may select some but not all and space them out over a longer period of time. Nicky Wilks, who grew up on Vashon and has three young children, said the changing attitude has led some pro-vaccine parents to exclude from gatherings kids who may not have their shots, while teenagers openly mock those who arent vaccinated. Thats the worst-case scenario, when we are creating physical barriers in our community, Wilks said. He said he isnt against all vaccines but doesnt agree that dozens of shots starting at birth are necessary despite health officials insistence. Wilks declined to say if his family is fully immunized. Gator Lanphear says hes very judgmental about parents who dont vaccinate. He said he not only immunizes his twin 6-year-old daughters but instills in them the importance of getting their shots as a heroic act. They understand that what they did benefits humankind. Yeah, they got their ice cream for it, but theyre also eradicating polio, Lanphear said. The number of philosophical exemptions in Vashon has decreased dramatically, but there are still 11.6 per cent of students whose families elect not to vaccinate. Thats five times higher than the national median rate. Still, Vashons progress cant be discounted because its unusual for immunization to increase so steeply in a few short years when there is deep-rooted anti-vaccine sentiment in the community, said William John Moss, an epidemiology professor at Johns Hopkins University. Thats an important increase, but they still have a ways to go, Moss said. Thats a vaccination rate lower than in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Day, the school nurse, has worked closely with the new Neighborcare Health clinics, the single largest medical provider on the island. Together, they aggressively remind families when theyre due for vaccines and counsel them on their concerns, whether rooted in scientific evidence or not. The message is really getting through. I feel like the tide is really turning on the island, Day said. A two-year-old health centre at the high school has been especially successful. Its partly funded by a county grant that helps cover free shots and services for low-income or uninsured students. About half of the school systems 1,615 students are registered patients and an additional 43 children who are in private school or homeschooled also use the clinic. Manager Stephanie Keller said the centre has received a spike in calls from concerned parents amid a measles outbreak in Washington state thats affected at least 78 people, including seven reported near Vashon. As of May 17, 880 people have contracted measles in 24 states this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The outbreak prompted Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency and sign a law that eliminates personal or philosophical exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine thats needed before attending a day care centre or school. Parents, however, can still claim a medical or religious exemption. Some critics say the Vashon school systems data isnt representative of the population because the island is home to many families who live off the grid. Vaccine advocates argue its an important benchmark because numbers from a previous islandwide survey aligned with public school data. And there are other signs, too. The top service provided at the student-based health centre is vaccinations, Keller said. That surprised us, Keller said. You think of Vashon as being this hippie place where nobody vaccinates. ___ Follow Sally Ho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SallyHo . For animal rights activist Jenny McQueen, the call on the last day of April came as a complete surprise. Crown prosecutors, she was told, had decided to drop all charges against her charges stemming from almost two years of action by McQueen against a London-area pig farm. No longer was she facing charges of break and enter and mischief over $5,000. No longer was she accused of illegally entering the 2,600-sow Adare Pork Ltd. operation near Lucan and removing two piglets that she deemed in need of rescue. The Crowns official reason for dropping the charges was that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction. What was odd about this explanation, however, is that McQueen happily admits to what she did. If I had gone to trial, I would have testified that Id entered and removed two piglets, she told me over the phone last week. Its very obvious where I was, she said, noting that she had posted online pictures of herself inside Adare Pork, including one with a piglet she named Noel. She had also made two formal complaints to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and one to the Ontario Fire Marshal about conditions in the factory farm. In all three, she said, she had identified herself fully. Im completely open about what I did, she told me. Industry groups are furious that the charges against McQueen have been dropped. On May 1, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and eight other farm groups slammed the Crowns decision. Without meaningful prosecutions that act as a deterrent to future crimes, activists become bolder, they wrote in a joint press release. The Western Producer, a farm publication, called it a frightening day for livestock producers in the country. Strangely enough, McQueen too was disappointed by the Crowns decision. A member of the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere, she supports a tactic known as open rescue, whereby activists who free animals they believe are being mistreated identify themselves publicly and suffer the consequences. Its a hollow victory in a way, McQueen said. I wanted a trial and I was prepared to go to jail. A trial, she said, could have offered her the opportunity to publicize the conditions in which food animals are kept. I would have been able to show how horrifying it is, keeping pigs in a small, dark room. Its just wrong particularly when there are so many plant-based alternatives to meat. Her one consolation is the thought that maybe, just maybe, the dismissal of charges against her signals a sea change in the way the justice system views animals that, in effect, the Crown is recognizing the right to rescue as a legal form of protest. In any case, she said, she will continue to proselytize for animals. Does that mean that shell engage in more open-rescue operations? Absolutely, said McQueen. Absolutely. In a column last month, I reported on the case of a poor sap who has been trying fruitlessly since February to obtain from the Canada Revenue Agency a print copy of a booklet that he needs to file his income tax return. Last week, some 16 days after the deadline for filing income tax returns came and went, three copies of the booklet arrived in the mail. Who says government doesnt care? Later this month, Prof. Marcelo Gleiser, Brazil-born theoretical physicist and prolific writer who teaches at Dartmouth College, will receive the 2019 Templeton Prize at a ceremony in New York. The award worth some $500,000 (US) is given annually to a person who promotes progress in religion and spiritual knowledge. The intention of its sponsor, the Templeton Foundation created by the late Anglo-American financier Sir John Templeton, is to celebrate religion in the way the Nobel Prize celebrates the sciences, economics, literature and peace. The first recipient of the Templeton Prize in 1971 was Mother Teresa. Since then several religious leaders with international reputations have been recognized, among them the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. Canadian recipients include Prof. Charles Taylor and the late Jean Vanier. Many awards have gone to well-known scientists. Religious affiliation doesnt seem to be a factor, commitment to bridge building between religions does. For example, last years prize went to King Abdullah of Jordan for his efforts to promote religious harmony between Islam and other religions. Two of Britains chief rabbis got the prize for their interfaith work. Gleiser, who is Jewish, was honoured, according to the citation, for pointing to the historical, philosophical and cultural links between science, the humanities and spirituality. Interviewed in the Scientific American he said that for him science is a way of connecting with the mystery of existence. He sees it as part of a much grander and older sort of questioning about who we are in the picture of the universe, and he believes that Einstein would have said the same thing with his cosmic religious feeling. For Gleiser, science is a deeply spiritual conversation with the mysterious, about all the things we dont know. He thinks, therefore, that atheism, which he describes as a categorical statement that expresses belief in nonbelief is inconsistent with the scientific method. He reminds us that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. To understand modern science, Gleiser told his interviewer, is to put humanity back into a kind of moral centre of the universe, in which we have the moral duty to preserve this planet and its life with everything that weve got, because we understand how rare this whole game is and that for all practical purposes we are alone. He distinguishes between real science that he embraces and what he calls scientism, the erroneous notion that science can solve all problems. This he opposes with insight and humility because he knows that we cannot presume that we are going to solve all the problems of the world using a strict scientific approach. The Templeton citation reads in part: Professor Gleisers work displays an undeniable joy of exploration. He maintains the same sense of awe and wonderment that he first experienced as a child on the Capacabana beach, gazing at the horizon or the starry night sky, curious about what lies beyond. He has written in his book, The Island of Knowledge, that awe is the bridge between our past and present, taking us forward into the future as we keep on searching. We normally look for religious thought in theology and for religious practice in private and public worship, ritual observance and at times even in the way people dress. Gleiser goes much beyond that. He is in search of the very essence of religion that permeates all aspects of human thought and life, just like science. Perhaps thats what the Prophet Elijah identified when he stood on the mountain before the Eternal and heard the still small voice (First Kings 19:12). VANCOUVERA group of demonstrators rallied outside the Vancouver Aquarium Monday to protest what they say is a crass and greedy lawsuit recently launched by the facility. The Vancouver Aquarium announced last week it is suing the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation over the 2017 cetacean ban, claiming the ban constitutes a breach of contract which cost the company millions of dollars in revenue. The roughly 20 protesters blasted what they say is the aquariums bid to put Vancouver taxpayers on the hook for revenue losses linked to the facilitys own inability to keep large, intelligent marine mammals alive in tiny concrete tubs. This could affect the taxpayers of Vancouver, were they to win an award, David Isbister, member of grassroots advocacy groups No More Dead Cetaceans and VanAquaFacts.org, and co-organizer of the Monday protest, told The Star Vancouver in an interview. Weve got the aquarium trying to protect their profits (instead of) accepting that theyve measurably and demonstrably harmed cetaceans and other animals here for years ... We think its telling that theyre willing to, by proxy, sue the citizens of Vancouver over whales that theyre responsible for the deaths of. The protest is the second the aquarium has seen in less than a month. Earlier in May, the Empty the Tanks group organized a demonstration to protest the transfer of a pair of belugas owned by the aquarium from Marineland in Ontario to LOceanografic park in Spain, a facility operated by the Vancouver Aquarium and parent company Oceanwise. Read more: Vancouver Aquarium files civil claim suing city and park board over cetacean ban Orca family in Vancouver harbour shows not all killer whales are on the brink Spunky and tenacious orca fighting to keep up with her endangered family was an inspiration to researchers In May 2017 the park board voted 6 to 1 to approve a bylaw banning whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity. The bylaw went into effect immediately, blocking the aquarium from bringing new cetaceans to its Stanley Park facility. In the civil claim filed May 14, the aquarium says attendance has dropped in the past two years, adding the bylaw has interfered with its ability to carry out day-to-day administration of the Marine Science Centre. The science centre saw a 13 per cent decline in attendance in both 2017 and 2018, according to the claim. Based on 2016 admission rates, this decline in attendance equates to a loss of approximately $4 million in revenues for each of 2017 and 2018, it continues. In a Monday statement, the park board said it is currently reviewing the aquariums claim for damages with legal counsel, and considering its options going forward. The park board declined to comment further while the matter is before the court. Currently, the aquarium has one senior-aged Pacific white-sided dolphin named Helen that the park board continues to support. She was rescued from fishing nets many years ago, and has no pectoral fins as a result, said a spokesperson for the aquarium. A B.C. Supreme Court judge had agreed with the aquariums attempt to quash the park board bylaw and declared it void. But that ruling was overturned in February by a panel of three Appeal Court judges, who sent the matter back to the B.C. Supreme Court. In a Monday statement, the aquariums parent company, Oceanwise, declined to comment on the protesters claims, adding it is not in a position to provide additional details on the lawsuit as the matter is currently before the court. The statement also said the suit is not an attempt to lift the cetacean ban. We made a commitment in January 2018 to no longer display cetaceans in Stanley Park and we continue to honour that commitment, with the exception of any rescued whales or dolphins that may need emergent temporary care, the statement reads. With files from The Canadian Press Read more about: Firefighters struggle to stop the leak of toxic oil vapor from an outdoor tank at Hanwha Total factory in Seosan, South Chucheong Province, on Friday. Yonhap By Park Si-soo More than 300 people are suffering from severe headaches, nausea, giddiness or other toxic gas-driven health problems after inhaling oil vapor leaked from a Hanwha Total factory in Seosan, South Chucheong Province, on Friday and Saturday. Many of them feel pain in their eyes, said police and medical staff on Monday. The gas traveled to areas as far away as 30 minutes from the factory by car. The plant has been shut since the accident. An investigation is under way. The first leak occurred on Friday afternoon. Video footage shows a huge plume of pinky vapor spewing from an outdoor gas tank. The second leak was reported 15 hours later, according to police. Hanwha said an unintended sharp rise in the tank's internal temperature may have caused oil residue inside to spew out through a weak part of the tank, according to investigators. The second leak happened when workers were trying to stabilize the tank by injecting coolant foam. Video footage shows a huge plume of pinky vapor spewing from an outdoor gas tank at the factory. Yonhap The leaked gas traveled to areas as far away as 30 minutes from the factory by car. Courtesy of Korea Confederation of Trade Unions What can you expect from this year's summer travel season? Fewer travelers, for one. MMGY Global, a travel and hospitality marketing and research company, projects a significant slowdown in overall leisure travel this year. The decrease could affect the summer season, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Its travel sentiment index shows eight consecutive quarters of decline in demand since mid-2016 and an increase in price sensitivity over the same period. "Travelers are saying that they are likely to travel less in the next six months," says Craig Compagnone, MMGY Global's chief operating officer. Priceline.com, a discount travel website, has found that airlines and hotels are doing their best to entice travelers by keeping fares and rates low for as long as they can. (Prices normally rise as you get closer to summer.) For example, hotel and airline prices for the Memorial Day weekend are holding steady until about 12 days before May 25. A flight booked at the last minute will cost, on average, 31% more, according to Priceline. For the Fourth of July weekend, your cutoff is 16 days before the holiday. Travelers who wait too long to book a flight will pay, on average, 42% more. You can also save money on airfares by avoiding the busiest times. Those include the days before the major holidays, but also busy days of the week, according to Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com. "In the summer, flying during certain weekdays is almost always going to give you better prices than will flying on the weekend," Klee says. "Across the board, the best fares are found on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the highest fares on Sundays." And if you postpone your flight until the first or second week in September, you'll often find dramatic drops in ticket prices, sometimes as much as half of what you might pay in July, he adds. "Even waiting until the second half of August will provide savings to most popular summer destinations, both international and domestic." While travel overall was down, road travel was up. MMGY's study found that 51% of Americans took at least one road trip in the last year, an increase from 46% in 2017. States are even vying for their share of road-trippers. For example, Visit California, the state's tourism marketing organization, launched an ad campaign this spring for road-trippers, Road Trip Republic, designed to bring more people to the Golden State. Companies like RVshare, a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, are also seeing an uptick in road-trip interest. RV sharing and rentals are an up-and-coming trend. "Road trips in the U.S. are on the rise," says Megan Buemi, RVshare's senior manager of customer experience, who says she's seen more interest in all levels of RV sharing, from pop-up campers to luxury motor homes. Travelers should look beyond the most popular vacation destinations for summer deals, according to the travel metasearch engine Kayak. For example, airfares to several Greek islands are lower this year than they were last year. Mykonos, in particular, has seen a drop in the median airfare of 16% this August, compared with the same time last year, according to Kayak. In dozens of interviews with travel advisers, I found that the savviest travelers, anticipating a crush of summer vacationers, are going to great lengths to avoid major tourist destinations. "I'm seeing more of my clients looking toward South America, Central America, as well as Vietnam, Cambodia and India, rather than focusing on Europe for their summer travel," says Duff Pacifico, a luxury travel adviser with Tzell Travel in New York. Why the mad rush away from popular destinations? One of the big concerns for 2019 is overtourism, which arises when a place is being loved to death. The overtourism problem means that travelers need to research their trips a little more carefully, in case a closure or a daily visitor quota affects an intended destination. Practically speaking, that means going to Puglia instead of Tuscany, Slovenia instead of Austria and Bhutan instead of Tibet. Zig when everyone else zags. "My best advice is to simply stay away from the most popular places and head to the ones that fall under the radar," says Katya d'Angelo, a spokeswoman for Boundless Journeys, a tour operator based in Stowe, Vermont. "It will be less crowded, often less expensive and will offer a more meaningful travel experience." Still, the biggest mistake you could make this summer would be staying home. More than half of Americans reported having unused vacation days at the end of the year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. "Americans are terrible at this," says Charlotte McGhee, owner of Whisked Away Surprise Travel, a travel agency in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Many of my clients tell me they haven't traveled in years." Don't let this be you. - - - Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. At the age of 75, Mikiko Kuzuno found herself recently laid off and applying for a job at a factory near Tokyo. She insisted on making the application in person. "I asked them to please take a look at me," she said. "I wanted to show them how healthy I am. Some people are very frail." Kuzuno, 78, is now three years into work at the small plant in Warabi, where she helps launder and package steamed hand-towels given to customers at restaurants. It's demanding work where she stands throughout her three-hour shift, but she doesn't think of retiring -- partly for financial reasons, and partly because she hates hanging around at home. This could be Japan's new normal, with people working into their 70s and beyond, adding a new facet to its reputation as a nation of workaholics. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seeking to keep people like Kuzuno employed longer so they can pitch into the tax base and ease the burden on government spending, as the country copes with having the world's fastest aging population. Japan's graying population has propelled a surge in social security spending, accounting for about one-third of government outlays in the fiscal year that ended in March, much of which was funded by debt. Thus, Abe is advancing legislation to encourage companies to abolish retirement ages and take other measures to keep people on on the job past age 70. A second bill would make such policies mandatory. The government's also mulling a new option of allowing workers to delay receiving their pension payouts to age 75. A higher proportion of Japan's population is aged 65 or older than in any country in the world, and its life expectancy at birth of 84 is tied with Switzerland for first place, according to World Bank data. With a declining birthrate, Japan's population is set to slump by almost a third by 2060, by which time about 40% will be 65 or over, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. "'We need to change the structure of economic society to fit the model of a 100-year life," Shinjiro Koizumi, 38, a lawmaker who heads a ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel on aging, told Bloomberg News. "That has to be our top priority, or we won't be able to reform social security to give hope to the next generation." Convincing people to put in a few more years on the job may prove difficult. A poll published by the Cabinet Office in January showed about 38% of Japanese wanted to work beyond the age of 65, while more than 50% would prefer to leave the workforce before that age. The jobs Japan needs filled the most in labor-intensive fields like construction, nursing care and delivery services, aren't the jobs typically associated with older workers. Rural areas with the highest percentage of residents 65 and above also have few jobs suitable the graying workforce. One person opening the door to older workers is Atsushi Morishita, 72, founder and president of Tempos Holdings, which runs a chain of 58 commercial kitchen equipment outlets. He was inspired to do so by his father, who worked on a farm into his 90s. "In Tokyo, as soon as people turn 65 they are wasting their time playing croquet or something. So I thought I would provide a place for them to work," Morishita said. About a quarter of his workforce is 60 or older. Business owners must understand that older workers typically mean lower productivity, so wages and output levels need to be managed accordingly, he said. "Somewhere like Toyota requires high productivity, so I don't think they could do it," he said. "But in a lax company like ours, it's fine. We're not making a loss." One employee is Takayoshi Kimura, 73, who was hired when he was 58 and eventually became one of the top sales staff at a busy Tokyo store. He had closed his struggling business in a rural prefecture and came to the capital in search of a job, leaving his wife, an elderly-care worker, behind. Kimura loves the excitement of meeting young entrepreneurs in his job, while his friends in rural Japan are lucky to be hired as security guards. "There are no jobs at all in the countryside," Kimura said. While his wife urges him to return, he wants to stay until he's 75. Morishita told him he'll be fine for another 20 years, he said. It's unclear whether enticing more retirement-age people to stay in the labor force will make a significant dent in Japan's pension bills, given that many opt to receive pension payments while continuing to work. While the government wants to let workers delay their pensions, only about 1% of the eligible population is even taking advantage of the existing option, under which they can delay up to age 70 in return for a more than 40% increase in payments. Koizumi, the lawmaker, blamed it on poor public relations. "Private sector companies think hard about how to get their message across, but the national bureaucracy doesn't do that," he said. Older employees say good health and enjoyable conditions help them put off retirement. Factory worker Kuzuno has another motivation -- she is single and determined not to become reliant on her two daughters. While she's been in work since she was a teenager, most of the jobs she had didn't come with corporate pension benefits. She lives on a meager state pension, supplemented by her pay from the towel plant. "I want to work as long as I can. My daughters have their own problems," she said. "I can barely make ends meet, so I really need to do my best." Jacksonville is looking into hotel tax and other issues for the citys relationship with non-hotel, short-term rentals after a group of Airbnb hosts brought the discussion to the city council. City Attorney Daniel Beard said he, the citys Community Development Department and the Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau are looking at zoning and tax questions in order to develop policies for the plans commission and city council to consider. He said there currently arent any city regulations that specifically address that kind of operation. Alderman Steve Warmowski, who brought the discussion up from the Special Studies Committee at the May 13 city council meeting, said property owners interested in running Airbnb properties had contacted him with questions about city requirements. Beard said that their work should help resolve that kind of confusion. We want to get past that hurdle so people have some clear guidelines, Beard told the city council. At this stage, he said the city is looking at how other municipalities are handling Airbnb issues. Airbnb is a platform that connects property owners with travelers for short-term rentals. Scotty DeWolf told the council that, when he decided to start renting his properties through Airbnb, he contacted the city and the visitors bureau because he wanted to pay the local hotel tax. Airbnb collects and pays state occupancy taxes, but not the local tax. DeWolf said he wants to drive tourism and contribute to the citys prosperity. Hes proposing to voluntarily donate the money until the citys ordinance can be updated to include Airbnb stays. Meanwhile, we at least want to show that we are supporting this community and were not trying to dodge that responsibility, he said. DeWolf spoke at the meeting with Kevin Klein and Bryan Leonard, who also own properties they rent through Airbnb. Leonards and Kleins properties are outside of city limits so they wouldnt be affected by the citys tax, but Klein, an economics professor at Illinois College, told the council the money he has invested in his properties because hes had success with Airbnb has more than a direct impact. The work on his properties meant spending money locally on materials and labor, and the visitors to his Airbnb rentals spend money on food, drinks, gas and other things in Jacksonville. So, from an (economics) point of view, theres a multiplier effect in the community of our investment, Klein said. All three said they had hosted a variety of travelers, both foreign and domestic. Klein gets a lot of people from the Chicago area because his rentals on a 23-acre prairie restoration are appealing to people who want to get out of the city. Travelers might be looking for a place to stay, but arent necessarily looking to come to Jacksonville. Theyre looking for something outside of the city and they wouldnt stop here if it werent for our places being available, Klein said. They also expressed having extremely positive experiences with the hundreds of people who have come to their properties using the platform. The review system also keeps the business owners in check. To dispel anyones concern about the quality of Airbnbs, its a self-regulated industry, DeWolf said. We dont even have to do it. Anyone who doesnt get at least a (high) rating consistently over time will be approached and if they cant pull it up to that, they literally take them off the platform. GRAFTON Illinois 100 was open between Alton and Grafton 0n Monday with cleanup throughout flood-affected areas. But as Grafton business owners prepare for the Memorial Day weekend, they also are readying for a secondary crest expected sometime early Sunday morning, along with impact and road closures that might result. The Mississippi River was at 28.46 feet at Alton as of 1:30 p.m. Monday and 26.9 feet in Grafton. Both locations are expected to crest again at 7 a.m. Sunday, at 31.2 feet and 27.9 feet, respectively. The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that, while the River Road has reopened, the Brussels Ferry, Illinois 100 from Illinois 3 to Illinois 16 in Jersey County and southbound lanes of U.S. 67 in West Alton remain closed. Travelers are advised to consider alternate routes or allow additional time to travel known flood prone areas, stated an IDOT press release. Regardless, all motorists are urged to be patient, reduce speed and exercise added caution throughout the Metro East region as traffic patterns and travel times will likely be affected. On Monday, cleaning and repair trucks lined the streets in Grafton. At Grafton Market, workers from the professional cleaning company Servpro were washing and wiping down the coolers and doing outside concrete work. Owner Susan Loemker said they expected to be done that evening, with workers coming back to restock on Wednesday for a Friday opening. We got less than six inches in the building, so we did really well, she said. We moved a lot of stuff out to containers, then we were able to put the rest of the product up on high shelves. Frozen foods were stored in available space at the Illinois Youth Center which was vacated during the flooding. She said they gave away bread, lunch meat and dairy products. As people came in to shop we told them to take it home with them, she said. The rest, she said, went to a food pantry. Down the street, the Grafton Pub said they had about 3 feet of water in the basement but remained open throughout the flood. Surprisingly, we have done pretty well considering the circumstances, owner Paul Robertson said. He added he hoped Main Street would be fully open soon. At this time he figures they will lose some boating traffic, but others will come in to look at the floodwaters. We had eagles and now we have flood water, he said. The towns open. By this weekend most everybody else who had to close should be open. At Raging Rivers Water Park, manager Donna Morgan said they are still on schedule to open May 25. Were almost there, she said. Were still filling pools. She said there was some delay because they had to close the drains, and river water got into the kiddie and wave pool. The bigger concern, she said, was access. It affected us on work weekends, she said, adding Raging Rivers brought workers in with a jon boat or on four-wheelers through an old road. Like most businesses, they know exactly what river height creates problems. Twenty-nine feet shuts us down, Morgan said, adding access to the park would be a bigger concern if the roads close down again. However, she remained optimistic. I think with the upgraded crest again, we should still be in good shape and open on Saturday, she said. For detailed information visit apps.dot.illinois.gov/stl-traffic/or follow @IDOTDistrict8 on Twitter. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. One evening in late March, about 20 activists gathered at a cafe in Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.,to discuss their campaign strategy for an upcoming election, in which thousands of area residents are eligible to cast ballots. How can we best get out the vote? What happens if a new party enters the race? How do we counter the far right? It was shaping up to be one of the more important elections of recent years. What election might that be, you ask? Not the one that will decide who controls the Virginia legislature. That's in November. And despite the growing horde of presidential candidates, the Iowa caucuses are not until February. No, the people gathered at the cafe weren't Bernie Bros and they weren't wearing MAGA hats. The voters they were seeking to influence weren't even American, but French. Ever since a 2008 reform came into effect, French expats have had an intriguing political relationship to their home country. In elections for the French National Assembly, overseas citizens now vote for candidates to represent them where they live. French residents of the United States and Canada, for instance, have a representative in the 577-member assembly - as do French voters in 10 other overseas constituencies. The day of the meeting in the Dupont Circle, a different type of campaign was on the agenda: the election for the European Parliament, set for May 26. French expats do not have specific representatives in the European Parliament; like all French voters, they cast ballots for a party's list, with seats allotted based on how many overall votes the party wins. Still, France's system of representation in the National Assembly gives expats a more relevant stake in their country's politics - and arguably shapes their involvement in all elections. Everyone in attendance at the meeting was a partisan of La Republique En Marche (LREM), France's governing party. They sat around a long oval table filled with croissants, cafe au lait and policy documents. There were college students and economists, policy wonks and retirees, some wearing jeans or spring dresses, others still spiffy in their work clothes. They spoke in French about politics and strategy, occasionally lapsing into English. Beatrice Leydier, a young employee of an international-development NGO, urged the committee to do outreach with families whose children go or went to Rochambeau, the French international school in Bethesda, Maryland. Laughing, she recalled leafleting before the 2017 presidential and parliamentary elections outside a local French bakery on weekends, where she had gone in hopes of finding French people. This year's European elections are important for many reasons, some of the LREM supporters told me. In the wake of Brexit and often virulent anti-European Union sentiment across the continent, the key issue, at least symbolically, is the survival of the 28-nation union. "Many far-right nationalist parties in Europe tap into long-standing fears about globalization and a dilution of national identity, and are hostile to immigration, Islam and the EU itself," said Kaltoum Maroufi-Colle, an art teacher at Montgomery College. "We want to improve the EU, but the nationalists have no vision for Europe and don't believe in the EU," Guillaume Deybach, the chief executive of a local insurance company, said as he sipped a glass of red wine. "We're in a bubble here," cautioned Jeremy Lagelee, a young lawyer who recently moved back to Paris. "President Macron is very popular here." Lagelee recalled finding almost no supporters of the far-right and far-left candidates when he campaigned for LREM in Washington in 2017. Indeed. Although Emmanuel Macron has been beset with "yellow vest" protesters in recent months, he was a big favorite of the 160,000 French nationals in America, and in Washington, D.C., especially. He won more than 92 percent of the D.C.-area vote in the second, decisive round of the 2017 election, when his opponent was Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front. By contrast, in France, Macron won 66.1 percent. Alexandre Kleitman, who co-directs LREM's Washington "committee" with Leydier, said they would try to reach the more than 15,000 French voters in the Washington, D.C., region mostly through social media and existing networks. (The party has 17 committees working for it in the United States. Other French political parties also have committees, although they are fewer and far less active.) But turning out the vote for European Parliament seats can be tough because that election draws less attention than French parliamentary ones. In 2014, during the last campaign for the European Parliament - where France currently has 74 of 751 seats - turnout among French voters in the United States was only about 10 percent. Compare that to the 2017 presidential election, when voter turnout among U.S.-based French nationals was 44 percent, according to France-Amerique, a magazine published by the French Embassy. Laurence Sage, a retired World Bank employee living near Friendship Heights, likes France's post-2008 practice of electing overseas representatives to the National Assembly. "We need a representative who is conscious of matters that concern those of us with a foot in both continents," Sage explained. Nabil Bessaha, a 45-year-old in North Bethesda who has spent most of his working life in D.C., added, "We want to make sure that France doesn't treat us like second-class citizens." "French living abroad have different issues from those living in France," Roland Lescure, the representative for the United States and Canada in the French National Assembly, told me from Paris. "They're concerned about things like what benefits can they qualify for, funding for overseas French schools, and moving in and out of the country." Lescure, 52, was just another French expat when he was elected in 2017. He now represents one of the world's geographically largest political constituencies, stretching from Puerto Rico to Yukon. A financier in Montreal whose parents had been Communists, he had never been a politician, but like many LREM candidates, he was seduced by Macron's potential to alter the French political landscape. "French politics needed a change," he said. "The usual suspects had been around too long, and many of us wanted to break the old left-right divide." Lescure not only represents his U.S. and Canadian constituents but also chairs a parliamentary economic-affairs committee, focusing on making France more competitive and business-friendly. "It's a pretty fast pace," he said of his job. "I make about 15 trips a year" to Washington and elsewhere in North America. Back in Dupont Circle, Deybach slyly reflected on the benefits of being a Frenchman voting in the District of Columbia. Because overseas French are exempt from most French taxes if they spend more than six months of the year outside of France, he said: "Unlike D.C. residents, who have taxation without representation, we have representation without taxation." --- Yarrow is a former New York Times reporter and historian. He is the author of "Man Out: Men on the Sidelines of American Life." ALTON A Jerseyville man is facing a mandatory life prison term if convicted of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Donald D. Davis, 50, of the 500 block of Short Street, Jerseyville, is accused of a sexual contact with a boy who was between the ages of 8 and 9 when the alleged offenses occurred. Davis is also charged with aggravated sexual abuse. Bail was set at $500,000. EDITORS NOTE: In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, local historian Cindy Reinhardt will tell the stories behind some of Edwardsvilles historic buildings in a series of articles during May. In 1906, two men, Dr. Roy Barnsback and his father-in-law, James Whitbread, formed a partnership to build the two-story brick building at 122-126 N. Main St., Edwardsville. When the building was completed in 1908, the doctor moved into rooms on the second floor that would become not only his office, operating theatre, and hospital ward, but also his family home. Roy Smith Barnsback was born at home, 504 St. Louis St., in Edwardsville, on Sept. 12, 1874. His father, Julius Gonterman Barnsback, was also born in Edwardsville, the son of a German immigrant who followed an uncle, George Berensbach, to Madison County, Illinois, in 1820. When Roys grandfather was naturalized, he changed his name to Barnsback, and the rest of the family decided to do the same. The Barnsback family was a large one and many of them prospered so that by the time Roy Barnsback was born, he was related by blood or marriage to most of Edwardsvilles best families, including the Montgomery, Prickett, Gillespie, Gonterman, and Wier families. Roys mother, Mary, was a niece to Judge Joseph Gillespies wife. Since Mary was orphaned at a young age, the judge and his wife took a special interest in her and her sister. As young children, they were at their uncles home when his friend, Abraham Lincoln, came to visit and are said to have sat on his lap. After completing public school in Edwardsville, Roy began studying medicine under Dr. Edward Fiegenbaum (also a relative). In addition, to expand his breadth of knowledge, he worked with a number of pharmacies to learn that trade. In 1896, he enrolled in the three-year Medical School at Vanderbilt University where he graduated in 1899. After graduation, he returned to Edwardsville to set up a practice as a physician and surgeon. In 1902, Roy married Elizabeth Wilhelmina Minnie Whitbread. Both were popular young people and Minnie was related to additional Edwardsville leading families, including the Mudge, Boeschenstein and Burroughs families. Minnie, born in 1879 was the daughter of an Englishman, James Whitbread. James father started the stockyards in Venice, Illinois, and during his career, James also worked with livestock and meat production. In 1906, with his son-in-law, he invested in a property on Main Street with a couple of small rundown buildings. Roy and James had the buildings that were on the property in 1906 torn down and by 1908 started leasing space in the first-floor storefronts of what they called The Jefferson Building. On the north side of the new two-story brick building, was Hotz Lumber and to the south were the business buildings owned by Fred Overbeck. The theater building south of that and the Bohm Building on the corner were not yet in existence. Behind the building, there was a small pasture and a barn where the doctor stabled his horses and kept his buggy. In 1908, Roy had an automobile, but the hard roads movement had not yet succeeded and there were many roads that were not passable by auto at that time. Dr. Barnsbacks offices included surgery and a room for patients that needed to spend the night for observation, but this was not usual since those surgeries were typically done at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Granite City where the doctor was on staff from 1905-1957. The remainder of the second floor was an apartment for Roy and his wife. Minnie Barnsback was a leader in womens community service including the Humane Society (for widows and orphans, not animals, at that time) and the American Red Cross. She organized the Edwardsville Red Cross Chapter which had offices on the second floor of the Jefferson Building. This work was especially important in 1918 when the community was struck by the great influenza epidemic at the same time that the military was leaving many communities with a shortage of medical services during the crisis. The shortage was largely filled through Red Cross volunteers. Dr. Barnsback volunteered for the military when the United States entered WWI. He was told to report for service in late October 1918, during the worst of the flu epidemic. Edwardsvilles mayor requested a delay and was granted a few weeks. The doctor entered the U. S. Medical Service in November 1918 and was discharged in May 1919. His service was entirely surgical giving him experience and additional training that would later help him treat patients at home. James Whitbread died in 1920 and his widow sold his half of the Jefferson Building to Roy in 1924. Four years later, Minnie and Roy divorced and he bought out her part ownership of the building. Roy was married again in 1929, to Mabel Lawler. Mabel was much younger, born in 1899, the same year Roy began his medical practice. At the age of 56, Roy became a father for the first time. Mabel and Roy had three children in rapid succession. The family all lived in the apartment above the stores on Main Street next to the doctors office until 1942 when they bought the former Travous House at 824 St. Louis St. By this time, medicine was changing so that surgeries were almost always done in hospitals and improvements to roads and automobiles made travel to the office easy. Some of the earliest tenants of the Jefferson Building included a candy shop, a theatre, restaurant, and clothing stores. But the longest tenants were Shupacks, a shoe store, that moved into the south side of the building in about 1914 and Auerbachs which began as Hofmeiers womens clothing in 1932. In the early years, these stores occupied only the front part of the building with other businesses at the back, but they eventually expanded to fill the space. Both stores remained in the building until they closed in the 1980s. After the Barnsbacks moved out of their quarters on the second floor, the familys apartment was leased to others, but the doctors offices remained in the building until his death in 1957. Ownership of the Jefferson Building eventually passed to Roy and Mabels daughter, Mary Barnsback Byron, and it is now owned by his grandson, Chris Byron, who in recent years has restored the building. An addition was added to the back of the building about 50 years ago and, today, the Foundry and law offices occupy the first floor of the building. There are four apartments in the space previously occupied by the doctors offices and family apartment. Information for this article was obtained from resources at the Madison County Archival Library, the Madison County Recorder and Probate Offices, Edwardsville Public Library and from the current owner. If you have questions about this article, contact Cindy Reinhardt at 618-656-1294 or cynreinhardt@yahoo.com. Nigel Farage's newly-created Brexit Party is threatening to wipe out Theresa May's Conservatives in the European Parliament elections. One reason behind the Farage surge in the polls may be his dominance of social media, the crucial election cyber war. With a series of polished and professionally produced videos - rapidly cutting from packed rallies with the party's diverse candidates to a strident Farage accompanied by thumping music - the single-issue movement is outspending the established parties online and winning the contest for voters' attention. "They're throwing everything they've got at this opportunity," said Simon Usherwood, deputy director of U.K. in a Changing Europe, an academic group that researches the relationship between Britain and the EU. "They've got a very slick set of adverts, strong branding and this is their moment to break into the political scene." With a presidential-like focus on Farage, the party is pushing for a no-deal split from the EU, claiming that the delay to Brexit so far is a betrayal of the will of the people. The group has gone from nowhere to poll in first place ahead of the European elections on May 23. For May's Tories, the threat is huge. The fear among Conservatives is that Farage will go on from success in the EU elections to strip votes away from them in the next general election, potentially allowing Labour to take power nationally. Digital campaigning is now a vital mainstream part of political election strategy for all major parties. Social media advertising helped the Tories win an unexpected general election majority in 2015 and contributed to Jeremy Corbyn's success two years later. The Brexit Party's use of Facebook advertising harks back to the EU referendum in 2016, when the Leave campaign made effective use of targeted messages to particular demographics at a low cost. Ads run by the Brexit Party on Facebook since April -- which include promoting their rallies, attacking rival candidates and sharing party political messages -- have been seen at least 7 million times, according to data from the Facebook Ad Library and analysis by Bloomberg. The Brexit Party's Facebook page, created in January, has attracted 108,000 'likes', more than the pro-Remain Change U.K. party, which was set up in February and has 22,000. The Tories' and Labour's Facebook pages, both active for 11 years, have 652,000 and 1 million 'likes' respectively, while the Liberal Democrats have about 192,000. Ad spending by Farage's party on Facebook for the last week, at 27,311 pounds, is almost four times as big as the Conservatives' and twice as much as Labour's. It outstrips all parties except Change U.K., which has spent 52,676 pounds in the period, according to data from Facebook. The sudden prominence of the new party has prompted questions about the provenance of its funding. Brexit Party Chairman Richard Tice told BBC Radio on Monday that it has taken donations of 25 pounds from more than 100,000 people. Asked repeatedly whether the party takes donations in foreign currency, he declined to reply yes or no, saying "as I understand that's not illegal." He said it's "ridiculous" to say the party has unexplained funding, and that the party complies with electoral law. The group has been live-streaming rallies from across the U.K. on Facebook and Twitter, garnering tens of thousands of views. Its party political broadcast has been seen 795,000 times on Twitter. By contrast, May's Conservatives are yet to tweet or make any Facebook posts about the European elections."It's rock star-type content,'' said Craig Dillon, founder of Westminster Digital, a company that makes social media videos for Cabinet ministers and which has advised the Brexit Party on its digital presence. "It's more like a band on tour than a political party.'' On Twitter, a platform more popular among Remain voters, tweets from the Brexit Party between April 29 and May 6 garnered more retweets than those of any of the pro-Remain parties, such as the Liberal Democrats or Change U.K, according to a study by the Hansard Society. The Brexit Party didn't respond to a request for comment. The party is benefiting from having a well recognized leader and a simple message, the two basic ingredients of any successful political communication strategy, said Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster. "Farage is a brand in his own right," Barnett said. "It's a wonderful case study in how to run a presidential campaign." - - - Bloomberg's Alex Morales contributed. WASHINGTON - The White House on Monday blocked former counsel Donald McGahn from testifying to Congress, the latest act of defiance in the ongoing conflict between House Democrats and President Donald Trump. McGahn, who Democrats hoped would become a star witness in their investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice, was subpoenaed to testify Tuesday morning. The former White House counsel delivered critical testimony in several instances of potential obstruction by Trump detailed in special counsel Robert. Mueller's report. "The Department of Justice has provided a legal opinion stating that, based on long-standing, bipartisan, and constitutional precedent, the former counsel to the president cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr. McGahn has been directed to act accordingly," said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders in a statement. "This action has been taken in order to ensure that future presidents can effectively execute the responsibilities of the office of the presidency." Trump, speaking to reporters Monday evening, called the directive "a very important precedent. And the attorneys say that they're not doing that for me. They're doing it for the office of the president. So we're talking about the future." The 15-page legal opinion written by Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel argues that McGahn cannot be compelled to testify before the committee, based on past Justice Department legal opinions regarding the president's close advisers. The memo says McGahn's immunity from congressional testimony is separate and broader than a claim of executive privilege. The immunity "extends beyond answers to particular questions, precluding Congress from compelling even the appearance of a senior presidential adviser - as a function of the independence and autonomy of the president himself," Engel wrote. That immunity, the memo insists, does not evaporate once the adviser in question leaves the government, because the topics of interest to Congress are discussions that occurred when the person worked for the president. As a private citizen no longer in the government, McGahn is not necessarily bound by the White House directive, or the OLC memo, to refuse to comply with the subpoena. In a letter to the committee obtained by The Washington Post, McGahn's lawyer, William Burck, said the former counsel would not testify. "Mr. McGahn remains obligated to maintain the status quo and will respect the President's instruction," Burck wrote. Testifying, however, could jeopardize business and professional standing for McGahn, who works for Jones Day, a law firm with close ties to the Trump campaign and Republican electoral politics. Jones Day, reelection campaign officials say, will still be involved in the campaign but will have a reduced role from 2016, when it was the main firm. The move to bar McGahn from answering lawmakers' questions angered House Democrats already eager to respond to what they view as White House stonewalling. The defiance raises the possibility that the House will hold McGahn in contempt of Congress, as House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened. "It is absurd for President Trump to claim privilege as to this witness's testimony when that testimony was already described publicly in the Mueller report," Nadler said in a statement. "Even more ridiculous is the extension of the privilege to cover events before and after Mr. McGahn's service in the White House." The chairman said the committee would still meet Tuesday morning, and "Mr. McGahn is expected to appear as legally required." An increasing number of frustrated Democrats also want to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump even though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last week privately downplayed the possibility and encouraged her members to focus on their policy agenda. Some Democrats believe opening an impeachment inquiry will strengthen their hand in trying to force the White House to comply with document requests and witness testimony, including McGahn's. House Democrats were hoping to make McGahn their key witness as they seek to unpack the findings of the Mueller report - particularly regarding questions of whether Trump obstructed justice. Trump and his administration have thwarted House investigations of the report, the president's businesses and efforts to obtain his tax returns, frustrating Democrats who said they are trying to conduct oversight. McGahn emerged as a central player in Mueller's findings, a senior confidante who documented in real-time Trump's rage against the Russia investigation and the president's efforts to shut it down. Democrats wanted him to testify for a national television audience about the two episodes in which Mueller found McGahn was a critical witness and in which investigators say they have substantial evidence Trump was engaged in obstruction of justice that would normally warrant criminal charges. In mid-June 2017, Trump tried to pressure McGahn to intervene with the Justice Department to try to push for Mueller's removal from office based on alleged conflicts of interest, the report said. Then, in February 2018, Trump summoned McGahn to the Oval Office and urged him to deny a news account that suggested the president asked for his help in ousting Mueller. The McGahn confrontation carries echoes of another former White House lawyer who was subpoenaed by Congress - Harriet Miers, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. Congress held her in contempt in 2007 for refusing to comply with a subpoena in its investigation of the firings of U.S. attorneys. As with McGahn, the administration took the position that Miers' departure from the government did not leave her susceptible to a congressional subpoena. The Justice Department memo released Monday said the "immunity of the president's immediate advisers from compelled congressional testimony on matters related to their official responsibilities has long been recognized and arises from the fundamental workings of the separation of powers. Those principles apply to the former White House Counsel. Accordingly, Mr. McGahn is not legally required to appear and testify about matters related to his official duties as Counsel to the President." The McGahn news was not surprising. Earlier this month, the White House invoked executive privilege to bar McGahn from complying with a congressional subpoena to provide documents to Congress related to Mueller's investigation, though the White House never filed the paperwork to assert the White House secrecy prerogative. In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said McGahn does not have the legal right to comply with its subpoena for 36 types of documents - most related to Mueller's nearly two-year probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Rather, Cipollone argued the committee needed to send the request to the White House - and even hinted that the administration would assert privilege to block the information. "The White House provided these records to Mr. McGahn in connection with its cooperation with the special counsel's investigation and with the clear understanding that the records remain subject to the control of the White House for all purposes," Cipollone wrote earlier this month. "The White House records remain legally protected from disclosure under long-standing constitutional principles, because they implicate significant executive branch confidentiality interests and executive privilege." "Shilpa Sena", a rolling exposition will be launched island wide in July, geared towards bringing technological skills, knowledge and products to the general public, at a time when the country embraces new and emerging technologies. The aim of the exposition is to bridge the technological divide in the society while ensuring that no one will be left behind, as part of the government's wider policy of achieving 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Minister of Science, Technology and Research Sujeewa Senasinghe made these remarks addressing the High-Level Round Table on "The impact of rapid technological change on sustainable development" on 14 May 2019 while participating in the 22nd Session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD). The theme of this year's Commission was "The role of science, technology and innovation in empowering people and in ensuring inclusiveness and equality" and saw the participation of developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America as well as developed countries. Speaking further, Minister Senasinghe stated that Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Neurotechnology, 5G and Internet of Things, Personalised Medicine, Blue-green Technologies, New Energy, Robotics and Industrial Automation, Mechatronics, Artificial Intelligence and Space Technology have been identified as priority technology themes by the government for action. Highlighting the importance of Blue-Green economy, he stated that the objective of this initiative is to utilize ocean resources through enhanced scientific knowledge while drawing from Sri Lanka's rich heritage of indigenous knowledge. At a bilateral meeting with Director of Division of Technology and Logistics, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Ms. Shamika Sirimanne on 14 May 2019, Minister of Science, Technology and Research outlined the various initiatives of the Ministry including on diffusion of science literacy among the public. As part of these initiatives, Vidatha Resource Centres - an island wide network of science and technology centres will be converted to technology transfer offices while more school students will be encouraged to follow STEM education. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Research will seek through private and public partnerships to increase value addition of export products such as naturally occurring minerals in Sri Lanka including graphite stated the Minister. Tax rebates will be also provided for private companies and industries to encourage setting up partnerships with universities. Mrs. Sirimanne expressing her views on the programmes of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research, invited Sri Lanka to share these best practices with UNCTAD to disseminate among developing countries. During the visit, Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe held a meeting with Ms. Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of International Trade Centre in Geneva on 17 May 2019 at which the parties discussed the progress of ITC's collaboration with Sri Lanka. Minister of Science, Technology and Research sought ITC's assistance on developing Sri Lanka's expertise on quality control. Using technology to improve the processes would empower segments of societies, in particular women empowerment through improved economic conditions, Ms. Gonzalez highlighted. Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe briefed the Executive Director of ITC of the many initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research to link markets and innovation and the proposed projects to connect public institutions and private sector ensuring that both sides benefit. Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and other International Organizations Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Deputy Permanent Representative Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya, Minister Counsellor Ms. Shashika Somaratne, First Secretary (Commercial) Ms. Tharaka Botheju and Second Secretary Ms. Rajmi Manatunga were associated with Minister Senasinghe at the meetings. Hon. Minister's Full Statement Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Geneva 17 May 2019 President Donald Trump's lies come in a hundred varieties, from the trivial to the juvenile to the slanderous to the gruesome. But every once in a while he says something that sounds a lot like the kind of lie we're used to hearing from other, more conventional politicians, when they get caught doing something wrong and try to deny it. That's what one has to conclude from the way he is reacting to the latest revelation about his weirdly suspicious relationship with Deutsche Bank. In case you haven't followed this story, after a series of bankruptcies and the widening understanding in the finance world that you'd be crazy to loan money to him, given his long track record as a liar and a con artist, by the late 1990s Trump found himself unable to get financing for projects from any American bank. Deutsche Bank, then desperate to increase its business in the United States and with some flexible ideas about both risk and ethics, became the only bank that would lend to him. What was so remarkable about their relationship was that even after Trump defaulted on loans from them, they continued to give him money, as one division of the bank would swear off dealing with him, and he'd find another division to pick up where the last had left off. But according to a new report in the New York Times, there's yet another twist: "Anti-money-laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving legal entities controlled by Donald J. Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog. "The transactions, some of which involved Mr. Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, according to five current and former bank employees. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes. "But executives at Deutsche Bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice. The reports were never filed with the government." So it isn't just that Deutsche Bank was being dumb in loaning Trump money; this raises the question of whether there may have been money laundering going on. There have long been suspicions about Trump on this score, particularly since many of his properties have been favored destinations for Russian oligarchs and mobsters looking to move money out of their home country. And Deutsche Bank has in the past been a conduit for Russian money laundering, for which they have paid huge fines to regulators. Not only that, the fact that the transactions tagged by Deutsche Bank employees also involved the Trump Foundation is its own red flag, since that operation was essentially a scam from top to bottom. So how did Trump react to this news? As the article stresses, as suspicious as these transactions may have appeared, it's possible that upon a complete investigation there would turn out to be nothing inappropriate about them. Which means that Trump could have just dismissed the story as some pencil-pushers in the bank arguing with other pencil-pushers about something that came to nothing. Instead, Trump reacted with a long, angry tweetstorm that started this way: "The Failing New York Times (it will pass away when I leave office in 6 years), and others of the Fake News Media, keep writing phony stories about how I didn't use many banks because they didn't want to do business with me. WRONG! It is because I didn't need money. Very old ....fashioned, but true. When you don't need or want money, you don't need or want banks. Banks have always been available to me, they want to make money. Fake Media only says this to disparage, and always uses unnamed sources (because their sources don't even exist)......" The idea that banks were eager to loan money to Trump is simply a lie; the fact that he was shut out by all the major banks has been extensively reported. But the question it raises is: Why is Trump so freaked out by investigations into Deutsche Bank? You may recall that in April, he sued Deutsche Bank to try to force them not to comply with a congressional subpoena for records relating to his relationship with them. If the records he's trying to keep secret actually showed nothing more than that he's a successful and smart businessman, he'd be eager to make them public. The fact that he wants to keep them hidden is proof that there's something suspicious going on. But we shouldn't take those suspicions too far. While it's possible something criminal went on, it's also possible that the truth is merely embarrassing. We've seen how desperate Trump is to maintain the image of himself as fabulously wealthy and successful, and the lengths to which he'll go to push back against any information that damages that image. When a recent report showed that he reported losses of over $1 billion over a 10-year period, his defense was essentially that he isn't a terrible businessman, but was in fact shrewdly cheating on his taxes. When it comes to Russian money laundering, it's also possible that Trump and his properties were conduits for money laundering but he isn't criminally culpable. He may have known what was going on but decided to turn a blind eye to it. Last year, McClatchy reported: "Buyers connected to Russia or former Soviet republics made 86 all-cash sales - totaling nearly $109 million - at 10 Trump-branded properties in South Florida and New York City. . . . Many of them made purchases using shell companies designed to obscure their identities." Even the Trumps aren't dumb enough to think all that money was pure, but that doesn't necessarily mean they broke the law. At a minimum, however, this is one more story that demonstrates just how profoundly corrupt Trump is. When the best thing you can say about the president of the United States is that he's trying to hide records only because making them public would show that he's also been lying about his wealth and dealing with shady foreign characters but may not have actually committed crimes (at least in this instance), we're in a sorry place indeed. Job Title: Logistics Assistant Organisation: Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) Funding Source: UNHCR Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Reports to: Senior Finance and Compliance Officer About US: Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) is an international African humanitarian and development organization that positively contributes towards improving the living standards and conditions of those adversely affected by disasters and conflict in the Horn, East & Central Africa by implementing WASH, Health, Education, Livelihoods, Community service & development and Protection programs in the region for a period of more than 20 years. About UNHCR Project: HIJRA with funding from the UNHCR in Uganda is implementing a multi-sectoral Program for refugees in Oruchinga settlement (Isingiro district), Nakivale settlement (Isingiro district), Nyakabande Transit Center (Kisoro district) and Kyangwali Settlement (Hoima District). Job Summary: The Logistics Assistants responsibilities will include but not limited to facilitation and supporting of procurement processes. Also actively maintain the inventory and Assets register and ensure safe custody of the financial documents for easy reference and donor reporting. She/he will be expected to achieve utmost efficiency by constantly reviewing work processes and work flow within the office and will perform duties and responsibilities in accordance with the objectives and activities mentioned below. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Prepare the documents required for the payment of the supplies up to LPO stage and ensure that all the required attachments are in place before sending for further processing within the Serenic system LPO stage and ensure that all the required attachments are in place before sending for further processing within the Serenic system Accurately and timely prepare the payment vouchers and attach the necessary documents before submitting them to the Finance officer for review and posting to general ledger. necessary documents before submitting them to the Finance officer for review and posting to general ledger. Participate in the procurement process by sourcing for quotations from the vendors and forwarding the same to the procurement committee for review and decision making from the vendors and forwarding the same to the procurement committee for review and decision making Generate the Local Purchase Order using the financial System and deliver the same to the supplier upon authorization. deliver the same to the supplier upon authorization. Source for quotations and submit complete documentation to the procurement committee procurement committee Update the automated Items records and Fixed Assets records on weekly and monthly basis respectively weekly and monthly basis respectively Tasked with the procurement of office and stationery consumables and maintain supply records and as well as other inventory supply and coordinate deliveries. maintain supply records and as well as other inventory supply and coordinate deliveries. Manage petty cash and keep the appropriate records. Photocopy all the weekly transactions to ensure a safe copy of the document is available for the Donor verification and Audit document is available for the Donor verification and Audit Stamp all the payment vouchers and invoices paid to avoid double posting Establish monthly cash requirements for the office and request timely replenishments timely replenishments Filing of all department documents Perform any other duties assigned by the Supervisor. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant for the Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) Logistics Assistant job must hold a Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting, Procurement, Logistics or Business Administration; (HIJRA) Logistics Assistant job must hold a Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting, Procurement, Logistics or Business Administration; At least two years experience in Finance, Logistics and Administration from a reputable organization. Administration from a reputable organization. Management and accounting for INGO. Demonstrated high sense of personal integrity Experience in working with donors. Experience working with accounting software and well versed with other computer other computer applications. Experience in the areas of Procurement and Logistics will be an added advantage How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send an application letter and Curriculum Vitae including telephone and email contacts of three referees including your current/most recent employer. Application should be addressed to the: Country Program Manager, Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA), P.O. Box 37703, Kampala, Uganda. Email to: vacancies.ug@hijra.or.ke. The subject line should read: Position Title NB: Please note that interviews will be done on a rolling basis given the urgency of the positions. Those who previously applied need not to re-apply. Deadline: 30th May 2019 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Job Title: Human Resource and Administration Officer Organization: aikan Business Management and HR Consultants Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: aikan Business Management and HR Consultants is one of Ugandas leading Business consulting and HR companies and a trusted strategic HR advisory partner. aikans services include aikan Recruitment, aikan Manpower Outsourcing, aikan Payroll and aikan OD. They are recruiting for a valuable client, an International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO) targeting small scale farmers and their organisations Job Summary: The Human Resource and Administration Officer will assist in implementing policies and procedures within the areas of administration, logistics & travel, procurement & disposal and human resource. S/he is responsible for keeping records and archives up to date, as well as inventory. S/he will coordinate all travels and logistics for staff and visitors and will support in the preparation of events, workshops and trainings. S/he will coordinate and oversee the work of the Driver and the Office Attendant Key Duties and Responsibilities: Human Resource legislation in relation to its role as an employer in Uganda Ensure that Vi Agroforestry is legally compliant to nationallegislation in relation to its role as an employer in Uganda procedures. Support staff with interpretation and application of HR policies andprocedures. confidentiality. Keep HR records and archives up to date, with outmost discretion andconfidentiality. metrics. Verify and maintain record of leave and any other human resourcemetrics. Administrative information in a friendly and welcoming way. Receive and record visitors in office and give them relevantinformation in a friendly and welcoming way. response/action in a proper and timely manner. Review the organizational e-mail and ensure appropriateresponse/action in a proper and timely manner. and meeting hall bookings updated Maintain the Country Office address book, transport schedule bookand meeting hall bookings updated and conduct regular stock taking. To keep good and appropriate records of all goods & materialsand conduct regular stock taking. Procurement requirements and financial regulations and procedures. Ensure that procurements are carried out in accordance with legalrequirements and financial regulations and procedures. Prepare procurement documents and request for quotations and time spent. Evaluate good and services provided to ensure good value for moneyand time spent. Logistics and Travel in order to ensure efficient and effective work and transport for staff and visitors. Coordination and planning use of organisational cars and driver/s,in order to ensure efficient and effective work and transport for staffand visitors. consumption. Conduct fuel monitoring and issue reports with analysis ofconsumption. driving personnel. Verify the respect of the laws, rules and instructions by alldriving personnel. as prepare agendas and requests for material. Handle hotel and taxi reservations for visitors or events, as wellas prepare agendas and requests for material. Prepare LPO to service/material providers. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: institution. The ideal candidate must hold a Business Degree from a recognizedinstitution. in Human Resource management A minimum of two years of experience in Administration with one yearin Human Resource management Good command of English language. MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access. systems). Good knowledge of HR (Ugandan labor laws, social insurances, HRsystems). Good communication skills (verbal and written). management. Ability to effectively handle various demands from employees andmanagement. Administrative experience. Highly concern for standards. Ability to work independently. Ability to work under pressure and to fix priorities. Ability to be Flexible. Ability to work Proactively. Ability to plan and organize. Service orientation Good listening skills & discretion. Honest and trustworthy. How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to visit the web link below where they will register or login (if already registered) to upload their applications and updated CV/Resumes in either PDF or Microsoft Word format and must include 3 work related references. Please do not include your academic documents. Click Here Deadline: 24th May 2019 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Job Title: Legal Advisor Resolve (Part-time Basis) Organisation: Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Reports to: Senior Project Manager Vacancy Code: LARXE01 About US: The Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) is an international non-profit organization which is a partnership of infectious diseases and public health specialists. The overall objective of the IDI is to strengthen health systems with strong emphasis on Infectious Diseases, through Research and Capacity Development. IDI has five operational areas through which it works to achieve its mission: Prevention, Care and Treatment; Training, Research and Laboratory services (provided through a partnership with the Makerere University John Hopkins University Core Lab) and Outreach. About Project: Uganda is implementing the National Action plan for Health Security (NAPHS). a live-year plan jointly developed by several government ministries and agencies. The overall aim of the acceleration phase is to support government of Uganda to comply with the international Health Regulations, (IHR) 2005. Job Summary: The Legal Advisor will work closely with the NAPHS Acceleration Team, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Ministry of Justice, as well as other relevant legislative statutory authorities of government of Uganda. Key Duties and Responsibilities: International Health Regulations (2005) Advise on legislative requirements for compliance with theInternational Health Regulations (2005) regulatory instruments) for consistency and coordination within the Uganda law and requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005) Lead in the review of legislative instruments (laws, policies,regulatory instruments) for consistency and coordination within the Ugandalaw and requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005) on the review or relevant acts and policies identified in the NAPHS. Liaise with the various government ministries to evaluate progresson the review or relevant acts and policies identified in the NAPHS. parliamentary committees on health and other stakeholders on their roles in relation to development of health security laws. Provide legislative education, workshops or other trainings toparliamentary committees on health and other stakeholders on their rolesin relation to development of health security laws. analyses on reviewed and proposed legislative instruments Identity global and regional best practices and conduct legalanalyses on reviewed and proposed legislative instruments impinging on national laws and policies. Provide legal guidance to the NAPHS Acceleration team on issuesimpinging on national laws and policies. legal articles, case studies, toolkits and other relevant reports Support dissemination of the activities outlined by contributing tolegal articles, case studies, toolkits and other relevant reports supervisor Perform any other duties assigned from time to time by thesupervisor Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant must hold a Bachelor of Laws Degree Diploma in Legal Practice Masters of Laws or related qualification related to formulation of policies, bills, and laws At least five years experience in legal practice, especiallyrelated to formulation of policies, bills, and laws health law. Familiarity with the International Health Regulations (2005) and global health security agenda targets A minimum of five years of progressive work experience in publichealth law. Familiarity with the International Health Regulations (2005)and global health security agenda targets Excellent interpersonal and communication skills discussion with law makers and technical officials Demonstrated experience in convening and leading legislativediscussion with law makers and technical officials senior and high ranking Government of Uganda officials and other public and private stakeholders. Demonstrated experience and skills in successful collaboration withsenior and high ranking Government of Uganda officials and other publicand private stakeholders. achieving Global Health Security objectives. Understanding of the multi-sectorial and One Health approaches toachieving Global Health Security objectives. documenting and disseminating programme accomplishments Excellent written and oral skills with demonstrated experiencedocumenting and disseminating programme accomplishments relating Familiarity with government of Uganda structure and functionsrelating How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates should E-mail their updated CVs, which should include details of email address (if any), present position, current remuneration, Certificate/testimonials and address of three (3) Referees plus telephone contact to the following address. Please make sure that your application letter , CV and certificates are attached as one document and indicate the Vacancy code as the subject for your email The Senior Human Resource Manager, Infectious Diseases Institute IDI Knowledge Centre, Makerere University Main Campus College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda. Email to: hr@idi.co.ug Deadline: 31st May 2019 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Job Title: Treasury Officer Organization: BIDCO Uganda Limited Duty Station: Jinja, Uganda Reports to: Chief Financial Officer About US: Bidco Uganda Limited (BUL) is an FMCG company that has established a modern edible oil processing complex in Masese, Jinja. BUL has also developed 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantations on Bugala Island, Kalangala District as a backward integration component. All these are geared at serving the African markets with our brands of fortified edible oils, fats and laundry soap. Job Summary: The Treasury Officer will mainly assess, monitor, plan and manage the efficient utilization of cash and nancial services in a manner consistent with the objectives of the Company. . Key Duties and Responsibilities: Manage, direct, and develop Cash Management staff. Understand. Manage, and supervise all aspects of cash flow. Forecast daily cash requirements and execute daily financing decisions. Manage all aspects of in-house investment portfolios. Si Direct, monitor and trade investment portfolios including Working capital, High-Yield. Escrow, and other portfolios. Manage long-term and short-term investment strategies. Prepare or monitor companys various cash flow forecasts and perform financial modeling. Evaluate, develop and implement cash management systems to optimize efficiencies. Manage relationships with financial service providers. Monitor bank service fees and address quality issues. Conduct benchmark studies of banks and their services to evaluate whether it fits Bidcos requirements. Meet with cash management banks to plan cash management vs. Bidcos needs, Evaluate alternative long-term borrowing strategies and make recommendations in accordance with the capital structure guidelines. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The ideal candidate must be a holder of a Bachelors Degree in Accounts/Finance Possession of full CPA/ACCA is added advantage At least five years experience in preparing cash forecasts and cash flow analyses. At least five years experience in building complex financial models to evaluate various financial plans. At least five years experience in presenting and preparing proposals to recommend new products/services. Knowledge of investment portfolio strategy. Banking, and financial instruments. Knowledge of treasury software expertise a plus. Advanced analytical, organization, and interpersonal skills. Advanced spreadsheet and modeling skills. Excellent collaboration, verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated strong project management skills. Keen attention to detail and accuracy. How to Apply: All interested candidates who meet the above specifications should send their application and updated CV to; The Head of Human Resources via Email only to: career@bul.co.ug. Please caption on Subject line with the name of the position being applied for Deadline: 7th June 2019 NB: Bidco is an equal opportunity employer and does not solicit for money from job applicants, jobs are strictly awarded on merit For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline MARGARET WEEDEN, Chariho, Girls Track, Senior; Weeden won two events for the Chargers in the first meet of the season. Weeden was first in the high jump (5-0) and the long jump 15-1. ANNE DRAGO, Stonington, Girls Basketball, Senior; Drago scored 39 points in three games as Stonington started the season 1-2. Drago had 16 in a loss to Fitch, 12 in a win against Griswold and 11 in a defeat to Ledyard. SYDNEY HAIK, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Haik scored 14 points as the Bulldogs opened the season with a victory over Cumberland. Haik had three 3-pointers, five assists and five steals. ZANE BREWER, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Freshman; Brewer scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Lions season-opening win over Grasso Tech. Brewer followed that with 18 points and five rebounds in a loss to Hale-Ray. Vote View Results Sir Philip Green is facing a battle with shopping centre landlords over the future of his Arcadia retail empire Sir Philip Green is facing a battle with shopping centre landlords over the future of his Arcadia retail empire. The tycoon is seeking a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to reduce rents and close dozens of stores as total sales slumped 10.5 per cent to 1.7 billion in the year to last August. It is believed that in return for approving the CVA he has offered landlords a 10 per cent stake in Arcadia, whose brands include Topshop and Miss Selfridge, but some are understood to have demanded three times that, The Sunday Times reported. Arcadias troubles are being driven by Topshop, which is struggling against online fashion stores such as Asos and Boohoo. If the CVA is approved, 57 stores will close and rent will be reduced by an average of 30pc at 459 sites. The Pensions Regulator will also have to sign off the deal due to concerns about Arcadias pension deficit. Thomas Cook's shares took another hit today after the group battled to reassure customers their summer holiday plans will go ahead amid fears the company is close to collapse. The holiday group's share price sank by more than 25 per cent this morning, but recovered to trade 14 per cent at 10.15p at the close, a fall of 1.65p. Britain's biggest independent tour operator has suffered a dire few days that saw its share price fall 40 per cent after posting a 1.5 billion half-year loss. Pressure mounted on Saturday when an intermediary which processes customer payments said it would hold millions of pounds owed to Thomas Cook for up to several weeks due to concerns over its financial health. Thomas Cook has been desperately trying to reassure customers that their summer holidays will go ahead amid fears it is close to collapse A similar move, which puts pressure on short-term cash flows, had forced airline Flybe to the brink of insolvency. Yesterday Thomas Cook fought back against what it called 'irresponsible' suggestions the 178-year-old business could collapse. It added: 'We have ample resources to operate our business and at the same time, as usual, our liquidity position continues to strengthen into the summer period. Our customers can have complete confidence in booking their holiday with us.' Following Thursday's half-year results which revealed the 1.5 billion loss mainly down to a 1.1 billion goodwill write-down relating to its 2007 merger with My Travel major investment bank Citigroup said Thomas Cook's shares were worthless. That sent them tumbling 40 per cent to 11.8p, giving the business an overall valuation of 181 million. This time last year shares in the company were 129p more than ten times the current value. Holidays that customers have already bought are protected by Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) rules, and they will receive a refund if their trip is cancelled. The scheme is run by the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, which was said to be monitoring Thomas Cook closely. It declined to comment last night. Thomas Cook flights booked with credit cards are protected, but if it went bust other customers would be forced to rely on travel insurance to recoup money. The firm is now seeking to fight its way out of a vicious cycle where a collapse in confidence leads to money from sales drying up. 'The summer months are a cash-rich period,' an insider said yesterday. The weekend crisis shines a light on the difficulties that Thomas Cook has faced in trying to sell its airline business. Its auditors said that while the sale stalls the company faced 'material uncertainty'. Airports are charging drivers as much as 25 for loitering too long when they drop someone at the terminal. Critics said it means that 'kiss and fly' charges can be more than the cost of a cheap flight to Europe. An audit of drop-off charges at Britain's biggest airports reveals that Stansted in Essex charges the biggest minimum fee of 4 for up to ten minutes. And there are hefty penalties for those who overstay. Stansted Airport in Essex charges the largest minimum drop-off fee - 4 for up to ten minutes Drivers who park for more than ten minutes have to pay an extra 1 a minute, and they are penalised with a 25 charge if they stay more than 15 minutes. This equates to a parking rate of more than 1.60 a minute for those who stay just beyond the allotted time. By comparison, last night the Ryanair website was offering one-way flights from Stansted to European destinations including Poitiers in France for 2.99. Manchester airport is even stricter than Stansted. It imposes a minimum fee of 3 for up to five minutes, or 4 for up to ten minutes. But drivers who park for more than ten minutes will be hit with a 25 penalty fee. This is the equivalent of just under 2.50 per minute, for those who depart just over the ten-minute cut off. London City Airport is one of only three to give drivers the option of dropping off a passenger outside for free - but waiting is not allowed Airports say they impose steep charges to deter drivers from causing congestion by loitering outside the terminal, where there is limited space. They also point out that drivers can park much more cheaply or even for free if they use the short-stay car parks or drop-off areas further away from the terminal. But Simon Williams, of the RAC, said: 'As if the cost of picking someone up or dropping them off at the airport isn't bad enough, the penalties for staying too long can be truly eye-watering. 'You really can't afford to take your eye off the clock, otherwise you might end up being stung with a charge that is as much as catching a cheap flight to Europe.' Of the 16 airports assessed by the Daily Mail, only three Heathrow, Gatwick and London City gave the option of dropping a passenger off outside the terminal for free. But waiting is not allowed, with police and airport staff patrolling the forecourts. MAG, which owns Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands airports, said: 'At our airports, passengers being dropped off at the forecourt are subject to a charge, which is designed to encourage alternative, more sustainable transport options while reducing congestion and traffic jams at the airport and on surrounding roads.' By Aaron Saldanha May 20 (Reuters) - European stocks recorded broad-based losses on Monday, as a U.S. crackdown on China's Huawei Technologies rekindled concerns about worsening global trade and wilted the continent's trade-exposed tech and auto stocks. Global risk appetite was jolted after Reuters reported Alphabet Inc's Google suspended some business with Huawei, while Apple Inc supplier Lumentum Holdings Inc said it had discontinued all shipments to Huawei. "Seeing as the United States has taken a tough stance against Huawei, traders are not hopeful that the U.S.-China trade dispute will be resolved quickly," David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets UK, wrote in a note. "The rally at the back end of last week is starting to look like a relief rally, and this move could be the beginning of the next major move lower." The pan-European Euro STOXX 600 fell 1.1% and has shed 3.5% so far in May, on course to post 2019's first monthly loss, largely on fears of slower growth as trade ties chill. The volatility gauge on euro zone blue-chips jumped, lifting off Friday's two-week closing low. Germany's DAX dropped 1.6%, while French stocks shed 1.5%. Italian stocks slid 2.7%, weighed on by Intesa Sanpaolo declining as it traded ex-dividend. Tech stocks were the STOXX 600's top losers, diving 2.8%. AMS, STMicroelectronics, and ASML were down between 6.3% and 13.4% as fears of a disruption to the industry's global supply chain grew. German chipmaker Infineon trimmed intra-day losses to end 4.8% lower after denying a report in Japan's Nikkei daily that it had suspended deliveries to Huawei. Stocks of tariff-sensitive auto-makers and their suppliers shed 2% to clock their lowest closing level in more than a month and a half. Banks fell 1.6%, with Deutsche Bank tumbling 2.9% to a record closing low. The New York Times on Sunday reported anti-money laundering specialists at the German lender recommended in 2016 and 2017 multiple transactions involving entities controlled by U.S. President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog. The newspaper, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, said bank executives rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. The lender has denied the report. Viennese stocks slid 1.4% after Austria's president called for a snap election in September following the resignation of the country's far-right vice chancellor over a video sting. Travel and leisure stocks slid 1.4%, with Ryanair diving 4.6% after the low-cost airline posted its weakest annual profit in four years and said earnings could fall further. "It looks like it will be a tough summer, with rising fuel costs and more strikes, even without Brexit making things worse," Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, wrote in a note. Telecom stocks were the STOXX 600's only gaining sub-sector, rising 0.8%. Vodafone Group climbed 1.7% on the day, after recording its lowest closing level in close to 10 years on Friday. (Reporting by Aaron Saldanha, Agamoni Ghosh and Amy Caren Daniel Editing by Alexander Smith, Alison Williams and Frances Kerry) Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and creditor and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its field sales force, advice centers, and online, as well as through independent insurance advisors and affinity relationships. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset, cash management, transaction banking, and treasury services to institutional clients; correspondent banking and trade finance services for financial institutions; and short-term funding and liquidity management services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, governments, and central banks. Royal Bank of Canada has a strategic partnership with Royal College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Canada to support the needs of Canada's medical specialists. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More The return of the wolves The current return of wolves to human-dominated landscapes poses a major challenge for the protection of this species, says conservation biologist and private lecturer (PD) Dr. Marco Heurich from the University of Freiburg. He emphasizes that conflicts arise around the conservation of wolves in these landscapes due to farm animal slaughter, competition with hunters and human protection. The question of how humans can coexist with predators triggers a strong emotional debate. Based on these observations, a team of scientists led by Dr. Dries Kuijper from the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Bia?owie?a, Poland, analyzed the existing knowledge on how to deal with large carnivores living in the wild in Europe and other parts of the world. The aim was to enable an objective, scientifically sound discussion of various scenarios of wolf management. The researchers have presented their results in the current issue of the scientific journal Biological Conservation. According to the scientists, the control of wolf populations, which is often advocated in other countries outside the European Union, is in clear contradiction to current European legislation. In addition, several studies show that control of populations by hunting does not resolve conflicts and can even lead to problems between humans and animals. Fencing in the areas where wolves live is a common tool in other parts of the world for the containment of predators. But even that, according to the researchers, is not practicable in the highly fragmented European landscapes to the extent necessary to maintain a healthy wolf population. In addition, large-scale fencing has a negative impact on other wildlife, leading to fragmentation of habitats. However, the scientists claim smaller electric fences are effective in excluding wolves from high-conflict areas with a high density of livestock. From a legal standpoint, the least problematic situation is when no preventive measures are taken against the wolves, but farm animals are protected and compensation is paid for any damage caused. The team around Heurich assumes, however, that the conflicts between humans and wolves will become more frequent as wolf populations grow. In addition to protecting farm animals with electric fences or guard dogs, for example, the researchers recommend strengthening the natural population of ungulates such as deer and red deer in order to prevent conflicts. In addition, the scientists suggest influencing wolf behavior and working towards proper human behavior. The use of so-called deterrence measures, i.e. negative conditioning, is intended to ensure that animals avoid humans. At the same time, however, people must learn to have respect for animals. In this way a meeting of wolves with farm animals and humans can be avoided. However, the Freiburg scientists explain that so far the only experience gathered for this method stems from the Yellowstone National Park in the US, so that its suitability for Central Europe must first be investigated. Finally, Heurich and his colleagues stress that an important aspect of wolf management is to provide the public with a balanced view of the wolves: "People must be convinced of the ecological value that the return of the wolves has. It is necessary to show that these animals pose a very low risk to human safety. However, we must not forget that wolves are large predators who demand respect." ### The study involves scientists from the University of Freiburg, the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society in the Netherlands, the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden, and the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Original publication: Kuijper, D.P.J., Churski, M., Trouwborst, A., Heurich, M., Smit, C., Kerley, G.I.H., Cromsigt, J.P.G.M. (2019): Keep the wolf from the door: how to conserve wolves in Europe's human-dominated landscapes? In: Biological Conservation. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. biocon. 2019. 04. 004 This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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On Wednesday, the Department of Environmental Conservation denied a water quality certificate to the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, proposed by Williams Cos. to bring natural gas supply to the New York City market. The agency said the 23-mile natural gas Williams pipeline, which would have been laid underwater across New York Harbor and go past Coney Island and the Rockaways, would "result in significant water quality impacts from the re-suspension of sediments and other contaminants, including mercury and copper." The DEC said the project would also disturb shellfish beds and the "benthic," or sediment surface ecosystem. "DEC conducted a comprehensive review of the NESE application and supporting materials, as well as the more than 14,000 public comments received on the project, before reaching this decision," the agency said in a statement. Environmental and social justice groups that delivered petitions to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office at the Capitol on Monday opposing the Williams project and other natural gas pipeline expansions say the same arguments that were used against the New York City project can be used against National Grid's so-called E37 project, a 7-mile expansion of its "Albany Loop" that brings natural gas around the Capital Region. The $70 million project would connect National Grid's system in Bethlehem to its Troy Gate Station on Bloomingrove Drive in North Greenbush with a pipeline extension that would be built under the Hudson River. The E37 project is currently being examined by the state Public Service Commission, and National Grid is hoping to begin construction in the fall. It's unclear when the PSC could make a decision on whether or not to approve the project. However, there has been enough public interest in the project, and enough people asking the PSC to extend the comment period so that more people could be heard, that last month the PSC extended the comment period from April 24 until May 24, which is Friday. The PSC will hold what's known as a procedural conference on June 6 that will set the schedule for a future vote by the commissioners, which is months away. "New York state should carefully look at the (E37) project for the same reason that they carefully looked at the Williams pipeline, specifically that the (E37) pipeline will go under the Hudson River," said Robert Connors of Canaan, co-founder of Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline. National Grid, which says the Albany Loop extension is needed to satisfy requests by new commercial and residential customers for natural gas hookups as well as meet increased demand from existing customers, says that the denial of the Williams pipeline's water quality certificate doesn't impact its Capital Region proposal. "There is no impact..." National Grid spokesman Patrick Stella said. "These are two separate projects on two separate gas systems." Although the New York City pipeline was proposed by a separate company, National Grid had supported and advocated for the regulatory approval of the Williams pipeline. National Grid provides natural gas service to the New York City area, so it sees the extension of the Williams pipeline tied to its future ability to expand its customer base. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "Williams will evaluate and address the issues cited in the denial decision and will resubmit the application quickly," Stella said. "Until we have greater certainty around the project's application approval timeline, we will continue to advise all new commercial and residential applicants in downstate New York that our ability to provide firm gas service is contingent on the timely construction of (the Williams pipeline)." Connnors, who also runs a group called Community Advocates for a Sustainable Environment, says that National Grid is trying to scare people into thinking their homes or businesses could lose natural gas supply if either pipeline isn't built. Connors and other environmental advocates push for the use of electrically powered heat pumps to cool and warm buildings, not natural gas. The groups fear the expansion of fracked natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania and other states if more capacity is built into the transmission network. "National Grid is fear mongering by saying there's a threat of supply disruptions if they don't build the pipeline," Connors said, "when in fact there are alternatives in both cases: renewables, energy efficiency and more effectively regulating demand." National Grid has the support of a wide variety of business groups and chambers of commerce to build the Albany Loop connection. They say the pipeline is needed for economic development and expansion. "Without competitively priced and reliable energy, our business, current employees, their families and future growth at our site is threatened," Doug Martin, vice president of operations at Adirondack Beverages in Scotia, wrote the PSC in support of the Albany Loop project. The $70 million price tag for the Albany Loop project was approved by the PSC in National Grid's 2012 rate case, although the commission still has the final say whether the project can proceed. Mothers Out Front is another local group that ties the expansion of natural gas pipelines to climate change. "Mothers Out Front in the Capital Region feels this decision on the Williams pipeline highlights the dangers the proposed E37 Albany Pipeline loop will have on the Hudson riverbed and surrounding communities if approved by the PSC," said local Mothers Out Front organizer Megan Root. "Similar to the Williams pipeline, National Grid has failed to present reliability and resiliency need for the E37 Albany Loop Pipeline to the communities it will serve." Maybe you waited in line all night for tickets. Maybe you took your kid out of school. Maybe you sat through the somnambulant three-hour Brad Pitt movie "Meet Joe Black" six months earlier, just to see the first trailer. But even if you were a casual fan in 1999, you surely felt goose bumps when the lights went down and "The Phantom Menace," the first "Star Wars" adventure after 16 years of rumors and anticipation, was finally unveiled. It took only 55 seconds for the disappointment to set in. First there was the full 20th Century Fox fanfare, leading into the glittering emerald of the Lucasfilm logo. Then a silent fade to black and "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," a phrase that so perfectly evokes storytelling tradition while suggesting the infinite. And finally, that familiar burst of brass and percussion that opens the theme music by John Williams, welcoming the titles and the opening crawl, and a prequel trilogy that will bring a new generation of fans into the "Star Wars" family. "Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic." Yes! Turmoil! The pretext to all interstellar conflict! "The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute." A sudden drop in cabin pressure. Who opened the air lock? To be fair to George Lucas, the creator of "Star Wars" and the writer-director of "Phantom," which has its 20th anniversary Sunday, nations have gone to war over less than taxation. Lucas has always been a politically minded filmmaker he was involved in the early stages of "Apocalypse Now," which he intended to direct and perhaps he wanted to suggest that mass tragedy is often rooted in the banal. Policy divisions that put you to sleep can also kill you. It was also the first indication that maybe "Phantom" was not the event it was cracked up to be. That maybe a lack of creative urgency explained all the time that had passed since the original "Star Wars" trilogy ended. And yet, the critical disappointment from that time has slowly receded as Hollywood has built on Lucas' achievements. Without "Phantom" and its sequels, the complex integration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may not have been possible to say nothing of the screen-saver gloss of its celestial destinations. All the weaknesses that plagued "The Phantom Menace" 20 years ago are still readily apparent in 2019: the actors stiffened by dialogue that must have sounded snappier in its original Huttese; the nonaction scenes that alternately appeal to the very young or to grown-ups stuck in meetings all day; the midi-chlorians. And then there was Jar Jar Binks, the notorious floppy-eared Gungan whom Lucas intended as comic relief but who spoke and behaved like an amalgam of bad racial stereotypes "a Rastafarian Stepin Fetchit," as Wall Street Journal critic Joe Morgenstern described him. (Lucas has fervently defended his maligned creation as recently as April, when he called Jar Jar his favorite "Star Wars" character.) And the stereotypes didn't stop with Jar Jar; multiple characters wouldn't survive the scrutiny of today's culture pages. And yet the legacy of "The Phantom Menace" strangely redounds to Lucas' favor, setting the tone for the big movie franchises of today. The Marvel and DC universes, for example, are full of Easter eggs and other incidental details that are less about moving the story forward than about adding dimension for its own sake. The current "Star Wars" trilogy and spinoffs, of course, are too: Learning how Han Solo got his name in "Solo: A Star Wars Story" has no dramatic value. It's just a piece of trivia, another collectible to put on the virtual shelf. Adults who grew up loving the original "Star Wars" trilogy may have groaned in disappointment, but for their kids, "Phantom" was the start of their "Star Wars" trilogy. And people packed the theaters regardless: "Phantom" grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com, (the 2012 3D release pushed it beyond $1 billion), and the sequels were wildly popular. A debut this anticipated was expected to break opening-weekend records (it topped $28 million on opening day, a record then for single-day returns), but its overall earnings belied the notion that audiences were completely crestfallen. The culture shifted accordingly. Franchises like the "Harry Potter" and Marvel movies, are talked about now in terms of "mythology" not as mere sequels but as densely connected epics of ever-ballooning scale. Pour enough detail into the work, as Lucas did, and it will take root in the popular imagination. The tragedy of George Lucas is that he was ultimately rejected from the world he created. "Phantom" had reaffirmed the durability of the franchise, Jar Jar be damned, but its flaws were enough to make fans and studios start to dream about a "Star Wars" without Lucas to question whether projects on that scale were worth ever risking on a single person's vision. And by the end of the prequel trilogy, he had inadvertently created a universe so precise that others could take the blueprint and make their own box-office Death Star. Once Disney bought the franchise in 2012, a phalanx of writers and directors could be deployed to make whatever small modifications were needed to spruce it up better performances and dialogue, perhaps, or increased diversity. Lucas' idiosyncrasies could be buffed out. Now the series has gotten so conservative that even the gentle tweaking of expectations in "The Last Jedi" is treated in some corners as an unforgivable. Lucas financed "Phantom" entirely outside the Hollywood system, and at the time it was a joke to hear it referred to as the most expensive indie film ever made. But he also wrote and directed it, and all its marvels and shortcomings can be credited wholly to him vanishingly rare in a more producer-driven, machine-tooled Hollywood. Twenty years ago, no one could have anticipated that Lucas would be the last of the blockbuster iconoclasts. Thirteen men, ranging from 24 to 60 years old, were arrested in a sting and accused of attempted rape of a child less than 15 years old, State Police said. The charges include attempted rape, attempted criminal sexual act and patronizing a prostitute. In the sting, the suspects believed they were meeting with an underaged child for sex, said Trooper Kerra Burns, a spokeswoman for State Police. The investigation was based in Montgomery County and conducted by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, the Montgomery County Sheriff's office, State Police Troop G Computer Crime Unit, State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the FBI between May 9 to May 11. "This type of investigation can occur in response to a tip or as a matter of routine enforcement," Burns said. "This was a successful investigation, and led to the arrest of 13 individuals that sought underaged children for sex." "Our children are our most valuable resource, and it is our responsibility to keep them safe from those that many want to do them harm," Burns said. "Investigations like this help law enforcement to stop child predators." Arrested were: Tyler D. Phillips, 24, of Fonda; Osborne M. Campbell, 38, of Delanson; Vincent M. Tebano, 60, of Schenectady; Gregg Townsend, 26, of Queensbury; and Robert K. DiGregorio, 48, of Gloversville. They all were charged with attempted criminal sexual and attempted rape. Daurell J. McNeil, 32, of Highland, and John J. Hoag, 41, of Gloversville, were charged with attempted criminal sexual act, attempted rape, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Samuel S. Ambrosio-Vicente, 27, of Albany, was charged with attempted rape, patronizing a prostitute and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mikhail Donovan, 27, of Melrose, and Vejay Etwardo, 29, of Schenectady, were charged with attempted rape. Jason D. Shattuck, 29, of Gloversville, was charged with attempted criminal sexual act, attempted rape and resisting arrest. David J. Kondrat, 57, of Middle Grove, was charged with attempted rape, patronizing a prostitute and resisting arrest. Stephen C. Pastorek, 50, of Albany, was charged with attempted criminal sexual act, attempted rape and criminal possession of controlled substance. All 13 defendants were arraigned in the town of Florida court. They were held in Montgomery County Jail in lieu of a $10,000 cash bail, State Police said. Madrid, Iowa Iowa farmer Tim Bardole survived years of low crop prices and rising costs by cutting back on fertilizer and herbicides and fixing broken-down equipment rather than buying new. When President Donald Trump's trade war with China made a miserable situation worse, Bardole used up any equity his operation had and started investing in hogs in hopes they'll do better than crops. A year later, the dispute is still raging and soybeans hit a 10-year-low. But Bardole says he supports his president more today than when he voted for Trump in 2016, skeptical he would follow through on his promises. "He does really seem to be fighting for us," Bardole says, "even if it feels like the two sides are throwing punches and we're in the middle, taking the hits." Trump won the presidency by winning rural America, in part by pledging to use his business savvy and tough negotiating skills to take on China and put an end to trade practices that have hurt farmers for years. While the prolonged fight has been devastating to an already-struggling agriculture industry, there's little indication Trump is paying a political price. But there's a big potential upside if he can get a better deal and little downside if he continues to get credit for trying for the farmers caught in the middle. It's a calculation Trump recognizes heading into a re-election bid where he needs to hold on to farm states like Iowa and Wisconsin and is looking to flip others, like Minnesota. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. As China vowed to "fight to the finish," Trump used Twitter to rally the farming community. "Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now," Trump tweeted. "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." A March CNN/Des Moines Register poll of registered Republicans in Iowa found 81% approved of how Trump is handling his job, and 82% had a favorable view of the president, an increase of 5 points since December. About two-thirds said they'd definitely vote to re-elect him. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. 3 1 of 3 Cindy Schultz Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Will Waldron/Times Union Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Voters across the state will go the polls Tuesday to vote on their local school district budget proposals as well as board of education candidates. On average, districts are proposing tax levy increases of 2.5 percent. While the state cap is 2 percent, many districts can exceed that limit if they're paying for construction projects or have other expenses that are exempt from the cap. ALBANY - State lawmakers have struck a deal on a measure that would allow Congressional Democrats to get their hands on President Donald J. Trump's state tax returns. Legislation introduced late Sunday night in both houses of the state Legislature amends an existing proposal which passed the state Senate earlier this month that directs the state's tax commissioner to share tax-return information requested by congressional oversight committees. The changes appear to address some of the concerns raised by Assembly Democrats during an internal discussion last week, including that the measure was too broadly worded. As a result, the state's power to release tax returns would be limited to filings by elected officials, entities controlled by elected officials and certain policy makers. "The suggestion came up that if what you really want to get at is people who are in positions of authority, and you want to make sure there are no conflicts, let's look at those people and not necessarily every single person in New York," said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. The proposal was dismissed earlier this month by GOP lawmakers, who described the proposal as a partisan witch hunt. In a committee meeting, Sen. Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, called the legislation a "sad attempt to illegitimize an election and a president." "What's the next step? Because this isn't going to end," Tedisco said. "After you get his taxes, you're going to want to get his number of suits he has and where he buys them and the cost of them and what he did in the kindergarten." Earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin refused a congressional request for the presidents tax returns. He told Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., in a letter, that the panels request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose as U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires. There is no federal requirement for presidential candidates to disclose their private financial information, but it's a custom every other president since the Watergate era has followed. State law already allows tax returns to be shared with other states and federal agencies. The original legislation would create a new exception for congressional oversight committees with a "legitimate legislative purpose," direct the tax commissioner to redact personal information and apply to any New Yorker. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The measure introduced Sunday, known as a chapter amendment, specifies what information should be redacted, including portions of a federal tax return, and creates a stricter standard for releasing state tax returns. Despite congressional Democrats not actively calling for New York to pass the legislation, Heastie said they will likely pass the measure on Wednesday. "This can be just like in case of emergency, break glass type of legislation," he said. The state Senate is also expected to pass the measure Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the legislative schedule. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 Albany Assemblyman Phillip G. Steck is working with a colleague in the Senate to reintroduce a bill reinstating the state's stock transfer tax and directing the proceeds to statewide infrastructure. Unlike previous iterations of the bill, which would funnel a projected $13 billion in annual collections into a general infrastructure fund, the soon-to-be-introduced legislation directs at least 50 percent of the funds to upstate localities, roads, water infrastructure and transit. "We have had a tremendous amount of economic development funds put into upstate New York without any tangible results for a great mass of citizens in upstate New York," said Steck, D-Colonie. "This tax is tiny; it's infinitesimal - it's a fair way to make sure the economy works for everyone across the state." From 1905 to 1981, New York taxed the sale of securities, but in 1979 the state began rebating the tax and today the tax is 100 percent refunded back to the financial sector. Versions of the bill, which would repeal the rebate, have been floating around the Legislature for years, gaining little traction. Steck said he hopes Democratic control of the Legislature will help the proposal garner support. The bill was announced Monday as part Democrats' "Beyond Amazon" economic development package, which includes infrastructure investment, more transparency and a bill requiring the incorporation of community feedback in cost-benefit analyses for major economic development deals. Lawmakers rallied with activists at the Capitol Monday against the state's generous corporate tax incentives, including a $3 billion rebate used to lure Amazon to Queens. The deal was thwarted amid protests from unions, local activists and and lawmakers who said the agreement was made in secret without input from local stakeholders. The legislation, Steck said, offers benefits to every part of the state, directing 25 percent of the revenue to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, 10 percent to the New York City Housing Authority, and 15 percent to the Clean Energy Fund. The upstate revenue portion will be divided between the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund, Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM), and other transit and infrastructure funds. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Much like President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, the bill would spur jobs growth and economic development in construction and the renewable energy sector, Steck said. The bill's memo notes state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's pre-budget warning of declining tax receipts, urging the state to prepare for an economic downturn. While the tax is a fraction of a percentage point, amounting to a couple of cents on each transfer, billions of dollars in revenue would be generated by the large volume of trading in the state each year. During a financial crisis, the memo argues, trading volume will increase, boosting revenue for the state while property and income taxes receipts decline. Critics of the stock transfer tax, including Citizen Budget Commission's David Friedfel, say the loss of the rebate would have a "devastating" effect on Wall Street and the state's economic forecast. "It would force (Wall Street) to move across the river to New Jersey and they are such a huge driver of the state's economy and collections," Friedfel said. NEW YORK Keith Raniere kicked, whipped and planned to jail women in a "dungeon" for what he viewed as their indiscretions as part of his secret "master/slave" club, former NXIVM official Lauren Salzman testified Monday. "He said (the jail cell) was for the people most committed to growth. They would get locked in a cage," the 42-year-old told jurors. In her second day of testimony at Raniere's federal racketeering, sex trafficking and forced labor trial in Brooklyn, Salzman walked jurors through the practices behind the club called Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS), which translates as "Lord/Master of the Obedient Female Companions" including Raniere's embracing of "sex torture things" such as nipple clamps, handcuffs and a net. Salzman said Raniere, 58, formerly of Halfmoon, invited her to join the club when they were attending a memorial for longtime NXIVM leader Pamela Cafritz, who was another of Raniere's many girlfriends and who died in 2016. (One of the criminal counts against Raniere alleges that he continued using Cafritz's credit card and bank accounts after her death.) The group met regularly in what was called a "sorority house" on Milltowne Drive in Halfmoon, Salzman said. It was near the Knox Woods complex off Route 236 where many NXIVM higher-ups were living. Salzman said Raniere imposed a strict punishment on members of DOS who incurred his wrath. She said he had kicked a "master" in the group, Daniela Padilla, as the woman was on the ground, an experience that Padilla later described to Salzman as painful. She said Raniere also paddled that woman and that other masters paddled their slaves while they were naked. "It didn't sound like anything I ever wanted," Salzman testified in response to a question from assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar. "These things started to become scary for me. I was concerned about failing." She said Raniere maintained that acts of penance in the club "should be something that really hurts." Raniere told DOS members that snapping the wrist the appropriate way could successfully mete out more pain, she said. Salzman would later tell one of her slaves following an indiscretion: "If you want to use that again for failures, penance should be modified to three (HARD) whacks. If you snap the wrist right, it should really hurt." She said she had six "slaves" below her who were branded at a ceremony following a gathering at her house. Before being branded, Salzman said, DOS members would chant: "Master, please brand me. It would be an honor, an honor that I want to wear for the rest of my life." The act of branding was "frightening to see. It scared the other girls," Salzman testified. She said the first woman branded, named Jimena, was left squealing in pain. Salzman said Raniere was later excited that one woman, Sarah Edmondson, had become her slave. She said Raniere told her she now ranked in priority above Edmondson's husband and child and, "If you tell her she has to have sex with another man, she has to do that." He said she would have another man's child, too, if commanded. Many of the women were branded with the initials of Raniere and what appeared to be that of fellow DOS member Allison Mack, a former television actress and longtime NXIVM member who has also pleaded guilty in the case. Salzman said Monday Mack's initials were not part of the plan. Salzman said in June 2017, she was in San Diego and learned from Mack about what she called the assignment an order for slaves to seduce Raniere. Salzman said she learned Raniere was having sex with slaves. That month, she said, Edmondsons husband also confronted NXIVM members after he heard his wife had been branded with Ranieres initials. Salzman said reports -- by blogger Frank Parlato soon came out, which prompted Raniere to deny his involvement in DOS. She said Raniere issued a party line that branding was a college-type sorority symbol. Was that true? the prosecutor asked. No he started DOS, Salzman said. I lied to everybody about it. Salzman said NXIVM tried to discredit reports about the branding. There were very real and very valid allegations being made about what was true and we were lying about them, she said before leaving the witness stand for the day, and here we are. Salzman also testified Monday that Raniere floated the idea of the women also getting tattooed in addition to the cauterized brands with symbols indicating their rank within DOS, the number of slaves they controlled and other membership information. Salzman said she did not want to be branded, and said that after Raniere's arrest in March 2018, another DOS member rejected the notion that the women in the club had come up with the idea. "The women didn't choose it who would ever choose it? ... That's crazy," the woman told Salzman. Salzman confirmed that to join DOS, women had to offer "collateral" such as naked photos of themselves or false information that they had been prostitutes. But he also suggested they "stage crimes" and videotape them to incriminate themselves all to ensure they maintain their vows to never leave. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Exposure of one real incident was ruled unsuitable collateral, Salzman said. She explained that a NXIVM student had a "psychotic" breakdown at a volleyball game and, in her opinion, needed to be hospitalized. Instead, the woman was taken to a friend's house and force-fed Valium, a powerful sedative. The next morning, Salzman said, she was secretly given more Valium in her scrambled eggs. "If she went to the hospital, it would make NXIVM look bad," Salzman testified. Salzman said she wanted to use her involvement in the incident as collateral but was rejected because it could also hurt Raniere. The society demanded a "lifetime of obedience to your master," Salzman said. References to a master, even in pronoun form, all needed to begin with a capitalized letter. In one message shown in court, Salzman referred to Raniere as "Him." Raniere, known for his nocturnal activities, demanded members of the club adhere to strict rules which required they be available to respond to "readiness drills," even in the wee hours of the morning, within 60 seconds. Many DOS members slept with alarms at full volume due to the chance Raniere, known as the "supreme master" and "grand master," might deliver a command, Salzman said. She said she once drove across four lanes of a highway to answer Raniere. As a "first-line master," Salzman said she would need to communicate with other members of her rank and the six slaves she commanded. They, in turn, would need to communicate with the slaves beneath them. The communications were sent on the Telegram and Signal messaging apps and encrypted, she said. Salzman said she answered directly to Raniere in the slave-master club, though his involvement was meant to remain secret. She said Raniere wanted DOS to recruit new members, including "people in positions of power and influence." She said Raniere had her edit a DOS guidebook of sorts, which referred to women as "miraculous excuse finders." The first lesson in the book stated: "Your sole highest desire must be to further your master, from whom all good things come and are related." It asked the members to surrender their lives, minds and bodies for "unconditional use." One part of the manifesto reads: "You should be a hungry dog for your master." On March 25, Salzman, one of Raniere's five co-defendants in the case, pleaded guilty and admitted that she had recruited women into DOS for him. All of Raniere's co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Salzman, who served as the organization's education director, acknowledged when pleading guilty that she had threatened to release damaging information about those women if they did not perform tasks or tried to leave the group. Her mother, NXIVM President Nancy Salzman, also pleaded guilty in March to racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors said some of the women were groomed and coerced to have sex with Raniere. His defense team has argued that the the NXIVM guru who was referred to in the organization as "Vanguard" and the women in DOS engaged in consensual sexual activity. On Friday, a California bondage device salesman testified that a NXIVM member had ordered ankle shackles, a steel "jail cell" and other fetish devices from his company. Salzman is expected to be on the witness stand until at least Wednesday. May 20, 2019 Whether youre a small business or an individual who wants to reach out to big companies like Google or Microsoft (News - Alert), for instance, worry not. How do you get the biggie clients? We have set up a step by step guide in order to help you achieve success in your business by connecting with bigger companies. Cultivate Your Skills The most important thing to accomplish before you even think of approaching a bigger business is that you need to have skills that no one else in the market can match. Place yourselves into their shoes and analyze your companys performance from their end. You need to have an answer to the question why should they prefer you? The key is to be the best at whatever you do. Your services need to be prompt and up to the mark. If they arent, youll be replaceable as there is a high level of competition amongst your competitors. The path towards growth and gaining a reputation in your particular industry is by exploring different opportunities and working on open-ended projects. You need to simply use the trial and error method in order to create innovative products and services that only you specialize in. Bigger companies often look to partner with businesses that have their own innovative approach. If you lack innovation, they might not even consider you, let alone agree to meet! Barter System Before you approach them, you need to find out what they want and what you expect from them in return. As simple as this may sound, this is the stage where most deals are lost because both parties are not clear about their needs from each other. Do you actually want to have a partner? Are you ready to share revenues? Will you be able to handle sponsorships? What does your partner expect from you in return? These are some questions you must have clarification on. State the specifics. Analyze the pros and cons of partnership and have a calculative approach regarding the profits and losses. Create a backup plan for the losses you think may occur at any stage. You need an approach to be ready for whatever consequences the future might throw at you. Pitch Even if you possess all the qualities, there are chances of your application getting neglected as these big companies often receive many on a daily basis. You must know who to talk to. This means that while you establish yourself as a business, you need to build a network with people who are directly or indirectly associated with the company you want to approach. Keep in mind that the person you tend to trust should be in authority high enough to entertain your proposal. A mere employee of the company will not be able to help you, and your proposal might get sidelined just like a thousand others in a row without being viewed. Convince the representatives of that company of your performance and that you are able to manage large scale projects. Look into hosting trade shows to be able to reach out to bigger businesses. There are many trade show ideas to help you reach out and get noticed. Now that you are all set for the meeting, be sure that your presentation is done in a proper way. Align people who have an in-depth understanding of your project. Be sure that you go into specifics. Have a positive attitude and answer their questions with patience. You need to understand that they want the best from you just like you will get from their end. Master problem-solving techniques. Follow Up After having put in so much hard work to score the deal, do not neglect this next stage. You need to be constantly in touch with the company to keep them updated about the status of the work. You need to show them the statistics like market approach, sales or even outcomes whether negative or positive. A crystal clear approach is certainly required between two partners in order to have a cordial relationship. This will help in building trust and the company might want to invest in you for other services as well, continuing the partnership for the long term. Networking Once you have scored a deal, go ahead and communicate with other companies as well. Make them understand your potential in the market and your ability to innovate while providing the best outcomes. Networking is not just limited to knowing people; it is the ability to promote your brand so that you receive offers from the other end. It is the ability to get them to want to work with you! These tips will ensure that you make the right moves. [May 20, 2019] 2019 Women of the Channel Award Recognizes Five Star2Star Honorees SARASOTA, Fla., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star2Star Communications, provider of the worlds only Full Spectrum Communications Solution, announced today that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company , has named five Star2Star executives to its prestigious 2019 Women of the Channel list. This years honorees include Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer; Laura Oberle, Senior Vice President of Sales, Southern US; Diana Hite, Vice President, Midwest Channel; Chessie Huber, Strategic Channel Development Manager; and Marji Lynn, Regional Account Director, Pacific Northwest. This is a record number of honorees from Star2Star, where 32% of female employees are in management and leadership positions, solidifying its female-forward identity. The leaders on this annual list are from all areas of the IT channel ecosystem; representing technology suppliers, distributors, solution providers, and other IT organizations. Each is recognized for her contributions to channel advocacy, channel growth, and visionary leadership. CRN editors choose the list from a multitude of channel leadership applicants and select the final honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise, and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. Michelle Accardi As President and Chief Revenue Officer, Michelle's mission is to inspire and maintain growth for the company and its Partners, ensuring that customers get significant value from Star2Star's products and services and that Star2Star employees are empowered to provide the best service possible. In 2018, Michelle dedicated her time to supporting team-building and transformation at Star2Star. Her channel-related efforts were dedicated to strengthening the relationships between sales teams and their Partners by spear-heading and implementing better pathways for communications. She also championed the launch of several new products and helped communicate these new offerings to Star2Star Partners. Laura Oberle In 2018, Laura became the Senior Vice President of Sales for the Southern US regions. She als worked to better educate Partners and train them on Star2Stars new products including SD-WAN, 4G LTE Failover, and several products still in beta. She works closely with Partners on a daily basis, and assisted with closing many large deals over the past year. In addition, she works with the Training team to ensure that Partners are receiving the training support needed for successful sales. Diana Hite Diana focused her efforts on honing her recruiting and sales strategies for Partners in 2018. She contributed to the advancement of Star2Stars channel business and exceeded her targets for global channel strategy and execution. Her approach was centered around the engagement of her entire team including technical, operations, and marketing colleagues, to create and execute strategies for revenue growth. Chessie Huber The role that Chessie plays at Star2Star changed significantly over the last two years. She has become a key champion for Star2Stars strategic partner onboarding initiatives. Chessie dedicated 2018 to growing her team, building out the Full Service Wholesale program, and fostering new and better relationships with Partners to create more opportunities within the channel. Her efforts led to several large Partnerships that contributed significant revenues to Star2Stars 2018 numbers. Marji Lynn In 2018, Marji developed an underserved territory resulting in new channel partners and business for Star2Star. Seeing the revenue potential, she offered to extend coverage to help nurture the mutual benefits for Star2Star and existing and prospective Partners interested in the venture. She also deepened the relationship with one of Star2Stars national distributors, which resulted in more new sellers and opportunities, thus laying a foundation for success in her territories. CRNs 2019 Women of the Channel list honors influential leaders who are accelerating channel growth through mutually-beneficial partnerships, incredible leadership, strategic vision, and unique contributions in their field, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. This accomplished group of leaders is driving channel success and we are proud to honor their achievements. I am elated to be recognized alongside these exceptional women by CRNs Women of the Channel and so proud of the strides we have made in the industry this past year, said Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Star2Star. Diana, Chessie, Marji, and Laura are forward-thinking leaders and constantly striving for excellence in everything they do. Their contributions to Star2Stars success are integral to our growth, Partner support system, and high standards of customer service. Id like to congratulate them again on this win! It is my privilege to work with and support them. The 2019 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC . About Star2Star Communications Founded in 2006 in Sarasota, Florida, Star2Star Communications empowers global business success with a Full Spectrum Communications Solution. With options ranging from pure to on-premises cloud, Star2Star offers unparalleled value, reliability, quality, and scalability. Star2Star unifies business communications including voice, video, fax, mobile, chat, and presence management. Merged with Blueface, the leading pan-European UCaaS provider, Star2Star possesses a global influence and customer base. Star2Star's award-winning, patented Constellation Network overcomes the reliability and quality limitations of other communications technologies and enables companies to choose the deployment methodology that aligns best with their needs. For businesses who require high-quality voice, redundant networks for continuity, and ultra-reliable communications, Star2Star's StarCloud+ architecture offers the highest guaranteed SLAs in the industry at an affordable price. Businesses with less complexity, who seek the best communications capabilities for their employees and customers, can consider the StarCloud solution the optimal choice. With a customer retention rate of 99.85%, Star2Star has been recognized by a multitude of leading analysts. Star2Star was named to the Forbes Most Promising Companies list, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 five times, and the Inc. 500|5000 seven times. The company was also named by IHS as a Top 10 Hosted Business VoIP/UC Provider and has been in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, Worldwide for the last four years. Casey OLoughlin [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] ABBYY Announces Its Agreement to Acquire TimelinePI to Deliver Digital Intelligence for Enterprise Processes ABBYY, a global leader in Content IQ technologies and solutions, today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based TimelinePI. TimelinePI provides a comprehensive process intelligence platform designed to empower users to understand, monitor and optimize any business process. The global process analytics market size is expected to grow to USD 1,421.7 million by 2023 according to Research and Markets. The acquisition of TimelinePI is a strategic investment by ABBYY into the emerging process intelligence market which is critical to truly understanding the impact and effectiveness of business processes and opportunities for productivity gains from digital transformation investments. TimelinePI's vision of combining the most versatile process mining and operational monitoring with cutting-edge, process-centric AI and machine learning will serve as a critical cornerstone to ABBYY's Digital IQ strategy. "Organizations are focused on digital intelligence to impact process, patient, business and customer outcomes. Process intelligence is required to truly understand the operational effectiveness of business processes and how well they supprt a business strategy," commented Ulf Persson, CEO at ABBYY. "With TimelinePI, ABBYY will have the most comprehensive process intelligence platform for empowering companies to go beyond traditional text analytics and process mining to achieve true digital intelligence. With ABBYY's advanced content analysis and natural language processing, the TimelinePI technology will achieve operational insights not available with traditional process mining tools." TimelinePI's platform enables anyone to visualize, quantify and understand how processes behave by providing detailed insights into true performance, bottlenecks and risks. Its patent-pending Timeline (News - Alert) Analysis approach is unique in its ability to handle the full range of business process types - from highly structured to ad hoc. This new approach to process intelligence allows healthcare providers, banks, insurance companies, government agencies and other customers to take control of their data and raise their Process IQ to achieve operational efficiency that improves the customer journey. "Critical factors driving the success or failure of digital transformation projects include having a detailed understanding of an organization's business processes," said Scott Opitz, president and CEO of TimelinePI. "By gaining ABBYY's deep understanding of content we are able to open a treasure trove of data to strengthen our offering and give companies the edge they need to operate more efficiently. We are excited to be joining ABBYY, combining our process mining, monitoring and predictive analytics capabilities with ABBYY's rich Content IQ portfolio to enable our customers to achieve true process intelligence." The transaction is expected to close by end of second quarter 2019. After the transaction closes, ABBYY will continue to market and enhance the TimelinePI platform and offering to customers both separately and as part of new solution bundles as an extension of ABBYY's current and future products. About ABBYY ABBYY is a global leader in Content IQ technologies and solutions. ABBYY offers a complete range of AI-based technologies and solutions transforming business documents and content into business value. By providing digital transformation solutions to financial services, insurance, transportation, healthcare, and other industries, the company helps organizations achieve the next wave of growth by understanding customers and delivering responsive real-time intelligent systems. The flexibility of ABBYY AI solutions enables customers to utilize a diverse range of advanced technologies, platforms and solutions for classification, text analytics, data and entity extraction, and data validation via any communication channel and in any format. ABBYY technologies are used and licensed by some of the largest international enterprises and government organizations, as well as SMBs and individuals. The company maintains offices in Australia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, Ukraine, and the United States. For more information, please visit www.abbyy.com/company. ABBYY and the ABBYY Logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ABBYY Software Ltd. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005201/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Alliance Safety Council Revises Leadership Team in Tune with Organization's Growth Alliance Safety Council expands leadership to support the organization's continued growth and diversification of programs and services. Alliance has named three new Vice Presidents-Sheri Bankston, Vice President of Operational Excellence; Joelle McGehee, Vice President of Customer Success; and Travis Broussard, Vice President of Business Development. Bankston received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Southeastern Louisiana University, became a Certified Public Accountant and worked in the accounting field until 2006 when she began working for Alliance as an e-learning script writer. Bankston's position as Vice President of Operational Excellence includes full responsibility for the assessment of current service offerings, and development of future offerings. This includes identification, implementation, content development, training and consulting services for these offerings, ongoing monitoring of the execution of all courses, and ongoing assessment of critical processes and metrics to identify opportunities for growth and improvement. McGehee received a bachelor's degree in business frm Louisiana State University and became a Certified Workers Compensation Professional (CWCP) from Michigan State University. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the construction, petrochemical, telecommunications and retail industries for companies including the Shaw Group, Cox (News - Alert) Communications and Home Depot. As Vice President of Customer Success, McGehee focuses on providing customized training and technology services across a variety of sectors and work environments. She will also ensure all of Alliance's solutions are aligned to make certain members and customers are set up for success. Broussard brings more than a decade of high-performing sales management experience to his new role as Vice President of Business Development. He holds a Degree in Computer Science & Computer Network Engineering from Southeast College of Technology and is a certified expert in the leading inbound marketing software tools. Broussard's focus is on lead generation, business intelligence, member relations and event management. He also works with the full leadership team to create detailed plans and strategies to grow Alliance's business opportunities. Alliance Safety Council is a member-driven organization providing online and instructor-led safety training, and technology and records management solutions. In addition to its locations in Baton Rouge, Addis, Gonzales and Walker, Louisiana, the organization has authorized training partners located across the U.S. and internationally. Learn more at www.alliancesafetycouncil.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005183/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] AM Best Executive Vice President to Deliver Keynote Address at The Insurance Summit AM Best Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Matthew C. Mosher will deliver the opening financial keynote address, titled, "Rating Agency Views of Regulatory Initiatives," at The Insurance Summit, on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 8 a.m. (CDT (News - Alert)), in Kansas City, MO. The Insurance Summit, which is themed as "Where Innovation Meets Regulation," runs through June 7, and is hosted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the National Insurance Producer Registry. The event brings together a wide spectrum of insurance and regulatory participants, as well as industry innovators and other technology incumbents to discuss the future direction of insurance regulation. AM Best believes the increased pace of change in society, climate and technology has made innovation increasingly critical to the long-term success of all insurers, and in turn, the rating agency recently released a draft criteria procedure, titled, "Scoring and Assessing Innovation." This draft criteria procedure is available at http://www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.asp. Mosher will provide AM Best's perspective at the summit on the most pressing issues facing regulators and rating agencies, including current and pending regulatory and market developments such as the rise of insurtech and the bilateral agreement on (re)insurance between the European Union and the United States. Other areas Mosher will touch on include big data, data privacy and the integration of environmental, social and governance factors into the investment process. AM Best Director of Industry Relations, Government Affairs Paul Brown also will attend the event. To schedule a meeting with him, please email [email protected]. Now in its fourth year, the summit will be held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown and feature session tracks on innovation, producer licensing, antifraud, communications, market regulation and technology. For more information about the conference, please visit the event overview and agenda. AM Best is a trusted source of insurance market insight and data, and the only global credit rating agency with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Best's Credit Ratings are a recognized indicator of insurer financial strength and creditworthiness. Visit http://www.ambest.com for more information. Copyright 2019 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005731/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Changzhou holds advanced manufacturing technology achievements exhibition NANJING, China, May 20, 2019 /CNW/ -- Co-hosted by Jiangsu Provincial People's Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the 14th China (Changzhou) Advanced Manufacturing Technology Achievements Exhibition kicked off in east China's Changzhou city on May 18. During the opening ceremony, a total of 69 key projects were contracted, involving new materials, intelligent manufacturing equipment, new medicines, biotechnology, new energy and other industrial fields. In addition, 126 innovative enterprise products and innovation platform results with Changzhou elements were displayed on site. At the opening ceremony, the new technology applications attracted the attention of a large number of participants. For example, if participants forget to bring their cell phone, they can just scan the fingerprints o pay for items. If they place an order via their cell phone in the park, the driverless car will deliver them the goods they bought. The exhibition will last for half a month, focusing on five themes such as industrial synergy innovation, innovation and entrepreneurship promotion, international science and technology cooperation, innovation talent, and technology service industry promotion. As part of the exhibition, the China-UK Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Forum was held and the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) also inaugurated its new-generation information technology research institute in Changzhou on May 19. Award ceremonies will also be held to recognize the top 100 innovation enterprises in Jiangsu province, quality-focused enterprises in Changzhou city, and winners in Changzhou's innovation and entrepreneurship competition. Since 2006, the exhibition has been held for 14 consecutive years. Over the years, Changzhou has focused on the industry-university-research cooperation mode, built relevant platforms, brought in projects and gathered talents. In 2018, the total social R&D expenditure in Changzhou accounted for 2.81 percent of its local gross domestic product (GDP). Thanks to its innovation-driven environment, Changzhou has become a domestic leader in the fields of graphene, photovoltaic modules, robots, etc. Changzhou Science and Education Town has ranked second on the list of the best entrepreneurship industrial parks in China for five consecutive years. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/changzhou-holds-advanced-manufacturing-technology-achievements-exhibition-300853113.html SOURCE Jiangsu Provincial People's Government [May 20, 2019] Deciphex Applauded by Frost & Sullivan for its Machine Learning-powered Patholytix Preclinical Digital Pathology Platform The Patholytix preclinical solution aids improved process efficiency in preclinical toxicology by adopting a unique pattern recognition approach LONDON, May 20, 2019 /CNW/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the Global preclinical toxicology digital pathology market, Frost & Sullivan recognises Ireland-based Deciphex with the 2019 Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award for its digital pathology tool, Patholytix Preclinical. A first-of-its-kind good laboratory practice (GLP)-enabling technnology, Deciphex's AI-powered solution is expected to increase the process efficiencies of pharmaceutical companies' preclinical workflows. It facilitates a streamlined workflow that empowers pathologists to generate results much faster than possible with traditional processes or stand-alone digital pathology software. "Deciphex's Patholytix Preclinical is an ergonomic, high throughput platform that uses big data and an optimised classification approach focused on whole-slide images," said Deepak Jayakumar, senior research analyst. "It is the only whole-slide imaging digital pathology solution that has been designed to help users conduct digital pathology based GLP peer and primary reviews for regulatory submission. It offers pharmaceutical companies faster preclinical results along with specific insights that would help accelerate the process of drug development." The application supports the digital review of slide images comparable to the throughput obtained from traditional microscopy. It delivers dedicated workflows that specifically cater to the pharmaceuticals industry's need for toxicological pathology applications in preclinical studies. These applications tailored for preclinical development distinguish Deciphex from its competitors. Deciphex has already successfully commercialised its platform and is set to further optimise the process of toxicologicalpathology. The performance scale of digital pathology solutions can be significantly increased by integrating machine learning for pre-screening technologies in fully digital primary review processes, as they provide more coherent and structured data for interpretation. By adopting an approach that focuses on generalised abnormality detection, Patholytix Preclinical helps pathologists prioritize their reviews based on visualised likelhood of abnormalities across an entire study. In addition, the AI-defined area of focus will help pathologists working across different sites to effortlessly make annotations, discuss the interpretations, and morphometrically analyze specific slide images. "The company's AI-powered pathology solutions employ elite security strategies in the architecture, which translates to efficient use of the platform across multiple sites of a pharmaceutical company or in clinical study operations. For example, a toxicology study taking place in parallel across two continents will have a secure content management & distribution system that powers its toxicological pathology for increased productivity," noted Deepak Jayakumar. "Deciphex is poised for further growth due to its clear vision in terms of identifying a technology gap and successfully filling it with its innovative platform." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has developed a pioneering technology that not only enhances current products, but also enables the development of new products and applications. The award recognises the high market acceptance potential of the recipient's technology. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Deciphex Deciphex are an Irish-based software company focussed on developing digital pathology software for clinical and toxicologic pathology. Our ambition is to deliver solutions that provide tangible improvements in productivity to pathologists, eliminating low-level tasks so they can focus on the critical content. We believe that digital pathology combined with artificial intelligence will help make pathologists work more efficiently in the future, and offers a solution to the pending crisis in supply / demand in pathology services. Deciphex plan to be at the forefront of this revolution with cleverly positioned solutions, that deliver on the biggest problems facing pathology today. 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: Kristen Moore P: 210.247.3823 E: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deciphex-applauded-by-frost--sullivan-for-its-machine-learning-powered-patholytix-preclinical-digital-pathology-platform-300852711.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] ICMI Contact Center Connections 2019 Keynote Lineup Announced: Speakers Span Experts in Customer Service and Relationship Building COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) , the authority on contact center excellence, today announces that Colette Carlson, Human Behavior Expert, and Jay Baer, Inspirational Expert on Marketing, Word of Mouth, and Customer Service, will deliver keynote addresses at ICMI Contact Center Connections 2019, formerly known as ICMI Contact Center Demo. The event will host a lineup of thought leaders who will present educational and inspiring sessions that address the importance of creating high-quality connections with customers and internal teams. ICMI Contact Center Connections 2019 will take place October 28-30, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, IL. To learn more about the event and to register, please visit: ICMI.com/Contact-Center-Connections With all of the buzz surrounding new and advanced technology in contact centers, its becoming more important to emphasize the value of training agents to effectively communicate with customers who need assistance with complex issues, said Patty Caron, Event Director, ICMI. With this years keynote lineup, our attendees will hear from experts who have mastered the skill of communication and building connections, providing our audience with strategies that leave a lasting impression on customers. ICMI Contact Center Connections 2019 keynote lineup: Many Communicate, Few Connect Presented by Colette Carlson, Human Behavior Expert Carlson is a human behavior expert and CPAE Hall of Fame motivational keynote speaker who inspires organizations and individuals to connect and communicate in real and relevant ways. With wit, humor, and sincerity, each of her presentations weave together real-life lessons on genuine connection and provide tools to leverage those connections for personal and professional success. With a masters degree in Human Behavior, a fascination of communication trends, and over 20 yeas of experience in the personal development industry, Carlson guides audiences and clients along the fine line between the trendy topics that keep us relevant, and the timeless truths that lead to meaningful achievements and relationships. In her keynote, Carlson will share how to connect and communicate on a deeper level to form crucial relationships that drive productivity, engagement, and collaboration. Hug Your Haters - How to Embrace Complaints and Connect with Your Customers Presented by Jay Baer, Inspirational Expert on Marketing, Word of Mouth, and Customer Service Baer is a Hall of Fame Speaker, New York Times best-selling author, internet pioneer, entrepreneur, and inspirational expert on marketing, word of mouth, and customer service. Baer spent 20 years in digital marketing and consulting for more than 700 companies, 30 being Fortune 500. Convince & Convert, his current firm, is the fifth multi-million-dollar company Baer has started from scratch. The firm provides social media and content marketing advice and counsel to leading companies such as Oracle, Salesforce.com, California Tourism, Billabong, Hardees, DOLE, and more. In his keynote, Baer will discuss the rise of customer complaints and will reveal brand-new, proprietary research into, The Science of Complaints, exploring why and where your customers complain and how to turn customer service into a marketing advantage. To learn more about this years keynotes, please visit: icmi.com/Contact-Center-Connections/Conference/Keynote-Presentations Register for ICMI Contact Center Connections 2019 : To register before June 7 and save up to $600, please visit: icmi.com/contact-center-connections/Pricing/Passes-and-Pricing Follow ICMI on social: (#ICMIconnections) Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn About ICMI The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals -- from frontline agents to executives -- who wish to improve customer experiences and increase efficiencies at every level of the contact center. Since 1985, ICMI has helped more than 50,000 organizations in 167 countries through training, events, consulting, and informational resources. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, trainers, and consultants are committed to helping you raise the strategic value of your contact center, optimize your operations and improve your customer service. ICMI 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 . Heather Donner ICMI PR [email protected] 415-947-6109 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] It's Not Just Eurovision - Seedo Heads from Israel to Holland TEL AVIV, Israel, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Seedo Corp., "Seedo" (OTCQB: SEDO), an agritech company providing the world's first fully automated and controlled indoor growing machine for the "at-home agriculture" markets, announced today that it has opened a customer service center and logistics warehouse near Rotterdam, Netherlands which will serve as its EU distribution hub. Seedo will also begin shipments of its home cultivation device to existing customers throughout the EU. "We are thrilled to have our EU distribution hub now operational with deliveries beginning in the coming days," said Seedo CEO Zohar Levy. "We plan to continue to optimize our supply-chain protocols, improving after-sale customer service, while developing new sales market opportunities." As part of Seedo's recent momentum, the company announced a partnership with Kibbutz Dan in Northern Israel to establish the first fully automated, commercial-scale, pesticide-free containerized cannabis farm in Israel. The company also recently signed an agreement to establish a medical cannabis farm in Moshav Brosh, Israel. Additionally, SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum, who recently joined the company's board of directors, spearheaded a private placement round of over $4 million in capital. The company also recently appointed Dr. Jendayi Frazer, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and one of the nation's leading voice for international policy, to its board of directors. About Seedo Seedo is a market leading high-tech company providing the hemp and agriculture industries with the world's first fully automated and controlled indoor growing machine. Seedo provides growers with the freedom to cut costs while generating high yields of lab-grade, pesticide-free herbs and vegetables. Seedo's AI-powered, turnkey systems enable anyone from average consumers to large-scale producers the ability to grow without prior experience or ample space. Seedo is a publicly traded company backed by a group of international investors including Cannabics Pharmaceuticals and is headquartered in Israel. For more information, visit http://www.seedolab.com Disclaimer: Certain statements contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to statements identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "targets," "projects" and similar expressions. The statements in this release are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences, including, but not limited to, results of clinical trials and/or other studies, the challenges inherent in new product development initiatives, the effect of any competitive products, our ability to license and protect our intellectual property, our ability to raise additional capital in the future that is necessary to maintain our business, changes in government policy and/or regulation, potential litigation by or against us, any governmental review of our products or practices, as well as other risks discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our latest Form 10-K Report filed on January 15th, 2019. We undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement or any information contained in this press release or in other public disclosures at any time. Contacts: Seedo Corp. +972-546-642-228 General Information: [email protected] http://www.seedolab.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/its-not-just-eurovision---seedo-heads-from-israel-to-holland-300853150.html SOURCE Seedo Corp. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Kublr VMware Integration Now Streamlines Kubernetes Deployments on any Environment Kublr announced today a new integration that makes it dramatically easier to deploy, run, and manage Kubernetes clusters on VMware. This is the latest advancement in the Kublr Platform's ability to provide Kubernetes automation across multiple environments. Kublr will be showcased at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2019 in Barcelona, Spain May 20-23, 2019. "Enterprises use different virtualization technologies in different environments, frequently VMware for on-premise or hosted environments, and the cloud providers' virtualization engines in the cloud. By integrating with VMware, we deliver 'cloud-like' automation for all of their environments," explained Slava Koltovich, CEO of Kublr. Through the intuitive Kublr UI, administrators will see a list of data centers, resource pools, data stores, and networks available based on their login credentials. They can then define the number of master and worker nodes and choose the IP Address Allocation Mode. The integration enables operations teams to leverage cloud-init or custom VMTemplates, ensuring conformance with their enterprise practices and automating the provisioning of VMs and Kubernetes clusters at the same time. The Kublr Platform already supports bare metal deployments with SSH automation, and even enables air-gapped deployments for highly secure environments. When combined with Kublr's cloud offerings acrossAWS, Azure, & GCP, the Kublr Platform meets on-premise, hybrid, and multi-cloud requirements while providing centralized logging and monitoring to ensure observability and operational control. "We see an expanding number of enterprise use cases for Kubernetes from stateless web and mobile apps, to containers and Kubernetes as enablers of application modernization, to data science/ML/ and AI applications," said Oleg Chunikhin, Kublr CTO. "This is driving the need for IT organizations to support Kubernetes in multiple environments through a single control plane." A Kubernetes-based container management platform, Kublr is focused on making cloud-native technology enterprise-friendly by enabling fine-grained operations control aligned with internal security policies. Today's announcement represents one further step in easing the Kubernetes adoption path for large enterprises with heterogeneous environments. About Kublr Headquartered in Washington, DC, Kublr's Kubernetes platform speeds the management of containerized applications on any infrastructure. Without tying users to a single cloud, PaaS, OS, or limiting technology stack, Kublr empowers enterprises to run and manage their applications wherever they want, disrupting the prevailing cloud and vendor lock-in. Built on an open platform with a pluggable architecture, Kublr provides built-in multi-factor enterprise security, configuration management, backup and disaster recovery, and logging and monitoring providing the reliability and flexibility large organizations need. We are a proud contributor to the Kubernetes codebase, an active member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), and completed the CNCF Kubernetes Software Conformance Certification program. Follow @Kublr and the Kublr blog to learn more about Kublr's enterprise-grade Kubernetes and on LinkedIn, Facebook and kublr.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005162/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Locus Robotics Announces Technology Collaboration Partnership with RightHand Robotics WILMINGTON, Mass., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Locus Robotics , the market leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for fulfillment warehouses, and RightHand Robotics (RHR), a leader in providing integrated robotic piece-picking solutions, announced a partnership to deliver cross-platform robotics solutions for warehouse fulfillment operators. Locus and RHR will give a preview of their multi-stage fulfillment solution at Manhattan Associates' Momentum Conference 2019 from May 20 -23rd in Phoenix, Arizona. "We are excited to partner with RightHand Robotics, a recognized leader in performance and efficiency-driving piece-picking solutions," said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. "Our companies share a vision of delivering innovative, industry-leading technology solutions that drive productivity for our customers. By working together, we can bring greater flexibility and productivity to the fulfillment warehouse. This is particularly impactful in high-volume scenarios, where automation can drive greater operational efficiencies." The Locus and RHR collaboration demonstrates the potential for cross-platform robotics solutions in the warehouse industry. Their approach seamlessly combines Locus's autonomous multi-robot model for piece handling with RHR's autonomous work cell to provide greater automation, addressing multiple fulfillment processes, from picking to packing, especially in high-volume environments. With this innovative and collaborative approach, the Locus and RHR solution will drive significant productivity and efficiency gains for shared customers in the retail and third-party logistics (3PL) space. "Locu is recognized as one of the pioneers of autonomous mobile robots for warehouses and we're thrilled to be working together," said Leif Jentoft, Co-Founder of RightHand Robotics. "Our companies' advanced technologies will provide transformative solutions to a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, apparel, grocery, and more. With the growing demands of e-commerce order fulfillment, we can solve our customers' needs for flexible and reliable technology, with real productivity and efficiency results." The Locus and RHR cross-platform warehouse fulfillment solution will be on display at Manhattan Associates' MOMENTUM Conference 2019 from May 20 -23rd in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information on MOMENTUM 2019, visit www.manh-momentum.com . ABOUT LOCUS ROBOTICS Locus Robotics' revolutionary, multi-bot solution incorporates powerful and intelligent autonomous mobile robots that operate collaboratively with human workers to dramatically improve piece-handling productivity 2X-3X, with less labor compared to traditional picking systems. This award-winning solution helps retailers, 3PLs, and specialty warehouses efficiently meet and exceed the increasingly complex and demanding requirements of fulfillment environments, easily integrating into existing warehouse infrastructures without disrupting workflows, instantly transforming productivity without transforming the warehouse. For more information, visit www.locusrobotics.com . ABOUT RIGHTHAND ROBOTICS RightHand Robotics is a leader in providing robotic piece-picking solutions that improve performance and efficiency in e-commerce order fulfillment and intralogistics. Its RightPick product platform is a software-driven, hardware-enabled solution that handles the core task of picking and placing individual items as part of a wide range of workflows and processes. With RightPick, businesses can reduce the cost of order fulfillment in electronics, apparel, grocery, pharmaceuticals, and many other industries. RHR was founded in 2014 by a DARPA challenge-winning team from the Harvard Biorobotics Lab, the Yale GRAB Lab, and MIT, intent on bringing grasping intelligence powered by computer vision and applied machine learning to bear on real-world problems. The company is based in Somerville, Mass., outside of Boston. For more information, visit www.righthandrobotics.com or follow the company on Twitter and LinkedIn . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/locus-robotics-announces-technology-collaboration-partnership-with-righthand-robotics-300852782.html SOURCE Locus Robotics [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] RStor Establishes European Presence with Office in Italy SARATOGA, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RStor, the only multicloud platform to enable organizations to compute, connect, and operate above the cloud, today announced the opening of its new European headquarters in Genoa, Italy, to accelerate its leadership position. The company chose Genoa to establish a European presence and help support growing demand for its signature product, RStor Cloud Services. Enterprises deploy RStor to free their organizations from legacy on-premise IT environments and the constraints of public clouds and disparate systems. Its platform enables businesses investing in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics with an agnostic, transparent solution to manage highly distributed infrastructures. Through its partnership with Equinix, the global interconnection and data center company, RStor Cloud Services are installed in Equinixs IBX data centers in the US and United Kingdom, with more locations to be announced soon. Genoa is an emerging technology hub in Europe and has a pipeline of engineering talent from University of Genoa and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). Luca Gibelli will lead the office as director of software engineering, with guidance from RStors founding team including Giovanni Coglitore, Matteo Daste, Nikolai Gallo and Pierluigi Sari, all of whom have deep roots in Italy. They will focus on expanding the companys engineering, product development, and sales and marketing efforts to meet European demand. Having secured interest from several major European companies, we see the need to extend our geographical footprint, and we are thrilled to open our doors in Italy, said Giovanni Coglitore, founder and chief executive officer of RStor. We selected Genoa for its base of engineering talent and look forward to working with engineers from across Europe who can help RStor deliver on its vision of connecting the worlds computing resources. Gibelli joins the team with more than 15 years of experience in enterprise software and cybersecurity. He successfully co-founded Skylable, a software-defined storage startup, and ClamAV, a leading open source antivirus software running on millions of servers worldwide, which was acquired by cybersecurity company Sourcefire in 2007. RStors game-changing technology gives companies the transparency they need to successfully deploy a multicloud strategy, said Luca Gibelli, director of software engineering and lead for RStor Italy. We are keen to contribute to the growing tech community in Italy and invite engineers who want to work on innovative storage and networking solutions to contact us. RStor Cloud Services is the first platform of its kind to aggregate and automate compute resources from private data centers, public cloud providers and trusted supercomputing centers on a next generation networking fabric. RStor plans to hire 20 employees in Italy by 2020. More information about openings can be found: https://rstor.io/. About RStor RStor is the only multicloud platform built for enterprise performance computing. In providing customers with a hyper-distributed platform, RStor Cloud Services enable an entirely new way to secure, connect and orchestrate resources and help customers achieve greater choice and cost savings. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, RStor is led by senior executives from some of the most important brands in cloud computing and enterprise technology. For more information, visit https://rstor.io/ . Media Contact: Lydia Chan [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Ryan Named One of the Best Places to Work in Illinois Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois. As one of only 18 firms appearing in the Large Company category, this marks the ninth consecutive year Ryan has been recognized in the top 10. "To be named to this list for nine consecutive years is a testament to the commitment and dedication our Chicago team has demonstrated to each other and our clients," said Ryan Global President and Chief Operating Officer Ginny B. Kissling. "We continuously strive to provide a workplace environment that empowers our employees to achieve personal and professional success, which in turn leads to excellent client service." The statewide competition is conducted by the Daily Herald Business Ledger and its marketing partners, which include the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, MRA, Human Resources Management Association of Chicago, and Small Business Advocacy Council. Together they work to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Illinois, benefiting the state's economy, workforce, and businesses. About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a seven-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 2,500 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 50 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005229/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 19, 2019] SEMI Monitors Escalating U.S.-China Trade Tensions; Eyes Global Electronics Supply Chain Impact WASHINGTON, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SEMI, the association representing the end-to-end global electronics industry supply chain, today provided the following statement from Mike Russo, VP of Global Industry Advocacy, regarding the escalation in tensions between the U.S. and China regarding trade: "We continue to monitor what appears to be a deteriorating situation between the U.S. and China related to their ongoing trade negotiations. The escalation in tariffs as well as the recent supply chain executive order and Department of Commerce action against Huawei are cause for increasing concern as those actions disrupt the supply chain and run counter to all-important market access. "The globally integrated, complex supply chain that underpins our industry requires the world's largest economies to lead the way by establishing rules that ensure access to markets and protect IP. Reaching an agreement that is aligned with SEMI's global trade principles would be mutually beneficial to the two nations as well as our global industry, and we are hopeful that such an agreement can still be reached." About SEMI SEMI connects more than 2,100 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA) and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Visit www.semi.org to learn more, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter . SEMI Media Contact Michael Hall Phone: 1.408.943.7988 Email: [email protected] SOURCE SEMI [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 19, 2019] UST Global Announces CEO Retirement and Succession Plan - Krishna Sudheendra Named CEO of UST Global - Sajan Pillai Announces Plan to Retire as CEO; Will Remain on Board of Directors ALISO VIEJO, California, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- UST Global, a leading digital transformation solutions company, announced today that Sajan Pillai is retiring as CEO of the company. UST Global CFO and President Krishna Sudheendra has been named CEO as part of the company's succession plan. Pillai, who has been with UST Global for over 20 years, will remain on the company's Board of Directors and be actively involved for the next one year with Krishna and the leadership team in support of a successful transition. Pillai led the creation of a robust start-up ecosystem at UST Global investing in startups with an eye on innovation and will continue to focus on this through a new venture fund while serving on the Board. The ecosystem is a significant space for bringing innovation to UST Global clients and growth for the company going forward. "At UST, I have had a very fulfilling journey advancing the passion of cutting-edge technology and innovation by bringing together startups and customers to create an ecosystem to provide value to them. To lead the exciting world of venture-driven sartups, I would like to dedicate my time now to give back and to fulfill that passion, serving business and consumers globally. This will help UST continue its innovation journey on behalf of its customers," said Pillai. "I am very proud to have Krishna succeeding me in this role as the next generation of leadership for the company. He is the right person to spearhead the organization in its next stage of evolution." As part of the company's succession plan, Sudheendra has served as President for the past year. During his 15+ year career with UST Global, he has successfully led customer and market expansion fueling industry leading growth of the company. He was instrumental in securing private equity investment to power UST Global through its evolution. In addition to strengthening global operations, he implemented strong financial systems, governance and controls to optimize performance and productivity. "This announcement is the successful culmination of a multiyear succession plan to select the best leader for UST Global. With a stellar track record as the company's President and CFO, we look forward to what Krishna will bring to the company as its CEO," said Paras Chandaria, Chairman of the Board of Directors, UST Global. "On behalf of the entire board, I thank Sajan for his leadership and his numerous contributions to UST Global's recent success. We appreciate his service and commitment to UST Global and will work together on future venture-driven endeavors." "I am honored to be named the next CEO of UST Global, and want to thank both Sajan and the Board for the confidence they have placed in me to lead this strong organization and support our talented people as we continue to grow the company," added Sudheendra. About UST Global UST Global is a leading digital technology solutions company that provides advanced computing and digital services to large private and public enterprises around the world. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies in banking and financial services, insurance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, shipping, technology and telecom. UST Global believes in building long term, strategic business partnerships through client-centric global engagement models that combine local experts and resources with the cost, scale, and quality advantages of global operations. For more information, please visit: www.ust-global.com. Media Contact: Leslie Schultz UST Global [email protected] +1 949-204-4892 Suzanne Dawson S&C Public Relations for UST Global [email protected] +1 646-941-9140 SOURCE UST Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Commerzbank Partners with GTC to Further Digitize and Automate its Trade Finance Business Commerzbank has entered into a strategic partnership with GlobalTrade Corporation (GTC), a leading Canadian application services provider of innovative multi-bank trade finance solutions. The bank plans to utilise GTC's @GlobalTrade platform to strengthen its digital trade finance product range. As one of Europe's leading trade finance banks, Commerzbank holds the digitalisation and automation of processes as key priorities. This partnership leverages Commerzbank's unique network footprint and GTC's multi-bank technology, coupled with SWIFT connectivity, to meet the trade finance needs of corporate clients across the globe more efficiently and effectively. "We are very pleased to have found a strategic and reliable business partner in the trade finance business in GTC. Together we will provide digital, multi-bank trade finance solutions to our clients as well as an expanded range of trade products," aid Klaus Josef Muller, Head of Trade Finance and Cash Management Product Management at Commerzbank. "We are excited to work with Commerzbank to deliver meaningful solutions to their corporate clients," said Nick Pachnev, GTC's Chief Technology Officer. Combining our technology with Commerzbank's leading capabilities in trade services will offer a powerful solution that will benefit corporates engaged in export and import of products and services." About GTC GlobalTrade Corporation (GTC) is a software developer and application service provider whose product solutions improve the world of trade finance and trade services. The @GlobalTrade systems help buyers, sellers, traders, and financial institutions communicate faster and more efficiently while reducing risk and improving monitoring and control. Their customers include both business enterprises that need consolidated access to multiple banks as well as financial institutions that require supply chain finance solutions to meet their clients' needs. @GlobalTrade is a registered trademark of GlobalTrade Corporation. For more information please visit: www.globaltradecorp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190519005018/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] The US Department of Defense and Deinove will present impactful R&D results during the coming ASM 2019 LUSAMRIID (United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases) evaluated DNV3681 against Bacillus anthracis that triggers anthrax and Francisella tularensis that triggers tularemia or rabbit fever, both bacteria being classified in the high priority category of biothreat agents DNV3681 demonstrated a superior in vitro efficacy compared to Ciprofloxacin which is the product of reference when exposed to Bacillus anthracis These data will be presented during ASM 2019 which will take place from the 20 th to the 24 th of June 2019 in San Francisco DNV3681 is the active molecule of DNV3837, developed in parallel by DEINOVE as a potential treatment for gastrointestinal infections caused by Clostridium difficile DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI), a French biotech company that uses a disruptive approach to develop innovative antibiotics and bio-based active ingredients for cosmetics and nutrition, announces that Maj. Steven Zumbrun, Ph.D. from the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) will present, at the annual congress of the American Society of Microbiology, results of the DNV3681 in vitro evaluation against Bacillus anthracis and Francisella tularensis: SESSION P442 - AAR08 - New Antimicrobial Agents (pre-Phase 2): Novel Inhibitors of Protein and DNA Synthesis Poster AAR-789 - DNV3681 is a Novel Quinolonyl-Oxazolidinone Antibacterial with Potent Activity against Biothreat Pathogens. S. D. Zumbrun, S. A. Halasohoris, L. L. Miller, L. M. Pysz & G. Gaudriault Bacillus anthracis and Francisella tularensis are classified as two of the most dangerous possible biological weapons. Such research could lead to another application for DNV3681, the active molecule of DNV3837 currently being tested by DEINOVE as a treatment targeting Clostridium difficile, the bacterium that causes gastrointestinal infections. The standar of care against Bacillus anthracis and Francisella tularensis is currently Ciprofloxacin, a synthetic large spectrum antibiotic from the fluoroquinolones family. Several pathogenic bacterial species have already developed a resistance against this family of antibiotics and the long treatment needed for Post-exposure Prophylaxis of Anthrax very often triggers a major intestinal microbiota imbalance leading to likely Clostridioides difficile infections. Therefore, there is an urgency to make efficient and validated alternatives available. The fact that the DNV3681 is precisely very active against both Bacillus anthracis and Clostridioides difficile makes it an ideal candidate to fulfill that need. About USAMRIID: USAMRIID is celebrating its 50th year of providing leading edge medical capabilities to deter and defend against current and emerging biological threat agents. The Institute is the only laboratory in the Department of Defense equipped to safely study highly hazardous viruses requiring maximum containment at Biosafety Level 4. Research conducted at USAMRIID leads to medical solutionsvaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and informationthat benefit both military personnel and civilians. Established in 1969, the Institute plays a key role as the lead military medical research laboratory for the Defense Threat Reduction Agencys Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. USAMRIID is a subordinate laboratory of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. For more information, visit www.usamriid.army.mil. [The information contained in this press release does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.] ABOUT DEINOVE DEINOVE is a French biotechnology company, a leader in disruptive innovation, which aims to help meet the challenges of antibiotic resistance and the transition to a sustainable production model for the cosmetics and nutrition industries. DEINOVE has developed a unique and comprehensive expertise in the field of rare bacteria that it can decipher, culture, and optimize to disclose unsuspected possibilities and induce them to produce biobased molecules with activities of interest on an industrial scale. To do so, DEINOVE has been building and documenting since its creation an unparalleled biodiversity bank that it exploits thanks to a unique technological platform in Europe. DEINOVE is organized around two areas of expertise: ANTIBIOTICS, new-generation anti-infective agents : DEINOVE is preparing to enter a first antibiotic candidate, DNV3837, into Phase II. The Company is also pursuing the systematic exploration of biodiversity to supply its portfolio with new leads, drawing notably on partnerships with Naicons, bioMerieux, and Institut Pasteur (AGIR program supported by Bpifrance). : DEINOVE is preparing to enter a first antibiotic candidate, DNV3837, into Phase II. The Company is also pursuing the systematic exploration of biodiversity to supply its portfolio with new leads, drawing notably on partnerships with Naicons, bioMerieux, and Institut Pasteur (AGIR program supported by Bpifrance). BIOACTIVES, Active ingredients of natural origin with cosmetics as the first market and potential in nutrition and health: DEINOVE already markets a first innovative active ingredient, a second in partnership with Greentech, while two others are in development with Oleos (Hallstar Group). It also runs a program in animal nutrition with Avril Group. Within the Euromedecine science park located in Montpellier, DEINOVE employs 62 employees, mainly researchers, engineers, and technicians, and has filed more than 310 patent applications internationally. The Company has been listed on EURONEXT GROWTH since April 2010. CONTACTS Investors Coralie Martin Communication, Marketing and Investor Relations Ph.: +33 (0)4 48 19 01 60 [email protected] Media ALIZE RP - Aurore Gangloff / Catherine Megelas Ph.: +33 (0)1 44 54 36 66 [email protected] Attachment 190520_DEINOVE_PR_USAMRIID [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 4 Out of 5 Developers Cite Lack of Automation as Obstacle to Timely Code Delivery, According to Codefresh Survey KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe -- Driven by the trend of microservices creating complexity in code delivery and every company becoming a technology company, the software development community is under enormous pressure to deliver high-quality, leading-edge, and scalable code to an insatiable market. Data from a new survey by Codefresh exposes the relentless pressure, with 32 percent reporting they were not using any CI/CD tools at all, and about 60 percent agreeing that their organizations are "not using the right amount of automation to enable individual developers to increase velocity." Details about the resulting code production bottlenecks are described in a new blog, "Why do engineering teams struggle to deploy faster? One word: automation." The survey results were announced today during KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe where Codefresh, 1st place winner of Microsoft's (News - Alert) "Startups at Build: Attendee Choice Award," is exhibiting at Booth SE22. "The key competitive advantage for every company is the ability to quickly and continuously deliver high quality, differentiated software," said Dan Garfield, hief Technology Evangelist for Codefresh. "But developers are coding with one hand tied behind their backs, screaming for better automation to help test, build, integrate and deliver code. Automation is even more critical as developers try to navigate microservices, Kubernetes, and the cloud." The CI/CD tool provider conducted the survey with software engineers, operations managers, C-level executives, security engineers, DevOps engineers/administrators, software engineering managers, QA engineers, and software architects. The purpose was to learn more about how the development community is using automation tools to improve individual developer velocity and productivity, and to help engineers better understand and respond to changes in production and staging. The results were surprising: 63.6% said it takes more than two weeks for a commit to reach production with nearly a third only releasing quarterly. In contrast, 18.5% responded they deploy at least once daily. 39% reported that less than 10% of their company's processes are automated from Git commit to code running in production. 21.4% said they are not using cloud native architectures because they are overwhelmed by the prospect. Codefresh's CI/CD platform provides automation for building, testing and deploying modern applications using Kubernetes, serverless and more. Development teams often see 24x faster engineering cycles when using Codefresh. Earlier this month, Codefresh announced new features that streamline CI/CD tool adoption to dramatically decrease onboarding time. On June 4, Codefresh, Microsoft, and Aqua are hosting Kubernetes DevSecOps Summit NYC to share productivity best practices and more. To register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kubernetes-devsecops-summit-nyc-tickets-55542540233 About Codefresh, Inc. Founded in 2014, Codefresh is the first Kubernetes-native CI/CD. After GA in 2017, Codefresh has gained tens of thousands of users. Unlike legacy solutions, Codefresh pipelines are uniquely designed for cloud-native technologies like Kubernetes and Helm. Codefresh is headquartered in Mountain View, CA (News - Alert) and backed by world-class investors: M12, Microsoft's venture fund, Viola Ventures, Vertex Ventures, Hillsven, CEIIF, UpWest Labs and Streamlined Ventures. Learn more about Codefresh at https://codefresh.io/. Follow on LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) at @codefresh. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190519005038/en/ [May 20, 2019] Modulr Raises 14m in Scale-up Capital to Fuel Growth Modulr, the Payments as a Service API Platform for digital businesses, today announced that it has completed an investment of 14m. The investment round has been led by new investors Frog Capital as well as further investment from existing investors including Blenheim Chalcot. This scale-up capital takes the total amount raised to 24.5m and will enable Modulr to accelerate its vision of enabling partners and direct clients to quickly and easily integrate new payment services into their core products. The Modulr platform delivers a fully integrated service providing a fast, easy and reliable digital alternative to processing payments via traditional business and corporate banking. Modulr is already moving billions of pounds for businesses across alternative lending, employment services, accounting platforms, marketplaces, FinTech companies and the travel industry. The total value of payments in and out of Modulr's platform exceeded 10 Billion this month, since the start of 2017. The capital will help increase the speed at which new payment types and functionality are added to the Modulr platform which will accelerate growth into existing industry verticals as well as supporting entry into new industry verticals. The capital will support the continued growth of the teams located in London and Edinburgh, two of the UK & Europe's leading FinTech hubs. The recent establishment of an additional office in Dublin will be the focus for expansion into Europe. Myles Stephenson, Chief Executive, Modulr, said: "We're extremely pleased to have completed our latest funding round, led by Frog Capital, and to have found a likeminded investor to work closely withthe leadership team and our existing lead investor, Blenheim Chalcot, to pursue the significant global opportunity for our business. We've rapidly demonstrated the size of the market opportunity having processed more than 10bn of payments through the platform in our first two full years of operation. The investment allows us to take the next step in pursuing our vision to become the world's leading digital alternative for commercial & wholesale payments". Jens Duing, Senior Partner, Frog Capital, said: "Ever since the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) we have monitored the markets across Europe for leading innovative scale-ups addressing this sizeable segment. Modulr stood out with the quality of its team, its product and the unrivalled traction the company has already managed to achieve." Rob Devey, Chair & Senior Non-Executive Director, Modulr, & Advisory Partner, Blenheim Chalcot, said: "We are delighted to have Frog onboard and we are greatly looking forward to working together to capture the massive opportunity that lies ahead." -ENDS- About Modulr Modulr is the Payments as a Service API platform for digital businesses and can be integrated into any product or system. Modulr's new type of payment accounts are built for businesses that need a faster, easier and more reliable way to move money. Once integrated, businesses can instantly set up as many accounts as they need. Getting paid, reconciling and making payments is fully automated and can be managed in real-time, 24/7 through their existing software applications. Modulr's API makes it easy for businesses to streamline existing services, launch new products and scale more efficiently. Modulr combines its API enabled platform with authorisation from the UK's Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Electronic Money Institution to deliver a fully regulated service. For further information - please go to www.modulrfinance.com About Frog Frog is a specialist European software investor, investing in companies at the Scale-Up stage. They invest in businesses that have proven product-market fit, strong momentum and positive unit economics, typically with 3m+ revenues and 40% growth. Frog work with the companies they invest in using their 'Scale-Up Methodology' to help continue their growth. With a team of VC/PE investors, operational experts and entrepreneurs, they provide the required advice and skill-set at the Scale-Up stage across a broad range of sectors. This reduces downside risk, while creating value and maximising the upside. For further information - please go to www.frogcapital.com About Blenheim Chalcot Blenheim Chalcot is the UK's leading digital venture builder, investing more than just funds; they invest knowledge and experience, ideas and infrastructure. They specialise in digital businesses that transform industries. Their approach is to identify high growth sectors, typically undergoing some market, technology or regulatory discontinuity, and look to build scalable platforms that satisfy real customer needs. Blenheim Chalcot aim to build profitable companies, with sustainable business models. Working alongside entrepreneurs and co-founders, they support ventures from start-up to scale-up to exit, giving them access to the global networks and services they need to grow. This support is bolstered by the innovative partnerships they forge with big businesses. Blenheim Chalcot's digital expertise helps their ventures be more agile, while their partners' global scope helps them scale faster. For further information - please go to www.blenheimchalcot.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005059/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] 9stacks Launches Pokerface With Gopal Datt: India's First Poker Chat Show NEW DELHI, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pokerface with Gopal Datt is a first-of-its-kind poker chat show which celebrates the lives and stories of poker players. This first episode can be watched on the 9stacks YouTube Channel here. Episode 2 of the series was released on Friday, 17th May 2019, on the 9stacks YouTube channel. The episode that has Datt interview poker heavyweight Deepak Bothra and TVF Bachelors fame Badri Chavan, can be watched here. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/752337/9stacks_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/888264/Pokerface_chat_show.jpg ) The twist is that each episode features one actor/celebrity and one poker player, and gets both to spill the beans about their journey to fame and fortune. In a fun way, this draws parallels between the featured celebrities and poker players and celebrates the achievements of both guests. The first episode of the show, hosted by Gopal Datt (the Internet's very own funny man), features Amol Parashar, of TVF Tripling fame, and one of India's top poker players Nishant Sharma. Last year Nishant won the highest ever prize money by an Indian poker player at the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas. Nishant, along with fellow poker pro Vivek Rughani, was part of the 9stacks Team India at the World Series of Poker and they became the first two Indians to enter the top 100 in the prestigious WSOP Main Event. Read the article here. In the episode, Nishant speaks candidly about achieving his poker dreams and how he became a 'Hero' for other players in the industry. Many players now come to him for advice on their gameplay and some even ask him for selfies. His 'Bina Darre' playing style has won many hearts. Nishant is accompanied by the celebrated actor Amol Parashar, who is also an avid poker player himself. An IIT Delhi alumnus, Amol was always into acting and was very interested in theatre. Amol recalled how his poker skills helped him sniff out a bluff early in his career: "Once I was offered a film with big casts like Mr. Amitabh Bachhan, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharman Joshi. Since I was new in the industry, I was asked to attend the workshop for the same where I was asked to pay Rs. 15,000 as room rent. I couldnt help but smell a bluff there. I mean, after all, if they were such a big film company, they surely wouldn't ask me to pay Rs. 15,000 to book a room to rehearse in, right?" Many more revelations came in the rapid fire segment of the show where the answers were 'rapid and full of fire'. Unlike Koffee with Karan, the guests here got a lot of love instead of hampers! Catch the full episode on the 9stacks YouTube channel here. About 9stacks 9stacks is India's fastest growing online poker platform which provides a fun gaming experience with its easy-to-use interface, fastest withdrawals, attractive promotions and leaderboard prizes. 9stacks founders: Sudhir Kamath is an IIM-A alumnus and ex-McKinsey consultant with over 17 years of experience. Prior to 9stacks, he was CEO of Suntera Energy. Pratik Kumar is an IIT KGP alumnus, with over 12 years of experience in e-commerce and online marketing. He was the CMO of Nykaa.com and founding team member of Zivame.com Abhinav Nigam is an IIT KGP alumnus and ex-BCG consultant, with over 12 years of experience with Accenture Strategy and the Boston Consulting Group Rishab Mathur is an IIT KGP alumnus with over 12 years of experience in technology. He was head of mobile technology for Nearbuy and CTO of 9monks and Blot Canvas. Updates on 9stacks can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Blog. Website: www.9stacks.com Media Contact: Prashaste Sinha [email protected] +91-9870409138 9stacks [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Openreach leverages ADVA demarcation technology for nationwide small cell rollout MEF 3.0-certified compact cell site gateway device with full phase sync support key to 5G mobile services London, UK. May 20, 2019. ADVA (FSE: ADV) today announced that Openreach, the infrastructure division of BT Group, is deploying the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro Series to enable mobile network operators (MNOs) to roll out small cell services throughout the UK. Openreach will house the compact edge demarcation product in street furniture access points to support its Street Access service. The ultra-compact version of the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro is the smallest cell site gateway device on the market with a ruggedized design for deployment in challenging and space restrictive environments. MEF 3.0-certified and with a uniquely rich feature set, it will support Openreachs 1Gbit/s Carrier Ethernet and IP services and deliver the precise phase synchronization needed for 5G mobile connectivity. The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro is a key tool in our drive to address urgent small cell challenges. Its design and feature set enables us to roll out the highly efficient mobile backhaul architecture we need to support our 1Gbit/s Street Access product as well as LTE Advanced and 5G services, said Mark Logan, product director, Openreach. The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro requires no expensive air conditioning system. It also has an extremely compact form factor coupled with a design ruggedized to withstand harsh conditions, making it ideal for deployment in lampposts and street cabinets. And, despite being the smallest network terminating equipment solution on te market, the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro provides true carrier-class capabilities including automated testing, in-service monitoring and full phase sync support. A unique combination of features makes the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro an important linchpin for connecting small cell sites. Easy to install and simple to configure, this highly compact member of the market-leading ADVA FSP 150 family provides a comprehensive set of protocols for fast and efficient service activation, testing and monitoring. With multi-layer Carrier Ethernet and IP integration, service lifecycle management and precise, assured distribution of phase and frequency synchronization, the ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro ensures that Openreach can cover a wide range of applications with a single demarcation product. The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro offers open programming interfaces, supporting bandwidth slicing, and provides unrivalled deployment flexibility through moisture resistance, extended temperature range and power-over-Ethernet support. Mobile data consumption is soaring and MNOs need to keep pace by rapidly improving capacity, reliability and availability. But with mobile broadband revenues rising more slowly, a major efficiency boost in the backhaul infrastructure is needed. Our FSP 150-GO102Pro is the way forward, commented Sarah Mendham, senior director, sales, ADVA. Being selected by Openreach to take the UKs MNO market to the next level highlights the unique value of our FSP 150-GO102Pro. No other range of outdoor Carrier Ethernet and IP demarcation technology can provide all the capabilities weve squeezed into our compact device. Standout features include a highly automated provisioning process that minimizes manual configuration and service activation time. Whats more, our device couldnt be easier to install and manage. The ADVA FSP 150-GO102Pro will be on display at SCWS World from May 20 to May 22. Further details on the solution can be found in this video: https://youtu.be/5He71xEMtFQ . About ADVA ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. Were continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. Its these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to todays society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at: www.advaoptical.com . Published by: ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany www.advaoptical.com For press: Gareth Spence t +44 1904 699 358 [email protected] For investors: Stephan Rettenberger t +49 89 890 665 854 [email protected] Attachment 190520 - Openreach press release product image.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] World MBSE Cyber System Experience Symposium: Dassault Systemes CATIA Cyber Systems with No Magic - a New World of 3DEXPERIENCE Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced its MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium (formerly No Magic World Symposium), the only event dedicated entirely to the design and engineering of cyber systems, will take place May 19-22, 2019 in Allen, Texas. For the ninth consecutive year, this unique, four-day experience will examine the latest practices and innovations in model-based systems engineering for developing the Internet of Experiences, where smart, autonomous products and devices digitally connect to the physical world around them to become part of a living experience blending product, nature and life. The MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium will showcase Dassault Systemes' (News - Alert) CATIA No Magic applications, which are used by the aerospace and defense, transportation and mobility, high-tech and life sciences industries worldwide to transform the development of any complex cyber-connected system such as ones in autonomous cars, aerospace programs, or cities. The future of those applications powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform will be revealed. More than 500 attendees will hear from leading industry and academic experts in model-based systems engineering, product lifecycle management, product line engineering and enterprise architecture at BAE Systems, Boeing, Ford Motor Company, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman (News - Alert), Stanford University Department of Medicine/Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and the University of Oxford among others. Two keynote sessions will be delivered on the second day of the event. Bernard Charles, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systemes, will offer his insights on cyber systems in the Age of Experience, today's era in which the way people experience a product has more value than the product itself. Chris Davey, Senior Manager of the R&A Systems Engineerin, Safety & CAE Group, Ford Motor Company (News - Alert), will discuss leveraging model-based systems engineering in the design and analysis of highly distributed autonomous systems. Additional highlights from the symposium's agenda include: Panel discussions "The Future of Autonomous Vehicle Development" and "Model-Based Systems Engineering: Where are the boundaries?" Workshops on the latest 3DEXPERIENCE platform capabilities and CATIA No Magic applications for model-based systems engineering, modeling and simulation Demo Theater featuring scheduled 20-minute demonstrations of solutions by Dassault Systemes' partners and customers Exclusive access to full-day and half-day training sessions on best practices in MBSE Four days of networking opportunities with chief information officers, software architects, systems engineers, business analysts, developers and project managers "The caliber of speakers and topics at our MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium highlights the incredible commitment from our CATIA No Magic users and champions to sharing their experiences, as well as the strong dynamic we share with them in driving new opportunities for industrial innovation," said Philippe Laufer, CEO, CATIA, Dassault Systemes. "It demonstrates that CATIA No Magic has set, and will continue to set, the new standards for all cyber-connected systems that the world of engineering wants to create and produce, to deliver new experiences for citizens and people." The MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium, formerly named the No Magic World Symposium prior to Dassault Systemes' acquisition of No Magic, is part of Dassault Systemes' greater mission to generalize systems engineering with its 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Social media: Share this on Twitter (News - Alert): Ninth annual MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium to examine intelligent systems behind the Internet of Experiences #IndustryRenaissance #3DEXPERIENCE @Dassault3DS Connect with Dassault Systemes on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube For more information: Dassault Systemes' MBSE Cyber Experience Symposium full agenda: https://mbsecyberexperience2019.com/agenda Dassault Systemes' CATIA applications: https://www.3ds.com/products-services/catia/ Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 250,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA (News - Alert), BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005258/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] AI Skills - 93% of Organizations Committed to AI but Skills Shortage Poses Considerable Challenge Most organizations are fully invested in AI but more than half don't have the required in-house skilled talent to execute their strategy, according to new research from SnapLogic. The study found that 93% of US and UK organizations consider AI to be a business priority and have projects planned or already in production. However, more than half of them (51%) acknowledge that they don't have the right mix of skilled AI talent in-house to bring their strategies to life. Indeed, a lack of skilled talent was cited as the number one barrier to progressing their AI initiatives, followed by, in order, lack of budget, lack of access to the right technology and tools, and lack of access to useful data. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005100/en/ New research from SnapLogic reveals organizations are fully invested in AI but a lack of access to skilled talent, technology, and data is holding them back. (Graphic: Business Wire) The new research, conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of SnapLogic, studied the views and perspectives of IT decision makers (ITDMs) across several industries, asking key questions such as: where is your organization in its AI/ML journey, what are the top barriers your organization is facing when executing your AI initiatives, does your organization have employees in-house with the required skillset to execute your strategy, and what are the top skills and attributes you are looking for in your AI team? Where are organizations in their AI/ML journey? When asked where organizations are in their AI/ML journey, most (93%) ITDMs claim to be fully invested in AI. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of organizations in the US and UK have initiated an AI project during the past three years, with the US leading the UK at 78% compared to 6% uptake. Looking at specific industry sectors, the financial services industry is most progressive with 80% having current AI projects in place, followed closely by the retail, distribution and transport sector (76%), and the business and professional services sector (72%). Surprisingly, the IT industry was found to be among the least progressive in AI uptake with 70% having projects actively in place. Key barriers holding AI initiatives back Despite strong levels of AI uptake, organizations are being held back by significant barriers. More than half (51%) of ITDMs in the US and UK do not have the right in-house AI talent to execute their strategy. In the UK, this in-house skill shortage is considerably more acute, with 73% lacking the needed talent compared to 41% in the US. In both the US and UK, manufacturing and IT are challenged the most from this in-house talent shortage. In the UK, 69% of manufacturing organizations and 56% of those in the IT sector raise lack of in-house talent as the top barrier. Likewise, in the US, those two sectors face similar challenges, with 50% in manufacturing and 41% in the IT industry citing lack of in-house talent as the primary barrier. Behind lack of access to skilled talent, ITDMs in the US and UK also consider a lack of budget (32%) to be a key issue holding them back, followed by a lack of access to the right technologies and tools (28%), as well as a lack of access to useful data (26%). Building the right AI team Interestingly, the priority skills and attributes that organizations are looking for in their AI team are coding, programming, and software development (35%), with data visualization and analytics considered to be a priority by 33% of ITDMs. An understanding of governance, security, and ethics is also considered a necessary skill (34%). Just over a quarter of ITDMs (27%) are looking for talent with an advanced degree in a field closely related to AI/ML. To build the right AI team, an impressive 68% said they are investing in retraining and upskilling existing employees. Nearly 58% of ITDMs indicated they are identifying and recruiting skilled talent from other companies and organizations, while almost half (49%) believe that recruiting from universities is important to getting an effective AI team in place. Gaurav Dhillon, CEO at SnapLogic, commented, "The AI uptake figures are very encouraging, but key barriers to execution remain in both the US and UK. For organizations to accelerate their AI initiatives, they must upskill and recruit the right talent and invest in new technology and tools. Today's self-service and low-code technologies can help bridge the gap, effectively democratizing AI and machine learning by getting these transformative capabilities into the hands of more workers at every skill level, thus moving the modern enterprise into the age of automation." About the research The research was conducted by independent research house Vanson Bourne in March 2019 on behalf of SnapLogic. A total of 300 IT decision makers participated in the study, representing organizations with more than 1,000 employees across the United States and the United Kingdom. About Vanson Bourne Vanson Bourne is an independent specialist in market research for the technology sector. Their reputation for robust and credible research-based analysis is founded upon rigorous research principles and their ability to seek the opinions of senior decision makers across technical and business functions, in all business sectors and all major markets. For more information, visit vansonbourne.com. About SnapLogic SnapLogic provides the #1 Intelligent Integration Platform. The company's AI-powered workflows and self-service integration capabilities make it fast and easy for organizations to manage all their application integration, data integration, and data engineering projects on a single, scalable platform. Hundreds of Global 2000 customers - including Adobe (News - Alert), AstraZeneca, Box, Emirates, Schneider Electric, and Wendy's - rely on SnapLogic to automate business processes, accelerate analytics, and drive digital transformation. Learn more at snaplogic.com. Connect with SnapLogic via our Blog, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005100/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Fir Tree Comments on Shareholder Proposals Delivered to JR Kyushu to Help the Company Achieve its Full Potential Fir Tree Partners ("Fir Tree"), manager of certain funds that reported collective beneficial ownership of approximately 6.1% of the outstanding shares of Kyushu Railway Company ("JR Kyushu" or the "Company") (TSE ticker 9142) in the amendment to their large shareholding report disclosed on March 22, 2019, today issued the following statement regarding Fir Tree's recent shareholder proposals, for the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting") to be held on June 21, 2019. Fir Tree also today launched a website (www.ABetterWayforJRK.com) to provide stakeholders with additional information regarding its engagement with JR Kyushu. An investor presentation on the Company is available on this website. On May 13th, JR Kyushu announced certain corporate governance updates and also noted its opinion on Fir Tree's proposals. Fir Tree is encouraged by certain elements of the Company's announcement, but believes additional changes are required. In particular, Fir Tree notes the following positive developments by the Company: 1. Nominating two new independent director nominees for election at the Annual Meeting - highlighting JR Kyushu's openness to outside perspectives on the Board; 2. Introducing a performance-based stock compensation plan - providing the Executive Directors on the Board and the management team greater alignment with shareholders. However, more remains to be done. The share price reaction and financial analyst community commentary after the May 13th announcement clearly shows disappointment. This reaction follows on the heels of historical share price underperformance relative to its peers. Fir Tree's proposals are the result of extensive work over a period of nearly three years, in which it has worked with experts and consultants in real estate, transportation and corporate governance to ensure its proposals would be reasonable and balance the needs of all stakeholders, including providing significant financial flexibility for JR Kyushu's robust capital plan for the continued safety of its railway passengers. Fir Tree's proposals eek to address several key issues: 1. Inefficient capital structure resulting in a higher cost of capital and lower return on equity Fir Tree's proposal: Issue debt to repurchase 10% of outstanding shares. 2. Corporate governance Fir Tree's proposal: Implement a Three-Committee Board structure. 3. Questionable goal alignment between the Board and the Company's performance Fir Tree's proposal: Implement a stock compensation plan for directors on the Board. 4. Lack of industry expertise on Board Fir Tree's proposal: Elect three outside independent industry experts to the Board. For more details on these proposals please consult Fir Tree's website: www.ABetterWayforJRK.com. Aaron Stern, Managing Director and Partner at Fir Tree, said: "We appreciate that JR Kyushu's recent announcements acknowledge and reflect, to a degree, Fir Tree's input and recommendations in our shareholder proposals submitted to the Company. Specifically, we are pleased to see JR Kyushu take some initial steps towards adding independent directors to the Board and introducing a stock compensation program at the Board and management level. However, based on several years of engagement with the Company, we firmly believe that more change is needed in order to fully address the issues that we have highlighted." "We are disappointed that JR Kyushu chose to oppose our three highly qualified, independent nominees, especially after Fir Tree had ongoing proactive conversations with the Company, followed by what we understand were very positive discussions by the Company with our nominees. These nominees have significant professional and strong personal ties to Japan and possess superior experience in the specific areas that we believe are critical to the Company's success, including real estate, corporate finance, M&A and corporate communications. If elected, these three individuals would work towards growing JR Kyushu's long-term potential and help the Company continue on its growth path." "We continue to believe all JR Kyushu shareholders deserve a Board which firmly adopts the best practices of the Corporate Governance Code and balances shareholder returns with future investments." "We look forward to further discussing our ideas and nominees with our fellow shareholders." About Fir Tree Partners Fir Tree Partners, founded in 1994 and located in New York City (HQ) and Miami, is a value-oriented investment manager that invests on behalf of endowments, charitable and philanthropic foundations, pension funds and other institutional and private investors. The firm has successfully applied its opportunistic approach across a wide array of asset classes, industries and geographies, including in Japan where it has been actively investing for nearly a decade. Fir Tree Partners has adopted Japan's Stewardship Code. Important Notice This press release should not be construed as asking for an agreement on Fir Tree's proposals or soliciting any person to authorize Fir Tree or any third party to exercise voting rights on such person's behalf with respect to the election of directors of JR Kyushu or any other matter to be presented to shareholders at JR Kyushu's upcoming Annual General Meeting (the "AGM"). Fir Tree intends to encourage fellow shareholders to cast their votes against certain proposals by JR Kyushu and in favor of Fir Tree's proposals by either attending the AGM or using the voting card enclosed with the convocation notice that will be sent by JR Kyushu. This press release is not intended and should not be considered to solicit, encourage, induce or seek for fellow shareholders to authorize Fir Tree or any other third party as their proxy in exercising their voting rights on their behalf. This press release is based solely on Fir Tree's own analysis and information made publicly available by JR Kyushu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005312/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Snapsheet announces Series E funding round, driving the future of claims management for the insurance industry CHICAGO, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Snapsheet, a pioneer in virtual claims solutions, today announced that it has closed $29 million in Series E funding. The funding will enable Snapsheet to accelerate the delivery of its end-to-end SaaS claims platform for all lines of property and casualty, further invest in advanced analytics capabilities and expand the team to serve clients globally. "Snapsheet has digitized the entire claims process," said Brad Weisberg, CEO and founder of Snapsheet. "In the last few years, we have advanced our cloud-based claims and analytics solutions. This is no longer just for auto, but across all P&C lines. The evolution of where we are going is making our technology available to clients as SaaS claims solutions." Weisberg added, "We have helped to lead a digital and data-driven revolution that is transforming how our clients engage with their customers and stakeholders across the auto claims ecosystem. Now, we are accelerating and expanding our proven technology, software, and processes. This continues to make a real impact on the auto claims process, but there is so much more that we can do for our clients." With this round, Snapsheet has raised a total of $71 million. The Series E round was led by Tola Capital, a venture capital firm that focuses on enterprise software. It includes participation from new investors, including Nationwide, Sedgwick, and State Auto Labs with participation from existing investors Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, F-Prime Capital, OCA Ventures and an affiliate of USAA. Sheila Gulati, Founder and Managing Director of Tola Capital and Snapsheet Board Member said, "Our insurance carrier customers and partners are experiencing incredible benefits from Snapsheet's end-to-end digital claims workflow, leveraging the best software and data innovation to produce better experiences for end-customers. Every interaction is an opportunity to create greater customer satisfaction and loyalty, and Snapsheet's platform yields both as it streamlines claims experiences for end-customers." FT Partners served as the exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Snapsheet and its board of directors in the transaction. About Snapsheet Snapsheet delivers the best claims experiences globally. We provide unmatched technology and processes that improve customer engagement, provide organizational agility and realize real transformational benefits for more than 75 clients around the world. This is accelerated by how we continuously learn from and evolve our data-driven technology which improves analytics and decision-making across the entire claims process. For more information visit http://www.snapsheetclaims.com/. Connect with Snapsheet on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. About Tola Capital Tola Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on the opportunity to invest in the next wave of enterprise software companies. The firm provides both capital and hands-on engagement to support the growth of its portfolio companies. Tola Capital targets software companies with essential products for enterprise customers, a solid existing customer base, a strong competitive position, and great talent and culture. Tola Capital invests globally and across multiple stages. https://www.tolacapital.com/ Media Contact: Allyson Marcus 312.755.3592 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/snapsheet-announces-series-e-funding-round-driving-the-future-of-claims-management-for-the-insurance-industry-300852904.html SOURCE Snapsheet [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] SADA Systems Appoints Google Cloud Leader Miles Ward to CTO LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SADA Systems (SADA) , the reigning Google Cloud Global Partner of the Year , has named Miles Ward its new Chief Technical Officer. Ward joins SADA from Google, where he was Director and Global Lead for Solutions at Google Cloud. He founded Google Clouds Solutions Architecture practice, built a Style-Detection AI API , and helped customers like Twitter migrate the worlds largest Hadoop cluster to public cloud. Wards expertise developing and deploying public cloud solutions, and his Google Cloud experience in particular, will be invaluable as SADA grows its professional and managed services portfolio. As SADA CTO, Wards focus will be on driving SADAs cloud strategy, reinforcing its engineering culture, and engaging with customers on their most complex and ambitious plans around Google Cloud. His timing in joining SADA couldnt be better. Last month the company was named 2018 Google Cloud Global Partner of the Year, and in March, SADA sold its Microsoft business unit so it could focus exclusively on Google Cloud. SADA has a long and successful history with Google Cloud . The company was a launch partner to Google on Google Apps (now G Suite) and has migrated over 3,000 companies to Google Cloud, including Colgate-Palmolive, Hunterdon Healthcare, TVG/Betfair, Media News Group, Hackensack Meridian Health and Marriott. As a Google Cloud Premier Partner, SADA provides a range of services to Google Cloud users, including technology consultation and assessment, planning and implementation, customization and development, change management and managed services. Miles deeply technical background at the cutting-edge of Google Cloud, including Anthos, makes him an ideal fit for SADA, says Tony Safoian, president and CEO at SADA. He is an extremely well-respected leader who will fit in perfectly with our innovation and engineering-centric culture. We are excited to add someone to our leadership team with tremendous experience in helping enterprise companies leverage Google Cloud to achieve real transformation. Our customers are going to benefit greatly from his ability to guide their cloud journeys. I am absolutely geeked to join SADA as CTO, says Ward. Tony and the SADA team are the Gold Standard; nobody is faster, more innovative or more tenacious about their customers success than SADA. They know whats up: the hard-earned experience, business acumen and technical chops they bring to the table unlocks the value, the opportunity of cloud. I am thrilled to join their team and help SADA, and its customers achieve even greater success. About SADA Systems SADA Systems, Inc. is a privately-held global leader in cloud technology consulting services that transform businesses through innovative cloud-based solutions. As a Google Cloud Premier Partner and 2018 Google Cloud Global Partner of the Year, SADA has gained global accolades as an exceptional service provider with proven expertise in enterprise consulting, cloud platform migration, custom application development, managed services, user adoption and change management. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 America's Fastest Growing Private Companies for eleven years, CRNs MSP Elite 150, the 2018 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles, and 2018 Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces. SADA prides itself on continuous innovation, strong partnerships and corporate culture, and exceptional customer service. Media contact: Kevin Wolf TGPR (650) 483-1552 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Three HKTDC initiatives boost local start-up ecosystem HONG KONG, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) ran three initiatives in May as part of its annual event, "International Start-up Week", with the aim of cultivating a vibrant start-up ecosystem in Hong Kong. The HKTDC initiatives included the launch of the HK Startup Society's online platform and its offline start-up community; the start-up development programme Start-up Express; and a series of exhibitions, symposiums and seminars under the Entrepreneur Day banner. New community platform to help start-ups build networks The HK Startup Society's launch event, hosted by HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong last week at the R One Space co-working facility in Causeway Bay, kickstarted the HKTDC's first start-up platform. Several local and international start-up entrepreneurs, including Alvin Lam, Founder of T12M Ventures Limited, Raymond Wyand, Co-founder and CEO of Gini, and Sergio Pachon, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Kiwi Campus Inc, joined the event. The HK Startup Society is an online platform giving local start-ups access to exclusively curated content provided by elite start-up entrepreneurs, including the most up-to-date market information on angel funds, incubation programmes and start-up events. The platform also hosts "peer-to-expert" and "peer-to-peer" forums that provide quick access to quality feedback and advice. The platform is now open for registration, free of charge. To further promote the local start-up ecosystem, the HK Startup Society will organise offline meet-ups and networking events, enabling start-ups to connect with investors, potential partners and international outlets. "Hong Kong is an attractive market in terms of its business advantages and robust start-up ecosystem. The HK Startup Society offers the right knowledge and opportunities to build networks, which is crucial as start-ups get off the ground," said Sergio Pachon, whose company developed a campus robot delivery service company in the United States. Record 18,600-plus visitors attend Entrepreneur Day The 11th HKTDC Entrepreneur Day (E-Day), held on 16 and 17 May, saw visitor numbers increasing by 2% compared to last year, reaching a record of more than 18,600 visitors. Under the theme "The Start-up Living Lab", the 2019 E-Day brought together more than 280 exhibitors, showcasing innovative products, technologies and a variety of entrepreneur support services. This year's exhibition also encouraged start-ups and prospective entrepreneurs to create solutions for challenges in four different areas of everyday life - clothing, food, housing and transportation -- through innovation, research and development, and product creation. Various special events were held in parallel with the exhibition. They included seminars held at the Start-up Runway, which saw renowned speakers sharing insights into technology trends and business opportunities, and the GBA Compass seminar that focused on the development of start-ups in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The event's first collaboration with Young Founders School, the E-Living Hackathon, allowed prospective entrepreneurs to design solutions to address daily annoyances, while the Fund & Mentor Business Matching Session engaged entrepreneurs and investors in one-on-one pairings. 10 Start-Up Express winners enjoy access to top-quality events The second Start-up Express Pitching Final, held during Entrepreneur Day, yielded 10 winners: Affluent Growth & Innovation Technology Limited, ARTRO Digital Limited, Contact Beverage Limited, CYC Motor Limited, Doki Technologies Limited, Incus Company Limited, MedEXO Robotics ( Hong Kong) Company Limited, Miscato Limited, Quikec International Limited, and RaSpect Intelligence Inspection Limited. The winning start-ups covered four fields, namely biotech, artificial intelligence (AI), smart city and fintech. The 10 finalists of Start-up Express 2019 were selected by a panel of judges led by Duncan Chiu, Co-founder and Managing Director of Radiant Venture Capital. Joining Mr Chiu on the panel were Calvin Choi, Chairman and CEO of AMTD Group; Prof Guanhua Chen, Co-founder of Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform; Jason Chiu, CEO of Cherrypicks; Jimmy Tao Managing Director and CEO of Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited. Stephen Liang, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, and Louisa Lui, Assistant Executive Director of Our Hong Kong Foundation, joined the award presentation ceremony. Our Hong Kong Foundation and AMTD Group and are the official partner and strategic partner of Start-up Express, respectively. "Start-up Express nurtures a new generation of start-ups. Through continuous collaboration, we look to foster local talents and promote innovative and sustainable development in Hong Kong," said Our Hong Kong Foundation's Louisa Lui. AMTD Group's Calvin Choi added: "We witnessed high-quality applicants this year, many of their applications making use of advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, big data, environmental technology, financial technology, Internet of Things, medical technology and tourism technology. Through Start-up Express, AMTD Group will support the growth journey of the 10 start-ups and help Hong Kong develop into a smart city through our international capital market experience and extensive network." Koofy Development Limited, one of the 10 winning start-ups from the Pitching Final in 2018, received angel funding from one of the programme's panel judges. The company also connected with business partners and tapped into new markets, including Europe and Japan, through the marketing activities, numerous exhibitions and business events arranged by the HKTDC. "Through Start-up Express, we got the opportunity to join high-impact exhibitions with relatively high entry requirements, such as MWC [Mobile World Congress, held in Barcelona], which is something very precious for a start-up like us. Having gained recognition in the market through our affiliation with the HKTDC, our new business partners have greater confidence in us. This is particularly important for uninitiated start-ups," said Ondy Ma, Co-founder and CEO of Koofy. The 10 winning start-ups are entitled to join local and international activities and events including exhibitions organised by the HKTDC in Hong Kong that have a dedicated start-up zone, such as the Asian Financial Forum, Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring & Autumn Editions) and the Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair. They can also join HKTDC overseas flagship events including the "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" mega event that will take place in Los Angeles in the United States later in 2019. Furthermore, the winners will have the opportunity to join the Hong Kong Pavilion at international exhibitions such as MWC and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, USA, to gain first-hand experience and expand their business network. To download photos, please click here: https://bit.ly/2YARg67 File name: RKL_1821.JPG The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) ran three initiatives at last week's "International Start-up Week" with the aim of cultivating a vibrant start-up ecosystem in Hong Kong. The launch event for the HK Startup Society, hosted by HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (second from right) and joined by respected start-up entrepreneurs, kickstarted the HKTDC's first start-up platform File name: RKL_1939.JPG Sergio Pachon, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Kiwi Campus Inc, said Hong Kong is an attractive market in terms of its business advantages and robust start-up ecosystem. He added that the HK Startup Society offers the right knowledge and opportunities to build networks, which is crucial when a company is getting off the ground File name: ZEH_6261.JPG The 11th HKTDC Entrepreneur Day, held over two days (16 and 17 May), saw a record turnout of more than 18,600 visitors, an increase of 2% compared to last year File name: FAI_1124.JPG The Start-up Express Pitching Final, held during Entrepreneur Day, yielded 10 winners. Pictured are the judges, guests and finalists of the competition, which was held as part of the HKTDC's Start-up Express development programme File name: FAI_0853.JPG The 10 finalists of Start-up Express 2019 were selected by a panel of judges led by Duncan Chiu, Co-founder and Managing Director of Radiant Venture Capital, who was accompanied by Calvin Choi, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of AMTD Group; Prof Guanhua Chen, Co-founder of Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform; Jason Chiu, CEO of Cherrypicks; Jimmy Tao Managing Director and CEO of Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited. Stephen Liang, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, and Louisa Lui, Assistant Executive Director of Our Hong Kong Foundation, joined the ceremony to name the winning start-ups File name: FAI_0392.JPG Ondy Ma, Koofy's Co-founder and CEO, said that the company received angel funding from one of the programme's panel judges after being named as one of the 10 winning start-ups in 2018. The company also connected with business partners and tapped into new markets, including Europe and Japan through marketing activities, numerous exhibitions and business events arranged by the HKTDC About the HKTDC The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly SMEs, in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. SOURCE Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Corindus to Showcase CorPath GRX Robotic System at EuroPCR 2019 Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc. ("Corindus" or the "Company") (NYSE American: CVRS), a leading developer of precision vascular robotics, announced today that it will showcase advanced robotic capabilities of the CorPath GRX System at EuroPCR 2019 in Paris, France from May 21-24, 2019. Corindus will use the annual meeting at EuroPCR 2019 to highlight recent milestones in technology development, including the latest CE marked technIQ Smart Procedural Automation, automated movements aimed at improving navigation, lesion crossing, and delivery of therapy. The CorPath System is the world's only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared and CE marked robotic platform for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI (News - Alert)) and peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) procedures. CorPath GRX received CE mark for neurovascular intervention in April 2019, broadening the application of the system to treat all vascular beds in the 33 countries that accept CE mark. "As healthcare providers around the world continue to augment their services with robotics, we are excited to showcase our latest advancements of the CorPath GRX System at EuroPCR," said Mark Toland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Corindus. "We truly value the opportunity to collaborate and engage with global, influential industry leaders within the interventional community and we're honored to take part in EuroPCR for the first time." Jean Fajadet, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist at Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse, France, PCR (News - Alert) Vice-Chairman, and Course Director of EuroPCR, oversaw the installation of CorPath GRX at Clinique Pasteur earlier this year. The installation cemented the facility as the first site in all of Europe to adopt the latest vascular robotic technology. "Partnering with Corindus has allowed us to lead the movement of vascular robotics in Europe," said Jean Fajadet, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist at Clinique Pasteur. "I am impressed with the capabilities of CorPath GRX. The system's ability to control the guiding catheter, the guidewire, and the rapid exchange catheter (balloon or stent) is critical to performing complex procedures. Furthermore, our procedure rooms are equipped almost entirely with remote capabilities. From imaging to procedural control, our physicians have access to essentially everything they need from the control room." EuroPCR, which is the annual meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions, will celebrate its 30th anniversary and will host more than 11,000 participants from across the globe. For attendes interested in an exclusive opportunity to gain firsthand experience with the latest smart procedural automation technology available on the CorPath GRX System, register here and visit Corindus at booth M49 through Friday, May 24, 2019. About Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc. Corindus Vascular Robotics is a global technology leader in robotic-assisted vascular interventions. The Company's CorPath platform is the first FDA-cleared medical device to bring robotic precision to percutaneous coronary and vascular procedures. CorPath GRX is the second generation robotic-assisted technology offering enhancements to the platform by adding important key upgrades that increase precision, improve workflow, and extend the capabilities and range of procedures that can be performed robotically. We are focused on developing innovative robotic solutions to revolutionize treatment of emergent conditions by providing specialized and timely medical care to patients around the world. For additional information, visit www.corindus.com, and follow @CorindusInc. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Corindus to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements in the conditional or future tenses or that includes terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" to be uncertain and forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include comments as to Corindus' beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside Corindus' control. Examples of such statements include statements regarding or such as: That Corindus will showcase advanced robotic capabilities of the CorPath GRX System at EuroPCR 2019 in Paris, France from May 21-24, 2019; Clinique Pastuer leads the movement of vascular robotics in Europe; and The participants expected at the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are described in the sections titled "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as reports on Form 8-K, including, but not limited to the following: our ability to expand our technology platform and achieve the advances necessary for telestenting and remote procedures, including in humans; our ability to expand our technology platform for use in other segments of the vascular intervention market, including neurointerventional and other more complex cardiac interventions; obtaining necessary regulatory approvals for the use on humans and marketing of our products in the United States and in other countries, including for stroke and other neurovascular interventions; the rate of adoption of our CorPath System and the rate of use of our cassettes; risks associated with market acceptance, including pricing and reimbursement; our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights; our need for additional funds to support our operations; our ability to manage expenses and cash flow; factors relating to engineering, regulatory, manufacturing, sales and customer service challenges; potential safety and regulatory issues that could slow or suspend our sales; and the effect of credit, financial and economic conditions on capital spending by our potential customers. Forward looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Corindus undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise that occur after that date. More information is available on Corindus' website at http://www.corindus.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005107/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Global Automotive Artificial Intelligence Market to Garner $8.89 Billion by 2025 at 45.0% CAGR, Says Allied Market Research Rise in demand for enhanced user experience as well as convenience features and growing demand for autonomous vehicle have fueled the growth of the global automotive AI market PORTLAND, Oregon, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Automotive Artificial Intelligence Market by Component (Hardware, Software, and Service), Technology (Machine Learning & Deep Learning, Computer Vision, and Natural Language Processing), and Application (Semi-Autonomous and Autonomous): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017 2025." The report offers a detailed analysis of top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive landscape, key segments, and changing market trends. According to the report, the automotive AI market was pegged at $445.81 million in 2017 and is anticipated to hit $8.89 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 45.0% from 2018 to 2025. Rise in demand for enhanced user experience as well as convenience features and growing demand for autonomous vehicle have fueled the growth of the global automotive AI market. On the other hand, rise in various security & privacy concerns hamper the growth to certain extent. Nevertheless, increasing demand for premium vehicle segment has paved the way for lucrative opportunities in the future. Download Sample at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4638 The hardware segment to maintain its top status- Based on component, the hardware segment accounted for more than two-fifth of the total market in 2017 and is expected to dominate throughout the study period. As one of the most prominent products in the automotive AI market, hardware is the basic requirement to implement AI technology and that's how the segment has come out as the highest revenue generator. The computer vision segment to rule the roost- Based on technology, the computer vision segment garnered the lion's share in 2017, accounting for nearly two-fifth ofthe total share. The widespread use of machine learning and deep learning in the development of autonomous vehicles has spurred the growth. The natural language processing segment, on the other hand, is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 47.0% throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that NLP system manipulates texts and automatically identifies the respective places, voice, speech and tabulate the terms & conditions in a set of human-readable contracts. For Purchase Enquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/4638 North America to dominate the market during the forecast period- Based on region, North America contributed to nearly two-fifth of the total market in 2017 and is expected to remain dominant throughout 2018-2025. The key factors that drive the growth of the North America market include surge in demand for AI, increase in the level of automation, availability of high-end infrastructure, and emergence of internet of things (IoT). Frontrunners in the industry- The report provides an in-depth analysis of the major automotive AI market players and they include Waymo, Intel Corporation, BMW, Microsoft Corporation, Toyota, IBM Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, Micron Technology, Otto Motors, and Tesla Inc. These key players are expanding the scope of their business operations by incorporating innovative products in their product portfolios. Access KNOWLEDGE TREE (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/knowledgetree Knowledge tree is a cloud-based intelligence platform that offers more than 2,000 selective, off-the-shelf reports on niche markets to enable our clients gain deep insights on the latest trends, dynamic technologies, and emerging application areas. Similar Reports: Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Market Expected to Reach $15,273.7 Million by 2025 North America holds a significant share in the global artificial intelligence in manufacturing industry, and Asia-Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR of 57.2%, followed by North America. North America possess high growth potential, due to increase in adoption of industrial robots in the manufacturing sector of the region. Artificial Intelligence as a Service Market (AIaaS Market) to Garner $77,047.7 Million by 2025 North America is among the biggest markets for cognitive computing owing to the presence of numerous large industries and IT infrastructure, which contribute to the growth of the AIaaS market in this region. About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +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 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] XponentialWorks Brings Its Leading Generative and Additive Portfolio Companies to RAPID + TCT 2019 XponentialWorks, a Ventura, Calif.-based venture, advisory and product development firm, today announced that three of its generative design and additive manufacturing portfolio companies plan to commercially launch their products at RAPID + TCT 2019. XponentialWorks specializes in seeding, scaling and transforming companies that are powered by exponential technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, 3D printing and robotics. XponentialWorks plans to demonstrate the latest capabilities from Nexa3D, NXT Factory and ParaMatters, three leading companies that are commercially launching their products for the first time, at the XponentialWorks booth #2117 at the Cobb Center in Detroit, May 21-23. Media kit available here. See XponentialWorks in action here. "It's gratifying to come to Rapid+TCT with three impressive additive companies that we built from the ground up and are now able to reshape this space," said Avi Reichental, Founder, Chairman and CEO of XponentialWorks. "More than just funding tomorrow's category makers, at XponentialWorks we collide our portfolio companies with industry veterans in fundamental industries like automotive, aerospace, dental and footwear, all under a single roof in our Ventura, California, innovation labs, creating powerful partnerships and priceless coalitions that together are unlocking the full potential of generative design and additive manufacturing." XponentialWorks' portfolio companies plan to showcase and launch the following products and capabilities: Nexa3D will announce the availability of their NXE400 3D printer, the world's fastest industrial 3D printer, and offer their first-ever public live printing demonstration at Rapid+TCT 2019. See first-hand how the NXE400 prints at 6X the speed of all other comparable systems, live at Rapid+TT Witness the NXE400 breaking industry speed and size barriers by continuously printing up to 16 liters of parts at speeds of up to 1Z centimeter per minute Experience the significant time compression to finished prototypes and production parts from hours to minutes at injection molding quality Join our Partner Program with other qualified and preferred third-party materials providers Opt-in! Nexa3D is accepting orders and adding qualified resellers with shipping availability in the second half of 2019 www.nexa3d.com. NXT Factory plans to unveil for the first time its high-speed quantum-laser-sintering QLS 350 at Rapid+TCT 2019. Experience how the QLS350 prints at 4X the speed of other laser-sintering systems and at comparable speed to multi-jet fusion live at Rapid+TCT See for the first time the power of a fully automated high temperature, performance polyamide additive manufacturing system with autonomous powder handling at injection molding scale, quality and cost effectiveness Join our preferred materials partner program with other qualified third-party providers, featuring material range inclusive of PA6, PA12 & PETG Reserve your QLS 350 system today! NXT Factory is accepting orders and adding qualified resellers for shipment during the second half of 2019 To learn more about NXT Factory's new products, visit www.nxtfactory.com. ParaMatters plans to give live demonstrations of its newest generative design and lightweighting software at RAPID + TCT 2019. The CogniCAD 2.1 topology optimizer for lightweighting, additive manufacturing and investment casting delivers a wider range of designs optionality. Delivers one-click design to manufacturing solution via clear user interface that is user intuitive and works autonomously and instantly Generates ready-to-manufacture design files for additive manufacturing and investment casting, automatically including stress, stiffness and deformation constraints Provides expanded range of loading conditions, including forces/moment w/o remote points, pressure, acceleration (g-forces) and thermal loads Optimizes 3D model orientation and support generation for effective and successful 3D printing every time CogniCAD is ready today! The company is accepting orders and expanding its qualified resellers network To learn more about ParaMatters' new products, visit www.paramatters.com. "I am very grateful and proud to be part of such an incredible community of practitioners, entrepreneurs and investors that are all united by a single purpose: to bring additive manufacturing to manufacturing strength and scale," said Reichental. About XponentialWorks XponentialWorks is a venture investment, corporate advisory and product development company, specializing in artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, 3D printing, robotics, and the digital transformation of traditional businesses. As a curator of leaders in Industry 4.0, the firm has built a unique ecosystem that unites the forces of early-stage companies with the experience and deep market knowledge of mature companies. XponentialWorks mentors and invests in the growth and success of promising early stage companies and acts as an edge organization for the benefit of larger, mid-market companies undertaking digital transformation. Learn more at www.xponentialworks.com. About Nexa3D Nexa3D makes ultrafast industrial-grade stereolithography 3D printers that are affordable to professionals and businesses of all sizes. Its printers are powered by proprietary Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing (LSPc) technology and patented structured light matrix capable of reaching top speeds of 1Z cm per minute, drastically reducing 3D printing cycles of precision parts from hours to minutes. Learn more at www.nexa3d.com. About NXT Factory NXT Factory is a leading additive manufacturing provider specializing in the development and commercialization of disruptive digital manufacturing production systems. The company's proprietary Quantum (News - Alert) Laser Sintering technology delivers manufacturing systems that are designed to exceed the productivity and performance of traditional injection molding systems. Learn more at www.nxtfactory.com. About ParaMatters ParaMatters is a team of world-class experts in topology optimization, computational mechanics, CAD and artificial intelligence. Technology developed by ParaMatters is revolutionizing design-to-manufacturing processes as we know them today. No longer constrained by traditional CAD/CAE/CAM tools, designers can now create innovative products and services that were previously impossible. Combined with state-of-the-art additive manufacturing, this new technology will enable a new wave of innovation in various industry sectors, from patient-specific implants to highly efficient aircraft parts. Learn more at www.paramatters.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005189/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Retailers Honor Military Members and Their Service During Military Appreciation Month PORTLAND, Ore., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- May is a time to honor and express gratitude to current and former members of the U.S. Armed forces with National Military Appreciation Month. Not only do we pause on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice and service of those who gave their lives, but the month of May also celebrates other military anniversaries and events, including Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Armed Forces Day. This year, top brands such as Costco, LEGOLAND Florida Resort, Rosetta Stone, and vineyard vines are offering veterans, active duty military, and spouses exclusive military deals and discounts to say thanks to those who have served (or are currently serving) our country. SheerID was founded on the idea of recognizing and honoring individuals who genuinely and selflessly contribute to communities, said Jake Weatherly, CEO of SheerID. We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the servicewomen and servicemen of our armed forces, and we are thrilled to partner with brands that are showing their appreciation to the military community as part of Military Appreciation Month. Below are the special offers available to active duty military service members, veterans, retirees, and registered dependents living at home for the entire month of May. By using SheerIDs digital verification platform, these companies ensure that only eligible military members can redeem their special military appreciation offers: Costco: Join Costco as a new member and receive coupons for free products and other great savings, valued at more than $60. Sign up for this special promotion. LEGOLAND Florida Resort: As a thank you to military, LEGOLAND Florida Resort is offering all active duty U.S. Service Members FREE admission to LEGOLAND Florida Park & Water Park and up to 25% off your LEGOLAND hotel. Book your Bricktastic vacation today! Rosetta Stone: In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Rosetta Stone is proud to offer a 10% discount on subscription services and downloadable audio lessons to active and retired U.S. military members. Learn a new language today. vineyard vines: vineyard vines is proud to show their appreciation for the brave servicemen and servicewomen and celebrate all that they do for our country. Visit vineyardvines.com today to receive your 15% military discount. To learn more about SheerIDs digital verification platform and subsequent military verification, please visit www.sheerid.com. About SheerID SheerIDs leading digital verification platform instantly verifies the identity of individuals and businesses, enabling enterprises to deliver gated offers and experiences to high-value customer segments while mitigating fraud and minimizing friction. By using authoritative data sources to verify credentials in real-time within an organizations brand experience, SheerID delivers a seamless customer experience that reduces churn and fuels loyalty to drive revenue growth. As a result, the worlds biggest brands including Amazon, Lowes, Spotify, and T-mobile rely on SheerID as their trusted verification partner. Founded in 2011, SheerID is backed by Voyager Capital and Centana Growth Partners. Press Contact: Michael Lindenberger PR for SheerID 415.531.1449 [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d71b7be6-086a-4754-8e1b-7c64bd3050c7 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Teams with Top 3 Global Security Guarding Corporation RENO, NV, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX: OTCPK), is pleased to announce that Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD), its wholly owned subsidiary, has signed a dealer agreement with one of the worlds three largest security guard companies. This is a significant addition to our growing network of dealers, said Steve Reinharz, President and CEO of Robotic Assistance Devices. This new dealer improves our access to existing U.S. market opportunities by approximately 50% and opens us up to potential international clients in the future. As RADs solutions are starting to be used and tested by more Fortune 500 clients, RAD is attracting more world class security dealers to its growing dealer network. Subject to a nondisclosure agreement the company is not permitted at this time to divulge the name of this new dealer. The company may post important information about its subsidiary RAD on its website at www.Robotic AssistanceDevices.com and through tweets from RAD President and CEO Steve Reinharz ( https://twitter.com/SteveReinharz )/p> 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. Statements in this news release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" that are based on current expectations and assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions to provide for its obligations, to provide working capital needs from operating revenues, to obtain additional financing needed for any future acquisitions, to meet competitive challenges and technological changes, and other risks. Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement(s) and/or to confirm the statement(s) to actual results or changes in Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions expectations. About RAD Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD) is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, RAD can help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI and strengthen business. RAD robotics technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services, and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staffs and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. RAD robotic solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.roboticassistancedevices.com or follow us on Twitter @RADbotsecurity. Contact: Everest Corporate Advisors Inc. 702-902-2361 www.everestcorp.ne [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Kingston Introduces Next-Gen KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced KC2000, its next generation M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD for enterprise and power users. Kingston's KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD delivers powerful performance using the latest Gen 3.0 x 4 controller and 96-layer 3D TLC NAND. Offering superior read and write speeds up to 3,200 and 2,200MB/s1, respectively, KC2000 delivers outstanding performance and endurance, and improves workflow in desktop, workstations and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005141/en/ Kingston Introduces Next-Gen KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD (Photo: Business Wire) KC2000 is a self-encrypting drive that supports end-to-end data protection using 256-bit AES Hardware-based encryption and allows the usage of independent software vendors with TCG Opal 2.0 security management solutions such as Symantec (News - Alert), McAfee, WinMagic and others. KC2000 also has built-in Microsoft eDrive support, a security storage specification for use with BitLocker. "KC2000 is designed for high-performance client usage especially intensive workloads on PCs and workstations that demand speed and reliability," said Justin Karasek, SSD business manager, Kingston. "The drive provides greater flexibility, is available in multiple capacities up to 2TB2 and its M.2 form factor saves space. KC2000 is the perfect SSD for users looking for the ultimate storage upgrade." KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD is available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB2 capacities and is backed by a limited five-year warranty and free technical support. For more information visit kingston.com. KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD Part Number Capacity SKC2000M8/250G 250GB KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD SKC2000M8/500G 500GB KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD SKC2000M8/1000G 1000GB KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD SKC2000M8/2000G 2000GB KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD Kingston KC2000 NVMe PCIe SSD Features and Specifications: Incredible NVMe PCIe performance Supports a full-security suite (TCG Opal 2.0, AES 256-bit, eDrive) Ideal for desktop, workstations and high-performance computing (HPC) systems Upgrade your PC with capacities up to 2TB 2 Form Factor: M.2 2280 M.2 2280 Interface: NVMe PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4 Lanes NVMe PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4 Lanes Capacities 2 : 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB Controller: SMI 2262EN SMI 2262EN NAND: 96-layer 3D TLC 96-layer 3D TLC Encrypted: AES 256-bit Hardware-based Encryption AES 256-bit Hardware-based Encryption Sequential Read/Write 1 : 250GB - up to 3,000/1,100MB/s 500GB - up to 3,000/2,000MB/s 1TB - up to 3,200/2,200MB/s 2TB - up to 3,200/2,200MB/s Random 4K Read/Write 1 : 250GB - up to 350,000/200,000 IOPS 500GB - up to 350,000/250,000 IOPS 1TB - up to 350,000/275,000 IOPS 2TB - up to 250,000/250,000 IOPS Total Bytes Written (TBW) 3 : 250GB - 150TBW 500GB - 300TBW 1TB - 600TBW 2TB - 1.2PBW Power Consumption: .003W Idle / .2W Avg / 2.1W (MAX) Read / 7W (MAX) Write .003W Idle / .2W Avg / 2.1W (MAX) Read / 7W (MAX) Write Storage Temperature: -40C~85C -40C~85C Operating Temperature: 0C~70C 0C~70C Dimensions: 80mm x 22mm x 3.5mm 80mm x 22mm x 3.5mm Weight: 250GB - 8g 500GB - 10g 1TB - 10g 2TB - 11g Vibration Operating: 2.17G Peak (7-800Hz) 2.17G Peak (7-800Hz) Vibration Non-operating: 20G Peak (20-1000Hz) 20G Peak (20-1000Hz) MTBF: 2,000,000 2,000,000 Warranty/Support4: Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support 1 Based on "out-of-box performance" using a PCIe 3.0 motherboard. Speed may vary due to host hardware, software, and usage. IOMETER Random 4K Read/Write is based on 8GB partition. 2 Some of the listed capacity on a Flash storage device is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. As such, the actual available capacity for data storage is less than what is listed on the products. For more information, go to Kingston's Flash memory guide at kingston.com/flashguide. 3 Total Bytes Written (TBW) is derived from the JEDEC Client Workload (JESD219A). 4 Limited warranty based on 5 years or "Percentage Used" which can be found using the Kingston SSD Manager (Kingston.com/SSDManager). For NVMe SSDs, a new unused product will show a Percentage Used value of 0, whereas a product that reaches its warranty limit will show a Percentage Used value of greater than or equal to one hundred (100). Kingston can be found on: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kingstontechmemory Facebook (News - Alert): http://www.facebook.com/kingstontechnology Twitter: https://twitter.com/KingstonTech Instagram: https://instagram.com/kingstontechnology/ LinkedIn (News - Alert): http://www.linkedin.com/company/kingston About Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston Digital, Inc. ("KDI") is the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions. Established in 2008, KDI is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA. For more information, please call 877-546-4786 or visit www.kingston.com. Editor's Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact David Leong, Kingston Digital, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA (News - Alert) USA 92708, 714-438-1817 (Voice). Press images can be found in Kingston's press room here. Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey (News - Alert) is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005141/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Agriculture Drones Market Worth $4.8 Billion by 2024 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Agriculture Drones Market by Offering (Hardware and Software & Services), Application (Precision Farming, Livestock Monitoring, Precision Fish Farming, and Smart Greenhouse), Component, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Agriculture Drones Market is expected to grow from USD 1.2 billion by 2019 to USD 4.8 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 31.4%. A few key factors driving the growth of this market are increase in venture funding for the development of agriculture drones, and availability of software solutions for field survey and data analytics. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=23709764 Hardware to hold larger share of agriculture drones market during forecast period Hardware is expected to account for a larger share of the agriculture drones market during the forecast period. Drones can take aerial photos of crops and fields, and as they fly at heights lower than satellites, they can also take images with the centimeter-level resolution. By now, a significant number of farmers have started experimenting with drones. The rise in the use of drones by farmers or agronomists would lead hardware to capture a major share of the market in the coming years. Navigation systems to register highest CAGR in agriculture drones market during forecast period The agriculture drones market for navigation systems is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. A drone well equipped with a navigation system and an autopilot system, including a camera, gives plenty of aerial options. Agriculture drones with GPS receivers recognize their position within a farm, which enables them to adjust operations to maximize productivity or efficiecy at that location. Agriculture drones market in APAC to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period The agriculture drones market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The rate of adoption of smart agriculture techniques is likely to grow at a high pace in this region, mainly led by emerging countries such as India and China, and countries in Southeast Asia. The rapidly increasing population, availability of arable farms, and government support through subsidies are the major factors driving the adoption of agriculture drones in APAC. Browse in-depth TOC on "Agriculture Drones Market" 62 Tables 35 Figures 157 Pages Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=23709764 DJI (China), PrecisionHawk (US), Trimble Inc. (US), Parrot Drones (France), 3DR (US), AeroVironment, Inc. (US), Yamaha Motor Corp. (Japan), DroneDeploy (US), AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc. (US), and OPTiM Corp. (Japan) are some of the major players in the agriculture drones market. Please Explore Relevant Report: Precision Farming Market by Technology (Guidance System, VRT, Remote Sensing), Application (Crop Scouting, Field Mapping, Irrigation), Offering (Hardware-Sensors, GPS/GNSS, Yield Monitors, Software, Services), and Geography - 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/agriculture-drones-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 20, 2019] A First-of-its-kind Cybersecurity Solution Designed Specifically for Insurance Agents WESTFIELD CENTER, Ohio, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's foremost cybersecurity leaders and insurance agents have partnered to develop a new solution in the fight against cyber-crime. "InsuraShield is an innovative approach for insurance agents to protect their agencies like never before," said Craig Welsh, Chief Distribution Officer at Westfield. Launching in June, InsuraShield is a first-of-its kind cybersecurity resource designed specifically for independent agents. It includes a powerful and unique combination of software, services and information that can help agencies protect against cyber-attacks, improve cybersecurity knowledge and comply with insurance industry-related security regulations. The Westfield Agents Association (WAA), a member based not-for-profit organization that partners with Westfield to provide opportunities and services to promote a thriving agency force, collaborated with Arete Advisors, a global cybersecurity firm, to develop InsuraShield. InsuraShield is an Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) that encourages and enables the sharing of cybersecurity information within its insurance industry members. It's also a managed security service that includes next-generation security software and active threat monitoring that helps protect aencies from sophisticated threats, such as ransomware, that can get past traditional small business security defenses. According to Small Business Trends, 60 percent of small businesses in the United States go out of business after a cyber-attack. InsuraShield's goal is to help keep insurance agencies from becoming one of these statistics. "As a small business owner myself, it's not a matter of if my agency will suffer a cyber-attack, but when it will happen," said Rick Truman, Owner of McFadden Insurance Agency and Westfield Agents Association Board of Directors. "My life's work is helping my customers manage risk. InsuraShield helps me protect not only my customers' information, but everything I've worked so hard formy business, my retirement." Many small businesses don't have access to the same level of security resources as large companies. InsuraShield provides a unique set of features and benefits that bring large-enterprise class security to small and mid-size insurance agencies. These include: Advanced Endpoint Protection Software Active Threat Monitoring Phishing Sandbox Security Help Desk 24x7 Cyber Incident Response Hotline Cybersecurity Information "InsuraShield is really unique," said Jim Jaeger, President and Cybersecurity Strategist at Arete Advisors. "It brings the kind of security that you would normally only see in large enterprises and government agencies to small and mid-size insurance agencies, at a fraction of the cost." The increased targeting of insurance agencies by attackers and the increase in cybersecurity regulations focused on the insurance industry require insurance agencies to take proactive steps to improve their security posture, enhance security knowledge and comply with security regulations. "The insurance industry is seeing an increase in cybersecurity-related regulation," said Diane Keil-Hipp, COO at Knight Insurance Group and President of the Westfield Agents Association. "Soon, an agency will need to demonstrate that deliberate actions have been taken to address the cyber risk in their own environment, as a service provider to carriers, and as a custodian of consumer data. InsuraShield gives agents access to the tools to meet the standard requirements." "We've seen agents struggle to recover from a breach and InsuraShield is a cost-effective way for agents to safeguard their customer information, be confident in their information security and manage cyber risk," continued Welsh. "Designed by insurance agents for insurance agents and some of the best minds in cybersecurity, it doesn't get any better than that." For more information about InsuraShield, visit www.InsuraShield.net. About Westfield Agents Association The Westfield Agents Association is a member based not-for-profit organization that partners with Westfield to provide educational opportunities, scholarships, and other services to promote a thriving agency force. The 14 WAA Board of Directors is made up of diverse group of agency representatives who serve as the governing body of the Association. Since 1891, the Association has served to enhance the relationship between independent agencies and Westfield Insurance. About Westfield Westfield was founded in 1848 by a small group of hard-working farmers who believed in the promise of the future and the power of the individual. Today, as one of the nation's leading property and casualty (P&C) companies, we remain true to their vision and are dedicated to your protection and prosperity and to the progress of our community. Learn more at www.westfieldInsurance.com. About Arete Advisors Arete Advisors partners with organizations worldwide to help their clients prepare for, detect and respond to cyber-attacks. InsuraShield offers independent agencies access to Arete's elite team of experts for everything from cyber industry best practices and lessons learned from the largest breaches in history, to protection from the theft of sensitive data that can devastate your agency and reputation. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-first-of-its-kind-cybersecurity-solution-designed-specifically-for-insurance-agents-300853076.html SOURCE Westfield Agents Association [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] $9.7 Bn Citizen Services AI Market - Global Forecast to 2024 DUBLIN, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Citizen Services AI Market by Application (Traffic and Transportation Management, Healthcare, Public Safety, Utilities, and General Services), Technology (ML, NLP, Image Processing, and Face Recognition), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global citizen services AI market size is expected to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2019 to USD 9.7 billion by 2024, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 46.3% during the forecast period. Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with analytics tools drive the citizen services AI market Increased automation and agility, the need for IT modernization in government departments, automation of manual processes to ease pressure and enhance citizen experience, and increased cost savings are the major growth factors for the citizen services AI market. However, citizen data being prone to cyber-attacks and lack of awareness among government agencies about new technologies may restrain the growth of the citizen services AI market. Machine Learning (ML) helps government agencies to gain insights from large sets of citizen data ML is an AI application that automates and improves the learning process of systems based on a program/algorithm that can access data and use it to train itself with no human intervention. ML allows government agencies to deliver advanced, cost-effective, and better citizen services. The common applications of ML include advertising, computational finance, predictive maintenance in manufacturing, fraud detection, email spam filtering, text processing, network security threat detection, search recommendations, and video analysis.Healthcare application segment to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period Government agencies are keen on leveraging the use of AI for healthcare to control and diagnose diseases and assist impaired citizens. Government organizations can also use AI to offer high-quality healthcare services, and train doctors and nurses in complex procedures. Several companies offer a range of solutions including automation of medical diagnosis and medical tests, detection, and screening of diseases, monitoring equipment, and predictive healthcare diagnosis and disease prevention. All these initiatives are expected to benefit the citizens and improve the experience for healthcare services. Asia Pacific (APAC) to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period APAC is expected to offer significant growth opportunities for citizen services AI vendors during the forecast period. Rapid advancements in emerging technologies, IT infrastructure services, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have led many organizations to adopt citizen services AI services. Governments, especially those in emerging economies, are undertaking massive technology transformation programs (in digital citizen identity, banking, transportation, and social welfare) to increase the penetration of public initiatives across multiple bodies. Market Dynamics Drivers Need for IT Modernization Integration of AI and Analytics With Citizen Services Growing Demand for Automation Restraints Lack of Awareness Among Government Organizations About New Technologies Opportunities Increasing Demand for Citizen Services AI Advent of New Technologies Challenges Integration Issues With Organizations' Internal Processes Lack of Expertise and Infrastructure Among End Users The report profiles the following key vendors: AWS (US) Microsoft (US) Accenture (US) Alibaba (China) IBM (US) NVIDIA (US) Intel (US) Tencent (China) (China) Pegasystems (US) Baidu (China) ADDO AI ( Singapore ) Research Coverage The report segments the global citizen services AI market by the application which has been further segmented into traffic and transportation management, healthcare, public safety, utilities, general services. The technology segment covers ML, Natural Language Processing (NLP), image processing, and face recognition. The report also provides market details in 5 major regions: North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Key Benefits of Buying the Report The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in the citizen services AI market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall citizen services AI market and the subsegments. The report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their businesses and to plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. Executive Summary: The potential of AI for citizen services is diverse. Technologies that are at an initial stage of development can now be utilized for various platforms, provided by the government. Moreover, these platforms will be digital by default with hyper-connectedness, allowing better prediction about upcoming issues and transparency of data. AI analyzes citizen data based on big data that is being provided by citizens and other existing information leading to an automated system that works efficiently and is cost-efficient. However, the scientific community and public opinion highlight some critical issues that must be considered to prevent distorted effects in the application of these tools and technologies. Major vendors in the citizen services AI market includeServiceNow (ServiceNow, Inc), Microsoft (Microsoft Corporation), IBM (IBM Corporation), Accenture (Accenture PLC), Amazon Web Services (Amazon Web Services, Inc.), Intel (Intel Corporation), Nvidia (NVIDIA Corporation), Addo (ADDO AI), Baidu (Baidu, Inc.) Alibaba (Alibaba Group Holding Limited), Tencent (Tencent), and Pegasystems (Pegasystems Inc). The research report also studies the strategic alliances and acquisitions by global and local players in the citizen services AI market. These players have majorly adopted growth strategies, such as new product launch and product enhancement, to enhance their businesses in the citizen services AI market and cater to the needs of diverse end-users across regions. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 1.1 Objectives of the Study 1.2 Market Definition 1.3 Market Scope 1.3.1 Market Segmentation 1.4 Years Considered for the Study 1.5 Currency Considered 1.6 Stakeholders 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Data 2.1.1 Secondary Data 2.1.2 Primary Data 2.1.2.1 Breakup of Primary Profiles 2.1.2.2 Key Industry Insights 2.2 Market Breakup and Data Triangulation 2.3 Market Size Estimation 2.3.1 Top-Down Approach 2.3.2 Bottom-Up Approach 2.4 Assumptions for the Study 2.5 Limitations of the Study 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Growth Opportunities in the Citizen Services AI Market 4.2 Market By Application, 2019 and 2024 4.3 Market By Technology, 2019 and 2024 4.4 Market Investment Scenario 5 Market Overview and Industry Trends 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Need for IT Modernization 5.2.1.2 Integration of AI and Analytics With Citizen Services 5.2.1.3 Growing Demand for Automation 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Lack of Awareness Among Government Organizations About New Technologies 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increasing Demand for Citizen Services AI 5.2.3.2 Advent of New Technologies 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Integration Issues With Organizations' Internal Processes 5.2.4.2 Lack of Expertise and Infrastructure Among End Users 6 Citizen Services AI Market By Application 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Traffic and Transportation Management 6.2.1 AI-Based Traffic and Transportation Management Increasingly Being Adopted By Government to Tackle Traffic Congestion Problems 6.3 Healthcare 6.3.1 Use of Pattern Recognition to Identify Patients at Risk of Developing A Condition is Another Area Where AI is Taking Grasp in Healthcare 6.4 Public Safety 6.4.1 AI has Become New Ally in Preventing and Detecting Crime for Public Safety Agencies By Predicting Outcomes Using Incoming Data 6.5 Utilities 6.5.1 Demand for AI-Based Utility Services Being Driven By Increasing Need for Effective and Optimum Utilization of City Infrastructure 6.6 General Services 6.6.1 Use of AI-Based General Public Services Being Driven By Reduced Cost of Administration and Rapid Access to Required Information 7 Citizen Services AI Market By Technology 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Machine Learning 7.2.1 Use of Machine Learning for Making Predictions and Informed Decisions to Drive Its Growth 7.3 Natural Language Processing 7.3.1 Natural Language Processing Technology Gaining Importance for Its Help in Understanding Human Inputs and Suggesting and Predicting Outcomes 7.4 Image Processing 7.4.1 Growing Demand for Image Recognition Applications to Identify People, Places, and Objects 7.5 Face Recognition 7.5.1 Technology has Gained Traction Due to Its Applications in Field of Crime Detection and Identity Detection 8 Citizen Services AI Market By Region 8.1 Introduction 8.2 North America 8.2.1 United States 8.2.1.1 Growing Demand for AI Citizen Services Solutions for Enhanced Support and Recommendation to Government Organizations 8.2.2 Canada 8.2.2.1 Abundant Opportunities for Technological Advancement to Increase the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions and Services in Canada 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 United Kingdom 8.3.1.1 Increasing Investments By Government Organizations to Drive the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions in the UK 8.3.2 Germany 8.3.2.1 Focus of Smaller Government Departments to Provide Enhanced Citizen Services Experience to Drive the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions in Germany 8.3.3 Rest of Europe 8.4 Asia Pacific 8.4.1 China 8.4.1.1 Digital Transformation Initiatives in the Government Organizations to Drive the Citizen Services AI Market in China 8.4.2 Japan 8.4.2.1 Growing Need to Efficiently Analyze Huge Amounts of Citizen Information Driving the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions in Japan 8.4.3 Singapore 8.4.3.1 Rising Focus on Citizen Services With the Required Skillset to Drive the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions in Singapore 8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific 8.5 Middle East and Africa 8.5.1 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 8.5.1.1 Increasing Number of Government Organizations Offering Their Citizen-Based Services Via Mobile and Web Applications in the KSA 8.5.2 United Arab Emirates 8.5.2.1 Growing Investment By the UAE Government in Applied AI Experiments for Delivering Public Services 8.5.3 Rest of Middle East and Africa 8.6 Latin America 8.6.1 Brazil 8.6.1.1 Huge Investments Into Government Sector to Promote Enhanced Citizen Services to Drive the Adoption of Citizen Services AI Solutions in Brazil 8.6.2 Rest of Latin America 9 Competitive Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Competitive Scenario 9.2.1 New Product Launches 9.2.2 Partnerships 10 Company Profiles Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, Author's View, SWOT Analysis 10.1 Servicenow 10.2 Microsoft 10.3 IBM 10.4 Accenture 10.5 AWS 10.6 NVIDIA 10.7 Intel 10.8 Alibaba 10.9 Tencent 10.10 Pegasystems 10.11 ADDO 10.12 Baidu Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, Author's View, SWOT Analysis Might Not Be Captured in Case of Unlisted Companies. 11 Appendix 11.1 Discussion Guide 11.2 Knowledge Store: Subscription Portal 11.3 Available Customizations 11.4 Related Reports 11.5 Author Details List of Tables (30 Tables) Table 1 United States Dollar Exchange Rate, 2015-2017 Table 2 Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 3 Traffic and Transportation Management: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 4 Healthcare: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 5 Public Safety: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 6 Utilities: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 7 General Services: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 8 Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 9 Machine Learning: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 10 Natural Language Processing: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 11 Image Processing: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 12 Face Recognition: Market Size By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 13 Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Region, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 14 North America: Market Size By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 15 North America: Market Size By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 16 North America: Market Size By Country, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 17 Europe: Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 18 Europe: Market Size By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 19 Europe: Market Size By Country, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 20 Asia Pacific: Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 21 Asia Pacific: Market Size By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 22 Asia Pacific: Market Size By Country, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 23 Middle East and Africa: Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 24 Middle East and Africa: Market Size By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 25 Middle East and Africa: Market Size By Country, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 26 Latin America: Citizen Services AI Market Size, By Application, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 27 Latin America: Market Size By Technology, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 28 Latin America: Market Size By Country, 2017-2024 (USD Million) Table 29 New Product Launches, 2016-2018 Table 30 Partnerships, 2018-2019 List of Figures (30 Figures) Figure 1 Citizen Services AI Market: Research Design Figure 2 Market Bottom-Up and Top-Down Approaches Figure 3 Global Market Size 2017-2024 (USD Million) Figure 4 Segments With the Highest CAGR in the Citizen Services AI Market Figure 5 North America to Account for the Highest Market Share in 2019 Figure 6 Increasing Demand for AI and Analytics Driving the Growth of Citizen Services AI Market Figure 7 Traffic and Transportation Management to Have the Highest Market Share in 2019 Figure 8 Face Recognition to Hold the Highest Market Share in 2019 Figure 9 Asia Pacific to Emerge as the Best Market for Investment During the Forecast Period Figure 10 Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges: Citizen Services AI Market Figure 11 Healthcare Segment to Grow at the Highest Rate During the Forecast Period Figure 12 Machine Learning Segment to Grow at the Highest Rate During the Forecast Period Figure 13 Asia Pacific to Grow at the Highest Rate During the Forecast Period Figure 14 North America: Market Snapshot Figure 15 Asia Pacific: Market Snapshot Figure 16 Servicenow: Company Snapshot Figure 17 Servicenow: SWOT Analysis Figure 18 Microsoft: Company Snapshot Figure 19 Microsoft: SWOT Analysis Figure 20 IBM: Company Snapshot Figure 21 IBM: SWOT Analysis Figure 22 Accenture: Company Snapshot Figure 23 Accenture: SWOT Analysis Figure 24 AWS: Company Snapshot Figure 25 AWS: SWOT Analysis Figure 26 NVIDIA: Company Snapshot Figure 27 Intel: Company Snapshot Figure 28 Alibaba: Company Snapshot Figure 29 Tencent: Company Snapshot Figure 30 Pegasystems: Company Snapshot Companies Mentioned Accenture ADDO Alibaba AWS Baidu IBM Intel Microsoft NVIDIA Pegasystems Servicenow Tencent For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z41882 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets 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/9-7-bn-citizen-services-ai-market---global-forecast-to-2024--300852362.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi : Congress Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor on last day tweeted his opinion of the much celebrated exit polls 2019, as something that can also turn out 'all wrong'. "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results," tweeted the Congress parliamentarian, who contested for a third term from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram seat. I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people dont tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results. Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 19, 2019 Mr Tharoor was referring to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison winning what was seen as an unwinnable election, cementing his authority over the Liberal Party and giving him the muscle to end a decade of instability that has seen a revolving door of prime ministers. [May 20, 2019] Informatica Announces Support for Microsoft Common Data Model for Self-Service Analytics at Enterprise Scale on Microsoft Azure REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Informatica, the enterprise cloud data management leader, today announced at Informatica World 2019 that it supports the Microsoft Common Data Model (CDM), which enables organizations to bridge data silos across applications, modernize data analytics at scale, and accelerate the transformation of raw data into trusted business intelligence. Microsoft's CDM aims to simplify data management and application development by unifying data into a known form and applying structural and semantic consistency across multiple applications and deployments. Informatica's support of the CDM allows customers to use the Informatica Intelligent Data Platform, powered by the CLAIRE engine, to leverage AI to optimize data quality, harmonize data semantics, and manage data at scale, across multiple enterprise applications. Informatica is one of the first in its industry to provide data discovery, ingestion, integration, management, quality and governance for Microsoft Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2), enabling CDM support with massive scale, performance, and enhanced security. Additionally, Informatica's support for Microsoft Power BI dataflows over ADLS Gen2 with CDM folders empowers users to accelerate self-service analytics and gain rapid access to and analysis of trusted data. Supporting Quotes "I see great potential in Informatica's increased collaboration with Microsoft to help drive my company's self-service analytics initiatives," said Raj Khot, senior manager, enterprise architecture, Grant Thornton . "Informatica helps analysts discover, provision, and make data immediately available in Power BI by leveraging CDM, thereby accelerating our analysts' ability to focus less on data acquisition, and more on the business problems we need to solve." . "Informatica helps analysts discover, provision, and make data immediately available in Power BI by leveraging CDM, thereby accelerating our analysts' ability to focus less on data acquisition, and more on the business problems we need to solve." "At Microsoft, we aim to empower our customers to make better decisions based on data," said Arun Ulagaratchagan, general manager, Power BI Engineering, Microsoft. "With the Common Data Model, we are reducing the time, cost, and complexity of extracting intelligence from disparate and heterogeneous data sources using a standardized way to describe metadata and semantics. Informatica's support of Microsoft Power BI and CDM puts the power of data into our customers' hands by enabling them to tap into and take action from insights spanning all data sources, truly fostering a collaborative data-centric culture." "As our customers strive to become more data-centric and modernize their analytics capabilities, they are faced with challenges associated with the accessibility, quality, and consistency of data," said Ronen Schwartz , senior vice president and general manager, data integration and cloud integration, Informatica. "By supporting Microsoft CDM, Informatica is able to help customers accelerate cloud modernization on Microsoft Azure and achieve the vision of truly unified business data that is significantly faster, more discoverable, and trusted." Tweet this: News: @Informatica Announces Support of @Microsoft #CommonDataModel https://infa.media/pr190520a About Informatica Informatica is the only proven Enterprise Cloud Data Management leader that accelerates data-driven digital transformation. Informatica enables companies to fuel innovation, become more agile, and realize new growth opportunities, resulting in intelligent market disruptions. Over the last 25 years, Informatica has helped more than 9,000 customers unleash the power of data. For more information, call +1 650-385-5000 (1-800-653-3871 in the U.S.), or visit www.informatica.com. Connect with Informatica on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Note: Informatica is a trademark or registered trademark of Informatica in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other company and product names may be trade names or trademarks of their respective owners. The information provided herein is subject to change without notice. In addition, the development, release and timing of any product or functionality described today remain at the sole discretion of Informatica and should not be relied upon in making a purchasing decision, nor as a representation, warranty, or commitment to deliver specific products or functionality in the future. Contact: Informatica Public Relations [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/informatica-announces-support-for-microsoft-common-data-model-for-self-service-analytics-at-enterprise-scale-on-microsoft-azure-300852976.html SOURCE Informatica [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Two OPAQ Executives Named to Prestigious CRN 2019 Women of the Channel Power Rankings OPAQ, the network security cloud company, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Lynn D. Tinney, Senior Vice President of Channels, and Tricia Bonora, Vice President of Channels to its prestigious 2019 Women of the Channel list. CRN's annual Women of the Channel list celebrates influential women leaders for the accomplishments and impact they have had on the channel. The list is compiled by CRN editors who carefully review each applicant to select the final winners based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise, contributions to channel advocacy, channel growth and visionary leadership. The 2019 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. "CRN's 2019 Women of the Channel list honors influential leaders who are accelerating channel growth through mutually-beneficial partnerships, incredible leadership, strategic vision, and unique contributions in their field," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "This accomplished group of leaders is driving channel success and we are proud to honor their achievements." Lynn D. Tinney, SVP Channels for OPAQ, is responsible for managing the company's 100% channel-baed sales model, partner strategy and growing its business. She has built billion dollar revenue streams for leading security and networking technology vendors, including CA (News - Alert) Technologies, Riverbed and Cisco. Lynn has been recognized in CRN's Women of the Channel Power 100 rankings for three consecutive years. "It is an honor to be selected again this year by CRN for its Women of the Channel list," said Lynn D. Tinney. "The growing number of female executives in channel leadership roles is great for the industry and OPAQ is leading the way in this regard. I look forward to working with Tricia and the rest of our team to make 2019 a breakthrough year for our partners." Tricia Bonora, Vice President of Channel Sales for OPAQ, is responsible for go-to-market and channel partner program execution. She has held channel management positions at Zimperium, Riverbed, Syncsort, Netscout and McAfee (News - Alert). Tricia was recognized as a 2017 and 2018 CRN Channel Chief and named to the Women of the Channel Power 100 list. "I'm pleased to be named to the CRN Women of the Channel ranking for a second consecutive year," said Tricia Bonora. "Lynn and I have joined a formidable team here at OPAQ that's committed to growing a robust channel program. I'm really looking forward to the results we can produce this year for both our partners and OPAQ." About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About OPAQ OPAQ is the premier network security cloud company. OPAQ's cloud platform enables partners to deliver Fortune 100-grade security-as-a-service on infrastructure purpose-built for security and performance. With OPAQ, service providers are equipped with a simplified ability to centrally monitor security performance and compliance maturity, generate reports, manage security infrastructure, and enforce policies - all through a single cloud console. This empowers OPAQ partners to grow revenue and margins, eliminate complexity and costs, and establish a competitive advantage that helps them attract and retain customers. Based in Northern Virginia, OPAQ is privately held and is funded by Greenspring Associates, Columbia Capital, Harmony Partners, and Zero-G, Inc. To learn more, visit www.opaq.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005115/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Nation's Top Health Insurance, Hospital, Government, Life Sciences, and Employer Leaders Meet in DC to Discuss Innovation, Policy, and Disruption Impacting the Future of U.S. Health Care Over 1,000 industry stakeholders gathered this month in Washington, DC at the 16th Annual World Health Care Congress (#WHCC19) to discuss policy, innovation, and disruption impacting the business of health care. The 2019 agenda addressed strategic initiatives, results, and steps to overcome access and affordability issues while delivering high-value care. In his debut speech since stepping down as FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, MD reflected on the agency's push for innovation under his leadership. In other compelling keynotes, US Health and Human Services' Deputy Secretary, Eric D. Hargan delved into how HHS is fostering innovation and investment in health care while Senator Bill Cassidy, MD, (R-La) offered his alternative to Medicare for All. With more than 300 speakers from government, health plans, hospitals, health systems, employers, life sciences, and venture capital firms, the 2019 agenda spotlighted lessons learned in the shift to value-based care, ways to quantify the ROI of social determinants of health initiatives, the potential of AI and ML, addressing the Opioid epidemic at work and in the community, disruptive drug pricing models driving transparency and affordability, and much more. New to the programming were Fireside Chat and Q&A sessions with Seven-Time Olympic Medalist, Shannon Miller; Theranos Whistleblower and Entrepreneur, Tyler Shultz; Enron's Former Chief Financial Officer, Andy Fastow; and Clover Health's Chief Behavioral Officer, Matt Wallaert. Here's what key thought leaders and constituents had to say about this year's Congress: "The World Health Care Congress should be the place the most influential people in business, politics and care delivery come to create the future." -Robert Pearl, MD, Author, Mistreated: Why We Think We're Getting Good Health Care and Why We're Usually Wrong "My first experience atthe World Health Care Congress was inevitably a unique one. In no other event have I experienced great, interactive panels, as well as had the chance to conduct media interviews and have the opportunity to be published! I am thrilled that I was able to participate and make a difference to our health and in technology." -Jothi Dugar, Chief Information Security Officer, NIH Center for Information Technology, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH) "The keynotes went right to the heart of the issues impacting our industry today (transparency, value-based payments, social barriers, member engagement, and affordability). Likewise, the breakout sessions were plentiful and offered a diverse array of topics to choose from." -Eric Decker, Senior Vice President of IT, Chief Information Officer, Independent Health; Board Member, HealthCare Executive Group (HCEG) "This conference has it all: Bold, fresh ideas; practical tactics you can take home and put to work immediately; people from all over the country who actually get things done. For once we aren't discussing on and on the problems in health care-we're talking solutions that actually improve quality and cut costs. It made me feel optimistic about the future and inspired me to do more." -Leah Binder, President and CEO, The Leapfrog Group "This is the first multi-sector health care conference I have been to where the words 'love,' 'social connection,' and 'upstream factors of health' were so readily used and with such commitment. Let's hope this is the start of great change to come!" -Lisa Sundean, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston The Congress featured more than 15 tracks of strategic content across multiple stakeholder topics plus C-suite keynotes, pre-Congress executive workshops, Fireside Chats, a night of comedy with the Capitol Steps, and multiple networking events. Be sure to register early for WHCC20 taking place March 29 - April 1, 2020 in DC. For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/WHCC2020 or contact +1 800-767-9499. About World Health Care Congress For more than 15 years, the World Health Care Congress is the only health care meeting that convenes ALL cross-sector decision makers who are determined to disrupt, innovate, and change health care. Missed any content? Recordings of the keynote sessions from World Health Care Congress 2019 are available. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2EkYm78 To see video highlights and hear inspiring thought leadership from the WHCC faculty, visit: http://bit.ly/2YBdW6t View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005462/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] 6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Designing Stark Compliant Physician Compensation Models Webinar - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Designing Stark Compliant Physician Compensation Models" webinar has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In this program, we will review the physician anti-referral laws (Stark I and II), provide an in-depth discussion of physician employment contracting, review the relevant Stark exceptions and discuss how physician compensation models can be in compliance with the Stark prohibitions. Why you should attend This session is designed for health care executives, physicians and other health care providers who participate in and receive remuneration from Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs such as TriCare. Several recent cases bring home the realization that Stark II (the physician anti-referral law) is alive, still with us and as viable as ever, and it can be used as the basis of a False Claims Act action. As a health care executive, physician or other health care provider, you should be very concerned about the potential for Stark II, as well as the Anti-Kickback Statute, being used as the basis for an action brought under the Federal False Claims Act. In this webinar, ou will learn about the elements of the Stark II law, along with the various exceptions and safe harbors that you can rely on for protection against enforcement under this law. This is important because under recently enacted health care laws, enforcement and health care fraud task forces have been greatly enhanced. Recovery under the Federal False Claims Act last year resulted in over $4.9 billion being recovered for the federal government, $24.2 billion since the law was revised to make it more realtor friendly in 1986. Since 1986, whistleblowers have been awarded nearly $4 billion. Whistleblowers are where a majority of the Federal False Claims Act suits originate. Two cases involving Stark, the Toumey Health System case in South Carolina, with a settlement in excess of $72 million (after a verdict of $237.5 million), and the Hardeman Memorial Hospital case in Texas, with a settlement of $398,230.56. In the Toumey case, the CEO agreed to pay $1 million and be excluded from federal programs for four years. In Hardeman, the Texas federal court sentenced former CEO Angela Edwards to 2 years in prison and ordered her to pay $370,657 in restitution. If that is not enough to get your attention, consider the recent cases finding that the "responsible corporate officer doctrine" allows the government to hold hospital CEOs and others directly responsible for the fraud. You will want to attend this webinar to learn how to protect yourself and your organization. Who Should Attend: Hospital executives, particularly CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CNOs, and CMOs Physicians Physician practice managers Other healthcare provider executives Attorneys representing hospital, physician and other healthcare providers Agenda A discussion of the self-referral law (Stark), what it is, what it prohibits, how it is structured, etc A general discussion of physician employment and compensation agreements A discussion to the Stark exceptions A discussion of structuring contracts to meet the Stark exceptions. For more information about this webinar visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xvge8r View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005477/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Foley Hoag Secures Win for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on Challenge to Inventorship of Groundbreaking Cancer Immunotherapy Patents The U.S. District Court ruled in favor of Foley Hoag LLP's client, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, that Dana-Farber scientist, Gordon Freeman, PhD, and another scientist, Clive Wood, PhD, are co-inventors on a series of cancer immunotherapy patents previously issued to a Japanese researcher and Japanese drug company. The ruling directs that the patents be corrected to name Freeman and Wood as inventors. In her decision, Chief Judge Patti B. Saris wrote that "Dana-Farber has presented clear and convincing evidence that Dr. Freeman and Dr. Wood are joint inventors" of the six patents at issue. Foley Hoag attorneys Donald R. Ware, Barbara A. Fiacco, Sarah S. Burg, Brendan T. Jones, Michael B. Hoven, Emma S. Winer, Urszula Nowak, and Meagen Monahan represented Dana-Farber in this victory. "We are pleased that the court recognized Dana-Farber's significant contributions to this groundbreaking new cancer treatment," said Foley Hoag partner Donald R. Ware, who led the Foley Hoag team. "Gordon Freeman and Clive Wood will now be rightfully acknowledged as co-inventors of the patents, and Dana-Farber will become a co-owner of this important intellectual property." The decision will enable Dana-Farber to license the technology, which is embodied in several of the newest cancer immunotherapy drugs, to additional companies seeking to develop PD-1 and PD-L1 antibody therapeutics for a wide range of cancers. In 2015, Dana-Farber filed suit asking the U.S. District Court in Boston to correct the inventorship on six patents that were assignd to Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Tasuku Honjo, MD, PhD, of Kyoto University. The patents describe a cancer treatment that helps patients' own immune systems attack cancer cells in the body. This approach works by blocking the "PD-1/PD-L1" pathway, the centerpiece of a mechanism that cancer cells use to escape attack by a patient's T cells, thereby freeing the immune system to launch a more effective response against the disease. The trial was held over three weeks earlier this year. In 2000, Freeman, Wood, and Honjo published a joint research study announcing the discovery of the protein PD-L1 (programmed cell death 1 ligand 1). The researchers found that PD-L1 exerts an inhibitory effect on T cells by binding to the T cell co-receptor PD-1, thereby signaling the T cell not to instigate an immune system attack. In pursuing his study of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, Freeman discovered that the PD-L1 protein is expressed not only on normal cells but also on many cancer cells. The implication was that an agent that blocks PD-1 or PD-L1 (or a related ligand, PD-L2) could release the brakes on the immune system's attack on cancer. These discoveries prompted pharmaceutical companies to pursue the development of drug agents that block PD-1, PD-L1, or PD-L2. A half dozen of these drugs - known as immune checkpoint inhibitors - have received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treating multiple types of cancers and are being tested in the clinic for treatment of a wide variety of other cancers. In her findings, Saris noted that the three scientists' "simultaneous focus on blocking the pathway to treat cancer in early 2000 shows that they were all working toward a shared goal." The court also found that "conception of the inventions in the Honjo patents was the result of the collaboration of all three scientists." About Foley Hoag LLP Foley Hoag provides innovative, strategic legal services to public, private and government clients across the globe. We have premier capabilities in the life sciences, healthcare, technology, energy, professional services and private funds fields, and in cross-border disputes. The diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences of our lawyers and staff contribute to the exceptional senior level service we deliver to clients ranging from startups to multinational companies to sovereign states. For more information, visit www.foleyhoag.com or follow @FoleyHoag on Twitter (News - Alert). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005490/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Idaho Technical Career Academy to Hold Commencement Ceremony on May 24 Idaho Technical Career Academy (ITCA), Idaho's only career-focused virtual school, will celebrate the Class of 2019 at an in-person commencement ceremony on Friday, May 24 at Boise State University's Student Union Building. "The ITCA community is thrilled to celebrate this year's graduates," said Head of School Monti Pittman. "Each student has worked hard to get to this day, and it has been an honor to provide an online learning platform that has prepared them for whatever lies ahead." Members of the class will enroll in two- and four-year colleges and universities across the region, begin military service or enter the full-time workforce. Graduating seniors report having been accepted to a number of higher education institutions, including: Boise State University, Brigham Young University, College of Western Idaho, and Sierra College. ITCA prepares career-focused students who are interested in pursuing job, college degree or both for life after high school. Through the school's Destinations Career Program, students can discover future career options in four pathways of study: agriculture, food and natural resources; health sciences; information technology; and business. The online school setting enables students in any corner of the state to utilize this unique curriculum. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows: WHAT: Idaho Technical Career Academy 2019 Graduation Ceremony WHEN: Friday, May 24, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. WHERE: BSU Student Union Building, 1700 W. University Drive, Boise, ID 83725 About Idaho Technical Career Academy Idaho Technical Career Academy (ITCA) is an AdvanceED-accredited, full-time online public charter school that serves students statewide in grades 9-12. As part of the Idaho public school system, ITCA is tuition-free, and gives parents and families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about ITCA, visit http://itca.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005113/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] At Lightfair International 2019, Osram Demonstrates its Innovative Technologies Designed to Improve Quality of Life in a Connected World Osram, a global high-tech lighting company, returns to Lightfair International (LFI) in 2019 to highlight a range of technologies using visible and invisible light to improve quality of life. Osram's continued transformation into a high-tech photonics company focuses on four strategic application fields: Mobility, Safety and Security, Connection, and Well-Being and Health. LFI, the world's largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and as one of the world's lighting tech leaders, Osram is one of just eight companies that has been exhibiting at LFI each year since the show's inception in 1989. Osram will be in Booth #1701 at LFI, May 21-23, 2019, in the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Penn. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005214/en/ OSRAM Photos Photo on left, clockwise from Top Right: Newly launched ProPoint Vista, ProPoint Linear, ProPoint Sconce, ProPoint Pixel, and previously launched ProPoint Wall Washer. Right: Osram's Osconiq S3030 QD mid-power LED is the company's first Quantum (News - Alert) Dot LED. (Photo: Business Wire) Osram's new products and announcements at LFI include: Osram's Traxon e:cue will feature a broad range of new and innovative connected lighting solutions, including the below extensions to its ProPoint Family : The ProPoint Linear brings flexibility to graze lighting applications with a variety of output, size and color offerings. Its efficient design allows for easy concealed placement, allowing the architecture to be the focus. Smooth color mixing works seamlessly with other ProPoint family luminaires to deliver limitless possibilities. Available in 1-foot and 4-foot lengths, at 8W or 12W per foot, and comes in three standard finishes: Gray, Black or White. The ProPoint Vista is Traxon's most powerful Dynamic Lighting luminaire. It is available in 200W and 400W sizes and is ideal for high-rise and tower illumination. Your choice of full color RGBW, Dynamic White, Static White, and Static Color combines with a native 3 degree optic and many spread lens variations for precise lighting control. Available in three standard finishes: Grey, Black or White. The ProPoint Pixel is a high-brightness, single-pixel luminaire for facade accents, beacon lighting and media applications. RGBW, Dynamic White, and a variety of static colors combine with several diffusion options to create an extensive array of facade lighting possibilities. The ProPoint Sconce offers a tight, controlled grazing solution to exterior applications where the light source will be visible. The sleek design works in both traditional and contemporary architectural environments. Available in three sizes and both static white and static color options. The ProPoint Sconce will be on display in the Traxon Suite at LFI. Media appointments required. : Osram Opto Semiconductors will introduce its first Quantum Dot (QD) LED: Osconiq S3030 QD. The mid-power LED was designed for area lighting and downlight applications. QDs are nanometer-sized semiconductor particles, which are about 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. When blue LED light hits the nanoparticles, they emit different wavelengths of light depending on the size of the QDs. For example, QDs three nanometers in size produce green light, while particles seven nanometers in size emit red light. With Osram's QD technology, outstanding efficiency values are possible, even with high color rendering indexes (CRI (News - Alert)). The mid-power LED was designed for area lighting and downlight applications. QDs are nanometer-sized semiconductor particles, which are about 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. When blue LED light hits the nanoparticles, they emit different wavelengths of light depending on the size of the QDs. For example, QDs three nanometers in size produce green light, while particles seven nanometers in size emit red light. With Osram's QD technology, outstanding efficiency values are possible, even with high color rendering indexes (CRI (News - Alert)). Osram's Digital Lumens will demonstrate its new RLE intelligent LED fixture featuring socketed intelligence and an interchangeable, upgradeable smart sensor. All Digital Lumens intelligent LED fixtures feature embedded sensors that enable customization and automation of advanced lighting controls to deliver up to 90 percent in lighting-related energy savings, as well as instrument facilities for the IIoT and the opportunity to unlock new value through environmental and utility monitoring, power metering and more. The RLE intelligent LED fixture delivers the same efficiency, control and flexibility; it also features Bluetooth technology for location-based solutions, and reimagines the Industrial IoT through a unique design that allows users to immediately capture the benefits of intelligent LED lighting while ensuring compatibility with Digital Lumens' growing suite of SiteWorx IIoT solutions for the lifetime of the fixture. featuring socketed intelligence and an interchangeable, upgradeable smart sensor. All Digital Lumens intelligent LED fixtures feature embedded sensors that enable customization and automation of advanced lighting controls to deliver up to 90 percent in lighting-related energy savings, as well as instrument facilities for the IIoT and the opportunity to unlock new value through environmental and utility monitoring, power metering and more. The RLE intelligent LED fixture delivers the same efficiency, control and flexibility; it also features Bluetooth technology for location-based solutions, and reimagines the Industrial IoT through a unique design that allows users to immediately capture the benefits of intelligent LED lighting while ensuring compatibility with Digital Lumens' growing suite of SiteWorx IIoT solutions for the lifetime of the fixture. With an emphasis on Osram's strategic fields of Connection and Well-Being and Health, Osram Digital Systems will showcase End-to-End Smart Building IoT solutions as well as a Digital Tunable White System: End-to-End Smart Building IoT Solutions include the SensiLUM Wireless Integrated Sensor, Optotronic LED Drivers with DEXAL Technology, and ENCELIUM Extend Light Management System. Digital Systems is also expanding its offerings to end-customers through new partnerships, including Rifiniti and most recently Facility Solutions Group ( FSG ). FSG is a leader in building technology system design, integration, installation and managed services and will offer turnkey smart building IoT solutions that combine the ENCELIUM LMS with a lighting package that includes fixture-integrated sensor and control components by Osram, as well as lighting system installation and managed services to the commercial, industrial and retail industries. The Digital Tunable White (TW) System is DALI-based and is designed for human centric lighting (HCL) applications in educational, commercial office and healthcare settings. The system consists of an OPTOTRONIC Tunable White two-channel Programmable LED Driver, OSRAM Tunable White Wallstation, PrevaLED Tunable White Light Engine, and optional OSRAM Control Power Pack. These products and more will be featured in the Osram Booth #1701 at LFI. For more information, visit www.osram.us. ABOUT OSRAM OSRAM, based in Munich, is a leading global high-tech company with a history dating back more than 110 years. Primarily focused on semiconductor-based technologies, our products are used in highly diverse applications ranging from virtual reality to autonomous driving and from smartphones to networked, intelligent lighting solutions in buildings and cities. OSRAM utilizes the infinite possibilities of light to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities. OSRAM's innovations will enable people all over the world not only to see better, but also to communicate, travel, work, and live better. As of the end of fiscal year 2018 (September 30), OSRAM had approximately 26,200 employees worldwide. It generated revenue of more than 3.8 billion from continued operations in fiscal year 2018. The company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Munich (ISIN: DE000LED4000; WKN: LED400; trading symbol: OSR). Additional information can be found at www.osram.com. ABOUT OSRAM SYLVANIA OSRAM SYLVANIA is part of OSRAM Americas, a group of OSRAM companies located in North and South America. As a leader in lighting solutions and services specializing in innovative design and energy-saving technology, the company sells products under the brand names OSRAM, Traxon, ENCELIUM and SYLVANIA. The portfolio ranges from high-tech applications based on semiconductor technology, such as infrared or laser lighting, to smart and connected lighting solutions in buildings and cities. The OSRAM SYLVANIA and OSRAM Americas regional headquarters is located in Wilmington, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.osram.us or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert). OSRAM is a registered trademark of OSRAM GmbH. ENCELIUM is a registered trademark of OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc. All other trademarks are those of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005214/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Publicis Health Media Announces HealthFront 2019, the Industry's First Healthcare-Focused Upfront NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Publicis Health Media (PHM) today announced its inaugural HealthFront, a two-day event taking place July 16-17 at the Classic Car Club Manhattan, designed to explore the latest healthcare innovations and make unprecedented connections for the benefit of brands and their consumers. "The networks have Upfronts and digital media has NewFronts, but there hasn't yet been an equivalent specifically for healthcare until now. The Publicis HealthFront fulfills an unmet need not only for our clients, but equally important, for consumers," said Andrea Palmer, president, Publicis Health Media. "The HealthFront is a market-shaping forum that will usher in a new era of health and wellness for the benefit of the people, putting innovation front and center with the ultimate goal of making the world a better place." HealthFront 2019 comes as the broadcast Upfronts and digital NewFronts have continued to provide a deal-making forum for advertisers for the past 57 and 11 years, respectively, while the health care media industry has yet to have a comparable marketplace. Through HealthFront, PHM is propelling health and wellness toward a new frontier for brands, products, services and engagements. HealthFront will uncover industry-specific trends, curate the most progressive products and solutions before they are available to the industry at large, and secure early mover opportunities for Publicis Health's clients with the leading partners in healthcare. Partner content sessions will include content from Verywell, Meredith Corporation, Healthline, Healthgrades, Vice, Health Union, Conde Nast, and many more. The event's content series will place this frontier on full display with thought-provoking panel sessions, keynotes and conversations with industry luminaries and thought leaders covering topics such as: Healthcare on Demand The future ofpersonalized healthcare is here. Whether customized mail-order vitamin service, at-home genetic testing or Teladocs, people have access to a wide range of health products through an expanding new array of channels. Brands who lean into this evolving behavioral landscape will capitalize on these new opportunities. The future ofpersonalized healthcare is here. Whether customized mail-order vitamin service, at-home genetic testing or Teladocs, people have access to a wide range of health products through an expanding new array of channels. Brands who lean into this evolving behavioral landscape will capitalize on these new opportunities. The Doc with the Dragon Tattoo: From Paternalism to Partnership New data and revolutionary scientific methods empower outside forces to influence health in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, a shift in consumer expectation, coupled with the changing profile of today's healthcare provider, has affected how patients interact with physicians and health influencers. A panel of curated experts will pull back the curtain on whoand whatinfluences some of healthcare's biggest transformations. New data and revolutionary scientific methods empower outside forces to influence health in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, a shift in consumer expectation, coupled with the changing profile of today's healthcare provider, has affected how patients interact with physicians and health influencers. A panel of curated experts will pull back the curtain on whoand whatinfluences some of healthcare's biggest transformations. AI Joins the Care Team. Don't blink: AI is growing fast. Machine learning can process complex data at superhuman speeds, opening the door to improved diagnostics, reduced costs and more. As the volume of personal health data continues to grow, so does the potential for AI to impact clinical decision-making and to shift the dynamics of health conversations. Martha Stewart , entrepreneur, businesswoman and founder of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai ; Keith Hopkins , partner, IBM Watson - Healthcare / Life Sciences; Ryan Olohan , managing director of healthcare, Google; and others, to be announced later this summer who will decide a winner. The winner will take home an award to help launch the product or company. "I want to help find the next big health idea disruptive solutions that use technology to shape the world around us. We have the power each and every one of us," said Dr. Oz. "The HealthFront epitomizes the latest in healthcare innovation, and as part of the Disruption Garage, we are looking for the most disrupting and future-facing ideas in health." PHM is passionate about re-imagining media's role in healthcare, offering deep industry expertise, unparalleled relationships and influence in the healthcare community, and the most advanced data practice in the industry to unlock human motivation and behavioral understanding along people's healthcare journeys. The HealthFront is one more way that PHM is connecting brands with the most innovative opportunities and ideas. About Publicis Health Publicis Health is the world's premier health-oriented agency network. A division of Publicis Groupe, Publicis Health manages top-tier agencies specializing in promoting innovative solutions in advertising, digital, branding, message delivery, market access, and medical communications. Publicis Health's mission is to be the indispensable force for health and wellness business transformation through the alchemy of creativity and technologyfor good. With more than 4,000 employees around the world, Publicis Health manages 17 agency brands through 40 offices located in six countries. Publicis Health brands include Digitas Health, Discovery USA, Heartbeat, insync, Langland, Payer Sciences, PlowShare Group, Publicis Health Media, Publicis LifeBrands, Publicis Resolute, Razorfish Health, Real Science, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, and Verilogue. Web: www.publicishealth.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicishealth Contact: Diana Dixon, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/publicis-health-media-announces-healthfront-2019-the-industrys-first-healthcare-focused-upfront-300853190.html SOURCE Publicis Health Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Grow in Cork: Ground-Breaking Nationwide Cybersecurity Cluster Launches in Cork, Ireland The Project aims to put Ireland on the map globally as an interconnected, top-flight hub for cybersecurity talent and expertise. With the support of Ireland's foreign direct investment agency IDA (News - Alert) Ireland, Cork Institute of Technology one of the country's top ranked education facilities and a multitude of industry experts, the initiative is the very first of its kind ever seen on the island. Dr Eoin Byrne, Cyber Ireland Cluster Manager remarked; 'Cyber Ireland was created with the aim of strengthening the influence and reach of the industrial, academic and government networks and programmes which already exist in the Cyber Security sector across Ireland' The launch will be held in the south-west of Ireland in Cork. Speakers include Minister David Stanton, Minister for Equality, Immigration and Integration in the Irish Government, representatives from IDA Ireland (News - Alert), Dr Richard Browne of National Cyber Security Centre, IBM's Carmel Somers, Joanne O'Connor from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Pat Larkin of Ward Solutions and Jacky Fox of Deloitte (News - Alert). The national cluster was born from a business forum so the roll-out of the calendar of events is by the industry, for the industry. The Cybersecurity sector in Ireland is growing at a rapid pace, with the country quickly garnering an international reputation as the place for cyber and tech companies from start-ups, SMEs and multi-nationals to do business. With one of the highest numbers of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduate enrolments in the EU-28 and already home to software giants such as Microsoft, Intel and Google (News - Alert), Cyber Ireland will enhance the future of Cybersecurity in Ireland. Cyber Ireland Hosted i Cork - A Leading Hub for Global Cybersecurity Companies Cork has become a globally recognised cybersecurity hub; the home to Cyber companies from disruptive start-ups to internationally known brands such as McAfee (News - Alert), IBM and Trend Micro. Over 1000 skilled professionals currently work in the Cybersecurity sector in Cork, and there are over 10,000+ tech graduates from University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology. Byrne further explained; 'We are very excited about the future for Cyber Ireland and the impact it will have on bringing together innovative knowledge from across the island. With such a rapidly growing Cyber Security industry flourishing in Cork, it was the perfect place to launch the initiative' Chair of Grow in Cork, Mr James Fogarty said; "We are very proud that Cork is the host location for this important national programme. Cork's highly skilled talent pool is core to the region's success. That is why our higher education institutions are leading the way in this sector, with the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) hosting cutting-edge cybersecurity systems research, while the University College Cork (UCC) collaborates with international companies on security projects. Add to that, the growing number of cyber security companies already based here, we are cementing our position as the Cyber Security capital of Ireland." The Official Launch event will commence the wider Cyber Ireland strategy, vision and mission for the next two years and launch cluster membership for both firms and organisations. ENDS Notes to Editors Grow in Cork is an economic platform which aims to promote Cork, Ireland globally as a place to do business through inward investment into the location. Grow in Cork has been developed by Cork City and Cork County Councils in partnership with a range of private and public sector stakeholders. Cyber Ireland is a national cybersecurity cluster, funded by IDA Ireland and hosted in Cork Institute of Technology. It is a first of its kind state agency initiative which aims to connect industry, academia and government to support the growing industry across Ireland to the world. Cyber Ireland Official Launch will be at Vertigo at Cork County Hall (capacity 150 seating & 180 standing) from 2.50pm to 4.15pm on 20th May 2019. For more information visit www.growincork.com / www.cyberireland.ie View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005526/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] AdColony Selects Pixalate as Fraud Prevention Partner LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AdColony, the mobile performance marketplace, announced today that after an extensive vetting process, it has chosen Pixalate as its partner for prevention of digital ad fraud, specifically in mobile app environments. AdColony already provides multiple layers of protection against ad fraud, including TAG certification and full compatibility with viewability measurement firms Integral Ad Science, DoubleVerify and MOAT . Weve decided to double down on transparency and security for our advertisers, said Paul Fields, Director of Strategic Partnerships at AdColony. Weve taken multiple actions to ensure that nothing can be sold on our platform unless we have absolute certainty about it, and this is yet another step toward 100% accountability. End results are ultimately what advertisers care about, but what happens before the ad gets shown is important too. With so many areas of the fraud space still undefined, AdColony was seeking a partner with strong standardization around how they measure ad fraud, as well as a company that held Media Ratings Council (MRC) accreditations for the detection and filtration of SIVT across display, in-app and OTT channels. Pixalates ability to audit served and viewable in-app ad impressions across display and video, combined with sophisticated invalid traffic detection and filtration, will help AdColony ensure that all inventory is legitimate. AdColony also selected Pixalate for its ability to provide granular insights into why fraud is happening, and how. Unlike many other fraud prevention platforms, Pixalate can provide visibility into bundle IDs and even GDPR-compliant, user-level device ID metrics. AdColony values the way these metrics are reported back in a clear and concise way so it can work with its publishing partners to avoid blocking issues. The number one challenge facing digital advertising is ad fraud, and todays main obstacle to fraud prevention is a black box technology approach, noted Jalal Nasir, CEO of Pixalate. Our ability to analyze and surface detailed metrics, such as bundle IDs, gives our clients better risk management results. We have invested heavily in mobile in-app fraud prevention, and we are proud to work with AdColony to allow them to transact confidently across their entire platform. AdColonys next step is to support new anti-ad-fraud initiatives, such as the IABs App-Ads.txt Specification for in-app environments, which would give advertisers increased transparency and help prevent the selling of counterfeit inventory. We are committed to providing the best solutions and the highest degree of transparency and accountability possible for our partners, said Fields. We will continue to put our beliefs and values into action by creating more partnerships like this, and supporting controls that will move the industry forward by leveling the playing field for all. About AdColony AdColony is one of the largest mobile advertising platforms in the world with a reach of more than 1.5 billion users globally. With a mission to elevate the state of mobile advertising by focusing on the highest quality consumer experiences that deliver outcomes for brands and publishers on todays most popular apps, AdColony is trusted by Fortune 500 brands and over 85% of the worlds top grossing mobile publishers. Known for our exclusive Instant-Play HD video technology, proprietary rich media formats, our global performance advertising business and programmatic marketplace, and our extensive ad SDK footprint in the top apps worldwide, we are passionate about helping brands connect with consumers at scale on the most important screen in their lives. A fully-owned subsidiary of Otello Corporation, AdColony is a global organization with over 20 offices worldwide. 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. www.pixalate.com Press Contact Elisabeth McFarland Blast PR for AdColony 919.360.9733 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WAR - Us versus Them Narrative Ill show you politics in America. Here it is, right here. I think the puppet on the right shares my beliefs. I think the puppet on the left is more to my liking. Hey, wait a minute, theres one guy holding out both puppets! Bill Hicks Anyone who frequents Twitter, Facebook, political blogs, economic blogs, or fakes news mainstream media channels knows our world is driven by the Us versus Them narrative. Its almost as if they are forcing us to choose sides and believe the other side is evil. Bill Hicks died in 1994, but his above quote is truer today then it was then. As the American Empire continues its long-term decline, the proles are manipulated through Bernaysian propaganda techniques, honed over the course of decades by the ruling oligarchs, to root for their assigned puppets. Most people cant discern they are being manipulated and duped by the Deep State controllers. The most terrifying outcome for these Deep State controllers would be for the masses to realize it is us versus them. But they dont believe there is a chance in hell of this happening. Their arrogance is palatable. Their hubris has reached astronomical levels as they blew up the world economy in 2008 and successfully managed to have the innocent victims bail them out to the tune of $700 billion, pillaged the wealth of the nation through their capture of the Federal Reserve (QE, ZIRP), rigged the financial markets in their favor through collusion, used the hundreds of billions in corporate tax cuts to buy back their stock and further pump the stock market, all while their corporate media mouthpieces mislead and misinform the proles. There are differences between the parties, but they are mainly centered around social issues and disputes with little or no consequence to the long-term path of the country. The real ruling oligarchs essentially allow controlled opposition within each party to make it appear you have a legitimate choice at the ballot box. Nothing could be further from the truth. There has been an unwritten agreement between the parties for decades where the Democrats pretend to be against war and the Republicans pretend to be against welfare. Meanwhile, spending on war and welfare relentlessly grows into the trillions, with no effort whatsoever from either party to even slow the rate of growth, let alone cut spending. The proliferation of the military industrial complex like a poisonous weed has been inexorable, as the corporate arms dealers place their facilities of death in the congressional districts of Democrats and Republicans. In addition, these corporate manufacturers of murder dole out legal payoffs to corrupt politicians of both parties in the form of political contributions. The Deep State knows bribes and well-paying jobs ensure no spineless congressman will ever vote against a defense spending increase. Of course, the warfare/welfare state couldnt grow to its immense size without financing from the Wall Street cabal and their feckless academic puppets at the Federal Reserve. The Too Big to Trust Wall Street banks, whose willful control fraud nearly wrecked the global economy in 2008, were rewarded by their Deep State patrons by getting bigger and more powerful as people on Main Street and senior citizen savers were thrown under the bus. When these criminal bankers have their reckless bets blow up in their faces they are bailed out by the American taxpayers, but when the Fed rigs the system so they are guaranteed billions in risk free profits, they reward themselves with massive bonuses and lobby for a huge tax cut used to buy back their stock. With bank branches in every congressional district in every state, and bankers spreading protection money to greedy politicians across the land, no legislation damaging to the banking cartel is ever passed. Ive never been big on joining a group. I tend to believe Groucho Marx and his cynical line, I dont care to belong to any club that will have me as a member. The Us vs. Them narrative doesnt connect with my view of the world. As a realistic libertarian I know libertarian ideals will never proliferate in a society of government dependency, willful ignorance of the masses, thousands of laws, and a weak-kneed populace afraid of freedom and liberty. The only true libertarian politician, Ron Paul, was only able to connect with about 5% of the voting public. There is no chance a candidate with a libertarian platform will ever win a national election. This country cannot be fixed through the ballot box. Bill Hicks somewhat foreshadowed the last election by referencing another famous cynic. I ascribe to Mark Twains theory that the last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged kicking and screaming into the White House. Bill Hicks Hillary Clinton wanted to be president so badly, she colluded with Barack Obama, Jim Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Loretta Lynch and numerous other Deep State sycophants to ensure her victory, by attempting to entrap Donald Trump in a concocted Russian collusion plot and subsequent post-election coup to cover for their traitorous plot. I wouldnt say Donald Trump was dragged kicking and screaming into the White House, but when he ascended on the escalator at Trump Tower in June of 2015, Im not convinced he believed he could win the presidency. As the greatest self-promoter of our time, I think he believed a presidential run would be good for his brand, more revenue for his properties and more interest in his reality TV ventures. He was despised by the establishment within the Republican and Democrat parties. The vested interests controlling the media and levers of power in society scorned and ridiculed this brash uncouth outsider. In an upset for the ages, Trump tapped into a vein of rage and disgruntlement in flyover country and pockets within swing states, to win the presidency over Crooked Hillary and her Deep State backers. I voted for Trump because he wasnt Hillary. I hadnt voted for a Republican since 2000, casting protest votes for Libertarian and Constitutional Party candidates along the way. I despise the establishment, so their hatred of Trump made me vote for him. His campaign stances against foreign wars and Federal Reserve reckless bubble blowing appealed to me. I dont worship at the altar of the cult of personality. I judge men by their actions and not their words. Trumps first two years have been endlessly entertaining as he waged war against fake news CNN, establishment Republicans, the Deep State coup attempt, and Obama loving globalists. The Twitter in Chief has bypassed the fake news media and tweets relentlessly to his followers. He provokes outrage in his enemies and enthralls his worshipers. With millions in each camp it is difficult to find an unbiased assessment of narrative versus real accomplishments. Im happy he has been able to stop the relentless leftward progression of our Federal judiciary. Cutting regulations and rolling back environmental mandates has been a positive. Exiting the Paris Climate Agreement and TPP, forcing NATO members to pay their fair share, and renegotiating NAFTA were all needed. Ending the war on coal and approving pipelines will keep energy costs lower. His attempts to vet Muslims entering the country have been the right thing to do. Building a wall on our southern border is the right thing to do, but he should have gotten it done when he controlled both houses. The use of tariffs to force China to renegotiate one sided trade deals as a negotiating tactic is a high-risk, high reward gamble. If his game of chicken is successful and he gets better terms from the Chicoms, while reversing the tariffs, it would be a huge win. If the Chinese refuse to yield for fear of losing face, and the tariff war accelerates, a global recession is a certainty. Who has the upper hand? Xi is essentially a dictator for life and doesnt have to worry about elections or popularity polls. Dissent is crushed. A global recession and stock market crash would make Trumps re-election in 2020 problematic. Im a big supporter of lower taxes. The Trump tax cuts were sold as beneficial to the middle class. That is a false narrative. The vast majority of the tax cut benefits went to mega-corporations and rich people. Middle class home owning families with children received little or no tax relief, as exemptions were eliminated and tax deductions capped. In many cases, taxes rose for working class Americans. With corporate profits at all time highs, massive tax cuts put billions more into their coffers. They didnt repatriate their overseas profits to a great extent. They didnt go on a massive hiring spree. They didnt invest in new facilities. They did buy back their own stock to help drive the stock market to stratospheric heights. So corporate executives gave themselves billions in bonuses, which were taxed at a much lower rate. This is considered winning in present day America. The Us vs. Them issue rears its ugly head whenever Trump is held accountable for promises unkept, blatant failures, and his own version of fake news. Holding Trump to the same standards as Obama is considered traitorous by those who only root for their home team. Their standard response is that you are a Hillary sycophant or a turncoat to the home team. If you agree with a particular viewpoint or position of a liberal then you are a bad person and accused of being a lefty by Trump fanboys. Facts dont matter to cheerleaders. Competing narratives rule the day. Truthfulness not required. The refusal to distinguish between positive actions and negative actions when assessing the performance of what passes for our political leadership by the masses is why cynicism has become my standard response to everything I see, hear or he read. The incessant level of lies permeating our society and its acceptance as the norm has led to moral decay and rampant criminality from the White House, to the halls of Congress, to corporate boardrooms, to corporate newsrooms, to government run classrooms, to the Vatican, and to households across the land. Its interesting that one of our founding fathers reflected upon this detestable human trait over two hundred years ago. It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society. When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime. Thomas Paine Thomas Paines description of how moral mischief can ruin a society was written when less than 3 million people inhabited America. Consider his accurate assessment of humanity when over 300 million occupy these lands. The staggering number of corrupt prostituted sociopaths occupying positions of power within the government, corporations, media, military, churches, and academia has created a morally bankrupt empire of debt. These sociopaths are not liberal or conservative. They are not Democrats or Republicans. They are not beholden to a country or community. They care not for their fellow man. They dont care about future generations. They care about their own power, wealth and control over others. They have no conscience. They have no empathy. Right and wrong are meaningless in their unquenchable thirst for more. They will lie, steal and kill to achieve their goal of controlling everything and everyone in this world. This precisely describes virtually every politician in Washington DC, Wall Street banker, mega-corporation CEO, government agency head, MSM talking head, church leader, billionaire activist, and blood sucking advisor to the president. The question pondered every day on blogs, social media, news channels, and in households around the country is whether Trump is one of Us or one of Them. The answer to that question will strongly impact the direction and intensity of the climactic years of this Fourth Turning. What Ive noticed is the shunning of those who dont take an all or nothing position regarding Trump. If you disagree with a decision, policy, or hiring decision by the man, you are accused by the pro-Trump team of being one of them (aka liberals, lefties, Hillary lovers). If you dont agree with everything Trump does or says, you are dead to the Trumpeteers. I dont want to be Us or Them. I just want to be me. I will judge everyone by their actions and their results. I can agree with Trump on many issues, while also agreeing with Tulsi Gabbard, Rand Paul, Glenn Greenwald or Matt Taibbi on other issues. I dont prescribe to the cult of personality school of thought. I didnt believe the false narratives during the Bush or Obama years, and I wont worship at the altar of the Trump narrative now. In Part II of this article Ill assess Trumps progress thus far and try to determine whether he can defeat the Deep State. If you feel youve received some value from this article and this blog dedicated to free speech and truth in the face of lies, corruption and fake news, feel free to make a Donation to keep the lights on at The Burning Platform. By James Quinn quinnadvisors@comcast.net James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and university in his 22-year career. Those positions included treasurer, controller, and head of strategic planning. He is married with three boys and is writing these articles because he cares about their future. He earned a BS in accounting from Drexel University and an MBA from Villanova University. He is a certified public accountant and a certified cash manager. These articles reflect the personal views of James Quinn. They do not necessarily represent the views of his employer, and are not sponsored or endorsed by his employer. 2019 Copyright James Quinn - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. James Quinn Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. [May 20, 2019] Yext ranks highly in UK's Best Workplaces list Great Place to Work awards Yext for supportive environment and employee benefits LONDON, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Yext (NYSE: YEXT) is recognised as one of the UK's Best Workplaces in 2019 by Great Place to Work. The position in this year's Best Workplaces list reflects Yext's fun and dynamic culture to "think big, learn fast, and get stuff done" both in the rapidly growing Yext London office and globally. As the company builds out its founding team in London, it has been imperative to foster an exceptional workplace culture based on diversity, transparency and communication. Jon Buss Managing Director UK and Northern Europe commented: "Yexters are constantly looking to improve and push the boundaries to help our clients succeed, and this award reflects our brilliant culture. We pride ourselves on the culture we have built in London, and this award provides a benchmark to continue driving excellence." Yext consistently encourages and recruits for the qualities that make its employees unique. The company strives for inclusion through its Employee Resource Groups, which directly support female employees, the LGBTQ+ community, employees of colour, employees with disabilities and parents, with the goal of ensuring every employee feels valued. Yext also hosts ongoing wellness sessions which encourage the team to reflect on their work-life balance, and celebrates success and hard work regularly. "We are proud to be recognised as one of the UK's best workplaces," said Wendi Sturgis, CEO, Yext Europe. "We believe that nurturing our talented Yext team is at the heart of our mission to provde perfect answers everywhere." 2019 marks the second straight year Yext has been ranked on the list of Best Workplaces in the UK by Great Place to Work. About Yext Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT) is the leading Digital Knowledge Management (DKM) platform. Our mission is to give companies control over their brand experiences across the digital universe of maps, apps, search engines, voice assistants, and other intelligent services that drive consumer discovery, decision, and action. Today, thousands of businesses including brands like Specsavers, Premier Inn, and Whitbread use the Yext Knowledge Engine to manage their digital knowledge in order to boost brand engagement, drive foot traffic, and increase sales. Yext has been named a Best Place to Work by Fortune and Great Place to Work as well as a Best Workplace for Women. Yext is headquartered in New York City with offices in Berlin, Chicago, Dallas, Geneva, London, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and the Washington, D.C. Area. For more information, visit yext.com . About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work UK is a consultancy specialising in workplace culture, helping organisations to create exceptional, high performing workplaces where employees feel trusted and valued. We help employers improve recruitment, retention, productivity and profitability by putting employees at the heart of the organisation, analysing what they think and feel and identifying the real issues that need to be addressed. Part of a global organisation, we apply data and insights from approximately 10,000 organisations across the world to benchmark individual performance and advise employers on how to continuously improve trust and the employee experience so as to help build and sustain business performance. We run the Best Workplaces awards to enable the organisations we work with to celebrate their achievements, build their employer brand and inspire others to take action. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/889870/Yext_Inc_Best_Workplace.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/177279/yext_logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Ausdia Expands Offices in Asia Pac Region to Support Customer Demand Ausdia, the leading provider of design constraints and verification solutions that complement timing signoff for complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs, has expanded its regional offices in India to support increasing customer demand for the company's flagship product TimevisionTM. Pradeep CR has been appointed senior technical account manager at Ausdia's new location in Bangalore, India. "We are very fortunate to have Pradeep, with his technical, regional and industry knowledge, join our team and support the needs of our customers," said Sam Appleton, CEO, Ausdia. "The expansion of our team reflects Ausdia's commitment to our customers and our drive to address the continuing challenges of SoC designs." Pradeep will support customers in the Asia Pac Rim region. As account manager, he will support customers pre-and post sales. Prior to Ausdia, Pradeep was a staff applications consultant for Synopsys (News - Alert) Design Methodology Solution (DMS) Products, chip-level static timing analysis (STA) lead at Microchip (Formerly PMC Sierra), lead application engineer at Extreme DA supporting GoldTime, field applications team supporting Mentor Graphics (News - Alert) AMS suite (CoreEL Technologies) and Field Applications team supporting ASM assembly ad fabrication product line. Pradeep holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University and a master's degree in VLSI System Design from Coventry University. About Timevision Platform Silicon design is becoming vastly more complicated and costly, and harder to design and verify. This is due to raw design size, increasing use of IP blocks, advanced technology nodes, number of clocks and clocked domains, and complexity of constraints to close timing across all combinations of corners and modes. There is a demand for a comprehensive product to generate and validate design constraints that correlate with static timing analysis engines to ensure design correctness. By using multicore software architecture, patented analysis algorithms, and innovative formal verification technology, the Timevision platform was developed to handle large, complex SoC designs (especially above 50M gates). Timevision integrates with all aspects of the design flow and is used before synthesis, before DFT insertion, before place and route, and when signoff timing is being run. Ausdia will be showcasing the Timevision platform and the company's latest technology advances at the upcoming Design Automation Conference (DAC), Booth 333, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada from Sunday, June 2 to Thursday, June 6. Sign up today for a private demo at DAC. About Ausdia Ausdia Inc. is an experienced, trusted technology company solving design's toughest problems and transforming SoC design. The company is focused on delivering proven design constraint development and verification solutions that complement all implementation and timing signoff flows. The company's groundbreaking approach represents a new way for SoC designers to enable massive productivity gains across the design flow resulting in shrinking design time which ultimately leads to a significant saving in design costs. Founded in 2006, Ausdia has a combined experience of over 60 years in EDA development, chip engineering and methodology. Ausdia is a privately-held company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information visit www.ausdia.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005071/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Illuminate 2019 Early Bird Registration and Call for Papers Now Open REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sumo Logic, the leading cloud-native, machine data analytics platform that delivers continuous intelligence, announced today that early bird registration for Illuminate 2019 is now open through July 19. Sumo Logics third annual user conference, Illuminate 2019, will be held September 11-12 in Burlingame, California at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel. The theme of this years conference is See Business Differently. More than 2,000 enterprises around the world rely on Sumo Logic to collaborate, develop, operate and secure their applications at cloud scale. Illuminate brings together practitioners and leaders across ITOps, DevOps and security for two days of hands-on training, certifications, technical sessions and real-world case studies from peers and partners as they explore the future of machine data analytics and DevSecOps. This years event is expected to attract more than 1,000 experts who build, run and secure modern applications and cloud infrastructures. Illuminate serves to showcase the breadth of capabilities of the Sumo Logic platform, by providing attendees the opportunity to engage with other users as well as Sumo Logic experts, said Ted Ohr, vice president of customer success for Sumo Logic. With the growing adoption and interest in machine data analytics, were excited to roll out a number of new certifications to address topics such as cloud security and containers to help our customers gain knowledge, improve effectiveness in their business making decisions and maximize the value of the Sumo Logic platform. New Certifications Available at Illuminate While at Illuminate 2019, attendees will have the opportunity to receive certifications that recognize professionals wit proven Sumo Logic expertise and the skills and knowledge needed to analyze their machine data. This year, there will be four new certifications introduced at Illuminate: Metrics Mastery - Build on the knowledge gained in fundamentals to do more in-depth analysis with metrics. Identify critical events with ease and create the dashboards and alerts necessary to monitor your environment. - Build on the knowledge gained in fundamentals to do more in-depth analysis with metrics. Identify critical events with ease and create the dashboards and alerts necessary to monitor your environment. Cloud SIEM - Gain key knowledge in investigation and resolution of possible events, understand how to create an appropriate rules engine and reduce your overall MTTR with our comprehensive cloud SIEM solution. - Gain key knowledge in investigation and resolution of possible events, understand how to create an appropriate rules engine and reduce your overall MTTR with our comprehensive cloud SIEM solution. Advanced Metrics with Kubernetes - Master Kubernetes for your organization with Sumo Logic to help you from alerts and dashboards to customized templates to address key use cases. Master Kubernetes for your organization with Sumo Logic to help you from alerts and dashboards to customized templates to address key use cases. Advanced Use Cases - Receive critical skills in approaching industry standard use cases for Sumo Logic. From alerts and dashboards to key indicators, you will learn how to apply Sumo Logic across a broad spectrum of issues. Call for Papers Now Open Sumo Logic is also now accepting submissions for customer presentations to highlight real-world strategies and stories about how these organizations build, run and secure modern applications. Presentations should be focused on providing a holistic overview into how todays pioneers are pushing the boundaries of whats possible with machine data analytics and developing powerful use cases within their industries or organizations. The call for papers closes on June 14, 2019. For more information, or to submit your ideas for consideration, visit the Illuminate 2019 submission form. Illuminate 2019 Additional Resources Register now for early bird registration before July 19 Follow Illuminate on social media using the hashtag #IlluminateSumoCon Call for Papers Open: Submit your proposal before June 14 Visit the Conference Website Illuminate 2018 Highlights About Sumo Logic Sumo Logic is a secure, cloud-native, machine data analytics service, delivering real-time, continuous intelligence from structured, semi-structured and unstructured data across the entire application lifecycle and stack. Nearly 2,000 customers around the globe rely on Sumo Logic for the analytics and insights to build, run and secure their modern applications and cloud infrastructures. With Sumo Logic, customers gain a multi-tenant, service-model advantage to accelerate their shift to continuous innovation, increasing competitive advantage, business value and growth. Founded in 2010, Sumo Logic is a privately held company based in Redwood City, Calif. and is backed by Accel Partners, Battery Ventures, DFJ Growth, Franklin Templeton, Greylock Partners, IVP, Sapphire Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures and Tiger Global Management. For more information, visit www.sumologic.com. Media Contacts Melissa Liton Sumo Logic [email protected] (650) 814-3882 Sydney Holmquist PAN Communications (407) 734-7327 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Canon Solutions America Announces Security Roadshow Featuring Expert Insights And Recommendations On Information Security And Data Privacy MELVILLE, N.Y., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., today announced a 16-city security roadshow, beginning June 4, entitled Mission Possible: Securing Your Enterprise. This initiative is designed to educate businesses on information security and data privacy, and provide solutions and services to support these critical areas. According to IT market intelligence provider International Data Corporation (IDC), 64% of businesses have had a security breach or attempted breach, and the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. in 2018 was $7.91 million. Never has it been more important for organizations to focus on protecting sensitive information. Canon Solutions America is committed to helping customers mitigate risks. As a leader in enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, Canon Solutions America places top priority on data privacy and device, document, and cybersecurity. Along with colleagues from Vera, Barracuda Networks, NT-ware, and Therefore, Canon Solutions America will share insights into the convergence of information security and data privacy at events in cities across the country. Attendees will learn how Canon Solutions America's "Five Pillars of Security" approach can help their organizations address multiple areas of risk: Device Security Print Security Document Security Information Security Cybersecurity Said Mark Sinanian, Senior Director, Solutions Marketing, Canon Solutions America, "With information security and data privacy, you can't talk about one without the other. Businesses rely on the sharing of information, both electronically and through paper-based communication, for the successful operation of the company. Implementing and maintaining security measures that balance risk and business productivity is essential. Canon Solutions America's mission is to provide our customers with solutions and services that protect the transfer of information while helping to enable business growth and improve efficiency." According to the 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, out of 41,686 security incidents analyzed, there were 2,013 confirmed data breaches and out of those, 43% involved small business victims. Global research and advisory firm Gartner recommends that to eliminate security risks, infrastructure and operations leaders should implement tools to monitor and alert users and devices and tighten control of printed paper documents by requiring authentication prior to printing. These are just some of the data security measures Canon Solutions America devices and solutions provide. Canon Solutions America's security roadshow will demonstrate a layered approach to securing the workplace. The company's five-pillar security portfolio will be on display to help organizations of all sizes educate workers about today's persistent social engineering threats, and how to protect personally identifiable information, mitigate the risk of paper-based information, and leverage dynamic data encryption at the file level when information has to travel beyond the local perimeter. The security roadshow is part of a larger initiative to help educate and support customers in the areas of information security and data privacy. Earlier this year, Canon Solutions America expanded its five-pillar portfolio by linking up with Barracuda Networks to help combat email-delivered threats through its PhishLine social engineering awareness platform, and with EventSentry, a hybrid Security Information Event Management (SIEM) solution that gives security and IT professionals increased visibility into their systems. Both solutions help organizations operate more securely. During the security roadshow, subject matter experts will provide real world demonstrations of the "Five Pillars of Security". Barracuda Networks will also discuss its new Concierge Service offering that enables organizations with a smaller support staff to take advantage of an advanced learning platform to create security awareness and help change behavior for people who may be targets for phishing scams. The Concierge Service provides a dedicated subject matter expert to design, execute, and measure security awareness campaigns for them. For a complete list of dates and locations for the security roadshow, click here. About Canon Solutions America, Inc. Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Oce brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes find ways to: improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com. Editorial Contact: Canon Solutions America Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website: Tara Vetro http://csa.canon.com 631-330-2681 For sales info/customer support: [email protected] 1-844-443-INFO (4636) Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Oce is a registered trademark of Oce-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 2019 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canon-solutions-america-announces-security-roadshow-featuring-expert-insights-and-recommendations-on-information-security-and-data-privacy-300853275.html SOURCE Canon Solutions America, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Buenavista Renewables, ESCO, and Zodiac Aerospace enter into long-term PPA CHIHUAHUA, Mexico, May 20, 2019 /CNW/ -- Buenavista Renewables Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. ("BVR"), a Buenavista Renewables company, and ESCO Comercializadora Energetica S. de R.L. de C.V., a qualified supplier from Mexicali, Baja California, announce they have entered into a tripartite long-term Power Purchase Agreement with Zodiac Aerospace Equipo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., an affiliate of France's Safran Group. The electricity to be delivered under the PPA will be generated by roughly 13 MW of the Los Santos Solar II solar facility (the "Project"), which BVR is developing in Ahumada, Chihuahua. The Project is located contiguous to BVR's operational Los Santos Solar I project. Under the PPA, Zodiac Aerospace, as off-taker, will be supplied 100% of its electricity, Clean Energy Certificates, and capacity from ESCO, as qualified supplier under Mexican market rules; approximately 70% of these products will come from the Project. In total, Zodiac Aerospace has committed to purchase more than 30,000 MWh of electricity annually from the Project. The Project will be constructed on 80 hectares of private ranchland located between Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua. Zodiac Aerospace will be consuming the electricity at factories in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. BVR and ESCO will announce the Project's other off-takers in the coming weeks. Dean G. Hull, Principal Structured Finance of BVR, had the following t say: "It has been a pleasure working with Safran Group on this transaction and to see a global company committed to environmental protection, while concurrently benefiting from the economic advantages of fixed electricity pricing." Felipe Sandoval, General Manager of Zodiac Aerospace said the following, "The signed agreement with BVR and ESCO is in line with Safran's strategy to develop new sources of reliable and clean energy in order to become carbon neutral." The transaction shows BVR's continued commitment to structuring deals that make sense for all stakeholders, as stated by Jose Ruiz, Principal Business Development of BVR: "We look forward to working with other private sector clients in Mexico on similar initiatives, which will also aid Mexico in reaching its stated energy independence goals." For inquiries: Jesus Ruiz [email protected] +52-1-614-247-7006 About Zodiac Aerospace In February 2018, Safran took control of Zodiac Aerospace, significantly expanding its aircraft equipment activities. Zodiac Aerospace's former activities are now the focus of three new companies within the Safran Group: Safran Aerosystems, Safran Cabin and Safran Seats. About BVR Buenavista Renewables is a greenfield renewable energy developer focusing on emerging markets. BVR specializes in utility-scale and distributed generation renewable energy, employing creative financial and technical solutions to develop projects in challenging markets. At present, BVR boasts a pipeline of more than 3 GW in Mexico, the Philippines, the islands of the Western Pacific, Colombia, and Chile. About ESCO ESCO is a qualified supplier headquartered services dozens of clients in Mexico, with a particular emphasis on northern Mexico. In addition to market representation services, ESCO also imports/exports electricity from the US and provides electrical and electricity market consulting services. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buenavista-renewables-esco-and-zodiac-aerospace-enter-into-long-term-ppa-300853280.html SOURCE Buenavista Renewables [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Boomerang Commerce Rebrands as CommerceIQ After the Acquisition of its Retail Analytics Platform by Lowe's Following the announcement that Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) has acquired the Retail Analytics platform of Boomerang Commerce, Inc., Boomerang has announced it will rebrand and operate as CommerceIQ focusing on helping consumer brand manufacturers succeed on Amazon. Boomerang Commerce was founded in 2012 by Guru Hariharan, an Amazon and eBay (News - Alert) veteran, and is based in Mountain View, CA with offices in Seattle, Chicago and Bangalore. Boomerang Commerce offered 2 market-leading solutions i) a retail analytics solution, and ii) CommerceIQ, an insights and automation platform for consumer brands selling on Amazon. Hariharan said, "This transaction will allow us to significantly accelerate our product roadmap and invest in customer success infrastructure for CommerceIQ. We look forward to directing the full effort of our company to help our brand-manufacturer customers win market share in their e-commerce business." CommerceIQ's vision is to power intelligent commerce. CommerceIQ is the industry's first ad only unified Amazon Sales, Advertising, and Operations platform trusted by leading consumer brand manufacturers to simplify their Amazon business and amplify sales, profits, and share. 8 of the Top 50 consumer brand manufacturers and 500+ brands accounting for over $1B in annual Amazon sales and marketing spend rely on CommerceIQ's machine learning and automation technology to power their Amazon business. Karan Mehandru, General Partner at Trinity Ventures and an early investor in Boomerang Commerce adds, "We invest in companies and teams that imagine, build, create value and disrupt the status quo. The Boomerang Commerce team has certainly delivered on that promise via its retail analytics solution. Looking ahead, we are extremely bullish on CommerceIQ and will be doubling down our support of the solution to accelerate the already impressive logo and revenue momentum achieved so far, and success that brand manufacturers are realizing." About CommerceIQ CommerceIQ, the world's first and only unified Amazon platform, enables brands to achieve profitable sales growth on Amazon by improving the operational efficiency of their Amazon e-commerce business using machine learning and automation technology. CommerceIQ unifies Amazon sales, advertising, operations, and competitor data on one platform, applies machine learning to surface latent inefficiencies and growth opportunities, and automates actions to realize the benefits from these opportunities. Leading consumer brands that utilize CommerceIQ's automation capabilities have reduced out of stock rates by up to 32%, increased conversion rates by at least +15%, and generated on average a +12% incremental sales lift in the first quarter after launch. For more information, visit CommerceIQ.ai where you can also request a demo. For CommerceIQ related queries, contact [email protected] View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005655/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Qualtek Honors Digi-Key with 2018 Distributor of the Year Award THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Digi-Key Electronics, a global electronic components distributor, was honored with the Qualtek 2018 Distributor of the Year Award at the 2019 EDS Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, Nev. The award was presented by Jeremy Hallums, marketing and media coordinator; Jason Hallums, regional sales manager; and John Hallums, president and chief executive officer of Qualtek Electronics Corporation. The award was presented to Todd Jesme, director, supplier business development; and Bruce Olson, manager, technology business at Digi-Key. Qualtek Electronics offers a vast array of fan accessories, AC receptacles, international and domestic power cords and cordsets, and EMI power line filters. Qualtek's broad portfolio of products including wire form fan guards, plastic fan guards, plastic fan filter assemblies, aluminum fan filters, fan power cords, inlets, outlets, multi-function assemblies, power line filters, and more is available for immediate shipment globally from Digi-Key. For more information, or to order from Digi-Key's full line of Qualtek products, please visit any of Digi-Key's global websites. About Digi-Key Electronics Digi-Key Electronics, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is an authorized global, full-service distributor of electronic components, offering more than 8.7 million products, with over 1.7 million in stock and available for immediate shipment, from over 800 quality name-brand manufacturers. Digi-Key also offers a wide variety of online resources such as EDA and design tools, datasheets, reference designs, instructional articles and videos, multimedia libraries, and much more. Technical support is available 24/7 via email, phone and webchat. Additional information and access to Digi-Key's broad product offering can be found by visiting www.digikey.com. Editorial Contact for Digi-Key Electronics Shelli Lissick Bellmont Partners 651-276-6922 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qualtek-honors-digi-key-with-2018-distributor-of-the-year-award-300853251.html SOURCE Digi-Key Electronics [May 20, 2019] Dawn McCale, Stacy Thompson and Samara Halterman of Groupware Technology Honored as CRN's 2019 Women of the Channel CAMPBELL, Calif., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Groupware Technology, a leading IT solutions provider, announced today that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company, has named Dawn McCale, Stacy Thompson and Samara Halterman to its prestigious 2019 Women of the Channel list. The leaders on this annual list are from all areas of the IT channel ecosystem; representing technology suppliers, distributors, solution providers and other IT organizations. Each is recognized for her contributions to channel advocacy, channel growth and visionary leadership. CRN editors choose the list from a multitude of channel leadership applicants and select the final honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. Now a three-time honoree, Dawn McCale was also recognized as a Woman of the Channel in 2017 and 2018. As Groupware's VP of Sales for Named Accounts, she leads a sales team responsible for some of Groupware's biggest strategic customers. Under her leadership, Dawn's team has increased the year-over-year sales of Groupware's Rack and Roll practice consistently over the past five years. With a proven track record of sales success, Dawn has continuously exceeded sales targets throughout her 20-year career. Senior Director of Finance Stacy Thompson's financial leadership has played a relevant role in Groupware's tremendous growth from $2 million of sales in IT solutions and services the year before she joined the company in 2005, to over $285 million in its most recent fiscal year in 2018. She has been critical to Groupware's ability to maintain profitability while also financing strategic investments and established innovative ways to manage cash flow, lines of credit and control costs while establishing metrics for better managing the company's fast growth. Stacy is also a member of the Women of the Channel Board of Directors. Director of Marketing Samara Halterman has led the charge to establish Groupware's distinct brand and driven brand strategy initiatives that have elevated the company's presence and increased mindshare in its space. She has leveraged multi-channel segments, digita marketing and account-based marketing programs to position Groupware as a leader and innovator in the IT solutions category, as well as fostered key strategic relationships that have helped raise Groupware's profile in the channel. "CRN's 2019 Women of the Channel list honors influential leaders who are accelerating channel growth through mutually beneficial partnerships, incredible leadership, strategic vision and unique contributions in their field," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "This accomplished group of leaders is driving channel success and we are proud to honor their achievements." "I am very proud that Dawn, Stacy and Samara have been honored as Women of the Channel," noted Mike Thompson, CEO of Groupware Technology. "Their contributions in delivering value to our customers and partners have been significant factors in Groupware's continued growth and success. Additionally, their advocacy and commitment to the channel make them well-deserved recipients of the Women of the Channel recognition." The 2019 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. About Groupware Technology Groupware Technology, Inc. is a leading IT solutions provider specializing in infrastructure, cloud, data and AI, security, applications, rack integration services and first call support. We deliver these innovative technology services to world-class companies to help them achieve mission-critical objectives, lower costs, improve agility and increase competitive advantages. We are committed to help our customers optimize, integrate and automate their IT assets, as well as evaluate and implement robust new technologies and cloud-centric infrastructure models. For more information, contact (408) 540-0090 or visit www.groupwaretech.com Follow Groupware Technology: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn PR Contact: Shirley Ng, [email protected] ; 408-915-2446 About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2019. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dawn-mccale-stacy-thompson-and-samara-halterman-of-groupware-technology-honored-as-crns-2019-women-of-the-channel-300853324.html SOURCE Groupware Technology, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] AM BestTV: With AOB Battle Winding Down in Florida, Florida Association for Insurance Reform Sets Sights on Flood In this AMBestTV episode, leaders of Florida Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR) said new legislation sets stricter rules governing how consumers, contractors, lawyers and insurers are affected by assignment of benefits for insurance claims. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=fairpanel519 to view the entire program. Jay Neal, president & chief executive officer, FAIR, spoke about the need for expanded private flood coverage, but said that there is still a place for the current federal flood program. "Private companies offering private products will make the National Flood Insurance Program better coverage for insurance consumers. Our aspirational goal is similar to that of FEMA. In five years, we want to double the amount of flood policies in force. In 10 years, we want to take it eight times what it is today. If we can issue 40 million policies, it would represent roughly 30% of the households in the United States," he said. "We see it time and time again. These disasters hit outside of special hazard zones, and people lose their homes. There is a perception with some that the federal government is going to fly in and save you and that just simply does not happen." Paul Handerhan, senior vice president of public policy, FAIR, lauded reforms passed in the Florida Legislature related to the assignment of benefits; however, he noted the full effect of those reforms will take time. "The reason why is because we have so many tens of thousands of lawsuits already working their way through the courts," said Handerhan. "Those cases won't get resolved probably for the next one, two or three years down the road. As those costs are born continually by the insurance company over the next three years, you will still see those going back into the rate. It will take quite a while until you see that rate pressure really decrease." Other people that appeared in this episode: Sonja Larkin-Thorne, board vice chair, FAIR. Recent AMBestTV episodes: At RMS Exceedance: Barriers to Privatized lood Market Are Lowering, Says Regulatory Panel : An expert panel said new flood modeling should help move the market closer to actuarially sound rates, and new banking regulations will make it easier for private market coverage of flood risk: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=regulatorypanel519. : An expert panel said new flood modeling should help move the market closer to actuarially sound rates, and new banking regulations will make it easier for private market coverage of flood risk: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=regulatorypanel519. U.S. Disability Writers and Consumers Will Benefit From Easier Enrollment, Say AM Best Analysts : Kate Steffanelli, senior financial analyst, and Christopher Lewis, industry analyst, both of AM Best , said a decision by the U.S. Department of Labor to allow employers to auto-enroll employees in long-term disability coverage should provide opportunities for disability writers to expand their business: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=longtermdisability519. : Kate Steffanelli, senior financial analyst, and Christopher Lewis, industry analyst, both of , said a decision by the U.S. Department of Labor to allow employers to auto-enroll employees in long-term disability coverage should provide opportunities for disability writers to expand their business: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=longtermdisability519. Spanish Nonlife Insurance Market Sustains Stable Outlook, Says AM Best Senior Financial Analyst : Jessica Botelho-Young, senior financial analyst, AM Best, said Spain's economic growth and insurers' ability to maintain focus during political uncertainty and respond to consumer and regulatory developments help support a continued stable market segment outlook for the country's nonlife market: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=spanishnonlife_english419. : Jessica Botelho-Young, senior financial analyst, AM Best, said Spain's economic growth and insurers' ability to maintain focus during political uncertainty and respond to consumer and regulatory developments help support a continued stable market segment outlook for the country's nonlife market: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=spanishnonlife_english419. Commercial Automobile Writers Hampered by Medical Costs, Loss Trends, Says AM Best Associate Director: David Blades, associate director, AM Best, said large gaps in performance are emerging among U.S. commercial automobile writers, limiting some insurers' ability to respond to market pressures: http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=commercialauto519. AM BestTV covers exclusive AM Best and insurance industry information and reports, targeted topics and key developments in the insurance, reinsurance and related sectors daily. Sign up for alerts of episodes at http://www.ambest.com/multimedia/ambtvsignup.html. View AM BestTV episodes at http://www.ambest.tv. AM Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information. Copyright 2019 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005715/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Battelle-Led Team Wins DARPA Award to Develop Injectable, Bi-Directional Brain Computer Interface Battelle has for years successfully demonstrated brain-computer interface (BCI) projects-just look at NeuroLife, which has enabled a quadriplegic man to move his hand again using his thoughts. Now, the government's forward-thinking Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a contract to a Battelle-led team that pushes researchers into the realm of what was once considered science fiction. Imagine this: A soldier puts on a helmet and uses his or her thoughts alone to control multiple unmanned vehicles or a bomb disposal robot. That's the basis for this effort for DARPA's Next-Generation Non-Surgical Neurotechnology (N3) program. The N3 program seeks development of high-performance, bi-directional brain-machine interfaces for able-bodied service members. Most of the current BCI research, including Battelle's NeuroLife technology, focuses on helping people with disabilities who must undergo invasive implant procedures, including brain surgery, to enable a BCI that can restore lost function. For the next BCI leap, in which the technology can be used by healthy military service members, it's imperative to find lower-risk and less-invasive options. It's a path Battelle Senior Research Scientist Gaurav Sharma has already begun to navigate. Heavily involved for years with the NeuroLife project, Sharma began to develop ideas for non-surgical BCI options. The DARPA N3 program provides the opportunity to further develop them. Battelle's N3 concept for a minimally invasive neural interface system, called BrainSTORMS (Brain System to Transmit Or Receive Magnetoelectric Signals), involves the development of a novel nanotransducer that could be temporarily introduced into the body via injection and then directed to a specific area of the brain tohelp complete a task through communication with a helmet-based transceiver. Upon completion, the nanotransducer will be magnetically guided out of the brain and into the bloodstream to be processed out of the body. The nanotransducer would use magnetoelectric nanoparticles to establish a bi-directional communication channel with the brain. Neurons in the brain operate through electrical signals. The magnetic core of the nanotransducers would convert the neural electrical signals into magnetic ones that would be sent through the skull to the helmet-based transceiver worn by the user. The helmet transceiver could also send magnetic signals back to the nanotransducers where they would be converted to electrical impulses capable of being processed by the neurons, enabling two-way communication to and from the brain. "This is one of the most exciting and challenging projects I have worked on," said Sharma. "With BrainSTORMS, we will again be pushing the limits engineering and physics. If successful, this technology would not only provide a safe and efficient way to facilitate human machine interactions, but also has the potential to revolutionize the study of the nervous system." Sharma's experience and contacts in the BCI field are key to the effort's success. Battelle will apply its expertise in neural decoding, artificial intelligence, hardware engineering, in vitro electrophysiology and systems integration to combine the various aspects of the project. But all-stars were needed to complete the team. "We knew we needed a strong team if we wanted to succeed in this mission," said Sharma. "Our collaborators are experts in important areas for the program." Sakhrat Khizroev at the University of Miami will lead nanoparticle synthesis and characterization. Together with Ping Liang, Khizroev has pioneered magnetoelectric nanotransducers for medical applications. Cellular Nanomed Inc., a California-based small business led by Liang, will develop the external transceiver technology. Liang and Khizroev have also worked together on smart array technologies for the read and write of brain-computer interface signals. Doug Weber at the University of Pittsburgh will lead the preclinical safety and efficacy studies, bringing decades of experience in neural engineering research and development. His team has led several projects focused on developing closed-loop neurotechnology systems that enable people to control and feel prosthetic limbs through direct connections to the nervous system. He and his colleagues are currently managing multiple first-in-human trials of novel neurotechnology systems at the University of Pittsburgh. Before the end of the project, Andy McKinley and Justin Estepp at the Air Force Research Laboratory will conduct human demonstration studies. McKinley is a leader in the use of brain stimulation technologies for cognitive performance optimization. Battelle recently began the first phase of the program with $2 million in funding to demonstrate the core concept of the technology. If the team's concept proves successful, Battelle will receive additional funding for the second and third phases of the program. The full contract is worth approximately $20 million over four years for the Battelle team. About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle makes the world better by commercializing technology, giving back to our communities, and supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. For more information, visit www.battelle.org. Media Contacts For more information contact Katy Delaney at (614) 424-7208 or at [email protected] or contact T.R. Massey at (614) 424-5544 or at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005722/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com [May 20, 2019] American Battery Solutions Signs Agreement to Acquire High-Voltage Battery Assets from Robert Bosch Battery Systems LAKE ORION, Mich., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Battery Solutions, Inc. ("ABS"), a newly formed company, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire manufacturing and testing assets for high-voltage battery systems from Robert Bosch Battery Systems. The terms of the sale will not be disclosed. The sale is subject to successful completion of certain closing conditions. ABS is founded by a long-time innovator & industry leader Subhash Dhar and by KCK Group, a principal investment firm with global offices in London, New York, the Bay Area, and Dubai. KCK Group has committed over $50 million in capital to the enterprise to bring electrified mobility battery systems to new emerging transportation, industrial and commercial markets. Under the proposed agreement with Robert Bosch Battery Systems, ABS will acquire the testing lab assets for high-voltage battery systems and will lease 40,000 sq. ft. space for prototype battery pack assembly and offices located in Lake Orion, Mich. In addition, ABS will acquire the 172,000 sq. ft. facility located in Springboro, Ohio, where Robert Bosch Battery Systems has assembled lithium-ion battery packs for use in the automotive industr since 2009. "We are proud to offer capabilities to the market through the acquisition of high-voltage assets," said Subhash Dhar, Founder, Chairman and CEO of American Battery Solutions, Inc. ABS is founded by KCK Group and Dhar, a longtime innovator and industry leader in the development and commercialization of energy storage. The ABS leadership team include some of the most talented and experienced members of the industry including Dr. John Warner, chief customer officer; Ivan Menjak, vice president, business development and Arun Kumar, director, electronics. "ABS brings an experienced team of world-class battery professionals and automotive experts with an entrepreneurial mindset together with world-class development and manufacturing facilities and teams," Dhar said. ABS will have more than 50 experienced experts and associates between the two locations. ABS will supply modular battery solutions to underserved transportation, industrial and commercial markets, primarily in North America and Europe. It will partner with the world's leading OEMs, system integrators and battery manufacturers to supplement and extend their brands with a combination of engineering, testing and manufacturing services. The venture will partner with leading cell manufacturers, to offer a variety of chemistries and cell form factors to optimize each application. "We will leverage our significant automotive experience to bring electrified mobility battery systems to new emerging transportation, industrial and commercial segments," Dhar said. "We see tremendous opportunity for growth in robust battery systems with flexible business models as the business cases in these new segments are enabled with lower cost lithium ion batteries." Dhar said. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-battery-solutions-signs-agreement-to-acquire-high-voltage-battery-assets-from-robert-bosch-battery-systems-300853352.html SOURCE American Battery Solutions, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Sense is Chosen as a 2019 Red Herring Top 100 North America Winner CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sense, the innovator in home energy, has been named a winner of Red Herring's Top 100 North America 2019 event, recognizing the continent's most exciting and innovative private technology companies. The full list of winning companies can be found on the Red Herring website. The winners, who celebrated at a special awards ceremony at the Westin Pasadena hotel, were chosen from thousands of entrants. The companies were judged by industry experts, insiders and journalists on a wide variety of criteria including financial performance, innovation, business strategy, and market penetration. Winners were drawn from a wide range of verticals, from FinTech and Marketing to Security, IoT, and many more industries. Red Herring's editors have been evaluating the world's startups and tech companies for over two decades. Brands such as Alibaba, Google, Kakao, Skype, Spotify, Twitter and YouTube have all been singled out in Red Herring's storied history. "2019's crop of Top 100 winners has been among our mos intriguing yet," said Vieux. "North America has led the way in tech for so many years, and to see such unique, pioneering entrepreneurs and companies here in California, which is in many ways the heartland of the industry, has been a thrilling experience. "What has excited me most is to see so many people forging niches in high-tech and cutting edge sectors," added Vieux. "Some of the technical wizardry and first-rate business models showcased here at the conference have been fantastic to learn about. We believe Sense embodies the drive, skill and passion on which tech thrives. Sense should be proud of its achievement - the competition was incredibly strong." Red Herring's press release is available online at https://www.redherring.com/red-herring-2019-top-100-north-america-winners-press-release/ About Sense Named to the 2019 CB Insights AI 100 List of the most innovative AI startups, Sense is the first company to give consumers engaging, real-time analytics on energy consumption in their homes right on their mobile devices. Its mission is to make all homes intelligent through its "fitness tracker for the home," helping consumers save money and live safer with more energy-efficient households. Founded in 2013 by pioneers in speech recognition, Sense uses machine learning technology to provide real-time insights on device behavior, even for those devices that are not "smart." Customers rely on Sense for a wide range of uses including monitoring their home appliances, determining whether they left appliances running and identifying major energy drains in their home so they can substantially reduce their energy costs. Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To make sense of your energy, visit: https://sense.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sense-is-chosen-as-a-2019-red-herring-top-100-north-america-winner-300853356.html SOURCE Sense [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Professor Emanuel "Ely" Sachs, Inventor Of Binder Jet Printing And Co-Founder Of Desktop Metal, Receives SME Industry Achievement Award DETROIT, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Professor Emanuel "Ely" Sachs, inventor of binder jetting and co-founder of Desktop Metal , a company committed to making metal 3D printing accessible to manufacturers and engineers, has been awarded the 2019 SME Industry Achievement Award, announced today during RAPID + TCT 2019 in Detroit. "SME's Additive Manufacturing Community established the Industry Achievement Award more than a decade ago to recognize leaders who have made a significant impact in additive manufacturing," said Sandi Bouckley, executive director and CEO, SME. "Professor Sachs has been instrumental in transforming global manufacturing as we know it, and we're proud to recognize his considerable contributions to our industry." A pioneer in 3D printing and a visionary in rapid prototyping, Sachs and his colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) first developed the concept of 3D printing in the late 1980s while inventing and establishing binder jet technology. "It is truly an honor to be recognized with this award," said Sachs. "I find myself incredibly fortunate to have carved out a career in such rewarding and challenging work surrounded by like-minded individuals at MIT, Desktop Metal, and beyond." In addition to being a co-founder at Desktop Metal, Sachs also serves as the company's co-CTO, where he has played an integral role in the development of the Production System, the world's fastest metal printer for mass manufacturing. Based on his binder jet invention, the system is able to deliver the lowest cost per part with the highest capacity of any metal 3D printing system available. "We teamed up with Ely to try to make something magical here at Desktop Metal," said Ric Fulop, CEO and co-founder, Desktop Metal. "With his attention to detail and commitment to excellence in bringing our mass production technology to market, quite simply, we could not be doing what we're doing here without him." At MIT beginning in the late 1980s, Sachs became a visionary in rapid prototyping. With colleagues, he developed the concept of 3D printing, ultimately allowing engineers to create functional parts rather than models or patterns for prototyping and testing, as well as for creating finished product components. 3D printing technology has since been applied to a wide variety of systems and application areas including metal end-use parts. His work in ths area has helped launch a brand new industry. "Ely is more than deserving of this honor," said Scott Crump, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Stratasys, Inc., who first met Sachs at MIT when he invented binder jet technology. "He was able to take the theory and the physics, and convert that to something that could really work. Without Ely, the whole binder jetting revolution would have been delayed and it may have been an entirely different world for 3D printing today." In addition to 3D printing, Sachs is also known for his invention of conformal cooled molds and contributions to the manufacturing of photovoltaics, particularly for the invention of processes which make silicon wafers directly from molten silicon with no sawing required. He has co-founded several companies in this field, including 1366 Technologies Inc. He is also known for his work on process control of microelectronic manufacturing. Sachs became a member of the MIT faculty in 1986 and has continued to help guide the next generation of 3D printing visionaries as a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, where he earned his SM, MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He has been recognized for pioneering new approaches to teaching undergraduate education, focusing on active, hands-on participation by students in the discovery of knowledge. He has received numerous honors and awards, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering, the Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1995; the Institute of Corrosion's T.P. Hoar Award in 2001; the R&D 100 Award in 2004; the TMS Champion H. Mathewson Award in 2006 and being inducted into the TCT Group Hall of Fame in 2018. He has authored more than 110 technical papers. For a video highlighting Sachs' accomplishments, please click here. About SME SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With more than 85 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through an education foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at sme.org , follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg . About Desktop Metal Desktop Metal, Inc., based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with end-to-end metal 3D printing solutions. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make metal 3D printing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Since its inception, the company has raised $438 million in financing with a portfolio of strategic partners and investors including Ford Motor Company, GV (formerly Google Ventures), GE Ventures, BMW iVentures, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Lowe's, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and more. Desktop Metal was selected as one of the world's 30 most promising Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum and named to MIT Technology Review's list of 50 Smartest Companies . For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/professor-emanuel-ely-sachs-inventor-of-binder-jet-printing-and-co-founder-of-desktop-metal-receives-sme-industry-achievement-award-300853367.html SOURCE SME [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Raytheon and JFK Library inspire "moonshot thinking" with new STEM challenge at Boys & Girls Clubs WALTHAM, Mass., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, in partnership with Raytheon (NYSE: RTN), is inspiring the next generation of moonshot thinkers with a nationwide, space-themed STEM challenge designed specifically for Boys & Girls Clubs. The JFK Space Labs Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon complements Boys & Girls Clubs' summer STEM programming by engaging members and staff in a variety of biology and Earth science experiments like those performed on the International Space Station (ISS). Raytheon has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 2014 through a $5 million, multiyear commitment to evolve its national STEM programming, including building a network of STEM Centers of Innovation at Clubs that serve a high concentration of military youth. With Raytheon's support, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has committed to establishing dedicated STEM learning spaces in all of its Clubs, including training 54,000 youth development professionals to implement a research-based STEM curriculum. Through the JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon, Boys & Girls Clubs across America are invited to perform hands-on activities selected by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory by July 20, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and first moon landing. Participating Boys & Girls Clubs have the opportunity to win prizes that expand their exploration of space, including through augmented reality experiences. Prize winners will be announced at the ISS Research & Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 29. "The JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon highlights our longtime shared commitment to use STEM subjects to inspire young people to explore their futures and become the leaders of tomorrow," said Jim Clark, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "This challenge not only builds on the meaningful progress we've made with Raytheon's support over the last five years, but it aligns perfectly with our existing summer programming, which is designed to maintain members' interest and proficiency in STEM subjects at the time of year when they are most at risk of falling behind." Clubs participating in the challenge must perform one or more of the following activities by July 20: Orion's Quest: Club members participate in authentic space-based research through virtual "missions" that require them to analyze photo and/or video data downlinked directly from the ISS and submit their findings to scientists. Tomatosphere: Guided by online resources, an educator helps Club members plan, perform and submit a "blind test" experiment to compare the germination rates of two groups of tomato seedsone that flew in space and another that remained on Earth. EarthKam: Club members control the camera in a unique Earth observation experiment onboard the ISS. Windows on Earth: This activity provides software that allows Club members to view stunning pictures of Earth taken by astronauts on the ISS and take part in related activities. John F. Kennedy Library Foundation's website. The JFK Space Lab Explorers Challenge presented by Raytheon shares its theme with two related programs announced by Raytheon and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in April: JFK Space Lab Explorers presented by Raytheon, which gives schools and afterschool programs access to a curated set of free experiments through ISS National Lab partners; and JFK Space Lab presented by Raytheon, a program for middle and high school students that provides selected schools named after President Kennedy with support for Earth science, biology and computer science experiments that utilize direct connections withand data fromthe ISS. All three programs were developed in cooperation with the ISS National Lab and made possible by Raytheon's $1.5 million sponsorship of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the technological leadership of the nation's first moonshot. Raytheon's leadership in space-related capabilities originates in the Apollo era. Visit here to learn more about how Raytheon technology led Apollo 11 astronauts to the moon, as well as the moonshot innovations its employees are working on today. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter. About the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and John F. Kennedy Presidential Library The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization founded in 1984 to provide financial support, staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Kennedy Presidential Library and the Kennedy Library Foundation seek to promote, through educational and community programs, a greater appreciation and understanding of American politics, history, and culture, the process of governing and the importance of public service. Visit www.jfklibrary.org for the latest announcements and calendar of events. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,300 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter. Media Contacts Mike Doble Raytheon 703.284.4345 [email protected] Ashley Keyes Boys & Girls Clubs of America 404.285.2326 [email protected] Terence Burke JFK Library Foundation 617.901.1697 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-and-jfk-library-inspire-moonshot-thinking-with-new-stem-challenge-at-boys--girls-clubs-300853430.html SOURCE Raytheon Company [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] CherryRoad Technologies Inc. Acquires Superb Internet MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CherryRoad Technologies Inc., a leading integrator of enterprise software and digital technology solutions, today announced it has acquired Superb Internet Corp., a leading provider of cloud hosting and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) services to global clients, worldwide. Founded in 1996, Superb was the first provider to deliver commercial, name-based virtual hosting and rapidly pioneered the first commercially available Virtual Private Server (VPS) service, which is the predecessor of today's Cloud services. Operating within multiple data centers built to the Tier 3 uptime standard with a high-availability, coast-to-coast IP backbone, Superb offers an array of IaaS hosting solutions including: cloud hosting; dedicated servers; shared hosting; domain registration; co-location; along with a global content delivery network. "Our clients ask that we help them meet the evolving challenges of digital transformation. Expanding our capabilities by partnering with Superb Internet allows us to deliver a truly unique approach to how clients build, host, implement, integrate, secure, store, access, and manage all things cloud related," said Jeremy Gulban, CherryRoad Chief Executive Officer. "Our combined strengths perfectly complement each other, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome the Superb team to the CherryRoad family." "Superb's unique combination of technology and services not only mitigates risk, but improves the reliability, performance, ecurity, and speed of cloud and internet infrastructure. These are all top concerns for clients who wish to operate in the cloud, and already have or anticipate having multiple cloud environments," said Haralds Jass, Founder and President of Superb. "We are excited to bring our enterprise-level comprehensive array of cloud IaaS hosting solutions to the CherryRoad public sector client base." About CherryRoad Technologies Inc. At CherryRoad, our clients entrust us with the success of their digital transformation initiatives, including on-premise ERP, cloud-based applications, business intelligence solutions, process optimization, managed services, and change management consulting. Throughout our 35-year history we've successfully partnered with hundreds of public sector and commercial clients to modernize, optimize and manage their back-office functions. A global business Headquartered in Morris Plains, N.J., we've earned a solid reputation for combining technology, organizational, functional, and vertical market expertise into practical solutions that deliver results. For more information, visit www.cherryroad.com About Superb Internet Superb Internet Corporation is an enterprise-grade cloud-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider with data centers across the U.S. and a coast-to-coast IP backbone. Superb provides a comprehensive range of services, from domain registration and web-site hosting, through colocation, bandwidth, dedicated servers, and scalable, highly flexible cloud hosting. Superb delivers the highest levels of secure & compliant hosting services, under an industry-leading 100% uptime, 5-minute support response time, low latency and zero packet loss Service Level Agreement (SLA), guaranteeing every aspect of the service experience. Since 1996, Superb has continually pushed the envelope of innovation by designing and building its world-renowned mission critical hosting services for a global marketplace, including a number of industry firsts. For more information, please visit www.superb.net. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cherryroad-technologies-inc-acquires-superb-internet-300853446.html SOURCE CherryRoad Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] DeepMap's Wei Luo Recognized as a "Woman of Influence" by Silicon Valley Business Journal PALO ALTO, Calif., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Wei Luo, COO of DeepMap, is one of 100 local women honored this year by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as a "Woman of Influence." She is joined by professionals from a variety of industries including technology, education, nonprofits, law, and finance. James Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMap, said: "Wei is an outstanding leader in the field of autonomous driving. She has earned the respect of her colleagues through her combination of deep domain knowledge and empathy, energy, and efficiency. She serves as a daily role model to the women and men of DeepMap as well as to her family." In a profile about Luo, the Silicon Valley Business Journal wrote: "Wei Luo leads product and operations along with product planning strategy at Palo Alto-based DeepMap, which creates mapping and localization technology for autonomous vehiles. She's given talks and participated in panel discussions on autonomous vehicles and mapping throughout her career, and she's worked on projects for clients including the World Bank and National Geographic." "Wei Luo sees every place and person as being 'connected geospatially in profound ways'. That's evident in the career path she's created, studying and gathering expertise in geospatial intelligence, data analytics, machine learning, and enterprise cloud. Since she first saw 3D digital maps in college, she's been looking for new ways to map the connections between things." Prior to DeepMap, Luo was at Google for nine years, where she led product and engineering efforts for Google Earth, Google Maps, Geo Enterprise, Location Intelligence, and more. Luo has a PhD from UC Berkeley in GIS and Remote Sensing, and a dual BS degree in Economics and Urban and Environmental Planning from Peking University. About DeepMap DeepMap's mission is to accelerate safe autonomy by providing the world's best autonomous mapping and localization solutions. DeepMap delivers the technology necessary for self-driving vehicles to navigate in a complex and unpredictable environment. The company addresses three important elements: precise high-definition mapping, ultra-accurate real-time localization, and the serving infrastructure to support massive global scaling. DeepMap was founded in 2016 and is funded by Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, GSR Ventures, and others. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., with offices in Beijing and Guangzhou, China. For more information, see www.deepmap.ai . Contact info: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deepmaps-wei-luo-recognized-as-a-woman-of-influence-by-silicon-valley-business-journal-300853456.html SOURCE DeepMap [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] Allen Matkins Partners Nancy Lundeen and Kate Kraus Elected Fellows of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the American College of Tax Counsel, Respectively Allen Matkins, a California-based full service real estate and business law firm, announced today that Nancy Lundeen, a partner in the firm's San Francisco office, was elected a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and Kate Kraus, a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office, was elected a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. Membership in both Colleges is reserved for attorneys who have made an exceptional contribution to their practice of law. Fellows must be nominated for the honor of membership and must then undergo a rigorous screening process prior to being elected as Fellows of the respective College. Nancy's practice includes a full range of real estate transactions, including the purchase and sale of real estate, real estate finance, commercial leasing (including office, retail, and industrial leasing), and loan workouts. Her clients range from large institutional clients to small companies, and include purchasers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, and landlords and tenants. Nancy is a past-president of both CREW San Francisco and Womn in Real Estate (WIRE), and is frequently recognized by media publications and industry groups as one of the leading real estate attorneys on the West Coast. Kate has extensive experience in tax planning and structuring, including formations, financing transactions, acquisitions, restructurings, debt workouts, and liquidations. Her clients include real estate funds, private equity funds, hedge funds, Fortune 100 companies, mid-market companies, and high net worth individuals. She is frequently invited to speak across the country, and she has published articles on a diverse range of topics including bankruptcy taxation and the partnership audit rules. She is also the CLE Chair for the ABA Tax Section Real Estate Committee. ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF REAL ESTATE LAWYERS Founded in 1978, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers is comprised of more than 1,000 lawyers distinguished for their skill, experience, and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law. Its primary objectives include improving the quality of real estate law and practice, making available to the Bar and to the public authoritative educational materials in the field of real estate law, informing members of the most current developments in real estate law, participating in law reform when appropriate, and cooperating and consulting with national, state, and local bar organizations, government agencies, and other groups that have an interest in real estate law and practice. ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TAX COUNSEL The American College of Tax Counsel is comprised of attorneys who have made an exceptional contribution to the practice of tax law through their representation of clients, involvement in bar organizations, speaking engagements, and writing. The College provides a venue for these outstanding lawyers to work together to promote sound tax policy and to engage in thoughtful discussion with the government about matters affecting the tax system. In addition, the College supports public conferences on tax policy issues and encourages the publication of scholarly articles. As part of its mission to improve the tax system, the College provides recommendations to Congress and the Internal Revenue Service for improving the nation's tax laws and the way that they are interpreted and administered, and it provides input into the judicial system by filing "friend of the court" briefs in selected tax cases. ABOUT ALLEN MATKINS Allen Matkins, founded in 1977, is a California-based law firm with approximately 200 attorneys in four major metropolitan areas of California: Los Angeles, Orange (News - Alert) County, San Diego, and San Francisco. The firm's areas of focus include real estate, construction, land use, environmental, and natural resources; corporate and securities, real estate and commercial finance, bankruptcy, restructurings and creditors' rights, joint ventures, and tax; labor and employment; and trials, litigation, risk management, and alternative dispute resolution in all of these areas. For more information about Allen Matkins please visit www.allenmatkins.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005822/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2019] NextGen Growth Partners Supports Young Entrepreneurs at Local Northside High School NextGen (News - Alert) Growth Partners LLC (NGP), a Chicago-based private equity firm that acquires and builds businesses alongside entrepreneurial operators, recently visited a group of young entrepreneurs at Northside College Preparatory High School (Northside) in Chicago's North Park neighborhood. Brian O'Connor, NGP Founder and Managing Partner, spoke with the Future Business Leaders of Northside Student Club about the meaning of entrepreneurship, business leadership and proactivity in the working world. O'Connor says, "The students were so engaged and asked smart and thoughtful questions. It's inspiring to see high school students already proactively thinking about their careers, how to make a difference, and what leadership means." The Northside students were enthusiastic about their time with O'Connor. "To have a speaker of such pedigree and experience give his time to teach us meant a lot," shared one club member. "Professor O'Connor wanted the presentation to be as dynamic as possible and left ample time for us to ask questions and engage with him on topics of interest to us. I hope Future Business Leaders will continue to stay in touch with him going forward," said another student. NGP and O'Connor, a faculty member at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, are committed supporters of educational causes and student support services in the Chicago area. Last November, NGP made a donation to Distinctive Schools, a Chicago-based non-profit operator of public charter schools focused on social justice and the elevation of access to achievement in underserved communities. O'Connor says, "Our business is all about people. Businesses, and our communities, grow and flourish because of people. When we focus on providing youth with the right tools, resources, access, and mentorship; we all benefit." About Northside College Preparatory High School Northside College Preparatory High School is a public 4-year selective enrollment high school located in the North Park neighborhood of Chicago. The school's mission is to create a responsive environment that challenges all to embrace the joy of discovery, nurtures learners as they strive to fulfill their individual and collective potential and empowers students to pursue their roles in the local and global communities. To learn more, please visit www.northsideprep.org. About NextGen Growth Partners Headquartered in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, NextGen Growth Partners is a private equity firm that partners with the best and brightest entrepreneurial talent to acquire, operate and grow lower middle market businesses across a variety of industries. The team has a strong track record of creating value through growth and operational improvement in middle market businesses. For more information, please visit www.nextgengp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190520005851/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Update May 21 7:53 am ET: The U.S. Commerce Department has granted a 90-day license for phone companies and internet providers to work with Huawei, an exemption that allows Google to send software updates to Huawei phones through August 19. Google is complying with Trumps administration banning of Huawei, the worlds second biggest smartphone manufacturer. If this isnt remedied in the short term, it may open a divide that may prove fatal to the platform and also have a lasting effect on other companies, like Apple. (Image credit: FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images) If you live in the US, you may think this will not affect you. After all, if you buy what the US government spy agencies say that Huawei is just a band of Chinese spies who cares, right? Well, you should, even if you dont use Huawei because the move will most surely have repercussions in the form of Chinese government retaliation perhaps targeting Apple and a potential division of the Android operating system. The effect on Huawei users Google as Qualcomm, Intel, Microsoft, Corning, even companies like Dolby and many others are US-based companies bound to US law. That means that this company has to stop any business with the Huawei: from selling them the glass for their screen to the OS for their computers and phones, to processors and modems, to apps and services like YouTube and Gmail. According to Avi Greengart founder of consumer electronics market analysis firm Techsponential this effectively puts Huawei out of business outside of China. In an email interview, Greengart told Toms Guide that Huawei cannot sell smartphones outside China without Googles Android operating system, Googles PLAY store, and regular software and security updates. Inside China, Huawei can use the portions of Android that are open source and its own app store. MORE: Huawei P30 Pro Review: A Photography Revolution Likewise, Huawei cannot sell laptops without Microsofts Windows operating system and Intel chips. As a reminder, Huaweis Consumer Device Business unit brought over $50 billion in revenues in 2018. It sold 208 million phones only last year, approximately 80 million of them outside China, according to Greengart, and its the fastest growing company in Europe, with over 20% market share. That is a lot of phones. The impact on Huawei: 'Crippling' but good for Samsung Huawei will be severely impacted if is forced to stop using Google's version of Android. This sort of situation has never worked out well for others. "If I look at it through the lens of Android forks, this is a crippling situation," said Tuong Nguyen, senior principal analyst for Gartner. "Not having access to the convenience, familiarity, and ease of use of Google Play and all the associate Google apps is one of the big reasons Android fork smartphones arent as competitive as the non-forks." According to Greengart, Xiaomi and OPPO, two other Chinese companies expanding around the world, should immediately pick up sales. Samsung could see a small uptick in flagship sales as well, particularly if Huawei is not able to resume sales and support when the Galaxy Fold and the next Note start shipping later this summer, Greengart says. But that is short term. Perhaps Huawei will get out of its blacklist status as soon as China and the US reach a trade agreement. Or perhaps the blacklist will continue and Xiaomi and Oppo will be added. Impact on U.S. companies Many US companies will feel the impact, not big like Intel, Microsoft, Qualcomm and small firms like Corning glass and Dolby. Technology companies that count Huawei as a large customer will lose out on revenue and growth, says Greengart, Huaweis device sales have been rising rapidly, which ripples throughout its supply chain. Intel and Microsoft provide CPUs and the Windows OS to Huaweis burgeoning PC business. But the Chinese manufacturers PC sales just started in 2017, so that impact will be limited. Qualcomm, Corning and other companies will suffer the most, as they make big chunks of their revenues from all those millions of phones that Huawei sells worldwide. Android: Googles worst case scenario One of the possible outcomes of this is that Huawei may decide to release their own operating system. This will count with the potential involvement of the Chinese government and its economic resources and the rest of the Chinese Android manufacturers. After the ZTE debacle and this, its clear that the Chinese cant afford to depend on the US for a crucial part of its infrastructure and business development. Companies like Xiaomi and Oppo can see the writing on the wall and decide to switch away from Android before they are too shunned by Trump or whoever in the next US government decides to ban as a political and economic bargaining chip. Its not crazy to think that other companies through the world may join that effort, too. Remember that Europeans do not agree with US arguments and will not not follow any Huawei ban based on what they believe is questionable US intelligence. Their authorities and companies will not want to depend on the whims of the American government. If that happens, it will definetly affect Google, developers and, by extension, every Android phone user. Developers will eventually be forced to maintain two codebases. And users will have to make a choice, potentially dividing Android between the US and the rest of the world. "Fragmentation is a real concern," said Greengart. "There is a limit to how successful you can be selling things that consumers and enterprises don't want. Google, Apple, and Microsoft make the operating systems that have deep application and services ecosystems, are embedded in the hardware supply chain, and are well supported and updated." It will be ironic that, after years of fragmentation and Google fighting to make Android a solid ground for developers just like Apple has done with iOS now they have to face the opening of a potential war with the international Android manufacturers. Its very possible that Googles brass may be evaluating what to do next, including suing the US government. Apple: Potential collateral damage But the cluster-you-know-what doesnt stop there. Like Greengart says, the indirect damage may be even worse. Huawei is not just a large company, it one of the few Chinese companies with an international brand, and it is a source of national pride for the Chinese, he says, if the Chinese government wants to retaliate for trade restrictions crippling Huawei, it could target Apple. That would mean potentially forbidding Apple products in China but also making Apples providers to stop having business with Apple. This would not be without cost Apple is a big employer inside China, Greengart says, and has good relationships with the government. But all bets are off at this point. The Chinese government can very well give money to Foxconn and other Chinese Apple providers to offset for the losses of banning business with the Cupertino company. But Cook and company will have an extremely hard time scrambling to assemble a new supply and manufacturing line. Knowing Apples standards regarding timing and quality, the task will prove almost impossible in the short term. Add to that the fact that 17% of its revenues come from sales inside greater China. Greengart says that, while Apple can afford a temporary drop in sales, any damage to its brand appeal in China could have a terrible long-lasting impact for the company. In other words, whether you like Huawei or not and regardless of your opinion of Trump and his administration, this ban may have a huge and long-lasting effects for everyone involved. T-Mobile's planned merger with Sprint took a big step forward today (May 20) but also a notable step back. Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, indicated he would back the combination of the two wireless carriers. But to get Pai's approval, T-Mobile and Sprint had to make some commitments about future service that's certain to impact wireless customers. (Image credit: T-Mobile and Sprint officials unveil merger plans in 2018. (Credit: T-Mobile)) The Sprint/T-Mobile deal needs more than just Pai's backing, though. The U.S. Department of Justice still needs to approve the merger as well, and according to a Bloomberg report, officials are leaning against the deal due to concerns about competition and prices. Normailly, gaining the OK of the FCC chairman of the Republican-controlled panel suggests that approval is likely. But at this moment the deal is up in the air. In light of the significant commitments made by T-Mobile and Sprint as well as the facts in the record to date, I believe that this transaction is in the public interest and intend to recommend to my colleagues that the FCC approve it," Pai said in a statement released today. "This is a unique opportunity to speed up the deployment of 5G throughout the United States and bring much faster mobile broadband to rural Americans. We should seize this opportunity. Winning Pai's support required Sprint and T-Mobile to modify some of the terms of the deal to address concerns about 5G deployment and rural coverage, which the two companies spelled out in a letter to the FCC. Here's how the promised changes may affect your wireless coverage, should the merger go through. Boost Mobile will be sold One bone of contention with the Sprint/T-Mobile merger has been what combining two of the Big Four carriers will mean for competition not just for postpaid wireless service but for prepaid customers as well. In addition to their own offerings, both Sprint and T-Mobile have wholly owned subsidiaries Metro by T-Mobile in the case of T-Mobile and Virgin and Boost in the case of Sprint that rely on their parent networks for service. Some critics of the proposed merger fear that one entity controlling that many carriers will be bad for customers. To address that concern, Boost is going to be the odd carrier out. The combined company, which will operate under the name New T-Mobile, plans to sell off Boost to "a serious and credible buyer," with plans to submit the name of the buyer to the FCC within 120 days of the merger closing. The combined carrier also says it won't throttle or deprioritize Boost's traffic, which will presumably continue to use Sprint's network. Metro and Virgin would remain part of the New T-Mobile under this plan. Since the Justice Department's review of the proposed Sprint-T-Mobile merger is largely focused on what combining the nation's third and fourth largest carriers will mean for competition, how officials view this concession will likely be key to whether it approves or blocks the deal. Commitment to 5G One of the primary reasons Sprint and T-Mobile say they have to merge is to accelerate the launch of their 5G network. Sprint plans to turn on the faster wireless service in four cities this month, while T-Mobile's 5G efforts are likely to begin in earnest during the second half of 2019. The combined company would commit to an even more aggressive rollout. Sprint and T-Mobile promise in their letter to cover 97% of the country's population with low-band spectrum within three years of the merger, while three-quarters of the population will have access to mid-band spectrum. That translates to speeds topping 100 Mbps for two-thirds of the population in that three-year time frame. By year six, mid-band coverage will increase to 88% of the country, while nine out of 10 Americans will have access to 100 Mbps speeds. Those sped-up rollout plans are also expected to address rural coverage, which has emerged as a major concern about the merge from both Democrats and Republicans during congressional hearings. Sprint and T-Mobile are committing to bringing mid-band spectrum to 6.5 million more rural Americans than they had previously promised in the first three years after the merger goes through; they'll add coverage for another 6.1 million people in rural areas after six years. That means speeds of 50 Mbps or higher to two-thirds of the rural population and 100 Mbps or higher to half of rural America after three years. In-home broadband plans The combined company plans to deliver internet service to homes that compete against existing internet providers on price. T-Mobile is promising minimum download speeds of 25 Mbps for home broadband service with average speeds topping 100 Mbps. In another nod to rural users, the merged company will be available to 300,000 more rural households within three years than originally promised. That number doubles after six years, Sprint and T-Mobile said. T-Mobile plans to market in-home service to 9.6 million households within three years of its merger with Sprint. Of that total, at least 2.6 million households will be in rural areas. No change to wireless plan pricing Back in February, T-Mobile and Sprint said that prices for wireless coverage wouldn't go up once they merged, promising "the same or better rate plans as those offered by T-Mobile or Sprint" for three years after the merger is OK'd. MORE: Best Cell Phone Plans The latest commitments from the two carriers reaffirms that promise and reiterates that 5G coverage will come at no extra cost. In contrast, the Sprint/T-Mobile letter notes, Verizon requires its customers to pay an extra $10 a month for 5G coverage on top of their unlimited LTE data plans. Bad news for Boost customers, though: you'll only be covered by that promise until the moment the New T-Mobile sells off that prepaid carrier. What happens then to Boost's rates is anybody's guess. The impact of the merger on monthly cell phone bills is going to be another key area of focus for the Justice Department's review, even with T-Mobile's vow not to raise prices for three years. Penalties for broken promises So what happens if the New T-Mobile fails to deliver on any of the obligations outlined here? In their letter to the FCC, T-Mobile and Sprint say they'll agree to an "unprecedented" amount of verification and enforcement. "Failure to meet New T-Mobile obligations will trigger severe, increasing, and continuing voluntary contributions that will make failure prohibitively expensive and incentivize New T-Mobile to meet its commitments," the companies said. That's enough to satisfy the FCC's Pai. "These consequences, which could include total payments to the U.S. Treasury of billions of dollars, create a powerful incentive for the companies to meet their commitments on time," the FCC chairman said in his statement backing the merger. We'll find out soon enough whether the Justice Department has reached a different conclusion. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Updated, 5/21/19, 7:05am PT: The Bureau of Industry and Security announced that Huawei suppliers will be given a 90-day reprieve from the new trade restrictions. In an update to the May 15 announcement that it was expanding the Entity List, the bureau said that "Effective May 20, 2019, BIS amended the EAR to create a 90-day temporary general license that partially restores the licensing requirements and policies under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) for exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) to sixty-nine entities added to the Entity List on May 16, 2019." Issuing a temporary license was nominally meant to give American companies more time to adjust their plans following the loss of Huawei's business. But it also gave the U.S. and China time to have more--and hopefully more productive--trade talks. Perhaps the delay of execution will become a stay of execution; but at least now companies should find it easier to transition to an economy that doesn't involve Huawei. Original article, 5/20/19, 6:18am PT: Huawei's addition to a U.S. Department of Commerce blacklist could have dire ramifications for the company. Weekend reports indicated that numerous American companies, including Google and Intel, will sever ties with Huawei because of the federal government's actions. The company said it would respond to those lost connections by becoming more self-sufficient, but analysts weren't convinced that it would be able to do so in the near future. Reuters said on May 19 that Google planned to stop letting Huawei use its apps, the Google Play software marketplace, and other aspects of Android in response to the company's addition to the Entity List on May 15. Huawei would still be allowed to use the Android Open Source Project in its phones, but losing access to Google services would effectively make the version of Android running on the company's smartphones unrecognizable to many people. Bloomberg later reported that Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom, and Xilinx wouldn't supply Huawei until further notice. Losing those suppliers could seriously limit Huawei's ability to ship new phones--it's kinda hard to make a smartphone without a processor, wireless modem, and other components made by these companies. Huawei attempted to downplay those concerns by claiming it could replace its American suppliers with some based in China. Numerous analysts told Reuters and Bloomberg they doubt Huawei's claims. Chinese companies might be able to replicate the products offered by their American counterparts--emphasis on "might"--but analysts didn't think any would be able to do so at the scale Huawei would require. The company is the second-largest smartphone maker in the world, behind Samsung, and that means it needs a large supply of components to meet demand. Huawei might not feel the effects of these losses right away, though, because it's reportedly stockpiled enough components to last at least three months. It's also been designing its own chips, but analysts told Reuters that even those efforts could be stymied because they rely on software made by American companies. Losing the U.S. market could have been enough to rock Huawei; losing American suppliers could be even more problematic. Not that Huawei would be the only company to suffer. Like we said, it's the world's second-largest smartphone maker, and losing that business also hurts American companies. Seeking Alpha reported that numerous semiconductor companies saw their share prices drop this morning. STMicroelectronics, Micron, Qualcomm, Xilinx, and Intel saw price drops between 7.4% (STMicroelectronics) and 1.8% (Intel) in early trading. It wouldn't be surprising if shareholders for all those companies--from America's semiconductor industry to Huawei--waited with bated breath to see how the U.S. and China planned to proceed. The relationship between the countries is critical, and tensions could harm companies in both. It's only been five days since Huawei was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce blacklist; we doubt this is the last we'll hear about that decision's fallout. Sleaze Summit Crash Right Now Driver rams car into Lee's Summit Police Department LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (AP) - Lee's Summit police are investigating after a driver crashed into the department's front lobby. Police said the car's 43-year-old driver was taken into custody after the crash early Monday. The investigation into the cause is continuing. Nasty Kansas Crackdown Kansas high court: Man accused in child rape must be freed A Saline County judge declared a mistrial in March 2018 trial of Rictor Bowman because the then-4-year-old girl wouldn't take the oath to be sworn in as a witness. Shooting And More Tragedy Family of Northland teen killed in shooting speaks, facing eviction KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The family of a teen who was killed in a shooting is now facing eviction. Andrea Andries moved her family of seven to Kansas City from Jacksonville, Florida in March in hopes of fleeing what they consider to be a crime-ridden community. Missouri Drug Reporting Resistance Why Missouri's The Last Holdout On A Statewide Rx Monitoring Program For the seventh year in a row, Missouri will retain its lonely title as the only state without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. Fears about privacy violations and gun control scuttled the bill yet again, leaving a pastiche of half-step measures in place to fill the void in the fight against prescription drug abuse. Drunk Drivers Hit Local Youngsters KCPD arrests 2 drivers, both on suspicion of drunk driving, after they both hit children KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police say two drivers were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after children were struck by vehicles in separate incidents. Police Capt. Tim Hernandez says a young girl was crossing the street Sunday afternoon in east Kansas City when someone drove around a stopped vehicle and struck her. Show-Me Alleged Nasty Dude Columbia woman says mom woke up to naked man beside her bed COLUMBIA - A Columbia woman said her mom woke up early Saturday morning to find a man lying naked beside her bed and staring straight at her. "I didn't really understand his intentions," she said. "I mean you're naked man, what are you doing?" College Creeper Push Back Lengthy Webster U. Harassment Investigation Spurs Student Outcry, University Audit The first time Tamsen Reed heard the rumors was over a text message from a soon-to-be roommate. Almost immediately, she began to feel trapped. The rumors kept piling on. She'd hear them in her university classrooms. Once, a stranger shared them with one of Reed's housemates, not realizing they lived together. A quick glimpse of Kansas City police, crime and crackdown news. Take a look:Developing . . . AND WE'RE BACK!!! Kansas City Country Music Classic Redux Due to overwhelming demand, George Strait schedules second show at Sprint Center Chris Pizzello SOURCE: Chris Pizzello If the question was, "Do you love me, do you want to be my friend," then Kansas City checked yes.Due to overwhelming demand, country music legend George Strait has added a second show at Kansas City's Sprint Center.Strait's first show was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. Downtown Agenda This Summer 'Celebration' raises for the bar for holiday week ahead Downtown is preparing a spectacular start to summer with Celebration at the Station and the national premiere of a major Stonehenge exhibition this week at Union Station, along with a complete calendar of arts, music and more Monday to Sunday, May 20-26. Trade War Impacts Local Toy Company Grandview toy company prepares for trade war's increased costs U.S. Toy Company in Grandview toy company not ready to pass on the cost of tariffs, at least for the time being. A new round of tariffs against China was announced last week. President Donald Trump increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 percent, up from the previous 10 percent. Show-Me Guv Parson Winning 6 Observations As Gov. Parson Finds Success In First Full Legislative Session Gov. Mike Parson just finished up his first legislative session as governor. And by any objective measure, it was a good one for the GOP chief executive. He wanted the Republican-controlled Legislature to approve his ideas around workforce development and transportation spending, and those lawmakers followed through. Losing Season Rankings Handing out first quarter grades to the Royals Judging by the fact that we've gone from 70 degree highs to "surface of the sun" hot in a matter of 24 hours, it would appear that summer is upon us, which means that the school year has come to an end. For me growing up, that meant anxiously awaiting my report cards. Kansas City Jazz Well Remembered Arts News: New Play Explores the Life of KC Jazz Legend Myra Taylor - KC STUDIO "You should make a movie of my life," local jazz legend Myra Taylor (1917-2011) said to independent filmmaker Michael Assesandro years ago. He never forgot it. Now, Assesandro is part of a team including Danny Cox, local acting and songwriting legend, and Harvey Williams, founder and director of KC Melting Pot Theatre, who plan to produce a play about Taylor's life. Soggy Week According To Katie Kansas City in and out of rain, strong storms over next several days Get ready for more rain. We start the morning withand then we take a quick peek at these local news links. Checkit:is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . . Now, weve all heard of the extravagant accessories Rolls-Royce designs with the 1% in mind. Most of them wear hefty price tags that seem unattainable to us mere mortals and, naturally, they also come with a high level of sophistication. And no, there is no typo Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest The latest creation of Rolls-Royces design studios is pretty much the champagne of all champagne sets. It is simply called "Champagne Chest," and although at first sight, it might look suspicious to a Customs employee, its the inside that fascinates the most. So, if youve even been inside a Rolls-Royce for longer than a couple of minutes - or close enough to get a good look at its cabin - theres a high chance youll recognize some of the materials used. We bet Rolls-Royce owners will have no problem with that. But well say it anyway: the Tudor Oak wood adorning the crate as well as the Natural Grain black leather cover embossed with the Spirit of Ecstasy are actually the same materials used in Rolls-Royce cars. Oh, we nearly forgot: Rolls-Royce can, of course, provide any leather color a customer desires, regardless of how eccentric that might be. Holding everything together is a frame - or chassis if youre interested in Rolls-Royce PR talk - made of machined aluminum and carbon fiber. The Champagne Crate is designed for four people. It can be opened by just pressing a button, which is basically where the magic happens in terms of revealing its interior. Rolls-Royce Champagne Crate contents Rolls-Royce doesnt offer size info on its Champagne Crate, but weve got to hand it to them, the designers have done a neat job in fitting everything together. As we mentioned, four people can enjoy the champagne set, and each one of them gets a cotton napkin with the RR logo and a crystal-made, hand-blown champagne flute. Because opulence. Then theres the mini-table made of the same Tudor Oak. It is large enough to hold a champagne bottle and the four flutes as well as two 30g caviar tins that complement the set. If those are not enough to tickle your fancy, then know this: the set also includes three porcelain bowls that can be filled with whatever rich people are eating these days, joined by two mother-of-pearl spoons with anodized aluminum handles "designed so as not to impair the delicate flavor of the caviar." At this point, youll probably do the math on how much the RR Champagne Crate might cost. Well spare you the trouble: 37,000, which is about $47,175 or $5,000 more than what youll pay for a brand-new 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But as far as the audacity is concerned, we shouldnt raise too many eyebrows. After all, for $34,600, Rolls-Royce will also sell you a picnic basket made to go with your Cullinan, Dawn, Ghost, Phantom, or Wraith. Further reading 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Read our full review on the 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Read our full review on the 2018 Rolls Royce Phantom. Read our full review on the 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge Silver Airways newly-painted military-themed aircraft 'Bravo Zulu' took its first flight on Friday on the airlines new daily nonstop service between two historic U.S. Air Force bases - Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, located within Eglin Air Force Base, and Orlando International Airport, formerly McCoy Air Force Base. Silver Airways newly-painted military-themed aircraft 'Bravo Zulu' took its first flight on Friday on the airlines new daily nonstop service between two historic U.S. Air Force bases - Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, located within Eglin Air Force Base, and Orlando International Airport, formerly McCoy Air Force Base. The plane is a salute to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who have selflessly given of themselves to protect us all and those who continue to serve our country. The Saab 340 was officially named Bravo Zulu, a long tradition and widely-used phrase throughout the military for a job well done. The messages Saluting Service Members and All Gave Some Some Gave All is also inscribed on the plane. As Silver Airways starts new service between two important military communities ahead of Memorial Day, we are proud to unveil Bravo Zulu as our tribute of appreciation to veteran and active-duty members of the U.S. military in salute of their tireless dedication and sacrifices in serving our country, said Silver Airways CEO Steve Rossum. To all who have served, to all who have given their lives, and to all who continue to serve, we thank you. Its a great day for VPS and our community, said Okaloosa County Airports Director Tracy Stage. We are delighted to welcome Silver Airways to the family and expect the new daily, direct inner-state service to Orlando International Airport (MCO) to be a success. We are pleased that Silver Airways has decided to join us at VPS, the fastest growing airport in the United States, said Okaloosa County Commissioner Carolyn N. Ketchel. This direct route to Orlando is a result of the most requested route by the public and will service especially the business traveler who flies to Orlando from the panhandle. To celebrate the new nonstop service between Orlando and Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Silver is offering fares from $99* available at silverairways.com for a limited time for travel on or before June 20, 2019, for ticketing before May 22, 2019. During todays inaugural festivities at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, Silver Airways also presented a donation to the Invisible Wounds Center, which serves as a regional treatment center for post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, associated pain conditions and psychological injuries. The Invisible Wounds Center is extremely grateful for the generous donation from Silver Airways and we appreciate their lead in demonstrating community support and concern for our patients suffering from the invisible wounds of service, including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and pain, said Invisible Wounds Center Site Director/Medical Director Dr. Thomas R. Piazza, MD, MPH. Silver Airways compassionate support of our service members from all military services and ranks will directly improve the quality and environment of care for these individuals. Silver Airways Orlando (MCO) Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS) service effective May 16, 2019, and Destin-Fort Walton Beach Orlando effective May 17, 2019: Departure Arrival Flight # Stops Frequency Orlando Destin-Fort Walton Beach 6:55 pm 8:01 pm 141 0 Daily Destin-Fort Walton Beach Orlando 7:21 am 10:05 pm 140 0 Daily Silver Airways serves a large number of military communities throughout its Florida network and beyond. In addition to connecting Northwest Florida to Central Florida, this new service also provides convenient connections to Silvers extensive network throughout the Sunshine State, the Bahamas and beyond. The airline also offers a discount for active-duty military (and their spouse and children) traveling for leisure on all Silver Airways flights, including members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and reserve personnel on active duty status. *Sale fares are valid on silverairways.com for one-way, non-stop, flights. Tickets must be issued on/before May 22, 2019 at 11:59pm ET. Travel must be on/before June 20, 2019 with a 14-day advance purchase. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights or operate all days of week. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Sale fares are only valid on silverairways.com and only for new tickets. Changes or cancellations can be made for a $50 charge plus any difference in fare, if applicable. Tickets purchased from Silver Airways reservation call center will cost an additional non-refundable $25 per passenger, per itinerary. To avoid this additional expense, please make your reservation at silverairways.com. Fares, routes, charges, and schedules are subject to change without notice. Silver Airways will accept checked baggage up to 50 pounds and 62 linear inches for a non-refundable charge, per passenger, per bag. When purchased at the time of booking on silverairways.com, bag charges are: flights within the United States, $30 for first and $40 for second; internationally, $39 for first and $49 for second. Additional charges apply to purchases after booking, additional pieces, or baggage exceeding size or weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply. For further service charges details please visit silverairways.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Travel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Travel Industry Wire The Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai has announced a fantastic summer promotion, specifically targeted to all hoteliers. (TRAVPR.COM) UAE - May 19th, 2019 - The Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai has announced a fantastic summer promotion, specifically targeted to all hoteliers. The offer will give hospitality industry professionals the opportunity to enjoy a luxurious stay at the hotel at a discounted rate of AED 199 per night. This incredible promotion, running from 1st of May until 30th of September 2019, will allow hoteliers to reside in a deluxe room and enjoy amazing discounts at the hotels various outlets. Mr. Simon Moore, General Manager of Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, said We are delighted to welcome again this year our esteemed colleagues from the hospitality industry. Our hotel boasts a prime location in Dubai, close to the top business, leisure and cultural centres in the city, and is equipped with outstanding amenities. We hope that our fellow hoteliers will enjoy a memorable stay with us and get the much needed rest and relaxation this summer. Included are the following benefits in the Hotelier AED 199 offer: Buffet breakfast at Loumi restaurant 25% discount on food and beverage in the hotels outlets ( Loumi, Biggles, Da Vinci's, Cactus Jacks, Oasis Pool Bar) & 20% discount in Fujiya 25% discount on laundry Complimentray fitness centre access Complimentary pool access Complimentary high speed Wifi Shuttle services to and from the Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 & 3 Valet parking Terms and conditions: Offer is valid for Deluxe Room category. Offer is valid for maximum 2 persons per room. Offer is net inclusive of 7% municipality fee, 10% service charge and 5% Value Added Tax. Offer is subject to Tourism Dirham Fee per room per night. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotions or discount. Offer is not valid during public holidays or special events. Limited number of rooms allocated, prior reservation is required. Valid Hoteliers ID is required to avail the offer. Non-refundable deposit required. Full non-refundable deposit for the full stay will be charged to your credit card upon confirmation of your reservation(s). No cancellations, no refund and no changes are allowed. For more information or reservation, please contact 04 702 8888 or res.mahd@millenniumhotels.com For hotel marketing contact: Sheryl Aquiatan Marketing & Communications Manager Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai Mob: 00971 56 506 0983 Tel: 00971 4 702 8888 sheryl.aquiatan@millenniumhotels.com For media contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR Mob: 00971 50 6975146 Tel: 00971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com ### Luxury FAM or Familiarization Trip on iconic Palace On Wheels luxury train for travel professionals (TRAVPR.COM) ILLINOIS - May 19th, 2019 - Exotic Journeys Group, the US based tour operator of luxury and deluxe tours is offering a FAM trip in September 2019 for travel professionals in cooperation of Indian Railways, Rajasthan Tourism, Oberoi Hotels and various overseas suppliers. Companions of travel agents are permitted but must travel with the agents and occupay the sane luxury cabin on the train. The 10 day trip begins on September 17, 2019 in Delhi, India and ends on September 26, 2019. The agents rate is USD 2885.00 pp and companion rate is USD 3090.00 pp. The cost includes private & escorted airport transfers, hotel accommodation in five star hotels for three nights and five nights on Palace On Wheels, daily breakfast, all meals and high tea while on board the train, comprehensive sightseeing, wildlife safari, cultural shows, lunches at palace hotels. The participants visit Delhi, major tourist attractions in Rajasthan, such as Jaipur, Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaiselmer, Jodhpur and Agra. Airfares & Taxes are not included. Contact the operator at fams@exoticjourneys.com for details. Visit www.exoticjourneys.com for commissionable trips & safaris to African, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Korea, Egypt. ### Say what you will about the hustlers of legalized marijuana. One thing you cant say is that theyre un-American. Theyre every bit as American as hotdogs and the Fourth of July. More to the point, theyre every bit as American as those old hornswogglers who hustled miracle-cure snake-oil potions from the earliest days of our colorful history. The fast-talkin snake-oil hustlers of yesteryear used to clatter up to the town square and hawk their bottled panaceas right out of their wagons. Credulous yokels crowded around and pressed forward with their money when the peddlers wrapped up their pitch. But the carnival-barker pitchmen with their straw bowlers and flamboyant haberdashery have given way to more soothingly drab corporate cogs with political connections. Theres real money to be vacuumed up in legalizing marijuana. Time for the professionals to step in. Real players like Acreage Holdings. Acreage Holdings aspires to become to cannabis what Henry Ford came to be to cars: Big. No, make that humongous. Acreage Holdings has added to its board, among other notables, former Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, a Republican who, as such, is surely well schooled in the ways of shilling for business. Nowadays the snake-oil salesmen of legalized marijuana drop in not on the town squares or carnival midways but state capitals. There they hustle their miracle wares at legislative hearings. There they herald the amazing healing powers of legalized grass and its miracle ingredient, THC. Ah yes, THC! Tetrahydrocannabinol. The substance that cures warts, rheumatism, chemo-treatment nausea and best of all budget deficits! Yes, indeed, ladies and gentlemen, tax collections from legalized weed will make those perennial billion-dollar fiscal shortfalls vanish as quick as itll cure your lumbago! So profit-grabbing businessmen and revenue-grubbing politicians are now working hand in hand to legalize weed. What could possibly go amiss with these two in cahoots? Pie-eyed Zonker Harrises once constituted the legalized-pot salesforce, and an inept salesforce it was, too, as youd expect. But no longer. The Zonker community has been pretty much eased aside by the pros the corporate investors and their lobbying forces. The medicinal legalization of marijuana, and now the recreational legalization are a political prairie fire spreading across America. And this is not the achievement of mere amateurs. Legalization of weed and its promised multiple wonders itll cure gout, itll lower law-enforcement costs, itll fill the treasury with over-flowing tax dollars! is selling like . well, like the Kilmer Bros. Swamp Root cure did back in the day. Or like Nevada Neds Kickapoo Indian Medicine once did. One retailer of legalized marijuana, Sensi Kush, hypes its product as the cure for muscle spasms, insomnia, even chronic disease. The snake-oil game is a well-trod, trampled-down path in the annals of American free-enterprise hustling. Bottled stuff bearing labels with the brand name Doc this or Doc that have fetched hustlers fat wads of foldin money. Strictly for medicinal purposes, mind you! The bottled cures were a way for henpecked men to sneak a belt of alcohol back during the days when temperance biddies were on the rampage. And for the fairer sex there was Doc Wardens Female Pills. They were billed as the cure for Troubles Peculiar to Womens Delicate Systems. Folks of a certain advanced age may remember the cure-all, Hadacol. Hadacol was a pioneer of saturation advertising in televisions early days of tiny black-and-white screens and rabbit-ear antennae. A principal Hadacol ingredient was an unidentified preservative, actually, um, alcohol. Hadacol claimed to be the answer for stomach disturbances, certain nervous disorders and assorted other ailments. A popular joke at the time went like this: Why did they call it Hadacol? Answer: They hadda call it something. (Ba-da-boom.) Actually, the name came from Happy Days Co. LeBlanc. LeBlanc, that was Dudley J. LeBlanc, Lousiana State Senator. Wouldnt you know it, a politician behind the snake oil! Groucho Marx once asked LeBlanc what Hadacol is good for. LeBlanc answered: Last year it was good for $5 million. So the story goes, anyway. The snake-oil products of olden days were mostly harmless, consisting as they typically did of a couple of herbs and a finger or two of alcohol thrown in. This is where the old-fashion snake oils depart from todays snake oil of legalized marijuana. That marijuana is a harmless, even medicinally valuable substance is hooey the media have gladly whispered down the lane for decades ignoring, or pooh-poohing, reams of respectable research to the contrary. A guy named Berenson, Alex Berenson, has written a book chronicling the massive compilation of this ignored research. The book is titled Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence. It ought to be required reading not just for parents but for every politician who occupies a governors office or a legislative seat. No nutty alarmist, Berenson covered the pharmaceutical industry for the New York Times. One day his wife, a psychiatrist who has evaluated countless numbers of mentally ill criminals for New York State, mentioned in an off-hand way the prevalence of pot-smoking in those cases. She also mentioned the mounting studies showing a cannabis link to mental disorders. Berenson writes that his first reaction was an inclination to scoff at her remarks as Reefer Madness, a reference to the campy anti-marijuana propaganda film of 1936, a cult favorite among todays pothead Zonker community. Well, the studies are out there, said Berensons wife. You should read them. So he did. And he wound up writing Tell Your Children. His book cites study after study after study concluding that marijuana, far from being a miracle cure for what ails you, is in fact risky stuff. Its also far stronger stuff than it used to be, approaching one-quarter THC, not merely 2 percent or so as was once the case. Contrary to what youve been told over and over, it is not a preposterous assertion that marijuana is a gateway drug to cocaine, heroin, meth and such. Not everybody who smokes marijuana graduates to harder narcotics, true. But most of those who do go on to the harder stuff start off with weed. The pot proselytizers have long argued that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol. Well, forest fires may be less harmful than hurricanes. But does that make forest fires then okay? In fact, many boozers also indulge in weed. Marijuana hardly serves as a substitute for alcohol. Its an in-addition-to intoxicant. Plus, pot smokers are more inclined toward heavy cannabis consumption than drinkers are inclined toward heavy alcohol consumption, say the studies cited by Berenson. Among those studies, he cites a 2017, 468-page research report from the National Academy of Medicine, The Health Effect of Cannabis and Cannabinols. This research found strong evidence that pot-smoking aggravates bipolar, depression and anxiety disorder and that it has frightening links to schizophrenia. The 16 medical doctors and academics who conducted the study concluded: Cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk. Other studies in Denmark and Finland also show rising diagnoses of schizophrenia accompanying increased use of marijuana. Berenson also reports a 2018 Swiss study indicating a propensity to violence among those hovering on the margins of mental stability who smoke weed. The author comments: Most people will never have a psychotic episode while using marijuana.But an unlucky minority will develop full-blown schizophrenia. Be wary, then, of fast-talkers hustling wonder potions like Swamp Root, Kickapoo Indian Medicine, Hadacol . or legalized marijuana. Be especially wary of snake-oil peddlers with the title governor or legislator in front of their name. Recently, a debate has opened up regarding the denunciation by the former Minister Elias Jaua of the arrest of 10 communards, who had occupied and reclaimed the social ownership of the state company, Arroz del Alba, in the Portuguesa state in west Venezuela. Arroz del Alba's assets had been turned over to be managed by the private company Agroinlaca. The La Tabla blog noted on twitter that, in addition to the turning over of the plant in Portuguesa, in 2015, the ABA feed mill belonging to Corporacion Venezolana de Alimentos SA (CVAL) had already been handed over to this same private company, whose owners would have obtained sufficient profits to build or acquire real estate such as a luxury headquarters in the Industrial Zone II of Barquisimeto and an apartment of more than one million dollars in Miami." Returning to the arrest of the communards, Elias Jaua explained the reasons for the occupation of the company by the Agua de Dios Commune: "What does the Agua de Dios Commune demand, in the exercise of its legal powers in the communal sphere?: That the social property be respected, that the legal conditions under which national assets are delivered to a private entity be explained, that the stability and working conditions of the workers are guaranteed, that the rice production of the area is received, and that a percentage of the distribution be sold in the community. The operating capitalist fulfills none of these demands at the moment. En los ultimos dos anos Agroinlaca y sus propietarios han experimentado un crecimiento que les ha permitido construir o adquirir inmuebles como una sede de lujo en la Zona Industrial II de Barquisimeto y un condominio de mas de 1 millon de dolares en #Miami pic.twitter.com/YQOJGyHpQ5 La Tabla (@latablablog) April 15, 2019 As we can see, those occupying the property were only responding to the plundering of the capitalists, who divert production for export, amass fortunes, and acquire property, all on the backs of the workers and peasants, who are the ones that are actually producing the wealth. It was only after the case provoked a scandal among the Chavista Left and when the communards had been in detention for 70 days, that they were released. Isolated case or state policy? Unfortunately, the aforementioned case is not isolated, but is part of an increasingly evident policy that, under the argument of "private sector participation", advances towards the partial or total privatisation of companies that were nationalised or inaugurated during the Bolivarian Revolution. In addition, this process of reverting acquired gains to private hands not only occurs in the industrial sector, but also covers everything from land to tourism, from rubbish collection to the change in the shareholding composition of strategic hydrocarbon companies. One of the greatest conflicts over property since the beginning of the Bolivarian Revolution has been that of land ownership. The coup d'etat of April 2002 had among its motivations the reversal of the Land Law, promulgated in 2001 by President Chavez using enabling powers. This law allowed a process of socialisation and turning over of non-productive land to peasants.[1] Today, an inverse process is taking place, dispossessing the peasants and communards of their land to hand it over to the big landowners. These terrofago (land-thieving) actions take place under the protective shadow of the new minister, who coined the term "revolutionary bourgeoisie". The dispossession of the peasants is done in favour of former landowners who can pay for it, but also in favour of bureaucrats civilian and military close to the "tsar" of the land. For this reason, all kinds of means are used to expel the peasants, from pressure and institutional besieging, to intimidation by the military, paramilitary and hired assassins. All this motivated a group of peasants from Portuguesa state to undertake what would be called the "Peasant March": a journey on foot from Portuguesa to Caracas in order to meet with the president and present their problems. This march mobilised a great deal of solidarity from the left all over the country but, nevertheless, the peasants were received by the armed forces. Days after their arrival in Caracas, the peasants managed to meet with the president, who listened to them on national television and made all kinds of promises. But since then, there have been few advances made and the deaths have continued, reaching a toll of 19 peasant leaders killed to date. Along with the killings, there have also been arbitrary arrests and eviction attempts, during which houses and schools in the peasant communities have been burned. For example, in Merida, 32 peasants (including 11 women, one of them nursing an infant) were arrested for the alleged invasion of La Magdalena farm, where, according to La Tabla, they came with permission from the National Land Institute (INTI). Another example of arbitrary arrests is the case of Wiston Olivero, the spokesman for land recovery in Gavilan-La Chaqueta, Portuguesa. Olivero was arrested with nine other peasants, who had upon whom shotguns and military uniforms were planted to make them look like paramilitaries. Meanwhile, in the same state, in the peasant council Guasimal Los Caribes in the Papelon municipality, armed gangs burned several houses, a tractor, and destroyed the community's crops. The industrial sector has also been advancing towards this policy of privatisation, accompanied by the persecution of workers. An emblematic case of this was the arrest by the CICPC of three trade union leaders from the Lacteos los Andes company in February last year. The workers of this company, nationalised by Chavez in 2008, reported that more than 80 percent of the plant in Cabudare was paralysed due to corruption and lack of investment in raw materials. According to the workers, this corresponds with the rerouting of resources destined for the company in order to provide a justification for placing it in private hands. In Cafe Fama de America, the story is not much different. Nationalised in 2009 as part of a fight against monopolies (Fama de America and Cafe Madrid controlled 80 percent of the market), it remained under the workers' control for a short time. Now, controlled by the bureaucracy, the company often goes without raw materials. The workers in this case also denounce the company's bankruptcy process, because while products labeled "gourmet" are in the warehouse, there is no supply of "green coffee" (unroasted coffee beans). The man in charge of the transportation invoices is Colonel Jose Alfredo Mora, president of the Venezuelan Coffee Corporation. The communes have also been targeted by attacks of the bureaucracy, and in this matter, the latter have outdone themselves in their cynicism. The El Maizal Commune is a clear example of how the greater the success of the popular organisation, the greater the viciousness of the bureaucracy. For example, President Nicolas Maduro recently announced on twitter the "reactivation" of the pig farm "Jose Leonardo Chirinos", located in the Iribarren municipality of Lara State, which was one of the four plants from the Porcinos del Alba mixed company. Reactivamos la Granja Porcina Jose Leonardo Chirinos, en el municipio Iribarren del estado Lara. Es una alianza con el sector privado para la cria de cerdos bebes que producira para diciembre de 2019, un total de 6 millones de piezas de pernil. Fuerza Productiva Nacional! pic.twitter.com/4yCR2HUEss Nicolas Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) April 18, 2019 It's no secret to anyone that this mixed company was never productive in the hands of the bureaucracy. Regardless of the size of the investments made to lift production, their facilities were converted into pig cemeteries until one of their plants (also in the Lara state) was occupied by the Maizal communards in conjunction with the workers, to increase production under a system of social ownership. In January 2018, the success of the commune was demonstrated when various regions of the country were protesting, demanding the Christmas hams promised by Maduro (which never arrived), and the neighbouring communities could acquire them at solidarity prices from the Maizal commune. As we pointed out before, the successes of the commune are unacceptable for the bureaucracy, because they not only demonstrate the bureaucracy's uselessness, but also expose the lies that are used as excuses for privatisation. For this reason, the bureaucracy laid siege to this experience, denying the food needed to keep the pigs alive, as was reported by one of the leaders of the Angel Prado Commune, when it was announced that the pigs would be sold to the peasants to prevent them from starving to death. "We are not going to hand over our farm that was bankrupted by the poor management of Porcinos del Alba, leaving a cemetery of animals as it is known, and it's even worse in times of crisis. With the workers and the organised communities, we will take over the company. With them we will rise up and with them we will move forward, but never give in." This is just one of the many attacks the communes have suffered, but it clearly shows the cynicism with which one speaks of "recovering" a company when, in reality, they have been ruined by the bureaucracy, suffocating every successful experience of workers' control with the end goal of handing the companies over to the capitalists. The "strategic" alliances with the bourgeoisie are not limited to the turning over of nationalised companies to the new capitalist friends of the government, but also include multinationals from all over the world, from Canadian Gold Reserve, whom Chavez expelled from the country, to Turkish and Chinese companies known for corruption in their respective countries. In most cases, the government has tried to keep up appearances. Knowing that Chavez was against privatisations in Venezuela, the bureaucrats are trying to lift all of those decrees that, during Chavez's government, put a maximum margin of 40 percent participation of foreign capital in the shareholding composition of mixed companies. In this sense, the Foreign Investment Law, sanctioned by the National Constituent Assembly, has been a severe blow to national sovereignty, since it not only puts the Venezuelan people at the mercy of vultures and multinationals, but also allows looting via royalties. This is without mentioning the agreements against double taxation (already signed by the government) that exempt foreign companies from paying taxes to the country. In the case of the Gold Reserve, the Maduro government has agreed to pay compensation of $1.032 billion dollars in recompense for the expropriation carried out under Chavez. With this, Maduro would get the company to invest in the construction of two plants to extract gold and copper, one of them worth $295 million dollars (much less than what we are paying), through the creation of a mixed company in which 45 percent would belong to the Canadian company. "In the Turkish case, for example, the commercial exchange has grown rapidly, going from $803.6 million dollars in the period 2013-17, to $892.4 million dollars in the first five months of 2018, an amount that was divided into 52.2 million for Venezuelan imports in flour, wheat, rice, pasta, soap, marble and construction materials, and 834.2 million of exports in diamonds, precious metals, iron, steel and pearls... [...] Regarding China, the most recent agreements include converting the Ferrominera del Orinoco into a mixed company, granting 9.9 percent of the shares of Petrosinovensa (a mixed company in the oil sector) to China, which would increase the shareholding in Asia to 49.9 percent (violating laws introduced by President Chavez); agreements on gas extraction with the National Corporation of China's Gas Exploitation (CNODC), gold mining with the Yankuang Group and iron with the Railway Engineering Corporation, as well as agreements for the extraction and processing of coltan". The problem for the government is that this new "opening up" of the economy has not managed to attract large investments for the development of the productive forces, but has concentrated on the extractivist industry, which is why they represent a turning over of natural resources to save the dying rentier model. The words of the right in the mouths of the bureaucracy To try to justify this policy, it is not uncommon to hear from the right that workers' control does not work, that industry in the hands of the state fails and that it must be in private hands so that the market can work in a balanced way. During Chavez's life, many bureaucrats (who still hold positions today), thought this way, but, faced with the growth of the masses and workers' struggles, they kept quiet (which did not prevent them from torpedoing all attempts at workers' organisation and management). Already in 2012, taking advantage of the medical treatment of President Chavez in Cuba, the bureaucracy destroyed workers' control in the companies of the CVG, dismissing the workers' presidents of SIDOR and Alcasa. Now, these cowards, who spent years acting as a fifth column in the revolutionary process, are taking advantage of a crisis situation that strengthens them to be able to voice their arguments. They talk about "recovering" unproductive or paralysed companies hand-in-hand with the private sector, while openly pointing out that workers' control was a failure. However, for any person whose conscience is not numbed by the propaganda of these charlatans, a fairly logical question would come to mind: why are these companies, that were producing when they were nationalised, now paralysed? Surely we will be told that the workers were to blame, or even worse, they will allude to a supposed Venezuelan culture that makes us lazy by nature; however, none of these "cultural" myths correspond to an analysis of the facts. These prejudicial arguments do not withstand the slightest scrutiny. The workforce is now and has always been the source of all value in society, whether their companies are state-owned or private. As we saw in the case of Lacteos los Andes or Fama de America, one cannot blame the debacle of these companies on the workers when, not only do they have no say over administration, but they are also the ones who are denouncing the dubious manoeuvres of the bureaucrats in charge. Moreover, it can be demonstrated with facts and figures that all the companies that were nationalised and under workers' control produced more than under private control, yet quickly encountered difficulties when the bureaucracy crushed the organs of workers' control, and replacing them with management by bureaucrats (mostly from the military). During two days, various social organisations promoted the twitter hashtags #PrivatizarEsTraicionar (Privatisation is Betrayal) and #LibertadParaLosComuneros (Freedom for the Communards), which trended for a few hours. Here, we could see the mentality of the bureaucrats, who, in many cases, shielded by the anonymity of social networks, took the opportunity to show which side they are on in the class struggle. Government bots launched another hashtag: #EmpresasMixtasConChinaYRusia (Mixed Companies with China and Russia), which shows how sensitive the bureaucracy is to criticism and how weak they are in the debate over ideas. It is necessary to expose their true ideas, and the damage they are doing to the socialist cause. A darle duro a esta etiqueta pues#EmpresasMixtasConChinaYRusia Para tumbar el BODRIO de la etiqueta #PrivatizarEsTraicionar CeroGuabineo (@Alealex78) April 15, 2019 The fundamental reason for the privatisations is quite obvious: it has nothing to do with the needs of the people, because, as mentioned, food (which the bureaucrats and capitalists regard as merchandise) does not go toward domestic consumption; it also has nothing to do with state needs, because the wealth generated does not go to the government. The real motive behind the privatisations is personal interest: profit derived from the sale or concession of state property. We welcome Elias Jaua's clear and courageous intervention in the case of Arroz del Alba. What is incredible is that if it were not for him publicising the case two months after it happened, no one would have known about it. The bureaucracy acts in a shady and treacherous manner because it knows that its actions would be rejected widely if they were known. However, Elias Jaua does not draw all the necessary conclusions. His proposal of a "mixed economy" between capitalism and socialism does not and cannot work. As we responded to Elias directly: "A mixed economy model, within the framework of the development of capitalism in Venezuela, is nothing more than another form of state transfer of oil revenues through different means (corruption, subsidies, imports, monetary overvaluation, etc.) in favor of the ruling classes, clearly tied to the backwardness and underdevelopment of our country." What we see is precisely the consequence of not taking the revolution to its ultimate end, not expropriating the bourgeoisie, and not having destroyed the bourgeois state. Returning to a "progressive" past is not only impossible under the current condition of capitalist crisis, but means stepping into the ring of history to receive a knockout. From bureaucrats to the bourgeoisie: a transition based on plunder We are facing a total bureaucratic degeneration in the political leadership of the Bolivarian Republic, something that cannot be described in any other way than as a betrayal of the Bolivarian Revolution. This is not the product of some leader's malignant plan but a product of the objective conditions and class interests of those in power during the stagnation of the revolution. A widespread paraphrase of Spinoza used by Trotsky reads: "Neither weep nor laugh but understand." Let us then understand how we have arrived at this point. Chavez himself reported on several occasions that, even during the Constituent National Assembly of 1999, there were representatives that altered the wording of laws and the constitution, that had been discussed in the chamber, to favour the interests of the capitalists. The current labour law, which certainly contemplates progress for the working class (as does the constitution), also shows how the bureaucracy was creating a legal framework to use it with an employer mentality by restricting the right to strike, interposing the request for a permit as if one must have authorisation to exercise a democratic right. The greatest demonstration of this link between the bureaucracy and the bourgeoisie is the scourge of corruption that eats away at Venezuelan society and is aggravated by the disgusting rentier model that the government insists on safeguarding. The bribes that are paid for a good contract fall into the pockets of the bureaucracy, and come out of the wallets of companies like Odebrecht: a win-win relationship, in which the Venezuelan workers lose out. So far, we have seen the essence of the bureaucracy, and the material conditions under which it is strengthened, but what happens when bribes no longer fit in their pockets? Due to the opacity of the privatisation process, and the impossibility in many cases of tracking the characters that are behind a large number of front businesses (for now), measuring the amount of shares, companies, and land directly in the hands of the bureaucracy is a difficult task. However, history shows us that, given the conditions of revolutionary stagnation and bureaucratic strengthening, the tendency is for the bureaucracy and those close to it to try and take ownership of the means of production that they manage. In Venezuela, although the bourgeoisie was not expropriated in its entirety, as was done in Russia and Cuba, there was a process of nationalisation (in which the bourgeoisie were compensated) pushed by the rise of the masses. This gives the bureaucracy quite distinctive characteristics, since the state maintained its bourgeois character, but in turn, the bureaucracy had a fairly large economic power state enterprises were at the head of various sectors of the economy, monopolising some (hydrocarbon), or being a competitor in others (banking, insurance, agro-industry, services, etc.). Thus, the bureaucracy has developed, from simple parasitism, in which it favoured the interests of the bourgeoisie and appropriated the rent through bribery and kickbacks, to strengthening and expropriating political power as a result of the crisis and the ebb of the mass movement. The bureaucracy is now moving towards an open privatisation policy, which is clearly counterrevolutionary, and from which it is possibly profiting directly (although for now this is in marginal areas of the economy). The weakness of the Venezuelan bureaucracy, and the particular characteristics of rentier capitalism, have shaped the privatisation process. In this way, we observe that, in the strategic sectors of the extractivist industry, the bureaucracy has not been able to confront foreign capital, so privatisations are made in favour of its "strategic allies", while in sectors of medium-scale industry, the small national capitalists grouped in Fedeindustria are favoured. However, it is in the distribution of the land where the bureaucracy (civil and military) has led this process of appropriation. We must remember that government policy, even since Chavez, has been to try to create a "patriotic bourgeoisie" through the financial support of sectors of medium-scale industry, in order to develop the productive forces. Unfortunately this has not served the people but has only served to enlarge bourgeois sectors related to the bureaucracy, as well as bureaucrats who decided to "set forth" on their own and take advantage of their political power. We witness how the process of expropriations is paralysed, replaced by an occupation procedure in which property still belongs to the capitalist, but is administered by the bureaucracy when the capitalists decide to close their business. This, the capitalists advance on the land of peasants and communards, on companies that operate under social production or state enterprises, and on the countrys natural resources. Defend our conquests and fight for socialism On many occasions, Chavez warned about the counterrevolutionary role of the bureaucracy and their behaviour as a fifth column within the Bolivarian Revolution. However, today this bureaucracy has lost its fear of the masses. Although in some cases it continues to use pseudo-socialist demagogy, it advances decisively against our conquests, implementing, albeit gradually, a bourgeois programme. Some time ago, in our polemic with Elias Jaua, we posed three questions: what is the general direction of the government? Is there still the possibility that the governing leadership could take a turn to the the left? And, if not, why are we waiting to form a powerful left tendency that poses socialism as a strategic possibility, and a genuine defence of the interests of the workers and the oppressed in general? On the general direction of the government, we already see a trend towards reversing the conquests of the revolution and making increasing concessions to the bourgeoisie, to maintain itself in power. Then again, is worth mentioning the words of Jaua himself, who pointed out that sections of the bureaucracy are now bourgeois, and that they have great political power and "pretend to behave like the old bourgeoisie", denying any progress (even gradual) towards socialism. Expecting a revolution headed by counterrevolutionaries would be like waiting for pears from an elm tree. All this leads us to answer the final question: it is time to move towards the construction of a revolutionary alternative? Certainly, Venezuela is not in the best condition. The bureaucracy has been given great power over the lives of the masses, and has tied them up in a thousand and one clientelist knots. Meanwhile it has economically weakened the vanguard of the working class, be it through the reduction of purchasing power, or through the diversion of resources and the boycott of communal enterprises. However, even with all these blows, we see that the popular movement is far from suffering a definitive defeat. On the contrary, it is determined to carry on fighting. At present, there is an urgent need to build a revolutionary alternative that denounces the counterrevolutionary shift of the government, and struggles against the current process of privatisation for workers' control of all nationalised companies. This alternative also needs to be capable of articulating these struggles with the demands of the oppressed and exploited: decent wages, quality services and security, to move towards a socialist programme. Given the current situation of imperialist aggression, we observe a certain tendency to close ranks even by sections that are critical of the government or some of its policies. Our position is clear: we reject and fight the attempted coup of Trump-Guaido but without suspending our criticism of the government. This is necessary, since the governments policies of concessions to the bourgeoisie and of dismantling the conquests of the revolution do not serve to confront imperialism. On the contrary: by undermining the revolution and emptying it of its content, the government prepares the ground for the victory of the imperialist counterrevolution. Some even say that anyone who criticises the government is a "fifth columnist", trying to silence the growing clamour against defeatist policies such as privatisations and attacks on peasant communes. We respond, in a besieged fortress, who is the "fifth column"? Is it the one that criticises the generals who open gaps in the wall and hand over turrets to the enemy, or is it those who denounce these traitorous acts? Today, it is more necessary than ever to begin the process of building a revolutionary alternative. This starts with understanding that imperialism can only be fought with revolutionary measures: jail for Guaido, dissolution of the national assembly of coup plotters, arming of the militias, and expropriation of the properties and assets of the coup leaders under workers' control. Secondly, we must build a common front of all revolutionaries in defence of the conquests of the revolution, against privatisations, of the land and the communes, and that fights for decent wages. But ultimately, we must move from a defensive to an offensive struggle. We must recover the legacy of Chavez, who in his last speeches raised the need to advance to a socialist economy and pulverise the bourgeois state. The IMT and Lucha de Clases Venezuela are committed to this struggle, and in this common front we will defend our position that only with the expropriation of the bourgeoisie and with a democratic plan of production under the control of the working class can we begin to resolve the pressing problems we face. Defend our conquests, fight for socialism! Down with bureaucracy and reformism, to build a revolutionary alternative! To privatise is to betray. Recover and defend the legacy of Chavez! Notes [1] This process was carried out through several methods: granting land directly to peasants, cooperatives, and more recently, social production companies linked to the communes. This article was originally published on 25 April at Lucha de Clases: the Venezuelan website of the International Marxist Tendency. rchopra@tribunemail.com Mumbai, May 20 The rupee appreciated 79 paise to 69.44 against the US dollar in opening trade on Monday after exit poll results suggested another term for the ruling NDA government, even as crude oil prices firmed up. Forex traders said investors welcomed the exit poll results that predict a thumping majority for the current BJP-led government. Sentiments were also buoyed by positive opening in domestic equities. The rupee opened at 70.36 in the interbank forex market, then gained further ground to touch 69.44 per dollar, displaying gains of 79 paise against the greenback. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 70.23 against the US dollar. Foreign funds pulled out Rs 1,057.82 crore in the capital markets on a net basis on Thursday, provisional data showed. The benchmark BSE Sensex was trading with gains of 718.11 points, or 1.89 per cent, to quote at 38,657.65, while the NSE Nifty was trading at 11,615, up 207.85 points, or 1.82 per cent. Meanwhile, brent crude, the global benchmark, was trading at 73.28 per barrel higher by 1.48 per cent. PTI editorial@tribune.com Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 A woman, who was shown dead in the official election records, faced difficulty in proving herself alive to cast her vote at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 27-C. Kanchan Rani, who resides in Sector 27, was taken aback on finding herself dead in the official electoral records. When she walked up to an election official to show her voter slip, she was shocked on being told that she could not vote as she was dead in the records. Kanchan told The Tribune, I was told by a poll official, who was sitting outside the voting room, that I cannot vote as I am dead in the records. When I asked them how they marked me dead, the official said people at my residence told them that I was dead. Disappointed with the officials, the woman reached a help booth outside the polling station. Kanchan was escorted by Sector 27 Congress councillor Devinder Singh Bablas son to the polling booth. The issue was taken up with an official, who showed the list in which it death was scribbled in front of her name. Later, the official spoke to the electoral officer, who allowed the woman to vote. When Assistant returning officer Anil Kumar Garg was asked whether a Congress worker was allowed to escort voters to the polling booth, he said, It has to be checked with the presiding officer whether the party worker was the polling agent or not. Anyone can go as companion and voter, but it has to be checked as the person in question entered the booth with a particular issue of a voter. editorial@tribune.com Satinder Pal Singh Dera Bassi, May 19 At a time when voter apathy is high among electorate in India, more so, in the me generation who prefer to go on a picnic or laze around in their homes on the polling day, here is a non-resident Indian (NRI) family, driven by a sense of civic consciousness, returned to its roots, spending lakhs, just to take part in the democratic process. Outlining her reason for making this trip, Shivalika Chauhan (34), who has been working in the IT field in Singapore for the past seven years, has taken leave from work to exercise her constitutional duty at her native place in Dera Bassi. She, along with her husband Vishnu Vardhan, who also works in the IT field, cast their vote at booth no 136 in Smt NN Mohan DAV Senior Secondary School, Dera Bassi. Shivalika said: Earlier her name did not feature in the voters list due to some paper work. She came to know two days ago that her name was in the list. Vishnu Vardhan, husband of Shivalika, said: It feels good to be here to exercise the franchise. However, in future there should be a provision for Indians residing abroad to cast their vote from there. For them, it was mission election in general and Modi Mattomme in particular. Shivalika will be fly back to Singapore with a sense of mission accomplished. editorial@tribune.com Amarjot Kaur and Kaveesha Kohli Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 Weathering the hot blows of the summer sun, physically challenged and chronically ill persons were spotted at almost all polling stations, voicing their concerns over the future of the nation. There are reportedly 3,157 differently abled voters in the city. Citys Chief Electoral Officer Ajoy Kumar said the department had done the audit of polling stations across the city for persons with disabilities. About 24 vehicles were pressed into service of the differently abled in the city. Also, every polling booth was provided with wheelchairs, he added. About 500 wheelchairs were deployed at the polling booths across the city and NSS volunteers were helping people. People have been calling me since morning to express joy at the fact that they could vote with ease. It is for the first time that such initiative has been undertaken. The motto this time was accessible election, said Sandeep Kumar, Nodal Officer. Ganesh Sharma (30), a resident of Sector 44-D, suffers 10 per cent disability. I cannot walk at all. Im voting for the second time and the Election Commission provided me with a special car, volunteer and wheelchair. I want India to be on a par with foreign countries in every way, he says. Harman Sidhu, president and founder of Arrive Safe, whose spinal cord injury left him wheelchair-bound, said: I voted to do my duty. I have 25 petitions on removing the liquor shops on highways, but there has been no change so far. For 50-year-old Nisha Rani, who was being ferried to the polling station by her children, the election season spells hope. My children are growing up; they are through with their studies now and all I can wish for is an advent of a government that addresses the issue of unemployment. Im here to vote for change, she said. Battling a severe case of arthritis, Banarsi Dass Gulati (64) spoke about the need for developing and strengthening the nation. Ram Saran Das Bhateja (81) arrived at the Sector 21 polling station with the help of a walker and wearing a mask as he was prone to picking up infections. He made sure that everyone in our home voted, said Bhatejas son, Rohit. Raj Rani Sharma (83), who was assisted by the wheelchair, said that it made it easier for her to vote. I had to make sure I contribute to the victory of my leader, said she. Wheelchair-bound, Soma Rani, 75, echoed a similar motivation for coming out to vote. Making a difference An independent filmmaker, Shivinder Singh Virdi (35), who suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, said: The development so far has only been on paper. I am here to make whatever little difference I can. Residents struggle According to Harman Sidhu, the booth in the Sector 21 government school was not properly audited to cater to the needs of the differently abled. The exit from the polling booth required a long walk through the schools uneven playground. As per the ECI directions to all electoral state offices, such a long walk is not allowed as it gives a hard time to anyone who is infirm, Sidhu added. Rohit Bhateja who helped his wheelchair-bound father said: The ECI must consider allocating separate booths for people with disabilities. Cancer patient votes in sector 21 A 37-year-old woman, who has been suffering from cancer for the past one-and-a-half year voted in Sector 21. Election commission officials assisted her by allowing her to cast her vote without standing in the queue. Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd) Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd) Addl Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi If there was a day most looked forward to at present, it would be May 23, when India would know who would govern it. This five-yearly ritual of democracy heralds a new thought in the shape of the fresh government that we choose. In our young democracy, issues of economic uplift of the vast populace have (and rightly so) found prominence in the electoral discourse. Missing from the conversation, however, are any concrete discussions on matters of national security (as against the cacophony of what can only be called rhetoric of military actions). So, here goes a list of five macro issues that need the urgent attention of the new government. If these strategic-level concerns are addressed, they would ease the resolution of lesser issues. First, at the apex level, a true integration of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Service Headquarters is necessary. This point has been hanging fire for decades and had been highlighted by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC) that went into the re-structuring of the higher defence organisation. It recommended that, ..the entire gamut of national security management and apex decision-making and the structure and interface between the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Headquarters be comprehensively studied and reorganised. All that has happened is the renaming of service headquarters as Integrated Headquarters of MoD, a cosmetic and perfunctory step without any effect on the integration that the KRC had envisioned. Thus, the civilian MoD works on the principle of 'following processes' that flows from a bureaucrat's training of going by the book. What suffers is the urgency in decision-making born of operational necessity of the war fighter. Make no mistake both are important, and right, in their own way, but in matters military, a disconnect between the two adversely affects the war-waging capability of the services. Urgently required is the lateral placement of service officers in the MoD at the decision-making level joint secretary and above. Unfortunately, in the novel lateral inductions undertaken in various ministries of the Central Government, the MoD has been omitted, an omission that needs immediate redress. Second, and awkward as it may sound, an acceptance of the fact that India's shameful tag as the worlds largest arms importer will take considerable time to be cast aside, since one basic underpinning of defence indigenisation has not been understood. Modernisation and indigenisation processes are oxymoronic in real terms. The services need modern state-of-the-art equipment to fight and win, a requirement that is immediate, while indigenisation takes decades. So, the new government must take a holistic review of the acquisition processes and plans so that the modernisation drive, while proceeding in a time sensitive manner, furthers the indigenisation aims. This is easier said than done, but an imperative that requires focussed and diligent efforts by trained personnel. Third, the training of acquisition personnel, both civil and military, has to be taken up on a war footing to bridge the time gap between modernisation and indigenisation, and to ensure that the nation gets value for the enormous amount of monies being spent on armament (31 per cent of the nation's capital spending). It is no secret that the only ones laughing to the bank are foreign arms suppliers due to the sub-par expertise of our acquisition staff who have no professional training. As a reference, the US has a Defence Acquisition University that offers doctoral courses on subjects of military procurements and each of the 1,50,000 persons in the acquisition chain is a trained professional. While it is right to lionise the war fighter, it is equally important to acknowledge the critical role of the acquisition professional and strengthen his hand by enabling him professionally. The professional Indian soldier, sailor and airman are driven by the credo to do well by their unit and paltan, and from here flows the fourth macro issue: the fauji is willing to lay down his life for the standing that the nations polity accords him in its social hierarchy. This, unlike in earlier times of a halo of reverence that a soldier was accorded, has got linked to the inter se comparison of emoluments that one draws from the government. There are glaring anomalies of pay and allowances between the uniformed and civilian cadres. The stepmotherly handling of this emotive issue by successive dispensations has adversely affected civil-military equivalence and status of the uniformed fraternity. The effects can only be described as deleterious; it is a sore that needs immediate excision as it affects the services morale. Lastly, the morale of a serving soldier is greatly dependent on how he perceives the status accorded to a veteran, a tag that would one day be attached to his name. Do the veterans have a spring in their gait that represents the joy of having once donned the uniform? Do their ageing memories reminisce the thought that all those years spent in operational areas, away from families while the children grew up and wives managed the humdrum of daily life single-handedly, are being acknowledged by society and the government? If the thought brings a smile on their faces, then the nations defence is in safe hands. Veterans have many critical issues that are begging resolution, medi-care being a major one. Come May 23, the new government has no choice but to hit the ground running and such vital issues need the appointment of a full-time Raksha Mantri for five years. The MoD is too important a ministry to have revolving heads. Views are personal harinder@tribunemail.com US President Donald Trump has a propensity to tread where others fear to go, and his latest move is to propose a new Build America plan to change the countrys immigration norms that allow foreign immigrants to become permanent residents or Green Card holders. The present system focuses heavily on family ties, which account for two-thirds of all residency visas. Trump would like to attract highly skilled people like doctors, engineers, even entrepreneurs, who right now get a far smaller share of the pie. In his plan, the ratio would move from 12 per cent to 57 per cent. While skilled foreigners, especially Indians and Chinese, are likely to benefit from such criteria, the road ahead is long and pitted. It is notoriously difficult to find the required consensus for immigration reforms. Politicians from across the aisle soon criticised the Presidents announcement. Bipartisan support, essential for such changes, will undoubtedly prove elusive. The President, while treading on a path taken by some Republican predecessors, is yet to drum up adequate support among his party legislators. There is a strong lobby for the blue-collar immigrant workers who are needed in sectors such as agriculture and construction. There is also the pressure of over 40 lakh individuals who are waiting legally for their Green Card, of which 36 lakh fall in the family reunification category. The leading countries of origin include Mexico, the Philippines, India, Vietnam and China. Interestingly, Indian tech workers stand to gain significantly under the new plan. Canada and other countries have used employability and higher education criteria for immigration. Naturally, each country has to make decisions based on its own requirements, and the US is a favoured destination for immigrants. It is a nation of immigrants, who have contributed tremendously to the richness of American life. Even as the process of tinkering with the system that allows them a permanent home in the land of their dreams begins, a wary eye would have to be kept for right-wing biases that have cast a shadow over the country that prides itself as the Land of the Free. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 The abduction of five Indian sailors, including Ankit Hooda from Haryana, by sea pirates in Nigeria has taken a new twist as an email by the ship owner to an Indian manning agent suggests that their immigration could be a case of human trafficking whereby they were taken to Ghana for a job on fake documents. The contents of the email are phrased in such a manner that it gives the impression that the ship owner could be trying to wash his hands of the responsibility to pay ransom to the pirate for the release of Indian seamen. After receiving a copy of the email sent on Saturday to Nigerian manning agent Shailesh Singh and his collaborators in India by ship owners company Petronav Carriers LLC, a Piraeus (Greece)-based shipping company, Ankits family has approached the police in Rohtak for action against the agents. Ankit, according to his family members, was working as Ordinary Seaman (OS) on the Greece motor tanker ship MT Apecus when pirates struck on the outer anchorage of Bonny island of Nigeria on April 19. The captain and six other crew members were taken hostage. Five of them are from India. Our people in Ghana are preparing an affidavit of the facts for the five Indian personnel you brought in Ghana without any request or approval from our side to employ them in any of our vessels. As a matter of fact the time you sent them to our office in Tema (Ghana), our people found all your personnel with fake documents and made the assessment that they never worked as seamen, said the email. Our office also reported that your five personnel were riding around the area of Tema for days without food and in a dirty condition. In view of our rejection to embark them on vessels, you started begging to allow them to board a vessel and allow food and a place to sleep as passengers till you repatriate them within reasonable time, the email further said. The ship company has also accused the manning agency of not responding to its repeated notices that the five personnel were unable to perform any job. The company has also accused the agent of duping it of 1.5 million naira (nearly 4,200 dollars) by assuring that he would source the hijackers location and rescue the five Indian personnel, but he allegedly did not do anything. Ankit paid a sum of Rs 4.5 lakh to a Delhi-based agent for this job. Now, this email shows that he and the other four might have been victims of a human trafficking racket. We have given our complaint to the police and are waiting for action against the agents, said Ankits cousin Bharat Deshwal. Human trafficking angle surfaces ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 As polling for the last and seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended on Sunday, the exit polls by various agencies are giving the BJP-led NDA from 8 to all 10 seats in Haryana. Not only the exit polls, Satta Bazaar also gave the BJP eight or more seats in the state. Reacting to the exit poll results, BJP state president Subhash Barala exuded confidence and said the party would win all 10 seats, while former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of the Congress dismissed the seat count as unreliable. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is expected to win nine of Haryanas 10 Lok Sabha seats, said the IANS-CVOTER exit poll released on Sunday. In 2014, the BJP had won seven seats in Haryana, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) had won two seats and the Congress had won the lone Rohtak seat. According to the IANS-CVOTER exit poll, the NDA is predicted to win nine of the 10 parliamentary constituencies in Haryana. The United Progressive Alliance is projected to win one seat in 2019 the same number as in 2014. The INLD is expected to lose both Sirsa and Hisar Lok Sabha seats. The exit poll shows that the NDA is having a greater share of 45.4 per cent seats, while it is 26.8 per cent for the UPA and 8.7 per cent for the INLD. Similarly, the India Today-Axis exit poll has given the BJP 8-10 seats in Haryana, while it has given the Congress 0 to 2 seats. The Times Now-VMR exit poll has given the BJP eight seats and the Congress two seats. The ABP exit poll has given the BJP seven seats and the Congress three seats. Satta Bazaar, which is considered more accurate because of the high stakes involved, has also given the BJP eight or nine seats in Haryana and one or two seats to the Congress. Punters have no doubt that the Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Faridabad, Gurugram, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Hisar and Sirsa seats will go to the BJP. The punters are considering the Rohtak and Sonepat seats to the Congress, but maintain that the real picture on the two seats is likely to emerge by Monday. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda brushed aside the exit polls and said the results of no two polls matched. Wait till May 23 as the results of the exit polls have often failed in the past, said Hooda. State BJP president Subhash Barala, however, said he had no doubt that his party would get all 10 seats in the state. Our partys survey is not based on hearsay, but on the basis of reports from the ground. We are winning all 10 seats, including Rohtak and Sonepat. Seats out of 10 Satta Bazaar BJP 8 or more IANS-CVOTER BJP 9 India Today-Axis BJP 8 or more Times Now-VMR BJP 8, Cong 2 ABP BJP 7, Cong 3 Our partys survey is not based on hearsay, but on the basis of reports from the ground. We are winning all 10 seats, including Rohtak and Sonepat. Subhash Barala, state BJP President ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Shiv Kumar Sharma Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, May 19 A mining company has been booked for causing blockage in the Yamuna by constructing an unauthorised bundh across the river in Gumthala village to undertake mining activities at the riverbed. In his complaint to the police, Satyendra, sub-divisional engineer, Hathnikund barrage, Jagadhri, said that during a visit to Gumthala on May 9, he found that the representatives of agency M/S Joginder Singh had caused obstruction by constructing an unauthorised bundh on the Yamuna. He further said that he had directed the representatives of the agency to remove the bundh immediately and they had partially removed the bundh on May 13. A notice was issued to the agency on May 14, directing it to remove the bundh completely but the agency denied receiving the notice. Therefore, he along with a junior engineer of the department pasted the notice on the site office of the agency on May 16, the complainant said. He said that thereafter the illegal bundh (obstacle) created by the agency was removed by it in the presence of the Radaur SDM, Executive Engineer, Hathnikund barrage division, Mining Inspector and the SHO, Jathlana, on May 16. But on May 17, the agency had again constructed the bundh across the Yamuna, the complainant alleged. A case was registered against M/S Joginder Singh under Section 431 (commit mischief by injury to river or channel) of the IPC and Sections 45 and 58 of the Canal and Drainage Act, Haryana, at Jathlana police station on May 18. Gumthala North Block (Yamunanagar) of the Yamuna riverbed mining was allotted to M/S Joginder Singh as this company offered the highest bid of Rs 7,41,50,000 in 2015. It started carrying out sand mining (on allotted 44.62 hectares) from December 26, 2016. Social worker and advocate Waryam Singh said the company had been carrying out mining after constructing illegal bundhs across the river. Total disregard for law editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 19 Urging India and Pakistan to take confidence building measures (CBMs) or adopt a step-by-step approach over Kashmir, moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday said the Hurriyat was ready to support the dialogue if India and Pakistan initiated a fresh process over the issue. Mirwaiz said this while addressing a seminar. The importance of dialogue in the backdrop of strained Indo-Pak relations at the Rajbagh Hurriyat headquarters, organised by the amalgam to commemorate the anniversaries of Moulvi Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone. We ask the BJP leadership to change their thinking over Kashmir. The Kashmir issue is a reality. Peace and development cannot be established in the regions without the resolution of the Kashmir issue, Mirwaiz said. Mirwaiz said the CBMs should be taken which would encourage people in Kashmir. These CBMs would also suggest to the youth and the leadership in Kashmir that some movement is there. Otherwise, you can see there is lot of anger and alienation among the youth, the Hurriyat leader said, adding that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had already shown his intent for dialogue with India to resolve issues, including Kashmir. He said it was incumbent upon the leadership of both India and Pakistan to start an initiative over Kashmir. We (the Hurriyat leadership) are ready to support such process at any level. But let the two nations first make a beginning or adopt a step by step approach. We are not against that either, Mirwaiz said, adding that in the past too the Hurriyat leadership had made it clear to leaders on both sides to take the CBMs on Kashmir as these would create a conducive atmosphere in the region. Mirwaiz also urged the GoI to revoke the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami & JKLF and also release the political leaders without any pre-conditions. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Srinagar, May 20 A Peoples Democratic Party worker, who was shot at by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district, succumbed to injuries at a hospital here on Monday, an official said. Mohammad Jamal, who was shot at inside his residence at Zungalpora village on Sunday night, succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS hospital, the official said. PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of her party worker. Heartbreaking. Party workers in Kashmir put their neck on the line & have to suffer for their beliefs, Mufti tweeted. Ironic that such mindless violence is justified in the name of Islam in the month of Ramzan. Shame on these cowards who call themselves Muslims. Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also condemned the killing. The reckless killing of civilians at the hands of both the parties involved in the conflict continues unabated. Whether a civilian is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is loss of precious human life, Tarigami said in a statement. Whose cause is fulfilled by the killings of civilians? Unfortunately, it is a Kashmiri who is getting killed every day, the CPI(M) leader added. PTI editorial@tribune.com M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 19 Ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results, bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal said people in Kashmir valley were looking forward to a window of change with a hope that the new government would take steps to address the Kashmir issue. Though critical of the policies of the BJP vis-a-vis Kashmir, Faesal said he could only hope that they learn from their past mistakes. Kashmiris are looking forward to a window of change. Last five years have been extremely distressing times for Kashmiris because the BJP had many scary things in its manifesto like the abolition of Article 370, abolition of 35A.....Kashmiris are hopeful that the new government will deliver a change, Faesal said while talking to The Tribune. The 2010-batch IAS topper had launched a new party Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM) on March 23 and is presently building party base across the state through rallies and functions. When asked what he thought was in store for the J&K state if the BJP came back to power and if there were better chances of peace talks in Narendra Modis second term as the Prime Minister, as envisioned by his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, who happens to be Faesals role model, the JKPM president said: Life survives on hope. While looking at the (BJP) manifesto, it is scary....but, at the same time we hope that if the BJP comes back to power, they will realise their mistakes they have done in the past.....they will understand the deterioration of the situation (in last five years) and their wrong policies. We are hopeful that they take lessons from the past....the new BJP government, if it ever comes back....they will learn from it (past mistakes) and change the course of policies vis-a-vis Kashmir. And while the JKPM had decided to stay away from the parliamentary polls to prepare ground for the assembly elections, Faesal said the low turnout in the elections in the Valley was a demonstration of anger by people. I think people made a statement we wont be endorsing the electoral process because it has not yielded us anything in the past so many years. It was a demonstration of anger by people of Kashmir, he said. Besides firebrand student leader Shehla Rashid, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and minister Javed Mustafa Mir are among the known faces to have joined the JKPM so far. editorial@tribune.com Tribune Reporters Kathua/Jammu, May 19 The Ravi-Tawi division of irrigation department has submitted a proposal worth Rs 600 crore to the J&K Government for the upgrade of over 40-year-old Ravi main canal which is in shambles. The proposal was made by the department following the final nod on Shahpur Kandi dam project. The 81.25-km Ravi canal, which starts at dam project site at Basantpur, will intake 1,150 cusecs J&Ks share of water from Punjab to Jammu. According to official sources, the average life of any canal is around 35 years and the Ravi canal has crossed its lifespan. It needs immediate upgrade, given the future requirements of intake 1,150 cusecs of water. All hurdles to the construction work of Shahpur Kandi project work were cleared and the work on this mega project is going on. At present, the canal is totally in shambles. As per the present condition , the canal is not able to intake even half of its share of water, an official said. Central assistance of Rs 485.38 crore for the irrigation part would be given in five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23 to implement the project. On completion, the Shahpur dam project would have an irrigation potential of 5,000 hectares in Punjab and 32,173 hectares in Jammu and Kashmir. The project would be implemented by the Punjab and would be completed by June 2022. Farmers not given relief Former minister and farmer leader Choudhary Gharu Ram on Sunday alleged that farmers who lost their wheat crop to fire have been denied compensation by the government. Addressing a press conference in Jammu, All J&K Kissan Congress chairman Choudhary Gharu Ram claimed that the Centres Kisan Bima Yojana existed merely on paper and was not being implemented in the state which was hitting the farmers badly. The benefits of Kisan credit cards are not reaching the poor farmers and the administration has failed to help cultivators who suffer losses. We appeal to the Governors administration to seek report from officials on the issue, said Gharu Ram. A former minister in the Congress-PDP government, Gharu Ram said a majority of the canals in the RS Pura sector had not been cleaned for years. He said these canals were lifeline for farmers as they irrigated thousands of hectares of land. The government should initiate an inquiry into the misuse of funds meant for cleaning of the canals in Jammu, he said. Gharu Ram said the basmati growers in RS Pura were facing losses due to the import of paddy from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The present rate of basmati in Jammu is Rs 3,400 per quintal which is lower than the input cost of sowing. The farmers are at the verge of economic ruin as they are not getting proper rates at the end of the kharif season. The import of paddy should be stooped to save the cultivators in J&K, he said. Canals not cleaned for years: Ex-minister A former minister in the Congress-PDP government, Gharu Ram said a majority of the canals in the RS Pura sector had not been cleaned for years. He said these canals were lifeline of the farmers as they irrigated thousands of hectares of land. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Will Smith has loved Sab sahi hai bro, a song that Indian rapper Badshah has created as a promotional number for the Hollywood stars forthcoming release Aladdin. Badshah took to his Instagram page to share a video in which Will has shared his appreciation, as well as spoken up about how he wanted a sequence in the movie to be Bollywood level. Will, who plays Genie in the movie, saw the song in Japan, and said, Badshah, great work man...that is beautiful...looking at the things that you shot against what is in the movie, that is some good production you got going on there. Its funny when we were making the sequence, what I kept saying to Guy Ritchie (director), it gotta be Bollywood level man....dont let the sequence not be Bollywood level. You know I always wanted to be in a Bollywood dance sequence, so this is beautiful man. Love the work man, really appreciate it. Thank you. IANS gspannu7@gmail.com Amit Khajuria Tribune News Service UDHAMPUR, May 20 The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, today said the 2016 surgical strike by the Indian Army was the first surgical strike of the country. Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who was then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the face of the surgical strike operation, said, I will not comment on the political statements made by any party, but in reply to an RTI, the DGMO recently informed the Ministry of Defence that the first surgical strike was carried out in 2016. A few days ago, the Congress had claimed that six surgical strikes were conducted during the UPA regime and two during Vajpayees tenure. He said there had been a huge decline in local militancy in the state, as 217 youths picked up guns last year and the number this year was 40. The security forces are reaching out to elders, teachers, parents, so they explain the futility of picking up guns. editorial@tribune.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, May 19 Amid reports of Dalit voters allegedly being prevented from exercising their franchise and sporadic incidents of violence in Chandauli, the final phase of polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh concluded with a turnout of 56.84 per cent, slightly higher than the 2014 average of 54.96 per cent. As many as 150 of 438 ballot units, 150 of 438 control units and 334 of the 438 VVPATs developed snags and had to be replaced, including in PM Modis constituency of Varanasi. Maharajganj recording the highest polling percentage at 62.40. In 2014, it saw a turnout of 60.84 per cent, the highest then. The Ballia seat recorded the lowest turnout at 52.50 per cent as against 48.27 per cent in 2014. The polling percentage marginally fell in PM Narendra Modis constituency of Varanasi from 58.25 per cent in 2014 to 58.05 per cent now. The high-profile constituency of Gorakhpur saw an increase in polling from 54.65 per cent in 2014 to 57.38 per cent this election. Two poll officials in Gorakhpur died while on duty. Six Dalits of Tarajeevanpur village in Chandauli district claimed that local BJP workers paid them Rs 500 each, applied ink on their index finger and told them not to venture out for polling. They approached the Alinagar police station in the Sakaldiha block, pointing a finger at BJP workers, one of them a former pradhan. Speaking to mediapersons in Chandauli, District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal said a case had been lodged. He said that the SDM and ADM had rushed to the village and spoken to residents. It was found to be ordinary pen ink, not the kind used for polling. All complainants have cast their ballot. The money allegedly paid to the complainants has been seized by the administration as case property. Tension prevailed in the district and a heavy police force was rushed following clashes between BJP and SP supporters. Mughal Sarai BJP MLA Sadhna Singh led a group of supporters armed with lathis who clashed with the SP supporters. There were also reports of a clash between SP and BJP workers in Parashurampur village of Chakiya block of Chandauli. Taking cognizance of the violence, the Election Commission has sought a report from the Chandauli Returning Officer. BJP state president Mahendranath Pandey is the party candidate from this constituency. Ranchi: An estimated 70.54 per cent of the over 45.64 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in three Lok Sabha constituencies in the fourth and final phase of polling in Jharkhand on Sunday. Of the three constituencies, Rajmahal recorded the highest turnout at 71.69 per cent, followed by Dumka at 71.10 per cent and Godda at 69.11 per cent, an Election Commission official said, updating the figure at the end of polling. Polling was peaceful with no untoward incidents reported from the three Lok Sabha seats. Former Chief Minister Shibu Soren was in the fray from Dumka seat. Soren, the chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and a 8th term sitting MP was pitted against BJP's Sunil Soren. editorial@tribune.com Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service Kolkata, May 19 The General Election, which threatened to degenerate into utter chaos in West Bengal, ended in the state on a messy note with incidents of violence reported from across various constituencies. A total of 710 companies of central forces were deployed by the Election Commission to prevent any untoward incident during the last phase. Byelections were also held for three Assembly constituencies besides voting for the nine Lok Sabha seats. Despite the massive presence of security forces, sporadic incidents of violence took place in several constituencies. At Raidighi under Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency, a TMC office was ransacked by alleged BJP supporters. A clash between BJP and TMC supporters also took place at Bhatpara Assembly constituency which went to bypolls today. The BJP candidate from the seat is Pawan Singh, son of Arjun Singh, who left the TMC recently to become BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Barrackpore. The TMC nominee from Bhatpara is party strongman Madan Mitra. In Diamond Harbour seat, the car of BJP candidate Nilanjan Roy was vandalised. Roy claimed that supporters of TMC candidate Abhishek Banerjee, sitting MP and nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, were behind the attack. Anupam Hazra, BJP candidate from Jadavpur, accused women TMC workers of casting proxy votes as they kept their faces covered. In a letter to the EC, the BJP alleged major problems in all nine constituencies notorious for communal violence. Derek OBrien, leader of TMC in the Rajya Sabha, said, Central forces, taking orders from the BJP, mercilessly beat up citizens and Trinamool workers. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 20 Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be one-sided as projected, and their party would perform better. Most exit polls on Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Even as the atmosphere at the Congress headquarters remained sombre on Monday morning, party workers rejected the exit polls and said May 23 would give results quite different from the projections. The exit polls are an attempt by the BJP to spread rumours and they might try to manipulate EVMs after creating such atmosphere, said Congress worker Jagdish Sharma. We will perform better and win. It would not be one-sided as projected. We have seen the real atmosphere at the ground and no one is believing the exit polls except the BJP, he said. Neeta Mishra, general secretary of the Vichar Vibhag at the Congress, said the exit polls might be a strategy of the BJP to create uncertainty and make mahagathbandan join hands with the NDA to claim stake to form the government. We are not at all disappointed by the exit polls. We know many people are scared of the BJP and they lied out of fear that they would be voting for the BJP but they voted for others. The technicalities of sampling are not clear. Exit polls have been wrong a number of times and they are biased. No one believes these polls. We are doubtful of the exit polls, she asserted. Suresh Singh, a Congress worker from Balia in Uttar Pradesh, questioned the credibility of exit polls. There is a wide variation in prediction for various exit polls in UP. For the NDA, some are predicting 22 while others are predicting 52 seats. Here lies the clue to the credibility of the exit polls and their chances of going wrong, said Singh. Singh was referring to the divided exit polls prediction for the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying the BJPs tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and News 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats. Rishi Vallabh, another party worker who has been with the Congress since 1997, called the exit polls a work of paid media. It is being projected so to boost the morale of the BJP. But reality would be different and would be visible on Thursday, May 23, Vallabh said. Exit polls by News 18-Ipsos, India Today-Axis and News 24-Chanakya projected 336, 339-368 and 336-364 seats respectively for the NDA, with the BJP tipped to cross the majority on its own for another term after the 2014 polls. However, two exit polls--one by ABP News-Nielsen and another by Neta-News X--said the ruling alliance may fall short of a majority. ABP News forecast 267 and NewsX 242 seats for the ruling NDA. Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended on Sunday. The Election Commission has deferred election for Vellore in Tamil Nadu over allegations of abuse of money power. The counting of votes is slated for May 23. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 20 A Delhi Police sub-inspector was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Shahdaras Vivek Vihar area, officials said on Monday. The sub-inspector has been identified as Rajkumar. He was posted at the Delhi Police Control Room (PCR). The incident took place on Sunday night when he had gone out for a walk after dinner, a senior police officer said. According to the victims family, Rajkumar and his neighbour Bhuri, a notorious character in Vivek Vihar, had some dispute and a fight took place between them. According to people present on the spot, an argument took place between them over a video, Meghna Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), said. Rajkumar was rushed to Max Hospital in Patparganj where he was declared brought dead. No injury mark has been found on Rajkumars body and the post-mortem report will reveal the exact cause of death, the DCP added. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM New Delhi, May 19 Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that the Election Commissions capitulation before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is obvious and the poll watchdog is not feared and respected anymore. Training his guns on the poll body on the last day of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, he listed a host of examples, including Modis visit to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, to accuse the EC of being biased towards the PM. From electoral bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, Modis Army & now, the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commissions capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians, Rahul Gandhi tweeted. The EC used to be feared and respected. Not anymore, he said. The Congress chiefs tweet came a day after his party hit out at the poll panel after Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa reportedly wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner that he would be recusing himself from EC meetings as his dissent was not being recorded on clearances given by the poll panel to the PM over alleged poll code violations. While the EC had concluded that NaMo TV, sponsored by the BJP, cant display election matter during the poll silence period, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had described the Indian Army as Modiji ki sena (Prime Minister Narendra Modis army). The Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been accusing the EC of being biased and partial. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also hit out at the EC, alleging that the poll panel has surrendered its independence. Our charge had been that the EC was sleeping on the job. Now, we can go further and say that the EC completely surrendered its independence and authority. Shame! he said on Twitter. Polling is over. Now, we can say that the pilgrimage of the PM in the last two days is an unacceptable use of religion and religious symbols to influence the voting, he said. Modi was in Uttarakhand for two days and offered prayers at the Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, which Opposition parties termed a much-publicised trip and alleged poll code violation. Demanding a probe into charges made by Lavasa, the Congress on Saturday alleged that eroding institutional integrity has been the hallmark of the Modi government and asked whether the poll panel has become Election Omission and a puppet in the PMs hands. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had asked whether the EC would save itself more embarrassment by recording Lavasas dissent notes as he accused PM Modi of muzzling democratic institutions. PTI 'Poll panel not respected anymore' From electoral bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, Modis Army & now, the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission's capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians. The EC used to be feared and respected. Not anymore. Rahul Gandhi, congress president ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, May 19 The attempt to make political capital of the Balakot airstrikes to garner votes, it seems, did not go down well with Army personnel in the Ferozepur constituency. At the polling booths in this border district meant for Army jawans, not one turned up. Booth numbers 61, 62, 63 and 64, set up inside a school in the cantonment area, part of the Ferozepur (Urban) Assembly segment, had 4,895 registered voters, most of them Army personnel and their kin. Not a single vote was cast, said Meenakshi Sharma, a booth-level officer. Amit Gupta, SDM-cum-Assistant Returning Officer, said 16 polling booths were set up for the jawans and their families, where the turnout was 1.22 per cent. He could not explain why. He said Army personnel can exercise franchise either as general or service voters. If enrolled as general voters, they cast through ballot. If service voters, polling is through ETPBS (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot Service). Maj Gen SS Chouhan (retd) said: Veterans like us are not amused at the manner in which Army operations have been used to get votes. Another officer observed: It may have worked well with other segments, but certainly not with us in uniform. amansharma@tribunemail.com Tribune Web Desk Chandigarh, May 20 From doubting exit polls to showing complete faith in them, everyone be it a voter or a politician has an opinion about the first predictions on the Lok Sabha elections. Exit polls on Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Believing that exit polls are a pointer to the final results, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Opposition's fake issue of EVMs should also lose its non-existent rationale. When the results of Exit Polls and final results on the 23rd May, 2019 go in the same direction, the Oppositions fake issue of the EVMs would also lose its non-existent rationale. Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 20, 2019 Congress leader and party spokesperson Sanjay Jha has a rather hillarious take on these projections. If exit polls figures are true then my dog is a nuclear scientist, he said on Twitter. If the #ExitPolls figures are true then my dog is a nuclear scientist. Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) May 20, 2019 Expressing faith in exit polls, author Chetan Bhagat said if Lok Sabha results are in Modi's favour as exit poll are saying, opposition leaders should spend the next 5 years improving themselves rather than hating Modi. Veteran politician Sharad Yadav has outrightly rejected exit polls. Exit polls of Lok Sabha election are fraud not the truth. Ground reality was totally different & against d NDA. Which people have done this survey & consists of which castes? I would pray let d democracy survives & as such defeat of NDA is necessary, he tweeted. With TV channels flashing exit poll numbers since last evening, author Krishan Partap Singh has apparently found an idea for his next novel. Ruling party captures Election Commission,thereby gaining access to EVMs,& then fixes exit polls to inflate numbers & thus provide cover for stolen seats via captured EVMs. Purely fictional scenario. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental!, he said on Twitter. Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said exit polls were "flawed". He pointed out that a TV news channel showed BJP winning in Chandigarh though Congress had highest vote share. ...showed AAP getting votes in Uttarakhand tho they are not contesting! Doubting the intention behind airing exit polls, he said all this was done to push up BJP and stock market. Apart from previous history of most exit polls being wrong, TimesNow showed BJP winning Chandigarh tho Cong had highest vote share. Showed AAP getting votes in Uttarakhand tho they are not contesting! Stock market went up 1000 pts due to #ExitPoll2019. Done to push up BJP&market pic.twitter.com/cbfkIGmIhN Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) May 20, 2019 Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor pointed to Australias elections last weekend, where 56 different exit polls were proved wrong. In India, many people dont tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results, he tweeted. Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav has drawn flak for his Congress must die comment after the exit polls. The Congress must die. If it could not stop the BJP in this election to save the idea of India, this party has no positive role in Indian history. Today it represents the single biggest obstacle to creation of an alternative, he said. This tweet has triggered a debate.Many friends are upset. Just to avoid misreading: this is not an off the cuff angry remark, no khundak against its leaders, not knee-jerk anti-Congressism. I think Cong is now redundant for(is actually an obstacle to) defending the idea of India https://t.co/4xJh3gwopj Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) May 20, 2019 Actor Anupam Kher tweeted a video of his mother saying, Much before exit polls, Mom had given her verdict. Didnt post it. Was waiting for the voting to get over completely. But now you can watch why she thinks Narendra Modi should win. His wife Kirron Kher is BJP candidate from Chandigarh. Much before exit polls, Mom had given her verdict. Didnt post it. Was waiting for the voting to get over completely. But now you can watch why she thinks @narendramodi ji should win. Her last lines , is the clincher. #DulariRocks #JaiHo pic.twitter.com/43jVlmuzSf Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) May 20, 2019 Stating the exit polls have been proven wrong in the past, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, It is not necessary that they are always right, instead, most of the time they have not been accurate. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 19 The final leg of the seven-phase polling in the 2019 General Election came to an end on Sunday. In this phase, 59 seats went to the polls, recording 64.26 per cent turnout. The states and UT that voted on Sunday were Bihar (8), Jharkhand (3), Madhya Pradesh (8), Punjab (13), West Bengal (9), Uttar Pradesh (13), Himachal Pradesh (4) and UT of Chandigarh. The results will be announced on May 23. Briefing the media after the conclusion of voting, senior Election Commission officials said that till six phases of polling, the turnout was 67.37 per cent as against 66.4 per cent in 2014 for the corresponding number of seats. Another positive trend was the narrowing of the gap between male and female voter turnout. The officials claimed it was 9 per cent in 2009, 1.14 per cent in 2014 and just 0.4 per cent in 2019. In Bihar, where four Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Kripal Yadav, RK Singh and Ashwini Kumar Choubey are in the fray, the voter turnout stood at 53.36 per cent. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is facing a tough fight on the 13 seats as it was largely a straight contest between the BJP and SP-BSP on most of the seats. The state recorded 56.84 per cent turnout. In West Bengal, polling at nine parliamentary seats was marred by stray incidents of violence with bombs hurled indiscriminately, attacks on two BJP candidates vehicles and stones being pelted at Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) vehicles across several constituencies. In the state, 73.51 per cent voters cast their votes. Eight seats in Madhya Pradesh went to the polls on Sunday and the voter turnout till evening was 75.51 per cent. STATE POLL %age Bihar 53.55 Madhya Pradesh 75.51 Uttar Pradesh 56.84 West Bengal 73.51 Jharkhand 70.54 Chandigarh 70 Total 64.26 monicakchauhan@gmail.com Mumbai, May 20 Benchmark Sensex zoomed over 1,422 points and the NSE Nifty surged 421 points after most exit polls showed that the Narendra Modi-led NDA is returning to power with a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha elections. The 30-share index ended 1,421.90 points, or 3.75 per cent, higher at 39,352.67. During the day, the gauge hit a high of 39,412.56 and a low of 38,570.04. In a similar movement, the broader NSE Nifty soared 421.10 points, or 3.69 per cent, to 11,828.25. A majority of exit polls on Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. The results of the seven-phase polls will be announced on May 23. Analysts believe the Modis BJP retaining power will ensure a continuation in reform measures initiated during the NDAs first term. Top gainers in the Sensex pack include SBI, IndusInd Bank, Tata Motors, L&T, Yes Bank, HDFC, M&M, Maruti, ONGC, RIL, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank, rising up to 8.64 per cent. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto and Infosys ended in the red. The broader BSE midcap and smallcap indices ended in line with benchmarks, rallying up to 3.57 per cent. The domestic equity markets witnessed unprecedented and remarkable surge, across all sectors and segments, after the exit polls indicated a higher probability for the current dispensation to come back to power with a clear majority, said Joseph Thomas, Head Research- Emkay Wealth Management. What would help the markets sustain the momentum is factors that are fundamentally important, like decisive policy initiatives from the new government, faster land and labour reforms, and also the unfinished task of quick consolidation and re-organisation of the banking system, he added. Meanwhile, market regulator Sebi and stock exchanges have beefed up their surveillance mechanism to check any manipulative activities in the market this week in view of the high-octane election related events lined up. The Indian rupee also appreciated by 64 paise to 69.59 against the US dollar during the day. Brent crude, the global benchmark, was trading at 72.61 per barrel, higher by 1.40 per cent. Globally, bourses in Asia ended on a mixed note, while those in Europe were trading in the red in their respective early deals. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Kedarnath/Badrinath, May 19 After spending the night in a holy cave near Uttarakhands Kedarnath temple, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked the Election Commission for granting him permission for the visit, saying he remained entirely cut-off from the outside world and got two days of rest. Modi reached Kedarnath on Saturday and after offering prayers to Lord Shiva at the shrine went inside the cave to meditate at 2 pm wearing a saffron colour shawl. He came out at 7 am Sunday and then left for Badrinath, another important Hindu shrine, where he ended his two-day visit to the state. Dressed in a kurta-pyjama with a shawl wrapped around him, the Prime Minister walked down from the cave on a hill to the Kedarnath temple with the help of a cane. I did not ask for anything. I dont believe in asking because God only wants us to give...all I want is Baba Kedarnath bestows his blessings not just upon India but entire mankind, he told reporters outside the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath after offering prayers. He also thanked the EC for allowing him to undertake the visit. The EC had given its nod to Modis visit while reminding the Prime Minister's Office that the model code of conduct is still in force. Modi said he remained totally cutoff from the outside world as there was no communication link to the cave he stayed in for 24 hours. PTI Offers prayers at Badrinath temple editorial@tribune.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 19 The opposition parties today intensified efforts to form an anti-BJP front ahead of May 23 results with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu meeting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to discuss the possible post-poll scenarios. Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, also held a second round of talks with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. These meetings were significant as Naidu is learnt to have conveyed to the two opposition leaders the positive feedback he had received from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP president Mayawati, who may also soon call on Sonia and Rahul. Naidu, who last evening called on leaders of SP and BSP in Lucknow, said talks with both were favourable. The TDP chief also had lunch meeting with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury in the capital today before meeting Sonia this evening and he is learnt to have flagged to the opposition leaders an exit poll (see box) that predicts 179 Lok Sabha seats for the BJP; 129 for the Congress and 234 for other parties. With Naidu concluding preliminary talks with other opposition veterans, including Sharad Yadav of Loktantrik Janata Dal, Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja of the CPI and Arvind Kejriwal of the AAP in the capital today before returning to Andhra, the ball is now in the court of the Congress that has to decide whether to call a formal meeting of the anti-BJP partners. The Tribune has, however, learnt there is no plan of a formal meeting of anti-BJP parties yet, though attempts may be made to keep letters of opposition parties support for a potential anti-BJP coalition ready should the May 23 trends favour the opposition over the BJP. There is a sense in the opposition camp that they may have a chance at government formation if the BJP falls significantly short of majority and the opposition can prove that the wider anti-BJP regional players would back a non-BJP coalition, and not a BJP-led formulation. This explains why Rahul said in last press conference that though the BSP, SP, RLD and other regional players like the TMC fought Lok Sabha elections independently of the Congress, all these parties were unlikely to back the BJP post results. Its in this window that the Congress hope of a UPA type of coalition lies, even though the poll of polls today predicted a clear NDA sweep. AP CMs exit polls predict 179 for BJP Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to have flagged to opposition leaders an exit poll that predicts 179 seats for the BJP; 129 for the Congress and 234 for other parties The survey Naidu is banking on gives him a majority 118 seats in Andhra Assembly as against 52 to the YSRCP The same poll projects 17 of the 25 LS seats to the TDP as against seven to YSRCP BJP will return with majority There is a very encouraging atmosphere for the BJP in the country. I have full faith the Modi government will once again form the government with full majority. Sumitra Mahajan, LS speaker Its whitewash for BJP in Bihar, UP For the BJP, it would be soopda saaf (whitewash) in Bihar and UP at the hands of grand alliance. They didnt win 300 in 2014 despite the Modi lahar... Now the lahar has become kahar (curse). Shatrughan Sinha, Congress leader BJP to get 74-plus seats in UP The BJP will form the next government at the Centre under PM Narendra Modi with a massive mandate of 300-plus seats of the BJP and 400 plus of the NDA allies. In UP, the BJP will get 74-plus seats. Yogi Adityanath, UP CM Never seen such a thing before The way TMC workers were tortured jointly by BJP workers and CRPF was unprecedented... See campaigning is over now. So wont say anything about it till the results are out. Mamata Banerjee, WB CM Who am I to bless Modi? Who am I?... People are blessing him (when asked whether his blessing are with Modi who is again in the fray from Varanasi). Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP veteran & Varanasi ex-MP ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Patna, May 19 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday strongly condemned BJPs Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakurs controversial remark describing the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse, as a patriot and said the BJP should consider expelling her from the party. Kumar, president of BJPs strong ally JD(U), made it clear that his party would not tolerate such things. In reply to a query whether the BJP should expel her from the party, Kumar said that it must be considered. He, however, was quick to add that it is an internal matter of the BJP. Nitish also repudiated arch rival Lalu Prasads claim that he had sent poll-strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor for rapprochement owing to unease with the BJP. Kumar also said he was looking forward to the formation of a new government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and his JD(U) joining it. Asked whether the JD(U), which did not get a ministerial berth at the Centre despite having returned to the NDA about a couple of years ago, will join the new government, he replied, Why not? The CM, however, made it clear that his party will stick to its stand on issues like Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and the Ayodhya dispute, which was at variance with that of the BJP. He dismissed the recent statement by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had hinted at the possibility of a post-poll tie-up with the JD(U). TNS/Agencies Long poll schedule Elections must not be spread over seven phases. The number of phases need not have been more than two or three. Moreover, these should be held either in February-March or October-November so people are not inconvenienced Nitish Kumar, Bihar CM amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 20 Two days ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results, top opposition leaders will meet in the national capital on Tuesday to discuss the political situation and possibilities of a non-NDA alliance to stake claim for government formation. As part of his efforts to unite the opposition, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, at her Kolkata residence on forming a non-BJP government at the Centre in case of a hung verdict. Naidu had a 45-minute meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), during which he also discussed the possibilities of forming a non-BJP government, including regional parties, with the support of the Congress. It was decided at the meeting that a detailed discussion will be held with other players of the Mahagathbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, a source said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23, the source added. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the strategy of the Mahagathbandhan, sources said. Naidu has been moving around across the country and has held several rounds of discussions with top opposition leaders in a bid to unite them and form an alliance to stake claim to form the next government in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief met Banerjee again on Monday evening to discuss the political scenario in the wake of the exit poll predictions. On Sunday, Naidu met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi separately in New Delhi, besides NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. The TDP leader has already met other top opposition leaders such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Left leaders and Sharad Yadav in Delhi. Meanwhile, Akhilesh and Mayawati also held a meeting and discussed their strategy going forward. However, in view of the exit polls, most of which have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA, the opposition has turned a bit cautious and decided not to hold any formal meetings. Top Congress leaders also held a meeting under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi on Saturday, where the current political situation was discussed. Sources said the opposition strategy was to procure letters of support from various parties and in case of a hung verdict, to present the same before the President to stake claim to form the government. They added that the opposition did not want to leave anything to chance and did not wish to waste any time in staking claim for government formation and thus, was putting its house in order. Notwithstanding the exit poll predictions, the opposition is going ahead with its strategy as most parties have trashed the forecast and claimed that the NDA would not get a majority in the Lok Sabha. Opposition leaders trash exit polls Opposition leaders are citing previous examples when exit polls were proved wrong, as also elsewhere in the world like the surprise result in Australia. Opposition leaders will also meet the Election Commission (EC) and raise the issue of tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with the electronic voting machine (EVM) figures as directed by the Supreme Court. The opposition parties are demanding tallying of VVPAT slips with EVM figures in an entire Assembly constituency in case a discrepancy is found in any polling booth. The court has asked the EC to tally the VVPAT slips with the EVM figures of five polling stations in each Assembly constituency across the country, which may delay the results. According to sources, leaders of opposition parties such as the Congress, TDP, Left parties, BSP, NCP and TMC will informally meet on Tuesday to discuss the way forward in case the NDA fails to get to the majority mark. Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), TDPs Naidu, Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP, Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), D Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Derek OBrien of the TMC are expected to take part in Tuesdays meeting among others. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Anantnag, May 19 A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worker was shot at by suspected militants here in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Sunday evening. His condition is stated to be critical. The injured PDP worker has been identified as Muhammad Jamal Bhat, a resident of Zangalpora locality in Devsar area of Kulgam district. A senior police official said the shooting took place around 9 pm. Militants barged into his home and fired indiscriminately. He was hit by five bullets, he said. Bhat was immediately evacuated to a nearby hospital and referred to Srinagar from there. He is critical and was being taken to Srinagar when we last checked, the police official said. Meanwhile, security forces reached the area and cordoned it off to nab the attackers. OC ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 Facing sweltering heat, at least 65.77 per cent voters cast their ballot for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab today. The figure was 70.69 per cent in the 2014 elections. Except minor skirmishes, polls were largely peaceful in the seventh and the final phase. A firing incident, following a heated discussion, was reported in Talwandi Sabo town of the Bathinda constituency. Bathinda Rural Congress president Khushbaz Jattana was booked along with 11 other party workers. Voting was stopped for some time after SAD worker Jalour Singh was injured. In Khadoor Sahib, a voter of Saraly Kalar village, Bunty, was killed with a sharp-edged weapon when he was returning home after casting his vote. Officials, however, did not clarify if it was an election-related murder. Sarpanch Chhattar Singh of Sodhoke village in Amritsar was booked for disorderly conduct near the polling stations. Polling for the Amritsar seat remained largely peaceful. Elsewhere, a drunk Akali sarpanch was arrested for creating ruckus inside the polling booth of Sidhuwal village of Patiala constituency. Windowpanes of the car of former SAD minister Sikander Singh Maluka were broken in Rampura Phul of Faridkot constituency allegedly by Congress men. The hot seat of Gurdaspur, witnessing a battle between PPCC chief and sitting MP Sunil Jakhar and film star Sunny Deol of the BJP, remained peaceful with an elaborate police bandobast. Meanwhile, rejecting exit poll reports, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said their accuracy was suspect. I expect the Congress to do much better both at the national level and in the state. Thanking the voters for turning out in large numbers, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, The incidents of violence and intimidation indulged in by our rivals marred what would have been a peaceful and dignified exercise of democratic will by the people of Punjab. Punjab AAP chief and Sangrur candidate Bhagwant Mann said, I saw representatives of all parties sitting on one table and exchanging notes. This is a very positive sign for democracy. High voter turnout showed that they wanted to participate in functioning of our democracy. Punjab has 278 candidates in the fray, of which 24 are women. rchopra@tribunemail.com Chennai, May 20 A Singapore-bound flight of a private carrier, which took off from Tiruchirapalli, made an emergency landing at the Chennai airport on Monday following a spark in the engine, officials said. The flight landed safely. Nobody was injured in the incident and all 170 passengers were safely disembarked, they said. The pilots detected the spark while the plane was still in the Indian airspace, the officials said. Immediately, the pilots contacted the Chennai airport for an emergency landing. Permission was granted and fire-fighters were put on standby, they said. The passengers were later provided accommodation in city hotels. Technicians are attending to the snag, the officials said. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, May 20 Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Monday relieved cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar from his ministerial responsibility. He was heading the Department of Backward Classes Welfare and the Department of Disabled People Development. The decision to remove the BJP alliance partner and head of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) was taken on the recommendation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Five other leaders of the SBSP holding ministerial ranks in commissions, including the son of Rajbhar, have also been removed with immediate effect. Talking to reporters, Rajbhar welcomed the decision to dismiss him. I welcome the decision but I had just hoped that Adityanath should have shown the same quickness in dealing with issues that I had raised as a minister, including implementation of prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues, he said. Challenging the BJP, Rajbhar said that from now onwards his agenda would be to expose the BJP. I will continue to consolidate my community and explain to them the manner in which the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits, he said. He said the BJP never addressed issues raised by him and kept him waiting till the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election. Clearly, Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections when I had resigned on April 13. But he did not want to take risk of an OBC backlash. However, this is not the end of electionsthere will be more elections in the future, Rajbhar said. Rajbhar represents a backward community which approximately constitutes 20 per cent of the population of Purvanchal, the region which cast its vote on Sunday. Rajbhar had not only fielded his independent candidates but openly defied the BJP in the final phases of the election strategically siding with either the Congress or the mahagathbandhan on a number of seats to trouble the BJP. The SBSP has four MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, May 19 A 25-year-old man was brutally murdered in Sarali Kalan village, 35 km from here, on Sunday while he was returning home after casting his vote. Three persons have been arrested in this regard. The deceased has been identified as Bunti of Sarali Kalan village. The accused are three brothers of the same village, namely Gurjinder Singh, Yudhvir Singh and Maninder Singh. However, the district police have denied it to be a poll-related incident. In a press release, SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal said the incident had no link with the polling. He said the brothers committed the crime due to some personal enmity with the deceased. As per information, Bunti after casting his vote at a polling station in his village was returning home when he met the accused on the way. They asked Bunti about his vote, but he refused to divulge any details. Following which, in a fit of rage, the accused attacked Bunti with a sharp-edged weapon, killing him on the spot. Notably, the accused belong to Bhagwan Valmiki Kranti Sena, which has extended its support to SAD-BJP candidate Bibi Jagir Kaur for the Khadoor Sahib seat. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) said the accused had been booked under relevant sections of the IPC editorial@tribune.com GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 19 Former minister and Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu toady said Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh should resign if the Congress gets wiped out in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. She said Capt Sahib was sure to grab all 13 seats but if the Congress failed to fare well, it was testimony that the party had failed to live up to public expectations. Then, the party ought to introspect. If the CM had fixed the accountability of his ministers and MLAs to ensure win, he equally holds the liability of partys performance. If the Congress didnt deliver this time, he should submit his resignation, she said in a reference to the CMs remark that he would take full responsibility of the partys performance. On her husband Sidhus absence from campaigning in Amritsar, she said, Sidhu was much sought after He was sent to hold rallies and roadshows only on those places where the contest was tough. In Amritsar, our party believed that Gurjeet Aujla would get through with a convincing margin. So, there was no point of disturbing his itinerary. On Sidhus recent friendly match statement, she said the black sheep in the party would be exposed. Certainly, every worker who works earnestly for the party deserves recognition. Those who betray the party over the petty issue of ticket denial should be shunted out. I was denied ticket, but that never meant that I should revolt against the party. For the last one month, I have been campaigning in Amritsar, she said. Dr Sidhu had claimed that she was denied ticket at the instance of the CM and partys Punjab affairs in-charge Asha Kumari as they never considered her as competent. Coming out in her defence, Navjot Singh Sidhu said this reference was for the Amritsar seat, not for Chandigarh as was being wrongly quoted. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service Bathinda, May 19 Three SAD workers were injured in a clash between Congress and Akali Dal supporters outside a polling booth at Talwandi Sabo here today. Jalour Singh, SAD leader, alleged that the Congress group headed by Khushbaz Singh Jattana attacked them and also opened fire on them. SAD worker Karam Singh got injured in the firing, while Mithu Singh sustained injuries in the scuffle, he said. Later, former MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu reached the spot and party workers protested outside the polling station. Polling was also stopped for some time. Bathinda Range IGP MF Farooqui and Bathinda SSP Dr Nanak Singh reached the spot and polling resumed after their intervention and deployment of huge security forces at the polling station. A case under Sections 307, 323, 452, 354, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Sections 3 and 4 of the SC/ST Act against Congress Bathinda rural president Khushbaz Singh Jattana and nine others was registered at the Talwandi Sabo police station. Congress worker Ranjit Singh was also admitted to a private hospital. He alleged SAD workers opened fire at their group. They alleged the SAD workers were purchasing votes and when Jattana came to know of it, he reached there and stopped them, following which SAD workers vandalized the Congress booth and attacked the party workers with stones, besides opening fire at them. SSP Dr Nanak Singh said, We have registered a case against Jattana and others on the complaint of a SAD leader. We have not received any information about the Congress worker getting injured. In another incident, two SAD polling agents Paramjit Singh and Sarabjit Singh were allegedly thrashed at Kangar village in Rampura Phul. When former SAD minister Sikander Singh Maluka reached Kangar village, the Congress workers allegedly attacked and damaged his car. Later, he sought re-polling at booth no. 77 and 78. Sangrur: Three persons were injured when two groups of Congress workers allegedly clashed at Ealwal village in Sangrur during polling on Sunday. Sangrur SSP Dr Sandeep Garg said two groups of Congress workers clashed at Ealwal village and three persons were injured. Mandeep Singh, Harbans Singh and Baljinder Singh have been admitted to the civil hospital. EC meets Health Secretary to review Covid situation in 5 poll-bound states; asks NCB to keep tabs on drug use The Commission in particular referred to Punjab and Goa with... pardeepdhull@gmail.com Dushanbe (Tajikistan), May 20 Three prison guards and 29 inmates were killed in a prison riot in Tajikistan that the government blamed on Islamic State militants. Tajikistans Justice Ministry said the riot broke out late on Sunday in the prison in the city of Vakhdat, 10 km (six miles) east of the capital Dushanbe, as militants armed with knives killed three guards and five fellow prisoners. The militants then torched the prison hospital, took several inmates hostage and tried to fight their way out. Security forces killed 24 militants in the battle to restore order in the prison, the ministry said. The prison houses 1,500 inmates. Among prisoners who were killed were two senior members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), an Islamist party outlawed by the government of President Imomali Rakhmon in 2015. Another was a prominent Tajik cleric convicted on charges of calls to overthrow the government. The authorities said one of the instigators of the riot was Bekhruz Gulmurod, a son of Gulmurod Khalimov, a Tajik special forces colonel who defected to Islamic State in 2015 and, according to the government, has since been killed in Syria. The ministry did not specify whether the younger Gulmurod was among those killed in the riot. Hundreds of people from the impoverished former Soviet republic of 9 million are believed to have joined Islamic State, which at one point controlled large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq. The group, which has now lost its strongholds but continues underground operations, claimed responsibility for another Tajik prison riot last November, which followed a deadly attack by its followers on Western tourists in Tajikistan in July 2018. The government of the Persian-speaking nation which borders Afghanistan fought against Islamists - who were allied with nationalists and liberal democrats - in a civil war in the 1990s which killed tens of thousands of people. Tajikistans leader Rakhmon is the longest-serving ruler in the former Soviet Union, having taken power shortly after independence, and tolerates little dissent. Reuters sanjiv@tribunemail.com New York, May 19 Boeing acknowledged it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions, it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel, a rarely used manual wheel to control the planes angle. Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted, it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator late this year. American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association, it added. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. AFP sanjiv@tribunemail.com Vienna, May 19 Austrias President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion. Just days before key EU elections, Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was forced to resign in disgrace on Saturday following explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz whose 18-month coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been held up as a European model reacted by pulling the plug on their union. My preference is for early elections in September, if possible the beginning of September, Van der Bellen told journalists on Sunday after holding talks with Kurz. The President will hold further talks with other party leaders over the coming weeks in order to fix a date. Kurz said on Saturday the latest revelations were the final straw after a string of FPOe-related scandals dogging the government. Enough is enough, the Chancellor told a press conference in Vienna. Strache for his part insisted in his emotional resignation statement that he had been the victim of a targeted political attack but also described his own actions as stupid and irresponsible. The FPOe was also due to meet on Sunday to confirm leadership changes after Straches exit. Neither Van der Bellen nor Kurz commented on who would replace the vice-chancellor in the run-up to elections and whether top FPOe politicians-including controversial Interior Minister Herbert Kickl-would be allowed to stay in post. The damning revelations, which saw protesters take to the streets on Vienna on Saturday, broke as the campaign for European Parliament elections on May 23-26 was nearing its climax. They risk dealing a blow to a far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italys Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and in which the FPOe plays a key part. The FPOes lead MEP candidate Harald Vilimsky had been due to attend a rally organised by Salvini in Milan on Saturday, but cancelled the trip because of the scandal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted to the news out of Austria by warning of the dangers of far-right politicians for sale, who wanted to destroy the Europe of our values. The tapes contained a litany of other embarrassing material for Strache, and analysts predicted setbacks for the FPOe from its current position in the polls. As well as repeating unsubstantiated rumours about Kurz, Strache also hinted at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny by going to a foundation linked to the FPOe. Elsewhere in the recordings, he discussed the possible part-privatisation of public broadcaster ORF and expressed admiration for the media landscape in neighbouring Hungary, where press plurality has been severely curtailed under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Observers said the dramatic events of the past two days were almost a re-run of the last time that the centre-right Peoples Party (OeVP) and FPOe went into coalition, in 2000. Then as now, after only two years the OeVP chancellor-in that case Wolfgang Schuessel-felt compelled to call snap elections due to strife with his FPOe coalition partner. AFP Vice-Chancellor Strache caught on camera The dramatic developments followed the publication by two German newspapers on Friday of footage from a sophisticated hidden-camera sting months before Austrias last parliamentary elections in 2017 In the tapes-of unknown provenance- Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache is seen openly discussing the possibility of awarding public contracts in return for campaign help for the FPOe from a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch The woman says she specifically wants to gain control of the countrys largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung. Strache is seen suggesting that new owners could make staff changes and use the paper to help his party in its election campaign You cant draw Russia link to sting: Senator monicakchauhan@gmail.com Washington, May 20 President Donald Trump has issued an ominous warning to Iran, suggesting that if the Islamic republic attacks American interests, it will be destroyed. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again, Trump said in a tweet. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise as the United States has deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian threats. This account has been met with widespread skepticism outside the United States. The White House has sent mixed signals in recent days, amid multiple US media reports of infighting in Trumps cabinet over how hard to push Washingtons arch foe Iran. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers to the region. On Sunday, a Katyusha rocket was fired into Baghdads Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. According to US media reports, Trumps long-hawkish national security advisor John Bolton is pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in the administration are resisting. Trump himself said recently that he has to temper Bolton. Irans foreign minister downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region on Saturday, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the illusion the Islamic republic could be confronted. We are certain... there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region, Mohammad Javad Zarif told state-run news agency IRNA at the end of a visit to China. Iran-US relations hit a new low last year as US Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. Saudi Arabia called Sunday for emergency regional talks to discuss the mounting Gulf tensions, saying that it does not want war with Iran but is ready to defend itself. It comes days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. King Salman invited Gulf leaders and Arab League member states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent aggressions and their consequences, the kingdoms official SPA news agency reported late Saturday. Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it, he said. But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests. The kingdoms regional allies welcomed the Saudi invitation. The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry said the current critical circumstances require a unified Arab and Gulf stance. Oil producing countries met Sunday in Saudi Arabia to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid the rising US-Iran tensions, which threaten to disrupt global supply. Oil supplies are sufficient and stockpiles still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said at the meeting in Jeddah. Qatar Sunday weighed in on the escalating tensions, saying it did not believe the US or Iran wanted a war in the region. US President Donald Trump has said he does not want war, and I do not think Iran wants war or instability in the region, minister of state for foreign affairs Sultan al-Muraikhi told AFP on the sidelines of a Qatar Fund for Development briefing. I think if we move away from the childish regimes in the region, all troubles will be settled. Muraikhi said Doha - which remains isolated by neighboring former allies in a long-running diplomatic dispute - has not yet received a formal invitation to either meeting. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt are among the countries that cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 over accusations it supports terrorism and seeks closer ties with Tehran. Four ships including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAEs Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz - a vital maritime route for oil exports which Iran has threatened to close in the event of a war. That incident was followed by drone strikes Tuesday claimed by Yemens Iran-aligned rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline built as an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz were to be closed. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the pipeline attacks, targeting the security of oil supplies... and the global economy. AFP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Islamabad, May 20 Pakistans jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia corruption case. The Supreme Court earlier this month dismissed the 69-year-old three-time prime ministers review petition seeking permanent bail on medical grounds and the permission to go abroad for treatment. Sharif returned to the Kot Lakhpat jail on May 7 to serve his seven-year prison term in the case after the end of his six-week bail, which was granted to him on medical grounds with a condition that he would not leave Pakistan. Opinions of specialist doctors from Switzerland, the US and the UK have been included in the petition filed at the high court by Sharifs counsel Khawaja Haris, the Express Tribune reported. According to the medical board, Nawaz is suffering from numerous diseases, the petition said. According to the reports, doctors recommended that Sharifs condition is life-threatening. Tension and stress can prove to be threatening to his life, it added. Even Sharifs blood and sugar levels have not normalised, the petition went on to add. The petition stated that all members of the special medical board, along with doctors associated with doctors hospital Lahore, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore and National Hospital Lahore as well as medical specialists from UK, USA and Switzerland were unanimous that Sharifs treatment is not possible in jail premises. The former premier, who has been serving a seven-year prison term at Lahores Kot Lakhpat Jail since December 24, 2018, was granted a six-week bail on March 26 to get medical treatment. However, Sharif filed a civil review petition against the order on April 27. The petition requested the court to allow Sharif get medical treatment abroad, claiming that the former prime minister was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that would lead to sudden death. It said the medical professionals seeing the former premier in Pakistan recommend that he should be treated by his regular practitioners in the United Kingdom. It also said that there was a difference between the apex courts March 26 oral order and the written order. However, a three-judge special bench, headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi, dismissed the petition. Sharif was convicted by an accountability court in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex courts July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case. Sharif and his family have denied any wrongdoing and allege that the corruption cases against them were politically motivated. PTI sanjiv@tribunemail.com Karachi, May 19 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans dream of the cash-strapped country becoming self-sufficient in oil has been dashed after no reserves were discovered in the Arabian Sea off the Karachi coast, media reports said on Sunday. The drilling work at Kekra-1 well in deep sea near Karachi has been stopped after no oil or gas reservoir could be found, according to Special Assistant to Prime Minister Khan on Petroleum Nadeem Babar. Pakistan was hopeful of finding large oil and gas reserves in its territorial waters in the Arabian Sea. US oil giant Exxon Mobil, Italys ENI and a couple other companies were involved in drilling an ultra-deep oil well. Babar told Geo News that the process of drilling up to more than 5,500 meters was completed on Kekra-1 (Indus G-Block) off Karachi coast. Babar said the office of DG Petroleum Concessions has been apprised of the results of drilling. He said that the cost of drilling project, which has now been abandoned, remained over $100 million. In March, Prime Minister Khan had said Pakistan would not need to import oil after reserves were found near Karachi coast. We are hopeful of finding large reserves of gas and oil in the sea near Karachi. The nation should pray for this and I will soon share good news regarding this, Khan had said. God willing the reserves will be so large that we will not need to import any oil, he said. Khan said he believes that if big oil reserves are discovered, most of Pakistans economic problems will be addressed and then there will be no stopping in the countrys progress. Around four months ago, Italian firm ENI, the operator of the Kekra-1 offshore block, started drilling in a joint venture with US firm ExxonMobil, one of the worlds largest oil and gas firm, and the Pakistan state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). Each of the four firms has a 25 per cent participating interest in the block. The well was spudded on January 13 this year, targeting a carbonate reservoir with a prognosed total depth of 5,660 metres. Some surveyors had found the block Indus-G similar to the Indian offshore Bombay High oilfield, which produces 350,000 barrels per day of crude oil, while others described it as similar to the ones in the oil- and gas-rich Kuwait, the Express Tribune reported. At the same time, officials say, oil and gas exploration and production is described as a high risk- high reward business and the failures should not be taken as a loss. India found offshore reserves from its Bombay High well after 40 attempts, the officials were quoted as saying by the Dawn News. PTI Cost of drilling project remained over $100 million pardeepdhull@gmail.com Islamabad, May 20 Pakistan needs to launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to secure enough support to come out of the grey list or prevent itself from falling into the black list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) next month, a senior government official has said. The officials remarks came after a 10-member Pakistani delegation attended a two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) of the Paris-based global watchdog FATF in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou where it defended Pakistans efforts against money laundering and terror financing. The senior official, who participated in the APG meeting in Guangzhou last week, told the Dawn newspaper that the coming FATF Plenary and Working Group meetings in Orlando, Florida, scheduled for June 16-21, would be crucial for Pakistan to get rid of the grey list or falling into the black list and having serious economic repercussions. The Orlando plenary will actually set the stage for Pakistans future even though a formal announcement would come out at the next FATF plenary due in Paris on October 18-23, he said. Hence, an aggressive diplomatic effort over the next four weeks is required to secure enough support and votes to exit the grey list, the report said. Pakistan was now fully compliant with the related United Nations resolutions, the official said. Pakistan has taken aggressive steps over the last two months in terms of regulatory and monitoring mechanism to meet the FATF requirements and its legal system is generally up to the mark, except some amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010 pending before the National Assemblys standing committee on finance and revenue, the report said. We believe we have generally delivered on the technical side i,e legal and administrative action, regulations, monitoring, enforcement and inter-agency and stakeholder coordination and now require more of the diplomatic push to counter the adversaries, said the official. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was expected to get a briefing on the Guangzhou meeting and on the way forward on Monday. The official said it was expected Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi would now coordinate with stakeholders on a strategy to reach out to the world capitals in difficult diplomatic environment where the US-India grouping has greater influence and non-aligned members of the FATF prefer to abstain than siding with Pakistan. According to the report, Pakistan required about 15-16 votes to move out of the grey list and a minimum of three votes to avoid falling into the blacklist. The FATF currently comprises 36 members with voting powers and two regional organisations, representing most of the major financial centres in all parts of the globe. The FATF plenary had formally placed Pakistan in the grey list in June 2018 after the country could not secure a minimum of three votes. On May 3, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India will ask the FATF to put Pakistan on a blacklist of countries that fail to meet international standards in stopping financial crime. China is set to secure FATF presidency next year while Saudi Arabia representing the Gulf Cooperation Council is to become a full FATF member. Turkey was the only member that stood by Pakistan despite a strong campaign launched by the US, the UK, India and Europe. Pakistans seriousness to act against proscribed terror outfits and its efforts to curb money laundering and terror financing were questioned by members of a regional affiliate of the FATF at the Guangzhou meeting. The official said the Pakistani delegation presented a robust case before the APG panel on the countrys progress on the 10-point action plan committed with the global watchdog despite tough questioning from some participants. The APG would now submit its findings, based on Pakistans report and question-answer session, to the FATF in its June 16-21 Plenary and Working Group meetings in the United States. PTI sanjiv@tribunemail.com Dubai, May 19 Saudi Arabia has called for emergency regional talks to discuss mounting Gulf tensions, saying on Sunday that it does not want war with Iran but is ready to defend itself. It comes days after mysterious sabotage attacks on several tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters and drone strikes on a Saudi crude pipeline by Yemen rebels who Riyadh claimed were acting on Iranian orders. The United States has also deployed an aircraft carrier and bombers to the Gulf over alleged threats from Iran. King Salman invited Gulf leaders and Arab League member states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent aggressions and their consequences, the kingdoms official SPA news agency said. Saudi Arabias minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said on Sunday his country does not want to go to war with Iran but would defend itself. Saudi Arabia does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it, he said. But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with strength and determination to defend itself and its interests. The UAEs foreign ministry said the current critical circumstances require a unified Arab and Gulf stance. The meetings will be a significant opportunity for the countries of the region to achieve their aspirations for establishing peace and stability, it said. According to Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank, Riyadh wants to show that the region is behind it. Four ships including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAEs Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz-a vital maritime route for oil exports which Iran has threatened to close in the event of a war. That incident was followed by drone strikes claimed by Yemens Iran-aligned rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline built as an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz were to be closed. Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering the pipeline attacks. AFP THE Ministry of Health reported that 30 people succumbed to the Covid-19 virus yesterday. The latest deaths took the death toll this month to 610. The ministry identified the deceased as seven elderly men, eight elderly women, eight middle-aged men, six middle-aged woman and one young adult woman. T&Ts overall death toll now stands at 2,768. The Ministry said 16 patients had multiple comorbidities. Nine patients had one comorbidity and five patients had no known medical conditions. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has designated January 2022 as the point in time for commencement of a policy that would insist that all Government workplaces would require vaccinated workers. He has seen the reluctance and hesitation of many people both in public and private life who continue to refuse the jabs for several reasons, whether it be scientific or non-scientific, or for religious or personal reasons. - Betting Control and Licensing Board issued the ban on April 30 and it was to start taking effect on Thursday, May 30 - Kamau Wanjohi who uses the stage name MC Moreydoc challenged the policy in court arguing it would affect the livelihood of artistes - Wanjohi further faulted BCLB for not conducting public participation and failing to properly define the word 'celebrity' in the policy The High Court has temporarily suspended a ban by the Betting Control and Licencing Board (BCLB) which sought to restrict celebrities from advertising for betting firms. The policy was introduced by BCLB in April 2019 in a bid to try and curb betting addiction among Kenyans. READ ALSO: Aisha Jumwa on receiving end after changing lyrics of popular gospel song to praise Ruto Court suspends ban restricting celebrities from advertising gambling. Photo:UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Suspect in Murang'a prison warden's demise in court for trying to take his own life However, Justice James Makau on Monday, May 20, issued conservatory orders stopping the implementation of the policy which was to take effect starting May 30. " Pending the hearing and determination of this case, a conservatory order is hereby issued staying the implementation of the decision by the BCLB issued on April 30 touching on advertisement and endorsement of betting, lottery, gaming and prize competitions," ruled the court READ ALSO: Huduma Namba: ODM Senator Ledama Ole Kina vows not to register The suit challenging implementation of the new policy was filed by Kamau Wanjohi who uses the stage name MC Moreydoc. The artiste argued the restriction would adversely affect his livelihood and that of his colleagues in the industry whom he said relied on the business for income. He further faulted BCLB for coming up with the policy without conducting public participation and consulting with the affected parties. Wanjohi also took issue with the definition of the term 'celebrity' which he argued was not clear in the new policy. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Huduma Namba deadline day rush I Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke A committee worked over three months to establish a framework for BusinessTHRIVE, which will allow City staff to engage in discussions with local companies related to existing business conditions, business climate and areas of concern or need. The program is designed to offer several benefits for small businesses, including increasing local jobs, property values and the tax base. Further, it can identify and solve challenges as well as supply up-to-date data on the local economy all with the goal of creating a network of resources and trust within the community. Levo Fearys team will conduct at least 25 one-on-one visits with specific businesses, including: the 10 largest employers located within the Owasso fence line; 15 businesses identifying red flags, or critical risks; and others upon invitation or request. The City will also conduct a monthly roundtable discussion meeting with a specific business industry. Additionally, an advisory board of industry-specific representatives will meet on a quarterly basis beginning in July. The launch of BusinessTHRIVE comes on the heels of the City launching a new economic development website, Chooseowasso.com, in February, and Council approving incentive guidelines for the EDSP in March. 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. An Owasso man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly violated a protective order against his ex-wife and stole her minivan. The incident occurred around 12:45 a.m. at a home in a neighborhood near N. Garnett Rd. and E. 96th St. N., where officers were dispatched to a reported vehicle theft involving a tan Toyota minivan, according to the police report. It states that while responding, an officer located the vehicle driving eastbound 96th Street near Walmart. As the officer attempted to catch up to the van, the driver pulled into the Walmart parking lot and exited the car, at which point he threw the keys and began to walk away, the report shows. The officer then made contact with the driver, identified as 38-year-old Matthew Ross Walker. The victim reported that Walker is her ex-husband and he had come to her residence earlier, where they were involved in an argument. He allegedly left the house in her minivan, despite the objections of the owner, as noted in the report. A records check revealed an active protective order against Walker and that his drivers license was suspended. Walker was arrested and transported to the Tulsa Count Jail on bond of $600 and a court date of Monday, May 20. Denise and Chris Mink have a business with a dual purpose in Coweta. They are owners of the medical cannabis dispensary called Med Pharm and work steadily to help free customers from pain through this new Oklahoma business. The second goal of Med Pharm is to help the pet population live outside of kill shelters. The Minks call it Cannabis with a cause! Coweta Med Pharm is located at 24683 E. Hwy. 51 in Broken Arrow. The facility is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. Denise went down the list of products for sale. It includes pain cream, edibles, flower, cartridges, tincture and so much more. Prior to the ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 16, the Med Pharms parking lot was nearly full the entire time. Med Pharm will donate over 30 percent of its profit to open a large, no-kill animal shelter. Weve got land and a building purchased, Denise said of the shelter. We will also offer low cost spay or neuter. A suspect is in custody after a quadruple shooting at multiple crime scenes left one person dead and another in critical condition Monday afternoon. Police arrested Kaleb Young, 20, on suspicion of the killing outside his home in the 1600 block of North Boston Place. Young was taken to police headquarters for an interview before being booked into the Tulsa County jail on one complaint of first-degree murder and three complaints of shooting with intent to kill Monday evening, according to a Tulsa Police Department news release. About 1:20 p.m., police had responded to a report of a shooting in the 8100 block of East 16th Street. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and three other victims were taken to a hospital. One of those victims was listed in critical condition and was not expected to survive, according to police. Police identified multiple crime scenes near 16th Street and Memorial Drive. The person who was killed has not been named pending notification of next of kin. This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. Tulsa police are investigating after a man was reportedly shot during a home invasion early Monday morning in north Tulsa. Police responded to a reported shooting about 3 a.m. Monday in the 4500 block of North Frankfort Avenue. Officers found one victim, a 38-year-old black male, with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He is reportedly in stable condition as of Monday morning. Investigators learned from the victim's wife he had walked outside with a friend before the shooting. She then heard a struggle with gunshots before the victim and two masked men demanding money came inside the home. A police K9 tracker in the area did not locate the suspects, who were described only as black males wearing masks and dark clothing. Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payne One Oklahoma educator is taking on critics of the decision by many school districts to cancel classes amid Monday's scary forecast: the former counselor at Moore's Plaza Towers Elementary School. "If you disagree with the metro districts making this call, you clearly have forgotten 7 lives that were lost 6 years ago tomorrow," Kristin Atchley tweeted Sunday evening. "Also, the rest of us that begged for our lives and fought our way to safety." Atchley, who now works at director of student services at the Mid-Del School District in the Oklahoma City area, survived the May 20, 2013, tornado that claimed the lives of seven of her then-students at Plaza Towers. She tweeted a collage of photos of all seven: Sydney Angle, Antonia Candelaria, Emily Conatzer, Kyle Davis, Christopher Legg, Nicolas McCabe, and Ja'Nae Hornsby, noting that the anniversary is always a difficult day for survivors of the tragedy. The forecast for the Arkansas River at Tulsa will continue to depend most heavily on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases from Keystone Dam, which decreased significantly over the weekend. Keystone Lake dropped 2 feet since Saturday and continues to fall as flow into the lake dropped by nearly 30 percent and releases from dam were cut back from 80,000 to 60,000 cubic feet per second early Monday. The Arkansas River at Tulsa dropped nearly 2 feet in that same period, from 12.9 feet to 11 feet. The river was at its high point six days ago at 14.49 feet, when the Corps announced it was nearing regulation stage, which is 15 feet. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Preston Chasteen said operations at the reservoirs will remain steady until after the expected rains and adjustments will be made at that time. "For right now we just have to wait and see," he said. Minor flooding is forecast on the Arkansas River at Muskogee. The river was at 27.11 feet early Monday but is forecast to rise to minor flooding level at 1 a.m. Tuesday at 27.9 feet with a crest near 30 feet late Tuesday. The river at Muskogee has been near or above its regulation stage of 27 feet since May 4. Other Northeast Oklahoma rivers with minor flooding forecasts include the Neosho River at Commerce and the Illinois River at Tahlequah. Kelly Bostian 918-581-8357 kelly.bostian@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @KellyBostian 3:45 p.m.: Skiatook Public Schools announced classes will be canceled Wednesday because of high water. 3:15 p.m.: City officials are holding a news conference about water releases from Keystone Dam into the Arkansas River. The release was at 100,000 cubic feet per second as of noon; it will max at 160,000 cfs at 6 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. Officials said those living or visiting near the Arkansas River to be aware. Officials said they don't expect homes to be affected during the release for this week, but a flood risk will persist in south Tulsa County Bixby in particular, as well as Jenks. 1:55 p.m. Road closings update from Oklahoma Department of Public Safety: Craig County: US60 & SH82 US60 @ Big Cabin Creek US69 & US66 Delaware County: SH127 & 590RD Mayes County: US69 3 miles north of Pryor 450RD eastbound @ US69 Nowata County: SH10 4 miles east of Lenapah (Cedar Crek) Ottawa County: None Washington County: SH123 between Bartlesville & Dewey SH10 WB between Copan & SH99 Will Rogers Turnpike: None Cherokee Turnpike: None 12:30 p.m. Flood warnings remain in effect for the Arkansas River affecting Tulsa County and the Arkansas River near Haskell affecting Muskogee and Wagoner counties. According to NWS Tulsa, the forecast severity of flooding has changed from minor to major severity. 11:30 a.m. A flood warning is in effect for Tulsa County. 10:45 a.m. According to the Storm Prediction Center, 10 tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma since Monday evening. 10:25 a.m. Tulsa County Sheriff's deputies will patrol areas around the Caney River Valley and Bird Creek areas to warn residents of a flood advisory. Caney River is expected to flood around noon, with the Bird Creek area expected to flood by 1 p.m. 10 a.m. ODOT announces road closings across the state: Cherokee County SH-80 is closed four miles west of Hulbert near Fort Gibson Lake. Delaware County SH-127 is closed near Jay just west of US-59 due to a damaged drainage structure. Lincoln County SH-66 is OPEN west of Chandler. SH-99 is OPEN at the Deep Fork River 4 miles south of Stroud. SH-18 is closed 2 miles south of Chandler. SH-18 is closed 7 miles north of Chandler at CR 840. SH-102 is closed 2 miles west of Wellston. US-177 is closed at the Deep Fork River just north of SH-66 near Wellston. SH-66B is closed west of Wellston. Mayes County US-69A is closed east of US-69 south of Pryor. SH-20 is closed 3 miles west of the US-69 junction. SH-28 is closed 3.5 miles west of the US-69 junction. Nowata County US-60 is OPEN in Nowata. SH-10 is closed east of US-169 near Lenapah. Pawnee County US-64 is closed between Pawnee and SH-18. US-64 is OPEN east and west of Pawnee. Okmulgee County US-75A is closed at the railroad overpass just north of Beggs. SH-16 is OPEN at the railroad overpass on the east side of Beggs. Osage County SH-20 is OPEN west of Hominy. SH-99 is OPEN north of Hominy. SH-11 is OPEN north of Barnsdall. SH-20 is closed east and west of Skiatook. SH-123 is closed south of US-60 near Bartlesville. Rogers County SH-66 is OPEN at SH-88 in Claremore. Washington County US-60 is OPEN 4 miles east of US-75. US-75 is OPEN in Dewey. SH-123 is closed between Bartlesville and Dewey. School closings: Tulsa Public Schools are CLOSED Tuesday. Jenks and Union districts announced delayed start times. Verdigris, Collinsville, Catoosa, Sand Springs, Claremore, Bixby, Stillwater, Skiatook and Sperry Public Schools districts are closed Tuesday. All Tulsa County facilities, including the courthouse, will open at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, county officials said. 9 a.m. A flash flood warning is in effect for Craig, Rogers, Delaware, Ottawa, Mayes, Washington, Nowata, Wagoner, Muskogee, Okmulgee and Tulsa counties. 8:45 a.m. Storms have caused several flight delays and cancellations, Tulsa International Airport reported. Travelers should check their schedules with airlines. 7:27 a.m. A tornado warning is in effect for Pittsburg County through 8:15 a.m. The storm is producing 1-inch hail. Severe thunderstorms with quarter-size hail are moving northeast from the Stringtown area at 35 mph. NWS Tulsa warns of flying debris, damage to roofs, windows, vehicles and trees. 7:15 a.m. Oklahoma 20 is closed east of Skiatook as the roadway is flooded. Crews say flooding is limiting access to town on Oklahoma 11, as well. 7 a.m. The severe threat line has moved east toward Talala. 6:52 a.m. Owasso Police Department reports a tornado on the ground with debris near the Tulsa Tech Owasso campus at North 140th East Avenue. 6:45 a.m. A tornado warning is in effect for Claremore, Collinsville and Verdigris through 7:30 a.m. 6:33 a.m. A tornado has been confirmed in north Tulsa near the airport. NWS Tulsa reports the tornado is moving northeast at 50 mph. 6:15 a.m.: A tornado warning is in effect for Tulsa, Rogers and Osage counties through 7 a.m. Severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado were located along a line extending from 8 miles southwest of Sperry to Sand Springs, moving east at 30 mph, according to NWS Tulsa. 1:07 a.m. Flash flood warning issued until 7 a.m. for Tulsa, Wagoner, Okmulgee and Muskogee counties. 1:05 a.m. Tornado watch for Craig, Mayes, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers and Washington counties expired. Tornado watch for Creek, Okfuskee, Okmulgee and Tulsa counties continued until 5 a.m. Tornado watch for Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Sequoyah and Wagoner counties until 8 a.m. 1:01 a.m. Tuesday Flash flood warning in effect until 7 a.m. for Cherokee, Craig, Delaware and Mayes counties. At least four tornadoes were reported near Oklahoma towns on Monday: Cashion, Mangum, Bald Hill and Leach. 24-hour rainfall totals as of 12:50 a.m. are as follows, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet: Skiatook: 6.38 inches Pawnee: 6.08 inches Wynona: 5.58 inches Talala: 5.26 inches Inola: 5.07 inches Oilton: 4.76 inches Newkirk: 4.73 inches Vinita: 4.69 inches Miami: 4.58 inches Copan: 4.40 inches Nowata: 4.31 inches Foraker: 4.05 inches Burbank: 3.94 inches Tulsa: 3.65 inches Bixby: 3.63 inches Jay: 2.87 inches Updated (12:33 a.m.) Stillwater schools are closed tomorrow due to flooding. Due to excessive flooding in and around Stillwater and the National Weather Service forecasting additional rain throughout the night, Stillwater Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, May 21. District employees will observe a Level 1 closing on this date. Stillwater Schools (@onwardpioneers) May 21, 2019 Updated (12:21 a.m. Tuesday) Tornado watch issued for Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Sequoyah and Wagoner counties until 8 a.m. Tornado watch for Tulsa, Creek, Okfuskee and Okmulgee counties continued until 5 a.m. Peggs Fire-Rescue reports "widespread damage" in Facebook post and asks residents not to travel on damaged roads. Updated (11:44 p.m.) Flash flood emergency issued for Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Collinsville, Inola and Pryor until 5:45 a.m. At 11:39 p.m. emergency management reported numerous closed roadways, water rescues, and homes being evacuated. "Three to five inches of rain have fallen, and additional heavy rainfall will move into the area soon. Widespread flash flooding is already occurring," the weather service said. "Move to higher ground now. This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order." Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area, forecasters said, including Interstate 44 between mile markers 217 and 269. Updated (11:34 p.m.) Water rescues being reported in Turley. Updated (11:30 p.m.) Tornado warning for Delaware County allowed to expire. Updated (11:27 p.m.) The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said westbound Oklahoma 20 was being shut down in Skiatook. Updated (11:20 p.m.) Tulsa Public Schools announced classes will be held as scheduled Tuesday. Updated (11:20 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood emergency for Hominy, Pawnee, Bartlesville, Dewey and Skiatook. At 11:10 p.m. emergency management reported numerous closed roadways, water rescues, and homes being evacuated, the weather service said. "Four to six inches of rain have fallen, and additional heavy rainfall will move into the area soon. Widespread flash flooding is already occurring. "This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!" forecasters said. Updated (11:16 p.m.): The flash flood warning for Tulsa, Osage, Pawnee and Washington counties has been extended to 5:15 a.m. Tuesday. Updated (11:03 p.m.): Tornado warning continues for southern Delaware County with the large tornado reported earlier near Peggs and Leach. It was 3 miles north of Twin Oaks moving northeast at 50 mph. Updated (10:45 p.m.): Meteorologists reporting radar-indicated debris from tornado near Peggs in Cherokee County. The tornado was heading toward the community of Leach in Delaware County. Updated (10:45 p.m.): Tornado warning for southern Tulsa, Wagoner counties allowed to expire. Updated (10:39 p.m.): A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located near Peggs in Cherokee County, moving northeast at 50 mph. Updated (10:32 p.m.): Tornado warning for northeastern Wagoner County allowed to expire. New tornado warning for southeastern Mayes and northwestern Cherokee counties until 11 p.m. Updated (10:11 p.m.): Tornado warning for northeastern Wagoner, southeastern Mayes and northwest Cherokee counties until 11 p.m. A storm capable of producing a tornado was located 3 miles west of Wagoner, moving northeast at 45 mph. Update (10:10 p.m.): Tornado warning for southeastern Tulsa, westcentral Wagoner and northeastern Okmulgee counties until 10:45 p.m. A confirmed tornado was located 5 miles southwest of Stonebluff, moving northeast at 25 mph, the weather service said. The circulation appeared to be weakening, forecasters said. Update (10:07 p.m.): A new tornado watch has been issued until 5 a.m. Tuesday for Tulsa, Creek and Okmulgee counties. Update (10 p.m.): Severe thunderstorm warning for Rogers, northwestern Mayes, northwestern Wagoner and southeastern Tulsa counties until 11 p.m. The tornado watch for Tulsa, Creek, Osage and Washington counties has expired. Update (9:45 p.m.): Tornado warning for Tulsa, Rogers counties allowed to expire. The tornado watch for Tulsa, Creek, Osage and Washington counties is set to expire at 10 p.m. A tornado watch for areas east remains in effect until 1 a.m. Tuesday. Several severe thunderstorm warnings for the area are in effect. Update (9:39 p.m.): Sperry emergency managers report flash flooding in much of the town's streets, approximately 6 to 8 inches of water. Update (9:28 p.m.): Tulsa police are reporting street flooding at various locations. Water rescues were also reported in Bartlesville. Update (9:26 p.m.): The tornado warning for Creek, Osage and west parts of Tulsa counties has been allowed to expire. Tornado warning for area northeast of downtown remains in effect until 9:45 p.m. Update (9:07 p.m.): Tornado warnings for Tulsa, Creek, Osage and Rogers counties. Radar indicated a possible tornado four miles southeast of Mannford and moving northeast at 40 mph. Another possible tornado was located near Tulsa International Airport moving northeast at 50 mph. Sirens were being activated in Tulsa, Owasso and Broken Arrow. Update (8:47 p.m.): A flash flood warning is in effect for Tulsa, southeast Osage, Rogers, Creek, northern Wagoner and southeast Pawnee counties until 2:45 a.m. Tuesday. Update (8:46 p.m.): Severe thunderstorm warning for Tulsa, southern Rogers, southeastern Osage, northern Creek, westcentral Mayes, southwestern Washington, northern Wagoner and southeastern Pawnee counties until 9:45 p.m. Severe storms were located along a line near Drumright to east of Collinsville moving east at 25 mph. Update (8:45 p.m.): Tornado warning for Creek and Pawnee counties allowed to expire. Strong storms were moving into the Tulsa metro area. Update (8:25 p.m.): Severe thunderstorm warning for northeastern Tulsa, southeastern Osage, southern Washington and southeastern Pawnee counties until 9:15 p.m. Storms were located near Cleveland and Avant, moving east at 25 mph. Update (8:04 p.m.): Tornado warning for Creek and Pawnee counties until 8:45 p.m. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Oilton moving east at 25 mph. Update (7:42 p.m.): Severe thunderstorm warning for southeastern Osage, northwestern Creek and Pawnee counties until 8:30 p.m. A severe storm was located near Osage, moving east at 30 mph. Update (7:19 p.m.): Severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 7:45 p.m. for northern Tulsa, Osage, Washington, Pawnee, Nowata, northern Rogers, northwestern Craig counties. A line of severe storms was located from Deering to Barnsdall, moving east at 45 mph. Wind gusts of 60 mph and quarter-sized hail were possible with the storms. Update (6:51 p.m.): Flash flood warning for areas north and east of Tulsa, including Washington, Craig, northern Rogers, northern Delaware, Ottawa, northwestern Mayes and Nowata counties until 2:45 a.m. Tuesday. Update (6:40 p.m.): The tornado warning for Osage and Pawnee counties has been allowed to expire. Update (6:30 p.m.): The National Weather Service said life-threatening flash flooding is possible in parts of Oklahoma overnight as storms with heavy rainfall are expected to continue. "Repeated rounds of thunderstorms are likely to cause locally very heavy rainfall, especially across central Oklahoma. The areas that receive the heaviest rainfall could see severe, life-threatening flash flooding, especially if it occurs over an urban area." Rain rates with the strongest thunderstorm clusters could exceed 2 inches per hour, forecasters said. Update (6:11 p.m.): Tornado warning for Osage and Pawnee counties extended until 7 p.m. The storm was 5 miles north of Pawnee, moving east at 45 mph. Update (5:48 p.m.): The Storm Prediction Center in Norman recorded eight reports of tornadoes, 17 reports of wind damage and 35 reports of hail nationwide so far. Update (5:33 p.m.): Tornado warning issued for southcentral Osage and Pawnee counties. The storm was near Morrison moving east at 55 mph. Update (5:23 p.m.): Tornadoes were reported on the ground near Perry and Mangum. Update (5:17 p.m.): Tornado watch issued for eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas, southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri until 1 a.m. Update (4:46 p.m.): Flash flood warning issued for Osage and Pawnee counties until 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. Update (4:09 p.m.): The National Weather Service in Tulsa said forecasters are watching the area south of Interstate 44 for storm development. "Severe risk will persist well into the night," the office said on Twitter. Tulsa, Creek, Okmulgee and Osage counties remains under a tornado watch until 10 p.m. Meanwhile, several tornadoes were reported on the ground in western Oklahoma, including one north of Crescent and another near Watonga. Update (1:40 p.m.): The National Weather Service has several counties in Oklahoma under a tornado watch called a "particularly dangerous situation." Numerous strong tornadoes are expected in the impact area, which encompasses most of the state's 77 counties, with widespread large hail and winds up to 80 mph. The tornado watch is in effect through 10 p.m. Update (1 p.m.): Jenks Public Schools is postponing its commencement originally set for Monday evening. Jenks seniors will now graduate 7 p.m. Wednesday at Oral Roberts University's Mabee Center. Update (12:45 p.m.): A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Ottawa and Rogers counties through 1:30 p.m. Update (Noon): The tornado risk has been elevated for northwest Texas into west-central Oklahoma from 30% to 45%. Severe thunderstorm warnings expired in Tulsa and surrounding counties, though a flash flood watch remains in effect through Tuesday. Oklahoma City's Will Rogers Airport warned travelers of impending cancellations and delays at the OKC airport due to the forecast. Update (11 a.m.): Tulsa County is under a severe thunderstorm warning through 11:45, in addition to Creek, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers and Washington counties. The National Weather Service in Tulsa warns of torrential rainfall, 60 mph wind gusts and half-dollar-sized hail. Strong words from the Storm Prediction Center on Monday's outlook: "A serious outbreak of destructive, tornadic supercells is likely over parts of this region this afternoon into evening, especially in the high- and moderate-risk areas. Given the expected fast storm motions, especially mid-afternoon into evening, a few of the best-organized supercells may reach an equilibrium with their already very favorable mesoscale environments long enough to sustain wide, long-track tornadoes." Tulsa Public Schools and Catoosa Public Schools are closed Monday. Tulsa City-County Library branches will close at noon Monday. Collinsville High School postponed its graduation scheduled for Monday evening. Tinker Air Force Base has implemented liberal leave for those on the base, and a spokesman said aircraft were moved to other bases over the weekend. Broken Arrow Public Schools are remaining open but allowing for no-penalty early pickup at 1:30 Monday afternoon. In an outlook issued Monday morning, the National Weather Service stated a tornado outbreak is likely across the southern plains, including much of Oklahoma and parts of Texas throughout the day and into the overnight hours. After several days of warning that Monday's forecast had the potential for a significant event, forecasters now say those fears could be realized as early as lunchtime across eastern and central Oklahoma. Forecasters have the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas in "moderate" risk categories for severe weather, with a rarely used "high" risk area stretching from west Oklahoma City to roughly Snyder, Texas. A tornado risk exists across an arc from west Texas to the Oklahoma-Missouri-Arkansas border, but the "high" risk area carries greater chances for violent, long-track tornadoes. Initial modeling as of early Monday reportedly has a first round of storms in both the Texas panhandle and across western and central Oklahoma as a warm front moves north across the state. These storms will initially produce large hail, but any cell that matures could produce a tornado. As they move northeastward, they will not only lose their associated tornado risk but also clear the area, allowing for a second round of storms forming in southwest Oklahoma and the Interstate 27 corridor in Texas. Monday's forecast is scheduled to be updated by 8 a.m. Check back with tulsaworld.com for updates. The sewage samples in Tulsa were collected Friday. The Oklahoma State Department of Health didnt identify an omicron case until the agency announced it Tuesday afternoon, among the last states to detect the latest variant through genomic sequencing. Many years ago, during a night I shall never forget, I sat helplessly at the bedside of a child who was dying. I was a young pediatric resident doctor, learning that the childs disease, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (a severe, total destruction of the brain) was untreatable and fatal. The disease is rare, but exists to this day as a complication of measles. A simple and safe immunization against measles would have prevented this tragedy. The news that at least one case of measles has been confirmed in Oklahoma has created a focus on the national controversy over immunizations particularly against measles, a disease which had previously been eliminated in the United States. Currently, unimmunized children and adults are susceptible to measles, which is a highly contagious disease. Along with a rash and fever, measles can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, ulcers and scaring of the corneas of eyes, brain inflammation and a weakened immune system resulting in bacterial infections. Fortunately, most children who are not immunized and consequently exposed to the measles virus, now increasingly common in our country, do not experience serious complications. However the disease itself is unpleasant and creates many significant symptoms. The man who helped to end apartheid in South Africa, and saw Trinidad and Tobago as the true rainbow nation, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is dead. South Africa's two Nobel Peace laureates former President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu visited Trinidad in May 2004 President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree dismissing Oleksandr Turchynov as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The outgoing head of state signed the decree on May 19. "To dismiss Oleksandr Valentynovych Turchynov from the post of secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine," the decree reads. Poroshenko's term of office expires on May 20 - on the day of the inauguration of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky. op The United States is ready to continue to support the Ukrainian people and is looking forward to working with new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is stated in a message from the president of the United States, which U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry read out at a briefing in the Verkhovna Rada on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "America is here to send a clear message. The president of the United States has asked us to come to share with the people of Ukraine that they can count on the United States, count on working with this president and, hopefully, working with this parliament to make the greatest days ahead for the people of Ukraine," Perry said. At the same time, he stressed that Zelensky's inauguration speech was very powerful in the context of his imagery about the future of Ukraine. The point is that Zelensky's election was about the people of Ukraine, not him, Perry said. "The United States will stand with the people of Ukraine in their quest for independence, in their quest for freedom, and one of the most powerful ways is that they can see that freedom through economic freedom," he said. op President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite held a meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and wished success during his presidency. In a post on her Twitter, she wrote: Great trust means great responsibility. Best of luck to President Volodymyr Zelensky in serving the Ukrainian people. As reported, Volodymyr Zelensky took the oath of the Ukrainian president for loyalty to the Ukrainian people on May 20. Following the ceremonies, the new president will hold meetings with the heads of foreign delegations. iy The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, began his five-day visit to Myanmar this morning. This is the first visit by the head of the UN Refugee Agency to Myanmar since August 2017. Grandi is scheduled to spend the first two days in Myanmars Rakhine State where he will visit communities in Sittwe, and the northern townships and will meet with state and district officials. Later in the week, the UN refugee chief is scheduled meet senior Myanmar Government officials in the capital Nay Pyi Taw. This weeks visit to Myanmar comes on the heels of the High Commissioners mission to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh at the end of April. More than 900,000 stateless Rohingya refugees currently live in crowded settlements in Coxs Bazar, of whom an estimated 741,000 fled from Myanmar since August 2017. In the course of his stay in Myanmar, Grandi will follow up on a range of issues raised by refugees from Myanmar and will discuss Myanmars efforts to find comprehensive and durable solutions to the crisis in Rakhine State. United Arab Emirates (UAE) Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei earlier told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap. Oil rose to multi-week highs on Monday after OPEC indicated it will likely maintain production cuts that have helped support prices this year, while tensions continued to escalate in the Middle East. Brent crude was up by 96 cents, or 1.3%, at $73.17 a barrel by 0227 GMT, having earlier touched $73.40, the highest since April 26, Reuters said. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was 82 cents, 1.3%, higher at $63.58 a barrel. The U.S. benchmark reached $63.81 earlier, the highest since May 1. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday there was consensus among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers to drive down crude inventories "gently" but he would remain responsive to the needs of a "fragile market." United Arab Emirates (UAE) Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei earlier told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not "the right decision." Read alsoOperator of Ukraine's crude oil transport system suspends transit shipments from Russia to EU Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, while Saudi Arabia said it was ready to respond with "all strength" and that it was up to Iran to avoid war. The rhetoric follows last week's attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. "Al-Falih and the UAE both put paid to suggestions of increasing production over the weekend and then President Trump essentially telling Iran to bring it on, was a perfect short-term storm for oil prices," Greg McKenna, strategist at McKenna Macro, told Reuters by email. OPEC, Russia and other non-member producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from January 1 for six months to prevent inventories from increasing and weakening prices. "This second half, our preference is to maintain production management to keep inventories on their way declining gradually, softly but certainly declining toward normal levels," al-Falih told a news conference after OPEC and other producers met. Liquidation procedure at three Ukrainian banks extended for 12 months 16:54, 20.05.19 2640 Almost 100 banks were withdrawn from the market as a clean-up move in the Ukrainian banking system in 2014-2017. The last flight will be on October 3. British Airways will halt flights on its only Ukrainian route between Kyiv and London. According to the airline's booking system, the last flight will be on October 3, the avianews.com portal reported. "It is with regret that we are suspending flights to Kyiv. We have a long and proud history of flying to Ukraine, but it is no longer commercially viable," British Airways' press service said. Currently, British Airways carries out Kyiv-London flights six times a week. Read alsoRyanair launches new route between Dublin and Kyiv media The company is now working with other airlines to rebook tickets for passengers who have already bought tickets for canceled flights. British Airways was the only Kyiv-London flight operator that flies to Heathrow Airport. Ukraine International Airlines, which works on the route, flies to Gatwick, Ryanair to Stansted, Wizz Air to Luton. Turchynov on May 17 submitted a letter of resignation as Poroshenko's presidency is expiring. Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a letter of resignation submitted by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov. Corresponding decree No. 297/2019 dated May 19 was posted on the president's website. "Oleksandr Valentynovych Turchynov shall be relieved of his position as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine," the decree says. Read alsoSecretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council Turchynov resigns (Document) As UNIAN reported earlier, NSDC Chief Turchynov on May 17 submitted a letter of resignation as Poroshenko's presidency is expiring. The swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled for Monday, May 20. Under Ukrainian legislation, the candidacy of the NSDC Secretary along with those of the foreign and defense ministries, the SBU chief and the chief prosecutor shall be appointed (with the parliament's approval) and dismissed by the president of Ukraine. The president apologized to everyone whose expectations had not been met. Outgoing President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has wished a successful presidency to Ukraine's President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, pending the latter's swearing-in ceremony on May 20. "I wish a successful presidency to Volodymyr Zelensky. A month ago, we were opponents in the elections. But it has happened so that tomorrow he will be the President of my country. The country I love and the European future of which I firmly believe in. May the Lord guard Ukraine and help its new leader in his work," Poroshenko said in his address to the nation, according to the presidential administration. "Change of power is a sign of our belonging to European civilization. We have preserved democracy even in the face of Russian aggression. Tomorrow the power goes to the new President whom you chose at fair and free elections," Poroshenko said, addressing the nation on May 19. "First of all, I would like to thank the great Ukrainian people for the great honor to work for five years at the head of a great country. The country which impressed the whole world with the force of national spirit, dignity, perseverance and freedom-loving nature. I would especially like to bow to the defenders of Ukraine for the right, opportunity and honor to be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief," he said. "Now, when the emotions incited by the electoral campaign has not yet completely abated, it is difficult to expect an objective assessment of the path we have covered from the year 2014. Time will set everything in its places. Sooner or later, it will separate the sinners from the righteous, the wheat from the chaff, the truth from the lie. The country did not just survive. It is in a better condition today than five years ago, and this is evidenced by the main statistical indicators. This was achieved by the joint efforts, due to the support of the active part of society and the understanding of the majority," he said. "We saved Ukraine and buried Novorossiya [the Russian propaganda-fueled project Novorossiya, which literally means 'New Russia,' represented by the two self-proclaimed 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic in Donbas,' Ukraine's east]. We stopped the aggressor, which is much stronger than we are. We created an army that became one of the strongest on the continent. Relying on the international pro-Ukrainian coalition, it firmly holds the line in the east," he said. Read alsoVolker: Ukrainians made clear they want to be part of EU and NATO "We won the diplomatic battle for the ratification of the Association Agreement and reoriented the economy to the European Union. The turnover between Ukraine and the EU increased more than twice. And in general, we have never been so close to NATO and the European Union. Including due to the visa-free regime launched on June 11, 2017," he said. "While moving towards Europe, we also strengthened our Ukrainian identity. This is our own policy of historical memory, decommunization. This is the Tomos, which we received at the beginning of the year. This is the law on the Ukrainian language recently signed by me," he said. "Of course, there are areas with less success. And even in a short conversation, it's worth paying attention because it's an honest conversation. The thing I regret about the most is that we failed to establish peace and restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We started to restore the standards of living after the economic crisis, caused by Russian aggression, too late," he added. The president apologized to everyone whose expectations had not been met. "I apologize to everyone whose expectations I failed to meet; for whom the reforms were particularly painful; who faced the untruth and did not find justice in those years. I already explained: even if one believes that the President can do everything, he cannot do all at once," he said. "Of course, I am worried that the positive changes have not become irreversible. Therefore, leaving the president's office, I cannot leave politics. I remain not for any kind of post. In the end, I have already occupied the highest and most honorable of them and there is nowhere higher to move. My duty is to protect the achievements in the state building process relying on the support of the public... To prevent anyone from retreating from the course for membership in the European Union and NATO, or putting it on the back burner," he said. "Ritual pro-European and Euro-Atlantic declarations are not enough. We need everyday hard work that my team has been doing for five years. This is what I will demand from the new government as a citizen and where I am ready to lend a shoulder. And I will give no quarter in case of deviation from the defined course. Any attempts drastic or creeping, explicit or concealed to return the country into the sphere of Russian influence will get a decisive rebuff," he said. According to Poroshenko, the strategic goal he proclaimed during the election campaign remains in force to apply for membership in the European Union and get a NATO Membership Action Plan by 2023. "This will be the only guarantee of the independence of the country and the security of each of us. Achieving this goal is a task for every responsible citizen, including me. I believe in the success of our country and its European future. Thank you, fellow Ukrainians! Glory to Ukraine!" he said. Portnov left Ukraine more than five years ago. Former deputy head of the Viktor Yanukovych Presidential Administration Andriy Portnov, who returned to Ukraine on May 19, 2019, says he is going to sue outgoing President Petro Poroshenko and his allies. "The first that should be addressed is what Ukrainian society is most concerned about: embezzlement in the army, theft, making profit on those days when Ukrainian soldiers were dying at the front. We will show the picture in detail: how, for example, capitalization in Panama was on the rise on the days amid Ukrainian soldiers' deaths. We will deal with the most important and key issues. This includes [Kyiv-based shipyard] Leninska Kuznya, where Poroshenko himself bought military produce from himself, using budget money whose allocation from the national budget he approved through the [parliamentary] faction he controls he himself allocated this money through the government and the Finance Ministry under his control and he himself spent it when buying [the produce] at inflated prices from Leninska Kuznya enterprise he controls," Portnov told the Strana publication in an exclusive interview upon return to Ukraine. "We'll have to check the deal that was struck by [Sergiy] Tigipko and Poroshenko allegedly for $300 million this is an explicit act of money laundering. It was handled through offshore companies, and we already understand the whole chain." "Therefore, if, based on our information, law enforcement agencies go to court, they can already seek the seizure of all assets of Poroshenko only on the basis of the first claim on Leninska Kuznya, then we will help in other jurisdictions in Panama, the UK, the British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, where Poroshenko's Spanish property registered," Portnov said. Portnov's team has already conducted preparations and held consultations in Panama and the UK. Portnov expects that Ukrainian courts will satisfy prosecutors' claims seeking Poroshenko's detention. He also considers it necessary to ensure the seizure of property owned by the outgoing president and his assets, including in offshore jurisdictions. Portnov mentioned the following Poroshenko's allies to be held criminally liable: head of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko faction in parliament Artur Gerasimov; head of the People's Front parliamentary faction Maksym Burbak; former deputy head of the Presidential Administration Oleksiy Filatov; MP Serhiy Pashynsky; as well as Poroshenko-affiliated officials who have own business. Commenting on his relationship with the team of the new president, Portnov says he does not see himself in the system of government agencies under President Volodymyr Zelensky. Portnov also believes that the leaders of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak and chief prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko should be dismissed. According to Portnov, the new president has all the legal grounds for disbanding the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. Andriy Portnov returned to Ukraine on May 19, 2019, after he left the country several years ago. "Friends, I have been absent in my country for more than five years. And today I want to give a confident signal to the thousands of people who left Ukraine it's time to return, build and rebuild. Hello, my dear Motherland!" Portnov wrote on his Telegram channel. An expert on international affairs says this action violates the law. Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has assigned the diplomatic rank of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to three lawmakers. The relevant decrees of May 18 and May 19 have been published on the president's website. Read alsoPresident Poroshenko signs NSDC chief Turchynov's letter of resignation In particular, the diplomatic ranks were assigned to Deputy Chairman of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada to PACE, MP from the People's Front parliamentary faction Georgiy Logvinskiy, Chairman of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada to PACE, MP from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Volodymyr Ariev, and Chairman of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Artur Gerasimov. At the same time, head of the Maidan of Foreign Affairs Foundation, expert on international affairs Bohdan Yaremenko has said Poroshenko violated the law by assigning the ambassadorial rank to three lawmakers. Read alsoPoroshenko signs Marchuk's letter of resignation According to the expert, Paragraph 24 of Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine entitles the president of Ukraine to assign "the highest diplomatic ranks," but what kind of ranks and the procedure for their assignment is established by the Law of Ukraine "On Diplomatic Service." "In particular, Paragraph 1 of Article 24 of this law clearly stipulates that diplomatic ranks are assigned to diplomatic employees. Members of Parliament, by virtue of the requirements of the Constitution and laws, cannot combine deputy activity with any other, and therefore do not have the right and cannot be diplomatic employees," Yaremenko wrote on Facebook. He emphasizes the Law "On Diplomatic Service" provides a full list of diplomatic service posts, and it does not include representatives of parliamentary delegations whose members are MPs who have received diplomatic ranks. Zelensky is set to put an end to the war in Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready for a dialogue with Russia, but the release of prisoners of war should first take place. Read alsoZelensky officially becomes President of Ukraine "The history is unfair this is true. We didn't start this war! We didn't start, but we would end this war. And we are ready, ready for dialogue. But I am sure the first step to start this dialogue will be the return of Ukrainian prisoners," he said, addressing the people of Ukraine after the inauguration ceremony in the Verkhovna Rada on May 20, according to an UNIAN correspondent. As UNIAN reported earlier, Zelensky called a ceasefire in Donbas as one of his priority tasks. On May 20, newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, would be disbanded. The Petro Poroshenko Bloc and People's Front parliamentary factions say they accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. According to First Deputy Chairman of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Ihor Kononenko, this is the president's right to disband the parliament. "This is the right of the president, he took advantage of it, so we will prepare for the snap parliamentary elections," he said, according to the Ukrayinska Pravda online newspaper. Read alsoZelensky takes command of Ukraine' Armed Forces When asked whether he was going to run for another term as MP, Kononenko said: "I don't know, I'll see whether to run." Answering a question whether the parliament was going to object with such a decision, Kononenko said: "Why? Let's live in a law-abiding state." In turn, member of the People's Front parliamentary faction Ihor Kotvitsky said his attitude toward the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada was "normal." "The attitude is normal. We've got no options we will run for [parliamentary] elections. That's for sure," he said. Kotvitsky also added the party would be "rebranded," and the People's Front will run for parliament with a new name. As UNIAN reported earlier, newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, would be disbanded and gave the lawmakers two months. The decree may be signed in the evening. Ukrainian MP Valeriy Karpuntsov has said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may sign a decree on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, later today, on May 20, following consultations with parliamentary factions. Read alsoDisbanding parliament: Two major factions react to Zelensky's move "There is no decree on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada yet. He [Zelensky] has not yet held consultations with the factions. He will do this today. He is inviting now. He must do this. This is the rule of the Constitution. Let's see how it will be justified. He will not violate the Constitution. As far as I understand, the decree will be [signed] in the evening," the RBC Ukraine media outlet quoted Karpuntsov as saying. As UNIAN reported earlier, newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, would be disbanded. On May 20, Zelensky announced the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, would be disbanded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his first decree will be to disband the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. "[It will be] on the dissolution of the [Verkhovna] Rada," Zelensky replied to a journalist's question about his first presidential decree, while walking from the parliament building to the Presidential Administration, Liga.net reports. Read alsoZelensky may sign decree dissolving parliament late on Monday MP As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 17, the People's Front faction's council unilaterally decided to withdraw from the "European Ukraine" parliament coalition. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy announced there was no more coalition in the incumbent parliament. After the move, the parliament has a month to form a new coalition. In case the coalition is not formed, the president has the right to announce the dissolution of the parliament and schedule snap elections. However, under laws, there is a moratorium on the early dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada six months before the next (regular) parliamentary elections, scheduled for October 27. On May 20, newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, would be disbanded. The president has emphasized the importance of further integrated development of the Ukrainian-American strategic partnership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed the country's reforms and counteraction to Russia's aggression with representatives of the United States who arrived in Kyiv to take part in the official ceremony of Zelensky's inauguration. Read alsoIsraeli ambassador to Ukraine wishes successful presidency to Zelensky "The United States is a powerful and serious partner for Ukraine, first of all, in overcoming Russia's aggression. We will not be able to overcome the Russian aggression in Donbas and Crimea alone. Therefore, we need your help. I would like to urge you that the United States keeps increasing sanctions against the Russian Federation," the presidential press service quoted Zelensky as saying on May 20. The president thanked the American side for its leadership in restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the assistance in security and promotion of the internal reforms. Zelensky added that he was ready to implement transparent, open and democratic reforms in Ukraine. "We have a very good example of your country. Reforming Ukraine as a whole, in all areas, will be held simultaneously rather than after the ceasefire in Donbas. Because we need it. We are willing to become a European country in terms of values and transparency," he said. Zelensky also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his greetings and expressed the hope of meeting with him soon. The head of state also emphasized the importance of further integrated development of the Ukrainian-American strategic partnership, primarily through the implementation of mutually beneficial energy cooperation programs and deepening of cooperation in the field of security. The American side was presented by a delegation headed by U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson As UNIAN reported earlier, Zelensky on May 20 sworn the oath of allegiance to the people of Ukraine and officially became president. One enemy fighter was killed and another one was wounded on Sunday, intelligence reports say. Russia's hybrid military forces in the past 24 hours mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action. Read alsoDonbas warzone update: Four Ukraine soldiers wounded in past day amid 18 attacks "One member of the Joint Forces was wounded amid shelling. Each enemy attack had an adequate response. According to intelligence reports, one occupier was killed and another one was wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update posted on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on May 20, 2019. Russian occupation forces opened fire from 100mm artillery systems, 82mm mortars, weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, ZU-23-2 towed 23mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannons, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Under attack were Ukrainian positions near the town of Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, and Avdiyivka, as well as near the villages of Troyitske, Pavlopil, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, Vodiane, Novohryhorivka, Zolote-4, and Novhorodske. "From midnight on Monday, Russia-led forces attacked Ukrainian positions near the villages of Hnutove and Starohnativka, using grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. There were no casualties among the Ukrainian military [on Monday]," the report said. 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. Syrians who left the Rukban camp for internally displaced people, located on the Syrian-Jordanian border, have been provided with medical assistance and food in a temporary accommodation facility, set up by Damascus DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2019) Syrians who left the Rukban camp for internally displaced people, located on the Syrian-Jordanian border, have been provided with medical assistance and food in a temporary accommodation facility, set up by Damascus. "The United States did not want to let us out, the militants started shooting. We were running right under the bullets," one of the former Rukban residents recalled. According to the man, several other inhabitants of the camp had been shot at while trying to escape from Rukban. "A lot of people died in front of us from minor illnesses. There was nothing we could do for them. The main problem [in the camp] was contaminated water that they gave us. And if one wants cleaner water, they have to pay lots of money. Many have died as a result [of such treatment]," another former resident of the camp said. The joint Russia-Syria coordination center on refugee repatriation has repeatedly decried living conditions in the camp, located within the US-controlled zone in Syria's At Tanf, and accused Washington of preventing the camp residents from leaving the area. Since the opening of the Jleb checkpoint in early February, almost 13,000 people who lived in Rukban had been able to leave the settlement as of May 16, according tothe center. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2019) Senior Hamas member Husam Badran on Monday called for a boycott of a forum in Bahrain, conceived as a part of US President Donald Trump's "deal of the century" for Israel and Palestine. Trump said Sunday that his long-awaited solution to the middle Eastern conflict would focus on economic incentives. A "workshop" will be held in Bahrain to secure financial commitments from wealthy regional donors. "Attempts to whitewash the occupants' image through economic initiatives won't work ... We call on Arab nations and international actors to boycott this meeting," Badran was quoted as saying by Al-Watan Voice. He said Palestinians rejected Trump's "deal of the century," which, he argued, only served the interests of Israel. Badran stressed that the people of Palestine would continue seeking liberation from Israel and self-determination. Latvia will hold its presidential election on May 29, a representative of the presidium of the country's parliament told Sputnik on Monday RIGA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2019) Latvia will hold its presidential election on May 29, a representative of the presidium of the country's parliament told Sputnik on Monday. According to the Latvian legislation, it is the country's unicameral 100-member parliament, the Saeima, that elects the president. In order to be elected for a four-year term, a candidate should secure a simple majority of the vote. "There have been two suggestions. While 34 lawmakers suggested to hold the presidential election on June 5, 45 lawmakers suggested to hold it on May 29. The presidium has ratified May 29 as the date of the election," the representative of the presidium said. The presidium will convene on May 29 an unscheduled plenary session of the parliament, in compliance with the country's constitution and regulations of the Saeima. Three candidates will be running for presidency. Egils Levits, a member of the European Court of Justice, will be running as the candidate of the ruling coalition, while the Union of Greens and Farmers alliance has nominated ombudsman Juris Jansons as its candidate, and Didzis Smits will represent the Who owns the state? opposition party. Acting Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis has decided not to run for a second term. A number of countries have expressed interest in joining the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as observers, Russian lower house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Monday BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2019) A number of countries have expressed interest in joining the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as observers, Russian lower house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Monday. A Russian delegation began its two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan on Sunday to take part in a CSTO PA Council meeting in Bishkek. The session focuses on the harmonization of the national laws of CSTO member states, among other matters. Members of the CSTO PA Council also met with the president of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. "Today, you stressed the need to expand the coalition and attract those who wanted to act as observers of the [CSTO] Parliamentary Assembly. This [matter] is particularly important because we have the requests from several countries that have asked that they be excepted as observers," Volodin said at the meeting with Jeenbekov. The CSTO was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, signed by members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 1992. The organization comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. At the CSTO PA Council meeting, the president of Armenia's parliament, Ararat Mirzoyan, said his country would be glad to host the next session in the Armenian capital city Yerevan. Volodin said the next meeting would take place in October or November and that the exact date would be announced later. Give dads the gift of booze this Fathers Day! Cabo Wabo Cantina located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, will offer a special beer-infused margarita on Sunday, June 16 to celebrate dads (Pictured: The Paparita Photo credit: J Rick Martin). Sammy Hagars rockin Strip-side cantina will offer a specialty margarita for one day only, the Paparita, made with a blend of Cabo Wabo Tequila, Grand Marnier and topped with a bottle of Dos Equis, priced at $13. Families can treat dads to a Fathers Day breakfast, available from 8 to 11 a.m., featuring a selection of signature breakfast items including the CW Eggs Benedict with poached eggs, machaca, chorizo, melted pepper jack cheese on a toasted English muffin, topped with hollandaise sauce, served with a side of Cabo Wabo potatoes, priced at $13.95; and the breakfast quesadilla with scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado, pico de gallo, cheddar and jack cheese on a flour tortilla, served with a side of Cabo Wabo breakfast potatoes, priced at $11.95; among other options. Lunch and dinner selections will also be available, including carne asada tampiquena, with grilled sirloin steak, cheese enchilada, guacamole, rice and beans, priced at $24.95; and the short rib enchiladas, made with shredded beef, fire roasted tomato sauce and a house cheese blend, priced at $16.95. Guests at Golden Nugget Las Vegas have the unique opportunity to sample real Kobe Beef inside Vic & Anthonys Steakhouse. Kobe Beef is often described as melt-in-your-mouth good, and the offering at Vic & Anthonys is no exception. This rare beef is available at only seven restaurants in Nevada, and Vic & Anthonys has the honor to be the only restaurant in Downtown Las Vegas to offer Kobe Beef to its guests. We are thrilled to offer this rare and exclusive beef to our guests at Vic & Anthonys, said Chris Hall, General Manager. Our steakhouse prides itself on serving quality steaks, fresh seafood and unique appetizers, and Kobe Beef is the best of the best. We welcome all steak aficionados to try a bite for themselves. Kobe Beef is a type of Wagyu beef and undergoes some of the worlds strictest meat grading rules, as set out by the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association in Japan. Restaurants serving authentic Kobe Beef are given a bronze steer bust and certificate showing the heritage of the beef, its breeding and ranch. As one of Americas top 10 steakhouses, Vic & Anthonys provides guests with an intimate, elegant atmosphere. Along with Kobe Beef, Vic & Anthonys offers a selection of premium meats and seafood, an extensive and carefully curated wine list and decadent desserts. Lotte Finance general director Kim Jong Geuk How healthy, in your view, is the current state of the countrys consumer finance market? Vietnam is one of the countries with the most potential in consumer finance across the entire world. The population is about 97 million, with more than half being young people with a high consumption rate. Thus, the country can be seen as in the middle of a golden development age. The room for development of the Vietnamese consumer finance market is still vast, as the market penetration is at a low rate of 25-30 per cent, and a lot of rural areas are still untouched. With an average annual growth rate of 50-65 per cent, and forecasts to reach VND1 quadrillion ($43.48 billion) in 2019, the countrys consumer finance market is attracting the interest of both domestic and foreign investors. The application of advanced technology also adds excitement to the market. It allows companies to gain a competitive edge by effectively supporting the improvement of service quality, new development in services, and business process enhancements. I also see that this industry is contributing well to social development. Thanks to the new product and service development of financial companies, more and more Vietnamese people have the chance to access official resources of consumer finance. Besides this attractiveness, the Vietnamese consumer finance market also faces various challenges and barriers, among which are risk management and low customer awareness of these fairly new financial services. How exactly do advanced technologies help to provide advantages for firms? Any new company to Vietnam will have to cope with many challenges, of which the biggest in consumer finance is risk management. That is because the available information for verifying customer data in Vietnam is currently quite limited. With years of experience inherited from its mother company in South Korea, Lotte Finance takes advantage of our technology foundation to overcome this obstacle. Specifically, we make significant investments in developing an effective underwriting process and customer information appraisal system, based on advanced credit management technology like fintech, and Big Data. Our scoring system helps us to screen and shortlist customers effectively. Based on that, we can make rational lending decisions which are appropriate and safe to both our company and customers. This also helps to minimise credit risks in the next period. We ensure our scoring and appraisal systems are continually developed and updated so as to respond quickly to changes and promptly detect new risks arising along with the new market trends. In addition, we also target customer groups who have a good credit history or ones under employment with our partner companies and Lotte Group affiliates, which allow us to filter customers effectively. The advanced South Korean credit management technology and years-long experience in financial services also place a solid foundation for our continued challenges and innovations, to offer a wide range of unique consumer experiences and financial products tailored to Vietnamese customers lifestyle. Our various consumer loan products also allow Lotte Finance to meet the demands of a wide range of customers here in Vietnam. Besides offering helpful and convenient products, we believe that service from our heart will touch the hearts of customers. Hence, customer service quality has always been one of our key pillars. Lotte Finance has strongly invested in advanced credit management technology so as to enhance our customer experience and happiness during their journeys with us. We try to make sure our consultation service is accessible 24/7, and we provide our customers with full and clear information for any of their confident financial decisions with Lotte Finance. To achieve that, we place a significant focus on developing and maintaining helpful and friendly communication channels that help our customers reach us anytime, anywhere, such as Lotte Finance Apps, a hotline, web chats, and a Facebook fan page. Our well-developed customer service procedures, as well as highly-qualified officers, are there at all times giving customers a hand whenever they need us. Our customers rights and benefits, therefore, are always at the highest level. Lotte Finances new credit card products utilise the latest chip technology from Visa What changes or features have Lotte Finance recently introduced into Vietnam in order to cater to people here? Lotte Finance entered the Vietnamese market in 2018, with the aim of becoming a friendly financial service provider and strategic partner who brings great values to the community that we serve. Being a Lotte Group company, Lotte Finance offers our customers not only lifestyle financial products and services that help maximise value, but also a wide range of unique experiences featuring the consumer-friendly infrastructure of Lotte Group in Vietnam, as well as other countries. As part of our continued efforts, Lotte Finance recently launched credit card products with attractive features and benefits such as annual fee cashback for life, free message services, and unlimited bonus L.Point accumulation. L.Point is a member card of Lotte Members Vietnam, an affiliate of Lotte Group. These international-standard Visa cards are also perfect choices for overseas travel, especially to South Korea. Cardholders will be awarded up to a 3 per cent bonus for all transactions at Lotte in South Korea and from 0.7-1 per cent bonus points for all transactions in any other foreign country. Owning a Lotte Finance Visa Platinum with a credit limit of over VND100 million ($4,350) and carrying out transactions within three most recent months, the cardholder will be exempt from financial proof when applying for a South Korean tourist visa and offered free travel insurance worldwide, with benefits of up to VND10.5 billion ($456,500). Furthermore, Lotte credit cards are extremely secure thanks to the application of the latest Visa chip technology. To that end, the launch of our credit card plays an important role in positioning our premium brand of Lotte Finance in the market, at the same time demonstrating the companys commitments and efforts for the sake of our customers wealth and values. I also believe that this launch is very helpful in promoting the non-cash payment system in particular and the development of Vietnams consumer finance market in general. Moving forwards, Lotte Finance will continue to challenge ourselves to create more convenient and helpful financial products that are suitable for the lifestyle of our customers. We wish to become a trusted and beloved financial partner of all Vietnamese people. Digital farming solutions are not just adding efficiency to agriculture, but doing so in a sustainable manner Over the years, climate change has had a marked negative impact on agriculture in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in 2018, Vietnam was one of the five most vulnerable countries on the globe to climate change. Vietnam also ranked fifth on the Global Climate Risk Index and eighth for long-term Climate Risk Index (CRI). Particularly in the Mekong Delta provinces, in the near future, about 35 per cent of the population will be affected and about 40.5 per cent of the regions total rice production will be lost. Meanwhile, according to Tran Vinh, deputy director of the Western Highlands Agriculture & Forestry Science Institute, climate change has directly caused shortages of water in the irrigation system, threatening agriculture in the Central Highlands. Every year, the Central Highlands is short of 5 billion cubic metres of water, and this number will increase to 5.5 billion cu.m by 2030, he said. With the hope of supporting farmers in Vietnam overcome difficulties caused by climate change and drive the development of sustainable agricultural practices, Bayer Vietnam has been implementing different projects targeting seedlings, planting methods, and taking care of trees. Helping agriculture adapt to climate change As a coffee farmer in Quang Hiep commune in Cu MGar district of the Central Highlands province of Daklak, farmer Tran Van Nhien has been participating in the pilot application of Drip Protection in coffee replanting for over 20 months. I use drip protection on 250 coffee trees. I am glad to see 100 per cent coffee trees were successfully re-planted where traditional practice can only achieve less than 50 per cent. Importantly, it also helped me reduce costs and manage residues, Nhien said. Drip Protection is the combination of velum technology and drip irrigation system of Israeli company Netafim, a partner of Bayer. This is an excellent solution for nematode controlling, and other products, that helps solve the major challenges of coffee replanting. In 2016, recognising that 20 per cent of Vietnams coffee plantation area is ageing, resulting in a 30-40 per cent decrease in the yield of the country, Bayer has implemented a programme helping farmers to successfully replant the trees. With Bayers measures, water and plant protection products will be distributed around fields through the drip irrigation system and delivered directly to the roots of the plants. Drip Protection can create many shared values among various stakeholders. For farmers, it can bring better profitability with yield and quality increase, labour cost reduction for spray, operator exposure elimination as well as helping with risk management. As for drip irrigation companies, it will help on commercial increase along with high value proposition via knowledge sharing. As for the industry, this innovation is setting a new standard for further application and advancement. Taking into account food chain companies, the shared values could be shown clearly in better quality, profitability and predictability with compliant residue and importantly traceability via increased acceptance and acknowledgement. On top of that, the solution brings about the water use efficiency via elevating farming practices, with the mechanism impacting on non-target organisms, helping to reduce footprint, which strongly addresses the interest of the local community and government. Besides, in the context of climate change with salinity intrusion and floods, Bayer has introduced the Arize Hybrid Rice varieties which have a better salinity tolerance than open pollinated rice seeds widely used in the Mekong Delta and have a pipeline of varieties of stress tolerance traits such as Rice Brown Hopper and submergence. Climate change has also brought more diseases. Fall armyworm (FAW) was found in Vietnam and has recently become a serious threat for corn production. Through social networking tools, Bayer introduced Dekalb corn traits with the hope of helping farmers to eradicate this pest, a move which will have a wholly beneficial impact on small-holder farmers. Driving a digital economy to make agriculture sustainable Bayer is the world-leading agricultural input player with strong focus and investment on digital farming technologies. Given enough data in this digital era, every decision on the farm becomes prescriptive, with calculated risk and probability over time for every crop, practice, and product. Digital farming is the solution to support farmers to make better decisions, and Bayer ambitions to offer value adding Tailored Solutions and superior customer experience based on grower needs. In Asia, the company has already launched a smartphone app-based digital advisory tool called FarmRise in India for corn and vegetable farmers. In China, application of crop protection with drones (Unmanned Aerial System) is already widely commercialised, and Bayer is driving innovation to improve its technology with business partners. For Vietnam, with an aim to accompanying the Vietnamese government to promote sustainable agriculture, particularly in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Bayer has commitment to drive a digital economy development even in rural areas in the country for small-holder farmers who contribute to sustainable development of agriculture industry. The companys ambitions to bring those digital solutions to enhance small-holder farmers technical capabilities with digital advisory to optimise their cultivation method and overcome climate challenges and disease/pest stress to achieve higher yield, quality, and profit. With that, the company enables small-holder farmers to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner and to improve the lives of their families and communities as well as making their contribution to keeping Vietnams agriculture competitive in international markets. It is conformed digits already positivity impacts on small-holder farmers. For example, Bayer has recently utilised social network tool to communicate with farmers during the time when FAW was identified a few weeks ago in Vietnam, becoming a serious threat for corn production. The company has posted an article on Facebook to disseminate Bayers Dekalb corn traits which having resistance against FAW. The post has been accessed by thousands of farmers to learn about new technology. With rapid innovations of new technologies, such as more reasonably priced smartphones and drones, Bayer believes that digital farming will become a game-changing solution for small-holder farmers. Drone application of crop protection will help farmers to reduce heavy workload, minimise operator exposure, achieve more targeted/uniformed spray for better efficacy and less environmental impact as well as ensure compliant use. Using the right distribution of fertilisers and crop protection for local conditions in less total volume helps increasing productivity while reducing the strain on natural resources. Last but not least, with digital technology, Bayer can help address food safety concerns for consumers in large cities from overseas markets. Digital technology will enable to increase transparency in the value chain and it will be possible for traders, retailers, and consumers to understand how crops are produced. As a committed partner of sustainable agriculture, Bayers sustainability strategy is centred on its innovative strength which opens up new business opportunities to generate economic, ecological, and social benefits by connecting economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. With breakthrough innovation and valuable new technology in seeds, crop protection, and services, Bayer has been helping farmers to produce food without harming the environment and putting the health of humans or animals at risk, promoting and advancing sustainable agriculture for customers and society. In order for Bayer and other innovation-oriented companies to ensure timely introduction of digital farming technologies, infrastructure development and predictable and internationally harmonised regulatory environment would be key factors. Bayer would like to take partnership approach to collaborate with all public and private stake-holders to jointly accelerate these prioritised areas. Vietnamese shares advanced on Monday morning, boosted by strong growth of brokerage, bank and petroleum companies. The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange gained 0.56 per cent to close at 981.95 points. The VN-Index rose total 2.1 per cent last week. Nearly 78 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, worth VND1.84 trillion (US$79 million). Securities firms, banks and petroleum companies were the three groups of stocks with the strongest growth on Monday morning. The three sector indices were up between 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent, data on vietstock.vn showed. Shares of banks and securities firms lured investors attention for their earnings prospects, analysts told local media last week. Petroleum stocks advanced on the rise of oil prices on expectations that tension between the US and Iran would disrupt global supply. Other sectors that also advanced included technology (1.2 per cent), retail (1.6 per cent), construction (2.2 per cent) and food and beverages (0.5 per cent). On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index added 0.55 per cent to end at 106.37 points. The northern market index inched up total 0.07 per cent last week. More than 15 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth VND202 billion. The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. At the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA) Accordingly, the US-based news channel will continue popularising Hanoi and its culture, history and people, while partnering with the city in international events and technological innovation. In particular, the Formula Race 1 (F1) will be the spotlight of the 2020 promotion plan to lure more tourists to the city. By 2022, CNN will introduce Hanoi and Vietnam as an innovation centre of the world. By 2023-2024, the future of Hanoi will be featured with the theme Hanoi: a leading mindset, which will set criteria for Hanoi to integrate with future cities globally. The channel will produce 30-second clips introducing the F1 race and Southeast Asian Games 2021, dozens of 60-second clips, a series of 30-minute special television programmes, and articles on Hanoi Three Generations and Hanoi Future City, all to be featured on digital platforms along with advertising banners. Such content will be broadcast on television and digital platforms, such as computers, apps on on hand-held devices, and CNN social media targeting the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South Asia. Previously on December 22, 2016, Hanoi signed a 1 million USD cooperation agreement with the CNN television channel to popularise the city, thus bringing in more tourists to Vietnam and Hanoi in particular. A survey by British research firm BDRC Continental in 2017 found that 55 percent of respondents said ads on CNN have sparked interest in travelling to Hanoi to discover its food, shopping, culture, and historic relics. The figure rose by 111 percent in 2018. Hanoi has been named among the most attractive destinations in the region and the world, winning awards such as Asias Leading Destination and Worlds Leading City Destination by the 2018 World Travel Awards, The city also earned Best Marketing Campaign award at the eighth Tourism Promotion Organisation for Asia-Pacific Cities Forum held in Ho Chi Minh City last year. Roeland Roelofs, country president at Novartis Vietnam Roeland Roelofs, country president at Novartis Vietnam and chief representative of the NPhS R.O, discussed how important new PPP models across a bigger range of stakeholders are to help build a healthier Vietnam. The question I keep asking myself after visiting community health stations, districts, provincial, and central-level hospitals across Vietnam is what can be done? The problem is clear: higher-level hospitals which should be caring for more severe cases are overwhelmed by patients, many of whom should be managed in primary care. How can Novartis help people access healthcare at lower-level facilities? The challenge is complex. The stakeholders are many. The specific contribution my company will make may not be straightforward. Yet, my answer today is that the Vietnamese government is well placed to partner with the private sector, development partners, civic society, and academia to transform primary healthcare in Vietnam, starting now. Disease patterns are changing, with chronic illnesses accounting for three quarters of deaths, while infectious diseases have not yet fully disappeared. Nine out of 10 people in Vietnam have health insurance, but coverage does not necessarily translate into access to all the required health services close to home. At the same time, the Vietnamese government has made impressive progress in the last two decades in improving health for all its citizens. The government has committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to high-quality primary healthcare services, essential to improve care for non-communicable diseases, through achieving universal healthcare by 2030. This means investments in prevention, promoting healthy behaviours and improving the range and quality of services offered at the community level. The agenda is bold and ambitious, as it needs to be, to deliver the expected population health gains. The challenge is to ensure people have suitable coverage, Photo: Le Toan I am excited about contributing to this agenda now. Vietnams economy is growing rapidly. The Ministry of Health (MoH) is about to create the Working Group for Primary Healthcare Transformation, which will act as an umbrella for all the stakeholders who want to contribute to this task. I am convinced that Vietnams ability to continue its economic growth over the longer term will be dependent on the success of this initiative. Novartis is actively exploring several areas to contribute in, including education and engagement programmes to increase adoption of health-seeking behaviours as well as strengthening links between community health stations, districts, and provincial level hospitals to achieve coordinated diagnosis, referral, and treatment, for example in cardiovascular and heart disease. Our teams have ample experience in both areas, for instance through the Novartis Social Business Healthy Family programme that has been running in Vietnam for six years, reaching over 1.1 million people and involving more than 1,900 community health stations. We also realise that the contribution we are making is not enough. We invite others, specifically domestic and international private sector partners, to bring their capabilities, resources, and expertise to the working group. The World Economic Forum and the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care have already committed, but we need to broaden this coalition. As David Duong from Harvard Medical School noted, we have to create new models of engagement across a bigger range of stakeholders, all working towards achieving universal healthcare by 2030, for the programme to be successful. I believe that this model could very well become an example that many countries in the region or perhaps even across the globe will want to follow. According to my colleague Deborah Gildea, responsible for Novartis Social Business in Asia, many public-private partnerships in the region consist of governments outsourcing services or infrastructure creation to the private sector for instance, building a new hospital or clinic. By contrast in Vietnam, she said, the MoH is offering the private sector a real partnership with tangible input into and co-ownership of the transformation of primary healthcare. The time to step up and complement the governments efforts in primary care is now. Which domestic and international companies will join us? The National Assembly session will, among other things, seek sturdy solutions to help enterprises out of difficulties Key solutions and tasks for the remainder of 2019 - Boosting improvement of regulatory frameworks in order to create a more business-friendly climate for enterprises and investors; - Improving the business climate, with true reduction of business conditions, reform of administrative procedures, and removal of bottlenecks for enterprises; - Implementing solutions to control epidemics in cattle and poultry and stabilise agricultural production, and furthering agro-forestry-fishery production in service of export; - Removing difficulties for industrial production and construction, and accelerating the completion of large-scale industrial projects which can further fuel economic growth; - Implementing solutions for making breakthroughs in the domestic market and expanding export markets; - Monitoring and frequently updating information about the domestic property market, and improving the quality of information and database about the housing and property market; - Developing tourism in order to help further develop the production and service sectors; - Further attracting private investment and foreign direct investment, with a focus to be laid on accelerating the disbursement of public investment for 2019; and - Boosting media activities to further strengthen the confidence of people, enterprises, and investors in production and business. Rather than discussions of many different issues at the same time as in previous sessions, the seventh session of the 14th National Assembly is to place a bigger focus on specific measures to boost economic growth, which the government said is showing signs of slowing down, and about how Vietnamese enterprises can be supported to overcome obstacles. At last months Standing Committee meeting, which made preparations for the session taking place between May 20 and June 14, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said, Besides achievements, the economy is now facing difficulties and limitations, as well as new challenges. Challenges include ongoing natural calamities and epidemics which can affect enterprises business and production in the coming months, and the governments capacity in realising its growth target for 2019, he said. These will need suitable and feasible solutions to solve. National Assembly Office Chairman, General Secretary Nguyen Hanh Phuc, also stated, It is urgent to take drastic and concrete solutions now to help businesses out of difficulties, in order to ensure the economic growth target this year. The government, which expects to see the economy grow over 7 per cent this year, is acknowledging concerns on how to achieve this target. The government reported that in the first quarter of 2019, the economy grew 6.79 per cent, lower than 7.45 per cent in the same period last year. In which, growth in all key sectors of the economy has showed signals of sluggish movement. Specifically, in the first three months of 2019, the agro-forestry-fishery sector climbed 2.68 per cent on-year, far lower than the 4.24 per cent on-year rise in the corresponding period last year, due to droughts, saline intrusion, and cases of African swine fever (ASF). According to the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of May 12, ASF occurred in nearly 2,300 communes of 204 districts across 29 cities and provinces nationwide, with more than 1.22 million ASF-hit pigs being culled, accounting for 4 per cent of Vietnams total pig heads. PATCHY RESULTS The government reported that the industrial and construction sector is also now facing difficulties. In the first four months of 2019, the sector grew 9.2 per cent on-year, lower than the equivalent rise of 10.7 per cent in the same period last year. The processing and manufacturing sector, which accounts for about 80 per cent of the economys industrial growth, grew 10.9 per cent on-year, lower than 12.9 per cent in the same period of 2018. Market research firm FiinPro Platform reported that as of May 2, some 680 Vietnamese enterprises, which occupy 87 per cent of the capital of the countrys stock market, publicised their first-quarter financial reports. Accordingly, if banking and insurance firms are excluded, listed enterprises in general suffered from an on-year 2.34 per cent profit reduction, such as Pomina Steel (down 140 per cent) and Hoa Phat (down 18.6 per cent) due to a decrease in product prices. Pomina Steel, for example, is reported to have suffered from a loss of nearly VND84 billion ($3.65 million) in the first quarter of 2019. Meanwhile in the first three months of 2018, the company enjoyed a profit of over VND209 billion ($9 million). According to the General Statistics Office, in the first four months of 2019, the number of enterprises halting performance was about 17,000, up nearly 20 per cent on-year. Additionally, nearly 17,300 enterprises put a halt to operations to conduct bankruptcy procedures, and over 5,300 enterprises completed such procedures. Meanwhile, the on-year growth rate in attracting international tourists in the first four months of 2019 was only 7.6 per cent (5.97 million international tourists), far lower than the impressive growth rate of 29.5 per cent in the same period last year. These difficulties must receive due attention from the government and must be carefully discussed at the National Assemblys upcoming session, said Vu Hong Thanh, Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee. The government needs to increase inspections at ministries and localities in order to ensure the effectiveness of the governments efforts to remove unnecessary business conditions, and boost administrative procedures in favour of the business community. SEEKING SOLUTIONS The government has subsequently proposed a number of key solutions for supporting enterprises and economic development from now to the end of the year (see box). However, Thanh added, I think that one of the best solutions to support enterprises is to quickly remove unnecessary administrative procedures across all business sectors, especially investment, construction, transport, and education. All processes must be truly made transparent and open, with all violators strictly punished in order to eradicate unofficial costs for people and enterprises, he continued. Also importantly, private enterprises must be allowed to engage in constructing national-level projects. Elsewhere, the World Bank has pointed out a series of challenges for Vietnam to seek solutions. According to the bank, despite improved short-term prospects, there are significant downside risks. Domestically, a slowdown in the restructuring of state-owned enterprises and the banking sector could adversely impact the macro-financial situation and create public sector liabilities. A World Bank report on Vietnams recently-released economic update said, Vietnams economy also remains susceptible to further volatile developments in the global economy, given its high trade openness and relatively limited fiscal and monetary policy buffers. Weaker external demand and heightened global financial volatility call for a continued focus on sound macroeconomic management to safeguard against possible shocks. DISSCUSSING LAWS According to the tentative agenda of the National Assemblys seventh session, one of the biggest highlights will be the three days spent on organising Q&A activities. They are expected to focus on issues that have drawn special attention of the public, such as appointment of state officials and officers, exam fraud, public investment, and also cases involving officials with violations. Along with that, the legislature will consider and adopt seven laws, including Education (amended), Architecture, Tax Administration (amended), amendments to the Law on Public Investment, Implementation of Criminal Sentences (amended), Preventing and Combating Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer, and amendments to the Law on Insurance Business and the Law on Intellectual Property. State President Nguyen Phu Trong will read out a proposal on Vietnams joining of the Convention No.98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining of the International Labour Organization. The National Assembly will then discuss Vietnams participation in the convention, before a relevant hallmark resolution will be adopted. Besides, the legislature will provide comment for nine draft laws on labour, securities, library, militia and self-defence forces, immigration for Vietnamese citizens, amendments to the Law on Governmental Organisation and the Law on organising the Local Government, amendments to the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, and amendments to the Law on State Auditing. The legislature will also review and debate a report on the socio-economic and state budget situation of 2018, and of the first months of 2019, as well as socio-economic orientations for the rest of the year and beyond. Grant Dennis, general director at PwC Consulting Vietnam In a move to help articulate the perceived impacts of Industry 4.0, as well as highlight the challenges faced by Vietnam, PwC conducted the Industry 4.0 Vietnam Survey in 2018. Overall, respondents to PwCs survey anticipate that the fast-approaching Industry 4.0 will bring significant benefits, such as higher efficiency of operations as well as improved access to customers brought on by digitisation and automation. They are positive about Industry 4.0 despite a lot of uncertainty in terms of the exact impacts. Yet this journey brings unique challenges to Vietnam compared to its global peers, due to the different levels of market maturity. Vietnamese respondents are most concerned about a lack of digital standards, insufficient skills in the local talent, and data privacy and security. In particular, there is a limited understanding of the specific skills, knowledge, and capabilities required to make digital integration a reality in Vietnam. In the face of such difficulties, 64 per cent of respondents agree that businesses need to take the lead in ensuring Vietnam can succeed in Industry 4.0, with a third of participants asking for government involvement in the process. Effective partnership between the government and private sector can provide dynamic and practical solutions when addressing key challenges. For example, government involvement may include setting up a public-private partnership framework or developing an industry-wide skills framework to provide guidance and clarity on the skills required to succeed. With input from the private sector, government can invest and develop infrastructure or offer the right tax incentives for corporate investments. Based on PwCs experience in advising leading companies and governments all over Southeast Asia, we have defined five practical recommendations for the way forward under the overarching theme of public-private partnership. The first is to build awareness. Awareness is the foundation that enables and empowers individuals, groups and businesses to take action. Increased awareness will have an overall positive impact on Vietnams readiness to embrace Industry 4.0. In this regard, industry bodies need to play a more active role in communicating Industry 4.0 to embed a more thorough understanding in the minds of the population. Industry bodies are also strategically placed to represent business sectors and industries, to liaise with relevant government bodies on the need to be prioritised. The second need is to develop digital capability. The current and future workforce can be segregated into three categories: current workforce, new entrants into the workforce, and students. Businesses should take the lead in dening the requirements to upskill and reskill the current workforce, and provide them with continuous professional development. For new entrants, businesses should identify the needs for the government to develop curricula to serve business needs. For younger students, the onus is on the government to ensure that the education system provides a foundation of digital education. Such education can inspire childrens enthusiasm for technology from a young age. Curricula, in general, should accommodate necessary skills for new, future jobs replacing the ones that will be lost to machines and software. Next, developing the landscape to enable the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Vietnam requires a guided infrastructure development plan. This includes a secure mobile broadband network that will deliver internet access to all industries and the society, irrespective of where they reside, and work in a consistent and stable manner. Businesses need to determine their infrastructure requirements and communicate, while the governments role is to understand and to determine policies and regulations to encourage or manage the sustainable development of such infrastructures in Vietnam. The fourth factor involves network security and cybersecurity. Network cybersecurity is a key fundamental requirement to build long-term digital trust. The government needs to incentivise mobile operators to accelerate their 4G and future 5G deployments nationwide, along with the Internet of Things, adhering to strict cybersecurity protocols and mechanisms that are aligned with international standards. Finally, we should look at establishment of innovation hubs. This should be carried out at locations that may provide the best impetus for growth. Some criteria to consider include easy access to relevant skills, ease of navigating local legislation, convenient financing opportunities, and cross-support for similar industries. With these innovation hubs, the government can incentivise (via tax breaks, lease period waiver, and government grants) local and international companies to invest across key industries. This funding into such areas as ICT, transport, manufacturing, agriculture, finance, energy, health, and education can help create innovative projects and initiatives that will manifest the jobs of the future. This innovation hub initiative also creates an environment that is conducive to entrepreneurship in Vietnam which enables, empowers, and inspires people and companies to innovate. Industry 4.0 revolution is more of an evolution. It wont happen overnight but will occur over time as different industries undertake digital transformation journeys at varying pace. If Vietnam can draw upon resources from both the public and private sectors to embrace this opportunity, it has the potential to leapfrog other markets. Vietnam will be able to secure an inclusive growth trajectory as more people can benefit from skills upgrades and move to high-skill jobs, allowing Vietnam to transition from a middle income to higher income economy. A view of the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in HCM City. Investment projects for empty slots at the hi-tech park are being stalled as authorities wait to approve new rental price policies.-VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Vy According to the Land Law, the government sets a new price frame for public lands every five years. The public land rental price in HCM City, including land in SHTP, expired in April last year. However, the city authority has yet to announce new rental prices. Only two enterprises, with total investment of US$6.9 million, have been granted investment licences at the high-tech park since the beginning of the year, according to the SHTP management board. This is a small number compared to the expectation of bringing in $500 million annually from SHTP, the board said. Since the beginning of the year, 14 enterprises have been waiting to invest in the park, including five foreign enterprises. According to a SHTP representative, the problem has affected the activities of certified investors. Many businesses have postponed projects because the management board had to suspend procedures related to land leasing. To solve the problem, the SHTP management board has asked the citys People Committee to approve temporary rental prices set by SHTP. The management board has also told enterprises to commit to pay the difference between the temporary price and the actual rental price, which will be issued by the citys People Committee for the 2020-25 period. The SHTP has 154 projects which have been so far granted investment registration certificates, including 100 domestic-invested projects with total investment of VND39.7 trillion ($1.7 billion) and 54 foreign-invested projects with total investment of $5.2 billion. Le Bich Loan, head of the parks management board, said the park has devised a plan to attract more enterprises to invest in SHTP. The park is also planning to build dorms for workers on a total area of three hectares to meet accommodation demand for more than 10,000 workers at SHTP. The construction project of a second High-Tech Park is expected to start in 2020. The park, which will cover 197ha in Long Phuoc Ward in District 9, aims to attract hi-tech investment in fields such as IoT, robot applications, 3D printing and blockchain technology. Former Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso failed to qualify for the Indy 500. (AFP/ANDREJ ISAKOVIC) The 37-year-old Spaniard was eliminated by young US driver Kyle Kaiser on the final run of the rain-delayed "Last Row Shootout" qualifying session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. McLaren driver Alonso had been chasing a victory at the Brickyard in a bid to become only the second driver after Britain's Graham Hill to claim the Triple Crown of motorsport, with wins in the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance and Indy 500. But Alonso's attempt to add the last remaining piece of the Triple Crown to his trophy cabinet was snuffed out in a dramatic qualifying session. McLaren engineers had worked feverishly on the Spaniard's car in an effort to give him a fighting chance of qualifying for next week's race, overhauling the setup after a troubled week in Indianapolis. The tweaks looked to have given Alonso a shot as he took to the track and posted an average time of 227.353mph for his four laps, putting him second behind Canada's James Hinchcliffe. However Alonso was left sweating after Sage Karam came out next and roared to the top of the six-driver session with an average speed of 227.740mph. Karam's time dropped Alonso down to third fastest, and with only the top three making the cut to complete the 33-car field, the Spanish star was left with a nervous wait to see if either of the two remaining drivers could better his time. Alonso watched anxiously on a television monitor in the pits as Mexico's Carlin driver Patricio O'Ward failed to pip him, clocking an average speed of 227.092mph. That left Kaiser with the chance to claim a famous scalp on the final run. The 23-year-old Juncos Racing driver from California didn't disappoint, sweeping around with an average speed of 227.372 to edge out Alonso by the tightest of margins. "I don't think I can wrap my mind around what we just did," Kaiser said afterwards. "All the credit to the team. They've been working non-stop to get this car ready. I'm so proud of them, so proud of everybody that helped make this happen." Kaiser's qualification had looked in doubt earlier this week, when he crashed heavily in Friday's practice. However he insisted he had never lost hope of being able to qualify. "I did imagine it and I'm so happy it came to fruition," he said. "But I knew it was going to be a lot of work and the team put in the work. It's been the most emotional 48 hours of my life. I've been doing everything to try and keep a level head, go about my business and just keep telling myself it's only four laps. And we did it." Doctors at Tuyen Quang General Hospital take care of the three identical triplets born last Monday. - Photo vietnamnet.vn Online newspaper vietnamnet.vn reported that the three baby boys were delivered at 35 weeks by C-section at the Tuyen Quang Province General Hospital. They weighed 2.1 kg, 2 kg and 1.7 kg. The mother is in good condition. Pham Thi Lan Huong, head of the hospitals Maternity Department, said the mother had to undergo a C-section after arriving at the hospital with a stomach ache, a rupture of membranes, and with two of the three fetuses in the breech position (with the head up instead of down in the woman's pelvis). The mother had previously had two other C-sections in 2009 and 2012, giving birth to two girls. The mother told Vietnamnet.vn that because she and her husband had two children, they were concerned about having triplets but decided to give birth after consultations with doctors in Hanoi. During the pregnancy of 35 weeks, the woman gained 11 kilogrammes. According to doctors, non-identical triplets occur around one in every 4,000 naturally conceived pregnancies, but identical triplets are very rare. The odds of naturally conceiving identical triplets, where a single fertilized egg is divided into three separate embryos, may be from 1 in 60,000 to 200 million, according to experts. In late 2016, a woman in Hanoi also gave birth to identical male triplets at 36 weeks by C-section. The three boys are all in good health. As multiple states pass laws banning many abortions, questions have surfaced about what exactly that means for women who might seek an abortion. The short answer: nothing yet. Governors in Kentucky , Mississippi , Ohio and Georgia have recently approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen in the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant, and Alabama's governor signed a measure making the procedure a felony in nearly all cases. Missouri lawmakers passed an eight-week ban Friday. Other states, including Louisiana , are considering similarly restrictive laws. None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all will almost definitely be blocked while legal challenges play out. The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Roe v. Wade said a woman has the right to choose whether to have an abortion. Supporters of the the new laws acknowledge that that they will initially be blocked, but they welcome the challenges. They've made it clear that their ultimate goal is to get the nation's highest court to reconsider its 1973 ruling now that the balance seems tipped in their favor. Can women still get abortions in states where these laws have passed? Yes. Abortion remains legal nationwide. Abortion providers say that with all the coverage of the new laws, they've been getting calls from patients and potential patients who are confused about whether the procedure is still available. Although abortion is still legal everywhere, lawmakers in some states have passed less-restrictive measures that make accessing the procedure more difficult. That has resulted in six states having only a single abortion provider, while others have only two or three, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research group. Who's challenging these laws and where do those challenges stand/ Opponents of the laws are filing lawsuits and fully expect the measures won't be allowed to take effect while the court challenges are pending. A court blocked Kentucky's law from taking effect after the American Civil Liberties Union sued, and that case is ongoing. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood on Wednesday challenged Ohio's law, and they expect a court to keep it from entering effect as scheduled in July. Mississippi's law also is set to take effect in July, but it has been challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights. Alabama's law would become enforceable in six months and Georgia's would take effect Jan. 1, but the ACLU plans to challenge both of those laws. Why is Alabama's law getting so much attention? Alabama's law goes farther than the others. It makes abortion a felony in nearly all cases and includes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The only exception is when the pregnant woman's health is at serious risk. Republican state Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the bill, said adding any exceptions could harm the goal of creating a legal case that embryos and fetuses are people with rights of personhood. Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Clyde Chambliss, said the bill was not about privacy, which is the legal foundation for Roe, but rather "the right of an unborn child to live." How does Georgia's law conferring personhood on a fetus work? The law says, "It shall be the policy of the State of Georgia to recognize unborn children as natural persons." That caused some speculation that the law would allow women to be charged with murder if they get an abortion. Although a prosecutor could interpret the law that way, University of Georgia law professor emeritus Ron Carlson said he believes a woman "cannot be successfully prosecuted" under the law, which seems primarily to target abortion providers. Elizabeth Nash with the Guttmacher Institute said some states have tried to enact fetal personhood measures by ballot initiatives in the past, but those have failed. That's partly because it could have such broad implications, including access to fertility treatments, inheritance rights and taxation, she said. "There are a lot of consequences that we don't know yet," she said. A rare U.S. Coast Guard exercise in the South China Sea this month shows that the United States is broadening its reach in a disputed waterway, a new pressure point between Washington and the seas chief claimant Beijing. On May 14 the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf joined two Philippine coast guard vessels for training in maritime security and law enforcement capabilities in the sea, the U.S. Indo Pacific Command said in a statement. They spotted two Chinese vessels in a disputed area of the South China Sea that day near Scarborough Shoal west of the Philippine island of Luzon, Philippine media reported. China and the Philippines dispute sovereignty of the shoal, which Chinese vessels took in 2012. China claims about 90 percent of the whole surrounding sea, including tracts that five other governments including the Philippines call their own. While U.S.-Philippine joint exercises are routine, the Coast Guard seldom gets involved, maritime experts say. The last U.S. Coast Guard vessel in the Philippines, a treaty ally since 1951, visited more than seven years ago. The U.S. sent its cutter last week to diversify resistance against Chinese expansion in a sea where Washington has multiple allies and China is becoming more sophisticated toward defense, scholars believe. Thats about interoperability, thats about increasing their capabilities, said Stephen Nagy, senior associate politics and international studies professor at International Christian University in Tokyo. Thats a message to Beijing that the United States is engaging in the region at four or five different levels, not just a military level. More than the navy The United States makes no claim to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea, but it wants to keep the waterway open internationally. The U.S. Navy routinely has sent vessels into the sea 11 times since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. The most recent sailing came Sunday (May 20) when the USS Preble passed within 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers) of Scarborough Shoal. A broader, Navy-plus strategy began showing in 2016 when the U.S. government lifted a ban on selling certain weapons to Vietnam. In March this year, two pairs of U.S. B-52 bombers flew over the disputed sea. Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam claim all or parts of the sea. They value mainly it for fisheries and undersea fossil fuel deposits. China has alarmed the other governments since 2010, when it began reclaiming land to expand tiny islets for military installations. China operates Asias strongest armed forces. Law enforcement U.S. officials may have sent the coast guard vessel to stress "law enforcement and head off any fears of naval conflict, said Jonathan Spangler, director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei. China and Taiwan send their own coast guard vessels for law enforcement, he added. Among the would-be crimes: drug traffic and illegal fishing. It would be reasonable to try and frame any sort of operations in the South China Sea or any sort of cooperation with South China Sea littoral states as cooperation on law enforcement rather than cooperation on maritime defense, Spangler said. U.S. officials in turn see Chinese forces as more than a navy, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan. They follow its navy, coast guard and armed fishing boats that can be used for Chinese government-sponsored work, he said. I think the use of the United States Coast Guard is part of dealing with the low intensity, short of naval engagement, but involving the Chinese maritime militia or the Chinese fishing boats or weaponized fishing boats, Huang said. Why the Philippines The cutter reached port in Manila on Wednesday to share experiences on maritime law enforcement, the U.S. Indo Pacific Command statement added, quoting the vessels commanding officer. The Philippines, like other Southeast Asian claimants to the sea, lacks the military strength of China. But decades of bilateral agreements plus six years of joint naval exercises with the United States, a former Philippine colonizer, give Manila support. A world arbitration court backed the Philippines in 2016 by rejecting the legal basis for Chinas maritime claims. China, however, still keeps ships at Scarborough Shoal. Over the past half year, scores of Chinese fishing boats have passed near another disputed islet that the Philippines is building up. The Philippine government is making a coordinated effort to balance foreign policy between the superpowers, said Herman Kraft, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. Philippine defense officials are handling the U.S. side of that equation, including coast guard ties, he said. Whats actually interesting is the extent to which they've fundamentally allowed the Department of Defense to nurture the relationship with the U.S. military and auxiliary forces, Kraft said. With Julian Assange locked away in a London jail, a new battle has broken out over what may contain some of the WikiLeaks founder's biggest secrets: his computers. On Monday, judicial authorities from Ecuador carried out an inventory of all the belongings and digital devices left behind at the London embassy following his expulsion last month from the diplomatic compound that had been his home the past seven years. It came as Sweden announced it was seeking Assange's arrest on suspicion of rape, setting up a possible future tug-of-war with the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. It's not known what devices authorities removed from the embassy or what information they contained. But authorities said they were acting on a request by the U.S. prosecutors, leading Assange's defenders to claim that Ecuador has undermined the most basic principles of asylum while denying the secret-spiller's right to prepare his defense. It's disgraceful, WikiLeaks' editor in chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, said in an interview with The Associated Press. Ecuador granted him asylum because of the threat of extradition to the U.S. and now the same country, under new leadership, is actively collaborating with a criminal investigation against him. Assange, 47, was arrested on April 11 after being handed over to British authorities by Ecuador. He is serving a 50-week sentence in a London prison for skipping bail while the U.S. seeks his extradition for conspiring to hack into military computers and spill secrets about U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hrafnsson, who has visited the Australian activist in jail, said Assange saw his eviction coming for weeks as relations with President Lenin Moreno's government deteriorated, so he took great care to scrub computers and hard drives of any compromising material, including future planned leaks or internal communications with WikiLeaks collaborators. Still, Hrafnsson said he fully expects Moreno or the Americans to claim revelations that don't exist. He called Monday's proceedings a horse show because no legal authority can guarantee Assange's devices haven't been tampered with, or the chain of custody unbroken, in the six weeks since his arrest. If anything surfaces, I can assure you it would've been planted, he said. Julian isn't a novice when it comes to security and securing his information. We expected this to happen and protections have been in place for a very long time. A group of Assange's supporters gathered outside Ecuador's Embassy in London to protest the judicial proceeding. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you! Ecuadorian authorities said they will hand over any belongings not given to U.S. or Ecuadorian investigators to Assange's lawyers, who weren't invited to Monday's inventory-taking. Hrafnsson said he didn't have a full inventory of Assange's devices. Moreno decided to evict Assange from the embassy after accusing him of working with political opponents to hack into his phone and release damaging personal documents and photos, including several that showed him eating lobster in bed and the numbers of bank accounts allegedly used to hide proceeds from corruption. Moreno's actions immediately were celebrated by the Trump administration, which was key in helping Ecuador secure a $4.2 billion credit line from the International Monetary Fund and has provided the tiny South American country with new trade and military deals in recent weeks. The Americans are the ones pulling the strings, and Moreno their puppet dancing to the tune of money, said Hrafnsson. Separately on Monday, Swedish authorities issued a request for a detention order against Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, because two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelve it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for intentionally having carried out an intercourse with an unnamed woman by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep. Taiwan is protesting China's decision to exclude the island from participation in the annual World Health Assembly, calling such action an unjustified political move that could harm global health. The 72nd session of the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly takes place May 20-28 in Geneva, Switzerland. This move is particularly ironic this year, as the theme of the assembly is universal health coverage. Taiwan's national health system is widely considered one of the best in the world.Taiwan's minister of health and welfare, Chen Shih-chung, says the island is ready to share its experiences on how to achieve affordable, efficient universal health coverage with the global community. "However, under pressure from the People's Republic of China, Taiwan is currently excluded by WHO from the global health network," Chen said. "Inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA would be consistent with WHO's espousal of health for all." The health minister notes Taiwan's exclusion poses health risks to everyone. Chen says diseases do not stop at borders, and international cooperation is needed to combat epidemics that could spread to every corner of the world. Chen tells VOA he has written several letters to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to protest Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Assembly. Chen says he has received no response. He says WHO has even rejected Taiwan's offer for help in combating the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. "Our president announced we would donate $1 million U.S. to combat Ebola; but this donation, even this donation was not accepted by the WHO. So, this is a pity in our situation. We want to do something, but WHO did not accept us to do something for the world," Chen said. WHO estimates it needs $98 million to run its Ebola operation. It is facing a funding shortfall of some $63 million. Despite pressure from China, Taiwan's officials say they have received support for their bid to join the WHO from a number of countries including the United States, Japan, Germany and Australia. A Syrian asylum seeker in Sweden has received a 12-year prison sentence for planning to explode one or more bombs in Copenhagen and stabbing random people with kitchen knives. The Copenhagen City Court said Monday Moyed Al Zoebi, 32, acted on behalf of the Islamic State group. The court found him guilty last month. The man had an accomplice, Dieab Khadigah, who was sentenced in Germany in July 2017 to a prison term of six-and-a-half years. After an internet chat, they were to gather in Copenhagen in November 2016 for the attack. However, Khadigah was arrested in Germany as he tried to enter Denmark with a backpack containing 17,000 matches, 17 batteries, fireworks, two kitchen knives and six walkie-talkies that Al Zoebi, who lives in southern Sweden, had ordered. Egypt's interior ministry said security forces killed 12 suspected militants during raids Monday near Cairo. A ministry statement linked the militants to Hasm, an armed affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, and said authorities found explosives, weapons and ammunitions at two different raid sites. The operation came a day after a roadside bomb hit a tourist bus near Egypt's Giza pyramids. That blast wounded 17 people. There was no claim of responsibility for the bomb attack, and the interior ministry did not link Monday's raids to the blast. Officials said the bus was carrying 28 people, most of them South African tourists. Videos circulating online show the bus windows blown out or shattered. South African Ambassador Vusi Mavimbela and his team in Egypt are visiting victims in hospitals, officials said. The explosion took place near the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is under construction near the Giza pyramids. A statement issued by the antiquities ministry said the explosion caused no damage to the museum. In December, three Vietnamese tourists and one Egyptian guide were killed when a bomb hit their bus near the Giza pyramids. Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange "on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant.'' The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and U.S. extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for "intentionally having carried out an intercourse'' with an unnamed woman "by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep.'' The request added there was "an aggravating circumstance'' because Assange didn't use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Sweden's center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. A police officer who heard the women's accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. "However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the U.K.,'' Persson said in a statement. Former South African president Jacob Zuma is in court Monday, fighting to have corruption charges against him dismissed. The charges, stemming from a 1990s arms deal, were dropped a decade ago, shortly before Zuma became president. The reinstatement of the 16 charges in 2016, Zuma says, was politically motivated. The charges include fraud, racketeering, corruption and money laundering. The charges relate to kickbacks Zuma allegedly received in connection with a European arms deal undertaken by South Africa. A representative for the French arms dealer Thales SA is facing charges that are similar to Zuma's. Zuma was deputy president at the time of the deal. The former president and Thales have denied any wrongdoing and both are seeking a permanent stay of prosecution. The ruling African National Congress forced Zuma to step down from the presidency last year. His term in office was marred by scandals, allegations of corruption and an economic slowdown. Yammy and her friends sleep in shifts. They venture out of the house they share only every few days to stock up on food, and have stopped their live webcasts so as not to give away their location. Together they comprise the band Faiyen, Cold Fire, whose blistering lyrics bashing Thailand's constitutional monarchy and military government have put them at dangerous odds with the country's ruling junta. Like the dozens of other Thai dissidents who have exiled themselves to Laos in recent years for fear of attack or arrest back home, the forced repatriation and disappearance of four fellow Thai activists in recent weeks have left them rattled. "It's made us more certain that we are wanted by the Thai government," Yammy, the stage name of Romchalee Sombulrattanakul, told VOA by phone Saturday. "We now take turns sleeping so that there is always someone awake around the clock," she said. "We don't leave our place unless it's necessary, only to buy food, and we buy food that can last us for two, three days." The added caution follows unconfirmed reports that three Thai activists living in Laos were arrested in Vietnam and tuned over to Thai authorities on May 8, and the forced repatriation of another Thai activist from Malaysia two days later, confirmed by her lawyer. The woman deported from Malaysia was being held at Bangkok's central women's prison and faces charges of sedition and joining a secret organization, her lawyer told VOA Thursday. Thailand's security czar, Prawit Wongsuwan, told reporters the week before that the government did not have the three who went missing in Vietnam, though rights groups fear the junta may be holding them in secret. Dissidents in Laos have been on heightened alert at least since December, when Surachai Danwattananusorn, who ran an online radio show from the country critical of the Thai junta and monarchy, went missing. The following month, two of his colleagues, Chatcharn Buppawan and Kraidej Luelert, turned up dead; their bodies were found in the Mekong River stuffed with concrete. In a letter addressed to the Thai government in March, a group of U.N. envoys noted that the activists were wanted and all tied to the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), a political movement affiliated with ousted Prime Minister and junta foe Thaksin Shinawatra. Given the active arrest warrants and their involvement with the UDD, it is believed Thai officials may be responsible," they said. The military has reportedly said it had no information about the bodies. Spokesmen for the government and police did not reply to multiple requests for comment last week. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said she had no information about the latest cases or any recent efforts to bring wanted dissidents back to Thailand, but added that the government followed all applicable laws and procedures. But activists and rights groups say the latest repatriation and disappearances may portend more to come and have made dissidents in neighboring countries ever more vigilant. "The Thai government has stepped up pressure more and more, and it seems that now it has reached the point that neighboring governments surrender," said Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch. "We have learned that the remaining activists in Lao have received warnings that there could be a new round of attempts to arrest them by Thai authorities. They have been told to move their location. As for activists in Cambodia, they have been told to lay low and stop any political activity," he said. The number of self-exiled dissidents in the region is hard to pin down. While some keep a high profile online, others choose to keep quiet. Sunai said there were likely more than 20 in Laos, about half of them with open cases for lese majeste, sedition or security related crimes. Yammy put the number at over 30. Snea Thinsan, founder of the U.S.-based Thai Alliance for Human Rights, said there may be more than 100 in Laos, along with a handful in Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam. He said the news of the past few weeks has sent them deeper underground and scrambling to find asylum farther afield, especially the most outspoken among them. "All these vocal ones, the...active ones, know that their lives are in danger, they could be the next victim," he said. "So that means, especially now, they are doing every way they can to really leave the country, leave Laos." Those who can are trying to leave the region altogether, worried that nowhere in Southeast Asia is safe any longer. Malaysia deported Praphan Pipithnamporn on May 10 even after she had applied for asylum with the UNHCR, the U.N.'s refugee agency; her lawyer said the country accorded her none of the due process she was owed under its international treaty obligations. Snea said a prominent Thai activist in Cambodia left for the Middle East a few weeks ago after a senior Cambodian official told him his government could not resist mounting pressure from Thailand to send him back much longer. Yammy said she and her band mates were recently told by a senior official with an international organization in Bangkok that they may be targeted this week, and that they were working with a team of lawyers to land asylum in Europe. While many of the activists are UDD members, some support and promote the Organization for Thai Federation, which would like to turn Thailand into a federated republic shorn of its constitutional monarchy. Even questioning the monarchy's position is a high-risk gamble in Thailand, where tough lese majeste laws place the royal palace beyond reproach. The junta's top leaders have branded group members separatists and "traitors" and a threat to national security. But Sunai said their modus operandi has been peaceful. "They haven't committed any act of violence at all, so therefore this is still within the bounds of free expression," he said. Before fleeing to Malaysia in January, Praphan had been arrested for wearing a T-shirt bearing the Organization for Thai Federation's logo and handing out leaflets at a Bangkok shopping mall. Snea said a few dissidents in exile have espoused more extreme tactics but added that all should be afforded due process. "They may have [made] mistakes, they may have done something illegal, OK. When you catch them, then bring them to justice, fair trial, open trial," he said. Campaigning has ended for Malawis tightly contested May 21 elections for president, lawmakers, and local leaders. As political parties ready for Tuesdays polls, Malawis Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is challenging President Peter Mutharika, has again raised allegations of possible vote-rigging, while local media report Chilima is involved in an investigation of a suspicious plane. Malawis Electoral Commission on Sunday closed a two-month campaign period that saw mixed views on how parties are performing in the tightly contested race. United Transformation Movement (UTM) party Secretary General Patricia Kaliati says its candidate, Vice President Saulos Chilima, is confident of winning at Tuesdays polls, despite attacks on party candidates. We are winning because whatever people were doing against us they were just afraid of us. And some of these parties have bases. UTM is a household name, it is for everybody, everybody be it in the south, center east [and] north, said Kaliati. After repeated attacks mostly against opposition party members Malawis electoral commission in February threatened to disqualify any candidate found to be using violence. Commission Chairperson Jane Ansah told VOA this years campaign period was more peaceful than in the previous election. We see that the campaign period was very peaceful. The candidates dwelt more on development than castigating each other. There were patches of violence here and there, but they were few compared to past elections, she said. Ruling Democratic Progressive Party officials denied being behind the attacks, blaming foolish youth for smearing the partys image. DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi told VOA campaigning was overall very peaceful, despite what he called isolated incidents. Speaking on a bad phone line from a village, he said the DPP was confident of winning because it has delivered. There is financial and economic prudence and peaceful discipline, says Dausi. The government under the DPP has stabilized the local currency against the U.S. dollar, he says, and has developed the fields of agriculture, health and education. Umodzi Party leader John Chisi, one of seven presidential candidates, says he is also sure of victory despite having a low budget for the campaign. I believe that Malawi needs a new change. And I believe, that change can only be brought by us. In Umodzi Party we are clean, and we do not have useless records like our colleagues have, he said. President Peter Mutharika, who is seeking a second five-year term, and Chilima have throughout the campaign accused each other of planning to rig the polls. Even as campaigning closed, fresh political intrigue and allegations surfaced. Chilima claimed Sunday he has information the government hired a former Zimbabwe security operative to rig the elections. The government denied the allegation. Hours later, Malawi Police announced they had detained a private jet and its pilots on May 17. Local media reports claim Chilima charted the South African plane and it was connected to allegations he plans to rig the elections. The Malawi Electoral Commissions Ansah says none of the allegations have been proven. Because what we have said is that if someone notices something unusual or notices incidents somewhere, immediately they should report to MEC, but so far none has come up with written allegation on rigging. They are just talking generally, said Ansah. Nearly seven million Malawians are expected to vote Tuesday. Official results are expected on May 29. The return of Britains Mr. Brexit, the breezy, barnstorming Nigel Farage, to frontline politics epitomizes the challenge established centrist parties are facing across the 28-member European Union as they struggle to curtail fiery populism in the final days of campaigning in EU parliamentary elections. In an era when social media is driving politics and traditional political allegiances are waning, the populist agenda of nationalist pride and cultural grievance is trumping the much more bland and less adventurous managerial problem-solving of the establishment parties. Farage can rightly claim to be the man behind Brexit. It was his agitation that prompted then Prime Minister David Cameron to call a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU, hoping to take the sting out of the electoral tail of Farages UK Independence Party. On the campaign trail, Farage, a former city-slicker who was educated at a top private boarding school, presents himself as a man of the people. He offers nothing in the way of detailed policies, saying hell do so after the European parliamentary elections on May 22. His newly formed Brexit Party hasnt even offered a written manifesto. Farage's message His message, on campaign stops and TV studios, is simple: the British people have been betrayed by a conniving, greedy political elite which has failed to deliver on the Brexit vote. Like Italys Five Star Movement, Farage is seeking to transcend the traditional left-right divide, after dumping his former far-right party, the UK Independence Party. And the simple betrayal narrative is fueling his new party's lead in the polls before this weeks European Parliament elections, helped by the pro-EU vote split between several parties. The opinion polls forecast the Brexit Party will top the election in Britain with 34 percent of the vote. The ruling Conservative Party is predicted to secure just nine percent of the vote, placing fifth. If accurate it would be the storied partys worst electoral performance. Farage is focusing now more on the Labour Partys working-class, post-industrial heartlands of the north of England and south Wales, where globalization has brought few obvious benefits, although the rust-belt manufacturing and mining towns that powered Britains industrial rise in the 19th century have scooped up plenty of EU development funds a point Farage glosses over when challenged by reporters. Many traditional Labour voters thrill to Farages message of the people versus the elite. Ive come to realize that with our existing political system we are never going to get the Brexit that we voted for, he told a crowd Saturday in the town of Merthyr Tydfil, a Welsh town that was home to one of the founders of the Labour Party. They are trying to build a coalition of the politicians against the people, Farage said. Impact on continent A similar message of betrayal can be heard across the European continent, although in the other 27 EU states Brexit isnt a factor and neither is following Britain to the exits. Britains Brexit mess appears to have put off even euroskeptic Europeans from contemplating departures. Last September a survey across the bloc found 62 percent of respondents saying EU membership was a good thing. Even so, populists, whether running national governments or not, are finding an electoral message of grievance playing well for them, whether it be a full-throated targeting of those perceived as being the elite or calls for the protection of ordinary people from the disruption of globalization or impact from migration. Italys Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini leads the far-right Lega party, he has been only partly successful in persuading Europes nationalist populists to run coordinated campaigns, but also has a simple electoral message. Salvini calls for tougher borders and the protection of European culture and for a looser EU where Brussels and EU institutions are subordinated to national governments. Saturday nearly 100,000 supporters attended a Salvini rally in Milan with European nationalists, including France's Marine Le Pen, and Holland's Geert Wilders. leader of the Dutch party PW (Party of Freedom). The political elites in Brussels cannot be trusted. They want to impose their orders on us. They want to take away our identity and our security, Wilders said at the rally. European populists A fourth of Europeans consider themselves populists, according to a recent poll. Pollsters predict they will capture a third of the seats in the 721-seat EU Parliament. Certain far-right populist partiesnotably those in western and northern Europehave proved able to tailor their message to extend support beyond their secure voting base, according to Daphne Halikiopoulou, a politics professor at Britains University of Reading. Far-right populists normalize exclusion: they offer solutions to voters multiple insecurities by using a rhetoric that excludes a variety of population groups on the basis that they are a purported threat to societys value consensus, and hence to stability and prosperity, she argued recently. But analysts also say the populist parties have significant ideological divisions, including migration and relations with Russia. Their biggest challenge may come after the elections when they might find unity difficult to achieve. A Michigan congressman who was the first Republican to call for President Donald Trump's impeachment defended himself Monday against attacks from other Republicans supporting Trump. Rep. Justin Amash, a five-term member of the House of Representatives, said his critics employed "several falsehoods" in claiming that Trump did not obstruct justice by trying to thwart the lengthy investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Critics of the Mueller probe, including the president, have claimed that Trump could not obstruct justice because there was no underlying crime to obstruct since Mueller found that neither Trump nor his campaign colluded with Russia to help him win the White House. But Amash said, and U.S. legal analysts have agreed, that obstruction of justice does not require the prosecution of an underlying crime. "There is a logical reason for that. Prosecutors might not charge a crime precisely 'because' obstruction of justice denied them timely access to evidence that could lead to a prosecution," Amash said. He added, "There were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not." Trump on Sunday called Amash "a total lightweight" and "a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!" by calling for Trump's impeachment. Trump said Amash "opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy." Congressman Kevin McCarthy, leader of the minority bloc of House Republicans, attacked Amash's call for Trump's impeachment, saying it was "very disturbing. . He never supported the president, and I think he's just looking for attention." Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel accused Amash of "parroting the Democrats' talking points on Russia." In Amash's congressional district in the Midwestern state of Michigan, state lawmaker Jim Lower said he would run against Amash in a Republican party primary election next year because of his attack on the president. Lower called himself a "pro-Trump, pro-life, pro-jobs, pro-Second Amendment, pro-family values Republican." Some Democratic lawmakers in the House have called for Trump's impeachment, although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not given her approval for the start of any impeachment hearings, while leaving open the possibility as several House committees conduct new investigations of Trump's business affairs and taxes. Trump has vowed to fight all efforts at subpoenas for information about his conduct and administration policies. Some of the disputes about access to Trump and White House records are already being fought in legal battles, with more likely to come. Mueller concluded that Trump and his campaign did not collude with Russia to help him win the election, but it did not take a position on whether the president obstructed justice as the probe took place. Subsequently, Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided obstruction charges were not warranted against Trump. Amash, after reading the Mueller report, contended in a string of Twitter comments on Saturday that Barr "has deliberately misrepresented Mueller's report," saying that Barr "intended to mislead the public" about Mueller's findings. "Contrary to Barr's portrayal, Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment," he continued. "In fact, Mueller's report identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice, and undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence." A long-standing Justice Department policy says that sitting U.S. presidents cannot be charged with criminal offenses, but can be charged after they leave office. Amash said, "Impeachment, which is a special form of indictment, does not even require probable cause that a crime (e.g., obstruction of justice) has been committed; it simply requires a finding that an official has engaged in careless, abusive, corrupt, or otherwise dishonorable conduct." The congressman said that he thinks "few members of Congress" have read the Mueller report and that "their minds were made up based on partisan affiliation." Even if the Democratic-controlled House impeached Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate would almost certainly reject removing Trump from office. Robert Smith shocked the students at the historically black, all-male Morehouse College Sunday when he announced during his commencement address that he would be paying off student debts of all 400 graduates. Here is a look at the man behind the gift, estimated to be worth $40 million. Early life Robert F. Smith was born and raised in a mostly African American, middle-class neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. Both his parents were teachers who had earned Ph.Ds. While attending East High School in Denver, Smith applied for an internship with Bell Labs. He was told the program was intended for college students, but Smith refused to take no for an answer. He called every week and finally was allowed into the program when another student failed to show. He attended Cornell University in New York, studying chemical engineering. He got a masters degree in business administration from Columbia University. Career Before attending graduate school, Smith worked at Kraft General Foods as a chemical engineer, where he earned two U.S. and two European patents. After graduating from Columbia, he worked at Goldman Sachs in San Francisco, advising tech companies, including Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Yahoo and Microsoft. He was the first person at Goldman Sachs to focus solely on technology mergers and acquisitions. In 2000, he founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm. According to Forbes, Vista is worth more than $46 billion, owns over 50 software companies and has 60,000 employees worldwide. It is believed to be one of the best-performing firms in the country. According to Forbes, Smith is worth $5 billion, making him the richest African American in the U.S. Personal life Smith is the first African American to be named chairman of the board at Carnegie Hall, America's most prestigious concert venue. He is also the chairman of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, a nonprofit human rights advocacy group. He is one of the founding donors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, committing $20 million to the museum before its opening. Smith also founded the Fund II Foundation, which provides grants for causes such as human rights, the environment, music education and "preserving the African American experience." In 2017, he signed The Giving Pledge, an effort spearheaded by billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to enlist wealthy Americans in giving away half of their fortunes. Smith said he would invest half of his net worth during his lifetime to causes that support equality for black Americans and the environment. He is married to Hope Dworaczyk, an actress and former Playboy model. They have two children together, and Smith has three other children from a previous marriage. President Donald Trump on Sunday denied reports that hundreds of migrants would be flown from the Mexican border to Florida and other areas in the U.S. interior to lessen the workload at crowded Border Patrol facilities. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, also on Sunday, acknowledged that federal officials did initially alert local leaders of the possibility that migrants would be flown to two South Florida counties. But Trump appeared to blame the media for "false reporting." "There are no plans to send migrants to northern or Coastal Border facilities, including Florida," Trump wrote on Twitter. "...Our country is FULL, will not, and cannot, take you in!" The office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also said Sunday that Trump told him he didn't approve and wouldn't authorize to fly the immigrants. The governor' spokeswoman Helen Ferre said DeSantis spoke with Trump on Saturday, two days after local officials reacted with alarm to a U.S. Border Patrol notification that 1,000 migrants could be sent on a weekly basis to Palm Beach and Broward counties, starting in about two weeks. After the plan was attacked by local leaders last week, federal officials initially said the flights were only being considered and nothing was happening immediately. On Sunday, McAleenan said that Florida and other cities in the interior were no longer in consideration. He appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" and said the plan "wasn't going to be an effective use of government resources." "We looked at it from a planning perspective. We do have stations in Florida ... they are very small stations, they have a few agents that are busy patrolling their areas," he said. He added that the decision to take the sectors of Miami, Detroit and Buffalo off the table was made Saturday by John Sanders, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The agency's Miami sector includes all South Florida. "We had to look at all options," he said. The government has run out of space to process migrants who have been arriving at the Texas border. McAleenan said there are currently 16,000 people in custody at Border Patrol stations and ports of entry. The government began flying hundreds of migrants from Texas to San Diego, to distribute the workload at Border Patrol facilities more evenly. Once migrants are processed, they are released and given a court date in a city where they plan to reside, often with family members, which could be anywhere in the U.S. DeSantis apparently had been caught off guard and said such flights would amount to "dumping" migrants on Florida. He appeared upset that Florida was even a consideration, especially after he recently signed a bill banning sanctuary cities and pledging to help federal immigration authorities. Trump and DeSantis are close. The president endorsed DeSantis, which propelled him from underdog to winner in last year's governor's race. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, one of the first officials to publicly denounce the plan, suggested in an audio message shared via Twitter on Saturday that that the quick reactions with alarm from local officials and federal lawmakers who represent Florida made federal officials change their mind. "Because of everybody's efforts, we were able to stop what it appeared to be a crisis for our communities." A U.S. judge on Monday ruled in favor of a U.S. House of Representatives committee seeking President Donald Trump's financial records from his accounting firm, dealing an early setback to the Trump administration in its legal battle with Congress. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington also denied a request by Trump to stay his decision pending an appeal. Last Tuesday, Mehta heard oral arguments on whether Mazars LLP must comply with a House of Representatives Oversight Committee subpoena. Mehta said in Monday's ruling that the committee "has shown that it is not engaged in a pure fishing expedition for the President's financial records" and that the Mazars documents might assist Congress in passing laws and performing other core functions. "It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct past or present even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry," Mehta said. Mehta said Mazars has seven days to comply with the subpoena. Trump's lawyers are almost certain to urge an appeals court to extend the deadline and then reverse Mehta's decision. It was the first time a federal court had waded into the tussle about how far Congress can go in probing Trump and his business affairs. A lawyer for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Refusing to cooperate Trump is refusing to cooperate with a series of investigations on issues ranging from his tax returns and policy decisions to his Washington hotel and his children's security clearances. The standoff deepened on Monday when Trump told former White House counsel Don McGahn to defy a subpoena to testify about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation before a different congressional committee. Trump's lawyers have 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." 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. Mehta was appointed in 2014 by Democratic former President Barack Obama, who was often investigated 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." Michael Bowman of Capitol Hill contributed to this report. WASHINGTON Iran said Monday it has quadrupled its uranium enrichment capacity as the war of words between Tehran and Washington shows little sign of cooling off. Iranian officials say the uranium will be enriched for civilian energy uses, far below weapons grade as spelled out in the 2015 nuclear agreement. Enriching uranium means concentrating the element's radioactive component. Natural uranium has less than one percent U-235, while uranium for electric power production is around four percent pure and weapons-grade material is refined to contain about 90% of this active ingredient. Iran could soon exceed the amount of material it is allowed to stockpile under the deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced two weeks ago he is pulling out of some parts of the six-nation nuclear deal, including the condition that Iran sell excess amounts of uranium to other nations. Rouhani has threatened to move Iran closer to weapons-grade enrichment unless it sees promised economic relief from the deal by early July. President Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear agreement deal one year ago. He re-imposed sanctions on Tehran and has threatened other sanctions on countries that still do business with Iran. Trump's decision has made the Iranian economy, already in tatters, even weaker. Trump's moves have helped set the stage for the current increased tensions between the United States and Iran. Trump tweeted Sunday, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to what he called "genocidal taunts" by reminding Trump that "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone," including Genghis Kahn and Alexander the Great. "Try respect. It works," Zarif tweeted. Senior Trump administration officials plan to brief Congress Tuesday about the military threat it says Iran poses in the Middle East. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Monday that after a briefing from national security adviser John Bolton, "It is clear that over the last several weeks Iran has attacked pipelines and ships of other nations and created threat streams against American interests in Iraq." Graham tweeted, "The fault lies with the Iranians, not the United States or any other nation. If the Iranian threats against American personnel and interests are activated, we must deliver an overwhelming military response. Stand firm Mr. President." Monday in the Senate chamber, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said, "It would be absolute lunacy for the United States to get involved in another war right now in the Middle East. I think it would be devastating to be in a war with Iran and, in my view unconstitutional to be in a war with Iran at a president's say-so. It's Congress that declares war, not the president. It's not for a president to say it and start it. It's not for a president to, by a series of provocations, blunder us down the path where war becomes inevitable." Later, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy tweeted: "No one should defend the actions Iran has taken they've been out of control for years but dumb wars start when each party mistakenly believes that the other party's defensive or reactive actions are actually offensive and proactive." The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said it has increased maritime patrols and exercises in the Arabian Sea that highlight the "lethality and agility to respond to threat." The Pentagon has already sent bombers to the region. Iranian leaders say they do not want war, but have shown no interest in talks with the U.S. Meantime, Saudi Arabia said Monday it intercepted two missiles it says were fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. One missile was stopped over the city of Taif and the other over Jiddah. The Houthis deny involvement. The Saudis have said they do not want war, but will fight to protect their interests. The Saudis also blame the Houthis for a drone attack on two Saudi oil-pumping stations last week, and the U.S. says it suspects Iran was behind the sabotage that damaged four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates last week. Two of the tankers were Saudi. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition helping the Yemeni government fight the Houthi rebels. Iran has not denied supporting the Houthi cause, but has said it does not supply weapons to them. U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was scheduled to visit Tibet this week, a U.S. embassy spokesperson said, the first visit to the region by a U.S. ambassador since 2015, amid escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. The visit follows passage of a law in December that requires the United States to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access to Tibet for foreigners, legislation that was denounced by China. "This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Branstad was traveling to Qinghai and neighboring Tibet from May 19 to May 25 on a trip that will include official meetings as well as visits to religious and cultural heritage sites, the spokesperson said. In December, China criticized the United States for passing the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, saying it was "resolutely opposed" to the U.S. legislation on what China considers an internal affair, and it risked causing "serious harm" to their relations. The U.S. government is required to begin denying visas by the end of this year. The visit comes as tensions have been running high between the two countries over trade. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday, suggesting a resumption of talks between the world's two largest economies would be meaningless unless Washington changed course. On Saturday, China's senior diplomat Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that recent U.S. words and actions had harmed the interests of China and its enterprises, and that Washington should show restraint. While the Trump administration has taken a tough stance towards China on trade and highlighted the security rivalry with Beijing, it has so far not acted on congressional calls for it to impose sanctions on China's former Communist Party chief in Tibet, Chen Quanguo, for the treatment of minority Muslims in the Xinjiang region, where he is currently party chief. A State Department report in March said Chen had replicated in Xinjiang policies similar to those credited with reducing opposition to Chinese rule in Tibet. Beijing sent troops into remote, mountainous Tibet in 1950 in what it officially terms a peaceful liberation and has ruled there with an iron fist ever since. U.S. Senator Mark Warner said on Sunday that he has been organizing meetings between U.S. intelligence officials and the country's business and academic communities to urge caution in their relationships with China. "I have been convening meetings between the intelligence community and outside stakeholders in business and academia to ensure they have the full threat picture and hopefully, make different decisions about Chinese partnerships," Warner said in a statement. Accusing China of undermining U.S. security, Warner, a Democrat, said the meetings were aimed at increasing awareness about tactics used by China against the United States. In a series of classified briefings with U.S. companies, the country's intelligence heads have warned about potential risks of doing business with China, the Financial Times reported earlier on Sunday. The briefings to educational institutions, venture capitalists and technology firms have been given by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, along with officials from the FBI and the National Counter-Intelligence and Security Center, the FT reported, citing officials who attended the briefings. The development comes as the United States and China have been engaged in trade tensions for months over issues including technology, cyber security, tariffs, industrial subsidies and intellectual property rights. On Thursday, the United States added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with U.S. counterparts. The move came amid concerns from the U.S. that Huawei's smartphones and network equipment could be used by China to spy on Americans, allegations the company has repeatedly denied. The decision was slammed by China, which said it will take steps to protect its companies. The United States military said one of its warships in the South China Sea sailed Monday near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China and the Philippines. "USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet, Commander Clay Doss said. It was the second U.S. military freedom of navigation exercise in the region in the last month. Speaking at an international security conference in Singapore Wednesday, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said routine freedom of navigation operations will proceed with transparency, consistency and predictability. U.S. sanctions on oil-rich Venezuela appear to be taking hold, resulting in mile-long lines for fuel in the South American nation's second-largest city, Maracaibo. Some drivers said they'd had to wait almost 24 hours to fuel up, and people have been grabbing catnaps on the hoods of cars or in truck beds. Nearing empty and stuck in line, infectious diseases doctor Yoli Urdaneta said she couldn't make her shift to treat patients. "I've spent four days trying to get gasoline," Urdaneta said. "But I couldn't." A satellite cruising over Maracaibo on Thursday captured pictures of cars lined up for a mile (1.6 kilometers) through the city to the pumps, according to by Maxar Technologies, a U.S.-based space technology company. Russ Dallen, a Miami-based partner at the brokerage firm Caracas Capital Markets, said Sunday that stiff U.S. sanctions on top of decaying refineries has begun to hit home. Venezuela doesn't have the cash to import key ingredients to keep up production in a country with the world's largest oil reserves, said Dallen, who estimated that the state run oil-firm PDVSA is producing 10 to 15% of its capacity. "It's all coming together in a toxic brew," Dallen said. "That is really having a devastating effect." The Trump administration this year sanctioned PDVSA in an effort aimed at driving President Nicolas Maduro from office, while throwing its support behind opposition leader Juan Guado. The U.S. sanctions essentially cut off Maduro's government from its Houston-based subsidiary Citgo, depriving officials of an estimated $11 billion in hard currency from exports this year. U.S. officials say this cash flow long bankrolled what they call Maduro's "dictatorship." Sanctions also put the squeeze on Venezuela access to diluents needed to thin its tar-like heavy crude so it can be piped over 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the field to be turned into gasoline. And the political stalemate shows few signs of drawing near its end. In a recent flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at peacefully solving Venezuela's crisis, European officials said they held intensive meetings over two days in Caracas with key players. At about the same time, Maduro's government and the opposition sent representatives to talks in Norway. Officials engaged in both efforts reported no breakthroughs. The panic over shortages has crept into the capital, Caracas, leading to moderately long lines for the last three days at many stations. Across the country in Maracaibo, angry drivers lined up complaining that police were profiting off their frustrations. Drivers said officers overseeing the lines allowed some to pay the equivalent of $3.60 more than half of the monthly minimum wage to cut into a shorter line while others waited to fill up their tank with subsidized fuel that costs less than a penny. Jose Eustaquio Perez, 65, said he took the offer. "I'm too old and I'm not in the mood to wait in this long line," he said. "I don't feel good, so I paid it to get out of here." Vietnam and Europe could be swapping more pomelo fruit and Portuguese cheese soon if a new trade deal comes into effect, linking two regions that have been looking for an alternative to the trade tensions brought on by the United States. The European Parliament is scheduled to discuss the trade deal on May 28, after years of negotiations between Vietnam and the European Union. The deal is significant not only because it facilitates exports, like tropical fruit, but also as it lays out commitments on human rights, labor unions, and protection of the environment. Critics, though, say the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement would not really enforce human rights standards and would continue the offshoring of jobs that has left workers vulnerable. For the EU, the deal is one more way to access Asias fast-growing economies, set a model for trading with developing countries, and hold Vietnams one-party state accountable on its promise to level the business playing field. For Vietnam, it is a chance to call itself a country open for business, with many trade deals, as well as raise quality standards to those expected by European customers. It includes a lot of commitments to improve the business environment in Vietnam, Le Thanh Liem, standing vice chair of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said at a European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam event. Vietnamese officials often say that it helps to have an external factor to get difficult internal reforms over the finish line. For example it might be hard to convince conservatives to allow workers to form their own labor unions. But if there is an outside incentive, such as greater trade with the EU, that could bring conservatives on board. Labor unions were one concern for Europeans. Another is the loss of blue-collar jobs to Asia, including to Vietnam. European workers worry that as they take gig jobs, like food delivery, in place of their old stable jobs, there is less of a safety net through long-term employers or through tax-funded government programs. And there is one more concern raised through the trade deal:We have some concerns about human rights in Vietnam, but that has been discussed, Eurocham chair Nicolas Audier said at the chamber event. Amnesty International reported this month that the number of Vietnams political prisoners jumped to 128 from 97 last year, despite the fact that Hanoi says it does not jail people for political reasons. Some question if the EU is applying consistent standards as it moves toward the trade deal with Vietnam, even while punishing nearby Myanmar and Cambodia for human rights abuses. Brussels is pulling back its Everything But Arms scheme of preferential trade access for the two other countries, based in part on Cambodias crackdown on opposition politicians in the 2018 election and on Buddhist-majority Myanmars mass killing of the mostly Muslim Rohingya. But both Vietnam and the EU want more trade options because a major trading partner, the United States, is turning away from the world economy. Washington pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in 2017, removing a key reason that Hanoi signed the deal, which was to get Vietnamese textile and garment companies more access to U.S. customers. Europe was also hit when Washington slapped tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum in 2018, and now it is threatening more import duties on European cars. So the EU and Vietnam are still working on their trade deal, and it is reflected in Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs schedule. He paid a visit to EU member states Romania and the Czech Republic in April, then hosted a state visit from Romania in May. Lobbying for the deal continued as he welcomed the Swedish crown princess this month, and he will return the courtesy, with the next trip on his calendar planned for Stockholm. artist: @brookefischerart This past week has been a tough one for many women. Alabamas abortion ban was passed by the state legislature and Georgia quickly followed suit. Missouri also has a ban in the works and we should not forget the numerous states who signed heartbeat bills throughout the year, like Kentucky, Ohio, and Mississippi. Many of those bills are currently being argued in court. The Alabama ban is particularly terrifying because it bans almost all abortions in the state, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Under the proposed bill, doctors would not be able to perform the procedure once a fetus is in utero. This also raises serious questions about what would happen if a woman miscarried, requiring a D&E. You can read more about whether a miscarriage could land a woman in jail over at the Washington Post. I also find it interesting that eggs in a lab do not count, suggesting that really this is not about when life is believed to first be present, but more about penalizing women. The Georgia law will ban abortions after a doctor is able to detect a fetal heartbeat in the womb, usually at about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Like Alabama, it explicitly states that doctors who perform abortions will be prosecuted. The bill is more vague about the prosecution (or non-prosecution) of women. Many women, myself included, are rightfully furious about this new trend in state governments. Over the weekend, I read something on twitter that said remember when you broke down sobbing the night of the election? This is why. You knew they were coming for us. One in four women has had an abortion, which seems to be in sharp contrast to the limited number of stories you might hear, but thats mainly because there is so much shame attached with the procedure. In reaction to the new laws being signed, there has been an outpouring of personal stories by women online, detailing the many reasons they made that decision for themselves. Last week, Busy Phillipps admitted to having an abortion on her show and then started the #youknowme hashtag to give other women a larger platform to speak out. She is trying to get people to realize that even though you think you dont know anyone who has had an abortion, statistics say thats not true. In reality, you probably know many women. Part of what I think was so successful in getting people motivated and men on board with the #MeToo movement was hearing from women about their personal stories, Busy told the New York Times. Abortion has been, historically speaking, a very taboo subject that women have a hard time talking about publicly, because its such a personal decision. The anti-abortion people in this country are so vocal, and for all of those reasons I think women have remained silent. And I felt like, well, maybe theres actually value in sharing. We need to be as loud as they are, but with the truth. Thats the only thing we have. For me it includes people standing up and saying, I am that one in four. It doesnt matter why, when, or how old you were. You know me, you like me, and I went through this. I think theres something super empowering about being able to shift the narrative and being able to have a ton of people say, Ive also gone through this thing. I applauded Busys bravery on @mommyshortssquad, but then had mixed feelings reading through everyones various experiences and wondering what I would feel comfortable sharing personally. After all, sharing is not just about putting your story out there on a social platform for large scale public consumption, it is also sharing private details with friends, family, and co-workers. Thats the thing about abortion. Women often keep those experiences private from even their closest friends. Someone forwarded me a tweet from Amy Westervelt that really helped me understand what I was feeling. It said, oh hey yay its that time again for women to open up all their wounds and secrets to persuade you that we are humans deserving of basic rights. Yes, THAT. Its a sad place we are in that people dont trust women to do whats right for our own bodies and wellbeing. Whether or not you had an abortion, what your reasons were and if you feel compelled to share your story it is all your choice and nobody elses business. I also read many women calling for men to share their #youknowme stories. After all, women do not get pregnant by themselves. Many men have encouraged abortions, paid for abortions and benefitted from them. The current President included. To take it a step further, I suggest reading this viral twitter thread written by Gabrielle Blair about how men cause 100% of unwanted pregnancies. Its a fascinating read that makes a very powerful argument for the placement of responsibility to be shifted. Shes even got a full proof idea for pregnancy prevention. Heres a hint: source: @thedrawingpals I know there are many women who follow my various accounts who do not believe what I do. Some are vocal about it and some are not. I have been encouraged by a few women who have come forward to say that while they disagree with abortion personally, they do not believe that anybody else has the right to tell a woman what they do with their own body. I would argue that this stance is precisely what being pro-choice means. You get to believe what you want and nobody gets to dictate your choices. The term pro-life was coined purposefully by social conservatives to make people on the left seem anti-life or pro-abortion, when neither is true. I can guarantee you that abortion is almost always a painful choice and a last option, even for women who staunchly defend a pro-choice stance. There was a time when I thought I understood the beliefs of pro-life groups, even though I disagreed with them. Now I see the hypocrisy that often comes with that position. Maybe not by everyone, but certainly in the realm of politics and with the people enacting these laws. The same people in government who say they are pro-life also believe that gun laws trump child safety in schools, in caging migrant children, and in stripping our healthcare system. They dont support domestic violence prevention programs, expanded family leave policies, equal pay for women or environmental protections that will help future generations. They also do nothing to prevent unwanted pregnancies, even when there are so many initiatives they could support with proven results, like funding sex education in schools and access to affordable birth control. I have been very vocal on social media about my opinions and as a result, I have gotten a lot of support and a predictable backlash. For the record, people who unfollow me based on my beliefs are not my people. I do not miss them and I do not want them. But I do believe there are a lot of nuances to these discussions and I have appreciated reading comments from a few followers who say their opinions are evolving as the motivations of those behind the new laws become clearer. I also believe that when I make a political statement on social media, it is not really for the benefit of my supporters or detractors in the comment section, who are both already firm in their opinions. It is for the people who are reading, forming their opinions and most likely, never comment at all. I have gotten many direct messages over the years from women (mainly younger) who have told me that reading my thoughts has helped them formulate their own opinions, which might be different from their families, their churches or immediate communities. I have also gotten private messages from women who havent told anyone about something they have been through and now feel less alone. It is for those people who I will continue to voice my opinion. On Friday, I got a direct message saying thank you from someone who had gotten an abortion earlier that same day. She said that although she has no shame in her decision and has the support of her husband and mother, who drove her to the appointment, she still pulled up to a clinic surrounded by protestors and had to walk past them as they screamed that she was murderer. She broke down in tears, as I imagine many of us would. Can you imagine how it would feel to walk through that mob without your mother by your side or the support of your family? It must be awful. Yesterday, after posting a pro-choice sentiment on @mommyshorts, someone commented, Im really upset that I have to unfollow. I cant handle seeing messages in my feed openly promoting the murder of precious innocent children. Why do they not deserve the same human right everyone else gets? It pains me a lot. And yes I know it takes two to get pregnant. Two individuals who both need to step up to the responsibility. Dont have sex if you cant deal with what comes next. Rather than block or ignore, I chose to respectfully challenge her way of thinking. If she has followed me for awhile and is upset about unfollowing, perhaps she would listen. My response was: I would encourage you to think about why someone you like and trust believes something so differently from you. I would also encourage you to think of circumstances that go beyond your own sexual experiences. I would ask that you look at the laws being signed and try to really understand the implications. Also, take a deep dive into why the same people who say they are pro-life do so little for living women and children. And lastly, know that I accept your right to not have an abortion. I dont know if she read it or gave it a second thought, but I feel confident that at least one person did. And thats another reason why I will continue to speak my mind, even when some people dont want to hear it. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I will continue to be vocal is because I have two daughters. These laws might not affect me, but they will affect them, especially if this is just the tip of the iceberg for the war on women. Its a scary time to be raising kids. And I want my readers to know that I am paying attention. Im up late at night worrying about what the future holds for my children, just like they are. Just like you are. You can follow me on @mommyshorts and @mommyshortssquad where I will continue to stand up for what I believe is right. The United Nations is expressing concern over the reported cut-off of water to the Libyan capital, Tripoli. "Yesterday, an armed group stormed Tripoli's main water distribution station and has reportedly closed the water valves supplying Tripoli and other cities in the northwest of the country, including Gharyan and Al Zawayih, potentially affecting some two million people and their access to water," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday. He said some of Tripoli's districts are already experiencing low water pressure and the full impact of the cutoff is expected to be felt in the next two days unless the valves are re-opened. Since April 4, areas in and around Libya's capital have been turned into battlefields as General Khalifa Haftar, who holds sway in the country's east, moved west on Tripoli in a bid to take control of it from the U.N.-backed Presidential Council and Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. A U.N. call for a Ramadan truce has failed to materialize. The U.N. says more than 78,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. The water supply to Tripoli was already precarious, as maintenance staff at the Great Man-Made River Project facility had been evacuated because of the ongoing fighting. Humanitarians are trying to meet needs in affected areas, trucking water in and assisting with water purification. The World Food Program warned Monday that it may have to suspend the distribution of food aid in Houthi rebel-controlled areas of Yemen, if the group does not stop obstructing its work. In a statement, the United Nations food agency said humanitarian workers are being denied access to the hungry, aid convoys have been blocked and local authorities have interfered with food distribution. The agency also accuses the rebels of interfering with the independent selection of people to receive the aid and its plans to implement a biometric registration system. "Our greatest challenge does not come from the guns that are yet to fall silent in this conflict," WFP said in its statement. "Instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control." The U.N.'s humanitarian operation in Yemen is its largest in the world. It has appealed for $4.2 billion to fund aid programs there this year. The world body says 14 million people are in acute need and another 10 million require some form of humanitarian assistance or protection. Millions of them live in Houthi-controlled areas in the west and northwest of the country. "Already, many are not being reached because of the obstacles that are being put in our way," WFP said. "If we are not given the access and freedom to decide who gets this vital assistance, then we will have to take the hard decision of implementing a phased suspension of our operations in Houthi controlled areas." The food agency said that would be an option of "last resort" and hopes that "good sense will prevail." A Saudi Arabian-led coalition began bombing Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in support of Yemen's government in March 2015. Since then, the U.N. estimates more than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly due to coalition airstrikes. In opening this years World Health Assembly, WHO General-Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of universal health coverage as an essential component in the quest for a healthier, safer, fairer world. Nearly 4,000 delegates from WHOs 194 member states were on hand to hear the WHO chief outline the main health achievements of the past year, and current as well as future challenges. Tedros campaigned vigorously for the adoption of universal health coverage in the run-up to last years election for WHO director-general. Now a year later, he told delegates attending the World Health Assembly that great progress toward achieving national health systems has been made under his watch. He cited ambitious initiatives which have been implemented or are in the process of being enacted in countries as diverse as Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines, Egypt and El Salvador. But he noted that universal health coverage is not possible without primary health care. He said primary health care is where the battle for human health is won or lost. Strong primary health care is the front line in defending the right to health, including sexual and reproductive rights. It is through strong primary care that countries can prevent, detect and treat noncommunicable diseases. It is through strong primary health care that outbreaks can be detected and stopped before they become epidemics, Tedros said Over the past year, Tedros said significant progress has been made against many of the worlds causes of death and disease. He said a historic milestone has been achieved with the rollout of the worlds first malaria vaccine in Malawi and Ghana. He said a new initiative was launched to eliminate cervical cancer, which kills more than 300,000 women every year. He said battles have been won against a number of infectious and noncommunicable diseases. At the same time, he noted many emergencies remain to be addressed. Among them, he said, is the fight to contain the deadly Ebola virus in conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He said the risk of Ebola spreading to other areas remains very high, even though better tools than ever, such as preventive vaccines, are available to fight this deadly disease. But we are not just fighting a virus. We are fighting insecurity. We are fighting violence. We are fighting misinformation. We are fighting mistrust. And we are fighting the politicization of an outbreak, he said. Tedros noted Ebola treatment centers have been attacked by armed men, and a WHO doctor was killed in one of these attacks. Despite the many dangers, he said WHO and its staff remain undeterred and will continue their work until the job is finished. Movie stars including Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria celebrated the role of women in cinema at a glitzy gala in Cannes on Sunday, amid a drive to promote gender equality in the industry that is still falling short of what many campaigners hoped for. Cannes' film festival, the world's most important cinema showcase, last year signed a pledge to get an equal number of men and women in its top management by 2020 that is gradually gathering momentum at similar European and U.S. events. Actors and filmmakers participating in this year's edition have joined activists in warning that while industry attitudes were changing, progress was still slow. "We have so much work to do and I just think we can't let up," Longoria told journalists at the Women in Motion dinner at Cannes, part of a program set up by luxury group Kering to push for gender equality in cinema. "Whenever we see something improving we can't just say 'Oh OK let's relax, the momentum's going to go that way'. It won't continue to go that way, we have to continue to change the industry for ourselves. Chinese actress Gong Li, the star of "Farewell My Concubine", was awarded a prize for her career at the event. At Cannes, four women are contending for this year's top Palme D'Or film prize, including Franco-Senegalese Mati Diop and France's Celine Sciamma, out of 21 entries - or just under 20 percent of the total. Elsewhere, the proportion has sometimes been higher, with over 40 percent of the films competing at Berlin's festival in February made by women. "We hear a lot about how times are changing and improving, and it's true. The idea is to support that trend. (But) the figures still don't look good," said Delphyne Besse, a film sales specialist and one of the founders of 50/50 by 2020, the collective behind the gender parity pledge signed by Cannes. Of the 47 film festivals that have so far backed the drive globally, 38 percent have female heads, according to the lobby group's figures. Short shrift Industry insiders said the slow progress was reflected in everything from the short shrift female directors still got in the media to their under-representation at industry events. "Women have been making films for 11 decades now," British actress and star of zombie movie "The Dead Don't Die" Tilda Swinton told a news conference earlier this week. "There are countless films by women. The question is why don't we know about them," she said, adding that even obituaries for female filmmakers tended to be dwarfed by those dedicated to men. Cannes' organizers have said they were not planning to introduce quotas dictating the gender balance of the films selected to compete at the festival. "Cannes is only at the end of the chain. This needs to start with encouragement at film schools," festival director Thierry Fremaux said last week. The cinema showcase is looking to include more women its board, however, and the festival jury this year was more balanced. "Atlantics" director Diop said festivals were still a logical starting point to highlight women's work in the industry. "It starts with the films, there is no festival without films, so it is an extraordinary exhibition that will give the films much bigger exposure," she told Reuters in an interview. When the blast went off in early April, shrapnel hit homes and schools all over the quiet residential neighborhood of the Yemeni capital. Windows shattered and the 2,000 girls in a nearby school tried to evacuate at once, many racing down the stairs and some dying in the stampede. Safia Al-Wesabi, a 10-year-old student of the Al-Ra'ai School, made it out safely, but she couldn't find her older, teen-aged sister outside. "I was sobbing," she said. "I thought she was trampled to death." More than 15 children were killed and 100 other people injured that day, but violence is just one of the many reasons the war in Yemen has crippled the country's ability to educate children, and often even keep them alive. As Yemen's conflict goes into a fifth year, aid organizations are calling it a "war on children." "We are at a tipping point," said Henrietta Fore, the executive director of UNICEF in a recent speech. "If the war continues any longer, the country may move past the point of no return. ... How long will we continue allowing Yemen to slide into oblivion?" Missing school and health care As the children fled flying glass and shrapnel at their school last month, Hamid Al Wesabi, Safia's father, was in his home located on a hill nearby. His house shook and the windows broke. He ran to the school to find his daughters. "We didn't know what was happening," he said. Later that day, both the girls and their father escaped the chaos and reunited at home. A few weeks later, the school was open again for final exams and Wesabi's daughters went back. Many others chose not to return. At least one in five schools is no longer in use in Yemen, mostly because they were destroyed by violence or are now being used as emergency shelters or military bases. Hospitals also have shut down at alarming rates and roughly half of Yemeni children under age 5 have been permanently injured by malnutrition. Every 10 minutes a child in Yemen dies from a preventable cause, according to a recent UNICEF report. Teachers' salaries are often not being paid, forcing many to look for other jobs. Sometimes children are simply too afraid to go to school, the report says. As a result, Yemeni children are increasingly recruited to fight in militias, work at other adult jobs or married off at young ages. "If not in school, children would become an illiterate and unskilled parent and increasing the likelihood of passing on poverty to the next generation," it reads. Safia took her exams but her text books were lost in the blast, so she could not prepare. Other children were not so lucky. Sitting next to Safia at a wooden desk, 8-year-old Bayan appeared absent-minded when asked about her older sister, who was killed in the crush of girls trying to escape. An adult asked if she missed her sister. "Yes," she managed to say quietly. Humanitarian crisis deepens The war in Yemen is between the Houthis, who currently hold the north, including the capital Sanaa, and forces loyal to the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced from the capital in 2015 and is recognized as the Yemeni president by the United Nations. These are hardly the only players in this war, which has left many world powers mired in proxy battles. Iran is known to support the Houthis, whose longest-held territories are near the border with Saudi Arabia, Iran's archenemy. Saudi Arabia and its allies have been launching airstrikes targeting the Houthis often in locations populated by civilians for four years now with support from Western powers like the United States and Britain. Tens of thousands of people have been killed, many of them civilians, including children. Already the Arab world's poorest country, this battle has turned Yemen into what many call the world's worst humanitarian disaster, with the threat of widespread famine now looming as peace talks continue to be derailed. Last week, a cease-fire in a key port city broke down, exacerbating the threat as food and aid remained stalled outside the country by the war. It is not clear as to who or what caused the blast that hit the school last month, with pro-Saudi news reporting an airstrike, and later deleting the report, according to Human Rights Watch.The organization says Houthi authorities were storing dangerous material in a civilian neighborhood. Besides violence, hunger, and disease, children in Yemen are also deeply threatened by the psychological trauma they are experiencing, according to Fathia al-Kuhlani, the principal of the Al Ra'ai School in Sanaa. "After trauma, if students don't go back to school, anxiety can lead to depression," she said. "It was hard even for us to enter the school the day after the strike, but we needed to come to encourage the students to come back." Nike Ching at the State Department and Carla Babb at the Pentagon contributed to this report. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump "try respect" instead of issuing threats. He was responding to a Twitter post Sunday in which Trump said: "If Iran wants to fight, that will the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Zarif said Trump, under pressure from a group that includes his National Security Adviser John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is hoping to achieve what "other aggressors failed to do.'" "Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone," Zarif wrote. "Economic terrorism and genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran.'" Last week, Trump appeared to be backing away from his apparently hawkish stance against Iran, saying he would be open to talks. When asked by a reporter at the White House on Thursday if the United States was going to war with Iran, Trump replied, "I hope not." But there has been no apparent let up in the tensions between the United States, its regional allies and Iran. The State Department says a "low-grade rocket" fell inside the green zone in Baghdad, less than a kilometer from the U.S. embassy Sunday. No injuries or damage were reported. U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban said the Pentagon was aware of an explosion outside the embassy, adding, "There were no U.S. or coalition casualties, and Iraqi Security Forces are investigating the incident." A State Department spokesman says the U.S. will not tolerate such attacks and that it will hold Iran responsible "if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces." Saudi Arabia is blaming Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen for a drone attack on two Saudi oil-pumping stations last week. The U.S. also suspects Iran was behind the sabotage of four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates last week. Two of the damaged tankers were Saudi. The Saudis also say they will not tolerate Iranian aggression. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that," foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said Sunday. "But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this will all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests." Saudi King Salman has called for emergency summits with Gulf and Arab leaders on May 30 to discuss what the kingdoms official news agency describes as "aggressions and their consequences." An Iranian news agency quotes Iran's Revolutionary Guard head Hossein Salami as saying the country does not want war, but is "not afraid" of it. A statement from the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet Sunday spoke of increased maritime patrols and exercises in the Arabian Sea that highlight the "lethality and agility to respond to threat The Pentagon has already sent bombers to the region. The increased tensions with Iran began brewing a year ago when Trump pulled the United States out of the six-nation nuclear deal with Iran. Under the agreement, Iran limited its uranium enrichment program in exchange for the end of sanctions and economic relief. The limitations were meant to ensure Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, something Iran denied it had been doing. Trump, in an interview with Fox News recorded last week and broadcast Sunday, said he does not "want to fight" but that when it comes to Iran, "you can't let them have nuclear weapons." The reimposed U.S. sanctions have left the Iranian economy in tatters and Iran complains it has yet to see the promised economic benefit from the countries that are still part of the nuclear deal Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced two weeks ago he was pulling out of part of the nuclear deal and would restart some uranium enrichment if there were no economic benefits by early July. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Malawians go to the polls on May 21 for local, parliamentary and presidential elections. Seven candidates are running for president, but the real battle is between incumbent President Peter Mutharika, Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and main opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera. The Malawian opposition United Transformation Movement (UTM) led by the countrys vice president has demanded the immediate deportation of former Zimbabwean police boss Augustine Chihuri following allegations that he is involved in rigging local elections. According to the independent NewsDay newspaper, Saulos Chilimas UTM made the allegations Sunday and urged the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to postpone the elections to a date to be determined by the electoral body. Chihuri, who left Zimbabwe in 2017 following the fall of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, was not available for comment. In a letter to the MEC, the party said there were strong indications of rigging plots from the ruling DPP and their working mission with Zimbabwes former (police) Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri. We would further like to demand that MEC facilitates the deportation of this man from Malawi with immediate effect. President Peter Mutharika, who is being challenged by his deputy, Chilima, and a former pastor accusing him of corruption, is banking on the rural electorate for his governing Democratic Progressive Party. ZEC was unreachable for comment. The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. Bucks County Recorder of Deeds reflects on her time in office This months topic is care and feeding of your spinning wheel, including how to tune up a wheel, proper maintenance and spinning tips. The meeting is free and open to the public. Genealogical Society The Central Texas Genealogical Society will host a live webinar at 7 p.m. Monday at the West Waco Library meeting room, 5301 Bosque Blvd. Professional genealogist Cari Taplin will give tips for finding hidden records to help with family history research. For more information, call 750-5945 or visit ctgs.org. Waco Rotary Club Big Bend Conservancy Executive Director Courtney Lyons-Garcia will speak during the Waco Rotary Clubs meeting at noon Monday in the Waco Lions Den, 1716 N. 42nd St. Lunch is $12. Ramadan Dinner The Islamic Center of Waco will have its annual Ramadan Dinner at 8 p.m. June 1 at 2725 Benton Drive. All faiths and communities are invited to join together in food and visit with their local Muslim community as they break fast during the month of Ramadan. RSVP to 723-6556 or IslamicWaco@AOL.com. Submit items in printed or typed form to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax 757-0302; or email goingson@wacotrib.com. The announcement comes two months after the board and then-Superintendent A. Marcus Nelson came to an agreement for Nelson to resign after his misdemeanor marijuana possession arrest. The board took its first steps toward hiring a new superintendent Friday, when it began accepting applications. Atkins said he believes Nelson made the right choice by resigning because Nelson recognized that the spotlight had shifted to him instead of the students. Atkins recognizes that Nelson was dynamic leader, but that it would have been difficult for him to sustain the same level of leadership after his arrest. What was difficult with that situation was we had made so much progress over the last two years, really engaging the community and earning the trust and the commitment of community members, as well as their buy-in to the mission of the Waco public schools, Atkins said. It was difficult to see how divided people were becoming over that one issue, that there were reasonable, thoughtful people on both sides who were coming to very different conclusions. Interim Superintendent Hazel Rowe said Atkins has had such a profound impact on the district that it is difficult to articulate. Prisoners clean up ahead of Rome's Piazza di Siena horse show. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has announced that prisoners are being used to cut grass and clean up the Galoppatoio and Piazza di Siena areas of Villa Borghese ahead of the 87th edition of Piazza di Siena, Rome's prestigious horse show. The clean-up operation is part of a programme entitled Mi riscatto per Roma (I redeem myself for Rome), undertaken in collaboration between the capital and Italy's justice ministry. The project has already seen specially-trained prisoners from Rome's Rebibbia prison - all selected on the grounds of being at low risk and serving short-term jail sentences - fixing pot-holed streets in the eastern suburb of Torre Spaccata. Prisoners were also used to undertake a major clean-up of the Parco della Resistenza ahead of the visit by Rome's mayor last September. The small park behind the Marmorata post office in the Aventino area is known as one of the more neglected green areas in the centre. In 2014, maintenance of Rome's parks was among the key sectors linked to the so-called Mafia Capitale case which involved mobsters bribing public officials in return for lucrative city contracts. 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. 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. Reader 3: I am applying to large companies with online application processes. One company I have been applying to regularly only sends me automated thanks, but no thanks emails even when my skill set checked every box in the job description and I included a solid cover letter. The company does not publish any direct phone numbers, so I could not follow up. Could I have been filtered out by software? Additionally, is it common practice for companies to post a public job description as a formality, even if they already have an internal candidate lined up? Carnegie Hall can bring about change, too, both in an orchestras sound the acoustics are far better than the Kennedy Centers dry Concert Hall and in the perception of having arrived. On Sunday, the Liszt symphony which Carnegie hadnt heard for 20 years opened with a sizzle and power that it had lacked in Washington. Unexpected in that its an Italian symphony written by a non-Italian, this piece is more engaging than Liszts Faust symphony, which Noseda led in February, not least because its shorter. A pileup of melodies and ideas flowing into one another breathlessly, the piece suffers from a problem of Dantes original and all subsequent adaptations namely that the Inferno is more dramatic and theatrical than Purgatory. On Sunday, the second movement lost some of its spark and began to drag until its final release into the choral music with which Liszt replaced Paradiso altogether. A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border died Monday morning while in the custody of U.S. agents in Weslaco, Tex., U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said. Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez was found unresponsive in his detention cell during a welfare check Monday, a day after a nurse practitioner had diagnosed him with Influenza A and Border Patrol officials had moved to isolate him from other detained migrants, a CBP official told reporters during a conference call. This morning, unfortunately, Carlos was found unresponsive within one of our short-term holding rooms, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Our medical staff immediately attended to him. The FBI is investigating the circumstances of the boys death, the official said. [The Conveyor Belt: U.S. officials say massive smuggling effort is speeding immigrants to the border] He is the fifth migrant child since December to die after being taken into custody at the southern border by federal immigration authorities. All five have come from Guatemala, an impoverished Central American nation that has been wracked by severe drought and gang violence, and where smugglers have been offering discount rates to families interested in traveling to the United States. Immigration authorities have struggled to manage a record flow of migrant families and children crossing the southwestern border this year, including nearly 45,000 unaccompanied children in the past six months. Border Patrol agents initially detained Carlos on May 13, after he crossed the border near Hidalgo, Tex., with a group of about 70 people. He was then transferred to a crowded central processing center in the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest transit route for migrants along the border. The Department of Homeland Security requires health screenings for all children taken into custody, and CBP says it has amplified its medical efforts in recent months to accommodate the influx of children and families. Border authorities transfer approximately 70 people to hospitals and urgent care centers daily. Carlos had received two medical screenings during his week in custody, including one on Sunday after he told Border Patrol agents that he wasnt feeling well. The nurse practitioner prescribed Tamiflu, an antiviral commonly used to treat the flu. It was unclear what symptoms the teenager had displayed nor why he wasnt sent to a hospital. Instead, Border Patrol agents transferred him to a smaller facility to segregate him from other migrants, as per agency protocol, the CBP official said. Under U.S. law, unaccompanied children must be transferred from CBP into the care of the Department of Health and Human Services within 72 hours of arrest. Carlos had been detained for a week at the time of his death. The CBP official said the teen was due to be moved to a shelter for unaccompanied children; officials had adjusted his shelter placement arranging for him to move to a closer shelter than initially intended so that he would not have to travel far while ill. In the past month, two children have died after being taken into custody at the border: A toddler died of what appeared to be pneumonia, according to the Guatamalan Consulate, and a teenager died of a brain infection. An official at the Guatemalan Consulate in nearby McAllen, Tex., said the Guatemalan government did not yet have further information to provide on Carloss case. Alexandre Kleitman, who co-directs LREMs Washington committee with Leydier, said they would try to reach the more than 15,000 French voters in the D.C. region mostly through social media and existing networks. (The party has 17 committees working for it in the United States. Other French political parties also have committees, although they are fewer and far less active.) But turning out the vote for European Parliament seats can be tough because that election draws less attention than French parliamentary ones. In 2014, during the last campaign for the European Parliament where France currently has 74 of 751 seats turnout among French voters in the United States was only about 10 percent. Compare that to the 2017 presidential election, when voter turnout among U.S.-based French nationals was 44 percent, according to France-Amerique, a magazine published by the French Embassy. Theres been an erosion of understanding in CIA leadership for at least two decades about what the wall is for and who is it that were commemorating, said Dujmovic, who has researched multiple agency deaths to see whether they meet the criteria for inclusion on the wall. Now we have a suicide star on the wall. Thats not what the wall is for. Suicide is a great tragedy, of course. But the purpose of the wall is not to show compassion to the family. Its to show who in our community is worthy of this honor. Lewis was taken into custody without incident in the District about 9:20 a.m. Monday, the sheriffs office said. The sheriffs office did not indicate what caused the mistake. Its infuriating and dangerous to have cars parked in bike lanes, bus lanes and crosswalks the violations citizen avengers would be targeting in the proposed pilot program. I live on Capitol Hill and have circled my block for an hour more than once after a Costco shop, past scores of Virginia (mostly) plates overstaying their legal right to park on my street, keeping me from accessing my own home. Spence, who has insurance through work, said she was treated twice at Hopkins, once for a depressive episode in January 2015 when she was brought involuntarily to Bayview after her mother called 911, then at the main hospital in April 2016 when she gave birth to her son. But she said she never was told about the charity care for which she said she would qualify. She also said she received no bills or phone calls. The Department of Justice has provided a legal opinion stating that, based on long-standing, bipartisan, and constitutional precedent, the former counsel to the president cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr. McGahn has been directed to act accordingly, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. This action has been taken in order to ensure that future presidents can effectively execute the responsibilities of the office of the presidency. Still, there was enough money for him to begin buying up parcels of land along the Dulles corridor. Among the largest and best known of his projects was the 318-acre McNair Farms development near the airport. Early purchasers of housing there complained to the news media that amenities they had been promised failed to materialize. Lewis was taken into custody without incident in the District around 9:20 a.m. Monday, the sheriffs office said. The sheriffs office did not indicate what led to the mistaken release. On May 8, a judge set bond for Torres at $100,000 with conditions that he be confined to his home, that he have no unsupervised contact with patients or minors, and that he surrender his passport, prosecutors said in a previous statement. There was more gunfire in the blocks near the school over the weekend, all within a short radius of the Columbia Heights Metro station in Northwest Washington. On Sunday, a man was shot inside an apartment building, which hours later caught fire, and another man was shot before noon at Harvard and 14th streets. Police said they were investigating whether any or all of the incidents, including the fire, were related. While a spate of states have recently made access to abortion more difficult, advocates in Virginia are trying to make it easier. The case is being heard in an election year when Republicans are trying to hold onto their razor-thin control of the legislature and when abortion politics dormant for the past few cycles probably will be prominent. Lightfoots half-hour speech was deeply personal and acknowledged that she is the citys first black female leader as well as its first openly gay one. The former federal prosecutor introduced her wife and 11-year-old daughter, then choked up when presenting her 90-year-old mother: You and dad told me I could be anything that I wanted. . . . My gratitude to you knows no limits. Officer Buddy Calzada said a man grabbed the girl Saturday evening and sped away with her in a car. Police released surveillance video of the car. Police found Webb and the girl at the hotel after witnesses reported seeing the car there. Eurovision scolds Madonna for flag display: Eurovision Song Contest organizers said they were taken aback by the display of a Palestinian flag during Madonna's guest appearance, in defiance of contest rules. While Madonna performed her new single at the contest, hosted in Tel Aviv, two of her dancers onstage flashed Israeli and Palestinian flags pinned on their backs. The European Broadcasting Union said Madonna had not cleared that part of the act with broadcasters. She later defended the stunt, saying, "I am grateful for the opportunity to spread the message of peace and unity with the world." EBU also said it is considering "consequences" for Iceland's performers, who whipped out a Palestinian flag during the vote tally. But by increasing production, Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limits set by the accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms for the deal, which the United States abandoned last year, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The Trump administration has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the region over unspecified threats from Iran. But this begs the question of why neither of the major parties in the United States has consistently represented this viewpoint. It probably has much to do with the history of Catholicism in America. In 1800, there were perhaps 40,000 Catholics in the country. A century later, mainly as a result of mass migration, there were about 14 million. The Democratic Party welcomed this immigrant influx, providing patronage opportunities in large cities. Following the Civil War, Republicans turned generally anti-Catholic, leaving the GOP dominated by white Protestants who didnt take well to German, Irish and Italian migrants and their strange, supposedly anti-democratic religion. Bloody riots ensued. They do not fight directly, but by stealth, Orban said in a speech last year. They are not honorable, but unprincipled; they are not national, but international; they do not believe in work, but speculate with money; they have no homeland, but feel that the whole world is theirs. They are not generous, but vengeful, and always attack the heart especially if it is red, white and green, the colors of the Hungarian flag. EVER SINCE Ukrainian television comedian Volodymyr Zelensky routed the countrys established politicians in a presidential election last month, Western observers have puzzled over what to make of him. Is he truly the anti-corruption crusader he played on his television program, or is he a captive of the allegedly corrupt oligarch whose television network broadcast the show? Would he continue Ukraines pro-Western foreign policy and stand up to Russias Vladimir Putin, or would he allow himself to be manipulated by Moscow? Not all the answers are in, but Mr. Zelenskys inaugural speech on Monday offered some encouraging signs. But now the WHO has announced that the public-health and medical responders are, in some cases, being forced to suspend work because of the militia attacks. The outbreak is located in two provinces in eastern Congo: North Kivu and Ituri. In two of seven hot spots, Butembo and Katwa, both in North Kivu, the workers have been reduced to a stop and go pattern, where a day or two of activity is followed by a day or two of suspended or limited activity, the agency said. Imagine a fire in which the firefighters have to retreat for a few days. Mr. Trump, in pursuit of some hazy notion of military toughness, shows little respect for these principles. On the campaign trail in 2016, he declared that torture works and that he would resume the use of waterboarding in interrogations. In 2015, he declared that the families of terrorists should be killed. This month, Mr. Trump signed a full pardon for former Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna of Oklahoma, who had served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division and was convicted of unpremeditated murder. Military intelligence professionals had interrogated a man on suspicion that he was a member of al-Qaeda with knowledge of a roadside bombing in which two U.S. soldiers were killed. They ordered Mr. Behenna to drive the suspect home. He took the detainee to a railroad culvert, stripped him naked, interrogated him at gunpoint and then shot him in the head and chest, saying it was self-defense. Post columnist William Raspberry interviewed me on that and the reversal of Roe, which I said would happen because Roe and Doe v. Bolton held that constitutional personhood was conferred at birth, a variable point. Even if one is pro-choice, that makes no sense, because it means a child born only five months after conception is a protected person but a 9-month-old preborn child isnt. If pro-choice women lose their perceived right to abortion, it will be because of their support of Roe, one of the most ill-conceived decisions in Supreme Court history. As Ms. McArdle implied, it was based simply on a penumbra of Justice Harry Blackmun, who also didnt realize the discrimination of racial-balanced busing. For those of us who have been watching closely, the events of the past few weeks were expected. Trump promised his base that he would pack the federal courts with extreme judges, and he has done that. Politicians who have been plotting for years to ban abortion in the United States have promised to move outrageous and unconstitutional laws through their states to challenge Roe v. Wade, and theyve done that, too. And now opponents of Roe, a decision that has been settled law for nearly 50 years, are prepared to take these state laws to a Supreme Court that Trump has swung to the right in anticipation of this very moment. This is just one of many cases in which Trump seems to be catching up with the consequences of his own actions. His policies toward China, Iran and on the southern border have likewise produced a variety of ill effects and unforeseen consequences. Unforeseen, but not unforeseeable: Trump seems to govern by smashing crockery, undoing decades of precedent and causing upheaval for its own sake without much regard for what the consequences might be. Now, as in Nixons era, executive clemency may undercut the results of legal process but resonate on the populist right. Trump is in touch with the same distrust of elite authority that Nixon was, and taps the same vein of sympathy for men sent to fight a dirty guerrilla war in which, as Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley put it, Its hard to judge the enemy and hard to tell the good. We are in the twilight years of the great post-World War II baby boom, which ran from the end of the war until 1964. Now we are in the midst of the great bust. To be sure, there are nuances. Since 1991, the number of teenage births has dropped by more than half, which given the rigors of raising children is surely a good development. Likewise, birthrates for women 35 years and up are rising. Some said the best choice is the most pragmatic one: Support the candidate with the best chance of ousting Trump, even if that means passing on African American candidates or others who might do more to affect the fortunes of black Americans. For many, at the moment, that choice is former vice president Joe Biden, a view that has been affirmed in recent polls that show him drawing broad support from black voters. Cohen himself stood little to gain by lying to our committee, Schiff told The Washington Post. Donald Trump and others around him stood far more to gain from that being concealed from our investigation. So it obviously begs the question of whether this was something he did on his own . . . or were there others who participated in the falsehood before our committee. Bolton, who advocated regime change in Iran before joining the White House last year, is just in a different place from Trump, a senior U.S. official told The Post, although the president has been a fierce critic of Iran since long before he hired Bolton. Trump wants to talk to the Iranians; he wants a deal and is open to negotiation with the Iranian government, the official said. Yang recalled that in the 1990s, CCTV-6 had been playing movies about its old ally, Yugoslavia, and that these had infused the social atmosphere. After the U.S. bombing of Chinas embassy in Belgrade in 1999, the students had been primed for action by these movies that had been playing, he said, noting that it was entirely coincidental but nonetheless extremely effective. The panda facial recognition technology is the result of two years of research and the analysis of about 120,000 images and 10,000 video clips of the black-and-white furballs. Scientists at the Chengdu base and Sichuan Normal University, with help from Singapore Nanyang Technological University, have created a database containing 10,000 marked and annotated panda photos. The Chinese for all of the resources they have poured into the endeavor have not been able to develop reliable fighter-jet engines that are producible in large numbers and run for enough hours between overhauls to be practical, Johnson said. Acquiring the brainpower and the expertise of Motor Sich could allow them to jump over that very big hurdle. In a letter Monday coordinated by Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), the lawmakers expressed deep concern about recent media reports indicating U.S. and foreign companies may be providing powerful capabilities to foreign governments that in turn are using them to surveil journalists, political dissidents and U.S. citizens. He pointed, for example, at Israels decision to withhold some of the tax money it collects from Palestinians and traditionally provides to the Palestinian Authority. Israeli officials say they are reducing those transfers by the same amount the Palestinian Authority pays to Palestinian prisoners, their families, and the families of those killed in attacks against Israelis or by Israeli forces. Virgin Australia boss Paul Scurrah has given his clearest indication yet that the airline intends to retain a majority stake in Velocity, the airline's frequent flyer program, even as it weighs a float of the lucrative loyalty business. Virgin owns a 65 per cent stake in Velocity, while its partner Affinity Equity Partners owns the remaining 35 per cent and there is a strong expectation that in the market that at the least Affinity is looking to sell out its share. Virgin Australia faces an important decision about whether to sell Velocity, its frequent flyer program. Credit:Bloomberg Looking for another investor has promoted Virgin to consider whether to reduce its holding as well, while retaining a controlling stake, to strengthen its financial position. While a straight sale to another industry player or private equity firm has been touted as a likely outcome, sources said Virgin is also exploring the possibility of an IPO for Velocity. As the flames lashing the fictional world of Westeros flicker out around the last two pieces on Game of Thrones' blood-soaked chessboard - mad queen Daenerys Targaryen and uncrowned king Jon Snow - we are left with one lingering question. Is GoT the GOAT? Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Credit:HBO Many will be quick to proclaim it the Greatest Of All Time. But such an honour comes with one powerful caveat: HBO's magnum opus fantasy drama isn't the first television show to lay claim to the mantle and it won't be the last. At different moments in our shared cultural history many television programs have burned out like supernovas, red hot fireballs of conversational dust and zeitgeist. A massive campaign by GetUp and the union movement has failed to dislodge tens of government MPs who had been targeted in a "hit list", raising questions over the future of third party activist groups in election campaigns. Both those inside the third party campaigns and their opponents admit the movement failed to persuade those most concerned about the cost of living and alienated voters in Queensland by prioritising climate change policy. GetUp claimed just one victory from its seven-electorate hit list - independent Zali Steggall defeated former prime minister Tony Abbott in the Sydney seat of Warringah - while the Australian Council of Trade Unions managed only one win from a 16 seat wish list - the NSW seat of Gilmore. Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon says he warned colleagues that the partys emphasis on climate action over coal jobs was eroding its support in regional Australia, as soul-searching begins into why voters have abandoned Labor in crucial mining seats. Labor was wedged on the issue of Adanis proposed Carmichael coal mine in central Queensland in the months leading to its unexpected election loss. It struggled to articulate a clear position as it sought to appease city voters who opposed the mine on climate grounds, and regional voters worried about the decline of the coal industry. Labor suffered bad swings in regional areas, including a 10 per cent swing against Mr Fitzgibbon in his coal-dependent NSW seat of Hunter. Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon said the party should have better emphasised its support for coal jobs and investment. Credit:Bloomberg Mr Fitzgibbon said Labors message on the Adani mine that it must stack up environmentally and financially, and should not receive Commonwealth financial assistance was too nuanced. Dave Sharma has brushed aside questions as to whether he will be given a position in Prime Minister Scott Morrison's new cabinet as he reclaimed the eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth for the Liberals. Mr Sharma said he was "honoured and humbled" to be elected at his second attempt, following a bruising byelection loss to independent MP Kerryn Phelps at last October's byelection after Malcolm Turnbull was ousted as prime minister and quit politics. Dave Sharma with his wife Rachel at Darling Point on Monday. Credit:James Alcock Dr Phelps, who phoned Mr Sharma on Monday to congratulate him on his win, said voters "made a line-ball decision to go conservative". The high-profile doctor said she would take some time to consider her future but did not rule out a further career in politics. Several sources said a bid at lord mayor of Sydney was on the cards. Women surgeons are being dismissed as 'just female doctors' or 'pretty faces', 'off having babies' amid a constant barrage of gender discrimination and harassment. The female medicos have described the litany of gender biases that disparage motherhood, erode their credibility, objectify their bodies and shoehorn them into stereotypical empathetic roles (and high heels). Research fellow Dr Katrina Hutchison and plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Neela Janakiramanan. Forty-eight women fellows and trainees of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons took part in a series of in-depth interviews for a study led by research fellow Dr Katrina Hutchison at Macquarie Universitys Department of Philosophy. Dr Hutchison said the pattern of micro-inequities may seem inconsequential, but their compounding effect could do lasting damage and stymie efforts to close the gender pay gap. An aspiring rock star who charged people to be in his "entourage" and advertised a "bikini concert" in a Gold Coast stadium without the venue's permission has lost a defamation case over claims he is "creepy" and a "con-man" who tried to encourage young women to engage in group sex. David Ashworth, also known as David Otto, sued Nine, the Daily Mail in Australia and News Corp's Gold Coast Bulletin and Courier Mail in the NSW District Court over an A Current Affair broadcast and online articles that he claimed had ruined his reputation. David Ashworth, also known as David Otto. Credit:A Current Affair On Thursday, Judge Judith Gibson ruled the media outlets had successfully defended their reports on the basis the allegations were substantially true, including that Mr Ashworth was "deluded" and "famous for his sleazy scams". Mr Ashworth, who is bankrupt, describes himself on his website as a "prolific visionary and creator" who has played live events with a "lingerie rock band" under the name "GirlClub". Two people are facing a list of charges after the death of a child in Webster County. Preston Fisher and Erica Hamrick are charged with malicious wounding, child abuse, assault and two counts of gross child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. According to the criminal complaint, on May 8, a 2-month-old boy was flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital after his father, Preston Fisher, found him unresponsive and not breathing at the home. According to the criminal complaint, doctors found several bi-lateral rib fractures which they say could be "non-accidental trauma." Doctors could not do the confirmatory testing because the baby was on life-support. The baby died two days later. On May 9, investigators spoke with Fisher who told them he was home with the victim, the victim's twin sister and a 4-year-old. According to the complaint, Fisher went to the kitchen to get something to eat, when he came back he found the victim on the bed unresponsive. Fisher told investigators that he started CPR then called 9-1-1. Fisher also told deputies that both twin siblings had rolled off the bed about three to four weeks ago. He told police that he was using methamphetamine that day. Investigators interviewed Erica Hamrick on May 9th. According to the criminal complaint, she was at the West Virginia DHHR when the 2-month old was taken to the hospital. Hamrick told investigators that the victim rolled off the couch sometime within the last 2 weeks. On a separate occasion, Hamrick told investigators that the victim and the twin sibling had rolled off the bed approximately in April. Hamrick also said one of the twins "slipped off her lap" while she was feeding her sometime within the last month. According to the complaint, Hamrick admitted to using meth multiple times while she was taking care of the children, the last time being May 7, 2019. She also told deputies she smoked marijuana while she was taking care of the kids, with the last time being April 27, 2019. On May 9, a doctor told investigators that the 2-month-old twins were not able to roll over on their own and could not roll off the bed or couch. The victim's twin sister was also admitted to Ruby, doctors completed a trauma workup and evaluation of her because there were some "concerning issues" found on her chest x-ray. The little girl's results showed that she had multiple, healing bi-lateral rib fractures. The doctor also told investigators that the fractures would require a great deal of force to cause those injuries, and that the injuries are not consistent with the stories told by Fisher and Hamrick. Both are in the Central Regional Jail on a $50,000 bond. The Friends of the Fairfield Public Library will host its 10th annual Ladies Literary Luncheon on Friday, May 31, with bestselling author Martha Hall Kelly as the featured guest. Reservations are required. Click here to purchase tickets, or contact Danielle Sharp at dsharp@fplct.org Kellys latest book, Lost Roses, is No. 5 on the New York Times Best Sellers list. A native New Englander, Kelly also saw her debut novel, Lilac Girls, become a New York Times bestseller the week it was published in April 2016. The novel is historical fiction, based on the true story of 72 Polish women who were imprisoned and experimented on at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp and how Caroline Ferriday, an American philanthropist and former actress, brought them to the U.S. for rehabilitation and the trip of a lifetime. Lost Roses, a prequel to Lilac Girls, takes place during WWI and tells the story of Carolines mother Elizas fight to help Russian refugees displaced by the revolution there. Like Lilac Girls, Lost Roses is a story of love and loss; a saga of desperate immigrants, a world in turmoil, and three strong women who are pushed to the limit, determined to survive. Sign up to get events, interviews with artists and more delivered to your inbox for free. Since its 2003 founding, the non-profit Friends of the Fairfield Public Library has been dedicated to enhancing the partnership between the Fairfield Public Library and the community, and advocating for quality library service for the town of Fairfield. The Patterson Club, 1118 Cross Highway, Fairfield. Friday, May 31, noon-2 p.m. $75 includes lunch, dessert and a glass of wine. All proceeds benefit the Library. WESTPORT Additional charges have been filed against a New York City man who allegedly left decapitated chickens at a Westport home. Throughout March and April, four packages containing headless chickens were left in the yard of a Franklin Street residence overnight, police said. On April 12 around 11:30 p.m., police say the resident reported a suspect dropped a bag that contained two decapitated chickens and one white pigeon on the property. The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Ajamu Obataiye, was located by police at the Saugatuck Train Station and taken into custody. Obataiye was brought to police headquarters, where he was charged with breach of peace, cruelty to animals, and illegal dumping relating to the single incident. He was released after posting $7,500 bond. Investigators later submitted an arrest warrant for Obataiye for the four previous incidents, which was approved. On May 14, Obataiye was arrested at state Superior Court in Norwalk on the outstanding warrant and transported to Westport police headquarters. He was charged with four counts of breach of peace and four counts of littering or dumping. Obataiye was unable to post the $75,000 bond and was brought to court the following morning for arraignment. lteixeira@ctpost.com BRIDGEPORT A 55-year-old man was beaten to death on the East Side Sunday, according to police. In a prepared statement, Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said the victim was identified as Miguel Lopez. Fitzgerald said police were called to the Mambo Grocery at 731 Noble Ave. about 9:30 p.m. on a report of an assault. Cops found Lopez lying on the floor inside the store, Fitzgerald said. Lopez was unable to communicate with officers and was transported by medics to Bridgeport Hospital where he died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the assault, Fitzgerald said. The assault may have occurred over a dispute involving money owed to the assailants. Fitzgerald said three Hispanic males could be seen on surveillance video chasing Lopez. One of the men attacked him with a long wooden stick or bat, and a second is seen kicking him repeatedly while he was on the ground. Anyone with information about this homicide, including the identities of the assailants depicted in the video are asked to contact Detective Heanue at 203-581-5242. An ambulance brought the victim to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. The cause of death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy Monday morning at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, police said. The death is the citys eighth homicide of the year, and the second of 2019 not involving a shooting. The most recent homicide in Bridgeport was the March 10 shooting of 21-year-old Tyron Heard on Hollister Avenue. No arrests have been made. Five days before Heards death, 34-year-old Jerrell Gatewood who had survived a shooting in September 2013 was killed in a daytime shooting. No arrests have been made. On Feb. 11, 19-year-old Dyshon Williams body was found on Boston Avenue after he was shot. Two arrests were made in Williams death last week. On Feb. 5, 36-year-old Sujata Lee Edwards died after being shot through a second-story window in her home on William Street. The day before, 28-year-old Eric Salters died from injuries he sustained during a shooting on Barnum Avenue on Jan. 26. No arrests have been made in either case. Eugene Rogers, 50, was the citys second homicide of 2019; he was fatally shot on Jan. 27. Razzie Hancock, 39, was stabbed to death Jan. 14. Arrests have been made in both of the deaths. Staff writer Daniel Tepfer contributed to this story. Kantar Hires Boost Reputation Intelligence Arm Kantar has appointed Gregory Aston as Global Head of Research, Digital Advertising Intelligence, based in New York; while Petra Masinova joins as Global Director for Reputation Intelligence, based in Paris. Aston most recently spent eleven years at Havas Media Group, latterly as SVP, Group Director, Insights & Data Strategy. Earlier, he worked for Mediaedge as Senior Partner, Director of Competitive Edge; and he spent eight years at Foote, Cone & Belding, latterly as VP, AD of Competitive Insights & Analysis. At Kantar, Aston will be responsible for developing and advancing digital ad methodologies, which provide paid ad intelligence across desktop, mobile, video, social, search and eCommerce search in fifteen countries. Masinova previously held senior roles at media intelligence group Isentia (Australia), Newton Media Group and McCann Consulting, as well as at government and corporations in London, Amsterdam and her native Czech Republic. In her new position, she will guide Kantar's reputation intelligence offer, helping clients to develop an understanding of their earned media impact across the digital environment. Richard Asquith, Chief Product Officer, Media Division says of the appointments: 'We are thrilled to welcome Petra and Gregory to Kantar. Their experience and achievements are recognised across the industry and they will be a considerable asset to our talented global team of media research experts'. WPP CEO Mark Read is currently driving a turnaround strategy which includes a formal process to sell Kantar; and on Friday, reports suggested that WPP has shortlisted four companies to submit bids to buy a majority stake in the firm. Web site: www.kantar.com . Pollinate Opens Canberra Office Independently-owned Sydney research and brand strategy consultancy Pollinate has opened a new office in Canberra, where it has promoted Garrett Tyler Parker to the role of Managing Director. Founded in 2003, Pollinate uses a range of services including brand strategy, ideation and innovation, stakeholder engagement and customer experience consultancy. In February, the firm opened an office in Melbourne, where it appointed former GfK, Nielsen Online and LRW exec Allan Dib as MD. Tyler Parker (pictured) joined the company six years ago as an Account Manager in Sydney, and most recently worked there as Research Director, having previously been the firm's Head of Quantitative Research. Earlier, he worked for Ipsos ASI as Senior Account Executive in Australia, after a spell as an Account Executive in Thailand. He has a range of methodological and category experience, having worked across sectors including with clients from the Federal Government, Indigenous communities, private sector investment, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and professional associations. CEO Howard Parry-Husbands comments: 'We have been working with clients in Canberra for a few years - both government and non-government clients. We knew that clients from Canberra had a different way of working and that is why we had a dedicated team in Sydney working on their business. But the time has come for us to open an office in Canberra so we can be closer to clients'. Web site: www.pollinate.com.au . Former CEO of Lynch, Jones & Ryan brokerage now works to improve the business district of Fifth Avenue in New York City. Your older teenager or young adult child isnt sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."to read the full article BEIJING - For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this May 18, 2018, file photo, visitors walk past a display showing microchips and circuit boards at the 21st China Beijing International High-tech Expo in Beijing. For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) BEIJING - For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. Communist leaders deflected demands for change until foreign frustration erupted into a showdown with President Donald Trump. He sent shockwaves through their export industries by slapping punitive tariffs of up to 25% on Chinese goods. Europe, Japan and other trading partners object to Trump's tactics but echo American complaints. They say Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening commitments under the World Trade Organization. American prosecutors go further. They say the Communist Party is the ringleader of a global industrial spying operation. Chinese leaders have promised stronger patent protections and other legal changes. Foreign experts say that will make little difference if the party won't enforce them. The share of companies in a survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce that said they felt compelled to hand over technology doubled from two years ago to 20 per cent. "It is unacceptable that this practice continues," a chamber vice-president, Charlotte Roule, said Monday. "Ending its persistence needs to be a priority." Here are some tactics Beijing's trading partners complain it uses to improperly obtain foreign technology. ___ JOINT VENTURES: The strongest tool in Beijing's arsenal is the longstanding requirement for companies in most industries to work through state-owned local partners. The goal is for the Chinese partner to learn and eventually displace its foreign competitor. Some balked but thousands of companies co-operated as the price of admission to the most populous global market. Many companies say Chinese partners abide by promises not to abuse their access to technology. But some say partners have copied chemical formulas, industrial processes and other secrets for their own operations, sometimes with local government support. Beijing denies it forces foreign companies to hand over technology, but joint ventures won't work without foreign technology and manufacturing expertise. In the auto industry, China has promised to lift requirements for joint ventures and allow full foreign ownership by 2023. Experts say that suggests they believe Chinese automakers no longer need foreign tutors. ___ LEGAL PRESSURE: Pressure to hand over technology pervades Chinese law and action by regulators. Beijing promised when it joined the WTO in 2001 to treat Chinese and foreign companies equally. But 18 years later, business groups and governments say foreign companies still face special burdens, including sharing technology. The European Union filed a WTO challenge last June to Chinese laws on technology licensing it says discriminate against foreign companies. It said China's own companies are free to negotiate licensing terms, but Beijing dictates terms for foreign companies. FILE - In this Saturday, April 18, 2015 file photo, a worker prepares a display ahead of the Auto Shanghai show, to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center next week, in Shanghai. For four decades, Beijing has cajoled or pressured foreign companies to hand over technology. And its trading partners say if that didn't work, China stole what it wanted. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) A law approved in March bans using "administrative measures" to compel foreign companies to hand over technology. Business groups welcomed that but said Chinese officials can still use other pressure tactics. Business groups say Chinese regulators misuse a 2008 Anti-Monopoly Law to pressure foreign companies in negotiations on technology licensing. The law includes an unusual provision prohibiting "abuse of intellectual property right." Lawyers say that runs counter to the spirit of patents and copyrights, which are meant to encourage technology creation by giving the owner a temporary monopoly and the right to charge others for using it. Lawyers said Chinese regulators sometimes intervene in contract negotiations and push foreign companies to accept lower fees by threatening to launch an anti-monopoly investigation. ___ REGULATORY PRESSURE Authorities also use "window guidance," or verbal orders given in secret, to compel companies to support Chinese technology development in ways the government doesn't publicly acknowledge. A decade ago, for example, global automakers agreed to help Chinese partners create new local brands. That injected foreign expertise into fledgling brands the Communist Party hoped eventually will compete in global markets in a way joint venture vehicles made under foreign brand names cannot. It made life harder for automakers by spreading their resources more thinly and adding to competition in a glutted market. Despite that, global automakers said they had commercial motivations and regulators denied they applied any pressure. The real reason? Industry researchers say regulators told automakers in private they had to co-operate if they wanted permission to expand production of their own brands. ___ MORE REGULATORY PRESSURE Regulators also pressure foreign companies to help potential Chinese rivals develop technology. Global companies in engineering, software, pharmaceuticals and other fields have set up research centres with Chinese partners. Many say they are to take advantage of China's scientific talent pool, but such arrangements benefit potential Chinese competitors and are unusual abroad. This month, Microsoft Corp. opened an artificial intelligence research lab in Shanghai with the state-owned Zhangjiang Group. Other prominent examples include General Motors Co.'s Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center with state-owned SAIC Motor. SAIC is the main Chinese manufacturing partner for GM and Volkswagen AG but also sells its own auto brands. ___ AND MORE REGULATORY PRESSURE Companies complain regulators use patent, safety and other official examinations to learn about technology, often including employees of Chinese rivals in review panels. Companies are required to provide what they say is an unusually large amount of information about products and industrial processes, including competitive secrets, to obtain patents or approval for operations. The Wall Street Journal in September cited an employee of a foreign automaker as saying there was "clear evidence of collusion" between regulators and Chinese automakers. The employee said regulators asked for blueprints of components the company was trying to prevent its Chinese partner from seeing but ignored other parts of the vehicle. ___ "LOCALIZING TECHNOLOGY" For decades, the ruling party has rewarded businesspeople, academics and others who "localize technology" a euphemism for unauthorized copying of foreign know-how with promotions, research grants, money and public praise. Security researchers say the government operates a network of research institutes and business parks to turn stolen technology into commercial products. In 2013, three Chinese scientists at New York University were charged with sending U.S. taxpayer-financed research on magnetic resonance imaging to a Chinese government-run institute. Other Chinese-born researchers in the United States have been charged with stealing chemical, seed, turbine and other technologies. Prosecutors say some had partners waiting in China to turn them into products. ___ OUTRIGHT THEFT American prosecutors say when all else fails, top-level state companies steal foreign secrets. Pangang Group, a steelmaker owned by China's Cabinet, was indicted in 2014 on U.S. charges it paid industrial spies to steal a process from DuPont for making titanium dioxide, a white pigment widely used in toothpaste, Oreo cookies and other products. Defendants including an industry consultant and a retired DuPont employee admitted working for Pangang. But the case stalled because prosecutors had no access to Pangang Group and Chinese authorities took no action. ___ MILITARY SPYING 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. U.S. prosecutors say the Communist Party uses its military wing's cyber warfare skills to steal commercial secrets. The People's Liberation Army is regarded as, along with the U.S. and Russian militaries, a leader in research on breaking into or disabling an enemy's computer networks. Security experts say hackers believed to be Chinese soldiers or military contractors have stolen secrets including product designs, chemical processes and details of commercial negotiations. In 2014, five members of China's military cyber warfare unit were indicted on U.S. industrial spying charges. The following year, President Xi Jinping agreed with President Barack Obama to avoid using military resources to steal commercial secrets. But the U.S. National Security Agency said in November that Beijing appeared to be violating its pledge. In October, an employee of China's main spy agency was charged with trying to steal trade secrets from U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Huawei could quickly lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this photo taken Thursday, May 16, 2019, a man handing out pamphlets is silhouetted against a advertisement for the latest smartphones from Huawei in Beijing. Google is assuring users of Huawei smartphones the American company's services still will work on them following U.S. government restrictions on doing business with the Chinese tech giant. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Huawei could quickly lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse. The Trump administration's move, which effectively bars U.S. firms from selling components and software to Huawei, ups the ante in a trade war between Washington and Beijing that partly reflects a struggle for global economic and technological dominance. Google said it would continue to support existing Huawei smartphones but future devices will not have its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and search. Only basic services would be available for future versions of the Android operating system on Huawei's smartphones. Though the U.S. Commerce Department grants exceptions, the ban announced last week on all purchases of U.S. technology is thus apt to badly hurt Huawei, analysts say. Washington claims Huawei poses a national security threat, and its placement on the so-called Entity List by the Trump administration last week is widely seen as intended to persuade resistant U.S. allies in Europe to exclude Huawei equipment from their next-generation wireless networks, known as 5G. "This is major crisis for Huawei. Instead of being the world's largest handset manufacturer this year, it will struggle to stay two, but probably fall behind," analyst Roger Entner said. "How competitive is a smartphone without the most well-known and popular apps?" Huawei will likely use its own, stripped-down version of Android, whose basic code is provided free of charge by Google. But the Mountain View, California, company said Huawei would not be authorized to use other Google software and services if the sanctions go forward as announced. A man uses two smartphones at once outside a Huawei store in Beijing Monday, May 20, 2019. Google is assuring users of Huawei smartphones the American company's services still will work on them following U.S. government restrictions on doing business with the Chinese tech giant. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Google could seek exemptions, but would not comment on whether it planned to do so. Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, said Google itself won't feel a large direct impact, "as consumers will shift to other Android devices. The biggest concern is not to be caught in the crossfire of two governments." Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen said 48% of Huawei's phone shipments last year were outside of China and the company will need to scramble not to lose market share. Samsung led global smartphone sales in the first quarter of this year with a 23.1% share. Huawei was second with 19%, followed by Apple at 11.7%, according to IDC. Huawei's smartphone sales in the U.S. are tiny and the Chinese company's footprint in telecommunications networks is limited to smaller wireless and internet providers so any impact on U.S. consumers of a Google services cutoff would be slight. Hardware suppliers led by Qualcomm, Broadcom and Intel would also be forced to halt shipments to Huawei under the Commerce Department rule, which requires all U.S. technology sales to the company to obtain U.S. government approval unless exceptions are made. The Commerce Department on Monday announced a 90-day grace period this week. In a report, the global risk assessment outfit Eurasia Group said that if the sanction process helps persuade European carriers to shun Huawei equipment, a full ban on purchases of U.S. technology products and services could be avoided. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., said in a statement late Sunday that it was complying with and "reviewing the implications" of the requirement for export licenses for technology sales to Huawei, which took effect Thursday. "For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices," it added. The U.S. government says Chinese suppliers including Huawei and its smaller rival, ZTE Corp., pose an espionage threat because they are beholden to China's ruling Communist Party. But American officials have presented no evidence of any Huawei equipment serving as intentional conduits for espionage by Beijing. Huawei, headquartered in the southern city of Shenzhen near Hong Kong, reported earlier that its worldwide sales rose 19.5% last year over 2017 to 721.2 billion ($105.2 billion). Profit rose 25.1% to 59.3 billion yuan ($8.6 billion). Huawei smartphone shipments rose 50% in the first three months of 2019 to 59.1 million, compared with a year earlier, while the global industry's total fell 6.6%, according to IDC. Shipments from Samsung and Apple both declined. 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. Huawei defended itself Monday as "one of Android's key global partners." The company said it helped to develop a system that "benefited both users and the industry." "We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally," the company said. A foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said China will "monitor the development of the situation" but gave no indication how Beijing might respond. The U.S. order took effect Thursday and requires government approval for all purchases of American microchips, software and other components globally by Huawei and 68 affiliated businesses. Huawei says that amounted to $11 billion in goods last year. That could certainly create some collateral damage for U.S. companies. The California chipmaker Xilinx Inc. tumbled 4% Monday. David Wong, an analyst with Nomura, said Xilinx has benefited from demand in next-generation, 5G technologies and "action against a major maker of communications infrastructure equipment like Huawei likely poses risk for Xilinx." Winnipegs Birchwood Automotive Group has embarked on a massive, multi-million-dollar expansion, adding three new dealerships, renovating three others and adding a new brand to the fold. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipegs Birchwood Automotive Group has embarked on a massive, multi-million-dollar expansion, adding three new dealerships, renovating three others and adding a new brand to the fold. Expected to open in the summer of 2020 is Birchwood Lexus, while not far behind will be Jaguar Land Rover Winnipeg and Birchwood Volkswagen, the companys first VW franchise, on Regent Avenue. The Jaguar Land Rover and Lexus stores will be neighbours facing Kenaston Boulevard. Kevin McNeill, vice-president of operations, said Jaguar Land Rover and Lexus will benefit from having their own, stand-alone dealerships. Lexus currently shares space with Birchwood Toyota while Jaguar Land Rover is paired with Volvo Winnipeg. Both the Toyota and Volvo stores will remain in their current locations in the Pointe West Auto Park. "Lexus separation was initiated by Birchwood, while Jaguar Land Rover separation from Volvo was manufacturer-initiated due to a different ownership structure," McNeill said. "This initiative will allow for growth of both franchises. "Birchwood has been working very closely with JLR and Volvo on the timing of this transition and we are excited with expanding our operations to meet the growing consumer demands for all three brands." As vehicle manufacturers, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo once had common ownership under Fords Premium Auto Group, but when that split up, Jaguar and Land Rover merged and became part of Indias Tata Group. Volvo was acquired by Chinas Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, commonly known simply as Geely. The new Birchwood Lexus is expected to open in the summer of 2020. (Supplied) Leading the developments will be McNeill, longtime automotive executive Rene Nicholson and Scott Stephanson, vice-president of True North Real Estate Development. Nicholson is responsible for the Kenaston Boulevard projects while Stephanson is leading what the company is calling the Birchwood Regent Campus. The news is sending ripples across a wide swath of the city's economy. "Investments in facilities such as these sends a clear message regarding confidence in the Winnipeg market," said Geoff Sine, executive director of the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association. The local building trades are also celebrating, not only for what it means for workers, but also the positive effect it will have on recruiting, training and graduating new workers into skilled trades, said Sudhir Sandhu, chief executive of Manitoba Building Trades. "Its always great to see smaller projects coming up," he said, adding its important for the long-term future of Manitobas skilled trades given the need to graduate new tradespeople into the workforce. Its a point echoed by Winnipeg Construction Association president Ron Hambley, who has been another key figure in efforts to grow the ranks of the provinces skilled trades. With the expected and/or forthcoming completion of True North Square, the Keeyask generating station, Waverley underpass and southwest transit corridor, having projects to backfill the gap is critical, he said. "When you have a larger project wrapping up, if theres not something there to replace it, it does interrupt their education," he said. "You want to keep these people fully employed between school visits to help them get their journeyperson status as soon as possible." Volkswagen Canada completed an analysis of the Winnipeg market and identified an opening for a third franchise. (Carlos Osorio / The Associated Press files) Projects the size of typical automotive dealerships will employ about 200 tradespeople over the course of construction, from heavy equipment operators at the start through to construction trades to specialized contractors for electrical, plumbing and heating and ventilation, Sandhu said. The Volkswagen store will be between 22,000 and 24,000 square feet, while the Lexus store will be approximately 37,500 square feet and Jaguar Land Rover will be 36,800 square feet, McNeill said. The VW store is expected to add 40 jobs, said Birchwood president Steve Chipman, while McNeill estimated employment at the two luxury dealerships will be between 70 and 80 new positions. 'We have seen the luxury auto mall concept in other cities. The clustering of brands is a natural progression of that concept in south Winnipeg.' Geoff Sine, Manitoba Motor Dealers Association executive director Landing the luxury brands on the southern end of Kenaston Boulevard creates a luxury-vehicle corridor, bookended by Audi Winnipeg and, soon, Porsche Centre Winnipeg to the north and Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg to the south. The Porsche dealership is expected to move from its current location on Pembina Highway by the end of the year. The logic of the move was not lost on Chipman, but he said creating such a corridor was simply coincidental. "It was just where we had the land. Were full at Pointe West and theres nowhere left on Regent," he said. Birchwood has eight acres on Lowson Crescent with frontage on Kenaston between Luxe BBQ and Fort Garry Brewing. Previous occupants were Big Steel Box and Forbes Brothers Construction. Intentional or otherwise, creating a luxury corridor is a trend thats showing up elsewhere in Canada, Sine said. Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg president/owner Brian Lowes moved his dealership to 23 Rothwell Road off Kenaston Boulevard in 2015. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files) "We have seen the luxury auto mall concept in other cities. The clustering of brands is a natural progression of that concept in south Winnipeg," he said. Lexus Canada said it is "thrilled" to soon have a stand-alone dealer in Winnipeg, adding its location makes it well-positioned to service luxury customers, according to Robert Tsang, director of Lexus Canada. Birchwood's closest neighbour, however, wasn't so quick to contain his excitement. "Absolutely," said Brian Lowes, president of Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg. "Its great exposure for the businesses, brands and industry in an exciting part of the city that is experiencing loads of positive growth." Birchwood Volkswagen will replace the original Keystone Ford, which now houses a Birchwood Certified Pre-owned store. That building will be demolished. Volkswagen Canada had completed an analysis of the Winnipeg market and identified an opening for a third franchise, which Chipman said such was equivalent to issuing a request for proposals, which Birchwood submitted and won. 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. Volkswagen Canada spokesman Thomas Tetzlaff would not elaborate on the "top secret" process, but did say the company was excited to be in east Winnipeg. "The north-east quadrant of Winnipeg has been closely monitored in recent years, and already includes an extensive network of established dealerships," he said. "This addition will significantly enhance the Volkswagen brand presence in Winnipeg and elevate customer access and convenience." Birchwood is also investing in facelifts to reflect new design directives from their respective manufacturers for Birchwood Hyundai on McPhillips Street and Birchwood Kia and Birchwood Ford (formerly Keystone Ford) on Regent Avenue. Chipman and McNeill would not reveal the total amount of investment in the six dealerships, but Chipman did say automotive dealership construction is now priced between $250 and $300 per square foot. Such costs would put the ballpark cost of the VW store at between $5.5 million and $6.5 million, with the Lexus and Jaguar Land Rover stores between $9 million and $11 million. kelly.taylor@freepress.mb.ca WASHINGTON - A federal judge ruled against President Donald Trump on Monday in a financial records dispute with Congress and said lawmakers should get the documents they have subpoenaed. Trump called it a "crazy" decision that his lawyers would appeal. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2019 (951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Washington. Trump is returning from a trip to New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON - A federal judge ruled against President Donald Trump on Monday in a financial records dispute with Congress and said lawmakers should get the documents they have subpoenaed. Trump called it a "crazy" decision that his lawyers would appeal. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta comes amid a widespread effort by the White House and Trump's attorneys to refuse to co-operate with congressional requests for information and records. Earlier Monday, Trump directed former White House counsel Don McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena that had compelled McGahn, a pivotal figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. In ruling that Trump cannot block the financial records subpoena, Mehta said the Democratic-led House Oversight and Reform Committee had "valid legislative purposes" for its request and that it was not for him "to question whether the Committee's actions are truly motivated by political considerations." The committee has said the records will help it consider whether to strengthen ethics and disclosure laws, among other things, said Mehta, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama. Trump pointed to his Democratic predecessor when he told reporters before leaving the White House for a Monday night rally in Pennsylvania that "we think it's totally the wrong decision by, obviously, an Obama-appointed judge." To the committee chairman, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the judge's decision was a "resounding victory for the rule of law and our constitutional system of checks and balances." Trump's lawyers, in cases from Washington and New York challenging the Democrats' demands, argued that congressional investigations are legitimate only if there is legislation that might result from them. "There is no possible legislation at the end of this tunnel," his legal team said. The White House made the same argument Friday when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he would not comply with a congressional subpoena for six years of Trump's tax returns. In the New York case, Trump, his business and family want to prevent Deutsche Bank and Capital One from complying with House subpoenas for banking and financial records. A Wednesday court hearing is planned. In the Washington case, Trump and his business organization are trying to block the subpoena issued in April to Mazars USA, which has provided accounting services to Trump. Even before the ruling, legal scholars had said Trump's argument had little merit and that Congress has broad powers to investigate. 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. Mehta said in his 41-page opinion that there are limits on Congress's authority to investigate, but those limits "do not substantially constrain Congress." He said that as long as "Congress investigates on a subject matter on which 'legislation could be had,'" it is following the Constitution. Mehta said that was true in this case, pointing to the committee's memo outlining four areas of investigation, each of which he said Congress could legislate on. The judge cited the Watergate investigation involving President Richard Nixon and the Whitewater investigation involving President Bill Clinton. He said Congress "plainly views itself as having sweeping authority to investigate illegal conduct of a President, before and after taking office." "This court is not prepared to roll back the tide of history," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report. COPENHAGEN - Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2019 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Wednesday May 1, 2019 file photo, buildings are reflected in the window as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Swedish prosecutors plan to decide whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) COPENHAGEN - Swedish authorities on Monday issued a request for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is now jailed in Britain, a Swedish prosecutor said. Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson says if the Swedish court decided to detain Assange "on probable cause suspected for rape ... I will issue a European Arrest Warrant." The development sets up a possible future tug-of-war between Sweden and the United States over any extradition of Assange from Britain. Assange was evicted last month from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had been holed up with political asylum since 2012. He was then immediately arrested by British police on April 11 and is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Britain for jumping bail in 2012. The Australian secret-spiller also faces a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP) Persson said Monday that British authorities will decide any conflict between a European arrest warrant and U.S. extradition request for Assange. On May 13, Swedish prosecutors reopened a preliminary investigation against Assange, who visited Sweden in 2010, after two Swedish women said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange. While a case of alleged sexual misconduct against Assange in Sweden was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden. The statute of limitations in the rape case expires in August next year. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual. According to the request for a detention order obtained by The Associated Press, Assange is wanted for "intentionally having carried out an intercourse" with an unnamed woman "by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep." The request added there was "an aggravating circumstance" because Assange didn't use a condom. The 47-year-old Australian met the two Swedish woman in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Sweden's centre-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience. 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 police officer who heard the women's accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor. Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly. Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden if he is convicted of the rape. Persson said the day and time for the detention hearing regarding Assange at the Uppsala District Court north of Stockholm that will make the decision has not yet been decided. "However, in my view, the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the U.K.," Persson said in a statement. Meanwhile, Assange's supporters gathered outside Ecuador's Embassy in London to protest what they said was the handover of his belongings to American prosecutors. Demonstrators put banners on the railings with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag, and chanted "Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Shame on you!" WikiLeaks said in a statement that Assange's possessions, including manuscripts, medical records and electronic equipment, will be handed to U.S. prosecutors seeking his extradition on Monday. The school year may be winding down, but just blink and itll be September again which for some students means new clothes, new shoes, new notebooks and folders and freshly sharpened pencils. But for families who cant always afford it, that time of year can be tough. This week on Inside Winona we sat down with Mandi Olson, director of Ready Set School, a local nonprofit that funds new school supplies for lower-income students in Winona County. This is Ready Set Schools busy season: Theyre both accepting applications from families who want to receive the assistance and collecting donations to help them provide it. Hit play below to learn how you can get involved. The following interview has been edited for both clarity and brevity. To hear Olsons unedited and uncut answers, tune into Inside Winona at winonadailynews.com or search Inside Winona on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Pocket Casts. Q: For those who might not know, what is Ready Set School, and whos eligible for it? A: Theres basically two parts to Ready Set School. We need to raise money, and we need to give it out to families here in Winona County. To be eligible for a voucher, a family needs to be receiving free and reduced lunches, a housing subsidy or a food benefit like TANF or WIC. Q: Where are you in the process right now? A: Its both the big fundraising campaign and also the application period. From March to May, we work to raise about $40,000 of the $70,000 overall budget. And at the same time, April 15 through May 31, our applications are open. The vouchers will be mailed out to them in July, and they can use them in August and September. Q: How many kids received vouchers last year? A: We had just over 600 students receive vouchers, and that is down from previous years. I did pull a stat because I was curious: From the Minnesota Department of Health, there are about 1,800 students that are eligible for free and reduced lunches (in Winona County). So we definitely have a gap, and we could be serving more students. We worked this year to brainstorm different ideas on how to get the message out there more. One of the goals we had was to collaborate with agencies that serve similar clientele, so we have Miller Mentoring helping us promote this, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Food Shelf, and on and on. Q: Your website says Ready Set School needs to raise $44,000 by the end of May. How are you doing on that goal? A: Were at about $38,000 or $39,000 right now, so about $5,000 to go. Over the course of the last six weeks, weve had a lot of community fundraisers, so thats been very positive. And most of those have increased their donation from the previous year. I feel like everything has gone really well. ... I will say donations are still coming in daily. I just picked up another two that came in the mail. So we really appreciate the community support. Q: Youve said you appreciate connecting people who want to donate to the people who need it. Has there been a moment that solidifies for you why you do this work? A: Ive had teachers reach out to me over email requesting some school supplies that we have in our storage unit, and I can feel how grateful they are for this program. For example, I just had a teacher from a small school district say, Were running out of erasers and we have a couple more weeks of school left. Is there any chance that you have any? And I was like, Yeah, absolutely. Where can I drop them off? Q: Youve been director for about six months now. What does the next six months hold? A: We have to figure out how much the voucher is going to be worth this year, and mail that out to families in July. Theres a lot of logistical things that have to be done. For goals, I want to sit down and reflect on how long things took me and how we can do things more efficient, and how we can make a bigger impact for both raising funds and providing the vouchers for the families. Q: When the families get those vouchers, what are the local businesses they can use them at? A: We have Walmart on board again this year, and Rogans Shoes. Theyd like to get one more store on board, but with timing were not able to get that going for 2019. Were hoping to look at it for 2020. But thats whats so great about this organization too, is community members donate, its given to their neighbors, and then they enter and spend the money right here in Winona. Q: What has it been like working with the Ready Set School board? A: The board for Ready Set School is really amazing. Theyre very energized and very engaged. When I started in November, they had just had a goal-planning session in October, and one of the things they wanted to do is restructure the board. I took those notes and I took some feedback, and we were able to create a structure that board members could plug themselves into certain areas of the organization they were a little bit more passionate about. They also had a goal to improve relations outside of the city. Its easy to focus on Winona because it is the biggest city. The board has a couple people from St. Charles and Lewiston, and with their help, were trying to plug into different events in those communities so Ready Set School is better known. Then we, in turn, reach that goal of more fundraising dollars and also more applications. Q: What, to you, is the impact of a kid being able to get new supplies or new clothes at the beginning of a school year? A: Everyone can relate to understanding the first day of school. And for many people, its very positive. But for other people, it can be negative, because its a reminder of their family situation of, I cant have the new sneakers, I cant have the new notebooks, and that sort of thing. Its important because we all want kids to start off on the right foot. Thats a very important thing for learning and attention in the classroom. The first day of school is kind of like the first impression of the school year. So if they can start off on the right foot, thats positive for everybody. The student. The teachers. The family. Q: If people would like to donate to Ready Set School, where can they go? A: All our information on how to donate is on our website, readysetschoolwinona.org. We also put a lot of information on our Facebook page, and we would love to encourage folks to find Ready Set School Winona and like it to learn about different events going on, learn about the program, learn who were serving. 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... International Boeing acknowledges flaw in 737 MAX simulator software Grounded Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft at Victorville Airport in Victorville, California. (Reuters) New York, May 19 (AFP) | Publish Date: 5/19/2019 12:35:53 PM IST Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions, it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel, a rarely used manual wheel to control the planes angle. Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted, it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator late this year. American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association, it added. The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said thats because during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service. US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX. Puffs of bright colors shot into the air, splashing across clothes, hair and faces as children dashed past, either trying to avoid the clouds of powder or reveling in them. It was the fourth annual 5K Color-A-Thon at Al Behrman Elementary School on Saturday, where families walked or ran along the route leading back to the school and were doused at several points in corn starch colored with red, blue or yellow food coloring. While rain threatened to fall and brought a chilly breeze, the roughly 40 participants and volunteers werent noticeably dismayed. Katie Beckwith, a first-grade teacher at Al Behrman, ran through the last station, getting a direct spray of blue from volunteer Misaki Izumiya, a Baraboo High School exchange student from Tokyo. Beckwith attended the 5K with her husband and children. The event, organized by the Al Behrman parent support group, raised money for playground equipment. Theyve been working a lot to get things going for it and making sure that everybody brings back the fundraisers, Beckwith said. The kids were really excited about it. We look to all of you to help spread the word, he said addressing the audience. There are thousands and thousands of people involved, just like you, and Beaver Dam is at the very epicenter of it. I think thats very cool. My heart is filled with pride. Im proud of this organization. Im proud of the people involved. Im proud of what weve accomplished and Im proud of you. You believed in us and you got us to this point. You believed in our mission. You believe in our country and you believe in those who stand to fight for it. Thats pretty special. Many people said that this is a foolish idea; that it cant work. I wish they were here today so I could look them in the eye and say, You were wrong. We did it, and are doing it with the help of a nation of patriots who answered our call. And Im honored to have you all by my side. Columbus Community Hospital (CCH) will host a Walk in the Park May 22, 4:30 p.m. at the American Legion in Columbus. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund Stop the Bleed education classes and training for community members in the hospitals service area. Victims of uncontrolled bleeding, from any cause, can die within five to 10 minutes. Would you know what to do to stop the bleeding and save a life in the event of an active shooter or disaster where response of emergency personnel is delayed? Training includes the various ways to control bleeding, whether using only your hands or are a full trauma first aid kit. The course covers contacting emergency personnel, finding the source of the bleed, applying compression, applying a tourniquet, packing a wound, and applying direct pressure. Instruction is provided by a certified Stop the Bleed instructor and CCH Registered Nurse. Slotty was accompanied on the Honor Flight by his son, guardian Dan Slotty, who helped raise funds for the Honor Flight by participating in beanbag tournaments throughout Wisconsin and donating all of his winnings to the Badger Honor Flight. The Sauk County area has raised more than $100,000 for the Honor Flight, enough to sponsor an entire flight. Its funny that were here, because for a long time my dad said I cant do this, its too hard, its not for me, Dan Slotty said. But then he heard from his friends how much the trip meant to them, how much visiting the memorials meant to them, and now its amazing that were able to be here. After lunch at the Air Force Memorial, provided at cost by Ace Dar, the owner of a group of Washington-area Arbys who has provided more than 200,000 meals to Honor Flights, the group departed for the longest stop of the day at the National Mall to visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Of the 86 veterans on the flight, 82 served during the Vietnam War. National Congress, JD-S call for end to verbal sparring in Karnataka Bengaluru, May 20 (IANS) | Publish Date: 5/20/2019 11:33:26 AM IST Ahead of the results for Karnatakas 28 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, the warring Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) ruling allies in the state on Monday called for a ceasefire amid acrimonious remarks against each other by leaders of both parties. I appeal to the leaders of both the parties to refrain from making any controversial remarks or commenting in the public or to the media against each other, tweeted Congress state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao in Kannada here. Raos appeal came a day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi directed the partys state leaders, ministers and legislators to refrain from criticising their counterparts in the JD-S. Expressing concern over charges and counter-charges between leaders of both the allies over the last fortnight, Gandhi told the partys state unit leaders in New Delhi that they should work with the JD-S in the spirit of coalition dharma and prevent any threat to the year-old coalition government in the southern state. I request you all to maintain cordiality with the JD-S leaders, including its Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, its supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and others as the coalition government has to sustain and serve the people of the state, Gandhi told party leaders. Besides Rao, the partys legislature leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and Congress state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal met Gandhi to ensure there wont be any adverse impact on the coalition government after the parliamentary poll results on May 23. In a pre-poll arrangement, the allies fielded joint candidates in all the 28 seats, with the Congress in 21 and the JD-S in seven seats across the state for the elections that were held in two phases on April 18 and April 23. Reciprocating the Congress move, JD-S state chief A. H. Vishwanath said there was no threat to the coalition government from the leaders of his party or from the outcome of the Lok Sabha election in the state. The coalition government will continue to work for the people under Kumaraswamys leadership for the full term as agreed by Gandhi and Deve Gowda after the May, 2018 Assembly election gave a fractured verdict, leading to a post-poll alliance and formation of the Congress-JD-S government on May 23 last year, Vishwanath told reporters at Mysuru, about 150 kms from here. Kumaraswamy too tweeted that his government would continue and complete its full five-year term in 2023. Rahul Gandhi has directed all our leaders, ministers and legislators to avoid making controversial remarks or statements against the JD-S leadership and the functioning of the coalition government, said Rao citing Gandhis stern warning to comply or face action. With various exit polls predicting a majority (20-23) of the Lok Sabha seats for the rival BJP in the state and five to seven for the ruling allies, the leaders of both the parties, including Cabinet ministers and legislators have been told to refrain from saying anything against each other when the allies are trying to form a non-BJP government at the Centre with the help of other opposition parties. As the prospects of a secular and progressive government coming up at the Centre after the election results on Thursday are bright, it is imperative that we work together and show our unity, said Rao. Simmering differences between the allies surfaced when two Congress ministers and 10 Congress legislators claimed Siddaramaiah was their leader and wanted him to become the Chief Minister again in place of Kumaraswamy. Blaming Siddaramaiah from failing to rein in his loyalists who did not accept Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister, Vishwanath had said the top executive post was not vacant and that the Congress had lost the Assembly election under Siddaramaiahs leadership. Kumaraswamy also reacted to the clamour of the Congress leaders by saying that its senior Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge should have become Chief Minister long ago but was denied the opportunity for reasons best known to Congress leaders in the state. 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of Quality Health III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Physician Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Wisconsin LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Tennessee LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Texas Inc., Agate Resources Inc., AirLogix, Ambetter of Magnolia Inc., Ambetter of North Carolina Inc., Ambetter of Peach State Inc., America's 1st Choice California Holdings LLC, American Progressive Life and Health Insurance Company of New York, Apixio, Apixio Inc, Arch Personalized Medicine Initiative LLC, Arkansas Health & Wellness Health Plan Inc., Arkansas Total Care Holding Company LLC, Arkansas Total Care Inc., B2B Gestion Integra S.L.U., B2B Salud S.L.U., Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Blackcrow Asistencia Medica S.L, Bridgeway Health Solutions LLC, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona Inc., Buckeye Community Health Plan Inc., Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions Inc., CCTX Holdings LLC, CMC Real Estate Company LLC, CT Poprad s.r.o., CT Presov s.r.o., Calibrate Acquisition Company, California Health and Wellness Plan, Cantina Laredo Clayton LP, Cardium Health Services, Care 1st Health Plan of Arizona Inc., Care1st Health Plan Administrative Services Inc., Carolina Complete Health Holding Company Partnership, Carolina Complete Health Inc., Casenet LLC, Casenet S.R.O., CeltiCare Health Plan Holdings LLC, CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts Inc., Celtic Group Inc., Celtic Insurance Company, Cenpatico Behavioral Health LLC, Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona LLC, Cenpatico of Arizona Inc., Centene Center I LLC, Centene Center II LLC, Centene Center LLC, Centene Company of Texas LP, Centene Europe Finance Company Limited, Centene Health Plan Holdings Inc., Centene Institute for Advanced Health Education LLC, Centene International Ventures LLC, Centene Investments LLC, Centene Management Company LLC, Centene Venture Company Alabama Health Plan Inc., Centene Venture Company Florida Inc., Centene Venture Company Illinois Inc., Centene Venture Company Indiana Inc., Centene Venture Company Kansas Inc., Centene Venture Company Michigan Inc., Centene Venture Company Tennessee Inc., Centro Inmunologocia De La Comunidad Valenciana S.L., Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, Centurion Detention Health Services LLC, Centurion LLC, Centurion of Arizona LLC, Centurion of Delaware LLC, Centurion of Florida LLC, Centurion of Kansas LLC, Centurion of Minnesota LLC, Centurion of Mississippi LLC, Centurion of New Hampshire LLC, Centurion of Pennsylvania LLC, Centurion of Tennessee LLC, Centurion of Vermont LLC, Centurion of West Virginia LLC, Centurion of Wyoming LLC, Chrysalis Medical Services LLC, Clinica Santo Domingo De Lugo S.L., Collaborative Health Systems IPA LLC, Collaborative Health Systems LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Maryland LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Virginia LLC, Comfort Hospice of Missouri LLC, Comfort Hospice of Texas LLC, ComfortBrook Hospice LLC, Community Medical Group, Community Medical Holdings Corporation, Comprehensive Health Management Inc., Comprehensive Reinsurance Ltd., Coordinated Care Corporation, Coordinated Care of Washington Inc., Country Style Health Care LLC, Discare CZ a.s., District Community Care Inc., Dr Magnet s.r.o., Elche-Crevillente Salud, Envolve Benefits Options Inc., Envolve Captive Insurance Company Inc., Envolve Dental IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Dental Inc., Envolve Dental of Florida Inc., Envolve Dental of Texas Inc., Envolve Health, Envolve Holdings Inc., Envolve Inc., Envolve Optical Inc., Envolve PeopleCare Inc., Envolve Pharmacy IPA LLC, Envolve Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Envolve Total Vision Inc., Envolve Vision Benefits Inc., Envolve Vision IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Vision Inc., Envolve Vision of Florida Inc., Envolve Vision of Texas Inc., Essential Care Partners LLC, Exactus Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Family Nurse Care II LLC, Family Nurse Care LLC, Family Nurse Care of Ohio LLC, Fidelis Care, Forensic Health Services LLC, Foundation Care LLC, Godgrace Asistencia Medica S.L., Golden Triangle Physician Alliance, Grace Hospice of Austin LLC, Grace Hospice of Grand Rapids LLC, Grace Hospice of Illinois LLC, Grace Hospice of Indiana LLC, Grace Hospice of San Antonio LLC, Grace Hospice of Virginia LLC, Grace Hospice of Wisconsin LLC, Granite State Health Plan Inc., Growly Asistencia Sanitaria S.L., HHS Texas Management Inc., HHS Texas Management LP, Hallmark Life Insurance Company, Harmony Behavioral Health IPA Inc., Harmony Behavioral Health Inc., Harmony Health Management Inc., Harmony Health Plan Inc., Harmony Health Systems Inc., Health Care Enterprises LLC, Health Net Access Inc., Health Net Community Solutions Inc., Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc., Health Net Federal Services LLC, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon Inc., Health Net LLC, Health Net Life Insurance Company, Health Net Life Reinsurance Company, Health Net Pharmaceutical Services, Health Net of Arizona Inc., Health Net of California Inc., Health Plan Real Estate Holdings Inc., HealthSmart Benefit Solutions Inc., HealthSmart Benefits Management LLC, HealthSmart Care Management Solutions LP, HealthSmart Information Systems Inc., HealthSmart Preferred Care II LP, HealthSmart Preferred Network II Inc., HealthSmart Primary Care Clinics LP, HealthSmart Rx Solutions Inc., Healthy Louisiana Holdings LLC, Healthy Missouri Holdings Inc., Healthy Washington Holdings Inc., Heritage Health Systems Inc., Heritage Health Systems of Texas Inc., Heritage Home Hospice LLC, Heritage Physician Networks, Home State Health Plan Inc., HomeScripts.com LLC, Hospice DME Company LLC, Hospinet S.L., Hospital Polusa S.A., Hospital Povisa S.A., Hudson Accountable Care LLC, IAH of Florida LLC, Illinois Health Practice Alliance LLC, Infraestructuras y Servicios de Alzira S. L., Integrated Care Network of Florida LLC, Integrated Mental Health Management LLC, Integrated Mental Health Services, Interpreta Holdings Inc., Interpreta Inc., Iowa Total Care Inc., Kentucky Spirit Health Plan Inc., LBB Industries Inc., LifeShare Management Group LLC, LiveHealthier Inc., Louisiana Healthcare Connections Inc., MH Services International Holdings (UK) Limited, MHM, MHM Correctional Services LLC, MHM Health Professionals LLC, MHM Services Inc., MHM Services of California LLC, MHM Solutions LLC, MHN Government Services LLC, MHN Services LLC, MHS Consulting International Inc., MHS Travel & Charter Inc., MR Centrum Melnick s.r.o., MR Poprad s.r.o., MR Zilina s.r.o., Magnolia Health Plan Inc., Managed Health Network, Managed Health Network LLC, Managed Health Services Insurance Corporation, Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Maryland Collaborative Care Transformation Organization Inc., Mauli Ola Health and Wellness Inc., Medicina NZ spol s.r.o., Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc., Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc., Meridian Management Company LLC, Meridian Network Services LLC, MeridianRx IPA LLC, MeridianRx LLC, MeridianRx of Indiana LLC, Michigan Complete Health, Mid-Atlantic Collaborative Care LLC, Nebraska Total Care Inc., Network Providers LLC, New York Quality Healthcare Corporation, Next Door Neighbors Inc., Next Door Neighbors LLC., North Florida Health Services Inc., Northern Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Novasys Health Inc., OB Care, OB Klinika, Ohana Health Plan Inc., Oklahoma Complete Health Inc., One Care by Care 1st Health Plans of Arizona Inc, Operose Health (Group) Ltd., Operose Health (Group) UK Ltd., Operose Health Ltd., OptiCare Health Systems - Managed Vision Business, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, Panther Pass Co LLC, Panther Specialty Holding Co LLC, Pantherx Access Services LLC, Pantherx Specialty LLC, Parker LP LLC, Peach State Health Plan Inc., Penn Marketing America LLC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Inc., Phoenix Home Health Care LLC, Pinnacle Home Care LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Illinois LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Indiana LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Kalamazoo LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Missouri LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Wisconsin LLC, Premier Marketing Group LLC, PrimeroSalud S.L., Pro Diagnostic Group A.S., Pro Magnet CZ s.r.o., Pro Magnet s.r.o, Pro RTG s.r.o, Progress Medical A.S., Prowl Holdings LLC, QCA Healthplan Inc., Qualchoice Life and Health Insurance Company, Quincy Coverage Corporation, R&C Healthcare LLC, RMED LLC, RX Direct Inc., Rapid Respiratory Services LLC, Ribera Lab S.L.U., Ribera Salud II, Ribera Salud Proyectos S.L., Ribera Salud S.A., Ribera Salud Tecnologias S.L.U., Ribera Slaud Infraestructuras S.L.U., Ribera-Quilpro UTE, Salus Administrative Services Inc., Salus IPA LLC, Secure Capital Solutions 2000 S.L.U., SelectCare Health Plans Inc., SelectCare of Texas Inc., Seniorcorps Peninsula LLC, Servicios De Mantenimiento Prevencor S.L.U., SilverSummit Healthplan Inc., Social Health Bridge LLC, Social Health Bridge Trust, Specialty Therapeutic Care GP LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care LP, Sunflower State Health Plan Inc., Sunshine Health Community Solutions Inc., Sunshine Health Holding LLC, Sunshine State Health Plan Inc., Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions Inc., Superior HealthPlan Inc., The Practice Properties Limited, The WellCare Management Group Inc., Torrejon Salud S.A., Torrevieja Salud S.L.U., Torrevieja Salud UTE, Traditional Home Health Services LLC, Trillium Community Health Plan Inc., U.S. Medical Management Holdings Inc., U.S. Medical Management LLC, UAM Agent Services Corp., US Script, USMM Accountable Care Partners LLC, Universal American Corp., Universal American Financial Services Inc., Universal American Holdings LLC, WCG Health Management Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of America, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Louisiana Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Nevada Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Washington Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Connecticut Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Hawaii Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of New York Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of North Carolina Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Southwest Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans, WellCare Health Plans of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Plans of California Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Massachusetts Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Missouri Inc., WellCare Health Plans of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Rhode Island Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Vermont Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare National Health Insurance Company, WellCare Pharmacy Benefits Management Inc., WellCare Prescription Insurance Inc., WellCare of Alabama Inc., WellCare of Arkansas Inc., WellCare of California Inc., WellCare of Connecticut Inc., WellCare of Florida Inc., WellCare of Georgia Inc., WellCare of Illinois Inc., WellCare of Indiana Inc., WellCare of Kansas Inc., WellCare of Maine Inc., WellCare of Michigan Holding Company, WellCare of Mississippi Inc., WellCare of Missouri Health Insurance Company Inc., WellCare of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare of New York Inc., WellCare of North Carolina Inc., WellCare of Ohio Inc., WellCare of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare of Pennsylvania Inc., WellCare of Puerto Rico Inc., WellCare of South Carolina Inc., WellCare of Texas Inc., WellCare of Virginia Inc., WellCare of Washington Inc., Wellcare Health Plans Inc., Western Sky Community Care Inc., Windsor Health Group Inc., Winning Security S.L., Worlco Management Services, and nirvanaHealth LLC. DTE Energy Co. operates as a diversified energy company, which engages in the provision of electricity and natural gas sales, distribution and storage services. It operates through the following segments: Electric, Gas, Non-Utility Operations, and Corporate & Other. The Electric segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution and sale of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers in south-eastern Michigan. The Gas segment engages in the purchase, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Michigan and the sale of storage and transportation capacity. The Non-Utility Operations segment engages in gas storage and pipelines, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. The Corporate & Other includes various holding company activities, holds certain non-utility debt, and holds energy-related investments. The company was founded in January 1995 and is headquartered in Detroit, MI. Read More Experian plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a technology company. The company operates through two segments, Business-to-Business and Consumer Services. It provides data services to identify and understand their customers, as well as to manage the risks related with lending. The company also offers analytical and decision tools that enhance businesses to manage their customers, minimize the risk of fraud, comply with legal requirements, and automate decisions and processes. In addition, it provides financial education, free access to Experian credit reports and scores, online educational tools, and applications to manage their financial position, access credit offers, and protect themselves from identity fraud. The company serves customers in financial service, direct-to-consumer, health, retail, automotive, software and professional services, telecommunications and utility, insurance, media and technology, government and public, and other sectors. It operates in North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Experian plc was formerly known as Experian Group Limited and changed its name to Experian plc in July 2008. Experian plc was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More International Russia air strikes kill 10 civilians in Syria Kafranbel, May 20 (Agencies) | Publish Date: 5/20/2019 11:38:38 AM IST Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia have killed 10 civilians including five children in a northwestern jihadist bastion, a monitor said Monday, hours after Moscow announced a ceasefire there. Clashes between regime forces and jihadists raged Monday on the edge of the region held by Syrias former Al-Qaeda affiliate, following the deadly air raids overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Idlib region controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is supposed to be protected from a government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but regime and Russian bombardment has increased there since late April. The Observatory said Russian air strikes overnight killed five children, four women, and one man in the town of Kafranbel in Idlib province. The air strikes hit near a hospital in the town, knocking it out of service, the Britain-based monitor said. An AFP correspondent saw five homes on the edges on the town that were destroyed or damaged after the strikes. Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier and cloud-neutral colocation data center services in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, cloud platforms, Internet service providers, and other customers. Its data centers acts as content, cloud, and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data between its customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; a range of output voltages and currents; connectivity services that enable its customers to connect their IT infrastructure to exchange traffic and access cloud platforms; and systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support, and data backup and storage services, as well as installs and manages physical connections running from its customers' equipment to the equipment of its telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, Internet exchange customers, and other customers. It provides its services to telecom operators, Internet service providers, and content delivery networks; content and cloud providers; and enterprises through direct sales forces, as well as through tradeshows, networking events, and industry seminars. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 51 carrier and cloud neutral colocation data centers in 13 metropolitan areas in 11 countries. The company is also involved in real estate management/holding businesses. InterXion Holding N.V. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Read More 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 TalkTalk Telecom Group PLC provides telecommunications services to consumers and business to business customers in the United Kingdom. It offers fiber, broadband, landline, TV, and mobile services under the TalkTalk and TalkTalk Business brands. Its products include HomeSafe, a home filtering service for residential customers; WorkSafe that provides protection for internet devices to business customers; SuperSafe, which offers protection from viruses and malwares; CallSafe, a security feature that screens inbound calls; and TalkSafe, a way of identifying a customer when they call using their voice. TalkTalk Telecom Group PLC was founded in 2002 and is based in Salford, the United Kingdom. Read More Premier Oil plc, an oil and gas company, engages in the exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties in the Falkland Islands, Indonesia, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, and internationally. As of December 31, 2019, its proved and probable reserves (2P) were 175 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe); and 2P and estimated contingent resources were 847 mmboe. Premier Oil plc was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Sophos Group plc, through its subsidiaries, provides cloud-enabled end-user and network security solutions. The company offers Intercept X, which delivers endpoint protection against unknown malware, exploits, and ransomware; XG Firewall, a next generation firewall that provides unprecedented visibility for networks, users, and applications directly from the control center; Sophos Central, a unified cloud administration console for managing various Sophos products; and Cloud Optix that offers artificial intelligence-based cloud security analytics, compliance, and DevSecOps platform to provide end-to-end protection in public cloud services. It also provides Sophos Wireless, a wireless access point; Sophos Email, an email security solution; Sophos Mobile, a unified endpoint management and mobile threat defense solution; UTM, a unified threat management solution; Phish Threat, a phishing simulation and engaging training solution; and Intercept X for Server, a next-generation server protection solution that provides security against cyber threats. In addition, the company offers SafeGuard Encryption solution; Secure Web Gateway for Web security; and Sophos Home for Mac and PC protection. It serves education, healthcare, retail, finance, and banking industries, as well as governments and public sectors in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. Sophos Group plc was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Abingdon, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Valero Energy: AIR BP-PBF DEL PERU SAC, BELFAST STORAGE LTD, CANADIAN ULTRAMAR COMPANY, COLONNADE TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY LLC, COLONNADE VERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY LLC, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OF CANADA INC., DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL HOLDINGS LLC, DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL LLC, DIAMOND K RANCH LLC, DIAMOND OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., DIAMOND SHAMROCK REFINING COMPANY L.P., DIAMOND UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., DSRM NATIONAL BANK, ENTERPRISE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT INC., GCP LOGISTICS COMPANY LLC, GOLDEN EAGLE ASSURANCE LIMITED, HAMMOND MAINLINE PIPELINE LLC, HUNTWAY REFINING COMPANY, MAINLINE PIPELINES LIMITED, MAPLE ETHANOL LTD., MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT GP LLC, MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT L.P., MRP PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, NECHES RIVER HOLDING CORP., NORCO METHANOL LLC, OCEANIC TANKERS AGENCY LIMITED, PARKWAY PIPELINE LLC, PENTA TANKS TERMINALS S.A., PI DOCK FACILITIES LLC, PICKARD PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, PORT ARTHUR COKER COMPANY L.P., PREMCOR USA INC., PROPERTY RESTORATION L.P., PURE BIOFUELS DEL PERU S.A.C., PURE BIOFUELS HOLDINGS L.P., Parkway Pipeline, Premcor, Pure Biofuels Del Peru, SABINE RIVER HOLDING CORP., SABINE RIVER LLC, SAINT BERNARD PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, SUNBELT REFINING COMPANY L.P., THE PREMCOR PIPELINE CO., THE PREMCOR REFINING GROUP INC., THE SHAMROCK PIPE LINE CORPORATION, TRANSPORT MARITIME ST. LAURENT INC., ULTRAMAR ACCEPTANCE INC., ULTRAMAR ENERGY INC., ULTRAMAR INC., Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, V-TEX LOGISTICS LLC, VALERO (BARBADOS) SRL, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS GP LLC, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS LIMITED, VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ARUBA ACQUISITION COMPANY I LTD., VALERO ARUBA FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA HOLDING COMPANY N.V., VALERO ARUBA HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA MAINTENANCE/OPERATIONS COMPANY N.V., VALERO BROWNSVILLE TERMINAL LLC, VALERO CANADA FINANCE INC., VALERO CANADA L.P., VALERO CAPITAL CORPORATION, VALERO CARIBBEAN SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO COKER CORPORATION ARUBA N.V., VALERO CUSTOMS & TRADE SERVICES INC., VALERO EAST BAY LLC, VALERO ENERGY (IRELAND) LIMITED, VALERO ENERGY ARUBA II COMPANY, VALERO ENERGY INC., VALERO ENERGY LTD, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS GP LLC, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS LP, VALERO ENERGY UK LTD, VALERO ENTERPRISES INC., VALERO EQUITY SERVICES LTD, VALERO FINANCE L.P. I, VALERO FINANCE L.P. II, VALERO FINANCE L.P. III, VALERO FOREST CONTRIBUTION LLC, VALERO GRAIN MARKETING LLC, VALERO H2 PIPELINE COMPANY LLC, VALERO HOLDCO UK LTD, VALERO HOLDINGS INC., VALERO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., VALERO LIVE OAK LLC, VALERO LOGISTICS UK LTD, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY (PANAMA) LLC, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPY INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO MARKETING IRELAND LIMITED, VALERO MKS LOGISTICS L.L.C., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEW AMSTERDAM B.V., VALERO OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONS SUPPORT LTD, VALERO PARTNERS CCTS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS EAST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS WEST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS EP LLC, VALERO PARTNERS HOUSTON LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LOUISIANA LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LUCAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MCKEE LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MERAUX LLC, VALERO PARTNERS NORTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS OPERATING CO. LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PAPS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PORT ARTHUR LLC, VALERO PARTNERS SOUTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS TEXAS CITY LLC, VALERO PARTNERS THREE RIVERS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WYNNEWOOD LLC, VALERO PAYMENT SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE LLC, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE OIL TERMINAL LTD, VALERO PLAINS COMPANY LLC, VALERO POWER MARKETING LLC, VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL PARTNERS LLC, VALERO REFINING AND MARKETING COMPANY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-ARUBA N.V., VALERO REFINING COMPANY-CALIFORNIA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-OKLAHOMA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-MERAUX LLC, VALERO REFINING-NEW ORLEANS L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-TEXAS L.P., VALERO RENEWABLE FUELS COMPANY LLC, VALERO SECURITY SYSTEMS INC., VALERO SERVICES INC., VALERO SKELLYTOWN PIPELINE LLC, VALERO TEJAS COMPANY LLC, VALERO TERMINAL HOLDCO LTD, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO TEXAS POWER MARKETING INC., VALERO ULTRAMAR HOLDINGS INC., VALERO UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., VALERO WEST WALES LLC, VRG PROPERTIES COMPANY, VTD PROPERTIES COMPANY, WARSHALL COMPANY LLC, and ZELIG COMMERCIAL INC.. GARY, Ind. (WLFI) - A man is behind bars after getting physically violent with an Indiana State Trooper who was assisting him. It happened around 6:10 a.m. on Sunday near the eight-mile marker on eastbound I-80/90 in Lake County. Senior Trooper Anthony Potesta was dispatched to a disabled car. When he arrived on scene, he said he found 29-year-old Michael P. Bartow from Algonquin, Illinois. Trooper Potesta said Bartow told him that his car had run out of gas as he driving home to Algonquin. During this conversation, Trooper Potesta said he smelt alcohol on Bartow's breath. He said he asked Bartow to get out of his car to complete a field sobriety test. Once at the rear of the car, Trooper Potesta attempted to administer the tests; however Bartow refused and attempted to walk back to his vehicle. That's when he said he attempted to detain Bartow, but he resisted. Trooper Potesta said a struggle began as he attempted to deploy his department issued Taser. He said Bartow reached for the Taser and a struggle for the weapon took place. He said the Taser fell to the ground, which Bartow picked up the weapon and attempted to deploy the Taser against Trooper Potesta. For an unknown reason, the Taser failed to fire. Trooper Potesta said he again attempted to take Bartow into custody and the struggle continued to the ground. While this confrontation was taking place, several Good Samaritans" stopped to assist. One of these people was an off-duty Illinois Sheriffs Deputy. One of the "Good Samaritans" was able to deploy a chemical agent against Bartow. They said this tactic was successful, as they were able to get Bartow into handcuffs soon after. Both Trooper Potesta and Bartow were transported to Northlake Hospital in Gary for treatment and both have been released. Toxicology results are pending. Bartow was incarcerated at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point. Pending approval by the Lake County Prosecutor, Bartow is facing the following charges: Disarming an Officer I.C. 35-44.1-3-2 (Level 3 Felony) Battery to Law Enforcement I.C. 35-42-2-1(g)(5) (Level 5 Felony) Resisting Law Enforcement I.C. 35-44.1-3-1 (Level 6 Felony) Operating While Intoxicated I.C. 9-30-5-1 (Class A Misd.) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- April was Autism Awareness month, and the West Lafayette Fire Department is making sure families and children affected by autism have the resources they need. WLFD presented Cornerstone Autism Center with a $650 check to go towards programming and scholarships offered through the center. The funds donated were raised by firefighters in the department by the purchasing of red autism awareness t-shirts and a dollar donation for each day they wore the shirt. Several firefighters were present at the presentation to meet with the staff and children at Cornerstone. Kids were given the chance to look inside the fire trucks. Alicia Pearson is the Clinical Director for Cornerstone Autism Center, and she said the kids at the center look forward to meeting the fire fighters each year. As soon as they see the fire trucks pull around they're so excited to come out and meet the firefighters, climb in the trucks, and experience it hands on, said Pearson. It's not an opportunity that all of our individuals get on a daily basis so it definitely means a lot to us. WLFD Captain, Ryan Harber, said autism awareness is raised within the department itself when the firefighters meet and greet with the kids and teachers at the center. It's very valuable to be out here and meet the kids and the teachers that are with each of the kids, said Harber. It's important for us to understand how they react in emergency situations. Harber said he looks forward to being a part of the event again next April. Earlier, the ASEAN-China joint working group on the implementation of the DOC met on May 16th and 17th to look into the situation on the East Sea, review the implementation of the DOC and continue the negotiations on the Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC). Addressing the meeting, head of the Vietnamese delegation Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung acknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the COC and the negotiations on the COC. At the same time, he shared Vietnams concern about the complications in the East Sea which are caused by strategic competitions among powers and unilateral actions that run counter to international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly militarization actions, which have undermined trust, hindered the maintenance of peace, stability and affected negotiations on the COC. The Vietnamese head delegate emphasized that the East Sea is also facing other challenges such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing), pollution and plastic waste. He called on countries to uphold their sense of responsibility and join hands to fully implement the DOC, refrain from militarization or making moves that can further complicate the situation, and promote cooperation to handling arising challenges. Delegates to the meeting pose for a group photo (Photo: VNA) The Deputy FM informed the meeting that Vietnam will organize a seminar within the framework of the DOC on the fair and humane treatment for fishermen. Regarding the COC, Deputy FM Dung urged the ASEAN and China to do their best in negotiations so as to achieve an effective code of conduct that is in line with international law, including the internationally recognized UNCLOS. He added that Vietnam will host the 18th ASEAN-China SOM on the implementation of the DOC in the latter half of 2019. At the meeting, many countries noted that the complicated situation on the East Sea has its roots in recent developments in the waters, which increased tensions, undermined trust and posed risks to peace and stability on the sea. The countries reiterated the importance of ensuring peace, stability, and security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight on the East Sea. They committed themselves to the full and effective implementation of the DOC, especially self-restraint, and to cooperation on trust building. The meeting approved Vietnams proposal on organising a seminar on the fair and humane treatment of fishermen. The meeting recognized the work of the ASEAN-China joint working group and progress in the negotiations on the COC, saying that the negotiations are following the roadmap towards completing the first round of review ahead of the ASEAN-China Post Ministerial Conference slated for the end of July and early August this year in Bangkok, Thailand. The countries agreed to keep the pace of negotiations and make joint efforts towards building a result-oriented, effective COC that is in accordance with international law. They shared the view that during the process, all sides should exercise self-restraint and maintain an environment favourable for the building of the COC./. Missouri on Friday became the latest state to pass anti-abortion legislation, and Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, has vowed to sign it. The passage of the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act by both houses of the state legislature came just days after Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a similar bill into law. Since January, aside from Missouri and Alabama, four statesGeorgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohiohave enacted fetal heartbeat laws that ban abortion after this heartbeat can supposedly be detected. In Utah and Georgia, legislators voted to limit the procedure to the middle of the second trimester. None of the latest bans are yet in effect. While the authors of all these bills acknowledge they will face legal challenges, their aim is to have them brought before the US Supreme Court, where they hope the addition of two rabidly anti-abortion Trump-appointed justices will pave the way for the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Anti-abortion zealots have been emboldened by Trumps appointment of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, whose presence shifts the court even further to the right. All of these anti-abortion laws place enormous burdens on womenfinancial, medical and emotionaland would particularly impact working-class women. Those purporting to protect life are, in fact, aiming to force women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term or undergo back-alley abortions at great personal risk. Missouris HB 126 would ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The time frame for terminating a pregnancy is even more restrictive in the Alabama legislation, set at just six weeks. Both bills grant no exceptions for women who are pregnant as the result of rape or incest, granting exceptions only in the case of a medical emergency posing a risk to the life or health of the woman. Speaker of the Missouri House, Elijah Haahr, commented on passage of the bill: We value the life of every Missourian and renewed that commitment all session. In passing this bill, we took a powerful step forward to show this includes the unborn. Doctors who violate the law would face a Class B felony, punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison, as well as suspension or revocation of their professional licenses. The Alabama bill proposes a de facto life sentence for such doctors99 years. While neither state law imposes a penalty on women undergoing abortions, both specifically point to the embryo or fetus as life, setting forth the principle that the fetus or embryo is a living person from the moment of conception, with full constitutional rights as a person. This poses the potential danger that women undergoing abortions could face charges of homicide, which is punishable by death in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Utah, Missouri and Georgia, among other states. The premises underlying these barbaric bills are openly religious, elevating religious doctrine to state policy in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitutions ban on the establishment of religion. In Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, signaled on Thursday his support for an anti-abortion bill the state legislature is close to passing. This heartbeat bill would prohibit abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy and would allow no exemption for cases of rape or incest. Doctors performing an abortion would face a $1,000 fine or up to two years in prison. The sole exception is to prevent a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function or the death of the mother. Democratic officeholders have been given a green light to oppose abortion rights by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said during last years midterm elections that support for abortion rights would not be a litmus test for Democratic candidates. In a series of tweets Sunday night, President Trump broke his silence on the proliferation of anti-abortion initiatives, making it clear that he is strongly Pro-Life, but noting that he backs laws less restrictive than the virtual ban on abortions in the Alabama legislation. He tweeted that he was in favor of three exceptionsRape, Incest and protecting the Life of the motherthe same position taken by Ronald Reagan. He also called on Republicans to remain UNITED on the issue going into the 2020 elections. He pointed to the favorable situation in the courts for anti-abortion legislation due to his judicial appointments, writing, We have come very far in the last two years with 105 wonderful new Federal Judges (many more to come), two great new Supreme Court justicesand a whole new and positive attitude about the right to life. Similarly, televangelist Pat Robertson has come out against the Alabama bill. After praising other extraordinary laws that have restricted access to abortion, he told the Christian Broadcasting Network, But the Alabama case, God bless em, theyre trying to do something, but I dont think thats the case Id want to bring to the Supreme Court. No one should be under any illusion that Trump has any sympathies for victims of rape and incest. His support for exceptions in these cases is based on the assumption that not including them at this point might jeopardize anti-abortion bills in the courts. His defense of the unborn is not motivated by any high morals, but rather is aimed at consolidating his support among the Christian right and winning reelection. If allowed by the courts, any of these anti-abortion bills would spell misery for millions of women. Even under current law, working class women struggle to find the time, support and resources to obtain an abortion. In 1996, there were 452 abortion clinics in the US. By 2014, the latest year of available data, the number had dwindled to 272. According to the Guttmacher Institute, some states recently passing anti-abortion laws already have the lowest numbers of clinics: Kentucky, 1; Mississippi, 1; Missouri, 1; Utah, 2. Due to reactionary federal legislation passed thanks to the capitulation of congressional Democrats, abortions are not covered under Medicaid or Obamacare, meaning women in these programs must foot the bill. Abortions, most of which are not covered by private insurance, can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to the tens of thousands, depending on the stage of pregnancy, the health of the mother, the method used and the location of the provider. While wealthy women can afford to travel to obtain an abortion and pay for the procedure, working-class women are often required to travel long distances to find a clinic. Then they must pay for the procedure itself and often have to pay for accommodations as well, as they are forced to comply with tortuous requirements that they receive counseling and wait 24 hours or more before having the procedure performed. Many have neither the time nor the means. Campaign teams organised by the Socialist Equality Party in London, Cambridge, Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester took the international fight to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning to hundreds of workers and young people Saturday. The campaign team at Ladbroke Grove The campaigns followed last weeks public meeting that resolved to redouble efforts to secure Assange and Mannings freedom. Assange is being held in Londons Belmarsh supermax Prison in solitary confinement, threatened with extradition to the United States where he faces a possible death penalty. Members of the SEP were joined by supporters of Assange and Manning to distribute the statement Why the defence of Julian Assange is necessary for all workers. Other campaign material included an article exposing the long-discredited rape allegations against Assange. Thousands of leaflets were distributed, and many people signed up to support the campaign and attend a series of public meetings being organised by the SEP across the UK. Some of Saturdays campaign highlights were tweeted via the partys Twitter account @SEP_Britain. London People stop to discuss with campaigners at Ladbroke Grove In London, the team was joined by members of the Julian Assange Defence Committee, distributing more than 1,000 flyers outside Ladbroke Grove tube station. The campaign won a warm response. Charles explained, The whole idea of giving him over to the Americans is a terrible thing to do. Its moral cowardice. I think our government should stand up to the USA and their almost fascist-like actions nowadays, especially with Donald Trump. I think Assange was a hero really. Its too easy for governments to say this is the Official Secrets Act. They can put anything under the Official Secrets Act, and they do. So, for Julian Assange to expose all of that was one of the best things that could have been done. It opened up the eyes of millions of people all over the world to whats really going on. Charles Among others who took leaflets was a painter, still in his work gear, who voiced his concern at Assange being locked-up in Belmarsh Prison. He said he did not believe the Swedish allegations against Assange for a minute, describing them as a set-up. Another young man who took leaflets came back twice to congratulate campaigners, saying this is the start of something big. Margaret spoke with Alberto from the Julian Assange Defence Committee. She said Assange was the victim of charges that are trumped-up by Trump. Margaret has supported Assange from the beginning, attending protests in his defence. They are too embarrassed by the disclosures he has done. So, they have to get him and maybe assassinate him. They want to make an example of him. Maria Maria was one of a number of people who told campaigners she did not know the truth: I dont know whether hes a bad guy or a good guy. But Ive heard his name mentioned many times and now Ive come across this leaflet in Ladbroke Grove: Why the defence of Julian Assange is necessary for all workers. Im not into politics, but I understand about history, and people need to know about the truth. Im going to read and do my research and have a look at it. When there is a conflict you need to have both sides of the storynot just one. The truth will come out. Born in France, Maria said Yellow Vest protesters were dealing with concerns facing workers across Europe. I am absolutely shocked by the fact that working peoplepeople like mecan work full-time and still cannot make ends meet. The President [Macron] should listen to the people who are not so well off, who are working hard and are genuine, honest people. If you put people against the wall at some point, there is a limit. There are huge social clashes in France. Who is guilty for this? Not the people from other countries who are looking for work. Having lived in London for two decades, Maria said she is now worried about the promotion of nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment. She pointed to the deportation of immigrants from the UK. It doesnt matter where we come from. We all need each otheryes or no? People who dont have their documents are a human being just like we are. We all pay taxes or do the jobs that no-one else wants to do At the end of the day, we are all together in this. Maria signed-up to receive more information about the campaign to free Assange and Manning. Manchester Outside Manchester Central Library, a campaign stall attracted attention from the public. People approached to discuss the plight of Assange and Manning and more than a dozen signed-up to join the campaign. One young woman said, This is amazing. I didnt even know there was a campaign to defend Julian Assange. Salka from Spain was very animated and pleased to find a campaign in defence of Assange and Manning saying, We must defend them, this is necessary for democracy. They must be freed! I want to sign up to the campaign to free them. Alexander said, The information which Assange released should be out there. There should be no sneaky underhand tactics going on. Its a slippery slope towards a surveillance state otherwise. Eman Eman from Yemen said, We need people like them to divulge the secrets. We want to know what is going on. My country is ruined, and even as a Yemeni, I dont know what is really going on there. Stephania said she distrusted the mainstream media so much she looked to online sources of alternative news for the truth, The problem is that the news is all corporate, its all down to who pays. Phil said, I think Assange has done a service to all, both here and in America. Guaro Guaro from Brazil said, Of course I agree with your campaign to free Assange. What Assange has done is right. Eva said of Assanges arrest and jailing, Its disgusting. No-one should be treated like that in a civilised society. To have so many people remove him from the Embassy and to see that was just shocking Anyone who has been in solitary confinement, it has a detrimental effect. That is torture. Eva asked why it was that the UK government had disregarded a UN ruling that Assange was arbitrarily detained. A WSWS campaigner explained that it had breached international law in doing so and Eva responded, Britain does that very well and always has done. Its a no-win situation for him if he gets sent to Sweden or the US. WikiLeaks is absolutely vital because its the only way that any information can get through all the lies. And lets say what is. It is not fake news. It is lies. Lies are lies and if WikiLeaks has factual evidence then it should be published. WikiLeaks has always done that. Assange genuinely believes in the truth. Name me one politician in Britain that does? Stephen, from Dublin, said he supported Assange and opposed his extradition to the US. He recalled the importance of information leaked by Edward Snowden detailing mass surveillance against the worlds population, I was blown away by the revelations from Snowden. Harvey, a student, said, Julian Assange was the only person who had a 100 percent record of telling the truth. Sheffield Steven In Sheffield, campaign teams worked outside the Town Hall and Central Library. Steven, a carpetmaker, said, What they are doing to Assange sounds like a typical case of government corruption, bullying and intimidating people to protect themselves. They dont want anyone to know what the real agendas and who the real people are behind the government. Ive known that governments are involved in corruption and secret deals for a long time, but this has really stepped up a gear. It is all about protecting tyrants who control the world. I think the solution has to be a radical one. We cant fix the system the issues are too big. It has to go. I think this is where Julian Assange fits in. This is what he has revealed. Tom Tom, a video editor said, Over the last year I have been scared by the direction we are heading. I read [George] Orwells 1984 and we are virtually there. I am not familiar with WikiLeaks exposures, but I want to become more informed. I have been bobbing along for too long just reacting. All the wars only benefit a handful of people. It is not about the general wellbeing. It is about profit. They want people to react in a certain way and not question or challenge the official narrative. Dan, a student, said, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange had to break the law to fight for justice and expose the real criminals. All the talk about humanitarian intervention is just a thin veneer for the military industrial complex. Leeds The campaign team outside Leeds Beckett University In Leeds, a campaign stall outside Leeds Beckett University drew support from scores of people, including students and young workers. Hundreds of leaflets were distributed and more than a dozen signed-up to support the campaign. Several tickets were sold for a public meeting called by the SEP. Lewis said, Freedom of information is so important in the times in which we live. We dont know how censored the media is. Its so important to have people like Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning so we realise theres more to whats happening than the mainstream media let on. Assange and Manning have not done anything wrong. Theyve only told the truth. Lavania Lavania, a law student, said, I think the arrest of Julian Assange is an infringement of basic human rights and basically all the states are infringing it. What were not realising is that all these problems [war and social inequality] are actually linked. With everything thats going on, every government is having meetings every day and they are trying to figure out ways to stay in power. Its a continuous power playthey want to make an example of individuals, like Assange. There has always been class inequality, but attacking individual freedoms just further proves that it is being deepened. I think young people should start taking a stand. Alexei (right) and friend Tilly Alexei, a sixth form college student said, I definitely think Americas interest in this is he has exposed some stuff they really wished he hadnt and they are trying to make an example of him. You will probably be seeing him extradited at some point. Then who knows whats going to happen to him. Me and my friends talk about the case a lot. People have to stay educated, reading about things and dont accept all our information from general sources. Over the coming week the SEP will announce public meetings across the UK to fight for Assange and Mannings freedom. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the current frontrunner in the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, formally kicked off his campaign Saturday with a rally in Philadelphia in which he presented himself as the Democratic candidate most able to work with congressional Republicans. The main slogan of the rally was unity, and campaign staff distributed hundreds of placards embossed with the word United with instructions to text the word to a specified phone number to enlist in the campaign. The rally, generously estimated at 6,000, was smaller than those staged by some of Bidens major rivals for the nomination, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and California Senator Kamala Harris. It was dominated by supporters of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Democratic Party machines and the trade union apparatus. Much of Bidens address was Democratic Party boilerplate. He denounced Trump as the divider-in-chief and criticized the presidents attacks on immigrants and Muslims, but failed to offer any policy for the struggle against racism and bigotry, or the defense of the democratic rights of immigrants. On virtually every question, Biden proclaimed that the first step was to beat Trump. This was his program for immigration, the environment, the defense of democratic rights and the expansion of access to health care. This mantra spared him from the necessity of actually elaborating alternative policies on any of these issues. There was an obvious contradiction at the core of Bidens address. While he predicated all social progress on the defeat of the Republican president, he presented his own major credential as the ability to work with virtually any Republican not named Trump, no matter how reactionary. He outlined two examples of the supposed achievements of the Obama-Biden administration, one enacted with zero Republican votesthe Affordable Care Actand one dependent for passage on three Republicans in the Senate whom Biden personally lobbiedthe 2009 Economic Recovery Act. I know how to get things done, folks," Biden said. "I know how to go toe-to-toe with the GOP. But it doesn't have to be and it can't be that way on every issue. The choice of those two pieces of legislation was revealing. Both bills were crafted from the standpoint of winning Republican (and Democratic) support by incorporating into their structure the interests of the giant corporations. The Affordable Care Act compelled millions of low-income workers to buy private insurance or pay a penalty. Its goal was to shift the cost of health care from corporations and the government to the working class. The economic stimulus bill was entirely geared to boosting the profits of the corporations: it did not establish any government jobs program to assist the millions thrown out of work by the 2008 financial crash. It did not create a single new job, relying instead on what Democrats used to denounce as trickle-down economics, i.e., providing subsidies to corporations and the rich with the promise that eventually workers would benefit. The legislation specifically excluded aid to state and local governments, which were financially hemorrhaging under the impact of the Wall Street crash, with the result that some 300,000 school employees, most of them public school teachers, lost their jobs. That Biden would present these measures as the summit of his achievements in the realm of bipartisan cooperation says a great deal about the policies a future Biden administration and his real attitude to the working class. The former vice president attempted to address the criticism he has already begun to receive from rivals for the nomination regarding his previous comments on bipartisanship, most notably his claim that Republicans would experience an epiphany if Trump were defeated for reelection, i.e., that they would come to their senses and be amenable to compromise with the Democrats. I know some of the really smart folks say Democrats dont want to hear about unity, Biden said. They say Democrats are so angry that the angrier a candidate can be the better chance he or she has to win the Democratic nomination. Well, I dont believe it. I really dont. He continued: If the American people want the president to add to our division, lead with a clenched fist, a closed hand, a hard heart, to demonize your opponent, to spew hatred, they dont need me, he said. Theyve got President Donald Trump. Just as important as what Biden said in his address is what he did not say and the subjects he avoided. He accepted without question the claims by the Trump White House and the corporate media that the American economy is now booming, saying only that Trump inherited a rising economy from the Obama-Biden administration, just like he inherited everything else in his life. Biden said nothing at all about rising economic inequality, stagnant wages, deepening poverty and social misery, the enormous toll of opioid addiction, the daily slaughter of working class youth and minorities at the hands of the police, or any of the manifold social evils that plague the American working class. Other words he avoided included: millionaire, billionaire, rich, Wall Street, hedge fund, stock market, profit. Apparently this is what Biden means by striking a note of optimism: a cynical refusal to acknowledge the social crisis produced by the decay of American capitalism. The former vice president, who played an active role in the foreign policy of the Obama administrationand was selected as running mate in part because of his longtime role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committeesaid nothing at all about any event taking place outside the borders of the United States. Nothing on Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, China or the mounting trade tensions in world capitalism. His only comment in this area, an echo of the anti-Russian campaign fomented by congressional Democrats, was to criticize Trump because he praises tyrants like Putin and Kim Jong Un. What a Biden administration would do in relation to any of the foreign targets of American imperialism he did not say. But he closed the speech with a boast that the United States has the biggest economy in the world, and the most powerful military in the history of the world. His final wordsapparently an invocation to be delivered at the end of every addresswere and may God protect our troops. This is the perspective of the politician currently favored for the Democratic presidential nomination and the most likelyafter Trump himselfto be the occupant of the White House in 2021. Bidens speech will arouse little interest and less enthusiasm among working people, but that was not his primary audience. He was above all reassuring Wall Street, the military-intelligence apparatus and the political establishment as a whole that Joe Biden is a safe pair of hands, an alternative to be preferred to the erratic Trump, whose increasingly authoritarian rule risks provoking a massive movement of popular opposition from below. Recriminations among the nine United States Supreme Court justices over delaying executions became public last week in three extraordinary opinions issued on May 13 addressing rulings made earlier in the year. It is highly unusual for justices to file opinions on matters already adjudicated. With executions occurring at the rate of about two a month, principally in southern states, lawyers for the condemned are filing petitions in lower courts raising a variety of legal challenges, including the manner in which their clients will be killed, frequently seeking to delay execution so that the inmates are not put to death before their claims can be adjudicated. The party who loses in the lower court, usually but not always the inmate, is entitled to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, where petitions seeking to stay execution or vacate lower court stays are frequently filed shortly before the scheduled state killing. These petitions have clearly infuriated the three most blood-thirsty justices, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, who make no effort to hide their anger over any delay in state killings. They want no slowdown on the conveyor belt to the death chamber. On April 1, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to deny the stay requested by Missouri inmate Russell Bucklew, who is facing execution by lethal injection, which, if carried out, will cause him excruciating pain due to a rare medical condition that will cause him to suffocate on blood from ruptured throat tumors. Trump appointee Neil Gorsuchs opinion rejecting the stay request can best be described as medieval, gutting the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. At the same time, Gorsuch set his sights on undermining the legal procedure that allowed Bucklew to raise his cruel and unusual punishment challenge in the first place. Courts should police carefully against attempts to use such challenges as tools to interpose unjustified delay, Gorsuch wrote for the right-wing bloc, which includes Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Last-minute stays should be the extreme exception, not the norm, and the last-minute nature of an application that could have been brought earlier may be grounds for denial, Gorsuch said. According to the Supreme Court majority, condemned inmates with valid legal challenges to their execution, or the manner in which it will be carried out, should be put to death before the challenge can be decided if the inmates attorneys, who are often overworked and underpaid, failed to act quickly enough. Ten days later, on April 11, the Alabama attorney general filed a petition three hours before the midnight expiration of a death warrant to overturn a stay of execution issued by two lower courts at the request of inmate Christopher Price, who asserted a right to die from relatively painless nitrogen hypoxia rather than an excruciating lethal injection. By a 5-4 vote, the right-wing bloc vacated the stay, but too late for the execution to proceed. Prices execution has been rescheduled for May 30. Justice Stephen Breyer, joined by the three other more moderate justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, rebuked the majority on the court in his dissent. Should anyone doubt that death sentences in the United States can be carried out in an arbitrary way, Breyer wrote, he or she should review the circumstances as they have been presented to our Court this evening. After summarizing the legal issues and case history, Breyer explained, Shortly before 9 p.m. this evening, the State filed an application I requested that the Court take no action until tomorrow, when the matter could be discussed at the Courts regularly scheduled conference. I recognized that my request would delay resolution of the application and that the State would have to obtain a new execution warrant, thus delaying the execution by 30 days, Breyer added. But in my judgment, that delay was warranted, at least on the facts as we have them now. On May 13, the Supreme Court rejected Prices petition for certiorari, which sought formal review of whether his impending execution using a more painful method constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights. Four votes are required to accept review, so one or more of the moderates voted against Price. That ruling has likely ended any possibility that Price will avoid death by lethal injection later this month. Typically, no opinion on a denial of certiorari is issued unless a dissenting justice feels strongly that the Supreme Court should have granted review. But in this instance, Justice Thomas filed an opinion, joined by Gorsuch and Alito, to set the record straight regarding the Courts earlier orders vacating the stays of execution entered by the District Court and the Court of Appeals. After giving a detailed description of Prices crime, which occurred in 1991, Thomas questioned whether Breyers dissent was serious, calling the modest proposal to discuss the stay at conference the following morning disingenuous at best and without a shred of legal support. Thomas bemoaned the fact that the final order was not made in time for the execution to go forward, pointing his finger at Breyer. Of course, the dissent got its way by default, Thomas wrote, asserting that the strategy 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. Because of Breyers dallying, the Supreme Court failed to issue an order before the expiration of the warrant at midnight, forcing the State to call off the execution. As a result, Thomas concluded, the victims widow waited for hours with her daughters to witness petitioners execution, but was forced to leave without closure. That same day, May 13, Alito released a dissent, joined by Thomas and Gorsuch, to a 6-3 order issued on March 28 that stayed the execution of Texas inmate Patrick Henry Murphy, a Buddhist who claimed that a prison rule allowing only prison chaplains (none Buddhist) inside the execution chamber discriminated against adherents of Buddhism and violated his First Amendment right to freedom of religious expression. Acknowledging that Murphys religious discrimination claim had merit, Alito still slammed the majority, which included Roberts and Kavanaugh. This Court receives an application to stay virtually every execution; these applications are almost all filed on or shortly before the scheduled execution date; and in the great majority of cases, no good reason for the late filing is apparent, Alito wrote. By countenancing the dilatory litigation in this case, the Court, I fear, will encourage this damaging practice. Kavanaugh, joined by Roberts, released his explanation for supporting the stay for Murphy despite having voted earlier to vacate a lower court stay in a case raising the same issue. At 8:00 p.m. on February 7, the Supreme Court had voted 5-4 to allowed the execution of Alabama inmate Domineque Ray, a Muslim whose request for an Imam in the execution chamber had been denied. Ray was put to death two hours later. Kavanaugh strained to distinguish the two cases on the basis that Murphy raised an equal treatment claim, while Ray did not raise an equal treatment argument in the District Court or the Eleventh Circuit. The Eleventh Circuit came up with the equal treatment argument on its own. In other words, one inmate died and another is still alive, at least for the time being, because of the way lawyers framed the legal issues. Kavanaugh added that five days after the stay in Murphys case, Texas eliminated the religious discrimination claim by barring all clergy, including both prison chaplains and Buddhist priests, from the execution chamber. He added, 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 crime for which Murphy is to be executed occurred 19 years ago. Why the rush to kill him before his claim can be heard and decided? Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch reflect the views of powerful sections of the ruling class, exemplified by president Donald Trump, intent on strengthening the terror apparatus of the state to combat and intimidate rising working class opposition to increasing social inequality. Roberts and Kavanaugh have no fundamental disagreement with this perspective, but evince some concern that the Supreme Court will be further discredited, as following its decision to shut down vote-counting in Florida in 2000 and hand the White House to George W. Bush, who had lost the popular vote Democrat Al Gore. The response of the Democrats and the entire corporate media to this brazen theft of an election was to demand that the population obey the Court and submit to its diktat. The author also recommends: What the Supreme Court is repudiating The Enlightenment, the American Revolution and the ban on cruel and unusual punishment [24 April 2019] On Wednesday May 15, at 7:15 in the morning, a dockworker was killed and another severely injured in the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. The two workers were inflating a large tire on a top handler, a large forklift that moves shipping containers at the pier, when the tire exploded. Joseph Santoyo, a 58-year-old father of two grown daughters was killed. His co-worker and comrade, Pedro Chavarin, sustained severe head injuries and underwent emergency surgery while he was placed in a medically induced coma. The tragedy took place at Fenix Marine Services on Pier 300. Management at Fenix, fearing protests from the workers at the pier, immediately sent members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) home for the day, ostensibly to overcome their emotional distress. Santoyos death occurred during the annual First Blood observance of the deaths of two San Pedro striking longshoremen who were killed by company thugs on May 15, 1934 during the historic 83-day strike by West Coast longshoremen. The ceremony, organized by ILWU pensioners, commemorates ILWU martyrs Dickie Parker, who was shot and murdered by on May 15, 1934 during a confrontation with company goons, and John Knudsen, who died on June 5, 1934 as a result of injuries he sustained in that May 15 confrontation. The deaths of two others strikers during the ferocious battle of Rincon Hill sparked the insurrectionary San Francisco General Strike of July 1934. The ILWU long ago abandoned the elementary defense of dockworkers conditions and living standards. It has collaborated with the Pacific Maritime Association in systematically undermining conditions, including expanding the number of low-paid second and third-tier workers. Since 2008, eight workers have died on the docks. While the city of Los Angeles and the port have promised to investigate the explosion that caused death and injury, it is imperative that dockworkers launch an investigation, independent of the ILWU, the PMA and the government. While jobs and working conditions in the 29 West Coast ports covered by the contract between the ILWU and the employers Pacific Maritime Association have been deteriorating for many yearsin fact since the introduction of shipping containers in the 1970sthe contracts signed between the union and the PMA in 2002 and 2008 have accelerated this process. They ILWU has signed off on bringing in less skilled contingent workers, the destruction of jobs and speed-up conditions for those that remainconditions that make injuries and deaths more likely. The 2015 contract, which went unratified until 2016, was imposed on longshore workers through PMA lockouts and pressure from the Obama administration. It included major concessions from the ILWU. This contract, originally scheduled to end in July 2019, has been extended three years until 2022. In the context of this long history of give-backs and betrayals, earlier this year ILWU Local 13 President Mark Mendoza cynically played the nationalist card, condemning Denmark-based shipping company Maersk for introducing plans to further automate Pier 400 at San Pedro. He complained that Maersk was a foreign company coming in here to displace workers and that automation is not good for community, is not good for labor, is not good for America. The Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled a record 18 million containers a year in 2018, with fewer and fewer workers. Under these conditions more deaths and injuries are to be expected. Because dockworkers play such a strategic role in the global supply chain and have capacity to shut down international trade, the unions have done everything to suppress collective action in defense of their jobs and conditions. The deteriorating conditions of dockworkers are not the result of technological changes in of themselves but of capitalism, which subordinates every aspect of life, including life itself, to the profits of the giant corporations. The tragic death of Santoyo and terrible injury of Chavarin are the inevitable outcome of the labor-management collusion of the ILWU. That is why dockworkers must build new organizations of struggle, rank-and-file committees, that are independent of the unions and committed to fight for workers control of production, including the health and safety of all workers. Last Thursdays debate in the Bundestag (federal parliament) was a particularly odious spectacle. In the face of increasing transatlantic tensions, the acute danger of war in the Middle East, and growing opposition to social inequality and militarism, the German ruling class demonstrated once again that it is moving further to the right ahead of the European elections. Politicians from all parliamentary groups celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Basic Law, as Germanys post-war constitution is called, and hypocritically paid lip service to democracy, peace and human rights. Only a short time later Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU) came to the podium to present his latest anti-refugee law. Even the name of the bill, Orderly Return Law, recalls the darkest times in German history. The law means that rejected asylum seekers will be regulated, interned and deported en masse even more brutally. The law overrides basic democratic rights and treats rejected asylum seekers like criminals. Among other things, the bill provides for refugees required to leave the country to be placed in regular prisons. To this end, the separation requirement between prisoners and deportees is to be suspended. With the legislative package, the grand coalition government of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) is implementing the policy of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Although the extreme right-wing party received only 12.6 percent of the vote in the last general election and is unlikely to fare much better in the European electionsthe latest polls forecast it will achieve 12 percentit sets the direction of the grand coalition in refugee policy. In the Bundestag, Seehofer explained in the best AfD manner, We are improving the prerequisites considerably, so that the obligation to leave the country can be enforced. Deportation custody and exit custody were indispensable tools to eliminate obstacles to mass deportations. In this context, the grounds for detention would be extended and additional detention places created. We must and want to remedy this deficiency by suspending the separation obligation of prisoners and deportees. In a fascistic tirade, AfD spokesman Gottfried Curio pushed the xenophobic policy of the grand coalition to the extreme. Although the interior minister had submitted a law for better deportationfor example, deportation detention was a necessary instrument to prevent the disappearance of deporteesthere was a lot of doctoring of the symptoms. The deportation quotas were still ridiculously low, and without the consistent rejection [of entry] at the border, the bow wave will continue to grow. Seehofer only wanted to bail out with a sieve, instead of finally sealing the leak. The extreme right can only act so aggressively because no one in the political establishment opposes it. SPD spokesman Helge Lind explained that he saw no alternative to Seehofers law. Clearly, what only disturbed him in Curios tirade was the choice of words. He said cynically, Especially when we talk about such sensitive issues as return and deportation, it makes sense to pay attention to the language. The speakers for the Left Party and Greens also raised merely verbal objections. In fact, they agree with the anti-refugee course of the grand coalition. Wherever they govern in coalition with the SPD and the CDU, or even head state governments, as with the Greens in Baden-Wurttemberg and the Left Party in Thuringia, they are responsible for conducting the same massive and brutal deportations as anywhere else. When Left Party domestic spokeswoman Ulla Jelpke said in her speech that about 25,000 people are being deported year after year and the federal and state governments have long since implemented deportations with unprecedented brutality, she was also speaking about the politics of her own party. The Bundestag debate showed that the ruling class as a whole is not only oriented to the politics of the AfD, but supports the right-wing extremist party ever more openly. The recent attempt to elect AfD candidate Gerold Otten for the post of Bundestag vice president failed again, however. He received 205 yes votes and thus 107 more votes than the AfD commands in the Bundestag. Otten is a former member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and a former professional soldier. According to Wikipedia, he is a colonel in the reserve at the Officers School of the Luftwaffe (air force) in Furstenfeldbruck. Attempting to conceal the close collaboration of the ruling class with the AfD at least somewhat, the media prominently reported a short exchange of verbal blows between the Bundestag President Wolfgang Schauble and AfD parliamentary deputy Stephan Brandner. Brandner claimed in his speech that Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) had openly advertised a left-wing extremist eventmeaning the rock against the right concert in Chemnitz following the neo-Nazi riots last Septemberand had sent congratulatory letters to inhumane, murderous regimes such as Iran. Schauble promptly admonished him with the words, Herr Brandner, the Federal President is head of state of all of us. If he honours us with his participation in our debate, that is not an opportunity for you to criticize him. Please do not do that! Schaubles collegial criticism cannot hide the fact that the grand coalition is actually cooperating closely with the AfD in its entire domestic and foreign policy in order to implement its reactionary programme against the enormous social and political resistance in the population. For example, the current annual report of the secret service widely bears the imprimatur of the AfD. It defines the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) for the first time as a left-wing extremist party and an object of surveillance, and criminalizes anyone who conducts a socialist critique of capitalism, militarism and nationalism. The SGP has filed a lawsuit against the report. It is well known that the former head of the secret service, Hans-Georg Maassen (CDU) met several times before the publication of the document with leading AfD people, including the party chairman Alexander Gauland and Brandner himself. Brandner owes his office as chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs to the Social Democratic Bundestag vice president Thomas Oppermann, who had proposed him for a secret election. And before this, with its decision to continue the grand coalition, the SPD consciously made the AfD the official opposition leader in the Bundestag. In this, Steinmeier played a central role; at the end of November 2017, he invited AfD co-chairs Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel to a joint meeting at his presidential residence, Schloss Bellevue. The meeting is documented in images on the Federal Press Office website. Hundreds of Metro Nashville Public School teachers rallied in the capital of the US state of Tennessee last Thursday in a Day of Action to demand pay raises and increased school funding. The protest was held as the Nashville City Councils Budget and Finance Committee was to consider Mayor David Brileys proposed budget for the 2019-20 school year. School officials reported more than 1,000 teachers and school employees had reported sick or absent for other reasons the day of the protest and march. Local tweets reported that four smaller noon demonstrations were held at different locations in Nashville and that at one elementary school, 90 percent of the educators had called in sick. The sick-outs were organized by teachers independently of the Metro Nashville Education Association (MNEA) and union officials publicly distanced themselves from school employees wildcat strike. The school board requested $76.7 million more than last year for the upcoming school year, intending to pay for a 10 percent raise for teachers. However, the budget submitted by Mayor Brileya Democratproposed only a $28.2 million increase for schools, which would cover only a paltry 3 percent cost-of-living raise for teachers who, like educators around the country, have received little or no raises over the last decade. Teachers who organized an April 11 sick out by about 1,400 teachers and other school employees are demanding a 10 percent raise. Last year, even an insulting offer of 2.5 percent for teachers was reneged on. The budget committee took no final action last week but announced that it will meet with the school board again on May 29. The City Council, which is also controlled by the Democratic Party, must approve the city budget by July 1. What we are seeing is the reflection of the values of the people who can appropriate those kinds of resources, a seventh-grade math teacher with 17 years in the schools told a WSWS reporter. There are people in this town who are swimming in money and there are people at the same time who teach here but cant afford to live in this town. All these things have led to the point where people are fed up. We are not asking to be millionaires, but we dont want to have to work two or three other jobs just so we can do what we love. Cost of living has gone up here in Nashville, Terry Riggans, a McGavock High School teacher, told WTVF Channel 5 television. Raises havent gone up with that, so its made it harder for us as teachers to be able to stay in the jobs were doing. How can you teach the kids without the proper funding to make sure we attract teachers to our area? The Nashville Business Journal recently reported that to live comfortably in Nashville, where the median cost for a home exceeds $300,000, required an income of $84,000 a year. Starting teachers make about $43,000 a year and there are many teachers who started teaching a decade ago who do not make even that much. Ive been here for eight years and I dont make that much, said Donna, an elementary special education teacher. According to the school systems salary schedule, a teacher with a PhD. and more than 26 years service makes little more than $76,000, while some support staff start at as little as $11.02 an hour. In an effort to pit one group of workers against another, Brileys budget proposes that all full-time city employees in a general pay plan make at least $15 per hour. However, metro school employees are exempt from being paid even this paltry sum. A seventh grade arts teacher told television reporters, Its either I move, or I find another career. We are tired. We want more. We deserve more. As the WSWS reported last year, the City Council approved tax breaks of almost $14 million to help with the construction of a private $90 million water park for hotel guests only. In another story, we reported a $1 million gift from the City Council to Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) to buy furniture for new offices despite the company making $2.1 billion in profits the year before. The furniture the city paid for, with money that could have gone to the schools, included a premium wood finishes table for $8,321.25, a Guitar Pick Table for $4,190.18 and for the executive lounge, a Tuxedo Sofa for $6,540.45. Just recently, the state and city combined to give Amazon, owned by the richest man in the world, $102 million in tax breaks and other incentives that included a $65 million cash payment. In return, Amazon gave $106,000 to about 20 schools. In other words, for almost every $1,000 the city handed to Amazon, the corporate giant gave back $1 to public education. Local NBC affiliate Channel 4 conducted a poll that showed 77 percent of respondents supported teachers. To mobilize this potential support, however, Nashville teachers are going to have to build new organizations of struggle, controlled by the rank-and-file and independent of the Metro Nashville Education Association (MNEA) and the Tennessee Education Association (TEA), which are politically allied to the budget-cutting Democratic Party. The last 16 months of strikes and mass protests by educators across the US, starting with the revolt of the West Virginia teachers in early 2018, has shown without a doubt that the unions do not unite educators, but do everything they can to isolate individual struggles by teachers, wear them down, and then sign agreements that are entirely acceptable to the corporate and political establishment. A middle school math teacher told the WSWS that until recently he had resigned himself to the belief that teaching jobs would continue to be poorly paid. I thought that was just our lot in life until I began looking into the reasons were not being paid a lot and hearing more personal stories of teachers, he said. The sickouts organized by teachers themselves, he said, were the beginning of what a rank-and-file committee would look like. If that is what it takes to create a public school system and allow teachers to live where they teach, then that is what we need. After reading the WSWS Teacher Newsletter story on protests by teachers in Nashville, around the US and the world, he said, The reporting has more insight. The coverage went more in depth and showed how the city was spending its money. It showed how better public education was not going to be achieved if spending keeps going to everything but public education. Saturdays Australian federal election resulted in a devastating defeat for the Labor Party opposition and the return to power of the far-right Liberal-National Coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Morrison will likely be able to form a government with a slim majority in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Australian parliament. The Senate will probably be controlled by independents and right-wing populists. All of the media pundits predicted a sweeping Labor victory. Before vote counting began, Labor leader Bill Shorten was widely presented as the presumptive prime minister. By the end of Saturday night, he had stood down as party leader, having overseen Labors defeat in an unlosable election. The press has noted the parallels with the 2016 US election, when Hillary Clinton, who was universally depicted as the president in waiting, was defeated by the fascistic Republican candidate Donald Trump. Morrison is not Trump and Shorten is not Clinton, but changing what needs to be changed, the same underlying social and political dynamics were at work. The vote was a massive repudiation of Labors claims to have policies that would lead to fairness. Throughout the election, Shorten, along with his allies in the corporatised trade unions, denounced tax breaks for the rich and declared that Labor would govern in the interests of working people. But after decades of imposing the dictates of the financial elite, Labor could not make any credible appeal to workers and young people. The Labor governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, in office from 2007 to 2013, were among the most right-wing in Australian history. At that time, Labor formed the government after a decade of Coalition rule, declaring that it would defend workers rights. It then banned virtually all industrial action, aligned Australia with US plans for war against China, reopened squalid refugee detention camps on remote Pacific islands and slashed funding for public education, health care and welfare. In working class electorates on Saturday there were substantial swings away from Labor, as workers rejected its paltry election promises as doing nothing to address their pressing social needs for jobs, wage increases and better services. The swings against Labor were highest in regional and working class electorates that have borne the brunt of decades of job-destruction and are mired in a deepening social crisis. Labor is rightly regarded by many as a party of big business. It committed to a budget surplus twice as large as the Coalitions, signaling deep cuts to public spending. It presented itself as a unified party that could govern in the interests of the corporate elite and pledged to maintain military spending at 2 percent of gross domestic product. In Australia, as all over the world, millions of workers and young people are moving to the left and becoming increasingly hostile to capitalism. However, in the absence of a mass socialist movement, the working class is left with a Morrison government that will introduce major tax cuts for big business, deepen the alliance with American imperialism and seek to make the working class pay for the accelerating slowdown of the Australian economy. Morrison is an extreme right-wing evangelical Christian. As immigration minister, he whipped up anti-immigrant xenophobia, rode roughshod over basic democratic rights and was responsible for the brutal treatment of refugees in detention camps. Both the Liberals and Labor have helped create the reactionary climate in which far-right and fascistic parties have been emboldened, even though their vote increase in the election was minimal. The election outcome is yet another exposure of the bankrupt claims peddled by pseudo-left groups and the unions that the rise of the far-right can be opposed by supporting capitalist parties such as the labour parties of Australia and Britain, the Democrats in the US and social-democratic parties in Europe. Around the world, extreme right-wing parties, actively promoted by the state apparatus, are exploiting a social crisis produced by the sweeping austerity measures imposed by so-called centre-left parties and governments. As a result, fascistic parties are winning a growing number of seats in parliament, and in some countries, participating in government. In Britain, the deeply divided Conservative government of Theresa May could not remain in office if not for the servility and cowardice of the Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn. In France, the moderate government of Emmanuel Macron is imposing sweeping cuts on behalf of the banks, enabling the fascistic National Front to posture as a champion of ordinary people. In the US, the Trump administration has been emboldened by the refusal of the Democrats to oppose its attacks on immigrants and its escalating military threats. Instead, the Democrats combine a McCarthyite anti-Russian campaign with bankrupt identity politics, aimed at advancing the interests of affluent layers of the upper-middle class and dividing workers on the basis of race, gender and sexual orientation. The Australian election result is an ominous warning that far-right forces may likely make further advances in the upcoming European elections. It is a signal that the Democratic Party campaign for the 2020 US presidential election, marked by appeals for national unity and anti-Russian hysteria, will only strengthen Trump. The only way to fight the danger of the far right is by building an independent political movement of the working class aimed at abolishing the capitalist profit systemthe source of social inequality and war. The objective basis for such a movement exists in the immense hostility of ordinary people to the official political set-up, and the reemergence of explosive class struggles internationally. In the Australian election, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) won important support from workers, students and young people looking for a genuine alternative to capitalism. With vote-counting incomplete, SEP candidates in the four House of Representatives seats where the party stood each received more than 500 votes. In the New South Wales Senate, over 1,000 workers and youth voted for the SEP. In Victoria, the figure is more than 5,000. We appeal to those workers and youth, and everyone seeking a genuine alternative, to take the next step by studying the SEPs program and building it as the new revolutionary socialist leadership of the working class. By IANS NEW DELHI: Rajat Gupta, the first foreign-born head of influential management consultancy McKinsey and Co who was jailed for two years for insider trading, says his biggest regret is remaining silent in court even as his legal team mounted a vigorous defence and insists that he did no wrong but "would anyone in the courtroom realise this?" "To this day, that decision is my greatest regret. Without my testimony, our defence was considerably diminished. After all, how can you demonstrate that you did not do something. How can you prove a negative", particularly in a situation in which his lawyers could not use the term "integrity in examining character witnesses because it was "too vague", Gupta writes in his memoir, "Mind Without Fear" (Juggernaut), the title inspired by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjali". "Integrity was a virtue that I'd striven for my whole life, but what did it really mean? Did it demonstrate integrity to miss the fact that one's business associates were involved in illegal activity? Could one be said to have integrity if one was too busy to pay close attention to critical financial deals and ended up being cheated. I have lived a full life and tried to do good in the world, but I had not always achieved balance or integration between my many commitments," Gupta writes. ALSO READ: Ex-McKinsey & Company MD Rajat Gupta speaks on him being convicted for insider trading Insisting that he "certainly did not intend" to provide insider information on investment banker Goldman Sachs to Sri Lankan-American former hedge fund manager Rajakumaran Rajaratnam, jailed in 2011 for 11 years on 14 counts of fraud, Gupta admits: "Perhaps I said more than was strictly appropriate for my role as a board member, but my motives were to support, not betray the bank." He then poses a crucial question: "Would nayone in the courtroom realise this though, when I was given an opportunity to clear myself?" "The choice not to tesstify continues to haunt me - not becuase I know the outcome would have been different but because at least it would have allowed me to accept the outcome better, knowing I had done my best in every way. The fact is I succembed to fear in that moment, and that is something I find it hard to forgive myself for and to live with," Gupta writes. Noting that he finds it "painful" that he could not continue on his journey "of giving back to society in an impactful way", or bear the loss of his reputation and position of leadership, Gupta states: "But the truth is, that was all lost long before my decision about (not) taking the stand. The day the SEC charged me, the damage was done, an no matter what I'd done differently during the trial, I'd already paid that price." "In the end, however, I accept that perhaps this course of events was simply my destiny. It is not my job to understand why, it is just my job to make the best of it. Again, I remind myself, life is a series to experiences. None is inherently good or bad - it is what you make of it. I am thankful to have been remineded of what really matters in life," Gupta maintains. What of the future? "I want to try something completely different, to focus inwardly. Perhaps a greater emphasis on the spiritual dimension will offer avenues for personal growth? I am at peace with my paast, and the question on my mind is: How should I complete this life with tranquility and grace," Gupta concludes. On Saturday, the Socialist Equality Party (Sozialistische GleichheitsparteiSGP) of Germany held a rally near the British embassy in central Berlin to demand the freeing of persecuted journalist Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The rally was the latest in a series of international demonstrations and meetings organized by sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International in defense of Assange and Manning, including a public meeting held by the SEP (UK) in London and attended by 150 people on May 12, and a demonstration by Indian supporters of the ICFI in Chennai, the capital of the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on May 11. Part of the Berlin rally Overall around 300 people attended the SGP rally in Berlin, including workers, students from the citys universities, and a number of supporters of Assange who brought hand-made banners in German and English to the protest. The event was part of the ICFIs campaign in the European elections and was followed by a final election campaign meeting that afternoon, which a number of those who participated in the rally also attended. The demonstration was an international event. It was chaired and introduced by SGP Assistant National Secretary Christoph Vandreier, was addressed by SEP (UK) National Secretary Chris Marsden and SGP National Secretary Uli Rippert, and heard greetings sent by the SEP sections in Australia and the United States. Philip Tenter, an SGP candidate in the European elections, addressed the rally on behalf of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality. Part of the rally All speakers denounced the support of the governments of both Britain and Germany for the illegal rendition operation to bring Assange to the United States and try him under the Espionage Act for having published evidence of US war crimes, and opposed the ongoing US-led war preparations against Iran. They called Assange a class war prisoner and pledged that the ICFI will intensify its campaign and provide workers and young people with a socialist perspective on which to secure freedom for Assange and Manning, as the spearhead of the fight against war, police state repression and social inequality. The World Socialist Web Site will publish the speeches and greetings together with a video of the rally in the coming days. WSWS reporters and members of the SGP spoke with numerous workers and youth at the rally. All expressed their solidarity with Assange and denounced the criminal politics of the capitalist governments and the media. Kerstin decided to come to the rally after she saw a Free Julian Assange poster on a lighting pole the day before. She lives in the working-class district of Berlin-Hellersdorf and works as a Spanish, Portuguese and English translator. The video Collateral Murder and the war crimes that WikiLeaks had uncovered were distributed by worldwide major publications. These are clearly issues of public interest to society as a whole. For this reason alone, Assange and Manning should not be prosecuted. Kerstin added that the rally was particularly important right now. The brutal way in which Assange and Manning are being treated is a clear indication that so far only the tip of the iceberg has been uncovered. The rulers are trying to silence them because they are in the process of committing far worse war crimes than before. Eva is an accountant and works in Berlin. She called the arrest of Julian Assange incredibly unjust and explained: It is a violation of international law. He did nothing but expose the war crimes of the US and that was legal and important. What he did as a journalist was heroic. Im very grateful for everything he published, especially the Collateral Murder video. That shocked me a lot. She continued: With the arrest of Julian Assange, freedom of the press is put in detention. The same applies to Chelsea Manning. I saw her video yesterday. She is a hero. She knows what is threatening her and yet she says no to this injustice. She wont let herself be drawn down. She must be released immediately. Eva mentioned the US war plans against Iran and warned: The German government is constantly bowing to the US. If tomorrow war against Iran begins, the German government will participate in it, even if it is only through arms deliveries. The treatment of Assange had to be seen in this context, she said: The persecution of Julian Assange should be a warning to all those who tell the truth. Thats why Im here today. Shoaib, a 24-year-old engineering student who moved to Berlin from Pakistan, attended the rally after receiving a flyer. I thought when I saw it that I needed to come, he said. What Assange did was to bring the truth to the people, to the masses. After seven years, the movers and shakers of the world have got him. But he gave us an idea and they cannot destroy it. The truth cannot be hidden and sooner or later it does come out. I already knew before today that he founded WikiLeaks and what he published about the war crimes in Iraq and the UKs role later documented in the Chilcott report, which confirmed what Tony Blair did and how the war started. When I grew up in Pakistan they were not peaceful times and I know how people can live in fear. If you take a man in Iraq in their 40s, he has seen war over his entire life. The Iran-Iraq war, then the attacks by the US in the 1990s and in 2003, and now ISIS. Whole lifetimes have been destroyed. Its all about power and who controls the region. If you see in the official media, they are not really free and fair. They should be coming out and speaking for Assange. Wikileaks revealed something very evil to the people, that its the people they vote for doing these things. Sooner or later the government will come for the official media as well. He added that Assange must be defended today because the liberties we have today are the result of the activism of previous generations, and if we do not continue that fight then we will lose everything we currently have. If your idea is something that stands on truth and value, then sooner or later every idea has its time and will come, he said. Now I know about the SGP. I didnt know about this party but theyre introducing me to this and Ive been here for a year, and havent participated in any kind of activism. The speakers spoke about capitalism and the wealthy and poor, he said. Capitalism has existed for 40 years since the fall of the Soviet Union as the only order of the world. Its like one percent of our entire economic history. So I dont believe there is no alternative to capitalism. There is an alternative and that is socialism. With negotiations set to resume today in the strike by nearly 2,000 Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center nurses and hospital staff in Toledo, Ohio, strikers remain determined not to back down on their demands. The strikers, members of the United Auto Workers, struck May 6 after more than eight months of futile negotiations. They are opposing conditions of brutal overwork, the further undermining of their inadequate health benefits and managements derisory offer of a one percent wage increase. With management continuing hospital operations with strikebreakers, the urgent task facing Mercy Health workers is to expand their struggle and break out of the straitjacket being imposed by the UAW. The enormous potential for waging a broader struggle was demonstrated Thursday when hundreds of workers from the Fiat Chrysler Toledo Jeep complex, mobilized via Facebook, joined the picket line. Strikers told the WSWS that they had gotten support from workers at the Libbey Glass factory as well as teachers, post office workers, truck drivers and staff from other hospitals as far away as Lansing, Michigan. Strikers said they were in favor of expanding their struggle, but the UAW is deliberately limiting the strike. Workers pointed out that the UAW wasnt even picketing the employee entrance in the back, where strikebreakers come into the hospital. The UAW is anxious to contain the strike at Mercy Health to prevent it from sparking a broader struggle. Last week, 1,100 auto parts workers at Faurecia in Saline, Michigan, 48 miles from Toledo, voted to strike as the May 31 contract deadline approaches. And in mid-September, the contracts expire for 155,000 GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler workersincluding at the Toledo Jeep Assembly Plantand workers are determined to recoup years of UAW-backed concessions and oppose plant closings and layoffs. On Friday, UAW President Gary Jones held a brief press conference and then headed to the Toledo picket line for a photo opportunity. Jones offered to meet with Mercy Health CEO John Starcher to resolve the strike. At the same press conference, UAW Local 12 President Bruce Baumhower, commenting nervously on the outpouring of community support for the Mercy Health workers, said, rather than see this thing escalating, its time to see this thing de-escalating and getting back to the table and doing some bargaining. Meanwhile, UAW Local 2213 President Sue Pratt, head of the nurses local in Toledo, refused to address directly a question from the floor asking her to spell out the unions position on the issues of staffing and patient safety. Instead she replied, We are going to try to come up with some creative solutions, but we have to have partnership. Creative solutions, is a code word long employed by the UAW for colluding with management in cutting costs and increasing workers output. With the strike now in its third week, the UAW is set to begin doling out miserly strike support payments of $250 for the first time this week. This from a union sitting on close to $1 billion in assets. A veteran hospital technician who wished to remain anonymous told the World Socialist Web Site that she was suspicious of the UAW. I want someone from the outside to be there. We have to make our demands known. We want to be part of the negotiations. She said she was very distrustful of the information workers were getting. I know there is corruption. I have a whole lot of questions for the UAW. How come there can only be certain people in the negotiations? I want to know whats being said. Why are we only holding picketing in a limited number of locations? she asked. We need to hold big rallies with Jeep workers and other workers. I told a head person, I feel you are not fighting in my favor. The worker continued, I am not going back under the wrong terms. My biggest demands are benefits, not just money. You need health insurance to keep yourself healthy as well as a fair income. Time away from work is also important. I have given my life here. It is crazy we dont have good benefits. The absurdity of healthcare workers for a giant hospital conglomerate with $2 billion in assets not having decent healthcare highlights the reactionary and irrational character of for-profit medicine. Far from opposing this, the UAW negotiated to take over the provision of retiree healthcare from the auto companies, getting control of a multibillion-dollar trust fund financed by company stock. UAW officials who got lucrative posts on the trust fund quickly cut retiree health care benefits. In 2015, the UAW offered to take over the provision of health care for current employees as well, but this provoked widespread opposition from workers who voted down the sellout by a two-to-one margin, forcing the UAW and the auto bosses to drop this demand. The UAW then used lies, intimidation and outright voting fraud to push through a second deal. It has come out since that top negotiators, including UAW Vice President Norwood Jewell, were bribed to push through the pro-company deal. Like the automakers, the giant hospital chains are determined to offload their health care obligations onto the backs of workers. In seeking to isolate and wear down the Mercy Health St. Vincent strike, the UAW is working from a timeworn playbook. After forcing workers to stay on the job for months past the contract expiration date, the union finally calls a limited strike to let steam out. Union members are kept in the dark about negotiations until a settlement is suddenly announced. Workers are then sent back to work without the opportunity to read the full text of the contract or having time to discuss it among themselves. The union distributes highlights that fail to mention hidden concessions and a snap ratification vote is scheduled. This underscores the need for Mercy Health workers to take the conduct of the strike into their own hands. A Toledo Jeep worker told the WSWS, Why isnt ProMedica striking? Fairmount, the other hospitals? Dont trust the UAW. They will get a better deal out of it for themselves than what you get. In 2015, we were lied to and blackmailed. They should read out loud the contract so there can be no excuses. There should be no hidden stuff. Mercy Health workers need to recognize that they are not alone. Their fight is part of a growing wave of anger and militancy by workers in the US and globally against an outmoded and reactionary capitalist system that denies masses of people basic benefits like decent healthcare. Meanwhile, capitalism enriches billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, who own more wealth than the poorest half of the US population all combined. The vital question is the building of a new leadership to unite and mobilize this immense social force of the working class in a struggle against this tiny wealthy elite. In 1934, workers in Toledo rallied behind the Auto Lite strikers to win a historic victory that galvanized the working class in the United States. The traditions of that great struggle still live in the working class and must be revived. Workers need to take matters into their own hands by creating a rank-and-file strike committee to oversee negotiations and to conduct a serious battle against management. Mercy Health workers should fight to spread the strike to other Mercy Health facilities as well as hospital chains like Pro Medica. Mass picketing should be organized to halt management strikebreaking. The struggle by Mercy Health workers raises the need for an independent political strategy by the working class against the two corporate-controlled partiesthe Democrats and Republicansand to fight for socialism. This includes taking profit out of medicine by nationalizing the giant pharmaceutical, insurance, hospital and medical equipment corporations, and transforming the health care industry into a public service, collectively owned and democratically controlled by working people. 25 years ago: Southern Yemen declares independence Map shows Yemen and South Yemen before merger After the outbreak of a civil war and several weeks of fighting, on May 21, 1994, leaders of southern Yemen announced secession and declared the Democratic Republic of Yemen (DRY). The declaration was denounced as illegitimate by the north, and the DRY was not formally recognized by any official government internationally. The secession and subsequent declaration of independence was led by the Yemeni Socialist Partys General Secretary Ali Salem al-Beidh. Al-Beidh served as Yemens vice president after the unification between the leftist south and the conservative north in 1990, but left in 1993 and was later exiled to Oman after the failed secession. The poorest country in the Middle East, Yemens electricity and water were shut off to the population of 13 million. Fuel and diesel were in short supply, and most civilians, particularly in the south, fled larger cities like Aden for the safety of remote villages. The civil war pitted 40,000 soldiers from the north against 20,000 in the south. The conflict between north and south reached a head in the 1980sSouthern Yemen, separate from the north and allied with the Soviet Union, allowed the USSR to set up a military base. With the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the north and the south merged, but the southwith one-fifth of the population spread across a land area twice as largebalked under northern rule and the sharing of oil reserves. The unified Yemen sided with Iraq in the Persian Gulf conflict in 1990-1991, to which Saudi Arabia reacted by expelling over a million Yemeni workers and cutting ties, deepening the countrys economic woes. Casualties of the civil war are estimated between 7,000-10,000, and the republic itself was short-lived. On July 7, less than two months after the declaration of independence, the north recaptured the southern capital of Aden and most political opposition fled. 50 years ago: Military coup brings Nimeiry to power in Sudan Nimeiry, Nasser and Gaddafi On May 25, 1969, Sudanese Army Colonel Gaffar Nimeiry launched a coup to overthrow the civilian government and replace it with the rule of the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC). The RCC, with Nimeiry as chairman, was a body made up primarily of military officers from the self-proclaimed Free Officers Movement, including Hashem al Atta, Babikir al-Nur, and Joseph Garang, who were members of the Communist Party. Nimeiry was a member of the Sudanese Socialist Union (SSU), an Arab nationalist party. The SSU and the Free Officers Movement disagreed with how the civilian government was handling the affairs of the state and in particular the ongoing civil war in southern Sudan. Nimeiry sought to pursue a bourgeois-nationalist development of the Sudanese economy. After coming to power the RCC nationalized many of the major banks and industries to help strengthen the fragile economy. Central to Nimeirys military dictatorship was support from the Sudanese Communist Party. The Sudanese Stalinists assisted in the coup and then sat on the RCC which passed reactionary anti-working-class laws such as banning strikes and all non-SSU political parties, including the Communist Party itself. Despite being avowedly anti-communist, Nimeirys use of the Sudanese CP was to widen his base and give the army-based regime a socialist front to head off a genuine left-wing opposition which had started to develop and grew more rapidly after the coup. Even with their own supporters banned in Sudan, the Stalinists in both Moscow and Beijing welcomed the Nimeiry dictatorship with open arms. The Soviet and Chinese governments both supplied Nimeiry with weapons and assisted in training his secret police in the months and years after the RCC came into power. While Nimeiry maintained a close political alliance with Moscow and Beijing to bolster his anti-imperialist credentials, the Sudanese dictator persecuted Communist Party members and radical workers. Nimeiry was even permitted to send a fraternal delegation to the 24th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party despite having already ordered the arrests of Sudanese Communists. The treacherous alliance would further expose the Stalinists in 1971 when members of the Sudanese Communist Party launched their own short-lived coup against Nimeiry. After only a few days Nimeiry would retake power, execute Garang and other participants in the coup and other communist leaders, and redouble his repression of the working class. The Soviet bureaucracy made no move to break relations or even recall its military advisors during the purge. 75 years ago: German surprise attack on Titos headquarters Tito (on right) and other leaders of the Yugoslav Partisans On May 25, 1944, German bomber and fighter planes attacked the small industrial town of Drvar in Bosnia, near the headquarters of Josip Broz-Tito, leader of the Yugoslavian Communist Party and the anti-fascist partisan movement. A second wave of planes dropped Nazi SS paratroopers, who were followed by gliders bringing machine gunners. The German forces were backed by units of the fascist-ruled puppet state of Croatia. The only partisans in the town were six members of the Communist Youth League, who holed up in a building in the center of the town and fought to their death. The Germans killed every man, woman and child in Drvar that they could get their hands on. Other German units moved quickly to occupy the approaches to the cave where Tito and his staff were bunkered. A hole in the roof of the cave allowed Tito to escape. The nearest partisan division was seven miles away and arrived on the run to engage the Germans. For a day and a half both sides received reinforcements and savage fighting took place with heavy losses. German aircraft and infantry pursued Tito and his staff for eight days through the rugged Bosnian mountains until an Allied force of seven planes, six American and one with a Soviet crew, flew in from Italy and rescued them. The chiefs of the American OSS (forerunner of the CIA) and the British Special Operations Executive, who had been stationed with Tito, were absent at the time of the attack. The Germans exact knowledge of Titos secret headquarters caused an internal investigation in the OSS. It revealed that OSS agents privy to Titos movements had met with right-wing Serbian Cetniks, who passed this information on to the Germans. The incident reflected the great power rivalry over control of the partisans as the Red Army advanced into the region. The US and Britain feared that the growth of the partisan movement and the defeat of Hitlers forces would lead to a socialist revolution. 100 years ago: British air force raids Kabul British troops at the Khyber Pass in 1919 On May 24, 1919, British bombers struck the Afghan capital of Kabul to secure supply lines from attacking Afghan forces. The British and their colonial Indian troops had invaded Afghanistan in a counterattack in early May in what is known as the Third Afghan War or, by the Afghans, as the War of Liberation. Afghanistan at the time was a nominally independent kingdom that had balanced between British and Tsarist Russian influences for decades. It had been at peace with Britain, which was the reigning colonial power in India (including what is now modern Pakistan) for over 40 years. Since 1879, however, the country had, by treaty, allowed the British to determine its foreign policy. Afghanistan had remained neutral in the First World War, though there had been diplomatic entreaties by the Ottoman Turks and the German Empire as well as the British. The Russian revolution had transformed the geopolitics of the region when it removed Russian imperialism from what had been known as the Great Game. The rising of Muslim peoples in central Asia under the influence of the new Soviet Republic and the development of an anti-colonial movement, particularly in India, had an impact on Afghanistan. A consensus for national independence was growing in the country, particularly after the British Viceroy in India had denied Afghanistan a place at the Paris Peace conference in January 1919. A faction of the hereditary monarchy led by the Emir, Amanullah Khan, for its own dynastic interests, took advantage of the considerable unrest in India after the Amritsar massacre in Punjab on April 13 and invaded the British Raj on May 3 in what is now the northwest of Pakistan. At the time of the air raid, the military situation had been deteriorating for the British as they passed through the Kurram Valley into Afghanistan. Soldiers in the Khyber Rifles, the British colonial military unit made up primarily of Pashtuns from the area, began to defect, and the British had to abandon several outposts. This prompted mutinies by other local units of Indian colonial troops of the British, and the Afghans were able to counterattack. While the British were able to recoup, particularly because of their air power, the war was fought to a stalemate and the British were forced to give Afghanistan control over its foreign affairs. We are publishing the speech of Ulrich Rippert , chairman of the Sozial istische Gleichheitspartei (SGP, Socialist Equality Party) in Germany, at the May 12 public meeting in London in defence of jailed WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and courageous whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Comrades and friends, I am very happy to be able to participate in this meeting of the Socialist Equality Party to defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. It is clearly an international meeting. Ulrich Rippert We are an international party. Under conditions where in every country nationalist tendencies and nationalist movements are getting stronger, the international collaboration of our movement and its fight to unite the working class are vital. The defence of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning has to be understood in a political context. All the great questions of the current political situation are concentrated in the legal attack, witch-hunt and terror inflicted on Assange and Manning. What is the crime they have carried out? They have explained to the people of the world the war crimes of American and European imperialism. Millions of people were shocked when they saw the videos and read the documents. Now they are trying to organize a show trial to intimidate everybody and make them shut up! Anyone who dares to do the same as Assange and Manning, whether by organizing opposition against the systematic preparation for war or a movement against unemployment and poverty, must be suppressed. That is the message. In every country, the ruling class is responding to the growing movement from below by preparing police states and dictatorship. Thats the only way they can push through their policy of war and their attacks against the population. While there is massive support for Julian Assange among young people and in the working class, all the governments and all the political parties are united in support of the American and the British government witch-hunt. When I arrived at the airport this morning and took a taxi, the driver asked me, Are you here for a vacation? I said, No, I am here for a meeting to defend Julian Assange. He said, Yes, Julian. I was at the Ecuadorian embassy when he was at the window and spoke to us. I am a supporter of the defence committee. All the way here we had a very intensive political discussion. He said many of his colleagues are following this situation and are quite nervous and agitated by what is building up. The defence of Julian Assange can only be carried out through the international mobilisation of the working class on the basis of a socialist programme. There is no constituency in the ruling elite or in the political system for defending himit must be done by the working class. In Germany this is very clear. The so-called Left Party supports a government that is doing nothing to organize a resistance campaign against this attack. Ulrich Rippert speaking at the meeting Allow me to give you a short report about the European election campaign we are carrying out. We organized meetings last week in Munich and in Leipzig, and earlier in many other cities. Weve had very intense discussions with workers and young people on why it requires a revolutionary socialist program to fight to defend Assange and Manning and why it is necessary to mobilise the working class and build an international revolutionary party. We are organizing next Saturday a public rally in front of the British Embassy in Berlin. We will not only accuse the British government for what it has done [to Assange] and also the American government which is behind it, but we will also attack the German government which is fully informed and directly integrated into this conspiracy! Especially in Germany, these questions have a very long history. It was exactly 80 years ago, in March 1929, that one of the most well-known anti-war journalists was arrestedCarl von Ossietzky. He was a very courageous journalist in the same way that Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning are. He wrote an article in the weekly magazine Die Weltbuhne [The World Stage] which revealed secret information about the military build-up of the German Army. This was illegal, in contravention of the Versailles Treaty, and Ossietzky made this public. At that time, you still had the Weimar republic, and it was quite clear that the information he published was correctas was the information given by Assange and Manning. But it was secret. He was arrested and then in 1931 got one and a half years in jail for betraying secrets. Shortly after, the Nazis came to power and put him in a concentration camp where he was tortured and died in 1938. Die Weltbuhne, which Ossietzky worked for, was a leading international anti-war magazine and it even published some of the articles by Leon Trotsky, against the rise of fascism in Germany. Today, as in the 30s, the attack on democratic rights is connected with the build-up of right-wing fascist movements. In Germany this is very pronounced. This is the first time since the Nazis that you again have a right-wing party in the German parliament, with an openly fascist wing. And that party, which in the last elections got only 12 percent of the vote, dominates German government policy, dominates the policies of the Grand Coalition of the conservative [Christian Democratic Union, CDU] and social democratic parties [Social Democratic Party, SDP]. The Alternative fur Deutschland [AfD] partysome call it Alternative for Democracyhas organized a witch-hunt against foreigners. Camps with barbed wire and powers to patrol refugees and asylum seekers have been established just like under the Nazis. These later became the extermination camps. But there are also differences from the 1920s and the 30s. Today, these fascist movements do not yet have a mass influence. These are movements which are systematically built up by the ruling elite, by the state, by the political system, the political parties, the secret services, the military, and not least, the media. They support them. Among the population these fascists are hated. In Germany, the anti-Nazi demonstrations are always bigger than the Nazi demonstrations. Some are 10 times bigger! But the police and the Special Forces protect the Nazi demonstrations and arrest the anti-fascists, claiming they are violating the right of the Nazis to demonstrate. The reasons why these forces are built up is to try to push against the growing opposition to war and the way that trade war is used to prepare for military war. Not since the end of the Second World War have we been so close to a Third World War. And the ruling class knows that this war policy can only be pushed through with fascist dictatorial measures and terror. In Germany, they are now discussing nuclear weapons! Can you imagine what that means, after all that happened in Germany? They discuss openly how they are preparing for an aircraft carrier, which is one of the most expensive and powerful military systems. The only one the German bourgeoisie previously had was under the Nazis in 1938. It was an instrument for the direct preparation of the beginning of the Second World War and the attack against Poland. However, this military build-up meets growing opposition from below. There is quite visibly a return of the class struggle. For decades now, they have tried to suppress the class struggle. The trade unions and all the political parties have worked to systematically push the working class back. But now you have growing opposition movements. You have seen the Yellow Vest movement in Parisand although this movement might be in many aspects of its political orientation very confusedit is driven by the most profound social questions: social inequality and cheap labour. And although the French government is moving with all its power against it, they are not able to get them off the streets. In Poland, there have been mass strikes by 300,000 teachers in recent months. And when the right-wing PiS [Law and Justice] government demanded that the teachers go back to work, 40,000 social workers decided to go on strike. In that situation, the union intervened with all its power to suppress the teachers strike. More and more, we are seeing that this movement from below has two decisive aspects. First, it is international. Second, it develops as a rebellion against the trade unions and the political parties that have suppressed it for so many years. Its not only the teachers. In eastern Europe you have a growing movement against labour conditions and low wages. You have strikes in the car industry and other sectors in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Kosovo, and the mass demonstrations against the so-called slave law in Hungary of the Orban government. In Germany, you have a growing strike movement among teachers and social workers. A few weeks ago in Berlin, around 40,000 workers and young people demonstrated against rising rents they are unable to pay and demanded the expropriation of the hedge funds and the speculators. This movement needs a socialist political leadership and needs a socialist political programme. That is why our election campaign is so important. Nobody should misunderstand why we have candidates in this campaign. It does not mean that we accept the European parliament, the EU [European Union] or its institutions. No, we dont. We are determined opponents and political enemies of the EU. But our opposition against the EU is not a nationalist one. We are not for a return to the nation-state. We want to unite the working class on an international socialist programme. We explain in one meeting after another that the split in Europe is not between the people who support the EU and the people who reject the EU, but between the mass of the population of Europe and a small upper class which has unequaled wealth. This conflict between the rich and the poor is the main question and is the driving force of the state build-up. It is the ruling elite in Europe that is the driving force for the return to war, the building of a police state and a return to Fortress Europe, which has seen 30,000 people already killed in the Mediterranean. Our answer to the EU is the United Socialist States of Europe. We fight for workers governments, to expropriate the big banks and the big companies and organize society on a socialist basis under workers control. We do not base ourselves on parliamentary maneuvers, or appeals to the ruling elite, or on begging for concessions. We base ourselves on the strength of the working class, the young people and the students and we mobilize the working class based on an international socialist program. What are the strengths of our international party? Well, lets ask the question, how do you measure the strength of a party? Yes, you need influence, political influence, you need parliamentarians, and you need members, that is all true. But it is not the decisive answer. The real strength of a party is the historical tradition that it follows. Is this party able to answer and understand the profound changes in the political situation? Is it able to give a progressive answer to the profound problems that capitalist society brings forward? Ulrich Rippert Thirty years ago, wethe British section and the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth Internationalheld our first joint European election campaign. In preparation for todays meeting, I looked at our programme from that time. The headline of the election manifesto of the Fourth International for the 1989 European elections declared: For the international unity of the working class! For the United Socialist States of Europe! For a socialist program to abolish the profit system! In one section from itthe conditions that confronted workers in the European Common Marketwe said the single market was an instrument of capitalist monopolies. Here is one paragraph that I would like to read out. Remember it was written 30 year ago, in 1989. Some of the older people here may remember that it was a year of change because suddenly there was a mass movement developing in the Eastern European countries when the Soviet Union still existed. We said the following: The policies of the Stalinist bureaucracy have led the Eastern European countries, including the Soviet Union, into a devastating economic crisis. At the roots of this crisis lies the isolation of the Soviet economy from world economy. There are only two possibilities for overcoming this isolation: 1. The unification of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with Western Europe, within the framework of a Socialist United States of Europe, as a first step towards a socialist World Republic. This requires the overthrowing of capitalism in Western Europe through a socialist revolution and the overthrow of the Stalinist bureaucracy in Eastern Europe through a political revolution. This is the road advanced by the Fourth International. The task of a socialist revolution is to overthrow the capitalist property relations and the political regime. Whilst the political revolution [against Stalinism] defends the existing, nationalized property relations, but overthrows the bureaucratic regime, replacing it with real workers democracy. 2. The reintroduction of capitalist relations and the exploitation of the Soviet and Eastern European working class on a capitalist basis. This is the road taken by [Soviet Stalinist leader Mikhail] Gorbachev, [Polish Stalinist leader Wojciech] Jaruzelski and the other present leaders of the Stalinist bureaucracy. In following this road, they shamelessly collaborate with the most reactionary imperialist forces and stab every revolutionary movement of the international working class and of oppressed peoples in the back. Everyone that reads or hears this text can see that the reason for this crisis was the globalization of production. Under conditions where not only was the market global, but production was as well, no country could exist apart from the international market and labour relations. Thats why there were only two ways to integrate the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe into the international system of production and tradeworld revolution or capitalist restoration. In that document we asked what would capitalist restoration do and what would be the consequences? All the other political parties and governments and the high-paid think tanks of the bourgeoisie declared that socialism was finished, capitalism had triumphed. They said, its the beginning of democracy and freedom and the beginning of well-being and prosperity for everybody! The end of all wars. The author Francis Fukuyama wrote about the end of history, claiming mankind had reached all its goals! Every party supported this line. Not only in Germany, not only in Europe, but all over the world. We were the only movement opposing this, we stood against it. We said the opposite. Now today, if you draw a balance sheet, what became of their democracy and freedom? We have police states, the preparation of dictatorships. We have the harassment of anti-war journalist Julian Assange, who confronts enormous dangers. What happened to prosperity for everybody? The social situation is on the verge of an explosion. As for the end of all warsit was the beginning of new wars! NATO and its supporters have been involved in 25 years of wars in the Middle East, in Latin America, in one country after another. Our analysis was correct. That is the strength of our movement. That is the party that we built. We are the party that opposed the biggest lie of the 20th centurythat socialism failed and that Stalinism was socialism. We are the Trotskyists, who fought against Stalinism from the very beginning and gave their lives in that struggle. Therefore, our movement proved that socialism was not finished, that Trotskyism was the only force to wage a struggle against Stalinism. Today that perspective is of enormous objective political importance. Our fight for the United Socialist States of Europe is now of enormous importance. The return of the class struggle changes the whole political situation. Yes, the ruling class responds to the first stage with the building of a police state, attacks on democratic rights, dictatorship and preparation for war. But if any of you think that they are able to turn the wheel of history back, without any problemsthat they can go back to fascism in Germanyyou are making a big mistake. We demand, Never again fascism, never again war! This perspective is burned into the consciousness of millions of workers and youth and not only in Germany. In Berlin you cannot walk 100 metres without seeing a monument dealing with the enormous crimes that were carried out by the Nazis. All that is very fresh and alive. Everything depends now on the growing movement against fascism, war and dictatorship being based on an international socialist programme and the international leadership of the working class. At the centre of our campaign we have the building of our sections in all European countries. I will close with this argument. The future is not decided in Westminster, the future is not decided in Berlin, it is not decided in Brussels in the headquarters of the EU. Its definitely not decided in the European parliament. It is decided by the people who are sitting in this room. Thirty years ago, we said, German reunification and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the re-introduction of capitalist exploitation means mass unemployment, poverty, war. And we were right. Back then we explained that they couldnt carry out these attacks without resistance in the working class and that the class struggle would come back. It is back. We were right. Today we make another prediction. We say the return of the class struggle will revive the socialist tradition in the working class. Germany is not only the country of the Nazis. Germany is the country of the socialist movement, the country of Karl Marx, where the socialist movement had the biggest and deepest roots and the return of that movement will take the form of the building of our party. When we say we defend Julian Assange, we say that can only be done through the mobilisation of the working class in a struggle against capitalism, because the driving force to suppress and attack Assange is the capitalist system, the capitalist governments and the preparations of war. You cannot stop war without the mobilisation of the working class. Therefore comrades, to support Julian Assange and to understand the urgency of the present situation, this is not something you can do passively. You have to become active. You have to become a fighter to build a revolutionary socialist movement. Study the history of our party, the International Committee of the Fourth International, and join the struggle to build a party of revolutionary leadership. The Trump administration has reached an agreement with Canada and Mexico for the removal of tariffs on steel and aluminium. It has also put on hold a decision on whether to impose a 25 percent tariff on European and Japanese autos and auto parts for at least six months. These decisions, however, do not represent any lessening of Trumps nationalist American First trade war agenda. Rather, they are an attempt to win allies for a deepening economic confrontation with China. The announcements were in response to criticism from sections of the US political establishment that in targeting US allies Trump was weakening his hand against China. So the moves were broadly welcomed. A Washington Post editorial headlined A united front on China? declared that reducing trade tensions with Europe and Asia and in the Western hemisphere would allow the administration to focus attention on China where it has the strongest argument for playing hardball. It could see traditional US friends swing to Trumps side in that contest, even at this late date and despite the gratuitous fights he has picked with them. However, the conflict over auto tariffs, which would be invoked under national security provisions, is far from over. Trump has indicated that at the end of the six-month suspension he will be looking for both the European Union and Japan to reduce their car exports to the US, possibly through quotas or some other restraints. Such a move is certain to bring opposition. We completely reject the notion that our car exports are a national security threat, the EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom tweeted. The EU is prepared to negotiate a limited trade agreement [including] cars, she wrote, but not managed trade, which is illegal under the regulations of the World Trade Organisation. The auto tariff question is a matter in its own right, but it is also being used by the Trump administration to pressure the EU to open up its markets to US agricultural products. However, Brussels has continually insisted agriculture is not on the tablea position underscored by Malmstroms reference in her tweet to a limited trade deal. Meanwhile, the US economic war against China is being stepped up, above all on the telecommunication and technology front. Last week Trump signed an executive order that virtually bans the Chinese communications giant Huawei from selling its products to US networks. Even more significant was a simultaneous move by the Commerce Department to place restrictions on the sale of components to Chinese firms such as Huawei that are dependent on US computer chips to manufacture their products. These moves are part of the escalating US confrontation with China. The Financial Times has reported that US intelligence chiefs have been holding meetings with major American companies, providing them with classified information to warn of the dangers of doing business in China. The meetings, which have involved Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, along with officials from the FBI and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, have taken place across the country. They have involved large tech firms, venture capitalists and educational institutions, according to the report. The meetings have been facilitated by Democratic and Republican senators, including Democrat Mark Warner from the Senate Intelligence Committee and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio. Emphasising the broad scope of the anti-China campaign, Warner told the Financial Times: We have to increase awareness among US companies, investors and universities about the tactics China is now using to undermine US competitiveness, security and influence. Rubio took up the same themes. The Chinese government and the Communist Party pose the greatest long-term threat to US economic and national security. Its important that US companies, universities and trade organisations understand fully that threat, he said. While it intensifies the confrontation with China, the Trump administration is still holding out the prospect of continued negotiations and even of a trade deal. It has not ruled out a meeting between Trump and Chinas president Xi Jinping at next months summit meeting of the G20 in Japan. To a great degree, these possibilities are being talked up by US officials in a bid to prevent a sharp fall on financial markets fueled by fears that the talks will be scrapped. The official Chinese position is that negotiations are continuing and that it hopes to meet its American colleagues at least half way. Behind the official front, however, there is a rising tide of nationalist opposition. The South China Morning Post has reported on a commentary published by the semi-official blog Taoran Notes, a social media account linked to the official state media. It said China should suspend the talks unless the US shows sincerity. The blog stated that if there was no real concrete action by the United States, then it would be meaningless for US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to undertake another visit to Beijing. It is better to suspend the consultation completely and return to the normal working track.. The US does not show any sincerity in continuing the talks... Instead, it is extending its pressure tactics. The US, on the one hand, says it is engaged in talks. But on the other hand it keeps using petty tricks to destroy the atmosphere for the talks. And that atmosphere is becoming ever more toxic. As Financial Times columnist Philip Stephens noted, while the Trump administration was imposing new measures directed against Huawei, six thousand miles away, US warships were steaming through the South China Sea. The trade narrative, he continued, was now being subsumed into a much more alarming one. The recent National Security Strategy and National Defence Strategy documents produced by the Pentagon foreshadowed the danger of war, labelling China a strategic competitor and warning that it was seeking to challenge American power influence and interests and erode American security and prosperity. Economics has merged with geopolitics, Stephens wrote. China, you can hear on almost every corner in sight of the White House and Congress, is not just a dangerous economic competitor but a looming existential threat... It needs far more than a level playing field for trade to confront this challenge. He warned that treating China as an enemy is the sure way to persuade Beijing that it should behave as such. Demonising everything it does simply opens up the path from trade war to something much rougher. Unless there were common rules of the road to avoid escalation, Stephens warned, we are heading towards an altogether hotter war. But the prospect of any agreement on common rules is fading further and further as the US steps up its confrontation against China in all areas. Nearly 1,000 workers were abruptly thrown out of their jobs last Monday afternoon at a cabinetmaking plant in the small central Pennsylvania town of Kreamer, about 60 miles north of the state capital of Harrisburg. Pennsylvania State Police, county sheriff deputies and nearby Middleburg Borough police who had been called to the plant stood by as shocked employees walked to their cars after being told the plant was permanently closing and that they were all out of jobs. The company, Wood-Mode Inc., waited until 2:45 in the afternoon to inform workers that they were closing their doors. In a matter of moments, workers, including Tim and Penny Benner, lost their livelihoods. I dont know what were going to do, Tim told the Daily Item. In addition to jobs, workers also lost their health insurance. Most workers, who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s, are too young to qualify for the federal Medicare program but have little prospects of finding comparable employment with medical benefits in the area. Tammy Heeter, 59, who was employed at Wood-Mode for nearly 20 years, told the Daily Item: I expected to retire here, now Im thinking about paying bills and lack of insurance. Workers will shortly receive letters telling them how they can buy health insurance under the government COBRA program, but it will likely cost over $1,200 a month for a familyan impossibly high amount for most workers. On Wednesday, workers picked up their last full paycheck. They had not even been given the mandatory 60-day notice required by law before a plant closing. Company and government officials justified this by claiming advance notice would have alerted creditors and potential buyers of the factory of its financial state. The 77-year-old business employed 938 workers, many of whom have worked at the factory for 20, 30 and more years. The company made cabinets for kitchens and baths and was by far the largest employer in the county. In a statement, Wood-Mode blamed the closure on the companys prime lender being unwilling to provide normal funding after a deal to sell the company fell through. Workers at the plant told local media that they were blind-sided by the announcement but knew the factory was having troubles. Workers reported that they earn about $40,000 a year, including overtime, making the job one of the best-paying in the area. Located in rural Pennsylvania, Snyder County has a population of 40,570 according to the US Census Bureau, and a median household income of $54,182. The official unemployment rate of 3.7 percent and poverty rate of 11.2 percent are about average for the state as a whole. However, data on the school district paints a bleaker picture with nearly half of all children growing up in households that earn less than 185 percent of the official poverty rate. The plant closure will be a major blow to the area. The factory accounts for five percent of all jobs in the county and about half of all manufacturing jobs. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have anything to offer the nearly 1,000 workers who are losing their jobs and health care coverage. Today President Trump, who claims the US economy is booming, is scheduled to hold a campaign rally at the nearby Williamsport airport. Trump narrowly won the popular vote in Pennsylvania in 2016 and the state is anticipated to be another major battleground in 2020. So far, the president who postures as a champion of dispossessed workerswhile blaming unemployment and low wages on immigrants and unfair trade with China and Mexicohas said nothing about the closure of the Wood-Mode plant. The Democratic Party is no less contemptuous of workers. Democratic Governor Tom Wolfa multi-millionaire former owner of the Wolf Organization, a kitchen cabinet and building supply companyis deploying the states Rapid Response Team to meet with the company about its future. Meanwhile, laid-off workers are being told to sign up for unemployment benefits, roughly $400 a week, for 26 weeks and to start looking for largely nonexistent jobs. By AFP SAN FRANCISCO: US internet giant Google, whose Android mobile operating system powers most of the world's smartphones, said Sunday it was beginning to cut ties with China's Huawei, which Washington considers a national security threat. In the midst of a trade war with Beijing, President Donald Trump has barred US companies from engaging in telecommunications trade with foreign companies said to threaten American national security. The measure targets Huawei, a Chinese telecoms giant in Washington's sights that is listed by the Commerce Department among firms with which American companies can only engage in trade after obtaining the green light from the authorities. The ban includes technology sharing. ALSO READ | China warns retaliation against Trump's move to ban Huawei "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson told AFP. The move could have dramatic implications since Google, like all tech companies, must collaborate with smartphone makers to ensure its systems are compatible with their devices. Google will have to halt business activities with Huawei that involve transfer of hardware, software and technical services that are not publicly available -- meaning Huawei will only be able to use the open source version of Android, a source close to the matter said. Huawei will no longer have access to Google's proprietary apps and services, such as the Gmail email service. Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ALSO READ | Chinese shout 'Boycott Apple' as US goes after Huawei Huawei is a rapidly expanding leader in 5G technology but remains dependent on foreign suppliers. It buys about $67 billion worth of components each year, including about $11 billion from US suppliers, according to The Nikkei business daily. Huawei is the target of an intense campaign by Washington, which has been trying to persuade allies not to allow China a role in building next-generation 5G mobile networks. US government agencies are already banned from buying equipment from Huawei. Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said Saturday that "We have not done anything which violates the law," adding the US measures would have a limited impact. By PTI WASHINGTON: The Trump administration will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited blueprint for Mideast peace next month at a conference in the region designed to highlight economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the White House said Sunday. The plan, which has been two years in the making, envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown. And the economic workshop, June 25-26 in Bahrain, will not address the most contentious parts of the conflict: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security. ALSO READ | Donald Trump warns Iran of destruction if it seeks fight with US In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the workshop will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to gather support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. The US wants to ensure security for Israel and economic opportunity to improve the lives of Palestinians. The administration hopes that Arab countries will help bankroll economic incentives, such as infrastructure and industrial projects, to get Palestinians to buy into the plan. But with details of the political aspects of the plan still under wraps, any commitments for economic development won't be easily attained. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority, which has complained that the White House favors Israel, severed ties with the Trump administration following several actions targeting them. Trump closed the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, saying the Palestinians refused to engage in peace talks with Israel. The US stopped funding the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees, slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for projects in the West Bank and Gaza and cutting funding to hospitals in Jerusalem that serve Palestinians. Trump also recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. The Palestinians' demand that Israel fully withdraws from all territories it occupies. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for a future state. They also seek the right of refugees to return to the lands and the recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine. It's an open question as to whether the Palestinians will exchange some or all of their demands for the prospect of economic prosperity. In an interview last month with The Associated Press, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh likened that to "financial blackmail, which we reject." Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. A senior administration official told reporters that invitations to the workshop are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The Trump administration decided to roll out the economic and political parts of the plan separately, the official said, adding that there will be no discussion about the political aspects of the plan at the upcoming workshop. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a very detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. By PTI BENGALURU: Two members of the notorious Bawaria gang were shot at and injured by the police after they allegedly snatched the necklaces of women here Monday. Two women were walking down a road when the two bike-borne men, in their 20s, came from behind and allegedly snatched the necklace from one of them and sped away. The victims raised an alarm and a police patrol nearby chased the gangsters and intercepted them. On being cornered, the gangsters attacked the policemen following which forced them to open fire, injuring the robbers in the leg,police said. Interrogation of the youth revealed they were members of the infamous gang and they were identified as Karan and Surendar. The dreaded Bawaria gang is an organised group of dacoits wanted in several cases of looting, multiple murders, among others. Gabor Vago, who heads the European Parliament election list of opposition LMP, called for action against big corporate climate criminals at a party congress. A battle must be waged against the hundred global companies that are responsible for two-thirds of global emissions of greenhouse gases, Vago told the congress. European leaders and the Hungarian government have failed to serve the people and instead protected the interests of multinationals, he added. Vago said 20,000 lobbyists were at work in Brussels to promote the interests of multinationals and he promised that LMP would fight for the interests of 500 million Europeans, including 10 million Hungarian citizens. Europe could switch over to renewable energy and develop community transport but this requires fighting companies in the energy and automotive industries that are only interested in their bottom lines, he said. He described the upcoming EP elections as a climate election and called for immediate action against climate change. The current generation is the last one that can make a difference because climate change is still reversible but only if action is not delayed, he added. Marta Demeter, who is second on LMPs EP list, said that another issue at stake was stopping mass emigration from Hungary. The Hungarian prime minister has given up on the 600,000 Hungarians who have moved abroad because cheap labour in Hungary represents a competitive advantage in line with his neo-liberal economic policies, she added. LMP will work on building a Europe for the people which offers security and stability to Hungarians, too, she said. She argued for strengthening Europes external borders, adding that mass migration was the result of climate change and exploitation by big companies. In a political declaration approved at the congress, LMP is calling on the government to announce a state of emergency due to climate change. The declaration, a copy of which was sent to MTI, shows that climate change could have dramatic effects within a humans lifespan. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activity play a crucial role in the acceleration of current processes, it added. Recent decades showed that global warming is a complex process that can only be addressed by cooperation between all countries of the world, by putting everybody on a path of sustainable growth, the statement said. There is reason for concern because a significant share of world leaders still avoid addressing the problem and let their political decisions be determined by short-term economic interests, LMP said. The party added that the Hungarian government, similarly to the German, Czech and Polish governments, were not dedicated to the fight against climate change and this demonstrates serious irresponsibility. Whats at stake in the European Parliament elections on May 26 is whether we will be able to make decisions and enforce them in order to stop climate change and blunt the effects that could not be avoided, the party said. At a campaign event in Pecs in southern Hungary, the partys co-leader Lorant Laszlo Keresztes said LMP would not allow a nuclear waste disposal facility to be set up near the city. Such a facility would make it impossible for Pecs to win the green capital of Europe title and the launch of regional developments that are based on sustainability, he added. MTI Photo: Mathe Zoltan Stopping the advance of Salvini, Orban and their extreme right friends is whats at stake in the European Parliament elections for socialists and democrats, the leader of the opposition Socialists said. At a joint campaign event with Parbeszed, Bertalan Toth called for a social and green turnaround. Referring to the suspension of ruling Fideszs membership in the European Peoples Party, he said the Hungarian government had struck itself from its own teams roster and had lost its ability to effectively represent Hungarian interests. "Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been striking alliances with anti-European extremists which means he will not get a say in the discussion of matters such as the European Union budget, Toth said. He called for the introduction of a European minimum wage of the equivalent of 700 euros, a minimum pension of 300 euros, family benefits of 150 euros and student scholarships of 1,000 euros per year. Gergely Karacsony, co-leader of Parbeszed which has struck an election alliance with the Socialists, said that instead of peoples party leaders, Europe needed new leaders who would build a social and sustainable Europe. The European Peoples Party has failed to restrain political nobodies as well as economic lobbies, he added. MTI Photo: Mohai Balazs In the run-up to the European elections, Euronews 'Good Morning Europe' show host Belle Donati speaks with MEP, Livia Jaroka from Hungary's ruling Fidesz Party. Do you think Fidesz wants to be in the EPP? "Yes. I know that they want to be there." So, why is it running campaign posters against Juncker with George Soros in the picture saying that Hungarians don't know what's going on in Brussels? And why has Viktor Orban just withdrawn his support from the EPP's lead candidate Manfred Weber? "Because this is what he thinks, he has been looking at the situation for many months, he has talked with the EU and the EPP on Hungarian rights and wrongs. So, I think he has a clear opinion about the position of Fidesz in EPP and many of his colleagues inside of Fidesz are so strongly supporting him on being critical, but of course not stopping the ties, because we always belong together, our values are the same." Watch the full interview in the video below. Source: Euronews This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. Click here to Share Your Story Oscar comes to Cannes. Pete Hammond Deadline Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences President and veteran cinematographer John Bailey received a very special honor at the Cannes Film Festival Sunday when he was presented with the insignia of Officier des Arts et Lettres (Officer In The Order Of Arts And Letters) at a packed ceremony at Cafe Des Palmes in the Palais. With both Cannes General Delegate Thierry Fremaux and President Pierre Lescure presiding, the actual presentation to an obviously honored Bailey was made by UniFrance President Serge Toubiana who filled in nicely for director Costa Gavras who had planned to be there but was stuck on location. Related stories Nicolas Winding Refn's Noir Series 'Too Old To Die Young': It's All About Teens & Female Empowerment - Crew Call Podcast Delivering remarks in French , Toubiana remembered the late legendary french filmmaker Agnes Varda , who adorns the official festival poster this year and who received an Honorary Oscar in 2017 , something Bailey noted he had a small part in making happen. Her daughter Rosalie was there and instrumental in arranging the ceremony. Then he ran through a history of Baileys many achievements including shooting movies like the Oscar winning Ordinary People and As Good As It Gets, as well as always being a champion of international cinema and particularly French cinema. Throughout your outstanding career, you have marked American and European cinema with your curiosity, your eclecticism and your talent, noted Toubiana before putting the insignia on his lapel. In addition the organizers had remembered hearing Bailey talk fondly of a favorite french film of his , la peau douce, and presented him with a beautiful French Grande poster of that film. Bailey delivered a heartfelt 13 minute acceptance speech in which he noted that this was only his second visit to the Cannes Film Festival ever. He had been the cinematographer of a small film that was in the 10th Directors Fortnight and that was his only previous time here, despite being honored in 1985 with a Cannes Festival Best Artistic Contribution award for Paul Schraders Mishima, which he shared with two other artisans. He was unable to attend for that honor but clearly was delighted to be here for this one. Earlier in the week Bailey told me he was thrilled to receive this and wanted to present his remarks without notes but said he kept getting too emotional just thinking about delivering them so he wrote it all down. He said it still made him emotional and when he practiced his speech for wife and co-Academy Governor of the Editors Branch, Carol Littleton he got choked up again. Story continues As he made his acceptance you could see why . French cinema , since he was a film student , has meant so much to him. I particularly liked his anecdote about going to Max Laemmles art house theatre in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles with a lot of his friends in the 1960s to see the latest imports from France, so many that he said Max would show them as double bills and kept changing them twice a week. He said he and the other poor film students would pile in a van and drive to the theatre. One of them would buy a ticket , and then go to the side entrance and sneak the others in to see the films, even as an all-knowing Laemmle would pretend he didnt notice any of this and headed back to the lobby to greet the paying customers. Baileys speech was as much a history of french cinema and its impact, as much as it was about his own inspiration by what he saw on the screen. My life as a cinematographer, as a writer, director, and now Academy President has been deeply defined by my great love for French filmmaking, a love that continues to be aligned in the hearts and minds of not only my generation, but generations of filmmakers to come, he said, adding that the French New Wave influenced so many American filmmakers and changed the way we saw movies. I noticed Academy CEO Dawn Hudson tearing up a bit toward the end of Baileys speech, and when I spoke to her afterwards she admitted she was very moved by his remarks and said his expertise and love of international filmmaking has been a big boost to the Academy in many ways. One of those ways is the renaming of the Best Foreign Language Film to Best International Film, an indication she says of a more inclusive way of looking at that competition. The word foreign just doesnt apply to an Academy that has been making leaps and bounds in expanding and redefining itself as a global organization. Hudson said the rules however will remain the same, despite the name change. In the past two years nearly half the new members brought into the Academy have come from countries other than the United States so this all makes sense. AMPAS also decided to make a big deal of Baileys honor by also using the occasion to throw a members soiree , held Friday at the UniFrance Terrasse. It was packed, and among those there were Greg Kinnear, Oscar nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman (A Private War) , Oscar winner Pawel Pawlikowski (Ida, Cold War), Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher and many, many others. Pawlikowski had come directly from Deadlines annual bash at Plage 45 where the main competition jury member told me he was enjoying watching the films and spending time with fellow jurors. We get together every day to talk about the films. We just really like being in each others company, he said noting that it was relatively easy to do since they see just two films a day. He gave no hints of which way the winds are blowing towards the Palme dOr. Hudson said the festival has bent over backwards to welcome AMPAS to town. She had tweeted out how much she loved Pedro Almodovars official entry , Pain And Glory after attending the gala for it this week. Sony Pictures Classics Michael Barker, among those at both the party and the Bailey ceremony, is distributing the film in America in October and thanked her for her enthusiasm. The Academy makes it a point to do a members party every year at Telluride Film Festival, so I asked if after this initial gathering in Cannes , clearly a success, they would be coming back here too she gave an affirmative thumbs up to the idea. My guess is this wont be Oscars last time on the Croisette. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Spoilers for the series finale of Game of Thrones to follow Its a bit weird to see Bran Stark casually walking around. Over the years on HBOs Game of Thrones, the character (who lost the use of his legs in the shows 2011 pilot) has always been carried, dragged and wheeled into scenes (aside from a few vision sequences). During our set visit to the production in Northern Ireland last spring, theres an uncanny feeling when Bran Stark gets up from his wheelchair thats parked under Winterfells weirwood tree where hes waiting for the Night King and stroll over for chat about the series finale. First, to answer the inevitable question, yes, actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright knows theres a good chance youre not going to be thrilled that Bran is crowned king of the six kingdoms (not seven, read our series finale recap for the details). Not everyone will be happy, the 20-year-old says. Its so difficult to finish a series as popular as this without pissing some people off. I dont think anybody will think its predictable and thats as much as you can hope for. People are going to be angry. Theres going to be a lot of broken hearts. Its bittersweet, exactly as [saga author] George R.R. Martin intended. Its a fitting conclusion to this epic saga. That said, after years of fans wondering who will end up on the Iron Throne? the actor was thrilled to find out his unlikely character was chosen for the honor (even if Red Keeps iconic seat of power was destroyed by Drogon). And at first, Hempstead-Wright couldnt believe this was the real ending. When I got to the [Dragonpit scene] in the last episode and theyre like, What about Bran? I had to get up and pace around the room, he recalls. I genuinely thought it was a joke script and that [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] sent to everyone a script with their own character ends up on the Iron Throne. Yeah, good one guys. Oh s, its actually real? Story continues That said, Im happy, he says. Though I kind of did want to die and get in one good death scene with an exploding head or something. So will Bran be a good king for the people of Westeros? Almost certainly yes. Bran knows the entire history of the realm, and some of the future too. Hes utterly fair and makes decisions without emotion. I think hell be a really good king actually, Hempstead-Wright says. Perhaps there will be something missing in having real emotive leader, which is a useful quality in a king or queen as well. At the same time, you cant really argue with Bran. Hes like, No, I know everything. Bran Stark has always been pretty meme-worthy, but his fan playfulness with his odd character went to an entirely new level in the final season, with Brans hazy stare becoming a thing. Across the series, Hempstead-Wrights all-time favorite Bran moment was in season 8 during his confrontation with the Night King. Getting to do those night shoots when the Night King gets [killed] was pretty powerful, he says. Seeing the end of one of the most important powerful characters come to an end. There was a moment between Bran and the night king where Bran almost feels sorry for him. He didnt ask to be the Night King. We saw him being strapped to the tree and get that Dragonglass plunged in his heart and hes been on a hellbent mission of destruction. That was probably my favorite thing to shoot. At least now Hempstead-Wright is free to talk about his characters reign. While most of the shows actors have said they felt pressure to protect final season spoilers, Hempstead-Wright had all those secrets plus the desire to share his characters enormous victory. I just want to shout: King motherfers!, he says. Though thats probably not a wise plan, obviously. More exclusive coverage of the Game of Throne series finale: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, producer on Game of Thrones finales shock twist Game of Thrones series finale recap: This is the end Sophie Turner on whether Sansa wanted the Iron Throne Nikolaj Coster-Waldau explains Jaime Lannisters fateful Game of Thrones decisions As the U.S. immigration system strains with the highest number of apprehensions at the southwestern border in a decade, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is looking at opening new detention facilities in California. ICE is considering using existing facilities or constructing new facilities in the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco areas to house between 5,100 to 5,600 detainees, according to official documents posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The facilities would be used to house criminal aliens and other immigrant violators, the documents say. The move comes as U.S. border patrol said it would consider flying migrant families from states along the border to other locations across the country. ICE has faced significant opposition to opening new detention facilities in the past. In 2017, the American Civil Liberties Union and 13 other groups issued a letter imploring ICE to halt plans to open new facilities across the country. Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the ACLU, called the move deeply disturbing in a statement. The ICE detention system is already notorious for inhumane and abusive conditions as well as lack of transparency and accountability, she said. This is yet another example of the Trump administrations dangerous immigration policies. California has been at the forefront of efforts to limit ICEs plans to build new facilities. In 2018, the state passed a law that blocks local governments from starting contracts with private companies that run prisons. Several California cities ended contracts with ICE over the last year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, leading to the loss of 434 beds. ICE stipulates that each facility must have access to hospitals, immigration court, fire stations and transportation hubs. It also states that an ideal facility would have minimum, medium and maximum security beds for adults, according to the documents. Story continues Facilities must provide housing, food, maintenance, laundry, utilities, and dental/medical/mental health care, the documents say. Dedicated ICE facilities are preferred, but facilities shared with other detained populations will be considered as long as appropriate separation of ICE detainees is possible. GEO Group, a private company that operates and manages 69 correctional and detainment facilities across the country, has been accused of pressuring local governments to end their contracts so that GEO can partner with ICE, enabling them to get around the law restricting new facilities, according to the Chronicle. Hamid Yazdan Panah, an attorney and advocacy director of the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, told the Chronicle, said that it appears that ICE and GEO worked together to circumvent the law. It seems to indicate that all these things are part of a larger push by ICE to make up for the bed space that they lost in the closure of the facilities, he said. The announcement comes as the U.S. immigration system has strained to cope with an increased number of asylum applications, a surge of apprehensions at the border, and increased pressure by the Trump administration to pursue aggressive immigration policies. U.S. Border Patrol told reporters on Friday that it plans to fly migrant families from states along the border to places across the U.S. for processing, according to the Associated Press. The flights were scheduled to fly out three times a week starting Friday, and do not have a scheduled end date. Preliminary plans include flights from the Rio Grande Valley to Buffalo, Detroit and Miami. On Friday, Border Patrol also announced plans to open four temporary structures in the Rio Grande Valley. Detentions at the border have surged over the last year. More than 109,000 people were apprehended there this April, more than double the number detained the year before. However, the number of detentions is still significantly less than the number who were apprehended in the early 2000s; in April 2000, more than 180,000 people were appended. The majority are families or children traveling by themselves. During the Trump administration, ICE has stepped up its efforts to detain immigrants inside U.S. borders. It conducted more 158,581 administrative arrests of people accused of civil violations of U.S. immigration laws in 2018, compared to 110,104 in 2016. In the song Trophies, Drake admits that anything I got is not a rental, I own that, and apparently this now applies to the rappers method of air travel. Thats right, Drake, 32, now has a Boeing 767 cargo plane to call his own and yes, its outlandishly huge. The rapper revealed his new ride on Instagram Friday. The huge jet features his OVO owl symbol, which is also the logo for Drakes company Octobers Very Own and record label OVO Sound. The Grammy Award-winning musician also took fans on a video tour of the elegant gold and brown interior of the fuselage which had leather sofas, chairs, and a bar. The video which he captioned Nothing was the same for real also showed the emotional moment where the Air Drake decal was unveiled. As Drake surveys his enormous plane in the video, he tells the camera, No rental, no timeshare, no co-owners. At one point in the video, Drake points at the Canadian company CargoJets President and CEO Ajay Virmani, and says, That guy made it happen right there, thats the man. The unveiling of Drakes plane is occurring at the same time Cargojet Inc. announced a partnership with the rapper. Supporting homegrown businesses has always been a top priority of mine, so when an opportunity came up to get involved with a great Canadian company I was honored to do so, Drake said in a statement provided by Cargojet, which revealed that the rapper was first introduced to the brand during the celebrations of its first B767-300F launch. We are very excited to partner with Drake as our ambassador and assisting him with his logistical needs and requirements, Virmani said in the statement. We have had a lengthy relationship with Drake and this partnership has grown organically between both parties. Cargojet and Drake are both great Canadian successes, we are thrilled to be partnering together. And according to 2017 article by Airways magazine, the cost of a new Boeing 767-300F plane was roughly $185 million without the OVO customization. Story continues Drake | Drake/Instagram RELATED: Drakes Dad Says He Supports R. Kelly 100 Percent and Claims Jussie Smollett Is Misunderstood Drake can use his new plane to visit his son, who lives in France. On Wednesday, Drakes dad Dennis Graham candidly opened up about how Drake has handled being a father to his baby Adonis, whom he shares with former French adult-film star Sophie Brussaux. This is brand new, Graham said on the red carpet of the Fashion Nova X Cardi B Collection launch. The baby is only 17 months. He hasnt had a lot of time [with him], but the baby loves him. Graham added, Ive seen them interact together, and its beautiful. And when asked if he offered his son any advice on how to care for his own little one, Graham said, He didnt need it. Hes got love in his heart. Drake at the 2019 Grammy Awards | Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock RELATED: Drake Gushes Over Snaps of Beautiful Son and Reveals Unconditional Love for Childs Mother Drake had previously confirmed that he was a dad to Adonis last October. I am a single father learning to communicate with a woman who, weve had our moments, Drake revealed to LeBron James on the Lakers stars unscripted HBO series The Shop. I do want to be able to explain to my son what happened, he added. But I dont have any desire for him to not love his mother. I dont ever want the world to be angry at his mother. We have found ourselves in a situation and we are both equally responsible. Now, Im just really excited to be a great father. The plot thickens on this weeks The Spanish Princess. Determined to fulfill Gods destiny for herself, Catherine begins to spread her assertion that she never consummated her marriage with Arthur, even calling upon Maggie Pole to back up her claim. Maggie isnt up for Catherines ambitious scheming though and pledges to do whatever keeps her conscience and head attached to her neck (this worked for her for almost another 40 years). Meanwhile, Catherine flirts with Henry until hes convinced that marrying her is all his idea. Lizzie and Henry try to recover from Arthurs death, but the strain of the grief and her concerns about the Tudor legacy prove to be too much for her and her unborn child. A Royal Courtship One of the predominant features of this episode is Catherine and Henrys flirtation (after Arthurs funeral is out of the way, which Catherine attends, wailing in grief with her ladies-in-waiting). In actuality, Catherine did not attend Arthurs funeral but was summarily shipped back to London while the royals debated her fate. Catherine mesmerizes Henry, giving him Arthurs crossbow and making him starry-eyed with talk of her mothers Andalusian stallion. He calls her Princess Summertime, claiming that she brings the sunshine with her wherever she goes. Things get hot and heavy when the two share a sexy bout of swordplay (and theres even a powerful visual metaphor of Henry holding a sword at Catherines throat though she escaped the ignominious feat of beheading unlike some of his other wives). Catherine hooks him so fully, hes soon dipping his fingers in her bath water and licking them suggestively. Though in real life, Harry was six years younger than Catherine, the two did have a passionate courtship and enduring romance until seeping paranoia and an obsession with bearing an heir tore their marriage apart. He often made grand gestures to her, jousting in her name/bearing her standard, bursting into her chambers dressed as Robin Hood, and more the playfulness of their romance, combined with popular sport like jousting and swordplay, is turned up to 11 here. The two were a good match both skilled in the art of war and diplomacy and passionate humanists, who loved poetry, music, art, and more. Story continues Harry asks his father to seek a papal dispensation for their marriage, something that would have been necessary at the time and was actually sought relatively quickly after Arthurs death (whether it was truly Catherines wish or more of Henry VI and his mothers plotting, we may never know). The Pomegranate This show is certainly having fun winking at things we already know from hindsight, like the idea that all the food and wine in the world will never make Harry fat hardy, har, har. But it also pays tribute to Catherine of Aragons royal roots. The scene where Catherine cuts open a pomegranate might seem like an odd detail to those less-historically inclined, but it was Catherines official royal symbol, a potent one signifying fertility and Christs resurrection. Its placement at this moment, just before Henry proposes to Catherine, hints at Catherines own resurrection, her determination to fulfill her destiny. And its also a nod to her lack of fertility; the fact that shes not carrying Arthurs child. Throughout their marriage, images of the combined Tudor Rose and Catherines pomegranate dotted everything from jewelry to wood-carvings to portraiture, but Henry tried to obliterate any evidence of it once he moved on to Anne Boleyn. Henrys swords and armor The Greenwich armor garniture, English, 1540 worn by mature Henry VIII. | Fiona Hanson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images Weve already had a taste of Henrys fascination with weaponry with his interest in Oviedos crossbow, but it blooms even more fully here now that he knows hell be king. He boasts of riding a war-horse straight into France. While they spar, he tells Catherine he is every inch the soldier and commander, one who has ideas about military resources and intends to create a foundry that will make impenetrable armor. Henry VIII really did these things. He was consumed with being seen as a legitimate soldier, showing off in jousting tournaments and launching an invasion of France with the intention of restoring France to English rule. In every way, he was a stereotypical British lad. During his reign, he led an army across the Channel in an attempt to conquer France. During this invasion, he officially made Catherine Regent in England, enabling her to deal with military action at the Scottish border as she saw fit. This match of two hawkish nobles is foreshadowed in their swordplay here, and Catherines astute maneuvering to win Harrys favor. When it comes to armor, Henry VIII was obsessed, though most of it was created for lavish displays at jousting tournaments and not for battle. He did indeed found the Royal Almain Armoury in Greenwich in 1511, which produced armor for him and many other English royals up through the English Civil War. Harry had a lot of armor custom made for him in his lifetime in designs of increasing girth, and they were also notable for their immense codpieces, meant to be propaganda for his prowess in the bedroom. Discussing military tactics and armor amidst a smoking hot round of swordplay is a shorthand for Henrys obsession with it and how that bolstered/fed his relationship with Catherine. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition In the midst of Oviedos charming wooing of Lina, the two discuss the possibility of returning home to Spain if Catherine is ordered to do so by her mother. For Oviedo, however, theres no going back hes Muslim, a Moor, and hes heard stories about the Spanish killing men, women, and children. The Moors must leave Spain or die a horrible death. Hes talking, of course, about The Spanish Inquisition. Before it became a Monty Python punchline, the Spanish Inquisition was known as one of the most horrific symbols of religious repression and intolerance, though historians have debated how much the terrors involved may have been exaggerated. Regardless, it stands that Ferdinand and Isabella established the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in 1478 to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in Spain. And, in 1502, which is about where we pick up this story in The Spanish Princess, Muslims in Granada were ordered by decree to convert to Christianity or face expulsion. The crown often suspected this population of practicing Islam in secret, thus using tactics of the Inquisition to ferret out so-called heretics and threats to Catholic rule. Lizzies death If one sudden and horrific death wasnt enough for you, this week sees the demise of Queen Elizabeth of York at episodes end as a result of complications from childbirth. Its a horrific end following a bloody and premature labor; Lizzie cradles her stillborn daughter before being pitched into a delirious nightmare and reminded of the family members shes lost for the sake of political maneuvering. Maggie accuses her of executing her own brother, which is a reference to pretender Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be Lizzies brother, Richard, one of the escaped Princes in the Tower some, including Philippa Gregory, believe he was not a pretender, but truly Lizzies brother and heir to the throne. As death approaches, she lies in Henrys arms and begs him not to allow Harry to marry Catherine. If Harry marries her, the Tudor line ends, she gasps. No more boys; no more kings. Spoiler alert: Lizzie is right yall (but Elizabeth Tudor was Englands greatest monarch, dont @ me, so who is really right here?). But, lets talk about her death. This tragic scene mostly gets the details right; it just accelerates them. In February 1503, Elizabeth of York gave birth to a daughter, Katherine (the child was not stillborn, but only survived a few days). And it actually took Lizzie a full nine days after the birth to die. She succumbed to a post-partum infection, most likely caused by being tended to by women with unsterilized hands (the same infection that claimed the life of Henry VIIIs third wife Jane Seymour) and she died on her 37th birthday. The final image of this weeks episode depicting her husband, Henry VI, and her children gathered around her bedside is a riff on an image in the Vaux Passional, an illuminated manuscript. It shows Henry in mourning, his daughters in black veils, and a young Prince Harry weeping into the empty sheets of his mothers bed. Lizzies death deeply affected her entire family. Harry was said to be troubled by it throughout his life, and some have theorized his constant search for a wife that would live up to the image of his mother was partly responsible for his numerous marriages. This tender final embrace between husband and wife is also spot on. By all accounts, Henry VI and Lizzie had a very loving marriage free from the marital infidelities that often plagued royal unions. Indeed, he never remarried, something quite unusual for royalty at the time. Contemporary reports depict a grief-stricken Henry, who retreated to dark and solitary mourning before taking seriously ill with an unidentified malady that many now believe was a form of depression. Print Collector/Getty Images One other fun fact to end on: legend has it that Elizabeth of York is the model for the Queen of Hearts in a deck of cards, most evident in her distinctive gable hood. Supposedly, Lizzie loved to play games, and after her death, Henry ordered that every deck of cards paint her as the Queen of Hearts a romantic legacy which has endured to this day. Related content: OMJASVIN M D By Express News Service CHENNAI: Reeking sewage water runs in the open and week-old garbage is strewn almost in all corners of the village. Toilets? No, the men and women there largely open-defecate as adequate toilet facilities are lacking. This is the story of Urur Olcott Kuppam, a small fishing village in Besant Nagar located just adjacent to the popular Dindugal Thalapakatti Biriyani. Although it falls in the same ward (13) as Besant Nagar, the disparity between the two localities are stark. The government authorities have left the village in neglect, say the residents. The underground pipelines set up three months ago, have not been given connections yet. So sewage continues to run in the open, says Valarmathi S (36), a resident of the village. The sewage sludge stagnates and turns into cesspools, leading to mosquitoes breeding in the evening, she added.The corporation keeps Besant Nagar spick and span as VVIPs live there. But here, nobody even comes to collect garbage, said Valarmathi. Olcott Kuppam is a century-old fishing village while Besant Nagar came into existence only 50 years ago. The kuppam shot to prominence four years ago when Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha took place in the village. However, the village still suffers on the ground as civic amenities and government schemes fail to reach it. Another resident Murali V (43), says corporation authorities come to the village only once a week to collect garbage and as a result of that, garbage piles up.Door-to-door garbage collection will remain a dream for us, he says. There is only one corporation toilet in the centre of the village, although not in a good condition.The dysfunctional pipes lead to toilets clogging. Moreover, since it is a pay-and-use-toilet, people defecate in the maidanam (open ground) near Broken Bridge, adds Murali. There is insufficient money to maintain the toilet as nobody uses it, said Minnalkodi M (45), who maintains the corporation toilet and lives inside a small room in the toilet compound. The daily collection is hardly `50 to `60 and with that, there is no money to buy bleaching powder, brooms and other items," she added. For the past decade, the 1000 residents of Urur Olcott Kuppam have made demands to the corporation to make the village, 100 per cent open-defecation free and also set up underground sewage pipelines for all houses. But their voices seem to have fallen to deaf ears. We have, so far, not received any financial incentives under Swachh Bharat scheme to build toilets, said Murali. When contacted, a metro water official told Express that trial runs to make the sewage lines operational are being conducted. The work is happening in a quick pace. In a week, sewage lines will be functional, an official said. Similarly, corporation officials told Express that the overflowing garbage will be cleared immediately and more bins will be set up to stop garbage excess."We will ensure garbage collection happens every day in the village,'' said the official. Kodak Black is either a very unlucky hip-hop artist, or the dumbest alleged criminal of all time after federal prosecutors presented evidence which seemingly has Kodak connected, dead to rights, on the attempted shooting of a rival rapper. According to documents, obtained by The Blast, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida laid [] Kodak Black Kodak Black is either a very unlucky hip-hop artist, or the dumbest alleged criminal of all time after federal prosecutors presented evidence which seemingly has Kodak connected, dead to rights, on the attempted shooting of a rival rapper. According to documents, obtained by The Blast, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida laid out a compelling argument for keeping Kodak locked up, after the judge in his federal case allowed the rapper to put up his house to satisfy a $500,000 bond. As we reported, Kodak is charged with making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of firearms from a federally licensed dealer, and the documents reveal the details of his purchase. In January, Kodak allegedly went to Lous Police Distributors in Hialeah, Florida and purchased a Century Arms Mini Draco Romanian pistol, a Sig MPXK9 9mm pistol and a Sig p238 .380 pistol. He paid $3,518.71 for the guns, 100 rounds of ammunition and a double rifle case. In March, he returned to Lous Police Distributors and purchased two more firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition. The guns in question were a Sig MCX Rattler 300 Blackout pistol and a Glock 43x 9mm. One week later, on March 7, a shooting took place in Kodaks neighborhood of Pompano Beach, FL. The documents claim a rival rap artist was the intendend target, and several casings plus a loaded firearm were left at the scene by the shooters. The gun left behind was the Sig MPXK9 pistol that Kodak had previously purchased, and a live found was lodged in the chamber, which apparently had jammed during the shooting. Police dusted the weapon for fingerprints, which came back as a positive match for Kodak. In addition to the fingerprints, witnesses described two vehicles leaving the scene of the shooting, one of them being identified as a Porsche Panamera. Turns out, investigators determined Kodak had rented a Porsche Panamera which was equipped with a GPS system. Investigators pulled the log of the GPS system and confirmed Kodak had been driving through the same neighborhood as the shooting at the exact time it occurred. Story continues They later found the vehicle abandoned with severe vehicle damage. Finally, officials say they have witnesses that put Kodak at the scene of the shooting. As we reported, officials in South Carolina have moved to revoke Kodaks bond in his criminal sexual assault case after his arrest in Miami. Officials in Florida brought up the South Carolina case, as well as his arrest at the Canadaian-U.S. border as reasons to keep him from being allowed to post bail. The post Feds Claim Fingerprints & GPS Evidence Link Kodak Black to Rival Rap Shooting appeared first on The Blast. Game of Thrones heroine Daenerys has one less supporter these days Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who told NBC news reporter Ali Vitali that the Dragon Queen was no longer the best choice for Westeros.Oh, I am so blue about Daenerys, Warren said at a campaign event on Sunday in New Hampshire. You know, what can I say? Shes not the best choice now and shes its gonna be bad tonight. Im trying to figure out who is gonna be on the Iron Throne, but it sure as heck cant be Daenerys.No, no, no, no, she concluded.Also Read: 'Game of Thrones' Fan Elizabeth Warren Says the World 'Needs Fewer Cersei Lannisters'It was a significant public reversal for the Massachusetts liberal and presidential hopeful, who only weeks ago, lauded Daenerys and her Targaryen restorationist claim to the throne.In an essay for The Cut last month, Warren said Daenerys was the best chance for the troubled seven kingdoms given her past performance as an emancipator in earlier seasons during her conquests of the slave-holding city states of Essos.Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen has been my favorite from the first moment she walked through fire, Warren wrote. Dany didnt grow up in the lavish palace walls of the Red Keep. She was born during the chaos of her fathers overthrow When we meet Dany in Season 1, shes a teenager sold off by her abusive elder brother to beefcake warlord Khal Drogo in order to further his political ambitions. Dany might be a princess by birth, but she wasnt dealt an easy hand.Also Read: Emilia Clarke Thanks 'Game of Thrones' Fans as Show Ends: 'And Now Our Watch Has Ended'Echoing many of her own campaign themes, the piece also derided the now-deceased Cersei Lannister as being the candidate of money and big banks.Rather than earn her army, Cerseis pays for it. She buys 20,000 Golden Company mercenaries though they arrive without their legendary elephants with funds from the Iron Bank, Warren wrote. Cerseis betting on the strength of the bank to get her through the biggest fight of her life. It never crosses her mind that the bank could fail, or betray her.The Game of Thrones series finale airs tonight on HBO at 9 p.m.Read original story Game Of Thrones': Elizabeth Warren Says She No Longer Supports Daenerys Claim to Iron Throne (Video) At TheWrap Game of Thrones heroine Daenerys has one less supporter these days Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who told NBC news reporter Ali Vitali that the Dragon Queen was no longer the best choice for Westeros. Oh, I am so blue about Daenerys, Warren said at a campaign event on Sunday in New Hampshire. You know, what can I say? Shes not the best choice now and shes its gonna be bad tonight. Im trying to figure out who is gonna be on the Iron Throne, but it sure as heck cant be Daenerys. No, no, no, no, she concluded. Also Read: 'Game of Thrones' Fan Elizabeth Warren Says the World 'Needs Fewer Cersei Lannisters' It was a significant public reversal for the Massachusetts liberal and presidential hopeful, who only weeks ago, lauded Daenerys and her Targaryen restorationist claim to the throne. In an essay for The Cut last month, Warren said Daenerys was the best chance for the troubled seven kingdoms given her past performance as an emancipator in earlier seasons during her conquests of the slave-holding city states of Essos. Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen has been my favorite from the first moment she walked through fire, Warren wrote. Dany didnt grow up in the lavish palace walls of the Red Keep. She was born during the chaos of her fathers overthrow When we meet Dany in Season 1, shes a teenager sold off by her abusive elder brother to beefcake warlord Khal Drogo in order to further his political ambitions. Dany might be a princess by birth, but she wasnt dealt an easy hand. Also Read: Emilia Clarke Thanks 'Game of Thrones' Fans as Show Ends: 'And Now Our Watch Has Ended' Echoing many of her own campaign themes, the piece also derided the now-deceased Cersei Lannister as being the candidate of money and big banks. Rather than earn her army, Cerseis pays for it. She buys 20,000 Golden Company mercenaries though they arrive without their legendary elephants with funds from the Iron Bank, Warren wrote. Cerseis betting on the strength of the bank to get her through the biggest fight of her life. It never crosses her mind that the bank could fail, or betray her. The Game of Thrones series finale airs tonight on HBO at 9 p.m. Read original story Game Of Thrones': Elizabeth Warren Says She No Longer Supports Daenerys Claim to Iron Throne (Video) At TheWrap Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, at least publicly, does not appear fazed by the notion of a Hollywood boycott of the state after the passage of a highly restrictive abortion law. Kemp over the weekend dismissed boycott rumblings as a squawk from C-list celebrities upset that Georgia and several other states have passed abortion restrictions in a collective challenge to Roe v. Wade. Related stories Louisiana Drafting Order To Rescind Anti-Gay Measure In Wake Of Georgia Veto He doesnt seem to understand that men are a part of Impregnation. Somehow everything is always womens responsibility, Patricia Arquette tweeted. Among the other Hollywood names speaking out against the law are Jameela Jamil, Natalie Portman, Judd Apatow, Ben Stiller and Sean Penn. Jason Bateman, whose Netflix series, Ozark, is filmed in the state, said he would not return if the bill survives court challenges and becomes law. Ron Howard, director of the shooting-in-Georgia Hillbilly Elegy, has expressed more of a wait-and-see view, saying he would not return to the state after wrapping. Kemp delivered his comments over the weekend at Georgias Republican convention. I understand that some folks dont like this new law. Im fine with that, he said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Were elected to do whats right and standing up for precious life is always the right thing to do. Kemp added: We are the party of freedom and opportunity. We value and protect innocent life even though that makes C-list celebrities squawk. The consequences are not insignificant. In fiscal 2018, the state of Georgia said it handed out more tax credits than any other state or nation aside from the UK. There were 455 film and TV projects in the state, generating some $2.7 billion in direct spending in the area, according to state officials. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Imagine Documentaries has partnered with DCTV and School of American Ballet for On Pointe, a docu series offering an inside look at the rigorous training program at the nations foremost school for ballet professionals. The deal calls for Imagine to work with DCTV and the School of American Ballet on a series chronicling the pursuit by young ballet hopefuls of training and acceptance into the New York City Ballet and other companies around the world. Related stories Imagine, Zero Point Zero to Produce Doc on Teen Skateboard Star Brighton Zeuner (EXCLUSIVE) Imagine Sets Development Pact With James Patterson for Children's Film, TV Projects (EXCLUSIVE) DCTV is a New York-based non-profit organization that has provided on media literacy and documentary production training courses since 1972. The SAB has been a premier dance academy for 85 years but has never before allowed documentary filmmakers access to the school. The school draws a diverse array of aspiring dancers from around the world. Imagines Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein will executive produce On Pointe DCTVs Matthew ONeill will direct the series and produce along with Larissa Bills. The series has not yet been shopped to TV buyers. Imagine Documentaries recently inked a first-look pact with Apple but its unclear if On Pointe will end up there. I am in awe of the tremendous talent and commitment of the young student dancers and instructors at the prestigious School of American Ballet. I am honored Imagine is part of the team trusted in sharing their inspirational stories with the world for the first time, said Howard. Carrie Hinrichs, executive director of SAB, said school leaders are confident that Imagine and DCTV will deliver the highest quality documentary look at the institution. The dedication, artistry and accomplishment that is on display at SAB on a daily basis is nothing short of remarkable, and yet we have always been extremely reluctant to allow any invasive film production that would interfere with our focused daily training. In Imagine and DCTV, we believe we have finally found the perfect partners to tell SABs story without compromising any facet of our mission, Hinrichs said. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For only the second time in more than four decades of Star Wars music, legendary composer John Williams has written a new theme for a Star Wars project that is distinct from his film scores for those galaxies far, far away. Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, the much-anticipated attraction that will open at Disneyland on May 31, inspired the five-time Oscar winner to pen a five-minute symphonic suite that musically encapsulates the remote outpost on planet Batuu along with the various outlaws and rebels that parkgoers will encounter there. Related stories What's Next for 'Game of Thrones'' Cast Members 'Star Wars' Team on Creating Chewbacca, Wookiee Noises in 'Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound' Interviews with those closely associated with the project say that Williams participation was a long time in the planning stages. Matt Walker, executive in charge of music for Walt Disney Imagineering, tells Variety that since the outpost didnt exist in the films, it would need its own score, one that belonged to it, but of course lived within the universe of Johns writings for the films. Like many previous Williams compositions for the series, it suggests heroism, danger, excitement everything Galaxys Edge visitors would hope for. But unlike all previous Star Wars themes, there are no images or characters specifically associated with it, so its true inspiration is shrouded in mystery. Williams has only once before written a signature tune unrelated to one of his own movie scores: a theme for the young Han Solo in last years Solo: A Star Wars Story. The composer, now in the midst of writing the music for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, episode IX of the 42-year franchise (due in December), was unavailable to comment for this story. Composer-arranger William Ross has been adapting Williams music from the Star Wars films for Disneylands Star Tours for the past decade and was enlisted for Galaxys Edge. This was a new world, with its own identity away from the movies, says Ross, and it was clear that finding the right theme despite the ability to draw on Williams 16 hours of music from the previous eight Star Wars films might not be easy. Story continues So Williams was invited to Disney Imagineering in Glendale for an in-depth series of meetings, Walker says. The composer was shown elaborate models, given detailed descriptions, saw artists drawings, watched an animatic and generally introduced to the Black Spire Outpost and the two planned rides, Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance. We wanted to enhance the immersive-theater quality of the land with a new composition, and that seemed to intrigue him, says Walker. He signed on for it, a year ago, and its been a fantastic adventure. In July 2018, Williams delivered this five-minute symphonic suite with multiple themes, development of those themes, counter-melodies, even a fugal moment, Walker says. No one at Disney or Lucasfilm had even heard a basic piano demo at that point; Williams, working solely from the art hed seen and the descriptions hed been given, musically imagined this exotic new land. Ross, the frequent Williams collaborator who conducted parts of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, flew to London to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in August. It was that orchestra that became a household name by performing the first six Star Wars scores from 1977 to 2005. Williams, who was in Tanglewood, Mass., at the time of the recording, was linked to Abbey Road, enabling him to hear the sessions and offer specific notes about the performance. Ross recorded the five-minute suite, a two-minute reduction of the main theme, and various shorter pieces based on Williams original composition, all totaling about an hour of music. One of the things were trying to inspire in our guests is this sense of awe and wonder, says Walker, who was present at the London sessions. Theres an optimism, a sense of adventure; you go on a journey in this five-minute piece. Yet visitors to Galaxys Edge will never actually hear the LSO version of Williams full suite. Disney released a two-minute teaser video showing Ross conducting at Abbey Road on Nov. 17, and a digital download of the full version on May 2. The original symphonic piece serves as the musical foundation for Galaxys Edge and will be heard occasionally in various contexts throughout the outpost. We never wanted this to sound like background music, Walker said. Weve done deconstructed versions, so youre not suddenly saying, Wow, theres the 90-piece LSO playing this incredible piece of symphonic music. We tease you, and begin to set up his thematic material and weave that in as you enter. Then where you are in the land, and what needs to happen, begins to take over. The idea, Walker explains, is to create an authentic-sounding exotic locale, weaving in musical textures, being careful not to overuse Johns thematic material. Its a very textural approach to the source music. Adds Ross: Its going to be more like the small group of musicians you might hear in some exotic and faraway village marketplace. But Johns theme informs the entire Galaxys Edge musical experience. Both Smugglers Run, set aboard the Millennium Falcon; and Rise of the Resistance, the still-in-progress second ride to open in the fall, will draw extensively on the vast catalog of previous Williams Star Wars themes, Disney execs said. Ross made several trips to London to record newly arranged and adapted material for various corners of the 14-acre land. Surprisingly, this is not the first original music Williams has written for a theme-park attraction. When he adapted his Oscar-winning E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial score for a Universal Studios ride in 1990, he wrote a new theme for Botanicus, an elder of E.T.s species who appears during the adventure. That garnered little attention, however, by comparison with Galaxys Edge. After its California bow at Disneyland this month, the attraction will open Aug. 29 at Floridas Walt Disney World. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (This story was refiled to correct second mention of the nurse's name) By Sarah Mills CANNES, France (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore said her experience of caring for someone infected with the AIDS virus had spurred her decision to help promote the documentary '5B' about the unsung heroes who looked after AIDS sufferers in the 1980s. The film, screened during the first week of the Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of Ward 5B at the San Francisco General Hospital, the first specialist care unit for people with HIV/AIDs in the United States. In an interview with Reuters at Cannes, Moore, 58, said she lost a friend to the virus just after graduating from college. "It was the end of 1984 and it was a friend who had gone to Mexico, and everyone said he had caught the flu - and he died two weeks later and I was shocked," Moore said. Later on the actress, whose best known films include "Magnolia" and "The Hours", came to help care for an AIDS sufferer at a care unit in New York where friends and family were allowed to come in look after patients. "By 1985 a lot of people I knew were sick ... and by 88 I was caring for somebody in a ward...I saw this movie and was so incredibly moved," she said. The film delves into how nurses who saw a rise in patients with the condition decided to set up a care centre, dismayed by the lack of humanity many were shown at the time. Cliff Morrison - one of the driving forces behind the treatment centre where the staff ignored ideas of clinical detachment and had physical contact with patients - said fear about the epidemic and suspicion about how it spread was one of the hurdles carers had to deal with. "All of a sudden I found myself at a cocktail party and someone asked me what I did and everyone just spread back," Morrison told Reuters, as he discussed the film with Moore. Dan Krauss, who co-directed the film with Paul Haggis, said '5B' had a message for modern day viewers. Story continues "It's about compassion and it's about dignity and it's about respect," Krauss said. "If we can inject that into the national conversation inside the United States and elsewhere I think we will have accomplished something needed right now," he said. Every year movie stars, models and the super rich attend a major HIV-AIDS fundraising event during the Cannes Film Festival, the AmfAR dinner, put on by the U.S.-based Foundation For AIDS Research. This year's event on May 23 comes after an HIV-positive man in Britain became the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of the AIDS virus, according to his doctors, after he received a bone marrow transplant from an HIV-resistant donor. (Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) A former Oklahoma high school teacher faces multiple rape and sexual battery charges after she allegedly had sex with three different teenaged students, PEOPLE confirms. Janet Kay Barnes, 44, was a former teacher at Pocola High School, located in a rural area near the Arkansas border. An investigation into Barnes behavior began in late 2016, when police received a tip alleging that she had engaged in inappropriate conduct with multiple students. During the investigation, Barnes was suspended from her teaching duties, the district superintendent told 40/29 News. According to a grand jury indictment that was first obtained by WTKR, Barnes allegedly had sex with two minors in separate incidents between January 2014 and November 2016. She faces a charge of second-degree rape for each encounter. The indictment also alleges that Barnes, who was married, committed sexual battery against a third student an adult in a separate incident. According to Oklahoma law, teachers are not permitted to have sexual contact with their students, even if the student is over the age of consent. Each alleged victim was a student at the school where Barnes taught. All three students were between 16 and 19 years old. 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. Barnes no longer teaches in the state of Oklahoma. Her contract was not renewed as the investigation was ongoing, and she no longer holds a valid teaching certificate, PEOPLE confirms. According to online court records, a grand jury convened in Leflore County on Friday. The jury indicted Barnes on the charges and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Barnes is being held on $250,000 bond. She has not entered a plea, and court documents do not reflect an attorney authorized to speak on her behalf. Barnes faces up to 15 years in prison on each count of second-degree rape. The sexual battery charge carries a penalty of no more than 10 years in prison. Story continues The school district did not immediately return PEOPLEs call for comment. When I made this show, I was interested in going into the world of where the teenagers control, says director Nicolas Winding Refn, who returns to Cannes for a fourth time in eight years with his upcoming Amazon LAPD cop streaming series Too Old to Die Young, which he co-created with Ed Brubaker. This is their domain, says Refn about his newfound love for streaming, which he declared to the world after the premiere of episodes 4 & 5 at the Grand Lumiere Theatre on Saturday night. The series hits Amazon Prime on June 14, and as cinematic as it is, there are no plans in the works for a special limited two-city release by the streamer just so Refn fans can savor it on the big screen. Related stories John Hillcoat To Helm 'Witchfinder General' Remake From Nicolas Winding Refn - Cannes I dont want to bring them into where Im from, the Danish director says about teen audiences and the cinema. I dont need to, I want to go into their arena to be part of that. The show was created for the cell phone, says Refn, who at one point told his DP Darius Khondji he wanted to shoot the series on an iPhone, especially since they were watching playback on their mobile phones. (Shooting on an iPhone was out of the question due to resolutions problems.) With Too Old to Die Young, Refn continues his love affair with the City of Angels and its noir elements, so viscerally established in Drive (which won him best director at Cannes in 2011) about a stuntman-turned-vigilante against a mobster, and continued on in 2017s Neon Demon, which centered on an aspiring fashion model in literally a cutthroat profession. Like Ryan Goslings driver without no name in Drive, in Too Old,Miles Teller is a corrupt LA detective, Martin, who finds a mentor in a twisted ex-fed, Viggo, (John Hawkes). Viggo and Martin both share acerbic intentions to rid their worlds of scum, some of them being rapists and pornographers (from the looks of episodes 4 and 5 at least). Story continues Many here at Cannes might have been quick to notice the gun-toting testosterone of the episodes (Tellers signature kill is shooting the bad guys in the head), or mistaking Too Old To Die Young for misogyny. However, what we are bound to see in the series is the triumph of the female voice. She takes over the for the standard heroic males as they fall short (spoiler: theres a kickass female assassin who Cannes moviegoers did not meet yet). Its about female empowerment in a world that is enormously dark and male-dominated. The idea of what is going on in the U.S. with men and womenwhere its about the control of female bodies or how women are objectified, explains Refn about Too Old To Die Youngs overall themes. Theres a sense of hatred I sensed and it terrified me as I have a wife and daughters. It was also very important that everything that was macabre and mayhem was also spread out between men and women; thats really what life is, says the filmmaker, How do you accept all forms of sexuality being objectified? And how do you accept all victims in all forms of sexuality rather than narrowing it down to one group that dominates? To those naysayers who might have a problem with the pace of his noir, Refn answers, Why is movement so slow? Well because life is very slow. Its just the shiny objects in theaters that are thrown around a lot faster. Why does cinema have to be shiny objects thrown around? Theres a long desert face-off in episode 5 with Tellers Martin and a New Mexico pornographer that is hysterical, and turns Sergio Leone on its head. Refn is giddy about the series 10-hour structure, a sandbox to experiment with his absurdist poetry and characters internal odysseys as well as narrative. Many wondered why Refn decided to show episodes 4 & 5 here at Cannes, versus the first two of Too Old To Die Young. Yes, there is a larger overall character arc, but Refn was serving up the episodes to Cannes audiences, in a way that teenagers, like his daughters, consume digital content. Its not always in a page 1-to-100 type of sequence; they skip around. So has Refn abandoned cinema altogether in favor of streaming? No, that would be boring. He zags after he zigs. Up next is producing John Hillcoats Witchfinder General in the UK, a project that originally began with Refn. But dont worry cinephiles, Refn will be back on the big screen. On a very special Crew Call podcast from Cannes, Refn and Teller expound more on the origins of Too Old to Die Young and more. Give it a listen: Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Octavia Spencer is taking control. While it sounds strange to presume that the career of an Oscar-winning actress and producer with over 125 credits is somehow outside of her control, Spencer is taking her sweet-as-pie image and burning it with Ma. Well, shes actually getting it drunk, stalking it, sewing up its lips, and generally terrorizing it, but thats beside the point. Related stories Fifth 'Purge' Movie Gets Release Date Fox Orders Tate Taylor Drama 'Filthy Rich' to Series In the horror thriller, Spencer plays a lonely veterinary aide named Sue Anne who starts partying with a group of high schoolers after they ask her to buy them booze. Sue Anne invites them over to her home, and Mas basement quickly becomes the hotspot for teens looking to drink. But as quickly as the fun begins, everything including Ma starts to unravel, and eventually the party is over, for everyone. Spencer, at the films premiere in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday night, highlighted the importance of having the opportunity to play a role like Sue Ann and to leading a horror film as a black woman. Lupita Nyongo had a film debut at Sundance [the upcoming thriller Little Monsters], but before that and before Ma, these types of roles havent really been available to women of color. And I think its about time that changes, Spencer told Variety on the red carpet. Any young actress, should she want to star in a romantic comedy that should be available to her, if she wants to star in a horror film, that should be available to her. So, its exciting to play something outside of the three archetypes that people like to see me in. Jason Blum, a producer on Ma, also weighed in on seeing more leading roles in this genre for women of color. For so long it hasnt been the case with horror movies, so I think the audience is starved to see that, he explained. Weve done a lot of movies with African American casts [including collaborating with Jordan Peele on Get Out and this years Us, which also starred Nyongo] and particularly playing parts that African Americans dont typically play. Its good business. Theres a real pent-up demand for it. Story continues When the trailer for the film debuted in February, it was an instant hit and a great deal of the fan reaction centered around how different this character is from Spencers on- and off-screen persona. And it was exactly that type of subversion that Spencer was looking for when trying to select her next role. The actress was tired of being offered the same kinds of characters, so shed asked her good friend and The Help director Tate Taylor for help. Well, [Taylor] said, I found this horror film and I stopped him. I said, You know, black people always die within the first 15 minutes of a horror film, Spencer explained, laughing. (Note: In Rob Zombies Halloween II, Spencers Nurse Daniels is one of the first to die.) And he said, Well, not only do you not die within the first 15 minutes, you get to kill everybody. And I thought, Well, okay, sign me up. Thatll be interesting to do. I just like talented people and this is my best friend and Im glad that, if it can help change the ridiculously stubborn narrative that weve all lived with, Im glad to be a part of that, Taylor said of subverting stereotypes about black people in horror movies. Tate did that by offering Spencer a part originally written as a white woman, and that Spencer still is, though she a black woman ultimately played the character. By why did Taylor think of his sweet friend to play this sociopath? Well, Ive seen it before we lived together for seven years, so Ma is autobiographical, he joked. I knew she loved this kind of material on subject matter, he continued. Our TV was always on murder shows, Forensic Files, so it was just really cool to bring this opportunity to her to let her just let the wheels come off and she does. Its a little disturbing to see her as this character. Its a lot of fun though too, Allison Janney, who co-stars in the film, admitted. I know Octavia and I know how much fun she had doing this movie, one of the best times shes ever had doing a movie. Janney, a longtime friend of Spencer and Tate and who also worked with the pair on The Help, got a special shout-out during the introduction of Ma when Spencer revealed that Janney took time out of her 2018 Oscar campaign to come to Mississippi and film this role. The best supporting actress Oscar-winner explained why she couldnt pass up a chance to work with her friends, especially not on her own first horror movie, though she didnt get to really commit atrocities and [instead] something incredible happens to me at the hands of my friend here. [Octavia] is just making my head spin with how much she commands. She knows what shes doing in some innate way. She knows she knows how to be in Hollywood. She knows how to be a woman of power. She knows how to lead with class and she sees everyone from the craft service person on up. She knows how to treat people with respect. Im just inspired by her, Janney said, applauding Spencer as the films executive producer. I know people are going to love her in it, because who doesnt love Octavia? Shes so beloved and rightfully so. Ma debuts on May 31. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Oprah was all about education over the weekend, because after speaking at the University of Colorado, she dropped some knowledge about her humanitarian efforts to a critic who tried to call out the queen. O spoke at Colorados commencement ceremony and announced, I shook hands with all 571 members of @coloradocolleges Class of 2019 and [] Oprah Instagram Oprah was all about education over the weekend, because after speaking at the University of Colorado, she dropped some knowledge about her humanitarian efforts to a critic who tried to call out the queen. O spoke at Colorados commencement ceremony and announced, I shook hands with all 571 members of @coloradocolleges Class of 2019 and gave them a copy of The Path Made Clear. However, the big news of the weekend was billionaire entrepreneur Robert F. Smith paying off all the student loans from the graduating class at Morehouse College, and one of Oprahs fans let her know how they felt about her giving out her book. Should have paid off their student debt, the follower quipped. Oprah didnt waste any time about clapping back though, and wrote, already paid 13m in scholarships. Have put over 400 men through Morehouse. Boom. The comment by the critic was quickly deleted, but Oprahs Instagram feed has been flooded with people supporting the TV mogul. As we reported, Smith is expected to pay over $40 million to the 400 graduates from Morehouse. Instagram Photo The post Oprah Claps Back After Shes Called Out Over Comparison to Billionaire Paying Off Loans appeared first on The Blast. By Express News Service CHENNAI: In an attempt to assist people during medical emergencies, a team from Sinsan Infotech along with M Kumaran, an oral and Maxillofacial surgeon at Floss & Gloss and Jerome Anthony Das of Sinsan launched SPOTRUSH, a one-of-a-kind medicare app at The Park Hotel on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Saravana Rajagopal, mentor of Sinsans app design team which comprises seven members said, I believe in using technology to our advantage. After spending eight months to devise the app, the team reached out to several hospitals and tested it. The response has been positive and we will be adding more features to it. This app is designed to help people from both, rural and urban areas. The team plans to provide their services in every corner of the state. Some of the most common medical emergencies are: bleeding, burns and scalds, breathing difficulties, seizures, severe pain, heart attack, stroke, sudden collapse, electrocution, bites/stings etc. Locating the right medical professional who is available in the shortest period of time is perhaps the most important task at hand during a medical emergency. SPOTRUSH allows people to effortlessly get in touch with physicians, hospitals and ER departments across the city. Besides the easy access to medical facilities, the app allows patients and doctors to know the type of hospital, their specialisations, availability of in-house experienced doctors etc. With a click of an icon on the app, an ambulance from a nearby hospital can be summoned and the exact location of the patient forwarded to the hospital and ambulance. No need to call the hospital, connect through an operator, explain the situation and give the address etc. Muzzafar Shah Hanafi, Consulate General Malaysia (Trade Section); Karate R Thiagarajan, former deputy Mayor of Chennai; T Aragannal, chairman of Gnanamani Group of College, Namakkal; Balakrishnana, IPS; Muthuswamy, retired IRS officer; Oncologist Elizabeth and Sathiyanarayanan, author presided as guests. (The SPOTRUSH App is free and is available on Android and iOS platforms.) On May 31st, Patti Smith will appear on Peyote Dance, an album with the experimental musicians of the Soundwalk Collective. The New York-based group are known for making new art out of found sounds everything from antenna effects to old classical recordings. The new album will include Ivry, a new song with lyrics written by Smith that pay tribute to the French poet Antonin Artaud, who died in 1948. The Soundwalk Collective wrote it with instruments that included Mexican Tarahumara guitars from the valley where Artaud wrote 1947s The Peyote Dance, where the poet describes his experiences on the drug in Mexico a decade earlier and a transcendental experience that followed. The musicians of the Soundwalk Collective traveled to the cave where the poet lived and gathered stones, sand, leaves and instruments to awaken the landscapes sleeping memories. Related stories Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves, Stevie Nicks Donate Memorabilia for Massive 'Girls Rock' Auction Nick Hornby Talks Newfound Setlist Obsession for Charity Taking peyote in those regions, you have the feeling that everything is communicating with you as it was for Artaud nothing has changed, said Stephan Crasneanscki, the founder of Soundwalk Collective. On an atomic level, there is no separation between you and any other organism: trees, leaves, flowers, but also stones and sand. There is no duality. Everything is embedded, everything has a soul, and the soul is timeless. We are not alone. These sonic spaces are pre-existing to us and will exist after us, to be able to listen to them is an act of presence. Smith then listened to and improvised over their tracks: For a moment, she said, one is Artaud. The video includes footage of the poets legendary performance in the Passion of Joan of Arc, along with the last images of him in his chair. The Peyote Dance is the first of three albums to be released by the British indie label Bella Union which will take inspiration from three French poets: Antonin Artaud, Arthur Rimbaud and Rene Daumal. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. With Kim Kardashians help, Alice Marie Johnson, a nonviolent drug offender, was able to return to her family after 21 years in jail. Since Johnsons release in June 2018, the bond between the two women has only grown stronger. Now, the beauty mogul has written the foreword to Johnsons moving memoir, After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom, out Tuesday, and PEOPLE has the exclusive first look. (Read the excerpt below.) You have helped me find an incredible new sense of purpose, and I am so grateful for that, Kardashian West, 38, said of the 63-year-old great-grandmother, according to the books press release. You have helped create change that will impact others, and have inspired and encouraged me to continue on my journey to do the same. Kardashian West, who is studying to become a lawyer, felt immediate sympathy when she learned about Johnsons story. In 1996, Johnson was given a life sentence for a first-time nonviolent drug offense after she helped facilitate communications in a drug trafficking case. Once Kardashian West heard about her story, she successfully petitioned President Donald Trump for clemency and Johnson was pardoned and released from a federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama, where she had been serving her sentence for more than 20 years. Kanye West, Alice Marie Johnson and Kim Kardashian West | Courtesy Alice Marie Johnson Johnson in her 1973 yearbook | Courtesy Alice Marie Johnson In After Life, the single mother delves into the tragedy and difficulties she faced that led her to crime. Johnson, an ordained minister, also reveals how her faith kept her hopeful even after she was told that she would remain in prison until she died. Now, Johnson is using her platform to advocate for prison reform and social justice. Before news of her release was announced, Johnson opened up about what Kardashian Wests help has meant to her in an essay for CNN, writing, Some refer to prison as a place where hope dies. Some days Ive found that to be almost right. Each time that Ive come close [to giving up], God has restored my faith. Story continues She added, So when the unlikely voices of Kim Kardashian West and Jared Kushner came together to shine a spotlight on my case, I could only thank God, for he works in mysterious ways. Continue reading for the full foreword of After Life by Kardashian West. Johnson and her sisters | Courtesy Alice Marie Johnson This is so unfair. On the evening on October 25, 2017, I was scrolling through Twitter when I came across a video that changed my life. Someone I follow had retweeted a video telling the story of Alice Marie Johnson. I had never heard Alices name before that day, but the heading caught my attention. A sixty-two-year-old great- grandmother had been in prison for twenty-one years for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense. How is that possible? I watched as Miss Alice told the story of how her desperation, after losing her job and struggling to put food on the table for her children, led her to make a bad decision that resulted in her being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. My immediate reaction was to tweet how I felt. This is so unfair. The real Miss Alice is a woman who has made a mistake. I felt completely heartbroken for Alice. I could see how much she loved her family, and how much pain and loss she had experienced being away from them for so long. I couldnt imagine being without mine. But there was something about her outlook that inspired me. The way she talked about love, hope, and regret. Alice had this incredible pride in having been able to mentor women in prison to help them cope with doing their time behind bars. I knew I had to help her get out from behind hers. Courtesy Alice Marie Johnson That night I couldnt stop thinking about Alice. Her story haunted me. Imagine spending two decades in a prison cell, away from family and friends, watching life pass you by out of a win- dow that never opens. Knowing that no matter how much you accomplish on the inside, or how well you behave, youre never getting out. That was Alices life. She had missed the birth of her grandkids and her parents had both passed away while she was in prison. Life was beginning and ending as she sat behind bars because of one terrible mistake. For years Ive had a fascination with true crime. Ive seen every crime documentary out there. Making a Murderer, The Staircase, The Jinx, you name it, Ive seen it. But nothing had impacted me as much as that four-minute-long video about Miss Alice. I was feeling angry about her situation, sad about the life that was taken away from her, and disappointed in our justice system. I decided to reach out to my friend Shawn Holley, who had worked on the OJ case with my dad back in 1995. I had an odd obsession with true crime but I had no real experience with the legal system and no idea if there was anything I could do to help Alice, but I just knew I had to try. I texted Shawn that night to learn more about Alices situation and what could be done. I wanted to understand our options. Shawn quickly found Alices attorney and started to form a relationship. Alice Marie Johnson, Kim Kardashian West, Van Jones and Louis Reed I then decided to reach out to Ivanka Trump. I had known Ivanka and her family for years and I felt that Ivanka would have compassion, as a woman and as a mom, and would understand how important this was. Ivanka listened to everything I had to say and felt the same way I did. She connected me with her husband, Jared Kushner, who was passionate about criminal justice reform and believed in Alices case. There was only one way to get Alice out of prison. She had to be granted clemency, which meant I had to go directly to the only person who has the power to grant Alice the second chance she deserved: the president. And I had to be prepared. It took about six months to get all of Alices files together and we waited patiently to be given a date when we could visit the White House to meet with President Trump and tell Alices story. When we finally got a date, it ended up being rescheduled, and the new date fell on Alices birthday. I felt like this had to be a good sign. This was Alices day; she was all that mattered and I wasnt going to let her down. The day arrived, and as we sat in the Oval Office with the president and told him Alices story, I felt empowered by the atmosphere in this room. Its an amazing feeling to sit in a place that has so much history, where momentous decisions are made that impact an entire nation. If its possible to feel both overwhelmed and serene at the same time, thats how I felt. An overwhelming sense of serenity, I guess you could say. I was exactly where I was meant to be, in that place, at that time. I left the White House feeling happy and hopeful. Johnson reunites with her grandson after 21 years | Courtesy Alice Marie Johnson I wasnt told how long it would take before as decision would be made, just that I would get a call from the president when the time came. About a week later I was at a photoshoot in New York when I got the call. I held my breath as President Trump told me his decision. He was granting her clemency. Miss Alice was going home. But the best moment was yet to come. I got on a call right away with the attorneys and they called the prison to connect Alice to the call. I assumed that Alices attorneys had given her the good news before I joined the call, but when she picked up the phone I could tell by the sound of her voice that she didnt know yet. Twenty-one years, and I wasnt going to let her spend another second in that cell. We did it, Alice. Youre out. On the other end, I heard Alice scream. The sound of joy, amazement, relief, hope, grace, all at once. That moment will forever be one of my favorite memories. Johnson and her sisters, Patricia and Dolores, visit President Donald Trump in the Oval Office | Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead Alices story has inspired me more than I ever thought possible. Too often we are discouraged because we think something will be too challenging, or that an idea is too crazy, or the chance of success too rare. Miss Alice found herself in a position where most of us would have felt completely hopeless. But in spite of it all, she stayed positive, used her time to support others, and most important, never gave up hope. I took that with me throughout my journey to free Alice, and I take that with me every day, with everything I do. Thank you, Miss Alice, my dear friend, my inspiration, my family. You have helped me find an incredible new sense of purpose, and I am so grateful for that. You have helped create change that will impact others, and have inspired and encouraged me to continue on my journey to do the same. Excerpted from After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom by Alice Marie Johnson. Copyright 2019 by Alice Marie Johnson. Reprinted with permission of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. Reese Witherspoon had a hard time when daughter Ava Phillippe packed up her room and moved away to college. Witherspoon stopped by pal Ellen DeGeneres talk show on Monday where she talked about missing 19-year-old Ava after she left for college last fall. I have a kid finishing his first year of kindergarten, I have a kid finishing his first year of high school and my daughter is finishing her first year of college, Witherspoon told DeGeneres of her three kids: Ava and Deacon, 15, who she shares with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, and 6-year-old Tennessee, who she shares with husband Jim Toth. Ava Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon | Vivien Killilea/Getty RELATED: Reese Witherspoon Says Daughter Ava Phillippe, 19, Taught Her How to Apply Highlighter Its weird when your children go away to college. Its hard, she continued. And I never imagined how it felt for my mom. I mightve gone into her empty room, laid down on her bed and cried when she went to college. But its okay, shes coming back. Apparently, they come back, right? I thought shed be gone. Witherspoon also took the chance to apologize to her mother Betty for never coming home after college since she moved to L.A. to start her career. Her college drop-out status bothered her mom for years to come, the actress revealed. Oh, my mom was so mad at me that I dropped out of college because she wanted me to be a doctor, specifically a plastic surgeon, Witherspoon said. My dad was an ear, nose and throat surgeon, but my mom was just really determined for me to be a plastic surgeon. And she was mad about it for probably 10 years, and then I bought her a house so she got over it. At some point it turned into a better deal for Betty. Witherspoon next appears in season two of Big Little Lies, which premiered on HBO June 16. EXCLUSIVE: Terrence Malicks Cannes Film Festival competition drama A Hidden Life has been hailed as an impressive return to form for the U.S. writer-director. Buyers immediately began circling after the films debut here yesterday, and Fox Searchlight has come out on top for U.S and a number of international markets in a highly competitive situation. According to sources, deal is pegged at $12 million-$14 million and was hatched overnight with CAA Media Finance and Mister Smith. Paramount, Focus, A24, Netflix and others were among buyers hot on the trail. The deal is one of the biggest ever at a market for a movie shot in Germany. Related stories Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, Regina Hall, Samira Wiley Among Cast Joining Allison Janney In Tate Taylor's All-Star 'Breaking News In Yuba County' -- Cannes The English- and German-language film charts the moving true story of Austrian Franz Jagerstatter (played by August Diel), a conscientious objector who refused to fight for the Nazis during World War II. Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Nyqvist, Valerie Pachner, Jurgen Prochnow, Alexander Fehling and the late Bruno Ganz also star. A Hidden Life is Malicks first film to play in Cannes Competition lineup since 2011s drama The Tree of Life, and many critics are calling it his best film since that Oscar nominee. Malick attended the premiere Sunday which was greeted by a roughly five-minute standing ovation. Mister Smith is handling foreign sales. France, Germany and Scandinavia were among the few markets already gone. Producers are Grant Hill, Dario Bergesio, Josh Jester and Elisabeth Bentley. The film was in post-production for almost three years as the meticulous auteur spent his time getting the movie just as he wanted. Cannes business has been solid so far. The excellent quality of the festival lineup has helped augment business in the market, which is awash with packages. Projects such as Moonfall, Down Under Cover, Operation Mincemeat, The Climb, Les Miserables, Sorry We Missed You, Harry Haft, Misanthrope and The Power of the Dog are just a handful of those to have garnered serious attention from buyers. Story continues Festival titles such as Rocketman, Pedro Almodovars Pain and Glory, and hard-hitting French drama Les Miserables are among those being talked about as potential awards-season contenders. Robert Eggers The Lighthouse has also drawn raves. Palme dOr entrants Pain and Glory and Les Miserables are likely to feature in some form come this weekends prize ceremony. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. One $300 million legal dust-up between AMC and former The Walking Dead showrunner Frank Darabont and his representatives at CAA is heading to trial next year. But another lawsuit in the profit-participation dispute looks to be barreling towards a Hollywood labor minefield. The dirty secret in Hollywood is that talent agents often sell their clients down the river in exchange for bigger packaging fees for themselves, AMCs primary lawyer Orin Snyder wrote in a note to New York Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen on Monday, part of direct accusations that heavyweight lawyer Dale Kinsella has tried to shut down discussion or connection to the recent battle between the WGA and Association of Talent Agents over the lucrative packaging practice. Related stories CAA Scoffs At WGA's Latest Legal Move In Preview Of Its Defense of Guild Allegations Against Packaging Agencies And then there is the very timely kicker. WGA ATA That is the subject of a pending lawsuit by the Writers Guild of America, of which Darabont is a member, against CAA and other talent agencies, reads the short correspondence filed this morning (read it here). Defendants have reason to believe that Plaintiffs claims may be based on Darabonts misunderstanding of the rights his representatives seemed for him a misunderstanding created and/or advanced by CAA to hide their conflict of interest. That is what happened here, and Kinsella wants to shut down this inquiry, the Gibson Dunn attorney says, body-slamming the Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert partner with accusations of outrageous behavior and misconduct during a recent deposition involving The Shawshank Redemption director and two others. Letting those scorching claims of underhanded moves by both CAA against their own co-plaintiff, and Kinsella hang there, the letter from Snyder additionally requests the New York Supreme Court justice set a conference hearing ASAP to address improper and obstructive deposition conduct by the plaintiffs lawyer in a trio of sit-downs. Story continues Unsurprisingly, Kinsella wasted little time responding this morning. AMCs transparent effort to mask their own outrageous and harassing deposition conduct by filing an at best misleading letter directly with the court is yet another publicity stunt, he said Monday, promising a filing of his own shortly. Suffice it to say that AMCs lead counsel, Orin Snyder, will have more than enough explaining to do when this matter is fully argued before the court. Honestly, if youve been following Darabont and CAAs original case from 2013 and the second $10 million one they put before the court in January 2018, such salvos between the lawyers seem like old hat at this point. What is a bit jaw dropping today is that AMC have now employed the tactic to push a wedge between plaintiffs Darabont and CAA over the hot-button topic of packaging, and nail the latter to the cross of displaying similar sticky contractual fingers AMC itself has been accused of having. Fighting various TWD profits suits on various fronts, including one from creator Robert Kirkman and other executive producers, AMC now notes the WGA lawsuit of last month against the Big 4 agencies, and that the the deal between Darabont and CAA was cited as an example of the egregious self-interest aspect of packaging. The quarrel over packaging has seen several thousand members of the WGA fired their agents at CAA, WME, ICM Partners and UTA since talks broke down between the ATA and the guild on April 12. Unlike the near constant back and forth in the TWD cases, there has been no response by the Big 4 agencies to the WGA suit, yet. No word when or if the conference that AMC want will happen or whats next in these cases. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I Went on a Cruise with the Property Brothers! What It's Really Like to Go Sailing with the Scotts I Went on a Cruise with the Property Brothers: What It's Really Like to Go Sailing with the Scotts You might think a Property Brothers cruise with Drew and Jonathan Scott would be heavy on the home reno, but the minute I boarded Royal Caribbeans Mariner of the Seas to go Sailing with the Scotts, I realized the twins would be doing a whole lot more than handing out decor tips. It was no surprise the newly refreshed ship, which accommodates 3,344 passengers, was filled with die hard Prop Bros fans 95% female, though I did spot a few happy husbands along for the ride. Everyone on board was eager to get their first glimpse of the brothers, which didnt take long. Festivities kicked off with a Sail Away party, where cruisers mingled with the bros, took selfies, and shouted out questions during an impromptu Q&A. On my five-day trip from Miami to the Bahamas, there were plenty more meet-and-greets and photo ops that let fans get up close and personal with the HGTV stars. Because the guys are in major demand on the boat, fans waited in line to get their money shot. RELATED: We Tried It: I Went on a Disney Cruise Without Any Kids and It Was Magical! But just in case your eyes were closed when the camera clicked or you flubbed the first one, there were lots more opportunities for selfies. I have no doubt there was an influx of Scott brothers content across all social media networks during those five days. Between the late-night limbo challenge, Newlywed-style love and marriage game show, and endless cocktails, I was entertained from start to finish. During a white party hosted by the guys, their whole family hung out and mingled with fans. My personal favorite to watch was the karaoke challenge, though I didnt dare belt out a tune. Rates for this voyage started at $549 per person. For fans that want an even more personal experience, you can pay extra for an Atlantis Aquaventure with Jonathan or a Chocolatier Experience with Drew and his wife Linda Phan, with whom he just celebrated his one-year anniversary. Story continues RELATED: Heres What Its Really Like to Take a Cruise with Oprah Winfrey, from a Writer Who Lived It! Ive had the privilege to meet and interview Drew and Jonathan for four PEOPLE cover stories, but I learned something new about them on this trip: If anyone knows how to make the most of a cruise, its these guys. Good Morning America Duchess Kate surprised royal-watchers by showing off her piano skills at a Christmas concert Friday. The Duchess of Cambridge joined Tom Walker for a performance of "For Those Who Can't Be Here" during the concert, "Together at Christmas," which was televised in the U.K. The duet was recorded at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, according to Town and Country magazine. Kate, 39, organized the concert, which also featured performances by Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding, to show her gratitude to community leaders in the U.K. She added in her introduction that she also wanted to "recognize those whose struggles perhaps have been less visible, too." Suspected serial rapist arrested in 2nd cold case murder nearly 45 years later originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A former Stanford University employee was arrested in connection to a cold case murder from the 1970s this week, just months after genetic genealogy linked him to another decades-old slaying. John Arthur Getreu, 74, already was in custody on Thursday when officers with the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office charged him with the 1974 murder of 21-year-old Janet Taylor. Taylor vanished while hitchhiking home from a friend's house in Palo Alto, California, not far from the Stanford University campus, on March 24, 1974. She was found strangled to death on the side of a nearby highway the next day. There was no evidence of her being raped, but investigators said the crime appeared to be "sexually motivated." PHOTO: Janet Taylor vanished while hitchhiking a ride home from a friend's house in Palo Alto, California, on March 24, 1974. (San Mateo County Sheriffs Office ) "Based upon the evidence that we have -- based upon how these investigations the unraveled, based upon his past and everything that we saw -- we believe that this was sexually motivated," Assistant San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Rothaus said at a press conference. "I can't comment too much on the evidence that caused us to believe that." (MORE: Genetic genealogy leads to arrest in 1973 cold case murder of 21-year-old California woman Leslie Perlov, authorities say) Police said DNA found on the young woman's clothes led them to Getreu, a convicted rapist police said could be connected to several other murders. Taylor's family thanked the detectives for continuing to work on her case so many years later. "We can't ever know all that we missed, but whatever she pursued, Janet would have served others with passion and kindness," the family said in a statement. "We're grateful today for the diligent, meticulous work of the law enforcement officers whose efforts have resulted in today's announcement." (MORE: Police charge man with wife's murder 33 years after her death) Story continues "They've done this difficult work with integrity and excellence, and with compassion for our family," the statement continued. PHOTO: John Arthur Getreu, 74, of Hayward, Calif., is pictured in an undated booking photo released by the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office. (Santa Clara Sheriff) PHOTO: Leslie Marie Perlov is pictured in an undated photo release by the Santa Clara Sheriff's office. (Courtesy Santa Clara Sheriff) Rothaus said his office re-initiated the investigation into Taylor's death last November when authorities in nearby Santa Clara County arrested Getreu in the cold case murder of 21-year-old Leslie Perlov. She was found strangled to death near Stanford in 1973. Police said new DNA and genetic genealogy technology connected Getreu to that crime. "After the identification of the suspect in the suspect in the Santa Clara County case, our investigators at the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office collected more evidence in the Janet Taylor case and submitted additional items to our crime lab," Rothaus said. "Through our combined investigation we learned much more about the suspect in this case." (MORE: Texas police find 8-year-old girl safe after she was kidnapped walking down the street with her mother) Rothaus said Getreu, a carpenter who previously worked for Stanford University, had ties to the Palo Alto area around the time when both women were murdered and previously was convicted on rape charges in Santa Clara County. He also was put on trial in 1964 for rape resulting in the death of a 16-year-old girl in Germany, Rothaus said. Police said Getreu could be responsible for other cold case crimes as well. "Many of the records on Getreu are old and/or incomplete, so we are still researching his past," Rothaus said. "We are actively looking into areas where he has lived in the past and communicating with those agencies too." Getreu was being held in police custody without bail as of early Monday morning. ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this report. If you're hoping to get pregnant yet have been trying to conceive without success, you'll hear lots of advice. "Be patient," friends, family, even your ob-gyn might advise you. "It'll happen when it's meant to happen." But the fact is, if youre a woman under age 35 and have been having unprotected sex for 12 months (or a woman over 35 and been trying for 6 months), it's probably time to look into infertility treatments. According to Resolve/National Infertility Association, 1 in 8 couples has trouble getting or staying pregnant. The good news? Of those who seek treatment, about 65% go on to have a baby. Heres what you and your partner can expect as you go through the process. RELATED: 6 Things to Know Before You Get Fertility Testing Infertility testing The first step for both you and your partner is to get an exam and major workup from a fertility doctor. Its not uncommon to have more than one cause of infertility, says Brooke Hodes-Wertz MD, MPH, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at NYU Langone. Anywhere from 10% to 30% of cases are due to a mix of both male and female infertility. For women, blood tests can reveal a lot: Ovulation: The tests can tell you if youre actually releasing an egg each month. Ovarian reserve: How many eggs you have left in your ovaries and their quality Hormone levels: Its important to see if you have enough hormones like estradiol, progesterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), all three of which are crucial to pregnancy. Imaging tests and biopsies can also be done to look for abnormalities in your uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries that may be preventing a healthy pregnancy. For men, testing often starts with a semen analysis. This allows us to look at sperm count, motility, velocity, and the shape of the sperm, says David Diaz, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility expert at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. Story continues RELATED: Infertility Explained From there, doctors can also check on levels of testosterone and other hormones. They'll investigate a man's genes to see if a genetic abnormality is the cause of infertility, which can be the case. Doctors will also check out any physical problems, such as damage or blockage in the male reproductive tract. Infertility treatments The infertility treatment your doctor advises will depend on what your workup reveals and the causes of your infertility, says Dr. Hodes-Wertz. Some common infertility treatments include: Lifestyle changes. Habits that you and/or your partner have can impact fertility, so your doctor may start by suggesting some easy changes. Theres some evidence that avoiding smoking, marijuana, excessive alcohol, and obesity might help, says Dr. Hodes-Wertz. Medication. Fertility drugs are often used for patients who are having a hard time ovulating or to increase the chances of conception, he adds. In men, testicular function drugs can help increase sperm count or quality. Hormone treatments can adjust male hormones to the levels they need to be. RELATED: 15 Factors That Affect a Woman's Fertility Surgery. Sometimes the source of infertility is a uterine fibroid, endometrial polyp, or another benign growth. If that's the case, your doctor will advise that you have surgery to remove the growth and then start trying to get pregnant. Surgical treatment can also help men if damage or a blockage is believed to be causing infertility. Assisted reproductive technology (ART). This broad term refers to any procedure that manipulates both your egg and your partners sperm. These can range from intra-uterine insemination, egg freezing, embryo freezing, fresh embryo transfer, ovarian freezing, egg donation, surrogacy, frozen embryo transfer, ovarian stimulation with injectable medicines, and of course, in vitro fertilization (IVF) with or without embryo screening for genetic diseases, says Dr. Diaz. IVF is one of the most common types of ART. During IVF, mature eggs are collected from your ovaries, then fertilized by sperm in a lab. Once one or more embryos have developed, theyre implanted back inside your uterus. Egg, sperm, and embryo donors can be used, and another woman can be a gestational carrier and carry the baby to term if youre not able to. IVF forms the foundation for many of the most successful methods of treating infertility in both men and women, explains Dr. Diaz. It provides the most expedient method of achieving fertilization of human eggs and documenting the characteristics of the resulting embryos. Future treatments. If your heads spinning already at the available options, just wait. A multitude of evolving ideas and experimental procedures are being developed at all times, says Dr. Diaz. Fertility specialists are always searching ways to improve the outcome for our patients. Among them: freezing ovarian tissue, maturing eggs outside your body, and uterine transplants. RELATED: What Is Secondary Infertility? The cost of infertility treatment Infertility treatment isnt cheap. Unsurprisingly, many health insurance policies dont cover all or even some of it. The average cost of IVF is approximately $13,000. Still, dont wait too long, advises Dr. Diaz. The greatest regret I hear from patients is that they wish they started sooner. Timing is critical and time passes. To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Real Wellness newsletter Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images From Oprah Magazine Queen Elizabeth II is embracing the social media era by hiring a digital communications officer, according to the official online job posting. The full-time (37.5 hours a week) social media-focused role pays at least $38,000 (30,000) depending on experience, includes benefits, and is based out of Buckingham Palace. Part of the job description reads: "You'll create content for social networking and digital platforms, including our newly launched website, as well as researching and writing feature articles." If you have a knack for snapping the perfect grid-worthy Instagram, creating witty Tweets, boosting engagement on Facebook posts, and you love the royals, then perhaps you'll be a good fit to work for the Queen of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is looking to step up her social media game with the help of a witty digital communications officer, whose future office would be located at one highly desirable geotag: Buckingham Palace. So what exactly makes someone qualified to join the queen's payroll? According to the official job posting, there are a few standard requirements including a college degree, previous experience managing websites and digital projects, and using various content management systems, social media platforms, and analytics tools. In addition to knowing how to create content appealing to the queen's target demographic, your photography skills should be top notch. You'll also need to be comfortable working with a high-profile figure, be "innovative and with creative flair," and be ready to join a "fast-paced and dynamic team." The role only pays $38,000 (30,000), which isn't a lot considering the cost of living in England and that social media management really is a 24/7 job, but the salary is "dependent on experience." The job posting also notes there is "a comprehensive benefits package, including a 15 percent employer contribution pension scheme (after six months), 33 days annual leave, including bank holidays, free lunch, and access to training and development to support your continuous professional development." Story continues If you happen meet all of these qualifications, you're probably already envisioning how awesome your potential work life will be. Your new royal employer will rely on you to "manage and oversee the daily news flow on digital and social networking platforms, as well as play a key part in some of the digital projects." You'll also get to live tweet royal engagements and governmental visits. You could likely end up uploading pictures to Facebook and the 'gram on behalf of her majesty the queen. If you're ready to work for Queen Elizabeth II, then you better act quick because the job posting expires on Sunday, May 26. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: A city-based woman has appealed for an investigation into the suspicious death of her 26-year-old daughter Nasreen Fatima in Saudi Arabia, in a letter to Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Sunday. Ghousia Begum, a resident of Shaheen Nagar, suspects the involvement of her daughters kafeel (employer) in the death. In 2017, Nasreen was sent to work in Riyadh through a local agent. She travelled to Riyadh on 7th Aug 2017 and was working as a Khadama in the house of one Abdullah. There was a lot of work pressure. She was being asked to work for 15 hours daily and was not paid the salary for the last 12 months, Begum stated in the letter. She further added that though her daughter wanted to return to India, she was not allowed to do so. Begum said that she last spoke to her daughter on May 14. She was online on this number on 17th May 2019 until late in the night. Today we received a phone call from her kafeel saying that she died and that her body was shifted to a hospital. We do not know what the reason for her death was. She is survived by two young daughters who are just 4 and 2 years of age, she said, urging the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to intervene. SheKnows Its not the holidays without Heidi Klum getting a little bit cheeky with all of her followers and she certainly delivered! The supermodel shared a series of flirtatious butt-baring photos on her Instagram account that hints at a very romantic Christmas for her and husband Tom Kaulitz. The first photo has Klum draped in [] BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, on Sunday but caused no casualties, the Iraqi military said. "A Katyusha rocket fell in the middle of the Green Zone without causing any losses," the military said in a statement, adding it landed near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. The monument lies in open ground about half a kilometer (a third of a mile) north of the sprawling, riverside U.S. embassy compound. The blast was heard across central Baghdad, according to Reuters witnesses and residents. A U.S. State Department official confirmed a "low-grade" rocket landed in the Green Zone near the embassy, but said there were no casualties or significant damage. The embassy in Baghdad and U.S. consulate in the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital Erbil evacuated non-emergency staff this week, out of apparent concern about perceived threats from Iraq's neighbor, Iran. The U.S. State Department official noted that there had so far been no claim of responsibility, and that no U.S.-inhabited facility was impacted. "But, we take this incident very seriously," the State Department official said. "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." President Donald Trump's administration has said it sent additional forces to the region to counter what it called credible threats from Iran against U.S. interests, including from militias it supports in Iraq. Tehran has described U.S. moves as "psychological warfare" and a "political game." Both Iran and the United States have said they do not want war. Hours after the blast in Baghdad, Trump wrote on Twitter: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" The Katyusha multiple rocket launcher is an inexpensive type of rocket artillery that can deliver explosives to a target quicker than conventional artillery, but is less accurate. After the blast, Iraqi police special forces found a rocket launcher in eastern Baghdad's al-Sina district, about 7 km (4.3 miles) away across the Tigris River from the Green Zone, and sealed off the area, a police source told Reuters. Officers were searching for suspects and an ordinance disposal team from the Baghdad Operations Command was inspecting the launcher, the source said. The Green Zone was regularly targeted by mortars during the U.S. occupation of Iraq that ended in 2011. Rockets have occasionally been fired into the Green Zone since then. The latest such incident was in September, when three mortar shells landed inside the Green Zone, causing no casualties. (Reporting by John Davison, Ahmed Rasheed and Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad, and Raya Jalabi in Erbil; Additional reporting by David Lawder and Phil Stewart in Washington; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Raya Jalabi; Editing by Mark Potter, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Daniel Wallis) Photo credit: dimid_86 - Getty Images Bug bites are an unfortunate little annoyance in life, and the odds are prettttttyyyy high that youve been bitten by some creepy-crawly (er, or a variety of creepy-crawlies) in your lifetime. And while you probably just want to scratch the darn spot and move on, its wise to try and figure out what actually bit you. Why? Some bug bites are relatively harmless, but others have the potential to bring on more serious health issues if you don't treat them appropriately, and fast. Here are several fairly common insect bites you may experience, and how to know whether or not a bite warrants a trip to your doctor's office. Bed bug bites While the thought of bed bug bites may skeeve you out, theyre more annoying to deal with than an actual threat to your health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bed bug bites are primarily just super itchy and can keep you up at night. The bigger issue with these pesky bugs is that they can spread really fast and lead to an infestation, and it can be an inconvenient and expensive process to get rid of one. (Also, the idea of little bugs feeding on your blood while you sleep isnt exactly a comforting thought.) People can have a range of reactions to bed bug bites, says Nancy Troyano, PhD, a board-certified entomologist with Ehrlich Pest Control. Some people have no reaction at all when bitten, but most people will notice an itchy, red, welt-like mark that looks similar to a mosquito bite, Troyano says. Bites may appear in a linear fashion if there are multiple bugs feeding, and bites can occur anywhere, but they are often found in areas where skin is readily exposed, she notes. Photo credit: Joel Carillet - Getty Images Contrary to popular belief, attracting bed bugs has nothing to do with bad hygiene or a dirty apartment. Bed bugs get around by hitchhiking onto your things, so prevention can be tough, says Angela Tucker, PhD, manager of technical services for Terminix. Knowing this, the best prevention for bed bugs is being watchful during your travels and regular home cleaning, she says. Story continues You can also keep an eye out for the critters, which are about the size, shape, and color of an apple seed when fully grown. Another sign that bed bugs may be around your space is their byproduct, meaning you might see reddish-brown blood spots on sheets or mattresses, Tucker says. If you do happen to get bed bug bites, spot-treat them with hydrocortisone cream to try to soothe itch, says David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Then, get rid of the infestationwith the help of a professional. Its important to see where the bed bugs came from, Dr. Cutler says. Then, call in a professional exterminator so you dont get any more bed bug bites. Bee and wasp stings Youll usually know it when you get stung by a bee or wasp, because it hurts like hell. At first, you may not even see anything on the skin," Troyano says. "However, within a few minutes of being stung, there may be localized swelling and redness around the sting site. The area might also feel warm, and you might see a small white mark near the center of the swelling (thats where the stinger went into your skin), she describes. Photo credit: Penpak Ngamsathain - Getty Images If you know you have an allergy to bee or wasp stings, follow instructions from your doctor and seek medical care immediately. But if youre not allergic, youll still want to take action. Bees lose their stinger after stinging, Troyano says, and you should try to remove it if its still stuck in you. Then, apply ice to reduce swelling, says David Gatz, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. You also may want to take an antihistamine like Benadryl, he says. The only real way to totally avoid getting stung is to not interact with bees and wasps...obviously. (But that's not a feasible lifestyle if you ever want to enjoy the outdoors!) So when you're outside, don't swat at bees and waspsjust let them be. In general, if you leave bees and wasps alone, they will leave you alone, says Tucker. If you want to be especially cautious, she also recommends skipping flowery perfumes or fragrances and covering any food and drink around you. Scabies Scabies is a parasite infestation caused by microscopic mites, according to the CDC. When you have scabies, the female burrows into your epidermis to lay her eggs. Scabies usually shows up as a rash with small, raised pustules or blisters, and is intensely itchy, Troyano says. If youve never had scabies before, you might not see the rash for several weeks after youve been exposed. But, if youve had scabies before, you might see a rash within one to four days of being exposed, she says. Examining a patient's hands, feet and lower legs will catch more than 90% of #scabies cases. https://t.co/LYSWxwz7yE pic.twitter.com/qmEcIR9J6E Medscape (@Medscape) January 7, 2019 Scabies is transmitted through prolonged direct skin contact and is highly contagious, Tucker says. You need to see a doctor to get properly diagnosed and treated, but its generally treated with permethrin anti-parasitic cream, Dr. Gatz says. Mosquito bites Okay, yes, mosquito bites are usually NBD. Theyre itchy and annoying, but nothing major to worry about. You probably already know what a mosquito bite looks like, but (just in case), theyre usually red, create a bump on your skin, and can itch, per Troyano. For some people, a bug bite may appear filled with fluid, with a small water blister in the center. Photo credit: ChrisAt - Getty Images Mosquitos can carry diseases like Zika virus and West Nile virus, which can cause fever-like symptoms, rash, joint pain, and red eyes, the CDC says. So if youve been bitten by a mosquito and start to feel off afterward and have symptoms like these, call your doctor ASAP. In order to let mosquito bites heal, do your best not to scratch; that raises the risk that the bite will get infected, Dr. Cutler says. Hydrocortisone cream should help alleviate some of the itch, he says. While you can only do so much to prevent mosquito bites, Tucker recommends removing standing water around your home or yard (mosquitoes can lay their eggs in these areas). And, if youre planning to spend a lot of time outside, using a good mosquito repellent is key, she says. Spider bites Spider bites are actually pretty rare, Troyano says, but they happen. They can look like typical bug bites, so it can be hard to tell right away if you were bitten by a spider unless you see it scuttling away. If you do notice a bite and spot the little guy, Dr. Cutler recommends washing the area with soap and water and leaving it alone. Toxins from [certain spiders] can destroy the skin, he saysso it never hurts to wash the spot with soap and water to cleanse the skin (even if you're not 100 percent sure it's a spider bite). But if the wound area seems to be growing, is unusually red, is hot to the touch, is ulcerated, or you have a fever and/or joint pain, call your doctor ASAP, Troyano says. Photo credit: BSIP - Getty Images Cleaning out cobwebs inside and outside of your house can lessen your chances of spider run-ins. Also, wear long sleeves, pants, gloves, and a hat to protect your skin when youre working outside or in areas where things are stored and not used often, and try to keep your grass and bushes maintained, Tucker says. Tick bites It's not always obvious when a tick bites you, because it won't *always* leave a mark (more on that in a minute). But sometimes the tick will still be attached when you discover a bite, so the first thing youll want to do is remove it. Troyano recommends taking the following steps to do this: Use tweezers and grab the tick close to the skin. Steadily pull upward, but avoid twisting the insect. Don't crush the tick once removed. Submerge the tick in rubbing alcohol and save it. Put it in a clear, sealable plastic bag in case you need to see a doctor or veterinarian. Or, take a clear photo, then flush it. Once the tick is removed, wash the area with soap and water, Dr. Gatz says. If you notice a bullseye-shaped rash appear on your body, a pink rash on your wrists, arms, and ankles, or an ulcerated area around a bite, call your doctor, Troyano says. These symptoms may be signs that a tick did bite you, and you've been infected with a tick-borne illness like Lyme disease. If you experience a fever, chills, aches, and muscle fatigue, those are also cues you need to make a visit to your doctor. But remember, not every tick carries a tick-borne illness, so even if one bit you at some point, that doesn't guarantee you contracted something more serious. Photo credit: Willowpix - Getty Images How can you protect yourself from tick bites? Tucker recommends showering quickly when you come in from being outside (you might be able to wash off ticks before they have a chance to bite you). Its also a smart idea to wear long pants and sleeves when you go into tick-infested areas, like the woods, and to wear bug repellent that contains DEET. Also ask a family member or friend to help you do a body scan for ticks after being out in the woods. You Might Also Like Photo credit: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics The exact point that humans and Neanderthals diverged from each other has long been a matter of intense debate among scientists. But thanks to an extensive dental analysis recently published in Science Advances, the split-off now looks like it happened at least 800,000 years ago. That's according to Aida Gomez-Robles, a paleoanthropologist at University College London, who examined nearly 1,000 teeth from humans and related species, like Neanderthals, to reach the conclusion. Specifically, Gomez-Robles looked at 931 teeth that belonged to a minimum of 122 individuals from eight groups; 164 of the teeth originated in the mouths of the early Neanderthals from the Sima de los Huesos ("Pit of the Bones") site in Spain. Through her research, Gomez-Robles was able to track the evolutionary rates for dental shape change throughout history. From there, she estimated the divergence time between the final common ancestral link between humans and Neanderthals. Many scientists think that link takes the form of Homo heidelbergensis, the first human ancestor to live in colder climates. But Gomez-Robles disagrees. "H. heidelbergensis cannot occupy that evolutionary position because it postdates the divergence between Neanderthals and modern humans," Gomez-Robles tells the website Live Science in an email. "That means that we need to look at older species when looking for this common ancestral species." Gomez-Robles says the study "has profound implications for the way we interpret the fossil record and the evolutionary relationships between species." Photo credit: Aida Gomez-Robles While outside scientists praise Gomez-Robles' work in setting the European timeline straight, they're cautious about global implications. The main challenge: If the two species broke apart at least 800,000 years ago, it doesn't quite gel with the fact that they were able to interbreed a mere 60,000 years ago. "In other words, almost 1 million years of evolution was not enough to establish barriers (genetic, endocrinological, behavioral, etc.) to separate definitively these two species?" asks Fernando Ramirez Rozzi in an interview with LiveScience. Rozzi, the director of research specializing in human evolution at France's National Center for Scientific Research in Toulouse, was not involved in the study. Story continues While parts of Europe might have "their own particularities," says Bruno Maureille, director of research at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), in Paris, who was not involved in the study, the question remains: "Can we simply try to draw such global scenarios? [I'm] not so sure." There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Neanderthals. For example, another relative of the ancient species, the Denisovans, were thought to have only lived in a single cave for all of their existence. But now, thanks to the recent discovery of a jawbone, we now know that they lived in Tibet and share DNA with the modern people who still live there. Source: LiveScience ('You Might Also Like',) JAKARTA (Reuters) - A former Indonesian police brigadier has filed a complaint to the human rights commission claiming he was fired for being gay, his lawyers said on Monday, in what could be a test case on discrimination in the Southeast Asian country. The resident of Semarang city in Central Java, who declined to be identified, also separately sued the provincial police in March alleging a violation of the law on discrimination. His legal challenges come amid rising government and public hostility toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer community (LGBTQ) community in the world's largest Muslim-majority country. Homosexuality is not a crime in Indonesia, except in the ultra-conservative Islamic province of Aceh, but some religious groups have called for it to be banned. Many members of the LGBTQ community are not open about their sexual orientation. The former brigadier says he was dishonorably discharged on discriminatory grounds after colleagues forcefully outed him and his partner on Valentine's Day in 2017. The Central Java provincial police has said it conducted an internal investigation which found the officer had violated ethics and tarnished the reputation of the institution by engaging in "deviant sexual behavior". National police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo also said the officer had "abused" a victim, according to media, but his lawyers say he and his partner were in a consensual relationship. "We believe the provincial police fired him because of his sexual orientation... and it is a violation of his rights as guaranteed by the constitution to live and work free of discrimination," said Maaruf Bajamal, a Legal Aid Foundation lawyer representing the former police officer. Rights activists are optimistic the case could improve protection for members of minority groups, some of whom have faced persecution and humiliation at the hands of vigilantes in recent years and in some cases legal persecution. "Activists are looking forward to ripple effects this case could have for the LGBT movement and in turn the community in the future," said Dede Oetomo, a prominent gay activist who works with rights group GAYa NUSANTARA. (Reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Ed Davies and Nick Macfie) Sen. Mitt Romney is now on record as saying that a GOP representatives call to impeach President Donald Trump was a courageous statement even though he disagrees with that conclusion himself. Justin Amash has reached a reached a different conclusion than I have, the Utah Republican told Jake Tapper on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. I respect him. I think its a courageous statement. But I believe that to make a case for obstruction of justice you just dont have the elements that are evidenced in this document, he said, referring to Special Council Robert Muellers report on Russian election interference. Amash, a Republican congressman from Michigan, on Saturday became the first GOP legislator to accuse President Trump of impeachable conduct based on the findings of the Special Councils report. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Amash laid out his own views regarding the findings of the Mueller report and the way in which it was represented to the American people. In addition to concluding that President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct, Amash also slammed Attorney General William Barr, saying that the nations highest law enforcement official had deliberately misrepresented Muellers report. Here are my principal conclusions: 1. Attorney General Barr has deliberately misrepresented Muellers report. 2. President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct. 3. Partisanship has eroded our system of checks and balances. 4. Few members of Congress have read the report. Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019 Mueller stated in his final report that he did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia, but declined to offer an opinion on whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice. Barr later stated that there was not enough evidence to charge the President. Story continues Sen. Romney has previously called out President Trump based on the findings of the lengthy report, though he stopped short of saying that the Presidents conduct was worthy of impeachment. I am sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President, Romney said in a statement last month. I am also appalled that, among other things, fellow citizens working in a campaign for president welcomed help from Russia. I have now read the redacted Mueller report and offer my personal reaction: pic.twitter.com/ACnExskqXJ Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) April 19, 2019 As House Democrats struggle to compel the President to cooperate with their investigations, some believe that the party may be inching closer to impeachment, even though the proceedings would be unlikely to succeed in the Republican-controlled Senate. On Sunday, Romney said he did not think there was sufficient evidence or political will to impeach President Trump. An impeachment call is not only something that relates to the law, but also considers practicality and politics, Romney said on Sunday. And the American people just arent there. Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Palestinian leadership said Monday it was not consulted over an economic conference next month in support of Washington's Middle East peace plan and a prominent businessman said he had rejected an invitation. The White House announced Sunday it would co-host the June 25-26 conference with Bahrain focusing on economic aspects of the long-delayed peace plan, with the declared aim of achieving Palestinian prosperity. "We were not consulted by any party on the announced meeting to take place in Manama, Bahrain," Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement. "We have not mandated any party to negotiate on our behalf." The Palestinians have boycotted the US administration since President Donald Trump broke with decades of consensus and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017. They consider the eastern part of the city the capital of their future state and have shown little interest in the US peace plan, which they fear will be heavily biased in favour of Israel. The Trump administration is expected to unveil the long-awaited plan possibly as early as next month. Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable on political aspects of the plan. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals. Sunday's joint statement from the US and Bahrain called the event a "pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanise support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement". The Palestinians see this as offering financial rewards in exchange for accepting ongoing Israeli occupation. "Attempts at promoting an economic normalisation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected," Erekat said. "This is not about improving living conditions under occupation but about reaching Palestine's full potential by ending the Israeli occupation." Story continues Bashar al-Masri, one of the most prominent Palestinian businessmen who worked with international investors and Israel to build the new $1.4-billion Palestinian city of Rawabi, announced he had rejected an invitation to the conference. "The idea of economic peace is an old one which is now packaged in a different way. As our people have rejected it previously, we reject it now," he said on his Facebook page. "We will not work with any event outside the Palestinian national consensus." The US peace plan is expected to feature proposals for regional economic development that would include Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. The Bahrain conference could see large-scale investment pledges for the Palestinian territories. But it is unlikely to focus heavily on the political issues at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees and Israeli settlements. By Express News Service KOCHI: The forged documents case, which rocked the Syro-Malabar Church, saw an intriguing twist on Sunday with the arrest of 24-year-old techie Adithya Valavi. Sources said Adithya allegedly e-mailed the documents to senior priest of Syro-Malabar Church Fr Paul Thelakkat, which were used to defame Cardinal George Alenchery. According to police, Adithya, a resident of Konthuruthi and researcher at IIT Madras, e-mailed the document found in the server of a multinational company to Fr Thelakkat. Police said the motive behind the forgery is under investigation, even as speculations were rife about the involvement of a young priest, Fr Antony Kallookaran, vicar of Muringoor Sanjoe Nagar Church, in the case. According to sources, Adithya had e-mailed the documents as instructed by Fr Kallookaran. The police are yet to identify the documents and their source. The documents are indeed forged. We have not yet identified any such document in the server of the company he was working for. The motive behind the forgery is under investigation, said a police officer. The police have registered a case under IPC Sections 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using a forged document as genuine one). The disappearance of a document in the server may occur when a new server is introduced. During crime investigation, the timing and purpose of obtaining a particular document from a specific server, are very important. There are several possibilities for the disappearance of documents online. If one server in the chain is changed, then the entire document database may get wiped out, and we will not be able to source the documents thereafter, said Dhanya Menon, cyber investigator. Cardinal George Alencherry who responded to the media regarding the arrest of the techie said the police and Court would decide on whether there was any conspiracy in the forgery. A protest by a group of people, including vicar of the Church of St John Nepumsian, Konthuruthy, Fr Mathew Edassery, was staged on Friday in front of the Aluva DySP office after Adithya was taken into custody. By Rania El Gamal and Vladimir Soldatkin JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday there was consensus among OPEC and allied oil producers to drive down crude inventories "gently" but his country would remain responsive to the needs of what he called a fragile market. Falih said a possible rollover in the second half of 2019 of output curbs agreed by OPEC and non-members was the main option discussed at a ministerial panel meeting during the day but "things can change by June". "This second half, our preference is to maintain production management to keep inventories on their way declining gradually, softly but certainly declining towards normal levels," he told a news conference after the panel meeting. OPEC, Russia and other non-member producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1 for six months, a deal designed to stop inventories building up and weakening prices. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak earlier said an easing of cuts had been discussed and the supply situation would be clearer in a month, including from countries under sanctions. Two sources said Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de facto leader, and Russia were discussing two main scenarios for June's OPEC+ meeting and that both frameworks proposed higher output from the second half. One scenario was to eliminate over-compliance with agreed cuts, which would increase output by some 0.8 million bpd, while the other option was to ease the agreed cuts to 0.9 million bpd. Falih told reporters the market was "very fragile" with conflicting data due to concerns about supply disruptions while inventories rise, but that a "comfortable supply situation" should be seen in weeks and months to come. He said high compliance with the agreed cuts was not sustainable and that over-conformity by some countries "can be reversed in June". Story continues The minister said that if a decision were taken at that meeting to roll over cuts, then Saudi Arabia would stay within those limits. He said the kingdom's oil output in May and June was planned to be 9.8 million bpd. "It is critical that we dont make hasty decisions given the conflicting data, the complexity involved, and the evolving situation," Falih said, describing the outlook as "quite foggy" due in part to a U.S.-China trade dispute. "But I want to assure you that our group has always done the right thing in the interests of both consumers and producers; and we will continue to do so," he added. Falih said Saudi oil output in July would remain within its OPEC production target. United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei had told reporters that producers were capable of filling any market gap and that relaxing supply cuts was not "the right decision". Mazrouei said the UAE did not want to see a rise in inventories that could lead to a price collapse. He said OPEC's job "is not done yet" and that there was no need to alter the agreement in the meantime. U.S. crude inventories rose unexpectedly last week to their highest since September 2017, Energy Information Administration data showed. DELICATE BALANCE Saudi Arabia sees no need to boost production quickly now, with oil at around $70 a barrel, as it fears a price crash and a build-up in inventories, OPEC sources said. The United States, not a member of OPEC+ but a close ally of Riyadh, wants the group to boost output to lower oil prices. Falih has to find a balance between keeping the oil market well supplied and prices high enough for Riyadh's budget needs, while pleasing Moscow to ensure Russia remains in the OPEC+ pact, and being responsive to the concerns of the United States and the rest of OPEC+, sources said. Iran's oil exports are likely to drop further in May and Venezuelan shipments could fall again in coming weeks due to U.S. sanctions. Falih said oil demand in Asia had picked up, while demand in the United States for Saudi crude had dropped. He said nobody knew what Iran was producing or exporting, adding that he believed "a lot" of Iranian oil was unaccounted for. Oil contamination forced Russia to halt flows along the Druzhba pipeline - a key conduit for crude into Eastern Europe and Germany - in April, leaving refiners scrambling for supplies. Novak said Russia would restore its output in May and that contaminated oil would not affect its annual output forecast. OPEC's agreed share of the cuts is 800,000 bpd, but its actual reduction is far larger due to the production losses in Iran and Venezuela. Both are exempt from the voluntary reductions under the OPEC-led deal. REGIONAL TENSIONS Oil prices edged lower on Friday due to demand fears amid a standoff in Sino-U.S. trade talks, but ended the week higher on concerns over disruptions in Middle East shipments due to U.S.-Iran political tensions. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran are running high after last week's attacks on two Saudi oil tankers off the UAE coast and another on Saudi oil facilities inside the kingdom. Riyadh accused Tehran of ordering the drone strikes on oil pumping stations, for which Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility. The UAE has blamed no one for the tanker sabotage. Iran has distanced itself from both sets of attacks. Although it has not affected our supplies, such acts of terrorism are deplorable," Falih said. "They threaten uninterrupted supplies of energy to the world and put a global economy that is already facing headwinds at further risk." The attacks come as the United States and Iran spar over Washington's tightening of sanctions aimed at cutting Iranian oil exports to zero, and an increased U.S. military presence in the Gulf over perceived Iranian threats to U.S. interests. (Additional reporting by Dahlia Nehme and Stephen Kalin; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Dale Hudson) Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders said more talks were planned for Monday on finalising the makeup of a new ruling body, after hours of negotiations through the night ended without agreement. Both sides have been at loggerheads over the new governing body that would rule Sudan for a three-year transitional period after the ouster last month of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. The latest discussions were launched Sunday evening following pressure from world powers to install a civilian-led governing body -- a key demand of demonstrators. After continuing into the early hours of Monday, the ruling military council announced the talks would resume at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT). "The structure of the sovereign authority has been discussed," Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi, spokesman of the military council, told reporters. "It's agreed to resume negotiations today (Monday) evening... hoping to reach a final deal." The Sudanese Professional Association -- the group that initially launched the protest campaign against Bashir in December, said Monday that it was in no rush to finalise the deal. "We are not in a hurry for the crucial victory... whatever be the outcome, it will be a step forward," it wrote on Twitter without elaborating. The agreement had been expected on Wednesday, but the military council suspended the negotiations for 72 hours. - Islamist warning - Ahead of Sunday's talks, the umbrella protest movement -- the Alliance for Freedom and Change -- raised the ante by insisting that the country's ruling body be "led by a civilian as its chairman and with a limited military representation". The existing military council is headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the generals insist that the overall new body be military-led. On the eve of the talks, hundreds of supporters of Islamist movements rallied outside the presidential palace in Khartoum warning they would reject any deal that would exclude sharia -- Islamic law -- from the country's political roadmap. Story continues "The main reason for the mobilisation is that the alliance is ignoring the application of sharia in its deal," said Al-Tayieb Mustafa, who heads a coalition of about 20 Islamic groups. "This is irresponsible and if that deal is done, it is going to open the door of hell for Sudan," he told AFP. Bashir came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989 and Sudanese legislation has since been underpinned by Islamic law. The protest leaders have so far remained silent on whether sharia has a place in Sudan's future, arguing that their main concern is installing a civilian administration. Saudi Arabia meanwhile on Sunday deposited $250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of an aid package it announced following Bashir's ouster. The UAE said on April 28 it would also deposit $250 million in Sudan's central bank. The oil-rich Gulf states have pledged a further $2.5 billion in aid to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products. - Violence-marred talks - It was Sudan's worsening economic crisis that triggered nationwide protests against Bashir. Before talks were suspended earlier this week, the generals and protest leaders had agreed on several key issues, including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament, with two thirds of lawmakers to come from the protesters' umbrella group. But those talks were marred by violence after five protesters and an army major were shot dead near the ongoing sit-in outside the military headquarters in central Khartoum, where thousands have camped out for weeks. Initially, the protesters gathered to demand Bashir resign -- but they have stayed put, to pressure the generals into stepping aside. The protesters had also erected roadblocks on some avenues in Khartoum to put further pressure on the generals during negotiations, but the military rulers demanded that they be removed. Protesters duly took the roadblocks down in recent days -- but they said they will put them back up, if the army fails to transfer power to a civilian administration. The generals have allowed protesters to maintain their sit-in outside army headquarters. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, May 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Friday at least 18 health centers have been attacked in the past three weeks in northwestern Syria, prompting a confrontation between western powers and Russia and Syria at the Security Council over who is to blame. While the area is nominally protected by a Russian-Turkish deal agreed in September to avert a new battle, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces - backed by Russians - have launched an offensive on the last major insurgent stronghold. Some three million civilians are at risk, the United Nations said. "Since we know that Russia and Syria are the only countries that fly planes in the area, is the answer ... the Russian and Syrian air forces?" Britain's U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce said to the 15-member council on where the blame lay. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Jonathan Cohen said Russia and Syria were responsible for the attacks on the health centers. He said it was "most alarming" that several of the centers attacked were on a list created by Russia and the United Nations in an attempt to protect them. Pierce said it would be "absolutely grotesque" if health facilities that provided their locations were "finding themselves being the authors of their own destruction because of deliberated targeting by the regime." Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the Syrian and Russian forces were not targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure and questioned the sources used by the United Nations to verify attacks on health centers. "We categorically reject accusations of violations of international humanitarian law," Nebenzia told the council. "Our goal is the terrorists." An array of insurgents have a foothold in northwestern Syria - Idlib province and a belt of territory around it. The most powerful is the jihadist Tahrir al-Sham, the latest incarnation of the former Nusra Front which was part of al Qaeda until 2016. Story continues U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock told the Security Council he did not know who was responsible, but "at least some of these attacks are clearly organized by people with access to sophisticated weapons including a modern air force and so called smart or precision weapons." Lowcock said 49 health centers had partially or totally suspended activities, some for fear of being attacked, while 17 schools have been damaged or destroyed and many more closed. He said that in the past three weeks up to 160 people have been killed and at least 180,000 people displaced. U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned the Security Council: "If the escalation continues and the offensive pushes forward, we risk catastrophic humanitarian fallout and threats to international peace and security." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool) Aathira Haridas By Express News Service KOCHI: The world of film and fashion used to colour Mathew P Ms thoughts ever since he was young. As a child, Mathew would travel across the state and outside to the film sets and attend fashion shows, mostly as a spectator, watching and silently learning. As time ebbed on, his passion also grew with him. Even as his career took a new direction, he held on to his passion. And at 42, he has brought something fresh to the city, because, for this techie, it is passion that matters. Last year, Mathew launched his dream, a fashion show for which he was the event director. The idea was to introduce something new to the capital where fashion is not in the mainstream. I structured it as a platform which can help launch new models and designers who are based in the capital. I have seen many young models travelling all the way to Cochin and Bangalore to attend shows because there wasnt much scope for them here in the city. I wanted to change that and help set a platform for fashion shows to grow in the capital, says Mathew who works as a software engineer in Technopark. The first show of his was organised in 2018, titled Travancore Fashion Nite which featured 95 models and eight designers from various parts of the state. The second edition of the same will be launched in the city on June 9 which will have eight designers including a designer of international repute from Sri Lanka. The thrust is to help give a platform for the many talented artists and help the designers and the models grow, he says. Growing up I was always intrigued by films and the world of fashion. I would travel across the state and outside to be part of the fashion shows. I might be just watching the shows but I was also learning in the process. And I still have the same passion I had when I was young. So last year, I launched my dream, he says. He is also in talks with the Malayalee Association of Italy to feature the skin tone and the fashion of India in Italy. My dream is to have at least a show in Italy where we get to feature our skin tone and our traditional couture. That will be an entirely new experience for the fashion world in Italy, says Mathew. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with "all strength" and said it was up to Iran to avoid war. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The heightened rhetoric follows last week's attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. U.S President Donald Trump (Photo: Reuters) "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump said in a tweet without elaborating. A U.S. State Department official said the rocket attack in Baghdad did not hit a U.S.-inhabited facility and produced no casualties nor any significant damage. No claims of responsibility had been made, but the United States was taking the incident "very seriously." If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 "We have made clear over the past two weeks and again underscore that attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner," the official said in an emailed statement. "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." Riyadh, which emphasized that it does not want a war, has accused Tehran of ordering Tuesday's drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. In response, countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) began "enhanced security patrols" in the international waters of the Arabian Gulf area on Saturday, the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said on Sunday. Iran has denied involvement in either incident, which come as Washington and the Islamic Republic spar over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference on Sunday. "It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests." Trump meets primce Bin Salman in October, 2018 (Photo: AFP) Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Sunday invited Gulf and Arab leaders to convene emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss implications of the attacks. "The current critical circumstances entail a unified Arab and Gulf stance toward the besetting challenges and risks," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement. The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said in its statement about increased maritime patrols that GCC countries were "specifically increasing communication and coordination with each other in support of regional naval cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf," with navies and coast guards working with the U.S. Navy. Saudi Arabia's Sunni Muslim ally the UAE has not blamed anyone for the tanker sabotage operation, pending an investigation. No-one has claimed responsibility, but two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran had encouraged the Houthi group or Iraq-based Shi'ite militias to carry it out. The drone strike on oil pumping stations, which Riyadh said did not disrupt output or exports, was claimed by the Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition in a war in Yemen since 2015. The Houthi-controlled SABA news agency said on Sunday, citing a military source from the group, that targeting Aramco's installations last week was the beginning of coming military operations against 300 vital military targets. USS Abraham Lincoln on its way to the Gulf (Photo: EPA) Targets include vital military headquarters and facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, as well as their bases in Yemen, the source told SABA. The head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, derided Riyadh's call to convene Arab summits, saying in a Twitter post that they "only know how to support war and destruction". A Norwegian insurers' report seen by Reuters said Iran's Revolutionary Guards were "highly likely" to have facilitated the attack on vessels near the UAE's Fujairah emirate, a main bunkering hub lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi prince calls Pompeo Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed the possibility of war erupting, saying Tehran did not want conflict and no country had the "illusion it can confront Iran". This stance was echoed by the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Sunday. "We are not pursuing war but we are also not afraid of war," Major General Hossein Salami was cited as saying by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Washington has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, trying to cut Tehran's oil exports to zero, and beefed up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats to United States troops and interests. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Photo: Reuters) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments, including efforts to strengthen security and stability, in a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Saudi Media Ministry tweeted on Sunday. "We want peace and stability in the region but we will not sit on our hands in light of the continuing Iranian attack," Jubeir said. "The ball is in Iran's court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be." He said the crew of an Iranian oil tanker that had been towed to Saudi Arabia early this month after a request for help due to engine trouble were still in the kingdom receiving the "necessary care". The crew are 24 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars. In a sign of the heightened tension, Exxon Mobil evacuated foreign staff from an oilfield in neighbouring Iraq. Bahrain on Saturday warned its citizens against travel to Iraq and Iran and asked those already there to return. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an advisory to U.S. commercial airliners flying over the waters of the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. Anti-money laundering specialists at Deutsche Bank AG recommended in 2016 and 2017 that multiple transactions involving entities controlled by President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be reported to a federal financial-crimes watchdog, the New York Times reported on Sunday. The newspaper, citing five current and former Deutsche Bank employees, said executives at the German-based bank, which has lent billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies, rejected their employees' advice and the reports were never filed with the government. The Times said the transactions, some of which involved Trump's now-defunct foundation, set off alerts in a computer system designed to detect illicit activity, according to the former bank employees. Compliance staff members who then reviewed the transactions prepared so-called suspicious activity reports that they believed should be sent to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes, according to the newspaper. Deutsche Bank denied the report. A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Para state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed. The state security agency confirmed late Sunday only that six women and five men died in the incident in a poor neighborhood of the Para state capital, Belem. The G1 news website said police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which also wounded one person. The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar on one motorcycle and in three cars. In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belem to reinforce security in the city for 90 days. Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70% of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics. A senior Palestinian official says any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian people's political aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail. "Any plan without a political horizon will not lead to peace," Nabil Abu Rudeineh says. The comments by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman immediately cast a cloud over the conference, which is expected to take place in late June in the tiny Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. Any American peace plan that ignores the Palestinian people's political aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail, a senior Palestinian official said Monday -- boding poorly for a Mideast peace conference in Bahrain,planned next month. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The comments by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman immediately cast a cloud over the conference, which is expected to take place in late June in the tiny Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Reuters) "Any plan without a political horizon will not lead to peace," Nabil Abu Rudeineh said. The White House announced Sunday it will unveil the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan at the conference, to be held in Bahrain saying it will focus on economic benefits that could be reaped if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But officials said the June 25-26 conference will not include the core political issues at the center of the conflict: final borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner (Photo: Reuters) Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday that the PA has not been consulted about the conference. "The cabinet wasn't consulted about the reported workshop, neither over the content, nor the outcome nor timing," Shtayyed told Palestinian ministers in Ramallah in the presence of reporters. He did not immediately say whether Palestinians would attend the event in Manama, which U.S. officials have predicted will include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh (Photo: EPA) "The financial crisis the Palestinian Authority is living through today is a result of the financial war that is being launched against us in order to win political concessions," Shtayyeh told the cabinet. "We do not submit to blackmail and we don't trade our political rights for money." The prime minister reiterated core Palestinian demands for a two-state peace deal with Israel, which include gaining full control of the West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza, as well as East Jerusalem. But breaking from the policies of its predecessors, the Trump administration has refused to endorse a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians, who severed ties with the U.S. over a year ago, after the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, have repeatedly expressed fears that the White House will try to buy them off with large sums of investment in exchange for freezing their demands for an independent state. They believe the U.S. is trying to rally support from other Arab countries to bully them into accepting a plan they see as unacceptable. In a joint statement with Bahrain, the White House said the gathering will give government, civil and business leaders a chance to rally support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. "The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives," President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in a statement Sunday. "Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved." Kushner and Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, have been leading efforts to draft the plan, but after more than two years of work, they have not released any details. Jason Greenblatt with former defense minister Avigdor Liberman in Jerusalem A senior administration official in Washington told reporters Sunday that invitations to the conference are being sent to individuals in the United States, Europe, the Gulf, the wider Arab world and "some" Palestinian business leaders. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. It was not known if Abbas' Palestinian Authority was being invited. There also was no immediate comment from Israel. In the absence of direct talks with Palestinian leaders, U.S. officials often talk of engaging private Palestinians and "civil society" groups. It remains unclear who these contacts are or whom they represent. Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has embraced a group led by West Bank settlers that is seeking to promote business ties with Palestinian partners. Avi Zimmerman, the head of the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce, said he had not received an invitation to Bahrain, but believes the group's programs will be presented. David Friedman with Benjamin Netanyahu and Sen. Lindsey Graham on the Golan Heights (Photo: GPO) Without a formal address on the Palestinian side, it is also unclear how any large-scale projects would be carried out. It also was not known how any projects would be carried out in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. and Israel consider Gaza's Hamas rulers to be a terrorist group and have no direct contacts with them. The Palestinians have already said they would reject any peace plan offered by the U.S., saying Trump is unfairly biased toward Israel. Kushner said it has been disheartening that the Palestinian leadership has attacked the plan before it's unveiled. Earlier this month, Kushner insisted that the plan he's helped craft is a very detailed, fresh approach that he hopes will stimulate discussion and lead to a breakthrough in solving the decades-old conflict. At a think tank in Washington, Kushner described it as an "in-depth operational document" not anchored to previous, failed negotiations, high-level political concepts or stale arguments. The World Bank has reassured support for Thailands business sector since the government has conducted bureaucratic reforms to facilitate businesses, reduce costs while the countrys ranking on difficulties versus eases in doing business has improved. (Photo: thainews.prd.go.th) The World Banks Doing Business Research Team members met with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who expressed his appreciations for the World Banks ranking of difficulties and eases in doing business in Thailand which currently ranks 27th from among a list of 190 countries worldwide, and ranks third in the ASEAN community. The premier confirmed that Thailand has been prepared to cooperate with the World Bank in effort to upgrade the country and region. On a long term basis, Thailand is to develop in several areas for which consultations and expertise of the World Bank will be needed. Thailand has been readied to support the World Banks laying of a partnership framework for national development on sustainable basis. The premier confirmed that the Thai private sector has had good understanding about the implementation of government policies while as this years ASEAN chair Thailand will be able to promote the Thai business sector in the ASEAN markets. The World Banks visiting research team confirmed that the World Bank will readily provide consultations for Thailands national and regional development and that Thailand has moved in the right directions, especially regarding its digital sector./. By PTI MUMBAI: Actor Vivek Oberoi on Monday faced the wrath of social media users including Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor and DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal for sharing a "distasteful" and "crass" meme targeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's relationships. Oberoi, who reportedly dated the actor-former Miss World in early 2000s, posted a meme featuring her with husband Abhishek, daughter Aaradhya and Salman Khan. The meme was a take on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results of which will be declared on Thursday. "Haha! creative! No politics here... just life," Oberoi captioned the photo. Soon after he shared the meme, social media lashed out against the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on the current prime minister. Disgusting and classless. https://t.co/GUB7K6dAY8 Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) May 20, 2019 "Disgusting and classless," Sonam tweeted. "It is hardly hilarious. It's crass, disgusting and reveals the sick mentality of its 'creator'@vivekoberoi. Evident that the man lacks everything - political as well as life skills," Swati Maliwal, Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women, said. It is hardly hilarious. It's crass, disgusting and reveals the sick mentality of its 'creator'@vivekoberoi. Evident that the man lacks everything - political as well as life skills. https://t.co/0shNo67lpX Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 20, 2019 Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson Maharashtra Women's Commission, they will send a notice to the actor for his tweet, which is "disrespectful towards women". "What he has tweeted cannot be considered as 'creativity'... He is a responsible actor and we did not expect this behaviour from him. We have taken a note of this and we will be sending him a notice to him," Rahatkar tweeted. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also slammed the actor. "Dear Vivek Oberoi, this is absolutely distasteful on so many levels. How can you call this cheap remark 'creative' in any way? Didn't expect this from an otherwise cultured person like you," Pandit tweeted. Dear @vivekoberoi, this is absolutely distasteful on so many levels. How can U call this cheap remark creative in any way? Didnt expect this from an otherwise cultured person like U. https://t.co/fGjAOD2KJV Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) May 20, 2019 Such was the reaction to the actor's tweet that his name had started trending with many on social media lashing out against Oberoi. "I thought it's a troll account. Shame on vivek," the tweet read. Another post said the actor should have at least thought twice about dragging a minor, Aishwarya's daughter, into the controversy. "?Please don't spread this pics its demeaning to a woman and a torture to her child too! Please its a humble request! #VivekOberoi #NarendraModi," he said. "I'm pretty sure #AishwariaRai chose a man with character. This is really cheap. There's a fine line between Humour and Insult to individual. Increase your Celeb status to 1 per cent of what she's Achieved at least. Disgusting @vivekoberoi #VivekOberoi," another user tweeted. With time running out, unnamed Likud officials have warned that the party could declare a dead-end in coalition negotiations due to unreasonable demands and call for fresh elections, less than two months after the country went to the polls on April 9. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has until May 28 to form the next government. He has already received his one-off 14-day extension from President Reuven Rivlin. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: EPA) However, Netanyahu is yet to sign a deal with any party, and has declared that negotiations are stuck. He also said that the smaller parties "need to climb down from the tree," since they are making exaggerated demands. Not signing a single deal with a coalition partner this late into negotiations is unprecedented in Israeli political history. The terms issued by the small parties include a demand to give the Justice Ministry to the Union of Right-Wing Parties. This faction include supporters of extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, whose own Kach party was outlawed by Israel. Rabbi Haim Drukman of Jewish Home, who has decided to take part in coalition negotiations, told Israeli radio on Monday morning that "without the education and justice ministries (going to the Union of Right-Wing Parties), the prime minister will not have a government." Rabbi Haim Drukman of Jewish Home Meanwhile, Netanyahu is facing internal criticism within his own Likud party over his purported plan to have coalition partners commit to passing a so-called immunity law that would prevent a sitting prime minister from being indicted. Netanyahu is facing three separate corruption investigations and the attorney general as indicted that he will seek indicments. Former Likud minister Limor Livnat criticized the plan in Ynetnews' sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth, while Netanyahu's main perceived Likud rival, MK Gideon Sa'ar, called the initiative "corrupt." Sa'ar was widely condemned for his criticism, and a post circulated on social media branded him a traitor and showed him wearing Arab traditional garb. Also on Sunday, the cabinet agreed to overturn a 2013 law limiting the number of government ministers to 18 and deputy ministers to four; the entire Knesset will vote Monday on the change. MK Yair Lapid (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, who was behind the 2013 law, tweeted Sunday that cancelling the limitations on ministries was a corrupt move aimed at rewarding MKs who would support Netanyahu's efforts to pass the immunity law. The new government will apparently have 26 ministers and eight deputy ministers, according to political sources. This will mean an increase in the cost the government of NIS 100 million per annum and half a billion shekels per Knesset term. Israel charges former Fatah gunman Zakaria Zubeidi and his alleged accomplice Tarek Bargut with carrying out shooting attacks in the West Bank settlement of Beit El in 2018 and 2019. The Shin Bet, which ended the gag order on the arrests, said that the two used a car issued to Zubeidi by the Palestinian Authority during the attacks. The two suspects were arrested in February. The weapons allegedly used during the attacks, including an M16 rifle, are now in the hands of the Israeli security forces. Israel on Monday indicted former Fatah militant Zakaria Zubeidi and his alleged accomplice Tarek Bargut with carrying out shooting attacks in Jerusalem in 2016 and near the West Bank settlement of Beit El in 2018 and 2019. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Shin Bet, whose announcement effectively ended a gag order on the arrests, said that the two used a car issued to Zubeidi by the Palestinian Authority during the attacks. Zakaria Zubeidi at the Jenin theater in 2009 The two suspects were arrested in February. The weapons allegedly used during the attacks, including an M16 rifle, are now in the hands of the Israeli security forces. Zubeidi, who led the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the Fatah military wing, in the Jenin area during the Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, was pardoned by Israeli security forces as part of a deal signed with the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Tarek Bargut and Zakaria Zubeidi Zubeidi and others were taken off the list of terrorists wanted by Israel and guaranteed their freedom as long as they refrained from violence or any terrorist activity. The 43-year-old Zubeidi, a resident of the Jenin refugee camp, was subsequently given a senior position with the Palestinian Authority, in the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs, often with his alleged accomplice, attorney Tarek Bargut, an Israeli citizen and resident of the West Bank city of Ramallah. A Shin Beit source described the charges against Zubeidi and Bargut as very serious. He added that intelligence and security forces investigated the attacks in their immediate aftermath, including actions taken inside Ramallah, which is the seat of the Palestinian Authority, and those investigative actions led to the suspects arrests while thwarting more attacks. Leading Iraqi Shiite figures warned Monday against attempts to pull their country into a war between the U.S. and Iran, saying it would turn Iraq into a battlefield yet again, just as it is on the path to recovery. The warning came hours after a rocket slammed into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported and no group immediately claimed the Sunday night attack. Shortly after, President Donald Trump tweeted a warning to Iran not to threaten the United States or it will face its "official end." Last week, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of nonessential diplomatic staff from Iraq amid unspecified threats from Iran and rising tensions across the region. The White House has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter the alleged Iranian threats. UK foreign sec.: Long-term solution to regional tensions is for Iran to pull back from destabilizing activities throughout Mideast British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says the U.S. will retaliate if its interests are attacked, and that is something the Iranians need to think about very, very carefully. Four bodies in one day, and 58 dead men in a year and a half. An impossible number; 58 men that left for work and never returned home, to their loved ones, to their children, to their wives. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter But the country will be silent, despite these 58 futile deaths. The streets will not fill with protesters, the prime minister will not call for an emergency cabinet meeting. The spilled blood will shock us, but we'll get right back to whatever distraction is on the menu nowadays. The scene of the Yavneh crane accident that claimed four lives (Photo: Avi Mualem) Who wants to thoroughly look into these tragedies? The majority of construction workers are Arabs, new immigrants, or just the kind of people that have very difficult realities. There's no one to scream out about their suffering. On Saturday, the whole country was on its feet to give Europe a Eurovision production it's never seen before. An unforgettable event in which everything worked according to plan, to the highest standards. But this massive production came with a silent price: the death of Fuldi Schwartz, a worker who died at the Expo venue, where the compeition was held. Fuldi Schwartz, who died during the construction of the Eurovision venue We've chosen to repress his kind eyes, and not to listen to his children's harsh questions. Can we even accommodate this horrible disaster, alongside the most magnificent festival Israel has ever produced? We can't. No one wanted to remember Fuldi's death and have it overshadow the joys of Eurovision. We know very well how to pull off an international event in the best way possible when we want to. And when we don't want to try hard, we also know very well how to repress and ignore another silent death in the backstage of a construction site. In our culture of neglect and shortcuts, this is just a daily routine in which human life is worthless, and there's no judge to lock up the culprits. According to our Jewish scriptures, one of the greatest sins of the builders of the Tower of Babel was indifference to human life. "If a man fell and died, they didn't notice. But if a single brick fell, they would sit and weep over it" The Eurovision hosts and Dutch winner at the venue whose construction claimed the life of a worker (Photo: Oren Aharoni) It describes a corrupt reality where the goal, the material achievement is mightier than the most precious thing in the world human life. And here, we can see this happening right in front of our eyes, corrupting us. When a man is only a tool, his life is worthless. He is the means for the contactors to build more building for less money. Our brothers are dying in silence, since for us they are nothing but toiling hands. This is a national emergency. We mustn't look away from this wrong or back horrible failings in our race for more and more real estate. Any family who lost a loved one must know that this death has a price, a high price. They must know that the ones behind the wrong-doing will not get away without punishment, even if the sole comfort it brings is that it might prevent the next disaster. The Palestinians will not attend a U.S.-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as a preliminary roll-out of its plan for them to make peace with Israel, a Palestinian cabinet minister said on Monday. Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The Palestinians, who have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in late 2017, have shown little interest in discussing a plan that they anticipate will fall far short of their core demands. The Knesset, in what is seen as a liberal approach to same sex couples, has decided to give equal treatment to heterosexual and homosexual couples among its members. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The 21st Knesset, which was sworn in last month, has a record-breaking five openly gay members out of the 120 elected lawmakers. Member of Knesset Eitan Ginzburg (right) and his spouse Yotam at the opening session of the 21st Knesset The change came after former Ra'anana mayor Eitan Ginzburg, a new MK for the Blue and White party, was asked to sign a form during his orientation that said he had a common-law spouse. Ginzburg and his partner Yotam, realizing that the form refers to a family unit as comprising of husband and wife, refused to sign it. Meretz leader MK Tamar Zandberg asked the Knesset legal department to have the document changed to accommodate other types of families, and was surprised when officials agreed to change the term "husband and wife" to "couple" on the spot. Knesset Director-General Albert Sakharovich followed up by instructing all department heads under his purview to prepare for a change of policy regarding spouses of gay Knesset members. Knesset Director-General Albert Sakharovich Sakharovich told Ynet that as soon as the election results were in, he became aware that the number of LGBTQ members would rise, requiring changes in policy. He said that according to the changes he has now introduced, spouses of gay members will be registered and treated the same as all other spouses. Among other things, they will be given permanent entry passes for the Knesset, be invited to all official ceremonies and events, and allowed to drive any Knesset-issued vehicles assigned to their partners. "The Knesset is a mirror image of Israeli society, and as such reflects trends down to the minute detail," said Sakharovich. "It is not about making a technical amendment. It is a substantive statement made by the Knesset to its elected officials and through them to the general public, the citizens of Israel, for whom the Knesset is home in the fullest sense of the word." 21st Knesset hold its first plenum (Photo: AP) New MK Ginzburg told Ynet's sister publication, Yedioth Aharonoth: "I have been living with Yotam for over 15 years and we are parents to Itai and Emma. I am pleased to see the Knesset (officials) understood our position and took it upon themselves to make the necessary changes. "This is a validation of our family and I think all state institutions should accept that there is more than one kind of family." The Palestinians will not attend a U.S.-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as a preliminary roll-out of its plan for them to make peace with Israel, a Palestinian cabinet minister said on Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Washington announced the conference on Sunday, describing it as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Reuters) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday that his government had not been consulted on the June 25-26 gathering in Manama. After the Palestinian cabinet met, Ahhmed Majdalani, the social development minister and a member of the executive committee of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization, said: "There will be no Palestinian particaption in the Manama workshop." He added: "Any Palestinian who would take part would be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel." Mahmoud Abbas and Donald Trump meeting in NY in 2017 (Photo: AP) U.S. officials have predicted that the event will include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as some finance ministers. The economic component discussed will constitute an unveiling of the first part of the Trump peace plan, U.S. officials have said. Israeli leaders have not commented on the conference. Israel's finance minister, Moshe Kahlon, said through a spokesman on Sunday that he had yet to receive any invitation. Shtayyeh reiterated Palestinians' demands for a two-state peace deal with Israel entailing control of the West Bank and Gaza, as well as East Jerusalem as their future capital. Israel calls Jerusalem its indivisible capital and has said it might declare sovereignty in its West Bank settlements. Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner (Photo: Reuters) The Trump administration has said its still-secret peace plan would require compromise by both sides. Since being shunned by the Palestinians, it has cut back on U.S. aid for them, contributing to economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza. "The financial crisis the Palestinian Authority is living through today is a result of the financial war that is being launched against us in order to win political concessions," Shtayyeh told his cabinet. "We do not submit to blackmail and we don't trade our political rights for money." Hamas, shunned in the West for its terrorism and diehard hostility to Israel and locked in a more than decade-old power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah party, also condemned the Bahrain conference. Express News Service By Express News Service ...over one conference call we decided to set up LOpera here It is never easy to settle in a new country, where the culture and language is completely different. But it was the love for her son and to see his dreams turn into reality that saw Christine migrate from France and make India her home. Christine lent unconditional support to her son, Laurent, who was on an internship in India, when expressed his wish to open LOpera, a chain of French Boulangerie-Patisserie and Salon de The (tea room), as he missed French flavours in New Delhi. It was over one conference call we decided to set up LOpera here. We overcame innumerable challenges the challenge of learning the language, finding manpower, creating a product line and setting up a store. But we did it together, says the co-founder of LOpera. Christine served as the Director of the Office of Public Information of the Bahai International Community in Paris. But I left everything behind in Paris. I cannot be happy if my children are not. Work has to be lived and life has to be worked at IF there is one reason Cafe Delhi Heights is so successful, it is because of our mother and her legendary recipes, says Sharad about his mother, Usha, who he claims is the first woman to open a banquet hall by herself Batra Banquets. After 6,000 weddings and entertaining over 2.5 million guests for about two decades, Usha decided to open the venture Cafe Delhi Heights with her sons, Sharad and Vikrant, in 2011. When they came forward with this new concept of a cafe, I thought it was time to change and move forward, reminisces the culinary director of Cafe Delhi Heights a quirky hangout thats always buzzing. Usha believes in serving simple, yet tasty food. Even today, she moves around her brands kitchens and cafes with a sense of involvement and compassion towards her vision. Work has to be lived and life has to be worked at, she says. Believing in them along with the respect they bestow on me Trusting my children and believing in them along with the respect they bestow on me is the key to our familys happiness, says Urmila, mother of Ankit, co-owner of Burma Burma a contemporary Burmese restaurant with handpicked selection of teas in the capital. After having spent over two decades in Myanmar Urmila had to migrate to India in the 1970s when the military forcibly took control. But during these years, she acquired detailed knowledge on Burmese food and culture. Now Tea Leaf Salad, Kowni Mow and Durian Ice Cream are her favourite dishes. The dawn of Burma Burma comes from my Burmese roots. My mother has had a great influence expanding the food platter with heady flavours of the Burmese cuisine. Burma is a powerful amalgamation of the two largest forces in my life my fathers lineage of hoteliers and restaurateurs and the delicious home recipes from my mothers heritage, says Ankit. But its his mothers guidance, says Ankit, that has helped pave the way for Burma Burma. WASHINGTON - Top officials from President Donald Trump's administration will brief the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives about Iran on Tuesday afternoon, congressional aides said, after lawmakers clamored for more information about tension between the two countries. The briefers will be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford and an unnamed representative of the intelligence community, congressional aides said. Aides had said last week that a Senate briefing was set for Tuesday, but details of the House meeting had not been made final. Trump threatened Iran in a tweet on Sunday, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen. LONDON - Iran called on Monday on the United States to address the Islamic Republic with respect, not threat of war, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran in a tweet, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Tensions between Washington and its Gulf Arab allies on one side and Tehran and its proxies in the region on the other, have been flaring for weeks. On Sunday, Trump tweeted: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied on his twitter account "NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respectait works!" Zarif, who was educated in the United States, actually praised Trump for earlier remarks seen as pushing back against hawks in his administration who were encouraging conflict. The president "rightly deplores 'military-industrial complex' pushing U.S. #ForeverWars," Zarif wrote on Twitter. Iran has quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehran's unraveling nuclear accord, two semi-official news agencies reported Monday, an announcement just after President Donald Trump warned Iran it would face its "official end" if it threatened America again. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter While the reports said the production is of uranium enriched only to the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal that Tehran reached with world powers, it means that Iran soon will go beyond the stockpile limitations established by the accord. Iranian President Rouhani at Bushehr nuclear site (Photo: AP) So far this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers sustained damage in a sabotage attack; Yemeni rebels allied with Iran launched a drone attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia; and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran. All these tensions are the culmination of Trump's decision a year ago to pull the U.S. out of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. While both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. Rouhani inspects nuclear plant (Photo: AFP) Both the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported on the quadrupled production quoting Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesmen of Iran's nuclear agency. He said the increase in production of 3.67% enriched uranium does not mean Iran increased the number of centrifuges it has in use, another requirement of the deal. He said Iran "in weeks" would reach the 300-kilogram limit set by the nuclear deal. Kamalvandi said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency about its move. The IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Trump's tweet early Monday came just hours after a Katyusha rocket fell in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy, causing no injuries. Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that the rocket was believed to have been fired from eastern Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran," Trump tweeted. "Never threaten the United States again!" Trump did not elaborate, nor did the White House. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded by tweeting that Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." Zarif referenced both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan as two historical leaders that Persia outlasted. Iranian FM M. Javad Zarif "Iranians have stood tall for a millennia while aggressors all gone," he wrote. He ended his tweet with: "Try respect - it works!" He also used the hashtag #NeverThreatenAnIranian, a reference to a comment he made in negotiations for the atomic accord. Trump campaigned on pulling the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear accord, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since the withdrawal, the U.S. has re-imposed previous sanctions and come up with new ones, as well as warning other nations they would be subject to sanctions as well if they import Iranian oil. Iran has said it would begin backing away from terms of the deal, setting a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with new terms or it would begin enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told journalists in Geneva that Iran should not doubt the U.S. resolve, warning that "if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate." "We want the situation to de-escalate because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally," Hunt said. Meanwhile, Oman's minister of state for foreign affairs made a previously unannounced visit Monday to Tehran, seeing Zarif, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The visit by Yusuf bin Alawi comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week. Oman long has served as a Western backchannel to Tehran and the sultanate hosted the secret talks between the U.S. and Oman that laid the groundwork for the nuclear deal negotiations. In Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's military intercepted two missiles fired by the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The missiles were intercepted over the city of Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya reported, citing witnesses. The Saudi government has yet to acknowledge the missile fire, which other Saudi media also reported. Hundreds of rockets, mortar rounds and ballistic missiles have been fired into the kingdom since a Saudi-led coalition declared war on the Houthis in March 2015 to support Yemen's internationally recognized government. The Houthis' Al-Masirah satellite news channel denied that the rebels had any involvement with this round of rocket fire. Between the two targeted cities is Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day. Many religious pilgrims are in the city for the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. A dark shadow hung over the biannual convention of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) which took place in Antwerp, Belgium over the weekend. Rabbis from across Europe, as well as senior Israeli rabbis, gathered for the 31st time to discuss and debate the pressing issues facing European Jewry. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter But this year, Flanders, the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, banned kosher slaughter, joining five European countries where slaughter is already banned. Proposals to ban non-medical circumcision are also being examined in several countries, and European Jews beholden to Jewish law (halacha) are feeling increasingly under attack, all while anti-Semitism is already pulling out the rug from under their feet. Conference of European Rabbis "We must recognize the harsh statement by European society toward us," the conference's president Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt told Ynet. "They are telling us that if you Jews wan to remain here among us, you must stop being Jewish. They are claiming that our customs, circumcision and kosher slaughter, are unenlightened. But we will fight for our traditions." Discussions between the Jewish community and local leaders began a few years ago but only made headlines recently with the rise of the far-right and the entry of millions of Muslim refugees into Europe in recent years. Israel's chief rabbis YItzhak Yosef, bottom right and David Lau, bottom left, and Rabbi Goldschmidt, top left (: ) "We have competent mohelim (who perform circumcisions) who know their occupation and kosher slaughterers," said Goldschmidt, who has served as the chief rabbi of Russia for the past three decades. "Suddenly 40 million Muslims who perform circumcision at a later age arrived in Europe, and they are performed by non-professionals, which leads to accidents. The concern over Muslim immigration brought about the bans on circumcision and kosher slaughter. They do it so that Muslims will leave Europe, but on the way, they forgot that it harms Jews as well." During a discussion about the issue, British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, German parliamentarian Marcos Grobel who deals with matters concerning freedom of religion and Katharina Von Schnurbein, the European Coordinator on combating anti-Semitism, were present. The latter argued that the controversial laws are not anti-Semitic: "They make Jews' lives harder but it is clear to all that freedom of religion is very important to us," she said. Members of the Conference of European Presidents "These laws were not written to remove the Jews from Europe; Europe without its Jews will be an entirely different continent. On the other hand, we have a constitution and the law was approved by 28 nations and like any other law, the moment it is passed, kosher slaughter becomes illegal, unless the country in which it takes place authorizes it," Von Schnurbein said. Rabbi Goldschmidt does not agree with Von Schnurbein, asserting that the issue has little to do with animal slaughter itself and more to do with controlling religion. "Our job is to advance the religion and not defend it in places where they think that Google is God," he said. "This conduct is like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. I am not saying that the law is anti-Semitic, but it does severely harm Jews" the rabbi added. "Throughout history, such legislation always led to something worse and it mainly reflects a lack of tolerance towards minorities in Europe." Mardos Grobel called attention to the fact that when Germany banned ritual slaughter for reasons of animal cruelty, Jews and Muslims received religious exemptions, "but then, animal rights groups expressed concern that the move would undermine their goals and criticized it. But we, the German government, say that religious freedom is above all else." Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever, whose party supported the slaughter ban, asked for all parties to be patient and wait for the European Court of Justice to rule on the matter. He also said that Jewish leadership did not handle the issue properly and should have begun their efforts against the legislation earlier. "Now, it is already under the jurisdiction of the court and if they rule that kosher slaughter must be allowed then a solution will be found," he said, adding that he considers it important that the Jewish community remain in his city and that they should also be ready for a fight. Referring to the rise in attacks against Jews in Europe over the last year, Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said that synagogues should have security guards, non-Jews preferably. "We are in the midst of an upsurge in anti-Semitism unfortunately," said Elan Carr, U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism. "There have been incidents throughout the world, including the United States which is a country which supports Jews, it is really a global crisis. We must come together to combat this poison." Carr said that the attacks at U.S. synagogues "broke his heart" and that President Trump is personally committed to the Jews and the State of Israel. "We must work together to decrease the phenomenon of anti-Semitism and secure Jewish institutions and choke the money supply to terror organizations which included the Iranians who are promoting an anti-Semitic ideology in the Middle East." BESSEMER'S VFW Post 3673 packs a crowd Saturday evening for the third annual fundraising dinner for the U.P. Honor Flight. Shown in front to left are Kathy Boogaard of Ironwood and Dean Spagnoletti of Bessemer and, to right, John and Sandy Barbacovi of Ironwood. By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Bessemer - The third annual fundraising dinner for the U.P. Honor Flight drew nearly 200 people to Bessemer's VFW Post 3673 on Saturday night. "This event is so special to us because it is helping us to help our senior veterans to visit their memorials in Washington D.C.," said Post Commander Donna Frello while welcoming the crowd. "How cool is it that we all are helping to make that happen?" Frello's husband, John Frello, who is the post quartermaster, said attendance had doubled from last year's event. "The turnout here is overwhelming," he said, while acting as the emcee of Saturday's event. "It's truly outstanding, and we so appreciate it." The U.P. Honor Flight is based in Gladstone, near Escanaba, and the quartermaster told the Globe that its staff prioritizes applicants from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, respectively. "They will make exceptions if someone is terminal," he said of the occasional flights that accommodate those in wheelchairs and that also provide guides to accompany participants to view their memorials. Among those attending the Saturday dinner were JoAnne and Roy Sand, of Bessemer. "We both were in the service," said JoAnne, explaining that she had been in the U.S. Army while her husband had been in the U.S. Navy. John and Mary Turkal, of Ironwood, also were there. Mary said her husband had spent 18 and one-half years in the service, between the U.S. Air Force and the National Guard. The guest speaker of the evening was retired Army Lt. Col. David Manki, who is a former JROTC instructor in Ironwood. Linda Malmberg and Kathy Koval also coordinated a basket raffle; with basket themes such as painting, yooper, doggy, auto, grilling and several more. "Everything will be donated," said John Frello of proceeds taken in for the dinner, as well as any additional funds from the raffle or separate donations from businesses and individuals. Luan Jacobson said she was among about a dozen people working with Donna Frello in the kitchen to provide a full hot spread of food. Gogebic County treasurer Lisa Hewitt explained to the crowd the concept of a small table setting for one that sat in the back of the room. Hewitt said the accompanying empty chair was to represent soldiers missing in action or taken as prisoners of war. Among the table's additional symbols were a lemon wedge to illustrate "bitter fate," a rose to remind of bloodshed, and a lit candle to suggest hope and guidance. The band Lake Effect was scheduled to play after the dinner. On April 27, the Bessemer VFW also hosted the second annual Daffodil Dayz, organized by Kathy Whitburn, who is the president of Bessemer's VFW Auxiliary. Profits from that event also went to the U.P. Honor Flight. Whitburn said that the two events last year raised more than $7,000 for the two U.P. flights that take place each year. Each flight costs $65,000. The U.P. Honor Flight is part of the National Honor Flight Network. Demand coming from Chinese investors dropped, with Australia falling to the 2nd place in the list of countries where Chinese agents are selling, according to Investorists China 2019 International Property Outlook. Australia accounted for 45.9% of the agents responses. The USA, meanwhile, landed on the top spot with 48.4%. In the next 12 months, fewer agents (26.4%) are looking to sell in Australia. The country came behind the USA (40.3%), Europe (39.6%), Thailand (39%), and the UK (28.3%). Data showed that education still drives investment, with 74.8% of survey respondents listing 'childrens education' as the top reason to buy in a particular country. Understanding Chinese property investment trends over the past 12-24 months could be likened to how water flows: it moves along the path of least resistance. So countries which offer the least resistance in terms of taxes, foreign investment regulations, pricing, and conducive immigration conditions are most attractive for Chinese agents sourcing properties for clients. Thailand is a good example, with 39% of Chinese agents saying they were selling Thailand for the next 12 months, up from 24% in 2017, said Jon Ellis, Investorist founder, and CEO. Its common in China for family members and friends to pool their resources in order to fund purchases so that they comply with government regulations (maximum of $50,000 USD per person per annum can be taken out of the country), but can still continue to invest in overseas assets, especially if related to their childrens education. The industry is poised to see what decisions the Chinese government makes next in relation to foreign currency exchange. Moves up or down would have an almost immediate flow on effect in Australia and other markets. In Australia, loan availability is still the biggest issue for Chinese buyers. Demand for Australian investment property has been significantly affected by increased taxes and banking restrictions making loans much more difficult to obtain for foreign buyers. We expect demand growth from China to remain flat for 2019. However, there is the possibility of Australia benefiting from the fallout of the US-China trade war, as some Chinese investors may be discouraged from US real estate investment or college selection for their children, and choose the familiarity of Australian investment instead, said Ellis. Ayesha Singh By Express News Service Their inception story is a sweet one. Pun intended. Born out of a love for desserts and confectionaries, Kazem Samandari, founder, LOpera, wanted to extend his love for tea and French treats to the public of Delhi through the Salon de The (tea room) concept. None of its kind existed that time. From 2008 when it launched to now, it has become Delhis specialised French Patisserie and Boulangerie, recently adding yet another feather to its gastronomic hat, by launching a new outlet in Greater Kailash II. French pastry culture has managed to get gourmands walking in tow with its evolving richness. Luscious mousses, creamy crusty creme brulees, and fluffy meringues, all draw their hat to French cooking credentials. LOpera packs in all this and more for city audiences. Classics from the boutique such as Croque Monsieur, a classic ham and Emmental toast with bechamel sauce; Spinach and Goats Cheese; the Roast Tomato, Basil and Goats Cheese Tarte among others are sophisticated placed on the front display. Among pastries, the buttery Almond Tart, the silken Blueberry Mousse Cheesecake, the densely rich Brownies, the puffy sweet and crusty Mille Feuille, and the tangy Chocolate Orange and Walnut Chocolate Trio are some of the indulgences that LOpera has mastered. READ HERE | LOpera, Burma Burma and Cafe Delhi Heights: These mothers made their sons dream a reality Its patrons have increased with time and to accommodate the promising demand, Samandaris main focus has been on enlarging its edible portfolio. The all-day breakfast was one such attempt to keep visitors coming to try some of the best-in-town organic granola, croissant and French toast. The soup and salads section in addition to the large beverage menu offers hot and cold concoctions in a warmly lit environment with a clean minimalistic aesthetic. From using the French Embassy kitchen in 2010 to operating a 12,000 sq. ft production facility in Noida today, LOpera has come a long way. This quality is made possible by our team of 150 employees across various functions. All our equipment is from France, and we are backed with 24-hour power, best-in-class cold storage and its own logistics fleet. Weve always imported raw materials such as butter, cream and chocolate from, says Samandari. In the pipeline is the opening of 50 outlets in the next five years. To that we say, may sweet success always be yours. News Washington, DC - The Naval Air Systems Command awarded on May 17 a $1.3 billion Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lots 2 and 3 contract for 12 aircraft to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, Stratford, Conn. for the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion. "The Marine Corps is very appreciative of the efforts by the Navy and our industry partners to be able to award the LRIP 2/3 contract, said Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. This is a win for the Marine Corps and will secure the heavy-lift capability we need to meet future operational requirements and support the National Defense Strategy. I'm very confident in the success of the CH-53K program and look forward to fielding this critical capability." The most powerful helicopter in the Department of Defense, the CH-53K King Stallion is a new-build helicopter that will expand the fleets ability to move more material, more rapidly throughout the area of responsibility using proven and mature technologies. The CH-53K is the only aircraft able to provide the Marine Corps with the heavy-lift capability it needs to meet future operational requirements for the vertical lift mission. This contract award reflects close cooperation and risk sharing between the Government and industry teams to deliver critical capabilities to the Marine Corps," said James Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition. "Working with our industry partners, the team ensured that solutions for technical challenges are incorporated into these production aircraft. This reflects the urgency to ensure we deliver capabilities necessary to support the Marine Corps and the Department of Navys mission, while continuing to drive affordability and accountability into the program. Designed and demonstrated the lift capability of nearly 14 tons (27,000lbs/12,247 kg) at a mission radius of 110 nautical miles (203 km), in Navy high/hot environments, the CH-53K lifts triple the baseline CH-53E lift capability. The CH-53K has proven the ability to lift up to 36,000lbs via the external cargo hook. The CH-53K will have an equivalent logistics shipboard footprint, lower operating costs per aircraft, and less direct maintenance man hours per flight hour. The combination of unmatched heavy-lift and range, fly-by-wire flight controls, with an advanced, integrated communications suite will provide the Marine Corps with the operational flexibility necessary to gain and, more importantly, sustain a tactical edge on the battlefield. 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. In the course of the heated campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there was controversy over the alleged use or misuse of Indian Navy's assets in the INS Virat case. But it is indeed not appropriate that such defence assets are used by the Prime Minister's family for personal family holidays. Having said that, the event occurred 33 years back and the said Prime Minister is no longer with us and hence not much yield will come out of flogging this dead horse. However, in the regulations relating to hospitality grant of Prime Minister a specific entry may be made to ensure that it doesn't happen in future or if it happens it is as per the entitlement. In the same vein, I would like dedicate this blog especially to the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, their capabilities provided such political will is there. This is sought to be established by two case studies when terror attacks or possible terror attacks were mounted through the coastal route. It is a matter of public knowledge with so much of records available in the public domain that the 26/11 Mumbai attacks were carried out by terrorists who entered through the coastal route. Hence in the aftermath of 26/11, here is what the new Home Minister of India had to say in Parliament on Thursday, December 11, 2008, in his suo moto statement. Readers are free to read through the full debate that began in the Parliament at 11:03 am. But I am quoting from page 16 of the statement of Honourable Home Minister Shri P Chidambaram: "We have a number of intelligence gathering agencies. Intelligence is shared, evaluated and acted upon. However, I have found that there is a tendency to treat some intelligence inputs that are not specific or precise as not actionable intelligence. Further, the responsibility for acting upon intelligence inputs is quite diffused. In the case of the Mumbai attacks, intelligence regarding a suspected LeT vessel attempting to infiltrate through the sea route was shared with the Director General, Coast Guard, and the Principal Director, Naval Intelligence. The Coast Guard made a serious effort, including deploying vessels and aircraft, to locate the suspect vessel, but was not successful. The Navy found that the coordinates of the vessel, as reported, placed it well within the territorial waters of Pakistan. Nevertheless, the Navy had committed several surface units and aircraft in the zone during the period November 19-20, 2008. In the absence of further inputs or information from the agencies concerned, the Navy concluded that no further action could be taken on the basis of the available information." A very important factor here is that first, the fact of Coast Guard not bring able to locate the vessel. Does the nation believe it? It is a direct imputation on the ability of the Indian Coast Guard. Moreover, where did the Union Home Minister get this information or input. Mr Binoy Kumar was the then Joint Secretary in charge of Coast Guard. We did not have any such information on record. Then why did this same minister, during his visit to USA in September 2009, cherry-pick Coast Guard for its inherent abilities for joint exercises with its US counterpart. These are matters of record and hence verifiable. But he would not assign them any joint exercise with the state police coastal patrol teams. Not even one. It would have been ideal if they had been given oversight of the progress of implementation of coastal patrolling exercises like coastal police stations and patrol boats, which were sanctioned in 2009-2012 under the Police Modernisation Scheme, which the then Home Minister used to brandish before the chief minsters in every conference of internal security. Hence, from this nebulous affirmation about the capability of Indian Coast Guard it is not clear what the then Home Minister P Chidambaram's take was. But what is more salient is that in the same statement he says while Coast Guard, after deployment of its resources, could not locate the boat, Indian Navy located the ship in Pakistani waters. In the same vein, it is also said that several surface units and aircrafts were committed on November 19-20, which were later withdrawn due to lack of further intelligence. This is the biggest give-away. Once a hostile item, whether ship or convoy has been sighted based on intelligence, no security agency will withdraw its assets. Further intelligence may be force multipliers enabling to mobilise or deploy resources with more focus. But due to lack of intelligence no one withdraws after sighting a hostile element. They reinforce the surveillance. Indeed such withdrawals are carried out at specific orders of the higher authorities. From the verbal flexing in the statement of P Chidambaram the biggest give away that Indian Navy was ordered to withdraw after November 19-20 and this was at a political level. Now, I will take you to the instance that occurred on December 31, 2014, in which the reaction and counter-offence of the Indian Coast Guard was captured as per the following extracts of The Hindustan Times of January 2, 2015: An explosives-laden Pakistani trawler blew itself up late on December 31 night after being intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard in the Arabian Sea off Porbandar, Gujarat. The coast guard warned the suspicious fishing vessel to stop for investigation but the boat sped away, leading to a one-hour hot pursuit. The suspicious behaviour of the boat's crew brought back memories of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai six years ago. Then, 10 gunmen had travelled from Karachi in a boat, hijacked an Indian fishing vessel and steered it to Mumbai to go on a three-day rampage during which they killed 166 people. This fishing boat too was from Karachi. The boat stopped after the coast guard fired shots but the four-man crew had by then set it on fire, triggering a major explosion and sinking the trawler, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Friday. The coast guard had received a specific intelligence alert on December 31 that a fishing boat from Keti Bunder near Karachi was planning some kind of an operation in the Arabian Sea. "Based on the input, a Dornier aircraft undertook a sea-air coordinated search and located the fishing boat. The ship patrolling in the area was diverted and intercepted the unlit boat around midnight of December 31," the spokesperson said. Now it is best left to the readers to conclude who treats Indian defence assets as personal assets to be used for their family holidays and personal travels and who gives them the autonomy to give act according to their mandate. Now, I come back to Home Minister's statement of 11.12.2008, which I have recalled. Let us get it clear. The statement in itself in this small part is so much self-contradictory that lies were oozing out at the extant time itself. Further, lying, suppression of material facts before the Parliament is also an offence. P Chidambaram being a long-standing Member of Parliament then and also as eminent lawyer knew this legal provisions. But he did not apply it here. He lied with impunity. He did suppress information in another reply to a Starred Question No. 78, answered in Lok Sabha on 2.3.2010 in regard to sharing of evidences on Mumbai attack with Pakistan. Indeed, the reply had his approval although technically it was the junior minister who is recorded as having replied to the question. I detailed it in my book about the difference between "Intercepts shared with Pakistan" and "All intercepts shared with Pakistan". Hence, readers can draw their conclusions. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) As exit polls show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led NDA coming back to power in New Delhi with a comfortable majority in the new Lok Sabha, there should be much cause for celebration in the party if the final results match the predictions. But then, solid leadership often involves looking beyond the obvious. I had argued last week that whoever comes to power this year will have a tough challenge on hands in fixing the sagging Indian economy. For Modi, however, there is an extra challenge emerging: one that I call "Godse-ism". A lot has happened around memories of Nathuram Godse this month. Strangely enough, the exit poll results came on the 109th birth anniversary of the man who killed Mahatma Gandhi, father of modern India. Modi was quick to not only disown his party candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's now-retracted statement describing Godse as a "deshbhakt" (patriot) but he also said he would not be able to completely forgive her for what she said. Given the strange timing of her statement as the nation awaited the results of a momentous general elections, and given her stature as a potential giant-killer, contesting against Digvijay Singh of the Congress at Bhopal, it was clearly a moment of embarrassment for the prime minister who has in the past spoken of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" (Support for Everyone, Development for Everyone). Godse was not just the killer of the Father of the Nation, but also stood as a partisan Hindu extremist who quit the RSS, BJP's ideological parent, in anger. It can be argued that his politics goes against Sanatana Dharma, the core of what BJP believes is Hindutva (Hindu-ness) that believes in a liberal social order in which various faiths co-exist in harmony, not under a hegemony. Not just Pragya Thakur, but some other party functionaries have also spoken in soft or gushing tones about Godse, making the issue not just a flash in the pan for the RSS-BJP family. Modi should read the writing on the wall: his party now faces a potential danger, not from the extreme left but the extreme right. Not from the "Tukde Tukde" (piece-piece) gang, that BJP says threatens national unity, but the "Chowde Chowde" (broad-broad) gang, that wants to thump a wide chest to take India's major party from righteous self-esteem to false pride. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue MG Vaidya stepped in to clarify how much it respected Gandhi for many things as he described Godse as a "murderer". As the parent of the BJP, the RSS also has to be on guard against Godse-ism. Somewhere along the way, aided by Modi's success, there are all sorts of people trying to gain popularity, power or pelf from Hindutva. As they say in Delhi's political circles: "Chamcho se saavdhan" (Beware of sycophants). Some of the ideological sycophancy extends to loudmouths who do not know the difference between shunning appeasement of minorities in governance from targeting a community like the Muslims in acts of mob violence. Modi has positioned himself as a global leader who wants to make India a respected power in the 21st century. Godse-ism goes against that grain. It is immaterial whether it was actor-politician Kamal Haasan's description of Godse as independent India's first terrorist or someone else who triggered reactions of the kind Pragya Thakur came up with. BJP's allies certainly won't like what she said. A word of warning has already come from Bihar chief minister and NDA colleague Nitish Kumar, who says the BJP must consider expelling Pragya Thakur from the party. Whether or not she gets elected to Lok Sabha, India will watch keenly what happens to the woman who has already courted controversy by denigrating Hemant Karkare, the anti-terrorist supercop who was martyred in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai in 2008. That was a red signal for Modi, and the comment on Godse seems to be another red signal. Whatever the detail, it is time for Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to discourage and/or weed out right-wing extremists. Does India really need an alt-Hindu the way America has an extremist alt-right that believes in white supremacy and racism? How does that tally with a nation sending a rocket to the moon and getting a permanent seat in the UN Security Council? I am not kidding. The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha actually distributed sweets to mark Godse's birth anniversary, even as the BJP tried to douse the fire lit by Pragya Thakur. It also lambasted Modi! Alt-Hindu is a clear and present danger for the BJP. Taking on an adversary or an enemy is often easy in politics. Getting rid of embarrassing loyalists requires a different set of skills. We will be watching keenly if the Modi-Shah duo does something about such dubious supporters. As they say: With friends like these, who needs enemies? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) CHENNAI: A Singapore-bound Scoot Airways flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Chennai International Airport on Monday after passengers onboard observed sparks flying out of the plane's engine. Scoot Airways flight SCO 567, with 170 people on board, took off from Trichy in Tamil Nadu around 1:30 am. At around 3:40 am, passengers observed sparks on the rightside of the aircraft engine and immediately reported it to the crew. The flight was immediately escorted to the Chennai cargo bay. Flight engineers are currently checking the engine for the cause of the spark. Airport sources further refuted all reports on smoke emanating from the plane's cargo section, calling it a false alarm. The flight is now expected to fly out on Monday evening. At least 13 people were killed when a tyre of a truck burst, causing it to collide with a tempo on a highway near Maharashtra's Buldhana on Monday. It is reported that six among the dead belonged to the same family and that at least three others were seriously injured in the horrific accident. Initial investigations have revealed that the truck was travelling at high speeds when one of its tyres burst. The driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle and slammed against a Mahindra Maxi tempo which came under it completely. All 13 dead in the accident were in the tempo and were travelling between Malkapur and Anurabad. While the driver of the truck has been taken into custody, the injured were taken to a local hospital where their condition is learnt to be extremely serious. Meanwhile, the impact of the collision was such that despite over 100 locals trying to remove the truck from over the tempo, the vehicle could not be budged. A JCB was eventually brought in to remove the truck so that the injured could be rescued and the dead bodies be taken out. (Reporting by Mayur Nikam/Zee Media Bureau) Ahmedabad: An Air India flight from Delhi to Muscat was diverted to Jamnagar Air Force base on Sunday night after a 33-year-old passenger suffered a cardiac arrest onboard. After landing at the Indian Air Force base, the patient was rushed to the Jamnagar civil hospital accompanied by an IAF doctor. "AI 973 Delhi Muscat flight diverted to Jamnagar Air Force Base at 2230 with an Indian passenger aged 33 suffering cardiac arrest in flight. IAF responded promptly. Diversion to civil airfield would have taken more time. Patient shifted to the hospital accompanied by IAF doc," PRO Defence Gujarat Puneet Chadha said in a tweet late on Sunday night. Live TV He later said the patient was taken to Guru Govind Singh Hospital for treatment. Name of the patient was not known immediately. It is rare when commercial flights are allowed to land on IAF bases. However, Chadha said in the tweet that IAF responded quickly as the flight diversion to civil airfield would have taken more time. By PTI BHOPAL: BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, who recently kicked up a row with some of her remarks, on Monday apologised for it and said she is observing "silence" for 63 hours as a mark of penance. Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, said she felt it was now time for some "soul searching". The BJP leader last week courted controversy by calling Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "patriot". Prior to it, she claimed that the then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks due to her "curse". READ MORE | Godse killed Gandhi's body, people like Pragya Singh killing soul of India: Kailash Satyarthi Taking a dim view of her remarks on Godse, the BJP said it did not agree with her. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will never forgive Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi. An aide of Thakur told PTI that she began observing a '21 prahar maun' (63 hours silence) from Monday morning. Thakur, in a tweet, also apologised for her remarks. READ MORE | Modi blasts Pragya for Godse remarks, says he'll never forgive her "After the poll process, time has arrived for soul searching. During this period, if my words have hurt the patriots, I apologise for it. As per the decorum of public life and to repent, I am observing a 21-prahar silence and will undergo hard penance," she said in a tweet in Hindi. Following some of Thakur's controversial statements, the Election Commission had imposed a 72-hour ban on her from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls. Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Monday approached Supreme Court (SC) seeking extension of seven days protection from arrest given to him by the apex court. In his petition before the SC, Kumar has cited strike of lawyers in West Bengal as the main reason for the extension. It may be recalled that on Friday the SC had vacated its order granting protection from arrest to former Kolkata police commissioner in the Saradha chit fund scam case. The apex court, however, said that its February 5 order granting interim protection to Kumar will continue for seven days from Friday. The SC also allowed Kumar to seek bail from a competent court. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also directed the CBI to follow the law of land in this case. Live TV Talking to media, one of Kumar's advocates said that as per the SC order, the CBI cannot arrest Kumar in the next seven days. "We have withdrawn the protection given to Rajeev Kumar vide order dated February 5," the court said while pronouncing the order. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was also part of the bench headed by the CJI and Justice Deepak Gupta, had passed the judgment. Pronouncing the operative part of the order, Justice Khanna had said, "We are leaving it to the CBI to act in accordance with law. Our February 5 order will continue for seven days from today to enable Rajeev Kumar to approach the competent court for relief. We have expressed our concern as to what has happened in the matter." General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command of the Indian Army, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, on Monday said that first surgical strike was carried out by armed forces in September 2016 to avenge Uri garrison attack. He remarked that few days ago DGMO had said in a reply to an RTI about this and this is a statement of fact. Lt Gen Singh clarified that he will not comment on what political parties say about surgical strikes and they will be given answer by government. "Few days ago DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in Sep 16', I don't want to go into what political parties say, they'll be given an answer by government.What I told you is a statement of fact," Lt Gen Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. GOC Northern Command: Airstrikes by IAF on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was a major achievement, wherein our aircraft went deep into enemy territory & struck terror launchpads. Pakistanis carried out air operations the following day, however they were given a befitting reply. pic.twitter.com/QyDTa6Ms04 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 It may be recalled that few days ago, the Congress had claimed that armed forces had conducted six surgical strikes during the UPA regime. Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla had also listed the dates when these surgical strikes were conducted. Shukla had told media that six surgical strikes were conducted when the Congress-led UPA was in power and two were carried out when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister of India. Congress never tried to take credit of these strikes. The one who did only one surgical strike is patting his back. Neither Dr Manmohan Singh nor Vajpayee addressed a press conference to take credit for these strikes," Shukla had said. Live TV Lt Gen Singh also said the airstrikes carried out by 12 Mirage fighter jets of Indian Air Force on terror camps in Pakistan was a major achievement. He added that on February 27 the IAF's fighter jets succeeded in going deep into enemy territory and rained bombs on terror camps of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad. Lt Gen Singh noted that Pakistan Air Force tried to carry out air operations inside Indian territory the following day but they were thwarted in their attempts by IAF jets. "Airstrikes by IAF on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was a major achievement, wherein our aircraft went deep into enemy territory & struck terror launchpads. Pakistanis carried out air operations the following day, however they were given a befitting reply," Lt Gen was quoted as saying by ANI. GOC Northern Command: Airstrikes by IAF on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was a major achievement, wherein our aircraft went deep into enemy territory & struck terror launchpads. Pakistanis carried out air operations the following day, however they were given a befitting reply. pic.twitter.com/QyDTa6Ms04 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Lt Gen Singh also told the media that during this year armed forces have succeeded in killing 86 terrorists so far and the security forces would continue to operate against the terrorists in the same manner. "During this year we have been able to neutralize 86 terrorists so far & our operations continue in the same manner. Nearly 20 of them have been apprehended, we've also been able to bring back many of them to the mainstream," Lt Gen Singh remarked. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan over his "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remark made during an election meeting in the Aravkurichi assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu. Police in Aravakurichi in Karur district had registered a case against Haasan based on a complaint filed by a right-wing activist. The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder had stoked a controversy last week for saying that independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu," referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. Live TV A 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. Haasan had contended that attempts were being made to malign his good name among the public. He had submitted that his statement about Nathuram Godse was not a distorted one. "In fact, he (Godse) himself in his statement during the hearing of the Gandhi assassination case and in his book "Why I Killed Gandhi" had categorically admitted that he was a Hindu and Gandhi was the reason for the partition of India," Haasan submitted. He said he was willing to abide by the conditions for grant of anticipatory bail. (With PTI inputs) Bhubaneshwar: The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2019 exam will be held in Odisha on Monday. The exam was postponed in Odisha following the havoc unleashed by Cyclone Fani earlier in May. The NEET exam was scheduled to be held on May 5 but hundreds of students missed the exam as trains were running late and hundreds of them were cancelled as well. The state government had also requested to postpone the medical entrance test to carry out relief and rehabilitation work in the wake of the Cyclone Fani, the most powerful tropical storm to hit India in 20 years. Hundreds of NEET aspirants had also missed the NEET exam in Karnataka due to a 7-hour delay of the Hampi Express. Later, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that the students who missed the exam due to train delay would be given another chance to take the test. The exam will be conducted on Monday. Meanwhile, due to Cylone Fani, the Union Health Ministry had announced the cancellation of Bhubaneswar as a centre for the AIIMS PG 2019 examination. Live TV The extremely severe Cyclone Fani claimed 64 lives in Odisha and left at least 241 people injured. It made landfall in Puri with wind speed of up to 240 kmph on May 3. The death toll in Puri is maximum. New Delhi: More than 75 days after the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) targets in Pakistan`s Balakot, the Pakistan Air Force is still wary of the safety of its fighter fleet including the frontline F-16 fighter planes. The Pakistan Air Force has taken out its F-16s from their home bases in Sargodha, Punjab, and Sindh and has deployed them at their satellite fields in a scattered manner, government sources have said. These deployments could have been made to avoid any major losses in one go in case of any possible strikes from India that they may be apprehended, sources said. Sources said the Pakistan Air Force has been at forward locations all along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) after Balakot strikes and its failure to counter India. Live TV The Pakistan Army has also maintained a heavy deployment of tanks and armoured regiments along Sialkot region close to Jammu region and Indian forces are keeping a close watch on their activities there, sources said. India has also made precautionary deployments against these armoured formations on its side of the borders including its own advanced armoured forces, they said. Pakistan has been in a state of high alert for more than two and a half months now as it has still kept a majority of its air routes closed and blackouts were done in many cities post-Balakot strikes conducted on February 26. Twelve Mirage 2000s had crossed over to Pakistan and attacked JeM terrorist training camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to avenge the deadly Pulwama attack in which 44 CRPF personnel were killed. JAIPUR: Amid intense politics over the Alwar gang-rape case, the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan has decided to offer a job with the police department to the victim. According to reports, the Rajasthan government has decided to offer the job of a police constable to the victim and has also started the procedure in this regard. The victim had recently expressed the desire to join police services to deal with those who commit heinous crimes like gang-rape. Live TV The Rajasthan government's decision comes nearly a month after at least six bike-borne miscreants accosted the woman and her husband on the Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and then took them to an isolated place, where they allegedly raped her in front of him. An FIR was lodged on May 2 and two days later, the other accused circulated a video clip of the crime on May 4. The state police later arrested the five accused, who allegedly raped the woman and the one who shot and circulated the video clip. The incident triggered widespread protests in Alwar, Jaipur, Dausa and nearby areas and a protest march led by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirori Lal Meena had turned violent in Dausa on Tuesday, leaving over half-a-dozen people injured. Prime Minister Modi, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and other leaders have condemned the incident. Hitting out at PM Modi, Chief Minister Gehlot said, "Entire country knows he (Modi) is doing politics. He speaks lie, which is unfortunate. The entire BJP is holding protest, it shows who is indulging in politics." Clarifying on government action in the gang-rape case, the CM said, "The FIR in the case was lodged on May 2. For the victim, a job will be managed." Gehlot also announced to divide Alwar into two districts for better policing. "Alwar is a critical district. We have done a study. Crime in the district is more than any other district. Looking into which we have decided to divide the district into two parts for policing," he said. The accused will get punishment and effective monitoring of the case will be done, he added. Gehlot said after the incident, the state government has decided that a victim woman can lodge a complaint at the SP office if she faces a problem at the police station. In addition, the government is going to appoint a woman nodal officer of deputy SP rank at the district level on the lines of a nodal officer to deal with the cases related to atrocities on SC/STs. New Delhi: Two suspected criminals were killed following a shootout between rival gangs near the Dwarka Mor metro station in South West Delhi Sunday, police said. Parveen Gehlot, a resident of Nawada area, and Vikas Dalal had several cases of murders, extortion and robberies registered against them in Delhi and Haryana, they said. The shootout was an outcome of a property dispute, according to police. It began at around 4 pm when occupants of a black car opened fire on a white car. Fifteen rounds were fired in the busy area, leading to panic among commuters, a senior police officer said. Gehlot was in his car when three men in another car intercepted him and opened fire at him, the officer said. Live TV Police officials in a PCR van near the metro station also fired three rounds at the criminals and shot one of them dead, he said. Two people involved in the shootout managed to flee. Police said they have identified them and efforts are on to nab them. The policeman who shot dead one of the criminals will be awarded and his name will be recommended for out-of-turn promotion, the officer said. A case of murder has been registered at Bindapur police station, the officer said. Dalal was on the run after escaping from Haryana police's custody in 2018, he added. Lucknow: Predictions made by an overwhelming majority of exit polls on Sunday have not augured well for opposition parties in the country with several political leaders busy reaching out to one another. Having attacked Narendra Modi and the BJP throughout Lok Sabha election 2019, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee have now connected with each other and discussed possible post-poll outcomes. Akhilesh is learnt to have made a telephone call to Mamata on Monday, just a day after almost every exit poll in the country predicted Narendra Modi to return for a second term as PM. The two leaders reportedly had a discussion on a common strategy ahead once the results of Lok Sabha election 2019 are declared. Counting of votes will take place this Thursday. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party had an alliance in Uttar Pradesh with the common objective of trouncing BJP here. While there were efforts made by several political leaders before the election to stitch together a united opposition to NDA, it was not meant to be. Political analysts now believe that many of the leaders - Akhilesh and Mamata included - who had previously tested alliance waters in vain could once again try and combine forces in case of a hung Parliament. Live TV The BJP, however, remains confident of closing in on the 300-seat mark on its own merit. A number of exit polls showed that the party would lead the NDA in dominating the results. These exit polls, however, have been outrightly rejected by many opposition leaders like Mamata who led a vociferous - often deplorable - campaign against BJP. Soon after the figures of exit polls were released, she took to Twitter to announce that such predictions are 'gossip' while urging the Opposition to unite. Interestingly, Mamata had met Akhilesh in January and the TMC chief had told the SP leader at the time that they need to make sure BJP get no seats in West Bengal and UP. (Full report here) NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah will be hosting a dinner for National Democratic Alliance partners in the national capital on Tuesday. The Union Council of Ministers is also likely to meet on Tuesday. The meeting comes after the exit polls on Sunday predicted a massive victory for the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha election results. Counting will be held on 23 May when results will be declared on the same day. Several exit polls predicted that NDA would cross the 300-seat mark. News24-Chanakya predicted 350 seats, AAJTAK/India Today-Axis 339 to 365, News18-IPSOS 336, Times Now-VMR 306, Republic-Jan ki Baat 315 and India TV-CNX said that the NDA would win 300 seats. These exit polls largely predicted the UPA to be limited to between 100 and 130. NewsX/India News-Poll Strata predicted 242 seats for the alliance and gave a maximum of 165 seats to UPA. Many exit polls predicted that the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh is likely to trump the BJP in the country's politically most crucial state. The BJP had won 71 and its ally Apna Dal two of its 80 seats in 2014. The saffron alliance may not touch even halfway mark of 40 in Uttar Pradesh this time, some exit polls said. The ABP-CSDS exit poll has predicted a hung Parliament; NDA to win 267 seats, UPA 127 and Others 148. The BJP has been elated at the exit polls results stating that people have rewarded Modi's good governance. BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said: "The exit polls clearly show a huge positive vote for the leadership of Narendra Modi who has served the country with unmatched dedication. That people reward good performance has once again been proved by the overwhelming public mandate. This is a slap for the abusive opposition that made baseless charges and spoke lies." However, the opposition has rubbished the exit polls saying the outcome will be revealed on 23 May. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she does not trust "exit poll gossip" while the Congress dismissed the projections as ridiculous, claiming that silent voters will speak in the opposition's favour when votes are counted on May 23. Shashi Tharoor of the Congress claimed that exit polls are all wrong and cited the Australian polls, where various surveys proved wrong, to make his point. "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India, many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the Government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results," the Kerala MP tweeted. Kolkata: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee as part of his pursuit to form an alternative to the NDA government at the Centre. Naidu met Mamata at the latter's residence in Kolkata. The meeting between the two leaders lasted close to 40 minutes. During the meeting, Naidu urged Mamata to come to Delhi after May 23 - the day votes would be counted. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 The TDP chief, who is at forefront of efforts to form a non-BJP government at the Centre, had met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury on Sunday. Live TV Naidu also later held discussions with Sonia Gandhi, UPA chairperson, and discussed the post-poll scenario with her. Naidu met Sonia Gandhi in the evening of Sunday and their meeting lasted for about 45 minutes. On Saturday, Naidu had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Yechury, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, and CPI leaders Sudhakar Reddy and Secretary D Raja before flying to Lucknow to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati. These meetings are a part of Naidu's continuing outreach to the opposition party leaders to firm up a non-BJP front. On Friday, he had said that all parties, including rival K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), were welcome to join the non-BJP 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand-alliance). It may be recalled that Naidu had earlier rejected the exit poll prediction by saying that time and again the exit polls have failed to catch the pulse of the people. "Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances," the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief tweeted after a majority of exit polls favoured the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form the government by winning about 300 seats. "While undoubtedly TDP govt will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP govt at the Centre," Naidu said. Naidu also reiterated the demand that the Election Commission count voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips in at least 50 per cent of the polling stations. "VVPATs should be counted in five polling stations in each Assembly constituency at the beginning of the counting process. In case of discrepancy, all VVPATs of Assembly constituencies should be counted," he said. According to the TDP sources, Naidu is also expected to hold a press conference on Tuesday about his efforts to cobble up an anti-BJP front with like-minded leaders. By IANS NEW DELHI: A BJP delegation on Monday met top Election Commission officials and demanded re-polling where violence had taken place during all phases of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal and requested deployment of central forces till the model code of conduct is in force. "We have met the Election Commissioners and informed them about the violence that had taken place in all the seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls and requested for re-polling in all the violence-affected constituencies," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters after meeting Election Commission officials. He was accompanied by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior BJP leaders. Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of threatening BJP candidates, poll agents and party sympathisers, he urged the EC to take cognisance of the matter. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "We saw incidents of violence took place till the last phase of polling. There is possibility of violence even after counting of votes. So, we have requested the Commission to deploy the central forces in Electronic Voting Machine strongrooms till the end of counting to allow free and fair counting," he said. He said the central forces should be there till the model code of conduct is in force. The senior BJP leaders also appealed to the poll panel to ensure the sanctity of the counting process in Odisha, Karnataka, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. "Independent observers must be sent in these states and CCTV cameras must be installed in all counting stations in the five states," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has written to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel requesting that an assembly session be convened to discuss a 'lot of impending issues'. Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Gopal Bhargava said the time is up for the MP government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. "We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," he said while speaking to news agency ANI. The BJP is mounting pressure on the MP government after the exit polls on Sunday predicting a sweep for the BJP at the Centre and a drop in Congress numbers in Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha election, the results for which will be declared on 23 May. Live TV "The Congress will get just 2-3 seat in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP will get a majority and the Modi government will be formed. The voters made up their mind to take revenge for BJP's defeat in the Assembly elections and has voted for it in large numbers," he was quoted as saying by news agency IANS. He also added that the exit polls have proved that people's faith in Prime Minister Modi was intact. Kamal Nath, however, dismissed the exit poll results exuding confidence that the votes of the Congress will increase. "The seats of the Congress will increase and people will realise the reality of the BJP's slogans and jumlas on May 23," he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress had won the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election in 2018 by a narrow margin. The Kamal Nath led party in the state had won 114 seats while the BJP won 109 seats. The Congress government is supported by the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party and the Independent MLAs in the state. NEW DELHI: BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav on Monday expressed confidence that the BJP's performance in West Bengal will surprise all the pollsters. He added that the BJP would do extremely well in Lok Sabha election in West Bengal. According to Madhav, Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys good popularity in West Bengal and it would translate into votes. He added that what Uttar Pradesh was in 2014 Lok Sabha poll, West Bengal will be in 2019 for BJP. "Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there. Everyone has seen the tremendous outpouring of support for PM Modi & BJP in Bengal. What Uttar Pradesh was in 2014, Bengal will be in 2019," Madhav told ANI. Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary: Bengal will surprise all the pollsters, we are hoping to do extremely well there. Everyone has seen the tremendous outpouring of support for PM Modi & BJP in Bengal. What Uttar Pradesh was in 2014, Bengal will be in 2019. pic.twitter.com/xGixMOYcOa ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Taking a dig at the proposed idea of grand alliance (mahagathbandhan) to tackle the BJP at the national level, Madhav said that the idea of mahagathbandhan had failed even before the start of Lok Sabha election.He added that many opposition parties tried to create a mahagathbandhan to defeat the BJP but they failed to achieve their objective in even a single state. Madhav noted that the opposition parties are once again trying to forge an alliance but it is highly unlikely that they would succeed in achieving in their objective. "Mahagathbandhan had failed even before election began, many parties tried to create a mahagathbandhan but failed to do so in even a single state. Post polling, they tried again but what couldn't happen before the poll, I don't think will happen after the poll," said Madhav. Ram Madhav, BJP: Mahagathbandhan had failed even before election began, many parties tried to create a mahagathbandhan but failed to do so in even a single state. Post polling, they tried again but what couldn't happen before the poll, I don't think will happen after the poll. pic.twitter.com/q2e1HXVbYh ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the results of exit polls are never final but they are an indication of the behavior of the voters. He added that going by the results of exit polls it can be said that the voters have once again shown their trust in PM Modi and BJP. Kolkata: Ramping up efforts to build a strong anti-NDA front, Andhra Pradesh chief minister (CM) N Chandrababu Naidu and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president is now likely to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday. Live TV Hello, Oxford According to sources, Naidu may meet the Trinamool chief at West Bengal secretariat in Kolkata at around 4 pm. He has engagements in the state till 1 pm, said the source, adding that he may travel to Delhi or Kolkata after that. The TDP president has been meeting several opposition leaders as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. He met Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Saturday. He met UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and held consultations for a second time with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury on Sunday. What exactly transpired between the leaders has not been revealed to the media, but it is assumed that they discussed alternatives to the NDA government. Exit polls gave a thumping victory to the National Democratic Alliance on Sunday. Zee Maha Exit Poll crunched the numbers from various exit polls to conclude that the NDA could cruise its way to wins 303 seats while UPA would halt at 117. Soon after most of the exit polls declared a massive majority for Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party for the results. "As Indian polls close, congratulations are in order for @narendramodi and the BJP. I am sure the Maldives people and Govt will be delighted to continue their close cooperation with the PM and the BJP-led Govt," Nasheed tweeted. The data released by most exit polls predicted BJP-led NDA crossing the majority mark of 272 and even breaching the 300-mark. The exit polls which were more conservative also showed a favourable outcome for NDA even if stopping well short of the 300-mark. Zee Maha Exit Poll crunched the numbers from different exit polls and concluded that the NDA could cruise its way to wins 303 seats while UPA would halt at 117. Others are likely to finish with a combined tally of 122. Among the specific exit polls which predicted NDA to cross the 300-seat mark were News24-Chanakya (350), AAJTAK/India Today-Axis (339 to 365), News18-IPSOS (336), Times Now-VMR (306), Republic-Jan ki Baat (315) and India TV-CNX (300). These exit polls largely predicted the UPA to be limited to between 100 and 130. Even possible support from the likes of SP-BSP in Uttar Pradesh won't be of much use in such a scenario. NewsX/India News-Poll Strata predicted 242 seats for the alliance and gave a maximum of 165 seats to UPA. For the Bharatiya Janata Party in particular, what could possibly be good news is that it is likely to sweep states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. These states have traditionally voted for the BJP but with Congress winning assembly elections here recently, critics of BJP had begun doubting the saffron party's larger national appeal. Modi has focussed on bettering ties with Maldives during his regime as PM. Modi had even visited Maldives in November 2018 at the swearing in of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. After the visit, India had said that Modi going for the ceremony reflects India's commitment to assist the government and people of Maldives in their endeavour to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous country. Indore: A Congress supporter shot dead a 60-year-old man accusing him of `voting for the BJP` here in Madhya Pradesh, police said. According to the police, Arun Sharma, who is close to a state minister, on Sunday entered into an argument with salon owner Nemichand Tanwar accusing him of voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon after he had cast his vote at the polling booth in Palia village in Hatod area around 2 p.m. Hurling casteist abuses at Tanwar, Sharma accused his entire community of voting for the saffron party, police said. Live TV Later in the evening, Sharma arrived at Tanwar`s house and fired at him with a country-made pistol in the presence of his son. Tanwar was critically injured and rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead, said Indore SSP Ruchivardhan Mishra. NAGPUR: A day after most of the exit polls predicted the return of the BJP-led NDA after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday met RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi in Maharashtra's Nagpur. Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya was also present during the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, according to reports. Though the RSS leader refused to give any comments on the exit poll predictions, the sources said that the outcome of the exit polls and the emerging political situation also came up for the discussion. during the meeting between the three top figures. RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QLFaEObugx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Live TV When quizzed by the reporters, Vijayvargiya sated that the meeting had nothing to do with the exit poll predictions, instead, it was called to discuss the Antyodaya scheme. Vijayavargiya also expressed concerns over reports of violence during election campaigning and polling across West Bengal. The senior MP leader said that Bengal, TMC and violence are synonymous of each other. Vijayvargiya also categorically ruled out that he was in the race to become the next BJP president. He also praised BJP chief Amit Shah for strengthening the party during his tenure and expressed confidence that saffron party may win big in Mamata Banerjee's state. Gadkari had on Sunday said that the exit polls are not the "final decision" but they indicate that the BJP will once again come to power, riding on the development work done by the NDA government. "Exit polls are not the final decision but are indications. But, by and large, what comes out in the exit polls also reflects in the results," Gadkari said, replying to a query. The senior BJP leader made these remarks while launching the poster of 'PM Narendra Modi', a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is being released this Friday. Most exit polls have forecast another term for PM Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Seeking to set the record straight on speculations of him being in the prime ministerial race, Gadkari asserted that the new BJP-led government will be formed under PM Modi's leadership. Asked if his name was also being considered for the PM's post, Gadkari said, "I have clarified it around 20 to 50 times. We fought the elections under the leadership of Modiji and he will certainly become the prime minister again." KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Monday clamped Section 144 of the CrPC in West Bengal's Bhatpara in view of violence that took place before and after the by-polls here. According to reports, the poll panel has asked the district administration to clamp Section 144 CrPC in Bhatpara considering the violence there. The prohibitory orders issued for the area will remain clamped until further notice, the poll panel said. Election Commission: Sec-144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/C61uQP9Krz ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Live TV Clashes between workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress took place and the two sides hurled bombs and ransacked police vehicles, turning the Bhatpara Assembly constituency into a battleground during the by-polls on Sunday. Bhatpara`s Ghoshpara and Kankinara areas were more violent as workers of BJP and Trinamool Congress clashed and hurled bombs at one another. Several police vehicles were ransacked by the agitators with one vehicle overturned. Scuffles between agitators and police personnel broke out and eventually, police resorted to baton charge in order to control the situation. Rapid Action Force was also deployed on the spot. "We have asked for a factual report from the district administration. Forces have reached the spot," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu said. According to sources, the disturbances at Kankinara followed Trinamool candidate Madan Mitra`s visit to the spot. Mitra had rushed after getting reports of an illegal gathering near a polling booth of Kankinara High School. He was stopped by the central forces from going inside. "You will only let people go after checking their identity," Mitra told the officers. Earlier, Mitra said that if he wanted he could easily remove all the outsiders who gather near booths but his party did not believe in muscle power. The by-polls were necessitated after Arjun Singh, who defected to the BJP from Trinamool Congress, resigned as Bhatpara's MLA to contest the Lok Sabha polls. His son Pawan Kumar Singh is fighting the Assembly by-polls on a BJP ticket. "We want all the people to come and vote. But Arjun Singh is trying to create a disturbance," Mitra added. Trinamool later filed a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing the BJP of inciting violence across the constituency while the saffron party termed the allegations baseless. The BJP said widespread violence across the constituency was provoked by Trinamool- supported goons who were trying to intimidate voters. On Saturday, vehicles were set ablaze in the area and bombs were hurled. Both BJP and Trinamool had pointed fingers at each other. New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) said on Monday that 200 companies of central forces will stay back in West Bengal to deal with any possibility of post-poll violence in the state. EC Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey made the announcement and said that the 200 companies of central forces to be retained in the state will also ensure that counting of votes across West Bengal is done in a fair, orderly and peaceful manner. The personnel would be distributed across the state and the remaining 510 companies will move out. Voting in Lok Sabha election 2019 ended in the country on Sunday with West Bengal once again seeing poll-related violence. In fact, the state witnessed poll-related violence in every phase of voting. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in a bitter blame game - both alleging each other of resorting to violence, booth capturing, trying to influence/coerce voters and of undermining democracy. Live TV The prevailing situation in the state became so sensitive that many poll personnel here warned that won't conduct elections unless central forces were deployed. This led to EC replacing the state police force at all polling booth with central forces for the final three phases of voting. This was seen as a rebuke for the state government under Mamata Banerjee because many felt she was unable to provide security to voters as well as polling personnel. The battle for West Bengal would be keenly watched come counting day this Thursday as the BJP expects to make a solid mark here for the first time ever. A number of exit polls have even predicted that it would not just hit double digits in the state which has 42 Lok Sabha seats but could possibly leave TMC behind. BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday came down heavily on news channel over "belittling" of politicians on their satire programmes, stressing that it is high time that a law should be brought to stop media to making fun of politicians. The Karnataka CM also lashed out at some news channels for raising doubts about the longevity of the JDS-Congress coalition government in the state. Kumaraswamy remarked that the coalition government headed by him would complete its term with the "good wishes" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. "What do you think of politicians? You think that we are so easily available to be mocked? Who has given you powers to present everything sarcastically. Whom are you trying to favour by belittling us among the masses? I feel the need to bring in a law," said the Karnataka CM. HD Kumaraswamy: Whom are you (media) trying to help by misusing our name. I'm thinking of bringing in a law. What have you thought of us politicians? You think we're jobless? Do we look like cartoon characters to you? Who gave you authority to show everything humorously? (19 May) pic.twitter.com/NPFl2jfwKu ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Kumaraswamy reiterated that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state was stable and it had the full support and blessings of Congress leaders. "This government will not go so easily as is being projected that soon after the election results on May 23 (the government would fall). It will continue with the good wishes of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and (former chief minister) Siddaramaiah. We are not surviving because of media but because of 6.5 crore people of the state. I am not scared of them (media) at all. I dont care... If I see all the episodes of their stories in the electronic media, I will lose sleep," he was quoted as saying by PTI. Live TV Kumaraswamy also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines and said that when opposition leaders go to temples to offer prayers, the media call it 'temple run' and the same news channels were clueless when the prime minister went to Kedarnath and Badrinath. "When we go to shrines, it is called Temple Run but they (news channels) are clueless when Modi goes to Badrinath (Kedarnath)," he said. The Karnataka CM alleged that Modi's visit to these two shrines was meant to polarise voters ahead of the last phase of Lok Sabha election, which was held on Sunday. "They said it was not for elections ...Then what it was for? Didnt he sit there because his vote share is shrinking? If not that, then what else is the reason for sitting there meditating on Shiva," the chief minister asked. A day after the exit polls were predicted for the different parties contesting in the Lok Sabha election, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday criticised the exit poll results and also the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Taking to Twitter, the CM said that the exit poll exercise is "an effort to create a false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party". He said that the Opposition had earlier expressed concern over the credibility of EVMs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule and had even approached the Supreme Court asking for a traditional ballot paper election to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. He added that even developed countries vote through the paper ballots. Live TV Taking a swipe at the exit poll results, the CM stressed that it "reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party". "Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over the credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballot paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud," tweeted the CM. The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll. 4/4 @H_D_Devegowda@ncbn @MamataOfficial @yadavakhilesh @RahulGandhi #BSP #ExitPoll2019 H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 Exit polls are being used to create an impression that there is still a Modi wave in the country. This artificially engineered or manufacutred Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. 3/4 H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 World wide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballets. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerabke EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party. 2/4 H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 Entire Opposition political parties had expressed concern over credibility of EVMs under PM @narendramodi's rule. Opposition parties even knocked the doors of the Supre Court asking for a traditional ballet paper elections to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud. H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 20, 2019 Speaking on the exit poll results that was predicted on May 19 (Sunday), he said that these are creating "an impression that there is still a Modi wave in the country", adding that it is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23. He also added that "it is just an exit poll, not exact poll". "Worldwide, even developed countries have opted for traditional polls through paper ballots. The exit poll surveys on May 19 only reiterated the serious concern of the Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party. Exit polls are being used to create an impression that there is still a Modi wave in the country. This artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23," further tweeted CM Kumaraswamy. "The entire exit poll exercise was an effort to create a false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll," also tweeted the CM. By IANS BHOPAL: With exit polls predicting a sweep for the BJP at the Centre and a drop in Congress numbers in Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party on Monday mounted an attack on the state's Kamal Nath government demanding a special session of the Assembly. Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Gopal Bhargav said he was writing a letter to the Governor to call a special session of the Assembly because people had lost confidence in the state's Kamal Nath government. Bhargava said the exit polls had got it right in 2014 and that there would be an encore on May 23. "The Congress will get just 2-3 seat in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP will get a majority and the Modi government will be formed," he said. "Voters made up their mind to take revenge for the BJP's defeat in the Assembly elections and voted for the it in large numbers," he said and added that the exit polls had proved that people's faith in Prime Minister Modi was intact. Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition & BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. pic.twitter.com/CXTwNLXYOM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 The Chief Minister countered Bhargav's attack tweeting: "Congress seats will increase and realities of the BJP's slogans and jumlas will be laid bare (on May 23)." The Congress has 114 and the BJP 109 MLAs in the state Assembly. The Congress government is supported by the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party and the Independent MLAs. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE On May 19, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had said that he wasn't sure whether Kamal Nath would survive as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for 22 days after the Lok Sabha election results. "Right now there is a question mark over survival of Kamal Nath as the Chief Minister for 22 days after the Lok Sabha election results," said Vijayvargiya responding to reporters' questions on the Congress claim of winning 22 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. New Delhi: An overwhelming majority of exit polls on Sunday predicted BJP-led NDA to storm back to power with commanding ease, prompting several opposition parties to reach out to one another a day later on Monday. With fingers possibly crossed, many opposition leaders chose to either downplay the predictions, question EVMs, or both. Chandrababu Naidu was one of the most active of all non-NDA political leaders in the day and he held a press conference in which he renewed his allegations against EVMs. Reiterating his demand for VVPATs to be counted, he even questioned the intent of Election Commission of India. The Telegu Desam Party chief then made way to Kolkata where he met with Mamata Banerjee and it was eventually decided that Trinamool Congress would join several other opposition parties - 21 in all - in meeting EC officials over their suspicions regarding EVM manipulations. The possibility of a hung Parliament, however, is something the BJP has been outrightly - and confidently - rejecting throughout. Bolstered by exit poll predictions, the party appears more keen on cementing its bond within the NDA fold. Party president Amit Shah will host a dinner for NDA leaders on Tuesday, two days before counting. The Union Council of Ministers is also likely to meet on the same day. (Full report here) Even as contrasting images were seen in NDA and opposition camps throughout Monday, there were only scenes of jubilation in Mumbai's Dalal Street. Sensex vaulted 1,422 points on exit poll predictions of an NDA win while investor wealth soared by Rs 5.33 lakh crore. With two days left - Tuesday and Wednesday - before counting of votes, parties across the political landscape of the country are likely to continue their varied posturings. LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: Amid reports of Mayawati meeting UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the Bahujan Samaj Party that the party supremo has no plans for Delhi on Monday. Live TV Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow, said BSP leader SC Mishra. Sources earlier claimed that the BSP supremo will meet Sonia and Rahul before Lok Sabha election result 2019 are announced. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who's already been working towards forming an anti-BJP front, had met Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Saturday. On Sunday, Naidu also met Sonia and held consultations for a second time with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury. What exactly transpired between the leaders has not been revealed to the media, but it is assumed that they discussed alternatives to the NDA government. In another development, Sonia has invited UPA leaders and got in touch with Odisha chief minister Naveen Pattnaik, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and YSR Congress party chief Jaganmohan Reddy for a meeting on May 23. She also convened a meeting of party leaders on May 22, for preparations for the Thursday meeting. Data released by most exit polls on Sunday evening predicts NDA roaring back into power. Zee Maha Exit Poll crunched the numbers from various exit polls to conclude that the NDA could cruise its way to wins 303 seats while UPA would halt at 117. BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday said that his government is ready for floor test after BJP - the main opposition party asked him to prove majority on the floor of the state assembly. The MP CM also accused BJP of a foul play ever since the day Congress government was formed in the state. ''They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1. I have proved the majority at least four times in the last 5 months. They want to do it again, we have no problem. They'll try their best to disturb present govt to save themselves from getting exposed. The govt is ready for a floor test,'' Kamal Nath said MP CM Kamal Nath: They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1,have proved majority at least 4 times in last 5 months.They want to do it again, we have no problem.They'll try their best to disturb present govt to save themselves from getting exposed. Govt is ready for floor test. pic.twitter.com/rcVjU3B4HM ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Live TV The reaction from the MP CM came after the BJP wrote a letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel requesting that an assembly session be convened to discuss a 'lot of impending issues'. Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Gopal Bhargava said that the time is up for the MP government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. "We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon," he said while speaking to news agency ANI. The BJP has been mounting pressure on the MP government after the exit polls on Sunday predicted a sweep for the BJP at the Centre and a drop in Congress numbers in Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha election, the results for which will be declared on 23 May. "The Congress will get just 2-3 seat in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP will get a majority and the Modi government will be formed. The voters made up their mind to take revenge for BJP's defeat in the Assembly elections and has voted for it in large numbers," Bhargava was quoted as saying by news agency IANS. He also added that the exit polls have proved that people's faith in Prime Minister Modi was intact. However, Kamal Nath has dismissed the exit poll results, exuding confidence that the votes of the Congress will increase. "The seats of the Congress will increase and people will realise the reality of the BJP's slogans and 'jumlas' on May 23," he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress had won the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election in 2018 by a narrow margin. The Kamal Nath led the party in the state had won 114 seats while the BJP won 109 seats. The Congress government is supported by the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party and the Independent MLAs in the state. Lucknow: Hours after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sacked Om Prakash Rajbhar from the Council of Ministers, the BJP said that he has shattered the decorum of alliance 'dharma' by continuously speaking against the party despite being an ally. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended to Governor immediate sacking of Rajbhar, who is also the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief, from his cabinet for his outbursts against senior NDA partner BJP. Governor Ram Naik accepted the recommendation and relieved Rajbhar from his post of Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment Minister, an official spokesperson said here. "The BJP is a party which gives full respect to its allies and honours the coalition dharma. But, it is unfortunate that our alliance partner in UP, Om Prakash Rajbhar, not just violated the decorum of alliance dharma, but shattered it. It is for this reason that the party and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were compelled to take such a strong step," state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said in a statement here. Live TV "Despite staying in alliance (NDA), Rajbhar continuously made statements against the BJP and the BJP-led UP government. He also opposed various policies of the state government," he added. Pandey said Rajbhar construed the BJP's "decorum" and "tolerance" as its "weakness". "He not only fielded candidates against the BJP in this Lok Sabha election but also openly supported candidates of rival political parties. Despite this, we exercised restraint," the BJP leader said. Pandey, however, hoped that the Rajbhar community will continue to support the BJP. He alleged that Rajbhar had "deceived" the community which gave him an identity. Adityanath also recommended to the governor that all other SBSP members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately, the spokesperson said here. Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes. NEW DELHI: As a majority of exit polls are showing that NDA would return to power for a second term, the leaders of BJP and its allies are saying that things will become clearer on May 23 after the announcement. On the other hand, opposition parties have rejected the prediction of exit polls, saying that they will perform much better in final counting. It is learnt that opposition parties are planning to hold a meeting on Friday to discuss the post-poll scenario. Sources said that the ruling NDA is also set to hold a meeting on Friday. Live TV Thank you for joining us. Do come back again on Tuesday (May 21) for live updates of Lok Sabha election 2019. Here are the latest developments related to the 2019 Lok Sabha election on Monday (May 20): # EVMs from Spiti being airlifted to the headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti district at Keylong. Here are some visuals from Stingri helipad in Keylong. Himachal Pradesh: EVMs from Spiti were airlifted to the headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti district at Keylong earlier today. Earlier visuals from Stingri helipad in Keylong. pic.twitter.com/XAiuQd3plh ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 # Former president Pranab Mukherjee backs Election Commission, says, ''If we want to strengthen institutions we've to keep in mind institutions are serving well in this country and if democracy has succeeded, it's largely due to perfect conduct of elections by Election Commissioner starting from Sukumar Sen to present Election Commissioners.'' # Section 144 (prohibits the assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence, says EC # Trinamool will be joining the Opposition delegation which is set to meet the Election Commission on May 21. TMC MP Derek O'Brien will be representing Trinamool during the meeting. # Section 144 imposed by the administration of Jagaddal area under Bhatpara constituency in West Bengal. # Naidu reportedly asked the Bengal leader to come to Delhi and join the opposition delegation which is due to meet the Election Commission. # Chandrababu Naidu's meeting with Mamata Banerjee concludes. The TDP chief has left Mamata's residence after the meeting, reports ANI. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu meets CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/7a1ndgwYwf ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 # Chandrababu Naidu arrives at Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata, to hold talks over the post-poll scenario. # Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet West Bengal CM and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 # BJP requests EC to conduct re-polling in booths affected by violence in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP requests EC to conduct repolling in booths affected by violence in the Lok Sabha polls Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/PL04z0CXtG pic.twitter.com/56wkV6EZYC ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 20, 2019 # RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi leaves after meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur # Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy calls exit poll results 'artificially engineered', questions credibility of EVMs (Read the full report here) # Exit polls have been proven wrong a number of times in the past. They had predicted Atal Bihari Vajpayee to win after BJP's India Shining campaign (in 2004) but the party had lost: Sharad Pawar # There are many problems in the counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve all those problems. There are many rumours regarding EVMs, including that printers may be manipulated & that control panels will be changed. EC has given scope for suspicion: Naidu AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu: There are many problems in counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve all those problems. There are many rumours regarding EVMs, including that printers may be manipulated &that control panels will be changed. EC has given scope for suspicion pic.twitter.com/UOlmQRoErm ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 # Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: I am 1000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I don't have even 0.1 per cent doubt, we are going to win. # Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reaches BSP Chief Mayawati's residence in Lucknow Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reaches BSP Chief Mayawati's residence in Lucknow. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/tSjhNEsVAf ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 # BJP's performance in West Bengal will surprise pollsters: Ram Madhav (Read full report here) # Tamil Nadu CM EPS rejects the results of exit polls. # Madurai high court grants anticipatory bail to MNM President Kamal Haasan. # BJP President Amit Shah to host a dinner for NDA leaders on Tuesday # Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu may meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 4pm on Monday # Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday sacked estranged BJP ally OP Rajbhar from the cabinet, a day after he predicted a massive victory for the SP-BSP alliance in eastern UP. # Exit polls are all wrong, says Congress leader Shashi Tharoor # Shiv Sena mocks Chandrababu Naidu, calls his efforts to bring together opposition an 'entertaining news' # BSP dismisses reports amid rumours of Mayawati meeting Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi # Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy objects to satire shows on news channels, wants law to regulate media (Read report here) Shiv Sena on Monday mocked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for his efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP front in order to form govermment at the Centre. Shiv Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamna' that Naidu's decision is an 'entertaining news'. Sena stressed that BJP-led government is set to come to power again at the Centre with a clear majority. The Saamna editorial also talked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath and said that the opposition is scared of prime minister's religious stand. The party said that it is now a fight between fake secularism of opposition parties and the hindutva of PM Modi. Live TV Saamna also took a dig at opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and said that Naidu is trying to bring together while the fact that he himself is going to face crushing defeat in the election. The Sena mouthpiece said that the opposition unity will be tested on May 23 after the announcement of the results of Lok Sabha election. It added that the opposition is only focused on stopping PM Modi from returning to power but they will not be able to defeat PM Modi. According to Shiv Sena, the BJP is set to win more than 300 seats as predicted by party president Amit Shah. It is to be noted that Naidu is meeting several top opposition leaders in a bid to stop the BJP from returning to power, in case the BJP and its allies fail to get the majority on their own. On Saturday, Naidu met Pawar, Mayawati and Akhilesh to discuss post-poll scenarios. The Andhra Pradesh CM also met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday in New Delhi. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be going to Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) foreign ministers meet on Tuesday and Wednesday. This will be her last visit as the external affairs minister to any country under the present government. During the meet, India will be strongly raising the issue of terrorism and peace process in Afghanistan. Afghanistan, along with Iran and Mongolia, is an observer in the grouping. Live TV The meeting comes just weeks before the SCO summit that will take place in Bishkek in June and will see the participation of the new Indian prime minister and Pakistani PM Imran Khan. A release said, "The Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in Bishkek will review the preparations for the forthcoming SCO Summit in Bishkek on June 13-14 and also exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance." External Affairs Ministers program in Bishkek will include the "meeting of Council of SCO Foreign Ministers" and a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooranbay Jeenbekov. This is the second SCO FMs meet India is participating as a full member of SCO, the last being in April 2018 in Beijing. No India-Pak meet Pakistan will be represented by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Asked if Pakistani and Indian ministers will meet during the SCO FMs summit, the Pakistani foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said, "The two foreign ministers would be present in the meeting and in all likelihood would interact amongst themselves and with other leaders. No formal meeting is, however, envisaged." India got full membership of the grouping along with Pakistan in 2017 during the Astana summit of SCO with the process beginning during 2015 SCO summit in Russia. PATNA: Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, who has been the face of Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Lok Sabha poll campaign, did not case his vote in Patna where voting was held on Sunday. There was no official reason given by him or the party on why he did not case his vote. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been quick to attack Yadav over the matter. Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai slammed Yadav and said that he does not even know what democracy means. "Tejashwi who has been holding Samvidhan Bachao Nyaya Yatra has insulted democracy. He does not know what democracy means. He just repeats whatever his mentor Shivanand Tiwari asks him to say," Rai said. Amid attack from the BJP, the RJD and Congress have been on the backfoot asserting that not voting is not a big issue and should not be given much importance. Defending Yadav, Congress said that there must have been a reason why he could not vote. "He should have voted but there must be a reason why he could not. At times there are some unavoidable circumstances due to which people can't even do important things. It is not such a big issue as it is being portrayed to be," Congress leader Madan Mohan Jha said. Live TV RJD also dismissed the issue and said that there might have been a reason for the same. "I don't have any information why he could not vote. My wife also could not vote but that does not mean that she is supporting the NDA," RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said. While Yadav has not given a reason why he missed voting, he tweeted on the exit poll results which have predicted a big win for the BJP-led NDA in the election. "Before the exit, the market's compulsions are sold in the name of Exit Polls. With the help of Sangh (RSS)-supported institutions and resources, playing with the psychology of the disadvantaged is their old weapon. Dismiss it. We are winning. Keep a close watch on the strong room. The tricks of people expert in playing the dirty games cannot be successful," Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi. Kolkata: The BJP on Sunday accused the TMC of letting loose widespread violence in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, and demanded repolling in several booths in eight out of the nine constituencies that went to polls. Over 72 per cent of voters of the over 1.49 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 5 pm in the nine constituencies of West Bengal during the seventh and final phase of polling. "In Diamond Harbour, Kolkata North, Kolkata South, Jadavpur, Basirhat, Mathurapur and Joynagar, there has been rampant violence. The goons of TMC didn't allow elections in most of the booths. We would seek repoll in several booths," senior BJP leader Mukul Roy said. "The TMC is afraid of defeat, that is why it is resorting to violence," BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said. On Trinamool Congress's allegations that central forces were "brutally torturing" and "intimidating" voters in West Bengal, and acting on the direction of BJP leaders, the saffron party said TMC leaders had "lost their mental balance". Live TV "Sensing defeat, the TMC leaders have lost their mind. The central forces are here to conduct free and fair polls. Why were goons of the TMC stopping people from casting their vote, if it is so confident of victory?" West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. The BJP leadership in Delhi earlier in the day urged the Election Commission to continue with the presence of central armed police forces in West Bengal till the model code of conduct period ends, as it expressed concern that the TMC may target a section of voters after polling is over. Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters in the national capital that elections in six of the nine seats, which went to polls on Sunday, were marred by violence. Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra accused both the TMC and the BJP of indulging in violence. "The impartial role of EC is questionable. We would seek repoll in several booths. The TMC and the BJP have indulged in violence and malpractices during the polls," Mishra said in a statement. West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra also alleged rigging in several booths of the nine constituencies. Exit poll results for Uttar Pradesh have thrown up confusing numbers with some pollsters showing that SP-BSP-RLD mahagathbandhan is in the lead, while some have predicted BJP much ahead of the alliance. According to Times Now-VMP prediction, BJP+ is expected to win 58 seats in UP, mahagathbandhan 20 seats, and Congress two seats; while ABP Nielsen has predicted that SP-BSP-RLD alliance would win 56 seats, BJP 22, and Congress just 2 seats. News18 IPSOS has predicted that BJP and allies would win 60-62 seats, SP-BSP-RLD alliance 17-19 seats and Congress one-two seats. Republic-Jan Ki Baat has predicted that BJP and its allies would win 46-57 seats, Congress 2-4 seats and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance 21-32 seats. According to My Axis-India Today exit poll, the BJP is expected to win 62-68 Lok Sabha seats, SP-BSP-RLD alliance 10-16 seats and Congress 0-2 seats. NDTVs poll of polls has predicted BJP+ winning 46 seats, SP-BSP-RLD alliance 31 seats, and Congress winning three. Live TV In Uttar Pradesh, the coming together of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal had made it clear that BJP would lose seats in 2019 Lok Sabha election but the question was 'how many' and the confusion among pollsters show that this question is not an easy one to answer. The results of exit polls also show that though the BJP is not going to win 71 seats which it had won in 2014 but the formidable alliance of SP-BSP-RLD is also unlikely to sweep the state as was expected by many. For most political experts and psephologists, the outcome of this election was based on solid caste combination of SP-BSP-RLD alliance as they had the support of Backward and Dalit castes in addition to the backing of Muslim voters too. The inclusion of RLD in the alliance added support of Jat community in Western Uttar Pradesh. Experts, however, repeatedly maintained that merely stitching an alliance would not change the fortune of SP, BSP and RLD as they need to transfer their vote banks to each other on the ground to get past the BJP. The exit polls in which the alliance is not getting good numbers send a clear message that SP and BSP have failed to transfer votes to each other successfully. On the other hand, there was no Modi wave for the BJP this time like it was in 2014 but the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very much intact and the party did the smart thing by designing the whole election campaign keeping PM Modi in the centre. The BJP also tried to polarise the voters but harped more on issues like nationalism, development and the need of the strong leader like Modi. The predictions of some exit polls show that BJP's gameplan has worked and the party has managed to trump the formidable alliance of SP-BSP-RLD. The Congress was always a marginal player in Uttar Pradesh and nearly all exit polls are giving two seats to the Congress and these two seats are expected to be of Amethi and Rae Bareli. The grand old party had won these two seats in 2014 too. By looking at the exit polls results, we can say that the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh (East) has failed to work any magic for the Congress and it is quite likely that her entry has harmed SP-BSP-RLD alliance more than the BJP. Priyanka had recently said that in some seats of Uttar Pradesh Congress candidates would cut the votes of BJP candidates but the results of exit polls show that the Congress has also harmed the chances of SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidates in some seats by dividing the Muslim votes. By PTI KOLKATA: A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, sources said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23. "Naidu will hold a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at West Bengal secretariat this afternoon. Both will hold talks on the strategies of the 'mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance)," a highly placed source said. During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is expected to brief her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the source said. READ| Mamata Banerjee architect of federal front: Chandrababu Naidu Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Dubbing the exit polls "gossip", Banerjee Sunday said she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. Hailing the exit polls that have given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance a majority in Lok Sabha results, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday stated that the time is up for the Congress. Mounting an attack on the Gandhi family, he wrote in a blog: "Congress the first family is no longer an asset but an albatross around neck of the Party. Without the family, they dont get the crowd, with it they dont get the votes." He also hit out at the opposition parties for alleging that the Electronic Voting Machines used in the elections are tampered. Stating that exit polls are a reflection of what people think, he said: "Exit Polls are based on personal interviews. The EVMs have no role. If the results of the Exit Polls and final results on the 23rd May 2019 are in the same direction, the Oppositions fake issue of the EVMs would also lose its non-existent rationale." He exuded confidence that the 2014 result in which "dynastic parties, caste parties and the Obstructionists Left received a setback" will be repeated in 2019. He asserted that the voters don't believe in coalition politics and voters know whom to vote for. " 'Coalition of Rivals' are untenable alliances and the voters are no longer willing to trust them. Political analysts are confused but the voters are clear. They dont elect hung Parliament where ugly and untenable coalitions have a role to play," he said. "Fake issues only satisfy the manufacturers of fakery. The voters dont buy them," he added. He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's style of campaigning and said that people vote on the basis of merit and not on the basis of family names. "The personalised campaign against Prime Minister Modi did not cut much ice in 2014 and may not cut any ice in 2019. Leaders are judged on merit and not on caste or family names. Thus, the Prime Ministers style of rising above caste and concentrating on performance related issues received far more acceptability with the electorate," he wrote. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi has landed himself in trouble over an objectionable exit polls tweet. He took to his Twitter handle and shared a meme based on him, actor Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. However, the tweet has not gone done well with the netizens including the Maharashtra State Commission for Woman which is considering to take action against the exit polls tweet. According to ANI, Maharashtra Women Commission: Maharashtra State Commission for Woman mulling to take action against actor Vivek Oberoi on his objectionable tweet (on exit polls). Maharashtra Women Commission: Maharashtra State Commission for Woman mulling to take action against actor Vivek Oberoi on his objectionable tweet (on exit polls). pic.twitter.com/rF0sgxqnwx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 For the uninitiated, Salman and Aishwarya were rumoured to be a couple back in the late 90s and early 2000. It was around the time when they featured in superhit film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. However, it didn't last for long. Thereafter, the buzz was strong that Vivek Oberoi and Ash were a couple. Incidentally, their's was also a short-lived love story, reportedly. On April 20, 2007, the actress got married to Abhishek Bachchan and together they are blessed with a daughter named Aaradhya. On the work front, Vivek is now gearing up for the release of the much-talked-about PM Narendra Modi biopic. He plays the titular role of the lead character. The film is helmed by 'MC Mary Kom' director Omung Kumar. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi has landed himself in trouble over his recent tweet. Earlier in the day, he took to his Twitter handle and shared a meme based on him, actor Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. However, the tweet has not gone done well with the netizens. After the Maharashtra State Commission for Woman issued a notice against the 'objectionable' exit polls tweet, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also issued a notice against the actor seeking an explanation for the same. ANI quoted Vijaya Rahatkar, Chief of Maharashtra State Commission for Women as saying: Commission has taken cognizance of actor Vivek Oberoi's tweet on exit polls and a notice is being issued to him. Vijaya Rahatkar, Chief of Maharashtra State Commission for Women: Commission has taken cognizance of actor Vivek Oberoi's tweet on exit polls and a notice is being issued to him. pic.twitter.com/Av1jFfVSP5 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 National Commission for Women issues notice to actor Vivek Oberoi demanding explanation over his tweet on exit polls. pic.twitter.com/E5h2Yrqyq8 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Rekha Sharma, NCW chairperson: We would like him (Vivek Oberoi) to apologise on social media & personally also to the person concerned. If he doesn't do, we will see what legal action can we take against him. We will be talking to Twitter to remove that tweet immediately. pic.twitter.com/h6st5jgbqQ ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 For the uninitiated, Salman and Aishwarya were rumoured to be a couple back in the late 90s and early 2000. It was around the time when they featured in superhit film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. However, it didn't last for long. Thereafter, the buzz was strong that Vivek Oberoi and Ash were a couple. Incidentally, their's was also a short-lived love story, reportedly. On April 20, 2007, the actress got married to Abhishek Bachchan and together they are blessed with a daughter named Aaradhya. On the work front, Vivek is now gearing up for the release of the much-talked-about PM Narendra Modi biopic. He plays the titular role of the lead character. The film is helmed by 'MC Mary Kom' director Omung Kumar. New Delhi: Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi grabs the limelight whenever she steps out in public. The leggy lass shot to fame with the song 'Dilbar' and her fan following has been growing ever since. She is an avid social media user and keeps her fans hooked by updating them about her life on a regular basis. Nora shows off her trendy yet super comfy airport look in the latest Instagram post. Check it out here: The actress was headed to Dubai when she uploaded the pic by captioning it as, Next stop Dubai #Sd3 @ekaco @vani2790 The Moroccan dancer-actress has plum deals in her kitty as of now. She is in Dubai to shoot for her upcoming dance film 'Street Dancer 3D' with Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor. The film is being helmed by Remo D Souza and is expected to have Nora wowing us all with her killer dance moves once again. She will also re-unite with her 'Satyameva Jayate' co-star John Abraham for 'Batla House'. More recently, Nora will be seen in Salman Khan- Katrina Kaif starrer 'Bharat'. The film has been helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar and will arrive in theatres on June 5. New Delhi: The very gorgeous and stylish Sonam Kapoor touched down at Cannes a day back and we must say she made a ravishing first appearance this year in a blush red gown by Valentino. The stunning actress is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor. Both Sonam and Rhea shared her first pictures on Instagram which will leave you awestruck. Check it out here: Sonam looks breathtakingly beautiful in a Valentino blush red frilly gown and also do not miss her flower accessories adorned in the hair. She gets a big thumbs up for her first look at Cannes 2019. Cannes Film Festival is an annual movie festival held in France, which previews new films, including documentaries from all around the world. This is the 72nd Cannes festival which began from May 14 and will last till 25th of this month. Many desi beauties made their presence felt this year. Global star Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, Diana Penty, Huma Qureshi and telly beauty Hina Khan rocked the Cannes red carpet so far. A day before, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan landed at Cannes with daughter Aaradhya by her side. She made her first stunning presence at the red carpet in a golden metallic mermaid-like gown. The kaleidoscopic chrome gown was by Lebanese designer Jean-Louis Sabaji. Aishwarya attended the festival premiere of 'A Hidden Life'. New Delhi: After sharing a controversial tweet on exit polls featuring himself, Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan, the National Commission for Women and Maharashtra State Commission for Women issued a notice to the actor seeking an explanation for the same. The NCW chairperson, Rekha Sharma sought an apology from the actor for posting an objectionable tweet. After this hullaballoo on social media, the actor told ANI, People are saying apologise, I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done? If I have done something wrong I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it. Vivek Oberoi: People are saying apologise, I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done? If I have done something wrong I will apologise. I don't think I have done anything wrong. What's wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it. pic.twitter.com/d7z5362rwr ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 I don't know why people are making a huge issue out of it. Someone had sent me a meme which made fun of me. I laughed on it&I appreciated the person for his creativity. If someone mocks at you, you should not take it seriously. Vivek Oberoi: I don't know why people are making a huge issue out of it. Someone had sent me a meme which made fun of me. I laughed on it&I appreciated the person for his creativity. If someone mocks at you, you should not take it seriously. pic.twitter.com/Ak23Slw8vr ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Adding more, he said, Those in the meme don't have a problem, but everyone else has. Kaam karne jaate hain nahi non-issues ke upar netagiri shuru kar dete hain. Didi put someone behind bars for a meme, people are I be put behind bars too. They couldn't stop my film, now they are trying this. V Oberoi: Those in the meme don't have a problem, but everyone else has. Kaam karne jaate hain nahi non-issues ke upar netagiri shuru kar dete hain. Didi put someone behind bars for a meme, people are I be put behind bars too. They couldn't stop my film, now they are trying this. https://t.co/SxQehFDWFe ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 When asked to comment on the notice issued to him by the National Commission for Women and Maharashtra State Commission for Women, the actor clarified, I'm waiting for National Commission for Women, State Commission for Women. I'd like to meet them, I'll also like to explain myself because I don't think I have done anything wrong. Vivek Oberoi on notices by National Commission for Women & Maharashtra State Commission for Women: I'm waiting for National Commission for Women, State Commission for Women. I'd like to meet them, I'll also like to explain myself because I don't think I have done anything wrong. pic.twitter.com/yeqRFu6B1Y ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 The actor was slammed for his tweet by Sonam Kapoor, who called it 'disgusting' and 'classless'. When asked about her comment, Vivek said: Vivek Oberoi speaks on Sonam Kapoor's reaction to his tweet (on exit polls), "...Aap apni filmon mein thoda kam overact karein aur social media pe thoda kam overreact karein. I've been working in women empowerment for 10 yrs now. I don't think this is hurting anyone's sentiments" pic.twitter.com/pOWAwO29N6 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 For the uninitiated, Salman and Aishwarya were rumoured to be a couple back in the late 90s and early 2000. It was around the time when they featured in superhit film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. However, it didn't last for long. Thereafter, the buzz was strong that Vivek Oberoi and Ash were a couple. Incidentally, their's was also a short-lived love story, reportedly. On April 20, 2007, the actress got married to Abhishek Bachchan and together they are blessed with a daughter named Aaradhya. On the work front, Vivek is now gearing up for the release of the much-talked-about PM Narendra Modi biopic. He plays the titular role of the lead character. The film is helmed by 'MC Mary Kom' director Omung Kumar. JODHPUR: A four-year-old girl fell into a 400-feet deep borewell in a village in Rajasthan's Jodhpur district on Monday. The incident was reported from Melana village of Jodhpur district in the evening. According to reports, the 4-year-old girl, who has been identified as Seema, fell into the borewell while playing near it. The bore-well is said to be nine inches wide and 400-feet deep. Rajasthan: A 4-year-old girl fell into a borewell in Melana village of Jodhpur district earlier this evening. She is being provided oxygen with the help of 108 Ambulance. Rescue operation is underway. pic.twitter.com/wX0kv0o1rx ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 Oxygen is being provided to the girl through a pipe to keep her alive, said an official. Live TV Kherapa police station in charge Kesa Ram said that a rescue operation is currently underway to save the girl. The National Disaster Response Force has been informed and its team is expected to arrive at the spot soon. The local administration has called the Ambulance and a medical team to meet any emergency situation. As soon as the news spread, local villagers in numbers gathered at the spot. RIYADH: US President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday, tweeting that a conflict would be the "official end" of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with "all strength" and said it was up to Iran to avoid war. The heightened rhetoric follows last week`s attacks on Saudi oil assets and the firing of a rocket on Sunday into Baghdad`s heavily fortified "Green Zone" that exploded near the U.S. embassy. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump said in a tweet without elaborating. A U.S. State Department official said the rocket attack in Baghdad did not hit a U.S.-inhabited facility and produced no casualties nor any significant damage. No claims of responsibility had been made, but the United States was taking the incident "very seriously." "We have made clear over the past two weeks and again underscore that attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner," the official said in an emailed statement. "We will hold Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces, and will respond to Iran accordingly." Riyadh, which emphasized that it does not want a war, has accused Tehran of ordering Tuesday`s drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemen`s Iran-aligned Houthi group. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. In response, countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) began "enhanced security patrols" in the international waters of the Arabian Gulf area on Saturday, the U.S. Navy`s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said on Sunday. Iran has denied involvement in either incident, which come as Washington and the Islamic Republic spar over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference on Sunday. "It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests." Saudi Arabia`s King Salman on Sunday invited Gulf and Arab leaders to convene emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss implications of the attacks. "The current critical circumstances entail a unified Arab and Gulf stance toward the besetting challenges and risks," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement. The U.S. Navy`s Fifth Fleet said in its statement about increased maritime patrols that GCC countries were "specifically increasing communication and coordination with each other in support of regional naval cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf," with navies and coast guards working with the U.S. Navy. Saudi Arabia`s Sunni Muslim ally the UAE has not blamed anyone for the tanker sabotage operation, pending an investigation. No-one has claimed responsibility, but two U.S. government sources said last week that U.S. officials believed Iran had encouraged the Houthi group or Iraq-based Shi`ite militias to carry it out. The drone strike on oil pumping stations, which Riyadh said did not disrupt output or exports, was claimed by the Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition in a war in Yemen since 2015. The Houthi-controlled SABA news agency said on Sunday, citing a military source from the group, that targeting Aramco`s installations last week was the beginning of coming military operations against 300 vital military targets. Targets include vital military headquarters and facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, as well as their bases in Yemen, the source told SABA. The head of the Houthis` Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, derided Riyadh`s call to convene Arab summits, saying in a Twitter post that they "only know how to support war and destruction". A Norwegian insurers` report seen by Reuters said Iran`s Revolutionary Guards were "highly likely" to have facilitated the attack on vessels near the UAE`s Fujairah emirate, a main bunkering hub lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. SAUDI PRINCE CALLS POMPEO Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed the possibility of war erupting, saying Tehran did not want conflict and no country had the "illusion it can confront Iran". This stance was echoed by the head of Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards on Sunday. "We are not pursuing war but we are also not afraid of war," Major General Hossein Salami was cited as saying by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Washington has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, trying to cut Tehran`s oil exports to zero, and beefed up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats to United States troops and interests. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional developments, including efforts to strengthen security and stability, in a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Saudi Media Ministry tweeted on Sunday. "We want peace and stability in the region but we will not sit on our hands in light of the continuing Iranian attack," Jubeir said. "The ball is in Iran`s court and it is up to Iran to determine what its fate will be." He said the crew of an Iranian oil tanker that had been towed to Saudi Arabia early this month after a request for help due to engine trouble were still in the kingdom receiving the "necessary care". The crew are 24 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Iran are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars. In a sign of the heightened tension, Exxon Mobil evacuated foreign staff from an oilfield in neighbouring Iraq. Bahrain on Saturday warned its citizens against travel to Iraq and Iran and asked those already there to return. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an advisory to U.S. commercial airliners flying over the waters of the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. WASHINGTON: The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world`s two biggest economies. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan. China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw China unveil new retaliatory tariffs in response to a U.S. decision to raise its levies on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25% from 10%. The U.S. destroyer Preble carried out the operation, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters. "Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the ship had entered waters near the shoal without China`s permission, and the Chinese navy had warned it to leave. "I must stress once again that the U.S. warship`s relevant actions have violated China`s sovereignty and undermined the peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas. China is firmly opposed to this," Lu told a daily news briefing. The United States was trying to disturb regional peace and stability by using the issue of freedom of navigation and flight, he added. "We strongly urge the United States to immediately stop such provocative actions so as not to undermine Sino-U.S. relations and regional peace and stability." CONSTRUCTION It was the second such U.S. military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the U.S. Navy said its freedom of navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea drew more attention than they deserved. The U.S. military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing`s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing`s militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defence and says the United States is responsible for ratcheting up tension by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Last month, China`s navy chief said freedom of navigation should not be used to infringe upon the rights of other nations. By PTI NEW DELHI: Reopening wounds, referencing popular culture to deliver insults and sexist jibes, it was all par for the electoral course in a season that tumbled to a name-calling close in a medley of 'chowkidar', 'bhrashtachari', Aurangzeb, Mogambo and more. It was not about one party or one politician in the just concluded electoral season of many an epithet, making it difficult to determine whether it was tongues that were sharper or the minds behind the campaigns. The humble watchman came into prominence with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his party making 'chowkidar chor hai' the centre of their campaign to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP was quick to react and ran a 'main bhi chowkidar' campaign to counter the grand old party. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE There was some humour but mostly vitriol as the war of words hit new lows through the seven-phase elections that ended on Sunday. Pragya Singh Thakur attacks Karkare, praises Godse Malegaon blast accused and BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks targeting Mumbai attacks martyr Hemant Karkare and referring to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a patriot reopened chapters of hurt, contemporary and historical. Thakur alleged that Karkare, who was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks, falsely implicated her in the blast case. "He died of his karma. I told him, he will be destroyed. I told him his entire dynasty will be erased," Thakur said. Sharp criticism from across the political spectrum, including her own party, led to her issuing an apology. Thakur's comments on Godse, followed by remarks from two other BJP leaders, also led to a reprimand from the party and the prime minister saying he would not be able to forgive her. Azam Khan's spat with Jaya Prada Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his one-time party colleague Jaya Prada, who recently joined the BJP and was contesting against him in Rampur, were engaged in a bitter and unseemly verbal spat. Addressing an election rally, Khan said, "I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear." Khan was barred by the Election Commission from campaigning for 72 hours over his remarks. The matter did not end there. At a public meeting, Khan's son Abdullah Azam threw the "Anarkali" barb at Jaya Prada. "Ali bhi humarey, Bajrang Bali bhi humarey, lekin Anarkali nahi chahiye (Both Ali and Bajrang Bali are ours, but we don't want Anarkali)," he said. Anarkali was believed to be a famous courtesan in Mughal emperor Akbar's court who had an affair with his son Jehangir. Jaya Prada also had her brush with controversy when she talked about Khan's "X-ray eyes". "Considering the comments Azam Khan makes against me, (BSP chief) Mayawati, his x-ray like eyes will also stare at you," she said at a public meeting. Modi calls late Rajiv Gandhi 'Bhrastachari No. 1' On his part, Modi kicked up a storm when he trained his guns on the late Rajiv Gandhi. At a rally in Uttar Pradesh, Modi attacked Rahul Gandhi and said, "Your father was termed Mr Clean by his courtiers, but his life ended as bhrashtachari (corrupt) no 1." It was, for many, a recall to a series of Bollywood hits, including "Coolie No 1", "Hero No 1", "Aunty No 1". Modi was himself at the receiving end of several attacks. Mayawati alleges Modi abandoned wife for political gain Mayawati alleged that he "abandoned his wife for political gains", that women in the BJP are scared of their husbands meeting the PM fearing they might "abandon their wives like him" and that he deserves the abusive language used against him by the opposition. Mani Shankar Aiyar revisits 'neech' jibe Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar stirred up a controversy when he revisited his "neech" jibe against the PM. "Remember how I described him (Modi) on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" he wrote in an article. Sanjay Nirupam likens Modi to Aurangzeb Congress' Sanjay Nirupam tagged Modi "modern day Aurangzeb" for demolishing temples in Varanasi "in the name of corridors". Yogi Adityanath dubs Muslim league 'green virus' Some vitriolic remarks also had communal overtones with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being banned from campaigning for 72 hours. Adityanath dubbed the Muslim League a "green virus" and suggested that Hindu and Muslim voters are in an "Ali-Bajrang Bali" contest. Giriraj Singh says Kejriwal part of Tukde Tukde gang Giriraj Singh, the BJP candidate against Kanhaiya Kumar for Bihar's Begusarai seat, called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal part of the "tukde tukde gang", a reference to the JNU students who were booked for allegedly raising anti-India slogans. Ananthkumar calls Rahul a moron In the last week of the elections Union minister Anantkumar Hegde added to the list by calling Rahul Gandhi a moron for his tweet that 'Modilies' is a new word in the English dictionary. There were several asides in a lighter vein, but ended up creating a row nonetheless. Rahul's Modilie tweet backfires Rahul Gandhi lampooned the prime minister, saying "Modilie" is a new word in dictionary and tweeted a screenshot of a photoshopped page of an English dictionary explaining the meaning of the word. Oxford Dictionaries clarified the word "Modilie" is "fake" and does not exist in any of its dictionaries. Naqvi refers to Azam Khan as Mogambo In another case of humour creating controversy, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi referred to Azam Khan as 'Mogambo' following which an FIR was reportedly lodged against him. Mogambo is the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster "Mr.India". By PTI KOLKATA: West Bengal government has directed all colleges in the state that the admission process this year has to be completely online and students cannot be asked to come to campus before classes start, an official said Monday. The move is aimed to avoid political intervention in the admission process. Education minister Partha Chatterjee has informed all colleges that no student can be called to the campus during the admission process, Higher education secretary R S Shukla told reporters. Even the payment of fees will have to be made online, he added. "A clear policy has been adopted. The process will be online. It will transparent and merit-based. A student can be called only to attend his or her classes," Shukla said. He said the final physical verification of documents can be undertaken by the colleges when a student comes to attend classes and any deviation from documents submitted online can lead to cancellation of the admission. There have been allegations of corruption in college admission process last year with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stepping in to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, education department officials said Madhyamik or the Class 10 results of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education will be declared at 10 am on Tuesday. By ANI NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday rejected the predictions of exit polls and said that he will wait till May 23 for the "real results". "I believe the exit polls are all wrong. In Australia last weekend, 56 different exit polls proved wrong. In India many people don't tell pollsters the truth fearing they might be from the government. Will wait till 23rd for the real results," Tharoor tweeted. In another tweet, Tharoor wrote, "Actually they CAN all be wrong, as Australia (a much smaller and less diverse country than India) showed us last weekend. But you're right that we are all better off waiting for the 23rd than wasting our time in empty debate about these imaginary numbers." READ| BJP mastered WhatsApp elections in India: Shashi Tharoor Besides him, several other Opposition leaders have expressed disappointment over the exit polls."Every single exit poll can't be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd," tweeted National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu too on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. "Time and again Exit Polls have failed to catch the people's pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. Exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Ma Zhaoxu (C, front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), hosts a briefing on the U.S.-China trade relations at the UN headquarters in New York, May 17, 2019. Cooperation is the only right choice for China and the United States, said Ma Zhaoxu on Friday. (Xinhua/Ma Jianguo) UNITED NATIONS, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation is the only right choice for China and the United States, said China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ma Zhaoxu on Friday. The economic and trade relations between China and the United States are the "ballast" and "propeller" of this important bilateral relationship, said the Chinese envoy when hosting a briefing on the U.S.-China trade relations at the UN headquarters in New York, adding that it is not only about U.S.-China bilateral relations but also world peace and prosperity. Representatives from more than 100 UN member states and international agencies attended the meeting. Referring to the consultations between the two countries since the United States unilaterally provoked the frictions in March 2018, Ma said that China will resolutely defend its core interests and will never give in on major issues of principle. China strongly opposes the U.S. practice of imposing additional tariffs, said the Chinese envoy, while expressing the hope that the United States and China could work together, meet each other in the halfway, address each other's concern based on mutual respect and equality, and strive for a mutually beneficial agreement. "The agreement between the two sides must be equal-footed and mutually beneficial," he said, noting that China's three core concerns -- remove all the additional tariffs, work out a realistic amount of purchases, and improve the balance of the wording of the text -- must be addressed. The Chinese economy has maintained steady growth and has shown positive momentum, Ma told the audience. "The trade protectionist measures of the United States will have an impact on the Chinese economy, but it can be overcome." "The Chinese economy is a sea, not a small pond," he added. "We will continue to promote reform and opening up according to our own pace, and promote high-quality development of the economy according to our own timetable and road map, to realize the long-term stability and growth of the Chinese economy." According to Ma, paying mutual respect to each other's core concerns, and making mutual concessions on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit are the premises of expanding cooperation, and only in such a way, the trade issues between the two sides could be resolved. 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] By PTI NOIDA: Two bike-borne men fled with a car, claimed to be having one kg of gold, estimated worth around Rs 30 lakh, when its occupants stopped the vehicle to buy 'gutka' here Monday, police said. The incident took place around 4.30 pm when a driver and an employee of Divya Creations left the company's office in Sector 82 for a jewellery showroom in Okhla, Delhi, in a hatchback, the police said. "Driver Arvind and company employee Abhay were in the car. Abhay got the car stopped near Gate-1 of Swarnim Vihar in Sector 82 to buy some gutka. Meanwhile, two men reached there on a motorcycle and made Arvind and Abhay leave the car after threatening them with a gun. They then fled with the car which is claimed to be having one kg gold in its glovebox," a police spokesperson said. The car was later found abandoned near Panchsheel school along the expressway, the spokesperson said. Gautam Buddh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said a case has been registered and police were investigating the matter. An official from Phase-2 police station said the motorcycle used by the assailants bore a registration number of Delhi and searches were underway to trace them. By ANI MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the opposition parties for trying to come together to keep the BJP out of power after the Lok Sabha poll results, saying the country cannot afford to have a coalition government "crawling" with the support of several small outfits. Taking a swipe at TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to forge an alliance of opposition parties, it said he was unnecessarily exhausting himself by running from pillar to post as there was no guarantee of this "possible coalition" staying intact by the time results are out on May 23. READ| 2019 Lok Sabha Exit polls: YSRC landslide victory predicted as hope floats for TDP Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended Sunday and the counting of votes is slated for Thursday. Most exit polls have forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some of them projecting that the BJP-led NDA would get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha. "The 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed grand alliance of opposition parties) has at least five prime ministerial hopefuls. Their hopes are likely to be dashed going by the current indications," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The country cannot afford to have a coalition government crawling with the help of several small parties," it opined. Referring to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's meetings with several opposition leaders in the last few days, the Sena said some people think after the declaration of results, the situation in Delhi (Centre) would be unstable and "they want to benefit out of it". "The opposition has assumed the BJP would not come to power, so they are trying hard to gain the support of all possible parties to keep the BJP out of power," it said. "Naidu is trying for a coalition but in reality, his efforts are going to be futile. He met NCP chief Sharad Pawar twice in Delhi, but there is no guarantee of this possible coalition continuing to stay intact by May 23 evening," said the Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. It claimed the Left parties were unlikely to open their account in West Bengal, and the Aam Aadmi Party was expected to meet a similar fate in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana. The Left's base in Kerala was also likely to shrink further, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said. "Naidu himself had a hard time in Andhra Pradesh where YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy seems to be putting up a strong contest. In AP's neighbouring Telangana, compared to Naidu's TDP and the Congress, the TRS led by K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to secure a major win," it said. Richa Sharma By Express News Service DERA BABA NANAK: Just 100 metres from the India-Pakistan border at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, people are in a frenzy these days as work on the Kartarpur Corridor progresses on either side of the barbed wire fence. The pace of work has picked up in the last one month and there is excitementeven euphoriaamong people who have come for a glimpse of the shrine across the border, which would soon be accessible. Not for them the issues of war, or even talk of nationalism, during this poll season. Strained relations with Pakistan do not matter here. In fact, people living in villages along the India-Pakistan border say that they have been living here for decades, and some of them even have relatives across the border, and talk of war and strains between the two countries will get no traction. Dera Baba Nanak town, seven kilometres as the crow flies from Kartarpur in Pakistan, has several gurdwaras linked to the revered founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. According to locals, construction work on the Pakistani side started early this year, while on the Indian side work started in late March. The land has already been acquired from four villages for the construction of the corridor, slated to open by the end of 2019 to mark the 550th birth anniversary of the Guru. They acquired two acres of my agricultural land at rates way below the market. But many like me accepted it, happy as we are to be a part of it and ensure safe movement of pilgrims from both sides to visit the historic places associated with Babaji, said Gurwinder Singh, 30, a farmer, as he showed the area demarcated for the corridor in his field. Post the BJPs announcement of the candidature of Bollywood star Sunny Deol for the Gurdaspur seat, nationalistic fervour over the Balakot airstrike was visible briefly. However, it paled in comparison to the euphoria that engulfed the people over Kartarpurso much so that it caught the attention of Sikhs across the world, with several NRIs flying down to see the work for themselves. I have been living in America for almost two decades, but I come back every year as my family members are here. I remember my school days when we could see Kartarpur Sahib from our schools terrace. NRIs across the world see this project as a symbol of improving relations between India and Pakistan. Once complete, it will be a new chapter in our relationship and a lot of NRI Sikhs are ready to donate money for the development work. I dont think it is good to link politics and seek votes on the momentarily strained relationship between the two countries. That spoils all such efforts to bridge the gap, said Santokh Singh, a businessman from the US who hails from village Chanda Nangal, one of the last villages before the border. Two kilometres out of Dera Baba Nanak towards the border, hundreds of treessome of them decades oldlie uprooted for the construction of a road. Heavy machinery is already levelling the ground for construction of the Integrated Check Post and the pillars of the proposed elevated road under the hawk-eyed gaze of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. The National Highways Authority of India is looking after the construction work. As one stands less than 100 metres away from the India-Pakistan border and looks to the other side, what catches attention is that Pakistan has already levelled a big patch of land carved out of fields, on which the elevated platform for the corridor is more or less complete. Horse-mounted Pakistani Rangers guard their side of the border. On the Indian side, near the BSF post, there is a small gurdwara, whose wellaccording to the signagewas used by Guru Nanak Dev to drink water, commuting from his Kartarpur abode. The well is covered with a mesh now. The caretaker said that the turnout of people here had increased since work on the corridor started. People are really happy that the passage would open doors to Darbar Sahib Gurdwara, where Guru Nanak ji spent his last days, he said. "So happy. They hope the opening of the corridor will also ensure the development of the region. Progress in this area was stymied due to the sourness that has recently crept into India-Pakistan relations. Some of our relatives are still in Pakistan and we consider people on the other side as our brothers, said Sulkhan Singh from Pakkha ke Talli village on the border, as he rode a bicycle with two large containers of milk on a mud road freshly levelled for the corridor. Unlike elsewhere in India, there is also a lot of praise and respect for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan here as people feel that it is due to his efforts that the project is being realised. Pakistan took the initiative to open the corridor and our government was then obliged to reciprocate. This is something beyond politics. After its completion, thousands of Indians, not just Sikhs, would travel to see where our Guru Nanak ji finally settled and was laid to rest, said Beant Singh, 75. He then ended the conversation, folded his hands and bowed towards the gurdwara across the border as the setting sun silhouetted the white structure shimmering against the darkening backdrop across the barbed wire fence. By IANS The biggest test for India's largest democracy is going to end in the Lok Sabha elections. The whole country's focus is on West Bengal elections in the last phase. One big question is: Will the number of BJP seats in West Bengal increase a lot? This question can only be judged from a larger perspective. Let the question be slightly different. Have Bengalis started following or following BJP ideology after so many years? During the Rath yatra of Lal Krishna Advani, I accompanied him on his West Bengal tour. The Ram Mandir movement was successful in the whole country, but West Bengal did not accept Ram. It was in the 90s, when the roadshow started from Dharmatala in Kolkata, that the cry of Jai of Shri Ram was heard. Not from Hindi-speaking residents of West Bengal but Bengalis. This is a new Bengal. I've never seen this Bengal before. What will be the result of the vote? How many seats will the BJP get? Only the percentage increase will increase seats? It is a different analysis but this time I am sure that the Bengali mind has undergone a huge change. How did the Leftist Bengali becoming Ram Bhakts, is it a change in the DNA of Bengalis? Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency falls in South 24 Parganas district. Here the Trinamool Congress candidate is Mama ta Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. There is a small tea shop on side of the road near a bus stand. Fish curry and eggs are being sold at the shop. The bus conductor, local workers, and ordinary people are having lunch, sitting on the bench. ALSO READ: A second Narendra Modi term needs to be bolder than first The shop is run by a middle-aged woman. I asked hem, what will be the result? She answered after pulling her veil over her head, it would be difficult to say what it would be. Then she asked, do you see how Trinamool Congress snatched power from the clutches of the CPI(M)? You did not understand. Even today you do not understand that Trinamool Congress is going out in West Bengal and BJP is coming to power. What a shocking statement. I was with cameraman Anil Mitra. He asked whether she would say this on camera? The woman fearlessly said the same. I said, how do you know the situation of the whole state? You are from this village. The woman said, my son carries a contractual business of cars. His car goes from one district to another. The cars are also used by the district authorities. Starting from North Bengal to Southern Bengal, everywhere. My son said, mother vote for the BJP because BJP is winning everywhere. Will you vote for BJP because your son says so? See, boys often do not listen to their mothers but a mother always listens to her son. Last time, I voted for Trinamool Congress but this time I will vote for BJP. See, it is an isolated experience. But sometimes we can see whether the rice has been boiled by pressing a single grain of rice from the pressure cooker. Little drops of water make a mighty ocean. In 2014, there was a storm in the entire country, but in West Bengal the BJP got two seats. One of the seats was Darjeeling. In 2019, the question arises that when there is no Modi wave in Uttar Pradesh or in the Hindi heartland, Modi's popularity in West Bengal is several times more than in 2014. A comment by a professor at Jadavpur Coffee House describes that this is the paradox of politics. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE But, is Bengal accepting Jai Shri Ram as part of the state's politics? In fact, Bengal has seen leftwing politics for a long time, and it also tried to see Buddhist practices. The CPI(M) had been in power for more than three decades, but the state's socioeconomic quality has further diminished. Then comes the Trinamool Congress. The party is a change from bad CPI(M). Bengalis have recently been following more religious practices -- worshipping gods and goddesses. Bengalis were religious earlier but today there is greater prevalence of superstition. In Dakshineswar and Kalighat, I saw that the number of daily visitors has increased several times. It should be remembered, that that is the whole world's 'trend'. Writing in an American daily News that "God is Back" means people are worshipping again and again. Believing in prejudices. The reason being the financial crisis across the globe. About 30 per cent of West Bengal's population comprises minorities. Everybody, except the BJP wants to keep them happy. The BJP is now playing the Hindu or majoritarian politics. Not only the Hindi-speaking people, Bengali Hindus have also risen up to polarity in this in politics. Kshitimohan Sen, while explaining the nature of Hindu culture, wrote that the water of the Ganges was white, the Yamuna's water black. The water of the Padma is white, Meghna's water black. So even after the Ganges-Yamuna or the Padma-Meghna River confluence, it is seen that the two streams of white and black moving along side by side for quite a long distance. Although the river waters flow in the blue waters of the ocean, still one can find the character of the river water predominant for a large distance in the ocean. Seeing the colour of the water, experienced sailors can gauge the expanse of the river. There are also provincial and various human-level specialties in Hinduism in India. According to all these signs, Hinduism has different types. While speaking about Brahma, Manu said, in a country where traditional customs are followed that becomes the identity of that country. Maikhukhkar Nilkanth said, "Dakshinatya Biprara marries the daughter of their maternal uncle, artists of Central India eat beef, in East fish and adultery is very common, women from the North are habitual drinkers. Acharaya Yagyabalka famously said, "Jaysin deshe jo acharo, byaboharo kuleshithi. Tahaibo protipalle yada bismula gata". The worship of Vishnu in Tirupati, Vaishnavism of Bengali Hindus of West Bengal, Gauriya Vaishnava. The Puja Of Lord Ram is totally different here in West Bengal, here Lord Raghubir or Ramnavami puja is different. Now, due to globalization, India has increased cultural ties between northern and eastern India. So, in many cases, the changes in the personal characteristics of Bengalis are happening. Bengalis are now ideologically accepting the BJP. Here is a new Bengal that I am seeing, where the slogan of Ma-Mati-Manush has changed to "Ma-Mati-Modi". ALSO READ: General election 2019 - The turning point The election results are going to be declared on May 23. I do not know what will happen in the whole country, what will happen in West Bengal. But when the whole country is saying that the BJP storm of 2014 is not visible in 2019, it is not because the BJP in most of the Hindi speaking state is almost on the backfoot. In Uttar Pradesh, BJP had got 71 seats out of 80 seats, and this time there is a Mayawati and Akhilesh Mahagathbondhan. BJP hopes it will come out on top even if it suffers a deficit in Hindi heartland states as it believes it will gain in West Bengal, Odisha, in the North-East and southern India. About 125 seats will be the BJP's newest seats, which is given by Amit Shah himself. There is no doubt that BJP is the main opposition party in West Bengal. If the Modi storm is moderate in the rest of the country, in West Bengal the opposite is true. Leftists are doing a tactical vote. In a chat room at Santoshpur they explained this, saying that voting for the CPI(M) would be spoiling the vote because it could not defeat the Trinamool Congress at the moment. They believe that for the Left to rise once again in the state, the BJP must take the place of the Trinamool Congress in the state. When that happened, the ideological battle between the Left and the BJP would begin and mark the return of the Left in the state. What a strange matter, for this reason, leftists are becoming Ram Panthis. Whether this love for the BJP among the Bengalis is short-term or long-term is very difficult to say. The question will also be reflected in how the BJP fares in this election in the state. Most of the people of Bengal think that Modi is more likely to become Prime Minister once more. As for Modi, the skin has tanned from being in the sun to address public meetings. He has lost weight. The colour of his kurta has changed frequently -- sometimes it has been white, sometimes light yellow or saffron. What colour he will wear on May 23 we will all have to see. (The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to senior journalist Jayanta Ghosal, and not necessarily to organization, committee or other group or individual.) Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Gone is the hustle and bustle of 2014 and the huge crowd of non-resident Indians who milled about then with some purpose. Scientists, professors, hoteliers and even harassed parents of abandoned Punjabi brides, who had taken a sabbatical from their comfortable lives in Australia, the UK, the US and Canada, were pulled as if by a magnet to a little known but very promising partyAAP. This time, that fervour was completely missing during electioneering in Punjab. Jasbir Singh Gill, former president of Punjab NRI Sabha, says, In the Assembly elections in 2017 and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the colour and talk was out of this world. There was a lot of josh. There was expectation of something big about to happen. But this time there is nothing to match it. Its as if all hopes have drained away. To many who joined politics with enthusiasm, the recall is of some 30,000 NRIs who had come to Punjab to join the campaigning, especially of AAP. Today a few hundred are around, that too because they are close to political leaders, their kith and kin, said Gill. The reason NRIs have chosen not to come this time is due to their total disillusionment with all political parties and the hollow promises and arbitrary policies of the Modi government, says Gill. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE At a conservative estimate, some 80 lakh NRIs hail from Punjab. Many found that their land back home had been taken away by unscrupulous elements and whoever they turned to, offered no help. Despite special NRI courts being set up, cases were delayed and there was no justice. Many of them had seen a ray of hope in AAP. Even families affected by the Honeymoon Brides syndrome, where women from Punjab married abroad, were duped and sent back home, had supported it. With no political party offering concrete help, this huge body of voters is up in arms. By IANS NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that sends 80 MPs to the 543-member Lok Sabha, may be considered a political bellwether state as the government at the Centre has been formed 12 out 16 times by the party that got the maximum seats here. With the mammoth seven-phase exercise to elect the 17th Lok Sabha coming to an end, the million dollar question is whether Uttar Pradesh will remain a "bellwether" state or spring surprises like the general elections of 1991, 1999, 2004 and 2009. Out of the total 16 general elections held so far, the Congress formed its government at the Centre despite winning five and nine seats respectively in 1991 and 2004 in the state. In the 1999 and 2009 elections, the Samajwadi Party won the maximum number of seats. The exit polls on Sunday predicted a fractured mandate in Uttar Pradesh, although they forecast the return of NDA to power. ALSO READ: Exit polls 2019 - Future tense for Grand Alliance in Uttar Pradesh? It remains to be seen, once the counting of votes is taken up on May 23, what results come out of UP, where the BJP, the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance and the Congress were the main players. BJP's strong performance in the bellwether state is expected to boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of getting a second term. From the first general elections in the country in 1952 to 1971, the Congress won most of the seats in Uttar Pradesh and formed a majority government at the Centre with Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi as country's Prime Ministers. After the controversial Emergency was lifted, the parties in the opposition came together under the Janata Party umbrella to fight the Congress and won the 1977 elections. Morarji Desai then became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. In those elections, the Congress failed to even open its account in Uttar Pradesh, while the Janata Dal won all the 85 parliamentary constituencies. Uttar Pradesh (UP) had 85 parliamentary seats till the creation of Uttarakhand in 2004, when five seats went to the new state. ALSO READ: Exit polls show impact of Modi factor on ground Uttar Pradesh After the failure of the Janata Party experiment, the Congress bounced back to power in the 1980 general elections winning 353 of the 529 seats on offer. The parties of the earlier Janata coalition could not repeat their 1977 performance, so much that in 1980, there was no Leader of the Opposition (LoP) because no party had the required numbers. The Congress won 50 seats in UP in these elections and Indira Gandhi again became the Prime Minister. After Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and the anti-Sikh riots that followed, the Congress got a landslide victory riding on the wave of sympathy. It won 404 of the 514 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made its electoral debut winning two seats, one in Gujarat and another in Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana). Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister. Out of 85 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress won 83, while rest went to the Lok Dal. In the 1989 general elections, Janata Dal won 54 seats in Uttar Pradesh but no party could get a majority at the Centre. The Congress won 197 seats, the Janata Dal 143, while the BJP made impressive gains winning 85 out of 529 seats. The Janata Dal formed the National Front government with outside support from the BJP and the left parties. Vishwanath Pratap Singh became the Prime Minister. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The 1991 general elections broke the tradition of Uttar Pradesh becoming the bellwether state. The BJP won 51 seats, Janata Dal got 22 and the Congress just five seats. And in a first -- despite winning the least number of seats in the state, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the country with 232 seats in its kitty, and formed a coalition government at the Centre. P.V. Narsimha Rao became the Prime Minister of a minority government. In the next two general elections in 1996 and 1999, the BJP won the maximum number of seats 52 and 59 respectively in Uttar Pradesh and formed coalition governments at the Centre under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The 1999 elections were held in the backdrop of the Kargil war. The BJP again emerged as the single largest party with 182 seats, while the Congress could garner only 114. The BJP was able to form a more stable NDA this time around and this was the first time that a non-Congress alliance lasted a full five-year term. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third time. After 1991, it happened for the second time that the party winning maximum number of seats in Uttar Pradesh could not form its government at the Centre. The Samajwadi Party won 35 seats, while the BJP won 29 and the Congress garnered just 10 seats. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha elections 2019 - Can east, south offset BJP deficit? In 2004, the Congress won just nine seats while the SP got the highest (35) in Uttar Pradesh, and the Congress-led UPA formed the government at the Centre, with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. The Lok Sabha polls in 2009 witnessed a four-cornered contest with the SP and Congress winning equal number of seats (22) followed by the BSP (20) and the BJP (10). The UPA returned to power again and Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister. The 2014 general elections Uttar Pradesh again proved to be a bellwether state with the BJP and its allies winning 73 out of the 80 parliamentary seats. With charges of corruption, UPA's second term proved to be a disaster and Manmohan Singh's silence cost the Congress heavily. The BJP projected Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. The saffron party won a majority with 282 seats on its own, while the Congress recorded its worst ever performance with just 44 seats. This was the first time since 1984 that a party won a majority on its own. By PTI KOLKATA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday discussed with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee possibilities of forming a non-BJP government of the regional parties with the support of the Congress at the Centre in the event of a hung verdict, TMC sources said. Naidu, who reached here from Amaravati, held a 45-minute-long meeting with Banerjee on the future strategies of the "Mahagatbandhan" (Grand Alliance), the highly-placed sources said. The meeting also discussed possibilities of forming a non-BJP government of regional parties with the support of the Congress, they said. The two leaders did not take any question from the waiting media persons at Banerjee's ancestral Kalighat residence. Unfazed by exit polls predictions of TDP poor showing in its home state and also a reduced number for TMC in the parliamentary election, the two prominent regional leaders went ahead with their efforts to form an alternative government at the national level. "It was decided at todays meeting that a detailed discussion will be held among other political players of the Mahagatbandhan in the event of a hung verdict after the poll results are declared on May 23, the sources said. The decision on Banerjee going to New Delhi would also be taken after May 23 when counting of votes will be taken, the sources said. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Naidu, who is making efforts to bring together opposition leaders against the BJP, left for New Delhi after the meeting. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav telephoned Banerjee during the day and discussed the proposed strategy of the "Mahagathbandhan", the sources said. The TDP President had on Sunday called on National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and had also met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. On Saturday he had met BSP chief Mayawati and Yadav. During his meeting with Banerjee, the TDP chief spoke about the meetings, the TMC sources said. The exit polls gave a clear verdict in favour of the BJP, which was promptly dubbed by Banerjee as "gossip". The TMC supremo had said that she does not trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs. Banerjee, who floated the idea of a federal front of regional parties on the eve of the general election, and Naidu have been meeting frequently. Naidu had come here during TMC supremo's sit-in against CBI action against former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in March. He also convassed for the TMC at Kharagpur in the current election. Banerjee had address a joint rally with Naidu and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at Vizag in March end. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Amidst the raging controversy on the BJPs Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakurs statement over Nathuram Godse, Hindu Mahasabha leaders celebrated his 109th birth anniversary by organising a havan in Aligarh on Sunday. Holding Sadhvi Pragyas statement right, Mahasabha spokesman Ashok Pandey said the BJP Bhopal candidate had to apologize under political pressure while parties were dragging and defaming Godse into political discourse for electoral gains. ALSO READ: Pragya Thakur hails Nathuram Godse as patriot, BJP demands apology In a reference to actor turned politician Kamal Hassan, Pandey claimed that those who were calling Godse a terrorist were actually playing politics of polarisation. However, Pandey reiterated that Godse was a true patriot and not a terrorist. He said that Hindu Mahasabha used to organise havan on his birth anniversary every year. Hindu Mahasabha state vice president Gajendra Pal Singh said that Godse would always be revered as a great leader by Hindu Mahasabha. He said, Godses temples and statues will be established across the country in coming days, he added. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: Nishant Kumar is indifferent to a career in politics but feels proud of the development work done by his father and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his 'uncle' Narendra Modi. "Since PM Narendra Modi is with my father, he is like an uncle to me. He has done a lot of good work for the nation against corruption through demonetization and against terror through the surgical strike," he said after casting his vote in the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat on Sunday. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "My father has done a lot of good work in the state in the last 13 years in terms of providing electricity, good roads, maintaining law and order and so on," he said, adding that the public is aware of the government's efforts. Exuding confidence, he said that the people of the country will vote the NDA to power for another five years. Express News Service NEW DELHI/PATIALA: Amashray Singh, 47, is a worried man. He used to work as a mechanic at a Delhi-based garments factory, Sardar Silk House, till November 2016. In December, a month after the Centre announced demonetisation, he was given three months salary and told to go home. I belong to Hapur in Uttar Pradesh and needed this job desperately for there is nothing much back home. They said go home to your village and we will call you once things improve and start getting enough orders. But that has not happened, said Singh. Demonetisation saw many factories, small and large, shedding workers. A global and domestic demand slowdown kept capacity utilisation low, while the introduction of a well-intentioned but chaotically introduced Goods and Services Tax, imposed more compliance burdens on small companies. All in all, it reduced jobs, especially in the informal sector, said Biswajit Dhar of Jawaharlal Nehru Universitys Centre for Economic Studies and Planning. Singh managed to find a part-time job in a copper wire cutting unit at half the salary he used to earn. But the work is back-breaking and this unit is an illegal one. Any day, it may be shut down by the municipal corporation. If that happens I do not know what to do, I have children to bring up, mortgages on my field taken for my sisters weddings to pay off, an aged father to look after and my monthly earnings have halved to Rs 15,000, he said. I still stay in touch with my original owners. They are good people, but they too are helpless. Export orders which was the life-blood of the factory have dried up, Singh said. Loss of jobs has been a negative in the current governments report card. From small factories and export units to large airlines like Jet Airways and Kingfisher to software giants, the news is dismal. Even the educated are finding it hard to get jobs and there is resentment. How painful has been the impact can be gauged from the life of Harvinder Singh, 24, of Sangrur in Punjab. He completed his BTech from Bhai Gurudas Group of Institutions in his home town two years back and is still jobless. Today, he works in a sugarcane field along with his father just two kilometers from his college. I applied for jobs both in the public and private sector but didnt get any. My father spent `10 lakh on my education and here I am, working in a farm. Some of my friends went abroad, seeking greener pastures, and are working at petrol pumps, Singh said. Japleen Kaur, 25, who completed BBA and then a computer course, said she cannot even find the job of a receptionist. There are no jobs. A telecom firm advertised for five persons at a salary of Rs 5000 per month. There were over 100 applicants and I could not qualify, said Kaur, a mother of a two-year-old daughter in Patiala. Cold statistics put out by the privately-run Centre for Monitoring India Economy as well as data leaked from the Governments National Sample Survey Office indicate that job losses have risen to an all-time high. While the CMIE data said that in 2018, the number of unemployed increased by 11 million people, with the unemployment rate surging to 7.4% in December 2018, the leaked NSSO data, which the Government has not acknowledged officially, said unemployment hit a record 6.1% in 2017-18, a 45-year peak. Added to this is the continued chatter about layoffs in the information technology sector, a big employer of science and engineering graduates. Last year, about 56,000 software personnel were laid off by Indias largest IT firms as the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) made many jobs redundant. More job losses in this sector are expected this year unless the global economy picks up, adding to the governments worry of highly-skilled unemployed persons thronging the labour market. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often spoken about Indias demographic dividend with an average age projected at 29 by 2020, one of the lowest in the world. But the inability to create jobs means that this dividend may well result in social instability as an estimated 1.2-1.5 crore young Indians join the ranks of job seekers every year. The social impact of the sharp decline in job growth is scary. Slowing job growth can be disastrous for society. It will not only widen the economic gap within society, but it will also deepen social friction and cause tears in our social fabric, possibly leading to greater violence and political chaos, said Neshat Quaiser, former head of the department of sociology at Jamia Millia Islamia. The Government sector, too, hasnt been adding many jobs. A reply by Minister of State in the PMs Office, Jitendra Singh, to a Rajya Sabha question earlier this year showed that the number of candidates recommended by the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and Railway Recruitment Boards have been coming down in the last three years from 1,11,807 in 2015-16 to 1,00,933 in 2016-17 to 76,147 in 2017-18. Economists say there is no silver bullet to solve the jobs conundrum. On employment creation, studies have shown a steady decline in labour intensity in Indian manufacturing. In 2000-01, over two-thirds of our exports were labour intensive and now almost 50% of the exports are capital intensive, said M Govinda Rao, a former member of Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council. The new government will have to focus on an economic agenda without much loss of time, whichever party or a coalition of parties comes to power. The two most pressing issues are growth acceleration, and creation of productive employment, Rao said. Judges give scores to contestants participating in the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition in Beirut, Lebanon, on May 18, 2019. Around 17 Lebanese students participated on Saturday in "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition organized by the Embassy of China in Lebanon in cooperation with the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University (USJ). (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) by Dana Halawi BEIRUT, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Around 17 Lebanese students participated on Saturday in "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition organized by the Embassy of China in Lebanon in cooperation with the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University (USJ). Students learning Chinese language at the American University of Beirut, the Lebanese University and USJ took part in the competition which was held in Beirut. The "Chinese Bridge" is an annual competition aimed at arousing the enthusiasm of students in various countries to learn Chinese and strengthen the world's understanding of the Chinese language and culture. The contest has become important as it builds a communication bridge between young people in China and other countries. The winners of local contests will travel to China in July 2019 to take part in the worldwide competition there. The contest on Saturday was divided into four parts, including a speech about self-introduction and life goals, questions by the judges about the speeches, questions about China and related topics, and performances by students to show their different talents using Chinese language or arts. Students excitedly showed their talents by singing in Chinese, drawing calligraphy, playing musical instruments, in addition to performing Chinese Kung Fu. "This contest is an encouragement for students to pursue their Chinese education," Antoine Hokayem, president of the Confucius Institute, told Xinhua. Hokayem said that people all over the world are now more aware of the importance of learning Chinese. He noted that Confucius Institute was first opened in Lebanon in 2006 and also the first such institute in the Middle East. "Also, our students in Beirut are increasing by around 10 percent each year which reflects a great interest by the Lebanese to learn Chinese amid the enhancing trade ties between Lebanon and China," he said. Hokayem added that students who are aiming to work with China must learn the language. The contest reflects how Lebanese youths have become more and more aware of the importance of the language. Etienne Debs, winner of the competition, said his aim is to finish his Chinese courses and travel to China to continue his master's degree and then find work there. "I think the Chinese culture is very interesting and China has been developing a lot lately; it is the second economy in the world and I am sure the language will be of benefit for my future," he told Xinhua. Rita Maroun, a 22-year-old participant in the contest, has been learning Chinese for the past five years. She chose to learn Chinese because she believes it is going to be the business language in the future. "China is big and one of the biggest exporters. I believe that the Chinese language will spread more in the future. This is why I learned it. It will be of a great added value for my future work," she said. Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian reiterated the students' remarks by saying that the Chinese language has become more popular because China has developed rapidly in the past years. "China has more links with the international community and with Lebanon. China and Lebanon are increasingly connected whether in economy, trade or humanitarian exchanges," he said. He added that based on such connections, the Lebanese, especially young people, feel that learning Chinese can help them better communicate with China and the Chinese people, and they can master a new skill which may provide them with new horizons for their personal developments in the future. Wang noted that the Lebanese and Chinese governments are currently holding negotiations to sign an agreement aimed at establishing a Chinese cultural center in Beirut. "If the two governments agree, we will consider setting up a Chinese Cultural Center in Beirut which may be offering more Chinese courses in addition to other projects introducing the Chinese culture. This will provide more opportunities for Lebanese people to learn the Chinese language," he added. 6 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: The ongoing military operations in Myanmar against rebel groups from Indias Northeast, including the Yung Aung faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), have triggered outrage in Nagaland. As the Naga civilian population of Myanmar is caught in the conflict, several tribal organisations in Nagaland have appealed to Myanmar government to end the hostilities. They say the offensive is coordinated by Indian security forces. The Naga Hoho, which is Nagalands apex tribal organisation, urged Indian and Myanmar armies for immediate cessation of the military action against the Nagas. We are compelled to remind both governments that history has demonstrated that Nagas are courageous and bold enough to stand firm even in the face of overwhelming adversity. It has been also time and again proved that the Naga issue could not be tackled militarily since it is a political issue, the Naga Hoho said in a statement. It warned that the military action has the potential to result in a widespread Naga uprising, a conflagration which should be avoided. The Nagas, irrespective of border or factions, will not be mute spectators when their rights are so mindlessly trampled upon and will collectively do everything in their power to protect our land and the lives of our own blood, the organisation warned. It urged the United Nations and the Myanmar government to take measures to broker peace through dialogues. Another group, Forum for Naga Reconciliation, said it was disturbed with the situation of armed confrontation which resulted in the suffering of innocent civilians and destruction of property in Naga villages in Naga Self-Administered Zone. It insisted that the armed confrontation and alleged torture, harassment of people and destruction of property in civilian-inhabited areas must be avoided and that Myanmar Army and NSCN-K work to honour the regional-level ceasefire that was signed in April 2012. Condemning the operations, the NSCNs Isak-Muivah faction, called NSCN-IM, said there should be a better way to handle the issue. The chaotic situation, thus created by the blatant offensive of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army), has destabilized the livelihood of Naga villagers as the Naga people are made to bear the brunt of the Tatmadaw onslaught the outfit, which is spearheading the Naga peace talks with the Centre, said. Manish Anand By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In the event of a split verdict in Lok Sabha elections, the pre-poll alliance would weigh high on President Ram Nath Kovinds mind when he examines the issue of government formation at the Centre. The BJP, which has gone with 37 allies, is counting on NDAs large base of alliances to beat the Congress-led UPA in getting the presidential invite to form the government. While the BJP claims to be winning 280-285 Lok Sabha seats on its own according to the internal assessment conducted through professional agencies, the party leaders noted that if there is a scenario where theres split verdict the saffron outfit would still be in an advantageous position for having gone to the poll with the largest pre-poll alliance. President Kovind is a strict follower of the rule and precedents. We dont expect him not to call the largest pre-poll alliance to form the government, hypothetically speaking on a hung Lok Sabha possibility. The alliance which gets the first call will be able to wean away fence-sitters, said a BJP functionary. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The Congress-led UPA having been shunned by SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP could rue for not having made attempts to form a pan-India pre-poll alliance against the NDA, noted the BJP functionary. With the UPA not gaining allies in UP, the outfit is weakened, leaving a number of formidable regional outfits out of the umbrella to counter the NDA. The BJP, in contrast, gave space to allies in states like Bihar and Maharashtra with clear aims that the NDA should remain a robust alliance, noted the BJP functionary. By IANS KOLKATA: Several persons were injured in post-poll clashes between political parties in two districts of West Bengal, police said on Monday. Many polling agents of opposition parties were beaten up, and houses and vehicles of many activists were attacked after voting on Sunday in nine constituencies in the last and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls and by-elections to four Assembly seats. Two BJP workers -- Chandal Mondal and Nantu Bera of the Sagar Assembly segment under the Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency -- were admitted to Sagar Gramin Hospital after thrashed allegedly by the Trinamool Congress workers on Sunday night, while they were returning to their homes. "Two injured persons were rescued from the spot and hospitalised. A complaint has been lodged. No one has been arrested and investigation is on," a police officer said. ALSO READ: Won't let Madhya Pradesh become Bengal, says former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on BJP worker's killing Father of a Bharatiya Janata Party worker in the Dum Dum area was stabbed allegedly by Trinamool supporters, said a local BJP leader. Houses of three BJP activists at Gosaba in the Jaynagar Lok Sabha constituency were attacked by miscreants allegedly backed by Trinamool after the end of voting on Sunday. "Some Trinamool supporters damaged houses of our two activists on Sunday, and that of another workers on Monday," a local BJP leader said. A clash between the Trinamool and the BJP workers broke out on Monday in Habra's Kultala area of the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency after a polling agent of the BJP was beaten up. Trinamool, however, accused the BJP local leaders of ransacking vehicle of the party's panchayat leader on Sunday. CPI(M) activists at Kashipur under the Kolkata North constituency accused Trinamool workers of beating up their polling agents on Monday. ALSO READ: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP workers, CRPF of torturing people A Trinamool office was ransacked and 10-12 people were injured in a scuffle between two groups of activists in the Maniktala area under the Kolkata North Lok Sabha constituency. They traded charges over bringing outsiders during the vote on Sunday. "We don't believe in violence and have asked them (activists) to stay calm. A clash erupted due to ego problems among some booth-level workers," state minister Sadhan Pandey said. Residents of the Bhatpara Assembly seat in North 24 Parganas staged several protests against violent political clashes during by-election on Sunday. The by-election was caused by Trinamool MLA Arjun Singh's defection to the BJP two months ago. Train services in Eastern Railway's Sealdah-Krishnanagar division were disrupted for two and a half hours after hundreds of residents squatted on the tracks at Kankinara station, protesting against clashes. The BJP supporters too protested at the Jaggadal police station, accusing security personnel of not being active in providing security to locals. The BJP fielded Arjun Singh's son Pawan Kumar Singh and the Trinamool, Madan Mitra, an accused in the Saradha and Narada scam, for Bhatpara by-election. Mitra on Monday lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office, accusing Singh and his team of inciting violence in the area after the vote. By IANS NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Kyrghyztan on Tuesday where she will represent India at the two-day meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)here. In a statement released here on Monday, the External Affairs Ministry said this will be the second CFM meeting that India will be attending as a full member of the SCO. Sushma Swaraj had attended the last CFM meeting in Beijing in April 2018. "India actively took part in various SCO dialogue mechanisms under the Chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year. The next SCO Summit will be held in Bishkek in June," the statement said. Sushma Swaraj will also issue a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov. The CFM meeting iwill review the preparations for the forthcoming SCO Summit in Bishkek on June 13-14 and also exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Getting into the action mode on the day next to the last leg of 2019 big battle, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended the state governor to sack his cabinet colleague and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar from his ministry here on Monday. Acting on the CMs recommendation, Governor Ram Naik issued orders of Rajbhars dismissal from the UP cabinet. Though Rajbhar had been critical of Yogi government over an array of issues right from the day he joined the cabinet as backward classes welfare and disabled development minister, the immediate reason for his dismissal is believed to be a case filed against him for allegedly threatening and abusing BJP workers and bad mouthing against the party leadership recently during the course of election campaign. The CM acted against the minister after getting a nod from partys top brass. It may be recalled that Rajbhar had parted ways with the NDA after BJP and his party failed to strike a seat-sharing arrangement in UP. Consequently, Rajbhar, who has considerable clout in eastern Uttar Pradesh, fielded 39 SBSP candidates against the BJP across UP. Besides, Rajbhar had extended support to Congress and Gathbandhan on separate seats. The CM also removed all SBSP members appointed to various boards and corporations in Uttar Pradesh just ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to placate Rajbhar. Om Prakash Rajbhar has been relieved of his responsibilities as a minister for backward classes welfare and disabled development, said a Raj Bhawan communique. However, the portfolios held by Rajbhar have been handed over to Anil Rajbhar, the BJP MLA and minister of state (independent charge) who had campaigned extensively in eastern UP after the rebellion of Om Prakash Rajbhar. Reacting to his dismissal, Om Prakash Rajbhar said he had anticipated his dismissal and that it was no shock for him. Taking a high moral ground, Rajbhar claimed that he had been struggling for the cause of Most Backward Castes (MBCs) and reiterated his resolve to continue his fight for the same. However, he felt betrayed saying: Had we got more time to campaign, we would have made a lot of difference in UP elections. While reacting to his dismissal UP state chief Mahendra Nath Pandey accused him of breaching the alliance dharma. We tried to bear with Rajbharji for a long time as we respect the Rajhbhar Samaj. But the way he used disgraceful language against Modiji and Yogiji and exhorted his workers to beat BJP cadre with shoes was beyond our level of tolerance. I congratulate CM Yogi for the decision, Pandey said. On the other, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, the BJPs OBC face in UP, rejected the perception that Rajbhar was the leader of MBCs. He is just a leader of his family. It was because of BJP that he became an MLA and minister, Maurya said. Similarly, UP tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said she appreciated the patience of UP CM Yogi Adityanath. It is high time that such elements are shown the door. I welcome CMs decision, she said. The case against Rajbhar was filed on May 18 after he allegedly urged supporters to thrash ruling party workers with shoes if they spread misinformation about his party. He claimed that BJP leaders were spreading rumours that the SBSP candidate was not contesting the election from the Ghosi parliamentary seat. A video of his speech has gone viral on social media. On May 6, the SBSP chief had claimed that he resigned from the post of minister but the state government was yet to decide whether to accept his resignation. Among those removed from boards and corporations are Ganga Ram Rajbhar and Virendra Rajbhar (members of backward classes commission), Sudama Rajbhar (member of animal welfare commission), Om Prakash Rajbhars son Arvind Rajbhar (chairman of small and medium industries corporation), Rana Ajeet Pratap Singh (UP seed development corporation), Sunil Arkvanshi and Radhika Patel (members of National Integration Council). N R Bhanumurthy By In the past five years, one issue that has become contentious is the issue of employment-unemployment situation in the country. The leaked NSSO report suggests four-decade high unemployment of about 6.1% in 2017-18. While the report is still not official, the concerns raised by the report appear to be serious. Further, there are also reports that suggest that there is a sharp decline in the labour participation rate from over 47% in early 2017 to about 43% in two years time. This is expected to pose a serious challenge to the new government. What caused such a crisis in the employment situation and what needs to be done to revive the jobs in the country? The survey that was done in 2017-18 is the first one that covers the impact of two major shocks that the economy faced in the form of demonetization and the implementation of GST. While the results may not be strictly comparable with the previous survey (2011-12) as there are some changes due to these two shocks it would not be surprising that it resulted in a permanent shock to employment situation, especially in the informal sector. Keeping aside the GDP growth numbers, which showed the highest growth during the demonetisation year making it much more controversial and leading to the questioning of the credibility of GDP figures it would not be surprising to know that post-demonetisation and GST, there is a sharp decline in economic activity across the regions and sectors. But sharper decline was expected in informal sector, which contributes significantly to jobs in the country. The recent ILO report suggest that nearly 81% of jobs are in the informal sector, and hence, any major shock to economic activity is felt immediately on the informal sector jobs, which are not being captured by any official statistics till now. Recent data on GDP also suggest that there is a slowdown in growth and appear to have started since 2017-18. This was not accepted by the government until the recent Monthly Economic Report by the Ministry of Finance came out, that suggested the economy is entering a slowdown phase. This only suggests that there could be much more job losses in the coming period. On a positive note, while there is decline in the overall employment, in my view, the employment due to governments social welfare program should have increased. Our own studies done for major housing schemes of the government (Prime Minister Awaas Yojana both Grameen and Urban and the Swacch Bharat Mission) based on the completion rate, suggest that it would have generated substantial number of person days. However, it is very small proportion of jobs that is lost in the recent period. There is also the Mudra scheme, which was expected to help revive industrial activity, and hence, the jobs. However, the initial indications do not appear to be encouraging. Rather, there are apprehensions that this could pose additional challenge to the banking sector in the form of NPAs. This could further cripple the industrial sector, which is finding it difficult to generate working capital. While the official numbers, as and when they release, should suggest a slowdown in employment, what is important is to how to revive the jobs situation. One way is by reviving the economy. For this, upfront, it is important to recognize that the economy is facing a structural slowdown right now. One of the main reasons, in my view, is the flawed fiscal consolidation roadmap that was adopted which removed the revenue deficit concept would shift the demand from investments to consumption and is certainly not expansionary. There is a need to rectify this ill-advised policy if one needs to revive the investments in the economy. Indeed, there is a need to relax the fiscal targets in order to provide stimulus to a slowing economy that is in distress. Added to the existing crisis, this year, if the predictions on the monsoon, which is expected to be below normal, turn out to be true, the distress in the rural segment could worsen and lead to an alarming situation. Overall, while the government keeps waiting for the official numbers, it is clear from all the existing indicators that there is a severe crisis in the employment situation. It would be wiser if the government acknowledge this and take precautionary measures before it worsens further. Ch V M Krishna Rao By With big game players preparing for the Lok Sabha results on May 23, Telangana Chief Minister and TRS Chief Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, too, is waiting for an opportunity to play a key role this time in government formation with whatever numbers he ends up getting. Notwithstanding the claims by the Congress and the BJP, which are hoping to win three seats each out of the total 17 in Telangana, 16 is the maximum TRS can hope to get as it left one for the Majlis party. With almost all pre-poll and mid-poll predictions indicating a hung Parliament as neither the BJP-led NDA nor the Congress-led UPA are expected to reach the magic figure of 272 in the House of 543, all smaller parties, including the TRS, are fancying their chances to be part of the final power equation instead of staying neutral. Exit polls though suggest the NDA will stay in power, in which case the TRS would have no role at the Centre. Anyway, regional parties are keeping their fingers crossed. As for KCR, he wants to build a non-Congress, non-BJP block of regional parties like YSR Congress, JD(S), DMK, BJD, Trinamool Congress, BSP and SP in the Lok Sabha for better leverage while negotiating with national parties during government formation. The aim is to get the national parties to agree to open the purse strings for their respective states to help them keep their poll promises as also strengthen the federal structure. KCR is said to have told the regional parties that forming a front makes ample sense as their total count of seats would anyway be more than that of the Congress or the BJP taken individually. For, these regional parties put together are contesting in over 200 Lok Sabha seats and are expected to win at least 175. Current seat projections for the BJP and the Congress suggest they would fall short of 175, he reckons. But there are several ifs and buts on how to go forward. Much will depend on the final outcome on May 23 and whether it will open the space for trying new permutations and combinations. KCRs rival and Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu is already playing games from the UPAs side. As of now, it is not clear who in KCRs opinion should be the new prime minister. In fact, all leaders of the yet-to-be-born Federal Front are not united on any issue, leave alone prime ministership. Some of them could independently decide to go with the NDA or the UPA depending on the deal they wangle and the poll outcome. Even assuming KCRs proposed front gets around 200 seats, it would need further support from either the NDA or the UPA partners to form the government. As things stand today, none of the three frontsthe NDA, the UPA or the Federal Frontcan form the government on their own; they would need support from outside their current sphere of influence. So, what would be the composition of the new front? Would it be like the failed experiment of the wobbly United Front in 1996 that had just around 145 seats, yet formed the government with outside support from the Congress that had around 150 seats? Within two years, the Congress withdrew support to as many UF governments. There are three more such bad precedents like the Charan Singh ministry in 1979 and the Chandra Shekhar-led government in 1990. On both occasions, it was the Congress that pulled them down. In 1989, the V P Singh ministry fell after the BJP withdrew support. On the flip side, there are better precedents of stable coalition governments like NDA-1, NDA-2, UPA-1 and UPA-2 than those led by Deve Gowda and I K Gujral. Regional party heads who rule their respective states generally try to be on the right side of the Centre so as to keep the fund tap running. If KCR joins the BJP-led front or takes the BJPs help in forming a third front, he will lose the confidence of the minorities. If he extends or takes support from the Congress-led UPA, it could trigger a BJP surge in Telangana. Whatever decision KCR takes will be crucial for both TRS and Telangana. Indias agrarian crisis refuses to go away. If crops do well as they did last winter, when India had a bumper fruit and vegetable produce, farmers are hit by unremunerative prices pushing them into the red. In case the monsoon plays truant or a cycle of drought or floods afflicts the country, the farmers are the first to bear the brunt of the calamity, economically. Till now, the state has tried to deal with the crisis with a series of sopsfertiliser subsidies, NREGA and direct cash transfers. However, these handouts do not seem to have solved the basic problem of farming turning unremunerative. As Indias agricultural markets are fragmented and highly regulated by colonial-era laws and since a farmer cannot store his goods for a long time, he has little choice but to sell out at distress prices, and he sees losses even as traders rake in a huge profits. Abolition of the iniquitous Mandi Act, which ties a farmer down to local merchants, and improving a farmers access to markets by building rural roads and cold-storage chains are obvious necessities. As are investments in farm infrastructure by way of irrigation works, deepening and cleaning of water storage tanks and ponds, etc. Yet, the public investment in such works is low. Indias farm sector, which employs about half of its population, also paradoxically contributes just 14.39 per cent of the countrys GDP. Indias paddy output per hectare for instance is an abysmally low 3.1 tonnes, compared to Chinas 6.5 tonnes and Vietnams 5.2 tonnes. Even neighbour Bangladesh fares better at 4.2 tonnes. Agricultural output, even in the areas where Green Revolution was significant western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjabhas more or less plateaued out. We now need huge investments in research. These remedies are self-evident and have been pointed out by various commissions including the M S Swaminathan Committee. Yet all that we hear after a round of farm distress is talk of just more sops. It is time we treated farming as a business and tried to fix it as one would try fix an unprofitable business. By Express News Service Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu stressed the need for increasing the area of cultivation and productivity of pulses for achieving self-sufficiency and urged agricultural universities to step up research on improving yield.Addressing the inaugural session of All-India Coordinated Research Groups Annual Group Meet on MULLaRP & Arid Legumes workshop in Guntur on Sunday, he said there was a need to introduce high-yielding, disease and pest-resilient seed varieties. There was also a need to improve crop production techniques and bring additional fallow lands under pulses production, he added.Pointing out that pulses are a cheap source of proteins, vitamins and minerals, the Vice-President said they provide green, nutritious fodder for animals and also enrich soil through biological nitrogen fixation. Some legumes are known to have medicinal and therapeutic properties. Hence, they were rightly termed as unique jewels of Indian crop husbandry, he asserted. Observing that legumes were an essential component in Indian cropping pattern, especially in dryland farming, Venkaiah said India was largest producer of the crop, accounting for 34 per cent of the area and 24 per cent of production followed by Myanmar, Canada, China, Nigeria, Brazil, and Australia. Referring to his recent visit to Vietnam, the Vice-President mentioned crop production techniques between India and Vietnam. While Vietnam produces five tonnes of rice per hectare and 1.5-tonnes of soya bean per hectare, India produces only three tonnes of rice per hectare and only one ton of soya bean, he pointed out. Naidu said that the Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and the government must come together with long-term strategies for producing new high-yielding varieties, which are resilient to diseases and climate change. There was also a need to create value addition and proper marketing facilities for pulses.Saying that climate change was adversely impacting the people in dryland areas due to the shifts in moisture and temperature regimes, the Vice President called for a new paradigm in agricultural research. By Express News Service TIRUPATI: Repolling at the seven polling stations in Chandragiri Assembly constituency of Chittoor district concluded on a peaceful note amid tight security. A total of 89.29 per cent of voting was reported at the end of the day. Even before sunrise, people started standing in queues and by 1 pm the total polling percentage at all the seven centers reached 51 per cent. In spite of scorching heat, people in a large number of waited patiently and exercised their franchise. According to election officials, at the end of the day 89.29 voting per cent was recorded with Pulivarthivaripalli center topping the list with 95.03 per cent while Kammapalli saw 83.56 poll per cent. Compared to polling on April 11, the polling percentage during re-polling at these seven centres was 1.13 per cent less. Notable decrease in poll percentage was noticed at Kammapalli (6.42 per cent), NR Kammapalli (5.44 per cent) and Kuppam Baduru (0.42 per cent) and, at the same time, increase in polling percentage was observed at Venkataramapuram (3.98 per cent), Kotha Kandriga (2.92 per cent) and Kalepalli (0.34 per cent). By and large, there were no untoward incidents and the police deployed in a large number ensured that every voter was able to exercise their right to vote peacefully. In Kammapalli, one Muni Chandra Naidu was taken into custody by Ramachandrapuram police for picking up an argument with the presiding officer after he was not allowed to vote. It is being suspected that he came to cast his mothers vote. Meanwhile, tension prevailed for some time near Pulavarthi Palli in Pakala Mandal, when TDP candidate Pulavarthi Nani got into a heated argument with one Kesavulu Reddy, a general agent of the YSRC and also a cousin of YSRC party candidate Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy. In his complaint, Kesavulu Reddy claimed that while he was proceeding to Pulivarthi Palli in a car, Nani came on a two-wheeler and stopped him at Adenepalli Check Post. He said he was asked to reveal his identity. When he showed his identity card, the TDP leader tore up the I-D card, slapped him and threatened to kill him. Based on the complaint, Pakala SI B Sunil Kumar registered a case. The Election Commission ordered repolling in Pulavarthi Palli, Venkataramapuram, Kotha Kandriga, Kammapalli, NR Kammapalli, Kallepalli and Kuppam Baduru of Chandragiri Assembly constituency following complaints from the YSRC and the TDP in the first week of May alleging malpractice. Initially, the EC ordered repolling in five booths triggering allegation from the TDP that the EC acted on the YSRC complaint ignoring the one submitted by it. It even moved the High Court challenging repoll at the five centers. However, the High Court dismissed the petition. Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday ordered repolling in another two polling centers - Kallepalli and Kuppam Baduru acting on the complaint of the TDP. At each polling centre, 250 police personnel were deployed and election authorities closely monitored the situation. Election Commission special observer Vinod Zutshi reviewed the re-polling held in Chandragiri and directed the officials concerned to ensure there was no crowding at the entrance of the polling centre. Study identifies enzymes that prevent diabetic kidney disease BOSTON -- (May 20, 2019) -- A new study from Joslin Diabetes Center has proven that certain biological protective factors play a large role in preventing diabetic kidney disease in certain people. The study was published online in Diabetes Care. This study built on the findings from a 2017 Joslin Medalist Study of protective factors and diabetic kidney disease (or DKD). The 2017 study focused on Joslin Medalists--people who have had diabetes for more than 50 years with little to no complications. The Medalists who never developed kidney disease had higher levels of a group of enzymes involved in glucose metabolism than people who did develop kidney disease. The research team was led by Hetal Shah, MD,MPH, Research Associate at Joslin Diabetes Center and HMS Instructor in Medicine, Daniel Gordin, MD, PhD, Adjunct faculty at Joslin and Associate Professor at University of Helsinki, Finland, and George King, MD, Joslin Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer and HMS Professor in Medicine, In their new study, Drs. Shah, Gordin and King were able to show that protective factors are also present in kidney-disease-free people with shorter-duration type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. This finding indicates that these enzymes, and one in particular known as PKM2, play a strong protective role against kidney disease. The enzymes could be used as both biomarkers and, potentially, targets for DKD intervention. Kidney disease is a major concern for people with diabetes. But not everyone with type 1 diabetes develops DKD. The fact that Joslin Medalists have such low rates of complications has intrigued researchers' worldwide. "That built up the rationale that there must be something protecting these people from diabetic kidney disease. This would explain how these individuals have been able to live with insulin dependent diabetes for so many years," says Dr. Gordin. The researchers set out to investigate three questions related to the 2017 discovery. First--was PKM2 protective in non-Medalists? Second--was PKM2 circulating in the Medalists' plasma, or was it only found in the kidney? And third--do the Medalists have any other protective factors to be explored? To answer the first question, they studied the postmortem kidneys donated by people in all of the cohorts they wanted to investigate. For the second question, they used cutting edge proteomic and metabolomic techniques to study the circulating plasma of Medalists. For the third question, they looked at the plasma and identified a number of metabolites and proteins that were also elevated. They mapped the associated genetic pathways to understand the cause and effect of the elevations. "We were able to replicate the findings of the elevated PKM2 in those with good kidney function in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Shah. "Also, through the plasma proteomic and metabolomic studies in the Medalists, we found that there's this amyloid precursor protein, or APP, that shows up as a potential protective factor against diabetic kidney disease." The identification of APP as a possible protective factor was surprising, considering its main known association is an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. "[But it also seems to be] potentially protective in multiple vulnerable tissues in people with diabetes. With that said, we would need further studies to confirm this," says Dr. Shah. Understanding the DKD protective factors could have clinical implications. If a biomarker circulates in the bloodstream, it could allow doctors to perform a simple blood test to determine a patient's risk for developing DKD. They could then create personalized intervention courses. Once the protective mechanisms are explicitly mapped, they could even be used as therapeutic targets. "Diabetic kidney disease is a devastating disease," says Dr. Gordin. "It is a powerful driver of cardiovascular disease, and also, eventually, mortality. We have urgent need to find something to help these people. All [these studies] take time, but this is very promising." ### Funding for this study was as follows: The 50-Year Medalist Study is funded by NIDDK (P30DK036836, UL1 RR025758-03, R24 283, DK083957-01, DP3 DK094333-01, T32DK007260), JDRF (17-2013-310), the Tom Beatson, Jr 284 Foundation and many Medalists. This study was also supported by a basic research grant from Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Dr.Gordin was supported by Mary K. Iacocca Fellowship provided by the Iacocca Foundation, and grants from the Wilhelm and Else Stockmann Foundation, The Medical Society of Finland (Finska Lakaresallskapet), the Finnish Medical Foundation, and the Biomedicum Helsinki Foundation. Citation: Characterization of Glycolytic Enzymes and Pyruvate Kinase M2 in Type 1 and 2 Diabetic Nephropathy http://care. diabetesjournals. org/ content/ early/ 2019/ 05/ 03/ dc18-2585 About Joslin Diabetes Center Joslin Diabetes Center is world-renowned for its deep expertise in diabetes treatment and research. Joslin is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives. We develop and disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world. Joslin is an independent, non-profit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and one of only 11 NIH-designated Diabetes Research Centers in the U.S. For more information, visit http://www. joslin. org or follow @joslindiabetes | One Joslin Place, Boston, MA 617-309-2400 This story has been published on: 2019-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Today is May 20th, 5.20. It may seem like a normal day for you, but for others, especially in China, it's a very special day, a day of romance. How did 5.20 come to equal a Chinese love word May 20th, shortened as "520" in China, is based on Chinese pronunciation for "five two zero" (wu er ling) sounds like "I love you" (wo ai ni). The special day has become a festival for Chinese to express love and affections to their beloved ones. And it's also a perfect time for the singles to be brave and show their love to their crushes. Different from traditional holidays such as Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival, it was only recently invented by Chinese netizens and is celebrated mostly by young adults. 4 1 [ Editor: zyq ] By Express News Service BENGALURU: In a major disappointment for the Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka, various exit polls on Sunday gave the combine only between seven and nine seats in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections. The opposition BJP looks to hold on to its position, but may even throw up a surprise, bagging over 20 seats.In the run-up to the elections, both sides had sounded confident of outdoing the other. While Congress leaders had been saying the alliance will win at least 20 seats, the BJP sounded more optimistic saying they will improve their tally with over 22 seats. Voting for all the 28 seats in Karnataka took place on April 18 and 23. The NDTV poll of polls shows the BJP almost repeating its performance in Karnataka with 18 seats, nine going to the Congress-JDS and one to Others. As per the IANS-CVOTER exit poll, the BJP is expected to win 18 seats in state while Congress can get seven with two seats going to its ally JD(S) and Others getting one seat. For the BJP, it seems to be improving upon the tally of 17 seats it had won in the state in 2014. It is a loss of two seats for Congress, which had won nine in 2014 while no change is expected in the strength of JD-S. The projections are a setback to the ruling Congress-JD-S coalition and could have ramifications in the state politics. The India Today-Axis exit poll was more optimistic about the BJP putting up a better show. As per its projection, BJP is likely to win anywhere between 21 and 25 out of the 28 seats, improving its tally from the 17 seats it had won in 2014. On the other hand, the Congress-JDS alliance will get only three to six seats, it said. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday rapped state Congress leaders for their show of disunity. Karnataka Congress leaders, who had been issuing statements and propping up Siddaramaiah for CM, received a stern reprimand from AICC president Rahul Gandhi, who summoned senior Congress state leaders -- Coalition Committee chairman Siddaramaiah, Water Resources minister D K Shivakumar, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and Deputy CM G Parameshwar -- to Delhi for a meeting on Sunday. He also warned them of stern disciplinary action if they failed to fall in line. Gandhi told state Congress leaders that when we are speaking about Karnataka as a model of the coalition that will be followed nationally and with statements and counter-statements, what kind of message will it send to the rest of the country? Please do not let this opportunity slip away in showing our unity," he reportedly told them. Sources said that JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda had complained about the Siddaramaiah for CM statements that were being issued by Congress MLAs and ministers regularly, and how embarrassing it was for the coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy. So in response, the High Command asked state leaders why such statements about Siddaramaiah are being issued now when Kumaraswamy will be CM for the next five years, as has been agreed upon. This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has summoned state leaders and given them a mouthful, but this is the first time they have been warned of consequences if they fail to obey. The issue of Yeshwanthpur MLA S T Somashekar calling a meeting of MLAs is also said to have figured, and the national leadership asked state leaders what was its significance, and who was behind it. Rahul Gandhi is also said to have told them not to go to the media with their complaints and issues, and squabble in public, but deal with it in a dignified way behind closed doors. Vishwanath should talk to his party chief, says Deshpande Vijayapura: Bickering continued in the coalition ranks, despite strict warnings to both parties to refrain from going public with their rancour. The latest barb was by Revenue Minister R V Deshpande, who said that if JDS state president A H Vishwanath was unhappy with the coalition leadership, he should complain to his party president. Being a president of the JDS, he should speak responsibly instead of questioning the integrity of Congress leaders. A few people feel that they are being ignored. In order to overcome this, they make controversial statements only to be in news so that they are recognised, the minister said. Arun Lakshman By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Majority of the exit polls has predicted a landslide for the UDF in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. While agencies commissioned by Times Now, News X, India Today, News Nation, Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi predicted UDFs victory, CNN News 18 gave LDF the edge. NDA is likely to open its account in the state, said the polls. State Congress president Mullappally Ramachandran told Express: Were confident of UDFs victory with a huge margin. The anti-people policies of the LDF Government in the state and that of Narendra Modi at the Centre have led the people to favour the UDF. Exit polls can be off the mark, says Mullappally. With the exit polls indicating a Congress drubbing at the national level, its leaders are not totally subscribing to the predictions. Exit polls can be off the mark, but the Congress is sure the party will win hands down in the state. Our feedback is that UDF will win all seats, said Mullappally. Congress leadership in its analysis at the Political Affairs Committee anticipated a clean sweep for the front. The committee in its meeting on May 14 found the UDF would win all seats, much better than whats predicted by the exit polls, said a senior party leader.BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai too was optimistic of a good show by NDA. The exit polls have predicted that BJP will do extremely well at the national level and NDA would open its account in the state. My reading is that well do much better than what the exit polls have predicted. It was a collective effort in Kerala and credit goes to the party workers at the grass-root level. Alliance with BDJS helped BJP BJP state leadership, in its analysis conducted across the state from May 10 to 18, had found the alliance with the BDJS leadership helped it gain the Ezhava votes in several constituencies and helped it eat into the CPM vote base. With all polls predicting BJP opening account in the state, party leaders are in touch with the RSS state leadership discussing future moves. Sources said if it wins the seat and NDA comes to power at Centre, he/she is sure to get a Cabinet berth. NO COMMENTS CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan refused to comment on the exit poll predictions. While BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai was optimistic of a good show by the NDA, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan refused to comment on the exit polls. By Express News Service KANNUR: CPM leaders, as well as the Congress Kannur candidate K Sudhakaran on Sunday, expressed displeasure over the Election Commissions (EC) decision to conduct repolling at seven booths in the Kannur and Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituencies. However, the BJP said the drop in voter turnout on Sunday justified the repolling. If somebody cast a bogus vote, criminal action should be taken against that person only. The EC should think whether it should penalise all 1,000 voters by ordering a repoll instead of taking action against the ones who cast a bogus vote, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters after the E K Nayanar memorial meeting at Nayanar Academy here. One or two complaints may crop up in every booth in the state. In that case, going by the ECs logic, the entire state will have re-election, he said. At the same time, Kodiyeri said LDF would improve its performance in all seven polling booths. CPM Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan said the repolling inconvenienced a majority of people who had to pay for the mistake of a few. Echoing similar sentiments, Sudhakaran said the UDF had called for action against the impersonators as per the law. BJP district president K Sreekanth and NDAs Kasaragod candidate Ravish Tantri Kuntar welcomed the ECs decision. EC should ensure similar security to prevent bogus voting in future, said Ravish. Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recovered information related to Islamic State (IS) activities in Kashmir from the mobile phone of Palakkad native Riyas Aboobacker, who was planning suicide attacks in Kerala. Sources said the NIA will apply for Riyas custody again after the analysis of the content retrieved from his mobile phone is over. The agency had recently filed a petition in NIA Court here opposing Riyas bail plea. In it, NIA said the preliminary analysis of the data recovered after mirroring Riyas phone, prima facie, revealed his involvement in the conspiracy to conduct suicide attacks. It said for the past one year, Riyas has been following the speeches and videos of Sri Lanka blasts mastermind Zahran Hashim. Pro-IS materials, audio clips sent by Rashid Abdullah, Jihadi literature, details of IS activities in Kashmir were recovered. Since the data is voluminous, more time is required to verify it, the NIA said in the plea. The NIA has also received crucial evidence against Riyas from the interrogation of other members of the IS module which the NIA busted recently. The team has now extended its investigation to neighbouring states, including Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The content related to IS activities in Kashmir was sent from abroad. We suspect Riyas knew about other IS modules in India. His links with an IS module in Tamil Nadu is under probe. A few mobile phone numbers were traced from his phone and attempts are on to identify the persons they belong to, said sources. Riyas bail plea NIA Court on Monday heard B A Aloor, who filed a bail petition for Riyas. He submitted that despite a strong intelligence network, Riyas IS links could be exposed only after the Sri Lanka blast. The original case in which Riyas was arraigned was registered in 2016 and he had no links with the persons who left for Syria and Afghanistan to join IS. The court will hear the NIAs submission on the plea on Wednesday. It was on April 29 that the NIA raided the residences of the accused persons in Kasaragod and Palakkad who had formed a four-member module to further IS operations in Kerala. Later, the NIA arrested Riyas, who allegedly claimed during his interrogation that he was ready to conduct a suicide attack in the state. Bijay Chaki By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: The exit poll projections for Odisha are certainly music to BJPs ears as the saffron party seems on road to crack Naveen Patnaiks fortress as far as the Lok Sabha seats are concerned. Most of the exit polls predicted a huge surge for the BJP with the Parliamentary seats to be won by the party in the State in the range of six to a whopping 19. While the party is looking like making massive gains in Lok Sabha seats from just one in 2014, the Congress prospects are almost similar to the last elections. The grand old party is given zero to one seat, indicating a complete erosion of its base in the State. However, for Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, the exit polls suggest a return to power for a record fifth time in the State Assembly. People of the State seem to have endorsed a second term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi but have also put their stamp of approval for Naveen Patnaik as Chief Minister. As per the exit poll projections, there is a clear indication of split voting for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections with Modi ruling the country and Naveen retaining the State. The India Today-Axis exit polls have given 15-19 Lok seats to BJP while the BJD is likely won 2-6 seats. The Congress tally will be 0-1. However, in the Assembly polls, the India Today-Axis exit poll has predicted 80-100 Assembly seats for the ruling BJD. Regional media outlet Kanak News has projected eight to 12 seats for BJP, six to nine for BJD and zero to one for Congress in the Lok Sabha while in the 147-seat Assembly, it has given 85-95 to BJD, 25-34 to BJP and 12-15 to Congress. The Todays Chanakya has given the ruling BJD seven Lok Sabha seats while the BJP is likely to win 14 seats. However, the Congress will not open its account again in this polls. The Republic-C Voter has given 11 and 10 parliamentary seats to BJD and BJP respectively while Congress has drawn nil. Similarly, the Jan Ki Baat has given eight LS seats to BJD and 12 to BJP while the grand old party will win one seat. The Times Now-VMR projections are similar to that of Jan Ki Baat. According to the Poll of Polls (NDTV), the BJD and BJP will get 10 seats each while Congress will win one seat. However, an internal assessment by the BJD has given 15 seats to the party, one seat to BJP while there will be a close fight in five constituencies. The BJDs assessment for Assembly polls predicts 105 seats for the party, 10 for BJP, eight for Congress and others while there will be a close fight in 23 segments. Leader of the Opposition and Congress veteran Narasingh Mishra said if the exit poll projections will be true, BJP will form Government at the Centre and Naveen Patnaik in Odisha. This proves the maturity of the voters, he said and added that one has to wait till May 23 for the actual position to emerge. BJD Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya said exit polls are not 100 per cent correct. Let us wait for the real result, he said. The saffron camp was expectedly upbeat over the possibilities. BJP general secretary Golak Mohapatra said the exit poll trends are an endorsement of development work by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP will form Government both at the Centre and the State, he said. Aravind Raj By Express News Service KARUR: With a 84.33 per cent turnout, Aravakurichi topped the four by-election constituencies that went to the polls on Sunday in terms of voter participation. Polling in the segment, which had the highest number of candidates, was largely peaceful. In the morning police stopped four buses on the Aravakurichi-Pallapatti road. The passengers were natives of Muslim-majority Pallapatti working in Chennai. They had pooled money to hire the buses to go to their hometown to cast votes. Karur SP Vikraman let the passengers proceed after checking their identity papers. Pallapatti natives working in other parts of the country also visited the town to cast votes. Since there were 63 candidates, polling officials had to keep four electronic voting machines in each booth. A few of them developed snags as soon as voting began. At a booth at Sowndarapuram, in Pallapatti, all the four voting machines were placed in the descending order instead of the ascending order. After AMMK functionaries had a heated exchange with officials and protested, engineers arrived to the booth and fixed the problem. The polling was delayed by more than an hour. And in Seethapatti Colony, DMK cadre quarrelled with AIADMK cadre. Cadres of both parties blocked people from going to vote. Later, police dispersed the crowd. TN tops in seizure of cash, materials Chennai: During the period between March 10 and May 18, i.e., since the notification for Lok Sabha elections and the penultimate day for final phase of polling, Tamil Nadu topped the list in the seizure of unaccounted cash, precious metals, liquor, sarees and dhoties. The total worth of cash and materials seized as on May 18 stood at `950.12 crore. Of this, unaccounted cash totalled `227.95 crore. ENS By IANS CHENNAI: The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Monday lodged a police complaint against Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Rural Development Rajenthra Bhalaji for criminal intimidation and defamation of its founder actor-politician Kamal Haasan. In the complaint submitted to Chennai's Commissioner of Police, MNM General Secretary A. Arunachalam alleged that Bhalaji had threatened violence against Haasan by saying that his tongue should be cut for a remark he made at an election rally. ALSO READ: Godse remark - Madras HC grants anticipatory bail to Kamal Haasan Last week, Haasan reportedly told a rally in a locality dominated by Muslims that "independent India's first extremist was a Hindu - Nathuram Godse". The comment created a furore across the country and a police complaint was filed in Aravakuruchi against Haasan for trying to create animosity between communities. READ MORE: Politically, spiritually wrong to contract India within a religion: Kamal The Madras High Court on Monday granted Haasan anticipatory bail in the matter. The MNM alleged that in an interview to Sun TV Tamil channel, Bhalaji defamed Haasan with baseless allegations of a nexus between his party and the ISIS. It also alleged that instigated by Bhalaji's call to beat up Haasan, a group of people attempted to attack him in Aravakuruchi constituency in Karur district on May 16. Haasan was asked to cancel his campaigning on May 17. By Express News Service MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court granted anticipatory bail to Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan. Justice B Pugalendhi passed the order on the anticipatory bail petition filed by the MNM leader who was apprehending arrest on an FIR filed against him for making controversial statements during an election campaign in Aravakurichi constituency. The politician was directed to appear before the concerned judicial magistrate within 15 days to provide surety. READ MORE | Politically, spiritually wrong to contract India within a religion: Kamal The Aravakurichi police, on May 14, had registered an FIR against Haasan under sections 153A (outraging religious feelings) and 295A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after he, during an election campaign in the bypoll bound Aravakurichi constituency on May 12, had reportedly stated that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" by referring to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. However Hassan contended in his petition that his speech was about Mahatma Gandhi's assasin Nathuram Godse and not about the Hindus as a whole. He further stated that the FIR filed against him was ill founded as it has been filed based on hearsay and the source of information has also not been disclosed. Stating that a political issue has been created to his malign through the case, Haasan prayed the Court to grant him anticipatory bail. READ MORE | Stardom no licence for loose talk: BJP to Kamal Haasan After hearing the whole content of the said speech and also considering the facts that the petitioner is a leader of a registered political party and the pendency of election process, Justice Pugalendhi passed the order. By Express News Service CHENNAI: MDMK leader Vaiko on Monday appeared before the Special court in connection with a sedition case filed against him in 2009 during a book launch. After hearing, the special court judge J Shanthi adjourned the case to May 27. The prosecution witness sought permission for the case to be posted after lunch. Vaiko left the court premises within a few minutes. The Tamil Nadu police in 2009 registered a case under Sections 124-A (sedition) and 153 -A (promoting enmity between different groups) against the MDMK leader for his speech in Raja Annamalai Mandram on October 21, 2008. The topic was Eezhathil Nadapathenna (What is happening in Eelam?) where he had warned that India would remain a united single country if the war against banned outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka was not stopped. Though the charge-sheet was filed in the case on December 30, 2009, the MDMK leader was not arrested. After the passport authority refused to clear his passport application, Vaiko surrendered before the XIV Metropolitan Magistrate. After the court granted him bail in 2017, the case was transferred from the Egmore Magistrate court to Special court in Chennai Collectorate Complex. While addressing media before leaving the premises, Vaiko said exit polls are not final and urged the public to wait patiently for the next two days. China will launch mass activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The activities will take multiple forms across the country with patriotism at the core, according to a circular jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council. The activities will include touring urban and rural areas to fathom changes in the country, story-telling by citizens about endeavors to realize their dreams, thematic book reading, cherishing the memory of revolutionary martyrs, and national defense education activities, according to the circular. The slogans of the 70th anniversary celebration were also unveiled in the circular. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: With exit polls predicting a landslide victory for NDA, the TRS which hoped to play a major role at a national level in the formation of the next government, might pipe down and remain contended with the rich harvest of Lok Sabha seats it is expected to reap in Telangana. Even though signals are in favour of the BJP, the TRS, nonetheless, has not yet given up hope of finding some elbow room to jockey itself to play a role in the formation of a non-BJP government, in the event of the exit polls going wide off the mark, which is not very uncommon. At the moment, it appears the TRS will not have many roles to play in the Centre. It will be limited to Telangana state and it is likely to maintain government-to-government relations with the centre at Delhi. The added advantage this time is that since the TRS would have more number of Lok Sabha seats which would help it have much better bargaining power for securing projects and funds for the state. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE As the BJP is likely to form the government on its own, it is expected that the TRS would prefer conciliation to a confrontation with the centre to protect the interests of the state. In the outgoing central government, the TRS supported the BJP on some key decisions like demonetisation and introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST). The TRS, however, differed with the BJP on some issues and fought which are mostly related to the state. If Modi comes to power once again, the TRS role will be very much limited. As majority exit poll reports indicated that NDA will retain power at the Centre, the TRS may not be able to take any active political role in Delhi, one TRS leader, who did not want his name quoted, said. In fact, TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wanted to float Federal Front in case of there is a hung Lok Sabha. Rao met leaders of several regional parties. But it may not be possible now in the fast-changing political situation at the centre. The TRS, with majority Lok Sabha members in the state, would be able to bring pressure on the Central government seeking more funds for the State in the coming five years. As expected, the Congress leaders took the results with a pinch of salt with regard to predictions for Telangana. The party leaders said that they would win four to five seats in Telangana. At the national, the Congress leaders felt that the BJP will fall short of the magic figure. We do not trust exit poll results conducted by the electronic media, as most of them are sold out to Narendra Modi. Even if a media house finds that the BJP is losing, it does not want to hurt the ego of Modi. That is why they are giving an edge to BJP, TPCC treasurer Guduru Narayana Reddy said. He said that the BJP won 225 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the Hindi heartland. But, in 2019 polls, the BJP would lose 50 per cent of the 225 seats, Narayana Reddy said and averred that the BJP could not form the next government in Delhi. Meanwhile, BJP state president K Laxman said that exit polls are only a reflection. The BJP is emerging as a clear winner, bagging 300 seats, he said. The party would not need any support from any regional party including YSRCP or TRS to form the government, he said. KCRs effort to forge federal front is an exercise in futility, he said, adding that in Telangana it is emerging as an alternative to TRS. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: TRS MLA and former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said that the farmers suicides had come down under Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raos rule in Telangana.Participating in a meeting in Tampa City in Florida in the US on Sunday organised by TRS America Cell, Harish Rao said that Chandrasekhar Raos aim is to see smiles on the faces of the farmers. Harish Rao said that Telangana is the only State in the country which has been providing free 24X7 power to farmers. The aim of the TRS government is to provide irrigation water to one crore acres, he said. Besides agriculture, Telangana is also progressing in other fields like education and health. VV Balakrishna By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Like a much cliched one-man army, his blog is a single-professor university through which this retired teacher has been working tirelessly to revive and popularise the Telugu literary form of padyam (metered poetry). Kandi Shankaraiah, a former teacher from Warangal who has not taken a single days break in the last ten years, took on himself the responsibility of keeping padyams alive and teaching this poetic form, that is unique to Telugu literature, to as many people as possible. His students include engineers, honorary doctors, retired income tax officers and other professionals -- not just from India, but from across the globe. Post retirement, Shankaraiah read an article in a Telugu daily in 2008 on how to start a blog and became a blogger. Then, he chose his favourite subject Telugu and started giving Samasya Puranam, a kind of problem-solving using metered poetry that is popular in Avadhanams. Kandi Shankaraiah,the retired teacher | Sathya keerthi Shankaraiah started his own blog kandishankaraiah.blogspot.com, named his blog Shankarabharanam and gave first Samasya Puranam on June 2, 2010. Till now, he has posted more than 3,000 Samasyalu, including Datta Padi. He has been doing this on a daily basis without taking a single days break. So far, his blog has attracted over 21 lakh page visits. I have started it as a pastime. I correct the answers and give suggestions to the participants. The participants are from US, UK, Australia, Singapore and other countries, Shankaraiah told Express on Sunday. Telugu people from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and other states too are actively participating in the Samasya Puranam activity. Not just Telugu teachers or professors, his blog has been attracting people from all sections of the society.Several retired engineers, economic professors too are now interested in Telugu Padyam. The younger generation are keen to learn Chandassu and write Telugu poems now-a-days, said Shankaraiah, who is now based in Hyderabad. Telugu Padyam lives forever, he averred.Shankaraiah admitted said that he never thought he will become so popular among Telugu people across the globe. Now, I cannot sleep without giving Samasyalu and correcting them, he said. Besides the blog, Shankaraiah also attends Avadhanams as a Prucchaka (questioner) and his followers fondly call him Samasya Prucchaka Chakravathi. Earlier, Shankaraiah worked as a Telugu teacher in Duttons High School in Warangal. Later, he worked as a Grade-1 Telugu Pandit in Mahabubia Panjetan High School in the same city and retired in 2008. Post retirement, he learnt how to operate on a desktop and the DTP work. Shankaraiahs latest book Telugu Prahelikalu (Telugu riddles), seventh in Shankarabharanam series, was launched on Sunday in Hyderabad. Asked about his favourite writers, he said: Viswanatha Satyanarayana and all old Telugu poets. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Monday called on army chief General Qamar Bajwa and discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security situation, the Pakistan Army said. The meeting came days after Pakistan Army announced that it would deploy another division-size special force to protect Chinese nationals and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistan military's media wing, matters of mutual interest including regional security situation were discussed in the meeting held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Pakistan's civil-military leaders frequently hold meetings with Chinese officials in the backdrop of the multi-billion dollar CPEC project. The CPEC is a 3,000-kilometre network of roads, pipelines and railways to connect Gwadar port in Pakistan to Kashgar in the Xinjiang region of China. In a recent interview with the Chinese state media, chief military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan military had raised a whole division-sized force to ensure the security of the CPEC, and was planning to deploy another division for the purpose. His statement came as some of the CPEC-linked project have been attacked by separatists in provinces like Balochistan. Earlier reports said a Special Security Division (SSD) comprising 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel has been set up for the security of the CPEC project and Chinese nationals working on it. By AFP KIEV, UKRAINE: Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday used his inaugural speech to announce his first priority was ending the five-year conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the country that has claimed over 13,000 lives. A month after scoring a landslide victory against incumbent Petro Poroshenko amid widespread public discontent with the political establishment, the 41-year-old comedian has become Ukraine's youngest post-Soviet president. "Our first task is a ceasefire in the Donbass," Zelensky said during the ceremony in parliament in Kiev, referring to the eastern region, prompting a round of applause. "We didn't start this war but it is up to us to end it," he said. He reiterated Ukraine does not recognise Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea nor the separatists' self-proclaimed republics in the industrial east. "Crimea and Donbass are Ukrainian land," Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine had lost not just territory but the hearts and minds of people living there, who "are not strangers, they are ours, Ukrainians." ALSO READ | Landslide win for comedian Zelensky in Ukraine presidency polls He also announced that he would dissolve parliament, in order to call early parliamentary elections, which had originally been scheduled for October. "People must come to power who will serve the public," Zelensky said after wrangling with hostile lawmakers whom he has called "petty crooks". Critics had questioned whether Zelensky would be able to govern without a parliamentary majority. Even setting a date for his inauguration took weeks of negotiations with lawmakers. In a hard-hitting speech, Zelensky called for the sacking of the head of the state security service, prosecutor-general and defence minister -- which has to be approved by parliament. Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak and the head of the SBU security service Vasyl Grytsak swiftly tendered their resignations. High fives outside parliament Zelensky took a non-traditional route to his inauguration -- walking on foot from his home nearby, after saying he wanted a less pompous ceremony. Dressed in a dark suit, he exchanged high fives with supporters waiting outside, took selfies with them and even jumped up planting a kiss on a supporter's forehead. In his speech, Zelensky referred to his background as a comedian. "In my life, I've tried to do all I could to make Ukrainians smile," he said. "In the next five years I'll do all I can so that Ukrainians don't cry." The parliament's speaker Andriy Parubiy closed the inauguration ceremony with words: "Thanks everyone, this has been fun." Uniquely for a first-time president, Zelensky has played the role before -- for laughs. He starred as a history teacher who was unexpectedly elected president in a television comedy series, "Servant of the People". When the actor and comedian announced his candidacy on December 31, few took it seriously, but after an unprecedented campaign largely waged through social media, he won more than 73 percent in the second round on April 21, trouncing Poroshenko. Poroshenko led Ukraine for five years, overseeing the fallout over the Crimea annexation and the conflict in the east. Though he launched some reforms, he was criticised for failing to improve living standards or effectively fight corruption. Challenges ahead Zelensky has vowed to continue the country's pro-Western course but his critics question how he will deal with the enormous challenges of the separatist conflict and ongoing economic problems. The separatist authorities have indicated that they could be ready to negotiate with Zelensky. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelensky and would not be congratulating him on taking up the post. The Russian president will instead "congratulate him on the first successes" in regulating the conflict, he said, calling it a "domestic problem" for Ukraine. Moscow has been accused of militarily supporting the separatists, and Putin this month ordered an easing of procedures for Ukrainians living in the eastern separatist regions to gain Russian citizenship, a challenge to the new Ukrainian leader. Ukraine's allies have given Zelensky a warm welcome, but the new president will immediately have to deal with a number of sensitive international issues. In a sign of possible tensions between Kiev and Washington, Ukraine's key ally against Moscow, US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani this month cancelled a visit to Kiev, saying Zelensky is "surrounded by people who are enemies of the (US) president." The political situation prompted one pro-Western lawmaker, Serguiy Vysotsky, to warn Zelensky that the inauguration "isn't the end of your adventures -- it's just the beginning". By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has hit out at the opposition parties which gathered in Islamabad for an Iftar-dinner, holding them responsible for the country's record foreign debt and economic woes. In a show of unity, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz met the chairman of Pakistan People Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto at an Iftar-dinner hosted by him here on Sunday. It was for the first time that Maryam came face-to-face with Bilawal whose slain mother Benazir Bhutto was a strong rival of now-jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif but later the two joined hands against military ruler Pervez Musharraf. ALSO READ | Pakistan resorts to aggressive diplomacy to avoid FATF blacklist The Iftar-dinner was also attended by other opposition leaders, including Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai among others. "These people [opposition leaders] have gathered under the guise of safeguarding democracy. In fact, they are the reason for the country's present crises," Khan said. Khan said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government assumed charge in the toughest of times when the country's debt was at a historic high. He said that the nation is hopeful for the country's progress and he will prove that Pakistan will be at the top in the region. "We inherited Pakistan in the most difficult circumstances with a record foreign debt and a huge economic deficit. But I will prove that Pakistan will emerge as the fastest growing country in the whole region. "However, we will bring the country back on the path to progress by working tirelessly," he told the audience at a fundraiser. Cash-strapped Pakistan last week reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a bailout package under which the cash-strapped country will receive USD 6 billion over three years. The country is seeking this money to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. The latest deal would be the 22nd bailout package since Pakistan became a member of the IMF in 1950. By PTI LONDON: An Indian-origin man arrested a few years ago on his way to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in Syria and convicted of terror offences by a UK court last month was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment on Monday. Hanzalah Patel, from the British city of Leicester, denied the charges but was found guilty by a jury at the end of a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in April. The 22-year-old told his family that he was due to be leading prayers at a mosque in Germany but after concerns were raised, West Midlands Police searched his home and began piecing together his intention to travel to Syria and join ISIS. "If anyone is concerned that a friend or family member is thinking of travelling to Syria it is very important that they tell us as soon as possible. Police and other agencies can offer support to help safeguard those who are vulnerable to radicalisers," said Chief Superintendent Shaun Edwards, of the West Midlands Police Counter-Terrorism Unit. "The sooner we can intervene, the better chance we have of preventing people from becoming embroiled in the conflict and facing potential prosecution," he said. Patel, along with accomplice and school friend 23-year-old Safwaan Mansur, was arrested on July 1, 2017, by the officers as they arrived back at Heathrow Airport from Istanbul, where the Turkish authorities had executed the arrest as part of the UK's investigation. During a two-week trial in April, Patel said he wanted to go to Syria to "big myself up" on returning after taking some pictures and talking to local people. But the trial heard that Patel and Mansur, who has also been jailed for 14 years, had bought camping equipment, outdoor survival equipment and clothing. After the preparations, they purchased airline tickets before travelling initially to Germany and then onto Istanbul before contacting others to arrange a crossing into Syria. They had broken down their journey in an attempt to evade surveillance using a mix of air travel and public transport, they had even booked a return flight with no intention of using it, West Midlands Police said. Mansur and Patel who had known each other since being at school together in Leicester had embarked on a similar trip in 2016 but having got to Hatay on the Syrian border, they returned to the UK after a contact failed to answer calls. Hatay, at the time was a transit area for individuals wanting to cross into territory occupied by ISIS. They planned a repeat journey via Turkey a year later before being arrested and found guilty of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism between May and June 2017. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needs to launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to secure enough support to come out of the greylist or prevent itself from falling into the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) next month, a senior government official has said. The official's remarks came after a 10-member Pakistani delegation attended a two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) of the Paris-based global watchdog FATF in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou where it defended Pakistan's efforts against money laundering and terror financing. The official, who participated in the APG meeting in Guangzhou last week, told the Dawn newspaper that Pakistan has taken aggressive steps in the last two months in view of the coming FATF Plenary and Working Group meetings in Orlando, Florida, scheduled for June 16-21. ALSO READ | Pakistan's efforts to act against terror groups, money laundering questioned at APG meet in China The Orlando plenary will actually set the stage for Pakistan's future even though a formal announcement would come out at the next FATF plenary due in Paris on October 18-23, he said. While speaking to the Dawn, the official said, "We believe we have generally delivered on the technical side i.e legal and administrative action, regulations, monitoring, enforcement and inter-agency and stakeholder coordination and now require more of the diplomatic push to counter the adversaries." He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was expected to get a briefing on the Guangzhou meeting and on the way forward on Monday. The official said it was expected that Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi would now coordinate with stakeholders on a strategy to reach out to nations around the globe. The task is difficult as the US-India grouping which has greater influence in the international Arena and on the non-aligned members of the FATF prefer to abstain than siding with Pakistan. According to the report, Pakistan requires about 15-16 votes to move out of the greylist and a minimum of three votes to avoid the blacklist. The FATF currently comprises 36 members with voting powers and two regional organisations, representing most of the major financial centres in all parts of the globe. The FATF plenary had formally placed Pakistan in the grey list in June 2018 after the country could not secure a minimum of three votes. On May 3, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India will ask the FATF to put Pakistan on a blacklist of countries that fail to meet international standards in stopping financial crime. China is set to secure FATF presidency next year while Saudi Arabia representing the Gulf Cooperation Council is to become a full FATF member. Turkey was the only member that stood by Pakistan despite a strong campaign launched by the US, the UK, India and Europe. Pakistan's seriousness to act against proscribed terror outfits and its efforts to curb money laundering and terror financing were questioned by members of a regional affiliate of the FATF at the Guangzhou meeting. The official said the Pakistani delegation presented a robust case before the APG panel on the country's progress on the 10-point action plan committed with the global watchdog despite tough questioning from some participants. The APG would now submit its findings, based on Pakistan's report and question-answer session, to the FATF in its June 16-21 Plenary and Working Group meetings in the United States. By Associated Press DUBAI: Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom's energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn't looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers two of them Saudi were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. ALSO READ | Saudi calls for urgent Arab talks over Iran tensions "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that. But at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests," al-Jubeir told reporters. On Sunday night, the US military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no US or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that "a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the US Embassy." The spokesman said that "attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner" and added that the US will hold "Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces." Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Trump tweeted. A senior Iranian military commander was quoted as saying his country is not looking for war, in comments published in Iranian media on Sunday. Fears of armed conflict were already running high after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. The US also has ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq. Trump had appeared to soften his tone in recent days, saying he expected Iran to seek negotiations with his administration. Asked on Thursday if the US might be on a path to war with Iran, the president answered, "I hope not." Sunday night's apparent rocket attack was the first such incident since September, when three mortar shells landed in an abandoned lot inside the Green Zone. Iraqi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasoul told The Associated Press that a Katyusha rocket fell near the statue of the Unknown Soldier, less than a mile from the US Embassy. He said that the military was investigating the cause but that the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias. As tensions escalate between the US and Iran, there have been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle, just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 US troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those US forces to leave. The US Navy said Sunday it had conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea with the aircraft carrier strike group ordered to the region to counter the unspecified threat from Iran. The Navy said the exercises and training were conducted Friday and Saturday with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the US Marine Corps, highlighting US "lethality and agility to respond to threat," as well as to deter conflict and preserve US strategic interests. The current tensions are rooted in Trump's decision last year to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and impose wide-reaching sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports that are crucial to its economy. Iran has said it would resume enriching uranium at higher levels if a new nuclear deal is not reached by July 7. That would potentially bring it closer to being able to develop a nuclear weapon, something Iran insists it has never sought. Senior officials from China and ASEAN member countries met Saturday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, to further coordinate on the South China Sea, agreeing to continue efforts for peace, tranquility and common development in the area. An aerial photo of the South China Sea. [File photo: Xinhua] At the meeting, all sides made in-depth exchanges of views on comprehensive, effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), further pragmatic maritime cooperation as well as consultation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), according to a Foreign Ministry press release. The participants of the 17th Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC agreed to implement the DOC comprehensively and effectively, speed up the negotiation of the COC and strive for an early result, said the press release. They also reached consensus on some new maritime projects of cooperation. The Government has written to the Legislative Council's House Committee asking for a second reading of the fugitive bill to be resumed on June 12. Secretary for Security John Lee made the announcement today, saying the move is being taken as the bills committee that is meant to scrutinise the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 is no longer functioning. Mr Lee noted the bills committee has failed to agree on resolving the situation, while its chairman still has not been elected since the Government tabled the bill five weeks ago. Writing to the House Committee chairwoman to seek a resumption of the debate on the amendment bill is the only way out of the current deadlock in LegCo, he said, adding that there is a time constraint for the bill. Under LegCos Rules of Procedure, a debate may be resumed upon written notice delivered by the public officer in charge of the relevant bill to the office of the Clerk, after consultation with the House Committee chair. The security chief also said the Government will try its best to explain the law changes to Taiwan where a Hong Kong man is accused of murdering his girlfriend last year. We will be making every possible effort to let Taiwan understand that we have to create the law so that we can offer the assistance which they have asked for at a very early stage. We will do it with respect. We will only look at the case details and talk about the legal matters as well as the subsequent arrangements to hand over the person to Taiwan so that he will face the justice he should face. Mr Lee acknowledged the differences of opinion on the amendment bill, with some supporting and some opposing it. It is every persons right to express their view and the Central Government of course has supported the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to go ahead with matters that are in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong. HOUSTON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- City and local level exchanges and cooperation have laid the foundation for healthy development of the U.S.-China relations, experts agreed at the fourth U.S.-China Innovation and Investment Summit (UCIS) held from Thursday to Friday. The summit attracted around 300 officials, experts and business leaders from the United States and China. Participants shared the view that the summit has set a platform for collaborations between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the two countries. According to the Chinese Consul General in Houston Li Qiangmin, communication and cooperation between cities in China and the United States, particularly in science and technology, are an important part of the China-U.S. relations. "The summit has special meaning of solving the problem for U.S. small businesses to enter the Chinese market, as well as assisting the Chinese innovative companies to access the international market," said Li. According to U.S.-China Innovation Alliance (UCIA), the co-host of the summit, the event has expanded significantly since its first launch in 2016 and it has attracted more companies and scientific research institutions. Statistics show the event has facilitated more than 3,000 B2B matchmaking projects and reached over 300 cooperative intentions, with the participation of more than 100 innovative companies from both sides. David Firestein, inaugural executive director of China Public Policy Center in the University of Texas at Austin, believed that people-to-people and business-to-business exchanges are the basis of U.S.-China relations, adding that the summit has played a crucial role in promoting such exchanges. "They (cities, companies and individuals on both sides) work together every day in ways that you don't see headlines about and that we often forget about," noted Firestein, who is also the president and CEO of George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations. As the honorary guest city of this year's summit, Changsha in Hunan Province of China led over 20 SMEs to matchmake with the U.S. companies in the fields of advanced manufacturing and biopharma and digital health &diagnosis. A memorandums of understanding (MoU) on cooperative relationship in technological development and cultural innovation was signed between Changsha and Austin, capital of the state of Texas as part of the UCIS. Steve Adler, mayor of Austin, said that city-level exchanges and cooperation can help promote understandings between the two countries, and city of Austin will do everything "within the bounds available to us to maximize those opportunities." In order to facilitate the energy business of the two countries, the U.S. National Center for Sustainable Development (NCSD) signed two MoUs with Chinese companies. The MoUs were signed between the NCSD and China Hainan Dayang International Energy Group Co. Ltd. and Zhuhai Dayang International Exchange Group respectively, to build trading platforms for petroleum and its derivatives between the two nations. Gong Jialong, CEO of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Energy Exchange Co. Ltd., said China-U.S. cooperation in energy has great potential because "China is the world's largest energy consumer and U.S. is one of the largest producers." Highly praising the cooperation MoUs, NCSD Chairman Mitchell Stanley said the summit is an effective way for U.S. small businesses in energy industry to enter the international market. As a featured event of the summit, the third "INNOSTARS" preliminary competitions attracted dozens of U.S. SMEs to compete in four areas of science, health and technological innovations, including advanced manufacturing, biopharma and digital health &diagnosis, information and communication technology, as well as energy. The 12 winning enterprises will enter the grand final in China and explore their business opportunities on the other side of the Pacific. Jointly hosted by the China Science &Technology Exchange Center and U.S.-China Innovation Alliance, the two-day summit kicked off on Thursday and attracted around 300 participants from China and the United States, including entrepreneurs and investors. A joint operation by the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has arrested 19 people for abusing military uniform to commit a spate of criminal offences. The suspects, who committed the offences donning military regalia, masqueraded as soldiers in their criminal enterprise. They would also abuse the uniform to get free rides. Arrests were effected in the first five months of this year. In a statement, ZNA public relations director Lieutenant-Colonel Alphios Makotore said ZNA and ZRP have, since the beginning of this year, warned the public against such criminals. The ZNA and ZRP have been on record warning members of the public to be on the lookout for these rogue elements and have henceforth arrested nineteen (19) bogus soldiers caught either committing various crimes or using the military uniform to commit crimes such as robbery and to get various favours such as travelling for free since the beginning of the year, he said. Lt Col Makotore warned those still in possession of military uniforms to surrender them to avoid arrest. The Zimbabwe National Army has noted with grave concern an increase in crimes being committed by bogus soldiers. This is despite an earlier notice to the public to surrender all military uniforms, military replicas and apparel to the nearest police station or military camps, he said. Be warned that if anyone is caught either in possession of, or wearing military fatigues, they will face the full wrath of the law. In terms of section 99(2) (c) of the Defence Act (Chapter 11:02), any person who, without authority, wears or uses any decoration supplied to or authorised for use by any member of the Defence Forces or other military forces or any decoration so nearly resembling such decoration as to be likely to deceive, shall be guilty of an offence. Further to this, Lt Col Makotore said, Section 99 (4) of the same Act reads: In any prosecution for any offence in terms of this Section relating to any act done without due or lawful authority, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that accused had no such authority. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Morning high of 35F with temps falling sharply to near 10. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of snow after midnight. Low 9F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected. Darshika Hennayake, a graduate student from Sri Lanka, analyzes leachate samples of lettuce obtained from her research at the Soil Lab of Nanjing Forestry University in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on May 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Atcha Ponn) BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Together with her fellow Chinese researchers, Darshika Hennayake harvests lettuce from a soil lab and is ready to evaluate the soil nitrogen dynamics. At Nanjing Forestry University in east China's Jiangsu Province, Hennayake, a graduate student from Sri Lanka, has been researching on how to reduce greenhouse gases in rice paddies and vegetable cultivation by using the biochar. Hennayake formerly worked as an environment officer at a state-run irrigation project in Sri Lanka, and started her study at the Chinese university in September last year. "Chinese people know the value of nature, as they always say that clean waters and green mountains are as valuable as gold and silver," Hennayake said, noting that she has been impressed by China's environmental protection efforts and achievements, especially in fighting air and water pollution. She said Sri Lanka has a lot of freshwater resources and different forest types, but the country faces problems such as deforestation, soil erosion and population. She plans to bring new environmental control technologies tested in China back to her country after graduation. Hennayake is not the only foreigner who is keen on learning from China's greening experience. Tan Oui How, from Malaysia, has been living in Beijing for years. Tan said the city had adopted a set of measures to improve the environment, such as removing illegal buildings which occupied forest land and converting from coal burning to natural gas in countryside. "The government is quick in action, and the effect has been obvious," Tan said. UNSWERVING EFFORTS As one of the first countries to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change, China has pledged to halt the rise in carbon dioxide emissions by around 2030. With a resolve to pursue green development and the vision of building a "Beautiful China," China has invested great efforts in ecological conservation. Between 2013 and 2018, the country completed afforestation of 40 million hectares. The national reserve forest system has been launched, with 3.18 million hectares of forest being either created or delineated as the national reserve. A study in February using data from NASA satellites showed that China had contributed to at least 25 percent of the increase in the global green leaf area since the early 2000s. China has also established a protection scheme by assigning each waterway a specific "river or lake chief," amid efforts to treat water pollution. China's environmental protection efforts have gained a world-renowned reputation. "China has a lot to offer in terms of lessons, for example, on how the government set up policies to address the issue of pollution," said Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. EXPO FOR GREENER LIFE The ongoing Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition offers a glimpse into China's commitments to green development. The expo's Honor Day of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), held on May 11, highlighted China's engagement in international meteorological cooperation and the global campaign against climate change. Since 1972 when China resumed its position in the WMO, the country has been actively involved in all kinds of activities in the organization. In 2017, the China Meteorological Administration signed a letter of intent with the WMO, aiming to improve regional meteorological disaster forecasting and climate change handling ability, as well as promoting meteorological services in Belt and Road construction. During the expo's "Inner Mongolia Day," lasting from Thursday to Saturday, visitors were introduced to environmental protection achievements in the northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The region boasts a combination of landscapes including forests, grasslands and the Gobi desert. It has been pushing forward with afforestation efforts, utilizing the unique characteristics of the various land areas. Forest coverage rate of the region was increased from 21.03 percent in 2013 to 22.10 percent in 2018, while the grassland vegetation coverage rate reached 44 percent last year, a growth of 14 percentage points from 2000. "China has led the way in promoting green development," said Bernard Oosterom, president of the International Association of Horticultural Producers. "I am confident that the legacy of this expo will be greener lives for generations to come," he said. Japanese seafood company Maruha Nichiro will export fully farmed tuna to Europe, taking advantage of a recent economic partnership agreement scrapping most substantial tariffs. Maruha Nichiro, the nation's largest producer of fully farmed tuna, has received approval to ship fresh fish to Europe from an aquaculture facility and processing plant in Oita Prefecture. The seafood will be sold through a Netherlands-based subsidiary to such customers as Japanese restaurants. The company aims to sell more than 10 tons of fully farmed tuna to Europe in fiscal 2019. Growing concern about overfishing has sparked interest among European consumers in fully farmed seafood. Unlike conventionally farmed tuna, which are caught in the wild as juveniles and raised to maturity, fully farmed tuna are hatched from farm-raised fish. - Nikkei Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to sign an agreement on joint lunar exploration and other space-related projects when they meet here May 27, seeking to stay a step ahead of China and other rivals. Japan will join the U.S.-led Gateway project, which involves putting a manned space station into lunar orbit to use as a base for missions to the moon and eventually Mars. This will mark the two countries' first collaboration on lunar exploration. Such partnerships are growing more important to Washington as it competes with Beijing for supremacy in space. The U.S. plans to establish a Space Force by 2020 and is reaching out to allies, including Japan, to solidify its dominance. For the Gateway project, Japan plans to contribute in such areas as life support systems and transporting supplies from Earth, using technology from its Kounotori unmanned cargo transfer vehicle and the Kibo experiment module. The government will revise its space policy framework and work on the necessary budgetary and legislative steps this year. Canada is participating in the Gateway project, and the European Union is expected to join. Washington and Tokyo will also work together on space junk for the first time, monitoring and exchanging information about suspicious objects to improve the accuracy of their observations. Japan, which currently relies on the U.S. for much of this data, will develop its own technology and set up an information-sharing framework. - Nikkei Police in Hidaka town, Hokkaido, have arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder after he shot his father with an arrow from a crossbow. According to police, the suspect, Mamoru Tanii, shot his father Hiroki, 59, at around 10 a.m. on May 11, Fuji TV reported. The arrow pierced Hiroki's lower lip. The victim was taken to hospital, police said, adding that his wound was not life-threatening. The incident occurred at the Tomikawa Gloria Home, a care facility for elderly people where Hiroki works as a doctor. Tanii also works at the facility as a caregiver. The upper floor of the facility is also where the family lives. Police said that Hiroki's wife told them their son had been dissatisfied with his work and had been recently arguing with his father about it. He shot the arrow at his father in a community room. Tanii went missing after the incident but was picked up on Friday. - Japan Today Imagine you are a Chinese tourist visiting Japan for the first time. Your travels take you to Osaka and the 40-story Umeda Sky Building, with its fine views of the city. After awhile, you look for the exit and are confronted with the following sign in Chinese: "Ni tui chu." ("You get out of here.") That is just what happened back in January, touching off a small uproar on Chinese social media. "Don't they respect the Chinese language?" commented one outraged netizen. When it comes to signage meant to help visitors from abroad, Japan is kinder than many countries, putting up signs in many public places, often in multiple foreign languages. Unfortunately, the messages sometimes go awry. Blame the garbled communications on online translation services and software, and a failure to run the final product by someone who actually understands the language. Not only do poorly translated signs leave overseas tourists giggling or scratching their heads, they can sometimes cause offense, leaving international travelers ill-disposed toward their hosts -- hardly what Japan, which is keen to grow its tourism industry, wants to do. The company that manages the building in Osaka was at first blissfully unaware of the gaffe, which was produced by a machine translation of a Japanese sign that said: "Okaeri guchi," or "Way out." "The mistranslation used Chinese characters that mean "exit" in Japanese, so we hadn't the slightest idea that anything was wrong. It came as a shock when we realized what it meant [in Chinese]," said an abashed company spokesman. Sadly, examples of such well-intentioned messages going haywire are not uncommon in Japan. Tokyo Metro, which operates a subway network in the city, also discovered that posters it put up in stations to warn passengers about a safety hazard were no help at all. The message in Chinese read: "It is dangerous to disperse the focus of your attention while walking." What Tokyo Metro wanted to say was: "Do not operate electronic devices while walking." Somehow the Chinese translation left the gadgets out entirely. - Nikkei Doctors at a Xi'an hospital check the patient's X-ray to assess how the artificial disc is performing. Photo: Courtesy of Honghui Hospital The world's first 3D printed cervical intervertebral disc replacement operation was successfully completed in Northwest China and hailed by experts on Sunday as a milestone in combining high technology with clinical medicine. Doctors at Honghui Hospital, Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, used a cervical intervertebral disc produced by a 3D printer to replace the impaired cervical intervertebral disc of a patient, the first for this body part in the world, the Xi'an Daily reported on Friday. Surgeon Qian Lixiong told the Global Times on Sunday they first took a CT scan of the patient and then designed a personalized prosthesis based on the image data. "The 3D printed cervical intervertebral disc replacement method is a breakthrough in clinical medicine practice," Qian said. A cervical intervertebral disc produced by a 3D printer. Photo: Courtesy of Honghui Hospital Most hospitals in China use an imported prosthesis that costs at least 60,000 yuan ($8,673) and whose design is based on foreign people. The 3D version costs about 40,000 yuan and is personalized according to the patient's image data, making it more compatible with Chinese patients. "We're going to promote and popularize the technology if later research verifies the incidence rate of using a 3D artificial cervical disc is slower than that of using the imported prostheses," Qian said. President Muhammadu Buhari says he will do his best to ensure that Nigerians live in peace. Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, q... President Muhammadu Buhari says he will do his best to ensure that Nigerians live in peace. Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, quoted Buhari as saying this when he had iftar (breaking of fast) with Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara state, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday. Garba Tambari, emir of Maradun local government in Zamfara, was also present at the iftar. Buhari left Nigeria to observe umrah (lesser hajj) in Saudi on Thursday. He is expected back in the country on Tuesday. According to Shehu, the president expressed sadness over the loss of lives and destruction of property in Zamfara. Zamfara has suffered a series of attacks by bandits. On Tuesday, unknown gunmen abducted seven people, including a 3-month-old baby at Kanoma village in Maru local government area of the state. The attack occurred days after not less than 50 people were reportedly killed in four communities in the state. Shehu quoted the president as expressing determination to ensure that justice prevails and Nigerians find peace and prosperity wherever they lived. The federal government had banned mining activities in Zamfara in a bid to curtail the attacks by bandits. Embattled rapper, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos this morning to face 11 cha... Embattled rapper, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos this morning to face 11 charges bordering on fraud against him for alleged credit card fraud. He was remanded in EFCC custody till May 30th pending his bail application. Read the full statement below by EFCC: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on May 20, 2019, arraigned a Nigerian artiste, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, before Justice Nicholas I. Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on an 11-count charge bordering on cybercrime. . The defendant was arrested on May 10, 2019, following intelligence report received by the Commission about his alleged involvement in internet fraud. day of November, 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourself to use Access card no : 5264711020433662 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1) (b) of the Cybercrime Prohibition, Prevention etc Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the same Act. One of the counts reads: That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Yad Isril (still at large), on or about the 26thday of November, 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourself to use Access card no : 5264711020433662 issued to persons otherthan you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1) (b) of the Cybercrime Prohibition, Prevention etc Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the same Act. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him. In view of his pleas, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court for a trial date. He also prayed for accelerated hearing of the case and urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody. Counsel to the defendant, Taiwo Oluwa Ore- Agba, asked the court for a date to hear the bail application on behalf of his client. The Nigerian National Assembly has released stringent guidelines for fresh accreditation. This is coming barely two weeks to the i... The Nigerian National Assembly has released stringent guidelines for fresh accreditation. This is coming barely two weeks to the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly. In a guideline released by the management on Monday and signed by the Director of Information, Mr. Emmanuel Rawlings Agada, the NASS requested for fresh application letter from journalists intending to cover the plenary. The management among other things, requested for evidence of Income tax return from media organisations as a prerequisite for accreditation. The guideline also stimulated that media houses would only be entitled to one accreditation for both chambers except for those that require a photographer or videographer. For the online media, the management said it would only accredit those who have up to 5000 viewers or hit per day, those who are up to 5 years in existence and those whose staffers in Abuja are up to 5. It also classified accreditation of journalists into permanent, temporary, foreign/international media and Freelancers with proof of membership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and National Library registration as criteria. Read below the guidelines as obtained by our correspondent: NEW GUIDELINES FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF MEDIA ORGANISATIONS, JOURNALISTS/ CORRESPONDENTS COVERING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1.0 Number of journalists/correspondents to be accredited for prints, electronic and online media for Senate and House of Representatives respectively. 1.1 Television 1 Reporter and 1 Cameraman 1.2 Radio 1 Reporter 1.3 Independent Producers 1 Reporter and 1 Cameramen 1.4 Online Media 1 Reporter and 1 Photographer CLASSIFICATION OF ACCREDITATION 2.1 Permanent Accreditation 2.2 Temporary Accreditation 2.3 Foreign/lnternational Media Houses 2.4 Freelance 3.0 REQUIREMENT FOR PERMANENT ACCREDITATION OF JOURNALISTS/CORRESPONDENTS FOR PRINT, ELECTRONIC AND ONLINE MEDIA ORGANISATIONS 3.1 Evidence of certificate of incorporation of the media organisation. 3.2 Evidence of membership of professional bodies for media organization. 3.3 Proof of membership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with registration number. 3.4 Code of certification from the National Library for the media organization. 3.5 Functional Bureau in Abuja (Staff Strength not less than 5 Editorial staff and daily circulation of 40,000 copies for the print media with evidence to support the claimed circulation figure. 3.6 Media Houses must be publishing daily and on weekend (Applicable to Online Media). 3.7 Re-certification form must be signed and endorsed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Media organization Bureau Chief, City Editor as the case may be. 3.8 The Media organization concerned must have experience of covering proceedings of the National Assembly for at least two (2) years before applying for permanent accreditation. 3.9 All media organization will submit a copy of its income tax return for the last two years. 3.10 All online media must have at least 5000 viewership per day, the site must have been in operation for 5 years and provide satisfactory evidence to this effect with clippings of the news utilized (especially parliamentary news). 3.11 Only television stations with national coverage and specific independent producers with current running programme on the National Assembly will be allowed access into the Chambers on a permanent basis (All the production crew will be accredited as entity). 3.12 All correspondents must attach photocopy of letter of appointment of the media organization on whose behalf request has been received for grant of accreditation. 3.13 All freelance journalist seeking permanent accreditation must show evidence of not less than 5 years coverage of the National Assembly proceedings/full editorial focus and publication on parliamentary reportage. 4.0 It is only Journalists and correspondence whose media organisations meet the above requirements for Permanent accreditation that will be entitled to carry National Assembly Identity Card/Membership of the respective Press Corp 5.0 All other media organization who do not meet the above requirement will be captured under the Temporary accreditation status and they will not be entitled to carry National Assembly Identity Card/Membership of the Press Corp of the Senate and House of Representatives. 6.0 All Temporary accredited media houses, journalists/correspondents shall be allowed permit into the National Assembly for specific coverage not exceeding one (1) week in the first instance and not more than twice in a month. 7.0 All foreign/international media houses seeking accreditation shall abide by all the Diplomatic Protocols established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for foreign media organizations, the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and security clearance before accreditation will be considered upon the recommendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 8.0 All permanently accredited journalists/correspondents shall submit recertification letter from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of their media organization on a sessional basis failure to which accreditation shall be withdrawn forthwith. 9.0 All accredited media organization will be considered as a single entity in the issuance of passes irrespective of their membership of Senate and House of Representatives Press Corp. Adbulrasheed Akanbi, oluwo of Iwoland in Osun state, has called on the federal government to make provision for security votes for the... Adbulrasheed Akanbi, oluwo of Iwoland in Osun state, has called on the federal government to make provision for security votes for the traditional institution to help fight insecurity in the country. Akanbi, who spoke to journalists in Osogbo, the state capital on Monday, said the traditional rulers are closer to the grassroots and are privy to the intelligence needed to curb crimes in communities. According to him, the police cannot effectively perform their duty of securing the people because the force is underfunded and understaffed, hence the need to collaborate with traditional rulers. Traditional rulers should be empowered to domesticate security at the grassroots which constitutes higher percent of the hideouts for kidnappers. Co-opting monarchs will unavoidably decimate security threat, Akanbi said. But traditional institution should be given security vote to engage local hunters, vigilante, the Agbekoyas, trusted local Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), among others. In my own capacity, I am trying my utmost best in my domain but the institution I represent deserves security funding to act more. I have personally arrested a criminal in my domain and handed him over to the police. I know the nooks and crannies of my city. No criminal can survive with illegality here. I have instilled the fear in them and this has decimated atrocities in Iwo. I am ready to do more if empowered by engaging trusted local security details. The police saddled with this primary responsibility is underfunded and under staffed. Nigeria of over 200 million population is parading about 300,000 policemen. The police should be equipped with modern tools and should be paid good salaries and as well be assured of job security to motivate them for maximal performance. Government should provide surveillance helicopters to aid technical detective assignments by the police, most especially when searching kidnappers hideouts. Akanbi linked the high rate of crimes and banditry in the country to unemployment, saying the availability of jobs will cause a drastic reduction in social vices in the society. The ultimate panacea is the implementation of robust youth based programs and empowerment for the Nigerian youth, he said. The root of every security threat is unemployment. Addressing this will halt the menace of criminality and clean our country of social vices. The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has vowed to resist any attempt to stop his inauguration for second term in office. In ... The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has vowed to resist any attempt to stop his inauguration for second term in office. In a statement yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Alhaji Yusuf Dingyadi, the governor alleged of plots to cause political chaos in the state. He said that certain individuals were spreading lies and creating confusion that the court was going to remove him from office and give power to the APC. Tambuwal added that his posters along Birnin Kebbi Road, Maiduguri Road, Airport Road and some other areas within the metropolis had been removed and replaced with those of the APC governorship candidate. Tambuwal stressed that only legal means could stop his government. The statement reads, Election is over, we have won the election and we have offered a hand of fellowship, we asked them to come so that we develop Sokoto State, they refused and went to court, why cant they allow the court to pass its verdict? You cant take your case to court and start making political noise and telling people lies when even the court has not started its own assignment. We are still in the process of pre-hearing, we didnt even get to the time witnesses are called to testify on the election manipulation they alleged, yet they have started going round telling people lies, especially in the rural areas, they want to show that government is coming to them. The governor advised the opposition to allow the court to their work. He continued, PDP in Sokoto is not looking for any backdoor judgement. You allow the court to do what is needful, we have confidence in court because we won election with divine intervention. He called on law enforcement agencies in Sokoto to stop what he described as political rascality in Sokoto State. Samuel Abdulraheem was seven years old when he disappeared from his family home in Kano in the 90s. According to BBC, the last of ... Samuel Abdulraheem was seven years old when he disappeared from his family home in Kano in the 90s. According to BBC, the last of 17 children from a polygamous home, Abdulraheem was left with his nanny when he went missing. Abdulraheem, who is now 30 years, recounted how he was taken through a journey by rail to serve as a guide to disabled beggars in Lagos. According to him, he was taken to a one-armed woman who hired him out to blind beggars for N500 daily. All I remember is the train journey, Abdulraheem said. I am not sure I had emotions then, just a zombie that knew he had to wake up and lead a beggar out. Make money, eat food and sleep, and the same routine the next day. While Abdulraheem was tending to beggars in Lagos, his family searched for him till they lost hope and assumed he was dead. For six years, Abdulraheem guided blind beggars around Lagos and neighboring states. In those years, he added that five other young boys were brought to the woman and were also hired out to beggars. I was like a slave. I couldnt say I wanted to go and do anything. I had to be around always, he said. HOW ABDULRAHEEM WAS FOUND His elder sister, identified as Firdausi Okezie (pictured with him), who was in the university when Abdulraheem went missing, had finished her school and gone to Lagos in search of employment. Okezie had converted to Christianity and was attending Winners Chapel in Ogun state when fate brought her in contact with her missing sibling in November 2ooo. It was during the churchs five-day annual gathering of its members from all over the world. Okezie, who was yet to get a job, was seated in the church, waiting for a carpenter to create a stall for her to display her tie and dye fabrics at the gathering when she saw a blind beggar being led by a boy she immediately recognised as her missing brother. She took him along with her and later enrolled Abdulraheem in school up to his tertiary education. However, Abdulraheem was expelled during his fourth year in Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he was studying chemical engineering after he was caught writing another students answers during exams. He now works as a supervisor on construction sites and hopes to go back to school when he has the finance. Tanko Al-Makura, Nasarawa governor, says he will need more than seven days to respond to a freedom of information request by the Socio... Tanko Al-Makura, Nasarawa governor, says he will need more than seven days to respond to a freedom of information request by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). SERAP had asked President Muhammadu Buhari and all the 36 governors to provide details of what was appropriated for as security votes between 2011 and 2019. Al-Makuras response was contained via a letter, with reference number, NS/MOJ/ADM/108/VOL1/65, signed by Nasarawa state attorney-general. According to Kolawole Oludare, SERAPs deputy director, Al-Makura promised to revert to the organisation when the information is ready. I refer to your letter dated 12th April 2019 requesting information on the spending of security votes by Nasarawa State between 2011 to date, Oludare quoted the governor as saying. I am directed to draw your attention to the fact that the information being requested covers a period of eight years and will require more than 7 days to process. We shall revert to you as soon as the information is ready. In its reply, SERAP asked the governor to fast-track the process and ensure the information is provided before the expiration of his tenure on May 29. We urge you to fast-track the process to ensure that the information is sent to us before the expiration of your term on 29th May 2019, SERAP said. This would be a perfect parting gift to the people of Nasarawa, and show the way for 35 other state governors and the federal government that have failed, so far, to respond to the FOI requests on security votes spending. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has withdrawn 25 certificates of return issued to some candidates who par... The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has withdrawn 25 certificates of return issued to some candidates who partook in the 2019 general election. Speaking at a media forum in Enugu state on Monday, Festus Okoye, INECs national commissioner for information and voter education, said the commission took the action based on court orders. Okoye said 20 of the 25 certificates were withdrawn from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and given to other APC members while two were withdrawn from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and issued to other PDP members. He said the other three were withdrawn from both the APC and PDP and given to other political parties. Before we left INEC national headquarters on Friday, the commission has withdrawn 25 certificates-of-return from the first owners to their new owners following court orders to do that, he said. Okoye lauded the media for its openness and robust engagement with the commission before, during and after the election, adding that the media had become critical stakeholders for the success of future elections. He said the media had become the first line of reach of the masses as well as a platform for the explanation of INEC political and electoral decisions. Okoye called on the media and its practitioners to dig deep into the electoral act to ensure that the import of the recently amended sections is made known to the public. WASHINGTON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday took a "strongly Pro-Life" stance while supporting some exceptions in response to the controversial abortion ban by Alabama. "As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions -- Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother -- the same position taken by (ex-President) Ronald Reagan," Trump tweeted, amid a national debate over the issue following Alabama's near-total abortion ban earlier this week. Alabama enacted a new law on Wednesday to ban all abortions, except in the cases in which the mother's life is in danger. It is the latest state to join the camp to make abortions illegal from the time as early as of detected fetal heartbeat, around six weeks of gestation. Such states include Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi, Iowa and North Dakota. The moves are deemed to constitute a challenge to the historic 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that grants women the right to abortion across the country. The states' newly enacted abortion bans are also believed to signal a conservative tilt in many parts of the United States. Abortion is considered a hot-button issue in the upcoming 2020 presidential elections. The position on the abortion issue also reflects an increasingly divided U.S. society. Recently, states like New York and Virginia relaxed restrictions on late-term abortions. A May 2018 Gallup poll found that 60 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal during the first trimester, and 13 percent think women should be allowed to terminate their pregnancy during the third trimester. Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley has pleaded not guilty to the 11 count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Fina... Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley has pleaded not guilty to the 11 count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. After the charges were read to him in the presence of Justice Nicholas Oweibo, he pleaded ' not guilty'. Justice Oweibo however slated the 30th of May for the hearing of bail application. Until then Naira Marley will be remanded in EFCC custody. The apex Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has reacted to reports claiming that National Leader of the All Progressi... The apex Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has reacted to reports claiming that National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu will run for the office of the president in 2023. Ohanaezes Deputy Spokesperson, Chuks Ibegbu, in an interview with Dailypost, said Tinubu should not run for presidency on the basis of morality. Just last week, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode had commended the APC National Leader for aspiring to be president in 2023. Fani-Kayode had tweeted: I am not in Bola Tinubus party but I commend him for having the courage to aspire to be President in 2023. How many southern politicians from either APC or PDP have had the guts to do that? If nothing else he has challenged the myth that the north owns Nigeria. However, Ibegbu alleged that most people in the South East are not comfortable with the former Lagos State Governor; hence he should not run for president. According to Ibegbu: Every Nigerian has the right to contest for any position but we are talking about morality now, Tinubu has the right, I Chuks Ibegbu has the right to be president of this country but we are talking about morality, justice, fairness and equity. Tinubu has the right to come out to be president but by right, equity and fairness he should not come out, he has no reason to come out morally. Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, has banned the use of polythene and plastic bags in the state to boost clean environment. ... Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, has banned the use of polythene and plastic bags in the state to boost clean environment. Ishaku announced the ban and the introduction of paper bags, on Monday, during the launching of the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) policy in the state. The governor also declared a state of emergency on the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, saying he would soon send an executive bill to the state house of assembly to legalise the ban. He lauded USAID and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), the development partners, for their intervention in boosting water supply in the state. He charged the state water supply agency to ensure constant maintenance of water pipes for better service delivery. According to him, the state government had keyed into the WASH project as part of efforts to ensure the provision of potable water to the people of the state. Because of the passion my administration had on water supply, we have embarked on a N7 billion Jalingo Primary Water project to complement the African Development Bank (AfDB) water project in Jalingo to cater for the growing population of the city, he said. We are also making efforts to improve water supply across the state and our efforts are yielding results. Emmanuel Gowon, the commissioner for water resources, had earlier commended the governor for his efforts in improving the water supply in the state. Gowon expressed the readiness of the ministry in delivering on the mandate of water supply to the state. Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to say more things he knows about Boko Haram,... Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to say more things he knows about Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and alleged plot to Islamise Nigeria. He said this in a statement on Sunday. The former presidential aide said Obasanjo remained the only politically active southern and Middle Belt leader that understands what is really going on, the grave danger Nigeria is in, and what lies ahead. He also attacked former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido, for attacking Obasanjo and defending President Muhammadu Buhari. It read: Obasanjo is deeply courageous and his latest contribution that there is an agenda to Fulanise West Africa and Islamise Africa says it all. Obasanjo needs say no more. History and posterity will be kind to him for speaking the bitter truth and saying what almost every other southern and Middle Belt politician and leader knows to be true but is too timid and too scared to say publicly. With his latest contribution he has vindicated yours truly and many others. I saw this coming in late 2013 and I told the world. Nnamdi Kanu saw it coming in 2014 and he told the world. Asari Dokubo saw it in 2015 and he told the world. Afenifere, OPC, YOLICOM, PANDEM, MEND, the Middle Belt Forum, the Niger Delta Avengers, IPOB, MASSOB and Ohaeneze saw it in 2017 and they told the world. The Christian Elders Forum, CAN and the Church saw it in 2018 and they told the world. Sadly the world refused to listen, left us on our own and, instead of rising to the occassion and confronting the evil, Nigerians went on bended knee to the powers that be and acted as if they were not saddled with a major problem that was bound to eventually consumme them all. Now they know better even though most of them are still in denial. Now they must live with the consequences of their indifference, ignorance, cowardice and stoicism. What a pity. It is a tragedy of monumental proportions that a nation that is so blessed with extraordinary human and mineral resources should end up going this way. I hear one or two people like Sule Lamido are not too happy with what OBJ said and have called him out for saying it. That is sad and unfortunate because Obasanjo has done more for the core north, Lamidos Fulani tribe and Nigerian unity than any other former President or Head of State in our history. He also fought in a civil war to keep the country together. For anybody from the core north to call him names for speaking the truth and baring his mind over what is unfolding in Nigeria today tells you how blinded by power, insensitive and callous some of these people are. It is only those that subscribe to the Fulanisation and Islamisation agenda that will criticise or oppose Obasanjos observation and describe him as a bigot for making them. What Obasanjo said was timely and necessary and millions are commending him for it. He spoke the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A US senior official recently warned the UK on its approval to let Chinese telecoms company Huawei to help build some non-core parts of 5G data network, saying that it could allow China to control the internet of the future and divide Western alliances through bits and bytes. On top of such slander, the US government even put Huawei on the Entity List to suppress the company. For quite a long time, some US officials have been running around the world and peddling accusations of Chinas technological threat to the world. Out of paranoid hostility, they falsely accused Chinese self-developed technologies. As justice prevails, a clean hand wants no washing. The US lodged the argument because it is jealous of Chinas technological development and wants to find an excuse to launch political crackdown on China. The accusations, which are fabricated for political reasons, are also intended to hold back China in development. Facts speak louder than words. As of this March, China has held 34.02 percent of worldwide applications for key patents related to 5G technology, while the US only has had its share of 14 percent, according to German patent data company IPlytics. Hearing some real concerns back home, US officials still unabashedly claimed that 5G is an arms race in which the US is the only winner and the US would guard the technology from the enemy. Such remarks have indicated that the US has applied its cold-war thinking into science and technology and tried to tie the worlds development in this field with its own in an exclusive clique, a move that goes against the trend of the times. Speaking in groundless words to confuse and manipulate the public opinions, a country will show nothing but its evil intentions while politically cracking down on other countries scientific and technological development. Last year, China topped the worlds ranking with 4.18 million personnel doing research and development, and secured the second place in both the total number of international scientific publications and the times of citation. At the same time, the countrys contribution rate of scientific and technological progress to economic growth increased to 58.5 percent. It also came out number one in the global patent applications and licensing and rose to the 17th place of national comprehensive innovation capability. All these figures have showed Chinas transformation from a world factory into a global innovation platform underpinned by the hard working and creative Chinese people. If such achievements are seen as threatening, then should the US be called the worlds number one threat as it holds multiple cutting-edge technologies? The US has never hesitated to use scientific and technological approaches to realize its political goals. Some argued that the US is supervising the whole world, just as some facts revealed by Edward Snowden. However, not every country would do bad deeds through science and technology as the US did and assumed. In spite of false accusations, Chinese technologies have won recognition and praise from the international community for bringing benefits. To date, the Green Super Rice bred by China for resource-poor regions in Asian and African countries has been planted in 18 countries. The artemisinin discovered by a Chinese scientist has saved millions of peoples lives. Apart from pushing forward international cooperation in space, China has written a new chapter of lunar exploration by launching the Change-4 mission. At the same time, China continues to carry out the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan in partnership with other countries to pursue four major initiatives, namely the Science and Technology People-to-People Exchange Initiative, the Joint Laboratory Initiative, the Science Park Cooperation Initiative, and the Technology Transfer Initiative. Chinese has injected confidence into, brought opportunities for, and built a bridge to prosperity for the worlds science and technology. While people across the world are enjoying mutual benefits delivered from win-win cooperation with China in science and technology, they also notice that some people in the US are throwing mud at Chinas innovations in this field. It requires a global vision to develop science and technology with a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation changing the worlds landscape of innovation. Thecold-war thinking toward science and technology is doomed to fail. Any attempt to build stout barriers is bound to disappoint. Past efforts at technology control have demonstrated that deciding what technologies to control, and then enforcing those decisions, is enormously difficult, said James Steinberg, former US deputy secretary of state. People adopting the China threat rhetoric should reflect on their stance. Only openness and innovation will lead to prosperity. On the contrary, any attempt to drag down the international cooperation in science and technology will be strongly opposed by countries and peoples that love peace and desire development. Trials and tribulations will only build a country up, and any attempt to impede Chinas progress in science and technology is in vain and will only lead to failure. (Zhong Sheng, a homonym in Chinese for voice of China, is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy) The so-called forced transfer of technology by China has been repeated by the US as an allegation against China in China-US trade talks. Such accusationis an old-fashioned argument used by some people in the US to suppress Chinas development. It had been rudely inflicted upon Chinese enterprises and gone wild since Washington released the so-called Section 301 investigation last March. Market behaviors, such as trade and investment, are an independent choice of market entities in the process of international economic and trade cooperation. The American businessmen, who are good at calculation, will never seal a deal in which its interests are hurt. China has opened up its market since reform and opening up. The business opportunities that came along attracted a lot of foreign enterprises to invest in China, including American companies. To maximize their interests, these companies chose to cooperate with their Chinese counterparts. The American companies are not forced to come to China with their technologies, nor could they be coerced to cooperate with their Chinese counterparts. Scientific and technological achievements are in essence the work of mind, and nobody is able to manipulate the mind. Technical cooperation is definitelybased on the willingness of two parties concerned, and forced technology transfer doesnt exist becausescience and technology is not gained by force. The forced transfer of technology rhetoric runs counter to the basic facts regarding Chinas utilization of foreign investment.The U.S. argument about the forced transfer of technology can be described as being fabricated from thin air. There is no such a Chinese regulation that requires foreign enterprises to transfer their technologies so that they could cooperate with Chinese firms. Cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises in various aspects, such as technology and economy and trade, is based on contracts. It is absurd that a beneficiary of economic and trade cooperation acts like a victim of the relationship. So far, the US had not yet been able to provide any evidence to back up the claims. This is not strange because some Americans despise facts and prefer taking nonsense. Multiple American companies which have joint ventures or wholly-owned companies in China claimed that they are not required to transfer their technologies to Chinese enterprises, or forced into delivering intellectual property rights or technologies to the latter, during a hearing held by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR). The US enterprises are beneficiaries through transferring technologies to their Chinese counterparts. A product emerges, grows, matures and declines following the steps of the technology that supports it. Therefore, while developing new technologies, many transnational companies transfer some technologies to developing nations. In this way, they can not only continue harvesting profits produced from the outdated technologies in host countries, but also leave more space and factors for the development of new technologies. The US benefited substantially from voluntary technological cooperation. In 2016 alone, it earned $7.96 billion worth ofintellectual property right royaltyfrom China, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The US has gained even more from investing in Chinese enterprises and the service sector of China. Washingtons fragile nerves were caused by Chinas rapidly growing research and development capabilities. China now leads the world in such technologies as aerospace development, Beidou satellites, deep-sea exploration, high-speed railways, supercomputer and 5G networks. This fact is intolerable for some people in the US who think no one should outpace them. Washington holds a hegemonic logic that Whats yours is mine, and whats mine is mine, claimingthat it is through forced transfer that the US technologies become Chinas. Cultivating the mindset is ridiculous and preaching it iseven disgraceful! China has laid high importance on building stronger independent innovation capacity. Since 2000, Chinas investment in research and development has been growing at an average rate of 20 percent a year. In 2017, China became the second largest country in the world only after the US in terms of the amount of R&D input. You ask me where Chinas technological progress is coming from. Its coming from terrific entrepreneurs who are getting the benefit of huge government investments in basic science. Its coming from an educational system thats privileging excellence, concentrating on science and technology, said economist Larry Summers, who is also former Treasury secretary of the US. Some people in the US turn a deaf ear to the fact that Chinas technological progress comes from the hard work, wisdom, and creativity of the Chinese people. Sticking to such mindset, the US itself isbecoming the laughing stock of the world. Science has no boundaries, and science and technology should benefit all mankind. All countries should fully explore their potential for scientific and technological innovation, open up for new technologies and knowledge, so as to bring benefits to more people. This is a grand cause that serves the welfare of mankind and the whole world. (Zhong Sheng, a homonym in Chinese for voice of China, is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy) LONDON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday pledged to make a "bold offer" in her final bid to push the Brexit deal through the parliament. In an article published on The Sunday Times, May said a "new and improved" deal on Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) will be presented to the members of the parliament when they vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill in early June. May said she will "not be simply asking MPs to think again" on the same deal but on "an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support." May's pledge came amid the Brexit impasse after MPs repeatedly rejected her Brexit deal over the past months. The opposition Labour has said it will vote against the bill. The prime minister has promised to set a timetable for her departure from 10 Downing Street following the vote on her deal.